AN: WARNING due to the nature of the fallout series, this story will have to be rated M right off the bat. The reasons include and not limited to: blood and gore, intense violence, mature humor, strong language, strong sexual content, use of drugs and alcohol. Don't get mad at me, cause I told you so!

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War. War never changes.

In the year 1945, my great-great grandfather, serving in the army, wondered when he'd get to go home to his wife and the son he'd never seen. He got his wish when the US ended World War II by dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The World awaited Armageddon; instead, something miraculous happened. We began to use atomic energy not as a weapon, but as a nearly limitless source of power.

People enjoyed luxuries once thought the realm of science fiction. Domestic robots, fusion-powered cars, portable computers. But then, in the 21st century, people awoke from the American dream.

Years of consumption lead to shortages of every major resource. The entire world unraveled. Peace became a distant memory. It is now the year 2077. We stand on the brink of total war, and I am afraid. For myself, for my grandfather, for my older brother - because if my time in the army taught me one thing: it's that war, war never changes.

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"Do you know what this reminds me of?" Two pairs of frightened helpless eyes shook in complete obedience; silent tears rolled down the powerless victims colorless faces. "Oh you don't?" The pair shook their heads with more vigor at the endless expanse. Desperate whimpers escaped from their closed shut mouths. A grueling sound re-entered their ears, stopping their struggle all at once. A soft pair of boots crunched the soft dirt in a leisure fashion, just out of their vision.

"You see…" a brandish breath braced upon the back burner of one of them, the poor creature's breathing became uncontrollable under his confide. "When you play cards you usually want to get an ace" an extended arm and card exclaimed. The card played and danced between the dirty fingers revealing and unveiling the subject of affection. "You've played Blackjack before, right?" A filthy rag ripped out of the mouth of his subject.

"Y-!" he attempted to comply, but his voice became ruptured by his involuntarily choking. The helpless body began to gag, moving sporadically the deeper the dishrag went.

"Oh wait!" the torture stopped all together, as a malicious laughter erupted from the torturers boils. "We just played cards!" a pair of hands clapped, breaking his crazy demented laughter. "Last time I checked when you get an ace… it's either a one or an eleven" pieces of the card began to fall into the vision of the stark quiet pair. "Either ace is a laid back one, or ace is better than a king" another slow clap rung aloud in the endless terrain. Another, and another; until it became a standing ovation to absolutely nothing. The entire time their antagonist's figure moved in dangerous circles in and out of their blurred vision. Getting down on one knee, he smiled at the hopeless dogs with an undeniable devil grin. "So is ace a one or an eleven?" the rags ripped away in an instant.

"Both! One and eleven!" they screamed between hapless breaths. They yelled louder and louder seeing his smile fade, into an irritated frown.

Ignoring their desperate pleas, a relaxed hand pulled out a lighter as well another mysterious object in his back pocket. They continued to scream their sacred souls away, though when they caught sight of the object they did what all humans do when they see the end. The beauty of it all coming to a close with a little soundless ember.

"Ace… is a man, not a card" his easy going voice explained to the terrified wailing bastards. "Maybe you will have a better hand next time" the suggestion traveled over a non existent wind.

"You can't be human!" one of them cried in desperation at the back of the fading figure. There eyes furrowed for the last time as they saw a single finger point out towards the scorching sky.

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A scant unhinged light did a poor job illustrating the unsurprising filthy room. Tools used to resurrect automobiles laid in a sporadic fashion across the floor, none of them had any sign of decay. Beside the firmly closed metal car garage door, a single rusted entrance led to the structures single exit. The walls were lined by thick storytelling bricks, unaffected by the Armageddon that had created a new chapter in humanity. Though inharmonious sounds, filled the empty void within the desolate place. Various metals hitting one another, or something else, soon became a regular occurrence.

"Where is she?" The listeners stared at there persecutor in quiet desperation. A single hand placed under the chin of one of the fading dying men.

"I don't...know…" a crippled and maimed body mouthed. Fresh blood escaped from the victim's parched lips. An unforgiving barrage of fist left him with bruised and beaten skin across his stomach. Without concession the hapless man's face was forcibly turned. The image of a mangled figure became engraved in his head. His former comrade laid motionless covered in every conceivable injury: bruises, cuts, open wounds, and excessive amount of blood laid waste to the desecrated body.

"Your friend is dead" the figure reiterated the obvious, forcing his reluctant head to snap back towards his fate. "A little birdy told me there is somebody I might need". The I stable creature's features became shrouded behind a terrifying new wall of ambiguity.

Although one was fighting for honor, risking it all, the other was selfish, trying to save himself the suffering. "Bro-br-br-"

"Shut the fuck up, or I will snap your long nose!" The threat was acknowledged, complying in despite of his desire to rid himself of his eventual pain. "I am going to tell you one more time. Where is she?" His victim shaking his head back and forth in slow, determined motions. "Why are you sleeping?" The victim's eyes began to flutter between doom and peace. In an instant his breath hitched, his feeble hands attempting to shake out of the life ending choke hold.

"See I used to know a man who slept all the time" the pressure around his vital organ increased tenfold. "His name was Garp...I used to know the guy" the helpless man ascended into the unforgiving thick air. "The audacity of the guy to sleep standing up!" a deep demonic chuckle left his devil worshiper's boil. "Though he was a military man. Were you in the military?" the powerless creature shook his head with what little life was left.

"Oh you did?" his grip around his throat stopped in an instant, the weightless body dropping hard to the floor. "Maybe you will be like Garp when you're older" his callous eyes changed all together. With a silent frown, he turned his gaze away from the silent body, shifting towards the other timid fellow.

Seeing his capturer's face, only provoked the distressed and scared creature; with each calm step, he would scream something inconceivable. An inch away was all it took to trigger him to tears. His torturer remained stoic throughout his paltry unending plea, staring down at the pitiful man.

"Are you done?" The question was assisted with a hand, dangling back and forth in direct line of his ghostly vision. Nodding in obedience, his nervous eyes sprung alive when he saw that the man had descended to his level.

"You know what I am going to ask. I will give you a chance right now, where is she?" The devil left his face right as the question was asked. Much to the frightened boy's endless nightmare, the grim reaper opted to search around the messy room.

"Hold on!" he screamed as he began to laugh like a madman. His capturer turned towards him with indifference. Walking towards his victim, a metal wrench within his bloody hands began to spin and churn the gore of his labor. "I-I-I-I kn-kn-kn-know wh-wh-wh-wh-where sh-sh-she is!" his voice became butchered with the sight of his tortures new weapon. His anxiety only worsened, at the sight of fresh blood dripping down from the tip of the utility.

"Speak" the command was accompanied by the forceful tapping of the weapon against his rough palm.

"Sh-she i-is wi-wi-with th-th-" he attempted to speak but broke down when he saw the weapon raised parallel to his elongated nose. A light tap of the brisk tool, was all the pressure that was needed. "She is with the Brotherhood of Steel!" he cried as he attempted to turn his nose away.

"You are a coward" the rod swung as swift as leaves, a hair away from his abnormal nose. "You guys were supposed to be a part of The Brotherhood of Steel...what a joke" raising the weapon way above his head, he began the fateful descent downwards. Though he stopped himself right before the skull shattering collision.

In a struck of luck, the blood ridden tool flew to the side with a harmless clunk. A lone hand reached behind his victim, dragging him to his feet. "We're going to make a little visit" the frightened man followed his motion, much like a slave to a life long master. "If you don't comply with everything I do... I will blast your face off and slaughter everyone there" The long nosed man's eyes began to play out the possible situation. His breathing became uncontrollable at the demon's assurance. "Pick up your friend's body" the rope binding his blood deprived hands became broken.

Turning around to open the door, the lone wanderer let out a single sigh. "Looks like I am going to be a hero for once".

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A short ways away and a little convincing led them to the heart of their forward operations. A whole week had passed since they had left the converts of the lowlands towards the unforgiving mountains. Nuclear Winter is what the survivors called it. An imbalance in the air from the fallout had caused a massive mood swing of the terrestrial weather. For those traveling the once serene region, there was only danger to be sought. Though there was lucrative trade route attracting all sorts of trouble. Every major faction wanted to reap the benefits of such a narrow passage, separating the remnants of civilization with the dark unknown.

Right before the treacherous wilderness, they managed to arrive at their destination. "There was a military base all the way out here?" The question getting lost within the thick bitter wind.

The long nosed man felt obliged to respond, "yeah with the Great War and all".

"Oh yeah, that's right" his listeners becoming quite at his unusual quick response.

There silence was short lived, as a new wonder filled the void. "We're almost home" the long nosed man signaled, back towards his barbaric capturer. His listener didn't seem the least bit pleased, a forcible push compelled the cheerful lad aside. Their other listener, who was now becoming an everyday struggle, became the topic of killing every single day of their journey. When it came time to pass, the man would fight what with little strength he had. The long nosed man would continue to plead with the somber figure, crying his soul away to keep him for just one more day. The gloom ridden figure's patience became so short lived thereafter. Every morning the man would crawl bare chested across the snowy terrain, grunting and sheathing to stay with the fading pair. When the two had traveled through rocky and narrow passageways, he continued to follow. When he could go no more he fought to keep them within their vision. He traveled an impossible trail, never giving into his inevitable end.

"Why do you continue to fight?" the wanderer asked as he crouched to his knees, examining the pitiful mangled and beaten body.

"I am not going to die here" he grunted, reaching another tired hand forward. His progress was halted altogether, as his fingers began to crack and crumble under an immense pressure.

"Just give up" a reasonable suggestion ensued, as he removed his boot from his frost bitten and broken hand.

"Never!" he shouted as he threw his other hand forward, deep into the freezing snow.

"I told you to give up" his torturer responded, driving another forceful foot downwards, doing the same if not worse damage.

"And I told you never!" he yelled as he reached out into the snow with his other broken hand.

The long nosed man had attempted to plea the whole time, but his words always met deaf ears. "Please! Just let h-!"

"He chose his fate!" the stranger resounded as he stomped up the trail.

"My fate isn't sealed!" he howled, the whole of the endless wasteland coming to a brief standstill. An eternity had passed, the whole time mother nature toyed with the remnants of the man.

Loud footsteps churned down the hills several hours later, walking all the back towards the still frost bitten and bruised body.

"What is your name?"

"Roronoa Zoro... Paladin Roronoa Zoro."

He lay across the demon's back, holding on to him and life by a single thread of hope. After a short journey through some of the same dead willow trees, they managed to come to the top of an open clearing. Off in the passing, there lay where there destination be. An unusual designed white fortress lay between the spines of the opposing mountains; cushioning itself within the walls of the massive landmass. Black painless windows lay around the non cement covered parts of the structure. A literal floating castle, its mortar being an instant one way ticket to death. Several vertibirds lay perched symmetric to one another above the powerful but stable structure. Through the thick storm a vast array of soldiers could be seen only a few miles away. A single pro bono thin and shaky bridge kept a symbolic link between order and anarchy of the outside world.

Nearing the passing, each step became more difficult, the air becoming so thin as to only produce the poison known as radiation. Off in the distance a single bright light shines in regular pattern throughout the expanse. Though when the trio approached the bridge, the far off tower illuminated the unwell group.

"Halt! Who goes there?" a commanding officer's voice roared through a megaphone. Before they could make any additional movements, soldiers with advanced weaponry and armor came out of the woodworks, surrounding them in an instant. Additionally tiny red lights began to highlight parts of the group, though most of the attention lay on the unknown figure. The mysterious character remained unconcerned, even at the prospect of an incoming vertibird. With a sudden gust of radioactive wind, the massive pre-war machine rushed over them briefly, before landing within eyes reach.

When the noise of the vehicle died down, the brute smiled in a sheepish manner. Several figures covered in the same power armor approached the already sizable group.

"I will tell you this one more time, who the hell are you?" one of the figures demanded. With a leisure turn of the head the demon studied the group for a brief moment. Only two of the figures didn't have full body armor, opting to remain without a helmet.

"Who I am doesn't matter. What does matter is that I brought back two of your 'soldiers'. I think I should get a reward" the suggestion was nowhere near the organization's interest.

"Hell no! We don't even know a goddamn thing about you! Where do even come from raider scum?" the same aggravated commander questioned.

"Me? Well I think I'm just like everyone else out here." the devil's attention drew back to his goal at hand. His eyes focused through the light haze of the lighthouse, to the fantasy like military base in reach.

With a quiet controlled breath he replied...

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AN: The reason I really wanted to write up a chapter (and the fact that I am writing at 3 am in the morning, which I rarely do anymore), is that it basically 1 year since I became a LuNa fan! I did the math, and I kinda did a estimated time date, using times when I remembered watching episodes (my best memory is that I was watching the Arlong fight on Christmas), how many episodes did I watch per day, and the time period I liked videos on Youtube (kinda like a before and after test). After all the math, I wanted to say that I started shipping them, slash watched the first episode of the show probably around December 4-6.

Thank you guys once again for sticking with me and my bizarre, cheesy, and poorly written writings. I especially want to thank those that were shipping LuNa before me, I know I did this in another AN, but seriously you guys rock! I sometimes think like if I could go back in the past and change things, I honestly wouldn't, because if I did then I possibly wouldn't have LuNa! And I am completely serious, it brings me an amazing amount of joy whenever I think about it. I met a lot of amazing people because of it. LuNa led me to writing, and honestly it helps in more ways than I can possibly think of. So strange how a year goes by? But yeah, if I was given the chance to change my past, I wouldn't do it for the world! Thank you guys for being awesome, and have a nice day! :)