A/N: Hello faithful readers, new bloods, and canon hounds alike! Today I bring you my newest FoZ Crossover, Zero in the Mojave. As the title suggests, Louise the Zero is sent to the hot sands of the Mojave during the Familiar Summoning Ritual. She will experience firsthand the anarchy of the Wasteland, the depravity of its people, and the horrors that were born from nuclear fire. As this is as what's referred to as a 'reverse-summons,' this can be considered an FOZ Alternate Universe (AU).

In any case, I invite canon hounds to critique my work to ensure I remain as faithful as possible to the legacy that Fallout created, from the Capital Wasteland, Chicago, and California to the Mojave. We will be supercharging our heroes with two considerably sized mods, Weapon Mods Expanded (WMX), and the Leveler's House. I advise readers to read up on both mods to understand the depth of them and their influence on the story (as well as gameplay).

I present to you, the Zero in the Mojave.

The taste of sand in a young girl's mouth along with the blasting heat of the sun brought the pink-haired maiden back to reality. She looked nervously around, and saw nothing similar.

'It was supposed to be a gryphon or a manticore, a noble familiar.'

Louise Francoise Le Blanc de La Valliere stood up to her meager five foot two inch height and saw nothing but exotic plants and sand in all directions. The light smell of salt hung in the air, along with the smell of burning papyrus.

"Look what we got here boys!" Louise froze in place and slowly turned around to see a group of raggedly dressed gangsters approaching. Fear immediately caused her to stumble and shake at the dirty men and women approaching her. Some carried large blunt objects, while others carried strange looking muskets and pistols. Their armor seemed to be made up of pieces of scrap and junk, and barely covered anything.

"Mm, she looks so tight, doesn't she boys?" Hollers and jeers answered as he drew a switchblade and popped the spring loaded knife open, "All we gotta do is cut those weird clothes off and-."

'Those filthy commoners!' She pointed her wand at the lead bandit in front of her, "Fireball!"

"What was that supposed to do-?" The lead thug was blasted back by a concussive blast, and was sent into the rest of the group.

Louise stood up to run, only to hear a gunshot and searing pain envelop her right leg. As she dropped to the ground and screamed in pain, she looked down and saw a ragged hole in her thigh. The round went in one side and tore out the front, making walking impossible. Louise tore her mantle off and immediately tied it around her leg as a tourniquet as she began to crawl away towards what looked like a collapsed horse.

She made it to the animal, only to be shocked by the sight of a two headed cow in front of her, one whose skin was peeling in ways that screamed death and decomposition. By that time however, the raiders had caught up with her, the lead stepped on her shredded thigh for emphasis.

The sounds of Louise's screams of agony proved to not only thrill the Fiends, but to attract the attention of a Courier and a former Caravaneer.

The sound of a pained, horrified scream not far away caused the Courier to jump briefly.

"Did you hear that Cass?"

The red-headed woman nodded as she pulled her 20 Gauge from her back, "I did, and it was in the direction of the Caravan wreckage."

The scarred man pulled his own weapon, a heavily modified hunting shotgun known only as the 'Dinner Bell' from his back. With a solid one handed pump he charged forward, the 12 Gauge at the ready.

Louise was crying as the lead Raider began to slowly, painfully cut her clothes off. The pinkette knew she was going to be raped, and beaten by these men. The thought of shaming her family name and disappointing her legendary mother were in the forefront of her mind.

'Forgive me mother, forgive me father. I just wasn't strong enough.'

With a final cut, her panties and skirt came flying off, the stinging wind of the Mojave came across her skin. The sound of unbuckling pants was the only thing that could she hear, but the unwanted sensation of moisture being spit onto her loins was the worst of all.

'No! I don't want it, not like this!'

"Look at that boys! She's enjoying this!" Countless jeers and hollers emerged again as the lead raider aimed his member for the young maiden's sex, only to collapse suddenly on top of her. The sensation of something warm coming over her body instantly made her shudder, but the sounds of panic surrounding her instantly tuned that out. Gunshots. Powerful, chest shaking gunshots were felt as the Raiders around her fell one by one. The sounds and smells of death surrounded her as the pinkette dropped all noble pride in an instant to play dead.

The Courier and Cassidy Rose reloaded their weapons and approached the center of the group. The moans of dying Fiends were met with buckshot as they found the pantless Fiend.

"Unless the Fiends are into being voyeurs I think who we're looking for is underneath him James."

The Courier nodded, "Let me get rid of this guy." The T-51b's enhanced strength let him tear the would-be rapist off the ground and toss him aside like a ragdoll. As he turned to see what was under him he was horrified to see a mostly nude young child, who seemingly appeared to be no older than 14 shivering underneath.

"She's in shock, we need to get her medical aid immediately!" James went to reach for her, only to have his hand smacked away by Cassie.

"She nearly got raped James, I've got this. Can you loan me your duster?" The Courier nodded as he atomized his casual attire and handed it to the former Caravaneer. He turned away respectfully as Cassie turned the young woman over.

Louise was terrified when she found herself being uncovered, and then turned over. The sight of eyes that had concern rather than lust in them immediately calmed her nerves as the new person began to talk, "Are you okay young lady?"

The pinkette nervously looked around to find her assailants brutally killed and in various states of dismemberment and evisceration. Her greatest shock was the sight of a massively armored giant standing above the woman. With a squeal she tried to back away as the woman chuckled, "Relax, he's a big softie. Couldn't harm a fly."

An audible, snort came from the man as he started to talk with a distorted voice, "Cass, is she dressed yet? We need to get her to an actual doctor before more Fiends show up or dusk comes."

"Relax James, you can't rush this sort of thing, if you have a problem, go make sure no more Fiends come by." The large armored man slowly walked away as Cassie slid the large, oversized jacket across Louise's now bottomless body. I'm going to pick you up and carry you to a doctor with my friend over there, alright?" Louise nodded as she was picked up gingerly, the last sensation she felt was the slight prick of a needle jabbed into her leg as she fell asleep.

Two Hours Later

East New Vegas

Medical Clinic

"You're lucky you got her in here when you did, another ten minutes and she would be having her bones cleaned by the ravens." Dr. Usanagi, a Followers of the Apocalypse doctor and implant specialist read off her clipboard, "The round, a 10mm hollow point from the tissue damage, nicked her femoral artery, the timely use of a stimpack and Med-X to prevent shock and unnecessary blood loss likely saved her life."

The Courier nodded, "I appreciate it doctor, I really do."

The Asiatic doctor waved him off, "You've done so much for the Followers as of late; this was a small token of our gratitude."

"Can we go see her? I have some questions, as does Mr. House."

She stiffened, "That may not be the best ideas Mr. Winfield. You know what that man has done in the past, more than anyone else. A man interrogating her could potentially worsen her mental state as well."

James held out a hand in a peaceful, yet firm gesture, "I know, believe me. The scar on my face is because of him, but we work together because business and survival demand it. I don't like him anymore then you do, but even I can't hold him off forever." The fact that revenge against his attempted killer was his main goal remained unsaid.

"Very well Mr. Winfield, she's in exam room two. Your companions are already with her now."

"Thank you Dcotor."

Louise was still in pain from her gunshot wound, but was astonished by how fast it had healed, and without magic! Something called a 'stimpak' was injected into her leg, along with some stitches and a wound cleaning; her leg was well on the way to being back to normal. She had been smiling and giggling with her newfound (and likely only) friends.

The two women who had joined her in the clinic were the one who had carried her, a red-headed merchant named Cassie; and a heavily armed (and rather witty) woman named Veronica. While her social standing demanded these 'commoners' be subservient and show fealty, the young noblewoman had no desire to earn the ire of her rescuers. After all, she was a Valliere, a model of what all nobles should aspire to be.

The pair had foreign accents, cementing her belief that she was in fact, very far from home. The language was virtually identical to Standard Albionian, with some minor grammatical and contraction variation. The coincidence was rather remarkable, and suspicious. The weapons they carried were also unfamiliar, from the odd device the latter held on her right arm, to the folding musket the former wielded. Questions continued to form, but were held back by her will alone.

Veronica had been entertaining her and Cassie when a solid knock was heard from the door. The two locals looked to Louise, who after giggling again answered, "Come in!"

A brief pause was followed by the large armored man walking inside, his musket secured behind his back and his helmet held in the crook of his right arm. The man was rather attractive to her, young, athletic, and likely experienced. The size of his armor and his weapons also suggested he was from a wealthy family or from a high class in society. A brief blush came across Louise's face as the rugged, handsome Caucasian male walked inside.

Unfortunately for the patient, Veronica instantly noticed the growing red on Louise's face and pointed it out to everyone, "See something you like Louise?"

The pinkette grabbed her pillow and threw it into Veronica's face, an adorable pout coming onto the young woman's face as she crossed her arms and huffed indignantly.

The Courier shook his head at that, "Lay off Veronica, she's still in bed. Once she gets all better she may end up kicking your ass."

The Brotherhood Scribe raised her personal Power Fist into the air, "Not if I punch her first!"

Cass rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath as Louise retained her pout, although one that was far less serious then before.

In any case young lady, we have yet to be introduced." He held his hand out, "I am Paladin James Winfield of the Brotherhood of Steel. And you are miss?"

The girl bowed as deeply as she could, "My name is Louise Francoise Le Blanc de La Valliere, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of La Valliere. I'm certain my family will reward you for your efforts Sir Knight."

The Courier immediately felt confused by the entirety of the young woman's long name, "So . . . Louise then?"

Both Cass and Veronica broke out laughing at the expression of disbelief and confusion on his face before Louise's face puffed back up, "Clearly you are all foreign and don't know of Tristain and its Royal Family. My family, the Vallieres, are second only to the Royal Family in power and influence. I am actually cousins with the current Crown Princess, Henrietta de Tristain."

The sudden seriousness of the young woman immediately caught the Courier off-guard, "You're serious, aren't you? There hasn't been a Royal Family in the entirety of the Wasteland, from here to the NCR in the west."

A look of horror came across her face, "What do you mean you haven't heard of Tristain?!" Heads shook in the negative, "Halkeginia?" Heads shook again, "Let me see a map!"

Louise was panicking now, everyone who was someone knew of Tristain, whether you were a heathen Elf or from Rub Al Khali in the East. The possibility of being farther away was a terrifying idea to her. After a few minutes, Paladin Winfield came in with a sort of circular object held in place by two points.

"I need to see this, please Sir Winfield." The armored man nodded and set the sphere in front of her, "Why is your map round? The world is flat, isn't it?" Looks of disbelief dotted the group, "What?"

The group looked to one another in shock before glancing back to the now hyperventilating teenager.

The honorary Paladin scratched the back of his head, "I think we have a lot of explaining to do." He looked at each person in the room, "All of us. First thing's first however, we need to head back to the Lucky 38, the doctor has done everything she can for Louise."

The caravaneer nodded, "The Strip is closer, and while we normally could travel in the night-."

"We have someone who is clearly unfamiliar with the Wasteland and everything that tries to kill you in it," Veronica finished.

Louise seemed confused, "Lucky 38?"

Three sets of facepalms echoed through the clinc's halls, causing a guard who had fallen asleep in his chair to fall flat onto his face.

'Damn Psycho addiction.'

1900 Local Time

Freeside, New Vegas

The three Wastelanders and Louise slowly made their way through the slums of Freeside as the pinkette slowly made her way down the street on crutches. While still very much in pain and focused on where she was walking, the noblewoman took every chance she could get to take in the atmosphere of Freeside. The consensus being that it made the most run down sections of Tristainia look like the Noble Quarter.

The sight of a single moon horrified Louise, but the pain from her leg kept her focused on putting one foot - and two crutches - in front of the other.

She was naturally curious, "Sir Winfield, why is everything so-?"

She struggled to find the right words before Cass shamelessly chimed in, "Fucked up?"

Louise was shocked by the crude language the former merchant spoke with, but answered quickly, "More or less, yes."

The Courier answered for her, "The slums of New Vegas, or Freeside as its called, is where the vast majority of the city's citizens live. Only the very influential, very powerful, or very lucky ones get onto The Strip, the massive passport fee is enough to keep all but the well-off folk in poverty."

The sight of a pair of children chasing what looked like a fat animal caused Louise to scream as a huge rat came at her. The giant rat smelled blood and tried to take a bite, only to receive an armored boot square in the jaw, and slam into a collapsed storefront. The animal, now paralyzed was helpless as the children began to devour the creature while its heart still beat.

That visual had been enough for Louise to lose the rest of her breakfast into the burned out hulk of a car. She continued to vomit, supported by both of her female companions, while being guarded by the Courier.

"Looks like we found someone boys!" She snapped her head up to see an even dirtier man with a little blade not unlike the Fiend from before charge the group recklessly. Before she could grab for her wand, a massive thunderclap detonated feet from the pinkette. The sight of the man's torso being torn open from a .45-70 Government issue hollow point cartridge was enough to make her turn away as he fell to the ground with an extremely unpleasant splat.

"W-what was that? C-c-couldn't you have just beat him up?"

The Courier turned to the three, his revolver still smoked, "We need to hurry, more of the locals will come out soon enough if we don't get moving." He took the pinkette in a bridal carry (much to her protest) as the three rushed to the Strip's North Gate.

Lucky 38

2030 Hours

Louise was finally able to breathe easy as Veronica laid her into bed, with her bad leg slightly elevated. The Brotherhood member had told her earlier that Paladin Winfield would speak to her about everything tomorrow.

She struggled to maintain decorum befitting that of a noble, but tossed it away as she hugged the Scribe whole-heartedly, "Thank you Veronica, for everything you and the others have done for me."

Veronica put her hands together and cooed, "Aw, someone is getting all sappy on me."

The pinkette tossed a nearby pillow into her face, "Goodnight Veronica."

A light chuckle came from the brunette, "Goodnight Louise."

Lucky 38 – Penthouse

That Same Time

The Courier stepped off the elevator and with every thundering step came closer to the mainscreen that held Mr. House's digital visage.

"Mr. House."

"I'm glad you came by when you did Mr. Winfield, I was meaning to talk to you about our new guest."

"She's a mystery, a complete unknown who is either incredibly delusional, or something completely different."

"Indeed she is. There seems to be a pattern with this young woman however, minutes before you encountered her, a large blast of Theta and Cherenkov radiation was detected very close to the site of your first contact."

"An energy pulse like that would've been be easily picked up if it had happened previously, Cherenkov and Theta waves aren't the standard byproducts of nuclear fission or fusion."

"Correct Mr. Winfield, it makes me curious, and most importantly, cautious. We don't know who this person is, and who she represents."

The Courier nodded, "All we have is the information she gave us, her name and the name of a country and a place called 'Halkeginia.'"

"That information only raises more questions Mr. Winfield, I took the liberty of searching my archives for information on these words she spoke. Some, such as Halkeginia had no more then a passing reference in Latin, while the word Valliere had a considerable Pre-War information treasure trove."

The Courier nodded, as House continued, "Valliere was a noble peerage in Pre-War France, specifically on the border with what was once Belgium. When the bombs fell Europe took heavy hits, most of which came from the Soviet Union. Her accent is very much authentic however, this is all the more strange considering no one in the Mojave, the NCR, or any tribes within 500 miles speak with such an accent, or speaks French at all.

"It raises more questions, then answers."

"Correct again Mr. Winfield, I would like to speak with Miss Valliere sometime tomorrow morning, 1100 should be acceptable."

"I'll let her know when she wakes up in the morning Mr. House."

"And Mr. Winfield, I'd like to see her alone."

The Courier stopped in place before responding, "I believe someone she is familiar with should be present. It will help in both gathering information and educating her on the dangers of the Wasteland, should her story be accurate."

A slight grumble came from the viewscreen, "Very well Winfield, we'll do things your way. Go on, off with you."

Lucky 38 – Presidential Suite

0800 Hours

Louise awoke to the sound of 'Johnny Guitar,' and the smell of fresh cooking meat as Cass knocked on the wall of her 'room', "Louise? It's time for breakfast!"

"Nyah, five more minutes Cattleya."

Cass pushed her shoulders, and turned on the lights, "Come on Louise, we need to get up, you've got a busy day ahead of you. You have a meeting with Mr. House later!"

She rubbed her eyes and squawked, "W-who are you?!"

The Caravaneer rolled her eyes, "It's Cass, remember, from yesterday? Saved you from those Fiends? Ringing a bell yet?"

Memories flashed through Louise's head, of the attempted rape and her gunshot wound before shook her head, "So, it wasn't all a nightmare."

"No, it's all too real, for you and everyone here in the Wasteland."

Cass helped change the pinkette's bandage and then instructed her on how to get dressed with a Pre-War sundress that Mr. House had provided her with. All the while complaining about how commoners were supposed to dress noblewomen.

The two girls walked to the kitchen and found Veronica and the Courier already at the table. Both Cass and Louise both sat down, the former began to eat immediately while Louise prayed to Brimir, the Founder of the Church, and the Queen for her meal.

Once she had finished, she picked her head up to find the three Wastelanders staring at her.

"What? Don't you pray to Brimir as well?"

Lucky 38 – Penthouse

1100 Hours

Louise, content with breakfast came via the elevator with Victor and the Courier in tow. She followed him across the massive Penthouse suite and both sat on two comfortable lounge chairs set up previously.

"Miss Valliere, I presume?" Louise jumped up, and looked nervously around for the voice, only for Mr. House's face to appear on the viewscreen above them. "Be calm Miss Valliere, I am Mr. House, I rule The Strip, the center of New Vegas and civilization here in the Mojave Wasteland."

"A-a-are you some sort of spirit?" The teachings of the Church instantly took the forefront of her mind as she assumed a makeshift combat stance.

"No, I am not Miss Valliere, I am very much human," the overlord of New Vegas paused before continuing. "I brought you here to answer some of the many questions I have regarding your appearance and origins."

Louise sat back down, "I'm not sure I follow Lord House."

"To put it bluntly Miss Valliere, you are an anomaly. You appeared in the Mojave with no explanation, and a vastly different political and socio-economical perspective; one that hasn't been seen in centuries, if not longer. I want answers, and the content of them will determine your future here in the Mojave."

Her eyes narrowed, "I won't be intimidated by threats Lord House. Someone of your station should understand the implications of making such threats."

"I do not make threats Miss Valliere, I only state facts. In New Vegas my word is law, you can either accept the fact, or be buried by it. The choice, and consequences, are yours."

Louise relaxed, as she tried to maintain her calm façade despite her defeat, "Very well Lord House, what is it you would like to know?"

"Let's start with the last thing you were doing before you came to the Mojave, if you would?"

Over an hour passed before Mr. House stopped Louise from continuing, the sheer information overload was enough to give the businessman a migraine.

"Let me summarize what I've heard so far, you are from a continent called Halkeginia, it closely resembles the Earth continent of Europe in both geography and culture of that of the Middle Ages. Your night sky has not just one, but two orbiting moons. The current number of nations are five, four of which are led by a direct descendant of the Founder of your faith Brimir."

The man continued unabated, "The people are divided into the common class, or plebeians and the noble, ruling class. The former is made up of normal human beings, while the latter is filled with humans capable of casting actual magic from the four elements, and a fifth, supposedly extinct branch of magic. Have I gotten it right so far?"

Louise nodded, "Do you both believe me now?"

House couldn't help but huff, "This story is so ridiculous and detailed it would be equally improbable to dismiss it in its entirety. I don't understand half of what you've said, but what I can comprehend strikes a shocking resemblance to earlier human history. Your education is likely greater then that of any ordinary citizen of New Vegas and you have a natural talent for politics and negotiation. You are too valuable to simply toss away because of your . . . eclectic behaviors."

Winfield crossed his armored arms, "She's useful to both of us House, having us work together; having myself and the others train her in surviving the Wastes is a mutually beneficial arrangement."

The landlord of the Lucky 38 didn't respond quickly, but relented, "Very well Winfield, she works for me, but she needs to be trained by you and those that accompany you. Myself and the Vegas families will not pay for her equipment that will be needed in those endeavors. Her origins are to be kept secret at all times, and kept from the other factions in the Wasteland. This includes the other families on the Strip, with Benny's previous actions this shouldn't be a surprise. There's no telling how the Brotherhood, the NCR, or the Legion would react knowing her origins. Don't disappoint me Mr. Winfield, I'll be watching."

In an instant, House disappeared from the viewscreen and left the noblewoman and the Courier to leave the Penthouse.

Louise curtseyed as she held her hand out, "Shall we go Sir Winfield?"

The Courier smirked and bowed theatrically, "Of course Lady Valliere."

Lucky 38 – Presidential Suite

1230 Hours

"So, Louise is going to be with us from here on out?"

The Courier nodded, "She will be training with us in everything she needs to survive here in the Wasteland. In addition, we'll need to ensure that her physical health is sufficient to survive out here. I will take her back to the clinic and get her implants if it becomes necessary. First thing is to equip her with the weapons to survive here in the Wasteland."

Louise scoffed, "A noblewoman needs only her wand to rule, not some barbaric musket."

Veronica couldn't help but smirk, "So, energy weapons it is then?"

The pinkette cocked her head subconsciously, "Energy weapons? Are those powered by magic or some other form of sorcery?"

The Courier shook his head, "Energy weapons don't use bullets to kill, they use extremely powerful bursts of energy, the most common of which is laser and plasma weaponry. Lasers hit with moderate force, reach the target instantly and are highly accurate. On the other hand, plasma takes time to reach the target, has very high damage potential, and is more accurate at close range."

Louise frowned at the thought of using a commoner's weapon, "It's still a commoner's weapon Sir Winfield."

Cass chuckled, "Energy weapons are anything but common Louise, only the best equipped and paid individuals use them. They require specialized training and constant maintenance to stay functional, and are extremely expensive to purchase."

Winfield continued, "The only factions that use energy weapons consistently are the Brotherhood of Steel, the Van Graff merchant family, a few Super Mutants, and some of the Fiends. The same raiders you encountered yesterday. Everyone else uses guns, and if your weapon breaks or runs out of ammunition you'll need to be able to use any gun you find to survive." He sighed, "We need to take you to my place in Goodsprings and get you equipped, most of my weapons and armor are there."

"If we leave now James we can make it to Novac by nightfall, and Goodsprings by the end of the second day," the Caravaneer offered.

Louise looked on the map that was posted on the wall, "Why would it take that long? It's a direct route down this center road here." She pointed at the Long 15 which passed straight from Freeside, past Camp McCarran to the Mojave Outpost in the southwest.

Cass frowned, "That section of road is a no-go, the quarry and Black Mountain," she pointed to both sites, "Are infested with Deathclaws and Super Mutants."

The names of both abominations made the pinkette squirm, "How bad are both of those?"

Veronica pinched her nose, "A Deathclaw is the ultimate hunter, astounding senses of smell, hearing, and sight allow them to easily detect both hunters and their prey. A single swipe from a young Deathclaw can cleave a man in two, and any size Deathclaw can outrun any human being. Both in endurance and top speed. Super Mutants can be reasoned with or avoided easily enough, but the ones at Black Mountain are viciously aggressive and very well-armed."

The Courier crossed his arms, "In effect, the 95 is the only reasonably safe passage into the southern parts of the Wasteland. The western passage is rugged and is filled with Deathclaws, Cazadores, and is in the middle of Fiend territory. The 95's worst problem are gangsters from the Vipers and others, along with the occasional skirmish between NCR and the Legion."

Louise sighed as she began to think, her mother's lessons in warfare instantly bubbled back up to the surface. 'The west is difficult to traverse and filled with all types of hazardous wildlife, the center is a pincer move in the making, and the east is an active war zone.'

"I guess we better head down the eastern path then."

I-88 Trading Post

1530 Hours

The group managed to leave Freeside without difficulty, this time with Cass staying behind at the Lucky 38 at the Courier's request. After leaving the slums behind, the Courier and his entourage stopped at the Gun Runners to trade.

Louise was mystified by the modified Protectron inside the booth, "Is that some sort of golem Sir Winfield?"

He recalled their previous discussion with House as he responded, "Similar idea, but they are built using machinery and can think independently. No magic is involved in their operation or construction, and countless robots remain functional even today, over two centuries after the bombs fell." He pointed to the Vendotron, "This robot sells merchandise for the Gun Runners, a big time weapons manufacturer from out West."

Louise watched in awe as the 'robot' counter-offered as the Courier began to barter for several boxes of ammunition and a few random objects. After a few minutes, the three began their hike towards the edge of New Vegas.

The openness instantly reminded her of the 'Fiends' that had shot and attempted to rape her the day before, and shuddered audibly. She shook off her concern as her arms became sore from the crutches she was using. Her groans of pain instantly caught Winfield's attention as he switched his hunting shotgun for his Plasma Defender and had her climb up onto his back. After a few minutes she had managed to find a comfortable position on the reinforced plating and began to take in the sights.

The first major difference between the city and the countryside was the total lack of activity. Even in Freeside, the streets were busy, on the open road however you could see signs of civilization, but little else. They once passed another of those two-headed cows being herded along by three armed men and women.

"Sir Winfield, what are those deformed cattle?"

"Those are Brahmin, the Wasteland's version of the Old World cattle. The two head's and color scheme came from the radiation that the bombs left behind. They're in massive herds out west, sometimes reaching into the thousands."

The group reached the 188 Trading Post and stopped for water at a bench. The Courier and noblewoman sat down at a picnic table to drink, with him giving her a bottle of purified water to drink.

"Is there a reason you are giving me your own water Sir Winfield?"

James nodded grimly, "The local water sources are highly contaminated, both with bacteria and radiation. You aren't acclimated to this place yet, so there's no telling what either would do to you."

Louise appeared horrified, "How could a nobleman such as yourself drink such filth?"

"I'm no nobleman Louise, but I'll let you in on the worst kept secret in the Wasteland. Everyone does what they have to in order to survive. The homeless and desperate in Freeside attack visitors so they can buy food, the Raiders, particularly the Fiends have been driven mad by the Wasteland and survive by feeding off everyone else, sometimes literally." Louise's horror never abated as he continued, "The Vegas families which rule the Strip were nothing but tribals a few decades ago. They get rich off of their dens of sin; gambling, drugs, booze and prostitution are all fair game."

The Courier turned to her and seemed to gaze through her very soul, "You will have to do things Louise. Terrible things to survive in the Wasteland. Killing, maiming, stealing to get what you need to survive. Maintaining your morals is nearly impossible, and I've done some bad things in the past. Before the next world claims you, you will have to do the same. Just remember one thing, no one is innocent in the Wasteland, not even children."

Louise's face instantly turned into one of sadness, "How do you keep on living like this Sir Winfield?"

He sighed as he broke eye contact with her, "You live day by day, hour by hour, and even second by second. One day death claims us all, it may not be today, it may not even be tomorrow, but it will happen eventually. So live every day here like it's your last, and die with no regrets."

Louise remained silent as she climbed back onto the Courier's back as the trio made their way to Nipton.

A/N: This ends the pilot chapter of the Zero in Vegas, and I now open the review floodgates and await your input. Ask your questions, but I do ask that you please limit your spoilers for each chapter in the review. That being said, thanks for reading!

"I think we'll be seeing each other soon enough."