I apparently was featured for my last chapter update... I just want to take this very short time to say thank you. If it wasn't for you all, I honestly would not be writing this story. Comments are really what makes me continue writing, feedback is one of the things I look forward to the most.
You may not know it, but the first fanfiction, Winding Roads, was about my third attempt to write out a SoarBurn fic. Each idea before it I hated after the first chapter, got down-voted into oblivion, or something of that nature. I thought I would never be able to write a fic about the two of them... and then it just came to me out of nowhere to write Braeburn going into a bar, and somehow everypony LOVED it. The words became easier, and my fanbase continued to grow... I still can't believe you people still follow me, and are loyal enough to stick to me and my average story telling skills...
Thank you.
Now... ONWARD TO THE SOARBURN!
Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It belongs to The Hub, Hasbro, Studio B, and Lauren Faust. I do not own any of these characters in any way or how, nor do I claim ownership to the pony franchise. These characters are simply my toys.
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"Never leave me again."
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Entangled Pathways
Chapter 5: Healing
"How's it feel?" Soarin asked, standing next to the wheelchair of the earth pony over the grassy grounds of the courtyard. "To finally be outside, I mean." A gentle, cool breeze blew through his mane, his wings gently flexing, one of the first times in over a week he had been able to feel wind on them. It shocked Soarin on just how nice it was right outside a place where Braeburn had suffered for almost a month all alone, despite the slowly cooling weather. A few ponies were scattered around here and there, mostly nurses and doctors on breaks or taking a shortcut from one part of the building to the next.
Braeburn looked like he needed fresh air instead of the smell of sickness or death for once.
"Kinda bright..." Braeburn said. He shrugged as he said this, as if he didn't know what to make of it. "It's... colder here than in Appleloosa," He added "Lot more grass, an' even farmland by the look er it. Appleloosa is in the middle of nowhere, the next town over is pretty much a whole new country."
"Just wait till you see Trottingham, it's cold as hell down there." Soarin said. "And the blizzards there are so bad even I can't fly in them sometimes... you're lucky you got a friend with feathers to snuggle with when you get there" He teased, shaking the other lightly with the upper leg slung around his neck, causing his friend to smile softly, and then try to suppress it and fail.
Braeburn was silent for a while after that, his lower legs encased in their casts were in front of him as he stared at them. "When ah learn ta walk again... ya gonna take me from here... aren't ya?" He asked quietly, on of his hooves twirling around a long tuft of fur on his own yellow coat as his head stared into the sky.. His breath was silent, almost nonexistent..
Soarin blinked several times. "Yeah, Brae," He said, reaching out a hoof and stroking his lover's cheek. "There's no way I'm letting you go back to that closed minded town of featherbrains."
"I used to be a closed minded featherbrain." Braeburn muttered.
"Yeah, but you're hot, I can forgive that." Soarin said, his tongue sticking out, delighted to see a blush appear on his lovers cheeks. He knew that would make him shut up about that for a while. "Besides, the lot of them are brainwashed like you were... but at least you didn't try to commit murder."
"I'm guessing you won't take no for an answer this time." Braeburn grumbled out through his muzzle. He made a tiny noise that was between a whimper and simple irritation. He hid his face by hiding it under the shadow on his hat, which Soarin had happily given back once asked too.
Soarin glanced over at the other. "Well, you don't want to go back to the way it was, do you?" He asked gently, not angry or pushing, simply curious.
Braeburn shrugged "Ah... no." He hissed in frustration. "But ah'm allowed ta be nervous, okay?" He snapped, glaring over at the other. His eyes faded from a glare and went to worried "W-What if all of yer squad hates me, or ah'd hold ya'll down because I'm slower than ya, N' on top of all that, ah ain't sure if I'm ready to travel all over the world!" He looked to be trembling gently.
Soarin rolled his eyes and buried his face into Braeburn's mane with a sudden half hug, trembling gently with pleasure as the apply scent filled his nose. He missed that smell so much, or maybe he just missed being this close to Braeburn. "Why are earth ponies so stubborn?" He grumbled, beginning to gnaw on the other's ear gently, feeling it warm slightly as the pony blushed.
"Because we don't have buckin' wings." The earth pony mumbled, pushing off his lover and glancing around, as if looking for anypony who was judging him. "Because we aren't expected or even pushed ta leave home." He glanced down "Ah've never even left this part of the world before. Strange as it sounds, it's just my home." He said "If you don't include the ponies in it... ah love Appleloosa to death..." He shifted uncomfortably as his hoof raised itself to the spot where Soarin had been nibbling on. "It's a nice place... as long as ya'll ain't coltcuddlers or fillyfoolers..." He had a hint of a whimper at the term coltcuddlers.
Soarin could tell he was still uncomfortable with calling himself a coltcuddler in general, especially after the incident. Hell, he might even be upset right now because ponies were watching him being treated like less of a stallion, at least in their eyes. Soarin should have known better than to be so lovey-dovey in public... "It isn't like you can ever buck another apple tree." He put in the fact, letting it sink in before continuing "You can't tell me it's because you only know how to buck apples this time. And as for my squad, if they don't like you I can personally mess them up pretty badly."
Braeburn shrugged again. He ran one of his own hooves over his cast. "Wherever ya go from now on... ah go, right?" He asked, seeming a tad sad, yet also a twinge happy that Soarin wouldn't leave him once more.
"Well, it could work the other way around." Soarin mumbled, glancing at the other "You could choose to go back to Appleloosa... and I'd live with you." He let this sink in for a long time. He also had this time to wonder if he would seriously give up his Wonderbolts career for an earth pony who could be more stubborn than he was when getting a slice of pie. He never did come up with an answer for that.
"No..." Braeburn sated "Ah don't want ya ta give up yer talent fer me. Yer just tryin' to guilt me now." He grumbled, punching the other's rib cage lightly. "I'm allowed to feel scared, okay?" He snapped.
Soarin just nodded "Yeah..." He mumbled, understanding the earth pony's feelings. He began reaching down his hoof and gently rubbing the cast. The wind gently blew, and his mane shifted in the wind. Part of him wanted to fly, for he hadn't so much as floated in over a week, a new personal record.
Braeburn looked down "Ah'm scared, because ah ain't never seen a big place other than that there stadium, and that wasn't even that large by your standards... Ah mean, heavens to Betsy, my town ain't even on the map!"
"I know buddy, it's alright to be afraid." Soarin mumbled, gently rubbing a hoof up and down Braeburn's side, hearing a tiny sniffle from the other.
Soarin felt deep guilt the more his lover became worried. What was worse, he had no idea how to convince him things would be fine.
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The pale blue pegasus chuckled gently as his hoof ran through the messy piles of letters, pulling them out in large clumps and shoving them into the large bag at his side. They were just as worn out and read as his own letters. How two different ponies over a thousand miles apart managed to have the same featherbrained idea to try and keep every single letter exchanged was beyond him. He would have teased the other endlessly about it if not for the pounds of letters he had drug about Equestria that increased week after week.
The pegasi's eyes swept around the room. The bloody sheets on the bed were gone, but the horrid scent still lingered. Looking at the bed brought back memories. Braeburn admitted that he liked stallions and loved Soarin that night. And Soarin admitted that for once his feelings were real, and not just helping another average pony find his true feelings. That night was a happy night... even with Braeburn being beaten senseless for no reason, the aftermath of everything was worth it... at least in Soarin's eyes.
Soarin closed the drawer slowly with his hoof. It was only a few more days until Braeburn's casts came off... and then Braeburn could leave everything behind and start fresh with Soarin. No more parents who didn't love him, no more being alone, no more name calling or random beatings... he was going to be safe with Soarin, with pegasi who wouldn't judge him for who he was.
The pale blue pegasus opened the next drawer, shoving random items that may or may not have held value into the large bag. He could sort them out later, together with Braeburn. It turns out that the landpony was not a happy mare, for it took large amounts of pleading plus fifty of his bits to simply convince her Braeburn had moved out and wasn't coming back, and to simply rent out the room to somepony else. Soarin was going to make sure Braeburn never set hoof into this damn town again.
Soarin's mind flashed to the Salt Block, the first place he met Braeburn.
No matter how many happy memories laid in this town.
Soarin fluttered his wings and began to float in the air, taking one final sweep around the room. He didn't want to miss anything, for he planned to never return. He had gotten Braeburn's vest, apparently he bought a new one, and any piece of junk Soarin thought that wasn't trash. And even some things he personally thought were trash. The drawers and closets were empty, Braeburn living here was now a mere memory that would fade over time as the shy coltcuddler with a golden heart would finally be somewhere he was loved.
Soarin got down to the bag and lifted its heavy contents around his shoulder. Braeburn didn't own many things, and of what he did own thankfully wasn't very heavy.
The pegasus let out a sigh as he walked out of the apartment and into the hallway, letting himself walk, for he knew it was going to be a long flight and he needed his energy.
"Haven't seen that coltcuddler in a long time... Brae... somethin' er other." The voice right outside of the building caught Soarin's attention. His ears perked up as did his head as he saw the two earth ponies walk by. He quickly trotted outside the door, the mention of Braeburn peaking his interest for some strange reason.
"That kid who almost died?" This time the words came out of a tan stallion's mouth. He then chuckled. "Ah heard he just cried like a little filly when the landpony found 'im. He was covered in blood n' an inch from death, ah would have loved ta see that there."
Soarin felt a slight boiling in his blood began, he began to silently follow these two with his head down.
"See it?" Asked the first pony, who had a dark blue coat. "If Ah could have caused it, Ah would gladly go to jail. Stupid colts like him need to be taught a lesson every once in a while." He spit on the ground. "Ah bet he cried like hell when it happened, ya could smell blood from a mile away. The stallions who did it taught him a lesson the hard way."
"Ah hope that coltcuddler learned his lesson right and never comes back." The tan stallions chuckled out.
Soarin felt his mind simply go into auto-pilot at that very moment as he let the bag slide off of his shoulder. He wasn't sure of what he was doing until he trotted up to the tan stallion and lightly tapped his shoulder. As his head turned with a look of irritation, Soarin snapped back into reality. He then proceeded to lift his hoof and slam it across the other's face as hard as he possibly could, heaving the thud on the ground and he gritted his teeth and blew out puffs of angry air through his muzzle.
"What in the hay was that for?" The blue pony began to ask in a frantic tone before Soarin turned and slammed his hoof across his face as well, feeling blood splat onto his hoof from the nose he likely just broke. He didn't care that everypony else in the street was suddenly watching him, he jumped onto the blue pony and slammed his hoof again, right in the same spot.
"You bucker." Soarin growled. There were certain times in his life that Soarin felt pure rage, and they were not very often. At most, he felt irritated easily, but still kept to his goofy and bright personality. But the times he felt rage, true and pure rage, it was always because the ones he loved were hurting. A year ago he had this feeling twice, once when Braeburn was attacked in the middle of the night, and the other when Braeburn was about to be struck by his father. Each time he had to control his anger, so not to scare Braeburn too badly. "Do you realize just how much he does for you?" Soarin shouted, slamming his hoof once more. "He picks your apples, feeds your entire town, and still puts up with all of your bucking crap, no matter how much he wants to fight back, he can't! He can't fight back at all because he knows he would lose, because nopony else is on his side!"
Soarin felt a body slam into his. It only then registered to him that there was indeed another pony who had gotten back up. He felt something slam into his face, but he chose to ignore the sudden burning pain and the lash of insults directed at him as he used all of his strength to squirm his way out from under this pony and tackle him to the ground with his amazing speeds, huffing and puffing in anger. "I don't give a buck what you say about me, but the second you have any problems with Braeburn from now on, take it up with me, because I don't need anypony else on my side!" Soarin shouted, slamming his hoof down at the other's throat and squeezing the air out of his neck. "I don't care if you're the one who hurt my coltfriend or not, the fact that you looked down on him because he was different is all I bucking care about right now." He growled out.
The pegasus felt a hoof slam into his head from the blue pony who was now back up, but he ignored it and continued to choke the tan pony. He knew that he was never going to be able to take proper revenge on the ponies who hurt his coltfriend, the ones who broke him down so badly that he sobbed hopelessly, ready to die. He would never be able to do enough, they would never hurt enough for Soarin's satisfaction. The hoof continued to slam onto his head, and blood poured over his eyes. He only squeezed his hooves tighter.
Soarin heard a small thud, and the banging on his skull ceased. Moments later, a hoof landed on his upper leg. "Sonny, I think he's had enough."
The pegasus glanced up. Sheriff Silverstar stared at him, not angry, only trying to help. Soarin glanced over and saw a blue pony on the ground five feet away, recently just attacked by the earth pony. The pegasus glanced down to the tan pony and removed his hooves. "He isn't good enough to die so easily." He growled out, getting up off the body and trotting away slowly, pushing through the crowds and retrieving the bag of Braeburn's things.
The sheriff walked up to Soarin quickly "Sonny, wait!" He called. "Not everypony in this town hated him, don't blame the town, blame the rotten ponies." He said.
Soarin was silent for a long time. "Where were those ponies... the ones who didn't hate him... Where were they every time he was hurt, or needed somepony to hold him until he stopped crying?"
The pegasus didn't wait for an answer. He spread his wings and flew off at a wing speed of twenty. He ignored the blood in his vision.
He was the only one left who would be able to protect Braeburn.
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"What happened to your head?" Was the first question to come out of Braeburn's mouth.
Soarin's hoof ran up to the bandages around his forehead the nurse insisted he get. "Nothing." He mumbled. He glanced up, and then trotted over to his lover, suddenly wrapping him in his arms without warning, beginning to kiss his cheeks again and again. Braeburn was precious to him, and the now pink cheeks shifted slightly.
"W-What are ya doin'?" Braeburn mumbled.
Soarin shrugged "Just wanted to let you know I love you..." He mumbled, squeezing his lover tighter, giving him one final kiss on his forehead.
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Each day passed quickly. It was simple, pleasant even. Braeburn began to hurt less and less each and every day, and when he fell, he instantly got back up, determined to be strong for Soarin. He always knew he was able to lean on somepony else, and that made him happy, it made him forget the horrible year without love or friendship. He made him feel like a fool for ever doubting Soarin's love for him.
The moment Braeburn stepped out of his room on his own, all four legs planted on the ground, shaky yet strong, he trotted up to Soarin and threw his arms around him, and Soarin threw his back, holding his lover tightly. Not a single word was spoken, nor was a single word needed.
Everything was going to be better now.
Their new life had only just started after all.
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Hope you all like it. I had a writers block on this chapter for a long time, hence why it is not out super early like usual. But future chapters will be expected!