Part 3: Not For Everyone
If there was one thing Blade could not stand, it was definitely egos. Big egos to be more precise. They drove him crazy. In general, those he had met with big egos were the most over confident people he had met. Reason whenever he trained anyone, the ego was the first thing to break… but seemed one of his trainees was looking to fight back.
Particularly… Thrust Sea Wolf Rotors.
"THRUST!" Blade barked. "Move up higher! You're way too low, you're gonna get yourself killed!"
"I'm not that close to the trees, I'm fine, stop being such a nag."
Blade growled a little, trying not to lose it.
"Hey, listen to Chief, he knows what he's talking about."
Blade looked to the side seeing it was Javelin who had spoken up.
Thrust growled a little. "You're not the Chief."
"That's right, I'm not, but you're sure as heck not listening to him, so I couldn't stay quiet. Knock off the attitude and just do as he says."
"Ugh, whatever."
What is with this kid? Blade shook his head, looking to Windlifter who was giving a similar look of annoyance towards Thrust.
His training should be over soon… Just a bit more…
After finishing up they all headed back to base, deciding to call it a day.
I need a nap… Blade thought, heading for his hangar.
"Hey! Don't you ever talk about my Dad like that again!"
Blade stopped in his tracks, looking behind him, some worry creeping in as he saw Hailey and Thrust staring each other down in front of Maru's workshop.
Oh no…
"You can't tell me what to do, kid!" Thrust barked at her.
Hailey growled getting closer to him. "Kid? You're 19Yeah I know how old you are. I'm 17! You're hardly in place to call ME a child! You're in MY house disrespecting MY family, so… What are you gonna do? Hit me? You know what? Go ahead. HIT ME!"
Everyone was listening now, all eyes on Thrust.
Blade crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes.
"You heard her… Try her."
Thrust was quiet, his hands clenched into fists. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Hailey. He was about to raise one of his fists but then lowered it, growling.
"Know what? Forget you!"
Thrust stormed off… saying other things that just made everyone else cringe.
"And that kid wants to be a firefighter?" Maru asked, raising an eyebrow. "Not with that kind of attitude."
Hailey shook her head, running a hand through her hair. "He doesn't have what it takes… He can't be part of a team if he's all about himself... I've seen you guys train the rest of my childhood… He doesn't have it…"
"Geeze…" Dipper cringed. "The kid's got some anger issues."
"And stubbornness." Javelin added as he sat down with some oil in front of his aircraft shell. "Had to speak up so he didn't wind up crashing into a tree when he ignored Blade's orders to fly higher."
Lorraine looked over from where she had been sitting, listening in on the whole thing. "He's gonna get himself or someone killed if he ever gets out into the field - Blade wouldn't send him out like this right? He's a risk…"
"I wouldn't." Blade walked over. "Seeing this, I've made my mind up about something… He is grounded till he can get this anger of his figured out. If he can't let it go in three days I'm deporting him. Part of being a firefighter means being selfless and willing to do anything for others. What I've seen is not helping his case. He does have potential though."Blade looked to Javelin. "I know you've seen it."
"I have… the kid can put out fires easily and has killer aim… just his attitude is in the wrong place…"
"Maru, you know the drill." Blade said walking off. "Ground him."
"Gladly!" Maru called back rubbing his hands together.
"Should I get the boot?" Hailey asked raising an eyebrow.
"Not yet… Not yet…"
"What…. exactly do you do to ground people…?" Javelin asked.
Bernard laid back, folding his arms behind his head.
"Weigh 'em down."
"HEY! GET IT OFF!"
Thrust was trying to fly up, only to be frustrated more as he didn't even lift an inch above the ground. One was due to the boot that was on his right leg… and the other was what Maru had done to his engine during a "check up."
"Sorry kid, you brought this on yourself." Maru crossed his arms. "You got a serious attitude problem and need to get over it. You're grounded till further notice."
"What did you do to my engine?! You better not have broken it!"
"I would get arrested if I did." Maru growled. "I disabled your flight mechanism. It's a thing anyone can learn to do if they know the right places to tweak. It's like a pressure point… and like I said, till you get over this attitude yours you're not flying anywhere."
Thrust growled. "OH COME ON!"
Maru sat in a chair, shaking his head.
"You're just proving my point."
The others just watched, shaking their heads. "I hope we got a picture of that guy." Drip deadpanned. "He's going on The Wall if he gets on Maru's bad side. We might see him go full on Malcolm on us."
Lorraine blinked. "Who's Malcolm?"
"That's a story for another day."
In the days that passed, it just seemed Thrust's attitude with the team got worse. From pulling a few brutal pranks on the other trainees, to outright getting up in Blade's face on occasion… He was proving that he wasn't going to be swayed easily.
"Look out, War Machine's on the prowl…" Hailey muttered, watching him with an unimpressed look.
Thrust was out to get his oil. After getting his share, he went off to sit by himself, grumbling stuff as he eyed other team members.
"I wonder if someone should talk to him…" Jake muttered.
"I plan to."
All looked to Javelin with surprised looks.
"Huh? Why?" Drip asked. "He's been just as horrible to you as he has been to everyone else."
"Well he's close to his last day so… I figure I'd see what's up with him since no one else wants to try and figure out."
"We've tried." Maru commented. "He don't seem up to telling anyone."
"Not to mention it's like he's channeling his inner machine with "challenging" Daddy whenever he can." Hailey said using air quotes. "I'd say "men" except the rest of you know not to get on my father's bad side… And this… is so getting on his bad side."
"Well… I can at least try… right?"
"You're a good man, Javelin." Maru patted his back. "Too bad you're a temp."
"Well… I got my own home to protect… and maybe Thrust is trying to do the same thing."
Javelin headed over to the man, sitting with him.
"What do you want?" Thrust mumbled. "Pretty sure you're not fond of me just like everyone else."
"Well, with your attitude you shouldn't be surprised." Javelin shot back. "I'm really curious as to why you have said attitude. Is there something bugging you here?"
"You're not my therapist, bug off."
"No. You got something on your chest, get it off."
Thrust was quiet before glaring at Javelin.
"Trying to save me, huh?"
"Isn't that was firefighters? Pretty sure that's in the job description. We are, in a sense, heroes for others. We protect and save."
"What are you? Where did you come from?"
"Military. Served 3 years in airforce then decided it wasn't what I wanted to do with my life. Sure, I helped save soldiers… but I want to help people as a whole… and not have to endure fights to do it."
"Hmph. Heroic figures, pheh, hate that garbage."
"Then why are you here then?" Javelin gave a questioning look. "Cause if you were trying to avoid that, you came to the wrong place… and the wrong job."
Thrust was silenced… lowering his head a bit before glaring again.
"I've got an anger problem okay!? I thought I could take it out on fires! And I did! And I was able to put them out! What more do you guys want from me?! I can do the job if you just let me do it!"
Javelin held his gaze.
"You have the skills, but this attitude of yours is not fit for a firefighting team or being a firefighter in general. I'm sorry you have an anger problem, but this is not a way to cure it. It's great that you can put out fires, but you need to be willing to work with others and look outside yourself… and you have to want it. I came here because I wanted to be certified to protect my home… to protect the ones I love around me… What about you though? Just to control your anger? That's it?"
"Don't… JUDGE ME!"
"Everything Javelin has said is right."
Blade was standing before them now, an unimpressed look in his eyes.
"Doing this job means you're thinking outside yourself. The reason I've heard out of you is one of the most selfish reasons I've heard in a LONG time." Blade frowned. "Thrust… I do think you could be a great firefighter… but anger management is holding you back… Get that sorted out, then think about being a firefighter."
"But…" Thrust growled. "Come on! I can do this!"
"You can… you just don't listen to me or anyone else… and you're clearly not ready for this. It's been three days since I've grounded you… I was hoping you would improve… but you're no different than you were three days ago… I have no choice but to deport you for disrespecting my orders multiple times, and for being disrespectful to my team. I'm sorry."
Thrust got up, storming off.
"You know what? Who needs you?! I can learn from someone else!"
Blade shook his head, sighing a bit.
"It's not for everyone, Chief." Javelin said, getting up. "Takes a lot to be a firefighter… right?"
"It does… just feel a bit bad for him."
Thrust left without another word the following day. The team was relieved… but felt bad for having to deport him. It had been a long time since Blade had ever have to do the deed… or ever. He took his mind off it with finishing up the other certifications… Mainly Javelin's. Wasn't long before it was time for him to leave too.
"It was nice having you with us." Maru said as he sewed the Piston Peak Air Attack patch onto his uniform as Hailey stuck the patch onto the side of his aircraft shell. "But you're all set to go. Wish you luck with your home."
Javelin nodded, backing off after Maru finished, giving a nod to everyone.
"Thank you for your time… Hope we can meet again in the future."
Javelin soon took off, leaving the base behind him. Blade watched him go before slumping in a chair, feeling exhausted.
This has not been my best week…
Hailey made her way to her father, bringing an arm around his shoulders. "Hey… You did your best… We got three permanents out of the deal and… There's a couple who are going out of here knowing a few things… You did good, Daddy."
Blade smiled a little at his daughter, kissing her cheek.
"Thank you Hailey… I kind of wish I could've done more for Thrust… but… I do hope he finds his way some how. It's not good being lost."
She nodded kissing his cheek. "I'm sure he will, Daddy. Everyone finds their way home I like to think." She smiled, hugging him. "He'll be just fine. I know it."
Blade hugged her back.
"Right…"
"You should get some rest." Maru commented, heading into his workshop. "Temp training is over, you just have permanents to worry about now… and hopefully no more deporting will be summoned."
"I think so far the only thing we'll have to worry about is what wedding gift to give to Dipper and Bernard!" Hailey snickered making sure she was loud enough for them to hear.
"H-HEY!" Dipper yelled turning bright red. "When were we getting married!? I don't remember that!"
Bernard was bright red. "I don't even recall!"
Blade chuckled. "Welcome to my world."
"Says the one who finally proposed."
Blade turned a little red himself, lowering his hat a bit.
Drip smirked high fiving his fellow Smokejumpers. "Yeah, hope you're inviting us all to your weddin' boss!"
"Ah love…" Bernard chuckled.
Blade decided to save himself more embarrassment and just walked off to his hangar with an arm around Hailey.
"I've been with Miranda for a very long time… and I still get embarrassed."
"No shame there." Hailey giggled a little side hugging him. "You're still together and comfortable that's all that matters… And you're actually marrying her. That's more than the rest of 'em-besides Uncle Maru can say."
"True… Wish Miranda could've stayed longer but… she's got her job too… Glad she was feeling well enough to go back."
"Same… But she'll be back soon enough… Just has to make sure her students aren't tormenting the subs… But knowing the rest of her co-workers they've all swarmed in as soon as they saw the ring." Hailey rolled her eyes. "Especially Mr. Quill and Professor Stark."
"They've been giving her a hard time for years, it's not surprise."
"Very true. Just like everyone here's been giving you a hard time… But they'll all shut up when she shows up as Mrs. Ranger…" Hailey giggled. "Love you, Daddy…"
"Love you too Hailey…"
Just glad this period's over… Hopefully no more surprises for awhile…
