Strange things have been happening in the little settler town of Appleloosa, and Braeburn has been caught right in the middle. Tremendous earthquakes have rocked the deserts, the buffalo have been acting suspiciously, and a new arrival in town has left Braeburn questioning the life he thought he had.
(Note: This story is incomplete. I need feedback, comments and suggestions on this story, as I hope to someday finish it. Later reveals in the show will likely necessitate changes as this story was begun in August of 2011.)

After years of conflict both Equestria and the Apple family are torn apart. After the failed thestral reforms, the attempted assassination of Princess Luna in Manehattan, and the subsequent civil war Equestria was torn asunder as the nation broke apart into multiple states. Even after the defeat of Nightmare Moon Equestria found no peace as Changeling panzers rolled across the border and war engulfed virtually all of Equus. Now, even after a joint allied victory against Chrysalis tensions in the continent are mounting once again as Equestria seeks to reintegrate all her lost lands.

The fate of the vast Apple clan, that once spread across Equestria, mirrors that of the shattered nation. The family has been split across almost all of the new states, being turned against each other by allegiances, ideologies, and fate. Now that the chain of events that began on that fateful Manehattan morning of 1008 is coming to its final bloody act, the Apple family must decide between family or country or be torn apart forever.

It's been a long while since Applejack and her friends had a real night out, and Braeburn's newly-out cousin visiting town is a perfect excuse to get the girls back together and get rowdy at Ponyville's best (and only) gay/lesbian/non-denominationally-queer watering hole. There's just one problem: Braeburn wants to bring his new boyfriend along too. Also, his new boyfriend is a psychopathic dictator who tried to enslave the Crystal Empire twice and was extremely dead the last time Applejack saw him.

On second thought, that's two problems. Maybe more. Definitely a whole lot more.

My just-in-time entry for the M/M Shipping Contest III that got ever so slightly out of hand. Rated T for sexual themes, lots of booze, a couple of potty words, and Applejack being the disasteriest lesbian in Equestrian history.

A week ago, Appleoosa Station suffered a critical reactor failure that resulted in the station's complete destruction. By absolute miracle, a single tramp freighter piloted by a brave young pegasus escaped the destruction - and carried two hundred of the station's residents to safety in its hold.

Young Scootaloo has been widely celebrated for her bravery, ingenuity and talent in saving so many lives.

Problem is, the version of the story she insists on isn't the same as the official accounts.

Written for the Science Fiction contest.

Proper credit for the inspiration/original form/etc to the legendary Leslie Fish and her work on the nearly-lost filk album Carmen Miranda's Ghost. In particular the song which inspired this fic, Some Kind Of Hero.

Featured 11/30/2021 - 12/3/2021!

Featured in 25 of the Best Fanfics to Read for Cutie Mark Crusader Day on 11/20/2022!

Braeburn was young, gay and confused. Then his extended family from Ponyville came to visit in Appeloosa, and Braeburn finds himself even more confused as he tries to work through his feelings for his cousin Big Macintosh.

An introspective romance story featuring Braeburn and Big MacIntosh, written for the 2023 M/M Shipping Contest. (Oh, hey! Won judge's prize!)

Contains some strong homophobic language.

Feedback is appreciated, as brutal as it needs to be.

This story is a sequel to Shadowbolts Adventures: Sugarcoat's Laboratory

There aren't many good men in Crystal Prep Academy, most of them being as self-centered and prudish as most of the girls. Sour Sweet has been crushing on one of the few good ones, Braeburn, for a while, and she finally decides to go for it. She just has to get past Little Strongheart and he's all hers.

I don't know if I have to keep saying it, but thanks to Bootsy Slickmane for pre-reading and Cover Art.

You know that fan-fiction you typed last week? It's a part of the multiverse. So is the main canon of the show, as well as every single variation of the Equestria we know and love.

In the endless worlds of the multiverse, every possible alternate Equestria is explored.
And every single one of those worlds is in mortal peril.
That's where the Order of Destiny comes in.

Applejack's cousin, Braeburn Apple, writes her a letter for her to come to Appalossa as quickly as possible but it doesn't tell her why. So assuming the worst, she ropes in her friends to come with her as a backup.

When they get there, not only is Braeburn fine, but Soarin is also there too. Why?

A friendly warning: this story is contains M/M shipping, if you don't like either or both of those, you all know where the exit button is.

This is my present to all of you guys before I have to go on vacation with my family. Consider this as a kind of weird Christmas present.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Your grateful storyteller,

-CrackedInkWell.

A special thank you to SecretBrony01 for proofreading this story.

Spoilers in the comments. I encourage them.

Applejack visits her cousin, Braeburn, to discover that he recently achieved something no other stallion can claim to have ever done.

Rated T for alcohol use and mild violence.

Based on a song. Normally, I'd post a link to it here. The title of the song spoils part of the story, so if you want to know what song it is, shoot me a PM.

Pony magic works in funny ways. Unicorns all have magic they can control. Earth ponies and pegasi have innate magic that connects them to the earth and the sky. And then there are more unusual cases. Pinkie Pie's supernatural senses, for example. And then there's Braeburn, who seems to have a rather unusual effect on other stallions...