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3xm-draconic · 1 month

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The Jester and The Courier: a wild wasteland love

Chapter 8: Fortunate Son.

Arcade was already tending to the wastelanders that were held captive, seeing if they needed any medical attention like wound care, fortunately it seemed they only had bumps and bruises.

Lily was helping the children, she was comforting them and helping Arcade with giving them medicine.

Raul had repaired a broken down truck and managed to get it to move…but it was not drivable, however they did not need that to help bring everybody back to the safety of the old Mormon fort in freeside when they had a Bighornner to pull it.

He had fixed it by scrounging around the junk piles the Finds had accumulated outside their new base, they were rather wasteful.

Boon was on watch, keeping an eye out for trouble and for Myrtle when she returned, his face was a mix of emotions when he saw her come out of the cavern: happy to see her alive, worried because she was carrying a body which fell to annoyance as soon as he recognized who she was carrying.

“Well…butter my ass and call me a cannibal's lunch, what are the odds?” he grumbled, he looked at Cicero “jeez he looks bad, the hell did they put in him?”, Myrtle set him on the ground where she and Gannon examined him.

“Hmm…his pupils are dilated more than normal but his heart rate is slowed…” Gannon deduced, “Jet, hydra, med-x and calm-x” Myrtle sighed as she held the whimpering man “a nast cocktail called a devil’s breath, a couple of raider gangs in New Cali use it to…well pacify…their victims of…” he face fell dark.

Gannon placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, Myrtle turned to him “but I got our little freakshow friend out before that happened”.

“We’ll need to get them all to the Followers, then maybe your friend King can help sort them out?” Boone said as he help load Cicero in to the back of the truck, “of course King is gonna wanna help them, King’s always had a soft spot for helping others” Gannon nodded “he may have a temper but behind it all is a heart of gold in that man”, “I know Arcade, I wasn’t questioning you, I mean who else would Myrtle put in charge of new vegas while she’s off protecting the mojave, especially after her great-great-grandpa died?”

They started their return to new vegas…

“Is there anything we can give him in the meantime to help him?” Myrtle looked at Gannon as she held Cicero, the poor man was starting to have a bad reaction to the devil’s breath, “we could dissolve some Fixer in some water and have him drink it…but that would only be a temporary solution as it would only stop some of the chems effects on his brain” he said as he helped wrap Cicero in a blanket, the poor man was shaking and shivering.

“Addictol would be perfect about now” Arcade mumbled “even though he’s not an addict it would still help purge his system”, “purge his system?...I…I think I have something that can work like addictol if I tinker around with it” Myrtle said as she laid Cicero down in the bed of the truck.

She took out a bottle that said: “Fiery Purgative” on it “this clears all poisons and toxins from the body, hell it can even clear radiation, if I cut it with Fixer and some water like you said it might just work to flush his system”, “Myrt how is vodka-jalapeno-nettle juice going to help?” Ganonn pondered, “Ehey don’t knock it just yet, that shit helped me and Boone survive getting out of a Cazador nest” Raul added.

Gannon shrugged “stranger things have happened in the world of medicine”.

Myrtle broke a tablet of Fixer in half and dissolved it in a clean tin can of water, she then added two spoonfuls of the prugitive to the mixture, she carefully and tenderly spoon fed it to Cicero, the poor man gagged at the foul tincture but she assured him it was for his own health.

The impromptu medicine worked…by causing him to vomit…a lot.

But with the drugs no longer in his body Cicero’s mind was clear albeit in pain, his body ached, his wounds from the hot iron shot at him had not healed…he was in misery.

But someone was tending to him, Myrtle was bandaging all his wounds and giving him medicine…

Perhaps he WAS wrong…

Perhaps she was not an evil daedra…Afterall daedra and Aedra can fall on any moral alignment just as any mortal could…

Cicero laid there in the bed of the truck with his head in Myrtle’s lap, she was comforting him, caring for him…and he had tried to kill her so many times..

…

“Miss Myrtle?” his hoarse voice rasped out, “yhea bud, you need anything?”, “...Cicero is done…he’s done trying to fight with you…Cicero, Cicero realizes…he realizes…” he looked into her mismatched green-blue eyes “I need help”.

Myrtle comfortingly held his hand “I know, after you recover at the old Mormon fort we’ll take you to Usanagi”, Cicero held her hand…all he wanted right now was to be at home…

He closed his eyes and hoped this would all be a bad dream and it would end soon.

The group stopped by a gas station for the night.

In the morning a patrolling band of NCR came by, they helped escort them back to new vegas.

Finally they had made it back to Freeside’s east gate, when they entered some of the King’s boys were waiting for them.

“Welcome back home, Queen of spades, the boys and I got word from King to help you out with the new residents. There’s an old motel that’s just been cleaned and cleared out, should be safe for them there, The Followers are a little short on bed space right now” Pacer turned to her as they walked the streets of freeside, “you know I was just gonna put everyone up at the 38, place is almost big enough to house all of freeside” she mumbled.

“Yhea but if you do that the Omerta’s and White Gloves will get pissy, even though they owe you BIG time AND you are House’s Heir” Pacer snickered “and besides freeside is getting to be just as classy and swanky as the strip herself”.

Myrtle looked around, freeside had become more like the strip ever since she had inherited new vegas from Mr House, brighter lights and less crime, the securitrons were upgraded to protect all of the city and that ment freeside was no longer a slum but a thriving community.

“I guess you have a point Pacer, but I still think the Omerta’s and White Gloves are wrong, Anyone deserves to enjoy vegas not just elitists” she shrugged, Pacer nodded “I can agree with you on that sister”.

Myrtle was about to return to Camp McCarran to grab everyone and go to the Luck 38 for some shut-eye when she saw Cicero outside the Mormon fort with Gannon, “whats going on?”, “bad news Myrt, no room for him here or at the motel, not enough beds or nurses and doctors”, Myrtle sighed in frustration…then got an idea.

“We’ll just take him to the 38, he can stay in the presidential suite with me, the bots and I can look after him, I am a certified doctor after all”, Gannon pondered “you are a good doctor…but are you sure you can watch over this guy?”.

Myrtle nodded “it ain’t like I got anything better to do now that, Hagerty has her antivenom, troops have been deployed to take back Jacobstown, we rescued the hostages and I gotta kill Lanius next Month” she shrugged.

“About that…”, “No” Myrtle scould at Gannon “No…just no…not now”, “but if not now, WHEN Myrt?” Arcade placed a hand on her shoulder, “...maybe after getting Cicero to bed and getting a decent meal in him” she sighed, Gannon sniffed the air and recoiled “ugh…he might need a shower first”.

#skyrim #crossover #au #fanfic #fallout new vegas #cicero x female oc #skyrim cicero

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nuclearspring · 5 days

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(SLIGHTLY MORE THOROUGH) MUSE LIST. warnings for discussion of violence, war crimes, racism, drug use and addiction, death, assimilation, allusions to genocide, etc.

COURIER SIX. BIO HERE. otherwise known as boris medvedev, otherwise known (but not anymore; this was his name in the before times) as sasha dubrovhsky. very large slavic man. buzzcut clad. ncr defector (prospective ranger turned courier turned ncr errand boy turned insurrectionist turned courier again). addict. romany & russian jewish, mostly, though his understanding of these identities is partially lost to time. descended from inhabitants of vault 13 (and equipped, as a result, with his trusty vault 13 canteen, an item that will need to be wrestled from his cold dead hands). very smart idiot. speech skill slightly neglected in the interest of learning to punch and shoot things instead.

if writing with other courier protagonists, boris can be adjusted so that he is an ncr ranger (and spy moonlighting occasionally as a courier) rather than The Courier.

CRAIG BOONE. former first recon sniper. definitely a war criminal. definitely believes karma is out to get him. boone is alright with this. he is a complicated and extremely perceptive man, and useful, but if you are in any way shape or form a legion sympathizer, he will not kill you. enjoys long walks in the mojave and killing legion. doesn't talk much. more fucked up details available upon request.

ULYSSES. the other courier. wears an old world flag on his back. his home, the divide, is entirely inhospitable. speaks with a stilted gravity. formerly affiliated with the legion after his tribe was subsumed by them, though he is independent now. deeply philosophical individual. concerned by consequences.

BENNY. a cad. a heel. but he did absolutely nothing wrong. benny's the one who put things in motion for an independent new vegas, and while he may not entirely ideologically align with the followers of the apocalypse (he is essentially coded as being in the mob), he does directly work with them, and his vision aligns with theirs. he's willing to play dirty to get what he needs, but it's the wasteland. who isn't. benny is the member of a tribe that was forced to assimilate by mr. house, and is understandably bitter about this. his plan to take the wasteland back from centuries old libertarians may live beyond him, depending on the hands it falls into. when he meets his death, he meets it with dignity - it isn't about him, it's about the vision. he "ain't a fink, ya dig?" just doomed by the narrative.

ALEJANDRO "CASH" CASTILLO. a courier six offshoot (but he is not, at least on this blog, going to be courier six). low speech, high barter. based in part on nacho varga from better call saul; takes his face claim from the same source. quiet, but a good man to have in your corner. he is honourable, arguably, but at the same time understands reality well enough to know when honour can't be an option.

BETTY ZHAO. another courier six offshoot (just a common or garden jack of all trades in freeside in her main verse here). lesbian. very good with energy weapons for reasons that are never disclosed and always seem a little bit suspicious. works in a shop in freeside as a mechanic. chaotic neutral with a lean towards evil. secretly very much in the ncr's pocket.

ARCADE GANNON. inconveniently tall, blonde, and very secretly ex enclave. paranoid. hates talking about himself, which is a problem given his occasional tendency to ramble when nervous. a doctor researcher with a terrible bedside manner. gay. pretty damn good with a plasma pistol. somewhere between his late thirties and early forties. deeply sarcastic. well-versed in latin.

VERONICA SANTANGELO. lesbian. adorable. journeyman scribe affiliated with the new vegas chapter of the brotherhood of steel (which is truly a great deal more relaxed than the others). really wants a nice dress. her parents (a knight and a scribe) were killed in a battle with the ncr when she was relatively young, but she considers the rest of the chapter her family. they - and in particular, one consequential elder named elijah - were the ones who raised veronica after that point. it was thanks to elijah's guidance that veronica turned from, quoting from the wiki: "a tinkerer into an engineering prodigy." elijah also instilled in veronica a sense that authorities ought to be told when they're full of shit.

LUCY MACLEAN. vaultie. autistic. bi. fresh to the wasteland and still acclimating. more details available upon request. (will be added once the show has been out for a little while; they're a bit too spoiler heavy).

MAXIMUS. member of the brotherhood of steel. doing his best, sometimes. more details available upon request. (as stated in lucy's info, they'll be added later).

COOPER HOWARD. well. currently, he sucks. as stated above, more details available upon request.

ALBERT COLE. vault 13 citizen. is here because... look, maybe it's time travel, maybe he's a synth, maybe it's maybelline. i'm going to figure this out soon. bear with me.

#MUSE LIST.

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romancesources · 11 months

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FALLOUT: NEW VEGAS SERIES, ARCADE GANNON EDITION. (some of these are edited for general use, while some keep their context for the overarching fallout universe. feel free to change them around to suit your needs.)

what? did you expect me to applaud your efforts to support a deranged warlord?

you are bad for helping them. please stop.

if you can find a way to push them out of the picture as well, i think everyone will be better off.

the only way to ensure relative safety and independence for the people here is to prevent others from taking control of the region.

i'll be here. just don't expect me to fend off a gang of super mutants while you're gone.

just as a warning, my covert bandaging skills are a little rusty.

i'm not standing here because i'm overburdened with emotion. take some of this stuff off of me so i can move a little more easily.

hmmm. might need some antidote here.

yep. that's poison.

will the medical wonders of the post-apocalyptic world never cease?

if you could spare any ammunition, that would be really terrific.

it is my medical opinion that that could have gone better.

i could use a syringe of med-x or two... or eight.

back to the tomb, i suppose. If you need me, et cetera.

i'm hardly a whirlwind of death when left to my own devices, but all right.

we are coming for you. run, and we will catch you. hide, and we will find you. no matter what you do, you are all going to die.

fighting's not my strong suit, but i'll see what i can do.

if there's one thing there's no shortage of in the mojave, it's violence.

it would be nice if things could stop tearing each other apart around here.

did someone slip psycho into your water or are you just naturally berserk?

we have enough problems around here!

i thought my charm could win you over, but i guess it wasn't meant to be. are you sure you want me to go?

you have quite the menagerie at your disposal.

i'm just saying that if it were to fall into a lake and be irreparably damaged... and if you threw an emp grenade in after it...

well, there are worse things happening in the world, right?

thanks for asking. i appreciate it, i do.

back in your good graces again? i knew you'd see the light.

i'm really very boring. you'd get better stories out of a junkie.

i don't want to be... alarmist or anything, but maybe you should ditch that thing.

okay. don't have to make a decision now. just... sleep on it or something.

i guess they don't make 'em like they used to.

physician, heal thyself... guess it's a good thing they invented stims.

i don't think you need to worry about the specifics. basically, expect a lot of firepower and dead bodies.

let's just say it's truly a sight to behold.

it's the least i could do. all i ask is that you put it to good use.

i may not be the one to help stop him here, but you are.

fortis fortuna adiuvat. good luck, and good bye.

i'd rather they have it than allow all that knowledge to disappear.

i'd just prefer that it goes to an organization who are less likely to use it for... violent purposes.

that's a grim deal to make.

not all sacrifices are made by the willing.

but where is the lamb for this burnt offering?

that was their decision to make, not yours.

there are other ways to punish people, other ways to condemn their actions.

what we always do. whatever we can.

i was an only child and spent most of my time with my mother.

my father died when i was young and i never got over it.

oh... and i like medicine and reading books about failed socioeconomic policies.

right now, i'm sure you're asking yourself, 'why hasn't some lucky man scooped this bachelor off his feet?' like i said, i'm very boring.

some people do. i just... don't.

look, i appreciate that you're trying to be friendly, but i'd just rather not discuss it.

why do they need more power?

hmm. that's a valid point.

i'm not really behind them in all of this, but the last thing i want is panic in the streets.

i'm thinking that i'm leaving because you are a sociopath. good riddance.

what's changed since then?

there's something i need to go do, but i'll catch up with you later. thanks again for your help with the others. it means a lot to me.

you can't hold onto a past you've never had.

what's the point of surviving the war?

no way are they getting away with this. i'm not letting it happen. you're not letting it happen.

they abdicate responsibility to a myth of historical inevitability.

i suppose you're right. when you're part of something for that long, maybe it's impossible to let go without losing part of yourself.

i'll always feel like something is missing from my life.

not everyone dreams of being a revolutionary, i suppose. maybe we can't all change the world.

maybe it's enough just to do good for the short time that we're here.

it seems presumptuous of me to think that i could join the fight, even if this is a cause worth fighting for.

if you lose your humanity, then i suppose that is all that's left.

victrix causa deis placuit sed victa catoni.

in the words of socrates, 'go fornicate yourself.'

okay. i just wanted you to confirm that i'm traveling in the company of an insane fascist. thanks.

the people who live here don't deserve to be victims of your misguided attempts at political engineering. or are they just collateral damage?

great! you're either unimaginably cruel or profoundly insane!

i hope you get everything that's coming to you.

all i know is that you are a bad person and i don't want to be around you anymore.

because everyone would be conscripted or enslaved. and the people who are unfit for military service or slavery would be put down.

overt flirtation will get you everywhere, you know.

caveat samaritanus.

oh, you know. finding alternative treatments for common illnesses and injuries.

there are worse things one can be, though i do admit, it is a bit boring.

don't mind me. i'm just voicing my thoughts so they don't burrow out of my skull in a fit of abject despondency.

i'm enthusiastic about helping people, but nihil novi sub sole.

but the side effect of medical success is that more people live longer. funny how that works.

cuts, lacerations, broken bones. infections resulting from all of the above. common cold, influenza. take your pick.

there are plenty of ways to die out here, and most of them, surprisingly, don't have anything to do with war. just common human fragility.

no offense intended, but why should i go anywhere with you?

short of canceling our imminent travel plans, that's the best thing you could have said.

no disrespect intended, but you aren't the first person to dream up the idea.

i can't say i understand your obsession, but for that i suppose i'd have to spend a night in your grave.

i'm here because of you, so i figure you're the one most deserving of it.

why don't you make like odysseus and get lost?

for as lack of adornment is said to become some women, so will this place, without your presence, bring delight.

interesting way of handling things. very sub rosa.

it's hard to find justice in all of this, but i suppose this is as close as it gets.

i'd like to assume that we're tiptoeing into the mouth of hell out of academic curiosity, but i'm not so open-minded that i've lost my brains.

i'm no botanist, but i think this may not be entirely natural.

it's a shame what happened up here. i understand arguments about the 'fog of war,' but that can't be much consolation to the survivors.

i'm not exactly a mercenary, but taking out scumbags of this magnitude wouldn't cause me to lose any sleep.

what a load of brahmin shit! can you believe that guy?

#rp meme #ask meme #fallout rp meme #sentence meme #mine.#s: fnv.

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medicinalcannibalism · 1 year

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❤💥✨️🚀🎁💕🐇🦋🦈 drops these along with my love

What is your favorite line that you’ve written in a fic?

I have the memory of a goldfish tbh but recently I wrote, '"I'm Doctor Alex Richards, at your service. And how may I service you today?"' And I think that's p funny

What is one canon thing that you wish you could change?

Romance arcade gannon now!!!

Out of the comments you’ve received on your fics, what are two or three of your favorites?

The first one was commented on an original smut story of mine. I just thought it was funny.

The second is really touching because it's not in English which means people of other cultures are reading my fics which is NEAT

Do you like to outline your fic first or create as you go?

Create as I go. I mull over the general plot for a while but sometimes while writing I come up with stuff I didn't even think about in the first place.

Have a piece of a WIP you want to share?

I do but it's nsfw teehee

What is your favorite fic that you’ve written?

'As the World Caves In.' It's about Deano’s trauma and I kinda wrote some of my own trauma into it. It really helped me.

Do you write for yourself, for others, or both?

Mostly myself but also my friends!

Which character is your favorite to write?

Deano and Charles ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Which character is the toughest to write?

Arcade Gannon, honestly. Characters who aren't mine are tough.

#charlie chats #charlie answers

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goth-automaton · 4 months

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5, 15, 25 for the asks 🥰

5. TV show of the year?

I didn't watch TV shows this year, but if other serialised forms count, then

15. What’s a bad habit you picked up this year?

Is getting 3-4h of sleep during the week a bad habit or a natural consequence of the uni forcing me to adapt to daytime living, while I'm a nighttime creature? 🤔

25. Did you create any characters (in games, art, or writing) this year? Describe one

Hooooo boiiiiiii... A lot. A lot of characters for a lot of AUs. Who should I tell you about... Okay.

I haven't drawn them yet (of course...), but I think description would be enough. ^^ It's a "Fallout: New Vegas" OC! Their name is Acolyte Raikov and they're an independent psycho for hire (literally psycho – something's definitely wrong with their emotional system and, apart from murder sprees, rarely anything gets any emotional reaction out of them). Despite being human (at least in theory), they have some ghoul-like abilities, mainly fast regeneration (if they lose a limb and get it sewn back before it starts rotting, they can regain full usage of it in the span of days, maybe weeks), immunity to radiation and incredible endurance – killing them is pretty impossible. This may be a result of their mother getting blasted with a shitton of radiation and turning into a ghoul, while still pregnant.

Acolyte lives in Old Mormon Fort with Followers of the Apocalypse. They're not a member, though. Actually, the Followers hate them and vice versa. The only reason they're there is their unusual friendship with Arcade Gannon – at one point Arcade saved Acolyte's life (kind of – Acolyte would be fine, but they'd need a bit longer to recover) and they somehow bonded. Acolyte is extremely, and I mean, extremely protective over Arcade. Also, Arcade acts as a morality chain for Acolyte. Like, you know this "I have an idea" – "Murder is not an option" – "I have no idea" meme? This is basically them.

Other people Acolyte is genuinely fond of (and vice versa) are Raul Tejada and Beatrix Russell. In general, Acolyte gets on pretty well with ghouls. And with sex workers, mainly because of their past. (I won't elaborate on that rn, 'cause this is already getting too long, lol).

When it comes to appearance: Acolyte has dark skin, bright yellow eyes, shoulder-length pastel pink hair (yep, it's natural) and pierced lower lip – a vertical labret hoop to be precise. They're slim, have androgynous figure and always wear black, slutty clothes. They are also relatively tall, +/- Arcade's height. They appear to be taller, though, due to the fact they wear platform boots (yep, in the desert – that's how many fuck they give).

Other miscellaneous info: Acolyte's favourite weapon is a baseball bat, they like chewing gum and have a habit of calling everyone "babe", even strangers.

Thank you! 💜

End of the year ask game.

#sorry for the essay I couldn't resist ^^"#it's Ellie!#ask game #mail time!

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blindbetrayal · 11 months

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dyce taking danse back to the drive in post bb once she's gotten him settled with the minutemen and Dexter is SO excited to finally meet this guy and like arcade is semi-justifiably being a sourpuss about letting a (former) paladin into the outpost but Dex drags him out to meet him anyway cuz like, dyce has been gone for ages and even before she got caught up in everything she was Very Normal about danse in a way she'd never expressed before in the Mojave (leery shitbeasts will make it fail 2 ya) and he's so happy for her and kind of veers into henpecky mom mode like asking if she's gonna get married n all that (almost asks about kids but gets saved from the mental nat 1 courtesy of arcade lol)

Dex may be a moody sardonic jerk in NV (and has shades of it in 4) but when he's happy it is INFECTIOUS and even after a while Dex points out arcade is beaming too and like. He scrunches his face but they all know danse is part of the family now, might as well tack on Gannon-Lux to his name while he's there

And then dyce gives him his own FotA patch for his MM outfit and real quietly goes "my offers still open too"

6'5 man bawling into his 6'3 gf's arms while her gay dads both jokingly yell "THEY REALLY ARE MARRIED!" and it's just. Such a silly and sweet and tender moment 😭😭😭😭

#oc: dyce #oc: dexter lux #fallout 4 #dyce/danse #fallout oc #paladin danse #arcade gannon #(might as well tag em lol)#the wildcards #wildcard rambles #i cant sleep man i got Thoughts.

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chaosintheavenue · 1 year

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Vari Vari Vari

Also went through a bunch of my ancient ask memes to cherry-pick some questions to answer to Develop him.

What was the first thing you decided or ‘learned’ about this OC?

His faction, and his general age in relation to Trin. Next came name, gender, and basic appearance details. He was only ever intended to be a background character from her 'school class', but somehow he managed to seep into my brain more permanently lol.

What’s their favourite type of weather?

He's accustomed to dry heat and the overall changeable climate of the desert, but doesn't particularly enjoy it, especially in the extremes. He'll take any weather as long as it's dry and in a general comfortable range.

What’s their opinion on insects?

He doesn't take any particular interest in insects that don't have the ability to harm him. Naturally apprehensive of anything that bites, stings, or is big enough to do damage to him through sheer size. I think he may end up sharing Charlie's specific dislike of Cazadores, though…

How would they answer the ‘Trolley Problem’?

With cold logic. Kill the one to spare the five.

How much medical/first aid knowledge do they have? How often do they have to use it?

He has all of the basic survival skills he needs to go it alone in the wasteland, which often includes patching up his own combat injuries, and a fair bit of biological/medical knowledge from old textbooks. Can keep a clear head when others are panicking around him, but doesn't currently have a lot of practical experience of dealing with others' injuries and wouldn't be especially confident in own his ability to help. All things considered, I think he'd be about as much use as Arcade Gannon in such a situation?

Do they listen to the radio or explore in silence? Any favourite stations and/or songs?

Dead silence whilst walking, for safety reasons more than anything else. He does sing/hum/whistle to himself a lot, but avoids doing it when the sound could alert anyone/anything to his presence. He doesn't use the radio on his Pip-Boy, but does have exposure to the commonly-played songs from locations with radios and friends who do listen to their radios. Not sure if he'd have any specific preference, right now I'm leaning towards a preference for instrumental music but that may be subject to change.

What's their opinion on the Scorched?

He's never met a full Scorched for geographic reasons, but he has heard a little about the concept of them from/regarding Trin. All that he really knows is that it's contagious, required him to drink some weird vaccine in a Nuka-Cola bottle to be able to associate with Trin, the infection development process is very painful, and that it rarely can (Trin may have sugar-coated things a little…) result in the victim being transformed into something 'other' and extremely aggressive. Bonus fact: When he met his first batch of Tunnelers, he did have a moment of wondering whether these unusual beings could be those Scorch creatures he'd heard about.

What's their opinion on the Rust Eagles?

From the little he's heard, he's suspicious of their methods and ultimate motives, and disapproves of a childhood friend's close involvement with the group.

What's their opinion on the Brotherhood of Steel?

He's extremely suspicious of their methods and ultimate motives, and disapproves of a childhood friend's close involvement with the group. Hm, this seems like a familiar story. He has personally met a few 'proper' BoS members (AKA not Trin), and has found them to be a mixed bag on the individual level, but he still would keep up some level of guard around them regardless. He also joins the long queue of the many, many people across the Southwest who are not fans of Elijah.

#Vari #my brain has gripped onto this guy like a python #you will see him

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desertrangercaracal · 1 year

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My contribution for Fallout February.

I’m impressed that I managed to get this done. In total, I’ve got a chapter of this story, and a little short story all nice and set up for this month. I’m close to finishing this fanfic, and in good pace too. But enough about that, y’all are here for what I decided to make for this event. So, here it is.

This story is for @believerindaydreams and was crafted accordingly.

The story contained within involves Arcade Gannon and a Vulpine mutant talking to each other in the Old Mormon Fort during dinner, the story involves themes of failed romance, Judaism, and overall gay shit. Hope you enjoy.

LOCATION: OLD MORMON FORT.

DATE: APRIL 13TH 2282.

TIME: 6:01 PM.

TEMPERATURE: 82°F OR 28°C.

The desperate feelings of Freeside had tempered in recent days, with the Followers receiving a considerable amount of support from the Free Mojave Forces in recent time along with help from The Kings and locals in general. The added positivity was a welcome surprise, though the guards didn't see much of it beyond better armor, and a few better weapons. The doctors and scientists saw many more of these benefits, even the so called scientific recluse of the followers.

Arcade Gannon was currently headfirst in his self admitted fruitless efforts to get that all natural Stimpak solution working. In spite of how fruitless it may be, he still desperately hoped that it could bear some real results and be of benefit. But so far, all he was seeing from the barrel cacti and agave he was working with was mere chances, even with some more advanced equipment he had. Better than failing at being a people person at least, and more beneficial than trying to awkwardly talk with patients with any myriad of issues.

Still, he had managed to find a little benefit in using cacti needles in place of staples in extreme cases, though the idea of using them beyond that chilled Arcade's core. Of course, the train of research thinking he had in him vanished the moment he heard the dinner bell ring out. Standing up slowly, he realized just how empty his stomach really was from skipping lunch, and nearly slapped himself for that.

It wasn't that bad, even if his body hated his choice to go hungry. Leaving his tent, Arcade made his way over to the gathering line of people who hungered for something nice and hot. The smell of hot, delicious food filled his nose as he got in line, especially the distinctive scent of hot peppers. As the line began moving, he soon realized something. Right in front of him was one of the guards, and not just that but a vulpine too.

As the line moved forward, Arcade began to notice more and more things about this fox. He was a little taller than Arcade, he had a set of pretty well worn leather armor, he had a lever action rifle on his back, caliber unknown of course, and as the fox turned to kitchen staff to receive his dinner Arcade noticed two other things about this fox. Namely that he had a necklace with a silver hand hanging from it, a kind that Arcade could swear he'd seen before.

Oh, and he also noticed this fox really began to stir feelings inside of him. That rough muzzle, those calm eyes and overall kind expression caused Arcade's heart to begin fluttering gently. He didn't realize how long he was staring at the guard till he felt a jab from behind.

“Get moving or I'll push you outta the way!”

A gravely, ghoulish voice firmly shouted from behind. Arcade quickly got his food from the workers, and walked out of the way before looking down, curious about tonight's dinner. He didn't quite recognize it immediately, but a slow inhale crystallized what it was. Mojave chili with cornbread in a pre-war ceramic bowl, and it was downright steaming too, the fragrance still filling his nostrils after that first sniff.

Arcade's mouth began watering in anticipation of the flavors ahead. Roughly chopped brahmin or bighorner meat, mixed chillies, black beans, tomatoes, onion, pinyon nuts and prickly pear fruit. It made Arcade's hunger worse, but his curiosity prevented him from taking a bite right away. As he looked around, he soon saw the fox again, as he took a seat at a nearby table and began to eat. Not wanting to risk anything happening, Arcade pushed himself over to the same table and took a seat in the chair opposite of the fox.

As he set his meal down, Arcade got a direct look into the fox's eyes, they were just as delightful as before. Smiling gently, he quickly explained himself to the guard.

“I didn't want to eat alone tonight, and you seemed lonely too. If I'm a bother you can tell me to leave, I won't mind.”

“Honestly, that's real sweet of you. What's your name?”

Arcade's mouth gaped lightly in surprise, he didn't expect the fox to be that nice, that fast. Brushing it aside, he replied quickly.

“Arcade Gannon, what about yours?”

“So you're the reclusive researcher I've heard quite a bit about.”

“Uh, yeah. I am.”

Arcade began blushing on the spot, placing his hands on his cheeks to conceal it. The fox began to laugh gently in response, before he cleared his throat and continued.

“Sorry about that. The name's Caleb Shu'al, it's nice to meet one of the more elusive people here. Especially someone like you.”

As Caleb grabbed his spoon and lifted a spoonful of hot chili to his mouth, Arcade interrupted with a quick question.

“What do you mean?”

Caleb stopped just before he could eat his chili, holding the spoon for a bit as he thought.

“I've heard a good bit about your, preferences. Though I've also heard you haven't been too good with them.”

“Could you stop being cryptic?”

“Fine, I've heard you like men, but that you can't keep a relationship with one to save your life.”

Arcade's shock was immediate, as he could barely sputter out a reply while Caleb blinked in surprise over what he said.

“I don't know what came over me there, sorry.”

“It's fine, you're correct, but that was incredibly rude of you.”

Caleb nodded in agreement before taking his first bite of chili, eating it slowly as Arcade did the same. Flavor flooded his mouth immediately as the chili proved to be just what he needed. The richness of the beans and tomatoes, the eye opening spiciness, the slight sweetness of the prickly pear, the savory base of the brahmin meat, lastly the texture of the pinyon nuts and onion. It all made a wonderful meal they both delighted on.

They both observed a calm silence while eating dinner, filling their empty bellies with hot chili and cornbread. Arcade finished eating first, groaning out as his gnawing hunger left him. Looking to Caleb, he saw the fox eating the last few bites of chili. As the fox finished, Arcade leaned forward slowly.

“Where did you learn such a blunt attitude?”

“My home town, but I'm only telling if you tell me where you came from. It's only polite to do that with men.”

Arcade nodded gently, sighing a bit as he leaned back.

“I come from a Mojave town north of New Reno, I was raised by my mother mostly due to my father dying when I was real young. When I was around seventeen I moved to the NCR, where I ended up finding about the Followers. Because I wanted to help people I joined up and well, I've been a Follower since.”

Caleb nodded slowly, looking to his left as he began to speak.

“I come from a California town called Oak-Land. Ever heard of it?”

“Bits and pieces, such as it being a place where mutants like you live fearlessly.”

“Yes but, it's also one of the few places in the wasteland where Jews have real presence. There's also the Blue Star, but I've never been there. Have you?”

Arcade remained still, thinking things over in his mind before shaking his head.

“Nope, I haven't. I haven't been to Oak-Land either, but I've heard of it before. The heavy Jewish presence is odd, but from what I've heard it's a good place to live.”

“It is, at least from my perspective. I left home about a decade ago, and joined the Followers in the Boneyard. I was trained to be the best guard possible, and moved to the Mojave three years later. I've lived here since and I've helped keep things safe consistently. Mostly floating about the different outposts, it's no surprise you haven't seen me, I came here about a year ago.”

Arcade nodded gently as he leaned closer to the fox, keeping his elbows off the table for now.

“Well what was it like, growing up in there?”

“If you've only known Jews from the Blue Star and other such places then you'd be lost. According to the documents we have, those who settled the area post war were Sephardic Jews, and the Jews who live there adhere to those traditions. The Blue Star's inhabitants are Ashkenazi in origin, they speak Yiddish as a first language, I was taught Ladino as my first language.”

Arcade slowly nodded as he listened eagerly, beginning to smile in kind as he learned more about the fox.

“And they taught you to be blunt too?”

“Just about all fellow Jews I've met are blunt as can be, regardless of where they came from. That's what you get when you create a culture that encourages constant debate.

Arcade was basically halfway across the table at this point without knowing about it, staring at the fox intently.

“Is there something wrong with me or?”

“No, not at all, you actually look quite good.”

“Well thanks, but you're leaning a bit too close for comfort.”

Arcade did just that, sitting up straight as the fox did the same.

“What kind of necklace do you have there?”

Caleb looked down at his chest briefly, before grabbing the silver hand and nodding.

“Oh, this. It's a Hamsa. It's a charm that supposedly wards off the gaze of the Evil Eye.”

“Now I remember, it's an old symbol. Isn't it also used in other faiths?”

“Yes. But this is a Jewish Hamsa, not an ancient one, or a Hand of Fatima.”

Arcade blinked slowly, eyebrows narrowing at what Caleb said.

“A what?”

“Hand of Fatima, it's a symbol with the same purpose in Islam, a supposedly dead faith. I doubt it truly is, much like Judaism there's got to be a concentration of adherents somewhere in the wastes.”

Arcade softly nodded, looking back to the vulpine's face.

“So what brought you to the followers?”

“They've got a consistent presence in Oak-Land, the synagogue helps them out as a congregational act of Tzedakah. I wanted to help, so I volunteered to become a guard and I've been with the Followers since. When the war ends, I don't see myself leaving them, even if we have to leave the Mojave.”

Caleb pulled out a little picture from one of his pants pockets, looking down at it and smiling softly.

“Before you ask, I'm looking at a picture of me about ten years ago, standing in front of the harbor with my first boyfriend.”

“Really? What was he like?”

“A bit arrogant, but that's just being a teenager. Other than that he was great. I met him during school, I don't remember the full specifics but we were dating within the week.”

Caleb sighed gently as he put the photo away, nostalgia running through his mind reminding him of the young love they shared.

“Can I see it?”

“Alright, just don't expect it to be that great.”

Arcade didn't need to wait long, a few seconds later the photo was placed onto the table, and he saw what Caleb admired so dearly. The background was indeed Oak-Land's harbor, with fishers lined up on the unused docks, trying to get some extra food on their plates.

In center frame were two clearly adolescent fox mutants, wearing casual clothing and standing side by side. The fox two or so inches taller than the other had Caleb's pelt coloring and a elated smile, the other one was an arctic fox with a rather ecstatic grin on his face. As Caleb pulled the photo back, Arcade looked back to the fox's face, betraying his curiosity with the look he gave.

“Why did you break up if you were so happy together?”

“I'll tell you, but only if you tell me about your first love, hot stuff.”

Arcade sighed gently.

“Why do you have to ask about my bad romances?”

“You're the one dredging up what I'd rather not discuss in public.”

Caleb tapped the wooden table gently, as Arcade nodded gently.

“Alright, alright. I met him during my first years in the Followers. I was receiving medical training at the time we met, and we hit it off during our free time. We bonded after a bit, and after a few days, we were in love. It didn't last six months before things fell apart, probably because I was far too deep in studying medicine to notice he was losing his love for me. I learned a difficult lesson when he broke up with me, and while I don't exactly like what he did, he was right.”

“Did he throw an old textbook at you before telling you that you were through?”

Arcade answered right away, stopping himself as he began shaking his head in astonishment over such a strange question.

“No! That did not happen! He wasn't that childish!”

Caleb held back laughter, clearing his throat soon after while tapping the table still.

“Then what did?”

“...Alright. I'll tell. He wrote me a full page explanation of how I was wasting his love by purely pushing myself to medicine and left it on my desk. The next day I asked him about it, and he told me that we were done. I'm sure he's still out there, hopefully with someone who can love him how he wants. Funnily enough, that's how most of my romances tend to turn out.”

The silence that followed lasted quite a bit, till Caleb realized it was his turn to speak. Sighing softly, he continued the train of less than pleasant romantic ends.

“Fine. It was a slow disintegration between us, we didn't date as much, we didn't have family dinners like before, and eventually, he told me it would be best if we broke up. Honestly, I could feel our bond withering beforehand but I never knew how to revitalize it. When I moved to the Boneyard, I hadn't seen him since that day and tried to give him a proper goodbye. He had his own home at that point, and of all things, a wife and a young kid. I gave him a last goodbye like our friendship was still alive, but I could feel the tension between us regardless. I haven't seen him since, and I've only been with one guy since moving to the Boneyard.”

“Did he at least accept your goodbye as sincere?”

“I think. I don't remember seeing him trying to shoo me away when I gave him it. Maybe it's my faulty memories, who knows?”

Arcade shrugged softly, reaching to scratch his scalp gently while watching Caleb.

“Well how have you liked the Mojave for the, six years you've been here?”

“Seven. I came here in February.”

“Right, well you've lived here a while, what do you think?”

The fox loosened up slowly, sighing calmly as he thought for a few seconds.

“Most of the time it's too hot or too cold, I still haven't gotten used to it!”

“You're still a Californian then!”

Laughter erupted as the pair nodded along with each other.

“You're not wrong at all, especially since a Mojave boy like you can tolerate this heat!”

“I think I can do better than merely tolerate it, I in fact like it quite a bit. The night is nice and cold, it encourages me to get nice and close to a fire or a loved one. The day also allows me to see just about anything I want due to the bright sun.”

“Maybe, but I still can't get quite used to it.”

Arcade nodded in understanding, leaning back gently as he still watched Caleb.

“Well what places have you enjoyed the most?”

“I barely got any free time while guarding Follower outposts in the Mojave area, so visiting anywhere was scarce. It happened mostly whenever a Followers caravan needed an extra guard, and I happily took it each time I could. The best place I visited for sure? That would probably be Goodsprings. It's a quiet town, but considering how many times I've had to stop fights in the nick of time here I definitely need peace and quiet. I visited Boulder City before the NCR turned it into a crater, it was okay. Novac was the same. Honestly, I can say that what little I experienced was perfectly okay.”

“Nothing all that exciting?”

“To me, Oak-Land is still far more exciting than the Mojave ever could be. But that might change if I visit the Blue Star. I don't know.”

In the silence that followed, Caleb tapped the table some more before smiling and looking Arcade in the eyes.

“So what did you think of the NCR during your time there?”

“Well it was definitely a more pleasant climate than the Mojave, with honest people who were plenty polite too. I even liked visiting Shady Sands, in spite of all the NCR propaganda. Still, there's a reason why when the Followers began expanding to the Mojave I came with them on the first possible caravan. This is my home, and I'm not leaving unless I absolutely have to.”

“I get that. Still, my loyalty focuses primarily on the Followers, but I wouldn't mind going back home and helping them as best I can there. Whatever happens, I'll do what I can to help people remain safe, regardless of the risk.”

“I didn't expect you to be that much of an altruist.”

“A follower not being at least partly altruistic isn't something we want to replicate.”

Arcade nodded in agreement, looking up at the sky and gasping gently.

“You've got to be kidding me.”

Caleb did the same, and sighed in disappointment.

“You mean to tell me we went on for so long that it took a rising moon to stop us? I'm impressed.”

“Yeah but we can't stay awake for much longer.”

The fox nodded in agreement, extending his hand slowly as he continued.

“When the war is over, and things are calm in Freeside, I'll take you on a date to wherever you want.”

“There isn't much, but it's a nice goal to look forward to, I'll admit.”

Arcade took Caleb's hand, shaking it firmly as he smiled gently. The two of them grabbed their dishes and left the table, handing them off to be cleaned before going to bed minutes later.

Arcade's little impromptu choice had turned out to be more beneficial than he'd expected, and he even got a little promise out of it. He just didn't know how soon that promise would turn into a sincere obligation, and it would turn out to be far faster than expected.

#FOFebruary23 #fallout new vegas #judaism

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