The Illusion of Truth is a Fallout fanfic featuring both my Lone Wanderer Malcolm Gray and my Sole Survivor Nora C Cartwright.
Original post:
I guess I can share my dork (ref sheets made by the wonderful @x-enocyon):
Malcolm Gray is my Lone Wanderer, angry with James for abandoning him in the vault, frustrated with the Brotherhood's lack of action regarding many wasteland issues, and eventually finding himself as Colonel Autumn's protégé.
For ten years Malcolm finds himself based out of the Whitesprings, training to become a military leader in the Enclave, participating in cybernetics research, conducting solo scouting operations for future Enclave occupation, and seeking out vaults with high likelihoods of dwellers to recruit into the Enclave.
With the successful capture and occupation of the Commonwealth in 2288, the now General Autumn promotes Malcolm to the rank of colonel, giving him authority over the region. The Enclave's presence in the Commonwealth does not go uncontested, leading to further conflict within the region and Malcolm himself.
Malcolm is highly knowledgeable in the medical field thanks to James's efforts in Vault 101, branching into cybernetics after seeing the current and developing technologies available to the Enclave, primarily focusing on helping injured soldiers regain use of lost limbs. He also is knowledgeable in computers and other technical equipment, a proficient vertibird pilot, and is skilled in under cover operations.
After being seemingly abandoned, Malcolm is desperate for approval and acceptance from those he respects and cares for, sometimes blinding him from right and wrong. He finds it difficult making personal connections given his position as Autumn's successor and spent a lot of time believing they would hold him back as he pursued his Enclave career.
After finding people who show him the problems with the Enclave, Malcolm is able to understand how the Enclave has caused considerable damage to the country they have claimed to protect over the years and becomes one of the people spearheading efforts to rebuild the country in ways that everyone can agree on.
Malcolm is a major character in my fic and he gets to be the favourite of my OCs.
(this came out of a conversation in the comments on a previous post about an author threatening to stop updating a fic because of lack of engagement)
So there’s this idea that fic writers should write for themselves and not care too much about stats or engagement,
and i totally get the sentiment behind that. if writing becomes entirely about stats and external validation, something important does get lost - creative freedom and joy, conviction in your own writing
but i also think:
“i write for myself, but i post for others.”
because posting fic is not only self-expression. it’s social. ao3 is called an archive, but emotionally it often functions as a community space.
people post for connection, for participation, for others to bear witness to their pain and trauma and grief,
and i don’t think most people are asking to be admired so much as acknowledged. there’s something deeply human about wanting another person to encounter something that mattered to you and go:
“ok, yeah, I see what you were trying to say. I see you.”
especially because fanfic is often people processing very real feelings through fictional characters at a safe distance, one step removed,
and then uploading that deeply personal thing into a shared archive and hoping somebody else might connect with it.
And i think that’s why it hurts so much when you summon up the courage and post a fic into the void and you get nothing back,
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Part II: Learning Curve
Far away from the Capital Wasteland, Malcolm begins a new journey in the heart of the Enclave. With opportunities far beyond what Malcolm would have ever had back in Vault 101, he is hopeful he can find his purpose on the surface world he now calls home. As Malcolm advances his Enclave career, he begins to explore both his strengths and travels to regions beyond the Enclave's slowly growing influence.
When MODUS detects a nuclear detonation near the western coast, General Autumn brings Malcolm to investigate the mysterious event that in theory should have not been possible. With the Enclave regaining control of the country's nuclear arsenal, who else knew any launch codes after all this time?
The fic snip about meat just reminded me of a scene from the So You Want To Be A Wizard series (also called "Young Wizards"). Part of learning magic in that setting is a language called The Speech, which is understood by everything and let's those who know it understand anything in return, thanks to it being effectively the source code of the universe.
And early on, one of the deuteragonists is a little weirded out when the lettuce in the fridge says that it's going to go bad soon, so it should probably be eaten before long.
Eventually, the characters come to terms with it because death and eating is just part of how life works, but it was still off-putting at the start of her wizardly career. (The other main character, however, has his own issues with being good at talking with machines and stone, and how they have a lot to say about how they're treated.)
Adam Jensen? Handsome. Most handsome male character I've ever laid my eyes upon. Beauty sculpted by the gods (and then a second time by David Sarif). The prettiest softest prosthetic eyes you can imagine. Nose made to be kissed. I don't really care for cheekbones, but they are good if you care about them. Thick soft hair made to run your hands through as if it was your pet's fur. Nice lips. Eyebrows and beard impeccably groomed. Funny little razor marks (idk what else to call them) in said beard. Well-fitted designer clothes without showing off. Rough but quiet voice.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Malcolm swallowed and looked away. Where would he go? Any territory the Brotherhood touched would be risky as they probably saw him as the enemy now. He had been run out of Vault 101, and he had the impression that he wouldn’t be welcome back based on Amata’s message with no way to return it without know what frequency was being used – that was probably given out on a need-to-know basis. His Pip-Boy could supposedly be configured to listen for those frequencies, but at this point he doubted he could remain close enough to pick up any future signals from Vault 101.
This is the last chapter of Voice of Authority, in which Malcolm decides where he will go after the events at Project Purity.
Learning Curve is on its way as Part II of this fic.
making a proper post for my open commissions. due to a family emergency that I won't go into, I uh... need to gather funds within the next month... and let's be honest, need the distraction of work.
most of what I enjoy is chibi work but there are other options on my ko-fi listings you can peruse.
Not sure why it's a new trend among fic readers to assume if the fic has not been posted within the week it's inappropriate to comment on it, like the fic has to be hot out of the oven to give feedback for.
I got a comment on a fic that is less than a year old and it was mostly an apology for being a comment on an "old fic" and how late they were in commenting.
Just comment on the fic. Doesn't matter how old it is.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Malcolm returns to Project Purity on the heels of Liberty Prime and the Brotherhood of Steel, and makes decisions that will forever shape the wasteland.