The Apple Policy (A Braeburn x Soarin fic)

by night_shade2

The Next Day

When Apple Jack and the rest of the Ponyville Apple family arrived in Appleloosa, they weren't greeted by the bright and cheerful Braeburn, but by his father.

"Howdy Bra- U-Uncle Jonagold? Where's-" Apple Jack was cut off by her uncle.

"You ain't be mentionin' that name anymore, policy says so. An' we have to live by that policy Apple Jack. You ain't to mention his name anymore. He broke the rules and fiddled with a pegasus stallion. He betrayed the family. Rouge one, he was. Always have been and always will be. Mighty fine stallion right there," said Jonagold.

"I see," said Apple Jack, tilting her head down. Granny Smith looked solemnly with sadness in her eyes. She would miss her grandson dearly. Big Mac said nothing, as usual. He was too big and too string to show emotion. Apple Bloom, too young and oblivious to understand the situation fully, looked at her uncle with confusion.

"What policy?" asked Apple Bloom.

"The Apple Policy," said Jonagold, making the small filly quiet.

She remembered the Apple Policy once more, remembering every word drilled into her little head. From the time a filly or colt knew how to read, they were given the Apple Policy to memorize their whole life. It didn't matter if you liked or not, you memorized it and accepted it fully, knowing full well the consequences if they were broken.

"Awe," dreaded Apple Bloom, turning around to show her flank, "I wanted to show him my cutie mark. I just got it last spring."

"Maybe he'll see it one day. We can't directly contact him Apple Bloom," said Jonagold, picking up his niece, "If we find him in passing, he'll probably see it."

"Okay!" Apple Bloom said, returning to her once cheerful manner.

Jonagold smiled, but it faded away quickly as he turned to face Granny Smith.

"Ma, we 'ave to talk about him. I already sent the letters out this morning," said Jonagold, "Ma, he was my only son and I-I just need somepony to talk to about it."

Granny Smith sighed and said, "Apple Jack, Big Mac. Go to the orchard. Take Apple Bloom with you."

Apple Jack and Big Mac nodded and took off with Apple Bloom to the orchard. Granny Smith and Jonagold walked back to his house.

"It's been years since I've been here, bout you've done a mighty fine job boy," said Granny Smith.

"Yeah but Ma....where did I go wrong? Was I not there for him enough? Was it when Whiplash died? What did I do wrong Ma?" Jonagold asked, his voice breaking from the tears rolling down his muzzle.

"You did all you could Jonagold. Someponies are just like that and some are not. It wasn't your fault son, but I know it was hard for ya. He was all you had left, but rules are rules Jonagold. You know that," Granny Smith said, putting a hoof around her son.

"Mama, I miss him. I wish he could of stayed but-" Jonagold's voice wouldn't speak anymore.

"The policy was made for a reason and it's older and harder than an apple made out of diamonds," said Granny Smith, hugging her son tighter, "When Goldspur and Blossom Party died, I was heartbroken. My child and the mare I came to call family, had died. They left me to raise their kin and so I did. Now you an' Whiplash ain't done nuthin' wrong, but be good ponies. This ain't your fault and never will be. This ain't your fault."

Little did they know the other three Apples were listening by the door. They heard every word and then returned to the fields to work. They were here to help with the apple orchard, since Braeburn asked them several weeks ago. They continued their daily lives, as if Braeburn never existed. In their minds he did not; in their hearts he would stay forever. Once an Apple, always an Apple, no matter what.

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When Soarin got back to Appleloosa, Spitfire was mad.

"I don't care if it was a personal matter or not! We're late, you're late, and we're on thin ice Soarin!" screamed Spitfire, "And no, we cannot help your coltfriend out! You're on thin ice Soarin, very thin ice!"

Spitfire stormed away angrily, leaving Soarin very, very scared.

"It'll be okay Soarin. She's just angry that you have a coltfriend and didn't come back last night," said Fleetfoot, "Say, where is your coltfriend?"

"He's on the outskirts of town. He can't come into the town. It's some personal, family matter," said Soarin.

Soarin started to walk out the door when-

"SOARIN!" screamed an excited Rainbow Dash, crashing into Soarin at full speed.

The Wonderbolts had brought Rainbow Dash on tour this season, because she wouldn't shut up. This was why they didn't want her in the first place.

"Rainbow! Get off me!" yelled Soarin, very annoyed.

Rainbow rolled off her long-time, celebrity, idol crush and apologized. Soarin didn't say anything and left without a word.

"What's his problem?" asked Rainbow Dash, "Am I not good enough for him?"

"You know he's a coltcuddler, right?" said Fleetfoot, making Rainbow Dash sputter in shock.

"C-c-c-c-c-coltcuddler? Soarin? This has to be a joke, right?" said Rainbow Dash, hoping it was a joke.

"Nope. He said something about apples and being on the outskirts of town," said Fleetfoot, turning away to talk to Misty Fly.

Rainbow was out the door to follow Soarin. When she found him, Soarin was talking to a yellow, earth pony. She recognized him as Apple Jack's cousin, but she had long forgotten his name. Rainbow was about to rush the two, but then they kissed right in front of her. Rainbow screamed and flew away, crying that any hopes of wooing her crush were gone.

Soarin and Braeburn turned to see a streak of rainbow flying away.

"Well, she's gonna be madder than a rattlesnake in June. I reckon this is gonna be in the press," said Braeburn.

"Damage control," said Soarin with a wink.

"What?" said Braeburn, very confused.

"Fleetfoot's got this under control. Rainbow isn't going to say a thing," said Soarin.

"Okay, if you say so," said Braeburn, nervous that this would go public.

Soarin noticed Braeburn's nervousness and a wing around his coltfriend. Soarin wanted Braeburn to be happy. Soarin had finally had his special somepony, somepony to love; somepony to call his own for once. He had his share of heartbreaks by countless mares, so that's why Soarin was a coltcuddler. Soarin was fed up with 'mare problems.' Mares that would cheat on him, mares that dumped him for no reason, mares that only used him for fame and fortune. When Soarin met Braeburn, the stallion didn't know anything about the Wonderbolts. He just saw Soarin as Soarin; nothing more than a lost and confused pegasus. Soarin, who was incredibly drunk at the time, had met Braeburn in Canterlot, and Soarin, being incredibly drunk, had clopped around with Braeburn, because Soaring becomes hypersexual when drunk. Braeburn learned that from experience.

"I-I love you Brae, more than I ever loved anypony," said Soarin, "I want you to come with me, on the rest of the tour. Canterlot is the next and last stop on the tour. I-I want you to come with me Brae. There's something I wanted to show you there."

Braeburn looked confusion, but confusion quickly turned to happiness, as Braeburn embraced his coltfriend, in a much needed hug.

"I-I'll come Soarin. Just let me-" Braeburn was cutoff, by coltfriend, who had now carried the yellow earth pony into the sky.

"PUT ME DOW SOARIN!" screamed Braeburn, fearful of his life.

"Sorry Brae," said Soarin, putting his coltfriend down.

"Now just what in the hay were you thinking?!" scolded Braeburn.

"I wasn't," Soarin said blushing.

"Exactly, now come on. We have a train to catch," said Braeburn, heading for the back of the train.

Soarin zipped past him and happily got on the train. Braeburn, taking a seat next to him, got angry glares from Spitfire and Rainbow Dash.

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Soarin took Braeburn back to the same spot they first met, two years ago.

"Soar, isn't this the place-"

"Mhm," said Soarin, cutting off Braeburn, "Brae, this is only one thing I wanted to show you."

"Then what's the other?" Braeburned asked, looking around, not noticing the kneeling pegasus.

"Braeburn Apple, we met here, when I was drunk, two years ago," said Soarin, "And now that has blossomed into this. Though we have been through thick and thin, we've done it together and now," Soarin pulled out a small, black box behind his wings, "Will you make the happiest stal- pony alive, and marry me?"

Braeburn jumped back in surprise. He held his hooves over his muzzle and started to cry happily. Soarin, fortunately was patient, despite his job being daring and fast and being surrounded by impatient ponies.

Braeburn eventually wiped the tears away, and choked out a soft, "Yes."

Soarin lifted the ring (which was attached to a necklace) and hung it around his stallion's neck. Soarin finally had somepony to call his own, but nothing would prepare him for what his yellow fiancé would do next.

"I wanna give you somethin' since you've graced me with this," said Braeburn, fumbling with the Apple necklace that was already around his neck, "I wanna give you this. It's somethin' every Apple gets at birth, like that heirloom thingy other ponies do, but since I'm no longer an Apple, it's yours."

Braeburn hung the necklace, swaying with an tiny apple-shaped gem, around Soarin's neck.

"Brae, but this is-" Soarin was cut off by a kiss, that was well accepted.

"Soarin, I'm happier than Pinkie Pie eating cake so just accept this. Please, I love ya Soar. I truly love ya Soar. You're my whole word," Braeburn's accent got thicker with each word, "Now come on, I'll buy ya some pie."

Soarin smiled wide and flew into his fiancé, who was trotting away to the nearest pie shop. They tumbled into a garbage can, landing with Soarin on top of Braeburn, attacking the stallion with kisses.

"Soarin, get off of me!" yelled Braeburn, trying to roll out form beneath Soarin.

"I'm sorry, I love you," said Soarin, getting off of Braeburn.

"Yeah, yeah. Lets just go that pie, then we can have whiskey and sexy times," whispered Braeburn into Soarin's ear, as he trotted past the pegasus once more.

Soarin was now blushing a bright red through his blue coat, following closely behind his fiancé. Braeburn softly chuckled at Soarin as they walked towards the pie shop, and a future that would lead to three beautiful colts: Tree Bucker (earth pony); Thunder Hooves (pegasus), and Iron Horn (unicorn).

Author's Note:

Okay and I checked. Jonagold in canon, is a mare, but in my story Jonagold is a stallion, not a mare. Also I still want this to be turned into by somepony (someone). It would make me really happy.
Also I want to state...
HOW DO THINGS WITHOUT HORNS GET MARRIED?!
(Thank you Hasbro for both weddings for showing nothing in the show, on how things without horns get married.)

Comments

[Spilled_Ink]

this fic is adorable! i nearly had a heart attack at the end there, well done.

[blue-hart]

i like it. it was cute.