A Valuable Lesson Pt1
Janey strode confidently down the shattered highway, her gaze staying focused on the path ahead while also occasionally flicking over to Twilight. Who was exploring the pockets of the large cloak she wore, her claws delicately tugging at the interior pouches sewn within. The heavy clothing had been made primarily from big horner leather and had retained the rust-like coloration that the beast had in life.
It also had a hood which could be drawn over the deathclaw’s head, one which was large enough that it covered up to the bump in Twilight’s horns. It was imperfect, but the best they could come up with given such short notice, though it at least covered the rest of the deathclaw completely. Provided it was clasped properly on the front, and the former pony lowered her arms, allowing the cloak to fall into place.
After walking for a while Twilight noticed that if she crouched slightly she could even hide her clawed feet, though doing so would make it difficult to walk properly.
“Like it?” Janey asked.
Twilight nodded, opening her cloak and pointing to the many pockets sewn into the inside with a questioning look on her face.
“I hope you don't mind carrying some of the stuff we find while we're out adventuring,” Janey half asked, half stated. “Deathclaws are one of the strongest creatures in the wasteland save for maybe a super mutant behemoth.”
Twilight cocked her head curiously.
“You remember what I told you about super mutants right?” Janey asked, to which Twilight nodded. “Right, well a behemoth is basically a dumber, bigger version of the standard mutant. They can't even talk but can grow up to twenty feet tall. Or so they say anyway.”
Twilight trembled at the mere thought of such an enormous creature and the horrific strength it must wield.
“Yeah that was my reaction too,” Janey remarked with a chuckle.
Twilight retrieved her metal board from a pocket and tapped out a response. “Why didn't we stay in Goodsprings longer?”
“No reason to,” Janey replied, the woman stuffing her hands in her pockets. “We were fed, watered, and rested up. We also blew most of the caps we’d gotten from that first job as well as the salvage we brought in.”
“I suppose. Why south though?” Twilight questioned.
Janey sighed and lifted her bangs to reveal a grizzly scar hidden by her dark hair. “The man who gave me this is still out there. More than that he was after something special. Something which I think is linked to the master of New Vegas, mister House.”
“How do you know that?” Twilight questioned.
The human settled one hand loosely atop her gun while tucking the other into a pocket. “Call it a hunch, but the entire thing felt weird from the get-go.”
Twilight hummed thoughtfully to herself, walking alongside Janey in silence for several seconds. “Are you going to kill them?”
Janey lifted an eyebrow and glanced at her companion. “Who?”
“The man who shot you?” Twilight pressed.
Janey nodded. “As soon as I walk in the door of the tops casino. Provided he is actually who I think he is”
“The tops?” Twilight questioned.
“It's where that bastard hangs his hat when he isn't out trying and failing to kill people,” Janey remarked.
“How do you know it's the same guy?” Twilight continued.
“I’d recognize that garish suit and irritating slang anywhere,” Janey explained before scratching the back of her neck. “Plus I may have seen him at the casino bar one time I was there.”
Twilight grinned. “Was he a special friend?”
Janey laughed and shook her head. “Nah. I don't know if he's playing for the other team or just stuck up but he wasn't interested in little old me.”
“Though all the whiskey may have been a problem too,” the human added in a low tone.
“Can you tell me more about the surrounding area? Perhaps even show me a map?” Twilight inquired.
“Sure thing. If we head straight down this road we should reach Primm before nightfall. Once there I’ll show you the map and in the meantime, I’ll tell you what I know about the immediate vicinity,” Janey replied.
Twilight nodded and was about to ask her first question when she noticed a familiar structure rise in the distance. Or at least where it should have been, as there was only the partially burnt remnants of what had once been. The sight irritated the deathclaw, and made a growl build at the back of her throat, her claws emerging from her cloak.
“Hey now, don't you worry about those guys,” Janey quickly exclaimed. “Like I said they won't be bothering us. Plus there ain't any evidence of what you did so it ain't likely that they’ll be out for revenge.”
Twilight’s shoulders fell slack, and she turned away from the uncomfortable sight. “Can we go around?” she asked, the deathclaw tapping out her response on the metal sheet she carried in a pocket.
Janey’s brow furrowed. “Just hold on a second.”
Twilight watched as her friend walked over to where the entrance to the building used to be. Once there she looked around, gave a clump of ash a kick, and jogged back to where she came from.
“Sorry about that. Thought I saw something,” Janey quickly exclaimed. “We can go around but be aware that there might be some geckos as well as a few other beasties in those hills.”
“It's fine,” Twilight replied. “At least we wouldn't have to worry about running into any powder gangers over there. Right?”
“Nope,” Janey answered. “Too bad too. I would have enjoyed taking out a few more of those punks.”
“Janey,” Twilight tapped out while giving the human a glare.
The woman raised her hands defensively. “I’m kidding. Well, mostly anyway. They do have some decent gear and their explosives are pretty handy to have around.”
The deathclaw’s eyes narrowed.
Janey sighed. “Just be ready to kill some geckos. Only the starving ones come down from their normal hunting grounds and they are tough little buggers when they're desperate.”
Twilight frowned as much as her new features allowed. The thought of having to kill a bunch of poor, starving animals that didn't know better left a bad taste in her mouth. Even while her new instincts made her wonder how they might actually taste, and if they were better then the mantis legs.
Shaking her head, Twilight and Janey began to walk towards the hilly lowlands which lay to the west. Progress was slow once they left the main road, but there were few signs of human habitation, allowing Twilight to look around. The surrounding landscape reminded Twilight of what little she had seen of the badlands, her mind once more going back to an expedition she had been a part of years ago.
The faint sound of buzzing quickly drew the deathclaw from her thoughts, her nonexistent ears perking up.
“Bloatflies. Two of em by the sound of their wings,” Janey remarked, drawing her pistol. “Likely hanging around that puddle of muck we saw to our south.”
Twilight nodded, silently quite glad that their enemies were both weak, and unintelligent. It also helped that the bugs were so repugnant that even Twilight didn't mind killing them.
Janey scrambled up the side of a short hill and aimed down the sight of her weapon, the human zeroing in on her targets. A second later and a pair of shots rang out, only for Janey to curse bitterly to herself despite the fleshy splat Twilight heard.
“Got one, and clipped the other,” Janey holstered her weapon. “It can't fly though, so it's no longer an issue.”
Twilight leaped atop the small burm and gazed out to where she could see a pair of bloatflies lying in a puddle of radioactive water. One was obviously dead, with a clear hole visible through its middle while the other was trying to get airborne but could only spin slowly in circles. It's one wing hung uselessly at its side while the other caused a flurry of water to shoot in the air with each flap.
With a sigh, the deathclaw began to trudge towards the distant form of the clearly injured bug.
“Really? It's a bloatfly Twilight,” Janey exclaimed with a sigh. “Whatever, I’ll wait here. Need to check something real quick anyway.”
Twilight ignored her, and hopped down from the ridge, making her way towards the injured insect. It didn't take long to find the poor thing, which Twilight noted was so turned around that it couldn't even muster an attack against her. A quick stomp of Twilight’s huge foot crushed the creature flat, swiftly ending its miserable existence.
After wiping her foot clean of bug guts, Twilight briefly considered bringing the other body back to Janey. Apparently, the thing was edible but was so unappetizing that the increasingly hungry deathclaw didn't even feel tempted by it. Instead, she merely gave a look around, and after finding that the area was clear, began the short trek back to her companion.
She managed to get most of the way back before catching the distinct sound of conversation upon nearing the ridge next to where Twilight had left the human.
“She's just up the ridge over there,” claimed a male voice. “I would go myself but I don't have a weapon.”
Janey sighed. “I don't have time to do charity work.”
Twilight poked her head up over the lip and peered down at the human male her companion was talking to. He seemed twitchy and wore only the tattered remnants of what had already been a rather grungy pair of clothes before they had received a tear down the front. He didn't seem to notice the deathclaw’s presence immediately, though the second their eyes met, his hand shot to his waist.
“Holy fuck it's a deahclaw!” He shouted, hastily attempting to draw a pistol from the waistband of his pants only to be stopped by Janey.
“She's with me,” stated the woman whose hand gripped the other human’s wrist. “Wait, I thought you didn't have a weapon.”
“I err…” The man gulped, glancing to the curious deathclaw and then to the courier who now had a weapon in her free hand. “Was going to trick you.”
Twilight snorted.
“It wasn't anything serious!” The man claimed. “There is a stash up there, but I couldn't get it because there are a bunch of geckos between me and it.”
“What's in this stash?” Janey demanded.
The man shrugged. “I’m not sure. There was a fridge up there so I was hoping there would be something to eat.”
Twilight couldn't help but lick her lips, and the deathclaw glanced expectantly down at the woman.
Who sighed. “No tricks. We’ll clear it for you but were splitting the loot seventy five twenty five, got it?”
“Sure, sure,” the man hastily replied, tucking his pistol back into his pants. “The name’s Barton Thorn by the way.”
“Janey,” replied the courier, sticking out her hand.
Barton shook the offered limb hesitantly, glancing to the deathclaw nervously. “And what's its name?”
“She, and it's Twilight,” Jainey replied, cocking a thumb over her shoulder. “I shouldn't have to say this but I better not catch you trying to fuck with us again.”
“I may be stupid but I don't have a deathwish,” Barton replied, hastily taking a step back. “Rule one of the wasteland, don't get in between a deathclaw and its meal.”
“Or else you become the meal,” Janey finished.
Twilight tapped a claw on a rock, getting the human’s attention before pointing at the cliff next to them.
“Yeah yeah. Were going,” Janey replied, holstering her own weapon. “Lead the way Barton.”
The man gave the pair one last nervous look before awkwardly stepping forward. “Err sure thing. Follow me I guess,” he murmured.
Twilight eagerly followed behind the pair, her mind already conjuring up images of what delectable goods may be waiting for her. She knew it was unlikely that she was going to find a nice juicy apple, or even a rather appetizing bundle of hay. Still, the deathclaw couldn't help imagine just that, ignoring the more primal part of her being that rebelled at the mere thought of food which wasn't meat.
In front of the deathclaw, Janey was busy smirking as she watched her new companion steal the occasional glance at the cloaked creature trodding behind them. “You know she isn't going to attack you unless you give her a good reason to,” Janey pointed out.
“Yeah, right. I’ll just relax while some enormous drooling deathclaw is close enough to take my head off before I could blink,” Barton murmured nervously.
Janey rolled her eyes. “So where is this place anyway?”
“Just past the broken radio tower,” Barton replied, pointing towards a pillar of broken steal standing a dozen feet away. “Then it's up around that bluff and around the back. From there it's a straight shot to the top of this rise.”
The woman nodded. “So do you live around here?”
“I’m uh, squatting in the trailer you probably saw back there,” Barton replied as the pair walked around the broken antenna. “It ain't much but it sure beats the last place I stayed .”
“Which was?” Janey pointedly asked.
“Just a little town to the east of here,” his face contorted briefly. “Novac?”
“Are you asking me where you lived?” Janey retorted as they walked around a corner.
The hiss of a charging gecko stopped the conversation dead in its tracks and all eyes turned to where three of the things were already sprinting towards them. Just as Janey predicted they were little more than skin and bones, with one of them not even reaching the human’s knees. Though clearly outmatched, the creatures ran at them, rising up onto their back legs, mouths open wide and jaws dripping with drool.
Janey took a step to the side. “They are all yours.”
Twilight could take it no longer and after throwing back her hood, charged the animals with claws extended. Upon laying eyes on the diminutive creatures, the hunger which had been clawing at the back of Twilight’s mind had suddenly become ravenous. Relinquishing herself to her more bestial urges, the former pony felt her sense of self fall away, replaced by a burning need to kill.
It took mere moments for them to meet, with Twilight utilizing her impressive reach to strike first. Claws parted muscle and bone alike with relative ease, nearly cutting the tallest of the three geckos in half. The smallest of the bunch also got nicked in the process, a deep cut opening on its face and causing it to recoil in pain.
The final gecko managed to dodge Twilight’s follow up swipe and leap at the deathclaw’s midsection, jaws extended. Luck was not on the diminutive beast’s side, however, as its fanged maw met only a tanned hide, its teeth becoming embedded in the heavy material. Lifting her cloak, Twilight struck again, cutting off the beast’s head, its body landing on the ground with a thump while its jaws continued to hold on.
Two seconds later and the creature seemed to realize it was dead, its hold loosening completely. Twilight didn't even notice this, however, as she was busy driving her clawed hand into the gurgling body of the first gecko. The slash across its midsection had disemboweled the poor thing but had not killed it, a mistake the former pony was quick to remedy.
When it slumped to the ground Twilight retrieved her hand and turned towards the smallest gecko. Which was crying in agony as it grabbed at its face, the tiny creature rolling around on the ground. The bestial urge to kill and devour the poor thing immediately faded to nothing and Twilight found herself frowning down at the poor thing.
“That was… quick,” remarked Barton.
“It's not over yet,” added Janey, who pulled a knife from her boot.
Twilight held up a bloody hand to stop the woman.
“What? It's a gecko Twilight,” Janey exclaimed, gesturing to the hissing, sputtering animal. “It would be gnawing on your ankles right now if you didn't knick it earlier.”
Twilight shook her head and gently grabbed the gecko before walking away, ignoring the rude remark uttered by Janey under her breath. Though she no longer had magic with which she could heal the creature, Twilight was fairly certain she wouldn't have needed to. The damage wasn't extensive though it was clear the creature would likely be blind in one eye.
Hopping up over a ledge Twilight quickly reached the spot she had killed the bloatflies, her passenger just now realizing the spot it was in. Rather than bite Twilight the gecko curled up into a ball, blood continuing to pour from the wound on its face. With a deep sigh, Twilight placed the relatively intact corpses on a dry spot of ground beside which she gently deposited the gecko.
Taking a few steps away, Twilight watched as the tiny creature uncurled itself and looked around. Though it was still clearly terrified, and hurting, it immediately turned to the dead fly sitting next to it. Its remaining eye glanced at Twilight and after determining the deathclaw wasn't about to attack it, the animal began to dig in.
Jainey wasn't kidding. This little guy must have been really hungry. Twilight thought to herself. I kind of wish I could take him with me but something tells me that wouldn't be a good idea.
After giving the creature one last glance Twilight turned away from it. Good luck little one.
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I just found the story. So New Vegas game. Not a bad choice given everything. I look forward to what happens next. Still Twilight as Deathclaw is a bit of a surprise. If the other girls are out there, that could be half of the mystery. Can't wait to see the next update!
10601095 It's be hilarious if Janey ended up being Queen Chrysalis. Funnier still that the man who gave her that scar was Sombra.
A queen needs some subjects, after all.
At least Janey won't hafta worry about any double-crossers... though she's going to have a hard time entering the casinos if she's in the gambling mood. I'm guessing this is only limited to the base game and not the DLCs?
10601312
Nope. It includes all but lonesome road, though I have plans to add it later. Depending on how things go.
Rule one of the Golden Oak, don't get in between Twilight and her hay burger.
First the baby mantises, now a yound gecko. Fluttershy would be proud.
I got Fallout 2 vibes from Twilight's outfit
Rest of the deathclaw completely.
10601607
Goris is the best.
10601668
I thought there was a reference there. Haven't played, but I've seen the Storyteller series.
10605212
I've never finished it, but I've obsessively poured through every last bit of lore for all the previous games except that one which shall not be named.
10605235
Ah, I see. Any specific gripes with that one? Mine would be dialogue options and the simplified rad and compass systems, that is, if we're talking about the same game.
10605248
I'm talking about this monstrosity. upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/88/Fallout-_Brotherhood_of_Steel_Box.jpg
10605253
Aaahhhh. Never mind, then.
10605392
There was some exploration of just Twilight in the first chapter.
10601391
Oh lord, I'm just imagining Twilight's reaction to Big Mountain and the Think Tank, just rattling off science babble and the Think Tank struggling to keep up.
Rare Achievement Progression
500G - Show Kindness
Show that Kindness is NOT in Short Supply
11252700
I quite like the achievements you create, they are so...nice
Nice. Love how Twilight is shaping up.