At the end of the long hallway they reached a wall with two exits, one to the left, the other to the right, the sign next to the left one said "Casino" while the right one said "Security checkpoint". The lights surrounding the signs were both on, Cadence asked.
"Um, which way should we go?" The left sign shut down and the right one blinked multiple times.
"I think we should go right." Shining Armor and Cadence started to walk that way. The area was wider, yet still small, it had two metal detectors on each side and a padlocked door in the middle. There was one body sitting with his back to the door, it was a security guard that, has seen better days.
Otter said over the radio, "Yup, that room should have what you two need, and it looks to be untouched, you two are lucky."
Shining Armor asked, "Is that a body?"
"Oh yes it is, poor guy, but come on, my family only has a certain amount of time left before they will die."
Cadence used her magic and tore off the pad lock, Otter asked, "Wait, neither of you touched that lock, how did you two do that?"
"We're a unicorn and an alicorn."
"A what, hold on let me look through the overhead camera, then I'll know what you two look like."
They waited a second, the radio was silent, and the area was almost too quiet. That is until Otter said, "Holy f**k! You two are aliens, holy s**t! Wow, I did not expect that. But with everything that's happening right now, I shouldn't act so surprised. First the biggest world war, then an underwater city that is filled with water, followed by strange creatures killing everyone around me, why not alien ponies with powers, why the f**k not?!"
"Um, are you okay?"
"I'm not sure, get the weapons and I'll get back to you."
"Sure." Shining and Cadence looked at each other worryingly, they looked back at the door and opened it, the body fell over and the head just, popped off, Cadence almost threw up.
Shining Armor entered first followed by Cadence, in there was a couple lockers that were shut tight, and a small gun rack. Sadly only two pistols were left and each had only one clip, which is 12 rounds.
Otter said, "Oh, I kinda hoped for more, but this is better than nothing. Do you two know how to work these things?"
"No." Said Shining Armor.
"Alright, you point the barrel, slide the button next to the trigger, aim down the sight, and pull the trigger, that will launch one bullet, the bullet is a piece of metal that will travel faster that the speed of sound and it goes where you point, aim for the heads, shooting the bodies just pisses them off."
"Wait, pisses them off?" Asked Shining Armor.
"Ya, the only part that does anything is the parasite itself. Trust me, that's why the drones are such pieces of s**t, now after you grab those guns you two will have to go up to the ventilation, it's the quickest, and safest, way to get to slum square, that's where my family is."
Cadence asked him, "Wait, slum square?"
"Ya."
"That sounds very weird, might I ask what your job is?" Asked Cadence.
"Wait, you aren't the unicorn, I'll ask your names in a second, I'm a janitor, I was mopping around here when I noticed everyone was gone, the doors slammed shut and I was locked in with enough food for at least 2 weeks, and access to every single door, sign, and even drones. Now what is your name, then your husband's name."
"Sorry, I'm princess Mi Amore Cadence, but I prefer Cadence, this is Shining Armor."
They started to hear him laughing over the intercom, Shining Armor asked, "What is so funny?"
"Your name, of my god, Shining Armor, wow, that's your name! Ahahahahaha! That is the dumbest name I've ever ahah ever, ahahaha, HEARD!" They heard him fall on the floor laughing his a*s off, Cadence snickered a bit while Shining Armor was getting kinda mad.
"I'm so sorry, but that name, I needed a laugh, I haven't laughed since I lost contact with everyone around here. Ha, thanks, now the vents are right above you, there is a small grate, just hit it and it'll drop. When it does every splicer, that's what I call them by the way, will be running over here wanting some blood."
Shining Armor and Cadence gulped a bit before Cadence lit up her horn and started to shake it, it was hurting her quite a bit, felling the magic being sucked out of her.
Eventually she opened the grate and Shining Armor jumped off a locker and grabbed onto the hole with his hoofs and magic. He barely got his butt in before Cadence flew inside, she used a bit more magic to lift the guns to them and she put the grate back on. Everything looked normal in there.
As expected, the splicers ran in, two of them had light machine guns, and one of them had a revolver, the two splicers with riffles were male, while the one with the revolver was female.
One of the males said, "I heard something near here, I know I did."
The female replied, "Oh please, you inhabited a horrible host, and you lost his hearing aids a few days ago."
"Sigh, very true, let's go." They walked out of the room and they closed the door behind them.
Shining Armor said, "That was too close."
Otter replied, "Agreed, now you two will wanna head straight forward for a few minutes, then take a right." Shining Armor and Cadence started to make their way up.
Cadence asked Shining, "Hey, could you ask Otter why large amounts of magic doesn't work here?"
"Sure, hey Otter?"
"Sup." Said Otter.
"We've been curious, why can't we use any kind of teleporting magic?"
"Ha, magic doesn't exist here, dumba*s."
"We can use it."
"You aren't joking are you?"
"Nope."
"Well, I should be way more surprised, but after what's happened recently this doesn't even faze me.
Well the city planners thought of using solar energy, but this city was way to low for that, so they came up with an interesting way to fuel the city. Any large amount of energy made by life forms is absorbed into the walls and is used to power the city, so for instance if someone gets pumped after work and wants to do something his energy is absorbed and he just resumes the normal cycle.
I'll admit, it's over thought, and way more complex than it needs to b- turn left now." They stopped and turned left down another vent shaft.
"I hope it's no to complex, but I personally think it's stupid, it makes all the energy from the working class and uses it to power the lights for the rich folk."
Cadence replied over Shining Armor's shoulder, "I get it, but it does seem overly elaborated in terms of power."
"I agree, keep going straight, that should lead you two to Slum square, just don't turn into any other side vents and you two should live."
"Should?" Asked Shining Armor.
"Poor choice of words, keep going."