Fallout OC companion meme
General
Name: Coyote
Location: Freeside - Atomic Wrangler (busy getting kicked out for cleaning house)
How to obtain: Bring her all the ingredients needed for a bottle of wasteland tequila, which she will share with you
Companion Wheel
I think we should travel together:
“Right on. Let’s burn some shit.”
Use Melee:
(without psycho in inventory) “Ain’t really my specialty boss-man/boss-lady. You sure you can’t just get me some ammo?”
(with psycho in inventory) [Manic Laughter]
Use Ranged: “Now you’re talking! Let’s go for the knees.”
Open Inventory:
“Don’t touch my chems, got it?”
“Oooh, shiny!”
“That psycho is...uhh...medicinal.”
“You’re gonna sell this, right?”
Stay Close:
(if male) “Any closer and I’ll start charging, sweetheart.”
(if female) “Well, I don’t really swing that way...but 20 caps is 20 caps.”
Keep Distance: “You just want the good shit to yourself, don’t you? Fine.”
Stealth: [Soft Laughter] “Lights out.”
Back Up: “No, you’re getting in my way.”
Be Passive: “Aw, you’re no fun.”
Be Aggressive:
(without psycho) “Yes! Woo!”
(with psycho) [Snarling]
Use Stimpack: “Oh thank fuck, I needed that.”
Wait Here: “Okay but if I run out of smokes, I’m leaving.”
Follow Me: “Finally.”
Send to the Lucky 38: “Shit, they got a bar in that place? Nevermind, I’ll just put it on your tab.”
Send Home: “Aw, what, you found someone prettier? Fine, I’ll be up north.” (Found in North Vegas Square).
Injured:
“Fuck, fuck, FUCK.”
“Goddammit you motherfucker.”
“Give me a stimpack you son of a bitch!”
“[Cough] Shit...is that a rib?”
Death:
[Rasping breath] “Not...not yet...”
[Wet chuckling] “Guess my luck’s finally run out...”
[Panting] “Fuck...you...”
Aggression: aggressive/not aggressive/ very aggressive/frenzied
Confidence: cowardly/cautious/average/brave/foolhardy
Assistance: helps nobody/helps allies/helps friends and allies
Karma: very good/good/neutral/evil/very evil
Perks
[Luck of the Draw] Player gets a 20% higher chance of criticals and more caps found in containers.
[Where Your Heart Is] Coyote gets +5DT and healing chems are 15% more effective
[Feelings Are For Suckers] Coyote gets +5DT and psycho, slasher, and jet are 16% more effective
Drops
Drops a Lucky Star Cap necklace and a faded patch of blue material with a yellow 13 embroidered on it.
Quests and Recruitment
Coyote is found being kicked out of the Atomic Wrangler after attempting to circumvent a previous ban. She then engages in conversation with the player, requesting all the ingredients for her homemade Wasteland Tequila (Empty Whiskey Bottle, Nevada Agave Fruit, Purified Water and Jet). Once the items are delivered she invites the player to a nearby campfire, and gives them a bottle of tequila to share. After a brief conversation the player can offer to hire her for 250 caps.
Personal Quest:
[The House That Built Me]
After visiting several different locations with Coyote and accumulating affinity points with her through dialogue (choosing self-serving choices or passing barter speech checks) Coyote will stop and ask to talk. If the player agrees she will tell the Courier that while she was travelling in the Mojave she heard rumours about Richard Saint, a man that might be her father (who abandoned her mother before she was born) being somewhere in the area. After taking a short detective journey across the Mojave it is discovered that the man who is Coyote’s father is living richly on the Strip. Coyote reveals that after her father left, her mother had to turn to prostitution to make ends meet, got hooked on chems and eventually died, leaving Coyote alone.
When confronted it is revealed that Coyote’s mother had been a drug-addicted prostitute long before she solicited Richard in New Reno, and that contrary to her mother’s claims he never knew about Coyote being conceived. Richard is aloof and has no interest in Coyote, threatening to call security on her. Coyote is furious and wants to kill him. The player then convince Coyote that
- Richard is her deadbeat father and should die for abandoning them [Feelings Are For Suckers]
- Her father could have been any number of clients and Richard’s life should be spared [Where Your Heart Is]
Ending Slides
.
If their personal quest is never completed…
After the battle of Hoover Dam, Coyote soon parted ways with the Courier, drifting across the Mojave, looking for something she would never find...
[Feelings Are For Suckers] ...eventually, residents of Vegas began speaking of an uprising in Vault 3, and soon the Fiends became more organised, aggressive, and deadlier than ever, attacking caravans and spreading further outward until North Vegas Square was finally overrun. This new tribe of Fiends began calling themselves the Coyotes.
[Where Your Heart Is] ...as time grew, she began attracting other drifters and travellers to her. Weary adventurers, chem addicts, ex-legion, Vipers and Jackals...soon, every bar in the Mojave began to spin tales of the nomadic gang of mercenaries that left a river of blood in every job they took - and they were available for hire, if you could afford the price.
If the Courier sides with Legion and…
After the Legion took the Dam, Coyote simply adjusted and began selling weaponry and protection to those looking to flee the legion, or to travel to it. She always made sure to be one step ahead of the slaver’s collar, though,
If the Courier sides with NCR and…
With the NCR winning the dam, the Mojave began to lose its free and savage appeal that it once had. Coyote took to stealing from caravans and military outposts under the cover of night, determined to profit from the NCR’s victory in her own way.
If the Courier sides with House and…
With House maintaining the status Quo of New Vegas, Coyote gained a brief stint of infamy within the strip after clearing out every Casino in a single afternoon. She spent most of it at Gun Runners, and the rest was put towards buying as many chems as she could.
If the Courier makes New Vegas independent and…
After the Second Battle of Hoover Dam resulted in an Independent New Vegas, Coyote felt something almost close to gratitude towards the courier, who understood better than most that some things must always remain wild and free.
--
god this was fun. drawing of coyote made by the always lovely @yesjejunus and the blank template by @socksual-innuendos . i love you guys and enjoy having the world’s worst and edgiest companion by your sides
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It Will End in Rain
Part 1 - Proxy
(Next)
[Summary: Maybe she really was exactly what she seemed to be - a drifter who happened by at the right time to offer help. Logan had to admit, he’d been in a similar situation not that long ago. Well, minus the ‘passing do-gooder’ thing she had going for her.
Warnings: mild language, references to injury, brief reference to torture
Notes: XCU (but no Dark Phoenix.) POV character is Logan. Romance-free; platonic interactions only. The version of the GLX/GLA mentioned is entirely non-canon. “Proxy” was an angsty as hell X-Men OC I made when I was much younger. I wanted to try writing something less... edgelord with her, without fundamentally altering the character.]
-
Nothing ever went according to plan. This was supposed to be more of an errand than a mission – just picking up intel and getting out of there. It was supposed to be Logan and Jubilee taking the Maximoff twins along for their first real outing, now that the boys were nearing sixteen.
What it wasn’t supposed to be was an ambush.
Not that Logan was too worried. Jubilee could handle herself in a brawl, and the boys were a hell of a tag-team already.
He should’ve worried more. By the time he saw, it was too late.
A shockwave had thrown Jubilee to the ground. Another kept her from getting back to her feet, and a hulking mutant was barreling towards her. There’s no way Logan could move fast enough to intercept him – and Tommy was busy dodging bullets at the other end of the clearing – but he’d be damned if he didn’t try.
With a snarl, he raced towards them, but what he saw next pulled him up short. Seconds before impact, Jubilee seemed to blink out of existence, and in her place stood a woman Logan had never seen before.
The hulking mutant swung his arm, backhanding the stranger with a force that sent her flying twenty feet away to crash into a pile of boulders. She slid to the ground with a pained groan. Before Logan could blink, there was Jubilee – laying where the other woman had fallen – completely unharmed.
It was hard to know which of them was more confused. But, before the hulking mutant could wind up for another swing, Jubilee raised one arm and blasted him into the next county.
Logan ran to her. “Hey, you alright?”
Jubilee glanced around as he helped her up. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just… What just happened? One second I was here, and then-”
By then, the Maximoff twins had dealt with their half of the battle and were jogging over. Billy raised a silver briefcase in one hand.
“Got it!” he called. “What’s going on?”
Logan shook his head. “I don’t know, but it seems like we got company.”
Didn’t look like the boys were any worse for the wear, thankfully. Their mom would cross the multiverse to kick Logan’s ass if anything happened to them. The safest option would be to leave now, but…
“Like, friendly company, or otherwise?” asked Tommy.
“Hard to say. She was definitely a mutant.” Logan sighed. “Suppose we should check it out. Jubilee, did you see anything when it happened?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I did. I could still see this spot, but I was a ways away, maybe on a hill?”
“Show me,” Billy said, and turned to Logan, “And you show me what she looked like.”
Logan nodded, focusing on the stranger’s appearance. He felt the familiar buzzing sensation in his skull as Billy peered at the memory.
Brows furrowed, Billy turned to look at Tommy, who closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded.
“I’m on it,” he said, and zipped away.
Logan cast his gaze warily around the clearing. He didn’t like the idea that they were being watched.
“Who do you think she is?” said Billy.
Logan shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine, kid.”
It wasn’t unheard of to run into another mutant, but it was strange that she’d interjected herself into their fight like that. Suddenly, Tommy sped back into their midst.
“I found her,” he said, hooking a thumb towards one of the surrounding hills. “I think she’s hurt. Come on!”
This situation was rapidly getting out of hand. Logan didn’t have the professor’s advantage of reading strangers minds, just his gut instinct. But if this girl really was hurt… Well, he’d have a better grasp on the situation after seeing her.
Tommy led the group to the top of the hill.
“There,” he said, pointing at the ground.
There lay the woman Logan had seen before. If he had to guess, he’d put her around the same age as Jubilee. Definitely under thirty. Her long coat was weathered and threadbare in places, and so was the backpack that sat beside her.
She was slowly trying to push herself upright, grimacing in pain. She turned her head and spat blood onto the ground before looking up at them.
“Evening,” she said.
Logan tensed as she reached to rummage in her coat pocket, but all she retrieved was a flask.
“Who the hell are you?” he asked.
The stranger held up one finger, indicating he’d have to wait for an answer. Logan sighed impatiently, still eyeing her with suspicion as she took a swig.
“Name’s Skye,” she said finally. She looked them over, her gaze landing on Logan in particular. “You’re some of the X-Men, aren’t you?”
“And you just happened to be passing by when we were here,” said Logan.
“There’s a-” Here Skye broke off, hissing in pain as she struggled to her feet. Billy moved forward to help her, but she waved him away. Skye gritted her teeth and went on. “Backpacking trail. Just that way. This is a state park. I heard the noise and it looked like you guys could use a hand, so I jumped in.”
“Hmm.” Logan couldn’t deny that she had saved Jubilee from taking a nasty hit. “Well, thanks.”
“Don’t let me keep you from… well, whatever you’re doing out here,” said Skye. “I’ll get back to my- God… damn it.”
Skye reached for her backpack, and nearly doubled over in pain as she did so. The kids looked alarmed, and even Logan was starting to worry. If she was faking, she was doing a damn good job of it.
“Wait, you’re just gonna leave?” said Billy. “But you’re hurt.”
Skye straightened up, taking a few deep breaths to steady herself.
“I’m aware,” she said, “Cracked ribs. That’s about… a week and a half. Maybe I’d better find a motel instead.”
Billy looked back at Logan, evidently distressed, and he didn’t even need to ask. Sometimes having him along felt like having a teenaged Charles Xavier in the group. Logan sighed.
“What’s your read, kid?” he asked.
“I think…”
Skye winced for a moment, pressing a hand to her forehead. Having the kid poke around in your thoughts wasn’t exactly a good feeling, but at least he worked fast.
“I think she’s alright,” he finished.
“That’s good enough for me,” said Logan. “Look, Skye, why don’t you come back with us? You can get something to eat, get cleaned up… It beats hiking out of here to find a motel, right?”
“It’s the least we can do,” said Jubilee. “You can stay there while you heal up.”
There was silence for a few seconds as Skye considered this.
“Pneumonia would add another week,” she said, as though thinking aloud. “I guess… I mean, if you were kind enough to offer, it’d be rude not to take you up on it.”
Despite his initial misgivings, Logan had to give Billy’s assessment the benefit of the doubt. Skye really seemed to be exactly what she looked like – a drifter who happened to be in the right place to offer help.
He had to admit, he’d been in a similar situation not all that long ago. Well, minus the passing do-gooder thing Skye had going for her.
Skye stayed pretty quiet on the drive back to the mansion. She didn’t volunteer any information if she wasn’t asked directly, but she was polite enough, if a little curt. Then again, that might’ve had something to do with the cracked ribs.
But she didn’t get squirrelly when Tommy offered to carry her things either. Logan was pretty sure the kid rifled through the backpack at speed before he put it in the trunk, and he didn’t mention finding anything suspicious, so that was another point in Skye’s favor.
It was late when they got back to Xavier’s. Logan kept an eye on Skye as she got out of the car. She was definitely taking an interest in her surroundings. That could be chalked up to curiosity, though. Xavier’s school was getting quite a reputation. A down-on-their-luck mutant was bound to have heard stories, and probably wanted to know if they were true.
Logan was so busy keeping an eye on the newcomer that he didn’t even notice Professor Xavier until he spoke up.
“Logan?” he said. “Is everything alright?”
“Yeah, well, we ran into a little trouble, but we found some help,” said Logan, “And brought her back with us.”
If anybody was gonna know for sure if a stranger was on the level, it was the professor. Logan waited for any indication that there was trouble, but none came. The professor simply smiled, offering a handshake.
“Welcome,” he said. “I’m Professor Charles Xavier.”
“I… uh, Skye Schultz,” she said. “Honor to meet you, sir.”
Skye seemed nervous now, but more like shy nervous. The professor had that effect on people.
“The pleasure is all mine,” he said warmly. “I’m grateful for your help.”
“She busted a couple ribs in the process, too,” Logan added. “Part of the reason we brought her along.”
“Of course,” said the professor. “We’ll have someone show you to the infirmary and-”
“I’d rather not, if it’s all the same to you,” Skye interrupted.
Logan raised an eyebrow, surprised. Her tone was clipped and cold, a far cry from her usual low, dry monotone. Even the professor seemed taken aback, but only for a moment.
“Certainly,” he said, then looked to the Maximoff twins. “Boys, would you mind showing our guest to a room? There are a few open in the north wing; she’s welcome to take her pick. We’ll give you some time to settle in, Ms. Schultz, and then send up something to eat.”
Still looking a little agitated, Skye thanked him. Tommy shouldered her backpack once again, and he and Billy led her off.
“What do you think of her, Logan?” the professor asked at length.
Logan folded his arms. “Well, I think a liar would put a lot more effort into being friendly. Whatever she’s up to, I don’t think she’s got any ulterior motives. Why? What’s your take?”
“I think…” he said pensively, “I’d like to speak to her again, and I’d like you to come with me.”
“What, me?” Logan eyed him in confusion. “Oh, no. That’s not my wheelhouse, professor. Kurt’s the designated welcoming committee, not me.”
He laughed. “Oh, I’m aware of that, but Kurt’s still away at school. For now, I believe you’re the man for the job. I’m asking you to trust me on this, Logan.”
Logan sighed with ill grace. The professor would turn out to be right; he usually was.
-
“Professor, are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Jean asked, casting an uncertain glance down the hall towards Skye’s room.
“No, thank you, Jean,” said the professor. “Having three of us might be a bit overwhelming. I don’t expect there to be any trouble, but I appreciate your agreeing to keep watch.”
Jean nodded. “I’ll be right next door if you need anything. Or if she does.”
At the next door down, Logan knocked quietly. Silence. Maybe the kid had gone to sleep already. She had looked dead tired. But, no. He heard movement behind the door – a little too quietly, like she was trying not to be heard.
For a second, Logan was worried things were about to go south. Then, the door opened, and Skye peered out wordlessly.
“We brought you something to eat,” said the professor, smiling at her. “May we come in for a moment?”
“Sure,” was all she said.
Skye stepped aside, opening the door further so the professor’s wheelchair would fit through. She really had clammed up since they got here, hadn’t she? Not that she was particularly chatty out in the woods, but it was enough to be noticeable. Well, maybe her ribs were just bothering her.
Out of habit, Logan glanced around the room as he entered it. Two lamps on, but not the overhead light. Skye’s coat was neatly hung over a chair, and her backpack was on the floor beside it. She must’ve taken a shower. Her hair, still damp, was pulled into a long braid. The t-shirt and jeans she’d changed into were worn and oversized, but much cleaner than he’d expected.
Nothing that unusual, then. Logan took the tray from the professor, setting its contents down on the desk.
“Leftovers from dinner tonight,” the professor explained, motioning to the thermos. “Our cooks’ specialty: jambalaya. I hope that’s alright. And there’s a piece of rhubarb crumble for dessert, if you’d like it. Our groundskeeper is very proud of the recipe.”
Skye nodded, and thanked them, but didn’t make a move towards the food. Logan was sure she had to be hungry. Maybe she didn’t want to eat until they left, for some reason. Fair enough. Logan picked up the last item from the tray.
“And some ice for your ribs,” he said, passing the icepacks to Skye.
“Please, sit down,” said the professor, before the silence could drag on for too long. “I’m sure you must be tired, but I was hoping you won’t mind telling me a bit about yourself.”
Skye had taken a seat in the armchair and was settling the ice around her ribs as she gingerly leaned back. She frowned, confused.
“But couldn’t you just…?”
She gestured vaguely to her head, and the professor laughed.
“Oh, quite easily,” he said. “But what good would that do?”
Skye didn’t seem to know how to take that, and Logan still wasn’t sure what the professor expected from him in this whole interaction. Might as well get comfortable, though. He leaned against the wall, folding his arms.
“I don’t really know where to start,” said Skye.
“Start with your abilities, then,” the professor suggested.
“You’re some sort of teleporter, right?” said Logan.
“Sort of…” Skye’s gaze flashed to the professor again, and she frowned slightly.
Well, whatever it was, seemed like she still didn’t want to talk about it. But maybe she figured that she might as well anyway, since the professor is a mind-reader and all. She went on.
“I can create a sort of a, uh, a psychic link with somebody. It lets me see and hear everything they do. And if I’m linked to them, I can switch places with them for a short time.”
That explained how she pulled the whole ‘now you see me, now you don’t’ trick with Jubilee, but-
“Why would you wanna do something like that?” Logan pressed.
Skye shrugged, and winced. “Just like you saw. If they’re in danger, I can take the hit for them.”
The look of disbelief on his face was apparently all Skye needed as encouragement to clarify.
“I heal fast, too.”
Not that fast, clearly. Logan himself would’ve been fully recovered by now, if he’d been the one with cracked ribs. What was it Skye’d been mumbling to herself? Something about needing a week to heal? Weird that she knew the specifics.
“It’d take a rather particular set of circumstances for one to discover those sorts of abilities, I expect,” said the professor.
Skye cracked a rueful smile. Huh. Logan was pretty sure that was the first time she’d smiled all evening, actually.
“We got mugged,” she said. “I was seventeen. Me and my friend were walking back to my car after a movie, and some guy with a knife tried to mug us. My friend couldn’t get his wallet out of his pocket fast enough, and I just… It felt like I was seeing the whole thing through his eyes, and I knew he was gonna get stabbed, and then-”
She made a rotating gesture with her hands, indicating they switched places.
“Then I got stabbed instead,” she said. “It freaked the mugger out so much that he bolted. My friend, uh, he covered for me. Said the mugger’s story about us switching places was crazy.”
Now, a lot of mutants had some pretty rough experiences. Logan himself was no exception. Still, this girl was weirdly casual about getting stabbed as a teenager.
The professor nodded. “And that’s how you discovered the accelerated healing, too.”
“Right,” said Skye. “They figured it healed in about a quarter of the time it should’ve.”
Not too shabby, then. Still an eternity compared to what Logan was used to. The professor caught his eye for a second, and voiced his train of thought out loud.
“It’s healing, then, and not regeneration?” he asked.
“No, not regeneration,” said Skye, gesturing to her mouth. “Otherwise I wouldn’t have two false teeth.”
“From what?” Logan blurted out.
This kid didn’t look – or act – like a fighter, and Logan couldn’t believe she just got mugged that many times. It occurred to him a second too late that there could be a logical explanation, like an accident or something. But Skye was already answering him.
“When I was in college, I joined the GLX. I mean-” She broke off, suddenly looking uncomfortable. “I mean the GLA. Sorry, we- They still call themselves the GLX, uh, internally.”
The professor shook his head. “It’s quite alright.”
Logan sneered at the name. Over in the Midwest, a group of mutants had the balls to start calling themselves the “Great Lakes X-Men” without Xavier’s permission. When the professor asked them to change the name, they actually tried to say that they had every right to use it because something something x-gene, who knows. They folded at the first threat of a cease-and-desist, though. Ended up calling themselves the “Great Lakes Avengers” instead. Stupid name, if you asked Logan.
“Anyway,” Skye went on, “After Cairo, they decided that they should be doing more, and started actively recruiting. I wanted to help, so… I signed on.”
“What, they were just taking anybody?” Logan asked. “… I didn’t mean it like that.”
He kinda expected Skye to take offense at the comment, but she didn’t. Sure, her expression hardened a little, but she just managed to look more tired and defeated. What the hell happened to her out there?
“No, but they figured my abilities were valuable to the team,” said Skye. “With my help, they were able to take on riskier missions.”
“Riskier missions?” the professor repeated.
Logan knew that tone, and that brows-furrowed expression. Whatever Skye was implying, the professor was appalled by it.
“And this was your primary role in the team, is that right?” the professor continued.
“It’s all I’m good for,” said Skye. “If I could protect the person who was in the riskiest position, they’d have a far better chance of success.”
“They didn’t have you doing this out in the field, did they?” Logan asked. Maybe it wasn’t time for him to jump in, but he wouldn’t put it past these clowns to do something that stupid.
“No, I was back at headquarters the whole time. I stayed in the infirmary, since I’d be ending up there anyway. Some things only took days to recover from, other stuff could be a month or so.”
She was just so… detached and clinical about it. It was weird. It made Logan uncomfortable, if he was gonna be honest. He’d never really understood why people got so antsy when he’d get injured, but after listening to Skye talk? He was starting to get it.
“But you left the team eventually,” said the professor. “Tell us about that.”
Skye looked down, her jaw jutting out just a little. She was stalling. Logan glanced over at the professor, but he didn’t say anything – just sat there waiting for an answer. Whatever it was, the professor already knew it. He pretty much always did. But whatever it was, he wanted the kid to say it out loud.
When she finally answered, her voice sounded hollow. “One of ours got abducted. There was this anti-mutant group trying to pick up were Trask left off, and one day they just grabbed her from the grocery store parking lot. They-”
Skye broke off, almost like she’d flinched. She shut her eyes for a second, and swallowed hard before going on.
“They wanted information about the rest of the GLX. They, uh, they tried to make her talk. So while the others went to get her out of there, my job was… My job was to protect her.”
Logan didn’t like where this was going.
“Our leader had me link up with her. I told him everything that was happening, and told me to switch in every time they were going to… Every time they-”
Skye leaned forward, and for a second it looked like she was gonna throw up. Logan was ready to grab the trash can for her. He wasn’t so sure he wanted to hear more of this story. He glanced at the professor, who was watching Skye closely. A pained look crossed his face.
“It’s alright,” he said gently. “What happened next?”
“I tried to do it. I swear, I tried.” Skye’s voice wavered, then broke completely. “But after the third time, I couldn’t. I couldn’t make myself go back there. He kept telling me I had to, but I just…”
Skye shook her head. She shut her eyes tight, and her shoulders shook for a second while she tried to pull herself together.
Logan wasn’t what anybody would call naïve. If somebody volunteered for the X-Men, or even for some crapshoot of an outfit like the GLA, they knew that danger was a real possibility. But asking – no – ordering some untrained student to volunteer for torture? What the hell kind of leader would do that?
Logan looked at the girl in front of him and saw Rogue, and Jubilee, and Kitty, and dozens of other students he’d helped train. The thought of them going through what’d happened to Skye almost turned his stomach.
“And then?” the professor prompted gently.
Skye took a deep breath, like she was steadying herself.
“She was alright, all things considered,” she said. “They got to her in time. But the others never looked at me the same after I failed like that.”
It was all Logan could do not to jump in right then, because what the actual hell was wrong with these people?
“And after a while, I couldn’t face them either,” she went on. “I left. I didn’t know what else to do. I drove until the money ran out, and after that, I sold my car. I’ve been walking ever since.”
“I just want to make sure I understand,” the professor said slowly. “They let you disappear… because they felt that you’d failed them.”
Skye’s gaze was fixed firmly on the floor.
“I had one job,” she said. “And when it mattered most, I messed up.”
Whether they really blamed her for this or they were just letting her think that it was somehow her fault – it was awful either way. But while the professor looked stricken by the story, all it was doing was making Logan’s blood boil.
“But before that,” said the professor, “Whatever they’d asked of you, you did it.”
“Every time,” Skye said quietly.
“They used you as a goddamn human shield.” The words were out of Logan’s mouth before he could stop himself.
Forget waiting his turn, and forget dancing around the issue. The startled look on Skye’s face as she shook her head told him everything he needed to know.
“No, that’s not it at all,” she insisted. “If I have these powers, it’s my responsibility to use them to help.”
“It’s sure as hell not,” said Logan. “Not like that. Okay, so you’re willing to bleed for something. Great. Real noble of you. But it is screwed up that they took that literally.”
“No, it’s... That’s all that I’m good for.” But her voice was quieter now.
The GLA was damned lucky there was half a continent between Logan and them.
“Yeah, that’s not true,” he said. “If you’ve got a teleporter on your team, you can have them pass messages, drop off supplies, smuggle things past security – and that’s just off the top of my head. I’m sure Raven could come up with a dozen more options.”
It astounded him that the GLA could be that lazy, that cowardly. Logan kept waiting for the professor to step in and tell him he’d said enough, but he didn’t.
“Didn’t they ever train you to fight, or to defend yourself? Did they give you some sort of body armor, at least?”
Skye hesitated. “… no.”
That was the last straw. Logan snapped.
“They expected you to take bullets for them whenever they asked, and you did it. And when torture was a bridge too far – as it goddamn should be – they acted like you betrayed them somehow. Because that’s all you were good for, right? Just jumping in to help whenever they snapped their fingers. But let me ask you this: did any of them ever volunteer to switch in to help you?”
Skye was staring up at him, wide-eyed. He could tell she was trying to think of some way to respond, to deny everything he’d said. Guilt crept into Logan’s mind. Damn it, he got carried away. He didn’t mean to upset her like that.
“I’m… I’m sorry,” he said gruffly.
Skye jerked her chin in something like a nod. The air in the room started to feel a little heavy. Logan was honestly surprised the professor hadn’t shut him up in the middle of all that, but it was only now that he spoke up.
“It can’t have been easy, sharing your story with us,” he said, “Much less experiencing it firsthand. I want you to know that you’re among friends here, and that you’re welcome to stay as long as you wish. Alright?”
Skye mumbled an affirmative, and the professor smiled gently at her.
“It’s getting late, and you’ve had a long day,” he said. “No, don’t get up. It’s quite alright. I’ll have someone come by in the morning to bring you breakfast. Goodnight, Ms. Schultz.”
Her responding ‘goodnight’ was barely audible.
Logan pulled the door closed quietly behind him and followed the professor down the hall in silence. It was only when he was sure they were out of earshot of Skye’s room that he spoke up.
“I was a little too blunt in there, wasn’t I?” he asked wryly.
“Perhaps.” The professor was gazing ahead thoughtfully, then he looked up at Logan and smiled. “However, I was counting on you to do just that.”
Logan’s brows furrowed. “I’m not following.”
The professor came to a stop in front of the elevator. Instead of calling for it, he turned to face Logan. Apparently it was explanation time. Logan shifted his weight and folded his arms, settling in to listen.
“I could’ve easily read her history in her mind,” said the professor. “I could’ve even recited it back to her; it would’ve made no difference. What she needed was to see her story through someone else’s eyes – through yours – in order to perceive it clearly.”
“So you knew it was gonna piss me off.”
The professor chuckled, shaking his head.
“I had a feeling,” he said, “That the GLA’s treatment of Skye would horrify you and provoke your outrage, which it did. The strength and sincerity of your reaction did more to wake her up that my speaking to her ever could have. Thank you for trusting me on this, Logan.”
“Hmm.” Logan still wasn’t sure if he’d helped at all. If anything, he was more worried about the kid than he’d been before. “Is she gonna be alright?”
“Well, what do you think?”
Logan snorted. The professor was always gonna be a teacher at heart, answering a question by throwing it back at him.
“I think it’s not the first time you took in a stray,” he said.
“Logan,” the professor scolded gently.
“I can say that because I was one of them,” Logan said, laughing. “I think… Well, if there was hope for me, I think she’ll be alright.”
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Detritus and McCarran meet at Hades’ Palace [OC]
I guess it’s time once again for my midnight OC rambles... this time with two of my new OCs, Emperor Detritus and Grand Courier McCarran. These are part of my post-apocalyptic fantasy world, meeting at the Emperor’s palace in the Citadel of Novar. Maybe one day I’ll use this to post more lore... - C
Detritus was sat on his throne, legs crossed, as he read a book and took a long drag from his cigarette. He had all his “regal” dress on even though he was sat there disregarding any sense of urgency, or remembering his plans for the day. He was meant to be having a meeting with a fellow senator of the New Provadence Republic which he had just joined as part of a political alliance between his Empire and the republic.
The almost shanty doors creak open as a figure dressed entirely in power armour walks through the door, removing the helmet as he walks up to the throne. Detritus glances over and almost jumps out of his seat like he had completely zoned out (which he had) reading and smoking.
“Emperor. It’s a pleasure to see you,” the voice softly beckons, as the figure kneels down, his helmet in his hands, “I don’t know what your customs are but I guess over the top is better than too casual.”
“Oh just get off your knees. The floor’s filthy.” Detritus rasps, placing a strip of red fabric in his book to mark the page and closing it before dropping it on the floor beside the throne, “You must be the guy they sent. These fools call me Detritus. So I guess that’s who I am to you too, heh. Now what’cha doing standing there? Let me get you a drink.”
Before McCarran can introduce himself, or even say anything about the drink the emperor is offering him, Detritus is already up pouring two glasses of whiskey.
“So who are you then, eh? You were brave to even try and come here. And lucky that those ferals didn’t rip you to shreds when they saw you, smoothskin.” Detritus inquires.
“Oh. I am the Grand Courier of the Courier Syndicate. Uh, the name’s McCarran. Dominic McCarran. I’m one of the senators, we met last week.”
“Ah yes,” Detritus hisses, “we did. Sorry I have been so busy making sure these idiots don’t go feral. You’ve seen what they do to humans when they come in. Territorial bastards. I have no problem though. With humans that is. The ferals have forgotten who they were before, I sure as hell haven’t. I still hold my human self very close a hundred and fifty years on. I mean how could I forget? I had my dream job back before the war - Chief Detective Inspector. Now those were the days... oh, sorry I got completely carried away. Now why did you come again?”
“I was sent here to give you your badge, us senators have it so we can tell who is part of the government and who isn’t... and I guess for diplomatic immunity... so we don’t get ripped to, uh, shreds.” McCarran replies, “I was the only one who was, I guess, brave enough to come here. Yet, I’m still the youngest. The Syndicate is barely three years old and I’m here being the responsible guy. The brave guy. I guess while I’m here, we can get to know eachother. Cordiality.”
McCarran shyly hands over the medal, a golden badge with a falcon emblem on it and a crimson background. The badge has three stars, a subtle reference to Detritus’s past even though McCarran doesn’t know that personally. Whoever made the badge clearly did their fair share of research.
“Of course, you don’t need to ask. Anyone who makes it up and doesn’t try to kill me is a friend. Now do you want anything else other than just the whiskey? Any chems? Why don’t you come up to my room. It’s more comfortable up there. And, hey, thanks for the medal. It looks cool.”
He fumbles around with the pin for a moment, almost stabs his finger as he attaches the badge to his tattered trench coat. He throws his cigarette to the floor, extinguishing it with his foot before taking a big sip of his drink and walks over to the staircase behind his metal throne. McCarran follows behind, nervously looking around him as the Irrads around the throne room either look at him with dumbfounded interest or scornful glares. He twirls his drink in his glass before taking small sips. McCarran is much, much younger than Detritus, being about 260 years his junior. Detritus is also taller than him but incredibly slim, his bony yet muscular torso showing from his low-buttoned off-white shirt.
The two walk upstairs, to a modest living room with two comfortable yet tattered sofas, one red and the other a faded grey. A small wooden coffee table is between them, covered in papers, broken pencils, and another bottle of alcohol. Detritus briefly walks to his large bookshelf on one of the walls before straddling over the red sofa before rolling over onto it, spilling some of his whiskey over his face as he finished the glass.
“Welcome to my place. Nice ain’t it. Please take a seat on the other sofa, it’s probably the cleanest thing you’ll sit on in this entire city so make most of it.” Detritus chuckles before coughing slightly, “I guess, make yourself at home.”
“Oh, thanks. Yeah, yeah.”
McCarran walks over to the grey sofa, wiping it off and stepping out of his armour before he takes a seat. He looks uncomfortable but he knows that it’s worse lower down and he’s incredibly lucky to have made it up without getting ratted out by one of the palace’s guards. He breathes a great sigh of relief before taking another sip.
“So, kid, what’s your story then?” Detritus asks.
“Well, I’m a mercenary. Have been all my life. I used to work for the PNL... well until they tried to kill me. They said I was “too good”. Can you believe that? I did some things I’m not super proud of and hid for a few years up north before going to Metropolis and starting this syndicate. How about you? You seem... so interesting. I’ve never met an Irrad quite like you before.”
“Heh. You seem like a pretty useful guy. But me? I was around before the bombs dropped. I was a detective. Before I became an Irrad, I was called Lawrence. Lawrence Connolly. I was a pretty big deal in Caledale, working on all the big cases. Man, what a life that was. When the bombs dropped, I was working a murder case down in the metro under the city. That’s why I didn’t die straight away like most people did but I couldn’t get out because some rubble had blocked off the stairway out. I survived off of water pipe leaks and quickly mutating rats before I myself mutated. I remember waking up one morning and I was as dry as a raisin. I think one of my toes had fallen off and I was going absolutely mental. If it wasn’t for some synth clearing his way towards Vault 24, I wouldn’t have been found.
I looked a lot worse for a while, I was a drifter roaming the wasteland before I found this crater below us. A bunch of other Irrads were around it, and they saw me. They said there was a god of radiation and apparently it was me. I mean I went along with it, thinking it was some kind of joke. I mean I was happy that I was being spoken to, even if half the words they said were either utter bullshit or incomprehensible nonsense. They built me this tower and all these buildings. I just led them. I realise now that they’re being serious but I don’t know, to be honest. I was just a fourty-something year old detective stuck in the wrong era. So I changed and look where I am now. I still like collecting books and music like I did before but now I have people that do it for me and boy is this stuff worth a lot. I won’t let go of it though, no matter how many times the Metropolis Provisional University or whatever it calls itself tries to buy them off of me. It’s the last thing reminding me of a better time. One where I didn’t look like a goddamn anthropomorphic raisin. That’s my story. Would you like me to put on a song? So you can see why these are so important to me?”
“Yeah, I- I’d like that, actually.” McCarran replies. “You’ve been through a hell of a lot, Detritus. You’re definitely some man.”
“Heh. Thanks. That means a lot to me. And hey, you can call me Laurie.” He chuckles under his breath as he gets up and flicks though his record collection before picking one, taking it out of its sleeve very carefully and placing it on the turntable. He gently lowers the pin with one hand and turns up the speakers with the other. As the music starts, he opens the bottle on the coffee table and pours another round of drinks before lighting a new cigarette and leaning back into the sofa with his drink.
The two share a quiet moment, enjoying the music as it plays on.
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Houses For Sale in Saint Maries, ID
404 Sarah Ln, Saint Maries, ID
Price: $75000
This Lot/Land located at 404 Sarah Lane, Saint Maries, ID is currently for sale and has been listed on theochomesearch for 39 days. This property is listed by Listing Agent for $75,000. The property has a lot size of 0.76 acres. 404 Sarah Ln is in the 83861 ZIP code in Saint Maries, ID.
Tract 26 Riverdale Dr, Saint Maries, ID
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Lot 11 Blk 6 1st St #11, Saint Maries, ID
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Blk 5 1st St 6 #6, Saint Maries, ID
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Tract 1 Mutch Creek Rd, Saint Maries, ID
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Tract 2 Mutch Creek Rd, Saint Maries, ID
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Investor opportunity! This property was recently foreclosed by a bank or financial institution and is now available to purchase online at Auction.com ending 03-22-2017. Visit Auction.com now to view additional photos, Property Reports with title information, Plat maps with property lines and Interior Property Inspection Reports when available. Auction.com sells properties across the country online for financial institutions and government agencies who are very motivated to sell to investors. Don’t miss this special opportunity to buy homes at wholesale prices! In our online auctions and live Foreclosure Sales, Auction.com currently has 2 properties scheduled for sale in Benewah County and 27 throughout Idaho. All properties and sale details can be found with a simple search at Auction.com. Create a FREE account today to find more properties like this one, save searches of properties that meet your investment criteria and have the properties you’re looking for emailed directly to you when posted in an upcoming sale event. To view the complete details of this exact property, click the Auction.com link below or paste the Property ID 2357261 into the search bar at Auction.com
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Perfect place for a getaway cabin or bring plans for your dream home. Walk to the river to swim or fish off the dock. Enjoy the abundant wildlife only minutes from town. Hook-up into community system in.
from Houses For Sale – The OC Home Search http://www.theochomesearch.com/houses-for-sale-in-saint-maries-id/
from OC Home Search https://theochomesearch.tumblr.com/post/158172275095
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