Well, it would seem that I am on a video game kick lately. After browsing Deviantart for nearly an hour, I have been inspired (Or forced, whichever you want to call it.) to make a small Bioshock ficlet. Whether or not it’s good I’ll leave up to you.

Disclaimer: Bioshock belongs to 2k games; I could never be able to create the amazing piece of atmospheric sensory feast that it is.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. That’s the sound my boots make on the cold, hard floors of Rapture. Actually, the floors could be on fire and I wouldn’t even notice. I don’t feel anything in this suit. I looked up at a broken clock, mentally laughing at myself for thinking that any of the things in here were actually working after so long.

Still, I had a bit of an ‘internal clock,’ and it was telling me that it was almost time. I thunked my way over to the nearest hidey-hole. Normally she’d be waiting for me, but I guess she hadn’t woken up yet. I pulled up my mesh-covered fist and slammed on the metal decoration three times. It made a very odd echoing sound throughout the chambers.

I waited for about thirty seconds until a small mess of black hair poked itself out of the tunnel system. Seeing me, the girl’s yellow eyes widened in happiness and she gave a thin but wide smile. “You’re such a party pooper, Mr. Bubbles,” she said, accenting her statement by rubbing her eyes. “I was in dreamtime, Mr. Bubbles. There were lots of angels, all flapping around me. And you had to wake me up. Bad Mr. Bubbles!” She waved her harvester at me in a form of annoyance.

She never ceases to amuse me. I held my hand down halfway to the ground so she could hop down. As I set her down to the ground, she gave me a another smile and started walking down the nearest corridor. I wasn’t sure what her name was; after all, how can I ask? All I can do is make sounds that resemble a humpback whale in heat. Heh. I should write that down. Even though I don’t know what her name is, I think she would be a good Clarice. I don’t know why I like that name, but it reminds me of something.

She danced around my legs, humming as she skipped. I wish she wouldn’t do that. I have to be extra careful not to crush her underfoot. I could kill her if I even shoved her too hard. She was extremely thin, even for a six year old. Even so, she was pretty nimble and I was pretty sure that she would move if I made to accidentally kick her. Still, I didn’t want to take that chance.

She skipped ahead of me, singing some kind of disembodied song as she went. I walked behind at a steady pace, keeping my eyes (All nine of them) open for any sign of danger. “C’mon, Mr. Bubbles!” she shouted from ahead of me. “Don’t be a slowpoke. Nobody likes a slowpoke.” Quietly, she added, “Angels don’t wait for slowpokes.”

It worried me that she had gone so far ahead, but I knew that an attack from the rear was just as likely as one from the front. I let out a lower groan than normal, and I swung my drill hand near my leg, a motion that meant ‘come back’ in our code. She frowned and stuck out her lip, but remained rooted to the spot. “You’re no fun, Mr. Bubbles. You need to walk faster next time if you want to keep up with the angels.”

You see, this Little Sister and I had a somewhat unique relationship. It began a couple of months ago, not too long after the War. I was still going about my duty protecting Little Sisters, but I didn’t really feel anything to them. It just came naturally to me like breathing or walking. But it wasn’t until I met her that I actually started paying attention to who the Little Sisters I was protecting were. It was another morning, another waking of the Little Sisters. She met me out of the tunnel and she climbed down, just like always. But this one kept talking to me, so much so that I actually had to listen. She said most of the things the others did, but she also told me about other things, like the dreams she had or how she always wanted a daddy. I’m pretty sure she wasn’t referring to me. Anyway, she soon started appearing wherever I hit the tunnel wall. I couldn’t exactly engage in stimulating conversation with her, but it was nice having someone who talked to me like I was a person and not a big machine. We even made up our own little language so I could tell her if she was going too far ahead or if she needed to watch out. Still, it was kind of sad that I couldn’t really say anything to her.

Soon I caught up to Clarice and she grabbed left hand that was dangling at my side. She managed to keep up with me without running, even though one of my strides was equal to three of hers. We kept walking for quite a long time, seeing no dead splicers nearby. It was quite odd not to see any for this long. Lately more and more dead splicers had been appearing; it was like the War all over again.

Suddenly she ran forward, seeing a dead spider splicer at the top of a flight of stairs. “Look Mr. Bubbles!” she squealed in glee, kneeling down in front of the decaying woman. “I see ADAM! I’ll collect the ADAM, because I’m a good girl! I’ll collect all the ADAM so Papa Suchong will be proud of me.”

That was something I hadn’t head of before. Who was this Sucong? I couldn’t help feeling that somehow I had met Suchong a long time ago. I cursed my failing memory. It wouldn’t be long before I forgot everything about my past life. I shivered at the thought. I didn’t want to lose my thoughts, but I knew those would be the first things to go. I sighed, which came out as the typical groan. Then I remembered my duty, and I turned away from Clarice to watch for any splicers.

My ears weren’t that good, but it wasn’t really a problem, since most splicers didn’t really pay any attention to stealth. Maybe if they were still human they could figure it out, but they had sacrificed their humanity for god-like powers long ago.

The crackling of a distant radio reached my ears. You think there‘s something worth saving down here? Rapture’s a pile of junk; nothing to do but kill time and maybe your fellow man. Another voice replied to the one on the radio. “I couldn‘t care less about how powerful you think you are, Fontaine, but I‘m coming to get you soon.” They didn’t mean much. Hell, it could be a spliced up freak talking to himself for all I knew. Still, it did sound a lot like a radio…

I turned my body towards the entrance where the voices seemed to come from. A man stepped out of the doorway, and I was automatically on guard. I stepped in front of Clarice, shielding her from view before he saw her. The light pouring from my eyes turned from green to yellow. This man looked young, I’d say around early 20s. He was also armed to the teeth with god knows how many weapons strapped to his back and legs. From where I was, I could see he had a machine gun, shotgun, a fully upgraded pistol, crossbow and Ryan knows what else. Another odd thing I noticed was that this man wasn’t at all deformed like the other splicers. He actually looked like he had just stared using, or hadn’t at all. What was I thinking? This guy had to have been splicing to have survived down here.

I raised my drill and plunked it in my other hand. This guy was obviously dangerous. For a moment, he remained frozen in place, looking at me with wide, scared eyes. Then he slowly started backing up from where he had came. I mentally sighed in relief. He obviously wasn’t looking for a fight. Just as he was turning to leave, Clarice giggled behind me, and he stopped, turning his head to look behind me. Clarice walked around and tugged on my finger. “Mr. Bubbles, Mr. Bubbles, look! I gathered all the ADAM like a good girl! I’m a good girl, aren’t I, Mr. Bubbles?”

Damn it. I put my hand on her head and pushed her behind me. She looked out from between my legs at the strange man. This time, his attitude had changed. He was reloading several of his weapons, and his expression had changed from fearful to determined. I knew a fight was imminent, but I did not attack him. He had not made any attempt to harm Clarice yet, so my programming dictated that I shouldn’t attack him yet. Besides, in the confusion, Clarice could get carried off by another splicer.

Then it happened. He dropped his machine gun to the ground, and the moment distraction it created gave him enough time to shoot me with an electric plasmid. Ten thousand volts of electricity ran through my metal suit, freezing all of my movement systems. Clarice ran off to find a hiding spot. I heard the sound of bullets whizzing by me and suddenly I felt several bullets ripping through my armor. The sensation (You might call it pain, but everything fades into a dull mixture of gray when it comes to feeling.) snapped me out of my electric mortis, and I swung my drill wildly, hoping I hit something. I felt a grim satisfaction as it connected, sending the man flying thirty feet through the air. He slammed into a wall, leaving a nice imprint.

I let out a roar and charged forward, intent on splattering him into the wall. He barely dodged, and I went clean through the flimsy plywood wall. Instinctively I was on my feet, stepping out of the gaping hole to roar again at the man. Shockingly, he did not look like he was frightened, in fact, he looked bloodthirsty. I rushed forward, the genetic modifying making me twice as fast as any splicer in Rapture. Amazingly, he sidestepped me and got off two or three shots with his pistol. I managed to dig my heels in and sent tiles flying everywhere. As I turned to charge again, something massive slammed into my body. It wouldn’t have moved me otherwise, but I was starting to feel week from the electrocution and gunshot wounds. As I regained my footing, I saw the man standing with his palms outstretched. His gun was abandoned a few yards away. Suddenly, he started throwing everything his Telekinesis plasmid could pick up. Bricks, mortar, concrete; everything slammed into my body as I was forced backwards. Finally I backed up into a solid wall. As more objects pounded into my body, I feebly put up my arms to defend myself.

I felt a tug on my entire body and I knew that I was hovering in the air. The man slammed me into the wall one time… two… three. Finally on the third, there was a crashing of metal and I looked up just in time to see several thousand pounds of scaffolding slam down upon me. Everything went black, and I felt myself try and reach out, but I felt my hand go limp. The last thought I had before I fell unconscious was that I hoped Clarice had hidden good.

P.O.V Change: Jack (The nameless, faceless, voiceless protagonist. He actually does have a name; check Wikipedia)

God… Jesus that was intense. I let my arms drop to my sides; they felt like bricks after what I had just done. That was definitely one of the toughest Big Daddies that I had ever seen. I picked up my pistol from nearby and tucked it into my pocket. I cautiously looked at the pile of rubble for any sign the Big Daddy was still alive. There was a quick rustling of debris settling, then nothing. I let out an enormous sigh of relief. I heard a crackle as my radio turned on. Good job defeating the brute, but you must find Fontaine. He is the important one. Until you find him, nothing else matters.

I held the radio up to my mouth. “No problem Tennenbaum. But I should get the Little Sister while I’m here.”

Fine. Was her reply. Just make sure you don’t hurt her.

I shook my head. Tennenbaum was like an old grandma surrounded by her cats and picking up homeless ones off the street. Still, she genuinely cared about these girls, and I had to admire her for that. I walked forward towards where the scaffolding had fell on the Big Daddy. Little Sisters usually returned to where their Big Daddies were killed. This one was no different. I saw her run up the stairs, stumbling as she did so, until she reached the pile of rubble. “Mr. Bubbles!” she wailed, trying to move one of the smaller metal bars. “Mr. Bubbles, please get up! Please! You can’t be dead!”

She hadn’t noticed me. Before she could, I rushed forward, grabbing her arm and puling her up to eye level. “No! Lemme go, you meanie!” She struggled against me, but I still managed to put my hand on her head and kill the sea slug in her body. I felt a temporary rush as the ADAM flowed through me into my system. I set her down on the ground and started walking away. If I remembered right, the 80 ADAM I had just got was just enough to buy that new-

A sharp rock hit the back of my head. “Ow! Dammit!” I cursed, quickly raising my pistol to see who might have thrown it. To my shock, the Little Sister I had just saved was standing right next to the pile of metal, holding a rock in her hand.

She was crying, and soon threw the other rock as well. It went wide and fell about three feet short. “You killed Mr. Bubbles! You big jerk!”

I had no idea what to do. I had never seen a Little Sister get this broken up after I had killed one of their Big Daddies. Another rock nearly hit me in the eye. “Hey, kid, will you stop throwing those!” I said angrily, glaring at her.

“No! You… you…” She broke down, falling back on the floor with her head in her knees. She wept openly, letting her tears spill into her dress. I was just glad she wasn’t throwing rocks at me anymore. Shaking my head in exasperation, I turned to leave in search of Fontaine. But for some reason, I stopped.

Maybe it was the consistent wailing, but I turned around and cursed under my breath. I picked up the radio. “Okay, Tennenbaum, what’s up? Why isn’t she going into her little pipe maze?”

I… I think that she has imprinted on the Big Daddy she was with, she replied uncertainly.

“And what the hell does that mean?” I asked irritably.

Sometimes the little ones will imprint on a particular Big Daddy, like a duckling imprints on its mother. If this happens, then the little one will only follow that brute around. Of course, they will have to follow them around for at least a few days. Tennenbaum answered in her sure tone of voice.

“Great. So what does that mean this little freak’s going to do?” I asked, looking around nervously. The splicers were sure to come directly to her screaming cries.

She will stay there until someone comforts her, which is exactly what you are going to do. Bring her back to my safe house; it’s not that far.

“And why exactly should I do that?” I demanded. I had come this far to defeat Fontaine, and she had been telling me from the beginning that he was the only thing that mattered.

There was silence for a long moment, and then she came back, her voice obviously angry. Then you will let a sweet, innocent girl die a horrible death? You are no different than the man you seek to defeat.

Shit. She was playing the morality card again. But as I looked down at the little girl quivering on the floor, a pang of sympathy ran through me. I knelt down beside the little girl, tentatively putting my hand on her shoulder. “Hey… hey there… what’s your name?” She batted my hand away. I should have expected it. “Look, I’m sorry I had to kill that Big…” I gave a hard sigh. “Mr. Bubbles, but I needed to save you.” A shriek reached my ears. Damn it! The splicers were getting closer. She heard it too, as she looked up from her knees and sniffled. “So tell me, what’s your name?” I asked in a much more urgent voice.

With a quivering voice, she answered, “I-I-it’s C-C-Cassie.”

I sighed in relief. “Okay, Cassie; I’m going to take you to someone named Tennenbaum. She’s a really nice lady who will keep you safe. But I need you to trust me long enough for me to get you there. Will you follow me?”

She hiccupped, pressing her hands to her knees. “I-I do-don’t want t-t-to leave Mr. B-Bubbles.”

“Don’t worry about him; I’m sure that he’ll be fine,” I said in a rush; the screams were getting closer. “He’s really tough, isn’t he?”

She looked up again. “I-I guess so. He is r-really strong.”

“Alright, then come on! We need to leave now!” I picked her up, setting her on my shoulders. I took off at a run toward Tennenbaum’s place. Cassie grabbed two handfuls of my hair and hung on for dear life. For a half-second, the entire situation seemed hilarious. Here I was, protecting one of the girls just like god knows how many Big Daddies I’d killed. Life has a way of punching you in the face like that, then offering you a band-aid.

Fontaine’s voice came over the intercom, cackling loudly. Ah, ha, ha! Oh, this is too rich! When I’m done with you and you’re six thousand feet under, I’m gonna watch this over and over again, because this is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.

“Shut up, Fontaine!”

God, everything hurt… I know I’m not supposed to feel pain, but god, this was as close as I’m ever going to get. I tried to remember what happened, but I realized that I couldn’t. That’s when I first became aware that I was trapped under hundreds of pounds of debris. I roared and managed to get my arm out. With a heave, I lurched my entire body out, stepping out into the open. For a moment, I thought that I was protecting a Little Sister, but strangely, I couldn’t remember. I rubbed my head, feeling a two-inch depression on the top. Maybe that was why I couldn’t remember what I was doing.

Still, I at least remembered that I had a duty to do. I walked off, my boots thunking on the metal floors as I went off in search of another Little Sister. Just as I walked out of the doorway, several splicers rushed past me, all uttering maddening shrieks. They paid me no mind, and I didn’t expect them to. Something told me that I should try to stop them; that they were chasing after something of mine… but I didn’t listen to it. I had a job to do, just like I always had.

AN: Well, that’s the beginning of my brand new Bioshock fan fiction. Yup, I’ll be making this into a brand-new story as soon as the crossover is done. I know I’m not going to get many hits (Sad face) but I think this could go places. I’m not sure how many of my readers are PS3 fan boys, but I will not tolerate any Microsoft bashing in any of the reviews. I bought the 360 because I knew that it had the biggest line-up of games, the PS3 cost way too fs3king much, and I wasn’t sure I would have fun on the Wii; not to say ‘fuck you’ to Sony or Nintendo. But some people take it as a person insult if I buy any other system besides their own. Anyway, tell me what you think of the new story. See ya.