Title:           Boundless (9)
Author:          BoundlessAnon
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/jbG91u9D
First Edit:      Sunday 29th of January 2017 06:45:02 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Last edit on: Sunday 29th of January 2017 07:31:24 PM CDT

Boundless shakes her head. "No, hon. We can handle the radiation, but that doesn't mean we can go around drinking industrial runoff." The pair of you begin to work your way through the loading area, following the walls to try and find another exit. At ground level it's a maze of ancient, useless vehicle hulks, so progress is slow and every so often you have to stop and double back. Boundless doesn't handle very well in confined spaces. "You're not far off, though," she adds, squirming her way through a gap between a wagon and its trailer that can only just admit the width of her middle, "it would be just as poisonous to most ponies."
 
You offer her a helping hoof which she thankfully accepts, working herself free with a little gasp of exertion. She looks past you and smiles happily. "Ooh, here we are." It looks like you've found the source of the smell, and it's pretty rank. One of the wagons has a little walled platform on the back, and there are several barrels on it. Some of them look to have been cracked somehow, spilling their disgusting sludgy contents all over the floor of the wagon. Boundless, to your surprise, rears up and breaks open the tailgate. "Radiation, hon! Maybe I can boost my magic." She dips her hoof into the goo and starts splashing it all over her face and horn.
 
You take a step back and give her some room. Pretty mares rushing to bathe themselves in wet, sticky slime are perfectly fine in your book, but it's not exactly ideal when that slime could poison you. Apparently satisfied, Boundless braces her forehooves against the back of the trailer, flicking some of the excess off her ears. Her brow furrows in concentration and her horn alights. For a few seconds she stands perfectly still, humming through gritted teeth. Suddenly she tenses up with a sharp hiss of exertion, and her horn abruptly goes dark. You hurry to her side to keep her from toppling over - or try to - but she keeps herself upright on shaking hooves.
 
Boundless lets herself down from the trailer, breathing heavily and settling onto her haunches. Beads of sweat freckle her body, but she meets your alarm with a tiny smile. "Didn't push myself too far this time, hon. Y-you can relax. It doesn't hurt." Even so, you point out, she looks like she's just run a mile at a full gallop. She nods, letting her wings hang limply at her sides. "I know, I know, it was a stupid risk. B-but I contacted Corona! I know where she is!" You nod, giving her time to take things slowly. "She's downstairs, just like I thought - there's a Ministry of Arcane Science lab in the basement and she's locked in. The way down's not far from here."
 
From what you've heard in the past, the Ministries used to run Equestria. More accurately, they ran it into the ground. They also took security very seriously. Perhaps Corona touched something she shouldn't have and the place locked itself down (but why would they put a lab in the basement of a power station?). Boundless starts to wipe her face. "Yes, exactly. But..."
 
What about Auriga?
 
Boundless lowers her head despondently, ears flattening against her skull. "I couldn't reach her. She never answered."
 
You take a few minutes to let Boundless rest. She's unusually quiet, no doubt filled with worry for her sisters. Once she's ready, you let her take the lead. After a while you both reach a door leading back into the bulk of the plant. Boundless should probably be relieved to be out of the tight space, but instead she starts rationalising out loud. "Perhaps she was simply busy. Or sleeping." You suggest that perhaps she's simply low on rads, but Boundless shakes her head. "Auri keeps herself topped up as much as possible. You've seen how protective she is - she should take it easy, I know, but she always wants to be ready for a fight."
 
At last, following Corona's directions, you reach your destination. A tight, discreet corridor leads to a small, armored hatch. Beyond that, a sheer flight of stairs disappears into darkness. There's simply no way that Boundless could get down there safely - even her sisters would have to lower their heads to take the stairs. You point out, a little awkwardly, that in her present state Boundless' girth is simply too wide. A short flight of stairs in an open area was enough of a challenge. Boundless bristles at that, but can't deny it, and instead turns to renewed concern. "Are you going down there?"
 
You nod. You've come this far, right? Inside you're kicking yourself - you're a wandering wannabe healer, not a professional soldier or a grizzled merc bristling with firepower. Who knows what you'll find? But Boundless needs her sisters, and you're going to help them if you can. Her foreleg suddenly curls around you, drawing you against her body. The other comes to rest against your cheek, stroking it gently. "Please, hon. Just... just be careful. Don't put yourself in danger." You return the hug as best you can by putting your hooves around her bulging midsection (what? You're just a little pony, it's the only part you can reach) and tell her that she - or rather, the three of them - should just sit tight. You'll be back as soon as you scope out the place.
 
She leans down, smiling sadly, and kisses you on the forehead. Her breath smells earthy - unusual, but not unpleasant. "Good luck, hon. We're rooting for you."
 
Welp, now you *have* to go down there. Steeling yourself and taking a deep breath, you give her tum a cheeky little nuzzle and start down the staircase into the basement. You flick your flashlight on, revealing nothing but dust, cobwebs and even more stairs. A quick look over your shoulder reveals that Boundless is poking her head over the rim of the hatch, watching you.
 
As you move, you again pick up the distinct, nostril-wrinkling stench of magical waste. You pause to take one of your RadAways - it tastes like raw ass, as usual, but better safe than sorry. Eventually, the staircase terminates in a thin, clinically white corridor. There's a stuffy little reception area and what looks like a security checkpoint, both decayed beyond any use. A little further, past the checkpoint, the corridor splits into a T-junction. The right corridor quickly turns out to be a dead end, blocked by a section of the ceiling that's completely collapsed into it, but on the left - another smell, one you recognise well enough, is very strong there. It reeks of blood. Turning another corner, your dinky flashlight settles on something big - something vividly purple, slumped against the wall at the base of a long, black-red smear. Drawing closer you make out more details - crumpled feathers, a long horn splintered off an inch or two below the tip, and the sound of breathing, ragged and wet.
 
Auriga.