Bioshock - Averting Fate

by Scepterfall

Only a world with Infinite possibilities can make a fictional world real. But why me? Why not Booker, or at least a capable soldier, not a wannabe. But they told me the story isn't complete, and Elizabeth nor Booker were meant to complete it. It's apparently my quest. I'm only hoping that I can save her in the end. Even if it means taking the wrench to my head at the end of it all.

1. Chapter 1

Coast of Maine, 1912

"Is our guest awake?"

"No, not yet."

"Ugh…" The sensation of swaying in all directions was enough to get Ryan to groggily wake up. With his left hand being the closest, he places it over his stomach, as he slowly opens his eyes. Water splashes against his already damp face as he flinches away from it, closing his eyes once more. He attempts to open his eyes once more, and it only takes a split second for him to open his eyes widely in complete shock.

He isn't home, he's in the middle of an ocean, or lake, he couldn't tell. In a row boat with two other individuals, all of them heading towards a lighthouse in the middle of a stormy night. Worse of all, this setup was all too familiar to him.

"What the fuck!?" Ryan said as he jolted up, looking around his surroundings. His sudden movement jostled the boat.

"Be careful back there, I'm sure we can all agree that none of us wants to get capsized!" The man rowing the boat exclaimed.

That got Ryan's attention as he looked at the two in front of him. He immediately recognized the two as the Lutece twins. Robert was facing his way as he rowed the boat, but strangely enough he wasn't greeted with Rosalind's back. Instead the omnipotent scientist was looking at him, with a strangely concerned look.

But her strange gaze wasn't Ryan's top priority. He pointed at both of them.

"You two are supposed to be fictional!" He said with a paranoid tone.

Rosalind leaned back, her look of concern being replaced with a look of interest. As if she was waiting to explain something.

"Bioshock Infinite, key word being Infinite." Rosalind started, with Robert continuing.

"We know you did a fair amount of research into the lore…"

"… so we're absolutely sure you can fill in the blanks." Rosalind simply explained, but something didn't really sound right with her. She sounded like herself, but without the intellectual tone. In a ways, she sounded like normal Jennifer Hale.

"Okay…" Ryan didn't really pay that much attention to what she said, he was too distracted with the difference of her voice. But then her words finally did sink in with him and he realization hit him. "Infinite worlds, infinite possibilities." He said with his eyes closing, enclosing his face with his hands and his elbows falling to his knees. "Bioshock's real…"

Ryan already knew the implications of what he just said. Ever since he started gaming, he always has an interest in games with good narratives and good characters. They'd always provide him with great escapism. Sometimes he'd wish he be a character, or be the main character in his favourite games, but he knew that not all his games were all sunshine and rainbows. With this in particular, a world with so many horrible things, now literally brought to life…

"Indeed it is." Robert simply commented as he continued to row the boat.

Opening his eyes, Ryan had realized that they reached their destination, the lighthouse. He then remembered a quote, a quote that's carries the weight and basic summary of this great video game series, now turned real.

"There's always a lighthouse…" But before Ryan can continue, Rosalind interrupted him.

"…there's always a man…"

"…there's always a city." Robert finished.

At that point, Rosalind actually stood up, and climbed the ladder onto the pier. She turned back to look at Ryan.

"Are you coming?"

"Dear sister, I don't think-"

"This is necessary? On the contrary I do believe that this is completely necessary. He has many questions, and I shall answer at least some of them." Rosalind stood her ground, as she waited for Ryan to climb onto the pier. Said man was still on the boat looking at the both the twins. Robert then simply glanced at Ryan, sighed then looked back at Rosalind.

"If you insist sister."

Rosalind then looked back at Ryan. "We don't have all day Mr. Passerine, you have a lot of questions, and I'll be happy to answer some." Ryan looked at both of the twins, mainly at Rosalind, who at the moment doesn't seem like herself. Looking around, its not like he had much of a choice in where to go exactly. Putting more thought into it, he realized that he's currently in Booker's shoes at the moment. If he gets off the boat right now, he'll be accepting a difficult and dangerous quest.

"He's not moving!" Robert exclaimed.

"He will, he has to." Rosalind didn't bother to look at her brother. Instead, looking at Ryan, all with a pleading look.

Ryan sighs. "Its not like I have much of a choice in the matter." He said as he climbed the ladder to join Rosalind on the pier.

"I'll be here, in the rain." Robert commented.

Ryan smiled a bit. "Maybe next time I'll row the boat."

Robert looked up him. "If there is a next time, I'll be sure to take you on that offer." With that, Rosalind and Ryan made their way to the lighthouse. But before they left the pier, Ryan made a move for the boathouse. Before he took the first step, Rosalind grabbed his wrist.

"No need, the silver eagles in the boathouse aren't there." She said.

"But-"

"Just follow me." With that she lets go, and continues her way to the lighthouse. Ryan stood there for a moment before following along. Once he reaches the top of the stairs, he sees the door has already been opened, and Rosalind waiting inside. As he approaches, he remembers the note on the door. Before entering, he spares a glance to see that the note isn't the same as the one in the game.

'Ensure her wellbeing, and bring her to safety. -M'

"M?" Ryan thought out loud. Rosalind clears her voice to get his attention. With that, Ryan enters the lighthouse.

He looked around, and was astonished at how accurately it represented the in game lighthouse. He has played the Bioshock games many times, with Infinite being his favourite. So to see such an environment brought to life, made his anticipation for the view of Columbia to skyrocket.

"Heh… skyrocket…"

"Mr. Passerine?"

"Oh, yeah?" Ryan turned to face her. The 'fem-tece' took off her rain hat and rain coat, with her current attire being her original.

"Like I stated earlier, I'm sure you have a few questions. But know that I can't answer them all." She explained.

Ryan sighed in relief, even though there was a growing anticipation for the view over Columbia, it was completely overshadow by the fuckton of negatives, unknowns, and downright ridiculousness of this whole endeavor. While thinking about all those factors, the sudden realization hit him, and he was surprise that it didn't hit him earlier. He's inside a game, or a game has been literally brought to life, or has it always been there? So many questions, Ryan didn't want to think about it, it made his head hurt even more.

"Take it easy, that's why I'm here." Rosalind placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Ryan took a couple deep breaths before straightening out his thoughts. With a good shake of his head, he looked at Rosalind. "Thanks."

Rosalind nodded and then pressed on. "Questions?"

"Right, questions…" Still sorting out his thoughts, Ryan asked a basic question. "Am I dreaming? Is this real? Is…" Ryan pointed up. "real?"

Rosalind nodded. "Yes, its real. It wasn't real from where you came from, nor is Rapture. But in other worlds, it is real."

Ryan sighed, struggling to comprehend and accept this new reality. "Okay, that's… um… something, I guess." Ryan continued to think. Then something came across his mind. "Why am I here? Where's Booker!?"

"In New York, still drinking his problems away." Rosalind responded in a 'as a matter of fact' tone.

"I shouldn't be in his shoes, why am I here? He should be in his own shoes, and I should be wearing mine. Am I wearing his shoes!?" Ryan said, doubt growing in him while quickly checking his footwear.

"And yet he isn't. You're here."

"Okay, then how bout this; why me? I'm just some guy who played the games, that doesn't mean I actually have experience! Get like a soldier, a mercenary, or at least a cop! I only shoot guns in the range, I never shot anyone, EVER!" Ryan loudly yelled, spilling out his growing frustrations and anxiety. To which Rosalind raised her arms up to calm him down.

"Calm down, just relax." Ryan just kept a steady breath. A part of him just wanted to panic, this whole ordeal was the definition of insane. The other part of him was his gamer instincts, ready for the challenges ahead of him. Although his realist part greatly overshadowed his excitement, and with that his panic started to grow. Yet hearing Rosalind's uncharacteristic gentleness did do some favour for him as he took his time to relax.

"Okay… I'm good. Sorry for that… just… mind blowing, I guess. I'll try to control myself." She just nodded.

"Right, well regarding your question, let me ask you this; why'd we bring Booker to Columbia, and not a sober, rational and experienced soldier or mercenary?" Rosalind answered his questioned with one of her own.

Ryan put some thought into it, remembering what Booker had in store in Columbia, and into Bioshock as a whole. "Because Booker had a part in all that has happened, and all that's going to happen in Columbia." She gestured and gave him the look that encouraged him to keep going, to follow that thought train. Then that very train hit him.

"Oh fuck, no!"

"Mr. Passerine-"

"NO! Listen as much as I love the Bioshock games, they are just games at the end of the day. I am not a key character in all the shit that happens in a fictional game!" Ryan ranted once more. To which Rosalind gave him a serious look that made him realized what he'd done. "I- sorry."

She sighed. "I know this is all, mind blowing as you put it. But I am truly sorry, you do have a part to play in all this misery. Now the call has come, and you have to answer." Ryan wasn't really having it, he sat down on the cold steel of the first step of the stairs. Rosalind followed suit as she too sat down, next to him.

She struggled to find a way to start off a conversation, and decided to hit a more personal note. "I know that ever since you were little, you wanted to become a soldier."

"Still do." Ryan quickly answered.

"Yes but, not for the reason many would believe. You want adventure, being a soldier is just, the quickest way to it." Rosalind spoke.

"Yeah, but this isn't what I had in mind! Sure, being in Booker's shoes was a fantasy of mine, but also being Nathan Drake from Uncharted, or being Commander Shepard in Mass Effect. That doesn't mean I wanted to be them! Their adventures make for great games, but their circumstances in them… just suck!" Ryan explained.

"That maybe so Mr. Passerine, but think of it this way; we didn't bring you along because you had a debt to settle, nor to satisfy your thirst for adventure." With that, Rosalind passed him a wooden box.

"Then why'd you bring it u-" Ryan stopped his rebuttal and saw the box she had given him. He instantly knew what it was, the same box she gave to Booker. But instead, the engraving just showed his name.

'Ryan Passerine'

Ryan opened the box, and the first thing that greeted him was a picture.

The picture of Elizabeth.

He took it out, and examined it. Elizabeth in her early stage dress. He flipped it the exact same way Booker did, and saw what was written behind the photograph.

'Keep her alive.'

"You're doing this for her." Rosalind said as Ryan kept staring at the written note, and then at the picture of Elizabeth. For all the bad things he remembers in the Bioshock games, Elizabeth certainly wasn't one of them. As a matter of fact, she's one of the main reasons why he enjoyed Bioshock Infinite more than the first game, she was just so lovable. Her dancing in Battleship Bay, her friendly yet naïve manner, her innocent curiosity. The first levels with her were one of the best moments in Bioshock, her innocence was just, precious. But unfortunately, in his opinion, she's also one of the most tragic characters that he has ever witnessed. A victim caught in-between the crossfire, someone who never asked for all the horrible things that has happened around her, and yet was met with a bittersweet ending. Ryan can't lie, in his many fantasies about the games he played, one of his biggest was to give Elizabeth that freedom and happiness that she so desperately deserved and needed. A thought then came to him.

'She's real. Elizabeth isn't a fictional character anymore, she's as real as I am now.' He thought. A sense of determination and justice flowed into Ryan, but then was washed away by a flood of doubt.

"Booker can do that." Ryan responded as he placed the photo back and closed the box.

"Yes. But you can do it, and keep her alive at the end." Rosalind said.

"So that's what this is all about huh? To keep her alive, even through Burial at Sea?" Rosalind gave him a firm nod. "Then why not send me straight into Rapture? I could prevent her death there."

Rosalind looked away from him for a moment, before looking back at him. "I can't answer that." She simply responded.

Ryan gave her a hard look with narrow eyes. "And even if I keep pressing it, you won't spill anything?"

"I can't." She simply said.

Ryan sighed. His determination still strong, even amongst the waves of doubt. Elizabeth is real, a real person, and a real person who needs help.

"Fine." He said as he stood up. "I'll go through this hell, only because I truly believe that Elizabeth deserves a happy ending. Not the death awaiting for her in that godforsaken underwater city." Although he meant what he said, he still loved the setting, in the sense of a video game. Be couldn't help but applause Ken Levine. In game, Rapture was a fully realized setting that is still amazing, but in reality, it is still an extremely disturbing place. Well… literally in reality, cause now its real.

"Good." Rosalind said as she too stood up. "Anymore questions?"

"Um… yeah, how should I approach Columbia? Should I follow Booker's footsteps to a tee? Or should I go my own way?" Ryan asked.

"I'll give a recommendation, not exactly to the tee, but go in his general direction." Rosalind answered, to which Ryan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Is something the matter?"

"Ah, you're surprisingly blunt when it comes to answers."

Rosalind became hesitant, to which Ryan definitely noticed. "Well, I can't give you a response for that. Besides, Booker's actions in Infinite showed the best way to survive Columbia. "

"Okay…" Ryan simply moved forward in topic. "Next question then, what should I tell Elizabeth after all this?"

"What do you mean?" Rosalind asked.

"I mean, how should I explain who I am, what my job is. She'll be asking questions and at the end, she'll want some answers." Ryan explained his question even further.

"Oh that's a simple one, be honest and at the end, don't say anything." Rosalind briefly explained, to Ryan's confusion.

"I… don't follow?" He responded, to which Rosalind happily explained.

"Well, even a monkey can understand." Ryan couldn't help but smile, hearing the familiar Rosalind Lutece. "Once she sees all the doors, and what's behind them, she'll see the logic in all that has happened. You being there instead of Booker, much like how she learned everything about Booker once the Siphon was destroyed."

Ryan blinked. "Wow, that actually made sense."

"Of course it did, I dumbed it down for you. See? Even a monkey can understand." Ryan was starting to miss the more sympathetic Rosalind.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Geez, thanks I guess."

"Okay, if you don't have any other questions, then you should be on your way." But before she can vanish, Ryan did call out to her.

"Hold on a minute." Rosalind paused, and turned to meet him. "I have one more question."

She gave him a curious look before addressing him. "I'm right here."

"Yeah, what's up with you?" There was a rather pregnant pause for the Lutece to process the question.

"Pardon?" Was all she could think of in terms of responses.

"You didn't give Booker this kind of treatment. You didn't step off the boat and answered any of his lingering questions. And you certainly didn't show this much emotion… ever actually." He took a step closer to her to empathize his curiosity. "What's your role in all this madness now?"

One thing was for sure, Rosalind was struggling to keep a neutral look. But at the same time, she wasn't gonna break anytime soon. With a frown and furrowed brows, she responded.

"I can't answer that."

Ryan kept his dissatisfied look on her. "Okay then." He simply as he turned to face the stairs. "I guess our session of twenty questions is over, even though I only asked like about, what? Five I guess? When will I-" He turned to face Rosalind, but in classic Lutece fashion, she wasn't there anymore. "- see you again… guess at the fair."

He looked around the room, then himself, to realize that he had a completely different set of clothes on. With that in mind, Ryan decided to make his way up the stairs, into the floor above him. There he was greeted with a hideout setup; the map of the city route, and a small living space. He dropped the box that was given to him by Rosalind on the bed, and made his way to the wardrobe. Opening it revealing a mirror, he examined the clothes he had.

The only thing he was wearing that he recognized, was his dress shirt. He bought it in a store cause it was really unique, the navy blue dress shirt with a hood and subtle yellow highlights. Other then that, he didn't recognize the other clothes he was wearing. The black waistcoat with sage green highlights on his lapel that matched his loose sage green tie, and the black dress pants with crimson stripes running down to his black dress shoes.

"At least I look different from Booker." Ryan said out loud, squinting at the tie and waistcoat highlight. "Is that green or grey?" He asked out loud, knowing he wouldn't get an answer.

Before turning his gaze from the mirror to what's in the wardrobe. He found some aviator goggles that was tinted. Luckily they were slim enough so it wouldn't feel too bulky or uncomfortable on his face.

He picked them up, and wrapped around his neck. "Would be useful once I use the skylines."

He took a another quick glance at himself in the mirror, and just then notice the rectangular bulge in his pocket.

"Is that…?" Ryan dug into his pocket, pulling his smartphone out. "Fucking shit, its kinda wet!" He exclaimed, using the clothes in the wardrobe to dry his phone. Once he concluded that his phone was sufficiently dried, he turned it on, and to his relief, it was fine. With that, he also realized his phone was still at the same battery level as before he woke up on boat. "Seventy-four percent, could've at least charged it for me, Luteces." He said as he turned his attention to the bed with the box.

Sitting down on the bed, he opened the box and examined the contents inside, as the first time he opened it, he was solely focused on the photograph of Elizabeth. As soon as it was opened, he pocketed the photograph, and the key out of Elizabeth's tower. After securing it tightly to him, he turned his attention to the biggest object in the box, the gun. A C96 pistol, in game called the broadsider. He stared at it for a moment, and realized something, he didn't have any sort of holsters on him. Or at least he didn't see a holster much like Booker had. After a brief search, Ryan found out that he had a back pistol holster. Looking back at the gun, he stared at it for a couple brief moments, and tossed it away.

"I'm gonna lose anyways." Was he reasoning.

Turning his attention to the box again, rewarded with the only thing left inside the box. A coin purse filled to the brim with silver eagles.

"I'm gonna make sure I don't lose this." Ryan said as he tightly secured the coin purse on himself.

With the box empty and the pistol left largely forgotten on the floor, he made his way up the stairs. On his way up, he only spared a quick glance at the body left there, this time there no such warning of disappointments leading to death. Just a body with a sack on its head, and a bloody bullet hole. He has seen dead bodies before, he's been to a funeral or four, but this body still unsettled him. Passing without comment, Ryan made his way up to the top, where he was once again greeted with rain.

He made his way to the door, showing the three bells. He'd played through Bioshock Infinite enough times to know how many times he should ring the bells, and at what order. So without delay, he rang them.

*Ding* *Dang, dang* *Dang… dang*

"Here it comes." Ryan told himself, as the horns from the sky blew out loud for many to hear. And if it wasn't noticeable enough, large, bright red lights shined through the overcast night. They rang out at the same order as the bells did. The chills of pure anticipation ran down Ryan's back, hearing such a powerful sound was practically eargasmic to him.

With the five horns from the heavens completing its showcase, the lighthouse he was on responded to the sky, in the same manner as the bells did. Not a moment to lose as the sky answered once more, and the bells of alarm rang out. The door with the bells had opened, the red chair presented itself to Ryan.

"Alright, time to go up." Ryan said as he approached the red chair, and sat down. His arms ready for the iron grips, they quickly hold him down, the room around him changes into a rocket pod.

"MAKE YOUR SELF READY PILGRIM. THE BINDINGS ARE THERE AS A SAFEGUARD."

His breath became quick as the room around him secured into place. "Alright, this is kinda exciting, but mostly terrifying." Then something occurred to him. "Wait a minute, if I had a back pistol holster that meant…"

The floor tilted ninety degrees, to where he was exposed to the rockets below him. Nothing fell out, and nothing would've fallen out.

"GOD-FUCKING-DAMNIT, I'M A MORON!" He cursed out loud as the platform leveled out, and introduced him to the full view out the window.

"ASCENSION, ASCENSION, IN THE COUNT OF FIVE, COUNT OF FOUR, THREE…"

"Idiot, moron! Nightmare! NIGHTMARE!" Ryan continued to berate himself.

"TWO… ONE… ASCENSION…"

The rocket jolted as he felt the sensation of being launched into the air. "Oh fuck! Oh fuck, oh FUCK THIS!"

"ASCENSION."

"Ok, calm down, calm down, remember the view you're gonna see." Ryan kept reminding himself as the rocket went straight up.

"FIVE THOUSAND FEET."

"Remember the spectacles, the cool skylines you'll ride on." He continued to reassure himself.

"TEN THOUSAND FEET."

"Remember the dangers, the people you'll meet, the people you maybe able to save."

"FIFTEEN THOUSAND FEET."

"Remember… her."

"Hallelujah. "

The rocket pod blew pass the overcast, and into the sunny dream like atmosphere of Columbia. Although the rocket pod was quiet as it can be, in his head Ryan heard the music that accompanied this scene. The soft piano as the scenery moved to the right, showing Columbia in all her dreamy glory. Seeing it in person was truly a sight to behold, an impossibility made possible, the miracle of infinite worlds.

The rocket pod landed on the elevator, the resulting sound was enough to get Ryan out the trance he was in. The elevator brought him down, into the awaiting baptism.

---

Why would he send his savior unto us,

If we will not raise a finger for our own salvation?

And though we deserve not his mercy,

He has led us to this New Eden.

A last chance for redemption.

.

.

.

And the Prophet shall lead the people to the New Eden.

Every time he plays Infinite, he'd always read those quotes out loud, psyching himself up for the exciting game ahead. Now, after a rather adrenaline pumping rocket ride to Columbia, and a Keanu Reeves style breathtaking view of the city later, all he could do was read them in his head.

The door opened into Columbia, the safeguards that slightly bruised Ryan's hands were remove, but he kept sitting there, processing what had just happened.

"What am I getting myself into?" Ryan couldn't help but ask himself. With that being said, he slowly climbed out the rocket pod, and into the slightly flooded interior of the welcome centre. Rubbing his slightly bruised wrists, he couldn't take his eyes off his surroundings. The beauty, the architecture, the stain glass, all it showed how just impressive Columbia is. Well in the surface at least. He has seen this in-game so many times, but to actually see it in person. He felt like he was in a movie set, not in the actual thing.

Walking to the massive statue of Comstock, he remembered the rooms on either side to his left and right. Usually he'd go there to grab the voxophone and some spare Silver Eagles, but that's game-logic. Here, there were actually people in pews of either room, they had their belongings, and Ryan couldn't just take their cash. So instead of rousing suspicion, he circled around the statue, where he was greeted by the male pilgrim who welcomed the player.

"Welcome to Columbia, friend. The closest you'll ever be to heaven, till we see judgement day, that is." He welcomed Ryan with his righteous yet friendly tone. Ryan just passed him without comment, and took a step down on the stairs. Immediately, he almost slipped.

"Whoa!" Ryan immediately held on to the wall on his left, and the male pilgrim turned around to face him.

"Are you well brother?" He asked.

"Just dandy." Ryan replied, but in his head he was complaining about who designed the stairs. To him, water plus stairs equals concussion.

With that, Ryan kept a steady pace down the stairs, with a grip on the walls around him. Reaching the base, he was greeted once more with a spectacular and lavish interior of knee high water, candles, and angelic statues.

"And every year on this day of days, we recommit ourselves to our city, to our prophet, Father Com-" Ryan tuned him out immediately, knowing he'd be talking for awhile, and just made his way to the priest. He knew that he was making such a ruckus with his splashing as he moved, because he felt the glares of the other pilgrims on his left and right. Even some of the congregation ahead of him turned to face him, with glares of their own.

As he approached the congregation, the priest immediately stop his preaching. "Is it someone new? Someone from the Sodom below? Newl-"

"Yes." Ryan interrupted him, to the displeasure of the priest. "I wish to enter the magnificent city of Columbia."

To that, the priest smiled at him. " The only way to enter Columbia, is through the sweet waters of Baptism! Will you be cleansed, brother?" With that the congregation chanted for Ryan to take the priest's hand.

"Reach out, brother!"

"Hallelujah!"

"Glory be!"

"Sure, I guess." Ryan simply said as he reluctantly took the priest's hand. The priest pulled him closer to him, and started the baptism.

"I baptize you in the name of our prophet, in the name of our Founders, and in the name of our Lord!" With that said, he dunks Ryan into the water. After a few seconds, he pulls Ryan out the water.

Ryan doesn't really gasp for breath, as he remembers in game that Booker doesn't really last long in the water. Either Booker wasn't ready for the dunk in the water at that moment, or Booker doesn't have the best lung capacity.

"There you go my child, reborn anew in the eyes of our prophet, our Founders, and our Lord. Go, venture to the city, and let the Angel of Columbia embrace you with her divine glory and her merciful love!" The priest lets him go, and gestures Ryan towards the tunnel. Without another word, he walks into the tunnel.

"Huh-" Ryan said, but quickly shut his own mouth, realizing that his words reverberates due to the enclose tunnel. He was about to remark about the so-called baptism he just received, along with the priest. If he'd follow through, said priest and his congregation would've definitely heard. So without another word, he just continued his stride, until he exited.

Back outside, he was once again reminded about how great this place looked. The statues of the founders were even more detailed then in the game.

Ryan scoffed. "Heh, wish I had my…" Then it hit him. "Fuck, not again!"

Ryan could easily hear the pilgrims in front of him stop their prayer, and with that, felt their glares at him, due to his vulgar interruption. But that didn't matter to him, as he once again took his phone out. It was a bit more damp this time around, and he didn't have anything dry on him.

Ryan looked around, and realized that maybe one of the many pilgrims around the welcome centre would have something that could help him. He exited the shallow pool, and was greeted by a male pilgrim.

"The waters help us cleans-"

"Wait hold on a sec, do you have anything that could help me dry off?" Ryan interrupted the man in the least rudest way he could at the moment, but also in a way that showed his urgency.

The man smiled at him. "Why yes we do dearest brother, we have towels so many like yourself could dry themselves off. Would you like one?"

'I wouldn't be asking if I didn't WANT ONE!!' Ryan mentally screamed before answering him.

"Yes, I would love one, thank you very much." He responded with as much sincerity he can gather up. There, Ryan was led into a building, where to his right, he was immediately met with a wall of shelves. Shelves full of towels.

"Help yourself." The pilgrim said as he walked back outside, and to where he was initially standing. There, for about five minutes Ryan worked diligently to dry off his phone, and himself.

"Stupid water, stupid wetness. I don't mind swimming, but drying off is a pain sometimes." He muttered to himself as he finished scrubbing the towel on his hair. Dropping the towel on the ground, he made his way out the welcome centre.

Exiting the welcome centre was when he remembered the many vistas and picturesque sceneries Bioshock Infinite had to offer. Seeing New Eden square in all its dreamy glory is one of the many sights to truly behold in Columbia. The Welcome Center already attached itself to the square, so Ryan simply walked out to the utopian vision of the American dream. People having a splendid time, a hot dog stand genuinely smiling and having a blast, people picnicking, a boy calling out the latest news in Columbia, blue sunny skies, and amazing food. Ryan walked through it all in a trance, he couldn't gush enough about how such a place truly existed. It was all so beautiful, the game doesn't do it much justice, to see it all for yourself is a sight to behold.

But Ryan had to snap himself out of it, remembering that behind this beautiful curtain, lies an ugly and rotten view of what Columbia actually is. Then, the sights around him suddenly dulled, it didn't look beautiful to Ryan anymore. It felt... deceiving. But there was only one truly beautiful sight in this city, and she's trapped in Monument Island.

Ryan then kept walking, a head more fixed to his mission, then ever swiveling to the distractions around him. He eventually arrived at the disconnected bridge, making it to the ass end of the parade.

"All clear. Good luck at the raffle, folks." The policeman said as bridge reconnected itself, and people were allowed to cross. Once across, Ryan saw the poster, warning many of the False Shepard.

"Luckily I'm not Booker." Ryan said as he passed the poster. He only gave the singing quartet his attention for a brief moment, knowing how iconic they are to the beginning of Bioshock Infinite.

Although going forward, Ryan did give his fullest attention to the sight ahead of him. "Monument Island." Ryan said. The Angel herself looked as if it was reaching out to give him a hug. "Elizabeth…"

"Telegram!"

"JESUS CHRIST!" Ryan flinched hard as he placed a hand over his heart.

The delivery boy flinched as well, slightly scrunching up and bringing his arms closer to himself.

They both looked at each other, before the boy broke the silence. "Apologies for the unintended scare sir. Are you Mr. Passerine?"

Ryan sighed as he brought a hand up to push his hair back. "Yeah… that's me, kid." The delivery boy nodded as he handed him the telegram. "Thanks." He simply said as the kid quickly scampered away. Ryan shook his head before reading the telegram.

"If you intend to follow in his footsteps, you'll have to be creative.

-M"

"Who's M?" Ryan simply said, as he just pocketed the telegram. He then looked around, and remembered the telescope to the left. Walking up to it, Ryan slotted a silver eagle in, and looked into the scope.

There, he was greeted with the sight of the Angel of Columbia, but that wasn't what he was looking for. Turning the scope to the bottom left, he remembers a juggling Robert Lutece, but instead Ryan got a single Lutece. Rosalind as a matter of fact, and a stroller to her right. She had her back to him, and a hand on the handlebar of the stroller, while looking at the sights ahead of her.

"What the fuck?" Ryan mutters, taking his eyes out the scope to view it with his own. Now near the edge was just the stroller, no Lutece. Ryan quickly got down the long way, not wanting to go over the railing and rousing suspicion. He looks into the stroller, to see a new C96 Broadsider, with a note.

"Nothing would've fallen out."

"Yeah, yeah..." Ryan said annoyingly, as he crumpled the note into a ball, and threw it over the edge. Next was the gun itself, along with two additional magazines of ammo. "Yeah, I thought we were saving this reference for Battleship Bay, but I'm not complaining." He said, as he looked around to see if anyone was looking his way. With an all clear, he holstered the gun, along with the ammo, and made his way to the fair.

---

"Aw…" Ryan groaned, seeing the devil game being closed due to being out of Bucking Bronco. He was hoping that if he played the game, he could get Bucking Bronco early. But apparently he couldn't cheat that easily.

"Well, onto the shooting games." It didn't take him long to win at both the games. Considering that the targets were much slower in person and he had experience in the shooting range. So with a extra bagful of Silver Eagles, he was stopped by the voxophone vender.

"You sir! Do you want to try out the latest in voxophone technology, brought to you by our very own Jeremiah Fink!?" He enthusiastically called out to Ryan, to which he shrugged and approached the booth.

With a deep voice Ryan spoke into the voxophone. "I, am your father."

"I, am your father." The voxophone replayed, with that the vender laughed.

"Ha ha! So you've seen the amazing play too huh?" The vendor spoke to him.

Ryan titled his head in confusion. "Play? What play?"

"Oh you know, the play you just referenced right at the voxophone! Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back!" The vendor happily responded, to which Ryan mentally groaned.

'He plagiarized that too?' Ryan thought.

"Oh yeah, great mo- play! Am I right?" Ryan responded back with fake enthusiasm, to which the vendor didn't notice.

"Absolutely! You know, I loved the part wh-" Ryan interrupted him.

"Hey, sorry but, I gotta go. But hey, I'll try to find you again, and we can talk all about it, sounds good?" He said as he begun to walk away.

"Sounds good sir! Enjoy your day." With that, the man continued to call out for others to try, and Ryan was trying not to get a migraine.

"I wonder what he hasn't plagiarized." Ryan muttered to himself, as he kept walking towards the raffle, not paying much attention to anything around him.

"Hey sir, looks like you're having a bad day, why don't you try po-" Some woman called out to him.

"I'm fine, I don't nee- oh." Ryan was about to shrug off this woman before noticing he was in front of the possession booth.

"Oh, but I'm sure someone as handsome as you would love some company. And I'm willing to give you that." The sales woman said in a seductive manner before handing Ryan a bottle of possession. "It's on the house, just cause you're that fine looking. Although someone like you, wouldn't need something like this."

Ryan had a moment of slyness. "Well, maybe not on other people, but to enter a certain raffle." He said, looking at the locked gate with the automaton on the way. He took the bottle from her.

"Oh, so you're a bad boy." She giggles. "I'll just pretend I'm not looking then."

An uncomfortable shiver later, Ryan downed the bottle, without even considering what he was drinking, nor the taste. But before he wanted to spit out the vigor, his vision changed to a tunnel like vision, as his focus was completely on the saleslady. With her hands, she made a giant green heart, and blew a kiss towards him. After, she changed into the familiar green specter of the possession ghost. A couple of moments later, his vision normalized, and the saleslady was back to where she was standing.

With a wink, she turns her back to him, leaving him with no one watching him. That gave him ample time to possess the automaton, and open the gate.

He couldn't lie, that was weird. She wasn't like this with Booker in the game. It made him feel… weird…

"Heads?"

"Or tails?"

"JESUS, FUCK!" Ryan exclaimed, forgetting what lied beyond the closed gate. "Oh yeah, you two. Oh and by the way…" He looked at Rosalind, as he slightly turned to show the hidden gun behind him. "Nothing would've fallen out, really?"

"We weren't mistaken now, were we?" Robert spoke.

"No you weren't, but you didn't have to remind me." Ryan then look timid for a moment. "It was embarrassing." He said in a lower voice.

Robert cocked an eyebrow before responding. "Yes it was, but your lack of common sense at that particular moment doesn't answer our current question. Heads?"

"Or tails?" Rosalind finished.

Ryan looked at them curiously, before looking at the coin on their plate. He picked it up, almost cautiously, and examined it. It's a standard silver eagle with either side showing either heads or tails. At that moment, Ryan remembered. He put the coin back, and looked at the board Robert was wearing.

"Turn around." He said.

"Pardon?" Robert answered in curiosity. Growing a tad bit impatient, Ryan just simply went around Robert, and saw all the tally marks for heads. He then counted.

"Five, ten, fifteen, twenty…" He continued to count until he reach the last group of tallies on Robert's front. "One hundred and twenty three…"

That gave him pause, the one hundred and twenty third Booker was the one you played in Bioshock Infinite, the one who broke the circle.

"I see…" Ryan said. He once again picked up the coin, and flipped. "Um… heads?"

The coin spun in the air, and landed. Rosalind smiled, as she turned Robert around, and marked the first tally, on the side of tails. She looks back at Ryan, and winks at him. But it wasn't like a seductive wink that saleslady gave him, but one you would give instead of saying 'trust me.'

Ryan blinked, and like that, they were gone. Leaving him with a view of a couple of young girls playing hopscotch, and singing a nursery rhyme about the Songbird.

"Okay." Ryan simply said, aware that there's a certain significance about what she has done. Then, he realized. "I'm the first... whoa." Whoa indeed, as the thought plagued his mind. He begun to put the pieces in his head.

'Maybe that's why she recommended me to follow Booker's footsteps. But was Booker just some sort of test? A test before the real thing? But that'd be cruel, to not only Booker, but to Elizabeth as well. And why would they pick someone who played the games based off these events? What are they getting outta me?' These many thoughts and questions swirled around his mind. So much so, that it made his head spin, feeling nauseous, and even more confused then ever.

---

He kept moving forward, the questions will have their answers at the end. He just needed to endure hell on a flying city.

"This will give the Vox Populi a run for their money." He heard to his left, seeing a cop holding up a skyhook.

'Correction, my Skyhook.' Ryan thought, remembering these two being the same cops that Booker brutalized at the raffle. 'Correction, that I have to brutalize. Oh dear…' Ryan's stomach instantly did a one eighty. He had never killed anyone, ever. He's never even went hunting, never killed an animal.

Ryan just shook his head. "I'll cross that bridge once I get there." He instantly heard the singing from the raffle square. "Which is really soon."

Looking for a distraction, Ryan then saw the statue of Rosalind Lutece, and remembered a very subtle moment. He smiled when the statue changed into Robert Lutece. But quickly his jaw hit the floor. He's never really seen a tear in person. So to see such a tear presenting itself, disregarding how subtle it is, is an amazing sight to see. Walking by it, he could hear the kids hiding from the statue, murmuring to themselves. But he kept his attention on the statue. He should've kept his attention to where he was going, as he took a sign to the face.

"OOF!" Ryan fell ass first onto the ground, rubbing his face and hearing the kids behind him laughing. "There goes my pride." He said to himself, as he wanted to see who was responsible for his shattered pride. Then a thought hit him as hard as the sign did. The sign for the mark of the False Shepard stood on front of him, and he realized he didn't have that mark.

"How am I gonna- oh wait… I'll have a baseball." With a solution soon to be at hand, literally, he made his way to the raffle, still ignoring the laughing kids behind him. He walked passed the people, and saw Monument Island ahead. But before he could climb the stairs.

"And now, the 1912 raffle has officially begun!" People then blocked his way, he could easily weave pass the people to Monument Island, but that would mean he wouldn't know what lied ahead in that new path. He possibly wouldn't get Devil's Kiss, or Murder of Crows, and Rosalind did say to follow in Booker's footsteps, but not to the tee.

"Hey mister, over here!"

Ryan inhaled, and exhaled. He steeled his gut, and placed his trust on the Luteces, Rosalind in particular. Sure, the path ahead of him would hurt him, injure him, and would have the highest possibility of death. But at least he would know what would come after him, what would happen, and how to potentially save people in Booker's shoes. He approached the lady.

"Would you like a ball?" She happily said.

"Sure…" Ryan only said as he grabbed a baseball.

"Come on, don't be so gloom, I'm sure you'll win." She said with a smile before walking away.

"Yeah, that's the problem…" Ryan said to himself as he turned the ball around, readying himself like he was anticipating a jumpscare.

'77'

"What a surprise." He mumbled to himself.

"Bring me the bowl! Is that not the prettiest young white woman in all of Columbia!?" Jeremiah laughed, along with the crowd. "All right then, the winner is… number seventy-seven!"

"Lucky me, at least I get to throw it at a certain announcer." Ryan muttered.

The lady who handed him the ball exclaimed as she was standing next to him. "Over here! Over here! He's the winner! I knew you'd win, see, you shouldn't be so depressed!"

Ryan cocked an eyebrow. 'Didn't you walk away from me a minute ago or something!?' He thought.

Jeremiah Fink looked at him. "Number seventy-seven come claim your prize! First throw!"

With that, the curtains drew apart, and the crowd chanted 'first throw.' As the curtains drew, a white man and a black woman slid out, both bearing faces of fear and humiliation.

"Please… please, don't do this!"

"It was me. It was all me. Please, please! No… please, what are you doing!?"

They cried out at Ryan, pulling at his heartstrings. Ryan already knew that he was throwing it at Fink, but to hear their cries for mercy in person was just.. disturbing, and heartbreaking.

"Come on, are you gonna throw it? Or are you taking your coffee bl- ACK!!!" The baseball hit square on the nose, causing him to fall, as the whole square went quiet. "AGH, AAAHHHHH, FUCK!!" Fink swore, as he got back up, holding onto his bloodied nose.

The crowd backed away from Ryan, as he stood there, a smug grin on his face. "Fingers slipped." He said with a knowing tone, all the while raising his arms up. With his arms in the air, the pair of cops came from behind and gripped both his arms.

"You're under arrest!" The one with 'his Skyhook' said, pointing the device just mere inches from his face.

Jeremiah got close but never left the stage. "Look what we have here people, clearly someone from the Vox Populi!" He roused the crowd, as they then chanted for Ryan's death. "And we ain't gonna have his filth pollute these holy streets of Columbia! Show him what we got planned boys!"

This is it.

The officer moved the skyhook closer to his face.

Luckily, he sort of planned ahead, and hoped this would work.

Using his right knee, he kneed the cop to his right, onto his crotch.

"ARGH!" He cried out in understandable pain, but also lurched forward as a result. His face meeting the skyhook. People screamed in horror, the blood went everywhere, on the grass around Ryan, and on Ryan in particular.

As for Ryan, he just stared in shock. His first kill. Ever.

"Joe?" Ryan looked to his left, seeing the cop to his left also in shock at what had just happened. Then, Ryan's survival instincts kicked in. He pulled out the pistol from his back, and shot that cop in the face, with his blood splattering on Ryan's face as a result. Using his free hand, he wiped the blood from his own face, and shot two other cops coming down the stairs to attack him, all of them falling dead.

The adrenaline was coursing through his veins, as the thought of his first kill faded, and replaced by another.

Survive.

He grabbed the Skyhook that was embedded in Joe, and made his way up the stairs. Reaching the top, the platform leading to Monument Island left in a hurry, with people panicking.

"There he is! Stop him!" More cops arrived, two with batons and one with a gun. He instantly dealt with the one with the gun. But the two others were still rushing towards him, now zigzagging to avoid his fire. Ryan managed to shoot another one dead, but by then the other was on him.

The cop swung his baton, hitting Ryan's gun, hurting his hand in the process. He barely managed to avoid the next strike, as he used his free hand to grab the skyhook, and swinging back. It hit the cop's baton, flinging it away from him, and Ryan aimed for his throat. Thrusting forward, the cop's neck was jammed in-between the blades. Ryan didn't know how to work the Skyhook, so he just pulled every trigger on it. The Skyhook struggled, and the cop was gasping for air, pleading for him to stop. Eventually the Skyhook was unjammed, via decapitating the cop's head. More blood splattered against Ryan, and now he was just drenched in blood. With the cop's blood pooling below him, Ryan stopped to look at his handiwork. He shivered at the carnage he's just caused.

"Keep moving, keep moving." Ryan repeated to himself, as he entered the backstage of raffle square. He saw the cages and the wooden monket cut-outs used on stage.

"AAARRRGGGHHHH!!" Another cop came down the ramp from a parked barge. Ryan flinched at the sudden cop, and instinctively shot out possession at him. He was surprised to see that it actually possessed the cop, without the upgrade for human possessions.

The cop stood there, dazed, with the female specter dancing around the cop. He then jerked, and moved back up the barge, but was instantly shot down by the turret at the end. The shooting got Ryan out of his musings, as he moved forward, but not too forward, as the turret then shot at his direction. With a flick of a wrist, he shot out possession at the turret, and it instantly turned green.

"THERE HE IS!!" Ryan turned to see three cops coming from a skyline, the turret also saw them, and instantly shot them. Their bodies violently shook as bullets riddled their bodies. One even got loose cause his arm was cut by gunfire from the turret, and his body violently landed with a wet thud on the edge of the barge, and fell onto the Sodom below.

"Heh… Sodom below." Ryan was brought out of his musings when the feminine specter shook her arm towards Ryan, indicating that its almost warring off. "Shit!" He moved behind the turret, and saw the inner gears losing the possession's green. He pulled out his pistol, and shot a bunch of rounds into the gears. The magazine ran empty, and the turret burst into flames as the possession worn out.

"That was close." As if the universe heard him, the turret blew up. "ARGH!" Ryan was blown back from the turret, and landed on solid ground, back on the steps leading to raffle square. "Argh, fuck!"

Shots rang out, as those bullets whizzed by Ryan. He immediately took cover, hearing the footsteps come closer as more cops converge onto him. He blindly launched a possession at the general direction, hoping it hits anyone.

"Hey, you alright Jona-" A shot rang out.

"What the fuc-AHHH" More shots rang out, but the turret kept its focus on Ryan. He peaked out the other end, and kept in cover. It wasn't long until he heard an explosion, the turret blew up.

Ryan peaked out, finding the bodies of multiple cops, a destroyed turret, and a dazed cop who's possession worn off.

"Hey, thanks fo-"

"What have I done? WHAT HAVE I DONE!?" The cop aimed his gun into his mouth, and pulled the trigger.

"JESUS CHRIST!!" Ryan flinched. The cop's body just slummed onto the ground, a pool of blood quickly forming below the corpse. Ryan just stared at horror, seeing a man commit suicide in front of him.

"There he is! Call in the fireman!" More shots rang out.

One round grazed his right arm.

"ARGH FUCK!" He exclaimed and fired back.

"CALL IN THE FIREMAN, HE'LL BURN THAT SON OF A BITCH TO CINDE-!!" Surprising, even to Ryan, he managed to take the cops down without too much hassle. He didn't want to stop moving forward, cause if he did, he'd see what he's done.

"I'm starting to really hate this." Ryan said as he started to move once more. He reached the gates, the metal on said gates were warm, and getting warmer. "Oh shit."

"BURN IN THE NAME OF OUR PROPH-" The possession immediately took hold of him, as he then ran off into turret fire. An explosion later, and multiple screaming cops burning to death, the suicidal explosion of the fireman occurred. Leading to nothing but ashes, and the Devil's Kiss Vigor.

"I'm gonna regret this." Ryan said as he approached the ash and charred remains of what used to be a fireman. Sifting through the ash, he found what he was looking for. A suggestive devil shape of a bottle, labeled 'Devil's Kiss.' He took the top off.

"But in the wise words of a certain former pinkerton, now turned private investigator; yolo." He down it, and immediately felt the heat. He spat some of the contents out, as he witnessed his hands literally melting to his bones. He saw his bones, and the cartilage in-between.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH, AAAAAAAAHHHHH, AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!" The heat was so immense, the pain almost unimaginable. Ryan screamed to the top of his lungs, as tears streamed down his face cause of the overwhelming sensation of the vigor. Then as quick as it started, the pain vanished, and his hands returned to normal. But the pain was seared in his memory, as he kept screaming, even after the pain was gone.

It took a minute before the pain was completely gone, as Ryan stood up, never realizing he fell on the ground. He wiped his eyes, the tears still fresh on his cheeks, as he raised his hands, seeing that he was still okay. It was this moment, he had a bit of a nerdgasm, as he snapped his fingers, and a lighter-like flame erupted from the tip of his thumb. He smiled.

"Worth it."

---

He stumbled into the Blue Ribbon restaurant, where he was greeted with a pair of arms wrapping around him.

"Are you okay!?" Ryan looked up to see who this was. Rosalind Lutece held onto him, the worried expression was the same look she had when he entered the lighthouse. He was panting, extremely tired, and mentally exhausted at this. The game made this area look like a cake walk.

"I need a minute." He said, his head falling onto her shoulder.

"Actually no, you need this." She pulled out a familiar blue glass bottle. Salts.

"Oh shit… forgot about that." Ryan cursed himself for such a mistake, no wonder he was so tired all of a sudden. Well, physically tired at least.

"Come on." With that Rosalind hauled Ryan over to the bar, where Robert Lutece stood behind the counter. She sat him down on a stool, as Robert began to address her.

"Dear sister, you must stop coddling him. He must face this journey alone."

"He is just a boy, new to this brutal circle of non-stop death and misery. Elizabeth had Booker constantly at her side, and he has no one."

"The same could be said about Booker. But if you keep this up, we'll end up doing this whole journey for him."

"Oh dear brother, I wish that were the case. At least he knows that he has us at his side."

"More like he has you, on his side." With that, Robert vanished, leaving Ryan with Rosalind.

"Here." She took the lid off the bottle, and gave it to Ryan. There, he took it, gulped the entire thing down. With the bottle now empty, he gagged at how he just drank the most saltiest beverage he'd ever had. Even more then pure salt water. He looked at her with pure confusion, as his rest remained rested on the counter.

"Why are you helping me?" He said at a mere whisper, watching her drench a towel with water, and cleaning the blood off him.

She frowned at him. "I can't saying anything. I'm sorry."

He frowned at her. "Why am I here? I can't do this."

"No, you're the only person who can do this." She reassured him.

"No, Booker can do this. He got passed them no problem." Ryan said as he pointed at the door he came through.

She shook her head. "Booker has done his part. Now it's time to do yours." There was a pause, as Ryan didn't know what to say. So after cleaning him up, Rosalind took this moment to give an essential. "Here." She said, taking out the shield infusion from out of nowhere.

Ryan only groaned and turned away from the infusion. "I have enough drinks already." He whimpered out.

"You have to, unless you want to be leaking blood, making a mess everywhere." She chuckled, and he chuckled with her. That's when the chuckling turns into a full on laugh, both laughing during their time of rest and relief. But that when he stopped, and realized what he was hearing. He was hearing her laugh. Rosalind Lutece laugh! Her laugh, was… surprisingly normal, and strangely soothing.

"Heh… never heard you laugh before."

"What? I'm human… ish, but I can laugh." Rosalind defended herself.

But he turned to her with a serious look. "Why are you like this?"

She once again frowned at him, she looked like she was reminiscing about something. "I can't say anything, remember?"

He wasn't satisfied. "Fine, then how are you like this?"

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "I don't see how this is any different from your previous question."

"What happened to you from Burial at Sea, to now?"

She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She wanted to tell him about everything, but she couldn't. Now, she can only say one thing.

"People change Ryan. People change. Even omnipotent scientists."

He gave her a tired look, before a tired grin took hold of him. "I'll live with that for now."

She can only smile back. "Thank you." She took this moment to let the peace take its hold, let it simmer and calm Ryan down. Until she has to pull him back to reality. "Hey, come on. Drink up." She nudge the infusion next to him. Ryan groaned, and reluctantly accepted it.

"Fine." He took the cork out, and gulped the whole thing down. Then, the electromagnetic repulsive field took hold of him, and surrounded him in a protective barrier. Almost like a shield in Mass Effect.

"Oh crap!" The feeling wasn't painful, but it was certainly unexpected. He fell off the stool as a result.

Rosalind calmly got down to his level, giving him a helping hand. He gratefully accepts, and she addresses him once he's back on his feet.

"Listen, there is one thing I need to tell you but forgot-"

"You forgot?" Ryan said with a tone of disbelief.

She gave him a scolding look. "Human…ish, remember."

Ryan shook his head in shame. "Right, sorry, please continue."

Rosalind nodded. " Right, anyways there are things in Bioshock Infinite that are too 'video gamey' for real life circumstances. Such as vigor upgrades, weapon upgrades, and these infusions. So don't worry about them. I'm sure you've notice when you possessed that police officer." She dutifully explained, and brought much relief to Ryan.

"That's great to hear. So what's with the money then?" He asked.

"They're for normal essentials, like food, bribery, or charity. Money is money, use is wisely." She explained.

"Okay, thanks." Ryan just sighed, realizing what this meant. "I'm going back out there? Aren't I?" Rosalind only grimly nodded. "Okay, shit. I… I-I don't want to go out there." He pleaded, but not to her, but more to himself. Rosalind was about to retort but he continued. "But I'm in knee deep, and I'm guessing that I can't get out, can I?"

She shook her head. "N-No, I'm sorry." Ryan sighed, not knowing how to respond. But the mantra of moving forward echoed in his head.

"Well, you know what they say. There's no time like the present."

She nodded again. "Yes." She pause, not knowing what else to say. Before a few more moments of hopefully comfortable silence, she just brought this moment to an end. "Well, I wish you luck Mr. Passerine. I hope you can endure the tribulations ahead of you."

He nodded. "I hope I can too." Luckily feeling rejuvenated by the salts, Ryan padded Rosalind on her shoulder, gave her a firm nod of reassurance, and moved passed her. Onto the rooftops he goes.

---

"Now, how does this thing work?" Ryan examined the Skyhook that was securely strapped to his left hand. He was outside, on the balcony of the Blue Ribbon kitchen. He then thought back, when he decapitated that cop earlier, he was just fumbling with it, until it somehow killed that man.

Ryan actually took a moment to pause, he just casually thought about how he killed that cop like how one thinks about that one afternoon, or that one meal you had. A cold shiver ran down his back, he then shook his head, getting rid of that train of thought before it developed into something nasty.

He again looks at the Skyhook on his left hand, and examines the triggers in the slots for the index, middle and ring finger.

"Okay, God help me." He said as he presses the trigger in the index slot. He immediately jerked forward, towards the hook a decent distance away from. "OH SHIT! That's a helluva magnet!"

Ryan looks up at the Skyhook holding onto the hook above him. "Okay… how do I… get off?" He didn't dare press the other triggers, unless he wants to skydive without a parachute. "Okay then…" He looks ahead, to see another hook, and a lone founder soldier, with a machine gun.

"Okay, okay, okay, okay." He then hatched a simple, but not a pretty heroic looking plan. He'd use his free arm to hold onto the hook above him, and he'd aim his freed Skyhook to the next hook. Sounds simple right? Well that's because its easier said then done.

First, he couldn't reach the hook above him.

"Eugh…" He groaned out as he struggled to reach for the hook above him. A minute later, he managed to brush it with his finger tips. Then three minutes later, he successfully grabs onto the hook.

Second, he's not strong enough to hold himself up with a single arm.

"SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT ME NOT STRONG, ME NOT STRONG, ME NOT STRONG!!!!" So he concocted another brilliant plan.

Ten minutes later…

Don't ask how, but he somehow managed to hang from the hook with his legs. As he hanged upside down, he managed to test out the other two triggers.

"Oh, so the middle finger trigger accelerates, and the ring finger trigger acts as the brakes." He pressed the middle trigger, and the blades spun quickly. He then tested the ring finger trigger, aka the third trigger, and with pressing it; metal locks pressed themselves onto the wheel, so if the blades were spinning, sparks would really fly.

"Oh-kay, now letsss, keep goin." He muttered as he aimed the Skyhook at the next hook. He surged forward, with the Skyhook gripping regular hook. Luckily the soldier was just making rounds and was apparently too blind to even see him, lucky for Ryan.

"Now, how to Skyhook strike?" He asked like a toddler, to no one in particular. Knowing that the breaks wouldn't do much, he pressed the middle trigger. The Skyhook jerked as it tried to spin, but the grip it had on the hook above had it jammed. But as a result, it did cause him to swing in place.

"Ah-ha?" He said, unsure if he'd found something useful or useless. After trying it a bit more, he managed to get the momentum going, but in the process, he'd been spotted.

"I FOU-" The soldier never finished as Ryan came down on him, Skyhook first. Seeing the machine gun on the ground, he picked it, along with other magazines, and moved up.

---

"My shoulder…" Ryan slammed the doors shut, laid his back on it, and slid sorely down. His shoulder sored from the use of the machine gun. Luckily, he has fired many guns at the range, including automatic weapons. But even then, short controlled bursts not only helped with accuracy, but with managing how often the force of the recoil hit against any anchor point. Which for this gun, was the stock on his shoulder.

As for the soldiers he killed… at this point Ryan actively stopped thinking about the lives he was taking, and just focused on the task ahead. But by then, he realized,

'It was slowly getting easier.' That thought terrified him. He shook his head, hoping to just think about moving forward.

"Owie." Ryan grunted as he then got back up, and continued on his merry way. He remembered this house in particular, its residents were one of the only purest people in this city.

"Violence is not the answer! As much as I support her cause, and her people, blood must not be shed!"

"What do you expect these poor negroes to do? How they treat them… it was bound to happen."

"Violence is not a foregone conclusion."

It was at this point, Ryan made himself known. Both the man and his wife gasped as they saw him.

"You! You're the one they're after! And you're with the Vox, right?" The man said, as he moved closer to his wife, and raised a protective arm in front of his wife. Shielding her from Ryan.

"I'm with no one pal, that's what they labelling me anyways." Ryan answered.

"Are you the False Shepard?" The wife asked worriedly.

That was debatable in Ryan's mind. Technically he wasn't Booker. But he is following in Booker's. So he is, but he isn't.

"Its complicated." He simply answered.

"What d-"

Someone knocked on their door.

"Shh, it's the police!" The man shushed him and his wife.

"Police! We're in need of your assistance!" The wife places her hands over her mouth, and the man wraps his arms around her, shielding her. For his part, Ryan takes cover behind one of the printing press, and aims his machine gun at the door. A couple of brief, yet tense seconds later, the cops walked away.

"No one's home, lets keep moving."

Without the looming threat of the cops barging in, the husband looked at Ryan.

"Please go." He pleaded with Ryan, to which he gave them a firm nod, and passed them, towards the second exit. But before he leaves, he turns to the couple.

"Hey listen." They both turned to him. "Listen, I know what you're doing is risking your lives but, I just wanna stay, you're doing something great and noble. And I know that you may not get a lot of thanks so, thank you, for what you're doing." Ryan genuinely smiles at the couple, to which they both smile back.

"Thank you for your kind words young man. We heard what you did in the raffle, and I just want to say, what you did was very brave." The wife said to him with a smile. But Ryan shook his head.

"Killing people isn't brave ma'am." He responded.

But she gave him a reassuring smile. "Maybe not, but rescuing those two was."

---

He stood at the doorstep of the Fraternal Order of the Ravens, and the building looked much creepier in person. Even without the lack of saturation that the game did to increase the gloominess of the area. The building in person looked just as dilapidated, worn out, and just downright creepy. If not creepier.

"Gotta keep moving." Was what Ryan kept saying to himself if he hesitated. Luckily for him, he knew what lied ahead.

The door loudly creaked as he opened it. The smell of crow shit, alcohol, and tobacco instantly hit him like a slap on the face. Rotten fruits laid on a forgotten platter in the middle of the room, zealot robes hanged lifelessly on the walls, and beyond the vestibule was the massive statue of John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln's assassin.

"Huh, forgot about that guy." Ryan mumbled.

"FUCKING VOX HERETIC!!" It was unfortunately loud enough for people around to hear.

Ryan pulled out his pistol, and shot him in the throat. Other members in the bar sprang into action, but Ryan didn't hesitate. He threw another Devil's Kiss, not hitting anyone but the balls of fire spews everywhere, certainly hitting everything, including the other combatants. They all screamed in agony, as their own flesh melted even quicker. Ryan tuned them out, knowing he wouldn't move on if he mourned the lives he was taking. He especially wouldn't move on as his innocence began to rot away as taking lives is unfortunately and certainly getting easier. The fire didn't burn itself out, it continued to spread.

"Gotta get outta here quick." Ryan said to himself, moving back to the main hall where the statue was. He climbed the stairs, and into the main prayer chamber of the order. As if they didn't hear the action that took place, Ryan heard their prayer session.

"And so, the Prophet led us into Peking, where…" Like the priest before him, Ryan tuned the zealot of the lady out as well. He smiled, remembering a cheeky way in dealing with the zealot members below. He'd simply throw a Devil's Kiss trap at the very middle of the congregation. That would be enough to kill everyone, minus the one talking.

"ARGGHHH!!"

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!!"

"MAKE IT STOP, MAKE IT STOP!!!"

The members burned, as the zealot of the lady turned into a murder of crows, and flew away. All the members flayed around, hopelessly rolling around as their flesh melted from their bones. Ryan kept moving, not stopping to look at what he had done, but that wasn't the only reason why he quickly made his way out. The entire building at this point was burning, he just made it worse by adding more fire. Scarily enough, a part of him didn't really care, its not like these men were good people.

He made his way through the building, ignoring the news on the radio about him. Taking the elevator led him to the meeting table where he believes the senior members of the order hold their meetings. He didn't understood why the projector was there, but he did remember the secret passage behind a certain shelf. Ryan pushed the shelf, revealing the secret torture room behind it. Beside being a disturbing room in itself, Ryan hadn't found anything of value. So he pressed forward without comment, not knowing what to do or say.

"Actually…" Ryan returned into the room. He approached a nearby wooden crate, and snapped his fingers on his left hand. A single flame erupted from his thumb, and he hovered it under the crate. It didn't take long for it to catch on fire.

"Building's already burning, this wouldn't matter." He reasoned before moving on.

As he approached the door, he instantly remembered what was on the other side.

"Please let me go! I have a family, please!" He heard a man with a Chinese accent beg for his life. Ryan remembered the door being chained on the other side, but he knows how to deal with that. He only had a couple of seconds before the zealot shot out a Murder of Crows at the poor man, so he pulled out his Skyhook. On his right hand, his pistol, ready to at least scare the man before he could shoot the Murder of Crows out. He readied himself on the door. A life was depending on him, he wouldn't let him die. He's been doing nothing but enjoying the scenery and killing, this entire time, he was going to save a life.

He steadied his breathing. "Three… two…" He opened the door quickly, but not completely as the chain prevents that from happening. He brought the Skyhook down, it spins as it collides with the chains, showering him with tiny metal bits and pieces. He swung the door open, and raised his pistol point blank at the zealot. Wasting no time with actually aiming, Ryan fired wildly, hoping it would just scare him away.

After about seven shots later, Ryan took a moment to survey ahead. No one was there, but only a couple of crows sitting in various perches looked at him rather sinisterly.

"Hey! HEY! Please help me out!" Ryan turned around to the chained Chinese man. He was still alive!

"Oh thank God you're alive!" Ryan exclaimed, mentally patting himself on the back.

"I won't be if you keep me chained up! Please! Please let me go!" He begged.

"Okay, okay!" Ryan looked at the chains holding him in. They were the same chains that held the doors closed. "Okay, this won't take long." Ryan readied his Skyhook.

"BEHIND YOU!" The man yelled at him.

Instinctively, Ryan dodged to the left, a sword swiping at air instead of him. He turns around to face the man trying to kill him. The zealot of the lady in all his glory. His black robes, the coffin on his back, his sword that dealt a ridiculous amount of damage in-game, now stood in his way.

"You are the one threatening the security of our holy city!" He exclaimed, pointing the sword towards Ryan.

"And… um… you're weird." That's the best he could come up with.

That seemed to have triggered him, as he let out a battle cry, and lunged at him. Ryan raised his Skyhook, and deflected the sword with it. This continued for a few swings, as the zealot swung, Ryan would mainly deflect or block it with his Skyhook. Desperately trying to keep his distance from the crazed man. The zealot went for an overhead swing, and Ryan went to deflect it, when it got stuck in-between the blades of the Skyhook. The hook was jammed, a middle trigger later the hook bluntly broke off more than half of the sword. But the zealot quickly adjusted, now used the broken sword as a makeshift knife.

"You don't let off, do you!?" Ryan exclaimed, backing up from the zealot.

"You speak non-sense heretic!" He continued his frenzied attack.

Ryan decided enough of the defensive play. "HE-ARGH!!" Ryan swung the Skyhook at him.

The zealot turned into a murder of crows, and flew away from him. Ryan took this moment to ponder his strategy.

"Fire…" The Chinese man said behind him.

"What was that?" Ryan asked.

"Fire!" He exclaimed.

Then Ryan remembered, he'd often use Devil's Kiss against these zealots. The cawing of the crows caught his attention, as he spots a murder of them heading towards him. Ryan knew what to do. He laid a Devil's Kiss trap down on the path of the murder's way.

"Come on, come on, come on…" Ryan repeated, hoping he'd come to form before or on top of the trap. Luckily, it was right on top.

"ARGHHHHHH!!" The zealot screamed out, as he erupted in flames, quickly and almost in a cartoonish fashion, turned into ashes. Leaving only a half-empty vigor of Murder of Crows. Ryan approached it and picked up the bottle.

"Huh, cool."

"FIRE!!" The Chinese man screamed.

"Yeah! Thanks for the tip-" An explosion from the door Ryan just entered through occurred. It violently threw him back, knocking the wind out of him. He groggily got up, hearing the roaring of the flames, and the Chinese man yelling even louder and more desperate.

"AAAAAAHHHH, AAAAAHHHH, AAAAAAHHHHHAHA" The Chinese prisoner was engulfed in flames, screaming in pure agony. He couldn't save him, the fire was too hot, the smoke was slowly filling the room. There was only one thing Ryan could do to help him.

He aimed his pistol towards the prisoner.

---

Ryan sobbed at the railing at the Monument Gateway. Tears flowed down his cheeks, crying out due to his failure. He was so determined to save that man, but in the end, he ended up killing him instead. The cries, the painful cries of agony seared in his head, along with the pain of the Devil's Kiss. He couldn't stand this anymore, but also couldn't leave as well.

With a few sniffles later, Ryan got back up, his eyes red and stuffy, as looked ahead. He saw Monument Island just a little ways ahead. As much as the guilt wrecked him, he still had a bit of fire in him to keep going. He failed to save that man, but he couldn't linger on that one fuck-up. He's done that once in his life, he wouldn't let a pain like that engulf his life again.

'You can't save everyone. Even if you desperately want to.' He thought to himself.

Ryan wiped his eyes, but as he moved, he heard liquid jostling behind him. He reached behind, and found the half empty bottle of Murder of Crows.

"Oh yeah… more drinks." Ryan just didn't cared anymore. He popped the lid, and jugged the rest of the contents down. He then gagged, and dropped the bottle. He felt himself connecting, connecting his mind, his nerves, his feelings towards something coming close to him. He then felt it. A crow landed on his left shoulder, but its beak isn't bloody. The crow looked at him, and nuzzles his neck. Ryan smiles.

"Thanks." He says to the bird, feeling a little better knowing he has a buddy or two. More specifically, a whole murder of them. He then glances at the iron rails above him.

"Skylines." He shook his head, his nerves getting to him. "You ready for this?" He asked the crow on his left shoulder. It just cawed back at him, and flew on his free hand. There, for a moment, his hand had feathers and his nails extended to crow-like claws. The crow then flew away, leaving him alone with the skylines.

"It's a leap of fate. Just go for it." He got in a readied stance, ready for a running start.

"Just go for it." He shook his hands, pulling the acceleration triggers.

"Just GO FOR IT!!!" Ryan ran, and jumped. He aimed for the lines, pulling the magnet trigger, and he was pulled towards the them. The hook automatically attached itself to the line, and he raced through the skies.

"WOOO-AAAAARGH!!" Out of nowhere, the most painful migraine came out of nowhere, and he felt a dripping sensation from his nose. He didn't need to touch it to know what it is, his nose is bleeding. "Wha…?"

All of a sudden, he planted his face on a cargo crate that still occupied the lines. Ryan inadvertently released the trigger for the magnet, and fell from the line and onto the checkpoint platform below him.

"Hey! You!" Ryan groaned and turned his head over to the soldier approaching him. "No one is permitted to u- hey you're the-"

Ryan quickly pulled out his pistol and shot the soldier until he was dead.

"HEY, YOU'RE UNDER ARR-" From the other way of the checkpoint another soldier came out, as Ryan shot him dead as well. He groggily got up, feeling his nose and lifting his hand up. Blood.

There was one thing he remembered from Bioshock, luckily still, its that a bloody nose meant contradicting memories. He then tried to remember his life before this quest, and scarily enough, realized how some of it was a extremely vague blur. He remembers key moments in his life, and important people in his life. Luckily, he still remembers the game and its walkthrough, surprising even himself. But unfortunately, the more he tries to remember, the more his head hurts, and soon ceases his attempts. He still hasn't reach Monument Island and he's already more fucked up then Booker is at the end of the game.

"Ugh… why'd it happen at the Skylines though?" Ryan said as he just approaches the control booth in the checkpoint, pulls the lever, and clears the skylines.

"This better not happen every time I hop on the Skylines."

---

Luckily it didn't, as after a few more combat encounters, he once again hopped onto the Skylines, and rode it with no problem.

Then he heard the PA horn.

Well… with a few problems anyways.

"Stand down! Stand down!"

"Comstock…" Ryan growled out, as he saw the soldiers ahead got down on a knee, their hands clasped together towards their so-called holy figure. Zachary Hale Comstock.

He landed on the platform, weaved through the praying soldiers, and entered the warehouse. There a massive screen with the picture of Comstock shines, lighting the entire room. The lift waited for him, along with more soldiers on their knees. He pulls the lever, and the lift went up.

"I know who you are False Shepherd. I see the questions from your past that haunts you till this very day." Comstock's voice boomed in vintage distortion.

"I don't know if you got the news, but I ain't Booker, you so-called 'prophet.'" He air quoted the last word, but Comstock only laughed.

"The False Shepherd is merely a title. A title for the one who intends to lead my Lamb astray, Ryan Passerine." Ryan's eye grew wide at Comstock's knowledge of his name.

"Fuck you pal!!" He cursed at the so called prophet.

"Such vulgar language, why don't I cleanse you myself?" With that, the lift reaches the top, and the zeppelin starts firing at the warehouse he's on.

"Shit!" Ryan cursed again, as he ran to leave the building.

"GO BACK TO THE SODOM BELOW, FROM WHICH YOU CAME!" Comstock once again boomed out, as the zeppelin was in Skyhook distance. Ryan jumped, reaching for the hook on the zeppelin. A soldier was shooting at him, but the shield around him prevented any damage on him. He swung and struck the soldier down, and continued to fight his way inside the zeppelin. Ryan possesses a soldier on the way so he wouldn't be fighting alone. When the action was finished, Ryan made his way to the cockpit of the zeppelin, seeing the female pilgrim praying at an alter.

"I remember you." Ryan said, as he approached the woman. The woman heard him coming as she turned to face. But before she could even look at him, Ryan punched her straight in the head. It instantly knocked her out, and he caught her before she fell.

He carried her towards the centre of the cockpit, and left her there for the control dashboard. But before he can even touch it, Comstock on a barge flew up in front of the zeppelin. A microphone in front of him, with kneeling soldiers around him. He looked surprised to see the female pilgrim knocked out behind him, and all Ryan could do was smile in a smug manner.

"It certainly pays to come prepared." Comstock said before snapping his fingers. All the soldiers who were kneeling came up, with RPGs on their shoulders.

"Fuck OFF!!" Ryan cursed as he started to run back. The cockpit violently shook, the following explosions almost deadening him. He fell on the ground, right on the still unconscious female pilgrim. Fires erupted around him, and in the cargo hold of the zeppelin. He struggled to get her over his shoulder, and carry her to the awaiting cargo bay doors. They opened, and without hesitation but much struggle, he jumped off with skyhook on hand, and a secured arm over the female pilgrim. They rode the lines to the coveted Monument Island.

"OOF!!" Ryan landed hard on the entryway into the island, the female pilgrim rolled away from him as he very much cushioned the landing for her. "AH, FUCK MY BACK!!"

He slowly got up, and watched from a distance the zeppelin he was on a mere minute ago crash into the proclaimed Sodom below. He turned back to the still unconscious woman he had on-tow, and wondered what to do with her. He then turned his head and spied on a lone bench near the edge.

Three minutes later…

The woman sat unconscious on the bench, a magazine Ryan found in the trash laid on her face. It was the best he could think of. But all of that didn't matter, beause he now stood at the base of Monument Island.

"I'm coming Elizabeth. Let's get you to Paris."

---

Author's note: I always had a sort of fascination with tragic characters but not in the sense that many would have. I always had that thought, of how I can somehow make it better, how to get that happy ending for them. One of the main characters that drew me in was Elizabeth from Bioshock, and I just wanted to due her justice. So, after a whole lets play of the whole Bioshock games, it reminded me of how much I love these games, and how much I wanted to be part of such a unique world. So this is the only way I could really think of.

Thank you for reading, I hoped you enjoyed. If you spot any spelling or grammatical errors I apologize, I know they can really take you out of the immersion. Other then that, take care, and till next time. Peace out.