Ponyville Fire Department

by Rescue Sunstreak

56 - Looking to the future

Flames licked around the open edges of the stone building's doorway. The crackle of wood, a few old sofas, the stench of burning in the air, and the thick black plume of toxic fumes rolling skywards. The building doing exactly as it had been designed to do, provide a controlled place to practice fighting fires, one where the station could teach proper tactics.

“Now, keep your spray low. Don’t worry about the door frame, you are looking to push the burn back. Give yourself room to breach, Lily. As backup, you keep your eye fixed on the frame and sides. Pound, watch left as Pip pushes in. Pumpkin, you watch right and make sure the hose doesn’t kink behind you.”

Rescue observed as the four young Explorers worked the two-and-a-half-inch hose. All four in full turnouts, the younger two at the rear in hand-me-downs, but both Pipsqueak and Lily in brand new coats made especially for them, breaking in their new protection so they would not show up to the Academy with the horrid smell of newbies.

“Pip, narrow your spray a bit. Lily, dig in some, make sure you are giving Pip enough hose to move but still taking up most of the weight.”

Guiding the four as they practiced, he kept a watchful eye on them. Glancing over his shoulder, he took note of Kevin on the pump controls, with little Cream Puff paying rapt attention to the mute changeling's every gesture. He peered back to his fire team again, then frowning some. “Pound, wings in!”

He gave a little snort as the pegasus colt tugged them in again. “Good,” he commented.

---

Leaning on the wall of the showers, Pipsqueak exhaled and looked over at Pound Cake, the pegasus under his own showerhead, looking worn out.

“You two did good out there,” he paused and reached up, shutting off the valves, turning to shake himself off some.

“Pound, how come you and Pumpkin joined up? Like, what made you two want to become Explorers?”

The twins looked at each other, and pretty typical for them, they spoke together. “Dad is one, and we figured it was only right to keep the tradition going.”

Pound continued alone as his sister rinsed out the soap from her mane. “We grew up watching Dad rush off to help others when the call went out. We remember how tired he looked coming back, but how proud Mom was of him. So, when we came of age to join the Explorers, well...”

His sister looked over at her brother and gave a nod, finishing his thought. “We wanted to do that too, to step up and help other ponies.”

Lily shut off her own shower stall and shook off, grabbing a towel to dry her mane in her hoof. “Ponyville is like that, isn’t it?” the pink draft mare gave a nod. She was taller than almost every stallion in town now, bulkier, pound for pound one of the overall larger mares in Equestria.

They nodded back in unison and started to dry off and clean up the showers. A voice from the locker room spoke out as the four Explorers worked.

“Smash,” it was Bull’s voice, she turned to look at the doorway between showers and the locker room. She did blush and smile slightly at the nickname given to her the night of the Firefighter's Ball by the Hot Shots, when they were made honorary members of the crazy group of firefighters.

“Cap?”

Bull gave a bit of a nod and held up a envelope. “Chit approved, go over and get fitted for a pull harness. You are going to need it,” he gave a slight smile, unusual for his rock-hard self, much like the Chief. Bull kept his emotions to himself most the time.

“Chief wants you ready to pull wheel, get in some practice before you leave to the Academy.”

She let off a half-gasping squeaking noise in surprise. “Y-yes, sir!”

Wheel, the Chief wanted her to pull wheel! Watching the Captain walk away again, she was lost in thought for a moment, towel still hanging across her back, her thoughts broken by three other voices around her.

“Yeah!” Pound exclaimed while bumping her leg, she looked over and down at the colt.

Blushing a touch, no matter how much she had grown both physically and socially. She was still that shy filly from so long ago deep inside. Turning to look to her right she saw pip walk over closer and hold up his hoof.

“Congrats, Smash, you deserve it. First filly to pull wheel from Ponyville!”

Bumping his hoof with hers, she tucked her ears down and said in a softer voice. “It’s more than that, Pip, I will be only the third mare in the history of the Department big and strong enough to pull wheel. It's not like there are many draft fillies around.”

Pumpkin bumped the big pink filly’s side with her head. “Just means you have to show the stupid colts what a mare can do. Filly power!”

She began to laugh as the two colts rolled their eyes in amusement.

---

Senior prom, just two months more and school was over for them. Ailan leaned on the doorway of the bathroom watching his son comb out his mane. He closed his eyes, exhaling slowly as he let himself feel. Like a bright spot in his mind, he could feel his husband. The big stallion was striding home from the store, a few blocks away still.

“Dad?”

Blinking, he looked over at Pip. No longer did he look down at his little colt, rather they looked eye to eye, if anything Ailan had to look up a tiny bit.

“Sorry, I was just thinking, wondered where your father was.”

Pip smiled a bit. “Is it still strange?”

The pegasus gave a little nod. “Sometimes, but not in a bad way of any sort. It’s like, a warmth inside me. If I focus real hard, I can feel him as if he was standing right here with me even when he is far away.”

The paint colt gave a snort as he nodded his head. Looking back to the mirror “Dad, I... I am going to ask Mr. Rich for permission tonight.”

Tilting his head some, the golden stallion lifted an eyebrow, fluffing his wings and letting them settle back to his sides.

“You two are still so young.”

Giving a nod, the paint colt looked back over at him. “I know, but... Dad, I love her. It hurts when I watch her walk home, when I am away from her.”

Pip breathed out slowly as he set the brush down, looking at his father through the mirror once more.

“Am... I doing the right thing, dad?”

For a moment Ailan was quiet, then he gave a little nod. “If your heart says it’s right, son, then yes. I don’t think anypony can deny you two love each other.”

Hearing the front door open, Pip lifted his ears some then turned, glancing at his pegasus father. “Thank you, for... well, for everything.”

Ailan just shook his head and touched noses with the once-small paint pony. “I could not be more proud of you, Pip. No matter what you do in life, your father and I love you and are proud of you.”

Exhaling again, long and slow, Pip gave a nod back. “I guess I should tell father.”

Walking up behind Ailan in the doorway of the bathroom, the big brown stallion lifted an eyebrow. “Tell me what?”

---

“Ah, good evening, master Pipsqueak. Please, come on in. Master Rich is in the study and Miss Tiara will be down in a bit,” the old, graying purple earth pony gave a soft smile.

“Thank you, Mr. Randolph, sir, could...” Pip paused and then continued. “Could you... stall her? I need to speak to Mr. Rich.”

Randolph lifted a bushy eyebrow, then an understanding came across his wrinkled face. The smile that showed for a moment on the age wise face was genuine.

“Good luck, master Pip,” speaking in a far softer tone.

The paint gave a nod back then turned and walked down the short hall to the door of the study. Walking in, he heard Randolph softly close the pocket door behind him. Looking around, he noticed Mr. Rich sitting at his desk, the stallion glancing up. A warm and kind smile crossed the elder pony’s face.

Filthy examined the young stallion thoroughly, the cut of the tux he wore, the corsage in a see-through box on his back balanced with care. The badge neatly tucked into his shirt, even the little pin on his right lapel, a parachute-with-axe-and-ladder crossed, looking every bit the gentlecolt he met so long ago, but now a grown stallion. However, there was something in the boy’s stance, a slight touch of... could it be fear in his eyes?

“Pip, please, come sit,” Filthy paused, frowning slightly. “Is something wrong?”

The paint walked over, sitting down as he exhaled long and slow. Silent for a time before he spoke.

“I... I want to, I mean... Diamond and I have known each other a long time, I mean like a long time. I really care for her a lot, Mr. Rich. I want the best for her, and I…”

Filthy tilted his head, then the light of understanding twinkled in his pupils. He slid out of his chair and strode around the desk, silencing the young stallion with a hoof to his leg. He looked Pip directly in the eyes now.

“Let me tell you something, Pip,” he took a breath. “I have long feared this day, and yet looked forward to it. You and my Diamond are a team, both in life, and in the heart,” keeping his eyes on the younger's.

“Swear to me you will never treat her as anything but the precious stone she is.”

Pip lifted his right hoof up and gestured it across his chest to cover his heart. “Mr. Rich, I would sooner throw myself off a cliff than ever hurt Diamond. I love her more than life, more than I have words for.”

A moment more looking the young paint in the eyes, then Filthy patted his leg again and turned, walking back around the desk to sit, he sniffled and brought out a hanky from his pocket, dabbing at his eyes some.

“Pip, I long ago began to think of you as a son. I would be proud to see you and Diamond join our two houses. The answer is, yes, you have my blessing.”

Exhaling very slowly Pip gave a soft nod. “I won’t ever let her break, Mr. Rich.”

A soft smile on the elder's face. “Pip, so much like your fathers. I don’t think you even know how to fail somepony,” another pause came before he added. “Pip…”

The paint turned, halfway to the door and looked back. “Sir?”

A tiny hint of worry came to Filthy’s face. “Just... make sure you always come home to her, okay? I don’t think I could stand to see her heart break if ever a day comes you... don’t. ”

Pip gave a solid nod of his head. “I will do my best, sir,” before he opened the pocket door and walked out to wait for his date.

Comments

[Silentwoodfire]

so they would not show up to the Academy with the horrid smell of newbies.

*Trainers at the Acadamy* What's that I smell?

NOOBS!