Apples & Lucky Horseshoes

by DaringBraeburn

Whiskey

I knew I should have knocked but I couldn't help but bound through the doors of the little shack. I had just had one of the best days in my entire life and I was going to see the pony responsible for it AGAIN! Why wouldn't I be excited?

I continued to trot happily through the living room until I heard an unfamiliar 'click'. My head turned in the direction of the odd noise only to find a disturbing scene right before my eyes. I couldn't believe Tendercare, Applejack, and Blade were right.

Braeburn was standing on his hind legs while holding what I presumed to be a loaded shotgun. His golden blonde mane was a matted filthy mess while his yellow coat was covered in purple bruises. The vibrant green eyes I remembered to be so determined were bloodshot and happened to be twitching. The smell of alcohol was so overbearing I actually started to scrunch my nose and back away.

"Who are ya and whaddya want?" Braeburn slurred as he pushed the tip of the gun against my muzzle. I gulped and looked into the dark beryl eyes of a complete stranger. The pony before me wasn't the happy go lucky buck that I remembered and wanted to see.

"B-b-braeburn...I-it's me...Applebloom! Didn't Applejack s-s-send ya a letter ah was comin ta visit y-ya?" I stammered as I looked right down the barrel of the weapon. Blade was right, Braeburn was dangerous and now I wasn't sure if I was going to make it through the night without getting my head blown off. If he was willing to beat up my friend that had meant him no harm, would he shoot me too?

"Applebloom?" the buck slurred again but this time he seemed a bit confused, I gave a small nod but kept my eyes trained on the weapon. Braeburn threw the gun onto a ratty old couch and gave a snort of aggravation.

"Next time knock, will ya? I might just blow ya hooves off if ya don't!" he growled indifferently while plopping onto the couch himself. There was a half empty bottle of whisky on the floor which he began to guzzle down. To my horror, he threw the empty bottle into a pile of empty ones behind the couch and pulled the stetson laying next to him over his eyes.

For the longest time I didn't say a word, I just took in the place I was. The little shack I had remembered to be clean, kept, and maintained was now run down and discarded. Floorboards creaked, the place smelled of whiskey, and a good layer of dust covered all the stuff Braeburn didn't touch. The dirty old couch had stains along with the coffee table who was filled with empty whiskey bottles. Even though the place was a mess, I was repulsed by the sight of Braeburn even more.

I wasn't sure how to feel at that point. I had always been so sure that everything was exactly how I thought it to be. Now it wasn't and I felt betrayed, like somepony had stolen something from me. I was angry and bitter towards Braeburn, too. How could he just throw his life away to alcohol and Celestia-knows-what.

"Braeburn? What happened to ya?" I asked quietly, trying to hide my growing animosity towards him. I really hated the fact he had let himself go like that. Not even with a fight.

"Ah got better cousin, that's what happened. When mah daddy died I was so depressed ah thought about killing myself but...then ah met whiskey, and everything got better." he chuckled while flailing all hooves in the air like a foal. I could feel my eyes tearing up from the disappointment burning inside me.

"Why are ya doin' this ta yerself Brae? Yer killing yerself trying to drink away the pain. Why?" I whimpered, looking at the drunk stallion. I could see he was hurting inside from what he had gone through but was masking it with alcohol. I shuddered at the thought of him even touching Blade. Would he beat him up again if he saw him here on the farm?

"Cuz the pain ain't never gonna go away. The only thing that makes me feel better is apples, applebucking, and whiskey. Now don't ya start talking about Little Stronheart either! That buffalo has got ta learn herself some manners, and maybe you should too!" he snarled from beneath his hat. I found that triggering all the rage I had in my body.

"Now you listen here! Ah don't know what happened between you and Lil' Strongheart but ah know what happened between you and mah new friend Steel Blade. Now yer gonna tell me what happened and ahm gonna listen!" I snorted in anger as I stomped a hoof for emphasis. Braeburn just looked at me with amusement before his eyes disappeared behind his hat.

"What are you gonna do about it Applebloom? I'm not telling ya nothin'." he gloated with a sure little smile that showed no mirth like Blade's. I wanted to buck him into next week but my eye spotted the shotgun next to him.

I trotted up to the couch and gave him a good look. The smell of dirt, apples, booze, and something else filled my nose and made me reconsider what I was about to do. I needed to do it though...for me, for Braeburn, and for Blade.

In a quick second I snatched the gun out from beside him. He sat up and gave me a wide eyed look of shock when he realized it was pointed straight at his muzzle. I gave a small little smirk before putting my hoof on the trigger.

"You'd better spew."

* * * *

"Little Strongheart? She's a buffalo, and buffalo always have stuff ta do. Even when she did visit me here she hated it. Maybe cuz I smell so much like whiskey. Whatever her problem, she hasn't come back since, and I say good riddance!" he snorted, falling back down on the couch while crossing his forehooves behind his head.

I didn't have to be the smartest pony in Equestria to see that had taken a real toll on Braeburn. The only friend he had left, abandoned him when he needed it most and now he was stuck alone. I could only imagine how he felt.

"Yer friend Blade? Oh, that lil' thug I saw loitering around mah farm last night! Yeah, I had ta show him a thing or two before he dropped some stuff and ran home ta his momma. He wouldn't be the first one I had ta do that to either. All them lil' punks think they own this place and I gotta put em' in line." he bragged while giving me a chilling grin.

I felt anger flowing throughout me again, turning into an inferno. I wanted to maul Braeburn to death and feel no remorse at that point. How could he do something like that to somepony so kind? What had he done to Strongheart to make her run off? I shivered at the thought.

"Yer a monster Braeburn! A dirty, filthy monster that doesn't deserve anypony! But ahm family and ah have to see past all that. Ahm gonna help ya Brae, whether ya want it or not." I sobbed quietly. I didn't really want to but Braeburn was the only family I had at that point and he needed it so badly. I needed to do it, there was no other way.

"Get up Braeburn! Ah said get up!"I shouted at the buck who just lay there unmoved. I growled at him again but he didn't move an inch. Even more anger started to form, along with the frustration I had been building up for years. I was so tired of it all.

"GET UP!!! GET UP!!!" I screamed harder than before. He showed no indifference and just continued to lay there. All of my life I had pretty much been told what I needed to do, nopony ever really seemed to care about what I wanted. Now I was going to get it...or I was going to beat it out of him.

"GET UP OR AH SWEAR AHM GONNA BEAT YA TILL YA DO!!!" I screamed again, this time with more force. He just continued to lay there, undeterred and unmoved. This time I didn't scream or cry, this time I brought the shotgun down on top of his head with a 'thunk'.

Braeburn didn't groan, move, or even shield his head from another blow and another one, I started to direct the blows to his stomach, chest, and arms. Once again, he didn't move and I found myself dropping the weapon to the ground before falling there next to it.

"Why won't ya save yerself Brae? You can do it ah know but...why don't ya?" I sobbed into my hooves. Why couldn't he just get off the couch and put his life back together? It would be so easy too, so why didn't he just do it?

"Cuz it's hard Applebloom. I'd love ta change, and have Strongheart and you and Applejack be here for me...but yer not. I try to do it on my own but...it's too hard. Everything hurts, and it hurts more cuz I have nopony to help me. Now that you're here, ya can help me right?" he whimpered from the couch, his eyes seemed to be on the verge of tears. I just sniffed and buried my face into my hooves. Braeburn's face dropped and his ears flattened back against his head.

"Ah figured. Of all the ponies who came ta visit, yer the only one who seemed to wanna help. Ah understand." he whimpered again, this time hiding his face in his hat. I uncovered my eyes when I heard sniffling from behind the stetson. Was Braeburn crying?

I came closer to the sobbing buck, careful not to touch him. His weeping became more intense with every passing moment and made my heart ache for him. Did he really deserve to be thought of as a monster when he was hurting worse than others? Braeburn looked up with his sad green eyes and for a moment...I saw Applejack laying there.

"First mah momma, then mah daddy, now mah friends and family, and next will be the whole town. Ah-ah can't....it hurts and...they're all gone and turned against me. What ahm ah supposed ta do?" Braeburn sobbed as I wrapped my forelegs around his neck in a tight embrace.

"Ah don't know Braeburn but...ahm gonna help ya. Yer family." I whimpered as tears of my own fell down my cheeks. The events of the day slowly started to wear on me as my eyes closed for the final time that night.

The rest of Equestria might have seen him as a monster...but to me...he was still Braeburn Apple.

* * * *

I woke up the next morning to the smell of bleach, lemon, and...something familiar. My eyes shot open at the smell of apples, cinnamon, and something unfamiliar. My lethargic body sat up on the couch and gave a good long sniff.

"Apple Pie?" I mumbled raspily as my mouth came to a realization before my brain could. I could feel myself smiling as I stepped of the not-so-ratty couch. Wait...not-so-ratty?

My half-lidded eyes scanned the room that had been an utter mess the night before. Now it was somewhat cleaner without the dust and whiskey bottles. I smiled again as I spied a small, ripped note with scrawly hoofwriting.

Applebloom,

After you fell asleep I felt like fixing up a bit. I ate some of that pie your friend brought me and it actually tasted pretty good. Do you think you could get me some more? Cuz I feel really hungover right now. Some fresh water would be nice too.

-Braeburn

P.S. I'll be in my room if you need me. I'm sure you won't.

I smiled at the note before I slipped it into my...wait. Where were my saddlebags...and Pea Coat?! I looked everywhere for them, including behind the couch. They weren't there but neither was the mountain of empty alcohol bottles.

Oh well. I put the note back on the table and gave a sigh. With that, I was off to see my best friend...and run some errands for Braeburn.