First On Scene
This Snout Spout story isn’t about monsters or warlords—it’s about the hero who runs toward the smoke when everyone else is looking at the sky. “First On Scene” is a grounded Snout Spout short story inspired by this creek bed shot, following him on a quiet, determined sprint to stop a brushfire before it becomes something much worse.
Running the Creek Bed
Snout Spout ran because there wasn’t time to do anything else.
Gravel crunched under each heavy step as he charged up the dry creek bed, the rocky ground shifting and sliding under his boots. Pines loomed on either side, their needles whispering in the cold air. Somewhere ahead, beyond the bend and the tall grass, thin smoke curled up into the Eternian sky.
Man-At-Arms’ voice still echoed in his head.
“Brushfire in the Evergreen Hollow. Small for now. Let’s keep it that way.”
The pack on his back sloshed faintly with each stride, the weight of the water pressing against his spine like a hand urging him forward. Valves gleamed, freshly tuned. Pressure lines pulsed with every jolt of his run. The new gauge on his belt crept up the dial—ready, waiting.
He tightened his grip on the axe in his right hand—not because he expected a fight, but because Eternia rarely offered a disaster without something trying to make it worse.
The trunks blurred as he picked up speed. The ground dipped, then rose. A loose stone rolled under his heel; he stumbled, caught his balance, and kept going. The helmet’s metal trunk bounced with each motion, its tip already angled forward, ready to lock and fire.
He’d wanted a quiet day. He got a call instead. That was enough.
Ahead, the path opened.
At the Edge of the Fire
He saw it now—a fallen skiff, half-buried in the creek bed, smoke leaking from its cracked engine casing. Flames licked at the dry brush, reaching hungrily toward the nearest tree. The fire wasn’t huge.
Not yet.
Snout Spout slowed just enough to assess the spread. Wind direction. Fuel. How close the blaze was to the tree line. Old training drills lined up in his mind with calm precision.
He planted one boot on a flat stone and squared his shoulders.
The pack hummed as he flicked the valve open. Pressure surged through the lines, the gauge needle snapping into the red. He drew in a steady breath.
“Alright,” he murmured, trunk lowering into position. “Let’s end this here.”
Water roared from his metal trunk, and the fire’s crackle answered back.
On Eternia, heroes fought monsters and warlords and ancient horrors.
Snout Spout fought those too.
But days like this—running the rocks, water on his back, axe in hand—this was where he belonged: first on scene, between the spark and everything it could destroy.
– Copyright © 2025
And if you’d rather see what happens when Snout Spout’s workday goes completely off the rails, don’t miss the darker, funnier sister story: “Promotion by Pressure Washer: A Skelcon’s Very Bad Plan.”
About This Toy Figure
This short story was inspired by a toy photography scene featuring:
- Snout Spout – Featured here in his Mattel Creations Masterverse. Snout Spout now serves the Heroic Warriors as a firefighter, wielding his powerful metal trunk to unleash high-pressure water jets—perfect for disasters, burning buildings, and, occasionally, overconfident Skelcons.
