Iridescent Plant

by Eugene Vermeer

Chapter sixth

Author's Note:

On darkpony.ru they said to author "will not fly". But she flies!

Step out of the vehicle slowly! You're under arrest!

Need for Speed 3: Hot Pursuit

* * *

Scootaloo almost ran corridor in two seconds when light flashed. Closing her eyes in surprise, she pushed open the door and ran out into the hall. So far there was no one heard. Heaven knows, which could delay the Rainbow (Scootaloo hoped not friends because it was too dangerous), but Loo knew it was not for long. When Rainbow Dash was enraged, nothing could stop her.

There was not much of a choice where to go: Scootaloo jumped into the span and tried to slow down with wings. She knew that it would be foolish to run back to where she was not, but it was a chance. It was to hardly expect of her. And she remembered that the technical floor with pipes and the tank went much further to the east after the stairs. In a few jumps reach floor with stalls, Scootaloo met first opponents. It was pegasi all in the same gray robes. In hooves they kept some tools, but she did not want to find out its purpose. Also, one of the guards shot. Scootaloo rushed down, and the shot went much sideways.

Two jumps, a few steps, two more jump. Scootaloo fell on the cloudy floor and sprained her foot. Fortunately, she successfully rolled and hurt nothing. She immediately rushed behind the ladder – she did not want to get unknown charge into the croup. Then begins the darker clouds. Scootaloo remembered conversations with one pegasus which said that some types of dark ominous clouds much denser than white. Apparently, so here was put a huge metal barrel. It was mounted on a thick girders, going into the walls.

Running past fractionator Scootaloo noticed what it huge: more than eight yards in diameter. On the sides of the tank departed various tubes were attached to some dials with arrows. For a moment, little pegasus wondered disable this mechanism, but she immediately threw it – there was no time. Voices of guards already heard very close.

"They fly, and I run, that's the point," thought Scootaloo.

Suddenly she heard a thunderous voice of Rainbow Dash from above:

"Scootaloo! Stop now! We'll catch you anyway!"

Filly ducked for a moment, but then realized that it was only a broadcast. If Rainbow Dash was here, she would have rushed at her silently. Scootaloo cheered and quickened. She decided to help herself with wings – on the clouds this should facilitate acceleration. Scootaloo spread its small wings and began waving them evenly, throwing back the air. She didn't try to fly, because she thought it's a waste of effort, but it became easier to run.

In the wings snapped something, and little pegasus felt like they are not as obedient. Looking back, she was amazed: her wings become bigger! They stretched out to the sides and became wider.

"Huh, maybe I can fly away from these scoundrels!" she thought. Scootaloo start to flap their wings, trying to fly, and really, her hooves pulled away from the floor. Not at each step she touched the clouds. Little pegasus scooped up more air and flapped their wings. The flight lasted! She did it! She wanted to scream with joy, but the moment was a little inopportune, so Scootaloo just became harder to flap her wings to add speed.

Began dense weave of pipes, small horizontal tanks, some valves, shutters, at one point even hung a rusty chain. Diligently circling obstacles Scootaloo heard back flapped pursuers. They were closer than she wanted, but farther than that it was necessary for them to get her with their weapons. Nevertheless several unsuccessful shots banged.

Overflights last interlocking tubes, Scootaloo braked sharply: in front of her was a wall of black clouds. Looking around, she saw a wide door with the inscription on them "Engine Division". She rushed to the door, but it was locked. Scootaloo almost howled in despair, but then jumped back and struggled yanked to the door. Hitting it with all four hooves, she flew to the gloomy corridor. She heard a whistle with pierced something on the floor and the wall behind her – it means that the guards are nearby.

To the right corridor opened into a dark space filled with the hum of invisible mechanisms. Scootaloo slowed down and cautious flew up most fear stumble on something. There was a little lighter. There were twinkling lights ahead and she could see some openwork cylindrical construction, which was better lit from a large bright hole in the ceiling.

Behind came the sound of wings and a voice Rainbow Dash:

"Catch her! And turn on the light!"

Hearing this terrible voice, yet somehow amplified with echo from all sides, Scootaloo shuddered and ran forward. She did not know where to go, but she thought that she might try to escape through the hole in the ceiling. But a grill… huge armature cylinder, the intervals between the bars are too narrow to even little filly slipped. But at the side – or it seemed to her? – monotonic order of alternation of armatures was broken. Approaching closer, Scootaloo saw that part of latticed wall size three yards on three was hung on hinges. She tried to open it, then noticed the latch. Throwing it off Scootaloo opened grille and whisked inside at the time when the blue pegasus hooves hit into the tube bars. Now she had to get up.

Rapidly flapping wings Scootaloo thought that everything is going surprisingly well. It was a miracle that she is still alive. Maybe she should have thought before rush forward, but there was no time to think. If she began to think she would be dead.

Light flashed, illuminating the dark cloud hall filled with turbines, transmissions, fuel tanks.

"Stop you piffling parody of a parody!" cried Rainbow Dash.

But Scootaloo was not listening to her. She had to get out from the plant and tell about everything. From top went gentle flow of cool air. Rising to half Scootaloo heard the buzz below. She turned her head and saw that deep down rotates something. Pegasus paused for a moment to figure out and realized that it was a giant blade of two propellers rotating in the opposite direction. Blades spinned faster and faster, the air flow from the top grown stronger, and the light fade. Looking up, Scootaloo saw gloomy clouds faster and faster looming to her.

Again there was a deafening voice Rainbow Dash:

"Emergency stop! Pony is in the cloud extractor!!!"

There was a rattle at the bottom and the blades froze and the air flow stopped. And then Scootaloo had an idea. She folded her wings and rushed down. When she passed by Dash, Rainbow muttered:

"Beast!"

* * *

Accompanied by pegasi girls went into the corridor. Unicorn walked behind.

Now corridor was brightly lit, and at the next right door was a nameplate "Executive Director Dr. Zephyr Mengele."

"Maybe try magic?" whispered Apple Bloom.

Sweetie Belle shook her head.

"I'm not sure that it will work," she said quietly.

"Hush!" shouted one of the pegasi.

"It was you told to keep silent, back off!" said Apple Bloom loudly and immediately received a slap by wing of second pegasus. "Grrrr!" she was angry, but stopped talk.

They went out into the hall and walked the familiar path to the terminals.

"The second terminal," said the unicorn. "The aerostat should be already refilled."

They have passed same corridor to the conveyor, past it and continue. Conveyor was tidy – perhaps before the next loading attendants removed the remains of butterflies.

Going through the tambour, the girls saw the aerostat and two sullen pilots.

"It is necessary to take this small fry. Order of the Director Rainbow."

"Get into," said one of them and soared to the cabin.

Apple Bloom walked to the gangway, but the guard said:

"No time for this."

He grabbed the girl and lifted her to the cabin. Second pegasus said to unicorn:

"Darnbolt, insure!"

He grabbed Sweetie Belle and not very gently pushed her into the cab. A moment later, the cabin lit up with flash, and Darnbolt went into a tail periodically looking at the girls.

Second pilot disconnected ladder and pulled it aside. He flew into the cabin and went to the control panel.

"Move it, and quickly," said guard pegasus. "To Ponyville library."

"Oh," said the first pilot, turning on engines.

Aerostat smoothly slid on runners and a few seconds later disappeared into the night.

The flight was short. Pilots quietly discussing something and clicked tumblers.

"Lowering," said the first. "Reverse."

Motors were silent for a moment and roared again. Half a minute later the pilot shut the engine off.

"The lowering will take about three minutes," added a second pilot.

"No time," said Darnbolt. "Open the hatch."

"You will… throw us out?!" Apple Bloom frightened and plopped down on the croup.

"No way! And you run away? Oh, no."

Two pegasi picked up two girls and flew into the night.

Beneath flash blinked again, illuminating lush crown of the tree and the entrance to the library. Pegasi came down to a waiting unicorn. He turned to the door and knocked politely.

"Come in!" came a shout from behind the door.

Darnbolt opened the door and invite gestured.

Girls uncertainly have passed in a brightly lit hall. Unicorn came after them.

"I'll now," Twilight's voice came from the pile of scrolls. "Oh, there is a blockage. Move over, okay?" and Twilight teleported next to guests.

The girls were amazed with her look: seemed as if unicorn did not sleep for several days, got into hurricane and poured over herself some inkwells.

"I have a few minutes; I was just going to take a break. What's the matter?"

Unicorn cleared his throat and said: "These two offenders with a third little girl penetrated the Iridescent Plant. We were told to deliver them to you."

"Third?.. Scootaloo?.." asked Twilight.

"I don't know her name, orange pegasus."

"So… and what, in fact, the case? They broke something?"

"All I know – there was an order not to interfere with offenders while they explore the plant premises. Third violator escaped from the director Rainbow's office, and she chased after her."

"What a terror! So, girls, tell everything and quickly." Twilight looked at the unicorn. "Will you stay?"

"Actually, what to do with them further – this is, how I understood, at your discretion, but we would prefer that they do not run away."

"Well, if you can pass carefully, you can find tea, do not remember where that is, but the important documents I have now on one table, so if you have something to move – not a big deal." Twilight looked at fillies and frowned. "Come on."

Darnbolt waved his hoof to the pegasi, they came in and locked the door.

"Hurry, tell me what you've done again!" told Twilight, made her way to her place behind the table.

"We didn't done nothing!" said Apple Bloom with a call. "Confess, as you involved yourself in everything, lilac hornbill!"

"Lilac… hornbill?.." repeated Twilight. "Are you all right with your head?"

"Yes, AB, what are you?" surprized Sweetie. "She is unicorn, not a hornbill!"

"Well, it worked with the Rainbow," she waved. "Maybe it will help now."

"Stop it!" pushed her Sweetie Belle. "We don't need her to chase you! Maybe we'll talk normally."

"Well," agreed Apple Bloom. "Then this: in the morning we saw death of the pegasus. In his death certainly guilty Rainbow Dash. And Fluttershy is also involved in this. Now answer how are you and princess Celestia involved in this!"

"Oh, goodness!" exclaimed Twilight. "So what's the point! Who else saw the death of pegasus?"

"Two more accomplices," said Sweetie Belle. "Guard pegasi. They wanted to dismember us! And if you're going to do this, it will not work!" – Her horn glowed softly.

"Yeah," muttered Twilight. "What's wrong with you two? Can not be that the death of pegasus so much affect you!"

"Not enough for you?" Apple Bloom asked sternly. "We were flooded with blood and covered with remains from head to hoof! Besides, he was not bad! He wanted to warn about the contamination!"

"Contamination? Ugh hell, I told them!.." Twilight turned away from friends and began to dig in the papers on a nearby table. "Yeah! That's it. Water supply. Yes. It is. Well done girls!" she smiled over her shoulder. "Spike! Spike!!!"

From somewhere in the bowels of the paper mountains crept the dragon. He looked no better than Twilight.

"Immediately send a note to the princess." Twilight quickly wrote few words and threw a piece of paper to Spike. He grabbed it, ran to the window, belched fire and then fell back to sleep.

"So, contamination is real?" asked Apple Bloom. "What's disease with my brother?"

"I have no idea," said Twilight. "What about him?"

"Well, remember when we took your book about Day of Hearts and Hooves?"

"Oh, it's when I went for groceries… yes, I remember."

"Well, we tried to make a love potion…"

"Thy mot…" Twilight barely restrained and stomped her foot. "So what? Big Mac… and who was the second victim?.. They have lost their minds?"

"No, it's okay," said Sweetie Belle, "we were able to hold them separately an hour and they came back to normal."

"More or less," interjected Apple Bloom. "And the next day they get sick. They are now in the infection ward."

* * *

Fearing bump into the blades, Scootaloo began to maneuver through her wings. Successfully flying between the blades, where there was barely enough space, Scootaloo continued decline, which was trying to slow down a bit so as not to bump into anything protruding from the tube walls. Air temperature increased. Within the walls of steel pipe located small holes, from where proceeded dense stream of cold air.

Little pegasus heard something hit metal at the the top.

"Come back now, worthless girl!" came the cry of Rainbow Dash.

"Thanks, but no," thought Scootaloo. "I want to live some more."

Rapidly descending, she almost crashed on the grate. Lucky that she descended with hooves forward. New obstacle was firm and immobile. Deep down under the grate Scootaloo could see small clouds, dimly lit moon. Under the clouds darkened land. She unbearably wanted to throw down, but she had to find another way.

Rising above Scootaloo found in the walls of the pipe holes large enough. From some of them went dry hot air, into the other it left. Fearing a new fan, Loo decided to move upstream. Hot air burned skin, was hard to breathe. She thoroughly sweated until waded dozen and a half yards along the rusty pipe. Ahead there was nothing in sight. Finally she got to the turn, which was a little lit. After the turning pipe hole pale loomed.

Fearing attract attention, Scootaloo moved almost crawling. The silence was broken only by the steady hum in the distance and the faint rustle of feathers and hooves on the tube walls. With close to the door, she peered cautiously. Turns out, she crawled to a low rectangular space over which pretty quickly spun blowing fan. There were white blocks suspended on iron rods which occupied significant place, nopony behind the fan could not be seen.

Carefully placing the hoof on the floor, Scootaloo walked to the nearest block and touched it. It was soft and moist and slightly more reminiscent of a paper napkin. Suddenly, from behind the fan sounded a short siren. "Change of dryers," said a voice. There was a clang at the side. Glancing in the direction little pegasus saw a hatch opening in the wall, and hanging blocks began to move into it. With some difficulties flied up to the bars, she became convinced that there is no escape. Then Scootaloo decided and grabbed the nearest slow-moving unit. It turned out that it readily pierces the "napkin". That was enough to hold tight until the unit shuddered cornering. Apparently, this was the unit, which was mentioned by the voice of the invisible pony.

From top was heard clop.

"Stop the replacement now!" came a loud voice of Rainbow Dash.

"What's the matter, ma'am?' heard puzzled voice of someone.

"Intruder in the extractor! Output shut, she could go only in dryers, or even worse, in the catchers! If you do not stop replacement, she will grinded now!"

"Damn!" exclaimed the second voice. Moving into the darkness Scootaloo heard someone quickly ran from the fan.

For some time moving in darkness, she reached the place where the dryer blocks fell into the gap. When she was about to jump off the block on which she hung, it jerked and froze. Looking down, Loo saw rotating drums with jagged remains of a white substance on them. She went down to the steel base, poked her head into the hole and made sure that it is impossible to climb further – unless you turn into bloody forcemeat. Then she decided to move forward.

There was not enough space to flap her wings, so as she could she tore through the absorber and climbed on the opposite side, from head to toe smeared with paper (or whatever it was). Gathered, Scootaloo jumped forward and slid across the floor, pulled up. Ahead was an empty frame unit with folded lower beam. Next darkness thickened so that Scootaloo regretted that she is not Sweetie – that could light her horn. Very cautiously moving forward, after a few steps she turned her into a block of dry paper. To the limit of straining your eyes, she saw that the unit supports holder, sticking out of the floor. Then Loo decided – turned and kicked block.

Better she wouldn't do it – paper snapped asunder and flew out of the frame like a cork, and Scootaloo fell by surprise and heavily scratched knees to support. But the way was clear. Doubtful advantage, but still more to go was nowhere. Ahead there was a roar and clang, and a rectangular box lit from above.

"Well let's climb?" said someone.

"It is necessary," sighed the other. "She will not rest until all will be checked. Look! It seems that due to stop replacement manipulator was broken again.

"Exact. We'll repair all night."

"O merciful Luna! Help!" prayed Scootaloo. She gathered into a fist and crept closer, while one of the ponies climbed down the hatch.

On the forehead technician had a flashlight, and at the moment it beam in the other direction.

"Well, let's see…" said pegasus, turning to Scootaloo.

And she stabbed. Scootaloo did not know how hard you have to beat to deny consciousness adult pony, but she definitely tired to ceremony, so she put in the punch all forces. Crackled, pegasus flew backward and heavily flopped back on the floor. He made no sound.

Fearing raise the alarm, Loo rushed to the hole, but the second technician stuck his head in.

"Hey, dude, you what? Fall again?" perplexedly asked he.

Next strike of Scootaloo came this pegasus into nape. She was afraid to miss her hind legs, so she used right hoof. Kick came much weaker, but everything turned out just fine: the second pegasus also lost consciousness and began slowly sliding into the hatch. When he fell, Scootaloo yanked off his flashlight, turned it off and put it on.

After a moment, her eyes appeared over the edge of the hatch. She saw a high room, the ceiling of which was lost in the darkness. On the floor were painted track, she realized, following the pipes, where moved blocks of dehumidifier. Quickly looking around Scootaloo made sure that nopony is nearby yet. She jumped out and slammed the door. Unfortunately, she did not realize how close it, but it wasn't so important: they had finally found a way out.

She walked between the tall metal columns that ran up. Strayed a bit, she noticed a few ponies standing at the open hatch. One of them was commanded:

"Check faster! We need to find violator and launch dissector! Already fifteen minutes of inactivity! Oh, and we'll get beans from the Atmosphere if we'll not manage!"

"Let director Rainbow swears with him," grumbled one of the technicians. Apparently, it was a foreman, because the chief did not argue with him, pursed his lips and said:

"Check everything! Faster! Do not be afraid to call help."

Pegasus chief turned around and left. "I wonder where is Rainbow Dash?" thought Scootaloo. Least of all now she wanted to meet with crazy pegasus, but the idea that Dash can now torment her friends, was even worse. If Rainbow will threaten her friends, demanding that Scootaloo surrendered, she will fulfill all her requirements.

"So, I have to stop her from distraction," murmured Scootaloo.

Going round the workers away, she appreciated about where everything is. Pipe, which supplies cloud, located in the eastern side of the hall and was closed. Apparently, it maintained a special mode to the water at the outlet could not condense into new clouds. Further to the east – Scootaloo could not believe her luck! – was located a very wide window in a half of wall, behind which waited the night. Approaching it, Scootaloo convinced that the window can not be opened. That means she needed to break it. She would not want to break it with hooves, because she certainly cuts herself.

Coming in from the hall, little pegasus did not find anything heavy that could help her. Only in one place, three technicians were busy with some kind of system. Beside them stood a toolbox. Take it without attracting attention was impossible. "Stop," thought Scootaloo. "This is just what I need!"

She turned on the flashlight and walked quietly to the technicians. At first, they did not pay any attention to her, but when she drove one of them into the forehead, and then grabbed the heavy box, not noticing her became difficult. By the way, she turned out that got hit pegasus was female. "It happens," thought Scootaloo, rushing to the window. From rear swept elite curses. Good swinging, Scootaloo threw toolbox in the window and laid the steep turn. At this moment no one was nearby, but judging by the cries, she soon had to be surrounded. Therefore, waiting for the glass fell, Loo rushed to the hole and folded wings. "Let's hope no one gets hurt at the bottom," she thought, and took off into the night.

* * *

Twilight looked up from his papers and turned to the girls:

"Don't you mind if I work, as we speak? Have something to shortchange, the princess waiting for the report." She looked toward the guards at the door. "Apparently, guys do not want tea, but you can still search. So Apple Bloom, what happened to your brother?"

"I think he was poisoned by rainbow, which we added in the love potion," she said. "Since it was the day before yesterday, the infection has already begun. And soon there will be new victims. Since the treatment has yet been found, there will be a lot of deaths."

"Ha." Twilight distracted from the report. "You're talking interesting."

"Same as Rainbow said," replied Apple Bloom. "It will not stop us. Answer how you involved in all of this!"

"Wait five minutes, I'll finish," said Twilight, hastily writing something on parchment.

Indeed, after three and a half minutes, she finished and went to Spike and not very politely poked him in the ribs. Dragon snorted, opened one eye and jumped. Grabbing a new letter, he immediately sent it and fell back to the scrolls.

Twilight turned to Apple Bloom:

"Well, let's start the lecture."