It was a lovely day in Canterlot. The sun shone, the birds sang, and everywhere happiness was in bloom. People were out in the park, doing their daily rounds, or enjoying the brass band playing in the square. Streetcars rattled up and down, plying their trade on the rails of the town, whilst the station thronged with people, and trains departed to towns along the coast.
One such couple was not in town that day, however. Up in the Everfree hills, Scootaloo and Rumble made their way along a cliff edge towards a cave. Everfree lake and camp had enjoyed an explosion in visitors ever since the narrow-gauge railway had reopened, something that the two of them had been involved in. They had caught an earlier train, and were now exploring a local cave.
“You got the torch?” Scootaloo asked.
“Got it,” Rumble replied.
The pair had been dating since October, ever since an impromptu kiss had fired something in both of their hearts. They often went walking together, and here they were. There was an old cave which had been opened up as a result of quarrying in the old days. It was large (apparently), but didn’t need specialist equipment to explore. So, they had decided to explore it for a fun day out. They had told their parents where they were going, and when they were going to be back by, but had brought extra supplies and an emergency radio, just to be safe.
Shining the torch ahead of her, Scootaloo entered the cave, Rumble close behind. It was a huge cavern, with crystals set back against the wall, and a huge monolith in front of them with 7 small gems set into it. It was beautiful, and Rumble took some photos of it.
Turning left, they entered a high passageway and passed by some stalactites. The route opened up into another large cavern, also filled with crystal. There was a large lake nearby as well.
Scootaloo stepped forward to take a look-and suddenly, the ground collapsed and swallowed her whole!
“Scoots!” Rumble cried in horror, as he rushed forward to take a look at what had happened.
She hadn’t fallen far at all. Coughing, she sat up and looked around in confusion. “How did I get down here?” she asked.
“The floor collapsed and took you with it!” Rumble answered. “I’ll get the rope and try to get you out.”
“Rumble, don’t!” Scootaloo told him. “The floor could be highly unstable around that hole. If it couldn’t take my weight, it won’t take yours!”
Rumble sighed. “We need to radio, don’t we?” He pulled out the radio, and set it up. Luckily, there was a signal within the cave, and he set about his message.
“SOS, repeat, SOS, we have a fallen caver and require assistance. Repeat, we have a fallen caver and require assistance. Grid reference to follow, recovery gear required.”
Down in Canterlot, the local rescue station received the message. The rescue chief looked around him.
“It sounds pretty bad,” he said. “Trouble is, we lack the gear suitable for such a rescue.”
“Where can we find one that does?” asked his subordinate.
“I know one,” the chief replied. “They saved me, a long time ago, when I was across the pond.”
He picked up the phone, and dialled, not 911, but 999.
“Hello,” said a thick accent on the other end. “What service do you require?”
“Get me Station Commander Basil Steele,” said the Rescue Chief. “It’s an emergency.”
Meanwhile, in Pontypandy, it was a fairly normal day for the Fire Brigade. Samuel Jones-better known as Sam-was reading a newspaper whilst Elvis Cridlington was making-or should I say, trying to make-mashed potato.
“Well,” said Sam, in a thick Welsh accent. “It seems as if we may go a whole day without an emergency.”
“That’s pretty rare,” Elvis admitted. “It doesn’t seem like 10 minutes before something goes wrong in Pontypandy!”
Suddenly, there was a loud buzz from a nearby machine. The sound of paper being produced came through the door, then Steele stepped into the waiting room with a piece of paper in his hand.
“I’m sorry to interrupt gentlemen,” he said. “But there’s been a caving accident. We’ll need the oxygen gear and rescue cables.”
“Where?” Elvis asked.
“Canterlot, a town in the USA. An old friend of mine called it in.”
“What are we waiting for?” asked Sam. “Let’s go!”
(Skip to 1:01)
They ran through a door and into the garage. In it was the company fire engine, Jupiter, a Bedford TK that was the pride of the Fire Brigade. Elvis and Steele finished loading the rescue equipment, whilst Sam hopped into the driver’s seat and started the engine. The doors opened, and Sam switched on the siren, before Jupiter roared down the hill and into the narrow streets of the town.
Jupiter zoomed under the bridge, across the roundabout and straight past Trevor’s bus, nearly colliding with it. “Steady on!” Trevor called.
Jupiter continued down the country lanes before reaching a stretch of straight road. Sam reached down on the dashboard and threw a switch, marked ‘warp’. A portal opened in front of the engine, and before long they had vanished.
The portal opened up in the vicinity of Canterlot, where the sight of a British fire engine made for a bizarre occasion. Jupiter thundered past, before taking the road to Ponyville and racing up a hill toward Camp Everfree.
As they were proceeding, Steele filled them in. “We have reports that the cave floor is vulnerable. The Chief has stayed in contact to ensure they stay calm, but the situation is made worse by the fact that air is running out in the chamber. We’ll have only 1 hour to locate and recover them.”
Meanwhile, in the cave, Scootaloo was getting nervous. “Rumble?” she asked. “If we don’t make it through this-”
“We’ll make it through, Scoots,” Rumble replied. “The Fire Brigade is on its way, they’ll get us out.”
“If we don’t make it,” Scootaloo continued, “I want you to know that I love you.”
“Same here,” Rumble replied. He then stopped. Why was it getting so hot and stuffy in here?
Jupiter came to a stop just outside the cave. “We’re here!” Sam said.
“I would appreciate it if you didn’t use Jupiter as a bumper car, Sam,” Steele groaned. “Cleaning all those scratches takes a very long time.”
“That will mean nothing if we fail!” Elvis reminded them. “Let’s get to work!”
The air hoses were linked up to the venerable fire engine, and Sam pulled on his air mask. Giving a thumbs up, he headed into the cave and switched on his radio.
“Hello?” he asked. “This is Samuel Jones of the Pontypandy Fire Brigade, contacting trapped climbers. How are you?”
A crackly voice came back. “The Fireman Sam!? This is Rumble, how do you read?”
A light came up on Sam’s display, giving signal strength. He started walking whilst still speaking. “I’m going to locate you via your signal strength. Keep talking!”
“Well, we came up here to explore this cave and-sorry, feel a bit light headed-my friend –ell I-to a ho-e-” The signal was starting to break up. Sam went to the left and the signal restored.
“So, it’s that way,” he said. He immediately continued to the left and walked down the corridor.
After half an hour, he found them. Rumble looked up at him. “I don’t believe it,” he said weakly. “Sorry, air is really hot,” he groaned.
“The air in the room is dropping,” Sam explained. He handed a spare oxygen mask to Rumble. “Steele, I’ve found them. Bring in the rescue equipment.”
Steele and Elvis got there presently, and set up 4 jacks in a circle around the hole. They then mounted a rope to it, and lowered it down to Scootaloo, who grabbed on and let it lift her out. She looked exhausted, and on the verge of passing out. “Sirs,” she said weakly. “I owe you my life.”
She was handed an oxygen mask, as Sam spoke. “Well, we were lucky to get you two out. But I think you have both learned an important lesson, haven’t you?”
“Yes sir,” Rumble said. “We shouldn’t go exploring in dangerous places.”
The Firemen dropped them off in town, where they’re parents were waiting. Cheerilee ran over to greet her daughter. “Scootaloo, are you OK?” she asked.
“I’m fine. Sorry Mom,” Scootaloo replied.
“You have nothing to be sorry about,” Cheerilee told her. “It was a simple accident, which nobody could have avoided.”
Cheerilee walked over to Sam. “I want to thank you for saving my daughter,” she said. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“All in a day’s work Madam,” Sam replied. “It was quite the pleasure.”
Suddenly, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Button Mash, Pipsqueak and Cozy Glow all appeared. “Scootaloo!” they called.
“Hi there,” Scootaloo replied.
Sweetie Belle hugged her. “You scared us half to death!” she cried. “I’m so relieved you’re OK!”
“I wouldn’t have been, if Sam hadn’t saved me,” Scootaloo explained. “I think now is the time.”
Sweetie Belle set up her piano, whilst Button got onto his drums. Rumble and Scootaloo both grabbed electric guitars and Apple Bloom got her violin, whilst Cozy fired up her synth.
“Sir,” said Scootaloo, “we wrote a song about you to commemorate your bravery. Let’s go!”
Just as they finished playing, an alarm went off in Jupiter. Elvis came running back. “Sir, there’s a cat stuck up a tree in Pontypandy!”
Sam looked around. “Well, duty calls!” he said.
