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#anyway guess who's playing fo4 again.
charliesvarietyhour · 9 months
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You know what tickles me pink about the Disciples in Nuka World?
Decomposing bodies release toxic gas. They're just sitting in that mountain, breathing in so much hydrogen sulfide.
I'm too lazy to write an essay. What I'm trying to say is all Disciples are asthmatic.
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sol-falloutblog · 1 year
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ALRIGHT so... since it's June, aka Pride month, I want to share something. This something is a problem I have with FNV, now before I go on I want to say I'm a BIG fan of the game it was literally the first Fallout game I personally played so it has a special place in my heart.
Now, I also want to add that this "problem" I have... I'm not entirely sure if it's a legit one or something petty, tbh, BUT just know it's nothing personally against the game because like I said it's one of my favs & actually probably is my fav but it's been awhile since I've played it.
Anyway, the problem I have is with the "Bi rep" and basically how I don't believe it really counts. I mean... what exactly do we get? Besides those perks u can get that many people claim as rep... what ELSE is there? Out of ALL the characters written in the game the only one (ONE) that can possibly be taken into consideration is Cass who if we DO take into consideration is a pretty big stereotype.
And personally, i don't care for those perks being considered rep either but I'm having a hard time trying to figure out & understand why I don't but I think I might have at least SOME idea why I may not. I feel, at least personally, that what they were doing with those perks wasn't necessarily meant to be Bi rep and if it was it was the laziest/easiest way for them to do it without having to put in extra effort. And my main piece of evidence for this is that there literally are no Bi characters in the game, if there were that would possibly change things but there aren't.
BUT, I guess that is more so a problem I have with the FNV FANDOM* rather than the game because honestly before looking into the fandom I didn't really think much about those perks, never considered them anything rep wise and just enjoyed the game but after seeing fans gush about it being rep I ended up wanting to look a bit deeper at the games rep when it comes to Bi people and... yeah it's not great or actually probably worse aka Biphobic (Cass).
What gets me, what REALLY gets me about all of this too is how this has also made me see the Biphobia within the fandom*. And like... I don't ever see analysis of Bi rep within FNV, I've seen maybe one post that brings up how Cass might be a bi stereotype but that's it. Interestingly enough when it comes to FO4 & the Bi rep that's there (no not the playersexuality aspect but the characters who are shown to have attraction to more than one gender) are criticized or shunned as real rep because of being vague, no labels used and of course be a use of the playersexuality aspect... and yet these same people have no sort of criticisms for FNVs lack of Bi rep that I would argue is just the diff side of the same coin.
I love FNV but it's queer rep is just LG rep, nothing more and to pretend otherwise I feel is giving the game & people who created it credit they don't deserve or at least that's how I feel as a very queer bisexual who would just like to have some decent rep. (Want to make sure this is clear, by credit I mean Bi rep credit SPECIFICALLY).
Oh and also I'm open to being wrong, I haven't played this game or FO4 in a while so maybe I'm missing something or not remembering something correctly etc but I did at the very least try to Google it to see if there was any Bi rep specifically within FNV and didn't come up with anything.
*by fandom I mean more progressive/LGBT/ fandom spaces I've been around not general fandom because we all know the mainstream fandom is... SOMETHING
Addition: ALSO ALSO... I realize maybe people are just taking what they can get when it comes to the rep within FNV (or aren't being 100% serious when claiming it as bi rep) but again I find it odd that I hardly see any sort of actual criticism regarding this topic but eh... *shrugs* what do I know.
Hmm... wait I think I just realized why people don't criticise FNV lack of Bi rep and it's because they don't actually care about Bi rep & only care about LG rep. I mean, just look at the criticism of FO4, while I do agree the playersexuality shouldn't be considered rep I found/find it odd how even characters who showed attraction to more than one gender or the same gender were being swept under the rug as JUST bad but... I wonder if it might just MIGHT have to do with the fact that there is (basically) no explicit/specific LG rep in the game vs FNV (and also that it's FO4 of course). It's not about Bi rep, it never was for them but maybe I'm just overthinking shit and also maybe being a bit mean with this analysis but idk, lol.
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Sawyer Lockwood’s Backstory pt. 1
Hi! It’s me again, once again trying to explain this bitch’s entire story. There’s a lot, and normally I either have it all organized in a long bullet list or pinned in DMs to my co-author but alas- I feel like everyone should know his story at this point given I’ll probably never finish every single fic I want to write sadly. Ah well, I’ll at least try to make his story somewhat understandable. If this shit is too long for you and you want to speedrun my story, his master post for reference is here. 
Pre-Fallout (Note: NOT pre-war)
Yeah so maybe a year or two before I fell in love with fallout, I had a beloved dnd character that I played as in a campaign where I worked heavily with the DM and helped sometimes with worldbuilding. His name was Sawyer Belmont and was an oath of devotion paladin. His backstory is a bit complicated as with all my OCs that I’m able to hyperfixate on for more than a few months but long story short- in his past was a high ranking demonic warlock. Something happened and a year before the campaign started he woke up in a small town, heavily scarred with absolutely no memory of who he was with a small voice in his head. His voice was a demon named Zariel (no, not that one. I literally googled ‘demon names’ and chose one, literally months later WotC released Baldur’s Gate so fuck me ig). Said demon was essentially the only thing that kept him alive but he quickly strived to stay humane despite his circumstances and prevent Zariel from ever taking over again. 
How does this relate to Sawyer Lockwood?  Well the campaign was ended abruptly and so I was never able to finish his story which,,, was a big blow to me as a person who had written a ton for him. To cope, I used his name when it came to video games in his memory and almost as a way to try to finish his story? I guess? Used him for Elder Scrolls, Skyrim, Dragon Age throughout the pandemic and when I started Fallout, I walked in expecting to play as him. Yeah I’d have to fuck with his backstory to make him fit but I plugged in his name, tried my best to make him look like old Sawyer did and off I went with a high CHA and STR build. 
And fucking hated melee. 
I love sniping, always have since borderlands so um,,, I eventually had him have some character changes then,,, then the fo4 story made him change more then,,, I min-maxed his SPECIAL and completely redid how he looked and,,, then I joined a server with others who had OCs and,,, 
welp. Here he is! Absolutely nothing like the OG Sawyer but we love him anyways. I suppose in the end in a way the old paladin Sawyer got to live on (I mean Lockwood does eventually become a,,, paladin,,, hm)?
Sawyer’s Parents
I won’t go too into detail because honestly it doesn’t effect him all too much/ he doesn’t remember a lot of it- but here we go. 
So Sawyer’s dad was a guy name Jared Lockwood (what? no. I’m not reusing characters what are you talking about -shoves RDO OC under rug-) who was a pretty successful horse breeder and jockey! His beloved horse was a thoroughbred named Brisket and retired from his racing days not long after he had met his wife and they were expecting a child. It wasn’t a lot of money that he made, but enough to buy them a small secluded ranch on top of a mountain in the middle of West Virginia where they raised sheep and chickens. The little bar room in the basement of said ranch house is actually dedicated to previous racehorses and are where he displayed his trophies from past races and such. 
However, when Sawyer was maybe 5ish, as I write with the 1950s timeline version of fallout because I like writing stuff from that era don’t @ me, WW2 began. His father left for the navy, promising to return to his wife and kid after a few years and- yeah he went MIA somewhere in the ocean. Sawyer’s family never found out what really happened, but a good guess has to do with U-boats. Sawyer was fucking heartbroken, he loved his father and had been really close to him during the five years he had with him and was certainly quieter from then on.   
His mother, meanwhile, was Shay Lockwood. She’s straight from Ireland and a often was the anchor for her aloof husband. She was a very down to earth lady, loved farming and tending to their animals- but often was maybe a bit... harsh on Sawyer. Certainly didn’t help that she came from a catholic background and well... yeah
Sawyer’s Childhood 
Sawyer was an only child, and for the most part between daily chores- loved to study. He was a huge fucking nerd. His bedroom was constantly covered in sketches of his designs for machines, tools, and buildings. Additionally, growing up he stayed very close with his father’s horse, Brisket- often riding him to school and reading to him when he was younger. 
Growing up, due to his home’s secluded nature he never really had any close friends? Aside from a girl named Nora, who he was quite close with. In high school they’d actually dated once but while discovering their differing sexualities- things didn’t shake out but they still remained close. 
For the most part, he studied his heart out for all of high school and strived to place himself in a good engineering school to continue his studies. Unfortunately though around the time of getting ready for college- his mother developed cancer. This was rough for him for multiple reasons- she was the only family he was really aware of and not only that, they were in a rough standing with each other when things began to pick up and she got sicker and sicker. As Sawyer was slowly discovering himself in their small town, it was quickly becoming evident that he was most definitely queer- something that his mother disapproved of heavily. When she passed- it was without ever their relation ever being mended and Sawyer still kicks himself about it even a good 200 years later. 
He delayed college for two years or so afterwards, taking care of his farm and struggling to figure out what to do. He was the only one left, who knows what would happen to his childhood home if he ever left for too long. 
College Years 
With a heavy heart, eventually he decided to take a leap of faith and have a go at college again. Due to the gap years, he struggled getting financial support and was only able to make it through two years of civil engineering before his funds dried up. He was getting desperate at this point and in a hail Mary- joined the Navy for the G.I. Joe money when the Big War came around. 
Congrats on making it this far! Now onto the fun shit :)
Bootcamp arc (ft. Baron)
Long story short- Sawyer fucking hated being in the military lol, and for a while they hated him too. He was often subjected to beat ups and rude comments just because.. well he... he twink. It was during one of these beatings that someone swooped in and promptly handed his bully’s asses to them- a man named Baron Teague. 
He’s my friend’s OC and honestly most of the stuff I write these days is between these two (affectionately called ‘Bawyer’). I have no idea if she’ll ever make her own tumblr and write about him on here but I’ll try to give a long story short for him. He’s from a military family down in North Carolina, joined the air force fresh out of high school and when he met Sawyer, was well on his way to officer school. (why were they at the same base? story reasons that’s why) 
The two quickly hit it off, Baron often lending the man a hand and Sawyer questioning the tiny sliver of heterosexuality he had left in him every time the buff guy ran by in silkies. Eventually it uh,,, turned into a romance between the two when they had the chance between drills, then Sawyer took him home one break and Baron started inviting him to holidays with his family back in NC and well, you get the picture. They gay. I’ll link the fics when I get the chance, but most described above has been written lol. 
Lancer Program 
Okay so this is where I kinda went crazy with homebrewing but whatever its my writing world I do what I want with my toys you know
So. In my uuuh universe? I guess? There was a program pre-Liberty Prime. This program was bleeding edge technology, taking the grand scale of Liberty Prime and the intelligence of the brightest AI at the time and combined it with the maneuverability and skills of a human pilot much like the power armor. It was a super secret thing and was a very small department and in order to get in required vigorous tests of intelligence and creativity rather than the usual strength. 
Pacific Rim- like with a splash of Titanfall and Neon Genesis, these mechs would have a neural link with their pilots and with the pilot and AI combined were able to carry out complex and highly effective maneuvers. This was of course, assuming that the two got along well and the pilot was quick enough to be able to fix any coding issues on the fly with merely their voice commands. Super vigorous, super high tech, yada yada yada..
With a whooping STR of 2 and an INT of 10, Sawyer gladly applied and made it into the program. He was Lancer Unit 02 and excelled in his training. 
The AI later becomes their own character but that will have to come in a different post, which will be linked here when I get to it ;)
It wasn’t until it was almost time for deployment that Baron finally found out about the Lancer Program and Sawyer’s involvement in it.
Quickie Won’t Hurt ;)
Almost forgot lol, so not long after serving some time Sawyer definitely suspected he’s gay. He wasn’t entirely sure though and so in a series of poor decisions while drunk with his close friend Nora,,,, they uh,,,, yep. 
He didn’t find out about Shaun until looong after he’d come home from the war. Lol whoops haha god Nora I am so fucking sorry 
On the Field    
Around the same time that Stg. Baron was deployed to Alaska was the same time that Sawyer’s program was finally being deployed onto the field in [redacted]. The two had a heartfelt goodbye, swapped dogtags affectionately (this will be important in Baron’s story), before going their own separate ways.
The Lancer Program, with how small that it was and how far they were being sent, all loaded into a giant aircraft carrier and sailed off into the sea. 
They didn’t make it far. 
Somewhere in the Pacific, the ship was hit and sank so quickly there wasn’t enough time to usher everyone to lifeboats and almost all lives were lost on that ship along with most Lancer technology (hence why most prewar and ‘modern’ tech isn’t nearly as advance as the Lancer Program’s yet some ideas would be carried over to the making of Liberty Prime and PA suits). 
So uh, Sawyer. As a person who had just left his really... only friend, had been bored out his mind during the trip and did what most do when bored- and had taken a nice nap in his mech that he was neutrally linked to.
Woke up to alarms blazing, the AI panicking, and the entire ship hundreds of feet underwater and his entire squad around him dead and floating in the water around him. 
He doesn’t have much memory about how he even managed to get out of that situation because it thoroughly fucked him up. 
Baron meanwhile dropped everything when a truck rolled up with a compressed and crushed Lancer Unit 3 on it, being ordered to destroy it to preserve government secrets. 
Parsons State Insane Asylum    
For the following year after that, Sawyer spent his entire time in Parsons as a broken man. He’d been moved to Boston after his record had listed only Nora and Baron at the closest he had to family. With Baron deployed in Alaska, he was sent to be near Nora has he recovered while she was dealing with her own problems. 
The last time Baron saw Sawyer before the nukes fell was the asylum, hardly able to speak a word and shaken to his core from what he saw down there (fic about it to be linked here). It certainly didn’t help that this was also the time that Nora couldn’t hide her pregnancy anymore and her family started asking Questions. 
The follow year was a blur for him, stumbling through treatment and slowly becoming somewhat functional again. During that time he could vaguely recall marrying Nora and them settling on a house in a place called Sanctuary but he wasn’t super lucid until close the time that the nukes fell. Link about the nukes actually falling linked here. 
Because this post is hella fucking long, the second part will be linked here! Hope y’all enjoy it so far and as always, feel free to send asks about him or me :)   
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How would FO4 companions react after finding the Jamaica Plain treasure? https://youtu.be/TmLr99nQaUA
They’re walking outside and they notice SS holding a bat they saw in the treasure vault
Some random feral comes in and tries to attack
But SS swing at them and the Feral goes flying about 6 feet, dead.
A moment of silence passes and SS goes with as smirk on their face, “Look like I found the treasure.”
How would they react?
Fun little story: I accidentally stumbled into the backdoor to the treasure on my first playthrough when walking around. I threw the bat on the ground because I thought it was useless. I am stupid.
Anyway, the reacts. Anon set this up pretty well, so I'll just go off that.
Fallout 4 Companions React: The Treasure of Jamaica Plain
Cait: “Ok, I gotta get my hands on that. If I ever saw me parents again, I’d punt them off into the moon. No, the sun. Damn, that thing is incredible! You’re one lucky lass.”
Codsworth: “Keeping your enemies far away was never easier, now was it? Ha ha! I suppose that you’ve been using sir’s old dumbells, have’t you mum? I’m sure you have. Soon, you’ll be a true body builder! A strength champion! A macho muchacho!”
Curie: “Every day, your apparent superhuman abilities become evermore present. Surely you do not expect me to believe that it’s only the bat itself that is causing this spike of power? I suppose that the wasteland never fails to amaze.”
Danse: “Soldier, you may have remnants of that ghoul’s body all over you. You know that standard Brotherhood practice is to use laser weapons, as to turn enemies into ash. This is disgusting, even if mildly impressive. Only mildly impressive, though.”
Deacon: “Ok, now I know it. I’m gonna make Nora action figures. I mean, you’ve got superpowers and a magic baseball bat that can send zombies flying 60 feet away? Who wouldn’t want that? I would’ve played with that toy as a child. We can use the profits to build a second Prydwen. This one will be three inches longer, just to piss Maxson off. Deal?”
Gage: “I don’t even know what to say anymore, boss. It’s not like I have a real personality to draw from and honestly I think that OP is just gonna stop writing me into these reacts all together because, lets be honest, no one would miss me. Anyway that’s a cool bat, I guess.”
Hancock: “Imagine using that thing with a dose of Psychojet. Man, we gotta get down to Diamond City and swing that bat around like it was always intended. A swing and a hit, right on McDonut’s ass.”
Longfellow: “I may have come from an amazing DLC but I’m just not an interesting character. I’m a grandpa, baseball, old world, fog bad, yada yada. Why am I here again? OP never wrote about Ada and I’m maybe 11% more interesting then that sentimental robot.”
MacCready: “You gotta show that off to Duncan. He loves baseball movies, and those are all scripted. Imagine what you could do with thing if you actually had a decent pitcher? Best hitter in history.”
Nick Valentine: “I know it was way after his time, but I’d like to think that Mickey Mantle himself once used that bat. I’d love to meet him in person. We’d drink some Chock Full O’ Nuts and just...chat. Maybe the old world wasn’t so bad.”
Piper: “I keep telling you this, but the next time you’re gonna channel Zeus and Jackie Robinson himself into your weapons, please let me bring the camera! These moments are too precious to leave in our minds. And by precious, I mean FREAKING AWESOME!!!”
Preston: “General! I can’t believe I have to tell you this for the eleventh time! Put down the supernatural wooden stick and go help the Slog! I got a report from a definitely reputable source that the Slog has a Ghoul problem! Go help them! Come on!”
Strong: “Little lady has bat that can hit Ghoul far away. Little Lady is stronger than Strong brother? Stronger than Super Mutant? Strong need to have existential crisis now. Little lady should leave Strong alone to rethink his life.”
X6-88: “How many times do I have to tell Father that even though he wants to pretend like he had a normal life he can’t leave a highly advanced baseball apparatus just lying around. We get it, you are traumatized and wanted a father to play ball with because the cruel reality of 21st century geopolitics denies you this opportunity, but you can’t just let this shit sit around. Not ok.”
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danses-with-dogmeat · 3 years
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Howdy! I got an ask/react for the Fo4 companions! How would a romanced companion react to Sole (preferably female) doing things to make them feel 'stronger' or 'protective' over her? Some random examples: Sole "can't" open something and has to ask for help/Sole conveniently forgets her overcoat when she knows it's going to be cold out, etc. the little things :) (Extra thing: you don't have to but if you could go into a bit more depth for Deacon and Hancock's response that'd be great :D )
Okay, this was so. much. fun. I took a few... creative liberties with the prompt, but I hope it’s still in the realm of what you were looking for! And, of course, thank you so much for the ask! I hope you like it!
Cait: 
     Sole pressed a cold cloth to Cait's cheekbone, and she hissed at the pressure of the contact on her swollen cheek. 
"Shit, sorry, Cait." 
"Eh, I've had worse licks than this."
"I know, but still… this one is definitely my fault." 
"It's hardly yer fault, luv, I'm the one who got meself inte this."
"How? I'm the one who started the fight." Sole protested, pulling her hand back so she could look her companion in the eye. 
"Maybe, but I'm the one who gave you yer drinkin’ problem, and that's what got us inte the fight in the first place." Sole chuckled at that, shaking her head. The two had had this discussion what seemed like a hundred times, both trying to take the blame for the constant slew of bar fights that they found themselves getting into. 
Tonight, it had been four intoxicated men who had decided it was a neat idea to discuss the details of what they’d do to Cait if they could get her drunk enough. While the redhead hadn’t seemed to hear, Sole had briskly made her way over to the group to give her two cents on these ideas of theirs. So, Cait had a point, maybe if Sole hadn’t had quite so much whiskey, she could’ve tried to solve the problem more... verbally. But alas, her confrontation had officially started with her fist landing at the temple of the man nearest to her, effectively knocking him out. And it had ended with Cait hauling Sole to her feet after disposing of the man’s companions. 
Cait picked absent-mindedly at the scabs forming on her knuckles as Sole brought the wet rag up to her face once more, dabbing at the blood next to Cait's lip. 
"God, how is it that you always end up with the injuries? All I got was a bruise to the cheek, and yet, here you are, looking like a human punching bag."
"I can tell ya that. It's cus it's always me rushin' in te save your arse. Why do you always take on more than ye can handle?" Sole snickered, not knowing if Cait found her own words as amusing as she had. 
"Because, I know no matter how many assholes I take on, you'll always be there to save me." Cait made a disgusted sound, rolling her eyes at that, much like Sole thought she would, before letting her emerald gaze meet Sole's eyes. 
"I wish you weren't, but yer damn right." Cait said, and Sole felt a little jump in her chest at the sentiment. Cait wasn’t the most tender person in the wasteland, but somehow, she always seemed to know what to say; to Sole, anyway.
The pair sat silently for a bit as Sole finished cleaning up her defender. Wiping down her bloodied hands, and the remainder of the crusted crimson on her face.
"Are ya done fussin yet? I'm tellin’ you, I'm fine. Can we just go te sleep already?"
"One more spot left." She told her, bringing the rag up to her bruised face once more. Sole's eyes fell to Cait's swollen lips as she drew the cool fabric over them, before leaning in to press her mouth softly to Cait's. Sole pulled away, but stayed close enough for Cait to feel her warm, whiskey-tinged breath fan over her as she whispered, 
"Thank you for saving me tonight. I really was way in over my head." Sole looked down, embarrassed at her admission, as Cait smiled at her. 
"It was my pleasure, luv. As you said, I'll always be there te save yer arse." 
Curie: 
     "You know, you don't have to come to me for something as small as zhis." Curie said as she examined the minor cut on Sole’s arm. “You could patch zhis up yourself easily!” 
“Well…” Sole felt heat rise to her cheeks as she searched for an explanation. She knew that every time she came to Curie for something like this, she was taking up the doctor’s precious time, but she couldn’t help herself. What was she supposed to do when Curie insisted on working all day when they were at a settlement? They usually came to settlements to relax, to help make repairs and look into any problems the settlers might be having, but Curie always insisted on doing check-ups for everyone in their vicinity. Sole loved her selflessness and dedication to her work, but… When were they supposed to spend time together? This is what I get for having a workaholic for a girlfriend.
“You know, infection is a big problem out here. I just thought it would be best to seek the help of a professional.” 
“Oh, of course, of course. How responsible of you.” Sole bit at her lip as Curie laughed at her. Well, she really has caught onto the whole ‘sarcasm’ thing.
 “Fortunately, you do not need to worry about infection in zhis, it iz not deep. But come here, with me.” Curie urged Sole off of the cot she was seated on and brought her to a table at the back of the clinic. 
“Wait here, se vous plait.” With that, Curie disappeared around the corner, and Sole stood around, twiddling her thumbs, as she tried to think of an excuse to get Curie off of work early. 
“I was going to clean my supplies with zhis, but we can do your arm first.” Curie said as she came around the corner, a bucket of soapy water in-hand. 
“Here.” Curie set the bucket onto the table and had Sole hold out her arm as she produced a clean rag from the pocket of her lab coat, and dunked it into the warm water. Sole watched as Curie wrung out the cloth, and brought it to the miniscule wound on her arm. 
It was comical, really, the care that Curie took in cleaning the cut that couldn’t have been more than an inch long, and was almost too thin to see. Another rush of heat made its way to Sole’s cheeks as she realized how ridiculous she must seem to the doctor, but Curie made no complaints as she used the other side of the rag to dry off her arm. 
“Zhere! It should be all better. I can wrap it for you too, if you’d like.” 
“Thanks Curie, you’re a lifesaver. But I don’t think you really need to wrap it.” The synth laughed at her as she threw the rag into a basket and picked up the bucket again. 
“Oh, mon dieu, I don’t know about zhat.” She shook her head, a pink tint coming to her pale cheeks at Sole’s flattery as she turned to go into the back of the clinic again. 
“Wait!” Sole said, reaching out her “good” arm to stop Curie before she could vanish around the corner once more. Curie looked at her, a questioning expression on her face. Sole stood, her hand still wrapped around Curie’s forearm, utterly at a loss of what to say. I just don’t want you to go. It’ll be another four hours until you get off. 
I think you should take a break?
Maybe you should have a half day?
Do you need some help here at the clinic? God, when did I become so damn clingy?
“Hmm.” Curie’s eyes pierced into Sole’s as a knowing look washed over her face. “I zhink I know what it is you want.” Sole just stared ahead, wondering silently if that were true. The doctor set down the bucket yet again, delicately taking a hold of Sole’s “injured” arm once more. Slowly, she brought it upwards, then lowered her head to place her lips gently over the cut. “Iz zhat better?” 
Sole giggled, still embarrassed, but definitely glad she had come to interrupt Curie’s work. I guess I can wait a little longer. Maybe make us a nice dinner for tonight...
“Much. Thanks again, Curie.” 
“Of course! Anytime, mon amour.”
Danse: 
     Sole sat at the kitchen table, draining the last of her coffee as her gaze fell to Danse, where he was seated on the steps outside the front door of her Sanctuary home. He stared ahead blankly, brows knitted together above his lusterless eyes as his hands worked to remove a spot of rust from a piece of power armor he had taken off his suit temporarily. Lately, the ex-paladin had been adept in putting on a show for Sole, making her think that he was okay, even after everything that had changed in his life over the course of a few hours. It had been over a week since he had found out about his true identity, and in that time,  Sole could tell that he had tried to remain strong. For whom, she wasn’t sure. She thought she had made it clear to him that she didn’t care about his “strength” in these times, she just wanted him to get through them, whatever the means. Yet, he only seemed to don this look of despair and hopelessness whenever he thought she wasn’t looking, and if she tried to bring it up, he would always attempt to change the subject, or he would tell her not to worry and simply say that he was still working on “adjusting.” 
She hated when he didn’t talk to her. The seemingly insensitive man was always happy to listen to Sole’s problems and offer what advice he could, often suggesting that she discuss her own issues as a form of therapy. But God forbid she tries to get him to do the same. Sole sighed as she mulled over what to do, and noticed Danse’s head twitch to the side, listening, before his gaze dropped down to focus on his task.
He’s been working on that same spot for almost an hour. If it’s not out yet, I don’t think it ever will be. Sole looked around the room, trying to find something that could possibly serve as a proper distraction for Danse, and her eyes fell to the wooden stereo below the window in the living room. She had left it there because she simply didn’t have the heart to scrap the old thing. Too many good memories surrounded it. Memories of her and Nate, dancing the night away as the records spun on and on playing soft love songs until the sun rose; of her rocking Shaun in her arms as she mosied around the living room, listening to the nursery rhyme vinyls that she had received as gifts at her baby shower... But those memories, they were from another life.
Sole shook her head. This is about him, she thought, not me. I can deal with my shit later. Right now, I need to focus on Danse.
She huffed another sigh, this time a bit louder, and watched as Danse ceased his hand movements and tilted his ear towards her again.
“Is everything alright?” He turned to look at where she sat, and Sole tried to look melancholic.
“It’s just… You know… nevermind, it’s not important.” Just as she assumed he would, Danse stood up and walked inside the house, setting the piece of armor and the rag on the table, and pulled out a chair so he could sit beside her. He looked down at her hands, which rested on top of the table near her empty coffee mug. She could practically see the sweat beading on his forehead as he hesitantly brought one of his large hands to rest over the top of her own. Ever since he found out what he was, he’s been afraid to touch me. So... this is a good sign, at least.
“If something’s wrong, I want to know.” He said as he looked up to meet her gaze, his worried expression matching the concern she was feeling towards him. Sole took a breath to appear as though she was steadying herself.
“It’s just… being in this house. It’s great, I mean, it’s still my home and everything, and I don’t want to go anywhere else, but…” she trailed off, her troubled expression only half-feigned at this point, given the truth behind her words. His eyes never wavered, silently encouraging her to continue.
“Some things are harder to look at than others. And that damn stereo over there just has to be staring straight at me every time I sit down at the table, it’s the hardest one for me to see. It's just, it was a house-warming present from my parents. They gave it to me and Nate after the wedding, and now… well, there are no more records to play on it. They were all ruined, and even if they weren't, I don’t think the thing would work anyway. But every time I see it, it reminds me of the people I’ve lost. My parents… Nate… even Shaun.” Sole didn’t have to fake the tears that came unbidden to her eyes as she recalled the memories of her loved ones, and she knew Danse hadn’t missed a thing when he started rubbing her hand softly with his. They sat there in silence for a moment, as Danse tried to reassure her with his gentle touch.
Then, still remaining silent, Danse stood, reaching his hand forward to brush his thumb over Sole’s cheek, wiping away the tear that had fallen. He then turned towards the living room, but instead of going straight to the stereo, as Sole thought he might, Danse opened the side door that led to the covered driveway. She watched as he doubled back, now approaching the stereo. Sole wasn’t sure what she had expected him to do when she mentioned her problem to him; maybe offer to help her take the thing apart, or try and see if it still worked, or simply give her another perspective on how she should view the piece of 200-year-old furniture. Whatever she expected, it certainly hadn’t been this. 
Danse squatted down in front of the large wooden beast of a stereo, wrapped his broad arms almost all the way around it, and stood, lifting the whole damn thing up until he was standing completely upright with the stereo held firmly to his chest. Sole’s mouth hung open as she remained seated at the table, seemingly paralyzed by the shock of what she was witnessing, as Danse sauntered awkwardly towards the exit. A thick vein protruded from his neck as he twisted the piece of furniture to fit through the door, and made his way out into the driveway.
Sole heard a groan from outside, accompanied by the sound of something hard hitting concrete. She stood up, prepared to head outside and see what exactly he’d done with her “problem,” but before she reached the doorway, she heard him call from outside,
“You can’t still see it, can you?”
“Um… no. But Danse, is it-- I mean, are you okay? It took like, four people to bring that thing in when we first moved it to the house.” The brawny ex-soldier appeared in the doorway, his chest still heaving from the effort of wrestling the wooden monster outside. He nodded to her,
“I'm fine." He huffed, "You don’t need to go out there. I’ll take it apart later, if you’d like. Or we can store it somewhere for the time being.” She shook her head at him, a little smile touching her lips. Even after everything he’s been through, he's still always looking out for me. Even with something as small and insignificant as this.
“You know,” she said quietly, “you didn’t have to do that.” Danse looked down at his feet, seemingly searching for something to say in response.
“But thank you.” Sole finished, and his eyes came back up to meet hers. For a moment, she saw a spark return to Danse’s amber eyes as the smallest hint of a smile softened his expression, and Sole felt hope. Hope for him overcoming his grief in this time of crisis, and hope for herself in being able to move on from the memories that had kept her chained to her past for so long. Together, she felt like the two of them could overcome anything.
Deacon:
     “Yes. Two please.” Sole said as Takahashi voiced the only question he ever seemed to ask. The robot placed two bowls of scrumptious smelling power noodles in front of her, and she reached for the bag of caps hanging from her belt. As she looked down to count her money, she heard a clatter of bottlecaps hitting the counter beside her.
“Got it covered. Come on, let’s dig in.” Deacon grabbed a bowl in each hand and headed over to a couple of empty seats at the bar.
“I thought you were still trying to stay undercover?" Sole gestured to the Diamond City guard outfit that the spy donned. "Doesn’t it kinda ruin the illusion if you’re seen in public with me?” She said as she followed him over, sealing up her cap purse once again.
“What? You’ve never seen one of these guys at the noodle stand? Cuz I sure have. Just don’t talk to me, and I’ll be good.” Sole shook her head as she took a seat beside him, instantly deciding to ignore his request.
“Hey officer, I’ve got a question.” Sole swirled her chopsticks around the steaming bowl in front of her, before taking a bite.
“Yes, citizen?”
“Hold on--” she said through a mouthful of noodles.
Deacon laughed as he looked at her full mouth,
“Why--” He tried to talk through his bout of chuckling, “Why would you say you’re going to ask me a question and then take a big bite of food? What did you think would happen?”
Deacon thought he heard her tell him to ‘shut up,’ but it was hard to tell, given the noodles that filled her mouth, and the fact that she was nearly choking in her own fit of laughter.
Eventually, she managed to swallow her food successfully, and was finally able to get some words out.
"No, okay, serious question--" Deacon interrupted her with a snap of his fingers,
"Serious answer." Her genuine curiosity forced Sole to ignore him, and continue with her question.
"Tell me, why do you always pay for everything?" She asked.
"Ma'am, I am a law-abiding security officer. I always pay for the products that I intend to consume."
"I said serious, Deacon."
"Hey, shush!" He brought a hand up to Sole's mouth at the mention of his name, "What part of undercover did you not get?" She cocked a brow at his faked panic expression, noting the grin that he was trying to hide, as he lowered his head and turned back to his noodles.
"Like, okay," she continued, expanding on her inquiry, "whenever we go anywhere, you always pay for everything, and it's really odd. I've never met anyone in the wasteland who's done that, everyone's too busy trying to keep themselves alive to worry about paying for others. So, what? Are you, like, rich or something? I mean, c'mon, what's the deal? I have caps on me all the time, you know that, right?"
"Oh?" Sole saw his eyebrows rise above the tops of his sunglasses as he turned to look at her, "you don't think I'm doing this out of the goodness of my cold, black, heart, do you? No, I'm running a tab over here, honey. You owe me, big time." Sole narrowed her eyes at him, her uncertainty keeping her lips sealed.
"You mean, you didn’t know? Look, I don't know what to tell you," Deacon continued, "I thought you knew! Man, I'm glad you found out this way. Now it won't be such a rude awakening when the invoice comes."
Deacon turned back to his noodles, shaking his head at the thought. Sole's gaze bore into him, trying to figure out his level of seriousness. I really wish I was better at this. This is why I believed he was a synth for a month and a half.
"And if I don't have the money… you're not gonna call out a hit on me or anything, are you?"
“Hmm," he brought a hand to his chin, stroking his finger over it animatedly, "surely there must be some way you could pay me back…” He turned to look at her, wiggling his eyebrows as he did so, and she rolled her eyes, looking back to her noodles as she scoffed.
"Hey! What's with the face! I was talking about community service. Y'know, helping the children, and the elderly, all that good stuff. Get your mind out of the gutter, perv. And to think, I was going to have you volunteering at the children's hospital next week."
Sole instantly regretted taking another bite, as she tried desperately to fend off a fit of giggling in an effort to keep from choking again.
"I can't keep up with you Deacon," she said as she swallowed her food. "You're gonna kill me one of these days."
"Eh, don't worry, I can pay for the funeral." Sole raised a hand and shoved him in the shoulder playfully as he grinned at her.
"Okay, really, though. You do know I can pay occasionally, right?"
"Yeah, I know, I'm your partner, remember? I'm pretty much right next to you whenever you get paid.”
"So… then, why do you do it?"
"Do what?" Sole's nostrils flared at his obnoxious question.
"No? Joke didn’t land? Okay. Serious time," he flung his hands in the air as if surrendering, "I read about something… wasn't it, like, customary before the war to pay for stuff for your… friends?" Sole scrunched her eyebrows in thought,
"Friends? Not really. Significant other? Yeah, a little more common." She looked to where Deacon stared down at his noodles.
Is that, is he... blushing?
"But hey, I don't mind if you don't." She finished, tilting her head forward, in an attempt to catch Deacon's eye. She spotted a flushed little grin spread on his face, before he leaned his head back, restoring his cool composure.
"Oopsies, sorry about that, then. But I did warn you, I'm pretty new to this whole friend thing. So… you know, that's on you."
Hancock: 
     The ghoul lounged comfortably on the couch in the Old State House, idly playing with his combat knife as he waited for Sole to finish readying herself for their outing.
“Ahhh!” 
Hancock leapt from his place on the couch at the sound of Sole’s shriek, his combat knife instinctively falling into a position poised for violence.
He ran across the hall, crashing through the door and into the bedroom. Teeth bared and eyes wide, his head lashed from side to side in search of Sole’s assailant. He spotted her, cowering in the corner as she raised a shaky hand to point at the opposite side of the room.
Hancock’s glare followed Sole’s fear-stricken gaze, and he started towards the desk in the corner she had pointed to, but ultimately failed to see what it was causing her distress.
He turned back to her, an eyebrow cocked, as he raised the silent question of what had been the cause of her terror.
“On the desk!” She said, pointing towards it again, this time with greater intensity. Hancock slowly approached the corner of the room, knife still at the ready, as his eyes continued to search for any sign of… well, anything, really. An exasperated smile spread across his lips as his eyes fell to your attacker. A small, brown, spider picked its way through the objects littering the top of the desk, and Hancock had to hold back a laugh. 
“This is what had you all riled up? Oh, sweetheart, he’s just a little spider. C’mon now, he won’t hurt ya.”
“You don't know that.” She said firmly, her round eyes still trained on the desk. It had sounded like a joke, but her expression remained serious.
“Alright, you want me to get rid of him for you?” She nodded her head vigorously, and he chuckled as he turned his attention to the unsuspecting arachnid. He watched as it delicately stepped over a series of writing utensils, and Hancock frowned. Bringing his knife up to the top of the desk, he rested the flat of his blade directly in the spider’s path,
“That’s it, up you go, little guy.” He said quietly, as it stepped onto his steel vessel. Hancock twisted the knife around in his grip as the spider crawled around it, and made his way to the balcony. Once outside, he tipped his knife to the railing, encouraging the spider to crawl off the tip of the blade. Once the spider was safely making its way along the top of the railing, Hancock turned back towards the doorway.
“There,” he said, stepping back inside, “Now he can’t hurt ya, he’s all the way out there.”
“You… you didn’t kill it?” She asked, tentatively standing up.
“Nah, we only hurt the ones who hurt somebody else first, remember?”
“You don’t know that he didn’t hurt anybody.” She mumbled as Hancock sauntered over to her.
“Aw, give him a chance, maybe he can change, y’know? He doesn't really seem like the troublemaking type to me, anyhow.” He brought his hands to your waist, a smug expression playing on his face.
“Oh yeah, just like the way you always tell people you’ve changed?” She said, sliding her hands up his chest to rest them on his shoulders. “Way I see it, you’re still just as bad an influence on me as when I met you.” She said, a playful glint dancing in her eyes.
“Hmm, maybe you’re right, sunshine. Maybe I can't change any more. Maybe it's just my nature to be a bad influence on you.” He said quietly, a wolfish grin spreading across his face as he leaned into her. 
“Huh, maybe so. But bad influence or not," she pulled away from him slightly, to look up into his smoky eyes, "you really did save me back there. And, I know it seems silly... but I am grateful." His eyes softened at her little confession and, though he knew this too was silly, he couldn’t help but feel a swell in his chest at the thought of "saving" her. 
“And I’ll always be here to save you... from any spiders we happen to come across.” He pecked her lips tenderly, their close proximity practically forcing his mouth to hers. He should’ve known better, once he had a taste, he couldn’t get enough of her. 
“Even though,” He continued, as he pressed a kiss to her nose, “I’ve seen you,” then to her right cheek, “take down,” now her left, “deathclaws,” another to her jaw, “single handedly,” and now down to her neck, “I’ll be sure to handle all the unruly arachnids.” He whispered into the crook of her neck, before moving upwards again and pressing one more kiss to her forehead. He watched, grinning like an idiot in love, as a crimson flush crept up her cheeks. He wasn’t sure if it was from the embarrassment she felt regarding her phobia, or from the heat of his lips on her skin, but he decided it didn’t matter. Either way, he found it irresistibly adorable, and with that, he set his sights on her lips once more. 
MacCready: 
     MacCready sat on the floor, legs crossed, as he counted his ammunition cartridges. There were four of the .308, six of the .50, ten of the 10mm, and a few of the .38. There certainly wasn’t as much as he’d hoped there’d be, but he wasn't worried. Sole always seemed to have ammo to spare, and she wasn't stingy with it like he was. It was yet another perk to being with her.
He gathered his full magazines together near the ammo bag resting beside him, so he could begin placing them inside in preparation for their next outing.
"How are you doing over there, babe?" He asked as he stored the outlying bullets in little bags.
"I think... you know what, nevermind. I'm good." MacCready ceased his action, turning to look at where Sole knelt on the carpet of her Diamond City home. A pile of bullets and empty magazines surrounded her, the stack of seemingly full cartridges was pitifully small compared to his own.
"You, ah, need some help?"
"... No.” 
"Mmhm, okay.” he narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously, but she wouldn’t look up at him.
“Well,” he continued, “I'm going to put my full mags in the ammo bag, why don't I grab yours too." The sniper stood up, and made his way over to her, bending down to grab the cartridges that looked full.
"Wait! No, these, um, these ones aren't done yet." MacCready's eyebrows furrowed, but the shadow of a smile began to spread to his lips as he realized what was going on.
"So," he said, kneeling down so he could see her pretty little embarrassed face. "You haven't finished loading any of them?"
“No." She said quietly, refusing to meet his gaze. MacCready lowered his head so that he was looking up at her as her eyes stayed fixed on the floor. A lock of hair was draped over her forehead, obstructing his view. He reached a hand up and gently pushed it behind her ear, leaning in to give her nose a small peck with his lips.
"You want some help?" He said as Sole raised her gaze to meet his, a small blush forming on her cheeks. She didn't say anything, only nodded yes.
"Alright, you know, you could’ve just asked. I might have said ‘no’ the first time, but you know me, I eventually would’ve come around." MacCready said as he set to work with the magazines that had appeared full, but in reality, only housed half of the amount of ammunition that they could fit within them. He snickered in understanding, it really was the second half of bullets that was hard to load.
"Thank you, sweetie. You’re just so much better at it than I am." She said as she watched his practiced fingers make quick work of what probably would've taken her another hour.
"Of course... but, you are paying me for this, right?"
"Ohh, I think we might be able to work something out." She said, a sly grin playing at her lips.
He just chuckled at her words, but she could've sworn his fingers starting moving a whole lot faster at her suggestive phrasing.
Nick: 
“Tell me, why is this now a regular part of my job duties?" Ellie asked as she finished sewing up yet another tear in Nick's trench coat. "You know you're just going to end up with more holes in this coat every time you leave the office, and I don't seem to recall you ever caring about this old thing's appearance before…" she trailed off.
Nick knew that Ellie was fishing for answers. One specific one in particular, but he liked the ambiguity of the situation. It was this little game he and his secretary would play. He would leave clues here and there that pointed to the nature of his and Sole's relationship and wait to see if Ellie would say anything. All while she continued to try and force the truth from him verbally. He wasn't going to lose this round.
"What? A private detective can't keep up appearances for his clients? I think it's just good for business."
"I think it's a load of bologna. You know we gave Sole her own trench coat after she saved you, right? She could just wear her own, rather than steal yours every time you two go out on a case."
"What kinda fun would that be? I don't mind it, it's not like I get cold anyway. And the poor little lady never knows how long we're going to be gone, so I don't think it's her fault when we're out after dark and she wants to wear it."
Ellie rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh as she poked the needle back through the worn, beige fabric once again.
"She's got you so tightly wound around her finger, it's a wonder she doesn't call you 'Jared'."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I don't know, it’s something I’ve read about, I guess it was a ring shop, or a jewelry company, or something before the war. I thought it sounded clever. Just humor me, won't you?"
The synth just shook his head, uttering a low chuckle as he watched Ellie tighten the thread, forcing the last hole closed.
"There." She said, tying up the last bit of string left over, before cutting off the excess. "It's done." 
"Perfect, thanks a million, doll. I'll see you soon, I've just gotta head out for a--"
"Date?" She finished the sentence for him suggestively, raising her eyebrows in question.
"A case. We're going to head out on a case, Ellie."
"Uh huh, sure. Well, here," she handed him back the coat, "now she doesn't need to worry about the cold air seeping in through all those holes. Let me know if you want me to insulate the damn thing when winter rolls around."
Valentine smiled, an uncharacteristically goofy smile, at Ellie's words. He was so obvious, why didn't he just come clean already? 
"Will do, I’m sure she’ll enjoy that. Thanks again, Ellie. You're the best."
"And don't you forget it." She said, turning back to the mound of paperwork still on her desk beside her sewing supplies.
“Ah well, I’ll get him to admit to it one of these days.” Ellie mumbled as she began sorting through the files in front of her.
Piper:
     Piper looked up at Scarlet from the table in the corner of the Dugout Inn, 
"Yes, so I think we'll both have a nuka cola to start off. Then I'll do the crispy squirrel bits, and she'll have the Salisbury steak." Piper pointed her finger to Sole, who was busy looking down at the table, before making a last-minute decision, "Aaand you'd better bring some of those snack cakes at the end, too." 
"Hm, as usual." Scarlet chuckled at that as her pen scribbled across the notepad in her hand. 
"But that sounds good, you two. I'll have that out in just a minute." The waitress grabbed their menus, Sole reaching up to hand it to her with a smile on her face before turning to peer at her partner from across the table. She waited for Scarlet to disappear around the corner to the kitchen before speaking.
"You really don't find it annoying?" She asked. 
"What?" Piper loosened the scarf around her neck as she looked questioningly at Sole. 
"I know that I ask you to order for me whenever we go out to eat, or drink, and it's gotta be getting a little old at this point, right?" 
"No, not at all, Blue!" Piper said as she took her hat off and placed it on the table, mussing her hair a bit with one hand. "This reporter actually finds it to be pret-ty endearing. It's like, the one thing you can't do. You’re good at, like, everything else, but this I get to help you with. It's a welcome change." Piper's hands dropped to the top of the table as she began absent-mindedly fiddling with her silverware. But her eyes stayed on the woman across the table as Sole smiled at her, still appearing a little embarrassed. 
"I don't know why I can't do it," Sole tried to explain, "I've just never been able to order for myself, even before the war. Just one of those bizarre anxiety things, I guess."
"Well, like I said, I don’t mind at all. In fact, I think it's cute." 
 Preston:
     Sole approached her Lieutenant, shaking her head at him, and she saw him sigh.
“No, the river just keeps going until it reaches a ravine." She told him, "And it’s too steep to climb down. Any luck on your end?”
“Hmm, not really. It's a little more shallow upstream, but it’s still about ten feet wide.”
“Damn.” She said, “We need to get across.” A settlement had sent a distress call across radio freedom almost an hour ago, if Sole and Preston took any longer, they might be too late.
“I guess we’ll just have to go for it.” She said, her face painting a picture of clear disgust at the thought of wading through the murky water.
“Well, let’s at least head upstream a bit. To the shallow part.”
“Okay.” Sole said begrudgingly, her footsteps unconsciously heavy as she followed her companion to the shallow part. Not shallow enough, I bet.
And she was right. As the pair arrived, Preston turned to Sole to gauge her reaction, noticing the way her nose wrinkled at the sight of the brown, swirling water.
Preston heaved a sigh, and started forward. Before he reached the waterline, he turned to see Sole still standing back, feet seemingly glued to the muddy ground. He couldn’t help but smile sympathetically at her, eyebrows creasing upwards as he watched her eyes look longingly at the far shore.
“Come here.” He said.
“I know, I know. Just start going, I’ll follow.” Preston chuckled at the exasperation in her voice. Instead of repeating his command, he simply walked over to her as her eyes remained locked on the other side of the river, when he reached her, he slowly pressed his hand to the small of her back.
“Hey, what are you--?” Before Sole could finish her question, Preston had scooped her up into his arms, bridal style. She let out a squeak of surprise, and he couldn’t keep himself from grinning.
“Is this okay? He asked, the brim of his hat pressing against Sole’s forehead as he looked at her.
“A warning would’ve been nice.” Preston laughed, shaking his head as he adjusted his grip on her, ensuring she was secure before making his way towards the river.
“Hold onto me.” He said, and Sole wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders.
“Ready?” Sole nodded to him, and Preston took a step forward, frigid water seeping in through his boots as he waded in.
“Wait, are you sure you want to do this?” She said, her eyes trained on the river as it raised up to Preston’s knees.
“I might be wrong, General, but I think I already am.” He said, the amusement in his voice faint as he gritted his teeth against the cold.
She felt his body shutter as he continued forward, the water reaching up almost to his waist, as he held Sole up higher to ensure it wouldn’t reach her. She let out a small sigh of relief as they reached the end of the channel. The water became more shallow, and Preston quickened his pace with each step that brought him closer to their destination.
Once completely out of the water, and past the muddy shoreline, Preston finally set Sole down gently. As her feet touched the ground, Sole kept her arms wound about Preston’s neck.
“Thank you, love.” She said, her voice soft as she addressed him as her partner rather than her Lieutenant.
“It was my pleasure, m’lady.” He said, briefly removing his hat from his head as he did so. Sole smiled at him warmly, but detected the faint chattering of his teeth, and when she looked down, she couldn’t help but notice the goosebumps littering his skin. 
“Oh, Preston…” Sole said as she pressed herself to him, rubbing her hands against his back and arms quickly, in an attempt to warm him with her friction. She felt hot air wash over her neck as he released a shaky breath of relief, leaning into her touch. The pair stood there for a moment, Preston syphoning off Sole’s warmth as she tried to repay him for his earlier act of kindness. Her hands slowed from her vigorous rubbing to a more tender sort of touch, before Preston’s head shot up.
“Shit, Sole, the settlement! We’ve got to move!”
X6-88: 
     This had become a common routine of theirs, and X6 wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about it. Every time they were in Sole’s Diamond City home, she would insist on making dinner for the two of them. That, X6 didn’t mind too much; although, after consuming nothing but food supplements in the Institute for so long, it did take some getting used to. But eating the food wasn’t the issue, it was the making of it that had him perplexed. 
As far as he knew, Sole had been the one to install the shelves in her kitchen; and yet, every time she was in need of a spice of some sort, or a condiment, or one of her dishes, she would ask X6 for assistance, given that the shelves were apparently too high for her to reach. Why Sole continued to store her items on the too-tall shelves, he couldn’t begin to guess. But here she went again, asking him to reach for the box of blamco mac n’ cheese on the top shelf, the highest one, one that he could barely even reach. X6 decided it was time to voice his confusion.
“Ma’am?”
“Yes?” She asked distractedly as she focused on the strength of the flame burning on her stove.
“Why do you use these shelves?”
“What else would I use, silly?” X6 scrunched up his face at that, trying to hold back a verbal scoff at her wording.
“Would you rather I just store everything on the floor?”
“Well, no. That would… hardly be sanitary.” He wasn’t sure if she was joking with him or not. Did she think he was joking with her?
“Why do you ask, X?” She grabbed the box from his hand as he extended it towards her, and began tearing at the top of it with her finger.
“Well, it seems nonsensical to me, for you to continue placing all of your items out of your reach. What happens if I’m not here?” Sole placed a saucepan filled with water over the stove and turned to look at him.
“But you are here.” she said, shrugging, “What? Don’t you like helping me out in the kitchen?”
X6 blinked. What the hell did this have to do with what he liked?
“Well… I don’t dislike it. I’m just having trouble with-- I don’t-- I just... do you want me to fix the shelves so they are the right height for you?”
“No, I like them the way they are.”
X6 felt his eye twitch from beneath his shades. Confusion built up inside him, making the courser feel as though he might explode.
“Ma’am--” His voice faltered as he realized he didn’t know what else to say.
“I know they’re not practical, X. But you can reach them, and I like that about them. Even when I’m here alone, the fact that I can’t make dinner without you makes me smile.” X6 furrowed his eyebrows. That explanation didn’t help at all.
“Don’t you get hungry?”
“I'm not completely helpless, you know, I can usually figure something out.” She attempted to look annoyed at his question, but her grin gave her away. X6 narrowed his eyes at her, still not completely satisfied with the way the conversation had gone. He was still just as confused as he was before.
“Huh.” He said, mulling over all she had said on the subject. “Perhaps... in that case, we should ensure that I am by your side for any missions near Diamond City. That way, I can be sure the future director of the Institute doesn’t go hungry.”
“Well, if you think that’s necessary, who am I to argue?” The left side of X6’s lip tilted upwards in an expression of amusement, and Sole openly smiled at him, laughing a little to herself as she turned her attention back to the boiling water on the stove.
“Can you hand me the pepper mill? Second shelf.”
“I know which shelf. But yes, I can.” He said, turning around to grab it, as Sole continued grinning to herself.
Now I just have to make sure he never looks under my bed. Sole thought. If X6 ever found the step stool she had hidden there, what would happen to her kitchen helper?
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possumteeths · 2 years
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Self Promo Fic Game: tagged by @some27-url 😚
Rules: We would like to ask you to recommend us 3 of YOUR fics: 1 that is "most popular" and 2 that are "hidden gems”!
Im gonna use all fallout fics because honestly when I think of my favorite things, my brain jumps to fallout lol.
WARNING! These are all rated E, I’m writing filth okay!
Most “Popular”: I guess my nasty vulpes stories lol?
Since he’s such a niche character this series made me a buncha fanfic mutuals and friends haha. I’m glad other bitches wanna see this dude suffer hornilly lol. Im counting this as most popular only amongst the niche fanbase of vulpes girlies who’s favorite thing is torturing him lmfao
Hidden Gem 1: My raider gangbang smutl!!
I’m honestly really surprised how nice people are when commenting on this! Its literally an angry milf getting railed by 15 idiot prettyboy raiders and for an oc/ oc type of story I was pretty prepared for nobody to read this at all? I love this story, its funny and surprisingly cute. I had so much fun designing all these idiot raiders and giving them all their own nasty habits. I got tired of reading stories about like the whole raider sexual coercion type of vibe so I decided to make a story where its a lady coercing raiders to do her bidding and giving them a crumb of pussy in exchange. Shes an icon, I love her!
Hidden Gem 2: Okay hear me out, a plucky wasteland adventurer x a lonely fishman monster who’s got two dicks
This story is SO fun haha and I just wrapped it up. Its like a kitschy porny old pulp fiction novel. Its inspired by that comic you can find in fo4 the “Astoundingly awesome tales! Attack of the fishmen!” The wasteland needs more cryptids like cmon theres radioactive hell monsters everywhere there HAS to be something kinda sexy looking ok. Anyways this was completely self indulgent and once again I was totally surprised that people read this at all? I cant imagine people are searching “Female Sole Survivor x Mirelurk King” so therefore i’m counting this as a hidden gem lmao. If you read this please mind the tags, its got some freaky shit going on! It ends cute though, I refuse to write anything besides happy endings!
tagging friends that I can remember who write fallout: @gaeadene @istalkpeople @ladyflaggermus Anybody else who wants to do this pls play! Mass effect or dragon age peeps are super welcome to participate and tag me so I can see you hyping urself up!!
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kingborb · 3 years
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Spill the tea bestie :0 I'm pretty curious. Deadass I'm so glad, literally EVERYONE I know loves nick and/or dogmeat ONLY and it's so tedious and stale to me. It also makes talking about fallout 4 so boring bc they haven't traveled with anyone else but Nick and dogmeat 😫
Yeah, that's a huge problem and I'm having it too, especially when the tier S companions for me are Preston, X6, Hancock and Gage XD Ok then, I think I can adress few things, why not c: It will be the longest post ever, cause I will try to write everything I can about this topic (cause it bothers me so much). You don't have to read my rumbles of course, I will make tl;dr version somewhere at the end just in case you get bored, my friendly anon <3
Oh and if you want to talk about any companion (I've done everyone except Dance), you can hit me on dms or asks, feel free to do whatever suits you! :3
So I have a few problems with Nick, some of them might not be that serious or game changing, others were huge when I encountered them for the first time. Let's spill some tea on one of the most beloved characters in this game!
1) People see Nick as an empathic person who wants to help people, makes rational, unbiased decisions, and has a good reason to be against the Institute. When I can agree with some of those things, this image of him was ruined for me in the Acadia. Okay, okay, I understand that DiMA actually murdered Avery and it wasn't a good choice. However, it bothers me that Nick sees nothing against forcing DiMA to confess to people from Far Harbor about what he had done in the past (and Nick actually likes this choice!). It is pretty obvious that he would die there and every other synth on the island would share the same fate if not now, then probably in the nearest future. And even if Aleen kills 'only' DiMA (because of the speech check with you) Acadia would fall anyway. Why? Tell me - who would be their next lider? Maybe the ex-courser whose mission is bringing back synths to the safe place because DiMA said it's the right thing to do? Or maybe 'dearest Faraday', depressed after the fact that some random wastelander came to the Acadia and convinced his loved one to literally commit suicide? The only safe place for synths who don't want their minds to be wiped by the Railroad or the Institute would be gone forever and for Nick, our 2nd gen hero, it is the right thing to do. Great. Fantastic. I love his logic.
2) Nick sees DiMA only as a murderer, even though he kills with you so many people on everyday basis... I know it's not the same. But c'mon! DiMA killed once because he knew his people were in danger. It was them or Far Harbor, and obviously he chose the Acadia. What a surprise. I wonder what Nick would do in that situation... I know I'm a bit biased with some of my opinions here, but I love so much the concept of the Acadia and 2nd gen gay nearly-pacifist Plato that DiMA is. Nick doesn't understand that the whole Acadia is in constant danger because of some bigotry in Far Harbor and Children of Atom being, well... Children of Atom. And he does nothing when people from Far Harbor murder not only DiMA but the entirety of Acadia - a group of innocent synths. Their lives apperently mean less for Nick than hiding one bad thing done in the past...
3) So now we can begin the next chapter which is the Railroad. Nick loves their every move, of course he does... I don't want to talk about them too much, but here I can mention their fantastic standards, when it comes to synths. They're killing the 1st gen and the 2nd gen, they're saving the 3rd gen... and what about the coursers? Desdemona is calling them per 'IT'. Fucking hypocrisy hits hard on that one. I know they're enemies but man... Why are you objectifying them? Why are you assuming they don't have personalities only because they're fucking brainwashed and controlled as hell? The existence of Chase and Harkness shows that coursers can resist too, so... Yeah I have a general problem with the Railroad and their double standards, but this fact is killing me every time. And about Nicky, oh... I'm sorry man, but they will shoot you on the side, when you will take off your clothes and appear as every other 1st and 2nd gen.
4) So here's the another thing, which is the atmosphere around him and a character building. People seem to like Nick because he's a unique synth (that's actually a great point) and because of the noir/detective vibe around him (as with Deacon/Railorad and their secret agents vibe - I get that too). I know, I know it's pretty fun to have the 2nd gen experimental synth as a companion who has memories of the detective from the past with... A DEAD FIANCÉE. Yup. Another one. That's why I don't like Deacon's and Maccready's stories too (and the main plot of fo4, especially when I want to play as a character without a wife and a fucking kid...). I like his storyline, don't get me wrong. However I think some companions in fo4 are well-written as well, maybe even better than Nick (I like in them the lack of dead wifes!). The last standing Minutemen, depressed and traumatised, who is such a sweetheart anyway. A killing machine which turns out to be real human being with fears, emotions and insecurities. An asshole who becomes a raider because he didn't want to suffer the same pain as his parents did, and has trust issues because of his past. A lonely, depressed drug addict who wants to see good in people but was rejected by his own brother only because he has became a ghoul. Again, don't get me wrong - Nick's story is really interesting and tragic as hell. His problems with his identity, personality splited between the prewar detective and the 2nd gen synth... It's all fascinating, however I will not forgive the developers recycling over and over again the same fucking cishet tragic story with dead wife/fiancée/whatever. It gets boring and repetitive after the main plot honestly.
5) WHERE THE HELL DID KELLOGG GO AFTER CORRUPTING NICK'S MIND ONCE?! TODD. WHY. It would have been much more interesting than another dead loved one plot. Todd, you lazy ass. He had offered so many, and he gave nothing back... As he always does.
6) The last one, I promise... Nick's reaction after siding with the Institute bothers me so much (the same deal with Piper). I. Am. The. Director. Of. The. Fucking. Thing. And it means I can do whatever I want, cause the director has a pretty authoritarian power there. So I can change everything, including the way they treat synths, accept or deny their experiments, say goodbye to some nasty scientists... The Institute route is not ideal in any way, however I see it as the only reasonable path in this game, even from the lore perspective. The Brotherhood is just a bunch of shitheads in the blimp, and I've said enough here about the Railroad earlier. The Minutemen are great but I would like to have an option to connect their morals with the Institute's resources and wabam - you've got the true happy ending in fo4. I understand why Nick is pissed, however if you are with him on the highest level of the relationship, he knows that you are an emphatic person who wants to make Commonwealth a better place for everyone including synths, ghouls, etc. It would be logical for him to not see you as a traitor. But well, I guess I'm wrong. Whatever, Nicky, whatever...
So here's the lazy version:
1)/2) Nick likes convincing DiMA to tell everyone in Far Harbor that he killed Avery. Nicky does nothing when people from Far Harbor kill innocent synths.
3) The Railroad and their double standards, when it comes to synths, especially coursers, but 1st and 2nd gens too. Nick loves it when you're helping the Railroad, even though they would kill him on a spot if he forgot to wear his clothes, so...
4) Another companion with dead wife/fiancée needs your help.
5) Kellogg in Nicky's mind. Missed opportunity for a good plot... What a shame, Todd.
6) Siding with the Institute and Nick's reaction to that, even when you're at the maximum level of the relationship with him.
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brittaperry · 4 years
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so it’s 2021 and I replayed tlou bc it’s totally not like there are other video games on my shelf that I haven’t finished or even started
originally this was going to be a thread on twitter but then I remembered that talking about anything tlou related over there seems like hell so I’m here instead.
this opening is still one of the best in video game history. like I’m still a mess watching Joel and Sarah fall. rip me (and also Sarah… and now Joel too, I guess).
should I make a tally every time I hear someone from CR? it’s been like ten minutes and I’ve heard 3 of them already.
why do I feel like I know more about the minor characters and their relationships with the main characters in this game than I do about the ones in TLOU2?
Joel is probably canonically stealthy because 1) survivor, and 2) limited supplies, and I like playing stealthy but I am not always good at stealthy.
Ellie pulling a knife on Joel immediately because she thinks he’s hurt Marlene? That’s how you introduce a character.
the women in this game are just so good. like not morally in some cases, but in terms of writing and development.
missing collectibles when I'm trying to collect them all and finally get the trophy makes me scream. no one look at me.
Ellie's excitement over being outside? I am EMOTIONAL.
"Why the hell are we smuggling an infected girl?" that is what they call a wham line.
it started raining here while it was raining in the game. the universe said “let’s really immerse you this time”.
sorry to all the NPCs I travel with but if I don’t search every corner of a place and grab all of the loot, I won’t be able to think about anything else for the next 6+ hours. (flashback to FO4 because yes, I do really need all of this junk, because apparently I’m the only one building the settlements).
I’m not going to talk about how much I hate that bit in the Outskirts when Joel drops down on to the floor with the 4 runners and 1 clicker, but I need you to know how much I hate that bit in the Outskirts when Joel drops down on to the floor with the 4 runners and 1 clicker.
"You got something on your shoe" Ellie is a comedy queen.
the NPCs are useless sometimes. Bill’s just casually walking around while Joel and Ellie run from the bloater.
EXCUSE ME BUT I AM VERY EMOTIONAL ABOUT JOEL AND ELLIE AND HOW MUCH THEIR FRIENDSHIP/SURROGATE FAMILIAL RELATIONSHIP HAS DEVELOPED BETWEEN BOSTON AND PITTSBURGH. YOU CAN REALLY SEE THAT THEY’RE STARTING TO ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER AND I WANT TO CRY.
I missed one of Ellie’s jokes... I’m so disappointed in myself.
I hate the hotel basement part. I hate the hotel basement part. I hate the hotel basement part. I hate the hot--
the fact that you meet and then lose Sam and Henry in the space of a few days still devastates me.
they buried Sam and Henry, and that makes me happy (even though I’m still devastated they’re gone) because they had to just leave Tess where she was, so it’s beautiful that they were able to say goodbye and that those two characters could be laid to rest.
remember when Tommy wasn't an asshole.
no, you're crying over Joel and Ellie.
JOEL TEACHING ELLIE ABOUT FOOTBALL. I JUST!!!!!
I hate when games are like "HINT" because you're taking your time and you want to explore the world they created like, chill.
when Joel falls onto the rebar and the sound gets muffled, echo-y, and goes in and out? how it gets harder to control him? how certain parts of the screen blur? how the screen starts to fade in and out as you're walking because Joel's losing consciousness? A+++ choices. who else is doing it like them?
it's interesting how the first time you play as Ellie in TLOU and the first time you play as Abby in TLOU2 it's winter.
why does Naughty Dog hate horses?
Ellie is one of the greatest video game characters. if you think otherwise, I'm sorry but you're wrong.
why did I think you had bottles and bricks you could throw at David?
AGAIN, ELLIE IS ONE OF THE GREATEST VIDEO GAME CHARACTERS.
AGAIN, JOEL AND ELLIE MEAN THE WORLD TO ME.
THE GIRAFFE. MY HEART.
WHEN JOEL PULLS ELLIE OUT OF THE WATER AND SHE'S NOT BREATHING AND THE FIREFLIES ARE JUST ASSHOLES AND KNOCK JOEL OUT. LIKE NO, I STILL HATE THE FIREFLIES. I get that it’s the apocalypse but you see a guy who’s trying to resuscitate someone who could be his daughter and you’re like “let’s knock him out”?
here's the thing, and I'll go into this more when I play part 2, the fact that they're going to kill Ellie for the cure and they don't even tell her??? Like, Ellie would say yes to it, but they don't ask and I hate them. ALSO, just because they say they can make a cure, there's no promises. AND ALSO, HOW IS IT THAT THERE'S ONLY ONE MAN WHO CAN MAKE THE CURE? okay, that's more of a complaint for the second game, but yeah, HOW IS IT THAT A GUY NAMED JERRY IS THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN CREATE A CURE? IN TLOU2, WE FIND OUT HE HAD AT LEAST ONE STUDENT (MEL) SO DID HE JUST NOT TELL ANYONE ELSE HOW TO CREATE A CURE BECAUSE HE WANTED TO FEEL SPECIAL? LIKE HE'S NOT THE ONLY SCIENTIST LEFT IN THE WORLD. LIKE THERE ARE TWO OTHER DOCTORS/ASSISTANTS WITH HIM IN THE SURGERY. okay, this is not TLOU related, this is TLOU2, but yeah, I'm still mad about it.
also, the whole giving NPCs names thing is in TLOU and other NPCs will say things like "this is for my friends" so unless this is an update and wasn't in the original (cbf to play on ps3) why was it such a big deal in TLOU2? like when you're in the hospital, the Fireflies call one of the NPCs Ethan.
just realised I missed ONE Firefly pendant. I hate everything.
back to what I was saying before, Marlene says "you can still do the right thing", which implies that the cure can still be made but like, she'd have to assume that Joel did kill Jerry to get to Ellie and she still says that so like, were there other people who could've made the cure?
did Joel do the right thing? no. would I have done exactly the same thing? yes.
THIS GAME IS STILL ONE OF THE BEST VIDEO GAMES/EXPERIENCES.
I didn’t take many screenshots, but here is probably the worst encounter I’ve had during this fight.
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Also, that looks like the most useless bladed melee weapon. Like, Joel just made it for the aesthetic, right?
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Anyway, on to Left Behind.
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dinopant · 4 years
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Yknow i shit on fo3 a LOT (rightfully so to be fair is a fucking mess) but its still my favirote fallout game
So a shout out to the thing in the game that I DO like
Lone wanderers dad is a good man i like him a lot
The lone wanderers story is very cool i genuinely like it a lot, its not as intertwined with all of the world like the couriers is but its simple connection tk your dad who was is very neat. This story of legacy and sacrifice
The lyon pride, while I still have complaints about how this group was like executed in the game i think it has a lot of potential! I think something very interesting could have come from it if fo3 didn't feel so half done. AND i think fo4 with is BoS leg humpy behavior they rEALLY could have pulled from fo3 story but they don't and it feels so week I have so much to say in how they could have done the BoS in fo4 but that's a long rant for another day
Elder lyons and Sarah Lyons while still have the same general issues I have this the pride I still like them and think their cool
Star paladin!! My fuckin God mother who none of the fandom even tries to remember exist??? The only time I see people remembering she exist is to fuckin whitewash her and make her young and sexy for mods >:(
Sierra petrovita! What a fucking gem, a crazy queen I love her and her nuka cola aesthetic she knows what she likes!
Buttercup the first bi girl to ever exist i love her
Red from big town also i love her that is my friend
The family, they were dumb and coulsa been way cooler buT the fact there sure were a cult of people who clearly gained health from drinking blood living in the sewers is very very funny. Just some fucking vampires in the sewers
The metro, I know the trains suck to navigate but you KNOW while your down their its just kinda cozy and fun to be down there
Charon, yes another thing of fo3 that feels like it just isn't finished and could be more but I do know we all love Charon
In general all of the underworld was very neat and characters in there like charon, snowflake and gobs moms! Love it
Gob!! Once again its a place in the game that feels like it could flesh out more but :/ guess ill die!
The republic of Dave, fuck Dave im the king of his fyckin funny civilization
That one randomly spawning group of hockey players who basically had diamond city's idea of baseball being a blood sport but for hockey which, very funny orginal kings
Butch deloria, he is very funny and I love him very much. Absolutly all I love, goofy grease who's gang consist of like 2-3 people and their all cowards. Also butch is the only companion in the game it feels like you sorta actually have companion quest with.
Point lookout, I think that dlc is VERY fun. I like the feel of it and it has neat stuff. Plus the cult shit which let's you do stuff in the dlc area AND in the main game area.
Mother ship zeta dlc was boring as shit BUT very specifically the abominations scream pointing at me very funny. Very funny alien abduction. But beside that kinda not a good dlc
The pitts, while again ough problems. Playing as a good person and getting to absolutly kill the shit outta the slavers and take their baby and baby is yours now is very fun. Ans those funny horrible creatures running around while you collect iron
I personally find it funny that the timeline decided that the lone wanderer did all of their shit in a years time. Just seems funny compared to the other main characters who like the sole, spends years looking for their son. And the lone wanderer restore project purity and the distribution of clean water to the wasteland
The antagonist and mechanist started in f3 and are so funny like? Their just?? Fuckin weirdos ruining everyone's day and have?? Super powers (ar least one of them?) Like?? Their just making today bad for local citizens as they fucking best the shit out of each other with robots and ants?
The Harkness quest was so neat and was literally this bridge into the fo4 story yet the institution is literally nothing AND they don't bring up hid nor hair of Harkness??? WhY isn't he mentioned in any way??? Anyways I love harkness thats my friend
All of little lamplight and big town. Little lamplight are my children I care about them their all terrible and have cute names dogs. And big town fuckin makes me so sad those are my friends
Your cute lil house in Megatron that you get to customize (barely and i wish their was better options but still)
Deputy slimm is a friend
MORIA BROWN my friend and crazy aunt moria brown? I love her very much
AHHHA I ALMOST FORGOT THREE DOG. Literally one of the best parts of the games, hes the best radio host! And yall sleep on him! I honestly love him more that mr. New Vegas tbh,,, he's just so good and im always sad thinkin about how his voice actor was wanting to return to the role for fo4 but they diiidnt like cowards
Theres other things im sure but these are like top of my head favirote fo3 shit
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honourablejester · 4 years
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My sister and I were playing Far Harbour for the first time last night, and I’ll be honest here, I really don’t like the dialogue wheel when DiMA asks you if you might be a synth.
Like, okay, your options for responses are as follows:
How would I know?
I’m a human
I’m a synth
Sarcastic
Just looking at the flat, on-the-face-of-it choices for a moment, that’s …
This is where the dialogue wheel really struggles. Because those look both completely flat and completely arbitrary. Except for the first one, which is something you might actually say. So we said it. And then he prompts towards how you might know (dodgy memory gaps), and then just basically asks you again, so you have to choose one of the others.
Look. Before we get to any of the other answers, I don’t like this.
This is one of the driving questions of FO4. There is so much doubt, for everybody you meet, over who might be a synth, what that might mean, are their memories real, are they real, how would they know, if it was confirmed what would they do, and so many other questions. The entire Commonwealth is having a mass existential crisis over this question. No one knows the answer. And DiMA (or at least the dialogue wheel) just wants you to … arbitrarily pick an answer? With no indication of how you came to that conclusion? Yes, I’m a synth. I decided just now. No, I could only possibly be a human. Never mind that I’ve been helping the Railroad for ages and I’m in love with Nick Valentine, I instinctively reject the possibility that I could be a synth myself. They’re not …
I know how it’s maybe meant to sound. That you’re picking what your character instinctively feels about themselves. But there’s no room for doubt. The wheel just plops it flat. Are you or aren’t you. There’s no allowance for how pretty much every other person he could ask that question will have spent a decent portion of their lives wondering. Unless they’re a confirmed synth who knows their designation, and even then, they probably still wonder.
If you pick either option from that annoyingly flat and blunt choice, they expand out to:
I’m a human being, not a synth
I have to be honest, um, in the back of my mind, I’ve always suspected …
So, yes, apparently the first option was meant to make you sound vaguely racist. The voice acting (at least for the female survivor) puts a bit of an emphasis on ‘not a synth’ that does make her sound vaguely defensive and/or disgusted. It’s portrayed as a knee-jerk rejection.
If you choose the synth option, Nick likes it. So I’m guessing it was meant to be the more friendly option if you’re a general ally of synths. Or, you know, in love with one.
But. The thing is. Why are you saying either of them? There’s been no indication up to now (at least in our playthrough, and to be fair we haven’t gotten into the Institute yet) of what the survivor might actually think. There’s been no real indication of what she should think.
Why would she think she’s a synth? I’m not saying why would she wonder, there’s an infinity of reasons for that, I’m saying why would she pick an option that initially looks like conclusively saying she knows she is one. She doesn’t.
She could be. Very easily, though since we haven’t gone to the Institute yet our survivor doesn’t know a good few of the reasons why it would make sense. The most logical place for her to have been swapped would be that first wake-up in the cryo chamber, when Shaun was taken. It’s very easy to imagine that the original survivor actually died then, rather than got refrozen, and the one that woke up the second time was a synth. Especially since I gather it looks like Father was doing a lot of experimenting in general in allowing the survivor to be woken up. It would be very easy to think that the survivor that exists in the wasteland is a synth. There is the question of the memories, how would they have gotten a brain scan enough to picture some of the pre-War things from a corpse frozen in a tube, since Father himself likely can’t remember, but there are a good few sources of pre-War memories in the Commonwealth (hi Nick!), so it’s not too much of a stretch to imagine the Institute got their hands on enough to prompt and then fake the rest.
There are lots of little dialogue options in the game, usually when you’re talking to pre-War ghouls and/or Nick himself, that do make it sound like you have more pre-War memories. Remembering the details of Silver Shroud episodes, things like that. But, again, the Institute clearly has access to pre-War brain scans from CIT, so that can be explained.
But that doesn’t prove she’s a synth. And there are a lot of reasons for her to think she’s a human that have nothing to do with apparently being slightly racist. Primarily, because her story is already so weird as it stands. I’m a pre-war popsicle (possibly with brain damage from being frozen, defrosted, refrozen and defrosted again) that woke up in an apocalyptic wasteland. That’s a lot to swallow from a standing start, without wondering if I’m a robot with fake memories on top of it.
Admittedly, DiMA does say that. There’s a lot of explanations for dodgy memories that could happen to anyone, let alone someone with such a massive trauma and huge before-after divide as the sole survivor. Which, possibly, makes it more likely for her to be a synth, because hello tailor-made past to explain away internal inconsistencies. She’d make a great experiment. But it doesn’t make it more likely for her to believe she’s a synth. She thinks she comes from a time before they even existed. She has every reason to believe her own internal narrative about Vault 111 and waking up 200 years later. Regardless of her feelings about synths in general, she has no particular reason to believe she herself is one.
Which I think is my main problem with this dialogue wheel. It’s not really posing the question as a philosophical or existential conundrum, a question the survivor might actually ask herself. It’s asking the question as a means to make her pick a side.
So the option to say you’re human comes out vaguely defensive, something a Brotherhood operative would say. And the option to say you’re a synth makes the synths around you happy.
The wheel has nothing to do with what you actually think you might or might not be. It gives you no option to say you’re really not sure, you can’t decide, you don’t know. Well, it does, and then forces you to make a choice between them anyway. It makes you pick an option, and only gives a nod to doubt in hindsight, and only if you pick synth. The way the options play out, it makes it sound like you don’t make the choice based on what you think you are, you make the choice based on who you plan to side with (or have been siding with back in the Commonwealth). While presuming that the only reason you’d pick a side is that you’re part of it on a racial level.
It makes it sound like the only reason to think you’re human is because you hate the thought of being a synth. That any reasonable person would think that they probably are one, especially if they already like them and are an ally to them. That the only reason to be an ally with synths and want to help them is the idea in the back of your brain that you are one yourself.
Like, I don’t know if I’m overthinking this slightly because I didn’t like the flatness of the choice and then how our particular choice played out. We picked human, because to the best of our knowledge our survivor had no real reason to think she wasn’t one. And then what we said came out sounding like Maxson could have said it. Which, given that we’re a staunch Minuteman/Railroad member, and in love with Nick Valentine, did not please me in the slightest.
But I really do feel that the wheel is too flat, too arbitrary, comes out of nowhere, and frames your choices in a really manipulative way. While the base game does ask a lot of questions about who is or is not a synth, and several people do challenge you as one because they’re in paranoid meltdowns, this is the first time we’ve really been asked if we think we might actually be a synth. And for the first time you’re asked something, especially something so existentially fraught as this, are you really going to be able to give a flat, definite answer? Yes or no? Sure, I’m totally a synth. Not sure how I came to that conclusion, but absolutely I am one. Off the top of my head, yup.
(Sidenote: the way it dismisses your question of ‘How would I know?’ also annoys me. I know it’s because it’s meant to be a general ‘asking for clarification’ prompt, but it actually makes more sense as an answer in itself. How would she know? Why can’t that stand as her answer? But no, the wheel/DiMA presses you on to make a binary choice)
Why would you, as the player, pick ‘I’m a synth’, except that you’re siding with synths? The game has given you no evidence or asked you no direct questions up to now for you to genuinely think that your character is a synth. And I get RPing doubts, and the expanded version of that answer, what you actually say, is something I might have said had that been given as the initial option. In the back of my head, I have wondered if I might be. Because basically everyone in the Commonwealth has probably wondered that by now. But we had no reason to say ‘I am a synth’, like that was a thing we knew. Because we don’t.
The baseline assumption is going to be that you’re human. All your memories and evidence point that way. Unless you’ve been to the Institute and pulled your file and synth designation off their databanks, you’d have no way of knowing you’re a synth. So why would you say you are?
To get in good with Acadia. That’s why you’d say you are. Because you want to ally with synths, or infiltrate them, so you blithely say that you are one. Because clearly everyone knows that the only reason you’d help a synth or ally with them is if you are one.
I don’t like this dialogue wheel. I really, really don’t like it. I know it’s a system problem. The wheel system doesn’t expand on what you’re actually going to say, so you have to make your best guess based off dodgy summary prompts (which is why we basically never choose the ‘sarcastic’ option, because holy Hannah we’ve no idea if we’re going to be mildly snarky or cut someone to the bone with that one, and most of the time we’re not chancing it). But the particular way the initial prompts and then the actual dialogue in this one plays out has some very unfortunate implications. It does really feel like it enforces the ‘humans vs synths and if you are one, you’re antagonistic to the other’ divide. It feels like a choice designed to make you pick a side, and to declare yourself racially in order to do so. And I don’t like it.
Um. Right. Sorry for the rant.
(For the record, I am enjoying the DLC generally at the minute. Far Harbour as a setting is fantastically spooky and Lovecraftian, and running around it with Nick is great so far. But that particular moment really bugged me. Like a lot. Heh)
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smokescreen24 · 6 years
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Get to know me Questions
1. What is your full name? Jessica. I only hear my full first name when I’m in trouble. 
2. What is your nickname? Jess to family, Jazz to @sabotage-prowl, since she’s the one who gave me that nickname. 
3. What is your zodiac sign?  Taurus/Gemini cusp, but I have more Taurean traits, so I just say Taurus for simplicity’s sake. 
4. What is your favorite book series?  Oof, that’s tough. Probably either the Nightside series or the Secret Histories series. They’re both by Simon R Green. I’m actually reading the last book in the Secret Histories, and I’m ready to cry.
5. Do you believe in aliens or ghosts? Aliens? Not so much. Ghosts, yeah, a little. Hard not to when you’ve actually seen spooks in real life and in real time. 
6. Who is your favorite author? Simon R Green. Seriously. I love his writing. 
7. What is your favorite radio station? I don’t have one - I don’t listen to the radio that much. Why listen to mostly commercials and some music when I can pay Spotify 10 bucks and listen to just music?
8. What is your favorite flavor of anything? Vanilla. I drink and eat a lot of vanilla flavored stuff. 
9. What word would you use often to describe something great or wonderful? My instinct would be to use the word awesome. I use that one a lot, to be brutally honest.
10. What is your current favorite song? Currently? Probably either Legend by The Score, or Superpower by X Ambassadors. 
11. What is your favorite word? Fuck. I say it A LOT. 
12. What was the last song you listened to? Miss Jackson by Panic! At the Disco. It’s damn catchy, and thus is stuck in my head. I’m humming it now, tbh. 
13. What TV show would you recommend for everybody to watch? Huh. That’s tough. I watch a lot of shows, so I don’t think I could recommend just one. 
14. What is your favorite movie to watch when you’re feeling down? The Man From Uncle. That movie is hilarious, and Napoleon Solo gives me life. 
15. Do you play video games? Uh, yeah. Fairly frequently. I’m a FO4 fan, and I also play a lot of Diablo 3. 
16. What is your biggest fear? Spiders. This girl will nope the hell out of the room. Then make my guy go kill it. 
17. What is your best quality, in your opinion? I’m not too sure, actually. My reliability? 
18. What is your worst quality, in your opinion? Oh, this one I know, though. One of them is my inability to communicate. I’m bad at it - I miss calls, I miss texts, or alternatively,  I get the calls, or get the texts, then forget to call or text back. For like, days. Then wonder why everyone’s mad at me. I’m trying to work on it, but it’s a work in progress. 
19. Do you like cats or dogs better?  I really do like both, but I like cats that little bit better. 
20. What is your favorite season? Summer. Otherwise known as Monsoon Season here in Central Florida. 
21. Are you in a relationship? Yup! I’ve been married for about 7 months now, but we’ve been together for a lot longer than that. 
22. What is something you miss from your childhood? Naptime. I’m so serious. 
23. Who is your best friend? @sabotage-prowl!! This chick! She’s my ride or die, she’s got my six, and she’s the Prowler to my Jazz. 
24. What is your eye color? Uh, right now? They’re silver-blue. I’m wearing a light blue shirt. 
25. What is your hair color? Brunette/Purple. I’m letting my hair grow back out, so the ends are a light purple. 
26. Who is someone you love? My other half. He’s in the shower right now, humming to himself, even if he thinks I can’t hear it. 
27. Who is someone you trust? Again, my husband and my bestie. I trust those two with everything. 
28. Who is someone you think about often? My Dad, interestingly enough. I have a lot of his things in my apartment. 
29. Are you currently excited about/for something? Not particularly? Today’s Monday. Who gets excited for Monday??
30. What is your biggest obsession? My obsessions come and go, tbh. 
31. What was your favorite TV show as a child? Oh my Lord, that’s tough. I watched a LOT of TV as a kid. 
32. Who of the opposite gender can you tell anything to, if anyone? I married the dude, if that tells ya anything. 
33. Are you superstitious? Yeah. The only superstition I don’t believe in is the black cats. I’ll cross a black cat’s path, just so I can pet it. 
34. Do you have any unusual phobias? No, they’re pretty usual. Spiders, heights. 
35. Do you prefer to be in front of the camera or behind it? Behind it, but every now and then, I get my picture taken anyway. I don’t mind it. 
36. What is your favorite hobby? I read. My other hobbies come and go. 
37. What was the last book you read? I’m currently reading Night Fall, by Simon R Green, which combines the Nightside and Secret Histories. Someone’s gonna die, and I’m gonna be sad, I know it. 
38. What was the last movie you watched? Who Framed Roger Rabbit? God, that film is not for kids, and the villain STILL creeps me the hell out. 
39. What musical instruments do you play, if any? None - though I have been known to torture a guitar from time to time.
40. What is your favorite animal? Cats. Big cats, small cats, I DON’T CARE. GIVE ME ALL THE CATS.
41. What are your top 5 favorite Tumblr blogs that you follow? @argentlune, @sabotage-prowl, @m-is-for-mungo, @leggylance, and last but certainly not least, @shiroismydadson
42. What superpower do you wish you had? Teleportation. Do you know how much easier my life would be? 
43. When and where do you feel most at peace? I’m such a homebody, so home and late at night, usually. 
44. What makes you smile? It doesn’t take much to make me smile. I’m pretty cheerful as a rule. 
45. What sports do you play, if any? Paintball, and some backyard football, if the appropriate people are there. 
46. What is your favorite drink? Coffee. I’ll drink coffee all damn day if you let me. 
47. When was the last time you wrote a hand-written letter or note to somebody? Man, years ago, back when my babe was doing his hospital rotations. We passed a journal back and forth for about six months.   
48. Are you afraid of heights? OH YES. The last time I was on a roller coaster, I passed out. 
49. What is your biggest pet peeve? This stems from my time in retail - if you have exact change, GIVE IT TO ME BEFORE I OPEN THE TILL. DO NOT HAND IT TO ME AFTER I’VE OPENED THE TILL - I HATE THAT. I’M NOT GOOD AT MATH, AND NOW I HAVE TO BALANCE IT IN MY HEAD.
50. Have you ever been to a concert?  No, not to my knowledge. 
51. Are you vegan/vegetarian? Not at all. I did not claw my way to the top of the food chain to eat leaves. 
52. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? An astronaut. Oh, little me, so full of hope. Then I discovered I didn’t like heights. 
53. What fictional world would you like to live in? The Transformers universe. G1, though. It has to be G1. 
54. What is something you worry about? I’m an adult, so bills, usually. 
55. Are you scared of the dark? Nope. I like the dark. 
56. Do you like to sing? Yes. Can I sing? Not really. 
57. Have you ever skipped school? Once, and it wasn’t even for fun - I had to clean the house to make sure that my mom’s ex wouldn’t ground me for the next eternity. Never mind that the house was already stupid clean. 
58. What is your favorite place on the planet? Um. I don’t know? 
59. Where would you like to live? London. I’d love to live in London. 
60. Do you have any pets? Yes. My cat, Cleopatra. She’s fat, old, and spoiled. 
61. Are you more of an early bird or a night owl? Night owl, for sure. 
62. Do you like sunrises or sunsets better? Sunsets. If I’m up early enough to see the sunrise, something’s wrong. 
63. Do you know how to drive? In theory. I can drive if I absolutely have to, but it stresses me out so much. I do better on two wheels. 
64. Do you prefer earbuds or headphones? Earbuds. I wear glasses, so headphones actually press the stems into my skull, and that hurts. 
65. Have you ever had braces? Nope! 
66. What is your favorite genre of music? Pop, with rock thrown in. 
67. Who is your hero? My Mom. She’s done so much, with so little, it’s honestly amazing. 
68. Do you read comic books? Yes - I loved the Spidey/Transformers crossover! 
69. What makes you the most angry? I’m super defensive of my family and friends. Mess with any of them, and get ready to catch these hands. 
70. Do you prefer to read on an electronic device or with a real book? It’s a pretty even split. It depends largely on where I am. 
71. What is your favorite subject in school? English. Can’t you tell? 
72. Do you have any siblings? Yes! Two brothers and a sister!
73. What was the last thing you bought? Groceries, unfortunately. Because I’m a grownup. 
74. How tall are you? 5′2″. I’m tiny. 
75. Can you cook? A little? I’m not great at it, but I don’t set things on fire, either. 
76. What are three things that you love? My friends and family, music, and books. 
77. What are three things that you hate? Boredom, blood, and spiders.
78. Do you have more female friends or more male friends? More guy friends - I get along better with dudes
79. What is your sexual orientation? Heterosexual! 
80. Where do you currently live? Central Florida. 
81. Who was the last person you texted? @sabotage-prowl! She was giving me shit because she can. 
82. When was the last time you cried? A while ago. It’s been a while. 
83. Who is your favorite YouTuber?  I don’t really watch enough Youtube to have one. If pressed, I’d say either Markiplier or Tobuscus. 
84. Do you like to take selfies? Sometimes - I’m not super into selfies, I tend to take more pictures of my friends and family. 
85. What is your favorite app? Uh, Tumblr. I spend waaayyy too much time on here. 
86. What is your relationship with your parent(s) like? My ma and I get on like a house on fire! She’s an extremely tolerant woman. 
87. What is your favorite foreign accent? An English accent. Take your pick of region - I love them all. 
88. What is a place that you’ve never been to, but you want to visit? *points to above answer* Take a wild guess. 
89. What is your favorite number? I don’t have one, as such. 
90. Can you juggle? Not at all - my hand eye coordination is AWFUL. 
91. Are you religious? Yes. 
92. Do you find outer space of the deep ocean to be more interesting? “Kick ass, go to space, represent the human race!” applies here. 
93. Do you consider yourself to be a daredevil? A little - there’s not much I won’t try. 
94. Are you allergic to anything? Penicillin and Codeine. I’m allergic to one of the most common antibiotics on the planet. 
95. Can you curl your tongue? Yup! Into a very tight curl if I try. 
96. Can you wiggle your ears? Yup! It feels weird when I’m wearing my glasses, though. 
97. How often do you admit that you were wrong about something? Um, fairly often - my hubby is more right than I am, usually. I hate admitting that, though. 
98. Do you prefer the forest or the beach? BEACH, BEACH, BEACH!!!!
99. What is your favorite piece of advice that anyone has ever given you? “You have to take the leap. Because if you land on the other side, you’ve reached your goal, but if you fall short, you have tried, and are wiser for the attempt.” - My Uncle Steve said that to me years ago. 
100. Are you a good liar? Not really. I’m a bad liar. 
101. What is your Hogwarts House? Slytherin! 
102. Do you talk to yourself? All the time. I get asked to repeat myself a lot by folks who hear me mutter, and think I’m talking to them. 
103. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Ambivert. A little from column A and a little from column B.
104. Do you keep a journal/diary? Nah - I’m bad at keeping up with the entries. I don’t write often enough to justify it.
105. Do you believe in second chances? Depends very strongly on what happened to make the first one go away. 
106. If you found a wallet full of money on the ground, what would you do? Try to find the owner. I’m not a complete monster - I’m a broke millennial, I know that something like that could fuck your week or month up.  
107. Do you believe that people are capable of change? Yes. My youngest brother is a good example of that. 
108. Are you ticklish? INCREDIBLY TICKLISH. TICKLE ME AND PAY THE PRICE. 
109. Have you ever been on a plane? Yep! It was fun! 
110. Do you have any piercings? My ears! I wanna get my nose pierced, but it’ll have to wait till allergy season is over. 
111. What fictional character do you wish was real? That’s tough! I have several I’d like to meet! 
112. Do you have any tattoos? Two! My family’s zodiac on my right wrist, and the Spartan II’s insignia from Halo on my left clavicle. 
113. What is the best decision that you’ve made in your life so far? Tough to say. Lemme get back to you on that.
114. Do you believe in karma? I believe that it’s a bitch, and the wheel turns for all of us. 
115. Do you wear glasses or contacts? Glasses! 
116. Do you want children? Eventually. I’m not ready for them yet - I’m too broke. 
117. Who is the smartest person you know? @sabotage-prowl
118. What is your most embarrassing memory? So not telling you that! 
119. Have you ever pulled an all-nighter? From time to time. It’s not fun. 
120. What color are most of you clothes? Blue, black, or red, primarily. But I’ve got other colors in there. 
121. Do you like adventures? Heck yes! I’m ALWAYS down for adventure! 
122. Have you ever been on TV? Nope. I’m not important enough. 
123. How old are you? 30. Yeesh, I’m old. 
124. What is your favorite quote? “So, you’ve got a plan?” “Oh, yes.” “Am I going to like it?” “Almost certainly not.” “If I weren’t already dead, I’d think I’d be very depressed.”  
125. Do you prefer sweet or savory foods? Both. Both is good.
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toxickimi · 3 years
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FO4 AU Ch 6 Until next time
The chefs and servants were rushing around in the castle preparing a feast for the visiting group. Kimikyo walked past the rushing staff as she made her way to the bath house. She dropped the clothes in a cleaning basket before putting on the tunic to cover her body. She climbed in the water, not noticing the Kigra and Piper were there. "You look blue..." Kimikyo looked over staring at Piper for a minute before jolting. "How-" "Best left unanswered. She's always like this. Guessing you didn't sleep little pest?" Kimikyo nodded before swimming around. "You smell like snake." Piper looked between the two princess before climbing out. "I think I'm done for the day. Your mother wanted to meet all of us today anyways." She smiled nervously before going to the girls changing room to notice Maxson's coat. She noticed the layer of slime like liquid before wiping it off on her towel. Kigra waited a moment before swimming over to Kimikyo. "Turn around..." Kimikyo turned her back to Kigra who began helping her clean her hair. "Honestly Kimikyo, you could have said you were going to the barn. Everyone was looking for you. Azumiral was panicking because you hadn't picked a fabric yet." Kimikyo remained silent as Kigra scolded her. "What? Iza took your tongue?" "Iza ate Elder Maxson and I couldn't save him." Kigra stopped for a moment before sighing. "Iza did not eat Maxson. I just saw him on the way to the bath house." "But Iza had his coat!" Kigra gently chopped at Kimikyo's head. "You idiot. Maxson probably left his coat on you at the barn and Iza was just being an ass taking it away from you. Is that why you smell like snake?" Kimikyo looked away, pushing her index fingers together. "I...I made Iza vomit in hopes to save him...b-but it's not like it was because I like that brute! It's because mama would have been angry that Iza ate him!" Kigra stared at her before taking a bucket to dump water on Kimikyo's head. "What ever you say. Anyways, I can assure you he's not dead."
Kimikyo and Kigra finished their bath before getting out. The maids had already gathered the clothing from the basket to clean, leaving fresh outfits for the two princesses. The two helped each get dressed before walking the castle. "Mother has asked me to oversee the preparations for the feast tonight. Would you like to join me?" "I should get back to my studies. Azumiral might loose her mind." "She can't loose what she's already lost. Come with me, let's spend time together again." Kigra offered her hand to Kimikyo who took it in hers without hesitation. The two went to the kitchen, sampling some of the foods then to the dining hall to see the decorations. "Why is mama doing this anyways?" Kigra hesitated before speaking. "Kimikyo...there is a chance they might not be able to come back. The mages noticed a rift in the portal. They believe it's why the time acts so differently between the two realms. Mother has made a peace treaty for them to sign in the event the portal remains open but they are able to leave tomorrow." Kimikyo remained silent as she nodded. The two finished their walk with Kimikyo returning to her room. Kimikyo went through the fabrics that were awaiting in her room. She finally decided on dark blues, blacks, and a shear fabric that looked as if it had stars on it. She then began reading more of the books that awaited her. A maid walked in returning the clothing that was left at the bath house. "Princess, there was this coat in there. Might you know who it belongs to?" Kimikyo looked up to see Maxson's coat. "Oh. That belongs to Elder Maxson. You may leave it here. I will return it to him later on." The maid bowed, leaving the coat on Kimikyo's bed. "Would you like me to bring anything?" Kimikyo stood, stretching her self. "No thank you but could you have someone check on Iza?" The maid nodded before leaving. Kimikyo paced her room, reading the books. There was a light knock on the door before Danse walked in. Kimikyo looked over at him before putting her book down. "Hello Danse, what brings you here?" "I just visited your mother. She
told us-" "That you might not come back." Kimikyo went silent before looking back at him. "Did you want to take the cub with you? I can give you a training book and animal medicines." Kimikyo walked over to a book shelf, looking through the books. "That won't be necessary. I wanted to ask if you'd take care of her. Elder Maxson won't allow the cub on the Prydwen." Kimikyo stopped searching before pulling out a book. "Then please...spend what time you may have left with your cub." She smiled over at him, shooing him away. Danse had left and soon she gathered Maxson's coat then left her room. She walked the halls until she ran into Maxson. "There you are." She looked up at him, handing his coat back. "Thank you for lending me your coat. I don't think I have ever seen you with it off since you arrived." She looked at him, actually looked at him for the first time before clearing her throat. "I-I...apologize for it's late return...Iza...Iza uhm...he puked on it but don't worry! It has been cleaned." Maxson looked at her before handing her sheets of paper. "Here. This is the training my soldiers go through. While I'm aware, try to keep up with it." Kimikyo looked at the packet he gave her. "You made it sound like you're going to be back." The two went silent before Maxson walked away. The night fell with the feast beginning. Kigra, Piper, Preston, and a few others were drinking and having a good old time, laughing and joking around. Kimikyo was sat in her spot, reading and going over key points that would happen during the ceremony. "Do you always have your nose in a book?" Kimikyo glanced up to see Piper, grinning. "No. Not always." Kigra pulled Piper away towards the bards that were playing music. "Kimikyo, really now you can put the books down and enjoy yourself." Aiko smiled at her. Kimikyo sighed as she put her book down. "Mama, the last time I enjoyed myself turned out to be the last time. Excuse me." Kimikyo stood from the table, gathering her books before leaving. Aiko pinched the bridge of her nose. Preston and Azumiral watched for a moment before Azumiral excused herself. "I will...go check on her." "I'll come too if that's alright?" Azumiral nodded to Preston as the two left to room. "Kimikyo. Please slow down." Azumiral hastily walked after Kimikyo who stopped and stood in place. "Kimikyo..."Azumiral reached for her sister who was shaking. Preston stood back as he watched Kimikyo drop her books and fall to her knees. She was hunched over, hugging herself as she silently sobbed. Azumiral wrapped her arms around her crying sister. "Shh....it's alright moon beam." Preston gathered the books as Azumiral helped Kimikyo to her feet. The three quietly walked the castle, not going any place in particular. "Can I ask something?" Preston spoke up, breaking the silence. "What is it?" Azumiral spoke gently to Preston though he hesitated. "Was...just going to ask where we're heading." "We're just walking. Sometimes it's better to walk then go anywhere." Azumiral took the books from Preston, dismissing him. The two sisters walked the castle and its grounds until morning. "Let's go back....they'll be leaving soon..." Kimikyo spoke up with a croaky voice. She had quietly cried through the night, thinking back to that faithful day. Azumiral led her sister to her room to freshen up before the two went to meet with everyone. Aiko stood at the portal with the head mage to ensure nothing went wrong as the group passed through. Kimikyo lingered behind Azumiral though she was looking up at Maxson. Azumiral had moved, walking over to Preston who she gave a hug to, then a hug to Piper. "Goodbye, you two. My the winds guide you through your travels in life." Kigra and Aiko both bowed before the group. "Farewell." Kimikyo stepped forwards. She had her hands balled up into fists. "G-Goodbye...Paladin Danse, Piper, General Preston..." She looked up with tears in her eyes. "And good riddance to you Elder Maxson! Now I don't have to do your crazy training." Maxson looked down at her, placing his hand on her head. "Arthur. My name is Arthur
Maxson." Kimikyo flinched at not only his touch but his words. "I also gave that list to your guards, they'll make sure you train." Aiko cleared her throat at the group. "If you are ready." She held her hand out to the portal. "We're ready." First Danse walked through, then Preston and Piper. Aiko nodded her head to Maxson who slowly stepped through. The air was silent as everyone watched the portal. It began to ripple and change color. Kimikyo had clenched her eyes shut for what felt like an eternity. "Kimikyo." Azumiral placed her hand on Kimikyo's shoulder. Kimikyo opened her eyes to see the portal still there. "Well then, I suppose we will be seeing out friends again. Now dears, I'm afraid since that place is so...dirty with radiation I don't want you going there." Aiko walked away from the portal with the three daughters following after. "Kimikyo please meet with me later on." "Yes, mama." At her mother's request Kimikyo met with Aiko in her mother's room. "Are you alright? I heard that you had fallen asleep in the barn, and then just last night you didn't sleep." "I am alright mama." "Promise?" Kimikyo looked away from Aiko. "I will try." At that Kimikyo left the room, going to her own. "Ah there you are dear sister." Azumiral and Kigra were stood in Kimikyo's room, Kigra holding the wolf plush. "How adorable. Wittle Kimikyo had a wolf." Kimikyo walked past Kigra, sitting at her table. "Hope you don't mind, but he'll look just precious in my room!" Kimikyo bit her lip before looking at Kigra. "It is mine." "What are you going to do about fish girl?" "Enough Kigra. Put her wolf down." Azumiral looked at Kigra, who tossed the wolf aside. "Fiiine." Kigra walked out of the room with Azumiral following behind. Kimikyo walked over to the plush, picking him up slowly. "Funny...I named you after him without even knowing his name." Kimikyo stared at the plush, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm...glad he's gone. Just one more person bound to leave me...so...why do I feel lost..." Kimikyo shook her head before putting the plush on her shelf next to the griffon.
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jerkyvulture · 8 years
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fallout oc shit belooow (it’s a long one)
I was trying to go back and play Fo4 as my courier but I can’t make any of it feel right. Guess that goes to show you how little free choice you have in the game, like she would NEVER help rebuild a neighborhood, she would never build anything. The second you tack something down you’ve settled, and settled isn’t safe, settled is too much responsibility. The room in the tops casino is the only place that felt right for her because it’s ritzy enough, completely safe for the companions, and if she left it wouldn’t fall apart immediately like any of the settlements. 
I know roaming cowboy with a heart of gold is overplayed but that’s kinda what I was going for with her, swoop into town, act like you don’t care, then save people anyways. But this game forces you to become to sole savior of so many people and then it isn’t like you can cut ties, all the companion’s lives become yours once you get them. Also you can’t ever make a decision that’s less than morally pure in this one so the chaotic neutral is out the window. There’s no satisfaction to doing any story-line here, especially with the clumsy slave-underground railroad synth narrative. Some characters you’re supposed to like are downright despicable, she would NEVER work with Piper, who’s a fear monger for an actual enslaved group, but you have to anyway to progress the story. 
The ending of New Vegas was perfect because she could hand off power to the NCR, which isn’t a perfect group, they had some real problems with control and distribution of their power, but it sure beat the alternative of Caesar, and she sure wasn’t going to want to have to control the strip herself (again, too much responsibility). I’d never be able to finish the game because of how bad the ending options are, you have to become this irreplaceable part of one of the groups then kill the entirety of the other two. Aside from being bad storytelling there’s no ending that would work for my narrative here.
I know I’ve griped about this before but the thing about the husband and the child are so so so wrong for her. That’s the ultimate responsibility, once you have that, it’s your life. And knowing how much of myself is in this character that’s probably why it feels like such a nightmare scenario playing out. 
It’s sad that the only thing that has worked so far has been exploring and not talking to anyone else with dogmeat (because I can’t stand the voice, she’s so... midwestern apple pie mom ick). I’m probably gonna go back to my game where I can be the crass, deep voiced woman who doesn’t know how to interact with people and it terrified of commitment but would do absolutely anything for the people she cares about, but also might up and disappear one day and show up 4 months later with a horde of tamed nightstalkers.
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sol-falloutblog · 4 years
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Actually, nevermind I retract an earlier tag of mine, I do have other problems with FO games (3, NW, 4). Specifically the sexism (and not just the racism).
TW for mentions of murder/death, violence & brief mentions of racism & biphobia
Some might try and argue they aren't but please, everyone and I mean EVERYONE makes fun of the recurrent theme of the dead Wife/Girlfriend within the series and if we don't limit it to just partners the number of times this occurs goes up even more. Boone is the main one that everyone always talks about but I also like to include Raul in this because even though the women/girls in his life weren't romantically related their back stories in his life are just so violent and it doesn't escape me that most of them were Mestizo. In F3 their is literally an Asian girl with a Evil Karma requirement whose a sex slave to a Black man who is also the main enslaver (just... so much going on in that game ). Also would like to include the FO3 protagonist, the character we play has a Dead mom who died shortly after giving birth. Im probably missing A LOT but I don't remember much of anything from FO3 and despite having played FNV plenty of times a lot of my memory is still lacking or needs to be refreshed so this is as far as I'm going into these games for now.
Moving on to FO4, we got Deacon with a murdered partner, Pre-War Nick Valentine had a fiance that was shot in head used as motivation for Synth Nick Valentine, MacCready with a Dead wife killed violently by feral ghouls, Longfellow's partner who was abducted, brainwashed, miscarried then murdered and the Sole survivor if you're Male.
Also not to mention the fact that most women companions or any that show attraction to men are used more so to pander to male audiences then to be their own unique characters. Piper, Cait, and Curie all have no prior relationships, Cait is the sexual one who may even count as biphobic representation in some aspects similar to how Cass is within FNV (over sexualized and shows passing interest in women to mainly titillate the player). I don't know what to say about Piper, I don't think she's as bad as the others at least & she might even be okay however, I do still think she lacks in unique characterists & somewhat agency & even though she might not count as biphobic representation I still feel it is mainly there as entertainment for a specific group of their audience. As for Curie she very much falls into the "born sexy yesterday" trope.
I would like to add real quick that having a dead, beaten, or whatever wife, girlfriend, mother, sister or just any women character isn't automatically sexist the problem is that this is something done over and over and over again normally only to further the mens stories as motivation for them OR used purely for shock value. Not to mention that non-white characters tend to get more devastating or violent backstories or plots compared to their white counterparts or are given hardly anything of there own & used only to further white characters stories.
And also keep in mind that there are probably plenty of instances besides just the few I mentioned in which race and sexism intersect I just for now don't plan on going further then what I've said (but I would like to add one other example like Marcy Long from FO4). I would real quick like to point out though that of all three of these games there are only 2 WOC companions in total and their representation is not even good (if we count the temporary companions in NV then we would have one more but the one from Honest Heart is just done so poorly all around as well & no I don't see C). Also just the enormous lack of Companions of color IN GENERAL within these games (and/or just lack of DECENT portrayals). But thats not what this post was for.
Anyway yeah, sexism is to be expected of course with how most industries are but I just felt like I had to talk about it a bit. I could also go more indept with this but I don't want to have to do too much more research at this time. I might one day but probably not because most likely other women have talked about this already and too a much better degree then I could ever but maybe this will be interesting to someone.
Edit:
Hmmm... i guess I also have problems with the biphobia even though there isn't much but it is still there. And, even though the courier could *technically* be Bi+ in NV I don't believe it makes up for the other instances I've talked about and I'm actually not sure how I feel about it counting as actual representation honestly but that's something I need to research a little bit more before I make a solid judgement. However, at this moment I don't believe it does any better then FO4 in this regard. And, look, I understand Cait and Cass both aren't confirmed Bi+ & that one is definitely suppose to be straight because of things I've read about it BUT considering Bisexuality isn't really a thing thats talked about or referenced at all in these games I have to go off the little that is there. If there was other actual instances of good rep these could be looked over but because there isn't I can't.
ALSO even though I don't believe very many games have done this well, or any mainstream media but let's not forget sex workers are probably VERY poorly represented within the series but Im not that great at analyzing that specific stuff since I'm not one and don't know much about the issues and such sex workers face.
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