//------------------------------// // Looking up to your heroes // Story: Fallout Equestria New Horizons: Lacunae and Rampage's vacation in paradise. // by starwars90001 //------------------------------// Sometimes we don't see the good we do in the world. The striped mare sat in a chair in the lobby, ignoring most of the passing ponies and those that gave her praise. Only when an alicorn appeared before her did she raise her head to greet her. Lacunae stared down at her friend, a look of barely held anger on her face. She said nothing, just stared with longing eyes at the disgrace before her. Finally, Rampage spoke. “I know I shouldn’t have let her out, I don’t know what I was thinking.” Lacunae took that like a mother coming listening to her fillies excuses, she just scolded her friend. “I wanted to let loose you know? I thought with how strong he was he could take it.” Lacunae’s expression was unchanged. “Arloste, we are not in the Hoof. We are not in battle, and even then you should not let her loose.” Her voice was loud and commanding drawing the attention of bystanders. “If you had escaped from the at Elements damned cage you would have gone on a killing spree before I stopped you. Arloste Maria Shijaa Brown, you do not unleash any of your inner selves unless me and Blackjack are near you. We’ve been over this!” Rampage looked away in shame, not wanting to meet her friend’s cold gaze. “Do not fight anymore ponies in this city unless I agree to it, understand?” Rampage nodded, Lacunae’s voice made no argument in this. “It’s late, I think we should find an apartment for the night.” “I hope I’m not interrupting your get together?” Molly said as she trotted up, her shades covering her golden eyes as guards flanked her. “If you're not busy, I’d like to see you in my office.” “I’m sorry miss Molly, we’re not accepting job offers.” Lacunae shot that idea down before it could fly. “Actually I would like to hear your offer.” Rampage got the same death stare from Lacunae. “I Will listen to it on the condition you let us stay a free night here.” Rampage gave a weak smile not to Molly but to Lacunae who was scolding down at her ‘friend.’ Molly seemed not too pleased with the idea but kept her displeasure quiet. “You have a deal hon, but your Alicorn friend stays out of it. I just want to see you.” Rampage sighed in relief at that last condition, escaping Lacunae was a top priority right now. “Good, I will have my ponies escort your friend to your room while you follow me to my office.” As Molly trotted off Rampage hopped to her hooves, she waved to Lacunae who gave her a ‘we’re not done with this talk’ look. Rampage barely noticed as she was already half way down the hall much to the alicorn’s annoyance. ------------- The office of a casino owner is usually thought to be something of a luxury, in a building of vice one would expect it’s owner to be the main recipient of such vice. Instead, Molly’s office left much to desire, her carpets were worn, her walls tour with one filled with bullet holes. And her desk was missing a leg being held up by books. Rampage took it all in while Molly walked over to her desk. “Eh, not the showy type huh?” Molly Shrugged. “An office doesn’t have to be glamorous to be functional. Besides.” As she took a seat behind her desk she grinned evilly at the striped mare. “I use this room more for when unruly guests need to learn a little discipline.” Rampage could tell some pony else was in here with her, she expected this gang leader wouldn’t trust her alone but she thought there would be more security than this. Maybe the green mare thought the room itself would be intimidating enough, she doubted this was her actual office. She put the thought behind her and took a seat in a chair next to the desk. With a nervous cough, she struggled to find the words to say, still in a mood from the night’s events. “Hey listen. I’m sorry about Torr.” She hung her head in shame, usually, violence was her calling but when that inner self came out that was, well a part of her she wished to forget. “I lost myself when I fought him, I should have had more control of myself. I will pay for his medical bills if he’s alright Molly seemed confused at the striped mare’s kindness, the impression she had gotten from Rampage was that of the typical wasteland ganger, her shame at her actions almost seemed to conflict with that. “He’s a tough buck, we have the best doctors in Dise looking to fix him up right now.” That made Rampage brighten up a bit. “But I didn’t call you up here to talk about him. I want to talk about you.” “Me? Let me guess you want me to work for you.” Rampage could already feel the words coming. “No, Hon.” That shocked Rampage for a minute. “I wanted to meet one of my heroes.” That made Rampage more confused. “When I heard a red zebra and alicorn arrived in the city, I could hardly believe it. I’d heard stories about Hoofington, stories of the legendary Reaper gang and their immortal red rampaging zony.” For the first time in a long time, Molly gave a pony a warm smile. “You know your a legend, right? Many gangers, merc, and most mixed ponies look up to you.” Rampage was no stranger to being a folk hero, one expects a legend to build around them after 60 years of adventures. But the idea of even this down south ponies and creatures still looked up to her puzzled the striped mare. “Nice to know I got fans down here, I wouldn't have expected I was that big.” Molly chuckled. “Don’t sell yourself short hon. Your stories are so awe-inspiring that a lot of non-ponies around the Wasteland look up to you.”There were no lies in her words, just complete love-driven honesty. “The story of a mutant zony rising up to become feared and respect is the envy of many in the wasteland. From your friend Goldie, who told me stories of your exploits when I was a filly. To even Torr, who named a move after you.” That kind of hurt a bit, Rampage would have to visit him in whatever medical center he was at. “It was you who inspired me to take over this gang you know?” “Really?” Molly nodded honesty. “Yes, my little zony, you inspired me. As you notice my looks.” Rampage knew already. She was a mule, a pony donkey hybrid. She was going to comment how cool that was until Goldie hushed her, she took the hint it was a sore spot. “In Dise every creature that isn’t a unicorn or earth pony is looked down upon. When I was a filly even most of my own family looked down on me as a mistake. Growing up here was hard on me, but hearing of a zony freak of nature that went from slave to fear wasteland warrior.” Molly seemed embarrassed. “That got me through tough times.” Rampage didn’t know what to make of this, the gang leader came off at first as the cutthroat ruthless leader type, but seeing how she was pouring her heart out like this gave the striped mare pride in her achievements.  “Yep. you inspired me to rise up from my sad place in life and make something of myself.” Molly was blushing a bit, Rampage could tell this wasn’t her usual mood to any pony. She was probably a bit ashamed to be fangirling this hard. “I rose to become the leader of Biases and turned this casino into the second most influencer in the region, all while looking up to you.” Molly grabbed a box from her desk and placed it on its surface. The box was sealed tight with chains surrounding a complicated lock, it took Molly a minute dial turning to unlock it. But when she did, the contents caught Rampage’s eye. Sitting in the box were two golden Hoof Cuffs. “I want you to have these my friend as thanks from non-ponies like me.” Rampage’s jar hit the floor, the shame she felt from the fighting ring was gone, replaced with burning happiness inside. “Thank you, I, I don't know what to say.” The striped mare almost fell out of her seat but knew the words to say. “Thank you. You have no idea how much all this means to me.” Moments like these, creatures like Molly, they reminded the striped mare no matter her inner demons she was still a good pony, a hero in the eyes of many. Not just another demonic spawn of the wasteland. Wiping away a tear a thought came to her mind. “Miss Molly, can I ask you something?” “Ask away I’m all ears.”  Rampage knew she had to do right by a pony she hurt, she had to be his hero. “I want to visit Torr where he’s being fixed up.”