Heart-Warming Hearth's Warming? (Rusty and Tartan) [Dead]

[Tartan Lassie]

    Hooves sound different on concrete, thought Honey Dust as a yellow and black painted carriage, pulled by two strong stallions arrived in Manehatten. The change in sounds had woken Honey from sleep. It hadn’t been a pleasant awakening as she had fallen asleep against her will, something she hated doing whilst travelling. Already she was missing Ponyville. Back home, hooves made a soft thump on the dirt tracks. It was a sound you could easily ignore if you wished peace and quiet, but you could also hear ponies approaching, if you were listening out. Here in the big city, they made an intruding clattering sound that she had never liked. Even as a filly, she had preferred to go out on to the farmland beyond the city to play. She shook her head. Come on, Honey. You’ve got to have a positive attitude when you enter the town. It’s nearly Hearth’s Warming Eve, after all.

    She knew they couldn’t have much of the journey left, as her parents lived near the edges of Manehatten. She sat up and stretched, jostling a little grey mass with her wing. “Oops, sorry Rusty.” The mare said as she looked over to her little red-maned brother. She wondered if he was looking forward to their holiday in the city. Honey Dust herself had moved out of the town as soon as her parents deemed her old enough. Rusty was younger but had still lived in Manehatten for a shorter time, as he had moved in with her a while later. She knew he had been ill and they’d hoped the fresh air would do him good, but now his sister wondered if there were other reasons for Rusty to have left their home city.

    She tugged the woollen cloak she was wearing tighter around her and shivered. “Luna, it’s cold in the city… Are you ready? Be sure to pack up any books or sweets you had out, we’ll be there soon.” Honey gazed outside the carriage. The streets looked familiar and stirred odd memories deep inside her. There was the sweet shop; she used to spend any bits she had there. She shuddered as she thought of the dental centre that was just a couple of blocks away. Her mother had been right to tell her off for eating all the honey all the time. But Honey was not looking forward to her mother telling her how wrong she had been to let her look after their hobby apiary when she was a filly…

Positive attitude, Honey…

[Rusty]

Rusty fell asleep soon after they left Ponyville. The truth was he had pretty mixed feelings about returning to Manehatten. On one hoof he was looking forward to see his parents again. And he was really looking forward to see some old people. He was even looking foward to see some of his old classmates. On the other hoof he was afraid to return. Mostly because he was pretty much healthy now so there was really no reason for him to return to Ponyville. At least father will see it that way. The problem was, that he really wanted to return to Povyville. He allready had friends there, real friends!
That was the reason, why he was awake most of the night. He was afraid. And now he woke up when Honey accidently stroke him down with her wing, so now he should be more powerfull that she could possibly imagine. Or... maybe not. "Are we there yet?" he asked still yawning. He opened his eyes and looked around. "Oh... I guess we almost are..." he said. He was both excited and terrified. But it was so nice to see all those places he knew. Perhaps it wouldn't be THAT bad to return to Manehatten. After all he lived here most of his short life. But this wasn't something he would like to bother Honey with. So he just smiled at her.

[Tartan Lassie]

(Sorry for the bad picture at the bottom, it was very rushed, and for the wait.) 

    The carriage finally came to a stop and Honey leapt out immediately. Even a pegasus like her, who spent most of her time with her hooves firmly on the ground, needed to stretch her wings after that. She didn't really like being cooped up. She didn't mind long journeys, so long as they could walk around. Another reason why she preferred the train. She unfurled her wings slowly, letting the breeze get to the lower feathers that had been hidden for hours. "Be sure not to open your wings too quickly, Rusty. They'll be a bit stiff." She reminded him gently. She trotted over to the two stallions that had pulled them for the second half of the journey (they had switched halfway through) and thanked them. She thought must be a hard job. One stallion, a unicorn, helpfully levitated their luggage out of the carriage. Honey had barely packed anything. She didn't really need much. She had a dress, (though she deeply suspected her mother would have bought her new ones anyway, despite it being against Honey's wishes.) her toothbrush, her favourite teddy; a cuddly honey-bee called Buzzbay, and a gift of a bottle of exclusive Sweet Apple Acres cider for her parents. A little bag that she could comfortably carry in her mouth.

    "Well, come on." She muttered and picked up the bag. "Lesh go, Rushty." Honey turned towards a long, ornate lane, leading up to rather large house. She sighed and began to walk slowly up it. The mare took a deep breath through her nose and grimaced. She hated sea air. It smelled horrible. But Manehatten was right on the sea, she would have to deal with it. I don't know how the bees ever did... she thought. Looking round at Rusty, she frowned slightly. Her delightful little brother wasn't being his usual chatty self. She wondered if maybe he was having doubts about this trip too... She would speak to him tonight, she decided, when they were alone. But for now-
"Cooee! Honey! Rusty! Hello, my darlings!" cried a shrill voice. Looking back up the lane, Honey saw a mare almost the same colour as her (minus the brown) soaring towards them. It was their mother, Sandstorm. "Hello, mother." Honey called back. She landed in front on the brother and sister, embracing them both in turn with many cries of "My, how you've grown!"

    Honey examined her mother with her eyes. She didn't look much older than she had when Honey had last seen her, but then Honey wasn't surprised. Sandstorm took excellent care of herself. If her daughter had to use one word to describe Sandstorm she would say... sharp. Everything about her mother was sharp. Her mane, her nose, her voice... She was also very thin. Unlike Honey, who was rather cuddly due to her sweet tooth, her mother kept to a very strict diet and was both taller and slimmer than her daughter. She was wearing a pearl necklace that Honey hadn't seen before. Her cutie mark was as clear as ever; two puzzle pieces, symbolising Sandstorm's excellent talent for making connections. She knew everyone that it was important to know. "I thought I'd come down to help you two with your bags! Daddy's still in the house though." She grabbed a bag and lifted off, soaring towards the house. "Come on then, sweeties. We've got so much catching up to do!"

Sandstorm

[Rusty]

As soon as the carriage finally stopped Rusty immediately spread his wings and shoot out from the window. He didn't really like this kind of transportation, he preffered train and he was feeeling very stiff. He flew around the whole carriage and then fianlly landed right next to it.
"Thanks for warning, but did you forgot that I am totally awsome?" he asked, smiling. The truth was, that his wings aches so much, that he was forced to land quickly. Well he should be listening to his big sister at least once every now and then. The pain was slowly fading, so he spread his wings again and landed on the roof of the carriage. "Yeah! Thanks for the ride!" he said, jumped from the roof and picked his bag. It was very small and quite light. It was just a precaution. He left most of his things in Ponyville, even his toothbrush because now he had more reasons to get back there.
He obediently trotted behind Honey. He spent most of his life here so he didn't really mind the change of climate. He was never gone for such a long time though. He quickly began to feel some changes. First of all the air seems... heavier somehow. Even the sun seemed to shine differently here. He looked at his sister, but even she looked different. Perhaps it was strange for her to be here again? Well before he could say anything he heard a familiar voice. "MOM!" he yelled. He really missed her a lot. It was strange, but now, where they share a hug he finally realized, how much he was actually missing her. He turned to Honey, still smiling and it was the most pure smile ever. All his problems were forgotten for now. He followed their mother. "Why isn't father here?" he asked a quite rhetorical question. "Let me guess, he is working or doing something work related..." he said with slight dissapointment in his voice

[Tartan Lassie]

(Sorry for the short post. It's all I had time for.)

    As they walked together up the road, Sandstorm was chattering about trivial matters; Rusty's growth, the new way Honey was wearing her mane etc, when Rusty innocently but knowingly asked where their father was. Honey cleared her throat awkwardly and glanced at Sandstorm, but didn't give her an escape from this question.

    "Ahem, yes well... Your father has been rather busy lately" Sandstorm began and Honey had to refrain from snorting at "lately." He was always busy. "But he is in the house, don't worry. He's waiting for us." She added, her voice overly-cheery. She picked up the pace a little breaking into a trot and Honey turned to Rusty, rolling her eyes. She nodded up the road and kept walking.

    As their mother chattered and Honey agreed whenever she drew breath, Honey and Rusty's childhood home loomed up in front of them. It was large, ornate with huge grounds. The grass stretched on as far as the eye could see. Honey could honestly say she was pleased to see it again. Despite whatever disagreements she might have had here, it was the place she had called home for fifteen years. She could see a bare patch of land where a few hives used to stand and frowned a little. But then, what else had she expected? As they drew closer, the door opened and a stallion stepped out to greet them. "Hi, Dad!"

[Rusty]

Yeah. Dad was always working, that was nothing new. Rusty thought, that when both of his children return home he will find some time to came and greet them, but the truth was he probably HAD a lot of work, altough he was doing it willingly. But mother saw very happy and it was really nice to see her too. She was interested by everything new. Rusty didn't tell much quite yet.
Altough it wasn't so long since he was here, he was glad to see his home again. Or was it home now? He spent quite short time in Ponyville with Honey Dust, but he felt like he was home there... it was complicated, to say the least. It was long time since he was really happy here. Of course he loved his parents and they loved him, but father was working all the time and mother? Well it wasn't the same since Honey moved away from here. It was nice to be here together again. "Hey sis! Remember this tree? It's the very first tree I was ever able to fly on!" he said really cheery. After all those were some cool memories. But before he said anything else the door opened and their father was standing in them... (and yeah, he have curie mark, I was just lazy to photoshop it there, sorry)

"Hey day!" Rusty yelled as soon as he saw him and jumper forward, landing on suprised stallion and hugged him.
Maybe it was just a game of shadows, but it almost looked like the old stallion smiled for a second. "Welcome home, kids" he said and step backwards, so they can get inside.

[Tartan Lassie]

    As Honey trotted behind her mother, she smiled nostalgically. Despite all her fears and doubts about coming here for Hearth's Warming, it was great to see her mother again, chatting away happily. Rusty too, seemed pleased to be back. Honey smiled warmly at her father. He was standing just inside the hall, hugging Rusty who had reached him first. As she approached him, she examined his face. He seemed older. His face was more wrinkled and his mane very grey. "Hello, Dad." Honey said and embraced him herself. Both her parents wore glasses and it was just lucky that Rusty didn't. Silver Spikes looked more like Honey than Rusty. He was skewbald like she was but his markings were less obvious. Rusty seemed to have gained his red mane from his mother, and Honey got her mane from her father. The only thing not clear was where her little brother's metal-coloured coat came from.

    As she pulled away from him, Sandstorm shrill voice chimed back in. "I'll take your bags up to your old rooms. Just go through to the lounge with your father, sweeties." As she took the bags, she gave Silver a look that clearly said "No, you can't go back to work, your children are here now. You have to be sociable." He did indeed follow them into a large and cushiony living room. Honey led the way. She didn't like this living room as much as her own. It was enormous and all the chairs, while soft and luxurious, were all one seaters and quite far away from each other, giving it a distant and unfriendly feeling. When Rusty and Honey had been little, they had squeezed onto one together, and the mare smiled at the memory. As she sat down in one of the armchairs, she spoke to her father. "So, Dad. What's been happening? Have you been very busy?"

[Rusty]

Silver Spikes just nod his head to show he understand that. After all, their children arrived home to spent some time together and the work can be done later. And, as much as it was hard for him to admit it, he missed them both.
"Well, the usuall, mostly. You know how work can be." he said. That pretty much meant, that he is working most of his time.
"But I am more interested about your work, how are you doing?" he asked, and it even sounded like genuine interest.
It was long time he got any new messages from Honey Dust directly and even though Rusty sent him few letters it was mostly his experience in new town, and what good time he got with his older sister.

Rusty could not sit for a while so he run from the room, looking for his mtleother.
"You know I could take my bags myself. I was training! And now I am much stronger than when I left!" he told her
He was really happy to be here...

When Rusty left Siver looked at his daugter.
"Well, what about that little Rascal? Did he behave? I hope he wasn't much trable." he said.

[Tartan Lassie]

((Clever ^^ Also, sorry for the wait!)) 

    Honey smiled as her father asked how her own work was going. He had always been far more accepting of her choice of career, unlike her mother. He generally chose not to say anything about it and just let her do what she thought best. She was grateful to him for that. “Oh, it’s just great. Sales in Ponyville are booming. I’m hoping to own my own apiary soon. Right now I rent part of one from a kind pony called Honey Oats.” She grinned “The bees are much slower at this time of year, and there’s less of them. Too cold, you know. But they don’t hibernate, they keep on working.”


    She noticed Rusty seemed fidgety and didn’t want to sit still. It was just like him. He ran from the room, before Honey had even finished, helping carry the bags. Honey didn’t mind, he always listened to her at home so he’d heard most of this before. On the stairs, Sandstorm was heaving one of the bags -Honey’s- up the stairs. She was pleased to see Rusty coming to help and stamped enthusiastically as he flew his own bag up to the landing. “Very impressive, sweetie!” she called “I can see you've been working hard. Your wing-power must’ve doubled!” She laughed as she reached the top of the stairs with Honey’s bag and added “And you’re looking so well. The country air must’ve done you the world of good!”


    Back in the living room, Silver asked about Rusty behaviour. “Oh, Dad! He’s been absolutely wonderful” Honey gushed “Life is so much better having him around. I get to meet him out of school, and take him to Sugarcube Corner (that’s a bakery by the way) and he’s always showing me new tricks and it’s just great to have company in the evenings.” She grinned wider. “He’s been anything but trouble. He has had a few accidents but he’s surprisingly resistant to injury. He's always keen to help, and we spent Nightmare Night together, and that was awesome!” Honey was trying to keep the thought out of her mind, but surely Rusty would be coming back with her… Her cottage was his home now… right?

[Rusty]

((Speaking about late... I am really sorry for this...))

Father just listened to what you were saying to him. He was mostly just nodding, but that was sign that he was listening. He was still not thrilled, about his daughter's choice of job, but he came to term with it. After all she was independent and it was her dream job. "Well I am glad that you are doing well. After all one must do something, and when that something is actually your favourite it is a gift..." he said.

Rusty grinned at his mother. "Yeah! I am flying as much as I am able lately. I even fly to school. And I couldn't even reach my room without flying. But I am carefull don't you worry! I didn't broke anything. " he said and helped his mother with the other bag. "Yeah I fell awsome! Well... mostly. This one time I was out when it started to rain... but sis made me some hot tea and I was on my hoof the next day." he said and smiled. "It is great living with sis. I have frieds there and we have awsome teacher too! I missed you though..." he added.

Silver Spikes smiled. "Really? Are we speaking of the same little rascal? It is hard to believe. I am happy, that you two are coming together so nicely. But I suspect that now, when he is healthy he will move back to Manehatten, after all you have planety of your own work, you don't need distractions, do you?" he said. He said it with nice tone, after all Rusty was home here

[Tartan Lassie]

    Sandstorm smiled warmly back at her young son. It seemed to him that he had grown up so much during his time away. He hadn't even been gone that long, but she felt he was growing up so fast. "Honey lets you fly everywhere, does she?" She asked playful "Well, you'd better be telling the truth about not breaking anything. What about Honey herself? Still not doing much flying, huh?"

    As Sandstorm carried their bags into each of her children's respective rooms, she looked fondly at them. They hadn't really changed much since her foals left, since they couldn't really take too much with them. Aside from occasionally using them as storage facilities, she didn't tend to go into them often. She dropped Honey's bag in her room and looked around it. The bee theme in it was almost too many yellow and black striped for one pony to take. "I really let her go too far with the bee thing." Sandstorm grumbled before turning to go into Rusty's room.


    Downstairs Honey was smiling brightly as she and her father joked about Rusty's recklessness. However, very suddenly, Honey's smile vanished from her face and she stared at her father. She hadn't been expecting this at all. Rusty coming back to Manehatten? But... but he lives with me! Honey thought angrily His home is Ponyville. He had friends and is enrolled in school. You can't... You can't take him away from all that! But then she paused to consider. Was she saying this because it was best for Rusty, or because it was what she wanted. Did Rusty want to come home and live with his parents? She didn't want to see him unhappy.

    "Is that... Is that really the plan? Rusty's going to leave Ponyville, so soon?" She said, gulping back emotion. What she really meant, though, was don't take him away from me.

[Rusty]

Rusty thought for a minute. He didn't want to make Honey look bad for allowing him for flying everywhere. "Well... like I said. I couldn't even reach my own room without flying, but I am really careful. Don't worry mum, I won't brake anything here." he said and winked at his mother. Mother was also interested in Honey's flying abilities. "You would be suprised mum. I mean yeah, she is no Wonderbolt, nor she want to be, but lately she is flying more than ever. I guess she does that because she knows I love flying and she wouldn't be able to watch over me while walking, but she is actually better than I thought." he said. Rusty couldn't help it - he just found walking boring, slow and really inefficient. They left Honey's bag in her room, that was totally bee-oriented. Rusty liked it, it was nice, but it also made him a little uneasy. His fear of bees was still present, even when those bees were just on walls, pillows and so on. But then they stopped at his old room. Rusty just smiled and jumped on his bed. Suddently, he realized, how much he missed his room. It was nothing glorious, but it was his own. His bad even had the very same sheets like when he lefts, only fresh and clean. Those he was sleeping in back in Ponyville were ok, but let's face it, those one had swords on them! He quickly looked over his room. Everything was where it should be. Posters of his favourite fantasy characters, his plastic sword hanging on the wall, his Daring Do book on the shelf and even newest Wonderbolts poster on the wall. His prized collection of action figures was standing proudly next to the books. It was nice... but suddently all those hours reading or playing on his own felt kinda boring compared to playing with Cobble and Mira, or flying outside with Silversky. He jumped on his hoofs and smiled in attempt to hide his weird feelings. "We shouldn't keep dad and Honey waiting." he said.

Silver was little puzzled. He didn't expect his daughter to react this way. "Well... it is not carved in stone, but I thought it would be better this way. After all looking after him must take a lot of your time. And I suspect you have a lot of your own work. " he said. Plus, he didn't say it, but he thought of Ponyville as some small and rather unimportant settlement. He accepted hiw daughter's decision of live there, but he wasn't sure about his son staying there too. "Well... I know Rusty is excited about living with you... so lets drop this subject for now... I am sure we'll work this out later" he said

[Tartan Lassie]

    Sandstorm watched happily as her son bounded around his old room. It seemed like just yesterday he had been playing in there on his own. She did miss him very much and it she felt that he had grown up hugely in the short time he’d been away. He seemed to be examining everything and had a big smile on his face. Sandstorm was afraid to admit it to herself, but he also appeared to be happier. However, his expression seemed to dampen a little after a moment. Before she could ask him if he was alright, he had leapt off of his bed and scampered back towards the stairs. He was excited to get back to catching up with his family and so was Sandstorm. She began to head downstairs to meet her husband and daughter.


    Honey went to open her mouth to argue with her father but closed again upon his suggestion. He suggested that they sort it out later. She nodded in a resigned manner and gave Silver a weak smile. “It is Hearth’s Warming Eve, after all.” She said, and began to think vaguely about the presents she had hidden in her travel bag. One for her mum, one for her dad and, of course, one for Rusty.


    Just then, Sandstorm re-entered the room. “That it is, Honey!” She chimed in cheerfully “And I have been working hard all day to prepare for our Hearth’s Warming Eve dinner!” Honey did cheer up a little at this. Sandstorm was an excellent cook and Honey had a big appetite. Sandstorm trotted back towards the kitchen. “It’s not done yet, but I hope you’re all hungry.” She poked her head back in and raised her eyebrows at Rusty in mock severity. “No snacking, young stallion!” Then she winked and vanished back into the sweet-smelling kitchen. Honey grinned over at her brother.

[Rusty]

There were several items, that Rusty was going to pack a bring back to his room in Ponyville. When he first left he didn't take that much stuff with him, mostly because he was going alone and he was not strong enough to carry all that. That was no longer the case. But there will be time for everything, and this was not the priority right now. With his mother he went back down the stairs to the rest of the family. It was Hearth's Warming Eve after all! The time of the year when family should be together and it surely was nice, to be back together after all this time. Rusty wandered, it Honey would come to celebrate if he wasn't in Ponyville with her. He hoped she would but there was no way to be sure.
"We are baaaack!" he announced the very obvious fact. Honey and their father were talking and Rusty could just guess what they were talking about. Probably Honey's job, since dad took working very seriously all the time. But then mother was talking about dinner. Rusty loved her cooking. Not that Honey wasn't good in that, but everypony knew there was nothing like mother's meals. "Oh c'mon mum! You know me better than that. Of course I won't eat anything 'till dinner. Anything big anyway" he said and looked at his mother with very innocent look.
"Well, I guess that some things will never change" said Silver and give his son a very strict look. But even he was looking forward to eating and he, of course, had some nice presents for everypony

[Tartan Lassie]

    Honey smiled at Rusty as he joked with his mother. He’s such a cheeky little colt, she thought. There were delicious smells wafting from the kitchen already, but Sandstorm had said it wouldn’t be ready for a while. Honey smiled and started up a conversation again. “Hey, Rusty! Why don’t you tell Dad what Ponyville School is like? You can tell him about the teacher and all the friends you have there.” Honey loved hearing her little brother speak about school. He always got very enthusiastic and sounded happy. She was secretly glad that her mother was in the kitchen cooking because she had a very nasty habit of asking Honey whether she’d “found a nice stallion yet” and that sort of thing. Honey worked a lot and would be ashamed that the only ponies she spent any time with were all foals. She had met a couple of mare before but she wasn’t sure if any of them would consider her a friend. As for stallions… The only stallion she’d spent a considerable length of time with was Midnight Mocha and she had since been too shy to seek him out again.


    She pondered all this as Silver listened to Rusty’s stories. It was nice to be spending time with her family at this time of year. It made her feel like she was a filly again. Suddenly she had an idea! They would need to pass the time before dinner and she didn’t want to risk the conversation getting awkward or boring. Rusty was just a foal, after all and she didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable in this all-adult environment.


    “Oooh!” The honeyed mare giggled ominously and leapt out of her chair. She trotted to the stairs, skidding round the banister and galloped up, shouting over her shoulder “I’ve got an idea!” A few moments later, a pile of pillows rolled down the stairs, apparently of their own accord. "Hold on!" Then Honey re-appeared at the top of the stairs with Rusty’s sword duvet and a brown blanket from her own room. She was pulling them along in her mouth and took only managed two steps down before toppling over them and tumbling helplessly down to the ground. The pile of linen at the foot of the stairs wriggled for a few moments before a mess of black mane emerged and the bundle said “Wanna build a fort, little brother?”