Ponyville Fire Department: New Generation

by Rescue Sunstreak

1 - The big day

“Do you guys remember when we slid down this hill on that ramp and tried to jump over Ponyville to get our stunt-pony cutie marks?”

Apple Bloom looked over at the tangerine pegasus and gave a warm chuckle. “Ah sure do. Ah remember we had to work for two weeks cleanin' up around town, too.”

Sweetie Belle didn’t say anything, rather nodding her head. The three—the original Cutie Mark Crusaders—were together having a little picnic.

“I... sure am going to miss you two,” Scootaloo said, glanced over at her two friends. “I love you both, you two are my true sisters.”

Both the earth pony and unicorn squeezed in, hugging the small-winged pegasus. Sweetie said in her soft, warm tone. “We love you, too, Scoot, but you are going off to do great things. You are going to come back a paramedic, I don’t think anypony could be more proud of you than we are.”

Apple Bloom nodded her head in agreement with the white unicorns words. “She is right, and it ain’t like you are gonna be gone forever. It's just a year, and then you and the others will be back, right?“

Scootaloo exhaled and pressed her forehead into the light yellow earth pony’s neck. “Yeah, but, we have never been apart for that long before.”

Sweetie Belle once more spoke up, placing her hoof on her best friend's shoulder. “Scootaloo, no matter how far you are, no matter how long it has been, you are a Crusader forever.”

She then took in a small breath. “Got the moves got the mojo.”

Apple Bloom’s eyes lit up, and she couldn’t help but add in. "No harder working ponies around.”

Scootaloo sniffled and smiled warmly. “We are a trio, work as a team.”

All three mares put their right hooves together in front of them, touching edge to edge and singing in unison. “We will be the first ponies out on the flag waving scene.”

Scootaloo grabbed her two friends in a combination of wing-and-hoof hugs, pressing her face in between the two of theirs.

“Thank you two, for everything.”

---

Pipsqueak glanced over at the pink earth pony mare laying next to him. The last month since graduation had been quite a change in their relationship. Mr. Rich was not exactly happy when he caught them up in her room. However, a long talk with him and Pip’s two fathers had sorted things out in a jiffy.

“Diamond, are you awake?”

The mare rolled over to face the paint stallion laying next to her. “Yeah, was just thinking about tomorrow. About how I am going to have to go nearly a year without this, without laying next to you and feeling you.”

Pip blushed some as he nuzzled into her neck. “We will find time. It will be difficult, but we will, okay?”

Pressing into him, Diamond Tiara wrapped her legs in with his, so they lay belly to belly. She nuzzled under her stallion's chin. “Are we doing the right thing, I mean... are we on the right path to a good life?”

He had to smile, her question was one he'd heard her voice before. He was pretty sure it was more trying to make sure her own feelings were right.

“I think, my Diamond, that we could not be on a better path, and I can’t think of any pony I would rather be on it with.”

He watched her fluster as she tucked her head under his chin and rubbed her snout into his throat lovingly. “Pip Sunstreak, what am I going to do with you?”

Pipsqueak rested his chin on the top of her head and softly exhaled. “No clue, Dia, I will never understand how you put up with me.”

She whispered into his neck. “You talk too much.”

---

Rumble sat on his bed, staring up at the ceiling and thinking. A knock on his door brought him about and he turned to look at it. “Yeah, come on in!”

Rarity nosed the door open. It was kind of weird really, when he thought about it, how the fashion diva and his brother hooked up. However, she was a very genuine mare, and it was clear to him his brother was head-over-fetlocks with her.

“Rumble, darling, you have been in here all morning. Are you okay?”

The stone-grey pegasus sat upright, stretching his wings some before giving a nod. “I am. Thank you for asking, Rarity. I'm just thinking about tomorrow, about the future. Part of me wonders if Scoots and I will make it, or if our relationship make it.”

He shook his head, glancing out the window next to his bed. “I don’t like not knowing.”

A soft, perfectly manicured hoof touched his shoulder.

“Rumble, you rushed head-long into a burning building to save her. You risked your life, and earned your cutie mark for her. You are her knight in shining armor. I see the way you look at her, and I see the way she looks at you. It is the same look I see in Diamond's eyes when she looks at Pipsqueak, all the same I see in Ailan’s eyes when he looks at Rescue.”

Glancing over at her, Rumble gave her a smile soft and warm. “What about how you look at my brother?”

She paused a moment, a light blush crept into her cheeks. Peeking over her shoulder and out the door, finally guessing Thunderlane must still be outside.

“Your brother is very special to me. I know we have only been dating a few months now, but, I am already very fond of him.”

Rumble slid off his bed and touched his fetlock to Rarity’s for a moment.

“Rarity, I know my brother loves you. Heck, the first few weeks after you said yes, all he could do was talk about you. It drove me up the wall.”

Her blush retained its warmth and light, as she smiled. “I used to think I was going to find my prince, who would come along and sweep me off my hooves. Carry me off into the high society of Canterlot and fame.”

She shook her head some. “Rather, I found a sweet, soft-hearted pegasus stallion who wants nothing more than to protect me from the dangers of the world. He may not be a prince, but, well, I think in my heart, he is.”

Rumble warmly smiled back. “Thank you for talking to me, Rarity, it means a lot to me. I just want to do right by Scootaloo. I mean, I know she loves me, but…”

Again, Rarity shook her head she tapped the young stallion on the nose. “Enough of that, darling. Now, come along, your brother is sure to have the hayburgers ready by now.”

---

Lily just stayed there in a ponyloaf, neck wrapped around Carrot’s neck, relaxing as they hid away in his parent’s barn. Her ears perked as he nuzzled her once more.

“I am going to miss you, Lily. You will come home every chance you get, right?”

The big draft mare gave a nod to the smaller stallion. Not that Carrot had grown up short, just she was a big mare.

“I will, Carrot, I will. Every chance I can get a hold of. I will write and stuff, too.”

He leaned into her and closed his eyes, resting his head across her withers. “You know, she would be so proud of you, just like the rest of us are.”

A silence fell upon them for a lengthy amount of time, before she gave a light nod of her head, turning her muzzle into his chest and pressing her soft nose there.

“I know, Carrot, but, all I really care about, is that you stand next to me and support me. I know it ain’t been easy, I know folks give you a hard time because I am so much bigger than you…”

She gave a little nicker when he nipped her neck. “You stop that, I don’t care what others say. Come next spring you will be my wife, and that is all I care about Lily... you.”

Lily shook her head and planted a kiss on top of his head. “Don’t know what I ever did to deserve you, Carrot.”

---

It seemed like half the town had turned out to see them set off. All five of them with bulky saddle bags across their backs, with big tote bags stuffed with their equipment were also being loaded on the train. Pipsqueak hugged Rescue one last time, as tight as he could, sniffling a bit, but then again, so was the big stoic stallion.

“I won’t let you down, Dad.”

Rescue shook his head and looked into his son’s eyes. “You just do your best, Pip, and that is all your father and I can ask of you.”

He turned his head to look at the others saying goodbye to friends and family. “That goes for all of you. You just do your best, and if you have a problem, if you are worried, stressed, scared, it don’t matter. You come back and talk to me, you talk to each other, you find my father or my brother. You are not facing this challenge alone, and I just want to say…”

He paused, looking around before looking into the eye of each of them in turn.

“I am proud of you all for taking this step. No matter what the outcome is, I am proud of each and every one of you.”

Many stomped their hooves, shouting and whistling happily. The five all looked around and not one of them stood without a blush under their coats.

“All aboard!” The conductor glanced at his watch and shut it, tucking it back into his pocket. “Canterlot Express is leaving the station, last call to board!”

Three mares, two stallions, all young, looked around. With a nod to their respective parents and loved ones, they turned and walked into the train car. Sitting by the windows, they waved out of them as the train started to pull out.

Once out of sight, when they could no longer see the happy, smiling faces of everypony, Diamond turned to her friends, her fellow cadets, and she gave a nod, reaching out her hoof. Lily lifted hers up to touch, followed by Pipsqueak, then Rumble, and lastly, Scootaloo. The pink earth pony exhaled slowly and looked each in the eye in turn.

“For Ponyville, for Luna, and for Archer.”

Not one of them looked away, they all knew exactly why the were embarking on this quest. A quest to become one of the insane ponies that ran to the fire, not away from it.

Author's Note:

So we start into the new book. Will the cadets make the grade? What will they return to? Will Mr Rich every get over catching his Diamond in bed with a stallion?

WHO KNOWS...read to find out.

Comments

[wiccanminnesota]

A very interesting tale you have spun here I look forward to the next chapter and to tracking this one as time goes on.

[Rescue Sunstreak]

8041010 Thank you, if you have not, the first book (Ponyville Fire Department) leads you up to this point, give it a glance.