Buy, Sell, Trade: Cadence Davinport

Part 1: Death is a life changing experience.
Chapter: Birth

"I'm sorry Cadence."
- Savannah as she stopped Cadence's heart.


"Doctor, it's too late, we are past the five minute mark," the dark haired nurse spoke softly as the flatline remained on the machines. The elderly man continued to watch as he shook his head, "I won't lose all three of them nurse, I won't." The old doctor grabbed a single electro paddle from the table and placed it against the infants chest as the nurse and others turned away and left him alone in the room. "I promised her I'd save one of you, Cadence," the old doctor whispered to the infant as he sent a resounding shock through the infants body.

"She suffered some mild brain damage but nothing that won't be noticable. She'll live though, she has a strong heart like her mother did." The elderly doctor spoke as he watched the infant through the glass, his wrinkled face contorting into a rare smile as he turned away and headed to his room for the night. "This may be my last one," he said to himself as he placed a hand over his heart, adjusting the small electronic device against his chest.

"Come child, let me look upon you for just a time. Indulge an old woman of centuries her devices," the venerable old figure spoke to her, her blue skin common for most ghouls. She moved within her small shop and sat on an old crate, motioning the dark haired woman to sit. "I was once beautiful like you my dear. It is like a mirror of time for me to see you," the ghoul known as Rose continued, her red eyes fixating on the fair skin of the young woman as her green eyes peered to Rose. "I do not wish to bring back old and hurtful memories Rose, really. Last thing I would ever want to do is upset you," the young woman spoke in her usual tenor voice, offering her that charming smile and a hand across the small old table. "You do not child, but I thank you for showing me your kindness again. Few sit and talk to old Rose besides for business, it's why I trade with you now." Rose chortled a cackle as Cadence laughed a little on her own. "Erick and the others can worry about counting and so on Rose, we don't have to leave for another day or so. Please, let me at least get you something as a thanks for all you've helped me with." Cadence spoke kindly to the old ghoul, patting her hand gently as she canted her head to the side. "Well, they do have this lovely plant they call a tulip out where you're going. I used to love tulips when I was like you. Bring me back one of those dear?" Cadence nodded to the Ghoul's request, "I'll bring you a garden of them next time Rose, I promise."

In the wastes there's rarely...a next time...

Part 1: Death is a life changing experience.
Chapter: So I hear you're a trader.

"Because you got an angel inside you, Miss Cadence."
- Boomer Dan


"Drop your weapons and identify yourselves," the mechanical voice boomed from the android, his human like visage was eerie enough let alone the large claw like hands that he had. The brown haired young man next to Cadence was starting to panic a bit, she could sense it as she raised her hands in her tattered leather jacket. "Cadence Davinport, trader, Vault 76," she spoke clearly despite the own state of terror she was in at that moment as the android had turned towards her. She dropped her Beretta to the dirt and pulled up the rather over sized fatigues back onto her hips. "Just drop it Eric, it's not worth the fight," she murmured to the brown haired wastelander with her. His blue eyes looked to her own for a few moments before nodding and reluctantly dropping his own gun, "I'll trust you on this one Miss Cadence, but I'm supposed to protect you." "Can't do that if we're dead Eric," she murmured back as another figure approached, a small Asian girl dressed with a set of Ray-Ban's and some superhero cape with a yin yang on her back. "Who are you? she snapped in her stocatto tone, quite stereotypical of the Asian films Cadence watched in the vault. "Konichiwa, I am Cadence Davinport, Vault 76, we're traders. We mean no harm." Cadence prayed this was a good enough reason had already lost a shipment to some raiders a ways back. "Sven, stay on watch. I'll take these two with me." Kari as she would soon come to be known ordered as she motioned them to an elevator with her machine gun. Eric reached down and procured his own gun as well as Cadence's before they followed her into the elevator.

"Felix, stop trying to stare at my tits and find out what that was!" Kari exclaimed over the radio after a shock and loud boom ad hit the building. Eric had grabbed his gun and looked around wildly. Cadence murmured to herself, wondering why after being interrogated at gunpoint something else should even happen. Kari ran back over and ordered them both up and topside with a man in heavier armor. "Watch these two, they might be raider spies Felix," Kari bluntly ordered as the man just nodded under his helm. "Look, I've told you before, I'm not a raider I am a trader!" Cadence was starting to get stressed as was evident in her tone as Eric forced her down behind a half destroyed wall as a series of bullets flew into it. "Now is not the time Miss Cadence, there's a huge mechanical spider down there!" Eric looked to her worriedly then to his own gun with a bit of despair. The man known as Felix simply raised a long barreled rifle and fired off a series of rounds into it, rocking the air with the sounds of explosions as the large spider tumbled and dropped to the ground. The sounds of another voice came over Felix's radio as he lifted his visor, chuckling. "Whiskey, how did you get in that thing?" he seemed more amused than concerned, clearly not alleviating Eric and Cadence's fear.

The made their way down in the elevator together silently till Felix turned his head and looked over them, or at least what they could assume through the helmet was him looking at them. "Felix, who are you two?" he spoke in a rather polite and calm fashion. "I'm Cadence and this is Eric, we're traders," Cadence spoke with a slight bit of exasperation in her voice, her disheveled clothing and some grease on her face from the fight was evident. "A trader? Don't have one of those yet," Felix continued in their idle conversation as he stepped out of the elevator and towards the downed mechanical spider, another large figure with a cowboy hat on staggering out. "How did you manage to get that thing even running Whiskey?" Felix inquired as he moved over towards the other man. [i]"Patience grasshopper, all things come in time to those that wait," the man chuckled with Felix chiming in as Eric and Cadence looked onwards nervously to the pair. The two began to talk quietly as Cadence straightened her short cropped hair and hiked her fatigues back up on her upper hips. Felix held up his hand and the two began to take cover as Eric pulled Cadence along with him. "I think those raiders found us Miss Cadence, I hear their buggy," Eric whispered as he readied his handgun.

The raider's buggy began to make it's way towards the main entrance, the man known as Whiskey readied his gun and let out a burst into it as the buggy turned then rolled on it's side into the open part of the old building, the three inside bruised up as they tried to make their way out. Felix opened fire, splattering most of the driver onto his own seat as the other two returned fire at Whiskey and Felix, one with a revolver and the other with a sawed off shotgun. Cadence remained down, muttering about just staying home as Eric shouted in the fire fight, "What's that Miss Cadence?" Cadence turned and saw the last raider grabbed by some sleek figured machine with one red glowing eye in it's head. It jumped onto the side of the next building and began to drag the man up the side, it's claws hooked around his torso. Cadence raised her gun and fired, the one 9 mm shell striking through the man's heart as he went limp in the machine's hand as it scurried over the edge of the building. The man known as Whiskey walked over towards Cadence, towering over her a good foot or so he tipped his hat, "So I hear you're a trader?"

People tend to get shot after questions like that...

Part 2: Paladin
Chapter: Hunted by angels
"You are not human Cadence. You choose to be human when you are nothing short of a goddess among ants. Embrace your potential and move on with it without regret. It's the only way you'll ever succeed."
- Felix

The resounding throaty and husky chuckle filled the air amidst the drumming of the rain outside, a few drops splattering against the rusted metal. Only silhouettes filled the darkness of night as the older man simply smiled, watching as the two men hung, twitching and choking on their breaths between the form a good twenty feet between them, only two red ellipses shined from their center as the men's hands shook, dropping their machine guns. "Impressive, with the amount of men and weapons used you seemed to have shrugged it off without concern. Quite the hunter you are child. Now that you're done playing perhaps you and I should discuss what good you can do for your country," the man continued with a rather amused yet firm tone, adjusting the small cells inside of his gloves as he watched the figure waiting a few long moments before the middle aged man let out a sigh and adjusted his patch over his greying brow and right eye. "Just an animal then, your choice my good man. We'll do this your way," he spoke in a rather arrogant remorse as he stepped then pause as the screams filled his ears, his one eye narrowing as the cloud of insects filled the air around the men, thrashing they disappeared with their screams in minutes, the insects collapsing back into the figure. Finally the eerie moanful giggles of a raspy tenor filled the area as the figure crouched down, the man's steps returning to move towards it as he paused again at the voice, "Ah dear Colonel Sledge, wish to donate your soul to me as well or will you learn from them?" the woman's voice teased eerily as he moved his hands behind his back, removing the tranquilizer from his sleeve and chuckling. The moments passed as he snapped his hand out, unloading the small automatic pistol into the being as it jumped and twisted in the air. Shock filled his system as he looked to his shoulder to see red clawed fingers sticking through his shoulder amidst her cackles as she lifted him from his feet, tearing at bone and flesh as he felt her other hand dig and griped onto his spine. The grip ended as he felt himself flung to the ground, the wall behind him shattering as he crawled over, hitting his emergency beacon as lightning crashed around. Sparks flew as he saw wings spinning then a humanoid figure under them as his vision began to blur.

"Desist child of man, this is foolishness. Your path serves nothing but the very thing you hate!" The winged woman's face called out as she watched the dark haired figure stand, the woman's eyes almost burning as she adjusted her blades, ready to defend. "This is not the woman I sought, this is the monster she fights so hard to claim is not her," she spoke more solemnly now as the other woman didn't offer a reply she only charged swinging her shimmering fingertips at the woman rapidly as she blocked them with her blades then pushed through to stab her through the shoulders, pushing her to the ground as the woman growled up at her in defiance, blood coating her face as she watched her with pity. She raised her pink haired brows as she pulled away the hilts, the wounds closing as she canted her head to the side. Something was strange then she folded her wings in on herself as she was lifted to her feet, trying to gain her footing as she was hurled away by the wind, sparks caressing her wings as they finally subsided, leaving her to her knees. She panted, confused, in awe. "A Pariah as well? She's evolved from the tales I have heard," she whispered to herself as she unfolded her wings as the woman came slashing in again, more wild than before, her claws now blades protruding from her knuckles and around her forearm, she swing away then hissed as she felt pain, feeling her blood trickle down her cheek as she shunted with the speed of her wings atop the building, her eyes widened as she looked down the figure, simply smirking in amusement. "She absorbed and is using the crystal, amazing. She must have figured out it's what hurts me," she thought as the woman leaped up with the wind and earth crushing behind her. The woman's blue eyes moved back to the down man, waiting for the last second to come before dropping to the ground again and rolling through the woman's leap before diving to the down man and grabbing the pistol. Pain seared in her leg as she felt the blade twist into her thigh, she turned back to another coming for her face as she threw the woman free of her, unloading the clip into her neck as she fell with a loud thud on the ground. The woman growled and ripped the needles from her neck, seeming unaffected by the cartridges as she leaped back up towards the winged woman. The winged woman sneered in disdain as she dodged the wild attacks, finally landing a few blows of her own, watching in disbelief as the other woman recovered almost instantly from each hit. The sounds of vertibirds filled her ears as she began to grow desperate, the woman seeming unphased by even her power as she gave into her full speed, grabbing one of the beams and smashing it against the woman who simply stood and charged again despite the beating before she suddenly convulsed and fell over limply, the feral features fading as she lifted the woman and took off into the air, barely avoiding the dust of the vertibirds.

"She doesn't look dangerous Woo, what should we do? Chain her up?", the smaller of the two asian twins poked the naked woman's face as she laid there limp and eerily still. "Don't touch her Kim, Sharai said she can do alot more than even she though and given she came back bleeding I'd assume to not provoke her," Jamie Woo slicked back his hair then tugged Kim back as he spoke. "No scars, no birthmarks, nothing. She is seamless," Kai spoke in her usual soft manner, folding her arms as she watched her sister and Jamie's usual exchange. Kai's brow raised as her hand went to the blade at her side, rushing closer to the naked woman as Kim and Woo watched, her skin seemed to part and color as it formed into clothing much like their own, tattered and mundane as the woman began to stir. "Kim, Woo...be ready," Kai spoke, already her blade shimmering as she waited, the whistle of the wind beginning to fill the air around her blade as she paused at the tenor voice. "Wind users, I know your smell," the woman spoke calmly as she slowly began to sit up, her blue eyes almost glowing as she looked to them, rubbing her raven hair. "Where is the winged one that was too afraid to fight fair?" she asked calmly, grimacing a bit as she noticed their weapons drawn, giving them a rather incredulous and amused look. "She saved you from the beast inside of you," Kim spoke rather rudely to the woman. "Kim Kotohari, you'd find it hard to believe she saved Tyson Sledge from me wouldn't you?" The woman simply smirked up to her as she looked to Kai then to Woo who simply sighed in exasperation before Kim snapped back. "Be glad she didn't kill you, from the way she talks you're just as bad as him." The woman leaped to her feet, Kai unleashed the wind from around her blade as she paused in shock, seeing Kim spin and her blade go through the woman only to end up being held up in her grasp, blood beginning to trickle down the sides of her neck as she struggled against the woman's hand, Woo receiving her other hand as he reached for her gun and rolled over to by Kai. "Never compare me to them you little freak!" the woman growled before tossing her towards the other two, her eyes burning red again as her fangs elongated, her features angling to a more feral state. "Enough Cadence!" Sharai called out from behind as the woman stopped, her features returning to their more human state as she turned to see the winged woman. "You can see by blood but I can see in your mind my dear, Cadence Davinport of Vault 76, daughter of Melissa Davinport. Your path has led you here." Sharai paused as she watched the woman who seemed to finally relax from her tense state, "What do you want from me? I have no desire to see anymore dead other than the deserving and none of you fit that category," Cadence spoke with a solemness. "You are not a demon Cadence, never were. You listen to the words of people who are not like you, real monsters." Sharai preached, moving towards Cadence slowly placing a hand to her shoulder. "You cannot find fault in letting others perish who believed in something wonderful Cadence. You gave them hope, power, courage. You did all you could but you cannot blame yourself for their deaths as they would not want you to." Sharai squeezed her shoulder gently as she dropped to her knees, shaking as she braced herself on her hands and knees, sniffling now. Sharai's eyes filed with pain as she gently ran a hand through her hair and helped her to sit back against the large tree, lowering her head as she looked to the others.

"So the Neo-Shodan have found a way to replicate me? The ARC as well?" Cadence asked, a tenseness growing in her voice at this as Woo, Kim, and Kai sat around the fire, looking to Sharai as she spoke, ""The Shodan are a bit behind still but the ARC have used your regenerative and memory recalling abilities over one of their frames and it is our main issue right now. It is why the Enclave came after you, it's been attacking them, a single entity but there might be more." Cadence paused then shook her head, "I can't help you, sorry, I just lead to more trouble, I'm cursed." Sharai in a surprising moment laughed gently, smiling over to Cadence as she did, "This is not the Cadence Davinport I came for. The one that Savannah and Alexis loved? The One Jonas believe in? The one Dan saw as his own mother?" Cadence stood, growling as she snapped over at Sharai, "You can see memories but you don't understand a thing about what was there you giant chicken!" "I understood you were stronger than this and they'd want the Cadence they loved to continue on making this world better. You have their gifts, their legacy, their experience Cadence. You may not like it Cadence but you're the best hope humanity has just as we were once a long time ago." Sharai explained calmly, offering an endearing smile to Cadence as she moved around to her. "Don't let their deaths turn you against what they believed in you for. Be the woman they adored Cadence Davinport, not the monster you think is there." Cadence looked down, her brow knitting in thought as she closed her eyes and gripped her hands into fists.

Part 2: Paladin
Chapter: Know no fear

"You are like a daughter to me in the short time I have known you. You make me proud seeing you blossom into such a strong young woman."
- Black

"You are not human, Cadence. Stop believing yourself less than you are, else you will never be- come," Alexis spit up some more blood as Cadence held her upright, her face covered in green goo and blood, a matching for Alexis amidst the tendril masses of organic fibers laid under them, Alexis's gashed and torn up arm clutched to the blood pouring from her side, her skin paling more by each second as her eyes focused hazily on Cadence's. "Hold on Alexis, please, let me save you," Cadence pleaded in a shaky voice as Jonas watched on, his form flickering behind them as he remained in a grim silence. "You did Cadence, I have lived far too many lives now and the one I wish to leave forever you have given to m-," she grimaced as blood trickled out the side of her mouth, Cadence's tears falling from her illuminating blue eyes as Alexis smiled, her always void-less expression becoming soft and tranquil as her hand move to Cadence's cheek, caressing it shakily as she spoke again. "I want to trade you something...trader," she said warmly as she looked into Cadence's forlorn eyes and continued, "Do not let me die like this, let me die feeling what I once loved. Do this for me and my powers are yours." "I- I can't do that Alexis, I can save you, Savannah was gone," Cadence objected as Alexis gripped with a surprising strength into the back of Cadence's hair, "You will Cadence, just like when you let me go with Jonas deep into ARC territory, because you have a faith that until now I never under-ssstood." Alexis closed her eyes, taking a pained breath as Cadence pulled her close, her lips slowly moving to Alexis's own as she warmly embraced her, stifling her shakiness as the kiss lengthened, deepening more as their lips parted, the blood trickling down both their lips and chins as Alexis began to glow, a muffled few words escaping her lips, "Thank you Cadence, for making me whole again," she finished her last words as her body began to fully glow blue, her features fading in a blue mist and enveloping Cadence as Jonas watched in a mix of amazement and as it made her glow, a strange energy emerging from her as she stood, almost hovering in place as her features refined to the Cadence he first met, the young woman of seamless form with the the soft glowing lines across her body slowly flickering as she finally opened her eyes, the glow ending as she looked to Jonas then around her as the beasts began to shamble towards them both. The deformed children and adults slowly twisting and mending as they looked longingly to her. Cadence stood her ground, nodding to Jonas as he moved towards her, preparing to fight again as he grabbed Alexis's blade. One of the children approached, her blonde hair curling around her face as she began to sob and hugged onto Cadence's leg pleading against it, "Mommy, I'm scared, I had a terrible dream." Jonas spoke finally, looking up to her as he did, "What would you trade for this trader?

The grey of the sky filled their vision as Jonas pressed on, his eyes focusing around the island he once called home. The bleakness of tints and no actual colors filling his vision as he turned to Cadence, tilting his head to the side as he saw a shifting form between Cadence, Alexis, and Savannah watching warily as she went forward, shifting each time his eyes fell from her. They passed into the village, noting it's emptiness as the trio seemed to stop, Savannah's voice beginning, "While Cadence's physical manifestations are not active here we can will them through each of us Jonas, as you have the power here due to your multidimensional transformations," "Meaning we can undo this Jonas, but it will be dangerous and most likely deadly, Alexis followed with her assessment as Jonas eyed the female form before him with each passing of voice. "How do I know you're not just an illusion of this place as well? A trick sent to lead me astray while you hold the real Cadence?" he spoke, preparing himself if the need came. [i]"They are a part of me forever Jonas, a part of my psyche now as when I absorbed them I somehow managed to give them a new body within mine. You are able to see their souls here because they manifest when we crossed into this plane." Cadence spoke simply and calmly as she motioned towards the hatch they sought. Jonas pried it open as the pair climbed back down inside the base, the sound of an old radio still playing despite the absence of anything other than the grey and untouched corridors. Cadence motioned Jonas ahead before she stopped, Alexis's face appearing as her eyes narrowed, her hands gripping into fists before Savannah's face appeared and turned to look over her shoulder then at the floor, "Sal." Cadence's face re-emerged as she jumped up around the shattering of the grate flooring, rolling forward and to her feet as the robotic arm pulled through with the rest of the grating crushing to the enormous armored figure making it's way through. The metallic figure stood pristine before cadence, it's one red scanning eye fixating on her as it spoke in a young girl's voice, "The blast must have fused the three of you together. Do not resist me I am only trying to save you." the figure spoke as it jumped forward, grabbing Cadence about her waist as she punched into it's arm, denting it several times before the other armored hand reached up to grab her hand, pulling it back. Alexis's face emerged as she growled, Cadence's arm flexing as she began to slowly pull her hand with Sal's along, reaching for her mechanical face. "Don't make us do this Sal," Savannah interjected as Sal tilted her mechanical head to the side, releasing her grip on Cadence's midsection before swinging into it with one fluid stroke, sending her up and back a few meters to hit the grating with a loud thud. Cadence reappeared as she balled up her bloodied fists, the metallic skeleton under her skin showing as Sal stopped her advance, noting this in her senors. "Your physical form should not have manifested here." She stated as fact as Cadence stood and charged ahead at her with a barking growl in her voice, "This is who I am soul and all Sal, and it says I choose what I am!" Cadence punched into her mechanical face, cracking it against her hand as another followed, breaking off a chunk of Sal's faceplate before Alexis appeared, Cadence's hand cocked back as wind swirled around it and impacted into Sal's chest. Sal's mechanical form lifted and flew back, the chest cracking apart and falling to shambles, the robots arms going limp as sniffling was heard. Savannah appeared and approached looking into the chest of the machine to see a young girl crying inside, her body anchored within by tubes as she looked longingly up to Savannah. "Then what am I? Is this what I am or what I want to be?" the child spoke, her grey eyes flitting about madly as she looked at her own body. Cadence appeared again, reaching into the machine and pulling the girl free as she groaned in pain from the tendrils of the machine snapping from her. Sal gripped to Cadence, sobbing as she clung to her, "It isn't logical, it is just a dream I have had, this cannot be." Sal murmured still as Cadence carried Sal along, following where Jonas had left into the main missile silo, for the first time seeing the missiles true size as she awed up at them. Alexis appeared as she held the child closely, "We are not alone," she hissed as the booming laughter enveloped around them, Savannah's form appearing as she spoke, "A denizen of this plane of existence, I take it the one you most likely upset Cadence," "You would be correct peculiar creature, what was once one is now three, interesting for humans," the figure appeared as Boyd, stepping forward on the catwalk as Cadence sat down Sal's sleeping body. "You ruined my fun, very unfair of you woman. For that and coming back with the meddler I am quite pleased. I can now dispose of you both at once," he grinned as he walked forward with red glowing eyes. "Here I thought you'd be willing to make a deal, suppose you have no interest in such things," Cadence quipped arrogantly as he paused and rubbed his chin. "Oh a trader are we? Let us see if you can give me something better than Boyd did, he wasn't as pure of heart as you nor as strong spirited." He moved towards her, his eyes focusing on hers as she spoke, "Undo it all, let Jonas succeed. In return you may have me," Cadence offered without pause as Jonas shouted out from behind them, "No! You foolish woman you will not pay the price. I have lived more lives than I should have and I will be damned if I let you pay for another of mine." He stood in resolve as the entity rubbed his chin still, "I want him so I don't have to deal with his meddling anymore and I want something from you of your choosing Cadence, something new and fresh to me." "Jonas! You can't do this again!" Cadence argued as Jonas simply raised his hand for her silence, "You will let me go so you can take Sal from here. If you do not Cadence then you're as selfish as everything you fight against. Stop trying to be a martyr and let people pay their own dues woman!" Jonas snapped his last phrase as he eyed her coldly, Cadence's fist shaking she relented. "Good, then you will be removed from here once this is done Cadence, with something you choose to sate me, something very powerful from within you," the entity chuckled as time began to shift again. Jonas moved back to the bomb, feeling the burning of radiation around him as he bypassed the field and ripped at the detonator to feel the explosion ripple with him, he tried to pull it this time but the entity was with him. Jonas felt himself slipping as he closed his eyes, the bomb consuming him instead of the world around him as he smiled, murmuring, "I did not fail..."

"Cadence, wake up girl, wake up!" Cadence opened her eyes to the glaring light as she felt herself rocking, a warm body in her arms as she felt a calloused hand rub at her forehead, Black's grizzled face smiling down at her as she looked up to see Morgan trimming a sail. You and the wee one are awake it seems then, gave us quite a scare Cadence when no one was in the base except for you and the Shodan were all gone. Just you and the little one who hasn't let go of you since, she says she's Sal. Black helped her sit up as she saw the wavy haired blonde smiling up to her, the grey pools in her eyes lighting up as she hugged Cadence tightly as she whispered, "You did it, you saved them. You freed me." Cadence rubbed her forehead as she held Sal close to her while Black returned to speak with Morgan. Cadence's mind raced as she traced back, remembering what had led her here. The entity's voice filling her head as she recalled his expression, a foreign one she did not understand as she recalled his final words, "Well played human, we understand this now in great capacity but you shall never know fear"

Part 2: Paladin
Chapter: Mother and Daughter

"You aren't a monster and you never will be. You let that idea creep into your head because you're different. You aren't a monster Cadence, I know them all too well because I am one myself."
- Silvia

"Step back from her now!" the familiar feminine and tenor voice rang out in the closer quarters as the sounds of hissing and hydraulics stopped, the grip on her limbs of cold metal snapping away as she dropped. She coughed and spit up more water as her body trickled onto the cold metal floor of the dimly lit side panels. Cadence's eyes illuminated brightly as the metal bands covering her forearms snapped up, the liquid metal sliding over her fingers to form the wicked and sharp claws and razor sharp edges of her armbands before she paused. The tormented expression fading as a tear rolled from her eye. The young girl knelled and caressed her cheeks. The once dirty and thick red hair clean and cut away, cascading over the side of her face muck akin to Cadence's own styling as she felt the warmth in the redhead's hands. "We will get her back Cadence, Sal, Morgan, and her dad," Amy's voice remained soft and calm, not as timid or quiet as it once was. "I am the same Amy you know Cadence, I am untouched by the ARC except for what Savannah did to me." Amy stepped back at those words as she offered her small hand to Cadence with a sincere and worried smile. Cadence slowly rose as the ARC units watched in silence and stepped back in reverence to Amy. Cadence slowly moved her metallic and clawed hand over Amy's with a gentle squeeze as she coaxed Cadence beside her and continuing to speak as she led them into a circular chamber with a pair of seats elevated beside each other with a myriad of dangling wires and attachments besides two monitors. "Subject 658, Cadence Davinport of Vault 76, anomaly. How you have interested the ARC in your tenacity and in overriding your survival instinct. However, there is something else that has given them pause about you Cadence. Your ability to get others to have faith." Amy gently moved her hand away before moving to sit at one of the thrones with a warm smile to Cadence as the monitor came to life. "Hope is what you are Cadence. Your very presence creates an aura of tenacity and belief that the ARC cannot understand. It is the reason that we saved you." Cadence looked to Amy critically as her eyes faded to their natural green, "We? Meaning what Amy?" Amy let out a delighted giggle as she looked back to Cadence, "Savannah made me one of them Cadence. She wished to be free to live for her own desires with you that she left me to be sacrificed for her. " Cadence frowned and stepped forward with her tone tensing as she spoke, "That's not true Amy." Amy's face hardened as she spoke rather firmly and matter of factly, "This world and the last have more monsters than people Cadence. She did not want to be their mother and save this world for the sake of her lustful desires to be human again. Something you would not do. It would be illogical for you to ever sacrifice anyone but yourself. That is why they desire you." Amy continued to give her a rather pointed stare from where she sat as Cadence opened her mouth to speak then stopped, her hands gripping into shaking fists. "You wanted to barter for humanity once Cadence and offered yourself for monsters to save the precious few. You are being offered something more." Amy motioned to the throne beside her as her expression softened. "I cannot show them love and be their mother Cadence I am but a child. But as my mother you can show them how they must nurture the good of this world. Cadence looked up to Amy wide eyed as her little fingers rolled over the screen, Christine's voice surrounding them both. "Savannah did unspeakable things Cadence but before the vault sent you out your genetic material was sold to outsiders for an experiment. One the ARC finished. Amy is genetically duplicated from you at a ninety-nine point nine seven ratio." Cadence stepped back and frowned darkly at Amy. "You've become so much like them that you're going to try and trick me now Amy?" Amy frowned sadly and pulled a small scalpel into her hand, pricking her finger as she hissed, holding out the bloody tipped end of the blade to Cadence. "Then see for yourself Cadence, please," Amy pleaded as Cadence hesitantly approached and wiped the spot of blood onto her finger before she fell to her knees with her eyes closing tightly. She dropped her hands to brace herself as her corded arms shook and her eyes opened with the glowing blue overtaking them again and fixating on Amy. "All done for a reason Cadence. We are experiments done in ignorance of saving our kind by cold logic. Now they want to understand feeling and emotion Cadence. To love and nurture as you have done to complete strangers." Amy stopped as her eyes began to well, "I could have a mother again, a wonderful and caring mother." Cadence continued to stare at her as Amy hopped from the throne and kneeled with her, hugging her small frame to Cadence's body tightly as she whispered, "To save Sal and the others Cadence we have to show the ARC you were worth saving from the bottom of the ocean. To show them your desire to give all you are for humanity are still there." Cadence's hands wrapped around Amy as she lifted the girl in her arms as she slowly walked over and sat where Amy was, letting Amy rest in her lap as she heard the clicking of feet on the metal floor. Christine walked over slowly as the heavy crunching of armored ARC steps followed and surrounded the throne. Cadence's eyes shifted to red before she felt Amy's hand on her cheek. "They will not attack you, mother," Amy spoke softly as Christine smiled and dropped to a knee as the ARC units in the room lowered the bodies to the floor. "Queen and Queen mother, what is our objective?" Christine's voice carried more a happy tone then Cadence expected as Amy shifted off her lap and spoke to Christine, "Locate my sister to be, Salis. We are bringing her home." Christine bowed and rose as the ARC units stood and followed as quickly as they entered. Amy smiled fondly back to Cadence before hopping back on her lap and hugging herself tightly to her. "It will be a new and wonderful world, mother. All for us."