I do not own Fallout or Lord of the Rings. I am a humble (Marcus in the background, "Yeah right! Humble my left ass cheek. Vulpes was more humble than you") middle class person. Who also writes fanfics in my free time.
Chapter 5: Choices and the Meaning of Titles
As the all hide behind rocks or bushes, the black crows circle around. "Hiding from the things I used to take potshots at just watch them disappear. How insulting. You know what, first enemy I capture is getting crucified, Legion style. Or I could do that thing Veronica made me swear not to do as long as she was there to hear of it. She's not here now. Hehehe", Marcus says in glee.
In Another World
Veronica as the sudden desire to use her industrial hand, a gift from Marcus, on Marcus.
Present World
Marcus just shivered. Soon the birds leave and everyone reappears. "We are going to need a new path to take. Unless you guys want to see who gets the most kills?", Marcus suggests helpfully, in that annoyingly cheerful voice. "Okay I got to know. What is wrong with you? You act so childish most of the time", Sam says as the others nod. "I take after my mom that way. She was a genius, if not a little mad. Changed her name from Moira to Mora when she caused Sarah Lyons', leader of Lyons Pride in the Brotherhood of Steel, hair to fallout. She was trying to dye it. Anyway, I'm glad I took after her that way. I heard my father was really awkward to since his voice was more akin to growling than should be humanly possible. I did inherit the fact when I get mad people tend to run for the hills, from my father. I also learned my moral code from him. I remember this one time I chased a Fiend, human who raids people homes for almost everything, up to a hideout and found a bunch of dead children with human bite marks on them. So I got angry and knocked out and tied up all sixteen Fiends, then dragged them to a Legion camp and left them there for the Legion to punish. I may have written on a sign their crimes in Latin, the language of the Legion. The Legion crucified them. Crucified is a punishment were a criminal is tied or nailed to a cross and left hanging there until dead. It is as much a warning as a death sentence. Sometimes the Legion would burn people alive, behead them and put the heads on display, or put them in an arena to fight for their lives and freedom. I fought in an arena once. It wasn't so bad. Everyone else was weaker than me. I guess what doesn't kill makes you stronger. The punishment has to fit the crime. A thief would lose their hand, a murder, their life. The Legion wasn't all bad. However I draw the line at taking slaves. So I killed slavers every time I saw one. I once let Mortem here go nuts on a slaver camp. I killed the runners. He ate a lot that day", Marcus says. "I was so feared to the Legion that they gave me a title. Atrox Irae which is Latin for either Terrible Wrath or Wrath of Horror. The NCR or the New California Republic came from the west and called me the Wandering Courier or the Dark Ranger by the soldiers who heard I was once a part of the Desert Rangers. There greatest scouts and assassins. To find out I was one of their best but was cast out because of my age by the NCR, gave the regular grunts a scare. A Fiend once called me, the Boogeyman. But I like Atrox Irae. It fits me. I do have a terrible wrath", Marcus says.
Timeskip
As the Fellowship walk through the snow Frodo falls. Boromir helps him up and sees the Ring. It calls to him. Marcus can see it in his eyes, he will eventually fall by his own arrogance. Just like Ricky during the Happy Trails Expedition. He felt bad about what happened to Jed and Stella. Ricky… not so much.
Marcus started thinking and began to wonder how Mortem was still fine in the cold. But he remembered that the Enclave made his species to fight for them. So Mortem could be surviving in the cold by some from advanced biological stimulant. Or the advanced F.E.V. that Marcus gave him to drink. Or all those implants that Marcus put in him to make him bigger and stronger and smarter. I mean Mortem is sapient now and could talk if he wanted to, thanks to those vocal cord implants that Marcus had Borous give him. Huh, come to think of it, could either he or Mortem even be called the species they once were due to all the implants, Marcus' mutations, and both of their DNA's being experimented on. Probably not. Oh well. Wasn't like his father was much different. After the injection to get a Fire Ant's super strength, the alien abduction both father and son went through at different times in their lives, the implants, and surviving a deadly dose of radiation without turning into a ghoul. Both did that. Marcus doesn't even have his spine or heart. He also had his bones replaced with metal ones. Now his ribs have no gaps for a stab to work. He even had his skin hardened to Deathclaw levels. He even had the Think Tank take the F.E.V. and turn it into a super strength serum without the side effects of before or induced rage like steroids did, and then he drank the thing.
He might even be like a ghoul now. Enteral youth but not immortality. But you know, without the ghoulification. He doesn't know.
Timeskip
They soon made it to a small narrow passage way when a voice started echoing off the walls. Suddenly avalanche started and a blizzard appeared. "Great, this is a first for me. Some annoying voice speaking c an avalanche and blizzard. So any ideas?", Marcus asks cheerfully. "We should turn back and find another way around", Strider yells. "And why should we listen to a Ranger from the North?", Asks Boromir. "He is no mere Ranger. He is Aragon son of Arathorn, your rightful King", Legolas says. "Gondor has no King, Gondor needs no King", Boromir says looking at Aragon. "So. Anyone have any ideas besides having Gandalf shout back", Marcus cheerfully asks. "We could go through the Mines of Moria, my cousin Balin would give us a warm welcome", Gimli says. "Let the Ringbearer decide", Gandalf says evenly. "We go through Moria", Frodo says.
"So be it", Gandalf replies in a defeated tone.
Timeskip
Now they stand before the door of Moria. Soon the moonlight hits the door and an elvish writings appear. "What does it say?", Frodo asks in awe. "It says, "speak friend and enter", so if you're a friend then you will know the password", says Gandalf cheerfully. He tries word after word after word. As he tries to open a door, Marcus and Mortem nap.
Timeskip
Suddenly a scream is heard and Marcus jumps up, pulls LAER off his back and looks around, and sees Frodo hanging upside down in the air by a tentacle. Suddenly an ugly-as-fuck-face breaks the surface. He is about to eat Frodo when a bolt of energy hits it right in its eye causing it to explode. The creature looks right at Marcus who fires a second round into the same spot, causing its brain to explode. He puts LAER back on his back. The Fellowship look at him in shock. "What? I carry powerful weapons, so what? You haven't even seen the good stuff yet. I got a lot more stuff than this stuff", Marcus says cheerfully. As they all walk into the mine the door closes and won't open.
As they walk forward into the mine, they can smell the death in the air. They found arrows in the bones of dwarves. "Hmm, they are positioned in such a way that it leads me to believe that they went down fighting. They were outnumbered. They realized they couldn't hold the line, so the retreated to hold a more secure location. They went out in glory. A friend of mine once said, "In a world filled with misery and uncertainty, it is great to know that in the end, there is light in the darkness". Remember that", Marcus says as Gandalf lights up the room by putting a crystal in a notch at the top of his staff.
As they begin to walk forward the Fellowship can't help but to feel moved by his kind words. As they face the long dark of Moria they know there be a light at the end.
Timeskip
They are huddled around one another and speak in quiet whispers about their travel. Frodo notices that they were followed and tells Gandalf. Who, in turn, says that it's Golem and he has been following them for a long time. Frodo says, "Pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance." "Boy, it's a hard thing to take someone's life. I've been doing it so long that my body count is in the thousands. I've never killed someone who didn't deserve it, but it's still a hard thing to do. I've seen bad people kill for pleasure and good people turned bad because they grew to like taking a life. Made them feel like God. A good friend once said, "Killing done righteously becomes a chore." Until you know what that means, you'll never be ready to take a life. My father only killed to protect himself and others. My mother never killed anything other than animals. Sapient creatures are more than animals or monsters, many demonize their enemies so that they don't feel guilty afterwards. But doing that only makes you as good as a demon yourself. Every creature capable of sapient thought should be treated the same. But war will never change. Maybe people will, but I doubt it. Good night", Marcus says before falling asleep next to Mortem.
Timeskip
So here they are waiting on Gandalf to pick a door. Marcus reaches into his bag on Mortem's back and pulls out… vodka and whiskey? "While we're waiting, I'm going to get me a drink of a Russian drink known as vodka and an Old World cowboy favorite, whiskey", Marcus says. "Ah, I got", Gandalf says. "He's remembered", Sam says jubilee. "No, but it smells better this way. When in doubt follow your nose", Gandalf says. "Great, right when I am about to drink my dad's favorite drink combination. I wanted to get drunk, I haven't been drunk in a potential dangerous situation in years", Marcus whines. "Come on, who wants to drink with me? chirp, chirp Anyone? chirp, chirp What the hell are crickets doing in a mine?"
I want your honest opinion on this fanfic, please. I added a few lines of wisdom for Marcus, there isn't much I can do with Mortem seeing as how there are no fight scenes yet. To give you an idea as to Mortem's height, he is the size of the cave troll. I have also added a few little clues as to the future.