Bah-Bam! And suddenly I'm back! I'm sorry it's been so long, things have been so damn hectic that I haven't been able to write anything. Hell things are still hectic, but I need a break from packing things... Oh! Also have an idea I'd like to run past you guys before I try it in the story.
When talking to Moira for the first time she mentions something about another vault dweller coming to her shop and requesting the armored vault suit, but the woman never came back for it. I know that the story goes that it was ten or twelve years ago, but what if the woman who wanted the suit was someone that Max and Butch knew from their childhood? And that she had wandered off into The Capitol Wasteland, then becoming corrupted by the things that she saw? Basically she would do the things that an evil Lone Wanderer would do. Anyway Max and Butch come across the woman and she attacks them, but Max doesn't kill her because she would feel bad if she killed someone she grew up with. They let her go and the woman obsesses about the duo to the point that she tries to sabotage many of the things that they do to better the Wasteland such as trying to rig the bomb again in Megaton after it had been deactivated.
Anyway, let me know what you think about the idea, even if I don't get any feedback about it I think I may put it in anyway. Let me get on with the story now.
As much as I would love to own Fallout 3 and everything related to it, I don't, because sadly it all belongs to Bethesda. Thanks again ~AFA
We wandered the city for a good thirty minutes before we finally found Moriarty's saloon. I'm not quite sure how we managed to miss it so many times, but we got there nonetheless. The place wasn't exactly clean, but considering that everything else was dirty, it wasn't a surprise. It smelled of old alcohol and cigarette smoke.
There was a person behind the bar tending to the glasses with his back to the door, and I found myself wondering if this was Moriarty. I hurried over to the counter and waited for him to turn around. When he did I nearly jumped at the sight of the missing flesh on his face. He looked like a freaking zombie! "P-please don't hit me." He muttered almost cringing away from me. His voice was raspy and frail sounding, but for some reason I felt bad for him.
"I wasn't going to hit you." I said as a soft smile slip over my face a bit. I looked over my shoulder watching as Butch engaged a blonde woman in conversation, than I looked back to the man in front of me with a roll of my eyes.
"You weren't? Not even yell at me or call me names?" he almost seemed relieved by the notion when I shook my head.
"Not really." I quirked another smile at him seeing one spread across his face as well.
"Wow that's a surprise. Most of the smooth-skin assholes that come in here give me shit about looking like a corpse. I'm glad to see that there are still some worthwhile people in the Wastes" he scratched the back of his head before going back to polishing some glasses. "My name's Gob, by the way."
"It's nice to meet you Gob, I'm Max Winters." I said promptly holding my hand out to shake. He shied away from it so I put it back down on the counter. "And that over there is-"I looked over my shoulder again looking around for Butch who was now making his way over to us.
"Gah! What the hell is that thing!?" Butch blurted out causing everyone in the bar to turn around and look at us. I elbowed him hard in the ribs.
"Shut up Butch," I said in a low voice before turning back to Gob. "He is a nice guy" I grinned again as Butch rubbed his side muttering something about being sorry then introducing himself. He then turned away and leaned against the bar.
"Y'know, I think I can risk giving you a discount Max, even if Moriarty'd have my head for it. Just keep this between us okay?" Gob smiled a little more as Butch turned to look at me with a hopeful look on his face.
I raised one eyebrow at him. "What?" I asked.
"Could I get a bottle of whiskey?" My nose scrunched up at him.
"You don't need alcohol right now, besides we don't have very much to spend, and I doubt they would take the notes from the vault. If you want a drink go earn some caps and buy some yourself." I wasn't much of a drinker, while my companion on the other hand was. Even though I liked to help others I wasn't going to fuel his habit.
He let out a huff and turned back. He could be pissed at me all he wanted; he was going to have to find a way to get drunk some other way. "Gob can you tell me where Moriarty is, I need to ask him about something important…"
The zombie like man didn't seem pleased about pointing out his employer but he did it anyway. I smiled and thanked him before catching Butches attention. He followed me around the bar.
"Y'know you didn't have to be such a bitch about the whiskey a simple no woulda worked" He said moving so that he hindered my progress.
"Well I'm sorry for being 'bitchy' about it, but it's your habit not mine, I don't like being used you got that?" I asked as he stepped around him and towards the elderly gentleman at the refrigerator behind the bar.
He looked up as I approached him and raised a white eyebrow. "Can I help ye?" he asked as I came to a stop.
"Yeah, I need to know if you've seen my father. He's a middle aged man wearing a vault suit like this one?" I dug in my pack and produced my Vault 101 jumpsuit.
"Well if it isn't the little baby girl!" he said almost excitedly. "Ye've grown up. Of course I've seen yer dad!" a wave of relief passed over me as I stuffed the suit back into the pack.
"Could you tell me where he went?" I asked although the look on his face told me that he wasn't going to tell me without getting something in return.
"Ye know information like that is extremely valuable, I'll be willin' ta give it to ya… fer a hundred caps." An almost maniacal smile spread over the Irishman's face, and my initial impression of him deflated quickly.
"We don't have a hundred caps you piece of shit, she's just lookin' for her dad why don't you give her the information and we can be on our way and out of your hair." Butch took me by surprise by all but snarling at the elderly man.
That seemed to only provoke the man I could see it in the way his face twitched. "Ye better mind yer tongue boy, maybe you were able to get away with it in the Vault, but this is the real world lad, and we don't take kind to others mouthing off. If she wants the information, she has to pay for it." The man stepped closer to Butch in a menacing way.
"Whoa!" I said as I jumped in between the two of them. "I'll pay the caps; you just have to give me some time." I directed it towards the elderly bar owner. I then turned to my companion. "Chill it hothead we don't need enemies right off the bat especially in a place that has been nice to us." I head grumbling from both men and felt satisfied when the both backed away.
"I'll be back in one week with your caps Moriarty, I expect answers then." I then turned on my heel and started for the door. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a man motioning me towards him. He was dressed well, better than everyone else in the ramshackle bar. Something interested me in this man so I altered my course towards him.
The interest turned into a cautious awareness when I got closer to him. It was almost like there was an almost evil air about him, like the particles were reacting to the way he was.
"That was quite impressive Miss; I don't think I've ever seen someone talk down another person from a fist fight let alone someone with Moriarty's pride and ego." He gave me a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Well, you learn to be a bit of a smooth talker when you have to live with someone like Butch." I leaned against the table and eyed the man through my visor. "Did you want something from me or did you just want to compliment me on my people skills?"
"While your people skills are quite a feat, I do have a proposition for you. You and your compatriot have no ties to this dingy little heap of scrap metal. Perhaps you would like to detonate the shiny little jewel that sits in the middle of this town." That smile had come back but it was more menacing this time.
"You're name is Burke right? Let me get one thing straight you want to blow up the town?" I didn't like where this was going. Burke's smile fell a bit as he sensed my apprehension.
"Oh no my dear, I'm merely here to recruit someone like you, you get to have the real fun." He said sliding his smile back into place, though it was a tighter then it was before.
My eyebrows drew together and I sent a scathing scowl his way. "No, I don't know why you want to blow this place up but you can forget about it. This town is under my protection."
Burke raised his hands in a defensive gesture "I hadn't realized that this town had its own guardian angel. If you or friend changes your mind I will be here."
"I find that highly unlikely Burke." I said as I turned my back to him.
"One more thing miss, I would watch your back from now on. Who knows what kind of people would come out of the wood work for this… indiscretion." I could almost feel the venom dripping off his words. I almost shivered before I turned back to him and sent him the cockiest smirk I could muster.
"Well Mr. Burke, I suggest that you watch your back from now on. Who knows who could be lurking in the shadows with a gun trained to your skull." With that I strolled casually over to the door where Butch was waiting and exited the saloon.