Fallout Equestria 76

by Fanliterature101

Chapter Two

Saturday, October 27th, 2102

11:05 AM

I awoke, to either the sounds of the clock as it rang or to the sound of a voice speaking over me.

"Good morning Vault 76..."

I immediately knew whose words these belonged to. Mom. I began to rise as her greeting continued. The springs of the bed cried for relief as I sat up, blinking a few times to clear the blur from my vision.

"this is the Overmare, I hope you all enjoyed the party last night!"

The party...I don't remember much of it, but only...My mind stopped as I felt the searing pain on my left cheek. I touched the surface, finding it to be bandaged. Small figments of last nights event came back to me. That man..the scar..mom. I released a bit of air from my lungs as I stood to my feet. Chuckling at her voice over the intercom.

"Even those who may have overindulged and overslept. But it's time to get up, and get out there! We've been locked away long enough."

I stretched, reaching my arms outwards to my left and right, and my appendages reached to the ceiling. The tips of my feathers touched the cold steel roof and finished with a cracking sound. I grunted in pleasure to the feeling of my body, snapping in its different places. I reached over and tapped the top of my alarm, setting it to rest one last time. The words, "A new day" escaped me leaving a slight smile upon my face. But soon did it fade away as last night's talk with mom came back to me. I looked around, my ears perked up to the continuous voice of my mother.

"Today is Reclamation Day! It may be time to leave, but I'll never forget the day you all entered Vault 76. You come from every walk of life, every race, color, and creed. But you all share one very important trait. You are this country's best and brightest. But more importantly, you'll always be my family."

I could hear the small cracks in her words. Knowing it was hard for her, for us. I then heard a loud banging, coming from the doorway into my quarters. And a voice calling out to me.

"Century, you still in there?"

The voice was unknown to me, due to the giant steel door that had muffled most of the callers' words. I shouted back in question to who it may be. Peering out of my bedroom, I could see that it was the voice of Tech as he stood behind the port window with Arcee. Frantically waving and giving gestures to come. I smiled. 'He always rushed me. Thought by now he'd have a little more patience.' I walked over to the door, finding my shoes to be there by the frame. Mom must have left these here, and to my surprise she did. There, lying just above the side panel hung a note. And it read;

"Thought I'd get you prepped up for the big day, don't forget your Pipbuck."

I looked to the device which had sat in its glass container. Shining from a small light just above it.

Pipbucks

I've read the manuals to their understanding. As I mostly recall. Pip, stands for Personal Information Processor. Made by RobCo Industries. For both major cooperations valued to the Cabinet of Advanced Sciences, and it's head mare. Vault-Tec and Stable-Tec. Designed to keep the database for the wearer's information and inventory.

"Not bad for a giant-sized wristwatch."

Finishing the lace of my last shoe, I pushed the red button. And out came the Pipbuck.
It was big, very big. Bigger than my hand, but with a little work, I strapped the belt. And turned it on. Seeing the famous Vault-Tec mascot as it gave example to every function in this device. S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck. It's odd to have such perks that can somehow increase your skill. But there's not much you can really do about it. Just then another loud knocking was at the door.

"Century hurry up, We've been waiting for two hours!"

Either he had lost his patience and lied of his wait, or his Pipbuck told him so. Rolling my eyes, I turned to the door and opened it. There stood an anxious Tech-Kit, in its natural habitat. Starring down its next opponent. I yawned with a tone of sarcasm.

"Morning Tech, how are you doing?"

He mocked me and pulled on my arm. Forcing me to come, well, not really forcing as I had decided to walk. Arcee gave a soft kind smile as she followed.

"Why are you guys still here, I thought you both would have left by now." I asked with a bit of confusion. Well, honestly I was very confused.

Though I had planned to go on my own, Arcee told me that mom asked for them both to stay at my side. Of course she never liked the idea of me being alone, yet she very well knew I was strong and smart enough to take care of myself. I heard mothers' speech throughout the vault yet again.

"You have been tasked with nothing less than the rebuilding of Mareica. Such a huge responsibility. Just know that Vault-Tec is proud of you, I am proud of you! When you hear this, it means I have been gone for several hours. I've got...my own mission. Out there in Appleachia. This is the Overseer, signing off."

I frowned at this, she left. Which I knew she would, but...to her own mission? Was this the reason why she was upset last night? Could this be the reason why she was brought to tears in my arms? I hope she's okay, I pray that she's okay.

I looked to Tech as he continued to pull me along. I saw the look in his eyes, the pain he was feeling. The tears started to form, but he didn't shed any. Not one. Of course he was hurt that mom left. That he might not see her again. That we both would now have to live without her. Until we hopefully see her again. But he had to stay strong to himself, to Arcee and I. Yet this was new, a new feeling, a new sense and emotion to him. We had never felt sadness here. Not so deeply as now. This is a first, for him, for me, for mom.

Arcee took his other hand softly as he slowed. We came to a walk, Tech had let go of my wrist and held onto the side railing. We stopped near the stairs as he began to break down. This was hard, for him, for me, for mom. I wanted to say something, give my brother the help he needs. But in honesty, I'm at a loss. Nothing came to me, nothing came to mind. I was hurt, equally. Arcee laid a hand upon his back and rubbed gently.

"Hun, it's okay. It's going to be okay, we'll see her again. I know we will."

He wiped his face, cleaning the sorrow from his eyes, and slowly stood up. We walked through flights of stairs, stopping at some tables with supplies of Rad-X, Purified Water, Blood Packs, Stimpacks, Building Supplies, and...a Party Hat? I'd rather not. But this mission that mom mentioned, what mission is it that is so important? I looked up, seeing the Overseers' office on the other side of a window. Maybe I can check in there, see if she left anything behind. My brother noticed my actions as I moved towards the door.

"What are you doing? We have to go."

I raised my hand and said for him to wait. And without seeing if he complied, I walked into the room. And found mother's terminal atop her desk. There in the files was a list of her recordings. I played through them all until one caught my attention. It read, "Just like you". I decided to eject the holotape and store it into my inventory for later. Afterward the last holotape began to play.

"Overseers' Log, or should I say? "Direct communication." Because whoever is listening to this had the "Moxy" to try to find out where I have gone. But I'm glad you did. Truth is, I need your help."

Tech came into the room as he heard mothers voice from outside. Moving to my side to hear the recording. Arcee stood by the door holding her own hands, with a curious and worried expression on her face.

"I've been tasked and...I've decided to break protocol and tell you what it is. Cause if there's one thing I've learned in these past few years, it's that we need to rely on each other. There were three active nuclear silos in Appleachia before the bombs fell. It blew up the world before, we can't let it happen again. So we've got to locate and secure all of the silos or die trying. Hopefully the former. But it's been twenty-five years, I just don't know what we're gonna find out there. Or where to start... My directive was to go to the population center and access the situation. I'll set up a C.A.M.P. on the way once I get my bearings. Find me there."

Immediately I rose from the terminal and left the room. Tech followed close behind. Arcee caught up with us and stayed close to Tech, she didn't hear much so he explained it all to her. Her worried look changed to that of shock. I went ahead, walking past the other Handy Units.

"What are you doing?"

He called out to me, they both moved faster to catch up the pace. I told him of what we had just heard. I told him I was going to help our mother and that he may stay if he didn't wish to. Though knowing Tech, he'd do anything for mom. And Arcee would go anywhere he did. So they decided to come. We stopped by yet another poster, there a Mr. Handy unit gave us a reminder. And just as others did before with their similarity in accents.

"Outside, survival will be easy with your Construction and Assembly Mobile Platform. Or C.A.M.P. so catchy."

I passed by another Handy unit with a stand, though Tech took what had been laid before him.

"Hey, almost left these."

In his hand were seven perk cards, perks to the rule of S.P.E.C.I.A.L. I took the cards and placed them in my inventory. As the unit said. Arcee brought the C.A.M.P units, carrying three. One for each. Of course Tech took one to help her with the heavy lifting, and yes I took the last because she insisted on me keeping it.

"Remember adaptability is key! If your role isn't working, try another! Get Creative!"

Not finding anything else that the vault has left for us. We came to the opening of the Vault door. Alarms began to blare as the seal started to move, the giant steel hatch was pulled towards us, then rolled to the right side. And there the first thing we saw, the light.

"Are you ready brother?"

I looked at him and to her as they did to me with their best smile, and replied.

"I am."

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Perk Card Added: Concentrated Fire.

V.A.T.S. now target limbs. Focus fire to gain accuracy and damage per shot.

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Daylight, after so many years. It's good to feel the warmth of the outside. We stood upon a podium leading two ways. Iron bars used for fencing were hung around. I came to the edge and overlooked the scenery. Blue skies, trees in colors of the fall. I could feel the wind as it danced upon my face. How I've missed this feeling. Tech came to my side, exclaiming at the site.

"It's beautiful."

I smiled, but it soon faded away as we heard a voice call out to us. Peering below, to another podium hovered another automatron. Waving one of its mechanical arms to us. Tech rushed towards it with Arcee following close behind, finding a flight of stairs to our left. I, however, stayed, searching for whatever could be around. And gazing to my right, I saw something in the far distance leaning against a lamp post. It looked like a person. Sleeping? Resting maybe? Curiosity got to me, and I made my way towards what I presumed to be a civilian. But to my horror, it was something else. There lying below the post, laid a corpse. I knelt over to its side. The smell of rotten flesh was still there. This was here for a long time, yet to how it looked, it wasn't here for that long. Maybe a few days. My Pipbuck beeped in a notification. And on the screen, it read.

"Responder Corpse."

Also, listing three items that this body carried. Rad-X, a Pipe Pistol, and Pre-War Money. I took them into my inventory, only finding twenty dollars, and the weapon with a count of twelve rounds. The Pipbuck also listed what condition the gun was in.

Damage 12
.38-12
Fire Rate 60
Range 84
Accuracy 55
Weight 4
Value 11

The value caught my eye, cause if I haven't known any better. I'd think it said that this weapon was worth eleven bottle caps. Who would use bottle caps as money? Just then a sound came from ahead of me. And looking up, I had barely the time to dodge a laser round as it passed my face. Quickly rolling backwards and recovering from the sudden action, I held the pistol in my hands and fired. The shot rang out through the sky, and the bullet met its target. Killing it in an instant. Its body fell with a metallic thud. I arose from my position, moving slowly towards whatever it was that attacked me. I still held the gun in my hands, pointing it to the steel shell. Some sort of automatron, one I've never seen before. At least I thought that way at first.

"What the hell?"

I turned from it and walked back to the vault, seeing Tech as he came to me. A look of concern was shown on his face as he asked what had happened. I held my new weapon firmly and pointed in his direction.

"Get down!"

He quickly ducked as I fired another round, hitting yet another one of those robots. Tech turned around, now seeing what it was I shot. He gasped in astonishment. Or what it seemed like. He slowly rose and crept towards it. I told him to be careful, and he listened. Slowly, bending to its side. He picked it up and examined it.

"Liberators."

Sent by the Striped Nation so many years ago. Before the bombs dropped, before...everything happened. I held the drone with a hand and threw it to the side. Hitting the concrete floor with a low thud. Those communist bastards, they took everything from me. Tech patted me on the shoulder, then asked about the gun. I looked to him, then pointed in the direction of the aged corpse. He was surprised at this, then to notice what he was thinking of, I realized it too. Even after the bombs dropped, some of the citizens survived! We can only hope that there are more still alive. We decided to keep moving, maybe another citizen may turn up yet. Arcee came up halfway from the stairs to ask us what had happened. Of course she was worried about the screaming and gunshots. I explained to her what happened. She was shocked, with the expression of fear mixed within. But she understood and stayed close to Tech. Afterwards we took the flight of stairs down to the balcony below the vault door. There the Handy unit greeted us. The same one that Tech and Arcee had spoken to earlier. It spoke in its accent, just like those in the Vault. It told of our mother setting up C.A.M.P. to the south. We just had to follow the road. Thanking the automatron, we continued our descent until we found yet another corpse. This one was a male unicorn, clothed in rags and tears. Tech searched the corpse and found a machete, pre-war money, and a note. He held the withered paper in hand and read:

Paul,

I need you to make the monthly scouting run to Vault 76. Those doors have to open sometime. Don't take risks. Observe for a few days and come back.

-Maria

There were many Equestrians in Marica with bizarre names. Paul and Maria were the only two that we now know so far. Maybe others were in the Vault with us, and are now out there with similar names. It's not our right to judge, but no one ever knew why they had such titles. I guess their parents just ran out of ideas. After Tech left the letter with the corpse, we went our way to the South. Finding more Liberators in our path and with each round and cut. We managed to clear them all and were rewarded with items such as fuses and fusion cells. My new weapon took more damage than it had before. As did Tech's machete. Luckily our journey came to a stop as we found our way to the Overseer's C.A.M.P. There we not only found a Vault-Tec Loot Crate from our mother, but also three stations that were made for armor, weaponry, and cooking with a fire below a cauldron. Plus the view of other Dwellers occupying said stations and a nearby mattress. Two took notice of us immediately. And they would be none other than Grey and Celeste. Though it seemed that our feathered friends weren't doing so well. As I saw the bandages and bloodstains upon their jumpsuits, I became deeply worried. Celeste was the first to meet us, embracing me with a tight hug. Burying her face into my chest, now I..no..we were very worried.

"Thank Celestia you're okay! We were worried you three never made it!"

I held the griffin in my arms and observed her bandages. She spoke about an attack from automatrons and wild dogs. Handy units that have gone haywire and shot at them at first sight. I looked over to Grey who had his left arm held into a cast. Bandages littered his side as he explained the bullet wounds he took protecting his sister. Tech patted the boy's shoulder softly, then said that he wished we had been there to protect them. But he shook his head.

"We still would have been in the same situation."

I laid a hand on Celeste's head, cradling her. They're just kids, sure they may be in their twenties. But still, for griffins so young, this shouldn't have happened to them. Celeste broke away slowly, then handed me what seemed to be another Holotape. This one was labeled Overseer's Log-C.A.M.P. She told me that they had found it inside the crate, along with supplies for all Dwellers who came to this stop along their journey. I opened the slot and inserted the tape.

"Overseer's log. South of Vault 76. I-I knew this wasn't going to be the Appleachia I remembered, but...mutated animals, haywire bots, and no equestrians so far. We have to be ready to rebuild in-what I can confirm as hostile territory. Fortunately, Vault-Tec was prepared. Do you see this? The cooking station, the stash box, the workbenches. All built with the C.A.M.P. You need a home base out there. The Construction and Assembly Mobile Platform is designed to give you one. Just add resources, planning, and a little elbow grease. When you move your C.A.M.P, everything you've built is stored, ready to be placed back down in the new area. Use this to establish a hoovehold whenever you're in unfamiliar territory. I've left my C.A.M.P behind so you can use it. I know I'm breaking my own advice by not taking it with me, but after seeing Appleachia for myself, I need to make sure every resident of 76 has a safe haven they can start from. I'll make do without it. If it's still standing, the town of Flatwoods is further down this road. Find me there. This is the Overseer. Signing off."

The tape stopped. We all looked to each other, not saying a word. No thoughts came to us, we were quiet. I removed the tape and gave it to Tech, then walked away to the other side of this small settlement. And looked off into the woods. This place, this world. It's nothing like the one we knew and loved. Our home is gone. I looked below me to see papers, tape, a ball-peen hammer, and a toolbox. I grabbed the items and walked to the weapons workbench to my right. Scrapping the tool and tape, and the other ingredients found inside the toolbox. I began to modify what I had. Using what I could to repair and enhance my weapon.

Light Frame.
Long Barrel.
Comfort Grip.
Standard Magazine.
Reflex Sights.

Grey came up to me as I wielded my newly forged weapon. Loading a magazine into the stock and cocking the barrel. He gave an impressed expression, I slightly smiled. He gave me some items that he held in his inventory and asked if I could put some use to them. I simply nodded and accepted his request. Using the armor workbench I crafted him two pieces of leather guards. A Leather Chest Piece and a Leather Left Arm. I, of course, helped him into his new armor. Since he had taken flesh wounds and bullet holes to protect his sister. Carefully tightening the straps as he wore them. Tech did the same for Celeste and Arcee, crafting new weapons and protection for them both. I made myself some paddings for what I had leftover. A Leather Right Arm and a Leather Left Leg. My brother made the same for his arms, since he could work with both. We gathered as much as there was that our mother left for us, and went on our way. I offered the two if they wanted to come along, so they wouldn't have to be alone. They accepted the offer and came with us. Tech opened a map, which he had found by the stash box, and pinpointed our next destination. Flatwoods. The walk wasn't very long, only to be a few minutes away. We did, however, run into more creatures. Wild Mongrels and Mole Rats. Seems to be more to this world than we know. Finally, we arrived in a place called Green Country Lodge. The buildings were worn down, the streets were barren. All but a crate was seen, but this crate was different from that of Vault-Tec. It was of great size, made entirely out of steel. Tech looked it over and found it to be of Military use. It was odd, why would this be out here, and of the Military? An answer came shortly as Grey spotted a drone flying above us, carrying yet another crate. At least we knew how it got here, but why? Celeste gathered whatever was inside the steel box and stashed it into her inventory.

"Rad-away, water, a Gulf Club, and some money."

I came over to the side of the box and reached in, taking what seemed to be an ax. A Tomahawk, and luckily there were four others. One for each of us. We continued on our way, shortly we came to the town of Flatwoods. The first thing I noticed was a painted sign by the side of the road. It had a shield in the color blue, with a heart and the line of a cardiac rhythm. These were probably made by the survivors of the bombs. We came to a church in the middle of the town. Lights, beds, tables, terminals, files. And by the door, another stash box. Inside was another Holotape from our mother.

"Overseer's Log. Town of Flatwoods. My God... there's no one here. The old tavern, the church. People were using them for shelter, but... they're gone. Mutations we expected, but there's something else... a disease. I was attacked by... well, it used to be a person. But it had these green, glowing lesions. And its voice... Angry, tortured. "We are one." One what? Whatever happened here is beyond anything we expected. And we expected a lot. Before they were wiped out, the survivors called themselves the Responders. Looks like they were made of firefighters, police, and emergency medical staff. They even have an automated system to teach people about treating water, food, and survival. I'm doing their tests, and you should too. I know it's even worse than we imagined. But someone's got to know where the missile silos are and how to secure them. The Responders are the best lead we have. This is the Overseer, signing off."

Again the tape ended. This time I kept it. Tech took the opportunity to search the place, Grey followed. Celeste stayed and looked through the stash. Finding plans for her C.A.M.P and other resources. So far, we were the only ones here. I chose not to sign for the "Responders", I already have a resignation for the Military and I'll keep it at that. Though the name sounded familiar, then a memory came back to me. The corpse at the Vault. It was the corpse of a Responder. Later Tech and Arcee returned to us as Grey went off to assign himself to this new faction. But what they had to say, was something I easily assumed once we arrived.

"Nothing, only some scraps of food and ammunition." Tech started. "No survivors, no Responders, they're all dead. Just more and more corpses."

We can only hope that we can find others. There have to be other survivors out there, there has to.

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Perk Card Upgraded
Concentration Fire: Level 2
Perk Card Added:
Gun Slinger
Your Non-Automatic guns now do +10% damage.

Comments

[Iredwolf]

"almost heaven...west Virginia"

[Clopian26]

https://youtu.be/Gx3310tUhVw