5 Ch. 5 Levels Baby!
[ Level Up! ]
The surrounding go a tint of green as time slows down to a stop.
[ Welcome to Level 2!
Barter = 10
Energy Weapons = 26
Explosives = 26
Guns = 41
Lockpick = 26
Medicine = 31
Melee = 22
Repair = 16
Science = 16
Sneak = 16
Speech = 25
Survival = 26
Unarmed = 26
Assign 12 Skill Points!
IMPORTANT
Skill points per level = 10 + (Intelligence/2)
0.5 will be carried over to the next level up ]
"My stats seem decent. I prefer them to be in increments of 5 though. But that'll be for later"
[ Skills Increased:
Guns = 45
Melee = 25
Speech = 30
Confirm ]
"I couldn't help myself. It just looks so much better and appealing. The 5 and 0 make me feel better so that's all that matters I guess"
[ Welcome to Level 2!
[Confirmed Bachelor] | 2 |
- You do +10% damage against opponents of the same sex. You'll sometimes have access to unique dialogue options when dealing with the same sex.
[Intense Training] | 2 |
- With the Intense Training perk, you can put a single point into any of your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes.
[Jump to Conclusions] | 2 | Fail a Skill Check |
- When you fail to convince someone, all your hits become critical for the next 10 seconds.
[Lady Killer] | 2 |
- You do +10% damage against opponents of the opposite sex. You'll sometimes have access to unique dialogue options when dealing with the opposite sex.
[Rapid Reload] | 2 | 5 Agility, 30 Guns |
- With the Rapid Reload perk, you reload all your weapons 25% faster than normal.
[Swift Learner] | 2 | 4 Intelligence |
- With each rank in the Swift Learner perk, you gain an additional 10% of total Experience Points whenever Experience Points are earned.
You may select a new perk every even level
0/1 Perk selected ]
"Hmmm. So there are level requirements, S.P.E.C.I.A.L. requirements, and skill requirements. Good to know"
Colton reads through the perks in greater detail than just the previous glance.
"There's only really three that I like honestly. The [Rapid Reload], [Lady Killer], and [Jump to Conclusions]. But seeing as I'm going to be here for 4 years... I don't need to have crits from failed skill checks, or be a lady killer. It's only my mom here that's a lady and I'm not about that incest type of stuff. Wasn't there and entire side mission about inbreeding in one of the Fallout games? Anyway…
So the choice is at least easy for this level. Plus that 25% faster reload speed with all weapons sounds great. And I don't need 10% more exp, I've already taken the -10% exp anyway. Plenty of things to murder in the apocalypse when you have giant mutant creatures constantly trying to kill you. And with a faster reload he can shoot more bullets in the same amount of time.
[ [Rapid Reload] Gained
- With the Rapid Reload perk, you reload all your weapons 25% faster than normal ]
The screen goes black. Colton can feel his reflexes get a boost. It's like his coordination got better. At least reloading wise. New ways and tips of reloading became clearer in his mind. The biggest one being focused and not dropping the bullets mid reload.
The surroundings go back to their original color as time resumes. Colton looks around and remembers what he was doing before.
He looks at the time and realizes that it's already late. He puts on a pair of shorts and a loose tshirt. He grabs his sleeping bag and moves into 'the armory'. It was far enough away and with the earplugs to help block them out when they get loud he can just blast the radio only he can hear apparently, although he still needs to test that theory.
———Time Passes———
It's been a year and the Kings have taken refuge from the Wasteland in the bunker.
Colton hasn't gotten any other missions, but he has gotten some exp from killing some creatures that were around the bunker. He was always with his dad when he went outside. And when he was inside he was either learning from his mom or messing with the guns and other equipment. He's able to take them apart and such on his own. Some he didn't know, but his dad taught him. It didn't raise his Guns skill, but he still learned it, just slower. And that goes with the other skills as well.
He's changed the setting of the alerts and V.A.T.S., he made it so that the alerts were silent unless they were urgent and the time dilation didn't make the surround green. So now he could see everything as normal, but feel that the time has stopped. It was much nicer than having the green tint.
He's been training to not rely on V.A.T.S. too much. It isn't reliably accurate at sniper distances anyway.
He's been sparring with his dad, who whoops his ass. He's mopped the floor with his face more than an actual mop at this point. But his high endurance allows him to get right back up and try again. His strength doesn't help when he can't even hit Jack. But his Agility and perception appear to be equal or slightly better. He did throw Charisma and Luck in the trash so he was happy to at least match his old man in some way.
Jack hasn't taught Colton any special moves or maneuvers. Right now is just getting him used to fighting and staying on his toes. Fancy moves can be added later after he's perfected the basics.
Samantha was surprised to find out that she was doing much better. Maybe it's because they finally found a place to settle in, or maybe it's just luck. She wasn't going to complain either way. This is the best she's felt in a long time.
Jake has gotten used to his one arm situation, and was surprised to find out that Colton was ambidextrous. He's only rarely heard that word but he knew that it basically meant Colton would be a very skilled fighter since he didn't need to rely on only one arm. Which left a bitter taste in his mouth. But seeing his son progressing was able to wash out the bitter taste. Plus he got to mess around with his son without Samantha complaining. Colton had some sort of growth spurt or something. And it's more about his strength that's increased rather than his height at this point.
Colton was an average 14 year old before that Deathclaw nearly killed him. But the Colton after that attack has tremendous strength. Jake wonders if Colton mutated subtly due to the Deathclaw or something. He heard about people with extraordinary abilities being tested on back at the OSI. But the claims always came back negative. But he knew something was fishy and is glad he left when he did.
Colton had found and fixed a slightly broken radio he found tucked away in the bunker. He's head a few interesting things that he wouldn't be able to on his Pipboy.
Caesars Legion had set up base next to the Hoover Dam at Fortification Hill and called it 'The Fort'. Bunch of geniuses they all are. Colton was sure Caesar had his head too far up some other guys ass to even think of a proper name.
Moving on. The Legion had apparently been repelled from the Hoover Dam by the NCR forces that are currently occupying it. It was said to be barely won.
The NCR had the advantage in guns and technology. But the Legion just had so many bodies to throw at the NCR.
Caesar's Legion, also know as the Legion, is an imperialistic, reactionary, and totalitarian dictatorship based on large scale slavery and tribal dominance. It was founded in 2247, or so its said, by Caesar himself. The guy is getting old at this point but still continues his savage way. The Legion models itself after the ancient Roman Empire to create a unifying identity imposed on its tribes.
Then there was the NCR. The New California Republic is a post-war nation founded in New California. It is a republic comprised of five contiguous states located in southern California, with additional territorial holdings in northern California, Oregon and Nevada. Basically a large but small government.
The NCR emphasizes and strives to support a plethora of old world values, such as democracy, personal liberty, and the rule of law. It also aims to restore general order to the wasteland, the improvement and development of infrastructure and economic systems, and overarching peace between people. Similar to institutions of the old world it seeks to emulate, continued expansion has created challenges with territorial control, loyalty, and corruption that plague the Republic and serve to hinder its goals. The NCR is often criticized by residents of the Mojave wasteland as well as other factions for being hawkish, imperialistic, poorly managed and over-extended in the region, and trying to attempt to emulate old world values that led to nuclear holocaust in the first place.
And they had an prescience in the Mojave. It was apparently very controversial. The corruption could be seen if you looked close enough. And they were over stretching themselves just to hold the Hoover Dam. Certain places had more men and supplies with nothing to do, while other places had too few men and even fewer supplies. The average man and woman in the NCR were treated as expendable pawns. But at least they were treated leaps and bounds better than anyone in the Legion with their same position.
But Colton didn't care for politics. He just wanted to explore and level up to become unstoppable. He wanted to eventually find love but came to terms that the apocalypse was not going to allow that. And he wasn't the 'Lucky' for a few reasons. And there were so many diseases and just nasties going person to person as well. Jack told him about those, 'The Talk' was very different from what he remembered back on his world. Long story short….. "Damn Fallout, youz a scary son of a bitch". Or some quote like that.
——————
Colton was wandering around the perimeter of where the bunker was. He was checking it out when he saw a giant bug thing.
"Dad! There's a giant bug with wings flying over there. I haven't seen one before, what is it?" Colton handed the varmint rifle with a scope attachment to his father so he can see.
"Oh shit"
Colton has only seen Jack be scared a few times. And the worst was only when he heard the man carry him after the Deathclaw incident. But this was more of a 'we're possibly fucked by that bug in the distance' kind of fear.
The giant bug was hundred of meters away. But Colton could see if flying erratically. It was alone and seemed to be looking for something.
"Is it looking for something?" Colton asks.
"It's scouting the area. But I don't understand why they sent such a big one. We need to kill it if it gets closer. If they corner us in the bunker we're screwed. We won't be able to leave, ever if that happens. Unless we want to die. We need to move closer and take it out. Follow me" Jack swiftly moves towards a hill to get a better sight on the Cazador.
Colton was following his dad when-
[ Before you venture any deeper into the Wasteland, you may revise your character.
- Edit Name
- Rebuild Character
- Finished - Travel Onward ]
"What the hell?" Colton looks around as time stops. His Pipboy flickered to life on its own. "Is this like the end of a tutorial?"
Colton wants to punch himself in the face. "Have I been in the Tutorial for over a year?!"
Colton calms himself down. There's no point in crying over spilled water.
[ Colton Lucky King ]
"And sure, let's revise my character. There has to be a reason why"
———Colton changes nothing———
"What was the point? Nothing changed. And it didn't give me crippling pain either, which I'm thankful for now that I think about it"
Colton just had to not change his appearance, select the same S.P.E.C.I.A.L. as he did previously, the same traits, and he was done. He expected something to have changed, since it had been a year. But nope. It was the same and the screen went away after Colton confirmed it.
[ Level Up! ]
[ Level Up! ]
"What is life at this point" Colton just 'finished the tutorial' and instantly got 2 levels. He won't complain, because his exp bar has been busted and he couldn't tell when or how he gets exp.
[ Welcome to level 4
Barter = 15
Energy Weapons = 31
Explosives = 31
Guns = 50
Lockpick = 31
Medicine = 36
Melee = 30
Repair = 21
Science = 21
Sneak = 21
Speech = 35
Survival = 31
Unarmed = 31
Assign 24 Skill Points! ]
"So I'm assuming I wasn't supposed to get an additional 5 points to everything? Wait! Does that mean I have 20% less exp now? Shit! 10% was acceptable, but 20% is a little steep. Crap.... Oh well, guess I'll have to complete as many quests and kill as many things then" Colton was happy, but kinda pissed. And there wasn't a way for him to check it. So he just allocates his skill points.
[ Skills Increased:
Guns = 74
Confirm ]
Colton wanted to make sure the Cazador dies before it can see him, and his dads sniper requires a high Guns skill in order to properly use. It required a 6 Strength and an 80 in Guns. His Strength, Perception, Endurance, and Agility allowed him to use it roughly. But it wouldn't be at a long distance.
[ Welcome to Level 4
[Confirmed Bachelor]
[Friend of the night]
[Heave Ho!] | 2 | 5 Str., 30 Explosion |
- Quite an arm you've got there. All thrown weapons fly farther and faster for you.
[Hunter] | 2 | 30 Survival |
- In combat, you do +75% Critical Damage against animals and mutated animals.
[Intense Training]
[Jump to Conclusions]
[Lady Killer]
[Prospector] | 2 | 30 Barter |
- You are now officially a prospector. Thus, you get a trade discount and better repair services from traveling merchants. In addition, your barter skill increases by +5.
[Swift Learner]
[Cannibal] | 4 |
- When you're in Sneak mode, you gain the option to eat a human corpse to regain hit points, but lose Karma.
[Comprehension] | 4 | 4 Intelligence |
- You gain one additional skill point for reading books and double the skill points for reading magazines.
[Educated] | 4 | 4 Intelligence |
- You gain two more skill points every time you advance in level.
[Run n Gun] | 4 | 45 Guns or Energy Weapons |
- Halved spread with one-handed ranged weapons while walking or running.
0/1 Perk selected ]
"I don't ever plan on getting [Cannibal]. Who would actually want to eat another person? Especially when I'm personally going to have to eat it since I'm not controlling a character in a game. There's some good ones like [Prospector] and [Educated]. But what is a 'Skill book'? Does it raise one of my skills? And how rare are they? How much will the discount be? And smaller is the spread decreased while walking or running with pistols?"
Colton goes on questioning the vagueness of the descriptions. But he already knows which one he wants.
[ [Educated] gained
- You gain two more skill points every time you advance in level ]
"I'm not sure what the max level is, but even if it's 20 I'll gain an extra 32 skill points on top of my 12 per level. That nets me 192 + 32 from here until level 20. Which allows 224 points to be distributed. I can max out Guns and Speech by then" Colton does some quick math in his head.
[Level Up!]
[Welcome to Level 5
Barter = 15
Energy Weapons = 31
Explosives = 31
Guns = 74
Lockpick = 31
Medicine = 36
Melee = 30
Repair = 21
Science = 21
Sneak = 21
Speech = 35
Survival = 31
Unarmed = 31
Assign 14 Skill Points ]
"Hell yeah!" Colton raises his fist in the air.
[ Skills Increased:
Guns = 80
Speech = 43
Confirm ]
Colten confirms his choice. He would definitely be able to take care of the Cazador now. Or at least fatally injure it. He hoped.
'It was at this moment Colton knew, he fucked up'
Colten felt like his brain was bubbling. So much knowledge was pouring in again. It even included the experience of shooting certain guns. As well as how to correct for the wind and weather conditions. All types of guns were included in this. And then there was some minor things about how to talk and persuade people. And surprisingly, how to sing at a beginner level.
Time began again and Colton stumbled. His previous momentum and his brain feeling weird combined was enough to do it. But he was able to keep his feet under himself as his brain started clearing up.
Colton follows Jack to an elevated position.
"This should be a good spot. Can you take the shot?" Jack asks seriously. He doesn't trust himself with only one arm to shoot his rifle accurately at this distance. But Colton had a decent hit ratio around this range of distance.
"Yeah. What should I aim for?" Colton puts his gun down on the ground as Jack moves his sniper rifle off his shoulder and hands it to Colton.
"You should go for it's body. It's wings are too fast to hit. And the head is basically an ant at this distance. Normally if it was close to you a shot to its wings is the only hope you'd have at surviving. The damn things are so quick and they fly at you, a shot to the head or body may kill it but the stinger would continue towards you. And if you get poisoned by one... let's just hope somebody has antivenom for you or you'll die very quickly" Jack says as he seems to think about events in his past.
Colton takes the Sniper rifle and goes down onto one knee. He raises the rifle at the giant bug with distinctive amber-orange wings, a blue-black carapace, and blood-red eyes. "Got it"
Jack can instantly tell that Colton had somehow improved in handling the rifle. The way his weight is shifted. The way he's holding it and looking down the scope. Even his breath is like that of a competent sniper.
Jack had taught Colton, but not to this level yet. It boggles his mind. He didn't understand how just the previous week the same kid was barely able to fire it consecutively and hit the target.
Colton was following the Cazador as it changed directions randomly. He just took his time to understand its movements. He had to worry about the time between his shot and the bullet hitting the target. It's not like a game where it's instantaneous.
Jack watches his son study the bug. He himself could make the shot if he was in his perfect condition. But that's after decades of training. His son is barely 15 and acting like he's used the gun in his hands all his life.
The sniper rifle is decently heavy in Colton's hands. It's heavily modified and unique. It's got a suppressor, unique stock and barrel, a magazine of 6, and an adjustable magnifying scope.
[Purifier] | 65/117 | 9 lbs | ??,??? caps |
Colton always liked seeing the dmg/dps for this gun. And the name was perfect too. Colton paused time and looked at his status.
[ Status
Name: Colton Lucky King
Title(s):
Level: 5
S.P.E.C.I.A.L:
-Strength = 7
-Perception = 9
-Endurance = 9
-Charisma = 1
-Intelligence = 4
-Agility = 9
-Luck = 1
Skills:
-Barter = 15
-Energy Weapons = 31
-Explosives = 31
-Guns = 80
-Lockpick = 31
-Medicine = 36
-Melee = 30
-Repair = 21
-Science = 21
-Sneak = 21
-Speech = 43
-Survival = 31
-Unarmed = 31
Perks:
[Taunting Jack… of All Trades][Skilled][????•???•???????•???•??????][Rapid Reload][Educated]
Companion Perks:
Condition: Fine ]
'That's new' Colton says to himself before disabling V.A.T.S because the chances for him to hit the bug with it were not very high at this distance. He hadn't seen that status page before, but he wants the Cazador killed before he checks it out.
Colton lines up his shot at the Cazador.
Jack is sweating. Not only because of the hot weather beating down on him. But because the Cazador is here. Normally they go in groups of 3-4 being the smallest. Nests could have dozens. They rarely go alone, but this one clearly was, so it's best to kill it so the other Cazador don't try and explore this direction more.
Colton takes a long steady breath in and holds it. He follows the Cazador's pattern and moves his rifle ahead of it, leading the shot to where it's going and not where it's at. His right finger presses against the metallic trigger slowly….
*pew*
