Raindrops' Wrap Up

by Arkensaw Pinkerton

Chapter 60

You wander over to the pile of skates and get a better look at the stallion who's eyeing them carefully. He's a little short, with a brown mane and a lighter coat. You walk past him to your neighbour Roseluck- the poor thing's having a bit of trouble with her skates.

"You want a wing with those?" You ask her, and she nods gratefully.

"It's tough getting these things on with just hooves. I don't know how Pinkie does it!" she says as you get her laced up. It doesn't take you long.

"That's great, thanks!" she says. "You want to grab yours on too so we can get going?" She stands unsteadily and waits for you to get yourself sorted.

"Actually, I was going to give him a little help as well," you say under your breath. Behind you the stallion has so far managed to wrestle skates onto his back hooves, but one's facing sideways and the laces on both are tangled together. "I'll see you out there!"

Roseluck half-smiles at you, but it seems a little off somehow. She wobbles over to the ice before gracefully sliding out onto the surface as you turn to face the stallion.

"Help?" he asks, pitifully. He's now managed to get a third skate's laces tangled around the first two.

"Sure thing," you smile at him. "I think you should stop trying to get those on and let me untangle them, okay?"

You move around to the side of him and start using the dextrous tips of your wings to undo the tangle of knots between his skates.

"Thank you so much!" he says, genuine relief in his voice. "I'm Caramel. I've never skated before and these things are just so darn complicated!"

"I'm Raindrops," you reply. "You've certainly made a mess of these laces! How come you're on the ice-breaking squad if you've never skated before?"

He wilts visibly, sagging his head closer to the ground.

"I made a mess of things over on the farm. I was supposed to be clearing snow this year because I lost the grass seeds last year. And the year before that. But the plow got away from me a little bit and there was a gust of wind and I sort of ran over Applejack's hat. A little bit."

"So she booted you over to the ice-skating team?"

"Yeah. I don't mind- I mean, I wouldn't mind if I was any good at it. I don't seem to be that good at anything." He mumbles the last part, lost in thought. A moment later he snaps his head back up and flashes you a broad, honest smile.

"But now I've got my skates on thanks to you, so I suppose I'd better give it a go, eh?"

You smile back at him- you can't help yourself- and he totters off towards the lake edge. He's only just reached it by the time you pull on your own skates and clomp over. He steps out onto the ice, tentatively at first, gaining confidence with each hoof he puts down. He's watching the other skaters, you realise, trying to copy their movements. He does pretty well- he's at least going in a straight line- but he's starting to get a little fast. By the time you're on the ice and moving, he's going very fast indeed, and he looks like he's about to collide with Carrot Top. Roseluck pulls up alongside you, frowning at him.

"Does he know how to brake?" she asks. You know he doesn't.

"Brake!" Pinkie shouts across the ice, and everypony does except Caramel.

"I'm trying to!" he screams, accelerating even harder. There's no way he's going to miss Carrot Top now, and you can see her wincing from here.

You might be able to get there in time to help somepony if you take off right now. Or you might just turn a two-pony prang into a three-pony pileup.

Please put requests for Raindrops' actions in the comments below!

To go back a step, Click here for Chapter 27.

Comments

[terrycloth]

Attack! I mean, help them! By tackling Caramel.

[kingtwelvesixteen]

Wince at the inevitable conclusion.

[Phillips_Quickfix]

Look out Carrot Top!