Chapter 533 - Sit Back! Relax!

After the group's battle against the Ghost Mutant, they began moving again, this time in the direction of the Salida del Sol. Obviously, Afton didn't forget to push Dean's shoulder back into it's socket, but maybe he should have just left it alone... That Ghoul's bitching about it made it difficult to decide...

During the journey, Afton had just to flex his new abilities but found it difficult due to the fact he was wearing Power armour... The small opening in his gauntlet allowed him to produced a whip covered in razor barbs, but he wasn't able to explore the mutations as much as he may have wished.​​

Perhaps after his next mutation, he'd be able to forgo Power armour on his plant-arm completely... As it is, an Anti-Material rifle could still punch through it, making it a massive weakness in any large scale battle. Even if he was always focussing on his Danger Sense he couldn't be one hundred percent sure he'd get out unscathed when an attack did come.

The next Mutation he'd get would be one that reinforces his plant arms defences, allowing him to change it into a steel-like substance... After that, he'd probably focus on reinforcing the rest of his body, or maybe trying out Telekinesis?... Technokinesis sounds pretty cool too, as well as a good combination with his current skillset.

Soon enough they reach the outskirts of the District and Afton could see the bell tower looming in the distance... Afton had already unconsciously started heading in its direction when Dean stops him.

"Hold up, we got the Switching Station to get to first, only then can we activate the event." he states, gesturing in the southern part of the Salida del Sol.

Afton just shrugs at him, "Lead on."

The group begins to move again but Veronica doesn't notice herself walking over a more ragged and fragile part of the rooftop...

"Veronica st-" Afton calls out but is too late, the combined weight of her body and the Power armour easily breaching the roof. She falls straight down with a high-pitched shriek, tumbling through the first floor she hits, then the second, then onto the ground floor... Fortunately, there wasn't any Cloud down there, so she should be relatively unharmed... Hopefully.

Afton and Dean crowd around the hole, "You okay down there?" he calls out while shining a light down it at Veronica who was lying in a heap.

...

"Ugh, yeah... Oh shit...!?" she exclaims but quickly quietens down after nothing happens.

"What is it?" Afton asks, ready to jump down and defend her.

Veronica glances back up the hole and gestures at something not visible to them in the room, "There's a Hologram here... It isn't attacking though..."

Dean's eyes light up at this, "Ah? Must be a Hologram trader, I haven't even found that one yet... Good job!" he chuckles while flashing a thumbs up, while Veronica flips him off in response.

Afton glances at Dean questioningly, "Hologram trader?"

Dean nods, "Yes... Old Frederick didn't think paying for hostesses and staff was worth the effort, so he just had Holograms made instead to serve their functions... If you got any prewar cash, we might be able to buy something useful."

Afton shakes his head, "No... Only thing I use dollars for nowadays is toilet paper." he sheepishly admits, only now realising how ridiculous that would sound to his previous self's sensibilities.

Dean bursts into laughter at this, wiping a stray tear out of his eye, "Oh! now isn't that just a hilarious change of priorities... Whatever, use your plat-arm? thing? and pull her up, I doubt scrounging for change and buying half a Stimpack would achieve anything at this point."

Afton nods and shoots a whip down to Veronica, wrapping it around her waist and bracing himself while pulling her up. Even a Supermutant would find this difficult, but Afton just continues the task without a sweat. "Alright, now, do I need to instruct you on how to not fall into any more holes?" Afton asks Veronica semi-sarcastically.

She just smacks him in the arm and begins walking southwards again, "That was one time." she retorts.

Fortunately, the streets below them were relatively clear of the Cloud, however, this wasn't the case for Ghosts, which seemed to infest literally every street corner within view. Even the destroyed building had many on the ground level, promoting just how dangerous this area was... Afton couldn't imagine how difficult it would be if he was forced to travel via the streets. (Yes I'm throwing shade at the Courier for not using the rooftops in the DLC)

The group continues to travel for around an hour until they spot a large square next to a wide-open gate, inside the gated area was an illuminated clearing that had a number of rusted electrical switches, which is presumably what they were here for...

Unfortunately, the square and the gated area were both completely full of Ghosts. Not to mention the egregious amount of bear traps that'd been laid around. Afton was unsure if the Ghosts were responsible for those though, especially since they seemed to instinctively avoid them.

Afton just groans aloud, "Urgh, why is this fucking town so fucking annoying! Can't they just give us a freebee for once?"

Dean snorts, "I don't know who 'they' are, but this is proper 'Sierra Madre hospitality'." he chuckles.

Veronica shakes her head, "I have no idea how you have lived this long... We're struggling and we're kitted out in the best armour and weaponry you can and can't find in the wasteland."

Dean purses his lips, "Just skill... A bit of starvation, and the best escaping technique you've ever seen... Now, both of you stop your bitching, you've got Ghosts to kill." he states as he sits on the edge of the rooftop.

Afton crooks a brow, "What about you?"

Dean shrugs with a laugh, "As your friend just said, you are far better equipped than I am." he says while lying back as if he were on vacation.