Artemis Files (0.5)

Chapter 7

Late 2272 - Goodneighbor

S9 and M7 were met with the mixture of alcohol and cigarettes as soon as they entered the city. S9 wanted to real from the smell but the Railroad agent they'd managed to come into contact with wanted to meet them here at the Memory Den. She looked around and at first she figured the people here were so used to those that drifted in and out of town that they paid the two newbies no mind.

That was quickly dismissed. S9 took a careful look at herself and realized it was her Courser jacket people saw. Even in her short few years as one, Goodneighbor had been a hotspot of sorts for escaped synths. People around here were, unfortunately, very familiar with this jacket. S9 wasn't here for the reasons they thought though.

The Memory Den was found at the rear of the town, thankfully it was hard to get lost here. As soon as they enter the place they are welcomed by a blonde woman who introduces herself as Irma, acts strangely seeing S9, but when she's comforted that she is an escaped synth her eyes grow wide at the thought and even though they're the only ones here she immediately quiets herself, using a low tone "An escaped Courser? That's never happened before." The woman gains a nervous look as her bottom lip is pinched between her teeth as she wonders what this could mean.

S9 sees this and though she's feeling plenty of shame, she tries to comfort the woman. "I don't want to help the Institute anymore. I was in the wrong and my friend here helped me see that." M7 scoffed and rolled his eyes, he could hardly call S9 a "friend" though she was helping him escape, and she'd made it a point to get those children safely to Diamond City, so he supposed that counted for something. M7 wouldn't say it out loud but he hoped this was the start of her truly changing her ways.

"Regardless we were asked to meet someone here," M7 told Irma, his voice low though not as low as the woman's. "And... I'd like to get my memory wiped while I'm here if it's possible. I've heard you can do that. I don't want to remember the hell of the Institute. I don't care what she does," he says motioning to S9. "She mostly came with me out of obligation I think." S9 doesn't bother to correct him on this since it's technically true at least partially.

Irma nodded when M7 spoke what he wanted. A memory wipe was something they did often here on those that were willing so it was no big deal and then faced S9. "And you dear? What would you like?"

What do I want? S9 thought to herself. This surprised her for two reasons. For starters, what she really wanted to get J6 out, but at the moment that wasn't going to happen. By now the Institute knew she went native. That she betrayed them. J6... what were they doing to her? Was she going to be okay? They knew the two synths were close. Would they make her suffer? These questions in her mind flipped some kind of switch in S9 didn't know she had. The thought that they might be harming J6 this very moment made her want to fight them. She knew J6 could handle herself, but these thoughts made S9 become protective. This surprised S9 for another reason. A choice. She'd never been given a choice before.

"I want to remember," S9 answers. "In hopes of helping bring the Institute down one day. Only... if you can make me forget him?" She motions towards M7 as she says this. "Please, I owe him for opening my eyes to the truth of things and if forgetting him will help protect him then so be it." These words surprise even S9 but Irma, and not even M7 questions her reasonings for this. She nods and brings them both down to the basement area where they meet Dr. Arami and next to her is a man with kind, green eyes and olive toned skin hinting at what must be a Mediterranean heritage.

He turned to them and gave each one a good look. "Hello," he said as he shook both of their hands gently. Kindly. "I'm Cutler. I hear that you're both looking to leave the Commonwealth from our... mutual enemies." They both nod and they explain what it is they want to do before attempting to leave the region. Cutler's hand rubs his jaw as he thinks for a moment before turning to Amari. "I know we do complete Memory Wipes but is a partial one possible?"

The Doctor nods her head. "Of course. She'll still feel the after effects, but it's possible." This catches S9 by surprise. She expected there to be some form of side effects of forgetting but the tone in Amari's voice... the Doctor smiles as she notices the look on her face. "For a few days after the initial wipe your brain acts as if you have something like Alzheimer's or some other disorder that makes a person forgetful. This can be general, like what is most common that synths get, where you forget everything. Or it can be specific like what you want. This makes it so if you're around him for a few days after the wipe, you'll still forget about him eventually." The doctor takes on a sad look after she explains this before she continues. "This is actually why some synths don't make it to the other side of the memory wipe. Sometimes the brain never heals afterwards and it causes the synth to go brain dead."

This makes S9's eyes grow wide. Surely the Institute knew this, or if not they're probably very close to figuring it out. If they could manage to get the memory part of the brain patched up and working again then that would solve a huge problem of theirs and would be able to revive the synths who's memories they stole. They wouldn't have to worry about whether a memory wipe was going to damage them too far or not.

Dr. Amari sighed looking at the two synths before her. "I can see you two are strong willed. Still I worry about going through the process, even on those who are willing. Still I think you two can manage to make things work."

Without a second thought, M7 was first as he got into the lounger, and all S9 could do was sit and wait with the man named Cutler. Their uncertain future filled her mind though not as much as J6 had. Please be okay, S9 begged silently.

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Present Day 2287 - The Prydwen

The memories of that day especially regarding Danse were still a bit fuzzy despite the trip to the Memory Den, but as Artemis spoke she would remember small details. She watches Danse as she brought up Cutler. To them, as well as Elizabeth and Arthur, the fact that he was actually a Railroad agent wasn't new news. Not anymore anyway. But it was something they hadn't really brought up in front of others, it always felt personal. But now it was out in the open. The surprise of this rippled through the crowd especially through those that were older Brotherhood soldiers that definitely knew the man.

"We actually did grow to be genuine friends," Danse said keeping his spot in the crowd. He tried to keep his stoic soldier look but Artemis saw it and could hear it in his voice too. He sighed. "He kept his story straight even after several years of knowing him I... I miss him. He was the closest thing I had to a brother. Honestly I'm not sure where I would be if I didn't have him in my life."

Several people around the room seemed to back this up. Saying that even with them, Cutler always managed to keep his story straight. Never once changing things and if he had it had been something small and unimportant. This caused Artemis smile, glad that Danse had had someone to lean on in the immediate aftermath of their escape. She glanced over to J6. Even though her fellow synth had long since forgiven her, she still couldn't get rid of the small pang of guilt that found its way into her heart. J6 saw the look Artemis was giving her and grabbed her hand and gave it a solid squeeze. A million unsaid words were in that one squeeze combined with the look in the eyes of both of them, even with Artemis' blindness, she knew her friend well enough even after all their years apart. They were both free now and together. That's what mattered.

It was late, and Artemis told the group that she would continue her stories tomorrow. When she found herself in the quarters she shared with Arthur she felt a hug from behind her. Feeling the strong arms that held her. "I always forget how far back you and Danse go." Arthur's voice. "I went with you to the Memory Den and I still forget."

Artemis can't help but to chuckle a little bit. "I actually did forget," she said which got them both going. "But I'm glad I managed to find him again eventually. I don't believe in any of that mystical universe stuff, but it's like the universe wants us to be friends or something."

Arthur smiles as he nuzzles the back of her head. He doesn't really believe in any of that stuff either but he indulges her anyway. "Yeah I guess it could be something like that."