In which Joe visits a dear old friend

I decide that we should briefly drop into Westside to say hi to some scotch. I mean… buy lots of people. Err… By which I mean, say hi to some people.
…
…
…
And perhaps, while I’m passing, I could take the opportunity to also buy lots of scotch. You know… just while I’m in the neighbourhood. Because I’m on my way there anyway…
to visit…
people.

The fine folk of Westside don’t freak out at the sight of Lily… Which I thought was a little odd until I remembered that Meansonofabitch lives here. We bump into him almost as soon as we enter main-street and I figure I should let him know about Jacobstown while I’m here. I’m sure he won’t want to rush off and leave Westside, but he should know that there is a whole settlement of mutants out there.

Well, aren't you a pair!

NO! Yes, I'm sure that's not Grandfather!

So, first person to visit, that guy who runs the liquor store. Old whatshisname. You know, that guy. That crazy old guy!
What good times we’ve had! Buying liquor. Drinking liquor. Going back and buying MORE liquor. Drinking that liquor. Going back and demanding yet more liquor. Being told that I’ve already consumed all the liquor and there is no more liquor to be had.. Good times!

I buy all the scotch he has… and the whisky. And the vodka. And the absinth. I find myself getting weak and grumpy when I don’t get my daily scotch, but this should hold back the demons while I’m on the road.
We stay in Westside the night, and I sleep soundly… which might be due the bottle of scotch I threw back before bed.

Pack freshly stocked with enough booze to open my own bar I’m ready to roll. Lily and I set off again. I plan to head east, giving Freeside and The Strip a wide miss, and then turn south.

With a slightly drunk Joe, a giant blue mutant and the Pipboy blearing music, it’s not a massive surprise when we are attacked by a small group of raiders. I don’t even bother to draw a weapon, since Lily easily offs the first two and chases the third a short way before pounding him into a sticky goo too. Travelling with an over-protective Nightkin Grandmother certainly has its advantages.

Granny's got a little present for ya! Taste grandmotherly justice!

I have to say, it feels a little odd… maybe even wrong… to be looting their corpses. Normally there is a certain ‘law of the jungle’ aspect to the whole thing – They attack me, I defend myself, I get their stuff. Natural justice if you will. In this case it’s more like I sat about drinking while a goon beat the snot out of them for me.

Still, Lily doesn’t seem interested in taking her just reward…. Let’s just think of this as her thoughtful gift to Joe, eh?
“Oh, Lily – a present for me? Oh, look – it’s someone else’s stuff! It’s just what I always wanted!”

It takes two days to find the road south, substantially longer then it would have taken to just head through Freeside. But even if I’m not a wanted man in Freeside any more, Lily isn’t particularly inconspicuous and could draw attention.
When we do find the way south there is a trader heading the same direction as we are, so I meander drunkenly along beside them for a short way.

Booze. I'ma looking for moar booze.

It doesn’t last too long, and a wee while later we bid them farewell when Lily and I stop in the ruin of a hut to try and get a little sleep.
After that it’s just the long road to the south.

Soooo, anyone know any good ghost stories?

It's just not the same without a girl hiding in the shrubs

The few NCR patrols we pass don’t seem to mind the fact that a mutant in a pretty floral bonnet is following me about. Which is nice. I suppose that they have worse things to worry about with the Legion running about.

Next stop Trading Post 188!