That's a lot of Caps!
Having lived in a vault for 19 years The Lone Wanderer knew very little about currency. Down in the vault Mr. Brotch taught them all about pre-war practices. This included money. Paper bills she knew all about. Like a one dollar bill had George Washington on it, the first president of the United States of America. He was also on a token worth twenty-five cents. She may have learned all about money but she never experienced it. The vault had a very strict rations system. Every week you were given a card that allowed you three meals a day and enough water to keep your body healthy. The Overseer also had recreation tokens. (She liked to call them fun coins) you could use the tokens to access the computer terminals or to watch a pre-war movie.
That's why when she stumbled into Megaton scared half to death and completely clueless she had no idea what a 'cap' was. She learned quickly when she started asking questions about her father.
Apparently caps were Bottle caps. Mostly from Nuka-cola.(an odd sugary acid like drink that she had no taste for) Caps were pretty easy to find, in old trash bins and rusted file cabinets, but The Lone Wanderer made most of her caps by repairing the odds and ends around town. She made enough caps to live decently in her beat up house with her Robot butler and her faithful dog, Dogmeat.
Do you know what 100 caps looks like? How about 1,000 caps? That's the average cost of a Westland adventure.
The lone Wanderer could tell you it looked like a big pile of cumbersome metal. But the supplies add up and the Lone Wanderer got used to carrying two packs around. One for her supplies and one for her caps.
Despite everyone in Megatons' warning the Lone Wanderer and her companion Dogmeat left for the DC ruins.
They all told her about the Super Mutants. They all told her how dangerous it was.
She knew this was true, and even more true she was still learning how to shoot a gun properly.
She figured her survival rate to be about 20 %( only because she heard the Brotherhood of Steel was in the area.) So it was no surprise when the two were running away from a particularly angry Mutant.
They were doing fine sneaking around them until Dogmeat decided to play Wonder dog. Once the Lone Wanderer caught her breath she turned to her dog. "No! Bad Dogmeat."
"I see those Muties were following you tourist" a gruff voice made her jump, and she was taken back a little when she noticed who was talking to her. She had nothing against Ghouls or any type of person for that matter. "What use is a gun if you're not going to use it?" she felt her face flush a she was suddenly aware of her hunting rifles weight on her back. That's the second tine someone had said that to her.
Jericho's 'friend' Jezebel told her the exact same thing only days ago.
There was no way in hell her and Dogmeat were going to make it back to the safety of Megaton, at least not without help.
"You interested in being a hired gun?" the female ghoul snorted, I guess that was a no…
"You'd have better luck trying Ninth Circle. A bunch of ragamuffins always there wasting' their caps and drinking us dry."
She thanked the Ghoul and walked into the building.
She left Dogmeat in the entrance as she moved on. The second she stepped into Underworld all eyes were on her. She ducked her head and moved as quickly as she could hurry up one of the sets of stairs and through the first door she saw. Praying it would be Ninth Circle; unfortunately it wasn't.
"Oh Greta look at this pretty little smoothskin!" the ghoul at the counter squealed. Another ghoul peeked around the counter a notepad and pencil in hand. She gave a 'humph' and went back to her work.
"Umm is this Ninth Circle?" She asked timidly "Oh heavens no, this is Carols place, and I'm Carol." The Ghoul known as Greta walked around the corner with a distasteful look on her face as she eyed the Lone Wanderer. "Why would you go to a scum hole like that?"
"I'm looking for a bit of assistance." Carol though for a moment "You should ask Azrakhal about Charon. The poor thing looks like he's going to go stir crazy. It's right across the landing deary."
"Are you Azrakhal?" he asked the tall intimidating ghoul standing next to the door. He replied almost like a robot "No I am not, Azrakhal is at the bar." She was about to walk away from him but though of another question "By any chance are you-"he cut her off "Talk to Azrakhal" a bit taken back by his response she tried again "But I was just wond-" he cut her off again "No, Talk. To. Azrakhal ." he loomed over the petit girl with his arms crossed and his well kept shotgun within grasp. She gulped "I think I'll just go talk to Azrakhal." She pointed to the bar and slinked off.
"Well now lookie here a smoothskin!" the barman greeted her with a warm smile and his dirty business suit. "What would the pretty lady like to drink?" she shook her head no. "No drink I just…" she trailed off "Ah I see your one of 'those' customers." He lowered his voice "I got some ultrajet that'll knock your feet all the way up to your elbows." Her eyes widened and she shook her head 'no' quickly "No no nothing like that. I was told to come here because I'm looking for a helping hand." The barman's eyes shifted around the room until they stopped on the scary bouncer. "If its help you're looking for then have I got a deal for you." He went to the safe in the wall and retrieved a single sheet of paper. "This right here is contract of some sorts between me and my good friend Charon over there." He gestured to the disgruntled bouncer "You see with this contract Charon has to do whatever he is ordered to do." He pointed to a particular line that stated that fact. "So if his contract holder told him to dance on a table and sing 'Yankee doodle dandy' he'd do it no questioned asked." The Lone Wanderer was skeptical "Isn't that morally wrong? You know controlling another living being against their will isn't that like slavery?" his ragged mouth went silent thinking of a proper response "Madam I am appalled you would jump to such conclusions Charon and I have a mutual understanding." The Lone Wanderer turned on the creaky bar stool to look at Charon. He was just standing there literally doing nothing. "How much?" she questioned and Azrakhal smiled "Well let's see for you 2,000 caps even" her jaw dropped.
"2,000?" she questioned looking back to Charon "2,000" he told her again. She had to think fast of Charon would be stuck in that little corner for the rest of his life. Not that she was into the whole master and slave thing, she had a bleeding heart. Always trying to make others happy other than worrying about her happiness.
"Now Mr. Azrakhal, let's say we negotiate this matter." She patted the bag she kept her caps in. "you seem like a business savvy person, you must also be and intellectual one." He nodded and folded hi arms across his chest "that I am now please continue." He reached into her caps bag and pulled out ten "you see this is 10 caps, quite a pile huh?" she stacked them up one on top of the other "that right there is enough to buy a big bottle of the finest whiskey." She knocked the tower of caps over and then went sprawling across the bar. "Now as an intelligent man, you would have to know how others covet money." He nodded "Now if I do agree to perchance Charon's contract for 2,000 caps true you will be 2,000 caps richer but then you'll have no one to guard it." She paused, her outer face looked calm and cool but inside she was panicking "Don't you think that your customers are going to notice the influx of merchandise? And once that happens won't they come poking around. Do you know what a pile of 2,000 caps look like? Well think of a 100 cap pile and multiply it twenty times." He smirked " That's a lot of caps"' he sad greedily "True, that's a lot of caps to leave lying about and I'm afraid sir that your safe is to small. How can you keep all your caps safe without a safe place to put it in?" he raised a brow(or what was left of one) "So what do you propose ?" she began pulling her caps out "Now I propose 1,000 caps, though it is less than 2,000 they will fit in your safe, and safe they will remain without Charon to watch them." Was this going to work? Probably not. "Your right, I saw Matches eyeing the safe the other day. Fine 1,000 caps it is…Charon!" he yelled across the room "Get over here!"He pulled out a pencil and crossed out his name written on the bottom of the paper "Today's your Lucky day my friend, this pretty smoothskin is buying your contract. Caps please." The Lone wanderer handed over the agreed amount "Now if you would sign the contract "Hmm Gloria Catherine Neeson" muttered Charon as he watched his new employer sign her name as soon as she finished the last 'n' in 'Neeson' he pulled out his shotgun and literally blew Azrakhal away, the second shot into the corps however was for glorification. Gloria stared in horror eyes wide mouth agape as she watched Charon reach down and retrieve her 1,000 caps back "I believe these were yours." He held them out until she snapped out of shock long enough to grab the bag back. "Do not worry once my contract leaves your person your fate will not be that of Azrakhals. He was lower than tha dirt, and an evil Bastard. Now…" he put his Shotgun back into place "For good or ill I will serve you." he held out his hand. Gloria glanced at Charon's contract then to his hand. He had a string handshake and his patchy skin felt like sandpaper. It didn't matter though because the Lone Wanderer just made a new friend.
Those were the best 1,000 caps she ever spent.
I do not own anything except my concept of The Lone Wanderer(Gloria)my concept of Dogmeat, Jericho's 'friend' Jezabel and Matches the Ghoul
Underword and everyone it is property of Bethesda
Inspired by an odd hobby I picked up after playing Fallout3, I started collecting bottle caps. My goal is to get 2,000 ( so I can buy Charon) . at the moment I have about 53 that's when I realized what 2,000 caps would look like. Because 53 makes a big pile. One day my Boyfriend (whose a fallout Fanatic who prefers Fawks) were discussing Caps and currency and we decided that if the world was ever a nuclear war and humanity was left In post apocalyptic wastelands no one would carry around the ridiculous number of caps to buy crap. They would use a trade and barter system. So when I told him I was saving my caps he asked for what and said so I can buy Charon because my barter skill sucks. And then there were many lols.
Thanks for reading Review if you'd like but no one's forcing you.