//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 - First Days Work. // Story: Race Swapper in the Deerlands // by Hexan Tronic //------------------------------// When I woke up the next morning, I rolled out of bed, and the landing woke me right up. After a short stretch, I plop on my hat, and head downstairs, not noticing my lack of wings. When I reach the bottom of the stairs, I notice Frosty behind the counter. “Morning kid, sleep well?” He asks, as he finishes opening up some cupboards behind the counter. “Yeah, we slept well boss. So what's the plan for today?” I reply with, heading behind the counter. “Well for starters, I think the best job for you lot is to wait tables. It's pretty simple, and needs little training.” He explains, while he attaches beer taps to some pipes. When his is done, he turns to me. “Alright, here is some advice.” He turns to point at some tables, near the left back if looking from the counter. “Those tables are usually filled with travellers. They know how to recognise one another and group up there for small talk and warnings, as well as info for their homes, should they have one.” I know to show I understand. Next he points to a group of about four tables, while compared to the first group of eight, this seems to be a smaller group. “These tables seem to always have a couple mares there once they come in, and it's rare that one is alone, they are usually in groups of three of more.” I look over the tables, noticing it's near the counter, probably front, middle right, on a four by four grid. “Next is the contractors, usually lumberjacks or construction guys sit there. Easy to notice due to the dust they have on them, one of you will likely be sweeping that area after we close.” He says, pointing to centre middle left, a group of ten tables. Logic explains, making mental notes of their positions. “After that is the hunters, they are commonly seen either before or after a hunt. You can tell the difference by their weapon and their packs. A clean weapon and empty packs is before, while dirty weapon and filled pack is returning.” He explains, pointing to what Logic says is G9, a group of 6 tables near one of the two fireplaces, which are between Gs 5 and 9, as well as 8 and 12. “I'd recommend being a little careful near this group of tables. They usually have the heaviest drinkers, so they don't always think clearly. But they usually keep to themselves, which it think is because they know not to try much with so many others that could stop them” He explains, pointing to G4, another group of four tables. “Next is where some, I guess you'd call them bandits, like to sit. I have an agreement with them. They leave my shipments alone, and I won't sell them out.” He tells me, pointing to G12, which has 5 tables. “Up next is where ponies with recent breakups group together, usually with a couple friends of theirs.” He say, nodding over to G1, a group of 7 tables. “The lightweights like to sit at this area.” He mentions while pointing to G10. A group of 5 tables. “After that, we have the guard recruits.” Frosty says, pointing to the 6 tables that make up G5. “A group of thieves sit at that group, but I have a rule to stop them and the new guards fighting. 'Keep all work stuff outside the pub.’” He says, pointing to G6, a group of 4 tables. Logic explains. “Is that all boss?” I ask, tilting my head. “Yeah, the rest of the tables are usually filled with random groups or mixtures of the others.” He says, as he finishes setting up. I look around the place, getting a feel for the set-up, before I head behind the counter. "So, when do the first ponies start coming in?" I ask, making sure I look clean. "Generally around seven or eight, so pretty soon." He replies, flipping the sign on his door to say open. After a while, the first couple ponies come in, a couple mares at G2, and some ponies sitting at G16. Then while I'm serving the mares some breakfast, I hear the door open again, as well as the sound of a mare walking in, as well as a younger pony. That's when I hear an excited squeal, which makes me turn around, before I'm tackle hugged to the ground, furn in my face, as I hear a filly saying a muffled 'Thank you' over and over again. I'm just sitting there stunned as the mares at the table behind me giggle away, while who I assume is her mother, walks over. "Uh, hi?" I say, entirely confused. The Earth pony mare sighs and taps her daughter on the back with her hoof. "Alright dear, I think you have hugged and thanked him enough now." At her voice, the filly stops, before getting off me, giggling embarrassedly. "S..Sorry about that, but I just really wanted to thank you, but when I finally found your home, you were gone." The filly quickly says, blushing lightly. I just tilt my head. "Thank me for what?" I ask, just now noticing my hats on the floor. "For saving me that day! You know, from the balloon?" And it finally hits me, it's the same filly I saved. This is when the mare speaks up. "Uh dear, how are you sure this is him" She asks, with a good question. This is when the filly picks up my hat. "This is how! How could I forget something like this?" She asks, passing it back to me, and I put it back in place. "Thank you. And your welcome again." I finally reply, getting off the floor. "But didn't you say he was a pegasus?" Her mother asks, as I realise I'm in my Earth pony form, but luckily, Frosty comes to my rescue. "Excuse me, is there a problem over there, he calls out, probably because of the crash of me falling, and all the mares and filly focus on him for a moment, giving me the chance to become a pegasus again. "No problem here, just an overly thankful filly, boss!" I call out, giving him a thankful smile. He nods and goes back to work. The group turns back to me and notice my wings. "Huh, guess the were just under him." The mother shrugs, before sitting down. "Anyway, thanks for saving my daughter. She was trying to look down over everything, before a strong wind pushed her out." She explains. "It was no problem, I was glad to help." I reply. "Anyway, I'm guessing your both hungry?" I ask, pulling a notebook out of my hat, holding it with one with and a quill with the other. The mare nods. "Yes, we are. I'd like a full salad, and my daughter wants some pancakes." She answers, as I write it down, and nod. "Coming right up." I say, before walking off, not hearing the soft hoofsteps behind me. When I get to the counter, I slide the notebook up, and turn around, and the filly is right in front of me. She just smiles. "What's your name?" She just asks. I blink, before answering her. "Hexan Tronic, what's yours?" She nods before she answers. "Swift Smiles, I'm as quick on my hooves as I am to smile." She replies, her smile just slightly bigger. Since she gave me her name, I decide to memorize her look too. She looks a tiny bit shorter than me, so maybe a year or a couple months younger. She has a light green coat, and light yellow and white mane and tail, both in small curls. Her cutie mark is a bright smile. "Nice to meet you, I'm guessing you want to follow me and talk?" I ask, while she just nods, still smiling. "Alright, I'll be on a break soon, so would that be fine?" I ask her. "Yes, that sounds great!" She says, before walking over and sitting with her mother. Logic finally says. Prissy chimes in. Burst remarks. Prissy replies, as I pick up their finished meals. "So, what was that about kid?" Frosty asks before I walk off. "Just a filly I saved after she fell from a hot air balloon. Got my mark in the process too." I reply. "Wow, no wonder she was so happy to see you." He replies, serving some drinks to G16 as I walk over to G2. "Here you go." I say, sliding their food in front of them. "Thanks Hexan!" Swift exclaims, before digging in. Her mother replies with a quick thanks before I get back to work. After sometime, during which more ponies pour in, I walk over and collect their dishes before taking them into the kitchen. "Hey boss, it alright if I go on break?" I ask before heading back out. "Sure kid, just don't take too long alright?" He says as I nod and head back out, finding Swift by the door. "Your on break?" She asks. I nod and she squeals happily. "Want to go talk upstairs?" I ask, since I'm a little uncomfortable since I can feel multiple groups of ponies watching me. "Sure, my mom's just talking with those other mares." She says, as we head up, and to my room. "Alright, how did you do that?" She asks as soon as the door is closed, surprising me a little. "Do what?" I ask, tilting my head. "Get wings, I know you didn't have them before, since I hugged you. Now spill." She explains. I sigh and become and Earth pony again, and she smirks. "I knew it!" She exclaims. Then she pokes my nose with hers, getting close to my face. "How?" She asks, giving me what I heard some of the other colts at school call the adorable eyes. "Magic." I reply, hoping it's enough of an answer. "That's not good enough Hexan." She replies. "A spell my friend used?" I answer again. "What spell?" She asks. "One that changes a pony's race." I explain. "But your not a unicorn." She says. "And we are the only ponies in here, so how?" Knockout says. I ask, before getting a round of nopes from the guys, and giggling from Prissy. "The spell latched onto my DNA, the stuff that makes me a pony, and is now a part of me, letting me change between all three races whenever I want." I finally explains. She backs away, looking excited. "That's so cool!" She exclaims. "Even if I don't understand it all, it's cool! But why hide it from everypony?" She asks, tilting her head. "So somepony doesn't try to study how and why I can do it." I reply. "Alright, I'll keep your secret. But in return, you must keep in touch with me, got it?" She says, looking serious. "Alright, I promise." I say, thinking that's the end of it. "Pinkie promise!" She says, making me tilt my head in confusion. "A filly that turned up in our town one day and throws parties made it. She says it's an unbreakable promise, and she was very scary when someone did." She explains. "How would she know?" I ask. "She just does, and she will always appear nearby if she wants to." She explains. Logic says. "How is that possible?" I ask again. "The town saying with her is, 'It's Pinkie Pie, don't question it.', she does a lot of odd things, but throws amazing parties, so she sticks around." She explains, before getting serious. "Now, repeat after me. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." She says before going through some odd motions, before I do what she does as I say it. "Now, repeat after me. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. I'll keep in touch with you Swift Smile." I say, an odd feeling passing over me as she nods. "Good, now, can you show me some magic?" She asks, so I turn into a unicorn, levitating my hat off, then make it do tricks. After some time, and after I demonstrate a few spells, we decided to head back down, after a turned back into a pegasus, where her mother was waiting. "There you are. I take it you had fun?" She asks. "Yes Mom, Hexan was great!" Swift exclaims, looking happy. Her mother looks to me. "Thanks for playing with her for a while. Feel free to drop by in Ponyville if you happen by there." She says, as I nod, keeping the name in mind. I walk them both to the door. "Bye Hexan, see you later!" She says, giving me a tight hug, which I decide to return. "See ya later Swift." I reply, as they leave. I walk back to the kitchen and walk in. "I'm off break boss." I say, getting my notebook. "Good, we have work to do, a group as turned up at G5, while some ponies have arrived and are at G7, to rest before going to hunt." He says, as I head out and back to work. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Around nine at night, I head to be after having a hayburger and fries for dinner. I flop straight on my bed, my hat rolling to the floor. I say, hoping Logic keeps a note of that. Prissy says, as I slide under my blanket. I say, as I yawn. Burst asks. Logic replies. I ask. Logic says, as I go to sleep.