Intro: the letter

Beep, Beep, Beep!

“ugh,” Soarin groaned, waiving his hoof in attempt to silence the alarm clock. Usually he knew what kind of day he would be in for: all day rigorous training with few breaks at all in between and only an hour of break for lunch. But today wasn’t one of those days. No, today was different, it was one of the rare times he had an off day. Soarin got up and went to his kitchen, going through the pantry for breakfast, he had chosen some oat flake cereal to eat. Once he finished up, he headed to the door. Today Soarin had planned to have a flying session and lunch together with Cloudchaser, what the hadn’t expected was three raps at his door. He opened it to reveal the mail pony pulling an envelope out with his hoof.

“Mail for Soarin, it’s from Appaloosa.”

“Oh, thanks!”

“No problem.”

The mail pony had flew off, leaving a very confused Soarin.

Wait, who do I know from there, he thought when it hit him, it was his cousin, Grey Skies. Grey Skies had moved from Cloudsdale a while ago to live in Appaloosa, he always thought it strange for a pegasus to want to live in an earth pony town, but this was his decision and Soarin decided to stop questioning it. Using his mouth he opened the letter and set it on the table, it read:

Dear, Soarin:

I know it has been a while since we seen each other, what with us living in other cities and you being a Wonderbolt. And speaking of that I need to tell you that I’m still so proud of you, with being second and command and what not, you bring much pride to our family! Anyways, since I got your schedule in the last letter you wrote, I noticed that the day you get this letter that you have a day off, so I thought it would be great if we’d spend the evening together in Appaloosa. I think it would be perfect for us to catch up with each other. Please come if you can and if not, please send me a letter as well as tell me about your life since we last talked.

Love you, cuz, Grey Skies

Although, Soarin was supposed to spend his rare day off with Cloudchaser, he couldn’t help but want to see his cousin, she would understand. She knew the two were close, if not best friends despite being family. He had went to Cloudchaser’s cloud house to bring the news. Soarin knocked on the door thrice.

“Hello,” said the light purple mare,”oh, hi Soarin, you ready to get whooped in a race,” she inquired cockily.

“No,” he replied,”and not because I don’t want to race, which, by the way, I could totally beat you, I am in second in command for a reason. It’s Grey Skies, he wants us to spend the evening together, you know how important he is to me, you understand, right?”

“Yeah, you too are closer than two peas in a pod! And about how you could beat me, in your dreams!”

“Still the same cocky mare, I love that about you, confidence is such an admirable quality to have, of course, that is when you are not boasting all the time, but I get over it.”

“Well, see ya, Soarin,” she said, waving as Soarin took to the skies.

“Bye,” he replied.

Soarin had weaved about the onslaught of pegasi, flying about the cloudy city. As he weaved in and out of them, he came across, building after building with greek-like architecture that sat atop the clouds. He had always loved how beautiful the marble buildings were as their white complimented the clouds they sat upon. He had finally left the city seeing Ponyville in view.

Hmm, maybe I should see Rainbow Dash, it was so nice of her to save both me and my pie, oh it was so good! I think she would love to hang with her hero and maybe, while we’re at it, I could get her friend’s delicious pies!, Soarin thought as she passed the small town but it was not time for that, maybe some other day.

Soarin had met the desert to it’s sweltering and relenting heat that coated him with the undeniably, unbearable heat.

Why would he want to live somewhere so hot, Soarin thought, he knew pegasi lived in the cold atmosphere and hated excessive heat. As he crossed the desert he came upon the town, some buffalos were running through the expanses of the Appaloosa orchard, ponies walked and talked amongst themselves in the town center, a pony had been kicked out of the saloon which created quite the scene. He landed and tried to survey the town for the pony he was looking for.

Grey Skies had a cloud white mane with a dark cobalt stripe going through the middle of it and had much thinner light blue stripes besides it, he had a light grey coat and wore the same goofy grin that Soarin usually had, his eyes were emerald, like Soarin’s. His cutie mark was a very dark grey cloud with rain drops and a lightning bolt jolted out from the cloud that was worn on his flank.

It took a while for Soarin to find him, propped up on the deck of the city saloon. He approached the stallion and greeted him.

“Hey, cuz,” Soarin said to Grey Skies, he spat a wad of tobacco and spit into a spittoon,” I never get why a pegasus like you would want to chew and spit tobacco.”

“Howdy,Soarin” he said, his country draw clearly indicated he had been here for a while, "I wouldn’t knock it until you try it. How have ya been?”

“Good,” Soarin replied as they stepped into the saloon to sit at the bar,” I’m fine with not trying to taste that, I’m fine.”

The bartender had interrupted the conversation as he asked the two what they wanted to drink.

“I’ll have some Vodka with apple juice, my cousin will take the regular, hard apple cider,”

“Ha!Ha!Ha,” laughed the bartender, amused by Soarin’s choice,” sorry city pony, but we don’t serve that kind of stuff here,it’s either some kind of cider, lager or beer and that’s it, now what you want?”

“I’ll have some Apple Jack Daniel’s, please.”

“Excellent choice,” he replied studying the stallion, he had seen this stallion somewhere, but where, when it hit him he spoke in fan colt voice,” Oh my! You’re Soarin! It’s a pleasure meeting you, I’ve got a deal for you, if you sign your autograph both you lovely stallion’s drinks will be on the house, so what do you say?’

“Of course, I love making the fans happy, it’s my job, anyway.”

“Thanks,” exclaimed the bartender as Soarin signed a piece of paper.

“No problem,” Soarin said when he noticed a yellow stallion wearing cowpony attire sitting in the corner of the bar,” who’s that,” he asked pointing his hoof to the pony.

“Oh, him,” replied the bartender,” that would be Applejack’s cousin, Braeburn.”

“hmm,” said Soarin,” wait do you mean Applejack, she’s the one who served me the best pie I ever had, hold on, Grey Skies, I’ve got to meet him.”

Soarin had trotted up to the yellow earth pony, leaving Grey Skies to chat with the bartender.

“Hey my name is-” Soarin greeted, being cut off.

“Soarin, I’ve heard of you, big fan of yours, the name’s Braeburn, could I get an autograph?”

“Nice to meet you and sure,” he pulled out one of many photos of him, he wasn’t a narcissist, he had them prepared for fans and signed the photo,”wait, aren’t you Applejack’s cousin, she made the best pie I have ever been fortunate to eat.”

“Yep and although it’s not my pie, the Apple family is praised for our pies, on the topic of pies, luckily we could have one together, please?”

“Well I came here to talk to my cousin,” Soarin said.

“It’s okay,” Grey Skies reassured.

“Then I’d love to have some,” Soarin said, his emerald eyes brightening at the thought of pie,” I really like pie.”

“Great, let’s go.”

The two stallions had entered Braeburn's house, a pie was situated on the windowsill, causing Soarin’s eyes to brighten once more, drooling at the pleasurable sight.

Braeburn chuckled and said,”well, I see you’re happy to see some pie, am I right?”

“Yes,” Soarin said dreamily, nearly phased out, staring at the confection.

The two sat at the table, Soarin, quite impolitely, devoured his slices, as the minutes passed. Finally, the pie was gone and Soarin groaned, both in disappointment and for being completely full. He felt as if he gained a pound or so! The silence was broken.

“It’s nice to be with a athlete like you,” Braeburn said, beaming, Soarin quite liked his enthusiasm, they were going to be good friends.

“Wait, you play a sport, I thought you would be an apple bucker!”

“Well my official title is the town tour guide, I do some bucking when there aren’t any visitors and sometimes, I compete in the rodeo.”

“Wow, I guess I’m not the only pony who performs a dangerous sport, rodeo sounds cool.”

“So does your aerial acrobatics!”

“Yeah, I guess we both do cool things, but since I’m a pro, I bet I’m a better athlete than you” Soarin said, cockily, Soarin wasn’t usually the one to brag, but he had let this slip out out his mouth, he had done it now.

Braeburn’s smile faded,”woah, woah, woah, wait here just a second, I’m a seven years in a row rodeo champion, even though we can die in both sports, I am more likely to die, so I’m the better one!”

“Well if you’re so good, then why haven’t I heard about you, huh?

“Because you haven’t been following rodeo.”

“Well you’ve heard of me, but not the reverse, face it, I’m better.”

“Ok, stop, we can argue like a couple of little colts or we can settle this like stallions to a competition, you up to it?”

“Yeah, I can’t wait to beat you as I do stunts as I go through the course!"

"Oh yeah, about that, no flying, I’m going to bound your wings”

“What? No fair, my wings are what make me talented!”

“No fair, look you would be much faster with your wings, being that I’m stuck to the ground.”

“Ok, I guess you’re right,” he said, dejectedly, swinging one of his front legs.

It was on.

Author's Note:

Hope you enjoyed that somewhat short chapter, I will soon get to the competition but for no, this is all you get, sorry! Also if you have any complements or complaints about what in my story needs fixing (especially grammar mistakes) please enlighten me, I don't bite, too hard, jk I won't hold any negative comments against anyone.