As Ryder approached the young woman, he tried his best to say hello in Japanese, but his thick accent really butchered the language, but much to his surprise, she responded in English

"It's okay. I understand you must be the new Foreign history teacher, Mr. Ryder, correct?"

"Yes, are you a student?"

"Yes, at the academy, but I don't have your class. The other students talked about you though, "

"Oh yeah? what type of impression did I leave on your fellow students? "

"They told me a cowboy came to teach them history and from how you talk I can see why.

Now I have a question what brings you here?"

"Never been to a temple. I wanted to see one myself. ""That's not what I'm asking. I wanna know why a man like you came to Japan."

Ryder was asked this question many times, traveling to towns,trading posts, and the settlements of the East Coast, and he always answered the same way

" Don't really know why I just like walking the job just a bonus."

Akeno didn't know what to take from that she could sense no abilities from this man nor any energy, so maybe he just being honest.

"What do you at this temple? "

"It's a place to honor our ancestors and family members,"

"So it's like a memorial?"

"No, but I understand why you would think that.""May I pay respect to yours then?"

Akeno gestured towards the entrance of the temple, curious as to what the foreigner intentions were.

As Ryder entered the temple, his inner loot goblin was itching to take some of the artifacts but hesitated because he didn't want to be rude, as they approached the sanctum of the temple Ryder spoke " I've seem to forgotten your name"

"You never asked. It's Akeno."

"Thank you for letting me in here. May I ask what this place is for?"

"It's a place where we leave offerings to our ancestors if you like you could leave something or just offer silence for respect."

Ryder reached into his suit jacket, fondling his breast pocket before leaving a coin at the base of the praying mantle.

"What's that ? " Akeno asked

"It's challenge coin I got some during my service this one stands for one's devotion to family"

on the coin showed the mark of the 2 headed bear with 2 cubs underneath it with the words written at the bottom " My family over your life." Akeno was confused about why the 2 heads, but more importantly, why family?

"Thank you for letting me in, but I must take my leave now. Stay blessed. "

Akeno winced at the blessing, but Ryder did not see the expression she made as he had already made he way to the exit.

The sun was setting as Ryder was halfway to his camp he noticed that he was almost at the spot where he was teleported to place when he noticed something teleport in the same place he did a week ago. As he approached, he noticed it was something familiar it was three enclave crates with a letter on top saying, " Wherever you are, I know you're going to need this," signed Preston. Ryder was shocked because, from his perspective, they used the same teleporter to try and escape the institute when they were going to blow it back to the stone age so maybe there's a chance that someone can teleport equipment for him to get back just like how he helped some depressed, jet addicted vault dweller build one to find their son. It was a fat chance in hell but he'd hold on to any hope for getting home.

author note: I suck at conversation chapters, but I'll get better.