Harsh Reality

Before heading over to the General Store, I took out everything I planned to sell out from my Inventory and tried to stuff it into my Backpack. Unfortunately, some of the armor pieces were too big to fit and I ended up having to carry them by hand. Which was a little annoying but, it was fine since I didn't have to go too far since the General Store was right next to the Saloon.

I wasn't expecting to get too much out of this since what I was selling wasn't all that valuable and I didn't have too much experience at this sort of thing but, I didn't really mind as long as I came out of this with some useful supplies.

"Ah, a new customer" Chet grinned as I walked into his store. "You must be one of the strangers Doc Mitchell patched up, right? What can I do for you?"

"I'm here to sell some equipment and pick up a few supplies" I answered.

"Excellent" he rubbed his hands together "Show me what you've got and I'll give you a price."

"Alright here" I stated laying everything out onto the counter "I got one Lightweight Metal Armor, one Tribal Raider Armor, an Armored Vault 13 Jumpsuit, 10 Spears, and 5 Bleak Venom to sell."

"Hmm" He rubbed his chin while examining everything I placed down. "The Tribal Armor and Spears are basically worthless but, I can give you 30 caps for the lot. As for the Metal Armor and Armored Vault Suit those are a bit more valuable so I'll give you 150 for both. And lastly Bleak Venom is pretty rare since you need Cazador venom to make it but, they're also a consumable which makes them worth a lot less... so let's say 15 each. Which would bring your total up 205 caps, that alright with you?

"Do you think I'm stupid" I slammed my fist down! "I know what my stuff is worth! If you want it you'll need to at least double your price!"

I may not have been an expert when it came to bartering but, thankfully my Pipboy was actually gave me a rough valuable for all of my items. Of course, I knew I wasn't actually going to get that much for my stuff since Chet wasn't stupid enough to buy something for more than he could sell it for. But, that was okay I was fine as long as I didn't get ripped off too badly.

"What" Chet scoffed "Please my deal is more than fair!

I hmphed and pointed to each of my items "The Tribal Armor might not be the most valuable armor but, the materials alone are worth 100 caps and even at their lowest price the Throwing Spears should be at least 10 caps each! As for the Armored Vault Suit it's not as valuable as you said and should only be sold for around 30 or 40 caps at most but, I think you did that on purpose to try and rip me off on the Metal Armor which is by far the most expensive item I have and is worth at least 250 caps! And finally, the price for the Bleak Venom... is actually pretty fair. So, the final price should actually be closer to 550 caps not 205!"

"Tch" Chet clicked his tongue knowing I was right "You really know your stuff kid but, I can't do 550 right now! Because of the war with the Legion the NCR has blocked off Trading Caravans from leaving California which has stopped more than 90% of trading. Not to mention that the path to New Vegas is blocked off by Deathclaws right now cutting trading down even more. I'm barely scrapping by as it is! There's no way I can go as high as you want, 300 is as high as I can go!"

"500" I replied not buying it.

"350" Chet responed instantly.

"How about we just split the difference and do 400 then" I narrowed my eyes "That's as low as I'll go."

Chet glared at me weighed the pros and cons of our deal but, eventually huffed out "Fine" and started gathering my money and packing everything away.

Not long after he handed me a small cloth bag that jingled as it shook.

Grabbing it from him I eyed it for a moment before nodding and stashing in away in one of the pouches on my armor.

"Aren't you going to count it" Chet wondered aloud?

"No need" I said "I can tell by the weight this is right."

"Really" Chet blinked "Not even I can do that?"

"Yep" I grinned at him smugly.

Which was a lie of course, I only knew the bag had the right amount of money in it because when I held it in my hand the option to "Take Caps(400)" appeared but, he didn't need to know that.

After that Chet offered to show me his wares and handed me a clipboard with all of his stock listed on it and their prices. Flipping through the pages I found a few things I needed but, some of it was fairly expensive.

In the end I ended up buying quite a a lot of stuff like a small tent(100 caps), a flint and steel for starting fires(20 caps), a black cowboy hat(10 caps), a pair of sunglasses(15 caps), a pair of biker goggles(15 caps), a bandana(5 caps), some pots and pans(40 caps), 5 extra-large canteens so I could store extra water(100 caps), a few pairs of basic clothes(60 caps), and finally a small amount of 9mm ammo (30 caps).

I ended up spending nearly all of my 400 caps and only had 5 left.

I knew I probably overpaid a bit since I couldn't tell the actual prices of items I bought until I put them in my Inventory which I couldn't do in front of Chet. But, that was okay since none of the prices seemed too exaggerated and I'd gotten everything I thought I might need anyway.

Leaving the General Store I equipped the Cowboy Hat and Sunglasses which would hopefully give me +2 to Perception raising it up to 7.

And just like I hoped once I put them on the same sense of warmth, I felt earlier at the Vigor Tester filled my body again and the world suddenly became clearer like a layer of smoke was suddenly removed from in front of me. It wasn't just my sight either as far as I could all my senses had gotten far sharper than they were before, though there was something off about how it felt. Like something was ever so slightly wrong and I couldn't put my finger on what exactly it was. But, my best guess was that it was because my newfound Perception wasn't actually my own and was only temporary.

Either way this was still a huge boost so I didn't really care.

Checking the time once again I saw that it was already 11:30 meaning I spent around an hour and a half in Chet's store haggling and looking through his wares.

I was hopeful that enough time had passed so U checked the Saloon to see if anything was going on but, was disappointed to see that neither Yoruichi or Joe Cobb were there yet so I could only give up on that once again.

But, that left me with the problem of finding something else to do to kill time.

Thankfully there was still one other area of town I hadn't checked out yet that would have a few low-level enemies to kill for exp and some easy loot.

The Goodsprings Cemetery.

From the entrance of town, I could see the derelict water tower that marked the cemetery's location about half a mile away sitting at the top of a large hill. I knew there wasn't really anything of note up there besides a snow globe for Mr. House and a couple Bloatflies but, I didn't really have anything better to do so I decided to just go for it.

Before I stepped out of town however, I swapped my Machete back out for the 10mm Pistol because I remembered there was a chance of meeting a giant Bark Scorpion on the road there and didn't want to take the risk of getting poisoned because I tried to hack it to death like the mantises earlier.

On my way over I realized something strange, it was already noon and it wasn't nearly as hot out as it should've been.

Not that it was cool by any means it was still sweltering but, it only felt like a mildly hot day and not at all like the barren desert I was expecting.

That's when I remembered it was October in this world which meant the North American continent was already well into Fall. So even if this was a desert it was going to start cooling off over the next couple months and might even get a bit chilly once winter arrived.

I was a bit conflicted about this since even though it meant I wouldn't have to worry about being roasted alive the same also applied to everyone else. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the next few months or so would be the time when the Mojave was the most active. Without the monstrous heat holding it back every monster and sociopath in the desert would have the energy to run wild without anything to stop them.

But, there really wasn't anything I could do about that.

I could only keep marching forward and enjoy the peace while I had it while occasionally stopping to pick any Broc Flower I passed.

About halfway to the cemetery I spotted the Bark Scorpion.

I was spamming VATS pretty much the entire trip so I wouldn't accidentally miss it which I was glad I did because the thing was almost completely invisible hiding in its spot underneath a dead bush. Especially since the moment I approached it leapt out and rushed towards me with its stinger already dripping with venom. But, since I was ready for it I put it down quickly with a few accurate shots.

+10 Exp (120/200)

I didn't even use VATS to do it since I didn't want to rely too much on that since I could only fire a few with it before having to wait for it to recharge. Which was not good since I'd noticed it recharged FAR slower than it did in the game.

I wanted to save it for emergencies and not waste it on enemies I didn't need too.

Fortunately, the same magic that let me know how to hack a computer and pick a lock also gave me knowledge on how to properly use my pistol which was good since I'd never held a gun.

After that I looted the Scorpion for its poison gland and some meat, now I just had to deal with the few Bloatflies at the top of the hill get the snow globe and leave. Hopefully by then Sunny Smiles would be back and I could take her quest to clear out the geckos from the Goodsprings Source which should be enough to let me level up.

But, before I could get moving again I heard the crunch of footsteps coming up behind me.

Jumping in shock I nearly started firing before I noticed that it was just Yoruichi and calmed down. I was about to greet her when I noticed the cold expression on her face and the strange look in her eyes and held my tongue.

She passed me without a word and continued stomping her way up the hill.

I gulped and wondered what could have possibly happened in the past couple hours that turned the happy go lucky girl I met this morning into that?

Suddenly I had the urge to return to town and come back later but, stopped myself when I noticed that aside from the new Vault suit and Pipboy that Doc must have given her Yoruichi was completely unarmed.

And even though I knew she could probably handle herself especially against a couple weak Bloatflies that didn't stop me from worrying that something might happen. After all the area just north of here was swarming with Giant Scorpions, Cazadores, and Deathclaws so it wasn't too much of a stretch to imagine one of them wandering over. Not that I could deal with any of those monsters either but, it just didn't feel right letting her go out there all alone without any backup.

So with a heavy sigh I trudged my way up after her making sure to keep a good distance between us since she seemed like she was in a bad mood for whatever reason and I didn't want to trigger her.

Once we reached the top of the hill Yoruichi kept moving forward even though the three Bloatflies had already noticed us and targeting her. I wanted to call out for her to watch out but, before I could even open my mouth she shot forward like a bullet reaching the first Bloatfly in an instant smashing it to bits with a single devastating punch.

The remaining two flies fired their acid at her but, she just kept charging ducking and weaving through the attacks like they were nothing and quickly arrived in front the second bloatfly smacking it to the ground and crushing it with her foot before leaping into the air and punting the final Bloatfly out of the sky with an aerial kick.

As she landed, I just stood there gaping at the astonishing feat of skill I just saw and noticed that she didn't look even tiniest bit winded as if what just happened was nothing at all.

In the end I could only bitterly smile and remember that she was the chosen one of this world, and had already basically maxed out all of her Special stats so this much really wasn't anything worth mentioning.

After dealing with the flies Yoruichi wandered through the cemetery as if she was looking for something.

I thought she was going to stop at the open grave where she was left for dead by Benny but, she surprised me by walking right passed that and stopping just next to it at another grave that looked recently filled.

Even though I was keeping my distance I noticed something off about that grave compared to the others in the cemetery. Every other grave had the name of the person buried here but, the one Yoruichi was standing before only had a blank wooden cross behind it.

Which was something you'd only do if you didn't know the name of the person buried there.

Was it someone she knew?

"It's my mom" Yoruichi answered as if reading my mind.

Since she talked to me I figured it was okay for me to be involved so I stepped forward to stand next to her as she mourned the loss of her mother. Arriving next to her I noticed her eyes were swollen red and had a pool of tears under them that was threatening spill over as she struggled to keep herself together.

I already knew she must've had a past in this world but, I never expected anything like this.

"What was her name" I eventually asked.

"...I don't know" Yoruichi's voice cold voice sounded.

I was about to ask how that was possible when she continued.

"I have amnesia" she shook "Apparently the bullet did more damage than Doctor Mitchell thought and made me lose most of my memory. I didn't notice it at first because how can you remember something you've forgotten? It wasn't until he started asking questions about my past that I noticed I couldn't remember anything from before I woke up earlier."

She grit her teeth and I saw tears pooling in her eyes but, she kept talking.

"After he found that out the Doctor sat me down and explained how I was found and how my mother's body was covering mine like she threw herself in front of me at the last second to try and protect me." Yoruichi started hyperventilating "She died protecting me and now I can't even remember her name."

'Damn it' I mentally cursed not knowing what I could do to help!

I'd never lost a loved one before so I couldn't even begin to imagine what she was going through right now but, at the very least I could try and offer a shoulder to cry on while she worked through this.

I thought I was already treating this world as a real world now and not a game but, I guess I was still subconsciously underestimating this place. And now standing next to an orphaned girl as she stood over her mother's grave, reality started to sink in for the first time and I began to feel a sense of dread towards what the future held.

I don't know how long we stood there but, eventually Yoruichi managed to collect herself and turned away but, not before taking one last look at her mother's grave.

"Come on let's head back to town."

I nodded figuring the snow globe wasn't worth it at this point and just followed after her as we left the cemetery but, not before she bent over to pick up a small cigarette bud from in front of the shallow grave that was originally meant for her.

I gulped slightly when I saw the look of absolute rage that crossed her face as she examined it and tucked it away in her pocket.

I was almost beginning to feel sorry for Benny... almost, he reaped what he sowed and now he was going to have to deal with the consequences.

Though I did make a mental note to never ever piss off Yoruichi.

One incredibly awkward walk later and we were back in town resting at the Saloon. Trudy had seen the state Yoruichi was in and treated her to a full course meal to hopefully take her mind off things. And while Yoruichi was silently eating her meal and working through her feelings I decided to try out a Nuka Cola this time which unsurprisingly tasted exactly like Coke. Though I'd admit that the radiation did add a certain kick to it despite the danger.

I wanted to say something to Yoruichi since she was very clearly still not in the best of moods but, despite what happened earlier the two of us where still just strangers who had only met that day so it didn't really feel right for me to butt in like that. So I just left her alone while she slowly came to terms with what happened.

While we were sitting there, I decided to have a go at fixing Trudy's radio since if I was somehow able to open the safe and hack the computer in the school, I should be able to do this too. After all from what I remembered you only needed a Repair skill of 20 to fix it, which is less than what the safe and computer took.

Just like I expected once I popped off the radios casing and took a look inside. Everything seemed to fall into place I knew exactly how the radio worked and how to fix it. The ended being as simple as a detached wire and all I had to do to fix it was splice it back into place.

Of course, I didn't actually let on how easy it was to fix. I had to justify my pay after all, speaking of which I also managed to pass the Barter speech check earning some extra caps and exp.

Once I was finished, I flipped the power switch making everyone in the Saloon jump as "Big Iron" started blaring from the speakers at max volume.

"Whoops" I apologetically scratched my head as I turned it down.

"I'll be darned" Trudy came up and I handed her the radio "You really did fix the damned thing? Well, a deals a deal here's your pay."

"No problem" I nodded as she handed me my 75 caps "The place seems much livelier now that there's music playing."

"Don't I know it" Trudy rolled her eyes "That music box is basically the only entertainment we got here without there's nothing to break the silence. It gets real eerie real fast, I'm honestly surprised no one has snapped yet."

"Hmm" I nodded in agreement but, wasn't really paying attention since I was more focused on the exp I just gained.

+35 Exp (155/200)

Now I was 100% confident I could hit Level 2 by the end of the day, though I was still a bit conflicted about what I should do about my Perks.

Normally when I was playing New Vegas, I would go a couple levels without picking a Perk, so that I could save up for the better perks later on. But, did I really want to do that now when every bit of strength mattered and I could be killed at any moment? In the end it came down to whether I wanted to be weak now and strong later or very weak now and even stronger later.

I couldn't quite come to a decision yet, and the fact that I couldn't remember exactly what Perks there were and what requirements were neccisary to meet them only made me hesitate more. So I could only put that choice on hold for now and come back to it again when I actually did level up.

"Bang" a loud crash shook me from my thoughts as the few other patrons of the Saloon reached for their weapons just in case!

"Well, well, well" a dark-skinned man wearing a set of bright blue NCR Correction Officers Armor strut in after kicking in the door. "Seems a bit livelier in here than usual" he grinned brightly before frowning "I feel like your little Podunk town isn't taking me seriously enough."

"Joe Cobb" Trudy snorted "I thought I told you your scrawny ass isn't welcome here."

"See that's the thing" Joe Cobb strut forward "I don't really care what you or anyone in this shitty little town thinks. All I care about is finding the man who wronged me and my men" he stopped right in front of Trudy and leveled his eyes at her "So I'm only going to ask this once. Where is Ringo."

"Damn it Cobb" Trudy smashed her fist down knocking a glass off the counter shattering it on the ground " I've already told you a thousand times Ringo ain't here!"

Silence filled the building after Trudy's outburst.

But, Joe Cobb seemed unphased.

"Okay, I get it" he nodded and spoke calmly "I'm done being nice. If you don't hand Ringo over soon, I'm going to get my friends and we're burning this town to the ground, got it? You have until tomorrow night."

After giving his ultimatum Joe Cobb was about to turn around and leave as swiftly as he came not even bothering about the town's reaction to his threat. But, stopped when he spied me and Yoruichi sitting at the bar.

"Now what do we have here" he swaggered over "I don't seem to recognize either of you."

I silently gripped the handle of my gun as he walked over and Yoruichi watched him with a dead gaze.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about a certain caravan merchant named RIngo" he smiled and placed a hand on my shoulder?

"Sorry" I answered still clutching my gun with sweaty hands "I just woke up in town this morning after passing out from dehydration. I barely know anyone around here and definitely don't know any Ringo's."

"That's a shame" his grip on my arm tightened but, eventually released as he shifted his attention to Yoruichi. "What about you beautiful? You see anything I might want know about?"

Yoruichi stayed silent for a moment before glancing up at Joe Cobb looking incredibly unimpressed "And who are you supposed to be?"

Cobb let out an evil smirk "I'm Joe Cobb sweetheart, and I'm the leader of the outfit of Powder Gangers in charge of this stretch of the of the Mojave. So, if you know what's good for you, you'll answer my question."

"No" Yoruichi's answered in an icy tone that made Cobb frown "I haven't seen anyone named Ringo."

"Tch, that's a shame" Joe Cobb clicked his tongue and a flash of annoyance flickered on his face but, he quickly gathered himself and shook his head before turning to leave "Remember you have until tommorow evening to give me what I want otherwise there will be... consequences."

After that he disappeared back out into the desert leaving the Saloon with an ominous feeling hanging in the air.