Co-written with Jam-man265

War...war never changes. In the year 1945, my great great grandfather serving in the army wondered if he get to home with his wife and the son he'd never seen. He got his wish when the US ended world war II by dropping bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The world awaited Armageddon. Instead something miraculous happened. We began to use atomic energy not as a weapon but a nearly limitless source of power. People enjoyed luxuries once thought the realm of science fiction, domestic robots, fusion powered car, portable computers. But then, in the 21st century, people awoke from the American dream. Years of consumption led to shortages of every resource. The entire world unravelled. Peace became a distant memory. It is now the year 2077...we stand on the brink of total war and I am afraid for myself, for my wife, for my son and his infant sister because in my time in the army taught me one thing: War, war never changes...

Jen Hills, Boston.

"More milk sir?" Wilson the Mr. Handy unit asks him.

"A little I guess...maybe not too much?" Shinji replied knowing that Wilson can go overboard sometimes with the cereal. Wilson pours more cereal into the bowel. Shinji is wearing a blue collar shirt with tan slack pants. Shockingly enough, Wilson didn't go overboard with the cereal. After eating the cereal, he sighs in satisfaction knowing he finished his breakfast as Wilson grabs the bowel and puts it on the dish. Yui goes to the bathroom.

"War never changes..." Gendo recited his speech on the mirror with a smile. Behind him is Yui Ikari, todays Shinij's first day in high school as a junior and soon he'll be off to college. Gendo on the other hand is reciting his speech for the town meeting, he's excited to meet Nate again after all these years.

"Shinji, its your turn now!" Yui said in the bathroom causing him to get up and walks towards the bathroom. Shinji looks at the mirror...

"There's very little difference, no point in changing hairstyle..." Shinji observed and walks outside of the bathroom.

"So now you're in junior year son, better start thinking about the future." Gendo smiled while reading his newspaper and taking a sip of his coffee then looks at the cereal nearby on the table.

"Sugar-Bombs," Gendo muttered picking the box off the table, "'100% ounces of daily sugar'," Picking up the box Gendo then looked at the ingredients… and nearly choked on the toast he was eating.

"Are you even aware of what you're doing to your body when you intake just a spoonful of that?"

"I'm taking up your job, remember? Also don't worry, long as I have at least one bowl a day I'll be alright." Shinji replied.

"Russell wouldn't know a healthy condition if it tied itself to a flagpole and jammed it up his-"

"Now, now Gendi~,there's no need to expand Shinji's vocabulary to colorful territory before he has yet to experience the first steps of parenthood. And being a scientist isn't always all about chemicals and calculations you know." Yui commented. The doorbell rings causing Gendo to sigh.

"What do you mean-"

"And Shinji, It would be wise to take better care of yourself, we all know how handicapped individuals are looked down upon in society today." Yui interrupted him.

"Its him again, I thought we did the poll." Shinji opens the door to reveal a vault-tec representative that visited earlier. He is wearing a tan coat and tie alongside a hat.

"Vault-tec here!" Came the cheerful and rather obnoxious tone of the, at this point, irritatingly familiar 'Vault-Tech-Employee' "Insuring that your future is secure-"

"I remember you," Shinji interrupted "I thought we already did all the paperwork for this."

"Er, yes, as a matter of fact we have," The Vault Tech Employee awkwardly cleared his throat "It's just that there was a little, how should I put this…. 'paper snafu' back at HQ. Nothing too serious! We just need to re-evaluate you skill set."

He handed Shinji his clipboard.

"Just insert the amount that you feel best resembles who you are."

SPECIAL POINTS: 21
S: 3
P: 6
E: 3
C: 1
I: 10
A: 2
L: 5
CLASS: SCIENTIST

He gives the sheet back to the man.

"Thank you for your patience!" The man leaves as Shinji shuts the door. Shinji hears crying thus getting Gendo and Yui's attention, Wilson turns to the group and flies off then returns to them.

"Well, I believe Ms. Rei needs some familial love!" Wilson stated. Prior to marrying Gendo, Yui was married to an old war buddy of Gendo's but PTSD got the best to him and soon escalated into domestic violence which led to Gendo injuring him with his standard issued handgun. In the middle of it, Shinji was born and then Rei with Gendo. Yui heads into Rei's room right before coming out.

"Look Rei! Everyone wants to see you!" Yui gushed as Rei begins to calm down with Shinji walking towards her. Shinji tickles her a little causing Rei to laugh.

"You'll be a great brother, Shinji." Yui smiled.

"Now its off to school-"

"Mum...sir?" They all turn around to see the news on TV. The reporter's eyes are widened and looks like he's scared.

"We are getting reports of...dozens of nuclear strikes. Blinding flashes...we'll try to stay on air as we can...oh god..." The TV shuts as the family looks at each other with Gendo loading his handgun.

"We have to get to the vault, now!" Gendo yelled. Gendo and leads the family as he opens the door of the house to reveal the neighborhood as civilians are fleeing and others are looting the streets with Gendo aiming his gun at one of them which is a man beating up Yui's teacher, Fuyutsuki and picks him up. They make it up into the hills with a guard post nearby as Fuyutsuki is allowed to enter alongside one of there neighbors, Aoba, Ritsuko, Maya, and Hyuga.

"Name?" The US army officer asks.

"We're on the list." Yui explained.

"Hm...husband and wife, infant daughter and teenage son. You're good." The officers let the family inside the gate as a vault-tec security officers lets them inside the vault.

"Right this way!" The officer said as they reach the platform with everyone panicking.

"Its going to be fine, we love you Shinji...Rei too." Yui assured as she holds Rei tightly. A giant explosion is heard as the people who are going down with the Ikari's turn to it but Gendo shields there view.

"Lower the platform!" A soldier ordered as the platform lowers down.

The platform goes down to reveal an entrance way towards the bottom. Shinji rubs his arm a little since he could still feel the heat of the explosion while Yui comforts Rei with Gendo sighing after the explosion. Its been a long time since he saw an explosion like that ever since Anchorage...he wonders if Nate survived. Sure Nate was a tough son of a bitch but an explosion at this magnitude...he just hopes he got out or at least out of the country or a nearby vault in the nick of time before the Chinese blew them up.

The platform lands in front of the vault-tec personnel who are all ready. Security teams armed with batons and assault rifles, others with pistols. Intimidating yes but a sign of security nonetheless. Lazer rifles are present too. Nate told Shinji once that vaults are lightly armed but these guys are different...more militaristic. Even complete with power armor.

"Right this way sir." The soldier advised as Gendo nodded with Ritsuko taking a break while using her hand to lean against the wall. Shinji remembers Ritsuko...she was one of the medics serving in Anchorage. In fact, most of the people accompanying them served in Anchorage then later became scientists of high esteem and position.

"Hello and welcome to vault 113, please step this way." A personnel said as the group makes it on top of the stairs. Maya is first to take a jumpsuit which is blue and yellow while Gendo is second.

"Sir, weaponry isn't allowed in the vault. Please discard your weapon." She advised.

"Sorry, second amendment and its war time. I might need this." The staff member looks at the rules and vault dwellers are allowed to have weaponry with them.

"I apologize, please take this vault suit." The staff member offers him a vault suit as he puts it on. Yui is second and Shinji is third. They are then separated by personnel to different changing rooms. Shinji puts on his vault suit and looks at it...blue and yellow also a bit skin tight too. They get out of the changing room as Gendo checks out Yui who blushes.

"Dad...what's going on? Is this our new home?" Shinji asks Gendo who sighs.

"Yes Shinji, our new home." Gendo replied as he holsters his pistol behind his back. A staff member walks in on them.

"Right this way please." The staff member escorts them as the group follows him. Ritsuko, Maya, Fuytusuki are seen talking with the staff in worry.

"Welcome to vault 113, like what your father said-this is your new home. And these are the decontamination pods." They enter a room to reveal pods inside them, all match the capacity of the people who are in the vault.

"Please step inside." The staff member ordered. Rei begins to cy as Yui tries to cheer her up.

"Its okay Rei, dad and Shinji will be over there. We'll be safe." Shinji ticks Rei in the cheek causing her to laugh a little right before Yui gets on the pod with Gendo going to the one near her. Shinji enters his now.

"Cryo stasis enabled." It begins to turn cold now...Shinji's vision fades.

Everything around Shinji is white but soon fades. The PA is saying that the cryo stasis has been interrupted...they've been lied to. This wasn't a decontamination pod, this was forced sleep! Shinji looks outside of the window of the pod to see the pods of his parents being opened. Walking towards them is an old man, a middle aged man with a beard and rolled up sleeve shirt and what appears to be armor on his arm. Beside him is an African American man wearing dark shades and weird attire...almost sci-fi like.

"Did we...did we make it?" Yui asks while gasping for air alongside Gendo who coughs.

"Its alright, everything's going to be fine." The old man stated to Yui. Another figure appears, hazmat suited and appears to be female, she reaching out to Rei causing Shinji to panic.

"Come here..." Yui struggles to get the woman off of Rei who is crying.

"No, wait. No, I've got her!" She yelled back at Yui. The black man with the shades aims an unusual weapon at Yui...it resembles a laser pistol.

"Let the girl go. I'm only gonna tell you once!" The bearded man threated...only for Gendo to give up his visage and catch him off guard by punching the old man in the back of the head then shooting the black man in the eye to reveal his robotic features. The bearded man pulls out his magnum and tries to shoot Gendo but Gendo shoots him in the stomach though he punches him off of him.

The wounded men aim there weapons at Gendo who aims his pistol at them. More hazmat suited people arrive and escort Yui and Rei with Yui crying to Gendo and Shinji. Gendo moves to the left and out of Shinji's view.

"Look man, we're not here to fight just stand down..." The wounded man said as the old man takes center and glares at him...a barrage of bullets flies at them causing the three of them to duck. A door is heard opening and a barrage of bullets come flying in causing them to take cover and fire back.

"Shit, no one told me that the brotherhood of steel is here!" The bearded man yelled and returned fire.

"At least we have a spare." The African-American said as he looked at Shinji with his damaged face.

"Whatever you say so X6." Shinji's vision turns white as everything fades from view.

Do I like hurting other people...?
You never said it, but I knew it was what you were thinking.
I guess it was always hard for you to imagine the Shy and Quiet Asuka you grew up with being able to take a life so easily.
I don't blame you... even I have a hard time recognizing myself sometimes.
Maybe I was always like this... maybe I wasn't... what I know now is that I can never go back to the way it use to be.
...But even still... you accepted this 'new me'... and you would always be back *there* waiting for me with open arms.
I can't even think of how many times I could've been broken if it wasn't for your warmth.
But... I can't stay... not anymore... there's something I have to do...
And after I complete it... I know I'll no longer be deserving of your warmth...
I'm sorry but this is the way it must be.
Because war... war never changes...
-Letter to Amata from the Lone Wanderer.

Capitol wasteland

A redhead girl looks at her pip-boy as her hair shadows her eyes and sitting on a rock, nearby is a dead deathclaw. She's wearing a vault suit but different model there's a number on the back...101. She's wearing a Reily's ranger chest piece complete with combat leggings On her pip-boy is a radio station and chooses galaxy news network. The song she chooses is Wanderer by Dion. She places the note on the mailbox in front of vault 101 right before leaving.

2 weeks later.

The music is still playing as the girl walks in a village and looks at the sights right before drinking some nuka-cola and shooting a rad-roach while not looking and walking ahead.

3 weeks later.

She looks at the sign of sanctuary hills and spots Preston Garvey walking towards her as she walks towards him in response.

4 weeks later.

The redhead stops at Jen Hills or what's left of it right before deciding to make it her home now. Away from everyone...to keep everyone safe. Nearby is Wilson watering the plants as she walks towards him.

"Oh, good to see another human around! A pleasure to meet you...and you are?"

Shinji's eyes turn back to normal vision as he gasps for air and the pod opens the door. The pod door slowly opens to reveal a redhead girl with long hair, the same one wearing the vault 101 suit. She pulls out a stick and starts poking Shinji to revitalize his nerves but they've already been alive. The pokes are starting to hurt now a little. She pokes him again but extends the stick which starts to hurt a lot more now.

"Stop that!" Shinji yelled at her. She pauses for a moment...and pokes him again in the crotch then in the eye. Shinji falls on the ground while rubbing the frost from his arms. He looks around for anything, he finds his father's handgun on the ground but no body since it sounded like he ran off with those brotherhood of steel people, probably military. The pods around him are empty as he gets up and looks at the redhead. The eyes of someone who has seen things that no one can explain...maybe she fought aliens for all he knew.

"Who...who are you?" He asks her as she smacks him in the back of the head.

"Its about time you noticed me, you look like you were high on some chems! But I don't blame you since you're confused as ever, idiot." She insulted him as Shinji is a little hurt at the moment.

"Sorry...why are you here...?" Shinji asks again. The redhead sighs and tilts her head and places her hand on her hips.

"You're mister Handy, Wilson, sent me here to see the young master if he's still alive. I was expecting you to be dead since this is a vault. Man, pre-war people were idiots..." The girl growled.

"There's people dead in the vaults? Wait...maybe those vaults have frozen people in them-" She gives a humorous smack to Shinji.

"Idiot! Like the rest of the pre-war people! Vaults were experiments conducted by vault-tec, you must've been one of the guinea pigs!" Shinji rubs his head a little in pain knowing that an end of a hand like that hurts.

"I should've known..." Shinji muttered.

"Damn right you should've!" The girl replied.

"And to answer you're first question when you got out of the fridge: Asuka Langley Soryu of vault 101." Asuka introduced herself. Shinji is shocked about this, she's from a vault but vaults were supposed to experiment on people but she got out fine.

"Weren't vaults supposed to be used to experiment on people? That kind of kills the purpose on, no offense, you being alive." Shinji questioned.

"My vault was supposed to be isolated from the outside world and I got out after the psycho overseer sent a security team at me after my dad left. Idiot left me and I was forced to fight my way out of the vault with the help of my friend, Amata. Now enough about me, time to get a gun." Asuka activates her pip boy and scrolls on the menu and picks the 10mm pistol then hands it to Shinji who looks at the gun.

"Do I really have to use this?" Shinji asks.

"You do, its a whole new world out there and I don't want you dead. Now lets go." The two walk away from the pod room and pass by dead radroaches in the vault and a few skeletons...most of which are the security team.

"What...what happened?"

"Don't know much but from I read on the overseer's terminal, a rebellion started and the security team got into a chaotic gunfight right before leaving the vault. This vault's purpose was supposed to put together scientific and militaristic minds together so they can build an entirely new society. But from what I saw via security camera's and holo-tapes, someone broke in with the brotherhood of steel on there trail ten years ago." Asuka explained.

"Those people I saw...who were they?"

"I don't know, enclave or some other faction I don't know of in the commonwealth. I'm from DC after all so I don't know much about the place." She replied.

"What's the brotherhood of steel? Are they military?" Shinji is rather hopeful that they could be military, which means help.

"Sort of..." Asuka picks up a box of 5.56mm rounds.

"They're a quasi-religious technological organization with its roots stemming from the US army. There objective is to gather technology to make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands and use it to rebuild the old world but for now, they must keep the tech safe. I worked with them to bring down the enclave you know, I'll never forger liberty prime...may he rest in peace." Asuka sighed.

"The robot that was supposed to be used in Anchorage? Must've been strong." Shinji commented.

"It chucked a nuke while spouting anti-communist comments...that was the most American thing I have ever seen." Asuka awed at the memory and continues to walk towards the control panel and activates the large door to open as it reveals the platform. They get on the platform.

"I forgot to tell you: Welcome to the wasteland." The platform ascends as a ray of light blinds Shinji briefly but his vision fades to reveal the ruined Jen Hills to his shock. Walking towards them is man. Obviously ruined clothing and moderately long gray hair also green long sleeve shirt. Asuka knows who he is, his name is Bullet.

"Hey there, that's a cute guy you have. How many caps you have for him?" Bullet asks as Asuka squints at him.

"Didn't I hear that Nora lit you up like a Christmas tree?"

"Rumors girlie now how much for the kid? I have an offer you can't refuse." Men come from behind Bullet as they pull out there pipe rifles. Asuka knows that Bullet is a slaver and he heard what happened...

"Sure, Shinji can you please go to that guard post and cover your ears while looking at a wall." Asuka ordered as Shinji does the same and goes to the old guard post of the vault...he hears muffled gunshots and explosions and laser shots. He turns around to see Bullet and his men dead on the ground riddled with burn marks and gunshot wounds. Bullet coughs up blood.

"Please...help..." Bullet pleaded only for Asuka to pin him on the ground and unload a round into his head with her Xuanlong Chinese assault rifle.

"Now, time to turn you over to Wilson~" Asuka sang and looted some pistol ammo from his dead body. Shinji resists trying to throw up and walks with Asuka, a stranger in a strange land.

Good neighbor.

A redheaded teenager about the same age as Asuka's is sitting in the bar of the third rail. He is wearing a vault suit on the back that reads 21 and has leather armor on it and a les fusil terribles shotgun holstered on his back. He is looking at a picture...new Vegas. The courier himself is in the commonwealth. For a long time actually. Magnolia stops singing and goes to the bar as he takes a sip from his beer.

"Is there something wrong with him? Bars close to closing right now. I wouldn't be surprised." Magnolia asks Whitechapel Charlie who is the Mister Handy of the bar while whispering.

"Him? Hey, don't judge'em, he's the courier from new Vegas. He deserves a drink after what happened." Charlie replied.

"I heard the place was burnt down by the institute, no survivors from what I've heard." The courier gets up and grabs a beer from the table then drunkly sits on a chair with a table in front of it. Walking inside the bar is synth detective Nick Valentine who sits in front of him.

"You know Taisuke, Nora is trying to get you some help, its been five years and I know you came here to the commonwealth to take revenge on the institute and spent your entire life on that revenge. Its time to let go." Nick said as he smoked.

"So what? Is this an intervention?" Taisuke replied.

"I'm not good at helping people but I may have found someone in the commonwealth to help you. Someone close." Nick countered.

"I don't need help Nick, I can go through this-" Nick angrily raises himself up in front of Taisuke.

"How many times have I heard this? How many times have I saw you "try" to let go? You're just drowning yourself in misery. Anyway, the person in the commonwealth is your older sister aka the lone wanderer."

"So she finally made it here? I guess DC wasn't good enough."

"More like she wanted to find you, the same thing happened to her-experimented on and her companions killed. Just...talk it out you two, she's been trying to reach you and help you." Nick negotiated as Taisuke got up and picked up the beer bottle.

"Fine, I'll find her."

Vault 114.

Darla throws a swing at synth detective Kaworu Nagisa's face, his face is plastic showing an opening on the side revealing his mechanical parts while his glowing yellow eyes show too. He is wearing a tan coat with white long sleeve shirt. Why Kaworu is here you ask? He was offered a case of a missing woman in vault 114, old Skinny Malone's place but it turns out that it was a trap to make Kaworu an example for Nick Valentine. He knew Nick when he first moved here to the commonwealth from the capitol wasteland.

"Now, tell me where is that rat bastard Nora Morgan! I'm gonna show her a piece of my mind after she made Skinny leave me!" Darla yelled at Kaworu who laughs a little.

"You know, the minutemen are the people you want to tick off the least. Unless you want to be vaporized by laser muskets." Kaworu taunted and pulled out a lighter so he can smoke. Darla groans in rage.

"Take him to the room!" Darla ordered as her men dragged Kaworu.

Cambridge police station.

Paladin Touji Suzuhara seals the door shut as knight Mayumi Yamagishi and scribe Amano rush in. Touji is wearing T60 power armor and armed with a laser rifle as he opens fire at the ghouls trying to break in. He should've known, its been a month since the brotherhood left the commonwealth and now there's more ferals than ever. Minutemen can't get here in time since he fired a flare.

"Shit, what do we do!?" Mayumi yelled as she opened fire with her pistol in hand. Touji gets on the police radio and activates it.

"This is Touji Suzuhara of the brotherhood of steel! Requesting assistance of local enforcement!"

Diamond city.

"First off, a reporter must know that a person is lying and you need to see the signs." Piper said as she taught rookie reporter Hikari Horaki who is writing on her notes. Hikari is the first employee of the publick occurrences and Piper's correspondent also. Piper looks at Hikari who looks distracted.

"I can tell you're a little...distracted. Are you thinking of that brotherhood of steel war monger that passed by?" She asks causing Hikari to be flustered.

"What? No! I'm not...I liked his power armor, that's all. Plus you're the one to talk to since you married a paladin-"

"And general of the minutemen and I'm god dammed proud of marrying Nora."