The Wastelands (VenturianTale fanfic)

Chapter 6

Cywren stared off into the distance as she stared at the clouds from Megaton's entrance. A few years ago, she thought that the wastelands were too toxic to live in. Now here she was, breathing in the chemicals left in the air, fighting mutant creatures, and making friends on her journey across the wastes.

Timebomb sat down beside her. "Why are you out here by yourself?" he asked.

"When I still lived in Vault 101, I was taught that the Wasteland was too harsh to support any means of life," Cywren said. "When I stepped out of that metal door, they shut it behind me as if I wasn't one of them, they tried to kill me. Now here I am, with you, in the land that I thought to be dead."

Timebomb wrapped his arms around Cywren. "I bet it was strange to be away from home for the first time."

"It... It was. It felt like going off to travel the world. But... then I went back... and Amata..."

Timebomb looked Cywren in the eye. "Amata was scared. She was scared of you. You've grown stronger than she had remembered you to be."

"Yeah... but we were best friends..."

"I had a friend once. We met in Big Town before the first Super Mutant raid. His name was Jack Poiser. We were inseparable."

"What happened?"

"We went to the Police Station Headquarters thinking we'd find some food. Instead, we ran into Super Mutants. We fought them off and ran back to warn Big Town about them but... when we got there, the Super Mutants came in and killed Jack. They shot me until I fell. When you revived me, I went looking for him. I found his grave in the back of Big Town." Timebomb's eyes hazed as if he was deep in thought. "His last words were, 'When this is over, you owe me some Sugarbombs.'"

Cywren looked at him, wanting to say something, anything. But he was quick to end the conversation.

"He's gone, but Amata isn't," he said. "Maybe, one day, you two can be friends again."

"Maybe," Cywren agreed. "Maybe."