Golden feathers

Braeburn cried out of pain as his dad beat him. ''Why daddy why?!'' Is all he kept saying. He didn't even try to defend himself. It was hopeless. Daddy was always right. He knew that very well. No matter how hard he tried to be interested in a mare, it just never worked. It felt wrong. His thoughts always turned to colts as he imagined his future family. He never dreamed of having a wife. Dad just said that he had to learn to like mares in the more painful way.

A loud scream finally woke him up from his awful dream. ''Brae-Brae!!!!''

There was only one pony who would ever call Braeburn that.

''Calm down partner. No need to yell like that. What are ya'll doing here Soar?'' he mumbled with his eyes closed.

''I came to surprise you and wake you up myself until I found you crying you you're sleep! Are you okay pal? You don't look as cute as usual when you cry!'' he said with concern.

Braeburn finally opened his eyes and grumbled at the bright sunlight coming from the window. As he wiped his eyes he could definitely feel tears flowing down his cheeks.

''What the...'' he said as he looked at his now wet hoof.

''Bad dream?''

''Not really a dream... A memory'' he said without thinking. He quickly tried to change the subject but it was too late. Soarin's attention was caught.

''What kind of memory?''

''It's nothin'...''

''Can't be nothing if you cried like that...'' Braeburn looked at the blue pegasus sitting on the top of his bed. There was no hint of teasing in his voice. His concern was almost scaring him.

''Forget ah said anythin'... Ah'm starvin', lets go eat!'' he yelled out, trying his best to not look shocked at his sudden outburst either.

''Tell me!''

Braeburn looked at Soarin who really did look worried. He wasn't going to give up on this was he? Brae sighed in defeat.

''Lets just say ah didn't have a mighty kind family''

''How come?''

''Well... actually it was just ma'h pa'. Ma'h ma' died when ah was born so ah never knew her. Ma'h pa blamed me for her death. He beat me up allot'' Brae bit his lower lip after saying that last part.

''Brae... you're not telling me something... I don't think thats the only reason he beat you is it?''

Brae's eyes dropped down. How had he knows so easily? ''Ah... no... that's all...''

Soarin looked at Brae, who was trying his best to avoid eye-contact. Brae knew very well how much the other wanted to know the rest, but was surprised to see the pegasus stand up and walk to the door.

''Come outside when ready. I want you to meet Spitfire'' he said before closing the door after him.

Brae quickly got up from bed and went to the bathroom that happened to be right next to his room. He took a quick glance in the mirror and gasped at the sight. His mane was messier than ever before, his eyes looked tired and red and he had marks on his cheeks from crying. How long had he cried in his sleep?

He quickly brushed his teeth and did his best to fix his face with some cold water. He put on his hat and vest and walked outside. He instantly saw a bright orange pony talking to Soarin. Suddenly Soarin pointed at him as the orange mare looked at him. She looked terrifying at first, but then she gave Brae a kind smile to show that she meant no harm.

''Heya! You must be Braeburn? I heard you don't really know the Wonderbolts so I guess I should let you know that i'm Spitfire''

Braeburn looked at her right in the eyes. He smiled at the mare to make things less awkward''

''So yer the one marryin' ma'h 'cuz eh? Nice to meet ya'll''

Brae's eyes widened in confusion as the mare chuckled slightly. ''You were right Soar. His accent is just as adorable as Mac's!''

Soarin laughed with her. Their smiles widened when the earth pony blushed.

''Aww, don't be so shy hot stuff! Common, lets go eat breakfast''

''Hot stuff?!'' Brae yelled out in annoyance. He noticed Spitfires eyes go wide at Braeburn's shock.

Soarin began walking towards the town as Brae and Spitfire followed him from behind.

''Where are we going'?''

''We're going to this place me and my pals like to go to for breakfast''

''But ah left ma'h bits in ma'h saddlebags back in the barn. Hold on, ah'll go get 'em'' he said as he began to gallop towards the barn, but was stopped by a certain blue hoof that was firmly placed on Brae's tail.

''Don't worry, i'll pay. Lets just go''

''No, thats okay... Ah'm actually not very hungry anyways'' he said. That sentence was followed by a loud growl coming from his stomach. He blushed as the Wonderbolts around him chuckled.

''No worries hottie! I'll take care of that loud stomach of yours''

Brae growled just like his stomach at how the pegasus had called him yet again. As they walked down the path Spitfire almost whispered to Braeburn ''You really don't know huh?''

''Know what?'' He mumbled back.

''Don't get mad when he calls you things like that. He does that to every colt''

''Wait... wha? Ya'll mean his...''

Spitfire gave him a nod. ''Don't take it too seriously tho... Thats kinda like his way of being friendly''

Brae's eyes widened. He looked at Soarin. The other was just as tall as Brae, if not even shorter, tho his crazy mane made him seem much taller. The mane stood up on his head with probably loads of hair gel. It had pieces going everywhere, but somehow it wasn't complete chaos. Somehow the huge dark blue mane complimented his modest light blue fur. The blue was so light, it almost seemed white.

Brae suddenly felt weird staring at Soarin from behind, even if he was just looking at his crazy mane. He looked away over to the apple trees. The straight road to the town was long. Finally Soarin stopped and cause of that, by instinct, so did he.

''Brae-Brae, you afraid of heights?''

Braeburn just rolled his eyes at the dumb nickname. ''Nope, why?''

Suddenly out of nowhere Soarin grabbed onto Brae and held him tight as he took flight. Spitfire followed them using her own wings.

''BUCK SOARIN! PUT ME'H DOWN!'' brae yelled as the glided over the town.

''Calm down Brae-Brae! I'm just hoping to avoid fans from the town. I already got tackled by one of Applejack's pegasus friends. I bet Ponyville has many more of them!''

''Ya'll mean ya don't live in Ponyville?''

''Of corse not! I just came to help on the wedding. I was hoping to leave my visit here as a secret and you're yelling isn't helping!''

''Well you COULD have warned me!'' he yelled as they flew above the clouds to avoid anyone seeing them.

Soarin chuckled. ''But whats the fun of that?''

Brae just rolled his eyes and enjoyed the air pushing against his face. So this is what it felt like to fly? He liked the freedom of it, but he still preferred the ground, where he could use his earth pony magic. He looked up at Soar.

His crazy mane was flying around. It almost looked like it was dancing. His eyes began to glow in the enjoyment of flying. Brae noticed how his friend wasn't ''just flying''. He was doing it with his heart. Soarin's face was so different while he was flying. He didn't look tired or even a little troubled. Quite the opposite. He looked like a flower ready to blossom. A very strong, muscly flower...

Braeburn looked away and felt guilt for thinking of something stupid. He knew better! It was wrong! He couldn't! His mind was filled with hurtful names his father had called him. Daddy was always right! He used to repeat that to himself allot. He still did. Biting his lower lip he felt his eyes go wet again from the pain in his chest.

Damn... Why am ah such a crybaby? he thought to himself as he fought back the tears. He turned his face as far from Soar as he could. He wanted to show no weakness to the strong pegasus. Finally one tear got free from the grasp of his eyelashes just happened to land on the front hoof of the winged pony. The other immediately looked down to the earth pony he was carrying over Ponyville.

''Brae-Brae? You okay? We don't have to fly if you don't wanna...'' he said with obvious discomfort to the idea.

''No! Ah'm fine! Ah actually like the flying''

''Then why are you crying?'' he said with that scary concern yet again.

''Just ignore it. There was dust in my eyes...''

''Brae...''

''Are we close yet?''

The pegasus sighed and to the earth pony's surprise Soarin began to glide down slowly. They landed behind a white house. It was just a dark corner where nopony would ever come. Spitfire and Soarin walked over to the brown back door on the white house.

''Hey, what giv's?''

''Sorry handsome, but the Wonderbolts are forced to enter from the back door. A friend of ours owns this restaurant and helps up not get so much attention on ourselves''

Braeburn was a bit annoyed at the names this pegasus kept calling him, but Spitfire had told him to ignore it so he did. He just followed them to the door as they opened it. The door led to a white kitchen with a couple of cooks making something. They were greeted by a sudden very cheerful and active purple colt who almost jumped on them. Braeburn yelped but Spitfire and Soarin were obviously used to the sudden approach.

''Heya Soar, Spitty! The usual table?''

''You know it Bucky! And we have an extra today, Rapidfire had a stomachache so his missing breakfast''

Suddenly the colt grabbed Braeburn's hoof and shook it violently.

''Heya pal! Call me Bucky and welcome to Bucky's breakfast!'' he almost yell into the earth pony's face in extreme speed. ''And how can I call you newcomer?''

Brae had huge trouble speaking cause the purple earth pony was still shaking his hoof violently. ''A... A... Ah'm Br... Bra...''

Finally Soarin stopped both Bucky's and Braeburn's hooves. ''His Braeburn, his helping me on Spitty's wedding''

Bucky took a good look at Brae and then nodded. ''Yes yes... I approve''

''E.. Excuse me'h?'' mumbled confused Braeburn. Out of nowhere suddenly Bucky pushed Brae to a small corner table while Soar and Spitfire followed.

''I already know what they want, what do you want Brae?'' he again spoke in extreme speed, leaving the ends on the words unsaid.

''Err...''

''He'll just have what I have'' said Soarin.

With that Bucky just dashed off.

''He's an... interestin' fella...''

''Yup... You just gotta love the guy'' Soar replied with a chuckle.

After eating a huge pile of pancakes and sandwiches Brae almost felt sick as he looked at his giant apple pie on the table. He didn't remember when was the last time he had eaten so much. He watched as Soarin slobbered his face in the pie.

''Commo' Blaeblururn... Yo gotte eat yo pieh!'' He mumbled with his muzzle still deep inside the pie.

Braeburn looked at the pie with an unsure look on his face. Spitfire giggled.

''Don't worry, I promise the pie wont bite you if you bite it first''

''It's not that I don't like pie, I'm just full'' he said as he cut himself a small piece. Soarin had just finished licking off any ounce of pie left on his tray. He watched as Braeburn took a bite of the apple pie. His eyes widened when Brae just let out a ''mh'' sound to mean ''Meh, it's okay''. Spitfire giggled when Soarin just stared at Brae with his mouth wide. Brae understood the unsaid ''How can you not adore it?'' question,

''Ah make apple pie almost every week. Tho ah think ah prefer ma'h own recipe...''

''WHAT?'' Soarin almost yelled.

''Uh... Sorry?'' Brae cowered at the unexpected response.

''You make pie?! Omg you gotta make me pie RIGHT NOW!'' He said while grabbing Braeburn and flying out of the back door again. Spitfire rolled her eyes, placed a few bits on the table and left.

Braeburn used his front hoof to hold Soarin from tackling him and slobber his face in the still burning hot apple pie.

''Geez Soar! Ya'll really like pie! But ah can't give it to ya before it's cooled down!''

''But I want PIE!'' he said with puppy-dog eyes.

Brae rolled his eyes. After ten more minutes Brae finally gave the pie a quick dash of powdered sugar and placed it on the table. The pegasus slammed his face in the pie and moaned a few minutes later.

''Thios ihs ABMAZIN!'' he tried to say through the pie.

Brae smiled at the sloppy pegasus enjoying his pie. He sat on another chair by the table and enjoyed the view from Applejack's kitchen window. It was beginning to get dark. He didn't even notice Soar finish his pie and looking at him.

''Um.... buddy?''

Brae was surprised to not receive any kind of mocking nickname.

''Hm?'' said Brae when he looked at the feathered pony. The other had that scary serious face again. He knew exactly what was coming next.

''This seems like a good moment for you to tell me what happened to you in the past... Why did you're dad beat you?''

''It doesn't matter... It's the past''

''From those bruises, I wouldn't call it just the past''

''It's none on yer business!''

''But I just wanna-''

''STOP ASKIN' ME'H!'' He suddenly yelled out. He was surprised at the roughness of his own voice.

Soarin sighed. ''It's getting late... i'll get going''

Brae just nodded and walked the other to the door. They were both shocked to see rain pouring down fast. Soarin stepped outside for a second and tried to fly but then let himself come back down.

''It's too dangerous to fly up to my home in the skies in this weather. The wind is coming from the east and wont let me control my wings correctly plus the rain slows me down''

''Ah guess ah'll ask Applejack if ya'll can stay here for the night'' Brae said after sighing.

Applejack had no problem with Soar staying, but since Brae had the only guest room they had to share. Luckily they found an old extra mattress where Soar could sleep. The night wasn't very calm. The thunder was loud and the rain threw itself on the window. Brae couldn't fall asleep no matter how hard he tried. The thunder reminded him of his father. He shook his head. He wanted to think of anything but Appleloosa.

He turned his head over to where Soarin was sleeping. The other looked so peaceful, not even a little bothered by the rain. His messy dark blue mane was covering parts of his closed eyes that were so bright and green in the day when they were open. Brae just now noticed how soft the others chest seemed. Braeburn blushed at the idea of using the pegasus as a pillow but quickly got rig on the stupid idea. Brae then noticed his muscles. He wondered if maybe the pegasus actually worked harder than he thought with all of this flying. The muscles tightened as he breathed in and loosened up when he breathed out.

Brae looked away for a second but then found his eyes fall back on the blue pony. How could a pony like him be a coltcuddler? He was every mare's dream colt Brae thought to himself. He let his eyes move over to the others flank. He was about to smack himself but then told himself that he just wanted to see the cutiemark. Thats not weird, right?

A lightning bolt. Just like the ones outside, but this one seemed so much... cleaner? It seemed like the extended wings held up the lightning bolt and didn't let it struck down. It seemed to explain his character in the best way possible.

''Nice huh?''

The voice scared the crap out of Brae, as he almost fell off of his bed.

''Wh... wha? ya... ya'll aint sleepin'?''

''Nah don't feel like it... And about this...'' he said as he pointed at his cutiemark. ''This baby I got once as a filly when I was pushed off of a cliff by a storm. I was so young, I didn't even know how to correctly fly yet, but I flapped my winds as hard as I could. Finally I told myself to calm down and Began to control my wings in a slower motion.

That gave the wind enough time to get caught in my feathers and allow me to glide through the air. It was allot more dramatic than it sounds with the rain and thunder around me. I lost control of my flight more than once and finally landed on the ground with a slight hot, but still survived with no extreme damage. I was taken to a hospital by a passer-by and by morning after waking up I noticed my cutiemark'' he finished with a smile.

Brae raised an eyebrow and thought about the story for a bit.

''Ah got ma'h cutiemark when ah was also just a filly. Ma'h legs were still weak and ma'h pa' used to beat me'h even more back then, so ah was always covered in bruises. Ah was the weakest pony in ma'h school. Ma'h small town was at starvin' point, so one day I couldn't take it anymore and ah went to the apple farm with no permission. The ponies at the farm did notice me trying ma'h best to buck the trees with ma'h weak hooves, but instead of stopping me'h they laughed at me'h and left me be.

So ah continued. It soon got dark. Luna's full moon was my only source of light. Out of nowhere ah felt dizziness and finally fainted, but that doesn't mean ah didn't do a good job. In the mornin' the other farm ponies came back and were shocked to see that I had finished the work that a normal stallion farm pony would do in a week. The other ponies found me by a tree and I remember seeing a yellowish pony point at my flank when I was just wakin' up. Ah was happy as a bee with a fresh hive when ah noticed ma'h new cutiemark''

''Thats a great story Brae... but i'm still concerned... Why did you're dad beat you?''

''Ah told ya'll it not yer business!''

''Was it because of a girl?''

Brae's eyes went wide. He really hoped his blush would be hidden by his fur, but he knew it wasn't when he saw the grin on Soar's face. Soar seemed extremely surprised at his following reply:

''Not exacly...''

''Wha?''

Brae looked down. He didn't wanna talk about this, especially with the colt that seemed to have the same problem, but wasn't bothered by it. Brae blushed even more when he thought about what might happen if the blue coltcuddler found out.

Soar didn't leave the hint unnoticed.

''You... You don't mean you're..... No that would be crazy, you would be too perfect for mares to like colts... right?''

Sorin's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open when Brae didn't reply. He just kept his eyes away from the pegasus and sticked on the floor.

''Why didn't you tell me?! I mean, you knew I was... I mean... I heard Spitfire telling you but... I had no idea you were-''

''Ah don't wanna talk 'bout this'' Brae tried to say with a loud manly voiced, but instead it came out more like a sad whisper.

They were silent for a minute. Then that turned into five minutes. Just those five minutes felt like forever. Finally Soarin broke the awkward silence.

''So thats why you're dad...''

''Yea...''

''Brae... I'm sorry...''

''Nah it's 'kay...''

''No really... I shouldn't have bugged you so much'' he said before wrapping his wing around his new friend.

''Ah told ya'll... It's fine''

''But uh... seriously, why didn't ya just tell me you were a coltcuddler?''

''Cause... Ah never wanted to be...''

TO BE CONTINUED...