A Pony In The Wasteland

by Ribe_FireRain

Mister Burke

Early in the morning, I was first to get up, Rainbow sleeping silently on the bed. I couldn't help but smile at her. I knelt down to her, stroking her mane over her ear, making her smile and lightly move her head. She raised a hoof, still keeping her eyes closed as she slept, touching my cheek with it, the soft touch of it feeling nice against my skin. I gently moved her hoof away, placing it back down next to her head and kissed her cheek before I left.

I know I told her not to worry about me, but I myself am already scared about dying when I meet Mister Burke. I have no idea who he is, what he's capable of. If I died doing this, what would Rainbow do? How could she possibly go on without me? Ugh...I'm already regretting my decision for what I'm about to do. At the end of the bed, a footlocker help my equipment that Mister Tenpenny sweet-talked the slavers into giving me back. The only difference is that since my minigun was taken and never given back, Tenpenny ordered Eulogy to replace it with a better one; one in a more stable condition and less recoil, including a faster shooting rate.

I picked out my Pip-Boy and fastened it around my arm, powering it on. Next I took out my scavenging pouch and my money. From what I saved up, there was only a fraction of it left, and that is also because of the slavers. Bastards....
As I finished strapping my things around me and getting my guns and resources, I heard a small groaning noise behind me. I spun around, facing Dashie, whom seemed to be dreaming. She seemed to be writhing around under her sheets, mumbling in her sleep.

''No...No...d-don't go...no...''

I couldn't help but feel guilty for abandoning her at this point. Of course she was gonna be like this if I left her, or worse....never came back and she never saw me again...

''Dash? Dashie!'' I shook her shoulder, trying to wake her up, but she carried on mumbling. ''Dash! WAKE UP!''

This time I shook her harder, and eventually, she woke up, sweat and tears covering her face, and the second she saw me, she latched her hooves around me, burying her head into my chest, sobbing at the nightmare she had just witnessed. I cradled her head, resting my chin on her forehead, stroking her mane in an attempt to comfort her.

''Sshh, Sshhh. It's okay, Rainbow, its alright now...'' I shushed her, in an attempt to calm her down. ''I'm here, you're okay.''

''Oh, it was so awful!'' She sobbed into my chest. ''I dreampt that you never came back...t-t-t-that you were d-dead!''

''Hey, enough of that, Rainbow Dash. That's never going to happen, I swear. No one is going to kill me.'' I said, hoping it would reassure her, but her feelings were too strong for my words.

''Don't go! Please! I don't want you to die!'' She begged me, cuddling me tighter as tears soaked my chest.

''Rainbow, I'll only be gone for a short while. I know you're upset and don't want me to go off and get myself killed, but I have no choice. I promise you I'll be fine.''

Without hesitation, Rainbow broke from the embrace and looked me in the eyes, and I knew she could sense the fear in them. All the doubts and dread of doing this one assignment for Mister Tenpenny. She rubbed her head into my neck, nuzzling me close. I cuddled her back, and just before I was about to leave, she planted a kiss on my lips, me returning the kiss, telling her that I loved her.

''Its alright, Rainbow. Try to get some sleep. I'll be back soon. I love you.'' I told her with a smile as I left the suite, closing the door after me.

''I love you too...''

---

When I got to Megaton after a dangerous, long walk, I thought it might be a good idea to see Lucas Simms again. I just wanted to get this over with, and since he knows who is present and who isn't, he would be the first one to ask for Burke's whereabouts. The only problem was finding Lucas. Being the towns sheriff and mayor, he had to be most places, doing his part with everything and helping where needed most. My first stop was my house. My reason being I needed to check if Dogmeat had returned there and if I had any spare weapons lying around that would prove useful for my task.

I wasted no time going up the steps to the second floor of my house and rummaging around in the draws and cabinets. The first thing I found up there, forgotten in the drawer was something I completely forgot about. It was the makeshift body armor I asked Moira to make me when I first moved into Megaton. And on top of the armor was something that made me shed a tear. It was a picture of me and Rainbow hugging each other closely. We looked so happy together....I even remember the day it was taken. It was the day that I taught her to shoot just outside the gates of Megaton. And for a first time shooter, she was pretty good at it.

I ran my hand down the cheek of Rainbow on the picture, smiling, yet also feeling guilt build inside of me.

''I'll be okay, Rainbow. Not for my sake, but for your sake. I love you, Dashie.''

I folded up the picture and tucked it away in a small protective pocket on the inside of the body armor, preventing it from being damaged. I looked into the filing cabinet, pulling out a weapon I barely even used: A laser rifle.
I myself aren't a fan of energy weapons, but from what I hear, they pack a lot of power for a laser-based weapon. The bad part is that I only had a single microfusion cell, and that was the one that was already inside the rifle, and I'm pretty sure some of the power in it had already been used up, so I gotta make the ammunition last if I ever run out, which is more than likely.

---

Outside, I walked down to the crater, where I looked for Lucas Simms. After a short while looking around for him, I found no trace, so carried on in my search for Burke. Mister Tenpenny mentioned he drinks at Moriarty's Saloon, just to the left of the crater and up a few levels, so that's the best place to look for him. When I entered the bar, I was immediately greeted by the smell of strong alcohol and decay that seemed to be inescapable from being able to not smell it. At the counter of the bar, I went up and sat on a stool next to a pretty young lady wearing a merc charmer outfit. Her her was a pretty, shiny ginger and her eyes were blue, much like the shade mine were, and damn, where they pretty. I looked at the bartender, and he seemed to be annoyed with the radio on the counter. He was banging at it, hoping to get the signal in better, but he soon gave up as it did nothing. Galaxy News Radio's station was playing over the radio. Though it was mostly static coming from the transceiver on the radio, it was pretty easy to make out that it was still GNR playing.

When the bartender turned around, that's when I nearly shot him in the face out of fright. His skin was peeled and still was peeling off in various places, his hair was barely even there, and what creeped me out more than those single features, his eyes appeared to be irradiated and the colour of milky white, making it near impossible to not see his pupils, and his nose...it wasn't there. All that was there were the insides of the nose, now clearly visible due to his missing tissue.

''Need a drink, pally? Or are you just here to waste my time?'' He asked me. His voice was cracked a little, sounding as if he's been smoking his entire life.

''Gah! What are you?!'' Is all I managed to say, a bit too shocked to allow my brain to function properly.

''What, you never seen a ghoul before? Jesus, where have you been, kid? Under a rock?''

''What the hell is a ghoul?''

''Why are you asking me when you can just see for yourself? I'm right in front of you!''

''I've actually never even met a ghoul before, you know. I grew up in a vault, so I wouldn't know.''

''Oh, well that explains a lot. So you gonna buy something or not?''

''Nah, I'm just gonna sit here.''

''Suite yourself, smooth skin.''

I looked down at my hands, just to stop myself from looking at that...ghoul. After a few moments of silence, I took out my old switchblade, placing it on the table in front of me with a small metallic clang. I sighed, trying to think what to do when the time comes, but right now, my brain was hurting to think. The only thing I could think of other than a plan was Rainbow Dash. I wanted to know if she were safe on her own with Mister Tenpenny. Would he treat her and me fair if we play along with him? Would he take advantage of her if I die? Would they do something to her? Kill her? Rape her? Hurt her?

''What's that for?'' A sweet voice asked from my right.

When I looked up, it was that pretty women with ginger hair and blue eyes, puffing on a cigarette and letting out a cloud of smoke.
She looked at me, and I knew that look all too well.

''This?'' I motioned to the knife, she giving an affirmative nod. ''Well, I'm afraid I can't tell you.''

''Why ever not?'' She asked innocently, never once taking her sapphire eyes off me.

''Its personal. Sorry, sweetheart.''

''Is that so?'' She asked with a raised brow, taking another drag of her cigarette.

''I'm afraid so.''

''Alright then. You never know though...''

''Know about what?'' I inquired, me now being curious.

''Oh, you know.'' She let out a puff of smoke before carrying on. ''Trouble makers.''

''Trouble makers? Such as?''

''What, you haven't heard? Right now, the biggest trouble maker we have is Mister Burke over there.''

She motioned over to a man in the far corner of the bar, sat alone next to a table with a lantern illuminating the area around him in a dim yellow. He wore a grey business attire and a shapeless pre-war hat along with tortuous shell glasses with bottomless rims. On the table next to him, I saw he had a 10mm pistol with a silencer attached to the barrel.

That was him, and hell, was Mister Tenpenny right. He does stick out from the other civilians here.

Mister Burke. There he is, Brady. Now, try to relax. Just do what Mister Tenpenny wants and get it over with so you can go back to see Rainbow. Do it.

I got up, abandoning the conversation with the pretty girl and walked over to Mister Burke. Mister Burke surprisingly saw me come over and motioned for me to come closer and have a seat opposite him. Thought I was kind of expecting a different reaction from him, he seemed rather happy he had someone to talk to.

''Come here, dear boy. I want to talk to you for a moment.'' He said with a smirk spread on his face.

So I sat down. He never even broke eye contact once. It was already starting to make me feel uneasy.

''Allow me to introduce myself, first. I'm Mis-''

''Mister Burke.'' I finished for him. Him giving me a surprised look back.

''How did you know?'' He inquired.

Brady, you fucking idiot! Now he's gonna find out you work for Tenpenny!

''I...um...lucky guess?'' I said slowly.

''Look, I don't know anything about you boy, but you clearly know something about me.'' He started, looking suspiciously at me with a deadly glare. ''Where. Did. You. Here. That. Name?''

''I'm not saying anything.''

''Oh?'' He raised a brow at me. ''Is that so?''

''Yes.''

''Very well, then.'' He put his hand over the handle of his pistol on the table, gripping it softly with his fingers. ''No one just comes to a place and hears a mans name out of a ''lucky guess'', kid. If you heard my name someplace, I want to know where. Was it Mister Tenpenny?''

Oh, shit! He's onto you! Forget the job, Brady, just run!

''I-I...uh...um..erm..N-N-No?'' I stuttered uncontrollably, making him chuckle softly.

''So, Mister Tenpenny sent you to get me, hmm?'' He said with a coy smile.

''Y-Y-Y-Yes...''

''Well, what did the old coot want?''

''He says you stole a great sum of money from him and he wants me to collect. By force or peacefully.''

''We'll just see about that, boy. Starting a fight is the dumbest idea right now. Do you know how many people will come after you? Of course you don't. Every citizen here would be jumping down your throat and you'd be dead in minutes.''

''No. No they won't.''

I placed my knife on the table in front of Mister Burke. At first he stared at me, like I was having a joke with him, then he started laughing.

'Ahahahaha! Oh, god! That's your ace in the hole, kid? A switchblade? Really creative, kid. You're sure to be killed in a second if you try anything with that.''

''That's what I'm willing to risk, Burke.'' I gave him a cold stare. ''Pay up.'' I demanded.

''Who's gonna make me?''

''Me.''

I picked the knife up, deploying the blade in a flash and pointed the tip of the shiny blade at his throat. But before I could react, he pulled up his pistol in a tight grip and aimed it at my body.

''Don't do anything stupid, boy. I'll kill you, right here, right now.''

''No you won't.''

I hurdled forward, getting him in his upper chest, making him groan in pain as blood slowly oozed out his wound and staining his suit a dull red. He fired a few times at me, some hitting my body armor and failing to penetrate its toughness, making Burke panic a little. His gun was useless against my torso. I slashed at him again, grazing his cheek.

''You're a feisty one, kid, I'll give you that.'' He panted.

''You're an ass to try and kill!'' I said as I slashed at him a few times, failing to make contact.

Come on, Brady! He's just one man! If you can take out a Raider, you can take out this punk! Put your body into it!

Without hesitation, I launched myself at Burke's feet, tackling him to the floor. I started throwing punches, whacking him rapidly in the mouth, causing him to spit blood. He was defenseless, vulnerable to my attacks. I grabbed his throat, banging his head into the steel floor below us, making him grunt in agony with each slam. After a few hits, he managed to muster the strength to grab my arm, pushing me to the floor, so he was on top of me. He forcefully swung his fist into my eye, making it go black and bruised underneath. Next he did what I did to him, he started punching me in the mouth, making it bleed just like his, only more from his forceful swings.

Within moments, I was in too much pain around my head, and possibly concussed, judging from my pain that never seemed to leave my head. Mister Burke stood over me, holding my switchblade in his blood-smeared hand. He looked down at me, seeing my pain as he gave me an evil smirk.

''Very dumb move, kid. Very dumb move, indeed.''

He knelt down until he was centimeters away from my torso and without hesitating, he plunged the knife into my chest, penetrating my body armor and digging deep into my flesh. I cried out in pain, blood oozing from my wound rapidly and then squirting out as he retracted the knife, making the wound burn fiercely with pain. As Mister Burke got back up to leave, I heard gunshots fire, followed by screaming and a small amount of blood splattered onto my face, and then Mister Burke's body fell down next to me, blood seeping out of his mouth and a few bullet holes in his chest. Moments later, somebody came to my side and slowly lifted me up.
I didn't see his face, but all he said was, ''C'mon. Lets get you back to Tenpenny so you can be patched up.''

And then we walked out of the bar and back to the tower.

Author's Note:

So, what do you all think of this chapter? Best one so far, I think.

Comments

[Ribe_FireRain]

This story will be updated more often, but christ, does it have a long path until it is to be complete! javascript:smilie(''); javascript:smilie('');