It's late when Nick finally makes it home, but he's lucky he made it home at all.
It was lucky for others that he'd been at the Colosseum. Despite the fact he'd told Rey he'd stay out of the fray that usually accompanied those brought through the Door, he couldn't help but get involved when he saw what monsters made it into the city.
Deathclaws. Of all the Commonwealth's horrors, it had to be the ones the size of a tank that packed enough punch to easily bring down an entire group of settlers, raiders, or even a Brotherhood patrol -- whichever was unfortunate enough to come across one. He'd only seen them up-close when with a few others, and they'd usually known better than tangling with the gargantuan beasts; when he was alone, he'd kept his distance from the creatures, deciding some things were not worth risking life and limb over.
There was no option this time -- he had a job to do, and there were people who needed help. They had no idea what they were up against. And so he'd pulled out his pistol and fired a few rounds at one's face. The bullets hardly made a dent, but they got its attention, and that was good enough.
Nick was also lucky, at that moment, that he's a synth. He had a few close calls as he kept distracting the beast, his glowing eyes watching the rest of the Colosseum. Some people escaped, running to safety; others fought more deathclaws that wandered the arena, keeping those who couldn't defend themselves safe from harm. There were too many to handle them all -- once he had a moment, he'd run for himself. He just hoped the repaired connection in his leg held out.
It did: Rey did a good job. Hopefully, she could do the same for the rest of him.
There was only so long he could dodge the beast, evading its horns as it charged, ducking under its swings, avoiding the lashing tail that followed behind it. Eventually, it managed to catch him, its massive hand slamming into his side, its claws cutting through his coat as though it were made of paper. Nick was knocked off his feet, flipping like a rag doll as he tumbled across the ground and landed in a heap. The deathclaw pounced to him, upon him in an instant -- it picked him up with one hand, its sharp claws glistening as they pinned his right arm to his side, feral madness in its eyes as it stared him down.
As Nick struggled in its grasp, his gun lying on the ground below him, he thought it would impale him right there, as he'd seen the do to others. He could picture, in that second that it held him in the air, his middle being torn apart, mechanical innards spilling as his primary processor lost power. He'd helped others, people he didn't recognize, newcomers to the city with no idea what they'd been thrown into... but at what cost?
But Nick Valentine was lucky. Instead of stabbing him through, it grabbed his free arm and pulled.
He'd only been vaguely aware he'd been tossed again, barely recalled a second deathclaw arriving and knocking him from the first. Things got hazy when he hit the ground as the two beasts started fighting, forgetting about the ruined synth lying only a few feet away. He couldn't say how long he was out, but by the time his systems rebooted from their emergency shutdown, the monstrous creatures were gone. They must have thought he was dead.
Hell, he'd thought he was dead too. But as he picked himself off the ground -- literally, in this case -- and tried to ignore the warning messages blaring through him, he realized how lucky he was. He might not be so lucky next time.
And so it's late by the time he limps toward the home he shares with Rey. His coat is in tatters, his mechanical body trembling with each step, his left arm completely torn from him... but at least he's coming home.
II.
It was lucky for others that he'd been at the Colosseum. Despite the fact he'd told Rey he'd stay out of the fray that usually accompanied those brought through the Door, he couldn't help but get involved when he saw what monsters made it into the city.
Deathclaws. Of all the Commonwealth's horrors, it had to be the ones the size of a tank that packed enough punch to easily bring down an entire group of settlers, raiders, or even a Brotherhood patrol -- whichever was unfortunate enough to come across one. He'd only seen them up-close when with a few others, and they'd usually known better than tangling with the gargantuan beasts; when he was alone, he'd kept his distance from the creatures, deciding some things were not worth risking life and limb over.
There was no option this time -- he had a job to do, and there were people who needed help. They had no idea what they were up against. And so he'd pulled out his pistol and fired a few rounds at one's face. The bullets hardly made a dent, but they got its attention, and that was good enough.
Nick was also lucky, at that moment, that he's a synth. He had a few close calls as he kept distracting the beast, his glowing eyes watching the rest of the Colosseum. Some people escaped, running to safety; others fought more deathclaws that wandered the arena, keeping those who couldn't defend themselves safe from harm. There were too many to handle them all -- once he had a moment, he'd run for himself. He just hoped the repaired connection in his leg held out.
It did: Rey did a good job. Hopefully, she could do the same for the rest of him.
There was only so long he could dodge the beast, evading its horns as it charged, ducking under its swings, avoiding the lashing tail that followed behind it. Eventually, it managed to catch him, its massive hand slamming into his side, its claws cutting through his coat as though it were made of paper. Nick was knocked off his feet, flipping like a rag doll as he tumbled across the ground and landed in a heap. The deathclaw pounced to him, upon him in an instant -- it picked him up with one hand, its sharp claws glistening as they pinned his right arm to his side, feral madness in its eyes as it stared him down.
As Nick struggled in its grasp, his gun lying on the ground below him, he thought it would impale him right there, as he'd seen the do to others. He could picture, in that second that it held him in the air, his middle being torn apart, mechanical innards spilling as his primary processor lost power. He'd helped others, people he didn't recognize, newcomers to the city with no idea what they'd been thrown into... but at what cost?
But Nick Valentine was lucky. Instead of stabbing him through, it grabbed his free arm and pulled.
He'd only been vaguely aware he'd been tossed again, barely recalled a second deathclaw arriving and knocking him from the first. Things got hazy when he hit the ground as the two beasts started fighting, forgetting about the ruined synth lying only a few feet away. He couldn't say how long he was out, but by the time his systems rebooted from their emergency shutdown, the monstrous creatures were gone. They must have thought he was dead.
Hell, he'd thought he was dead too. But as he picked himself off the ground -- literally, in this case -- and tried to ignore the warning messages blaring through him, he realized how lucky he was. He might not be so lucky next time.
And so it's late by the time he limps toward the home he shares with Rey. His coat is in tatters, his mechanical body trembling with each step, his left arm completely torn from him... but at least he's coming home.