Life Lessons with Gramps
Added 2020-06-11 23:30:52 +0000 UTCzipperflash is wondering if grampa's been drinking his angry juice again
Wind Rider was one of the most well known and adored veterans in the flying business. A long-time Wonderbolt, record-setter, and all around good old boy, Wind was beloved by his fans, particularly the ladies, a fact that lines up rather curiously with the implosion of his first and only marriage. Despite his womanizing ways, Wind tried to be a decent dad to his daughter, Lightning Dust. Somepony she could look up to, and aspire to be like.
Unfortunately, when WInd smartly and carefully tries to frame that young upstart Rainbow Dash before she can break his long-distance flight record, things go south. Not only does he get caught, but the Wonderbolts have the nerve- the sheer fucking nerve- to kick him out! Him! Living goddamn legend, Wind Rider!
And it only gets worse from there. His attempt to sabotage a young flier prompts an investigation. Things start coming out. Rigged races. Manipulated speed records. Gambling rings. The news is splashed across the front page of every paper in Equestria. Wind Rider- Cheater.
And just like that, everything is taken from him. He's stripped of his titles and trophies, his sponsorship deals- his name becomes poison to everybody in the flying industry. He's gone from being a god to a miserable, depressed, alcoholic joke.
Lightning loyally stands by her dad, and she (and Thunderlane) move up the east coast to be nearer to Wind. In the new darkness of his life, Wind seizes onto the only scrap of light- his grandchild, who can be built in his own image, and someday restore the family name.
If you ain't first, you're last, kid.
Comments
Have fun at home! :D And thank you. I'm kinda nervous about Wind cuz I'm gonna take his assholery in some uncomfortable directions, and I was wondering if I was going too far.....then I remembered the guy canonically tried to crush a young girl's entire career just to preserve his flight record. He's awful. I think he's my new favorite bad guy
Lopoddity
2020-06-14 03:37:56 +0000 UTCVery excited to see these latest drawings and headcanons about dis asshole!!! Also really love how you make young Zips androgynous. (Sorry I haven't been commenting actually back home for a week to see my people) ☺☺
Heather
2020-06-13 22:26:33 +0000 UTCI know people will connect any sort of alcoholic old asshole character archetype to Rick Sanchez, but I really, really hate that character a whole lot. The whole show, really. I guess Wind here would be my idea of how Rick would realistically be- not vindicated by the narrative, but mean, bitter, and ultimately abandoned by the only people that loved him. Not that this was intentional of course, again the further my work stays away from Rick and Morty, the better tbh
Lopoddity
2020-06-13 21:10:26 +0000 UTC"Talented ponies get a chance to climb on top, take reality for a ride, but it will never stop trying to throw you." I know there's pathos here, but I keep thinking that Lop makes unshaven filthy scruff look adorable. Also, Talladega Niiiiiiiiiights!
Dragon Turtle
2020-06-13 20:42:33 +0000 UTCWhere do you think Zips got his pottymouth
Lopoddity
2020-06-12 16:43:41 +0000 UTCi'm now imagining talladega nights where everything is the same except for will ferrell inexplicably talks in a boston accent lmao. but for real i can't wait to see how this eventually plays out with zip's relationship with cloudy--i can see a very fateful family dinner where wind just slips a lotta nasty comments in cloudy's direction (she just eats her burger and pretends not to care) while thunderlane's like HAHA HAS ANYONE TRIED THE CHICKEN? I THOUGHT THE CHICKEN WAS LOVELY
cactus bastrop
2020-06-12 15:31:57 +0000 UTCdont swear in front of the baby............. :(
2020-06-12 05:27:06 +0000 UTCOut of curiosity, how did Zip’s family react to his transition? I feel like they’d either have strong opinions about it or just. Not really care much since it doesn’t really change the Rainbow Dash rivalry. This is excluding Thunderlane OFC since I feel like he’d be nothing but extremely supportive.
TumbleBlunder
2020-06-12 01:29:46 +0000 UTCGod I love his pose so much
D
2020-06-12 01:18:38 +0000 UTCJeezus. That's a lot to grow up with. Your mom living vicariously through your victories and punishing you with silence when you fail and granddad who's an alcoholic that feeds you terrible life lessons due to his own failings. Zipper has a pretty bad support system with the exception of Thunderlane. I wonder what he would have grown up to be like without his dad.
MyLittleVerse
2020-06-12 01:10:20 +0000 UTCThere were! Wind loves his daughter and grandkid and makes no secret about that fact. When he was sober, he could be fun and charming, if pretty cynical. Definitely made a big production out of every junior league flight trophy Zips ever won. Drinking tended to bring out the worst in Wind, with things eventually spiraling to the point where Lightning made the very painful choice to move back to Ponyville, to protect herself, her family, and to deny Wind his biggest enabler. It takes years, but eventually Wind cleans himself up and forgives Lightning for "abandoning" him, and becomes part of her life again. Whether that's a positive development though, we'll have to wait and see
Lopoddity
2020-06-12 00:41:21 +0000 UTCwhat does thunderlane think about lightning dust and wind riders toxic attitudes towards zips? would he ever leave her for it?
Coraline T
2020-06-12 00:37:40 +0000 UTCI’d like to believe there are good memories and happy moments with grandpappy Wind, but I can’t help but feel it was toxic atmosphere growing up.
Amaris
2020-06-12 00:28:59 +0000 UTC
