• Published 21st May 2018
  • 4,537 Views, 187 Comments

Rust In The Breeze - Twisted Brew



After so many years of running with no destination in mind, this wayward human decides that its time to go home; To Ponyville!

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Chapter 2

The best thing about small towns is their consistency. No matter how much time has passed, they never seem to change too dramatically. To some this may seem boring, but to others this is a godsend. It keeps things easy and simple, never having to adapt all the time just to keep up with everyone else. A few minor details may have been altered here and there. But, for the most part, it still remains nearly identical to a memory. This would be a lot more pleasant if there weren't so many bad memories to outweigh the good ones.

How does one simply simply overlook the past in hopes to create a better future? Is this weight destined to hang over that person forever, or will the pain pass? Would 'Sorry' be enough to make up for it all? These questions and many more were what was now rattling around in the wayward human's mind.

Rusty sat at the very edge of the Everfree Forest, his back resting comfortably on a tree as he looked out at the town he had abandoned just beyond the all-too-familiar cottage. Having only woken up a few minutes ago, his energy was low and the trip wasn't looking at all appealing. Not to mention that he hadn't really come up with a plan on how to reintroduce himself to everypony, having made quite the bold decision to do so in the heat of the moment. Still, he had good intentions and the reasoning behind it was admirable. At least, that's how he preferred to look at it.

There would be questions, disbelief, and probably a lot of resentment. Not that he didn't deserve it. 'The sins of the fathers shall be visited upon the sons', as they say. This was little different from those biblical stories. But, for the most part, its meaning was not lost to this situation. At least, that's what he thought. Though he preferred not look to look back on his previous life with any sort of fondness, there were a few things he held onto; A certain phrase, for example. 'Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.'

And that's exactly what Rusty is doing as he looks out at the town, mentally preparing himself for the worst possible outcome as he scoops chunks of potato soup into his mouth from a crudely, cut-open can sitting in his lap. Finishing his meal with as much grace as a dirty, hobo can, he wipes the excess juices from his face and places the empty tin in his bag. It would make a decent mug in the future should things not go over so well.

Letting out a sigh, Rusty climbs to his feet and stretches his arms out. His limbs pop haphazardly, following no real pattern. This helps to wake him up a bit as he grabs the bag and throws it over his shoulder, fastening it to his torso before pulling his hood up. His sights move from Ponyville to the cottage not too far from his current spot. Figuring it was as good a place to start as any, he starts walking.

Better than waking up next to Dash's house...

Rusty couldn't entirely ignore that thought as he went over how he was going to execute this rather poorly produced plan of his. Out of all of the ponies he's wronged in the past, she was the one to fear. Though loyal to her friends, she wasn't the kindest to enemies; And at this point, he had no idea where he stood in her eyes. He hopes that she's calmed down over the years, hopefully met a nice stallion- or mare, she seems like the type- and started a decent life. He doesn't blame her for how things happened in the slightest. She didn't exactly contribute much positive reinforcement, but a lot of her anger came from the things he did even knowing her temper. That being said; He hopes nothing but the best for her.

I hope she chokes on a railroad spike!

"Really?" Rusty asked with a hint of disbelief. "That's the best you've got?" He was mostly just muttering to himself, preferring to ignore the voice rather than acknowledge it, but the little voice was all too observant.

Oh, so NOW you're talking to me again?

In all reality, Rusty did acknowledge what the voice would say, but would not give it the time of day. However, this one caught him a little off guard. "Just saying that you could have come up with something a bit craftier." He went on to say, seeing how he did technically make a response. "After all, she is a pegasus. You could have said something that pertains to flight or...something."

I've spent the last few years being ignored and taking in the complex layout of a fucking train! What the hell else am I supposed to jump to? This is almost all I know now!

"Maybe if you weren't so dense, you'd have learned more on our little journey." Rusty shot back, being genuinely annoyed with the level of ignorance that part of him still had. Had he really learned nothing throughout all of this? It almost made him feel less of himself. If just that part of him had made so little progress, then how much more of him remained blinded by it's own arrogance.

Just for that; I'm gonna keep making train jokes.

Narrowing his eyes, Rusty came to the conclusion that he had indeed learned next to nothing. "Seriously?"

Choo, Choo, motherfucker.

Rusty went back to ignoring the voice, wondering why he even bothered to try talking to it again in the first place. Over the years, he's learned how to cope with a lot. But, that one little thing lodged in his brain just had a way of crawling under his skin. If it were anypony else talking to him like that, he could overlook it and be fine. That voice though; Nerves were struck over the simplest of insults. But, he would just grit his teeth and go about his day.

There was probably a lot of psychology that went into how easily he was provoked by the voice, over everything else, but he wasn't willing to jump down that rabbit hole quite yet. Right now, he had a mission. It's not necessarily dangerous, but not a lot of good is being predicted at the moment either. Still, he stayed strong and powered through his doubts. He had already come this far, he wasn't going to back down now.

The more Rusty thought about his past, the more it tormented him. This was something he had to do. He had to make things right. Even if he couldn't, the least he could do was apologize before leaving again so they could get on with their lives without him there to screw things up.

With the cottage no more than a few yards away, anxiety started to rise, making the approach much more difficult than it should have been. More doubts began to surface; More thoughts that threatened to drive him away. He started to tremble just from seeing the familiar home of someone he used to know.

That poor mare will probably have a heart attack just looking at you.

This was something that Rusty had yet to consider. Of all of his old friends, Fluttershy was the kindest and the most understanding, but she was also the most fragile in most circumstances. Perhaps making her the first to see him again after all of this time wasn't such a good idea. Deep down he knew that this was just a pathetic excuse to buy himself more time, but he couldn't seem to work up the nerve to go any further.

Keeping his pace, he steered clear of the cottage and went straight for town after making sure his hood was pulled as far over his face as possible without rendering him completely blind.

Now the question arises...who's gonna be the lucky victim?

Rusty had no choice but to think this over as he began his detour to Ponyville, passing by very few ponies in the process. It goes without saying that they avoided him. Imagining himself in their eyes, seeing him with a large hood covering his face and his hands in his pockets- topped off with the old sack hanging off of his back-, he probably looked like he was about to rob a bank. Not exactly the best way to go about telling the world, 'Hey, I'm alive' but what other option did he have. The ponies he saw he instantly recognized. He lived in this town for nearly a year and although he didn't associate with many, he still knew their faces. And his face wasn't one you could miss, especially in this town.

Cycling through all of his potential candidates in his head, he started to mentally list the best possible outcomes and sort them out accordingly. This introduction would have to be slow. He didn't want to cause a scene and have ponies judging him immediately without getting to know him.

That being said, Pinkie Pie is being kicked right down to the bottom of the list. Fluttershy isn't an option; She's the kind of mare that needs time to prepare before doing something bold. Seeing him right off the bat might break her. He wasn't sure how Twilight or Applejack would react, especially Applejack...


Azure looked over the outfit Rarity had prepared for her in the privacy of a dressing room. It was small, not enough for her to feel cramped though, with one large mirror against the wall. The dress fit her perfectly, molding to her body like a second layer of fur, but it was a little too flashy for her tastes. Stripping down she got back into her signature clothing, a pair of jean shorts and a black tank top, before stepping out with the dress neatly folded in her arms.

As she exited the changing room, she spotted Rarity standing by the door, waving. Probably to one of her customers. She was wearing something rather casual, compared to the rest of her wardrobe, which consisted of a ruffle, white blouse and black leggings. "Thank you, sir! Come again!"

Closing the door, Rarity moved to a nearby table and took a seat while she finally had a moment to breathe. Today had started off fairly busy, but now the shop was empty and she has some time to relax. Azure joined her, taking a seat in the chair furthest from the door.

Noticing the filly as soon as she came over, Rarity straightened her posture and looked over to her. "So, what did you think?" She asked with a proud smile, clearly pleased with her own work.

Azure thought about how to answer without it sounding too rude. "It's...it's nice..." Was all she managed to say, a nervous smile adorning her muzzle.

Rarity let out a huff; This wasn't her first rodeo after all. "You hate it, don't you?"

"I never said that!" Azure all but yelled out defensively, doing her best not to hurt the unicorn's feelings. "I like it...I just think it might, maybe, possibly be...just the littlest bit too...sparkly." She could see the disappointment in the mare's eyes. "B-but, I'm sure that there's a filly out there who will love it!"

Rarity shot Azure a grin, holding back a small laugh. "Don't worry about it darling." She said, waving a dismissive hand. "I'm only giving you a hard time."

Azure's eyes narrowed before she threw the dress at her, earning a laugh from the older pony. Leaning back in her chair, she looked over the workshop she's become so familiar with. Having spent a lot of her free time here, she knew this place inside and out. From time to time she would even help out whenever she had nothing else to do.

Staying at Rarity's was a sweet little escape from her own home. She was like a second mother to the filly. It wasn't that she hated her actual mother or anything. In fact, she loved her with all she had. She just didn't like watching her spiral in and out of the same vicious cycle she seems to have accepted into her life.

A lot of the time she was at home, Azure found herself taking care of the hungover mare passed out on the couch. Her mother has been like this for as long as she can remember. Aside from that, nothing bad ever really happened. Dash never hit her, yelled at her, or even scolded her for anything. She would just come home from work, start drinking, then fall asleep. Sometimes in a few hilarious positions.

It wasn't hard for Azure to see that her mom was hurting on the inside. If she only knew how to help make that pain go away, she would. At the time though, her routine simply consisted of doing whatever she could to pass the time, then going home at night to help her mother to bed.

"Azure?" Azure was pulled from her thoughts as she looked over to Rarity, who was wearing a concerned expression on her face. "Is everything alright?"

"Y-yeah, everything's fine." Azure answered, shooting the mare a smile in hopes that it would help ease her nerves. "I guess I zoned out for a bit."

Rarity relaxed into her seat, using her magic to fold the dress the filly had thrown at her. "Sometimes, I swear I'm looking right at him..."

Azure blinked a few times at this. "You mean my dad, right?"

Rarity nodded, "Yes, darling..."

The room fell silent at the mention of Azure's late father. Awkwardness started to dominate the air between them. Normally Rarity would do her best to avoid conversations about her departed friend, but it was hard with Azure around. She saw so much of him in her. She had his eyes, his hair, and- from time to time- his attitude. It was like Ryan had been turned into a filly and finally settled down a bit.

Not knowing what else to do, or to bring up, Rarity held on to the topic. Azure was old enough, she had the right to know about him. "Did I ever tell you that your father and I used to be an item?"

Azure's eyes widened a bit at this, curiosity filling them. "You...You and my dad used to date?"

Rarity found her shocked expression all too amusing, but held back on showing it. "Well, we didn't technically date. But we were a couple...of sorts." Thinking back, she wasn't sure how to describe there relationship. And Ryan's explanation about them being 'Cuddle Buddies' didn't seem appropriate, or at all informing.

"We had a fairly intimate relationship with each other." Rarity went on to say, not going into too much detail on her 'intimate' past with the human. "He held a surprising amount of trust for me, though I cannot imagine why."

Azure let out an almost sad sigh, but smiled none-the-less. "Maybe you should have been my mother." Rarity was going to say something in regard to that, but hardly got the chance once she noticed a certain look on the filly. She almost looked disturbed as she stared past her. "There's somepony outside..."

Rarity turned her neck, looking back toward the door. She could see a hooded figure peering through the window, its hands buried deep into its pockets. It appeared to be looking for something. When it's head faced their direction, it went to the door and gave it three distinct knocks.

They waited to see what it would do. A few seconds passed and it turned and walked away rather abruptly. The two let out a breath neither realized they were holding, only to be startled when the figure returned rather abruptly and knocked again.

The situation was starting to take a turn for the creepy and Rarity instinctively took action. Facing the door, she rose from her seat. "Azure, I want you to go to the back door. If you hear anything strange, go for help."

"B-but Ra-"

"Azure, now!" Rarity whisper-yelled to the filly, provoking her to jump out of her chair and run to the back door. Taking a breath, she made her way to the front door and opened it just enough to see the figure on the other side. It was looking down, intentionally doing so to hide its face. "Can I help you?"

The figure was trembling at her doorstep, clearly unsure of itself for some reason. This didn't make her feel any better, in fact, it just made this situation much more disturbing.


Just. Walk. Away.

Rusty was on the verge of having a complete meltdown. Every conclusion he came to would damn-near scare him off. If he continued to think about what he wanted to do, he would eventually shy away. He had to stop thinking and take the plunge, otherwise he would cower and take off. He did this, but wished that he hadn't. Now all he could do was stare at his feet while the mare he trusted the most back then was probably getting ready to throw him off of her doorstep.

"Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave." Rusty angled his head up just enough to see the bottom of her face. Just from that, he could tell that she was getting fed up with him. If he didn't act soon she would-

Rusty's arm shot up on its own, grabbing the door as she went to close it on him. "Wait!"

Rarity's head moved closer to the opening, her gaze threatening to tear him apart. However, something peculiar caught her attention from the corner of her vision. She took a chance and glanced at the bare-skin hand holding the door open. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked back at the figure, his head now up enough for her bright blue eyes to meet his. It was then when his face finally became clear to her. It was all too similar, but with a few key differences. Not enough to deter the unlikely conclusion her brain came to upon seeing it.

Releasing her grip on the door, her threatening gaze now one of disbelief, she took a few steps away from the door. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as the dead man, still very much alive, walked into her home and closed the door behind him. They stared at each other for what felt like hours, one not knowing what to do or say, the other on the verge of collapsing.

We should have just walked away!

In time, Rarity took on a new look; This one was of disgust and anger as she eyed this thing in her house. "If this is some kind of joke, I don't find it the slightest bit amusing." She spat, "What are you? A changeling? I'll have you know that I do have a means of contacting your leader and I will-"

"I'm sorry..." Rarity went quiet, it even sounded like him. "I don't know what I'm doing...If I didn't do this now I don't think I ever would have." He said, his voice nearly trembling as much as he was. "I...I had to-"

"Stop talking..." Holding her current expression, Rarity moved in on him. Each step was as cautious as the last as she made her approach, narrowing her eyes every so often, as if looking for some sort of flaw. When she was close enough, she began to slowly reach up, grabbing his hood and pulling it down.

Rarity's look of disgust shifted to one that was a little difficult to read; A combination of sadness, shock, and even a bit of joy. Tears were threatening to escape both of them. Her hands moved from his hood to his face, her fingers digging through the unshaven mess taking up his features. "Is it really you?"

Rusty's body continued to shake, this time from the sobs he was holding back as he lifted his arms, placing his hands on hers as he melted into her. It hurt so much to see her, but at the same time, it felt right. No longer able to hold back, he threw himself at the unicorn, picking her up off the ground as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

Now suspended in the air, Rarity returned the gesture, shedding happy tears into his shoulder. "I thought I lost you..." She cried into him, her grip only tightening as she remembered the news of his passing. "I missed you...I missed you so much..."

They remained this way for several minutes, just holding each other and enjoying the others-"RARITY!!!"

Both of their eyes snapped open at the sound of the angry mare approaching. In unison, they turned their attention to the front door right as a series of aggressive knocks sounded off throughout the boutique. "Rarity! What's going on!?"

"Dash..." Rusty said to himself as the knocks started to sound more like she was punching the obstacle between her and her friend.

Fuuuuuuuuuuu-!!!

Immediately, Rusty set Rarity down and practically dove behind the door as it was kicked open by the fuming pegasus. He huddled up behind the now wide-open door, making himself as small as possible so he could remain hidden from the rest of the world.

Rainbow Dash marched into the shop/home, her head turning in every direction until her eyes found the white unicorn, who was wiping her face with her arms. "Rarity!" She called out, running to her aid. "Rarity, are you okay? What happened? Azure told me someone was here? Where are they? I'll-"

"It's fine, Dash!" Rarity quickly said, hoping to calm her down. "It's fine, he's..." She glanced toward the door, barely able to see the human hiding behind it. "He's gone." She concluded, "He's gone and that's the end of it."

Rainbow's eyes softened at her, anger being replaced by concern. "Are you sure? Did you see where he went? Cause I can-"

"That won't be necessary." Rarity interrupted with an assuring smile. "He came over, did his thing and left. I'm pretty sure it was just somepony pulling a prank is all."

Something about that didn't feel right to the pegasus, but she accepted it and let the subject drop. "If you're sure, then I guess I'll just...head back home." Not wanting to just leave on that note, she made one last suggestion to be sure her friend was alright. "Are you positive you don't want me to go out and find him? Cause I will."

"Let's not go overboard now, Dashie." Rarity argued, not wanting her friend to go out and cause a scene. "Like I said, he's gone now and I doubt I'll be having any more problems." The rainbow haired pegasus didn't make any noticeable motions, but something told the small-town fashionista that she needed to get her out. "You know I hate to be rude, but I need to close the shop. I have a lot of orders to fill and I would like to refrain from having any more distractions."

Nodding, Dash made her way outside, grabbing the door just as she passed by it. "If anything else happens, just let me know, okay."

"Of course, darling." There was a slight pause between the two before Rainbow Dash finally closed the door and flew off, probably home.

Suddenly, it was as if a weight was lifted off of the unicorn's shoulders. Now free from the wrath of Dash, she could focus on the matter at hand; Said matter being a curled up into a ball in the corner, refusing to move from its spot.

Rarity slowly walked over to the human, lowering herself to her knees so she could be eye level with a man she thought she'd never see again. His eyes were glazed over and staring through her, as if he were staring into the very bowels of Tartarus and this corner was his only solace.

"I'm sorry....I'm sorry." He said in a voice no louder than a whisper. "I'm not ready to see her yet. I'm not ready."

Placing a hand to his face, she pulled his head up and forced him to look into her eyes. They were soft and comforting, but also very curious. "It's okay, darling. She's gone now." She assured him, he gaze becoming slightly stern and aggressive. "But, you have a lot of explaining to do."

There was some hesitation when Rarity assisted the human back onto his feet and led him to the nearby table. Once he was seated she generously offered to brew a pot of tea and serve him something to calm his nerves as well. In only a few short minutes she returned with a pot and two cups, one which appeared to already be filled.

Placing the empty cup beside her, Rarity levitated the remaining one to her guest. After filling her own she shot him another serious look, taking a quick sip of her steaming beverage. "You may begin..."

Rusty looked around uncomfortably, rubbing his right arm as he tried to think of a way to start. "Where do I even begin?"

Hours passed by in minutes as Rusty regaled the curious mare with the tale of his 'Passing' and his 'Rebirth'. He told her about the stallion that found him in the lake, the family he became a part of, and the many years he spent with them traveling all over Equestria and further in some cases. There were many good times, which he shared happily. Then there were hard times, that he powered through with a weak but determined smile. He spoke highly of the family, referring to them more than himself. From what she had gathered throughout this long story was that he held them in high regard. At one point, he even went as far as saying that he would 'not even hesitate to put my life on the line for them.'

Rarity was baffled by nearly everything she was hearing. When she had heard of his 'death', she assumed that was it. Never in a million years would she think that he would go out on such a grand and strenuous adventure. There were many reoccurring themes in his words; Learning through pain, always moving forward, and striving for what was worth while. These weren't the only things she picked up on.

It almost felt like this wasn't the same human that she had taken in so many years ago; The one that would dance on tables, constantly get into trouble, get into drunken fist-fights with strangers and friends. It was like he wasn't 'him' anymore, but rather somepony was wearing his skin and pretending to be him. This brought her back to her earlier suspicions of this thing being a changeling, but that didn't feel right either.

Rusty tried to go into as much detail as possible, but even now his memory wasn't as good as he would like. He ended the tale after explaining everything that had happened the day before; Seeing Applejack, being reminded of his past, the epiphany that made him realize that he was still running from his problems, seeing the star that fell onto Twilight's castle, then saying goodbye to his family and coming to the boutique after he failed to approach the cottage.

"I guess that about sums it up." Rusty finished, unable to recall much else to say. "There are a few things I left out, but not deliberately. It'll come back to me at some point, I'm sure."

Rarity sat with her elbows on the table, her eyes locked onto him as her hands held her cup just beneath her nostrils. She was silent for a few seconds, but finally spoke up after shrugging her shoulders and nodding. "I cannot think of a single thing to say..."

Rusty nodded in agreement. "It's a lot to take in all at once, I'm sure."

Rarity took another few seconds of silence to think. "So, Ryan. I-"

"Rusty." He corrected, earning an odd look from the unicorn.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I go by Rusty now; Rusty Nails." He explained, only causing her current expression to enhance.

Rusty figured that he might as well explain this, seeing how he forgot to mention it earlier. "The train we pretty much lived in was very old. Climbing around on it was dirty work and I always came back covered in rust, oil, dirt; You name it. I don't know about you, but it's hard to clean that stuff off without a washer." He added with a small laugh.

"After a while, I got fed up with my clothes getting dirty so easily. I eventually found this coat." Rusty grabbed the hood of the previously mentioned article for emphasis. "I bought it with what little I had, hoping that the stuff wouldn't show up so easily on it. Needless to say, I was right."

Rusty paused, doing his best to hold in a laugh. "I remember the first time my little brother saw me wearing it." Rarity recalled the pony he was referring to; A young colt named Rod Iron that he helped raise. "He was just learning how to form full sentences. He gave me this crooked stare and without even a stutter he said 'You look like a giant rusty nail'." He paused again, this time not even trying to hide his amusement. This was short lived, however, as his face fell to something a bit weaker, but still held its smile. "Hasn't even been a full day and I already miss him."

Rarity's heart ached for him. He had lived such a troubled life in the beginning and through, what was supposed to be, the end outcome had finally found peace. A peace that was being strained due to his past. There was a conflict within her at first as she struggled to determine whether to be happy he was alive, or mad that he let them think he had died. This all vanished through time as she listened to him talk about the life he had made for himself. It's not something she would personally do, but it was something that made him truly happy. And really, that's all she wanted for him in the beginning; To be happy.

Removing a hand from her cup, Rarity placed the now free appendage over one of his own. This caught his attention, pulling his eyes into hers as she offered him a warm smile. "Darling...I am so proud of you." Now it was his turn to give her a confused look. "Though your methods were less-than-pleasant, you went out into the world and found something that made you complete; You found adventure, friendship, and a family."

"You have come a long way from being the drunken alien that lived just outside of town." Rarity lightly jabbed, thankfully earning a short laugh from her friend. "You've changed a lot. I can see it in your eyes." She added, looking deeply into those small windows to his soul. They were the same as ever, but different; Less sad and angry at the world. "Ryan never would have done something like this."

Rusty flinched at her use of his old name, but was drawn back through her kind words. "What you are doing right now is very brave, Rusty. And I couldn't be more happy that you have finally come home." She finished sincerely as they both fell silent for several minutes, their gazes locked as they eyed the other with care.

Rarity took a deep breath, breaking the silence. "As lovely as this is...You stink." This got a rather contagious chuckle out of the human. "Like, really bad." She said between giggles.

Rusty nodded, "Yeah, sorry about that. It's been a while since I even glanced at a shower."

Rarity sipped her tea before waving a dismissive hand at him. "No worries, darling. We'll get you cleaned up." She began, looking over his features once more. "A hot shower, a haircut, some new clothes; All of that good stuff."

"Thanks, Rarity." Rusty said, grabbing his cup for the first time and bringing it to his lips. "I owe you one."

"Think nothing of it." Rarity replied, noticing an odd look on the human's face as he took a drink from his mug. "Is something the matter?"

Rusty inspected his cup, giving the beverage one more sip to be sure he was tasting it right. "This isn't tea, is it?"

Rarity was confused by his reaction to the drink she prepared for him, but answered none-the-less. "N-no...I recalled you saying that you didn't like tea, aside from Long Islands, so I mixed one for you."

Rusty respectfully set the cup down and slid it toward her. "Sorry, but uh...I don't drink." The sound of something breaking nearby caught him off guard. He almost jumped out of his chair from the sudden sound. "What was that?" He asked, not noticing her blank stare, or that the mug she was previously holding was no longer in sight.

Author's Note:

Yeah, I know, I know. It's been a while.
I've been very busy these past few weeks; I got my boss pulling me all over the place, my family hounding me about stupid shit, doctors are calling me in left and right; It's just been fuckin' crazy lately. I'm hoping it calms down soon, but until further notice, expect updates to happen very slowly for the time being. But rest assured, they will come. It's just gonna some time is all.
As a side note; This chapter has NOT been edited by anyone other than me, meaning that there are probably a few errors in here. Just point them out and I'll fix them as soon as I'm able.
Regardless of all of that, I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. If you are, be sure to slap that LIKE button like a bitch, share it with your friends, and leave a comment below. Comments make me feel special :P