"Here, Miyuki. I tightened the barrel and replaced the bolt mechanism. It should shoot much straighter now."
"Thank you," Miyuki replied as she took her rifle from Kagami.
"Don't mention it," Kagami said as they stepped out of the Archives' courtyard and back onto the Mall. "Now let's see if we can find that museum." Kagami examined a map printed on the back of a bus stop before a look of irritation crossed her face. "That's just typical," she muttered.
"What is it? Is something wrong?" Miyuki asked.
"The Museum of Technology was just outside the metro we came from. We ran right past it on our way over here."
"Oh my. That's rather unfortunate."
"Oh well." Kagami said as they started back north across the Mall. "At least we cleared out most of the mutants. Without them, this place has a weird sense of peace. Can't say how long that'll last, though."
"Well, regardless of what happens, you proved to be a valiant warrior today. You should be proud of that."
"Thanks. I've always worked hard to protect the people I care about. I guess that comes from having such a big family. Almost everyone in the wastes has lost at least one family member. I'm extremely lucky that I haven't, and I fight hard to keep it that way." Kagami glanced over at Miyuki. "What about you? What other family do you have?"
"Just my mother, I'm afraid. I don't have any siblings, and my father died before I was born."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's alright. Sometimes I wonder what he was like, but I've never really felt any loss."
"Maybe it's best that way, just having one person to look out for. I always worry that I'll come home one day and find out that one of my family members has been killed, especially Tsukasa. They keep sending her out into the Wasteland when she can't really take care of herself. Thank you, by the way. I understand that you and Konata have saved her life more than once."
"There is no need to thank me. I always do everything in my power to keep others from harm."
Kagami smiled. "You're a real breath of fresh air, Miyuki-san. So many people in the world only look out for themselves. It's nice to meet someone so pure of heart."
Miyuki smiled back. "Thank you for saying so, Kagami-san. Ah, this must be the museum."
The two had reached the other side of the Mall, and were standing in front of a wide building. Banners hanging off the front identified it as the Museum of Technology.
"This looks like the central hub that connects the different sub-basements," Patty said as her, Konata, and Tsukasa stepped off the elevator. "They kept the Declaration in the strongroom at the end of the east wing here. We'll have to make our way to it."
"Is there anything for us to kill down here?" Konata asked a bit eagerly.
"It wouldn't surprise me to find old guard robots down here," Patty replied.
Konata frowned. "Aw, I don't like robots. You can't stab them."
"Men, today I address you with a message of utmost urgency." The girls looked up to see a loudspeaker mounted on the wall. "Our defenses have been breached, and soon we'll engage the enemy. Remember, the will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object. As your leader, Button Gwinnett, distinguished representative of Georgia, I promise you I have not yet begun to fight!"
Konata snickered. "'Button Gwinnett'? What kind of name is that?"
"Beats me," Patty replied as they started down a stairway, "But it looks like he's taken over the place. We may have to get past him to get the Declaration."
"Men!" another loudspeaker boomed as they entered another chamber. "We can't let the enemy's progress dissuade us from our task! We must defend our freedom and our right to be independent! Strike now and strike hard. You may delay, but time will not!"
A laser bolt suddenly flew at them, singeing Konata's ahoge as it passed.
"Look out!" Patty cried, pointing down the hallway to their left. "Protectrons!"
Two of the stocky robots lumbered toward them, firing lasers from their tiny arms. The girls took cover on either side of the hallway.
"Have I mentioned how much I hate robots?" Konata said as she fired her pistol.
"Don't worry," Patty said as she peppered one of the robots, "Protectrons are pretty weak, so this shouldn't take long."
Tsukasa leaned out to fire her laser pistol, but she stumbled back when a laser bolt slammed into her weapon.
"You alright?" Konata called back as she reloaded.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Tsukasa replied. "But my pistol is ruined. It won't fire."
"Well, just hang back and leave this to us," Patty said before sending a burst of 10mm rounds to the Protectron's sensor dome, shattering it. Before long, they downed the second robot as well.
"Sorry guys," Tsukasa said as they continued moving. "I can't do much to help now."
"It's fine. Not like we lost a lot of firepower anyway." Konata glanced at Patty. "Looks like you're the only one who can do any real damage to these guys."
"Right, I'll take point then," Patty replied. "I was planning on coming down here by myself anyway."
Patty led them around a corner and into a storage room. As they passed through, they heard a steady creaking sound before seeing another robot round the corner ahead of them. The robot moved on a tracked chassis, and two long, flexible arms extended out from its cylindrical body. But its most prominent feature was a human brain mounted under glass on its head.
"I'm afraid that I am quite good at killing things," it said in a jarringly pleasant female voice. "You may want to run now." Before anyone could react, it fired a volley of lasers from its tube-like arms. "Please believe me when I say I'm not enjoying this."
One beam grazed Konata's arm while another scorched Patty's armor. The girls ducked back behind some shelves for cover. "Is that a real human brain in that thing?" Tsukasa cried.
"Yep," Patty replied. "Back when I was a kid out west, we heard rumors that these Robobrains were made from the brains of people kidnapped off the streets."
"Well, that brain makes a really inviting target," Konata said. "I think I'll go put it out of its misery." The rogue sprung out from cover, rolling to avoid a pair of lasers.
"Hold still please," the Robobrain said, "It's harder to hit you if you keep running around like that."
"Sorry," Konata said as she sprung toward the Robobrain, "Nothing personal, but you're in our way."
"Tsk tsk. I really thought we could be friends."
As Konata drew back to strike, a ring of blue light shot out from the brain itself, slamming into her head. The rogue reeled back, her vision suddenly blurred and her head aching intensely.
"I'm a much better tactician than you," the robot said as it wrapped its arms around Konata. "It's all in the brain, you see." The Robobrain performed a spin before releasing Konata, throwing her back across the room. "So, which do you like better? The psionic beam or the laser?"
"I'm not too fond of either," Konata replied, staggering to her feet before taking two shots to the back.
Patty dashed out, firing her SMG as she grabbed Konata by the arm and dragged her back behind cover. "Are you alright?"
"No," Konata replied. "I can barely see and I'm all dizzy."
"What do we do now?" Tsukasa asked.
"You could run?" the Robobrain called out. "I'm trying to kill you, after all."
"For once I agree with the thing that's shooting at us," Konata said. "At least to regroup."
"Wait, don't run away," the Robobrain called out as they retreated back to the hallway. "I'm not really as scary as I look."
The girls ran into a side room lined with computer monitors. "Man, my head feels like it's going to pop," Konata said. "That brain blast really packs a punch."
"Looks like it up to me to stop that thing," Patty said. "But it'll be tough. Robobrains have decent armor. It'll take a while to kill it with my SMG, and who knows what damage it will cause in the meantime."
"Hey guys, look!" Tsukasa said, pointing to the floor. A rotting corpse was laying against the wall, with a distinctive weapon in its lap.
"Hey, that's a laser rifle!" Patty exclaimed as Tsukasa picked up the long, rectangular weapon. "That should have enough power to break the glass casing on that Robobrain. I can distract it and give you a clear shot."
"Sounds good," Konata said. "I think I'll let you two handle it then. My head is killing me."
"There's no point trying to hide from me, you know," the Robobrain said from out in the hallway. "I am programmed to be quite relentless."
"Ready?" Patty asked Tsukasa.
"I guess so," the scribe replied.
Patty charged out into the hall, her SMG blazing. She moved in closer, but a laser bolt to her leg brought her to her knees. The Robobrain advanced on her, taking several more 10mm rounds before reaching her. The robot shot its arms out, snapping its pincers shut around Patty's neck and wrist. The gunner found herself lifted into the air, struggling to breathe.
"I wish there was some other way we could have worked this out," the Robobrain said. It started to crush down with its claws, but was interrupted by a laser bolt slamming into the side of its head. The robot turned to see Tsukasa crouched by the side room, aiming down the long barrel of her laser rifle. She fired off a second shot, smashing through the robot's glass casing and frying its brain. Patty fell to the floor as the Robobrain's arms went limp.
"Nice shot," she said as she took deep breaths. "You really saved me!"
"Y-Yeah! I guess I did!" Tsukasa replied.
"Well, it looks like we found one of Tsukasa's tag skills," Konata said as she casually strolled out of the side room. "That must be why she never seemed good at anything. All her points must be in energy weapons!"
"That seems like a distinct possibility," Patty said.
Tsukasa gave them confused looks. "What exactly are you two talking about?"
"Oh, nothing," Konata said. "Come on, my headache is starting to clear up. Let's go find that Declaration."
"You know, I'd really like to know what these mutants are doing here anyway," Kagami said as she reloaded her assault rifle. "What could they possibly want in here?"
"I'm afraid I don't know," Miyuki replied as she stepped around the two corpses.
"Well, it doesn't matter, I guess," Kagami said as she walked across the museum's atrium. "Let's just find that dish so we can leave." She activated the information terminal mounted to the wall. "Alright, it looks like the spaceflight exhibits are in the west wing. We can get there from the balcony."
The girls rounded the main desk and climbed the stairs up to the balcony. They soon found a section where the floor had collapsed, blocking their progress.
"How do we get across?" Miyuki asked, peering down the gap.
"Well, maybe we can go through this exhibit," Kagami suggested, pointing to a door on their left. "I think it might let out on the other side of the gap."
They entered the exhibit and were greeted by an automated voice coming through a speaker. "Vault-Tec welcomes you to our new line of subterranean vaults, featuring our patented Triple-S technology!"
"Well, would you look at that? It's a vault exhibit. I bet you'll feel right at home, Miyuki-san," Kagami said as they continued into a mock up cave. Orange warning lights flashed as they approached the characteristic cog shaped door. Pressure valves hissed as the door was pulled back and rolled aside. "This must feel strange for you," Kagami said as they entered the vault. "Like some kind of weird homecoming."
Another speaker started as they entered. "Sleep in quiet comfort knowing that our impenetrable vault doors can withstand a direct hit by an atomic bomb, with only a projected two percent failure rate!"
Miyuki looked around the mock entrance chamber. The chamber was an exceptional replica, with the exception of the rusted walls and garbage scattered along the floor. Miyuki glanced over at the side room where her and Amata had come through the secret tunnel. She thought back to when she had thrown the switch on the control panel, opening the Vault for what was likely the last time. She jumped when the door in front of them opened automatically, remembering how the last time that had happened, armed guards were on the other side. Only darkness was waiting for her this time, however.
"Are you okay?" Kagami asked.
"Yes, I'm fine. Let's continue."
They stepped into the chamber and found themselves blinded as the lights suddenly buzzed to life. "Being underground got you down?" another speaker asked. "Smile! Our SimuSun lighting mimics the feeling of being out side, with only a fraction of the sunburn potential!" They descended a flight of stairs into a hallway. Around a corner were enclosed rooms visible through windows. Memories filled Miyuki's head as they passed exhibits of an apartment, a diner, and a classroom. They rounded another corner and ascended another staircase to find another speaker. "Concerns about security? Our Eye-On-You cameras enable the Vault's leader to watch your every move. You'll never be alone again!" Miyuki winced at the thought of the Overseer; this sidetrip was becoming very distressing.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Kagami asked again.
"Yes," Miyuki replied "It's just... There are so many memories..."
"I understand. Come on, let's get out of here."
They hurried through the rest of the exhibit, ignoring the remaining speakers as they stepped out onto the atrium balcony once again. "Well, we're on the right track at least," Kagami said as they passed a sign pointing to the Virgo II exhibit. "Come on, let's get this over with." They passed through the doors to the west wing, coming out onto a balcony.
"I think I see it," Miyuki said, pointing ahead.
"Yeah," Kagami said as they reached the edge of the balcony, "But how do we reach it?" The Virgo II lunar landing capsule was visible, but it was blocked by a tall pile of rubble from the collapsed ceiling.
Miyuki looked around on their side of the rubble before spotting a door. "There, we can go through the planetarium."
"Good thinking, there's probably another entrance on the other side."
They descended the staircase and entered the planetarium, a large, round room resembling an amphitheater. A large projector in the center of the room started up as they approached, projecting the appearance of the night sky onto the domed ceiling. "For as long as history has been recorded, man has had an insatiable hunger for knowledge regarding the universe," A recording informed them.
"My, what a charming exhibit," Miyuki said. "The projections are very realistic."
"I guess," Kagami replied, "But I think that voice is a little loud."
"To understand why man is so interested in this unknown expanse of space around our little world, we must take a journey..." The recording was cut off by a pair of shots; Kagami winced as one .32 round slammed into her back.
"Dang mutants," she muttered as they took cover behind the projector. "They were attracted to the noise."
"They appear to be of the weakest variety," Miyuki said as a shot flew past them. "And there are only two of them."
"Alright," Kagami said, "You take the one on the right, I'll go left."
Kagami jumped from behind cover and fired controlled bursts with her assault rifle. Ignoring a round hitting her chest, she kept her rifle focus on the mutant's head until the rounds started punching through its thick skull. Miyuki fired off three shots to the other mutant's head, taking a grazing shot and a near miss before downing it.
"Well, that wasn't so bad," Kagami said as she reloaded. "We're actually getting pretty good at this!"
"So it would seem," Miyuki replied.
A sudden crash brought their attention back to the planetarium's exit, where an armored brute had smashed through the locked door. It leveled a minigun at them and started spinning the barrels. Kagami and Miyuki sprinted away as bullets started flying, climbing up through the seats to take cover in the control booth.
"What now?" Miyuki asked.
"Well," Kagami replied as she unstrapped her own minigun from her back. "I was hoping to save this, but it looks like we've got no choice." She revved up the barrels. "I'll keep him distracted. Try to get a shot through to it's face." Miyuki nodded, though it would be difficult because of the brute's metal helmet.
Kagami charged out from the control booth, her minigun spewing lead down into the center of the room. The brute hurried to return fire, though it struggled to hit the moving target consistently. 5mm rounds flew in both directions as Kagami circled the top of the amphitheater, heading back toward Miyuki, who was crouched and taking aim. The vault dweller slowly tracked the mutant's face as it spun towards her, waiting until it was almost completely facing her. With Kagami – and the stream of fire – mere feet from her, Miyuki pulled the trigger, sending a .32 round through the bloodied mutant's eye.
"Nice shot," Kagami said as she lowered her weapon.
"Thank you. Are you badly hurt?" Miyuki could see blood creeping out from a fresh cut on the initiate's cheek, as well as several new dents in her armor.
"I'll be fine," Kagami insisted as they started walking down to the corpse. "I just hope we don't find any more of these guys."
They found three more box magazines on the body before leaving through the smashed exit. After going down a short hallway, they found themselves standing in front of the Virgo II exhibit. "It's about time," Kagami sighed as they approached the capsule.
"So this is the Virgo II Lunar Lander... 'Valiant 11', I believe it was named." Miyuki said. "Did you know that this same craft brought USSA Captains Richard Wade, Mark Garris, and Micheal Hagen to the surface of the moon on July 16, 1969? It was the first time man had ever set foot on a planetary body other than Earth."
"Wow, I knew we went into space, but I never knew we went to the moon."
"Oh yes. Before the war, the United States Space Administration launched several missions to the moon."
"Before the war..." Kagami repeated, sounding forlorn. "Sometimes I wonder how things would have been if we were all born back then... Oh well," She tugged the communications dish off the lander. It was almost as tall as she was, but it was very light. "No use worrying about that. Best to focus on the here and now. Lets take this thing to the Washington Monument."
"This must be the door to the Archives' strongroom," Patty said as the group reached another room.
"It's about time," Konata said as she put her hand on the hatch. "I am sick and tired of robots."
"The enemy is at the gates!" a loudspeaker mounted above the door bellowed. "Now is the time for the greatest of rallying cries! Wish not so much to live long as to live well!"
"It's time to find out just who this 'Button Gwinnett' is!" Konata spun the hatch and shoved open the door. Inside was a sight that none of them expected.
Pristine wooden shelves and desks sat inside the room, untouched by decay. Several framed letters were mounted on the walls, and rows of books were neatly stacked on the shelves. But strangest of all was a Protectron standing before them, painted blue and yellow and wearing a powdered wig.
The Protectron slowly lumbered towards them before speaking in a colonial accent. "You've breached our defenses, evaded our best soldiers, and you've raided my home. But I have not yet begun to fight! I cannot allow you to steal our freedom! The Declaration must remain here! It is our symbol of hope, the one thing that cries out 'We are a free nation'!"
"What are you talking about?" Patty exclaimed. "You're a robot!"
"I am not a 'robot'," the Protectron said sternly, "I am Button Gwinnett, second signer of the Declaration of Independence and distinguished representative from Georgia. I know your fighting prowess far exceeds my own, but I will still duel you to the death if I must. What will it be then? Rapiers? Pistols at dawn? Out with it!"
"Why would you do all that for a piece of paper?" Tsukasa asked.
"This is no mere piece of paper, madam. This is the doctrine laid down by my fellow members of the Second Continental Congress," Gwinnett replied "It absolves us of the tyranny of King George the Third of Great Britain. It is perhaps the greatest symbol of this free nation."
"Um," Tsukasa started, "You do realize that it's about five hundred years later, don't you?"
Gwinnett seemed to glare at her, despite not having any eyes. "Petty lies and deceit may be the way of Great Britain's crown, but I will not succumb to such tomfoolery. Since it appears you wish to resolve this without bloodshed, may I suggest you stand down and surrender? I can promise that you will be treated well; in a manner accustomed to any member of the Royal Army."
"We can't do that," Patty said. "There's more to this than you realize, Button."
"Please explain," Gwinnett replied. "But I warn you, I am well versed on the tactics of the underhanded Redcoat spy. You'd do well to remember that."
"Well," Patty stammered, "See, the thing is, uh..."
"It's really quite simple, you see."
Patty and Tsukasa turned around to see Konata, her hair impossibly tucked into her own powdered wig.
The otaku stepped forward. "I am Thomas Jefferson, and I have returned to liberate the Declaration of Independence!"
A moment of awkward silence passed before Gwinnett spoke. "Saints alive!" he said, moving his tiny arm into a salute. "It is both an honor and a privilege, sir. I was hoping this day would arrive. I hope these fortifications are up to your high standards, sir. All of my men await your command to push and retake the Capitol! May I ask where you intend to bring the document?"
Konata grinned. "I shall be presenting the Declaration to our new President, Abraham Washington."
"A new President? So the Stars and Stripes truly are forever. All hail the red, white and blue! Does... does this mean the War is over? Have we won?"
"Yes, Button. We have defeated the Redcoats and won the war!"
"It's over? Amen to that. Then I suppose my posting here at the fort is complete. I think you said it best when you said: 'We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate'. It has been both an honor and a privilege to serve in the army of the United States. What are your final orders?"
Konata reached out and put her hand on the robot's shoulder. "Stand down, and honorably relinquish your post. You've earned a rest."
"Coming from you, that means all the world to me. It's been an honor and a privilege to serve my country. It's time for me to take a long-needed rest. I think you'll find that the rest of my men are long-due for the same." Gwinnett handed Konata a small passkey. "I hereby relinquish command and control of this fortification to you. Good luck to you, Mr. Jefferson... and give Sally my regards." With that, Gwinnett turned rigid as he shut down.
Patty and Tsukasa stood silent, unsure of what had just happened. "Um, Kona-chan," Tsukasa finally asked, "Where did you get that wig?"
"What, this? I swiped it from his wardrobe while you guys were talking to him." Konata pulled off the wig, letting her bright blue hair fall back down to the floor. "He also had these." Konata handed Tsukasa some microfusion cells for her rifle.
"Oh, thanks," Tsukasa said as Konata sat behind Gwinnett's desk.
"I suppose I should have expected as much from you Kona-chan," Patty said. "But that was one of the most strangely amazing things I've ever seen. This whole thing is going to be one heck of a story to tell."
"Well, I try my best," Konata replied as she put on her shady hat; her ahoge curled out through a bullet hole on top. "Now, let's get that Declaration!" She inserted the passkey into the desktop terminal, allowing her to remotely unlock all doors in the archives. Behind her, a barricade opened up, revealing the safe containing the Declaration. Patty strolled over and retrieved it.
"Take a good look girls, this thing's gonna turn into a whole lot of caps once we get to Rivet City!"
"There might be even more, Patty-chan," Konata said as she stood up. "I saw some barricades like that one on our way in here. Let's go see if they've got anything good on our way out!"
"Are you sure you wouldn't like me to carry that?" Miyuki asked as her and Kagami left the Museum of Technology.
"Nah," Kagami replied. "Its actually really light." She lifted the dish up with one arm to demonstrate.
"Let's just get it to the Washington Monument in one piece."
Miyuki nodded and turned west, left in relation to the museum. The Washington Monument towered over the Mall, some few hundred yards away. Massive chunks of masonry had been blasted off in several places, revealing the steel framework underneath, but the obelisk was miraculously still standing.
"Isn't it a little inspiring?" Miyuki said as they started climbing over a mound of rubble. "To think that such a marvel is still standing after so many years and so much conflict?"
"I know what you mean," Kagami replied. "Feels as if its saying that you can stand up against the evils so common in the world today. That we can use the tools of the past to build a new future."
"Very well said," Miyuki said with a smile. "You seem to have great aspirations, Kagami-san."
Kagami shrugged. "I guess so. All I really want is to have a safe world for the people I care about to live in. I guess that's a little too much to ask for, considering what's become of the world over the last two hundred years, but I always try to make things a little bit better whenever I can. Sometimes that means killing a super mutant. Other times it means rigging a dish to the Washington Monument. But no matter what, I never stop trying."
"How very noble. I admire your determination."
"What about you, Miyuki-san? Once you find your mother, what do you aspire to do? I imagine you'd like to just return to the Vault. The Wasteland must seem like a nightmare to you."
"Oh, well, I don't know about that. I didn't exactly choose to leave the Vault, and I'm not sure either me or my mother can go back."
Kagami tilted her head. "Oh? Why is that?"
"I'd rather not discuss it," Miyuki replied. "But to answer your question, I suppose my mother and I could settle down somewhere and perhaps run a clinic, like we did in the Vault."
"Oh, so you both have medical training? I wouldn't have guessed; given your marksmanship, I'd have thought you were trained to handle guns."
"Well, I wasn't exactly trained, but I did a lot of target shooting with my BB gun. That skill has proven very useful, but I prefer using my knowledge to help others. I don't think there are any laboratories out here, so a running a clinic seems like the most helpful thing to do."
"Actually, I heard that Rivet City has a really good lab. I even heard that the scientists there have actually managed to grow food that's free of radiation."
"Really? Perhaps I could join them in their research," Miyuki replied. "You know, Tsukasa-san suggested building a water purifier that could provide clean water for the entire Wasteland. Maybe I could help build something like that."
"Sounds like you've got some great aspirations too," Kagami said as they approached the Monument. "If you could pull that off, it would help more people than you can imagine."
"Hail, Initiate Hiiragi," a trooper guarding the Monument greeted. "What business do you have at the Washington Monument?"
"Hail, Paladin Berrings," Kagami replied. "I'm here to assist this wastelander, Miyuki Takara. She has agreed to repair the Galaxy News broadcast relay at the top of the Monument."
"Very well, initiate. I'll open the gate." Berrings turned to the computer mounted to the concrete wall encircling the Monument and punched in a command. The gate slowly winched open, allowing access to the entrance corridor. Miyuki and Kagami entered the spire and crossed the small interior to the elevator.
"What do you suppose Konata-san is doing right now?" Miyuki asked as the elevator began its ascension.
Kagami shrugged. "Depends on how well the Declaration is hidden. They may already have it and are making their way back out. I don't really care, honestly. It seems like a waste of time."
Miyuki watched the holes in the Monument's outer layer pass by through the broken window. "I think its nice that someone wants to preserve it. It's a very important part of the nation's history, just like this monument."
"I guess you're right. It just bugs me that Konata put off her previous responsibility for some caps. Sometimes I don't get the way she thinks."
"Trying to decipher Konata-san's thought process is nearly impossible," Miyuki said with a sweatdrop. "But she really is a good person. She is more than willing to put herself in harm's way to protect others."
"Oh, I know that. Don't get me wrong, I know Konata is a good person, and a good friend. It just seems like she needs to get her priorities straight; find a higher goal to work towards. But she only ever lives in the moment."
A quiet ding signaled the elevator's arrival at the top of the Monument. The girls stepped out into into a small room whose front wall had been almost completely blasted off. A large piece of radio equipment sat next to the gaping hole, connected by a series of cables to a large radio antenna hanging off the side of the Monument.
"This must be the broadcasting relay," Miyuki noted out loud."There appears to be a mount for the dish on that antenna."
"Well, here's the dish," Kagami said, handing it over. "Just be careful."
Miyuki nodded and climbed up on the ledge before leaning out to reach the antenna. Very cautiously, she attached the dish, trying her best not to look down. When the dish was secure, she climbed back inside and powered up the equipment. The relay buzzed to life, its speaker playing the end of a slow jazz tune. Before long, Three Dog's voice crackled in over the speaker.
"People of the Capital Wasteland, you can HEAR MEEEE! Yeeeaa haaaa! You can't stop the signal, baby! That's right, from Megaton to Girdershade, Paradise Falls to the Republic of Dave, we are coming to you loud and proud, in a special live report! But Three Dog! You're in that cool radio studio in D.C. How do YOU know I can hear you, all the way out here in the ass end of nowhere? Because of the kid from Vault 101, that's how! That gal actually managed to repair our antenna relay. How's that for ingenuity, folks? From here on in, it's bye-bye stupid static, hello magnificent music. So sit back, relax, and absorb these classic tunes. Kid, you get your ass back to GNR, you hear me? We've got some stuff to talk about!"
"Well, you heard him," Kagami said as she flicked off the speaker. "Let's go find the others and head back. We should be able to get back to the studio before dark. So, where should we start looking for them?" she asked as they stepped back into the elevator.
"I suppose we should check the Archives first," Miyuki replied. They left the Washington Monument and headed towards the row of buildings on the northern edge of the Mall, hoping to skirt the trenches on the way to the Archives. That proved unnecessary, however, as they soon found an energetic blond mercenary waving them over from a metro entrance.
"Hey guys!" Patty called as they approached. "Did you fix the radio dish?"
"Yes," Miyuki replied. "Did you find the Declaration of Independence?"
"Sure did! We also found these." Patty showed them a pair of documents.
"Oh! This is the Bill of Rights, and this is a copy of the Magna Carta!" Miyuki said excitedly. "How wonderful that they have been recovered as well."
"So, where are Tsukasa and Konata?" Kagami asked.
"They're both in the Museum of History here," Patty said as she pointed to the building behind her. "Konata went looking for more historical artifacts in the Museum offices. I guess the treasure hunting thing has gone to her head."
"That sounds like Konata," Kagami said with a sigh.
"Yeah. We're just waiting for her to get back."
"Hey, what's that?" Kagami asked, referring to a piece of rolled up paper in Patty's hand.
"This? Oh, it's nothing; nothing yet, that is. I picked it up in Underworld while I was waiting."
Miyuki tilted her head. "Underworld?"
"It's a town made up entirely of ghouls," Kagami said. "They set it up inside the Museum of History."
"Ah. I see."
"Yuki-chan!" The three looked back at the Museum to find Konata striding towards them with Tsukasa in tow. "Check out all the cool stuff we found!" the rogue exclaimed while gesturing back at Tsukasa. The scribe sweatdropped as everyone turned their attention to her; a variety of trinkets were cradled in her arms, and she was wearing a black top-hat.
"Do you have to use my sister as a pack brahmin?" Kagami asked exasperatedly.
"Oh!" Miyuki exclaimed as she looked over the items. "This is a Phonautograph, a very early recording device. It's labeled 'Lincoln's Voice'... Here's a Civil War draft poster, a wanted poster for John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln's Diary... Is that Lincoln's hat?"
"Yep. All this stuff came from an exhibit about Abraham Lincoln," Konata replied. "I guess he was a pretty famous guy."
"Oh, he was much more than merely famous," Miyuki started, "Abraham Lincoln, born February 12, 1809, served as the 16th President of the United States from March 1861 until his assassination on April 15, 1865. He successfully led the United States through its greatest internal crisis, the American Civil War, preserving the Union and ending slavery. Before his election in 1860 as the first Republican president, Lincoln, reared in a family of modest means and mostly self-educated, had been a country lawyer, an Illinois state legislator, and a member of the United States House of Representatives, but failed in two attempts at a seat in the United States Senate. Lincoln was a dedicated, though often absent, husband, and father of four children. As an outspoken opponent of the expansion of slavery in the United States, Lincoln won the Republican nomination and was elected President in 1860. His tenure in office was largely dedicated to the defeat of the secessionist Confederate States of America in the American Civil War. He introduced measures that resulted in the abolition of slavery, issuing his Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and promoting the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Six days after the large-scale surrender of Confederate forces under Robert E. Lee, Lincoln became the first American president to be assassinated."
"Wow. It always surprises me just how much you know, Yuki-chan," Konata said.
"Is that a toy?" Kagami asked, herself now looking over the spoils.
"Oh, yeah! The plaque called it an 'Action Abe Action Figure'! Check it out!" Konata thrust the figure at Kagami's face and pressed a lever on its back, causing it to swing a sword up and down.
"Cute," Kagami deadpanned. "Please tell me you didn't endanger yourselves to get this stuff."
"No, not really," Konata replied. "It was mostly just feral ghouls down in the lower levels. Not really a problem, especially with Tsukasa's new laser rifle."
"Oh?" Kagami faced her sister. "You found a laser rifle?"
"Yeah," Tsukasa replied. "Down in the Archives."
"And she's getting real good with it," Konata added. "It looks like you have some competition for the spot of ranged specialist, Yuki-chan. Luckily, I have something to give you an edge!"
"We're not really competing, you know," Tsukasa said with a sweatdrop.
Konata ignored her. "Behold!" She reached into her ever-present bag and pulled out a brass plated, lever action rifle. "Lincoln's repeater! Just look at this thing! I'll bet it does way more damage than your hunting rifle. Trust me, I know a unique weapon when I see one."
"Konata, do you really think that thing is usable?" Kagami said. "For one thing, it's incredibly old; I wouldn't be surprised if it started falling apart when you tried to shoot it. Second, the ammunition it was designed to use probably doesn't exist anymore. Do you even know how to load it?"
"Actually, this looks like it's in great condition." Patty chimed in, examining the rifle.
"Well, it was sealed in a special case," Konata said, "So it shouldn't have any wear."
"Right. And as for ammo, this gun looks like it was originally chambered for .44 rimfire rounds, but it should shoot .44 magnums just fine. Of course, the extra kick from a magnum round will reduce the gun's lifespan, but you should be able to use hunting rifles for replacement parts, so it wouldn't be a problem."
"Great! Here, Patty-chan, I've got some magnum rounds here, show us how to load it." Konata handed the gun and a box of rounds to Patty.
"Okay, see this tube running down the bottom of the barrel? That's actually the magazine." Patty twisted the barrel, opening the breach in the tubular magazine. "See? Just load the rounds into here, twist it back, and you're good to go." She loaded fifteen rounds before closing the magazine. She held the rifle out to Miyuki. "You can try it out down in the metros; I'm sure we'll run into trouble on the way back to GNR."
"Very well," Miyuki said as she took the repeater. The weapon felt comfortable in her hands; the grips and the lever were similar to her old BB gun. "Thank you, Konata. I wish I were able to give you something in return."
"Don't worry about it," Konata said as Patty led them west. "Think of it as an apology for skipping out on the Museum of Technology. Besides, you were the only one still using a low level weapon, and we can't have that."
"Well, at least this little expedition is over with," Kagami said as they descended into the Georgetown metro station. "Let's hope Three Dog's information is good."
"Hey, all right! The Heroes of the Wasteland return!" Three Dog said as Miyuki and Konata entered his studio. "Hope the metro tunnels didn't give you too much trouble."
"More so on the way out then back in," Konata replied. "We picked up a friend and some more firepower out in the Mall."
"Cool, cool. Those who fight the Good Fight don't go unrewarded. And speaking of rewards, I bet you wanna hear about your mom."
"Oh yes, please," Miyuki replied. "Where did my mother go?"
"When your mom passed through here, she and I talked for a good long time. She's a real stand-up kinda gal. She mentioned some scientific mumbo-jumbo which didn't make sense to me and mentioned something called 'Project Purity'. She also said something about going to visit a Doctor Li in Rivet City. Then, she left in a hurry."
"That's perfect!" Konata said. "We had to go there to see Abraham Washington, and so I can finish Moira's assignment!"
"It would seem that all roads point to Rivet City then." Miyuki faced Three Dog. "Goodbye, Three Dog, and thank you."
"No problem, kid. Feel free to crash here at GNR for the night. I'm sure the Brotherhood has a few bunks to spare. And remember to keep us tuned in when you're out roaming the wastes."
"We will. Thanks again, Three Dog!" Konata called back as they walked back down to the lobby.
"Hey, Kona-chan!" Patty called from the ground floor. "Our room is down here!"
Konata and Miyuki walked down the stairs, passing the lone trooper assigned to the night watch before following Patty down the side hall.
"This is our where we'll be sleeping tonight," Patty said, gesturing to the door.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go in."
Konata reached for the doorknob, but Patty stopped her. "Wait, Kagami is changing out of her armor."
Konata's mouth curved into a playful grin. "Oh, is she?" The otaku pushed through the door and shut it behind her, leaving Miyuki and Patty sweatdropping in the hallway.
"Eh? What are you doing in here, Konata? Get out!"
"Wow! Looks like I have great timing!"
"What are you doing? Stop coming towards me!"
"Come on, Kagamin~. How can I resist when they've grown so much?"
"No! Don't touch me, you pervert!"
"Don't act like you don't like it, you tsundere, you!"
"Get off of me! I said stop! And don't call me that!"
"How can I stop when they're so nice and soft?"
Tsukasa slowly opened the door and stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind her. She was blushing profusely.
"What's going on in there?" Miyuki asked, sounding concerned.
"Oh, it's nothing..." Tsukasa replied. "Kona-chan's just being herself..."
Miyuki scrunched her eyebrows before realizing what was going on. "Oh my!"
"Good old Kona-chan," Patty snickered. She seemed thoroughly amused. "Looks like she's only gotten worse over the years."
The door suddenly flew open, revealing a red-faced Kagami holding up Konata by her shirt with one arm and covering her breasts with the other. The initiate's underarmor body suit was unzipped down to her waist and dangling off her body, leaving her completely topless.
"Wow, Kagami. Who knew you were so strong?"
"Shut up!" Kagami threw the rogue out into the hallway before slamming the door shut.
"You happy, Kona-chan?" Patty asked, struggling to hold back her laughter. "Now that you got to grope your best friend?"
"Yep. But that's not even the best part." Konata held up a white tank top and brown pants. "I snagged her grunt outfit!"
After several seconds, Kagami could be heard practically roaring from inside the room. "KONATA! GIVE ME BACK MY CLOTHES!"
"You have to come out and get them!" Konata called back.
"No! Bring them back now!"
"Either you come and get them right now, or I'll go hide them outside in the dark!"
"...Fine!" The door opened slowly, revealing Kagami wearing nothing but panties and covering her breasts with her chest plate. "Well? Hand them over!"
"Nope!" Konata leaned back against the wall. "You gotta come all the way out across the hall."
Kagami glared at the rogue, but she grudgingly complied.
"You know, you should dress like that all the time," Konata teased.
"Just shut up," Kagami snapped as she reached out for her clothes.
"Hey, is everything okay down here? I heard yelling."
The girls turned to see the Brotherhood watchman down the hall, poking his head around the corner.
"Wait, Initiate Hiiragi? What are you...? Nevermind, I'll leave you girls alone." The trooper hastily retreated back to the lobby.
A moment of stunned silence passed before Kagami snatched her clothes back and dashed back into the room, slamming the door behind her. The silence was suddenly shattered by a scream so loud, the girls thought the whole building was going to collapse around them.
Hehe, thought I'd end this one with a lol. I'm pretty happy with that last scene, and I'm really hoping you guys like it.
Sorry this took so long, but I couldn't make up my mind on how to end it. At first I was going to end it with them fixing the dish and then just switching scenes so they were back at Galaxy News. But then I remembered that I wanted Miyuki to end up with Lincoln's Repeater (aka one of the best small guns in the game), so I had to get them over to the Museum of History. Since the character Patty replaced has ties in Underworld, I figured I would have her show the other girls around while Konata was doing Lincoln's Profit Margins. This would've led to Miyuki meeting Reilly and getting involved in her quest. I got up to the conversation with Reilly when I stopped and thought: "You know, I never really liked the Reilly's Rangers quest and I don't really like Underworld either. And if I keep going with this, it'll end up eating away another two chapters, delaying the main quest longer than I have already, without really contributing anything story-wise." So I scrapped the whole thing. I put in the part you see now where they just stand in front of the museum, then I was just gonna have them head back to GNR. I figured that was kinda boring, but I was just gonna post it cause I couldn't think of anything. Then that last scene hit me at the last second, and I just had to use it. So that's my excuse for the post delay.
If you've left a review since I posted chapter 9, then you already know this, but I just want everyone to know that I finally figured out how to use the review reply button! (lol) So now, anyone who leaves a review will get a personal response back, unless of course you leave an anonymous review like Mr. Conor did. However, while I can't send him a reply, he brought up a couple points I had been meaning to address, but kept forgetting to.
Point number one: Miyuki as the (not so lone) Lone Wanderer. When I was planning this fic, one of the first things I decided on was scattering the girls around the Wasteland, so I could introduce them one at a time. This left the dilemma of who to cast as the Lone Wanderer. I knew it had to be one of the main girls, but which one? Konata seems like the obvious choice, what with her mom being dead and all. But that's about the only similarity she has with the Lone Wanderer's character. Sure, you determine the Wanderer's character through your actions, but whether he (or she) is a saint or an asshole, he always starts out the same: weak and naïve to the workings of the world. Konata, I decided, can be neither of these things. She needed to play a headstrong, confident, streetsmart character, and I'm sure you'll agree that these traits suit her. Then there's Kagami and Tsukasa; not prime candidates. Sure, Tsukasa is naïve, and Kagami could probably pull it off, but both of them have a big flaw: they're even less lone than Miyuki is. In addition to each other, they've got a mom, a dad, and two sisters. Locking four characters into the Vault the whole story while two others shared a title seemed like a waste of resources. The Brotherhood of Steel seemed like the only place I could keep them all together while keeping their distinct characteristics intact. And so, that leaves Miyuki. Kind of felt like I was being forced to pick the last, worst kid for my dodgeball team, but the more I thought about it, the more she seemed to fit the role. She's smart but not streetsmart, she's got no siblings (the manga mentioned a brother early on, but I'm pretty sure he was retconned out), a single parent (that we see, anyway), she starts out weak, and her personality fits the Karmic good Wanderer's. Ding ding ding, we have a winner!
Point number two: Things aren't Japanese enough. Truth be told, I briefly considered setting it in Japan, as I've always been fascinated by how the Great War would've affected other countries. Problem is, I'm not Japanese. I have no real idea what Japan is really like beyond otaku stuff, and I can't even imagine how things were in the 50s. Plus I have no real knowledge of Japanese geography, cities, or anything like that, so I couldn't describe locations very well. Besides that, the game's plot and characters simply cannot be "translated" into Japanese; the Fallout games are distinctly American. And if I did inexplicably swap over the Capitol Wasteland (Imperial Wasteland?) and the plot over into Japan, it would make so little sense that no one would read it. Therefore, I decided to just keep it in the good old US of A, if only because I'm familiar with it. This leads to the point I made before about keeping the Fallout world "in character". This is why the girls don't use fangirl (or fanboy, in my case) Japanese; you can't even pretend that it makes sense to have born and raised American girls (which they are in this fic, even if they're anime characters) using Japanese words, phrases, and pronunciation. This is why I prefer, for example, "sis" over "onee-chan". The sole exceptions to this are, as you've no doubt noticed, honorific suffixes. These are an important part of how the characters interact with each other, and only each other (note how Miyuki will use the terms "Konata-san" and "Mr. Burke" in the same paragraph). There is no explanation for why the Lucky Star girls are the only ones to use, or even notice, Japanese honorifics; you have to use your willing suspension of disbelief for that one. I don't know, maybe they actually calling each other Miss Konata, Akira the Great, and... uh... Yuki-poo?... and your just reading those terms as -san, -sama, and -chan. What is reality anyway?
Well, these notes are kind of a wall of text, but hey, maybe some of you are interested in my creative process. So yeah, finishing side quests, meeting new faces (including a bonus guest appearance!), and advancing the main quest, all coming up in chapter 11! Look forward to it!