Roaming Loners (1/1 With Enki)

emilou

emilou

Friendly Neighborhood Gremlin
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Warning: This is a somewhat Fallout based roleplay, but due to the fact that both members of it are not super well-versed in the lore, it may not be super lore-friendly. If you are reading and do not like this, please stop reading, and we apologize for our lack of knowledge.​
 
The gas station was mostly devoid of life, if it wasn't for the lone man residing in it. The sun was soaring down upon the radiated Wastelands, though it did rain last night so there was still some few drops of humidity in the air and soil. Other than that the environment was mostly dead and bland. The gas station, with the loner within it, has been barricaded to some extend. The large opening was barricaded with what ever junk the station once had, ranging from a rusty car and a tool box and what else has been found within it. The doors were blocked by some barricades, aswell, leaving the large window opening and the large opening for cars partially open despite all the barricades.

Inside the station Ryan was sitting at a chair, with his trusty rifle and machete by his sides. There was a campfire set up inside the place, roughly near the rusty car barricade. The fire was burning through the night, but had finally diminished. There was his backpack and a random old radio next to him that was there to keep some noise up for him to keep him awake. While sitting there and just eating yet an another one of his survival rations of brahmin meat. His rations were slowly depleting, with enough food for four days remaining and his leg still has not recovered. He sat there as he looked at his wounded leg. He sighs at his incompetence and how he could have shot himself. He was never a cautious man and this was his fault.

His thoughts soon jumped from the lack of caution to his past life in a settlement. While sitting there and looking at his leg that had a wooden plank bandaged against it to keep it straight made him drop few tears as he remembers his incompetence and his family. An another lonely day recovering from his wound and yet an another year since the fateful day when he failed as a husband and accepted his defeat. After roughly two years of survival against what ever mutated beasts and raiders he found throughout the wastelands the thoughts of suicide have slowly begun to creep into his skull and mind. He looks through the rusty car's broken windows to look at the wilderness ahead of the Gas Station to pass his time. It was roughly midday.
 
A soft rustle of the flora-decorated ground broke the dead silence of the wasteland’s few living forests. Various small critters lived in the area, and the disturbance of the living plants continued her path through the half-dead ecosystem, an orange-tinted ray of sunlight making the girl squint her eyes and then rub them. One arm laid still and limp at her side, carrying a small, ragged and rusty knife, with leather wrapped around the handle to bulk it for a better grip. A thin fishing line-like string laid tight against and across her chest, the hand-carved bow slung across her back, arrows in a brahmin leather quiver on her hip. Her backpack was falling apart, held together with duct tape, holding cans of food rations and purified water.

A rusted scrape. The sound of a boot against metal, Nikkole felt a pang of fear in her stomach, the sound louder than any sound of rustling, and she then heard a sputtering, sickening.. Growl, mixed with a deep cough. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw it. The rotting-flesh, sickening grey-brown skin, and the lifeless gaze. A feral ghoul, with more within the same area, noticed her. Nikkole didn’t even have time to sigh before she darted in an opposing direction of the ghouls, and through a clearing in the trees, she could see a gas station; A thought crossed her mind. I could hide there. Maybe they won’t get in.

The flooring of the surrounding area changed as she ran towards the seemingly empty building, from dead plants to dry dirt, kicking up soft clouds as she ran. When she saw an opening, constrasting against the metal-barricaded openings of the station, she quickly hopped over the ledge of it and in, crouching down to hide where she could not be seen. She did not notice the other habitant as she watched the ghouls. They began to aimlessly circle the station, before slowly moving back towards their home of the forest. She felt her heart beat fast against her chest, waiting until they were fully out of site.
 
Ryan Johnson spots some movement in the distance as he gazed into the same direction. He squinted his eyes at the sight as he tried to make clear what was moving at such a rapid pace under the sun. When he saw a lone being that did not look like a ghoul he slowly begun to pick up his gun and begun to aim. He squinted his eyes ever so much that only one eye was open as he aimed towards the running lady. What can stop him from shooting her?

Ryan's attention was put upon something else for a moment. He saw a group of ghouls approaching at a rapid pace behind the lone woman. At first he saw only one ghoul so he considered shooting the woman up and the ghoul behind her. But when he saw a dozen or so of ghouls approaching his eyes widened. This is bad. He can't hope to shoot her and then the ghouls behind her all by himself. He does not shoot the woman, but instead aims at the ghouls behind her. Something about the girl feels familiar, though it may just be his desire to have some company once more.

Ryan looked at Nikkole climb over the rusty old car and then take cover behind it. He stares at her silently for a while before looking back at the ghouls that begun to circle the gas station. They could at any moment climb over the broken window at the side or climb over the rusty car, which they slowly began to do. Some ghouls begun to climb up upon the rusty car barricade at this side, creeping up it as they did.

The sound of a rifle firing behind Nikkole was heard and before the girl could react the closest ghoul that was roughly in front of her was shot, with a bullet entering his skull and piercing it completely. Then there was the sound of reloading. ''Don't just sit there! Take care of the mutants that you brought here!'' A man shouted from behind her back with a somewhat deep and masculine voice. There was roughly two more ghouls climbing up the rusty car barricade of this side, with four more or so struggling with the broken glass of the window that have pierced them, making it hard for them to move forward as they are currently stuck into the thick glass spikes of the window. The sound of firing and reloading commenced once again as one more of the ghouls was shot by the man who ever was behind Nikkole.
 
Seeing the ghouls follow her towards the gas station, hearing the gun and the man behind her, Nikkole felt her andrenaline spike. She stood up now, ignoring the man yelling at her, not looking at him as she pulls her bow. Although it was handcarved, it was sturdy, and when making her arrows, she usually dipped them in chems she found in old buildings and settlements. Nikkole aimed, squinting one eye as a ghoul began climbing through the window. The arrow was sent flying, inbetween the decomposing eyes of the creature, the tail of the arrow tearing the cracked skull a bigger hole. It fell limp,and she approached the window to kick it off the broken glass on the opening.

She underestimated the creatures, having only dealt with them a few times before. A few had dispersed, seeing other things moving in the forest, most likely radiated deer or some other larger and non-dangerous creature, but the few that still tried to get through the window got their throats cut by Nikkole’s rusty blade, or the one that fell inside had it’s skull crushed by her boot when it fell against the floor. When the few that had gotten too close were dead, Nikkole took a breath, feeling like she had held hers that whole time.

She didn’t say anything to the man she knew sat behind her yet, going to the bodies of the ghouls and yanking out her sturdy arrows, tossing them back into the quiver. She scooched the body that fell in the station to the side and sat down, finally taking a moment to look at the man she had encountered. “Sorry about that.” She apologized with not much emotion in her tone as she caught her breath for a moment, and saw him still sitting how he had been, and she noticed his leg. She did not stare, her eyes moving back to look at his.
 
Ryan sat there as he looked at her take care of the remaining ghouls with her bow and arrow, amazed by her skill. He has not seen anyone use a bow. He would stand up and help with the window, but could not so he left the work to her.

He smiles at her as she walked back to her. ''Bah. It's fine. It never hurts to get some company that does not try to shoot a bullet in your skull.'' He said as he had noticed her looking at his leg. ''Care to look out of the window in case there are still some ghouls remaining? After that, feel free to sit down. I guess You could sit at the radio or something.'' He said, pointing at radio that was producing its endless white noise that had become soothing for Ryan. ''Also, name is Ryan Johnson. What of you, eh?'' He decided to ask.

When Nikkole was done with checking the place and came over to sit Ryan smiles at her.''So. Mind if I ask how did you end up attractive all those ghouls?'' He asked as he placed the gun down, making it lean against his chair as he holds his hands on his knees. He leans inwards to hear her answer.
 
Nikkole noticed the man had calmed once the ghouls had left, and took a seat about two feet away from him, smiling a tired grin to him as he greeted her. "It's very nice to meet someone who does not want you dead, yes. And I'm Nikkole Lemaire, it's very nice to meet you." She leaned her back against the grungy wall behind her as he questioned her on why the ghouls had found her. "I've been travelling for a few weeks from the settlement I had stopped at, setting up camp in abandoned buildings and other places I knew I'd be safe. I was actually going in the opposite direction of here when I accidentally alerted the pack of ferals when I stepped on a piece of rusted metal, probably from a broken down car somewhere. They chased me for a bit before, y'know, I got to here." She chuckled softly.

When she noticed his leg, and the makeshift brace of broken off and rotting wood, she leaned a bit forward. "Would you like some help with that? I have some water and bandages, and I could probably look around to find some alcohol to clean it with." She stood up, walking into the small back area of the gas station, crouching to look for any sort of alcohol. Usually places had some sort of almost pure alcohol for wounds or starting a fire. She found a bottle, with very little alcohol, but just enough.
 
Ryan Jonhson nods to Nikkole's comment, sighing as he looks down at the burnt fireplace. ''Heh. A settlement, huh? I guess it was an abandoned one and the like. Only raided settlements are within few kilometers of here. Filthy raiders and such.'' He said as he sighed. ''Sure, feel free to look around.'' He said, smiling.

When she returned back he looked at her, smirking.''Right. I hope you know what you will do. Save the water, please. We don't have endless amounts of that here.'' He said as he slowly removed the bandages and the rotting wood from his leg as he stretched his leg out towards her. He raised his sleeve on his cargo pants and it was visible that the leg was barely infected and caused by a bullet, from the looks of it. ''I shot myself like an idiot.'' He explained before Nikkole could ask from where he got the wound.
 
Nikkole kneeled next to him, with her supplies in hand. When he told her to save the water, she nodded without a word, watching the wound be revealed. It was gory, but she was glad it did not smell too bad, like some infected wounds do. She began to work as he explained what had happened, using the cleanest rag she had found to begin applying the antiseptic alcohol to the wound. She knew he would wince, applying a little at a time. She would wipe away the blood every once in a while, and soon enough, she had bandaged him up.

"If I can find any thread and some sort of needle-tool, I will stitch it, but it should be okay for now. And we all make mistakes, no need to beat yourself up over a gunshot wound; A lot worse can happen in this world, like being eaten by feral ghouls." Nikkole tried to make a joke, laughing softly as she now sat next to the man, watching for his reaction. "If I can, I will try to use scrapmetal and make another brace and maybe a crutch or walking stick, so you can walk. Is that okay for now?"
 
When Nikkole applied the alcohol to the wound Ryan winced a little bit at first. ''F-fucking hell that hurts.'' He managed to speak out while she was taking care of the wound. He managed to keep himself on the chair as he held from it. Since the chair was not described before, it is a simple and dirty folding chair that he was sitting upon. He pants there as he looks at her work as she begun bandaging it.''Ah. It's over? Wonderful.'' He said, smiling with relief.

He nods to what she ended up saying a moment later, chuckling gently to the joke.''Yeah. I can imagine that.'' He said, smiling. He listened to what she said later on, shaking his head.''Nah. It's fine. I can always use my gun as a walking stick.'' He said, smiling. ''So, Nikkole, was it? Anyway... I planned on heading out tomorrow as my supplies are running low now. Do you have your own supplies? If yes, then we could possibly head out together and see if we can survive with some ease together.'' He said as he gently moved his leg back and forth. It was still painful so he slightly winced and stopped moving the leg, resting on the chair casually right now.
 
Nikkole stayed quiet, watching Ryan speak with a her soft gaze. "Yes, I do have quite a few rations of water and food, enough to share if we are low and need to. I know there are places around we could travel to and loot for helpful things and more supplies." She thought of the surrounding area, knowing few but enough areas they could camp out. "Quite a few hours ago, I saw an abandoned trailer. If we wanted to head out to the North, and we needed to stop, we could shelter there; I believe the door still works and even locks, and it seems in quite good condition. I haven't checked it for supplies, but there could be some squirreled away in cabinets."

Nikkole had pulled up a chair similar to Ryan's, having wiped away some dust on it before sitting down. She noticed the soft, broken cobwebs in the corners of the room, the rusted metal compartments, and all the electric wiring, hanging out of a fallen ceiling panel. But, if the tile was given a shining and the walls a paint job, it could look lovely. "This place must've seen better days, like most of this world."
 
Ryan nodded to what was said by Nikkole and he gave a sigh of relief in return.''I see. That is lovely to hear. I'm sure we can together survive longer than alone. And an abandoned trailer, you said? Well, who knows? Maybe there waits a nasty surprise inside of that as you did not get to check it. Or who knows? Maybe it's a trap.'' He said, sighing. ''I planned on going north, anyway. It's a summer and we can afford going to the north as winter is not yet here. I believe we can check the trailer out if our supplies are running low or it is at a convenient location.'' He said.

Ryan looked around the place with his head aswell at what Nikkole said. Few worn down posters were visible left and right. Nuka Cola and Vault Tec related commercial posters and what else was visible there. ''Yeah. I believe so, aswell. Hell, everything in this world have seen better days than this. Who knows? Maybe it will see better days.'' He said, soon sighing as he looks at the ground. ''Maybe...'' He muttered as the thoughts of his family returned back. Who is he kidding? Things will never get better. Only worse and worse.

Ryan sighs as he looks at Nikkole, with his eyes soon fixed on her bow.''That's a fancy thing you've got there,'' He started. ''I believe the bow has been so far quite helpful, eh?'' He decided to ask with hopes of changing the subject to something more lighthearted.
 
"Maybe it is a trap, maybe it isn't. Hopefully the latter, but we'll never find out if we don't see it." Nikkole smiled, attempting to keep the conversation light. That did not work, as they spoke of the world and the way it was. She noticed him seem to look off, more into his thoughts. "It will, I'm sure of it. It just needs to get its act together." She nudged him lightly, hoping to lighten the situation, by personifying the world, like its a deadbeat teenager that just needs to get itself together.

She noticed him glance at her oak-made weapon, and she nodded. "Thank you, carved it myself. And oh, yes it has. I learned to use a bow through my father back at the settlement. To hunt and to defend myself, if need be. It's saved my life quite a few times, I should make more arrows though. It's always rough when one breaks, or when it's difficult to retrieve. Running out of arrows, oh boys, thats always quite the situation." She took the bow off from around her torso and along with the quiver, setting it to lean on her calf, and she leaned back into the chair, closing her eyes.

The wind was still outside, not kicking up dust or moving the heated air. The air was stagnant, which was not the best in the summer. It was always best to have a breeze. But, the sun was nice as it flowed through the broken window and onto the floor, touching what it could reach. It made the room less dim and dreary. Nikkole cracked her knuckles and thought quietly to herself about the situation as a silence fell between the two.
 
Ryan reacted to the nudging positively. He smiled as he looked at her.''Yeah, let's hope that is the case. It is being quite lazy, then.'' He said. She managed to lighten the situation.

Ryan listens to what Nikkole said about the box of hers with attention as he was intrigued by it.'' Ah. Your father teached you how to use a bow? Fascinating. He must have been a smart guy.'' He smiled. The words 'smart' and 'father' slowly creeped into his mind, giving him the memories. He sighs as he still keeps up a smile while talking with her. ''So, How many times have you run out of arrows? And how easy is it for you to make new arrows?'' He decided to ask while they were at the topi.

After the topic was over he also listens to the whistling of the wind that blew into the station, giving the place some cool air. It was otherwise hot due to the searing sun far up above them that was heating up the soil and air. The wind gave a wonderful moment of relief. Ryan sighs as he relaxes from the wind.''It's neat, isn't it? I love getting some relief from the constant heat of a summer.'' He decided to say to break the silence that had formed between the two of them.
 
"My father really was a smart man." She quietly spoke, more to herself than anything, remembering her time with her family; Working in the dining hall for the vault with her father. They moved to a settlement after the vault opened to the public, but she left for adventure. This was a few months ago. "It's been quite a while since I've seen my father. He was a smart man, but he was never happy with what he did with his life." She bleakly revealed, looking down at the ground.

Hearing Ryan ask about her arrows, she looked up. "Twice. Once against mutants, and another against raiders. The first time, it was only a week after I left home, and I ended up just darting and hiding. I waited and when I got to the little abandoned house I camped out in, I had to sit and make a bunch of new ones because I was too scared to go back. The second time, I beat the last few of them with a piece of scrap metal." Giggling to herself, remembering some of the dumber things she's done, she glanced to him. "It's pretty easy, I normally go into the forest and collect sticks, clean them up with my knife, and carve them to a point. They're very simple because I can make a ton if I need to."

Finally, feeling the breeze, she closed her eyes and smiled. "That's so much better. I dislike when it's too hot and there is no breeze." Nikkole opened her eyes to glance at Ryan. She was glad to have found somebody else that didn't want to kill her. Nikkole stood and walked to the little behind the counter area, crouching to look through the shelves. "I'm looking for anything that could maybe be useful to us."
 
Ryan nods to what was said by her.''I see.... I am sorry for your loss. He must have meant a lot to you,'' He said as he sympathized with Nikkole, mostly because he thought that the father was dead.

Ryan nods to what she explained about the arrows, though he gives out a frown when she mentioned raiders. ''I see... Well, then. I believe I am lucky to have you around, then. And I hope you beat the raiders up real good,'' He said.

Ryan nods to what Nikkole happened to say.''I agree, though better summer than winter as during the winter not just any place is suitable as a shelter. That and it's too cold.'' He said, sighing as he looks at her stand up and make way to the counter.''No point, I've already been here for three days and I managed to look around a bit. Found some pre war cash and scrap junk I placed in that rusty old car. Open the door and you'll find some scrap metal and the like littering the benches. I doubt that you'll find much use out of them.'' Ryan said.

While searching what Ryan said was true for the shelves. Nikkole could not find anything on the shelves themselves, but she could see something peek from under the shelves themselves. When looking further she spots a simple and rusty saw. Well that wasn't a neat discovery, now was it?
 
Nikkole noted the way he apologized for her loss, and smiled. "My father has not passed on, at least I believe. I haven't seen him in a long time, since I left the small settlement he had settled on. I'm unsure if he's moved since then, but I hope to go back to the settlement one of these days and seek him out."
As she was looking around and noted the saw, she picked it up and saw the rusted metal. "I could clean this up, maybe use it if I would need to cut some wood for a fire or building." Nikkole set the saw onto the counter, and although he said there was not much, she continued looking around. She found some more cleaner rags, nails, and matches. "These all could help a bit." She brought the items back to where they sat, setting them on the floor next to her bag.

Nikkole looks to Ryan, her hands moving up to run through her curly and textured hair. "When would you like to begin moving north? Should we wait, or head out as soon as possible?" She questioned, leaning back onto the chair and watching Ryan.
She glanced outside, seeing the tree leaves sway softly with the newly formed breeze.
 
Ryan's facial motion of pity changed into one more of him being somewhat surprised.''Oh... I did not know that, but I am sure that he is dead by now most likely.'' He said, sighing. He already dislikes this conversation because of how they have so many topics that remind him of the past too frequently that he has to soon cry. Luckily she went off to search the place so they finally got the subject stopped.

''Ah. What did you find, Nik?'' Ryan decided to ask as he stared at the back of Nikkole. When she turned around and returned he finally saw the objects.''Oh? You found these? That's pretty neat. Maybe with the saw we could sometime try cut some wood in case we need to hide in a place that needs barricading in the future.'' Ryan decided to say.

Ryan thinks for a while about that question.''Hummm.... I believe I planned on heading north tomorrow as I wanted to let my wound recover a while longer.'' Ryan decided to say. ''Besides I am still not at the best shape to walk, so waiting is better. Also!'' He said as he tries to look at her belongings from this range. Mostly trying to see if he can see her supplies.''For how many days do you have enough food and water for yourself, pretty much?'' He ended up asking.
 
She had heard him say her father was probably dead, and a pain of ache hit her in her chest hearing that. She never knew, and she wanted to someday return to see. But hearing those words did not help. Nikkole fell silent, only speaking if she was first spoken to as she sat. "Yeah, I could see that." Nikkole replied to the barricading idea.

"Alright, we can head out tomorrow at dawn. Hopefully get far before the sun sets too high and it is much hotter." Nikkole was blank, somewhat lost in thought about her home and family. Hearing him ask about her supplies, she pulled her bag closer to show. "I have quite a few days worth, though I don't eat often, I can extend the food for a while. I usually can find water and food in the pantries of abandoned homes."

Nikkole glanced up out the window, seeing the rolling sandy hills that extended out past the fence, surrounding the gas station. She could see the forest off a bit in the distance, noting that she could no longer see any movement in that direction; The ghouls most likely returned deep in the forest, and were no longer a danger unless they went that way.
 
Ryan nods to what was said by Nikkole now. He looks at her food, mentally counting the amount in his mind.''Mhm... Looks neat so far. I believe we can survive for a week. Who knows, maybe we can find some more food along the way.'' He said, smiling as he slowly raises his gaze from her rations to her face. The topic of food brought up an another question that is partially important. ''Do you happen to know how to cook?''He asked, smiling. ''I know the basic skills for that, like start the fire and roast the food on the fire and so on.'' He decided to mention after the question.

There were no ghouls in the distance, indeed, but sadly the wind stopped blowing and the temporary relief is finally over, with the extreme heat returning back upon their skin. It did not help that, despite the sky being somewhat cloudy, the sun was not blocked by the clouds. The sun was, however, slowly sinking under the horizon as it was like 80 degrees away from the horizon by now.
 
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