abstracts

Twelve days. They'd spent nearly two weeks in that deathtrap with its emote-inducing properties and gift for dragging out the god-awkward truth from just about anyone. And now, twelve days later, they're finally walking out of the vault. Finally, they were fucking free.

The air never tasted so fresh. The earth never felt so warm. The sun never seemed so bright. They're enough for even an ex-Vault Dweller like Neil Park to collapse upon the dust in something like overwhelming relief.

"Oh," he says, "I never thought I would see you again, "Outside" place!"

goodfight

Somewhere in that long journey back to the Mojave, in that broken and dusty old road, Alex had mentioned a book. There was nothing particularly descriptive in his utterance, nothing that would have a guy running to the local rundown library for it, but it was enough to stick in Neil's thoughts.

Thus, when he "serendipitously" caught sight of the book in a merchant's stock somewhere in Nebraska, he snatched it up. He tucked it carefully away in his pack.

And now, a day later with the sun sitting highest in the sky, while Alex and ED-E are up ahead scouting the area, Neil slips the book into Alex's pack, in a place the other man would find easily. He straightens from his task, a small grin playing on his lips, before he notes that Dogmeat is staring at him in curiosity.

"Not a word," Neil tells his mutt.

Dogmeat wags his tail, as if excited about the prospect of a secret.

goodfight

( His name is Neil Park. )

shortstraw

It's a particularly hot July afternoon in the canyons, and Sarah is on her way to a town. Any town, really, so long as they had ammunition. Call it a break, a hiatus, an escape-- She had a hankering for wandering, and this week's been hell acting as an Elder. Petty squabbles, greedy raiders, and of course, the lack of initiative from half the populace of their newfound Arroyo. She was this close to punching Stone's overgrown kid in the face because he couldn't stop asking the "O Holy Vault Dweller" what he should do about the brahmin pens, and it was this near-slip that had her telling Pat she's disappearing for a week.

So yeah, vacation. Her kids will miss her, and god, all the work keeps her away from them enough as it is, but she also isn't going have them put up with her yelling because she currently can't control her dwindling patience.

Speaking of yelling, there's a bit of that behind the cliff face, around the winding path she is walking along. The voice has that high female pitch, and it's followed by the skittering of feet and the snap of pincers. Sarah is willing to wager that they belong to radscorpions. She's also willing to wager that their opponent is very human and very alone.

The woman picks up her pace and rounds the corner, a hand settling on old Irwin's makeshift pistol beneath her cloak. She comes to a clearing and as expected, notes the group of radscorpions surrounding a young lady wearing a jacket and a vault suit. A fellow vault dweller, likely. From Vault 13 or elsewhere, it remains to be seen.

Casually, Sarah levels the .223 Pistol at the creature nearest to the girl and opens fire.

goodfight

( There are aspects, men often find, that cannot be left behind. )

doubletap

Has sex become repetitious? Feeling sore in certain areas? Well, good news! Your boyfriend has sent you on a quest to find different ways of having fun gay sex. Yay!

Find the following people and seek out their knowledge:

Arcade Israel Gannon (=D)
Jimmy (Westside)
Old Ben (Freeside)
Doctor Alex Richards (Novac)
Ignacio Rivas (Helios One)

Good luck, Wanderer!

goodfight

The Capital Wasteland. It's a wasteland. It has dead trees. There are trash, debris, and rotting corpses everywhere. It's Neil's hometown. D.C. ain't pretty, but D.C. is where he comes from. A crappy start, literally.

Neil's hardly phased, though. Despite Alex's clear opinions regarding the area, the younger guy has been looking forward to getting back. Years have passed since he last laid eyes on the Capital Wasteland; some positive change must have occurred. Or any change, really. Anything would be fine.

As they pass through Megaton's gate, however, Neil catches a glimpse of that thing, and he stops dead in his tracks. His eyes widening to show white.

"Da... Dad?"

doubletap

( Let him just say it now--the kid had a lot of problems. )

doubletap

and Neil Park is blamed for his knowledge of vaults.

( The Investigation of Vault 7. )

doubletap

It's been a few weeks. Since the kid left, taking his dog with him. Good for him. Great that he actually got a job and wasn't just sitting around one of Alex's places. Right, yeah; good for him.

But at the end of that two and a half weeks, Alex was annoyed. Irritated in a scratching, prickling way under the skin, and he had stopped going out the past few days and was just sprawled on his couch.

Head tipped over the armrest to stare at the wall, he lets out a groan. ED-E beeps in question, and Alex only groans again. Damn 'bot.

Damn stupid kid.