#he cares about his companions even though he secretly holds different aims from them

[homiu-l]

Does it sometimes occur to you when you see a remarkable thing that you want to share the wonderment with others?

❌ 타커뮤니티로의 허락없는 재업로드를 금지합니다 DO NOT repost or use my art without permission ❌ DC에 재업로드하는 것을 금지합니다 DO NOT repost or use my art to DCinside

[ilovethecompanions]

Hey there! May I have a companions react To Sole slowly decaying and eventually dying due tur mole rat desiase? I Love your writing!

Cait: At first she thought they were fine. Sure, they had gotten bitten, but they seemed alright. They were acting like normal and looked completely healthy. But then she started to notice the signs. Their eyes started sinking in, they started to rapidly lose weight and their hair started falling off. Cait took them to every doctor she knew but they all said the same thing; they could not cure them. In anguish she disappeared for a week, spending her time drinking and fighting with anyone who even looked at her wrong. But then she realized that she couldn’t just abandon them. They had been for her when times were rough and she would do the same for them. When Cait saw Sole again she almost didn’t recognize them. They looked so different, like a dug up corpse. But when they saw her they simply smiled and asked her how she was doing, just like they always did. Cait stayed by their side until they took their last breath. When they were gone so was she, leaving in the night like a shadow, never to be seen again.

Codsworth: The moment he realized they were dying Codsworth never left their side. Not even when they ordered him away did he leave. He just couldn’t. He had to be there for them, make it as comfortable for them as possible before they… passed away. The more Sole decayed the more he coddled them. In the end he made everything for them, not wanting them to lift even a finger, not that they could if they wanted to. He talked with them about the good old times, before the war and about the happy memories he had of them and their family. Finally the day came when Sole stopped breathing. Codsworth prepared a grave for them and buried them and when that was done he took a last look at their once beloved home before closing his optics for the last time, offlining on the cold ground.

Curie: She knew that it was going to happen. She had seen the mole rat bite they had but instead of taking the only cure for themselves they had given it to an infected child. At the time she had thought they had done the right thing, that they were courageous and honorable. Right now she secretly wished that they would just have taken it for themselves. Curie desperately tried to recreate the cure but to no avail, it was impossible. Not that she gave up. She continued searching for antidote and finally, after such a long time, she finally did it. Overjoyed she rushed into Sole’s home, exclaiming her find. But as she entered their room she noticed how quiet it was. With trembling hand she touched their thin neck, searching for a pulse. Nothing. Defeated she slumped down on the floor and started to cry. She had been to late and not only that; she hadn’t been there for them in their last moments.

Danse: Without hesitating he tried to bring them to the Brotherhood, not caring if he got shot and killed in the process. As long as they could save Sole then Danse would happily do it. But they denied him. While Sole had been a valuable asset they didn’t want to risk the disease spreading amongst the ranks. It didn’t matter that Danse told them it wasn’t contagious, they couldn’t trust a synth now, could they? Distressed and with no other way to go Danse turned to the only ones he could think of; the Railroad. But even they could not help him. At least they gave them a place to stay. It hurt Danse so to see his friend slowly fade away like this. With each day that passed they grew weaker and weaker yet they still continued smiling and acting as if everything was fine. And Danse played along with it. It was easier than facing the truth. But eventually it all came to an end when one morning Sole didn’t wake up. Danse was devastated, feeling as if he’s failed them. In the end he stayed with the Railroad, since they were the ones that took them in when the Brotherhood failed them. He never really moved on from their death and became depressed, only continuing since he knew that that’s what they would have wanted.

Deacon: He continued smiling and joking through all of it. Whenever they woke up in pain or coughed up blood he was there, helping them and saying a witty one liner to make them smile. But it’s all an act. Inside Deacon is a mess. Not them, not his partner, his friend. It should have been him, they didn’t deserve it. He’s constantly on Carringtons back, asking is he’s made any progress regarding the cure. That or he’s sneaking around in abandoned medical centers, searching for anything he think can fix them. But at the same time he spends as much time as he can with Sole, knowing that he’s got to prepare himself for when they… leave. Deacon brings them a ton of comics and sweets so that they will have it comfortable. But he also tells them everything. No more lies, only the truth. They deserve to know it. When they die Deacon takes of his sunglasses and cries, regretting not being the one that got bitten instead.

Dogmeat: He doesn’t understand. Just a while ago they were fine, playing and laughing! But why not now? Why are they smelling so wrong? Like death? They can’t walk anymore but they still call his name with such affection. Dogmeat stays by their side, licking their cheek when they cry out in pain. After a while they go to sleep but it feels wrong. He nuzzles their hand but they don’t wake up. They never wake up again. Filled with sadness Dogmeat howls out in the night. But he doesn’t leave. He will protect his friend, even in death. He won’t leave them. He loves them.

Hancock: Starts looking for any doctor that might have any clue in how to cure them. He even reaches out for Diamond City but they can’t help. No one can. Hancock is angry. No, he’s enraged. Why them? They are one of the good guys! Out of anyone in this shithole of a world, why did it have to be them? He tries to dull his and their pain with chems but even the heaviest stuff can’t make him forget. Tries to joke that they are starting to look like him but every time he do he breaks down and apologizes. It hurts him to see them disappear before his eyes like this but he cannot abandon them. Not after all they’ve done for him. For everyone. Hancock stays with them during their final moments, holding their hand and telling them how much they mean to him. When their body finally goes limp he lets out a shout of despair, wishing so that he was able to cry. Their burial is as grand as it can be and hundreds of people gather to say goodbye. Hancock holds a speech about how they should all aim to be as brilliant and amazing as Sole was.

Maccready: No, no, no, no! He didn’t believe it! He refused! He had just gotten Duncan back, he couldn’t lose them now! Not after all they had done for him! Not after all they had become for him… They were his best friend. Maccready was determined to save them. Just like with Duncan he starts to search for a cure. But then he realizes… he won’t find it in time. They will die before he’s even close to getting it. It’s the hard truth but the truth nonetheless and Maccready knows that he’s got to spend the tiny left he’s got with them by their side. He jokes around and makes a fool out of himself, just so that they will laugh and have a good time. Most jokes are about how much he will inherit after their death but every time they respond he starts crying because he didn’t mean it, he doesn’t care about any stupid inheritance. He just wants his best friend. The day they die is the day Maccready swears without correcting himself, his emotions bubbling up like a storm. He cries while he buries their body and when that’s done he leaves. He returns home to Duncan and tell him all about his amazing friend that saved his life.

Nick: Even though he didn’t have a heart anymore Nick swears he could feel it stop when Sole told him they were dying. It shouldn’t have surprised him as much as it did, after all, he saw all the signs. The way their eyes had started to sink in, how their skin gained such an unhealthy color. He had simply ignored it, not standing the thought of losing his best friend. But he couldn’t deny it anymore. Sole was dying. Nick did his best to find a cure, scurrying all databases in the hospitals and labs he visited but in the end it didn’t matter. Nothing to cure Sole could be found. And Nick is not an idiot. He can see that Sole don’t have much time left and as much as he wants to hold onto the hope of finding a cure he knows he has to be there for them. It’s the least he can do for them. So he stays by their side at all times, talking and listening to them as they get weaker and weaker until one day they don’t respond anymore. Only then does Nick leave and that’s because he can’t bear looking at the corpse that used to be his best friend.

Piper: She immediately writes and prints out an article, begging someone, anyone, to help her save them. She follows any leads she can in order to find a potential cure but she always ends up empty handed. Still she continues to search. It’s only when Nat begs her to stop and spend the little time they have with Sole left that she stops. Piper knows her sister is right, no matter how much it hurts to admit it. She practically moves into Sole’s house in Diamond City, refusing to leave. She can sleep on the couch, don’t worry Blue! A lot of citizens visit Sole as they are dying and Piper thanks them all later, telling them how much she appreciates it. She stays by her friend’s side and does her best to tell jokes and make them laugh, they deserve to die happy. And eventually they do. They die peacefully in their sleep, leaving behind a devastated Piper. A couple of days after their death she releases a paper entirely dedicated to their life. She tells everyone how amazing they were, how they always helped other people and how they will be missed by everyone who knew them.

Preston: He knew what was going to happen before they even told him, he could see it in their eyes; the acceptance of death. And it hurt. To see his General give up like this, accept their fate. Because he could not. How could he? They had saved him and so many others and now they were just going to die? No, he wouldn’t let it happen. Preston sent out as many Minutemen as he could in search of a cure, anything that could help them. But nothing was ever found. There was no cure, no miracle to save them. And Preston broke down by Sole’s bedside, apologizing for failing them, for not being enough. He should have been bitten instead! Sole just shushed him and told him not to be sad. It wasn’t his fault, he couldn’t have known, no one could. They told him how proud they were of him and what he had achieved, though he protested and told them that it was all their work. He could never have done it without them. Sole told him not to let this eat him up, that after their death they wanted him to become the General. No one else could do it. Crying, Preston accepted. Anything for them. When Sole finally died they had a big funeral, settlers from all over the Commonwealth came to say goodbye and thank them for everything. During the funeral Preston didn’t shed a single tear. He couldn’t allow himself to. He was the General and he had to be strong so nothing like this would ever happen again.

Strong: Immediately Strong notices the effects of the disease. He sees how weak Sole becomes, how they need more breaks while walking and can’t take on as many enemies as they used to. He tells them that they need to stop doing that and get better. He won’t follow a weak leader. But he never abandons them. He doesn’t know why but it probably has to do with the newfound feeling of “respect” he’s experienced for them. So he carries them when they are too weak to walk, hides them somewhere safe when it’s time for battle. Strong complains and tells them to get better soon so they can fight by his side again but they only get worse. Sole tells him that they’re dying and that he should just leave them (or kill them if that’s what he’d rather do) but Strong refuses. He won’t abandon his human, they still haven’t found the milk of human kindness yet! So he keeps on carrying them. Even when they stop talking and no longer moves, he carries them. They are just resting so they can get strong and smash things again. Until they wake up he just has to keep them safe. Then it will all be like it used to be.

X6-88: The moment Sole is bitten by the mole rat he brings them back to the Institute, aware that those pests were carrying a new kind of disease. The researchers at the Institute confirms his fears; they have been infected. He is angry at himself, he should have protected Sole or at least convinced them to take the only cure for themselves. But X6 stays calm. They are at the Institute after all, the most high tech and advanced place in the Commonwealth. They will find a cure. But then time goes by and cure has yet to be found and X6 is confused. Why haven’t they found it yet? It should be simple for them. He offers to help the researches any way he can. Do they need something from him? Is there any necessary materials that he can gather for them? Do they need some blood from that Austin boy that was given the only cure? Whatever it is he will get it for them. But nothing helps and Sole gets more and more sick, decaying in front of everyone’s eyes. Perhaps if they had more time then they could do it. So they put Sole in a cryogenic chamber, similar to the one they were in during the bombings. The researchers will continue to try for a cure while they rest. And while they rest X6 will be waiting for them. They are his mission after all and even if he has to wait for 200 years he will still do it. X6 will wait.

[capturedrook]

Fallout 4 Headcanons

Because I’m addicted to Fallout 4 (again), here’s some companion headcanons no one asked for:

MacCready:

Despite the shit he talks about Sole doing it, MacCready also tends to pick up ‘junk’, though not in the amounts Sole tends to. He especially likes to find things to send home to Duncan. 

Gets flustered and embarrassed whenever he’s called ‘Bobby’, “Robby”, or any other variations of his first name. 

Tired of being called ‘Mac and Cheese’ and similar, but grows more fond of it the more he likes Sole.

Sneezes violently, has smacked his head into things while doing so. 

Easily jealous, even platonically. Denies it, but sulks when left out of things.

Hancock:

Would never admit it, but it lowkey bugs him when people crack their joints - especially if it’s their spine. 

Gets a crush on Sole the moment he meets them, regardless as to whether or not he’s romanced. If they turn out to have radically opposing beliefs (i.e. very serious BoS soldier that hates Ghouls) he sometimes lies awake at night wondering what their relationship would be like if things were different. 

Asks Sole really existential questions right before they fall asleep, then dismisses it himself and falls asleep immediately. Sole usually ends up staying up an extra hour or two working through it themselves.

Nick:

Tends to leave little marks on walls whenever he and Sole go into particularly labyrinthine buildings or tunnels. Thinks that with Sole having faced so many hardships, it’d be a shame for them to die to their short attention span. 

Likes to take quiet moments to watch the sunset/rise, or large vistas, or people enjoying life. 

Remembers when a lot of the people in Diamond City were kids, gets a little sad when he sees some of them have grown up to hate or distrust synths.

Deacon:

Is actually the one who left most of the railsigns across the Commonwealth, but only barely peeked inside any of the locations they marked. Talks about them so much because he was always hoping they’d get more popular. 

Likes to assign Sole random names whenever he’s the one that has to talk to strangers. Sometimes drops to one knee to dramatically propose to them as a distraction - especially if they don’t like him. 

Can’t lie with his eyes, thus the shades. Especially bad at not smiling with his eyes even when he can keep the rest of his face straight.

Lowkey offended Hancock doesn’t like him, even though he doesn’t either. 

Likes to make up stories about people in his head. Is especially good at lying because he’s already constantly telling himself stories. 

Constantly worries Sole is going to change their mind and ditch him/the Railroad, worries it’ll be all his fault if they do.

Danse:

Snores. Denies it.

Even after Blind Betrayal, tends to snap to attention when addressed. Still calls himself ‘Paladin Danse’ out of habit, then flinches. 

Frets about Sole a lot. Chews them out if they don’t come back when they said they would, generally assumes they died to something ridiculous. 

Loves dogs. Loves cats. Loves animals in general. Always feels a little bad when putting down mongrels, tells himself he’s putting them out of their misery.

Before Blind Betrayal, always assumed it was the guilt keeping him up at night. After Blind Betrayal, wonders if the original Danse was ever real and if so, if they’d be proud of what he did with their life.

Porter Gage:

Kitten sneezes. Hates it. 

Kind of resigned to the fact that Sole will one day betray him, increasingly concerned and confused if they don’t. 

Bad at making himself sleep, even when he needs to. Tends to stay up for days, gets particularly grouchy. 

Used to have really, really bad aim, put a lot of work into improving it. 

Keeps an ear out for information about his old boss Connor, isn’t sure if he wants to hear if and how he died or not. 

Gives Sole little tests to see how observant they are (i.e. selling them back the gear they have him holding). 

Ridiculously light sleeper. Gets up to check doors, corners, locks, etc a lot.

Preston:

Sleeps like a rock. Tends to overwork himself and falls asleep leaning on Sole, walls, etc. 

Still blames himself for the refugees lost to ferals at Lexington. 

Really likes gardening, gets attached to the plants. Likes to give them really specific reassurances about his own insecurities (i.e. “Don’t worry, little guy. They like you just as much as they say they do.”, “Sometimes bad things happen, and you can’t help as much as you want to. The best thing you can do is keep growing so that you can help more next time.”, etc )

Codsworth:

Was different than the other Mister Handys from the beginning, but didn’t think anything of it until he saw how the others behaved after the war. 

Has spent the last 210 years coming up with jokes to tell himself, then quietly, sadly laughing at them. 

Sometimes nestled into his box inside the house to ‘rest’/mope about the state of the house and its occupants. Doesn’t do this after Sole comes back, is embarrassed by it. Probably makes elaborate forts with synth!Shaun if in the same settlement.  

Tried to take out the trash after the bomb dropped. It fell apart. 

Can also develop a crush on Sole, but never really entertains the idea. 

Does not consider getting transferred into a synth body for hygiene concerns alone.

Cait:

Defensively gets her hackles up whenever meeting someone that reminds her of her parents. Doesn’t notice, gets angrier when it’s pointed out, is upset they still have that much of an effect on who she is today.

Is a bit of a hopeless romantic. 

Has secretly always wanted to be a pirate or a superhero.  

Soft spot for kids, especially ones in bad situations.

Piper:

Sometimes forgets her pencil/pen is tucked behind her ear, checks all her pockets, accuses Deacon and Hancock of filching it. Deacon is delighted by the word ‘filch’, plays suspiciously innocent even when he had nothing to do with it. 

Warns Nat away from eating too many sweets, even while eating them herself. 

Has a huge crush on Magnolia, loves listening to people sing. 

Easily annoyed by repetitive questions. 

Loves comics, especially The Silver Shroud.

Loves to gossip with Nick, has embarked on a few jobs with him. Used to follow him around a lot as a kid.

Dogmeat:

Is probably actually, legitimately immortal. Maybe a product of some abandoned Institute project? 

Has been caught trying to crawl through cat doors. Does not fit. 

Systematically begs everyone in a settlement for food and treats, takes note of which softies will feed him even if they know he’d already gotten some (Danse, Preston, Cait, Porter).

X6-88:

Denies the destruction of the Institute because he’d rather pretend nothing has changed than face figuring out who he is without them. 

Is aware of a lot more rogue synths than he lets on, but doesn’t report them unless they become a problem or he is assigned to bring them back. 

Was really, really good at the all-robots sporting event the Institute used to have. Was too competitive. 

Has tried ‘sleep’ a few times, always awakens from what he can only determine is corruption of old data. After all, there’s no way he’d be able to remember if he was once reclaimed…Right?

Would not care to know who he was before if he had been previously reclaimed and wiped.

Curie:

Loves slapstick humor, is also incredibly guilty about it. 

Also loves most of the other companions whole-heartedly. Is kind of a mom. Tries to brush Cait’s hair, chastises MacCready for eating too many sweets, gives Danse advice for cutting down on his snoring, asked Gage if he wanted her to check his other eye for infection, etc. Most of the companions don’t know how to deal with this.

Is actually very good at painting.

Bonus

Maxson:

Once stubbed his toe on a table, then made a half-hearted, completely stoic joke about declaring war on tables. No one was sure if it was a joke, so they just stared at him. He still cringes when he thinks about it.

Desdemona:

Loves warm clothes, especially scarves. Wishes she had more. Will never mention it. 

Really misses the leader of the Railroad that came before her. Wishes she could still rely on their guidance. 

Is very sad when she finds out Elder Maxson’s age, has to try her best not to think of him as a kid in a very unfortunate position. 

Hasn’t understood any of Deacon’s Othello jokes, just gives him a tired stare when he makes them.

'Father’:

Uploaded a copy of his 'current’ consciousness to synth Shaun, thus the synth’s odd manner of speaking and choice of subjects - and his odd dialogue when escaping the Insitute. 

Very good at sudoku, very bad at wordcross puzzles. 

Had to work through some abandonment issues as a teen and young adult, though he knew his parents didn’t leave him on purpose. Can still feel those emotions if he thinks about it, but tells himself he has developed a detachment to it. Is lying to himself.

[thehikingviking]

Mt Darwin (13,831 ft), A Day Hike via Lamarck Col

My main goal for the 2020 Sierra Challenge was to day hike Mt Darwin. Day 6 had the group heading towards the Socialite, which shared an approach with the standard route to Mt Darwin over Lamarck Col. I had wanted to climb this emblem peak for over a decade, but was discouraged by the class 5 summit block rating. Many of my hiking companions and acquaintances assured me that I would have no problem with the summit block, and even went so far to call it class 3-4. My interest was further amplified after a quasi failed attempt earlier in July. I ran our group into the ground on a backpacking trip to Evolution Basin and Mt Goddard, and we didn’t have enough juice to finish off our trip with a Mt Darwin summit. On our hike out, I considered returning a month later during the challenge, and studied the route from a distance. I also read through many detailed trip reports, but in the end I was still unsure if I would be capable of completing such a strenuous day. A month later I found myself in the best physical condition I had ever been in. I participated in days 2-4 of the challenge, allowing me to acclimate and get my legs underneath me. I then rested on day 5 to hydrate and recover. Even after all of my preparation, doubts lingered. I told Asaka that I could possibly be out for over 20 hours, and may even face the reality of having to bivouac. I had a little panic attack the night before, but I eventually found peace while watching the sunset before bed. The next morning, I woke up fresh. I made it to the trailhead by 4am, parked at the hikers parking lot, then followed a headlamp up the road ahead of me. This turned out to be Iris. I had studied Matt Yaussi’s video of their day hike to Mt Darwin, and was greatly concerned because it took them over 17 hours back in 2017. They had both been faster hikers in than me in the past, so I expect to take even longer.

She reassured me that they were extremely slow that day, and spent a lot of time waiting for others who were doing a day hike to Mt Goddard. We waited at the bathroom at the end of the road and soon we were joined by Mason, Tom Becht and Tom Grundy as well. We stuck together maintaining a solid pace up the dark trail. I settled in right in the middle of the pack. I remember the stars looking extra bright that night. Chatting with the group was enough to keep me distracted as we made our way up the steep trail. Last time I was here I was struggling with a heavy pack in the heat of the day. Now I felt like a leaf floating up the mountain with a breeze. After several miles, it dawned upon me that I was keeping up with hikers whom I once viewed as superhuman. I was seeing the fruits of my labor and a sense of euphoria filled my being. It was a beautiful morning and my body was feeling great. Lamarck Col came into view sooner than I expected, a familiar sight from not loo long ago.

A young trail running couple, not part of the challenge, showed up out of nowhere. They said they were on their way to Scylla, a very formidable objective. They climbed some talus slopes to the left of the pass. I considered saying something, but I figured they were probably off to tag Lamarck Col Peak as a bonus peak. They ended up missing the col by accident, and at the end of the day they didn’t make it all the way to Scylla. There was a little less snow than the month prior, and we were able to avoid it altogether by staying on the rocks to the left. To my surprise, I had made it to the pass in under 3 hours. I had budgeted 4 hours to reach the pass, and while I wasn’t that tired, I took a short break to soak in the beauty.

The others dropped down towards Darwin Bench while I waited for Bob Burd to catch up down below. I asked if he knew of anyone heading to Mt Darwin. Christine was signed up for Mt Darwin, but she broke her collar bone going over Haeckel Col earlier that week. Bob cheerfully replied that Zee and his friends were going for Mt Darwin, and the young trio showed up shortly after. Fearing that I would be much slower than them, I got a head start and subsequently descended the other side of the col. Bob and I chatted for a while, but slowly separated as we took our own routes down towards Darwin Lakes.

When viewing the map, it appears easiest to sidehill as much as possible to avoid unnecessary elevation loss. However, I found it was easier to simply drop down to just below the 12,000 ft contour. Sidehilling was loose and tedious while a more direct route was across solid granite slabs and grassy ramps.

After dropping over a thousand feet, I regained what was just lost by heading towards the toe of the much receded Darwin Glacier. I stopped at a very nice tarn here to fill up water. I looked around for Zee and his friends but they were nowhere in sight. I expected them to have caught me by now. After a break, I continued up the moraine, avoiding the icy glacier altogether, wondering if I could get to the the start of the scramble without stopping to put on crampons.

I was wise enough to aim for the notch ~100 meters to the left of the lowest point in the ridge. There was one lingering patch of ice that blocked the route.

While short, the patch of snow was extremely steep and icy. It was just enough to get someone in trouble. I sat down on a rock and put on my crampons.

I crossed the patch with relative ease and just two minutes after putting them on I was already removing my crampons. Still no sign of Zee and his friends; strange.

Now began the start of the class 3. There was a lot of loose rock and dirt, and the exact route wasn’t apparent to me. I think I initially went too far left, and found myself on some steep dirt. I got off this as soon as I could across a very loose horizontal pitch. This was hard class 3, and one should be very careful here. I was encouraged though because while I was dealing with these challenges, my elevation was getting higher and higher. I was relieved when I made the notch. Across Evolution Basin was Mt Goddard.

Back to the northwest was Mt Mendel.

I was a little on edge after that sketchy section. The ridge ahead of me didn’t look simple, but I expected it to be relatively straightforward.

What I found was some more class 3. I was very rhythmic and methodical, placing focus on each move. I took in the views of Evolution Basin and Mt McGee below. The Socialite and The Hermit stood behind Evolution Lake.

I knew I was getting close when I was of equal height with Mt Mendel, which stands just a hundred feet lower than Mt Darwin.

I was encouraged when I attained the summit plateau, but remained humble knowing that the exposed summit block lay ahead.

As I approached the edge of the plateau, I secretly hoped that a earthquake or simply erosion had knocked over the summit block. I crossed the rounded plateau and sure enough the summit block was still there in all its glory. I knew exactly what to do. I had to drop from the plateau to the small notch in between where I stood and the summit block. Form there I would descend a dirt chute to the left, then reclimb another chute up the eastern side of the summit block.

Rather than take a break and give myself time to think about it, I went straight for it. I dropped my backpack, only taking my phone and a couple pieces of webbing just in case I needed to hang onto something.

I dropped down to the notch, then further down the chute to the left. There was a lot of steep dirt but I felt in control. So far, so good.

I started climbing up the final chute. There was a large chockstone in the way. This stumped me for a second, but I found my way up and over by stemming around it. On to the next challenge.

The next few moves were class 3. The exposure was not so bad, and the climbing was pretty easy. Just a little more to go.

Finally, the last move. While exposed, there are extremely good holds and the rock is solid.

I heaved myself up with little difficulty. I would call it class 4. To the northeast was Mt Tom Ross. I didn’t know it at the time, but Sean King spotted me on Mt Darwin from atop this peak.

To the southeast were Cloudripper, Mt Agassiz, Mt Winchell and North Palisade.

To the south were Mt Haeckel and Mt Fiske.

To the southwest was Mt Goddard.

To the west were Mt McGee and Mt Henry. My red backpack remained on the plateau.

To the northwest was the tip of Mt Mendel.

To the north were Mt Humphreys and Mt Tom.

I was very satisfied with my time of 6 hours and 20 minutes. I had a solid chance to make it back down several hours before I expected.

I had lunch waiting in my backpack so I figured I would take my extended rest once on more solid ground. I took in the exposure all round me. The one move of class 4 was easy to downclimb with solid holds.

I even felt comfortable enough to follow the Evolution Ridge a short distance to see the famous traverse first hand.

Standing over here also gave me a different perspective of the summit block.

The technically hardest part of the whole climb was the chockstone. I dropped back down to the notch and made it back to my backpack. I had my lunch then began my way back towards the west ridge. I was still a little concerned with the down climb back to the Darwin Glacier, and I wanted to put this behind me. I took parting glances at the summit block on my retreat.

My eyes traveled down the length of Evolution Valley to the hinterlands in the distance.

I thought about climbing Mt Mendel, but I still had to reclimb Lamarck Col, so I played it conservatively, figuring I could climb this on a future challenge.

Now I turned my focus to the class 3 downclimb. Slow and steady wins the race, I thought to myself.

Descending from the notch took a lot of focus. As I approached the Darwin Glacier, I spotted several people beneath me. It was Zee and his friends.

I did my best to not kick any rocks down on top of them, which was a difficult task that I was barely able to pull off. I was surprised to see them so far behind. Zee told me that they took a wrong route. They all made it across the icy section with no crampons, which was most likely easier now that the sun had time to soften it slightly. Zee asked how much further he had to go, and wondered if he could still make the summit. It was still before noon and I figured he could make it in an hour, so I encouraged him to continue. I warned them that I was scared to death that they would inadvertently kick rocks down onto me and I advised them to be extremely careful. To their credit, not even a pebble fell. I learned later that night that while his friends stopped short, Zee made it to the summit.

I crossed the sliver of glacier without crampons by kicking steps into the hard snow. The talus rock field beneath the glacier was extremely loose and tedious. I took a long rest at the tarn, basking in my glory.

I knew reclimbing Lamarck Col would be tough, but I still had some energy left. I took my time to hydrate, then headed back towards the Darwin Lakes.

I followed a route similar to my ascent route. Again, I dropped low towards the Darwin Lakes, but not all the way. I picked a gentle route up sandy patches and granite ramps.

I started free styling in Spanish to pass the time. I was surprisingly good at it. As I got higher I started singing some of my favorite reggaetón songs. I looked down and noticed a lone figure gaining on me. He must have enjoyed the concert. I met this individual at the col. He was a Canadian named Sayer and he was on his return from Mt Darwin as well. He failed to reach the summit via an alternate route, saying that the loose rock and steep dirt sections sketched him out.

I had service here and let Asaka know that I was ahead of schedule. Sayer was willing to accompany me on the hike down and I was happy to have company. I saw another lone hiker heading towards Lamarck Col Peak. I wondered if this was Sean King, since I just received his text message from earlier saying that he could see me on the summit of Mt Darwin from Mt Tom Ross. I considered this bonus peak myself, but I had started to miss Asaka and Leif, and I wanted to get back as soon as possible.

Sayer and I chatted all the way down to Lower Lamarck Lake. I remember this section being much easier than what I experienced back in July. Cooler weather and a lighter pack made a world of difference.

I stopped to take a swim at the outlet of Lower Lamarck Lake. Sayer continued on and I promised to stop by his campsite on my way out. As I swam, I was accompanied by a Swede in a speedo. Now refreshed, I continued the remaining distance towards North Lake. Sean King caught me with one mile to go, and we hiked out together comparing our achievements. He filled the stat sheet by climbing 5 peaks around Lamarck Col. I found a reserve of energy and jogged out to the trailhead at the very end. I finished the day hike of Mt Darwin in exactly 12 hours and 30 minutes. I drove back down to Bishop to pick up my family, then returned to North Lake where we cooked dinner and drank beer with Jim and Bob Burd, Sean and Scott King, Evan Rasmussen, Sayer and his girlfriend. It would be a late night for some of the other challengers. Most of the hikers still had not returned by the time I left for my motel in the dark. My main goal for the Sierra Challenge was a complete success, and I earned another rest day in Bishop.