Author's Preface:

I thought about this Crossover when digging in my brain for ideas for the August rendition of Camp NaNoWriMo (which stands for National Novel Writing Month, where the challenge is to write a 50,000 word novel in one month). At the time, I left a partial first chapter here as a sort of "Pilot Episode," both as a reminder for myself to get back to it, and to check whether the somewhat outlandish but largely intriguing idea would be of much interest.

In that vein, thanks everyone who put this on Alert based on a mere 2,000 words of the first chapter, and even commented on it. It's been very encouraging :)

After I finished NaNo and started planning this, I realized there were several challenges I had to overcome. Bleach and Fallout are rather different universes, and thinking of ways of putting them together made me realize I'd have to do quite a bit of hard work to reconcile the large divergences.

In Fallout, the post-apocalyptic setting comes as a result of nuclear war. So far no problem, but there is much more to it. The pre-war world of Fallout was absolutely nuclear-crazy, in a "60s futuristic" kind of way, if you will. Everything was nuclear powered, from cars to batteries to oversized weaponry. While at first I thought merely spirit particles could replace radiation (and truth to be told, in the first Fallout the only place where one had to worry about radiation was The Glow), it wasn't enough.

So, there will be nukes, all-analog futuristic technology and all. The reason why is something I've been thinking of, but I can tie a few things together with it. I hope I can execute that well enough to avoid a wallbanger :)

That said, and as shown in the summary, the critical moment, trigger, Cataclysmic event, etc., was the Shinigami war with Aizen. It's just a matter of how things unfolded after that.

Second, the main character. There are a LOT of characters in Bleach, and I intend to use them pretty extensively (that is, I may use throwaway baddies or less-than-critical characters that are neither from the Fallout games nor from Bleach). But the theme of Fallout is the Lone Wanderer. In Fallout 1 and 3 you leave the Vault, where you have lived all your life. In Fallout 2 you leave your tucked away village, where, well, you have lived all your life. It is a voyage of discovery (the Hero's Journey per excellence), and thus I needed a character that was NOT familiar with the workings of the Shinigami, or the old world, and had lived inside the Vault all his life.

That left me with an Original Character. I couldn't use a Shinigami, and most of the human cast have at least some passing knowledge of what's going on (and know Rukia, and to a lesser extent several other Shinigami).

Of course, it is possible to do this differently. Place Ichigo and the gang in a Vault where they lived all their life and have them come to the outside world for the first time with no knowledge of what's going on. This has been done, and done well, by other fic writers doing crossovers of this kind, but I wanted an alternate continuity, where things HAVE happened the way we remember them from the Manga, until it all takes a left to Albuquerque.

Finally, the setting. I'll probably draw from Fallout 1 most, simply because it's my favourite of the series. That said, I'll probably take a few liberties to fit places to Seireitei or Hueco Mundo, as well as how some things work, etc. Doesn't mean I won't take things from the other games though. Only that I won't put the ruins of D.C. next to the ruins of L.A. or something like that. I'll be more liberal with particular characters tho.

Incidentally, I had this at a T rating at first, but I realized that the themes in Fallout (you know, Super-mutants eating humans, "chems", slavery, gory deaths) are not very T-friendly, so it's rated M for future unpleasantness.

That said, let's get this show started! I hope you will like it, thanks for reading!

3. Write a 500 word report detailing the early history of Vault 14.

Understanding the History of Vault 14 necessitates exploring the events that led to its creation. In the year 2010 of the Old History, year 0 by our modern calendar, the Spiritual War erupted between the Hollow of Hueco Mundo and the Shinigami of Soul Society. Conflict had always existed between these two worlds over the fate of the souls of normal humans inhabiting the World of the Living, but never to the scale that was experienced at the time.

Under the leadership of the traitorous Sōsuke Aizen, the armies of Hollow developed a new living weapon known as the Arrancar, powerful enough to allow them to stand vis-à-vis against the best Soul Society had to offer. As the conflict escalated, the Hollow army aimed for ultimate victory with the help of the Hōgyoku, a powerful spiritual weapon capable of blurring the line between the powers of the Hollow and those of the Shinigami. Using its powers, Aizen created the King's Key, the only tool capable of opening the gate to the Cosmic Keystone, also known as the King of Soul Society. As a direct result of this, both Hueco Mundo and Soul Society were destroyed, and all spiritual beings, as well as all spirit worlds, were thrown into the World of the Living, breaking the cycle of life.

This catastrophic event led to the destruction of all armies involved in the conflict, from the Zero Squad to the Arrancar, as well as the King of Soul Society, and turned the World of the Living into a wasteland.

Much has been speculated about the motivations of Sōsuke Aizen. Most modern theories sustain that he was moved by a simple wish of self-destruction, but due to his immense power only an event capable of devastating entire worlds could really bring forth his wish. A secondary theory, with some support from renowned scholars from the 20s, claims he wished absolute power to reshape the world to his liking, moved by traumatic events of his past. This latter theory, however, lacks support due to the inherent contradiction of how a man who, terrible as he may have been, was undoubtedly brilliant, could blunder badly enough to destroy everything he wanted to reshape, including himself.

During the initial stages of the wars, thirteen emergency shelters, called Vaults, were set up by the Shinigami of Soul Society as a precautionary measure, should the war escalate beyond their expectations. These thirteen vaults were, however, designed with Shinigami in mind, and were not made to accommodate humans.

An extra vault, Vault 14, was created and prepared by our Founding Father; an exile from Soul Society, Urahara Kisuke, made it with humans in mind. This is but a small vault, capable of accommodating an estimated maximum of 400 people while maintaining its self-sufficiency, which is tiny when compared to the population of Earth at the time, over six billion people. We are indeed quite lucky to have survived and lived in this Vault for the last hundred years.

The creation of the King's Key led to the destruction of Karakura Town, nowadays widely considered the pivotal element of the Spiritual War. Vault 14 citizens are descendants of the survivors from Karakura Town, who were protected during the Cataclysm by the Kurosaki Shinigami, Kurosaki Isshin and Kurosaki Ichigo. Their fates remain unknown, but it is accepted they probably perished during the Cataclysm. Their last stand is the starting day of our calendar, and we honor their memory during the New Year's celebrations.

If mankind survives long enough, the Cycle of Life will be restarted, and Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and the Cosmic Keystone will be naturally restored.

Yemon laid back on his chair and stretched his long arms. The sleeves of his black and yellow Shihakushō slid down to his shoulders, and the "14" written in yellow numbers on his back almost disappeared under the folds of his clothes as he arched backwards. His black hair fell back, revealing his long and narrow face, with high cheekbones, and his almond shaped brown eyes. He closed them as he stretched his muscles, relieved after the long sitting spell.

He leaned forward again and looked at the screen of his computer terminal.

Sigh, it's hard to condense it all down to 500 words. And it reads terrible to boot, I'm going to have to rewrite this.

"Kurosaki-kun!"

The door to the computer lab had opened and a short blonde girl wearing a Shihakushō much like his own walked in.

"Oh Maya, what's up?"

"What are you doing?" She asked cheerfully, smiling so widely her blue eyes nearly squinted shut.

"Just finishing the homework," he answered, pointing at the screen.

"Ara? Let me see, let me see!" She peeked over Yemon's shoulder and started reading. Slowly, her face lost some of its cheerfulness and her mouth made a small bummed pout. "Kurosaki-kun, you'll get in trouble again."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're still talking about spirits and all that superstition, you know Mayima-sensei gets mad when you do that in History class."

"He's an ignorant asshole," Yemon answered, irritated, "who are you going to believe, him or Gran-gran?"

"But," her face suddenly livened up as she muttered a wordless 'oh', "speaking of, the Matron wants to see you!"

"Uh?" He looked at the girl, who merely nodded, "right, I'll drop by after I finish the homework."

"She said it was important..."

Yemon sighed.

"Okay..."

He saved his homework and switched the terminal off. Maya walked with him as they left, but they didn't have to go far. The Command Post of the Vault was on the same level as the computer lab. When they arrived, they found her sitting atop the post, talking with two technicians working on the terminals under it.

"Gran-gran?" Yemon called.

"Oh Yemon-kun," she said, and then looked at Maya, "thank you, Maya-chan."

"S-sure!" She replied, bowing and leaving. Really, one phrase and she thanked me and dismissed me. She's so annoying sometimes!

The old woman pressed a button on her console, and the seat started to descend down to ground level. She stood up with an uneasy step, helped by a cane but still full of dignity despite her great age.

Kurosaki Karin, the very sister of Kurosaki Ichigo. I still can't believe she's over 100 years old.

"Come with me, Yemon. We have to talk."

Yemon was slightly surprised by the familiar tone she had used. Despite being his great grandmother, she was still the leader of the Vault, and usually acted the part. They walked to a nearby door and Karin punched the entry code. Yemon gulped.

I've never been to Gran-gran's rooms.

Precious few had, it was rumored that the room held some of the oldest secrets Vault 14 had about the outside world, and they were only for the eyes of those in charge. Of course, Karin had been in charge for the last 100 years.

"Sit down dear."

The room was surprisingly Spartan. A comfortable looking bed, a desk embedded on the wall, her own computer terminal... and boxes, piles and piles of boxes. They sat on two chairs in front of the wall-embedded desk. Yemon noted there was a box on said desk too.

"During the night, the Spirit Particle Filter Chip failed."

Yemon nodded, but remained silent. Karin continued without changing her tone.

"The Vault is running on emergency supplies of water and air. Water will last a long time, as long as the recycling system works, but air will not. We have about five months worth of pure air, as long as our vegetation is healthy, much less if they die out. Without the filter, we cannot take air from the outside world without contaminating the Vault with a high concentration of spirit particles."

Yemon nodded again, but this time it was a gesture of acknowledgement. He knew about spirit particles; he had learned it from his family, because it was something one could no longer learn from the teachers. Current theory was that the cataclysm had been global thermonuclear war.

Superstition, they call it. Bah.

"Yemon-kun... I'm afraid someone has to go to the outside world and find a replacement chip."

Yemon's eyes opened wide.

"But... Gran-gran, the outside world! It's... Well, there's a reason why we're filtering the spirit particles, right? I mean, if I go out there I'll probably..."

Karin sighed, an elaborate gesture for someone so old and frail.

"That is why I have to ask you, dear. Nobody else in this Vault can go with you. Only you can step into the outside world. You are a Kurosaki."

"Will... Will I be okay?" Yemon asked, after a long pause. "Gran-gran, I'd do anything for everyone in the Vault, you know that."

She nodded.

"Can I go out there and actually find this chip before... Well, I don't know, before something horrible happens to me I suppose."

Karin raised her hand and reached for Yemon's.

"You will never be the same. I am sure of that. But you will live. You will change forever. You are a Kurosaki."

Gran-gran is so hard to understand sometimes.

"O-okay I guess," Yemon sighed, and then gave an uneasy smile, "where do I go?"

Karin smiled, an old smile of memories past, and turning to the desk she opened the box. From it she produced a very old-looking map.

"This is a map of the outside world, before the Cataclysm. Here is us. Learn it well and do not mark our location on the map."

"Sure."

"The best place to start your search would be here," she continued, pointing at a mark on the map, "this is where Vault 12 appeared when Soul Society merged with the World of the Living. If a replacement for our spirit particle filtering system is to be found anywhere, it will be here."

"Why is that?" Yemon asked, curious, examining the wonderful – in his eyes – piece of paper.

"It was the division of Soul Society that held their research and development. Many secrets will be buried with them."

"I see. I never heard of that, I wish I could learn more before leaving; I get the feeling I'll be needing it."

Karin smiled, and pulled something else from the box. It was a small book.

"This is the diary of Urahara Kisuke himself. Everything I know from Soul Society, I learned from this book," she extended her arm, offering it to Yemon, "take it."

"Gran-gran!" He replied with an horrified expression, "I can't take something like that! It's too valuable!"

"Don't be silly. Take it. As you said, you will need the knowledge."

Yemon hesitated before taking it, handling with as much care as if it were a delicate crystal flower.

"There is something else I have for you, Yemon-kun. You have read the texts of the Quincy, have you not?"

"Yes, of course. Why?"

"Did you study them thoroughly?"

"Of course!"

"Really?"

"Gran-gran," he sighed, "yes, I really have. Ask me anything."

"That's okay," she responded, and reached into the box; she pulled a third object, a smaller box, "lend me your left hand."

Yemon extended his left arm without hesitation, though unsure of what Karin wanted. She took something from the small box, a chain of some sort with a pendant at the end. She lovingly wrapped it around Yemon's wrist, caressing the pendant gently between her index and her thumb once she was done.

Yemon recognized it. A star with five points, and a circle around the middle.

"Is that the Quincy...?"

"Yes," Karin replied with a simplicity that betrayed a torrent of emotions, "once you are in the outside world, I am sure it will help you. Take anything else you may need, but don't travel too heavy."

"Okay Gran-gran."

Karin put her right hand on Yemon's knee.

"You have no idea... how sorry I am... to have to send you out."

Yemon saw a single tear run down his Great Grandmother's cheek. He shook his head and smiled.

"I'll be back with our chip, Gran-gran. I promise!" He said standing up, and then leaned down to kiss Karin's forehead, "leave it to me! I'll go get ready and say goodbye to mom and dad."

As Yemon left the room, Karin's tears broke free, running down her face with precious abandon.

Ichi-nii, this kid is so much like you.

Author's Notes:

Blackout1170. Yemon is pronounced Yee-Maa-N: Y as in "you ( )" ; EH as in "ebb (EH.B)" ; M as in "me ( )" ; AA as in "odd (AA.D)" ; N as in "knee ( ). It means "Guardian of the Gate", which seemed appropriate :D