HEY GUYS! If you enjoyed "In the Dust of the Old World", check out the next story in (What I hope to be) the fallout/ RWBY saga. This isnt going to be super long, just a nice short multichapter story. Enjoy the first chapter of the story!

"Oh man…Yang…are we there yet?" Ruby panted heavily, her throat raspy and parched from lack of water, using one arm to grip the strap of her bag and the other to prop herself against Zwei's side for support.

"If that woman, Trashcan Carla, was it? If she is correct, then it should less than half a kilometre to the north," Weiss said, pointing out the direction with her finger as the convoy slowly wandered out of the burnt out town of Concorde. She too was getting pretty tired, but unlike her lover, she kept it well hidden.

"It better be worth it, otherwise I'll fucking trash her can," grumbled Yang. Out of the four members of the convoy, Yang was the most annoyed from the miles of trekking through wasteland and a lack of sleep. There was a rumour that a new large settlement appeared on the northern border of the commonwealth. Yang decided that since they were only a few days away, that they should check it out to expand their already existing trading routes. However, she was really beginning to regret her decision. The pilgrimage was hitting the group hard. Their supplies were beginning to dwindle to the point of needing to be rationed and raiders had wounded their pack Brahmin, forcing them to carry the majority of their goods.

"That doesn't even make sense," said Weiss, squinting her eyes slightly at Yang's statement as she adjusted her heavy load. Yang was about to retort, when the group noticed something. As they walked further up the road, a red rocket truck stop came into view. Most of it was walled of with scrap metal, rubber tires and all over manner of junk. The only way in was protected by machine gun turrets and a single man, dressed in metal armour and armed with a hunting rifle. The turrets continued to whir loudly and make their sweep, as if they didn't notice the newcomers. The guard didn't appear hostile upon noticing the newcomers either, but when at first he seemed at ease, he suddenly focused all their attention upon Yang's convoy. Even when he saw the large Yao Guai, he didn't fire upon the group. While Weiss found this display a bit threatening and started to feel slightly nervous, the rest of the group felt a little more at ease. After all, if the guard was going to shoot, he and the turrets would have done so already. And on the odd chance that he did fire, Blake was camouflaged in the nearby trees, ready to counterattack.

"Howdy!" Yang half shouted to the guard, holding her hand up high and waving to him. Ruby returned the gesture, smiling happily.

"Afternoon, ladies," the guard answered, tilting his helmet in a way of greeting, slightly lowering his guard.

"Sorry to bother you, but you wouldn't happen to know where Sanctuary Hills is?" Weiss asked the guard as she neared the gate to the settlement.

"First time in the commonwealth, huh? No problem, you aren't far. Just keep heading down the road. Just don't cause any trouble."

"Much appreciated! Do you have anything to trade here?" Yang asked.

"A few bits and bobs, but you're honestly better off heading to Sanctuary Hills. Not much but food and water here,"

"In that case, do you mind if we come in for a bit of trading? We could do with some supplies" Yang asked politely, her request reinforced by a very audible growl from Ruby's stomach. The guard let out a hearty laugh, and shook his head.

"You get your friend out from behind that car, and maybe I will. DO YOU HEAR THAT, MISS? I SEE YOU." The guard shouted to the wreck of a chrysler highwayman, to which Blake popped up, with her rifle holstered and her hands up.

"Sorry, she's our safety policy," Weiss explained to him.

"It's no bother, I understand. Anyway, I'm opening up the gate, stay here,"

oo0oo

"Oh man…that radstag stew hit the spot…" Ruby moaned happily, patting her belly for effect. She still propped herself against Zwei, but it was more from the fact she was stuffed this time round.

"I'm glad you enjoyed the meal. You all have a safe trip now, not that you have much farther to go. And thanks for the bullets!" The guard said his farewells and Yang gave a final wave to the guard, who nodded a final time towards her. Though they kept on walking away, the guard never took his eyes off the group.

"What's his problem?" Weiss grumbled, looking back at the guard, who was now but a small figure.

"I keep on forgetting you haven't lived out here as much as us. Well, Weiss, some folks prefer to stay in settlements or build up their own homes. A place of security, where you can grow your own food and drink your own water. That's enough to grab anyone's attention out in the wasteland." Yang explained.

"Hmmm, I suppose so, but that doesn't give him the right to just point his weapon at anyone he likes." Weiss complained.

"Distrust of others is a good way to keep yourself alive out here," Yang concluded.

"Sure, most of the time, but not always," Ruby pointed out, still leaning against Zwei's muscled shoulder. "I mean, we made friends with Weiss!"

"That was different, Ruby," Yang said, ending the debate. She turned her head slightly to the right, to find Blake walking calmly next to her. She jumped up slightly, giving a high pitched yelp of surprise, replaced with an angry tone. "GAH, FUCK! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Maybe you should pay more attention then," replied Blake in a monotone voice. "Besides, I thought I should join you guys. We're almost there. The guard wasn't wrong at all,"

"How far?" Ruby asked, suddenly excited.

"Just up the road a bit and across the river," Blake pointed to her right. True to her word, across a wide river, stood a whole collection of buildings tightly packed together.

"Well!" Yang announced, adjusting her bag pack with new found vigour, a slight spring in her step. "That's the best news I heard all day! Let's go!"

oo0oo

The group grew quickly attached to the town. Despite its size, it was well populated, and the people were polite and welcoming to the newcomers, stopping them to chat about their travels. They found the traders in a giant wooden shack. The majority of the other traders gave them very good deals and the convoy had made a huge profit, while the traders had made plenty of new stock. It looked like the trip was well worth it.

Until the convoy met Friendly Jack, the weapons dealer.

"Are you kidding me?! This is a silenced anti-material rifle, with explosive rounds! I took down a fucking alpha deathclaw with this bitch! AND YOU WANT TO GIVE ME ONLY FIVE FUCKING HUNDRED CAPS FOR IT!?" Yang shouted at the weapons merchant, who was undeterred by her sudden rage.

"IT EVEN IS IN BRAND NEW CONDITION!" Weiss screamed at him.

"FIVE CLIPS FULL OF EXPLOSIVE ROUNDS AS WELL! HOW THE HELL COULD YOU ONLY GIVE US THAT MUCH?!" Ruby argued. Zwei growled alongside her, backing up his master.

"IT'S AT LEAST WORTH TWO GRAND!" Even the usually calm Blake was getting fairly annoyed.

"Ladies, I ain't in the mood for bartering with you. 500 caps is my final offer," he said in a bland voice. Yang took a deep sigh and seemed to accept surrender.

"Ok, fine, I am only giving you the bullets-"

"Eighty caps then."

"Ok, ok, but on one condition. You pick up a box, lay out the bullets like this…" Yang picked up a full box and rolled the round gently onto the table, picking up each one individually and lining them. "…set them up in a row, like this, ok? And once they are all set up in a nice row, I want you to each one up," Yang picked up a single round from the end of the row. "And shove it up your-"

"WOW! Been a while, since we had visitors! I heard gossip around town, but I wanted to see it for myself!" A dark-skinned man, clad in a cream coloured overcoat and a dark coloured hat, with a laser rifle the girls had never seen before slung over his shoulder. He came up to the girls and eagerly shook each of their hands, even stopping to pat Zwei on the nose, to which the bear growled contentedly.

"Name's Preston McGarvey, and you ladies are…?"

"I'm Ruby!" The small redhead piped up happily.

"Weiss Schnee," The heiress did a small bow, greeting Preston politely as she was always taught to do.

"Blake," Answered the ebony haired girl simply.

"COULD YOU TELL YOUR BOY HERE TO GIVE US A FAIR DEAL?!...I mean, I'm Yang," replied the still fuming convoy leader.

"Alright, let's see what we got here…" Preston politely moved in between the convoy and started inspecting the goods. "hmmm…anti material rifle, haven't seen one of these in a while…carbon fibre frame and rod, suppressor, mint condition…forty explosive rounds…how much did you offer these ladies, Jack?"

"500 caps," Answered the trader simply.

"ARE YOU FUCKING NUTS, MAN?! ONE OF THESE IN A SHITTY NICK COULD CRIPPLE A FUCKING MUTANT OVERLOAD! AND THIS LOOKS BRAND NEW! ARE YOU INSANE?!" The once calm Preston now snapped, looking at Jack as though he suddenly became insane. As the merchant was about to reply, Preston instantly fished into his large pocket and plopped a heavy bag of caps in Yang's hand. "I knew Jack was hard on his deals, but even that's a new low for him, here are two thousand caps. I need it for a job anyway."

"Oh, and what's this job?" Yang asked innocently, while secretly hoping to get some action on a mission with Preston.

"Well, I thought you were traders, not mercenaries," asked a fairly confused Preston.

"Think of us as a jack-of-all-trades," Yang replied.

"Well, in that case, I may have a job for you…"

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