POV Rio
I look around myself, and I am beyond confused.
'Where am I?'
I was sitting in what looked like a classroom complete with an old projector. In the corner sat an American Flag, and I was seated at a desk with a chair attached. I went to stand up but found I couldn't. I look down and find something very odd.
'Where are my legs. Actually, where is my body in general?'
I couldn't even see my hands, and yet I could feel my body. Before I could start to panic, the projector turned on by itself and started playing something.
"BOOOOOOOOOM!"
The projector scared me with the sound, but what followed was interesting.
"Following Total Atomic Annihilation, the rebuilding of this great nation of ours may fall to you. That's why we at Vault-Tec have prepared these educational materials for you to better understand the seven defining attributes that make you S.P.E.C.I.A.L." The projector continues.
"Today, we will focus on Strength..."
Many Hours Later...
"Regularly study your Vault-Tec-provided materials to prepare for survival and to answer the question. Do you know what makes you S.P.E.C.I.A.L?" The projector ends with an ear-grating sound.
"Well, that was an informative last couple of hours. But I would like to leave now." I say aloud to whoever has me captive.
"I am sorry, but you must first take the Generalized Occupational Aptitude Test, or G.O.A.T. exam. All Vault residents are required to take it." A strange creature said while walking into the room.
I wasn't sure what they were, but they were completely blue and were wearing a monocle and a very angular outfit.
"Now, I believe you must be Rio, yes?" It asked.
"Uh, yes?" I respond a bit unsure of what to say.
"Good, now if you open your desk, there will be a paper and a pencil. Please use it to answer the questions. You will have 30 minutes to answer all questions, and then I will score you based on your answers. Do you understand?" It asked.
"Uh, I have a few questions..."
"Good, then please begin," It interrupted me and then started a timer.
I was really confused but didn't want to find out what would happen if I failed to answer correctly, so I began the test.
30 Minutes Later...
"And stop. Put your pencil down," It said while approaching.
I sighed, but then realized I still had no answers to where I was or who was even with me here.
"Can I ask some questions now?" I say while raising my hand.
"You just did and no." It shut me down, and I started to read over the paper.
"Hmm, well, congratulations are in order, I suppose. You passed." It said with a slightly elevated tone.
"Uh? Yay? Did I win something?" I ask hesitantly.
"Yes, now goodbye." It smiles for the first time while pulling a lever I didn't notice being there a moment ago.
Clink
I look down and see that a massive hole has replaced the floor. But I wasn't falling, which confused me greatly.
"How am I still floating if..."
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Before I could finish my statement, I fell down the massive hole. I will admit I may have screamed like a little girl, but anyone in my shoes would have done the same. But after the initial fear, it was slowly replaced by confusion.
"How deep is this hole?"
I had no way to know or test it, so I just kept waiting. And waiting. And oh yeah, more waiting.
'Seriously, how long does this hole go on for? Am I in the bottomless pit? If so, then they really shouldn't build a vault over it. That seems very unsafe. I can only imagine the OSHA violations that would be written about that.'
After what felt like hours, something finally happened.
[Ding]
[System Booting... 33%...46%...67%...89%...99.9%...2%... 4 Hours Left]
"What in the world are you running on?"
[Ding]
[Windows Vista]
I just freeze and then rub my eyes. But it still remains there.
"I'm going to die of old age before that finishes."
13 Hours Later...
"Can you move it along? I'm all out of Time Cards."
"Oh uh, sure." Responded the Narrator.
I was extremely bored. I had been continuously falling for the past who knows how long, and I had even taken a nap. Or at least tried.
[Ding]
[System Booted Successfully. Opening Tutorial.exe Error:404 Your System Just Ran Into A Problem And Needs To Restart. Rebooting...]
I stare at the message and start looking around for something I can use to end my life, but then I remember that I am not sure if I am alive in the first place.
"I must have been horrifyingly cruel to puppies in a past life to deserve this kind of treatment." I lament.
So Much Later That The Old Narrator Got Tired Of Waiting, And They Had To Hire A New One...
"Just let it end already..."
[Ding]
[System Has Successfully Opened Tutorial.exe]
"FINALLY!!!!"
[Would The User Like A Tutorial?]
"Explain what it entails," I respond hesitantly.
[Tutorial Includes Basics On How To Use Weapons, Cook Food Properly, Use A Stimpak, And Many Other Important Knowledge For Surviving The Wasteland]
"Hmm, you won't crash if I say yes, right?"
[The System Will Update To New Firmware While The User Is In The Tutorial.]
I squint my eyes and think very hard about whether I want to take the risk of trusting this very faulty system.
"I guess I will take the Tutorial..." I say while bracing for the system to crash or some other nonsense.
But I am pleasantly surprised that nothing like that happened. Instead, I blink and appear in a training course. Ahead of me is a man smoking a cigarette.
"So you're the new guy? Well, my name is Frank Woods. I will run your training. You got questions, then shoot, if not let's get started," Woods says while flicking his cigarette to the ground and crushing it.
"I have a couple of questions. First, where is this place? Next, what will we start with? And my name is Rio," I say with confidence.
"Well, you are in the training zone or Tutorial, whatever you want to call it. We will start with firearm use. I will teach you how to use a firearm safely and to make sure you can at least hit something other than the broadside of a barn," Woods said.
"Uh, do you know what just happened? The tunnel, the test, the classroom," I ask, hoping for an answer, but I get disappointment instead.
"Nope, don't get paid enough for that kid. I am just an old man who teaches kids like you how to survive," Woods says with a don't know, don't care look.
I figured I wouldn't get any answers, so I just nodded and started the training.
Some Time Later...
"Okay, kid, you learned all I needed to teach you. Now, head through the doors over there and do whatever they ask you to do," Woods said while lighting another cigarette.
"Thank you, Woods, for the training. It will be very useful," I said with a slight bow.
"Yeah, yeah, beat it, you little scamp. I got my union-mandated smoke break, and you got other stuff to do," Woods said while walking away.
I walk away as well, but before I get too far, I hear him tell me one last thing.
"Oh, and kid."
I look back at him, and he does the same.
"Don't die," He says before turning around and leaving.
"Heh, I'll try," I say while entering the door.
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try," A strange green creature sitting behind the counter said.
"Rude you are. Speak ill of the old, you do. Manner not you have," The green man, whom I recognize as Yoda, says.
"This day or week or whatever I am on is getting weirder and weirder. What's next, a flying luck dragon named Falcor?"
"Hmhm, good. Humor you have. Need you will. Tough times ahead there are. Choices you will make. Good, some are. Others bad they may be. Up to you it will be. Who will you be? Yes, hrrmmm," Yoda says with a distant tone.
"What will happen to me? Where even is this place? Why am I here?"
"Hmm, future clouded it is. What you will do, know I do not. Fall perhaps? To temptation, give in; you must not. Where this is? Hmm, here is here. Place to learn, it is. Here to learn you are. A great destiny you have. Your destiny, dangerous it is. Perish you may. Stay strong, you must. Never give up hope, you must. Trust in your allies, you must. Trust in yourself, you must," Yoda says with a grim look.
"Where am I going? And why are you here?" I ask.
"Far you are going. Terrible place it is. Steeped in the Dark Side, it is. Wasteland, it is called. A dead world it is. Hrmmm. But yet, life strong it is. Continue it does. Fight it does. But hope, fading, it is. Separated, they are. Weak, they are. Unite them, you must. To guide you, I am. You meditation I will teach. Learn to control yourself, you must. Now, begin we will," Yoda says while getting into a meditative position.
I sit down and do as he instructs. But I can't help but wonder what a strange time this has been. I also worry about this destiny Yoda spoke about. But I try to remember the quote I heard a long time ago. Beware of destinies, they are rarely what you expect.
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Authors Note:
A bit of a different start to the story, but I wanted to hint at some things while also giving an explanation as to why Rio knows what he knows since he was a scientist, not a wasteland survivalist. Yoda and Woods are just trainers; they have nothing to do with the story after this, or at least not directly. The next chapter will be about the system. Also, I will post two chapters a day for this first week. Until next time, Ciao.