Homecoming.

by wisp1

Chapter 1.

Braeburn hauled another basket of apple's to the farmhouse, sweat dripped from his brow as he slid the apple's off of his back and onto the dried up grass beneath him. Most of the orchard's grass stayed green because of how well they took care of it, but most of Appleloosa was just dirt and dead grass.

Braeburn wiped the sweat building on his forehead and opened the farmhouse door, revealing hundreds of apples piled in baskets. He grabbed the basket he had put on the ground and dragged it inside, there was barely room left in the barn, meaning the applecart was tucked safely away behind the barn. Appleloosa was never known to have thieves, so there wasn't much to worry about. He shoved the apples in and closed the door behind him, turning around he had a full view of the apple orchard, absolutely no apple remained on any tree, harvest season was over and there were enough apple's to last the festival and then some. Feeling proud of his work he smiled and sat down, closing his eye's he decided to give himself a bit of rest before heading back to the town, "Not an apple left and still a few hours to spare before mah' favorite cousin' and the rest of mah' family get here." He said allowed to nopony in particular.

"Well ah'll be, if it ain't cousin' Braeburn, and by the looks of it you just finished apple bucking." An orange pony yelled with a thick country accent across the orchard, causing Braeburn's eye's to snap open to see who it was, focusing his eye's he could make out an orange pony with a blonde mane sporting a stetson.

"Applejack?" Braeburn yelled back, Applejack smiled and picked up pace to get to Braeburn, "Ah thought ya'll were gonna be another few hours?" Braeburn yelled his grin growing larger.

"We were, but we decided to get up a bit early and hit the train, everypony else is here too, including mah friends." Applejack replied, walking up beside Braeburn and taking a seat.

"It's good to see you cus'" Braeburn said, wrapping his hoof around Applejack and giving her a small nuzzle. "It sure is." Applejack replied, nuzzling in kind.

"It's always nice seeing everypony get together, I bet that Rainbow one is excited for the Wonderbolts, huh?" Braeburn asked pulling his hoof away, his grin was still plastered on his face.

"Eeyup, in fact, since she's part of the Wonderbolts, some of them decided to come along with us." Applejack said in a, "matter-o-factly" voice.

Braeburn's eye's widened, "When did this happen? Nopony told me about this." He questioned.

"Ehh, it was a few month's ago, she's only on the reserves or somethin'." Applejack answered

"Well still, ah'd say that's a pretty big accomplishment!" Braeburn exclaimed, Applejack just chuckled.

"I guess it is, anyways, we should head back to the town, everypony's gettin' everything set up." Applejack said, standing up from the ground.

"Alright, ah just need to get these apples on the cart and we can start makin' our way." Braeburn replied following after Applejack, re-opening the farmhouse door and grabbing a basket.

"Ya'll need help? We can make it go much faster." Applejack asked watching Braeburn haul the baskets full of apples on his back.

"Thanks, but no thanks, ya'll are our guest's and I plan on making sure ya'll have fun, not work." Braeburn answered smiling at Applejack, "Go ahead and get on over to your friends, it won't take me long." Braeburn said, raising a hoof as if to shoo her off.

"If ya say so." Applejack said laughing and shaking her head at Braeburn. Turning around she started the walk back to the town as Braeburn made his way behind the shed to grab the cart and begin loading it.

____

Braeburn cantered down the path that led to the town, the apple cart was strapped to his back following closely behind, his mouth was a bit dry and dying for water, but that didn't stop him from smiling. He was ready to meet all of his relatives and enjoy the night to come, besides, he could get water in the town. Speaking of the town, he could see it from here, it was never too far away from the orchard.

He reached the outskirts of Appleloosa and noticed that the town was already bustling with activity, new and old faces were everywhere as he made his way to the center of the town to help set up the games and spread the apples out to the nearby vendors so they could get working on the snacks. Pony's began to gather around and taking some of the baskets, Applefritter, a green Earth pony with a brown mane made her way over to Braeburn with a basket on her back and saddlebags resting on her flank. Grabbing a bag of bits out of the leather saddlebag she handed it to Braeburn.

"Ya'll do know the apple's are free, right?" Braeburn asked, a little confused.

"Ah know, think of it as a thank you gift." She answered tossing it to Braeburn making him catch it.

"Ya really don't have ta" Braeburn said, Applefritter just rolled her eye's and made her way back to her stand.

"Thank you!" Braeburn called out, taking off his hat he set the bag of bits in it and placed the stetson back on his head.

Detaching the cart from his back he grabbed an empty basket from the cart and went to find the well. Near the outskirts the metallic color of the well stuck out to him, cantering up to it he pumped the well a few times before the water came gushing out, putting the basket under it he gathered the water until it was within inches of the brim before pulling it back. Running his hooves under the water he splashed some on his face and cupped his forehooves to create a makeshift cup to drink from.

Hearing the sound of wings beat he looked up to search what or who it was, not seeing anything due to the sun glaring in his eye's he focused back on the water, the sound got louder, whatever it was, it was getting closer, shrugging it of as probably somepony from the festival he stood up to grab the basket. Somepony landed suddenly beside him making dust fly up in the air, he jumped back a bit in surprise, coughing, Braeburn waved his hoof in the air to clear the dust. The dust began to settle and an image of a white Pegasus covered in dirt with a blue windswept mane appeared. "Sorry 'bout that, didn't mean to make you jump." The pegasus spoke, Braeburn found himself captivated by the unknown Pegasus, he had amazing emerald green eye's and his body was very well toned, he was quite handsome.

"Uh, name's Soarin!" Soarin' exclaimed introducing himself, he snapped Braeburn out of his revelry making the Earth pony blush a little. Soarin' raised a hoof up to Braeburn for a hoof bump, instead Breaburn took his hoof in his own and gave him a firm shake, "Name's Braeburn, nice ta' meet ya" Braeburn said smiling at Soarin, Soarin just raised an eyebrow at him and let out a small laugh, taking the awkwardness out of the air.

"Hey, is it okay if I use the well?" Soarin' asked, gesturing to the well.

"Of course! It is a public well after all." Braeburn answered, the water had long stopped while they were talking, he gave it another pump and the water began pouring out again. Soarin' dunked his head under it letting the water flow over him, washing away the dirt that had clung to him, his wings sagged a little to his sides as let out a small satisfied moan. "Oh man, that feels good." Soarin' said opening his mouth to take a drink from it. Pulling his head back and out of the water he shook a little to get the excess water off of him, his mane stuck to him hanging loosely to the side, his coat shined in the sunlight, Braeburn found himself once again staring at the Pegasus, admiring the way he looked, his eye's lingered on the other's cutie mark, it was a lightning bolt with wings, "Must be fast at flying or something."Braeburn thought.

Soarin' laughed louder this time catching Braeburn staring at his flank, "You like what you see?" Soarin' teased smirking at Braeburn, this time Braeburn's face was burning a crimson red, shaking his head he stuttered, " Uh...I mean...I wasn't...-" Braeburn was cut off by the Pegasus, "Hey, don't worry about it, how about we go get some cider and apple pie?" Soarin' questioned, lifting off the ground some, hovering lightly in front of Braeburn.

"S-Sure." Braeburn answered looking up at Soarin.

"Cool! I'll catch ya later." Soarin' replied, flying off back towards the main part of the festival.

Braeburn could only stare in disbelief, "What just happened." He said aloud to himself.

"He didn't even tell me where, and why did I keep staring at him?" Braeburn thought to himself, "Ah'm so confused." Braeburn said shaking his head, he ended his train of thought and looked up at the sky to see if he could catch a glance at the Pegasus, alas he was gone and out of sight.

Seeing the sun still high in the sky Braeburn picked up his feet and hauled the basket on his back, the festival still had key pieces missing and it was going to begin at dusk and last throughout the night, that left a good 5 hours to get everything done. He began his trot back to the center of town.

Author's Note:

I done this at like, 6:00 AM in the morning.