Needle in a Haystack

by Drifter

Rating: everyone
Tags: Romance, Braeburn, Pinkie Pie, Slice of Life, Crossover, Wonderbolts, Applejack, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash
Length: 1706

What if you were all alone, searching for somepony to love. Searching for that needle in a haystack.

It's hearts and hooves day, and Braeburn is still left without a special somepony. He keeps looking and looking, but can't find any other colts-at least ones that would be interested in him. It seems like searching for a needle in a haystack, and it's going to be another hearts and hooves day alone. But maybe he's searching in the wrong places. Maybe his needle isn't on the ground, but above his head, in the sky.

Published 2012-08-03 11:54:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-08-03 11:54:01 UTC

The Air Show

Braeburn lied under his sheets, starring up at the wooden ceiling above his head. Currently, he was staying at his cousin's farm in Ponyville for vacation. He wasn't out of bed yet, even though the sun was already high in the sky, shinning on the town of Ponyville. On a normal day he would've already been outside, had breakfast, and been out bucking apple trees or some other job to occupy his time. But today wasn't normal. Today was Hearts and Hooves Day, a day where mare's got to hang out with their boyfriends, where couples walked around town doing lovey dovey things. Having fun. Braeburn hated it. He knew it was silly, but he felt so jealous. He would be walking around, doing chores, and spot two ponies holding hooves, or laughing, or kissing. He would always feel a bit... lonely. But he was way too shy and scared to ask out anypony, especially since nopony knew that he was into colts. Asking one out would make everypony find out, and he was way too afraid to see how his family would react. He sighed and pulled his head under his blanket. Why does life have to be so complicated? T'aint fare... he thought to himself miserably.
"Braeburn!" a familiar mare's voice called his name. The colt stuck his head further into the sheet, turning him into just one big lump under the blanket.
"Braeburn, what the hay are you doin?" his cousin asked in a slightly annoyed tone.
"Uh, nothin, cuz." he poked his head out of the blanket.
"Listen, Brae, we all know you don't like Hearts and Hooves Day, but you can't lay in bed all day, mopin around and what not." Applejack said, then yanked his blanket off.
"Aw." Braeburn groaned, then stuck his head under his pillow. Applejack rolled her eyes and grabbed her cousin's tale, pulling him off the bed.
"Me, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie are goin to see the Wonder Bolt's air show. Yer commin."
"But I don't want ta!" Braeburn protested.
"I aint askin."
"I don't like the Wonder Bolts!"
"You've never seen them before!"
"So? It's just a bunch of ponies flying around in fancy suits!"
"Eat your breakfast, then we're going." Applejack said, putting her hoof down. Braeburn sighed. He wasn't going to win the argument, so he went to eat breakfast. At least he wouldn't be hungry. Applejack sighed and shook her head. Why did that colt hate Hearts and Hooves Day so much?

"Hey Applejack! Hey Braeburn!" Pinkie Pie shouted energetically when she saw her two friends. The stadium was fully packed, with hundreds and hundreds of ponies, waiting to watch the Wonder Bolts preform.
"Hey everypony." Applejack said, getting into her seat next to Pinkie Pie. Braeburn took his seat next to his cousin.
"Oh my gosh, Applejack, you'll never believe this!" Rainbow Dash cried out.
"What won't I believe?"
"I got us back. Stage. Passes. Isn't that AWESOME!" Rainbow Dash said, showing her friend the red plastic passes. She was obviously VERY excited-well, of course she was, the Wonder bolts were her idols.
"That's very cool, Rainbow Dash. How did you get them?"
"Twilight managed to upgrade our tickets. Aparantly she knew someone in Canterlot." Applejack nodded. Then suddenly, a speaker came on somewhere in the stadium.

Everypony please take your seats, the Wonder Bolts will begin in five minutes.

Rainbow Dash giggled like a schoolgirl.

"Hey, what's wrong, Braeburn?" Pinkie Pie asked, noticing that her friend from Appleoosa was feeling down.
"Eh, it's nothing Pinkie." Braeburn said.
Applejack rolled her eyes, "That colt just doesn't like Heart's and Hooves Day."
"Why?"
"Ah don't know. He won't tell anypony." Applejack said.
"I can speak for myself, Applejack." Braeburn said, annoyed.
"But why don't you like it, Braeburn? Hearts and Hooves Day is so much fun! They have all that candy and heart shapped balloons, and everypony get to be with each other and have fun together and-"
"Pinkie, please, just stop." Braeburn said. There were already so many couples around, so much love around, it made him feel alone. Once he even spotted two colts and that just made him feel worse-somepony else could do it, yet he couldn't. Pinkie Pie looked at him suspiciously, probably already trying to find out why he wasn't so happy. Braeburn looked at the ground.

Suddenly, music started to play. It was quiet at first, then slowly increased its volume-it sounded like a mix between rock and techno. About a couple minutes into the song, the speakers in the stadium came on again.

3
2
1
go

The Wonder Bolts shot out of an enterance in the stadium, causing cheers and applause. They seemed to be going very fast, but also controlled. With speed and agility, one by one, each Wonder Bolt shot up into the air. Sometimes they would leave trails of smoke in the sky, some in the shape of hearts, others in the shape of stars. They did spins, twists and turns, loop-de-loops, twirls, and many other stunts. Braeburn understood now, why Rainbow Dash looked up to them so much. He was kind of glad that his cousin had pulled him out of the house now. This was at least a little better then laying in bed all day, thinking about how lonely he was.

About half an hour later, the show was coming to a close. It was the grand finale, where all six Wonder Bolts flew up into the air in perfect unison, before dive bombing to the ground, and pulling up the last second to fly into the air once again. Then they all separated to where each one made a ring, one smaller then the one in front, then they all flew through the rings of smoke, not even touching the edges. After that, the Wonder Bolts dropped to the ground, had a bow, and retreated back to inside the stadium. Soon, the crowds began to die out.

"OH MY GOSH! THAT WAS SO AWESOME! And did you see them do those twirls, and then pull up right before they hit the ground, that takes power!" Rainbow Dash energetically babbled on and on about how cool she thought it was
"Um, sorry for being such a downer earlier, cuz," Braeburn apologized to Applejack, "I guess I just wasn't paying attention to how nice things really are."
Applejack smiled and rubbed Braeburn's mane with her hoof, "It's fine. Y'all have always never liked Hearts and Hooves day. Just tell me-though-why?"
Braeburn blushed, and as he was about to open his mouth the come up with an excuse, Pinkie Pie saved him, "Hey, guys, don't be have back stage passes?" Rainbow Dash nearly jumped up and down in anticipation, while Pinkie gave everypony laminated card to wear around their necks. Then, they all head over towards the entrance.

"Hey, Rainbow Dash right?"
The small group of friends had been taken through the now-empty field into a locker room by a security guard. Inside, the Wonder Bolts were changing, taking off their blue suits and showering off. Spitfire was sitting on a bench, facing the other ponies on the bench opposite of her.
"Yeah." Rainbow Dash said, attempting to 'play it cool.'
"And who're you guys?" she gestured towards the earth ponies.
"I'm Applejack."
"I'm Pinkie Pie!"
"Braeburn."
The three each introduced themselves.
"Cool," Spitfire said, "How did you all like the show?"
"You guys did so awesome!" Rainbow Dash said.
"It was like dancing in the sky!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.
"Y'all were doin mighty fine! Must be very strong to do it." Applejack praised.
"I think-" Braeburn began, but stopped mid sentence. A light blue pegasus approached them-one Braeburn reconized from the show. The stallion's dark blue mane was pressed flat against his skin, obviously wet. It seemed that he had just taken a shower, and was drying off with a white towel.
"Hey Soarin." Spitfire said, then patted the seat next to her, "Join us on this little chat, why don't you?"
"Sure." the Wonder Bolt took a seat.
"I think, that, uhm, uh, that you guys did good..." Braeburn blushed fiercly. Soarin was really handsome-it was distracting. Braeburn knew the instant he saw the other stallion that he liked him. A lot. Luckily his friends put it off as being nervous to meet somepony famous
Soarin laughed a nice, good, whole hearted laugh, "Thanks. What's your name?"
"B-Braeburn."
"Well, B-Braeburn," Soarin grinned, "Nice to meet you." They shook hooves.

Five minutes, later the small group of ponies got in a conversation about flying.
"The suits really help, they make the wind less hard on your body, they're kind of warm, and it almost feels like you're wearing nothing at all." Spitfire told them.
"Uh, scuse me, but where can I get some water? I'm parched." Braeburn asked.
"Uh, here, Soarin, go show Brae where the water bottles are." the Wonder Bolts captain said.
"OK, c'mon." Soarin pulled Brae up from his seat and they each trotted away. Soon-at the edge of the locker room-Braeburn spotted a big box filled with water bottles. He took one and began to drink.
"We have a lot of them," Soarin explained, "Because doing shows is tiring, and makes you real thirsty."
"Ah understand." Braeburn said, putting his bottle down when it was about 1/3 full. He began to walk back to the others when Soarin held him back.
"Not so fast, pretty-boy. I saw you eyeing me earlier. True or not?"
Braeburn felt his face go red hot, "Uhm, not true! I don't like colts!"
"Never asked you if you did," Soarin gave a sly smile, "it's Hearts and Hooves Day. You came to see a show with three mares, none of which you seem to be remotely interested in. Why?"
"B-Because my cuz made me."
"Why?"
"Because I hate this holiday."
"Why?"
"I-I just do!"
"Why?"
Braeburn began to get a bit angry, "It doesn't matter!"
"Why?"
"WOULD YA STOP SAYING WHY!?"
"Why?"
Braeburn glared at his crush angrily, "It's because I like colts and not mares, that why!" Then he covered his mouth, shocked at the words that came out of his mouth. Oh no...