Golden feathers

Braeburn felt sweat drip down his muzzle as he was trotting his way through Ponyville. The weather was hot, and I mean really hot. There were no clouds in sight and the sun was even higher than usual on this hot sunny day. It was even hotter than back in his hometown, Appleloosa. It had been a long time since he had visited his cousins in Ponyville. He had to stop and ask a few ponies for directions after every little while. Luckily the ponies in Ponyville were much kinder than the ponies back at his hometown. He followed all of the directions he received until he could see a few apple trees up in the horizon.

He began galloping as the trees grew bigger in his sight. Soon he could see a barn. It was nice and red with an odd shape. Finally, when he was close to the gate he slowed down. He opened one of his saddlebags and pulled out the letter in a white envelope that he had already read at least 30 times. He let his eyes pass over it again, just to make sure he wasn't going crazy.

Dear Braeburn.

It gives us great honor to invite you to the official wedding of Big Macintosh and Spitfire.

He didn't need to read the rest. Just that sentence made shivers go over his spine every time he read it. Big Mac? With a mare he had never heard of? It didn't make any sense! He hadn't even heard a word about this before he got that invitation. He just had to go inspect what the hay was going on.

He slowly opened the gate to the farm. He had really hoped, that he could go there without barging in like that, but there wasn't anypony outside and he just had to know! He slowly walked towards the big house. It looked just like he had remembered. He quickly wiped off all the sweat on his forehead. His leather vest wasn't making anything easier. Finally he rose his hoof and have the door a few knocks. He waited for a moment, before he noticed the doorknob turn. The turn was opened and he could see an orange mare with three red apples on her flank, standing at the door.

''B...Brae? What on tarnation are ya'll doing here?''

''Howdy Applejack! Ah hope ah'm not troubling you...''

''Not at all, come on in cuz''

Braeburn stepped in from the door. He smiled as he felt the cold air inside the house. How had they kept it so cold in this extreme weather? The room looked just as he remembered. He sat into a big green chair that faced the fireplace. (that of corse, wasn't burning at the moment) Applejack took a seat on the couch right next to the chair.

''Ah'm sorry for bargin' in like this. Ah just got this letter and just had to come and check if ah'm not going crazy''

He handed the mare the white letter.

''Oh, this is no joke... Ah was surprised too at first, but turns out ma'h brother and Spitty really clicked. Ah was amazed at how well they worked together''

''Ah had no idea...''

''Wha? Ah thought Big Mac sent ya'll a letter months before this one... Didn't ya'll get it?''

''Eh... no?''

''Oh... well then it's a good thing ya'll here. Big Mac chose ya'll to be the cuz' who will be his important party planner''

''He what?!''

''Don't worry. Spitfire is choosing a close friend of hers to help ya'll on the planning. Unless if ya'll refuse...''

''Of corse not! Ah would never let Big Mac down!''

''That the spirit! We were actually expecting you to come next week, since thats when we will begin to work on the marriage. Big Mac and Spitfire are just working on the details for now''

''Oh...''

''But ya'll can stay here anyway until the planning if ya'll want''

''Ya'll sure ah wont just get in the way?''

''No worries. If ya'll want cuz, ya'll can even help us on the farm''

''Great! Ya'll want me to start now?''

''Ya'll don't have to... Its really hot outside, but suit yourself''

With that said Applejack watched as Brae jumped off the chair and walked out of the door. He wanted to let all of this in. He still had to get used to Big Mac getting married and him having to plan most of the party. It was allot of pressure and he just wanted to do something that would take his mind off of it all, and what could be better than doing the thing, that his cutiemark represented.

Those thoughts were thrown out of the picture as he stepped outside. The heat literally shocked him, but he didn't want to turn back. He walked over to a tree. All of the apples were very red and obviously taken care of with lots of love and care. He walked up to a tree that had three buckets under it, turned his back to it and gave it a good kick. Thanks to his earth pony ''magic'' all of the apples dropped perfectly into the buckets in a perfect pile and not a single leaf or branch fell with them. Braeburn looked at his work with a proud smile and walked up to another tree.

He tried to hide his face under his worn out cowboy hat, hoping that he wouldn't get a sunburn. He turned his back towards the tree and was about to kick it before he heard a loud scream. From the scream he could form the words ''WATCH OUT!''.

He tried his best to find the direction where the yell was coming from. All of his surroundings were empty. He heard yet another scream much closer. He looked up in shock. There was a blue pegasus flying closer and closer in extreme speed right at... him?

''Buck...'' is all he could say before his sight went black

The scent of apples entered his muzzle. The soft grass under him was wet from all the sweat the sun had caused him to make. How long had he been laying there?

Brae gave out a small whimper from the pain he was caused. He slowly opened his left eye to see a blue pegasus standing in front of his head, looking at him upside down. He looked quite concerned. Brae was surprised to see the pegasus begin to chuckle when he saw the earth pony wake up.

''Heh... sorry dude... I'm still working on that new flip I'm forced to learn... Woah you're a real hottie!''

Brae's eyes shot open as he quickly sat up. He grabbed the back of his head which hurt the most. He had probably hit his head against a rock. Just then did he realize what the strange pegasus had just called him.

''Who the buck are ya'h?!''

The feathered ponies eyes widened at that question. ''You're not from around here are you?''

''No... a'hm not...''

''That explains it... If you were from here you would know me... I am Soarin, the Wonderbolts co-captain''

''W... Wonderbolts?''

''Yea dude... We're kinda famous all over Equestria... I'm surprised there is actually someone who doesn't know me... I'm kinda glad to tell you the truth'' he said with a grin on his face when Brae grumbled at the pain he finally felt in his back hooves as well.

He didn't like this pony. Not even a little. His one of these kinds of ponies who do absolutely nothing that could help other ponies, and still get lots of attention and money. Money that they don't even need, but other ponies do.

Brae had always been the opposite. He had worked years on the apple farm back in Appleloosa for people who hated hi, but he knew, that in their small town every farm pony counted since the town was in starving point. He suddenly felt guilt for leaving the town for two whole weeks. It didn't matter how many times the ponies had beaten him up and called him names, he still helped them with all his might.

''Braeburn...''

''Huh?''

''Ma'h names Braeburn... Ah'm here in Ponyville only to visit ma'h cousins'' he said as he pointed his hoof to the red barn.

''You're here about the wedding aren't ya? I don't wanna brag but... The mare in the happy couple, Spitfire, asked me to be her important party planner''

''WHAT?!''

Soarin's eyes widened at the sudden reaction, but then put his proud grin back on his face. ''Yup! It's allot of pressure, but i'm supposed to get another pony from the farm pony's family to help out. Not that I really need the help'' he said with a wink.

''S... Somepony like me...''

''Wha?''

''Big Mac chose me to help you out''

Soarin's eyes went wider than ever before. Then his grin came back. Brae absolutely hated that grin.

''So I get to plan my best friends wedding AND have this hot stuff to help me out? Awesome!'' He said with a sudden smile. The smile didn't look fake, like it did on most people back in Appleloosa. His smile was real and worked perfectly with his messy mane and green eyes, that matched Brae's eyes.

''Stop calling me'h that...''

''Oh and that sexy accent! You really don't know anything about me do you?''

The earth pony gave him a quick shake with his head. He hoped his blush wasn't very notable. The pegasus chuckled.

''This is gonna be a fun month...''

The sun was slowly going down as Braeburn continued bucking trees. Soarin sat under one of the apple treed enjoying the sight of Brae working his flank off. Luckily it wasn't so hot anymore, but Brae still felt sweat drip down from under his mane and vest. Soarin was calmly enjoying one of the apples as he mumbled a well-known song. After finishing his apple he got bored and chose to entertain himself.

Without Brae noticing him standing up he sneaked over to hard working Braeburn. Brae felt his hat being taken off and then heard wings flapping. His tired face was replaced with annoyance as he watched the blue pegasus fly above him and place the hat on his  messy mane.

''Give me'h ma'h hat back!'' he shouted in annoyance.

''Ah reacon thias hawt looks mighty swell on me'h'' he spoke in a terrible western accent. Brae's serious face tuned into a huge grin. Then he began to chuckle and right after that he was laughing so hard, it was hard to breathe. He laughed even harder when he noticed Soar's face flush a slight tone of red. He landed on top of the apple tree Brae was about to buck earlier.

''BhahaHAHAHAHA! Ah didn't expect ya'll to be the one to blush! And ah sound nothing like that!''

Now Soarin was the one who began to chuckle. ''Ar' ya'h kiddin'? Ah soun' EXACLY like ya'h!'' After a small pause he took off the hat, but didn't give it back to Brae just yet. ''I haven't blushed since I was a filly. Not allot of ponies make fun of me... uh... thanks''

''Yer thanking me'h for laughin' at ya'll?

''Yea... You see... I don't like to be treated like a celebrity. I feel like I don't even do anything helpful to other ponies and they still adore me for nothing. Thats why I admire you. You worked you're flank off all day in this extreme heat and most of the world doesn't know one thing about you, but you don't let that bother you''

Brae's eyes shot open wider than ever before. He was silent for a long time. He had thought Soar was exactly the opposite of what he had just said. It was like he had read his mind about what he thought he disliked about the pegasus. Brae suddenly felt a hard flow of guilt from judging the pony without even knowing him. Finally the blue pegasus spoke up.

''Why the long face?''

''A... ah just thought that... ya'll...''

''You thought I was an attention whore i'm guessing?'' He said with a grin. ''I used to be... But lately I have tried my best to avoid any kind of press or fans. Just doesn't feel right to seem amazing while i'm just doing something that is no problem for me''

Braeburn was amazed at how wrong he had been.

''Ah'm... sorry...''

''Hey! Don't you dare feel guilty! This doesn't mean i'm still not a huge dick'' he yelled out with a wink. Brae raised an eyebrow at the choice of words the other had used.

''Can ah have ma'h hat back now?''

''Nope'' he said with a smug. He quickly let himself glide lower, pass the hat right in front of Brae's muzzle and pull it away with a chuckle as the other tried to grab it.

''Yer right, ya'll still are a dick'' he mumbled through his teeth in annoyance. He was only a little bit angry tho. He was actually enjoying the teasing. He liked the strange personality the other had.

Soarin chuckled and flew back on the ground. ''Glad I you finally understand the way I play'' is all he said before placing the hat back on the earth ponies head. He stepped a few paces back as he looked at Brae from hooves to ears. Braeburn was hoping the other wouldn't see the tiny bit of blush under his fur that he desperately tried to hide.

''Hmm... yes yes.. the hat indeed looks better on you than me, and thats something!'' he commented with a chuckle. ''Yup, that is certainly an attractive body you have there'' He said with a serious nod.

Now Brae's face really did flush in a bright tone of red. He blushed even harder when the other began to chuckle again.

''Thats all I wanted! You have no idea how adorable you look when you blush!''

''Ah... uh..''

Before Brae could even reply the pegasus extended his wings. ''It was nice meeting you Brae-Brae... Really nice'' He said with a wink and took off.

Brae just sat there with a face red like a tomato. After a while of just sitting there he finally let out a few words to himself.

''Br...Brae-Brae?''

TO BE CONTINUED...