"Dusty? Hey, can you hear me?"

Dusty stirred a little as he slowly opened his eyes, squinting at the light. Everything was blurry till his vision finally cleared, seeing Maru right in front of him. Maru grinned widely before turning around.

"HEY GUYS! HE LIVES!"

Everyone came running in. "YES!"

"Thank goodness!"

Blade smirked walking in. "Thought you'd never wake up Mud Dropper."

Dusty blinked confused. "Huh…? What's going on? How long was I out for?"

"Five days."

"Oh…. WHAT!?"

"YOU HEARD HIM!"

CRASH!

"WAH!"

Dusty was nearly knocked off the bed by Rainbow Dash tackle hugging him. She tightened her hug a little, bringing her wings around him as well.

"Five. Whole. DAYS. You had us all worried!"

Dusty brought his hooves around her, nuzzling her a little. "Hey… It's okay now… I'm sorry I worried you… But I'm alright… I promise."

Maru smirked. "More like better than new… especially with those new things on your back."

Dusty blinked his memory a bit hazy as he looked. "My back-" His words died on his lips, his eyes going wide. He looked at the wings attached to him, focusing a bit as they moved. "T-They're moving… They're… They're really attached to me…"

Blade nodded. "You earned them… the spirits of Piston Peak have deemed you as one of us."

Rainbow Dash raised one of the wings with her hooves, showing the cloud marks on the tips. "They look like your old ones in coloring… but they're real Dusty. They're real… and they're yours."

Dusty was stunned before smiling hugging her, bringing his new wings around the mare. "I'm a Pegasus… Oh my gosh…" He laughed. "I'm a Pegasus! A REAL PEGASUS!" He jumped off the bed flexing his wings, getting a good look at them. "A real honest to Celestia Pegasus! I've been dreaming about it for years but… I didn't think…"

"The spirits decided you were worthy so… Now you're part of the wingnuts I work with on a regular basis." Maru chuckled. "Just take it easy on the jumping around."

"Sorry, sorry I'm just excited!"

Blade chuckled. "Can't blame you and since the spirits find you worthy, I think you've earned that certification."

"What..?" Dusty's jaw dropped. "No joke? … No final test? No is insert place on fire?"

Blade shook his head. "None. You've shown you got what it takes. I deem you certified from this day forward."

Dusty beamed lowering his head in respect. "Thank you Blade… Thank you…"

Rainbow Dash smirked, sharing a look with Dipper. "Besides that… You wanna say anything to the newest firefighter Dipper?"

Dipper leaned in. "... I like watching you sleep." She said with wide eyes.

Dusty was silent, the sides of his mouth twitching before he lost it, falling over laughing. "Oh gosh… HAHAHAHAHAAHA!"

Dipper cracked up joining up. "Oh gosh it had to be done!"

Blade chuckled as the rest of the team cheered in celebration of Dusty's victory. "This means no more orange and white uniform too… Maru? Show 'em what you've been working on."

Maru nodded, hurrying into his shop and presenting a new uniform to Dusty. It was red, white and black with patterns similar to Blade's uniform and had an 07 along with the Jolly Wrench crest on it. "Specially tailored too."

Dusty looked at it impressed. "Maru…. This is better than anything Rarity could've cooked up!"

Rainbow Dash laughed. "She's the fancy path. This is the cool path."

Maru smirked. "Heh, darn right."

Dusty smiled taking in the moment. It was a rough journey… But I gained a lot of good friends in this… And I got a new career… And a new form too…

Thank you Cloud Burst and Gale Wind… I won't forget this… Ever.

Dottie, Chug, Sparky and Skipper sat outside the Fill N Fly, waiting patiently for Dusty to fly in. Skipper putting his eye enhancements to use while Sparky used binoculars to watch the sky.

"I'm so glad he's finally coming home." Dottie said with a sigh of relief. "I was really worried when Rainbow Dash told us about that big fire that was going on."

Sparky put a hoof on her shoulder. "We all were… But Dusty is okay… though I am curious about why they said he was better than new."

"I think all of us do." Chug commented.

"Is he home yet?"

They looked behind them to see Mayday trotting over, who was looking a lot better than he was earlier.

Dottie shook her head. "Not yet."

"I haven't missed him, good. I want to be able to greet him when he gets here."

"Got it."

"Hey! I see something!" Sparky exclaimed.

All looked to the sky to see Pegasi and dragons flying in. They couldn't make out any of the ponies till they got closer. Rainbow Dash was the first one they could recognize and then next to her… Skipper and Sparky couldn't believe their eyes.

The group made a landing and it was confirmed what they saw was real. Rainbow Dash came forward with Dusty beside her. He was dressed in a black, red and white uniform and on his back… was not the harness they had all known him for. Instead… He had a set of real wings, feathers and all.

He smiled. "Hey guys."

They all trotted over to him, looking him over.

"Look at you…" Dottie whispered. "Your wings…"

"Yeah… No more gearbox problems… I'm fixed."

Dottie teared up, throwing her hooves around him. "Oh Dusty… I'm so happy for you…"

Skipper smiled as well. "We all are…"

"Dusty."

Dusty looked over to Mayday, a warm smile on his face. "Look at you… Guess we both went through our own changes."

Mayday nodded. Mayday nodded. "That we did… Dusty… Thank you for doing what you did…"

Dusty smiled. "You're welcome…"

Rainbow Dash put a hoof on his shoulder. "Way to go hot shot…"

The other firefighters came up.

"So… Is there a party going on here or what?" Maru asked.

"Oh yes there is!" Chug and Sparky cheered. "We gotta go tell everypony! The Corn Festival is back on!"

The two galloped off.

"Well since there is a party." Blade started. "We… had an idea of something we could do for the festival."

"Oh?" Dottie asked raising an eyebrow. "What would that be?"

Blade looked to Dusty and Rainbow Dash. "Well Champ and Dash?"

Dusty and Rainbow Dash grinned. "Well…"

"And by the power bestowed on me by Celestia, I now proclaim Propwash Junction reopen." Ryker announced as he stood by Dusty and Mayday.

All the ponies in Propwash cheered. Skipper shot sparks in the air, making a firework effect.

Dusty closed his eyes, sighing in relief.

Music to my ears…

Mayday looked to Dusty smiling proudly. "Thank you Dusty… For all of this…"

"H-huh? It was nothing…" The pegasus smiled sheepishly.

"No… It means a lot to me… And the whole town… Not just anyone would've done what you did…" Mayday nudged him gently. "It takes a special kind of pony."

Dusty smiled. "Thanks Mayday…"

"DUSTY!"

Dusty looked to see Chug galloping over wearing a general hat that had a corn cob on it.

"I won!" he cheered. "I'm the Corn Colonel!"

"That's great Chug!" Dusty grinned.

Sparky trotted up beside him wearing a similar hat. "And I'm his Private Niblet!"

"And with that, we have a show to put on!" Chug trotted off. "Come Private!"

"Right!" Sparky chased after him.

Skipper shook his head. "Those two…"

Dusty chuckled. "Well.. I better join the others."

"Go get 'em." Mayday smiled.

Dusty nodded, heading off to another part of Propwash. There, he was greeted by the other firefighters, clouds ready under their wings. Soon as Dusty came up, Blade gave him his own set of clouds.

"There ya go." Blade said. "Ready?"

"Ready!" Dusty smirked. "Let's do this."

Everyone got behind him.

"Lead the way Dust Storm." Dipper giggled.

Dusty nodded, taking to the skies, the team following behind him. The runway started to come into view. He could see the ramps down below set up for the Smoke Jumpers and the crowds sitting the bleachers, all cheering in excitement as Chug announced their arrival.

"And now! Performing with our hometown legendary racer Dusty Crophopper, please give a loud cheer for the Piston Peak Air Attack!" Chug cheered.

The crowds went wild as they flew. The Smoke Jumpers dived off of Cabbie, whooping and hollering as they sprayed water in the air with water guns they had been given.

"Let's do it boys!" Dynamite shouted as they landed on the ramps, making use the roller skates they had on their hind claws.

"REV IT!" Drip screamed as he and the others performed spins and jumps on the ramps, skidding on the landing kicking up dust.

"WOO HOO!" Avalanche cheered.

Dipper and Windlifter took their turn, dropping the water in their clouds, getting the audiences soaked for before Blade to his turn.. doing a loop de loop in the process.

"Alright Champ, you're up!"

Dusty nodded, flying straight down the runway before shooting up into the air. He closed his eyes, feeling the wind whistle in his ears… feeling the adrenaline rush he had missed so much.

Blade nodded to his team as he, Dipper and Windlifter joined Dusty in a fly over.

"Make us proud." He said loud enough for only Dusty to hear.

Dusty grinned speeding up, flying as high as he could performing a loop.

"WHOO-HOO!"

Today… Is a good day to be a firefighter.

Dusty's friends down below smiled, seeing him as his old self again. Rainbow Dash beamed as he saw him soar back down, that spark in his eyes.

Way to go Dusty… She thought.

You've proven yourself again… You're no cropduster…

You never were.

The End