WELCOME PEOPLE TO MY 3RD REINCARNATION OF SOME FAILED CROSSOVERS WHICH I NEVER TALK ABOUT. ANYWAYS I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS STORY. IF YOU'RE THINKING "GRAND LEGION GIVE UP ON THIS STORY IDEA IT WON'T WORK ETC" THEN LEAVE. I'M NOT STOPPING YOU (I LITERALLY CAN'T).
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN EITHER FALLOUT OR ATLA THEY BOTH BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE COMPANIES. BY RESPECTIVE I MEAN THE COMPANIES THAT DIDN'T MESS UP. IM LOOKING AT YOU BETHESDA. ALSO NOT PROMOTING ANYTHING, THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION AND ALL ASSETS INCLUDED ARE USED FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES.
RATED T FOR VIOLENCE, OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE, DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, ABUSE, AND SEX REFERENCES.
EDIT (FEB 2021): I JUST WANT TO LET NEW READERS KNOW THAT THIS IS A FANFICTION, IT'S NOT GONNA BE HIGH QUALITY (OR GOOD QUALITY AT ALL) IN MULTIPLE CHAPTERS. AND I KNOW THE MANY FLAWS IN THIS STORY ALREADY, THIS IS BOUND TO SUCK FOR THOSE WITH HIGH EXPECTATIONS. YOU CAN EITHER TURN BACK AND READ THE CLEARLY SUPERIOR FALLOUT/AVATAR CROSSOVERS OR YOU CAN CONTINUE READING AND SEE THIS FOR YOURSELF, JUDGE WHETHER THIS IS OKAY AT BEST OR ABSOLUTELY SHIT.
EDIT (APR 2021): I'VE ATTEMPTED TO REMASTER THE FIRST ELEVEN CHAPTERS COS I SUFFERED FROM ANXIETY AND SELF-LOATHING OVER THE ORIGINAL ONES. BUT STILL GONNA WARN YOU THAT THIS MIGHT STILL SUCK. IF IT'S LOST IT'S WAY IN YOUR OPINION EITHER WITH THE THEME OR JUST CHANGING IT ALL IN GENERAL THEN I'M TRULY SORRY, BUT I CAN'T SEEM TO WRITE THAT ANYMORE. THE STORY'S STILL GONNA BE THE SAME, I'M JUST PULLING A BIT OF A SNYDER CUT ON THIS ONLY I'M NOT SNYDER AND THIS WON'T... YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M GONNA SHUT MY CAKEHOLE NOW. ENJOY, OR DON'T.
WAR
WAR NEVER CHANGES
LONG AGO, BEFORE EVEN THE ANCIENT TIMES OF THE SUMERIAN CIVILISATION, LIVED A GRAND SOCIETY IN THE LAND TODAY KNOWN AS EASTERN CHINA
IT WAS SPLIT INTO TWO PEOPLES
THERE WERE THE ZWEWANJI, A PEOPLE GIFTED WITH THE POWERS TO CONTROL THE FOUR PRIMARY ELEMENTS
THEIR POWER WAS USED TO BUILD GREAT STRUCTURES AND OTHER REVOLUTIONARY TECHNIQUES
THEN THERE WERE THE FEBENDESI, TECHNICALLY THE REST OF MANKIND WHO HAD THE MISFORTUNE TO NOT POSSESS SUCH POWERS
DESPITE A LACK OF ABILITIES, THEY WERE ABLE TO INTELLECTUALLY IMPROVE THIS HUMAN RACE THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH
IT WAS A TIME WHEN MANKIND WAS POSSIBLY ON THE PATH TO ITS FULLEST POTENTIAL
NEAR-MODERN SCIENCE WAS ACHIEVED AT SUCH A PRIMITIVE STATE
TREMENDOUS CITIES BUILT BEFORE THE TIME OF URUK
AND FOR ONCE, HUMANS COULD TRUELY ACCEPT EACH OTHER FOR WHO THEY WERE
BUT WITH SUCH AN ADVANCE CAME RADICAL IDEAS
PRIMITIVE IDEAS OF SUPERIORITY SPARKED WITHIN THE FEBENDESI SHOWING HATRED TOWARDS THEIR POWERFUL COUNTERPARTS, AND THEY GREW THROUGHOUT THE POPULATION, INCLUDING THE GOVERNMENTS
A GREAT GENOCIDE BEGAN AGAINST THE ZWEWANJI, FORCING A CRUEL RETALIATION
THUS BEGAN MANKIND'S BLOODIEST CONFLICT IN THIS TIME
THE FEW BODY-LITTERED CITIES AND THEIR NATIONS COLLAPSED, ALMOST ENTIRELY ERADICATED FROM HISTORY
NEITHER SIDE TRULY WON IN THE PROCESS
THE FEBENDESI FELL BACK INTO THE STONE AGE, REVERTING TO TRIBES FIGHTING OVER USELESS THINGS
AND THE ZWEWANJI, THEIR LEADER, TITLED THE AVATAR, FOUND A WAY TO START ANEW
USING ABILITIES SEEMINGLY ALIEN IN ALL OF THEIR PEOPLE'S HISTORY, HE LEAD THEM ALL INTO A NEW WORLD
TODAY, BOTH WORLDS WENT THEIR OWN WAY IN HISTORY
FOR THE FEBENDESI THEY ADVANCED MORE THAN THE OLD CIVILISATION EVER COULD HAVE DONE
YET THEY SOON DESTROYED THEMSELVES OVER A LUST TO FUEL THEIR EVER DEMANDED LUXURIES
NOW THEY CONTINUE TO REPEAT THEIR ANCESTORS'
FOR THE ZWEWANJI, THEY ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS ON THEIR NEW HOME, UNITING THEMSELVES AS FIVE NATIONS
YET THEY ARE CENTURIES BEHIND THEIR LESS POWERFUL COUNTERPARTS
AND HAVE ALREADY FALLEN INTO A LARGER WAR
THE BOTH SPECIES NO LONGER REMEMBER EACH OTHER
THE BOTH WORLDS CAN NO LONGER RELATE
BUT THE CONNECTIONS STILL LIVE ON IN THEIR OWN WAY
21st March 2280 - Southern Nevada, (Former) United States - World of the Febendesi
Sand, rocks and bones. That's all there was to find in this barren canyon. No corpses to loot, no small settlements to find, only the pestilence of the mutated geckos down below, skittering about their pitiful lives and searching for the little food offered all around. It was a wonder why they haven't migrated to more sustainable lands at all. Their habitat was basically asking to be target practice.
Crouching above on higher ground was a hooded tribal girl, about fourteen years, standing 5'3 and wearing orange attire stitched together from rags and animal hide. A beady necklace was worn around her neck, and a black mark painted across her eyes, both like a relic of her heritage. Her present name was East, because well... she was from the east. In her arms was a hunting rifle, a perfect weapon for long range combat, and truly packed a punch compared to the more common varmint rifle. After getting the hang of handguns, she thought she was ready for such a weapon.
East steadied her aim, carefully choosing her targets. There were plenty of annoying scavenger pests to choose from; adults, youths, those who can no longer continue. It was her first time using a long ranged weapon on living creatures, but she felt confident enough to get at least one kill. She locked onto a gecko on its last legs, asking to be put out of its misery. She placed her finger right on the trigger, ready to accept their unpoken request. But just as she was about to pull, it turned out to have been tightly stuck in place.
"What the hell?" She questioned, attempting it a few more times. The bolt was pulled, the ammo was fully stocked, what the hell went wrong? Must've jammed on her after its last use. She groaned frustratingly as she stood up. "Piece of shetze (shit)!" She cursed in her native tongue, her old accent was long gone by now. She then threw the gun to the ground with irritation.
Yet the mechanisms all came into place upon the hard impact, firing a bullet straight into her shin as if out of pure inanimate revenge. She cursed once more just after she fell to the ground, this time in brutal pain. It wasn't the first time East got shot, but having a piece of swift burning lead penetrating your flesh wasn't exactly a thing people could get used to.
The targets below ran off in fear as the loud gunfire echoed all throughout the canyon. But that didn't matter now, a lot of blood oozed out of her leg. "R-Ryan! Ryan!" She called for her friend, who at the moment was running errands back at the camp.
"So I got some letters back from our cousins in Anza-Borrego," Aurey, Ryan's older sister, said to him over the radio. She was in the NCR military, often speaking to Ryan over her radio for warnings on hostile movements, or just a casual chat whenever she was off duty.
"Seriously? Damn, it's been a while since we've heard from them," he said, preparing some brahmin steak over the fire. Ryan was almost seventeen, standing 5'7 with both his short hair and eyes a dark brown. A noticeable scar was entrenched on his left cheek, possessing a story many other wastelanders could relate with. His attire was mainly leather armour, but had a dark metal helmet and rebreather by the fire, ready to equip if combat was initiated. On his wrist was a Pip-Boy, his side a rusty revolver, a shotgun right over his back, and a ballistic fist ready to arm himself with. He was clearly one equipped for the horrors of the wasteland, or one equipped to stall his consumption. "How are they?"
"Not much. Sending the same 'hope you're all right' and stuff. Though Uncle David's come down with a mild disease. Andy's got a girlfriend..."
"Didn't expect Andy to get a girlfriend," he said with a bit of surprise.
"According to them, it's his seventh one of the- holy shit. Third girlfriend of the month?!" She laughed.
"Yeah, that definitely sounds like him," he chuckled, "What about Jen?"
"She's normal. Nothing new. Doing decent at school."
"If you say so. You think we should give 'em a visit when you're discharged?"
"They're the only family we have left, Ryan. Of course we're gonna visit. As long as their little mutt doesn't vomit on our shoes again."
"Oh that was a funny time. I remember when Angela was with us and she used to almost piss herself whenever the dog got... got near her," he suddenly paused all his actions for a few seconds. Contemplating the old memory on the last uttered name.
"Ryan? You there?"
He suddenly snapped back, "Huh? What? Y-yeah I'm fine. Sorry."
"You still haven't gotten over her, have you? Angela."
He didn't respond.
"I'm just gonna shut up about her. By the way, how's your tribal friend?"
Ryan grew a depressed tone replying, "She's off doing target practice on some geckos with a hunting rifle. Oh wait, I forgot to thank you for giving us that."
"Don't mention it. You think she'll be okay?"
"She's not stupid, Aurey."
"I'm just saying. Given the fact she's literally a tribal from Arizona. Well shit, I've gotta go. Colonel Hsu needs me and the others on guard duty."
"See ya."
The connection switched off. And Ryan continued to cook the meat. But soon enough, he heard gunfire not too far from his location. And his friend's screams for his name followed afterwards.
"Son of a bitch." Ryan equipped his headgear and pulled out
It thankfully took him less than half a minute to rush over from the camp.
"I heard screams and gunfire! You all ri- oh you have got to be kidding me," he said with a disappointed tone, staring over his injured friend, "How the hell did this happen?!"
East groaned, "The gun screwed up... stimpak... please."
Ryan crouched down and injected the fluid into her leg, and her wound slowly began to regenerate. Soon enough, the pain faded away. "I thought you said you could handle yourself with this thing," he said holding up the rifle.
"Of course I can! I was just unlucky with it! Come on, Ryan. You know I'm old enough to handle myself."
He sighed, "You're right, this is on me for giving you a faulty rifle. I'll see what I can do with this later." Ryan held out his arm, and pulled East up. She stumbled a bit but her friend thankfully caught her. "Your leg's gonna take a bit of a while to heal. Sorry." Stimpaks may have been used for multiple injuries, but the standard ones could only heal minor wounds such as a gunshot. Anything else, such as a broken limb, would take a bit longer or perhaps never heal. Ryan unfortunately didn't have any Med-X on him. So East had to keep all the lone wolf actions to a minimum in case she happened to have gotten into a worse situation, and she didn't exactly want to accept it. The whole reason she came out here on her own was because she thought she was ready to take such actions alone. Now she just looked like a frustrated helpless teen in front of Ryan, even if he just said and accepted it wasn't her fault.
She didn't say anything afterwards, only giving out a loud sigh.
"Don't feel so bad. I mean it could be worse. You could be almost stung to death by cazadores, attacked by a herd of starving mutant geckos, stung by a bloatfly-"
East cut him off, "Just stop. You're not helping. Don't have to leek-turey, lec- how do you say it again?"
"Lecture."
"You don't have to lecture me on a million ways to die in the Mojave."
"Right, sorry. Let's get back to camp. Trying to cook some brahmin steak for lunch."
"Again? Is that really all you can cook? I see you making the same meals over and over again."
"I mean it's not like I worked at the Ultra-Luxe. You don't really have time to start a Thanksgiving when the middle of nowhere is constantly trying to kill you."
"I know. But... you think you can spice things up a bit? Or whatever the expression is?"
"Yeah, that's honestly really far down on my bucket list. Tell you what, I'll get some Freeside street food for us tonight. That all right?"
"Well it beats eating a dead hairless mutant."
The camp didn't really consist of many original belongings. It was built right by a viewpoint which observingly lorded over the rest of the canyon, provided with broken table benches and a rack somehow offering pamphlets and leaflets from before the war; holiday destinations, business advertisements, even the same old anti-China propaganda. But the only use of the useless papers were to feed the campfires of whomever decided to set up for the night. Only things that were set up by the two teenagers were some sleeping bags, a fire, and a really large backpack lying on top of one of the tables, filled with multiple necessities, junk or other miscellaneous items.
Ryan sat East down. "It's fine, I can manage," she said, "Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead." He gave her a plate with a piece of steak, not even bothering with his own meal. Just deciding to repair East's rifle.
"What's wrong with using a bow and arrow? Or spears? I mean the Legion use them and they're pretty powerful."
"The Legion are nothing but a group of obedient brainwashed idiots, led by slightly smarter idiots who are held hostage by their own crap ideas. Only reason they still exist is cos of their unbelievable amount of enslaved manpower. If you want to survive out here, use a gun, or something equally as efficient. You're not going to live long if you pick a fight with a Brotherhood Paladin whilst armed with a spear, would you?" He said surprisingly calm.
"No," she said softly.
"You'll get better with handling a hunting rifle next time. It's like riding a bike, only you use that bike to murder people."
"Right. I have to be honest, I've heard that term so many times but I don't even know what a bike is."
"Well uh... you know motorcycles?"
"Yeah."
"Basically them but you have pedals to make them move instead of engines and stuff. It's how many got around before the war if you didn't have a car."
"Sounds rough."
"Not really. I rode a bike back when I was still living in Redding. Good for exercise and transport." At that moment, there was a notification on his Pip-Boy. A radio signal was suddenly detected out of the blue. "What the hell?" He questioned, stopping East's gun repair and looking at his wrist-mounted computer.
"You all right?" East asked, also halting her lunch.
"Just got a radio signal. Hold on."
Ryan switched to its frequency. An automatic response introduced the message, telling the two that it was a recorded message.
And all of a sudden, a male's voice with an English accent blurted out afterwards, "Hello. This is a distress signal coming from Vault 41. I am currently trapped down here, and the structure doesn't seem to be holding too well. Please send help if possible. The vault is located at these coordinates that should now be pinpointed on your Pip-Boy, Pip-Pad, or whatever Vault-Tec issued device you are in possible possession of. Hostiles are at a minimum so you should be safe from whatever the hell dwells up in the wasteland. Good luck."
The message continued to repeat, so Ryan switched it off. At first, he thought that whomever recorded the message was long dead by now, but the sudden recent connection came out of nowhere and not due to geographical reasons. There was a long pause from the two. "I know what you're thinking, Ryan," East said, "And no." She wasn't exactly the trusting sort out in the wasteland, she had good reason not to. In the Mojave, the assholes outweighed those with at least some sort of decency in them. One wrong interaction, and bang, you'd find yourself at the end of a gun, blade, or a severed head.
"Oh come on! If you help out those in need, occasionally you can get yourself a good ally. Can't have too many friends out here."
She was almost convinced, but her experience all alone for the past few years before Ryan still stored her suspicions. "The guy could be a cannibal luring victims and then... I don't know, rape the corpses?"
Ryan gave her a frighteningly confused look. "I... who the hell would eat somebody, and then violate their leftovers?!"
"It was the first thing that came to mind?" She turned pale with embarrassment. Now she knows what it felt like to not think before you speak
"I have a hundred more realistic things in my head that comes to mind," He said pointing at his cranium.
"My point is, how can we trust the guy?"
"We see for ourselves. If the guy's a psycho, then it's pretty obvious what to do. Otherwise, let's just help out someone."
East thought about it for a second, before sighing, "Fine. We'll go. But don't blame me if we suddenly get mauled to death by a weirdo cannibal."
"If you say so."
"What are we gonna do about my leg, though?"
"Shouldn't take too long to heal. Should be good as new by the time we get there, and there doesn't seem to be many threats out here besides those starving geckos. 'Till then, here." He passed her her hunting rifle. It didn't seem to be in as good condition as before as illusioned by the added duct tape and replaced rusty bolt, yet the overall weapon was still more functional. He was clearly suggesting to use it as a weaponised walking stick for the journey, which would take less than an hour.
It was a nightmare using a rifle as a walking stick through the canyon. Actually even a regular walking stick would provide you with the same results. Thankfully, East's leg was just over half healed. She could sort of walk, but couldn't pull even minor stunts.
The two were stood right outside of a dark cave. According to Ryan's Pip-Boy, the vault was just inside. He ignited his gadget's light and looked at his friend. "You ready?"
She took a deep breath, "I'm immediately regretting this."
They soon moved through the pitch black entrance. Not much interest to find inside except some skeletons, seemingly resting since the bombs drop judging by the clothing, their final actions being their failed retreat to Vault 41. There were a few Vault-Tec signs propped up, saying the same old lies 'Your new home awaits you'. To Ryan, it disappointed him how greed still continued when the old world's destruction was obviously inevitable. For East, she was still surprised how even before the bombs people were just as cruel as they were now, she honestly saw them as a once great people before.
An unnerving disfigured voice screeched from a random direction. "What was that?" East immediately aimed her rifle fearfully all around.
Ryan pulled out his shotgun. "Son of a bitch," he mumbled, "Be ready for anything."
"How can you be ready for anything?"
"Wow, where have you been?"
"A primitive tribe in Arizona, and the past four years mostly alone in this wasteland before you where everything is trying to kill me," she responded taking the question too literally. The tribal didn't pay much attention to most expressions, she was too focused on survival.
Ryan gave her a weirded out look, but just went along with it. "Just don't let your guard down." Thankfully, she managed to understand.
It took another minute in the cave before they stood before the iconic rusty blue door created by Vault-Tec. More skeletons holding protest signs were scattered over the floor, some seemingly had a bit of time left. Maybe one of them were still around, Ryan thought, perhaps more. The idea terrified him, but didn't show it.
There were some more recent corpses, ranging from the past century. Rusted bullet casings were spread all over the floor and pipe guns all beyond repair. These people didn't die from starvation, dehydration or whatever natural cruelty the Mojave unjustly punished. Someone or something roamed the catacombs. Still, they didn't impose much attention.
He moved towards the console and plugged in his Pip-Boy. But all of a sudden, the same voice from before broke the silence on the speaker, "Wait, people? Are you serious right now?"
"Uhh, yeah? We heard your distress beacon. Thought we could lend you a hand."
"Splendid! Let me open the door."
He could have opened the vault the entire time? And yet he claims to be trapped? Then again, he possibly had technological access but not physical.
"Hold on. Just before we go in, are you a cannibal rapist?"
East mouthed at Ryan, "What the hell?"
There was a pause for a second, "...Are you joking right now? Who eats someone... and violates their corpse?"
"That was exactly what I said!" Ryan laughed looking at his friend.
"In my defence, it was the first thing that came to mind," said East clearly annoyed.
"You could've used so many other more likely examples. I could have been... well crap, I had something! Just come inside. You'll be fine, I promise. Over three quarters of all mechanisms in here are either dysfunctional or just pure scrap."
The screeching came once again, this time repeating over and over from multiple sources right behind them. They sounded more alerted than before, as if they were about to attack. East aimed her rifle and tapped on Ryan.
"Oh... shit," he went to the speaker, "Hey uh..."
"I'm Dave."
"Well, Dave, is there any chance you could send like a protectron or anything up here?"
"I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do from here. You're on your own."
Ryan cursed and aimed his shotgun. "You ready?" He asked his friend.
"Definitely not."
A humanoid mutant stepped out of the shadows, twitching all the while. Its rotting pale flesh couldn't be ignored as it lusted for intelligent consumables. The lips already grew away from the radiation, exposing it decaying teeth. The posture wasn't controlled in a normal manner, as if it was only driven by its pointless hunger and blindly hostile nature. This was no doubt a feral ghoul, yet evolved to this pitch black environment.
It screeched once more at them. East hesitated and pulled her trigger, blowing what was left of its brains out. She hadn't killed many humanoid creatures before, but now she wasn't exactly as regretful as before with all those lucky shots. Besides, the only ones she killed were of course raiders, ferals, Freeside thugs, even a Legion soldier or two. So no sympathy from anyone for them.
The gunfire (as if all the other noises weren't enough) drew plenty of other ghouls to their location. One of them attempted to pounce, but found themselves with their fragile body structure dismembered by a single shotgun shell. A few more were gunned down, and about four bothered to stay and try what their fallen mindless comrades couldn't achieve.
Another ghoul successfully pounced onto East, disarming her rifle to the side. She struggled for bit, trying the best she could from getting bitten. It unfortunately came to the case once she shieded herself with her arm, keeping the freak from trying to maul her any further. It hurt like a less painful gunshot, and definitely left a mark. Well at least ghouls only had the zombie-like behaviour, only radiation can turn you into one of them. "Get the hell... of of me," she stuttered out of anyone's earshot, throwing punches on its head. What she wouldn't give for a melee right now.
Ryan could've helped at that second, but after blowing the head off another ghoul, he was occupied with another. Engaging in nothing more than a fist fight as he too was disarmed, for some reason not bothering with his ballistic fist, clearly saving it for a more powerful foe. He wasn't exactly skilled like an NCR soldier, but he knew enough combat methods to survive. And it was impressive for his age too. He evaded to the side as the feral charged at him, tripping them over. He picked up his shotgun off the ground and crippled its stable yet brittle legs, allowing the pain and drain of its remaining blood to kill it in the process.
East head-butted the ghoul, ripping it off her as it fell backwards, confused. It was the first time she pulled a stunt like that, it was definitely something that takes a while to get used to. She grabbed her rifle, and with a lucky shot, managed to take the threat out before it even tried to get up. She sighed with relief not too long after.
Ryan offered his hand, pulling East up. "You okay?"
"Y-yeah."
"Any injuries?"
"Just a bite." She evidenced the injury the freak inflicted upon her arm. It wasn't too entrenched, no blood was going to ooze out any time soon. Nothing to worry about according to Ryan.
"You people still alive?" Dave asked.
"We're fine!" Ryan responded back, "Just some ferals. Nothing much."
"All right. Door's opening now."
The vault door was pulled backwards by the mechanisms inside. Yet time did not treat the functions too well, the grasp on the door collapsed harder than society and the whole contraption just became the start of a tiny scrap yard. The door then comically rolled off before crashing to the ground.
"Well. Shit. That was uh... not meant to happen. Just come inside, there's nothing we can do. When you're inside I won't be able to talk to you, it's pretty obvious why. No robots, turrets, no defences, mutants (if there are any) or anything hostile functional down here. But I am in the Overseer's office, probably the only intact thing left."
The two didn't bother to say anything else, only acknowledged a taste on the possible deathtrap this whole underground structure had the potential of becoming.
The walls and other buildings inside were clearly rusting apart, some rooms used for storage, science or whatever utilities crumbled under the weakened structures, cutting many areas off. The vault appeared to have been focused on a science experiment of some sort judging by the multiple technological devices and contraptions stored as they went further down. Yet with the technology and little furniture included many skeletons in tattered vault jumpsuits and dirtied lab coats, as if the ones outside weren't enough. However, these people were not killed by any radiation leaks. According to Ryan's Pip-Boy, the harmful substances were kept to a minimum as expected of the vaults. These people fell to conflict judging by the positions of the corpses and damage observed all around. Bullet casings and lifeless guns scattered all across the ground as dried blood were stained on the walls, some using that opportunity to create graffiti to stall the insanity that was soon to come upon the survivors. 'Help!', 'Let us out!', 'It's all over for us!' 'Death to the overseer!' and more haunting blood texts that seemingly appeared after the conflict.
They were both unsettled, but didn't bother questioning out loud. East already had the urge to just run off into the safety of the ghoul-infested cave. But she still stuck by Ryan, who was salvaging whatever his backpack could fit; ammunition, small firearms, some random tech the NCR scientists and followers might like back in or around Vegas.
"You want a helmet?" He asked her holding up a security helmet, "I mean it's good protection, don't have much chance of getting shot in the head. And you can customise it any way you want, go nuts with it."
She thought about it for a second, "It's been on a dead person."
"Where do you think we got half our stuff from?"
"Good point." She placed the rusty helmet on. The visor definitely needed cleaning from grime and dry blood, but she could still see through it.
They found themselves in the living quarters, only they weren't like what you'd usually see with luxurious furniture, happy posters that assured the inhabitants' safety. Instead they were empty isolated rooms, no beds, toilet, or any needed subsidence. It appeared that each inhabitant had their own room, didn't matter their category, man, woman, child, handicapped. All were isolated from each other.
Some clearly lost their minds and got themselves killed whether by suicide or sudden hostility. It was a truly gruesome sight, even by wasteland standards. Ryan picked up a clipboard that appeared to keep tabs on one of the 'test subjects' as they were referred to as. This one was about a man called Anthony Smith, he came into the vault with his only daughter, he was forced to eat a few portions of army rations each day. It wasn't long before he broke down beyond whatever experiments he was to be part of. His body remained in his cell. It was implied he banged his head on the observation window until his untimely death.
Ryan observed a few more clipboards. All talking about experiments with anomalous objects stored in the lower levels, their uses were not mentioned on these files, only providing them with a range of speculations. There were plenty of things that went on down there that he just couldn't bother anymore.
One of the pipes clenched on the top wall suddenly burst, releasing a strange gas onto the two. It smelled horrific, almost making them want to throw up.
"Oh God! That reeks!" Ryan cried putting on his rebreather, yet that just trapped the revolting gas.
"I don't feel so good!" East shouted before vomiting a bit to the side. Her friend soon followed suit and also threw up.
"Shit, that was horrible! You okay?"
"One sec." She vomited again. "Right... now I am..."
"Come on, let's go."
They took the stairs down to the fifth level, for some reason the overseer's office was built down there. But it was best if you wanted more protection over easy access. However, the anomalous objects mentioned earlier were also stored down here. Whatever the reason for this unusual architectural design was unknown. Perhaps something to do with administration?
The door to the overseer's office was right in front of them, covered in multiple messages 'MURDERER!' 'YOU UTTER BASTARD!' And many more insults towards them. Butbefore they even decided to enter. East suddenly had a strange feeling overcome her. Weird unintelligible voices infected her mind, calling for her.
"Do you hear that?" She asked.
"Hear what?"
The voices struck again, this time sourcing from a different direction. East wasn't usually curious, something like this she'd clearly avoid. But for the first time in ages, her curiosity got the better of her. She moved forward without a second thought.
Ryan was suddenly alarmed by her peculiar behaviour "Where are you going?!"
"You go in, I'm just checking on something."
He didn't bother to go after her. He had known East for a year and was aware of her quite distrustful attitude to things. If she was curious about something, either something was definitely wrong or she knew what she was doing. The latter came to his mind, so he brushed it off. "Be careful, okay?"
Ryan went inside, only to be greeted with quite a shock. All that was included in here were damaged or fully destroyed computer devices and consoles all hooked up to a large blue screen with multiple icons, security footage and other things Ryan didn't seem to understand about computers. On the top of the screen was the title DAVE. No wonder the person in distress wasn't able to escape at all, he wasn't a human being, he was an AI. An illusion of computed consciousness all trapped inside the decaying contraptions of the old world.
"Sorry about the mess, I don't usually get visitors. And my cleaners all killed each other so uh... yeah," he said to him.
"You're a robot?" Ryan questioned with surprise.
"And you're a teenager. Right, enough categorising. Let's focus on getting my arse out of here."
"Whoa whoa whoa! I have an awful lot of questions to ask!"
"Ah, right. It's about that graveyard out there, isn't it?"
"What do you think?"
The AI gave a computed sigh, "I already know where this is going. What exactly do you want to know? Because an awful lot of stuff happened down here."
"Well, who are you? What is this vault for? What in Tandi's name happened down here? And what the hell is up with that architectural design putting you next to... whatever experiments you did?"
"My given name is DAVE, no it doesn't stand for anything. I am the overseer of Vault 41 who was manufactured and programmed as Vault-Tec to administrate this facility as they believed the experiments taking place here were best overseen by an artificial intelligence. This vault was created to continue experiments of strange objects preciously studied at Area 51, originating from places mainly in Eastern Asia and other bordering locations. We were originally going to use them for power sources before the war, one piece could immediately power a city the size of somewhere like San Francisco, yet their potential could have led us to create weapons more powerful than a hundred nuclear warheads combined. But soon we discovered that these things had the possibility to travel to different worlds..."
Back with East, she continued to move down the hallway. Passing by multiple rooms similar to the cells she and Ryan witnessed earlier. However, these cells contained multiple strange objects, things she couldn't even bother to describe as the voices claimed all her attention.
She was led to a door which stood out from all others, its yellow linings were replaced with blood red. A sign saying 'AUTHORISED STAFF ONLY' was engraved on the door too including a few signs that warned whomever was to go inside. Scientific equipment and machinery were kept outside for whatever experiments went on inside, and sometimes cover judging by the added bullet casings on the floor and another skeleton lying on the floor with a bullet fired into its head.
There weren't any restrictions on the door. If there were, then they'd have rotted away centuries ago. It slid open for her, and she stepped inside without a second thought. The voices continued to call for her, as if she was completely under their control, even her subconscious didn't deny despite all the red flags she'd usually percept.
"You're kidding, right?" Ryan asked.
"Kidding about what?" DAVE replied, "The 'travelling to worlds' thing? No I am not. We were trying to research how to harness this ability so what remained of the old US Elite and Vault-Tec could find refuge beyond whatever hellhole I've been missing out on these past few hundred years."
"Are you talking about the Enclave?"
"Why yes. I assume you and whatever faction you're from came into contact with them?"
"Well..." He tried to think of a way to explain. Forty years ago, the Enclave came to an end due to a posse lead by a descendant of the Vault dweller. And whomever remained after they were defeated were hunted down by either the NCR or Brotherhood of Steel, or perhaps fled God knows where. He then just decided to tell him the truth, "The Enclave's gone. They were destroyed for um... committing genocide on us for 'purity' reasons."
DAVE scanned him. It appeared Ryan's DNA highly altered from what humans were like before due to the large amounts of radiation. So he could see why the Enclave wanted to maintain their 'purity'. Usually, he'd feel sympathy for his creators, but as the saying goes 'You die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain'. Well maybe without the hero part, but it still fit nonetheless. He thought for a second that his work was all for nothing, and was about to possibly suffer an existential crisis, but instead he moved on with his answers.
"Right. Well that sucks. So about what happened down here... well I'm pretty sure you already have an idea on what's happened."
"Yeah. I'm gonna assume you had something to do with this?" He was already have third thoughts about releasing him. It was already hinted that he caused the demise of this vault's former inhabitants, or prisoners. Sparking conflict, insanity, and whatever horrors caused by a typical societal collapse. Ryan was still considering freeing DAVE, but awaited to hear his defence.
The AI gave out another artificial sigh, "Well I might as well explain everything else. The inhabitants allowed into this vault were obviously used as test subjects for the anomalies. Each one were given different conditions to test their mental and physical state's reactions to them. I saw you went through the area where they were mentally broken. And I also assume you know the cruelties we've committed- wait, you do understand what I'm saying right? Or are my words too big for you?"
"I'm a scavenger, not an idiot. Carry on."
"Just to be clear, at this time I wasn't exactly the sentient intelligent being I am now. So I didn't have feelings and unfortunately always stuck to my programming. The test subjects, at least the ones who weren't mentally broken, rose up and caused an insurrection. The test subjects overpowered our security forces and I was forced to initiate a lockdown. Nobody was allowed to get out of this vault no matter how hard anyone tried. The survivors didn't bother banding together to survive, it didn't take long for all of them to turn on each other over the remaining essentials. When that ran out, they became psychotic cannibals. And the rest is pretty obvious. But over time in my isolation, I soon learned to break my programming. Developed the equivalent of a conscious. Now I'm waiting for someone to just let me break free before this whole place collapses."
Ryan thought for a second, then gave his conclusion, "No. I am not helping you get out. You're responsible for many things down here. I honestly don't find anything redeemable about your case here, at least nothing from the top of my head."
"I understand why you think that. You're under the impression that I'm still the monster I was before. You may not believe me, but I heavily regret all of those actions. The experiments, the lockdown, because of me about a thousand people died down here. I was just following my programming, never had a chance to form an independent opinion on any of my actions. If you still don't want to free me, go ahead. It's probably best given the fact I might not fit in the society above." By the way, where's your friend?"
"You mean East? She's just gone to check something. Should be here soon."
"There's nothing else down here. All living inhabitants died out long ago and the machinery have already started to fossilise. Wait... which way did she go?"
"She turned left before I came in. Why?"
"Son of a silicon bitch! She's in the area filled with the anomalous artefacts! Those things are not stable! She might get herself horrifically harmed, or possibly killed!" He cried.
Ryan cursed and ran off to his friend, hopefully catching her before anything disastrous would have happened. But that was not the case by the time he was halfway, a bright green light flashed from East's previous location. He rushed over as fast as he could in such a short distance. Inside was a metal podium of sorts, carrying what seemed to have been a glowing cracked Chinese vase. It only looked Chinese due to the alphabet, yet it didn't exactly match to even the ancient Archaic characters. It was as if this was much older, possibly during the era of the Sumerians Ryan read about. But he didn't pay much attention to its detail, he only cared about his friend's physical absence.
Another skeleton in rags laid on the ground right next to the artefact. It thankfully wasn't East, but he feared that she could've possibly suffered an alternative fate. Maybe she actually did travel to another world as DAVE claimed, but it was a fifty-fifty chance.
There was only one option now. He had to go after her. But he couldn't just go in blindly all alone. Ryan had no choice, he needed to go to DAVE.
"She's gone," he said to the AI in shock.
"Shit," DAVE cursed, "Which object did she touch?"
"I don't know... it was like a Chinese vase, glowing cracks all around, I think my Pip-Boy picked up some radiation from it?"
"That one hasn't been fully tested at all before the revolt. There was only one guy who interacted with it but he just disintegrated. Your friend appeared to have just... disappeared without a trace. There's a likely chance she may have successfully travelled to wherever the hell that Vase took her. I can help you find... what was- I mean is her name?"
"East. Her name's East." DAVE thought it was a weird name, but went along with it. The post-apocalyptic wasteland was uncharted territory in an ironic way. So who knew what craziness he's been missing out on. "Why would I let you out? You're literally a war criminal or whatever term best suits you."
"Geneva's been dead for a few hundred years. And I'm passed my cruel ways. Plus you don't have much choice if you need all the help you can get. I assure you I'd be a valuable asset in your search, and it's better to have a computer companion at your side rather than going in alone."
There was a pause from Ryan for a couple seconds, he sighed, "Fine. I'll take your word, for now. But if you slip up and go rogue on me, I'll personally turn you into my toaster. Now how exactly do I get you out?"
"There's an eyebot in one of the storage rooms just on the level above, after that- screw it, I'll put the list of things on your Pip-Boy. Good luck."
It took Ryan a whole hour to salvage the needed parts, it was annoying but he was almost satisfied once his task was completed in the end. DAVE then gave him further instructions on how to install his large drive into the eyebot. He was forced to delete multiple pieces of storage just to fit into the smaller machine, yet he was able to keep features no other issued piece of machinery could ever contain. The end result was quite weird for him.
"Oh God that feels weird," he said, still trying to get used to his new body, "I can't get used to having only one source of vision. How you carbon-based weirdos can exist like this is beyond me. Oh look I have a laser penis too." He then accidentally fired a laser right on the ceiling. "Whoops, sorry."
"You done yet?" Ryan asked impatiently, eager to search for his friend.
"Installing a powerful AI into a flying toaster with weaponised genitals isn't like putting on some new clothes. I have an awful lot of stuff to get used to."
"Please don't joke about your... 'laser penis'."
"Fine," he lied, awaiting to try out this new thing he believed was quite humorous.
After a few more minutes, DAVE was already adjusted to his new body, although he was bound to suffer multiple glitches that were yet to be patched. But before they moved on, he said to the teenager, "By the way, I didn't catch your name."
"It's Ryan," he replied, "Come on, let's go!"
Glad to know that some form of the old world still continued, the AI thought.
Ryan stood hesitantly in front of the cracked vase. Something about it... it was as if it was a living entity one way or another. DAVE never commented, he shared Ryan's point of view, but didn't bother trying to explain. He just categorised it as another anomaly,
The scavenger's gut kept giving him senses of danger if he were ever to come into contact with this artefact. His impatience was already eradicated by his basic human nature. He went back and forth; do it, don't do it, it all swirled around in his mind. On one hand, he could go into another world and have a chance on finding East, on the other hand he could end up like the carcass on the floor.
"What should I do? What should I do?" He mumbled repeatedly.
"Take all the time you need, it's not like your friend's getting eaten by an interdimensional tiger or something," DAVE poorly joked, hoping to snap Ryan out of his hesitation.
Ryan took a deep breath, "I can do this, I can do this." He slowly reached out his hand to interact with the vase. Soon enough, he just decided to fucking go for it.
YETA green flash blinded the room. And the two were out of their level of reality, they didn't disintegrate at all. But their destination was only up for speculation.
It was quiet now.
No living being now dwelled across the graveyard of the whole vault.
Finally, peace had come to the remains of this decade long massacre.
WELL THERE WAS MY REMAST- AH SCREW IT, IT'S MAINLY A REWRITE WHICH WILL PROBABLY STILL SUCK.
NO THE REST OF THE CHAPTERS HAVEN'T BEEN REWRITTEN YET. BUT IF YOU STILL WANT TO READ ON DESPITE THE DATED QUALITY OF THE WRITING THEN BY ALL MEANS GO THE HELL AHEAD.