Author's Note:

Hello again.

I've finally figured out an update schedule. I'm going to try giving two chapters a month.

Try, being the key word.

And enjoy this semi-chapter.

-icewolf


Interval One:

Chen Lijuan Morrison


Regarding Wildlife

CL blinked a couple times, perched on her rock, just out of sight from the Yao Guai not a hundred yards away, the mutated bear just ambling around, sniffing the ground.

It was rare that she saw one that wasn't on the attack. It was actually sort of cute.

Maybe she could just walk around it, instead of having her face the target of teeth and claws. She slid her foot down the rock, hoping to get by unnoticed. A pebble was loosed then, and clattered absurdly loudly.

CL froze, and the bear turned to look at her, milky eyes locking on her position, ragged ears perked forward, and lips curling over teeth. She could hear the snarling from here, and lifted her rifle off of her back, aiming between the eyes of the animal that had started forward.

She had no bullets, but there was no way the Yao Guai knew that. In fact, her posturing seemed to work just fine, because the animal had halted, still snarling, still staring. CL bared her teeth back, more out of fun than aggression.

What a stupid animal.

She backed up, never taking her eyes off the bear in front of her, and sidestepped slowly, only to stop and turn her head slowly to the right, where a slight puff of air had sent her skin crawling.

She was met with the face of another Yao Guai, teeth showing, eyes crazed, and very, very close.

Oh. Crap.

CL's eyes widened.

"Clever girl."


Regarding Neighbors

CL shrieked as the raider woman slammed the back of her leg with a thrown chair inside the school, falling flat on her face, her gun clattering just out of reach, bullets scattered across the dirty, dark, bloodstained floor.

Dogmeat had gone to take on another raider, and was nowhere in sight.

Damn.

"I've got you now, girl!"

She turned, and crawled backwards from the advancing woman, who had pulled out a pistol and was aiming it at her face. The raider had a sadistic grin on her dirty face, and the finger tightened on the trigger. CL closed her eyes tightly.

A gunshot rang out.

CL opened her eyes slightly, hand tickling, ear buzzing, and confused beyond belief on why she wasn't dead. The raider seemed just as baffled as she was, staring at her gun.

"I aimed right at you, what the fuck?"

CL blinked, before looking down at her hand, which still felt like it was being tickled. Her eyes widened, and she looked back up, teeth bared in a snarl.

"Bitch! YOU SHOT MY HAIR!"


Regarding Leveling Up

CL squashed the last Radroach with a well-aimed hammer toss, not even really putting effort into it. She'd killed dozens upon dozens of the crawlers in this Metro.

Dogmeat didn't even really find a need to attack them.

Though, she didn't know what possessed her to look at the dog, who panted as his mismatched eyes locked on her.

"You know, despite the raiders, the Mirelurks, the occasional feral ghoul that I've encountered down here and gotten rid of, I do feel that this has set me above and beyond my current worldly survival skills, and I have entered a new level in my life."

The dog panted.

"Come, mongrel! We shall venture forth and continue to kill and take names! Ha ha ha."


Regarding Vault-Tec Bobbleheads

"You know, now after reading this like, totally inspiring quote on the bottom of this really creepily cheerful bobblehead, I feel like that I've gained awesome skill points."

"Mistress, are you going to speak to yourself all day?"

"SILENCE! I'm basking in my new and improved awesomeness, here!"


Regarding Computers

CL slammed her hand down on the monitor, trying to get the screen to read clear enough for her to hack the damn thing.

"Piece of shit. How the fuck did this survive the bombs?"


Regarding Mercy

The raider had been trying to keep a pillar between them so he could fire off shots, while CL had to fend with a bat, her rifle out of ammo, her pistol jammed. He wasn't a very good shot, and CL had to forgive him for that.

The distinct sound of a magazine being ejected for reloading, and CL darted forward and around the pillar, swinging the wood bat with all her might for his leg.

It connected, and the man fell. She continued to wallop him across the back and sides with the wood until it began to splinter under her hands, and she stepped away. The man was still alive, and groaning.

"And if you're smart, you'll stay down, bitch!"


Regarding TALON

"I don't know you! Go away! Quit stalking me!"


Regarding Colds

The raider pressed down on the lead pipe, and CL struggled to keep it from crushing her neck, but being pressed up against a doorjamb, and the size of the raider in front of her, she was losing this fight. Dogmeat was busy with the raider's dogs, and Charon was dispatching a whole group by himself.

She was on her own, and failing terribly.

The tip of her nose itched, and she lost a few inches of space between her throat and the pipe from the distraction. It happened again, and CL started to blink rapidly, and trying to force back the urge that was growing.

The raider was now almost face to face with her, the pipe cold against her skin.

"I have to sneeze."

The man blinked once, sneer fading slightly.

"What?"

"I need to cover my nose."

He thought about that for a second, before narrowing his eyes.

"Yeah rig-"

She sneezed then, unable to hold it back any longer, and the raider reeled back, dropping the pipe and wiping at his eyes.

"Fucking shit! Gross, fucking gross!"

"I warned you."


Regarding Good Timing

She just stared at the sight before her.

Three Super Mutants, two Giant Radscorpions, and a Deathclaw had decided to go battle royale on the other side of the hill she just climbed.

CL sat down and took out a cola from her pack, and decided to watch the show.