Tonight was Ponyville’s time to shine. Every year a new city was picked to host the Firepony’s Ball. This year, that honor went to Ponyville, held in the crystal castle of Princess Twilight herself. The Running of the Leaves had been just two days prior, meaning autumn was done for, and the first snow would come to the land in a few more days.
Twilight's magnificent castle was lit up with strings of lights, long banners hung from the ramparts, displaying her own cutie mark, along with ones the colors of the the Equestrian Fire Department. Looking over the room one last time, the grand ball room had been decked out by Pinkie Pie, as usual. Done in taste, almost a holdover to that first night party when Ponyville received its first fire chief.
However, unlike that night, tonight would pack her castle to the rafters with fire ponies, fire griffons, and all sorts of differing first responders from all over the world. The purple alicorn exhaled deeply and glanced over at the smaller similar-colored drake at her side. He held a long checklist in his claws just starting to roll it up.
“That is it, Twilight, everything checked three times. You just need to go get your regalia on, and we are ready to receive them,” Spike beamed, dressed in a black tuxedo with a dark purple sash and bow tie matching his own colors. A close eye would catch the small pin on his lapel that carried the mark of the Cutie Mark Crusaders with a small musical note in it.
“Spike,” she looked back at him. “I just want to say, I am proud of you. You have grown from a baby dragon, into a mature and proud adult.”
He blushed lightly and touched the princess’s neck with his claws. “Twilight, I will always be at your side. You have been my sister, my best friend… and, my mother. I love you.”
She smiled and kissed his forehead lightly and sighed softly. “All right, we have an hour, let's get me ready.”
---
The house was full. Not only was his father here, but his brother and many others. Diamond, had just shown up and was sitting on the sofa talking with Fire Chief Grendel of the Griffon nations. Over standing near the kitchen he could see Ailan speaking with Ember Light, the Fire Chief of the Minotaur nation and her date Rock Smasher. Over near the front door, the Fire Chief of Saddle Arabia spoke with one of the newest fire chiefs, a big yak named Water Stream, who was young but well-thought of.
Rescue breathed out and fiddled with his tie again, ensuring perfection. After all, here he was hosting almost every fire chief and battalion chief in the known civilized world. They had all agreed to a light snack and drinks before the ball started, so his home was offered up for such a gathering. He did take note of quite a few of them turning one or both ears to the two young ponies on the sofa talking to the griffon.
“So, Junior Chief, we hear you are to attend the Academy in Canterlot come next fall,” The wise, older griffon said with a warm tone.
Pipsqueak smiled, and glanced over at the pink earth pony next to him as she gave a nod. “Yes, sir. Both Pip and I will be taking the officer training on top of our regular class load.”
Many gave a smile hearing that. It was, however, Steelhook who spoke up as he stood near Rescue. “You all watch that one, we will all be calling her Chief one day, mark my words.”
Most laughed, everypony grinned, but Diamond just blushed and hid herself a bit into the slightly bigger paint colt lying next to her on the sofa.
A gruff, deep voice came from Ember Light as she held up her drink. “Be nice to not be the only female at the summits.”
---
Scootaloo shook her head. “No way, Mom, you have like, a thousand pictures already!”
The rainbow-maned Wonderbolt simply grinned, “Scoot, just go sit on that cloud with Rumble, please.”
The tangerine filly huffed but leaped up, gliding over to the cloud. As she did, the grey colt in the matching Explorer dress uniform grinned. She slugged him in the shoulder. “Stop grinning, moron.”
However, she did shift in close and looked over at her mother, as well as Thunderlane, and a few others now snapping pictures again.
“Ah, give this one to them, Scoot, this time next year we are going to be in Canterlot.”
She exhaled softly. “Yeah. I know, I know,” rolling her eyes.
---
Twilight gave a warm smile and dipped her head. Looking out at the ballroom full of brave folks who took one night a year to put on their best uniforms and mingle. It was so unlike the Grand Galloping Gala. No nobles here, no pretense, no pressure to play the political game. She turned and looked at Luna who her right and dipped her head, gesturing to the mike.
Luna gave a nod and stepped forward. “Good evening ev—” before she could continue, an ear-piecing squeal of feedback kicked in making her wince. She shot a look over at Spike who had a sheepish look as he turned a knob down a bit on a panel.
“Sorry,” he muttered.
She smiled at that and shook her head. “Let us try this again. Good evening, everyone. Once more, we find ourselves gathered together. A chance to renew bonds across borders, to talk and share tales, but most of all,” the princess gestured to herself, sweeping across to the ponies on the stage with her. “To give us a chance to thank you all for what you do, for us.”
Luna waited for the hoof banging and clapping to come to a stop. The princess of the night offered a bit of a nod. “We would like to thank our host for the evening. Princess Twilight Sparkle, who has opened her home, and her protectorate to us all,” more stomping and clapping kicked in. A glance at the smaller alicorn would note the deep blush on her face.
Looking out at the crowd, she was once more reminded of how far things had changed. Spotting the glint of light off not a few small silver medallions around many of the gathered necks, and still in awe that her simple words could have spawned into a service that reached every corner of the planet. Luna lowered her ears some, but not allowing herself to dwell on past mistakes.
Once the noise had died out again, the powerful dark blue alicorn dipped her head to the room. “Now, please, enjoy the food, the music, and the company. For tonight, it is our turn to serve all of you.”
---
Pipsqueak and Diamond, along with Lily and Crunch found themselves in a large group of younger fire ponies and griffons. Of the twenty or so listening to Pip and Lily tell the story of the wagon run thru the forest fire, almost half were winged types like griffons and pegasi. She and Crunch kept giving each other little smirking looks as they watched their special somepony address the group.
What a group, too. All of them together were known as the Hot Shots. Crazy younger stallions and mares from all walks of life who flew or jumped by parachute into the middle of forest fires with nothing but axes, saws, and a backpack of food and water.
“So then, Lily just yells at me, 'look out!' Before I can say what, she crashes her shoulder into a big branch that was coming down, and it explodes in ash and embers around us both. She didn’t even break stride!” Pip grinned, glancing at the much larger draft filly, who had a warm blush now.
To a lot of oohs and grins, the one in front gave the biggest smirk. The big griffon, named Gaslamp smirked. “Leaf, you bring what I told you to?” looking over his shoulder at a light blue unicorn mare with yellow mane and a leaf on fire as a cutie mark.
“Sure did, Cap,” Leaf answered as she levitated out of her pocket a velvet case and carried it over in her soft blue magic to the griffon.
Snatching it out of the air, he looked at the two Explorers before him. “We—” he gestured with a claw behind him at the group. “—are insane, we get our kicks breathing smoke and burning our feathers and fur surrounded by the roar of fire. We live to hunker down in a dirt hole and face the beast on its terms.”
The ones behind him nodded. Many around them had paused in conversations to listen in. One such to freeze was a dark brown earth stallion, who was keeping an eye on his son.
Using two claws to tug out two small silver pins. Each one identical to the ones that adorn the pockets of the group around them. A parachute crossed with an axe and a saw.
“You both showed the kind of guts it takes to be one of us, so with that in mind. We—” the griffon gestured to the whole group. “—decided you made the cut. You are now honorary Hot Shots,” even as he spoke he reached out and pinned the silver medal onto the pocket of Pip first, then Lily.
Both filly and colt blinked, then glanced at each other and shouted. “Yeah!” banging hooves together.
Poor Diamond just hung her head and muttered. “Idiots,” but her smile remained warm.
Suddenly, the whole group started to hoot, and in the case of the two Diamond Dogs bark, all stomping the floor in welcoming their two newest members.
Many heads lifted, many a pony wondered what was going on. However, a group of three stallions, a griffon, and a female Minotaur all gave a groan. It was the older faded mint-green Pegasus among them that asked “Did they just make my grandson one of them?”
A stocky red draft stallion walking by with his date, a rather pretty darker-purple mare that bore three flowers as her cutie mark, said one simple word that made all five of the fire chiefs facehoof together. “Eeyup.”
Rock Smasher just chuckled and took a sip from her glass of wine. “Just what the world needs, two more insane ponies,” she said with a smirk on her muzzle as she glanced over at the hooting group, spotting the fact that Pip and Lily had joined in the call, leaving their dates to match the facehoof action of the chiefs.
---
The dance floor cleared as the music wound down. Up on the stage, Princess Twilight tapped gently on the microphone, then said in a soft voice “Will the station chiefs and their dates please take the floor, It is time for the traditional Chief’s Dance.”
A mix of ponies and griffons, diamond dogs, and Saddle Arabians took the floor. Out of them all, only two couples were of the same gender. Rescue and Ailan looked over at the even odder couple. Guinevere, Station Chief of Griffonia Number Two, and her wife Wool Gatherer, a pony. Both couples had proved love knows no bounds, not gender nor species.
Softly, the music started, a slow dance number. Rescue found himself, despite being far bigger than Ailan, letting the pegasus lead. Pressed neck to neck, right hoof hooked around right hoof. He closed his eyes and forgot everything around him, except for the stallion he was with currently. It didn’t matter how many were watching. It didn’t matter that some may judge him or both of them. All that mattered was he loved the large winged pegasus and he, in turn, loved back. Both slowly lifted their ears after a bit, blinking.
The music had ended, and as they looked about, took note the whole of the Chief's Dance had cleared the floor for the two couples. At first a blush started to form, then hooves started to stomp and claws clapped. He and Ailan looked at each other then over at Guinevere and Wool, who looked back and smiled, all four bowing softly to their friends, their co-workers, their brothers and sisters.
---
It was about time, Big Macintosh had come over to get him. Together, they had set up just off stage out of view of others. Looking up at the few in the orchestra that would be part of this, Princess Twilight, again, came out and tapped the mike a few times.
“I am sorry to break into the party, but, tonight we have something rather special,” she peered offstage where Mac gave a nod, looking back out at the crowd.
“One of our local volunteer squad, has put together a song for all of you. He will be singing it tonight with backup. So, Big Mac, Chief Sunstreak, can you come up on stage please?”
As the two big draft stallions walked up on stage, there were quite a few confused and surprised looks. Applejack and Ailan looked at each other a few times before she spoke out. “Big Mac?” but Mac just smiled at her and bobbed his head in a nod.
Rescue walked over to a chair set out front near the microphone stand, pulling a old battered case out from behind where it had been hid, then tugging out a well used and old guitar he wrapped the strap around his neck.
This, of course, made Pipsqueak blink and glance over at his Pegasus father. Together, as one, they said, “He can play the guitar?”
While the dark brown stallion tuned with a few plucks, many noted a few other changes. A set of drums were brought forward and Pinkie Pie took a spot behind them. Her big bright smile warm, but she was unusually silent. Next to her, Miss Octavia had replaced her cello with a violin. One of the orchestra had brought out a bass guitar and lastly many took note that another local had joined. Lyra came off the harp and sat down behind what looked to be a steel guitar.
Quiet for a moment, then Rescue started in with a soft corde, plucking the strings with a light touch, closing his eyes and letting himself flow into the music.
Big Mac softly leaned into the mic, and came in, his deep tone colored with a southern twang so few heard him allow in his words.
That old alarm was sounding, and he knew he'd have to go
But all he could think about, were his little foals at home
He signed on to this job, to help the ones in need
But every time he ran into that fire, he knew he might not leave.
At this point, the drums came in with a soft kick, Pinkie’s face showing how serious she was about this. The steel guitar came in with a long, soulful sound. Joined in was the bass, and there in the background was the soft tone of the violin.
He doesn't want any money, for the things he trained to do
He helps the ones in need, and he see's the whole job through
He's well aware of the costs, that it takes to save a life
But that doesn't matter, to the pony he is inside
We all need to sing, that firefighter's song.
Big Macintosh continued into the song, his eyes looking out, but not really seeing. Even now, a few in the crowd of brothers and sisters could see where the song was going. Some swayed with the soul of the country-esque song. Some, like Applejack standing next to Cheerilee, had tears beginning to well up in her eyes. Ailan and Pip just sat quite, in awe of what they heard.
When that pony pulled up on scene, all he heard were those foals screaming
He ran right through the front door, to save a few young dreams
A few moments later, that house it had collapsed
He'd never go back home again, to hang out with his foals
As the chorus started in a few in the room full of firefighter kind picked up with it. One here and there, then more joined in. What was never meant to be a heart song, grew into one. Even off to the side Princess Luna and Twilight joined in, tears racing down both of their faces. As they all sung, another note rung out, a heavy brass bell kept the time with the drums.
He didn't want any money, for the things he trained to do
He helped the ones in need, and he saw the whole job through
Well aware of the costs, that it takes to save a life
But that didn't matter, when the family was inside
We all need to sing, that Firefighter's Song
At that moment, the pony on the piano joined in. Even with all this the big apple stallion's voice stayed steady and on key.
I hate to be the one that brings up, all this sad and bad news
But that stallion will never have again, the things that you and I do
He was taken from his foals and wife, while helping a family
So please sit back, and thank the stars, there's more pony like him, that breath
And they don't want any money, for the things they train to do
They help the ones in need, and they see the whole job through
Well aware of the costs, that it takes to save a life
But that doesn't matter, to the ones they are inside
We all need to sing, yeah we all need to sing
We all need to sing, that firefighter's song
Big Mac took a shuddering breath, and lowered his head as one after another instruments dropped out tell it was just a lone acoustic guitar held in a earth pony’s hooves. His voice alone rung out the last words to a room silent as death.
And we all need to pray, 'cause that firefighter's gone.
Even as pony hooves stomped, griffons and others clapped. No eye was dry in the room, for they had all lost a brother or sister. Down in front of the stage, Ailan wept quietly with a smile on his face, his wings around a too-proud-to-be-seen-crying paint colt and his pink special somepony. Such was all of the Explorers from Ponyville, some stallion or mare, or in some cases a number of Explorers from other towns. Held them lightly and let them cry, for their pain was more recent than anyone's in the room.
Rescue just gave a nod to Big Mac and began to put his guitar away.
---
Things begun to wind down. Of course, Rescue found himself pinned in with Mac by a whole group. Ailan, Applejack, Pip and Diamond, his father and brother.
“So, when were you going to tell me you knew how to play?”
Rescue shrugged a bit and glanced at his husband. “It... just never came up.”
Steelhook gave a grin. “I am glad you never gave that up, Res. And Big Mac, that was... wow.”
They all gave a nod at that sentiment.
Diamond and Applejack spoke up in unison. “So, wait, you have known how to play the guitar for a long time?” Looking at each other, both giving a grin.
Rescue looked down at the filly, who was likely to become his daughter in law sooner or later.
“I picked it up when I was eleven,” he gestured to Steel. “He and dad bought me a guitar for my birthday that year because I had been learning how to pluck a few chords from a neighbor. Even in all the years since then, I kind of kept practicing in private.”
He gave a gesture up to Octavia standing beside the DJ with glasses on. “She gave me a spot to practice at her house once in awhile, and Mac heard me plucking out a old country song a few months back. So, he came to me with this idea.”
He glanced to Ailan. “Sorry I didn’t tell you. It has always just kind of been my go to place when I need to think and be alone, just me and the strings.”
The big winged pegasus then nodded. “Like when I go out flying.”
Rescue leaned in slowly. “Exactly,” and pressed his muzzle to his husband's lips.