Smith Casey's garage was about as shoddy as Ruby had expected when her and Dogmeat arrived. "Why would they want to put a vault HERE of a places?" She wondered aloud as she shook her head stepping inside the building as the rain from before started up again with Dogmeat at her side. It felt strangely warm inside the building as she searched around the rooms. Unfortunately the place was infested with radroaches and Mole Rats, okay…okay stay calm Ruby…Malika taught you how to become a friend to animals…just stay calm and don't bother them so they don't bother you… She thought as she stepped past a Mole Rat gazing at her blankly. She quickly collected the Nuka Cola's lying around in the small crates including a Quantum as she heard Dogmeat scratching at something.

As she walked into the garage she found him pawing a large pair of panels on the floor. Ruby smiled as she walked over and kissed his head petting him. "Good job buddy now lets try and find the switch that opens this thing yeah?" She said as he wagged his tail happily and sat next to the panels watching Ruby feel around on the walls as she held her Pip-Boy light on. As she felt around on the wall she felt her hand press against something and Dogmeat barked to her causing her to turn around and see that the hatch had been opened revealing a beam of light shining from below the stairs. "Niice! C'mon buddy lets move!" She said as she excitedly ran down the stairs passing a few more Mole Rats before becoming to a dead stop in front of what was the vault's entrance. The giant pristine 8-ton giant cog door of Steel seemed to glimmer in the bright lights of the basement as the big and bold yellow numbers signifying Vault 112 stared at her as if in a conniving welcome. "Ugh…I'm so not going to like this…why the hell did Dad have to go into ANOTHER vault of all places…?!" She muttered angrily as she pressed the switch on the entrance terminal gritting her teeth as the vault door grinded and screeched open.

As they stepped inside and stepped through the first door a large robobrain lay in wait for them. As Ruby gasped and was about to immediately go for her rifle the robobrain began to speak. "Hello ma'm welcome to Vault 112, currently you are 202.2 years behind schedule, please redress in your Vault 112 jumpsuit and then proceed into your specified Tranquility Lounger." It said in its soft and smooth seductive feminine voice as it motioned to Ruby's clothes with her arms. Ruby froze and tilted her head in confusion. Tranquility Lounger…? What the fuck is that? And I have to seriously wear one of those jumpsuits AGAIN?! Ruby thought as the robotic woman continued. "If you have lost or misplaced your suit one shall be provided for you." She said as a hatch opened on her front as she reached in and pulled out a folded vault suit and gave it to Ruby. Ruby bit her lip as she stared and the horrid piece of clothing that had always been the bane of her existence and cause for her embarrassment back in Vault 101. She looked at the robobrain and asked. "I'll need some privacy is there a room where I can change?"

The Robobrain seemed to smile in her voice as she said. "There is, please follow me to the vault inhabitant changing room." As she followed the Robobrain Ruby noticed more of them patrolling around the hallways some politely greeting her as they passed. The vault is so clean…where the hell is all the people? Ruby thought as they stepped next to the infirmary in front of what looked to be a locker room with small benches in the middle. She sighed in relief as she saw pairs of showers on the back wall. "Please, take your time and be assured knowing that your privacy shall be secured with the security measures in place built by Vault-Tec." The Robobrain said before rolling away on its threads. Ruby nonchalantly waved her off as Dogmeat walked to the corner of the room laying down resting his weary paws. Ruby put the jumpsuit down on one of the benches setting down her gear as well. "May as well take this break while I have the chance." She said as she stripped out of the soaked and blood covered raider clothing tossing it to the floor and stepped into one of the showers turning it on as she began bathing. "Thank God for hot water…" She said as she examined her surroundings.

As Ruby bathed she was unaware that someone was watching as a hidden eye-camera slithered out of its small crevice in the wall and gazed down at the young woman perversely examining her features. As it did this, its controller, an older man within the body of a girl chuckled and hungrily licked his lips as he spoke with a heavy foreign accent. "Good…Good…lovely young butterfly coming into my web for me to pick at and break and bend to my almighty will…!" As he turned and looked outside directly at the helpless dog frantically trying to reason with his other slaves.

Feeling rejuvenated and relaxed from the shower, Ruby redressed sliding on her underwear and then the vault suit itself keeping the front zipper halfway undone so as to not cause unnecessary pain on her chest and walked down into the main room. In that room, sat 13 pods with a main control module in the middle. "Must be the Tranquility Loungers…hmm…." She said as she walked up to the control module looking through each of the terminals in front of each of the pods. As she reached one of the only empty pods in the room she stopped and looked at the one next to it. "Something about that one seems strange to me…who's in it…?" She mumbled as she walked towards it and looked through the glass trying to see the occupant. Inside a screen was shining brightly illuminating the face of a middle aged man with a graying beard and hair as well as his vault suit looking more worn and dirty. Ruby gasped as she stared at the man she now recognized as her father. "Dad…! Dad its me Ruby!" She yelled desperately as she pounded on the glass with her fist. As she was about to begin searching for something to break the glass she hit a sudden realization. "Tranquility is a virtual reality interface system coupled with cryo pods…!" She thought aloud as she ran back up to the locker room and grabbed her tools from her pack.

Dogmeat, energized by Ruby's excitement followed her back down to the main room. As he saw her father's pod, he barked and scratched at it whimpering in confusion as to why this man had Ruby's scent on her. "That's my Dad Dogmeat, I'm going to be going into a deep sleep soon and I want you to watch him in case anything happens okay?" He barked in acknowledgement as he sat down guarding the Tranquility Lounger. Ruby giggled happily as she opened access panel after access panel from her Tranquility Lounger fixing and modifying everything she could to her specific needs including her section of the control module. This would be the second "secure" vault network she had hacked into since living in Vault 101 and she was more excited to do it than buying a fresh new series of manga. "I may still be learning new things about the wasteland but cyberspace on the other hand…" She said as she hopped up into her Tranquility Lounger, cracking open her Pip Boy and inserted her personalized cables into the chair she was sitting in and the screen that was now starting to close in on her. "Cyberspace I can fully understand…" She mumbled as the link sent a strange shocking sensation through her body as she closed her eyes with a satisfied smirk on her face transmitting her consciousness into Tranquility Lane.

"Mmm… Amata and Bittercup… I didn't think you two would team up to have a threesome with me hehehe…." She muttered giggling in her sleep as she felt fresh warm sun beaming down on her opening her eyes as she woke up. As she took in her surroundings she saw that she was in what looked to be a Pre-War suburban neighborhood from before the bombs fell. As she looked around she immediately noticed the clothes everyone around her was wearing and hearing the way everyone was speaking. Ruby immediately covered her face in despair. "Ugh! Why does this have to be the simulation?! This isn't Tranquility! This is hell!" That was when she noticed her thinner arms and smaller hands. As she looked down she gasped in horror. And my avatar is a little girl in a pink dress!? She thought as she sighed sadly her long black hair hanging over her face. As she looked at her wrist she saw that instead of her Pip Boy was a wristwatch. She sighed in relief as she saw the icon on the watch instead of being the vault boy it was a sexy pinup icon of an anime girl with blue hair. "Good…at least with this I know the weapons I brought with me to hack into the system weren't lost…" She mumbled and began exploring the neighborhood.

Everything about the place seemed too perfect, too clean, and to Ruby it was more disgusting than all of the Raiders in Evergreen Mills. She brushed off anyone that approached her as each of them creepily muttered, "Don't keep Betty waiting, she doesn't like waiting." That was when she looked over towards the playground where she saw a little blonde girl also in a pink dress watering some flowers. As she stopped she looked directly at Ruby and smiled cheerfully and waved to her subtly trying to motion her to come over. Betty must be controlling the simulation, I need to find her central mode of control and then set up shop for my takeover. Ruby thought as she then noticed a dog wandering around near the playground as well. "Dogmeat…?" She mumbled as she stared closely at it. It wasn't Dogmeat however, this dog wore a collar with tags hanging around its neck as it looked around.

Suddenly an old African American woman walked up to her trembling. "What are you doing here…?!" She whispered with terror in her eyes. "You shouldn't be in here…! You need to get out quick…!" Ruby turned and looked up at her as her red eyes glittered behind her bangs. "What's up lady? You know what's going on here?" She continued trembling but smiled with relief happy that for once someone didn't think she was spouting insane rants. "We're not really here. We're not really talking. Its all made-up, make-believe. We're just sleeping, dreaming. The dream turned into a nightmare! It has to end, it has to! But we aren't in charge, he is, and he doesn't want any of us to wake up, ever." She mumbled as she looked around frightened. From the holotapes Ruby listened to back at the Jefferson Memorial she learned of a Doctor Stanislaus Braun and how he created the device that her Dad had been searching for called a GECK. Just with what the name stood for Ruby new it was a very useful and valuable device to have in restoring the Wastes. "So your saying he's controlling the simulation?" The old woman quickly nodded and pointed towards the only house that didn't seem as clean as all the rest. "There…I've seen him go in there, bright lights come from that house…the kill code to end this should be in there…!" She mumbled whispering to Ruby. Ruby immediately looked up at her the second she mentioned a kill code. "Kill code…? wouldn't a system override like that get rid of you all?" The woman slowly nodded, "Don't worry about us child, we've all been in here long enough to where something as serious as that would be pretty much a mercy killing."

Ruby looked down and thought for a moment, "I'll do it…" She whispered and ran inside the house. As she looked around she noticed the interior was about as much of a disheveled mess as most houses she'd seen in the Capital Wasteland. "alright…if this is where that Braun guy controls everything it looks like a good place as any to set up shop myself." She said as she waved her hand across the empty air in front of her as a screen appeared showing an icon picture of her and Amata when they were little cuddling as they smiled for a picture. Ruby smiled softly as she stared at the picture. "Hey babe…" She greeted the picture with a soft whisper as she pressed it with her hand bringing up an inventory of codes and tools on screen. "Time to bring Chaos to Tranquility…" Ruby said as she did a pirouette her dress turning a thick crimson red lined with black streaks on the skirt. "That's much better…" She said as she began hacking into Tranquility Lane.

Betty, also known as Stanislaus Braun knew something was amiss when the lovely young woman she spied showering on the Vault's security cameras had entered Tranquility Lane. She should have followed what the residents had told her to do and come talk with him immediately but instead she harshly brushed them off as if they were flies. And only once when the girl turned to look at him did she acknowledge his existence, only instead of a foolish curiosity like that dumb scientist James Hanson carried when he entered trying to ask him about the GECK. This girl looked upon him with eyes of a cruel, bitter distaste. He wondered if the child had already sniffed him out and was well on her way to searching for his main control terminal for the Tranquility VR interface system. Then he shook his head wiping sweat from his face and continued watering the flowers playing his usual innocent act as Betty. Calm yourself Braun…this girl is nothing but a fool like the rest, she shall be your personal plaything soon enough…He thought as the little girl finally came out of the abandoned house, her dress in a different color than it was before.

Ruby sighed in content of what she was about to do as she walked towards the park. As she walked she saw the dog looking at her in curiosity. She quickly stopped and turned towards the dog, "Come here boy!" She said patting her legs as she called the dog over. As the dog walked over to her cautiously and sat down Ruby grabbed onto his tags and examined them. As she looked at the nametag she read the word engraved onto the metal. "Doc…?" She mumbled and looked into the dog's eyes as she caressed his fur. She began thinking where she had heard the name before as she petted the dog. Only two people I've ever known were ever called Doc…one was Doc Church and the other was…! That was when the realization hit her as she hugged the dog tightly. "Dad…! Its you…!" She said happily as the dog barked in happiness and surprise wagging his tail. "So it seems you aren't a fool after all…" A little girl's voice said staring down at the two. As Ruby turned and looked she saw Betty herself clenching her fists with a tight grin across her face.

"Guten Tag Doctor Stanislaus Braun…" Ruby said as she smirked delighted of the power she held over him now. Betty clenched her fists in anger glaring at Ruby but then began to giggle evilly. "So you know who I really am then?" She said as her voice began to change turning more masculine with a thick German accent. "who knew that the offspring of that foolish scientist would dare come into MY world and hack into it?" He said as he gave her a sleazy grin. "I must say…you are quite a magnificently beautiful creature in real life, the tattoos you carry on your back are like a work of art." Ruby's eyes went wide. "YOU SPIED ON ME IN THE SHOWER!?" She said and punched him across the face sending him to the ground. He got up laughing as he looked at her. "I suppose you earned that, but even with your interesting color change on your dress, you still have no power here…! I am god of this world you see?! You will serve me get it?!" Ruby snarled as she clenched her fists tightly. "How the hell could someone like you develop the GECK…? Your supposed to be like the fucking Gandalf of science!"

Braun only laughed as he scoffed at the mention of the GECK. "That thing was the most boring piece of shit I ever created, all it does is give life, I for one enjoy seeing life squirm under my feet! To crush it beneath my hands! So as a result I created this simulation. To suit my 'needs', as YOU will be serving those needs soon enough." He said chuckling as he licked his lips. Ruby scoffed in disgust as she glared at him. "My father thought you were a great man…turns out your nothing but a sadistic perverted old man with a god complex!" The dog began growling in agreement standing at Ruby's side. He shrugged as he chuckled. "Insult me all you want there is absolutely nothing you can do to overthrow me." That was when Ruby smiled and began to cackle maniacally. "Oh! Oh god you have no idea just HOW wrong you are!" She yelled as she began reciting the system override kill code. "Code 66652278 Delta Echo Tango Sierra X-ray! Initiate Chinese Invasion Protocol! God Bless America!" Braun's eyes went wide as a large glimmer of code streamed all over the area acknowledging Ruby's input and digital avatars of Chinese soldiers began streaming into the neighborhood gunning down the residents. "You…! You miserable bitch! You have trapped me in here!"

Ruby smiled as she laughed victoriously. "Not exactly the punishment I'd have personally given you but it was a part of the system and since you love this world so much I figured 'Ehh why not give the megalomaniac currently in the form of a small child the perfect prison he's always wanted?' and sure enough by the look on your face you deserve it!" She said as she saw a door appearing hearing the screams of the people around her dying. She looked down at Doc as he wagged his tail. "Time to go Dad…before those soldiers turn their guns on us as well." He seemed to nod as he ran through the door vanishing. As Ruby walked towards the door she turned towards Braun and flipped him off as she stuck her tongue out at him backing her way into the door being digitized her consciousness returning to reality as well.

As Ruby woke up checking to see if she really was back in her body she heard Dogmeat barking happily. As she turned she saw her father staring at her with joy yet surprise on his face. "You saved me…but just how did you find me?" Ruby grinned as she disconnected her Pip Boy from her Lounger closing it back up and hugged him tightly. "I'm always stubborn about it when I'm doing something Dad… you ought to know by now that runs in our family…." He sighed and chuckled patting her back. "Always determined to see things through…just like your mother…" He said as he looked in her eyes. Only she didn't carry the mutations that you now have, its almost like I'm seeing Catherine in your eyes Ruby… He thought solemnly and proudly seeing how his beloved daughter seemed to have grown up so fast. "I know all about Project Purity Dad…and that's barely on the list of a thousand questions I want to ask you right now." Ruby said as she crossed her arms staring at him her eyes trembling with heartbreak in her eyes.

He nodded as he tried to calm her down. "I understand Ruby…but more importantly what are you doing out of the vault? I thought I specifically said for you not to follow me." this made Ruby even more upset as she glared at him. "The Overseer tried to have me arrested Dad…! The security forces tried to kill me!" She said as tears began falling from her eyes recalling that chaotic day that she escaped. "They killed Jonas Dad…! Along with many other of the vault's citizens! The fucking Overseer even had his own daughter TORTURED because of me!" James sighed wiping as he wiped Ruby's tears hugging her again. "My God….I always figured Alphonse to be nothing more than a schoolyard bully, but for him to stoop that low is just…unforgivable…" Ruby sniffled as she sobbed in his arms. "I want to help with the project Dad…I'm your daughter after all, learning all that science stuff back in the vault can't have gone to waste right? I mean you saw what I did in Tranquility Lane…" He nodded proudly as he smiled. "Yes, It never ceases to impress me over the kind of knowledge you have sweetie, and now that I know Project Purity will work I must return to Rivet City to get Madison and her team I'd be honored if you accompanied me since it seems you have most likely learned how to handle yourself in the wasteland." Ruby shook her head slowly still smiling. "You go on ahead Dad, I need to grab some friends of mine first, Dogmeat and I will meet you at the Jefferson Memorial."

2 days later

Everything had seemed to be going smoothly upon reuniting with her father, Ruby couldn't have been any happier once her companions and Doctor Li's team got to work bringing everything back online. As Ruby was able to help repair most of the flood damage her father had told her about the blockage in the pipes everyone questioned why Ruby had donned an old Pre-War two-piece swimsuit along with her boots and her belt holding Scarlet and her sword. "There's bound to be a lot of super-hot steam down there so it'd be pointless for me to be wearing regular clothes as they'd get burned along with my skin if I get hit!" She'd always tell them as she did the chores. When she finally entered the pipes it was a simple matter of running through the tunnel and parkour along some narrow platforms. When she reached the troubled area her father had spoken of she got a peek of the walkway area outside. She smiled happily at how everything was going so well as she turned the valve fixing the problem. As her father began transmitting more instructions Ruby heard a loud whirring sound as she looked up at the sky. "A Vertibird…?!" She said in shock as multiple Vertibirds began landing on the walk way deploying men and women in dark uniforms some dressed in advanced power armor as they ran towards the entrance.

She began quickly calling James. "Dad! We've got company!" He seemed to acknowledge her message as he said. "it's the Enclave! Stay where you are Ruby! Madison lock the doors now!" Ruby shook her head as the radio cut out. "No.. No…. I just got you back no way am I letting some Pre-War overzealous assholes take you away from me!" She growled and immediately began running further down the pipe.

Private Davis Frederick was excited on his first mission after his team had entered the Jefferson Memorial and quickly took control of the facility he was sent down to the lower levels to check for any stragglers. As he searched around clad in his advanced Power armor holding his plasma rifle he looked around cautiously as the lights of his HUD allowed him to see in the dimly lit hallways. As he searched around he heard a splash in one of the pools. "Who's there…?!" He said as he immediately ran to investigate. The last thing he saw just before he died was a deathly pale girl with blood-red eyes wearing nothing but a belt, boots and a bikini pull a 10mm pistol from her holster and shoot both of the eyes of his suit out puncturing into his head with armor piercing rounds as he fell over dead before he could transmit a message.

Ruby quickly ran upstairs grasping Scarlet tightly as she pulled her sword from its sheath holding it in her other hand as water dripped off of her to the floor. As she ran into the main room she encountered more Enclave Soldiers having a shootout with Malika, Hazel and Charon. Damnit…we aren't equipped for dealing with energy weapons like this! She thought angrily as she rushed the squad dismembering them with her sword as she cut them where the armor was at its thinnest. "Ruby!" Hazel said as she tossed her M4 assault rifle over to her. Ruby nodded in thanks as she asked. "Where's my Dad and Doctor Li?!" Malika piped up as she and the others began packing their things. "They were in the Rotunda the last time we saw them! Be careful though Ruby! We saw the guy leading these soldiers go in there as well!" Ruby nodded as she wondered who the hell could be commanding all these Enclave soldiers. "Grab everything you can and get Doctor Li's team prepped for evacuation! We need to find a way to get the hell out of here!" They acknowledged her order as Charon tossed Ruby hear gear as she slung her pack over her shoulders. No time to change clothes now I have to haul ass to the Rotunda and fast! She thought as she ran into the Rotunda area.

When she arrived inside the door to the main chamber was sealed as Doctor Li stood outside watching in horror. "Dad! I'm here to help!" She yelled as she ran up to the main door to the chamber. Madison at Ruby worriedly not even bothering to stop her as she pounded on the glass. Within stood a full squad of heavily armed Enclave soldiers as in the middle stood a man in a smooth yellow clean and polished leather coat looking official as he seemed to ignore Ruby looking directly at James. "By order of the United States Government I, Colonel Augustus Autumn commandeer control over this facility and all forms of data pertaining to the project here, now if the person in charge would step forward this can move along smoothly." He said speaking in a smooth southern accent looking at him and the scared woman named Janice Kaplinski nearby. James stood glaring defiantly at him as he said. "Your wasting your time here, this is an independent project, the Enclave has no authority here." Augustus looked at James with a look of indifference. "Am I to assume then that you sir, are in charge?" James nodded slowly trying negotiate peacefully with the man. "Then I repeat sir, you are to hand over all materials related to Project Purity and cooperate with Enclave scientists in activating this machine." James shook his head as he smiled at Madison and Ruby outside. "The project will not work I'm afraid Colonel Autumn, we have never been able to replicate any successful tests."

Augustus crossed his arms and smiled wryly chuckling. "Now sir, what you are doing here is a noble one indeed and can be a big pillar in rebuilding America as it needs to be and so…" He said as he pulled his pistol out from his coat and shot Janice in the head hearing Madison cry out in horror. "I only have so much patience…now I order you to activate the machine now!" Ruby watched in horror as she pounded on the glass. "No Dad! don't do it! don't give him what he wants!" She yelled as James turned around and began typing on the main command console. Suddenly there was an explosion as the main chamber was flooded with a green mist of radiation. Augustus began coughing along with his men "You bastard…!" He gasped as he fell dead. James shuffled over to the door where Ruby was coughing as well as he looked in the eyes of his horrified daughter. "Run….RUN!" He coughed out as he collapsed to the floor dead. I'm coming Catherine…. He thought with a smile as he closed his eyes.

"Dad…." Ruby whispered as tears began pouring from her eyes, hearing something snap in her mind as she stood there and stared at his body. Madison tugged on her arm shaking her out of her haze. "Pull yourself together Ruby we have to go now!" She said with a mourning sadness in her eyes as well. Ruby slowly nodded as they all fled into the Taft tunnel running for the Citadel. Everything that happened was mostly a blur to Ruby as things went from bad to worse, being pursued by Enclave soldiers, running into Feral Ghouls, and even Charon sacrificing himself after being wounded from a plasma grenade. However, it was also the day the Brotherhood of Steel took her and her friends under their wings. After arriving in the Citadel she met Sarah's father Elder Owyn Lyons as he graciously gave her his condolences as Sarah herself stared at Ruby with worry in her eyes. When the group separated to go recuperate in the Citadel's halls Ruby made a decision as she walked up to Sarah. "Where's the nearest bathroom…?" She asked and Sarah pointed her the way leading her to one of the restrooms in the Citadel. Inside Ruby stared at herself in the cracked mirror. As she did so Sarah watched as she reached into her pack pulling out a pair of scissors and began cutting her hair. As Ruby stared in the mirror she knew something had changed in her. Before she was always known as a ghost, something for raiders and slavers to be afraid of. But now, after seeing her father die, she knew that now the Enclave had unleashed something more than a vengeful spirit inside her, they unleashed a demon…a demon that wouldn't stop until it was satisfied with their spilled blood.

To be continued in Volume 2.…

I am so glad to have finally finished this for you guys! I apologize if the ending seems a tad rushed but I'm leaving to spend time with family soon. For now I'm taking a short break from writing but expect more as I continue "The Blue Heaven's Feel" in January. But for now Merry Christmas Everyone!