Glass Never Breaks in Equal Shards

The winter was hitting Ponyville pretty hard tonight. It was colder tonight than average. Barely twenty degrees. In fact, Pinkie Pie closed Sugarcube corner a little Early tonight. Business was quite slow. The last customer was almost 3 hours ago. The raging snow wasn't making business any faster either.

Pinkie Yawned heavily, It was 8:30 PM, but she was still quite sleepy. "Well, early to bed, early to rise, I guess." Pinkie said to herself, giggling afterwards. She trotted to her open/closed sign. She went to go flip it. After her hoof had the sign slightly in the air, she looked outside. There was at least 8 inches of snow tonight. She almost turned away from the window, but something caught her eye in the immediate distance, about 20 feet away actually. She noticed someone with a large coat over their entire body outside on a nearby bench. She immediately observed this figure for a few more seconds. Then it adjusted it's  position, trying to keep the coat around them to stay warm.

Seconds quickly turned to minutes. Pinkie just stood there inside her shop, observing, and contemplating what to do. When the coat was almost blown away, she saw that it was a young stallion. He couldn't be more than 14 years old. Pinkie began to slightly grit her teeth, and move her eyes in thought. She had to help him. She couldn't just leave him out there to freeze. She grabbed a coat off the coat rack, and trotted outside.

Pinkie shivered violently as she opened the door. A large cold breeze flew through her coat right as she stepped outside. She shook it off after the breeze slowed down. Pinkie was quick to find the young stallion. He noticed her, and turned the other direction. She sat down next to him. He scooted the further away. Pinkie didn't try a second time. She sighed, and began to speak. "What are you doing out here? You'll freeze to death" The stallion was silent. He shook a few times, but no words escaped his mouth. "Are you OK?" Pinkie was trying to sound more sympathetic. The stallion shook his head. "What's happened to you, that would cause you to be out here? Where are your parents?" Pinkie quickly regretted asking that last question. She heard the stallion sniffle and cry a little bit. Pinkie got up from the bench, to try and see his face. He quickly covered his face with the last available space in his large coat. Looking at the coat from up close, it was really big for him. As if...It was his father's or mother's. Pinkie began to frown. Every second that passed by, Pinkie wanted to help him more, and more. "Can I please see your face?" Pinkie asked softly. The stallion shook his head a little slower than last time. His face was covered by this large coat.

Pinkie wanted to help this young stallion. Weather he wanted her to or not. Pinkie was quick to think. She reached, and gave him a large hug. He cried a lot harder. He reached his hands out of the coat, to return the embrace. Pinkie noticed his legs were cut up with many different scars. Many looked new, or recent. There weren't many old ones, or so it seemed. Pinkie didn't dare ask about them. If she did, He might trust her less. She looked back to Sugarcube corner. "Don't you want a warm bed tonight? I have a spare room you can use for awhile." The stallion nodded. I guess he trusts her a little bit now. The stallion got off the bench, and grabbed what looked like an instrument case. They walked back to the shop. Pinkie attempted to put his coat on the proper way.... He refused to cooperate. Pinkie didn't argue. She was trying to help him, so this was quite a good start.

He walked in, and he sat down in a nearby chair, separating from Pinkie, who was putting her coat on the rack. He, as well took his coat off. He set it on the table. He had pure black fur, and a pure white mane. Pinkie looked over to him. She was mortified. His legs, chest, and face were covered in scars. Mostly his legs. A few on his chest, and face. Pinkie tried not to stare, but she couldn't help herself. The stallion looked away, trying to ignore her gaze. Pinkie broke the silence that was held for about 3 minutes now. "Why...are you covered...in scars?" She held an emotional stare as she spoke. The stallion sighed. And he spoke, for the first time "It's quite a story. A sad one at that. Don't worry about it.... But thank you so much for the opportunity to have a bed. It's been almost a month now since........never mind...I'm sorry. Forget I said that." Pinkie's sympathy grew more and more for him by the minute. "I'm sorry, I never got your name by the way." The Stallion's eyes seemed to dry up. His emotions were the same, but He was trying to hide it. "I'm Pinkie Pie" Pinkie said, slightly pointing to herself with her hoof. "Nice to meet you Pinkie, I'm Walker...Walker Strings" Pinkie nodded, trying to smile. "I really hate to rush the favor, but where's the room at?" Pinkie was able to smile  a little bit more. Gaining his trust so quickly was quite surprising. It's as if She solved a long puzzle with only a few moves. The way he acted at first. His resistance. It was quite the egg to crack.

Walker was shown to his room, with his oddly shaped luggage and his coat. He thanked Pinkie again for helping. Pinkie dismissed herself for the night, and Walker sat on the bed with the lights off, and just stared out the window, and began to gather his thoughts. He quickly passed out from exhaustion. Tonight, he could sleep warm.

Walker woke up, almost not remembering where he was. He quickly recollected the short term memories of the previous night. He examined his scars. They didn't hurt anymore. He reached for his luggage, and unzipped a tightly closed pocket, and pulled out a small razor blade. He aimed for a spot on his front right hoof. He hesitated. He sighed, and lowered the blade before putting it back into the case, and zipping it back up. He thought that, maybe he could start on a new path. Not exactly a clean slate, but finding a better path for now. A stranger's compassion has given him something to cherish for a short time.

He looked to the case again, and unzipped the large side of the case that opened the bulk of the case. He took out a guitar. He began to strum a chord progression, and began to sing.

Something took my life and trashed my heart

a force of unknown, world's far apart

A stranger came and gave me hope

a skill to learn how to cope

My happiness is far from reachable

sadness cruel, and tears so capable

of causing pain, leaving scars

something to let faaallll apaart

Pinkie heard his playing from the next room, she opened the door, and gazed in amazement. "Wow!" She exclaimed. Walker was startled. His hoof hit the strings accidentally, and his whole body jumped slightly in surprise. "oh...sorry." Pinkie said. "Oh, that's ok. Don't worry about it" Walker assured Pinkie. "When did you write that?" Pinkie seemed quite impressed. "I never exactly wrote it, I kinda just made it up about a few seconds ago." Pinkie progressively became amazed. "I sung it, because...I felt it...The words that need to come out....just...come out faster in song for me..."  They fell silent. Walker looked down, and his ears pointed downward as well. "Tell me...." Pinkie started. "Wha?" Walker questioned. "Tell me everything that has happened to you. I really want to help you, in any way possible. It's hard to help when you're not aware of the details." Walker thought deeply. He almost teared up. "...Okay.... I'll tell you...Everything.....I'm not sure what you can do....But here it is......"