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When Raine opened her eyes to face the new day, she was not met with warm, gentle sunlight as the sun peaked over the horizon like every other morning. Instead, her head was being racked with a pounding headache so intense that it obscured her vision. For a good minute or two, her eyes couldn’t focus on the environment around her. Everything was fuzzy, and the few shapes she could make out were reduced to colorful blobs. Also, moving was practically impossible. Her limbs felt weak, as if her muscles had atrophied in the span of the 8 hours she’d spent in bed. Every slight shift required significant effort, and a fresh flash of agony accompanied all of them. Overall, this was definitely the worst feeling she’d ever woken up to; like every single off day she’d ever had rolled together and multiplied by ten.
Raine shut her eyes once more and took a deep breath to calm the panic that threatened to overwhelm her. Time to take a few steps back and try to figure out what the fuck was going on. She was in her bed, that much she knew; the feeling of the 200-year-old grimy - yet surprisingly comfortable - thick foam-stuffed cloth beneath her. Attempting to sift through her memories was painful, each thought like a stab to the brain with a heated knife; but even still, she had to know what had gotten her into this state.
Raine’s brows scrunched together at the torrent of flashing images of the past few days. The first day she got here, she hadn’t encountered anyone obviously sick, and she doubted that Colter had some debilitating illness under that power armor with the fight he’d given her in the Cola Cars Arena. The second day, she and Gage had cleared and claimed Galactic Zone, and only robots called that place home, so it’s unlikely that she caught anything there. The third day, they went to work on Dry Rock Gulch. The bloodworms there had put up quite a fight. With every worm they put down, five more took their place in attempts to swarm them. But, Raine and Gage made a hell of a pair, so they’d managed to stop the creatures before they could inflict any lethal damage.
Yeah… the bloodworms… the giant, disgusting mutated worms whose bodies burst open upon death and showered them in their blood and viscera… Realization hit her like a cold wake from hell. It was the bloodworms - the fucking worms! It was those bastards’ fault she was in this situation! God only knows what nasty diseases those things carry inside their bodies, and she’d gotten sprayed with their innards multiple times. A loud, frustrated groan escaped her. This is the last fucking thing she needs right now. There’s an entire park to claim, and everyone’s eyes are upon her, all judging her progress; the delicate “peace” between the Disciples, Operators, and the Pack balancing on a knife’s edge.
Through the haze of her suffering, there was the sound of footsteps approaching her, and then a voice. “Damn boss, you alright?”
Raine squinted at the source of the familiar voice. For a moment, the person at her bedside was a blurry frenzy of colors and clashing shapes. Eventually, though, the easily recognizable mug of Porter Gage came into focus. Despite his concerned tone, she couldn’t help her flaring annoyance. “Do I fucking look like I’m “alright” Gage?” She spat.
He furrowed the brow of his one good eye. “Okay okay - calm down - I just figured I’d ask. Nah, you look like shit; the hell happened to you?”
Raine’s head sank impossibly further into her pillow as she turned her gaze to the ceiling, resisting the urge to close her eyes again as another flash of pain thrashed her noggin. “It was the bloodworms… they must have infected me with something when they exploded…”
“That’s what’s gotten you into this state? Christ, you must have a terrible immune system.” Gage replied, not even trying to hide his snark.
When she looked in his direction again, she sent him a pointed glare. As much as Raine hated to admit it, Gage was right. It’s only been one year since she left Vault 111 and found herself in this strange new, deadly world. Adjusting to the hell of the post-nuclear apocalypse had been a steep learning curve; and though she’d known nothing about the wasteland, there was one obvious thing - it was adapt or die. So she had, and all of her exploits and her success in defeating Colter were proof of that. But despite this, she still became sick from the most minor of things, as if her 200-year-old-plus body was incapable of evolving from the pre-war.
Gage didn’t know her story, and Raine didn’t feel like telling him about it. As far as he knew, she was just another scaver born and raised in the wastes, and frankly, she’d like to keep it that way. “Oh, fuck off.” Was all she could respond with.
He didn’t pay her childish insult any mind; a nonreaction that spoke volumes about his experience in living among obnoxious raiders. “No can do, boss. You’re sick and I can’t leave you alone like this. Better I stay here and tend to ya than risk you dying in bed.”
Raine felt her annoyance fade. “Are you saying you’re… gonna take care of me?” She asked in surprise.
Gage raised a brow at her. “Uh, yeah?” He said as if it were obvious. “My job is to keep you alive, provide my advice, and ensure the gang bosses stay off your ass. I’d say this falls under my duties.”
She just stared at him for a moment, eyes wide. Raine knew all too well that if she weren’t the Overboss, then Gage wouldn’t give a damn about her. But, as far as wasteland compassion went, this was downright amicable. She didn’t expect this from someone - from a raider - like Gage. “I uh… okay - good.” She said, a tad tongue-tied.
For a short, almost imperceptible moment, Gage stared back at her. There was a certain look in his eye, his gaze inquisitive like he was trying to figure something out about her, and was seeing something she very much didn’t want him to. It was unnerving; but, before she could tell him to cut it out, he spoke again. “Well, I’m gonna go grab some medicine. Pretty sure Colter had some in the back room - be right back.”
Then, just like that, Gage was off. Raine craned her neck to watch his retreating back as he walked toward the double doors that led to the living space of the former Overboss and stepped through it, leaving the one he entered through open.
She felt suddenly envious of his ability to get up and move around. Her body ached all over, and the thought of standing from her bed made her stomach feel even sicker. There’s no question that Raine is vulnerable right now, and she hates it. Deciding that she wasn’t going to let this damned illness control her, she forced herself to sit up; if nothing else, then she could at least do this. Raine pushed through the pain, gritting her teeth to suppress the agonized groan that threatened to rip through her as her upper half felt less like a part of her body and more like searing lightning burning across her synapses.
A small sigh of relief left her when she finally felt her lower back hit the short headboard of her bed, her ratty blanket pooling around her lap. However, her sense of accomplishment was short-lived upon realizing that she shouldn’t be proud of doing something so simple. Heat spread across her freckled cheeks in embarrassment - this is pathetic. Before her mind could spiral further into self-deprecation, Raine forced herself to look out the nearby window that encircled Fizztop Grille.
Below in the streets of Nuka-Town USA, she spotted two Disciples creeping in the shadows where the morning sun hadn’t quite reached yet. The women seemed to giggle to one another as a random Operator passed by, completely unaware of their presence. He was isolated from the rest of his group, which made him the perfect victim for the ambush predators. The man’s fate was sealed the moment they pounced, their blades glinting in the light before swiftly sinking into his flesh.
Raine should feel irritated at the sight, but honestly? A wicked grin pulled at the corners of her mouth. It was… pretty damn funny. She’s always liked the Disciples, the Pack too now that she’s thinking about it. Nisha and her girls share her love for senseless violence, and Mason and his band of freaks bring just enough chaos to keep things interesting. The Operators, however? Let’s just say that if the Parlor were to catch fire right now, and the flames engulfed Mags and William… well, she wouldn’t be in a hurry to go putting it out.
When the sound of footsteps returned, she knew exactly who it was; the rhythm of Gage’s footfalls so recognizable that Raine wondered when the hell she’d memorized it. It wasn’t long until he was back at her bedside. “Well, I ain’t a doctor, but this should sort out whatever you caught out there.” Then, he was handing her a bulky syringe that was identical to a psycho except for the bold, white writing on the side that read “antibiotics”.
“Great, thanks.” Raine replied. Using antibiotics was different from using a stimpak. Rather than injecting it in the spot where the neck met the shoulder, antibiotics had to be injected into the inner elbow. Raine took a moment to find the plump vein, rubbing her thumb over the area until it appeared. Then, without further ado, she stuck the needle into her flesh. It stung a bit at first, but the initial discomfort faded shortly after and left her arm feeling slightly numb as the medicine entered her bloodstream. It went to work instantly; her body still hurt, though now the pain was relegated to a dull ache rather than all-encompassing agony, and the pounding in her head softened.
The sickness wasn’t gone yet, that much was clear. It would probably take a few hours at least for it to pass from her system completely. But for now, it was at least manageable. Raine slumped over slightly in sudden exhaustion, her weight pressing on her thighs where her palms rested; a stabilizing force that prevented her from toppling over. For whatever reason, wasteland medicine has always made her feel tired. There was a small part of her that still wondered what exact ingredients qualify as medicinal nowadays; but, she pushed it aside. As long as it made her feel better, she didn’t particularly care anymore.
With the last bit of her strength, Raine handed the empty syringe back to Gage to be disposed of. He eyed the action curiously, the same way he’d looked at her before leaving to retrieve the antibiotics. But, he took it anyway and placed it into one of the pouches of his belt. She raised a brow at him, but once more, he spoke before she could say anything about it. “I grabbed this for ya too. Water - the good kind, not that irradiated shit. 2 in case you’re extra thirsty.”
Gage set the cans on her bedside table. She wasn’t entirely sure where he’d stored them, but she wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. With a nod, she replied, already reaching for one of them. “Appreciate it.” Then, Raine opened it and took a few hearty swigs, easily downing around half of it before setting what remained back on the table.
That’s it - she’s spent. All she wanted to do now was go back to sleep - the park be damned. Suddenly, she didn’t care about Nuka World’s problems or what the gang bosses might think about her wasting her time by staying at Fizztop Grille for a day. Raine needs to be at her best to make their vision of a conquered Nuka World a reality, and if anyone has a problem with that, then tough shit for them. She settled back in bed and pulled the blanket back over herself, her short, choppy red hair splaying on the straw pillow. Moving around was much easier now with the antibiotics in her system, and with that relief came the promise of a good rest.
Unfortunately for Raine, however, sleep wasn’t so simple for her to fall into. No matter how much she shifted around, trying to find a comfortable position to fall asleep in, she could not for the life of her find it. Somewhere in the background, she heard Gage moving around. It was clear that he was trying to be quiet, but he unfortunately just didn’t have the knack for stealth that she did. Then, she heard a soft thud, like something was placed on the floor near her bed, followed by a slight creak, as if a weight were pressed on top of it. When Raine opened her eyes, she saw him sitting at her bedside on one of the chairs from the lounge area, his arms crossed - though not angrily - as he looked down at her, watching carefully for any signs of her illness growing worse, just in case.
“You’re sitting there?” She asked, hoisting herself up on an elbow. Normally whenever she and Gage were back at Fizztop Grille, he was busy cleaning his handmade rifle, the parts disassembled either on the bar or on the lounge table. Him staying in one spot like this was unusual.
He nodded. “Yup. Like I said, boss, I’m not going anywhere.”
Raine’s mouth pulled into a slight grin. “Well in that case, I’m sorry to say that you’re gonna be pretty bored. I’m not the best company right now.”
“Eh, I’m not worried about that. Now that you’ve had antibiotics this whole thing will be over soon. We’ll be back to killin’ chumps and making caps in no time.”
She chuckled. “Heh, damn right Gage.” Then, she turned her head to look back out the window. The sun had risen a little more, painting the sky in shades of orange; the beautifully ominous landscape igniting a sudden sense of possessiveness in her. “This world is our oyster, and it’s all gonna be ours.”
Silence filled the room after the words left her mouth, and Raine realized all too late the reason why. Her heart sank - “This world is our oyster”? Fuck! Did she really just let a shitty pre-war saying slip like that?! In the months before coming to Nuka World, Raine had a pretty good grasp on how to blend in with the folks in the Commonwealth. So much so that people no longer shot her funny looks like they had when she’d first left the Vault. But, now it seems that she’s gotten far too comfortable here to the point of letting her mouth run free. She refused to look at him, hoping that the awkwardness would pass swiftly without having to address it.
Fizztop Grille was deafeningly quiet, with the only sound being the soft tapping of Gage’s boot as the tension continued to drag. However, like a rubber band that was stretched to its limit, it eventually snapped. “Alright, fuck it. I’m just gonna come out and say it - there’s something strange about you.”
Raine’s eyes clamped shut, and her brows furrowed as irritation flared through her with a vengeance. Here she was hoping he knew when to leave well enough alone. Instead, it seems he’s chosen to poke at a shoddily stitched wound. Out of respect for their partnership, Raine forced herself to calm down by reminding herself that he doesn’t know what happened in her past. So far, she liked Gage; he took orders well, was good in a fight, and - most importantly - he didn’t annoy the shit out of her like most others did. So, she decided that this little one-off incident wasn’t worth burning bridges over like she had with all her other friends before him.
Finally, ever so slowly, she looked back at him. “What makes you say that?” She said, choosing to feign ignorance.
His one good eye narrowed. “You know what I’m talking about. You’re much more… civil than anyone else I’ve met, which I suppose when talking about raiders isn’t saying much, but still. Also, you say some odd things sometimes; not just the weird phrases like the one you just said, but you also make a lot of references to the pre-war that I don’t really get. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is… I’m curious, boss. Where are you from? Cause it obviously ain’t here.”
Raine deadpanned at him. But, she decided to play along. “Oh? And where do you think I’m from?”
As soon as the pointed question left her mouth, her eyes as piercing as daggers, his cheeks seemed to heat up a little in embarrassment, as though he suddenly regretted asking about her background altogether. His eyes darted away, refusing to meet hers. “Well I uh… boss, there’s a rumor floating around about you; it was started by the Operators - some of Mags’s spies. A lot of people seem to think that you’re a uh… a vaultie.”
The frustrated sigh that rattled her was nothing short of thunderous; and she pinched the bridge of her nose. Of course - of fucking course - that nosy bitch Mags Black was having her peons spread something like that around. However, despite her anger, there was something light and wild arising from her chest - laughter. It started as a chuckle at first, but slowly built its way up to a roar; and the intensity of it was enough to send her head bending back. Raine knew that the Operators were bitter about her handing out more territory to the other gangs, but this was how Mags chose to get payback? Spreading rumors as if she were a high school mean girl among her clique of snooty prep kids?
Raine knew that she must look like a madwoman in the way that her mood changed from irritation to joy like the flip of a switch; but, she didn’t care. Gage has seen her carve up her enemies with the eagerness and brutality that only someone who genuinely enjoyed the slaughter could express. What’s a little maniacal laughter on top of that? When she looked at him again, his good eye was wide - though not perturbed - as he waited patiently for her guffawing to end.
When she finally spoke again, her tone was mirthful, and she had a wide smile on her face. “Okay, to hell with it. Yes - I am indeed a vault dweller… or was one, anyway. And that’s all I’m saying about the subject; don’t press for details.”
Gage seemed to contemplate that for a moment, before he eventually replied. “Well, that’s damn impressive, boss. You’ve sure come a long way since then, huh? All things considered, I’m glad you ended up here.”
Raine settled back in bed as fatigue ultimately set in. It seems she used the rest of her energy with her howling laughter. Her eyes became half-lidded from drowsiness as she looked up at him, and her broad smile switched to a soft, gentle one. “I am too.” Then, darkness clouded her vision as sleep finally beckoned, and she was all too happy to accept its invitation.
Raine was suddenly awoken by the sound of voices coming from somewhere below, near the elevator, and she groaned into her pillow. Fizztop Grille was dark, and it was clearly nighttime outside; so, who the fuck was being so loud at this hour? When she lifted her head, she saw that Gage wasn’t in his chair anymore, and her brows furrowed. With nobody there to answer her question for her, all she could do was try focusing on the voices again.
“No, I can’t. The boss isn’t coming out, so quit asking.” One of the voices said, and her ears perked up upon recognizing that it belonged to Gage; his southern accent was impossible to mistake for anyone else.
“Listen, Gage, if the Overboss wanted to take a day off today, then that’s fine. But, she could have at least let us know ahead of time.” A voice that she recognized as Nisha’s said.
“Eh, I dunno about all that. I think the Overboss should be able to do whatever the hell she likes. I just came here because I saw that the rest of yous were.” She heard Mason’s voice say.
Then, the unfortunately all too familiar voice that Raine recognized as Mags’s spoke, her pompous, high-pitched tone like nails on a chalkboard. “Pfft, both of you think so simply - especially you, Mason. If you ask me, I think she caught something out there and now she’s sick. Think about it, why else would she stay inside all day without letting anyone know? And why is she not down here right now talking to us? This just proves that a vaultie Overboss is too weak to lead us.”
Raine chuckled darkly. Oh, so that’s what she thinks, huh? With a sudden strength that surprised even herself, she stood from her bed and made her way to the bar to grab a bottle of Nuka Cola that was sitting there. Then, she walked to the ledge of Fizztop Grille, uncapped it, and dumped the dark, sugary, sticky contents onto Mags’s blonde head. She immediately shrieked and stepped out of the way in an attempt to save her stupid metal-tie welded suit and done-up hair. But, unfortunately for her, it was too late. She was soaked from head to toe, and when she looked up to see the culprit behind the attack, her face went red as a tato.
The other gang bosses broke out into a fit of roaring laughter at the display. Even Gage, who was practically the ambassador of the importance of making peace with all the gang bosses found it hilarious, as was evident by the way he tried to compose himself at first, but eventually ended up giving in to the same schadenfreude as Nisha and Mason.
Mags was absolutely livid. “How dare you! I’ll get you back for this, boss! You better hope you have eyes at the back of your head!”
Raine then chucked the now-empty glass bottle near her feet, where it then shattered into pieces on the ground as a warning. “Yeah yeah, save me the empty threats! Now, get the hell outta here!”
“Holy shit! The Overboss is a riot!” Mason yelled through his cackling.
“Indeed. I’d say that if she were sick before, then she’s definitely better now.” Nisha said, talking through the last of her chuckles.
Mags’s face was indignant before she stormed off, cursing loudly as she made her way back to the Parlor, undoubtedly to bathe and vent her frustrations to her brother, William, and whoever else would listen. But, Raine couldn’t bring herself to feel any sympathy or regret for what she did; Mags got what was coming to her. What’s that one charming raider expression? “Talk shit get hit”? Yeah, Raine would say that applies here. Also, it was pretty goddamn funny. One of the head honchos of the Operators got humiliated in front of the other gang bosses at the hands of the Overboss? That’s bound to cause a stir, and Raine couldn’t wait for it to be on Raider Radio tomorrow.