Ponyville Fire Department

by Rescue Sunstreak

12 Orientation and Love

Looking over the now twenty-nine ponies, and oddly one changeling named Kevin that had stepped up to try and become Ponyville's first volunteer firefighters, Rescue found himself still quite surprised by it all. Standing next to the big apple pony, he glanced over two other draft stallions, Jim Beam and John Bull. John, he knew to be one of the workers down at the train station. He knew how to pull trains. The other, Jim, was in construction, so hard-pulling would come easy. It was to them he looked first.

“You three will be getting special training on top of the classroom and hoof-on firefighting. I would like to train you to pull the wagons as the wheel pony. I need stallions our size at the back of the drop tongue, it means you will get trained in how to control the wagons in a turn, and bringing that much liquid weight to a stop.” Rescue gave a smile as each of the three large stallions gave a simple nod. Moving on, he stopped and looked at Kevin, lifting an eyebrow.

“Do you talk?”

Kevin shook his head.

“Let me ask you, why are you here then?”

Kevin paused, then blinked his blue eyes and glanced over at all of Ponyville and back to Rescue. Using the edge of his hoof he drew a little box with a triangle on it in the ground and pointed at it. It took Rescue a few short moments, then he got it.

“It is your home. I can respect that, it’s as good a reason as any. Now, I ain’t never worked with one of you, but all the others here vouched for you. So, I am going to put you on team three. On top of your classwork, and hoof on training, you are going to train in running the pumps and maintaining them."

Kevin seemed to light up at that and nodded his head with what Rescue took to be a smile on the odd bug-like pony’s face.

“For the rest of you, classwork will be one day a week, an hour before sundown here at the station. Three days a week, an hour before sun up, and yes, Miss Applejack, that means you too, we are here and taking a little jog around all of Ponyville before you all head to work.”

He expected the groans from a few of them, but this wasn’t a game and he needed them to understand that.

“I suggest you work on stamina, breathing, and hoof placement every day. You can do simple things like making sure you step directly every time you walk, and breathing deeply. It will all help when we get ready to start the hard training. Speaking of, come the end of the month, the challenge tower will be operational. Let me explain that to you.”

He grinned some, knowing what the now probies, a fond term given to probationary firefighters that had not proven themselves yet, were in for.

“A tower five flights of stairs high, with a squared staircase wide enough for two ponies side by side, going up it. You will learn to run up that tower, hitting every step with every hoof, no skipping steps. You will learn to do so in...” He turned and tapped his hoof on a table with a large load of firefighter's gear on it.

“Full turnouts on and correctly buttoned up, full clothing under the turnouts for padding, the harness, and of course, your helmet. On top of that, once the second month of training is done, the ones that don’t wash out or quit will be running the tower in full breathing apparatuses and with a roll of hose across their backs.”

More groans came, but one, a golden pegasus spoke up.

“Chief, what about the pegasi among us? I mean, we can fly.”

“Well, probie, let me answer you like this. You are down, broken wing, your only hope to rescue your buddy is to sling him on your back, and walk out. Get the picture now?”

He didn’t like slamming Ailan that hard, but he took note of the nod the big-winged stallion gave. He noticed a dark grey pony named Thunderlane and a few others nod too. “That makes it very clear.”

“Good. Now, if you would all grab a binder from the table, they will be your classroom lessons. You are welcome to read forward and study. You can even take the practice tests—”

Cut off by a far too joyful squeal off to his right, Rescue turned over at where the Friendship Princess and her friends stood waiting for the one in the group before him.

“Chief, can I get a copy too? For the library of course,” Princess Twilight asked with a blush.

Rescue tucked a chuckle down and gave a nod.

“Of course you may, your highness. Now, if anyone else has any questions." He paused to look over the group. "No? Grab a binder, each of you will need to get your measurements from Miss Rarity before we can get your turnouts. Also, for the three of you...” Again he looked to the other three draft stallions. “See Iron Hoof over at the blacksmiths and let him know you are part of the pull team. He is already aware of our needs and will fit you for steel boots like mine.”

Then, he gestured to the pegasi in the group. “Each of you will need to get fitted for a lifting harness. Ailan, I already know you have one, and I made sure it meets its specifications. The rest of you will need to go over to Canvas Cover once Miss Rarity has done your measurements. See me before you go over to get a voucher sheet. On that note, please remember too that all equipment comes out of the budget, so treat it right. Respect it, and it will save your life one day.”

One last look over the gathered ponies, he spotted a splash of pink in the corner of his eye. A quick glance over told him Junior Chief Tiara was waiting to talk to him, then looking back to the hopeful Ponyville citizens before him.

“See you all tomorrow night for our first class. Read chapters one and two, and remember, please do get the measurements done by the end of the week. Dismissed!" Rescue then paused and glanced over. "Ailan, if you could stick around?”

Seeing the nod from his coltfriend, he gave a smile and trotted over to where the little pink filly waited in her snappy blue coat and pure white hat, with the gold band showing she was chief. He took note of the stallion standing next to her, the three bags of money on his flank and that tie marked him well, Filthy Rich, a good sort at least from the few words they had shared so far.

“Yes, Diamond?”

“Chief Sunstreak, I wondered if I might have a word with you.”

Looking to the stallion he gave a nod. “Of course, Mister Rich, how can I help you?”

Rescue watched him look down at the little pink filly with a smile that showed simply how proud he was, then to move his gaze back up and look him right in the eyes. “While her mother may be... upset by her choice. I wanted to say thank you. Thank you for showing confidence in my little Diamond. Thank you for giving her a chance.”

Rescue shook his head lightly and smiled down at the pink filly earth pony.

“No, Mister Rich, I am the one who needs to say thank you. She earned that stripe on her hat, not by yelling at others, but by leading. She has showed all of the fillies and colts how to stand up and be proud. She has shown them how to find their own strengths, and been somepony to lean on when they felt like they were slipping. No, Mister Rich, all I did was point the way. Your daughter took over from there and showed a character few her age have,” Rescue said, moving up from the now deeply blushing filly to see tears forming in the stallion's eyes.

“Nevertheless, you have shown us, her, a new path. Anything I can do for your department, just ask.”

He and Rich had talked for a good ten minutes about small things, and was thankful he had the backing of one of the more powerful business ponies in town.

---

They had decided to retire to Ailan’s little cabin just to the outside of Ponyville, near the edge of Whitetail Woods. Dinner was quiet, and was just small talk. Now, Rescue found himself looking over at the stallion he had fallen in love with. He frowned some, but it was Ailan that spoke up.

“You are not happy I stepped, up are you?”

“No. I just... Look, what we do is dangerous. What if something happens, what if—”

“What if something happens to me, right? Well let me flip that, what if something happens to you? At least this way we are side by side, I can be there for you, and you there for me.”

Two seconds later, he was leaning over and pressing muzzle to muzzle with the other male. Lost in the kiss, lost in the moment. Any worry he had would have to be tamed. Rescue could not protect Ailan, but he could be there for him. Just as he knew in his heart, Ailan would be there no mater what.

Breaking the kiss, the big brown stallion looked into Ailan’s eyes and made a decision. Giving a slow exhale and looking away, already starting to blush, he was cut off by a soft voice.

“Stay the night.”

He could only nod his head.

Author's Note:

Just a note, there will be a link up soon to a new story. That will be the sex scenes and clop/adult parts of the story.

Comments

[Jonny Bench]

Yay Kevin!

[Nightspawn]

So is John Bull a reference to 'The British Uncle Sam'

[Rescue Sunstreak]

9952401
Play on a character from the movie "Backdraft"