Beat Francis at Arm Wrestling Pt. 02

[This story is set in the universe of the game Fallout 2. Any locations, NPCs and other in-game concepts are all the intellectual property of the original creators. No infringement is intended. If you don't like the idea of "tampering" with the game lore, don't read.]

[This story has a muscular female protagonist who likes it rough, and has some very specialized kinks. If this kind of stuff is not to your liking, don't read.]

[I like muscles. I especially like women with muscles. If you don't like that, don't read.]

[This chapter also contains some non-sexual exposition.]

*

Jenny stared at the pale, greenish tablets on the countertop.

"Well? Whaddaya think?" Liz was grinning, though her grin combined with her permanent scowl to create a sort of hybrid facial expression. "Chems aren't easy to get in this here town, but I got a small supply cache in the back."

"And you're just going to give these to me for free?" Jenny was familiar with the appearance of Buffout, the strengthening chem. She just hadn't expected to see any here, much less to be offered it for free.

Liz spread her arms. "I think of it as doing my part against mutant domination. If you can break Francis's winning streak, it'd strike a blow against mutant morale. You're a fantastic looking gal, you know -- people gotta see that us real humans can match the muties and their supposed advantages. What else would drive the point home better than a woman like you beating Francis at their own game?"

"I'm not so sure about this 'mutant domination' you're talking about," Jenny said carefully. "So far, I haven't seen any oppression going on."

Liz's scowl was back. "You just don't see beneath the surface yet. 'Course, you're from out of town and you only been here a day, so you won't know. You should talk to Jacob. He's the town chemist. He and his wife Aileen... well..." She leaned in conspiratorially. "Let's just say there's some of us who want to change the... status quo." She pronounced those last syllables with an exaggerated twang.

"Maybe after you bruise Francis's ego a bit, I'll arrange an introduction, get you in on the action. You'd be a big help to our cause, girlfriend." Liz put out her hand and stroked Jenny's arm admiringly, running her hand slowly up and down. Jenny was wearing a sleeveless denim vest this morning, which she had bartered for from one of the local patrolwomen. They called themselves the "Unity Patrol". From what Jenny had gathered through conversing with them, they seemed to be standing for diametrically opposite values from Liz and her friends.

She turned her attention back to the Buffout tablets on the counter, ignoring Liz's blatant admiration of her muscled arm. As far as she could tell, this was the genuine article. Stuart Little at the Jungle Gym wasn't particularly bothered by chem use -- it was New Reno after all, where drugs were sold on every street corner openly. In fact, Jenny remembered when she had first wanted to join up and become a prize fighter.

"We don't take scrawny girls," the midget had scoffed, even after seeing Jenny's build. Jenny was beefy even then. "Maybe go take some Buffout, then come back. But even then, take a look at these guys! They'll chew you up and spit you out." He had waved in the general direction of the other denizens of the Jungle Gym -- big and brawny to a man, grunting and huffing away at their weights.

"Those that still have teeth, you mean," Jenny had shot back. She had been determined -- hitting the weights together with the men, and with Pounding Patty, the only other woman boxer in the gym.

Jenny had made him change his tune, and without resorting to Buffout. It was rather difficult to find outside New Reno, since it had a fairly niche application. Also, the drawback was that even without becoming addicted, a user suffered serious exhaustion and fatigue approximately six hours after initial ingestion.

"If I take the Buffout, I might just be able to beat Francis," Jenny thought. But after that, she would probably be as weak as... well... a girl. And that would never do, if she intended to repay Francis in kind for the forfeit she had given him. Francis would get suspicious for sure, if the woman who outmuscled him got all soft and weak later in the night.

"I'll have to get him late at night, then finish the gimping within 6 hours," she decided. It could be done.

She took the pills and nodded. "Alright. Thanks for your help, Liz. I'll put these to good use."

"I bet you would," Liz smiled, though on her face it looked more like an ugly smirk. She stepped in closer. "You know... if you ever feel like a bit of company... say, you need a massage after all your muscular exertions or something..."

Jenny gently disengaged. "I'll think about that, Liz," she said as politely as she could.

Liz looked a little disappointed. "Well alright then. Go out there and kick mutie butt. Me and the others, we'll be there tonight cheering you on."

Jenny stepped out into the warm, dry air. Somehow, she felt as though she had stepped out of a very unpleasant place indeed. The pills were safe inside an inner pocket, but she privately nursed doubts about them. Were they really clean Buffout? What was their provenance? Should she risk it? Did she really want to beat Francis that badly?

Hell, yes, she decided. She did. She wanted to drink in the expression of defeat that would be on his face. She wanted to stare into his eyes and see the crushing knowledge there that he had just been beaten in a contest of strength by a human woman. She wanted to hoist him onto her back and drag him to his room for... all manner of things. Just thinking of it made her moist.

The caravan office was just across the street, and just then, a super mutant stepped out of the door. For a moment Jenny thought it was Francis, but this one was... older and craggier looking. He was also attired differently, wearing some elaborate armor of some kind. He even had a pair of goggles strapped to his forehead.

The super mutant turned to talk to someone standing in the doorway -- Jenny recognized Bill, the caravan master. Then they both shook their heads, and the mutant plodded away, seemingly deep in thought. He noticed Jenny standing outside the general store, though, and for a moment he hesitated. Then he gave a friendly nod.

"Well, hello there," he hailed.

Jenny approached him. "Hello. I'm Jenny. Who're you?"

He cracked a grin. "Oh, I know who you are," he chuckled. "Hell, ain't a soul in this town who hasn't heard of you by now, even those who don't usually go to Phil's, or who got no truck with Francis. You're that buff gal who had the guts to take up Francis's challenge. Heard you put on a pretty good show, too, going bare-chested and all."

Jenny flushed a little, but tilted her chin up proudly. "Yes, that's me. And you haven't answered my question."

"I'm Marcus. Helped build this place," he said, gesturing about him. "Now I'm sheriff."

Jenny's jaw dropped. "You helped build the place? Bullshit!" she blurted out. "I... I mean... how could you have been around that long?"

Marcus sighed. He began walking along the street, in the direction of an imposing building at the end that probably served as some sort of town hall. Jenny fell in step with him.

"Long story. Want it short or the whole thing?"

"Well... I'm not too busy. Let's hear it all."

"Right..." His voice took on a reminiscing tone. "After the Master and the vats were destroyed... I wandered a bit. No place to go. One day got attacked by this fool wearin' power armor."

"Really?"

"That was Jacob, from the Brotherhood of Steel. He'd sworn some oath to destroy muties. We tussled for a while -- probably a day or two. After a while, we just started laughing. What was the point?"

Jenny pondered this. She had heard a little about the history of the super mutants, most of whom apparently came out of this place called Mariposa. She also had heard a bit about the Brotherhood of Steel -- some order of techno-warriors, with access to stuff like pre-war power armor. She'd never seen such armor in her life -- most people hadn't, but stories were sometimes told.

"Jacob... like Jacob the chemist?"

Marcus darted a quick look at her. "Well... that's our Jacob today, and yeah, matter of fact, he was named after my friend. But... well... let's just say he ain't nothing like the original. Anyway... Jacob and I became friends. Headed off together."

They walked past the well, and Micky the Treasure Hunter was there again, peering into its depths. He waved cheerily to Marcus and Jenny. "Good morrow, fair lady! I was right, was I not? Francis certainly seems appropriate company for a woman of your... er... stature," he laughed genially. Jenny smiled back and waved in reply.

"That Micky, a real piece of work," Marcus laughed. "Day he finds any treasure round here for real, I'll hang up my badge and head out east again." They had reached the big building. It looked very secure from the outside. "This here's my office, and also the town jail. The cells are over there," Marcus waved to Jenny's left, towards a grim imposing building. "Used to be a bank in pre-war days, but of course, we don't have a use for that sort of thing anymore. Come on in, have a seat."

Jenny followed him into the cooler interior of the building, and sat with him at a table. The chair creaked under his weight, but it held. Marcus leaned back, sighing again. He had a weary cast to his face.

"So... where was I? Ah. Right. We headed east together. Then people started following us. Guess they figured if they weren't safe with a mutie and a Steel Knight, safe just wasn't going to happen."

Jenny nodded. Couldn't argue with that, she thought. "So then you set up here. Why?"

Marcus's eyes crinkled. "Uranium mine. I knew there was one around from old maps. Now anybody's welcome here -- 'long as they act right. Others might not think much of us, but nobody's more free than we are. There ya go." He stretched his legs. "I miss the old fella. Best damn friend I ever had. Always thought he'd be improved with a dip into the FEV vats, but he never could see my point of view. What a great mutant he would've been."

FEV... Jenny's mind threw up a card. Forced Evolutionary Virus -- the reason the super mutants existed at all.

"But you don't hate humans, do you?" she asked.

"Well... no. Never really hated them," he mused, "we just had a better way. These new governments, they think they've got all the answers. Blah, blah. Been there, seen that, got the scars."

The only "new government" Jenny really knew about was the New California Republic, down in the south. New Reno's families sometimes had dealings with them, she knew, especially the Bishops. Or possibly Marcus also meant Vault City up north, which was where she would be going to next with the rest of the caravan.

"So what's this better way?"

"The Master wanted to elevate everyone to his level, so we wouldn't fight each other anymore. He was convinced we wouldn't do it by ourselves -- couldn't. We had to be forced to evolve."

Something had changed in Marcus's voice. He no longer sounded world-weary. There was an energy to his speech that had not been there before. "While Jacob was alive, I thought the Master was wrong. But it seems that while some men can heed the call and rise above it all, most just run away. Jacob heard the call and embraced it. So did the Vault Dweller. But no matter how many rise above, the masses will always destroy them, right?"

Ah, the legendary Vault Dweller. Jenny had heard about this mysterious figure who apparently saved the remnants of the world about 70, 80 years ago. But the details were hazy, and Jenny wasn't that interested in old tales. Still, Marcus's story and his views were fascinating.

"Maybe so..." she murmured, mulling over his words.

"The Master just wanted everyone to see clearly. The Vault Dweller ended that dream."

"Sounds like you admired and hated the Vault Dweller at the same time."

"You're right. If all humans fought for what they believed in like that, we wouldn't have needed the Master's plan in the first place."

Jenny thought about this. She couldn't relate. Her entire life had been spent fighting for survival -- on the streets of New Reno, she had learnt the hard way that you fought to live, to keep yourself safe and alive. She had been lucky -- in her youth she had witnessed a fistfight that took place in an alleyway, and she had seen for the first time that a skilled and strong person could use his body as a weapon. Without that knowledge, and the desire to make herself a strong fighter, the best she could have hoped for would have been to be one of Miss Kitty's girls at the Cat's Paw.

She fought to protect herself, she fought on the job to guard caravans, and she fought to take down big men who thought they could be bullies by dint of their size. Fighting for beliefs? Jenny couldn't wrap her head around it. As for her sexual kinks... she somehow didn't think that was a variety of what Marcus was talking about.

"Don't forget," Marcus said, interpreting her silence as skepticism about the Master's intentions, "I knew the folks involved. They were the best humanity had to offer. Your people are going to tell the story a different way, right?" There was a strange emphasis he put on the phrase "your people".

"But you were human once," Jenny protested. "Are you really so different now? In your minds, I mean."

"My memories of being a human aren't as clear as they once were, but I remember pettiness, hatred, jealousy... I prefer being a mutant."

"You mutants aren't above emotions like that!" Jenny objected. "I mean... if you were..."

Marcus threw his head back and guffawed. "Oh boy... if you're talking about Francis... he was an oddball way before he got dipped. He still gets his kicks the way he does, but didn't you notice he's actually one of the mellowest people around? Doesn't get angry or anything. Even at... some of the people around here. Some folks just don't want any truck with being civilized, seems to me sometimes." He was back to sounding weary again.

"Some of it remains, our personalities, I mean. The strongest parts of a person's character stay, but a lot of it is gone, trust me. And that's what I mean! The Master's plan... it was flawed, I don't mind admitting. We should have only taken the best. Look around. Most mutants didn't have the mind or will to withstand the strain." He sighed. "If only we had chosen better..."

There didn't seem to be anything Jenny could say to that. The finer points of the ethicality of forcibly transforming the entire human race into sterile super mutants were lost on her. Still... she was forming an idea of the kind of person Liz was, and by extension the kind of company Liz kept. She thought about the pills sitting snug against her chest, and why she had been given them.

"Uh... I just want to say... I've met a few people around here who... frankly, don't like mutants," she told Marcus. "I just want to make it clear, I have nothing to do with them. I don't have anything against your kind. I like your system here, I like the way you do things. I think you're making a fine sheriff."

"Well, thank you. We try. And from what Francis says... you definitely don't have anything against our kind," Marcus winked disconcertingly.

"That... that Francis... he... told you all about..." Jenny spluttered. "Why, that... I'll get him back tonight. See if I don't!" She got up and stomped away, fuming. "You tell him, I'm coming to beat his green ass tonight, he better be there at the saloon!" she yelled over her shoulder, while Marcus slapped his thighs and laughed uproariously.

That Francis! Jenny's mind was made up. She wanted no part of Liz, Jacob the chemist or any of their group -- but she was going to use the Buffout to get an advantage, and beat Francis at arm wrestling. Then she'd have her sweet, sweet way with him and that inexhaustible cock of his...

She spent the rest of the day at the caravan office, just resting and relaxing along with several others, mostly off-duty caravan guards like her. They had all heard about her little excursion, and she was the subject of a little ribald joking for a while, but mostly the conversation turned to other topics. She did get a challenge from a grizzled caravan guard to arm wrestle for similar stakes, but she only said, "I'm challenging him again tonight. You can come watch. Then after that, if you think you can still take me on, you're welcome to try." That had shut him up.

The sun began to dip below the horizon. People came in and out. Bill bustled around, shuffling papers, looking harassed. Gradually, the place emptied out.

Looking around her, Jenny saw that the time had come. She got up and made her way to the dressing room, which was empty at the moment. There were mirrors in there. She wanted to see what would happen.

Standing in front of a half-length mirror, stripped down to her underclothes -- a ragged pair of panties, no top -- Jenny took a deep breath, popped the Buffout pills into her mouth, and swallowed. She took a few deep breaths, as she felt the pills go down her gullet.

Then it came. Jenny gasped as a tingling wave seemed to pass through her body. It did not feel entirely unpleasant, but it was definitely an alien feeling. Were the pills fake, somehow? What if it was some other sort of drug? Then the pain came.

It was not unmanageable, but it made Jenny hunch over and clutch at herself. Her throbbing heartbeat seemed to get louder and louder. She began trembling all over. The pain subsided, but now there was this sensation of... fullness... in her body. She felt as if her various muscles were somehow inflated with some thick substance.

"Ahhhh!" she could not help crying out. Her back arched and she threw her head back, sucking in air through her teeth. In the pitted and cracked mirror, she could see the veins standing out on her neck and upper chest. Slowly, even as she watched, the veins began to bulge over her arms as well... then her abs... then her thighs. And her muscles... they expanded slightly. They seemed harder, rounder.

Slowly, the trembling subsided. Jenny was bathed in sweat. Her breathing was deep and even. The veins stopped popping out, but she could see a few still, distinct beneath her skin, at her arms, neck and pelvic region. Her nipples had become swollen, and stood out stiffly.

Jenny ran her fingers nervously through her matted mop of red hair. Her eyes were drawn to the rippling of muscle on her arm as she did so. Slowly, she raised both her arms and held them straight up high, seeing her lats flare out, noting that they seemed wider than before. Then she drew her arms down into a biceps pose. Her eyes widened.

Several minutes later, Jenny stepped out of the dressing room, wearing the same leather jacket as the previous night. The caravan master Bill looked up from his desk.

"You ok in there?" he asked with mild concern. "Heard you scream or something."

"Ohh... yeah... no problem... chipped a fingernail," Jenny mumbled as she walked past.

"Right..." Bill went back to his paperwork, frowning. "Dang it all, this just doesn't goddamn add up..." he muttered. "Where's Chad when you need him?"

Jenny stepped out into the setting sun, casting its rays over the town. To the right, further down the street, she saw a small crowd already streaming into the saloon. Several townspeople walked past her, did a double-take as they recognized her, and waved, grinning. She smiled, and waved back.

She felt good. She felt strong. She felt invincible.

Even her thighs seemed to thrum with power as she walked. She could actually feel her quadriceps and hamstrings moving, rippling underneath her pants. She could feel her calves tightening, propelling her legs forward step by step. She felt as if she could run across the entire wasteland.