Fallout: Born Unto Trouble

1. A Little Exposition to Pave The Way

In the end, we're all destined to die.

By natural causes or otherwise, it's a part of life. Most people have accepted it by now.

As the world burned up in flames on October 23, 2077, Maria Remigio and her family were working underground at her local church. Sixteen members of that church survived that day, in a tiny town in northern Mexico.

Maria was eight years old, and she was ten by the time radiation had turned her and her parents into grotesque monsters. But that was okay, as long as they had each other.

And when she turned one-hundred-sixteen, she decided that she was going to brave the world; go out on her own and find her destiny.

She had traveled most of what used to be the United States until, in 2252, she settled down in a broken-down manor on the banks of the Sabine River with a stranger.

The stranger was a genderless person named Ray. They wore thick black armor and a gas mask to cover their face. They were mute, and Maria only knew Spanish, so communication was scarce between them.

They spent a good twenty years in that house, learning about each other in curious and amazing ways.

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And in the ruins of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, stood Vault 53. A vault over-packed with only French-speaking citizens, and in 2100, the residents opened the door for the first time and greeted the new world with excitement and wonder.

The first thing to do was simple: build water purifiers in the Mississippi River to provide water and power for the residents.

Scientists compared notes, tested the water, and came up with ideas for this grand feat, and by 2217, the water purifiers were up and running, providing free water and power to everyone in Baton Rouge.

And in that same year, Fredrick and IreneGeroux had a baby girl they named Elise.

Elise grew up like any normal child, carefree and lovable, and had a knack for great plans to get outta Baton Rouge and explore the world.

By thirteen, she read up on tourism in the city and decided that's what she was going to do.

And by fourteen, she learned and spoke English fluently to provide translation services to people who wanted to see the water purifiers and explore the city.

But in the end, things don't end up as they seem. Irene became ill and passed away, her father following shortly after, and by sixteen, Elise was alone.

Packing her bags, she headed east to explore the world and see what this new country has to offer.

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This is how stories go. Children are born and become heroes or villains.

Rosalina Elizabeth Cruz was born July 5, 2251.

Gloria Hill on July 13, 2258.

Ace Sanchez on August 26, 2258.

Stacy Li Cole on February 20, 2257.

And we'll begin with Gloria Hill.

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Teenage angst can also be described as "severe depression" and "suicidal tendencies" from a doctor's perspective—something Gloria was used to. Through throwing up and starving herself and drug use and everything else under the grey, concrete roof of the Vault, Gloria coped. Barely.

That feeling in her chest, emptiness and apathy, wasn't angst. It was... something else. Something she has lived with for the past few years, if she remembered correctly. The days blended together, weeks and months were a blur, and she could forget about years. They were all the same.