Chapter Thirteen: A Hero's Sacrifice
Sky gave a shout of effort and slammed her foot into the log, at last breaking the piece the hook caught onto. Blade jerked forward, finally free. "Go!" Sky screamed, and Blade shot off after Dusty. Sky scrambled off the logs, slipping a bit but managing to make it to dry land. She stared after Blade, watching in horror as Dusty suddenly went over the edge and disappeared. She held her breath. Then, Blade threw the hoist and the cable tightened, indicating a catch. Sky sighed heavily in relief, starting to move forward. But she gasped as pain shot up her leg, and she looked down towards her ankle brace. Kicking the log so much and so hard clearly put more strain on the healing muscles. But Sky swallowed and began limping towards the edge of the falls. She hurriedly yet carefully climbed down the rocks to the bottom of the falls and saw Dusty resting on solid ground, looking shaken but alive.
"Dusty!" Sky called, limping over to him. "You okay?"
"I'm fine!" Dusty confirmed.
"You had me worried sick!" Sky sighed, reaching Dusty and leaning on him. She brought her ankle to her hand, willing the throbbing to go away.
"Why didn't you redline it?!" Blade shouted as he hovered above the orange and white plane and the human. "You almost made it and you just….." He paused, his attention drawn to something above them.
"What's wrong?" Dusty asked.
"Blade?" Sky called.
Blade rose higher into the air, seeing the treetops near them already ablaze. Their journey down the river carried them right into the fire itself. His mind raced for a solution. There wasn't a place for Dusty to take off in such dense forestry, and the nearest meadow would already be on fire by now. Blade took a look at their surroundings. "Head down that path. Follow me."
Dusty obeyed, gently scooping Sky up onto his wing and somewhat slowly following Blade deeper into the forest. The fire was definitely getting close now, and Sky pulled off her goggles to wipe away the sweat already forming on her forehead. Dusty kept staring at her worriedly, but she put on a smile and patted his nose.
"Champ, come on! Get in here!" Blade called, lowering down to hover above an opening into a cave-like space.
"An old mine?" Dusty gasped incredulously. "Are you crazy? We'll suffocate!"
"There's no other way." Blade reasoned. "We'll let it burn over."
"Let's go, Dusty." Sky hopped down from the plane's wing, still limping a bit as she made her way to the mine.
"No, you take Sky and go on." Dusty protested, looking to Blade. "I'll keep moving."
"Are you crazy?" Sky said, watching Dusty begin to roll down the old railway tracks. "Dusty!"
"Hey!" Blade snapped, landing in Dusty's path. "You can't outrun the fire."
Dusty started glaring. Man I'm sick of him telling me what I can or can't do. "You know what? I'll find my way out." He began moving again.
"Like you found your way out of the rapids." Blade pointed out, his rotors still twirling and kicking up a little dust.
Dusty stopped again. "I didn't want to….push my engine…."
"You didn't want to?" Blade shouted.
"Guys, raging fire about to kill us here!" Sky called, but they didn't seem to hear her. Maybe over the roar of said fire coming closer and closer to them.
"Blade, listen to me—" Dusty started.
"This is life and death!" Blade growled. "You don't know what you're doing, so you need to follow orders. I told you 'split load,' and you dropped it all. I told you not to reload on the lake, and you did it anyway. I told you 'redline it,' and you pulled power. Just face it: you don't have what it takes!"
"I don't care!" Dusty shouted, glaring fiercely as he turned to keep moving. "I never wanted to be a firefighter anyway!"
"Then go back to racing!" Blade snapped, and Dusty froze. "Go win yourself another trophy, Champ."
"That's enough out of both of you!" Sky ordered, moving to stand between the two aircraft. "Blade, it's not his fault."
"Well it's certainly not your fault!" Blade snapped.
"I never said that." Sky said, searching for a way to end the fight sooner. "I just—"
"You have more talent and strength in one hand than he does in his entire body." Blade growled, glaring at Dusty. The plane had his tail to the both of them, staring off into the trees. "You shouldn't have to hold back just because he does."
"It's not like that!" Sky protested.
"Yeah?" Blade glared at her now, only with a miniscule hint of concern mixed with the anger. "Then why does he always rely on you? Why is it he can give his all during racing but when he comes here he only gives half of it? If he's so good at racing, why doesn't he just stick to it?"
"I CAN'T!" Dusty screamed, spinning around to glare at Blade. His outburst made Sky jump. "My gearbox is busted!" His anger dwindled away, and he slumped on his pontoons as he stared at the ground.
Blade's glare didn't lessen, and if it did it wasn't noticeable. His rotors finally stopped spinning. Sky sighed, and she plopped down on the ground to sit on one of the railroad tracks. She hissed in pain, holding her wounded ankle. It was definitely throbbing now, flashes of pain emanating from the wound with every heartbeat. Sky sighed, feeling defeated. What if she was wrong? What if her wound was holding her back and preventing her from becoming a firefighter? Blade hadn't certified her yet, so what could she be doing wrong that prevented her certification? It had to be related to the ankle; Sky was disabled, just like Dusty. But she couldn't let Mayday down. She made a promise to everyone in Propwash Junction, and she had to keep it. Yet a terrifying thought popped up in her mind: what would happen if she failed?
Blade looked back and forth between the plane and the human. When he spoke, he sounded more understanding than angry. "Life doesn't always go the way you expect it. But the both of you came here to become firefighters. If you give up today, think of all the lives you won't save tomorrow."
Sky looked up to Blade, still amazed by the chief's wisdom. She glanced to Dusty, who hadn't moved from his spot. But they were both thinking the same thing: they couldn't give up now. If they gave up every time they got frustrated or scared, they wouldn't be who they were today.
"So what are you going to do?" Blade asked.
Dusty looked up, and he hardened his gaze. Then, he turned and began rolling towards the mine. Sky pushed herself to her feet, Blade gently helping her up. "Put your goggles on and keep your bandana around your mouth and nose." The fire chief said. Sky nodded, pulling her aviation goggles over her eyes and wrapping her camouflage bandana around her face. She limped towards the mine, staying beside Blade as they followed Dusty. Blade stopped outside the mine, turning to stare at the oncoming fire. The flames already engulfed the area they once occupied. Sky stared, feeling fear claw at her heart.
"Blade?" Sky gulped.
"Go on. Get in there." Blade herded her inside the mine. Debris began falling, crashing down around the pair. Sky hurried inside, Dusty already pressed in as far as he could go. Looking at the interior of the mine, Sky realized there was barely enough room for the two aircraft. But she scooted a little closer to Dusty as Blade positioned himself in front of them. The chief kept his eyes on the opening to the mine, where the fire raged. A cracking sound rang out, and a beam from the ceiling broke and fell down, scratching Dusty's number 7 racing decals. Sky jumped, moving closer to Blade. She and Dusty stared out at the opening to the mine. The fire was right on top of them now. Huge chunks of burning wood fell in front of the entrance, and suddenly a wave of fire shot straight towards them. Dusty shut his eyes, bracing himself for the burning sensation of the fire on his hide. Sky found herself frozen in fear for the first time in her life, the oncoming flames reflected in her eyes and seeming to turn her blue-green irises orange. Suddenly, Blade shot forward, putting himself between the flames and his trainees. He grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut, the flames brushing against his side and scorching the paint on his skin. Dusty, realizing he wasn't feeling any burning, opened his eyes and stared in shock to see he was fully encased in Blade's shadow. The larger aircraft gasped softly in pain, the heat and fire pressing against him. Dusty looked down a bit and saw Sky clinging to Blade, pressing herself as close to him as possible and trembling, actually trembling, with fear. Guilt overcame Dusty as he stared at the raven-haired girl.
Sky. Sky, I'm so sorry. Dusty thought, jumping again as another wave of fire blew into the cave.
Blade forced his eyes open, trying to keep tabs on the fire. But a burning tower suddenly collapsed in front of the entrance and a wall of smoke and ash filled the cave.
Then, it was dark.
Several minutes passed before the smoke and ash settled. Dusty's and Blade's lights flickered on, giving some light in the dark cave. A wall of debris completely covered the entrance to the mine, blocking them in. Blade could feel agonizing pain radiating across his flank, but he took a breath and forced himself to ignore it. He looked to Dusty and Sky, the two barely visible in the dim light.
"You two…..all right?" Blade gave a cough, despite his efforts to keep it back.
"Fine." Dusty breathed.
"Peachy." Sky murmured, still shaken. She pulled a small flashlight from one of the pockets on her jeans, switching it on and shining it around the area. "How long are we supposed to stay in here?"
"It'll take a while." Blade admitted. "Just sit tight."
Not like we can go anywhere. Sky thought bitterly. She carefully moved around Blade and towards the entrance of the mine. Even standing a few feet away, she could feel the heat off the burnt pieces of wood. She could even see the soft glows of a few embers. Sky unhooked her fire extinguisher from her back, thankful she filled it with water not retardant before she left the base. She began lightly spraying down the wall of debris.
"Sky?" Dusty called softly, confused. "What are you doing?"
"Giving us an extra bit of protection." Sky explained. "If that fire makes it in here, it'll suck all the oxygen out and then we really will suffocate."
"Just be careful." Dusty said. He couldn't even see Sky nodding. He suddenly felt all the energy drained out of him, and his eyes began fluttering shut.
"Stay awake." Blade ordered, his sharp tone forcing Dusty to open his eyes again. "Stay awake and you stay alive."
"You better stay alive." Sky said, her voice a little muffled from her bandana. "If either one of you end up on the Wall, I'm going to take a marker and draw a mustache on your pictures. And glasses."
Dusty chuckled softly and Blade cracked a smile. Sky finished soaking down the debris, the heat not so strong anymore. She shook the fire extinguisher a bit. Not exactly a lot left. Maybe I didn't fill this up as much as I thought. She shined her flashlight around the debris, checking for any more embers, and turned to Dusty and Blade. Her light caught something, and she directed the beam back to Blade's flank. Her eyes widened at the sight of the huge, black-and-white colored burn on Blade's side. It looked like it covered most of his flank, and there seemed to be a small hole in his side where some hydraulic fluid trickled out. Oh Chrysler…that's from… She stared at Blade, but he gave her a hard glare.
Not one word.
Sky hardened her gaze as well, and she moved over towards the burn. Just stay calm and think. What did Sparky teach me about treating burns? They need to be washed with cool water to take away the pain and reduce swelling, but does that even apply to a vehicle? Either way, Sky knew the strength of the spray from the fire extinguisher would only make things worse. So she forcefully unscrewed the hose and handle from the top of the extinguisher, removing her bandana and pouring water onto the cloth to thoroughly soak it. Wordlessly, she pressed the wet bandana to the burn. Blade quietly hissed in pain, but said nothing as Sky began gently cleaning the wound. Dusty still couldn't see much, but he began hearing a faint plip of water dripping on the ground. Only it didn't sound like the water from the cloth. His suspicions were confirmed when he heard a soft sniffle. It didn't come from him and it sure as heck didn't come from Blade.
That's Sky. Dusty realized. She's crying. Dusty felt his guilt growing. If only he had listened before. If he had just followed orders, they could've avoided this whole mess. But he wanted so badly to help, to show he wasn't going to mess up and he knew what he was doing; he never thought it would end so terribly. Now Sky was in danger, again, and it was all his fault. Why did he even become friends with her if he kept putting her life in danger? If he survived this, Skipper will kill him.
Sky finished, staring at the wound. It was the best she could do; no doubt Maru was going to have a field day when he saw this. She put the lid back onto the fire extinguisher and hooked it to her back again. She tied her bandana to her wrist, moving to sit against the wall. But she paused, stepping closer to Blade and leaning against him. The helicopter gave her a small nuzzle, and she sighed as she put her head against his side.
Thank you, Blade. Sky thought. Thank you. I wish I could be as brave as you.
You are. Blade assured.
Sky sighed, moving to the wall and leaning against it. She slid to the ground, resting her head against the wall. Her previous adrenaline rush from the fear prevented her from feeling the pain in her ankle, but now it seemed to come back tenfold. She blinked her eyes dry, even though the stains from her previous tears remained on her face, showing clearly through the dirt. The glow from Blade's lights bathed her face, but she hardly cared. Everyone was silent, listening to the muffled roar of the fire as it raged outside the mine. Sky pulled her ankle up to rest it on her other leg, putting a hand over the wounded appendage and willing the pain to leave.
By the time Sky's ankle stopped throbbing, Blade determined they could finally leave. Sky stood, moving back to stand beside Dusty. The lights went out, and Blade tensed up a bit before charging forward and ramming into the wall of debris. There was a shift, but not very much. Excruciating pain flared up from his burn, but he rammed into the wall two more times. Light began to stream through into the cave. Blade backed up a bit, then grunted in effort and slammed his entire body weight into the wall. The debris gave way, allowing cleaner air to flow into the stuffy mine. Blade rolled out, coughing. Dusty and Sky soon followed, also coughing a little from the ash kicked up. They looked around and discovered only scorched earth and trees all around them.
Dusty looked to Blade, and his eyes widened when he saw the full extent of the fire chief's burns. "Blade..."
"Airway Meadow should be clear." Blade's voice sounded hoarse and rough, and he coughed a few more times. "We'll take off from there. Let's go."
Sky and Dusty shared a look of concern, but wordlessly followed Blade towards the meadow. Blade moved rather slowly, as though it caused him pain. Which, it probably did. It seemed to take hours to get to the meadow. Sky hopped up into the hoist hatch, Blade only closing it halfway to give her the air, and the helicopter began hovering. He motioned for Dusty to take off, and the orange and white plane began his run before lifting off into the sky. Blade began following him.
Suddenly, there was the sound of something clanking and popping in Blade's engine. Sky gasped as Blade suddenly began spinning in the air, his tail rotor completely useless. Blade fought to keep control, feeling is engine seizing. A strange creaking sound came from inside him, making Sky's heart leap to her throat.
"Blade?" She called worriedly.
"Sky, jump!" Blade shouted as he continued to spin. "Now!"
Sky didn't hesitate. She gave a small scream as she leaped from the helicopter. Her feet hit the ground and she tumbled, groaning in pain and the air whooshing from her lungs. The dust and ash swirled around her, and she curled into a ball and covered her head with her hands as Blade spiraled down out of the sky. The momentum forced his hoist hatch to close a split-second before he suddenly smashed into the ground, involuntarily shouting in pain through gritted teeth. He skidded across the soil and ash before coming to a stop. Sky heard something stab the dirt in front of her, and she warily raised her head to see a sleek, black piece of rotor piercing the ground just next to her head.
One of Blade's rotors.
"BLADE!" Dusty screamed, immediately banking around and circling the downed helicopter. "Blade!"
"Blade, no!" Sky shouted, scrambling to her feet. Her ankle almost gave way, but she forced herself to stay up as she half-ran, half-limped to the fallen fire chief. His jaw clenched and his breathing became erratic, obviously in pain. Three of his rotors had snapped in half and his retardant tank was torn clean off. Sky felt herself panicking a little. "Blade. Blade, just stay calm. It's okay, you're gonna be fine." She hurriedly unhooked the fire extinguisher and pulled off her bandana, dumping the rest of the water onto the cloth. She ran to the burn on Blade's side, gently yet quickly placing the bandana on the worst parts of the wound. That won't do much, or really anything at all, but it'll prevent a bad infection. At least I hope so. She fought to control her breathing, wondering what on earth she was supposed to do now.
"Sky…" Blade rasped, so quietly Sky almost didn't hear him.
Sky almost tripped over her feet as she hurried back to Blade's line of sight, kneeling in front of his nose. "I'm right here. I'm right here, Blade. I'm not leaving you." She locked her blue-green eyes with his icy blue ones, now full of pain and almost desperation. She hated that look; she hated that the brave, strong, courageous fire chief she knew was reduced to this. But she kept a determined glare. "I'm not leaving you….now just don't leave me…."
Blade didn't answer. He suddenly coughed harshly, a little hydraulic fluid leaking from his mouth and ending up on the ground.
Sky kept her hands on Blade's nose, her breathing becoming a bit shallow. But she forced herself to keep a calm tone. "I'm right here. I'm not leaving you, I promise. You're going to be all right."
Blade couldn't exactly hear anything. It all sounded like an echo underwater. But just seeing Sky was enough to keep him calm. Seeing her alive, knowing he succeeded in keeping her safe, was enough for him. His strength ebbed away to nothing, and his eyes began to shut.
"No, Blade!" Sky shouted, slapping the helicopter a bit. "Damn it, keep your eyes open!" But Blade suddenly went still, and Sky's breathing became borderline hyperventilating.
"Sky?" Dusty called into the radio, his voice worried. He was still circling the two from above.
"Dusty, he's not responding to me." Sky said, tears threatening to spill. "I don't know what to do!"
"Just stay with him." Dusty instructed. "Windlifter's on his way."
Sky nodded, keeping a hand on Blade. But she couldn't feel anything through their Soul Connection except the pulses of life, indicating Blade was still holding on. Keep holding on, Blade. Sky thought, hoping he could hear her. Please, just hold on. You're not going to die here!
A/N: You can either read this note or not, it's just me venting a little bit. I know this story seems rather angst-y, especially with Dusty and Sky fighting and now all this happening. But looking back on it, the movie itself gets pretty angst-y now and then, doesn't it? Really hits ya in the feels. I can only hope I'm accomplishing similar feels with my writing.
Until next time!