Fallout: WarMonger

Shelter

Slowly, Blue crept up on the rundown shack. There was no way of knowing whether someone was in there or not, so it was a smart move to be cautious. Dogmeat trailed behind happily not even knowing his master was trying and probably not succeeding at being stealthy.

Dogmeat walked right past Blue and barked at the shack's door. Blue and Piper dove around the corner of the shack while a man in a dirty pair of rags and worn trousers walked out. Looking down at the dog, the man smiled.

"What's your name, huh little guy?" he asked.

Dogmeat barked.

The man patted Dogmeat's head but then noticed something odd about his fur. "You've been getting petted often, aren't you?"

The man stood up. "Alright, come on out. You cowards!"

Around the corner, Blue sighed and lowered his gun. He walked around the corner with Piper close behind.

"Who in hell's name are you and why you on my land!?" The man asked.

"We just need a place to stay for the night and we'll be on our way."

The man softened slightly. "Well, I got room."

The man beckoned for them to follow him into the shack. Blue glanced at Piper and they followed suit. Inside, the shack was meager with very little furniture except a single wide bed, a refrigerator, a broken lamp, and a small hatch in the ground.

Piper noticed the mysterious hatch as well and took a step towards it in her journalistic curiosity. The man noticed and put his foot down on the hatch.

"That's not for you." he said sternly.

Without a word, Piper back off. The man let out a "hmph" and kept going. The man himself looked no different from an other, in his late 30s the man had blown back blonde hair and a slight scruffle on his chin. Blue took notice of the fact that this man had many scars adorning his bare arms. And one on his forehead.

The man pointed to the wide bed. "For you." he said simply.

"My name is Mason." the man continued. "Need anything, I'm sleeping outside."

"Wouldn't that be dangerous out here?" Piper asked.

"Hmph. Lady, I'd be the most dangerous thing out there." Mason said.

Mason walked out without another word and Piper glanced over suspiciously at Blue. Blue shrugged and removed the piece of steel that acted as a chest piece before flopping onto the bed.

Piper looked back at the mysterious hatch for a moment before joining him in the bed.

/

The next morning, the sun was blazing hot before it was even eight in the morning. Blue and Piper awoke to Dogmeat standing over them on the bed, panting contently now that his people were awake.

Blue gasped. "Bad dog breath!" he wheezed, trying to fan Dogmeat's breath away.

Piper laughed and rolled out of the bed and onto the floor. Blue took Dogmeat in his arms and tackled him down onto the mattress. He began scratching his belly, making Dogmeat's leg kick with excitement.

Blue looked over at Piper, who was already partially dressed. "You almost done?" she asked.

Blue looked down at Dogmeat. "Yeah." he said.

The two walked out of the shack to see Mason sitting in the dirt with a knife, whittling away at a piece of wood.

"Good morning." Blue said.

"Hmph." came Mason's reply.

Blue glanced at Piper who gave him a sympathetic look. Mason stood up and turned to greet them.

"Sleep well?" he asked.

"As well as can be expected." Piper said.

Mason shrugged. "The mattress is a little old." he said.

"No, it's fine." she replied.

Mason nodded and turned back to what he was going. Piper caught a glimpse of a wooden carving, depicting the figure of a woman in a robe.

"Where is the nearest town from here? We're kind of new to this area." Blue asked.

Mason thought a moment then answered pointing northward. "There's a small town off that way. Called Goodsprings. They're nice folk, treat 'em nice." Mason said.

"We will. Thank you." Blue said.

"I don't need thanks." Mason replied.

/

As Blue, Piper, and Dogmeat passed over a hill that overlooked Mason's shack, they turned back to wave to their gracious host. Mason noticed the gesture and waved back. His expression didn't change, he was a stoic as a statue.

Just then, Piper nudged Blue's shoulder and pointed off to the east. A group of people were approaching the shack, and they were armed.

Blue and Piper dropped down to their stomachs for fear of being seen, in case these men were trouble.

They watched as one man stepped out from the group of heavily armed men, Mason stared coldly; unflinchingly, at the supposed leader of this group.

Words were exchanged and Blue and Piper listened as the leader lost his temper and began yelling profanities at Mason before storming off with his men close behind him.

Blue looked over at Piper. "What the hell was that about?" he asked.

"I really don't know." she replied.

The trio continued on to the town Mason told them about, Goodsprings. When they reached the settlement, Blue was astonished. The place was straight out of an old western from when he was a kid before the war, a saloon, a general store, a pen of bighorns, farmers tending crops, and a few children roaming about.

They made their way through the town which surprisingly was bustling with people coming and going and multiple brahmin caravans roaming around. They soon reached the saloon, above it hung a big sign that read "Prospector Saloon."

They entered it to see people of all kinds about, mercenaries for hire, caravanners, caravan guards, prospectors, and regular old businessman. One person stood out though.

She approached the newcomers with a hand on a six-shooter on her belt and a dog at her side. Blue glanced down at the dog and smiled nervously.

"She won't bite unless I tell her to." the woman said.

"That's good, guess." Blue replied.

"So, what's your business here in Goodsprings?"

Piper stepped in. "We're just passing through, we need directions and provisions."

The woman smiled and took her hand off the six-shooter. "Names Sunny Smiles and this is Cheyenne."

Sunny glanced down at Cheyenne who had her full attention on Dogmeat. "Don't be strangers." Sunny said before walking off with Cheyenne close behind.

Blue let out a sigh of relief. "I kinda like this place already."