"We're sorry…. but… no one has your gearbox… We tried everything… We're so… so sorry…"
The morning was just rough… and now it was turning into a rough day with another fire that had broken out and had been made worse by Cad. A small one had started and the embers were spread thanks to low flying jets that were heading out from the grand opening. Now it was the firefighters' problem.
I thought things were supposed to get better from here…
Dusty was trying to focus… but his mind couldn't stop going back to the radio call.
"No… There has to be…"
"Dusty… we've looked everywhere… We… We just can't…"
"Dusty?"
Dusty's head snapped up, looking to Blade who had concern in his eyes.
"You gonna be okay?"
"... No…"
"CHAMP!"
Dusty was alert now as Nick was giving orders.
"Did you hear anything I said?"
"Uh sorry, run it by me one more time?"
Nick rolled his eyes.
"You and I are taking on part of the fire while the others take care of the other part that split off from it."
Dusty gulped. "R-Right. Sorry sir…" Oh great… Nick's scream-o-matic must've detected he's not being loud enough… I'm doomed...
They split off from the others, heading to their part. Nick's eyes narrowed when he saw the lodge come into view.
"Not good…" He turned on his radio. "Maru?"
"Yeah, Nick?"
"Contact the lodge and tell them they need to evacuate. The fire is not too far from their front door."
"You got it boss."
Nick nodded, signing out. "Alright, Champ, here's what we're gonna do…."
Nick started going into detail but it all got drowned out for Dusty. He could hear some bits but his mind wasn't all there.
I… I'm never gonna be able to…
"Got that?"
Dusty jumped a bit. "U-Uh yeah. Right."
Dusty flew in, dropping his load of retardant on the flames… all of it.
"What in Machina!?" Nick flew over closer to Dusty, scowling at him. "What was that!? I said split load! Not all of it!"
Dusty cringed not meeting his gaze. "I'm… I'm sorry! I'll just go back and reload-"
"We don't have time for that! Go back to base and stay there. I'll handle this with someone else"
Dusty shook his head. "I can reload off the lake, Nick please-"
"The winds are way too strong you won't be able to." Nick narrowed his eyes. "Return to base."
Dusty narrowed his… And made a dive for the lake anyways. I am so done with him snapping at me… He thinks I'm useless? Well, I'll prove him wrong!
"HEY!" Nick called after him, keeping above him as to not get caught by the wind.
"Dusty, what do you think you're doing!?" Blade asked as he flew beside him.
"I'm doing this job and I'm trying not to screw up… Blade… Please give me a boost… I can make it if I'm fast… Please…" He pleaded.
Blade thought it over.
I don't want him getting hurt… and I especially don't want him to push himself too far…
"Alright…"
Blade got in position above Dusty, readying his gear.
"On your call."
Nick watched Dusty in confusion and horror.
He's gonna hurt himself!
Dusty waited as he got into position. "NOW!"
Blade let energy come off his gear, letting it flow into Dusty.
"REDLINE IT!"
Dusty did as told speeding as fast as he could over the water, filling his pontoons before pulling up… Speeding past Nick with a grin. "Told you!"
Nick was just baffled.
How…?
He shook it off, following after Dusty.
"You're crazy." Blade muttered, grinning a bit. "You're so lucky you have me around."
"Yeah or your buddy there would've nailed me to the Wall by now." Dusty muttered back chuckling a bit. "Thanks."
"Anytime… now do it right this time."
He nodded narrowing his eyes. "I'm not screwing up again…."
Nick went first in dropping part of his load on the fire before letting Dusty do the same. He still couldn't understand what he had just seen.
I don't get it… I've been telling him so many times to redline it and now… I… I don't get it. The wind should've gotten him too… it's almost like something was helping him…
Dusty was keeping the pace up, trying to ignore the signs of exhaustion that were creeping in when the boost Blade had given him started to fade.
Can't redline it anymore… Not right now… But it was worth it…
"Hang in there Champ, almost done." Blade encouraged, flying close. "Just need to wrap it up."
Dusty gave a tired grin giving a nod. "Right… Doing my best."
"And you're doing great…"
"Alright, Champ, one last drop!" Nick pointed to where Dusty needed to go. "Clear shot and we'll have it controlled."
Dusty nodded, speeding over… He was pushing himself again and wound up having to stop mid drop as his bracelet went off. NGH! The pain was back as well… And now I'm gonna get it….
"Champ!?"
Nick's eyes were wide as he saw Dusty basically stop mid air and start his tumble to the ground. Nick didn't waste another second as he dived after him, shooting one of his grappling claws at at him, the claw grabbing Dusty by his oxygen tank. It slowed the fall for a moment before dragging Nick down with Dusty to the ground, both making a hard landing.
"AGH!"
"NGH!"
They rolled for a few moments before ramming into trees, finally stopping them.
"Mgh…" Nick got up weakly, rubbing his head. "Agh… that hurt…" He looked to where Dusty was, rushing over to him. "Champ?"
Dusty was still on the ground trying to catch his breath. "I'll… I'll live…" He responded keeping his head down, not wanting to look up.
"What just happened up there?"
"... You wouldn't understand…"
"Try me."
Dusty looked up grief in his eyes.
"... My gearbox is failing… It stopped up there…"
Nick's eyes went wide.
"Then… how did you…?"
Dusty shook his head. "Pushed myself… Too hard."
Nick was just shocked… sympathy slowly coming to his eyes.
"Dusty… why didn't you tell me?"
Dusty sat up completely, meeting his gaze. "You would've deported me… Don't tell me you wouldn't have."
Nick was gonna say that but… when he thought about it…
"... I would've… But if I had known-"
CRACK!
Nick and Dusty jumped a bit, seeing both of them were closer to the fire than they had thought… it had them surrounded.
"Oh no…" Nick got up, looking around.
Not enough room for Dusty to get a proper take off… and I can't carry him out either, flames will get both of us if I dare to fly up…
His eyes landed on a mineshaft.
It's our best shot.
"Follow me" Nick gave a wave of his hand, leading Dusty over the mineshaft.
Dusty didn't hesitate as he ran after him… A grim thought coming over him as he noted there was nothing to protect the mine from the blaze outside… Or another exit.
…. One of us has to come out of it alright… And it's not gonna be me regardless..
Nick and Dusty huddled into the mineshaft, Nick getting in a defensive stance in front of Dusty… only to be surprised when Dusty grabbed him, pulling him behind him.
"Dusty, what are you-!?"
"Just trust me!" Dusty snapped. "Keep down and TRUST ME FOR ONCE!"
Nick was wide eyed.
"You…"
Dusty gave a small smile before it faded as he braced himself.
Sorry... I can't let you protect someone who can't even fly anymore… You're worth saving…
The flames came on and they came on hard. Dusty bit his lip, trying not to scream… but he couldn't hold it back for long as he cried out in agony.
"DUSTY! STOP!"
Dusty shook his head trying to speak before another scream overcame him.
"JUST LET ME DO ONE THING RIGHT!"
No… No you idiot you're gonna-...
… You know…
You know don't you?
Dusty didn't allow himself to speak anymore. He just focused on keeping Nick covered… taking on the brunt force of the fire. It was agony… and it was becoming hard to stand… he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Hope you're okay with having me around…" Blade whispered to him. "Not letting you face this alone…"
Dusty didn't speak, but he gave a nod, gritting his teeth, trying not to scream as he kept at it. The pain kept radiating through him, he was getting dizzy.
Just a little more….
Blade stood with him, looking up to see rubble coming down. He narrowed his eyes, creating a barrier to keep it from crushing them. He looked to Nick, finding the man completely shocked at everything.
Sorry it had to be this way…
With that… everything went dark for all three of them.
"How's the evacuation looking?" Dipper asked Maru as she and the others landed.
"Took some yelling at Cad, but least some people saw reason and are leaving the lodge." Maru explained. "Though from what I heard, Cad might be in hot water for not doing it right away."
"Hmph. Serves him right." Dipper looked to Windlifter. "We got the fire mostly under control… but we might have to head out again… and we're worried."
"Have you heard from Nick?" Windlifter asked. "We've been trying to contact him and Dusty but their radios have been unresponsive."
"No, I haven't. This whole time I've been screamin' at Cad." Maru deadpanned trying to hide his concern. "I'll try myself… I'm sure they're fine but knowing Nick probably busted or dropped his performing some feat of amazing…"
There was noise heard in Maru's shop.. coming from his radio.
"This is Nick Lopez… Anyone there?"
It was Nick's voice… and he sounded rather weak at that… or rather… he sounded almost scared.
Maru ran in grabbing it. "Yeah I'm here, Chief. What's going on? Everyone's been trying to contact you and Dusty."
"Have…" Nick stopped for a moment to cough. "Have the shop ready.. Dusty's hurt… badly."
Maru felt dread go through him. "Will do. Need me to send Wind for backup?"
"No… already here…"
All turned to the runway… Nick making a shaky landing but still landing on his feet. He was covered in ash and had injuries of his own… in his arms… was Dusty. Dusty was completely covered in ash, parts of his hair burned and parts of his suit was burned as well.
"Chrysler…" Maru muttered dropping the radio as he grabbed a stretcher rushing over. "Lay him down right now! What the heck happened out there!?"
Nick laid Dusty down, following Maru into the shop.
"We… we got caught in the fire… We took shelter in a mineshaft… and…" Nick lowered his head. "Idiot decided to play hero…"
Maru shook his head as he got Dusty hooked onto oxygen and monitors, getting the rest of his equipment, starting to work. "The kid's an idiot alright… These burns… I've only seen them once before…. On Ray."
"Rightfully so… because that's what Dusty did… shoved me behind and took on the flames." Nick's hand balled into fists. "It should've been me… yet he didn't let me."
Maru didn't look up from his work before he spoke. "The kid's got the heart of a firefighter… He knew what he was doing… Because he didn't let you protect him to save his own skin… He made his choice."
The others all looked in, mortified at Dusty's condition.
"Will… Will he be okay?" Dipper asked, bringing a hand to her mouth.
Maru sighed. "I'd ask me again in an hour. Right now, I'm amazed he's still breathing… The burns are bad, engine damage pretty severe… He's losing blood and hydraulic fluid fast…" The idiot indeed…
Pinecone looked away as Drip brought an arm around her. "Not again…"
Nick got up, heading out, looking to Patch up in her tower.
"Patch? Status of the fire?"
"Bad… the flames are causing some problems for the evacuation."
"Then we got a job to do…" Nick looked to the others. "Everyone… I know it's night… but we can't let this go on."
Dipper narrowed her eyes. "Then let's stop talking about it and do it… If it passes the lodge it eventually will come our way and then…" She looked to where Dusty was. "... Then we have everything really on the line…"
"Let's get to it then."
Everyone hurried into position as Maru go them loaded up. He scowled as the meter on the water valve went down a bit before he was finished loading Nick's tank.
"Ugh… That's all I got for you Chief. No water coming in."
"I'll make due then."
Nick lead the way out, stealing one last glance at the base.
Hang in there Dusty… we'll be back for ya… just making use of what you gave me…
Just like what Blade did for me…