A figure atop a billboard looked on in the distance, his black armor casting shadows around him. Courier Six observed the Legion city with a careful eye and then pulled out a giant black rifle.

Six looked down the scope of his Anti-Material Rifle, looking over the dozens of patrols around the massive wall of the hostile city. Plans on how to sneak forming in his head.

He put the rifle away and hopped off the billboard, hitting the ground with no noise, the Storyteller and Edna waiting from down below.

"How many we dealing with?" The Brotherhood documenter asked as he fiddled with his laser rifle.

"On this side alone there are about three dozen patrols, no way we can sneak in during daylight." The survivalist replied as he reached into his coat, looking for something.

"We could wait until night… but I don't think me crouching around in rusty power armor is gonna help us sneak by."

"I know, that's why we're going to take the sewers. Like every city, the sewage system is two centuries old and barely holding together." Six said as he pulled out a pre-war map he stole from a dead body.

"Plus this is Legion, doesn't matter what they call themselves. They don't care about maintaining what they tear down." Six continued as he looked over a map before pointing at a specific spot. "This will be our entrance point, follow me." Six then stood up and began to jog towards his location.

"Uhh, ok. Just wait up alright." The Storyteller followed the mailman, Edna close behind.

Six arrived at the sewer grate in a moment, he then crouched down and grabbed the bars of the grate, and pulled it out effortlessly. He was about to jump down but stopped and turned to the Teller who had just arrived.

"Sorry. But you should stay here. This could be cramped and if I need to retreat I want as much freedom as possible. That and you won't be much help with sneaking around." Six said logically and he pulled out his fully modded Weathered 10mm pistol and checked it over.

"I… If you feel that way, I'll wait here, counting the vultures and baking in the sun. Maybe share a sasparilla with some legionaries." The power armored man said sarcastically.

"Heh. I'd be tempted to join you, but duty calls. Have fun with your friend." Six then jumped down into the sewer and began his trek.

The Storyteller looked at the open hole before sighing. Edna then beeped something out.

"Edna, that is just cruel. He may be aloof but he's right, A man in hundred-pound power armor isn't exactly stealthy. To pass the time, let's sort through the data we have cataloged so far."

The Eye Bot gave a confirmatory and slightly enthusiastic beep.


Six stalked the sewers, blending in with the shadows and moving through like a ghost, making nary a sound.

He then paused when he heard talking off in the distance, he pulled out his silenced pistol and stalked ever so slightly forward. Making his way carefully through the complex maze of tunnels.

He continued to walk forward until he saw a corner, the one that he was looking for, he peeked over and spied two legionaries talking to each other. He didn't care what they were talking about. Only if there were more of them.

He glanced all around and found no one else. With that out of the way, he opened up V.A.T.S and took aim as time came to a complete standstill.

He fired off two suppressed shots and two heads exploded as gore and brain matter splattered all over the place.

Six walked out of the shadows and continued forward, checking every corner as he moved to his destination silently.

He came to a hallway, with two doors on either side. He flipped a switch on his helmet and his EM Vision came on. On the door to his right was a ladder and a legionary sitting down. On the left were half a dozen other legionaries sitting in a circle. Weird.

He walked forward and opened the door to his right and shot the legionary before he could react, killing him instantly.

He then readied a flashbang, pulled the pin before opening the left door slightly, and tossed the police device into the room.

BANG

"AHH! MY EYES!"

Six then kicked the door down and fired six shots, six 10mm bullets killing the dazed legionaries instantly.

The Courier then put the Weathered Pistol away and turned to the ladder, pulling out Pew Pew and he stepped into the room above, as he did he found himself in what looked like a janitor's room.

Just then the door opened and a decanus stood there and before the slaver could do anything, two orange laser beams hit his chest and he turned into ash in a moment.

Six sighed and grabbed a broom before sweeping the ash into the closet. Once he was done he opened the door and peeked around, finding himself in what looked like a school of some kind. He turned on thermal imaging and found another half dozen red marks dotted all over the building.

He put away the laser pistol and pulled out Blood-nap and the Weathered 10mm. He grinned under his mask. 'Time to get to work.'

He crouched and slinked towards the closest classroom, two legionaries in there. He peered in and saw that one was writing on the chalkboard while the other was watching him do so.

Six got closer and covered the man's mouth as he shoved the knife in the back of his neck and twisted it, severing his spine and muffling the death scream. He then gently laid the body on the floor and got closer to the other one.

The legionary then turned around. "So what do you-" He was cut off when Six stabbed Blood-Nap through the bottom of his chin. 12 inches of steel going through his skull, killing him instantly.

He let the body fall to the ground and then left the classroom, looking around before slinking off to the next one. He glanced in and found three more legionaries, talking about whatever.

He dashed forward and stuck his knife into the jugular of the closest slaver and shot the other two in between the eyes, killing them instantly as the third choked to death on his blood.

Six left the classroom, turning his red lensed gaze to the left, and saw four more legionaries in a group near the entrance. He blended into the shadows and pulled out Sleepytime.

Once he got close enough he turned on V.A.T.S again and gunned each one down in four controlled bursts. Bits of skull and brain matter decorating the walls.

He then dashed to the next classroom, peering in finding the last three legionaries. He snuck closer to the last one and stuck Blood-Nap in between his ribs and into his lung. He then pulled out Pew Pew and shot the other two, turning them into ash once the beams hit them.

Six stood still for a moment before reloading the laser Pistol and holstering it before walking back to the janitor's closet and hopping back into the sewer.

After a few minutes of backtracking, he found the opening he entered from and jumped up before a metal-wrapped hand grabbed him and pulled him out. The Storyteller gently putting Six down.

"Jeez, you're a lot heavier than I thought. How much equipment are you carrying with you?"

"Doesn't matter. The way's clear, follow me." Six said before jumping back down into the sewer. The Storyteller and Edna looked at each other for a moment before the scribe shrugged and jumped in, the Eye Bot beeped something before following.

The storyteller followed the mailman with Edna by his side, the scribe looking around the ruble of the sewer and sighed.

"It's a shame that something that used to make cities so clean is now the very reason it's so dirty after two hundred years of disrepair."

"Hmm. Something for the longs then." Six said neutrally before he moved through the maze-like structure with ease.

"I suppose so." The teller said with a hint of disappointment in his voice.

After a few beats of silence, the two made it to the school, the dead bodies scattered around.

Six walked to an ash pile and began to rummage through it. Looking for something.

"I don't know what you're doing but you won't find-" He was cut off when Six pulled out a decanus uniform and turned to give the Storyteller a knowing look.

The power armored man looked at the intact outfit in shock before he sighed. "Right, how could I forget. Rules of the Wasteland."

"Yup. Rules of the Wasteland." Six said as he changed into the decanus outfit in an instant. He then looked at his companion expectantly.

"... What?"

"Aren't you gonna take the power armor off? Put on a disguise?" Six asked as he crossed his arms.

"... I would… but I don't feel comfortable taking it off." The scribe said sheepishly.

Six shrugged and looked around for a moment before reaching into a metal box and pulling out some red paint. "We can improvise."


Six and the Storyteller walked through the streets of Phoenix, blending in with the Slavers and the other ilk around them. The mailman wearing a decanus outfit and the Storyteller having a red bull painted on the chest plate of his power armor.

The city itself looks to be a shadow of its pre-war glory. Buildings in various states of disrepair trash and rubble littering the streets. It reminded Six of Freeside, just a whole lot bigger. Of course, there were large and obnoxious banners with flaming birds and bulls everywhere. That was a given.

That was enough to fool the massive retards known as the Legion into thinking the two were legionaries as well. 'Dumbasses' Six thought to himself as he strode through the massive crowds of free citizens, legionaries, and slaves.

The Storyteller glanced around nervously, still unsure of his disguise as Edna tailed the power-armored man closely.

Six glanced back and shimmied closer to his two companions. "Stay calm, you'll blow our cover." Six whispered to them.

Edna beeped at the mailman who in turn scowled. "Don't you take that tone with me. My plans, while stupid at times, always work." Six replied.

"While I don't doubt your… creativeness, what if someone sees through the 'disguise' I have?"

"Oh please, the Legion's filled with smooth brain dumbasses. If two women were able to get by them while wearing legion outfits then you can too." Six replied calmly.

"HALT!" A voice rang out from nearby, the entire crowd stopped, Six tensed up as the Storyteller gripped his rifle tightly. The Courier glanced to the side and saw another decanus, a veteran to his recruit walking towards them.

Six stood upright and saluted the man. "Ave decanus. Is something the matter?" Six said trying to play dumb.

The veteran looked at the Storyteller, then at Edna. He pointed at the two of them. "What is this man wearing, and why does he have that… ghost following him?"

"I-" "You mean my good friend Lazerus? He has gained this armor in fair combat after slaying a paladin of the Brotherhood, after slaying the weakling he also took the paladin's robotic wife of his own. He brings much pride to the Legion." Six said as he puffed his chest up, lying through his teeth.

The decanus looked shocked before looking up at the equally shocked Storyteller. "Is this true?" The legionary asked.

"Wh- Oh I… Yes, yes it is." The storyteller said hastily. Six mentally facepalmed and hoped that the legionary was too stupid to question them any further.

The decanus hummed before nodding and saluting the Scribe. "Then you have my respect, Amicus. May Mars grant you favor." The legionary then left them. The Storyteller let out a sigh of relief.

Six groaned before walking forward, the Storyteller and Edna sticking close to him.

"... Thanks for having my back there."

"Of course, if you get caught then so would I by association." Six replied as he shoved past a citizen. "Now we have to find a place to hunker down in before we start to kick ass." The mailman continued as he glanced around.

He spotted an explorer and silently motioned for his companions to say back. Six then walked towards the scout and brushed past the man, the legionary's collection of maps now in Six's hand.

He then looped back to his companions, reading the maps over.

"Alright. From the looks of it, half the city looks like it's abandoned." Six said as he looked it over, one half painted gold while the other half was painted grey.

"Well after Caesar died most of Legion territory erupted into full-on revolts. I won't be surprised if one of the largest slave hubs was almost destroyed in the fighting."

Six hummed. "Guess we'll set up shop over there." He then put the maps away, storing the information on his pip-boy. "Let's go."

The storyteller nodded at him as Edna gave a confirmative beep. Six nodded back and the trio began to walk towards the ruined half of the city.

Making their way past the crowds and soon finding themselves in the market district. Merchants selling a variety of wares and slavers selling things that no man has a right to.

"Young woman, redhead, barely eighteen! Can be yours for only 200 denaries." A fat slob yelled out as bidding for the girl began. Raising the price every higher as Six gave no outward reaction as the Storyteller gripped his rifle tighter.

"Don't say or do anything stupid. We keep moving." Six said all too calmly before moving on, ignoring the bidding. The scribe looked at Six before begrudgingly following him.

"AND SOLD TO THE CENTURION WITH THE BUMPER SWORD FOR 500! Settle down, folks! More wives to be bought!" The slaver shouted out to the crowd.

Six growled out and forcefully grabbed the Storyteller and kept him moving forward. His cybernetic strength keeping his companion from doing anything rash. "You calm now?"

The storyteller nodded and looked ahead.

"Good call, we can't do anything right now. These bastards will get their due soon. But it's not now." Six told the Storyteller, who didn't reply, instead simply nodding mindlessly.

Six sighed but kept quiet and walked forward, ignoring the buying and selling of flesh around him.

It was disgusting but it was a fact of life.

After a few more minutes of walking, they made their way to a giant wall made of junk and scrap, the wall itself being forty feet tall. A makeshift pulley that led to the top slowly descending, two legionaries on the pulley.

"Hey! Are you our relief?" One of them asked as the pulley hit the ground.

Six stepped forward. "Yes, we are. Ave Amicus." Six said calmly as he saluted, the two others saluting him as well.

"That's great to hear. While on watch I was sure I spotted some rebel movement, we'll mobilize a party while you two keep watch." Six internally grinned but otherwise kept his composure.

"Of course, gather as much support as needed. We'll-"

"What is going on here!?" The Storyteller tensed up as Six turned his head slightly. Two other legionaries walked towards them.

"We're the relief." Six said calmly, taking control of the situation.

The other legionary scoffed. "No. WE are the relief, just got sent ten minutes ago."

"Oh. So they didn't tell you then?" Six said cryptically.

The four legionaries looked at each other in confusion. "... Tell us what?" The apparent talker of the group asked.

"I was sent by order of the Legatus himself, it is by his command that we are here." Six said confidently, without a hint of hesitance. As if he believed his own lie.

"But-"

"Are you questioning our Legatus? Saying that he was wrong in sending me? Should I tell him that you think he made an error, that he had a lapse in judgment?" Six questioned hostility, looming over the now-shaking legionary.

"I… N-No. I apologize Amicus… I'll leave you to your duties." The legionary saluted him and turned to leave, the others following soon after. Leaving Six and his two companions alone.

"That went… smoother than I thought it would."

"If there's one thing you can count on, it's the Legion fearing their leader's more than anything else… well, except for me of course." Six said neutrally before walking to the wall and inspecting it.

"Be a doll and look out for any dumbasses who try and get close." Six said as he inspected the supports.

The Storyteller nodded and turned to look at the area, covering the mailman. Six inspected it for a moment more before grabbing a loose board and pulling it off, revealing the insides of the wall.

"Huh." Six then reached into the battle skirt of his disguise and pulled out three bricks of C4 before planting them inside the wall and key point. He then reattached the board.

"Alright, let's go." Six said as he clicked a button on his pip-boy and the Elite Riot Gear formed around him. "Got sick and tired of wearing that stupid outfit." He continued before jumping on the pulley.

"Sounds good, and yeah it was rather… tacky." The storyteller said as he stepped onto the makeshift elevator.

Six then grabbed the crank and began to turn it, pulling them both up with ease. Working the crank was a minor exercise for the cyborg.

Once they reached the top the Storyteller stepped off first and Six next. They both looked at the forty-foot drop to the other side of the wall and Six then jumped off.

Falling in a controlled motion before hitting the ground and quickly transitioning into a roll to break the fall. It rattled him a little bit but with his cybernetics and mutations, it was nothing he couldn't handle.

He then stood up and took two steps backward as the Storyteller landed near him. The power armor landed and shook the ground slightly as dirt flew into the air. The red bull had been wiped off. Edna flew down soon after.

Six looked at the massive amounts of rubble surrounding him, buildings having long since collapsed and cracked streets running through the place. Plants growing from different places and the cawing of crows from all over. It was like a dead city.

Six glanced at his companions before walking forward at an even pace. Dust was clinging to the bottom of Six's boots and bits of rubble were kicked up by the massive stomping of the Storyteller.

As he looked around, Six found a small bit of nostalgia at viewing the rubble. Reminded him of the Divide before it became hell on earth. It wasn't his home but it was the closest thing to it he found. Vegas was similar in a sense but he never considered it home either.

He shook his head of those thoughts, he needed to focus on beating the ever-loving shit out of the legion here. For now, finding a temporary base would be best. His lensed eyes looked over the ruins, trying to find something among them.

He stopped his gaze when he spotted an intact building about half a mile away. He pointed at it. "Found our base." Six said before walking towards it. His companions followed behind.

The storyteller looked at the ruble around then. "My god, how much information places like this must hold. We might find an old library in the ruins." The scribe said slightly excitedly.

"Yeah. Might have some worthwhile reads. Who knows." Six said with a shrug.

"Anything found could be a valuable boon to better understand how pre-war folk lived. To gain a better picture of how it all went down. Life before the bombs."

"... Must have had it nice… well, at least compared to us. I know what they had wasn't glamorous either… but not having to kill to survive must have been nice."

"Funny. I thought you enjoyed killing."

"I like the thrill of combat, yes. But killing is something that's lost its spark for me. It's more a chore than anything else." Six said neutrally as they got closer to the building. A large collapsed bridge hung over them as they walked through the dead city.

Six suddenly stopped and looked around. "If you're going to ambush someone it better not be me." He said loudly. Then a dozen skinny and half-starved slaves came out of the rubble. Or rather, they looked like slaves. It was more accurate to say rebels given the rifles in their hands. An assortment of FALs and lever action rifles.

The Storyteller gripped his rifle tightly and Edna spouted out some hostile beeping. Six held out his hands in a sign of surrender. Just then a brown-skinned woman with curly black hair and violet eyes stepped out and eyed the trio carefully.

"You… who are you people?" She asked carefully. Looking Six up and down.

Six looked at her for a moment before shrugging. "Would you believe me if I told you we're mailmen?" He said jokingly, receiving an unamused glare in return.

"No? Alright. We're here to kick the Legion out of Phoenix." Six said plainly causing the rebels to murmur amongst themselves as the woman raised an eyebrow.

"How can we know you're not frumentarii sent to find us?" She asked as she slowly walked towards the trio.

"Well. Legionaries don't typically wear power armor. If at all."

"While true, frumentarii are capable of anything. Blending in anywhere." She said as Six glanced around, noticing about a dozen more rebels pointing rifles at them from each side of the bridge above them.

"I know it's not much, but I just need you to trust me." Six replied

The woman looked him over one more time before sighing. "I suppose that's good enough." The woman said as she got closer, waving her hand as the Rebels then relaxed.

"We need people like you." She said simply before turning and motioning for them to follow her. Six looked at his companions and shrugged before falling in step behind the woman. The Storyteller and Edna were not far behind them.

The women led them towards the intact building Six saw a while back ago, he could see more rebels shadowing them within the ruins of the city. Six internally scoffed when he looked at them. 'Amateurs'.

After a few moments of walking, they reached the building, the women opened the door and entered. Six entered soon after and saw a large open area with dozens of people and supplies all over, large walkways and makeshift shacks hanging overhead. More people were rushing around and about with crates and bags in their hands.

But from what he saw a good chunk of them were underfed, not malnourished. But it looks like food was being rationed. He then glanced at some of the weapons stockpiled and noticed how banged up and dirty each one was. He cringed internally.

"Come, our shaman is at the highest point of the haven." The woman said before gesturing to the nearby stairwell. Six glanced at her before nodding and walking up the stairs and into the upper levels. Seeing a tent filled with wounded as well as broken machines all over the place.

Six turned his gaze to the massive tent at the top, an eagle skull hanging over the entrance. He turned to his companions and motioned for them to come closer.

"You guys stay here, see what you can do to help. I'm going to talk with the management." Six told the Storyteller.

"Sounds good. I'll see if I can repair some of these machines and squeeze a few good stories out of anyone willing to sit down with me." The scribe said before walking to one of the broken machines.

Six walked right up to the tent flap and heard the sounds of chanting coming from inside, he then entered the tent.

He saw an old caucasian man kneeling before an altar, wearing a large leather and weathered coat and a deer skull worn on his right shoulder with a hood over his head. An oak wood staff in hand. The man then stood up and looked at Six with milky white blind eyes, a long white wispy beard leading down to his stomach.

The man twitched his head slightly, turning his right ear towards Six. He then began to slowly walk forward, tapping the bottom of his staff on the ground before stopping in front of Six.

The old man then sighed in relief. "I apologize, I almost mistook you for death. Having come to collect this poor preacher's life. But I can feel in your soul that you are not him."

The old man said before turning away and walking towards a nearby table. "Would you like some tea?" The shaman asked softly as he grabbed a kettle and set it on top of a hot plate and filled it with water.

"... Yeah, I'd like some tea. Thank you." Six said earnestly as he relaxed his guard slightly.

"Then please, have a seat. We have much to discuss." Six looked around and saw two comfy-looking chairs at either side of the small table and plopped himself on one. His metal-coated bones creaked somewhat.

The man turned on the hot plate and sat at the opposite end of the table sighing contently. "It has been so very long since I have met a new face. Tell me about yourself, young man. What is your name?"

"I'd like to know yours first." Six replied as he took another sip.

"Ah but of course. I am Albalm, shaman and wise man of the free people. Contrary to what many of my people think, I am not their leader, merely an advisor. But lately, those lines have blurred." He said with a small sigh.

"Courier Six. But I prefer Six. Don't ask why." Six said gruffly and he fiddled with his elite riot helmet and turned off the gas mask, the air escaping releasing a hissing noise as he took off the helmet just as the kettle began to steam.

"Allow me." Six said as he grabbed it and poured them into the two mugs before grabbing the tea bags and dropping them in.

Once the tea has cooled down he handed the shaman one mug before taking the other. Sipping it, the warm herbal liquid began settling nicely in his stomach.

"How polite of you. Even if you refuse to give your true name. Trust is hard to build after it's been broken so many times, no?" The shaman said before sipping from his own tea.

"Yeah, hard to trust people in a world like this. Even harder to be trusted. But we all try right? To make it bearable." Six replied before sighing.

"Before we go on and on with the bullshit philosophy, you and your people need my help. And I'm here to give it." He continued before drinking the rest of the tea in one gulp before putting his helmet back on.

"Always so quick to rush into danger and away from others. But yes, more important matters to attend to. We have many problems that need to be solved. Can you help us?" The shaman asked with a hint of hope in his voice.

"Of course I will. After all, If I don't do it then who will?" Six asked rhetorically before standing up and walking to the tent flap and lifting it. He stopped and turned to Altan.

"You're not really blind are you?" Six asked as he looked at the man dead in the eye, Altan meeting his gaze before chuckling.

"Not much goes past you no? Don't worry Courier, your secret is safe with me." The shaman said truthfully.

Six sighed before nodding at the man before stepping out and back into the warehouse. Looking around before going to the tent where he saw the wounded earlier. He knew for a fact that only he could save their lives.

He glanced to the side and saw the Storyteller talking with some of the rebels, all enjoying some sarsaparilla and pre-war junk food. He shook his head and walked into the tent.

A half dozen wounded people, a variety of wounds ranging from minor to severe. A man with a red cross stitched on his vest paced around stressed out. Six walked up to the man.

"Hey. Here to help." Six said casually as he stepped in front of the man, causing him to jump up in surprise.

"O-Oh, you're the guy Circine brought right?"

"I would say yes but I don't know who that is. Listen, do you need any help with… all this?" Six asked as he waved around the tent with his left hand.

"God yes. I was only trained as an assistant until the Legion enslaved my town. I-, these people were a part of a small group of slaves we liberated. I can barely treat half of these wounds on them… you can help these people right?"

"Don't worry. I'm a medical professional." Six said as he then walked past the man and to the first patient. One with the least severe wounds by first glance.

The male patient had deep lacerations on both his arms and legs and a bruised right eye, the orbital bone was possibly fractured from what he could see. Six lifted the man up slightly and saw dozens of wounds on his back, most likely from a whip.

Six carefully disinfected the wounds with alcohol and stitched the wounds close and wrapped them up in bandages. As for the eye, he took a closer look and realized that it was indeed fractured.

He made three incisions and realigned the bone within before sewing the cuts shut. As far as the wounds on his back, he just cleaned them and covered them with bandages.

Onto the next patient, Six inspected the female patient had her entire waist and her arms wrapped up in dirty bandages. Her face was bruised and she was missing a few teeth. Given the wounds, he assumed the worst.

Six unwrapped the bandages on her waist and saw then she had a massive tear on her stomach, her organs spilling out. It confirmed his suspicions about what happened to her. She was raped constantly for a short period. Six felt a rush of anger build up inside him but he quickly calmed down.

He carefully placed the intestine back into their proper place and then cut the edges of the massive wound and stitched it back into place. The fresh cuts would be able to properly heal and he then dunked the dirty bandages into a nearby bucket of boiling water. He unwrapped the bandages around her arm and stitched those close and dunked those bandages into the bucket.

He then applied a healing poultice to the wounds on her face and body as well as stitching the cuts on her face close. He grabbed the now sterile bandages and wrapped them around her body and arms.

He quickly transitioned to the next patient, finding a woman with large second-degree burns and lacerations on her right arm and shoulder as well as a large cut across her chest.

Six sewed the laceration on her chest close before cleaning it. He then applied antibiotics to the burned area and then grafted extra skin over the burns.

Six moved onto the next patient and saw that the man had a large bundle of bandages jammed into a large cut in his jugular, two fingers on his right hand broken in multiple places. He also had a large jagged cut on the left side of his head.

Six took a deep breath and rushed to save this man's life. At his approximation he only had half an hour. First, he flung the bandages out of the neck wound and quickly clamped the vein close before reattaching the jugular as fast as possible. Sewing the wounds shut before applying a liberal amount of alcohol and antibiotics.

He then corrected the two fingers and placed pins where the broken bones were and bound them. The head wound came next and large a moderately-sized piece of fragmentation lodged into the skull that could not be moved. So he just cleaned and bandaged it, while doing so he noticed that the man's left eye had been cut almost in half so he bandaged that as well.

Thankfully the next patient wasn't in life-threatening condition. Three bullet wounds, one in the shoulder and two in the abdomen. Six quickly cleaned the wounds and applied antibiotics. He then wrapped them in bandages.

The last patient was the youngest one and had suffered a major head injury and had a large gash on the side of their abdomen.

Six examined the swollen head injury and realized that the brain was swelling as well. He shaved the kid's hair off and made an incision around the top of the head before slowly peeling some of the skin away and cutting into the skull and then lifting the top part off, giving the swollen brain room to move now. The gash would have to wait.

Six sighed and sat down next to the patient, watching to make sure that they didn't suffer a seizure or any other sudden complication. To pass the time until the swelling lessened Six pulled out a small yet thick book titled 'The Way of Kings' and began to read.

After a few hours of waiting the swelling had gone down enough that Six could reattach the skull.

He placed the top of the skull back and stapled it together, he then sewed the incision closed. He quickly cleaned the gash and applied antibiotics before wrapping it in bandages.

He was done. Six stood up and cleaned his gloved hands and then walked up to the shocked doctor.

"You… you saved those people's lives." He said in awe. "How'd you get so good at medicine?"

"What can I say? Had a lot of practice." Six said before leaving the tent.

Once he left the tent he saw the woman that had led him to the building sitting on a nearby crate and looking him up and down before standing up.

"I had no idea you were a healer as well… what else can you do?" She asked as she looked him over curiously.

Six met her gaze and looked her up and down, noticing the rather revealing hide clothing she wore and her rather… curvaceous body. As well as a bone necklace she had, the skull of a falcon at the center.

"Well, I'm told that I'm rather good with my hands. Knowing the right places to touch and how to use them." Six said with a husky voice as he leaned a little bit closer to the woman.

She smirked and looked him over once more.

"Well I certainly hope you are, I need a man with… skilled hands. But first, I need you to use your skilled hands to repair our weapons and this place was where said weapons were built, but the machines to create them have fallen to disrepair. Do what you can and I'll see that you are rewarded." She said before winking and slowly sauntering away.

Six grinned under his mask before sighing and walked to the safety rails of the platform and hopped over them. Falling down before landing at the ground level with a small thud.

He looked at the large pile of rifles and pistols and walked over. It was a collection of AR-15s, FALs, and a bunch of M1911s. About 100 rifles all together and another 50 pistols.

Six picked up a M1911 and pulled back to slide and sighed in disappointment. Grime and dust falling out of the open barrel.

"How hard is it for people to clean their guns?" Six asked himself as he dragged a nearby crate closer and sat on it before beginning the process of cleaning each gun.

Practiced hands made for quick work as Six quickly disassembled each gun with ease and cleaned each one with oil and wiping them down thoroughly.

It was a tedious task but it distracted him and allowed him to make sure he didn't suddenly go rusty.

Halfway through the shut-off lights overhead suddenly turned on as fans near the ceiling turned on too. Everything began to cool down inside the warehouse. Must have been the Storyteller's doing. Six shrugged and continued to clean the guns.

After two hours he was done, each weapon stacked neatly with their own types respectively. With the task done Six stood up and walked over the large machine near the back, three conveyor belts sticking out and ending at a funnel.

When Six got close enough he saw that it was two machines that were bolted together. And with some inspection, he found out what they were used for. Producing weapons and ammo. He rubbed some grime off of the machine to get a better look at the logo.

DSArms.

Six grunted and looked up, looking at the large chutes leading from the machine to the ceiling. He then began the process of repairing the machines, looking each part over and noting it down. Drawing up the schematics for these machines… in case he ever needed them.

Once he was done repairing them he stored the newly drawn schematics in his pip-boy with the dozens of other schematics he had. Consisting of old pre-war tech that he uncovered and technology discovered by Big Mountain. All that would prove very useful at later dates.

Six stood up and looked at the massive chutes before going to the stairs and walking all the way up, he then began to look around and after a moment found a concrete-colored door.

He wondered for a moment why it was colored that way before shrugging and picking the lock with ease. Once it was open Six stepped inside and took a look around, a giant rat that was eating some junk food looked up at him but made no move to run away or attack him.

Six walked over to the rat and leaned down before petting it lightly on the head, he then spotted a console at the far end of the room with a giant window in front of it. Six walked over to it. The rat followed him closely.

Once he reached the console and turned it on he found the option to begin the flow of materials and to turn on the machines. As soon as he pressed it the machines began to hum a little bit and then something flowed down the chutes. Six looked down as they saw boxes of ammo going down one conveyor and rifle parts going down the other.

Six hummed in satisfaction and leaned down and picked up the rat and petted it gently before walking to the door outside and saw a few children playing with each other. He then saw a young girl looking at the group from a distance uncertainly.

He then walked over to her, the girl froze slightly when she saw him approaching, her violet eyes widening slightly. So Six stopped for a moment before slowly approaching her and calmly leaning down to her level.

"Hey, I know I probably look scary. But you looked like you needed a friend, and while this guy ain't no pup. He'll treat ya right if you do the same for him. You handle his training though. Deal?" Six said as he held the giant rat to the girl.

The girl shyly grabbed the rat looking at it, the creature looked back at her and after a moment she smiled at it. She then gently hugged it and the rat began to wag its tail. Six smiled under his mask and ruffled the girl's hair. "Take good care of him kiddo." Six then got up and walked away.

As he walked away he saw Albalm looking at him before motioning for Six to come over to him. He looked around for a small bit before approaching the man.

"What did you want to talk about?" Six asked as he looked down at the hunched over man.

"About yourself… and what might lie ahead. You see, why I became what I am has to do with a peculiar talent I have. It was why I was enslaved in the first place, this talent has both served me well as well as being a burden I have carried my entire life."

Six looked at the man uneasily through the lenses of his mask. "What… what is this talent you have?"

The man reached up to his hood and pulled it back, a metal ring wrapped around his head with metal straps holding it in place. Now that Six thought about it, the thing looked a lot like the one that kid at 188 wore.

"It is no mere coincidence, Courier. The child you think of, while talented, has no training with his psychic abilities." The man said with a small frown on his face.

"How do you know about him?" Six said, his voice gaining a slight edge.

"I know many things. I can see you, the real you. I can see the hundreds of corpses left in your vengeful wake. How like the revenants of old you arose from the dead. I know many things Courier, the question is. Are you willing to believe?"

Six scoffed and turned to leave. Before he could Albalm sighed. "Even after all that you have seen? The horrors of the Madre and the Divide? The little green men. You still try to deny the supernatural."

"That can be explained. It was science run amuck and greed that led to those places. And it would be foolish to think we were alone in the universe, that one ball was the only one with sentient life."

"If that is the case then why do I know so much about you hmm? About how you beat Benny senseless before shooting him with his own gun? How you stayed your wrath of those that deserved mercy? Does your science and greed explain that?"

For a while Six was silent. He then groaned in frustration as he crossed his arms. "God… shit. Alright. Psychics exist and I was wrong. Ya happy?" Six said sarcastically.

"I have not been happy in a long time Courier. But this is not about me. I want you to be our new War Chief." Albalm said with a hint of finality in his voice.

"What? No I'm not-"

"Whatever you may say, I know you'll be the right choice. I know what you can do, and we need someone like you to train us. To show us how to free our people and liberate this city."

Six looked at the shaman for a moment before sighing. "Fine… I'll be your war chief." Six said slightly reluctantly, causing Albalm to smile slightly.

"That is good. I thank you, the tribe may be reluctant at first, the other leaders even more so. But I know you will help us. I have seen it."

"Oh yeah. Your psychic bullshit. God, I'll never get used to that." Six said in a whisper causing Albalm to chuckle lightly.

"For one who claims to be so intelligent, you are surprisingly narrow minded, no?"

Six chuckled. "Yeah fuck you too." Six replied jokingly. The shaman chuckled alongside him before gaining a serious look on his face. He then pulled the hood over his head once more.

"Come. It is time to officialize your new rank." The shaman walked back into his tent with Six following him.

The shaman then walked out another flap that led to a balcony overseeing most of the warehouse. Six looked down and saw the rebels looking at the machine producing the rifles and ammo with a mix of fear and awe.

Six looked at the tribal's reactions with a hint of fondness, he remembered when he used to be like that. His thoughts were quickly dashed when Albalm hit the bottom of his staff against the platform, sending out a loud bang. Almost as if he hit an invisible gong, which considering what he can do… it might not be too far off.

"My fellows! Gather around me! I bring news! Gather." Slowly the rebels formed into a crowd, the people down below looked up at Albalm in confusion. Waiting for something. Anything.

"I have conferred with the spirits, and I have seen the future. Even if it was a mere glimpse of what was to come. But what I have seen will be a light for us in the darkness. A great warrior has come to us in our time of need, he will lead us in freeing this great concrete jungle from those who want to enslave us. I bring you, our new War Chief. " Just as he finished everyone in the crowd murmured amongst themselves, unsure.

Six saw more than a few people glaring angrily at him, as if they wanted his new position. A small minority actually looked relieved. His sharpened eyes then saw a familiar face in the crowd. The woman, Circine if he recalled correctly, from what he could see. She was the only one who looked at him with mild interest.

Albalm stepped aside and gestured for Six to step forward. The killer of Marko and slayer of House hesitated for a moment before stepping forward, his eyes scanning over the crowd once more. He smiled under his gas mask when he saw the Storyteller giving him a thumbs up in the middle of the crowd.

"I'm sorry. I won't lie to you. And say that I deserve this title. I don't, not yet anyways… I've never wanted this, to be a leader. To have people that need me, that depend on me. It's not my business to lord over others. I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I would like to help everyone if I can… but it rarely ever works out." Six paused and looked over the crowd once more.

"But this isn't about what I want. This is about what I must do, I must serve you as a leader. Give my every moment to you, to help you, care for you as if you were my own family. That is what I must do. Bear the weight for you, as all true leaders should."

"And I don't have to tell you about what lies at the gates, at the slavers and barbarians that want to turn you into chattel and machines to build their empires for them as they live in luxury. I say damn them! Who are they to say you are lesser? What gives them the right to beat you, humiliate you, to take everything you own?! These men! They are not men! For men and women have the love for humanity in their heart. But they do not love!"

"These are machine men with machine hearts, with no soul inside their bodies! They want to shackle you and use you as cattle for their sick and twisted desires! But you are not cattle! You are human beings! People who can think, who can empathize, who love each other!"

"These men who want to tear you down, enslave you, beat you, they are filled with greed and hate. For too long have we suffered under their yolk. They drag us apart, tear away at what makes you human. I SAY NO MORE!" Six slammed his fist into the metal railing, denting it.

"We shall fight for our freedom! Fight for children yet born! Fight to create a better world where we can live with our dignities intact and our humanity full. Will you fight alongside me! To rid the world of these machine men!"

"Yes!" Some of the people within the crowd said with enthusiasm, excitement filling them. Most others looked uneasy.

"WILL YOU FIGHT FOR YOUR FREEDOM! FIGHT SO YOUR CHILDREN WILL BE BORN FREE AND NOT AS SLAVES! WILL YOU FIGHT ALONGSIDE ME TO SEE THIS THROUGH!"

"YES!" This time almost everyone within the crowd answered him.

"THEN WE SHALL FIGHT!" Six yelled out as he raised his fist, the crowd cheering at him. Their claps were almost deafening.

Slowly Six lowered his fist and breathed in and out slowly. A terrified expression on his face, hidden by his mask. 'Oh god what have I done.' He thought to himself, realizing that dozens, possibly hundreds, would die in the coming day.

And after a moment, he found that he didn't care. And that worried him more than the realization.


Been like what… a month? If so, god damn. This month felt so god damn long. Been feeling like shit for a while, even before. Things are slowly getting better day by day, passed summer school so that was nice. Got my Diploma now. Friends and Family to help me. Feeling good.

EDIT: I legit did not realize I put a Gypsy crusader reference in this chapter. Just heard the speech in a meme comp and thought it sounded good. Sorry in advance. It's been removed.

Heh. Enough about me. A huge thank you to ManwithaPlan113 for proofreading. Now. Let's get on to the reviews.

Super heavy weapons guy: That is should man. I'll let you know if anything actually comes with it lmao. Flying by the straps of my oversized clown pants now.

ManwithaPlan113: Yes he is lmao. Shoddycast. And yeah, Van Buren had a lot of cool shit in it, so why waste it. And the two characters are very minor references.

ProgressingFuture: Lmao yeah. Grass Fiona (Ferona?) is gonna be someone that I can play around with a lot. Especially since she's similar to Six in some ways.

R.O.B. The Cool Guy: Oh that, you know. Just a silly reference for readers ;)

And thanks man, glad you enjoyed it!

Quentin3655: Perhaps

Portalmesional Corporation: I'll let you know when I get there lmao.

Rook435: Oh for sure man. Everything will be explained at a later chapter with all the wonky dream bullshit. And as for the Storyteller, only time will tell what's gonna happen to him.

Francisco914: Yeah man, I was sick and tired of it too. Not a whole lot of Serious Adventure Time fics out there so I decided to make one myself. And thanks man, glad you like it.