Ponyville Fire Department

by Rescue Sunstreak

40 - Snapshot in time

A steady beep of the heart monitor, the wheezing chug of the breathing machine. That was all Ailan could hear in the small hospital room. Laying covered in bandages on the bed lay his husband, in a coma as he had been since...

No less than four IV lines fed into the prone, sleeping draft stallion. The doctors managed to stabilize him but it was still a fight against time at this point.

Touching Rescue’s face softly, Ailan adjusted the tube that fed air down into his lungs. Even they unable to sustain him without help. The big-winged pegasus had been left alone to think about what he had been told.

Closing his eyes, he thought back to the last thirty two hours.

---

Rescue smiled as he watched the Junior Explorers dishing out dinner to them. It was a restful, quiet night. The whole of the station was clean top to bottom. As was tradition, once a month, every regular firefighter as well as every volunteer gathered. The wagons were pulled out into the driveway and the massive squad bay was set with long tables.

The Junior Explorers’s had cooked up a storm, and were now ladling out the hearty stew, setting out fresh cornbread before every adult prior to themselves. The atmosphere was one of an easy joy, a soft buzz of talk and ponies saying thank you as they were served. No one ate, not yet. Everypony was served first before a single bite was taken.

Tonight, they had guests at their monthly gathering. Sitting at a table of their own, the very Elements of Harmony, save Applejack who sat with her hose team. Rescue glanced over and offered an odd mix of a smile and slight look of concern, making note of Fluttershy’s guest. Having Discord there was odd, though he was behaving himself and had even been thoughtful enough to help setting the tables with the others. All he truly did was snap his fingers and they were done, but, the thought counts.

To his side Ailan, said in a soft tone. “Relax, Rescue, he is behaving, and the girls trust him. So should we.”

Turning and looking at his husband, he gave a nod. “You are right.“

Once the last bowl was dished out and the last glass filled. Rescue stood, his place at the head of the longest table. To his left sat Ailan, to his right sat Bull, his second in command, clearing his throat.

“Once again, we gather, a family,” looking around. “Tonight, we share the station tradition with new guests. Thank you for joining us,” quite a few murmurs and nods of heads agreeing with the Chief’s words.

Looking back around again, Rescue smiled warmly. “I have a few announcements before we start to eat,” this had the tan, blonde-maned mare beside Applejack groan.
“Oh, come on, we are going to starve to death!”

Everypony laughed, and Rescue glanced over. “Relax, Backfire, no one is going to take your food from you,” making most ponies laugh harder. The big stallion held up his hoof.

“First off, thank you once again to the Junior Explorers for cooking this meal,” hooves clapped or tapped the table in agreement.

“Second, Kevin, will you please come over here?” looking to the changeling in the room.

Two years ago he had returned a probie, a full fledged probationary firefighter. A year ago he had become a full-time firefighter, one of the best pump techs the draft stallion had ever seen. He watched the blue eyed, black colored changeling approach.

“I wanted you to hear this, in front of your friends, your team, and our family,” gesturing around. Rescue tugged out a black velvet case and turned it to face the small changeling. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Bull smile and nod.

“In accordance with the highest traditions of the Equestria Fire Department, having shown your commitment to the team, to the department, and to Ponyville. Your actions and honor serve to show all that you are not only a true citizen, but a firefighter to your core.”

The challenge was blushing, and it always showed as a hint of a pink glow just under the eyes where one might call the cheeks.

“Kevin, you are hereby,” opening the case up to show two small round emblem badges, each having a scramble plus a horn on it. “Promoted to the rank of Firefighter Engineer.”

All started to clap or bang hooves onto tables once more. Even Discord clapped lightly, observing without comment. Rescue smirked as poor Kevin blushed himself as hard as the day he had been welcomed back from the Fire Academy.

“You are out of uniform, Engineer,” Rescue reached out and helping him replace the pins on his lapel with the new ones. “Congratulations, Kevin,” watching the changeling smile and nod once, then trot back to his spot at the table with his team. “Now, before Backfire wastes away to nothing, let’s eat!”

At least the powers that be let them have dinner in peace, for just as the meal was wrapping up, the claxon on the wall kicked off the tones that signified Station One was being called out.

Poor Discord and a few of the Elements had never been in the station before, so they jumped in shock. However, no one else in the room did. Ponies pushed back from tables and started to move about. Rescue trotted over to the board, Bull to his side, Diamond to his other. Looking up at it, Diamond gave a little croak.

“B-box four... but that's the one in my neighborhood!”

Rescue gave a nod and peered down. “Keep calm, take charge of your team, Chief,” he then called out over his shoulder. “All call, gear up! Explorers, ride in the rescue wagon, I want all pegasi in the air once your harnesses are on.”

Discord muttered to himself, but loud enough for Fluttershy at his side to comment. “It's like perfectly organized chaos, it is both glorious and frightening to me,” getting a pat on his goat leg from the kind yellow pegasus at his side.

Rescue trotted past the non-staff. “You are welcome to trot along with us, keep back, however,” then barked out louder. “Explorers, once on scene, I need to you set formation two,” hearing Pip say in a loud voice.

“Roger, Chief!”

Bull spoke in his deep, loud voice as Rescue hooked up to the smaller rescue squad wagon next to Big Macintosh. He gave a nod to the other draft pony. “Let’s move out!” the captain ordered, climbing up on the pump wagon’s seat next to Crash.

Two wagons rolled down the driveway onto the crushed gravel street. The wail of crank-air sirens, the flicker of red and blue light, and the steady rumble of steel-booted hooves once more filling the streets and coloring the walls of houses. Ponies moved out of the way hearing the firefighters rolling down the main street. Tailing them, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, and Discord kept up. Even Rarity herself was at a fast gallop, the air of duty and pride that hung in the air had caught her up as well.

As they came up at a full gallop, wheels digging into ground when the brakes were kicked on, Rescue was out of his harness and looking up at the building. Life suddenly became very small for him. It was like living in a nightmare all over again, but it was all reality. The house was fully engulfed, on the lawn a mare sobbed, holding a stallion who was clearly burned. Rescue knew that stallion and the house for that matter.

His ears flattened as he heard the little pink filly leaping out of the back of the wagon cry out. “Where is Silver?!” and that spurred him into action.

He leaped over to the larger wagon and ripped open a door on the side, pulling out a breather mask and tank. He took note of a pony next to him. Turning, he saw Crash pulling his own tank on and gave a nod. “Bull get me five lines on that, now! Crash and I are going in!”

Ignoring the pony running here and there, he and Crash jogged over. He could see Sterling was burned badly along one leg. He groaned out. “M-my filly is in there. Chief, help my little girl...” and that was all Rescue needed to hear.

“Ice, get over here!” then looking down at the injured stallion on the ground with the mare holding him tight sobbing. “Where?”

Sterling was only able to point. “Rear upstairs b-bedroom.”

A single glance at the unicorn next to him, Rescue tugged his mask on, and the two ran for the door. Rescue did not so much as pause, crashing through the burning door and looking all around. A quick glance back at Crash and a nod they tested the steps one at a time, moving up through the smoke and flames.

Moving down the smoke filled hall once upstairs, Rescue was glad to see the fire had not yet come up there. However, there was creaking, a kind of ominous sound above them. Glancing over at the unicorn with him, he gestured up, both realizing the sounds meant that the walls and likely the attic was already fully involved.

Rescue spoke through the face mask as they moved down the hall slowly, testing the floor with their hooves before setting weight on it. “We need to do this fast, I don’t know how long it's going to hold.”

Crash used his magic, a dark and almost brackish red glow formed around the door. “No heat, I am pulling it,” and the door collapsed in on itself like an accordion. Wood splinters flew as he ripped the remains out and tossed them down the hall behind them.

The draft stallion was first through the door, he could see the windows were both broken out. A gray filly lay on the floor, a glass of water empty next to her, and a small towel over her face. Her chest rose and fell and she coughed. The look in her eyes was fear, but also hope seeing the two angels come to save her. Crash instantly put a magical bubble around her and lifted her up, placing her across his back. Both knew they had less than two minutes worth of air in that bubble.

Yelling so she would hear him through the mask on him and the bubble around her. "You did good, Silver, now its our turn," then glancing at Crash. "Time to get out, I will take lead. Let's do it by the numbers."

Turning, the filly limp across Crash’s back, Rescue took up front to keep checking floor. However, fate was not going to give them a free ride. Hearing the creaking above him, he bellowed out. “Crash, MOVE!” grabbing the smaller and younger unicorn in his hoof grip. The big draft stallion tugged then heaved, throwing him down the hall just as the ceiling gave way.