//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: Westward Bound 
// Story: New Life Westward 
// by ScarFox9700 
//------------------------------//

By the time I'd arrived back at the Duck Pond Inn, agents from the ETSB were there, and were beginning their interviews of the crew and passengers of the steamboat. While I waited, I went to go grab some lunch at the diner near the inn, and when I got back, it was my turn to be interviewed. I sat down with Agent Riversong, a Unicorn mare with light purple fur, a dark blue mane and tail, purple eyes, and dressed in business casual attire. She then turned on a recording device, and started the interview. 

"Ok, this is Agent Riversong, of the ETSB. The date is Tuesday, March 7th, 2017, the location is Ponyville, and I'm investigating the sinking of the Steamboat Speedy Eagle, which sank last night on the Applish River, Case #11181928. All 12 passengers, and 16 crewmen survived, though some were injured. I'm currently interviewing Passenger #11. Can you please state your name, age, and where you're from?" 

"Yes Ma'am. My name is Thomas Ballard, I'm 23 years old, and I'm an expat from Fort Smith, Arkansas." 

"Ah, so you're a Human from Earth?" 

"Yes, Ma'am." 

"And you were a passenger on the Speedy Eagle last night, correct?" 

"Yes, Ma'am." 

"Ok. In your own words, please tell me everything that happened, starting when the Steamboat passed by Ponyville." 

I nodded, and then proceeded to explain how I'd been unable to sleep, and was out by the upper railing on the port side, just outside of my cabin. I then briefly moved over to the starboard side to look at Ponyville as it passed, and then returned to the port side. I'd been a bit concerned with how the fog was rolling in, obscuring the moon, yet the steamboat wasn't slowing down. I then looked out ahead of the steamboat as the fog cleared a bit, and to my horror, I saw part of a snag sticking up out of the water. 

"I saw it, and I raised a ruckus about it. I yelled up towards the pilothouse that there was a snag dead ahead, but at the moment I started shouting, someone blew the steamboat's whistle, drowning out my yelling. A few other passengers nearby heard me yelling, and they looked at me, but before I could say anything, the Steamboat must have hit the snag, as the whole boat shuddered violently, and I heard the sounds of wood splintering, and the oncoming rush of water from down below." 

"And then what happened?" 

"Well, after getting over my shock that the Steamboat had hit the snag, and that it was possibly going to sink, I quickly ran back to my cabin, packed up all of my belongings into my trunk, and a suitcase, and tied them together as tightly as I could with a piece of rope, before lugging them out of my cabin. By this point, I could see some crewmen from the boiler room and engine compartments swimming towards the riverbank after they dropped the fires, and stopped the engines, as well as some passengers and crew getting into a lifeboat at the stern, while others were also starting to jump."

I then went on to explain about how the Steamboat suddenly lurched to the left, and I knew that it was most likely going to capsize. That was when I threw my trunk and suitcase overboard, and then quickly jumped off after them, while other passengers on the port side quickly jumped off as well, and we were soon swimming in the river, trying to get to shore. 

"I then reached my trunk and suitcase, both of which were floating, and began to swim with them towards the riverbank. Just as I turned myself around, that's when the steamboat capsized, or at least, it seemed to. It rolled over onto its port side, and then sank, but it didn't sink completely, as the port side must have hit the bottom of the river. Because of this, some passengers and crew who were on the starboard side waited for the Steamboat to finish settling, and then they got off too. They were the last ones off, and then we all regrouped on the riverbank, where First Responders arrived soon after." 

"And did you see the Captain, Pilot, or any other crew during this ordeal?" 

I shook my head. "For the Pilot and Captain, no, not until we were all on the riverbank. But I saw some of the crew swimming away from the Steamboat, and I could hear some of them yelling, and banging on doors to wake up passengers and crew who were sleeping, but in that moment, I was just focused on getting off the Steamboat before it sank. I'm just thankful everyone and everypony made it off safely." 

"Indeed." 

The interview then continued for a little bit longer, and then Riversong told me that she was finished with the interview, and that I was free to leave, and she'd contact me again if she had any further questions. I nodded, and wished her the best of luck with the investigation. She thanked me, and then I was left alone in the inn again. I then quickly changed clothes back into what I was wearing earlier in the day, and after a quick call to Happy Storage World, I left the inn, and made my way over there to go see Greaser.





After walking for about 10 minutes, I finally reached the front gates of the massive storage facility. Happy Storage World was the largest, and most well-known storage facility in all of Equestria, covering nearly 100 acres of storage units, workshop facilities (for those who use their units as a workspace, rather than for storage), and of course, plenty of space for those who want to store their cars, trucks, boats, trailers, snowmobiles, jetskis, airplanes, and just about any other vehicle you could think of. 

"It's the best storage experience you'll ever have, or your money back, guaranteed!" That was their motto. 

When I arrived, I inputted my code into the kiosk, and the front gates opened. I then sighed, before breaking into a brisk jog in order to cover the 50 yards to the front doors, and then I was finally able to take a break once I stepped onto the Creature-Mover, which took me to the doors leading to the Long-Term Vehicle Storage Area (L-TVSA). When I got to the doors, I pushed the call-button next to it. 

"Yes? Can I help you?" I heard a voice say over the crackly speaker system.

I then looked up at the security camera. "Yeah, I'm here to see a Deuce about a Water Buffalo." I said with a grin. 

I then heard somepony laugh, before buzzing me in. When I opened the doors, I made my way down a short flight of stairs, before I reached a massive room. It was about the size of an aircraft hangar, the floor was concrete, and all along the walls were rows of garage doors, with more vehicles being stored in the middle, many of which were covered in tarps. The whole massive room was climate-controlled, and it was here that I kept my M35 truck, M105 trailer, and bed camper when I couldn't bring them with me. I then heard a flapping sound, and from the office pod, a male Pegasus flew down to greet me. He had green fur, a green and black mane and tail, and was wearing a mechanic's overalls, and a white shirt underneath. 

"Hey, Thomas, my man! Glad you could finally make it!" He said as he hugged me. 

"Ayo, glad to see you too, Greaser!" I said as I hugged him back. "It's been a while." 

"Yeah, no kidding. You went off to Rainbow Falls, and forgot about me, Man." 

I rolled my eyes a bit. "I didn't forget you, Greaser, I just didn't really get much time off to come see you. But in any case, I'm here now, and VERY eager to see how good of a job Shining Sides did on the Water Buffalo." 

Greaser's eyes lit up. "Right this way then. I know you're gonna love it." He then led me over to the bays where vehicles were brought in to be stored here, and pointed to something covered by a tarp. "Take a look." 

I then eagerly walked over, and pulled off the tarp. When I saw the M149 Water Buffalo in all its restored glory, I was amazed.


"Whoa! This is incredible! It looks brand new!" I was walking all around it, feeling it up, and in awe of the quality of the work. I didn't have much hope when it had been wrecked the first time, and I was pushed close to the bottom of the list of vehicles that needed another restoration, but 4 years later, here it was. 

"Marvelous!" 

"Though I didn't see any hookup hoses. Where're those at, Man?" Greaser asked. 

"Oh, I stuck those in the truck bed camper, as there wasn't any need to send them to be restored, since they were brand-new." 

"Ah, gotcha." 

"Yeah. And speaking of the camper, are it, the trailer, and the truck all still in Bay 136?" 

Greaser nodded. "Yep, they're right where you left them Thomas. And when you said you were coming by today, I put the batteries, and all fluids back into the M35, checked the tires, and made sure everything else under the hood was ready to go. I didn't fire it up, but I'm pretty sure it'll start right up when it does. I also checked the tires on the trailer, and charged the batteries on the truck bed camper for you too." 

"Excellent. Thanks, Greaser." Once I hooked up a hose to start filling the Water Buffalo's tank with potable water for my upcoming roadtrip, I then followed Greaser over to Bay 136, which was located near the middle of the massive room, and sure enough, there was my trusty M35 truck, my M105 trailer, with the bed camper in the back, all waiting for me. I'd also put up the overhead bows, and tied down the canvas tarp over the truck's bed before I left, though now I had to take down the tarp so that I could check that everything was still good. 

"Wow. I forgot how much stuff I stashed back here." I muttered as I looked around the bed. 

"Do you think it's all there?" Greaser asked. 

"I would certainly hope so." I then took a look at my manifest I'd created when I left the truck here. I'd taken stock of every item that was in the truck, trailer, and camper before I left, just so that I could ensure that it was all still there when I returned, and know right away if something was missing. 

"Well, let's see here. Gun safe 1? Check. Second Gun safe? Check. Both safes still filled with my guns?" I took a look, taking stock of each gun. "Check. Regular safe with personal documents, and important items? Check." I then made sure that everything was still inside. "Check. Footlocker with my National Guard uniform, helmet, and other gear? Check, and the contents is all here, so check. M2 Browning machine gun? Check......" 

I then took stock of a number of boxes of clothes, a box of shoes and boots, a couch, a cool wooden desk I'd found on the side of the road, a few other pieces of furniture, a few crates of tools I'd acquired over the years, some camping gear, a random green canoe (I still couldn't remember where I'd gotten that from), 2 wooden paddles for said canoe, a red lantern, a polar bear costume made from the genuine hide of an actual polar bear, and a bunch of other stuff I'd picked up over the years from thrift stores, garage sales, or found in back alleys, dumpsters, and beside the road. I then went inside the truck bed camper, and quickly took stock of everything in there, which only took a fraction of the time, since there wasn't much. 

"Gosh, Man. Are you ever gonna settle down? I mean you've got a whole house-load of stuff back here!" 

"Funny you should mention that, Greaser. While the job in Tall-Tale fell through, I got another job in the Smokey Mountains, and this one will be one that I can put down roots with." I then told him about my upcoming job at Great Wolf Lodge. 

"Oh, far out, Man! I'm so happy for you! And you said it's opening in 2 weeks?" 

"Yeah." 

"Wow. Well, when I get some time off in the Summer, I'd love to come out there for vacation to support my one of my best friend's business!" 

I chuckled a bit. Greaser was one of my few friends in Equestria, and he was definitely the closest thing I had to a best friend. He was always so chill and mellow (he smoked a lot of weed), and loved working on cars. In fact, he was the one who helped me when I did a lot of the work on the M35, especially the engine. 

"I'd love to see you out there, Bud." I then quickly finished checking off my list. 

Everything was present and accounted for, and now it was time to try and start the truck. I quickly climbed up into the cab, and after turning the key, the engine spluttered a bit, but with a cough, and puffs of exhaust from the stack, it roared to life once again. 

"Woo hoo! Purrs like a kitten!" Greaser called. 

"Yeah, no kidding. Good old diesel never fails when properly taken care of." 

Once I checked to make sure everything was good, I shut it off again just long enough to follow Greaser to the office to pay my storage tab, and then we headed back out, and I drove the truck forwards, and then backed it down to the Water Buffalo, which by now was full of water. Greaser then shut off the hose, rolled it up, and then helped me hook the Water Buffalo up to the truck. Once it was all good, I drove forward, and after passing the M105 trailer with the truck bed camper, I carefully backed down onto it, and then Greaser helped me hook the trailer to the back of the Water Buffalo. 

"Are you sure this is gonna hold, Man?" 

I nodded. "Yeah, it will. It held just fine pre-restoration, and I specifically told the guys at Shining Sides to reinforce it so that I can tow the M105 trailer with the bed camper in it, and they came through." 

"Oh, well that's good, Man." 

He then helped me make sure that all of the taillights and blinkers were working, all of the licence plates were secure, and I was getting ready to drive out. Before I did though, I looked over to Bay 4, and saw a familiar 1980's Humvee sitting there with a "For Sale" sign on it. 

"So I take it that Spicer never sold the Humvee? Is it still for sale?" 

Greaser shook his head. "Nope. He's still trying to sell it, but no one wants it." 

"Heh. I want it, but until I have somewhere to store it, and he knocks down the price, I can't buy it. You'd think that it was something special, rather than just your run-of-the-mill Humvee with that $50,000 he's asking for it." 

"He lowered the price, but he still wants $35k." 

"Hmm. Maybe I'll reach out to him next time he's in town. Any idea when that'll be?" 

Greaser shrugged." I dunno. He's over in Manehattan right now at some car show." 

"Oh. Well, when he gets back in town, and you see him, tell him to call me, as I want to know more about the Humvee." 

"Will do, Man. And you take care, Thomas. Drive safe on your way to the Smokey Mountains." 

"Will do, Bud." Greaser and I then hugged one more time, and then I got into my truck, and drove it out of the storage facility, and back towards the Inn. 

I wanted to get underway that night, but it was already almost 4pm, and I had one more night in my room at the inn, so I decided not to waste it. However, due to my long truck, and 2 trailers, I had to park behind the inn, and I enjoyed one last night in the bed I'd come to love so much. 





However, that night, I had a very strange dream. I dreamed that I was walking through the woods at dusk, while the sun was going down, the air was warm, a breeze was rustling the trees, and I could hear some birds chirping. Everything seemed peaceful, but yet, I had a strange feeling that I was being watched. I looked around, but I saw no one. However, all of a sudden, it got very dark, and I heard what sounded like a wolf howling, and it sounded close. 

"Oh shit, that's not good." I muttered. 

I reached for my gun, but it wasn't there. I kept looking all around, and then I saw it. Through the trees a short way, lit up by the light of the almost-set sun, I saw a huge wolf. It had black shaggy fur, a long, and a long thick tail, but what made me stare was its size. This thing was the size of a pickup truck, had red eyes, and on its back were 2 large wings, like those of an eagle. I couldn't think of any wolf that looked like that, and it just stared at me. 

"Soon." I heard it say quietly. "I'll see you soon." Then it faded away back into the forest, and the dream ended. 





The next morning, I woke up once again around 8am. I sighed, got up, quickly took a shower, dried myself off, got dressed, went down to grab breakfast in the inn's lobby, and then I went back to my room, finished backing up my stuff, did a sweep of the room to make sure that I got everything, and satisfied that I was good, I put my suitcase back on top of my trunk, tied it down, hauled the trunk downstairs, checked out of my room at the front desk, and then wheeled the trunk outside, and over to where I kept my truck parked. I then hoisted the trunk and suitcase into the back of the truck, secured the clips holding the canvas tarp over the back, did one final check of the truck, M149 Water Buffalo, M105 trailer, and truck bed camper, and satisfied that everything was where it should be, I climbed into the truck's cab, started the engine, and soon drove away from the inn. Then after stopping at the Texaco Gas Station in Ponyville, I got on the highway, westbound for the Smokey Mountains. I quickly got the music going again, and started with this classic.


I was soon cruising down the highway at about 70mph, and I definitely got a lot of stares from other motorists, as it wasn't very often that you saw an M35 Army Truck hauling an M149 Water Buffalo, and an M105 trailer with a truck bed camper in the back of it. I could see some Ponies taking pictures, and I didn't really mind. My truck would always turn heads wherever I took it, and I enjoyed people, Ponies, and other creatures asking about it. The drive Wednesday passed pretty uneventfully, and late that night, I pulled into a truck stop in Whinnyapolis, and after pulling into an empty space, I turned off the truck, and after getting a drink from the Water Buffalo (giving me the world's strongest immune system), I went back to the bed camper to sleep for the night. I'd forgotten how nice it was to sleep back there, and I was soon fast asleep. The next day, I woke up again, and after grabbing breakfast and more gas at the truck stop, I was soon on the road again. 

"That's the one thing I hate about these solo road-trips, there's just long stretches of driving for hours and hours at a time, and no one to talk to." I thought to myself. Despite what it seemed, I didn't really hate being around others, and I enjoyed good company from time to time, but when one moves as much as I do, getting to know people is hard to do, as you'll soon be gone on your way again. "Hopefully that'll change when I reach the Great Wolf Lodge. Hopefully I'll be able to make new friends, and then stick around to spend time with them both on and off the clock." 

After stopping for the night again at another truck stop, I got on the road again, and by the time the sun was rising high in the sky, I finally reached the Smokey Mountains. They bore so much resemblance to the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee back on Earth, and the mountains, which were more like large hills, were covered in green trees, grasses, and many other varieties of plant life. The number of cars and trucks on the road with me thinned out a bit, but there were still plenty to go around. Eventually, by about Noon, I saw a sign in the distance. 

"Welcome to Spirit Water Forest. A Town of Incredible Natural Beauty". 

My face lit up when I saw that sign. "Wow, that means I'm finally almost there!" 

Soon after I saw the sign, I came to the town itself. It was smaller than I imagined it would be, but was very quaint, a bit rustic, and fit right in with its surroundings, with most of its buildings being made out of wood, and looking like log cabins. From the highway, I could see a few restaurants, a Highway Patrol Station, a fire station, a Visitor's Center, various stores and attractions, a library, the town hall, and a gas station, which I stopped at to top off. Inside the gas station, I asked the owner if he could point me to the turnoff to the Great Wolf Lodge, and he told me that it was a few miles out of town. 

"Just keep driving until you see a wooden sign with a stone base. It used to advertise the Clearwater Resort and Spa, but was just recently changed to advertise the new Great Wolf Lodge. Your turnoff is just past that sign, and to your right, and turn onto Clearwater Road. You can't miss it. And once you're on Clearwater Road, it'll take you straight to the resort." 

I thanked the owner, and went back out to my truck. However, before I left, I stopped to take some pictures of the natural scenery, which turned out to be a mistake, as while I was walking in the grass next to the gas station, I accidentally stepped into a mud puddle, and both of my boots quickly sank into the mud. I jerked in surprise, and while I was soon able to get out of the mud puddle, both my boots, and my socks were covered in mud. I groaned, and was about to change my shoes and socks, but decided to wait until I was at the resort to do so. I then took off my muddy boots and socks, and put them on the floorboard of the truck next to me, and drove on to the resort barefoot. Sure enough, soon after I left town, I saw the sign that the gas station owner was talking about, and after turning right, I soon found myself driving down Clearwater Road, surrounded by pine trees. Eventually, I came to what seemed to be the resort's front gates. The gates were open, but large signs all around said that the resort was closed, and would be opening in 2 weeks, though there were also signs telling employees to come on in, and pull up to the main lodge of the resort. I drove in, and when I saw the resort, all I could do was stare in awe of it. 

The main building looked like any other Great Wolf Lodge you would see, albeit, larger than normal, but that wasn't what made me stop and stare. It was as if someone had taken a Great Wolf Lodge, and dropped it into the middle of the Rocky Mountains. All around the building were fields of grasses, with plenty of trees scattered all around, off to the left was Great Wolf Lake, and I could also see the volleyball, tennis, and basketball courts, various picnic tables and wooden chairs, large playground, and off in the distance, I saw what I thought were a few trailheads. 


I could also see a large group of Ponies, people, and other creatures gathering around near the resort, and I figured that they must be some of the new employees of the resort. I assumed that they were getting ready for the employee picnic later that afternoon, and I continued driving up to the main lodge building so that I could ask for directions to where I should park. Little did I know though that a comedic scene was about to unfold.





On another end of things, when many of them arrived, the new employees of the Great Wolf Lodge Resort were also in awe of the place like I was, as they'd never seen a resort with so many outdoor amenities before, and in such a beautiful location too. As I'd also seen, many of them were milling about outside, checking things out, and some were helping get ready for the employee picnic. More and more employees were arriving all the time, and most of their vehicles were normal, but then some of them heard a loud rumble, and to their surprise, an M35 Army truck, pulling what seemed to be a water trailer, and a trailer with a truck bed camper in it pulled up to the main lodge building, and then came to a stop. Then, from out of the cab, someone stepped down, but from what those around the large truck could see, the driver seemed to be barefoot. He was a Human, wearing a yellow short-sleeve shirt, blue overalls, a blue ballcap, but no shoes or socks. He also seemed to be muttering about cleaning up his boots. 

Vincent Willis, the Resort's new Head of Security, approached the man as he was approaching the passenger-side of the truck. 

"Can I....help you?" He asked. 

"Hmm? Oh yes, you can. This is the Great Wolf Lodge Resort, right?" The barefoot man asked

"Yes, but it doesn't open for another 2 weeks, and we weren't expecting any deliveries today. I think you're in the wrong place." 

"No, I'm not in the wrong place, I'm meant to work here. I'm Thomas Ballard, the new Assistant-Chief Engineer, hired by Mr Strauss." 

Vincent raised his eyebrows. The scruffy-looking, barefoot man in front of him, working maintenance at the resort, and hired by Mr Strauss? It seemed impossible, and he told Thomas so. 

"Wait, you don't believe me?" He asked. 

"No, I don't." 

"Well, is there any way you can contact Mr Strauss, or someone else in charge, and ask them about me?" 

"Fine. But if they've never heard of you, I'm throwing your ass out!" He then picked up his walkie-talkie, and talked into it, asking if there was any record of an employee named Thomas Ballard, hired by Mr Strauss. After a minute or so of silence, Vincent's face widened in surprise as he was told that yes indeed Thomas Ballard was meant to work there, and he was also driving a green Army truck. 

Vincent turned to me. "I'm terribly sorry, Sir. I mean, you look like....." 

"A homeless person? Yeah, I get that sometimes. But that's just because I've been on the road for 2 days trying to get here on time. Don't worry though, I clean up quite well in the shower." 

"And why're you barefoot?" 

I winced a bit, before telling him about my unfortunate incident at the gas station back in town, and how I was about to go grab my muddy boots and socks, and figure out how to clean them up when he approached me. 

"Oh, I see. Well, luckily for you, there's a hose outside you can use to clean up your boots, and laundry facilities to wash your socks." 

"That's good. And where do I park?" 

Vincent pointed towards a large white building towards the back of the resort. "Right back there. That's the Long Barn, where the Employees park their vehicles. You can take Spot 60, as that's meant for a large truck and trailers. And once you've parked, you can go talk to Slipsteam by the back door of the Back Wing, where the Employees live, to ask about your quarters. She's a Pegasus mare wearing a bright orange outfit. You can't miss her." 

"Ok, thank you. And I take it you're a security guy here?" 

He nodded. "Yep. I'm Vincent Willis, the new Head of Security." 

"Nice to meet you, Vincent. And keep up the good work." 

"I certainly will."

I then climbed back into my truck, and drove it out to the Long Barn. 

When I arrived, I managed to back the entire consist into Spot 60 without too much trouble, and after shutting the engine off, I pulled out my trunk and suitcase, and decided to bring them to my quarters first, and then get the lay of the land before bringing anything else in. I wheeled the trunk about 100 feet to the back-doors of the Back Wing of the resort, where a line of new employees was forming, and sure enough, I saw Slipstream at the door, dressed exactly like Vincent said she was. I waited in the line, and when it was my turn, she looked at me. 

"Name please?" 

"Thomas Ballard." 

She looked at her clipboard, and after flipping through a few pages, she found my name. "Ah, here you are. Room 213." She then handed me a key to my room. 

I thanked her, and went inside the Back Wing. The interior was pretty plain, with beige walls, and green patterned carpet, and looked like any old run-of-the-mill hotel. I noted where the elevator was, but decided to take the stairs up to the second floor. When I arrived, I soon found my room, and I opened the door. When I looked inside, I was surprised. The room had walls painted to look like a blue sky with clouds, a twin bed was over by the window, with a night table and lamp, there was also a dresser for clothes, a wooden chair, and a small kitchenette, and a door that led to a closet, and another to a small bathroom, with a toilet, mirrored sink, and a small shower, but aside from these, and a ceiling fan on the ceiling, the room was pretty barren, but I then realized that this was so those who lived in these rooms could decorate them to their liking. I then noticed another glass door that led out onto a small balcony that to my delight looked straight towards the forest that surrounded the resort. 

"Wow, this is amazing!" 

I then set my trunk on the bed, before heading back downstairs, and out to my truck again, and with some help, I grabbed my 2 gun safes, my 3rd regular safe, my couch, several boxes of clothing, the box of shoes and boots, the wooden desk, and a few other pieces of furniture, carried them up to my room via the elevator, and put them away. The room felt cozier already, and I was soon shown where the ice machine, and laundry room for that floor was. I tossed my socks in, as well as some other dirty clothes I had, and once back outside yet again, I found a hose, and washed off my boots, and set them out on my balcony to dry.

After this, I set my phone alarm for about an hour, and I laid down on my couch, and decided to take a quick nap before it was time to clean up for the picnic. 

"This place seems really nice so far." I thought as I began to fall asleep. "I just hope that the creatures I work with are just as nice."