//------------------------------// // Chapter Three: Drums in the Deep // Story: Cure For a Toxin // by RadBunny //------------------------------// Toxic trotted along the streets of Tell Tale happily, his second day of vacation having yielded quite a bit of productivity in terms of finding fun odds and ends in the various shops among the city. “Toxic? You there?” his crystal earpiece chirped, the pony tapping it with magic to begin the call. “Varti? What’s up?” “Just picking up some chatter. Got a weird magical signature and seismic reading near you, so heads up. Might just be a dragon with food poisoning but wanted to let you know.” “Thank you, I’ll keep it in mind,” Toxic chuckled. “By the way, I think Celestia is onto what I want to do; she joked that I might buy an island with my back pay,” he replied, frowning as a chime echoed over the message. “Horseapples, I’ll talk to you later; got another message.” “Of course, Director,” Varti teased as he ended the call. The yak stared at the large computer screen in front of him, a picture of a younger individual gathered with her new friends placed next to the oversized keyboard. A happy sigh left the scientist’s features as he stared at his adopted daughter, the younger yak grinning horn to horn. ‘To Dad, from Baltimare. This study program is great! Love you!’ Looking around, Varti trotted out of the massive laboratory with its automated, arcane-powered machines still humming away around a massive blue crystal encased in metal. The concrete hallway that led towards the main building was spotless, kept clean by a horde of robotic cleaners. The Professor looked out the window and to the ocean, a massive, empty facility of concrete, crystal, and metal sprawling out across the island. Communication arrays crowed the roof of each building, large watchtowers circling the remains of the extinct ocean volcano on which the entire complex was constructed. Fields of grains and vegetables were visible in the distance, simple arcane Golems tending to the crop’s day and night. Dormant factories huddled the ground awaiting the throw of a switch that would breathe life into their automated systems. What I have helped you build, Toxic. I may have paid the currency for most of this, but I still am in dept to you, a price I cannot fully settle. My daughter’s life; how much more is that worth to me than concrete or mechanical devices? And knowing you will use my capital for good… “A director, no, not yet. But you deserve to be,” Varti muttered with a grin, the yak continuing on through empty classrooms, cafeterias, training ranges, decontamination rooms, and fortified bunkers. “Not yet indeed, Toxic. But soon I think.” Toxic frowned, trotting to a side alleyway as the caller identification seemed to be hidden. “Hello? This is Specialist Shield,” he said. “Toxic, thank the stars I reached you,” Celestia’s voice cut through, the desperation in her tone making the stallion’s fur stand on end. “Princess, what can I-” “Toxic, where are you?” the Princess interjected, her worried tone making Toxic’s hair stand on end. “Tall Tale, I was finishing my days off here.” He heard Celestia talking with someone off to the side, the Princess’s voice then returning to the fore. “Fate is on our side, it would seem, or just luck,” she sighed, taking a clear pause. “You’re back on the clock, Toxic. There is a chemical lab west of the city and something just went wrong. No communications and every single remote warning sensor just tripped. The exterior sensors are intact, so whatever it is, the upper portions of the facility are intact. We need you there now. There are possible casualties. The lab has a greenhouse and other areas that are open to the public on the uppermost levels for tours and such. I will be heading to the city shortly. My legionnaires have already limited access and established an Incident Command location; get in touch with them when you arrive. Do you copy all that?” Legionnaires at a chemical plan? Are we sure this is an accident? Gelliana paused as her sensitive ears picked up a familiar tone, muffled, but coupled with another, odder speech pattern as she peeked into an alley. Huh. Wonder what is going on here… The blue stallion from before was sitting against a wall, eyes wide in shock as a voice spoke from an earpiece; was that Celestia? Toxic Shield, that’s what Marigold said his name was. She noticed the stallion’s hooves trembled, his green eyes closing briefly. Even from her distance, the gryphoness could hear his heartrate skyrocket. And yet when he opened them, however, a very different pony shed the nervous skin from a few moments ago, heartbeat stabilizing. There was a power behind those eyes, a determination that made Gelliana shiver but not necessarily from fear. “Understood. Specialist Shield online, Princess. Stand by, I’ll contact you when I’m at the facility.” As the unicorn yanked a large duffel bag out of a storage portal that opened with a flash of white magic, Gelliana suddenly letting out a surprised squawk as a communications crystal chimed in her own side bags. “H-hello?” she stammered, feathers poofed out in surprise. There were only a few individuals with access to the device. “Gelliana? Are you at your greenhouse” Celestia asked, the gryphoness nodding, cheeks growing rather pink against her grey feathers as a certain unicorn glanced her way. “Y-yes, I am, I mean, I’m close at least, just out and about. What can I do for you?” “There has been an accident at the underground chemical plant west of the city, end of the road called Fairweather. I am requesting your aid in the matter. Your stockpiles of herbal anti-toxin may be needed to supplement local supplies. Can you get there as soon as you can? You will be reimbursed of course. A specialist is already on his way there.” Gelliana nodded, stammering her reply as Toxic Shield trotted past her, duffel bag slung across his back. The ever-so-slightly amused grin on his face did not help her nerves however, the unicorn clearly having caught her eavesdropping. It did interrupt her thoughts briefly though, the gryphoness finding it rather odd that the stallion’s heartbeat wasn’t nearly as rapid as before and it stayed steady even as his green eyes met her tentative violet gaze. And of course, that was a different feature that she couldn’t ignore. Whoa, really bright eyes. “Thank you, Gelliana. I’ll be on site shortly.” “R-right, I’ll get my things and head there too,” she managed to say, nerves still making her feathers prickle. It was a wonder she hadn’t shrunk to the ground underneath Toxic’s gaze; it wouldn’t have been the first time she had frozen like that. Creatures need help! Let’s go girl, get the anti-toxins and get to that lab! “Varti. Is the prototype ready?” “I’d hardly call it a prototype! It’s the sixteenth generation and seventh model that has been successfully tested by yourself for-” “The lab in Tall Tale just went dark. Is the armor ready?” The yak let out a stern hiss, tone changing abruptly. “Dark? Not good. Yes, it is ready and waiting for retrieval. I’ll forward our data to the Canterlot Control Center.” “Thank you. I imagine they’ll need your assistance tying in the video and audio feeds,” the stallion said. “Shall I be ready to deploy the other response measures?” Toxic paused, slowing to a trot as a congregation of legionnaires came into view, all clustered around a ‘requisitioned’ warehouse. “No, but keep it on standby at least. We’ll stay in touch.” “Specialist Shield?” one of the stallions asked, trotting forward and saluting. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to the Incident Commander.” The inside of the massive wooden warehouse was mostly empty, a series of plastic tables having been hastily pulled together and topped with various electronic screens and readouts. Communications portals circled the central conglomeration of furniture, feeding information back to the Canterlot Disaster Center. “Ah, excellent. Specialist Shield has arrived,” a mare relayed to one of the portals, trotting forwards and shaking Toxic’s hoof. “Sergeant Spear Clout, Incident Commander. I hear you’re going to help with our information problem?” she asked, Toxic nodding. “Yes, as in, the lack thereof?” The mare let out a huff, nodding as she gestured to the map which showed a now-projected three-dimensional image of the facility. “In a word? Yes,” she explained, glaring at the image of the facility. “The top three levels have been sealed off from the lower ones. The safety systems have successfully isolated the facility floor by floor but otherwise appear to be inactive. The lower safety sensors are giving mixed readings.” “Inactive? That’s…that makes no sense. I inspected this lab one week ago. It was probably the top three most compliant and safe locations I’ve seen,” Toxic muttered. “So, we don’t know what is going on, but am I to assume foul play is possible?” “Yes, so be on your guard. Your orders are to find out what exactly is going on underneath those top levels. First however, there may be survivors that need extraction.” “Toxin levels?” The mare stayed quiet, tapping the screen and displaying a molecular compound that made Toxic’s eyes widen. “What in the world is that…?” “We don’t know what it is,” Clout admitted, “but on entering the facility, even the top levels, trace amounts of it gummed up our standard filters in minutes. No idea how it affects creatures but it wrecks our protective gear. Escape hoods seem to affected to a lesser extent, probably due to a different material used.” “I take it the lab wasn’t producing anything like this? No weapons, military experiments…” “No,” the legionnaire stated flatly, shaking her head. “This was strictly fertilizer and plant vitality compounds. The most dangerous thing they handled were the accelerants for plant growth and arcane stabilizing compounds, but those were strictly regulated and in small, isolated batches and stored in separate rooms as per your recommendations.” Toxic let out a hum, brow furrowing as he tapped his ear with magic. “Varti, you get that?” he asked, the yak on the other end letting out a grunt. “Indeed. Simulations indicate the armor should be able to handle whatever it is.” Toxin took a breath, looking over to the Incident Commander with a firm nod. “Let me know if anything develops. I’ll sweep for survivors and then head to the lower levels.” “Polearm! Scythe! Show Specialist Shield to the decon area!” Clout barked. “And I need an exact location to teleport survivors to. I’ll be transporting my own decontamination gear here as well. I don’t think yours is thorough enough for me, no offense,” Toxic added, the mare chuckling. “Celestia said that might be the case. Here.” She passed over a bundle of crystals, a spell glowing softly around the item. “Same as the others you have used. Press the crystal to the pony, and the spell will do the rest.” Toxic put the crystals into his duffel, trotting after the previously-mentioned guards towards the lab. It was only a block away, a powerful shield shimmering around the innocent-looking facility as Royal Guards encouraged passers-by to move along. A familiar and slightly out-of-breath gryphoness arrived with a few large bags slung over her shoulder, prompting a slight grin from Toxic. Hmm. So, she’s here as well? Interesting, whoever she is. Stopping at a large container with various nozzles, plastic sheeting, and pressure-sealed doors, that served as the entry and exit point to the shield around the facility, Toxic inspected the decontamination setup with an approving nod. “I’ll buzz you through, Toxic!” a brown unicorn with a bright yellow mane called, stowing a series of tools with a flash of his horn. “Just got all set up here-ugh, hold on, he added, rolling his eyes at a voice emanating from his own crystal communicator. “Yes, I’m sure. Yes, I’ll get to it immediately after this- I told you about priorities,” the lead technician grumbled before turning back to Toxic with a sigh. “Oh, the joys of managing a crew. Sort of. Anyhow, you should be good to go!” “Ah, Wire Strip, glad to see you’re the one handling all this,” Toxic remarked with a wave, the decontamination technician nodding and adjusting the controls on the entryway. “Take care! You’ve still got a green zone just outside the entrance, haven’t adjusted the shield back yet.” “Thanks, Wire. I’ll suit up there.” That chamber is more than enough for civilians. I trust Varti’s design though for myself. “No leakage still?” he asked, setting down the duffel bag in the green zone and unzipping it after trotting through the decontamination tunnel. “I think that has changed. We thought it was clear, but an updated report just came in. Concertation of the toxin has been building in the second and third under-stories,” one of the legionnaires relayed. “Alright, I’ll tie in with the Canterlot Command post, thank you,” Toxic added, strapping on a small breastplate and set of what appeared to be metal saddlebags. The two guards had since trotted off down the block towards what appeared to be an impromptu field hospital. He took a deep breath, running one of the many mental exercises available to him. You’re the only one who can go in there. Nocreature else. Even if there are those willing, could I live with myself knowing they’d be at such great a risk, when I will surely survive? I won’t fail. Igniting the dark grey breastplate with a surge of magic, the Specialist felt a surge of energy run down his spine. With a flick of his head, Toxic tied himself into the leylines, the boost of energy ensuring his own magical reserves wouldn’t run dry. Nocreature else. “Armor systems online. Stand by,” Varti relayed, Toxic’s hooves shaking not with nerves, but anticipation. The armor spread out from the chest plate and saddlebags, blue lightning bolts coursing over the unicorn’s body. Dark grey scales of metal surged across Toxic’s chest and down his hooves, then spreading across his flanks. Flowing up his neck, the metal formed a slight ring just below the pony’s chin, a helmet retrieved from the duffel back being levitated into place with a *hiss* of positive pressure. The saddlebags were now devoid of metal, instead showing two forelimb-sized crystals on either side of Toxic that glowed with a soft teal light. A nub on the armor, located in-between Toxic’s shoulders began to flash, bolts of energy coursing from it and down into the ground with barely-visible streamers of power. “Armor atmospheric situation stable. Prototype leyline reactor holding steady,” Varti relayed, excitement bleeding through the yak’s voice. “Supplementary mana crystal reserves at maximum. You’re good to go, Director.” Toxic trotted forwards, the armor feeling light as a feather due to the magic supplementing his own muscles. It was a rather guilty pleasure to see a few guards and Legionnaires stare at him though through the shield surrounding the facility. A familiar gryphoness also was one of the creatures to stare, feathers puffed up slightly in shock. The helmet encased the unicorn’s head completely, the two eye-slits heavily reinforced with chemical-resistant glass. Without the magical heads-up display Toxic’s vision would be severely limited. But with the leyline reactor that won’t happen anymore. Batteries now are for emergency power only. Oh how I love these armored suits. The filters built into the helmet surpassed anything developed thus far by the Royal Guard. Varti’s design was currently awaiting approval and testing, but Toxic trusted the yak with his life. “Canterlot Command, this is Specialist Shield testing joined communications,” Toxic barked into the helmet’s microphone. “This is Canterlot Command. Reading you loud and clear.” “Professor Varti, armor support, reading you clear as well, Director.” Ok, Varti, now you’re just milking it. “Princess Celestia here, I will be at the field hospital and Incident Command post. Good luck, Toxic. And glad to have your assistance, Professor Varti.” “Any time, Highness.” Trotting through the entrance to the shielded building, Toxic took a deep breath of the filtered air as he continued on to the steps. It almost looked like a simple, square library, columns and pillars rising up to flank the heavy wooden doors. Pushing through the entrance, Toxic frowned as he walked, continuing on to the stairs. A conglomeration of desks, offices, and simple cafeteria was all that was present on the first floor- an underground greenhouse on the second. “Filters reading a faint concentration of that chemical. No degradation yet,” Varti relayed. “With luck, this armor will be overkill,” Toxic replied, “Keep me appraised on the filters. I could probably breath it fine but if it’s an unknown toxin I’d rather not test my lungs. Initiating scan.” A magical sweep splayed out from Toxic’s horn, encompassing the immediate area both above and below the unicorn. “Faint readings on the sub-second floor. You said there was a greenhouse there?” Toxic asked. “Correct. There could be possible survivors there since it was open to the public. Emergency locks have engaged though, and each room has the recommended air supply plus two hours. Still another hour or so left.” “Glad to hear they took my recommendations to heart. So far, just looks like an abandoned office….hmmm, wait a minute.” Toxic stared at a pile of sludge; the armor’s built in camera focusing a bit closer. “Well. That is odd indeed, an interaction with a plastic material perhaps?” Varti mused. “Perhaps. You getting this, Control?” “Affirmative.” Judging from the whispered in the background Toxic assumed that, as per the usual with his assignments, there was a bit of an audience in the Canterlot Control room. I’ll take a supportive audience when I can get it. I get stared enough as it is in a not-so great fashion. “Continuing on to the second floor.” Down a flight of pristine concrete stairs and through a sealed door Toxic entered a long hall and frowned. “Concentration of the toxin doubled. Filters still holding,” he relayed, taking a left at the first door. “Arcane life signatures are past the greenhouse in a safe room, entering now.” Punching in an override code, Toxic frowned as the door groaned but refused to budge. “We’re showing a critical failure on the seals. I think they’ve…melted?” the mare in the Control room relayed. “That would make sense if this eats away at artificial materials. Fascinating,” Varti added. “Well, entering anyway,” Toxic grunted, encasing the door in a magical shield before ramming it with his shoulder. The metal buckled under his enhanced strength, the unicorn’s shield preventing any air from entering or exiting. “Concentrations mimic that of the hallway; releasing shield. Looks like the seals didn’t hold for long.” Staring at a series of plants, Toxic frowned as he got a close up, quite a few of the leaves seeming to bubble and hiss, releasing vapor. “Uh, Control?” “On it.” There was a pause, and Celestia’s voice came over the earpiece once again. “Toxic, this is Gelliana, a local herbalist. She’s the one who helped boost Emperor Thunderwing’s cure during the Fire Lung Epidemic.” “H-hello? Ah…those plants? Ok, I’ll take a look.” A soft, stuttering voice then took over, but it grew in strength as soon as the plants became the target of conversation. Quite a calming voice, rather nice too; different from most mares. I didn’t see her in the control room when I got here... “S-so…those p-plants, wait. Blisters? Zoom in please!” Gelliana remarked, Toxic complying. “Obviously reacting to the airborne toxin, can someone write this down please? Or I guess we’re recorded. Uh, looks like all tomato varieties are showing these erupting blisters. Any others?” “I’ll check on my way to the safe room.” “R-right, saving them first.” Ok, that stutter is rather adorable. Stopping at the safe room door, Toxic tapped the intercom with a hoof. “Hello? This is Specialist Shield; is anyone there?” A crackling voice immediately answered, panic infused with every voice. “H-hello? Yes! Oh, thank goodness; I told you somepony would come!” a mare said both to the intercom and somecreature nearby. “There’s six of us here, two fillies as well that were visiting the greenhouse. Our escape hoods are holding, but the edges of the door are starting to bubble a rubbery…stuff.” “Alright, just hold tight for a minute and I’ll get you all to safety. Did you get that Control?” Toxic asked, frowning as he looked at the readout in his helmet. “Levels are increasing, there has to be a leak. The safety systems aren’t holding; I need to get down there. I don’t have time to ferry them all up. I need a designated teleport site next to the decontamination area!” “Site designated. My legionnaires have an arcane beacon ready,” Celestia relayed. “Ok, let’s get this done,” Toxic muttered. “What is your name?” he asked the mare on the intercom. “Herb Vial.” “Ok, Miss Vial,” Toxic began, keeping his voice calm and steady, an easy feat considering the amulet still around his neck did half of that on its own. “I need you to make sure everypony’s hoods are secured. I’m going to get this door open and then give each of you a teleportation crystal. You’ll be transported to safety immediately.” “O-ok,” there was a pause, “We’re standing away from the door now.” “Alright. Here I come.” After double-checking to ensure the door wouldn’t, in fact, open on its own, Toxic cast a shield and punched through the flimsy metal, easily tearing it off the already-corroded hinges. The six ponies stared at the armored individual who trotted into the safe room, Toxic immediately floating over a small crystal bobble to each. “Is there anyone else down here?” he asked, Vial nodding as the purple mare’s eyes widened. “Yes! My friend and her daughter, Lime Centrifuge. They were on the third level. Last I heard before the intercom stopped working, she went to go engage the safety systems, or something like that. The fire doors? I kept talking to her daughter, but then the lines went dead. There’s a safety room near the stairwell!” “Anyone else?” “No. Just those two. Everyone else got out I think.” As the ponies vanished in flashes of light, Toxic immediately began to trot quickly towards the stairwell. “Control?” “They’re being decontaminated now, Toxic. Get those final two ponies and get down there. A few backup sensors are coming online, and we’ve got pressure building under the floor.” “The floor?” “Affirmative.” Toxic increased his pace with a hiss, his armored head shaking. “Fantastic. I’m walking on a time bomb!” “A time bomb that still has traces of magical interference. All the more reason for you to get in there and engage the safety systems.” “Couldn’t agree more,” Toxic replied, then frowning as Celestia’s voice cut in. “This is just a private channel between you and me, Toxic,” she stated, tone clearly unsettled. “This shouldn’t be possible. I’ve personally gone through what this lab was working on. There just aren’t the materials to cause this sort of disaster. Be on your guard. The rising pressure indicates a chemical reaction taking place and I don’t know why.” “That doesn’t make me feel better, Highness.” “It shouldn’t. I’ll leave you to it.” Toxic took a deep breath, shouldering open the third sub-level door as it squished open, the rubber seals having melted completely. “Entering third level now.” Igniting his horn, Toxic pinged the level for any arcane signatures, a faint reading coming from further down the hallway and in the safe room to his right. The metal and glass halls seemed pristine other than the absolute emptiness, papers tossed over desks, and lights that flickered ever so slightly. Ok, safe room is probably much more secure; let’s check out down the hall. It was a short trot onwards and around a corner or two and he came to a small maintenance room. “Anyone in there?” he asked, frowning as he didn’t hear a response. His tried and true method of shield-and-shove method of opening the door worked like a charm, and he quickly came upon the prone body of a cream-colored mare, escape hood blinking red warning lights. “Emergency teleportation. Unconscious mare with expired hood! Sending in five.” Toxic activated the crystal, attaching it to the mare’s forelimb and watched as she vanished with a flash of light. Now the one in the safe room. I assume that’s the filly. “Hello? Is anyone in this room?” A soft sniffle echoed over the intercom, a mumbling voice being unreadable. “Ok, stand back from the door, alright? I’m coming inside.” A soft mumble emanated from the speaker, Toxic shouldering his way through the disturbingly ‘wet’ metal. A filly cowered in the corner of the safe room, emergency escape hood blistered and cracked as tears ran down her light blue cheeks. She let out a shriek at seeing the armored pony trot into the room, Toxic halting briefly. “It’s ok! I’m here to help!” Clearly words didn’t make much of a difference. He’d have to try- “Toxic! Unknown magical substance is leaking onto your level!” Varti’s voice cut in. “The teleport crystals won’t work! Compensating for interference now.” To Toxic’s horror, his armor began to flash warnings as the magical shield across the doorway didn’t even slow down the particles, flashing an odd purple and black in the stallion’s heads-up display as the view crackled as Varti tried to compensate for the odd magical surge. The filly seemed to sense something was wrong, the terrified child letting out a choked cry as the escape hood suddenly began to steam, blisters forming across the surface. Looking over the readings, Toxic let out a growl and yanked off his helmet, smoothly removing the failing escape hood and placing the new protective gear over the filly’s head. The filters and protective measures kicked in immediately, purging the toxins from the brief exposure. Taking a slow breath, Toxic grinned, glaring at the offending hallway. “Freaky magical partials? Zero. Toxic Shield, One,” the stallion chuckled, looking at the filly with a smile. “See? Just a normal pony like you. Now how about we get you out of here. I don’t like it down here, do you?” She shook her helmeted head, Varti’s voice cutting in on Toxic’s backup crystal communicator. “Concentration is building. A safety seal must have been breached. You breathing alright, Toxic? That wasn’t the smartest thing to do.” “I can’t even taste this stuff, so all well here. Wasn’t about to let a filly suffocate though,” Toxic replied, a soft chuckle radiating from the speaker as Celestia cut in. “No, I didn’t think you would.” “Leaving now. I can teleport her once we’re on the top level or two.” As Toxic levitated the filly onto his back, a flicker of movement caught his gaze, a surge of magical interference making the unicorn wince. “What in the world…” he hissed, head aching briefly. Turning around at the base of the stairwell, his green eyes widened in horror as a large figure paused at the opposite end of the hallway. The armored gryphon chuckled, orange and grey feathers seeming to dissolve into nothingness as he grinned. His claws flicked a switch held in a firm grip, and it was then that Toxic saw the wires leading to the bulky vest strapped around the gryphon’s fading torso. “A whisper remains. Relay that to your Sun Goddess!” the gryphon hissed at the distant pony, body continuing to vanish as Toxic bolted up the stairs. A disturbing, sinister laugh echoed after the stallion, the pony swearing he saw two white eyes hovering in front of his nose. “And mind the bump...Specialist Shield! Toxic’s world surged as the floor buckled, fire blasting up through the cracks as Celestia’s voice crackled with static over his earpiece. “TOXIC!” The small city of Tall Tale rumbled. The previously mundane laboratory on the outskirts heaved with agony, fire blasting rock and rubble up and out from the depths of the facility. With a flash of power, an alabaster princess appeared at the safety shield’s exterior, her limitless reserves pushing the barrier closer and strengthening it beyond any unicorn’s ability. She abandoned all methods of concealing her power, a solar flare surging around the alicorn and melting the stone under her hooves. The shield refused to yield against fire or ejected stone, not a single pebble making it outside of the barrier. While rock and concrete shattered against the shield a smaller bundle shot up above the main point of destruction, metal glinting in the sunlight. This is not the kind of flying I like. Toxic looked down at the crystal in his hoof, the teleportation crystal flashing red as the magical interference refused to yield. The filly in his arms let out a terrified scream as they began to fall, Toxic’s shields fading as they cleared the primary blast zone. “Hold on to me tight, ok?” he yelled, the filly pressing her helmeted head against his chest as the stallion wrapped a forelimb around her. A dozen memories flashed through the Specialist’s mind, having held creatures in this similar embrace before as he dragged them out of a contaminated area. Only this time, she’s still breathing, and I aim to keep it that way! Triggering an emergency failsafe in his armor, Toxic’s fall slowed slightly, arcane wings snapping out at his sides to belay their descent His green eyes narrowed as the spell began to fail, the interference erupting in pockets above the ruined lab. They began to fall once again, the wings flickering in and out of reality. Oh, this is going to hurt. A simple lockdown command was sent to the armor around his limbs, remnants of magic able to relay at least that much with the accompanying spell. It was a form of teleportation in a sense- the shifting of momentum. In this case, from straight down to angled outwards. Wrapping the filly up in his limbs, the stallion cast a series of shielding spells around his head as the pair hurtled towards the shimmering shield. A hint of golden magic managed to punch through the disruption, a certain Alicorn lending her aid to slow their flight. Regardless, Toxic slammed into the fortified shield with a crunch, falling a fair distance to clank against the ruined garden beds as dust settled around them. Ow. His head ringing slightly, the stallion staggered upright, now becoming aware of the voice in his ear- no, not his communicator… Celestia wrapped the Specialist up in a powerful grip, moving him closer to the shield’s edge as the ruined lab steamed. Healing magic coursed through Toxic’s limbs, the Alicorn nodding in approval as the cobblestones around her cooled from her own arcane surge. She couldn’t resist a caring smile as the pony unwrapped his limbs from the now-in-awe filly, the youngster gazing up at the Sun Goddess from behind the helmet. “You are two lucky ponies,” she sighed in, examining the shield with a frown. Her expression then softened into a smile. “Hold on, little one.” The filly vanished with a *pop*, whisked away to safe decontamination area and leaving a metal object behind. “I think this belongs to you,” Celestia remarked, nodding once to the stallion. “Well done.” Putting his helmet back on with a half-smile-half-grimace, Toxic stretched, testing his limbs. Without the gel and cushioning spells in his armor he’d have broken his back and likely everything else with that impact. “Director! Vitals reading good. Highness, do we continue?” Varti asked, the yak getting ahead of himself as Celestia chuckled. “If Specialist Shield is able, yes.” “Oh…erm…sorry Toxic…” “No worries, Varti. I feel decent enough, especially with that healing magic. Thank you, Highness.” He then paused, opening a private channel with Celestia. “I’m not sure if you saw the picture. It was a gryphon, orange and grey. His body was dissolving, some sort of transport magic? He said-” “A whisper remains. I heard. And it sounds like he was expecting you, so tread lightly. We’ll deal with that end of things, Toxic. I still need you to get in that lab. We don’t know what is being released into the air, but I don’t know if this shield can hold it forever, even with my link to the sun.” Celestia relayed. “I’m already feeling an increased concentration hitting the barrier. Whatever this substance is, it’s magical and chemical in nature. In terms of containment that complicates things. That gryphon wanted to blow the depths of the lab open and I need you to find out why. From what we can tell, it didn’t work. The blast only opened up the top levels and relieved the pressure building under the floors, probably just cracking the seals. There are still a few floors intact between level three and the deeper ones. The neutralizing agent is still there and intact. It should eradicate this.” “Understood,” Toxic replied, double-checking his armor’s integrity before trotting towards the crater. “Unfortunately, with the stairs and elevators destroyed, you’ll have to use the ventilation system.” Despite the serious situation, more than a few ponies had to stifle a chuckle at the reply to Celestia’s statement, the stallion now angling towards a large, exposed air duct as he grumbled with a rebellions huff. “I hate vents…”