Ch23. Papa Clive

"BASH HIS FUCKING HEAD IN!!!!"

"DON'T YOU FUCKIN LOSE I GOT 100 CAPS ON YOU CRUSHER!!"

"GRAB HIS DICK AND TWIST IT"

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The crowd in the stands kept shouting as the meta named 'Crusher' did just that.

A lumbering Nightkin covered in scars against 24 humans with boards, an unfair fight, for the humans it would seem.

Crusher punched one of the bigger combatants and sent him flying into the tiled walls of the pool, chipping a few.

Just as the man slid down unconscious, another managed to thwack crusher over his back, snapping the bored he was holding.

Turning to look at his opponent, the human looked up with a pale face and shaking legs.

"You done fucked up little man." Crusher spoke in a smooth yet dusky voice reminiscent of the legendary Adam West.

His voice unlike his raging power as he spartan kicked the man in the belly, sending him skidding along the ground.

A rancid smell filling his nostrils as the kick forced the man's bowels to evacuate as he slid along the tiled pool floor.

Looking around, Crusher scoffed as he saw over half of his opponent's had either been knocked out or surrendered when they realized how fucking out matched they actually were.

Moving forward at a pace much faster then would seem possible for a being his size, Crusher grabbed two close together men by their throats and slammed them down with a loud thunk.

"Fuck this!" The man closest to Crusher threw down his weapon and pulled the red flag from his vest, showing he was surrendering.

"Eight of you left, if you beat me it means you each get 600 caps… so shall we continue?"

(AN: The arena gives a x2 multiplier for fighting the champion if you win)

All the men looked at one another before sighing and pulling out their surrender flags, ending the match.

"Disappointing." Crusher shook his massive head, even though they may not win, there was honor in fighting to the bitter end.

He believed that even if you lived to fight another day, sure you may be stronger. But so would your enemy, so the result would be the same.

It was better to go down a brave yet stupid man then run like a coward!

After all this is the fourth time this group of mercenaries has challenged him and the fourth time they've lost.

The only reason he still accepts these fool's challenge was the caps, each one of them had to fork over 100 caps before the match started.

Whoever was left standing would get the pot split between them times two.

Every time they lost he would get 1,200 caps and the Arena would get the other half as he was the current champion.

Half the money the arena would collect would go towards the next pot while the other half would be kept for the arena and town.

Because of the risks and rewards many flocked to the arena called The Thunderdome.

Crusher was one such being, a town where he could live and earn an 'honest' wage.

As the crowed cheered and booed the results of the match, Crusher shook his head and walked out of the arena as a few Medics entered to check up on the downed contenders.

Crusher may have gone too far, but as the champion he had too. The arena would lose money if he lost…sort of.

They would always make bank on the concessions and betting tax's that were generated every fight.

Crusher figured that they wouldn't care if they had too pay out a few thousand once a week when they made that much in a single day.

He was right, his fights and the allure of such a pay out that only grew brought in far more profit then they would ever lose.

The Thunderdome was WinterHavens largest source of revenue, thanks to that the towns new treasury was over flowing.

Even the families in New Vegas wanted a piece.

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"Good job Clive, here's your winnings." A burly man in WinterHaven guard armor spoke as he handed over an encrypted keycard that had been retrofitted to store a number.

A card Clive had giving the man prior to his match.

It was one of the new practical improvements that WinterHaven introduced almost a month earlier, a bank card.

The number on the keycard would increase if you added wealth to your account in WinterHavens bank.

If you wanted to shop at anyplace in town you would need to have the card making it mandatory for anyone to live here.

Many caravans loved the idea as it let them store their wealth without the need to trek around with it, just go to the bank with your card, put in your unique pin and password and boom.

The staff take your caps, count it up and then add it to your available funds on the card.

If outside you can carry unique I.O.U's called 'checks' that would allow you too trade outside of WinterHaven if both parties had an account at the towns Bank.

It sounds sketchy and it was at first, a few merchants got bad checks from accounts that had insufficient funds to pay the transaction…

This however was negated by the bank itself as it would send out a team of seven Metas fully armed and armored with the wronged party to hunt down the bad business parters and force them to pay, thus giving the bank a better reputation.

This new bank became a god send to large trade companies such as The Crimson Caravan and WinterHavens New Haven Caravan Company being operated by Cass.

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"Thanks, I'll head out for now." Clive picked up his large flannel jacket he had a seamstress make for him and left for the door only for the guard to stop him.

"Oh Clive…apparently the big boss was looking for you for some reason." The man didn't stop Clive from leaving after telling him and let the Nightkin walk away.

Walking through town, Clive looked around the main road at all the refurbished buildings or new ones being built.

Hundreds or humans, ghouls and metas could be seen trudging around attending to their business.

Whether it was selling something or mercenaries just relaxing at the few new taverns in town, it made the whole place feel alive.

Every few seconds one could see a guard patrolling the shops and the crowds, heavily armed and armored as usual.

"Hey! Clive!"

Turning around Clive looked down at a tall man in bulky metal armor supporting a riot shotgun on his side.

"Canaan."

Clive nodded at the merc as the man trudged closer, making more people turn and look at the odd two.

"Heard you trashed my boys again in the arena today! Haha, the offer still stands you big blue bastard! Join my company and I'll give you a big cut out of our mission pay!" Canaan smiled as he eyed the meta, practically drooling at the thought of having him in his mercenary company.

Clive simply shook his head, "I'm afraid I'll still have to refuse Canaan, I can't wander around the Mojave and beyond anymore."

Canaan simply shrugged his shoulders and turned back toward the new Mercenaries guild that WinterHaven had established.

"Well me or one of my boys can usually be found here if you change your mind, oh! And before I forget Clive, see you in the arena next time! Hahaha"

Canaan walked into the large former police station now turned mercenaries guild as Clive shook his head once more before leaving for the food market to buy dinner.

Looking back and giving the building a quick look, Clive kept walking as he became lost in thoughts once again.

'That guild truly does make mercenary work far safer, especially now that most in the Mojave, whether large or small have now signed up with them.' Clive kept thinking of the guild that opened only two weeks prior.

Up till then most mercenaries just past through to shop or because they were working, some to fight in the arena and others to try their luck in the Den.

But when the guild opened it changed the combat strength of the town considerably, now hundreds of mercenaries called WinterHaven their home base.

Mainly because the guild takes contracts from those looking for hired guns, works out a fair price for the skills and firepower you need/want, then finds the perfect mercenary company for you.

After the mercs take the job and complete it they get to keep all the caps and loot they earned…so where does the guild make money then?

It's not in the registration or the contracts, but the many guild tiers!

Basic guild status gets you the job and let's you keep the caps and loot, but higher tiers get you more.

Like the 'Atomic mercenary' tier, which allows you to give all your loot to the town and the town will trade off that gear for you for ten percent of the profit, or let you get bank credit for it directly so you can shop around the town…

The best choice in Clive's opinion though has to be the 'contributions' rank, basically, giving the loot you don't need or want to the town gives you points that allows you to purchase an actual home base in town.

There's also the recovery and funeral coverage for killed mercs who hold this tier.

A 20 percent discount at any shop owned or affiliated with the town, and no need to pay the yearly re-registration cost, which is free for the first year but must be paid every year after. Incredibly cheap at only 500 caps.

Basically, giving the loot over to the guild nets you brownie points and rewards from the town, eventually the guild and town will nurse those with promise into much larger companies with far better firepower.

At a glance this seems like a win for both parties, but it's the guild and by extension the town that wins the most.

They get mercenaries who would fight to protect what's theirs and contacts who come to rely on them for steady firepower and skilled individuals.

"Heh, truly an interesting town." Clive spoke softly as he walked over to a food vendor who had been butchering a Stingwing.

"Josie, how are you ol'man." Clive looked at the grey haired rotund man as he pushed the viscera that had no use into a bucket.

Turning and looking up the old man smiled, "Not bad Clive, give me a moment and I'll get your order." Josie turned and walked into his shop, after a few moments he came out with a package wrapped in pink paper.

"Ten pounds of premium brahmin flank, must be a special day for you to order something like this Clive." Josie smiled as he handed over the freshly butchered meat.

Clive simply nodded as he handed his bank card over to Josie who took it and plugged it into his terminal to withdraw his price.

After a few clicks of the keyboard a dial tone was heard following a loud successful beep, seeing that the payment was successful, Josie took out the card and handed it back over.

"Well enjoy big guy, and say hello to the little one fer me!" Josie smiled as Clive nodded and turned to leave.

"Also do come back, I always have fresh products up for sale!" Clive raised his hand to wave and left back down the main road after picking up a few more things.

The busy market eventually giving way to a quite town full of small homes and large pre-war apartments, the residential area of WinterHaven was always calm and peaceful.

Almost every street had a guard patrolling every couple minutes, all of them greeting the residents as they moved about they're daily business.

"Clive!"

"Hmm?" Turning to the shout, Clive watched as a short stocky woman in her forties quickly walked over from her home.

"Sorry for shouting, was hoping to catch you before you got home!" The short woman walked up and huffed from the exertion.

"Didn't I hear something about the good doctor telling you not to get up and move about for at least a week Lola?" Clive gave the short woman a judgmental look, seeing that she was still struggling to even move made him feel guilty that she moved fore him.

"Nonsense, I'm fit as a fiddle! No Nightstalker bite will do me in!" The woman gave a haughty look as she raised her chin towards Clive.

"The bandage on your leg fell off." Clive pointed towards the woman's leg to which the bandage had indeed peeled half of a clear both wound.

"Aw shit!" Lola reached down and tried to fix the bandage as best she could while hissing in pain at having to touch the sore bite wound.

"Stupid Nightstalkers!"

"Hehe Well, if it's any consolation…heard the town was going to send someone to eradicate the last of them, so you at least get vengeance." Clive bent down to try and help the stubborn woman fix her bandage.

Unbeknownst to him causing Lola to light up like a tomato as she placed her hands on his strong muscles for balance.

"Ehem, we are getting off track…here, this is for the young miss." Lola raised a small gift bag that she had been carrying behind her the whole time.

"Oh, much appreciated Lola. But you didn't have to go out of your way." Clive took the small gift bag in his massive hands while keeping eye contact with Lola, embarrassing her further.

"Well that's all, I must go back and rest, see you soon C-Clive!" With that Lola walked back up her path and into her home.

"What I wouldn't give to be human miss Lola." Clive shook his head and walked towards the path next to Lola's before walking up to a freshly painted green door and taking out his keys.

*Click, Clack*

Unlocking his door, Clive moved into his home and placed his items on a small table as he proceeded to remove his large boots.

"I'm home!" Clive called out and waited as the sounds of small feet hitting floor suddenly filled his ears making his heart beat fast.

Loud giggles and thudding feet suddenly turned into an adorable young girl standing at 4'3 with dark hazel hair in a high ponytail, deep blue eyes and rosy cheeks with a smile that would and could make a deathclaw stumble at its radiance.

"PAPA!!!" The cute girl saw the lumbering meta and ran at him like a giggling lightning bolt before jumping up into his waiting arms as Clive also began to giggle at his little one.

"Oh how I've missed you!" Clive wrapped the small girl in his arms as she tried to do the same in return, failing miserably due to Clive's massive size.

"Hehehe, silly papa it's only been four hours!" The small girl held up three fingers making Clive laugh.

"One more finger sweetie." Clive used his large finger to raise one of the small girls fingers so she had four raised.

"Shoot, maths hard!" The little girl scrunched up her face as she stared at her four fingers in contemplation.

"Indeed, one of the greatest foes you shall ever face." Clive pat the small girl on her head.

"Rin? Where's miss Salazar?" Looking around Clive realized that Rins care taker had yet to show herself to be paid for her work.

"Hmm? Oh! Auntie Katie sent mean old Salazar home, neither of us like stupid math!" At mentioning a random name, Clive held Rin closer to his chest as he stood straight, making himself far more imposing as he filled up the entrance hall with his massive dark blue figure.

"Come out and show yourself!" Clive let out in a booming voice as a woman's giggle suddenly sounded.

Around the corner, a tall beautiful woman in sleek black armor wearing a birthday hat waltzed out with her hands up.

"Who are you?" Clive looked suspiciously at the woman, recognizing her armor as the much more advanced Chinese Dragoon Stealth armor.

The aura of a trained and deadly killer thick in the air surrounding her, Clive tensed up realizing that this woman was extremely dangerous.

"Auntie Katie! This is my papa! He ain't much to look at but he's super wonderful and friendly!" Rins words cut deep making Clive's shoulders slump as he fought back tears.

'Rin, you're supposed to call me the most handsome!' Was Clive's only thought.

Katie simply watched as the small Rin wrapped her arms around the large Nightkins neck and smiled in an attempt to show off her father.

'Shoot.' Katie had to raise her hand to her nose as a trickle of blood spurt out.

Looking at the duo, Katie realized these two were just to dangerous for her heart.

'They're too damn adorable, help me baby brother or your beloved sister will die of an acute cuteness dosage!'

Katie ended up lost in her imagination, leading to way too many minutes of awkwardness in a homes hallway.

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(Author notes)

Guess who's back, back again.

Yeah sorry for the time away, family health drama and work kept me from writing any real substantial words, but I'm back now.

Anyways yeah I've changed up the story's road map a bit, added a few new arcs that will keep the story interesting between the world building chapters.

So rather then five parts of WinterHaven, it's like twenty chapters instead where there's combat and exploration mixed with slice of life kingdom building stuff.

The next few chapter will be from the POV of different people, starting with Canaan and some of his mercs, Boone and Carla, Katie and Alex, and General Oliver.

It's basically to set up the next arc, The Fiendish Gambit.

Till next time friends - Shadow❤️