A/N: This is my NaNoWriMo challenge for 2020. Here is the first chapter, and I'm hoping the story is entertaining for you. Please let me know what you think! Comments and critiques are what keeps me motivated!

~Tyrrlin

Special Edition

The cardboard shipping box stood propped up against the front door. It was a more than welcome sight as I came home to what was otherwise going to be another uneventful weekend in an empty house. Owning my own shop was all fine and dandy, but it could get lonely when all I did was work and go home, work and go home. Friends and family lived far away, which made visiting difficult. Being an unrepentant and total introvert, I rarely went out. My guilty pleasure was computer games, and I finally caved in to the hype that was Fallout. Having never played any of the franchise before, I recklessly decided to go for the brand new limited-number Fallout 4 Ultimate Virtual Reality Edition. It was going to be a trial by fire, but what the hell? Go big or go home, I thought, picking up the box and heading inside. For once, I didn't even take the time to remove my boots as I practically skipped up the stairs into the dining room.

The box sitting on the table tempted me all through making dinner, just anticipating what fun I was going to have made me barely taste whatever leftovers were hastily microwaved and scarfed. I so wanted to try this. The original game reviews were very good, and I had wanted a Virtual Reality game for some time. Fallout 4 VR seemed like a good start. Dinner finished, and the dishes washed, the box couldn't wait any longer. I cut through the tape, unfolding the flaps to behold the beautifully designed game chest inside. It was rich with color, a glossy depiction of the iconic armor helmet featured on every Fallout game case I'd ever seen, with the words Fallout 4: Virtual Reality Edition embossed in large gold letters across the top. The lid had slightly raised etching that emphasized the lines of the letters and the outline of the armor, a neat 3D touch. The case was heavy, made of thin metal, and quite sturdy. Plastic shrinkwrap soon joined the discarded shipping box on the floor and the top of the game chest opened to reveal its treasures.

An embossed voucher, certifying Special Limited Edition #01 gleamed from the top of the chest. No way, it's the first copy? This must be a mistake. I couldn't believe it, but the proof was right there in front of me. Wonder how many copies there were? When I had visited the website to place my order, the highest tier VR option only had one item left. The certificate was beautiful, the text appearing to be handwritten with a fountain pen, using glittery sable ink. I had to just sit there for a moment, letting the words shimmer in the light. Finally, I reverently lifted the paper, setting it to one side.

The impossible document was followed by thin, flexible wires coated in silicone attached to a hand-shaped backing. These were being supported by a reasonably hefty instruction manual, which I set aside for the time being. More papers and inset cards followed, to be set aside as well. Digging further, I revealed the wireless computer interface dongle wrapped next to a hinged wooden box. That box revealed a beautifully crafted metallic black forearm computer, edges chased in silver piping. The armband was nicely padded and adjustable for any size forearm. Hefting it revealed it to be lighter than it looked, the screen wonderfully retro and a decently readable size, a little larger around than my hand, with a knurled selection knob on the right side of the casing. On top was a vintage design cassette-style ejector port. The underside revealed an extendable wire attachment as well as ports for the computer interface and power. Definitely got my money's worth, I thought, pleased, running my fingers along the edges of the device. Reluctantly, I set it aside for the moment to leaf through the instruction manual. So, what is this and how does it work?

Too excited to do more than skim, I flipped through the initial introduction and background, adjusting my glasses to see better. Okay... set in post nuclear war Boston. Vault-tek... exploring... dialogue... enemies... fighting... sneaking... companions... factions... weapons... armor... blah blah blah... aha!

The armband computer was called a Pip-Boy, and was instrumental in gameplay, basically being the interface the player used to interact with the world. Got it. There were simple picture instructions to set it up, which I followed step-by-step. The silicon-sheathed wires attached like adhesive cathodes to the back of each finger and thumb, interfacing with the Pip-Boy computer to allow hand motions to translate into gameplay. Oh, that is cool! Small pin adapters on the inside of the arm band mated with receivers located at the base of the finger wires. I couldn't help myself, and waved my arm and hand in ridiculous motions, the weight of the Pip-Boy present, but not hindering. I can work with this. The computer antenna dongle plugged in easily enough, depressing flush with the outer casing of the Pip-Boy.

Next, power. The cable appeared to be missing. Sorting through the contents revealed nothing more than the pieces already discovered. Instruction book, certificate, random inset cards, hinged Pip-Boy box... no power cable. I pawed through the contents again, accidentally knocking the whole thing to the floor with a noisy clatter. Sighing, of course you knocked everything over, I took a moment to gather everything back up. Maybe the booklet has instructions on how to power this thing. The chest had landed hard on one corner and when placed back on the table, I noticed the bottom plane of the box had been knocked askew. There was a slight bluish glow emanating from the gap. Grabbing a flat bladed screwdriver and a pair of sturdy tweezers, I carefully pried the wooden piece, a false bottom, free. Underneath, a small clear vial of brightly glowing blue liquid lay nestled in a padded recess, a small folded note on top. With tentative fingers, I reached out and unfolded the note.

Congratulations, Anne!

You were selected as the lucky recipient of our one-of-a-kind prototype Fallout 4 VR Pip-Boy! We want you to have the best gaming experience possible, and this exclusive device can provide it! Our prototype system expands the boundaries of Virtual Reality, giving you a Fallout adventure like no other! Unlike lesser devices, this unique schematic requires no outside power to function. Simply insert the included vial of QuantumEnergy(TM) into the power port and let your Pip-Boy do the rest! Are you ready for the ultimate adventure?

B.I.R.D.

The ink was the same as the certificate, a glittery black that caught the light in rainbow shimmers. Unfortunately the letters spelling out "Virtual" had a blot that appeared crossed out or written over... almost like the V had an additional stroke added, and the "ir" was blotted completely. It marred what was otherwise a beautifully calligraphed note. And who was B.I.R.D? No further explanation appeared forthcoming. Not quite sure what to make of it, I set it aside and picked up the vial. The vial was about the size of an "AAA" battery, and was warm to the touch. My fingertips tingled when making contact with the material. Both ends were sealed with metallic caps, identical in shape. The vial was completely full, no air bubbles appearing when shaken gently.

Examination finished, I was none the wiser. I guess they got my name from my shipping address, but why did I receive this special Pip-Boy? I knew next to nothing about the Fallout games, why send the "ultimate" in gaming experiences to a complete novice? The notes were obviously hand-written, so someone had had to have made the effort to put together this particular setup and send it out. My brows furrowed. I'm nobody, just a single girl trying to get along. Why me?

Why not? whispered a rebellious voice in my head. After all, you've got nothing else to do this weekend. I tilted the glowing vial back and forth in my fingers, glancing from it to the mysterious letter and back again. The Pip-Boy on my arm caught the light from the vial, silver piping shimmering faintly from the radiance. I grasped the vial firmly in my fingers.

"Fine. Let's do this."

Tilting the Pip-Boy towards me, I decisively installed the QuantumEnergy vial, feeling the metal end snick into place, seating itself smoothly just like the antenna. The back of the device felt like one solid piece now, no sign remaining of the ports. I took a breath in anticipation.

Nothing happened.

"Really?" I shook my arm experimentally.

Nothing.

I sighed in exasperation and picked up the letter. "...and let your Pip-Boy do the rest" I read aloud. The letter floated down to the table. "Yeah, right." Examining the power port showed nothing but the faint outline of the vial's metal end, irrevocably installed flush to the unit. Not a hint of blue glow escaped from the perfectly fitted installation. There seemed to be no way to remove it, to my growing frustration.

Twisting the Pip-Boy to face me, I tentatively tapped the screen. Nope. A harder tap resulted in the same inert reaction. "Really?!" I cried again, my voice rising in volume. I went to twist the dial on the right side of the casing. This time, nothing happened again... but the dial had moved before. Hmmmm I twisted harder, wiggling the ridged button back and forth, trying to figure out... maybe the battery installation completed a connection?

Click!

Now the dial moved smoothly. Five clicks back and forth, one click for each marking on the casing. Stat – Inv – Data – Map – Radio As I clicked back to "Stat" the Pip-Boy's screen started to glow faintly. Aha!

Eagerly, I held up my left arm to watch the screen brighten moment by moment. The armband felt comfortingly warm. The words "Please Stand By" in front of a rotating gear animation appeared on the screen, in green 8-bit graphics. As I watched, the screen glowed brighter and brighter, finally forcing me to look away and squeeze my eyes closed as the Pip-Boy flashed nova-bright, lighting up the entire room in a blue-white incandescence.

Simultaneously, the cathode wires on the back of my hand and fingers burned with sudden scorching pain, the zap of overwhelming energy pulsing up and down my whole body. I tried to scream, but only a tortured whimper escaped the muscles of my throat, locked in electrical stasis. I couldn't move, I couldn't even breathe. My vision behind closed eyelids crackled white and blue to match the dining room's illumination, blinding me to anything outside of the immediate pain. A thunderous crack sounded in my ears, or was it my head? I felt myself falling, disintegrating into the blackness of unconsciousness.