Rusty and Vix passed through the open fence of the extremely large junk yard. Rusty saw rows and rows of rusted cars, piles of washing and drying machines, toasters, lawn mowers, and various other items. She shook her head in thought. The old world people were very wasteful. It was little wonder that they ran out of resources.

“It's crazy to think that people were so wasteful.” Rusty said as she scanned the tall piles of at all the junk.

“I'd say so.” Vix agreed. “But come on... we got to find the parts we need. If we can.”

The two girls headed down the nearest row of cars. Rusty was shocked at just how many were gutted. Car after car after car had seats missing, wheels and tires gone, and engines with nothing but the block remaining.

After walking past 40 cars or so, Rusty blinked in disbelief. “So many cars have been stripped. Do you think that only one person is doing this?”

Vix shrugged. “Could be more than one person. I'm not really sure.”

Rusty suddenly heard a growl from behind her. She spun around 180 degrees, unsheathed her sword as she did, and cut a mole rat in half at the waste, killing it instantly, all in a blink of an eye.

“So, that's a mole rat, I guess?” Rusty asked as she flicked the blood off her sword.

Vix nodded, clearly impressed at how fast her friend was. “Uh, yeah. Wow. You're quick. Anyway... yeah. That's a mole rat.”

“Gross...” Rusty sheathed her sword. “So, shall we keep looking?”

“Right.” Vix said, as she and Rusty kept looking for a car that hadn't been gutted.

After half and hour or so, they came across a car that still had all the wheels and tires still on it. Vix shouted in triumph.

“Sweet.” Vix said as she took out a tape measure. “These wheels and tires will be perfect.” She put her tape away, and then took out a socket wrench. “Keep an eye out, will ya?”

Rusty smiled, “Sure thing, Vix.” She kept watch while Vix worked on removing the wheel. While she waited, the hairs on the back of neck her next stood up.

“Vix...” She cautioned in a low whisper, as she sniffed the air. “Something is watching us...”

Vix paused her wrenching. “Uh... where?”

Rusty didn't answer. A... human shaped... thing... wearing a dirty Ghillie suit lunged at her from on top of a car. It swung a baseball, wrapped in barbwire, at her. Rusty backed up away from whatever it was, easily avoiding the swings.

“Whoa!” Rusty said as she ducked am weaved. “Whatever or whoever you are, take it easy!”

The thing growled and took a swing at Rusty's head. The cat rolled her eyes and easily caught the bat with her left hand and gripped it hard. She quickly grabbed the suit with her right hand and ripped it off of her attacker.

A young girl with dark pink hair stood before her, and mocha coluored skin. At least, she looked like a young girl. A 1/4 of her face, and her right leg were metal.

“What the?” Rusty gasped out of shock as she dropped the Ghillie suit. “You're a synth.”

The young girl let go of her bat, and took advantage of Rusty's surprise and tried to punch her.

“Hey, now.” Vix said suddenly as she grabbed the girl's hand from behind her. “Take it easy, kid.”

The girl spun her head around and looked shocked that Vix was there. “Let - me – go!” She said as her voice crackled with static.

“Not until you settle down, Kid.” Vix said as she shook her head no. “We're not going to hurt you.”

Rusty dropped the bat and moved quickly as she saw that the young girl was about to throw a punch at Vix.

“Hey!” Rusty said as she put the girl into a full nelson. “Not cool, Kid.”

The girl growled and kicked her legs, trying to break free. “Fuck! Let - me – go!”

“Language.” Rusty said simply as she forced her to her knees, keeping her in a full nelson. “Struggle all you want, Kid, but I'm not letting go, and there's not a chance in hell that you're breaking free.”

“You...” She growled more. “I (sqrk) said (bzzt) let -” her voice crackled and then cut out. As it did, she stopped struggling.

“Your voice box has cut out.” Vix said as she looked at the young girl with her hands on her hips. “If you calm down, I can fix it.”

The girl stopped struggling against the seemingly unbreakable hold and looked at Vix. With pleading eyes, she nodded.

“Rusty?” Vix asked as she looked at the cat girl.

Rusty released the girl from her hold. The girl stayed on her knees as Vix took some tools out of her pouch. The mechanic looked at her metal throat. She nodded as she examined it.

“Yeah. The wires are loose.” She used a screw driver to tighten the screws. She put the screw driver away and pulled out a spool of metal tape. She wrapped a few layers around her neck and put it away.

“There. Should be good.”

“It is?” The young girl said, now without the crackling and buzzing. She sounded almost human like. “Whoa. That's a lot better.”

“Now that you've calmed down,”Rusty said as she crossed her arms. “Who are you, where did you come from, and why are you living here?”

The young girl stood up and looked at Rusty. “My name is Alpha Omega.” She said. “I escaped the Institute before it exploded, and I am living here because I do not trust anyone.”

“Wait... Alpha? You're Alpha?” Rusty frowned. “The first, and only Gen 4 synth prototype.”

“I am,” Alpha nodded. “Wait. How do you know about me?”

“I was also a prisoner of the Institute,” Rusty answered. “I heard rumours that you were created. Based off of some kind of found tech. Carbon fibre parts instead of plastic and steel. Faster and stronger then even the Coursers.”

Alpha blinked. “You... escaped the Institute as well?”

“Wait... hold up.” Vix said suddenly. “You're really a prototype synth?”

Alpha looked at Vix, “Yes.” She looked between Rusty and Vix. “What are your names?”

“I'm Vix. ” Vix greeted. “That's Rusty.” She thought for a second. “Let me guess, Alpha. You're the one one whose been gutting all of the cars, right?”

“Yes.” Alpha answered. “I was using the pieces to build a shelter. I was also looking for parts to fix my speech box.”

“Do you mind if we call you something other than Alpha? It's so... well, Impersonal.” Rusty asked her.

“What should I be called?” Alpha asked.

“Well, you're pretty quick.” Rusty admitted. “You managed to sneak up on me, which is no small feat.”

“That, and all the folks around Albany referred to you as a myth, almost a legend.” Vix chimed in. “Like a little... garbage demon.”

“Searching folklore memory banks.” Alpha said as her right eye flashed. “Oni. Mythical Demon from Japan. A being of Legend.”

Rusty giggled. “Oni, huh? I like it.”

“I do, too.” Vix nodded in agreement. “Now, Oni... would you like to keep living here, or, would you like a safer place to live?”

Oni blinked and quirked her head. “Are you offering me a home?”

“I am.” Vix smiled. “I have a house not too far from here. Me and my wife, Silver, live there.” She gestured to Rusty. “Rusty, her girlfriend, AJ, and their Daughter, Kara, live with us as well.” She gestured to the cars. “We're trying to fix a car to go live in Canada.”

Oni looked at the rusted cars. “You are fixing a car?” She looked at Vix. “What parts do you need?”

“A working fuel pump, tires, and a wheel.” Vix answered. “We found some tires and wheels that will fit. But, uh, not a fuel pump.”

“You need a fuel pump?” Oni asked as she rustled through her shoulder bag. “Like this one?” She said as she pulled the part out of her bag and showed it to Vix.

Vix nodded as Oni handed it to her. “Uh, yeah. Exactly that.” She examined it. “It needs to cleaned out, but yeah... this should work. Thanks, Oni.”

“So, uh, does that mean you want to come with us?” Rusty asked the young synth.

“I would like to live somewhere that... doesn't smell like rust and dirt. Also, dead bugs and mole rats.” Oni admitted. “So, yes. I do want to come with you.”

“Great.” Vix smiled warmly. “Help us with that wheel hub and gather a few spare tires, and we can leave.”

The three girls got work helping Vix remove the wheel hub and put it in the shopping cart. They then gathered 8 tires that fit the wheel hub. Once they were ready, they left the junk yard and headed back to Vix's home.

“So, Oni,” Rusty said as they headed back. “You managed to escape here from the Institute?”

“I did,” Oni answered. “I am a prototype and I don't have a recall code. Since I am stronger than a Courser, they never sent anyone to recover me.”

Rusty winced. They did send someone to recover her. She was sent to recover Oni, but she lost her trail. Well, she tracked her to the border of Boston, but didn't go any further, since her teleporter had a limited range.

“Oni...” Rusty sighed deeply as she stopped walking. “I need to tell you something. Tell you both something.”

Oni and Vix stopped walking and looked at the cat girl.

“Three years ago, I was attacked by a Death-claw,” Rusty said. “I only survived because, well, the Institute found me, and for want of a better term, fixed me. The thing is... they lied to me. Trained me to recover 'lost' synths,” She used her fingers to make air quotes. “I had no idea that these synths were experiencing self-awareness. I was told they were malfunctioning.”

Oni and Vix were silent.

Rusty looked sadly at Oni. “You see Oni, someone was sent after you. Me. The only reason I... didn't keep going after you, was because I lost your trail at the border of New York and Boston.”

“You were sent after me?” Oni repeated with a shocked expression. “I...”

“Again, I didn't know.” Rusty shook her head with a pleading expression. “You have to understand... much like you, Oni, I was programmed. I was trained to hunt down synths. If I had known better, I wouldn't have done what I did.”

Vix whistled. “What changed your mind?”

Rusty looked at Vix. “I was shown the truth. The Director had plans to clone me. Make more of me. Use me as an army.” She placed her right hand on her chest. “My Daughter, Kara, was going to be the first of many.”

Oni looked at Rusty as Rusty looked back at her.

“I want to hate you, Rusty. But I can't,” Oni said simply. “Much like the Gen 1 synths, you could not ignore your programming.” She sighed. “Instead, I... I am going to forgive you.”

Rusty teared up. “You are?”

“I am.” Oni answered as she looked at Vix. “You and Vix fixed me. You are giving me a new place to live. I cannot be mad at you for that.”

“Thank you, Oni.” Rusty said as she wiped her tears. “I really appreciate that.”

“Dang...” Vix said as she used her shirt to wipe her eyes. “It's dusty out here...”

“Yes.” Oni agreed. “The dirt is interfering with my optics as well.”

They continued walking back to the house.

“If I may ask, Oni. Do you have the ability to... learn?” Rusty asked her.

“I am capable of observational learning, yes.” Oni answered. “Why?”

“I think Rusty is wondering if you could learn to use contractions.” Vix said as she pushed the cart. “You know, slang.”

Oni thought for a moment. “Shortened language. I suppose I could speak like that. I will...” She cleared her throat. “I'll start to speak more casually.”

The girls reached the house sometime later, and Vix parked the cart behind the house, next to her work bench.

As Rusty entered the front door with Oni and Vix in tow, she spotted AJ and Silver standing in the living room.

“Hi, AJ. Hey Silver.” Rusty greeted them. “This is Oni...” She then noticed that they looked... concerned.

“What's up?” Vix asked.

AJ smiled. “Well... uh...” She looked at the bedroom door. “Kara? Mama's home.”

The door opened slowly.

“Hi, Mama!” Kara, now clearly 4 years old, said with a big smile. “Imma big girl now!”