11 11 - The Followers of the Apocalypse

[Ailwin Ianrona's POV]

With the girl's help, I managed to quickly sell the fifty mushrooms that were for food.

To be exact, I sold eighteen Throosher Mushrooms for four caps a piece, twelve Aqcua mushrooms for five Caps a piece, eleven Brosheer Mushrooms for two caps a piece, and nine Boringer mushrooms for five Caps a piece, earning a total of one hundred and ninety-nine caps.

Of which, I owed fifty caps to the girl.

"Is that all of it?" She asked.

"All of the ones that are for consumption, yes," I informed her.

"My payment?" She asked.

Walking over to her, I began placing caps in her hands.

Her eyes quickly widened as the number passed 10, then 20, until it finally reached fifty in number.

"This...this is too much!" She shouted in a whisper as she quickly hid the caps and looked around.

"You trying to get me killed?!" She asked, angry.

"Is it seriously that dangerous here?" I asked, confused and looking around, noticing a few men watching us.

"Of course it is! Are you new here or something?!"

"Just a bit, tell you what, if I have to sell something I'll seek you out again, alright? Now, if you don't mind, I believe you'll need a distraction," I commented, slowly walking over to the men watching us.

Without saying a word, I walked past them, causing them to focus on me, and with my distraction, the girl managed to escape.

One of the men grabbed my shoulder, stopping me.

"Is there something I can help you gentlemen with?" I asked, raising my hand and grabbing the wrist of the one grabbing my shoulder.

With a bit of magic, I strengthened the grip of my hand, causing the thug to scream out and let go, I didn't let go of him though.

"It's quite rude to not answer my question," I spoke, before letting the man go and pushing him to his buddies.

As they all collapsed to the ground, I simply walked away, before the angry men would be able to get their friend off and catch me.

After that, it was easy to lose them and lose them I did.

This whole new situation I found myself in was proving to be entertaining, I never would have guessed after my death that I would find myself in a whole new realm and world far different from my own, serving a natural spirit of all things.

However, I was worried about just how bad the state of this world was and if this city was anything to go by.

I could ask any of the people I walked by, but chose not to. That was an easy way to draw attention.

However, I did ask for directions to this 'Fort,' at the cost of a couple of caps that is.

And found the Fort I did, It was surprisingly simple, with small walls and only a single gate.

It seems it was left as some kind of monument, perhaps from long ago.

Either way, now it seems that it was under the use of someone else.

I noticed a flag flying at the center of the fort, with the same symbol that was on the flag being painted onto the outer wall.

A black cross with a circle at the cross-section of the cross, and black lines that connected the cross to the circle through the arms of the cross.

Everything else on the flag was painted white, leaving the symbol as the only thing on the flag a different color.

The gate of the fort was wide open, allowing people to enter and exit.

The fort was relatively small but seemed to have quite a number of people who entered and left.

Running around the camp, seemed to be these women and men in white coats.

Were these members of the followers? They matched the color theme, so I could assume that they were.

I stepped inside and I noticed many tents set up inside the fort, with these 'Followers' tending to those with injuries, sicknesses, and more.

I overheard some be called 'Doctors,' healers of sorts.

Suddenly a voice spoke from behind me.

"Excuse me, do you need help"? A feminine voice asked from nearby.

Looking over, I noticed a woman with a strange hairstyle, most of her hair was gone, with what was left forming a strange spiked fin like that of a fish or lizard.

[A/N: A mohawk]

"Yes...I'm looking to set up a trade with the Followers of the Apocalypse, that is who you all are, correct? The people wearing the white coats?"

"Really? That's great! Lord knows we need the supplies after the NCR stopped supporting us...What do you have to offer?"

"A constant monthly supply of medicinal mushrooms, none of which will pass the price of ten caps," I told her, showing the duffle bag.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"None of the mushrooms will surpass ten caps in individual price, though we can negotiate the price if that isn't to your satisfaction," I informed her, following the Spirit's words.

"Do you mind if we examine these mushrooms first?" She asked.

"I have no problem with it," I told her.

She brought me to one of the towers in the corner of the fort that was built alongside the fort.

Inside appeared to be a lab of some sort where they stored and created their medicines.

"Also, if you don't mind, would you happen to know the date?" I asked, seeing what appeared to be maybe five other

"Oh? Sure, Today is December 8th, 2275," She informed me.

"I see," I replied, that date meaning nothing to me.

Having me sit on a bench at the wall, she handed the duffle bag to one of the Followers and talked to them.

I watched as they retrieved the mushrooms and began examining them.

The woman who brought me in walked back over to me, a relieved smile on her face.

"Sorry for not introducing myself, my name is Jule Farkas, the regional manager of the Followers of the Apocalypse, while my Doctors examine and test the fungi, can you tell me anything about them and why you wanted to trade with us? Not to mention how the fungi seem fresh," She asked.

"Ah, well, nice to meet you, Miss Farkas, My name is Ailwin Ianrona, and my...boss wanted me to approach you with an offer for a trade deal since he plans on continuing his efforts to grow food, medicinal plants, and more. Due to some dangers, I won't reveal the location of our home, however, if you want to personally talk with my boss and set the deal with him, I am afraid I would have to bring you to our home, alone due to personal and safety reasons with my boss," I informed her, going over what the Spirit told me before I left the vault.

"Saftey? What could I possibly do to endanger him?" She asked, baffled.

"I am afraid I can't say, what I will say is that my Boss is mostly peaceful and others would like to harm him," I informed her, not saying more.

"I see...I won't judge your boss if he happens to be a Ghoul, Supermutant, or something else, all are welcome in the Followers of the Apocalypse," She told me, not that I would believe her, at least not until I have proof.

"As for some sort of trade agreement, I would need to first know more about your products before I make an informed decision. And with how many different fungi you gave us, it will probably take all day before we even know what they do, let alone if we could find a way to refine them, None of us have ever seen these species of Fungi before, and hell, I have a Pre-War Ghoul on my team that was a biologist, even he hasn't ever seen this species of Fungi before..." She ranted.

"That's because they are unique," I explained.

"You are the only ones cultivating these mushrooms?" She asked.

"Correct, now, how about this, you examine and test the mushrooms, I can come back tomorrow and we will talk then, How does that sound?"

"Are you sure?" She asked, curious.

I laughed, "Haha, I'm not worried. It's not like you can cultivate them yourselves, and besides, it will take a while for you to fully examine the fungi, so, I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

It didn't take much convincing, but she eventually relented and allowed me to leave, I agreed that I would meet with her tomorrow to set the deal.

With that, I headed back to the Vault, of course making sure I lost any stalkers trying to follow me home.

I wondered how the Spirit would react to this information, and why a creature such as itself would even want the information.