I did most of the running around to set get things running. It would only be a short visit and I'd have to do it again, but there's something nice about doing simple things. It's calming… My thoughts about dad were still conflicted, but this seemed a worthy cause. The pumps were just a case of waiting and watching, and the fuse boxes were an easy fix. The mainframe just needed a boot up [thank god, I've come to loath coding], that was when dad told me a pipe had suddenly clogged.

"Obviously not vault level engineering."

"I wish it was, but we'd have it working already were it vault-tec spec gear. Think you can handle it yourself or should I send a engineer?"

"No I should be fine, I'll give you a call if I'm not. Meet up with you soon."

The blockage was a quick fix. A pipe needed some jarring and some loosening. Thing had rusted half-shut and stuff had gotten caught, clogging it. Soon after opening it there was a slight chugging before the water flew freely...

But the thumping sound hand't stopped... Only changed slightly... And seemed to come from above and-

"What are… Vertibirds… What are they doing here?!"

I turned and ran activating my Pip-Boy to begin transmitting.

"Dad! We have guests!"

There was no reply. There couldn't be. I rushed thought the tunnels, coming out in the sub-basement. I noticed some guy in armor similar to the one I got the laser rifle from… Blokes that shot on sight.

"People with laser weapons, very aggressive!"

I hadn't stopped transmitting by the guy had turned.

"Intruder!"

He began firing, concrete exploded and fence mesh melted, ducking I squeezed off several shots as I kept moving forward, leaping from the pipe. From the top of my eye I saw that I had hit the mouth grill and some sections of chest. Looking around swiftly I ran back up the stairs, stepping straight over the asphyxiated man, his mouth having been destroyed and the grill being sealed due to the melting.

There was another one on the way, I ended this fight by blasting his rifle with a single shot, stopping just briefly to take aim. The microfusion cell overloaded catastrophically, blowing apart his right hand and badly damaging his left arm, I ran passed as he screamed. I was more concerned for others.

Running up into the Rotunda, I saw Li outside; several of the soldiers were inside, along with Dad and another scientist, my eyes flared wide.

"We need to get out of here-"

"Go grab the other scientists and hide near an intercom! I'll find you later."

Li stayed, seemingly as paralyzed as me as we watched them. Then I walked up and began bashing the clear material of the rotunda. I didn't know what it was, but I didn't think it was glass or plastic. One of the soldiers near absent mindedly fired a weapon in my direction unleashing a green bust, the material warped and I flinched, but I wasn't hit or harmed. Whatever this was it made their armor look weak although it was warped.

"DAD!" I wasn't sure if he heard, I could barely hear what was going on in there.

'You can't get though!'

'Don't say that!' I screamed at the voice in my head, raising my rifle I didn't fire just yet.

'It's not the best in your inventory but you know it won't work! They'll just kill him. Think!'

'I… What can I do!'

The voice was quiet a while, and then I heard the cat.

'Let him in.'

'You can't be serious!'

'What!?'

'You remember what I showed you. Wanderer, you need to let the Walker in. He needs to learn and he can help.'

'I… but-.' My mind reeled in confusion.

'It's your dad's only chance…' The cat's mind voice was as hard as steel… And I faltered.

'I… What do I do?'

'Think on the hum. Feel the water, and think of the other voice… trust me.'

'I…'

I grasped for the hum, it eluded me, it was out of reach, and then I felt a guiding hand.

'Help me!'

It was my last thought.

-XXXX-

[POV: Five Coloured Walker]

I opened my eyes. It was the first time in so long… Li tugged at my arm.

"We have to go."

"Not yet!"

I reached. The hum came effortlessly. I moved to the door, struggling to open it.

'I… I'm locked out… What-'

'You have order at your hand. You need someone in there. What is just order? What is even un aligned. What do you know that could help?'

'I can't shoot into there!' My thoughts slowly became hectic.

'You don't have to… Do you remember the game? How is it played?'

'You… You call others?'

'Then call.' The cat said it in my mind like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

'I… I should have thought of that.'

Cops came to mind, but they could-… No, I saw guns. I knew how they worked, they wouldn't last but… Surprise… Protectrons, they just need to give me a moment and then I could call robots… Or just start with robots.

I felt energy surge within me. I called to the world. Protectron.

The energy fell sharply, I felt it slowly build. And then a protectron rounded the corner… It looked like the one from the store. The robot noticed their weapons aimed at another and skipped straight to the prosecution.

-XXXX-

[POV: Enclave Soldier]

I looked at the warped plastic where my shot had hit. 'Stupid kid. Who did he think he was… I'll probably have to kill him to reclaim his weaponry though…'

The general continued his rambling and obviously refused demands of the scientist, and then I heard clanking.

'Huh.'

Looking behind me was a protectron, clanking around the corner.

"What the-"

My eye overloaded with a stabbing pain for half asecond before it boiled and burst, leaving a bloody socket, filling my helmet with a noxious smelling gas. And then my chest heated up.

"ARRRGH!"

-XXXX-

[POV: Five Coloured Walker. From now on this is the assumed POV]

Laser burst from the top of the protectron, Li gasped as a lucky shot struck the soldiers eye-slot. The bullet proof glass exploded, metal around the edge melted, and a tiny bit of red laser scorched the soldiers eye and his under-helmet. A second bolt struck his chest. If he noticed it he didn't show as he staggered back, clutching towards his ruined eye as he fell back, collapsing and falling atop the man who was talking to my father.

The other soldier turned opened fire smoothly. With a couple of shots the other enclave soldier reduced the protectron to slag with his plasma rifle. But that was enough for dad to enact the plan I feared he would.

"No!"

Something exploded. My gieger counted started blaring. Li noticed and pulled me as James began keeling over, the remaining soldier following suit.

"He's blown it- We need to go NOW!'

I… I knew it. I had seen it before, my body was in shock. And then I began running.

'You! No! Don't run!'

'He's already dead he just doesn't know it yet!'

I felt him rage within me. Rage seethed alongside disappointment and grief.

"There's an old tunnel we used before, everyone else should already be there!"

"Then let's be there!"

'You've done it… Have you shot before?'

'Enough to use this well. I can't let him out yet!'

'… Keep them safe.'

The voice left.

-XXXX-

"What's going on up there!"

"Enclave! We need to get to the citadel!"

"Let's move!"

"Wait, you lot need guns. I dropped my pack."

"I don't expect you to shoot well but you need to help, take and lets go."

I had plenty of hunting rifles, Garza grabbed my shotgun. I told him to be very careful and we moved. I left a mine as a surprise. I sealed doors behind us with my rifle as we ran. Li began unlocking a door as we all hid behind cover. A group of Enclave soldiers were in a side room and we exchanged fire, blowing sections of cover. I fired methodically as I crouched as if I was at the range, ducking up and down letting the Enclave soldiers waste ammo whilst I conserved my shots. I fused shoulder plates, knee joints, elbow joints, I blew up laser riffles and scorched necks. Bullets whizzed through the air taking chunks out of cement and cracking power armor. Garza's head exploded suddenly, and I had yet to inflict a single fatality, just some casualties and damaged some armor.

I roared, from the walls I called my power, and in my hand was a ball of red light.

It's name was death.

Standing I unleashed a portion of it, a beam passed through a soldiers eye slot, killing him instantly.

"The doors open!" Li turned as she shouted, here eyes becoming sauces as she sure the light in my hand.

Another blast struck a soldiers weapon, destroying it and blowing apart his hands.

"Move! I'll cover you!"

I began walking back, the soldiers ducked in fear, one was too slow, the plate of his chin became molten as chunks blew out of his neck as I discharged the power, letting it drain from me.

"Close it!"

"Ghouls!"

"I'll take ghouls over power armor any day!" A scientist shouted, turning.

I drew my laser pistol as I turned, letting my rifle hang down as I fired into the approaching roamers they slowed to sudden stops as rounds peppered them from most of us. Li working to close the large steel doors. It only lasted a couple of tense seconds but I had almost bled the clip dry, I used the rest of it to fuse the door shut, preventing it to be opened. Taking a moment to breath we all moved on rather quietly, trading speed for stealth and the desire to fire first. Everyone fell in behind me in silence so thick it could be cut… But our caution didn't help.

As we walked out from under an alcove we were fired on from above, the awkward angle and their desire to shoot as soon as they saw us saving me, however my skin burned as a laser beam blasted along my cheek removing hair, and a plasma bolt struck a patch of concrete, turning it to vapour. Running back under where we were using I grabbed my mines and started throwing. Believing themselves invincible and the mines being just under the Alcove the two decided to jump, dropping at the same time. Ducking back and down the mines exploded as the soldiers entered the proximity detection field and we're detected to be of correct size. Both of them were hit by the full force of the blast, shrapnel passed through them and rent limbs, weapons overloaded and detonated cracking open and vaporizing sections of chest as the bits and mist were blasted back.

Moving up we scrapped stealth. In the distance we heard laser fire and the howls of ghouls, the sounds of men dying echoed within the sewers. I changed my laser riffle for my assault riffle wishing I hadn't given away my shot gun… Ghouls fell easier then soldiers, running into our fire. We stepped over piles of corpses that were blasted apart and past soldiers with heads and limbs ripped off, blood splattered the walls and made puddles from which we left red boot prints. We took turns through the tunnel attempting to avoid soldiers and ghouls, almost getting lost before Li spotted the door we wanted. Rushing to it she opened it, all of us stood guard.

The door opened.

My heart stopped.

A man in power armor was there.

I turned, gun in hand, a cry of warning in my throat.

Time came to a standstill, as I stared at the man who turned to me, taking in every aspect of his armor and seeing death in his flame thrower… This was it… This was how I was going to die. To some sort of specialist, set ablaze trying to help others.

"Brotherhood! Thank god!"

I couldn't tell which scientist said the words as they reached me in slow motion, but I saw the flame thrower lower by the millimetres. A scientist entered my field of view, his gun was pointed down. My brain stopped panicking. Friend. Time sped up, my voice coming from my lips in a shout.

"Close the door behind us!"

Li hit the button and dived in, the door slamming shut behind us. I heard ghouls roar impotently on the other side.

"Who are-"

"There are Enclave Soldiers on the other side!"

"Get away from the door!" The man hefted his flame thrower and we all moved away. Squeezing the trigger flames coated the door and it heated.

"Head up through the ladder, I will be up shortly."

True to the man's word, just around the bend was a ladder up, I went up first. I didn't want to risk anyone else and I did have a helmet.

-XXXX-

"We're… We're safe. The brother will have sealed the doors and probably be coming up. Come on."

I turned and followed Li as she spoke, my rifle low but at the ready as I followed her. She moved straight to some guy in power armor with some sort of mini-gun by a door into some large concrete building. He lacked a helmet.

"I am Dr. Madison Li. I have people with me in need of shelter you must allow us access at once."

"I'm sorry Ma'am, no unauthorised civilians allowed inside The Citadel. You'll have to leave now." The man looked at us amused, infuriating the doctor.

She moved up and pressed the intercom beside the gate.

"Lyons! It's Dr. Li, we have just been chased from the purifier by Enclave soldiers, open up!"

There was a moment. Not quite hesitation, and then the door opened. The guy reacted with shock which made me glad to see his face, and I heard the brotherhood soldier we met before climb out.

"Enclave arrived. They won't be coming through though. I have sealed the door with my flame thrower..."

"I… Thank you Paladin... You should have opened with that." The man turned on Li as she entered the citadel.

"We've just been being shot at with laser and plasma weaponry, chased by guys that seem nigh-impossible to kill, and have had to fight off ghoul packs. I think you can give the normally non-combatant scientist who has just watched several valued friends die a break."

The man stood his ground.

"I can't just open up just wily knilly civilian."

"It seems Dr Li is a name you should know then."

I simply turned from him, ignoring my the heat on my pauldrons from his glare as I walked into the Citadel… Which at a glance looked thoroughly ruined like everywhere else, until you passed through the second door…

-XXXX-

I ducked as I heard weapons fire, rising as I noticed people in recon armor training. There were men in power armor just standing around. If they hand any particular thoughts about us we couldn't tell through their helmets. I stood with the scientists as we waited. The opposite door opened, and a woman in power armor came out alongside what looked to be an elderly man… Maybe as old as Walter. He seemed to be examining us, his eyes focusing on Li as the women's eyes focused on me.

"Madison… I'm surprised to see you here. What can I do for you." The man had a small smirk on his face, but his eyes betrayed his concern…

-XXXX-

[POV: Dr Madison Li]

I struggled to control a glare as I snapped at Owyn.

"Don't talk down to me Lyons. Project purity has just been overrun by the Enclave, several scientists just died including James, just as we had a lead."

"… So you claimed. However we both know the purifier doesn't work which means it's useless to them-"

James son stepped forward, interrupting Owyn midsentence.

"If you'll excuse me, but they arrived just after we did and learned how to make it work. I would be unsurprised if the Enclave learned of how to get it to work shortly after us and that is why they came. And if they don't know from what I've seen they soon will."

Owyn eyes stared into E***'s eyes… "This would be James son… Seems you share some of your father's traits… You're his spitting image to, if he was slightly scrawnier…" Owyn turned his eyes to me.

"Are you sure you can make it work?"

"I… I'm sure. James was certain, we need something called a GECK…. If… If it does half of what he claimed it'll have the purifier working with little effort."

"Hmmm… You all look quite exhausted from your trials. Seninal Lyons, could you please escort these people to the bunks and go to scribe Rothchild. Ask him to try and find references to these GECK devices. After that I believe we shall have to have a planning session."

"I'll gather the captains to the greatroom Elder. James son-"

"You may call me Wanderer."

"Well then, 'Wanderer' I ask that you surrender your-"

"I am not surrendering a single weapon in my possession." E***'s voice was hard. His eyes challenged the Sentinal, and she did not yield.

"You may keep your weapons, E***. I haven't forgotten the name your father gave you, and you have my condolences, he was a good man. You may keep your weapons, they shall be left to you."

Slowly E*** turned from his challenge with Sarah, nodding at Owyn. With a shrug Sarah turned, walking off, obviously expecting us to follow. The Wanderer bubbled with excitement at the tech just lying around. Even the barracks had stuff lying around, but just seeing a bed almost sent me to sleep… It had been an such exhausting day…

Before I knew it, I was in dream land, lying face down on the bed. I wasn't sure if I had taken stuff off, things had kind of blurred...

I think you can guess what the nail is. Training Time. Practice. Knowledge of actual spells.

I'm thinking of creating a 'Story' of the various 'spells' The Five Coloured Walker uses over time. In this case TFCW calls himself Wanderer because that's what TLW has taken to calling himself.