Heir of Winter

Chapter 3

Getting Started

“Aren't you a little young for that?” Was the first thing I heard the mare say, followed by a “Go home kid, this kind of stuff isn’t for you.” By another mare that took a seat at a table behind her.

Did I really look that young to them?

“You’re not the first ponies to assume my age today.” I said giving the two of them what I could assume was a solid glare from a displeased unicorn mare. “And to put it mildly I would rather that not be assumed again.” I added, looking around the room at the rest of the guilds ponies.

“Fair enough. Kid.” The mare in from of me said with a smirk while taking a large drink from a mug that had been passed to her by the mare behind her. I had only now noticed the rosey tint of being drunk on her cheeks.

Call me out for it or not, but I had never liked being called a child back home on earth; much less a larger assortment of things while I had been in school; though to be fair not many people would ever like to be called names.

I was just about to que up on what magic I had when another mare walked up behind the drunk, picking her up and tossing her out the door with a shout. “Go home Berry! Quit messing with potential guild members you damnable drunkard!” The mare said shout, then looking over to the mare that had been passing the now named ‘Berry’ drinks. “And you, Golden Lace, should know better than to pass drinks to the local drunk and winery owner. Not to mention deterring ponies from joining the guild when we’re already short staffed on hooves.” The mare in question deflated faster than a balloon that had been over filled and let loose, making that sound that so many kids loved to hear; Pffffftftftftftftftfttt. Heck, I could have sworn I heard that very sound as Golden Lace walked herself out.

“Now that those two are out of the way, did you need somethin’ hun?” The mare now asked, turning her attention to me.

“Guild membership?” I asked, still trying to get the pooting sounds out of my head.

The mare gave me the same look the other two gave me for a moment, “They’re not wrong though, you do look young for wanting to join.” The mare paused for a moment giving me a second look over, “Though, looks can be deceiving.” She smiled out before doing a double take at me. “Wait a second….. Aren’t you that same mare that said something about that explosion from earlier today?”

I nodded my head, “Yeah, I had to head out of town to take care of some magical buildup problems that had been brought to light. And before you or any other pony here takes a crack at my looking young.” I said, looking at all the other ponies in the room. “I’m twenty four years old for fucks sake!” I yelled out.

“Deceiving looks indeed.” The mare stammers out, taking a short moment to quell the looks of the other ponies in the building from my outburst. “Well then. Now that that’s out of the way.” She said, walking over to a desk and taking a seat on a chair hidden behind it, “My name is Dreamy Waters. And I happen to be the pony you had been looking for.” Dreamy said, taking out a box filled with papers from under the desk.

I walked over and took the seat on the opposing side. “So, how does this registration work?” I ask, looking at the box of papers.

“For the most part, you’re going to be signing one of these papers,” Dreamy says, plucking out one of the papers with her mouth and placing it on the table, “And having some information put onto a card that you’ll be keeping on yourself at all times. A second copy of the card is kept here.” She adds, pulling out what looked to be two copper cards from a desk drawer. “The papers cover for better or worse insurances. I can’t stress enough about it to newbies that this kind of work isn’t as easy as it seems, as ponies do in fact die from unforeseen circumstances while out in the field.” She says, pointing over to a wall next to her covered in different cards made from varied metals. “Long story short, the paper is for who and or where your belongings go to and where you wish to be burried should your body be recovered should something happen. While the card is your form of identification, it’s magically connected to our Star Hub to update your information and keep tabs on where you are in the world. Excluding the Far Lands, for obvious reasons.” Dreamy says, pulling out another card made of iron.

“As you can see here, the tier of your card is shown by the metal it’s made of. The tier directly relating to the jobs, or places outside of the country of Equestria you’re currently allowed to go to.” She pulls out a small map what I assume to be the current Equestrian country. “Though that’s how we have it set up currently for the safety of new adventurers, we can’t exactly stop you from going places outside of Equestria should you decide to; for legal reasons.” She finishes.

“The paper may cause some issue.” I mutter out to her. “I hate to admit it but I don’t exactly have any family members or a place to send my belongings to should something happen.”

“Oh.” Dreamy says, giving me an impossible to read yet seemingly knowing look. It almost seemed like she was going to be lost in thought before she reached down to fetch feather pen and a jar of ink. “Well. I suppose I’ll just give you the abridged version.” She states, taking out an extra paper from a hidden place under the desk. “Sign this one and you’ll have building two thirty seven under your care, free of charge.”

“What?” I stammer out, blinking a few times at the paper in question.

“The guild also covers houses should the member joining happen not to have one to live in. As well as the expenses of furnishing and other necessities.” Dreamy states, pushing over the feather pen to me as well as the jar of ink.

I looked down at the paper, blinking a few times in disbelief, “That…..” I start, looking my head back up at Dreamy. “I won’t lie Dreamy. But that just feels too easy to not have some kind of catch to it.”

The mare smiles at me, “Wispy was it?”

I nod at her.

“Hate to break it to you hun. But it really is just that simple.” she chuckles out sadly, then looks back over to the wall of fallen guild members. “The houses of past guild members are, normally, either given to their family or their relatives. Members that don’t have family on the other hoof, their houses just sit there with nopony to take care of them. Along with all their old belongings they kept from their adventures that they hadn’t said to give to a museum or somepony they knew; though it’s not like they’re alive to say their house can’t be given to somepony that needs it more than they did.” She states, looking back down at the paper. “If anything Wispy. The catch is that you have to clean the place out, buy things that need replaced or sell things that the old owner left behind that you feel like you don’t need.”

“That seems fair enough.” I thought to myself, though also wondering a few extra details. “May I ask who owned the house before?” I ask her.

“Oh! Right, I suppose it would be a good idea to know that wouldn't it.” Dreamy laughs out, taking out yet another, although ratherly dusy, card. “House two thirty seven used to belong to an old stallion by the name of Metal Brook. Took to adventuring just after the guild was founded. Though nopony here knows for sure what happened to the old bloke, common rumor has it he got eaten alive while mining for ore near the gates of Tartarus. Though, personally, I think he simply passed away from old age.” The mare shrugs at the last part, looking back over to me. “So you signing those papers or what?” She asks.

“No reason why not.” I state, turning to my magic strand of levitation to pick up the feather pen out of the ink jar. I signed my name on both papers in my normal English text, not thinking there was much a difference between my own worlds writings and theirs. I then passed both papers to Dreamy with a smile.

“Well. As current chairspony for Ponyville's Adventurers Guild. I, Dreamy Waters, welcome you.” Dreamy states with a wide smile on her face. Then passes me a key to what I assume is the key to Metal Brooks house as well as a map of Ponyville with a place on it circled. “The map should get you over to the right place once we’re done getting you set up.” She says, looking over to all the items she was giving me to make sure she wasn’t forgetting anything of importance. Dreamy then stands herself off her chair while picking up the my soon to be Guilds-pony card. “Just these last few parts to do, then you can be on your way to whatever else you need to do.” Dreamy says, while walking over to a door that was behind where the desk was. “Now then, if you would follow me to the back room here, we can finish getting your information on this card.”

Following Dreamy into the back room, I’m lead in front of a small orb sitting on a pedestal.

“This little orb here is more or less a magical analisis scanner used for putting your data onto the card, as well as keeping it updated via magical wave bands from the other guild hubs around Equestria. It also covers the metal transmutation of the card when your tier is able to go up,” The mare eyes my somewhat sceptical look at the orb before adding, “Though frankly hun, I haven't a clue on how it works. I’m just an earth pony, I don’t understand all that magic stuff.” Dreamy laments with a look in my direction. “Regardless though. The lead guilds-ponies up in Canterlot brought it down for us from the main hub. Said that all a pony has to do, depended on race, is either; Touch the orb with one of your hooves if you’re an earth pony, one of your wings if you’re a pegasus or touch it with your magic if you're a unicorn. The magic in the orb covers the rest of the work.” Dreamy says, finishing her explanation with a shrug.

“My magic then?” I ask, brushing my mane away from my horn slightly.

Dreamly goes slightly wide eyed at me for a moment before saying, “You may want to invest in some mane dye hun, because I honestly mistook you for an earth pony.”

“I suppose, wouldn’t know where to get it though.” I say, walking myself up next to the orb and sitting down.

“Not from around here, are you?” Dreamy asks.

“No, I more or less just got here last morning.” I state.

“Last morning?” She asks.

I nod.

“Erm……” The mare hums to herself for a few moments, then asks “Pass me that map I gave you for a moment?”

I pass the map to her, seeing her take a pencil from behind the orb and scribbling around a good few places on the map before handing it back to me.

“Figured if you had only just gotten here you wouldn’t know what’s around town very well yet, so I took it upon myself to write down a number of places you should know about. Like the market, or the spa;” She says, then mumbling an added, “ Wouldn’t mind going to the spa myself after work come to think of it.”

I thank her for the added parts on the map before deciding to get started on the orb scanner. “Anything need to be done with the orb before I use my magic on it?” I ask.

“Oh! Right.” Dreamy says, taking the card and putting it in a slot under the orb. “Alright, good to go~.” She says with a smile.

I nod to her before channeling my magic up through my horn, seeing the two different colored strands of light floating out in front of me. The only problem I could think of is that I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to use them both or only one. After a few moments of debate I went with sticking both strands to the orb. The orb then flared to life with its own energy, it making a finely pointed light shine down into where the card was placed. The orb took about a minute or so to finish whatever it was doing to the card before ejecting it with a ding, the card falling onto the table with a hot steam coming from it.

Dreamy blew off the steam from the card, the card itself, now a shining silver color, showed many a detail of information on it. Such as my age, weight, height and birth date as well as a detailed picture of my face; I no idea how it managed that last one, I was just glad it did a good job. The birth date showing ‘Last day of the old year’, I assumed that would mean December thirty first if it was showing it in earthen months.

Dreamy also looked over the card, stopping at the birth date. “You’re a Winter foal? That’s rather uncommon nowadays, most mothers birth their young around the first few days of spring or summer.”

“I was born a month late actually, my mom said I just didn’t want to come out until I was good and ready” I mention to her, also remembering how often my mother would also tell me how much of a butter ball I was.

“A whole month overdue? Good grief hun, you must have given the gall a hernia coming out!” Dreamy winced through her teeth, “Makes me glad I don’t want any foals yet.”

I look back at my hind end for a moment, mulling over those words before saying, “You and me both.”

After getting the rest of the ending work finished with signing up with the guild I was given a bag to carry what I was given with me back to my new house, along with the silver card that I had been given as well as the list of the rest of the tiers for the rankings; Copper, Iron, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald and Diamond. As well as the two separate tiers Lunar and Celestial; I was unsure why those last two were separate from each other but I didn’t bother asking why.

I did end up asking why I wasn’t starting out at copper, though all Dreamy had to say about it was that the ponies at the hub that go over the information must have deemed that I was already well enough ready for the silver tier for some reason or another. She also stated that I didn’t have much a reason to complain about it, as the higher the tier you are the more Bits you receive for your work. She also mentioned something about starting pay to get equipment for my travels that would be sent to my new house in the morning.

Thanking Dreamy for her help I figured it would be a good idea to let Cheerilee know I wouldn’t need to stay with her any longer so I went back to where her house was only to remember that she had turned in early for the day, “I guess I could just send her a letter or something.” I mumbled to myself, deciding to head over to head over to the house I had been given instead.

The map I had been given was helpful to say the most, though that didn’t stop me from getting all the more lost somewhere in the middle of the town's market district, I wasn’t exactly the best with maps. On the bright side it was getting later in the day so most of the market ponies had already packed up their stock and headed home aside for a select few.

One mare was selling flowers to an older stallion that seemed to be having a hard time picking out what he wanted while another across the street was a stall selling nothing but apples, apples and more apples. This stall seemed to being ran by one of the fillies I remembered seeing at Cheerilees school when I first walked in, of course no sooner then I looked at her the filly was waving me over to her. Lost enough as I was there was no harm in seeing what she wanted.

Walking over to her stall I was soon face to face with the select filly, an over sized bow adorned her head making her stand out a bit more; I assumed this was on purpose for marketing reasons.

“You look a bit lost.” The filly says in a distinctly southern accent.

“And then some honestly, I’m not exactly the best with maps and it honestly doesn’t help that I only just got to town last morning.” I huff out, actually a bit annoyed with the town's layout.

“Just moved in then?” She asks, showing a bit of interest in me by crooning her head forward.

I nod to her, “More or less. I’m just trying to find my way back home and I ended up here instead.” I say with a sigh, holding out the map I had been given.

The filly scoots herself over to me to look at the map then points a hoof over an area on the map, “This is where we are now,” She says to me, then pointing up to the circled part of the map, “And this is where you’re headed, right?”

“Yeah, house two thirty seven.” I nod to her.

“You’re heading the right way then, just head down the road like you had been then take a right when you reach the bridge and keep going straight until you see the sign for Whitetail Woods. Your house should be on the left right before the bridge to Fluttershy's house.” She says, looking over the map a second time to confirm the route.

“So I wasn’t lost then.” I breath out in a sigh.

“Far from it,” The filly states, picking up a few apples and putting them into my bag, “Name’s Applebloom by the way.” Applebloom says before looking over her stock before adding, “Those apples are on the house in case you were wonderin', figure you wouldn’t have much to go on if you just moved in.”

I smile at her, not having expected such a kind gesture. "Mine's Wispy" I say, taking her hoof as a friendly gesture of a hoof shake.

“Well then, Wispy, I hope you come back later for more apples when you need them.” The filly says with a smile, shaking hooves with me.

Thanking her again, I continue my way down the road like I was instructed while following Applebloom's words to the letter. Eventually I found my destination of house two thirty seven.

It was a small building roughly two floors in height, dark ash wood had been used to build its walls and roof. Though that wasn’t the interesting thing about the house, it was more all the brass and copper tubes running in and outside the house along with the chimney that was blowing out steam. “I could have sworn Dreamy said nopony lived here anymore, so why is there steam coming out of the chimney?”

Making my way up to the front door, I fished out the house key from my bag and pushed it into the lock, half expecting the key not to work. The lock clicked and unlocked the door regardless of my thoughts. I put my hoof up to the door handle and pushed it open, wanting to know what awaited me inside.

Author's Note

A bit of a shorter chapter this time around, figured I'd been holding back on getting this one out way more then long enough already.