Some credit to FalloutGuy1986 for helping me write some of the fight scene. I am TERRIBLE at fighting sequences and he offered to help. Gave me some solid advice and even helped with the lines themselves. He is a very descriptive writer, check out his stories! In the meantime I shall keep practicing to bring you guys a better story, promise.
"All the ways you wish you could be, that's me. I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not." -Chuck Palahniuk
Eli was sitting in the bar a few nights later smoking like a mad man. The dream from earlier still made his skin crawl whenever he gave it thought. So he resided to do the only thing that seemed to clear his mind. Drink. It didn't help that it had also been a while since he had gotten to lay hands on someone, and he was itching for a fight. About four glasses of whiskey in, he realized the usual rowdy crowd wasn't making an appearance.
"Guess I'll have to make my own fun." He smiled at the bartender. The man simply continued cleaning a cloudy glass and said nothing.
Spinning around on the bar stool to face the crowd, Eli scanned the room. Normally if you wanted a fight, you found the biggest motherfucker in the room and hit him. Eli chuckled, too bad for him he always was that motherfucker. The other thing you could do was find the prettiest girl, taken of course, and flirt with her. And that's just what he aimed to do. Knocking back his drink he wiped the sweat from the glass on his pants and stood.
The prettiest girl just happened to be surrounded by men, even as she sat in the lap of one. He strolled up to the table catching sight of their NCR uniforms. Even better Eli thought with a grin, riling up soldier boys was always a guaranteed thrill. Flicking his cigarette to the floor he blew the smoke out his nose and smiled at the girl. His boyish grin caught her eye and she turned to him, flipping her pretty brown hair.
"Can we help you?" One of the soldiers asked him, obviously agitated at the newcomer.
Eli smiled at him as well. "I just figured that you were new in town. Thought I might come say Hi. I especially wanted to meet to your lady friend." He said, offering his hand to the girl.
"Well hello, I'm June." She grinned and held her hand out.
"I'm sure." he replied, taking her hand he pulled her up quickly from her perch and dipped her down.
She squealed as he caught her in his arms, and he shut off the sound quickly with a rough kiss. By the time he sat her back up on her feet, the sound of chairs scraping the wood floor echoed inside the bar. Eli gave the woman another smile before gently pushing her aside.
He tipped an imaginary hat to her just as the first man pushed him.
"Just what are you trying to pull here?!" The Soldier demanded.
Turning slowly he let the feeling bubble from his stomach all the way up to his chest. "Like I said, I was just introducing myself."
The men looked around at each other for a moment. When the first turned back, Eli met his face with his heavy fist. The wounded soldier fell to the floor, only a loud thump and a small rising of dust followed as he was knocked out cold.
The second Soldier lunged at Eli, hitting his target dead center. He let out a surprised groan when Eli barely moved. The move the soldier had used would have knocked most opponents to the ground. However, Eli was not "most opponents" The tall man reacted just like a stone wall, well as stone wall would have before the war.
Eli laughed menacingly and grabbed the man by the throat and tossed him into a nearby table. Splintered wood flew across the bar as Eli took advantage of the distraction. He grabbed the last frightened man by the uniform and dragged him across the floor. Releasing him suddenly, held his arms out wide.
Eli licked the blood from the first Soldier from his knuckles hungrily. "Don't be scared."
The solider looked at him like he was crazy, and Eli laughed to prove him right. The second man rose up from the broken table and lunged at Eli, wrapping his hands around his throat. Unfortunately for him, his hands weren't enough to encompass the girth of Eli's neck. Eli grabbed him under the arms and flipped him over easily, knocking the third man down as well with his body.
"Aw fucking...come on! You call yourselves Soldiers?!" He huffed. Disappointed at the weak, sloppy manner in which they "fought back".
"They are only Cadets, I however, am an Officer." A voice spoke up from behind him.
Eli turned around to see a blonde man, matching him in size, and only a few inches shorter. A wide smile spread across his face just as the man's fist made contact with his cheekbone. The world went black for a split second as the pain spread through his jaw. Any other man would have thought twice after receiving that particular blow. But his sadistic nature rang true, and Eli thoroughly enjoyed the pain. He turned back as he opened his eyes again, returning the blow with one of his own. Blood droplets flew from the Officer's mouth, but to his credit, he remained upright.
They circled each other like boxers, each strike being returned in kind. Every time the officer landed a blow, Eli drank in the pain. Some people took chems to get high, but Eli found that they only dulled the world around him. His high came from feeling every other kind of pain and pleasure the world had to offer. And often, the two were one in the same. The sensation lit the fire in his mind and burned away all the frustrations inside. The officer landed a particularly good blow suddenly, causing Eli's vision to blur. He stumbled into the wall, using it to push himself back up.
The Officer gave him a funny look, as he moved his head back. "Boy you just don't know when to back down. Ever thought of joining the NCRA?"
Eli let out a deep rumbling laugh "Fuck you, and your puppet army." He licked the blood from his lip, savoring the coppery taste. "Now stop dicking around and fight me you Republic pussy."
The blonde man snarled as he lunged for him. Eli grabbed the nape of the his uniform, wrapping his other arm under his stomach. Using his momentum, Eli sent the Officer to join his Cadets in the broken pile of wood. Time seemed to slow down then as he made his way over to the man. Towering over him Eli slammed his boot into the Officer's side, earning a loud cracking sound. Somewhere behind him the girl from earlier screamed something. But he was too far gone into the fight to notice, or to care.
Dropping to his knees he yanked the officer from the broken table and preceded to beat him senseless. His wrists absorbed the brunt of each impact, and the rest of the energy traveled up his forearm and straight to his brain.
Lost in the elation of his violence he never noticed three more Soldiers running up behind him. They grabbed him roughly, their hands digging into his burning shoulders. He was thrown back into a chair immediately and a cold pistol barrel was pressed to his forehead. Eli glowered up at the Soldier holding the gun in a rage. He was like an animal, furious about being removed from his prey.
"Get that shit out of my fucking face." he growled.
Off to the side the Cadets were helping the blonde officer to his feet. His nose was barely recognizable and he was making wheezing sounds. Eli smirked and looked back at the man with the gun.
"I'm placing you under arrest." the Soldier spoke angrily.
"For what?" Eli shrugged as he shook his head, causing the other man to flinch.
"For starting a fight in a public place and attacking an Officer of the New California Republic Army!"
Eli snorted and pointed a bloody finger at the Officer. "That motherfucker hit first, arrest him."
The man shook his head and waved over another Solider with a sigh. "Restrain this asshole."
It took all four of them to succeed.
"Wake up slum puppy, you're being released." A man called out.
Eli looked up from where he sat on the dirty ground to see Mollie glaring at him through the bars.
"Lil sis, my you look lovely this morning." He smirked.
Mollie crossed her arms as the jailer released him "Assaulting an NCR Officer? Really Eli..."
"What? He tried to fucking recruit me." He replied jokingly.
She huffed and lead him out by his elbow. "Only after you two beat on each other."
"How'd you know?"
"I had a nice long chat with him after the released him from the medic. He will heal eventually, no thanks to you."
"How nice. You two buddies now?" He retorted, squinting as they walked out into the morning sun.
Mollie handed him his sunglasses. "Perhaps, he has some interesting views. Not to mention that he's a very smart man. He'll move up fast in the NCRA I'm sure."
"Fan-fucking-tastic Mollie, maybe then he'll learn how to throw a punch." He turned back to her "Hey, maybe you could teach him!"
She cast him a dark look "There is more to life than fighting Eli. One day I want to do something with my life. Maybe go to California and pursue something in science."
Eli pulled a crumpled cigarette from his pocket. Lighting it with a frown he scowled at her. "You need to read something other than science books Mol."
"Like what? Poetry?" She drew out the last word as she rolled her eyes. "That'll get me laid maybe, by some sappy eyed loser. I prefer to bed an intellectual, someone of more worth. Not by some Wasteland low life."
"Hey now, don't knock poetry. And don't talk about bedding people in front of me, it's gross."
"Says the man who fucks girls in his room who are so loud they rattle the glasses in the kitchen." She scoffed.
"That's not talking is it? I can't help it that I make..."
His words were cut short at the sight of his Mother outside their house. Her arms were crossed as she watched them walk towards her. Eli gave her a smile before turning back to Mollie.
"How pissed is she?" He asked.
"You know Ma, never pissed, only disappointed." She sighed. "I didn't tell her though, Quinn did."
Eli grumbled before planting a smile on his face when they reached the steps of the house.
"Hey Ma." Eli grinned.
"Eli" she said quietly, acknowledging him. "Mollie, why don't you go on down to Miguel's? See if he has some more conductors. You used up the last few in your..experiments."
Mollie glanced at Eli before nodding to her Mother. "Sure thing."
After Mollie was out of earshot, Daphne took her son by the arm. "Come walk with me."
He held his arm out for her, falling into step in the sand as she began to speak.
"Eli, you know I don't try to steer you kids away from who you choose to be. And I have always tried to encourage you to live your life as you wish." She began.
"But?" Eli sighed.
Daphne gave him a half smile. "But you can't keep battling everything you don't like. I know it is your nature to be violent. And I understand your need to indulge in these acts." She sighed, sounding tired. "But Eli, you must find a balance in life. If you keep feeding this side of yourself, you are going to lose the brighter side of you that I know exists. And if you tear down, without building up something somewhere else...you are going to bury yourself in so much hate, that you may never climb out."
Eli looked over at her with hurt eyes. Her words were cutting, and they carried a weight he wasn't prepared for. "You make it sound as if all I do is destroy."
She stopped walking and squeezed his arm. "My Son, please don't take this the wrong way. I just don't want you to end up down a path that you cannot get back from. I know that darkness in your mind, I've seen it many times. We all have a part of it in ourselves." Daphne dropped her hands to her hips. "I do not believe that man was born inherently good. That is why it is so hard to choose to do the good things in life. But working against our existence as such, is what makes us stronger."
"Working against our existence..." He repeated her words as the dry Mojave wind caressed his face. "Why the fuck would we do that? All this time you have let me be how I am. Yet now you are asking me to do the opposite. To go against my nature would be by definition, to fight against what is natural. And in battling that, I would destroy myself." He spoke flatly, his ego was wounded and calling out for defense.
"Eli, you aren't listening to me. I don't want you to cease being yourself. I'm just saying that it would help you to balance. The world cannot exist on extremes. Just look around you!" She waved her hands at the ruined buildings around her. "This is what happens without balance. You say that you would destroy yourself? Bullshit. You are destroying yourself now because you are living on your extremes. If you don't act with love as often as you do with anger, then you will disappear. And all that will be left is an angry shell of the man I know you to be." Daphne finished with tears in her eyes.
"Mitera." Eli whispered before pulling her against his broad chest. Even though her pleadings struck a nerve, he could never stand to see her cry. "I'm not going to disappear." He spoke softly, letting her lean back to wipe her eyes. "I do have balance. My love for you and Mollie ensures that Mitera. As long as you both are around, I will always be myself, I promise."
Daphne's aging features creased into a small smile. "But I won't always be around my dear. And one day Mollie will move on to whatever fate is hers to claim. You will have to find a new love to balance you then. A woman who is strong like you, like a warrior from my books."
Eli laughed then. "Is this all just a ploy to get me to settle down and give you grandchildren?"
"Perhaps." She chuckled. "I expect them some day, when you find a worthy lady. But I am in no rush for now. I know it will take time for you to find someone who matches you well. You are a rare one Eli."
"That's the fucking truth." He smiled.
"In all seriousness though, I would like you to think on what I have told you." She said, shielding her eyes from the sun.
He moved then, letting his tall frame cast a shadow over her."I will give it some thought. Though it may take some time to understand it fully. Especially the part about...love." He admitted.
She nodded as she patted his chest, right above his heart. "Love is a strange master, and human nature is stranger still."
The last line is a quote from Edgar Rice Burroughs. For those of you unfamiliar with him, he wrote Tarzan, and the adventures of John Carter.