GermBusters 2: Operation Quinty

by Lukington17

Chapter 4 - A Breath-taking View

The Germbusters reached a plaza similar to the one they'd seen inside Cutea's head, with the brain dominating the space and inhabited by a dwelling labelled 'City Hall'. Micronauts were busy rushing around which surprised the gang given that Quinty was currently sleeping; this they could tell owing to the fact that QuintyVision (the live feed to Quinty's eyes and view) was seemingly switched off and showing black. The gang were heading to City Hall's guarded entrance when Eminence exclaimed giddily: "Oh wow, check it out...!" They turned and saw a cinema, lit up with neon lights proudly stating it was showcasing the dream Quinty was receiving tonight. Curious, they ventured in and noticed that the dream was apparently 'X-rated' - and so, even more curious, they went in and took a seat.

"Let's not get too distracted" Blaze reminded them, but Chris shoved popcorn into her mouth and they laughed. The dream depicted Quinty waking up in his bed, turning, and then - much to everypony's surprise - Blaze Inferno herself turning to face him in bed. She sleepily ran her hoof through his mane before winking and blowing a kiss. It seemed Quinty's thoughts were programmed in as well, as they heard him thinking 'she's so gorgeous' and such. Then Quinty asked a rather lewd question to her and some of the audience let rip with an "oooooo!", but the gang were more focused on looking at Blaze herself, sitting in disbelief.

"Let's not get too distracted," Electric smirked.

"Wooo look who has the hots for you, hun" Flushie teased, as the others all nudged Blaze jokingly.

Blaze blushed and tried to hide her surprise. "Well, I mean, clearly he has good taste..."

"His heart is on fire for you, Infernoooo" joked Chris. As they kept laughing at the discovery, Blaze stood up and tried to compose herself.

"I believe my admirer is in danger." With that, the others stood sombrely and they headed for City Hall.

---

"The Germbusters themselves, what a pleasure it is indeed."

The gang had been welcomed straight into the office of the Mayors, who just like Cutea were Micronaut representations of Quinty but each one was a different colour representing the emotions they were responsible for: blue for miserableness, red for anger, yellow for kindness and pink for cuteness. "Yeah, took you long enough." said Anger. Atrimy frowned at him and then turned to Kindness and Miserable, explaining why they'd come to visit. Cuteness was hiding behind his chair, glancing nervously between them and out the sweeping window.

"Yes, I'm afraid your success in the nose was brilliant but there is a slightly bigger problem than that. You see, the germs have already entered the Respiratory System and have caused disruptions and damage. We have reports they've set up base in the left lung."

"Yeah, and can you believe that guy? Saying his body would get rid of it naturally?! We are the body, there's no natural job here!"

The gang laughed under their breath, but then feeling sorry for Quinty they prepared themselves. "Don't worry, Mr Mayor...Mayors... we'll do our best to assist your soldiers cells and militia down there," Divinity said confidently.

Electric looked serious, "I was thinking, we might benefit from employing the service of Quinty himself, or at least controlling his functions, in order to assist overthrowing whatever evil lurks in his lungs."

The Mayors looked at each other for a moment, then nodded slowly and handed them radios. "Let us know how we can help then."

---

The gang charged down the windpipe from the brain, whooshing past supportive civilians and transit systems blaring through the veins in various directions. Gushes of air came in and out, making their travel slightly harder at times, but eventually they saw arrows and signs for the Lungs. As soon as they headed down into the left bronchus, the germs appeared clinging to the sides everywhere. "Fire!" came the yell and the Germbusters opened fire at them all, catching the germs off-guard and blowing them up, sending them up in smoke (- causing a sleeping Quinty to cough in his bed -) and disnitegrating. "That's it guys, no mercy!" shouted Electric as the opening into the vast cavity of the lung beckoned ahead. They all cheered for themselves as the vanquished germs groaned and fell in pieces, and Micronaut soldiers immediately entered the fray, cleared smoke and finished off the germs.

"Oh crap..." Cutea said aloud, as their cheers were short-lived: they entered the Lung and there, suspended in mid-air in the cavernous lung was an enormous ball, constructed out of cellular membrane yet lit-up and heavily-armed, like a mini Death Star. At its centre was a large green opening and from this doorway germs were emerging, in grand numbers. "This must be why they keep multiplying...as soon as we kill one, this ball generates more of them!" Cutea shouted in realisation. She proved this by pulling out her pistol and hitting a germ in the centre, and sure-enough two more came out of the doorway.

"Then we know our mission. Stop that doorway, we stop the germs." Flushie said.

"If we block that doorway, then we can destroy the sphere from here" Electric agreed, and they all huddled up. "So it's agreed," he went on. "We'll just have to hope it works. Take cover." They all ducked behind some alveoli, and Eminence got her radio out.

She whispered: "Germbusters to Mayors, come in."

"Receiving."

"We need Quinty to wake up. Is there a freezer in the kitchen?"

"Oh...yes, why?"

"We're gonna need the AC raised in here..."

"Copy that, over and out!"

The gang tried to locate a screen of QuintyVision, and luckily there was one near the ball. Fearing it might reveal their plan to the germs, Chris shot up and kicked the screen down so that it faced away from the ball, solely for them to see. "Nice thinking, mintyboi" said Blaze.

"Hopefully it will be Quinty who's feeling minty fresh in here, any second now..." Chris said pensively, watching the screen.

Indeed, Quinty had woken up slowly. Lifting his tired eyelids, he dragged himself out of bed and into the kitchen. He opened the freezer and pulled out his ice box. He then raised it to his nose and took a deep inhale. The gang watched as some klaxons started blaring and an immense gush of icy air came gushing in. It did settle on the sphere, freezing parts of it, but not enough. The germs there were quick to set about melting the ice. "Like, more!" Eminence whispered into her radio, and they watched as a half-asleep Quinty took an ice cube, held it until it started to melt, then tilted his head back and let the icy water flow into his nostril. With an almighty 'snort' echoing from the screen, the ice came thundering into the lung, splashing into the lung cavern and gushing straight into the sphere, covering the doorway.

"Go, go GO!" Electric belted out, and the gang soared out from their cover, blasting the frozen ball with everything they'd got. The QPD and army were there too, firing their tanks and cannons at the sphere having waited for the command. The big sphere shook and vibrated, and the germs tried to break free, but it proved too much. The cracks strained and the whole thing groaned before it exploded in a glorious inferno, shrapnel flying in all directions. "Duck!" The gang flew for cover as the sounds of screaming germs and sizzling membrane reverberated around the Lung. After a moment of the noise subsiding, the Micronauts cheered and celebrated ecstatically, but after a few lone surviving germs continued to attack, the Germbusters dealt with them swiftly. Eight germs soon became eight globs on the floor, one with a metal-rimmed hat nearby, another infused with orange juice... Blaze then turned to any wounded infantrymen nearby, curing them with her medicinal powers swiftly. Some of the glob fell in Electric's eyes and he accidentally fired a shot into the air, hitting one of Quinty's bronchioles. But, with the mission accomplished, they allowed themselves a celebration and joyously headed to a party downtown.

"Germbusters to Mayors, mission accomplished! Send sanitation department to left lung..."