Jinxes Are Real?

Maeve's first jinx

Maeve was helping Bobby cook the mac and cheese as everyone was taking inventory downtown. "Basil." Bobby asked, holding out his hand. A minute later, a snake slithered up his arm and dropped basil in his hand.

"Thanks... Can you pass the-..."

Suddenly, a large 'woah' from downstairs startled the two, interrupting Bobby's sentence.

"That can't be good." Bobby sighed, looking at the snake. He rubbed its little chin and took a big breath, preparing himself for the worst "Please let it not be another chicken and egg debate..."

He walked towards the balcony and looked down, watching as Hen, Chimney and Buck were putting their hands out at the probie, Ravi. He was new to the place and apparently, he said something bad.

"Ww just don't use the Q-word." Buck said and Bobby groaned. "Who used the Q-word?" He asked, one hand grabbing the railing as another sat up with the snake around it.

Everyone looked up at him and groaned, closing their eyes.

"Is-is that a-a snake on his arm?" Ravi asked. "That's Maeve, be careful around her, it doesn't end well for the other person." It made the kid giggle.

"Uhh why?" Ravi gulped, but the firehouse alarms rang and no one answered him. Hen, Chimney and Buck groaned in union and walk away, getting ready to leave.

"Wait, why doesn't it end well?"

...

"Why are you so stressed again?" Maeve asked Buck, "because we are jinxed." Chimney answered for him. "Jinx..?" Maeve repeated confusedly.  "Yeah, get ready to experience the shift from hell."

"Last time, there were 36 calls."

"36?" Eddie asked, "in one day?"

"Wait no, 37." Buck added, but everyone disagreed with him. "That wasn't a call." Bobby snorted, and Buck grimaced. "Well, what was it then?" Buck sighed.

"Divine retribution." Hen chuckled and Maeve swore Buck said a bad word under his breath. "So, the entire day is going to non-stop calls?" She asked. "Exactly." Chimney nodded as the truck pulled up to the scene.

"A fender bender. not that bad." Eddie said, until Hen pointed up at a man duct-taped to a billboard. However, he didn't look unhappy or scared, he seemed excited.

Bobby whistled and pointed at the man, turning to the youngest firefighter. "Go check on him, girl." Maeve shape-shifted into a dragon and flew to the man.

"Download my- woah, woah! See, even the weird flying lizard likes me!" The man yelled, it annoyed the dragon. Maeve growled and blasted a ball of light next to him.

"Sir, she's there to get you down." Bobby yelled, but the man refused. "I don't want to come down, I paid to be here!" He yelled back, shooing the dragon.

The dragon, annoyed again, nipped at his hand and flew to the top of the billboard. She then sat there, awaiting instructions from the fire captain.

Instructions didn't come for a very long time, they inflated a landing pad underneath him and all she had to do was wait.

Until the duct tape started to come off.

Maeve watched as it came off and before he fell, she dove down and grabbed him by his shoulders and lowered the man down before dropping him on the pad.

She then flew over to Bobby and shape-shifted back. "People are idiots sometimes..." She rolled her eyes, making Bobby laugh a bit. "Yeah, it was even worse when it was Buck."

As the man got off with the help of the others, Bobby quickly covered Maeve's eyes, leading her away from the scene.

"Not something you wanna see kid.." He winced, making Maeve grumble.

Afterwards, they returned to the firehouse for lunch, and Bobby was making one of everyone's favourites. "I am starving!" Hen exclaimed. "Only thing that will make me run up those stairs is Cap's baked macaroni!"

Maeve sat in the seat next to Chimney and just before he digs in, Bobby stopped him. "We wait for everyone." He said, and everyone slowly turned to the slow Buckley.

By the time Buck got in his seat, the alarms rang again.

A call about a cat and a man stuck in a tree, next one was about a lady whose head was stuck in a lion's costume, she later threw up all over Buck. 

They were so many calls that by the time they finally a chance to eat, Bobby's macaroni burned. Everyone sat in defeat as Maeve just tilted her head, confused.

"Looks like we're ordering in."

But again, the alarm bells rang.

Call after call after call. Thankfully, Maeve brought snacks in her bag, and they were all gone by the end of the next call. The other call was a clown stuck under gas cans.

It was funny because everyone sounded like mice, Maeve was laughing more than she pushed cans. A few calls later, the youngest firefighter was walking back to the truck, sitting on Buck's shoulder. "That was boring." Eddie said.

"2 people stuck in an elevator is boring?" Maeve asked. "Yeah, there were no injuries." Eddie replied, and it made Chimney curious about something. "Maeve, do you believe we're cursed?"

"Yes."

"Really? Just like that?" Hen asked, not expecting her response. "What about how curses aren't real?" Chimney added. "Shape-shifters aren't real either, but here I stand."

"She has a point."

Maeve got in the truck and sat beside Hen, swaying her legs back and forth. "It was just a routine call, like clockwork. Wham, Bam, thank you Mam."

"Do you ever notice how no one says wham bam thank you sir?" Hen asked, "it doesn't rhyme." Maeve and Buck replied.

"Rhyme? Really?" Hen asked. "Yeah, like that rhyme about poisonous coral snakes. Rhymes are better." Maeve nodded. Suddenly, there was a loud bang and something fell on top of the truck. Sparks flew outside and there was a crackling noise.

The engine rumbled and everyone inside went silent.

"Cap, did a live power poll just fall on the engine?" Chimney asked. "I believe it did, Chimney." Bobby replied. "I guess the universe does scream." Maeve gave Eddie a pointed look.

They waited in that firetruck for a long time, meanwhile, Chimney and Buck were brainstorming ways to break the curse. Maeve just counted the birds outside, it was more interesting than them.

And after a while, help arrived. Maeve didn't pay attention until the truck started moving. "Finally... we can go now?" She asked.

"Yup, the other house took some photos but all good, not cursed right?" Buck said, looking at Eddie. Eddie just rolled his eyes, and Maeve was starting to form a prank plan in her head.

However, the curse wasn't broken. It was late at night, yet Maeve was still awake. She was colouring in her book while Buck, Hen and Chimney read books.

"What is this, book club?" Eddie asked jokingly. "Medical, babies, women, colouring." Hen said, pointing at the others without looking up.

Maeve heard the others talk about something related Eddie's new girlfriend which she didn't really care about too much, and then another call came in.

One about a fire in a garage full of fireworks which exploded everywhere, and then a call about a fake gas leak at a burger place. "While Bobby and Buck handle this, let's get some food, Maeve." Hen suggested. "Oh yay!" She squealed, running inside.

10 minutes later, Maeve, Chimney and Hen came out with bags of food. However, someone just took the firetruck.

"What did we miss?" Maeve asked, looking at the firetruck. "Do not go after that truck." Bobby ordered. "I wasn't going to... yet." Maeve said, taking a bite of her burger.

The tired fire captain looked around and pointed at the ambulance, getting an idea. "Everyone, on the ambulance. We have a fire to get to."

"That's strange, he usually lets me chase the bad guys." Maeve whispered to Chimney, and he shrugged back. "Cap, there's not enough room."

"Just get on the gurney, Buck."

The youngest firefighter shape-shifted into a snake and crawled up Bobby's arm, to give more space to the others. "I think she is doing that on purpose." Chimney squeaked, shuffling away.

The snake hissed, waving its tail at Chimney.

"I think she's just helping you get over your fear." Bobby replied, petting the snake. "Come on, she's kinda cute.." Buck added.

"She's a slippery black cobra and i think she's somehow poisonous and venomous-"

"Cap, we have no gear." Hen interrupted, and she was right. "... We will help out the best we can."

"How?" Eddie asked, before pausing. He pulled out his radio and started talking to the guy who stole the truck. 5 minutes later, they pulled up into the fire with the guy arrested.

Another call like clockwork.

By the time they were back at the fire station, it was morning. "Hey guys, I know you're tired, but let me buy you breakfast."

"You guys ever been so hungry for so long you stopped being hungry?" Buck asked. "I did once, lasted a week..." Maeve chirped, holding Bobby's hand.

And she pretended not to notice the concerned looks.

"But uh- I am hungry so... let's eat!" He nervously chuckled, holding up a thumb. "Eddie, you coming?" Buck asked, but Eddie refused, said he had to do something else.

Bobby took them to a nearby cafe, explaining about the person who stole the engine. "Is the curse over?" Maeve asked.

"Hopefully." Hen replied.

Finally the waiter came with everyone's food.

Bobby got an english breakfast, Chimney got waffles, Buck got bacon, eggs and sausages, Hen got a black coffee with cheese toast and Maeve got a kid's pancake meal.

"Before we eat, hears to my hungry hardworking team!" Bobby smiled, raising his fork. As they raised their fork, someone passed out on the floor.

So much for the end of a curse.