Mind Games: Past Troubles
Past Troubles
Scarlet let off a soft groan as she opened her eyes. “Great, this again,” she muttered. She pushed herself up and began to check her body. Luckily nothing was broken, and the only pain she was feeling was from the soreness of her back. She then scanned of her surrounding. She soon found her bag and rifle lying not far from her, and a short path that immediately turned to the right.
Scarlet got up, grabbed her things and looked down the turn. It went a bit longer than before, but she could now see multiple paths that were branching from the hallway.
‘Great, another maze, oh joy,’ she thought to herself. Scarlet armed herself with Maria and began to wander aimlessly through the maze.
Minutes flew by and Scarlet was still ‘lost’. Everything looked the same, the walls, the ceiling, the spacing of the troches, and the floor. If it was someone else in here, they would start losing their mind, but Scarlet wouldn’t let her mind fall that easily after what she’d been through.
Her eyes scanned the area in front of her as she maneuvered through the small maze, occasionally taking small glances behind her to make sure nothing was following her.
She peeked to her Pip-boy, checking the compass to see if it picked up on anything. So far nothing, meaning that there was nothing for yards around her or Kata was screwing with her device. She stuck with a simple pattern of making right turns at every turn, so far she hadn’t reach any dead ends.
She then heard the subtle sound of footsteps and her body reactively got low as she braced herself against the wall, carefully placing down her both her bag and rifle on the ground. The footsteps got louder and a shadow was faintly visible. At the right moment, she sprang up and around the corner facing towards the approaching target. Her heart skipped a beat.
Ethan was not what you would call a happy camper at the moment. He’d just been forced to re-live his biggest failure and somehow lost track of Twilight who had appeared to be in critical condition. He’d woken up several minutes ago with a pounding headache and now he was making his way through a grey walled maze. speaking of the walls, they seemed to be laughing at him as he moved along, each one looking exactly like the last. Even worse, time lost all meaning to him as he walked.
Ethan’s eyes scanned the surrounding area as he walked through the twists and turns. Occasionally turning his eyes towards the ceiling, making sure that there was nothing waiting to pounce on him from above. Things had been quiet to- he cut himself before he could finish that thought, no reason to invite Kata to throw a curveball at him by uttering that cliché line.
He had his sword at the ready, the red blade shining dully in the half darkness of the maze. Then his ears quirked as they picked up the noise of someone's footsteps around the corner. He paused, how could he go about this? Kata was definitely going to try something, he just didn’t know what.
“Aww fuck it, I’ll figure it out once it happens,” He muttered quietly with a shrug before he stepped around the corner, sword at the ready. The sight before him shocked him, standing before him, gun at the ready was a familiar red haired woman armed with an almost as familiar slightly glowing pistol in her hand.
“Cassie!” He exclaimed excitedly.
“Katherine,” Jason exclaimed happily. The blond hair man lowered his spear at the sight of Scarlet, but Scarlet still held her pistol at his face. Her pistol wavered unsteadily in her hands as she couldn’t believe who was standing in front of her.
Jason let off an chuckle. “What’s the matter Kathy? Aren’t you glad to see me?” He began to walk forwards.
“Stay back!” Scarlet ordered fiercely as she gestured her gun at him. “I will shoot.”
Jason stopped, a doubtful smirk formed on his lips. “Come Katherine, this isn’t the time to play jokes here.” He began to walk forwards again.
A shot rang out and air passed by Jason’s face.
“I am not joking,” Scarlet frimley stated.
“Ethan?” Cassandra asked in slight confusion, A Light Shining in the Darkness never moving.
“What’s wrong Cassie? It’s just me,” the man replied with a grin as he took a step forwards.
“Ethan, I’ve been here for twenty minutes and I’m already having trouble telling what’s real or not. You’re going to stand right there until I’m sure that you’re my husband. Or I’ll shoot you!” She commanded.
“Come on Cassie, it’s me we’re talking about here,” Ethan replied with a small smirk. “Even if you did shoot me it wouldn’t do much good,”
A bullet whizzed by Ethan’s face.
“I said stay put!” Cassandra growled.
Shock embedded Jason face. “Katherine what’s-”
“Shut up!” Scarlet ordered. “And don’t call me that name; you have no right to call me that.”
“No I won’t shut up,” the tribal retorted. “Something is wrong with you when you’re pointing a gun at your husband.”
“You are not Jason. Jason is dead, buried under a tomb of rubble. You are just some contraption of Kata’s.”
Jason rolled his eyes. “I think you need to lay off of the catnip Kitty, they’re starting to get to your head.” The tribal jested as he began to walk forward again.
Another shot rang out and Jason clutched his left shoulder blade as a bullet embedded into it. “In the Dweller’s name, what the fuck Katherine!?” Jason looked towards the woman, but was only met with eyes full of rage.
“Cassie did you take a blow to the head? Or has Kata hurt you?” Ethan asked with concern, obviously worried about his wife’s failure to hit him.
“Ethan, shut, up,” Cassandra ordered him.
“Cassie this is me, I’ll only shut up when I’m dead, or when my mouth is occupied with something more interesting,” Ethan replied with a chuckle.
“I don’t trust anything in here Ethan, not even you!” Cassandra growled. “You might just be some kind of mind game that this bitch is playing on me!”
“Cassie, if Kata’s strong enough to fool you into thinking that there’s something that can look as amazing as me then we’ve got a bigger problem than any of us realized,” Ethan told her as he began to walk forwards again.
This time Cassandra’s shot didn’t miss, and buried itself in Ethan’s left shoulder. “I said stay back!” Cassandra insisted. Ethan looked down at his shoulder for a second before rolling his eyes.
“Fine, I know how to convince you that it’s me,” Ethan said, he took several quick steps forward and before the woman could react he pulled her into a deep kiss.
Scarlet’s eyes widened in utter disgust and she pushed herself away from Jason. This time she pulled up her pistol and aimed it at his head. But the tribal simply grabbed hold of one of her wrist, twisting it, making that arm let go of the pistol. With his other hand he yanked the pistol from her free hand and let go of his hold of her. He then took several paces away from Scarlet and held the pistol down towards the ground.
“Okay something is clearly wrong here. Let’s talk this out, without you trying to kill me.” The man told Scarlet.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” the woman replied as she pulled out her gladius.
Jason gave her an ‘are you serious’ look as he placed her pistol into one of his pockets and pulled out his spear. “Come on Kathy, you know this won’t end up well. I’ve taught you most of your moves.”
“You’ll be surprised what I’ve learned over the years.” Scarlet took a defensive stance and began to strafe to her right.
To Ethan’s considerable surprise Cassandra shoved him away and aimed the pistol at his head. Ethan, who for his part was slightly annoyed with his wife at this point, grabbed her wrist and used his other hand to wrest the pistol out of her hand. Then he took a step back and put the pistol into his pocket.
“What’s wrong Cassie? Too much tongue?” Ethan asked in confusion.
“I told you to stay back!” Cassandra replied, drawing her machete gladius that she used on occasion.
“Cassie, we both know that this will end with your cute ass on the ground, and as much as I’m sure that it would appreciate it, I don’t think that the ground deserves that,” Ethan told her with a chuckle as he readied his sword.
“You’re not Ethan, you may talk like him, and sound like him, and hell you might even kiss like him. But you’re not him and I’m going to gut you like a fish for impersonating him!” Cassandra replied angrily as she brought her sword up and began to strafe him.
Jason rolled his eyes as he copied Scarlet’s cliché move but in the opposite direction. He held his spear with just one hand, something Scarlet thought was strange. Normally he would start off holding the spear with two hands instead of one. But it only gave her more reason to prove that he wasn’t the real Jason.
The two circled each other for a few seconds before Scarlet made her move, running up and delivering an upward slash at him. The man easily parried it away, but made no retaliation strike of his own, only moving a few paces back.
“You’re gonna have to do better than that Katherine,” the man teased.
The woman scowled and several more lashed were sent out at the man, all them meeting the same fate as her first one. Then Scarlet felt a hard punch of the spear’s hard wooden shaft against her shoulder as the man blurred by her.
“Come on Katherine, that was easily dodgeable. Where are those sharp cat like eyes of yours?” The tribal teased, further annoying Scarlet.
Ethan rolled his eyes and followed his wife’s movement although he went in the opposite direction. His eyes flashed as they circled each other slowly, and carefully waiting for Cassandra to make the first move, like always.
She fulfilled his expectations moments later as she charged him, swinging her sword upwards at him. With a contemptuous twist of his wrist Ethan parried the blade and went back to waiting.
“Come on Cassie, this is me we’re talking about. You should’ve tried something more interesting,” He told her with a chuckle.
Cassandra growled and unleashed a series of slashes at Ethan, all of which were blocked as easily as the first one. Then he grew tired of waiting and sent the flat of his sword crashing into her shoulder as he swept by her.
“What did I tell you Cassie?” Ethan asked with a small smirk as she turned to look at him angrily. “We’re not even on the same level, and you know that,” he added. Cassandra let out an angry snarl.
“Look Katherine, I don’t want to hurt you,” Jason calmly stated. “But if we keep this up, I will have to knock you down on your ass for your safety, and not in the way you like it.” Jason blew away several more of Scarlet attacks, who was now almost in an uncontrollable narrow sighted rage. Jason used these for his advantage as he gave a false lead for her, making it look like he was lowering his defense. Scarlet took this opportunity without question, and shortly found herself being forced down, flat on her back.
The tip of Jason’s spear reached to the base of her neck. “Now, can we pleased talk this out?”
A dark green aura emitted off of Scarlet’s body. “No.” She thrust her hand forwards creating a powerful kinetic push, sending Jason’s whole body slamming into the nearest wall.
“Oww...,” he muttered out.
“So, we’re going with the option where I knock you on your ass,” Ethan said as he blocked several more of her slashes, each one seeming more angry and uncontrolled then the last. Then he saw a break in her guard, he swiftly launched through it and sent Cassandra falling to the floor, landing flat on her ass.
Ethan’s sword tip rested against her neck and she stiffened slightly. “There, I won. Can we make out now?” Ethan asked her.
Before he could react Cassandra reached into her jacket pocket and withdrew a small concussion grenade, which she then threw into his face. The man was thrown backwards into the nearest wall.
“Now that was dirty Cassie,” Ethan told her, ignoring the slight ticking sound coming from his wrist. What would he care about a little radiation for? Although the fact that there was radiation at all was rather odd, for the moment he put it out of his mind and refocused on the fight. “ So, are we done with the foreplay yet?”
“Well that was new,” Jason said as he straightened his backside. “I guess this changes the playing field a little.”
“Like I said, I’ve learned a few new things over the years.” Scarlet said as she focused, a fireball appearing in the palm of her hand. “Now, show me the way out of here.”
“And what makes you think I know that? I’m just as clueless as you,” the tribal stated. He took a big step to the side to avoid a fireball from hitting him.
“Because you’re one of Kata’s creatures. And if you won’t help, then I will just kill you.”
Jason looked at the spot where the fireball hit the wall.
“You’re not Ethan so I don’t give a flying fuck!” The woman exclaimed. “Now you’re going to tell me how to get out of here or I’m going to kill you!”
“Cassie, firstly I’m not one of Kata’s little minions so I have no idea how to get out of here, and secondly what the hell makes you think that a minion would know how to get out in the first place?” He asked her. Cassandra pulled an incendiary grenade out of her pocket and threw it at him. Ethan easily stepped around the resulting blast of fire which scarred the wall to the side of him. The clicking on his Pip-boy increased but yet again he paid it no mind.
“I don’t know, but you’re helping me find my husband or leave this horrible place right now!” Cassandra replied angrily. Ethan looked at the blast mark and then shrugged before he quickly walked forwards towards the angry redhead. Then to her surprise he pulled her into a bearhug. She struggled wildly against his grip and for some reason the ticking of his pipboy increased.
“Cassie... why are you ticking?” Ethan asked as he held her close.
“Katherin, you feel hotter than normal.” Jason weirdly stated as he held her in the bearhug.
Scarlet focused on her tainted magic, letting her aura expand in size. Eventually it forced Jason to let go and she then shot out one of her hands, sending him away again with another kinetic push.
“Tainted magic gives off radiation. So that feeling of warmth is actually your body slowly cooking itself.”
Jason face’s bore the expression that he was in deep thought, his eye dancing back and forth as if he was reading an invisible book. Then he said something unexpected. “You’re not Cassie are you?”
Suddenly Ethan’s eyes widened, “You’re not Cassie, are you?” He asked the redhead in front of him.
The woman’s eyes narrowed at him. “Stop trying to play games with me. You mocked my dead husband enough already. Prepare to die.” A green fireball appeared in the woman’s hand and she prepared to throw it at him.
“Oh for Fuck’s sake,” Ethan muttered “KATHERINE WAKE UP YOU BITCH, I’M ETHAN!” Ethan suddenly shouted at her.
The woman’s eyes sudden shot open and she stopped in the middle of her throw. She blinked a couple of times. “Ethan?” Scarlet’s confused voice spoke out.
“Yeah, we’ve been duped Katherine,” Ethan replied with a scowl.
The fireball died in Scarlet’s hand and she lowered it back to her side, then she closed her eyes and rubbed them. Once she reopened them, Jason was gone, and Ethan was standing in his place. “Bloody hell, it was one of Kata’s illusion.”
“Yes, yes it was,” Ethan replied, a sad look crossed his face and he let out a long, tired, sigh.
Scarlet place a hand to the temple of her forehead, letting an equally tired sigh. However, something click into her mind. “You kissed me didn’t you...”
“I was kissing my wife, but yes,” Ethan replied with a shrug. “Any good?” He asked, not really looking for confirmation so much as continuing the conversation before it could slip into an awkward silence.
Scarlet stuck out her tongue and let her leather covered hand wiped it down. “Fukin kross,” she said as her hand work on scraping her tongue clean.
Ethan shook his head. “Kathrine, I’ll have you know that my kisses are one of God’s few true gifts to the Wasteland,” he informed her with a chuckle.
“Gift? I felt as if was forced to eat rotten meat!”
“Well that’s just because you have the libedo of a five year old eunuch,” Ethan shot back.
Scarlet gave the man a warning glare. “I’m sorry if I don’t see sex the same way as you. But how about you grow up with no father figure or a mother who cared more about getting laid then taking care of the daughter she never planned on having.”
“Katherine, I don’t think that this is the time or the place for this discussion, how about we just start searching for the others, okay?” Ethan asked, changing the subject in a surprisingly tactful, for Ethan at least, way.
“That’s the smartest thing you’ve said so far Vault Boy.” Scarlet got up and grabbed her discarded gear.
“Oh, and this gun is yours isn’t it?” Ethan asked before he tossed her Maria, the safety was on.
Scarlet caught it, and did a few checks on the gun before holstering it to her left side. They began to walk through the maze, a tense silence fell between the two.
“So, back there, I knocked your ass to the ground didn’t I?” He asked her with a smirk.
“I remember pushing you hard into the wall too.”
“Yeah, but that’s cheating in a duel or a sparring match,’ Ethan replied with a chuckle.
“Depends on what set of rules you’re using. For me, survive by any means necessary is the only rule I play by.”
“Oh just admit that I won, Katherine,” Ethan joked, nudging her slightly in the ribs.
Scarlet didn’t reply at first. “Be grateful I wasn’t armed with my sniper rifle,” she said after a few minutes.
“So you could hit me with the back end?” Ethan asked.
“No, so I could send a fifty cal. through your head.”
“Y’know Katherine, this is the first time that I’ve heard an older man tell someone to lighten up, but seriously, lighten up,” Ethan told her.
“Lighten up? You can seriously say that after what you’ve put me through!?” She angrily question. “You’ve keep picking at my past even though I’ve told you to stop. You think you’re helping, but you’re only making it worse!”
“Well then tell me how to help!” Ethan exclaimed. “I help people, I can’t not help people, it’s part of who I am!”
“THAT’S THE PROBLEM, YOU CAN’T HELP!” Scarlet snapped. “YOU DON’T HAVE THE POWER TO EVEN FIX MY PROBLEM!”
“Oh, and why the fuck not?” Ethan asked exasperatedly. “I’ve already helped one Courier with their Divide problems, I don’t see why you’d be any different!” He exclaimed.
“BECAUSE IT’S NOT YOUR FORGIVENESS I’M SEEKING!” She proclaimed. She then started to take in deep, raspy, breaths, letting the truth hang in the air.
“Forgiveness?” Ethan asked in a quiet voice. “Who are you seeking forgiveness from?”
Scarlet’s rhythm of breathing slowed as she lowered her head. “Jason...I’m seeking his...” her voice was quiet now. She placed a hand to her face, pinching her nose trying to fight back the memories that were starting to creep back to her mind.
Ethan remained silent for a minute before he spoke again. “Katherine, what happened between you two?” He asked in a quiet voice. “I mean, from what you’ve said you loved him, but you also killed him...”
Scarlet remained silent for awhile. “I made a deal with Legion when the they started to attack the Divide. If I help them to kick the NCR out, they’d leave the Divide alone. However, they ended up backstabbing me and tricked me into killing Jason,” was all that she gave.
“God damned Legion bastards,” Ethan muttered under his breath. “I’m sorry Katherine, truly,and completely, and the worst thing is that I know it won’t help you.
“I don’t need your pity, and you got that bloody right. There’s nothing you can do to help, so drop it and stop calling me by a dead woman’s name,” Scarlet harshly insisted.
“Okay, I’ll stop, Scar,” Ethan said, with a depressed sigh.
“Thank you,” the woman said while letting out a short quick sigh. “Now, Ethan, let’s find our way back to the others.”
“Yeah, let’s. I have a goddess of chaos to kill and then I owe you a drink,” Ethan growled.
“Yeah, you owe me a lot of whiskeys,” Scarlet agreed.
“Sounds like a plan to me, I know that I’ll be needing a few after this adventure,” Ethan replied with a growl. For once Scarlet gave him a smile and nodded in agreement. The two then walked down the hallway, with less tension between them than ever before.
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Friendship is magic!
im not sure which is better, the story or the author notes.
Dem mind games, so Cliche.
Awesome job once more!
YAY FOR FRIENDSHIP!