[b]The abandoned city in the crater[/b]
Bruin had parked the Gouf outside, beginning his latest scavenging, looking at a road sign for some evidence of his location. He couldn't remember any city called Truth Or Consequences in Zeon territory. He must be farther out than he thought.

This grocery store was the twelfth store he'd raided today- a few electronics stores for spare parts for the leg cybernetics, drugstores for painkillers, aspirin, booze, and cigarettes. He'd also raided a bookstore. Shortly after, he made two disturbing discoveries: the first, the bookstore didn't stock Monkey Punch. The second, it had enough dirty mags in stock that he had to use several crates to get them back to the Gouf. Obviously, he dared not try anything using the girly mags. His cybernetics would rip him to pieces.

Just one more thing Rommel ruined for me, he thought as he tossed a shopping cart through the glass doors. Stepping through, he righted the cart and made his way around the aisles. Scooping canned and preserved foods into the cart, he grabbed the cash registers as well, just in case.
---
Bruin sat, chewing on some meat still on the bone. There were perishables in the store- fruits and meats of all kinds. Most of which were probably from Earth. Those would be the first things to eat, obviously. He needed the vitamins if he was going to survive out here.

[i]We're talking away
I don't know what[/i]

Thankfully, the store sold charcoal and matches. Bruin was able to build a fire and cook some of the meat. It was the best meal he'd had in weeks, and the warmest he'd been.

[i]I'm to say I'll say it anyway
Today's another day to find you[/i]

Plenty of bottled water. No telling how long it would last. He needed to find a base camp, and soon. Preferably one with watershed access. An abandoned city like this might have a river if he was lucky. One he could follow to civilization.

[i]Shying away
I'll be coming for your love, okay?[/i]

He could swear he heard a familiar song. Probably a hallucination, though. Aside from the green robots, there didn't seem to be a lot going on in this city. Let alone the greatest vintage hit from A-Ha.

[i]Take on me, (take on me)
Take me on, (take on me)[/i]

A realization dawned on him.

"That's the comms. Sweet mother Mary, that's the comms!" he shouted, running to the crouching  Gouf's cockpit and scrambling to activate the receiver.

[i]I'll be gone in a d-[/i]

"Yes! Hello, is someone there? This is Bruin Bellenheim- I'm lost in a city named... Truth Or Consequences? I'm the only one here, it seems. Do you require supplies or assistance?"

Bruin tightly held the mic, for once overcome with a sensation that wasn't burnt nerve endings and twitchy cybernetics. There was no telling whether or not this person would be friendly. But between the isolation and bland desert land surrounding him, he figured anyone in this hellscape would be in need of goods and services. If not, most crews would gladly trade the girly mags for information.