Jill let out a heavy sigh, snapping her eyes shut and rubbing her temples vigorously. Although seemingly unwilling, she explained what Hancock had meant. She described the horrible events to the best of her ability, noting that at the time of her tending to her companions, her sanity hadn't yet been repaired. In fact, after her bouts of night terrors, and meeting the Great Yog-Sothoth multiple times throughout the night, she'd nearly gone stark raving mad by the time Hancock awoke. Despite this, her memory retained its nearly inhuman sharpness. She recalled initially trying to speak to the distraught Mayor in the language of the Ghouls of the Dreamlands – meeping and glibbering sounds that are completely nonsensical to anyone unfamiliar with the strange, yet surprisingly helpful nocturnal creatures of the Underworld. Her use of such an alien language frightened Hancock, but not nearly as much as when she'd screamed in that terrible, nameless dialect before passing out. What had scared the poor Ghoul the most, however, was her incessant pacing around the room as she read aloud from the foul Necronomicon.
The General, although rapidly losing her mind, was intent on helping Nick and Hancock while they were still unconscious. She couldn't wake them by any conventional means, and so she resorted to searching the bloodstained pages of the ancient tome for answers. Her mind had been severely fractured by offering her entire knowledge of earthly Ghouls to Yog-Sothoth – it showed in the way she'd paced, the crazed gleam in her eyes, and her demented cackling between reading pages from the book in those unknown languages. Just the memory of her in such a state gave Hancock chills. She'd done her best to get him to drink some water, and reassure him that the pain would subside, although at the time, he didn't know how she was aware of his splitting headache. Pausing her explanation, she turned to Nick, her expression solemn.
"When I realized I was getting nowhere with you, I knew what I had to do." Jill's hand grasped the detective's, giving it a tight squeeze. She told him of how he was writhing on the floor, screaming in terror at regular intervals. "I tried everything, Nicky...cleansing, banishing, even summoning of all awful things...nothing worked. No one answered my call...except..."
"Yog-Sothoth?" Nick grimaced, forcing himself to say the Beyond One's name.
"Yes." The young woman cast her eyes to the floor, then glared at the Necronomicon, internally screaming at herself for ever taking the damnable abomination. "You were next on his list. I'm not gonna lie...after I failed to keep him away from Hancock, I was terrified of what he would do to you. So...I gave in, and accepted his offer to become a Scribe, in exchange for letting you walk away unharmed." She was about to flip the pages of the book, but Nick caught her wrist, making her glance back up at him. He looked as though he might cry, then pulled her in for a tight embrace, kissing her hard. "Mm!" When he pulled back, her face was flushed, and she was left breathless. "Nicky?"
"You're so reckless..." The detective sniffed, holding her as close as physically possible. "I don't know if I could ever thank you enough, Jill, let alone repay you for this."
"No need, sweetheart...all I want from you is your love." She placed a hand gently on his cheek, about to lean in for another kiss, but stopped when the Mayor chuckled.
"Sorry. You guys are just really cute." The Ghoul stood from his seat, his joints popping audibly as he stretched. He rubbed the back of his head, groaning quietly. "Damn...that Outer God whatsit seriously needs to learn how to be gentle. I haven't had a headache like this since I went on my last bender."
"You mean last week?" Jill taunted, laughing when Hancock nodded in response. She reached back down to the Necronomicon, turning its aged, yellowed pages until she found what she was looking for. She stopped at an entry with a drawing of a new entity. It was of a tall, swarthy, slender man, dressed like an Egyptian pharaoh – which Nick and Hancock only knew of due to pictures from old Pre-War textbooks. Removing another piece of paper from the tome, she unfolded it, revealing the notes she'd taken about this particular individual. At the top of the paper, she'd written "Nyarlathotep: The Crawling Chaos."
"Who's that?" Nick's curiosity was peaked, although he couldn't help but feel extremely uneasy at the sight of the pharaoh-like being.
"Well...I think he's the one that was pretending to be Jenny." As Jill said this, the old Synth felt his heart skip a beat. He looked at her inquisitively, silently asking her to continue. Even Hancock was waiting for an explanation. "Nyarlathotep is said to have 'a thousand forms,' and is known to enjoy spreading madness. He's also known as the 'messenger, heart and soul' of the Outer Gods, and he does what they ask of him."
"Do you really think Nyar-what's-his-fuck came to torment Nicky?" Hancock sat back down next to the couple, genuinely curious about this. The General nodded. "Why?"
"I'm not going to pretend I understand the Outer Gods, or their motivations." Jill sighed, rubbing her temple with one hand, and holding the paper with the other. "If I had to guess, he either did it because Yog-Sothoth asked him to, or because he was bored, and wanted to ruin someone's day."
"What an asshole." The Mayor scoffed, taking a hit from his half-finished cigarette. He exhaled a large plume of smoke, coughing a little. "I get that you don't understand them, but if Yog-Sothoth sent him, why do you think he did it?"
"I came to study the metal man, by request of the All-in-One." A new, quiet voice sounded from the far side of the room, and the trio looked up in alarm. The air in the room suddenly turned stagnant, and its smell was somewhat nauseating. A tall, swarthy, pharaoh-like man stood in the corner, leering at them. He held a long crook, forged of twisted, black wood, and embedded with gleaming golden accents. At once, Jill sat up stiffly, still in Nick's lap. She wrapped an arm around his neck, holding him protectively. "Calm yourself, Scribe. I'm only here to talk."
"Nyarlathotep..." The Synth began to shake in his seat, coiling his arms around his lover's waist. Although the Faceless God seemed to be in a benevolent mood, he couldn't help but fear him.
"Yes, Mr. Valentine. It's me." Nyarlathotep bowed deeply to the three companions, then straightened himself out with a half-smile. "I hope you'll forgive my intrusion, both in your mind, and in your conversation."
"You bit me!" Despite being frightened by the intruder, Nick found his voice again, becoming defensive. He glared hatefully at the Crawling Mist.
"Yes, yes...I did. I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself. I've never tasted flesh quite like yours. It's not even flesh at all." Nyarlathotep seated himself on the foot of the bed, his movements incredibly human-like for an eldritch being. "Please, don't worry about me. While you carry the Elder Sign on your wrist, Jill, I cannot harm you or your friends...at least not while they're awake."
"What the hell do you want?" Hancock glowered at him, his upper lip quivering with animosity. "Get the fuck out of my town!"
"Now, now, John..." Hancock jumped slightly at the thing's knowledge of his first name. The Outer God's laughter was something akin to disharmonic bells. "Please understand that since the human race practically annihilated itself, all cults of the Outer Gods and the Old Ones on Earth have died off. I'm here for information. That's all."
"Well, spit it out, then. What do you want?" The Mayor wasn't about to back down. Although he was well aware that he stood no chance in a fight against such a powerful creature, he still held true to his protective nature over Goodneighbor, as well as his friends. "You'd better have a damn good reason for fucking with Nick."
"I do, but I doubt you'd understand it." Nyarlathotep's crook vanished, and out of nowhere, he procured a long, wooden pipe, lighting its contents with a match. He took a lengthy drag, exhaling a wispy cloud of exotic smelling smoke. "The Beyond One is especially curious about Ghouls, Supermutants, and Synths. Your Synth friend here is remarkably bizarre, for although he's his own person – his own soul – he carries with him the memories of someone that died long ago. Yog-Sothoth doesn't understand the nature of his existence. Neither do I, for that matter." He paused, taking another hit from his pipe. "I was tasked with exploring the former's past, and the current's present, to gather whatever information I could. Unfortunately for Mr. Valentine, I cannot do so without causing some pain."
"Was it worth it?" Nick shuddered, keeping Jill as close as he could. He never thought he'd be having such a civil conversation with something so evil. However, despite his fear and apprehension, and despite having no reason to trust this strange new entity, he couldn't help but feel somewhat relieved at Nyarlathotep calling him his own soul.
"Yes, actually." The Crawling Chaos nodded, his expression sincere. "Again, I apologize for the pain and discomfort I've caused you." He adjusted himself, sitting up straight. His red eyes glimmered with a strange delight. "I've learned much from you, Mr. Valentine. You're truly a marvel to behold." He turned his head to face Hancock with a wide, toothy smile. "As are you, John."
"Quit talking to me like we're buddies." Hancock growled, almost reaching for his knife. He only stopped himself because he realized it would be useless against an Outer God. "As far as I'm concerned, you don't belong here."
"No, no, I don't." The Chaos King shook his head with a surprisingly sad expression. "I must say, though, I like your spunk." He relaxed his rigid posture, becoming more laid-back with the three. "I also came to deliver a message to you all from Yog-Sothoth." When no one responded to this, he continued. "He wishes to thank you for your cooperation in his endeavors, and hopes to commune with you again soon."
"I hope he understands he'll have to go through me from now on." Jill finally spoke, her voice laced with both impatience and resentment. Without warning, she broke free from Nick's hold around her waist, standing up swiftly and approaching the intruder. Her companions were powerless to stop her as she stood defiantly before Nyarlathotep with clenched fists. "And I hope you understand that my friends and loved ones are off-limits." Her left fist shot past the Masked Messenger's head, the Elder Sign dangerously close to his face. He glared at it menacingly and gulped, a low, rumbling growl and loud hiss erupting from him. "Yeah, that's right. I know what this does to you. Don't think that I won't do it."
"You really are reckless, Jill." The Outer God gave her a sardonic smile, his crimson eyes still locked onto the Elder Sign. "Reckless, but remarkably brave. I see now that you were selected by the Beyond One not only for your intelligence, but also for your strength and resilience. It's a shame I didn't find you first." His smile turned calm and sincere, despite his obvious uneasiness towards the symbol on her arm. He breathed a sigh of relief when she lowered her fist and took a step back from him. As he stood from his seat on the bed, he towered over her by at least three feet. The two stared each other down wordlessly, neither of them blinking. When Nyarlathotep spoke again, he bowed his head. "Yes...quite a shame indeed. I believe it's time for us to part."
"Yeah...I believe so, too." The General, much to everyone's surprise, extended her right hand toward the Chaos King. He took it with an inquisitive look, shaking it gently. His own dark hand was large enough to wrap around hers completely. Although she never said it, he understood that this gesture was one signifying a truce. "May our blades never cross, Nyarlathotep. See you around."
"Farewell for now." As he bowed to the trio, he vanished in a cloud of black mist, leaving behind a sickly sweet aroma. Jill coughed, stepping back from the mist as it evaporated completely. She turned to look at her horrified companions, neither of which seemed to be able to move from the couch. They silently exchanged glances with her before she joined them once more, sitting between the two. She snapped the Necronomicon shut, and placed the cryptograph on top of it, sighing heavily.
"Well, Jill...I think you just went down in my book as the single-most bullheaded person I know." Hancock lit up a new cigarette, staring at the spot where the Crawling Chaos had sat. "I guarantee no one else can say they confronted an Outer God like that, and lived to talk about it." He shook his head, taking a lengthy drag from his cigarette, and draping his free arm around her shoulders. "But, I guess now I know why Nick admires you so much. You're a good woman, and a great friend."
"Heh...thanks, Hancock." The Vault Dweller slid her arms around him and Nick, pulling them in for a hug. "I'll be honest, though...I don't think I could have handled all this without you two. Had I been alone, I probably would have just lost my shit and stayed like that for the rest of my life. I'm almost positive anyone else would have just left. Thank you for seeing this through with me."
"No need for thanks, Jill. That's what friends are for." Hancock gave her a rough pat on the back, and a goofy smile.
"Think nothing of it, doll." Nick pressed his lips to her temple, sighing softly. Tilting his head down, he whispered in her ear. "You're mine as soon as we're alone." The young woman's face flushed a bright red, and her hold on the Synth tightened. He sat up straight again, giving her a charming grin. "I love you, Jill."
"I love you, too, Nick." There was more that she wanted to say, much more than she was letting on. She'd learned much from her conversations with Yog-Sothoth, and wanted nothing more than to explain everything. However, she chose to wait, and instead enjoyed the company of her lover, and her best friend.