Storm of New Experiences

Chapter 2: Sprinkling

        Soarin was caught by Braeburn. Braeburn looked back as Soarin rose an eyebrow. Braeburn looked away embarrassed, for reason he did not know. Applejack saw him blushing and looked around, unknowing where the source was from.

        “You okay?” Applejack asked.

        “Uhh… y-yeah. Just… nothing.” Braeburn stumbled.

        Soarin was curious of this stallion. He was pretty confident about meeting this stranger.

        “How about we get something to eat?” Applejack asked Braeburn

        “... Sure, lets go. I could use something to eat. I’ve only had breakfast on the train.” Braeburn answered. They walked over to a restaurant that was really crowded. It was common spot for ponies to meet family and friends for a drink and meal. The restaurant had a bar, many stools, tables, and ponies wall to wall while music played. They trotted in getting a table inside by a window. The waitress came by giving them drinks and taking orders.

        “Shes kinda cute eh?” Applejack nudged Braeburn jokingly. He just laughed awkwardly and stuck his nose into the menu.

        “Mhmm… ah’ll be right back” She trotted off to the restroom.

        Soarin found his chance, and left Spitfire, who was being entertained by another stallion.

        “Hey there, how are you?” Soarin spoke in a smooth tone, as he leaned against the table.

        “Oh you, ah er I am doing fine. How are you?” He started to examine that this stallion was a Wonderbolt! Well, almost. Wow. “Are you going to be a wonderbolt?” He asked curiously.

        “Yep!” Soarin exclaimed. His wings spread out and flexed. Braeburn began checking him out, which Soarin noticed and gave a smirk. Braeburn saw this and looked away back at his menu embarrassed.

        “Come with me.” He beckoned Braeburn toward the door. Braeburn looked around for Applejack, but she wasn’t to be seen, so he followed. They were trotting awkwardly together toward the river that went through Ponyville. Soarin had his head high though and giving a smile back at Braeburn. Braeburn looked at him questioningly.

        “So what did you want?” Asked Braeburn. Soarin just kept walking, until they hit the bank of the river.

        “I don’t know. I just wanted to talk.” Said Soarin.

        “Bout what?”

        “I don’t know, tell me something about you.” Soarin sat down on the grass and looked up at the night sky. He laid back on his back and sat up with his front hooves, and patting the grass next to him for Braeburn.

        Braeburn sat next to him. There wasn’t much he could think of say to him.

        “Well, ah am from the new town Appaloosa. We just started building it. Ah have been working non stop to get it finished and ah am quite sick of it though. All ah've done so far was work.”

        “Ugh tell me about it” Soarin sighed. “Training to be a wonderbolt isn’t too easy itself. We have to fly and fly and fly! I am the top of my class though, so I have been working extra hard.”

        “Heh, ah can tell, you have mighty strong wings.” Braeburn pointed out. Soarin chuckled and looked away blushing. “Well you’ve got some strong hooves there from what I can tell. You have been working hard huh?” Soarin said. Braeburn blushed.

"You know ah've never seen a Wonderbolt before. What's it like being able to fly?" Braeburn asked

"Pretty cool. I'll take you up some time, if you want." Soarin gave him a hopeful look.

Braeburn nodded.

        “You know, we should hang out more. How long are you out here?” Soarin asked looking back curiously.

        “Uhm… Ah’m not sure. A week maybe?” Braeburn returned puzzled.

        “Sounds cool dude.”

        “How about you?”

        “As long as you’re here, I’ll stay haha.”

        Braeburn smiled back and looked up at the sky. Cool. He made a friend while out here. That’s a good start.

        “Well, ah think ah should head back. Applejack, my cousin, must be looking for me.” Braeburn said awkwardly.

        “Okay, let’s go back together. I also have someone with me but she is probably still with that stallion she met haha. Geez. I need to find someone too. How about you? You taken?”

        “Me? Ah’m not. Haven't found that one yet ah guess.” He shrugged looking back at the restaurant distracted. “Let’s go.” He got up and started trotting over. Soarin caught up and joined him. He had a slight smile on his face that Braeburn caught but didn’t mind.

"So not interested in any mares at the moment?" Soarin curiously asked.

"No... To tell ya the truth, I haven't been interested in mares at all. I must grow into it soon or something"

Soarin stopped and laughed quietly, then caught up.

        Applejack was outside talking to Spitfire. They seem to have been looking for the two together and got mixed up in conversation.

        “Oh there y’all are!” Exclaimed Applejack. She trotted over to Braeburn and Spitfire gave Soarin a scowl.

        “Where were you? I thought you left me alone with some stranger while you ran off with some mare!” Spitfire spat.

        Soarin and Braeburn looked at each other and laughed.

        “Ah’m staying with Applejack here on Sweet Apple Acres if you want to see me again.” Braeburn mentioned to Soarin.

        “I’ll see ya tomorrow then.” He smiled back

        Braeburn turned to Applejack. She smiled and they proceeded home. He looked back at Soarin one last time, caught him once again looking at him the same way he was earlier. He smiled and looked back to where he was going.

        “So whos he?” Applejack asked

        “Oh that’s … Oh buck I never asked!”

        “Haha it’s okay. He’s Soarin and his friend is Spitfire. I got to talk to her a bit. They are taking a break from training. She said to watch out for Soarin, he’s quite the stud and likes mares and... stallions” She spat after that. Braeburn toward her surprised.

        “What do you mean?”

        “He’s one of them coltcuddlers or whatever.”

        “Oh…” Braeburn looked back again but didn’t see him anymore. "Should ah be worried? Was he thinking of me in that way? Certainly not." He thought. Braeburn became so confused. He stumbled over a rock and looked at Applejack embarrassed.

        Applejack looked at him seriously. “You better watch out.” She said.

        “Ah know.” He said shyly.

        “Ah’m talking about Soarin.”

        “Oh…” He became kind of angry with this comment. He knew his family really didn’t like Soarin’s type, but he cared about his new friend. He didn’t like this so he trotted ahead, leaving her behind.

        Braeburn arrived at the farm early and quickly ran upstairs. He dove under the sheets they has set up for him and tried to go to sleep, thinking about this new mysterious stallion.