Moira Brown's store was a treasure trove of old junk. Everywhere Player Name looked there was a pile of useless things, from rusted wheel-rims to grimy pipes to wooden boxes full of old tin cans.
Moira herself stood at the centre of this makeshift Aladdins cave and Player Name couldn't help being slightly nervous at the mildly-crazed grin etched across her mousey features.
"Why hello there," she chirped, pumping Player Name enthusiastically by the hand. "Looks like we've got another stray from the vault. So good to meet you. I'm Moira Brown and I run this store."
A surge of excitement gripped Player Name. "Does that mean you've seen my father..."
"...who is Liam Neeson? Yes, I've seen him and all the others who've come out over the years.
They all come here, thinking they were the first to leave the vault and then they go on their way feeling slightly more disillusioned than they did when they came in."
"But I thought my father was the first. The Overseer told us that no one ever leaves the vault. Apart from dad obviously."
"Well, sounds to me like the Overseer has been telling you little fairy-stories. What a big ol' meanie, huh?"
"Well serenade me and call me Kenneth. I truly had no idea. You learn something new every day."
"Yup," said Moira.
"So, do you know where my dad went?"
"Nope," said Moira.
"Aww shoot."
"Oh, don't you worry your little head about it, I'm sure you'll find your daddy soon enough."
"I hope so," said Player Name. "But in the meantime I had another reason for coming here. I understand you're looking for a research assistant?"
"Ooh, yes I am," squealed Moira. "I'm so glad you showed up, it's been hard-going ever since the accident with my last assistant."
"Say what?"
"Yes, it took me ages to scrape him off the ceiling. Oh, but don't worry, that was a one off! I'm really looking forward to working with you as it just so happens I've arranged a field trip into the wasteland tomorrow morning to collect some plant samples for my experiments. You can sleep in the spare bed upstairs tonight. Get an early one in as we'll be up early tomorrow.
Now, are there any questions?"
"Yes," said Player Name. "How far is it to the next state?"
And so, the pair arose early the next morning, leaving Megaton for the perils of the wastes. Moira's mere presence made Player Name somewhat terrified, but she was also the closest thing he had to a friend in these strange lands so he had little choice but to endure her constant ramblings about the local flora and fauna.
Every so often she would stop and grab a withered old piece of plant-life, or scrape at the charred husk of a dead tree or slip a random bone into one of her sample bags. Each new finding was greeted with squeals of excitement, whereas Player Name preferred to exhale unhappily, surveying the endless dusty dunes that seemed to stretch out forever.
Presently, as Moira stopped to scoop up yet another sample of dirt, Player Name's eye was caught by the most bizarre-looking creature he had ever seen. It just stood there, looking at him with curious eyes.
I say, he thought. What a strange looking animal. Reaching for a bone from one of Moira's sample bags, he tried to coax the creature towards him while making some reassuring noises.
"Here you go," he said, waving the bone. "Don't be frightened. I won't hurt you."
It seemed to work as the creature took a few tentative steps, its eyes fixed upon the bone.
"Who are you talking to?" asked Moira.
"Look at this," said Player Name, gesturing towards the creature. "Have you ever seen anything like this before?"
"Oh yes," said Moira. "A few times, although you don't normally find them around this area."
"Wow, that's amazing. What are they called?"
"Generally, they're known around here as deathclaws."
"Aww." Player Name waved the bone again at the ten-foot-tall creature, and it stared back with yellow reptilian eyes. Standing on two legs like a human, it lashed out at the bone with its sharp talons, drooling through savage-looking teeth the size of steak-knives.
"Are they friendly?"
"Only when they're not hungry."
"Do you think he's hungry now?"
"Deathclaws are always hungry."
"Oh." Player Name took another look at the beast, and suddenly realised that it wasn't the bone it was interested in, but rather his arm holding the bone."
"Erm, do you think we should run?"
"That would be a very sensible idea."
And so they ran, the deathclaw following close behind. It soon became obvious that they would never outrun the ferocious beast, and Player Name silently prayed for a swift death as he ducked to avoid a powerful swipe.
"I can't run much further," he said. "This looks like the end for us."
Suddenly a gunshot roared and the pair turned to see the deathclaw lying motionless on the ground. From atop a knoll they saw a strange man in a trilby and overcoat blowing the smoke away from his recently-fired pistol.
"You looked like you needed some help," said the stranger, "and so here I am."
"Thanks," said Player Name. "I thought we were goners."
"You needn't think that, not when I'm around."
"Who are you?" asked Player Name.
"Who I am is not important. I am known simply as the Mysterious Stranger."
"Well, thank you Mysterious Stranger."
"I do not need your gratitude. I don't need anyone else to remind me how good I am."
"Wait a minute," said Moira. "Don't I know you from somewhere?"
"No, absolutely not. I am known only as the Mysterious Stranger, as I said."
"I know who you are, "she said.
"No you don't."
"Fluffyman! It's really you! By golly, I haven't seen you for years. How are ya?"
"Wait," said Player Name. "Your name's Fluffyman?"
"Yes, my name is Fluffyman," growled the Mysterious Stranger as he glared frostily at Moira.
"As I said, who I am is not important. I am known simply as the Mysterious Stranger."
"I think I'd rather call you Fluffyman. It's less of a mouthful."
"Please don't."
"So anyway, why do they call you Fluffyman?"
"I'm going now," said Fluffyman, and he left, satisfying himself with mental images of Moira being horribly tortured in various ways.