A/N: Sorry it took so long to update this. Been pretty busy, and I don't have as much time to get to the library to update. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter, and again, sorry for the delay!
"So, where did you two say you were headed again?" Sakura asked as the three arrived at the small camp that Boone and Alessa had set up, before the fiasco with the Legion. Boone was mildly irritated. It had only been perhaps a ten-minute walk, but Sakura hadn't shut up the entire time. He could already tell this would be a long night, and was half tempted to go off and hunt some Bighorners, if he knew the girls could take care of themselves. Alessa might have been a good shot, but Boone doubted she could hold her own if another Legion patrol found them. Though, he had to admit, she handled herself pretty well during the rescue. Sakura, however, he knew wouldn't be able to handle herself. The only thing the young Hispanic woman was equipped with was an old nine millimeter pistol, and it was out of ammo. Boone couldn't help wondering if it even worked, considering how old and worn-out it looked. Then again, his rifle still worked, although he'd had to "jury rig" it a couple of times.
"First, the Mojave Outpost, then on to Boulder City." Alessa answered, idly looking out into the distance. She could see bright lights, from where they were camped. She wondered if that was New Vegas, way out there in the desert. "I'm...Searching for someone. Someone that took something from me."
"Really? Who?" Sakura asked, curious. She didn't know anything about Alessa or Boone, other than the stories she'd heard on the radio about the young Courier. Sakura had learned a long time ago that it was good to know who had your back, and she intended to learn what she could about her companions.
"It's...Complicated." Alessa replied, frowning bitterly at her only memory from before she awoke in Doc Mitchell's home. A man in a checkered coat, face shrouded in shadow, the only light coming from a city in the distance, and the glowing embers of the cigarette in the man's mouth. As if reading Alessa's mind, Sakura caught on to the answer.
"Oh, I get it. You're after the guy who shot you, right?" Sakura shook her head. "Your eggs must really be scrambled if you're gonna go after a guy like that. Lucky you've got Mr. Surly over there, your little robot friend, and me to help you out." The woman flashed a coy grin. "I might not look it, but I'm a pretty good shot...When I have ammo in my gun, that is." She removed her pistol from her holster, idly looking it over. Alessa noticed that Sakura's expression changed as she looked at the gun. Fond, but forlorn, as if the weapon held too many memories.
"Did you inherit that gun?" Alessa asked delicately, gauging Sakura's reaction. She'd learned to be careful about asking too many questions from Boone. The man was a time bomb. One false word and he'd explode. Luckily for the Courier, Sakura did not have an angry expression on her face, but instead had a sad sort of smile.
"Yeah. Was my dad's. He...Died a long time ago." Sakura averted her gaze, feeling a small amount of sorrow swell inside her."Oh." Alessa felt a little bit bad for probably bringing up painful memories. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Sakura answered, holstering the pistol again. "I had good times with my 'rents. Lucky for me, they taught me everything I ever needed to know before they kicked off. See, Dad was a good shot, and he was even better with blades. Give him a machete or one of those fancy ninja-swords you see sometimes, and he'd cut down anything. Mom was more into herbal remedies and cooking. Kinda traditional mom, y'know? She didn't really like fighting. Left that to my dad. They were both pretty cool, though."
"Do you miss them?" Alessa asked, and grimaced slightly as she noticed a look from Boone that very clearly said, "You ask way too many questions." Sakura merely shrugged in reply.
"Some days, I think about 'em and I feel kinda sad, if that's what you mean. But in a way, I mean, they're kinda better off, y'know? Dad probably would've gotten himself shot up by NCR anyway, and mom, well, she was always getting sick. I just wish they could've died a different way."
"How did they die?" The words were out of Alessa's mouth before she could stop herself. Boone by now had given up trying to keep Alessa from asking too many questions, and merely grunted irritably, poking at the fire they'd started with a stick. Sakura's expression changed to a bit of an uncomfortable expression, and Alessa could swear that Sakura had glanced warily to Boone before looking back to Alessa and answering.
"I don't really wanna talk about it. No offense, just...Not right now." Alessa nodded, understanding, but was confused by the look Sakura had given Boone. It was a nervous look, as if afraid that the answer to her parents' death would somehow set Boone off. Boone hadn't noticed, too preoccupied with keeping the fire going, scowling at the already dwindling flames.
"Needs more kindling." He spoke up gruffly, standing and stretching before grabbing his rifle, which he'd set down in order to tend to the fire. "I'll get some." He began to walk down the hill, searching for anything that could be used for kindling. Alessa decided this would be the perfect time to change the subject.
"Um...You said your mother taught you to cook. Are you good at it?" She asked, and was relieved when Sakura grinned.
"I can make a mean Gecko Kebab, if you've got some prickly pears and a jalapeño or two." She answered, sounding quite proud of herself. "I can make other stuff, too. Maybe when Mr. Tough Guy gets back I can show you some recipes." The two then proceeded to prepare the food they wanted to make, and once Boone returned with some kindling, they cooked up a nice meal of Gecko Kebabs, maize, Pork 'n Beans, and a few slices of leftover prickly pear for dessert.
* . * . * . * . * . *
As they ate, Sakura decided to take this time to get to know her other companion a little better, or at least try to do so. But to her surprise, Boone spoke first.
"You said before they threw your gear away. How'd you keep a hold of that pistol?" He asked, mildly curious. The Legion was usually very good about finding concealed weapons.
"Remember how I took off for a bit before I followed you guys? Well, before those bastards caught me, I saw them coming. I knew I couldn't run, 'cause they'd just shoot me anyways. I knew they'd take the rest of my gear and chuck it, so I buried the pistol. Didn't get to finish filling the hole, though. So when they tried to go look in it, I told 'em it was where I did my business." She grinned. Boone snorted despite himself. He had to admit that was pretty funny.
"Guess even Legionaries won't dig through that." He chuckled faintly.
"There was nothin' in the hole 'sides my gun, of course, but they jumped back pretty quick when I told 'em otherwise." Sakura giggled. Alessa laughed softly, as well.
"That's pretty clever." Alessa said after swallowing a small mouthful of beans.
"Thanks. I thought so, too." Sakura grinned, glancing to Boone. She had to admit, the man was attractive, but even though she barely knew the man, she knew he had a lot going on inside.
"So, Tough Guy, where you from?" She asked. Boone gulped down a mouthful of kebab before answering.
"Hub. Family owns a little farm out there." He answered simply.
"Heh, must be where you got those muscles, hm?" She teased, and Boone grumbled as he felt his cheeks flare up despite himself.
"Uh...Yeah. I guess." He replied, scratching his arm. It was a habit of his whenever he was nervous. Unfortunately, he was never very charismatic, and even less so around attractive young ladies. Sakura grinned playfully as she noted his blush, giving his arm a light nudge with a fist.
"What're you so damn shy about? We're all pals in arms, here." She finished off her maize, speaking up again once she'd swallowed. "So, farm life, eh? Must've been nice to live so peaceful. You learn how to shoot there?" Boone nodded in reply.
"Dad taught me how to fire and maintain a gun. Said I was in charge of keeping the usual pests away from our crops and our animals. Once I turned eighteen, NCR started recruiting again. I signed up. Dad had been in the NCR for a while, said it was the time of his life. Mom worried. Thought I'd never make it home, or if I did, I'd be in a box. Still write her letters every so often so she doesn't worry too much." A thought came to him at the mention of the letters. "Hm...Come to think of it, haven't written her one lately."
"Better get on that when we get to the Outpost, or she might have a heart attack." Sakura joked. Boone shrugged, taking another large bite from his Gecko Kebab. Sakura turned her attention to Alessa next. "What about you? Any family?"
"I...Don't remember." Alessa answered, looking down at the ground, suddenly feeling very small and meek. "When the Doctor in Goodsprings gave me this Vault suit to wear, though...I felt like I'd seen one before. A long time ago. But I can't remember where."
"Maybe you grew up in a Vault." Sakura suggested over a mouthful of beans. "Your skin's pretty pale, and you're kinda short. Not like a Waster at all. You look like a Vaultie."
"Maybe." Alessa pondered the idea. She didn't even know what a Vault looked like. "What are Vaults, anyway?"
"Kinda like big, metal caves." Boone explained. "Before the war, the government built a lot of them. Meant to keep people safe when the bombs fell. But it was hard to get in. You had to be rich or lucky to have a place in a Vault. Lot of people were stuck outside because they couldn't afford it. Most of them died, some became Ghouls. Some survived in bunkers, instead of Vaults. Most of the Vaults are open now, abandoned. Same with the bunkers."
"Why were they so expensive?" Alessa asked, frowning. The idea of people dying because they couldn't afford shelter was insane to her.
"They were real state of the art." Sakura answered. "Best tech of the age. But I'm glad I wasn't born in one. There's rumors that some of the Vaults, well...The people inside them were experimented on. Crazy stuff. There's a legend about a Vault in the desert that has plants spilling out of its door. They're never watered, never tended to. They just grow. But anybody who's ever tried to explore the Vault...They never came out. Mom used to tell me horror stories about it to get me to behave. Silly stuff, like how bad little boys and girls would get dragged off to the Vault by plant-men and were never heard from again." She laughed at the memory of the stories her parents would tell. "It sure got me to do what I had to do, even if I didn't like it." Alessa could understand that. The idea of plant-men scared her, and she was an adult. Of course, she was quite unnerved by Ghouls and other such creatures, as well.
"It sounds scary. I'm not sure I'd be too keen on seeing a Vault, myself." Alessa spoke with a nervous tone in her voice, as she finally finished the rest of her meal.
"Well, there's a Vault in Vegas. Vault 21. 'Course, now it's more like a hotel. Pretty popular attraction, though. Not too many people out here even know what a Vault looks like these days. Think Mom said once that my great-great-grandma or somethin' was born in a Vault, but I dunno. Maybe once we get to Vegas, we can check it out. Might bring back memories." Sakura suggested, and Alessa thought it over.
"Wouldn't hurt, I suppose." She stood slowly, stretching. "I'm going to wash my plate off, then try to get some sleep."
"Yeah, I'm ready for bed, too." Sakura agreed, and stood as well, glancing to Boone. "Guess you're on guard duty." Boone merely shrugged, finishing off his meal.
"Suppose so. Not a big deal. I don't sleep much, anyway." He replied nonchalantly, handing his plate off to Sakura, who'd offered to help Alessa wash them. Sakura raised an eyebrow.
"Don't sleep much? Oh, right. Soldier boy." She nodded, as if understanding. Boone grumbled under his breath, looking away. Sakura took that as her cue to go. As she and Alessa began to wash the dishes in a watering hole not far from the camp, Alessa spoke up.
"You know...That's the most I've heard him talk since I met him." Alessa commented, glancing to Sakura. The other girl blinked, as if confused.
"Seriously? Huh. Wonder why he chooses now to open up a little." She shrugged, and continued washing. Alessa couldn't help wondering, herself. Perhaps she'd ask Boone about it later. The worst he could do is get all surly and grumble a lot, like he usually did. The dishes were quickly washed, and the two returned to the camp. Sakura immediately headed to bed, but Alessa stayed up a bit longer. She felt that familiar curiosity gnawing at her from the inside, and knew it wouldn't rest until she'd asked Boone what was going on inside his head.
"That was the most you've spoken since I've met you." Alessa took a seat beside Boone on the hill, looking out at the distance. He had his scope trained on something, but she couldn't see what from here. The fire had already been snuffed out, probably so no one would really know they were there. Boone shrugged. "What're you looking at?" Alessa asked, glancing up to him. He looked intimidating with that gun in his hands. Alessa almost felt a little bit nervous.
"Gecko. Gold one. Making sure it doesn't come here." Boone answered matter-of-factly, before taking a shot. He smirked, seeing through his scope that the bullet had hit its mark, the Gecko falling dead. Alessa still couldn't see a thing in the darkness.
"There's something about her, isn't there?" Alessa asked. "Sakura, I mean. She's very...Open. Friendly. She isn't like anyone else I've run into so far." Boone mumbled something under his breath, and Alessa barely heard it. "Sorry, what?" She asked, for clarification. Boone sighed heavily, lowering his rifle.
"She reminds me of my wife." He murmured softly, opening up a bottle of water, and downing it quickly.
"Physically, or personality-wise?" Alessa asked, curious.
"Physically, mostly. She acts different than Carla. Rowdy. Loud. Carla was..." He sighed, shaking his head. "Drop the subject. I don't want to talk about it."
"Maybe it will help." Alessa suggested. Boone sighed again.
"Look. Nothing personal, just...I don't want to talk about it. Go to bed. I've got it covered up here." Alessa nodded, and stood up.
"Alright...I'll leave ED-E out here with you. She can detect threats on her radar."
"Hn." Boone grumbled. "Never much liked robots, honestly."
"You'll like her when she saves you from a Deathclaw." Alessa teased, soon calling ED-E over. "ED-E, surveillance mode. Let Boone know if you find any nearby threats." She ordered, and ED-E answered with a simple series of beeps, floating over to Boone and hovering near his head. "Well...Good night."
"'Night." Boone replied, and Alessa headed to bed. Her sleep was restless, as always, plagued by dreams of a man in a checkered coat, a gun barrel to her head, and ending with a bang, which always seemed to wake her up. She'd look around frantically, realize she was safe in the camp with Sakura and Boone, and let out a heavy sigh. She'd lay back down, and try to get herself to calm down enough so she could sleep again. It was a vicious cycle she'd followed every night since waking up at Doc Mitchell's, and she knew she'd continue to follow it until she finally got the answers she sought.