As the storm raged outside, the people of Goodsprings wondered when it was going to end. Inside the Prospector Saloon, Trudy was serving those who were forced to stay. Sunny Smiles was also inside playing with her dog, Cheyenne. They were by the pool tables, so they were the only ones to notice the shadow the large figure who passed by the window. A gust of wind and sand blew in as a stranger walked entered.

He was a tall one, standing over six feet at his shoulder. But because he was hunched over a bit, he could have easily been over seven. He wore a trenchcoat as big as him that looked to be patched together from several heavy coats. His helmet looked to be made from pieces of pounded metal that had a slotted visor that covered the upper part of his face. The lower part of his face was wrapped in bandages, ensuring that nobody could see what he looked like.

The stranger shook himself off and looked at Sunny and Cheyenne, who didn't know what to make of him. He ignored the growling dog and walked over to the bar. He took out a number of bottle caps and ordered some moonshine. Trudy handed one over and took his caps in exchange. The stranger gulped it down, straight from the jug. Trudy passed him another moonshine when he handed over some more caps.

"So, what's a traveler like yourself doing out in a town like Goodsprings?"

The stranger put his drink down and wiped his mouth with his sleeve, "Looking." His voice was like a low groan or a growl. From the way he was breathing, it must have been difficult for him to talk.

"What are you looking for?"

The stranger pulled out a small box, inside he revealed a glowing fragment of some kind. Trudy didn't know what to make of it. She had seen many things out in the Wastelands, but never anything like this. The bright green glow it gave off reminded her of something radioactive. There was a clicking sound going off, meaning this man had a Pipboy that was detecting radiation. The stranger closed it when he noticed the look of concern in her eyes.

"It's safe, but never touch." That last part wasn't so reassuring to hear.

"I've never seen anything like that before in my life."

"I have," came a voice.

Trudy turned to Sunny Smiles, who had been watching them, "You've seen something like this?"

"Yep, not too long ago I seen a man come through with a rock the size of my fist. He had it wrapped in cloth but the glow was still coming through."

The stranger got up and revealed a Pipboy from under his sleeve, "Where?"

"He was going down to the NCR Correctional Facility."

"But I thought that place was abandoned after their leader was taken out, wasn't it?" Trudy asked.

"That's what I heard, but a few merchants passing through said they've seen some strange things happening there."

"I have to go." The stranger got up and was about to leave when Sunny stepped out in front of him.

"Hey, you only just got here, and the sand storm isn't letting up any time soon. They don't happen often, but it's easy to get turned around in them. And there are still the geckos and the like out there to deal with."

The stranger thought it over for a bit and said, "Alright." He sat himself down against the wall closest to the door. Cheyenne was still growling, but Sunny waved her off before sitting next to him.

"You're not afraid." It wasn't a question, but a statement of something only obvious to her.

"My daddy was a big guy, just like you. Course, it could have just been because I was just a little girl then."

The man shifted his helmet, "What happened?"

Sunny looked up at the ceiling, "Raiders came to our settlement when I was fourteen. There was a terrible fight. But my daddy wasn't one to quit and took out several of them with just his knife." The woman removed a combat knife from her boot. "But during all the fighting, he didn't know that one of them had put a bullet in his gut until they were ran off. He fought so damned hard that he didn't even know that one of them had killed him."

"Sorry to hear."

Sunny shook her head, "It's alright, at least nowadays. I've still got Cheyenne and Goodsprings."

He nodded his head and did his best to say, "Good to have family."

"Do you have any family? Oh, hold on, here I am asking about family and I don't even know your name."

"Patrick Drake."

"Well, I'm Sunny Smiles. Don't laugh now, my daddy was called Big by my grandma."

"Big Smiles. Must've been big. Big like me. To have that name." He had to stop with every few words and take a short breath. He even started to sound like he was having trouble breathing.

"Maybe not as big as you. But like I said, it could have just been because I was smaller than him. You got any family?"

"Long time ago. They're gone now." He spoke with a tired tone in his voice.

"What happened?" Sunny asked. Cheyenne walked up to her owner and put her head on the woman's lap. She was still watching Patrick, but she wasn't growling anymore.

"Time...war. Don't know if any lef-" he suddenly coughed and rubbed his throat.

"Thirsty?" Sunny got up and went to the bar. "Hey, Trudy, can you get me some water? You can put it on my tab."

"Alright, but why so generous now? You don't even know him."

The woman shrugged, "I don't really know, I just feel like I know him somehow. He reminds me of my daddy."

"Be sure to watch yourself if he proves to be trouble. I'd hate to see what kind of damage someone of his size can do."

"I will. But I don't think he'll try anything." Sunny took the water and sat herself by Patrick's side again. "Here, this should help."

He gulped it down and cleared his throat, "Thank you." He sighed and continued, "Looking for their family. If any live."

Sunny scratched Cheyenne's ears, "Well, I hope you find them. I know what its like losing your family, which is why I defend this one." She pointed over to Trudy.

"Family is good. Good company."

"You don't got any company?" Sunny asked.

"Once, long ago. But they died."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to Cheyenne." The dog wagged her tail after hearing her name. She didn't seem to care about Patrick anymore since he wasn't doing anything besides just sitting there. Even when he raised his hand to shift his helmet again, she didn't react.

"Don't worry. It was...their time."

"You sure about that?" Sunny asked. She didn't know why, but she was just full of questions.

"I'm sure. Lives were ruined. I brought release."

"You...killed them?"

Patrick shook his head, "No. Their minds were lost. Long ago. I ended the pain. Mine too. But I woke up. I shouldn't be here. Stones too. So I look. Look for stones." He pulled out the box again. "These dangerous. Shouldn't exist. I shouldn't exist. Not anymore."

"Hey, how could you say that? Everyone has a right to exist."

"My time over. Long ago."

"How old are you?"

Patrick was about to answer when a Bighorner, a ram the size of a rhino, burst through the wall. It didn't do so of it's own volition, as someone had just hurled it through. The sandstorm blew inside, spreading sand everywhere. Cheyenne charged outside and yelped as she flew back in. Time slowed for Sunny as the dog, her best friend, bounced off the floor and didn't get up.

"Cheyenne! You bastard!"

Patrick stopped Sunny from charging out into the storm for her revenge and said, "Tend to dog! I will go!" With that, he ran outside and was promptly punched in the face by a large fist. His helmet wasn't even dented as he took the attack. Then he grabbed on and pulled the intruder back into the storm.

There were sounds like a hammer on metal as the two pounded at each other. Sunny was watching as bolts of electricity danced around the two fighters while she held Cheyenne in her arms. With each blow there was a flash and another bolt sparked to life. She couldn't see what was happening, but she could see just where the punches were landing. Then it happened.

A great flash of green energy exploded and almost seemed to shatter the storm for a split second. All Sunny could see was Patrick at the ending moments of his punch. It was as if his fist was manifesting a green flame. Then the two dissapeared again as the storm washed over them.

It was only two minutes later when the storm started to slow and faded altogether. To Sunny's surprise, the strange man was almost as big as Patrick. He bent down and removed what looked like a glowing fragment from the man's pocket and put it along with the one he already had. Then he dropped to one knee.

"Patrick!" Sunny wanted to see to him but she had to take care of Cheyenne.

"I'm alright." He removed something from his pocket, "Use this." He tossed her a stimpack.

Sunny nodded and injected the dog with the emergency medicine. As the chemicals went to work dulling the pain, the dog opened her eyes and waged her tail a bit. She wimpered, but that was to be expected.

"Silly dog, you shouldn't ever run off like that." Cheyenne waged her tail again and Sunny couldn't help but smile. Her friend was alright, but how did Patrick know that she would be alright with a stimpack?

"Dog alright?"

"Ya, but how did you know?"

Patrick sat himself down with a heavy thud, "Experience. Had dog pack. Long time ago." He coughed and wheezed.

Trudy came out from the bar and handed him some water, "Here, it's on the house. After what you did for us, it's the least I can do."

He nodded his head in thanks and gulped it down.

"So, what now?" Sunny asked.

"Have to look. Always look." He got up and dusted himself off. It was at that moment that the two saw his hand.

It was covered in glass. The flames had been so intense that he had melted sand into glass. Before either of them could say anything, he turned and left them. They weren't sure if he would ever return, but they knew that there was no way they could stop him. But they were surprised by the sack of caps that he had left behind.

Once Patrick was out of sight of the town, he smashed the glass off his hand, tearing away his patch-work glove. Underneath, the flesh of his hand was withered, almost to the bone. He had been searching for nearly two centuries now. He only had half of all the stones collected now, but he couldn't stop.

Before he got moving again, he looked back and sighed. Sunny had reminded him of the one he had to let go, oh so many years ago. She would be long dead now, she would have died during the passage of time. Though, in his mind, she would stay as young as she was the last day he saw her.

Her memory was the one thing that kept his legs moving. He had to find the stones before they caused any more damage. Today alone was just a small sample of the destruction just one could bring. And there was a man out there with a stone as big as a person's fist. A stone that big could cause a lot of damage.

And so he let his legs do the walking, for they always knew where he needed to go next.