That's that then, we have the tale of the Enclave's fall and Arcade's rise. Its certainly something for Arcade to work on, coming to terms with who his father was. The man he admired as a boy and wanted to be just like. He does take a more dismissive stance against him and the other Remnants here at the end. Which does make me wonder besides Meghan what else changed between this time and the Mojave that he warmed to them again? Ah well, no need to take away all the mystery.

Overall it's nice to see the Remnants be fleshed out and a small look at the human side of the Enclave. This is a pretty damn important piece of Arcade's life, and it needed to be told. I'm not sure anybody else has done it. So kudos for that, and doing it justice!

Oh! Miriam got it together, good for her. Whatever good that is. I guess a small comfort in the final fall of life as they knew it. I appreciate that you humanized those unfortunate NCR soldiers who breached the Gannon house. Most would have tried to keep them gruff, maybe even demonized them to make it easier for Miriam to shoot. And with the later knowledge from Grisham it was for the best she did, cause they wouldn't have shown mercy on her.

Grisham was not a POV I would have expected to see. His words to his subordinate are the the best way to keep him focused and composed. Leave the humanization and introspection for later. It's nice to see him when he was a leader, and he seems like a decent one at that. He has a mindset I'd say, once again using WWII, that was similar to Allies when they opened the can on just how bad the Nazis were. Plenty thought all of Germany was complicit in those crimes. In the heat of the moment it's hard to comprehend things as bad as that can be done without anyone knowing.

And Orion, quite sensitive, truly a gentle touch. Though in fairness he's not wrong about Arcade being the last of them.

Ah, the frustration mounts with Arcade. It's a lot for a boy his age to have on his shoulders, but he's smart and his dad had the decency to pass on some broad shoulders to help. But kids are a lot stronger than people give them credit for these days. Seeing the state his mother's in is truly tragic when we got a glimpse of her before it all came crumbling down. Considering how far the Enclave has been pushed there's just nothing left of her life to cling to but Arcade. And his strength doesn't help her, only allows her to fall further because he'll always pick her up. No boy can let his mama fall. We just can't.

A glimpse at Judah as well, the man behind the calm mask. He strikes me as the epitome of married to duty. But now that is cracking as the Enclave moves east and leaves them to their own devices. But he still has a duty to the people left, something I suspect he hasn't forgotten even by the time he's in the Mojave. It's also now very apparent why he refused to have Veronica in his home. The Brotherhood took his son from him, and used the body to take a friend. I suspect we'll see a bit more of that side of him before this is over.

There's a definite an undercurrent of uncertainty laced throughout this chapter. With the Oil Rig gone, along with their people, they couldn't be hanging in a more precarious spot. What I find most impressive is that Arcade is actually the one with the most certainty of belief. Sure it's born of a child's narrow and innocent view, but still impressive.

Miriam's fear, terror really, is just another reinforcement of how human she is. She doesn't have her husbands martial strength and skill to protect Arcade from the physical dangers. Nor can she protect him from the dangers of fallout or disease. Even if her fears are overblown it's not hard to see why. The Oil Rig had to have seemed untouchable, and now it's gone. If that doesn't slap you in the face with your mortality I don't what could.

And Israel, how the hell could you take Eden's words at face value? If I were in his position I'd call it a trap too. The irony, that he lost his life thanks to a trap laid by the Brotherhood then is very poignant. And I doubt this is the death he'd expected for himself. No heroics, or even final words of comfort.

I gotta say, the title of this chapter was a perfect choice.

Ah, here's the character writing that we know and love. Miriam is a very human character, unsurprisingly given her status as a civilian in every sense of the word. She's got a narrow idea of the world and view on life. She just wants to be happy with her family, something I think anyone can relate to. Plus you didn't give her any meta knowledge of the world around her which is something that would have been so easy to fall in to.

And a little piece of happy romance to see how it all began between her and Israel. Who'd a thunk a too low shower door would be the catalyst for a marriage? How it began to strain as well was a treat to read. The Oil Rig is not much different from a Vault, and the inhabitants are likely similar to vault dwellers in how they feel about the outside. Oddly enough I was surprised by Israel's optimism and hopes. Though unsurprisingly it's tempered by reality quickly.

One thing I really like about this chapter and story is seeing where Arcade got his traits. I would have expected he got his optimism from his mother not his father. And for his medical/scientific aptitude to come from his mother rather than his father. Surprises but I like that. Injecting both parents into him in different ways.

And now we take the next step towards the demise of their way of life.

Hmm, this is a hard one for me to do. While your writing is just as great as always, there are things that really stood out to me, and some of it from my background. For one is Israel's voice, it doesn't feel very authentic. At first it was fine, the banter was right, but when the mission began it became much more obvious. I mean no offense when I say this, but he seems less like a soldier, and more like what civilians think we're like. Which I understand, this isn't precisely your area of expertise.

One thing, is his thoughts during the action, this was the most jarring to me. You're not meant to think when the bullets start flying, just act. You don't worry about who it is you're shooting at, if you agree with your officers, your bullshit orders, nothing. You move, you shoot, you fight. Because your life is on the line, but also your team members are depending on you too. If you're off in lala land you're not covering their backs, which is selfish and it'll get people killed. The introspection comes later, when the dust settles.

Second thing, is that this fire team feels very disjointed and disorganized as opposed to what should be cohesive and disciplined. They don't really move or operate together. Fire teams are always connected, moving together, watching each others back, the surroundings, and communicating if not vocally than through signals, hands or otherwise. So for Israel to just sort of run off on his own stands out like a beacon to me.

I'll cut off there for military stuff though, there's something else I feel I should point out. It's the way you've chosen to... portray them I guess? I'm not sure that's the right word I'm looking for, apologies. Let me explain though, the way you seem to be portraying them is like, for a real world example, they're the SS guarding the Concentration camps. Very informed and complicit in every crime that's being carried out. Which would probably be more reserved for the Enclave Secret Service and officers on the Rig around POTUS.

The more likely parallel I would draw for the soldiers of the Enclave like Israel and the rest, would be the Wehrmacht. The regular German army, these men were simply soldiers following orders. They were no different than US GIs, Brits, or Canadians really. They're not kept in the loop about experiments or sensitive information. Hell, even the SS serving alongside Wehrmacht units weren't privy to the extent of the Nazi parties crimes, not to mention near the end of the war even the SS were drafting. This is why you can find interviews of SS members who weren't locked up after the Trials. If any of them disobeyed however, unlike the Allies (barring the Soviets that is), they would be executed. And their family, disgrace to the party and Germany would be the best they could hope for.

Anyway, I hope this doesn't come off like ragging on this. I'm not, just trying to point out some stuff I think hurts this chapter and be constructive.

Evil robot? No, but if he had gone east there's always that giant one who loves democracy and doesn't really care for communism...

Joking aside, it's nice to get a look behind the curtain here. One thing I think a lot of people tend to forget is that groups like the Enclave will have civilians. Innocent people that are just trying to raise a family and live their lives. Of course, it's much easier and cleaner to just pigeonhole the whole faction because of the leadership. The fact the oil rig very well should have had decent, innocent people on it along with the bad ones is far too dirty. So something that shows the other side, and their stories is refreshing.

Little Arcade has the right voice as well, he's not 40 year old Arcade in a smaller package. But instead a rightfully innocent, bright, and childlike one. Seeing how he will process the death of his father and hero is set up to be rightfully tragic. I can see this'll be an important piece for whatever is coming in the series.

wow... okay, first of all, having finished this, let me say that I am weeping for Arcade Gannon and the unfairness of the world. This was both brilliant and brutal. if I could have asked for one thing it would have been for a bit more description of his poverty in the NCR. The story about the rat was good, but just a little bit more before the party to give it a bit more of that personal touch. The party scenes themselves were amazing, and again it's clear how character-driven your work is. I did give
Arcade any more than a nod and a smile when I played FONV. Reading this makes me want to re play it, but I am sure the character in-game would not really compare to the one we've met here.

This is exquisite. Israel's conflicts, the increasing desperation, Miriam trying to juggle parenthood and all the mounting problems experienced by the group at Navarro. it's so difficult not to feel their plight, even though the true face of the cancer that is the Enclave is clear. And yet... Israel justifying the atrocities he was committing is a beautiful exploration of human nature. Arcade's POV sets the tone most of all, since it is impossible for a small child with a good home life to judge its parents as anything other than good guys. so again you twist the reader's emotions. forcing us to decide what us good, what is evil, and what stand in between.

Mechanically, I find the writing to be very competent, as we gave come to expect. The only time I ecperienced any awkwardness was when you were showing the Enclave as bad guys during the attack on the tribals, as if you were trying too hard to paint them as villains, perhaps? But it was isolated. and I would call this all around top drawer writing.

Ha! So today was the day I learnt the word limit on FFN. Here's the rest of it.

While I am talking about characters, I have to talk about Miriam – I couldn’t believe that she was an OC when you told me, she is hands down in my top 3 OCs I have ever read in a fanfiction. I couldn’t help but feel for her in every step of this – the young love, the isolation, the realisation that life hadn’t turned out the way she wanted, the suffering from grief from a distance, the despair and the anger. The moment when she finally reconnected with Israel – when as a reader you knew what was just about to happen – was one of the most poignant moments in this for me. There was such a sense of hope from her that everything would be okay, that they would continue to get through this together. The way you described the isolation she faced before and after her husband’s death was hugely emotional to me (and I am in no means in her situation or anything similar) and both Chapters 3 and 4 had some of my favourite scenes in the story, predominately for how incredibly relatable Miriam was. She had an incredible presence. I felt my heart break for her on more than one occasion and she definitely rivalled Arcade at times as my favourite character. The fact that the last passage referring to her involved the use of paranoia was heartbreaking, but also felt fitting for her changing mindset. I am grateful that you gave her a moment to be a powerful badass in the scene with the soldier breaking down the door, and she could shine as being a mother that got her son out of there safely and gave him the chance to be who he would grow to be. The few scenes between her and Daisy were particularly memorable, especially as they came at very stressful moments and the depiction of Miriam hearing about Israel’s death in the first chapter is one of the best descriptions of immediate grief that I’ve ever read – and showing it from Arcade’s perspective was a clever decision.

Following on from this, your portrayal of the differing forms of grief has been absolutely stunning, and incredibly moving. “No one had ever told Arcade why he'd taken his first steps in a world saturated by grief.“ – this line remained in my head till the end and is my favourite of the story. I also liked that the theme of grief didn’t just include a very sensitive portrayal of a child’s reaction to the loss of a parent, but you also delved into the loss of choice through Miriam and the realisation that the system you thought was right, was in fact just as evil as the propaganda had portrayed it. I’ve discussed them all in their own chapters so won’t repeat myself anymore here, but each of these elements really came together beautifully.

I should also note that I adored the circular timeline for the first four chapters – at some point in chapter four, I realised that we were coming back around to the events of the first chapter and that feeling of inevitability made that chapter incredibly impactful. Absolutely brilliant method of storytelling, and I have to say I’ve learnt a lot from the way you crafted this story.

All the supporting characters were brilliant but I particularly loved Israel, Daisy, Judah, Eb and Grisham – I can’t wait to see them pop up again in Courier.

I have been struggling a bit with how to end this review because it’s hard to put into words how much, at times, this story has emotionally affected me. I can’t believe that the word count for this ended up under 30k, because you definitely packed a huge amount of content in this. Your style of writing is one of my all-time favourites. There were so many sentences or passages in here that I reread over and over again on each chapter and some of them truly stuck with me long after I initially read them. I will definitely be reading this again after I’ve discovered more of adult Arcade in your other stories. For a story that I went into solely because I had enjoyed an excerpt on Reddit, with absolutely no knowledge of the fandom other than it existing and there being guns involved, it was never an issue and this sucked me in from the outset.

Thank you for introducing me to your favourite character – you completely and utterly did him justice. Absolutely incredible story. Very moving, I am so, so grateful to have been here for the journey through this one. Can’t wait to launch into the next one!

I definitely wasn't emotionally prepared for this and I'm glad I didn't review on the first read – I just wanted to absorb this beautiful conclusion in its entirety. And what an ending! Two cups of tea and quite a few tears later and I was just staring at my screen in silence for a long while after the first read. Now I’ve had some time to process it, here we go! Chapter first? Chapter first!

First of all, loved the title of this last chapter! I loved how we jumped forward a few times in this chapter – it really added to that bridging feeling between Arcade, the boy we have gotten to know, and Arcade, the man he will become. This yes, caused many tears. This type of epilogue really pulls at my heartstrings. I enjoyed that we got to see Arcade and Miriam coping with some normal issues, but with the undercurrents of their tragic past being brought through. The "Dressed like that?" was great, but the descriptions of how fragile she had become was sad – the evolution of Miriam has been a particularly well done part of this story, but it still hurt to see her struggling to find anything to live for past her son. I really liked this sentence – “He'd passed her in height many years ago, and she'd seemed to shrink in the same timeframe, worn down by the stress of life and work in the city.”

It was really fascinating to see what a city within this universe looked like after what I had been picturing as a desolate outpost town in the rest of this story – like this bit “the accumulating waste of the masses had outpaced the NCR's attempt to rebuild a functional sewer system from the ruins of the old.” The suggestions of riots over lack of food and the descriptions of smell were well done, and very quickly removed any illusion that this city was a utopia in comparison. Appreciated seeing how Arcade’s history had a lasting effect on how he saw the soldiers within the city – loved how this bit started a paragraph – “Arcade never got used to them. Never felt safe in their presence. NCR khaki and Brotherhood chrome were the same to him - both had the same, terrible associations of death, loss, and danger.” Really nice jump from this outer perspective of the city into how it specifically affected him. Loved this line – “Maybe they couldn't tell what he was. Maybe, as long as he kept his mouth shut, he'd be safe.”

The scene transitions were just brilliant here. Loved the jump into the classroom and the use of this line to escalate the impact of the scene in particular – [His teacher derailed this fantasy with a departure from the usual lesson plan, "Today, we will be learning about the crimes of the Enclave…"]

["The Enclave engineered deadly viruses for mass dissemination, slaughtered civilians… experimented on prisoners, stole children. Their immoral use of technology - including weapons of mass destruction - represented the single greatest threat to peace and civilization since the War. None of us would be alive today if they had succeeded in their plans. They called themselves America's heirs, and in a way, they were: they carried on the worst of that nation's sins."]

This whole passage was excellent – seeing it all written down like this gave it so much power, but what made it even better was seeing the effect it had on Arcade. The initial sneering denial and the slow realisation that there may be some truth to what the teacher was saying. “Would tell him again how his father was a hero. Then everything would be alright again.” – there was so much childlike innocence and hope in this bit.

“As it turned out, his rebellious stomach wouldn't let him be a liar.” Liked this line, and the bursting into the room full of the soldiers and his mother was just brilliant. Especially liked Eb’s physical reaction and loved this piece – [Judah spoke next, slow and tired, not trying to deny it. "It was war. We lost. History is written by the winners."] – always love that sentiment, it is very true. And my heart broke for Arcade in this little bit – “Say he wasn't, he begged her silently.” Having the soldiers vocalise what they had done out loud was a brilliant way of showing how hard it is to come to terms with actions such as the ones they had been involved in – especially liked the use of “in the calmest and most deliberate language that put the events of that day at arm's length” and Orion’s blustering. “this desperate need to be proud of something” – oh Arcade, what are you going to do…

The constant concern that one of his actions or facial expressions had let them know must be incredibly hard to cope with for a child. This - “that self-preservation and self-control had lost” – was difficult, the amount of blame and stress he has had put upon him is just hard to imagine. This was a great description – “Her pinched, old-woman's face seemed incapable of smiling, but she made a quick, nervous effort for him.” The whole conversation with the Dr was nerve-wracking – I loved the style of jumping back into Arcade’s thoughts throughout, it added to where he knew he was being caught out. Particularly liked this description – “He kept his face smooth and innocent, eyes wide behind his glasses. Inside, his heart was pounding so loud that he was sure the other two could hear it.” Their decision was interesting – liked the use of both “I'm not going to dignify that with a response, Mr. Gannon. As the saying goes, 'speak the devil's name and he shall appear.’” and “not in the habit of punishing children for the sins of their fathers”.

Adored this – “He had the height for it now, but he didn't have the heart. Or the skill, as Orion had told him, many, many times.” Really liked the tone of this bit, as well as the updates on his age and studies. Enjoyed the scene of them around the fire, talking about their lives, and seeing how many of them were living in the past. I did really like the sense that he had this extended family that all provided different perspectives and skills.

[They gave him a sense of belonging that he hadn't felt for a very long time, but they also made it harder for him to return to life as usual. They nurtured the tiny seed of resentment that told him that he deserved better out of life, that he was better than the common lot.]

Enjoyed this, and how it tied into how conflicted Arcade is about where he fits in. He’s the sort of age where this would be happening regardless - and it felt very realistic from that sense – but there is this added level of how difficult it would be to constantly walk on eggshells, unsure if you would one day be caught and punished for something you had no control over and to be unable to embrace your own history. [As it was, though, the wide-open spaces and the solitude made him uncomfortable. He was always uncomfortable, though, no matter where he went. That seemed to be his natural state of being.] – loved this piece.

Enjoyed the conversation between Arcade and Eb – partly because it added a new aspect to Eb’s character and partly because it felt like something that had needed to be said to Arcade for a long time and I loved this – “Where you came from shouldn't define every step you take. Especially if going back isn't an option.” Such a beautiful piece of advice. It was a *cough* tearful moment (even the second time round) with Arcade asking about his father and I think it was very telling that this had been the thing to actually give him the courage to ask. How long must that question have been rattling around in his mind… it was hard to read that his memories of his father had been poisoned by the bad experiences and revelations since his death. That would be incredibly tough to cope with. Liked this line from Eb – “Not mooning over the wreckage like the rest of us.“

["Make no mistake: he did. I watched him." Eb bowed his head. "Tried to stop him once. He didn't understand, not then or later. Maybe… maybe if we'd had that conversation ten years before Arroyo, away from the smoke and screams and spears, he would have listened. He was smart. He'd read all the books, just like you, and could talk your ear off with ideas. I don't know how he ended up with the same answers as Moreno in the end, but he did… not as brutal, but still the same."]

I started quoting the first bit of this, and then realised that no, the whole thing is just brilliant. The bluntness of the opening part and no sugar coating; which as much as Arcade was hoping to have his father exonerated, part of me feels like he needed to hear. After having so much held from him over the years, this seems like one of the only opportunities to actually know something real. And I loved the ending, with “I don't know how he ended up with the same answers as Moreno in the end” after bringing in how intelligent he was. This resonated with me. The narrative that you would have to be naïve to believe in a regime like the one you have described the Enclave to have been is naïve in itself. Everyone has the potential to be swayed by ideals and circumstance. Just in case I forget to mention this later, I really appreciated the fact you gave Israel some POVs because his take on his job and what they were fighting against was equally fascinating and humanising.

Arcade’s reaction was perfect. I have nothing else to say. That passage captured the emotion, the frustration and the anger spectacularly and managed to make him sound equal teenager who has just found out a horrible truth and child who doesn’t want to believe that fairytales don’t exist. Brilliant build-up and piece of writing. Also really loved this – “In his mind's eye, he saw animals, their features bestial, their bones inhuman, their deaths inconsequential.”

This was just brilliant as well – “People who had never seen monsters like us before. People armed with sticks and stones. It wasn't a battle like you're imagining. It was a massacre.” Such a to-the-point impactful way to put it. I really appreciated the transition into speaking of the good aspects of Israel’s character. Loved this bit – “Arcade had unmoored himself somewhat from his origins, but still had a father he could accept on some level.” and that he said something back to Eb. I like to imagine Eb knew what he wanted to say.

Liked the jump back to the opening scene. “He wasn't sure why he was hesitating, except that he still didn't know who he wanted to be.” – aww, that’s okay Arcade – most people at 18 don’t have a clue as well… listen to the Sunscreen Song, it will make you feel better.

“Later in life, maybe, he'd perfect the art of shooting down the advances of the women who came, drawn to his height and looks like moths to a flame. “ – adored this. Liked that we got an update on Miriam and as always, it added to the tragedy of her character “remained the same nervous person as she'd always been, with caution teetering on paranoia.” I liked the use of “he wasn't sure he could have bridged that gap” and “he was in such a habit of keeping secrets that it seemed natural to add one more.”

Oh, and I loved this bit –“It wasn't a part of his story.” The passage of time in this chapter has been so impressive, and I definitely got a sense of Arcade’s voice changing as he learns more and grows up. It makes me very sentimental, but also just so, so in awe of your ability to follow those changes through in such a seamless fashion.

"You look… nice," he volunteered. "Much pinker than you usually are at school." - this was fantastic, love the awkwardness! A really nice moment of humour as well.
["One time," he began quietly, "I saw two children fighting over a dead rat. Winner won a meal." He didn't mention that one of the children had been him, or that his mother had wept when he carried it proudly home to give to her.]
The imagery of the gardens and the wealth was stunning, and fascinating to see the discrepancy – also interesting that Suzanne’s family could afford a bodyguard but even she didn’t come from a family important enough to live there. But this little story in the middle really stuck with me, it adds something extra to the studious, conflicted and frustrated Arcade.

“One of Suzanne's toys.” – it was interesting that Arcade seemed aware of why he had been chosen to attend and where he stood in this crowd. Suzanne seemed completely in control of this whole night, and it was increasingly apparent that Arcade was indeed one of her toys, he ticked a number of boxes that she wanted in a partner for the night and therefore he had been asked. It was a nice contrast with Arcade’s innocence in not knowing how to say no to someone. [Suzanne exclaimed with surprise at this. "Oh, really? How quaint."] This response to Arcade saying he wasn’t a citizen was very telling as to how she actually saw him, and wow, “Auntie” did not hold back at all. I loved how you had Suzanne’s façade come down slowly, despite the airs and graces because she was in public. The annoyance that Arcade couldn’t vote for her aunt, and then straight back into escorting him around was well done. I enjoyed that you chose to have someone like her bring Arcade into this other world, because she really showcased the class issues that were occurring in the city.

Liked this thought by Arcade – “By his smile, Arcade knew that he knew the answer already, and he hated the man a little.” – I’ve said this before, but he is insanely patient. Loved this little moment of vindictiveness thought – “Drawing his arrogance and contempt to himself like a shield, he systematically rejected the best of what the NCR had on display, silently keeping score for his own satisfaction.” Good on ya, Arcade! You’re far better than they will ever be! And I loved the comments about their nation, power and fancy power! Especially this line – “These people didn't deserve the legacy they were trying to step into.”

“You have a very unpleasant expression on your face.” – oof, such a snooty insult! But I loved this – "Would you like to dance?" followed by “He didn't, and also he didn't know how” – I’ve decided that snarky Arcade is a new favourite. I just want his opinions on everything!

She’s clearly not my favourite, but this ramble from Suzanne was just so much fun – "...to our left, that's General Grisham and his second wife - isn't she lovely? She's an absolute bitch. Behind me is my cousin Laura and her boyfriend. He's one of the president's nephews, but let's not go over to them, alright? I'm not talking to her right now. Oh! I love this song. Let's go faster." I liked the conversation between the two of them – I took it that Suzanne felt guilty when asking if he liked her because she had no intention to continue seeing him after the night and didn’t want him to think otherwise. Ooof, forgive me if this wasn’t intended but this – "That's alright, dear. I understand. Let's go get some food. I bet you're hungry." – felt very condescending! Yeah, overall I think she has been an excellent choice to have brought in here – I get the sense that she is indicative of the wealth in this city, a very pretty façade but very judgmental underneath and keen to hold on to that status.

Liked this line from Arcade – “It was stupid to compare the two, and foolish of him to cling to pride in a background he hated.” – and I liked that you used this time to get him to think about where he wanted to place himself in the world. “Ironically, "Auntie Senator's" open dislike had been some of the best career advice he'd received in a long time.” – gold.

“He tried to be upset, but could only manage amusement. Had she used him to make someone else jealous? Apparently. Did he care? No.” – really loved this and that Arcade embraced the opportunity to enjoy himself, that felt very cathartic after everything we’ve seen him go through. Of course, he ended up being escorted out – that felt like the most fitting way for the night to end! What was the thing he stepped on? I have to know!

Liked the little touch at the end reminding how significant the difference between Arcade’s address and where he is now, and led to this line – “What the hell is someone like you doing at a place like this?” which feels so perfect for this stage of the story – really nice choice for an ending scene. For the record, "sociological experiment" would have been a hilarious response, Arcade!

[There was a chuckle in the darkness behind him. "Nope. In the first place, that's not even close to being my job. In the second place, it's almost midnight on a Saturday and no one's going to be there. In the third place, you don't need to be making any decisions right now. Go sleep on it.”] - Fantastic advice, good sir. I love the idea of Arcade pouring out his newly decided life goals to this guy!

[He wanted to explain everything to the kindly-seeming driver - about his father, and Navarro, and days spent at the beach with power armor - but the half-drowned voice of reason stopped him in time. Instead, he contented himself with reiterating his point again. "As far away as possible. That's where you'll find me. I'm going to make the world a better place and make up for some of the bad."]
You have no idea how emotional I was the first time I read this, this chapter alone felt like a journey in itself, let alone the whole story. It felt so amazing to see Arcade reach a happy and satisfying decision after all the conflicted thoughts and pain he has been through.

[A watershed moment in his life. One of many. He could already see his future and it was fully his own. If he saw his father's friends again - if they returned from where they'd faded into the wastes - they'd be visitors from another life. If anyone brought up the Enclave in his presence, he could repudiate it without a shred of guilt. There was no reason why he would ever have to acknowledge it again. That was one secret he would never have to tell.]

And if I hadn’t been already sobbing into my cup of tea, this would have done it. And yes, I mean both times. Surprised I didn’t spill anything to be honest. What an absolutely incredible way to finish a spectacular chapter and an utterly stunning story. This is one of my favourite parts in the whole thing, and as you know, I have so many parts of this that I’ve adored. You completely nailed the landing and pulled off a wonderful backstory to a fascinating and conflicted character. I cannot wait to be able to see how you write him as an adult. From the drabbles and CC extracts alone, I know I am in for some fantastic stories. The sensitivity with which you treated the trauma he had been through was beautiful, and I continued to enjoy how realistic the traits coming through within him as a child and then a teenager. My favourite scenes with Arcade was the one in the make-shift cavern with Judah, the conversation with Eb in this chapter and the scene in his father’s office. I honestly could tell that he’s your favourite character from the game, this was an absolutely brilliant history for him and the love and care you took came through in every part of this story. You completely did him justice and I fell in love with him as a character without ever knowing him as an adult or playing the game.

While I am talking about characters, I have to talk about Miriam – I couldn’t believe that she was an OC when you told me, she is hands down in my top 3 OCs I have ever read in a fanfiction. I couldn’t help but feel for her in every step of this – the young love, the isolation, the realisation that life hadn’t turned out the way she wanted, the suffering from grief from a distance, the despair and the anger. The moment when she finally reconnected with Israel – when as a reader you knew what was just about to happen – was one of the most poignant moments in this for me. There was such a sense of hope from her that everything would be okay, that they would continue to get through this together. The way you described the isolation she faced before and after her husband’s death was hugely emotional to me (and I am in no means in her situation or a

This fic is one of my favorite of yours. I love the way you portray Arcade, and the way you've filled in the gaps in his backstory makes him so much more whole than he feels in game.

Oh my, the irony at the end of this chapter. I wonder what the tipsy but determined and morally driven Arcade on the back of the wagon would think of his older counterpart, and of the amnesiac trouble-magnet that one day began to hang from his sleeve.

This chapter felt like a condensed coming-of-age story and a good climax for the story as a whole. I assume the "million" people living in the Boneyard are a boy's hyperbole, or the NCR has had a spectacular population growth in the past twenty years. Canon has it the NCR's population was around 700.000 in 2242. In a way, the Boneyard felt a lot like Imperial Rome - the huge metropolis of squalor with a population that's a good percentage of the total, feeding off people from the countryside, with enclaves of power and wealth.

We see Arcade's progressive recognition of the crimes of the Enclave and him shedding the emotional affection from his childhood as he grows. In a way, as with many reactions, he goes overboard, and after his conversation with Eb (I *loved* how Eb considers himself guilty by inaction), he seems to lob the Remnants together with the background he ends up only feeling fear, shame, and disgust for.

In finding a balance in his father's role and legacy - even though it's not some definite solution - he fails to give the same courtesy to the people around him. It fits the personality of a bright, arrogant, prideful young adult, and while I can see dregs of it in CC's Arcade, he seems fairer towards the old Remnants in his perennial discomfort there. Maybe time, distance and age mellowed him out, and yet, I can't help but see some parallelisms between the goodbye scene in Revenge, and the "visitors from another life" conclusion there.

It's also telling that he never really manages to shed that discomfort, until Megan cracks all his secrecy with the bluntness and naivety of a jackhammer.

As an aside, Orion Moreno is really the worst candidate to keep a deadly secret on which several lives revolve, secret.

Never I'd have thought of writing a gala scene for Arcade, but unsurprisingly from you, it works well as a cap for young Arcade's growth and in providing a watershed moment indeed. For someone who's lived all his life in the NCR at the poorest edges of society - the image of young Arcade bringing the rat home was very piercing in juxtaposition with the scene as a whole - there was no fastest way to both complete his "disillusionment album" about the NCR's ideas and at the same time recognize the fault in his own arrogant, prideful spite, than to mingle with the highest echelons of that society. The very fact that he doesn't recognize the Boneyard's Senator, while realistic due to the lack of mass media or, say, faces on coins, is also highly symbolic and effective.

Extra points for sneaking in Grisham: it's fitting that the man who destroyed Arcade's first home is (tangentially) present when Arcade decides to leave behind the not-home that was forced on him by events and to make his own path in life. Suzanne seemed nice too, if a bit condescending due to different social stations. I don't see her becoming much more than a socialite who cruises on her family's (blood and acquired) position and fortune, but then again, I'm eager to be surprised.

I think I said everything I wanted to. An enjoyable and thoughtful conclusion to the best work I can recall regarding the Enclave. Well done!

Sincerely,
Alexeij

Seems to be a them with this fic that every time things start to take even a slight turn for the better, the next plunge warms up. Can't say I disagree, it's one good way to create drama, tension, and move the plot forward.

Point in case here. The Miriam we left in the last chapter, completely deluded, too proud and possessive to recognize her downfall and the hurt she did to her son, would have never been able to squeeze that trigger and protect her son, and then we would have seen a very different story. At the same time, it found it darkly ironic how she thought to herself that she didn't force all the weight on Arcade. Mother of the year, you are not.

At the risk of sounding like a faulty holotape, I can't help but stress out how effective the portrait of Miriam and especially Arcade are in making the characters jump out of the screen with their humanity. Sometimes, it's the mundane, instinctive thoughts that achieve this, in contrast with the wider picture worries and considerations. Like Miriam with the socks, or Arcade with the Silver Shroud. Very subtle description of shock too.

I'd say that this chapter jumped around a bit when it came to time progression in Grisham's and Arcade's scene. Was somewhat unclear at first if Navarro was already destroyed, considering how the scene starts with the reasons of the darkness in the NCR camp and the fear of bombing. In Arcade's case it's less jarring, as it serves to show his jumbled, shocked thoughts.

Grisham purports the tried and true "us vs them" and dehumanization of the enemy mentality. Darkly ironic since it's the same thing the Enclave did, in a way, as has every professional military in the world after WWI, with dramatic increases in effectiveness. Carver's name sounds familiar, but it could be me mixing references: wasn't there a young Follower by that name at the Lucky 38?

Moreno has one line, and it portrays him perfectly. Way to go in comforting a child and not putting the burned of the world on his shoulders. Still, I can see how a bitter Arcade may latch onto that in his teen years. It's one hell of a responsibility and inheritance, and it can make things more bearable through purpose when living a lie every day.

Sincerely,
Alexeij

That opening was chilling, but it set the scene so well. We're definitely jumping forward and this chapter was brilliantly tense.

[That had been thirty-six hours ago and she couldn't hold out much longer for rescue. Another distant rumble of artillery fire - this one louder and more sustained that any before - made her decision for her. They would run. They wouldn't be here when the invaders moved on from the main threat.]

I really enjoyed Miriam in this chapter. There is a strength in her that came across when she was faced with some impossible decisions and it showed that the broken woman that we have seen in the last chapter or two still has the fierce personality that she was introduced to us with. Liked the part about accepting help and really enjoyed this line - "Slowly and painfully, goaded by guilt, she'd found her way out of the black cloud that had descended with the news of Israel's death."

I liked the comment about not bearing to leave Israel's whole library behind, and you captured the heart wrenching decisions of what memories to take with them - the photos and letters hit home particularly well. I loved this part - "Belated thankfulness mingled with bitterness. If only he were here now. Then she would feel like they had a chance."

"Protective fury overrode her timid nature." I was silently cheering for Miriam in the confrontation! I would have actually cheered, but I was already maybe getting weird looks for my grinning... I love that you had Israel's words interspersed with her actions, that flowed beautifully. The short, sharp sentence at the end about vomiting was great, as was the comment about the carpet! I found this part really sad, poor Arcade - "His reading material - a comic book she had told him he could not pack - still lay open in front of him."

Still really enjoyed Colonel Grisham's scene. Seeing their escape from that viewpoint showed just how vulnerable their position was, and how much Miriam's decision had been an impossible choice to make - they were in danger either way. I still find this line so horrifying, but it really gets across the brutality of war in only a few words - "Either way, it'll be easier to reeducate him if we don't shoot his mother in front of him. They'll take her out of sight first."

These two bits - "We're not risking a clean win for mercy. That's a luxury for politicians in peacetime. Not for us." and "There's your problem, soldier. They're not like us. Dismissed." - ooof. Just brilliant writing. I think Colonel Grisham is my new favourite supporting character - you gave him some of my favourite lines in such a short scene. Loved his introduction here.

Your scene changes were spot on as usual. Ending with the callousness of that last line from Grisham and then starting with the wistfulness of "There had been a time in Arcade's life when he would have given almost anything to go up in a vertibird with Daisy and her friends." was just perfect again. I'm mourning the loss of the comic book. Liked the throwaway comment about the two men after he realises how upset he is about the book. Miriam was still a champion here, this has been a great chapter for her. Still mad at Orion for that line - tisk tisk, really not the time.

One more chapter! I am not emotionally prepared for this to end... and I can't figure out what sort of note you are going to even end this on!