Chapter Three
SOCIAL STANDARDS
By RadaVonVon
Chapter Three
Well, at least she was nice.
Soarin had slipped Rainbow and me both tickets to the Winter Solstice performance later that night as he winked at us, sending shivers down my spine. Rainbow Dash had been nervously chattering away with him, until he finally told her that he’d be seeing her at the Solstice and took off.
I scoffed. What a showoff. He’d flown off with the pie tin still on his head, as if he hadn’t just been complaining about it. I stashed the tickets away anyway. No matter how I felt, I knew Applejack would still force me to go with Rainbow Dash.
I just hoped it wouldn’t end too badly. By this point, Rainbow had calmed down enough to turn around and grin widely. “Hey, Braeburn.”
“Uh, hey, Rainbow Dash,” I muttered. I wasn’t too sure how, precisely, I was meant to go about this. I didn’t even know her all that well.
“How was the train ride?” She seemed surprisingly calm, even if she had been nervous earlier. All four hooves were planted on the ground, her wings neatly tucked in.
“Nice enough. Colder here than I figured.”
Rainbow nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, I remember Appleoosa was always really, uh…” she stopped for a moment, pondering. “Different.” She flashed a smile.
Applejack trotted out the door, now that the floor was clean of crumbs and bits. I heard her say something that I couldn’t quite make out before MacIntosh nudged his way through the door with Applebloom weaving between his legs. She thought for a second before settling happily next to me on the couch.
“Granny Smith’s goin’ ta go play bingo.” Applejack told me again, though she was looking at Rainbow Dash. “So it’s just gonna be us. Applebloom, did ya talk ta Rarity ‘bout sleepin’ over with Sweetie Belle?”
“Eeyup!” Applebloom nodded vigorously. “Ah got mah bag packed. Rarity’ll be here soon.”
“Good,” agreed Applejack. “Well, Mac, if ya wouldn’t mind startin’ on dinner…?” She tilted her head to the red stallion, who was already standing in the small kitchen. Clanging pots and pans were heard.
The room was filled with an awkward silence with the occasional sizzle from the kitchen, until finally somepony, who I assumed was Rarity, knocked on the door for the third time that night. Applebloom hopped to her hooves as Applejack seemed to dart over, perhaps to block the doorway, and Rainbow Dash shrunk back.
I looked to her and raised an eyebrow, but kept my mouth shut. Applejack kind of hustled Applebloom out of the door and slammed the door shut, then grinned nervously and turned around. “Sorry. Ah didn’t want ‘er ta come in here an’ make a big deal about you an’ Brae.” She explained to Rainbow.
“Got it.” Rainbow Dash nodded. “So, what’s for dinner?” She turned to Big Mac. I realized that she somehow looked different than she generally did when she was in Appleoosa. Applejack was also squinting and looking at her.
She was wearing makeup, something I sure as shoot didn’t remember. Had she taken that much time to try to strike my fancy? I felt bad. Why in the hay was I so special?
The dinner was unmemorable, bread and mashed potatoes or something like that. We ate without really talking, which sometimes reminded me of dinner when my mom was busy and it would just be me and my dad. The only noise was forks scraping against our plates. I shifted uncomfortably, and finally decided to break the silence. “So, Soarin’s one of those Wonderbolts, right? The famous stunt fliers?”
“Ohhhhmygosh! They’re so cool! Soarin is the greatest of them! He’s the leader with Spitfire, there’s two. Soarin leads the stallions, and Spitfire leads the mares. Oh, man, I should ask him for an autograph tonight! Do you think he’ll give me one? I once got an autographed picture of Spitfire, she told me to follow my dreams. Isn’t that just so co-“ She snapped her jaw shut when Applejack glared at her. “Uh. Sorry.” She mumbled, redness creeping along her cheeks.
I actually laughed. Poor thing. “Y’know, err. He seemed a little weird. Celebrities are like that. Crazy drugs and the such.”
Rainbow paused, chewing over what I had said. “Yeah.” She finally agreed. “Well, I heard some weird rumors that he’s a coltcuddler or something,” she shrugged.
My jaw went slack. Was that really not a big deal at all to her? “That’s unnatural!” I blurted. Rainbow turned and stared at me, tilting her head.
“It’s not all that weird,” she muttered. “Oh, wait, sorry. I forgot! You guys,” she gestured around to the group. “aren’t used to the way Cloudsdale thinks about those kinds of things.”
“What sorts of things?” Applejack snapped. “Ah think just fine ‘bout anythin’!” She scrunched her nose and leaned in over the table.
“I mean, uh,” Rainbow quickly realized her mistake. “Fillyfoolers and coltcuddlers, y’know? Not as big of a deal to the Pegasi as it is to earth ponies. I heard the unicorns are getting used to it, organizations in Canterlot and stuff.”
Applejack scoffed. I knew she had plenty to say, but she kept her mouth shut. It actually surprised me, AJ wasn’t known for those kinds of things. She generally opened her mouth and spoke, then thought about what she had said after. Maybe she was just trying to be polite, or avoid things turning awkward, though it was a tad late for that.
I decided to avoid the topic. This wasn’t something I wanted to talk about. But, my mind still stayed in the same place. Those rumors about Soarin couldn’t be true, right? I knew celebrities had crazy lives, but it just…wasn’t right.
The rest of the night seemed like a blur of awkward discussions, avoiding the general topic until Applejack decided it was time for us to go and shoved us out. The night was cold, and I shivered. The dark blanket of night stretched out overhead. If it weren’t for the occasional street light lining the path to the center of Ponyville, I wouldn’t have known where the hay I was going.
“I hear Pinkie Pie’s making some of her special punch tonight. I can’t believe that the Wonderbolts are here, though.” A pause. “I wasn’t even going to go,” I heard Dash continue. The trees around us were dark and almost seemed to lean in, boxing us in. “Do you, uh, drink?”
I blinked. “Ah guess, sometimes. Some ponies have problems with it in Appleoosa, but Ah’ve had a drink here an’ there.”
“Hah, it’s pretty fun at parties. You ever been to Cloudsdale?”
“Ah’m an earth pony,” I pointed out flatly.
“Oh yeah,” She laughed nervously.
I felt mean. I was generally a friendly pony, but this was just so… uncomfortable. I reminded myself to not let Applejack set me up on any more dates with mares. I was being rude. I knew that, and part of me wanted to be nice. This was a nice filly. I knew, somewhere in my stomach, that I could be nicer. I tried to smile.
“Are you okay?” Her maroon eyes were trained on me.
“Uh, why wouldn’t Ah be?”
“You look like you’re in pain.”
I sighed heavily, and we turned onto Mane Street, Ponyville’s main road. Pastel-colored ponies flooded in front of me. All of them were talking, or eating, or dancing in an area I guessed was the dance floor, all lined up outdoors on the street. A few Pegasi hovered through the air, but the group of ponies soaring overhead caught my eye. They left behind smoky cloud trails that lingered for several minutes as they gradually dissipated with the cloud cover.
In the sky, there sat the faded remains of what was probably a show. “THE WONDERBOLTS” was burned across the night in a smoggy mess, being dragged in one direction with the wind. Rainbow Dash tipped her head to the sky and I heard her breathe in loudly. “Wow,” she murmured. “They’re so talented.” She turned around and grinned. I frowned.
“Yeah,” I mumbled, shifting on my hooves.
“Come on,” she said, trotting toward a table with a neon tablecloth draping over it, a massive punchbowl with a ladle sitting inside of it and plates with various foods sitting atop it. The punch was a radioactive reddish-pink color. It was actually kind of scary. It seemed like a small amount for such a large crowd, though.
Rainbow spooned a generous amount into a cup she held in one hoof and moaned quietly when she gulped it down. “Great stuff.” She mumbled. “Pinkie Pie only makes it, like, twice a year. I guess there’s some crazy ingredients or something.”
The only hard thing I’d really had to drink up until this point was cider. I saw the Pegasus mare looking my way. “C’mon,” she encouraged. “Have a sip.” She thrust the cup in my direction, and I shrugged. I took the cheap plastic thing in my hoof and tipped my head back.
Bottoms up.
Almost immediately, I felt myself shift. “Holy-“ The world swam for a moment, and I had to plant my hooves on the ground. “What is IN that?” I suppose I knew why there was so little. More than two cups or so of that stuff could kill somepony.
“I have no clue.” Dash took the cup back and stared into it for a moment. “But it’s pretty intense, huh?”
I didn’t even answer. I felt looser, somehow, like I’d had all my joints oiled. A healthy buzz rang through my mind.
Rainbow Dash seemed unfazed, and kept idly sipping the punch. “Ya wanna dance?” I grinned at her and snatched the cup, taking another swig of the stuff. Wow. What could have possibly been put in this?
Rainbow looked up, staring at me. She was wide-eyed. “Huh?” She relaxed again.
“You wanna dance?” She seemed alarmed, her ears pricked up and eyes big as dinner plates. The Pegasus relaxed after a second. “I mean, uh, sure.”
The night was a blur of dancing and punch as I dragged her out onto the dance floor. Boy, howdy, she could dance, once she got started. The alcohol made her uninhibited and brought down any walls she had up. Rainbow Dash was a party animal; and a wild one, at that. She’d flutter up a bit and come back down hard on her back hooves, sending a small vibration through the ground.
Sometimes she’d flit about, sometimes she’d be moving in time to the music. As the night wore on, we both entirely forgot about Soarin, and she grew closer to me. She pushed up against me and would occasionally let out a little groan or a grunt or some other noise.
The air had gotten warmer at some point, and I found myself up against a tree several hooves away from the dance floor.
We were farther away, but I could still hear the dull thudding of the music beating through my ears. Rainbow’s hooves were planted beside either side of my head. “You’re… So hot.” She slurred, grinning deviously and leaning in. I felt her moist, hot breath condense on my face. It carried along the scent of something like rotten fruit. She leaned in. Her face was flushed. Her forelock was plastered to her forehead by sweat, damp clusters of seven-colored hair obscuring her magenta eyes.
Those beautiful magenta eyes. Why hadn’t I seen them before? She leaned in, mashing her mouth against mine. I went along with it for several moments. As we’d been drinking the same stuff, her mouth tasted like mine, without much variation.
My heart dropped into my stomach, and I pushed her away quietly. “No,” I slurred, shaking my head, trying to clear the cloudiness. “This ain’t right, Rainbow.”
“Huh?” She pulled back, standing on all four hooves again. “Wha-?”
“Ain’t right, pretty mare like you…” I grumbled, not sure if I was making sense. “Yer a good mare. Ah don’t- this ain’t gonna work, Rainbow.”
“What are you talking about? This kick-“ She hiccupped. “This kicks flank! You’re really cute and nice and all that crap. What else do you want?” She rolled her eyes. “Now, back to what we were doing.” She wrapped a foreleg around my neck awkwardly and I shook her off.
“No,” I said flatly, shoving her away and glaring.
“Dude, what’s your problem?”
“Ah just don’t wanna… Ah ain’t interested.”
“You were just making out with me, and you tell me that now? What’s your malfunction, dude?” Rainbow snapped. Some of her words were still malformed.
“Ah’m sorry, but we should quit while we’re ahead and somepony gets hurt.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rainbow Dash stamped a hoof, sending dust spiraling into the air. I coughed. “Why’d you even bother coming, then?” She was starting to snarl.
“Ah apologize. Ah shoulda jus-“
“You damn well better be sorry!” She glared, narrowing her eyes. “I shoulda known better, you were just another one of the-“
“Now, Rainbow, listen ta m-“
“Just another one of them! A stupid stallion,” she continued relentlessly, her voice becoming louder. “I should h-“
“If you would just l-“
“No! You listen to me, okay? I’ve dealt with you all my life, you are all the same. I figured since you’re related to Applejack you’d be different, b-“
“Ah like colts!” I wasn’t sure why I said that. It wasn’t true. I liked mares. The right one just hadn’t come along. I liked mares. Rainbow sat there for a second, entirely stiff. In spite of the alcohol from earlier, everything was stunningly clear. I saw the colour drain from her face. “Please don’t tell Applejack,” I murmured, terrified by the words that had come out of my own mouth.
“I-I… I have to go think.” Rainbow Dash hissed before flapping her wings. Apparently, the alcohol was still affecting her, because she flew lopsidedly from the ground, one side of her body higher up than the other and she disappeared. She moved faster than any earth pony or Pegasus I’d ever seen. I squinted after her, in hopes she’d be okay. She was going awfully fast.
A spectrum of colours burst forth from her, seven different hues peeling behind her as she reeled forward, evaporating in her wake. A shockwave pounded through the air, rattling the trees, me, and the dance floor several hooves away.
I knew this would happen. I leaned against the tree and sighed, reaching a back hoof to check to be sure that I still had my hat. I felt sober, now. I’d heard of the sonic rainboom before, but it didn’t seem to matter anymore. This was my fault.
I groaned loudly and slid my back down the tree, brushing my mane from my eyes, and tipping my hat down so that it at least partially covered my face. I didn’t need anyone seeing me like this. I hoped she would be okay, for everypony’s sake. Applejack was going to have my skin for this.
I just hoped that she didn’t tell Applejack what I’d said. I was intoxicated. That didn’t count, right?
I heard somepony’s hoofsteps and looked up. At first, I didn’t recognize the stallion until he pulled his goggles up from his eyes. “Was that true?” He asked. I stared at him for a moment before I recognized him as Soarin.
“Ah’m drunk,” I grumbled. “Go away.”
Soarin grabbed my hoof, practically forcing me up. I settled on all fours. “What?” I snapped.
“Listen, you seem like a cool guy.” Soarin grinned. “We should hang out.”
I stared at him, raising an eyebrow. “Uh. What? What Ah said back there was jus’ the punch talkin’.”
“Why don’t we have lunch or something tomorrow?” He asked, ignoring my explanation and cocking an eyebrow.
“C’mon, I’m a celebrity! You should be honored, dude.”
“Ah barely know you!”
“Great time to start! So, how 'bout one-thirty? I just wanna chill, it’s been a while since I’ve just talked with somepony other than team members. Or," He flicked his dark blue mane histrionically out of his eyes. "Raging fan mares."
I scoffed, already turning. “Ah’ve got more stuff to worry about.” I snapped, beginning to walk back toward the farm.
He fluttered over my head and landed in front of me, furrowing his eyebrows. “At least think about it, okay?”
“Fine.” The alcohol seemed like it was setting in again, and several of my steps were misplaced.
“See you tomorrow!” He called nonchalantly.
What an idiot.
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yay
This is a very good fic. Thank you for writing it, and please please keep writing.
Well Soarin' definitely has his eyes on the prize.
Lol drunk pony is best pony
“Have a sip.” She thrust the cup in my direction, and I shrugged. I took the cheap plastic thing in my hand and tipped my head back.
What is wrong here? XD Good story so far, can't wait for more!
SoarinxBraeburn is now my OTP.
This reminds me of the time my dad drug me to a strip joint with three good friends of mine. I was not enjoyin myself as much as my dad or friends were. I distincly remember when my dad had the stripper rub her tits on my face that my stomach turned a little. Anyways the main thing was My dad paid for a lap dance in the VIP lounge and the scene was kinda like that with RD and Braeburn. I held my tounge and went along with it for the first little bit, but after a she rubbed herself on my personal area, I freaked out. "I'm gay!" I blurted. I still remember that moment, its my undeniable proof to myself that I am not straight, with my constant attraction to male atrributes solidfying I'm gay.
Now all I need to do is be okay with that.
>>Krass McWriter
Glad I came out before that happened!
Anyways great story! Can't wait for more!
134494
The sooner you are the better, I think... it's a sad thing when people can't be happy with themselves. I'd ask what happened next, but that might be a little too raw.
It's interesting to know that this fic, then, is pretty accurate...
I like the way your going about this. It's definitely the opposite of a cliche.
Nice... This fic is like a gulp of fresh air after all those cliche shipfics we have around. Good work!
Please, sir, can I have some moar?
Glad to see this update! For some reason, quite a few of my favourite stories have updated recently...
Anyway, I can see Rainbow ending up with Spitfire, and then they become friends with Braein
134494
Krass, you are a prime example of the type of people I wrote this fic for. Yeah, it's about ponies, but if one person can gain confidence in themselves and be okay with who they are because I wrote this, I'll have done my job as an artist.
I am an actor and a writer because art is the only way to truly express human emotion in their most raw form besides being experienced firsthand. I make people realise things about themselves that they never would have considered. As an actor, to make my audience feel emotion, any kind of emotion, is an accomplishment.
The same runs true as a writer. No matter the subject matter, if I made a reader feel emotion, I have done my job. We read, watch things, listen to music, and look at art because it gives us a rush of emotion we don't get from real life.
It's also a kind of coping skill.
Reading My Little Dashie was a pleasure, correct?
This is because the author accomplished his goal: He made you feel. He reminded you of your humanity, of life, of hope, of what it is to love, and what it is to lose. He made you feel. In a world of autopilot, hiding our emotions, and not truly always being aware around us, he made you think and feel and experience emotions.
As a writer, writing something like this is important to me because maybe, just maybe, I can convince someone of their true selves. Braeburn isn't real, neither is Soarin. Braeburn's parents aren't real, nor the rest of the Apple family.
But you are real. You exist. You feel, you think, and you exist. Braeburn is just a vessel to show you what you cannot see yourself.
You are a unique person, and there never has been, will be, or is anyone like you.
This is something we have forgotten in our lives. We need to realise this again and not be afraid any more. Maybe it's because I'm fourteen and this is just so commonly exemplified in high school, but it gets aggravating to see us hiding the very thing that makes us such a unique species. Every last one of us is very, very different.
Krass, you are a unique person and you exist, just like everyone else does, to contribute to the human race. You can do this by being who you truly, really are.
When or how or if you ever do it is up to you. But, realise that you can't hide from yourself or change your mind about these things.
You are a unique human being, and there never has been, will be, or is anyone like you.
This goes for anyone, and I mean anyone, reading this.
135210
Its because I forgot to say nice fice wasn't it?
In all seriousness, thank you for the kind words. You keep the chapters coming and I'll keep the meaningful (I hope) comments.
This should be fun.
135210
aah the good old road of self-denial. I have walked it so many times before that I would probably get a frequent customer discount if I ever returned. As the great Johnny Depp once said: "You can close your eyes to the things you do not want to see, but you cannot close your heart to the things you do not want to feel." One of my favourite quotes, but I digress.
I'm pretty impressed with your writing so far. I love the dialogue, it's all just so realistic you know? I couldn't find any grammar or spelling mistakes and the entire thing just flows really nicely. Oh, also: I really like your take on Soarin' so far. It's stories like this one that remind me of why he's my favourite pony. It's the Soarin' that I've come to know and love. I never really was a fan of Braeburn before but you've changed my mind.
As I have said before: I can really relate to this story. "My jaw went slack. Was that really not a big deal at all to her? “That’s unnatural!” I blurted." Yeah, that used to be me.. It's the most painful self-defence mechanism that the human mind has ever invented, it makes the realization that much harder. I must say that I admire your reasons for writing this story. I tried to do so myself (A bit.) in my fic but I don't think that it worked out as well as it should have. You, on the other hand, seem to be doing it quite well. Your heart is in the right place, you have conviction and I appreciate that.
A part of me wants to beg you to add an AppleDash side to this story, based her general dislike of stallions. But the other part of me thinks that I would lose most of my dignity in doing so. So I'll refrain.
You are right about the fact that it's what makes us human. The two things that differentiate us from animals are a sense of morality and a need to appear good in the eyes of others. But it's when the hiding from others turns into hiding from ourselves that it becomes a real tragedy. Fourteen!? You are very wise for your age.
Anyway, It's so nice to see the amount of love and acceptance that this community has to offer. And it's so nice to read this fic as someone who has been in Braeburn's shoes you know? And that's why ponies are awesome. Making the world a better place, one brony at a time. My point is: You sir or lady, have earned my respect. And I will be following this story closely, it has the potential the become an amazing, heartfelt story.
PS: I hope you don't mind me filling up your comment section. And I apologize if my English is a bit off. Switching languages on a regular basis will do that to you.
You know I was sitting here not writing the next chap to spite my readers when I saw the update, and in the time it took the link to load I considered just what it was about this fic that makes me like it so much. And now I know.
PACING!
The pacing isn't supremely rushed like it is in most other rather generic ship fics. That and the insight into Braeburn is nice, I couldn't help but feel bad for Dashie, getting all dolled up only to be shot down.
Harsh.
But to deny ones self will only lead to more trouble.
I genuinely love this fic, I must admit. Usually, once ship fics become predictable I lose interest. Study Buddies is an example. Maybe I'm setting myself up for such disappointment, as ship fics can really only end in two ways in varying degrees.
Anyway, keep up the excellent work, and this could end up in my favorites. It'd be the first to do so!
I loved how Braeburn was getting all Tsundere at the end, that had me in stitches. I started laughing at "Ahm drunk, go 'way" and kept laughing loooong after "Idiot." Bravo, man.
I am really enjoying the plot so far. I hope you continue with this, it is brilliant!
You know, I really like the fact that Braeburn doesn't like Soarin right off the bat. I think it's a good element. Soarin was pretty cute here too, persistent as he was with Braeburn. That scene at the end was really great. It still makes me feel a bit bad for Braeburn, but it's a good scene. You're doing awesome work, here.
Now im sad my email said it updated but there was no update
140823 same :( blame SOPA!
140823
The chapter randomly unpublished, so I re-published it. I'm working, I promise. 
140826
Sorry.
Oh I am just loving this story! I'm very excited to for a new chapter. I love your writing style, and I'm quickly coming to love this pairing!
It's about time someone made a male-on-male fic that doesn't suck! Keep up the wonderful work!
More please
It's so cyooooooooooot. I demand more!
Nice fic, basically what everyone else said above me. Nothing new to add.
Thanks!
The tension in the Apple Family households throughout Braeburn's life was extremely palpable. While I can't say that I'm not heterosexual and thus can't directly relate to the hardships of people who suffer such discrimination, it's still no less a painful ordeal to endure. Writing from Braeburn's first person perspective was a great choice; you can see how he struggles between his own legitimate desires and his sense of loyalty and pride he thinks he owes his family. Soarin is an interesting choice for a potential suitor, one that I wouldn't expect (not to mention I'm sure this might not sit entirely well with Rainbow if it ever reaches her ears), but I can tell that you're approaching this topic with delicacy and care, and that it won't disappoint. I also liked how the conversation at the dinner table with Rainbow Dash and Applejack illustrated how the various pony cultures and species are treating such topics. Kudos to you for an incredibly engaging and promising story!
The story keeps getting better. Braeburn's feelings of self-denial and repression are heartbreaking, and Rainbow's appearance, shaking up the notions pounded into his head by his family by showing that their truth is not the only truth, is also very well done.
Wow this is just awesome. I just recently started reading fanfics for MLP and I have to say that this is really really good. I am enjoying the pacing of the story and I love Soarins personality. I am going to keep reading these chapters but I have to say I am impressed.
134494 My dad took me to a go-go bar. The beer was awful, the pole dansing was too.
I'm just glad he didn't buy me a hooker.
And this is why you should be honest wit your self and say your gay. If they judge so what. Its your life do what makes you happy.
@Krass McWriter I'm glad my coming out wasn't that bad! My dad found in my search history empty closets
and I came out right there as bi.
I am so glad I "found" this fic. Loving it so far!
Okay, another comment. Hi!
Hope I don't sound too irritating, but saying that all Earth Ponies aren't very keen on homosexuality is a little bit of a... hasty generalization, if I do say so myself.
I know that it was mostly to add a little more to the story, but maybe it would've been slightly improved to say that it's just a handful of Earth Pony families aren't all right with "coltcuddlers" rather than entire ethnic groups...
I dunno, that's just my thought. (Sorry!)
Everything is else sound! I really really like it!
Awesome writing style, awesome plot...
It's just GREAT!
Her in 2023 just loving an 11 year old fic