//------------------------------// // Where's a Good Vacuum? // Story: Ofolrodi // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// "Oh gosh! Oh gosh!" Ariel danced in place, her panicked muzzle illuminated by the glare of Rainbow's Element of Loyalty. "Big Show!" She bucked and kicked at the door. "Logan! Can you hear us?!" "That room's filled with a poisonous fume," Rainbow stammered. She panted as she shone her light on the sealed edges of the doorframe. "The mana console shorting out must have triggered something in the wiring." "Rainbow, darling, all of the doors on the other side are sealed!" Rarity exclaimed. "He truly is trapped in there!" "H-he's still alive, though," Fluttershy exclaimed. "The gas hasn't gotten to him yet." "But he is a mite bit panicky," Applejack added. "There's got to be a way to get him out!" Twilight exclaimed. "Think..." Rainbow gnashed her teeth, looking at the walls of the corridor, the doorframe, the walls again. "I just have to think..." "Big Show! Wait up!" Pinkie Pie hollered, sticking her head through the doorframe. "Rainbow is thinking! We're gonna get you out of there!" "He can't hear you, Pinkie!" Twilight growled. "Well, it's the thought that counts!" "Not unless your thoughts can outrun the poison trying to get into his lungs!" Clankkk! Wildcard pressed the edge of Bard's staff to the bottom right corner of the door. Hissing under his beak, he strained and struggled to pry the thing open. Ariel frantically clutched a length of the metal bar and tried to assist the Desperado. "Hmmmmm... uhmmmmm..." Rainbow's eyes twitched. "Rarity!" "Gah!" The fashionista flinched in mid-air. "What?!" "The ventilation system!" Rainbow gestured with a hoof. "Does it connect to that room?" "Why... yes! At least three chutes' worth—" "Okay. Okay! Idea time!" Rainbow sputtered. "Talk to us, Rainbow!" Twilight exclaimed. "Just a sec!" Rainbow twirled to face Wildcard and yanked the staff away. "Cut it out! That's not going to help!" Wildcard merely gawked at Rainbow, goggles rattling. "Wildcard, go after that changeling." "What?!?" Ariel's voice cracked. Rainbow ignored her. "I want you to fly up there and cut the shape-shifter off before it can reach Flynn, Kepler or—even worse—an exit." She punched the wall for emphasis. "We cannot let that thing get strong enough to fly back to its nest or this whole journey's flushed straight down Tchern's toilet!" "But... but..." Ariel squirmed visibly. "What about Big Show—?" "We're gonna help him out!" Rainbow kicked off the ground, spread her wings, and glided down the stairs of the descending corridor. "Follow me, girl! Wildcard—you've got your orders!" Ariel and Wildcard exchanged glances. "But... but..." Ariel spun and flew after the prismatic mare. "Rainbow—!" "No butts!" Rainbow spat back. "Unless you intend to move it! Now follow me! Wildcard—!" Swoooosh! The griffin was already ascending the stairwell in the opposite direction of the two ponies. "Kaff! Koff! Grnnngh..." Eyes tearing... Teeth gnashing... Logan fumbled his way towards the end of the chamber opposite of the source of the spreading fumes. Lights flickered overhead as he grabbed a metal shelf in his meaty fetlock and yanked the hulking thing over. "Grnnnnnghhh!" Th-Thud! Boxes of equipment and tools scattered loudly across the floor. Logan leaned over and rummaged through the mess of random materials. He had to squint to see through the surmounting green smoke. "Grffff... unnngh..." He hissed and wheezed. "Goddess help me... kaff-kaff... get me through this and I'll never fart again..." At last, he found something close to what he was looking for. At the bottom of a rusted container was a length of rags. He yanked them off the floor, sliced them smaller with the edge of his axe, then fitted what was left over his muzzle. Tying the fabric behind his head, he fabricated a makeshift mask. Then—with slow and controlled breaths—he marched further away from the spreading fumes and approached a door. Schiiiing! He lifted his axe up high, held his breath, and— CLANG! Struck the door. CLANG! Again. CL-CLAKKK! And again. Sparks flew and hot slivers of flint littered the floor. The door refused to budge. As the smoke around him grew denser and more pungent, Logan persisted in punishing the seal to his way out. CLANG! THWACK! WHAM! Ariel flapped her wings with greater and greater intensity to catch up with Rainbow Dash. Together, the two zipped in and around bulkheads and barreled down stairwells. At last, they entered the largest room Ariel had seen in Darkreach. "Whoah..." Ariel's eyes darted around. "Where are we?" "The lowest room in Darkreach!" Rainbow exclaimed above the hum of twirling fans. "And the source of Darkreach's ventilation system!" Ariel gasped. "Are you thinking we might be able to blow the poison out of the room he's in?" "Yeah. Or suck. Whichever gives the gods of fate their jollies first." Rainbow hovered in place, staring at the widespread industrial mess. "Rarity! Can you sense the where the central power core of the ventilation system is?" "Uhhhh..." Rarity gestured wildly at the grime and grease, barking: "Do any of these look like ballgowns to you?!" Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Twilight!" She spun to face the ghostly mare in question. "Help me out here!" "Rainbow, I..." Twilight grimaced. "I-I've never seen Darkstinian tech before... much less ancient Cylindrimanian tech! I wouldn't even know where to begin—" "Yeah you do!" Rainbow floated closer to her. "You're our resident egghead! So hatch up something! I know you can come up with something! You've got... like... brain smarts!" "Seems to be the best strategy we've got, sugarcube," Applejack said, also floating closer. Twilight took a deep, deep breath. "... .... ...okay. Help me look for a singular spot where all of the ventilation pipes funnel to." "I can do that!" Rarity said, her horn glowing. "Meanwhile, I'll sense where the leylines are most densely interconnected..." "Rainbow...?" Ariel mewled. "Just hold up, girl!" Rainbow exclaimed. "The girls are doing their work!" "I-I'm not sure Logan can hold up," Ariel said. Rainbow bit her lip. Above her, the lights flickered...