A Renegade, Adrift

“A mechanic? Man, if only you’d met one of those recently…” Rene said, feigning a coy thoughtfulness, “One that you saved from an unhinged conspiracy theorist and decided to help out with a few pieces of scrap metal…ah, well…guess I can stand in while you’re looking for someone like that…”

Hamlet? Renegade snickered, putting a hand to her face in a futile attempt to stifle it. He looked pretty beat up, but he didn’t necessarily look that old. Then again, the whole ‘noir detective‘ thing aged him quite a bit, and referencing literature that ancient definitely wasn’t doing him any favors. It almost reminded her of…she stopped the thought before it could fully form. No need to become sentimental at a time like this.

“Are we talking the whole play here, or just the soliloquy?” Rene called after him, surveying his office with a few slight nods as he disappeared from view, “Cuz that whole ‘to be or not to be’ thing would be pretty easy to knock out if I can remember th-“

There was a metallic clang upon Rene taking her next step, and she gasped as she stumbled forward. Unable to keep her balance, she collapsed against the wall closest to her, toppling into it back-first with a loud thud.

‘No…no, no, no…!!’ The young woman thought frantically, ‘Not this, not now…!!’ She looked around anxiously, as if she was watching the walls close in around her, and her breath became shallow and shaky. She could already hear the panicked screaming, see the dirty looks, and memories of previous interactions flashed across her vision. She put her trembling hands to the floor in an attempt to pull herself up, but she couldn’t gather her wits about her long enough to come close. She felt the long-forgotten sting of tears in her eyes, and she closed them to try and rid herself of the foreign burning. She’d come so far…how could this happen now?

The Synth had walked around the corner towards the back of the office, listening to her banter, but at the thud of Rene falling, Nick rushed to the woman’s side, hands extended, but not reaching out to touch yet. Golden eyes searched over her form, trying to determine what was wrong on a physical level.

“Rene? Hey, kid, you still with me? Can I get you into a chair?”

“...I’m sorry...” She muttered, running a hand over her hair, “I didn’t mean to yell, I-...” She stopped again, huffing quietly and hugging herself. This never got easier. In fact, having to explain a malfunction was far worse than simply being discovered, because she had to reveal it herself. Still, though, if she didn’t admit her fault, she’d be stuck on his floor forever.

She sighed again, tapping her finger anxiously before she shook her head and took hold of her right pant leg. She lingered for a moment before pulling it up, revealing a metal prosthetic. “...It’s broken...” She admitted, giving him a melancholic smile, “Well, it’s been broken, it just decided not to give out until now, arguably the worst possible moment...”

Rene quickly followed, catching up to him and doing her best to keep pace with her…current condition. She listened to his explanation of his work, and her bright eyes dimmed a bit. She knew the burden of loss all too well, what it was like to have something stolen that you could never get back, what it was like to lose the person most important to you…the beginnings of a horrid memory flashed across her vision and she nearly stopped in her tracks. However, she managed to keep her composure and bury the pain again, continuing forward like nothing had happened.

“I’d still say you’re doing a commendable thing with your little operation,” Rene insisted, grinning gingerly, “If not for the deed itself, for the fact that you decided to step up and do it. Nothing irritates me more than people who demand change without actually doing anything to make it happen…”

Her eyes scanned the sign, and she huffed a laugh through her nose. “You’re really working with the ritz here, aren’t ya’, Valentine? The sign’s a nice touch, if I do say so myself…”

A few good deeds under her belt? His assumption caused her mind to race, as if it were attempting to calculate and recalculate how all of her more questionable activities weighed in against all she’d done to try and repay her debt. She had to remind herself, however, that the damage she’d done simply wasn’t quantifiable, and what was important would be simply doing her best to make the Commonwealth a better place…to protect it from people like her.

“Maybe a few…” Renegade said quietly, laughing a bit as she rubbed the back of her neck, “But that’s not terribly important. Here’s hoping you’ve got it, else I might just-…” She stopped mid-sentence, glancing away. “Err, rather, my project might just fall apart. It’s a pretty standard piece, but it’s important for my purposes. The gudgeon pins aren’t top priority, but I know I’ll need them eventually.”

‘Nice save, Renegade…’ She grumbled inwardly, ‘Nice save…’

“It was too perfect not to grab, and back when Diamond City actually had an electrical expert, he helped me piece it back together. Neon tubing and all,” Nick chuckled, in response to Rene’s poke at it. “I’ve got an aesthetic to live up to. Who doesn’t love a detective like in the books?”

He regarded Rene as she brushed off the light compliment, not thinking much of it. Perhaps it was a touch biased of him, to give the benefit of the doubt to a woman moreso than he would a man; any dame had just as much potential to be a threat, utilizing her charms and brains over her brawns, and to some extent, it was clear Rene was keeping certain bits of information out of the conversation purposefully. But she had said, before, she prefered to avoid crowds, and her body language and her words proved it. To come to Diamond City like this was sign she truly needed help, and what kind of man would he be to deny a person in need, trustworthy or otherwise? Not to mention, his gut instinct didn’t detect anything amiss. Green eyes and gloved hands aside, to Nick, Rene seemed alright.

“A mechanic? Man, if only you’d met one of those recently...” Rene said, feigning a coy thoughtfulness, “One that you saved from an unhinged conspiracy theorist and decided to help out with a few pieces of scrap metal...ah, well...guess I can stand in while you’re looking for someone like that...”

Hamlet? Renegade snickered, putting a hand to her face in a futile attempt to stifle it. He looked pretty beat up, but he didn’t necessarily look that old. Then again, the whole ‘noir detective‘ thing aged him quite a bit, and referencing literature that ancient definitely wasn’t doing him any favors. It almost reminded her of...she stopped the thought before it could fully form. No need to become sentimental at a time like this.

“Are we talking the whole play here, or just the soliloquy?” Rene called after him, surveying his office with a few slight nods as he disappeared from view, “Cuz that whole ‘to be or not to be’ thing would be pretty easy to knock out if I can remember th-“

There was a metallic clang upon Rene taking her next step, and she gasped as she stumbled forward. Unable to keep her balance, she collapsed against the wall closest to her, toppling into it back-first with a loud thud.

A detective. Renegade’s expression screwed into one of vague shock, her brow furrowing. It sounded too good to be true, like the answer to all of her prayers…or, in her mind, like the answer to all of her directionless begging. After all, honest work like that of a private eye certainly weren’t the easiest to do, not in a place as unforgiving as the Commonwealth. Still, though, genuine or not, when would she come by another opportunity like the one he presented? Although…her thoughts drifted to what felt like a past life of hers…if he’d been around as long as he looked like he had…it meant he probably would’ve searched for answers as to who ‘The Commonwealth’s Shadow’ was, even if only in passing. Did she even deserve help like his after everything she’d done…?

Lost in her own introspection, she nearly missed the way the look on her face unexpectedly intensified. She blinked rapidly, her neutral disposition returning.

“Apologies,” Rene said softly, huffing a laugh, “I just-…a detective? An…interesting choice of occupation if I ever heard one…but…admirable nonetheless.” She flashed a winsome, warm grin, green eyes bright. “I like you already.” She spoke those words as if they were rare, and a subdued melancholy lingered in her tone. His kindness felt selfless…but assumptions like those were dangerous ones. For now, she would play the game she’d all but mastered, not letting on just who he’d be doing business with, just in case things went south.

“I don’t mind following you if you don’t mind some company,” She told him, putting a hand to her brow, “Now, which way to your…office, was it?”

“Yeah, it’s just right down this way.” Nick tilted his head to the left and slightly behind him, and gestured for Rene to follow. He made no comment on the strange and sudden surprise on her face, sure that an explanation could be, quite literally, just around the corner. The two of them began to walk, side by side, Nick with his hands in his pockets.

“Now, I wouldn’t really call my work ‘admirable.’” The detective smiled a bit sheepishly. “More just plain ol’ necessary, with the Institute making a mess of things. What better way to spite the folks that threw you out than to work against their favorite party trick? Besides, life’s hard enough without losing the friends and family you love. If I can ease some of the burden, then I’d say that’s sending a pretty good message. That we won’t be broken apart like they’re trying to do.”

Nick made a turn partway down the alley he’d lead Rene to, to an even smaller corridor beneath a neon sign with a heart pierced by an arrow. He paused right at the door, pursing his lips and turning around. It didn’t seem right to return the compliment Rene had supplied earlier, still not having a complete grasp of her character, but some sort of acknowledgement of what he thought of her seemed to be in order. He opened the door after a moment’s thought, and gestured for Rene to head inside.

“I’d still say you’re doing a commendable thing with your little operation,” Rene insisted, grinning gingerly, “If not for the deed itself, for the fact that you decided to step up and do it. Nothing irritates me more than people who demand change without actually doing anything to make it happen...”

Her eyes scanned the sign, and she huffed a laugh through her nose. “You’re really working with the ritz here, aren’t ya’, Valentine? The sign’s a nice touch, if I do say so myself...”

A few good deeds under her belt? His assumption caused her mind to race, as if it were attempting to calculate and recalculate how all of her more questionable activities weighed in against all she’d done to try and repay her debt. She had to remind herself, however, that the damage she’d done simply wasn’t quantifiable, and what was important would be simply doing her best to make the Commonwealth a better place...to protect it from people like her.

“Maybe a few...” Renegade said quietly, laughing a bit as she rubbed the back of her neck, “But that’s not terribly important. Here’s hoping you’ve got it, else I might just-...” She stopped mid-sentence, glancing away. “Err, rather, my project might just fall apart. It’s a pretty standard piece, but it’s important for my purposes. The gudgeon pins aren’t top priority, but I know I’ll need them eventually.”

“I’ll excuse her if you excuse my feigned familiarity,” Renegade sighed, eyeing the Nuka Cola the old protectron set on the counter before her, “I figured any association I had with you might make her more upset…I appreciate the help, by the way.” The young woman then grabbed the bottle, inspecting it a little closer before effortlessly popping the cap off with her left hand. She caught the cap in her right hand, slipping it into the inner pocket of her dark coat. She drank the entirety of the bottle with a quickness. Sure, her get-up was good for hiding what was underneath, but it got rather hot after so long.

“I just need an A6 screw and a couple of gudgeon pins,” She replied, setting the empties bottle on the counter, “I normally wouldn’t come looking inside a settlement, not one for crowds…but…this is kind of an urgent matter.”

She did her best not to sound desperate, and she kept her eyes low, having only glanced up at Nick from where she had settled against the counter a couple of times. It was almost embarrassing, having to ask for help. It made her feel weak in a way she didn’t like…

Oh, right. Where were her manners?

“…Err…pardon, sir…Name’s Renegade. Renegade Fraley.” She said, turning to Nick with her left hand outstretched for him to shake.

“Was just about to ask,” Nick chuckled, shaking her hand eagerly. Her grip was firm– a sign of confidence, which was always positive, but the way she averted her gaze as she spoke around her dilemma vaguely discomforted him slightly. “A6 screws, huh? Not the easiest thing to stumble on, so I see why you’d come to a settlement in a pinch.”

Lost in her own introspection, she nearly missed the way the look on her face unexpectedly intensified. She blinked rapidly, her neutral disposition returning.

“Apologies,” Rene said softly, huffing a laugh, “I just-...a detective? An...interesting choice of occupation if I ever heard one...but...admirable nonetheless.” She flashed a winsome, warm grin, green eyes bright. “I like you already.” She spoke those words as if they were rare, and a subdued melancholy lingered in her tone. His kindness felt selfless...but assumptions like those were dangerous ones. For now, she would play the game she’d all but mastered, not letting on just who he’d be doing business with, just in case things went south.

Renegade hadn’t even noticed the new voice of reason until Myrna was shoving past her. She sucked in a breath to shout again until she saw him.

A synth? And so…out in the open? What kind of town was this? She watched their brief argument, mind racing at the implications of his presence. The Commonwealth was a pretty unforgiving place, and she’d heard ghouls had been completely outlawed from Diamond City. She figured they’d discriminate the same way against synths, and the general attitude was the same, so…what made him different? What made him tolerable when others like him weren’t? She continued to size him up, wondering, quite literally, what made him tick. He was coherent and…somehow organic, too. Despite the way he sounded, though, he was pretty busted up, his neck cracked and the whole skeletal structure of his hand exposed.

‘Damn…’ She thought, her brow furrowing as the slightest hint of a smile graced her features, ‘That’s almost too intriguing…’

When he addressed her directly, she shook her head a bit, huffing a laugh. “Yeah,” She said, “I’d appreciate that…” She glanced back at Mryna as she approached the synth with the slightest limp in her step. “You’re lucky my pal Nick was here, because I was about two seconds away from giving you what for. Then again, I dunno why I even bothered trying to fight you over a pile of junk…”

“It’s not junk…!!” Myrna shouted irritably, “You’ve got to the count of five to get outta my sight!!”

Rene rolled her eyes before gesturing Nick along with a thankful look. “Shall we?”

With a crooked little smirk, Nick extended his right, metallic hand to the noodle bar behind them, and let Rene lead the way. Once they were out of Myrna’s earshot, he leaned against the counter there, gesturing to Takahashi with a wave.

“Let’s get this fine lady here a Nuka Cola for her troubles. On me.” The Synth slid over a few caps, and the Protectron rumbled in Japanese as it scooped up the change. Once the robot pattered off to complete the task, Nick turned back to Rene with a quirked brow– or, at the very least, an imaginary one.

The woman was a lot to take in, at first glance, but luckily for him, the mind of a detective was always working in overdrive. Glowing eyes weren’t exactly rare, given the state of the world, but Nick could really only count on just his hands how many times he’d met folks with such a characteristic. Extremely uncommon would likely be more accurate, not to mention, most usually went Ghoul pretty soon afterwards. Definitely on the darker side skin tone-wise, and the curl in her hair hinted at African-American heritage.

“I just need an A6 screw and a couple of gudgeon pins,” She replied, setting the empties bottle on the counter, “I normally wouldn’t come looking inside a settlement, not one for crowds...but...this is kind of an urgent matter.”

She did her best not to sound desperate, and she kept her eyes low, having only glanced up at Nick from where she had settled against the counter a couple of times. It was almost embarrassing, having to ask for help. It made her feel weak in a way she didn’t like...

Oh, right. Where were her manners?

@investigator-valentine

“…I’ll give you an opportunity to reconsider your question before I do something you’re gonna regret.”

Myrna flinched a bit, stepping back in a feeble attempt to retreat as the young woman slowly approached. Only a synth would get this defensive. It wasn’t an uncommon inquiry either, because she asked everyone. She eyed the newbie up and down. Pretty short for a synth…and she looked like she’d tanned pretty well outside…but she was wearing a long-sleeved, black and grey jacket, gloves, and pants…in this weather? But the weirdest part by far was her face. Freckles scattered across her cheeks, teeth that poked up through her closed lips…and…those eyes…

“I-I won’t reconsider…!!” The tinkerer declared, “Glowing green eyes, th-that’s a dead giveaway…!! You are a synth…!!”

The stranger narrowed her eyes, adjusting the glove on her left hand. “And I guess you’re this town’s resident lunatic…guess they’ve all gotta have one…” She crossed her arms, cocking a brow and blowing her dark hair out her face. She hated dealing with these types. “Look, I’ll make this simple. Do you have A6 screws and gudgeon pins, or don’t you? Because I need them. Right now. I’ll even pay double what you’re charging.”

“We don’t serve your kind here…!!” Myrna insisted, “Get away from my stall!! I’m not giving you anything, especially nothing you can upgrade your internal weapons with!! Don’t think I don’t know about that…!!”

“My ‘kind’?!!” The woman demanded, “You don’t actually believe I’m a synth!! What the hell would it matter? A payin’ customer is a payin’ customer…!!”

Myrna took exception to that, and the two women began arguing back and forth and most assuredly making a scene. Anyone who tried to intervene was quickly shot down, and things only seemed to escalate with each passing moment.

Normally, Renegade was the type to lie low, to avoid conflict with so many other people around and just find another shop to buy from, but she was having a rough afternoon, and she had already been on edge before she even got within city limits.

“Myrna, I hate to interrupt, but don’t you think maybe causing a scene isn’t the best business tactic in such a small town? There are plenty of other shops around for folks to get their odds and ends. Less, ah, noisy, establishments.”

“You!” Myrna redirected her attention from Rene immediately, shoving past her and roughly jamming a finger into the newcomer’s chest– a Synth, very clearly a robotic one at that, with the glowing yellow eyes and the holes revealing sensitive inner workings. Even with the woman’s aggression, the android seemed completely unfazed. Almost bored, even. “I don’t care what you’ve done for this town, Nick, but you are most definitely not welcome anywhere near my shop! Both of you, scram, before I get Diamond City Security!”

A synth? And so…out in the open? What kind of town was this? She watched their brief argument, mind racing at the implications of his presence. The Commonwealth was a pretty unforgiving place, and she’d heard ghouls had been completely outlawed from Diamond City. She figured they’d discriminate the same way against synths, and the general attitude was the same, so…what made him different? What made him tolerable when others like him weren’t? She continued to size him up, wondering, quite literally, what made him tick. He was coherent and…somehow organic, too. Despite the way he sounded, though, he was pretty busted up, his neck cracked and the whole skeletal structure of his hand exposed.

‘Damn…’ She thought, her brow furrowing as the slightest hint of a smile graced her features, ‘That’s almost too intriguing…’

When he addressed her directly, she shook her head a bit, huffing a laugh. “Yeah,” She said, “I’d appreciate that…” She glanced back at Mryna as she approached the synth with the slightest limp in her step. “You’re lucky my pal Nick was here, because I was about two seconds away from giving you what for. Then again, I dunno why I even bothered trying to fight you over a pile of junk…”

“It’s not junk…!!” Myrna shouted irritably, “You’ve got to the count of five to get outta my sight!!”

QUEEN/KING OF _____???

PRINCESS/PRINCE OF _____???

HEIR TO _____???

GOD/GODDESS OF _____???

OVERLORD OF _____???

GUARDIAN/PROTECTOR OF ____???

THE PATRON SAINT OF ____???

all these companions FALL(out)ing for you! [They loved that.]

lmkfsjsfk i’m. so glad i got all this done in time for valentines day wow this was definitely an accomplishment of some sort. hope you guys enjoy! tag your loved ones, your family, your pet

have a good day, guys. also, no, i didn’t forget dogmeat

ayatollahofrockandrollah:

Canon/OC ships

—Ice

—Fire

—Water

—Air

—Lighting

—Earth

—Light

—Darkness/Shadows

—Cosmic Energy

—Eldritch Energy

—Blood

—Star Light

—Gravity

—Angelic/Holy Energy