To Build A Life

"Hey, what day is it?" I asked the room, a man in a suit walking over to meet me. "Hey, you--"

"December ninth, why?" He asked, looking at the wall of listings with me. "Oh, you're actually going to do it?"

I looked at the map of Equestria. "Yeah, but there's only like ten people left." I flipped through the guide listings, "Isn't this someone special?" I asked, taking a note off the wall. It looked new. "A.K. Like the gun?" I looked over the note. "Back from...huh...."

The man with me leaned in. "What's up?"

I stuffed the note in my pocket. "Says she just got back from some serious stuff in Saddle Arabia."

The man shrugged. "Ponies are weird dude." He turned away, leaving me to scan the map once again.

The massive paper wall was daunting. I had a sponsor, I had a guide, now all I was missing was a location. I could go anywhere, Equestria, Saddle Arabia, islands and towns, all of them were open to me. There wasn't a patch of land I wasn't allowed to roam. But I had no idea where to start.

I looked around the town hall. It was busy, not a year after the portal was opened and humans were flooding in. People were getting placed, the ponies around the city were going mad trying to sort everything out, and here I was getting ready to leave everything behind save a backpack and some clothes, and spend years wandering and building.

I didn't know a thing about A.K. Yearling, I didn't know a thing about Equestria past what I read, I had no idea how to build. But I knew I could learn. All that was left, picking the first place, waiting for Yearling and heading off towards whatever Equestria had in store for me.

I felt jittery. My heart was beating out of my chest as I thought about everything that might happen. I might get killed, I might fall in love, I might kill, discover, I had no idea, and it scared me. I felt stiff, my legs stuck into the ground like tent poles. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, all I knew is it was the most exciting thing to happen since I almost got hit by a car.

I had to move though. I had to start packing. I pulled my legs out of the ground, shaking them out to try and loosen up. Each step along the hard floor of the town hall felt heavy, the cold was settling against my shoulders as the constant click of my shoes rang on. The only thing louder were the ponies, their hooves clopping up and down the room, constant, beating, like colonial drums.

I hurried through the main hall, rushing outside and taking a deep breath of cold air. I looked out over Ponyville, staring at the thatched roofs and wood smoke billowing out of a few homes. It felt right, like a medieval village had sprung to life before my very eyes. Like I was thrown back in time, yet here I was, surrounded by humanity, albeit in pony form, but it was humanity none the less.

My mind buzzed as I headed towards Thunderlane's. How many places would I go? How long would I be out there? Could I make it? Would I make it? How many people would I meet? Could I even pronounce their names? It was maddening, a constant swirl of worry bouncing around my head as I walked.

But I felt alive, excited. The depression I'd felt for years was slowly burning away, smells were picking up, light felt brighter, touch felt more vivid. And beyond it all I felt warm. It was snowing outside, my breath constantly curling before me, yet I was warm. I was ready, if not for the adventure, then for a change. Equestria was my new world, my chance to explore like the settlers of Virginia.

But I still had no idea where to start. Bad enough I would be going to the north during winter, but being lost wouldn't do me any favors. I had to find someplace that wouldn't ruin me right away. I'd heard stories about the north west, all of them talking about how beautiful they were in the snow. I was ready to go, ready to face the extremes, I had money, I was strong, young, and eager to get to work.

Thunderlane had told me to find a place that I'd fit in, and I was damn sure going to find it.

I hurried past the crowded streets, ponies of varying height zooming past as I walked. I felt tall, most ponies ending up around chest to shoulder height. It went a short ways to keeping me calm. Ponies this size couldn't build too big, and that meant I could probably get away with not knowing too much.

I zipped onto the snow covered lawns of my street. It reminded me of my arrival, only that much colder. These ponies, they would take you in, they refused to leave you outside on your own. And without Thunderlane, without his help I wouldn't even be here anymore. I would have ended up in some bunkhouse in Canterlot, waiting to get shipped off to some crappy fast food job in the city.

I opened the door, letting a rush of warm air thaw the ice on my brow. "Hey, close the door!" Thunderlane shouted, leaning over his couch. "Celestia's taint, damn cold."

I slammed the door shut. "That's no joke man." I took off my coat, hanging it up. "Oh, before I forget I found a guide!" I ran over, boots thudding against his floor. "Someone named Yearling."

Thunderlane watched me, eyes open wide. "Neat. Now when do you leave?" He poked his back leg towards my boots. "You're tracking snow in here, you douche."

I looked down, finding myself standing in a small puddle. "Oh...well shit."

Thunderlane laughed. "Yeah, kind of a dick move."

I threw my hands up. "I didn't know!" I hurried back to the front door, taking off my boots and leaving them sitting there. "Anyways, I got a sponser, I got a guide, it's all set for Tuesday."

Thunderlane nodded proudly. "So, where ya gonna go?"

I froze, "Uh...no idea."

Thunderlane snapped his head to me. "Seriously? Didn't you go to look at the map?"

I shrugged. "Doesn't mean I know where to go!"

Thunderlane rolled his eyes. "Got an idea?"

I plopped down next to him. "North, north west, somewhere like that."

Thunderlane sighed loudly. "It's a start."

"That's all I need man, that's all I need."