Welcome to Hickstead, home to both Seven Oak Stables, and Blue Acre - two rival stables. Both offer opportunities for their clients to reach the highest level of excellence. Each stable differs from the other, so choose wisely and never forget, loyalty is everything... Meanwhile as the stables battle it out, there's trouble brewing at the university. Be careful, if you don't pick a side you may get caught in the cross-fire...
This is an chilled out rpg with a super friendly and relaxed atmosphere! Remember to sign up with your characters full name in all caps and don't forget to do your claims! Thank you and Welcome, we've been established since 10th March 2009 but unfortunately have had to close guest view of our boards due to multiple sites ripping off our hard work, such a shame! Come chat to us in Discord before joining if you like!.
This had to be some sort of joke. Blue grey eyes was staring at the daunting project before him and felt keenly aware that there was no one else standing besides him. But no, it wasn't a joke, at least not one where someone was going to come back and say 'haha sorry Ronan, we'll actually help you' because the real laughter echoing down the hallway before the sound of a door shut said it all. A sigh escaped Ronan, boney fingers running through his brunette hair as he stared at the fire truck. It required a wash and had to look squeaky clean, because apparently one could not go to put out fires in a dirty truck. It occurred to Ronan that he probably shouldn't think such sarcastic thoughts, mainly because there probably was a safety issue to dirt.
When he had decided to become a volunteer and give himself something else to do besides just hanging out at the stables or annoying his grandfather, he thought he would just be organizing files all day and being taught how to handle the dispatch room. Never in a million years did he think he'd be getting grunt work like this, at least, to not tackle it by himself. Granted, Ronan supposed that being a volunteer meant that he was at the bottom of the food chain in some peoples' eyes and considering the guy who asked him for his 'help' had looked like a real meat head, Ronan realized that maybe he shouldn't have been all that surprised. Plus, its not like he had been volunteering that long. A whole two weeks. He barely knew anyone yet.
Besides, standing here and silently bitching to himself wasn't going to get the job done nor would it get him out of here any faster. All what he knew was that he was about to log some serious hours now on his volunteer work. Grabbing the washing hose, he turned it on and sprayed down one side of the truck to the best of his ability before filling up some buckets with water and soap. Turning off t he hose now, he grabbed two buckets and walked them over before retrieving the last two. Blue grey eyes stared at the truck one more time before grabbing a soapy sponge and started. There was probably some karate kid joke in here somewhere with all of this cleaning. At least it was the kind of work that he could tune out. So much so that he hadn't even realized that someone had entered the garage.
Mason stepped out of his car then grabbed his duffel bag from the back seat. He was a little early to be starting his 24 hour shift but he'd wanted to make sure had had enough time to run into Starbucks on his way to grab a coffee. Luckily the queue had been miniscule and he hadn't had to wait long before being served. Mason turned with his coffee in hand and bag slung over his shoulder after locking the car and headed inside the firehouse. Once he reached his bed, he dumped his bag down then decided to see if any of his shift mates were around while he still had time to kill. He sipped his coffee as he walked through the building and out into the garage area where all of the trucks were kept.
Hearing the sound of water hitting one of the trucks, he moved around the front of an engine to find the source. He watched the kid wash the truck for a moment while he tried to remember his name. He did remember his boss saying they had a new volunteer but he hadn't met him yet. "Hey, Ronan right? I'm Mason." He introduced himself before moving a bit closer. "Who's got you washing the truck? That's the probie's job not a volunteers" He said with a slight grin. He didn't know who'd put the kid up to it on the previous shift but he'd be having words with his chief. Ronan was there to help out and learn. If he decided that he wanted to become a firefighter eventually, well that's when he'd get all the shit chores thrown at him, like every other probie had.
He had been convinced that he had at least managed to scrub half of the truck with the soap. Although, when he took a step back to admire his soapy work, he became a little discouraged to see that it had only been 1/4th of the truck. A sigh escaped him, this was going to take longer than he thought. How the heck was he suppose to get to the tall parts of this beast anyways? Instead of tackling that question though, Ronan decided to pocket that one for now. Mainly because he didn't want to deal with it yet. Frustrated, he threw the soapy sponge at the truck now just in time for a voice to cut in: "Hey, Ronan right? I'm Mason." Shit, someone just witnessed him throwing a sponge AND they knew his name. Blue grey eyes glanced over now to find the owner of the voice.
Now, Ronan wasn't into guys, but the man standing across from him could be a bonafide man crush. In fact, he looked like the sort of fire fighter that you'd find on one of those fundraiser calendars where they posed with puppies and kittens while shirtless and yet somehow still in half a firefighter's uniform. And then, Mason moved closer and said something very curious, "Who's got you washing the truck? That's the probie's job not a volunteers." Blue grey eyes stared at the other male like he had just grown three heads, and then Ronan's gaze turned to the fire truck, and then back to Mason again, "Those motherfuckes." The teenager felt like an idiot now, he knew he should have been questioning that guy. Sighing, Ronan lifted his dry hand to run through his hair now, a little embarrassed, "I didn't get a name...explains why he was so fast to leave me here though." A slight laugh escaped him, "Nice to meet you, Mason. And yes, I'm Ronan. Guess I should have realized I was being hazed, huh?"
Mason didn't bother to hide the slight grin that appeared on his face the second the younger man tossed the sponge at the truck. He was definitely pissed off that somebody had palmed off the shitty jobs on him. He'd have been pissed off too, especially if he wasn't getting paid. His grin widened at the look on ronan's face when he found out he was doing the probie's work. "Those motherfuckes." He let out a laugh and glanced towards the firehouse to make sure his captain wasn't around. "yeah b-shift have a few assholes on their crew." He agreed. "I didn't get a name...explains why he was so fast to leave me here though. Nice to meet you, Mason. And yes, I'm Ronan. Guess I should have realized I was being hazed, huh?" He smiled and clapped him on the back in a friendly way. "The newbies always get hazed, those idiots just forgot we don't haze the volunteers. . tends to scare them off becoming future probies."
It would appear that this series of unfortunate events for Ronan was quite humorous to the other male. However, Mason wasn't coming off as spiteful or a jerk about it, just stating the obvious and probably pitying Ronan for managing to fall for the ole 'hey, wash the truck kid' joke. "Yeah b-shift have a few assholes on their crew," Mason commented now. A mildly dramatic sigh escaped the young male, sounding like his horse when he's asked to do something in an arena. A hand reached up to rest on the back of his neck as blue grey eyes looked to the ceiling for a moment, as if it held all of the answers in the world, "Yeah, I feel a little stupid that I fell for their antics." He muttered before looking back to Mason. Maybe the other male would be his alley in this station though, Mason didn't look like the kind of guy that those B-Shift people would mess with, Ronan certainly wouldn't. Plus, he could have let Ronan just carry on verses stopping him, so he had to be nice.
Honestly though, the young male knew he should have started questioning stuff when he was fairly certain that another senior fire fighter, Wren, mentioned that as a volunteer, he would mainly be manning the dispatch stuff verses insane manual labor. He caught movement out of the corner of his eyes, just in time to brace himself for impact as Mason clapped him on the back, smiling at him, "The newbies always get hazed, those idiots just forgot we don't haze the volunteers...tends to scare them off becoming future probies." Ronan snorted a laugh, he could honestly see why that would be the case although he doubted that the other male needed to be told that, "Nah, they didn't scare me off. I'll just have to exact my revenge," he replied now, thinking for a second before adding on, "Maybe if that calendar event happens, I'll get 'em with the hose when they're stripped...er as long as they aren't holding puppies or kittens." Mason's answer to that comment will tell him everything. His blue grey eyes wandered to the truck now, only a smidgen soapy, and something dawned on Ronan, "So...what should we do about the truck?"
Mason smiled again as the younger guy sighed as he realised he'd been punked and used. He'd been there himself when he had first joined the crew. Not matter how many decent people worked as a firefighter, there was always at least one asshole in the house. "Yeah, I feel a little stupid that I fell for their antics." He shook his head, feeling a little bad for the kid. "Ah don't be, it happens to all of us." He said with a half shrug, hoping to make him feel better. "Nah, they didn't scare me off. I'll just have to exact my revenge," His smile spread into grin. "That's the spirit." He probably shouldn't have been condoning 'revenge' but hell, he'd do it himself so who was he to judge.
"Maybe if that calendar event happens, I'll get 'em with the hose when they're stripped...er as long as they aren't holding puppies or kittens." He let out a snort at his idea. "I hate to break it to you but that would probably make them look better in the shoot. ." Already shirtless firefighters with water glistening on them was bound to be a hit. His eyes twinkled a little as he came up with an idea. "If i'm right in thinking who put you up to this. .I know for a fact they hate cats. .it'd be such a shame if they were to end up holding one in the shoot." He grinned, a little mischievously. "So...what should we do about the truck?" He glanced back towards the truck with a shrug. "Well. .b-shift have finished so my team will have to finish it. . care to stick around?" He asked, looking back to Ronan.
Ronan felt slightly better when the other male informed him that the hazing tended to happen to every new person who joined verses Ronan had gotten picked on personally. Plus, he and Mason couldn't look any more different from each other - which also helped in the young male's relief that he hadn't been a specific target based off of awkward and sullen looks. At his vow of revenge, he couldn't help but to notice the smile spread across Mason's face, "That's the spirt." Blue grey eyes stared at him for a moment before he offered, "You know, if you want in on it, I'll allow it." It was a bold move on his part, given that he was certain that the other male had some authority around the station and probably shouldn't go along with the idea of revenge, but hey, he bet some of the older guys had done the same thing to him.
He was certain he had an idea with the firehose but Mason was quick to shoot it down, "I hate to break it to you but that would probably make them look better in the shoot." Shit. The man had a point. After all, he came from the very country that he was certain put Hot Firefighter Calendars for Charity on the map. It must have shown on his face because Mason continued on, "If i'm right in thinking who put you up to this. .I know for a fact they hate cats. .it'd be such a shame if they were to end up holding one in the shoot." A mischievous grin couldn't help but to fall on his face now, "Remind me to ask Jamie to put in a request for a bunch of squirmy kittens then when he's scheduling with Sparks Kennels potential adoption animals." He just wouldn't admit to the chief as to why he wanted the kittens, and thankfully, Ronan himself did like cats thanks to his grandfather's. So he had a good excuse if prodded for an answer.
They were both eyeing that dirty fire truck now, and Mason shockingly offered a small escape, "Well. .b-shift have finished so my team will have to finish it. . care to stick around?" Blue grey eyes stared at Mason now, sorta shocked - both on the team offer to finish it and the fact that he was actually offered a chance to hang out. Well, guess Hickstead was full of surprises, "I don't mind...I can help finish the truck. Maybe all of that scrubbing will build up my scrawny body for the calendar." He joked now, probably not, Ronan was going to settle for some bare arms and a puppy or a kitten to make himself calendar acceptable, "So...when I come off of the call and switch boards, does this mean you think I'm cool enough to adopt onto your shift?"
"You know, if you want in on it, I'll allow it." He let out a soft chuckle at the boy’s offer and shook his head. ”Unfortunatley I can’t risk getting fired if it backfires. .but. .I’ll happily lend an ear and steer you in the right direction.” He offered. As much as he loved pulling pranks on his friends at work, there was still a level of professionalism he had to stick too. He knew his friends could take it but he was unsure with the other guys. "Remind me to ask Jamie to put in a request for a bunch of squirmy kittens then when he's scheduling with Sparks Kennels potential adoption animals." He smiled when Ronan took on his idea. ”Now you’re talking.” Payback was a bitch.
"I don't mind...I can help finish the truck. Maybe all of that scrubbing will build up my scrawny body for the calendar." He snorted a laugh and smiled again. ”If you’re looking to build muscle you should hit the station gym in your spare time, we have a decent amount of equipment here.” He said, nodding towards the main building. "So...when I come off of the call and switch boards, does this mean you think I'm cool enough to adopt onto your shift?" He moved to pick up a sponge and tossed it towards Ronan. ”I think you just might be” He grinned then grabbed another sponge to start cleaning the truck.
While Mason politely declined to physically partake in any mischief seemed warranted given his air of seniority, his offer to still help Ronan with steering him in the correct direction seemed genuine. Enough so the young man offered a slight smile, "Thanks. I appreciate it." It would seem he was on the right track though regarding the squirmy kittens, and the older man's reaction seemed to seal the deal: "Now you’re talking.” And it was sealed with a smile. Laughter escaped Ronan, "Good to know I'm onto something then. I'll see if I can propose it after a month of being here. I'm stubborn enough to play the long game."
The idea of working out to Ronan seemed utterly foreign, even though it was by far a logical one. Mason seemed to do it, and he clearly could pull it off, "Yeah, I suppose." He commented, blue grey eyes looking over at the equipment for a second, "It's funny, I grew up on a ranch so I never really needed to work out. Now I have no ranch work and it's making me lazy being a student." All of that physical labor and riding had really made the difference when he had been growing up, well, he was still growing up and just doing less stuff, less riding as well much to his annoyance which he quickly took out on scrubbing the truck. Despite being the scrawny kid, at least Mason seemed to think he was cool enough for his shift.
"Great, I'll swap digits with you after this," and then hopefully, sticking around with Mason would mean less hijinks in the future. Or at least, falling for them, "Did you grow up here in Hickstead or are you a transplant too?" It didn't seem like too far off of a question, given the number of people from different places he's met so far in his short amount of time of living here. He continued working his way down the truck with the soap, but he still kept himself aware of Mason, both of where he was and whether he was willing to engage in the chitchat to pass the time.
” "Good to know I'm onto something then. I'll see if I can propose it after a month of being here. I'm stubborn enough to play the long game." He grinned as the kid laughed at his suggestion. ”Well I’m invested now so you’ll have to keep me in the loop.” If the kid could get photographic evidence that would be even better. "It's funny, I grew up on a ranch so I never really needed to work out. Now I have no ranch work and it's making me lazy being a student." A soft laugh escaped his lips as he remembered his own student days. He had spent his first year in a drunken/hungover state and had to get his ass swiftly into shape once he’d applied to the fire academy.
”Yep, student life will do that you. .take it from me, get back into a decent level of fitness before becoming applying, it’ll help your chances.” It was hard enough getting into shape for normal life, never mind when you had a shitload of kit to wear. Mason ran his sponge over the door of the truck, taking time to get into the awkward spots behind the handle and wing mirrors. "Did you grow up here in Hickstead or are you a transplant too?" He glanced back to the teen, listening as he gathered more soap/water into his sponge. ”Nope, moved here with my twin sister when we were eighteen. . then half the family eventually followed” He grinned. ”Where are you from?”
"Invested, huh?" Ronan laughed, "I'll keep that in mind. Guess I'll have to come up with something epic then." He knew he would have to ponder that over for a bit, given that this was fairly new to him. The young man had been considered a loner back home, and kept to himself since it had just been easier that way to deal with people. His getting even after a prank against him ended in his father shipping him off to the United Kingdom to let the aftermath die down, and Ronan knew he had been lucky that Hickstead University had been willing to overlook it somehow. Mason's laugh cut into his thoughts though, so his blue grey eyes looked over to the other man, who clearly had become a pro at knowing where to tackle overlooked spots on the fire truck. Ronan made mental note of that spot for the future.
"Noted on fitness level," he supposed he wasn't too surprised, given the physical labor behind being a fire fighter. The gear you had to wear, the equipment you had to drag, and while this probably wouldn't qualify to him, the people you had to rescue and carry, "What do you recommend I work on in the gym?" Ronan figured it didn't hurt to ask Mason, given that he looked like he was in great shape for the work that he did here - both in an emergency and off. Thankfully, asking the other man where he had been from seemed to be fine, since Ronan knew that could be a touchy subject, "Oh yeah? Where are you the two of you from? Come here for Uni then?" Seemed like the right assumption if they had moved here at eighteen like him, "Ah, from down under," he joked, "Scone. Australia's 'horse capital' as they like to say there and put on all of their signs. Quite different from here, but still nice. Sometimes I miss it, sometimes I don't" He scrubbed the last of his section and craned up, "Do we have to do the top of it also?"
"Invested, huh? I'll keep that in mind. Guess I'll have to come up with something epic then." He winked and gave the kid a cheeky grin. ”No pressure.” He joked. ”Just nothing that’ll get you into trouble mind. .” He didn’t want him blowing his chances with the fire chief before he’d even applied but he knew the boss wouldn’t mind a harmless prank. ”Noted on fitness level. What do you recommend I work on in the gym?" He paused on washing the truck for a moment so he could give Ronan his full attention. ”Cardio and weights. Have you heard of the bleep test? Make it your best friend. You need to reach level 8 for the exam. Weight wise, start working on shoulder press and pull downs. You need to be able to lift 30kg above your head and pull 45kg.” He said, recalling what he’d needed to do when he had taken his test years ago. ”Pulling the prowler will help simulate pulling the weight of a body too. . and get used to heights. You’ll have no time to be scared when you’re racing up a ladder.” He added. Mason liked to boulder and rock climb to hone his skills.
"Oh yeah? Where are you the two of you from? Come here for Uni then?" He went back to washing the truck, moving to start on the front. ”Bakewell, a little town up north by the Peak District. . yeah she didn’t want to go alone so I went with her.” He smiled. His twin was like his left arm, if she hadn’t asked him to come he probably would have offered anyway. "Ah, from down under, Scone. Australia's 'horse capital' as they like to say there and put on all of their signs. Quite different from here, but still nice. Sometimes I miss it, sometimes I don't" He poked his head back around the side of the truck and grinned. ”Thought I recognised an accent. . didn’t want to offend you and call you a kiwi though.” He half smirked, playing on the rivalry of the two countries. "Do we have to do the top of it also?" He finished the front and dropped his sponge into the bucket. ”Nah I’ll just spray it with the hose. . it’s usually pretty clean up there.”
The cheeky grin and response that Ronan had gotten from the older male couldn't help but to make him laugh, "Well, wise old sage, I will make sure to toe the line carefully in my act of revenge." It would probably take the eighteen year old a while anyways to come up with something - pranks had never been his thing, and when he had wanted to get even back in secondary and Australia, it had to do with cold words and fisticuffs verses anything playful or elaborate. Perhaps between Mason and Leo White at Seven Oaks stables though, he might have the 'revenge shenangians' covered.
It did not go unnoticed by the young man that Mason actually paused and stopped his work now at his question about working out. Ronan felt like he knew that look well - the look that said that he was about to get a fire hose (pun intended) of information. And boy, did it feel like it as the older man launched into an explanation cardio, weights, shoulder presses, and bleep tests, not to mention kgs. Blue grey eyes stared for a moment, before his expression gave away how overwhelming that had been, "Shit. Better get cracking on that now. Thankfully, I don't have much of a height issue." Granted, he knew that being a firefighter would be a demanding job - hence being an intern, he wanted to see it in action before committing. Yeah, he also had uni, but sometimes it just felt like he was going to uni for the sake of going verses feeling like he had a clear path in life.
Bakewell. Why did that sound familiar to him. And then, just like that, it hit Ronan, "Oh! Your town invented that pudding," he said, "But more importantly, that was nice of you to go with your twin so she didn't have to do it alone. I can't imagine moving somewhere without knowing someone." After all, Ronan got sent out here mainly because of his grandfather, he couldn't even imagine coming to Hickstead with nothing but his luggage and his horse with no concrete footing. With that, he went back to work now as he admitted to where he was fun, and watched as Mason's head poked back around to greet him. A laugh escaped him, "It's okay. I think the Kiwis take more offense to being mistaken than us Aussies. I still would have corrected you though."
He nodded when the older man just told him that he would spray the top of the truck now with the hose, "Seems easy enough," Ronan replied, "I'll finish up on this side with the magic soap and let you get to it then." Truth be told, the teenager was a little relieved that he wouldn't have to go messing with the hose, "Hey...thanks for helping out. I probably would have been stuck here all day if you hadn't walked by."
