Two more years had passed, and much had changed in Ponyville and yet remained the same. The little town had grown, but that was to be expected. After all, one of the four ruling princesses kept her home and watch in it. There was talk of expanding both the Ponyville Police Department and the Ponyville Fire Department, as the outskirts were now taking too long to reach in an emergency. Rumors around hinted that in the next few years, a new fire station may be opened.
Ten fillies and colts exchanged looks around the small table in the old converted barn. Years ago, Applejack and crew had helped the Explorers convert one of the old apple storage barns into a place they could meet and hang out.
Each had changed over the years, no longer were they little colts and fillies. Growth spurts had hit them all, so had growing up some. Here they were, seniors the lot of them, their last year in school. A new generation of Explorers had formed in the elementary school. The older explorers had mentored the new ones and taught them all they could.
Among them was one that carried the most honor among them all, Little Yellow Tip. The pegasus filly had been but a tiny foal when her sister, Archer, was interned. Every firefighter knew the story, and every one of them had taken her under their metaphoric wing. Now she stood as the Chief of the younger chapter, much to Diamond's joy and her parents pride.
Standing there, she looked around at all her friends, her fellow Explorers, exhaling slowly and offering a nod. “So, we agree then, exactly at six tonight?”
She locked eyes with each and got a nod, of course, finding herself looking up at Lily to see her nod. Speaking of Lily, she had received her own growth spurt in the summer just before this year. She now stood eye-to-eye with stallions like Hondo and her father Filthy. Most knew in the next few years she would likely top out taller than them, bigger. Not as big as Mac or Jim, but a big draft pony mare for sure!
Lastly, to her right stood a colt that stood eye level with her. He had filled out, too, as it showed in his brown-and-white patched fur, in the way his muscles shifted even under the scars along his leg and belly from that fire so long ago. He smiled when looking back into her eyes and nodded.
Apple Bloom spoke up “all together right? Crusa—” she blushed. “Sorry. Explorers forever,” as the others laughed a bit.
Silver stood next to her nuzzled her fillyfriend. “And that is why I love you,” much to the awww’s of quite a few of the others and a few snickers from the other two of the Crusaders.
---
Rumble looked up at the clock: five fifty-nine, then glanced across the table at his brother. “Hey, Thunder. I... I need to tell you something.”
Thunder looked up from his paper, he had grown as well. A little stronger, improved flyer, working not only with the weather team, but leading them for the last eight years, since Dash became a full-time Wonderbolt. Thunderlane remained on the volunteer firefighter squad and still one of the two go-to pegasi for airlifts, along with Ailan.
“Sure, what’s up, little bro?”
Rumble exhaled slowly and pulled a folder out from his pack and set it in front of his brother. “I am going to go to the Academy after this year. I need your signature,” he paused “I... have decided to go into the paramedic program.”
Thunderlane lifted a eyebrow and gave a nod. “You know, that means a year in Academy, then another year doing intern work at a hospital and with an ambulance squad? It means you may not get a spot in Ponyville, or you may not see Scootaloo for a while.”
Rumble lowered his ears. “I know, and Scoot and I talked. She... is going to go into the same program. We are hoping we can get placed together. She knows she can never be a lifeline flyer, so the next best thing is this, her words not mine.”
Thunder gave a nod again and his ears folded just a bit. A softer look at his little brother who really wasn’t so little anymore. “Mom and Dad would have been proud of you, Rumble,” as he started to open the folder to sign paperwork. “I know I am.”
---
An orange filly with a fuchsia mane looked over at the clock, then gave a nod mostly for herself, peering over at the mare who took her in at her lowest point, and the stallion who adopted her when he took the rainbow-maned mare as his wife.
“Mom, Dad,” even now, after all the years it felt weird, she had parents.
Both looked up from dinner, Dash tilting her head some. “Yes?”
Scootaloo slid a folder from under her chair and put it on the table. “I... need to talk to you both, a serious talk.”
Soarin looked over at his wife then back to the filly. “Scoots, you know you can always talk to us.”
She gave a nod. “I have decided to go to the Fire Academy. I want to become a Paramedic, like Chief Sunstreak.”
The two Wonderbolts looked at each other, then gave a smile, turning back to the filly who may not be their daughter by blood, but was in their hearts. Dash spoke up now, with that light smile on her muzzle.
“I am not going to lie, seeing you go away for a year or more hurts, but, if this is what and who you want to be, Scoots... you know I support you.”
Soarin chuckled softly. “And what are the odds that Rumble is doing the same thing?”
Scootaloo blushed and tucked her head down some. “Yeaaah, I mean…”
Both of the famous flyers laughed as Dash tugged the folder over and opened it.
---
Silver Spoon looked over at the light yellow filly with the bow in her hair next to her. She gave her a little hoof touch, then looked back at the collection of adults. Her parents, Applejack, and Big Mac. It still felt odd not to see Granny Smith there, even after almost two years it felt wrong to not see her.
Applejack gave a little tap of her hoof on the table “All right, you two, now out with it. What is goin' on that you wanted to talk to us all at the same time?”
Apple bloom glanced at Silver, then back at the group, looking up at the old clock and smiled.
“Silver and I have decided, we are staying in Ponyville for now, after graduation that is. However...”
Silver glanced at her parents. “We have decided to join the Volunteer squad, as soon as we are both eighteen, just a year or so from now.”
Silver's parents looked at each other then back to their daughter. They both gave a slight nod. “I see nothing wrong with this,” her father spoke softly. “You have proven you have a good head on your shoulders, Silver,” glancing to his wife, who gave a smile and a nod.
Applejack looked over at Big Mac, who smiled just at it. “Eeyup,” holding out his hoof. The Matriarch of the apple clan gave a snort and pulled out a small bag of bits from her mane, putting it in the hoof.
“Darn it, Bloom, ya dun lost me twenty bits!”
Apple Bloom started to laugh, this kicked off the rest of the gathering, two fillies as they laughed pressed close. There was no doubt in Big Mac’s mind, as he watched then glanced over at Silver’s parents, that the Apple clan would be getting three ponies larger, sooner or later.
---
So it went across Ponyville that night, fillies and colts spoke to their parents, some to explain they were going to stay and join the squad, others to slide a folder over a table. To look a parent in the eyes and say they were bound for Canterlot after graduation to try their hardest to become one of the foolish ponies who ran headlong into the fire.
Pip and Diamond didn’t need to really ask permission. However, like all of the other Explorers, they sat down with their parents as a group and talked about what was happening right now, at exactly six PM, across Ponyville.
Not one pony argued, not one admonished or tried to change a mind. There were a few who were quite surprised, however.
---
“Darling, sister, are you sure about this? What about your singing career?” Rarity spoke, sitting next to Hondo and her mother.
Sweetie Belle gave a little smile at that. “I can do both, Rarity. Look, I know you worry, I know Mom worries about Dad when he goes off. This is what I really want, and I want your support.”
Rarity looked to her parents then at her little sister, well, not-so little sister any more. “Of course, I will support you. To give of all your free time like that, to risk your very life helping others in need. What kind of Element of Generosity would I be if I turned my head to such a giving nature?”
Hondo grunted a bit and looked at his wife. “We did good,” all she could do was nod as she held a tissue to her eye and tried to dab the tears there.
---
Looking her mother and father in the eyes, Lily slid the folder across the table.
“Mom, Dad, I want to go to the Academy after graduation.”
They both appeared a little shocked, but as her mother took the folder and looked in it, her father nodded gently.
“Lily, we have watched you grow from a timid filly, shy and afraid others would see her strength as strange or different. Now, you are proud, sure, you speak with confidence. Your mother and I may not understand what drives you to this decision. However, we love you and are proud of you.”
---
At school the next day, they all met in the open quad area at the center of the buildings. All with big warm smiles, but five of them with folders. Diamond looked around and gave a even happier smile.
“No way. No one's parents flipped out?”
Sweetie Bell spoke up. “Well, Rarity was a little worried, and did bring up the fact we won’t see a lot of Scoot for a year or more,” her ears lowered, making note of the fact Apple Bloom and Scootaloo's did the same.
Everypony there knew how close the Cutie Mark Crusaders were to each other, sisters, perhaps even deeper than that, for they shared what no pony in the history of Ponyville shared: linked cutie marks.
Pip was the one to speak up. “Hey, you know you will see each other as much as you can, it won’t be for that long. Besides, my dads made me give my word I would come home to visit as much as I can, so we can drag Scoot with us.”
Scootaloo gave a snort. “Like Dash would let me stay out of contact, she would kick my plot.”
They all laughed and put their hooves in, a circle of ten hooves, all touching. Diamond then spoke in a soft tone.
“For Luna, for Equestria, and... for Archer. We will do our jobs so no other pony has to loose a friend."
They all nodded.