Author's Note: Prompt suggested by StormblazeP51


E is for Eruption


It had started as most things did on base, but while the idea had first been formed through a combination of curiosity and boredom in the dead of night, the project had ballooned into something that smokejumpers weren't exactly sure that they could control anymore. Not that that was going to stop them from continuing to pour every ounce of creativity they had in the project. After all, Dynamite had told them that Windlifter was the most terrifying person on base when angry, but the male smokejumpers wanted to witness the Skycrane erupting so that they could judge for themselves.

Like most projects the smokejumpers put their blades to, the initial attempts were crude. They relied on brute force, because after years of fighting fires they had learned that there were few problems that couldn't be solved by squaring one's tires and stepping on the gas. Unfortunately for them (or fortunately depending on how you looked at the situation) Windlifter always seemed one stop ahead of them.

After more failed attempts to poke the Skycrane into a properly volcanic eruption, Avalanche, Blackout, and Drip decided that it was time to try another tactic. If attacks of opportunity were not going to get them the desired fireworks, perhaps a well-planned trap would be more successful. So they spent several rigging up a bucket over the main hanger's door and sat in wait for the big helicopter to come for his morning coffee.

The smokejumper's mission almost succeeded. They heard Windlifter coming towards the hanger and saw the doors slide open. The moment that an aircraft nose poked its way into the hanger they pulled the string causing a mixture of sludge, oil, and mud cascaded over the large aircraft…only it was the wrong large aircraft.

"MARU. BLADE. MAIN HANGER. NOW." Cabbie spoke with a voice that echoed across the mountains and volume that even managed to outclass Avalanche. But the frightening thing about it was it was clear from the tone Cabbie wasn't shouting. Instead, the old plane had simply found something that was worthy of putting the full power of his voice behind. When Maru and Blade rolled into the hanger, nearly at the same moment, Cabbie glared at the two, cleared his throat and nearly hissed. "Fix this."

No vehicle on base needed to ask what needed to be fixed, because everyone hadn't been actively working on the pranks had been dodging the said prank attempts for days.

Blade sighed heavily before turning an icy stare at the pack of smokejumpers sitting in front of him. "Do I even want to know why you thought this prank war was a good idea?"

Avalanche and Blackout had the common sense to keep their mouths firmly shut. Drip, well Drip happily spilled the beans. "We got the idea from Dynamite?"

"Really?" This time Blade leveled his glare at the smokejumper captain. Dynamite didn't even blink as she continued to sip her coffee. "And please do tell me what this idea was?"

"She told us that Windlifter was the scariest person on base when he got angry and we decided we needed to see it for ourselves to see if it was true." Drip stated with a level of confidence that made the other members of the teams shake their heads in disbelief.

"Well, Windy." Blade leveled a tired look at the Skycrane that was stealthfully trying to sneak a package of popcorn into the microwave…which of course was an action that only sharpened the Chief's annoyance. "Please show a little anger towards these idiots causing so much trouble."

"That's my secret." Windlifter stated a relaxed calmness that stuck fear deep in the engines of every smokejumper sitting in front of the Skycrane. "I'm always angry."

The words hung in the air, making Avalanche, Blackout, and Drip tremble on their treads in fear of what they were about to see…then Maru burst out laughing absolutely spoiling the moment.

"Windy." Blade sighed heavily. "The movie quotes really aren't helping."

"Really?" Windlifter blinked owlishly. "Because I though the timing on that was near to perfect."

Before anyone could make a comment to counter Windlifter's argument, Cabbie whacked him with a well-placed wing. Then the C-119 placed his full attention on the misbehaving jumpers.

"I know that you all have had your fun, but these pranks will stop. Now." The plane's voice was low, but there was a hint of a growl that allowed the little vehicles to get a glimpse of just how pissed the jump plane currently was.

"YES SIR." Drip and Blackout might have said something, but anything they might have said was drowned out by Avalanche's mortified statement. "IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN, SIR."

"I trust that it won't." Cabbie gave a level look of disappointment that made everyone, including those who had nothing to do with the current prank, want to melt into the ground. "As I doubt, you will enjoy the consequences if you choose to attempt again."

With that Cabbie turned tails and maneuvered himself out of the hanger closing the door behind him. That was the moment of the rest of the members of the base let go of a breath that they had been holding from the moment the sludge hit Cabbie's wings. It was clear to all of them that they had just dodge a bullet.

"So…" Drip glanced around at his fellows a bit sheepishly. "Let's not do that again."

His fellow smokejumpers all gave small sounds of agreements. While they were still curious about what in the world could cause Windlifter to go off, it wasn't worth triggering the fury of the vehicle they had to ride inside of on a daily basis in order to soothe that curiosity.