> New Life Westward
>  by ScarFox9700
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: A New Opportunity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the sun shone onto my face the next morning, I slowly opened my eyes. I was still pretty tired, and I didn't fully know where I was at first, but then I looked around at my surroundings, and I remembered. 

"Oh yeah. I'm at the Duck Pond Inn in Ponyville, after narrowly escaping that steamboat when it hit a snag." I muttered. 

I then sighed, and sat up in bed, before looking at the alarm clock next to it. The time was now about 8am, and I decided to start getting ready for the day. I knew that at some point, I was going to have to give my testimony about the accident, but I was hoping that that wouldn't take too long, as I still wanted to be on my way to Tall-Tale before the end of the day. I then got up, and jumped into the shower, taking care to wash my whole body, including my thick brown hair, and of course, my black wolf ears and tail. Washing my ears was fine, but my tail was a pain, as I couldn't see most of it very well. 

"Well, at least I can reach it with a brush." I thought to myself. 

Once I was out of the shower, and toweling myself off, as well as blowdrying my hair, wolf ears, and tail, I took a quick look at the black pawprints on my hips, and then turned on the TV as background noise. I'd tuned in to a local news station, and sure enough, they were still covering the accident from last night. It was a pretty big deal, since there hadn't been any major steamboat accidents like this since the Purple Starling ran aground and partially sank almost 7 years ago now. Everyone and everypony wanted to know what happened, and they were still thankful that there were no fatalities. 

After I finished drying off, I opened my trunk, and pulled out a pair of jeans, a red flannel shirt, a black cap, socks, and my usual work boots. I then left my room, and went down to the inn's laundry room, where I retrieved the clothes I'd been wearing the previous night, which were now clean and dry, but still looking just as worn out, and I brought them back upstairs to my room, before grabbing a quick breakfast in the inn's lobby, and then deciding to take a stroll out to see the accident site. 

I managed to get about 500 feet away from the Applish River before I was stopped by Police barricades, and I saw the Speedy Eagle still lying on her side, but now she was surrounded by barges and floating cranes as salvage crews worked on getting the steamboat back upright, and then towed away to the river docks in Ponyville so that she could be examined further, as where the steamboat was currently, it was a hazard to navigation. All around the riverbank I saw Ponyville Police Officers, Sheriff's Deputies, more salvage crew, Royal Guards, and the unmistakable blue windbreakers of the Equestrian Transportation Safety Board (ETSB), as well as plenty of news reporters and camera crews. I decided to make myself scarce before any news crews noticed me, as I didn't want to be interviewed right then (and indeed, I couldn't really be interviewed until I had my interview with the ETSB), and headed back to the inn, as I had some work I needed to get done. 





Once I was, I decided to first call my Parents. I wasn't sure if news of the accident had spread to Earth yet or not, but I decided to call them anyway, just to assure them that I was alright. 

"Wait, you were in a what?! My Mom cried. 

"The steamboat I was on hit a snag, aka a partially-sunken fallen tree in the Applish River about 10 miles past Ponyville, and then sank in about 2 1/2 minutes. Though when I say 'it sank', I mean that it rolled onto its left side, and mostly sank, but not completely, as its right side is still visible above the water, and salvage crews are working to get it back upright again, and towed away." 

The next few minutes were spent with my Mom freaking out about the whole thing, and even more so at how I was so calm in explaining how it went down, even though I was facing possible death. She then passed the phone to my Dad, who was still pretty shaken up, but kept it together much better. 

"How many were onboard, and were there any fatalities?" 

"There were 12 passengers, and 16 crew, for a total of 28, and by the grace of God, we all made it off the steamboat alive, though some were injured. But, most of us had to swim to get away." 

"Yeah, thank God that there weren't any fatalities. And where're you now, Thomas?" 

"I'm at the Duck Pond Inn, here in Ponyville. I have to stay in town at least as long as it takes to give an interview with the ETSB, and then hopefully I'll be able to head off to my new job in Tall-Tale." 

"And what was your new job again? And can you please just pick a place and stay there for a while? Why do you need to move around so much?" 

I sighed. "In order, it's a new job at a steel mill, and I want to, but......it's hard. I've just gotten so used to moving around so much.....I want to settle down though. Maybe the job after next will be one where I can stick around." 

"You've been saying that ever since you left the Equestrian National Guard." I heard my Mom say from the background. 

"Yeah, I know Mom. I know." 

We ended up talking for a little while longer, and then I hung up the phone. I then sat on the bed again, and sighed. In all honesty, I was beginning to grow tired of constantly moving around, but yet, I'd gotten so used to it. 

"It'll take something pretty major to break the cycle." I muttered. I then dialed the number of Happy Storage World. 

"Hello, you've reached Happy Storage World. I hope you're having a REALLY happy day! How may I direct your call?" A mare's chipper voice asked. 

"Please direct me to the Long Term Vehicle Storage Area." I told her. 

"Certainly! One moment please, Sir." 

I then got to listen to some hold music for a few minutes, before someone picked up. 

"Hello, Long Term Vehicle Storage Area." 

I recognized the voice immediately. "Hey, Greaser, it's Thomas." 

"Hey, Thomas! Great to hear from you again, Buddy! How're things going for you?" 

"Well, all incidents with steamboats aside, they've been good. I was just calling to let you know that I'm in town, and sometime later on today, I'm coming by to pick up my truck." 

"Oh, yeah, that must have been pretty scary for you, Man. And aww, really? You're coming by to get the Deuce?" 

"Yep, it's time. I'm heading on to my new job in Tall-Tale, and I need my 'mobile home' back." 

"Yeah, I understand, Thomas, but it's still a shame. I got really used to seeing it every day, and taking care of it, and its trailer while you were away." He then paused for a moment. "Oh, and I have some really great news for you!" 

I was surprised. "Really? What is it?" 

"It's a good thing that you're back in town, because the boys from Shining Sides just stopped by to make a very special delivery for you. You now have your Water Buffalo again!" 

My eyes went wide. "Wait. You mean, they finally finished it?!" 

"Yeah, Man, they finally came through for you! It looks amazing. I can't wait for you to see it." 

I was amazed. Around the same time I bought the truck bed camper, and the M105 cargo trailer to hold it to go with my M35 truck, I'd also purchased an old US Army M149 Water Buffalo with a 400-gallon tank. 


I bought it to provide fresh water for me to use in my truck bed camper, especially for the shower, but alas, I never got to enjoy the fruits of my labor. When I first bought it, it was rusty, and leaking, so I brought it to Shining Sides, a vehicle restoration company in Whinnyapolis, and they restored it for me. However, as I arrived at their main garage, and was just getting out of my truck to go over and examine the Water Buffalo before taking it with me, a huge semi truck suddenly came careening off the highway, rolled down an embankment, and plowed right through the Shining Sides parking lot, before crashing into their main building. By some miracle, no one, or anypony was killed, but a number were injured, and dozens of cars, trucks, and trailers, some of which were either vintage, or historical, were either damaged, some severely, or completely totaled. My Water Buffalo had been severely damaged, and I was in shock, as were the owners of the other vehicles, and shop employees, but then our shock turned to rage when we were told that the semi truck driver was blind-drunk. Long story short, Shining Sides had to close until they could rebuild their building, and the driver, and his trucking company were sued into the stratosphere in two class-action lawsuits; one from Shining Sides, and one from the vehicle owners. I didn't have much hope that I'd ever see my Water Buffalo get fixed, but I still decided to wait it out. And now 4 years later, it looked like my waiting had finally paid off. 

"That's amazing, Greaser. I can't wait to see it either when I come by later." 

"Alright, Man. See you then." 

"See ya." I then ended the call. 

I was just getting ready to call the number of the steel mill in Tall-Tale, but then my cellphone rang again. I ignored it, as I didn't recognize the number. I then saw that they left me a message, but I decided to call the steel mill first. 

"Hello, you've reached the Great Northern Steel Company. How may I assist you today?" A male voice asked. 

"Hello, my name is Thomas Ballard, and I was calling to inquire about your job listing I saw about a week ago now, one advertising furnace stokers?" 

There was a pause on the other end of the line. 

"Oh, you mean the one asking for seasonal workers?" 

"Yeah, that's it." 

"Well, I'm sorry to say, Sir, but that advertisement's out of date. The positions were already filled, and we forgot to take the listing off of our website." 

My face fell. "Oh, really? It's an old listing you forgot to take down?" 

"Yeah, I'm afraid so." 

"And do you have any other jobs available right now?" 

"I'm afraid not, Mr. Ballard." 

"I see. Well, thank you for telling me. Goodbye." 

"Goodbye." 

I frowned. "So I wasted all that time and money, not to mention potentially dying in a steamboat accident, just to be told that the job listing is outdated. Great. Just f@#king peachy! Now I'll have to find another job somewhere else!" 

I was about to start looking through more job listings, but then I remembered the message I'd received. I quickly pulled it up to listen to it, as I realized that it might have been the ETSB wanting to talk to me. 

"Hello, Thomas? I'm not sure if you remember me or not, but my name is Edward Strauss. I'm an old friend of your Parents, and I heard that you were in town at the moment, so I decided to reach out to you. I also heard that you might be looking for work, and I have a job opening if you wanted it. Please call me back at your earliest convenience so that we can discuss it. Thank you." The message ended. 

"Hmm, Edward Strauss." I thought. I felt like I knew the name vaguely, but couldn't quite place it. However, he was offering me a job, and I needed one now that my plans for Tall-Tale had fallen through, so I quickly called him back. 

After ringing for a few moments, someone picked up. 

"Strauss Residence. May I ask who is calling?" A male's voice asked. 

"Yes, hello. My name is Thomas Ballard, and I'm returning a call from Mr Edward Strauss." 

"One moment please, Sir." 

I then heard the sound of the call being transferred. After a few moments, I heard an older man's voice say, "Hello, Thomas?" 

"Mr Strauss?" I asked. 

"Yes, that's me. I'm glad you got my message, and decided to return my call. I wasn't sure if you remembered me or not." 

"I feel like I've heard my Parents mention you before, but I can't quite place you." 

"Oh, well in that case, let me explain. You may have seen me before, but I think you were pretty young at the time. I'm an old friend of your Parents, and your Dad used to work for me for a number of years before he left to start his own company. And more recently, I was the one who helped pay for most of your medical treatments." 

I paused. Now the pieces were falling into place in my head. Mr Strauss was a very wealthy businessman back in America, and in recent years was growing business ventures in Equestria. He made his fortune in real estate, casinos, and various other resorts, and for many years, my Dad had worked for him, and in fact, it was at one of the company's parties that he met my Mom. However, around the time I was maybe 5-6, my Dad left Mr. Strauss's company, and went and started his own successful carpet and flooring company in Arkansas. He and my Mom had kept in regular contact with Mr Strauss over the years, and now I was learning that Mr Strauss had stepped in to pay for my life-saving medical treatments. 

"Oh. Well, first of all, I just want to say, thank you for helping to save my life, Sir. You didn't have to do that." 

"I know, but I also know how much you mean to your Family, Thomas, and I didn't want them to lose you. Not while there was still a chance to save your life, however small it was. And it seemed that that gamble payed off, as you managed to pull through, albeit a bit more 'wolfy' than you were before." He said with a chuckle. 

I laughed a bit. "Yeah, pretty much. But I still thank you very much, Sir. And you told me that you might have a job for me?" 

"Oh yes, I do. Unless of course you already have a job." 

"No, Sir. Your call came at a very opportune time, as I was just looking for a new job." 

"Well, that's great to hear, Thomas." After asking where I was staying, Mr. Strauss then gave me the address of his house outside of Ponyville (one of a handful he owned across Equestria), and said that he was sending his driver to pick me up at 10:45am sharp, so that I could be there at his house at 11am sharp so that we could discuss the matter further. 

"Certainly, Sir. I'll be there on time. You can count on me!" 

"I know I can, Thomas. I'll see you at 11." He then hung up the phone. 

I was very surprised that he was willing to offer me a job, but I was thankful for it. 

"Well, as they say, never look a gift horse in the mouth!" 

I then quickly began to get ready, as it was already almost 10:30am. 





I quickly dug through my trunk to find something nice to wear, and I finally found a funeral suit that I'd bought at a thrift store. I decided to skip the jacket and tie, and instead put on the black pants, black dress shoes, a black belt, black socks, and a white button-up shirt. I tucked my tail into the pants, and I looked around for a hat, but I quickly realized that one wouldn't be fitting for this, so I'd just have to leave my black wolf ears exposed. After I was finished getting ready, I left the inn again, and at 10:45am, I quickly got into the car that Mr Strauss had sent to pick me up, which took me to my destination. 

After driving for a few miles outside of Ponyville, we passed a number of acres of rolling fields of grass, and towards the end of the country road we were on, the car pulled up to a large metal gate, and as it was opening for us, I was in awe at what was behind it. The house was huge, yet very elegant, and fit in quite well with the land around it. I also saw a few outbuildings, and the grounds were immaculate.

"Wow. Mr Strauss certainly does have a magnificent country estate here." I said to the driver. 

"Indeed he does, Mr Ballard. And out of all of the estates that he and Mrs Strauss own, this one is one of their favorites because of its country beauty." 

"I can definitely understand that." 

The car then pulled up into a circle drive near the main house, right alongside a large fountain, and as I stepped out of the car, the door was opened by an Earth Pony stallion with white fur, a gray mane and tail, wearing a well-pressed suit with a black bowtie. I assumed that he must be a butler. 

"Ah, Mr. Ballard. I trust your journey was a pleasant one?" He asked in what seemed to be the Equestrian version of a British accent. 

I nodded. "Yes, indeed it was. And I'm in awe of Mr Strauss's estate." 

"I'm glad to hear it, Sir. If you'll just follow me, Mr Strauss is waiting for you in his office." 

I then followed the butler inside of the house, and I was in awe of the decor. The entryway had a number of marble columns, the floor was made of polished tile, and on the walls were various paintings and photographs. A large staircase was to my right, and straight ahead seemed to be the main living room. However, the Butler then led me to the left, through a windowed corridor, and to a set of white, wooden double-doors. He then knocked on the doors, before opening them a bit, and announcing my arrival. 

"Ah, I see he is indeed right on time. Send him in." A man's voice replied. 

"Right away, Sir." The butler then ushered me inside. 

"And do you need anything else before I go, Sir?" 

"No, that'll be all for now, Ashton." 

"Very good, Sir." Ashton then closed the double-doors. 

I then looked around the room. I saw that it was a large home office, with a row of large windows against the back wall, the floor was carpeted, and all around were shelves full of books, model cars, and various awards, as well as other models and artwork on display, and seated behind a large wooden desk was Mr Strauss himself. He was an older man, in his mid 70's, with graying hair, sparkling brown eyes, a small mustache, and was dressed in a khaki pants, dark socks, brown shoes, and a blue collared shirt. 

"Ah, Thomas. I'm so glad you could make it here safely." He then stood up, and held out his hand. 

"I'm glad too, Sir." I then shook his hand firmly. 

"It's so nice to be able to see you again, and under much better circumstances this time. Dr. Fritz and his team worked a true miracle with you." 

I nodded. "Yes, yes they did. And my Parents are equally thankful for it, but it seems.....off sometimes. Like I'm in the wrong body." 

"I see. Well, considering how extensively your body had to be rebuilt, that is understandable." 

We then talked for a little bit longer about my Family, the rest of my time on Earth post-op, and how my life in Equestria had been. Mr Strauss was very pleased to hear that I'd been able to create a life for myself here in Equestria, though then the topic drifted to the job offer he had. 

"Ah yes, the main reason I called you here today. Though before I tell you about it, I need to know. You did graduate from high school, correct?" 

I nodded. "Yes, I did. It felt strange, going back to high school at 19, but I finished my Senior Year, and graduated." 

"Very good. And you've never been in trouble with the law anymore, correct? No more drugs?" 

I shook my head. "No, Sir, no drugs to speak of, with the exception of some THC medication I was prescribed to calm my anxiety. And no trouble with the law, barring a few times the Police told me I had to move my truck, as I wasn't allowed to park where I had it. But that's 4 years drug-free, and free from any real trouble with the law." 

Mr. Strauss nodded his head. "Very good. Very good indeed, Thomas. It's so great that you've been able to recover from your ordeal, and turn your life around as much as you have. And I know that what you have said is the truth, as I ran a background check on you before you came, and you passed with flying colors. But anyway, the job. Before I start explaining it, I'd like to know. Have you ever heard of Great Wolf Lodge?" 

I thought for a moment. "Great Wolf Lodge? Hmm, it sounds familiar. Isn't that that one chain of wilderness-themed resorts with indoor waterparks?" 

"Yes, that's it." 

"Never been to one myself. I wanted to, but alas, there aren't any in Arkansas. The closest one is the one up in Kansas City. Though because you're bringing it up, I assume that it's because you're building a Great Wolf Lodge in Equestria, and want me to work there?" 

"That's a very good guess, Thomas, and you're on the right track, but it's a little bit more than that. You see, recently, I purchased a large wilderness resort out in the Smokey Mountains in Western Equestria, pretty close to the town of Spirit Water Forest. I was trying to figure out what I could do with this new resort, and then one day, I had an epiphany. What if I turned the resort into a Great Wolf Lodge, but yet one unlike any ever seen before? It didn't take too much convincing on the part of Great Wolf Lodge themselves once they saw my plan laid out in detail, since they already have locations here in Equestria in Manehattan, Baltimare, and Las Pegasus, and were looking to expand." 

"And what was/is your plan, Mr Strauss?" I asked, pretty intrigued. 

Mr Strauss grinned. "Well, Thomas, I wanted to revamped my resort into a Great Wolf Lodge, but unlike any ever seen before, since this will be the flagship-location. While others are themed around the great outdoors, this one truly IS the great outdoors!"

"What does this mean?" I asked.

"It means that while the resort itself bears a strong resemblance to a Great Wolf Lodge back on Earth, indoor waterpark and all, the outside, and surrounding areas were vastly different. The rest of the grounds of the resort are truly nature-based, with a large lake for swimming, boating, fishing, etc (known as Great Wolf Lake), and there's also plenty of nature trails for hiking, offroad trails for mountain bikes, ATV's and offroad vehicles, actual rock walls for climbing and repelling, outdoor obstacle courses, sand volleyball courts, a basketball court, a tennis court, playgrounds for children, an amphitheater for events, a number of bonfire pits, spaces for wedding venues, and more, including 2 outdoor shooting ranges; 1 for pistols, and another for rifles and shotguns. What I created is truly a great outdoors-themed resort that would make Johnny Morris (the founder/owner of Bass Pro Shops, Cabella's, and all other properties owned by that company, and a true outdoorsman and conservationist) cry with joy. The whole resort is just about ready to reopen in its new form for its first season in about two week's time, and I want you, Thomas, to be a part of the resort's staff as an engineer." 

When Mr. Strauss finished, all I could do was stare wide-eyed in shock. To be honest, his resort sounded absolutely awesome, and a dream come true for someone like me who loved the great outdoors, but I was also equally surprised that he wanted me to be an engineer, as I had no experience, nor degree in such a thing.

"This sounds amazing, Sir, but there's a bit of a problem. I have no engineering experience at all, nor an engineering degree. And eh.....I assume you've heard, or read about my kinda flaky job history, and my moving around a lot." 

Mr. Strauss chuckled a bit. "Yes, I'm well aware of that, Thomas. However, you weren't just quitting jobs all the time; most of the work you did was seasonal. You'd stay in a place for a season, and then when it ended, you'd move somewhere else to find another seasonal job. And the moving around a lot for work isn't all that uncommon. I mean, just look at me. I'm very often on the move, going from one project to another to ensure that everything's running smoothly. And as for your lack of engineering skills, that's ok, as I misspoke a bit. You won't be that kind of engineer, nor will you drive trains; you'll be the resort's Assistant-Chief Engineer." 

"So what's the job description?" I asked. 

"Well, it's actually pretty straightforward. You'll help oversee the upkeep of the resort, its grounds, and amenities, and while you will have to interact with guests, it'll be on a level similar to that of a typical repairman."

"But, I have no experience in overseeing things; I'm just the guy who does them."

"That may be, but I see great potential in you, Thomas, and I think you'll be a great fit for this role. You'll be the one in charge, and you'll be delegating roles to those under you, and you'll also be doing plenty of hands-on work yourself, which I know you enjoy doing so much. Plus, you'll be working under the guidance of Chief Engineer Aloysius Otter. He'll be your main boss, and he's a good man (or rather, otter), and I know you'll be able to learn a lot from him. Plus, this'll be a stable, long-term job for you, Thomas. You'll be able to meet, and work alongside many great people, Ponies, and other creatures, provide guests with an incredible, one-of-a-kind experience, and get to spend a lot of time in the great outdoors yourself." 

"This still sounds daunting, but yet incredible. And what kind of benefits do you offer?" 

Mr. Strauss smiled. "Great question! We offer just about everything, from healthcare, to vision care, dental care, paid time off, other vacation days, employee discounts, family discounts, on-site accommodations for staff within the resort itself, excellent pay, paid overtime, room for advancement, sick days, accident pay, paternity leave, maternity leave, flexible hours, 401k's, the works. Once you're a part of the Great Wolf Lodge Family, we treat you like family. So what do you say, Thomas? Are you interested?"

When he finished, I was still in shock. This job seemed to have just about everything, though I still had two important questions. 

"I need to know two things. First of all, am I allowed to bring my M35 truck, M105 trailer with a truck bed camper in it, and M149 Water Buffalo trailer with me?" 

Mr Strauss nodded. "Of course. Employees are highly encouraged to have their own vehicles, and we have a large garage building specially for employee vehicles, trailers, and the like. And in some cases, we even display certain vehicles if they're historic, or look cool to help attract visitors. And what was your other question?" 

"Oh, well that's good. And my second question is, even though I left the Equestrian National Guard, I'm still in the Reserves, and one weekend a month (usually the 3rd weekend), I need to go in for training. Can this be accommodated in my work schedule?" 

"Oh, most certainly. You're not the only employee who's either in the National Guard, National Guard Reserves, works in the  Equestrian Forest Service, or something similar, and we take great care to accommodate this. And I assume that you'll be training out at the National Guard Base in Mountain Falls?" 

I thought for a second. "If that's the National Guard Base in the Smokey Mountains, then yes. I know that there's one out there, but I can't remember what it was called." 

"As I said, it's called Mountain Falls, and it's located about an hour's drive away from the town of Spirit Water Forest, where the resort's located." 

"Ok, that sounds doable. Though before I make a decision, do you mind if I talk this over with my Parents? I'm sure they'd love to hear about it." 

Mr Strauss nodded. "Oh, absolutely. And be sure to give them my regards." 

"I will, Sir." 

I then stepped outside of the office for a moment, and pulled out my cellphone.





"Wow. It's so incredibly nice for Mr Strauss to offer you that job, Thomas." My Mom was telling me after she heard about it. "I definitely think you should take it." 

"I agree with your Mom. This sounds like it would be perfect for you, plus look at all of the benefits it offers, not to mention being a stable, long-term job. And it's out in the wilderness like you love so much, and you even get to finally fulfill your dream of getting to go to a Great Wolf Lodge." 

"Yeah, you're right, Dad. Plus, with the Employee, and Family Discounts they offer, you, Mom, plus Mary, Rachel and Jacob can come out here and spend a vacation once the resort's fully up and running." 

"Oh yeah, I didn't think about that, but you're right." My Mom agreed. "Though what about the Winter months? Is the resort still open then?" 

"Eh, hang on, I'll ask Mr. Strauss." I then went to ask him. A minute or so later, I returned. "He said that the resort will be open year-round, and will have amenities for Winter activities, such as skiing, sledding, snowboarding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, etc, though these facilities haven't been built yet, and will be an addition for the Winter Season next year." 

"That's great to hear, since your Mom and I like to ski when we get the chance." 

"Yeah, it really is. I think this'll be a great opportunity for me, in so many ways, so I'll take the job. I'll talk to you guys later, and be sure to tell Mary, Rachel, and Jacob I called!" 

"We will, Son. Take care." 

"Thanks, Dad." 

I then hung up, and returned to Mr. Strauss's office.





"Well?" He asked when I returned, "What did they say?" 

"Oh, they were definitely onboard with the idea, and I loved it too, so I'll take the job, Sir." 

Mr. Strauss's face lit up. "Wonderful! I'm so happy to hear that, Thomas." He then reached into his desk, and pulled out a stack of paperwork. "Now then, we just have to make if official." He said as he handed them to me, and gave me a pen. 

"Yes, Sir." I then sat down, and began to fill out the paperwork. It took a while, but eventually, I reached the last page, and signed my name. "Ok, that's my signature on the last page. Is that is, Sir?" 

"Yes, that's it." Mr Strauss replied as he took the paperwork back, and began to make copies of it. He then held out his hand, which I shook. 

"Welcome to the Great Wolf Lodge Family, Thomas. I know that you won't regret your decision." 

"I don't think I will either, Sir." 

"And before you leave, I need to give you this." He handed me a small information packet. "You'll be given the rest of it at your Orientation, as this one just covers the basics. You'll need to be out at the resort by Saturday, as that's when the Orientation is, though it's encouraged that you get there by Friday, so that you can begin to familiarize yourself with the resort, its surroundings, and some of your coworkers. And in 2 weeks, the resort will be opening to the public for its first Season." 

"Ok, I understand, Sir. And is the resort's address in this packet?" 

"Yes it is." 

"Ok, good. Later on today, I have my interview with the ETSB, but then I'll go pick up my truck, and other belongings from Happy Storage World, and then I should be on my way to the Smokey Mountains. 2 days on the road, and I should be there by the early afternoon on Friday if all goes well." 

"Sounds good to me, Thomas." Oh, and before I forget, also on Saturday, there'll be an employee party to celebrate all of you joining the Great Wolf Lodge Family, and there'll be an employee picnic on Friday to celebrate the employees's arrival, so don't be late for that if you love good food, and be sure to come hungry!" 

I chuckled a bit. "I definitely will Sir. And thank you again for giving me such an incredible opportunity." 

"You're very welcome, Thomas." 

We then said our goodbyes, and I then left the Strauss's house, and Mr Strauss's driver took me back to the Duck Pond Inn. 

Once I was gone, Mr Strauss's wife, Gertrude Strauss, entered her husband's office. She was a woman in her early 70's, with whitening platinum-blonde hair, blue eyes, black glasses, and wearing a blue dress with heels. 

"So I take it that Thomas accepted the job?" She asked. 

"Oh yes, he did, My Love. And he was very enthusiastic about it too." 

Mrs Strauss frowned a bit. "Yes, but why did you offer him that job? As he himself said, he has no engineering experience." 

"It's not really an engineering job, it's a maintenance one. I mean yes, he'll have people, Ponies, and other creatures under him that he'll be delegating jobs to, but he'll be doing plenty of maintenance work himself (which I know he's done before in the past as a career), since he'll be the Assistant-Chief Engineer. Basically, he'll be the 3rd highest-ranking employee behind Aloyisus Otter, and Slipstream." 

"Don't you mean 4th? You forgot about Gia." 

Mr Strauss rolled his eyes a bit. "Gia and Slipstream are on the same level; Slipstream's the Back of House Manager, while Gia's Front of House Manager, or if you want to get technical, Slipstream's the Assistant-General Manager, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the resort's staff, and Gia's the General Manager, overseeing the resort, and its guests. And maybe Thomas is 5th if you count Wiley." He said with a grin.

Mrs Strauss narrowed her eyes. "He's a mascot, he doesn't count!" 

Mr Strauss chuckled a bit. He still wasn't fully sure why his wife chose Gia, a Griffon, for the role of General Manager, as she seemed a bit full of herself, but Mrs Strauss didn't fully sure why her husband chose Thomas for the role of Assistant-Chief Engineer, as I had no engineering experience. 

"Thomas had great potential, even more than he knows. He just needs the chance to learn how to spread his wings and fly, which this job I'm pretty sure will do for him." 

Mrs Strauss sighed. "If you say so, My Dear. But I'll believe it when I see it." 

"Which I think you will start to see once employee training begins over the next 2 weeks." 

"I guess." She and her husband then began to make their travel plans for their own trip to the resort in the next few days.
> Chapter 2: Westward Bound
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

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."
> Chapter 3: New Friends, New Job Training
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

An hour later, my alarm clock went off. I woke up, feeling more rested than I had before, and then I jumped in the shower, and quickly cleaned myself up better, dried myself off, and then went to pick out an outfit to wear. I decided to go with a red short-sleeve shirt, blue jeans, socks, and a pair of hiking boots. I tucked my tail into my pants again, and used a cap to hide my ears. Once I was done, I picked up my laundry basket, and went to go retrieve my clean clothes from the laundry room. Once I was back in my room, I put them all away, hung up/put away all (or at least most) of my clothes in my closet and dresser, and then I went to rejoin the other employees. I decided to try and see the rest of the main lodge, but when I got to one of the doors that led there, it was locked, and the glass panels on it were covered in paper and tape on the inside, and a sign on the door read, 

"Ah, ah, ah! No peeking until Saturday! ;)" 

"Hmm. I guess they really want to keep things a secret, even to their own employees. I wonder why. Maybe they're doing some kind of livestream reveal." I then shrugged, and after walking back through the Back Wing, I reached the door I entered through, and soon found myself back outside. 

The picnic was just beginning to start, with tables for food being set up, and food being brought out and set on them. I was able to see things like burgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, chips of all kinds, mac n' cheese, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, plenty of watermelon, and that's just what I could see from where I was standing. However, just then, I heard the sound of a microphone turn on, and then someone began to speak. 

"Attention everyone, could I have your attention please?" 

The huge crowd of creatures went quiet, and we all turned to look towards who was speaking, and I could just barely see that it was Mr Strauss, standing on the huge front deck of the main lodge building. 

"Thank you. Now then, I'm sure that most of you know who I am, but if not, I'll introduce myself. My name is Edward Strauss, and I'm the owner of this Great Wolf Lodge Resort. And it is my absolute privilege and honor to have all of you out here working for me. Are you all excited to be here?" 

The whole crowd started cheering. 

"Excellent! Well, my wife Gertrude and I are very happy to have you all here, as are the investors who helped to fund this ambitious endeavor. You're now all a part of the Great Wolf Lodge Family, and are about to embark on the journey of a lifetime! Now then, I know that you're all getting pretty hungry, so I assure you that this won't take long, but I just wanted to get a few things out of the way. First of all, I'm sure that many of you have seen that the resort's doors, save for those leading in and out of the employee dorm wing, are all locked up tight, and all windows are covered in paper and tape. Why is this you ask? Well, tomorrow morning at 11am, we're going to be hosting a livestream event for all of Equestria, and those interested back on Earth, where we'll be giving a full tour of the resort to them, and to all of you, and we wanted absolutely ZERO spoilers beforehand. But I'm sure some of you must be thinking, 'Oh, but, Mr Strauss, I've seen what a Great Wolf Lodge looks like inside before'. Perhaps you have, and this one will bear some similarities, but it'll also be quite different and unique. I know all of you will be stunned when you see it. 

And lastly, when I'm finished here, please form a nice and orderly line to get your food, and then feel free to sit wherever you want, but I must ask you all to please be courteous to each other, and to the environment. Clean up all of your trash when you're done, and let's keep this place looking nice. Alright?" 

"Yes, Mr Strauss!" Many in the crowd called. 

"Excellent! Enjoy your food everyone, everypony, and every-creature!" 

The crowd then began to move towards the food tables.





As I was moving towards them as well, I wasn't paying attention, and I accidentally bumped into someone. 

"Oh shoot! I'm so sorry!" 

The creature I bumped into turned around, and I saw that he was a wolf about my age, with brownish fur, brown eyes, and wearing a red hoodie with a black pawprint on it, and blue jeans, very similar to me. 

"Oh, it's fine, but you stole my outfit!" He said with a grin. 

"What? No, I didn't! You stole mine, and slapped a pawprint on it!" I replied laughing a bit. 

"Heh, maybe I did. I'm Wiley Wolf. And you are?" 

"I'm Thomas. Thomas Ballard." 

"Nice to meet you, Thomas. So what's your new role at the Great Wolf Lodge?" He asked as we got in line. 

"Oh, I'm going to be the resort's Assistant-Chief Engineer." 

"Ooh, nice. That means you'll be working directly under Aloysius Otter as his right-pawed man, since he's the Chief Engineer. I've met him, and he's a great guy. A li'l eccentric at times, but you'll love working with him." 

"I look forward to getting to meet him. And what about you, Wiley? What's your role here?" 

"Oh, my role is twofold. I'm gonna work at the resort's waterpark, but I'm also the face of the Lodge, as its primary mascot." 

"Wow, far out, Man, that's so cool! Or at least, I think it is." 

"Yeah, I think so too." Wiley agreed. 

We chatted a bit more about the resort, and I learned that Wiley lived in Spirit Water Forest his whole life, and also got to watch the lodge's renovation. He even told me about its predecessor, the Clearwater Resort, which he and his Family had visited a handful of times over the years. 

"It was a really nice place, though it was a bit slow-paced, as it was made for relaxation. The hot springs were amazing though. And they had all this cool stuff on display too. My favorites were models of warships and aircraft, many of which were custom-made by local craftsmen and model building groups. I just hope that they put those models back on display somewhere in the new resort." 

"Yeah, I hope to too, Wiley. And I was wondering, how'd you become the main mascot anyway?" 

He shrugged a bit. "Honestly, I'm not really sure, but it was thanks to Mr Strauss. He said he saw something in me, and after giving me a trial run, he chose me. It's going to be a big responsibility, but I feel confident I can handle it." 

"Hmm, that sounds a lot like my experience. I got my job here thanks to Mr Strauss as well. He looked at my job history, and I guess thought I'd be a good fit for Assistant-Chief Engineer. He's a great man, Mr Strauss. He's been a friend of my Parents for a long time, and my Dad used to work for him for many years, until he left to start his own flooring company." 

"Wow, really? That's really cool, Thomas. I guess it really is a small world." 

"Yeah, it sure seems to be." 

After a bit, Wiley and I were finally able to get our food, and then we were looking for a place to sit. Just then though, I saw someone waving, and I turned a bit, as did Wiley, and he smiled. 

"Oh, looks like my Sis and our friends got us a table! Come on, you can sit with us, and our friends." 

"Sure." 

I then followed him over to the large wooden picnic table. When we arrived, I saw that it was occupied by a female wolf with gray fur, light purple eyes, and wearing a purple turtleneck sweater, light purple skirt, and black leggings, as well as a male raccoon with amber eyes, wearing a green short-sleeve shirt, and brown cargo shorts, a female squirrel with light-colored fur, blue eyes, and wearing a yellow shirt, blue jean shorts, and a yellow bandanna, and a male bear with brown fur, brown eyes, wearing an orange shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and blue jean shorts. They also all looked to be around the same age as Wiley and I, give or take a few years. They all looked up at Wiley and I when we walked over, and smiled.


"Who's your friend, Wiley?" The Squirrel asked in a chipper voice. 

"Oh, I'm Thomas." I said as I sat down.

"Nice to meet ya, Thomas! I'm Sammy Squirrel." 

"I'm Oliver Raccoon." 

"I'm....I'm Brinley Bear." The Bear said shyly. 

"And I'm Violet Wolf. I'm Wiley's Sister." 

"Nice to meet all of you. And I assume that you all have jobs here at the resort too?" 

They all nodded, and then happily told me what their jobs were going to be. Violet was going to work in the new Scoop's Spa, Oliver was going to help with troubleshooting IT/computer stuff, while also working at the resort's gem-panning attraction on the side, Sammy was going to be working at the Bear Essentials Swim Shop (one of the resort's stores), and helping out with arts and crafts, while Brinley told me that he was going to be helping with bookkeeping, filing, and other office work. 

"Oh, nice. And it sounds like you're going to be part of the Maintenance Team, Oliver?" 

He nodded. "Yeah, but not as much the hands-on labor type, more of the computer-related stuff. Computers were always my forte." 

"Ah, gotcha. Though this means that you'll be working under me, as I'm the resort's Assistant-Chief Engineer." 

"Oh, so you're the guy they got to fill that role. Cool!" Violet told me. "That means you'll get to work with Aloysius Otter." 

"Yeah. And I keep hearing about Aloysius Otter. I'm hoping I'll get to meet him here before too long. I've kept my eyes open since I got here, but its hard to find anyone in these crowds." 

"Yeah, no kidding." Brinley agreed. "It'll get a lot easier once they sort us out into our various Departments. Then we'll be able to find everyone much easier." 

"Yeah." 

I then asked everyone how old they were. Sammy said that she was 19, Brinely was 20, Oliver was 21, Wiley was 22, and Violet was 24. Imagine their surprise when I told them that I was 23. 

"Wow. So we were all born one year after the one younger than us. What a coincidence." 

"Yeah, no kidding, Thomas." Wiley agreed. 

I then moved my hat a bit to push my hair back a bit, and for the first time, Wiley and Co. saw my wolf ears. 

"Wait, are those.....wolf ears?" Oliver asked. 

I immediately realized what I did, and pulled my hat back down. "W-what? No...." I lied. 

Wiley cocked his head a bit. "You sure? They looked like black wolf ears to me."

"Oh, you're one of them, aren't you? One of those 'Lycans'?" Brinley asked quietly. 

I looked at him in surprise. "How......how do you know about the Lycans?" 

"Well.....I like to read a lot, and that was....one of the topics I read about. I thought it was really interesting that Humans could have wolf features, and abilities like that. Why do you hide them?" 

I sighed. "It's because I used to get bullied a lot back on Earth because of it. So even when I moved to Equestria for work, I covered my ears with a hat, and my tail I either tucked into my pants, or hid with a jacket/coat." I knew that it was pointless to keep them hidden anymore, so I then took off my hat and pulled my tail out of my pants, and showed them to Wiley and the others. 

"Wow, they look really cool!" Sammy piped up. 

"Yeah, I agree. The black contrasts really nice against the gray of my fur, and the brownish color of Wiley's fur." Violet added.  

"You....you guys really don't care that I'm a Lycan?" I asked. 

"Why would we care? There's creatures of all shapes, sizes, colors and creeds here in Spirit Water Forest, and working at the resort." Oliver pointed out. 

"Plus, Lycans are kind of rare here in Equestria, especially ones that have the visible wolf features like you do Thomas." 

"Well, you're right about that, Brinley." I agreed. 

"Plus, we want you to be our friend. Why would we make fun of your being a Lycan if we wanted you to be our friend?" 

I look at all of them in surprise. "You.......you guys want to be my friends?" 

"Yeah, we do. You seem like a really great guy, and we're all so close in age." Wiley told me. "Why's that so surprising to you?" 

"Well......it's just.....I've never had very many friends after......" I paused. I wasn't about to reveal my past to them. ".....After arriving in Equestria, and having to move around a lot for work."

"Oh, I see. Well, now you have all of us as your friends, as long as you're a good friend to us in return of course." 

"Yeah! We're not friends with meanies!" Sammy giggled. 

I froze a bit, flashes of my past life as Thomas Bollard the meth-addict flashed before my eyes when she said that. I quickly tried to squash these memories as I'd done so many times before, and luckily I was able to do so before anyone noticed. 

"Well, rest assured, Sammy, I'm not a meanie." ("Or at least, I'm not one anymore." I thought to myself). 

Sammy giggled at my comment, and the 6 of us continued to chat while we ate, and I learned a lot more about them, and I told them (a sanitized version) about me.

The rest of the picnic passed easily enough, though after everyone and every-creature had eaten, many were starting up various games, or exploring the resort grounds, and Wiley, Violet, Sammy, Oliver, Brinley and I had a blast playing with a Frisbee. We all went to our rooms for the night when it got dark, and all of us found it hard to sleep, knowing that tomorrow was going to be the day that not only was the interior of the Great Wolf Lodge revealed to the world, but it would also be our Employee Orientation, and mark the beginning of our 2 weeks of on-the-job training before the resort opened to the public. 





The next morning, after we were all up, showered, dressed, and had eaten breakfast in the employee dining hall on the ground floor of the Back Wing, we were all gathered in several large groups near the front doors of the main lodge. Mr and Mrs Strauss were there, as were Slipstream, Gia, Vincent, and an older male otter with brown fur, a thick cream-colored mustache, blue eyes, and was dressed in a mechanic's overalls, a tool-belt, and had goggles on his head. Also all around were various news crews, and the camera crew responsible for the upcoming livestream. Wiley and I were also invited to the front, since we too had a high-rank in the Great Wolf Lodge Hierarchy. I then realized that the otter was Aloyisus Otter, and I went over to him.

"So, we finally meet, Mr. Otter." I said warmly, reaching out to shake his hand. 

"Yes, indeed we do, Young One." He replied, shaking my hand. "But no 'Mr. Otter'. You can just call me 'Wishes'. Everyone does." 

"Ok, then. It's nice to finally be able to meet you, Wishes. I've heard so many great things about you, and it's an honor to have been chosen to be your Assistant-Chief Engineer." 

"Likewise about you, Young One. Mr Strauss told me many great things about you too, and I look forward to teaching you, and the other young whipper-snappers everything I know!" 

I chuckled a bit. "And I for one am ready to soak all of that experience up like a sponge!" 

"Good to hear!" 

Just then though, there was a bit of a buzz among the reporters, as someone pointed out that it was 10:58am, and it was time for all of us to get to our places, as we were going live in less than 2 minutes. Mr Strauss stepped up to a podium that was set up in front of the resort's front doors, Mrs Strauss and Wiley stood by his side, and behind them, and slightly off to the sides were Gia, Slipstream, Wishes, myself, Vince, and a male Hippogriff named Sea Glass, who was in charge of Guest Relations. All of us stood straight and tall, and began to smile happily. 

"Ok every-creature, 10 seconds.....

9.....

8.....

7.....

6....

5.....

4.....

3.....

2....

1....

....And we're live!" Red lights on many of the cameras went on, meaning that they were rolling, and the livestream had begun. 

Mr Strauss cleared his throat. "Good morning everyone, everypony, and every-creature, from wherever you're hailing from. My name is Edward Strauss, and I would like to welcome you all to the Smokey Mountains for the long-awaited grand reveal of the interior of the brand-new Equestrian Flagship Great Wolf Lodge Resort!" 

The crowd gathered around began to cheer, and this continued for a bit before Mr Strauss motioned for silence again. 

"This endeavor has been a handful of years in the making, and in just 2 week's time, it'll be my honor to welcome the first guests to the resort, but in the meantime, let's get to the moment you've all been waiting for, what the interior of the lodge looks like. Drumroll please!" 

As a drumroll sound effect began to play, Mr Strauss looked at Wiley. "Wiley, as the mascot of Great Wolf Lodge, would you care to do the honors?"  He pointed to the front doors. 

Wiley nodded. "Yes, Sir!" He then walked over to the doors, and with a dramatic heave, he threw both doors open, before stepping to the side to allow Mr Strauss, and the camera on wheels that was being used for the livesteam to come inside, while the rest of us who were with Mr Strauss watched from the doorway, and the crowd outside watched on large screens that were set up outside for the occasion. When I first laid eyes on the lobby of the Great Wolf Lodge, I could only stare in awe.

"Whoa. This lobby's huge!"




And indeed it was. There was a huge fireplace against the left side, with the front desk to the right, and the whole right wall having the facade of a log cabin. Huge chandeliers made from deer antlers hung overhead, while various taxidermied animals, animal heads, and hides hung on the walls, and straight ahead, near the staircases to the upper floors, I could see that this Great Wolf Lodge also had the famous Clocktower Show.


By this point, Mr and Mrs Strauss and the camera crews had moved on further back into the main lobby, and Wiley came over to join me. 

"This place is incredible!" 

"Yeah, no kidding!" Wiley agreed. "I can barely even recognize it now, as the lobby of the Clearwater Resort wasn't nearly this big, nor as well-decorated." 

"I know that the guests are going to love it though, that's for sure." 

"I think so too, Thomas." 

Then as other staff began to file into the building, Wiley and I waited for Violet, Oliver, Sammy, and Brinley to find us, and then we began to look through the building on a tour of our own. 





We decided to save the waterpark for last, and decided to explore the building floor by floor. On the ground floor were a number of guest rooms, as well as the Northern Lights Arcade, the Howl in One Mini-Golf Course, an indoor archery range, and the resort's 3 large meeting rooms; Fallen Timbers, Northwest Territories, and Timberview Conference Room. We also found the Bear Essentials Swim Shop where Sammy was going to be working, and the lodge's Build-a-Bear Workshop. 

"They've got so much stuff in here, and we've only just begun to scratch the surface!" Brinley exclaimed. 

"Yeah, no kidding! The Bear Essentials Swim Shop looks so cool! I'm gonna love working here!" Sammy agreed. 

"I can't wait to try out that mini-golf course. That looked fun." Oliver added. 

"Yeah, I second that, Oliver. And the Northern Lights arcade too!" Wiley agreed. 

I nodded. "I third that, and raise you the archery range too. I'm great with guns, but I'd like to hone my skills with the great bow too. And what about you, Violet?" 

She looked up. "Hmm? Oh. Yeah, I think so too. Sorry if I seemed a bit distracted, I was just looking to see if this was where the Scoop's Spa was, but I guess not." 

Brinley was looking at a map of the resort. "Oh, the Scoop's Spa is up on Level 2, Violet, which is where we're headed next." 

Once we were done looking around Level One, we moved up to Level 2. Level 2 was where most of the resort's restaurants, stores, and the spa were located. In addition to these, and more guest rooms, there was the Scoop's Spa, Oliver's Mining Co. (this was the gem-panning attraction Oliver would help man when not doing his computer-related job), the Laser Trail Laser-Tag Arena, Hungry as a Wolf (a restaurant that served pizza, pasta, and other Italian food), The Bear Paw Sweets and Eats Bakery, the Camp Critter Bar and Grill, the Buckhorn Exchange Gift Shop, and the Great Wolf Candy Company. 

Oliver was eagerly looking over his gem-panning attraction, while Violet was engrossed in exploring the Scoop's Spa, Wiley was looking at the laser-tag arena, Sammy was checking out the bakery, and Brinley and I were looking at the Camp Critter Bar and Grill. 

"Hmm." 

"Something wrong, Thomas?" 

"I'm not sure. I feel like something's missing here, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Since this is the resort's main restaurant, shouldn't there be an ambassador for it?" 

Brinley frowned, and then sighed. "Alas, poor Rachel. This was going to be her restaurant." 

"Who's Rachel?" 

"Rachel Raccoon. She was one of the staff-members of the original Clearwater Resort, and was well-loved for her cooking. She was all slated to be in charge of the Camp Critter Bar and Grill, but alas, it was not to be. During the renovation, she was diagnosed with Stage 3 liver cancer, and left Spirit Water Forest for treatment. She's still alive, as far as I know, but in her memory, they dedicated this restaurant to her, and she'll be its ambassador if she ever returns." 

"Oh, that's so sad, Brinley. Cancer is no joke, and it can strike anyone. I hope Rachel's able to beat her liver cancer." 

"Me too." 

"Hey, why the sad faces, guys?" Wiley asked as he walked over to see what we were doing. 

"We were just talking about Rachel Raccoon." 

Now Wiley frowned. "Oh, I see. Yeah, that makes sense. I didn't know Rachel very well, but she seemed very sweet. It was so sad when she had to retire." 

Brinley and I agreed, and we then decided to move on up to Level 3.





Compared to the previous levels, while Level 3 was the same size as the previous levels, aside from the guest rooms, it was pretty spartan when it came to attractions. There were some bay windows to allow you to see down into the waterpark area, as well as a small lounge alcove with board games and puzzles, and a few of what we guessed were birthday party rooms, and there were also some pictures and displays showing the history of Spirit Water Forest, the Clearwater Resort, and the conversion into the Great Wolf Lodge it was today. 

"This is where they used to display those models I was telling you about, Thomas." 

"Oh, really?" 

Wiley nodded. "Yeah. But it would seem like they got rid of them, or the groups who built them took them back. I'm not sure." 

"Yeah, me neither." 

We also went up to Level 4, which was the lodge's top floor, not counting the attic. This floor was where the Bridal/Honeymoon Suite, Presidential Suite, and other suites for the big-wigs that cost hundreds, or even thousands of dollars a night to stay in were located. All of the rooms were locked, and Mr Strauss and the livestream camera were nowhere in sight, so we weren't able to see inside. Instead, we all regrouped on the main level again, and decided to check out the waterpark. 

"Huh, so it's called 'Wiley's Waterpark?" I asked. 

Wiley nodded, grinning a bit. "Yeah. When I said that being a mascot had its perks, this was one of the things I meant. I got the Waterpark named after me!" 

"Maybe so, but you also work here. As in, you help keep it clean, and the guests safe." Violet reminded him. 

"Yeah, yeah, I know, Sis. You don't gotta be a killjoy." Wiley groaned.

We all then opened the doors to the waterpark, and were immediately hit with the familiar smell of chlorine, and when we stepped inside, we were in awe of what we were seeing. 


"Whoa! This place is huge!" We all said in near-unison, save for Wiley, who for some reason felt the need to say "Whoa! This place is f@#king huge!", causing the rest of us to either glare at him, or look at him in shock. 

"Eh.....whoops. Sorry." He quickly mumbled. 

"You're lucky the livestream camera crew weren't around to hear that." I said quietly. 

We all then tried to brush this little incident aside, and started looking around the waterpark. While everything was turned on, and there were some staff members milling about, looking around, and taking pictures, all of the slides, pools, and other water attractions were currently roped off at the moment, with signs saying that they were strictly off-limits until the Employee Party tonight, following our Orientation, and that any intentional violation of this rule would lead to immediate employment termination. I snapped a picture of this sign, and we all kept looking around. 

There was so much to see. We walked past several pools, the lazy-river, a bunch of water-slides, the large climbing structure in the middle with the dump-bucket on top, a wave-pool, and the hot tubs, which a sign nearby informed guests that they were kept full via one of the natural hot-springs that was once used by the Clearwater Resort. The waterpark even extended outside, with an outdoor splash area, and a larger pool, though I assumed that this outdoor area was seasonal. There were also 3 restaurants out in the waterpark area; Grizzly Jack's Bar and Grill, Grizzly Rob's Poolside-bar, and Buckets, which served burgers, sandwiches, and the like. 

"This place looks really nice, and I know it is, but gosh. This is gonna be a bitch-and-a-half to maintain." I muttered to myself. 

"Yeah, but at least we all get in free. Heck, any amenities inside or outside of the resort, we employees either get to use for free, or at a heavily discounted rate." 

Violet wasn't so sure. "Eh, I think that that only applies to full-time, year-round staff, not the seasonal workers." 

"Yeah, you're right, Sis, but aren't we all full-timers?" 

Violet, Sammy, Oliver, and Brinley quickly confirmed that they were, though I hesitated for a moment.

"Yeah....I am too. For once in my life, I'm a full-time year-round employee." 

"What do you mean? You do a lot of part-time work?" Oliver asked. 

"Eh, more seasonal work. Full-time, oftentimes quite grueling, but only for one season or so. But that's another story for another time. So after seeing the place, what do you guys think? You gonna enjoy working here?" 

Sammy nodded eagerly. "Totally!" 

"Heck yeah!" Violet and Wiley said together. 

"Oh yeah!" Oliver added. 

"I think so too." Brinley agreed. 

"And I agree with all of you. I think this is gonna be fun. Hard work, and definitely with challenges, but fun nevertheless." 

The others all agreed, and we also explored a little bit of the resort's grounds, and outdoor amenities, though we didn't stray too far, as we knew that soon after the livestream ended, it was going to be time for our Orientation.





And indeed, I was correct. After the livestream ended, Mr and Mrs Strauss attended a series of meetings with various investors, contractors, food and beverage companies, and more, while the rest of us were being divided up into groups, depending on what our jobs were, and were all being shuffled off to various parts of the resort for our Orientation. Oliver and I, as well as all of the other maintenance personnel, were led by Wishes to the resort's basement to an open area with a lot of folding chairs set up, and once we were joined by a Great Wolf Lodge Orientation Specialist, our Orientation began. 

For the most part, it was pretty standard. We watched various videos on the history of Great Wolf Lodge, the history of the Clearwater Resort, an overview of all of the resort's amenities, and then it all switched gears into what was expected of employees of Great Wolf Lodge. From the simple things, like how we were expected to keep our rooms in the Back Wing neat and tidy, to how we could eat most of our meals in the Back Wing's dining hall, or we could cook for ourselves in the room, or from one of the resort's restaurants (which would come out of our paychecks), to how we must always be on our best behavior around the guests, as we must set a good example, and show a high-standard, to very important things like how there was a zero-drug policy (an exception was made for marijuana, but only in designated outdoor smoking areas, and only while off-duty), drinking was allowed, (but only off-duty, and absolutely ZERO being drunk around guests!) to how those of us who owned firearms were expected to treat them, and properly store them when not in use, and even what to do in various natural disasters, such as a thunderstorm, flash flood, wildfire, blizzard, and even a tornado (though those were pretty rare in the Smokey Mountains), and so much more. We were encouraged to take notes, and we were all given a very thick Employee Handbook to read, which covered all of this information in detail, just in case we forgot anything. 

At the end of it all, we were given some more paperwork to sign, and after that, we were handed bundles of clothes. These were going to be our new uniforms, and we would wear them depending on where in/on the resort we were working that day. We were given a pair of maintenance coveralls, dark blue maintenance pants and shirts, red T-shirts with the Great Wolf Lodge logo, and a black pawprint on the sleeves, Great Wolf Lodge hats, as well as hard hats, gloves, safety goggles, and hearing protection. I was also given a short-sleeve button-up khaki cargo shirt, a pair of khaki cargo-shorts, a brown belt with a green buckle, and a white pawprint on it, an orange neckerchief, green socks, and a Smokey the Bear-style ranger hat. 

"Eh? What's all this for?" I asked, wondering if this was part of an elaborate prank. 

"Oh, that's just one of the perks of being a high-ranking staff member. All of you are gifted with a Great Wolf Lodge Ranger Uniform to be worn for outdoor activities, if you so choose." The Orientation Specialist told me. 

"Oh, I see. I guess I'll be the judge of whether or not I wear this once I see how it looks on me." 

"Yeah. It's completely optional, as some like it, and some don't." 

I nodded, before going to talk with Wishes, Oliver, and some of the other maintenance guys some more. By now, all of them knew that I was the new Assistant-Chief Engineer, and that very soon, they would be taking orders from me, and I'd be working alongside them to keep the resort in tip-top shape. 

"And that day'll be starting Monday." I thought to myself as I walked back to my room with my bundle of uniforms to put away. I was still very nervous about this whole thing, but I hoped that with my upcoming on-the-job training, I'd be much better prepared for it. 





A few hours later, the Employee party to celebrate us officially becoming a part of the Great Wolf Lodge Family began. There was food and drink, live music, and of course, we were finally free to use the resort's amenities. Some were out near Great Wolf Lake, either fishing, swimming, or boating, while others were hiking, tearing up the offroad trails on their offroad bikes, ATV's, or other vehicles, playing basketball, tennis, or some other ball game, climbing or repelling on the rock walls, or challenging their friends to races on the obstacle courses. Some were out at the shooting ranges, showing off their skills with their guns, while many more were inside the resort, either playing mini-golf, doing rounds of laser-tag, hitting bullseye's at the archery range, playing in the arcade, and of course, playing in the waterpark, among other activities. 

And where was I? I was standing at the railing of one of the docks on Great Wolf Lake, taking some pictures of the scenery, including the sunset as it set behind the trees near the lake. 

"It's like a postcard." I said to no one in particular. I planned to print out the photos I took, and then mail them to my Family back in Arkansas, since I used my actual camera, rather than my phone. "I would have just used my phone, so I could send them the pictures right away, but the camera's better with my actual camera." I muttered. 

However, just then, I heard a small splash nearby. I turned to look, wondering if it was a fish, or some other small creature, but at first, I didn't see anything. 

"Hmm. Must have just been a little fish." 

I then looked down at the water, and I saw my own reflection, but then I noticed that I wasn't alone. In the reflection of the lake, I saw that standing next to me on my right was a man, but he looked horrible. He was gangly, extremely skinny, his clothes were torn and tattered, his hair was disgusting, and had chunks of it missing. His eyes were wild, and extremely bloodshot, and his face, arms, and hands were bleeding, and covered in horrible, oozing sores. In one of his hands, I saw he was clutching a meth-pipe. I looked up in fright, but there was no one standing next to me; I could only see their reflection in the lake. I immediately recognized him. He was me, while I was still hooked on meth, and dying from it, and venereal diseases. 

"No.....no. You can't be here." 

The figure chuckled hoarsely. "Oh, but I am. You can't get away from me, Thomas." 

"You're dead! You died on an operating table in Chicago, and were cremated. You made your bad choices, and you payed for them!" 

"Oh, but I'll always be alive, in your mind, you fool. I am you. I'll always be here, lurking just out of sight. You're one high away from bringing me back." He laughed menacingly, while lighting up his meth-pipe, and inhaling its contents. 

"Which will NEVER happen! I've spent 4 years clean, without even once being tempted to return to that life. You're a demon, but you have ZERO power over me!" 

"Is that why you keep running away, Thomas? To keep me away from you? To keep people from finding out about me? From finding out about your past? Well you can run, but you can't hide. Nice new digs you got here." The Demon remarked, looking around. "Bet you we can find a lot of new little clients here to sell to, 'specially those new 'friends' of yours." 

By this point, I was gripping the wooden railing in front of me so hard that my knuckles were white, my fingertips were bleeding, and the wood itself was starting to crack. 

"Go. Away. You have ZERO power here, and ZERO power over me! You can't follow me anymore, and you will NEVER hurt my friends! I won't let you!" I yelled at the Demon. 

He just chuckled darkly, taking another hit from his meth-pipe. "Oh, but we have no intention of leaving you, Thomas." 

"We?" I asked. 

I then heard a gurgling/bubbling sound from the lake, just off to my left. I looked down, and saw what appeared to be a dark puddle on the lake's surface. It was pitch-black, looking almost like oil, but then, 2 glowing yellow eyes appeared from it, followed by a mouth. 

"Hello Thomas. It's me, your 'friendly' neighborhood Shadow Demon!" It laughed. 

I recognized him immediately. While the first Demon, who I called my "Meth Demon" looked like me, this other Demon, who I called my "Violence Demon", took a shadowy form. This was the demon who encouraged me to hurt others in any way I could, so as to fuel my meth addiction. 

"You have no power here either, Puddle! It's been 4 years since I last had any trouble with the law, and it'll stay that way! Both of you are wasting your time here. I have no need for drugs, and I won't use violence....unless the lives of the innocent are threatened." 

"Oh, you mean like how those 2 thugs in Des Moines threatened you?" The Shadow Demon laughed. "You shot them dead in that alley, and then stole from them. How'd that make you feel, hmm?" 

"ENOUGH!!!!" I roared, yanking my hands away from the railing, taking a chunk of it with me. "I don't have to stay here and listen to this! Neither of you are even real, you're both just in my head! I'm the only one who can see or hear you! And like I said, you have ZERO power or control over me!!! Thomas Bollard is dead! He's gone forever. I'll NEVER be him again! I'm Thomas Ballard, and I'm gone!" 

I then began to storm away from the dock, not caring if anyone saw me arguing with what seemed to be no one. I had to get away from that dock, away from them. It was all I could do, as I wasn't strong enough to make them to leave on my own, and they knew it. 

"You can't keep running away from us forever, Thomas!" The Meth-Demon called after me. "We'll always be right here waiting for you, and one day, you won't be able to resist us anymore!" 

Both Demons continued to laugh cruelly as I sprinted away from the lake as fast as I could, and back towards the main lodge. 





I went inside the lodge again, and sat in front of the main fireplace. It was burning at the time, and I just stared into the flames, still deeply shaken and disturbed by my encounter at the lake. 

"Why won't they leave me alone? Why do they persist in following me? They dogged my every move while I was a meth-addict, they taunted me from the shadows when I returned to Arkansas, they followed me across Equestria, and now they're even here, at the Great Wolf Lodge. I move around to get away, but they always find me." 

My mind whirred at a million miles an hour, and then I felt a hand on my shoulder. I jumped a bit, but then I looked up into the face of Wiley. 

"Oh....oh it's you." 

"Sorry, Thomas, I didn't mean to scare you. The others were looking for you. You said you'd come to the waterpark after you took some pictures, but you seemingly disappeared." He then looked closer at me. "Hey, are you alright? You look pretty pale." 

"Yeah.....I'm fine, Wiley, it's just......some bad memories resurfaced. I'd rather not discuss it now. That's why I took so long at the lake. But I'll be fine." I smiled weakly. 

"Ok, well, I won't pry then. I'm just glad you're ok." 

I nodded, and after a quick stop in my room to change into my swimsuit, Wiley and I headed to the waterpark. It was quite packed, with so many staff members splashing around, going down the slides, relaxing in the lazy river, grabbing a bite to eat, and just all around having a blast. Oliver and Sammy were just coming off the Howling Wolf Slide, Brinley was floating around in the lazy river on an inner-tube, and I looked around, but didn't see Violet anywhere. 

I asked the gang, but Wiley wasn't sure, Oliver and Sammy saw her earlier near the wave-pool, but weren't sure where she was now, though Brinley pointed towards the hot tubs, and said that she was up there. 

"Oh, thanks Brinley!" 

"You're welcome Thomas." 

Wiley then joined Brinley in the lazy river, while I went to go find Violet. Sure enough, after climbing a small flight of stairs, I reached an upper area where the hot tubs were. There were multiple ones up here, some for kids and families, but some were adult-only. This didn't matter at the moment, as there were only adults here, but it would when the resort opened. I found Violet sitting alone in one of them, seemingly quite relaxed, and she invited me to join her when she saw me approach. She stood up briefly, and I saw that she was wearing a purple bikini that fit her frame perfectly, showing off her curves, and her breasts, which seemed to be quite large. 

"Heh, enjoying the view?" She asked with a smirk, having caught me staring. 

"Yeah, I did." I admitted, seeing no point in lying. "Sorry." 

"Heh, don't be. I know I'm quite the stunning bitch, and I don't mind flaunting it a bit." 

I cocked my head slightly, as I wasn't sure if she meant "bitch" as in she was a baddie, "bitch" as in female dog, or both. 

She smirked again. "Oh, I know what you're thinking, and the answer is 'yes'." She said with a laugh. 

I rolled my eyes a bit, and after entering the hot tub, we soon fell to talking, and after a while had past, we were sitting side by side, chatting like a regular couple. Eventually, Violet leaned her head against my shoulder, and I wrapped an arm around her back. It was so peaceful, but alas, it was not to last. 

"Smile!" A female voice suddenly called.

Before I could process that, a sudden flash of a camera jolted me fully back to reality. 

"Huh?" I looked up, and saw Wiley and Sammy peeking over the top of a fake rock wall near the hot tubs to give the illusion that it was a mountain pool. 

"Hey love-birds!" Sammy called, holding a camera, which I soon realized was MY camera. 

"Thomas and Violet, sittin' in a hot tub. K-I-S-S-I-NG!!!" Wiley said in a sing-song voice. 

"Hey, uncalled for, you perverts!" Violet glared daggers that them, but her Brother in particular. "We weren't kissing!" 

"Do you want to?" Sammy asked with a wink. 

"NO!!!" Violet and I said at the same time. 

"Aww, but you look so cute together, Sis!" Wiley joked while making kissy-faces at up. 

Violet then climbed out of the hot tub, and with a yell, she began to chase her brother in exaggerated slow-motion, while he also ran away in exaggerated slow-motion, as there was no running allowed in the waterpark. I then began to chase after Sammy in the same way, trying to get my camera back from her. During the "chase", I saw Oliver and Brinley going down various slides, so I guessed that they weren't a part of this. It was just Wiley and Sammy, and Sammy had used my camera, which I'd set down on a table near the hot tubs, and I guessed the cheeky squirrel grabbed it when I wasn't looking. 

After finally catching them, Sammy gave me back my camera, and both she and Wiley apologized for their little stunt, and Violet and I forgave them. Then we all took some group pictures together, as well as various individual ones, using my camera, and the cameras on Wiley's and Oliver's phones. We then created a group chat, where they sent all of the pictures to our phones, and I promised to send them the pictures from my camera once I'd uploaded them to my old laptop with Oliver's help. The pictures all turned out pretty good, and we talked about it as we headed off to our rooms that night. We would have one day of rest that Sunday, and then starting Monday, our 2 weeks of training would begin.





For the entirety of those 2 weeks, all of us staff members felt like we were in military boot camp. It was strict, regimented, we worked for very long hours, and our roles were drilled into us. For some, such as those who worked in the stores and restaurants, and had past skills in doing so, it was pretty easy for them. But for others in harder positions, even if we had the skills required, it was quite strenuous. And yes, this included the maintenance team. 

I had done industrial maintenance before when I worked for companies like Towline Industries in Manehattan, or Dauntless Enterprises in Canterlot, but I'd never done this level of maintenance required to keep a resort up to snuff, nor in such a high-ranking position. The Great Wolf Lodge trainers who trained us were exceptionally hard on us, and demanded perfection, and while it was grueling, I knew exactly why they were doing it. Good maintenance at a resort like this with so many people, Ponies, and other creatures being around was absolutely paramount, because if something went wrong, someone could get hurt, we could get sued, or worst-case, someone lost their life, and now we were facing a wrongful death suit, and had to now live with the guilt that our mistakes just cost someone their life. 

"Which is why you must take the utmost care to keep this resort clean, and well-maintained, because a happy guest is a paying guest, and happy, paying guests leads to a resort being prosperous, which leads to job security, room for promotion, and of course, room for the resort to expand further." One of our trainers told us. 

I was genuinely surprised by how much those behind Great Wolf Lodge seemed to care, not only about the guest experience, but also about how much they cared about their employees. They wanted them to succeed, and treated them like family, which was a far cry for many companies I'd worked for previously, who treated you like wage-slaves, or couldn't understand how your personal life could be more important than your $8 an hour job. But this? This was something I'd never seen before, but I loved it as a business model. 

"I guess this is why so many creatures from all across Equestria, and beyond wanted to work here." I thought." 

Over those important 2 weeks, I and the rest of the maintenance team learned the ins and outs of the entire resort, all of its amenities, and of course, how to diagnose, fix, repair, or replace any problem we might be confronted with, how to use those big industrial floor-cleaners, how to break the news to guests that their favorite attraction was temporarily closed, either for routine maintenance, or to fix a problem, how all of the resort's machinery worked, and how to maintain it, how to operate heavy machinery (this was to be used in the maintenance of the resort's grounds, and all of the trails), how to ensure that the resort's campground amenities were all in good-working order, how to fix and maintain all of the appliances for the restaurants, how to keep the waterpark in good working order, and so much more. I was honestly surprised that we were able to get through it all in just 2 weeks, but I guess miracles can happen. (I was also surprised to learn that the resort had a campground, as I'd never heard anyone talk about it before, but we were shown it during one of our training days, and I realized that it made sense to have a space for those who would come to a wilderness resort to camp out on the massive property, and I made a mental note to try it sometime in the future). 

During this time, I saw Oliver a lot, and Wiley occasionally (usually when I was working in the waterpark), but I barely saw Sammy, Violet, or Brinley, save for during breaks, or in the employee dining hall. All 3 of them seemed to be very happy with their new jobs, as did Wiley, though Oliver said that while he enjoyed his job, the trouble came when he was working around those who claimed to know a lot about computers, but their "knowledge" stopped at plugging in a game console. I also told them about my training to be the Assistant Chief-Engineer, and how I'd seen just about every single amenity in and around the resort, inside and out, and knew how to fix, maintain, clean, and test them. 

"Everything?" Wiley asked. 

"Well, in a few more days when my training is complete, yes. I'm almost there. Though even when the training ends, I'll still be under Wish's tutelage, and learning more from him as he continues my training. But at least it's all pretty straightforward, even if there is a TON to remember. I'm just glad that there's a repair/maintenance/troubleshooting manual for every amenity the resort has, so I'll always have a checklist of things to run down. Quite handy when diagnosing a problem, and as time goes on, you begin to memorize the books more and more." 

"Yeah, but look at your hands, Thomas. They're all calloused, rugged, and the skin's peeling off in places." 

I looked at my hands, and then back at Wiley. "This is what a Working Man's hands look like, Wiley. It's nothing to be ashamed of, it just shows you know what a hard day's work is like. Plus, I can always just book an appointment at the Scoop's Spa, and I'm sure Violet, or one of the other gals'll be able to fix my hands right up. Right, Violet?" 

She nodded. "Of course! We'll have your hands back to mint-condition in no time!" 

"I'm glad." 

At that moment though, an electronic beep came over the intercom, meaning that the employee breaks were over, and it was time to get back to work. We all said goodbye for now, and raced back to our areas. 





Eventually, after the 2 weeks were up, all of us were declared to be official members of the Great Wolf Lodge Family, and were fully-certified in our respective jobs at the resort, and we were ready to give the guests a Great Wolf Experience that they were never going to forget. 

On that Saturday, huge crowds had gathered outside of the main lodge building. Creatures from all across Equestria, and beyond had come to the opening weekend, and the entire lodge and campground were booked-solid. Mr and Mrs Strauss, their whole family, and the Resort's investors, and their families were there, as were Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and the Elements of Harmony, among other VIP's. News crews also were there to capture the historic day, and the event was also being livestreamed. I knew that my Family was watching the livestream, and I told them that I was wearing my so-called "Great Wolf Lodge Ranger Uniform", and described what it looked like so that they might be able to spot me in the crowd. 

"Ok, when you first told my about the Great Wolf Lodge Ranger Uniform, I thought it was gonna look bad, but actually, you look pretty good, Thomas." 

I smiled. "Thanks, Violet. I think I'm going to enjoy wearing this outside during the warm months." 

Violet also told me that her and Wiley's Parents were somewhere in the crowd, and I was hoping to finally get to meet them, as well as the Parents of my other friends, but before I could say anything else, a member of Mr Strauss's staff tapped me on the shoulder, and told me that Mr Strauss wanted me to join him up at the front of the crowd, just in front of the resort's front doors. I quickly made my way through the crowd, and soon found myself up near a podium near the resort's front doors, which were covered by a red ribbon. The Strauss Family was up there, as were Gia, Slipstream, Wishes, Wiley, Sea Glass, and Vincent, and close by were the Princesses, the Elements, the resort's investors, their families, and other VIP's. This was a pretty major event, and I definitely stood out wearing my Ranger Uniform, but no one was really bothered by it, as it was considered an official uniform for high-ranking staff. However, at High-Noon, the crowds began to quiet down, the cameras started rolling, the livestream began, and Mr Strauss once again stepped up to the podium. 

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Mares and Stallions, Friends, Family, and Creatures of all kinds, it's my absolute privilege and honor to invite you all here today to witness a historic event; the grand opening of the flagship location of Great Wolf Lodge in Equestria!" 

The crowd began to go wild, and those of us near Mr Strauss also clapped our hands. 

"This has been a tremendous undertaking, several years in the making. It all began with a simple dream, and slowly, thanks to the efforts of those involved with the renovation process, this dream of mine came to life! However! It wouldn't be possible to present this finished dream to you without myself, my Family, and others extending a great big thanks to the hardworking construction and renovation crews who brought the Equestrian Flagship Great Wolf Lodge to life, but also the hardworking, and extremely dedicated employees who will serve this establishment, and its many guests well." 

Mr Strauss then went around shaking the hands of all those gathered near him, while the crowds all cheered out in thanks for all of us. All of us saw the look of gratitude on the face of the man who had given us all this incredible opportunity, and who most of us saw as an almost grandfather-like figure. Mr Strauss then talked for a little bit longer, but then it came time to cut the ceremonial ribbon. The Mayor of Spirit Water Forest, a huge moose named Nolan Greengrass brought a large pair of golden ceremonial scissors up to the front, and it was decided that Mr Strauss, Wiley, Gia, and Slipstream would all cut the ribbon, though the rest of us on stage there would be standing around them. 

Just before the ribbon was cut though, Mr Strauss asked if anyone wanted to say a few words. A few did, including myself. I told everyone gathered there how thankful I was to Mr Strauss for giving me this job, how great of an opportunity it was, and how much I was going to love working at the Great Wolf Lodge, though how I ended my brief speech was a bit humorous. 

"....And before I leave the podium, I would also like to thank Happy Storage World, located outside of Ponyville. They're the greatest storage company in all of Equestria, and they have all the space you need to store whatever you need, and they're the absolute GOAT when it comes to long-term vehicle storage. So if you ever find yourself in need of storing something, and need a place to do it, head on down to Happy Storage World. It's the best storage experience you'll ever have, or your money back, guaranteed!" I then left the podium after hearing a few chuckles from the crowd. 

A few more people said a few quick words, and then Mr Strauss, Wiley, Slipstream and Gia all held the ceremonial scissors,  

"I now pronounce the Equestrian Flagship Great Wolf Lodge, officially open!" Mr. Strauss called joyously as the ribbon was cut.

The crowds all then began to cheer, and while the VIP's all shook hands, the guests all began to file into the resort, or explore the resort grounds. I then met up with Wiley, Violet, Sammy. Brinley, and Oliver again, and well all hugged, congratulating each other on a successful opening day. 

"And just think, Guys. Today is only the beginning. It'll only get better from here!" 

They all agreed, and while still holding each other in a group hug, we snapped a few pictures to capture the moment. The Great Wolf Lodge was already off to a roaring start, and I began to wonder what kind of adventures we were going to have next. 



THE END.......for now!