//------------------------------// // 3 - One crazy week // Story: Ponyville Fire Department: New Generation // by Rescue Sunstreak //------------------------------// Rescue let out a long, deep breath and peeked out from the squad bay. His eyes on the shining white castle on the hill in the distance. He didn’t hear Ice come up on his side, only becoming aware of her as she nudged him. “Chief, relax, will you? You raised him right, you taught them all the best you could. They will make it. None of them know how to quit.” Glancing over at the pegasus mare, he gave a snort and looked back at the view. “I know that in my head, but my heart worries and I know Ailan’s does, too.” She again nudged him. “Well, quit, you are going to spook the Explorers. You know the trouble twins are watching you, right?” Turning his head to see the two cake foals snap their heads back to working on polishing the brass slide pole, he sighed and called over to them. “I better be able to see myself in that thing, Explorers. Perhaps this will be a good reminder that it is not a funny joke to replace the coffee with decaf!” He then shifted back to Ice. “Yeah, I know, thank you for reminding me. Are things set up for the announcement tomorrow?” She nodded. “Yes, Chief. You still sure we shouldn’t tell Bull?” Rescue frowned some. “Shhh.” She grinned. “He is running a gallon of ice cream out to his wife.” Rescue shook his head. “I still can’t believe another Apple is on the way. Do you know how big that clan is? Are they part rabbit?” She blinked and gave an almost shocked look. “Chief… d-did you just... tell a joke?” He slugged her in the shoulder lightly. “Shut up,” looking back out and wondering how his son, along with the other cadets, were taking hell week. --- Pipsqueak glanced behind himself as they all ran circles around the long track. Spotting a few stragglers, he glanced to the pink mare huffing next to him. “Di, I am going to drop back and help them.” She glanced over her shoulder then nodded. “Go!” Dropping back, slowing his pace and letting others pass him, he took note of Butch and Code running together but almost a quarter lap behind. He allowed them to catch up by setting pace with them, saying nothing. Butch was the first to break the silence.    “Squeaker, what are you doing?” Looking over at pony and diamond dog, he smiled. “Running with you two. Come on, set your cadence with mine. We will finish this lap together, alright?” Week one had been tough. Then again, it had been nicknamed ‘Hell Week’ for a reason. All of them had slept two or three hours a night. They had run more laps than they could count, push-ups, sit-ups, and carrying heavy hose rolls up the challenge tower. When they weren't sleeping or working out, they were being bombarded with classwork and homework. It was Friday, make or break day, and Pip knew if Code and Butch didn’t at least make their best time, they were out. Looping around the final turn, he huffed out. “Come on, you two, let’s sprint! You can do it! Come on, heavy, long strides!” He called out as the three sped up, Butch’s heavy feet slamming into the ground as he stretched out. He could hear Code huffing, wheezing a little now. However, both were putting in everything they had. Crossing the line together, he urged them to slow, not stop. Walking it off, moving about until their heart rates lowered. “Sunstreak! What in Luna’s left teat do you think you were doing?!” Coming to a stop and moving to attention, Pip immediately faced the large brown unicorn stallion storming his way. “Sir, I was helping Cadet Butch and Cadet Code finish their run.” Frowning more, the stallion looked at his stopwatch then back at the paint pony. “Cadet Butch, Cadet Code, you passed, with two seconds to spare. Front and center Cadets, Ponyville, front and center!” Once all were in formation before him, once more Stone Dropper looked at the young Ponyville stallion. “Now, Cadet, explain to me. What made you think it was okay to drop back and do what you did?” Pip swallowed hard, he had not received one reprimand yet, but... the week was not over. “Sir, I... well, I was taught a firepony never leaves a brother or sister behind. So, I got permission and I dropped back to give my fellow cadets some encouragement and support.” Stone snorted. “And, Cadet, just who put that notion in your skull, and who gave you that order?” Pip glanced at Diamond, who by day three had been given the badge of Cadet Chief. Even the gryphons felt she was the right one for it. “Sir I was given permission by Cadet Chief Tiara. As to who taught me that,” puffing his chest out some in pride. “My father, sir, Chief Rescue Sunstreak.” Another grunt emanated from the large stallion facing them, then he glanced out at the others not in formation but listening. “So, at the risk of taking a demerit for performance, you thought you would help your fellow cadets?” Pip gave a nod. “Yes, sir.” Lifting his head, Stone yelled out. “Listen up you foals. From here on out, you take note. One of you falls behind, you all fall behind. Teamwork, support your brothers and sisters, am I clear?!” As one, they each barked out. “Yes, sir!” He gave a single nod. “Cadet Chief Tiara, assign Cadet Ensign Sunstreak here to help Cadet Butch, Code, and the others who are a bit slower out there. I expect results by next Friday's test.”   She saluted in return. “Yes, sir,” Butch and Code strolled over, still huffing some as Stone walked off. “Pip, you saved us. Thank you for that.” Pip shook his head. “No, I helped a couple of brother firepony—er, firedog, you know what I mean. We help each other, always. Remember that. The only reason the five of us are here is teamwork.” --- Shaking his head lightly. “So what are your thoughts on them so far, Stone?” Stone looked over at the other in the room, who was standing at the window looking outside at the training yard. “Flint, I think they have all got it. Sure, a few of them like that diamond dog and that little runt from Manehattan will have a rough go. Although, they will do just fine, as to who I know you are speaking of…” Lifting his drink and taking a slug from it, letting the whiskey burn its way down. “I think Sunstreak’s kid will be one hell of a firepony, and I think that arrogant pink mare of his,” he shook his head, “I think we will be calling her Battalion Chief before you and I retire.” Smirking as he turned, Flint lifted his own drink in a salute to his friend. “I think you are right, and I think Ponyville is in good hooves,” they clinked their glasses together and Stone gave a nod back. “Who would have thought that stallion would have gotten his shit together and turned out—” gesturing outside, “—Cadets like that.” Flint glanced outside once more. “You remember what he was like back when he was a probie, Stone. I see the same thing when I look in their eyes. You know they lost one, right?” Stone stood and walked over, looking outside, shoulder to shoulder with one of his oldest friends. “Yeah, I guess that gave them a drive to give it their all. So, all call out to Ponyville next weekend?” Flint smirked some and took a sip. “Yep, be good to see that crusty stallion, show some kind of emotion in public.” Stone snorted. “I will bet you twenty bits he doesn’t even crack a smile.” The older stallion looked back over. “You are on, and you will lose that bet just like you did about him and mares.” --- Standing now, donning his finest uniform, Rescue looked out at the gathered ponies and other Ponyville citizens. Oh, how he loathed public speaking, and having to be in full dress on a warm day made it that much worse. Hearing a throat clear on his right side, he turned and smiled a bit at the rounded and very-clearly pregnant orange mare. “Y’all gonna tell us what this is about now, and why ma husband is out there sweating his flank off in full dress with th’rest of the crew?” Rescue gave a chuckle and shook his head. “You can hold five more minutes, AJ. I could start early, but…” he gestured over to the purple alicorn and small drake holding a long list and making check marks on it. Applejack snorted. “Yeah, well, there is that, ain’t there?” she said, rolling her eyes some with a smile. “Res, Max and I got to talkin’ about godparents.” She glanced over at the big stallion at her side. “We want you and that husband of yours to watch over our foals should somethin’ happen to us.” Turning his head to look at the younger mare, Rescue laid his ears back, and just stared in disbelief. “I... we are honored, but, why us? I mean, you got all your friends, and—” How many years had he been here now, and once more, some damn mare cuts him off. Life was never fair. “Sunny, shut tha hell up and just say yes.” He shook his head and chuckled. “I will let Ailan know,” blinking at her smirk. The orange mare winked. “Ah think he knows already,” gesturing to the big, wide-grinning pegasus among the volunteer crew in their dress uniforms. Opening himself to the link he and his mate shared, he could feel the warmth, the joy, pouring from his better half. “I suspect you are right.” --- Rescue stood behind the podium and looked over his notes, then up at the sea of gazes focusing on him. “Ponyville has grown since I first came to this little town and was tasked with starting up Station One. We have had our growing pains, we have all fought hard, and done our best. Today, it is not only the anniversary of that opening, but…” A voice loud, clear, and above him came. He looked up as everypony started to mutter and whisper. “Princess Luna?” what was it with mares cutting him off? It was like life had it out for him today. Everypony immediately bowed down, and the observant would note every firefighter moved a hoof—or claw in the case of the gryphon among them—to the small medallion they all wore under their badges. Rescue dipped his ears as he watched her land beside him. “Princess, we had not been told you would be attending.” The lunar alicorn smiled warmly. “We know, friend Rescue. If you will pardon us, we will be taking over for a bit.” All the big stallion could do was blink a few times then nod. “O-of course, my princess.” --- “So, this is where you guys grew up. Nice looking place,” Stonecrusher, the gryphon officer candidate stood next to Pip as they waited in formation with the rest of the cadets and a number of high-rankers from the EFD. He managed to spot his uncle and his grandfather among them, but no one had told them what was going on, except that all the cadets had been ordered into dress uniforms, and the Ponyville Cadet Squad now stood at the front of the column. “Yeah, Ponyville is a pretty great little town. I mean, how many other towns can say they have their own princess, as well as the Elements of Harmony?” “Looking good, Rumble!” a pegasus mare flew past heading in the direction of the station that was just down the street and around a bend. Rumble glanced up and grinned wide. “Hey, thank you, Flitter!” Scootaloo poked the colt-turning-stallion. “No looking!” Rumble muttered. “Eww, she is like a older sister to me.” Up front standing at Firehook’s side, a young pink earth pony mare shook her head. “Idiots.” Firehook chuckled some to himself and said in a low tone to the young cadet chief. “It is like wrangling parasprites sometimes,” before his ears lifted at a loud whistle from down the street. Spotting his son Steelhook gesture, he nodded. “It is time, Cadets, Battalion representatives. Let's move out!” As a group, they started down the road, nearly fifty strong. --- “You will forgive the change in speaker, but today is a monumental day, and I wished to be part of it.” The blue alicorn settled her wings in and glanced off to the left, giving a nod. Rescue tried to follow her line of view, but saw nothing. She turned back to the crowd. “Today, we gather not just to commemorate the day Ponyville received its first fire station, but to honor the ones who work tirelessly to staff it. The one who toil night and day protecting us, watching over us, and saving us in our moment of need.” Hooves stomped, claws clacked, as everyone clapped. Luna let it die down some, but it didn’t as others started to look around for where the hoof stomping was coming from. Around the corner came a column of ponies in blue dress uniforms with crisp white shirts underneath. Rescue’s ears perked high as he spotted his father, his brother, and many of the other high-ranking officers of the department. Eyes going over the line as it appeared, a smile came to his face seeing his son march proud next to the other cadet officers. The cadet leaders standing out from others in their bright white hats counter to the black ones the rest wore. “Princess Luna, what is—” a dark blue hoof pressed to his lips. “Thine husband is quite right, thou talks too much.” Rescue let off a little angry horse snort, but kept his mouth shut. Once the procession had come to a stop and formed up. Four ponies stepped out, flanked by a gryphon, and a diamond dog. Stepping up, each bowed to Luna, as Rescue snapped off a salute, looking his father in the eyes, trying to figure out what the heck was going on. Luna stepped aside to let the six step up to the platform before she again turned to face the crowd. “Today, Ponyville grows. Chief Sunstreak, will you do the honors, please?” Rescue blinked and stepped forward next to the taller mare. “Max Ember, front and center, please,” he paused as a few in the crowd looked around. The draft stallion chuckled. “That is Bull’s real name for you folks that only know him as that, or, Mister Applejack.” AJ gave a laugh and a very unmare-like snort. A few laughed with her, Bull simply grumbled as he strode up, muttering, “I am going to get you for that one, Sunstreak,” under his breath, but just enough for the dark earth pony to hear. Rescue turned to look at one of his friends, fellow firepony, and right hoof. “Bull, you are out of uniform, and I am highly disappointed you would be such in front of our princess.” The unicorn stallion blurted out, he couldn’t help himself. “Like hell I am!” More laughter, but Rescue held up a hoof to silence the crowd before reaching under the podium. “Max Ember, Bull… you have been my saving grace more times than I can think of. It does me a great honor, and with great joy... I hand you this.” He offered out a blue velvet case about five inches long and another three wide. Bull took it in his magic aura and opened it carefully. His face broke, something that most, even other fireponies had yet to see him do before now. “T-r-this is, they are, but I—we…” his head snapping up with wide, teary eyes. “A-are you retiring?” Applejack called out from the crowd. “What in tarnation are they—!” none seeing exactly what was in the case. Bull looked out at the orange mare, the soon-to-be mother of his foal. His ears down, displaying more emotion than he had ever let show in public on his face. He held the case up for her and the crowd to see. “T-they are Chief bugles.” Applause and hooves stomping broke out, calls of pride and congratulations echoed among the gathered Ponyvilleians. Rescue watched AJ’s eyes tear up some, but shoot from her husband to him and back to her husband before he spoke, pausing to let the crowd once more die down. “Chief Ember, no, I will not be retiring. Rather, you are hereby,” picking up the pins and slowly working the unicorn stallion’s old captain bugles off, staying silent as he pinned on the new ones. Stepping back one pace with a smile. “Assigned to Ponyville Station Two, as her first Chief.” Gasps escaped from everypony, other than the officers on the podium, the dark alicorn, and a few in the crowd of many. “Station Two, we don’t have a Station Two…” Rescue chuckled some. “We will in six months, Bull, she is to be started tomorrow, out on the far north end. I could not be more proud to know you right now, or more sure they picked the right pony for the job.”   This time, the uproar of cheers came from everywhere. Up in the clouds above many of the Ponyville pegasi flock banged hooves together. Earth ponies stomped and yelled, unicorns shot bright colored balls of magic up into the air like fireworks. Rescue looked at Bull who was showing more emotion than he had ever seen the big guy show. “I... don’t know what to say, I…” The larger dark stallion patted the unicorn on the shoulder and gestured. “Say something to her, dummy,” watching as Bull spun and pulled the orange mare who had come up the steps into a crushing embrace. He heard him whisper to AJ who had tears flowing now. “We did it, Jackie, we won’t be wanting for money now, no matter what.”   Rescue gave a nod of his head as he watched Applejack mouth a silent ‘thank you’ to him. Slowly, the cheers died down, and Rescue realized the lunar princess was holding up a hoof to call for silence. “Chief Sunstreak,” she looked over at him. “There is another matter to attend to here,” shifting to Rescue’s father, she spoke clear but not shouting, just loud enough for all to hear. “Fire Chief Firehook, if you will please.” He nodded once and looked out over at the cadets, five of whom had the largest smiles of anypony there. “Cadet Sunstreak! How many battalions are there in the Equestrian Fire Department?” Pip called out without thinking. “Five, sir! Battalion One and Three are Canterlot, Battalion Two is Los Pegasus and Cloudsdale, Battalion Four is Manehattan and surrounding areas, and last, Battalion Five is Ponyville, and all outlying areas, including the Crystal Empire, sir!” Rescue tilted his head and watched his father and a few of the others shake their heads. Again, Firehook called out. “Captain Flint, just what are you teaching this year's cadets?” Luna gave a ‘tsking’ noise, as the old stallion snorted from where he stood with the cadets. Everypony else had their heads turning one way and the other, following the conversation. “Don’t know what to say, Firehook, I guess the kid is soft in the head or something,” turning to look at Pip, who was quite confused now. “Cadet Ensign Sunstreak, were you not issued the update for the manual before we left?” Diamond spoke up. Not only was she top of the class, but very by the book. “Update, sir? We were not informed of any update.” Lifting an eyebrow, the old stallion looked back up at the officers and princess on the stage. “Sorry, Fire Chief, looks like someone screwed up.” Luna could not hold her smile back as she stepped in. “It appears it is up to your princess to correct this oversight. Cadet Sunstreak, as of today, Battalion Five is the Crystal Empire. Battalion Chief Cloudcutter is there now, in fact, hence why he is not here. Rather, there is now a Battalion Six that covers Ponyville, Appleloosa, and all surrounding towns that have only volunteer squads.” Pip lifted his ears, but Rescue spoke up. “Pardon me, Princess, but why was I not informed of this?” glancing over at his father and the others. “Why am I just now finding out my station has been moved to a new battalion?” sounding a little put off. Rescue didn’t like the grin his brother had, but his eyes returned to Luna who responded “Friend Rescue, I am disappointed to hear this. You will need to bring this up with the Battalion Six chief right away!” The dark stallion shifted his emerald gaze to Luna. “Who would that be, Princess?” Something flashed out of the corner of his eye, turning to see another blue case floating there in the dark purple magic of the quiet alicorn princess in the crowd sitting with her friends. His eyes widened some as it opened…  “Mares and gentlecolts, may I introduce to you, Battalion Six Chief, Rescue Sunstreak!” Luna’s voice carried loud, proud, and the smile on her face was almost as animated as the one on his father's face. Rescue’s ass thudded into the stage as he sat hard in shock. One ear lifted as he heard Luna say softly. “Now, Pinkie.” And the world erupted, cannons went off, streamers shot into the sky, banners unfurled. A brown-maned stallion and a pink hyper pony shouted together. “Congratulations!” From out of nowhere, a huge banner came down behind them. On it, a large number six stood out on a map of Equestria with ten or so stars. A close look would note the stars were in the locations of all of the towns in the Battalion. He turned his head to a voice he could hear above the ruckus of Ponyville screaming in joy. “You are out of uniform, son,” a faded green stallion standing there, pride in the older stallion’s eyes. “D... dad?” he choked out, ears falling back as the stallion who raised him gently pinned his new rank on, just as he had done for Bull. “I am proud of you, Rescue Sunstreak. I could not be more proud of you and your brother.” A few stray tears raced down his face as he looked into his father's eyes. --- The party was in full swing by the time he made it past all the well-wishers. Finding himself flanked by his mate and Luna, he approached the paint colt and pink mare talking with a group of others. Every last one of them spun and snapped to attention, saluting him. “At ease cadets... erk!” The paint pony stallion was hugging him as hard as he could. “I am so proud of you, dad! You deserve this.” Wrapping a leg around the smaller male, hugging back with pride and strength. “Thank you, Pip.” Rumble let out an almost-rebel yell. “Dude, your dad is a Battalion Chief!” His pride showed on the other ponies faces, even gryphons came over and congratulated him once the hugs had broken up. The party went on for all of the night, even if some had to return to duty, and the cadets had to head out on the train. It was a huge event. Ponyville had grown again, and now was the seat of Battalion Six.