After that ‘religious experience’ the rest of Lacunae’s tour of the camp was quiet as most ponies now avoided her. Clean Cut still spoke freely to all her questions, being more inquired by Lacunae’s stunt than scared off by it.
When they finally reached their destination, Clean Cut bid her farewell as he shook her hoof. “Your friend is waiting in there, Miss Lacunae.” He was a gentle stallion, a rare find in the Wasteland. “I got to go but if you need me I stay inside the fort itself.” With that, the stallion waved goodbye then wandered off with Ginger in tow.
“It’s nice such kind bucks still exist out in the world.” She said as she entered the tent. The inside looked like a well-kept doctor’s office, the usual dirt ground was covered by a neat hexagon pattern rug. Lights attached to wires that ran throughout the tent’s top. medical tools lay on a table neatly next to the patient's bed. Lacunae saw a familiar striped mare she knew all too well. Rampage was sitting in a chair right next to a sickbed that hosted a large yellow pony, next to her was the green Mule from the casino along with Goldie.
“You're going to be alright Torr, and when this is done I'm going to buy you some ice cream.” Rampage held his hoof like a mother caring for their child, looking into his eyes with a comforting smile. “The nice ponies here are going fix you up good as new, I made sure of that.”
“You mean it misses Rampage?”
“I mean it big guy, you put up a good fight. You deserve a good reward for being such a tough stallion.” For a mare who could bring wanton death upon any pony, she was also a beacon of kindness in the Wasteland.
Lacunae didn’t interrupt, seeing this side of her friend was a blessing. Most looked at Arloste as a spawn of death and destruction, yet Lacunae knew that wasn’t true. Arloste, not the Rampage title the world gave her, was as kind and loving as they come.
“Hey Luu, come to say I told you so?” shame still carried in her tone, she still hated herself for what had happened.
“No Arloste, I’m not here to judge you.” she trotted up to the striped mare as she kept holding Torr’s hoof. “I’m sorry for what I said to you, Arloste. I know you don’t have control of yourself all the time, it’s my fault for not acting first.”
Rampage stared at her, Lacunae could tell she had been crying. “No, its mine. I went overboard and let her gain control, I’m to blame for when my demons came out.”
Lacunae embraced her in a hug, she would not have her friend look down upon herself. “No, you are my friend Arloste, it's my job to keep you from hurting yourself. I let Molly stop me from helping you cause I didn’t want to fight the whole casino, your failings are my own. A true good friend is there for you in your darkest hour and I wasn’t.” the alicorn looked down at the striped mare, for all their years together, for all the pain they went through, they could still turn to each other in their moments of weakness. The world may be a cruel place but if you could find a kind shoulder to cry on you found a piece of true paradise.
“Thanks, Lacunae. You're everything I need you know?”
“I know, and you're the best friend I’ve had in centuries.”
The two stood there for a minute before breaking apart, Molly and Goodie kept quiet the whole time, this was their moment and no pony should take that from them. “Well, Arloste shall we continue our vacation after we’re done here.”
Rampage shook her off in a laugh. “That’s enough excitement for tonight. I just want to eat a steak than go to bed,”
Molly broke into their talk, taking off her shades to show her golden eyes. “Since your friend, Miss Arloste here paid for all of my best fighters treatments out of her own pocket I feel it’s generous to let you both stay in your VIP sweet for the rest of your stay.”
Goldie added. “And I will be your personal room service, bring you all you need. Plus I can escort you girls around town, and show you girls the sights.”
The two mares looked at each other, today was the first day of their vacation and they were going to make the rest of the week one to remember. This was their time away from being Demon Mares, here they could just be themselves.
“Let’s make this week a good one Arloste.”
“Sure, let’s take Torr and Goldie with us when we’re done here. We will go exploring, parting, drinking every liquor imaginable.”
They both laughed as they hugged each other, the bystanders could only smile at the beautiful friendship in front of them. For this was the true paradise that every pony sought.
------------------
The week was an eventful one if ever, probably the most shaken up the city had gotten in years and all because of those two strange mares. Clean Cut didn't know what to make of them, they were the most dangerous two ponies he’d met, living up to the stories he’d heard about them. Yet they seemed almost too normal, too pony to be the Demon Mares.
When word of them arrived in the city, he had all eyes on them at all times. Every faction did really, No pony knew what they were capable of, every faction was banking their bets they’d destroy the barely held together peace in the city. But instead, they seemed almost disinterested in the city, for its wealth and power it promised they cared none for it.
For strange powerful mares who possessed powers he barely understood, their reasons for being here were so mundane. They were on vacation.
That revelation made all of Dise let out a collected breath. “And they're leaving tomorrow, Celestia bless our souls.” Clean Cut felt fear he was holding in all week leave him, even though the mares were on vacation they left quite an impression wherever they went. In the time they'd been here the city began to change slowly into something else. The Finishers took over the Mustangs, the feral ghouls in the undercity were cleared out, the ponytrons had been acting funny, Celestia’s Vision had broken up, crime in the city went down, the Baises and Finishers seemed to be working together. He found it ironic that Demon Mares left a positive change in their wake. But these events filled him with a hint of fear in his stomach.
What if they discovered his plans, what if everything the Watchers had done up to this point came crumbling down. He was dreading the alicorn the most, she was...otherworldly in her ways, almost like a wisemare. Her knowledge and magic put Clean Cut on edge more than any other pony.
More than her striped friend Clean Cut kept his eyes and ears to her at all times, watching her with a closer than any other pony in the city. And yet nothing, it was that for all the trouble they caused they avoided Dise’s darker secrets like unaware fillies.
“I wonder if I should have recruited them.” Clean Cut shook the thought from his head, they were too dangerous to let into his inner circle. No, just let them leave. “Probably for the better. Still those tests got interesting results.” Clean Cut muttered to himself as he looked down from the observation deck above a cylinder room.
Below him stood an eldritch thing, a large darkened five sided chamber whose walls were bent differently from each other, all moving towards the middle of the ceiling. Runes of some long forgotten language were written along every surface.
In the center sat a table covered in blood with three lanterns around it standing on what looked like black shelves. The flame of the lanterns burned dimly, for their fire wasn’t earthly. It was the flame of the dragons, Balefire, the same flames that consumed the world and turned it into a wasteland.
This was a place of sin and Clean Cut knew it. But for the future of the wasteland it was needed, to save the city he had to control it first the only way to do that was to destroy the chaotic order it had now. With this chamber he would unleash chaos that would collapse the gangs, then he and his Watchers would sweep in and save the city.
It was a fool proof plan, no pony expected a bunch of doctors and teachers to have this power. No, they would blame each other while he caused their downfall in the background.
He looked to the side of him, a few scientists who had joined him on his sinful crusade. “Is the next patient ready?”
“Yes sir. Next pony’s another war veteran. Limb loss, general skull fractures, and bone reconstruction.” The doctor was a golden mare with rude eyes, she studied the clipboard as she listed off the injuries.
Clean Cut nodded. “No shortage of soldiers it seems.” After when the city was his, he would have to find a way to end that horrible war. “Well bring him in.”
Just as the mare was about to press a button her head exploded into gore. Clean Cut jumped back in shock as ponies around him met the same fate, a tapping sound following every pony’s death. Panicking he looked around for the attacker only to be met with a 22. Silencer pointed between his eyes.
It floated calmly in the familiar light blue aura he feared all too well. “The art of deception requires subtlety to work, not brute force. You Watchers understand that well?”
Clean Cut stared into the cold eyes of the alicorn, her wise beyond years expression was gone, replaced with the eyes of a killer. Every thought swam through Clean Cut’s mind at that moment but only one word came out. “How?””
“The Elements create the magic we use Mr. Cut. Like rivers of water some of us hear them flow, and the magic you used is like hearing a waterfall.”
“We’re trying to save this city!” He pleaded. “You’ve seen it! This city is run by vice when it could be so much more! This city has the resources to support the entire region, lift up this part of the Wasteland back to civilization!”
She was unmoved by his words. “I’ve heard such arguments before mist Cut and I will hear them again. I’ve seen that mindset destroy civilization, burn towns to the ground, enslave children, and mutate ponies into monsters from your nightmares. And every time I hear it again and again you know what I seek to do to the creature saying it.”
“Wait!” was his last words as the pistol fired. A small bloody dot appeared between his eyes as a pop sound followed. His body went limp, falling to the ground as blood poured from his face.
“Purge them.” She looked over the chamber below. In her heart she knew what to do, this power would belong to no one again, she would destroy it along with anybody who knew how to work it. No one will dare bring such horror to the world ever again, not while she still served the Elements.
Her horn flared to life and magic encompassed the entire chamber below. And with might few thought possible she tore that chamber down, wall by wall, rune by rune until the entire complex came crashing down.