Frozen Hearts

Chapter 5

(Dipper pov)

I shiver, blowing on my hands to warm them up as I ride my horse through the snow and over hills looking for Mabel. I lost sight of her after she froze the lake. I don't understand where these ice powers came from. Did she always just have them? Did our parents know? But if they did, why didn't they tell me? Why didn't she tell me of all people? Why spend so long shutting me out instead of just explaining her powers? Did she think I would judge her? I would never do that.

Everyone is scared of her, but I'm not. I know if I can find her and talk to her that we can fix things. I can convince her to unfreeze everything and help her explain her ice powers to everyone so they will no longer be afraid. People are only ever afraid of the things that they don't understand. It's why so many kids are scared of monsters or the dark.

A twig snapping startles my horse, him rearing up and bucking me off before he runs off. I sit up, shivering worse than before.

"Crap." I mutter quietly. I grab a small branch of a nearby pine and try to pull myself up with it, but it snaps and a whole bunch of snow falls on top of me, even going down the collar of my shirt. "Fuck snow."

I stand up, brushing all of the snow off of me as I continue walking, hugging my arms to myself.

"It just had to be snow.....why couldn't it be something like making warm sunny beaches appear or something stupid like that? It just had to be making everything freeze and be very very cold."

I get to the top of a hill spotting smoke coming from a chimmney. Wherever there is smoke, there is a hot fire. I slowly start down the hill, yelping as I loose my footing and slide down the rest of the way, landing in a freezing cold stream.

"F-F-Fuck....." I mutter again as I pull myself up to my feet, walking over to the cabin. I reach up to the sign hanging above, hitting it and knocking the remaining snow off of it.

"Soos' Trading Post and Sauna."

A cold wind blows behind me as I step inside, slamming the door shut and leaning back against it to keep the cold air out, sighing as I feel warmth melt all the remaining snow off of me.

"'Sup, dude?" I look over at a big guy sitting behind the counter. Guessing that this must be Soos. "Big summer blowout. Half-off all swimming wear."

"Oh, uh...no thanks. Do you have any winter coats, maybe a hat or some gloves?"

"That would be our winter department." He points to a shelf that is nearly empty aside from a few things.

I walk over picking up the winter coat, a pair of black gloves, some winter boots, and a hat with a pine tree symbol on the front. It isn't a winter hat but it's still a really cool hat.

"By any chance, did a young girl come through here? Fancy dress, brown hair, about this tall?" I go back to the counter, holding my hand up to about my height. "Maybe taller with heels."

"Only one crazy enough to be out in this weather is you." We both look over at the door as it slams open and closed, a guy in a yellow coat covered completely in ice and snow. On his head is a black winter hat and I see a few blonde strands peeking out under it, thick black winter gloves on both of his hands. "You and this fellow that is."

The guy walks over to the counter, standing right in front of me. "Carrots."

"What?" I look up at him confused. He points behind me and I realize that I was standing in front of some carrots right by the counter. "Oh, sorry." I move out of the way. He grabs all of the carrots, setting them on the counter before walking to the winter department. He grabs the remaining things, a rope and pickaxe.

"Realy howler in July." Soos tries to make small talk. "Where you reckon it's coming from."

"Noth Mountain." The guy states plainly. "The further up it you get, the worse the fucking storm gets."

If it gets worse up there, then that means Mabel is up there. She has to be. I just need to get up there somehow.

He comes over to the counter, setting the last of his things on it.

"That's fourty."

"What the hell? No way, it's ten."

"These two are from our winter department, and that has a big supply and demand problem."

"You want to talk about supply and deman?" He points out the window where I see he has a sled full of huge blocks of ice. "I fucking sell ice for a living."

"That is a rough business right now." He gives me a glare before turning back to Soos.

"I only have ten. You have to help me out here man."

"Ten will get you the carrots and nothing else. But I will throw in a trip to the sauna as well."

"Okay, just one last question." The guy turns to me, seeming very annoyed with me but this is extremely important. "What was happening on the North Mountain? Did it seem magical?"

"Fine, it was fucking magical. Now back the fuck up, kid, while I deal with this crook."

We both look at Soos as he rises to his feet, towering over us both.

"What did you call me?"

"Um...."

Without another word he picks the guy up by the collar of his coat, lifting him clean off his feet. I watch as he carries him outside, throwing him outside and slamming the door again. He comes back over, taking his seat behind the counter once again.

"Sorry about that. So just the hat, gloves, boots, and coat?"

"Um...." I set my things on the counter as I look at the things the guy was going to buy.

He seems to know his way around the mountain a lot better than I ever will. I know that Mabel is up the stupid mountain, but I will freeze or get lost on my own. Not to mention wolves. But maybe if I can enlist that guy's help then we have a chance at finding my sister.

"Can I also purchase the things that fellow was going to buy? Including the carrots?"

"Sure thing. Just let me calculate the total here." I reach into my pocket taking out a bag of coins and setting them on the counter.

"Will this cover it?"

"That should do indeed."

I pull on the coat, hat and gloves. Stepping out of my dress shoes I pull on the boots tying them tightly. He puts the other stuff in some cloth bags with straps. I pull the straps over my shoulder as I step outside to find that guy.