Ponyville Fire Department

by Rescue Sunstreak

22 - Face the music

Rescue did not want to turn and look, he knew who it was. He knew the weight of the hooves on the tile floor of the room as they approached. He heard the door click shut and somepony sit, just breathing and not saying anything at all at first.

“Ya gonna face me at least?”

Rescue shrugged gently and shut his eyes. It was bad enough having Big Macintosh and Thunderlane rip into him like they did, but he knew it was only going to get worse with each visitor. This one behind him, was one of the ponies he wasn’t sure he wanted to face.

“I... I don’t know, Applejack. What... w-what can I say?”

She stood slowly and walked around the bed, sitting again so her gaze was right at his head level, looking into his eyes. He could see her stetson pulled low, but that didn’t hide the fur along her cheek or her chin matted down with tears.

“Why didn’t ya come talk to me? Ah get why ya ran to the creature, but, ya didn’t have to, Rescue.”

He shut his eyes and breathed out slowly. “Because, I was afraid to, Applejack. Because you are my best friend, because you have your own pain. You had Big Mac and Apple Bloom to worry about. I—”

Rescue shut his muzzle, clicked his hoof off the rail of the bed a few times before he spoke far softer.

“I... ran away from... everything. I figured if I could just make the pain stop, i-it's all just excuses, ain’t it? Truth is, I was weak and I slipped. Sorry ain’t going to cut it, is it?”

The orange earth mare shook her head. “Nope, but it’s a start, sugarcube. Yer back to day one,” her hoof came up and set a bright blue chip on the sheets of the bed, a big ‘1’ on it.

“Part of me wants to buck you upside the head, Rescue. Celestia knows you need it, but no. You got a whole pack of trouble coming in here one at a time. You are gonna lay there and accept every last bit of what comes with it. Then, you are going to get out of here, and come to a meeting, and we are going to talk about getting the foals, our friends, and you, a counselor. Ya hear me?”

He nodded his head just a bit as his hoof, with two IV lines in it, slid out and gripped the chip gently.

“Yes.”

She nodded and got up, not saying another thing as she headed for the door. As she opened it, he heard somepony else give a little noise. He turned to find himself looking at Princess Twilight, as the door clicked closed.

Her eyes were bloodshot with tears. She looked tired and worn out. He was about to speak when she beat him to it.

“Don’t you dare say a thing. You have not earned that yet. When I found you I thought you were, I didn’t know if you would, you are an IDIOT!”

Bellowing the last word, her wing slashed out and the tip smacked him across the nose. It stung bad, but not nearly as bad as the look she gave him. Tears again welled up in her eyes and she spun around, running out of the room. He found himself closing his eyes for the hundredth time, not even reaching to rub his nose.

The next to come in was one he had not really expected, Pinkie Pie. Her poofy mane was flat and dull, her eyes puffy and bloodshot. However, none of that was the worst, it was her voice tone that killed him. There was no joy, no bounce to it. It was flat, and almost a tiny bit cold.

“I won’t say a lot, Chief, but I will say this. You hurt a lot of ponies that were already in pain. You have to make up for that. D-do you know how you are going to do that?”

He shook his head, almost afraid of this side of Pinkie, this was not the Element of Laughter he knew.

“You are going to sit and talk with all the foals. You are going to talk to the ponies that follow you. You are going to explain to them all about the drinking, about your problem with it. Then, you are going to ask for help. If you do all of this, we can be friends again, but if you don’t... I... don’t want to be your friend anymore.”

She didn’t give him time to respond, but her words stabbed him in the heart. He just watched her turn and walk out, head down. That hurt more than Twilight’s wing strike. Far more.

Others came and spoke their mind, some to find out if he was okay, like Fluttershy. Some to read him the riot act like Bull and Ice did. Some just walked in and wing slapped him like Rainbow Dash did, saying not a word after. Lyra and Bon Bon had not yelled or admonished. They just reminded him they would help, and that he had more to make up for than he could ever do. Then, it was Ailan’s turn.

Luna knows he did not know what to do or say as the big-winged pegasus came in and shut the door. He had never seen Ailan so upset, his eyes quite swollen, his coat and wings were a mess. He had clearly not slept or even cleaned himself up. He just sat silent for a time, then closed his eyes and extended one wing, and laid it over on top him and the sheets.

“I wanted to come in and scream at you, then hug you, then hit you, and yell more,” he began, shaking his head. “But, what good would it do? I can see it in your eyes, you know exactly how much you messed up, how many ponies you hurt, so, I won’t do any of that.”

Growing quiet again, Ailan looked out the window before returning his gaze to look into his mate's.

“Rescue, I love you. I want to be with you. I want us to raise Pipsqueak, and be a family, and grow old together. However,“ he paused, taking a deep breath and locking eyes with the bed-ridden stallion. “I can’t do this again, do you hear me? You can’t do this to Pip or me. Not after this, it’s your one time. Pip cried because he was so scared, and I was too. I love you, but, do we understand each other?”

Rescue found his mate's eyes and gave a soft nod of his head. Nothing he could think of would be enough to say, but one thing came to mind. As silly as it seemed, it felt right in his heart so, he said it.

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, Stick a cupcake in my eye.”

He saw a tiny smile cross the other stallion's muzzle. He reached out with a hoof and touched Ailan’s neck gently.

“I love you.”

Ailan gave a tired nod. “You talk to much,” the smile just kind of kept warming up a tiny bit.

Out in the lobby, a pink party-pony lifted her head and muttered. “Forever,” as she leaned it back to her friend Dash’s neck. Rarity sitting next to her took note of the fact her mane, while not back to normal, was more poofy than before.

---

Rescue had been escorted out by quite a few others after it was all said and done. Pipsqueak was resting across his back, asleep. It had been decided that everypony would go home, sleep a few hours, and in the evening gather at the castle to talk.

Rescue had not slept, as he had too much on his mind. He simply laid there next to Ailan and Pip as they slept on the bed, thinking. Once they were back up, they headed over to Twilight’s castle together. After they arived, he pulled the parents of all of the foals aside, along with some of the other ponies of the Volunteer squad. Together, they decided they would not hold back, the foals would hear the truth, and be treated like the mature and smart colts and fillies they were.

Everypony was gathered together in a cozy room, Rescue looked around at them. Each foal was together but with parents close by. All but the regular full timers were here, they had their talks back at the hospital. Laying his ears back he gave a soft exhale of air.

So, he started. He talked openly to them all, starting off about his drinking problems. He explained not only that he drank, but the reason. His personal loss, his pain. It was almost like taking a massive weight off his back as he did. The words flowed, he talked about Archer, and the way her loss ripped the scabs off, and he ran to the only thing that ever stopped the pain for him.

Many were upset, some were angry and rightfully so. The foals had listened and then left, with his son included. They had gone to talk, oddly having told everypony to let them be alone. Many raised an eyebrow at that, but they agreed to let them take the information and do what they felt was right. When they returned, it had been Diamond who spoke for them all.

“Chief, I... We are... hurt. We are all sad,” she said, looking back at a few of the Junior Firefighters that sniffled. She turned to look up at Rescue. “But, we also agreed together that the idea of counseling sounds right. Despite what our parents think, we are no longer just foals. We have seen and done what most foals will never do. We are proud of that, and want to help you get better, in turn, helping us get better too.”

How in Luna’s sky did he ever get a group of foals like this? He took note out of the corner of his eye, the princess with a parchment and quill held in magic. He turned back and looked over the small group of foals, adults, his mate, and his friends.

“I... will send a letter now, I know my fath—Fire Chief Firehook will send a counselor from the department as fast as he can. I... give my word that I will talk to him and try to improve, if you will all follow the lead of our Explorers here too?”

Not a head in the place shook the negative.