1 January 3266 AE
Sandford woke up from his party-induced sleep sometime after noon, at the insistence of either his bladder or his pounding head, he could not fully decide which. Carefully slipping out of bed, to not awaken his wife, Ashen Light, he went to deal with his two pressing problems, taking care to tread on the rug instead of the floor. Ten minutes later, after emptying what was full and a warm water shower, the water heater needing attention again, the tan and yellow earth pony made his way to the kitchen, where he partook of the hangover cure he had compounded the day before. How he managed to contain the bellow of pain, he was never quite sure, but not awakening his wife was a big motivation, seeing as he was sure she had a hangover as big as his, and with her being a unicorn, her having a headache was definitely Not A Good Thing, but she did insist on partying the night before. New Year’s Eve, after all.
Sandford prepared a nice hearty breakfast, including coffee. Putting a platter on a tray, with the other batch of hangover cure, he went in to face trouble, or wake up his wife, depending on your opinion.
“Ashy, it’s past noon. Time to wake up,” Sandford said gently.
The pillow on Sandford’s side of the bed was enveloped in an ashen gray glow before lifting and pressing itself to her head, followed by a groan. “Not now, Sandy.”
“Ashy, you have to get up. I have toast, oatmeal and coffee, along with it. You’ll feel better when you do,” Sandford encouraged in low tones.
“Ten more minutes, Sandy,” came out from under the pillow. It was more of an incoherent mumble, but Sandford knew his wife well. Almost thirty years of marriage and five foals is one hell of an education. Sandford knew what to do next.
Backing up a couple of paces, he snapped in a loud voice, “Wake up, Madam Mayor! You have an appointment in two hours!”
The pillow atop her face rocketed to the ceiling, propelled by an ashen glow. It bounced off, narrowly missing the ceiling fan, which was still because it was quite cool outside and landed on the floor on Sandford’s side of the bed. Her head snapped up, eyes open, the green orbs staring venomously at her husband. “Not fair, Sandford!” she hissed before raising a hoof to her head and groaning.
“Just following your orders from yesterday, Ashy. Go on, eat and get cleaned up. I’ll be in the kitchen when you’re ready.”
The hangover remedy bottle rose from the tray, uncapping itself, and going to Ashen’s lips, to be quickly chugged down, followed very rapidly by the hot black coffee. She groaned some as the remedy worked its magic, Sandford making a quick retreat to the kitchen.
While he waited for his wife to get ready and for his own breakfast to finish cooking, Sandford went to the patio, leaving the kitchen door open. It was a pleasantly cool day in New Phoenix, Arizona, Sonoran Territories. From his vantage point high up on the eastern shoulder of South Mountain, he first looked north, to the shape of Camelback Mountain in the distance. Before that were the farm fields of Arcadia and the silvery ribbon of the Salt River cutting across the valley. He could not make out any of the canals, but he knew they were there. North and east of him, Tempe Town Lake glittered in the sunshine, a train chugging its way north across the old bridge. Orchards of citrus covered the slopes of South Mountain in a carpet of green leaves.
Looking more south and east, Sandford could see the buildings of the New Phoenix City Center, along with the primary hospital and the main reason anypony would want to stay in this area in the summer, the Returnee Center. Before the Event of May 23rd, 2015, Phoenix was a big, sprawling metropolis, home of many industries and more people. The Event changed all that.
For hundreds of years, nopony lived in this area, because of the brutal summer heat, saner ponies making their way either north to cooler climes, like the mountains of Prescott and Payson, or south to the territorial capitol, Tucson. Several hundred years back, at the start of the technological renaissance, some ponies decided it would be a good idea to put a presence back into the Phoenix area, so Returnees would not perish for lack of basic needs. Now, New Phoenix had arisen from its ashes, in a small way. Sure, summers were brutal, but the winters were pleasant.
Reactivating the canals was a chore, but it was accomplished about three centuries back. Now, water from the rivers were sent into the canals, to enable farms to be established. That was Sandford’s main job. As Director of Water Resources, he was the overseer of all hydro projects in the area. His wife, Ashen Light, was in her second term as Mayor. Two of their children worked for the municipality, one for the University, and one for SWACT, the Sonoran Weather Arizona Control Team. How their one daughter was born a Pegasus, they could not quite figure out. Two earth ponies, two unicorns, and one Pegasus. The fifth played professional hoofball and was doing quite well for himself as a member of the New Phoenix Sidewinders.
Ashen Light came out to the patio, carrying a tray with Sandford’s breakfast on it. “Out surveying the domain, Sandy?” she asked, looking a lot better than when she first woke up.
“It’s what I like to do, when I have a chance. I look out over the city and count my blessings that I was born at such a time, in such a place, and marry a lovely specimen of pony flesh like you, love,” Sandford said as he picked up his coffee mug in one hoof and a muffin in the other.
“Well, we’re here, we have power, and we damn better use it right.” Ashen Light said as she sat down next to Sandford.
“Well, you are a good example, Madam Mayor. Have fun last night, dipping the chip into a big bowl of picante?” Sandford asked with a smile, referring to the city’s New Year’s tradition of dropping a big tortilla chip into a big fake bowl of picante sauce.
“Now you know why I campaigned for Mayor. It’s a perk of the job.”
“As are the hangovers?” Sandford quipped around a mouthful of muffin.
Ashen Light laughed a little. “That’s because we like to party with the ponies, Sandy. You had fun last night, too. Don’t you dare deny it!”
“I’m just glad I can make Stride-Rite,” Sandford said, referring to the hangover remedy.
“So am I, love,” Ashen Light said quietly, sitting down beside her husband and friend. The two leaned against each other, looking out over the landscape.
“You going to be ready to watch Volcanis play tonight?” Sandford asked his wife.
“You bet! They’re playing Tucson, and I want to see them smash the Toros into the sand!”
Dusty Wings sighed as she flew patrol. Sure, working on a holiday meant a bunch of extra bucks, but it also meant she could not party as hearty as she wanted to the night before. At least she did not have a hangover as she overflew the area north of Camelback Mountain and east of Lookout Mountain. There was not much weather to mitigate this day, unlike the week before, when almost an inch of snow hit the ground as far south as her current patrol zone, as well as atop both Camelback Mountain and South Mountain. It was interesting to see Firebird Base covered in snow.
No, today it was all patrol, looking for Returnees. While this area was currently uninhabited, save for a couple of families tending orchards in the old Paradise Valley area just to the north of Camelback Mountain, in past days, before the Event, this area was heavily populated. Right now, all Dusty Wings could see was mile after mile of desert landscape, broken by the scattered Returnee kiosks.
The kiosks were an answer to how to rescue Returnees scattered across the nearly two thousand square miles of the former Greater Phoenix Metropolitan area. Starting about three hundred years before, a network of these kiosks, which contain a two-way intercom, lights, in some places water and food, were strung out in approximately one-mile intervals throughout formerly inhabited areas. The only places not covered are currently-used croplands and in city areas. This way, it was feasible for Returnees to call for help, no one being hopefully not more than a mile away from a kiosk.
Dusty loved sweep-flying, because it gave her time to think. She intended to go to University starting in the fall, and she had yet to decide just what courses she would take. Acceptance she knew was not a problem, because she had already talked with the Dean of Admissions, a friend of her mother the Mayor. She knew she could keep her job while attending school, going on limited duty while classes were in session, working weekends and on vacation days from school. Sure, it would be hard, juggling classes and work, but not impossible.
“Anything worth having is worth striving for,” Dusty said quietly to herself as she flew along, enjoying the feel of the cool wind in her feathers. Sure, it got hot during the summer, but flying always kept her cool. “Would be nice to move out on my own, but I’ll tolerate living at home. For now. Costs too much to move out, even though Mom and Dad say they will help.” Dusty had a stubborn pride that was a mixed blessing.
“Firebird Dispatch to seven-seven-four,” her radio squawked in her ear.
“Seven-seven four copy, Dispatch,” Dusty Wings said.
“Seven-seven-four, Code Romeo, kiosk Shea Echo seven-two. Crawler dispatched, ETA thirty minutes.”
Dusty looked around, searching for kiosk Shea Echo seven-two. A blinking blue light caught her attention, bright enough to be seen in daylight. “Target located, Dispatch. How does the caller sound?”
“Confused but not in a panic, seven-seven-four. What is your ETA?” the dispatcher, Precision Statement, a rather attractive stallion in Dusty’s eyes told her. Too bad he is four times her age, married, with grandfoals.
Dusty considered her location with that of the blinking light. “ETA five to seven minutes, Dispatch. On my way!”
“Confirm, seven-seven-four. Be advised six-three-one is on her way there. She should be a few minutes behind you.” Precision Statement reported.
“Confirm, Dispatch. Seven-seven-four on my way,” Dusty Wings reported as she made her way to the blinking light. If the Returnee was in a panic, she would have hurried. The duty psychiatrist, Firebird number two-one-zero slash six-three-one, better known as Calming Words, an older pegasus who has been working with the Firebirds for a good fifty years plus, was on her way, so Dusty only needed to hold the fort for a few minutes.
Dusty circled the kiosk, its bright blue blinking light glaring more than a little in her eyes. She spotted a pony standing in the shade, apparently talking on the speaker to Returnee Central. “Dispatch, seven-seven-four on scene. Please let the Returnee know.”
“Will do, seven-seven-four.”
About a minute later, the pony looked up and around, its eyes locking on to Dusty as she circled. The pony went to wave, and promptly tipped over. Dusty approached and landed a safe ten feet or so from the pony. “Hello! Welcome to the future!” she said in cheerful tones.
The unicorn mare, a deep burgundy color with a black mane, a white tail and crimson horn and hooves, looked at Dusty with some sort of amusement as she got up off the sand. “The voice on the other end of the phone told me,” she said in even tones. Dusty noticed she was wearing some sort of white coat and shirt.
“So, you are already aware that you are over three thousand years ahead of when you last remember. That’s good. I don’t see any panic starting, which is a good sign. Can you tell me your name and what you did in the past?”
The unicorn nodded her head. “I am Christine Wu, former night pharmacist at the Walgreen’s that was a little way down the road, when there was a road. I was inventorying some supplies that had arrived earlier when there was a flash and I became like this. Whatever happened, I like it, because my body does not hurt any more. Will there be a place for me in this world?”
“We find places for everypony who arrives. It’s up to you to make of it what you can. I’m Dusty Wings, of the New Phoenix Firebirds, the local Returnee rescue group and weather control specialists,” Dusty told Christine.
Christine eyed Dusty’s tan body, blonde mane and tail, and wings that were a mottled brown and white. “Entirely appropriate name. What’s with the mark on your backside?”
“My cutie mark? It is a definition of where a pony’s talents lie,” Dusty said, turning her head to look at her mark, a pair of binoculars in a brown cloud. “Every pony gets one, in the fullness of time.”
“Pony. That’s the word for what we are now, yes?”
“That’s right. There are other beings as well, but ponies are in the majority. There are pegasi, like me, unicorns, like you and my mother are, and earth ponies, like my father. Each have their own talents and magics. Me, I’m glad I’m a pegasus.” Dusty told her returnee.
“I can see you can fly, but how do you manage that? Magic, maybe?”
“Magic is the right answer. Your magic, as a unicorn, is different than my magic as a pegasus. Me, I can fly and manipulate weather conditions. Unicorns are able to use telekinesis and cast spells.” Dusty said before her radio interrupted her.
“Dispatch to seven-seven-four. Six-three-one is passing the Lincoln seven-two kiosk. ETA your location about six minutes.”
“Seven-seven-four aye, Dispatch.” Dusty said before looking back at Christine. “Your ride will be here in a few minutes. She will take you to the Returnee Center for orientation. There, you will learn a lot about what you can do now. How long did you live in the Phoenix area, by the way?”
“Just about my whole life, Dusty. I was born here, went to school here, and settled down here. A comparative rarity in my time, a native Arizonan.”
“Good! Well, by the time ponies came back around here, almost all the buildings had fallen and blown away. It was about four to five hundred years ago that ponies started moving back up this way. Now, the ponies mainly live in the area you knew as Ahwatukee and Guadalupe. Farms do spread out, but most of the ponies that do not farm live down that way.” Dusty told Christine.
“I take it that’s why there’s nothing up here but brush, cactus, and this phone box?” Christine asked. “How many…ponies… live around here, anyway?”
“A little more than twenty thousand, all told. I don’t know exactly. My mother could find out, she’s the Mayor of New Phoenix.”
“Is that a fact? I feel honored to be rescued by the Mayor’s daughter.” Christine said with dry tones.
As Dusty was about to reply, her radio interrupted her thoughts. “Six-three-one to seven-seven-four. Passing Doubletree seven-two.”
Dusty looked to the south, where the crawler was visible, with attending cloud of dust, which was not as big as it could have been, the ground being damp still after last week’s rain. “Have you in sight, six-three-one.”
“The feeling is mutual, seven-seven-four.”
Christine looked at the approaching vehicle. “Just what the hell is that?” she asked.
“That is our number-three crawler, designed to go anywhere without getting bogged down in sand. I’ve been told it is a cross between an eighteen-wheeler and a snowmobile, whatever they are.” Dusty said, waving a wing at the driver.
“Not quite, Dusty. I would try a cross between an RV and an army tank.” Christine said as it came to a stop near the kiosk.
A door opened, and Calming Words came out, an older white and gray pegasus. “Hello and welcome back! I’m Calming Words, your counselor for however long you need me. Do come in and rest. We’ll have a chance to talk while we head to the Returnee Center.”
Christine looked at Calming Words, at Dusty Wings, and back to Calming Words. “You weren’t born here, were you?” Christine asked.
“Oh, no. I Returned just like you did, but eighty years ago. How could you tell?” Calming Words asked, smiling pleasantly.
“You don’t talk or sound like she does,” the unicorn said, pointing her horn at Dusty.
“Good ear. I’m from Kansas. Now, let’s get into the crawler and head off to the Returnee Center, okay?” Calming Words said to her new patient.
“Sounds good to me. Just where is the Center, if I may ask?”
“South end of Ahwatukee, around where Wild Horse Pass was. We built it there, because they had some sort of event going on, and we get at least two or three a year pop up there.” Calming Words said as she led the way into the crawler, Christine following carefully.
‘I’ll look in on you when I get the chance, Christine!” Dusty shouted before the crawler door closed. The crawler started its motor, spun in place, and proceeded south. When it was far enough away, Dusty took off to resume her patrol.
“Seven-seven-four to Firebird Base, six-three-one has the returnee, resuming patrol.”
“Firebird Base aye, seven-seven-four.”
“Welcome, everypony, to Tillman Arena and New Phoenix Sidewinders hoofball! I’m Dustnado, along with former Sidewinder Goalie Barrier Reef, bringing you New Year’s Day hoofball. Today, it’s a battle for the top of the ladder as the New Phoenix Sidewinders play the Tucson Toros.”
Barrier jumped in. “With both teams at nine and one going into Week Eleven action, these two teams are running away with the Western Division. The nearest competition is the Las Vegas Blackjacks at seven and three, both teams playing today already having defeated them earlier in the season.”
“Which makes this hoofball game important to both teams today. The Sidewinders, led by their brilliant midfielder and team captain Volcanis, have more than a grudge with the Toros, after the Toros knocked them out in the Elimination Finals last season on their way to the Division Finals, losing to the Salt Lick Gulls by seven goals.” Dustnado said into the microphone. “Salt Lick went on to lose to the Pittsburg Steel in the Grand Finals, seven-thirteen-fifty-five to Pittsburg’s twelve-twenty-ninety-eight.”
“Salt Lick may have won the division last season, but they are struggling this year at five and five, with the Sidewinders going to Salt Lick for a week Twelve matchup, while Tucson heads home for a match with the Portland Cascades.”
Dustnado wrapped up the opener with “We will be back with Sidewinders hoofball after a word from the Tillman Arena sponsors, Fleagle’s Fresh Foods.”
Volcanis gathered his team around him in the locker room. The large, yet surprisingly graceful for his size red and brown earth pony with ashen colored mane looked at his crew. “Okay, gang. It’s New Year’s, we’re at home, and tonight we are going to make up for all the partying we missed last night! Right?” he bellowed.
“RIGHT!” the team bellowed back.
“Let’s go!” Volcanis said, leading the team through the tunnel from the locker room to the field, the crowd cheering as they ran out, heading for their sideline, their black and gold home jerseys catching the sunlight. Once they were settled, the Toros came out on their side of the field, dressed in their red and gray road uniforms.
Ashen Light and Sandford were in their box at the stadium when the teams came trotting out, Volcanis leading the pack. “Let’s hope we can do some more partying tonight after a win.”
Sandford said to his wife before having a slug of iced tea.
“He did have to leave right after we dipped the chip. He has some catching up to do.” Ashen Light replied, looking at the Toros come out across the field. “Hmmm… did the Toros trade for a new goalie? I don’t recognize that one.”
“That’s a rookie from Hermosillo. Their regular goalie suffered a concussion late last game against San Jose. Point in our favor,” Sandford said before having a slug of beer.
“I missed that on the newsreel last weekend.”
“You were in the rest room, love.”
“The teams are taking the field for the jump-off, the Sidewinder’s number fifty-three, Jongleur, going against the Toros number forty-one, Springhoof.” Dustnado said into the microphone.
“Jongleur has a sixty-eight per cent advantage rating on the jump-off, while Springhoof is second in the Western Division at eighty-four percent, second only to Radium Salts of the Albuquerque Isotopes, who has a ninety per cent jump-off advantage.” Barrier Reef added.
“The teams are on the field, the pegasi have taken position, and the referee tosses the ball. Jongleur wins the jump, getting it up to the Sidewinder’s left fielder, Monsoon Dream. Dream kicks the ball down in front of Volcanis, who kicks it up to the right fielder, who kicks it back to Volcanis, driving on the Toros goal. Volcanis kicks it forward, then A NO LOOK KICK UP to the Right Winger, Stormy Skies, who kicks the ball squarely at the Toros goal! The Toros goalie reaches for it and MISSES! GOOOOOALLLL SIIIIDE-WINDERS!” Dustnado shouts as the crowd cheers.
“That’s the fourth opening drive goal for the Sidewinders this season, Dustnado. The other three times, the Sidewinders have gone on to dominate the game.” Reef added.
In the Returnee building, Calming Words sat with Christine, with one ear perked to the game. “Just what are they playing there? Football?” Christine asked.
“No, Premier League hoofball.” Calming Words explained. “I’ve been a fan of the Sidewinders since they joined the Premier League over thirty years ago. Still have not won the Grand Finals, but they have played in it three times.”
“How does it work?” Christine asked.
“Two teams of twelve ponies, eight earth ponies, two unicorns and two pegasi. The earth ponies have to dribble the ball downfield, as well as blocking others going for the ball. The unicorns, one is always the goalie, and the other one handles the jump balls. The pegasi fly above and can take balls kicked up and re-aim them down to the field. Scoring can be done by anypony, between the goalposts are six points for the goal, and the two goals to the side of the main goal is a ‘behind’ or one point.”
“Sounds like Australian Rules football to me.” Christine said.
“It’s drawn from there, yes. Rather hard to catch a ball with no hands. In this, all the different ponies can join in. Griffins, thestrals and zebras can take part, too.”
“How do the teams travel between games? You said you have very little air travel.”
“By train. Games are every five to seven days, so the teams can train from one game to another. They mostly play in division, there being two, east and west. Each team also has five cross-conference games, which do take more time to go from one to another, like Seattle playing Miami or Santijuana going to Vermont or Boston, but that happens about every four years or so. Eighteen teams per division, twenty-three-week season with a bye midway through.” Calming Words explained.
“It does sound exciting. I would like to see a game sometime soon. I was a big baseball fan back then.”
“The Sidewinders are going to Salt Lick City next week to play the Gulls, then to Seattle to play the Sounders before returning home to play Santijuana after their bye week. I’ll get tickets to Tillman Field for that game, okay?”
“Sounds good to me!” Christine said with a smile as she heard Dustnado cheering on another goal for the Sidewinders. “Reminds me of Schulte and Brennamin back when the Diamondbacks won the Series.”
“He’s definitely a homer, for sure. Barrier Reef was a goalie for the Sidewinders a decade ago before retiring.”
“Just how can they play up north in the cold and snow?” Christine asked.
Calming Words smiled. “That’s where the pegasi come in. We pegasi can control the weather in spots. If there is a snowstorm, we can keep the snow away from the stadium grounds until the game is over. Same with rain and fog. It’s rare that a hoofball game is called off due to weather.”
“Pegasi do weather control, eh? No wonder you can grow such good crops here. Calling up rain when needed. How are the summers here?” Christine asked.
“Just as bad as you remember them. Ponies didn’t come back here until air conditioning was revived. Summers CAN be brutal, but it’s easier on the weather ponies to call up rain. When it’s dry, they must bring in moisture from the lakes. It’s not an easy job, especially in the springtime. Once the monsoon hits, it gets easier.”
“I take it you’ve moved moisture to town?”
“I have, and I will keep on doing so until I get too old to do it. Weather work is not my specialty, but I can still get the job done. That’s why the farm fields are so small, relatively speaking. While the canals do work, rain is definitely needed.” Calming Words said in explanation.
“So small? The orchards we drove through were bigger than any I have ever seen in Phoenix!” Christine exclaimed.
“Oh, believe me, they are small, compared to some of the farmsteads closer to the Rim. Plus, down here, we must keep the main roads open and free from planting and houses. Just would not be good to have a car come crashing through your bedroom, right?” Calming Words said with a smile.
“I can see how it wouldn’t.”
“Now, while I will be your primary counselor during your rehabilitation, I won’t be your main instructor. For that, I’m going to take you to meet Azure Shine, our main unicorn teacher and rehabilitation specialist. After introductions, she will show you to your room and the cafeteria. You can call me whenever you feel the need, okay?”
“I can do that. Just one thing… what’s with the names? They are a lot different than before.” Christine asked.
“Most ponies prefer descriptive names, either on looks or mannerisms. After my rehab, I felt like Anna Rothschild just did not fit me anymore. If you do so, that’s up to you and you alone. About a fourth of the Returnees keep their human name.” Calming Words explained, getting up to check on her other patients..
“It’s the start of the second quarter here at Tillman Field, Dustnado and Barrier Reef bringing you New Phoenix Sidewinders hoofball against the Tucson Toros. The Sidewinders are making the Toros look foolish so far, leading six-eight-forty-four to two-four-sixteen.”
“Volcanis is leading the scoring for the Sidewinders with two goals and three behinds by himself. Looks like the Sidewinders have not forgotten the Elimination Finals and are putting paid to the Toros.”
“Sure, does look like it, Barrier. Okay, they are about to jump ball for the second quarter. The ball goes up, and Springhoof knocks the ball to his left flanker, Darius, who starts moving the ball upfield. Side pass to Marquez Lyss, the center, back to Darius, who kicks the ball up to the left winger, Cloudy Dale. Cloudy holds the ball one, two, three seconds and drops it before the penalty is invoked to Springhoof, who takes the ball in his glow and rockets it to the Goal, where it is BLOCKED by the goalkeeper with a soaring lunge! The ball gets deflected to Stormy Skies, who gives it a long kick downfield!”
“The kick is grounded by Volcanis, who quickly side-kicks it to Martins. The Toros are hustling back on defense, Martins boots the ball back to Jongleur, who whips the ball with his glow up towards the goal but going high… no!” Barrier Reef shouts. “Stormy Skies deflects the high shot down past Armendariz and the umpire signals goal!”
“This game is turning into a rout, but the best kind of rout, the one of vengeance! We have not forgotten last year, Tucson!” Dustnado laughs.
In the Mayor’s box (owned by the city, NOT by the Mayor), Ashen Light and Sandford were leading the cheering as another goal was posted. “Now this is the type of game I’ve been waiting to see!” Sandford shouted.
“Got that right, Sandy!” Ashy laughed as the two hugged each other in joy.
“You want a beer?” Sandy asked his wife.
“Get one for yourself, too. A beer would go down good right now,” she said as the teams set up for the after-goal jump ball.
“Will do!” Sandy looked around and flagged down a passing beer vendor, picking up two big cups of the local beer.
Dusty Wings kept up her patrol as the sun slowly set in the southwest. “Dispatch to all Firebirds. Shift change, shift change. Report to your shift turnover locations for relief.”
Dusty waited for her turn in the count off queue. “Seven-Seven-Four copy shift change,” she said at the right time, heading for her handoff position, atop Camelback Mountain. She did not have to wait long before her relief, Dry Wash, came up the mountain from the valley below.
“Hey, Dusty, what’s going on?” the black and blue pegasus stallion asked on landing.
“Had a code Romeo a bit after two at Shea Echo seven two. Other than that, all’s well. How go the Sidewinders?”
Dry Wash laughed. “At halftime, we’re pounding the Toros into the dirt. Twelve-fourteen-eighty-six to four-seven-thirty-one. Dustnado says it looks like the Toros are hung over from last night.”
“Hope my big brother is leading the stomping.”
“Five and five at the half. The Toros just can’t figure out our game plan. If you hurry back to base, you can catch some of the last quarter. You had it, I got it.”
“Sounds good to me, Dry Wash. Have a good shift!” Dusty Wings said as she leapt off the perch and flew down the slopes of Camelback Mountain. She gave the orchards of Arcadia a quick look-over as she sped overhead. Twenty minutes later, she flew into Firebird Base, atop South Mountain. Quickly clocking in, she proceeded immediately to the lounge, and the radio.
“Halfway through the fourth quarter here at Tillman Field, and the Sidewinders are simply butchering the Toros, sixteen-sixteen-one hundred to five-seven-thirty-seven.” Dusty Wings heard Dustnado say as she sat down, grabbing a cold drink on her way in.
“They say vengeance is a dish best served cold,” Barrier Reef said. “The Sidewinders are out to really freeze the Toros tonight.”
“If it was last week, it would have been literal. The Sidewinders control the tip, Jongleur sending the ball out, where it is picked up by the right flanker, Justin Torres. Torres sends the ball forward to the midfielder, who deflects the ball up to Eagle Talon, the griffin aerialist for the Sidewinders. Talon sends the ball forward, an empty part of the field where the zebra COMES OUT OF NOWHERE to do a flying wheel kick, sending the ball right over the stunned goalie’s head for six!” Dustnado called.
“Dikembe Natulu has definitely shown he was a good pickup for the Sidewinders after last season, coming out here from Vermont, where he was the third-highest goal scorer for the Mountaineers. Here, his agility and speed have really shown through. His third goal today with two behinds,” Barrier Reef added.
“Enjoying the game?” Dusty Wings heard. Looking up, she saw her shift supervisor, Mark Herald, a rather un-officious pegasus.
“Hey, any time the Sidewinders kick some ass, it’s good. Kicking Toro ass just makes it better. How did I do today?” she asked as Mark grabbed himself a cold one as well.
“You did very well indeed with the Code Romeo earlier. I didn’t have to look in, which was good, because at the time, I was over Laveen. Calming Words thinks this Returnee should not have very many issues settling in.”
“Glad to hear it. She seemed quite calm when I met her. May she stay that way.”
“We can but hope, Dusty. You going to stick around until the game is over before heading home?”
Dusty nodded. “Yeah. If I headed for the stadium, I won’t arrive until after the final horn. Here, I can listen to it. Tonight, it will be home to hear Volcanis bragging about the team, as usual after a home win.”
“This season, they have something to brag about,” Mark said, pulling up a cushion to sprawl on.
“That they do,” Dusty said just as Dustnado started cheering on an interception and drive that led to another point for the Sidewinders.
At the stadium after the final horn sounded, the Sidewinders demolishing the Toros
twenty-eighteen-one thirty-eight to six-nine-forty-five, Ashen Light and Sandford made their way down to the locker room to join in with the victory celebrations. As they neared the room, the two could hear the whooping and hollering from a good way out.
“Listening to them, you would think they just won the Grand Final.” Sandford snorted.
“After last season, can you blame them?” Ashen Light said as they looked in the window. The team were involved in a mass hug, Volcanis doing his best to lead the charge.
“No, can’t say I do, Ashy.” Sandford said before opening the door and getting swept up in the celebration. The whole team knew Volcanis’ parents and welcomed them into their victory celebration.
At the Returnee Center, Christine looked at her new guide and teacher. “For a lopsided game, that was exciting. Reminds me when the Diamondbacks won the World Series in two thousand one.”
Her teacher, a yellow and blue unicorn with a gray and blue streaked mane named Azure Shine, nodded in agreement. “I wasn’t at the game, but I did watch it. I swear, we heard the shouting clear in Surprise, we did!”
“I was at home up in Scottsdale. We were all whooping and hollering, jumping for joy at the Diamondbacks win,” Christine said with a sigh. “My whole family was there then.”
“Hold on to your memories of them, because that’s all you’re going to have. I have mine and won’t ever let them go.” Azure said somberly.
“Oh, I won’t. My husband was killed by a drunk driver back a year or so ago, and our daughter perished when the bus she was riding in with her high school volleyball team caught fire on the road to Payson. That was several years ago.”
Azure wrapped Christine in her blue glow and hugged her gently. “Since we can’t change what was, shall we deal with what is?” she said kindly.
“Let’s do that, Azure. First, show me to my room and walk me through how to use everything, then we can chat over dinner.” Christine said with only a faint sniffle.
“Of course, dearie. Right this way.” Azure led Christine through the Returnee Center, which was larger than Christine expected.
“Just how many of us come through here?” Christine asked. “Where is everyone?”
“Right now, you are the only one here in the just returned category. We had a party of four return five weeks ago. They passed Basic and are now in specialized studies.” Azure told her.
“But, why IS the place so big?” Christine persisted.
“Think, dearie. What would we do if a bus or a plane full of Returnees come in at once? Go into a near panic, that’s what, trying to coordinate resources to assimilate more than a few at a time. Generally, such a large Return happens every two to three years. The last successful plane landing, oh, my… that was a good twenty years back.”
“We didn’t go by any airports. Are any still around?”
“If we really need to, we can use Mesa Gateway. Sky Harbor’s runways got washed out before ponies returned to the Valley. Generally, we try to have planes go to Davis-Monthan in Tucson. They recovered a tanker a couple years ago,” the elder unicorn said.
“How does one recover a tanker?”
“With a calm head and a lot of luck, dearie.”
“I see.” Christine said when they got to her room. It looked like a modest little hotel room, like what you would find in a Motel Six.
Azure walked her through the room, showing her the facilities and how to use them, the radio, the telephone, all the little things that go into living but have to adapt to when you trade hands for hooves. When that was done, Azure brought Christine to the dining area, where some options were available. Picking up two big salad bowls in her glow, Azure led Christine to a table.
“You say I can do something like that, with my horn?” Christine asked after a bite of the veggies in the salad, which she had to say to herself were very good and fresh.
“Oh, yes, dearie. It will take a lot of effort to start with it, but once you start, it gets easier from there. Just believe you can, and imagine your glow is actually hands, hands that could do a lot more than your old ones could.” Azure Shine said, waving a carrot in front of Christine’s nose, held in her blue glow, before taking a bite out of it.
“Just how long have you been here, if I may ask?”
“I Returned just like you did fifty years ago. One moment I was asleep in my bed, next I was waking up on the sand, no house or bed, in the dark. I saw a blinking blue light and stumbled my way there, once I figured out how to stand up.”
“Did the Firebirds come collect you?” Christine asked.
“Once I called them, they sure did! After Rehab, I went into what I used to do Before, being a counselor to troubled kids. I just rewrote ‘kids’ into ‘Returnees’. I’ve been here ever since.”
“I’m impressed.” Christine said after a mouthful of her salad. “Maybe I can be a pharmacist again.”
“A pharmacist? How are you at compounding medications?” Azure asked, a little eagerness creeping into her voice.
Christine allowed herself a small smile. “Better than average. Before transferring to Seventieth and Shea, I worked at the pharmacy at Thirty-Sixth Street and Thomas. That was one of the few compounding pharmacies in the chain.”
“I’m sure Pill Pusher would love to have you as his aide, once you clear rehab.”
“Pill Pusher. Where did he get such a name?” Christine asked.
“His parents. They are both doctors at the hospital, while he found he didn’t have the skill for medicine, he did find pharmaceutical work more suited to him.”
“Why did you decide to change your name?”
“Dearie, Phylicia Ehrlanger did not wake up on the sand in Surprise, I did. As you can see, my glow is blue, as is my mane. I thought it fit better.”
“Another question- You said you have been here as a pony for fifty years. How old were you when you Returned, and where are you from?” Christine asked with genuine curiosity.
“I was ninety-six when I Returned, and I’m from Essex, England.” Azure Shine said with pride. “Ponies live longer than humans did, for sure!”
“You lost your accent, but not your phrasing. That’s what made me ask.” Christine said while trying to chase down the last bits in her bowl, her horn sparkling a wine-red color.
“Dearie… look away from the bowl…” Azure said sharply.
Christine looked up from the bowl. “What?” she grunted.
“Just relax some, and picture in your mind that you are holding some chopsticks. Carefully, reach for the radish and try to pick it up.” Azure said smoothly. “Remember, dearie, you are in control, not your magic.”
Christine did the visualization in her mind, and a reddish glow surrounded the radish, lifting it up. “I’m doing it…” she said as the radish floated in front of her nose.
“Yes, you are! Very good! Now, are you going to let it float there, or are you going to eat it?”
Christine reached out with her lips and took the radish in, crunching it down. “Wow…”
“Thrilling, isn’t it? It took me two days to get it to manifest.”
“You said I can do other things with this magic, right?” Christine asked, using the glow to chase down some more veggie scraps.
“If you have the aptitude, yes. You could be able to do spells. Who knows, maybe you could even teleport. Later testing will show your aptitude. For today, just rest. Tomorrow will be soon enough, dearie. Want another bowl?”
“If I can take it back to my room, yes. Otherwise, I could wait.”
“Of course, you can take it to your room… if you CAN, that is! I shan’t do it for you, you’ll have to do it yourself.” Azure said with a small smile.
“No time like the present to try, right?”” Christine said as she got up to walk over to the serving line, choosing out what she would like before exerting her will and picking up the desired dish in her glow.
“That’s the ticket, dearie! Let’s see if you can get it to your room without spilling it, okay?”
Uptown from the Returnee Center, the party that started in the Sidewinder’s locker room had moved to a nearby tavern, the Rattlesnake Inn. They were used to holding victory parties there, the owner, Quiet Rattlesnake, being part-owner of the Sidewinders, along with a bunch of others.
Volcanis held court at the center table, along with the Sidewinder’s head coach, Bullet Kick. The party was loud and raucous, as was all the victory parties, but this one was doubly so due to it being New Years Day. The beer was flowing and the spirits high.
Dusty Wings entered the bar, having stopped at home long enough to change and wash up. She nodded to the players she knew as she went up to the center table. “You did it to it, big brother!” she shouted as she caught Volcanis up in a big hug, which was carefully returned.
“No, little sister, I didn’t do it,” he said in a low voice before getting louder. “The whole damn team did it, right?”
“RIGHT!” was shouted back as Dusty found herself a bottle of beer.
“That’s what I like about you, big brother. You may be an excellent player, but you never hog the glory.” Dusty said as she opened the bottle.
“Hey, it takes a team to win a game. We all contribute, but it takes all of us to win. You have duty today?” Volcanis asked as he had a drink of something foamy.
“Double time for working on New Year’s. Took the north side. Had a Returnee come back up on Shea and Scottsdale. She should be at the Center now,” Dusty said before draining half the bottle of beer in one slug.
“Sounds like there were more than one winner today, right?” Sandford said, moving up to the table with Ashen Light.
“Hi, Dad. Yes, more than one winner. This one was remarkably calm. Calming Words picked her up, so I know she’s in good hooves.”
“I’ll look into her progress tomorrow, Dusty.” Ashen Light said, her diction precise as she lifted a bottle from the cooler.
“Hope you have some Stride-Rite ready for tomorrow, Dad.” Dusty said to her father.
“Under the sink in the master bathroom, I have some made up and ready to go.” Sandford said quietly as he gets a root beer from the cooler.
“I’m so proud to have such a smart father,” Dusty whispered in his ear as she reached for another bottle.
“Your mother is going to need it… again. Good thing no business tomorrow, or else she will really be in pain.” Sandford whispered back.
Dusty nodded as she opened her second beer before drifting back into the crowd, finding ponies she knew and didn’t get to see often. “Good thing I’m doing a double tomorrow. I’ll be out of the house before Mom wakes up,” she muttered to herself as she looked about.
Christine woke up sometime in the middle of the night to the gentle ticking of the clock in the room. The only light came from a small night light by the bathroom door. Feeling restless, she got up out of bed. She went to the window and opened the shade, indulging her private passion- stargazing. Back Before, she had a rather nice telescope, and used it on her off nights, just looking at the stars.
Her room window fortunately faced north, and she was able to orient herself off the single blinking light atop South Mountain, where Firebird Base was located. Marveling at the dark skies, something she generally only found well outside of the city, she looked up at the stars, looking for the Big Dipper. Finding it, she looked for the Pointer stars to find Polaris. Something felt off to her, like the stars were in the right patterns, but not in the right places. Confused, she thought for a moment, staring at the Big Dipper until the penny dropped.
Polaris was not the North Star.
It dawned on Christine that the north polar star was somewhere in the constellation of Cepheus, and not centered on a bright star. A star much dimmer than Polaris held pride of place near the North Celestial Pole. Ice seemed to flow through her veins, from her hooves up through her body to her horn. She shivered in the realization that she was indeed very far ahead in time, if not in place. Slowly, she made her way to the cafeteria, where some late-night munchies were left out for the night shift. Selecting a bowl, she half-filled it before slowly making her way back to her room, where she sat, listening to the radio, lost in thought, thinking fondly of her late husband and daughter. “So long as someone remembers you, you will never fade away,” she thought. “No matter how much time has passed.”
The next day, Sandford woke up well before Ashen Light did. That gave him plenty of time to fix the water heater before she woke up. He fixed a nice breakfast for himself and did some other household chores, waiting for his wife to wake up, all while having the radio tuned to KRIS, his favorite music station.
At promptly two pm, Sandford went to wake up his wife, with the not-unexpected results. Knowing what to expect, he was well clear of the projected pillow. “Get yourself aware and meet me in the living room in half an hour, Ashy,” he said firmly. Ashy could only groan in response as the Stride-Rite did its magic.
When Ashy came out to the living room, the first thing she asked was “Why did you wake me up?”
“We’re meeting Volcanis and the other kids here at seven for a family dinner, remember? You did want to have everything ready for when they got here.” Sandford reminded his wife.
“Oh, yeah. Do we have enough?” she asked as she went into the kitchen to look.
“I called down to Fleagle’s earlier. The delivery should be here within an hour.”
Ashy came out to kiss Sandford above his nose. “I knew there was something to love about you. I just couldn’t remember it.”
Sandford gave her a nuzzle back. “Well, I have found I have to help the Mayor keep on a plumb line, otherwise she goes off at an angle that nobody could figure out,” he said with warmth.
“Don’t you dare come out with that half bubble off plumb bit again!” Ashy warned.
“Okay, I won’t. You know it too well.” Sandford said with a smile.
The kids started showing up around five, first the two who worked for the city, Workaround, the unicorn stallion who worked for the city Maintenance Department, who could fix damn near anything with damn near nothing, and Positive Numbers, an earth pony mare who worked in the City Clerk’s office. Later came Sweet Reason, the unicorn mare working at the University as a teacher’s aide for now while attending post-grad classes. Volcanis rolled in about six, his arrival heard a good minute or so in advance.
Dusty Wings did not arrive until half past six, coming in from Firebird Base. “Did I miss anything?” she asked.
“Just a few stories about the game yesterday, little sister.” Sweet Reason told her.
“Let me go clean up, and I’ll be right out. Working a double is hard on a pony!” Dusty said before hurrying to her room.
“Don’t take too long! You’re not the only hungry pony in here!” Volcanis shouted as the door to Dusty’s room shut.
“Don’t tease your sister, Volc.” Ashen Light chided her eldest.
“Sorry, Mom. It’s not like I’m doing it all the time,” Volcanis muttered.
“Just remember who helped keep the rain off the field back in Week Two, Volcanis. Dusty really pushed herself, as did the rest of the Firebirds. They had to call in reserves to cover shifts for the next two days!”
“I get it, Mom. You don’t have to shout,” Volcanis said, not looking his mother in the eye.
The family dinner went well, topped off by Ashen Light’s famous (to the family, at least) strawberry/rhubarb pie, the family having a chance to get together on New Year’s quietly, the last three years Volcanis having been on the road on New Years’ day. It was not until almost nine that everyone departed for their homes, Volcanis to his near Tillman Field, Workaround and Positive Numbers to their apartment close to City Hall, and Sweet Reason to her apartment near the University, while Dusty Wings made her way to her bedroom and a deep sleep. Fortunately, she would not be working the next day, having pulled a double.
Christine sat with Calming Words and Azure Shine over lunch after a morning of both physical and mental therapy. “This world sure has changed a lot, but not entirely. There are a lot of traces of the Phoenix I grew up in.” she told her counselor and teacher.
“What makes you say that, dearie?” Azure Shine asked. “While I snowbirded it for years, I only moved out here full time five years before The Event.”
“The Firebirds, the road grid, the landmark names, but the most telling to an old timer Phoenician like me has to be the KRIS/KRUX battle on the radio. I can remember when I was little, listening to one or the other.” Christine explained.
Calming Words and Azure Shine looked at each other. “Why would you say that?” Calming Words asked.
“Back in the Seventies, KRIS and KRUX were two top forty stations that went hammer and tongs against each other. Lasted a while but faded and both stations closed in the early Eighties. Now, they’re back and fighting again.”
“I wonder if they know about the old history.” Azure Shine said. “I’m going to have to dig into that.”
“What strikes you the most about being here at this time frame, Christine?” Calming Words asked.
“Well, from what I have seen and heard and read so far, which isn’t much, I would have to say the farm fields. When I was little, orchards went for many miles, to be replaced by houses. Now, the orchards are back, along with the cotton fields and other fields,” Christine said to the two. “I have not seen much livestock, though.”
Azure Shine smiled. “Not in this area of town. We have some dairy cattle nearby, but the main ranches are up around Lake Pleasant. Chickens are raised in many places, so we always have eggs and milk. Ponies, though, don’t eat meat. Griffons do, but there are not many here in New Phoenix.”
“Fishing, however, is a busy industry,” Calming Words said. “Pegasi like fish, and the rivers and lakes are fully stocked. There’s fishing in Roosevelt Lake, Bartlett Lake and Lake Pleasant, which not only keep the town supplied, but are also exported by train.”
“How can you transport fish by train without it spoiling in the summer?” Christine asked.
“Boxcars primed with a refrigeration spell to keep the fish cold while shipping.” Azure Shine said. “Who knows, maybe someday you can learn that spell.”
“So, spells have replaced technology in some places, but not all?”
“No, not all. I still miss television, but we can still make movies and newsreels. That, radio and telegraph are the main means of communicating. Telephones work, most of the time.” Calming Words said as she removed the shell from a hard-boiled egg.
“Most of the time?”
“Lines still get blown down or washed out. The pegasi do not control the weather in bulk, just over local areas. Storms between cities can get quite potent. We just aim to moderate really bad weather before it gets to populated areas,” Calming Words explained.
“We still get weather in town, just not severe enough to cause a lot of damage. At least, not often,” Azure Shine added.
“Looks like Phoenix has truly risen from the ashes, and may I rise from it as well,” Christine declared.
“Only you can say how far you’ll rise, dearie,” Azure Shine said with a warm encouraging smile.
The third of January found Ashen Light and Sandford in their offices at City Hall, handling the backlog of work that had accumulated over the holiday time. Ashen had a lunchtime meeting with the city council, while Sandford, after receiving a weather forecast over the tickertape machine in his office, decided to check out a crawler and check the reservoirs, because rain was called for within the next three days.
Sandford first drove out to Tempe Town Lake, the nearest of the city reservoirs. After checking the level, he ordered the spillways opened some more, to make room for the expected runoff. He planned to do the same at Bartlett, but he had to drive up and see, and that was a good hour plus up the 87. Not liking what he saw there, he ordered the lake level lowered by a foot, then called the Tempe Dam to have the spillways opened further. With a sigh, he started the long drive across the northern part of the city to Lake Pleasant.
He stuck to the road grid, which was clearly marked by guide posts and Returnee kiosks, but no pavement, just sand and grass in spots. Cruising down what once was the Carefree Highway, he noticed a pony along the side of the road, trying to get his attention. Curious, he slowed down, then stopped.
“You gotta help me!” the black and tan earth pony begged. “I was cleaning a lot over here when there was a flash, and everything was gone!”
“Easy there, fellow. How long have you been here?” Sandford asked.
“Since before dawn. What happened to me? Where is everything?”
Sandford opened the door to the crawler. “Come on, get in and I’ll fill you in before I take you to some help. I have one chore to do, then I can get you to safety,” he told the pony, getting out to help the stallion in and giving him some water from a flask. “You just lie there, and I’ll bring you up to speed while I drive.”
All the way to Lake Pleasant, Sandford talked to the Returnee, whose name he found was Harry McGee. At the lake, he checked the levels and had the flow rate increased for a day before getting back into the crawler and started back to town.
“This city sure has changed in what you say has been over three millennia. Where is the city?” Harry asked when Sandford started driving.
“Way down south, around what you knew as Ahwatukee. Everything else is dust and ash.”
“Damn… hope I can find something to do here and now.”
“You’re taking this rather calm now, Harry.” Sandford observed.
“I’ll panic later, once the shock wears off. Right now, I’m just too numb to panic.”
“Once you do, don’t worry and let it happen. Once your panic is over, you’ll recover much faster.”
“I can but hope, Sandford. I can but hope.” Harry said as he watched the desert landscape go by.
“You will. I’ve seen it happen many times before.”