Chain Reaction

Chapters

This Home of Ours
Picking Up the Pieces
In the City’s Embrace, Part One
In the City’s Embrace, Part Two

This Home of Ours

Chain REACTion. Chapter One: This Home of Ours.

It doesn’t seem like all that long ago when things were normal, when things, well they made more sense anyways. This city, like many other elements of humanity, has seen its glory days come, and then go. Only to return triumphantly, it’s what we seem to do best as a society. When hope is lost, that is when the true measure of a person can be found. We saved this city, bit by bit, piece by bloody piece. Until one day, out of the ashes of a shattered history, we rose again to triumph. For a time, things were good. But I guess as the tide changes, all things, for better or worse, must to come to an end. Now, it’s back to bust for us here, but everything is so much different. The population, is so incredibly unique, like you cannot even begin to believe. We have endured so much before, we have seen the best, and worst of humanity, but maybe, just maybe, with our new residents coming in, and a new industrial titan on the rise, perhaps we can fix this city and restore it yet again.

The year is 2039. My name is Michael Spechart, and this is my city, my home, my heart, my Detroit.

Rumbles of thunder and brilliant displays of lightning dominated the greater landscape of Detroit. Beyond the comfort of the inner sanctum of Detroit proper, laid the last suburbs considered ‘safe’ under the protection of the shield. These suburban communities had seen a steady decline in population, and much of them were in significant disrepair. Michael Spechart’s reflection wearily greeted him in one of the only remaining decent windows on this first floor. He looked out into the dimly lit street, one functioning street light left, and only two other homes with a light on barely illuminated the rain soaked neighborhood.

There was little to be done tonight. He slowly turned and looked on as his, rather unique, daughter Amber Sage, was packing up the evening’s activities. She carefully flexed her wings to put the little pieces of the games back in their boxes. The two had just settled in after the storm forced another night of board games and other strictly indoor fun.

Normally they would go out and enjoy the local park, which, incredibly enough, was considered safe, to an extent. However, with the powerful storm banging on their door, they were left with little else to do. Flashes of lightning entered the home in a very distorted manner, fracturing across every surface they touched. Many of their windows had been boarded up, in part to deter the periodic marauding looters, but also because cash was too tight to properly fix several that had been broken into. Michael did his best to provide for the two of them, but work was very tight these days, and Sage wasn’t quite sure what exactly it was he did. Despite having a plethora of activities she could do in her room, she was increasingly restless this night. The unseasonably ferocious storm battered the aging home, the roof creaking as if expressing its pain under the constant assault.

Storms this vicious seldom hit their run-down, formerly vibrant, suburban neighborhood. In part because of the city’s location in the country, but also because the incredible industrial output of the American Motor Corporation. It employed a tremendous number of people and ponies, doing everything it could to keep the central part of Detroit safe to the best of its abilities in these dark times. However, between attempting to maintain essential services, expand its industrial output, and ensure the safety of the population, weather control was steadily falling to the wayside.

This was a depressing era to be living in the once vibrant city. After an industrial accident left much of the surrounding area uninhabitable, a significant portion of the combined pony-human population chose to flee to more industrious cities to the south. Those who decided to stay had to move closer to the city center under the protective umbrella of American Motors, who vowed to protect their dying city at all costs. With ruthlessly efficient law enforcement policies enacted, and specialized units such as the massive number of SmartCop fully autonomous patrol units scouring the city, there was little to fear inside the protective embrace of the shield.

Rumors persisted that people and ponies had a tendency to vanish in the dark if they chose to leave the protective barrier. Law enforcement had simply abandoned those areas due to manpower issues, and malfunctioning drones. ‘Madness exists beyond the barriers’ is what everyone and everypony now believed.

However, here in the relative safety of the Spechart residence, everything would appear that it was fine. Amber Sage quietly concluded it was best to ignore the terrible roar of the storm, and decided to watch some television instead. She absent mindedly browsed the channels looking for any number of her favorite shows, but it seemed nature would intervene. The digital channels began to degrade in quality, buffering and flickering in and out, as the storm only seemed to be picking up intensity outside.

She began wondering if perhaps it was a good time to look for a flashlight. As if the gods themselves were listening to her thoughts, the power began to die on them. The lights flickered several times, and with one tremendous clap of thunder, the power was lost completely. Amber furrowed her brow in frustration as her paused game data on her XBOX2000 was now lost to the void.

With an incredibly audible groan, she decided there was only one possible course of action.

“DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD! The power’s out!” she yelled from her bed, stating the very obvious. Yet there was no response. Showing something that would normally be considered concern in most people, she decided to go investigate this lack of response. She tiphooved out of her room, though she didn’t quite know why, dad was likely still going to be awake as the night was young. As she entered the hallway, a degrading quality LED flashlight clasped in her mouth. She looked around at the blackened site before her. There was something incredibly unsettling about the hallway, the shapes were all severely distorted by the frequent lightning just outside, as the rain battered the windows.

She continued to creep towards her dad’s room, only to find the door wide open. Cautiously, she shined her dim flashlight around the room, everything seemed to be in the right places. Yet he was clearly not here. She turned around and glided down the stairs making no sound in the process. Things were no different as she reached the lower level of their home, here the boarded windows stifled the frequent lightning, but it still brightly lit up the gaps in boarding. She continued to search for Michael.

“Dad? Where are you?” she called out into the darkness, actually becoming concerned now. She was starting to move with urgency through the small house, there was only one place left. The basement. There were few rules that were rigidly enforced in Spechart Domicile, one of those rules was, ‘don't go into the basement.’ Amber wasn’t actually sure why such an absurd rule was still in place, she had assumed it was for her protection when she was a child; but now, well she wasn’t sure.

As she made her way into the kitchen, the door to the basement was nearing, she came upon it, only to find it wide open. The first thing that struck her was the incredible airflow pouring out of the stairwell. Her wings, acutely aware of the air around them, fluttered and adjusted to get a feel for the new found airflow. With no other options, she decided that some rules had to be broken. She began the descent.

Amber Sage could not believe how long the stairs were taking to descend, she chose to trot down them instead of fly in the event of any unforeseen obstacles in this near complete darkness. Her dying flashlight did little to aid her journey, the walls of the stairwell were crude, with nothing remarkable to note. The only thing she could think about was the steadily intensifying breeze, and the ever slight curvature of the stairs, and the distant echo of some strange sounds emanating from below, though she may have been imagining that part. She paused to gather her thoughts as the end approached.

Finally, after what felt like an absurdly vast amount of time, she reached the bottom. It was cold down here, even with her protective layer of fur, she could feel the bite of the air around her. Was he really down here? Only one way to find out. She very carefully moved her way through the stacked boxes, and other oddities from a bygone era that was all around. It was then that she realized she could make out some sort of light in the distance. She thought to herself, is this basement really that huge? She killed what little light was left emanating from her flashlight, and verified there was something ahead. She quickened her pace, she had to know what that light was!

That is when she began to hear noises, mechanical sounds, machinery whirring to life. Something was going on in the rapidly approaching room. She summoned all her courage, and peered in. There she saw something beyond explanation, the silhouette of her father was encased in a sea of light as sparks flew all around from in front of him. The distinct sound of a machine grinder. She noticed several odd shapes on the work counter, but couldn’t make them out exactly over the blinding light of the sparks. She began to look all around the room, parts and pieces, odds and ends, from some kind of project, or hobby, was strewn across the room. Heaps of scrap metal sat near the base of the counter. She had become entranced in her surroundings to such a point, that she failed to hear the grinder come to a halt.

“Amber, what are you doing down here!?” Her trance was suddenly shattered by the alarmed, raised tone of Michael, who looked one part shocked, and one part clearly annoyed. She began to stumble back and fall over herself, her flashlight fell from her grip.

“I uh... just wanted to... uh... you see the power... and uh... the lights... and uh... I didn’t mean to.. I’m sorry!” Amber Sage began to scramble backwards, but crashed right into a pile of boxes. They collapsed over her. Michael could not stay angry at the pony, as he walked over to her and cleared the boxes.

“I guess I can’t keep what I’m doing down here a secret forever, c’mon, it’s time you learn what dad does.” He walked with her back into the workshop. What she saw before her was like nothing else she had ever seen. Her eyes glistened as she struggled to find words that would properly describe it.

“Dad.... this... is... SO.... awesome!” She squealed as she leapt towards the work counter. There splayed out in all of its incomplete glory, was the pieces to what could only be a powered suit. Wires jutted out of the incomplete suit in numerous places, exposed segments of what looked like a muscle fiber of some sort were visible in the gaps between the exterior plating. This was magnificent. She knew her dad was some kind of engineer by trade, but this? This was out of this world. She immediately flew back over to her dad and proceeded to punch him in the shoulder.

“Ow! What the hell Amber! What was that for?” He groaned as he rubbed his sore shoulder. She was still hovering right at face level.

“BECAUSE you never told me anything about the awesome stuff you do down here! And for years you kept saying ‘blah blah stay out of the basement blah blah!’ But I can’t believe you would want to keep this a secret from your daughter!” She blurted out in one breath. She lowered herself to the floor again. Looking up at him with a truly unamused scowl. Michael walked over to the stool that sat in the corner and plopped down.

“I haven’t told you because what I’m doing down here is pretty much illegal these days, Amber. After the industrial accident that leveled half of old Detroit, this kind of technology was quickly deemed excessive for personal use. Basically, the feds seized control of the advanced development. And it put a lot of us out of work.” He sighed and looked over at a tired calendar on the wall, clearly several years beyond its useful age. The faded photo that embellished the top showed a group of men and ponies in lab coats posing triumphantly next to some kind of machine.

“American Motors kept funding the project in secret, they pumped a pretty decent amount of R&D cash into our ‘defunct’ department. When the feds swooped in and shut everything down, American had other plans in mind. So here I am, toiling away at this labor of love in the middle of the night.” He suddenly looked down at the pony who was staring into space, clearly pretending to still be interested. He chuckled and threw a crinkled up piece of paper at her head, hitting square in the temple. She nearly fell backwards at the sudden ambush. Before she could react any further he spoke again.

“So what did you come down here for again? Something about the power?” he asked trying to jog his short term memory. She quickly perked back up, still rubbing the spot on her head where she got pelted. She snorted annoyedly, eliciting a chuckle from the man.

“Well, DAD, I was trying to tell you before you scared the crap out of me that the power went out! And I tried to find you but noooo, you were down here in your super secret base of DOOOM!” she accentuated that last part by throwing her hooves into the air and extending her wings. He raised an eyebrow at this and looked at her expectantly.

“Well, did you bother to investigate it? You are pretty darn smart at figuring stuff out.” he quipped back. She gave him a deadpan look in return.

“You’re kidding me right Dad? How is one pony supposed to figure out the source of a power failure!” She began hovering again as he once again attempted to suppress a laugh. She was a smart pony, and equally funny see her get upset. He noticed the pitiful, poor excuse for a flashlight she had dropped. He bent down and picked it up, examining it.

“You weren’t seriously using this piss poor excuse for a light to search around the house were you?” He asked with a hint of snark in his tone. Amber snorted again and in the blink of an eye swiped it back out of his hand, clutching it with her wing.

“What else was I supposed to use?” She raised her voice this time. Michael for his part just turned and opened a closet outside the workshop, revealing a plethora of emergency supplies, including a line of brand new flashlights. She simply fell back on her tush and looked dumbstruck.

“I hate you.” she deadpanned. He just looked at her and burst out into a fit of laughter. Finally, after a moment to catch his breath, and to stop hiding behind his stool as she went on the attack, they decided to go investigate the power outage upstairs. As they made their way back to the stairwell, she had another burning question to ask.

“Dad, why do you still have power down here? I didn’t hear any kind of generator, and if we do have one, why the heck can’t I use it too?” she groaned. He continued on without skipping a beat.

“Simple, Amber. Solar battery supply. I set it up a few months ago when I moved my projects down here. They are good for 72 hours without a recharge!” he happily replied. She was none too amused at this little tidbit of information. She did have to recall though, despite everything bad happening, the power supply had always been a constant. The power lines were mostly subterranean at this point, and there was almost never a disruption in supply. American Motors protects.

The conversation about the necessities and allotment of reserve power supplies for the household quietly faded as the two made their way back up the suspiciously long flight of stairs. The ascent took longer as Michael simply could not keep pace with the spry pony who could launch herself up the stairs in leaps and bounds. He had to admit to himself, he really needed to double down on the whole staying fit thing.

“C’mon slowpoke! You’re still huffing and puffing down there!” Amber shouted from the top of the stairs. She could hear him very loudly sneer from a dozen stairs away. She chuckled loudly.

“I heard that too!” she shouted back. He finally made it to the top of the stairs, trying desperately to pretend that he wasn’t nearly out of breath.

“Ha, you try being so spry at my age, shorty!” he quipped back. Causing the pony to float up to his level as he knew the little jab always got her angry. There were few things more enjoyable and strenuous all at the same time in the universe than the relationship between a father and daughter. She stared him down for a moment before he grabbed her and wrapped her in a bear hug.

“You are so damn amusing when you get pissed, Amber. C’mon let’s go check the power receiver in the attic.” The two navigated their way back through the darkness of the house. Michael looked around diligently, the ferocity of the storm shook the house with its anger. The near constant roar of thunder, driving rains, and the howling winds shattered the silence associated with the power outage. It was unsettling to the point that even Michael was unnerved by it. He had to wonder how the shields were holding up. He glanced out one of the still unshattered windows, the lightning playing tricks on his eyes, as he picked up constant phantom movements. Dismissing any negative thoughts, the two made their way upstairs.

The entrance to the attic was just an old fashioned pull down hatch. They almost never went into the attic as the only things up here were Christmas decorations, and likely memories of lives long past.

“Uh Dad, maybe you should go up first,” Amber said with a slight tremble in her voice. Her wings shivered at the thought of leading the crusade to find the power receiver. Michael just shrugged and without another word proceeded to climb up the creaky old stairs. He quickly made his way into the rafters, shining his light around. He was greeted by the dust covered relics of the holiday season, still many months away. He looked down to see Amber pacing about nervously at the base of the lift.

“C’mon up scaredy cat! Nothing up here but me and Santa!” he called down. She looked up, her pupils dilating at the prospect of going up. But in one quick movement she flared her wings and leapt the entire length, crashing right into Michael as she made an uncalculated, eyes closed landing. He rolled over trying to mitigate the sudden intrusion.

“Oof! Why don’t you work on your blind targeting!” he barked as he brushed the dust off his shirt. Amber sheepishly pawed at the floor with her hoof, trying to look like she meant that.

“Ah, uh, I meant that! I was just... uh, testing your reflexes old man!” she sputtered out. He stared at her with a bemused expression.

“Call me ‘old man’ one more time and you can kiss your Xbox goodbye for a loooong time” he muttered. She gasped and proceeded to stare at him the saddest puppy dog eyes she could muster. Michael however had a wicked poker face, and stood steadfast against the sudden, and rapidly intensifying bombardment of ‘d’awww’ that was hitting him with everything she had. After an intense showdown of wills, the two simply deflected eye contact, both laughing. Time was short however, they had work to do.

“Alright the power supply shooould be right over.... ah yes here!” He pointed the flashlight at the large grey box near one of the two windows in the attic. The grey box had several diagnostic readouts on it, none of which were functioning. Only a small red light flashed next to a small sign that read ‘SYSTEM FAILURE.’ Michael scratched the small scrapings of hair on his chin. He looked around and noticed Amber was just looking around the confined space, trying to find something interesting to bring back into the world. He slumped back where he knelt, glancing out the window. But years of disuse had left the window covered in a layer of grime too thick to see through.

“Well shit, there goes that plan out the window!” He suddenly stared at the window right next to him. Amber’s face contorted into an amused smile.

“HA! No pun intended right, Dad?!” she yelled to him. He simply turned around with a look of pure malice. She quickly looked away pretending not to see him staring daggers at her. He wasn’t actually angry though, but the situation certainly warranted his scowl. It was then that his train of thought was violently shattered by a particularly massive clasp of thunder. Powerful enough to send shivers up and down his spine. The force of nature itself baring down on them was too much to ignore now.

“Let’s get back downstairs Amber, this is getting too dangerous for us to be up here.” She didn’t need another reason to go as she disappeared back down the lift in the blink of an eye. He scrambled over, and as he was about to make his way down the lift, another crash of thunder sent all his thoughts scattering. But something else pierced the madness to come to the forefront of his mind. When that last clasp of thunder hit, he heard a thunk too. He waited, zoning out everything else, concentrating on one thing. Another crash of thunder, and this time an even louder thunk, this one sounding much more distinct. Amber tried to get his attention but he quickly hushed her. He lowered himself down another step. The thunder arrived once again, and this time they both heard a very loud CRASH coming from downstairs. Michael’s eyes narrowed. He leapt down the attic stairs.

“Amber, go to your room right now, and lock the door.” He said in an icy tone. Amber suddenly looked completely shocked. She was about to raise her voice in protest, when another crash came from downstairs. He looked at her and she scrambled to her room. Michael quickly moved to his own bedroom. Inside the cluttered room, there sat a distinct black dresser, made of metal, and adorned in ornate shapes. Without a moment’s hesitation, he had the door unlocked and quickly reached inside. What he pulled out could only be described as an option of last resort.

His hand ran over the mechanically precise siding of a near mint condition G36 rifle. It was vintage, but nonetheless, had the stopping power he needed right now. He reached into the dresser again, pulling out three fully loaded, 30 round MAGPUL P-MAG magazines. He shook the first one and quickly slid it into the rifle. The rifle was adorned in upgrades, he lovingly referred to as ‘high-speed low-drag tacticool goodness’ to his friends at the lab. The holographic sight was still as brilliant as they day he bought it. The LED surefire light was quickly and calmly checked. As Michael spun around and quietly entered the hallway. He quietly cursed the fact that he had not remembered to pick up a set of proper night vision goggles. They were cheap enough these days anyways. Though with this constant bombardment of lightning, well, maybe not so much. Another crash from the downstairs quickly shifted his wandering thoughts back to the task at hand. He moved gently to the outside of Amber’s door, and whispered in.

“Hey Amber, everything’s gonna be fine, ok? Just don’t come out until I tell you, alright? I love you,” he said just above a whisper. Right on the other side, tears starting to stream down her face, she barely whispered back.

“Ok, Dad, I love you too..” Her words trembling out as she knew what was going on. This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. But she always hoped and prayed that it would be the last. In the hallway, Michael prepared himself for the inevitable encounter. Normally, all it took was a few lights, some shouting, to deter a marauder. This time, with no power, and the storm to aid in their attack, he only had himself, his resolve, and thirty rounds of NATO 5.56 ammunition to stop them. He walked over to the top of the stairs, glanced down, and carefully aimed his weapon towards the lower level with his eye peering through the holographic sight. He decided the first course of action would be a verbal confrontation. If anyone was still downstairs, they would quickly be made aware of the presence of homeowners.

“If anyone is still down there, you have fifteen seconds to vacate the premises. There are people here, and we will defend ourselves!” he shouted. The movements from downstairs suddenly came to a halt. While he heard the scramble of several footsteps, one set in particular could be heard coming closer to the steps. He doubled down his grip on the rifle. Suddenly, from the darkness of the downstairs came a low, gravelly voice.

“And what will you do to stop us?” is all the voice said. Michael simply steadied his hands, clearing his mind, and preparing for whatever was about to happen. He took in one last, deep, meaningful breath.

“Whatever must be done.” Michael had not long to wait as a shadowy figure began to round the steps. He lit up the surefire and with the element of surprise, fired three rounds, aiming for center mass. The deafening bang of the three bullets reaching out and touching their intended target shattered the hypnotic rumble of the storm around them. Michael wasted no time as he rapidly descended the steps. His body was now surging with endorphins as the adrenaline from his first engagement coursed through his veins. Check right, check left, he mentally spoke to himself as he cleared one room and the next. Another one of his last non-damaged windows lay smashed, the contents of the living room scattered all about. He cleared the entire house. Last checking the reinforced basement door, no attempts had been made to open it. He lowered his rifle for the first time, as he quietly moved back towards the now stilled intruder. The man’s last words still playing through his mind. He thought to himself, ‘what did he mean by us?’

Amber was now curled up on her bed, the panic from what had just transpired outside her room had ended her tears, but now she was simply awash in her own fears and doubt. Dad had been downstairs for a while now, and there was no shouting, or yelling, or anything. Try as she might to leave the safety of her bed, her hooves would not budge. She only had a moment to realize there was a new silhouette in the window of her bedroom.

Michael was still perusing the dead man’s clothes for any kind of information. When the sudden breaking of glass came from upstairs. As he spun around, time suddenly seemed to stop.

“DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD! HEEEEELP!” came a piercing and distinct scream from upstairs. Everything was moving in slow motion for him. He blasted up the stairs at superhuman speeds. Within a moment he was upon the door. Smashing it in with all of his rage and courage. He found another silhouette, struggling near the bed. He then realized it was another pony. He launched himself across the room. Batting the intruder away from his daugher with the rifle. The stunned attacker quickly recovered and went to lunge at him. Only to be met by the warm envelop of four well placed rounds. The mass of pony fell silent to the ground with an unceremonious thunk. Michael’s eyes were ablaze with fury as he stared down at the dead attacker. That is when the muffled cries of his daughter set his mind asunder as he spun around.

He rushed to her bed. Finding her under the blankets. She at first started to toss, but he quickly pulled the covers off. She opened her eyes and saw her dad. She stopped for a second, just staring at him. Until the moments of terror all came crashing down around them both, in tune with a powerful clasp of thunder. The room was swirling with emotions and windswept rain as she burst into tears once more. Wrapping herself around him as he embraced her tightly. With the gun dangling from his hand behind her wings, he quietly wept as well. They stood there for what seemed like forever, embracing each other as he wrapped himself around her, shielding her, protecting the only important thing left in his life.

“I’m so sorry Amber, I should have been there!” he choked out. She only wept harder and tightened her hug. She sniffled away another deep sob and blurted out.

“No Dad, please don’t say that! You did what you had to, and you came when I called. You did nothing wrong. I’m ok I swear.” she sputtered out between heavy sobs. Michael’s resolve was now firm. They stayed like that for a long time. He continued to protect his daughter, but his mind was rapidly clearing. In a moment of absolute clarity, he said to her defiantly.

“This will never happen again, Amber. I promise you that. I will protect you from this world, and end this madness once and for all.” The two finally ended their long, somber hug. They both went downstairs, making their way to the basement.

The lights flickered back on in the workshop. Before them was the parts to an incomplete suit of armor.

Michael looked down at his daughter, and then glanced back to the armor.

“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men... and ponies to do nothing.” He looked back down at her, she tried to weakly smile, her brilliant golden eyes looking deep into his soul. A blaze of determination was alight in her glare.

The two of them quickly went to work.

It ended now.

Picking Up the Pieces

Chain REACTion. Chapter Two: Picking Up the Pieces.

All was once again quiet in their small corner of the world. The first light of day brought with it a return to peace, and an end to the madness of the evening before. The storm had finally broke. Though when exactly, they couldn’t quite be sure. They had toiled all night in the eerie fluorescent glow of the basement’s workshop. Trying, planning, preparing. There was a great much to do still, but the chirping of morning birds had broken through the walls of earth that encompassed their work. Day had come at long last. The longest night of terror had finally past.

Michael Spechart and his daughter, Amber Sage, groggily slumped up the stairs and back into the shattered remains of their home. They had sealed themselves away in the basement after the events of the night before. The mental scars of that fateful encounter with two would be killers could not be removed. But the anguish and pain fell by the wayside to something far more powerful. The power of resolve, the will to carry on and fight back. The incredible relationship shared between a father and his daughter could not be shattered so easily. He was the protector, the mentor, and would make things right.

They shielded their eyes as the first substantial rays of morning shone right upon the basement door. Michael shuffled along, emerging from the basement completely exhausted from the night of work. Amber too was nearly falling over with exhaustion as she stumbled out of the doorway right behind him, making no attempt to race him up the stairs this time. Michael glanced down at the pony and decided to let her tired legs rest. He picked her up and as she subconsciously wrapped her hooves around him, mumbling.

“No Dad, no I’m not a kid... You don’t hafta....” she trailed off as she fell asleep right there in his arms. He made his way through the debris field that was his kitchen and into the equally trashed living room. There, like the eye of the storm, was their beloved couch. Incredibly, it had survived unharmed through the entire ordeal. He quickly rounded up a pillow and blanket, knowing full well he couldn’t bring her to her room. He gently lowered her onto the couch. She was so peaceful at rest. Her face showed no signs of the terror she had encountered only hours earlier. She shivered for a moment as he bundled her up in the quilt blanket. He kissed her on the forehead and moved away. She was a trooper, that’s for sure.

Michael glanced around the room. The table they had played so many terrible card games on lay broken on its side, as two of the legs had been smashed off. The contents of their shelves and coffee table scattered all about. He sighed and tried to rub the visible sleep deprivation from his heavy eyes.

“Ugh, what a goddamn mess this place is!” he cursed to himself, barely above a whisper. His eyes returned to the corpse still slumped at the base of the stairs. He quietly made his way to the body. There was nothing left to learn here. He grabbed the shoes of the corpse and dragged the rigid cadaver to the door. He decided the best course of action was to call the police now, before the questions became too abrasive. Being a technician in the applied sciences division of American Motors had its perks. One of them was the cops, who were almost entirely corporately funded, didn’t ask questions of the employees. He had once or twice weighed the ethics and morality of a de facto corporate police force, but for now at least, he was very much thankful for them. He pulled out his slate and hit the emergency speed-dial icon on his home screen.

“Yes this is Technician Michael Spechart, I need law enforcement to my house immediately, there’s been an attack on my family and I.... Yes... Yes... No, we’re safe now... Yes, there are weapons in the home. Ok, thank you.” He disconnected the call, and let out another sigh.

He looked out onto his desolate street, the storm had battered the already depressed place. Debris, more so than usual, lay strewn about. Several tiles from their roof were spread out about the lawn. One of the abandoned homes nearby had a fresh tree through its front porch. He pinched the bridge of his nose: more work to do if they were ever going to revitalize this neighborhood. Amber could really use some friends her age for a change. He turned his gaze back to his disheveled home. It would be awhile before the cops showed up anyways, they never came out this far anymore unless someone was dead or dying.

Stepping back into the living room, he made his way back to the kitchen. His mind was now focused on some liquid reinforcements. Amazingly enough, his beloved Keurig Business-Pro brewer was still up and running. He could only speculate what may have transpired had his access to the world’s most important liquid commodity was abruptly cut off. He thanked the gods under his breath as he put in a fresh ‘K+Cup’ of the strongest brew he had. Kept behind lock and stow for ‘emergencies only.’ (God help them if Amber had gotten her hooves on this high octane jump starter. It would redefine the old phrase ‘bouncing off the walls.’) He let a slightly amused smile slip past his hardened facade as the enticing aroma of coffee entered his nostrils. If there was ever a morning he needed a good cup of coffee, today was it.

Michael once again, as quiet as he could, made his way back to the living room, and his couch. There, Amber Sage slept, her diaphragm slowly and gently rising. He sat down next to her. Just sitting, staring at nothing in particular. He absentmindedly stroked his daughter’s mane as she slightly stirred, but only for a moment before settling back in. He knew he could never let what transpired happen again. This was their home, and no matter how desolate the place was becoming around it, they would not abandon it so easily.

Sure, time and time again, his coworkers and employers chided his decision to stay at the home long after it was deemed unsafe to be there. American Motors provided housing for all of its employees in the inner-sanctum of the city after all. The overwhelming majority of the employee base happily accepted this offer. There were only a handful of safe suburbs left at this point. The prospect of living in the near perfect, heavily protected, planned city was simply too enticing in this bleak modern era. Despite the alluring offer, Michael would not recant on his decision to protect the home he had raised Amber in.

He believed in this place still, all it needed was a little time and money, and it could shine again. The marauders could be stopped, or at the very least heavily suppressed. He continued to sit there, slumped back, one hand clasped around his mug, the other still absentmindedly stroking Amber’s mane. His mind slowly, but surely began to clear out. All the jumbled mess of thoughts and ideas from the past twelve hours were at last starting to file themselves away. For the briefest of moments, he was at peace again.

The moments crept by, and he periodically took a sip from his dark roast coffee. Savoring its flavor, he was content in that moment to just sit there, not doing anything. He closed his eyes. The sudden banging on the front door violently intruded his moment of peace. Amber jumped awake, nearly launching herself from the couch. He quickly put a hand on her back to calm her.

“DETROIT POLICE! MR. SPECHART PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF!” came a booming voice from the door. He could hear more footsteps moving near. He calmly replied.

“This is Michael Spechart, I’m coming to the door, I am unarmed!” he shouted back to them. The police made no attempt to force their way in. Michael sprung up and was at the door in a moment. Amber hid under the covers, her eyes peering out as her ears moved the blanket around. He took a deep breath and opened the door. There, waiting on his porch, were no fewer than ten heavily armed special response officers, including a couple burly looking unicorns. All armed to the teeth. He looked behind them and noticed two SmartCop drones hovering overhead in a lazy loiter pattern. The equally well armed response vehicles they drove were nearly stacked on top of each other. Red and blue LED lighting flashing in a blinding display.

“Mr. Spechart? Is everything alright? What happened?” The senior most officer on the response detail asked him, glancing over Michael’s shoulder.

“Perhaps you should come in, there was a break in last night, I had to defend myself and my daughter...” he trailed off. The officers began to enter the premises. Amber nearly yelped in surprise as the mass of police began to swarm. Several of them noticed her but paid her no attention as they proceeded to clear the house. Michael followed them in. The officers immediately noticed the G36 rifle propped up next to the couch. The supervisor looked at Michael.

“Sir, is this your firearm? Otherwise we will have to confiscate it.” Michael simply waved his hand trying to relax them.

“No, this is my personal rifle. It is registered to me and everything checks out.” He glanced up towards the stairs. “You will find there is another body in my daughter’s room. He broke through the window up there and I had little choice but to dispatch him.”

The officer did not look at all surprised by this extra information. He simply put a hand on Michael’s shoulder.

“You did what you had to sir, I understand full well. We know this was all in self defense, no questions asked. We just need to investigate the scene and our clean up crew will be along shortly to remove the mess. I really do appreciate your cooperation. Corporate personally requested I be on this detail.” He weakly smiled.

“Thanks for understanding... oh. What was your name, sir, if you don’t mind me asking?” Michael asked.

“The name is Supervisor Carson, I am the super for all of District Fourteen. It’s a pleasure serving you, though I have to add, you are one of the last residents out this way. Regardless, we’ll always be there when you call, I can promise you.” Supervisor Carson added in an authoritative tone. Michael simply smiled in return and offered him a handshake.

The police worked with due diligence, quickly taking in an inventory of the crime scene. It didn’t take long for the crime squad to arrive to haul the two corpses away. Very few questions were asked of either Amber or Michael. The few they did ask were simply to confirm their story. Amber for her part, despite the trauma of the event, did not falter as she answered every question the crime squad requested of her. Within an hour of their arrival, the large response from law enforcement had mostly dissipated. The last person on the scene was none other than Supervisor Carson, who had a warm chat with the two of them. However, a desperate call from dispatch requesting his presence to a far more grievous crime on the other side of his district beckoned him. He left with a brisk goodbye, and drove off, his response truck roaring as he sped away.

Amber was now awake again, she shuffled around the debris field that was formerly the living room, picking up small items and examining them in her hooves. She saw all sorts of things that had either been forgotten about, or didn’t even know they had. She reasoned to herself this must be one of the perks of having their home broken into. It was a pretty lousy compromise she had to admit to herself. What caught her attention, however, was the contents of a large box that had been splayed out across the floor. She trotted closer, and began to examine the contents of the box.

They were papers, newspaper scrapings, and other odds and ends. Many of them looked quite dated at this point. Some of the headlines from the clippings immediately began to jump out her. What she saw was almost alarming. MAJOR EMERGENCY DECLARED AT CERN, was the first headline she saw. She looked at the date, it was from the Los Angeles Times, published October 19th, 2021. The date seemed familiar, but she wasn’t quite remembering. She sifted through the pile again. This time she pulled a clipping from the Detroit Free Press, dated October 26th, 2021. The headline simply read CIVIL UNREST CONTINUES AMIDST GLOBAL PORTAL EVENTS.

She had no idea what to think of it. The insatiable quest for knowledge kept her perusing the pile further. Her hooves found another interesting clipping, again, with a jarring headline meant to grab the readers attention. What it said however truly stunned her. It was dated November 1st, 2021. The paper was again the Detroit Free Press. The headline read, FIRST CONTACT MADE! And was perhaps the largest headline she had seen yet from the clippings. She had become completely immersed in the plethora information as Michael walked up behind her.

“Wha'cha looking at there Amber?” he casually asked, suddenly becoming very aware of the contents she was skimming over. Amber nearly jumped out of her fur as he snuck up on her. She looked up and over behind her, seeing him towering there.

“Aw c’mon dad! Don’t scare me like that!” She tried to push him back with her wings, it was a futile effort as he swayed, but ultimately recovered. “I just, uh, found this box of stuff and was just uh, picking it up! Yea, just picking it up!” she concluded with a huge smile on her face.

He could have sworn she had a halo over her head for a second there with the look she was trying to pull off. He just shook his head and sat down on the floor next to her. He started to go over the contents of the box as well. As he saw some of the headlines and image clippings, a world of emotions suddenly overwhelmed him. Images bombarded him from those fateful days ,nearly taking the breath right out of his throat. Amber looked up and noticed the suddenly very solemn expression on his face. She poked him in the side with a hoof.

“Uh Dad, are you OK? Dad?” she questioned as she looked at him with very real concern. Michael suddenly snapped back to the world.

“Oh, sorry hun, I just.... I just haven’t looked at this stuff in a long time,” he mumbled. He looked down at her and rubbed her mane again.

“I really should tell you about how I became your dad, I know you never really asked, but you have a right know what happened all those years ago.” Her expression changed to one of complete uncertainty, with a hint of wonderment in her stare.

“Actually Dad, I would like to know,” she declared as she snuggled up closer to her old man. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder as he picked up another clipping, from the Washington Times, dated January 28th, 2022. US DECLARES ITSELF SANCTUARY NATION FOR ‘PONIES.’ It was the next clipping that suddenly grabbed all his attention though, a USA TODAY article, dated April 19th, 2026, with the massive headline. CATASTROPHE IN DETROIT. He closed his eyes as the memories rushed back to him.

April 18th, 2026. Detroit.

He wasn’t sure if it was the hoard of people and the occasional pony leaving the office, or the deafening alarms blaring in his ear that hinted that something may very well be wrong. Michael looked up and gazed at the hurried group of fellow employees scrambling to get to the exits. He slowly looked around more, the office had been completely abandoned. Papers and other items were strewn about as people had gotten up without a moment’s hesitation.

“C’mon Mike, we gotta get out of here man! What are you still doing sitting there!” a voice came from behind him. Michael slowly spun around in his seat and just stared at his friend, Will, who was waiting for a good reason why he wasn’t evacuating either. Will was becoming increasingly frustrated.

“What’s the rush, Will? The stairs and elevator are already clogged, I’m content to just sit here and wait,” he replied coolly. Will’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head at this statement.

“Whatever man, if you want to die here, fine. Be that way, but I’m getting the hell out of here!” Will shakily replied and scrambled for the steps, still clogged with panicked people. He took one last glance at Michael, who was still laid back in his chair. Casually shutting down his computer. He finally stood up from his desk and after taking a moment to stretch, wandered over to the window.

Outside, he could immediately see the dots of people and some ponies fleeing the area he was in. The red and blue flashes of the lights of emergency vehicles were all around the area around the base of his building, and the other ones around it. He began to take in the entire surrounding. That’s when a bright flash diverted all his attention. He looked straight up, and saw a particularly nasty funnel cloud starting to form. It was different from any he had seen before. Flashes of constant lightning shot out from the core of the funnel. This was unlike any tornado he had seen before. Then he thought, maybe this isn't a tornado at all?

It was at this point the strange electrical anomalies going on around the rapidly circling clouds began to intensify. And with it, all the electrical components on his floor began to malfunction. First, the ceiling lighting began to overheat and cook itself off. One by one, the fluorescent bulbs began to blow out, sparks raining onto the work surfaces below, rapidly dissipating. He looked at his slate as the screen began to flicker on and off. The icons and words began to scramble themselves unexpectedly. Even his watch, a steadfast companion of his, was going haywire, the hands spinning around in all directions. The roar outside was becoming deafening, even through the thick windows of his office.

Right as everything was getting to the point of total insanity, as all of his electrical items began to fail. Suddenly, the wind stopped, the clouds ceased their powerful churn, all of his electronics went back to normal. That is when the mental warnings burst into a frenzy. Now he was going into flight mode. He grabbed his bag, slung it around his back, and made a break for the stairs. They had long since emptied out as the masses of other employees had made their escape. There was no time to lose. He dashed down the stairs as fast as he could. His brisk pace was suddenly interrupted as the entire stairwell began to shake violently. He nearly lost his balance as the shaking intensified. The lights in the stairwell began to flash rapidly. He hurdled himself down the stairs in an attempt to get away.

“Why did I try to play this off as nothing!” he cursed as he threw himself down another column of stairs. Not much further to go. The shaking was still going on. Finally, after what had to be a new building record for making it down twenty flights of stairs, he was on the ground floor. He was in an all out sprint now as the various art pieces and other display items in the lobby level began falling. Lights burst around him, windows shattered. This was no time to stop. With one final mad dash, he blasted through one of the partially cracked automatic doors and was out on the street.

He decided to take a brief second to get a sense of his surroundings. He spun around, only to see the massive vortex begin to descend from upon high. Bursts of lightning ripping out from all around it as the shaking ground again threatened to throw him off his feet. He once again burst into a sprint as he rushed for the parking garage several blocks away where he always parked. He had to get to his car and call his wife. She should be home by now. He didn’t stop running until he was huffing and puffing next to his Subaru. He slid into the seat and let out a heavy sigh, trying to catch his breath.

He glanced down at his phone again, and saw he had a new message. He quickly slid the tab open and read it. It was from his wife, Jennifer. Mike, I have to go downtown to file some paperwork for the baby, don’t worry I’ll be home by the time you get there. xo. He dropped the phone as he blasted back out of the car and onto the deck of the garage. His eyes widened at the realization of where the funnel was happening.

“Oh dear God, please no.” he muttered to himself. As the funnel became a blinding wall of light. It then dawned on him entirely what this was. It was another portal storm. He shielded his eyes from the intense light. The shaking suddenly came to a stop. The world slowed down, as a gravity wave began to form around the base of the event. Without warning, the light wall exploded, and an earth shattering boom blasted out from it in every direction. Michael leapt back into his car and shielded his ears as the shock wave struck. It blasted out the windows on his car, and nearly everything else around him. He laid there for what seemed like hours until he thought it was safe enough to proceed. Only then did he finally emerge from his car.

What greeted him was the sight of complete destruction. Much of the buildings in the downtown area had almost all of their windows blown out. The sounds of car alarms going off, people screaming, and utter confusion created a symphony of madness. His eyes were still adjusting from the bright light of the portal. As he finally regained his sight, he ran back to the edge of the parking garage. The massive wall of dust and smoke that covered his sight of the portal obscured his vision. He wasted no more time. Mumbling almost incoherently to himself, he scrambled back down the garage’s stairs and onto the street. He rocketed his way through the confusion that had completely taken over the city streets. As he raced back towards the buildings for the city municipal departments. His pace lessened as he hit a wall of choking dust. He slowed to a brisk walk as he continued forward, it was far too dangerous to race ahead, and even with all the uncertainty, this much logic screamed in his mind.

The smoke and dust that crippled his vision began to clear at last, and before him was a sight beyond comprehension. He tried to form words in his throat, but nothing came out. Clenching his hands into fists, and then releasing them again, he stumbled up to a place where the road suddenly ceased. There before him, was a massive, gaping crater. Nearly perfectly circular, and reaching deep into the earth. Michael dropped to his knees.

“No, no God, please no.” He fumbled into his pocket and whipped out his slate, mashing the speed dial icon as he went to call Jenn. The call began to ring, but suddenly and abruptly stopped. A familiar tone suddenly started and a generic voice began to play. We’re sorry, the number you are trying to reach is experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again later. The call disconnected. Without wasting another second he tried to call her again, only to get the same result. He tried a third time. Again, to no effect. He quickly shifted gears, and tried dialing the house. After agonizing seconds of waiting, he suddenly heard her voice, and was about to say something, when he realized it was the voicemail. He dropped the phone. His hands trembling. He looked back at the smoldering, hemi-spherical crater before him. A tense pain building throughout his body. Shaking with rage, he finally stood up. He tried to form some kind of coherent response, it was just not happening though. He could feel it, the rage, the pain, the confusion the sorrow, it finally took hold of his vocal chords.

“GODDAMNIT ALL!” he screamed as loud as he could. He repeated the words several times, sputtering into an incoherent mumble towards the end. He didn’t know what else to do. He knew where she was supposed to be at that moment, and that place had completely vanished. He had heard about the portal events before, the catastrophic damage they would cause. Sometimes they would leave visitors, other times they took everything. He was now completely shell shocked by what he had just experienced. He began to stumble backwards as the sounds of the chaos around him faded from his mind. A police officer rushed up to him, trying to ask him questions if he was ok, only to speed off as someone else cried for help.

He did not know how long it went on like that, but he found himself shambling along the edge of the damage, looking for something, anything. Any kind of sign it was going to be alright. He periodically glanced at his phone, waiting for a call from Jenn. Maybe she just got caught up in the confusion? Or maybe the cell lines are jammed? He tried to reason with himself. It then dawned on him, his wife’s car could be located via phone. He once again pulled his slate out, and scrambled through the mess of apps to find the one pertaining to her car. When he finally pulled it up, he waited anxiously for it get a signal and acquire the cars location. After a minute of waiting, the app finally responded. Car not found, please try again. He clenched the phone tightly in his hand and nearly smashed it on the ground, before slipping it into his pocket.

Michael sat down on the steps to a building, and tears began to drift solemnly down his cheeks. They dripped onto the pavement, leaving tiny stains where the dust from the event had settled. He was still right on the edge of the crater. The groans of buildings suddenly split into halves reminding him this place was not safe in the least. He was losing the will to go on though. The realization of what likely happened to his wife, and his still unborn child was beginning to wrack his brain with abstract grief. They were the perfect team, and were about to complete the puzzle with a child of their own. They both worked great jobs, and both were proud homeowners now in one of the best revitalized neighborhoods in Detroit. This couldn’t happen to them. He sat there, weeping, wrought with emotion for the loss he had just suffered. This was his darkest hour. How was he supposed to go on from here? How could he live without the most important person in his life, and to know he would never meet their child. He continued to zone out there, tears soaking his clothes, as he leaned back and just tried to shut down.

“Sir, excuse me sir! You have to get out of here! This building is about to collapse!” an urgent voice, and a tugging at his shirt snapped him back to the present. He looked at the sight before him: a firefighter, was trying to get him out of there. Michael initially tried to bat the firefighter’s hands away, when suddenly, something came over him. Something powerful. He stood up, the grief and despair weighing heavily in his mind, but something else was now present too, though he couldn’t quite put a finger on it. The firefighter looked up at the building, as it groaned with a noise unlike any they had heard before. It was straining to stay upright, as nearly a third of the building had vanished into the portal. The floor it sat on was beginning to give way to incredible strain being asked of it. The firefighter wasted no more time, deciding it was time go. He screamed back at Michael to get moving.

Michael’s legs began to carry him, he stayed close to the buildings however. And as he began to move away, something very distinct caught his ear. A noise, he stopped all of a sudden. He walked towards the open doors of the damaged structure. The noise became louder. It became increasingly distinct. It was crying, but it seemed so light. It was the cries of a child. He rushed into the building, clearing his mind even if it was just for a second. The building shuddered and trembled around him, the loud groan of a titan about to give its last breath was overwhelming. He had precious little time. He raced through the first floor, listening for the cries. They were becoming louder now. He was getting close. He finally entered the room, and it seemed only a half of it was there. The other wall was completely gone, instead, he looked out onto the crater. The building again shuddered and began to buckle. He frantically looked down, when he saw a nook in the corner. There he saw something trembling. He knew it was the source of the sound. He raced towards the nook, nearly falling out of the building, and grabbed the bundle of blankets. The mound of blankets began to thrash.

“Shh, shh, it’s ok, it’s alright...” he soothed. “I got you, shh,” he again quietly whispered. The trashing stopped. The building was now beginning to creak and moan with greater intensity. The shaking started up again. He had to leave right now. Michael blasted through doors as the building began to collapse. He held the blanket with the child in it like a football as he vaulted towards the door. In an insane sprint for life, he made one massive final push.

“Hell no, we are not dying here! Not you kid, today is not your day!” he yelled above the roar of the buckling building as he saw the entrance come up. As the ceiling began to give way he dove out of the front door. Baby still clasped firmly in his grasp. He was once again in an all out mad dash, with his precious cargo on board, he had a reason to live. He didn’t know how long he ran, but by the time he stopped, he was nearly at his car. He finally stopped to catch his breath. His tunnel vision and hearing began to fade, and the first thing his ears picked back up on was his crying cargo. He was suddenly reminded of the baby on board. It was once again sobbing below in the blanket. He sat down. using the concrete wall for support. The baby was still wrapped up firmly. He slowly began to unwrap the blankets, when a small yellow obtrusion stuck out from the blankets.

“What the hell?” he mumbled to himself. With another roll of the tightly wrapped blanket, a pair of huge, golden irises shot back at him. They were trembling with fear. He pushed the blanket off, to reveal the tiny head of a filly. She was beautiful, she was a pegasus, and in all likelihood, she was alone. She was still trembling as he stared at her inhumanly large eyes.

“Shhh, it’s alright little one, you’re ok.” he again whispered to the small, yellow pony. He clutched her tightly in his arms as she trembled. He looked down and carefully began to stroke her mane. She was definitely not an infant, perhaps a toddler. He wasn’t very good with pony ages, having only a couple pony coworkers from the early portal events. He continued to cradle the filly, gently rocking back and forth. He looked back down at her, she was no longer trembling, but tears continued to well up in her eyes.

“What’s your name, little one?” he asked in as fatherly a tone as he could. She was truly one of the most precious things he had ever seen in his life. All of the pain and suffering from mere moments earlier began to fade as an overwhelming urge to protect this child surged to the forefront of his being. He did not care what species she was, he knew this was what he had to do. She finally, began to mumble something out. He lifted her muzzle up by her chin, she gazed up at him, seeing only compassion in his face.

“Uh ummm, my name is A-amber. A-amber S-a-age...” she mumbled barely above a whisper. She looked away, trying to focus on anything else. Only to have her attention diverted back to him, as he smiled warmly at the filly.

“That’s a beautiful name, Amber Sage,” he replied in a soothing tone. “Where are your parents, Amber?” He knew that was going to be a difficult question for to answer, but he had to try anyways. She began to tear up heavily, before suddenly bursting into tears.

“I d-d-don’t know!” she wailed. She was completely overwhelmed, the poor filly had suffered so much. Michael wasted no time as he lifted her up and hugged the filly tightly. Wrapping himself around her, trying to protect her. She squeezed back as hard as she could, embracing the man trying to protect her.

“I’m so sorry Amber!” he consoled the filly. He tried to think about what to do now, as he listened to the young pony weep into his shoulder. Where could he even take the filly? The hospitals were likely overwhelmed, as were the police. This was no place, nor the time, to simply dump the poor child onto someone else. He knew right away what he had to do. He had the resolve he needed now, he was going to save Amber Sage. Michael stood back up, the pony still resting in his arms.

“Amber, I’m taking you home with me. I won’t abandon you.” he whispered to her. She did not object, only held on tightly as he walked towards his damaged Subaru. He sat down in the drivers seat, and with his free hand, wrapped the blanket around Amber Sage, and started up the car. He was not going to let her go until they were safely away from this place. He slowly exited the parking garage, and navigated himself through the carnage and headed home. As he drove away, the constant rhythm of the pony’s breathing gave him new found resolve. Out of tragedy, there will be good. He would make sure of that.

“Dad, daaad, dad?” Amber Sage kept nudging Michael in his ribs, he was clearly lost in thought, tears starting to stream down his face. “C’mon dad, are you ok?” she pleaded. He snapped back to the present. The mess of his living room coming back into view, and there at his side was his daughter.

“Ah, oh, I’m sorry Amber. I just kind of got lost there in the memories.” he said bleakly. He stood up and started to stretch again. Looking at the debris field.

“I guess we better get back to work, huh?” He looked at the pony. She was already starting to move back around the living room, surveying the damage again.

“I’ve been trying to get your attention for five minutes at least!” she said with an exacerbated sigh. She began to move the clippings back into the box as he leaned down to help.

“Let’s get the living room finished up, and I’ll make us breakfast. Sound good?” he chirpped. Amber gave him a strange, almost incredulous look.

“Uh dad, it’s 3PM already...” she trailed off. He just shrugged and kept cleaning. They had a lot to do still.

“Don’t care, I still want pancakes, and you know I love to make pancakes for us!” he stated with a warm smile. She again just rolled her eyes and shrugged as best a pony could.

“Whatever dad, you’re still crazy,” she quipped with a smirk. They both went back to cleaning. Just maybe, things would be ok.

In the City’s Embrace, Part One

Chain REACTion. Chapter Three: In the City’s Embrace, Part One

“I suppose we should go upstairs and assess the damage to your room, don’t you think?” Michael began to say, before he thought about his statement and doubled back with a quick addendum. “That is, if you’re ready Amber, if you don’t want to go back in ther...” He was suddenly cut off by Amber, who had already began to trot towards the stairwell as he finished his poorly thought out statement.

“Dad, it’s fine, really. I’m a big girl, I can handle it. What happened, happened.” She shrugged as best a pony could. Michael only smiled, his daughter was far braver than anyone could give her credit for, that was for sure.

The two began their ascent to the upper level of the home, noting the new-found holes in the wall where three full metal jacket rounds had made new homes after they had passed through their target. It didn’t matter, those little holes could be fixed. Or maybe not, they did serve as a stark reminder of the distance that he was willing to go to defend their home and his family. In any event, it was in the past now. They carried on, the marks of their encounter fading behind them.

It was increasingly apparent as they marched down the small hallway that a confrontation had occurred near here. Their shadows fell upon the door of Amber’s bedroom, or in this case, the smashed in remains of it. The heavy oak door had been knocked clear off it’s hinges by Michael. The frames were still partially attached to the doorway. His sore body reminded him quickly of the incredible force he exerted that night.He furrowed his brow and pinched the bridge of his nose as he realized the amount of work it would take to fix the door. He thought about it just long enough to realize he deserved a swift kick in the ass. He looked on as Amber brushed by him, and slowly trotted into the room.

“Ugh, my room is a total goddamn wreck...” she muttered with a deep sigh, as she flared her wings in frustration. She continued to trot around the room, the contents of her dresser, shelves, and everything else special to her lay strewn about. She sighed and sat down on her haunches, as she tried to take it all in. She continued to look at all of her stuff, until her eyes gradually found their way to the most obvious damage in the room. Her favorite window, the one that overlooked her now demolished desk, had been shattered. The rain that had pushed into the room from that gaping wound had soaked all of her papers to the core. She couldn’t help it anymore, being a big girl about this was beginning to take its toll. Her eyes gradually reddened, as tears began to pool. She sniffled, trying to suppress the pain, trying to show she was strong. It was just too much however for the pony. She began to quietly sob, as the events from that fateful night began to replay over and over in her mind. The visceral experience of it all had her weeping deeply now. She sat there, beginning to shake uncontrollably. That is until a strong arm embraced her. Wrapping itself tightly around her and pulling her in.

“You’ve been so strong through all of this,” Michael quietly spoke as he held her close to him, rubbing her back as he tried to sooth her anguish. “I’m so proud of you Amber, it’s OK to cry. It’s ok to hurt, you don’t have to hold it in,” he spoke softly. His words seemed to help as she wrapped her hooves around him, hugging him tightly as he sat there with her. Amber broke away and stood back up, still wiping tears away and suppressing a sniffle. She began to gather some of the water stained sketches that had spilled out of her sketch pad.

“Thanks Dad,” is all she could say, as she began to pick up the pieces to her life. Michael stood back up, and began to look over the worst of the destruction, taking note of the heavily damaged furniture. Her desk, a beautiful and ancient one that had been in his family for at least fifty years, was badly wounded. Two of its legs were broken clear off, likely where the pony had smashed his way in. One of her bookshelves had been toppled, its contents splayed across the room, much of which had also suffered water damage from the heavy rain. The simple hand crafted stool at her desk was in pieces. She always sat on when she was deeply involved in her art projects, or worked on her journals, now it was just another fatality of that encounter.

He glanced at the TV, which had surprisingly enough withstood the assault. It was an older flat screen model, likely twenty years outdated, but it had once again proven its worth as it remained unharmed. The only items that weren’t trashed or out of place in some way was her bed, and her lounge chair where she loved to play games from.

Michael knew all of the destruction was irrelevant. It really didn’t matter to him how much it took to fix, all that mattered was that Amber was safe. He was thankful he could afford to fret, even if it was just a little. He watched as Amber used both her forehooves and wings to try and compile everything into folders and sketchpads again. He always marveled at how well she could manipulate her hooves. It was at some points completely baffling. Human science offered little in the way of explanations either. Most people simply dismissed as one of the many obscurities that came along with the arrival of pony kind. His attention once again diverted to the mess at hand, he knelt down and picked up one of the broken legs of her desk. Amber was sulking as she pondered where she could do her work now?

“I suppose I should call Grandpa, he is always looking for an excuse to visit, and we could use the help.” Michael broke the silence. Amber’s ears quickly perked up at the idea of Grandpa John coming for a visit. Her tail swished excitedly at the prospect.

“Dad, should Grandpa really come out for just this?” she quickly fired back. Michael looked at her with a strange look.

“Of course he can! As a matter of fact, he doesn’t need any reason to come up, but this is especially important. I think he has a right to know when his family had a bad run in with some crummy people,” Michael replied. He was still surprised at how little Amber really thought of the entire situation. The more he thought things over though, he could really use the advice only his dad could offer. He didn’t see him with the frequency he used to. With everything that had occurred in the past ten years, and the rapidly degrading security, he typically dissuaded his dad from making the trip up to Detroit. This was one case where he figured it would be worth the risk.

“You’re gonna be ok up here by yourself? I left my phone downstairs.” Michael looked down and saw Amber scowling at him for asking such a silly question. She thought about it however, and under the circumstances... Her scowl went away as she nudged his leg.

“Yea, I’ll be fine Dad, thanks,” she warmly replied. He knew the scowl meant nothing, he would have done the same thing at her age. He quietly excused himself as Amber began yanking the blankets and sheets off her bed with her teeth.

He meandered his way through the mostly cleaned up living room as he made his way to the kitchen where he left his slate. Despite all the distance and all the years, his dad was still right on the home screen under the tab, ‘Important Contacts.’

“H-Hello? Hey Dad, yea, weelll, we had a little uh hmm, incident here. No we’re ok... No Dad I’m serious we’re both fine!” Michael huffed, barely able to get a word in edgewise as John Spechart barked him down on the other side of the call. “Listen Dad, Amber is pretty shaken up, and I could use a hand getting some of this stuff fixed. I know its a haul and all, but we would both like it if you came up... OK Dad, thanks. See you soon.” Michael put the slate back down as it automatically disconnected. The drive would take John a couple hours, but this was a safe time to be traveling. Interstate 75 had been aggressively overhauled to ensure the safety of truckers going to and from American Motors was secured from marauders and other treasure hunters. Not to mention the fact that his AMC Taurus was tracked via ‘MapStar’ which let Michael know when his dad was getting close.

The familiar sound of small hooves clopping against the base of the stairs announced Amber’s arrival back in the living room. Michael was sitting on one of the stools at the counter, browsing specs for something that had just arrived on his tablet. He heeded her no attention as he continued to to make his way through the digital plethora of information that had just been sent to him by one of his closest friends from the lab. He barely cracked a smirk as a another stool began to move seemingly on its own. This could only mean one thing.

“DAAAAD! What are you doing? We have work to do upstairs still!” Amber nearly yelled right in his ear, using her freaky pony like speed to almost magically appear on the stool. Her intensely accurate short range maneuvering is one of the many things that made her such a special pony. She scooted slightly closer to Michael, her wings adjusting for balance, as she nearly spilled over into his area as she tried to get a peek at the tablet.

“Hey, hey, hey, what are you looking at Dad? Can I see pleeeeeease?” she asked with a face to match. He just grunted as he playfully tried to push her away.

“Gah, go away Amber, can’t you see this is super serious work stuff?” he fake whined. She nearly whinnied in response before catching herself and looking around nonchalantly. She could see a glimpse of what appeared to be an arm. They were definitely schematics and she wanted in on it. She gradually observed her target, Michael continued to casually browse through the images while periodically taking a sip from his mug. She quickly formulated a plan of attack. Operation Skycrane was a go. Without a sound, she gracefully took off from the seat and began to perform acute maneuvers to put herself just above him. She had eyes on the target. He continued to browse the tablet without any suspicion. The time to strike had arrived!

“FREEEEEEEEEEDDOOOOOOM!” she screamed as she swooped down from upon high and yanked the tablet from him. Before he could react she was already bolting off. “Ha! You’re too slow oldm-” she was unable to finish her statement as she crashed right into the refrigerator. Her brazen attack and subsequent showboating had cost her dearly. Michael simply stood up, and reclaimed the tablet without missing a beat. Amber sat there in an upside down mess, the world still spinning around in her vision.

“That’s what you get for acting demickys.” Michael said, dealing a deafening blow. He sat back down at the counter and continued where he had left off. “If you had just asked like a normal person, we could have saved all that trouble.”

“But that would not have been nearly as cool,” she groaned, having righted herself upright. She began to trot over to him again and propped herself back up on the stool. He looked down at her expectantly.

“Um, Dad, can I please see the tablet?” she mumbled in a defeated tone. He may have won this battle, but the war of the tablet was far from settled. When Michael handed the tablet to her, she quickly clamped it in her hooves and began to navigate the photos using the stylus that had been sitting on the counter. Her eyes widened as she saw exactly what had kept him so occupied for the past fifteen minutes. She began to browse through the plethora of specifications at a dizzying pace. There was so much to take in, and the design was like nothing she had ever seen before.

“Dad, I can’t believe this!” she gasped in awe. “This is incredible! All this information… Everything here is so crazy! This makes what we’re doing in the basement look like crap!” Her ears pulled back as she realized what she just said. She slowly glanced back up to see him smiling at her.

“No offense taken, but what we’re doing in the basement is just a piece to the puzzle. What you see here is the real project. And it’s one I’d really like you to see.” Amber’s eyes were glistening with joy as she realized what he was implying.

“Wait, wait, wait, you mean, I get to go to American Motors!?” she squeaked excitedly. He just smirked and nodded. Amber burst into the air and started buzzing around the kitchen.

“Oh this is so awesome! I always wanted to see where you work!” She continued to fly about, until she thought of something and came to a resounding halt and landed. “But, Dad, didn’t you say the government shut down your project? Isn’t that why you are working out of the basement?” Her ears drooped back again and she had a very somber expression. Michael stood up from his stool and ruffled her mane.

“Just remember one thing Amber. American Motors Protects. I guess you’re right about getting back upstairs. Grandpa should be here in an hour or so, we don’t want him to be too distraught.” As he walked away, Amber just sat there with a quizzical look on her face. She quickly jumped up and trotted behind him.

“Wait seriously Dad, what does that even mean?” She was lost in his cryptic answers as he rounded the corner and went back upstairs.

“You’ll just have to wait and see!” he quipped. She launched herself over him and blocked his path at the top of the stairs. She stomped several times as her hoof made a resounding thunk against the ancient wood floor.

“Ugh c’mon, Dad! Don’t leave me hangin’!” she protested. He just kept walking as he scooted around her hasty blockade.

“That would spoil the surprise, and ruin my fun now wouldn’t it?” Michael’s expert trolling skills reared their ugly head yet again. She scurried behind him as they resumed their work in her room. Grandpa John wouldn’t be far now.

The distinct sound emitted from hybrid cell engine was enough to tip off Michael and Amber that a visitor had arrived. Her ears perked up distinctively, monitoring the sound as it approached from the seldom travelled road. The whir of the engine came to a halt as the familiar thunk of a door shutting could be heard. Before Michael could even say anything, Amber had bolted down the stairs in a combination of hustle and flight. It was quite comical to watch in any event. The banging of the door officially announced the arrival of Grandpa John Spechart. Michael hurried down the stairs just to see Amber clumsily fumbling with the door handle. A small digital screen on the door verified it was in fact Grandpa John.

“Hello? Anyone home? OOF!” he grunted as a yellow blur nearly knocked him off his feet.

“GRANDPA!” Amber enthusiastically yelled as she leaped up to give him a hug. He was momentarily stunned before quickly embracing the yellow pony. He ruffled her mane with his free hand.

“How ya doing kiddo? You sure you’re not still growing?” he gasped between struggling breaths from being squeezed by the pony. “Sure seems like you’re still getting stronger Amber!”

She finally relinquished her hug and started to casually float in front of him, a beaming smile on her tired face.

“How’s my favorite grandpony doing?” he asked with a somewhat joking manner. She frowned but quickly relinquished her scowl as she remembered it was only a joke. Michael was waiting patiently behind her. Finally walking up and hugging his dad, they weren’t ones to show familiar emotion but this time it called for it.

“Good to see you, Dad. I hope the trip was alright coming up?” he asked enthusiastically.

“Ah well, it could have been worse, those damn Michigan troopers had roadblocks every five miles it seems! I stopped at the last one to ask what the issue was, and he gave the vaguest of answers you could imagine.” John sighed. “Something about new terror threats, seems like the same shit-oop!” he stopped himself looking at Amber. She was none too amused.

With a slight accentuation of her posture she replied, “Grandpa, I AM seventeen you know. You don’t have to not curse in front of me!”

“Well all-fucking-right then!” John replied with a hearty laugh to accompany it. Michael nearly winced at the comical outburst, but soon they all joined in the laughter. As the laughter died down, John began to resume a stature of concern.

“Mike, so what happened that had you so spooked on the phone? You both look fine, maybe a little tired.” He glanced at the two of them who were still standing and hovering there. Michael looked towards the stairwell.

“Why don’t you see for yourself, Dad.” Michael led the three of them to the stairs. The first thing John noticed was the damage to the bannister. It had been split in several spots from what could only be extreme force. They continued to round the stairs as John glanced around, clearly in full investigation mode. That was when he noticed the three distinct impacts on the wall. He looked closer, and noticed a tiny amount of dark red splatter.

“What in the hell, bullets? Mike, just what the hell happened?” John’s voice had a hint of anger in it as they headed upstairs. Tell tale signs were all around that something had gone wrong here. It wasn’t until they happened upon the smashed in door of Amber’s room that the reality of how bad things had been sunk in. John was almost shaking with anger as he rushed into the room. The mess that presented itself was all he needed to see. The smashed window hastily covered with a tarp and duct tape was almost too much for him. He looked around trying to take it all in and comprehend the sight. His eyes returned to his granddaughter, who was simply staring at the tarped window.

“Mike, Amber, why didn’t you call me sooner goddamnit!?” He was nearly yelling as he searched for answers. Michael was desperate to find anything else to focus on, resorting to staring at the floor. Amber just continued to stare at the window again, a solitary tear making its presence known on her muzzle. Michael finally spoke up.

“I’m… I’m sorry, Dad. Everything happened so goddamn quick, you know?” he looked at John with pleading eyes, finding his father staring back at him with an intense gaze, lost somewhere between anger and sorrow. “Barely any time has passed and we just had to let it all soak in.” Michael sat down on the corner of the bed, Amber quickly joining him as she leaned into her dad. He rubbed her shoulder as she held back her tears. They had cried too much already. John knelt down next to Amber, lifting her face up by her chin, as she looked back at him.

“They didn’t hurt you at all, did they?” he asked in a deadly serious tone. Ice in his eyes as he waited with a bated breath for her response.

“No, no Grandpa… He… ugh, he tried, and then Dad was right there! He shot him dead! And he saved me!” She again sniffled, several tears escaping her efforts. John looked at his son, who sat there stoically, still comforting his daughter. Despite all the fear and anger he felt, he could not ignore the enormous sense of pride welling up in his chest. His son had gone to the ultimate length to do what had to be done. To preserve his family, to sustain by any means.

John was a stubborn old man, and a man of few emotions at that. Michael and himself had always had a strong relationship, despite hardships in the past, the events that they both endured had made them a stronger family. The death of his wife as the result of complications of a stroke had solidified the bond a father and son share. When his estranged daughter had severed ties with the family, Michael stood firmly by his side, a pillar of strength and a means to keep standing. It was only when the disaster struck Detroit, and when Michael lost his family, did John find the true measure of his character. He refocused on the room around him and noticed that Amber and Michael were still sitting on the bed He looked at his family admiring the son he raised, and the granddaughter he had been blessed with.

Michael finally stood up, and began to move towards the door. “I have to start gathering stuff for the coming project. Amber, Dad, why don’t you guys stay up here and work on the room while I get all this figured out?” Before they could object he had already exited the room. While it was true he had much to do in regards to getting the rest of the mess sorted it out, he had his ulterior motives. The relationship grandpa and granddaughter shared had not always been so extraordinary.

John’s tired limbs ached and protested with a very audible series of cracks as he tried to stretch the old age out of his system. Despite all of the medical advancements available, he still found himself suffering from the dilemmas that came with age. He walked over to the window and carefully began removing the tarp and tape that had been so hastily erected by Michael. Amber trotted over and began carefully tugging on the tape with her snout. John looked down but heeded her no attention as he continued to take down the tarp. The room however was still, quite a mess, and debris from the incident still covered most of the floor. John had made his way to the upper corner of the tarping, and noticed it was thoroughly taped. He began to tug on it, but it was not budging, with a little more force, he still saw little progress. Finally, he gave it one last, meaningful pull, and this time the tape and the paint behind it came flying off. He suddenly found himself losing the sensation of balance as his momentum began to send him tumbling backwards.

“Woah! Oh shit!” he yelled. As he was about to completely fall, something suddenly rushed up behind him to catch his fall. He could feel himself being forced back to his feet. The feeling of the air flowing around him caught his attention.

“Don’t worry, Grandpa, I got your back!” Amber grunted, as she pushed with all of her wing power to stabilize him. He gradually regained his balance and was back on his feet. He turned around to see Amber still hovering.

“That was some mighty quick reflexes there, Amber. You ought to be a stunt person with that kind agility!” he gasped out between breaths, still panting heavily from his near disaster. Amber landed and brushed a hoof through her mane.

“What can I say Grandpa, it’s the pegasus in me!” She smirked as he walked back over to the bed, sitting down to collect himself. Amber trotted over and effortlessly leaped back onto the bed, sitting next to him. He looked down at the yellow pony who dangled her hooves over the side of the bed. She was quite small compared to a human, despite already being seventeen. As he looked at her, he continued to see images of her as a little filly, of times when he was not so certain about her.

“I guess that’s twice now, you’ve saved me, Amber,” he said. With a slight tilt of her head, she looked up at him with a completely confused expression on her face. He smiled weakly as he realized she likely had no recollection of what he was getting at.

“What is that supposed to mean, Grandpa?” she asked. John looked around the room.

“Well, you know, when you were just a filly, I had to get you out of a few real tight spots,” he reminisced on days long past. Of a time when he was not as strong a person as he is now. She scooted over closer to him.

“Now you have to tell me!” she proclaimed. He looked down at her, flashbacks of the man he once was, and never hoped to be ever again came crashing back to his memory. Shifting the direction he was steering this conversation.

“You know Amber, there’s a lot your Dad hasn’t told you about when you first came home. When I was a different person.” He sighed. “I guess with everything that has happened, you have a right to know now. I doubt Mike would object to me telling you.” Amber looked back up at him, she was very intent on listening to what he had to say.

“Those years leading up to your arrival in our family were…” He paused to think of what to say next. “They were very tough times for your father and I. Things had been gradually falling apart for us as a family. Your Aunt Catherine, you know who she is right?” He looked on as she hesitantly nodded yes. He continued.

“Well anyways, she decided to just up and leave the family. Just like that, gone. Sure, we had our fights, but all families do, right?” He was mostly saying that to reassure himself. “We were struggling to come to terms with how things had fallen apart. Your Grandma had passed away shortly after Catherine left.” He shook his head at that last part.

“It really is a shame you never got to meet your grandma. She was a gentle soul, who cared deeply for everyone, and was not weighed down with the hate I had.” He sighed. Amber chimed back in.

“What do you mean, hate? What hate could you possibly hold, Grandpa?” To this question, John had to chuckle lightly.

“You have no idea, Amber. I was a very bitter man, and I had the kind of pent up frustration that could kill a man. I was stewing in my hatred, everything I had worked so hard for was being taken away, and it was all falling apart. Your father though...” He again paused. “Your Dad stood with me through it all. He refused to abandon me. Believe me, it was so tough on him too. We had such ferocious fights as things got worse. I… I said things that to this day I cannot forgive myself for.” John felt the contact of her hoof as she leaned in closer.

“It’s ok, Grandpa, it couldn’t have been that bad, right?” He again couldn’t look at her.

“Amber, what I’m about to tell you will come as quite the shock, but you must know.” He mentally prepared himself for what he was about to tell her. “When you arrived in this family, it nearly tore us completely apart.” John lowered his head as Amber audibly gasped at the revelation. He did not wait for her to respond further.

“When the ponies first started to show up, in uh, 2021 I think it was, no one knew what was going to happen. Here we were, almost completely confident in the fact that we would likely never experience contact with another race, suddenly forced into a situation we had never imagined. Everything we thought we knew about the universe was tossed on its face, and with such violence as well. The portal storms caused by the collider incident scared the piss out of us! Hell, I thought for sure we were all going to be sucked into them and killed, or whatever happens. Suddenly, people and places started disappearing, and in who shows up? Ponies, ripped right from their own dimension. The idea that something so horrible could happen had rocked the world. The worst part? They could happen anytime, anywhere. That’s when things got really bad.” He could again focus on Amber, she was still very much interested in what he had to say.

“I was confused, and the ponies just kept coming, we didn’t know if they were going to try and take over or what! Then the problems started, we had another crisis on our hands. What were we to do with all these ponies, who needed shelter, food, and the really unthinkable, jobs. As it became increasingly apparent they couldn’t go home, they wanted to try an integrate. Well, that didn’t go over well in most places.” John shook his head at this statement.

“In other countries? They started outright killing the ponies! My God, the news was so messed up. Then the United States and Canada did something that completely knocked our socks off. They offered sanctuary to the ponies! What the hell were we supposed to do with all these new creatures? Could they integrate into society, could they vote? What about the skills. They could do so much, I mean, just look at you, you can fly! We can’t even perfect jet packs!” He looked at her wings as Amber flexed them instinctively, as if they knew they were being talked about. She blushed for a moment.

“So the ponies started to move in, we set up camps for them, but they had so many special talents. Some had ‘magic’ or whatever it is. They could manipulate things and do certain tasks better than a robot, and certainly better than a human. American jobs were threatened, and this was right as the Big Three, that is, Ford, Chrysler, and GM, were buckling from internal struggle. People were scared….” He again sighed, “and so was I. We didn’t want the ponies either, but the President made it clear, they were here to stay, and the government would protect them.”

Amber looked back up at him. “So, I don’t get it. What does that have to do with me?”

“Ah, I’m just getting to that.” he quipped back. “The portal storms died down, the anger leveled out into a steady simmer. The animosity was still very present, but people were willing to accept it for the time being. But then, out of the blue, the portal storms started back up. More ponies started to show up again, and it looked like the problems were going to restart all over again.” John rubbed his forehead as the story continued to build.

“Your Dad, had a beautiful family about to bloom, they were expecting their first child, and they both worked steady jobs.” He paused as he saw Amber’s ears pull back and down as she was never comfortable with this subject. He looked down at her. “If you want me to stop Amber, I will.” She shook her head and waved a hoof.

“No Grandpa, this is important. I need to hear this.” She dismissed his concerns. He nodded.

“Then those… That, damn portal storm hit Detroit!” he blurted out, before composing himself. His fist visibly shaking as he continued. “It was that phone call that night, he could barely speak, and he finally told me, they were gone. Jenn and the baby, just like that, gone forever.” he could barely continue, but he again composed himself to carry on the story.

“But he tells me, he has more news. He rescued someone, and he was likely to be the sole caretaker. I was already rushing up, but now I had no idea what to expect, he wouldn’t tell me. I finally got here, and there he was in the living room, something resting in his arms… And it was, it was you.” He glanced down at her as she stared at the floor, before sensing his gaze and looked up at him.

“I couldn’t believe he had saved a pony, and I couldn’t take it. After everything that had happened, here was your Dad, proudly stating he would not abandon this little pony. I could not contain my rage as I told him what a terrible idea it was.” His voice trembled now. “It was the worst fight we had ever had, and he kicked me out, and I gladly left. Only to realize a few minutes later what I had just done. And how stupid… I was.” A tear rolled down his tired face. Amber was again sniffling as she began to quietly weep as the tragedy of his story unfolded.

“My son, the person I had raised into a man of great courage and strength, was about to be abandoned by his own father! I had abandoned him in his most dire hour, storming out and leaving him alone. He had been robbed of the love of his life, and now had a young life he had sworn to protect... I am a monster.” He shook with rage, at himself. Amber’s wing instinctively wrapped around him as best it could, as she tried to comfort her grandfather.

“I drove back, and found him sitting in the same place we had just fought only ten minutes earlier. He didn’t even move, he just sat there. I sat down in the chair next to him. We sat there for a long time, nothing was said. We couldn’t even look at each other. It wasn’t until I was startled from my stupor from the cries of a child that brought me back. Your Dad, had fallen asleep, still cradling you. And you were crying like it was nobodies’ business.” The slightest smile crept back to his face as Amber sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck.

“Without even thinking, I went to go take the crying child from him so he could rest. I had completely forgotten everything that had happened for a moment. So I took you in my arms, and then I looked down at your big eyes, and remembered everything that had happened. I remembered how much I can’t stand ponies. But there you were, a child looking for comfort, looking for the embrace of family. And it dawned on me, you are not just a pony! You are a person, and it was then and there, I realized what a fool I had been. You were a little angel, a savior meant to save more than just your Dad. I held you close to me as you gradually drifted back to sleep. I too drifted off.” John was smiling now.

“Your Dad finally woke, only to see you and me sleeping peacefully in the chair. Things were going to be different from then on out.” He let out a very heavy breath. “And I guess the rest, is history.”

Amber finally spoke up, she had been lost in thought, trying to absorb everything she had just been told. She quietly realized what it all meant now to him. “That was beautiful, Grandpa.” She hugged him tightly as he embraced her back.

“I love you too, kiddo.” He gazed back around the room. “I guess we spent enough time reminiscing, time to get back to work.” They both hopped off the bed as the sound of footsteps approaching from the hallway announced Michael had returned.

“So did you guys get a lot… done?” He looked around, they had barely done anything except take more paint off the wall. He sighed to himself as Amber and Grandpa John both smiled.

“C’mon, I promised you a trip into the city. Amber, I think it’s time you see American Motors.” They all left the room and headed for the garage, today just kept getting more and more interesting.

In the City’s Embrace, Part Two

Chain REACTion Chapter Four: In the City’s Embrace, Part Two

“You know what I always told your father growing up right?” John called to Amber, who was trotting down the stairs right in front of him. She rolled her eyes at what he was about to say.

“Yes Grandpa…” she groaned, shaking her head. Quickly switching gears, she responded in kind with a mocking tone, “Discipline is the bridge between dreams and success. Blah, blah, blah.” she giggled as she finished reciting the infamous phrase. John grunted his disapproval at the way she responded.

The conversation raged on behind Michael as he shook his head, knowing his dad’s ‘famous’ phrase all too well. He had it drilled into him religiously from a young age. He swore if it wasn’t on his dad’s grave, it would be ingrained in his head at the very least.

“Don’t you forget that Amber! You may think it’s a joke now, but it means everything to the Spechart clan. Isn’t that right, Mike?” John shouted to Michael, who pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Of course, Dad...” Michael decided against unloading his real thoughts on the overused and tired phrase, leaving it for another day.

The late morning sun illuminated the dust particles floating gracefully amongst the hallways, undisturbed in the moment. The solemn watch of the sun was interrupted as three figures quickly departed the home. Michael turned only to secure the reinforced front door. Thankfully, it was still intact in spite of everything.

The air outside was crisp and refreshing on this spring day. He subconsciously took in the now silenced street that surrounded them. What always unsettled him was the incredible stillness of the place they lived. Save for the ever present sounds of nature, there was a distinct lack of anything else a neighborhood should have.

The lots across the street had been mostly reclaimed by nature, as brush and vegetation had long since become the sole occupants of the decrepit homes. It would be quite a lovely neighborhood if not for these relics of days long past. Michael and Amber had to travel a ways to get anywhere, to see anyone special, to do anything remarkable. He had asked her several times if she wanted to go live in the Inner Sanctum as well, but she had stalwartly refused each time. There were points where even he was at the end of his rope, unwilling to carry on in the home that was crumbling away. Yet she always put a hoof on his shoulder and gently remind him of everything this place represents. She had next to nothing here as well, having to travel any number of distances to get to school or gymnastics. It seemed to not matter to her at all. She felt a passion for this home still. It remained a mystery as to why exactly she still felt so strongly about life in the outskirts. His resolution was only lifted during these times of doubt, if she could find the strength to continue on, so could he.

The garage door slowly opened with an unceremonious groan as the ancient motor whirred to life. The garage remained another safe haven in the home, with no windows, it was relatively difficult to assail from the outside. The equally antiquated incandescent bulbs, long since regulated into oblivion, snapped to life, still as brilliant as the day they were purchased. Their dull yellow hue mixed with the first rays of sun to grace the space inside. The sunlight gradually crept along the floor, finally touching the distinct shapes of vehicles. A brilliant blue, world rally blue to be exact, met the welcoming sun, and warmly returned its embrace. The shape continued to gain cohesion as the door opened further, revealing a sleek set of blackened headlights, and a gaping maw of a grille. ‘WRX’ emblazoned on the bottom left corner of it.

A sudden brief gust at his side caused Michael to glance down just in time to see Amber’s wings shoot open. He knew what it meant, and it brought a beaming smile to his face. Amber wasted no time as she scurried under the canopy and began her ritualistic walkaround of the car. She meticulously inspected every angle of the vehicle. Carefully trotting around it, brushing along side it with her wing. This was her car as much as it was his, and she let everyone present know it. She looked back at Michael as he slowly nodded along.

Michael just stood there continuing to watch her pre-launch inspection. This was one of his most treasured possessions, a nearly mint condition 2020 Subaru WRX. A reminder of a time when fossil fueled, combustion engines still reigned supreme. It was a masterpiece of engineering, and arguably one of the best, and final examples of a true sports car. The hypercars of the modern era may have all the technological advancements in the world, but they lacked the soul of the machine that stood before them. It’s low sitting, direct-injection, turbo 2.0 liter, “FA” boxer four cylinder was a ferocious power plant for its time. The distinct sound it emitted was unmistakable then, and much more so in 2039.

“I can’t believe you still have this… Subaru.” John scoffed, as Michael and Amber showed their disappointment in the way he mocked the vehicle’s namesake with frowns. “Especially since you work for American Motors. How they let you keep it is beyond me! Besides, I always told you, Subarus are for pussies anyways!” He looked down to see Amber shaking her head and rubbing her forehead with a hoof.

“You seem to forget, Dad, this car was built in Indiana, and American Motors still has a direct partnership with Fuji Heavy Industries,” Michael quipped back, this was a rehearsed response as he needed it every single time John saw the car. “Now shuddup and get in the car. Amber, your seat is in the Raptor if you want to get it.” He clicked the remote twice, and the car roared to life, the distinct sound of the turbo timer kicking in was quickly drowned by the incredible drone coming out of the muffler deleted exhaust.

Amber fluttered with joy from the sound reverberating behind her as she pulled her bulky, custom Recaro car seat out of their other vehicle, a relatively young, company provided AMI Raptor pickup truck. Unlike the trophy Subaru, the Raptor was unkempt and showed the scars of daily use. The rigors of handling the ill-maintained roads of outer Detroit meant the vehicle’s complicated magnetic-hybrid suspension system was always being put to the test. If it wasn’t for the fact that tire technology had long ago abandoned compressed air in favor of cell like tube framing, he’d be eating through tires on a regular basis. For this day at least, the Raptor could rest as its older counterpart got to go for a jaunt.

Amber’s car seat was a unique piece of engineering, and one of the first of its kind. It had become very clear to car engineers that ponies were ill-prepared to sit in a vehicle made for much larger bipeds. While ponies had shown they could sit like a human, they remained in a relatively uncomfortable state with nowhere to put their tail. It was only after a few intense design sessions with Recaro; who were known for not only their racing seats, but also their child seats, that a design was created with the pony in mind. The seat was simple in concept, but made a dramatic difference. It was created with an adhering memory foam layer, and was designed to allow a pony to sit like a person. It most importantly however, had a perfect slot in the back for their tail to slip through. It was very similar in design and use to a child seat, but far less embarrassing to use. Not to mention, Amber’s seat was a special one off with a custom stitch work and distinct checkered pattern weaved in.

Amber latched the seat into the middle of the back row, as to get a good view. Michael effortlessly slipped into the driver’s seat, as John struggled to lower himself in, grumbling the entire time. The car, with the slightest of shaking, eased into gear and lurched out of the safety of its cozy nest of a garage. Michael had always wanted to lower the vehicle, but knowing the conditions of the roads they were setting out onto, perhaps it was best to leave it where it was.

The Subaru rumbled out of their lonesome neighborhood, and onto equally gloomy primary streets. The car’s stiff suspension bucked and shuddered on the shattered roads under it. Some of them comprised of now severely damaged solar tiles, a tried and failed concept that demanded regular maintenance. A luxury in a cash-strapped reality. The area they live in had simply been redubbed, ‘Detroit District 14’ by the police force. There was no point in calling it by its given name; Dearborn. The whole region had been rezoned into special districts for means of governance, but mainly for security. District 14 was considered the farthest outlier in the shield zone. Everything about the state of this town served to depress them in some way. The constant abuse of the uneven and long worn roads on the suspension of the car just added to the misery.

The luminous blue hue of the car stood in stark contrast to the drab, dull, and faded paint of just about everything here. This was once a proud example of Main Street, USA. It had seen boom and bust time and time again. Yet now, the bust times were the only times it could recall. The storefronts lay abandoned, many of them suffering from numerous break-ins, even after it was apparent there was nothing left to steal. Eventually, like the locusts they were, the marauders moved on, looking for fresh targets. They had picked every last morsel of meat off the bones that were once Dearborn. The remnants of squatter camps lay about all around them. AMI law enforcement did not tolerate their presence, yet had no means to clear their remnants. The people and ponies who eked out a desperate survival attempted to stay close to the lights of the city just out of their reach. Forced beyond the safety of the shield, forced into the dark, little is known as to what happened to them all. It never did sit well on his conscience. The only thing allowing him to not dwell on it was the fact he knew, one day I could save them all.

Michael glanced up just in time to see a SmartCop UCAV lazily fly overhead in the distance. He would have been comforted by any kind of police presence, but it was so predictable in its patrol habits that any amateur thief could likely avoid it. He thought to himself, so much for the most advanced patrol units in the world. It paid them no attention as it vanished into the haze. They navigated through a maze of obstacles, everything from burned out vehicle husks, to makeshift barricades. Who had erected the barricades, they could not be sure, but the fact that they existed never did sit well with him.

“Make a note Amber, we need to put a bigger push bar on the Raptor,” he muttered. He glanced at her from the mirror as she just shrugged in response.

A dilapidated digital sign, barely functioning, pointed the way to the interstate. US 94 was another one of the heavily policed corridors connecting to the Inner Sanctum, and unlike the ill-maintained secondary and primary local roads, the interstate was pristine. American Motors had bankrolled revitalization projects for all of the interstates leading into the city. It was all part of a plan, and that plan was just a piece to what the CEO called ‘The Grand Facade’. They knew what it was really like outside the safe haven they holed themselves up in, but it was easier for the public to accept a good safe transit route than bare to see the relics around it.

The engine roared with a near melodious freedom as the car leapt onto the freeway, breaking the chains that bound it so tightly on the miserable roads behind it. They hadn’t fear for a speeding ticket, with the position Michael held in the company, they could hustle as fast as they saw fit. The Subaru gracefully ducked and dove between the smattering of big rigs cruising to the city. It would not be long at the pace they were travelling before they could leave the highway and get back onto primary streets.

“Mike! Slow down goddamnit! You’re gonna hit one of those damn trucks and kill us all!” John yelled through gritted teeth. He held onto the seat for dear life as the car pushed speeds well in excess of ninety miles per hour.

“Nah Dad, speed up! This is awesome and we haven’t hooned like this in ages!” Amber yelled with joy from the back. She smiled widely as she mimicked the motions of the steering wheel as best she could. Despite the incredible freedom she felt when she flew, she had to admit, she loved the concept of driving just as much.

“See Pops, this is therapy for Amber and I. Besides, we’re making ol’ Edsel Ford proud, right, Amber?” Michael chimed in, never once taking his eyes off the road.

“Hell yea, Dad!” It was all Amber needed to say as John’s desperate plea was shot down by majority rule. He grunted once more in protest, but would make no more attempts to ask them to slow down.

“I still don’t understand why you don’t just let a vehicle with autopilot take you around?” John finally spoke again. “I swear by the autopilot in my Taurus, and besides, didn’t you have a part in it?”

“I may indeed have had a part in it, but where would the fun be in driving it I let the car do it for me? As a matter of fact, I outright removed the system from the Raptor, and the ‘W’ here? Forget about it!” He patted the dashboard as if to let the car know how he felt. “Most people can’t drive for shit anymore as it is without the autopilot running the show. I know how important the technology is, it’s why I still believe in the concept, but I personally would never use it.”

John simply raised an eyebrow at this revelation from his son. He however let the conversation drift out the window as they sped on. The signs for Michigan 10 quickly approached as the car banked right to get onto the on ramp. The three of them nearly sliding out of their well bolstered seats as the car violently changed roads. They were now in the homestretch as the Inner Sanctum gradually came into view. Traffic began to mount as the largest police roadblock in the region rapidly approached. To an untrained eye, it looked like a toll booth of sorts. To the many people who had to traverse it on a regular basis, it was something else entirely. The illuminated lane markers began to flash red as if to denote impending problems for an unsuspecting motorist. John let out a long, impressed whistle as they slowed down.

The law enforcement presence was staggering. Michael was mostly used to it, but Amber and John seldom came into the Inner Sanctum proper. With Amber’s school and all of their living needs generally still in Midtown, only Michael had to go beyond this point. John gazed around at the imposing sight. Several blatantly and extremely well armed heavy patrol vehicles were prominently displayed on both sides of the booths. Their gun turrets slowly scanned the terrain; always watching, always waiting, it was an unsettling sight. Even Michael had to note the unusually large presence of law enforcement at the checkpoint, much more than usual. There were no fewer than a dozen armored patrol buggies parked in various locations around the checkpoint as well. They looked up to see several SmartCop UCAV’s loitering overhead, relaying information on approaching traffic in real time. A titanic police special patrol blimp could be seen even further overhead just barely out of the cloud cover, as several UCAV’s darted in and out of its underside hangar. There was something to be said for the show of force being presented here. Whatever it was they were trying to deter, they were doing a good job.

The Subaru rumbled up to the checkpoint, its distinct boxer engine turning more than one head as several officers walked over. Their faces were completely obscured by the heavy body armor they wore.

“Mike, why are so many cops approaching us?” John spoke with a hushed, concerned tone. Michael smiled knowingly as he rolled down the window. With a specific card in hand, the supervisor of the group began to approach. The other officers surrounded the car and were trying to figure out why it was so loud.

“Sir, is this a petroleum-based combustion engine?” asked the closest of the faceless officers.

“Yes it is, and please look at the card.” Michael tapped the card in the officer’s hand. The officer glanced down at the card and noticed the distinct high profile employee insignia. He nearly jumped out of his armor as he quickly returned the card. Michael could almost see the panic on his face behind the plate.

“I uh, um… We’re sorry for the inconvenience, Mr. Spechart, we were just curious about the vehicle!” The supervising officer stammered. Michael just waved off his worries as Amber snickered from the back.

“It’s perfectly fine, officer, not everyday you get to see an authentic boxer engine still out and about.” Michael rolled the window back up and the car began to rumble away leaving the cops in a confused mess behind them. John watched them in the rearview mirror until they were out of sight.

“Do they normally give you that much of a hard time?” John asked, a hint of concern still in his voice. Michael slightly shrugged as he thought about it.

“Come to think about it, no, that has never happened before. I mean, normally I’m in the Raptor, but they’ve seen the W before. There were also easily double the amount of cops there as usual. It is very suspicious, I didn’t get any kind of alert on a new threat. There is something going down for them to bring out the heavy units like that.” He scratched the stubble of hair on his chin “I guess we’ll just have to find out when we get to AMI. Just maybe it has something to do with the latest break-in attempt?” His open ended question remained unanswered by the others in the car as they hurried on their way.

The quality of structures had improved dramatically as the trio entered the heart of Detroit, the Inner Sanctum. This is where almost the entirety of the population lived now. Massive high rise apartment buildings soared around them, helping to redefine the skyline. Green spaces dotted the landscape as well, mixed in with the latest in local area power production. Spiral design windmills meshed flawlessly with the modern glass construction of much of the buildings. This was the ideal city, meticulously designed by the master architects employed by American Motors.

Amber’s eyes were aglow as she took in the magnificent structures that walled in the highway they were on. Some of them sitting seemingly right on top of the highway as they darted in and out of tunnels. Amber’s architecture buff side began to show itself as she gained a renewed appreciation for the Inner Sanctum. The buildings only increased in size and prominence as they continued into the heart of downtown and the Detroit Riverwalk.

“Dad, remind me again why I don’t come into the city with you more often?” she murmured as she continued to process everything she saw.

“Because you sleep until noon every time I ask if you want to go downtown with me,” he chuckled. Amber’s ears folded back as she sheepishly chuckled along, pretending not to be embarrassed. John shook his head at the revelation.

“Damn kids these days,” he muttered. Michael decided to defend his daughter now.

“Hey Dad, might I remind you I slept even later when I was her age,” he quipped.

“And you will always be a lazy bum deep down inside you schmuck,” John retorted. The car burst into a fit of laughter as it clear this was a fight no one would win. The chatter rapidly died down as Amber and John again found themselves distracted by the ever changing urban landscape dominating their views. The ever quickening increase in large structures and grandiose architecture could clearly be seen as deliberate as if to build up anticipation of what lies at the end of their journey. The car was now completely silent, save for the ever present rumble of the antique powerplant. The end of their journey was now only moments away.

To anyone who considers themselves knowledgeable on Detroit’s colorful skyline, they could easily identify the location where the American Motor Corporation chose to call home. The towering superstructure, one of the tallest in North America, had been built upon the existing infrastructure that once belonged to General Motors. Formerly known as the Renaissance Center, the multi-building complex was completely swallowed by the ever pressing needs of AMI. Within years of its takeover, the complex kicked out most of its other tenants to expand R&D space. By 2039, the sprawling 115 story skyscraper dominated the landscape and modern skyline of the Inner Sanctum. Never dark, and always shining, the great beacon upon its grand spire served as a landmark for miles and miles around. People all over the region quickly chose to use the beacon as the new landmark above all others. This was the prominence of the Inner Sanctum and served as a source of both great pride by those who conceived it; and great disdain by those damned to live beyond the shield. They were the ones who were always reminded of the successes they would never see, of the life they so desperately pined for. Their disdain for the symbol of prominence was ever present, and always simmering.

“Welcome back to the office, Mr. Spechart,” chimed the digital assistant inside the car.

“Woah..” Both Amber and John said nearly at the same time.

“I was not expecting that, Dad! How did it-”

“Do that?” Michael cut her off mid sentence before continuing. “Simple my dear. While the car may be older, the brains behind the screen are really quite modern. A one off prototype designed to let older vehicles interface with the much newer omnipresent AI that exists in the Inner Sanctum. It knew when we passed the last checkpoints, but it won’t chime in until we’ve gotten… here,” he finished just as the WRX began to rumble into the massive covered atrium of the complex. Workers and visitors alike all paused to watch in awe and confusion as the car rumbled past them and towards a brightly illuminated sign reading ‘EMPLOYEES’ and proceeded through.

The feeling of descending fell over the occupants of the vehicle as the car travelled down a long and gradually sloping tunnel. Deeper and deeper into the complex. It seemed to take far longer than in reality for them to approach a final unmanned gate house. The massive scanner flashed to life as it quickly scanned the vehicle. The screen in the dashboard seemed to acknowledge this scan as its screen suddenly changed. The mechanically precise voice of the artificial intelligence once again made its presence known.

“Mr. Spechart, you have brought your petroleum based internal combustion engine Subaru WRX. VIN number 4S63BBC60E3014A501. I see you also have your family with you today. Would you like to proceed to the special visitor lot, or would you prefer to head to your laboratory's lot?” the AI asked without a moments hesitation.

“We will be proceeding to my lab, Gaius,” Michael calmly replied to the all seeing AI. The gate opened as the vehicle slowly proceeded forward before stopping on a strange looking platform.

“Understood, Mr. Spechart. Enjoy your stay. Oh and welcome to AMI for those of you who have never been!” quipped Gaius as the in dash screen returned to its default home page. The Subaru began to shake as the platform began to hum and turn.

“Mike! What the hell is going on!?” John yelled as he pushed himself back in the seat, bracing for whatever was about to happen. The car was suddenly spun around before entering an unforeseen elevator shaft. Amber began to get jumpy in her seat while Michael simply remained completely unphased.

“Daaad whatever you’re doing it’s not funny!” Amber screamed as she fumbled with the latch for her seat. Michael only smirked and rolled his eyes.

“Will you two please relax? You’re gonna set off the panic alert system in the building if you keep flailing about.” He nearly smacked his head against the steering wheel as the two other occupants of the vehicle continued to flail about unsure of what was happening. The car continued to drop deeper into the earth as pleasant elevator music played from seemingly all around them.

“As if this couldn’t get any creepier, no sir,” Amber muttered from the back, her hooves crossed and a scowl across her face. She refused to make eye contact with Michael through the mirror as this would only make his enjoyable victory all the more momentous. She would not give him that satisfaction. “That was really mean of you Dad,” she huffed, continuing to watch the lights streak by as the car continued to descend. John only nodded before punching Michael in his shoulder.

“Hey what is with you guys and punching my shoulder!” Michael shouted. Finally getting a smile out of Amber and John. “Besides, the ride is almost over. Haven’t you guys ever been on a top secret vehicle elevator leading to parts unknown before?” His question only elicited a groan from the others. The lift finally slowed to a halt as a massive crash door opened up in front of them. Out of the darkness came the pristine white of all LED lighting from the ceiling above. The car rumbled forward under its own power again before parking in a small contained lot that overlooked a line of windows and a single door.

“Aaaand we’re here!” Michael said happily, shutting off the car. The three finally were able to emerge from their containment and proceeded to quickly stretch. Amber and John could only look around and stare in awe at the sight before them. Michael began to make his way towards the mirrored glass door.

“Welcome to Level 22B of the AMI Applied Sciences Division,” Gaius suddenly said over the speaker system. Amber’s ears perked up and moved to try and identify the seemingly omnipresent voice. John simply grumbled to himself under his breath pretending not to be increasingly interested in the sights around him. They continued their slow, heavily distracted walk to the door, still soaking in the incredibly spacious, yet deeply subterranean parking lot.

“Dad, is that uh, Gaius, or whatever you call it… You know, always around?” Amber asked in a reserved tone, clearly trying to hide her question. Before Michael could answer however, the AI decided to provide an answer for her.

“Yes, I am the Artificial Intelligence and custodian of this installation. I also have copies of myself operating in eight other AMI facilities. This however, is my home. Would you like to know something else about me, young filly?” Gaius replied in a cybernetic, yet helpful tone. Amber simply shivered. She as stealthily as she could muster glanced back at Michael who was quickly passing her. She leaned in as he caught up to her.

“Daaad, is he uh,Gaius, really going to be watching us. Like, everywhere?” she attempted to mumble-whisper, all the while glancing at the glowing red orb on the ceiling that seemed to be piercing her soul with its inhuman glare. She had clearly been unnerved by Gaius’ response to her first question, she wasn’t taking any chances this time around. Michael continued to the door and began a complicated scan in process to gain them access.

“If I answered that Amber, I’d have to kill you,” Michael replied, as Amber loudly groaned behind him. The door beeped several times with a positive tone and a green light activated overhead.

“User Michael Spechart identified, access granted,” a second voice spoke from the door as it gradually began to lurch open, emitting a strong hiss as a small cloud of condensation from within wafted into the air around them. The ever familiar scent of sterilized air greeted them as they began entry. Stepping through that doorway was a special moment for them all. Beyond the door lay the many secrets of a company trying very hard to hide something extremely important. For all the hours and time spent in a lonely basement workshop would be for naught was it not for the existence of this very special place. The burden of working deep below the city was not lost on the few employees still left to maintain progress. With every moment they toiled in secrecy, they knew a city, and maybe even the world, depended on the outcomes of the projects here.

Michael knew that all too well, a familiar feeling of confidence and uncertainty fluttered in his gut. All those who worked with him knew he was a man of destiny here. As he entered the final corridor leading to the very heart of the facility, he walked with confidence now. Behind a roughened, aging facade, was a man who still believed in the fight. His eyes were emblazoned with determination. For everything that had happened in his life, all of the loss, the anger, the tragedy. He glanced behind his shoulder, looking back to see Amber Sage trotting along, joking with her grandfather. He smiled to himself, and looked back at the path ahead.

He did it for her.