Fallout 3 - Beautiful Stranger

Chapter 2 Part 2

Sierra sat on her bed in the single room shack, not seeming upset. Only numb and distant. Patience didn't know if the woman was in shock, or if this was how she acted in normal circumstances. It was certain that the blood on the walls and the dead body of the raider didn't seem to affect her one way or the other.

Patience looked around the shack, filled to brimming with Nuka-Cola merchandise of all kinds. Two different bottle dispensers, advertising sheets, various shapes of bottles, empty and full, scattered on shelves, cupboards and tables. Even a giant, human sized, bottle listing sideways in a corner.

Valrie had disappeared out of the shack, muttering something about not wasting anything, leaving only Patience and Sierra in an uncomfortable silence. Patience stood in the centre of the room, examining the memorabilia and avoiding looking at the dead body. She considered dragging it outside as Valrie returned, her hands full with the clothing and weapons of the female raider.

"Now, let's have a look here." She dropped everything where she stood apart from the strapless leather top, and held it up against Patience's chest. "That should fit."

She thrust the top onto Patience's chest and bent over to pick up the matching leather pants. Patience caught the top before it fell to the floor and looked at it, bemused. Valrie then held the pants against Patience's legs, cocking her head to the side, raising an eyebrow.

"What are you doing?" She held up the strapless top and smelled it. The smell of leather and sweat wafted under her nose. "Did you just leave the raider naked?"

"Damn right. She's not going to need any of it." Valrie seemed satisfied with the pants. "Strip."

"Here?" Patience looked towards Sierra, but the woman showed no signs of caring.

"Where else? We made a deal. I get that jumpsuit when we find you new clothes. Here's the clothes. Strip." Valrie adjusted her helmet, but didn't look away.

Patience had to admit, a deal was a deal. Tugging at the zipper, she started shrugging out of the jumpsuit. She struggled getting the sleeve over the Pip-Boy, but the material stretched enough to tug over it and then returned to its natural shape as the sleeve slipped off. Likewise, she pulled the legs over her boots, then remembered she'd have to take off the boots to pull on the tight leather pants.

The leather raider ensemble felt a little snug, but, apart from that, fitted quite well. The pants were a little too long, but she tucked them into her boots after putting them back on. From one of her many pockets, Valrie pulled out a pair of scissors, snipping the straps from her bra, tossing the pieces onto a nearby table.

"There. You won't stand out so much now and I got me a shiny jumpsuit." She picked up the jumpsuit, turning it from front to back, and clicked her tongue. "Now, I'm no expert, but isn't there supposed to be a number on the back? Of the Vault you came from? I never noticed before. That'll knock some caps off the price, dammit."

Patience shrugged. She had no idea if a number should be there or not. Instead, she crouched down and began examining the other things Valrie had brought in. The revolver was nothing special, a snub .38. Useful, but not the best of weapons. The assault rifle was different. 5.56, crude construction, metal folding stock. She'd almost consider it homemade, but for a faded serial number etched into it. She popped the magazine, checked the ammo and pressed it back into the slot. She found a couple of spare mags in a belt pouch and clicked the RoF switch to 'semi'. There weren't enough rounds for full auto.

"How far to Megaton from here?" She stood up, attaching the belt, and ammo pouch, around her waist, alongside the belt that held her weapon and holster.

"Hold your damned horses!" Valrie had crouched in front of Sierra, holding the other woman's hand. "It's getting dark, anyways. We're best holding out here til the morning."