(no subject)

[calmhrtprevails]

The door opens on a vista of rocky landscape punctuated here and there by yellowed, rough-edged grass and low, scrubby brush. There's a hint of coolness on the breeze in the otherwise warming air, and a scent of distant rain. "We are," Fawkes rumbles, "some hours' distance from the Citadel. We're likely to stop at the town of Megaton first, and then make for the Arlington route the rest of the way."

Comments

[cantdiequiteyet]

Amused, "Anything that tries to eat us is aiming above its ability to handle."

That's a weird word for her to be using, and it surprises her.

us.

[calmhrtprevails]

Fawkes lets out a barking noise that resolves itself into a laugh. "Too true!" he exclaims. "Now, unless you have some use for the venom glands, we ought to be on our way. I have no need of them, myself- but it's polite to offer."

[cantdiequiteyet]

"Is it?"

Now she is surprised, but not enough to stop her from falling in to walk with him.

"Why would someone do that?"

[calmhrtprevails]

"The humans of the Wasteland haven't got access to the same sort of weapons you and I use," says Fawkes, "or if they do, they haven't always got the skill to use them. Some of them make use of the scorpions' venom. They dip their weapons in it, so that when they draw their enemies' blood, the venom acts as a paralytic. A living foe that moves more slowly, or loses the use of its legs, is far less dangerous to them and can be finished off more safely."

[cantdiequiteyet]

Oh," Teresa says, with the mild interest of someone who's been presented with a thing she has never thought of before. "That is a good idea."

Humans are so resourceful.

[calmhrtprevails]

"It serves its purpose," Fawkes says placidly. "If it works for the scorpion, it works for us as well. I've heard that there are humans who've taken to using the hands of Deathclaws as gauntlets, so they can slice their enemies with those claws. It seems... useful."

[cantdiequiteyet]

Teresa nods.

"I encountered humans with special swords when I was alive." One human, really. "Mostly they seemed to wait for us to fight for them."

[calmhrtprevails]

"A pity," says Fawkes. "Being able to defend yourself is vital, in a land like this. But I suppose not everyone's able, and so they turn to the stronger."

[cantdiequiteyet]

"And yoma are good at hiding," Teresa allows. "Only a half yoma can detect them among normal people."

[calmhrtprevails]

"Are they the only threat to the people of your world?" Fawkes says. "Or at least, the only one your kind are meant to fight?"

[cantdiequiteyet]

"That's right."

She smiles a little, amused at the word 'only'. "It doesn't sound much, but they keep us busy."

[calmhrtprevails]

"I never meant to slight you," Fawkes says. "We have no yoma here. Not that I've heard of, anyway. There are so many species of creature, and so many dangerous humans, that the idea of there being only one is... very strange."

[cantdiequiteyet]

Teresa smiles again. "Oh, no slight taken.

"It is strange enough for me to see how many different kinds of creatures live on other worlds. The world I lived on was very limited, I see now."

[calmhrtprevails]

"In the old days," Fawkes says, "before the War, there were far more kinds here than survive today. I've read about them, but never seen most of them."

He nods off in another direction.

"Look, there- those are yao guai. Mutated bears, larger and more dangerous than those before the War. I don't think those two will attack us unless we threaten them, though."

[cantdiequiteyet]

"So we don't?" Teresa asks, just to be sure. As they walk forward, she watches them. "I guess they're just animals."

[calmhrtprevails]

"We have no reason to," says Fawkes. "Although their meat makes for good eating, we don't need it. There's no reason to exterminate them, for now."

[cantdiequiteyet]

Teresa nods, this time keeping her thoughts silent.

It's strange, though. She's used to attacking before she can be attacked. But animals and monsters are very clearly delineated in her world.

[calmhrtprevails]

"May I ask a question?" Fawkes says after a bit, the wasteland sun beginning to hammer down. "How long have the yoma of your world been a problem?"

[cantdiequiteyet]

Teresa tilts her head, honestly considering this question for a few seconds.

"Forever," she says simply. "For as long as we have recorded history."

[calmhrtprevails]

"You have my sympathies, then," says Fawkes. "And all your people. That can't have been easy."

[cantdiequiteyet]

Again, Teresa is silent for a moment before she speaks, trying to figure out where he's coming from with these sentiments.

"It's just how the world is," she says.

[calmhrtprevails]

"I suppose so," says Fawkes. "I had wondered, because of the nature of my- of our mission. We're going to exterminate the source of all my kind, so that those who remain are the last ones left. It had me wondering about whether other worlds that suffered such evils could ever be freed of them."

[cantdiequiteyet]

"If there's a source of yoma, no one's found it," says Teresa.

Then, she adds, "or bothered to look for it, I suppose."

[calmhrtprevails]

Fawkes nods. "And not everything has a source that can be stopped anyway," he says, "so it might-"

He breaks off, gesturing to Teresa to step sideways. Just in time, too. There's a tzing! noise and a puff of concrete dust. Some ways ahead, crouched behind the wreck of an ancient car, is a man with an old hunting rifle and otherwise decent aim. "This won't end well for you!" Fawkes roars at the shooter.

[cantdiequiteyet]

Teresa moves back just in time for the bullet to rocket past her, close enough that she can feel the tight wind in its wake.

She blinks in surprise and follows Fawkes' gaze to the man behind the car.

She saw weapons like this during the big fight, but she's still not sure what to make of them.

"What is that?"