https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/395ra9/fallout_4_war_war_never_changeswait_is_that_a/

Guided back out into the dimly lit hallway, they walked silently together, Isabella fidgeting with her long locks of curly black hair, while you kept picturing those faces drinking in all those lies. It wasn’t right what they were doing to those children, brainwashing them into fighting for their cause. But at the same time you could understand the reasons why. How many were willing to fight and die for just ideals?

Grumbling to yourself about the ugly reality of the world, you barely heard Isabella speak to you, when she repeated her question, “you think I could come with you, when you leave?”

Staring at her in shocked surprise, you half wondered if her mind was still intact? She may not have seen what they had just been through in those tunnels, but surely she had heard the sounds of fighting, seen the wounded that had come through this place, and still she wanted to leave the safety of this underground bunker? But despite all that, you could see from the earnest expression as she tapped her foot nervously against the stone that she wanted an answer. “Well?”

But what could you say to her? Sure, you wouldn’t mind having her along on this trip, but knowing the dangers that were out there, would you be just as willing to risk her life? Someone who has lived her whole life down here? Someone who did not know the dangers of the outside world. Even remembering the first seconds of coming into this world, you had been driven to kill in order to survive, and she wanted to go out there?

Mouth flapping open and closed as you tried to find an answer, you finally managed to say, “what about your father?”

“What about him?”

“Wouldn’t he be angry that you left?”

Shoulders shrugged uncomfortably under your gaze, Isabella looked away, before she replied, “I have to leave some day if I'm ever going to find out what happened to my real father. So why not now? Your friends have a train, and I’m quite good with guns, I’ve even learned how to cook using rations.”

Too flabbergasted to answer her, they continued to walk together as you tried to come up with more reasons why she couldn’t come with you, when finally they both arrived back at the mess hall where Loraq and Tessa spoke to each in sign language. The kindly old ghoul, looking up at you with a crinkled smile that made her appear almost like an elderly grandmother as she stood up. “Glad, to see you’re back, child. Cassidy wished to meet up with us at the train platform. It seems we have everything we need to get out of here.”

With Loraq giving Isabella an odd inquiring look, you looked around for Gyforn to come to your rescue, but the middle-aged synth was not around, and the girl still wanted an answer. You could tell by the way she kept staring at you.

Trying to ignore her as best you could, they returned back out into the corridor. Loraq, surprising you yet again by having memorized the route way back as they followed the young wiry man down the hallway, while Isabella’s dark eyes bored holes into your skull as you asked, “uhh, Tessa, what did you think about that last battle with that giant ant queen? Wasn’t it horrifying? And made you wish that you were someplace safe?”

Quizzical dark eyes looking at you, Tessa studied your complexion, and put a hand to your cheek as though to check your temperature. “Are you sure you're alright, child? I think there is a doctor about this place.”

Head shaking from side to side at her misunderstanding, you continued anxiously, “how about that time we got chased by a family of deathclaws?”

Half throwing her head back in gales of laughter, the old ghoul’s eyes suddenly twinkled with mischief as she suddenly realized your game, and replied, “that is life in the wasteland, my dear child. The thrill of the hunt, the rush of adrenaline, the heart-pounding excitement of having survived a battle. There’s nothing in this world quite like it is there? To make you feel more alive.”

Teeth gritted in a grimace, you could see Isabella perk up with a smile, and wondered if it would not have been better to keep your mouth shut. Bloody ghoul was definitely not going to make things easier for you. Not that you had expected the darkly-haired good looking girl to just give up on her dreams. But it would have been nice, and could have saved you the trouble of having to come up with an answer. You weren’t cut out for this type of responsibility.

Lucky for you, Isabella grew curious, and asked, “I don’t mean to be rude, but exactly how old are you?”

Chuckling softly as her dark eyes seemed to gaze further back in time, Tessa replied, “I’d given up counting a long time ago, child, but perhaps three hundred. In my dreams, I can still sometimes picture this world before the war. But even those memories begin to fade.”

Settling into a somber silence at her words, you could sense that Isabel wished to ask the ghoul more questions, but after a slight shake of your head, she looked away, her expression thoughtful. Hopefully, she wouldn’t remember what she had asked you as they came out of the tunnel complex, and back out onto the station platform. The first thought that rumbled through your mind after looking around at the dozens of men and women that were gearing up for war, was what the fuck had they done to Big Bastard? The huge bulky train, retrofitted with steel armored plates on its exterior, metal bars on the windows, spikes on the doors, and a large ram out front. What’s more, they had three missile launchers mounted up top on the front, midsection, and rear cars. They had turned this beautiful beast into a war machine.

Grumbling about the indignity of all this added trash, you stomped over towards Cassidy speaking softly with Colonel Jeffries, and unable to help yourself blurted out, “what the hell have you done to Big Bastard?!”

Left eyebrow arched upwards at your outburst, the battle-hardened female leader of their company gave you a look that could melt through ice, before her gaze turned to Isabella, the young woman using hand signs to speak with Loraq. Another person able to communicate with the ever silent boy who looked extremely pleased. Perhaps one of these days, you would ask Tessa to teach you, but right now your attention was on the train. Sure, it looked far more imposing now, sophisticated even, and perhaps even a touch more deadly, but you had liked the rustic feel to it. Its age-worn appearance, somehow reminded you of home, when Cassidy spoke in a flat tone. “What I've done is prepare us for our journey, which if you haven’t forgotten doesn't include wasting time on girls in underground bunkers. Now if you're done dawdling here, we should be off soon. Marco and rest came back not too long ago, and should be ready to board.”

Eyes widened at the mention of those that had left to hunt the queen, you half wondered how that fight had gone, when the answer came in spectacular display with Demarco, gleefully prancing out onto the concrete platform, a smile plastered across his usually dour face as he held aloft the head of the ant queen with the help of Bull. The pair of them grinning from ear to ear as Wren came up behind, carrying a gatling laser that cradled in her arms. The returning group, receiving a welcoming roar from the onlookers who laughed and clapped their hands as they made their way to the front of the train, and stuck the ant queen’s head on the ram. A sort of message to Red that caused even louder cheer to erupt with Jeffries for once cracking a smile as he shook his head in disbelief.

Still, not really believing it yourself, you headed over towards the gruesome trophy, and looked at its large compound eyes that stared out in undeath, black blood leaking out of its torn neck, and felt a chill at seeing the flesh caught in between its mandibles.

With the train horn blaring suddenly, you looked up to see everybody getting on board, when Isabella tugged at your arms, her hazel-colored eyes looking at you earnestly. “Well?”

And for a moment, you wanted to tell her to go ask Cassidy, but you knew what her answer would be. The iron-willed leader of their troop, would want no dead weights or anyone she did not know with them. Not to mention the reaction from the rest of the crew. But looking into her eyes, you wanted to say yes, if only to keep you company for the last leg of their journey.

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