New Life in New Vegas Part 7 - The Hero
New Life in New Vegas
Part 7: The Hero
New Life in New Vegas Part 7: The Hero BOOOOOOOM! The loud explosion shook the surrounding landscape, echoing over the hills, causing Rick to jump behind a large rock near the edge of the cliff as he slowly glanced around the side. A blast of debris and dust hit his face, causing him to cough as he tried to see what happened. He was looking over a devastated landscape, the remains of houses and a gas station could be seen, the ground potted with craters from long distance mortars. "Shit, this is Boomer territory. Didn't think I was up this far, but...Who are they firing at? I know they didn't see me yet." Rick scanned for anything around the area to see if someone was still alive during the lull in launches. To his dismay, he could see the remains of a few poor souls that were hit in the blast, limbs and body parts strewn about, letting out a sigh at the carnage till he thought he saw something move near the remains of a broken house. It looked to be another anthro, a rabbit who was cowering under a fallen wall, blood spattered across it's fur, crying out as the shelling began again, body being pelted with debris and shrapnel. Rick cussed as he wondered what he should do. He knew that the rabbit was a fool to be out there in the first place, but he couldn't just sit here and watch the small thing get ripped to shreds. Quickly he set down his bag, only one bottle of his growth formula left after hiding it around different areas of the Mojave. He waited for the last blast to hit and the eventual lull in firing, guessing they had to reload, which was his opportunity to bolt. The huge coyote lunged off the cliff, landing with a resounding thud that caved in the ground, shaking off the impact and using every bit of muscle he had to make his way to the rabbit. He could see him passed out from the shock, blood pouring from open wounds as he scooped him. A quick skid and a turn around and Rick was moving back to the safety of the cliffs as fast as his powerful legs could carry him. The familiar sound of a mortar whistle was heard in the area, followed by an enormous explosion behind Rick. The blast was close enough to nearly knock Rick off his feet, just about tumbling the last few steps around the corner as he felt fire and debris rake his back, opening gashes across his body, but he didn't care as long as the creature in his arms was safe. It was only a few more moments that he rounded the corner, making for the wall and ducking down as the last shells pelted the corner next to him, rocking flying, till it finally ended, the only sound that of falling debris. Opening up his arms, he could see the rabbit whimpering, gashes across his body, deep and bloody as it matted his fur. The rabbit was no bigger than what the coyote use to be before he was transformed...short, scrawny, though his ears looked quite long, even for the usual jackrabbit, which were laid behind him and over the green coyotes body. Suddenly the rabbits breathes were getting labored and he began to cough, blood spurting up and over it's muzzle, causing Rick to panic as he must've been hit in the chest by something and was damaged. There wasn't a doctor for miles that he could take him to and the only safe place was Jacobstown which was even farther than a doctor in Vegas. Then Rick remembered the bottle up in his bag. The thing the transformed him into the enormous creature that he was. A monster in the eyes of most people, but it did give him healing abilities to survive most any damage to him over time. He laid the rabbit up against a rock and quickly scrambled up the cliff edge to retrieve it, jumping back down as it shook the ground and coming back over to lay the rabbit out in his huge lap, pulling out the bottle and twisting the cap, seeing the glow of the liquid. Contemplating his actions, Rick hesitated. He may love his new body now, but the transformation was painful and it caused him to be an outcast among normal
people...perhaps...only a small dose wouldn't cause such an extreme reaction. The rabbit coughed up even more blood and began to fade, Rick growling out as he turned the bottle over slowly, dribbling a shot glass worth of the liquid into the open maw, closing it and hoping that the rabbit would swallow. He didn't know if the fluid would even work like this, but it was the rabbits only hope. It took the rabbit a few moments to register the disgusting liquid, coughing slightly, but drinking it in. He squirmed as a new warmth flowed through his body, causing the extreme pain of before to dissipate some, but came back renewed as his body went rigid, flailing about till Rick could get him under control, hugging him tight to his body so he wouldn't hurt himself as the changes began. The slender body began to bulge in areas, muscle forming on the scrawny form, bulking up some, but not nearly as extreme as Rick had happent o him. He could hear him cry out, the liquid coursing through the limbs as he began to grow slightly, pushing up past 5 feet to a size of just 6 inches taller, his body now toned, abs firm, body straining the bits of clothing it had on that was in tatters to begin with. After it seemed to stop, the rabbits hair began to fall out, skin turning green slightly, though not as deep in color as Rick's, a soft gray and green. The fur was shed and the Jackrabbit was now a different creature. A creature unique like Rick, but with changes not nearly as extreme. Rick could see the wounds on body start to bleed less, the rabbit calming down and stopping with the coughing, hoping it was done with and his life was saved. He didn't know if the rabbit would thank him or hate him, but for now, the rabbit was still passed out from the exhaustion of things. Rick pulled out some fur he had left in his bag, tucking the bottle back in and wrapping the rabbits upper body in it. Holding him in one huge arm, Rick made his way for Jacobstown, hoping he would survive the journey. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BOOOOOOOM! Lug shot straight up out of bed, panting and sweating as he scanned the room he was in. He didn't recognize anything, but he did realize he wasn't around explosions anymore. All he could dream of while sleeping was explosions. He groaned as he started to rub his head, the feeling...different...from usual. He looked to his hand and saw that it was more of a green color now and that the fur around his paw was gone. In fact, he was nearly completely hairless. A few stray bits were on him, but he was now as hairless as a skinned rat. He saw that there was some scars on his body in a few areas, but it seemed that he was in one piece...in fact, even better as he saw that is once nearly flat belly and portruding ribs was now firm muscle. He had abs and some pecs, like someone that had been working out for abit with a good diet. Slowly he turned to get out of bed and would've had all the hair on his body stand on end if he had much left when he saw a huge green creature laying against the wall of his room. He was asleep, but just starting to wake up as Lug scooted back towards the edge of the bed, falling out and scrambling for the corner. "Oh...Oh god...Please don't eat me. I don't know where I am, but I'll leave, I promise I'll never come back!" He cowered against a dresser, paws up to try and protect himself. "Whoa, whoa...It's okay. I'm not gonna eat you. Your in a safe place now. I saved you from the Boomers two days ago. You were hurting in a bad way once I got you away the mortar strikes." Rick stood up, showing the rabbit his full size, which was tall enough to hit the ceiling. So much muscle that it wasn't even believable, wearing nothing, but some some tight shorts. "Y-you...Saved me? Don't you Super Mutants eat rabbits like me?" Lug's ears started to lift up some at the sense of calm in the huge coyotes voice. "Well I'm not exactly a super mutant...Not what you would normally call one. We are actually kind of the same now. Which...I should explain." Standing up slowly, the rabbit was able to see his body better. His shirtless form was so toned and firm, and he felt energized more than having a belly full of food as he even thought he was abit taller. "You see, when I pulled you out of the wreckage of that house you were hiding in, you were hurt pretty bad. You were coughing up blood and I wasn't going to be able to get you to a doctor quick enough. So...I used this special liquid that was used on me to make me grow. It was just alittle bit and it was your only chance to survive. It makes you stronger and your wounds will eventually heal. It does cause you to turn green and lose your fur, but...at least your alive." Moving back to the bed, watching the coyote move to sit back down next to the bed, still taller than him practically as he sat down and looked between themselves. He was confused, but to be alive was good a
nd now he had a body that would allow himself to be better off than the scrawny, little, weak, rabbit he once was. "If you want, I can go grab ya some food and you can rest up abit more. This place is a haven for Super Mutants and Nightkin, so don't freak out if you see them wandering around. Most are nice enough as long as you don't bother them." The coyote stood up and went for the door, stopping and turning back. "Oh, before I leave, what's your name?" "I-it's Lugnut...but you can me Lug. Was always good with cars and fiddling with parts, so it's just the nickname I took since I didn't really have a name..." "Well it's nice to meet ya, Lug. I'm Rick." He smiled and then ducked under the door, leaving the rabbit to adjust to his new life.