"Ugh… bloody hell…" Alex muttered to himself, as he lied on a gurney placed next to another unmoving body.
He slowly raised himself up, or attempted to, but his arm pinched and he fell back down. He grunted as he looked at a ceiling with a glare. Odd, did his vision seem different?
He lifted his left arm towards his face and felt around. Nothing different, it seems. Still just bumps and bruises from… how long ago now?
"Oh good, yer up. Glad one of you two decided to wake." An elderly voice sounded from Alex's left, surprising the hell out of the Vault survivor.
"What the fu-!"
CRASH!
Alex fell off of the gurney with the amount of fright the voice gave him. He heard a light chuckle come afterwards.
"Well now, it's good ta see you're kicking. Here, let me help you up." In his sight, Alex saw an old balding man with a distinct set of clothing on. He watched as he bent over and helped him up off of the ground and placed him back on the metallic bed.
"There, that should do ya, now, what happened to you, if'n ya don't mind me asking." The bald man asked, watching as Alex tried to figure out what to say.
"It's alright, I'll give you some more time to rest, you sure look like you took a hell of a beating. I'm Doc Mitchel, though people 'round here just call me Doc." Doc said with a friendly grin behind his moustache.
Alex just nodded, flinching a bit, the pain from that small fall hurt a lot more than it should.
"Now, before you get some more shud'eye, I need ta tell you something." Doc began, and gave a grim look as he did so.
"I got tha town mechanic to do some work on you, now I know it ain't much, and you're probably gon' freak out about this, but, here I'll just show you." Doc got up and left the room for a few minutes.
Alex sat there, wondering what Doc Mitchel had done to him. He didn't feel any different, except the obvious weight gain in the right half of his body, but other than that? Not much else had changed. He turned to his right, and faced a body that was impossible to tell gender wise, the chest rising and falling indicating it was alive.
Well, great.
Whatever.
"Al'right, I got this here mirror, and I'm gonna need you to stand up. Tell me if'n Randy did a good job or not." Doc said, wheeling in a rather large pre-war mirror. Alex couldn't quite see himself, but he didn't mind. He turned and stood up from the gurney, it felt weird.
He didn't bother to look down because, well, fuck it. That's why.
He walked up to the mirror, hearing light cranks against the floor and feeling a slight resistance with each step.
"Like ah said, it needs some work, but it should do you just fine for the time being." Doc said, looking at him while holding the mirror up.
"Er… Doc? Ya got the thing pointed the other way." Alex said, raising an eyebrow.
"What do ya me-oh, hold on." Doc Mitchel said, rotating the mirror so that it faced Alex. Well, at first Alex noticed no differences, that is until he actually looked at his body.
"Dafuq you do to me arm 'n leg?!" Alex shouted as he looked at himself.
His right arm was replaced with a rustic metal limb, the gear functioning looked off as if it was jury rigged to fit. The leg went all the way up to his… he pulled his shirt up a little, then more, even more, it went all the way up to where his arm was placed! Part of the casing seemed loose, as if the screws holding together were only meant for temporary usage. Just as rusty, if not more.
"Well I told you, I had someone come by and fix ya up. Your arm was practically useless by the time Victor brought you here, same as your leg." Doc said, sure of himself and his decision.
"Doesn't mean ya 'ave ta go an' cut me fuckin' body in half!" Alex said, gripping at his hair.
"Look, you're obviously going to have to adjust to this, in the meantime, I recommend you use that machine over there, should tell us where you are, mentally and physically." Doc Mitchel said, rolling his eyes at the taller man. Whom was STILL taking deep breathes.
Alex looked between the mirror, Doc, and the machine, a little too fast, as his head began to hurt. He just shook it off and finally, gave a release. He just grabbed his temples and rubbed them with his left hand, he then walked over to it and asked calmly, albeit annoyed as well:
"… So how am I suppose'ta use this?" He asked, looking at the screen that labeled S.P.E.C.I.A.L.
"Use yer organic arm, that way the machine won't lie." Doc said, rolling the mirror back out of the room.
Alex sighed and wondered to himself.
"How did I get me ass here?"
A simple question, yet rather unanswerable at the moment. He shook his head slowly and tsked himself before finally gripping on the joy-stick like handle and gave it a good squeeze.
The S. lit up to the 4 marker.
The P. lit up to the 7 marker.
The E. lit up to the 6 marker.
The C. lit up to the 8 marker.
The I. lit up to the 2. (Which Alex immediately grumbled angrily to himself for.)
The A. lit up to the 7 marker.
Finally, the L. lit up to the 6 marker.
As soon as the final screen showed, revealing his final score, it proved to be he was a people person.
Lies!
"Well now, I reckon that explosion you took didn't really help your brain all that good, but hey, you can talk it off as if you're smart." Doc Mitchel said with a laugh at the end.
Alex just rolled his eyes, which once again stung slightly in his right.
Doc noticed the small twinge, and decided to speak up. "You're not gonna be seeing out of that eye any time soon, son." He said with a thoughtful frown on his face. He saw Alex just ponder for a little, before just giving a shrug as if it was every day news.
"Eh. I've 'ad worse. Ya 'least got an eye patch, right? Always wanted ta be a badass." Alex stated as he crossed his arms and stared at the doctor.
"Yeah, I have some in the back, why don't you settle down on that couch in the other room over there, and I'll be right back." Doc said, pointing towards a rather large room, with a disgustingly yellow couch. For some reason, a sheet podium stood next to it. Odd.
"Yeah, sure thing, mate." Alex replied and began walking to the other room.
Not giving the other body another thought as he exited.
Alex sat there for a good five minutes, before he steadily grew more bored with each passing second. "Ugh..." He mumbled to himself. "Thought he wanted me ta get more shud'eye, an' here I am jus' sittin' on a bleeding couch! Where the fuck is he?!" He began shouting, he wanted to move. Do something! Other than sit on a couch with nothing to do. Impatient, yes.
Finally, the sound of footsteps is heard coming from the back room, and Alex turned to see who it was.
Not like it was anyone else, I mean come on.
Doc stood there with an apologetic look on his face, in his hand, a single eye patch. "Sorry for the wait, had a few memories pass by while I was in the back room." He said, he then walked over to Alex and handed the eye patch to him.
He put it on, albeit a little awkwardly at first, and gave a nod of thanks to Doc.
"So why'd ya want me ta sit on the couch?" Alex asked from his sitting position.
"Oh, you know, the usual. Every time someone has a traumatic event, physical or mental, it's my job to see where they stand. Medical stuff." Doc said with a shrug. He then sat down in the chair across from the couch and produced a scrapbook of sorts from behind his back. He placed it on the sheet podium and opened it to the first page.
"Now, I'm going to say a word, and I want you to say the first thing that comes to mind." With a friendly smile, Doc crossed his legs and stared at Alex, waiting for a response.
"Fine. Oh god, it's the G.O.A.T. all over again!" Alex said, the last sentence in thought.
"Alright, here we go." (Transcript dialogue warning, and a REALLY bored Alex.)
Doc Mitchell: "Dog."
Alex: "What." Raises eyebrow.
Doc Mitchell: "House."
Alex: "Vault." Grumbles lowly.
Doc Mitchell: "Night."
Alex: "Darkness." Sighs.
Doc Mitchell: "Bandit."
Alex: "Boom." Smirks evilly.
Doc Mitchell:"Light."
Alex: "Switch." Raises eyebrow again.
Doc Mitchell: "Mother."
Alex: "Sal... WHERE'S SALLY?!" Alex shouted, jumping off of the couch and started to frantically search throughout the room, eliciting a surprised response from Doc.
Doc started coughing violently for a moment or two, and calmed down before looking at Alex with a confused expression over his face. "You mean that suitcase ya had with you when Victor brought you in?" He said, wheezing a little.
Alex turned to look at him, an intent that meant murder clear in his eyes. "Where's she at?!" Alex shouted at him.
Doc made a motion with his hands, and pointed towards the room they were in originally. Alex quickly took a look in, and indeed, there lay his suitcase next to the gurney he woke up on.
How could he have forgotten it so easily?
Alex walked over to it, ripped the case open, and pulled out a rather clean magnum revolver. A little damage was done to it, but that was on purpose.
Scratched deep enough in the barrel to be visible, was the name Sally.
Doc Mitchell walked in a little after Alex opened his suitcase, and stared on as the tall man held on to the gun as if it was his last moment on this planet. "So, I take it you found Sally?" Doc asked, crossing his arms as he leaned on the door frame.
Alex didn't turn to look at him, he was busy gazing at his special revolver, but he did answer Doc. "Yeah, thanks for not touchin' 'er. Else I'd have ta kill ya." Alex said with a laugh at the end. Doc took it seriously for a moment, before he heard Alex's laugh. It was like listening to a man who lost something. Something really close to them.
"Mother?" Doc asked, staying in his position.
Alex got up from the ground and turned to look at the man. "Wife. Mother of two." Alex said lowly. A small smirk still on his face, even there as a single tear went down his face. "A damn good 'un."
Doc just nodded as Alex spoke, knowing what it was like to lose a loved one. He spoke up at the end however. "What happened?" Doc asked, as Alex made his way over back to the living room.
Alex sat back down on the yellow couch, letting it conform to his weight, and looked up at the still standing man. "I's rather not talk 'bout it. Too many bad memories." Alex said with a grim frown.
Once more, Doc nodded and made his own way back to his chair.
Just like Alex, he sat down.
"Alright Doc, ready ta continue this?" Alex asked, moving from a topic he obviously did not want to speak about.
"Sure thing, alright. Now I'm going to say something, and I want you to tell me if it's something you'd say." Doc said, receiving a nod from Alex.
"Conflict just ain't in my nature." Doc said, looking at Alex expectantly.
"Negative, mate. Love a good tussle." Alex replied with a smirk.
"I ain't given to relying on others for support." Doc continued.
"When help's needed." Alex replied, crossing his arms and leaning back.
"I'm always fixin' to be the center of attention." Once more, Doc continued.
"You 'ave no idea." Alex smirked again, closing his eyes as he rested a little.
"I'm slow to embrace new ideas." Doc added.
"Who don't like tryin' somethin' new?" Alex said, giving a small yawn.
"I charge in to deal with problems head on." Doc said as he noticed his acquaintance beginning to grow tired.
"Aye." Alex said, stifling another yawn.
"Alright, gonna need you awake for this one. We're almost done now, first of all. Before I go any further, what's your name? Ya never gave it to me." Doc said, tapping Alex's leg with his own foot.
It was enough to open Alex's eyes.
"Huh? Oh, I'm Alex. Alex Rigger" Alex said, sitting up and putting out his hand in a friendly gesture.
Doc Mitchell accepted this and said "alright then. Nice ta meet you Alex, alright. Ready for the last bit?" Doc said, pulling out an inkblot of sorts.
Alex just nodded and gave another yawn.
"Alright, I'm going to show you some of these, and you're going to tell me what you see."
-THIS IS A LINE!-
Sorry for the little to no humor in this chapter, I kind of had to get through with this S.P.E.C.I.A.L. thing, a timeskip will happen at the beginning of Chapter 3 so you don't have to go through with the rest. Lest you want to.
Anyway, what did you think of it? Need to make a chapter 2.5, so I can work out the details, or what? I think it turned out, eh, ok I guess, but I can do better!
Still need an O.C by the way, not demanding you all or anything, just asking, but yeah if'n I don't get one by Chapter 4, I'll probably just make up one. Gonna give 'em laser eyes an' shit. Nah.
I also apologize for the lack of an Omake at the end of Chapter 1, so instead of doing the usual single Omake, I'll do two.
Kiss My Shiny Metal Cass
"'Ey Cass! Looka' this! Ain't it cool?!" Alex shouted, waving a plasma rifle back and forth.
"No Rigger, for the last time, being an idiot isn't 'cool'." Cass mumbled under her breath.
Shame Alex heard something else.
"You want a million dollar bowl? Where the fuck am I going to get that?!" Alex shouted, throwing the plasma rifle down with enough force that it fired in a random direction.
Meanwhile, in New Vegas
"Gah, why'd Alex leave me here?! It's so boring, ugh, my wife died, ugh, gambling, ugh I should be out there shooting the Legion in the nuts, ugh, ugh..." Boone said, dropping mines (Plasma/Frag/Pulse/Fat Mine) in a giant pile.
"Ugh, nothing's going to sneak up on me now." Boone added, pulling out a Varmint rifle.
That plasma shot from before? Say hello to Boone for me.
KA-BLAMMO-SPLOSION-HERPDERP-DROP-THE-BASS-BOOM!
All of the mines exploded simultaneously the moment the plasma shot hit all of the placed mines, blowing Boone up in an explosion of sexy and hot mixed together.
All that remained?
A single gold diamond ruby emerald embroidered bowl.
With a 'For Cass' sticker on it.
Alex used: Fast travel!
"Huh. Guess that answers that. Herpaderp derp~" Alex said, picking up the bowl and opening Cass' inventory and placing it there.
End Omake
I Can Talk My Way Out Of ANYTHING!
"Halt, no NCR supporters allowed!" A legion guard said, pulling out a Gauss Rifle.
Alex raised an eyebrow and put on a false moustache, and in a fake French accent: "I do not zupport ze NCR! Fuck zem! Now, can I see your boss, I have somethin' ta do that involves fistin'." Alex finished with his fake accent half way through, pulling out a Power Fist.
"Oh sure, go right on ahead fellow legionnaire, hail Caesar!" The legion guard said with a dopey smile, also put away his Gauss Rifle.
"Cool, now since I entirely support Keezer, can I have that Gauss?" Alex said, as he punched the man into a bloody mess.
At Another Point In Time
"You collected every single Vault article piece of clothing you could, and you STILL want more?" The Courier asked, seemingly displeased that it's friend Alex had wasted his time.
Seriously, the two went through every Vault in the Mojave, JUST to collect their respective uniforms.
"Not me fault I need ta repair my own Vault 11 suit! I just don' want it ta ruin!" Alex said, picking up yet ANOTHER Vault 21 uniform from a corpse. Sarah something, he believes.
"You don't even wear the fucking thing!" The Courier said again, shaking it's head back and forth at the obvious obsessed imbecile.
"Who be sayin' I'm wearin' it? Ya look good in blue." Alex said, opening the Courier's inventory and dropping ALL of the uniforms into it. As soon as he exited, the Courier, with a question mark for a face, adorned a Vault 11 jumpsuit.
The power of companionship in Fallout.
At ANOTHER Point In Time
"Soooo... you're tellin' me, that you're really fuckin' old." Alex said, as he stared stupidly at the man that was now OUT of the ghetto time machine.
*Old man noises* "Yes... why would you do this?!" Mr. House said, his old expression really getting old to Alex.
"Can you walk?" Alex asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Years of soli-wha?" Mr. House's expression went from that of sorrow, to plain confusion.
"Can you walk? Like, walk and hol' a gun?" Alex asked again.
"I... I don't know?" Mr. House stated.
Yet, this question was enough to get Mr. House to try.
He used his weak arms and pulled himself from his maintenance machine and stood weakly on his legs.
"I-I can! This is incredible! Even after all of these years, I can still walk!" Mr. House stated happily.
"That's great!" Alex said with a huge smile. "Because I really didn' want ta shoot a cripple." He smirked as Mr. House's expression went from that of a happy old man, to a man about to die.Baboom.
End Omake
