//------------------------------// // Cracks in The Ice // Story: Winter's Grasp // by Zman537 //------------------------------// As I drove down the street, I couldn’t help but smile as I saw my destination coming into view. The girl on the porch was wearing a leather coat with her usual clothes and waved enthusiastically as I drove up. “Zachy! I’m so glad you could make it!” I stepped out of my truck and looked over to the house I had parked in front of as she ran up to me. “Anything for you babe. I’m just glad I could afford the gas to drive all the way here.” We shared a hug and I started to walk with her back to the house. Halloween decorations covered her house and there was a candy bowl sitting on a stool. “Happy Halloween Katy.” She gave me a kiss on the lips and smiled. “You too.” She perked up suddenly and pulled out a box from her coat pocket. “Hey, my mom got me this!” I raised an eyebrow and looked at the plain brown box. “So, what’s in the box?” Katy frowned slightly and looked at the box. “I’m not sure. She said it was some kind of antique that I’d like.” We both eyed the box before Katy kissed me again. “I wanted to wait for you to get here before I opened it.” I blushed a little and followed her up the driveway. “Aw, thanks Katy.” We both sat down on her porch and she opened the box to reveal an antique japanese paintbrush that had engravings running down the side. It even still had a jar of black ink that had permanently stained the tip of the brush with use. “Wow, that looks pretty cool.” She nodded and looked at the brush. “Yeah! It even goes with my costume!” She grabbed the brush and started to head inside. “Come on! I want to show you what I made for us!” I laughed a little and followed her inside. I didn’t really notice as the walls and world around me slowly started to melt . “Hold on, Hold on! I’m come-” I froze as the interior of the house was nothing but black. “K-Katy?” I turned around to see if I could leave and the door was gone. “Katy!?” I heard something break and a scream from somewhere in the black. I snapped my head towards where I thought it came from and felt my blood go cold when I heard Katy yelling. “HEEEEEELP!” “KATY!” I blundered through the black and kept running until I couldn’t feel my legs and then ran some more. The black walls seemed to close in slower and slower as Katy’s screams grew more distant until.... I snapped awake and stared at the wall while panting heavily. After a deep breath and laying back on the couch with a sigh, I rubbed my face and groaned. “Damn it....” A quick glance at Octavia’s clock showed that only a few minutes passed, and it was genuinely 10:00 now. “Why did that orange mare have to bring that back to the front of my brain?” I spent the next few minutes just laying around trying to calm myself down. What had happened earlier out there in the marketplace was equivalent to a disaster. I had been trying to bury the accent I had picked up from my family and time in Oklahoma and I had only managed to totally succeed a few months ago, because it kept reminding me of why I left. While I would have preferred it to have stayed locked away in the back of my head where no one could ever see it, speaking to that Applejack character had brought it out. The accent came so damned naturally that I didn’t even realize it! Worse, was that Octavia had picked up on it and wants to know why that had happened, or I’m out on the street. And that means telling secrets I would rather have buried until the next eternity. It doesn’t look like I got much of a choice though. Still, I have a whole day to tell her. I might as well wait till after the parade and tell both her and Vinyl at the same time. Saves me having to repeat myself in the event of Vinyl not knowing what Octavia’s talking about in some future conversation. God those situations are annoying. Octavia was on the other side of the room reading a book by this point. Ever since she got there, every now and again, she would give me a curious look before going back to reading. In that entire time, Vinyl was down in the basement toiling away at whatever she was doing. To be honest, I was getting a little tired of staying inside and got up off of Octavia’s couch before heading for the door. As I left, I looked back into the living room for a moment while grabbing my bags. “Hey, I’m going to see what I can do around to help with the parade.” It’s not like I’ve got anything better to do. Octavia gave me a farewell, but I could tell it was somewhat strained. I shut the door behind me as I stepped outside, and let out a brief sigh before turning and walking down the road towards the library. I was bound to come into contact with something involving the parade, and if not, I could always return the book I had taken from there yesterday. To my credit, the former of my two options happened after about ten minutes, as I stumbled across two pegasi attempting to hang a banner on a pair of buildings. The purplish one with a blonde mane and a trio of lilies on her backside was getting rather frustrated at her companion as the two sides of the banner were held up in two very different ways. “Merry May! It goes on with a bow! Stop trying to tie it on with a knot or the Mayor will have our flowery flanks!” I couldn’t help but chuckle a little at the scene. It was like watching an old comedy routine. Merry May, the green pegasus with a slightly greener mane with a trio of orange daisies on her flank, blushed and started to rub the back of her head. “Sorry Lily. I just can’t seem to get it right.” She grinned sheepishly under Lily’s gaze and chuckled nervously. “Eheheheh, So...... want to trade spots?” Lily facehoofed and waved her friend over. “Merry.... just..... hold this one in place.” The green pegasus flew over and held the bow as Lily flew to the other side and tied on the rest of the banner. With a few firm tugs from the purple pony, the banner was secured and read “Ponyville Harvest Festival Parade!” I cleared my throat to keep myself from laughing at their antics and also managed to draw the duo’s attention. I took the opportunity and started to talk to the two pegasi. “Excuse me, Do you two need any help, or know where I could lend a hand?” Merry shook her head. “Nah, we’re fine. This was the last banner anyways.” She tapped her chin a little before smiling. “They might need some help with the floats though! They’re just down that way.” She pointed down the street that headed towards what I think was the outer edge of town. Didn’t something purple fly at a breakneck pace in that general direction yesterday? Maybe I’ll find out what that was finally. As I got closer to the parade floats, I noticed a familiar pair of derpy eyes in the crowd. She had a small purplish unicorn on her back and was talking to....a pony dressed as a pear? “Oh come on Time Turner, you said you would help in the parade!” I wanted to laugh so freaking hard at the guy, but there was that little voice in the back of my head saying, ‘pity that man for he has been roped into some embarrassing shit.’ And boy do I know how that feels...... third grade, you will forever be the bane of my reputation back in Oklahoma..... fucking metal poles. The brown stallion, Time Turner apparently, groaned and shifted in his costume a little. “I know I said I’d help... but I didn’t think that I’d be dressed as a fruit.” The little unicorn giggled and beamed at him while resting her hooves on Derpy’s head. “I think you make a great pear Mr.Turner!” So..... much..... dawww....... I think I'm going to have a heart attack. Derpy giggled herself while the brown stallion blushed before she turned towards me and jumped a little in surprise. “Oh! Hi Zach! What are you doing over here? The parade starts soon and everypony else is getting ready to watch it.” I waved some as I got closer to the trio and smiled back after taking off my hood. “Hey Derpy, I just came over to see if I could help any. But if everything’s almost ready to go, then I guess I’m just standing here talking to you and your friends.” Derpy and the little unicorn laughed a little. “Just one friend, actually. Dinky’s my daughter.” The little unicorn waved from atop her mother’s head and.... okay, how did I not see the resemblance? Their manes are almost exactly the same freaking color, and... style... somehow. “Hi Mr. Zach!” Dinky beamed at me with a smile of childish innocence before tilting her head in equally innocent confusion. “What are you supposed to be? You don’t look like a pony.” Derpy blushed and looked up at her daughter. “Dinky! Where are your manners?” Dinky’s ears fell and I couldn’t help but chuckle. I could see Time Turner doing the same in his pear suit, and Dinky blushed a little. Leave it to a little kid to make me start feeling better. I raised a hand and got their attention quickly while smiling. “It’s alright Derpy, Kids are going to be kids.” I looked up at the little unicorn and pointed to my nose, pressing down a little and messing with my voice. “And for you little one, I’m what you shall call a ‘huuuuuuuu maaaaan~” I crossed my eyes and wiggled my fingers while going oooooh at the small unicorn. The little pony laughed and poked my nose with her small hoof. “You’re funny.” We all were laughing for a little while after that. I haven’t acted like that in years, and having a laugh like I was was having some extremely positive effects on my mood. I wasn’t being such a grump as I was this morning! It was about then that three younger ponies pushed a large golden apple into the line and were chattering amongst themselves. I didn’t really get what they were saying, but I did notice that Aleister was off in the distance. It’s kinda hard not to notice the six foot tall ginger off a ways away from a crowd of small equines. AGAIN! Brain, stop making me think things that I never thought I would think! I looked over at Derpy and co. while I smiled a little. “Hey Derpy, I got to go for a moment. Bye!” Dinky pouted on her mother’s head and gave me a pair of puppydog eyes. “Awwwwwww, Do you have to?” I laughed at the sheer adorableness of her pout and ruffled her mane. “I’m just saying hi to a friend. I plan on coming back to watch the parade from a front view seat.” Dinky nodded and hopped off of Derpy to start pushing Time Turner over to the float he was supposed to be on. It was...... wow, it’s literally just a platform with a few decorations on the side. No wonder he didn’t want to get on. I waved as I left the crowd and walked over to Aleister. “Yo, what’s up Al?” He looked over and perked up a bit. “Oh thank god a distraction. I was about to have a panic attack.” I raised an eyebrow and looked back at the crowd for a moment. It was getting pretty large. “So, I’m guessing not a big fan of crowds?” “Agoraphobia.” He waved a hand. “It sucks.” I blinked a few times before my head fell to one side. “Agora-what now?” I shook my head and cut off his response. “Nevermind. I think I get the picture. So what are you doing out here? I just thought that I’d help around town. Get some ponies to not be scared shitless.” I looked at the crowd that was moving about their day like nothing was wrong. “So far, this town rocks.” He shrugged. “It’s okay. I would give it bonus points, but I got blasted out of a house by Sparkle. So yeah... I have a head injury from this.” He pointed at some bandages on his head. “I think I have a concussion.” He blinked a little. “Yep. Concussion.” My face derped a little as I mulled over what he had just said. “Wait....... so you were the purple dot flying through the sky? Huh.... All that happened to me lately was I got blasted into a wall by a subwoofer/dishwasher hybrid.” “I... I got nothing.” I nodded in agreement. “I know, It was weird. I was pinned to the wall for a while. Kinda awesome now that I think about it.” I mean, who can claim that their stereo can pin someone to a wall? Name one, I dare you. He nodded slowly. “Kinda. It’s better than what I went through at least.” He closed his eyes and leaned back. “God I’ve been awake for a day straight.” I cocked my head to the side and smirked a little. “Doing what? You get caught by Twilight and lectured for hours? She seems like the kind of per- sorry, pony to do that.” “No... Building a float. From scratch. And I lifted everything.” He stretched his arm and winced. “Cramp! Why!?” I looked back towards the floats and saw tall gold and sparkly sitting at the back of the line. There were two groups of fillies standing next to it and they seemed to be arguing. “So. I’m guessing it was that one?” “Yeah. I may or may not have carved the words “For the Fairest” on the side.” I snorted a little and looked back at the float. One of the fillies had pushed the three that were climbing in out and they fell into the street. I swear I felt my eye twitch. Maybe it’s a good thing he put that there. I turned back to Al and pointed over to the parade. “So, you want to come see the parade up closer? There’s grey mare up there who’s fine with me grouping up with her so I’m sure that she wouldn’t mind an extra guest.” He looked at the crowd nervously before looking back at me. “As long as we keep talking. I stop talking to you, and I suffer a panic attack.” I nodded and turned back to the crowd with a smile. “Sure, I’ve been needing someone to talk to after what happened earlier today.” We headed back into the crowd and I spotted Derpy sitting with Dinky in their own little spot. It seemed that the crafty mare had managed to find a spot away from everyone else and still have a good view. As we got closer, Dinky saw me and beamed before shouting from atop her mother’s head. “HI AGAIN MR. ZACH!” I chuckled as Derpy started trying to clear out her ear and waved back. “And hello again to you Dinky.” “Add popped eardrums to list of injuries.” Aleister rubbed his ear and winced again. “Ow.” I rolled my eyes and sat down next to Derpy. “Oh stop your whining Al, she wasn’t that loud.” I looked over to the duo and waved a hand at Aleister. “Derpy, Dinky, This is Aleister. Al, Derpy Hooves and her daughter Dinky.” Dinky hopped off of her mom’s back and ran up to Aleister and started poking his leg. “Hey! You’re a hu-man like Mr. Zach! Are you two related!?” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud and fall backwards at that. “If we were I would have the same hair color as him, but alas I do not.” Al pointed to his red hair. “This just means that I’m different than him.” Dinky pouted a little and ran over to me and poked my nose. “Mr. Zach? If he’d not related then how do you know him?” Derpy looked mortified at how much her daughter was poking and prying into my personal life, but I smiled and sat up. “I met him when I got into Ponyville. He was at the library at the time and we talked for a little. We’re more of acquaintances than friends if you look at it right, but I’m not really caring about that.” I poked her nose and she giggled. “How long do you think it’d take to be someone’s friend?” This’ll keep her young mind occupied for a little bit. At least till she gets distracted by something else. She beamed and started to think over the question. “Well.... um....” her smile faded a little before she started to tap her chin. “Thats....... Huh.” I chuckled and cut her off. Time to give her a distraction it seems. That was a little mean to do to her in retrospect. “Hey, rather than ponder something like that, why don’t you enjoy the parade with your mom?” Derpy mouthed a silent thank you as Dinky ran over and layed on the grass next to her. Derpy turned her attention over towards Al and smiled. “It’s nice to meet you Aleister, and I’m sorry about Dinky’s behavior. She tends to get really excited over anything new she finds.” “It’s fine really. Kinda reminds me of my sister.” Dinky looked over from the parade after she started laughing. “Look mommy! It’s Time Turner! He looks so silly!” I looked over and saw the extremely embarrassed stallion standing on the float. I leaned over and whispered into the little filly’s ear. “I thought you said he made a great pear?” She giggled and nodded as I leaned away. I turned to Al and had a soft smile. “So, you have a sister?” He nodded with a smile. “Yeah. She’s like a year or two younger than me, so she’ll be in high school by next year.” I let out a sigh and looked up at the sky. The parade could wait. I had memories coming back to me that I didn’t mind all that much. “I had three. Two that were older than me, and one that’s probably just a little younger than your’s.” Add two brothers of both varieties to that and you got a full house.... Man, Johnny was an annoying little snot. Constantly following me around.... wanting my... approval... “Ah. Good on you.” He laughed softly. “Only one for me.” I watched the clouds pass by and started to imagine some of their faces on the surface. “Yeah, you’re lucky for that. Having multiple siblings sucks. Heh, privacy is practically extinct, and if they’re older, they expect you to practically obey them.” I watched as the clouds floated away into wisps in the breeze. “You never know what you got till it’s gone forever.” To think that if I hadn’t left..... Maybe things would have been different.... “Yeah yeah.... Saddening speech and all that, but I can’t really think too long on that without wanting to have a panic attack.” I nodded in agreement and sighed. Suddenly there was a scream from further into the crowd and I shot up and looked out into the crowd. The golden apple float from earlier was swerving like crazy and nearly clipped a few of the bystanders. “I thought you helped build that thing!” “I may have forgot to mention the whole point of it was to bring justice to a couple bullies.” He shrugged. “Wasn’t supposed to kill anyone.” I looked at the road ahead and saw that the turn it was heading for what looked like a cliff face. I looked at Aleister and stood up while pointing to where it was headed. “By sending one of them off of a CLIFF!? ARE YOU NUTS!?” I ran into the crowd and chased after the float. For a parade float, it’s moving pretty fast. I barely noticed three blurs jumping into the apple before the first filly that had gotten in was pushed out and caught by someone in the crowd. The float soon went over the edge and splashed into the lake I couldn’t see from the hill. I stared down at the water and looked over all of it in panic. “Shit....” Shit shit shit shit shit! I saw two small ponies pull up from the water and gasp for breath. One was a white unicorn and the other was a orange pegasus. Some pegasi flew down and lifted them up from the water and the unicorn was struggling as she was lifted. “Hey! Stop squirming! Wait till we get you to the shore.” As the filly continued to squirm, I ran down the the lake shore and other bystanders were with me in the crowd. The little filly soon was on the shore and trying to jump back in the water. “But Applebloom’s still down there!” Some of the crowd gasped and several started to run off to who knows where. I looked between the crowd, the small filly being held back and the slowly sinking float before I stomped. “Damn it!” I started running over to the water and jumped as I dived in. The water was pretty murky, and I could barely make out the float through all of the muck. I swam over and into the small entrance that was near the lower half of the float before I moved towards the water’s surface inside. There was a yellow filly trying to keep herself aloft and in the air. She screamed in fright and almost sank when I surfaced. “AH! P-Please don’t eat me!” I grabbed her under her forelegs and held her up in the dwindling air pocket. “Whoa! I’m not gonna eat you!” She was breathing heavily and I made her look me in the eyes. “Now listen to me, I need you to stay calm and hold your breath. Got it? I’m getting you out of here.” She nodded shakily before taking in a big gulp of air. I did the same and quickly dived back down. The gap was slowly sinking into the mud, but I pulled us out of the float before it could get too small. I swam as hard as I could upward and got us out into the lake’s surface. When we surfaced the crowd seemed to have gathered around the sides of the lake and were cheering. I steadily pulled the little filly over to the shore with one arm and flopped into the sandish ground when I got there. “That..... was..... exhausting.....” I propped myself up with one arm and groaned some. “Why was that so...” I looked down at my arm and noticed that my metal gloves and cloak were gone. I looked down at myself and saw my old blue, eagle patterned T-shirt and torn up jeans were back and I had a pair of white, ragged sneakers on again. A quick glance up at my hair showed it was the same dirty blonde as when I was born and I would have smiled if I wasn’t panting so hard. So I had to jump into a lake to get back to normal? Fucking really!? The filly had run off to hug her friends before a certain orange mare ran up and started to bear hug the poor thing. “Oh my stars, Applebloom are ya’ll okay!?” Applebloom nodded shakily. “Yeah AJ... Ah’ll be f-fine.” I couldn’t help but feel bad for the little girl. She’s going to have a major fear of water in the future. “I see you’re back to normal.” I looked up at Aleister and waved a hand at him before laying down in the dirt. I’m too tired for any shit right now. I passed out right there on the ground as some of the ponies stared at me. The one thing I remember seeing before passing out was Applejack looking at me in confusion. I’ll ponder this later.... too fucking tired.....to care... .