The sun had seemingly risen quite quickly this morning as I gave a yawn and a stretch, wobbling all over as though it has been about a week since I got myself unstuck from that bridge the serum's effect was still going strong. Though it was a tad annoying to bump into every tree and cactus along the way at least I could move a lot easier during it all. But even with such ease of movement now I still had worked up quite the hunger this morning and after my eighth can of Cram I wanted more. As luck would have it, a lone building sat off in the distance,seemingly untouched as it at least didn't look completely collapsed so there might be some pre-war food in there if I was lucky.

Just the thought of something more to eat sent my stomach into eager rumbles which soon turned into eager waddles as I made my way over. Much to my joy, as I approached the little building it looked to be some kind of old gas and coolant station! Usually they'd be mostly picked clean long ago but even the more known places still had a few odds and ends hidden away or forgotten so one so isolated out here must have plenty to find! "Yeeesss!" I hiss happily to myself as I quicken my pace. It wasn't long before I found myself in front of the storefront, trying my best to find a way in, or at least get a arm in as I certainly wasn't gonna be fitting in at my current size. After a bit of searching, I made my way to the back of the store where I found my way in, a slightly askew, rotting piece of plywood covered the once large window facing the nearby canyon. Guess this was once part of a internal diner and had quite the sight for those stopping in and eating on their way to Vegas long ago.

I press myself up against it and easily pop it off it's nails before laying atop my belly and reaching in, hoping that this was indeed the dining area. At first, it was mostly just the usual things, broken glass, crumpled cans and twisted furniture but as I continued my search, I found... something? It was warm yet hard, like thumping my claw against thick plastic. Though it didn't take me long to realize that whatever this was, was moving! I quickly pull my arm back and take a look into the darkness within, seeing the gleam of many, many somethings looking back! Just what have I found here?! I wasn't gonna take a chance on this and started rocking back and forth on my belly to get my feet planted back on the ground as fast as I could. just as I managed to accomplish this, the whatevers that were inside the station were soon known to me as the first ant scurried their way out of the busted out window. Now, ants in the wasteland aren't usually that big of a threat to a deathclaw such as myself as they would normally just be easily pushed aside or ignored. But these, well, to my dismay weren't just normal ants, they were fire ants! As soon as I saw the ant and it saw me, a short clicking emanated from the insect before a small cough of flame jetted from it's mandibles, stopping just short of me but sending a clear message that I wasn't welcome here!

I turn and run as soon more and more ants pour from the station and try to make their way over to the massive intruder that had ruined their once pristine home. As I ran though, I cursed my stupidity and haste in trying to escape as though I could slowly outrun the ants, it wasn't gonna mean much if I ran off the cliff that was in front of me now! I try to slow myself and turn away but as soon as I manage to get myself slowed down, a burst of heat running right atop my tail told me that I certainly wasn't gonna be changing directions now as they were literally right on my tail! But where could I go? I can't turn around, I can't fight as i'm still so bloated that my arms are literally swallowing my hands and claws so even if I could move them in any meaningful way to attack they wouldn't do much. What was I gonna do? Fly? Wait! Maybe... the serum! With the buoyant air they say is drawn into me with it's use, maybe a few more doses would allow me to jump over the canyon, or at least have a soft landing! This was my only chance, i've never taken multiple doses though, would it still work fast enough? Would it even work at all?

Right now, i'll have to leave that up to chance as it was my only option and I took it as I started pressing the button on my harness with my arm. As I waddled, I could feel the heat behind me start to build more and more as the ants started to bunch up behind me. I didn't have much time and I jammed at the button on my apparatus with such frantic need that it wasn't long before I heard the button buzz at each push... was it empty? How could it be? I had pressed it so much and i'm still just as heavy and slow as I was before! Did I already use it all before escaping the bridge? This was answered in short order though as a sudden and quite intense pressure started to build within me, a shudder rippled though me rapidly and a feeling like I was suddenly submerged in dense water started to build. But it wasn't water surrounding me, it was... well, me! The serum had taken effect and quite explosively so as I started to swell out at a astounding rate, visibly rounding out more and more and faster and faster as I waddled, then nearly floated towards the edge of the cliff. I could only hope that it was enough for at least a soft landing below as with the last, fleeting bit of my mobility, I jumped. As my claws left the earth, I could only flap in vein like a bird flying for the first time, hoping that it helped in any way as I held my eyes
shut and waited...

And waited, and waited? Where was the thump?
I know they say time feels like it slows down when the pressure is on but this was more than just a few seconds. Against my desires, I open up one cautious eye, expecting to see the ground mere moments before I bounced off it but instead, I saw sky. In fact, it was almost all I could see around me! I try and look over my still ballooning self, getting a quick glance at the ground below as it shrunk beneath me, not in a way from just my growing size though as I was instead gaining altitude! I could see the canyon passing beneath me, the last few ants skittering along the cliff's edge, and soon the other side as I floated right on over and past it. It didn't take me long to realize that I had escaped one thing and literally jumped into something else here as the ground got further and further away from my bloated claws and instead started to cloud over slightly as I rose above the low clouds that day. This would be hard to explain to the followers that's for sure. That is, if I don't just float on over to the next state or two in the meantime...

I didn't even find any food back there.






Deathclaws, fire ants, and Fallout:New Vegas belong to Bethesda, the dirigible deathclaw is mine.