If you see the first and the following chapters changed or new ones added, it is because I edited them. There won't be many changes, except that I noticed I rushed through some parts or didn't delve deeply into several aspects.
I am not the owner of RWBY and Fallout 3. The rights belong to Bethesda and Rooster Teeth.
VOL 1 CAP 5: Welcome to Civilization.
The journey didn't last as long as they expected. At first, they were wary of the place, especially at night when they saw the broken moon; this confirmed that they were not on Earth. Even more reason to find a settlement. Along the way, they found a marked path that they decided to follow. On their way, they heard louder noises and saw an intact and functioning city.
"Look, brothers, we have arrived," Fawkes pointed to the city.
"It's about damn time; my feet feel like they're on fire," Jericho said while smoking but would cough. His lungs still weren't used to smoking. "Damn!"
"That's a shame," said the wanderer sarcastically. "Let's go."
They followed the path to get to the gate where several people were lined up; some were surprised by the mutant companions, and they by seeing some with animal traits—tails, ears, etc. Upon reaching the reception, the woman attending was surprised by the large number.
"Um... Do you have your documents?" she asked.
"Documents?" asked the wanderer.
"Yes, papers with your personal information and that of your... companions."
"We don't have that."
"Are you refugees?" she asked.
"Yes!" he said without thinking, hoping to get in.
"Well, that explains it," she opened the door. "You'll have to go to re-entry to get temporary documents."
"Thank you," the group entered, though Fawkes had difficulties but managed to pass. Upon entering where they were told, they were only asked for a name and their previous location. Before entering, everyone agreed to use names from the Capital Wasteland settlements to avoid future problems. Once registered, they finally entered the city and hated it.
Too much noise, too many people, and not to mention too many lights.
"This is horrible," Clover said. "But—Oh my god! Is that a clothing store?!" she exclaimed upon seeing clean, new clothes in a shop.
"We need to look for a holotape or a map to know our next move," Cross said to the group, and the townspeople looked at the group with curious glances.
They walked through the streets seeing everything from shops offering different types of goods to the public, the well-maintained means of transportation, and the posters advertising things they had never seen before. It took them until nightfall to find a shop that seemed useful with several people inside.
[-]
Ruby Rose had lowered the volume of her headphones to listen carefully to the thieves. While securing Crescent Rose at her side for easy access in case she needed it.
"Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a Dust shop at this hour?" asked the man with orange hair in a white suit and top hat. "And hasn't it passed your bedtime, Red?"
"Isn't it yours?" she asked the guy, trying to sound intimidating, but only earned laughter from the men. Uncle Qrow had taught her how to be a huntress, not how to talk.
"Oh wow. That was intense," said the man in white while wiping a tear from his eye with his finger. "I needed that. Alright, guys..."
"Good evening, is there service?"
The thief paused his orders to his men to see a large number of people. Ruby looked over her shoulder to see them. A group of 9 people entered the shop, with different individuals; 2 with the robot, and she wasn't sure if the other two counted.
The biggest one had green skin and muscles bulging from his muscles, wearing pieces of scrap as armor along with a metal backpack connected to a machine gun and a maul. The other was a green robot with three eyes and a thruster; she noticed he had a flamethrower and a pistol built-in, she had never seen this model from Atlas. The other was a bald teenager with spiked metal armor and a rifle on his back with an annoyed look. The other had a scared look when he saw the burn-scarred skin along with the lack of ears and nose, with bright red hair and leather armor with a stoic, penetrating gaze; his blue eyes looked at her and he seemed a bit startled. The two women had pronounced appearances; one wore revealing red clothing and a leather vest, while the other was more reinforced with dull green military clothing, sporting different hairstyles; one up and the other in an alternative style. The last was a boy with greasy hair in a leather jacket with armor parts; the older woman seemed to wear some sort of external power armor, having a serious military look; and the one who seemed to be the leader wore military armor with a brighter green and a symbol she didn't recognize, along with a gas mask and a dull green hood.
They looked like hunters by their clothing and weapons. It wasn't unusual they needed Dust for their weapons. She was surprised they passed by the thief to approach the merchant's display.
"We need a global map and—"
"Um, excuse me, Green. But we are in a business exchange."
"And we are buying," he said without looking at him. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to find an open shop at this hour?"
The thief's mouth dropped open.
Ruby stifled a laugh.
"I don't think you understand who you're messing with, kid."
"No, you don't know who you're messing with," he said seriously as he turned his head to look at him. "You have two options, Frank Sinatra. You and your boyfriends can leave, or I'll fill that nice suit of yours with holes," while moving his hand to his pistol.
The situation got tense; at first, she thought he would arrest the thief, but his tone indicated malice, plus it didn't help how the rest placed their hands on their weapons in case things went south.
The thief sweated; it was enough to see the boy and his companions. The burn victim just shook his head in denial, indicating not to. "Guys, we're leaving."
The henchmen holstered their weapons and walked away, shooting annoyed glances at the group. The boy spoke again with the store owner. Ruby couldn't believe what she had seen. He let them go WITHOUT arresting them.
"A map, and you wouldn't have a cheap place where we could—"
"Get down!" the burned one shouted, ducking down with the rest, just for Dust bullets to impact against the glass. Ruby ducked to avoid a shot.
"What do you see, Harkness?!" The man in black armor looked up and crouched.
"Vertbird at twelve, I saw the suited guy go up."
"Alright, Fawkes take him down, the rest cover with fire directed at us," the group nodded and started firing Standard Dust. Ruby joined in, using Crescent Rose to shoot in sniper mode. The woman in dull green armor nodded in approval.
While they shot, they saw how the Bullhead started to malfunction until a woman in a red dress came out and shot several crystal arrows at the green one. The giant covered himself after the impact on his shoulder, dropping his fire Dust machine gun.
"Stimulating!" shouted the bald man, throwing one and continuing to shoot. Before they received a fire attack that forced them to cover.
Looking up, they saw a woman in a cloak who halted the attack by directing the fire to the sky with her staff. She began to counterattack until the vertbird had to leave.
Ruby saw who it was and squealed in excitement upon seeing her. "By Oum, you're a huntress!" Ruby exclaimed excitedly. "Can I have your autograph?"
If you're wondering, she never got her autograph and instead, they were all taken to the police station where they took their bags, weapons, and spare clothes; even her mask, but luckily the Pip-Boy stayed. The wanderer admitted it was amusing to see them struggle with Fawkes' laser machine gun and Cross' power armor. During that talk, they decided not to mention anything about the wasteland or their identities.
While they all waited for something to happen, the group conversed about their boring lives while the wanderer analyzed how to get out of this situation. Something that didn't make sense was the witch's ability; somehow, she had loaded them with telekinesis to the police station. Most were left speechless by her actions. He didn't know how long he had been thinking about it when he saw the red-haired girl excitedly coming out without noticing them due to her enthusiasm.
"Albert Johnson, please enter," said the police officer, who looked at him suspiciously.
"Don't say anything until you get a lawyer," Butch joked.
"I doubt we'll have one, Butch," said Albert as he entered the interrogation room.
'At least it was clean,' thought the wanderer, looking at the room and sitting down, where after two minutes, they would come inside.
The same woman with powers and an older man with white hair wearing a green coat over a black suit, yellow eyes, and glasses, along with a cane. As he sat down, he analyzed him briefly for his scars.
'Act smart, Albert. The last thing we want is to become someone's tool.'
"Can I help you, sir?" asked Albert.
"Good evening, young Johnson," he introduced himself. "My name is Ozpin, director of Beacon Academy; this is my assistant and combat teacher Glynda Goodwitch, and I would like to ask you some questions regarding what occurred in the store."
"Well, we're here now. So go ahead. Shoot," he said, trying to sound friendly, although his tone reminded him of the late Azhrukal.
"First, who are you, and why did you come to the city of Vale?"
"Well, I'm Albert Johnson, and I came here with my team looking for information."
"What kind of information?" Glynda asked directly.
'She's smart,' he thought. "Simply from where we were and about nearby towns to make a living."
"Are you mercenaries?" asked Ozpin.
"Yes, although I'm more what you need. Be it: Engineer, mechanic, doctor, etc.," he said.
"I see," said Ozpin. "And I suppose you're the leader of your group."
"Yes," he said without hesitation. "We're a heterogeneous group as you've seen, but we work well."
"That explains how you managed to scare off a wanted criminal in Vale just by threatening him... By the way, the owner gave this as payment," Ozpin extended a map of the city. Albert smiled and took it.
"At least I didn't rob the store, although your friends wrecked it."
"Yeah, a shame," said Ozpin.
"Well, I have to go. My team and I have several things to do."
"Of course, go ahead," said Ozpin as Albert stood up to leave. "After all, you don't exist in the data source; you just appeared upon entering the city."
'Damn! Think Albert, wait, he doesn't know about us. I have to play my cards right.'
"What do you mean?" he asked while sitting back down.
Ozpin just looked at Glynda for a serious reply. "You have no medical data, and the places mentioned in your school admission papers don't exist. So, we want the truth, Mr. Johnson, or you and your friends will be indicted."
Albert saw her, realizing he was backed against the wall. He had to be clever.
"Alright," Albert thought of a false story, solid enough. "I come from an illegal settlement known colloquially as Refuge. It was made in an abandoned mine where I grew up for nineteen years with my father; my mother died giving me birth."
Albert recalled his life in the refuge with a nostalgic smile. "My father was the smartest man I ever knew. He was the doctor of the Refuge, considered a guardian angel for saving residents. He taught me everything I know. I remember when I turned ten, he made me my own shooting range for a BB gun he gave me." But he recalled the fateful day.
"One day, he left the refuge, and the community leader considered us traitors. I left as fast as I could to look for him all over Remnant. I formed my search group to find him. But... when I found him, it was too late," omitting Tranquility Lane and the Enclave's intervention.
Albert fought his way through the battle against the group that attacked the purifier. Luckily his companions: Jericho, Charon, Butch, Harkness, and Sydney along with Meatball held them off. Upon entering, he saw Doctor Li outside the control room, worried.
"Father, what's going on?!" Albert screamed while pounding on the glass separating him from the control room of Project Purity, where his father was inside, with an assistant named Janice along with a clean white-coated officer and a woman in black power armor.
"By order of the president, this facility is under the control of the United States government. Dr. James Johnson, you are ordered to surrender all materials related to the project." The man spoke with a slight southern accent. James had a defiant look on his face, while Janice looked clearly frightened.
"Colonel Autumn. You are called colonel, right?" said James, trying to sound polite. "I'm afraid the Enclave has no authority here. You will have to leave."
"The Enclave?" Albert thought, recalling the scant details they knew about the group. Suddenly, Albert slammed the glass, startling Dr. Li.
"Hey!" she shouted. "Open this damn door!" At her feet, Russ growled toward the door.
The man turned and looked at Albert from behind the glass. He had gray, neatly combed hair with his arms crossed behind his back. Upon seeing Albert, the man's stern expression softened a bit, and he chuckled to himself as though he knew a good private joke. "Well, well, look what we have here: the disobedient son."
"Albert, back off," James warned, raising his hand. "Let me handle this."
"Let my father go," Albert ordered.
Autumn chuckled to himself a little more. "No, Albert, I don't think so. I have everyone right where I want them, including you. Right now, my soldiers are surrounding this building, invading its tunnels. We've already won."
"Who the hell are you?" Albert asked, his fists clenched with fury.
"I suppose we have some time," Autumn said, pulling out a golden pocket watch, opening it, and looking at it indifferently. He straightened up just like the woman and introduced himself. "Colonel Augustus Autumn of the Enclave, and my associate General Clementine Smith, Albert Johnson, or 'the lone wanderer,' as that idiot chatterbox from GNR radio station called you. I would like to take this moment to personally thank you for the role you've played since you left your vault."
"What?" Albert asked, not understanding.
Clementine smiled and looked at James. "We couldn't locate James. He did an outstanding job keeping a low profile..." She looked back at him. "... Unlike you. Wandering around solving every little problem that came your way was extremely easy to track and control."
"One of your soldiers attacked us before we found my father," Albert said, recalling the encounter near Megaton. "Why did you try to kill us if you wanted us to find him?"
"It's a scout's mistake," admitted Autumn, waving his hand. "He thought you were your father. It was my decision to have you followed. I had a feeling you would lead us right to the prize: your father and this project."
"I will not work with you," James said, catching the man's attention. "And Project Purity will not work either. It never has, and it probably never will."
Albert could hardly believe what he was hearing. His father had all the faith in the world that Project Purity would work. Then, he realized that maybe he was just trying to deceive the colonel, and that the man might not know anything about the GECK they needed.
Autumn frowned. "Surely you can't seriously expect me to believe you would return to this project after such a long absence without expecting results, could you?"
"How do you even know about this?" asked Albert. "How do you know so much about my father, about me, and about this project?"
Clementine turned and her expression was not playful. "Boy, you need to learn the order of things. First, we have people. Everywhere. We knew about James's return from our agent in Rivet City's science lab. We compared it to our agent in Megaton to ensure he had passed through there.
"Who?" Dr. Li suddenly asked, indignant at the treacherous actions of someone from her scientific team. "Who sold us out?"
"I suppose since you'll never see her again, you'll know now, Doctor Madison Li. Anna Holt was our agent in your scientific lab; she worked alongside you all the time, deceived you, gained your trust. We found out our agents are exceptionally good at that."
Madison gazed downward, as something became abundantly clear to her.
Autumn, now facing the lone wanderer, continued: "So here we are: after James left the vault, you popped up, and suddenly you were on everyone's radar. I'm impressed at the stir you've caused in your short time in the outside world, kid. And once again, I find myself obligated to thank you for all that you've done. But I would like to mention that you've given us something useful, young Johnson."
Albert squinted his eyes while looking at the man, not understanding what he meant. Autumn smiled. "Let me explain. Thanks to your absence, we were able to convince your friend Amata to let us access Vault 101. It was pathetically idealistic, really, as all we had to do was offer to open up the vault for the people of the wasteland. Of course, I had no intention of fulfilling that part of the deal. The steel door of Vault 101 opened and we rushed in and took control. And now, we've transported them through the wasteland to a safe and secure place, well hidden from rescue."
Albert shuddered as the weight of his words fell on him, realizing he was directly responsible for what had been done to the vault's people, as he helped them with that revolt to end it peacefully, giving power to Amata and leading Butch to join them. "Why the hell?" Albert demanded to know, gritting his teeth. He wanted to smash the man's face in. But with the thickness of the glass and the fact that they had James and Janice at gunpoint, there was no other option.
Clementine explained, allowing a tone of petulant superiority to emerge in her voice: "The Enclave values civilians who have not been touched by the outside world, young Johnson. Our inner circle has determined that the people of Vault 101 will make an excellent working caste in our new society."
Albert narrowed his eyes and asked: "What new society?"
"The new United States of America, of course," Autumn replied casually.
"How dare you!" Albert yelled at the man, clenching his fists. "They are people! Humans! You can't enslave them!"
"Yes, of course we can," Clementine paused a moment and studied the young man closely, looking for something. He seemed to find it when he said: "I must say, young Johnson, you bear a striking resemblance to your friend Amata. I should know; you both are very passionate before I killed her."
Albert's eyes widened and his heart sank completely. "You... you didn't..." he said, barely loud enough for both generals to hear.
Clementine, looking directly into his eyes, replied: "Yes, I did."
In a fit of rage, Albert drew his magnum with a scope and aimed at Autumn through the glass. He fired, and the bullet bounced off the glass. Autumn didn't flinch at the shot, though everyone else did. The colonel looked amused by the sudden attempt at murder.
"What nobility, Mr. Johnson! How noble indeed! But I'm afraid in your current position, you have no power, and the time for heroic games has passed."
Autumn turned, drew a pistol, and aimed at Janice's head. "Doctor Johnson, you will surrender all materials related to the project, as I said. Additionally, you must assist the Enclave scientific staff in whatever they ask so that this facility becomes fully operational. Am I being clear?" He readied the weapon. "Or do I need to add an exclamation mark to my order?"
The woman raised her hands, and her legs trembled with fear. Tears streamed down her face as she began to sob openly. "Don't shoot her!" James begged. "Please, it's not necessary. We can talk about this, Colonel."
A single shot rang out and Janice fell to the ground, dead, with a single bloodied hole between her eyes. Albert's hatred for the two skyrocketed, obscuring his view of the cold-blooded murder perpetrated by the man who claimed to have killed his father. If anyone had doubted he was capable of doing what he said, they no longer had any doubt. Meatball's growls intensified.
Autumn holstered the pistol. "Though I admit I've been fairly talkative up to this point, I didn't come to talk, Doctor Johnson. Now, before more accidents occur, can I assume you can cooperate without further dissent? Is that correct, Doctor Freeman?"
James straightened up and took a deep breath. He looked at Autumn and Clementine, then at Albert and Madison. He closed his eyes, and at that moment, his determination seemed to abandon him as he appeared defeated. His shoulders sagged, and his head tilted slightly downward. Albert watched in wide-eyed shock as his father looked at Autumn and said with resignation: "Alright, Autumn. You finally won. Give me a moment to get the system up and running."
—Dad, no...— Albert whispered.
James looked at Albert, and only at Albert, one last time. Then he turned, approached the main console, and started to press the necessary keys to start it up. Albert and Li watched as their hopes and dreams for the project evaporated, watching James, the visionary and team leader, about to hand it over to the Enclave.
"I'm getting tired of these delays," said Autumn after a few seconds, clenching his fists behind his back.
"Just a moment more," murmured James.
A flash of light emanated from inside the chamber, catching everyone by surprise. It temporarily blinded them all, preventing them from seeing the explosion they could hear. Meatball began to bark wildly as Albert's Pip-Boy started ticking with that familiar sound; the Geiger counter was registering radiation. As their vision returned to those outside the purifier chamber, they were met with a horrifying sight. The two Enclave soldiers in power armor inside had dropped their weapons, staggering as they tried to fight against an invisible enemy, while incredibly lethal radiation wreaked havoc on their bodies. Autumn and Clementine, who suddenly looked very ill, staggered toward James before collapsing to the ground and became very still.
All watched as James gasped and slowly walked toward the glass that separated him from them. It was evident he was suffering greatly as the radiation from overloading the central power source of the purifier assaulted his body. Struggling with each agonizing step, James finally dropped to his knees before the door and placed his hand against the glass.
—Son...— he said in a hoarse and weak voice. Albert got down to his father's level and also placed his hands on the glass. His eyes were wide and fearful.
Albert looked at his father and shouted: "Dad! What did you do?"
"I prevented them... from taking the project... from my son..." James gasped, and before Albert could respond, he said: "Albert! Listen to me... you must... run, escape... take... take Madison and her team... escape... run... run...
"No! Dad, I won't leave you!" Albert shouted, almost banging on the glass.
His father closed his eyes, a tear rolling down his cheek. "I'm already... dead... from this radiation... I'm dead...
"No! No! No!" Albert had tears in his eyes running down his cheeks. "I didn't come this far... you didn't come this far just for this! Don't leave me again! Not again! Don't do this!"
"I'm so sorry... my son... that it must be like this..." James coughed. Before Albert's terrified eyes, his father's skin began to decay slowly, and in a moment etched in Albert's memory forever, his father slowly began to resemble a ghoul, but he wouldn't be one.
"Albert..." said James in a rough voice. "Never... never let them take it from you... Your mother's dream..."
"Dad..." Albert softly cried. He felt his heart racing a thousand beats per second, as if he were drowning, as if everything in the world was collapsing around him, torn apart by some evil higher power. Nothing could have prepared him to see his father die slowly before him, feeling completely, utterly powerless to save him. Li was equally stunned, beyond rational thought.
His father, exhaling his last breath, suddenly adopted a serene look in his suddenly cloudy eyes. He raised his gaze, and with cracked lips, said: "I... am Alpha... and Omega..." He looked at Albert and uttered his final words. "Son... I love... you... I'm proud..."
James collapsed onto the floor from a shot in his head by General Clementine, who had fainted from the radiation, collapsing against the glass and closing his eyes. His last breath left his lips in a single long exhalation. Madison and perhaps the most affected of all, Albert, watched with devastating pain as the man died.
Albert couldn't breathe, couldn't close his eyes, nor take them off the sight of his father dead, the martyr, the man who had been the most important person in his life. His fingers ached as he slammed against the glass, wishing it would disappear so he could pull his father out and save him. Totally helpless, completely defeated, and in incredible despair, Albert hit the glass and screamed. He screamed many things, none of which he would remember, because everything felt silent, as if the world had lost its grip on him, and he was far away, trapped in a dark prison. He screamed and pounded, pressing his face against the glass, doing everything in his power to make it all end, to make it all revert back, anything to prevent the horrible hand of fate from dealing him this card. Anything to change what just happened.
As Charon entered and saw what happened, he dragged him back, not even knowing how long had passed since his father's death. Time had no meaning for him at that moment. As they pulled him out of the rotunda, he never took his gaze from the chamber door, that simple thing that had separated him from his father. He fought it every second, not even knowing why. They pulled him from the room, led him through the hall, and down a sewer that led to the tunnels beneath the monument. Now, in the darkness, Albert remained silent, his screams ceased as he closed his eyes and simply cried.
Unknowingly, he had shed some tears that did not go unnoticed by Ozpin and Glynda, who looked at him with sympathy. In his anger, Albert wiped his tears away; he hated being seen like that.
"He died in front of me because of a national supremacist group. And I killed them all... Now we make a living as mercenaries."
Ozpin looked at him with sympathy. "You've been through a lot, Mr. Johnson. My deepest condolences for your father."
Glynda silently whispered a prayer. "I'm sorry."
Albert calmed down a bit. "Don't be; the dead can't come back."
Ozpin nodded to Glynda, giving a silent message that she would go out, only to return in two minutes with a cup of hot chocolate. Albert looked at the hot contents without understanding it, but upon smelling it and taking a sip, he felt tranquility.
"I have a proposal for you, Mr. Johnson."
"What do you want?" he asked, somewhat calm.
"Just by looking at your weapons and armor, it is clear that you know what needs to be done to maintain order; even kill to do so. That's why I propose you come to my school where you can improve your skills and besides, have a home. Not to mention that with a hunter's license gives you more freedom than that of a mercenary."
Albert considered his words, and they seemed like a good alternative to wandering aimlessly until the Brotherhood returned. But he wanted to know something. "Will those who are not human be treated equally by the students and faculty?"
Ozpin smiled. "My school has zero tolerance against racism, both towards faunus and their peers."
That would convince Albert. "Okay, we will join."
Ozpin nodded with a smile and extended his hand. "You made a good decision, young Johnson."
Albert shook his hand. "Let's hope so, Director Ozpin."
Upon releasing his hand, Ozpin would stand. "Tomorrow before school, my assistant Glynda will ensure you have official paperwork to be students, both for you and your companions. Do you have a place to spend the night?"
"Um, no," he said, feeling somewhat uncertain.
Ozpin jotted something down on a sheet he took out of his pocket along with a pen. "Go to this address; there you can spend the night; I'm treating, and also here's the address for Beacon's offices where you will see Glynda for your interviews," handing him the written paper.
Albert took the paper. "Thank you, Professor Ozpin."
"The pleasure is yours, young Johnson. It's the least I can do for you."
The three would leave, but something inside Albert felt that something was wrong with this. But for now, they had a plan, and they would make the most of it.