Big Mac helps Braeburn bring better gardening to Appleloosa, and a spark of romance springs to life in the most unlikely places. We also learn a lot more about the Apple family in general. This was written for a fic contest, in a single weekend. It looks like I went over it afterwards to clean it up, but this is actually what went into the contest- no changes made after the fact.Thanks to the rigors of competition, we got ourselves some M/M romance right here in Appleloosa! (I consider Braeburn and Big Macintosh to be essentially unrelated, mind you- some ponies might not see 'em that way)

Sensual Fiction with a difference! This is an exploration of the concept of second person. It's said that in a second person story, 'you' are the reader, the subject is what's depicted in the story, and yet there is indeed a second person, an unseen person, and to learn the identity of this person you must ask who is doing the telling...

It's that time of year again. The leaves are turning, the air is cooling, and the chimneys are smoking.

But to a young Shining Armor, this can only mean one thing: pony flu season has arrived. And, thanks to his mother, this inevitably means a date with the dreaded needle.

Only this time, Shining isn't the only one who has to be worried. His filly sister is coming along for the ride for the first time... albeit, against her will.

And despite having fears of his own, Shining Armor knows that, for Twilight's sake... somepony has to be brave.

Warning: Cuteness abound.

Featured on Equestria Daily on 12/17/2014.

Additional Tags: [M/M Shipping]
No matter what you see or through whose gaze you look, there will always be more than meets the eye.

Cover Image graciously provided by Kegisak.
[Dark]: "Serious" elements, but contains no gruesomeness.
Info on the story can be found here.

Applejack dares Rainbow Dash to dig a hole.

Rainbow Dash digs herself into a hole.

Based on a true story.

Spanish translation

Two passengers on a train ride toward an uncertain future. One is a pony. The other only pretends to be.

Sex is tame and non-explicit. Don't be afraid to read.

Written expressly for Equestria Daily's Outside Insight Summer Fanfiction Contest.

Now with a dramatic reading by Illya Leonov!

Russian translation courtesy of Arsus.
Chinese translation courtesy of viczhn.
French translation courtesy of BroNie.

Inspired by the artwork of RubleGun and Raddjuret. Musical accompaniment by Patrick Poe.

Featured at Equestria Daily and the Royal Canterlot Library.

Reader Testimonials

"Vinyl + Octavia is one of the fandom's most cliché and mismatched pairs, and yet this is a real romance with genuine depth and emotion." - horizon
"Holy shit this is impressive. Like... Holy shit, man." - Skeeter The Lurker
"You have crafted something wonderful here, a true gem. You should be proud." - Illya Leonov
"Note that I hate this ship when I say this is far and away the best ScratchTavia I've ever read." - PresentPerfect
"Fuuuuck it's so good!" - Luminary

They kept up their facade. They bore that burden by choice, and they were none the less for it. And when they had a second to step back, to stare into the eyes of the world and see themselves reflected in it and realize the hopelessness of their journey, they took solace in each other; for it was all they had that was real.

A prompt for the Coltcuddlers' Royal Guard write-off.

Upon arriving home from a trip, Twilight is shocked to find her teenaged little brother Spike kissing Rumble, a male pegasus. Spike has no choice but tell Twilight a secret that she herself never saw coming.

He's gay.

Thanks to Kill Joy for the cover

And Goombasa for the dramatic reading.

Pony magic works in funny ways. Unicorns all have magic they can control. Earth ponies and pegasi have innate magic that connects them to the earth and the sky. And then there are more unusual cases. Pinkie Pie's supernatural senses, for example. And then there's Braeburn, who seems to have a rather unusual effect on other stallions...

Twilight, seeing that her friend needed a little bit of companionship, decided to help him get a date.

But boy, did he aim a little too high for her taste.

Now, her and Spike need to help this putz of a human snatch a date from one of the most undateable beings on the planet, Princess Celestia.

Needless to say, they're doomed.

Cover art used with permission by Lydia-Rawr

Warning: Story will contain horrible romance clichés, cutsieness, and all around silliness.

You have been warned.