Izuku and Piper walked along the ruined path leading out of Sanctuary. The air was heavy, and every crack of branches or rustling in the bushes kept them on edge. Izuku kept his gun ready while his eyes scanned the surroundings.
Piper: (Looking around) This is... desolate. Hard to believe this was once a normal neighborhood.
Izuku: (Seriously) It was. But we need to focus. We shouldn't be far from Concord.
As they moved on, they reached a small, abandoned station by the side of the road. It was a simple building, with a rusted sign barely visible: "Red Rocket."
Piper: (Pointing) What do you think? Maybe we'll find something useful inside.
Izuku approached. The station seemed to be in good condition for a ruined building, but that didn't mean it was empty. They entered cautiously, with Izuku leading and Piper covering him with her revolver.
Inside, the station was filled with old tools, junk, and a strong smell of stale fuel. But something caught their attention: a soft sound, like a panting.
Piper: (Whispering) Did you hear that?
Izuku moved toward the back of the building. There, behind some boxes, he found a brown dog with white spots, looking friendly, who seemed excited to see them.
Izuku: (Relaxing his gun) A dog?
The animal wagged its tail and approached confidently, sniffing Izuku, then Piper.
Piper: (Smiling) Well, looks like it's not looking for a fight.
Izuku: (Petting it on the head) Hey, buddy. Are you here alone?
The dog barked softly, as if responding to the question.
Piper: (Kneeling to pet it too) It's strange to find something so... normal in this place.
Izuku: (Smiling for the first time in a while) Looks like it wants to come with us. What do you say, buddy? Wanna join us?
The dog barked again and stood by their side, ready to follow them.
Izuku: (Looking at it) We'll call you... Meatball.
Piper: (Laughing) Meatball? Not very heroic, but I think it suits him.
With their new companion by their side, the group left the station and resumed their journey toward Concord.
An Attack in Concord
When they reached the outskirts of Concord, the sounds of gunfire and shouting made them stop dead in their tracks. Izuku raised his hand to signal them to stop and crouched down to get a better look. From his position, he could see a small group of ruined buildings. In the center, a group of raiders was firing at a larger building, where several civilians were trying to defend themselves.
Izuku: (Murmuring) They're attacking someone. We have to help.
Piper: (With a mix of concern and excitement) Are you sure? Those guys don't seem very friendly.
Izuku: (Seriously) We can't leave them.
They moved cautiously toward the raiders, using the ruins for cover. Meatball followed them silently, as if understanding the gravity of the situation.
Piper: (Preparing her revolver) Alright, ten cents. How do you want to do this?
Izuku: (Whispering) First, we take out the ones farther away. Shoot only if necessary.
Izuku positioned himself behind one of the distracted raiders and neutralized him with a quick strike. The others noticed the noise and started shooting.
Raider 1: We've got company!
The fight erupted in seconds. Izuku shot with military precision, while Piper covered his flanks. Meatball, to everyone's surprise, jumped on one of the raiders, knocking him to the ground.
Piper: (Shooting) This dog is amazing!
Finally, the last raider fell, and the silence returned to the area, broken only by the sound of fast footsteps from the building.
??? (Male voice): Thank you! We thought we were done for!
A dark-skinned man, wearing a hat and a long coat, stepped out of the building with other civilians. Izuku lowered his weapon and walked toward them.
Izuku: Are you okay?
??? (Smiling): Thanks to you, we are. I'm Preston Garvey, from the Commonwealth Minutemen. Well... what's left of us.
Izuku: Minutemen?
Preston: Yeah. We're trying to protect the civilians, but it's tough with so many raiders and creatures out there. If it weren't for you...
Piper: (Interrupting) Well, we just happened to be passing by.
Preston: I really appreciate your help. But... we're not safe yet. There are more raiders around. If you can help us clear the area, we can talk more about how to repay you.
Izuku: (Determined) Count on us.
With a brief exchange of glances, Izuku and Piper prepared for the next battle. Meatball barked, as if he was ready too.
End of Chapter 6.
Thanks for Reading..