POV Rio
Before we left the cannery, Hancock asked to speak with me, and I agreed.
"It's just, being out here with you, it's made me realize. Most of my life to this point, I've been running out on the good things I got. I skipped out on my family, my life in Diamond City. Took up with you just to get outta Goodneighbor. Hell, running from myself is what made me into... into a damn Ghoul. But being here with you, for the first time in my life, things have just felt... right. And running, it's the furthest thing from my mind. I mean, I left Goodneighbor thinking I was gonna just sharpen up the 'ol killer instinct. But whether it's fate or destiny or just god damn coincidence, I ended up with someone like you. I turned one of the nastiest settlements in the Commonwealth into a refuge for the lost. I thought I'd done something I could hang my hat on. But being out here with you, it's made me realize just how small time I'd been thinking," Hancock said.
"So what will you do?" I ask.
"When I came with you, I didn't expect to be exposed to this side of the world. I mean, magic, demons, aliens, and all the other crazy things I have seen. It's made me realize that what I was doing wasn't as good as I could make it. Don't get me wrong, I am proud of what I built Goodneigbor into, but... Sigh. It was never the safest place. Murders were less common but still happened. Theft was just how things were. I kept my distance, believing that I couldn't get too involved or else I would become the very thing I rose up about in the beginning. But now... I'm not so sure. When those grenades went off, I was expecting to feel a severe burn all across my body. Instead, I felt a burn, but it wasn't terrible. I realize now that I hadn't been giving myself enough credit. It also made me think, how much more could I have done if I had been a bit more hands-on, let myself take a bit more power," Hancock said.
"You made your choice back then. I won't try and judge you for it. Could you have made Goodneighbor into a safer place? Probably. Could it have just as likely failed? Also probably. A wise man once said 'Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift, that is why it is called the present," I say in my best Master Oogway impression.
"Sigh. I'm telling you all this because I think I need to make a change. I want to try and make a real difference. Marowski only became a problem because I was too scared to get involved. I wanted to let things be. Freedom is great. But too much freedom can be bad. I want to find that balance, and I think you already have. That's why Goodneighbor will not be allies with the Minutemen. We will be full members. I also want to take this time to go home and help undo what damage I have caused. To show I can make a real change," Hancock said with fire in his eyes.
"Glad to hear you found that passion again. I heard your history about Goodneighbor, and I know you have the talent for many great things. But you seemed to have lost that passion at some point. You're a damn fine man, Hancock. I'm lucky to have you at my back. I know you will do great things," I say while hugging Hancock.
"Heh, thanks, Rio. You've been one hell of a friend. And I promise you I will show you what I can do now that Mayor Hancock is back in action," Hancock says with a wide smile.
Hancock hitches a ride with the transport taking Theodore away, and we all bid him farewell. After our talk, I got the notification that I was now Idolized by Hancock and unlocked his perk. Isodoped:
Thanks to your relationship with Hancock, your attacks on VATS fill your critical bar 10% faster, and you receive 25% less damage from Radiation-based attacks.
The perk was okay, but it was the thought that counted.
"Well, with Mr. Mayor leaving, I guess I am next, huh?" Deacon says while coming over to me.
"Not necessarily, Cait has been here far longer than both of you combined," I reply.
"Well... I'm sorry to say that I do actually have to part ways with you," Deacon says.
I raise my eyebrows in surprise.
"Why is that?" I ask.
"Well, the decision has been made, and the Railroad is moving North to Acadia. A lot of guys left after the news of the Institute came out. Can't blame them, as even I was tempted. But... I decided to stick it out with Des and the others. I don't think my work is done yet," Deacon says.
"Ah, well, I'm sorry to hear that," I reply.
"It's fine, but since I have to go, I thought it would be a good idea to have one last chat," Deacon says with what I can sense as nervousness.
"By all means, go ahead," I reply.
"Thanks. I really appreciate you putting up with my bullshit. Truth is, it's been a long time since I've had a... friend. I'm a liar. Everyone knows it. I make no secret of it. Because the truth is: I'm a fraud. To my core. When I was young, a hell of a long time ago, I was... well, scum. I was a bigot. A very violent bigot," Deacon says in what I feel is an actually genuine tone.
"We all make mistakes when we're young," I reply.
"A mistake or two, yeah. But what I did. I ran with a gang in University Point. We called ourselves the UP Deathclaws. For kicks, we'd terrorize anyone that we thought was a synth. We kept egging each other on. Started with some property damage, graduated to some beatdowns. Then, inevitably, a lynching. The Claw's leader was convinced we'd finally found and killed a synth. Looking back, I'm not so sure," Deacon said with an ashamed voice.
I didn't respond and let him continue.
"So I turned my back on my 'brothers' - broke all contact. Time passed, I became a farmer, if you can believe that. Then one day, I found someone. She saw something in me I didn't know was there. Barbara, well, she was... She just was," Deacon says with a reminiscent tone.
"Leaving a gang is tricky business," I reply.
"Leaving wasn't free - they took it out on my sad hide. But by the time I met Barbara, they'd moved on. We were trying for kids, eking out a living. Then one day... It turns out my Barbara... She was a synth. She didn't know that. I certainly didn't. I don't know how the Deathclaws found out. But... there was blood," Deacon said with a distant tone.
"I'm sorry for your loss," I reply sincerely.
"Thanks. I don't remember much clearly after that. I know I killed most of the Claws. I must've made a big impression. The Railroad contacted me, figuring I'd be sympathetic. Seeing that I lost my wife. And, well, what I did afterwards," Deacon responded.
"Hmm, I can tell that this story is mostly true, but what is false, I am not sure," I reply.
"Yeah, I won't deny that some of the story is not accurate, but that's as much as I am willing to say. I don't even know why I lie anymore. But I can't tell the truth. Everyone - Tom, Dez, you, even that asshole Carrington - they deserve to be in the Railroad. I don't. I'm everything wrong with this whole fucking Commonwealth. You're the only friend I got. I don't deserve you being OK with this. Hell, I'm not even asking for it. But I figured you should know," Deacon said with an exhausted tone at the end.
I sit down next to him and wait for a second before responding.
"I won't deny that when I first met you, I didn't like you. I hate liars. And the fact that you still haven't told me the whole truth annoys me, but... I understand that some people are like that, and that doesn't make them bad people. You may have done some terrible things in the past, but that's okay. You're trying to make up for it. You took the most damage from the Consecrated weapon. But you didn't die from it. I think that should be enough to answer that you aren't a truly bad person," I reply.
"Thanks. I know I have a long way to go. But I promise I am working on myself. Maybe someday I can finally be 100% honest, but know that you're my friend. Maybe my only one... I'm not the hugging type. So, yeah. Good talk," Deacon says while quickly getting up and going to leave.
"When are you leaving?" I ask before he gets too far.
"Des and the others will meet me tomorrow in Salem," Deacon says.
After we stop talking, I get the notification saying that Deacon now Idolized me. Which unlocked his Companion Perk. Cloak & Dagger:
Thanks to your relationship with Deacon, you do +20% Sneak Attack damage and have +20% accuracy on VATS when out of combat.
The perk was pretty good. It fit well with my current build, and I would get great use out of it. Before Deacon left, we decided to hold a little party in Salem for him. The party was quite nice, and when the morning came, I said goodbye to Deacon and caught up with Desdemona a bit. They were using a purchased ship for transit to Mt. Desert Island. It was one of the old sail ships that still hadn't been all sold. I wished them good luck on their journey. Once they were over the horizon, it was time to head back to Sanctuary.