As Ruby slowly entered the darkness of the metro she could hear the skittering of more fire ants nearby. She kept her M4 at the ready as she began to smirk. "Darkness is my playground…" She whispered as she snuck along piles of rubble passing a burnt raider. She switched her rifle to burst-fire mode as she spotted one of the worker fire ants. She aimed and fired one burst cutting through the ant as its head exploded. Ruby stared at the ant slightly surprised at the resulting effect her bullets had on it and then giggled happily before moving on finding two alternate paths she could go on.
To her left she heard more ants through a metal door and in front she could see a larger fire ant in a random patrol pattern down in the main ticket waiting area overlooking the tracks. She decided to dare risk the hellish flames of the much larger ant as she took out a grenade, biting onto the pin pulling it off and then made an underhanded toss down towards the ant letting the grenade bounce and roll before exploding near it blowing off half of the creature's legs as it flipped onto its back from the blast twitching and flailing desperately trying to straighten itself. Ruby grinned as she stepped down the ramp out of the shadows towards the ant tilting its head. "I wonder what stupid asshole created you freaks of nature…or were you created naturally like most of the ugly fucks that want to eat me in this Wasteland?" She said glaring down at the dying ant with disgust. As if in a last act of defiance the ant released one final large burst of fire from between its pincers in an attempt to catch its soon-to-be prey off guard. Ruby quickly dove to the side and then tackled the ant before it could stand again. She laughed as she heard the ant shrieking desperate to shake her off but unable to position its head towards her to clamp its pincers onto her flesh let alone set her body aflame. "I wonder what still living ant tastes like?" She said as she took out her knife cutting open the ant's flesh and began to bite into it as the ant's shrieking became one of pain before its struggling got weaker and weaker as the human girl on top of him bit and chewed into his raw flesh taking care to avoid bits of flesh that had taken shrapnel wounds. When Ruby finally finished she stood up licking her lips clean and sighed blissfully. "The blood had a certain spice to it that just made me tingle and the nectar that fueled its flames just tasted so euphoric…" She then looked at herself and blushed at the mess she had made while eating the ant knowing she'd need to bathe immediately when she got home. "For my sake though I better just stick to human blood…" She quietly promised herself as she did what she could to dust herself off before looking around. Luckily Marigold Metro Station didn't seem as heavily caved in as the Bailey's Crossroads Metro her and Dogmeat had traversed those many months ago when they went to assist the Outcasts. There seemed to be at least two accessible tunnels that weren't caved in, Ruby turned on her Pip-Boy light looking around rooting through trash cans before walking into the ticket booth grabbing some assorted junk that lay on the floor. That was when she spied the dry blood on the wall where a long rotted out skeleton sat with an old revolver in its hand and a holotape.
After stuffing it in her pack she picked up the holotape, taking the cartridge out of the protective casing and slid it into her Pip Boy beginning to play the message. "If your listening to this recording, then that means my brains are splattered all over a wall somewhere…you have to find and deliver the package, I stashed the key in a fire hose case in a storage room. Once you have the key, look for the room with the spinning light, it should be hidden in a safe. Then deliver it to Ronald Lauren in Girdershade." The message then ended leaving Ruby with an excited smile on her face. "Sweet! I get to go on a treasure hunt and probably get paid some major huge caps!" Although her every thought process said to murder this 'Ronald Lauren' after he paid her and then keep the money and the treasure all to herself. She quickly marked down the location of Girdershade onto her Pip-Boy map with the coordinates that the message provided and continued on running back up the ramp going towards the metal door as she howled. "Wooooo backtracking!" She was soon greeted by more ants as they tried scorching her with their flames. Ruby quickly used the steaming pipes as cover shooting the ants quickly gunning them down. "I would eat you guys too but I've already had my fill of ant meat today." She said with a grin before looting through the crates on the shelves located against the wall.
She continued down the stairs gunning more ants down as she went. She wiped the sweat from her face from the steaming pipes and the obvious gas leaks as she muttered. "Fuck its hot in this room…I better haul ass before I either spontaneously combust or get naked and decide to use it for a steam room because shit this is ridiculous." She was about to turn towards the exit when she spied a metal door she hadn't searched through yet, she wondered if it was the storage room that was specified within the message before stepping towards it and opening it finding an assortment of crates, ammo boxes, and the exact fire hose case she was looking for. Ruby grinned with excitement as she immediately first went for the fire hose case grabbing the key that was inside before looting the storage room clean of all that it contained. "Treasure key GET!" She yelled triumphantly before running to the exit seeing that it led into one of the metro tunnels leading out of Marigold Metro station. She mentally contemplated to herself on where to go starting to walk around where she saw a spinning yellow light next to some derelict subway train cars. "Oooohh I bet this treasure is like some super awesome rifle or something! Then I'll just HAVE to kill this Ronald Lauren guy to keep it!" She said with a giggle half skipping her way over to the door sliding the key through the lock stepping inside. She could barely contain her joy with the treasures she found within, next to the safe lay a B-88 Jack Ripper knife and below that lay a long crate tagged "Property of the Smithsonian".
She first grabbed the Ripper examining the structure of the brutally beautiful deadly weapon before her. "Ooohhh the beautifully murderous ways I can get creative with this thing…" She moaned with ecstasy fantasizing grinding her way through raiders shooting at her and torturing any others that were unlucky enough to surrender to her. As she put down her pack stuffing the Ripper into her inventory amongst her other assorted objects. She then turned her attention towards the crate beginning to pick at the lock wondering what could be inside. "The Smithsonian Museums always did get some of the nicest historical stuff, I wonder what this could be?" She wondered out loud before clicking it open finding what had to have been one of the greatest discoveries she had ever made while scavenging. "Oh my God…" She whispered as she stared down into the crate peering at the perfectly preserved stack of assorted ancient Japanese bladed weaponry. She reached out into it as her hands trembled with excitement, when she finally grabbed what she wanted she took out the katana sword that lay amongst the other weapons in the crate immediately hugging it against her chest. "Oooohhh you sexy irresistible piece of Japanese craftsmanship I never thought I'd find another one of you in this piece of shit wasteland!" She purred rubbing her face against it remembering some of her old teachings from one of the only people of Japanese-descent in Vault 101 from when she was younger, Daisuke Kaname, a member of the security forces in the vault who always carried a sword with him while on patrol that had been passed down as a family heirloom. Ruby had never been able to practice with it much before he had been exiled from the vault by Alphonse for crimes of attempted assassination and sabotage of the vault's systems, crimes Ruby had discovered to be false after later hacking into the Overseer's network. She still heard Daisuke's harsh but caring words in her mind as she practiced with his sword.
4 years ago
"Focus Ruby! Don't fight the wind! Let it guide your hand and your blade! The sword is a part of who you are! The sword is an extension of your being!" Daisuke yelled pacing as a 15-year old Ruby practiced with his family's sword swinging at makeshift targets he had made for her. The two had journeyed down to the darker lower levels of the vault at Ruby's insistence knowing hardly anyone but Stanley ever dared venture down to those levels. As a result these levels were less prioritized with some of the Vault's systems such as air conditioning leaving the two of them sweating from the unbearable heat. Despite Daisuke's protests Ruby had stripped down to her panties wrapping her chest with the spare gauze wrappings her dad kept for emergency patients. Finally in just a few rapid swings the dummy targets lay in pieces on the floor. "Whoa! Hey Daisuke I did it! I chopped em all up!" Ruby said with joy glittering her eyes. Daisuke could only chuckle as he admired Ruby's adaptability to learn new skills. "Yeah Ruby…yeah you did…"
Present
Ruby sighed fondly as she remembered all of the anime and manga she watched and read to help prepare her for that time. "Man…Daisuke was about as awesome as Freddie's dad…" She mumbled and then shook her head getting back to the task at hand going over to the safe picking at the lock as her excitement grew hearing the lock click and opening it. Her smile fell as she took out and stared at the night gown she held in her hands. "What….the…FUCK?!" She yelled as she threw it on the floor in anger. "THIS IS THE FUCKING TREASURE?! SOME PAIR OF SILKY SEXY PAJAMAS!? THIS IS SUCH BULLSHIT!" In the middle of her enraged rant she heard footsteps behind her as a voice called out. "Hey girlie with the cloak! Freeze!" She stopped and turned seeing a blue-haired raider pointing a hunting rifle at her twitching. "I'm ONLY going to ask you this ONE TIME! Give me the Naughty Nightwear!" He said with what seemed to be a forced demanding growl. Ruby blinked staring at the man and then looked at what he referred as the Naughty Nightwear on the floor. I have no idea what to laugh at more…this guy's ungodly blue hair color or the fact that he's so high he's treating a fucking nightgown like its some kind of Holy Grail. She put down her M4 as she stared at the man, "Hey I don't want any trouble I'm just here sorting out an ant problem." He stepped towards her trembling even more holding his rifle. "Fuck the ants! Hand over the goddamn Naughty Nightwear or I swear your brains are decorating the wall girlie!" he yelled demandingly as his drug-crazed bloodshot eyes seemed to be darting up and down her form. Ruby grinned deciding to take advantage of the situation. "Hey how about I make you a deal, this does seem like some pretty sexy looking nightwear so how about you close that door there behind you and I'll try it on for you okay? After that you can do whatever you want with me."
He cracked an excited grin at the idea of seeing his precious naughty nightwear on such a deliciously sexy girl standing before him. "Good idea…" He said chuckling and turning towards the door. "Damn I cant wait for you to pop out that glorious looking rack of yours." He said shutting the door as Ruby picked up the katana sliding it free from the hilt walking towards him. He turned towards her again seeing her eyes seem to glow beneath her long bangs as she yelled "Psyche!" before slashing open his chest causing him to drop his rifle staring at her in shock. She continued grinning at him before cutting cleanly through his neck sending his head hurtling into a corner as his body crumpled to the floor. She purred as she licked the blade clean of his blood and stuffed the Naughty Nightwear into her pack and the other bladed weapons that would fit tying the naginata to the side of the pack walking back out into the metro whispering "See ya never you stupid Lug-Nut…"
She had been able to tie the katana to her belt with some spare leather straps as she giggled giddy that she was able to make such an extraordinary find. She kept it hidden under the wrappings of her cloak as she held her M4 continuing to shoot all the ants that she encountered finding a metal door that led into a new room. As she stepped towards it about to go into the room the door suddenly opened as a young man in a lab coat and glasses stepped out startling Ruby as he gasped. "Oh! You startled me!" He said his voice putting on an almost snobbish tone. When Ruby regained her composure she glared at him. "Startled you!? You nearly scared the shit out of me! Now what the fuck are you doing here Professor Farnsworth?!" He stared at her intimidated by her anger yet slightly confused. FUCKING DAMNIT! No one gets that reference but me! Ruby thought angrily as she peeked inside seeing his lab. "Anyway my name is Doctor Peter Lesko, I've been experimenting with the ants in this area you see." Ruby stared at the man as he followed him back into the lab. "The purpose of my experiment was to de-mutate the ants back to their original tiny forms however…it seems the mutagen I placed within the ant brood I chose has given them pyro capabilities." Ruby nodded as she clenched and raised her fist to punch him. "Yeah the fucking good your experiment did! It caused the deaths of just about everyone in Grayditch! I bet you haven't even tested it in a scientific-controlled environment haven't you?!"
He looked at her with surprise as he nodded. "Yes I'm afraid I cut corners and skipped a vital step in the process. And now I cant reach my terminal in the Ant Queen's nest thanks to her guardians so I can release a new mutagen to kill these new ants." He looked down with shame at his failure. "Don't fucking say another word I'll go clear out the guardians." And before he could respond Ruby was already out the door going down into the hive leaving her pack behind in his lab. As she stepped through the entrance to the hive the scent of ant refuse hung in the air causing her to cough and her eyes water as she traversed through the shadows. One by one the Ant Queen's guardians fell to either Ruby's bullets or blade as Ruby escaped with only minor burns. As she looked at machine where Doctor Lesko's terminal sat she noticed his Protectron wandering around the chamber and wondered why the ants never attacked it. In the far end of the chamber she could see the Ant Queen herself in the darkness as its large wings fluttered. Ruby knew as soon as she stepped into that chamber the Ant Queen would see her and immediately respond to her as a threat. Okay…Just go in, inject the mutagen and then run like hell…piece of cake right? She thought and stepped into the chamber as the Ant Queen quickly reacted to her presence coming out of hiding staring at her as if about to attack. As she hacked into the terminal she heard it give off an almost cooing purr as a new scent filled her nostrils. "Oh shit…" As the realization hit her she saw that she was still slightly covered in some of the leftover flesh and juices from the fire ant she ate.
The Ant Queen must think I'm a male soldier ant that fought for her affection and now she wants to have sex with me! She thought as she quickly typed in the codes onto the terminal muttering "Oh crap oh crap oh crap oh crap…!" as she entered the final code to inject the mutagen as she heard the sound of the Protectron getting knocked over and ripped apart as the Ant Queen got closer to her attractive soon to be mate. A rumbling was heard as Ruby grabbed whatever was left lying on the table including the Quantum and ran out of the chamber sprinting to the exit as she heard the Ant Queen calling after her trying to burrow through the cavern walls trying to get to her. She could still smell the Ant Queens Pheromones on herself as she stepped into Doctor Lesko's lab slamming the door. He walked up to her with excited hope in his eyes. "I have detected some changes within the Ant Queens Hatchery what's transpired?" He asked as Ruby sat down drinking some Nuka-Cola. "I killed the Guardians and injected the mutagen. Oh and by the way I wouldn't go down there right now, she is kinda pissed I didn't let her fuck me." His face became flushed as he said. "Well that does explain the odd smell you had on you when you returned, anyway that's marvelous! I can only assume a highly intellectual woman of science such as yourself would only want a reward for your contribution?" Ruby nodded as she stuffed the Book of Science, scrap metal and other items she was able to scavenge from the hatchery. "Yeah I'll take some caps." She said seeing him shake his head. "I'm afraid I cannot give you any caps however I will be able to reward you with my old lab coat and some bio genetic upgrades I was able to make out of the ants DNA samples, however all I have is Ant Sight and Ant Might." Ruby considered her options, the man before her caused a horrific disaster on an unsuspecting town and he showed no regret for those deaths believing them to be in the way of his research, normally such a man would be dead by her hand, but after seeing how poorly equipped he was with only a 10mm pistol and a Protectron who was now just a pile of scrap in the Hatchery thanks to what was almost Ruby's new ant wife she knew that Doctor Lesko was if not dead already then he'd die sooner or later. "Give me both injections Doc." She said as despite the concern for his research was all over his face, he complied with her request.
It was late into the afternoon as Malika and Bryan sat with the two dogs Dogmeat and Bale after having just seen the fire ants suddenly go berserk and attack one another. It was a slaughtering massacre that for once, Malika was relieved to see, "Ruby…She really did it…!" She said happily as they waited for her to return. When she stepped through the door Malika and Bryan wondered why she was covered in ant flesh and why she reeked of Ant Queen pheromones. "Don't ask because I don't want to talk about it." was her only answer as she caressed Dogmeat's fur. "That was amazing Ruby!" Malika said as she hugged the girl. "You stopped the infestation!" Ruby nodded before looking at Bryan. "You got any relatives Bryan? Because there is no way I'm letting you live here all alone." He looked at her with joy in his eyes as he gave her a hug as well. "Well Dad would always talk about my Aunt Vera in some place called Rivet City. At least I think that's what it was called." Ruby nodded as she looked over at Dogmeat. "Well Dogmeat and I will go find her I think I may know where Rivet City is located." she said and turned back towards the door with Dogmeat following her before Malika stopped her. "Wait!" She said and looked in her eyes with concern. "Aren't you exhausted Ruby? Don't you want to grab a bath and some sleep first before you head out again?" Ruby grinned touched by Malika's concern for her as she winked. "I never leave a job half done Malika…that's one of many things your going to learn about me." She said before walking out to exit town towards the Potomac River. Malika sighed as she closed the door with a smile. "Never a dull moment with her…"