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The Long Road Home: A Fallout/WTNV Crossover Ch. 2

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A Different Frequency

 

The late desert night quiet was interrupted by the celebratory yelling and shouting of the man dancing in the lab coat. A nearby sleeping bighorner mother woke up with her calf still nestled nearby, and looked over at this display with tired contempt. The gecko, walking by with a dead cazadore in its mouth, found this spectacle odd as well. It was lucky for the confused Courier with her hand stuck in the air that no human, ghoul, or super mutant was passing by because this would have been embarrassing.

While she didn’t appreciate being treated like a radio antenna, Six still smiled as Carlos celebrated. She had no idea why he was celebrating, but she still smiled nonetheless. Carlos shook her a few times and then hugged her tightly. Six was even more confused.

“It’s him!” Carlos shouted. “He’s okay! When I couldn’t get back through the door to Night Vale, I was worried but he’s okay! Cecil’s okay and Night Vale is okay and I’m okay!” Carlos danced around again and then stopped when he saw Six just staring at him. He looked like a prospector that had come across an empty vault with many old world goodies inside. Carlos quickly composed himself and cleared his throat. He straightened his jacket and nodded. “Yes, quite intriguing.” He muttered, dusting Six off.

Six attempted to put her arm down but Carlos stopped her. “My arm is getting tired. What is so important about that radio transmission?” she asked.

Carlos slowly helped Six’s arm down and studied her Pip-Boy. It was still glowing purple and he could hear the voice clearly. The voice sounded worried but still went on with the news. Six didn’t know what frequency this was, as she had never heard this radio show before. “Tell me, this ‘Pip-Boy’ thing has a radio function, that’s been established, but can it tell us where this frequency is coming from?” Carlos asked. He was slightly disappointed to see Six shake her head.

Six sat back down on the rock and half-listened to the voice on her radio. The voice was soothingly deep, with just a hint of condescendence in it. Something about this strange voice relaxed Six enough to make her look up at the sky again. The lights were back and she smiled softly. She understood, but at the same time, she didn’t ask why. Carlos eventually realized that Six wasn’t listening to his rambling theories and looked up as well.

“The lights…” he murmured, plopping down on the ground.

“I think it’s called ‘Aurora Borealis’ or something like that.” Six mumbled, still staring upward. “I’ve heard of it in my travels, but I didn’t think it actually came this far south.”

“It doesn’t.” Carlos corrected. “The Northern Lights don’t naturally happen this far south. It’s impossible. But these lights defy all science. These lights I’ve seen many times before. They are usually over the Arby’s near my lab. It was there that I finally realized…”

Six looked at Carlos, who looked like he was about to cry. “Realized what?” she asked.

“We understand the lights. We understand everything. Night Vale isn’t just a city. It’s a way of life. I finally understood that day, when I fought the underground warmongers. When they nearly killed me, I kept thinking about my family, my work, and him.”

“Him?” Six asked, suddenly interested.

“At first, I dismissed it as a crush and went about my work. But it wasn’t until I thought I was going to die and worried I would never see him again that I realized it was more for both of us. I asked him, once I escaped the underground city, to meet me at the Arby’s near my lab. We stared at the lights together and we understood.” Carlos took out his weird rectangle again and made a few motions with his thumb. “It’s everything and nothing at the same time. The town, the people, him…but it is home…”

Carlos showed Six his rectangle and it confused her. There was a picture of a man on it, like in a picture frame. What kind of tech was this? The picture was of a pretty good looking man. Not short, not tall, and a very weird smile. He was a normal looking guy by any other account. Six thought he looked kind of like her friend, Arcade Gannon. She missed Arcade, but decided to leave that discussion for another time. “So, that rectangle is a picture frame?” she asked, pressed her hand on the rectangle. She swiped her finger and made the picture disappear. She gasped when she saw the picture change into that of a building and a group of people in lab coats posing in front of it.

Looking at his rectangle, Carlos chuckled and pressed a button that made it go black. “Surely you’ve heard of cell phones? I mean, this is the future after all, even after an apocalypse there has to be some record of past inventions. I mean, that thing on your wrist is almost like my phone.”

Six blinked. “That rectangle can be used as a phone? Working phones are pretty rare outside of military bases. Can’t imagine how that thing could function without a cord.”

Carlos felt dizzy. “These are the latest tech in my time! Surely you have to know about it!”

“What year are you from?” Six asked.

“2014!” Carlos shouted.

Six blinked again. Carlos felt like he was talking to a wall. He might as well have been. Six reached into her pack and took out some of the homemade moonshine. “I think you might want a little nip, my friend. Going through that door might have scrambled something.”

Carlos refused. “No, no, bathtub alcohol won’t help.”

Six shrugged and took a swig. “Cass isn't one for bathtub gin. I’m pretty sure she made this in a sink. But Cass can brew up anything if you give her enough ingredients. I make it a personal rule not to drink too much of whatever she makes. I’m pretty sure this stuff also doubles as wood varnish.” Six took another swig for good luck and put the bottle back in her pack. Six watched as Carlos pressed more buttons on his rectangle and put it to his ear while looking anxiously at the sky. Six could swear she heard some voice telling Carlos there “was no service in your area” and to “please try again later”.

With a frustrated groan, Carlos fell back and stared at the sky. “So, I’m not in the future of my world, am I?” he asked, not actually expecting an answer.

Feeling sympathetic, Six lay down beside him and stared at the lights too. “I don’t think so. None of what you’re telling me makes any sense and I've listened to my share of crazies during my travels.” Six put her hands on her stomach and stared at the sky. “So, you know the voice coming from my Pip-Boy?” she asked, trying to change the subject.

Carlos nodded. “Yes, that’s Cecil. He’s the radio announcer in Night Vale. He’s pretty well known. Well, there at least. He’s…also my boyfriend.”

Six turned her head to Carlos and then turned it back to the sky. “Ahh, I see.” She mumbled. “So, why are you here and not there with him?” she asked.

“I am here because of my damnable scientific curiosity. I had to know about the doors. I didn’t think I’d be leaving more than just my home behind.” Carlos sighed again. “I’m going to assume that, as a courier, you know what it’s like to be away from the ones you love.” He looked over at Six, who seemed to be agreeing with him.

It got quiet again as Six and Carlos stared at the lights. The Pip-Boy still flashed purple and the soothing voice still spoke. “I wish there was a way I could get you back to your Night Vale. I mean, if this is a divergent of your world, the Night Vale here could be an entirely different place.”

Carlos sat up at that moment. “What did you say?” he asked.

“Night Vale of this world?” she asked back.

Carlos got up and shouted happily. “That’s it!” he shouted. “This is Earth, so even if this is another realm entirely, there might still be a version of Night Vale here! If I can find it, maybe I can find a way to get back to my Night Vale!”

Six decided not to argue the holes in Carlos’s plan. She let him be happy for this one moment. She felt he needed it. Six glanced at her Pip-Boy for a moment and then back at Carlos. Six stood up, happily refused Carlos’s invitation to dance again, and tapped her Pip-Boy. She decided to hear what the broadcast had to say.

“-this has been traffic. Listeners, a lot of you remember the…unspeakable uprising we do not speak of. If there are any listeners out there who know of the whereabouts of our community’s favorite scientist, Carlos, please call the station immediately. The other night, as I was lying in bed, I thought I heard him. I thought I heard Carlos. I thought I heard him say, ‘Cecil, I’m okay!’ but I saw no one. His side of the bed was bare again. His pillow was cold. His pillow was a cold as the desert night, and just as empty. Carlos, if you’re out there…please come home…”

Six didn't realize that Carlos was listening to the broadcast too. Carlos grabbed Six’s wrist and shouted at the Pip-Boy. “Cecil! I’m Okay! Wait for me!” he shouted before Six took her wrist back.

“-wait, did anyone else hear that? Was that…Carlos? Carlos, was that you?”

“Yes, it’s me! Cecil, I’m okay! I've found someone who can help me! I’ll find you!” Carlos yelled at Six’s arm.

“Please stop that.” Six rubbed her wrist and put her arm back down. “If any of your panicked jabbering is true, then maybe it’s time we set out for this place. Let me see if I can find it on my map.” Six pressed a button on her Pip-Boy and glanced closely. “I don’t see any landmarks nearby, and according to this, there aren’t any towns close by, either. But that transmission has to be coming from somewhere. So, if your Night Vale does have a version here, it has to be at least within a hundred miles.”

Carlos starting running toward the road with renewed vigor. “The let’s go!” he shouted.

“And just where do you think you’re going?” Six shouted. “We don’t even know which direction to go in.” As if on cue, a little purple blip got Six’s attention from her Pip-Boy. Six looked at her Pip-Boy and cocked an eyebrow. She pressed a button and squinted, then pulled her face back. Carlos came back toward her at this point. “That’s strange.” She mumbled. “A second ago, there wasn't anything on my map. Now, it says there is some kind of settlement down the road a few miles.”

Carlos grabbed Six’s wrist again and stared at the Pip-Boy. That was starting to annoy her. She made a mental note to find him a Pip-Boy somehow so he’ll stop taking her arm. Carlos went back to his rectangle and pressed some buttons. “Nope, Google Maps isn't working. Looks like your Pip-thingy is our map.”

Six would be lying if she said she wasn't finding Carlos slightly annoying at this point. But she wasn't one the question adventure. Maybe, once he found his Night Vale or got some sleep, Six figured Carlos would be much calmer. “Hey, maybe we should sit down and rest.”

“There’s no time!” Carlos shouted. “There is a whole world to explore while we find Night Vale! I want you to tell me all about this place. I’m going to log it with the other worlds I've visited. I want the history of this place and I want to take sample and…” he trailed off like that as Six struggled to keep up. She smiled and followed as closely as possible. They had a ways to walk according to her map, but she took it with stride as she always did.

The unmarked location seemed to pulsate as she stared at the screen. Six had walked into the unknown before, but something told her this was about to get weird.

------------------------------------

Miles away, far from the lights and their understanding warmth, a camp sat near a hill. The only light from that camp was a fire with red tents around it. A Legion Slaver party once occupied these tents with their catch of the day in binds. Much to their eventual horror, the slaver party soon found out that binds weren’t enough for this. Most of the time, these raids went without fail. Along with new captures, the raiders would find supplies and even weapons.

It was risky for the Legion to be this close to NCR territory. But there was risk in everything. When the NCR took Hoover Dam again, the majority of the Legion was forced back east. Caesar didn’t take this defeat sitting down. It was more humiliating than the first time they’d lost the dam. Now, to hear that his best legate was struck down by a woman in the name of the New California Republic was the greatest insult. His army, though still vast, needed to be replenished and he knew that some recruits needed to be forced into volunteering their services to him.

However, this time wasn’t a typical raid. It was supposed to be, though. They easily outnumbered this man three-to-one and he didn’t even put up a fight when they grabbed him. It couldn’t have been easier if the man had simply walked up and tied himself up. He might as well have. Most captures didn’t talk much, besides the begging to be set free or for water. Despite how tight his bindings were, this man still smiled. Despite the Legionaries shouting insults at him, the man still smiled. When they asked him what was wrong with his eyes, that’s when things got messy.

“My, what lovely teeth!” the Smiling Man shouted, holding the last surviving Legionary by the throat. “You know, it’s quite a shame. I’ve been through so many of those doors, and I’ve talked to so many people, including those really interesting twins in the old-timey clothes, but I’ve never been to a place a nice as this.”

The Smiling Man squeezed the Legionary’s throat tight. “But I miss my home. I’m from a lovely little burg called Desert Bluffs. Have you heard of it?” The Smiling Man gripped the poor man’s throat tighter, keeping him from nodding or shaking his head. “Oh, I think you’d love it there! It’s always so warm and sunny, and you’d make a wonderful StrexCorp employee! They are always hiring. Always…” the grip got tighter and the poor soldier gasped for air. “…hiring…”

The entire camp had been splattered with the organs and blood of the Legion Slavers and now it was barely recognizable as any kind of camp at all. The Smiling Man blinked a few times and glared down at the poor soldier, who would have been crying if he could. “It’s nice to take a vacation, though. I love traveling, meeting new people, collecting souvenirs, you know, vacation stuff. I can see so much in your eyes, but I wonder if you’re really seeing at all. May I try them out?”

All that was heard for miles was the painful screams of the poor legionary. He fell to the ground, holding his bleeding face. The Smiling Man looked down at the soldier and made a soft tsking noise. “Now, don’t be such a Negative Nancy! We don’t like complainers at StrexCorp! You need to learn how to be a team player! Let’s start with some more sharing exercises! If you share your teeth with me, I’ll give you back your eyes!”

More screaming and the legionary fell to the ground, dead. Shock and blood loss seemed to be this poor soul’s undoing. “Oh, foo! Not again! Oh Kevin, if your new friends keep doing this, you’ll never have anyone to hang out with while you’re here!” The Smiling Man laughed. The Smiling Man turned around and saw his handy work. Everything was covered in blood or viscera, just the way he liked it. “Now, this is how you decorate a camp! Take notes, fellas! A camping trip is a team effort! We must all pitch in and do our parts!”

The Smiling Man laughed and shrugged softly. He sat on a log around the fire and stared at the stars above. “What a clear sky. It reminds me of my beloved Desert Bluffs. Oh, how I miss my little burg in the sands. I just hope I can complete all that piled up work waiting for me back home!” The Smiling Man turned to a body he had propped up by the fire. “You know, don’t tell anyone this, but that Lauren is such an egotistical little harpy! That’s right, I said it. She has no sense of direction or decoration! She wanted to put teeth on the table in the break room! That is so last year’s décor! Everyone knows that intestine is the in thing for table décor!” The Smiling Man chuckled.

He seemed to be enjoying this. And why shouldn’t he? He just made some new friends and he had a whole desert to explore. New places to see, new friends to make, and new employees to train! The Smiling Man sat straight on the log and smiled at the sky. He looked down at his cooking squirrel meat and sighed happily.

Hi, hi once again, my loves!

So, how was the latest episode of Welcome to Night Vale? Wasn’t it just so cute?! Oh man, I was fan-girling all over the place! I swear I live for these episodes. Not much to report for this one, except I got tons of inspiration from the lovely people on the live stream I attended. You know who you guys are and you are awesome!

So, let’s keep this short: I want a juicy review from you, and you want more stories from me. So, let’s make this happen, hmm? Leave me a review and tell me how I did!

Oh, and check me out on Tumblr! It’s here at this link

So, you know what comes next! Read, review, and be merry!

Fallout belongs to Bethesda. Welcome to Night Vale belongs to Commonplace Books.

© 2014 - 2024 LunaPeachieWasHere
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