Celestia wants Twilight and her friends to loosen up a little bit around her. Luna just wants to try the hard cider. During a surprise visit to Sweet Apple Acres at the tail end of cider season, Princess Luna has just a bit too much to drink, and when she makes a rather inappropriate joke, Twilight comes to the very uncomfortable realization that she has never seen Celestia excuse herself to use the restroom.

Feeling rather emasculated, Caramel tries his hoof at apple bucking to prove his masculinity and autonomy. The results are less than stellar.

Rule 63 TwiDash. After coming out of the closet, Rainbow Blitz must now admit his feelings for one of his friends. Thanks to my friend, Brian, for coming up with the title.

The Stallions' Field Cup has finally arrived, and Caramel has decided to compete despite his shortcomings. To him, it only makes sense; to everypony else...well, they're more curious about Big Macintosh competing and acting...oddly. Of all the changes Ponyville has gone through, these two aren't very striking to the general public. But they are about to become very important.

After all, what better time than now?

A/N: This is indeed a romance fic of Caramel/Macintosh. Basically, it's a soap opera; not basically, it's much weirder and more confusing. You have been warned.

Image/Fan art by AlyssHope

Caramel's life could be considered a simple one at best, but a boring one at first. He's never been one to easily make friends, that's for sure. He sticks to himself mostly and attempts to stay out of the way of the lives of ponies around him. It's easier that way. Simpler. Talking to ponies is a challenging enough task on its own merits, but romance? He's never dreamed of romance.

Of course, that all changed when Big Macintosh entered his life.

(Cover art by Snark!)

Big Macintosh tried his best to simply travel through life without causing any trouble, and without getting too attached to somepony outside of his family walls. But as a childhood friend he thought to be long forgotten by the name of Caramel suddenly shows up unexpected, he happens to bring a few demons along with him.

A hundred miles away however, The Wonderbolts tour around Equestria, each new show of their Equestrian tour becoming more and more stressful for the lot. It becomes harder and harder to maintain a somewhat normal daily life for vice-captain, Soarin, and even harder to keep a bond between him and his coltfriend, Braeburn Apple.

Soarin' is an accomplished Wonderbolt, but lately he's been making too many simple mistakes during practice. One day, he and Spitfire come to the conclusion that he needs a change of scenery. Through a brief negotiation with their manager, Soarin' is given a week's time to secure a future performance in Appleloosa. He accepts this task and flies to the new town.

However, there's more to Soarin's life than he's letting on. He's constantly battling his inner demons, all while trying to ignore the hounding media. He's kept himself in check, but his past is about to come forth once more, and in ways he isn't prepared for.

All because of a strange colt he met during a stop at a bar.

Five years ago, something happened to Caramel that has been bothering him since. But he's felt pressured to keep it a secret. Now, he struggles to find ways to deal with his bottled up emotions. (Warning: coltcuddling ahead!)

A/N: This story was written as a sequel to a story I wrote called The State That I'm In. It's probably a good idea to read that first. This story is written in the same style, but from Caramel's perspective. Note that this features the Dark and Teen tags, so it's a little more serious, sort of.

For the sake of consistency and symmetry, here's the song that this half of the story was originally based on: Springfield

And lastly, as always, what you're about to read would look like a pile of manure if it weren't for the incredible WhatTheMoo, editor extraordinaire!

It's hearts and hooves day, and Braeburn is still left without a special somepony. He keeps looking and looking, but can't find any other colts-at least ones that would be interested in him. It seems like searching for a needle in a haystack, and it's going to be another hearts and hooves day alone. But maybe he's searching in the wrong places. Maybe his needle isn't on the ground, but above his head, in the sky.

It's been a long year since Soarin and Braeburn went their separate ways due to Soarin's work, and somehow every opportunity for the two to meet up was canned in one way or another. They keep in touch through letters, trying to keep their pathways of life entangled no matter how far apart they remain. What either pony was half-expecting to be a simple week of passion and discovery grew, in a way, through this connection. But still, it's not enough. This becomes clear when Braeburn's letters one day cease to arrive.