//------------------------------// // 49 - Every firepony's worst nightmare // Story: Ponyville Fire Department // by Rescue Sunstreak //------------------------------// The stench of ash, of burning forest and grass hung in the air thick. Luck had been with them today and the wind had shifted along much of the fire line, pushing the smoke back out to the north. Rescue stood with his father, his brother, and the chiefs of Manehattan Station Fifteen as well as Canterlot Station Four around a table strewn with maps. The half open sided tent shifted a little above them in the light breeze, as the big stallion tapped the map. “If we move Station Fifteen’s team from here to here,” he gestured, “We might be able to cut a fire break before it pushes into the edges of Whitetail Woods. That would take the pressure off of the deer tribes and give them a chance to keep their village.” Burnline, the Station Fifteen Chief, gave a nod. “My boys can do it.” Rescue’s ears lifted, hearing a noise above the din of the busy fire camp. The high pitch buzz of wings could only be one pony, and that was Scootaloo returning with news from the outer edges of the expansive forest fire. Looking up and out the open flap, he could see her coming in fast. While she could only fly in short hops, perhaps a mile at a time at best. She was fast, far faster than most pegasi, perhaps even as fast as Rainbow Dash herself in that short distance. He took note of the panic on the filly's expression as she reversed her wings and came down on all fours with a thud, skidding to a stop. “Chief, they need help, now!” She blurted out, even as other fire ponies, exhausted and dirty, started to gather around behind her. Rescue glanced at his father, then back to the young tangerine filly. “Calm down, Explorer, take a breath and tell me exactly who and where.” She was bracketed in by her two Crusader sisters who both offered her support both physical and mental. She glanced back to the team of big stallions. “Pump wagon fifteen’s squad is trapped, sir, the fire closed in behind them,” she walked forward and tapped the map with her hoof. “Here, they are holding ground for now, but…” Her ears lay back and she looked up at the larger dark brown stallion. “Station Fifteen’s Explorers are with them, Chief. I got out just in time, they don’t have long,” the panic in her tone setting in once more. Rescue heard Burnline give a worried nicker and utter. “Damn! Okay, okay, I can gather…” Rescue cut him off with a hoof and said. “We don’t have time, Scootaloo, listen close. I know you are tired, but,” he turned and tapped the map at an area about two miles away, near the edge of the Ghastly Gorge. “Thunderlane and the Ponyville weather team are here. You fly, you go with all your might. Tell him to give me cloud cover, ASAP,” the big stallion dragged his hoof along a small area. “Here, in a line like this.” Snatching up a small copy of the map. He held it out to her, giving a nod as she tucked it into her harness bag. “Go!” They all watched as Scootaloo snatches up the modified scooter from where it had been laid earlier in the day. Once more, the high pitched buzz of her smaller-than-average wings kicked in, and she was gone in a cloud of dust. The others in charge gathered around as Rescue glanced at them. “We don’t have time to pull in more squads, we are going to use the Explorers.” His brother, Steelhook, blurted out. “They are just foals!” Rescue snapped back. “They are trained Explorers, every last one of them! I know they can do this. Have faith in them and the training we have all given them!” He saw his father nod. “He is right, we do this with his plan. We don’t have time to argue or spare.” Rescue exhaled, then called out. “Chief Tiara!” The pink filly on the cusp of marehood pushed forward. Slung across her back was a shovel, strapped to the dirty harness she had on. A smudge of dirt in her mane and across her muzzle spoke to how hard she and the other Explorers had been working. “Yes, Chief!” Rescue grunted. “Get the younger Explorers together, I want that—” he pointed to the chuck wagon, “—stripped out in ten minutes. I don’t care what you do, throw the stuff inside out. Get it empty and as light as you can, and get Pip and Lily harnessed up,” Rescue called out, turning his head as he spotted the big draft filly. “Lily, you are taking lead, you are going to get in there soon as the weather team has a break in the fire line. Get the Explorers out of there. Pip!” he turned and looked at his son. “I need to you pull with her.” Both cracked off loud. “Yes, Chief!” and turned, dashing to get into their pull harness. Already, he could see Diamond taking charge. The Junior Chief of Station Four’s Explorers, as well as Junior Chief Yellow Tip, were both listening to her and giving nods. Soon, they broke and started to get their teams going. Only ten or so older firefighters were in the camp. Of them, four were in the medical tent, the rest were support and logistics. He looked around and barked out. “The rest of you, if you are able to move, gear up, we are going to need every shovel and backpack sprayer we can get.” Turning, he found himself being looked at by his father, his brother, and the two other chiefs. It was Steelhook who spoke. “I don’t know about this, Rescue, but, it may be their only hope, what can we do?” Rescue exhaled. “Pray to Luna we get there in time,” already moving to the other side of the tent and starting to shrug on his coat. --- Hell, that was what they were in. Looking over at his team, each of whom held a small scared foal in their legs as they all tugged the reflective fireblankets up, getting ready to let the fire blow over them in the hopes some of them would make it out. The adults knew the truth, and the Explorers clearly had a clue. It was not likely they would make it. Spark Arrestor had been a firefighter quite some time, the grey stallion with a fire-yellow mane looked down at the little purple filly in his leg grip. She was bawling as he held her. “Shhh, we will make it, I know it, I just... that orange pegasus had to have made it and told the other teams,” having to talk loud over the roar of the blaze around them. Another tree crashed to the ground a few feet out from the circle they had cleared as best they could. Coughing hard, one colt looked over, his eyes bloodshot from the smoke. “I... I want my mommy,” breaking Spark’s heart. He lead them here, it was his fault this team was in this spot. The rest of the team did not blame him, they had to move fast, this was the only place to go when the fire jumped the break. They were all scared, he was scared, any pony in their right mind would be. From above he heard a mighty crash, at first he thought one of the larger trees had come down into the group. Then another, and another, peeking his head out from under the tarp, eyes half closed from the sear of the heat, he could see pegasi! Seven of them were pushing clouds in, they looked to be making a fire break, or trying to. Turning to his team under the tarps, he called out. “Okay, team, look alive. The weather team is above us, they are trying to rain out a line for us. As soon as it is damped down, we run, everyone gather a—” Cut off by the sound of wheels crashing through brush and crunching down burning embers. He looked back out to see two smaller pony pulling what looked to be the chuck wagon, stripped down. One, a paint pony he had met, that was Chief Sunstreak's son, the other was a rather large filly. Both had on their full turnouts, helmets and breathers, clearly huffing hard as the swung the wagon around hard and came to a stop. A Trottingham accent called out through his mask. “Get the Explorers in the wagon now, anyone else who can run will run behind us, any that can’t walk will go with the Explorers in the back. Move!” The fire ponies didn’t need a second more to think about it, carrying fillies and colts fast they had them in the back of the wagon, tucking the fire retardant tarps around them. “We can all run, let’s move,” watching that pink filly dig in next to the smaller paint colt. He saw the wagon start to move, sparing a moment to marvel at just how strong they were to move wagon and ten foals through this kind of sludge and dirt. It wasn’t five strides in and the wagon was at a good clip. The roar of the fire to both sides of the small pathway cut made it impossible to talk or hear. Heads down, trying to breath thru the makeshift masks of wet fabric. The team followed the wagon at a full gallop, one hundred yards, two hundred, three hundred, they sprinted knowing it was the only hope. As they broke out into the open clear of the smoke and heat, Spark turned to see a sight to end sights. On the line was every chief including his own, ponies in makeshift coats, badly injured and burned, even some of the support staff. He could see what must be thirty some odd Explorers, all with shovels and small sprayers working the line hard to beat it back enough to give them the chance to escape in one piece. Slowing to a stop the wagon skidded sideways a bit. The two Explorers ripped off the breather masks, huffing as they unhitched and collapsed to the ground almost simultaneously. Two smaller ponies, one a pink filly with a grey streak in her mane, wearing an Explorer chief helmet, the other an off-green with a multi-hue tail and mane rushed over. He tilted his head some watching the way they both attended two on the ground. There was far more going on there than just concern for a teammate. “Spark, get your team on this line!” He heard Chief Burnline call out, kicking one, a unicorn who was still huffing. “You heard the Chief, let’s move it, ladies!” --- Four hours later found most of the teams wandering back into the fire camp. Two more pump wagons rested, with fire ponies sleeping or eating near them. Not one pony was clean, a few looked to have light burns but were ignoring them for now, even as the Explorers, all forty of them now together, came trudging back in. They saw many wave, more rise to their hooves, shovels banged and axes clanged with sharp sounds, all together as if they were clapping. Diamond leaned over. “Chief Firehook, what are they doing? The older stallion looked down then around and back at the pink filly. “They are giving you a proper welcome, Chief. News has already traveled of you, all of you,” he looked back at the astonished group of foals, colts and fillies alike looking shocked. “It is a sign of respect, you are one of them now,” he nods to the exhausted ones banging hooves, axes, and shovels. “All of you faced the beast, and reminded it who is boss,” She gave a little nod, sniffling once before she barked out. “Chief Yellow Tail, dress your team’s line,” as they all walked a little prouder heading for the center of camp. “Yes, Chief Tiara!” she heard the young little pegasus bark out with the same tone of pride. "Cupcake, quit screwing around" Steelhook gave a snort and leaned his head over as they walked, whispering to his brother. “You do realize, Rescue, we are going to be calling her Battalion Chief some day, perhaps even Fire Chief?” Rescue nodded his head, glancing at the way she, as always was parked side by side to Pipsqueak. “I suspect I will be calling her my daughter far before that date.” --- Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Silver Spoon, and Diamond Tiara all walked into the medical tent. Seeing their friend on her back with her hooves held up by weights, Nurse Redheart was putting a salve gently along the area where her hooves met her flesh. The burns were not awful, but they had to have stung. At her side Rumble sat, ears tucked, looking very worried. “For Celestia's sake, Rumble, I am fine, I got burned worse making dinner for the station.” His response was cut off by Diamond. “Of all the boneheaded things you have pulled, Scoot” looking at her friend's eyes, ignoring the nurse for now. “Why didn’t you tell the Chief you got burned getting the news about Squad Fifteen’s situation out?” Scoot shrugged a bit and winced, Redheart gave a little tick of her tongue. “Stop that, young lady, at least until the salve cuts the pain some.” Turning her head to look at the former bully. Thinking to herself how that really was a lifetime ago now wasn’t it? “I had to get Thunderlane and the team, Di. I couldn’t let a few little burns stop me from helping.” The other two Crusaders chuckled, as both Silver and Diamond rolled their eyes almost as one and used one of Twilight’s favorite sayings. “Idiot.” Yet they remained at her side even after Nurse Redheart left, talking quietly with the injured pegasus, telling her about the rescue, about how her they all got jumped in big, how Pip and Lily had risked it all to get the Station Fifteen Explorers out. Scootaloo could hear the pride in Diamond’s voice and it made her smile, almost able to ignore the sting from the light burns. Apple Bloom piped up. “You should have seen Crunch, he was almost lifting Lily up, he looked ready to cry he was so worried.” Sweetie Belle gave a warm smile at that. “I would say that pretty much confirmed they are a thing. Why they want to keep it secret, I have no clue.” Silver shrugged. “I have known about it for a year now.” All of the others stared at her. “What? It’s not my place to spread gossip, is it?” Diamond gave a shoulder bump to her friend. “It is when its something juicy like that.” All laughed, and smiled and went back to talking. Not one of them aware of the fact they were being watched. Applejack stood next to her brother, with Hondo on the other side of her. All three were dirty, smeared with ash and wood chips and smoke, jackets open, helmets hanging off a hook of their harnesses. “Y'all think we did right, letting them join up all them years ago?” Hondo glanced over, nodding. “Without a doubt.” A simple 'eeyup' came from her brother. The apple matriarch dipped her head agreement. “Come on, ah hear the chuck wagon is back up and working. Ah figure ah can make a few apple pies for folks. ‘Sides, the Chief said the winds are blowin' the fire back into itself, we may be done by the end of the night."