Ladder Company 6 (Engine Company 22)

by TheFlyingHippogriff

Basket Bird

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Ladder Company 6 (Engine Company 22)

Chapter 3: Basket Bird

To the ponies of the city of Fillydelphia, we are the heroes that live among them and work within their community. We are firefighters. It has been four months now. Four months, and we are considered one of the finest companies in the city. The station we call home is nicknamed 'The Castle' because of the Victorian style construction.

We are welcoming a new member to the station, a rookie fresh from one of the two training facilities in the Westland and Griffonstone named Gretchen, "Welcome to Ladder Company 6 and Engine Company 22, you are part of one of the finest companies around, that means you have to be ready to answer the call when the alarm sounds,"

I was in his office to meet with the new recruit. Gretchen looked adorable with her pigtails, blue coloring on feathers and fur, and she wore glasses, "This is Lieutenant Billie, she will show you around the station, and help you get acquainted with the other members of the company," He said as his parting words, and surfed the net for fire axes.

"It's good to have you onboard, Gretchen, these are our Engineers Gilda and Greta, and these are your fellow fire-griffons, Firefighter Giselle and Firefighter Genevieve," I said introducing her to the companies. I remember Gretchen from watching the Boffyball game against Yak-Yakistan. It good to see the team making progress on the field.

"Remember? We were on the boffyball team, remember with Coach Klaus?" Gretchen said to Gilda, "so what made you want to be a fire-griffon, Gilda?"

"For me, I'm killing two birds with one stone, more like three, I always wanted to get out into the world, and I get to be around my friends and help out others," said Gilda with a smile, and ruffling Gretchen's pigtails. As Gretchen was getting acquainted with Giselle and Genevieve, she was also settling down and making her bed in the rooms.

Captain Gordon was coming out of his office. That meant only one thing, "Alright ladies, let's move the trucks out, and inspect the equipment," I said to the companies.

The trucks were moved to the back of the station to be washed, and have the equipment looked over. Gretchen is a very bright and cheerful griffon. Greta and I were washing the trucks. As we were doing our chores, we talked, "After the boffyball game and meeting Rarity, I wanted to give something back to the ponies," said Gretchen,

"Like saving lives, and giving to the local community," replied Greta, "we all worked hard to be where we are, the top brass in Equestria said griffons and hippogriffs are incapable of being firefighters because of our reputation for greed, but as Captain Gordon says, we're the first of our kind in this profession, we're here to make a statement,"

"It all starts from doing the simple things, like keeping our station tidy and equipment in working order," said Giselle, "which I take it you studied at the academy?"

"Alright, Firefighter Gretchen, since you are the new birdy around here, you get the honor of being in the basket as we test the ladder," I explained to the griffon with glasses and pigtails. Her beak dropped in shock, "now, now, don't you worry, this ladder is perfectly sturdy and perfectly safe," I reassured her, she looked intimidated by the truck.

"O-o-o-okay," Gretchen stuttered, as I pressed the buttons on the control panel which operated the outriggers.

"Are you telling me that you can play boffyball against Yaks, but you have trouble going into a basket?" Gilda asked, Gretchen nodded with her beak chattering. Gilda sighed, "look it's okay, it's just like Lieutenant Thunder Flanks said, the ladder is sturdy and you have nothing to worry about," I am starting to wonder if Gilda made things worse?

"But-but-but...," she stammered, "alright, but I'll let you know ahead I'm not going to enjoy this," she said before ascending up into the tower unit basket.

"It's not about enjoying it, it's about saving lives, and putting the wet stuff on the red stuff," called out Gilda, she was at the controls at the turntable on top of the back of the rig. Gretchen was in the basket, holding onto the edge with her talons as the ladder was going up into the air, and extending to it's full length while avoiding power lines.

"Gretchen point the nozzle up! We're going to test it, alright Genevieve, run it!" I called to her, and she turned the fire hydrant.

"Turn the nozzle head to narrow the stream, alright looking good!" I said giving the talons-up to Gretchen for a job well done. The ladder was retracted lowered back into position after the nozzle was turned off. We all congratulated her on making the company. Now we were to take the trucks out for another job around the station, shopping.

We took the trucks out to go to the supermarket to restock the refrigerator and freezer. Gilda was getting the frozen food items with Greta. Firefighters Genevieve and Giselle were getting dry foods, fruits, and vegetables. Gretchen and I were getting meat and food for dinner tonight. I was making dinner. I was making smoked sausage chowder.

"We're really glad that you joined up with us with you onboard we are nearly a full company...oh spaghetti or manicotti," I said, grabbing a carton of Pomi marinara sauce,

I gave Gretchen the shopping list, and I followed her with the shopping cart. Into the shopping cart went a few onions, a few packs of kielbasa sausage, chicken broth, half & half cream, a small bag of potatoes, a six-pack of butter, salt, pepper, and some frozen sweet corn. Gilda soon came up to our cart with some Digorno and Frescetta pizzas.

Greta and Genevieve brought peas, a large bag of rice, a bag of lentils, a jug of milk, a case of Dr. Pepper, cartons of Sun Tropics Calamansi Lime and Dalandan Juices, a few packs of maple bacon, a box of Cinnamon Life cereal and a box of pancake mix. It's amazing how something as simple as a trip to the store brings us all together as a team.