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Meadowhill Village

Terra

XX

The Courier awoke.

He sat upright, careful not to knock the pango on his pillow over. He looked towards the partially closed curtains, noticing traces of sunlight peeking through.

Six stood from the bed and walked over to the curtains and pulled them open. The sun was just beginning to rise into the sky, painting the sky a light orange. He looked to the streets below. Nobody was in the streets, but that was hardly surprising, seeing as it was still very early.

There was a knock at his door.

Six turned away from the window, and approached the door. He undid the chain lock, and opened it to reveal Leanna.

Leanna blinked in surprise at how quickly Six had answered the door, before smiling at him. "Good morning Six. Are you ready to head out? We should go soon if we want to make good time." she said.

The Courier nodded, and headed out of the room.

"Poi!"

The pango followed him out of the room, and Six closed the door behind the small creature as he exited.

The Courier followed Leanna down the stairs and out of the inn, pango in tow.

As Leanna led them north, the Courier observed the town. Now that there wasn't a large crowd obscuring his view of the buildings, Six could easily make out a series of apartment-like buildings lining the right side of the street, with the occasional shop or weaponsmith in between. As they continued to walk north, the streets began to slowly fill with people, filing out from their small apartments or houses. While none of the shops were open yet, Six could make out what looked like the shop owners readying their wares for the day through the front windows of the shops.

As they approached the northern gate, a guard in silver and bronze metal armor stopped them.

Six decided to let Leanna do the talking, and stood to her right.

"There has been heightened bandit activity on these roads." he said.

Six frowned from beneath his helmet. It seemed that, even in a world as pure as this one, sin still persisted.

He shouldn't have been surprised.

Leanna's brows creased. "Are the roads closed?" she asked.

The guard shook his head. "No, but until we get a handle on the bandit activity we're advising everybody to stay in town." he replied.

Leanna frowned. "We can't stay." she stated.

"Where are you headed?" asked the guard.

"Were headed to Illumia" she replied.

The guard looked down at Leanna's manipulator, and noticed the sigil on the back.

The guard looked at her. "You're a Mage-Knight?" he asked.

Leanna nodded.

The guard looked into Six's lenses, and felt a chill go down his spine, before he looked back to Leanna.

He nodded and moved out of the way. "Just be careful out there." he said.

Leanna smiled at him. "Thank you." she said.

They exited the town, and continued on a familiar dirt path.

Six took one last look at Meadowhill Village behind him. The arrangement of buildings around the path faintly reminded him of what Ulysses said the Divide used to be. As the waking sounds of the town faded as he walked, the Courier turned back to the trail ahead of him.

Their trek along the path was peaceful. The sounds of singing birds and the rustling of animals in the bushes and trees surrounded them.

The Courier enjoyed the serenity, quietly glancing around the wooded area that surrounded the path. The trees towered over them, casting shade down upon them. He furrowed his brows when he heard the noise of something not belonging to nature coming from somewhere ahead. Six focused his hearing and continued walking down the path. As he continued walking, the noise gradually got louder, sounding something like-

Voices.

Leanna suddenly stopped, and Six stood right next to her.

Leanna looked at Six with a slight scowl on her face. "Did you hear that?" she whispered.

Six nodded. "People." He replied, and looked towards the tree line.

They continued to scan the trees for movement, while also closely listening for any more noise.

A strangled scream pierced through the air, scaring a nearby flock of birds into flight.

Leanna's eyes widened, as she looked towards where the noise came from, farther up the trail. "Someone might be in danger!" she exclaimed.

Abandoning her previous caution, Leanna sprinted further down the path, towards where the pained cry seemed to have originated.

The Courier let out a slightly annoyed sigh, before sprinting after her, easily catching up to her and keeping pace.

As they sprinted up towards the path, they noticed an opening in the treeline to their right. They quickly slowed their movement, and crouched behind the trees on either side of the opening. Through the opening, there was a large, grassy clearing. Peering through the opening, they saw a man dressed in a black and red trench coat, surrounded by five bandits. A sixth bandit lay motionless on the ground.

Upon seeing their fallen comrade, the other bandits unsheathed their weapons. Three of them had longswords and the other two aimed their guns. The trenchcoated man didn't stir. His dark hair fell over his eyes.

One of the bandits spoke up. "You won't get away from us this time" he said, pointing his longsword at the man.

The man didn't respond, he simply stood there, waiting for someone to make the first move.

The bandit scowled. "Take him out!" he yelled.

The man pushed open his coat and took out a gun as the bandits converged, before rushing to take cover behind a tree to his right.

Leanna's eyes narrowed as she set her jaw in a grimace. Her manipulator lit up, and her armor began to slightly move in a localized gust. She unsheathed her sword, and faster than any normal human, dashed from behind the trees and into the clearing, intent on attacking the bandits.

However, before she could begin her assault, the Courier made his move.

Six stood from behind the tree, pulled the Mysterious Magnum from it's holster, took aim at his targets, and fired, all in one movement.

Five thunderous bangs rang throughout the forest, each signaling the death of an enemy.

Each shot hit it's mark.

The bandits crumpled to the ground, blood and brain matter leaking out of the fresh holes in their heads.

The forest was silent.

Both Leanna and the trenchcoated man stared in shock at the corpses, then to the Courier, who reloaded the Mysterious Magnum, and holstered it.

The trenchcoated man got over his shock first, and slowly holstered his weapon. He warily stared at Six's green and black armored form, feeling unease as he looked into his red lenses. He watched the Courier calmly walk towards the now deceased bandits, as if simply going to retrieve the mail.

Leanna finally got over her shock, and blinked. She looked at Six, who was approaching the corpses. "H-how-w-what did-" Leanna inhaled a deep, shaky breath. "N-nevermind." she stammered out, before turning to the trenchcoated man, who was still keeping a wary eye on Six. "Are you alright?" she asked, attempting to distract herself from the gory image ingrained in her mind.

The Courier reached the corpses, which were still oozing blood, and picked up two of the strange blocky guns the bandits were wielding. They were a light grey in color, with strange, purple crystalline orbs inserted on the rear of the weapons. Thinking back on how Leanna called the Mysterious Magnum a "discharger" when they first met, the Courier assumed that these were such. Six dematerialized both weapons for future study, and approached Leanna and the man.

The man nodded in response to Leanna's question. "Thanks for your help." as he said this, he glanced at Six as he approached.

When Six finally reached the two, he stared at the man, observing him. He had long, dark shaggy hair which tended to get in his face. He had a long scar reaching across his left eye, and light skin.

Leanna nodded, her usual smile slowly returning to her face. "No problem." she replied.

The man looked to Six, feeling the same unease from before ebb at his mind, and nodded before turning to leave.

"Wait!" Leanna exclaimed.

The trenchcoated man paused.

"Where are you going?" Leanna asked.

The man fully turned around, looking at Leanna suspiciously. "Why?" he asked.

Leanna put a hand on her hip. "There might be more bandits around. We should team up if we're going in the same direction. Safety in numbers." she replied.

The man studied them in silent contemplation. He looked at Leanna's manipulator, then to Six, and relaxed slightly. "Where are you going?" he asked.

Leanna shifted her posture. "We're headed to Illumia." she replied.

The man uncrossed his arms and nodded. "Me too." he replied.

Leanna glanced at Six's silent form, then turned back to the man and nodded.

The man glanced at her manipulator again. "You're from the Mage Guild?" he asked.

Leanna straightened her back and nodded. "Yes. I'm Leanna." she replied.

Six looked at the man for a moment. "Six." he said.

The man looked confused, but leanna quickly spoke up. "That's his name." she stated.

The man looked at Six for a moment, before nodding. "Zack." he said.

"Poi poi!"

All of them looked to the little blue pango sitting by Six's feet, seemingly having come out of nowhere.

Leanna's smile grew. "And this is our little pongo friend." she stated.

Zack looked down at the little creature. "I see." he simply said.

"Poi!"

The pongo blinked at Zack, who stared him down. The pango bounced uncertainly.

"...poi?"

Zack's unblinking stare didn't waver, so the pongo slid behind the Courier's leg for safety.

Zack blinked and looked back at Leanna. "Now that introductions are over, let's get moving." he stated.

They all turned and began their trek on the dirt path. Leanna and the Courier lead the group, the pongo keeping pace just behind them, while Zack took the rear.

They walked in silence.

XXX

The sun had begun to set, painting the sky a soft orange.

As they walked, Leanna squinted at the sky. "We should make camp before it gets dark." she said.

Zack nodded, looking further up the trail. "There's a good spot up ahead which hides us from view. It'll still give us visibility on any intruders though." Zack suggested, pointing at a small clearing ahead of them.

The Courier observed the area Zack had pointed out. It was a small, flat clearing surrounded by a thick wall of trees, sitting next to an overhanging cliffside that gave a near perfect view of the only entrance. He nodded in agreement, it would definitely be a good place to make camp.

Zack lead the way into the small clearing, setting his stuff down once he reached a suitable spot.

Leanna and Zack set up camp while Six gathered firewood for the campfire.

Once they finished setting up camp, Zack looked to the Courier and Leanna. "We should take turns keeping watch." he suggested.

The Courier nodded. "I'll keep watch tonight, you two may rest." he neutrally stated. Due to his extensive physical and mental cybernetic enhancement, he could go weeks without sleep and still function at full capacity, so he believed he was best suited to keep watch.

Leanna looked at Six and furrowed her brows in concern. "Six, we're fine with rotating out overnight. You need sleep just as much as us." she stated.

The Courier shook his head. "I have gone much longer without sleep before, I will be fine." he replied. When he noticed her unconvinced look, he continued. "Besides, I don't have a sleeping bag."

Leanna still looked concerned, but slowly nodded in acceptance. "If you're sure." she replied.

Zack crossed his arms and suspiciously eyed Six for a moment, before nodding.

The Courier turned towards the cliffside. "I will be up there." he nodded towards the cliff, "Come get me if i'm needed."

With that said, Six turned away from them and made his way up the hill connected to the cliff. Once he reached the top, he walked towards the edge, and sat down, back against a tree. He observed the two in the clearing. They were sitting on their bedrolls, eating some kind of stew Zack had just cooked, Leanna occasionally glancing towards Six.

Before long, the two laid down upon their bedrolls. Leanna sent a small wave to Six before turning over and going to sleep.

Once he was sure they were asleep, Six looked to the sky, the large, bright moon and the stars bathing the land in a soft white glow.

"Poi."

Six looked his left and saw the little blue pango nuzzling into his side, smiling at him while he did so.

A small, nearly imperceptible smile grew on Six's face, as he looked back towards the stars.

He didn't recognize any constellations, but that was hardly surprising, considering he was in another position somewhere in the universe. He continued to observe the stars as images of his experiences in the Mojave entered his mind.

Waking up at Doc Mitchell's, meeting Victor, fighting the powder gangers, killing Vulpes Inculta, travelling to Novac, helping Boone, entering New Vegas, the Kings, Mr. House, Benny, Caesar, NCR, Joshua Graham, White Legs, Zion, Sierra Madre, Greed, Father Elijah, Brotherhood of Steel, Veronica, Cass, the Boomers, Arcade, Vault 11, Big MT, lobotomite, the Brains, cyberdogs, Gabe, Dr. Mobius, Transportalponder, President Kimball, Vault 22, Jacobstown, Lily, Supermutants, Black Mountain, Yangtze, Star bottle caps, Gun Runners, Fiends, Great Khans, the Divide, Old World, ED-E, Marked, Giants, Tunneler, Ulysses' Odyssey, Courier, The Apocalypse, Enclave, Hoover Dam.

War.

As Six continued to stare out into the stars, enraptured in their twinkling beauty, he contemplated all he had done, everything he had changed. The people he had killed, the sins he had committed.

To think, a simple mailman on a quest for revenge, would go on to decide the fate of humanity, just by being in the right place, at the right time.

Was it worth it?

He looked at the brightest star in the sky, twinkling just above the full moon.

Of course it was, his actions in the Mojave were for the best. New Vegas was thriving, people from all parts of America were moving there every day, aiding in the rebuilding of the city.

But, Six couldn't help but wonder if there could have been another way. Would the NCR have been able to rebuild as efficiently as House? No, their inefficient government and corrupt leaders would have made rebuilding New Vegas a nigh-impossibility. Legion? No, they would have enslaved and killed most of the population of the Mojave, then, when they defeat the NCR, they would've torn themselves apart in a fight for dominance. Independence? He didn't want power, and doubted any of his companions did either.

So, for what felt like the millionth time in his waking since being shot, he reassured himself that he made the best choice. Not the right one, but the best.

There never was a right choice.

The Courier continued to stare into the night sky, observing the bright stars. The pango fast asleep, still nuzzled into his side.

This world was an innocent one. It still had sin, and everyone in it a sinner, but the good here still far outnumbered the bad. It was still hopeful. Still bright.

The Courier decided to stop thinking about the past, and instead focused on the landscape around him, while still keeping an eye out for any intruders.

The healthy green trees went on for miles around, interrupted by the occasional grassy area. Their leaved canopies reflected the moonlight, giving them a strange, greyish green hue.

He sat and continued to observe the surrounding area as the sun slowly replaced the moon in the sky, painting both the clouds and the land below a light orange.

As the sun slowly raised over the horizon, the two below began to stir. Leanna was the first to wake, sitting up and looking towards Six. She waved at him again, and he nodded in acknowledgement. As Leanna gathered her things, Zack woke up, glancing up at Six before packing up his things as well.

The Courier looked back up at the sky, and watched the clouds roll across the atmosphere. He continued to observe for around half an hour, before being interrupted.

"Hey Six."

Six looked to his right, and saw Leanna standing at the base of the hill connected to the cliff he was sitting on.

Six raised an unseen brow in question.

Leanna, somehow being able to sense his expression, smiled at him. "I'm going to do my morning training. Would you care to join me?" she asked, clasping her hands behind her back.

After a moment of consideration, Six nodded, and slowly stood, careful not to wake the sleeping pango next to him. He walked down the hill, and joined Leanna. They both began to walk into an open, grassy field off to the side of the dirt path.

Leanna glanced over at Six, who was walking next to her. "Anything happen last night?" she asked.

The Courier shook his head.

Leanna frowned at his silence, but decided not to say anything about it.

Once they reached the field, Leanna walked a couple of feet from Six, then turned to him. "So, how do you usually train?" she asked.

Six shook his head. "I don't" he stated.

Leanna's frown deepened. "Then how do you keep all your skills at their best?" she questioned.

Six was silent for a moment, before glancing at his Pip-Boy. "Just… never stopped fighting, I guess." he neutrally replied.

Leanna raised an eyebrow. Was his world really so bad to the point where he always had to fight for his life? Or was it just his lifestyle? She wasn't sure, and she'd have to ask later, but for now, she wanted to see what he could do.

Leanna looked at the Courier, and her expression slightly brightened. "So, what would you like to work on?" she asked.

Six considered what there even was to work on. He had mastered nearly all forms of practical combat. Ranged? He could hit nearly anything from a mile away with a .22. Melee? He could take on a horde of super mutants with a butter knife. Unarmed? He had beaten an alpha deathclaw to death with his bare hands. So, Six decided, he didn't want to train himself. He, rather, wanted to test Leanna. He hadn't had the opportunity to gauge her skill with her blade, seeing as the only time they ever had the chance to engage in combat Six had taken out every enemy before she could reach them.

So, with this in mind, Six looked to his Pip-Boy, and materialized the Blade of the West. "I wish to gauge your skills with your sword." he said, nodding to the sword still sheathed at her hip.

Leanna's eyes slightly widened at the sword that appeared in Six's hands. It was a long, metallic gray sword with a wide blade that became slightly jagged and warped towards the top. Six held it in a two-handed grip, with the tip of the blade slightly pointing towards the sky.

Leanna looked up at Six, and nodded, pulling her sword from its sheath, before holding it in a two-handed grip in front of her body. "I'm ready when you are." she said.

The Courier nodded, and got into a combat stance. "Leanna." he said

Leanna raised a brow in question.

Six poised himself for battle. "Don't hold back." He stated.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Six moved.

He crossed the distance between the two of them in the blink of an eye, and quickly sent a horizontal swing at Leanna's left side. Leanna tried to block it, but as soon as she moved her blade to defend against the attack, Six adjusted his swing's angle, and hit her armored calf with the flat side of his blade.

Leanna wore an expression of shock as she was flipped off her feet by the force of the blow, and landed on her back with a loud thud.

Leanna blinked.

Six had just beat her in less than a second.

Once she got over her momentary shock, Leanna looked up to see Six holding out a hand to her. She reached out and grasped it, before standing up with Six's help.

She looked at him in slight awe at his skill. "How did you get so skilled?" she asked.

Six looked towards the sky, observing the rolling clouds. "I had no other choice." was his solemn reply.

She looked at him in slight confusion, before a strange look appeared in her eyes. "Hey Six."

The Courier looked at her.

A grin grew on Leanna's face. "Will you teach me?" she asked

Six stared her in the eye, considering her request. He supposed training her in the mornings when they had time wouldn't hurt. Plus, he still felt he owed her for her assistance.

Six, having made his decision, nodded.

A bright smile blossomed on Leanna's face. "Thank you, Six." she said, before she looked up at the sky. "We should pack up and continue on our journey." she stated, turning towards the camp.

Six dematerialized the Blade of the West, before following behind her.

As they made their way towards the camp, they spotted Zack leaning against a tree by the entrance, head down and hands on his dischargers.

Leanna looked towards him. "Hey Zack! We're about to continue, so you should start packing up." she said, entering the campgrounds.

Zack nodded, and followed them into the camp.

They packed up their belongings, and continued down the path.

There was a comfortable silence as they walked. Six and Leanna lead their group, with Zack hanging in the back and the pango on it's spot on Six's pauldron.

A few hours passed, and they neared their next stop.

XXXX