AN: Another chapter~! I really liked writing this one. It's a little gory, but nothing out of the ordinary for the game, I feel.
Charon becomes less, "Body-Gaurd" like later on in the chapters, for now I sort of just want to stick to the way he acts in the game. So... Yeah, haha.
The ghoul snorted in disgust as the teen emptied the rest of the contents of his stomach onto the ground, and absentmindedly wondered if it was Ace's body's last ditch effort to rid itself of the toxins he pumped into it on a daily basis. Charon grumbled and stepped outside the tent, feeling antsy and ready to get on the move. The Wasteland was quiet, a little windy but nothing untolerable. The clouds hung heavy in the sky, blocking the sun at the moment. He picked at a little flesh that had begun to peel off on his arm, and outstretched them after he'd pulled it away. He looked over the reddish muscle and the few patches of pale skin that was diminishing on his body, and could scarcely remember a time when he was smoothskin.
Hearing a groan emit from the tent that signaled Ace was stirring, the tall ghoul walked back inside the tent. "Charon," Ace wheezed, sitting up and resting his head on his knees.
"Yes?" Charon said in his empty voice. "What is it you require?"
"Cut the serve me crap..." Ace hissed, shuddering for a moment, resisting the urge to dry heave. Charon sighed, a rather raspy exhale that escaped his lips. "There's a..." Ace paused, catching his breath, "Detox pill in my bag. Will you grab it? I can't fuckin' see." The ghoul sat down on the mattress next to him, poking through the bag to find the pill. Narrowly avoiding jabbing himself with a used needle that had been tossed in there from yesterday, he finally found the little blue pill. "Here it-" Charon began, but was cut off when Ace turned and began to vomit again. He groaned and his head lolled over and rested against Charon's thigh.
The reddish ghoul cringed from the sudden contact, a little pain flaring up in his legs from the blast yesterday, but didn't move. Another sigh escaped his cracked lips...
Today was going to be a long day.
Charon watched as Ace plucked bullets and caps from a dead raider's body as if he were picking flowers. They had reached what had looked like what used to be a neighborhood in the past, a playground in the center with a tall, rusted red rocket in the middle of it all. The breeze had carried through it, and it creaked a little in protest. Ace strolled along past it, the dog following at his heels. Charon scanned the area for a moment, wrist twitching as he noticed a Protectron clunking around the circular road. Ace must have determined it wasn't hostile, because he walked up to it and rapped his his wrist against the side of its' head. "Move a-long please," it's voice crackled, as it continued on its' never-ending circular path through the destroyed little cul-de-sac.
Ace turned back, flashing Charon a smile and imitating the robot for a moment before entering a store on the block. Charon followed, feeling a little uneasy about how quiet it was here. No raiders, not a single soul to be seen. Then who had set up the Protectron? Or had it simply been aimlessly walking like this since before the war? Tossing the thoughts, he entered the store.
The green haired teen was on the ground, peering underneath a hot plate and snipping wires with his switch. They appeared to be linked to some explosives, but the ghoul didn't really know a lot about them. He shifted his weight to his right foot while he watched the boy hastily work, a little sweat rolling down his forehead. The dog sat next to him obediently, eyes excitedly flicking round the room.
"Looks like the work of raiders," Ace stated, disarming the traps finally. "I'm not sure if I got all of them, so stay sharp." He was already pulling Sugar Bombs off the shelves that were all lined up in a row, and filling up his bag. "I'm going to make a killing with that ghoul in Metro!" He said excitedly, no doubt the idea of possibly getting to try the Ultrajet they were brewing in that Hell hole. Charon hazily recalled the first time they had entered Metro, and the way the two junkie ghouls had reacted to him. "You're one ugly son-of-a-bitch!" One of them had exclaimed, and they had laughed in a cackling wheeze. The comment had even earned a grin from Ace, furthering Charon's annoyance.
"I'm ready when you are." Ace said, looking up at the ghoul's sunken in face and snapping him from his thoughts.
"Let us proceed, then." Charon replied half-heartedly.
An explosion erupted outside, causing the two of them to fall silent. The building shook on its' already decaying foundation, and dust and other debris fell from the ceiling and fogged up the room. Dogmeat let out a low growl and stood by the door, snarling. Hollering and one loud, shrill scream filled the air, meaning only one thing...
Raiders.
They stood beside each other, watching as a nude woman ran screaming toward the playground. A gang of raiders slowly trotted after her, whistling and chanting together. Ace pulled his green tinged hair from his eyes and tucked the locks behind his ear, a twisted smile growing on his face. "What do you wish to do?" Charon asked, already knowing the answer. The pale-skinned boy didn't budge, his glassy blue eyes following the woman as she tumbled to the ground and the raiders seized her like a pack of feral dogs. One lifted her up and flammed a fist into her face. He must of had a pair of spiked knuckles on, because it stripped the flesh right off as his fist collided with her. She cried out, and they let her fall to the ground.
A couple danced around in excitement as they started their usual routine, one dragging a hook behind them to impale her with. The laughter started up in a chorus, sounding like animals in the night. Ace reached in his back pocket and pulled out a pulse grenade, examining it in the palm of his hand for a moment. He started towards the middle of the street, and pulled the pin out. The green-haired fiend tossed it to the middle of the playground, and one of the raiders yelled in terror. "What the hell?" One piped up, and a defeaning gasp from the group was heard before it detonated.
Limbs and gore flew through the air, and a little blood splattered on Ace's face. He shut his eyes, while a crippled raider made a mad dash for him. It was all in vain though, as Charon was a step ahead of him and blew the man's head to a bloody stump with his shotgun. A few tried to flee and Charon quickly picked them off one by one without even breaking a sweat. He finally slung the gun in its' usual position behind his back, and glanced at Ace, who had ventured to the center of the playground, and was kneeling before the woman.
"Thank you," She said softly, a little blood trickling from her pouty lips. Her green eyes were dull, and probably moments from lifelessness. Ace's lips were pressed in a thin line, the smell of her burned flesh clogging his nostrils.
"Are you an angel?" She sputtered, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. She reached for his face, caressing his cheek. Ace froze for a moment, the touch turning his blood to ice in his veins. His thoughts traced back, memories pushing forward.
"My Angel, my sweet, sweet boy..." He could almost feel the wandering hands, the rough feel of the stubble on his innocent skin...
Ace felt the woman's hand fall from his face, her body laying limp and lifeless. Dogmeat whimpered and licked Ace's hand, and Ace felt bile crawl up his throat once more. A tall shadow fell over him, and he looked up dizzily to see Charon. "Are you alright?" The giant ghoul asked, his raspy voice breaking the silence.
"I need a fix," Ace finally replied, and stood up meekly, ignoring the ghoul's gesture.
R&R!