Trust Issues

The Adventure Begins

Next morning, the pair head out after a quick breakfast courtesy of Hancock. MacCready follows Sole, keeping an eye out for Super Mutants, raiders, ghouls, anything that would want them dead. He's surprised by Sole. She doesn't ask him questions, or make him talk about himself. Then again, she doesn't offer anything about herself.

After an uneventful walk, they come to a settlement. MacCready is surprised when people run out, glad to see Sole. He learns quickly she's the new general of the Minutemen, and this is a Minutemen settlement. Explains why she's walking around the whole Commonwealth.

He watches her help the settlement: fixing a broken water pump, showing them how to make beds out of useless clothing, and helping them tend to crops. MacCready wonders how does she know all this. Did she learn it in a different settlement? Is she a Vaultie, and they taught her this stuff in her Vault? Why is he even thinking about it?

"MacCready!" Sole shouts. He jumps, not realizing he zoned out.

"Yeah, what's up, Boss?" He says. She smiles at him and lets him know they will be heading out soon. He nods, wondering why he spaced out. All day they go from settlement to settlement. MacCready watches her help each settlement, a smile on her face. It kinda creeps him out. Who in their right mind smiles while repairing broken turrents, or helping harvest crops, or even repairing walls?

Unknown to MacCready, Sole was watching him too. She noticed he seemed to be constantly vigilant, save for that moment earlier. He seems both old and young, something Sole has noticed about most people in today's world. Too dangerous to let children be children, people grow up too fast.

By nightfall, they are halfway to another settlement. Having no other choice, Sole finds an abandoned house for them to camp in for the night. MacCready drops down in a corner of the room they're camping in, rifle leaning on the wall next to him as Sole starts a fire in the fireplace. Once started, she pulls out some food she was given at the settlements and makes a stew.

"How do you know all this stuff?" MacCready asks, unintentionally sounding mad. Sole looks at him in confusion, so he continues, "How do you know so many different things? How to repair turrets and walls, how to make mattresses out of clothes, farming. Most people only know one or two." She smiles and turns back to the stew.

"My father taught me. He.... He wanted to make sure I would survive out here. How to make anywhere a safe place to lay my head at night. He's the one who taught me how to fight, how to forage, how to build shelter, all of it. The turrents? That I learned by trial and error. Let's just say I'm glad I don't scar easily." She chuckles. MacCready nods, then pulls his hat over his eyes and leans his head back, arms crossed.

Just as he's about to fall asleep, there's a nudge to his foot. He lifts his hat to see Sole offering him a bowl of stew. Surprised she had enough for two, he thanks her and accepts the bowl. To his surprise again, the stew actually tastes good. After dinner, Sole takes his bowl and uses a carton of water to rinse them out before placing them in her pack. Then she lays across the threshold of the doorway. MacCready realizes it's so they can both sleep, but if someone tries to enter, she'll be woken up by the door. Smart move.

Next morning they finish off the stew for breakfast, then head out. They are in Concord by midday, when suddenly Sole drops into a crouch. MacCready follows suit, hearing gunfire in the distance. He reads his rifle while Sole pulls out a pistol, then they creep forward to peek around the corner of the building.

"Fuck, raiders and Super Mutants." Sole whisper groans. The two group are firing at each other, close enough that a stray bullet could hit the pair, but not so close they could be spotted. MacCready sees there's a ton of burnt out cars, and signals for Sole to follow him. As quietly as possible, they scurry from car to car, somehow staying out of sight. Once they are far enough away, Sole sighs in relief.

"Not bad, huh?" MacCready grins.

"Not bad at all. I could learn a thing or two from you." She grins back. They make it to a Red Rocket that has a dog sleeping by what used to be fuel pumps. It's ears perk up as they get closer, the dog looking up and tail wagging as it sees Sole. "Hey boy! Did you miss me?" Sole chuckles as the dog runs up to her. It jumps on her and licks her face, making her laugh.

MacCready looks around, but doesn't see anyone else around. Is this not a settlement? He moves up the hill and sees an old neighborhood nearby. That must be the settlement. "Hey Sole, aren't we heading up there?" He ask, pointing to the neighborhood.

"Soon, I need to drop some things off here first." She tells him, then heads inside. He follows her, and is stunned. What was once a car repair shop is now.... A home. Pictures line the walls, a few dressers and containers take up floor space, and he can see a framed bed in the little office to the side. Out in the garage, he sees a full suit of power armor just sitting there.

"Holy shi- Crap! Is that really a full set of power armor!?" He asks, excited.

"Yep. Found it on top of the old Museum of Freedom. Took it home, but it's clunky and I'm too short to really see out of the helmet" Sole explains, dumping her pack out on the garage floor. MacCready starts to connect the dots.

"This is your home?" He asks. Sole nods and starts separating her stuff. "Why make a Red Rocket your home when there's a nice settlement just up the road? Strength in numbers and all that." She looks up at him from her seat on the floor, Her expression looks pained for a split second, then goes back to neutral.

"I ... Don't know you well enough to give you details. That settlement is.... Dear to me, but holds too many painful memories. I won't see it fail, but I can't live in it." She tells him, guarded. MacCready nods, not sure what to say. Sole tells him he can raid one of the containers for a snack if he's hungry.

With a Nuka-Cola Cherry and a box of Fancy Lad Snack Cakes, MacCready sits at one of the stools, back against the counter. Sole continues to separate her stuff. Things she needs here, what Sanctuary needs, and cool trinkets she's found a long the way. By the time MacCready has finished his snack, Sole is ready to go. They get to Sanctuary and once again, people are happy to see Sole.

"General! You're early! We weren't expecting you to make it today with the raiders and Super Mutants that have moved in in Concord." A minute man smiles. Sole smiles and gives the man a quick hug.

"Thanks to MacCready, we were able to sneak by them without a fight. MacCready! May I introduce Preston Garvey, my second in command. Preston, this is MacCready, my... Bodyguard, for lack of a better term." Sole grins. MacCready nods at Garvey, who nods back. Just like in other settlements, Sole runs around repairing and planting.

Unlike the other settlements, Sole is constantly working, not allowing herself a moment to think. MacCready thinks back on her words, wondering what could possibly have happened here. There's no evidence of any kind of raid that could wipe out the place, so that's not the reason.

"You're going to be an important one." MacCready jumps a mile, and turns to see an old lady in blue.

"Son of a... Don't sneak up like that!" MacCready huffs. The old lady chuckles.

"Not my fault you didn't hear me, kid. The name's Mama Murphy. And I can tell you're going to an important one." She says. MacCready raises an eyebrow. "I have the Sight, kid. I can see the past, the present, and the future. You? You're going to be very important." She starts to walk away, but then turns back and adds, "Your son is ok, for now. He's strong, like you."

"How the heck do you know about my son!?" MacCready growls lowly, stepping closer to Mama Murphy.

"I told you: The Sight." She smiles, then walks away. MacCready isn't sure if he likes Mama Murphy, but is sure she's creepy as hell.