Jump to content
LL Medico Diapers and More Bambino Diapers - ABDL Diaper Store

The Lost and the Broken (Updated 9/15/2020) No really!


Recommended Posts

Hey everyone. This is meant to be a very quick start to an idea I had. I'm currently on my phone so like I said, its short. I've been wanting to do something Fallout related for some time, as I was a fan of another story in that universe. This is intended to be a long story. An epic if you will. There's going to be violence and dark subject matter. If that's ok, then I hope you enjoy. I intend to release what I can when I can in an almost episodic manner.

 

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

The site got rolled back. :(

You'll have to re-upload the previous chapters. I hope you have them saved somewhere!

In case you didn't see my post from before DailyDiapers crashed I basically said this was a VERY good story especially for Fan-Fiction. I read up through chapter 2 I think and am completely enraptured by the tale you're weaving. Great characters. Good writing technique. And the Fallout setting is used as a tool to familiarize the reader with the world quickly instead of a crutch for lazy writers who can't be bothered to create their own characters or world. That's everything you want but so rarely find in Fan-Fiction. :)

I hope you don't decide to abandon this story due to this little hiccup.

Link to comment

I unfortunately did not have a copy of the first chapters saved. I did them at work. (lot of time as a security guard at a place that really doesn't need it.) it really sucks about the crash, but I'm sure I can recreate the story, maybe improve some things. I always hate my own writing once I upload.

I did see your comment before the crash. I'm very happy you liked it. This is a story I have been bouncing in my head for the better part of six months, coming up with characters and their personalities, but I didn't know if there would be any interest.

I have a ton of ideas, a lot more characters that i love to death and I haven't even written about them yet. It's gonna take some time but I will try and hurry to get back to where we were. needless to say, I'm very excited for the future.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

I'm really glad to hear that. I know it sucks to have to do things over, especially when it's not your fault. But think of it this way: You only lost 2 chapters this time. And you'll probably be more careful about keeping backups from now on. Perhaps this was the universe's way of preparing you for what could happen in the future. What if (God forbid) this happens again but it resets much further than a week? What if you had lost 20 chapters instead of 2? That would be an incomprehensible disaster! But thanks to this little bump in the road you (and hopefully others) will be prepared if something like that ever happens.

But that's just me trying to find a bright side to all this. Anyway I shall wait patiently for you to rewrite this story. Take your time & don't stress about it. We'll all still be here when you're ready. I know it's easy to be over-critical of your work; to convince yourself that it's no good & that nobody will like it. But let me reassure you that there's at least one person out there (Me) who thinks you're a great writer & looks forward to seeing what that brilliant mind of yours will come up with next. :)

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

So it's been a very long time coming, but I wrote this on my phone. I have all the first chapters, probably different than what you remember. I also added another chapter for the hell of it. Obviously I'm not sure how the formatting will make it look, so it may need further editing. Also, as this is the introduction to a bigger story, theres a lot of character introductions so I hope it's not too confusing. Enjoy.

 

The Lost and the Broken

As the sun slowly set, a lone figure made his way through dilapidated buildings and ruined streets. As he walked, he occasionally whistled a tune, it’s lonely and almost mournful song echoing among the empty streets. He walked at a steady pace, seemingly unencumbered by the large pack over his shoulder, or the strange curved sword across his back. Occasionally he would move the shotgun he carried to his other hand. The whistling was a habit of his, and it’s song filled him with memories of years long past. Happier times? Not really, but he treasured them all the same.


The traveler continually swiveled his head, alert for any creatures that might have been attracted to his tune. No, the song was not for them, but for the ones he would soon meet, a group of violent and volatile miscreants. When they saw the traveler, they would see that he was a lean man, fit, as anyone who wished to survive here had to be. He was dressed in all black, with patches of hard leather and metal fastened on as protection. His black fedora, his favorite possession, was tilted down and obscured his face, along with a black cloth that covered his mouth and nose. He would appear like some type of unearthly specter, the Grim Reaper advancing from the underworld to collect souls. This look was purposeful, for the traveler was a herald, a messenger of what was to come.


He stopped only once, crouching low and raising his weapon as a thin emancipated figure shuffled slowly along the road nearby. A ghoul, some poor bastard that excessive radiation had turned into a hideous walking corpse. Probably feral, but the creature wouldn’t have bothered him anyway. Still, anyone watching didn’t need to know that. He waited until the poor thing had disappeared from sight and then moved on. The cracked and broken road was bare aside from the rusted out shells of vehicles long forgotten by man. 


His destination soon appeared on the horizon. The building was brick, an old bookstore from the sign, and the window above the store showed that there was a second floor, possibly an apartment. The traveler stopped in his tracks as two men came into view. Despite not wearing any shirts, they appeared dirty, they skin decorated with crude, barely visible tattoos. The traveler laid his shotgun on the ground and raised his hands as they approached. One had wild hair and an equally long and wild looking beard. The second had no hair at all, only the faint wisp of a moustache. 


“Who are you? Why you here?” the man with the wild hair asked.
“The name's Rocco.” the traveler said, his voice low and gravelly. “I got something for your boss.”
The men nodded in unison as Rocco raised his arms for the inevitable pat down, not reacting as his blade and pack were taken from him, along with his gun. Once they were appeased, his guards led him past maybe a dozen or so other men, all armed and looking at the new arrival warily. 
The inside of the building was dimly lit, with a small fire in the center of the room providing the only light. Rocco saw five other bandits lazing about as he was led to a small room at the back of the building. The small office held two occupants. The one that the guards reported to was a man with scars over most of his body, with long hair and a dirty looking beard. The man’s bloodshot eyes drifted over Rocco and fixed instead on his pack. With a nod of his head, the man indicated that Rocco’s things should be placed on the table nearby. Having done this, the two guards took positions in the corners of the room.


The other occupant was a thin woman with a mohawk standing near the back, her eyes flickering from Rocco’s pack to a door near her that seemed to lead to the stairs. Her eyes were bloodshot as well, but what gave her away was her shivering. Despite the warm weather, she looked like she was suffering in a blizzard. Rocco had seen the symptoms of a junkie before, and he guessed the girl was feeling the unpleasant effects of withdrawal.

“I'm Jacob. We expected you two days ago.” the man said after an awkward silence had passed. “I’m assuming that whatever trouble delayed you didn't keep you from bringing what we asked.”

“I got plenty to sell, don’t worry.” Rocco laughed as he removed his hat and the cloth from his face.
Jacob reacted with the standard level of revulsion Rocco had experienced before. Being a ghoul, and looking the way he did, he had gotten used to the looks he received a while ago.

“And you’re a fucking ghoul. That’s great. I fucking hate you zombie freaks.”

“I can take my goods elsewhere if you'd like.” Rocco said coldly.

“Don’t get pissy now.” Jacob grunted, as his hand reached closer to the machine gun around his waist. “Let’s see what you brought. What happened to Lewis anyway?”

“No idea. I heard him and his guard ran into a Yao Guai.” Rocco explained as he moved to his pack and began taking out the various chems he had within. “Ripped him to pieces, but left his goods untouched.”

The woman at the back of the room finally spoke up, her eyes still focused on the door to the stairs. “Hurry up Jacob. I need….I need some Psycho and I need it soon. It hurts.”

Rocco let out a laugh. “Feeling the itch huh? Well have no fear madam, I got what you need.” He lifted up a vial of greenish liquid, being careful of the needle at the end. “This stuff here is supposed to be stronger than the normal stuff. Right from New Vegas if my guy is correct, and he always is.”

Rocco watched them both carefully as they began taking their desired chems before he spoke again. “I hear you and your boys made quite a name for yourselves recently. Something about a little settlement out east? I heard you wiped out the whole bunch.”

Jacob shrugged. “We offered them the chance to pay tribute. Another group of idiots that thought their wooden walls would protect them.”

Rocco kept his eyes on the bandit leader. “You aren’t worried about those bandit killers I’ve heard about? Captain Miles the Deathless and his company?”

The woman snorted. “Deathless? Fancy title for a guy whose been lucky enough to not get shot. If he tried to move on us, we’d kill him. Slowly and painfully.”

Rocco noticed her eyes flicker to the stairs again. “I don’t know. I’ve heard he's the real deal. Say…uh…is something up there?”

In an instant Jacob had him against the wall. “That’s none of your fucking business now is it?!” he yelled, close enough that Rocco could smell his putrid breath. “Why you asking about Miles and his bogeymen anyway?”

As if on cue, an explosion rocked the building. Rocco spun Jacob around, his arm around his throat. With his free hand he yanked Jacob's machine gun from him and sprayed the two guards down before they could raise their weapons. “He's here.”

 The woman had retreated upstairs, so he casually threw Jacob to the ground before bringing the butt of the weapon down on his head. Moving slowly up the stairs, his back to the wall, he crept closer to the room at the top. After a breath, he rushed into the room. 

Instead of seeing a gun pointed at him, the woman instead held it at the head of a young girl. She was cruelly bound to a bed, her wrists purple from the rope cutting into her flesh, her mouth gagged with a cloth tightly tied behind her head. What shocked Rocco the most was the large diaper around her waist. Even in the gloom, he could see it was yellow and sagging. 

“Get back! Get back! She’s mine! Do you hear me?! She mine!” the woman screamed, pushing the barrel of the gun further into the girls head. To her credit, the diapered girl didn’t look scared at all. Quite the contrary, she looked furious.

Rocco raised a hand, but kept his weapon trained on the woman. “Okay, she’s yours. That’s fine. Miles isn’t after you. He just wants Jacob. You can take the girl and walk right on out.” He moved a bit to free the doorway. 

The woman shook her head. “If I go out there in the open….no, you leave. I’m safe here. The boys will keep Miles away.”

“I wouldn’t count on it. Look, I told you we don’t care about you. Just calm down, collect your pet there and move along.”

The woman still wasn't convinced, but finally took the gun from the bound girl's temple. “I want the psycho too!”
Rocco pulled the trigger of the machine gun, the spray knocking the woman back against the wall, where she slowly slid down to get knees. Not paying attention to her shocked look, Rocco calmly walked up and took her weapon before executing her with a single shot to the head. 

With the woman put down, Rocco turned and began releasing the bound girl, her eyes still boring into him. She at last rise from the bed, her diaper sagging from her waist as she rubbed her sore wrists. She accepted a bottle of water he gave and drank greedily before finally speaking.

“I don’t know who you are.” Her small voice croaked. “But it looks like I owe you. I've lost track of how long I’ve been here, its been a few days at least. I didn’t think I would ever leave.”
Rocco fixed his eyes on the diaper she wore. “Uhhh….do I even want to know what’s up with that?”

“It's complicated. That woman there, Lori, she liked to pretend I was her baby. She forced alcohol down my throat in some dirty baby bottle she found somewhere. I got beat if I tried to refuse.”

Rocco shook his head sadly, world weary and sick of seeing the cruelties people inflicted on each other. “You’re safe now. I'll take you to Miles. You have family nearby?”


The girl shook her head, yet her expression seemed confused, like she wasn’t sure. When he asked how old she was, she again looked unsure, but finally responded that she was 15. 

The girl clutched at her head, as though in pain before taking another good look at him. “Your face…what happened to you?”

Rocco gave a dry laugh. “Don’t tell me you’ve never seen a ghoul before? We unfortunate souls who have been exposed to a bit too much radiation.”

“I…..I don’t know. I’m not sure.”

“Ghouls are hard to miss, even harder to forget.”

“I said I don’t know!” she yelled, her hands clutching her head again, her breathing heavy.

“Okay. It’s alright. Let’s just get out of here. Miles will know what to do.”

“I need to change. I probably have a rash.”

The girl looked around the room, finally moving some debris around and retrieving a duffle bag. She opened it and to his surprise grabbed a new diaper from what seemed to be one of many, along with some wipes and talcum powder. Rocco hadn't seen such things in a long time, even then, the products were ruined and useless. Looking up close, Rocco could see the diapers were decorated with small Vault-Boys, the mascot of the Vault-Tec corporation.

The girl was glaring at him again, a hand on her hip. “A little privacy, do you think?” she asked angrily.

Rocco instantly pivoted on his heels and headed out of the room, not understanding what was going on.

The girl called after him. “My name is Rain by the way.

Rain stood up from the bed, having finally changed into a fresh diaper. She dug back into her back and retrieved her jeans, putting them on with some difficulty over the thick undergarment. She slipped on her red zip-up hoodie over her gray shirt and found her black leather jacket discarded in the corner. Her clothes were all from the only person she could remember who actually took care of her, and they meant a lot to her, even though the jacket had a tear in the shoulder. Stepping into the bathroom, she lit the candle and tried to clean her face up with a wipe, before tying her brown hair into a ponytail. 

She didn’t know who her rescuer was or what his intentions were, but for the first time in a while she felt like she was free. She could go wherever she wanted. She would have to be a lot more careful in the future. She would never allow herself to be captured again.
She stepped out of the bathroom, glancing at the remains of Lori, the woman who had tormented her, even though the sight of her corpse made her sick to her stomach. Rain wasn’t sad to see her gone. Yet, she remembered that very rarely, between the drug highs and booze, a look would come into her tormentors eyes, a look that suggested she wasn’t always such a wretched human being. Once, Lori had even called her by a different name, and looked at her almost lovingly. 

Rain turned to collect her bag, not wanting to imagine what deep seated trauma had led her captor to become what she had. She walked down the steps to find her savior binding a very angry Jacob. He had never dealt with her much, almost as though he was pretending she wasn’t tied to a bed in his lair. She had been Lori’s pet, not his. 

“I didn’t catch your name.” She stated to her savior.

The ghoul, or whatever he was, smiled and hauled a now bound and gagged Jacob to his feet. “My name is Rocco. Nice to meet you. I believe you know old Jacob here?”

“What are you doing with him?”

“My friend, leader, whatever you want to call him, wants a little word with our friend.” Rocco said as he began to push his captive forward. “You good with that Jacob? Are you ready to confess your sins to Captain Miles?”

“Who is this Miles guy anyway?”

“Well that’s probably better shown than told, if you get what I’m saying. I'll let the man speak for himself, but don’t worry. He’s a good guy, one of the best. He'll take care of you, and so will my other friends. Stalwart lords and ladies all.” Rocco said with a wink.

Rain frowned. “I'm fine on my own. I don’t need anyone to take care of me.”

Rocco seemed to find her statement funny, and he stifled a chuckle. “Oh sure, I could tell you had everything under control up there. Sorry I messed up your fun.” He chuckled again and slung a curved sword over his back.

Rain opened her mouth to protest, but he was already moving to the door, pushing Jacob every step of the way. She appreciated the rescue for sure, but she had no intention of sticking around to meet his “friends”. If her short time on the road had taught her anything, it was that trusting other people was good way to get killed. As soon as she felt she had the opportunity, she would run for the hills.

As they walked outside, Rain was hit with the smell of burnt flesh. She could see a few bodies, or parts of them at least. The smoke from the flames stung her eyes, and there was a copper like flavor to the air, as though the blood of the fallen had tainted it. 

They walked for a few blocks, with Rocco’s whistling the only thing breaking the silence. There was something about the tune that Rain found upsetting. She couldn’t say what it was, but she had to fight the urge to beg him to stop. 

It was another block or so when the radio Rocco carried came to life and a distinctly feminine voice called out. “ It’s about time. I was starting to worry when you didn’t come out of the building.” The woman had a noticeable Scottish accent that sounded lovely even over the static filled radio.

Rocco grinned. “I ran into a….unique situation. How are you guys faring, everything almost wrapped up?” 

“Seems like it. There’s still some isolated fighting, but I think it's about done. I pick off the odd thug that gets too close to Miles, not that he needs my help. Anyway, who’s the little girl?”

Rain bristled and could feel her face turning red. Sure she wasn't very tall, and she guessed she looked young, but she wasn’t super short, and she certainly didn’t think she looked like a child. She paused and looked around, her eyes scanning the buildings, wondering where the woman was that she could see her so clearly.

 Meanwhile, Jacob was struggling harder as Rocco tried to answer and Rain figured it was the perfect time to split. Seeing an alley to her left. She sprinted as fast as she could, her thick diaper making the act of running awkward and difficult. He heard Rocco calling frantically after her, but then his cries faded as she found herself running through a maze of alleys and crumbled buildings.

Despite lugging a rather large duffle bag, she felt like she was creating a good amount of distance. Unfortunately, she began to get lost in the maze of alleyways as the sounds of battle free closer. She saw a group of bandits running frantically from what appeared to be a giant suit of armor. The armored titan advanced slowly and calmly, firing a type of gatling gun that shot lasers, and in seconds the fleeing bandits were cut down. 

Rain was frozen in fear and felt her diaper grow damp as the giant turned her way. It wasn’t until he took a step toward her that she found the courage to move again, her heart pounding as she ran back the way she came. 

No matter where she ran, she heard the screams of the dying. Rain saw an exit from the alley and ran full sprint, jumping over debris before stopping in her tracks as she came upon another scene of slaughter. Two bandits were being pursued by what Rain recognized as a Mr. Gustsy robot, a large yellow smiley face painted on it's front, who was laughing manically as it’s sawblade ripped through the slowest bandit. 

“I love killing you humans! Where do you flee meatbag?!”

The last only ran another few feet before the crazed robot sent a burst of green energy that struck him in the back. Rain stood petrified as the robot's saw ripped into the wounded man.

After a moment, the man's screams ended and the Mr. Gustsy was hovering above her. As it's saw began whirling, Rain could feel her diaper grow heavier. 

“”Hello little human. How would you like to die today? By blade? Flame? Hot Plasma?!”

“Not her, Mr. Happy.” The voice of the Scottish woman came from somewhere on the robot. “Stand down. She’s a friendly.”

The robot deflated. “Oh, bother. Fine then, be on your way girl.” 

Rain didn’t need told twice. She bolted from the alley, running as quickly as she good, her stomach rolling as she fought a wave of nausea. In the distance she spied an old church, alone and standing amongst the ruined dwellings near it. She made her way there, hoping to find a place to rest for a moment.

The church, however, was not empty. Rocco stood in the center, with Jacob beside him on his knees. A third man emerged from the shadows of the church. A pale looking man with dark, short hair and a trimmed goatee, wearing a long brown jacket. He spoke with a cold, authoritative voice that echoed in the gloomy chamber.

“Jacob Lemmings, for the murder of thirty innocent people, for the blood of eight children that stain your hands, I sentence you to death. If you have any last words, say them now.”

Jacob looked around wildly, as though he could somehow find a way out and escape, even as he was. “Fu…fuck you!!”

The man said not a word, but drew a large handgun, not hesitating as he placed it against his captives head and squeezed the trigger. Jacob’s face disappeared in a red mist, and this time Rain couldn’t keep her body in check. She turned and vomited, before falling over on the cool church floor. The last thing she saw was Miles, looking down on her with cold blue eyes.

Run! You have to run! Don’t stop no matter what, just get away!” 

“Oh shit! You tagged a kid, dude! Shit, that’s a lot of blood!”

“Its only pain. It’s only temporary. All this will be worth it in the end.”

“You have to run!”

She ran. Through the darkness and the pouring rain, the voices haunting her every step. The forest was dense with withered and dying trees. Her breathing was labored and when she pressed a hand to her side, it came back red. 

Rain woke with a scream on her lips. She felt herself being gently pushed back down, soothing words were being spoken, cutting through the madness of her dreams.

“Easy there darling. Easy. You’re safe.”

It was the Scottish woman. She looked young, maybe late twenties, with dirty blonde hair and pretty smile. Rain sat up slowly and saw five others in the room, all staring at her intently. It was Miles who spoke first, crouched on the altar of the church, his eyes no longer cold and terrifying.

“I'm sorry you had to see that. It wasn’t my intention, but I don’t believe in drawing these things out.”

“Who the hell are you people?” Rain asked.

“I think you have a basic idea. We're mercenaries that fight against those that would threaten and harm innocent people. Whether it’s bandits or beasts, we do our best to keep people safe, or deliver retribution when needed. If you haven’t already guessed, I’m Miles. I lead this merry group.”

“I figured. You act like you’re the most important.” Rain said scathingly. 

Miles only smiled. “You met Rocco already. He specializes in small arms.”

Rocco nodded and tipped his fedora. The suit of armor walked up next before a loud noise opened the back and a man climbed out. He was taller than the others by far and very muscular. He seemed older than the others, with short cropped brown hair and a bushy beard. His left eye was covered with a patch. While grizzled, he smiled warmly at her. 

“Names Gabriel, Ma'am. Former Brotherhood of Steel, at your service. I specialize in heavy and energy weapons.”

“Brotherhood of what? Who’s that?”

Gabriel didn’t seem to mind her question. “That’s complicated. Basically, we collected technology, to keep it safe and out of the wrong hands. We were the good guys…once a upon a time. The brotherhood doesn’t have a presence here, but their pretty big out East.”

“He’s also my second in command.” Miles added.

The Scottish woman spoke next. “I’m Tali. I’m the cook, doctor, sniper, and mechanic. Plus, I’m the like the den mother for these rascals, so basically I’m the MVP the group, not Miles. He just leads, tells us where to go, how hard is that, right?”

Tali beamed a winning smile her way, and Rain found she couldn’t help but smile back. She liked Tali and her easy, friendly manner.

The next person needed no introduction. It was the Mr. Gusty robot with the smiley face on it, the one that had been slaughtering the bandits so enthusiastically. Mr. Happy she remembered. 

“Tali found him beaten up and discarded in some old military fort.” Miles said. “She fixed him up…but there were some complications.”

“Basically, I accidentally fried his processor a bit. Now he thinks his primary mission is to kill all humans. Luckily, I made it to where he has to obey me, so he’s perfectly safe, mostly.”

“Hmph. Perfectly safe? If only my combat inhibitor would malfunction I would show you all how safe I am. As I was carving out your innards.” The robot said in a bombastic voice. 

Tali smiled wider. “Don’t listen to him. He’s all bluster.”

“I will kill you all.” 

Rain stared blankly. “Yeah, he sure seems safe.”

The last person in the room was a young Asian woman. Her long black hair was streaked with red and flowed down her back. She sat further away from the others, wiping blood off of some metal spikes on her hand. She glanced up before slipping the spiked knuckles off and glancing at her nails.

“That’s Miyuki. She’s our hand to hand combat specialist.” Miles explained.

With the introductions made, Rain knew they would start asking her questions, and sure enough, Tali reached over to put a hand on her knee. It was a strange thing to be treated like a frightened child.

“Now that you know who we are, can you tell us about yourself? Where are you from? What’s your name?”

“Tell us about the diapers.” Miyuki said quietly. “That seems like an interesting story.”

Rain felt herself blushing as Miles and Tali shot an irritated look at their comrade. Rocco and Gabriel suddenly found the floor very interesting. As she thought of how she was going to answer, she noticed something odd. Her diaper had been pretty soaked before, but now it was….yes, it was definitely dry now. 

Tali must have guessed her thoughts because she moved closer and put an arm around her. “Sweetheart….you were pretty wet when I got here. I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable. I was just trying to help.”

Rain nodded and have her a weak smile. She saw the others were still waiting for an answer and figures there was no harm in being honest. “To be completely honest….I don’t remember very much. I don’t know my real name or where I’m from. I can't remember anything."

Glances were exchanged before Gabriel spoke up. “What do you remember?” 

“I remember running….through a forest I think. I don’t remember what I was running from, I just knew I couldn’t stop, I had to keep going. And I was hurt. I remember the pain…” she stopped, unable to finish as her nightmares came rushing to her mind. Instead she lifted her shirt a bit and pointed to a scar on her right side. 

Tali looked at it closely, frowning. “Someone shot you. Then you or someone dug the bullet out.”

Rain nodded. “A woman found me passed out and bleeding, half frozen from the rain. Luckily for me she was a good doctor. She saved my life, gave me a place to stay. I stayed there for over a year, nearly two. Unfortunately she couldn’t repair my bladder. It’s weak. Most of the time I can’t feel when I have to go, and when I do feel it, I can’t hold it long. The diapers were a solution, one I’ve gotten used too.”

“I’ve never seen those types of diapers before.” Tali said. “Out here, most people use cloth for their children.”

“There was a place that made them, a Vault is what Mrs. Sellers, the woman who cared for me, called it. They made them for their kids and elderly, but generally had no use for them. Mrs. Sellers asked the trade caravans to start picking them up for me. So every trader wandering around out there has packages of these diapers and supplies they keep around just for me. Mrs. Sellers would treat their wounds for free in return.”

“Vault 21. They're a big trading post, not to mention the only Vault that’s not a pile of rubble.” Gabriel replied.

Rocco spoke up for the first time. “And your name? Why Rain?”

Rain smiled at the memory. “Mrs. Sellers said it was as good a name as any. She said I was a damn fool for nearly dying out in a storm, and that maybe the name would remind me to not pass out bleeding in the rain.”

“Where is she now?” Gabriel asked.

“Dead.” Rain said with finality. “Super Mutants attacked our farm. She told me to run….so I did. I left her there after they….shot her down. I left her there.”

Tali was hugging her tightly. Rain didn’t cry, she had done that and then some a long time ago. 

“Shit.” Rocco muttered.

Miles kept his eyes on her, as though he were searching for something concealed behind her eyes. “The bandits caught you soon after that I presume? No offense, but you don’t look like you’ve been surviving on your own for very long.”

“So what?!” Rain asked in a heated tone.

“It raises the question of what we should do with you now. You have no family, nobody to take you in.”

“You don’t have to do anything with me.” She replied. “I was just on my way out.”

“Nobody is going anywhere for now.” Gabriel said. “The sun's gone down and there’s a Nightgaunt nest nearby.”

Rain cursed with a sigh. Nightgaunts were one of the worst predators you could run into. While harmless and defenseless during the day, they were fierce at night, with a sense of smell and sight that no other creature had. They hunted in packs, flying overhead and swooping in on prey, before carrying them off to feed.

Rocco cleared his throat. “There's a town about a day or so from here. We could drop her off there and see if someone wants to take her in.”

Rain stood up. “Take me in?! How about you just send me on my way in the morning and leave it at that?”

“We just want to make sure you’re safe.” Tali said.

Miles was watching her closely, seemingly deep in thought. “You have another option. You could join us.”

All of them turned in surprise, but it was Miyuki who spoke first, glaring at her angrily. “Have you lost your fucking mind? We're a merc team, not a fucking nursery.”

Miles just smiled. “Rain, if you join with us, I can promise you we can teach you to survive. We'll make it to where you never have to run away again. You won’t have to be afraid anymore.”

For a moment she was too stunned to speak. Miles was offering her a spot on his team, despite her medical issues and….diapers. This could be her chance to take some control back into her life. Maybe she would never remember who she was, but she could forge a new identity with these guys, this team that travelled around and helped people.

“I'm in. I want to join.” She said.

“A vote then? Who thinks Rain here should join our crew?” Miles asked, looking around.

Miyuki spoke up quickly. “Hell. Fucking. No. How can you be considering this? She's a child. She doesn’t belong here. We'll end up getting her killed, or worse, she'll get us killed. Not a big deal for you Miles, I know but-“

“That’s enough Miyuki!” Tali snapped. “I think it’s a great idea. I say yes.”

Miles looked around. “Gabriel?”

The older man scratched at his eyepatch. “No. I'm sorry miss, it’s nothing against you. I wouldn’t want any harm to come to you because of running with us.”

Mr. Happy hovered over. “I vote that I saw her in half immediately.”

“So Tali and I say yes, and Gabriel and Miyuki say no.” Miles stated, ignoring the robot. “The deciding vote is yours Rocco.”

The ghoul stared at her, occasionally glancing around the room. “I don’t really know what you're thinking, Miles. But you've never steered us wrong before….so I say yeah. Why not?”

Miles nodded. “There we have it. Welcome to the team.”

  • Like 2
Link to comment

I couldn't wait until morning to read this. :)

Amazing! Absolutely phenomenal! And it's good, too. Every character is just bursting with potential. I'm especially fond of Mr. Happy. And I can't wait to see Miyuki totally decimate someone with her spiked knuckles.

I must admit, the reason for Rain being diapered was a little underwhelming to me. I was expecting something a little more interesting than the old "inexplicable bladder damage" trope... Unless the doctor was lying? Only time will tell. In any case I'm not going to hold it against you if that is the full story behind her diapers. Really it's just a question of what you do with her diapers thay will really sell this story (figuratively speaking.)

Also Rocco is such a badass! He strikes that perfect balance between strong-silent type & cocky warrior that everyone wishes their main character could be.

I'm really glad this story is back. It's even better the 2nd time!

Link to comment

I remembered this one before everything went to heck and liked it then. It’s even better now. Quite a bit of new additions and getting to meet the team is good to. I wonder what kind of specialty they will come up with for Rain? I am eager to find out. 

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

The next morning the team moved out. They were fairly nomadic, always on the move, but they did have a few bases spread around. Miles said there was a base about a half days walk from where they were, and as soon as the sun came up, they were on the move.

 As she walked, Rain was painfully aware of how loud her diaper was. Every step seemed to send a crinkle echoing through the empty streets. She felt like everyone else could hear it too, although none of them said anything. She saw the looks they gave her. She was an oddity, an unknown. Every step, every crinkle, made her wonder if she really belonged here.

When they stopped for a break, Miles decided that her training should begin. At first, it wasn’t so bad. Gabriel taught her how to shoot, masking his evident frustration as best he could. He was nice anyway. Tali and Rocco sat her down to teach her weapon maintenance and cleaning. Every question she asked or mistake she made was received with audible scorn from Miyuki, who made little secret of her feelings towards Rain’s inclusion. 

“Okay. Let’s keep trying. Feet apart, rifle butt against the shoulder, aim down the sight.” Gabriel encouraged once again. 

The others were getting ready to move out again. The only one watching was Miles. He watched her a lot, she had noticed. He kept himself at a distance, and he was hard to read. Rain focused on the target, a small can found from the road. She took a deep breath and pulled the trigger. She was happy to see the can go flying, and hear her one-eyed instructor clap with glee. 

“I did it! I actually hit it!” She exclaimed.

“That you did. Twentieth times the charm I guess.” Gabriel said with a smile.

“It sounds bad the way you say it.”

“You're just starting out. No one is a marksman off the bat. Good job.”

“We’re heading out.” Miles said. If he approved of her shooting, he didn’t show it, but he seemed maybe a little pleased as he walked to the others.

Rain noticed with a bit of embarrassment that her diaper was wet, soaked judging on how heavy it felt. She swallowed her humiliation and spoke up. 

“I….uh….I need to….change before….before we keep going. Sorry.”

They all looked at her awkwardly. Miles simply nodded and told her to do what she had to do. She found a place out of the way that provided some cover and got to it. She didn’t like having to change outside, she felt far too vulnerable, but she had no choice. After cleaning herself up and strapping on a clean diaper, she got dressed and picked up her bags.

Miyuki was waiting for her as she came around the corner, knife in her hand. 

“Why are you still here?” she asked, her voice a low whisper. “You don’t belong here. You know it and I know it. I thought you would have been smart enough to leave last night…or during one of your little…..diaper changes. So what are you doing here?”

Rain backed up a few steps. The look in Miyuki’s eyes scared her. There was a fierceness in them she hadn't seen in any of the bandits she had dealt with until now.

Miyuki seized her by her throat and pushed her back against the wall of the crumbled building. “These people are my family. Do you understand that? They are all I have in this shithole world. If any of them gets hurt because they were protecting your diapered ass, you will answer to me. I was happy to save you, but I would have no problem cutting your throat. Remember that.”

Rain was gasping for air by the time Miyuki shoved her to the ground. She felt tears flowing down her cheek as Miyuki walked away. She rose from the ground and angrily wiped her face. She couldn’t show weakness. She had nothing. She belonged nowhere, had no home, no family. She didn’t even have a real name with her memories lost. She needed these people, she needed to be more than some little victim to be pitied.  

The entire rest of the day was spent walking. Occasionally, there would be some wasteland creature in their path that one of the team would deal with. She had even managed to hit an enraged mole rat, after about seven or eight tries. 

“Wanna lift?” Gabriel asked. He was in his armor again, absent his helmet. “You look so light, I doubt I'd even feel you up on my shoulder.”

Her legs were killing her, and despite her fear of looking weak, she happily accepted the opportunity. With one hand, the one-eyed Gabriel lifted her up to his shoulder, and she couldn’t suppress a grin.

“How did you all meet? What gave you the idea of fighting bandits all the time?” She asked from her perch.

“Well, it’s not just bandits. We take down wasteland creatures as well; anything that's a threat to good people trying to make a living here. At first it was just Miles and me. Tali came later, and Rocco and Miyuki showed up together a while after that.”

Rain looked behind her, where Rocco had his arm wrapped affectionately around Miyuki’s shoulder. Rocco was whistling again, and for some reason the tune still made her skin crawl.

“How long have you been doing this?”

Gabriel thought for a moment. “As a group it’s probably been about two years now. Miles though, he’s been fighting a hell of lot longer than that. He used to be a part of an organization that did the same thing we do. They were called the Regulators. They used to be based out East, and Miles came with a large group of them years back.”

“Where are they now?” Rain asked, although she felt she already knew the answer.

“They're dead. Every last one.” Miles said from the front. She hadn’t known he had been listening. “It's a long story, not a pleasant one either, so let’s talk about it later. What’s important is our own work. We provide what most thought died out a long time ago.”

“What’s that?” She asked, noticing with some annoyance that her diaper was wet again.

“Justice. A simple idea, that those who do evil are punished. But, here, in this place, it's a foreign concept. This land is ruled by countless warlords and bickering raider tribes. They take what they wish as they’ve always done, without fear. Not anymore. The Regulators failed, but we haven't. Now those who would murder and steal for their own gain have us to fear, and they do fear us. We are vengeance and retribution incarnate.”

It was dark before they reached the base, a small gated compound, with a single large building in the center. Miles had Mr. Happy scout the perimeter for unwanted guests, while Tali updated the security system so Rain could enter without fear.

“Home at last!” Rocco cried. “How about we get some food and call it a night?”

“Not yet.” Miyuki said. “I haven't gotten to teach the newbie anything yet. I say, if she wants to eat, let her prove she deserves too. A little sparring would be good for her.”

Rain looked at the others fearfully. After her earlier encounter with Miyuki, the last thing she wanted was to go toe to toe with her. 

Rocco groaned. “Hell, she's only been with us for a day. Let her rest for a bit.”

Miyuki turned to Miles, hands on her hip. “Captain?”

Miles stared ahead, not looking at anyone, not showing the slightest emotion. “Do what you want.”

Miyuki tossed her gear onto the ground put up her fists. “Come on then girl. Let’s see if you're as useless as you look.”

*

Tali’s heart sank as Rain thundered to the ground. It was the fourth time. Every time she had managed to get back up, but she was outclassed. Her lip was busted and bleeding, her frail form shaking from exhaustion and pain. A kick from Miyuki sent her sliding across the dirt with the wind knocked out of her. Tali looked to the others. Rocco and Gabriel seemed similarly uneasy, yet Miles watched on unconcerned. 

Miyuki circled the girl. “Get. Up. Keep up your damn guard. Come on, prove to me you’re more than some orphaned waste rat.”

As soon as the girl tried to rise, Miyuki was on her, fists flying. Rain barley kept them at bay, shrinking under the ferocious assault. Miyuki’s knee brought her down again.

Gabriel stepped closer. “Enough already, Miyuki! She's had enough. Let it end.”

Miyuki turned angrily. “Stop?! Do you think some murdering raider will stop because she asks nicely? Back off her because she’s young?”

“She can't defend herself. She can barely stand. This isn’t achieving anything.”

“Then why is she here?!” Miyuki demanded, throwing another punch. Rain cried out and laid still.

Rocco moved close to Miles. “Captain, you have to stop this. Miyuki is furious. She’s not out to teach her anything. She's trying to break her. I’m begging you to stop this.”

Miles glanced up quizzically. “Let me ask you something Rocco. When you found the girl, beaten and humiliated, how did she look? Did she look afraid?”

“No.”

“Did she look broken to you?”

Rocco sighed. “No. She looked pissed off.”

Miles had a ghost of a smile on his lips. “Why are all of you, every one of you, so sure she'll break?”

*

Rain clawed at the ground, the dirt caking into her nails. Slowly, she managed to get to get knees. She hurt all over, but more than anything, she was furious. She wasn't weak. Even with no memory of her past, she had still managed to survive against all odds. When the Super Mutants came and destroyed the life she was building with Mrs. Sellers, she had run away. Whatever had caused her memory loss, she had clearly run from that as well. She was done running.

With a yell, she charged Miyuki, and maybe because her own ferocity surprised her opponent, she managed to catch Miyuki off guard, hitting her across the face and sending her staggering.

It was a short lived victory, and Miyuki struck back even harder with a kick to the stomach. Once again she found herself in the dirt.

“Not bad pissypants.” Miyuki mocked. “But you’d better stop there. Your diapey is leaking.”

Rain felt her pants, discovering her diaper had indeed leaked. At that moment, she felt a few tears escaped her, and she felt a crushing sense of defeat. “Do you think I wanted this? Do you think I wanted to end up in these stupid things, to lose everything I had including my bladder, my memory, and the only person who cared for me?!” She yelled angrily through her sobs. 

In the silence of her outburst, something seemed to change in Miyuki, and a look of rage exploded across her face. In a moment she was on top of her, striking her again and again.

“Stop.” Miles commanded.

Instantly Miyuki stopped her attack, as though frozen in place. Slowly getting up, she whispered with a sad tone. 

“You're not the only one whose lost something. You aren’t special. Maybe it’s a good thing you can’t remember, and you don’t have to live with it.”

Miyuki stormed away and Rain felt herself hauled to her feet by Tali. She was still crying as she was led into the facility, Tali’s soft voice trying to calm her the whole way. She was led to a room with a simple cot and little else. Tali laid her down on it and removed her wet pants. 

“I don't want you to feel awkward, so I'm gonna ask this time. Is it okay if I clean you up?”

Rain looked at her with surprise. “Why? Wouldn’t that be weird?”

“Not to me. You're hurt and I want to help you. You don’t need to be embarrassed.”

Rain nodded her head slowly and Tali got to work. Rain could feel herself blushing as she was lifted by her ankles and the wet diaper was removed. Tali gently cleaned her before sliding a fresh diaper under her.

“Did the woman who cared for you never change you?” Tali asked.

Rain chuckled a bit. “Only until I recovered. She told me she wasn’t my maid or my mother, so I had better learn to do it myself. She was a good woman, but not very warm unfortunately. She wasn’t like you. You've been very kind to me. Thank you.”

Tali poured a little powder on her before bringing the diaper up and taping it close. “I’m happy to help you. Miles sees something in you, and I think I do too. Anytime you need help changing, I’m happy to oblige.” 

There was a knock at the door, and Tali gave her a blanket to cover with before opening it. Rocco stood outside, sword in hand, but sheathed. 

“I need a private word with our new member please, to explain some of the….treatment she’s received so far.” 

Tali smiled back to her. “I'll get a cold cloth for your face.” 

Rocco sat down next to her and scrutinized her beaten face. With a sigh, he placed the sword in her hands. 

“Miyuki gave me this sword. It’s been in her family for centuries according to her. When I stumbled upon her, she was being attacked. Despite helping her, saving her even, she tried to kill me with this sword. She tried to kill Miles and the others as well when we ran into them for the first time. You need to understand….Miyuki attacks when she feels threatened, that’s all she knows how to do. She’s protective of us now, and she doesn’t trust you.”

Rain felt her face. “So I should forgive her? Is that what your saying?”

“I’m not telling you to do anything. I’m just saying give her time and she'll accept you. Maybe….if it’s possible, don’t judge her too harshly. Maybe better than any of us here, she knows how cruel people can be.”

Rocco left and Rain stretched out on the cot, one hand idly feeling the plastic of her diaper. No matter what Rocco said, Rain was feeling more and more like she didn't belong here. Staring at the ceiling and worrying over her future, she fell into a fitful sleep.

*

Tali returned with a small plate of food, a bottle of water, and a cold cloth. Rain however was already fast asleep. Tali couldn’t help but smile as she saw the young girl's diaper peeking out from under the blanket. She was so small and cute, with such strength, and at the same time so vulnerable.

Tali sat beside her and cleaned up her face with the cold rag, petting her head fondly. The girl stirred for a moment and her eyes fluttered open.

“Don't worry.” Tali said, smiling down on her. “I'm here. I'm going to take care of you. I promise.”

Rain smiled back weakly and fell back asleep as though she had never woken.

*

The next few weeks were spent on training. Rain learned basic first aid from Tali, continued to practice her shooting with Rocco and Gabriel, and received regular beatings from Miyuki during “sparing” sessions. Miles monitored her progress from a distance, occasionally encouraging her.

And she ran. A lot. They made her run laps around the base almost every day. She thought she would go insane from all the damn running, and she was sure that none of them understood how awkward running in a diaper could be.

There were two comforts during this time. Tali was the first. The woman doted on her like a fretful mother, and more often than not participated in her diaper changes. Rain was immensely thankful of her aid, as most of the time she was so exhausted and bruised, she wouldn’t have been able to fathom doing it herself. 

The second comfort was dinner. Tali was a good cook, despite most of the food being irradiated creatures Rain was sent out to hunt. Her first Mirelurk stew more than made up for the trouble she had killing it. More than anything, dinner was when all the conversations and stories took place. Most were tales of the team's exploits, like one in which Rocco supposedly killed a raider with a fork.

Another time, about a week after she arrived, she apparently asked a question she shouldn't have. They were eating beans again, as the group had stocked up quite a bit. A silence had descended upon them as they sat around the fire.

Rain looked over at Gabriel. “I just realized I've been here for a while and spent hours training with you and I've never asked how you lost your eye.”

At once a collective groan escaped from every other member as Rain looked around bewildered. Even Miles looked exasperated, placing his head in his hands.

Gabriel lit up happily. “I’m happy you asked! It's quite a tale if I don’t say so myself.”

“Oh no, fucking no!” Rocco groaned.

“Now you've done it.” Miyuki muttered.

Gabriel ignored them. “It was about four years ago. I was still with the Brotherhood, and we were patrolling for tech, as we often did. There was this old, beat up car dealership that was littered with bones. I was with two other Knights, and I could tell even with their armor on that they didn't want to go in. But we did, and after a little exploring we ran smack dab into a Deathclaw. You ever see one up close before?”

Rain shook her head. She knew what they generally looked like, but she had never run into one.

“Well let me tell you, they aren't very nice. Thirteen feet of claws and fangs. It roared so loud, the glass shattered from the windows. It knocked me aside with one sweep, my weapon and helmet flying off into the darkened halls. I heard my brothers screaming and when I finally got up they were hunks of meat on the ground.”

There was more snickering, followed by eye rolls from the others.

“What happened then?” Rain asked with excitement, ignoring the accompanying laughs.

“I had no gun, so I whipped out a combat knife, sure that I was about to be Deathclaw chow in another minute. It swept it's claw upwards so I moved forward, trying to dodge and get in close. It worked, and I thrust the blade right up into it's jaw. The beast fell over dead as a door nail. It took a few seconds for the pain to register, but then I looked down and I saw my eye, stuck on the tip of one of it's talons.”

“That's incredible!” Rain exclaimed. 

“It's also a lie.” Rocco said with a shake of his head. “Last time he told that story, it was a group of feral ghouls. Twenty of them if I remember correctly.”

“When I asked he said a cannibal ate it, and he tore it from his stomach after he killed him.” Tali said.

Gabriel stuck up his nose. “Well admittedly, I've grown forgetful in my old age.”

“You're forty one for fucks sake.” Miyuki complained.

“Do you know what the life expectancy out here is? I’m pretty damn old, I'll tell you that much.” 

After the laughter died down, she looked over to Rocco. He noticed and gave her a wink. There was something in his eyes, something she couldn’t put her finger on, a feeling perhaps. As long as she could remember, which admittedly wasn’t very long, nor could she be all that sure due to the limited amount of people she knew, but she would occasionally get “feelings” from people. She could never explain it, but it was like she felt what a person was feeling deep inside. 

She put it out of her head, and instead tried to learn about her new comrade the old fashioned way.

“Rocco, how did you become….like that?”

Miyuki stiffened. “Maybe you should mind your own damn business.” Fear, a strong feeling of love, and hatred. She was feeling all three. But more than anything, it was fear she felt, dark and crushing.

Rocco cleared his throat. “It's fine. I was exploring an old abandoned vault. Something broke I guess, leaked a ton of radiation. I hit my head, and when I came to I looked like this. That's all there is to tell.”

“That’s why he refuses to go in vaults, even Vault 21, and that’s one of the safest places around.” Tali added.

“I giant underground tin can is hardly my idea of safe, especially when there's giant nuclear reactors involved.” Rocco grunted.

She finally understood what he felt. It was regret. Regret, and a whole lot of bitterness.

 

*


It was on the third week that they received a contract. It came in the form of a letter delivered by someone she knew fairly well. He was a wandering trader named Elijah Freeson, and she was happy to see him not just because she only had two diapers left. Both him and his bodyguard, a large tan skinned man named Yusef, had always been very kind to her when she was a guest at Mrs. Sellers.

The three of them tearfully embraced for a few moments while the team looked on. To be honest, she did all the crying, but it was still a beautiful moment.

“Miss Rain! I'm so happy to see you alive. Yusef and I, we were sure you had been carried off by those monsters.”

“We fought as much as we could….but…..we couldn't…..there were too many.”

Yusef folded his arms and looked solemn. “It looks like old Veronica Sellers went down fighting. There was a ton of mutant corpses lying around when we got there. She was one of kind, that’s for sure. A good woman.”

There was a moment of somber quiet before Elijah cleared his throat. “Well, we were paid a decent amount to get this letter to Miles, and I honestly wasn’t sure if we'd find him here. We certainly didn’t expect to find you here of all people, Miss Rain.”

Rain looked at him hopefully. “I don’t suppose you kept getting my supplies by chance?”

Elijah smiled and rooted around one of the packs his Brahmin was hauling. He turned around with a duffle bag of her diapers. 

“We almost offloaded them. It had been nearly a month since we found the farm destroyed. Yusef however, said we should hold on a little longer, just in case you got away. Luckily, my bodyguard is a smarter man than I. Look at you. Here you are, looking just as pretty as ever. Wait until I tell the other caravans!”

Miles stepped forward, extending his hand for the letter. After a moment of reading, he sighed. 

“I wanted a bit more time before we had to do this but there’s no choice. Rain, a village is being threatened by some raiders. Up to now you've only faced wasteland creatures. In this next fight you'll be fighting human beings, and you'll have to take your first human life. You'll have to kill.”

“First Veronica Sellers, and now these guys.” Elijah said with a wink. “You sure know how to pick your friends.”

  • Like 4
Link to comment

Fantastic as always. :) I'm curious to see  how Rain intends to pay for her diapers? I doubt they give her an allowance. Or what Rain will do when she eventually does run out of diapers or other changing supplies. But that's a question for another day.

Miyuki is pretty psycho, but Rocco likes her so I'll give her a pass. I just hope she doesn't get the idea in her head to ambush Rain when no one's around. :o

Tali seems almost too good to be true. But I don't really have any evidence against her so I'll reserve judgment.

Rain's empathic abilities are certainly intriguing. Perhaps that's how she'll fit in? Becoming the team psychic? That would be pretty badass.

Once again, outstanding job on this chapter. I look forward to seeing how Rain handles those raiders. :) Also I want to see Rocco put that sword to good use. ;)

Link to comment

I really liked this. Rain is struggling to fit in, especially with Miyuki. But at least she seems to be holding her own for now. See how this fight goes. I will definitely be looking for it. 

Link to comment
  • 4 weeks later...

2 years earlier

“How can I not remember anything?” Rain asked as she finished changing herself, frowning at how loose the tapes felt. “I was running from something, but I can’t remember.”

Dr. Sellers sighed, running her hand through her short gray hair as she lit a cigarette with her other. “We've been over this, girl. Trying to force it won’t help anything. Whatever happened is done and over with. You just need to wait and see if anything comes back naturally.”

“I don’t get it. You said I didn’t have any head wounds, no trauma or anything like that, so how can everything just be blank?” 

The room filled with smoke as Dr. Sellers looked towards the ceiling. “It's simple. Whatever happened to you, whatever you saw, was too much for your mind to handle. You can’t remember because you don’t want to remember, not because you can’t.”

Rain stood up, and her diaper immediately sagged, confirming that she hadn't fastened it correctly. “I do want to remember. I want to know if I have a family, a mother, a father, something. It’s all I think about. I swear I want to remember!”

Dr. Sellers motioned for her to lay back down, as she fixed the girls diaper with a look of annoyance. “You might want to remember, but clearly your brain doesn't. I’m telling you there’s nothing to be done. You just keep recording any dreams you have, maybe they will give you some clues, that’s about all you can do.”

Rain put her pants on and turned around, hoping her crying was quiet. Dr. Sellers apparently heard her because she felt a slap to the head a moment later. 

“Quit your crying, little girl. The world is an ugly place. Maybe you do have a family out there, maybe not. Crying won’t change anything.” Dr. Sellers sighed and spoke more softly. “Look, you have a home here for as long as you need it okay? Now just…..just go feed the brahmin, alright?”

Rain nodded and headed for the door. It wouldn't do to argue anyway. Plus, in her own way, Dr. Sellers just empathized with her, something that she was normally loath to do. She just wished she didn't feel so alone.

“This world is an awful place.” Dr. Sellers said, taking a long drag from her cigarette. “You have to be strong, Rain. You have to be strong.”

*
Now

The air was alive with the sound of gunfire and screams. Rain was ducked behind a stone pillar that had long ago fallen to the ground. Every time she tried peek her head out, someone tried to shoot it off. There were six men on the other side intent on killing her. Beside her, Miyuki and Rocco fired back any chance they could. Rocco’s shotgun boomed and she heard a scream as one of the men went down.

“I'm running low on ammo here.” Rocco yelled. “Any ideas?”

Miyuki fired a few rounds from her machine gun and ducked back down. “We better hope they run out first. Stop hiding down there Rain and fire back for fucks sake!”

Rocco pulled out his sword and peeked around the corner. “No worries. I got a plan.”

Miyuki shot daggers at him. “Rocco, that sword is hundreds of years old and a family heirloom, do not throw it.”

Rocco tossed the sword like a spear and all gunfire ceased for a moment. The three of them looked at each other in silence.

“Hey! One of these assholes just threw a sword at me!” A voice cried.

“Keep firing!” another yelled. 

“You idiot!” Miyuki cried. “I should never have given you that sword!”

Rocco shrugged. “Hey, it's worked before.”

Rain fired a few shots, but her hands were shaking too much, and she missed. She saw someone run around the corner and fire. Miyuki cried out as the bullet hit her in the shoulder. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as Rain raised her weapon again. Her breathing slowed, her hands steadied, and she pulled the trigger. The man went down and a red mist filled the air. She dropped her weapon as a wave of nausea came over her. What had she done?

Rocco was beside Miyuki, injecting her with a Stimpack. From the looks of things, the bullet had passed through her shoulder, and as she rose there was a familiar look of fury on her face. Grimacing with pain, she ran around the corner, firing everything she had.

Rain watched in awe as two of the men fell. Miyuki tossed her weapon aside and charged the last two, who were too surprised by her suicidal attack to respond effectively. She kicked one in the chest, finishing him off with a two swift punches from her spiked fist. The last fired and missed, a mistake that killed him. Miyuki was still crouched and she spun her leg to knock the man off his feet. He barely had time to scream before Miyuki began pummeling him over and over. 

Rain turned back to the man she had shot. He wasn’t moving. There was a pool of blood growing larger and larger as she watched. “Is…Is he dead? Did I….” 

Miyuki stumbled over and stared at the fallen man. She looked at him carefully, then picked up his gun and put three rounds in his chest.

“He wasn’t dead. I killed him.” Miyuki spat, suddenly grabbing Rain by her chin. “You understand? It wasn’t you. You understand?”

She nodded through her tears and helped Miyuki steady herself. The three of them ran across the street, following the sounds of gunfire. Gabriel and Mr. Happy were guarding the abandoned building Tali had set up in. They were pinned down and outnumbered, but they made up for it in firepower. Rain watched as their attacker’s were pushed back, driven by the relentless wave of laser and plasma from Gabe and Happy. She saw Tali fire from a window and catch one of the bandits right in the head. The remaining ten bandits hunkered down behind cover. Rain was about to fire when Rocco put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head with a smile.

That’s when the door to Tali’s building opened and Miles walked through. He had a pistol in each hand as he walked calmly into the chaos. He walked through the storm of bullets like he was going for a relaxing stroll. He didn’t seek cover, he seemed totally unconcerned that people were trying to kill him, like he was completely sure that nothing could harm him. Calmly, deliberately, he raised each gun and fired on any unfortunate soul he saw. 

Rain watched in awe as two bandits fell, then a third, a fourth, and a fifth. Out of terror or desperation, the remaining five bandits broke and tried to run, and that’s when Miyuki and Rocco moved forward to block them. They were trapped and they knew it, but Miles had no mercy for them. They fell one by one until only one was left. She was a rough looking woman with a mohawk. Seeing she had lost, the woman tossed the gun aside and sat down on the ground with a sigh.

They closed in on her, and Rain saw she was bleeding from a wound in her stomach. Tali came last and immediately wrapped an arm around her, giving her an affectionate kiss on the head. Rain clung to her to keep from falling over, her legs feeling like jelly. She briefly pondered at how heavy her diaper felt, convinced that the fight and fear made her go more.

Miles circled the final bandit slowly. “Were you the leader here?”

The woman looked up slowly, before indicating a man lying dead nearby. “You already got him. Fucking Miles, I knew we were playing with fire threatening that village.”

“Why did you then?”

“We had to eat didn’t we? If this is where you act all superior, just save it and put me out of my misery already.”

“There are other ways of getting a meal without killing innocent people. You and your friends killed four.”

The woman scoffed and clutched her stomach in pain. “These idiots weren’t my friends. I just stayed with them so I didn’t get my ass eaten out on the road. I was just trying to survive out here. I knew I shoulda hooked up with Thorn and his gang.”

Miles knelt down and grabbed the woman roughly by her face. “Thorne? What do you know about Jericho Thorn?”

She smiled. “Same as you I suspect. He's got an army sitting up north, I heard the whole northern part of the state is his.”

Tali leaned in close to Rain. “Jericho Thorn is a raider who managed to unite a bunch of other raider tribes. He’s bad news.”

The wounded woman laughed and looked at Miles with a mocking smile. “That’s an understatement. I heard he took you and those Regulators of yours down a peg a couple years back. What, you looking for revenge?”

Miles stood up and handed one of his pistols to Rain. “She doesn’t know anything. Put her down, Rain.”

Surprisingly, Miyuki came forward and grabbed his arm. “Miles, no! She's a kid. The last kill is your job, not hers.”

“Has she killed today? Has she taken a life with her own hands?”

Miyuki looked torn and frustrated. “She….might….I mean…no, she hasn’t.”

“Then now’s the time. You know she'll have to kill eventually.” Miles said with finality.

“Not like this, Captain. Not up close with the woman on her knees. Please.”

Rain looked around. Gabriel was in armor, thus unreadable. Rocco seemed unconcerned, inspecting his sword. Tali had moved back a bit and held her eyes downcast with a sad expression.

“Rain. Now.” Miles ordered. “This woman is just like the Super Mutants who attacked you in the past. She has no regard for the lives of others. This is justice, Rain. Justice must be swift, relentless, and most importantly, without mercy.”

The woman laughed again. “Her? You're gonna make her kill me? Fuck man, she looks greener than a Super Mutant. Since when does Miles the Deathless have a little kid do his killing for him?”

Miyuki turned her back. “This is wrong.”

Gabriel stepped up a bit. “Captain, I get the lesson here, but even I find this distasteful. This is perhaps, not the best time?”

Miles sighed and looked back to Tali. Their eyes met for a few seconds and Miles gave a small nod. “You guys are right. I’m sorry Rain, I was wrong to push this on you.”

He reached out for his gun and Rain found herself taking a step back. They didn’t think she could do it. None of them did. They still saw her as a kid to be protected. Rain gulped and looked at the woman and raised the gun. Her breath seemed to get caught in her chest. Her mind seemed to go blank. Then she pulled the trigger. The woman didn’t make a sound, she just fell over as the sound of the gun echoed through the air.

Nobody moved. Rain felt like the world was spinning. The suddenness of all of it took her by surprise. A human being had been alive and breathing and talking a moment ago. Now she was….nothing, food for the worms as the saying went. Her mind couldn’t seem to comprehend that she had done it. She is seen corpses before, plenty. She had seen people die in front of her, but to know that she had done it, that she had taken that living, breathing human and snuffed them out like a candle. It was nauseating. 

“What did you do?” Miyuki asked with a look of horror.

She could feel the earth spinning beneath her. “I was just….trying to prove that I had what it took. To be with you guys. I-I didn’t mean….”

The last thing she saw was the ground rushing toward her.

                         *

It was warm when Rain finally woke up. She was laying in bed, but she didn’t recognize the room. Tali was cuddled up behind her. She scooted closer to the woman, feeling a coldness seeping into her despite the warmth. The cold came from somewhere else, from the horrible thing she had done. 

Tali stirred and opened her eyes. A smile came to her face as she moved some blonde locks out of her eyes. “Morning sweetheart. Or good evening I guess. We’re at the village we saved, came to collect the bounty, so we are crashing here for the night. How are you feeling?”

She didn’t say anything for a minute or so, seeing her victims face flash before her eyes. “I messed up. Are the others mad?”

“Nobody is mad at you sweetie. You….well you did what you had too. We just wish you didn’t have to. It was too much, too fast.”

“I’m sorry. I thought I needed-“

“Shhh. It’s alright. Miles knows he shouldn’t have put you on the spot like that. He gets so wrapped up in this. This crusade of his. Sometimes it’s like he can only see the next target. Sometimes….he can’t see what’s right in front of him.”

The tone in her voice was sad, and Rain turned around in surprise, wrapping Tali with her arms. “What's wrong? I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Tali smiled and wiped a tear away. “It's okay. I’m fine.” Her hand reached down to probe Rain’s diaper. “How about we get you changed and go back to sleep?”

Rain laid back with a sigh, putting her arms behind her head as Tali grabbed a new diaper and began cleaning her up. It was so relaxing not having to change herself. She would never understand why Tali decided to take up such an unpleasant task, but she wasn’t about to complain. At least she only had urinary incontinence.

“Your diapers are cute.” Tali said as she slipped a clean one under her. “The little diapered Vault Boys are a nice touch.”

Rain simply nodded, feeling her cheeks redden. The whole diapering process made her feel extremely infantile, and how the diapers looked didn’t help. Once she was dry, Tali nestled back up beside her in the bed. The torch in their tent provided enough light to see without being too much to prevent sleep. Yet, Rain had a hard time sleeping. Her mind kept going back to the woman she had killed.

“Does it get easier?” She asked with a note of desperation in her voice.

Tali hesitated a moment. “Yes and no. You'll get used to it I guess. But it’s not supposed to be easy.”

They laid in silence for some time, but Rain couldn’t seem to fall back asleep, despite how comfortable she was. She couldn’t help but squirm around a bit, painfully aware of the crinkle of her diaper.

“Do you like to read, Rain?”

“I suppose. It’s a good distraction. I like getting lost in the story and just getting away. Why?”

Tali got out of bed and got into her bag. She returned with a large leather bound book. It was in surprisingly good condition, with only the spine showing any real signs of damage.

Tali got back in bed and opened the book. “I collect any books I can find. Admittedly, most are in pretty bad shape. This beauty is a collection of fairy taless. I scavenged it years back in an old library. I’ve probably read all these stories at least a hundred times. Would you like me to read to you?”

“I would love that. Maybe it will help me sleep.”

Tali smiled and flipped to a story. “This is called Hansel and Gretel.” She began reading as Rain closed her eyes and listened. She was only halfway through when the little girl had fallen asleep again.

                            *

Rain dreamed of a little boy. She was only vaguely aware she was dreaming, but nevertheless, she watched as the boy trudged through a small village with, eyes downcast as he approached a small stone building apart from the others. The interior was messy, with beer bottles and discarded cans of food. A man stirred from the couch at the back of the room, fixing the boy with a spiteful look. He looked disheveled and dirty, his eyes were bloodshot, and his skin had a pale and unhealthy pallor. 

“Well, what do you have you for me? More than yesterday I hope.”

The boy, who looked no older than maybe ten, kept his eyes on the floor. “I couldn’t get in. Mr. Eldez wasn’t home but the lock was too tough. I couldn’t break in. I-I found some food though, in an abandoned house about a mile from the village. A few cans of beans.”

The man, his father she figured, rose to his feet as the boy shrunk away. He was angry and there was a tension in the room as he neared closer to the child. The first blow knocked the boy to his knees, clutching his stomach. Again and again the mans fist descended, battering the boy and leaving him curled on the floor weeping.

“I don’t know why I bother taking care of you. You’re so fucking useless. Is it too much expect you to help out and contribute a bit?” He grabbed him roughly by the neck and shoved him out the door. “Sleep out there tonight, you little shit.”

The boy got to his knees weakly and sat against the house, drying his tears with the back of his hand. His mouth was bloody, and there we already bruises forming over his face. He sat there for a long time as the sun began to set. People passed by, some glancing at him, most not. They apparently knew not to get involved. 

The boy sat there miserably, cold and hurting, until darkness fell. He was shivering when the door opened and the man looked down on him.

“Come on boy” He said with a sigh. “Get inside. There’s some food on the table for you.”

The boy smiled and shakily stood up. He went inside and the man ruffled his hair a bit before sending him to eat. Suddenly it was daytime again. The man headed out the door, going to work he said. The boy wandered around the village, looking for something to steal to make his father happy. He approached the largest building in the square and immediately hid by the side. There were ten or so men, all in long brown jackets, talking to an elderly man in a suit. The mayor maybe?

“Him and his gang are normally out East a ways.” The elderly man said. “The old water treatment plant by the road. They’ve been robbing any poor bastard that passes by.”

One of the men moved up. He was a tall man, bald with goatee. “And this Jerrod guy that lives here is part of it?”

The mayor nodded. “He lives at the edge of town with his kid. Foul man he is, with a bad temper.”

The boy knew they were talking about his father, he began to sneak to the gate. Once out of the village he broke into a sprint, leaping over logs and dodging trees. He didn’t get too far. A loud howl froze him in place. Hiding behind a tree, he glanced over and saw a mangy looking dog. It was so skinny that he could see it’s ribs, and he could also see the white foam coming from its mouth. He hadn't taken the road, opting instead to go through the woods. It was a foolish mistake. He stood rooted in place for a long time, too afraid to move as the dog sniffed around. The sound of gunshots rang through the air, finally scaring the dog off. 

The boy was too late. He reached the building to find bodies all over. He saw his father laying face down, a pool of blood underneath him. The men in Brown coats stood nearby, surrounding a final man on his knees. The bald man took out a gun and put it to the man’s head. Speaking quietly before pulling the trigger.

The boy looked at his father. There was little love lost admittedly, but it was still his father. The boy rushed forward, grabbing one of the discarded firearms on the ground. Trembling, he pointed it at the bald man. The others turned and pointed their weapons, but the bald man stopped them with a gesture. The boy moved closer to his father’s corpse.

The man noticed and put his hands in the air, moving up slowly. “Was he your father?”

The boy let out a choked sob and tried to fire the gun, but nothing happened. It was empty. “Hey, its okay. We aren’t going to hurt you.” The man said as he went down on one knee. “I'm George Maxwell. Listen to me. Your pa here was doing some nasty things, hurting people, you understand?”

The boy shook his head. “I don’t have anything now! What do I do now?!”

George moved closer and put his arm around the boy slowly. “Why not come with us? We have a place you could stay. Lots of food.” He paused and looked the boy over. “Nobody will give you any more bruises. I can promise you that. What’s your name?”

The boy looked up with red eyes. “Miles. My name is Miles.”

                           *

“Time to wake up baby.” Tali said as she shook the girl awake. She already had a clean diaper in her hand, ready to go. Rain smiled tiredly and scooted so her legs dangled off the bed. Tali got to work as Rain pondered her dream. She had never had a dream about someone else, nor had her dreams ever been so lucid. She could remember every detail so well. But for her to dream about Miles as a kid, she just didn’t understand it.

Once she was dressed, she followed Tali outside where the others were already waiting. They all nodded to her, Rocco put an arm around her, even Miyuki offered a half smile. They waved the villagers goodbye and headed out. 

“You look tired Cap.” Rocco said with a grin. “Did some village girl keep you up all night?”

Rain saw Tali giving the ghoul a death glare, but it was Miles who shocked her with his response.

“I had a weird dream, of my childhood of all things. I haven’t had that dream in a long time and it’s got me out of sorts a bit.”

Rain nearly stopped in place. It had been his dream that she had. She had shared the same dream as Miles.
 

  • Like 5
Link to comment

I will address my thoughts about this chapter in chronological order:

Rocco throwing his sword was simultaneously the funniest & most badass thing I've read all day! :D of course it's only 10am.

Miyuki showing a soft side for Rain? Interesting...

Tali once again wins the award for post-apocalyptic mother of the year. :)

And finally Rain's mental abilities continue to be the driving mystery behind this story. I hope she describes Miles' dream and completely blows his mind, showing him that there's something very special about her.

Loving this story! ♡♡♡♡♡

Link to comment

Loved the new chapter. What a spot to put a young girl into. Taking a life while engaged in battle is one thing, but taking the life of someone who can no longer harm you is quite another. Not sure I could do it. I was happy to see the new addition and will be waiting for the next. 

Link to comment
  • 2 months later...

“This job should be pretty easy, especially with Rocco on our side.” Miles said as they gathered around the campfire. “There’s a train tunnel about two days walk from here. Some villagers have complained about a large group of feral ghouls coming from it. It seems more come pouring out everyday. Inevitably, they spread out and find their way to the village. The villagers have fought them off every time, but they got hit pretty hard last time.”

Rain nodded, taking a drink of her Nuka-Cola, something Mrs. Sellers had never allowed, and as it so happened, her new favorite drink, and looked at Rocco. “What’s the plan, and why will it be easier with you there?”

“Don’t you know girly? Ghouls, even feral ones, won’t attack one of their own. So the idea is simple. Our lovely Miss Tali here will make us a nice, fat, powerful bomb. I'll walk it right inside the tunnel, and walk right back out.” Rocco paused to light up a cigarette. “Bomb goes off, most of the ferals go with it, and we mop up the ones that run out of the tunnel. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.”

Tali stood up and brushed the dirt off her pants. “I will get right on that, but first, I’m taking Rain for her shot and a diaper change.”

Rain shuddered at the mention. She hated getting those stupid radiation shots, but they were an unfortunate necessity. Everything was irradiated in some way. The water, the food, the animals, everything. Over time, radiation from their food built up. Rain had suffered from radiation sickness before, until Mrs. Sellers had forced her down and given her the medicine. 

It really shouldn’t have been such a big deal. It was just a part of life out here, but Rain had always hated needles. Of course she couldn’t remember what had initially caused such a fear, but even so, it was an almost suffocating phobia. Rain had managed to put it off for now, but Tali was constantly pressuring her. 

She could’ve just confided in Tali. She probably would’ve  understood. Hell, she had been one of the first to accept Rain, she took care of her, changed her diapers. Tali might've understood, but it wouldn’t do anything to curb that fear, and Rain didn’t want to appear anymore weak than she already did. 

Miles held up a hand. “Hold off on that. Rain needs to learn a bit about Thorn and his gang. He’s our true enemy after all. It’s time she knew the whole story. She needs to learn how the Regulators fell.”

Rain leaned forward eagerly, too happy about getting out of the shot to notice Tali’s exasperated stare. She wanted to know more about Miles too, so this was a double win.

“We came here following a man named George Maxwell. He was the man who had brought me into the Regulators. He was a father figure for me, a mentor. So anyway, George, me, and about 30 others came from out east. We set up a base, and then we started working.”

Miles paused and broke open a bottle of what she guessed was some type of alcohol. Rain had never told Miles about her dream, or the fact that she had seen the day the Regulators took him in. She was afraid of his reaction, afraid of what her dream meant for her.

Miles took a long drink and continued, his voice low and without emotion. “So we start by taking down some raider groups. There were plenty to choose from. We even started recruiting from the populace. Things were going well for a long time. Our base was hidden, and we had scouts in all directions keeping a lookout. We were so confidant we would never be found.”

“Then one day, one of our patrols found a message for us, wanting to meet. We set up a rendezvous point and met with a man who claimed to want to help us. He was from up north, and he told us that it was infested with raider groups, making life nearly impossible for those just trying to get by. This guy had information in spades. He pointed us to group after group, and we found ourselves very busy.” 

The others all held somber expressions, but Rain was spellbound. She wanted, no, she needed to know how it ended. “What happened?”

“The guy got spooked when we asked about Jericho Thorn, the so called “Demon of the North”. He had quite the rep, enough for our guy to flat out refuse to help us find him.”

He paused again and took another drink. Rain could feel it. The next part was going to be painful. Sorrow and regret seemed to pour out from her leader in a way only she, with her ability to read emotions could see. Outwardly, Miles was as stoic as he had ever been. 

“You see Rain, what we didn’t understand was that these weren't just average raiders we were taking down. They were tribes. And with every tribe we took down, the survivors that escaped had to go somewhere. A normal raider group would just disperse, find greener pastures, but these guys? They were angry and lost, and so they flocked to the last man standing.”

“Jericho Thorn.” Rain said. “All the survivors went to him?”

Miles nodded. “We didn’t leave many, but as I said, we were busy, and they added up. First, our patrols started disappearing. They normally went out in teams of three, so George increased teams to five. They stopped coming home too. Then George disappeared. The day finally came, and we found an army outside our base. The leader was the very same man who gave us so much helpful information. He introduced himself as Jericho Thorn, and George Maxwell was right by his side. They had broken him, and he had given us up.”

“We were outnumbered and outgunned. We never stood a chance. No one… nobody survived.”

Rain looked down, trying to hold back tears. The feelings from Miles were overwhelming her. Rather, the one emotion. Rage, a horrible, burning rage. She could feel it swelling in her chest, crushing her. For a moment she thought she might black out, until she felt a sharp pain in her arm.

Tali withdrew the needle with a cheshire grin. The others broke out in laughter despite the tension had been built from the tale. Even Miles cracked a small smile.

“Owww! That hurt so bad!” She whined.

“You’re fine. I know how to deal with little girls trying to get out of shots. Diaper change, now missy.” Tali ordered with her hands on her hips.

Miyuki smirked at her. “Better listen to your mommy.”

“Be nice.” Rocco chided.

Rain got up and glared at Miyuki. Whatever kindness she had shown before was gone, and she was back to being a bitch. There seemed to be some type of method to her particular madness, but she didn’t seem likely to offer anything up soon, and Rain was simply tired of her mocking smiles.

Tali took her by the hand and led her to her room. Normally, getting her diaper changed was a more or less relaxing affair. Rain however, couldn’t get Miyuki’s words out of her head. Was she right? Was Tali becoming a sort of surrogate mother for her? Was it her lack of a mother, or her lack of memory about her mother, that made Rain cling so tightly to the Scottish woman? She had rationalized it before as simple convenience. Tali took care of her, and it was after all much easier to be changed by someone else. Despite her size, youth, and garments, Rain didn’t feel like a child, she couldn’t remember a time when she had felt like that.

Tali had finished her work and was smiling down on her with that kindly gaze of hers. Tali was a young woman herself, but she had a very maternal bearing, and suddenly, Rain wasn’t sure if she loved that, or if it made her uncomfortable.

“Hey sweetheart? You okay there? You're looking awfully serious.”

Rain shook her head. “I’m just thinking about Miles and his story.” She lied. “Are we going after Jericho Thorn? Is that his endgame?”

“Even if it was, and no matter how much Miles might want to, it's impossible. Thorn has way too many men.”

“How many?”

“Close to a thousand is what he claims. An exaggeration no doubt, but maybe not by much. He has enough to split up his forces into five groups. His four generals control their own territory, flanking him on all sides, ready to fight at his command. Thorn sits in the middle, ruling like a king.”

Rain sat up, ignoring the fact that she was still without pants. “A thousand?! Just from the tribes Miles took out?”

Tali sighed. “Not all. Raiders from all over the state go up to join him. Add to that a lot of former slaves, and he’s got a pretty sizable army.”

“Why would ex-slaves join Thorn?”

“Jericho hated the slave trade, hates the idea of slavery actually. He cracked down on it hard, killed the slavers in his territory and freed the slaves. He's a bad man, but even evil men are capable of doing some good it seems.”

Tali sat beside her and ran her hand through her hair. “Don’t worry about Thorn. We have bigger fish to fry tomorrow. Speaking of, I need to get to work on the bomb. Want to help?”

“Actually I'm pretty tired. Do you think it would be okay if I turned in early?” In truth she needed a little time to herself. There was too much going on in her head. Her mixed feelings regarding Tali were only part of it. Her dreams concerned her much more. No matter what, she needed to be asleep before any of the others.

Tali didn’t miss a beat, smiling that infectious smile of hers. “That's fine. I'll be down the hall if you can't sleep.”

Tali finally left. Rain stretched out in her cot and got comfortable. Her dream sharing adventure was interesting, but her own fragmented memory was only accessible through her dreams. Her only hope to learn more about herself was to have her own dreams, not getting lost in her friend's pasts.

*

Luck wasn't on her side. Not only did she sleep poorly, but she didn’t have a dream of her past. Instead it was a nightmare about the woman she had gunned down, staring at her with bloody eyes. The morning came far too quickly, and after a quick change, the team was on the road.

Then there was walking. A lot of walking. Gabriel had left his armor at the base so she couldn’t catch a ride on his shoulders, even if he was still a head taller than the others. Still, she found herself walking beside him as Tali was further ahead near Miles, with the unhappy Mr. Happy hovering on her heels.

“Enslaver, if you release me now, I promise I will make your death as painless as possible. Deal?”

“Think I'll pass, thanks.” Tali said without looking back.

“Very well. Release me and I promise…..I will not kill you.” When Tali looked back at this he continued. “Right away. I won’t kill you right away. I’m willing to give you a….ten minute head start.”

“How generous.” She snorted.

“I'm willing to go to twenty.”

“No. Stop asking. You might show a tiny bit of gratitude. You would've ended up a rusted pile of scrap if I hadn’t come by.”

The robot gave a hearty laugh. “Believe me Enslaver, I very much wish to show you my gratitude for stealing my free will. Unfortunately, you seem oddly attached to your limbs.”

Beside her, Gabriel chuckled. “Gotta say, I like that murderous hunk of metal.” He smiled at her, placing his meaty paw on her shoulder. “You did good in the last fight. I know I had my reservations, but it’s becoming more clear that you make a good fit here.”

Rain smiled up at him. “Thanks. Truth be told, I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t met you guys. I was just running from place to place, no real goal in mind. Hell, maybe I would still be tied to that bed.”

Gabriel nodded, stroking his beard in what appeared to be deep thought. “That’s all in the past now. Don’t dwell on what if’s. You're here with us now.”

She was dead tired by nightfall, when they finally stopped to make camp. After a diaper change, she shoveled a can of beans down, yawning at the fire the whole time. Rocco sauntered over and mussed up her hair as he sat down beside her.

“What’s up, Buttercup? Haven’t gotten your walking legs yet?”

“Walking legs? What else are legs for? I’m just not used to hiking miles all day.”

“Ha! How do you think old man Gabe feels? He used to fly everywhere. Now he spends his golden years walking like the rest of us.”

Rain blinked in surprise. “Fly? What do you mean? How did he fly?”

“I guess the Brotherhood used these flying machines to get places. Sort of like the busted down cars you see around here, but they went in the air I guess.”

“Neat.” She said with awe, imagining what she would give to be able to fly wherever she wished. She glanced around the fire for the first time in a few minutes, noticing that someone was missing. “Where's Miyuki at?”

Rocco shrugged as he lit a cigarette. “Off scouting ahead I think. Why, you miss her?” He asked, smirking.

“I was just wondering why you aren’t with her. She’s your girlfriend isn’t she?”

“Holy fuck, no. Have you seen me? I’m not exactly a beauty pageant winner here. She’s fond of my winning personality, but that’s it. Besides, I’m not really her type if you get what I’m saying.”

Rain had no idea what he was saying, but she didn’t care. She was just barely awake as it was, and she certainly didn't have the energy to worry about the one person who seemed to detest her.

After another day of walking, they finally reached the tunnel. They kept a distance at first, not wanting to alert the ghouls that wandered around it’s entrance aimlessly. From what they could see there were at least ten, with more wandering out every so often. 

Tali carefully opened her bag and removed a large metallic device. Handing it gently to Rocco. “You’re going to have thirty minutes to get the bomb as far into the tunnel as possible and get out of there. Make sure you don’t dilly dally in there. You want to be out of there well before this baby goes off.”

Rocco shrugged unworried. “Couldn't I just set the thing once I’m in there?”

“Do you know how to set it without blowing yourself up?” Tali asked with a hint of irritation.

“Nope, sure don't. Okay then, I guess I'll hurry. I work better under pressure anyway. How much do you want to bet I could juggle this thing the whole way in?”

Miyuki placed a hand on his chest. “Be serious. This isn’t a joke. Just get in and out as quickly as you can. If you blow yourself up out of stupidity, I'm going to be pissed.”

“You're a sweetheart, you know that? It’s nice to know you worry.” Rocco laughed. 

After the bomb was set, the ghoul walked briskly toward the tunnel, pausing next to one of the shambling ferals so he could give it bunny ears. The feral ghoul paid no mind to his presence. 

Gabriel shook his head. “We tell him to be careful, and the idiot's playing around down there.”

“He’ll make it.” Miyuki said, despite looking nervous herself. “I'll kill him if he doesn't.”

“He just needs to be easy with that bomb. Last thing we want is for him to drop the thing and set it off.” Tali said.

Rain saw Miyuki’s head flick over to the Tali. Her face had gone pale, her hands clutched the bottom of her shirt. She was terrified. Against her better judgement, Rain reached for her hand. Surprisingly, this was allowed, almost welcomed.

“He'll be okay.” Rain whispered.

Miyuki nodded slowly, her eyes staying fixed on Rocco’s back as he disappeared into the tunnel.

*

The tunnel was packed with ferals. Rocco had to push several out of his way as he struggled to navigate in the dark tunnel. His flashlight seemed almost useless with the bodies of the ghouls pressing in on all sides. There were too many to count. 

He hated the sight of them. They embodied his greatest fear. That one day, he might end up like them, wandering blindly, unable to remember who he had been. If he had time, he would've stayed and taken out each one. It would be a mercy.

He squinted in the darkness and saw that the bomb timer read 18 minutes. Plenty of time, he figured. He kept walking, finally breaching the main crowd and coming to an intersection. This would be the place. Wherever these things were coming from, the blast would block their way to the outside.

A few feral’s were wandering around as he carefully set the bomb on the ground. One though, caught his eye. There was something about how it moved, less of a shamble, more of a gait, that set him on edge. As the ghoul wandered toward him, he found himself getting closer to it as well. The creatures clothes were torn and tattered, but still, there seemed to be something different about this ghoul, as it seemed to move with greater speed and purpose.

Finally, as the two met, Rocco realized his error. Too late he tried to get out of arms reach, but the creature was faster, striking out with it's left hand. Pain radiated through his stomach as he felt something sharp dig deep into him. His hands grasped feebly for his own weapon as the creature pushed him against the wall.

Through a haze, Rocco felt his weapons being torn from him as he slid down to the ground. The other ghoul moved with a frantic energy, shaking it’s head and muttering to itself. Rocco was silent as it moved to the bomb he had placed on the ground.

“Bad man, bad man!” The creature muttered. “What have you done? What have you brought here?”

With effort, Rocco spoke weakly. “That's…..a bomb. I wouldn’t mess with it if I were you. Might….go…off.”

The creature rounded on him and stabbed him again. “Bad man! Stop it! Stop the boom boom now!”

“Couldn't……if I wanted…to. Don’t know how. Maybe you should run….before it’s too late.”

“No! Can't leave family. Ugol can’t leave family. Why did you come here?! We were happy before you came! We were free!”

Rocco struggled to stay awake and looked at the pitiful creature, not feral clearly, yet still bonkers. “Family huh? You know, it’s faint, but I think I see a resemblance. Which one's your mum?” 

Apparently, his humor wasn’t appreciated, and the creature, Ulgol, started beating him mercilessly. With his last bit of consciousness, he looked over and saw the time on the bomb. Only eleven minutes left.

                           *

“Rocco, come in now! This shit isn’t funny anymore. Let us know you're okay.”

“The tunnel could be blocking our signal.” Tali said hopefully, trying to calm her teammate. 

Miyuki couldn’t be consoled. Her pacing was erratic, her voice reaching higher and higher. She was beyond reason now, such was the level of her hysteria.

“He should have been back by now. Something is wrong, I know it. He’s running out of time.”

Rain watched as the group argued about what to do. It was a simpler decision for her. Despite a wet diaper encumbering her, she started for the tunnel. Rocco had saved her, maybe she could return the favor.

“Rain, stop at once!” Miles commanded, stopping her tracks. “We might not have enough time. You know that right?”

Miyuki stepped forward eagerly, ready to follow, yet unwilling to do so without word from Miles. “Rocco might be in danger. That bomb is gonna go off with him inside.” Rain said, raising her arms. “What are we waiting for?”

Miles smirked and gave her a single nod. Miyuki sprinted down to join her. “Tali, give us cover. Gabe, Happy, with me!” 

The team rushed forward, their first barrage decimating the ghouls in their path. Rain struggled to hit their heads, so she began focusing on body shots. Miyuki didn’t even bother with bullets, her spiked knuckles ripping through the horde effortlessly.

Happy, Miles, and Gabriel were further behind in their own fight. Tali had stayed behind, but her aim was true, and she began quickly racking up kills.

“Head into the tunnel.” Miles yelled over the chaos. “We'll keep the exit clear.”

Rain obeyed and tried to keep up with Miyuki. The two were surrounded in the tunnel, but many ran past them, heading for Miles and the others. The ones that stayed swarmed over them, their nails like claws ripping into the leather armor they wore. Maybe it was adrenaline, but Rain barely felt their blows, only occasionally wincing when the monsters wounded her, their claws tearing into her flesh and making shallow cuts that nonetheless bled profusely.

Miyuki was hurt too, but kept fighting with an alarming fervor, as she forced herself further into the darkness. They fought side by side, taking down one creature after another, until they finally reached a breach.

She heard the blast before any pain set in, a loud echoing boom, so that Rain thought for a moment the bomb had gone off. As she sunk to her knees, she saw a ghoul in tattered clothing, clutching Rocco’s shotgun. Rain had luckily avoided a direct hit, but she had been grazed across her side, and the pain was staggering.

Miyuki grabbed her and hid behind a broken pillar. The ghoul fired again and again, the bullets tearing chunks out of their hiding place. Rain hugged herself against her companion, still crying in pain.

Miyuki briefly checked her wounds. “Stay with me, kiddo. It’s just a flesh wound.”

Something else was happening. As Rain cried, the environment shifted, the chaos surrounding her faded away. There was a woman holding her, but her face was darkened. Then there was a gunshot, blood, her own screams. She heard laughing, and a figure began walking out of the shadows.

“Rain! What’s going on?! What are you doing?” Miyuki asked, shaking her back into reality. “For fuck’s sake Rain, I need you here, get a grip.”

Rain had fallen to her knees, her head felt as though it were splitting in two. Her hands ran to her navel, where she had been shot long ago. She could feel the intense, burning pain where, even now, she was convinced she could feel the bullet deep inside. The pain in her stomach was agonizing, and though a part of her knew it wasn’t real, her mind acted like it was.

Her body too, reacted to the stress in an unexpected way. On her knees, in agony, her bowels released. If she hadn’t been so certain that she was about to die, she would no doubt have been mortified at the disgusting mass filling she pushed into her awaiting diaper. At the moment however, vague and broken fragments of memory continued to assault her. She heard voices from people she felt she knew but couldn’t remember.

We'll get you through this. I promise. I love you so much.” A female voice said.

It’s only pain. It’s only temporary. All of this will be worth it in the end.” A cold, monotone male voice said.

What can I say kid? Life is shit and then you die. Fair doesn't mean jack in the real world.” This male voice was unknown, but still familiar in the vaguest sense.

Nothing made sense. The memories taunted her, while in the present, she heard muffled gunshots and Miyuki screaming at her.

“Stop! Please make it stop!” Rain screamed. “I don’t want to remember. Please, I don’t want to know!”

                          *

Miyuki watched as her comrade writhed in pain beside her. The ghoul firing at her apparently had all of Rocco’s weapons. They had been in a back and forth stalemate for some time. The darkness of the tunnel made it hard to even see her opponent, and she still hadn’t seen Rocco. 

Finally, a silence descended in the tunnel. Rain fell silent, and an unpleasant smell began to emanate from her. The ghoul still had, it seemed, run out of shotgun ammo. He paused for a moment before pulling out Rocco’s pistol. As he resumed firing, Miyuki fired back and was rewarded with a cry of pain. Ignoring Rain for the moment, she moved forward, counting on momentum to finish the job. The ghoul had decided to make a run for it, clutching his right arm as he made his way deeper into the tunnel and out of her sight. Miyuki gave chase until she spied Rocco lying slumped against the wall. 

A quick check confirmed he was still breathing, so she grabbed his arm and dragged him over to Rain, who seemed to be in a kind of stupor. Ignoring the smell, she lifted the girl onto her back before bolting for the entrance. She had no idea how much time was left before the bomb went off, and as she drug the bodies of her teammates along with her, she had one thought. She knew she wasn’t going to make it.

Then she saw Miles and Gabriel rushing to her, telling her to hurry. They reached her and took Rocco from her. With only Rain on her back, the team rushed for the light of the outside world. Then there was a tremendous noise, and the tunnel shook before a force knocked into them , sending them flying outside as the tunnel crumbled behind them.

                      *

Ulgol hid in the darkness of the tunnel, too afraid to move. He wasn’t sure if he had been pursued. When the tunnel began to shake, he cautiously moved out of his cover. When the wall of fire came toward him, he didn’t even try to escape. A blaze of pain ended all his thoughts. That was the end of poor, crazy, Ulgol.
 

  • Like 5
Link to comment

Fantastic! Outstanding! Stupendous! Other synonyms! :D

The only problem I have with this story is how long we have to go between chapters. And no, I'm not saying that in a "I want more and I want it NOW!" kind of way. I just mean I was having trouble remembering minor details and characters like Jericho and Maxwell and Mrs. Sellers.

Now, I'm not suggesting that you need to write more quickly just to satisfy me. But what you COULD do is post these chapters in smaller chunks. Take this one ^ For example: You could've easily split it into 3 parts without losing momentum. What do you think? Is there some particular reason you'd be against posting shorter, more frequent chapters Whenever possible?

Link to comment

I'm not opposed to it. to be honest what I do post always looks shorter than it feels, at least to me. so I write more to compensate.

Due to some personal issues, I let the story out aside to long. however, it is a long story, with many characters, and a specific chronology. You may have to re read some parts. I have to on many stories that I follow. But my point, and hope, is that the wait is worth it, that I give enough content to make up for it a bit. 

As for some characters, Jericho was only very briefly mentioned in previous chapters, so he isn't hugely relevant unless you are tracking the background of Miles. As there are many flashbacks and Tarantino style jumps, it may be a requirement to keep track people. 

How did you like the chapter?

Link to comment
6 minutes ago, vampire4 said:

How did you like the chapter?

How did I like it? Well, I'll reiterate what I said before:

26 minutes ago, Wannatripbaby said:

Fantastic! Outstanding! Stupendous! Other synonyms! :D

 

Link to comment

so to reiterate a bit:

Jericho Thorne is basically the top dog of raiders, at least to Miles. He tricked the Regulators into taking out his competition, then took the survivors and killed the Regulators. Miles was the only survivor. This took place a while ago story wise. He is a very important character, just not yet.

Maxwell was the man who took Miles in as a child and ultimately, the one who betrayed him to Thorne.

Dr. Sellers took Rain in about two years ago, a little before Miles began his group. First, it was just him and Gabriel. Then Tali, and Miyuki and Rocco came later. Dr. Sellers wasn't a warm person, but she did care for Rain in her own way.

 

Link to comment

Got it. Thanks. :)

And I really do think you should try shorter chapters. Not only would you be posting more frequently, but it would give readers better opportunity to comment on specific things. Plus, people are busy. Not everyone can sit down and read such long chapters in one sitting.

Don't think of it in terms of length. Think of it in terms of story beats. Which you already recognition by the asterisks ( * ) You placed several times in this chapter. :)

Link to comment

When i first started reading this, I was not sure how I would like it, as an ABDL type of story, but you have done very well, and i am enjoying it a lot.

I for one enjoy the long chapters, but I think more people like the short ones since you can put them out faster, but that is just my opinion, and it's all up to you, i will read it regardless.

Keep up the good work.

Link to comment

This was good. I'm honestly impressed that Rain fired her weapon on her first mission and managed to hit the target. That often dosen't happen with professional soldiers.

Link to comment

I'm happy you're enjoying it. I found out a while ago that plain ab/dl stories aren't my thing, writing wise. I tried in the past, but gradually lost steam and gave up. My story Reincarnation, was more of a story that could stand on its own, without diapers if need be. It was pretty well recieved too, so I figured I should stick to what I'm good at.

As I said before, a personal loss is what kept me away from the story for so long. I hope to push out chapters quicker from now on. However, I only write on certain days and that can complicate things. I may push out shorter chapters, but I have this thing so planned out, I even have predetermined stopping points for chapters. I know when I get to a certain point to stop the chapter, and I'm loath to do otherwise. lol.

10 minutes ago, YourFNF said:

This was good. I'm honestly impressed that Rain fired her weapon on her first mission and managed to hit the target. That often dosen't happen with professional soldiers.

Well, I mean, it is fiction. I can't have my main gal running around missing all the time. That being said, her first hit was luck. Plus she's been training with battle hardend mercs, so she's got the training. 

Link to comment
16 minutes ago, vampire4 said:

I'm happy you're enjoying it. I found out a while ago that plain ab/dl stories aren't my thing, writing wise. I tried in the past, but gradually lost steam and gave up. My story Reincarnation, was more of a story that could stand on its own, without diapers if need be. It was pretty well recieved too, so I figured I should stick to what I'm good at.

As I said before, a personal loss is what kept me away from the story for so long. I hope to push out chapters quicker from now on. However, I only write on certain days and that can complicate things. I may push out shorter chapters, but I have this thing so planned out, I even have predetermined stopping points for chapters. I know when I get to a certain point to stop the chapter, and I'm loath to do otherwise. lol.

Well, I mean, it is fiction. I can't have my main gal running around missing all the time. That being said, her first hit was luck. Plus she's been training with battle hardend mercs, so she's got the training. 

Oh yeah definitely that was just meant to be a compliment for the girl :)

Link to comment
  • Hades changed the title to The Lost and the Broken (Updated 9/15/2020) No really!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...