Braeburn Apple has always been raised in a conservative household, as a member of the Apple family.
Throughout his life, he's been taught what's 'wrong' and what's 'right', who he was allowed to love, and who he wasn't. Above all, he was told what to be, and how to be it.
When he meets a certain blue Pegasus stallion buying pies at Sweet Apple Acres while he just so happens to be staying there, he discovers feelings he never knew he had.
Unfortunately, they happen to be the same ones he was always taught to suppress.
Can Soarin convince him that it's not wrong to be in love, and that, sometimes, in order to be happy, you need to break out of your comfort zone?
A story about discovering who you are, and being that person, no matter what others tell you to be.

WARNING: M/M, SoarinxBraeburn Coltcuddling! Touches up on some serious social issues in the real world, but with ponies, and at least 20% cooler.
If you don't like it, please do not read it.

Featured on EqD!

Cross-posted to FanFiction.NET.

Rated T for alcohol references, crude humour, and slight language.

Cover image is by Mn27 on DeviantART.

Edited by many people, included Carcer, LunaUsesCaps, and Diexna, but none have contributed more than the amazing Smayds, who has been my main editor for almost every chapter.

Hopes. Dreams. Aspirations. They're what everyone survives, and even thrives, on. What happens, then, when hopes and dreams are dashed? When something so monumentally destructive and life-changing occurs, and dreams, hopes, even ponies' lives are thrown into turmoil, where can solace be found? When somepony's entire world comes crumbling around them, who can they turn to for support? What can they do when everything they once had is shattered?

When one can no longer feel the warmth of others, is there any reason to move on through life?

A sad little tale about one of our favorite Pegasi, Rainbow Dash, and (if i continue it), will show how one small accident can ruin a close friendship, but hopefully make it even stronger after all is said and done.

Featured 3.7.14, 6.19.14, 7.2.14, 7.8.14
See below summary for additional information

"Make a wish."

Rainbow Dash is presented with an opportunity to gain the skill she needs to join her idols, the Wonderbolts. However, the opportunity seems false, and she learns to accept it as such. But does that mean the wish was a lie? If not, then just whose wish is actually granted?

"You cannot hope to defeat me, dear Princess. Your Harmony lies broken!"

Note: This story began in July 2011, between Seasons One and Two. Show continuity has been considered, but due to constraints, the following canon is entirely ignored:
•Discord's reformation
•Twilight's ascension and coronation
•The wildlife of the Everfree Forest
•The relinquishment of the Elements of Harmony, the Tree of Harmony, and anything regarding the finale of Season Four
•All background characters that do not directly affect the plot (such as Shining Armor, Princess Cadence, Trixie, Snips, Snails, etc.)

Author: Leoshi. Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth. Featured on EQD, Star-5.

Additional tags: Adventure, Drama, Action, Dark, Thriller, Suspense, Struggle, Serious, A/U, Everypony, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Luna, Spitfire, OC

[First person through Rainbow Dash's perspective]
Just another sunny morning in Cloudsdale, and everything is just as usual...

...except what comes next in the afternoon...

Nearly everypony is at the annual Wonderbolt festival, including ponies who could afford getting the ability to stand in Cloudsdale.
Everything seems to go as awesome as every year, until something goes terribly wrong, and Rainbow Dash is right in the middle of it.

Will she survive? And if she does, will she be able stand back up?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
*Author's note* This is my first ever fanfic that I am writing from first person, so cut me some slack, but I would also love criticism to my writing style/grammar. Criticism helps me improve as I write future chapters, and maybe future fanfics.

This is a story set some 5 years after Season 3. It covers the relationships, triumphs, and tragedies of our beloved Mane 6. As the heros of Equestria, they'll always have enemies to battle. But sometimes the hardest battles are the ones that take place within.

Cover image from here: http://from-yesterday-xx.deviantart.com/art/Cider-Drunk-284296380 - Used with permission. (this was chosen when Arc 1 was all there was to the story. I may be looking for somebrony to design some better art eventually)

Much thanks to my proofreader, Present Perfect, whose characters will appear in this story from time to time, with permission.

Death. It happens, and it happens without warning.

Even so, she didn't expect was a letter that states that four of her friends were dead from a terrible storm.

She now travels back to Ponyville to give her last regards to her friends, as well as to hear the story behind it all.

____
Inspired by a piece of music by DongleKumquat.

Image by SweetScribblez of Deviant art.

Updated irregularly (And I MEAN irregularly as all hell).

A beautiful autumn day. Rainbow Dash and Applejack decides to have a picnic on their own in Whitetail Wood, since the rest of the Mane 6 are occupied elsewhere. Perhaps this is the perfect chance for both of them to reveal their feelings for the other?
However, things takes a drastic turn of events as a raging thunder storm unpredictably breaks loose.

In the clearing of an unnamed forest between Canterlot and Ponyville, the bodies of Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were found, along with the wreckage of a flying machine. The Royal Guard are claiming it was a tragic accident, but Twilight Sparkle suspects that there is more to it. Will she find an answer to a question that nopony asked, or is she just trying to distract herself from her own grief?

My name is Canvas. I remember because I wrote it in the corner of the white box. It takes twelve steps to get from the cot to the wall. And the lights hurt my eyes.

(Note: The story isn't in color because I decided to try this without the gimmick! But I still recommend reading the GDocs version.)