Cars, Planes, and Changelings

New Trainee

Chrys was out with Blade on patrol. The two have grown close since the ceremony, mostly because they both relate to each other and took on the leader roles. Chrys being like an unspoken second in command. 

The changeling smelled smoke and ash as she ran radioing the chief. "Blade, you see any smokestacks?!" 

"Heading right towards it, Scorpion! Be cautious!" 

Chrys jumped over a burning log and into the fire. "Ten-four, Blade, I'm in the blaze!" 

Thunderstruck by ACDC started to play over her other radio that Maru attached to her collar. And as she was helping a herd of deer tractors the backup arrived. 

"Scorpion, how're you doing down there!" Blade radioed her again to check her progress. 

"Got a whole herd down here, getting them to safety now!" Chrys kept running, making sure there were no stragglers and keeping the creatures away from any falling things. 

A cracking sound rung over the flames and Chrys looked back as a large tree started to fall, a Deer tractor almost getting crushed if not for Blade using his rescue hook. The tractor was let down next to the running changeling. 

"Thanks, Blade! I've almost got them out, then I'll assist the jumpers!" 

Chrys got the herd out of the inferno and rushed to help the ground team as they started to dig out the dry creek bed. "Chrys is here!"

"Copy that!"

 Chrys got to work helping the jumpers move logs so they could use the old creek bed as a natural fire break. 

The changeling then heard something, a new plane, she looked up and saw an orange and white plane flying around and watching everything. So, she let Blade know. "Blade, we got a civilian circling overhead!" 

"Copy that, Scorpion!" 

Chrys looked up in time to see this new plane not only get scolded by Blade but fly right through the red retardant they use. It made her chuckle momentarily before she got serious again and got back to work. 

After the fire was contained and out, everyone was back at base. The new plane getting hosed off by Maru and then Chrys got hosed down. 

"That ought to do it. Well, back to work. I gotta mix up a fresh batch of retardant." Maru went into his workshop to make the stuff and Chrys shook herself off before moving to stand with Blade as he started to wheel away. 

"Once you dry out, you can wing it on back to the lodge with the rest of the tourists." 

The plane turned to the two as they got only a few feet away. "I-I'm not a tourist. Actually, I-I'm-." 

Windlifter finished for him. "He's the trainee." 

This made the two looks at the plane with raised brows. "You're the seat Mayday radioed about? Oh, for the love of-." 

Dipper came over to the two. "Oh, come on, you two. He's not just some seat. It's Dusty Crophopper, the champion air racer." 

Dusty seemed flustered but scared as Chrys stared him down, even as she was sitting, she was big. Bigger than any changeling he's ever seen before, and it intimidated him as she kept a firm gaze. "Champion." 

"Don't be shy, come on. Tell them." 

"It's no big deal." 

"He raced all the way around the world." Chrys shook her head as Dipper kept going but kept her cool. 

"I did. I did do that." He seemed proud, but still nervous as Blade wheeled closer to him. 

"The world wasn't on fire though. Was it?" That made Chrys crack a small smile. 

"Was the whole world on fire?" Dusty was a little scared to ask that question. "No." 

Blade hummed at the response and looked to Chrys, his eyes telling her to call for getting the seat some equipment. 

Chrys stood up and looked into Dusty's eyes. "If you're a racer, means you're fast. We need that. Maru!" 

The forklift turned to look at the rogue queen as he had a mask on and a blow torch. "What?!"

"Tear off his landing gear!" 

Dusty got scared. "Wait! What?!" 

Maru responded by flipping his mask over his face and turning on the blow torch with an evil looking smile. He loved his job. 

After a while, Chrys came to check on Dusty and Maru. Dusty was hobbling around and even hit Maru with one of his wings on accident. She huffed out a chuckle before making her presence known. "Pop out the wheels, rookie." 

"The whee-. Yeah, pop the wheels." Dusty popped out the wheels of his pontoons and he seemed good with it. "Oh, that's it." 

Maru took off his mask and went to sit it on the shelf. "You think?" 

Chrys rolled her eyes at the forklift and turned to the plane. "How's it feel?" 

"I'm tall, look at this." Dusty then noticed the wall of fame on the other side of the workshop. "Hey, you guys have a wall of fame, just like the Jolly Wrenches. So, what the deal? What do you have to do to get your picture up here?" 

Maru answered. "Crash." 

The Chrys. "And die." 

"Oh." 

Chrys came over to Dusty's side and nodded. "It's dangerous. But it takes a special kind of plane to do this." 

Maru agreed. "Scorpion's right, that's the job of a firefighter. Risking their lived for people they don't even know." 

The changeling finished as she turned around. "Flying in when others are flying out. Anyway, Blade is waiting for you on the runway, listen to him. And try not to cause problems." 

Dusty then turned to her as she started to leave. "So, your name is Scorpion?" 

Maru laughed. "That's her nickname and call sign." 

"Then what is your name?" Chrys turned her head to look back at Dusty as she stopped for a second. 

"Chrysalis Von Rouge Changeling, The Rogue Queen. But call me Chrys."