The Steel-Hearted Pegasus

Chapters

Chapter 1: Introductions
Chapter 2: A New Life
Chapter 3: Crossed Feelings
Chapter 4: Mishaps and Confessions
Chapter 5: Clarity
Chapter 6: Redemption
Chapter 7: Of Days to Come
Chapter 8: Suffering and Healing
Chapter 9: The Perfect Night Ever
Epilogue: A Mark's Fate
Interlude: Cutie Mark Crusader Sleepover at Caster's! Yay!

Chapter 1: Introductions

When you see a friend in need do you help

them because it's the right thing to do,

or because you care for them deeply?

-A. Bynon

It was a beautiful spring morning, not a cloud in the sky, a small swarm of butterflies was flying over the town of Ponyville. Their appearance caused a few of the ponies below to gaze up and look in awe, most of them little fillies and colts. The crowd was held in such a state of wonderment, no one noticed the light squeaking sound off in the distance, coming from a lone cart down the road. At last someone noticed the noise and turned to see who it was. She as well as everybody else were surprised to see this new pony.

It was later in the morning when the swarm of butterflies had made their way to the outskirts of Ponyville. There they came upon a large natural cottage that looked like it had been built into the hill rather than on top of it. There were several small bird houses scattered across the property and various other animal dens such as an otter den that laid beneath a bridge. Some of the butterflies separated from the rest of the group and appeared to be floating toward the garden that was next to the house. One of them landed as delicately as possible on top of a pink mane that seemed to move when the butterfly made contact.

“Hello little friend,” a soft delicate voice said.

The creature held out a hoof for the butterfly to rest on. The little insect agreed and glided onto her hoof, then it turned to see this gentle spirit and saw that it was none other than Fluttershy. The young Pegasai was well known throughout Ponyville as the main care taker for most of the woodland critters around town. She had a bright yellow coat and a hot pink colored mane and tail that ended in a curl. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of cyan that radiated a sense of care for all living creatures big and small, which could also be told through her cutie mark of three butterflies that signified her delicate touch when dealing with her woodland friends. She had a somewhat thin figure but not in the sense of being a twig, she managed to keep herself well nourished.

As she looked at the butterfly on her hoof, she couldn’t help but think of the recent Grand Galloping Gala that had passed a few weeks ago. ‘Maybe next year will be our best night ever,’ Fluttershy thought as she turned her attention towards Canterlot Castle in the distance. Ever since that first night at the gala four years ago, she and her friends had always spent their time together, hanging out and sharing some laughs. Although the young mare and her friends enjoyed it, there was still a little part of her that wished things would go differently. That for just one night, both she and her friend’s dreams would come true. But Fluttershy quickly put it behind her, remembering that she was needed around the house.

It was around this time of day when the yellow Pegasus was playing with her pet bunny, Angel and singing a soft melody just for the fun of it. After a few minutes into her song, Fluttershy began to hear a song similar to hers coming from far away. One of the key differences she noticed was that it sounded more like a stallion was singing it, she looked to see where it was coming from and could tell it was coming from the forest in front of her cottage. She was curious as to who or what was making such a beautiful sound and decided to go and investigate. Angel wanted to go with her in case something happened and so the both of them delved into the woods.

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As Fluttershy and Angel walked deeper into the woods, the light from the sun began to diminish as the trees got closer to each other. Fluttershy wasn’t scared as there was still enough light to see what was in front of her, but she used the semi-darkness to keep herself hidden. As the young mare got closer to her destination, the singing started to grow louder and she could see a bright light up ahead. Suddenly, she came upon a wide grass field in the middle of the forest, where she found a foundation for a building being measured out across the plain. Looking past it, she saw a cart full of personal belongings and a work table where a pony was analyzing the blueprints for what she assumed was his house. Her heart pounded hard against her chest as she pondered weak and weary over this mysterious Pegasus. Trying to get closer for a better look, Fluttershy accidentally stepped on a branch and almost yelped which alerted the mysterious pony. As he turned around to see where the sound came from, he uttered but a few words in a light well-toned voice.

"Hello, hello, is there somepony there? ... Must have been my imagination," he said as he turned back toward his blueprints.

While Angel was trying to keep his owner from letting out a small yelp, Fluttershy tried her best to remember what the pony looked like without turning around. He was a Pegasus; he had a light brown coat, and sepia colored hair that was brushed back. She didn't know what to think of him, he had a singing voice more beautiful than anything she has heard before. The yellow Pegasus didn't want to miss this chance to see who is was and decided to go and say hello. But before she could do so, the mysterious Pegasus' clock began to ring as he spoke,

"Oh no, I'm late!! I hope they haven't started the party without me!"

He dropped what he was doing and flew off as fast as a Pegasus could at average speed, leaving a small trail of dust behind him. Fluttershy leaped out of the shadows and tried to greet him, but he was already out of earshot, leaving her sitting on the ground with disappointment. Then for some reason she had a small feeling in her chest, it pinched at first, but then it started to feel warm like a hug from somebody dear to her. The only time she's ever felt like this was when she first came to the ground when she was only a filly. When she opened her eyes, they began to shine as if the sky itself reflected off of them, showing her hope to one day meet this pony face to face.

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As the shy mare walked back to her cottage, almost in a trance like state, she suddenly heard a familiar pony running down the path to her house calling out.

"Fluttershy, Fluttershy, are you home!?"

She whipped her head around to see that it was Pinkie Pie, as sugar happy as ever, trying to get her attention with what seemed like big news.

"What is it Pinkie?" the yellow Pegasus asked.

"You're not going to believe this, there's a new pony that just came into Ponyville, he said he’s moving here and he’s a Pegasus," the hyperactive mare said bouncing up and down. Fluttershy was more or less surprised by what her friend had told her, but thought it was too much of a coincidence.

"Um I don’t mean to be rude Pinkie, but there are other Pegasai in town besides me and Rainbow Dash you know,” she said raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but he was sent here from Canterlot by Princess Celestia herself, so I'm throwing him a big welcome party over at Sugar Cube Corner and all of Ponyville is going to be there and I saw that you weren't around which was why I was running all the way here calling for you so that you wouldn't miss out," Pinkie Pie said with a large grin on her face.

“So, should we get going then, to the party I mean?” the young mare asked.

"Oh that's right, THE PARTY!" Pinkie said skipping on down to the bakery.

While trying to catch up with her, Fluttershy was putting the pieces of her memory and Pinkie Pie's conversation together. The Pegasus pony she saw in the woods said he was late for a party, and Pinkie is holding a party for a new pony coming to town. The shock that ran through her mind suddenly gave her a jolt of energy, which made her burst into action and flew straight to Sugar Cube Corner as fast as she could.

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As they approached Sugar Cube Corner, Fluttershy slowed down to a steady trot and allowed Pinkie Pie to pass her. Soon she came to a complete stop as she started to worry about her appearance. She didn’t know why she was so hesitant but she just couldn’t find the strength to move her legs. Before entering the bakery the pink mare stopped and looked back to her friend to see her standing completely still, so she decided to see what the problem was.

"What's wrong Fluttershy, you know this isn't a royal ceremony or anything, it's just a casual welcome into the neighborhood, are you nervous or something?" she asked. Coming back to reality, the young mare responded to Pinkie's question with a light smile on her face.

"Oh, I-it's nothing, come on we don't want to keep him waiting do we?" she said trying not to worry her friend.

"You're right, we shouldn't be worrying, we should be partying," Pinkie said as she zipped through the doors.

"She always knows how to put a smile on somepony's face," Fluttershy giggled as she walked in.

Entering the bakery, she saw uncountable amounts of confectionaries spread across the shop ranging from cupcakes to pies and to triple layer cakes. The kitchen could be seen off to the side and the walls were covered with many festive decorations. Looking around, the yellow Pegasus saw that all of her friends were there; the Cutie Mark Crusaders were by the punch bowel discussing what to do next to try and get their cutie marks, Ditzy was over at the dessert table grabbing as many muffins as she could onto one tiny plate, and Vinyl Scratch was playing one of her hit singles from her latest album to entertain the crowd. Looking around she saw Pinkie Pie waving to her, telling her where all of her best friends had gathered to greet the new pony. Trying to navigate her way through the crowd, Fluttershy was pushed forward by one of the dancing ponies and caught a small glimpse of the stallion before landing in front of the small booth where all of her friends were sitting and laughing.

"There you are silly willy, what took you so long?" Pinkie said fluttering her eyes. Fluttershy gave her a sarcastic look while blowing her mane out of her face.

"Fluttershy, I'd like you to meet our new friend, Caster Forge," the pink earth pony said as she pointed a hoof toward her new friend.

Suddenly a Pegasus from the back of the booth stuck his head over the table to get a better look at her. Seeing him look at her directly made the shy mare blush slightly.

"O-oh, u-um, h-h-hello there," Fluttershy said trying to stand up.

"Hello to you too, why don't you have a seat, it's definitely more comfortable than the floor," Caster said, with a light smile on his face.

Hesitantly she got into the seat next to Caster and started to analyze him as quickly as she could without acting suspicious in any way. He was just like how she remembered him, a Pegasus with a light brown coat and sepia colored hair, but looking at him up close, she saw there was more to him than that. His hair was brushed back very expertly but not showing any Canterlot originality. It also went down the back of his neck slightly pointed. His eyes were of a deep shade of green that resembled the color of summer tree leaves. He had a small beard growing along his chin with a somewhat darker color than his natural hair. He seemed a bit lengthy than most of the ponies in town, he didn't look as strong as Big Macintosh, but he wasn't scrawny either. He had just the right frame to handle a fair amount of physical labor when it was called for. His wings held an impressive wing span that almost reached above his ears. His tail was a bit wavy and seemed to flow freely of its own accord. But what really caught her eyes was his cutie mark; it was a bolted steel plate which had the roman numeral 15 emblazed upon it. She was curious as to whether the number was drawn on, or actually a part of his cutie mark, seeing as how ponies normally only have one cutie mark in their whole lives.

"Um, can I help you with something Fluttershy?" Caster said noticing her looking at his hind quarters.

Without even realizing it, the young mare had been staring at the stallions flank for the past two minutes and was almost at a loss for words.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry, it's just that, well, um," she tried to say something as her coat started to turn as pink as her mane, she had never been so embarrassed in all her life, and the sound of her friends giggling was not helping.

"You were just curious about my cutie mark weren't you?" Fluttershy looked up with a surprise on her face.

"Don't worry about it; I get that sort of thing from almost everypony I meet, curiosity I mean. So please stop hiding that cute face of yours, you're making me feel bad," Caster said brushing the hair out of her eyes.

Looking at his head this time with a light blush across her face, Fluttershy saw him rubbing the back of his neck with his right hoof and lightly chuckling which gave him a small blush on his cheeks.

"Well either way, that's a story that I'll save for later. Right now, I want to learn more about all of you. I've already met Pinkie Pie here, so let's start with, you there with the lavender coat."

"My name is Twilight Sparkle; I'm Princess Celestia's personal and faithful student from her school for gifted unicorns; and this little guy here is my best friend Spike whom I've known since he was hatched from an egg," he said, pointing to the baby dragon next to her.

"Wow, I've never seen a baby dragon before, matter of fact; I've never seen a dragon at all," Caster said, with excitement gleaming off of his face.

"Would you stop calling me little Twilight, I may be short, but I'm at least sixteen years old now," Spike said, with a grumpy look.

"Yes, but you're still technically five in dragon years," the lavender Unicorn said, pointing out facts as usual.

"Shut up," the baby dragon said, crossing his arms. Twilight couldn't help but laugh.

"So from what I've heard, you're here in Ponyville to discover the magic's of friendship and anything else that comes across," the light brown Pegasus said, trying to calm himself.

"Yes I have and I must say it's been great living here for the past four years; I've made so many new friends and it feels like we're all a part of one big family," she said, looking around the table.

"Well, I hope this means I can be a part of the family too," the stallion said, glancing slightly at Fluttershy for a quick second. Twilight Sparkle paid it no mind and reassured him with the sweetest words anybody could hear.

"Caster, you became a part of this family the moment you set foot in Ponyville," the young mare said.

Caster couldn't help but smile from what he had just heard his new friend say. "Moving right along. How about you in the stenson hat?"

"Well howdy doo there partner, names Applejack and I run the Sweet Apple Acres here in town, with apple trees growing as far as the eye can see," Applejack said, shaking his hoof up and down like crazy.

"So it's just you working the farm all by yourself," he said, trying to stop himself from shaking and looked back at the mare.

"No, there's also my older brother, Big Macintosh, but we like to call him Big Mac for short and my little sister Apple Bloom. We also have our hired hoof Caramel, he's a bit clumsy but he still knows how to get the job done; and then there's Granny Smith but she's been getting too old lately and is close to retirement. I do admit the work is a little tiring at times, but it's still worth it if it means keeping food on the table," Applejack said, trying to work up a smile. Caster could tell how worn out she was from working the fields and thought that he should help out.

"Well then, how about I come over tomorrow and help pick a couple of apples for you?" he offered.

"But don't you have to work on building your house and starting your duties for the Princess?" the farmer pony asked a little surprised.

"It's alright; Princess Celestia said I don't have to start my job until my house is finished and I can get that done in no time at all. Plus the building supplies won't even arrive until tomorrow afternoon," the Pegasus said, reassuring her.

"Aw heck, I've never turned down an honest worker before, all right then, be at the barn at about half past nine, I'll be sure to save a couple of those red beauties for ya," Applejack said, holding in her appreciation for the helping hoof.

"Wonderful I’ll try to get their on the dot as best I can. Man, all this talk of apples has gotten me pretty hungry," Caster said, noticing his growling stomach. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a small red coated squirrel jumped over his head and landed on the table with a cupcake on its back.

"Hey there Nina, I was wondering where you went. Everypony, I'd like you to meet my pet squirrel and longtime friend, Nina," he said, while biting into the delicious pastry.

"Aww, she's so cute," Fluttershy said, while cooing at the little critter. Nina then started to crawl up her mane and then came out on top of her head.

"She seems to have already taken a liking to you," the stallion said, giving out a slight chuckle.

"Well communicating with animals is my specialty, so it's no surprise that I'm like a friend to them," she said, while cuddling the creature in her hooves.

"Yes, and in her case, she's going to need all the friends she can get," he said, with a small tear rolling down his cheek.

"Are you okay Caster?" Twilight said, noticing Caster’s predicament and levitating a napkin towards him with her magic.

"Huh, oh I'm fine It's just that, well, I'm the only real friend she's ever had. You see, even though she is not of the same species, she was raised by a family of flying squirrels. Every day she had to watch as her brothers and sisters flew across the skies while she was stuck in the trees being teased for her inability to fly. Then one day, when she was only three years old, her adoptive parents kicked her out of the nest and let her fall to the ground. Luckily, I was there at the time to catch her before she would've broken one of her tiny limbs. She explained everything to me as best as she could with her gestures. I knew that confronting her parents would serve no purpose at this point, so I did what I thought was right, and took her for a ride across Canterlot. Afterwards she followed me home and she's been my best friend for the past five years," the light brown Pegasus finished his story with Nina sitting on his shoulder and rubbing against his cheek.

"Oh my, that's such a sad story. Don't worry Nina, you have lots of friends now and I promise we'll never think badly of you for who you are. Ooh, I have an idea, I can introduce her to my pet bunny Angel, he gets so lonely sometimes when I'm not around and he could really use a playmate," Fluttershy said, while taking a sip from her tea cup.

"Are you sure about that Fluttershy? Nina’s cute and all but she can be a bit a hoofful sometimes if you know what I mean,” he said, with a hesitant tone.

“Don’t worry, I’ve dealt with plenty of animals before and none of them are as tough as Angel,” the young mare said, seeming a bit prideful.

"Well, all right then, thanks a lot I really appreciate it. Now back to our friends here, who else wants to have a go?" he said, looking around the table.

"It's a pleasure to meet you dear. My name is Rarity and I run the Carousel Boutique down the street, where every outfit is chique, unique, and manufique," she said, while trying to look as fabulous as usual.

"Well I can certainly see that your looks live up to your reputation Miss Rarity," Caster said, acting as humble as he could.

"My, aren't you the gentlestallion, and I must say your mane is absolutely fabulous dear," the fashionista said, blushing a little at his comment.

"Why thank you Rarity, I guess you could say I inherited some fashion from my time in Canterlot I suppose. Plus my mother’s always been on my back about proper grooming, but I digress. Either way I'd love to come by your shop and see your work, maybe even get some new ideas for armor design," he said, while finishing the last of the cupcake Nina brought him earlier.

"Did you say armor?" Rarity asked with a curious tone.

"Oh that's right, I haven't told any of you what I do yet; I'm a blacksmith," the Pegasus responded while wiping some frosting from his upper lip

"What's a blacksmith?" Pinkie Pie asked slightly turning her head.

"A blacksmith is someone who makes armor and weapons out of steel, metal, and other fine grade materials through the process of heating, cooling, and bending it over and over again until it reaches the desired shape," Twilight said, with a confident look on her face.

"Very good Twilight, I can see why Celestia took you under her wing," Caster said, admiring her extensive knowledge.

"Well I'd certainly be glad to share some of my designing secrets with you, maybe you can bring some of your work by the shop and we can both help each other out," the white Unicorn said, giggling with delight.

"Sure why not, I'll bring some pieces over tomorrow after I help Applejack at the farm," he said, while biting into another cupcake.

"Alright, so I've already met Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rarity, and thanks to Nina, I know a lot about you now Fluttershy," Fluttershy couldn't help but blush a little. "So that just leaves-"

"The most amazing pony you will ever see in Ponyville, the one, the only, Rainbow Dash!" she said, cutting off his sentence and posing.

"Wait, Rainbow Dash? Aren't you the one who pulled off that Sonic Rainboom in the best young flyer competition three years ago?" the stallion said, shocked to meet a legend.

"That's right; you must be another one of my numerous fans," Rainbow Dash said, with a smug look on her face.

"Of course, after all I was there in the stands when it happened; my jaw was hanging for so long that I didn't think it was going to come back up. Oh my gosh, this is so exciting, could I get your autograph?" he said, as he pulled out a quill and a piece of paper from out of nowhere.

"Sure it would be my pleasure,” the cyan Pegasus said, writing down her name and a picture of her cutie mark onto the paper and then handed it back to him. "Hey I know how about tomorrow you and I have a race and I'll see what you can do."

"BEST, DAY, OF, MY, LIIIIFE!!" Caster shouted with joy, which caught the attention of a few party guests.

"Well, we've all introduced ourselves, so what about you?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah, I want to hear how you got that weird cutie mark of yours," Rainbow Dash asked being so persistent.

"Well alright, but I'm going to have start all the way from the beginning," the smithing pony said, preparing for what seemed like a long story.

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(Caster's POV)

"Although I was raised in Canterlot, I was actually born in Cloudsdale. My parents were jewelry designers who handled mostly orders for wedding bands and anniversary gifts. But as you can tell, jewels are not easy to come by in the sky and some that get imported take weeks to be delivered. So they decided to move to Canterlot where there are not only more gems, but also a wider range of customers. It was nice at first, but like a box of chocolates, good things never last. You see back at my old school I was constantly teased for my excessive height, as you can see I'm not the same height as most of the ponies here in Ponyville; and I thought that some things would change in this new school, but unfortunately nothing seemed to have changed, in fact they only got much worse. All of the colts and fillies still made fun of me for my height and they even laughed at me for having a blank flank, I wasn't sure if I was ever going to find my special talent. The only thing that could ease my pain was making little figurines out of the metal scraps that were left behind from my parents work; they weren't exactly fine art, but they were still nice enough to put on the mantle in the living room. I didn't think much of it before, but then fate gave me a chance to prove their worth."

"It was two years since we made the move to Canterlot; Princess Celestia had decided to hold a contest to see the artistic skill of the fillies and colts in Canterlot. The grand prize was an entire day with Celestia herself and an invitation to join her school for artistic ponies. It was like a sign, to show what I was made of and possibly to help me find my cutie mark. Luckily she gave us all a whole week to come up with ideas for our projects; however mine didn't take that much effort. All I did was put together a small sculpture of the princess that looked almost identical to her. But I knew it wasn't enough, I had to think bigger, much bigger. So for the next seven days, I went around the city trying to find as many pieces of steel and metal as I could and incorporated them into my final project. My parents caught on to my plan, and chipped in by bringing a couple of steel plates from the nearby supply store. I had spent several days and nights in my parent's private workshop working in secret before I was finally finished. The day of the competition had arrived and the Princess rode into town with her recession and everypony was bowing before her. Many of the fillies and colts were standing in a row to the side so that each of their artworks could be viewed one by one.”

"All right my little ponies let me see how much creativity can come from such young minds," Celestia said, trying not to intimidate the children. "Ooh what lovely birds; I can see that origami is really your forte," she said, passing a small green unicorn. "My, you certainly know how to capture a view of Ponyville with just a few strokes of a brush, well done," she said, while walking by a peach coated earth pony.

“Meanwhile, back at the workshop, I had overslept and was about to miss the competition. So I put a cover on my masterpiece, pushed it onto the cart, strapped myself in, and pulled it as fast as I could. Thanks to my figure, I had more strength than the average ten year old pony should have. My parents also flew in to help me pull it so I could get there as fast as I could. Back at the town square however, the judging was almost finished when the Princess came up to her nephew, Prince Blueblood, who had been dying to get into that school for years the hard way, and had crafted a lovely glass window of the royal castle and the city of Canterlot.”

"Well Blueblood, I can see that you've finally found your calling in art," the tall Alicorn said, seeming a bit surprised by her nephew’s skill.

"I do what I can Aunt Celestia," Blueblood said, with a large smug look on his pompous face.

"I think we've found our win-"

"WAAAAIIIIIIT!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

All of the ponies reacted to the loud shouting coming from down the street. I had arrived just in time before I collapsed from exhaustion.

"Sorry that I'm late everypony, your majesty," I proclaimed while taking a bow.

"Well I'm afraid you're too late, my aunt here was just about to name me the winner," the Prince said, confident that he was about to win.

"Now Blueblood you need to play fair, I wanted to see everypony's talents, and I have yet to see his. You aren't denying the request of a Princess, are you?" Celestia said, glaring down at her nephew.

"Oh all right, but make it quick," he said, pouting. As I got myself out of the reins, I began to unveil my masterpiece.

"Fillies and gentlecolts I give to you, our Princess of Steel!" my parents pulled off the covers to reveal an exact replica of Princess Celestia herself made entirely out of plates of steel and metal. The entire crowd was stunned to see such a display of artwork before them; except for Blueblood who could only laugh at my work.

"You call that art? Pu-lease, art is a skill that takes years to master, it isn't something you can whip together in a few days," the colt said, with a snobbish Canterlot accent.

"You're wrong," the Princess said, correcting her nephew and walking towards me. "Art is something that shows who we are inside, that helps us express the essence of our very souls. It isn't something that you take advantage of for your own personal desires. Young colt, what is your name?"

"My name is Caster Forge," I told her.

"Well Caster, you seem like a pony who truly understands the meaning of art. So I hear by declare the winner of the contest and the new student at my school for artistic ponies, Caster Forge," she proclaimed. Everypony was cheering for my achievement, even the fillies and colts that used to make fun of me in school.

"Could this day get any better?" I asked. I suddenly felt the Princess tap my shoulder as she pointed towards the cutie mark of a bolted steel plate that had appeared on my flank. "Yes it can!" I shouted with glee.

"I would hardly call that a cutie mark," Blueblood said, scoffing at me.

"Well it's better than nothing; isn't that right Blueblood?" I said, as I watched him covering his blank flank while all the other foals were laughing at him.

Later that day we went to one of Celestia's favorite restaurants where we talked about things that we liked. Such as books, music, favorite foods, and what I would be doing at her school.

"So Caster, what do plan on studying at your new school?" she said, while eating a salad.

"Well, to tell the truth princess, I didn't actually use any kind of art subject when I made that statue, I just used some of the tools around the house to put all the plates together. Although I like making art, I want to create things that actually serve a purpose in life, not just make art for the sake of enjoyment," I said, hoping she would understand.

"Hmmm, Caster have you ever heard of blacksmithing?" so for the next two hours, she talked to me about how being a blacksmith could let me put my talents towards something useful and still let me keep my position at her school.

"But I thought this school was meant for actual art, like painting and stuff like that."

"Well you're half right; my school not only teaches art, but also skills meant for artistic creations such as designing, jewelry refining, and of course, weapon and armor forgery," she explained.

"All right then, I guess being a blacksmith is what lies ahead of me," I said, with a big grin on my face.

"I'm glad to hear that, now what say we finish off the rest of our food, you've got a big day heading for you next week; and please remember when we're not in public just call me Celestia; after all we're friends now."

"Yes your highness, I mean Celestia," I said, as I dove back into my meal.

(End POV)

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"And that is how I got my cutie mark and started my profession as a blacksmith," Caster said, with an out of breath look on his face.

"Wow, what an amazing story," Twilight said, astonished.

"That there's a mighty fine talent you got there," Applejack said, patting him on the back.

"You certainly showed that despicable Blueblood a thing or two. I guess time can't change everypony," Rarity said, thinking back to the Grand Galloping Gala.

"But that still doesn't explain that number fifteen on your cutie mark; what is up with that?" Rainbow Dash shouted with impatience.

"Oh right, I almost forgot about that. For the next couple of years, I studied the workings of how to properly make weapons and armor. It didn't go too well at first, but then I entered what I called the "lucky" stage of my life. In the past few weeks a lot of good things started to happen to me, all strangely involving the number 15, such as finishing a study report in only fifteen minutes, getting fifteen servings of pie in the cafeteria for no charge just because I was chosen to be a student by Celestia, and even earning fifteen new friends in one day. Granted that was due to all the pie but nevertheless; I started to think that 15 was becoming my lucky number," Caster had to stop to catch his breath from talking so much.

"Are you all right Caster?" Fluttershy asked, a tad nervous.

"I'm fine Fluttershy I just don't usually talk this much in one go. But anyway, back to the story. One day, I awoke to find a strange symbol on my cutie mark. I tried to wipe it off, but it wouldn't go away. I showed it to my parents and they didn't have a clue of what it was either. So I went to the one pony that I knew would have all the answers, Princess Celestia. Upon showing her the weird marking, she seemed quite surprised and told me that what had appeared on my flank was a lucky mark," the stallion said, with everybody trying to make sense of what he just said.

"What the hay is a lucky mark?" Pinkie Pie asked more confused than before.

"A lucky mark, she told me, is what appears over a pony's cutie mark when he or she has something that can truly bring them good fortune in life. It can be a simple number like mine, an animal, or a natural charm that brings good luck. I asked why she was so surprised to see one and she told me it was because nopony has had a lucky mark for the past 500 years. She said that Equestria had faced a terrible lack of luck at one point in time and afterwards nopony seemed to be able to get a lucky mark anymore. It was like no one even knew what true luck felt like anymore. She told me that it was nothing to worry about and that I could continue with my studies; and that's all I can really say on the matter," Caster said, taking a break from his life story.

"I've been the Princesses student almost all my life and I've never heard anything like this,” Twilight said, shocked about what she just heard.

"Yeah, but still, why did you decide to move to Ponyville Caster?" Spike asked taking an interest in the conversation.

"Well it wasn't my idea; Celestia requested that I move here. Because of my incredible skill with making weapons and armor, she decided to make me her royal blacksmith, after all even high quality gear can get old and rusted after a while you know. Unfortunately there wasn't that much property space left in Canterlot and the castle didn't have any spare rooms to house a large forge. So she found me a small location in the forest just outside of Ponyville where I can work in peace and not interfere with anypony's business in town. Afterwards I packed up all of my personal belongings and furniture and flew down to the outskirts of town with the escort of some of the royal guards. I came walking into town where I saw a bunch of butterflies flying overhead and then bumped into Pinkie Pie here. I told her what I came here for, and she decided to throw a party for me; and the rest you pretty much know already," he said, finally done explaining everything to his new friends.

"Oh dear would you look at the time," Rarity said, pointing towards the clock on the wall that was pointing towards seven. "I think it's about time we all went home now."

"Oh right, there's something I'd like to ask you all," Caster said, trying to get the ponies attention but seemed a bit hesitant. "D-do you think I could stay with one of you tonight, because after all, my house hasn't been built yet and I need a place to sleep?"

"I'd invite you over dear, but unfortunately my little sister and her friends are having another sleepover at my place so the guest room is taken," Rarity explained, a bit disappointed.

"Yeah and the library is piled to the ceiling with newly shipped in books right now, plus Spike accidentally burned my spare bed last week,” Twilight said, looking at Spike.

"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" Spike told her, trying to push away the incident.

"Can't help ya there feller, the barns currently infested with some pests' right now, so we're going to be crashing in Applebloom's clubhouse for the night," Applejack said, tipping her hat.

"Sorry but my house is being refurbished to make room for some new furniture,” Rainbow Dash said.

"And I'm on baby-sitting duty again for the Cake twins," Pinkie Pie stated, seeming more happy than sad.

"I know, why don't you stay with Fluttershy, she's got some spare room at her cottage," Twilight suggested. The yellow Pegasus could only blush at the thought of another colt staying with her.

"I-is that alright with you Caster," she asked him nervously.

"Sure that would be great, and hey, it will give Angel and Nina here a chance to get acquainted," he said, giving his pet squirrel a rub under her cheek.

"All right then, sees y'all tomorrow," Applejack said, heading for home. All of the other ponies said their goodbyes and left for the night.

===============================================================

The walk back to her cottage seemed to take longer than Fluttershy remembered. She couldn't get her thoughts off of whether the Pegasus walking next to her was the same one she met in the woods earlier or not. Caster noticed Fluttershy was giving him a quick glance every chance she got thinking he wouldn’t notice. Curious as to what was up, he tried asking what the problem was.

"Fluttershy, is everything all right?" Caster asked, in a slightly worried tone.

"Huh, oh yes everything's fine, why do you ask?" Fluttershy said, trying to reassure him.

"Well I’m only asking because you keep looking at me like there's something on my face, is there?" the Pegasus said.

"Oh, it's nothing don't worry about it," she said, looking on ahead.

"Well, all right then. Oh, I almost forgot, I need to go and get my cart just in case somepony might steal it. Do you mind if we take a little detour, it's only a short walk from here?" he said, hoping she wouldn't mind.

"Well, Ponyville doesn't have much of a problem with burglars, but I guess we can make a little stop first," the shy mare agreed hesitantly as they turned left through the woods towards the clearing where his house was being built.

As they entered the clearing, Caster saw that everything was still there from the measuring layout of his house to the cart full of personal belongings that he was looking for. After getting back his stuff, he and Fluttershy continued their walk back to her cottage. The small natural home then came into view as they made their way out of the forest. Caster parked his cart by the side of her cottage and walked towards the door.

"Here we are, home sweet home as it were," Fluttershy said, trying to be an honorable host.

"I’ll be inside in a second, first I have some unfinished business to take care of,” the stallion said, with a light smile

"What do you mean?” She asked.

"Well, every now and then I like to give Nina a ride across the sky and it's been so long since she's felt the wind blow through her fur. So could you wait while I give her a quick flight?" Caster asked her as Nina popped out of his mane.

"That sounds lovely, all right then, maybe I'll make a quick dinner for us while you're gone," the yellow Pegasus nodded in agreement.

"That would be nice, oh and see if you can round up a few acorns for Nina, bye," he said, taking off into the evening sky.

Back in the kitchen of her cottage, Fluttershy was preparing a couple of dandelion sandwiches for her and her guest, but even that wasn’t enough to take her mind off of her new friend. He was tall, kind, compassionate, had a love for animals like her, and if she was right, had a beautiful singing voice to boot. Her knees started to feel a bit wobbly as images of his smiling face ran through her mind. She had a deep blush on her face as she tried to shake these images out of her head. Before she even realized it, the sun had already gone down for the night with Luna’s moon slowly rising over the horizon. Caster had already returned from his flight and proceeded up the small hill leading into her cottage with Nina sitting on his back. As the light brown Pegasus entered the homestead, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of serenity while inside. Sure it was filled floor to ceiling with little animal houses, but all things considered he really liked her home.

"Nice place you have here, it seems more relaxing than all the hustle and bustle up in Canterlot," he said, walking into the kitchen.

"Oh, well um, thank you I’m glad you like it here. Have a seat, dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Angel, come in here and say hello to our guest, he's got a friend for you," Fluttershy called out before going back to making their food.

The stallion looked to see where she was calling out and, in the corner of his eye, saw a little white rabbit then came running into the dining room to see what all the commotion was about. Angel stopped in front of Caster and gave him what seemed to be a glare. He paid it no mind and just smiled at the rabbit.

"Hey there little guy, my name is Caster, and this here is my friend Nina, she's going to be your new playmate from now on,” he said, as the squirrel crawled down his hoof and stood next to Angel.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Nina jumped off of Angel’s head indicating him to chase her. The white rabbit grew frustrated and did what the red squirrel wanted but in an enraged attitude. They chased each other around for a few minutes as Caster just sat at the dinner table and watched.

"Oh Nina, what am I going to do with her," the smith pony said, while face hoofing himself.

"Don’t worry about it, Angel gets upset very easily so you really shouldn’t blame her for it. Besides it’s kind of cute to see them play together don’t you think?" Fluttershy said, placing the food onto the table.

“I guess you’re right,” Caster said, as he noticed the food. “All right you two stop playing around it’s time for dinner.”

For the next hour or so, everyone ate their food in perpetual silence. The two Pegasai ate a couple of daisy sandwiches and drank some lemon tea. Angel had a plate of steamed carrots and a bit of lettuce on the side and Nina was snacking on a bowl of acorns that Fluttershy had picked earlier. When the meal was finished, the pink haired pony took the dishes to the sink and then led Caster and his squirrel friend upstairs to the guest room. The room wasn’t overly spacious, it had a twin sized bed, a green night stand with a yellow lamp on top, a window to the side that let in Luna’s moonlight, and a small blue rug on the floor.

"Here you go, I know it isn’t much but, I hope you like it," the shy mare said, hoping he wouldn’t be too disappointed.

"Well it's not like my room at home, but it's all right none the less. Thank you very much for letting me stay here tonight Fluttershy," Caster said, in an appreciative tone.

"It's my pleasure," she said, with a modest smile. She was about to turn around and leave, when she suddenly felt something wrap around her. She looked to see it was Caster himself embracing her in a hug.

"This is just my way of saying thanks," the stallion said, seeming happily content.

Fluttershy didn't know what to think of this. Never before has a colt or stallion other than her father held her like this, normally she would’ve fainted from shock. But for some reason she liked it, she couldn’t explain why but it felt nice to her. All she could do was return the favor with a hug of her own as her eyes slowly drooped. The moment was short lift as Caster soon broke the hug, he then allowed Nina to climb into the bed first with him following shortly. All tucked in for the night, the young stallion looked back at the yellow Pegasus who was standing in the doorway.

"Well good night you two, sleep tight," Fluttershy said, trying not let the blush on her face show in the moonlight.

“Good night to you as well Fluttershy,” Caster said, as he laid his head down on the pillow and closed his eyes with Nina snuggling next to him.

As the young mare closed the door, she couldn’t help but look upon his delicate face as he slept and see the last bit of light fade from it.

===============================================================

The next morning, the sun had started to rise above the hills and Caster and Nina were awoken by the crow of Fluttershy's chicken Elizabeak. Caster yawned trying to open his eyes but the sunlight suddenly hit him in the eyes making him shut them tight. ‘Ugh, it’s too early for this, I’m going back to sleep,’ Caster groaned in his mind as he turned away from the window. Suddenly he felt something light and fluffy brush against his nose. He opened his eyes a tad to see it was Nina using her tail to try and wake him up.

"Alright I'm up, I'm up. Geez you sure are persistent aren't you?" he said, looking at the red squirrel that was grinning a little.

As the Pegasus pony got out of bed, he did a couple of stretches to relieve the tension in his joints and took a minute to bask in Celestia’s morning sunlight. Afterwards he walked down the stairs to find Fluttershy in the kitchen preparing some hay bacon, eggs, and fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast. The yellow mare noticed Caster and turned to give him a warm smile.

"Good morning Fluttershy," he said, smiling back at her.

"Good Morning Caster. How did you sleep last night?" she asked him while squeezing some oranges.

"I slept very well thank you for asking. Hey um, before we eat do you mind if I use your shower real quick, as you can see my mane is in a bit of a damaged state right now," the stallion said, pointing out all of the curls running across his hair.

"Oh sure, it's no problem at all. The bathroom is down the hall, second door to your right," Fluttershy said, pointing across the hall.

"Thank you, I'll be out in about twenty minutes," Caster said, heading down the hall.

A few minutes later, after Caster had just gotten into the shower, Fluttershy could hear singing coming from the bathroom. She knew it was him of course, but she wanted to get closer to confirm that it was the same voice as yesterday. As she got closer the singing started to get louder and the vocals clearer. Putting her ear against the door, she could vaguely make out the lyrics to the song he was singing.

"Tonight I'm gonna have myself a real good time, I feel alive. And the world, I'll turn it inside out, yeah. I'm floating around in ecstasy so don't, stop me now. Don't, stop me 'cause I'm having a good time, having a good time. I'm a shooting star leaping through the sky like a tiger, defying the laws of gravity. I'm a racing car passing by like Lady Godiva, I'm gonna go, go, go there's no stopping me. I'm burning through the sky yeah, 200 degrees that's why they call me Mister Fahrenheit. I'm traveling at the speed of light; I wanna make a supersonic man out of you. Don't, stop me now I'm having such a good time, I'm having a ball. Don't, stop me now if you wanna have a good time, just give me a call. Don't, stop me 'cos I'm having a good time, don't, stop me yes, I'm having a good time, I don't want to stop at all, yeah."

As his song continued on into the second verse, the young mare walked back to the kitchen with a small grin on her face; satisfied that all of her questions had been answered. A couple of minutes later, Caster turned off the water and went to grab a nearby towel to dry himself off with. Then he picked up a nearby brush and used it to brush his mane back to its normal state. Soon after, he exited the bathroom looking fresh as a daisy and went back to the dining room to get some breakfast. Upon entering, the light brown pony saw Fluttershy preparing the table with a few plates and utensils.

"Hey Fluttershy, thanks again for letting me use the shower. Also for everything else you’ve done for me," he said, trying not to hug her again in fear that she might be offended.

"It was nothing really, you’re my friend and I always look out for those I care for,” the Pegasus mare said, in a soothing tone. Then a thought popped into her head and thought of something to say. “By the way, I just wanted to say that you have a lovely singing voice.”

Suddenly Caster felt weak in his stomach. His jaw dropped and his eyes started to bulge out as his face started to turn crimson red.

"You heard me singing. Oh my gosh I am so sorry, I thought I was being more quiet than that," he kept on stuttering before he was cut off by Fluttershy.

"Wait a minute, I didn’t say it was bad, I liked your singing. Why would you think I wouldn’t?" she asked, curious about his self-consciousness.

"Well it’s not that I thought you would hate it, it's just that I was afraid you might’ve yelled at me to be quiet,” Caster said, as he sat down in his chair. “You see most of the ponies I’ve known are always telling me to keep my voice down because I’m distracting them from their work. While I can honestly agree with that, I kind of find it hard not to sing. I always feel so free when I sing, even if I sometimes can’t do it out loud. I know that just sounds silly doesn’t it?”

The self-conscious Pegasus awaited a response from the mare next to him, but it never came. Suddenly he felt a hoof press on his shoulder and looked to see Fluttershy giving a very compassionate look.

"I don’t think it’s silly at all. I feel the same way when I sing too. However I do have to agree that you can’t always sing whenever you want, some ponies need to concentrate on their work. So maybe you could find a time of day to do a little singing when you’re alone,” the yellow Pegasus turned away hoping he wasn’t hurt by her comment. “But um, I’d like to hear you sing right now, if you want to of course.”

"Well okay, but nothing over the top I can promise you that," Caster said, seeming to have gained a bit of confidence.

As he stood up from his seat, he cleared his throat and took a few deep breaths to prepare himself. He thought for a few seconds on what to sing. Soon an idea popped into his head as he opened his mouth and sang the notes in a slightly deeper voice. "A-a-a-ah," he let the last note hang in the air for a bit before the room went quiet.

"That was beautiful Caster. I’m surprised ponies don’t applaud you when you sing," Fluttershy said, seeming to have enjoyed his little demonstration.

"Well um, thanks, to tell the truth Fluttershy, you're the only pony other than my parents to say that to me," the Pegasus said, while chuckling.

"Glad I could give you some other pony's opinion,” Fluttershy said, blushing a little. Then a curious question came to mind. “By the way, I've wanted to ask you if it's not too much trouble; do you have any siblings or are you an only child?"

"I just have a brother and sister; my brother is a year and a half older than me and my sister is older than the both of us, in fact I've actually lost track of how old she is,” Caster said, laughing at his own lack of knowledge. “My brother still lives in Canterlot with his marefriend and our sister has moved to Fillydelphia where she is settling down with her husband and step son."

"Do any of you even talk to each other anymore?" the Pegasus mare asked.

"We used to see each other every now and then, but we’ve all kind of drifted apart so to speak," he told her. “We still get together for Hearth’s Warming Eve but other than that we just send each other letters.”

"Well I hope we can all get together soon. Pinkie Pie will probably throw them a big party," Fluttershy said, with a motivational smile.

"No doubt about that, I can’t wait to show my brother all of my new friends. Now what say we eat this breakfast of yours before it goes cold?" Caster said, pointing towards the table.

During breakfast the two ponies made idle chit-chat about each other’s families, such as family history and how both of their parents got together. After the food was gone, Caster grabbed a set of saddlebags and went off to Sweet Apple Acres to help Applejack pick some apples like he promised, leaving Nina with Fluttershy. Although the shy mare wanted to go with him, she had to feed all of her little woodland friends and make sure none of them were sick or injured. But Angel and Nina could sense the feelings between their owners, even if neither of them were fully aware of how they felt. So they decided to give them a little push towards each other and tried to get Fluttershy to go after him.

"But what about all the little creatures, they need me to take care of them?" the yellow Pegasus asked. Nina and Angel of course offered to look after their friends while she was away so that she wouldn't have to worry about them.

"Oh thank you both so much, I don't know what I'd do without you," she said, giving them a big hug as she tried to catch up with Caster.

"Caster, wait!" Fluttershy said, coming to a stop in front of him and trying to catch her breath. "I'd like to come with you, to help pick apples of course, I mean if that's all right with you."

"I'm certain that Applejack would appreciate some more help, but don't you have to take care of all your little friends?" Caster asked, curious about her sudden interest with picking apples.

"It’s okay, Angel and Nina volunteered to keep an eye on them while I'm gone," the exhausted mare said, regaining her composure.

"Well, all right then, after you," he said, pointing a hoof towards the farm. 'Why is she being so nice to me?' Caster thought. 'I know she let me stay at her house and all, but it was all Twilight's idea in the first place. But she did say that she's just trying to be a good neighbor and all. Plus, she's kind of cute too,’ he reconsidered while trying to avoid eye contact with Fluttershy. In doing so however, he couldn't help but examine her figure. Every part of her frame seemed perfect in his perspective, she was unlike any mare he had ever met in his life. He then turned his attention to Fluttershy's eyes which he had been trying to avoid. 'I could go for a swim in those blue eyes,' eventually the two ponies found themselves just outside of Sweet Apple Acres. Fluttershy was about to introduce the farm to Caster, but when she turned around she came face to face with a pair of large dark green eyes looking straight into hers. They stared at each other for a couple of seconds, seeming unable to look away from one another. They soon realized what was happening and turned away from each other blushing wildly.

Chapter 2: A New Life

The air outside of Sweet Apple Acres began to fill with tension as two Pegasus’ were trying to ponder what had just happened. Fluttershy was doing her best not to show the blush on her face while Caster Forge was mentally freaking out from his actions.

'What are you doing Cast, you've only just met her and you're already acting like a little colt again,' he thought to himself in a disappointing tone. 'You have to remember what you promised yourself all those years ago.'

After a few minutes of regaining their composure, the yellow Pegasus decided to speak to her friend.

“So um, shouldn’t we be heading to the farm now?” she said, trying not to look directly at Caster.

“Yeah, I guess we should,” the light brown Pegasus said, a tad nervous.

While they kept moving toward the farm, Fluttershy was still questioning her own thoughts.

‘What was that about just now, why couldn’t I look away from his eyes. It was like there was some kind of spark in them but there was something else. I could’ve sworn that I saw something, it was almost as if he was in, pain.’

With that in mind she looked to see Caster looking down at the ground with a solemn expression on his face. He seemed to be spacing out, so the young mare tried to snap him out of it.

“Caster, are you all right you don’t look so good?” Fluttershy asked in her normally concerned tone.

The stallion heard her voice and soon realized what was happening. No sooner after did he change his face into a gentle smile to avoid suspicion.

“Don’t worry about it Fluttershy, it’s nothing you need to concern yourself with,” he reassured her.

The yellow Pegasus simply nodded her head pushing the whole matter off to the side as they approached the farm. When they arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, both of them saw Applejack waiting by the front gate who went over to greet them.

"Howdy Cast, glad you made it and on time too, I like to see that in a hard worker," the farm pony said, with enthusiasm.

"Thanks, I always make it a point to arrive as early as I can," Caster said, taking pride in the compliment.

"Well enough chit-chat it's time to get to work, just pick up a bucket and head to one of the trees and start buckin' apples," Applejack said, pointing towards a pile of buckets.

"Actually I've never really bucked apples before I usually just fly up and pick them out of the tree," he told her, a little embarrassed by his own inexperience.

"Well better late than never to start practicing right?" she said, pushing him towards one of the nearby trees.

Fluttershy watched as Caster aimed his back legs to the tree, looking closer she saw the muscles in his legs tighten in preparation for the kick and she couldn't help but blush a little. When he made his first attempt it didn't go over too well as he had aimed too far to his right and fell flat on his face with his left leg sticking up and twitching slightly. Applejack and Fluttershy were unable to control their laughter while Caster got up and wiped the dirt off of his chest, but he didn't let it bother him. His second attempt proved more fruitful when his hooves made contact with the thick bark of the tree, causing vibrations that shook all the apples off the branches. Applejack shouted with enthusiasm.

"Yee-haw, that's more like it, good job sugar-cube, keep it up and you might be as good as my brother one day. But don't get too full of yourself just yet, there're still plenty of apple trees that need buckin'."

"I figured as much," the light brown colored Pegasus sighed in annoyance but still keeping a smile.

As he headed to more of the trees in the orchard, Fluttershy remembered what she came here for and went to grab one of the buckets from the pile. Clamping her jaw onto one of the buckets, she found it difficult to move, looking up she saw a certain red coated stallion with half a green apple for a cutie mark and messy orange hair that had his jaw clamped onto the bucket as well. She let out a small gasp at the sight of Applejack's older brother Big Macintosh. He was a very sturdy looking pony, one that all the mares in Ponyville talked about, he was one of the few ponies in town that was decidedly taller than Caster. Even though he looked a bit intimidating at times, he always managed to show his kind-heartedness. Seeing Fluttershy before him, Big Mac reluctantly began to show his chivalrous side. It was well known to everybody that Big Mac and Fluttershy had feelings for each other at one point, but they decided to just stay good friends. But they still cared for each other's well-being and were always there to help each other out when one or the other was in trouble.

"Good morning Ms. Fluttershy, how are you today?" Big Mac said, trying not to scare his friend.

"Oh I'm doing well thank you for asking," Fluttershy said, trying to get rid of the blush on her face. She wanted to say more but she was soon interrupted by a red-violet mare that came walking up to Big Mac.

"Hello Fluttershy, nice to see you again," Cheerlie said, in her daily sweet tone.

"It's nice to see you to Ms. Cheerlie," the earth pony mare was the town's school teacher and always cared deeply for the fillies and colts that she teaches each day. She was dropping by Sweet Apple Acres to give Big Macintosh his lunch for the day when she noticed an unfamiliar pony gathering apples in the orchard with Applejack.

"Say Fluttershy, would you mind telling me who that pony is over there," the teacher asked, out of interest.

"That's Caster Forge," the small pegasi began as her eyes darted away from Cheerlie. "He's here from Canterlot on royal business for Princess Celestia."

"Oh so he's the new pony I've been hearing about," the older mare could not help but smile at her response, "it's too bad I had to miss the party... I was up all night grading papers and I just couldn't get myself out of bed," Cheerlie explained, as she looked over again at the new stallion with dreamy eyes. Big Mac noticed her expression and almost lost his cool.

"Hey," Big Mac said. "You said you would always save that look just for me," his face flushed with the barest hint of jealousy.

"Don't worry dear, you're the only stallion I have my eyes set on," she said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Don't forget, tonight is our two year anniversary so be sure to pick me up at eight, okay sugar bear?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, pumpkin pie," the work horse said, giving her a loving nuzzle.

As the love of his life walked away towards the school, Big Mac let out a small sigh feeling lucky to be with a mare so beautiful.

"She really is something isn't she?" he said. Fluttershy giggled a little, seeing the silly grin on his face.

"Yeah, I'm really happy for the both of you. By the way, how did you and Cheerlie end up together? I don't think you ever told me how that happened," the young mare asked, seeming a little flustered.

"Huh, you know I believe you're right, well you deserve as any other pony to know how it happened."

===============================================================

"It all goes back a few years to Hearts and Hooves day; you remember when Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo gave me and Cheerlie that love potion?"

"How could I forget, afterwards they found out it was actually a love poison and went through several means to keep you two apart," she said, trying not to sound rude.

"That's the one, after the spell was broken, the girls were forced to do all my chores as punishment and then Cheerlie took me out to a picnic under the gazebo in the park. We messed with the fillies by making it seem like we were still under the influence of the poison and then made our way to the park. When we got there we started making small talk, at first we just talked about the events that transpired that day and how silly it all was thinking that we would be in a relationship together. While I was still laughing at the idea I noticed that Cheerlie looked a little dis-hearted at my comment; she asked me if I even liked her at all."

Fluttershy seemed a bit worried but tried her best to not let it show on her face. "So what did you tell her?"

"I gave her a friendly comment and a reassuring pep talk and let her know that she is one of the prettiest mares I have had the pleasure to make friends with. After that we talked more about each other, what we liked to do after work, our favorite kind of books, flowers, and foods. Soon after we became instant PFF's and started seeing each other more and more often. Then one night I decided to take her out to dinner and a show, it was one of the most magical nights of my life. When the show was over and we finished our food, we took a leisurely walk down by Trickle Lake to enjoy the evening sky. We found a quiet place to sit down and talk to ourselves alone which went on late into the night. After a while, Cheerlie asked me how I really felt about her, not as a friend but as a special somepony. I was a bit nervous for a minute or two not many mares have asked me that question, save for you of course."

Both Big Mac and Fluttershy blushed slightly remembering when they admitted their feelings for each other a long time ago.

"Anyway, I was hesitant to say the least, but I came clean and told her exactly how I felt. I told her that every minute I've spent with her since that day was a joy to me, that any time I got to see her was like a blessing from Celestia and how her smile always seemed to brighten my day. A small tear ran across her cheek as she planted a kiss on my lips, I returned it with one of my own and we both gazed up at the moon and stars for what felt like an eternity."

===============================================================

Fluttershy gave out a warm sigh listening to the last of the romantic story which played out in her mind.

"That was one of the most beautiful stories I've ever heard," the yellow mare said, almost at the point of tears of joy.

"Thanks, it's nice to share stories with a good friend every once in a while. Speakin’ of which maybe you can 'share' the story on what that new feller over there is pickin' apples for," Big Mac asked out of curiosity.

"Oh Caster, he just heard how short-handed you all were around the farm so he decided to stop by and help out. You've got to admit though he's really good at collecting apples in a hurry," the shy Pegasus said, turning her attention back to Caster bucking apples at an increasing pace.

The crimson farm pony was actually impressed with his progress, but his smile soon waned when he looked to Fluttershy to see she had the same dreamy eyed look that Cheerlie had earlier. Even though Big Mac and Fluttershy weren't together, he couldn't help but feel he'd be losing a good friend to somebody he didn't know and he wanted to find out if anything was going on between them.

"Could you excuse me for a sec Ms. Shy I need to have a word with your new friend there," trying not to be obvious on what he needed to say to her friend.

Fluttershy snapped out of her gaze to address the stallion next to her. "Oh that's fine, I should probably start helping out anyway, I came here to do so after all," she said, as she grabbed a bucket and headed towards some of the trees.

Big Mac trotted over to Caster and tried to get his attention. "Hey Caster mind if I talk to you over here for a second?"

"Um sure I guess," Caster said, finished with another apple tree. He followed the stallion to a part of the orchard further away from Applejack and Fluttershy.

"So I can only presume your Applejack's brother; what did you want to talk to me about anyway?" the light brown Pegasus asked, looking a little exhausted from the work.

Big Mac turned around to look at him with a very still face so as not to provoke him. "I wanted to talk to you about Fluttershy."

"Why is there a problem with her or something?" Caster said, showing only the smallest amount of concern.

"No nothing like that, I just wanted to let you know that Fluttershy is a very close friend of mine. She's a pony that means the world to me."

"Okay and your point is what exactly?" the blacksmith pony asked, acting nonchalantly.

Big Macintosh was a little irritated with Caster's response and started to get serious. "My point mister is that if you do anythin' to hurt Fluttershy or her feelings, so help me Celestia, I will make sure you never see the light of day again."

The light brown stallion was a little surprised to see the look on Macintosh's face, not knowing what he had done to offend him.

"What are you talking about Big Mac, why would I hurt-?" then a sudden realization came to mind as a small blush appeared on his face. "Wait a minute, you think that we're; oh my gosh I'm sorry I didn't realize. Look Big Mac I don't know what gave you the idea but trust me, Fluttershy and I are not dating, she's just a friend who offered me a place to stay for the night."

Big Mac was a bit embarrassed making a fool out of himself. 'If that's the case, then why was Fluttershy lookin' at you like that; oh never mind,' he thought to himself. He let out a hearty laugh to try and relieve the tension between them.

"Sorry ‘bout that I guess I kinda got carried away for a second. But still I'm a little surprised, a pony like you could get any mare out there. So why wouldn't you ask her out?" the red work horse asked, slightly bewildered.

The blush on Caster's face began to grow as he turned away from Big Mac. "It's a personal matter of mine, I really don't like to talk about it with other ponies."

Big mac went over to him and put a hoof on his shoulder. "C’mon you can tell I’ll bet I could help you and I won’t tell nopony, heck I'll even Pinkie Promise."

"What's a Pinkie Promise?" the blacksmith Pegasus asked, looking back and raising an eyebrow.

"It's something Pinkie Pie likes to use when making huge promises. She came up with the idea first and we've all been using it since,” Big Mac explained.

"All right then, so you Pinkie Promise?" Caster asked him, slowly catching on.

"Cross my heart hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," the red earth pony said, performing the usual gestures.

Caster couldn't help but laugh a little at what he saw, but all jokes aside he looked to make sure that nobody was around and told Big Macintosh the truth.

Applejack and Fluttershy were done bucking apples and were trying to find Big Mac and Caster who seemed to be missing.

"Big Mac, Big Mac where are you, you need to get started on your chores mister," Applejack shouted out in an irritated voice.

"Applejack I think I see them over there," Fluttershy said, pointing towards the east fields. They ran over as fast as they could to hear the last of Caster's conversation with Big Mac.

"Well I hope you find some way to make your life happy Caster," Applejack’s brother said, seeming a bit down.

"I wouldn't worry too much about that I mean look at me, I've got a job working for the Princess, my own place to live soon, and to top it off I've got dozens of new friends now and that includes you," Caster said, trying his best to look on the bright side of things. He was about to continue on the matter when two familiar mares came up to them.

"What in the hay are you two doin' out here. Big Mac you need to start workin' and Cast, shouldn't you be over at Rarity's by now? You do not want to upset her if you know what I mean," the orange mare hollered at them.

"I guess you're right, all right then I'll be on my way; Fluttershy you coming or are you heading back home?" the light brown Pegasus asked her, not wanting to keep her from her woodland friends.

"Oh, well actually I remembered that Rarity and I have plans today so I might as well come with, is that okay?" Fluttershy asked in a polite tone.

"Sure, let's get going," he said, as they headed towards Ponyville.

"Thanks again for stoppin' by and helpin' out Cast."

"And don't forget if you ever need somepony to talk to, you know where to find us," Big Mac added as he and Applejack waved them goodbye.

"So, you gonna tell me what that was all about or are we gonna have a problem here," the farmer pony said, glaring up at her brother.

"Sorry but I already Pinkie Promised that I wouldn't," the red stallion said, looking away from her.

"Oh applesauce, ah well I'm sure he'll tell us all on his own one day; now I think it's time somepony got to work, don't you agree?" Applejack said, with a sly grin on her face.

"Eeyup."

===============================================================

As Caster and Fluttershy walked through town, the stallion took his time to look around and take in the sights. Everywhere he looked he saw ponies with smiling faces who would casually give him a wave of the hoof or a greeting as they passed by. Fluttershy looked casually at him and saw how happy he was, it seemed as though friends and others were what kept him in a joyous mood. She let out a little giggle which caught his attention.

“What’s so funny Fluttershy?” the light brown Pegasus asked, putting on a silly grin.

“Oh, I’m sorry Caster, you just look so happy is all,” she said, returning the smile.

Caster said nothing as he looked away, trying not to show the light blush growing on his face. While the Pegasus mare was looking on ahead, she spotted a pair of ponies on a nearby bench who waved her over to them to say hello.

"Good morning Lyra, Bonbon, how are you?" she said, in a cheerful tone.

"We're a little worn out, that party Pinkie threw was a real hum dinger of one," Lyra explained, exhaustion apparent in her voice.

"Yeah, I don't think I've danced that hard in all my life. But I have to say your new friend here has got some moves, he was all over the place when Vinyl started playing," Bonbon said, looking towards Caster trying to catch up with Fluttershy.

"Well I wouldn't say that; I'll admit I'm great when it comes to freestyle, but I'm terrible at just dancing in general," the blacksmith pony said, trying not to sound arrogant. "You're actually not bad yourself for somepony who-; I'm sorry I never really found out what your profession is, I've got to watch that sometimes, what do you do exactly?"

"Lyra and I run the local sweets shop down the street, it's the large building that looks like a cookie tin. We're not as successful as Sugar Cube Corner is but the fillies and colts help keep the business flowing," the crème colored pony said, as she pointed to a giant decorative cookie tin with all manners of nick-knacks surrounding it.

Caster looked to where she pointed and was a bit amazed. "Oh yeah I see it, it's pretty impressive. So are you two like business partners or something?"

"Well you might say that," the mint green unicorn said, looking at her wife. Without a seconds notice, Bonbon gave her a small kiss on the lips and the stallion was truly surprised.

"Ohhhhh so you two are, Filly Foolers?" he said, giving out a light cough.

The mares in attendance were shocked to hear him use such a hateful term. Lyra was outraged and got up out of her seat to give him a piece of her mind.

"Yeah what about it, you have a problem with two mares in love, or are you too bucking insensitive to think about other pony's feelings towards each other," she said, giving him an intimidating glare.

Caster's surprised face soon turned into a scowl as he slammed his hoof down on the ground as hard as he could. The shock wave from his hoof caused Lyra to fall back onto the bench.

"Let's make two things perfectly clear shall we. First, I really, really do not like it when somepony makes completely wild accusations about me without knowing how I actually feel; and two."

The two ponies were scared out of their wits to find out what was about to come. But none more so than Fluttershy who was afraid she may have feelings for a pony filled with hatred. All their fears soon ceased when the light brown Pegasus grabbed Lyra and Bonbon in a giant bear hug and they saw that the scowl had left his face and was instead replaced with a large smile that almost rivaled Pinkie Pie’s.

"I absolutely love ponies like you, what in Equestria makes you think I would have a problem with that!" he said, tightening the embrace.

"Well we heard you use the term 'Filly Fooler' and we just kind of assumed I guess," Bonbon stated, slightly struggling to get out.

"I guess that does make sense when you think about it," Caster said, putting the two lovers back down. "Well when you live in Canterlot most of your life and you're surrounded by dozens of nobles who are raised in the old traditional ways, some things just get stuck in your head. At first yes I was a bit sensitive on the matter; I wasn't overly fond of talking about it, but over the years I've become a bit of a romantic. My parents kind of helped me in the area."

"What do you mean?" Fluttershy asked, taking an interest in the matter.

"You see they never cared much for the old ways and they always taught me and my siblings that you should be kind to other ponies whether they be Pegasus, Unicorn, or Earth pony; and that includes if they like ponies of the same gender. As for me personally, I don't care about any of that. All I know is that if you love somepony, regardless of whom or what they are, you do whatever you can to make them happy no matter what anypony says," the stallion finished with a sense of confidence.

The Pegasus was so busy talking he didn't even notice the crowd that had gathered around the group. He was a bit nervous thinking they would tell him to keep quiet about matters he didn't understand. But looking around, he was surprised to find all of the ponies stomping in support of his speech. Never before had others applauded what he stood for, literally.

"You seem to know how to draw an audience to," the Pegasus mare said, proud of her new friend.

"Actually this is the first time I've ever done something like this. I never thought it would bring out such a huge crowd," Caster said, looking a bit embarrassed.

As the ponies left to go about their business Lyra, and Bonbon stood up to thank Caster for sharing his opinion.

"Well I still think that what you said back there was just beautiful,” Bonbon said, touched by his words.

"I wish there were more stallions like you these days," Lyra said, a little regretful for her harsh statement earlier.

Bonbon looked at the town clock to check the time and saw that she was running late. "Shoot, we really should be getting back don't want all those children getting impatient now do we."

The two mares were about to leave when a single thought had crossed their minds. They looked to each other as if they're minds were in sync and they both nodded in agreement.

"But before that, Caster we have a little present for you."

"What is it Bonbon?" he asked. She and Lyra walked up to him and gave him a small kiss on either one of his cheeks.

"A little welcome into the neighborhood," they said. The sudden kiss made him go out like a light bulb. The two of them couldn't help but giggle seeing the ridiculous look on his face. Except for Fluttershy who seemed to be blushing at the sight of another pony kissing Caster. The musical mare noticed her expression and threw some words of encouragement at her.

"Take real good care of this one; ponies like him don't come around as often as they should," Lyra said, with a know it all grin.

The yellow mare was blushing even harder than before and was simply lost for words.'Oh, my'

===============================================================

After getting rid of the blush on their faces, the two Pegasus’ made their way to the Carousal Boutique. Upon entering, Caster was suddenly tackled by a white unicorn mare in a bone crushing hug. At the same time Fluttershy jumped back in surprise.

"What is this affectionate mare day or something?" he said, the blush reappearing on his face.

"I heard the speech you made all the way from here it was simply wonderful. Now I know that we all have a friend we can rely on," Rarity said, releasing him from her grip a little embarrassed.

"Thank you Rarity I’m glad to hear somepony say that, speaking of being relied on, I have those pieces that you asked for just hold on a second," the stallion said, as he rummaged through his saddle bags.

He then pulled out a collection of carved golden pieces that looked like they had been disassembled from a royal chest plate. The marshmallow colored unicorn took the items in her hooves and inspected them closely.

"Oh my, these are magnificent, did you make these yourself?" she said, amazed at his creations.

"Why yes I did, I keep this set and a couple others for when and if I might forget how to make certain creations," Caster said, glad to hear somebody appreciate his work.

"Well I can certainly tell that this is true craftsmanship, in fact I've just come up with an idea for a new ensemble," Rarity said, overjoyed.

"Awesome now maybe I can get some inspiration from your work Ms. Rarity," the light brown Pegasus said, as he pulled out a large sketch book and a piece of charcoal from his saddle bags.

"But of course dear, come with me and I'll show you my design room,” she said, as she led her friends upstairs.

Caster and Fluttershy followed Rarity to the second floor of the boutique where she worked on making new designs for her dresses. Walking in, the stallion took a moment to survey his surroundings. On one end of the room stood a couple of undressed ponyquins ready to be styled. On the other end were a few of her latest dresses hung from a portable rack that were to be sent to Canterlot. By the door stood Rarity’s bed with elegant wooden frames and silk sheets. Caster was in awe of all the designs and patterns that spread across the room.

"Wow look at all of these outfits; are you sure you didn't go to the same school as me," he said, amazed at all the dresses.

The white unicorn couldn't help but blush at the comment. "He's such a charmer isn't he Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy saw him with his wide eyed expression and let out an almost audible giggle. "Indeed he is."

"All right that's enough sight-seeing for me, what say we work on that ensemble of yours," the blacksmith pony said, turning back to his friends.

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Rarity said, levitating a ponyquin and some cloth.

As the owner of the boutique worked on her newest dress and Caster copied her designs into his sketch book, the yellow Pegasus was in the back feeling a bit worried. She and all of her friends could tell when Rarity was trying to move in on a stallion and they also knew that almost nobody could resist her charm. She didn’t understand why she was so afraid of losing him, but it was only a matter of time and she didn't know how to respond without making a fool out of herself. She was looking for the right words to say when in a flash, her fears came true.

"Say Caster might I ask you something?" the unicorn mare asked, a bit flustered.

"Sure Rarity what do you need?" he said, still focusing on the drawing.

Rarity was a bit nervous and started scuffing her hoof against the floor avoiding direct eye contact with Caster. "Well I was just wondering if you weren't too busy this week maybe you could join me for dinner sometime at the café."

Fluttershy just stood where she was, dead silent, unsure of what had just occurred. The light brown Pegasus dropped his sketch book in surprise. He slowly turned his head to meet Rarity's alluring gaze as he let out a small sigh.

"Rarity I'm truly flattered by your offer, really I am, but I'm afraid I'll have to say no," the two mares were both quite shocked to say the least.

"But why; do you not like my mane or did I put on too much blush this morning or is it -," the stallion held a hoof to her mouth to keep her from rambling.

"Believe me Rarity when I say that you are one of the most beautiful mares I have ever met; the same can be said for you to Fluttershy when it comes to cuteness," the yellow mare in question started to blush even harder than before. "But it has nothing to do with you, it's me."

Caster felt a little ashamed of himself as he bowed his head down in sadness. Looking back up at them, he saw his friends giving him a look of curiosity.

"Well what is it what's wrong with you dear?" Rarity asked, in a concerned tone.

"Oh, no I don't mean there's anything actually wrong with me; it's just something that I promised myself a long time ago, I don't want to bother you with it," the blacksmith pony said, looking away.

"Darling we're your friends and friends always help each other out in situations like these now would you please just tell us already," the marshmallow white unicorn said, seeming a bit desperate.

"I'm sorry Rarity but I just can't," Caster said, with a small tear rolling down his cheek. "If I do I know I'll eventually get my heart broken again so please just let me get back to-."

"Caster?"

The stallion was surprised for a second, he looked over to Fluttershy who seemed to have tears of sympathy welling up in her eyes.

"Please we're only trying to help you; we know we can trust you but can't you trust us even with this?" she said, with the saddest eyes she could muster.

Caster bit his lower lip trying not to give in, but his strength soon withered away as he wiped the tear from his eye with his wing "All right I guess it's time I came clean. To put it simply, I'm off the market."

"What you mean you're already taken?" the unicorn said, appearing less desperate than before.

"That's not what I mean; what I meant was that I'm off the market as in I am done with relationships."

"What!?" Rarity and Fluttershy shouted in unison.

"Well you see all my life I've been looking for that one perfect mare, one who understands me, that would be there for me when I'm down, and who would protect me in an hour of need as I would do for her. But she never came. Everywhere I went I tried and failed, either because I was too shy to admit my feelings, she didn't feel the same way about me, or I would end up acting like a jerk to them. There were too many rejections, so much heart break, and so when I turned eighteen I decided to end my love life. I thought that if this was the path I was destined to follow, then I didn't want to have any part in it," Caster finished in a sorrowful tone.

"But what was with that part about getting your heart broken again?" Fluttershy asked, trying to choke back her tears.

"I was afraid that if I told you about it, you’d both try to get me back in the game and I would end up getting rejected by several mares over and over again. I just couldn't deal with that pain again. But don't feel bad for me, my life so far has been great up to this point and don't worry cause I intend to keep it that way for a long time to-," he was soon interrupted by a large white hoof that came in direct contact with the right side of his face and sent him a good distance across the room. "What the heck is your problem Rarity?"

"What's your problem Caster!!?" she shouted with tears streaming from her eyes. The stallion looked at her with a shocked expression. "You think that just because you've been rejected all your life that's how it's going to stay and you're just going to accept it? You need to stop focusing on the past, because that's where all your mistakes are kept, and move on in life."

"But I-."

"NO BUTS! If you want a lesson in never giving up you should take one from little Spikie wikie. Even though we're two different creatures, he still goes out of his way to prove that he loves me no matter what anypony says," the unicorn mare yelled out. The two Pegasus’ were surprised at what they heard.

"When did you learn that Spike had a crush on you Rarity? I mean, if you don’t mind me asking," the yellow mare asked.

"It was two years ago on Spike's birthday. After he reverted to his original form and we fell to the ground below he admitted his feelings to me, it was just too romantic to describe. But that's not the point right now. The real point here Caster, is that you can't let your past take control of your life. Think about it, where have you actually gone to look for your perfect mare all your life?" Rarity said, wiping the tears from her face and calming herself down.

The light brown Pegasus thought long and hard and finally came up with an answer. "Just Cloudsdale and Canterlot I guess."

"Exactly, you've been keeping yourself locked away in the same place all this time that you've never actually gone out and experienced what the world has to offer. Now when you really think about it, moving to Ponyville should be considered a new start for you, a chance to become the stallion you were meant to be. Besides how long has it been since you made that promise?" the white mare asked.

"It's been almost eight years I believe. Since then I haven't had to worry about being anything more than friends with other mares."

"Well maybe that's a good thing," he said, in a slightly cheerful tone.

"How is that a good thing?" Caster said, trying to stand up.

"Well by now I can tell that you weren't much of a gentlestallion back then. Maybe the reason you kept getting rejected was because you didn't know how to actually talk to mares. But yesterday you were able to talk to more than half of the mares in Ponyville. Maybe all you needed was some time to yourself to figure out how to act in front of them. I mean really dear do you want to spend the remainder of your days in solitude?" Rarity said, looking at him with the saddest eyes she could muster.

The blacksmith pony put a hoof to his chin to ponder for a moment. "You know what Rarity I think you may be right. When I think about it, all the mares that I've tried to be with to this day have been those snooty uptight ponies, or the nobles up in Canterlot; uh no offense."

"None taken," the unicorn mare said, brushing the comment away.

"And after being here for only a day, I can see that everypony is kind and honest towards each other. So yeah, maybe I'll give it just one more shot or in terms of speaking; I'm back in the game!" the stallion said, feeling proud of himself.

Fluttershy and Rarity went over to him to give him a congratulatory group hug and remained that way for a few moments.

"I'm so happy for you Caster," the Pegasus mare said, trying not to shed her inexpressible tears of joy.

"I'm happy for me as well and I want to thank the both of you; you Rarity for talking me out of my pit of despair and you Fluttershy for getting me to spill the beans so to speak," he said, breaking the hug between him and his friends.

"Think nothing of it dear and remember if you ever need anything just talk to us, I know a few mares in town that are looking for the right colt," Rarity said, giggling a little.

The light brown Pegasus was happy to hear the offer when something had crossed his mind. "Actually Rarity there is one thing I want to talk to you about."

"What is it Caster?" she asked, not knowing what he wanted.

"If you know that Spike has a crush on you, why did you ask me out on a date?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

The unicorn was starting to blush. "Well I know I said he has a crush on me but that doesn't mean we're dating."

"Don't you like him?"

"Well of course I do, we've been friends ever since he and twilight moved to Ponyville," she said.

"No, I mean do you like, like him?" Caster asked, emphasizing his point.

The blush on Rarity's cheeks soon spread across her face and her eyes started to move back and forth.

"I think you have your answer Caster," Fluttershy said, giggling.

"I think so to," the blacksmith pony said, with a little grin.

"I don't know why I have these feelings for him; I mean he's only a child after all," Rarity confessed, almost ashamed of herself.

"Rarity you're thinking of how old he is as a dragon, but you know as well as I do that he's been around for more than sixteen years," the yellow mare said, trying to convince her friend.

"Yes and from my experience I can see that he is a very mature drake. I’ve heard about all the things he’s done for you, I think it would be plain rude not to return the feelings. I'm not saying marry the freaking guy, I'm just saying give the little guy a chance. Talk to him, go out on a date or two, and spend some quality time together. Don't overlook an opportunity of happiness just because somepony else comes along," Caster said, looking down on Rarity.

The white mare didn't know what to say. They all remained silent for a few seconds before Caster started to laugh uncontrollably and fell back onto the floor.

"Look at me, I'm the one having relationship problems here and yet I'm dishing out advice to other couples, it's the ultimate irony!" his laughter soon reached his friends as they began to laugh on their own accord as well. As the humor died down a bit, Rarity thought about what he had said to her.

"Maybe you're right Caster, maybe I should give little Spikie wikie a chance; in fact I think I'll take him to the cafe instead," she said, blushing at the thought of going out with Spike.

"Good I hope it goes well for the both of you, now we should probably get back to work on that ensemble of yours,” the stallion said, pointing towards the half-finished dress.

"Oh goodness me you're right I almost forgot, now where did I put the lace?"

After an hour of painstaking work, Rarity took a step back to admire her work. The dress she had made looked almost identical to the armor the royal guards wore only made out of fabric instead. Most of the essential pieces were taken away to show more of the dresses unique qualities and the helmet was replaced with a small tiara.

"This is absolutely magnificent, I can't thank you enough Caster for bringing these pieces over," Rarity said, showing her appreciation.

"It was nothing; really I should be thanking you, if these designs do get accepted I'll be sure to let them know who helped," Caster said, putting away his sketch book.

The fashionista jumped with joy at the thought of her work being displayed in the royal army when she felt a wing tap her on the shoulder.

"Um Rarity, shouldn't we get going for our appointment?" Fluttershy said, pointing towards the nearby clock.

"Oh you're right, sorry Caster we'll have to work on this later."

"Where are you two going anyway?" the light brown pony asked, finished packing his things.

"Fluttershy and I always like to get together at the spa once a week for a bit of relaxation, it's simply divine," Rarity thought for a moment and came up with a brilliant idea. "I know, Caster would you like to join us?"

"Isn't kind of weird for a colt to spend time at the spa?" he asked a bit nervous.

"Not at all, there are plenty of colts here in Ponyville who believe in fine grooming; even Spike has gone there once or twice before," Fluttershy reassured him.

Caster considered the offer for a moment. Then he realized that if he was going to start a new life, he might as well start trying new things.

"All right then, if it’s as good as you both say it is lead on girls," Rarity clapped her hooves as she led him to her and Fluttershy's favorite spa facility.

Aloe was sitting on one of the chairs in the waiting room of Ponyville’s local spa, reading a magazine out of boredom, waiting for a customer. Suddenly the door swung open as she saw her usual customers, Rarity and Fluttershy, walking in.

"Hello Ms. Rarity, 'The Usual' for you and Fluttershy I take it?" she asked, happy to see some customers at last.

"Yes dear and something for our associate as well," the unicorn mare said, pointing a hoof towards a shy looking Caster behind the two of them.

"Hey don't be embarrassed, my coltfriend comes in here every week and it doesn't bother me," Lotus told the stallion from behind the receptionist desk. "Follow me and we'll get you started."

After a while the three ponies were found lounging in different areas of the spa. Rarity took up residence in the sauna covered in a thin layer of sweat dripping from her pores. Fluttershy relaxed in the large bath that stood out in the middle of the salon; and Caster laid on one of the massage tables wearing a mud mask and cucumbers and received a massage from both of the Aloe twins who were working hard to get all the knots out of his back.

"How are you doing over there Caster, feeling better?" the yellow mare asked, keeping herself out of view in the bath out of embarrassment.

"Better; I'm in heaven Fluttershy," the light brown Pegasus sighed in relief. "I don't know why I never tried this before but I like it."

All of the mares in attendance giggled hearing him in a perpetual state of joy. The two spa sisters did their best to focus on their work.

“I am glad you’re enjoying yourself Mr. Forge,” Aloe said, showing her gratitude for the compliment.

"Might I suggest joining me later for a hooficure, they're simply amazing," Rarity suggested from inside the sauna.

"I'm going to have to pass on that one. When it comes to blacksmithing my hooves are going to constantly be getting dirty; if I start getting hooficures now I'll be too busy keeping my hooves safe to focus on my work," Caster said, trying not to be rude.

"I suppose you're right, after all we can't change everything about you now can we; though I hope to see you around here more often," the white mare said, hoping he would accept.

"It's a deal Rarity," the blacksmith pony said, practically melting into the table.

Half an hour had passed when the trio emerged from the salon. Caster took a moment to stretch his legs out to rid the last of the tension.

"Thanks Rarity I really needed that; so how much do I owe you anyway?" he said, not wanting to be selfish.

"Don't worry about it dear, this one is on me to celebrate your 'return' as it were," Rarity said, reassuring him cheerfully. "So Caster what's next on your agenda?"

"I don't know, I remember there was one more thing I had to do before work today but I can't for the life of me-," the light brown pony was soon cut off by a rainbow con trail that pinned him to the ground.

"Cast where have you been, I've been waiting almost all day for our race," Rainbow Dash said, in an angry tone.

"Now I remember; sorry Dash I had some things to take care of first", Caster apologized trying to get back up.

"What you mean other than getting your hooves polished," she said, stepping off of Caster as Twilight Sparkle, Spike, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack rounded the corner.

"Okay first off I only went in there for a massage; second the only reason I'm even here is because Rarity invited me along to reward me, I am grateful of course; and third what are the rest of you doing here anyway?" he asked, curious of his friend’s arrival.

Twilight was the first to speak. "Thank Pinkie Pie, she remembered the race you and Rainbow dash were going to have today and she literally dragged us all to Rainbow's house."

"We saw her waitin' up on her porch when I told her that you left Sweet Apple Acres 'bout an hour ago and where to probably find y'all", Applejack said, continuing the explanation.

"Then she sprang into action and whoosh, flew straight towards Ponyville and she zigged and zagged all across town until she saw you then went into an awesome nose dive and bumped into you just now," Pinkie said, sliding across the ground leaving a long dirt trail in the road.

"Um thank you Pinkie Pie; so shall we get going then RD?"

"It's about time, let's head on over to Cloudsdale I've already got the track set up," the rainbow mane mare said, prepping for flight.

"Cool we'll see you guys there, later," Caster said, as he, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy took off towards the floating city. The rest of the group trotted over to the library to fetch Twilight's personal blimp.

===============================================================

On the outskirts of Cloudsdale a large crowd of ponies had gathered to witness the event of a lifetime; a race between Ponyville's own Rainbow dash and the newly appointed blacksmith of the royal army, Caster Forge. The entire city was in an uproar as the two Pegasus's in question were preparing themselves at the starting gate with their close friends off to the side. Rainbow was doing her usual stretches while Caster fitted a pair of goggles onto his head.

"So you think you have what it takes to beat me Cast?" the cyan blue Pegasus asked, as she cracked her wings.

"The thought had never crossed my mind Dash," the stallion said, giving his neck a ridiculously loud popping sound.

"What, then why did you even bother coming if you didn't think you could win?" she said, surprised by his response.

"Because Rainbow Dash, not thinking I could achieve anything, is how I became the Pegasus you see before you," he said proudly while pulling his goggles over his eyes.

"I like that attitude of yours, but just remember I'm not going to hold back in this race," Rainbow Dash warned him.

"Well at least promise no Sonic Rainbooms."

"Deal, unless you get ahead of me of course," he said, giving him a quick hoof bump.

Fluttershy stood on a small cloud in front of them as the races flag girl and was ready to give them the signal to start. The whole crowd seemed to go silent as the two competitors focused their attention on the rising flag. A small bead of sweat dripped from Caster's brow; never in his life did he think he would be racing against Ponyville's top athlete, he gave a quick thanks to Celestia and focused his attention back on the matter at hoof. At the sound of the bell and the wave of the flag they were off, taking off at a speed that nearly took everybody out of their seats. The stallion did surprisingly well in keeping up with Rainbow Dash, at times his speed would outmatch hers for a short while before she put in more effort. The light brown Pegasus nearly spun out at a few of the turns but bounced right back and made it through most of the goal rings. After only a few short minutes, the two Pegasus’ cut around the last corner and were making their way to the final stretch. Diving faster and faster, Caster could feel his wings cringe in pain but he didn't care as he and Rainbow bounced off of the final goal ring and back up to the stadium. It was so close; the tension was eating away at everybody and especially Fluttershy since she didn't know who to root for. The two racers suddenly sped past the finish line as the camera flash went off from Twilight's blimp. The cyan mare came into a smooth landing as usual while Caster rolled across the cloud collapsing from exhaustion. The shy Pegasus instinctively flew to his aid to help him up. Getting back on his hooves the blacksmith pony let out a small groan of pain.

"Take it easy Caster you just went through a great ordeal and need to save your strength," Fluttershy said, trying not to hurt him further.

"I'm all right Fluttershy I just need to give my wings a minute to rest," Caster reassured her as he folded his wings.

As the photograph was being processed the audiences of ponies were muttering to themselves about who they thought won the race while Rainbow Dash was preparing for her victory dance. When the picture emerged from the camera, Twilight was a bit surprised by the results. Before she could say anything, Pinkie Pie stood up and shouted at the top of her lungs.

"It's a tie!" she shouted, more excited than ever.

The entire crowd erupted in cheers. Some of the ponies were lost for words, but none more so than Rainbow Dash who didn't think that any other Pegasus could match her speed. But she still tried to be a good sport about it and gave Caster her congrats.

"Did you hear that Cast, a tie, I didn't think you had it in you," the cyan mare said, both proud and a bit envious by her friend.

"A tie; oh, that's good to hear," the light brown Pegasus said, as he fell on the cloud again with a grin on his face. Caster noticed a large shadow draped over him when he looked up to find one of Celestia's solar guards standing behind him.

"Yes soldier, what can I do for you?" he asked, composing himself.

"Sir I have come to inform you that the supplies for your house have been delivered to your property and are ready for construction," the guard said, with a blank expression.

"Thank you soldier, tell her majesty that she has my thanks, carry on," Caster said, giving him a salute. He saluted back and flew off towards Canterlot. "Well I guess it's time for me to get going. Dash, it was a pleasure to get a chance to race you, hope we can do it again sometime."

"I'll be looking forward to it," she said, shaking his hoof. "Hey do you need any help with building your house because I could lend a hoof if you want?"

"That's all right Rainbow I can take care of this on my own, besides you and your friends have helped me enough already that I couldn't possibly ask for anything else. Now if you'll excuse me I've got some living quarters to make," he said, retrieving his saddlebag from the blimp and flying towards his new property.

Some ponies tried to meet up with him to take a picture, but he politely pushed them aside as he moved on. Rainbow Dash caught a glimpse of his face as he left. Seeing it tighten in pain a little she thought he may have pulled a muscle or two and thought that he was just putting on a tough guy act as she went back over to her friends.

===============================================================

When Caster touched down onto the grassy field in the middle of the forest his stance faltered under the pain in his body. But he paid it no mind when he saw that all the supplies had indeed been delivered. From lumber to pipes, he had everything he needed to create the proper house and forge. Reaching into his saddlebag he pulled out the blueprints for his house and set them on the work table to look them over. The morning had turned into mid-afternoon rather quickly as Caster finished the last of the measurements for the property space of the building. The light brown Pegasus was about to grab some wooden planks when he heard a rustling in the bushes nearby.

"Okay who is it this time?" Caster said, to nobody in particular. To his surprise it was Fluttershy who emerged from the shadows.

"It's me Caster, I came here to help you out. I mean if you don't mind of course," Fluttershy said, in her usual shy nature.

The stalllion let out an annoyed sigh. "Fluttershy as I'm sure you've already heard me tell Rainbow Dash this. I can do this on my own and you've already spent most of your day with me so why don't you do what you need to do."

"All she needs to do right now is help out a friend; and the same goes for me," Rainbow Dash said, flying out of one of the trees.

"Ditto," Spike shouted, as the rest of the group descended from the sky in Twilight's blimp.

"We're simply repayin' the favor for what you did for all of us," Applejack said, tipping her hat.

"Well you, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash I can understand but what about the rest of you; what have I ever done for you?" the light brown pony asked, a bit bewildered by everything.

"You've become one of our best friends Caster. I can't think of a better reason not to repay you," Twilight said, with a small giggle.

Caster's heart lit up like a light house. Many of the ponies he's met in his life have never shown him this much kindness in one day. He looked into the eyes of everybody there and saw that they were telling the truth. Fluttershy's gaze was what really caught his attention. He stared into her sincere cyan blue eyes for what felt like forever and felt something spark within him. Before long he made his decision.

"Something tells me that none of you will take no for an answer. All right then, everypony grab a hard hat and we can get started," he said, with great appreciation.

"Yeah!" everybody shouted in unison.

As the day went on the ponies worked to set up the frame of the house and the pipes for the plumbing system. Along the way, Caster soon came around and told the rest of his friends about his romantic dilemma; a few tears were shed at first but they got over it and assured him that he would find his perfect mare one day. The conversation turned towards Twilight who began to share all of her adventures with her friends since she first moved to Ponyville. From her battle with Nightmare Moon, to the reappearance of Discord, to the salvation of the Crystal Empire; no matter what happened she and her friends were always there to save the day. Caster even mentioned that he got a chance to meet Discord before he left for Ponyville, he was still using his powers for good but on occasion would change the weather just for the fun of it. While listening to the tales of adventure and friendship, the light brown Pegasus made several mental notes about his new friends. One of which was to never, ever mess with Fluttershy lest he suffer the same fate as a certain dragon and cockatrice; after spending long, arduous hours working on the new home, the stallion looked to see that the sun had already set over the horizon.

"This is going to take more work than I thought," he said, a sigh of exhaustion releasing from his mouth.

"Did you honestly think you could finish this whole darned building in one day?" Applejack asked, setting down a pail of nails.

"Would you really be surprised at this point if I said yes?" everybody suddenly broke down laughing. "I guess I'll have to wait a while before I start working. In the meantime I'm going to try and find a hotel to stay for a while," Caster said, packing up his saddlebag.

"What are you talking about Caster, you're staying with me remember?” Fluttershy reminded him.

"But that was just for the night because I was too partied out to go out and actually look; and I don't want to impose on you or anything," he said, not wanting to be a burden.

"It's no trouble at all, besides you're already settled in aren't you?" she said, trying to be hospitable.

"Well I am a bit tired from that race today so, as long as you're okay with it, I guess I'll stay with you. So I'll see you all tomorrow then?" Caster said, looking back at his friends.

"You can count on it Caster," Pinkie Pie said, bouncing up and down.

"All right, good night everypony," the blacksmith pony said, as he and Fluttershy went back to her cottage.

===============================================================

A week had passed since that busy day and during that time all of Caster's close friends came by to help when they could, along with a few other residents from Ponyville. Rarity of course took Spike on the date she promised Caster, and Spike could not have been happier. By the end of it all his house had been finished and was ready to be furbished. The time he had spent at Fluttershy's cottage was a memorable one and although neither of them wanted it to end, it was time for him to pack up his things. They were outside the yellow Pegasus’ home making sure that everything remained in his cart as they said their goodbyes.

"So is that everything Caster?" she said, putting a lamp into the cart.

"Yep, that's everything on my list, thanks for all your kindness Fluttershy. I hope to see you soon," Caster said, putting away his checklist.

"It's what friends are for; I hope to see you soon as well," Fluttershy said, a little flustered.

As the light brown Pegasus walked down the road to the forest with his cart attached to him, Fluttershy saw something fall out of his saddlebag. He didn’t seem to notice and she ran over to let him know.

"Caster wait you dropped something," the shy mare said, picking up what he dropped.

He turned around to see her holding, in her hoof, a brown book that had a picture of his cutie mark on the cover and a leather strap with a lock on the side.

"Oh thank you so much I don't know what I would have done without this," Caster said, taking it into his hooves.

"What is it anyway?" Fluttershy asked, a bit curious.

"It's a present from Princess Celestia. You see right before I left for Ponyville she gave me this book. I asked her what it was and she told me that it was a mind journal," the yellow mare stood there confused. "To put it simply, it's a journal that's linked to my memories using a spell only Alicorns can use. Everything I do, say, hear, or think is recorded into this book as simple words on paper. I guess you could say it's almost like an autobiography."

"Why would the Princess give you something like that?"

"She said she wanted me to have something I could remember for years to come. I guess it'll be a way to look back on the glory days for when I'm old and gray," they both let out a small chuckle at the idea. "Well thanks again Fluttershy."

He held out a hoof to thank her for what she’s done. She grabbed it making him think he was just going to get a friendly hoof shake, only to surprise him when she pulled him into a light hug.

"Anytime," Fluttershy said, as they waved goodbye to each other and went back to their respective homes.

When Caster arrived at his new home, Nina came out of her little pet house to see that her master had a deep blush growing on his face. She spoke up to get his attention.

"It's nothing Nina, nothing you need to concern yourself with," he told her. He looked up at her to see she had a cute yet angry look on her face and eventually caved in.

"It's just that, well, I can't stop thinking about Fluttershy," Caster confessed. "She's been on my mind ever since she let me stay with her. Nopony has ever been as kind to me as she has. I know I said I was getting back into romance but I want to take it slow and make sure I actually like her for who she is and not just for what she's done for me."

Nina was trying to tell the light brown Pegasus what to do but he was too deep in thought to notice her. "Well I should at least give her something to repay her generosity. I'll be back in a few minutes Nina; I just need to grab something real quick," he said, as he ran off towards Ponyville.

Arriving in town, the stallion headed to the market square to find a gift suitable for Fluttershy. But looking around he saw almost nothing that he thought would interest her. Candy was overrated and something only a child would think to buy for this moment. The shy mare didn't seem like a pony obsessed with beauty so perfume and jewelry were out. Then something caught the attention of his nose, he followed the intriguing scent and soon found himself standing in front of Rose's flower stand. Flowers were always the simplest of gifts, they give a wonderful fragrance, they add style to any room, and they can last for a long time with proper care.

"Hello good sir, how may I help you today?" Rose asked, happy to see a customer.

"Yes, uh I was looking for something to give to a good friend of mine simply as a thank you of course," Caster said, trying not to be too obvious.

"Well you came to the right place; let me see what I have here for you," she looked around the tables to find the right kind of flowers for the situation when she found what she was looking for. "I think she'll like these, what do you think?" the red headed mare said, setting a large bouquet of daisies on the counter. The light brown pony inhaled their aroma and let out a contented sigh.

"Mmmm, these are perfect how much for them?"

"That'll be fifteen bits," she offered.

"I swear my life seems to revolve around that number," Caster said, pulling out a small bag of bits from his saddlebag. He thanked Rose for the flowers and went over to Fluttershy's cottage.

When he got there he saw that nobody was outside save for a few birds and bunnies.

"I guess she must have gone back inside, oh well."

He walked up to her door and prepared himself to give it a quick knock when he was suddenly lost in his thoughts.

'Come on Cast, you can do this. Just knock on the door, say hi, give her the flowers and then you can leave,' his knees started to shake uncontrollably. ‘Snap out of it already, it's not like you're asking her to be your marefriend or anything right, right?’ he soon stopped shaking as he let out a dejected sigh. Leaving the bouquet of flowers on her doorstep, Caster knocked on her door and ran off before he could be spotted.

===============================================================

Back in her cottage, Fluttershy was found pacing the floor unsure of what he had done a few moments ago.

“Why did I do that?” she asked herself. “Why did I just grab him and hugged him without giving him a warning. Oh he probably thinks I’m a weirdo or something, what do you think Angel?”

She looked to see her pet bunny lying on his bed. He didn’t seem to care as he waved a paw at her.

“What am I going to do, why did I even do that to begin with?” the yellow Pegasus started to ponder to herself silently for a while.

Soon an idea began to form in her mind as the shy mare blushed furiously. Suddenly a knock at the door snapped her out of her thoughts and she went to see who it was. Fluttershy opened the top half of her door to find nobody there. She looked down to find a bouquet of daisies and squealed with joy not knowing who they were from. She had an idea of whom in the back of her head but quickly put it aside. Not far from her cottage, a light brown Pegasus was found hiding behind a tree listening to the sounds of happiness coming from the mare’s lips. He showed no expression on his face, except for two tears that traced a course down his face as he walked back to his new home.

Chapter 3: Crossed Feelings

The delicate rays of the late summer sun shined down upon the town of Ponyville, covering it in a warm glow. It reflected off of the leaves in the trees that were beginning to turn red and brown indicating the approaching autumn. A small gust of wind soon came rushing by and caused one of the leaves to fall of its own accord. As it slowly drifted towards the ground, the sound of hoofsteps echoed through the forest. When the leaf gently touched the ground, a large pink hoof suddenly came down and crushed it giving out a small crunch sound; the pony paid it no mind and continued on her path. This pony was commonly known as Lily, she had a light pink coat and a blonde tail and mane that partially covered one of her eyes. Her name complimented the cutie mark she had of three water lilies and the trademark one she always wore in her hair. She was walking through the woods on the outskirts of Ponyville making her way to the home of its newest resident. Soon she came upon an opening in the forest and saw the large building before her. It was almost more than two stories in height, counting the tall tower connected to the right of it; the outside of the first floor was covered with large cobble stones which went up towards the second floor and had two windows in the front with a carved brown wooden door in between them and a few flower patches surrounding the walls. The roof was simply layered with straw. Smoke rose from the chimney on the towers side indicating that the owner was home which made Lily smile with joy.

The door to the shop opened ringing the small bell at the top as the flower mare walked in to hear the sound of a hammer pounding against what sounded like metal. The inside of the shop was dimly lit by the open windows and completely painted in the same shade of brown. The only things that stood out were the large shelves next to and behind the sales counter which displayed the work of the local blacksmith; ranging from swords and spears to helmets and armor, as well as a few small chests all with different colors, shapes, and sizes. The owner of the store heard the bell and called out from the nearby room.

“I’ll be with you in a minute; I just need to finish up on this real quick,” he shouted, getting her attention.

Lily heard a few loud bangs and then the sound of something sizzling and suddenly all went quiet. Hoofsteps soon approached the door and out came a large Pegasus stallion smiling with light brown fur and had a sepia colored mane and tail. He wore a long black apron across his chest, a set of goggles over his eyes, and a royal guard helmet on his head for fun. He pulled up the goggles covering his face to reveal a pair of dark green eyes that belonged to the pony known as Caster Forge.

“Lily, it’s so good to you again how are you?” Caster asked, as he wiped a bit of soot off of his forehead.

“I’m doing fine and I can see that business is going great for you,” Lily said, admiring his work on the shelves.

“You can say that again. Yesterday I delivered a new shipment of armor to the castle and this morning a traveler came by and asked for one of the finest swords I had. I charged a pretty penny for it but he actually paid for the whole thing. He must’ve been a bounty hunter or something because he had a couple of scars on his face. But enough about my day, what can I do for you?” the stallion said, happy to know ponies cared about his life.

“I came because I needed some new hinges. Some of the ones on my doors are getting rusty, making them hard to move, so I need to replace them,” the pink earth pony said, gesturing with her hooves to emphasize her point.

“Well you’re in luck, I think I still have a few left over, let me see if I can find them,” the blacksmith pony said, putting the helmet he just made onto the shelf.

He flew up to the higher part of the shelves looking at multiple chests with different labels on them. He read each one until he found what he was looking for.

“Ah here we are,” the Pegasus said, as he flew back down. He then placed a small chest on the counter that red ‘Hinges and Iron Fittings’ on the top. Opening it up Caster revealed a wide assortment of trays that grew out of the chest that showed the multiple pieces inside it. “Just take as many as you need.”

Lily obliged and took what she needed. She then pulled out a bag of bits and gave it to the shop owner to pay for the hinges. He put a small amount of bits into his register and gave the rest back as change. The mare thanked him for his services and was about to leave when he called out to her.

“Lily, hold on a second,” he felt a bit nervous about what he wanted to say to her. “I know that our date didn’t go as well as we planned last week and it wasn’t exactly romantic. But I want to know, we’re still friends right?”

“Of course we are. You’re a very kind pony and I wouldn’t want you to think I hate you just because of one bad date. I still hope that you can find that mare that will make you happy,” she said, giving him a warm smile.

That was all the stallion needed to hear. He went over to give her a quick hug, which she graciously accepted, and watched as she left the store. In the five months since Caster moved to Ponyville, he was still looking for his mare to be, so to speak. Most of them either didn’t feel the same way about him, they weren’t interested in stallions, or on rare occasion he would end up screwing up his date with them. But unlike in years past he still managed to stay friends with them which lately he thought wasn’t so bad. The blacksmith pony felt a little tired from all the work he had done in the morning and the afternoon and decided to close the shop for the day. Going through the doorway in the back, he turned left and walked up the staircase to the upper part of his house.

The second floor was surprisingly more different than the one below. The first thing he saw upon entering was the living room, it was large and yet small at the same time and the walls were coated in sky blue paint. In the center of it were two large black plush couches, a red leather recliner, and a large round coffee table made of mahogany. This was where he and his friends alike could sit down, have a meal, and talk amongst each other; most of the time it was used for his annual poker night that he shared with a few of his friends. The doors on the right led to a small kitchen and next to it the guest bathroom. Behind the furniture were the doors to the guest room and his own bedroom. Between the doorways stood a shelf with a large TV set and a game console, he didn't play as much since his adolescent years but occasionally used it to pass the time. Caster‘s living room didn’t seem that big, but it felt more comfortable to him to be in a more open area with no unnecessary furniture. His bedroom on the other hand was a slightly different story.

Walking into his bedroom, he saw it was half the size of the living room but still easy to walk through. In the back was a king sized bed with a silver colored blanket and silk sheets covering the mattress which was surrounded by maple wood bed posts. Above it was a large oval window that brought in the sun’s warming glow. Next to it were two small night stands, one had a lamp on top while the other held on it the mind journal that Celestia gave him which sat on a special bookstand. There was also a door near the bed that led to his personal bathroom. Off to the side was a large medium sized shelf that the stallion used to keep a few dusty comic books that he liked to read when he was younger as well the old figurines he made as a child. There was also the small pet house that held his pet squirrel Nina who was currently taking a nap at the time. Caster went over and gave her a small pat on the head careful not to disturb her. He then turned his attention lastly to the door to a closet and a dresser with a large mirror on top that stood next to it. On the dresser were several pictures showing the events of his time spent in Ponyville from right to left.

The first one was the picture that was taken in his race with Rainbow Dash, even after five months ponies were still gossiping about it. The next showed him having tea with Pinkie Pie, Cranky, and his wife Matilda, it was surprising for most ponies to see Pinkie being normal for once. The other picture showed Caster and Zecora meditating on their heads on two large sticks of bamboo. Apparently he took an interest in Zecora’s meditation skills and wanted to take lessons from her. Another depicted him in the Apple family barn going up against Applejack herself in a hoof fight. He was amazed by her strength and went through a week of training to learn how to fight like her. The picture on the far left showed Caster being dog piled by Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. He had agreed to watch them for the night when his friends went on an important trip to Canterlot to meet with the Princesses. The last picture behind them all was larger than the others and showed him and his friends getting together for their weekly pony pet play date. Even Spike was there with Pee Wee, the little baby phoenix he helped raise since the incident with the dragon migration. Everybody was surprised to see the bird come back and welcomed him back with open arms. ‘Good times,’ the light brown Pegasus thought to himself. He then looked in the mirror in front of him and saw how dirty he looked from all the work he did. He could also smell the sweat coming off of him and it almost made his eyes water, so he decided to take a quick bath.

His bathroom was a tad small and only had what he really needed, a toilet, sink, and a bath and shower which sat in the center of the room. Caster went towards the bath and started the warm water for the bath as he plugged the drain. Then he trotted over to the sink and opened the cabinet underneath and rummaged through it looking for two specific items. Pulling his head out, he put on the counter a bottle of scented bubble bath soap and an aroma therapy candle with a match book next to it. Rarity convinced him to buy them a while back saying they would help him relax when he felt stressed out, or set the mood if he had, ‘special company’ over at his house. The overworked pony blushed remembering what she told him but quickly put it aside. Even though events such as that never happened he still kept some of these items around to help him relax. He quickly lit the candle and sprayed the soap into the bath which filled the room with the scent of roses. Caster stopped the water as he submerged himself into the cloud of bubbles that started to form. As he lounged in the tub he breathed in the scent the candles gave off and felt him sink into the pool of water. Suddenly, without really thinking about it, the image of a certain yellow Pegasus ran through his mind and he bolted upright gasping for air.

“Why do I keep doing this to myself? Moreover why does she have to be so cute?” he asked himself solemnly.

In all the time that Caster had spent in Ponyville there was always someone who he couldn’t seem to get his mind off of, Fluttershy. She was kind, beautiful, unbelievably cute, and was always there for him. Whenever a date or an attempt to ask a mare out didn’t go well for him, she always came by to comfort him and make him feel better and it was only her every time. Most of his closest friends were usually too busy to help him, leaving the yellow mare all alone with him, but he didn’t care as long as he got to spend time with her. She was even the one who gave him a place to stay for the week while his house was being built; and that was when he started to develop feelings for her. But even now he’s still confused about his feelings whether they’re out of gratitude for what she’s done for him, or if they really are feelings of love. He also didn’t know if she actually loved him or not and if everything she’s done up to this point was just as a friend.

Caster would usually try to ask her about it but most of the time she was too nervous to actually talk to him and the same would go for him. He soon shed a quick tear not knowing what he should do and cursing him for thinking of her so much and not doing anything about it. Suddenly he heard the bell to the shop ring and wondered who it was this time. Figuring he had rested enough he got out of the tub, drained the water, and dried himself off with a nearby towel. Walking back downstairs the light brown Pegasus saw that there was nobody there; the only thing that caught his eye was a small envelope on the counter. He picked it up and looked for a name but saw that it was completely blank. He opened it and read the letter that was inside.

‘Dear Caster Forge, please come to the library at two ‘o’clock, I need you to help me move some books around because spike fell down the stairs and twisted his ankle. The others are busy right now and I could really use your help.

Sincerely,

Twilight Sparkle'

“That’s strange, if she wanted to ask me for help, why did she not just ask me in person?” Caster asked himself. He looked at the clock to see it was a quarter to two and didn’t have time to argue. “Whatever, I better get ready fast. I do not want to have to deal with her paranoia.”

===============================================================

The blacksmith pony ran to the library as fast as could before he could get a lecture from Twilight about punctuality. He brought along Nina as well with her riding in his mane. Looking around he saw that not many ponies were outside today even though the weather was perfect; he thought it was strange at first but he ignored it remembering where he needed to be. Caster arrived at the library about a minute early and proceeded to open the Dutch style door. When he opened the door he saw that all the lights were off and was getting more confused by the minute and called for Twilight.

“Twilight where are you? I got the letter you left me, what is it that you needed help with anyway?” Caster shouted towards the darkness.

Then without warning, the lights suddenly turned on and a large group of ponies emerged from the darkness as they all yelled out.

“SURPRISE!”

Those words rung through his ears for a few seconds as the stallion looked around the library to see all manners of party decorations and food surrounding the reading area. The thing that surprised him the most was the large banner that hung from the ceiling that red “Happy Birthday Caster Forge.” He looked back down to see that all of his closest friends were there. Ditzy and the Doctor, the Cutie Mark Crusaders along with Big Macintosh and Cheerlie, Lyra and Bonbon, Zecora, Vinyl and Octavia, and finally the bearers of the elements of harmony and Spike who seemed to had gone through a slight change in appearance. Two months ago Spike went through a small growth spurt and actually grew a foot taller. Now he was about an inch taller than Twilight; his tail also grew longer along with the green scales that covered his spine. He even had a small set of leathery wings sticking out of his back, they were not ready for flight just yet but Spike still thought it was amazing to know that soon he’d be able to fly. Back at the front of the library, Caster was still in awe to see that all of his friends had gathered to celebrate his birthday, but was also surprised since he never bothered to mention it to anybody. As the light brown Pegasus tried to find the right words to say, Pinkie Pie rushed up to him and tackled him to the floor.

“Hey there Caster, so were you surprised, huh well were you?” she asked, with a big grin.

“Pinkie it’s a surprise party, that’s the whole point,” Applejack said, pushing her off and helping Caster back onto his hooves.

Then the blacksmith pony found the words he wanted to say. “I’m way more than surprised Applejack, how did you all know today was my birthday I never told any of you about it.”

“It seems that you know how to make some pretty good friends Caster, I’m almost jealous,” a somewhat deep voice said, from out of nowhere.

His eyes shot wide open; the stallion knew who the voice belonged to but didn’t think it was true. His friends all looked to the table that stood in the center and suddenly two ponies came out from behind and walked around to the front so that Caster could see their faces clearly. He recognized them instantly and blurted out their names in surprise.

“Jack Reels, Hotpop?”

The ponies in front of him were indeed Jack Reels and Hotpop, his older brother and Jack’s marefriend. Jack was a Pegasus just like his brother, he was a large built stallion and had bright orange colored fur and his mane was cut into a Mohawk which had a golden brown look to it, same as his tail. His eyes were a deep shade of blue that were covered by a set of thick glasses. His cutie mark depicted a film reel that had some of the film spilling out of it, showing an interest in movies. Hotpop was a unicorn that had light blue fur and yellow and green hair that was trimmed in a spunky mane style. Her tail was the same and a bit curvy at the end. Her eyes were the same emerald green as Spike’s and her cutie mark showed a large sun with a smiley face on it.

“It’s nice to see you again Cast how’ve you been?” Hotpop said, giving him warm smile.

Caster was at a loss for words, his jaw hung limply as Twilight walked up to him.

“Your brother came down here yesterday and told us all what he had planned for you. We spent the entirety of that day working hard to make sure it would be a surprise worth remembering,” she told him. He didn’t bother listening as he ran over to Jack and Hotpop and grabbed them in one of his trademark 'death hugs.’

“I’m so happy to see the two of you again it’s been so long! The last time I saw you both was when I moved to Ponyville,” the hyped up stallion said, nearly crushing their ribs.

“Caster. Can’t. Breath,” the orange Pegasus said, through what breaths he could muster. The unicorn in their group used her magic to surround them in a light green aura and loosened his grip around them as they both tried to breathe again.

“Sorry about that, I just can’t help myself sometimes. So Jack, how’s life as a retired soldier working for you?” he asked, trying to calm himself down.

“Wait a minute; you’re one of Celestia’s royal guards?” Rainbow Dash pointed out a bit surprised.

“Was; I was one of her guards but I’m retired now so that I can pursue my dream of being a film critic and to be with the mare I love,” He said, giving Hotpop a quick kiss on the lips.

“Wow I guess serving the Princess must run in the family,” Fluttershy said, looking at the two brothers. “So Jack, if you don’t mind me asking, what was your rank before you left?”

“First Lieutenant Jack Reels; attention!” a voice from outside said. The film pony suddenly stood upright and threw his hoof up in salute as they all heard somebody laugh uncontrollably. “Even after all this time you still can’t get it out of your system.”

Everyone looked towards the opening door and were surprised to see who it was. It was Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence. The orange Pegasus seemed a bit irritated with his former superior officer remembering how he had a compulsion to salute around him after years of intense training. Caster on the other hand was too busy bowing to the royalty before him.

“Prince Shining Armor, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza it is an honor to meet you both,” he said, trying to be as formal as possible. He was soon approached by Cadence who held his chin up with her hoof and made him look her in the eye.

“First of all, I prefer to just be called Cadence and second, there’s no need to be so formal around us when we’re not in public, especially if you know my husband,” she said, in a soothing tone. The light brown Pegasus apologized and stood back up.

“So what are you doing here anyway Shining Armor?” Jack asked in a state of confusion. “Aren’t you supposed to be with Princess Celestia in Saddle Arabia?”

“Actually we already finished negotiating with the diplomats quicker than we thought, so she sent me back to Canterlot and gave me a little time off,” Shining Armor said, trying to control his laughter from earlier. “When I came back I sent Twily a letter saying I was free to spend some time with her, but she wrote me back saying she was busy helping you prepare for your brother’s birthday. So I decided to use this opportunity to get to know our new blacksmith better and Cadence decided to come along as well. It’s kind of funny really, two years ago I lost one of my best lieutenants and now we have a new blacksmith working for us. I’m sure your parents must be proud of you Caster.”

The pony in question beamed at the compliment. But upon hearing the mention of his parents he looked around the room trying to find them.

“Hey Jack where are mom and dad anyway; I thought they would’ve wanted to be here to,” he asked, a bit down-hearted.

“Sorry Caster, they’re busy dealing with an important order from Fancy Pants right now and they couldn’t make it,” his brother said with the same expression, but quickly changed the subject. “But mom knew how you’d feel and that’s why she still made your favorite treat.”

The light brown stallion smiled with joy knowing what was coming his way. Hotpop used her magic to lift a large cooler from behind the table. She popped the lid off revealing several light blue ice cream bars inside and Caster let out a small squeak.

“I knew she wouldn’t forget, she always knows that I prefer this over a cake any day,” he said, with enthusiasm rarely ever seen from him.

“What flavor is it anyway?” Pinkie Pie asked, in her normally excited tone.

He didn’t say a word; all he did was grin as he passed around a bar of ice cream to everybody in the room and urged them to take a bite. All at once everyone took a small bite of the ice cream, and then all of their eyes shot wide open as a loud scream could be heard throughout Ponyville. All of the ponies in the library were each taking a drink from the punch bowel trying to rid the taste from their mouths, except for Caster Forge, Jack Reels, Hotpop, and unsurprisingly Pinkie Pie who were munching happily away on the bizarre treat.

“So what’d you all think of it?” Caster asked, with a sarcastic remark.

“SALTY!!” everybody responded, shooting irritated glares at him

The stallion chuckled seeing the looks on their faces. “Well it isn’t called Sea-Salt ice cream for nothing you know.”

“You mean to tell us that these things are actually filled with salt from the ocean?” Rarity pondered, looking at the treat with slight disgust from her idea.

“Well actually it’s just vanilla ice cream mixed with regular salt. It’s just called that because of the food coloring. Go ahead and try another bite, it just takes a while to get used to that’s all,” he reassured them as he took a bite from another bar.

Everyone reluctantly agreed and gave the treat another chance. Soon they began to munch away finding it to their liking. But eventually all the bars were gone leaving everybody a tad disappointed.

“Man that was good. Do you think your mom can give me the recipe for it?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I’ll see what I can do about it Dash,” Caster said, trying not to get her hopes up.

“Hey Caster, I know you said you prefer your ice cream to cake, but I hope you saved room cause you’ve got one with your name on it; literally,” Pinkie said, with a giggle as she and Fluttershy were balancing a large cake on their backs with several candles on top.

Setting it down on the table, everybody began to sing a birthday song for Caster. When it was over, he thought for a second about what he wanted to wish for then took a deep breath and blew out all the candles in one go. Everyone gave a quick round of applause as Jack gave him a pat on the back.

“So how does it feel to be twenty-six Caster?” Jack asked, happy for his brother.

“Well, five months ago I probably would have made some sort of sarcastic remark about it,” the light brown Pegasus said, as he looked around at all of his friends and Nina who was resting comfortably on his shoulder. “But now, I couldn’t be any happier.”

“All right enough of the mushy gushy stuff; let’s party!” Vinyl shouted, as she started up her turntable.

The party started in earnest as Caster proceeded to the dance floor motivated by his friends. Sweetie Belle was talking with Octavia, discussing what time her next lesson was with her. Applebloom and Scootaloo were over at the table pigging out on the various foods that were spread across and playing with Nina admiring how cute she was. Shining Armor and Cadence were dancing trying their best not to bump into anybody else. Hotpop was chatting up a storm with Pinkie Pie that nobody else could seem to follow. After a while the birthday pony took a break from all the dancing and sat on a couch trying to catch his breath. He then proceeded to the snack table to get some cake and punch when he was approached by Jack and Hotpop.

“Wow Cast I knew you had some crazy dance moves before, but that was ridiculous,” the light blue unicorn said, somewhat stunned by his earlier performance.

“You have Zecora to thank for that. All that time meditating with her taught me how to keep my balance and to sense when to make quick motions if necessary,” he explained as he took a quick bite of cake.

“So Cast, have you find your special somepony yet or are you still on the look-out?” she asked, eager to hear his response.

The stallion shook his head. “Not yet I’m afraid. I’ve been with almost every mare in town that I know but nothing seems to have clicked.”

“Well what about your friends over there. They don’t look half bad if you ask me,” Jack said, as he pointed to his close friends chatting with each other at a nearby table.

“For your information Jack most of them already have somepony in mind and I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t butt into my love life,” Caster whispered at him sternly.

“Take it easy little bro I was only pulling your leg. I’ll let you decide who you want to be with. But if I must ask, you said that ‘most’ of your friends have a special somepony. I take it that doesn’t mean all of them?” the orange Pegasus said, arching an eyebrow.

“Well just two of them, Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy,” he said in a calmer tone. “Twilight has never really showed any signs of romantic interest aside from her books and her friends haven’t seen her hang around any stallions before. I don’t know if it’s because she doesn’t want to bother with romance at all or if she’s too busy studying to actually have a romantic life. Either way, I’m not going to bother her with that sort of thing; you know I can be a bit of a matchmaker at times but for once I’m going to leave it to her friends.”

“I think that’s very sweet of you Cast. Now what about that other one you mentioned, Fluttershy was it, what’s the detail on her?” Hotpop asked. The light brown Pegasus started to blush at the mention of her name.

“Well uh, she’s a nice pony and that’s all I can really say about her, yup that is it,” he said, with a nervous grin hoping that would be enough for them.

“I think what Hotpop was asking Caster, is what the situation with her is? Like is she available or trying to find somepony?” Jack asked, trying to clear his marefriend’s point.

Caster sighed. “She isn’t seeing anypony as far as I can tell I don’t how she feels about romance though,” he then looked over to Fluttershy who was wearing a smile that warmed his heart. “But she’s one of the greatest mares I’ve ever met. She’s sweet, caring, and just, absolutely wonderful. She’s been my closet friend ever since I moved here and I don’t know how to thank her for it.”

“Well then why don’t you ask her out? I can tell you like her and she seems like somepony nice to be around, so what’s stopping you?” the unicorn mare said, tilting her head a little.

“I’m trying to work some things out right now Hotpop. My feelings are kind of mixed up and I don’t know what to make of them. So I’m going to wait and see before I make any rash decisions that may tarnish my reputation,” the stallion said, clarifying his argument.

Hotpop was about to speak up again when Jack raised a hoof to stop her.

“Just leave him be dear, he can be a little thick-headed sometimes but you know he’ll come around eventually,” the film critic said, as he rolled his eyes.

“Hey what’s that supposed to mean?” he said, angrily.

“Oh it’s nothing; you’ll figure it out soon enough. It’s too bad though, I was really hoping to see my little brother dancing with somepony at our reception,” Jack said, with the thought playing out in his mind.

“Reception, what in the hay are you talking about Jack?” the blacksmith pony said, bewildered.

His brother could only smile seeing him so dumbfounded. “Well Caster, there’s one other reason we came to see you. I wanted to let you know that Hotpop and I are getting married.”

Caster was completely speechless; he then turned his attention to Hotpop who held her hoof up to reveal a large golden band studded with diamonds. He squealed with joy as he leaped towards the couple to embrace them in another death hug, only to be blocked by a large green force field that the unicorn projected. Everybody in the library looked to see what all the noise was about.

“What’s going on Caster is everything alright?” Fluttershy asked, concerned as usual.

“It’s better than okay Fluttershy, because my brother’s getting married,” the over excited stallion practically shouted out with glee.

Pinkie Pie overheard them and decided to throw a party for the bride to be as well. Everybody began to give the soon to be newly-weds their congratulations as Caster tried to sort things out.

“So Jack, when’s the day of the wedding?”

“It’ll be a week from today. We’re still trying to plan out the party and the ceremony and it’s almost driving us crazy. Which reminds me, Caster would you mind being my best stallion?” he asked, hoping he’d say yes.

“I would be honored Jack; and if I might make a suggestion I think I know some ponies that can help with your wedding,” the light brown pony said, as he walked over to his friends.

Jack and Hotpop stood there not sure what he was planning when they heard screams of joy coming from his six best friends. In a flash they all came galloping up to them with Rarity being the first to speak.

“Mr. Reels, we would be delighted if you would let us coordinate your wedding,” she said, with anticipation only seen since the royal wedding. Hotpop walked up trying to calm her down.

“Rarity we’re flattered by you and your friend’s offer, but we and our parents can take care of it ourselves,” the light blue mare said, letting them down gently.

“Oh come on Hotpop, are you really saying that you don’t want help from the ponies that coordinated Shining Armor and Cadence’s wedding,” Caster said, walking between his friends. Hotpop was truly lost beyond words. He had just given them a chance to have a wedding as amazing as Cadence’s. “Consider it a little wedding gift from me to my new sister,” he was surprised to find Hotpop giving him a big hug.

“Thank you so much Cast, you’re the best little brother I’ve never had. I don’t how I can ever repay you for this,” she said, almost at the point of tears for joy. The stallion started to blush wildly and felt his nervous grin come back.

“Well you can start by letting me go. You’re crushing my ribs,” he said, trying not to upset her.

As Hotpop let him go, Big Macintosh and Spike saw how nervous he looked and were curious about what was going on with him. They approached him while he was getting his refreshments back from the snack table.

“Hey Caster, do you mind if we talk to you for a second?” Spike asked, with his new slightly deeper voice.

“Sure thing Spike what’s up?” Caster said, as he went to one of the couches.

“We were wonderin’ what the deal is with you and Hotpop. You seemed to be blushin’ a lot when she started huggin’ you,” Big Macintosh pointed out. Said blush reappeared on the nervous pony’s face.

“I was just, really surprised to see her hug me is all. It’s not often you get hugged by your brother’s marefriend right?” he said, trying to keep them from prying too much information.

Big Mac looked at him sternly, almost enough to make him cower. “You know my sister’s not the only pony that can tell when somepony’s lying. C’mon Caster you can tell me and Spike, we’re your closet friends remember.”

"Well, it's a bit embarrassing to talk about," the light brown Pegasus said, as he took a sip of punch. He seemed a bit nervous and was shaking a little "The truth is, I kind of, have a little crush on Hotpop."

The farmer and the dragon were about to repeat what he just said in shock, but Caster quickly covered their mouths before they could utter a single word. His friends looked to see what was going on but he simply smiled and said.

"Don't mind us, just talking about the wedding is all," they all went back to what they were doing as Caster moved his hooves away from Big Mac and Spike.

"Wow, I didn't think things would be like that with you. Sorry for pushing your buttons," Spike said, scratching the back of his head.

"It's okay Spike, I knew that sooner or later I would have to tell somepony about it. Well, I have another friend who knows but other than that it’s something I try to keep from others. But it's nothing too major of a problem, it's just a little dilemma I've dealt with for a while now," the blacksmith pony said, reassuring him.

"Would y'all care to explain how this all came ‘bout at least?" Big Mac asked, wanting to get all the information.

"I guess an explanation is needed," Caster said, as he started eating his cake. "It started a year or so after I got my lucky mark, my brother had started high school and I was continuing my studies on using a forge. After about two months my brother told me that he had already found himself a marefriend. When I heard this, I couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Even though I had a lucky mark Jack always seemed to be the luckier one when it came to getting the best stuff. But I was a bit immature back then and never truly saw all the accomplishments that I achieved; but I digress."

"I never did see her for a while because Jack wanted to wait before introducing her to the family. Then one night he decided to bring her over for dinner. I finally got the chance to meet the mystery mare that my brother always talked about every day. I didn't care much at first seeing as she was his marefriend and not mine, but when she arrived at the house all of that was changed. When that door opened, I saw one of the most beautiful mares I had ever met since we moved to Canterlot. Hotpop was so sweet and caring, she even found ways to make everypony laugh and at every possible moment, even in ways that seemed almost impossible. I couldn't help but instantly fall for her, but I kept remembering that she already had a special somepony."

"For the next couple of years I started to develop a hatred towards my brother. We didn't always see eye to eye and I kept wondering what made him so deserving of Hotpop. I always thought that she belonged with me because we had a few similar personality traits, so I waited and hoped for the day when they would break up to make my move; of course it never came," Caster said, looking down at his partially eaten cake.

"Didn't ya ever try tellin' her yer feelin's and see what she thought of ya?" the red work horse said, trying to put everything together.

"I wanted to Big Mac; every time I got to see Hotpop I wanted to tell her my feelings. But I was always afraid of what she and Jack would think of me for it. What if they thought I was some sick perverted weirdo and never wanted to speak to me again? Or what if she laughed at me saying I was just some love sick foal. I lived in fear wondering if they knew how I felt or when they were going to find out. It wasn't until I turned eighteen and gave up dating that I saw how stupid I was acting, I was getting mad at brother for no good reason other than being happy. So I started to support Jack and his relationship with Hotpop and did anything I could to keep them happy."

"So when you started dating mares again, your feelings for Hotpop came back?" the purple dragon asked, slowly starting to catch on.

"No Spike, even after I gave up on love, I still had feelings for her. They weren't as strong as before, in fact they started to actually die out. But I still wanted to make her happy, even if it meant her being with somepony else. As long as I got to see her smile and keep being her friend that was more than enough for me."

"Well, why don't you go tell her how you feel now?" Spike said. "She's about to get married and this might be your last chance to tell her."

Caster simply shook his head and smiled. "I can't do that now Spike. I don't want to be responsible for possibly ruining a momentous occasion. No, I want to be responsible for making it the best day of their lives and me confessing my feelings does not seem like a good way to help."

Big Mac put his hoof on Caster's shoulder and looked him in the eye. "Are ya sure ya want it to be like this, you may never get this chance again?"

"I'm very sure Big Mac. She may not be with me as my marefriend, but at least she'll be with me as my new sister," he said, as he put down his plate and cup. "Now I think it's time we got back to partying don't you?"

His two friends didn't say a word as they pushed him towards the dance floor to get him in a better mood.

As the partying went on late into the afternoon some of the guests started to take their leave for home. Big Mac and Cheerlie were sharing a small dance together. Caster and his friends along with Jack and Hotpop were sitting at one of the tables’ discussing what to do for the wedding when the clock let out a loud ring. The light brown stallion was petting Nina who was fast asleep, when he turned to see that it was already half past six.

"I'm sorry but you'll have to excuse me, I need to start getting ready," he said, as he got up and stretched his back slightly.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry Caster?" Jack asked, wondering what he had planned.

"I've got a date tonight with Aloe. You know, that mare from the spa I mentioned in my letters. The crazy part is that she actually asked me out; while she was giving me my weekly massage," Caster said, a bit nervous wondering where tonight’s date would lead.

"Well good for you Caster. Maybe she might be just the one for you," Hotpop said, sarcastically towards the end.

"Thanks Hotpop, and don't worry Jack I'll be sure to attend your bachelor party tomorrow night," the blacksmith pony said, as he left for home to get ready with Nina resting in his mane once again.

Back at the library Fluttershy seemed a little bit concerned. She thought of how Aloe asking Caster out during his appointment seemed a little strange and hoped that nothing would happen between them. Rainbow Dash noticed her sulking and tried to get her to talk.

"Hey Fluttershy what's up, you've been quiet for a little while, something wrong?" she asked, concerned for her closest friend.

"Oh, it's nothing Rainbow, I uh, just remembered that Angel needs me to fluff his tail," the yellow Pegasus lied, hoping she would buy it.

"But didn't you already do that yesterday?" Twilight pointed out.

"I promised that I would do it twice this week when he refused to eat his lunch. I'm so sorry I need to get going," the shy mare said, as she flew out the door. She didn't want to admit to her friends that she had feelings for somebody out of fear of embarrassment. Even if she didn’t fully understand them.

Her friends paid it no mind thinking she was just being her usual self as they finished planning for the wedding. As they all went home for the night, Big Mac and Spike stayed behind for a quick second to discuss Caster's problem.

"So you really think he's telling the truth about why he won't say anything to Hotpop?" Spike asked, as he leaned against the doorway.

"Nnope, I could tell from the look in his eye that there's a much more important reason; and I think I can guess what it is," Big Mac said, as he twiddled the grain stalk in his mouth.

======================================================

The day after Caster's birthday went by faster than most ponies thought. It was already late at night and the local Ponyville bar was hopping with activity. The bar had been rented out for the night for Jack's bachelor party with the drinks at half price, courtesy of Berry Punch. Some of his old friends from his days in the royal army came to wish him luck with his marriage, even a few of Caster's friends from Canterlot came to say hi. At the stage was the entertainment for the night consisting of several mare dancers in some very revealing outfits. Next to the stage was a large group of ponies cheering and whistling. Yet despite the large crowd, a few of the guests took up residence in one of the booths in the back. The group could be seen as Caster Forge, Jack Reels, Big Macintosh, Caramel, the Doctor, and Caster's best friend from Canterlot, Bard. He was a unicorn with orange fur and a dark brown mane and tail that looked a bit messy. He had grayish-blue eyes and a cutie mark of an open book with a quill. He and the light brown Pegasus started catching up on the days when they were younger and eventually their conversation wined down.

"Anyway I'm really glad that you made it Bard. I hope you weren't too busy writing when we sent you the invite," Caster said, as he finished his dinner for the night.

"It's alright, I was already finished with the latest chapter and I needed a break anyway. But I think it's worth it if I get to hang out with you again. We haven't seen each other since you moved to Ponyville after all," Bard said, taking a drink of apple bourbon. "So Cast, I heard that you had a date with that mare from the spa, how'd that go for you?"

The blacksmith stallion said nothing as he slowly laid his head on the edge of the table trying not to show the blush on his face.

"Caster, is everything alright?" Caramel asked, wondering what had happened.

He remained silent for about a minute before he lifted his head back up and responded. "Let's just say, things went a little 'too' fast last night."

Everybody in the booth felt their faces go bright red after they processed the information. Jack was the first to speak up.

"So does this mean that you and Aloe, you know?" he said, gesturing with his hooves.

"Of course not Jack!" his brother said, a bit furious. "She may have spent the entire night at the diner trying to move in on me, but I never felt any kind of connection between the two of us. Why would I want to spend a moment like that with a mare I barely have anything in common with?" the stallion calmed down for a second as he tried to regain his composure. "But either way, I still let her down gently and she apologized for her flirting. I'm just glad I didn't lose a good friend."

The entire booth went perpetually silent. His friends always knew how he felt when it came to relations, both emotionally and physically. But after hearing how his night went, they decided to help him relax.

"Okay while I admit you handled the situation well, you seriously need to loosen up Cast," Bard said, shaking his head lightly from side to side.

"I'm going to have to agree with Bard, little brother. You need to stop focusing on all this perfect romance stuff and try to have a little fun once in a while. In fact, you can start by at least having a drink," Jack said, as he moved an unopened bottle of apple bourbon towards him.

"No way, you know I'm not a fan of alcohol," Caster said, pushing the bottle away.

"Come on Cast, you've been able to drink for five years now and you've never given it a chance. Just try it this once and if you don't like it, we won't force you to try it anymore," the orange unicorn said, trying to motivate him.

The light brown stallion looked around the table to see all his friend's faces filled with anticipation. He was getting annoyed by them constantly staring him and eventually caved in.

"All right fine, but just this once," he said, as he opened the bottle. He looked at it for a few seconds and thought to himself, 'Well, it would be a waste of a drink to have just one little sip,' before anybody knew it, he began to chug the beverage down in one go. His friends could only watch as the liquid in the bottle slowly descended into his throat; and in an instant, Caster had finished his drink and set the bottle back onto the table. They all waited to see what his response was but he remained quiet.

"Well, how was it Caster?" Jack asked, anxious to see how he would react.

All he did was grin mischievously as he uttered a single sound, “…Hic!”

Chapter 4: Mishaps and Confessions

The chirping of the morning birds set off a sense of calm to the town of slumbering ponies as the sun began to ascend above the land. For most, today would be considered a peaceful day, that all was right with the world. However, one pony in particular was going to find this morning to be anything but peaceful. The light from the glowing star made its way to a large home in the middle of the forest that seemed relatively silent. As it touched one of the windows, it beamed into the room causing a set of bed sheets to move in surprise. A soft groaning could be heard from the mattress as the lump seemed to decide whether to leave or stay hidden. Soon enough it made its choice and emerged slowly, its form being shaped by the light. It opened its eyes to reveal an incredibly exhausted Caster Forge. The stallion’s eyes were turning slightly red from the sudden contact with the sun’s rays and were showing bags underneath them. His hair was a complete mess, with several curls and some parts standing straight up and his head was throbbing like there were drums inside of his skull. He sat up with the sheets still covering his body as he tried to confirm his surroundings.

“Ugh, how’d I get home? The last thing I remember was being at the bar, I was talking with my friends about my date and then they… Oh no,” the light brown Pegasus said, remembering an unpleasant memory.

In a flash he threw off the bed sheets and began to inspect the possible damage. From the looks of it there were no traces of new scars on his body, nor any unwanted tattoos. He looked to his flank and what he saw on his cutie mark stunned him.

“Oh my Celestia, what is that? I’ve never seen anything like it, this is just amazing and this is…… my lucky mark duh,” Caster said, giving himself a quick facehoof as he continued his inspection.

Looking around the bed and the rest of his room, he saw no uninvited guests aside from Nina, much to his relief. The delirious Pegasus tried to remember what happened last night after that drink he had, but for some reason he found that he could not. Before he could go further into his thoughts an intoxicating smell began to assault his nostrils. The fear of unintended relations soon found its way back to the stallion’s mind as he slowly got out of bed. His knees nearly gave way as he found them still asleep, but he eventually regained control and made his way to the door.

He slowly opened his bedroom door, trying not to alert whoever was in his home. A quick survey of the living room showed no signs of life, leaving him a bit confused. Then he remembered the smell and turned his attention toward the kitchen as he heard the faint sound of eggs cooking and someone humming a tune. Quietly, Caster went toward the kitchen and stopped just short of the doorway. He took a moment to prepare himself for what awaited him and after a few silent deep breaths, he turned his head around the side of the entrance and his eyes nearly bulged out from who he saw.

There, standing in front of the stove, was none other than Twilight Sparkle. She was wearing a white apron and had her mane tied back in a bun to keep it out of her face. She used her magic to move some of the cooking ware around the kitchen. In one pan she cooked up some scrambled eggs while the other flipped some wheatgrass pancakes onto a plate. A loud whistling noise signaled the tea that was boiling on the stove as the lavender unicorn poured it into two small tea cups. After taking in all the information, Caster turned his head back as he began to sweat a little. Not only from the fact that there was a mare cooking breakfast in his kitchen, but also that it was Twilight, one of his close personal friends. The stallion knew there was no denying that this was happening and that there was no way out. So summoning up what little courage he had left he called out to the lavender mare with as low a voice as he could make.

“T-Twilight?” he whispered, trying to get her attention.

“Agh! Caster, h-how long have you been there?” she said, in surprise almost letting go of the teapot in her magical aura.

“Only about a minute or so,” the Pegasus said, relaxing and moving more into Twilights’ line of sight. “So anyway, what’s all this about?”

“Well I woke up a bit early, so I thought I’d make us some breakfast before you-”

Caster rose one his hooves signaling her to stop. “What I meant was, why are you in my house?”

A small blush began to creep on the unicorns’ face. “You mean you don’t remember what happened last night? Wow that bump to the head must have really did a number on you.”

“Guess that would explain the enormous headache I have. Either that or this is what a hangover feels like,” the stallion said, trying to get a laugh out of the situation.

“I’m sure you’re very confused by all this Caster, but I can assure you that you didn’t do anything too embarrassing last night,” Twilight said, trying to make him feel better. Ironically it did little help.

“I’d still like to know what happened last night. Since you’re here, I can only assume you know most of what happened. So please, tell me everything you know,” the light brown Pegasus said, with a look of deep remorse in his eyes.

The lavender mare looked back at him and thought back to what happened last night. It’s not that it was bad, just that she thought he would freak out over it. After a few minutes of consideration she let out a heavy sigh as she spoke.

“All right then, go wait in the living room while I finish making breakfast,” Twilight said, as she picked up where she left off in the kitchen.

Caster did as she asked and went toward the living room. He sat himself down onto one of his couches and tried to think about what he might’ve done. For a moment he thought he might have physically assaulted someone, but quickly buried the thought not wanting to live with the guilt. He soon pondered the possibility of revealing an embarrassing secret of his or someone else. But before he could think more on the subject he noticed in the corner of his eye, Twilight setting a large tray of food on the table with her magic as she sat on the couch opposite of him.

“I hope you like it, I’m not much of a cook so I can’t promise it’ll be good,” she said, as she rubbed one of her forelegs nervously, trying to delay the conversation.

The stallion used one of the forks to take a piece of pancake toward his muzzle. He gave it an experimental whiff before propping it into his mouth and finding it to his liking.

“Mmm, this is delicious Twilight I’m surprised you don’t cook more often,” he said, as he began to politely devour the food.

“Thanks Caster; compliments aside you still want to know what happened last night right?” Caster simply nodded as the lavender unicorn began to eat her food as well. “Where should I start then?”

===============================================================

It was the dead of night and the normally quiet library was roaring in celebration. Many of Hotpop’s newly acquainted and old friends came to celebrate her upcoming marriage with invitations sent by Pinkie Pie. Most of the mares hit the dance floor, partying until they couldn’t feel their legs anymore. Another group stood by the center of the library, enjoying the ‘special’ entertainment provided by the Wonderbolts and sharing a couple of drinks. In the kitchen were Hotpop and Pinkie Pie who decided to be the official witnesses of Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s shot glass contest, participating with an occasional glass themselves. Spike was unfortunately inclined in the bedroom for the night, not being of legal drinking age and it being a party for mare’s after all. The purple dragon didn’t let it get to him though as he held a small bottle of hard cider in his claw, secret courtesy of Rarity that she gave with an almost unnoticeable wink. The fashionista unicorn was later found at an isolated table with Fluttershy and Twilight, not being ones for heavy drinking and tired out from the partying which went late into the night.

“I just cannot believe Pinkie Pie was able to get the Wonderbolts to perform for us,” Rarity said, shooting an occasional glance at the entertainment.

“Well you know that mare, if it’s impossible she can pull it off,” Twilight said, amused by her own comment.

“Yes, she certainly can,” Fluttershy mumbled, almost inaudible to her friends who looked at her concerned.

“What’s wrong darling, you’ve been acting like this ever since Caster’s birthday yesterday,” the white unicorn said, as she placed a hoof on her friends shoulder.

“Oh it’s nothing Rarity; I just, haven’t felt like partying lately that’s all,” she said, hoping her friends wouldn’t pry her further.

“Come on Fluttershy, you know we can help you. Whatever’s bothering you, we’ll help you get through it,” the lavender unicorn said, in a caring tone.

The shy mare just looked down, still unsure if she should tell them or not. She was so embarrassed by her thoughts and thought her friends would just laugh at her. But as she looked at her two friends she felt reassured by their expressions and settled down. She looked back at them but kept one of her eyes hidden behind her pink hair.

“Um, okay, but please promise you won’t tell anypony else,” Fluttershy said, hoping no one else was listening.

“We promise,” the two unicorns said, together and doing a pinkie promise along with it.

“Well, it’s about somepony in town. Lately I’ve been feeling things toward him but I don’t know what to do,” the yellow Pegasus finished her sentence with a tint of red in her cheeks.

“Oh my, our little Fluttershy has a crush! Do tell us, who’s the lucky stallion?” Rarity squealed, with delight as she was always ready for some gossip.

“Settle down Rarity, she doesn’t have to tell who it is if she doesn’t want to,” Twilight said, trying not let her curiosity get the better of her.

“No it’s all right Twilight, I had to tell somepony about this anyway. It’s um, well it-it’s… Do you girls hear that?” Fluttershy said, noticing a faint whistling sound from out of nowhere.

Before the others could register what the sound was, it grew instantly louder and a sudden boom came from outside the library. Everybody in the room was alerted by the strange event, some shrieked in terror thinking it was an attack on Ponyville. Before anyone could jump to any further conclusions Twilight made the first move and cautiously approached the front door. The door was pushed slightly open as the lavender unicorn stepped outside to investigate. She looked around for a few moments before her eyes caught sight of a passed out Caster Forge in the middle of the street. Twilight carefully made her way to the unconscious stallion, where upon arriving she noticed something strange. The area where the Pegasus laid was surrounded by several cracks easily telling how hard he could’ve hit the ground, yet his body was barely damaged. Thinking it might have been a creature in disguise, she slowly reached a hoof towards him before he suddenly hopped up on all fours with a goofy grin plastered on his face. There was something off setting about him though; he seemed more, perky.

“Hey Twilight, when did you get here? No wait, when did I get here? Aw who cares did you see that crash I made, so awesome!” Caster spoke out in a slightly slurred tone.

“What are you talking about Caster, a crash like that could have killed you!” Twilight said, as she enveloped him in a pink aura to inspect his body.

“Pretty colors, kinda tickles too,” he said, oddly giggling every often.

While the unicorn did her best to examine the damage to the Pegasus, some of her friends came out of the library to see who it was.

“Darling what happened to you? You’re almost as giddy as Pinkie Pie,” Rarity said, as the mare in question appeared next to her.

“What’s wrong with that? If anything I say it’s an improvement,” the pink earth pony said, bouncing up and down, the sign of drunkenness evident in her slurred voice.

“You got that right Pinks, woo!” the stallion said, releasing himself from Twilight’s magical grip and gliding toward the Founder’s Fountain.

Soon the sound of trampling hooves was heard in the distance as all the mares looked to see Caster’s friends from the bar trying to catch up to him. They came to a halt in front of everyone, almost out of breath as they tried to get some words out.

“Sorry for Caster’s inconvenience ladies, poor old fellow’s gotten himself in a tight spot it seems,” the Doctor said, regaining his breath.

“W-What’s wrong with him Doctor?” Fluttershy said, from behind Rarity and Pinkie.

“Yeah, what is he drunk or something?” Twilight said, in an infuriated tone for not finishing her checkup.

“Yes,” Jack Reels said emerging from the group. “This is apparently what happens when my little brother drinks, he becomes more energetic and outgoing.”

“How much has he had?” Rarity inquired.

“Just one bottle of Apple Bourbon. As it turned out, he aint’ never drank before so we didn’t know what would happen to him. He’s more a lightweight than anypony ah know,” Big Mac said, with a calm expression.

“Afterwards he stated acting weirder than normal and just flew all across the bar trying to be the center of attention. I will admit, he does know how to draw a crowd,” Caramel stated, watching the drunk stallion dance around the fountain and singing a foreign tune.

“And you do not want to know what he tried to do to tonight’s entertainment. Let’s just say he’s got a lot of apologies to make tomorrow,” Bard said, shuddering a little remembering what happened earlier.

“That still doesn’t explain how he fell from Celestia knows how high, cracked the ground, and managed to survive with barely a scratch,” the lavender unicorn said, calming down and focusing more on the situation at hoof.

“Oh that, my brother’s just very ‘durable’ I guess you could say. Seriously, hit him on the head with a large textbook and he’ll just shake it off,” the orange Pegasus said, thinking how ridiculous it must’ve sounded to the others. “Anyway, I believe Caster’s had enough ‘fun’ to last him a week, so I think it’s about time he went to bed.”

“So I take it you’ll be the ones to take him home then?” the white unicorn asked, hoping for a good response.

“Negative, the bartender demanded that we help clean up his mess, seeing as how it was mostly our fault to begin with,” the time lord pony said, not proud for what had occurred. “So would one of you be willing to see him home?”

They all stopped to ponder the situation for a moment. Most of the mares in the library were already drunk enough so that was a definite no. Rainbow and Applejack were too busy taking shots to care and were likely to pass out at any moment. Spike was still in the bedroom taking care of Pee Wee and Owlowicious. Rarity and Pinkie Pie were feeling a bit tipsy and didn’t seem to want to leave the party; and Fluttershy was still hiding behind the two of them, for what reason none of them knew. So it all eventually came down to one choice.

“I’ll take him home,” Twilight spoke out. “I haven’t had much to drink tonight so I doubt anything will happen between us. Plus if he tries anything funny I’ll use my magic to keep him at bay.”

“Well that sounds all right I suppose, anypony here have any objections?” Bard said, looking back at his friends who nodded in agreement. “That settles that then; Caster!”

Before anyone realized it, the light brown Pegasus was in front of them in a heartbeat. “You called, *hic*? What can I do you for you?”

“You’ve caused enough trouble for one night Cast, so I think I speak for everypony when I say it’s time for you to go home,” the orange unicorn said, bluntly.

“Aw come on man, I’m having the time of my life here, *hic*. Why should I stop now when I am at the peak of awesomeness!?” Caster shouted, thinking there would be a sudden round of applause.

“We’ll go over that list of problems in the morning, but for now just let Twilight take you back to your place.”

“No way dude; I’m staying out here until I collapse from fun overload. I’m an adult now so I decide when I sleep and nothing that any of you say can make me-,” the inebriated blacksmith felt a hoof prod his shoulder and turned to see who it was.

Before he knew what hit him, he was face to face with Fluttershy’s infamous ‘The Stare’. Through all his bravado, Caster started to shake unable to look away from the mare’s gaze. Among other things, her stare was one of the few things that frightened him the most.

“Now you listen to me mister, you may be an adult but you need to take responsibility for your actions. You’re drunk and you need your rest if you still want to be able to work tomorrow,” Fluttershy said, in the most menacing voice she could muster.

“But, I...,” he stuttered out.

“Don’t you ‘but I’ me mister! Now you let Twilight take you home, put you to bed, and in the morning you are going to apologize to a lot of ponies for your thoughtless behavior; got it?” the yellow mare said, giving the stallion one final glare.

A part of Caster’s mind was telling him to ignore her threat and just keep on partying. But it was being drowned out by a larger portion shouting at him to listen if he knew what was good for him. This was coupled with the thought of possibly losing his friends and moreover, the mare he had confused feelings for. So with a quick gulp of air the light brown Pegasus slowly nodded his head in agreement. At that moment Twilight appeared next to him and they both made their way toward his home for the night. Meanwhile, back outside the library, everyone went slack jawed at what they experienced.

“Fluttershy, would you mind doing me a favor?” Jack asked, in an intimidated tone.

“What’s that Mr. Reels?”

“Remind me to never upset you ever again.”

Fluttershy couldn’t help but feel ashamed at his response. “Well, I had to do something, and I doubt he’d actually listen to me. I just hope he doesn’t hate or becomes afraid of me for doing that.”

“Doing what?” Hotpop said, suddenly joining in on the conversation.

“Oh, hey there honey, you just missed a chance to see my little brother drunk for the first time. Flutters here had to use ‘The Stare’ to get him to cooperate,” the orange Pegasus said, briefing his fiancé.

“Awww, I would have killed to see that. I’ve always wondered what he’d be like when he got drunk,” the blue unicorn said, giggling every chance she could get.

“Maybe next time dear,” Jack said, giving her a quick kiss. “Now you go have fun, the guys and I will be busy cleaning up Caster’s mess that he left at the bar.”

“See you tomorrow Jacky,” Hotpop said, returning to the party.

As soon as the two ponies were out of range, Caster reverted to his drunken state and began talking like there was no tomorrow. Twilight just walked beside him, rolling her eyes at nearly everything he spoke about as she led him home. She was actually amazed that he didn’t try to make any attempts to fly off and create havoc again. It seemed Fluttershy did her job better than she thought. Deciding it would be rude to not talk back, Twilight decided to join in.

“So Caster, how’s your search for a marefriend going?” the unicorn asked, a bit hesitant.

“Oh it’s going just fine,” he said, sarcastically. “So far I’ve been rejected by nearly every mare in town and I never got a chance to kiss them at all. Did you know that Aloe tried to jump me on our date yesterday? I don’t know why I said no, I mean that flank just…damn.”

Caster’s description of last night made Twilight blush furiously. “Wow, I’m uh, sorry to hear that?”

“Ah don’t let it get to ya Twi. In a way I guess I’m glad I said no,” the light brown Pegasus said, as he swayed back forth ready to fall asleep soon.

“Why do you say that?”

“Well for one I’ve heard other ponies say that Aloe and her sister are a mischievous pair at times; and after last night, I’m starting to believe them. Plus I’m kind of saving myself for somepony I had in mind.”

“Really, might I ask who it is?” the lavender mare asked, suddenly interested in where the subject was going.

“Uh, well I, uh. Hey look we’re here already, how did that happen so fast ha ha? I suppose I should be getting to bed now,” Caster said, dropping the topic entirely and letting out a prolonged yawn.

Twilight just stared at him perplexed. “O-Kay then.”

The drunk stallion fumbled with his house key for a while before successfully opening the door to his home. Twilight helped lead him up the stairs to the living room as he seemed to have a hard time walking. The entire house seemed eerily silent as the two ponies made their way to Caster’s bedroom. Upon entering, the Pegasus was assaulted by a sudden red blur grabbing his face. He soon recognized it as Nina who had apparently waited up for him to return. He quickly took her into his hooves and began to tickle her belly.

“Come here you. Did you miss your big bro, huh? Who’s a cute little squirrel? You are, yes you are,” Caster said, in the most adorable voice he could summon up.

The lavender mare behind him was in a fit of giggles seeing this display. Before long the stallion withdrew from the moment as he put the pet squirrel back into her own bed for the night.

“Well thanks again for bringing me home Twilight,” he said, more tired than before.

“No problem Caster, just be glad you listened to reason before you did something you might’ve regretted,” Twilight said, not wanting to think what could’ve happened.

“Yes I guess. So anyway *yawn* I’ll just be going to bed now and-,” Caster, not looking where he was going, felt his head connect with the thick maple wood of the bed post.

He felt mildly delirious as everything in his mind became a boggle of confusion. The light brown Pegasus quickly shook his head and took in his surroundings. However he seemed confused for a moment before finally speaking up.

“What the, how did I get here? I thought I was supposed to be at the bar, what’s going on?” the pony said, dumbfounded.

Twilight simply facehooved herself. Not only was it difficult dealing with someone drunk, but now she had to handle a case of memory loss as well. Tonight was not being made easy for her it seemed.

“All right Caster, let’s get you to bed before one of us has a migraine,” the unicorn said, as she walked over to him.

“Who’re you, why are you in my house?” the confused stallion said, surprised to see someone there.

As he tried to make out who it was, both his drowsiness, drunkenness, and delirium got the better of him. The room being dimly lit by only the moon was not helping either. When he looked at Twilight, her colors began to change from lavender and violet to a familiar butter yellow and pink shade. Soon Caster was the staring at the object of his inner affection, Fluttershy.

“Oh, it’s only you Fluttershy. For a second there I thought you were a burglar or something,” the delirious Pegasus said as a goofy smile grew on his face.

Twilight simply raised an eyebrow at his response. “What are you talking about Caster, it’s me Twilight remember?”

Unfortunately for the both of them, the bump to his head deteriorated Caster’s senses. Making it almost impossible to tell what Twilight was saying.

“Yeah that’s great and all, but could you tell me how I got here. The last thing I remember was sharing a drink with my brother and the others, the rest is just a blur,” the light brown Pegasus stopped for a moment before reaching a conclusion. “Oh, wait a minute I think I know what happened. I must have gotten plastered so they asked you to bring me home. Now wasn’t that sweet of you.”

“Ugh, fine I’m Fluttershy and I brought you home. Now would you please go to bed so I can go home already?” the lavender mare said, more irritated than before.

But for some reason Caster started to get uncomfortably closer to her. His eyes were drooped and his smile seemed sinister. Twilight backed away a little but he kept getting closer. Before she knew it, she was against the wall with the inebriated stallion only a few inches away from her.

“You know Fluttershy, you’ve done a lot for me ever since I came to Ponyville,” he said, with a cocky attitude. “You gave me a place to stay for the night, you helped cheer me up when I was turned down by other mares, and you even brought me home while you and your friends were having your own party. I’ve never noticed before but you are really cute when you do things like this. So how about I repay you for everything you’ve done for me and for being such a cutie pie.”

At these words, Caster closed his eyes and began to move his lips towards Twilight’s. The unicorn was silently freaking out from what was happening. Every second felt like a minute to her as she tried to get out of this situation. Suddenly an idea went off in her head as her horn began to glow in a pink aura. The same aura was wrapped around the stallions head and he came to a halt. In an instant he fell to the ground, lightly snoring as a sign of his slumbering state. Twilight stood there in shock for a few moments trying to comprehend what just happened. Not only did he try to kiss her, but he also revealed some feelings for one of her friends. Before she could continue on the subject, Twilight levitated Caster’s limp body over to his bed and tucked him in. After the librarian mare made sure he and Nina were sound asleep she walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.

She began to pace the living room trying to figure out how to go about all this. Twilight knew she was never good at keeping secrets and thought she might let it slip out when she got back to her friends. Plus, given that her friends were drunk, Rainbow and Applejack would kick his flank into next week if they found out what had just happened; and even worse would be how Fluttershy would feel about the situation. But there could’ve been a chance that Caster was just too drunk to think straight and took his feelings out of context. All of this was confusing to Twilight, but after a few minutes of pondering she made her choice. Her horn glowed again and a scroll and quill appeared out of thin air. She brought the quill to the scroll and began to write her message.

’Dear Spike, I’m afraid I won’t be coming home tonight. Caster Forge is even more of a hoofful than I thought and I need to stay here to make sure he doesn’t try to sneak out. Please inform the others so they do not worry about me and I’ll see you in the morning.

Sincerely,

Twilight Sparkle’

After finishing her writing, she rolled the scroll up and used a spell to send it to Spike. This spell was always useful for situations like this. Twilight looked at one of the nearby clocks and saw it was getting late and decided to turn in. The lavender mare made her way to the guest room where she wondered what tomorrow would bring.

===============================================================

The living room in Caster’s home was completely silent when Twilight finished her story. The unicorn still had her cheeks tinted pink after she explained everything in great detail. The same could not be said for Caster, as the light brown Pegasus’ face had turned crimson red. His eyes were nearly as wide as saucer plates and his mouth hung limp. The food had long since been eaten and all that remained were the cups of tea. The stallion just sat on the couch, unmoving, hoping this was all just a bad dream.

“Caster, you still in there?” Twilight said, waving a hoof in his face to get his attention.

The blacksmith pony shook his head slightly and tried to speak. “I-I’m alright Twilight. I’m just embarrassed beyond all belief.”

“I’m sorry Caster, but it is the truth. You were drunk and tried to kiss me thinking I was Fluttershy,” she said, bluntly.

“I don’t know which is worse. The fact that I tried to kiss you, or that I revealed how I feel about Fluttershy.”

“And what exactly is wrong with kissing me?” Twilight said, still blushing but with a stern tone.

“Oh I didn’t mean it like that. I just wanted my first kiss to be with somepony special that I like. I mean, I’m not saying I don’t like you, as a friend of course,” Caster said, trying to fix the situation.

The lavender unicorn let out a giggle. “Relax Caster, I’m just pushing your buttons. But all kidding aside, is that really how you feel about Fluttershy?”

“I guess, to tell the truth even I don’t understand how I feel about her,” he said, the blush on his face beginning to fade.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, for as long as I can remember, I’ve always had crushes easily on other mares. Usually if they’re pretty enough or if they are nice to me. Now that I’ve started dating mares again, I need to be careful so I don’t focus my attention on a single mare. But Fluttershy seems different somehow. I can’t explain it but I can just feel it. I’ve never asked her to do what she does for me, but she does them anyway. No mare has ever been this kind hearted to me before. That’s why I want to make sure for real this time that my feelings are true and not just my heart being desperate.”

“I can see what you mean Caster, she is the element of kindness after all,” Twilight said, understanding his dilemma, then something from last night clicked inside her head. “But how are you so sure she doesn’t like you back?”

“I doubt she likes me Twilight. As a friend sure, but I’m probably not her type. Even if she doesn’t like me back I would still be content with being her friend,” Caster said, trying to work up a smile.

“You never know if you don’t try. At least try something and see where it leads, what you might find could be a surprise. Don’t be afraid to go after somepony. Don’t be like me,” the unicorn mare said, looking down.

The last part in Twilight’s statement peeked the blacksmith’s curiosity. “Wait, you mean there’s somepony you like as well?”

“What I can’t have a crush too?”

“It’s not that, it’s just that you’ve never really shown an interest in romance before. If you don’t mind me asking, who is the lucky pony?”

Twilight’s face began to blush once more as she mumbled something inaudible to Caster.

“I’m sorry, I could not hear that.”

She repeated her response slightly louder, but still unable to be heard.

“One more time, I still can’t hear you,” he said, as he drank his cup of tea.

“I said, it’s, P-Princess Luna,” Twilight said, in a shaky voice.

Caster had nearly choked down his tea from what he just heard. He was truly not expecting it to be someone of royalty, let alone one of the co-rulers of Equestria.

“Wow, that was *ahem* unexpected,” the stallion said, blushing, legitimately surprised. “Don’t get me wrong I’m happy there’s somepony you like. I just didn’t know you were into mares, especially since it is Princess Luna we’re talking about here.”

“Hey I was just as surprised as you were. It kind of took me a while to realize my feelings too.”

“I see, so what is it about our fair princess that brought you in?” the Pegasus asked, wanting to understand the situation better.

“Well I guess it would have to be my fascination with the night sky,” the unicorn started out. “I’ve always loved the stars and constellations that decorated the sky every night, always admiring the knowledge and beauty that others don’t seem to appreciate. When I met Luna for the first time, it made me happy to know there was a pony who made the nights the way they were every time. I know Princess Celestia was the one making them at the time, but I didn’t seem to care. When Luna came to the Nightmare Night Festival a year later, I did not know why, but I was ecstatic to see her again. She had grown up so much since the last time I saw her and seemed even more beautiful than before. Everything about her just radiated the essence of the night; and even after her time as Nightmare Moon and getting used to todays culture, she still had such a gentle spirit. It was only a few years later that I realized how I felt about her. I like her because she showed me that even the darkness of the night can still have a sense of beauty to it.”

Caster simply sat on the couch unmoving listening to Twilight’s feelings. “That certainly does explain a lot. So I take it you’ve never told your friends about this?”

“Nope, not even Spike knows about this. I’m only telling ‘you’ this because I want you to see where not telling somepony how you feel can lead you,” Twilight told him.

“That and you had to get it off your chest eventually it seems. Don’t worry Twilight, I won’t tell nopony about it, just like I hope you will do the same for me,” the stallion said, lecturing her back.

“I can’t make any major promises, but I’ll try my best,” she said.

“Do you Pinkie Promise?”

“*sigh* Cross my heart, hope to fly,”

“Stick a cupcake in my eye,” Caster said, promising back.

After all was said and done, the two ponies took the dishes back to the kitchen and washed them in the sink. Once the dishes were clean, Caster decided to take a quick shower to remove the smell of booze and everything else from last night from him. When the Pegasus came out, Twilight was still in the living room, almost like she was waiting for something important.

“So Caster, what’s on your agenda for the rest of the day?” Twilight asked him.

“Well for starters, you and I have some work that needs to be done,” he said, walking down the stairs.

“What would that be?” She said, following him.

“First off, I need to apologize to several ponies for my behavior last night,” Caster said, as he opened the front door. “And secondly, we need to help plan out my brother’s wedding.”

===============================================================

For the rest of that week Caster and his friends spent their time preparing for the upcoming wedding. During that time, Caster made his apologies with his friends for his drunken behavior as well as the entertainment from the bar that night. They forgave him for his rudeness, right after one of the dancers gave him a firm slap across the face before listening. After all was said and done, the stallion put all his spare time into helping out his brother.

The streets of Ponyville were overcrowded as ponies made their way to town hall for the wedding. Pinkie Pie had done an excellent job passing out invitations and spreading the word around town to get others to come. Jack Reels may be a film critic now, but his deeds as a former soldier did not go unnoticed by most. That being said, Celestia herself decided to preside over the wedding as a way to thank him for his duties in the army. Back inside town hall, Jack and his friends and family were in one of the converted offices, getting ready for the ceremony. The orange Pegasus’ mother helped comb his mane and tail into a proper style while his father straightened out his suit. Being jewelry makers, Jack and Caster’s parents always wanted things to be perfect for their children, just like their work. Their older sister could not make it as she was overloaded with her own set of work back home. But she was still able to send the happy couple a wedding gift.

Caster on the other hand was at the other end of the room busy dressing himself up. His mane and tail stayed the same as it always seemed the only style proper and comfortable to him. His suit was a simple black tuxedo with a white undershirt and a red bow tie, same as his brothers. The blacksmith didn’t like to admit it often to others, but Caster had always thought of himself to be a real stud when he wore a suit of any kind. Meanwhile, their friends were out helping set up the decorations for the banquet and the ceremony. As the family of Pegasus’s finished getting ready, an orange coated unicorn with a dark brown mane walked in.

“Hey everypony, hate to interrupt but could I borrow Caster for a moment?” Bard asked, nonchalantly.

“Go right ahead dear, he’s all done anyway,” Caster’s mother said.

With that said, the light brown Pegasus walked out of the room with his friend into the hallway. They both walked a fair distance before Bard came to a halt and faced Caster.

“So what did you need buddy?”

Bard remained silent for a moment before giving his response. “I need you to colt up and go tell Hotpop how you feel about her already.”

The Pegasus stallion was shocked by his sudden statement. “Whoa, whoa where did that came from just now? You know that I’m-”

“Scared of her rejecting you, I know; and that’s why you have to tell her,” the unicorn said. “I’ve kept your secret for quite a long time now and I think enough is enough. I know you no longer have any major romantic feelings for her anymore, but you should still tell her.”

“But what if she thinks I’m creepy for having those kinds of feelings, what if she never wants to speak to me again?” Caster said, slightly afraid.

“Dude, come on, how long have you and I known Hotpop? You know she’s not the kind of mare to resent other ponies for something like that. Plus, even if she doesn’t like you anymore, it would be better than wondering whether or not she would,” Bard said, proving his point.

The blacksmith pony just stood there thinking about what his friend had told him. He did have a point, Caster always wanted to know how Hotpop felt about him, even if it wasn’t for romantic reasons. But the thought of losing one of his best friends seemed to keep him from asking. But Bard was right; better to get it out of the way than to live in fear.

“All right bard, I’ll go tell her. But only because I want to get it out of my system,” Caster told him in defeat.

“Good, just know that I’m doing this for your own good. You’ll thank me one day for this. I’ll see you at the ceremony,” the unicorn said.

“See you there,” the light brown Pegasus said, making his way toward Hotpop’s dressing room.

The walk down the hallway felt like an eternity to Caster. He kept contemplating how he would break his feelings to Hotpop. Things like, ‘Hey Hotpop, just wanted to let you know that I’ve had a crush on you for years now.’ Or ‘Do you like me at all, or do I just seem creepy to you?’ No matter what he tried to think of to say it all ended badly in his imagination. Just as he was about to give up, he soon found himself outside of the room where the bride to be was getting ready. Cater stood there, his forehead lightly covered in sweat, trying to work up the courage to knock on the door. For a moment he considered backing out while he still had the chance, but he knew better. No this was something that he needed to do and he’s put it off for far too long now. So with whatever bravery he had left, he brought his hoof to the door and knocked on it three times.

“Who is it?” the familiar voice rang out from behind the door.

“It’s me, Caster,” he said.

“What do you need Cast?” Hotpop said, in a cheerful tone.

“I was wondering if I could talk to you in private for a moment. It’s something really important that I need to say,” the stallion said, quickly.

He waited for a response from her, but nothing came. Then when he thought he’d be left standing out there he heard her speak.

“Sure, come on in. I’m all dressed anyway,” she said, as she unlocked the door with her magic.

Caster slowly opened the door and walked in. He closed it to make sure they would not be disturbed and then turned around to face Hotpop. But what he saw nearly took his breath away. She was wearing a pure white wedding dress that had an exceptionally long train in the back and had matching white shoes. Her shoulders were covered by two puffy boleros and her wedding veil rested on her head but pulled back. Her mane was styled into a ponytail which laid against her shoulder and was tied by what seemed to be a de-thorned rose. She had on ruby red lipstick which complimented the rose and light violet eyeliner that was almost unnoticeable. ‘Rarity’s really outdone herself this time,’ Caster thought to himself.

“It seems my brother’s going to get the mare of his dreams,” he said, aloud with whatever confidence he could muster.

“Oh stop, you’re making me blush,” Hotpop said, her face acting out her words.

Unfortunately for Caster, her expression changed his almost instantly as he began to blush as well. They remained quiet for a few seconds before Hotpop broke the silence.

“So what did you want to talk about Cast?” the unicorn asked.

Here it was, now or never. “Hotpop, you and I have been friends for a long time now right?”

“Of course, ever since our days in high school you’ve been a good friend to me. One of the best I might add,” she said, cheerfully.

“And you really do love my brother with all your heart, correct?” Caster asked, the blush still burning on his face.

“Without a doubt, I do. He’s such a sweetheart and I know that he loves me back.”

Caster saw a moment of opportunity in her statement. “Well you know, he’s not the only pony who feels that way about you.”

“Oh I know that, there were and still are a lot of stallions who wish they could be with me,” Hotpop said, unaware of where the conversation was heading.

“Yes, there certainly were plenty of stallions who would do anything for you. Even I would’ve liked for you to be mine,” the Pegasus said, nonchalantly.

“I know right, like this one time, there was this…colt…who… Wait, what was that you just said?”

No going back now it seemed. “I like you Hotpop, I really do. I’ve liked you ever since the day I met you. Granted it was mostly out of jealousy against my brother, but I still like you all the same. You’re smart, pretty, and straight out funny at times. I may not feel the same way as I did a couple of years ago, but I just wanted to say how I felt about you so I could finally get it over with. I know you probably don’t feel the same way about me, I just hope we can stay friends.”

The dressing room fell dead silent as neither of them said a word. Hotpop’s face nearly matched the shade of her lipstick as she tried to process what she had just heard. Caster’s was almost the same as he waited for a response from her. Seeing as how nothing was going to be said, the blacksmith made his way to the door before realizing the sound of it being locked. When he looked at the doorknob, he saw that it was incased in a light green aura and his heart nearly stopped. Caster whipped his head around to face Hotpop and saw her looking at him blankly.

“Is- is that all you needed to say, Caster Pearlescent Forge?” she said.

Now he was really scared. He as well as his old friends knew that when Hotpop used a pony’s full name, that was when she started getting serious; and very few ponies ever choose to use his middle name.

“You came in here so you could admit your secret feelings to me?” the light blue unicorn mare said, in a near grim tone, walking closer to him.

Caster was already backed up against the door, so all he could do was sit down and cower in fear. As Hotpop stood in front of him, the stallion closed his eyes, afraid to know what was about to come. Suddenly, without warning, he felt something warm and soft wrap around him. Slowly he reopened his eyes and to his complete surprise, found Hotpop embracing him in a hug.

“It’s about time you big goof-ball,” Hotpop said, with a happy expression.

Those words shook Caster at his core. “Wait a minute, you knew!?”

“Of course I did silly.”

“How’d you figure it out?”

“Caster, you’re not very subtle when it comes to hiding your feelings,” she said, breaking the hug and looking at him directly.

Caster mentally face hoofed himself. “Oh, right. So what was it that initially gave it away?”

“Well for a while I always saw you were a bit nervous whenever I was around, I thought I saw you blushing but I could never really tell. Your brother always said you got excited whenever he told you I was coming over for a visit, at first I thought it was because I was a good friend to you. But what really made it clear was you going out of your way to make me happy. You made sure Jack would be on time and prepared for our dates, you gave random gifts simply because you had money to spend. But even more so, you would always keep me company whenever Jack went out on diplomatic missions across the borders of Equestria. I considered myself a fool for not realizing it sooner.”

“But, why didn’t you say anything?” the stallion said, astonished by the facts.

“To be honest, I kind of thought you were just being a good brother and friend. A part of me wanted to believe it wasn’t true because of my feelings for Jack,” Hotpop said, a bit remorse by her statement.

“I guess that does explain it. But there’s still one last thing I want to know Hotpop. Did you ever actually like me back?” He said, bluntly.

The unicorn was not sure how to answer his question and remained silent. After careful consideration, she found her answer.

“For a time, yes, as a friend of course. After you stopped dating mares you became more mature and a true gentlecolt. I was truly surprised no mare had ever taken a liking to you, considering your charm, your position in Celestia’s school, and being considered ‘The Luckiest Pony in Equestria’,” she said, honestly.

Caster happily rolled his eyes at that last part. His nickname, which shortly arrived after his lucky mark was not something he was entirely proud of. But nonetheless he was still happy to hear those words.

“Hotpop, I can’t tell you how much that means to me. So we’re still friends right?”

She merely shook her head side to side. “You’re more than just my friend Caster. You’re my little brother now.”

Tears threatened to escape his eyes as Caster brought Hotpop in for another hug. They stayed like that for about a minute before separating.

“Now Caster, I have a request for you. Do you think you can do it?”

“Sure thing Hotpop, what is it?” the light brown Pegasus asked.

“Dance with at least one mare at the reception. I know you want to save a dance like that for the mare you love, but just this once try to relax and have some fun. Please, for me?” Hotpop said, with the saddest eyes she could muster.

Caster couldn’t resist when she gave that look. “Okay, if you insist. I’ll give it a try.”

“That’s the spirit,” the light blue unicorn said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek and unlocking the door. “Now go and get ready, the ceremony will be starting soon.”

The two ponies shared a quick laugh before the blacksmith made his way out of the room and down the hallway. Hotpop went back to preparing her make up as she smiled at herself for her plan working.

“Like I said Cast, you’re not very subtle when it comes to hiding your feelings,” she said, remembering his talk about a certain yellow Pegasus.

The main hall was abundant with chatter as everyone waited for the ceremony to begin. On the right end of the platform at the end of the walkway stood Jack Reels, along with his brother as his best stallion and the rest of his and Caster’s friends. To the left stood the bearers of the elements of harmony, Fluttershy excluded as she was positioned on the upper balcony with her bird orchestra. At the center was Princess Celestia, standing behind a large podium with a crest of the sun and moon emblazed upon it.

The singing of Fluttershy’s birds signaled the beginning of the ceremony as everyone looked down the hallway. The large doors opened as the Cutie Mark Crusaders, playing flower fillies once more made their way in. After them came the bride Hotpop, being walked down the aisle by her father with her wedding veil covering her face. As the unicorn made her way to the platform, Caster turned his gaze to the mare on the balcony. Fluttershy seemed more beautiful than he remembered as she worked with her woodland friends, her brides’ maid outfit flowing carelessly in the breeze. He then remembered what Twilight said about how she talked him into going home when he was drunk and how he had failed to thank her properly. With that in mind, the light brown Pegasus made a mental note for the reception as he brought his attention back to the matter at hoof.

Hotpop had joined Jack on the platform as her father went to stand by his wife. At that moment, the bird orchestra quieted down as Celestia began her speech.

“Fillies and gentlecolts, we are gathered here today to witness the bond of two ponies in holy matrimony. If there is anypony here who would object to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace”, Celestia said, in a loud voice.

The entire crowd remained completely silent as a reply was being waited for. Caster was silently congratulating himself for admitting his feelings earlier. Had he not, the stallion might have created an incredibly awkward situation.

“Very well then. Now before we begin, I understand that the two of you have written your own wedding vows. Jack Reels, you may begin.”

The orange Pegasus cleared his throat. “Hotpop, what else can I say other than I love you. You’ve made me smile more times than I can count and kept my spirits up for all these years. Whenever I left home as a soldier I worried about whether or not I would ever see you again. Now the only base I want to be stationed at is right beside you, forever and ever.”

“Oh Jacky, the time we’ve spent together has been like magic to me. You’ve always talked about wanting to make movies and you made one that will always be memorable to me. Now it’s time for the sequel and I don’t plan on letting it end anytime soon,” Hotpop said, on the verge of tears.

“That was very beautiful you two, now I believe it’s time to get started,” the white alicorn said, lifting the wedding bands with her magic handed by Spike. “Jack Reels, do you take Hotpop to be your lawfully wedded wife? To honor and obey, in sickness and in health, for rich or for poor, till death do you part?”

“I do,” Jack replied.

“Hotpop, do you take Jack reels to be your lawfully wedded husband? To honor and obey, in sickness and in health, for rich or for poor, till death do you part?”

“I do,” Hotpop also replied.

The wedding bands were wrapped around each other’s hooves. Each had the others cutie mark emblazed upon them.

“Then by the power vested in me by myself, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

The light blue unicorn didn’t waste a second as she used her magic to lift her wedding veil and planted her lips right on the groom’s. The whole building erupted in cheer and applause as everyone congratulated the newlywed couple. Caster was the happiest out of all of them for his older brother. He may not have a special somepony yet, but like he told himself years ago, that doesn’t mean he can’t be happy for others. When all was said and done, the ponies adjourned to the main dining hall for the reception.

The after party was truly something to behold. Tables with large bouquets and bundles of balloons decorated the floor. Streamers of various cloth and color were strung from the ceiling and confectionaries surrounded the entire hall. To say Pinkie Pie did a glorious job would’ve been an understatement. Many of the guests took their time giving praise to the couple and talking and eating amongst one another. Others attended the dance floor as Octavia’s orchestra played some fitting ballroom music. All the while the Forge family, along with its newest member, sat at a wide table in the back of the room eating their meal and celebrating in their own way.

While they all shared in a few jokes and some wedding cake, Caster remembered what he promised Hotpop and got up from his seat. He surveyed the room looking for a decent dance partner, but none seemed to catch his eye. The he remembered his metal note from earlier and made his way to the Elements of Harmony. When he was a few feet away he saw them all. They were laughing amongst each other and sharing sweets. Pinkie on the other hand was eating an entire triple lair chocolate vanilla cake by herself. How she ate so much and stayed so thin was anybody’s guess, but that did not distract him from what he needed to do as he walked towards their table. Upon arrival, they all turned their attention to him.

“Hey there everypony, is everything good over here?” Caster asked.

“Yup, everything’s going great now that you’re here,” Pinkie Pie said, as she wolfed down a chunk of cake in one bite.

“Glad to hear it,” the stallion said, chuckling from her antics. At that point he turned his attention towards the yellow Pegasus. “Fluttershy, may I ask you a favor?”

“Um, sure Caster, what did you need?” she asked, a tad nervous.

Caster gulped as his cheeks turned pink. “W-would you mind s-sharing a d-dance with…m-me?”

Nobody said anything as the group remained still. Even Pinkie Pie stopped eating mid-cake when she heard his request. Fluttershy’s face had turned a whole new shade of crimson by what she had heard. The party kept on going as the light brown Pegasus waited for an answer but got nothing.

“Very well then,” he said, realizing what her answer was and began to walk away.

But just as he turned around, he felt a hoof placed on his shoulder and looked to see who it was. To his secret joy, it was Fluttershy, who was still blushing and had a timid smile on her face.

“I, I’d like to, Caster,” the butterscotch Pegasus said, her voice barely above a whisper.

The blacksmith could not express how happy he was at that moment, nor understand why he was so happy. All he could do was try to respond as best as he could.

“Well then, shall we?” Caster said, nervously extending a hoof toward her.

Fluttershy graciously accepted it and he led her to the dance floor. A few of the dancing couples moved to make room for them as they approached. When they arrived at the center, the two Pegasai looked at each other for a moment before beginning.

“Listen Fluttershy, I’m not very good at this kind of dancing so if you want to stop now that’s fi-,” he was stopped by a yellow hoof being placed on his muzzle.

“If you want, I-I could take the lead. I mean, if that’s okay with you,” she said, nervously.

The stallion simply smiled. “That would be just fine Fluttershy.”

At that moment they stood on their hind hooves and Caster grabbed Fluttershy’s right front hoof with his left. He gingerly put his right hoof on her waist and the two proceeded to dance. As the two slowly moved across the ballroom, they never took their eyes off of each other as they tried to think of something to say. Caster decided to break the tension first.

“I must say, you really do know how to dance,” he said, admiring her talent.

“Oh, um thank you Caster. My mother was actually the one who taught me,” Fluttershy said, blushing from the compliment.

“Well I can certainly tell she did a wonderful job teaching you.”

Those words made the yellow Pegasus blush even more. Halfway through their dancing, a question that Fluttershy had been holding back made its way to the surface.

“Caster, why did you want to dance with me?” she said, looking away from him.

“What do you mean by that?” Caster asked, curious about her doubt.

“What I meant was, why me? After all I used ‘the stare’ on you, I forced you to do something against your will. You must hate me for doing something like that, so is this dance just pity on me, or is it because-,” it was her turn to be cut off by a hoof on her muzzle. She looked to see Caster smiling at her.

“Listen carefully Fluttershy, okay?” she simply nodded in agreement. “I wanted to dance with you, because I wanted to thank you for what you did that night. Out of all my other friends, you were the one that convinced me to go home. Yes you used your stare on me, but that doesn’t matter to me. What matters is you did what was needed without having to hurt anypony in the process. The reason I’m dancing with you now, is because I wanted to show you how much something like that means to me.”

Fluttershy was left utterly speechless. Nobody has ever said those kind of words to her before. At that moment her shyness dissipated and her blushing ceased.

“So then, you’re not mad at me?” Fluttershy asked, hopefully.

“Fluttershy, after what you did and everything since I came to this town, I could never hate you. In fact, I consider you my closest of close friends,” Caster said, with a big grin.

It was at that moment that Fluttershy did something no one had ever seen her do before; she nuzzled him. The whole act was new and surprising to the stallion, but that did not stop him from returning the favor. As they nuzzled each other’s cheeks they continued to dance, unaware of their surroundings. It was at that moment that they realized they had bumped into another couple and both parties were sent tumbling to the ground. As they tried to apologize to the couple, the mare seemed a bit awestruck by something, but they did know what.

“Um, miss, is something wrong?” Caster asked her.

The unicorn with blue eyes, curly red mane and tail and a pink coat pointed at his cutie mark. “What, is that?”

“Oh this, it’s called a lucky mark,” he said, realizing what she was referring to. “You see I-”

The mare said nothing as she led her and her date out of the ballroom. Caster and Fluttershy just stood, not knowing what they had done.

“Well that was, odd,” Fluttershy said.

“Indeed,” Caster agreed with her.

With that out of the way, the guests resumed the party and the two Pegasai resumed their dancing as well. Later on, the music was stepped up as Vinyl took the stage with her DJ. Everyone soon took to the dance floor as they partied like they never had before. It was several hours later at night when it was time to bid the happy couple farewell. As Jack Reels and Hotpop got into the carriage, the unicorn threw the bouquet and mares began to fight over it. Surprisingly enough, it landed in Fluttershy’s hooves, which she nearly fainted over had it not been for a good friend of hers. As the carriage left for its honeymoon destination in Las Pegasus, Rainbow Dash executed a Sonic Rainboom that lighted up the night sky and made the stars shimmer.

===============================================================

On the outskirts of Ponyville, the ponies stood at the edge of Ponyville Lake. They were the same couple that Caster and Fluttershy bumped into in the ballroom, the mare and her consort, a unicorn with green eyes, combed black mane and tail, and a yellow coat. The mare reached into her dress and pulled out a small brown satchel tied with string. She undid the knot and poured its contents, a strange ebony black powder into the water. It spread across the surface and took up a good portion of the lake. When it stopped, images of green flames were shown in the lake and soon, a set of large green eyes appeared before them.

“My Queen, we bring you tremendous news,” the stallion said, with an eerie grin.

“What could be so important that you would waste my time with!?” the eyes spoke, in an angry, echoing voice.

“We have found the remnants of the mark of your mothers’ legacy,” the pink unicorn said, believing that answer to be enough.

The eyes in the water looked shocked by her response, but they appeared to be pleased.

“Well now, this is interesting. I thought that Celestia had done away with it years ago, but it seems fate has smiled on us. I commend you both for bringing this knowledge to my ears.”

“So shall we take it now? The pony who bears the mark does not seem to realize what power it possesses as of yet, so now would be our best chance,” the yellow unicorn suggested.

“No, not yet. Our army still needs to recuperate after the previous battle. Besides we need to know as much about this pony before we make our move. So you two, continue to serve as my spies in Equestria, when the time comes I shall call you home and we will plot our attack. Is that clear?”

“Yes, your majesty!” they said, in unison.

“Now, go!” the eyes gave out a maniacal cackling laugh as they disappeared and the water turned crystal clear.

Chapter 5: Clarity

Crickets chirped off in the distance, creating a beautiful melody despite the eerie occasion on this particular evening. It was Nightmare Night in Ponyville and the entire town was buzzing with active ponies. The town square was decorated for the annual Nightmare Night festival, with streamers, balloons, and confetti around every corner. There were a few game stands set up, such as the spider toss, bobbing for apples and the pumpkin catapults. Princess Luna had even arrived for her yearly visit and traditional scaring, which everybody grew accustomed to over the years. For it seemed to be the only time of year when she could spend time among her subjects. Trick-or-treaters roamed the streets, dressed in their best costumes and going door to door for sugary sweets or playing pranks on other ponies.

On the outskirts of Ponyville, near the Everfree forest, a group of trick-or-treaters approached a cottage with fewer decorations than the rest of the town. Fluttershy was standing outside the front of the cottage and was wearing her dangerous mission outfit that Rarity made for her when Trixie came back. While it was only meant to be a one-time only outfit, Fluttershy thought it was cute and decided to have it repaired and used as her Nightmare Night costume. Normally around this time of year she would hide herself in her home until the sunrise came, but over the years her friends had helped her see her fears as nothing more than simple costumes and surprises. Fluttershy still held a bit of fear in her heart, but knew that her friends would be there for her.

Seeing the colts and fillies walk up to her home, the pink haired Pegasus grabbed her bowl of candy and approached the trick-or-treaters.

“Nightmare Night, what a fright, give us something sweet to bite!” They all shouted, eager to receive some candy.

“Hello everypony, Happy Nightmare Night to all of you.” Fluttershy giggled as she passed out candy to the foals.

“Thank you.” They all replied as they made their way to next house on their route.

Not many foals came by her house, considering she lived on the edge of the Everfree forest, so this gave Fluttershy time to herself to think. Part of her thoughts were brought to recent events. It had been over a month since the wedding between Jack Reels and Hotpop, yet to her it seemed like it was only yesterday. This was due to her short time spent with her friend Caster Forge. A week before the wedding, the blacksmith had gotten himself into a bit of a mishap and Fluttershy had to use her Stare to get him under control. She had feared that this might have led to him holding a grudge against her. But a moment at the reception between them had dispelled her belief.

Caster had asked her to dance with him and she graciously accepted with butterflies in her stomach, metaphorically speaking. Curiosity got the better of her and Fluttershy straight up asked him how he felt about what she did. He had told her that not only did he appreciate the act, but he also considered her to be his best friend above everyone else he knew. Since then her mind had become plagued with thoughts of the Pegasus stallion. Fluttershy kept wondering why Caster thought of her like that and never seemed to hold anything against her. Meanwhile new feelings started to form in her heart as these thoughts progressed.

Before the yellow Pegasus could continue on these thoughts, something caught her eye. Fluttershy turned to see a squirrel running up to her house. As the little creature got closer she soon realized it was Nina, Caster’s pet squirrel, who seemed to be in a panic.

“Nina, what are you doing here, what’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked in a concerned voice.

The red-coated squirrel proceeded to squeak and make gestures that would normally be lost to any other pony. But Fluttershy understood them almost perfectly and translated Nina’s message. When she finished, the pink haired mare gasped in shock.

“Oh my goodness, Caster’s in trouble?!” She asked. The squirrel squeaked in confirmation. “Please Nina, take me to him right away!”

With great speed, the energetic pet squirrel bolted toward the woods where Caster’s home lay, with Fluttershy in tow. The two of them dodged trees and maneuvered around the greenery of the forest, galloping and sprinting as fast as they could. The density of the forest became thinner as the Pegasus and the squirrel ran. Eventually the trees opened to the familiar open plain and house that rested in the center. Caster’s home was covered in Nightmare Night decorations such as cobwebs with fake spiders, jack-o-lanterns, and spooky lights which gave it an ominous presence. Despite the scenery, Fluttershy moved past that and burst into the house.

What she saw inside made her gasp in fright. The shelves surrounding the counter had been toppled over and the contents were spilled out across the room. As she got a closer look Fluttershy found what she was looking for. Underneath the pile of armor, weapons, and other assortments was Caster Forge himself. He appeared to be unconscious with a few small cuts adorning his face but his breathing was steady. The frightened yellow Pegasus did not bother to think about how the events occurred as her mind was solely focused on getting the stallion out of this situation. Fluttershy rushed to his side in the blink of an eye as she started moving the gear out of her way.

“Please come over here Nina, I need your help getting Caster out of here!” She said frantically.

The red squirrel did not need to be told twice what to do as the both of them set to work on getting rid of the debris. Nina did her part to move the armor and weapons, even with her small stature. Once they had enough room, Fluttershy started to pull him out but found him to be stuck. The shelves, along with a few other pieces of the blacksmith’s work, kept his back legs wedged in. The worried mare was unsure of what to do, knowing she could not lift the shelves or fit herself in between them to reach behind the stallion. That last thought sparked an idea as she turned to Casters pet squirrel.

“Nina, go under the shelves and try to move some of the armor out of the way.” Fluttershy said calmly, getting a better handle on the situation.

The small mammal nodded as she squeezed into the tight space. Nina started moving bits and pieces to the side as best she could with her tiny frame. Eventually she made a minimal amount of room for Fluttershy to pull Caster out. The yellow Pegasus continued pulling the stallions’ front hooves, using as much strength as she could muster. Her efforts soon paid off as the light brown Pegasus slipped out from beneath the shelves and Fluttershy took a moment to catch her breath. She also took a quick second to look at the costume Caster was wearing. It was a large black trench coat with a small gray chain on the chest area and had matching boots that covered his hooves. It seemed a bit odd but the nearly worn out mare paid it no mind as she brought her focus back to the current situation.

Fluttershy saw that Casters body was pretty beaten up from what had transpired and knew that she had to get him to the hospital as soon as possible. So she quickly moved the stallion onto her back and tried to get out of the house. But Caster was heavier than the yellow Pegasus anticipated, which hindered her movement. Once Fluttershy exited the building her strength was already failing her with every passing moment. But she felt something tap her right front hoof and looked down to see Nina pointing to the side of the house. The squirrel led her to what appeared to be a large empty cart, which Fluttershy remembered it was used for transporting Caster’s armory to the castle. Realizing it was her best option at this point, she quickly made her way to the cart and carefully slipped Caster onto it and turned to Nina.

“Nina, I need you to go and get the others while I take Caster to the hospital. Do you think you can do it?” She asked.

The red coated mammal nodded and made her way back into town to find their friends. Once she got herself strapped in, Fluttershy galloped straight for Ponyville, the extra friction from the wheels giving her greater results.

===============================================================

The townsfolk were enjoying the last moments of the festival before they had to pack up, as a storm appeared to be brewing in the distance. While the merriment continued a few ponies heard something galloping toward them. Before they could turn their heads to see, something fast went right past the crowd, carrying a large cart behind it. Fluttershy ran as fast her legs could carry her towards Ponyville hospital, still worried for her friend’s current condition. Caster still laid in the cart, knocked out cold. While she ran, the yellow Pegasus felt her chest tighten from the strain of pulling the cart. But Fluttershy was determined not to stop until she reached her destination. Minutes later with her breathing getting heavier, the hospital came within the pink haired pony’s’ view as she used her wings to help her gain a little momentum.

Inside the hospital lobby Nurse Redheart was sitting at the front desk filing away some patients’ notes when something caught her peripheral vision. She looked up to see outside the door was a frantic looking Fluttershy who was unloading an unconscious and banged up Caster Forge onto her back. Not wasting any time, the white earth pony hit the intercom button and called for aid.

“Attention, attention please. I need a team of medics and a stretcher in the lobby stat!” She said with ease.

As the nurse finished relaying her message, Fluttershy opened the glass doors and tried to get her attention.

“Please, you have to help, my friend is injured and he needs medical aid!” The yellow Pegasus stated.

“Don’t worry Miss Fluttershy, I’ve already called the paramedics. They should be here any second now.” Nurse Redheart said, trying to calm her down.

Just like the nurse said, a team of paramedics came in, rolling a large stretcher in the direction of the three ponies. They carefully slid Caster off of Fluttershy and onto the gurney and then wheeled him through the doors to the emergency room.

“Don’t fret, your friend is with professionals. They’ll know what to do.” The earth pony said, reassuring the frantic Pegasus.

Regardless, Fluttershy was still worried about Caster, almost to the point of tears. She wanted to ask Nurse Redheart more about what would happen, but she heard the doors burst open and turned to see who it was. To the yellow mares delight she saw all of her friends, including Spike and Nina, standing in the doorway. Each of them with concerned looks on their faces. Fluttershy ran up to them and they shared a quick hug before they all started asking questions about what happened.

===============================================================

An hour later, the six ponies and one dragon were still in the lobby, wearing their costumes as they all waited for Caster’s results. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash walked around the room nervous of what the outcome might be. Applejack and Twilight sat down on one of the couches, keeping their composure but still worrying on the inside. On another couch Rarity sat next to Spike while holding his claw, trying to find some comfort in this whole situation. Fluttershy just sat away from everyone else, wanting to be alone with her thoughts. She had removed her costume since it made her feel somewhat uncomfortable as she waited. Nina rested next to her as the Pegasus pet the squirrel, trying to take her mind off of what had transpired. It did little to help as the thoughts kept flooding her mind.

As she continued her thinking, Fluttershy looked up to see Nurse Redheart exiting into the lobby with a chart in her mouth. Everyone in the room gathered around to hear the news, hoping that it would turn out well.

“Well Nurse Redheart, how is he?” Twilight asked.

“He’s resting comfortably for now, he won’t be waking up for a few hours though.” The white earth pony said, trying to relax everybody. “He’s suffered a mild concussion on the back of his head and some cuts and bruises, but they’ll heal easily.”

They were all about to breathe a sigh of relief, before the nurse continued.

“However… his legs are the more major issue. Both his hind legs have suffered hairline fractures and one of them was dislocated. We managed to pop it back into the socket but his condition remains the same. He’ll have to stay here for the next few weeks before he can walk properly again.”

The group let out a collective gasp when they got the bad half of the news. Fluttershy seemed to take it the worst as she dropped to the floor. She was ready to cry when she felt a hoof on her shoulder and looked up to see Nurse Redheart giving her a comforting smile.

“You’re lucky you got him to us when you did.” She said, keeping her smile up. “If he had been in that situation any longer his condition might have worsened. He may never have been able to walk again for all we know. I’m not saying this to make you feel bad, I’m just trying to let you know what a good deed it is you’ve done.”

And it appeared to work. While she wasn’t too pleased to have heard the possible outcome, Fluttershy was happy to know that she basically saved Caster’s life. The thought was more than enough to dry her tears and perk up her mood. The yellow Pegasus was about to thank Nurse Redheart when the front doors opened to someone they were not expecting to see. Standing in the doorway was none other than Princess Luna. As soon as they saw the dark blue alicorn, everyone in the room gave a quick bow before they spoke.

“Princess Luna, what are you doing here?” Twilight said, a faint blush upon her cheeks.

“Hello again Twilight Sparkle.” Princess Luna said with a smile. “I was looking for you and your friends so I could say goodbye before I left but I could not find any of you. I asked somepony if they had seen you and they told me that you all went to the hospital an hour ago. But they did not say what for though. So I came by to see what all the commotion was about; so pray tell, what is the matter?”

“I am afraid that Caster Forge has been in an accident your highness. The results are right here if you wish to look them over.” Nurse Redheart said as she showed her the clipboard in her hooves.

The lunar princess used her magic to bring it to her as she quickly scanned the papers attached to the clipboard. When she finished reading the results Luna brought her attention back to the group in front of her.

“I see, this is most unfortunate, I do hope he gets better soon. When Caster awakes please let him know that he won’t have to worry about his duties, I will let my sister know that he will not be able to work until he recovers. I will also notify his family of this dilemma, they deserve to know what has transpired.” She said as she gave the clipboard back to the nurse.

“Thank you ever so much your highness. We are most grateful for your kindness.” Rarity said as she and the rest of the ponies and Spike gave another respective bow.

“Think nothing of it Rarity. I am simply doing what is right. With that said I wish you all a fond farewell, I hope to see you all again soon.” The alicorn stated as she lit up her horn and with a flash of magic she was gone.

As the light from the transportation spell dissipated, Fluttershy turned to Nurse Redheart to ask her a question.

“Um, Nurse Redheart. If it’s not too much trouble, would it be all right if I could see Caster? I thought I’d drop off Nina so she can be with him when he wakes up.” Fluttershy said, nervously.

The earth pony mare thought it over for a moment before coming to a decision.

“Well, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. Just be sure to keep your voice down, he needs his rest. His room is 125B” She said.

“Thank you very much. Come on Nina, let’s go see your ‘big brother’.” The red squirrel responded with a squeak and Fluttershy let out a giggle. “I’ll be back in a few minutes’ girls.”

Her friends all gave her a nod as she left to go find Caster’s room.

===============================================================

Every step that Fluttershy took seemed to echo throughout the hallways as she went to see Caster. She was nervous, mostly because she did not know how to handle seeing her friend in such a damaged state. Although Nurse Redhearts words of encouragement helped to cheer the Pegasus up, Fluttershy still felt a pang of guilt in her heart. For what she wasn’t sure, but it still seemed to eat away at her. In her state of deep thought she had suddenly found herself in front of room 125B, where Caster resided. Taking a moment to compose herself, Fluttershy let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding and opened the door.

The light from the hallway provided minimal light inside the room as the Pegasus mare tried her best to discern the features of the room. The room had light green colored walls, a black and white tiled floor, and a single open window to the side. She also noticed his costume was on a coat hanger on the other side of the room. Remembering what Nurse Redheart said about not waking Caster up, Fluttershy slowly walked in and closed the door behind her. With the only light in the room coming from the window, she had to wait for her eyes to adjust to the darkness around her. When the interior of the room became more visible, Fluttershy was able to make out the outline of the bed inside and silently trotted up to it. Arriving at the bedside, the yellow Pegasus, along with Nina, found Caster lying beneath the sheets; broken and bruised.

He had a few IV cords strapped to his left front hoof which led to some complicated machinery, transferring fluid to and from his body. A heart monitor stood by, giving off a steady rhythm of beeps every few seconds. A thin layer of bandages was wrapped around Casters forehead and his hind legs were put into large casts. While it was not as bad as she thought it would be, Fluttershy still found the stallions condition to be quite distressful.

“Oh Caster, look at you, you’re a mess right now.” Fluttershy said, barely above a whisper.

Nina quickly jumped off of Fluttershy’s back and onto the bed, curling up next to Caster’s face. The Pegasus caretaker thought it was adorable, the red coated squirrel didn’t need to say anything, she just went to where she knew she was needed. Before Fluttershy could think any more on this, she noticed that Caster was starting to fidget around as a cold sweat started to develop on his fur.

“No, no get away from me.” The stallion said, weakly.

The heart monitor went up slightly, but not to the point of cardiac arrest. Fluttershy could only assume that he was having a nightmare of some kind. Nina looked worried, seeing her owner like this. Feeling her kindness take over, the yellow Pegasus leaned her head forward and began singing a calming melody.

“Hush now, quiet now it’s time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now, quiet now it’s time to go to bed. Drifting off to sleep leave exciting day behind you. Drifting off to sleep let the joy of dreamland find you. Hush now, quiet now it’s time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now, quiet now it’s time to go to bed.”

As the song ended, Caster started to relax. His heart rate went down as was shown on the monitor and he fell into a more restful slumber. Fluttershy let out a quiet sigh of relief, seeing the stallion more at ease. Nina went back to cuddling up to his face as the pink haired mare simply watched in amusement.

Fluttershy liked Caster that much was clear to her at this point. In fact she has for a long time now. At first she was merely curious about whether or not he was the singing pony she saw in the woods the day they met. During that time she had learned more about him and what kind of pony he was. Fluttershy did indeed find out that it was him in those woods, but at that point it did not really matter to her anymore. Now she was more focused on getting to know the real Caster Forge.

Since then, the yellow Pegasus has seen the blacksmith pony befriend nearly everyone in Ponyville. He was kind, caring, always hardworking in both his duties as well as helping others, and being supportive for all of his friends. Sometimes Caster may have been a bit brash and would lose his temper on occasion. But he would always apologize, remembering how important his friendships with others were. Even though Caster had a high position in Equestria, both in the work force and popularity from his lucky mark, it never kept him from being who he truly was.

Fluttershy developed her crush on the stallion because he was there for everyone and never thought of himself better than anybody else. She liked Caster, just for being himself. With those thoughts in mind, the Pegasus mare leaned in once more and placed a delicate kiss on his forehead. Her face turned dark crimson as she pulled away. Fluttershy didn’t know whether or not the light brown Pegasus liked her back or not and decided to keep her feelings hidden. But with this opportunity she decided to let her feelings out a bit, even though he may never know about them in the future. With her work done Fluttershy slowly made her way back to the door to leave.

Before the shy mare reached the door knob, a bolt of lightning struck the earth outside as thunder boomed through the hospital. In a flash Fluttershy hid herself under a nearby table, cowering in fear and shaking uncontrollably. The yellow Pegasus had always hated thunder storms and even now was no exception. She soon found herself facing quite a predicament. Fluttershy would never be able to make it home in this weather, as she heard the rain starting to pour against the glass of the window. Even then the thunder and lightning was too much for her to handle, she’d never be able to get any sleep. She kept trying to think of what to do in this situation until she felt something nudge at her side.

Fluttershy opened one of her eyes to see it was Nina by her side. The squirrel was trying to tell her something but Fluttershy was having a hard time figuring out what it was, with the weather outside overriding her senses. Cutting straight to the point Nina simply pointed a claw towards Caster, hoping the Pegasus mare would get the idea. When she did, Fluttershy’s whole face turned nearly as red as a tomato.

“I-I can’t s-share the bed with h-him Nina!” The yellow mare exclaimed quietly, letting her nervousness cloud her rationality. “I mean, what if when he wakes up he thinks I’m creepy for doing something like that. He’d probably never speak to me again either.”

Nina rolled her eyes. She had heard Caster talk about Fluttershy almost every day, something like this would probably make him happier than ever. And from what the red coated squirrel saw earlier, she could tell that the Pegasus mare would enjoy spending the night in the stallion’s embrace. So, giving her a little motivation, Nina tried pulling Fluttershy out from under the desk.

Pointless as the physical meaning was, Fluttershy understood what the tiny mammal was trying to say. It may have seemed odd to both ponies, but really they would have both understood that it was just one friend helping another. Fluttershy would keep him company throughout the night and Caster would indirectly calm her nerves from the storm. So with her resolve set, the yellow Pegasus got out from under the table and made her way to the only bed in the room.

Careful not to wake Caster up, Fluttershy climbed onto the mattress, staying above the sheets, as she tried to make herself comfortable with what little room there was. Nina quickly followed suit and made her way to her previous resting spot by the stallions head. The nervous feeling from both the weather and being so close to Caster kept gnawing at Fluttershy’s mind as time went on. Deciding that this was a huge mistake, she was about to climb off the bed and leave again when she felt something warm and soft wrap over her shoulder.

Fluttershy looked to see it was Caster’s wing, wrapped around her in a tender embrace. She looked up to his face but saw that his eyes were still closed. She was confused by what was going on until she heard him speak.

“Don’t worry, I will always keep you safe.” Caster said, his voice soothing and calm.

Fluttershy let out a silent gasp. In that moment all her nervous apprehensions vanished and she felt more at ease. She knew that the stallion was obviously talking in his sleep. But those words shook her at her core as if he was actually speaking to Fluttershy’s inner self. With her fears dissipated, the yellow Pegasus laid herself down and cuddled up closer to Caster. Letting both the blacksmith’s body and wing warm her slightly chilled frame as she fell into her own deep slumber.

It was only a few minutes later when the door to the room opened, letting the hallway light in. Twilight Sparkle popped her head in to see where Fluttershy was.

“Fluttershy, where are you? Nurse Redheart said it’s time to-” The lavender unicorn stopped when she saw where the Pegasus was. Fluttershy was snuggling up to Caster, sound asleep with a warm smile adorning her face. Twilight simply gave an understanding nod and smiled as she closed the door. “I’ll just tell the nurse you’ll be staying here tonight.”

===============================================================

Darkness was the first thing that registered in his mind. Caster felt a small throbbing pain in the back of his head as he drifted back to reality. The stallion tried opening his eyes, but they felt too heavy to lift for some reason. Pushing past the strain, Caster slowly managed to open them and see where he was. He turned his neck slightly from side to side and saw that he was in what appeared to be a hospital room. The sound of the heart monitor gave off a faint beat in his ears, but it was drowned out mostly by the pouring rain outside which he noticed a moment later.

Gaining his senses again, he heard the distinct sound of light snoring coming from nearby. In his peripheral vision, Caster saw the unmistakable red coat of Nina. The blacksmith turned his head and saw his pet squirrel resting by his head. He gave a small inaudible chuckle, seeing her sleeping always seemed adorable to him. However the stallions hearing was drawn away as he realized there were two snoring voices in the room. He looked around but could not find anything that is until he felt something soft brush against his right side.

Caster looked down to see his right wing was unfolded and had something wrapped underneath it. He lifted his wing up slightly and his face instantly turned bright red. There, laying right next to his body, was none other than Fluttershy. She was fast asleep and cuddling up to him, making the injured stallion blush even more at where he found himself. For a moment Caster couldn’t, or rather wouldn’t, believe that he would find himself in this situation. The light brown Pegasus tried to get up to a better view for clarification but he felt the throbbing pain again, surging from his head throughout the rest of his body as he let out a pained groan.

Both the sudden movement and noise awoke the sleeping mare beneath him. Fluttershy looked up to see the sleeping stallion next to her. Only to find that he was not asleep at all. Needless to say, both ponies were startled to meet each other’s gaze.

“Caster?” The mare asked.

“Fluttershy?” The stallion asked.

Seeing as there was no denying their current occupation, they both did the only rational thing: they freaked out. Fluttershy quickly jumped off the bed and muttered frantic apologies over and over again. While Caster was busy asking questions about the whole situation and backing up into the bed. Or at least he would have if his injuries had not prevented him from doing so. The injured pony let out another pain filled groan as he felt the pain course through him again. Fluttershy quickly noticed this and tried to calm both herself and her friend.

“Caster please be careful, or else you’ll only worsen your injuries!” The yellow Pegasus said, getting a handle on the situation.

When Caster had calmed down slightly from his mental freak out he spoke. “I-I’m sorry Fluttershy. I just didn’t expect you, or really anypony in general, to be sharing a bed with me.”

“It’s all right Caster, I figured something like this might happen.” Fluttershy said, hiding a blush on her cheeks. “I-it’s just that, well I.”

The mare began mumbling her explanation to the point where Caster could barely register her words. He was going to ask her to speak up when a bolt of lightning made its presence known as the thunderous boom rang in the room. Fluttershy instantly rolled up into a ball and cowered in fear. It didn’t take even a moment for Caster to put two and two together and just smiled at the realization.

“The lightning was just scaring you right?” He asked, trying not to be too blunt.

The cowering Pegasus ceased her shaking for a moment before looking back up at Caster. When she met his gaze once more she started to relax. It was that simple, understanding look he gave that always reminded the shy mare of how much he cared. Slowly Fluttershy nodded her head, so as not to leave his question unanswered.

“I see, that makes sense I suppose.” Caster said, waving his hoof back and forth to tell Fluttershy to stand up. “You don’t have to be embarrassed Fluttershy, when I was a foal lightning used to scare me too and I went to my parents almost every time.”

They both shared a quick laugh, imagining a younger Caster Forge being scared. When that was out of the way, the blacksmith pony got back to the question he tried asking earlier.

“So, what happened to me anyway?”

“Well um, your shelves seemed to collapse on top of you. Nurse Redheart said you had a mild concussion and suffered hairline fractures on both of your hind legs.” Fluttershy said, hoping the stallion would not panic.

At those last words, Caster turned his attention to his aforementioned injuries. He quickly pulled away the blanket to see his hind legs wrapped in large bandage casts. He simply stared at them, his expression never changing from the realization. Nina had awoken earlier from all the havoc and was trying to comfort her owner by rubbing her cheek against his front hoof. Fluttershy just stood by the bed waiting for a response. Although what she got was not what she had expected.

“Well, it seems I’m not as invincible as I thought I was.” Caster said, with a goofy grin.

“I’m sorry, what?” Fluttershy asked, completely bewildered by his comment.

“I guess I should elaborate. For the longest time I’ve thought that I was impervious to injury or something. I mean I got the occasional scrapes and bruises in the past, but I’ve never truly been to the point where I needed medical attention before. I’ve always wondered what it’s like to be a patient here, I suppose now I’ll finally get that chance.” The stallion said, never letting his smile vanish.

“Wow, um, when you put it like that I can see how somepony could take this so well.” The pink haired pony said.

“Yeah, don’t get me wrong though. I am a little worked up by this whole situation. I don’t even know how my family will handle the news, let alone how I’m going to tell them myself.”

“You don’t have to worry about that Caster. Princess Luna was here and she said she’ll let them know of your dilemma. She also said your duties will be postponed until you’re fully recovered.” Fluttershy said, trying to relieve the tension in the air.

“Thanks for sharing that with me Fluttershy. Now all I have to worry about is how my family will react when they see me like this.” Caster said, letting another laugh come out.

Fluttershy soon joined him and the mood of the moment was changed almost instantly. As soon as everything died down both ponies just remained where they were, not knowing what to say. With awkwardness filling the air, the light brown Pegasus decided to break the silence.

“So I take it Princess Luna was the one that brought me here?” He asked.

“Oh, um, actually… I-I was the one who brought you to the hospital.” Fluttershy said, plainly.

Caster felt his eyes widen and his jaw nearly go limp. “R-really?”

“Mm-hm.” She said, not looking directly at him. “Nina came to me shortly after your accident and led me right to you. She even helped dig you out of the rubble from the mess. After that I-I loaded you onto your cart and ran all the way over here.”

The stallion was nearly speechless. Out of all possibilities, it was Fluttershy, the one he had confused feelings for that stuck her neck out to save him of all ponies. For a moment he turned to Nina and gave her a quick petting. Thanking her for going to Fluttershy first. His attention was brought back to the yellow Pegasus, who was now looking at him directly.

“Thank you, Fluttershy. I-I don’t know what to say.” Caster said, feeling his heart swell with gratitude.

“It was nothing Caster. I was just being there for my friend.” Fluttershy said, letting a cheerful smile play across her lips.

She walked up next to the stallion and quickly wrapped him in a caring hug, which he graciously returned. In the past it had felt awkward when the two ponies hugged. But the time Fluttershy spent cheering Caster up from his date failures had made them both more comfortable with the action. They stayed like this for a while longer before Fluttershy broke the contact. She turned toward the clock by the door and saw that it was half past one in the morning.

“Well, I suppose I should be going now. You need your rest after all.” With that Fluttershy turned around and made her way to the door.

Caster merely watched as the yellow Pegasus kept walking further and further away. To him, time seemed to have slowed down as something felt off. He felt that when she left, something would be missing. Realizing that this feeling would not subside, the stallion quickly spoke up.

“Wait, Fluttershy?”

“Yes Caster?” She said, turning her head back.

“Um, well you can stay here for tonight, if you want.” Caster said, his cheeks tinted red. “I mean it doesn’t look like the weather will be clearing up any time soon and I wouldn’t want you to be scared all night.”

The mare just stood there, still as a statue. “Are you sure Caster? I-I wouldn’t want to impose.”

“It’s fine Fluttershy. Besides, it would be nice to have some company.” He said, smiling meekly.

Needing no more incentive, Fluttershy walked back to the bed. Caster moved over a bit to make more room, even though it hurt trying to move his hind legs. When there was enough room the shy mare stepped onto the bed and took her place by Caster’s right side again, as did Nina. It was only now that Fluttershy realized how toned his body really was. Most likely from all the work he’s done as a blacksmith. She cuddled into his chest, which the stallion didn’t seem to mind at all as he wrapped his wing around her once more as well as his hoof, drawing her closer. He laid his head down upon Fluttershy’s mane, letting his beard tickle the top of her head, as they all got settled in.

“Goodnight Fluttershy.” Caster whispered into her ear.

“Goodnight Caster.” Fluttershy whispered back.

And with that they both let sleep overtake them. Wondering what the future had in store for them.

===============================================================

A cold breeze rode on the passing wind. Snowflakes of infinite shapes dropped down from the sky to the world below. Winter time had arrived in Equestria and covered the land in a blanket of snow and ice. A certain town of Ponyville was faring well from the weather as most of the residents were relieved of their normal duties. Some spent their time indoors to warm up as the temperature was considerably freezing. Others were seen shopping around the market to stock up on foods and to grab supplies for the approaching Hearth’s Warming Eve. Foals of all ages were scattered across Ponyville, spending their time with friends having snowball fights, making snow ponies, ice-skating, and whatever else they could think of.

Three fillies in particular, outfitted with thick layered coats and pairs of snow boots, were making their way across town to check up on their incapacitated friend.

“Do you think Caster will be surprised to see us?” Scootaloo asked her fellow crusaders.

“Maybe, Ah’m not sure.” Applebloom answered, unassured.

“Well we haven’t seen him since the wedding. So I guess he wouldn’t be expecting us.” Sweetie Belle added on.

“Ah reckon you’re right Sweetie. Ah just hope that he’s gotten bett’r since tha accident.” The yellow earth pony said.

“Don’t sweat it Bloom. Knowing Cast I’m pretty sure he’s making progress.” The Pegasus filly said reaffirming her.

“You’re right Scoots. If anything he should be out of the hospital in no time.” The unicorn filly said.

With their worries gone, the three crusaders proceeded forward to their destination. The piles of snow crunched beneath their hooves as they got closer to the hospital. When they reached the medical facility they were about to walk in when something caught their attention. Caster’s friend, who they recognized as Bard, was walking up the road toward them. However he had two other ponies with him that did not appear familiar to them.

Back inside the hospital, two ponies were found going through the other’s daily routine of physical therapy. Fluttershy had Caster Forge’s front right hoof draped over her neck as she helped him to walk back to his bed. In the past month the yellow Pegasus had spent nearly every day by the stallion’s side assisting in his recovery. Caster had made steady progress returning to his normal vigor. He was lucky that some unicorns decided to become doctors, otherwise without their healing magic it would’ve taken him longer to recover.

“Just a few more steps Caster, you’re almost there.” Fluttershy said, encouraging him to keep going.

“You got it Flutters.” Caster said, eager to end today’s grueling session.

As soon as they reached the bed post, the light brown Pegasus clambered onto the bed. Fluttershy helped him back up by lifting his hind legs onto the mattress. Caster soon settled in as he covered himself in the blanket.

“Glad that’s finally over.” The stallion huffed out.

“Oh don’t be such a baby Caster.” Fluttershy said, playfully pulling his ear with her hoof. She then turned her attention to his face. “You know you could really use a shave.”

Caster agreed with that, putting a hoof to his cheek. With no particular reason for shaving he had let his facial hair grow out in his down time. Caster’s goatee had grown to the point where it connected with a newly formed mustache. The whole thing wasn’t overly bushy but it still made its appearance known. Even his mane grew, letting a few bangs drape over his eyes.

“You can say that again. I must look ridiculous.” Caster said, laughing at how he must’ve looked.

Fluttershy let out a soft giggle. “A bit I guess. But if you ask me you look kind of cute like this.”

“Um, t-thanks Fluttershy.” The blacksmith pony said, face turning red.

The yellow Pegasus joined in as her cheeks blushed, realizing her choice of words. They both gazed into each other’s eyes, neither of them daring to look away. Fluttershy hesitantly reached her left front hoof out and placed it on Caster’s right hoof, which he hesitantly took hold of. The ponies did not know what to say after that and just took to staring at one another. They soon felt something inside move them forward, not really sure what was occurring between them. Their faces were mere inches away before they suddenly heard a knocking at the door.

The abrupt noise knocked the two of them out of their trance. They realized what was happening and quickly pulled away, blushing even harder than before.

“I-I should p-probably get the door.” Fluttershy said, a nervous mess.

“Yeah, y-you do that.” Caster said, feeling a bit stupid about the whole thing.

The yellow Pegasus walked over to the door and opened it to see who was there. To her surprise it was the Cutie Mark Crusaders as well as a few extra guests.

“Caster, it looks like you have guests.” Fluttershy said, cheerfully.

Caster looked up saw who had arrived. The first ponies who came in were Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo, but his attention was drawn to the other three behind them. The first one was of course Bard, his longtime friend and the one who helped him get over his crush on Hotpop. The second pony was Ratchet Wrench, his class mate from Princess Celestia’s school for artistic ponies. He was an earth pony with deep blue fur and had a messy red and black mane and tail. His eyes were a shade of red that complimented his cutie mark depicting a wrench. He was a blacksmith like Caster who shared the same skills they learned in school. Although in Ratchet’s case, smithing weapons and armor was a family trademark so he had a little more experience than Caster.

The last pony that walked in was Alesha Zee, one of Caster’s many former crushes. She was a unicorn that had alabaster white fur and taffy like hair with two different shades of pink. She wore a small pair of light blue framed glasses that covered her bright green eyes. Her cutie mark showed a simple red and black camera. Unlike most of the mares in Canterlot, Alesha was one of the few ponies that remained friends with him. Even after he revealed his feelings to her. They had been friends ever since Caster and his family moved to the city and have always made sure the other was happy. His feelings for Alesha were gently turned down, her saying he was a bit too immature at the time. The stallion took it a bit harshly at first, but he quickly got over it and they soon became the best of friends from then on.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Caster’s friends rushed over to his side.

“Caster!” They all shouted as they wrapped the incapacitated stallion in a big group hug.

“Hey you guys! It’s good to see you all again.” Caster responded, trying his best to hug them all at once. “How’ve you all been?”

“We’ve been doing great Cast.” Alesha said, in a giddy tone. She made a quick poke at his belly. “Though I can’t really say the same for you.”

“Hey, I haven’t gotten that fat.” The blacksmith pony retaliated with a smirk. “Besides you try losing weight when you’re legs are fractured.

“C’mon Caster, you know she’s just teasing you.” Ratchet said, as he and the others quickly got off of him.

“Though if anything here is overgrown it’s your hair.” Bard added.

“Yeah, Fluttershy and I kind of established that before you guys arrived.” Caster said, not wanting to bring back up what happened earlier. “So what have you guys been up to?”

Ratchet was the first to start off. “Well my parents have me working the forge every day. Keeping my skills sharp and ready.”

“I got some new pictures from a fashion show that will be added to the magazine I work for.” Alesha said.

“I’m just about ready to publish my newest novel. It should be out sometime next spring.” Bard continues.

“And our classes have been going excellently!” Sweetie Belle finished as she and the other crusaders walked up to Caster.

“That’s very good to hear Sweetie.” Caster said, doing a quick hoof bump with the three fillies then turning to his friends. “And it’s nice to see all of you are doing so well.”

“Well enough about us, what about you? How are you faring Cast?” Alesha asked.

“Okay I suppose. The doctors say I should be out of here by next week if my therapy sessions go well. My family stopped by a while ago, I thought my mother was going to have a heart attack when she saw me like this. But other than that they all took it pretty well. It’s a little lonely around here since Nina went into hibernation.” The light brown Pegasus said, feeling down from missing his pet. He quickly changed the subject. “But Fluttershy here has been kind enough to stop by and help out.”

His three friends turned to see the yellow mare off to the side, giving a timid wave to the group. The unicorn mare gave a quick look back and forth between the two ponies. She soon had a know it all grin cross her face.

“I see. So Caster, is this your new marefriend?” Alesha said, causing both ponies to blush furiously.

“I-it’s not l-like that! We’re j-just friends!” Fluttershy and Caster said, simultaneously.

The photographer mare quickly fell into a fit of giggles, along with the crusaders. “I’m just joking Caster. I’m just glad to see you have somepony to keep you company while you’re here.”

“I’m surprised nothing’s changed between you two at all.” Scootaloo said, slyly. “Especially since what happened at the wedding.”

“Scoots! Don’t go messin’ inta their personal lives.” Applebloom reprimanded her friend.

“What? I’m just saying.” The orange Pegasus said.

Most of the ponies in the room watched as the three fillies continued to argue. But Alesha had turned her focus on Caster. In recent years she had started to notice how mature he’s become as well as caring for others. She had begun developing feelings for him which he did not seem to notice, believing that things between them would always remain the same. She wanted to tell Caster about her new feelings, but that all changed when she saw the connection he and Fluttershy seemed to share. Alesha could tell that both ponies were infatuated with one another, even if they didn’t know it yet, and the last thing she wanted was to be in their way. So she decided to let her friendship with Caster continue as it was. But he would always have a special place in her heart.

“Well whoever you want to be with is totally up to you Cast.” Alesha spoke up, after the argument had ended.

“Uh, thanks Alesha.” Caster said, regaining his composure. “So what else do you guys want to talk about?”

“Actually Caster we have to get going.” Ratchet said. “We have much to do in our schedules and we only stopped by to see how you were doing.”

“That’s all right. I just hope you’ll all be able to make it to the party my friends are throwing on Hearth’s Warming Eve.” The light brown Pegasus said, hoping they’d say yes.

“We’ll see, but we can’t make any promises.” Bard said.

“Well before we leave I’d like to do one last thing for us.” The unicorn mare said.

Remembering what she planned earlier, the three ponies gathered around Caster as Alesha levitated a camera in front of them. The group gave a round of smiles and with a flash of the device the photo was taken.

“Just a little something to remember the first time you’ve been here as a patient.” She said.

“Cool, I can’t wait to see it once it’s developed.” Caster said, wondering how he’ll look in the picture with a larger goatee.

“See ya latter buddy.” The blue earth pony said, waving his friend goodbye.

Caster’s three friends said their goodbyes as they left the room before the crusaders were about to leave.

“We’ve gotta git goin’ too Cast’r. We got some majer crusasidin’ ta do.” Applebloom said, her friends nodding in affirmation.

“I wouldn’t want to keep you waiting then would I? You fillies go on and have fun I’ll be fine here.” The blacksmith pony said.

“All right then, we’ll see you around Cast.” Scootaloo said, she and Caster sharing one last quick hoof bump. “C’mon Sweetie, we’ve got some sledding to do.”

“Right behind you Scootie.” Sweetie Belle said, as the two fillies shared a quick kiss.

“Ugh, will ya two please save it for when Ah’m not around?” Applebloom asked, as they all they left the room with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle giggling at her statement.

“Those two are just so cute together.” Fluttershy said, remembering when the two fillies made their relationship known.

“Yeah, I think Applebloom’s only acting like that because she doesn’t have her own special somepony yet.” Caster said.

“I’m sure she’ll find somepony. I think I’ve seen her give a few glances at that Snails kid before.”

“Huh, I didn’t know that. I hope things might work out between those two, it’d be nice to seem either one of them happy.”

The two ponies suddenly felt an awkward moment creep upon them, not knowing what to say.

“I guess I should be heading out as well. So I’ll see you tomorrow right?” Fluttershy spoke up.

“I won’t be going anywhere so I suppose so.” Caster said, with a cheeky grin.

The yellow Pegasus couldn’t help but giggle. Feeling something build in her heart, she had an idea that might let the stallion know just how much she cared about him. Before he could respond, Fluttershy leaned in and gave Caster a peck on the cheek. She then wrapped him in a hug which the stallion returned, confused by the situation.

“Consider that an early Hearth’s Warming present for all the effort you’ve put into getting better.” Fluttershy said. “And remember Caster, I’ll always be here if you need me.”

Caster’s heart felt like it had leapt into his throat at her words. “Thank you Fluttershy, that means a lot to me.”

Nothing more needed to be said as both of them separated. The pink haired mare went to the door, closing it behind her and leaving the stallion alone with his thoughts. Caster’s heart rate was going wild thinking about everything that had happened. He stared out the window, the falling snow seeming to calm his nerves. Ever since the night Fluttershy helped him get to the hospital, the stallion’s feelings for her began to grow even stronger. He didn’t know why this was happening and felt that he might be letting himself go too far with these feelings. So he decided to retrace his steps and figure out why his feelings were getting stronger each day.

The first day Caster met her, Fluttershy allowed him to stay at her home for the night, since his home was yet to be built. The next day she and Rarity helped him to get back to his dating life, though if Fluttershy hadn’t given him a little push forward he might’ve kept his mouth shut about it. After that she and the rest of her friends helped to build his home and Fluttershy extended his stay with her, which he was eternally grateful for.

In the time afterward she kept his spirits up whenever he seemed a bit down, whether it was from bad dates or just life in general. And every visit from her always seemed special. Fluttershy even used her stare to help Caster go home during his drunken fiasco. He repaid her kindness with a dance at the reception, to which she appreciated, feeling a bit of guilt for what transpired that night. And finally she went through so much trouble and effort, by herself no less, to get him to the hospital to heal his injuries. He could not think on anything beyond that, yet his confusion and feelings still lingered. Sure Fluttershy was always there to help him out and cared about him, but, he.

In that moment it all became clear to Caster: she was always there for him. In nearly every situation he found himself in need of help, whether it was physical or emotional, Fluttershy was always there to lend him a helping hand. Her caring nature and the way she wanted to help others seemed to be what drew him to her. Even now he started to realize just how cute she was, her beauty nearly unsurpassed by other mares. It all soon came flooding into his mind, every thought, memory, and feeling for the yellow Pegasus came together and brought Caster to his conclusion. He finally had the courage to admit the truth that he was afraid to all this time. He liked, no.

Caster Forge was in love with Fluttershy.

===============================================================

A week later, like he said, Caster was being released from the hospital. His fractures had fully healed and his therapy was complete. The doctors warned him to not stress himself or he may find himself back here again. He was in his room getting ready to leave and all his friends were right there with him, congratulating him on his recovery.

“I’m so happy you’re all better Caster, especially in time for the party.” Pinkie Pie said, bouncing giddily.

“It certainly is nice to see you at good physical health again.” Rarity added.

“Well not entirely Rarity. I still need to get back into shape.” Caster said, realizing the small amount of weight he put on.

“I’m sure you’ll be able to get fit again in no time Caster. Just don’t push yourself too hard.” Twilight said.

“And if ya ever need some help with that, Ah’ve got some work around tha farm ya could help with.” Applejack said.

“I’ll keep that in mind AJ.” The stallion said.

Fluttershy didn’t say anything and neither did him, knowing they had said all they needed to these past few weeks. Eventually they all said their goodbyes and left to let him get ready to leave. However Rainbow Dash stayed behind to have a private word with Caster.

“What did you need Dash?” He asked.

“I just wanted to say, thanks.” Rainbow said.

“For what?”

“For being a good friend for Fluttershy. Ever since you came to Ponyville she’s been way happier than I’ve seen her in the past. We’ve been friends since we were fillies and it means a lot to me to know she has another friend who can cheer her up other than me.”

Caster slightly blushed. “Uh, no problem Rainbow. I’m just trying to do what any friend would for another.”

“I know, I just wish my old friends would act like you do. Especially Gilda, I don’t know what her deal was that day.” The cyan Pegasus said, looking somewhat irritated at remembering her friend.

“Gilda, was she that Griffon you mentioned that came here a few years ago.” The stallion asked, remembering that story when he moved to Ponyville. Rainbow Dash simply nodded. “So what happened to her after that anyway?”

“Last I heard she moved into a Griffon settlement a few miles away from here. Probably still waiting for an apology or something.” She said, still irked. Then her expression softened. “You know she wasn’t always like that though. When we were in school together Gilda was actually a nice griffon to be around. She still gave attitude at time but not like this. I don’t know what changed after we graduated but I guess she’ll never learn how to be her old self again.”

Those last couple of words piqued Caster’s interest. He had always wondered what would compel someone to act so mean to others out of the blue, especially Fluttershy. Now he learned that she acted much differently in the past yet something happened which changed all that. Feeling a bit of compassion in him, Caster decided to get down to the bottom of this. Not only that but he also wanted to repay Fluttershy for all the time she spent by his side in the hospital. And what better way than to make someone apologize for their outlandish behavior towards them and perhaps help them to become friends.

“Say Dash, the party isn’t for another four days right? Are you planning anything before then?” The light brown Pegasus asked.

“Actually I’ve already done all my holiday shopping and everything else I needed so I’m free till then. Why do you ask?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

“I was wondering if you would assist me with a personal matter that involves a leave of absence. Not to say we’d miss the party otherwise, we’ll be back in time of course. So do you think you’re up for it?”

The rainbow maned pony thought it over for a moment. Realizing she had nothing else going on she thought it would be all right

“Sure, I’ll help out. So when are we starting?” She asked.

“Meet me at my house tomorrow morning and I’ll explain everything.” Caster said as the two of them proceeded to the door. “Also see if you can convince Twilight Sparkle to join us.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see.” The stallion said, closing the door behind him and opening a new one for what awaited them.

Chapter 6: Redemption

Despite the warming glow coming from the little bit of sunlight that shown through the clouds, the scenery of the earth beneath told a different tale. Snow covered nearly all of Equestria, making the entire country nearly white. The low temperature had frozen over most lakes, making them perfect skating rinks for most ponies. The town of Ponyville was preparing for Hearth’s Warming Eve as evidenced by all the holiday décor. While most of the towns’ inhabitants were preparing for the upcoming celebration, others were preoccupied with other important matters.

In the woods just outside of Ponyville, Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle made their way to the home that lies within. The cyan blue Pegasus was sporting a large black winter coat, which had rainbow colored trimming on the edges, and a gray wool cap on her head. A set of saddle bags rested on her back, filled with any necessities she needed. The unicorn mare wore a similar coat, only it was slightly smaller and was colored green. She had an orange scarf wrapped around her neck and her own set of saddlebags as well. While walking, the two mares took a moment to gaze at the scenery around them. The trees around them may have been devoid of leaves but the piles of snow atop them made them seem like the leaves had turned the purest shade of white. The various sized icicles hanging from the branches reflected the sunlight to create small sparkles that surrounded the area. As much as they would have loved to admire the view for a while longer, Twilight and Rainbow knew they had other business to attend to.

“So what exactly does Caster need us for?” Twilight asked, still confused by this sudden ordeal.

“Hay if I know, I’m just as lost as you,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Well whatever it is I’m sure it must be important. Especially if we have to go out of town,” the unicorn mare said, willing to help her friends.

“You made sure to grab everything you needed right Twi?” the cyan blue mare asked.

“Of course, I triple checked my list this morning just to be sure,” she said, smiling proudly. “And I’m sure Spike will be able to take care of the library while I’m gone.”

As the two mares continued their conversation, they soon found themselves standing outside of Caster’s home. His house, like every other place in Ponyville, had Hearth’s Warming decorations surrounding it, giving off a very festive look. Remembering what they came here for, the rainbow maned pony knocked on the door three times and waited for a response. A few minutes later, the door opened and out came Caster Forge, for some reason wearing his Nightmare Night costume, with some saddlebags on his back. He looked at both the mares with a small smile on his face, which he had noticeably shaven back to his normal goatee look along with getting the rest of his hair cut.

“Hello Rainbow, Twilight. I’m glad to see you both could make it,” the blacksmith pony said, closing his door and locking it.

“Not a problem Cast. Now would you mind telling us what this is all about?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Of course Dash, it’s only fair that I tell you now in case you decide you’d rather not go through with this.”

“What are you talking about?” Twilight asked, confused about what was going on.

“Rainbow, do you remember what you told me yesterday about your old friend Gilda?” Caster said.

“Yeah, what about it?” the cyan Pegasus asked.

“Well I’ve thought a lot about it and I’ve decided that’s it time she apologized for what she did.”

“What?!” the two mares shouted, surprised by this sudden act.

“Why would you want to go through all this trouble to get Gilda to apologize? You heard about how she acted,” Rainbow Dash said.

“And that’s exactly why I need to do this,” Caster said, a bit stern. “I can’t let something such as this go unresolved. Besides this is also about that other thing you said. You told me that she was not always like this. I believe that if we talk to her, we can find out what caused Gilda to be, as Pinkie Pie put it, a ‘McMeaner Meanerson’.”

“So wait, what do you need me for then?” Twilight inquired.

“I thought you would help things settle down in case the conversation went south,” he put it bluntly. “Plus you’re the best pony I know when it comes to using logic and reasoning.”

“I see. Well I’ll be glad to help out in any way that I can,” she said.

“Yeah, well I still don’t see why I should even bother trying to make amends with Gilda,” Rainbow said, a bit of venom in her tone. “Why should I forgive somepony who was rude to my friends and treated them like they were idiots?”

“Because she was once your friend as well,” the stallion said, putting a hoof on her shoulder. “I realize that what she did was unforgivable, heck, even I wouldn’t had forgiven her a few years ago. But you have to remember that she is your friend and whether you like it or not you need to help her and make up.”

Rainbow Dash said nothing and looked away.

“He’s right Rainbow,” the lavender unicorn said. “Whatever happened before is in the past. You need to face the fact that you can’t stay mad at her forever. Besides, haven’t you always said that you were loyal to your friends?”

The cyan mare pondered on this for a moment. They did have a point, she knew that no matter what happened Gilda was always her friend. But a part of Rainbow’s brain still told her that she got what she deserved. Ultimately, she decided that she needed to help the griffon and rekindle their friendship, even if Gilda would try to turn her away.

“You’re right Caster, I’m in. I may not be able to forgive Gilda, but I can at least try to patch things up,” Rainbow Dash spoke, looking somewhat confident.

“All right then, the train we need to catch leaves in about an hour. So I believe we can get some breakfast if you ladies haven’t eaten yet,” Caster said, as they all started walking back to Ponyville.

“Just one more thing I have to ask,” the Pegasus mare said. “Why the hay are you wearing your Nightmare Night costume?”

“For one it’s very warm, so it actually has a practical use right now. Plus I rarely ever get to wear it, so I just felt a little impulsive,” he said.

“You’ve been hanging around Pinkie Pike too much,” Twilight said, with a smirk.

“Probably,” Caster said, everyone soon joining in a laugh.

===============================================================

After grabbing a quick breakfast at the Cloverleaf Café, Caster Forge, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle went off toward the train station. They all bought their tickets and were waiting for the train to arrive. Meanwhile, the blacksmith pony was preoccupied by thoughts of the mare he had recently come to adore. While this sudden trip may have been to get Gilda to atone for her bad deeds, it was also meant as a way to thank Fluttershy for helping him through his time at the hospital. Caster still hadn’t told the two mares about his other reasons, but he knew that when the right time came he would.

A few more minutes passed before the train had pulled up into the station. At the sound of the whistle, the stallion was brought out of his thoughts as he and his friends picked up their bags and boarded the locomotive.

“So how long is this trip supposed to last anyway?” Rainbow asked.

“Well, it took a little work, but I managed to locate the town where Gilda is staying. We should be there by about this time tomorrow,” the light brown Pegasus replied.

“A whole day? You’ve got to be kidding me, what are we supposed to do?” she said, while the three ponies found their seats.

“I brought along a chess set if anypony’s interested,” Twilight said, a bit enthusiastic.

“I’m game,” Caster said.

Rainbow Dash simply groaned as the train’s whistle sounded again. A moment later, the ponies could hear two cheery whistle blasts from the train and with a rumble that they could feel through their hooves, the train slowly rolled out of the gaily decorated station.

===============================================================

Gazing out the window of the train, Caster saw the landscape glide by as if it was only a white and amber blur. Partly because he had just awoken from a nap and was letting his eyesight adjust to the passing snow covered fields. It had been a full day since the stallion and his friends set off to accomplish their task. Due to a delay the schedule was set back a few hours and it was currently close to nighttime, as was depicted by the setting sun, which glowed brightly in the horizon. Caster realized that they would be arriving soon and decided to wake his friends, who joined him in the nap.

He looked over at the seat opposite of him and saw Twilight resting peacefully, probably worn out from reading all the books she brought along. He then turned to his left to Rainbow Dash, who Rarity would currently describe as uncouth. She had her legs sprawled across the seat, one of them hanging over the ledge, and snoring unbelievably loudly. She also rested her head against his side using him as a make shift pillow. It may have been a tad uncomfortable but Caster didn’t mind, weird things happen when you sleep after all.

“Rainbow, Twilight, wake up we’re almost there,” the light brown Pegasus said, trying not to raise his voice.

Both of the mares slowly started to emerge from their slumber. Rainbow realized who she was sleeping on, simply got up and scooted almost a foot away from Caster.

“Sorry about that,” she said, with a nervous chuckle.

“It’s all good,” the stallion said, reassuring her.

The trio just sat there in silence, wondering about the town and what was like. But soon the silence was broken.

“So how much longer till we arrive?” Twilight asked.

“We should there in about a few more minutes,” Caster answered.

“How exactly are we going to find Gilda once we get there?” Rainbow asked, curious on what his plan was.

“I wasn’t able to find her address, so I suppose we’ll just have to ask around and see if anyone knows where she lives.”

Before the group could continue the conversation, the train whistle blew, signaling that they had arrived. Quickly, they gathered up their things and went to the car door. As soon as the train came to a complete stop, the doors opened and the three ponies stepped out of the train cars and onto the platform. One thing they noticed about the town was that it looked a bit similar to Ponyville in some ways, but not entirely. The houses had the same straw covered roofs, but the building itself was made out of brick instead of wood. The town itself was also somewhat smaller than Ponyville, not having any major farms or city halls. And just like their hometown, the ponies and griffons had set up decorations for the upcoming holiday.

While he had forgotten the name of the town, Caster knew a little about how this town came to be. After the Great Griffon War from long ago, many small encampments were formed across Equestria to help ponies and griffons who had suffered during battles past. Although they started out small, they eventually grew into towns and communities where ponies and griffons lived in harmony and respected each other’s cultures. He even heard of some interspecies marriages between the two, which was evidenced by the few citizens walking around with both pony and griffon physical traits. Some had bodies of a pony with a few feathers instead of fur and the eyes of an eagle. Others had the lower half of their bodies of lions while the upper half was pony. And there were still many more that he couldn’t count.

Caster, Rainbow, and Twilight took some time to walk through town and take in the sights. There were some shops set up selling what little produce they had left and other wares before they could start growing food again in the spring. Such as fruit and vegetable shops or places for things like quills and parchment and other home supplies. They even saw a bakery with many different pastries and sweets in the window display and several customers inside the shop. They also caught a glimpse of none other than Gustav Le Grond, Equestria's greatest pastry chef, running the place inside. Soon they came to the center of town, where there was a large fountain that was frozen over from the cold weather, and the blacksmith pony turned to his friends.

“All righty then, let’s get started,” Caster said, feeling the snow chilled wind blow across him. “This’ll be our meeting spot. If you can’t find anything be back here in an hour, but if you get any information on Gilda’s whereabouts at all you try to find us as quick as you can. Everypony got that?”

“Absolutely,” Twilight said

“You got it,” Rainbow spoke, seeming a little determined.

“Very well, I’ll see you both in an hour. Sooner I hope,” the light brown Pegasus said, as the three of them split up to search different areas.

===============================================================

Nighttime soon fell upon the small town, letting the multiple decorative lights shine brightly and cover it in a festive glow. Yet while there was an uplifting feeling in the atmosphere, the same could not be said for Caster. He had spent the last forty minutes talking to different ponies and griffons here and there trying to get some information but to no avail. Everyone he asked about Gilda either didn’t know a thing about her, didn’t want to talk about her, or just walked past him as they were busy with other matters.

Caster sipped out of a thermo cup of hot cocoa, with a few mini marshmallows floating on top, as he sat against the wall of a household, which was colored purple, while he gathered his thoughts on what to do next. The stallion had tried many options from asking anyone on the streets to knocking on doors and questioning those inside. He decided it would be best to just head back to the rendezvous and wait for Twilight and Rainbow to show up. Putting his beverage away in his saddlebag, Caster was about to leave, when something rang in his ear.

“Hey Caster!” a voice called out.

He turned around to see the Twilight and Rainbow Dash galloping, or in the cyan mare’s case, flying towards him. They soon came to a stop in front of him as the stallion had questions to ask.

“Did you find anything about Gilda?” Caster asked, hopefully.

“Yes we did,” Twilight replied. “We found out where she works and were able to ask the manager where she lives. Though it’s a bit far from here.”

“That’s perfect Twilight, I’ll let you lead the way,” he said, letting the unicorn mare walk past him.

“But the manager said something to us before we left,” Rainbow added.

“And what would that be Dash?”

“The guy just asked to do the best we could, that she needed all the help she could get right now,” the Pegasus mare said, solemnly.

Caster said nothing, but still thought about what that could’ve meant. Either way they all soon started to make their way to Gilda’s home.

The walk took the three ponies to the outskirts of town, where it seemed to be slightly colder than in town. The carved pathway in the snow, lined with stones, which they were following made it a bit easier to reach their destination. Eventually, they came across a single lime green colored house that rested on a small hill, but it wasn’t what they were expecting. The place was run down, the paint was flaking away in different places and there was a hole or two in the roof. Garbage was dumped into a pile at the side of the house, which gave off a slight rancid smell.

While the sight was a bit off-putting, the group noticed the lights were still on, showing that Gilda was most likely still home. They were about to go to the door when Caster saw that Rainbow Dash wasn’t moving. He went back to her to see what was wrong.

“Everything okay Rainbow?” the stallion asked.

“I don’t know Cast. At first I thought I was ready to face this, but now I’m not so sure,” Rainbow Dash said, looking down at the snow covered ground.

“Don’t worry about it Dash. We’ll both be here to help you two get through this. Right Twilight?” Caster said, the lavender mare walking toward them in response.

“Of course Caster. We’re behind you all the way Rainbow Dash,” she said, doing her best to encourage her friend.

The cyan mare stood there for a minute or two longer, trying to regain the courage to face her old friend. She soon took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, making a small puff of fog.

“All right, let’s do this,” Rainbow said, looking more determined than before.

With that they all went up to the door and Caster gave it a few quick knocks. They waited for a response but got nothing. He knocked on the door again, hoping the griffon hadn’t gone out. A moment later, the door opened slightly, the hinges making a creaking sound, and stopped due to a small chain. There, standing behind the doorway, was a griffon’s head with golden eyes that seemed to be glaring at Caster.

“Gilda, I presume?” he asked.

“Who wants to know?” Gilda responded gruffly, clarifying it was indeed her.

Caster cleared his throat. “My name is Caster Forge and I’ve come on behalf of a friend of yours. As well as your boss it would appear.”

The griffon simply gave him a questioning gaze, thinking this was just some kind of ruse.

“Pfft yeah right. I don’t know what you’re playing at but I don’t have any friends,” Gilda said coldly, scowling through the slight opening of the door. “The only real friend I had completely bailed on me and brushed me off like I was nothing.”

“I sure hope you don’t mean me,” a familiar, slightly raspy, voice stated.

The female griffons’ eyes suddenly grew wide at the voice she heard. She quickly shut the door, undid the door chain lock and swung the door open to reveal herself. Normally, from what Caster had heard, Gilda had a well-built frame showing a decent amount of muscle. But now was not the case. She seemed a bit malnourished, not enough to be defined as skinny, and she had bags under her eyes, signifying how tired she must’ve been. However he focused back on the moment as he saw the griffon looking past him and at the rainbow maned pony behind him.

“R-Rainbow Dash?” Gilda said, softly.

“Hey,” Rainbow said, somewhat nervous.

Although she was happy to see her oldest friend once more, Gilda remembered what had happened the last time they met. With that in mind, she immediately changed her attitude from surprised to angry.

“What are you doing here?” Gilda spat at her.

Rainbow Dash composed herself before speaking. “I came here to put things back the way they were. I’ve come to help you and to try and put all of this behind us.”

“Yeah well, you sure took your sweet time making up your mind. It’s been four years and you expect us to just kiss and make up?” she said, her anger steadily rising.

“Look, I know we both have said things that we shouldn’t have but I really want us to move past this and start over. Besides you need to apologize to a lot of my friends for how you treated them,” the cyan Pegasus said, trying to get the upper hand.

“Why should I have to apologize to a bunch of losers who made me look like an idiot? Far as I’m concerned they had it coming,” Gilda finished with a smug grin.

Those last few words got on Rainbow’s last nerve. She then went up to her friend and glared her in the eye.

“You see, this is what I’m talking about! It’s that stubborn attitude of yours that got you into that situation in the first place. Maybe if you stopped acting like an old mule, maybe I wouldn’t have told you off like that. Why can’t you just accept what you did was wrong and let us help you?” Rainbow said, starting to yell.

“Well, no one ever said I needed your help to begin with!” the griffon retaliated.

The argument went on like this for a few more minutes. Caster simply face-hooved, thinking they weren’t going to get anywhere at this rate. He remembered that he had brought someone along for this exact situation, the stallion turned to Twilight who was standing beside him. He gestured for her to try something, which she gladly provided as she teleported in between the two arguing creatures.

“Enough!” Twilight shouted, putting a hoof gently to each of their chests. “It’s plainly obvious that both of you have your reasons for what you’re doing. But I say, you listen to each other’s side of the story before you start trying to tear each other apart. So can we at least try to act like civilized adults and just talk this out?”

Neither of them said anything for a while, looking away with distaste on their faces. Eventually they thought it over, feeling that it would be better for to just get it over with. So, with uncertainty sketched across their faces, they turned their gaze back at one another.

“Fine,” Gilda and Rainbow Dash grumbled.

As their dispute came to an end, Gilda allowed the three ponies into her home to continue talking. The outside of her house was in poor condition, but the inside did not seem to be faring any better. The wallpaper had been torn in several different places and the wooden floor was worn out and creaked with every step. There was even a noticeable splotch of mold here and there. On one side of the room was an old TV that looked it didn’t even work anymore. The other side had a beat up couch, with stuffing popping out, two chairs, and a coffee table in the center with one of its corners supported by a stack of books. In the back was a small kitchen that looked like it had hardly been used and near it were two doors that lead to a bathroom and a bedroom.

The look of the entire place made Gilda’s guests feel a bit uncomfortable, seeing the poor state she was living in. The tension in the air was growing as they all took their perspective seats, Caster Forge and Twilight Sparkle sat on either one of the chairs while Rainbow Dash and Gilda went to the couch. They all sat in silence for a while, not sure how to start the conversation. Before anyone could say a word though a somewhat loud gurgle sounded throughout the room. The three ponies turned to see Gilda with a light blush on her face, hidden by her feathers.

“Well then, before we get down to business I say we eat,” Caster said, removing his saddle bag. “Gilda, feel free to help yourself.”

They all started emptying out their bags of whatever foods they brought along onto the table. Caster brought out a small tray of assorted crackers and cheese and some thermoses of water or juice. Twilight laid out some plastic containers with fresh fruit and vegetables. Rainbow’s choice of food was a bit subpar from healthy as all she seemed to bring were a few bags of chips, soda, and many other junk foods. All four creatures started chowing down on what was set onto the table, no one saying a word. During their meal though, the Pegasus stallion looked at Gilda and noticed something. She was eating her food much faster than he was expecting. Maybe she was hungrier than he thought she was. But Caster thought better than to bring to his friends attention and decided to let it slide for now and wait till she was ready to talk about it.

A few more minutes of silence passed after they had all finished eating. No one really knew what to say or how to say it. But eventually the silence was broken when Rainbow Dash got the first word in.

“Okay G, before we get started I just want to say that I’m sorry. I’m sorry for how I acted against you that day. You have to understand though that I was standing up for my friends when ‘you’ verbally berated them,” she said, getting that moment off her chest.

“How was I supposed to act huh?” Gilda said, slightly less angry since having a bite to eat. “Those ‘friends’ of yours made me look like a fool with all those stupid pranks of theirs and just kept on laughing at me.”

“Uggh, how many times do we have to go through this? Gilda, those pranks weren’t completely meant for you, you just set them off completely by chance. It wasn’t anypony’s fault but your own,” the cyan mare said.

“She is right you know,” Twilight spoke up. “The accident from the pin the tail on the donkey was purely caused by you and you alone.”

Gilda simply growled, not wanting to acknowledge the fact that the unicorn was right. Nor did she want to be reminded of what happened then.

“That’s a complete load. I know for a fact that Pinkie Pie set all of that up just to mess with me and get me out of town!”

“She was just throwing you a party to try and cheer you up. Even you should know that Pinkie would never do anything mean like that to anypony,” Caster said, trying to disprove Gilda’s assumption.

“Yeah right, that pink spazz attack always kept getting in my way. She just wanted Rainbow Dash all to herself,” the griffon said, getting frustrated by the minute.

“Gilda stop it. I don’t what your real beef is with Pinkie or me, but you can’t keep blaming others like this. You’ll just end up turning away everypony that tries to help you,” Rainbow Dash said.

“You really don’t get it do you?” Gilda said, glaring at her old friend. “You have no idea what this is all about.”

“What are you talking about G? You came to Ponyville wanting to hang out and instead you became a grump who completely turned against me and everypony else,” the Pegasus mare said. “I mean seriously, what reason could you possibly have that made you into such a-”

“Because I didn’t want to lose the only friend I had left!” Gilda shouted, her voice seeming to echo through and out of the house.

The entire room fell into silence as the tension started to increase. The only sounds that could be heard were that of the cold winter wind blowing outside. When Rainbow Dash found her voice to speak again, she tried her best to form a sentence.

“W-what do you mean Gilda? I thought you had other friends back at home,” she said, starting to feel sorry for her griffon friend.

“I did once, but they all soon abandoned me, like I was nothing,” Gilda said, a solemn expression on her face.

“What happened then? Please tell us how this all started,” Twilight asked, wanting to get a better grasp on the situation.

“Don’t worry Gilda, we won’t judge you. We’re only here to help,” Caster said, comfortably reassuring the griffon.

Gilda was hesitant at first, but knew she had to get it off her chest eventually. So with a heavy heart she let out a quick sigh and began her tale.

“Okay, I guess it all started when I transferred to flight school here in Equestria. I had a hard time making friends and it wasn’t cause of the attitude I sometimes gave. It was because I was a griffon. Even after the wars ended, there were still some ponies who held prejudice against my kind. As such, everypony I met simply brushed me off, ignored me, and occasionally made fun of me,” the brown furred griffon said, she was sad from having to remember those days.

“Geez, I can’t believe there are still ponies like that out there. I’m just glad most of my friends aren’t like that,” Caster said, thinking back to some of the insensitive nobles back in Canterlot. “Sorry about that, please continue.”

“For a while I was kind of a loner, always seen as the outcast. But then one day somepony came along and changed all that,” Gilda turned to the mare sitting beside her. “It was you Dash. You said you were amazed to see a griffon for the first time and became my friend without hesitation.”

“Well, I didn’t exactly have that many friends back then either. So when I heard about you and how other ponies treated you, how could I pass that up?” Rainbow Dash said, rubbing the back of her head.

“Even so you always had my back. You kept the others from teasing me, helped me to make new friends, and you also supported me when we both joined the junior Speedsters team. We were truly inseparable in a way and it was a good run. At least, until that day came,” she said, disheartened by the memory.

“Oh, yeah. I remember now,” the rainbow maned Pegasus said, sharing Gilda’s mood.

“What happened that drove you two apart?” Twilight asked, more interested as the conversation went on.

“It was the day after we graduated,” Rainbow stated. “Apparently Gilda was only to stay in Equestria until she completed her education and was to immediately return to her parents in her homeland. I asked if there was anything we could do to keep her from leaving, but her parents were really strict about this. We promised to write each other when we could, but we never really saw each other again after that.”

The group took a quick break to take in all the information. They took this chance to use the restroom or grab another snack. Caster was still a bit surprised by this turn of events. He hadn’t expected to such a sad yet touching tale of Gilda’s’ life. But still there were some questions that needed answering, and he was determined to hear them. So after using the facilities he went back to the living room to continue where they had left off.

“So Gilda, what exactly happened after your return home?” Caster asked, waiting to see what changed her all those years ago.

“After I moved back in with my parents I met up with my old friends. We hadn’t seen each other in years so we just talked about what we had been up to all that time. Soon after I managed to get a job I was able to fend for myself and help my folks pay the bills and whatnot. I hung out with my friends every now and then and we quickly became better friends than we had in years past. It was great while it lasted, but things soon changed,” Gilda said, seeming more depressed than before.

‘I don’t like where this is going,’ Caster thought to himself that look on her face he was all too familiar with.

“The years passed and one by one my friends started leaving me. They all went to hang out with other griffons, saying that I was ‘yesterday’s news’ or something. Some because of different fads or because those other griffons lured them into gangs and such,” the griffon said, a lump growing in her throat. “In the end though all of my friends had left me. To make matters worse I got fired from my job because of an incident I wasn’t a part of, yet they still blamed me for it! I’d, rather not talk more on that if that’s fine with you.”

“O-of course Gilda. Feel free to talk about what you want to,” Rainbow Dash said, her heart starting to ache.

“In only a short time after that my life was ruined,” Gilda said. “I had no way to make money, my parents kicked me out of the house still believing I had some part in that incident, and in the end I was completely alone. Nopony trusted me enough to hire me, nor did they even want to get close to me.”

“I’m sorry to hear that Gilda. If it’s any consolation I think I know how you feel. There was a time in my life where nopony wanted to come near me either. It may have been because of how awkward I seemed around them but you get the idea. The important thing was always to remember those who are most important to us, and fill our lives with joy,” Caster said, trying to sympathize with her.

“You’re right Caster, I did remember. When I had finally hit rock bottom I remembered the only other time I was truly happy. That was the time I spent with Rainbow Dash. I soon realized that there was nothing left for me in my homeland and decided to leave and start anew in Equestria, with the only friend I had left,” the down heartened griffon said.

“So that was when you made your visit to Ponyville I take it?” Twilight asked.

“Yes, but I wanted to keep my real purpose for visiting a secret at first. Because I didn’t want to ruin our time together by bringing up an issue such as this. When I arrived we just caught up on old times and showed off any tricks we had learned over the years. It was all fine, until a certain pink earth pony showed up.”

“But I don’t see how Pinkie Pie ruined our time together,” Rainbow Dash said, finally ready to hear what her issue was with her hyperactive friend. “All she wanted to do was hang out with us.”

“That may have been true, but it wasn’t how I saw it at the time,” Gilda said, a tad ashamed for her former misunderstanding of Pinkie’s intentions. “When she came around and tried to get in on our time together my mind went back to all my old friends being taken away from me by others. Seeing as it was happening again I couldn’t just stand by and had to get her away from you.”

Rainbow Dash took a moment to process this information. In a way it sort of made sense. Gilda was only being so mean to her friend because she was trying to assert herself, saying she wasn’t going to back down. While it was an immature means of doing so, the cyan Pegasus believed she could understand her friend’s reasons and forgive her for that fault. However there were a few more things that she still needed to explain.

“Okay Gilda, I think I can forgive you for that. But there are a few things I still want an answer for,” the rainbow mare said, not wanting to sound aggravated. “Pinkie Pie told us that you stole some food while you were in the market; care to explain that?”

The griffon looked away from her friend. “I had barely eaten in the last few days and had no money to pay for food. I could barely think straight, which may have also been why I acted against Pinkie Pie, so I just grabbed the closest thing I could.”

“Fair enough, but does that also explain how you lashed out at Fluttershy in front of the whole town and made her cry?” Caster said, part of him still angry for that incident.

“Honestly Cast, that wasn’t why,” she said, not feeling proud that moment. “I was just being me at that point. I’ve always given attitude at wrong times and I guess that was a prime example. I still kind of feel bad about that, I hope she might be able to forgive me for that.”

“I’m sure she will, as long as she’s willing to give you a chance of course,” the light brown Pegasus said, glad to know what her reasons were for that event.

“So I believe we all know why Gilda reacted the way she did at Sugarcube Corner,” Twilight said, with everyone nodding in agreement. They all assumed the griffon thought it was a ploy from Pinkie to get her out of town so she could steal Rainbow Dash from her. Of course all of them, including Gilda, knew that wasn’t her plan in any way. “Why don’t you tell us what happened afterwards?”

“When I had my little outburst and left, I knew I couldn’t return home. There really wasn’t anything waiting for me. So I wandered Equestria for a while until I eventually came here, looking for work and a place to stay. But word of what happened in Ponyville soon reached this place and a lot of people turned a blind eye towards me. It was only through pure luck that my boss, the only good pony that I know here gave me a job as a laborer at his shop. He even fixed me up with this house, it wasn’t much but it was all he could do. And well, the rest is history,” Gilda finished, relieved to have finally gotten all that weight off her chest.

When all was said and done, Rainbow Dash was truly surprised. She had never expected her oldest friend to have endured so much pain. What made it even worse was that Gilda never told her about it. But that didn’t matter now. What was important now was helping her to get through this.

“I’m, I’m so sorry G,” Rainbow Dash said, trying her best to speak. “I-If I had known I would’ve-”

“No Dash, it’s all right you don’t have to say anything. Really this is all my fault, it’s my fault for not telling you in the first place. If I had just told you what was really going on, maybe things could’ve been different,” Gilda said, looking her friend in the eye.

“But I should’ve known how you were feeling at the time. I’m supposed to be the element of loyalty for Celestia’s sake, yet I can’t even be there for somepony who’s suffering in the dark.”

The room was silent for a minute, as the two of them were having a hard time figuring out what to say next. Feeling the need to continue this conversation, Caster decided to speak up.

“Look, the point is you both kind of messed up. Everything that has happened up to now is in the past. All the two of you can do now is try to forget the past and move on,” the stallion said.

That seemed to be enough for them as they appeared to relax. Most of their apprehensiveness went away, but the two of them remained quiet. They knew what to say yet they were afraid to speak. Wanting to get it all over and done with, Gilda made the first move.

“Rainbow Dash, can you ever forgive me for all that I’ve done?” the griffon asked, hoping she would say yes.

In a flash, the Pegasus mare was by her side, wrapping her in a tender hug. “Only if you can forgive me as well Gilda.”

There was nothing more to be said. The two of them just sat there, embracing one another and uttering apologies here and there. Despite both of their tough personalities, Gilda and Rainbow Dash shed a few tears, happy to have become friends again. Twilight and Caster said nothing, not wanting to interrupt the tender moment playing before them. When the scene had finally settled down, the two reunited friends withdrew from each other as Rainbow spoke up.

“So G what say you move in with me? It’d be a nice way to start fresh and build yourself up again,” she said, hopeful to have her friend be around her again.

“I’d like that Dash, but are you sure I won’t be a bother?” Gilda asked.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve got plenty of space and a guest room that you can use.”

“All right then, sounds good to me,” the brown furred creature said, enthusiastically giving her friend a hoof and claw bump. “But there’s also one other issue I need to deal with.”

“What’s that?” Rainbow inquired.

“I still have to find myself a job. I can’t live with you forever, I’ll eventually have to find my own place and live on my own,” she said, in a matter of fact. “But I doubt anypony’s going to hire me after that incident.”

That was true. Everyone realized that some of the ponies back home still didn’t think too highly of Gilda for how she acted. So it would most likely be hard to convince them that she had changed. They all tried to think of something but nothing came to mind. But then Caster Forge had a brilliant idea hit him. He just hoped that she would agree with it.

“Gilda, I have a proposition for you,” he said, putting on a smile.

“What is it?” Gilda asked.

“Well things have been getting a little busy at my shop and honestly the work’s getting to be a bit much for me. So, I’m going to offer you a chance to work for me at my forge. You’d basically help bring me whatever supplies I need, assist me in delivering my product, and anything else that comes to mind. I make a very good salary so I can pay you a decent wage for now. However I expect your best performance while on duty. This is a very serious job I do and I will be very strict if you give me reason. So on that note do you think you can handle it?” Caster said, thinking how nice it would be to have an assistant.

Needless to say, the griffon was overjoyed to know that she was handed this job so easily. “Of course Cast, I’d be more than grateful to work for you. And I promise I’ll do my best while I’m on the job.”

“Glad to hear it,” Caster said. “So now that that’s all been taken care of, why don’t you go pack whatever you need and we’ll all head down to the train station.”

“Sure thing ‘boss’, just give me about 20 minutes and we can get out of here,” Gilda said, heading to her bedroom.

“I’ll help you out G,” Rainbow Dash said, going with her.

While the two of them went off to get ready, Caster and Twilight stayed in the living room to put away their food and other supplies.

“Hey Caster,” Twilight spoke up, grabbing his attention. “I just wanted to say thank you for making all of this possible.”

“It was nothing Twilight, just wanted to help some old friends make peace with each other,” the blacksmith stallion said, as a thought entered his mind. “That, and I also wanted to repay a favor for somepony.”

“Really? Why would you want to go through so much trouble just for this pony?” the unicorn asked.

“Simply put, I’m repaying a favor that I should’ve done a long time ago,” Caster said, trying not to give too much away.

Confused by what he meant Twilight simply shrugged it off, not wanting to pry any further. After a few more minutes of waiting, Rainbow Dash and Gilda came back with the latter carrying a large set of saddle bags. The whole thing appeared to have everything she would need for the future. When they were positive she had everything she needed and turned off all the appliances, the four of them exited the house right before Gilda locked it.

Before they made their way back into town, the griffon took a moment to look back at her home and then at the house key in her claw. After a moment of thought, she let the key drop to the ground, the snow making a soft crunch. Gilda knew she would never come back to this place and was certain that no one else would want it either. With that out of the way she left with her new friends to start her new life, as the discarded key was buried beneath a pile of wind-blown snow.

===============================================================

The next train was not to arrive for at least another two hours. This gave Gilda the time to say goodbye to her boss and longtime friend in the town. There were a few heartfelt moments between the two, but in the end all the pony could do was wish her the best of luck. They also promised to write each other every now and then, a sure sign of a lasting friendship. Afterwards, they stopped at Gustav Le Grond’s to grab one last meal. Gilda seemed to stuff herself silly with nearly everything on the menu, nearly emptying her friend’s wallets. They didn’t mind, anything to help someone out.

When that was done Caster, Twilight, Rainbow, and Gilda went back to the train station and waited for the train to come. They all talked about what the griffon’s new job would be like, to how to break the news to everyone back home. The time passed away and soon the train rolled into the station as they all grabbed their things and went aboard.

“Again, I want to say thanks Cast,” Gilda said. “If it weren’t for you planning all of this I probably wouldn’t be where I’m heading now. This all really means a lot to me.”

“No problem Gilda, I just wanted to put this whole dispute to an end,” Caster said, as he thought now would be the best time to explain his other motive. “Another reason in particular was because I wanted to have you apologize to Fluttershy so that I could repay her.”

“Wait, what? You did all this for Fluttershy? What could you possibly have to repay her for?” Rainbow Dash asked, surprised by this turn of events.

“I wanted to repay all the time and kindness she’s given me these past few months and show how much that has meant to me,” the light brown Pegasus replied, giving a slight grin. “That, and because I’m in love with her.”

Both Gilda and Rainbow Dash’s jaws nearly hit the floor from what they just heard. Twilight gave a light hearted chuckle, seeing that he finally came to terms with his feelings. And soon the train doors closed behind them, giving them all the time they needed to discuss this information.

Chapter 7: Of Days to Come

The steam locomotive, carrying several different colored passenger cars behind it, made its way across the snowy landscape at a fast pace. Off in the distance was the town of Ponyville, which in dark of the night, was glowing with all of the holiday lights shining brightly. Many of the passengers in the train were excited to either be returning home for the holidays, seeing friends and family who lived in Ponyville, or were just visiting the town for their own reasons. One group in particular was returning after completing a difficult task. The three ponies and a griffon were sitting in their own seats, talking of past events.

Caster Forge and his friends, Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle, had gone to see the cyan Pegasus’s old friend Gilda. They went to try and get her to apologize and make amends for all the trouble she caused when she came to Ponyville years ago. However the truth behind Gilda’s actions was sadder than they had thought. Her life had been a tale of abandonment, misjudgment, and prejudice for who she was. After some talking and many apologies from both the pony and griffon, Rainbow and Gilda decided to forgive each other for their past mistakes. And now, not only was she moving into Ponyville, but the griffon was also given the opportunity to work for Caster Forge as his assistant.

The aforementioned stallion was also the one who had arranged this little adventure in the first place. At first he said he just wanted to have Gilda apologize and for her and Rainbow Dash to make up. Later however, his real intentions were revealed as he told his friends that this was all a way to repay Fluttershy for everything that she’s done for him, as well as because he loved her. The news was more than a shock to Caster’s friends, excluding Twilight who figured this would happen eventually. At the moment they were currently discussing the latter topic.

“I’m still having a hard time wrapping my head around this,” Rainbow Dash said. “I mean you and Fluttershy? That’s a lot to take in.”

“Whether you believe it or not, it’s true. I love Fluttershy and honestly, I think I’ve loved since the day I met her,” Caster said, trying to make things clear.

“If that’s true why didn’t you say anything to her before?” Gilda asked, interested to know the rest of the story.

“That’s because, at the time, I was still trying to figure out my feelings. I had just gotten back into dating that day and I didn’t want to make things go too fast. So I simply bided my time until I was absolutely sure how I felt about her,” he said.

“Well I have to say I’m happy for you Caster. You finally found somepony that can make you happy. If you’re lucky Fluttershy may love you back as well,” Twilight said, knowing that Fluttershy probably did.

“I hope so too Twilight. When the right time comes I’ll tell her how I feel. For now though I think we should focus on how to approach our friends about Gilda’s return,” the blacksmith pony said, changing the topic.

“Yeah, cause the last thing we want is a repeat of what happened last time,” the griffon said, picturing how that would play out.

“I’m sure they will try to be reasonable. I’ve known them for years now and they’re not the kind who turn others away at first notice,” Rainbow said, reassuring her friend.

“We’ll see Dash, we’ll see,” Gilda said.

The conversation continued like this for a while before they noticed the Ponyville station through the windows. So the four creatures grabbed their bags and when the train pulled into the station, they exited the train car and onto the platform. As expected, some of the ponies recognized who Gilda was and gave her suspicious glares. Others chose to ignore her, busy with other things. The brown furred creature was starting to feel more insecure as time ticked on. But that soon went away as she and her friends went into town.

While a few ponies still gave her a questioning look, some of them were nicer. They would give Gilda a friendly greeting, a complimentary sample of holiday foods, and even some foals would greet her with smiles, amazed at seeing a griffon. She didn’t know what had caused this change. Maybe it was because of the upcoming holiday, or enough time had passed for the citizens to forgive her. The griffon didn’t know for sure but she could tell things were starting to look well for her.

“Okay, so I’m guessing we’ll see you at the party tomorrow?” Caster asked.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Gilda said, her mood slightly more cheerful.

“Cool, you ladies go and do what you need to do. I’m heading back home to work on a few things,” the stallion said.

“All right then, see you tomorrow Cast,” Twilight said, heading off to the library.

Afterwards Rainbow Dash and Gilda flew off to the cyan Pegasus’ house to get settled in. Caster went back to his home in the woods, getting ready for the party tomorrow.

===============================================================

The cold winter air sent a shiver up Caster’s spine as he flew across the early afternoon sky towards the Golden Oaks Library. It had been a while since he had taken to the skies, so he took his time to enjoy the flight. In his hooves he carried a small decorated present, which he got at the last minute. It was a little something more to give to Fluttershy. The light brown Pegasus didn’t know if she would fully like the idea of Gilda’s return, so he whipped this up just in case. Realizing the party would be starting soon, he sped up his pace toward the library.

Caster soon landed outside the large hollowed out tree and saw that both Gilda and Rainbow Dash were by the front door. Putting the present under his wing, he walked up next to them to see what was up.

“Hey Gilda, Dash. So, what are you two waiting out here for?” he asked.

“Nothing really, just getting ready for what may lie ahead,” Gilda said, still slightly worried about facing Rainbow Dash’s friends.

“Don’t worry G, we’ve both got your back. Besides it’s better to get it over with quickly rather than waiting in fear of what may happen,” Rainbow Dash said, raising a good point.

“I guess you’re right. Besides, I can’t exactly back away from it at this point,” she said, her anxiety dispelled.

“Okay then, now that’s out of the way, I say we move along and join the party.” Caster said, trying to get things going.

With nothing more to be said the three of them entered the library, hearing the music as they opened the door. The party, while looking very festive, was small in attendance. Caster’s friends had decided to through a small party with only a few of their friends. Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Applejack, Rarity, and Spike could be seen around the room. Also there were Caster’s friends and family. Bard, Alesha, and Ratchet were drinking some cider and talking about what they’ve been up to lately. On the other side of the room Hotpop, Jack Reels, and the rest of his family had gotten together and were catching up on family matters.

The library itself was decorated from ceiling to floor. Streamers and tinsel was spread across the room, covering the shelves and shadowing the books inside. Many small glass ornaments hung from above glittering in the light. Balloons of various colors floated about, wandering from one place to another. In one corner of the room was a large pine tree, covered in several lights, décor, and had a large star on top. And around the room were tables lined with food, drinks, treats, and other delicacies for everyone to munch on.

When Caster, Rainbow, and Gilda walked in and closed the door behind them, Pinkie Pie took notice and went over to them in a flash.

“Hi Rainbow Dash, hi Caster, I was wondering when you two were coming back,” the pink mare said, talking at break neck speed I was going to ask for your help with the party so I went to your houses and neither of you were there. So I went to the library to see Twilight but she wasn’t there either then Spike told you guys were going somewhere really important, so where were you guys anyway?” That was when Pinkie saw Gilda standing behind the two ponies. “Oh hi Gilda, when did you come back?”

At the mention of the name Gilda, their friends turned in their direction and saw the griffon by the door. While Twilight was calm and mindful, after learning about her past, Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy, who was slightly scared of her, did not share the unicorn’s sympathies. They simply glared at her, remembering all she had done when she first came to town.

“Haven’t ya already caused enough trouble? What did ya’ll ‘spect an apology from us er somethin’?” Applejack said, not showing any remorse her words.

“Quite right, why don’t you just leave us in peace you uncouth ruffian,” Rarity stated, not looking happy herself either.

Gilda took those words harshly. She thought they would at least give her a chance but perhaps she was wrong. That was when Twilight Sparkle intervened.

“That’s enough you two,” she said, coming between the two groups. “I know she’s done some bad things in the past, but I can assure you she just wants to make amends.”

“Oh come on Twi, ya know as well as the rest of us that she’s nothin’ but trouble,” the orange earth pony said, as the other party guests became interested in the argument.

“A.J. just chill for like a minute all right? We went through a lot of trouble just to get here, the least you can do is listen to what she has to say,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Why should we take the time to listen to somepony who rudely berated us?” the white unicorn mare inquired, just as angry as Applejack.

“Well what gives you the right to just turn somepony away who only wants forgiveness?” Caster said, gaining everyone’s attention. “Is it really so wrong for somepony to apologize for something they know they did was wrong? Just give her a chance to talk and say what she needs to say. Gilda’s gone through a lot just to speak to all of you. Besides, isn’t Hearth’s Warming Eve supposed to be a time of friendship and peace?”

Caster seemed to hit the nail there. Applejack and Rarity were still wary about all this, but they knew he was right. What kind of ponies would they be if they went against the main tradition of this celebrated holiday?

“All right, go ahead and speak Gilda,” Applejack said, her tone softened somewhat.

“Yeah, and then we can work on turning that frown upside down,” Pinkie Pie said, after staying surprisingly quiet during the whole back and forth banter.

Gilda gave a faint hearted chuckle from Pinkie’s words before speaking. “Well then, I guess I should start from the beginning.”

For the next couple of minutes, Gilda talked about her experiences from her past and all that she’d been through. From her time at school with Rainbow Dash to when she had moved to her recent home. And the more she spoke about her life, the more everyone started to feel bad for her. Anger soon turned to understanding as Rarity and Applejack began to regret their previous choice of words. When Gilda finally finished, a very long awkward silence filled the room, before Pinkie Pie spoke up.

“Wow, that’s such a super duper sad story. I never meant to drive you two apart, I just wanted to hang out with Rainbow Dash is all,” Pinkie said, now realizing how much the griffon was suffering.

“I know Pinkie, I know. Your friends here helped me see that now,” Gilda said, glad to hear the truth from the pink party pony as well.

“Well, ah reckon ah owe ya’ll an apology fer mah outburst,” Applejack said, deeply regretting her earlier words.

“As do I. We should never have been so quick to judge you,” Rarity stated, ashamed of herself for acting so unladylike.

“It’s all right, I just hope we can move past it and try to be friends,” the griffon said.

“You read my mind Gilda,” Pinkie said, wrapping her in a bone crushing hug.

After she was able to breathe again, Gilda turned her attention to her last apology. So with a heavy heart, she made her way over to Fluttershy. Neither of them knew what to say to each other, one being too shy the other nervous of the outcome. But eventually words were finally spoken.

“I-I’m sorry for how I acted towards you that day Fluttershy. I shouldn’t have yelled at you for something that wasn’t your fault. I was being immature and it was wrong of me to do so,” Gilda said, waiting for a response.

The yellow Pegasus was simply looking at the floor, scuffing her hoof against it, as she listened to her words. Part of her was still intimidated by the griffon who hurt her feelings while another wanted to forgive her. When Gilda didn’t get a response after about a minute, she tried speaking again.

“I know you probably still have some ill will towards me and I understand why. But if there is a chance, could you ever forgive me for how I acted?” she said, her expression getting sadder by the minute.

Another minute of silence passed before Fluttershy walked up to Gilda and gave her a comforting hug. The griffon was slightly surprised by the contact as she heard the mare say a few words.

“It’s okay Gilda, I forgive you. As long as you can forgive yourself,” Fluttershy said, in an almost motherly tone.

Gilda soon returned the hug, shedding a single tear down her cheek, happy to know she had earned everyone’s trust and forgiveness now. Most of the other party guests just watched the scene before them, happy that this creature could find peace among her new friends. One by one all of Fluttershy’s close friends came and they all joined in a group hug. After a while they all detached from one another as Pinkie Pie started talking once more.

“Yahoo, I’m so happy for you Gilda. Now we can have a real welcome to Ponyville party for you this time,” the hyperactive mare said, unveiling a ‘Welcome Gilda’ banner from out of nowhere.

“Where did she get that from?” Gilda asked, to no one in particular.

“Who knows, Pinkie is just Pinkie after all,” Caster said, starting to laugh.

“I figured as much,” the griffon said, joining in the laugh.

“Anyway Gilda, I’d like you to meet some of my own friends and family,” the stallion said, leading her to a group of ponies she did recognize.

===============================================================

The party went on into the evening as everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Gilda was talking with Rainbow Dash and the others about where she was staying and her new job. Caster was spending time with his friends and family, mostly playing games with his nephew in law that belonged to his older sister. He had also learned that Hotpop was pregnant with Jack Reels’ child and the whole family could not be happier. She was handling it pretty well as she fed on nearly every pastry and sweet that surrounded the room.

Caster’s friends also took the time to meet Gilda and make friends with her as well. All in all the griffon seemed to be fitting in well as Caster saw that his plan had gone for the better. Later his friends came to him and they were congratulating him on his release from the hospital. Alesha then gave him a present that was from her, Bard, and Ratchet. Caster opened it to see a large framed picture of him and his friends, from the day he was still recovering from his injuries. He thought he looked ridiculous with his shaggy hair and everything, but the photo was still nice. The blacksmith thanked them for the gift as they all joined in for a group before going back to earlier business.

As the party went on Gilda was talking with Fluttershy, trying to find topics to converse about. At one point the Pegasus mare asked her about what made Rainbow Dash suddenly decide to do all of this. That was when Gilda told her that it was not Rainbow, but rather Caster who set all this up. With that thought in mind Fluttershy turned to the previously mentioned Pegasus, who was by the food table grabbing a bite to eat. Excusing herself from her conversation with the griffon, the pink maned pony went to talk with Caster Forge. When she walked up behind she gave him a quick tap on the shoulder and he turned to see who it was.

“Oh hey there Fluttershy, what’s up?” Caster said, smiling at the mare in front of him.

“Hello Caster. I was wondering if I could talk to you about something real quick,” Fluttershy said, slightly nervous. “In private perhaps?”

“Sure thing,” he said, taking a bite of a cookie.

The yellow mare led Caster to a spot away from everyone else where they would not be heard. When they were sure no one else was listening Caster spoke up.

“So what did you want to talk about Flutters?” the light brown Pegasus asked.

“Well, um, I just wanted to thank you for all of this,” she said as a faint blush covered her cheeks.

“Aw, it was nothing, just wanted to put this whole fight behind all of us and give her a chance to start fresh,” Caster said, trying to be humble.

“Still, it was a very kind and generous deed you did. Especially since you gave her a job working for you,” Fluttershy said, more proud of him by that fact.

"I was telling the truth when I said I needed help around the shop. It’s a win-win situation for Gilda and me," he said while thinking how easier work will be now.

“I’m glad that it worked out for you, and I hope you do well in your business now,” the Pegasus mare said.

“I’m sure it will,” the stallion said. “You know there was actually something I wanted to give to you. I know it’s not Hearth’s Warming Day yet but I’d like the give it to you now if that’s fine with you.”

“Sure Caster, that’s fine by me,” Fluttershy said, smiling sweetly at him.

Caster couldn’t help but smile back as he reached under his wing and grabbed the present beneath it. The present was small and flat, covered in orange wrapping paper and topped off with a purple ribbon. He gingerly gave it to her and she began to unwrap it, which revealed a small white box. Fluttershy popped the lid off and inside was a silver chained necklace with a metal pendant at the end shaped like a butterfly with intricate designs engraved upon it.

“Oh my, this is beautiful Caster,” she said, her eyes reflecting the necklace’s shine. “Where did you get this from?”

“Actually, I didn’t get it from anywhere,” Caster said, dawning a blunt tone. “I made it myself.”

Fluttershy quickly turned her attention from the necklace to the pony in front of her in surprise.

“Y-you made this?” she asked, in disbelief.

“Yes I did,” the blacksmith pony said, proudly. “I told you before that I made mini sculptures out of metal scraps when I was younger. Plus my parents have taught me a few things when it comes to making jewelry. So, do you like it?”

“Oh Caster, it’s simply wonderful. Thank you,” Fluttershy said, happy to receive such a gift.

“You’re welcome Fluttershy,”Caster said, taking the necklace out of the box and holding it up. “May I?”

“Of course,” the mare said, showing no hesitance as she moved her hair to one side.

Caster looped the necklace around Fluttershy’s neck and attached the ends of the chain from behind. Taking a step back he took a moment to admire how it looked on her. While it was a simple trinket, it complimented her delicate nature as well as the three butterfly’s she had for her cutie mark.

“I must say it looks very nice on you,” the stallion said, hiding how much he really thought she looked. “I also wanted this to be as a thank you for all the time you spent with me at the hospital.”

“Oh, well thank you Caster. That certainly means a lot to me,” Fluttershy said, remembering something important. “Um, I also got something for you. If you’d like it now of course.”

“It’s fine with me,” Caster said, as the mare went off somewhere.

She quickly came back carrying a present made from blue packaging paper and wrapped up in a red ribbon. Fluttershy handed it to him and he took it carefully into his hooves. Caster pulled away the paper to see a large green striped wool scarf in it.

“I-I know it isn’t much, but I didn’t know what you’d like. So I just went and got the first thing I could think of. What do you think?” Fluttershy asked, looking away nervously

The Pegasus stallion looked at scarf and back at the mare. She was still waiting for an answer and deciding not to act like a jerk he gave a reply. But his reply came in the form of a hug.

“I love it Fluttershy,” he said, looking her in the eye. “It’ll surely be a nicer way to warm up rather than having to use that coat of mine.”

The yellow Pegasus gave out a chuckle. “I guess. I’m glad that you like it.”

Not wanting to just let the gift go to waste, Caster decided to put it on. Unfortunately, having never worn a scarf before, he kept fumbling around with it. Soon it just became a big tangled mess around his as he gave up with a sigh.

“Here, allow me,” Fluttershy said, giggling as she took hold of the scarf.

She quickly untied it and rewrapped it around his neck in a few knots. She soon finished up as she looked to see how well the scarf complimented Caster’s eye color. It did not take long for the two to become lost in each other’s gaze. Both of them had deep blushes on their faces, not knowing what to say. Fluttershy looked up, trying to break the eye contact, only to have her currently pink cheeks turn crimson red. Caster Forge took notice as he looked up as well, surprised to see what was up. Without even noticing earlier, the two ponies had positioned themselves below a sprig of mistletoe.

With that single piece of information brought to mind both of them looked at each other again, blushing harder than before. The stallion looked away for a moment, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. When he turned back, he found Fluttershy starting to lean in ever so slowly. While his brain was still recovering from this sudden situation, Caster’s body was moving on its own towards the mare. Their eyes closed as they got closer to the point of no return.

Before their lips could meet, the sound of bursting fire was let out above them as Fluttershy snapped out of it, letting out a small shriek as she held on to Caster. The light brown Pegasus looked up to see the burnt remains of the mistletoe floating to the ground. He then turned to see where the blast had come from and saw the source was Spike, looking very nervous.

“What in the hay was that for Spike?” Caster asked, with an incredulous expression on his face.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean too. It just happened so suddenly,” the purple dragon explained, trying not make this seem intentional.

The stallion took a moment to calm Fluttershy down enough to allow her to let go of him. He was about to ask Spike how that column of fire breath ‘just happened’ when he saw something rolling toward him on the floor. It was a scroll that had Princess Celestia’s royal seal on it. It soon made sense what that was all about and was obvious it wasn’t within Spike’s control.

“It’s all right Spike, I understand now,” Caster said, holding up the scroll. “Just try to be a little more careful about where you aim that thing.”

“Yeah, again sorry about that,” Spike said. “I wasn’t interrupting anything important was I?”

At those words the blacksmith pony turned toward Fluttershy, who was looking back at him as well. Immediately they both looked away from each other, blushing furiously.

“Uh, no,” the two ponies said, at the same time.

As the silence dwelled on, everyone soon realized that the scroll had remained untouched. So deciding it was best to bring that up, Twilight chose to speak up.

“So, what’s in the scroll?” She asked, just as curious as everyone else.

“I don’t know, let’s find out,” Caster said, taking off the seal and unfurling the scroll.

Opening it he saw that it was from, obviously, Princess Celestia. Clearing his throat, the light brown Pegasus began to read the letter out loud.

’Dear Caster Forge, first I would like to wish you and your friends and family a Happy Hearth’s Warming Eve. Now to get down to the matter at hand. You have done an excellent service as royal blacksmith and have shown magnificent progress in your efforts to provide quality armor and weaponry. Many of my guard have made mention of how well their uniforms have improved to sharper and quicker blades. I have included some messages from my guards to show their approval of all your hard work. But I do not feel that is a sufficient award. And so as a token of gratitude for all that you’ve done for the Royal Army, as well as what I’ve heard from the citizens of Ponyville, I cordially invite you to attend the Grand Galloping Gala. You will find a ticket enclosed inside as well one for your brother and his wife as a way to thank him for his service in the Army. I look forward to seeing you all in the Spring.

Sincerely,

Princess Celestia

P.S. Twilight, if you and your friends are most likely with Caster listening to this message, I have gone ahead and included your invitations as well. Have a nice Hearth’s Warming.’

Unrolling the end of the scroll, Caster found several tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala for him and his friends. He also saw some other messages written at the bottom, most likely the ones from the guards. One of them read, ‘Thank you for the improvement of the armor Mr. Forge. I’ve been able to move much faster now’. Another said, ‘Loving the new sword you made for me Cast. The edge is sharp enough to cut through things like they were butter’. The list of compliments just went on. However that was quickly put to the side of his mind as he remembered the fact that he had just been invited to the biggest formal event of the year. It was more than exciting as he thought of all the things he and his would get to do. Said friends soon came up to him and started congratulating him.

“I can’t believe this. You get to come to the GGG with us along with your brother and step-sister. This is going to be the best party ever!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, hopping around wildly.

“This is such wonderful news. You simply must allow me to design you a suit for the Gala,” Rarity said.

“He he, sounds good to me Rarity. I’ll be sure to pay you back once it’s done,” Caster said, happy at possibly getting a new suit.

“Oh there will be no need for that Caster,” she said, her generous nature taking over. “I never charged Twilight and the others for their outfits and by Celestia I wouldn’t do it to another friend of mine.”

“Wow, I don’t know what to say. Except thank you I guess,” the stallion said, surprised she would go through that much effort with no pay.

“It’s no problem at all I assure you,” the white unicorn said. “Besides it’s what good friends do for each other after all.”

Caster had to admit that fact was true. In fact as he looked at all of his friends he started to remember everything they had done for him all this time. Not only was Fluttershy always there for him but so were they. It made him realize how much they all cared for him as more than just a friend, but also as a family member. Soon he started thinking of something he could do for all of them in the future. An idea then hit him, but he’d keep it to himself for now.

“I can’t believe that I actually get to go to the Grand Galloping Gala. It’s like a dream come true,” Hotpop said, squealing like a little filly.

“Calm down honey, the Gala’s not for another few months. You have plenty of time to go crazy before then,” Jack Reels said, trying to contain his wife.

“Okay dear,” she said, kissing him on the lips. “I still need to find myself a nice dress to wear though.”

While Jack and Hotpop went off to discuss more on the upcoming event, the others kept talking about how exciting it was for Caster to get invited. They talked of what they would do and how they would go about it. Eventually they all went back to enjoying the party, leaving the stallion alone with Fluttershy once more. Neither of them could say anything, remembering what had happened earlier. It was so embarrassing and yet part of them thought it was right. Deciding to cut the tension, Fluttershy spoke up.

“I’m sorry about what happened back there Caster,” she said, looking away from him. “I just, kind of got lost in the moment I guess.”

“It’s okay Fluttershy, I sort of lost control as well,” Caster said, trying not to make situation more awkward. “I just hope this doesn’t change anything between us.”

“Of course not, we’re still best friends after all,” the Pegasus mare said, giving a faint smile as she looked back at him.

“That’s good to hear. It’d be a shame to lose somepony who got me such a great gift,” the light brown pony said, holding up the end of his scarf.

“Well thank you, I’m happy to know that you like it,” Fluttershy said, giving him a hug as gratitude.

Caster returned the hug, both of them enjoying each other’s company. One of the two, however, was having new feelings develop in her heart. So when they separated, the yellow mare had an almost unnoticeable blush on her cheeks.

“So would like to get back to the party?” he asked her, pointing to their friends who were playing a few games.

“I’d like that,” the mare said, walking with him.

And so all the ponies played through the night, having fun and simply spending time with one another. On the dawn of Hearth’s Warming Day everyone exchanged gifts and merriment was shared all around. Fluttershy and Caster, having already given each other something, had simply spent the day enjoying each other’s company with their friends. Unbeknownst to the blacksmith, he had given Fluttershy a gift more special than just a necklace.

===============================================================

The sun shined brightly across Equestria, allowing the flora of the nation to bloom with ease. With winter gone for another year, ponies were enjoying the warmth and air that spring time brought. Some were happy to get back to work, harvesting produce to sell in their towns and beyond. Others were glad to see all the woodland creatures come back out of hibernation making Equestria seem a little more alive again. The nation was alive and well once more and everyone seemed to be making the most of it. One little Pegasus however was having problems of her own.

On the outskirts of Ponyville, at a familiar cottage, Fluttershy was tending to all of her little animal friends. Feeding them and seeing if any had injuries she could take care of. It was nice to see all the critters she cared so deeply for, but her mind was focused more on other things. The Grand Galloping Gala was only a few days away as she and her friends were preparing in their own ways. It was more exciting this year for the Pegasus, due to the fact that Caster forge along with his brother and sister in law were joining them as well. The mere thought of the stallion made Fluttershy start to blush, as she thought of possibly spending time with him. She then took a moment to gaze at the butterfly shaped pendant that hung around her neck, which she wore almost every day.

Whenever she looked at it, she would always be reminded of two things: that this was a gift with more meaning than any she received. And that her feelings for Caster had finally blossomed into true love. It was only after Hearth’s Warming that she realized what she felt was genuine love. Fluttershy had always liked him because of his kind hearted nature. But when she saw how devoted he was to that part of himself, everything changed. The Pegasus mare saw that Caster went through so much trouble just to make others happy. He had gotten Gilda and Rainbow Dash to make amends and gave the former a chance to redeem herself and a job to work for him. Fluttershy also remembered his effort in helping to plan Jack Reels’ and Hotpop’s wedding, mostly by asking her and her friends to assist them.

And looking back on everything, she could see how hard he worked even at his job. Making sure that every guard was given the best armor he could muster up. Just thinking about it all made her love him even more. However, lately she had been having doubts that maybe Caster didn’t completely feel the same way about her. In recent months the two of them had been hanging out with each other less often. Fluttershy had tried visiting him once, but he said he was too busy with work and couldn’t find the time to hang out. The yellow Pegasus thought he was distancing himself from her because of that incident with the mistletoe. Maybe she had messed up and gone a little too far. Looking back at the necklace he made for her from scratch, the idea soon seemed ridiculous to her. Caster would always see her as one of his closest friends and perhaps even more than that one day.

Fluttershy continued to go about her work, feeding the animals and so forth. When she finished she realized that she had run out of pet food. Figuring that she had nothing else planned for today the pink maned pony decided to head down to the market for some shopping. After going inside her house and listing anything else she needed to buy, she grabbed a pair of empty saddle bags and some bits. Fluttershy then went out to Ponyville to fill up on her supplies.

===============================================================

With the surplus of springtime harvesting, Ponyville market was bustling with shoppers. Some, like the Apple family, were selling produce such as apples, carrots, lettuce, and any other edible goods. There were also some stands selling other products like new toys for foals, small accessories, and even quills and other literate supplies. But a certain yellow Pegasus was only interested in a few things at the moment. Fluttershy made her way through the market, looking for her usual pet food stand. But her mind was still wrapped around her feelings about Caster as she kept on walking.

She still missed seeing him around almost every day, these days it was like almost no one saw him anymore. The mare knew that she would see the stallion again when the Grand Galloping Gala came. But part of her wanted to spend time with him now, to be with the one she had come to love so dearly. As her thoughts trailed on, Fluttershy soon found herself in front of the pet supply stand which brought her back to reality. Realizing she had food to buy the Pegasus mare turned her attention to the sales pony, asking for several kinds of animal food. She kindly paid for the supplies and went on to continue her shopping. However along the way she spotted someone she did not expect to see.

Fluttershy quickly ducked behind a stand, lightly blushing as she looked back at the all too familiar Caster Forge. After all this time spent working on his job and whatever else he was doing, he finally seemed to show himself in public again. Peeking from behind the stand, Fluttershy saw him standing around talking with Doctor Whooves about something, but she could not hear them. Caster was also wearing the wool scarf that she had gotten him for Hearth’s Warming. Turning around, the yellow pony took a moment to calm herself. She was blushing madly from seeing the stallion after all this time and her heart rate was almost through the roof. So for some unknown reason Caster had decided to come out of his home, but for what, she did not know. One thing Fluttershy did know, was the fact that he was still wearing the scarf. That alone made her realize that he might’ve still regarded her as his close friend.

All she wanted to do right now was go up to him and enjoy his presence. But the pink haired pony did not know what to say and thought it would be weird if she just stood there and did nothing. Fluttershy kept thinking about different things to talk to him about, but they all went out the window for her, thinking none of them would suit the situation. Eventually she decided to just go out there and confront him. She would work on what to say as time went on. So with a few deep steadying breaths the yellow Pegasus got up from behind the stand and went to go talk to Caster. Unfortunately she had spent longer than she thought at the stand, letting the blacksmith pony head in her direction, as the two bumped into each other. The impact made Fluttershy stumble back as her bags fell to the ground, catching the stallion’s attention.

“Oh my gosh, Fluttershy are you all right?” Caster asked, offering a hoof to help her up.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she said, taking his and then proceeding to pick up her groceries.

“Here allow us to assist you,” the doctor said, he and the light brown Pegasus helping the mare with her belongings.

As they picked up the items scattered on the ground, Caster was stealing glances at Fluttershy every chance he could get. It had been so long since he had seen her that he almost forgot how beautiful she was. The light reflecting brilliantly on her cyan blue eyes and her butter yellow coat was as smooth as ever. Her pink mane flowed on a light breeze as it bounced up and down. And her delicate grace was something to be admired. Fluttershy may not have had the awe inspiring beauty of Rarity, but her looks were magnificent in their own way. Caster was brought out of his trance when he noticed that all her groceries had been picked up.

“Thank you both for your help,” the mare said, her earlier blush calming down.

“It was no trouble at all,” the earth pony stated.

“Indeed, so anyway doctor I hope I answered what you needed well enough,” Caster said.

“You sure did. This info will help me greatly along the road. And I’m glad to have helped you through all of this,” Doctor Whooves said, showing his gratitude.

“It was a pleasure having you on board,” the light brown Pegasus said, giving his friend a hoof shake. “Give my regards to Ditzy and Dinky.”

“I will. Have a good one ol’ chap,” the time pony said, as he went back home.

There a bit of silence, aside from the chatter of ponies nearby, as Caster and Fluttershy were left alone. One of them decided to speak to avoid any more awkwardness.

“So, what were you two talking about?” Fluttershy asked, actually curious about their conversation.

“Oh, uh nothing. Just stuff is all,” Caster responded, immediately trying to change the topic. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been doing well. With all my little friends out of hibernation, I’ve been a little busy trying to handle them all,” the yellow mare said, enjoying the small talk. “Right now I just thought I’d restock on food and other supplies.”

“That’s nice. I was just finishing up some business with the doctor and I’ll probably be heading back home to catch up on some armor that needs improvement,” the stallion said, almost ready to leave soon.

“Oh, I see,” Fluttershy said, sad there conversation would end so abruptly.

Caster seemed to pick up on this, noticing her diminishing smile.

“Hey, is everything okay Flutters?” he asked, worried about her wellbeing.

“Yes, I’m fine. Nothing to worry about,” the Pegasus said, putting on a fake smile.

“Come on you can talk to me, I won’t bite. What’s up?” Caster said, giving her a look of pure sincerity.

“Well, it’s just,” she paused for a moment, looking down at the ground. “I’ve missed you.”

Caster was a little surprised to hear that from her, but wasn’t going to judge her. “I’ve missed you as well. But work has gone up lately, even now that I have Gilda helping me out.”

“I know and I understand that. Yet you also seem to be avoiding all of us. I rarely see you outside anymore, you always say you have work to do, and now you have to go back where you’ll be trapped inside your house again,” she said, her voice cracking slightly.

“I’m really sorry Fluttershy, but my job is a very serious one. As blacksmith to the Royal Army I’m responsible for keeping those stallions and mares protected and well-armed. If I don’t take care of them who will?” the stallion said.

“That may be true. But don’t you care about your friends anymore?” Fluttershy asked, looking up at him with puppy dog eyes.

Just looking at the mare made his heart melt and made him realize she was right. Caster had spent so much time with work, as well as his special project, that he had neglected his friendships with the ponies he cared for most. Even more so he had ignored the very mare who captured his heart and viewed him as her best friend. He felt so low for how he treated her that not even a diamond dog could dig a hole that could match his depth. What the light brown Pegasus had done was unforgivable in his mind and he knew he had to make it up. He saw that Fluttershy went back to looking at the ground and chose to speak up.

“Fluttershy, look at me,” Caster told her, watching as she raised her head. “You’re right, I’m sorry for ignoring all of you, especially you. I’ve been so wrapped up in my work that I almost forgot the one thing that mattered most to me. Besides what kind of friend just puts aside those he cares for over work?”

And there it was, the thing Fluttershy admired most about him: his unwavering compassion that he held for everyone around him. Even after the stallion had immersed so deep into his job he never lost sight of the ponies he loved. She felt like she was on the verge of tears of joy, but chose to hold them back as best she could. So she went for the next best thing and gave Caster a tender hug.

“I’m glad you still remember us,” Fluttershy said, relishing in the contact.

“I could never forget you guys, you’re like a second family to me,” Caster said, returning the hug. “But that still doesn’t make my time away any more right. So to make it up to you how about you and I go on a picnic tomorrow?”

Needless to say the yellow Pegasus was more than ecstatic about the idea. “Really, you mean it Caster?”

“Absolutely, just come by my house at about one o’clock tomorrow. I should probably be able to take some time off by then,” the blacksmith pony said, reassuring her.

“Okay that sounds delightful,” she said, excited for tomorrow.

“Good. Also would you mind making the lunch? I’m afraid with my work I won’t have time to make us one,” Caster said, eager to eat her cooking again.

“Of course, it would be my pleasure,” Fluttery said.

“Then I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a nice day Fluttershy,” he said, as he walked away.

“You too Caster,” Fluttershy said, waving goodbye.

Now that she had something planned for tomorrow, she realized she would need some more supplies. So moving on, the mare gathered up whatever food they needed for their picnic together.

===============================================================

Fluttershy walked down the all too familiar path of the woods as she made her way to Caster’s home deep within. In her mouth she was carrying a picnic basket, filled with assorted foods and beverages. She had a slight skip in her step as she thought of how she and Caster were going to spend some time together for once. Fluttershy blushed a little remembering it was just going to be the two of them, alone. But the mare tried not to focus too much on that part, wanting to just enjoy the moment. Soon she came across the large house in the middle of the forest. It had changed in the least the last time she was here. Though last time she was busy trying to save the stallion she loved. Fluttershy wiped that memory to the side, remembering how awful Caster looked in that previous state.

The yellow Pegasus went to the front door and knocked on it. A few seconds later the door opened to a familiar brown and white griffon.

“Hey Fluttershy, I take it you’re here to see Caster?” Gilda asked, happy to see her friend.

“Hello Gilda, and yes I am,” she said, taking the basket out of her mouth to speak.

“Come on in, we’re just on a special piece of equipment right now,” the griffon said, letting the mare inside.

As she walked in, Fluttershy saw the shelves that were always filled with pieces of Caster’s work. Now they were nearly stuffed to the brim, soon the shelves will be groaning under the weight of Caster's work. There was a chest plate that was completely decked out in terms of design and pattern. A sword was displayed brilliantly on the shelf, the sheen of the golden handle reflecting off the flawless blade. With his time off in the hospital, Caster had been so behind on orders that he had to work double time to catch up. It looks like his efforts have paid off though as he had more than enough to give to the army. Right now however his only focus was going to be spending time with the mare he adored.

While Fluttershy was distracted by the items on the shelf, Caster came in from the forgery room. The yellow Pegasus saw him wearing his normal work ensemble, a black apron and a pair of goggles, and he looked filthy with all the patches of soot on his fur.

“Hello Flutershy, it’s nice to see you again,” Caster said, a silly grin on his face.

“Nice to see you too Cast. So you ready to go?” Fluttershy asked, more than ready to get going.

“Uh not quite yet. We still have this last piece we need to work on, it’s a special request from one of the guards. Don’t worry, if we’re lucky we should be able to finish it in about fifteen minutes or so. Why don’t you wait upstairs, Jack and Hotpop will probably be able to keep you company,” the stallion said, hoping she wouldn’t be upset.

“Sure, I don’t mind. Just don’t take too long, if it’s not too much trouble,” the Pegasus mare said, momentarily reverting back to her shy nature.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” the light brown Pegasus said, adjusting his goggles before heading back to work.

Gilda followed suit as she closed the door behind, letting Fluttershy hear the sound of metal against metal. Nothing else to do, the yellow Pegasus went to the back of the room and climbed the stairs up to the second floor. Like most of his house, the living room hadn’t changed much either. The only difference were the two ponies lounging on one of the couches. Jack Reels and Hotpop were talking to each other, not noticing that Fluttershy had entered the room yet. One thing the mare noticed though was the blue unicorn’s visible pregnant belly. It had only been a few months and she was already glowing. Eventually Fluttershy was spotted which made them speak up.

“Hey there Fluttershy, what are you doing up here?” Hotpop said, beckoning her to come closer.

“Oh nothing, just waiting for Caster to finish working so we can go on our picnic,” she said, placing the basket on the center table and taking a seat on the couch opposite of them.

“Oh yeah, my little brother’s been going nuts over this get together. I haven’t seen him like this since the first time he tried going on a date,” Jack said, remembering their younger years.

“That would’ve been something to see,” Fluttershy said, giggling at the idea.

“Yeah, Caster was always so cheerful back then. Full of hope about finding his dream mare,” the unicorn mare said, rubbing her belly with care. “That was, until he turned eighteen.”

“Right, when he stopped dating all together,” the yellow pony said, looking back at the day he confessed about his misfortunes. “What was it like for him in those days?”

“I can tell you now it wasn’t pleasant,” the orange Pegasus said. “In public he always looked like he was happy, somepony that others looked up to. But in private he was almost always sulking of how alone he was. He thought mares would never like him and his never seemed to have time to spend with him. It was as if he was trapped in a pit with no way out.”

“Oh my, I never knew he had that much trouble in his life,” she said, seeing what his life was like before.

“But that all seemed to change when he became a royal blacksmith,” Hotpop included. “When Caster was being sent here to set up shop all friends came by to wish him off. It was like they were there when he needed them most. Plus when he came down here, he managed to make so many friends so quickly. And most of all, you and your friends were able to get him to continue looking for love again. It’s no wonder he regards you girls as his closest friends.”

Fluttershy didn’t know what to say. Because of her and her friends, they managed to bring Caster back from the depths of despair. It warmed her heart knowing that she helped him more than she thought she did before. She couldn’t even imagine what it must’ve been like in his mind.

“So again, I just wanted to thank you. You’ve really changed my brother for the better,” Jack said.

“I’d do anything for a friend really. Being the element of kindness has that effect on me,” Fluttershy said, causing everyone in the room to laugh.

They didn’t know what to talk about after that. The three ponies just remained silent, enjoying the calm of the moment. The yellow Pegasus, feeling a little bored, decided to check up Caster’s pet squirrel Nina who she could communicate better with.

“Hey um, do you think Caster would mind if I went into his room to see Nina?” the mare asked, timidly.

“Not at all, go right ahead,” the blue unicorn said, snuggling up to her husband.

With that knowledge Fluttershy went towards Caster’s room and opened the door. Like always his room was neat and tidy, almost enough to give Twilight a run for her money. But she wasn’t really focusing on that aspect as she closed the door behind her. The moment she did however, she was tackled by a red ball of fur which she recognized as Nina.

“Hello Nina, It’s been a while,” the pink haired pony said, talking in her normally quiet tone.

The little squirrel in response simply cuddled with the friendly Pegasus that she knew so well. Fluttershy went over to Caster’s bed where she played with Nina using a rubber acorn tied to string, her favorite toy. While she did that the Pegasus kept thinking about everything Hotpop and Jack Reels told her. It was almost hard to believe that even after all that pain and misery Caster still came out of it one piece. She wondered what it must’ve felt like to be that way. Alone, never having someone to be there for you. And what it was like to have your wishes granted in only a few days’ time. That was when Fluttershy noticed Caster’s mind journal resting on the nightstand. The noticeably unlocked journal.

Chapter 8: Suffering and Healing

Aside from the squeaking sounds Nina made, Caster’s bedroom was utterly silent as Fluttershy stared at the mind journal that stood on the nightstand. The fact that it was unlocked came as a surprise to her. It was true that the mare did want to know more about Caster’s personal experience of his lonely past and now was the perfect chance to see. But it also felt wrong, she’d be intruding on his personal thoughts and emotions. Fluttershy was so conflicted by this her mind was starting to run around in circles.

She thought about how he would feel if he knew that she read his personal journal. Caster would probably resent her for that and may never forgive her. A part of her still thought that reading the journal would help in knowing Caster better. If anything it would help the Pegasus mare comfort him, knowing what he has gone through most of his life. No matter what Fluttershy kept going back and forth on reasons for why she should and shouldn’t do this.

“Oh Nina, what should I do?” she asked the squirrel, needing another opinion.

Nina began make a speech of incoherent squeaks, chirps, and other noises that couldn’t be understood by most ponies. Yet Fluttershy knew exactly what she was saying and listened intently. The pony made a few remarks here and there, trying to get a word in. In the end, the red coated squirrel was able to give her the proper words of encouragement she needed.

“You’re right Nina, this is a way to help Caster,” Fluttershy said, looking slightly more cheerful. “With this knowledge I may be able to lift his past suffering. And if possible repair those shattered dreams of his.”

With that knowledge in mind, the yellow Pegasus went over to the nightstand and grabbed the mind journal from the book stand it rested upon. She sat down on the bed and stared at the book in front of her for a moment, still feeling nervous about this. But after taking a quick breath in, Fluttershy grabbed the book and opened it up. With a certain event in mind, she flipped through the first few pages till she found what she was looking for. The pink maned pony began to read the text.

“As I walked down the hallway of Canterlot Castle, I became more nervous with each passing step. After all today was the day that my life would change forever. For today, I am to become the Royal blacksmith.”

===============================================================

Caster Forge walked down the halls of Canterlot Castle, visibly nervous for what was to come. It’s not every day that you are called to take the role of blacksmith for the Royal Army. For him it was truly an honor, not only would he be able to make his artwork on a daily basis, but it would also serve to protect so many ponies in the line of duty. The light brown Pegasus thought that this was where he was truly meant to be. He took a moment to look at his cutie mark, remembering the day when his path for the future was set. If he didn’t know any better, Caster could say that maybe Princess Celestia chose him as the winner of that contest for this exact purpose.

Deciding not to dwell on those thoughts, the stallion kept on walking to his destination. Eventually he came to a stop in front of a large set of wooden double doors. In a flash, the doors were covered in a magic aura as they opened slowly. Caster was then greeted by the throne room that was inside, with two rows of guards leading up to the throne itself. As the Pegasus stallion walked into the room he saw Princess Celestia sitting upon the throne as well as Princess Luna standing beside her. When he got close enough Caster stopped near them and gave a bow to the Princesses before they spoke.

“Glad you could make it Mr. Forge,” Celestia said, gracefully nodding as the stallion stood up.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world your highness,” Caster said, putting up a smile.

“Are you ready to be inducted?” the tall white Alicorn asked.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” the stallion responded.

“Very well then,” she said, pulling up a scroll and unrolling it before she spoke. “Caster Forge, it has come to our attention that your work has excelled that of your class mates. Your skills of armor and weapon forgery are nearly unmatched by your peers. Therefore, after careful consideration between myself, Luna, and my other council members, we have decided to deem you with a position we believe befits you. As of today, I hereby appoint you as blacksmith to the Royal Equestrian Army. Do you accept this position and acknowledge your duties and responsibilities from this day forth?”

“I do, your grace,” Caster said, more than prepared for this moment.

“Then congratulations Caster, I hope to hear and see great things from you in the future,” Princess Celestia said, knowing that we would do well.

“You most certainly will Princess Celestia,” the Pegasus said, assuring her thoughts.

“That is all for now. You may head home and we will notify you for when you may start working,” she said.

“All right then, have a good day your majesty. You as well Princess Luna,” he said, smiling as he turned toward the door.

“To you as well Caster,” Luna said, bidding him farewell.

Nothing more to be present for, Princess Luna excused herself to return to her other duties. Before she left, the dark blue Alicorn turned her attention to the stallion who was leaving and something caught her eye. Just as Caster was about to leave the throne room Luna noticed a saddened expression on his face. He looked as if he was in pain, one that felt familiar to her.

Caster Forge made his way through the halls of the castle, thinking of how his new job would be. Although as he continued his walk his thoughts turned south. The stallion started thinking of how this would affect his personal life. Truly nothing would be the same for him again. Soon he leaned against a wall, not feeling any motivation to keep moving.

“Where do I go from here?” Caster asked himself, frowning from his thoughts.

“You could start by talking to me,” a voice said, echoing slightly through the hallway.

The light brown pony jumped in surprise and turned around to see who it was. To his surprise he saw none other than Princess Luna, who had appeared from a hallway to the side. Not taking any time to wonder why she was here, Caster simply bowed to her in respect.

“Princess Luna, what are you doing here?” he said, raising himself up to look at her directly.

“Please Caster, there is no need for formalities right now. Just call me Luna,” the Princess said, her voice laced with a comforting tone. “As for why I am here, I came to see if you were feeling all right.”

The stallion looked away from her. “Yes, I’m fine Luna. It’s just something a little personal, nothing you need to concern yourself with.”

“From that expression you’re giving I wouldn’t say it’s just ‘a little’ personal,” Luna said. “Remember that it is my self-sworn duty to help the ponies of Equestria, even outside of their dreams.”

“I know, but this is something that I have to figure out for myself,” Caster said, trying not to have her pry too much.

“This does not sound like something you can do by yourself. You need guidance from those around you,” the Alicorn said, ready to hit the nail to convince him. “Besides, don’t forget that I can simply enter your dreams. I can find out what is wrong even if you don’t tell me.”

That seemed to do the trick, as he bit his lip slightly. The Princess of the night always had her way of seeing other ponies’ hopes and fears. No matter what the Pegasus said to her, she would find out eventually. So not wanting to prolong this any further, Caster decided to come clean.

“All right then,” he said, walking past her toward one of the nearby glass windows gazing out of it. “The problem is, that I’m always alone. I’m sure you know the vow I made a few years ago.”

“Yes, I do. But I thought you said you were glad to be single,” Luna said, wondering where this was going.

“I did, back then of course. But now I’m starting to feel that it wasn’t the best choice,” the blacksmith stallion said. “I thought that cutting off my romantic ties would end my chances of being hurt. Yet I only seem to be hurting worse. I’ve thought of going back, but part of me doesn’t want to relive the pain of rejection. And even if I did decide to go back, I’ve met nearly every mare in Canterlot and I’ve never once seemed good for any of them. Or on rare occasion some have only tried to sway me because of my fame for my lucky mark or my position in the school. I feel like no matter what I do, no mare will ever truly love me for who I am.”

Luna could not see his face directly, but she noticed a small tear moving down Caster’s cheek. She saw how melancholic his personality was becoming. The mare went over to him and wrapped a wing around him, trying ease the stallion’s state of mind.

“Do not fret my friend, I am sure there will come a fine mare who sees you for who you are one day,” Luna said, doing her best to comfort him. “And even if you she does not come along, I’m sure your friends will be there for you.”

“That is, if they even have time to be there for me,” Caster said, somewhat relaxing with Luna’s presence.

“What do you mean by that?” the dark blue Alicorn asked.

“This is the other part that I have been dealing with. Yes I am lucky to have made at least a few friends, but lately we seem to have grown apart. We’re still close mind you, it’s just that we never seem to spend time with each other anymore. They’ve all gotten jobs in the past few years and our hang out times are rare and few. And now that I’ve gotten a job here, I’m afraid we may never see each other anymore,” the downhearted Pegasus said, feeling more sad than before. “Can you keep a secret for me Luna?”

“Of course Caster, you can trust me,” the Princess said, reassuring him.

“The truth is, I’m scared of being alone,” he said. “I’m scared that one day everyone I know will leave me in some way. The fact that I may have nopony to comfort me, or keep me company, or just be there at all just terrifies me. Can you imagine what it must feel like, to be in your own little world where nopony is there for you?”

All went silent after that, as Caster waited for the Princess to say something in return. Her response, however, came in the form of her holding him close. Luna knew exactly what he was going through. Before her banishment to the moon, she was always left out of the eyes of society. No one aside from her sister ever tried to talk to her, thinking her role was never important. In the end, the Alicorn Princess lost control and soon found herself in a place worse than she had suffered before. It was a dark time for her, one of grief, misery, and isolation, and she didn’t wish for that life to befall someone else as well.

“Anyway, thank you for listening Luna,” Caster said, moving out of the hug. “It makes me feel a little better getting this stuff off of my chest.”

“You’re welcome Caster, I enjoy helping other ponies’ with their dilemmas,” the dark blue Alicorn said. “And always remember that I’m here if you need somepony to talk to.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, but really as I long as I remain here in Canterlot I don’t anything will change,” the stallion said, walking away and toward home.

Princess Luna watched as he left, wondering if there was anything she could do to help him. Then she remembered the last thing he said and inspiration struck her. So the Princess went off to find her sister, hoping she would help in her plan.

===============================================================

The night sky began to brighten as the sun traveled over the horizon. It was only early in the morning and the sky was already bright enough to illuminate the city of Canterlot below. In a certain bedroom, a stallion was tossing and turning in bed, clearly having a bad dream of some variety. Suddenly the pony woke up, startled from the nightmare he was having. The little bit of light that shined through his window showed that it was Caster Forge, who had a cold sweat that matted his fur.

He had been having the same dream over and over for the past few nights now. The light brown pony would end up in a dark room where all his friends could be seen in the distance. Caster tried to reach them but they always kept getting further away, no matter how much he ran. That was when, it, started to appear. Darkness, pure and simple, a giant veil of dark shadows that would slowly gain on him. That was the gist of the dream: his friends would distance themselves from him while the darkness would move in and eventually devour him. And when it did catch him, Caster would wake up. The blacksmith stallion never saw what lied in there, and he hoped to Celestia he never will.

However, Princess Luna’s words rang through his mind. It was all the stallion needed to find a faint glimmer of hope in that void, as well as in real life. With that in mind, Caster put on a smile, ready to face the day with a new found confidence. He took a moment to look at his room to remember his surroundings. Despite his family being moderately wealthy, he preferred a simple room which consisted of a bed, a nightstand with a lamp on top, a bookshelf, a desk for making his miniature statues, and a small bed for his pet squirrel Nina. Said squirrel woke up once Caster got out of bed. He gave her a quick scratch behind the ears before she hopped onto his shoulder and they both exited the room.

Traveling downstairs Caster and Nina were met by a room full of familiar faces. At the living room table was most of Caster’s family, consisting of Jack Reels and his marefriend, Hotpop. Also there was of course his mother and father, who had set up a lovely looking breakfast as they waited for the light brown Pegasus to join them.

“Morning Cast, what took you so long,” Hotpop asked, taking a bite of some scrambled eggs.

“Morning Hotpop, sorry I kind of slept in,” Caster said, filling his plate with food from the table.

“Again?” Jack said, smirking as he took a sip of orange juice.

“Hey it happens to everypony, even me,” the stallion said, digging into his meal.

“For the fourth time this week?” Caster’s mom asked, teasing him.

“Lay off Mother,” the blacksmith pony said, trying to ignore her truthful statement.

It did little good as the table erupted with laughter from almost everyone there. Though they were laughing at his expense, Caster didn’t seem to mind. Seeing everyone’s smiling faces was enough to ease his mood and lead him away from his previous nightmare. Once it all died down the group of ponies went back to eating their meals, making idle chit-chat here and there. Then the doorbell rang, alerting the ponies just as they were finishing off breakfast. Caster decided to go and see who it was.

Opening the door he saw that it was royal guard, clad in the standard golden armor set. The Pegasus stallion was confused as to why a guard would be here at his this early in the morning. But he was sure that question would be answered soon.

“I presume you are Mr. Caster Forge?” the guard pony asked.

“Indeed I am, what can I do for you sir?” Caster replied.

“I’m here to deliver a message from her highness, Princess Celestia,” he said, bringing out a scroll. “We hope to receive your reply as soon as possible.”

“Okay, well um, have a nice day sir,” the light brown pony said, taking the scroll as he closed the door behind him.

“Who was that, son?” Caster’s father asked.

“It was a royal guard Dad,” Caster said, walking into the living room where everyone else was. “He came to give this message from Princess Celestia.”

“Ooohh, you got a letter from the Princess, that’s so cool,” Hotpop said, excited to hear some news. “Quick open it up.”

“All right then,” the blacksmith pony said, unraveling the scroll and reading it aloud.

‘Dear Caster Forge, I have sent you this message to let you that there has been a slight change in plans about your duties. It has come to my knowledge that there is no room in the castle for you to set up your work station. In the past, we had our armor come from a shop within the city, but it closed down a few decades ago, which is why we’ve had the same armor all this time. I’ve run checks on the city but there doesn’t seem to be any available property left. And so after careful consideration, I have decided to make arrangements for you to move and set up work in Ponyville. I’m terribly sorry if this might inconvenience you in any way, but there is simply no other alternative. I hope you will be able to accept these conditions and continue to work for us.

Sincerely,

Princess Celestia

As those last words left Caster’s mouth, no one in the room knew what to say. The only thing that the Pegasus stallion could think about, was whether or not this was the new direction he was looking for.

===============================================================

The sun shone brightly over the city of Canterlot, making it shine in its rich glory. Although for one family, shining was not word to describe how they felt right now. Outside of the Forge home was a set of royal Pegasus guards waiting by a large cart filled with newly bought furniture and other nick-knacks. Coming out of the house in front of them was Caster Forge, wearing a set of saddle bags, along with the rest of his family.

“Are you sure you have everything you need Cast?” his father asked, making sure he was all set.

“Yes Dad, I believe so,” Caster said, running the list of items through his mind.

“Well, be sure to take care of yourself son,” Caster’s mother said, trying her best not to cry.

“Hey come on mom, I’m not going that far away,” he said, doing his best to comfort her. “I’ll be sure to visit when I can.”

It had been two days since Caster had gotten the message to move to Ponyville. Since then his family had a bit of a hard time dealing with this new turn of events. His father knew that he was a strong and self-reliant pony and could take care of himself. Besides he knew that he was going to have to move out eventually. Caster’s mother, however, did not fare any better seeing her youngest son having to live on his own. The light brown Pegasus had usually clung to her in the past, but now it was like she was no longer needed to take care of him anymore. Jack Reels and Hotpop, surprisingly had no problems with him moving out. In fact they were kind of proud of him, becoming a blacksmith for an army and to move on to get a new start. The two of them knew what he was going through lately and thought this would be a nice change of pace for him.

During that time they all went ahead and got Caster some new furniture for his new home. He assured them that he would pay them back one day, but they told him it would not be necessary. They told the stallion it would be their parting gift. Speaking of which Caster also remembered the other ‘parting gift’ he got from Princess Celestia. Which of course was the mind journal resting in his saddle bags. He had asked her why she would give him something like this, to which she replied that it would be to look on the old days. For the day will come when things will become better and he can see all the ways it came to be this way. Caster’s attention was brought back to the present as he looked back at his family.

“I hope everything goes well for you Cast,” Hotpop said, offering up a smile.

“Same here, this’ll be a whole new experience for you,” Jack said, doing the same as his marefriend.

“You’ve got that right. Who knows, maybe I’ll make some new friends down there,” the blacksmith pony said.

“Let’s certainly hope so,” the orange Pegasus said.

“I uh, guess I should be going now,” the light brown pony said. “So I’ll see you all when I-”

Caster was then tackled to the ground by a mysterious pony. When he looked up he realized the pony wasn’t so mysterious at all.

“Alesha, what are you doing here?” he asked, confused by her presence.

“We came to see you off of course, silly,” Alesha said, grinning widely.

“We?” the stallion pondered.

“I believe she’s referring to us,” a voice said, from behind the unicorn mare.

Caster looked behind her to see it was his other two friends, Bard and Ratchet wrench.

“Wouldn’t have been right if you left without us seeing you off would it?” Ratchet said, helping the Pegasus back up.

“How’d you all know I was leaving though?” the blacksmith pony asked.

“Your brother was the one that let us know,” Bard said. “But I’m surprised as to why you didn’t let know in the first place.”

“Well I kind of didn’t think you would be able to make it,” Caster said, somewhat ashamed of his excuse. “We rarely ever see each other anymore that I didn’t think you’d come.”

“Actually, that’s the reason we did show up,” the white unicorn said. “We all soon realized how little we’re together these days. And when the news about your departure came to us, we knew that this was the last straw.”

“Yeah, we’re really sorry about ignoring you and each other for so long. And we promise we’ll make it up to you,” the dark orange unicorn said.

“We’ll try to make some time to hang out again,” the blue earth pony said. “It may take a while for it to work out, but we can find a way.”

Caster didn’t know what to say, seeing how things were changing so suddenly. First, he became a blacksmith for the Royal Army, he was told that he had to move to start work, and now after all this time his friends were finally starting to see how much their friendship was dwindling. It was all just so much to handle that at this point there was one thing the stallion could think of doing. Caster went up to all three of his friends and wrapped them in a big group hug. They returned the hug as well and stayed like that for a while. Then the blacksmith pony felt more ponies surrounding him and saw that it was his family, happy to see how well his life was improving. The Pegasus guards standing by the cart said nothing as they let the group enjoy their moment.

As soon as they all finished their group hug, they all watched as Caster went over to his cart and strapped himself in. He checked with the guards to make sure they were all ready to help transport the cart. The light brown Pegasus gave all his friends and family one last wave and farewell to each of them. When it was all said and done he took off into the air, with his cart, with the help of the guards. They kept moving forward until they could no longer be seen by the group of ponies below.

===============================================================

As Fluttershy kept sweeping her eyes through the mind journal, she grew more and more disheartened. It was almost heartbreaking to see how much Caster had suffered through in the past. It was actually amazing that he got through all of this in one piece. She had begun to grow a new found respect for the stallion, even when times get tough he just bared with it and hoped something would come his way. It was another reason she had come to love him for.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Fluttershy heard voices coming from the living room. The mare listened closer and recognized one of the voices as Caster’s. Realizing she was about to get caught, she quickly closed the journal, put it back on the book stand, went back to the bed, and picked the toy she was using to play with Nina earlier. At that moment, the familiar stallion walked through the door, looking tired and worn out.

“Phew, that was a tough day’s work if I do say so myself,” Caster said, stretching his legs to relieve some tension.

“Hope you didn’t tire yourself out too much,” Fluttershy said, letting out a small giggle.

“Nah, it was all right. Just a bit laboring was all,” he said.

“I see, so are ready to go now?” the mare asked, hoping she could’ve read more of the book.

“Actually I still have one more thing to do,” the blacksmith pony said. “I’m a little bit filthy from all that work so I’ll need to take a quick shower. You don’t mind do you?”

“Not at all, I can wait a little longer,” Fluttershy said, knowing what to do to pass the time.

“Cool, it won’t take long. About fifteen minutes at most,” Caster said, moving toward the bathroom.

“See you then,” the yellow Pegasus said, watching the stallion close the bathroom door behind him.

As soon as the coast was clear Fluttershy grabbed the mind journal and tried to find where she left off. While searching through the pages she wondered what it was going to be like, readin about his first day in Ponyville. Even more so how he felt when Caster first met her. The only way to know was by looking through the book, as she made it to her original spot.

===============================================================

Caster and the guards kept flying for a while, soon reaching their destination. They landed on a road a few ways away from Ponyville. Once they had come to a complete stop the guards unhooked themselves from the sides of the cart and walked in front of the stallion in the front.

“Thank you all for helping me get here, I doubt I could’ve done it myself,” Caster said, holding out a hoof to shake.

“It was no trouble at all Mr. Forge,” one guard said, returning the hoof shake. “I hope to see some improvement in our armory very soon.”

“Seriously, I feel like this armor’s starting to get rusted,” another guard said, speaking freely.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be sure you guys have the best quality armor in the foreseeable future,” the blacksmith stallion said, giving them an assuring smile.

“Well then, until that time,” the first guard said, saluting along with the other guards. “We wish you good luck.”

“You all as well,” Caster said, saluting back.

With their duty over the guards flew into the sky, heading back towards Canterlot. The light brown pony watched as the guards left, wondering if they would like his work. Either way the first order of business was actually setting up his place to work. Realizing that, he turned his attention toward the town not too far from him.

“Well Nina, shall we begin?” he asked.

The squirrel responded from her little pet house in the cart, confirming his question. Not wanting to wait any longer, Caster began his walk to Ponyville. That was also when he noticed a swarm of butterflies flying over him, following the same direction he went.

===============================================================

Caster Forge walked into town, watching as some of the other ponies took notice of him. He felt a little uneasy as they looked upon him. He still wondered what this town was like, whether the ponies would be somewhat nicer than other he knew before. To the stallion’s relief he saw that most of them had a cheery mood about them. Some would wave from nearby, which Caster kindly waved back in turn. Others would give him a friendly ‘hello’ or ‘nice to meet you’. All in all it gave the town a pleasant feel to it, making the light brown Pegasus relax more. He felt that this was where he needed to be, to start out fresh.

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt something strike and fell to the ground. The stallion rubbed his head to relieve the small pain growing in it. Caster then noticed what he bumped into, a small pink mare. He went over to help her up.

“I’m so sorry about I wasn’t looking where I was going,” he said, helping the mare onto her hooves. “Are you all right?”

“Absolutely tootly lootly,” the pink pony said, bouncing up and down, flashing a wide grin.

“Um okay then, I’ll just be on my-”

“Wait a minute, you’re new here aren’t you?” she said, noticing the stallion’s cart full of stuff.

“Yes, I am,” Caster responded, not knowing where this was going.

“Oh my gosh, that’s so exciting!” the hyperactive mare said, jumping around Caster in circles and talking insanely fast. “And if you’re new here you probably must not have any friends, which means you’re really lonely. I can be your friend if you want and I can introduce you to all of my other friends which is helpful since I’m friends with everypony in town. I can even throw a welcome to Ponyville party cause that always helps cheer anypony up. My name’s Pinkie Pie by the way what’s yours?”

The blacksmith pony had a hard time comprehending what Pinkie Pie was saying, but still managed to hear a few pieces. So he decided to at least answer her question.

“My name is Caster Forge,” he said, politely. “I’m here because I’ve been sent by her majesty, Princess Celestia, to work for her in new services.”

“Wowie zowie, that’s even more exciting!” Pinkie Pie said, more ecstatic than before. “You just have to let me throw you a party now. It can be a welcome to Ponyville and congratulations on your new job party.”

“As fun as that sounds, I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline,” Caster said, letting her down gently. “I have to start working on my new home and it’s best to get it done sooner rather than later. But still, thank you for offering.”

“Aww come on, please? A party is always a good way to make some new friends,” she said, trying to encourage him. “Besides the way I see it you look like you could really use a friend.”

“I’m sorry Pinkie, but I must get my job done soon,” the stallion said, saddened by his own decision.

“Please, just try it. I promise you it will be super-duper fun. Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, pleeeeeaaaassseeee will you come?” Pinkie asked, looking at him with the saddest puppy dog eyes she could muster.

Caster watched as the mare made one of the saddest faces he had ever seen. But it was not enough to make him abandon his duties. The light brown Pegasus was about to let her down and move on, when he remembered something important. The reason his friends never had time to spend with him and each other was because they were so focused on their own work. And now here he was, doing the same thing to a mare who only wanted to make friends with him. Caster felt ashamed, letting himself go down the path of duty over friendship. This time, however, was going to be different.

“Okay, I guess I can make some time,” he said, before suddenly being nearly crushed to death in a big hug.

“Ooohh thank you, thank, you, thank you! I promise this will be the best party you’ve ever had,” the overjoyed pony said, releasing him from her grip.

“Good to know,” Caster said, trying to catch his breath. “So when will this party be held?”

“It’ll be at eleven o’clock at Sugarcube Corner, the place is right over there,” Pinkie Pie said, pointing to the large gingerbread building.

“All right then, so I’ll see you there then,” the stallion said, flashing a smile.

“Okie dokie lokie, bye bye Caster,” she said, bouncing away.

While the pink mare went off to who knows where, Caster thought about what lay ahead for him. This upcoming party may just be the thing he needed to get himself back into good spirits once more. And so the blacksmith pony went off to where his new home would be built, thinking of all the fun he was going to have soon.

===============================================================

Caster walked through the forest outside of Ponyville, reading the map he was given as he went. He was still having a bit of difficulty pulling the cart behind him but he got used to it. Following the directions on the map, the light brown Pegasus eventually saw a beam of sunlight glowing in his direction. Making his way toward it he was rewarded by the sight of a large open area in the middle of the forest. Looking at the map one last time, Caster confirmed that was the spot where he was supposed to build his home and forge. For a moment he took this chance to enjoy the scenery around him. It was all so calming and peaceful, the perfect place for him to work in peace. The sound of birds chirping created a beautiful melody that surrounded the area.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Caster parked his cart and began to set up a work table. He laid out a set of blueprints that went into great detail about his new home. Since the supplies will arrive tomorrow afternoon, the stallion figured he could at least set up the foundation measurements. He brought out a roll of measuring tape and some small stakes and set to work. While Caster measured the distance between the walls, he thought he would sing a little melody to himself. It was one that his mother used to sing for him when he was still a foal.

It was always relaxing to him and gave him a sense of joy in life. Seeing as no one else was around, the stallion wasn’t afraid of singing it out loud. As Caster sang and worked a few critters came out of the forest, hearing his deep singing voice. The day went on normally for the blacksmith as he kept working on the measurements and everything else. He back over to the work desk to check on the blueprints, when he heard something snap in the distance. Caster turned around to see what it was.

"Hello, hello, is there somepony there? ... Must have been my imagination," he said, as he turned back toward his blueprints.

Looking at the piece of blue paper in front of him, the light brown Pegasus thought of his new home. It would a place he could actually call his, especially since he would build it himself. Though at one point he realized he would have this place all to himself, no one else would be there with him. But Caster quickly snapped out of that train of thought, knowing he could invite some new friends over in the future. Then he heard a loud ringing sound coming from nearby and saw that it was the alarm clock on the table, its hands showing it was already eleven am.

"Oh no, I'm late!! I hope they haven't started the party without me!" Caster said, dropping what he was doing.

The stallion went over to his cart to grab Nina, not wanting to leave her alone, and then took off into the sky. For a moment he could’ve sworn he heard somebody else nearby, but was too preoccupied trying to get to the party on time. He kept flying until he saw the small bridge that led into Ponyville. Also there was Pinkie Pie, heading across the bridge at a fast pace. Wanting to see what was up, Caster descended to the ground in front of her.

“Hey Pinkie Pie, what’re you doing here? I thought you’d be at the party,” he said, wondering what she was doing.

“Don’t worry about it, I just need to go get my friend Fluttershy,” the pink mare said. “I was so busy planning your party that I forgot to invite her.”

“I see, all right then you go do that and I’ll head to the party,” the stallion said.

“Awesome, we’ll see you there soon, later,” she said, running past him

As Pinkie went off to this ‘Fluttershy’s’ house, Caster resumed what he was doing before and continued toward Sugarcube Corner. When he made it to his destination, the Pegasus took a moment to prepare himself for what was to come. It had been a while since he had been to an actual party like this and wondered how he should act. Then he realized that parties weren’t places to be someone you’re not. Caster just needed to relax and be himself if he wanted to make some honest friends. He took a quick breath to ready himself and opened the doors to what lay beyond.

Looking around, the stallion saw many unfamiliar ponies talking and hanging out with one another. He also saw the decorations that surrounded the interior of the building, such as streamers, balloons, confetti, and enough sweets to make your teeth ache. Nina, now sitting on his shoulder, looked excited by all the festivities that took place in here. While the two of them were distracted by the scenery, two mares walked up to them and introduced themselves.

“Hello there, you must be the one that Pinkie’s told us about. My name is Bon-Bon and this is my friend Lyra,” the cream colored mare said, extending a hoof toward him.

“Caster Forge, nice to meet you both,” Caster said, shaking her hoof with a smile.

“So Cast, what did you come here to Ponyville for anyway?” Lyra asked, wanting to make conversation.

“Well actually, Princess Celestia sent me here to start work as her royal blacksmith,” he informed her.

“That’s awesome, I can’t remember ever hearing about the army having its own blacksmith before,” the blue mare said.

“So, who’s your little friend there?” Bon-Bon asked, pointing to the red squirrel on his shoulder.

“Oh this here is Nina, she’s my pet squirrel,” the stallion said, petting her on the head.

“Aww, she’s so cute. Can I pet her?” she asked.

“Sure thing, she doesn’t bite,” Caster said.

Bon-Bon went over and gave Nina a scratch behind the ears, which she seemed to enjoy. The squirrel then climbed onto the mare and sat on her own shoulder. She didn’t seem to mind as she cuddled the critter.

“I guess she likes you,” the light brown Pegasus said, amused by the scene.

“Looks like it. You don’t mind if I play with her do you?” the cream colored pony asked.

“Not at all,” he said.

With his approval, Bon-Bon went ahead and started playing some little games with Nina. Then the stallion suddenly heard a voice ring out through the room. He turned to see white furred mare with a wild blue mane and a set of purple sunglasses. She was standing behind a DJ system and looked like she was about ready to play some music.

“Okay I hope everypony’s having a great time here at Sugarcube Corner! And I couldn’t help but notice that our guest of honor has already arrived,” Vinyl Scratch said, causing everyone to see the aforementioned stallion. “So to celebrate, I say we kick this party up a notch and get down on the dance floor. As requested by Pinkie Pie herself, Caster Forge, this beat is for you.”

At that moment, the white unicorn mare began playing one of latest hits on her DJ system. The tunes echoed through the loud speakers as several ponies started dancing. One of the ponies, however, was trying to get the guest of honor to join in.

“Come on Caster, you should to dance a little. It’ll be fun,” Lyra said, egging him on.

“No thanks, I’m not really that good at dancing in public,” Caster said, trying to avoid this situation.

“Oh don’t be such a stick in the mud. Live a little for once,” she said, giving him a push onto the dance floor.

As soon as he got to the dance floor, the stallion felt the time slow down. It was not often that he danced in public and feared he might make a fool of himself. But seeing how everyone else was enjoying themselves, the light brown Pegasus thought it would be okay, just this once, to cut loose a little. So Caster took a deep breath to steady himself which allowed the world to speed up again in his mind. With nothing left to fear, he immediately started dancing as best he could. Although his dancing got more attention than he thought it would as he noticed the other ponies observing him. They all appeared to be cheering him on and really liked his moves.

While Caster continued to dance, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of calmness and relaxation. Not from the dancing of course, but from seeing the approval of everyone around him. None of them were mocking him and they seemed to have taken a liking to him as a new friend. And the stallion didn’t have to do anything special other than being himself. Right then and there, he felt that this was where he was meant to be. With ponies that did not criticize others for how they acted. No reason to hold back, Caster went ahead and upped his dancing, moving to the beat of the music. The crowd around him cheered in amazement, seeing how well he was doing.

When it all settled down, the Pegasus stallion was rewarded with the sound of applause. He was never happier than he was right now to hear how much they liked his moves. Even more so that they like him. As he tried to catch his breath from all that exertion, the blacksmith saw four mares and a small dragon approaching him with smiles on their faces.

“Hey there, I have to say those were some pretty sweet moves back there,” the rainbow maned pony said, giving him a friendly punch on the shoulder.

“Thanks, I don’t usually get myself too into it, but I have my moments I guess,” Caster said, lightly rubbing his shoulder.

“Nice to meet you Caster Forge, Pinkie has told us quite a few things about you,” a white unicorn said.

“Nice to meet you as well. I see you ladies are friends with Pinkie Pie?” he asked.

“Well considerin’ it’s her, Ah reckon everypony around here is her friend,” a pony with a southern accent said.

“Sure seems like it,” the light brown pony said, lightly chuckling. “Do you mind if we find someplace to sit down? I’m a bit worn out from all that dancing.”

“Of course. I think I saw an open table over there,” a purple unicorn said, pointing to a table in the back of the room.

For the next couple of minutes, Caster spent his time talking with his new friends. Mostly they just kept telling jokes here and there, but occasionally they talked about their lives in general. After a while, the stallion saw Pinkie Pie heading toward their table.

“Hey Pinkie Pie, where’ve ya’ll been at?” the orange mare asked.

“I was just grabbing Fluttershy so she wouldn’t miss the party. Speaking of which, where did she go?” she said, looking back into the crowd.

The group of ponies watched where the pink mare was looking to see where their friend was. Then, out of nowhere, Fluttershy popped out of the crowd meeting Caster’s gaze before falling out of his sight. It was only for a second but the blacksmith pony saw the most beautiful teal eyes possible.

"There you are silly willy, what took you so long?" Pinkie said, while the pony in the back was wondering who this friend of hers was. "Fluttershy, I'd like you to meet our new friend, Caster Forge."

Wanting to sake his curiosity, Caster stuck his head over the table to see this mystery mare. When he did however there was only one thing he could think of: cute. That was thing he could use to describe Fluttershy, she was cuter than most other mares he had seen before. Snapping at of his stupor, he realized that she was trying to say something to him

"O-oh, u-um, h-h-hello there," Fluttershy said, trying to stand up.

"Hello to you too, why don't you have a seat, it's definitely more comfortable than the floor," Caster said, doing his best not to sound mean or anything.

The stallion was a bit surprised when the yellow Pegasus took the seat next to him, but didn’t mind at all. The group conversation continued on from there, as the light brown Pegasus got to know his new friends better. There were a few awkward moments every now and then but it all went well. Caster even got the chance to tell them about his life, career, and even his lucky mark. Soon, however, the day gave way to night and everyone had to adjourn for the night.

But Caster remembered that since his house was not built yet, he had no place to sleep tonight. So he decided to ask his friends if he could stay with one of them for the night. But sadly none of them had the time or space to take him in right now. That was when Twilight suggested that he stay over at Fluttershy’s place, since she has more room. Caster Forge blushed slightly, for reasons unknown to him, thinking of staying with her for the night. Flutershy was hesitant at first but she agreed none the less. And as the party came to an end, all guests began to leave and the blacksmith stallion went with the yellow Pegasus mare to her home.

===============================================================

As the two ponies walked to cottage at the end of the Everfree forest, Caster thought of the mare that stood next to him. He was practically a complete stranger in Fluttershy’s eyes and yet she still took him in for the night. Not many mares, or even ponies in general, were known to be this kind in Canterlot. This pink maned pony was different from the rest though and showed more kindness than the stallion thought possible, even for his pet squirrel. Caster was about to thank her for generosity when he saw her looking at him for a moment before quickly turning away. Curious, he asked her to see what was wrong.

“Fluttershy, is everything all right?" Caster asked, in a slightly worried tone.

"Huh, oh yes everything's fine, why do you ask?" Fluttershy said, trying to reassure him.

"Well I’m only asking because you keep looking at me like there's something on my face, is there?" the Pegasus said.

"Oh, it's nothing don't worry about it," she said, looking on ahead.

Not wanting to pry any further, Caster decided to just move on and forget about it. After getting his supplies from his soon to be built home, the two of them made their way back onto the path to Fluttershy’s home. Once there, he parked his cart by the side of cottage and went to the door. Before they went in, Caster told Fluttershy that he was going to take Nina on a quick fly around before coming in. She said that was fine and that she would make a quick dinner for all of them. With that, the stallion took off into the air, taking the red squirrel with him. Like Nina, the light brown Pegasus enjoyed his occasional flights. It let him feel free and gave him time the think of what was currently on his mind. Which at this point was Fluttershy.

“So, Fluttershy, she seems pretty nice don’t you think Nina?” Caster asked, as he kept flying.

The small creature replied with little squeaks.

“I agree, she’s not most other ponies back home,” he said.

Nina made some more gestures and squeaks.

“Yeah, she really is something isn’t she?” the stallion said, giving a dreamy look.

The squirrel gave a know it all grin, making a quick squeak.

“Hey it’s not like that at all,” Caster said, blushing profusely. “I’m just happy to meet somepony like her is all.”

Nina simply started laughing while she held onto him, careful not to fall off.

The pony said nothing as he continued flying, hoping this talk would be put behind them soon. As the sun began to set over the horizon, he went back to the cottage hoping Fluttershy would be done with dinner by now. Caster landed outside of the home and opened the front door. He felt more at ease as entered the living room and was able to relax a little. The blacksmith pony saw the yellow mare in the kitchen preparing dinner and decided to comment on her home. Fluttershy thanked him for the compliment and ushered him into the dining room where she called in Angel.

Caster took a moment to introduce the little rabbit to Nina, where the two of them quickly started chasing each other. After a while of that, the Pegasus mare broke them up when she told them all dinner was ready. The two ponies enjoyed their meal of daisy sandwiches and lemon tea, while their pets munched on either carrots or acorns. They made some idle chit-chat here and there, but they mostly remained quiet. Once their meal ended, Fluttershy gathered up the dishes and took them to the sink before showing Caster and Nina to their room for the night.

"Here you go, I know it isn’t much but, I hope you like it," the shy mare said, opening the door to the guest room.

"Well it's not like my room at home, but it's all right none the less. Thank you very much for letting me stay here tonight Fluttershy," the stallion said, glad that he got to stay with such a kind mare.

"It's my pleasure," she said, smiling sweetly at him.

Caster didn’t know what to say. The mare had gave so much to him and he did almost nothing to repay the favor. He noticed Fluttershy was about to leave before he could think of something to say. Not know what else to say he simply went to her and gave the yellow Pegasus a warm hug.

"This is just my way of saying thanks," Caster said, thinking this would be enough for now.

Fluttershy gently returned the hug and they stood like that for a while. Feeling a familiar heat rise in his cheeks, the light brown Pegasus withdrew from the hug and tucked himself and Nina into bed before the mare could see his blush.

"Well good night you two, sleep tight," she said, closing the door.

“Good night to you as well Fluttershy,” he said, as Nina snuggled a little closer to him.

When the door closed all the way, Caster rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. Not only was his face blushing wildly, but he felt his heart beating a bit faster. The stallion had an idea of what this might be, but hoped that it wasn’t.

“Please don’t let this be another crush,” he said, solemnly.

===============================================================

When Fluttershy finished another section of the mind journal, she felt herself starting to blush as well. That last part showed her Caster may have possibly had feelings for her at the time, but she couldn’t be certain. The yellow Pegasus wanted to do one last check in the journal, particularly a most recent entry. That was when she noticed a little bookmark in between the pages. Figuring that would be just what she wanted to see, Fluttershy opened the book to the bookmarked page. However, what she saw was a bit different than what she expected. The text on this page looked different from that of previous pages. The pink maned pony could only assume that Caster wrote this part himself. Curiosity getting the better of her, she went ahead and read it.

‘Finally, after all this time I’ve completed my objective. It’s taken me a lot of work and effort but it will all be worth it. I’ll finally be able to pay my friends back for all the kindness they’ve shown me since I’ve been here. But more importantly, I can show Fluttershy just how much I feel about her. After all, I’m going to make sure that this will be their best…no. This will be their perfect night ever.’

This took Fluttershy completely by surprise. What could he have meant by their perfect night ever? She didn’t have time to dwell on the matter though, as she heard the shower in the bathroom turn off. The mare quickly closed up the book again and put it back where it was, deciding to save those thoughts for later. A few minutes later Caster came out of the bathroom, his mane still slightly wet.

“All righty, I believe I’m ready to go now. You all set Fluttershy?” the stallion asked.

“Yes, I’m ready,” she said, happy to finally go on their picnic.

“Great, just let me get one last thing before we leave,” Caster said, heading toward the closet.

Opening it up, he took out the green wool scarf that Fluttershy made for him.

“You really like that scarf don’t you?” the yellow Pegasus said, gigging.

“Indeed I do,” he said, tying it around his neck.

With neither one of them wanting to wait any longer, the two ponies exited the room and grabbed the picnic basket that was left in the living room. Jack and Hotpop bid them farewell and to have fun before Fluttershy and Caster left the house, heading for the destination.

===============================================================

Outside of Ponyville, on a grassy field, Caster and Fluttershy had set up their picnic for just the two of them. They had laid out a large red and white checkered blanket and spread out a large lunch. Which consisted of sandwiches, cheese and crackers, assorted fruits and vegetables, some fruit juice, and many other foods. The two of them enjoyed being in each other’s company, eating and talking like friends should. However, most of time, Fluttershy was lost in her thoughts, thinking of what Caster’s note meant in his mind journal meant. Perhaps this was the reason Fluttershy rarely saw him after Hearth’s Warming Eve. She also thought of what he had planned for her and her friends.

It was all a little much for the mare to handle. So she decided to just ask him directly about what it all meant. He might be mad for a little while, but the yellow Pegasus had to know. Before Fluttershy could say anything however, the stallion spoke up.

“Hey Fluttershy, can I ask you something?” Caster said, looking at her nervously/

“Um, sure what is it?” she asked, surprised by him speaking first.

“Well, you know the Grand Galloping Gala is next week,” he said.

“Mhmm, I’m sure we’ll all have fun together,” Fluttershy said, already thinking of how it would be this year.

“Yes, I’m sure it will,” the blacksmith pony said, starting to blush. “So, I was wondering, if it’s not too much trouble. Would you mind, going with me to the Gala?”

The yellow Pegasus was a bit confused by his question. “But, aren’t we all already going to the Gala together?”

“I know, but that wasn’t what I meant,” he said, more nervous than before. “What I meant was, would you like to be my date to the Gala?”

It was then and there that Fluttershy nearly froze up. It was almost impossible for her to believe, that any stallion would want to go on a date with. And yet Caster Forge, her closest friend, was asking permission to take her on one, and to the Grand Galloping Gala no less. All of it almost seemed impossible for pink maned pony to believe. But deep in her heart and mind, she knew it was true. When her brain finally started working again, she did her best to form a reply.

“Y-yes Caster, I w-would love to go on a date with you,” Fluttershy said, doing her best to smile.

When he got her answer, the stallion was overjoyed. “That’s great! I promise you won’t regret, it will truly be a night to remember,” he said, giving the mare a light nuzzle.

She returned the nuzzle and scooted next to him. The two ponies spent the rest of their time sitting next to each other, enjoying the other’s presence. It was all so perfect right now that Fluttershy didn’t want to take the chance of ruining the moment. So she decided to keep her confession a secret a little while longer. When the time was really right, she would tell him. For now, all she wanted to think about was spending time with her ‘date’ at the Gala.

Chapter 9: The Perfect Night Ever

It was amazing to see how quickly a few days can pass over your head. But when important upcoming events are right around the corner, you tend to tune out the days in between. This could truly be said for Fluttershy, who was getting ready for the Grand Galloping Gala tonight. Normally this would the same event as every year, where she and her friends would got to the Gala and hang out all night. But for the yellow Pegasus, this time was going to be different. For this year, her closest friend, Caster Forge, had asked her to go with him as his date. It was something she never would’ve expected him, or really any stallion in general, to ask her. Fluttershy was surprised at first but she agreed to it none the less. After all, it will be a great way to spend time with the pony she had come to love. She was starting to blush just thinking about it.

Remembering that she still needed to prepare for the Gala, the mare went back to getting dressed and applying what little make up she used. While Fluttershy did that, she also thought of certain events that had happened in the last few days. Applejack had apparently been asked to act as a personal chef for the Wonderbolts at the Gala tonight. The farm mare, along with everybody else, were surprised by the news but they were proud for Applejack to be able to serve the greatest Pegasus’ in Equestria. In other Wonderbolts related news, Rainbow Dash had been personally invited to their VIP table. Needless to say, the cyan Pegasus has been talking about it nonstop for the past few days.

While Fluttershy was of course happy for her friends, she couldn’t help but feel a little suspicious. A few days ago, the pink haired pony had read Caster’s personal mind journal for the sake of getting to know him better. She did of course but she also stumbled across something else as well. In a recent handwritten note, Fluttershy read mentions of something that the stallion had been planning for a while. It was something that he called, 'The Perfect Night Ever'. She knew that it probably wasn’t awful, the mare has known him too long to think he would do something like that. Yet she was still curious as to what he was up to and if these recent had something to do with him. But Fluttershy brushed it off for now, wanting only to focus on what was soon to come.

Finishing up on her thoughts, the yellow Pegasus looked back at herself in the dresser mirror in her bedroom. She had to admit that even she could look good when she wanted to be. Fluttershy wore her usual Grand Galloping Gala outfit, which always made her seem like the essence of spring itself. Along with that she put a touch of pink blush on her cheeks that was faint but easy to notice. Her eyelashes were slightly curled to give her eyes a nice flutter. And lastly, the mare wore a shade of light blue mascara on her eyelids. Normally Fluttershy was a bit nervous about wearing make-up of any kind, but over the years Rarity had convinced her to try just a little touching up. And yellow pony could not argue with the results. It was always only a little make up, but it worked just fine for her.

After taking a few minutes to check her appearance, Fluttershy heard a knock at the front door. Knowing who it most likely was, she giddily went out of her room and down the stairs to greet her visitor. When the Pegasus mare opened the door she was met with the sight of her date, Caster Forge. Much like herself, the stallion was groomed and well dressed for their night out, wearing a suit that Rarity had specially made for him. It was a very interesting design to say the least, being English in manner with a modern twist. Rarity started off with a basic cotton black coat and gave it an emerald trim. Beneath the jacket laid a beige tweed with an emerald green tie. A simple long sleeved silk white shirt covered the inner layer of the suit, providing comfort and mobility. And to top it all off, the fashionista added a pair of cufflinks that resembled Caster’s cutie mark. All in all the suit looked very dapper on him. His remained the same style as always, it being the most comfortable for him.

Eventually, Fluttershy was brought out of her staring when she realized that neither of them had said a word for a while. So she decided to speak up.

“Hello Caster, nice to see you,” the mare said, still a bit nervous.

“Good evening Fluttershy, it’s good to see you too,” Caster said, giving a confident smile. “I must say you certainly look ravishing tonight.”

“Oh well thank you,” she said, feeling her cheeks get warm. “You look quite handsome yourself.”

“Thanks, I really thought this suit would be nice,” the stallion said, brushing a bit of lint off his shoulder. “So you ready to get going?”

“Indeed,” Fluttershy said, closing the door behind her and locking it.

As they were ready to head out, Caster held out a hoof for her to take hold of. She gladly accepted it and the two of walked merrily into town, hoof in hoof.

===============================================================

The setting sun created a beautiful orange glow over Ponyville, giving it a calming and warm ambiance. Calming and warm was also a way to describe how Caster and Fluttershy felt as they walked into town. The two ponies were making their way over to the Carousel Boutique, where they and their friends had planned to meet up. Both the mare and the stallion felt comfortable being in each other’s presence. Yet they were also nervous being close to the one they loved. Neither of them has yet been able to express how they truly felt about the other yet. But perhaps this night at the Gala would be just what they needed to give their hearts a little push.

They eventually came across Carousel Boutique where they immediately went inside to find all of their friends, dressed up and talking amongst each other. Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack were all wearing their usual Gala outfits as well. Jack Reels and Hotpop were there as well, wearing a tuxedo with a black bowtie and a dark blue V-neck dress, which defined the unicorn’s pregnant belly very well. Spike wore his tuxedo, composed of a black coat, a white dress shirt, and his bowtie was replaced with the one covered in gems that Rarity gave him years ago. One thing that Fluttershy noticed was that Caramel, Applejack’s farmhoof, was also in attendance, wearing a suit almost similar to Spike’s. Caster also saw this and went over to the stallion.

“Hey Caramel, good to see,” the light brown pony said, grabbing his attention.

“Yo Cast, nice to see you too,” Caramel said, sharing a quick hoof bump with his friend.

“So what are you doing here, were you invited to the Gala as well?” he asked.

“Well sorta. Applejack said that she needed help serving food to the Wonderbolts. So she asked me to be her assistant chef for tonight,” the earth pony said.

“That’s great, now you get to spend time with your special somepony,” Caster said, snickering.

“Hey come on man, you know I still haven’t told her yet. I’m still waiting for the right opportunity,” Caramel said, starting to blush.

“Relax buddy, I’m just teasing you. You do what you have to do, I won’t interfere,” the blacksmith said, thinking of his plan already in motion.

“So what about you? Have you told Fluttershy yet how you feel?” the farmhoof asked, reflecting the subject.

“Soon Caramel, very soon,” the Pegasus said, looking back at Fluttershy who was talking with her friends.

The two stallions kept talking for a while before they were approached by a certain purple scaled dragon. Spike had showed up wanting to chit chat with his friends. He had certainly grown taller than before as well as his wings, which allowed him to start training with Rainbow Dash.

“Hey Spike, what’s up?” Caster said, smiling at his dragon friend.

“Not much, just getting ready to spend tonight with the greatest mare I know,” Spike said, in a lightly deeper, charming voice.

“Oh yeah that’s right, I heard that Rarity accepted your offer of going with you to the Gala,” Caramel said, proud of his friend. “Good for you Spike, Ms. Rarity deserves somepony special tonight unlike that horrible Blueblood you mentioned.”

“If I ever see him, he’ll get his just desserts,” the dragon said, growling at remembering him.

“Don’t worry Spike, I’m sure he’ll get what he deserves one day,” the light brown stallion said, trying to calm him down. “I’m pretty sure he has already, twice.”

The three of them laughed remembering how the prince got covered in icing. Also when Caster had stood up to him when he participated in that completion when they were foals. It made them forget about him and move on to other topics. As the conversations for everyone continued on, the day started to grow later and they all realized it was time to get moving.

“All right everypony, if you’ll all step outside I’ve got an apple and a spell ready to take us to the Gala,” Twilight said, holding up an apple.

“Actually Twilight that will not be necessary,” Caster said, causing everyone to turn toward him.

“What are you talking about Caster, how else are we supposed to get to the Gala?” Fluttershy inquired, walking up to him.

Moving his sleeve, the stallion looked at his wrist watch. “Our transportation should be here, right, about.”

There was a soft knock at the door and Caster went to see who it was. Opening it he saw a unicorn stallion with white fur, a black mane and a thin mustache, green eyes, and a crimson red vest with yellow buttons.

“Mr. Caster Forge I presume?” the unicorn asked, in a Prench accent.

“Indeed I am,” he answered, politely.

“Your carriage awaits you and your friend’s ,Sir,” the white pony said, moving aside to let everyone out.

Caster and his associates went outside only to be stunned, Caster excluded, by the sight before them. Right in front of the boutique was a large white carriage, with gold trimming covering it. It had a few circular windows on the sides and an oval shaped one in the back. In front of the carriage stood four Royal Pegasus Guards, strapped to their ride. Without a doubt, Caster's friends were all surprised.

“Whoa! Where in the hay did this come from?” Rainbow Dash asked, amazed beyond words.

“You can thank me for that Dash,” Caster said, turning all eyes to him.

“You did this!?” Rarity said, almost unable to believe what they all heard.

“Indubitably,” the stallion said, smiling. “It cost me quite a few bits but I say it was worth it.”

“You didn’t have to do this for us Cast,” Jack said, to his brother. “Twilight was going to give us all a ride anyway.”

“I know and that’s kind of the reason why I did this,” Caster said. “I knew that Twilight could only make carriages out of apples and I didn’t think it was going to be big enough with some new additions like me, you, and Hotpop. Plus, this is the first time the three of us have ever been to the Gala and with so many friends no less. So I wanted to make this night as special as possible for us and all of our friends.”

Everyone there was surprised to hear him say that. But even so they all appreciated everything he went through for all of them. So with that, Jack and Hotpop went up to the blacksmith and gave him a heartwarming hug.

“What did I do to deserve a generous brother like you?” the orange Pegasus said, smiling warmly.

“I’m glad I got into this family, I got one of the best brother’s ever now,” Hotpop said, holding the stallion very tight.

“It was nothing really. With Gilda’s help at the forge, I’ve been able to make quite a pretty penny lately,” Caster said, trying to be modest.

“Well ah must admit, it sure was a penny well spent,” Applejack said, tipping her dress hat. “So what say we all see how much that penny was worth and get this party movin’?”

Everyone agreed with Applejack as they all headed to the carriage. The siblings disengaged from their hug and followed after. The white unicorn stallion stood by the carriage and opened it with a green aura, letting them step up into their ride. The inside of the carriage was just as magnificent as it was outside. Cushion seats surrounded the walls, colored a dark shade of plum just like the floor. The ceiling and the upper walls were painted midnight blue and looked like it had stars covering them. Small golden pillars lined the corners of the room.

“Wowie zowie, this is amazing!” Pinkie said, bouncing on her seat.

“Thanks Pinkie, it’s good to know my bits were well spent,” the light brown Pegasus said, taking his seat next to Fluttershy.

As all of their friends took their respective seats, the unicorn stallion closed the door behind them and took his seat at the front of the carriage. Taking the reins into his hooves, he signaled the guards to start moving. When the ponies felt the carriage start to move they grew more excited about getting to the Gala. Some of them returned to earlier conversations while others began new ones. For Caster and Fluttershy, they simply enjoyed each other’s company, occasionally pitching in a few conversations. And so continued on like this for the rest of their trip, as they moved onward to the Grand Galloping Gala.

===============================================================

The full moon shined brightly in the night sky covered in many twinkling stars. All of these provided an excellent source of illumination upon the city of Canterlot. It made it clearer for several carriages making their way through the streets to the Castle for the Grand Galloping Gala. Like always it was the premiere event of the year as evidenced by all the Ponies attending, the Wonderbolts flying, and the huge firework display. Some chose to, of course, take a carriage to the Gala, others decided to walk to their destination. But either way, almost everyone had one place to be tonight.

One carriage in particular, colored white with golden trimming and carried by Royal Guards, made a brisk pace toward the castle. Upon arrival, it had caught the attention of a few passerby’s. Slowing to a halt, the chauffer stepped down from his seat on the carriage and moved to the door. Opening it up, the unicorn allowed the first pony to step out, which was none other than Caster Forge. As he stepped out a few mares noticed him and recognized who he was. They felt a tad flirty and wished to greet him. But as the stallion stepped to the side, he held his hoof out and a small yellow one took hold of his.

The mares saw a yellow Pegasus mare, Fluttershy, stepped out and gave him a thanks. They put two and two together and upon their realization they began to grow jealous. As Fluttershy exited the carriage she grew a tad nervous. This was her first time on a real date and she was out in public letting everyone know about it. The yellow mare saw a few ponies looking at them and her anxiety welled up inside of her. Especially when she saw the other mares giving her a somewhat stern look. Caster noticed this and spoke.

“It’s all right Fluttershy, there’s no need to be nervous,” he said, comforting her. “Lots of other ponies here have dates just like us. We’re just like them and they have no reason to judge us.”

It took a few moments to calm herself down, but eventually Fluttershy managed to even herself out. She took a quick deep breath in and out and turned to her date.

“You’re right Caster, there’s nothing to be ashamed about,” the Pegasus mare said. “It’s just two good friends spending time together, that’s all.”

“Exactly, I’m glad you’re able to relax now,” Caster said, giving a sigh of relief.

“It’s all thanks to you,” Fluttershy said, giving him a tender hug which he of course returned.

“I say, you’ve become a real gentlecolt since last we met old boy,” a stallion said, in a Canterlot accent.

Caster, along with all his other friends, who had stepped out of the carriage, all turned to see who had spoken up. They were surprised to see it was Fancy Pants himself. He was wearing usual suit and sporting his trademark monocle. Accompanying him was his wife Fleur De Lis, wearing a beautiful silver colored, silk dress. It wasn’t surprising to see him of all ponies show up at the Gala. But it was surprising when Fancy Pants went up to them and shook Caster’s hoof.

“It’s been too long Fancy,” the blacksmith pony said, returning the hoof shake.

“You know Fancy Pants?” Fluttershy asked.

“Indeed I do. He came to our shop one day asking for a necklace for Fleur here. Our parents accepted of course and after they finished, Fancy Pants started visiting us. Truth be told I was a little skeptical at first, always thinking ponies from Canterlot were a bunch of snobs. Uh, no offence Fancy,” Caster said, not wanting to be rude toward his friend.

“None taken Caster. I must agree with you though, some of the elite are a bit intolerable. Always taking their social status too far,” Fancy said, scoffing at the thought.

“Agreed. Anyway once we got to know him better we treated him almost like he was part of the family. Fancy and Fleur have always been there for us when we were going through some downward spirals. They've been great idols and even better friends ever since,” the light brown Pegasus stated.

“You flatter us Caster. When you get the chance could you say thank you to your mother for this necklace she made for me?” Fleur said, pointing to the necklace she was wearing. “Amethyst Emberglow is one the best jewelers I’ve ever known. It’s no surprise why your father, Copper Gold, would go for a mare like her.”

“Yeah, those two were made for each other,” Jack said, chiming into the conversation.

“Yes well I’ll remember to do that when I can,” Caster said.

“Very good. Now what say we all move on to the Gala,” Fancy Pants said, slightly chuckling.

“Right, don’t want to keep my friends, nor my date, waiting any longer,” the stallion said, sharing the chuckle.

With that in mind, Caster went over to Fluttershy and offered his hoof to her again. She graciously accepted and the two of them went to the entrance of the castle hoof in hoof, their friends and associates following. They all showed their invitations to the guards standing by the gate and the armored ponies gladly let them in. After navigating their way through the halls, Caster and his friends soon came across the Canterlot Castle Ballroom.

Like always it was one of the most elegant rooms the castle had to offer. The checkered tile floor shined in the light of the chandelier above, making the whole ballroom sparkle. A large red carpet traveled across the room showing exits and entrances. Tables were spotted here and there, covered with table cloth and adorned with fine china. The painted windows gave an artistic atmosphere to all who gazed upon them. At the back of the room was a stage where Octavia and her band had set up and was playing soft classical music. And of course several ponies were scattered across the room. Some taking part in idle conversations, while others chose to move across the dance floor with a partner. It was truly something worth talking about every year.

“Now this is what I call a Gala,” Caster said, admiring the scenery.

“I agree,” Fluttershy said, timidly.

“You guys go ahead and have fun, I’ve got plans with the Wonderbolts!” Rainbow Dash said, squealing like a little filly as she bolted to the VIP section.

“We’ll catch up with ya’ll later. Me and Caramel have some hungry customers to feed,” Applejack said, she and the aforementioned stallion pushing a large food cart with them.

“Well until then I say we try to enjoy ourselves for now,” Spike said, turning to Rarity and extending a claw. “May I have this dance milady?”

“You certainly may Spikey-Wikey,” Rarity said, accepting his offer as he led them both to the dance floor.

“That sounds like a marvelous idea,” Fancy Pants said, as he and Fleur took to the dance floor as well.

Jack Reels and Hotpop went along also, leaving Caster, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight Sparkle to watch them. It was enjoyable to see their friends having such a good time. However, Caster noticed that Pinkie was looking a little down and decided to speak up.

“Pinkie, is everything okay?” he asked, out of concern.

“Huh, yeah I’m all right,” the pink mare said, putting on a sad smile. “It’s just that, whenever I try to throw a big party here nopony seems to want a part in it. I just wish for once somepony would try to have a little fun at this kind of event.”

“Ah reckon that ah could help ya’ll with that,” a southern voice said, from behind.

The four ponies looked behind to see who it was. Shocking it was Applejack’s cousin Braeburn, wearing a white tuxedo with a black bowtie. He had foregone his cowboy hat and simply had his mane properly styled for this event.

“Braeburn, what are you doing here?” Pinkie said, starting to blush.

“Funny story really. A couple o’ days ago ah was workin’ in the fields when ah was approached by a mail mare. She gave an envelope which had a letter inside and an invitation to the Gala. Apparently ah had done so much work both in Appaloosa and for provided food to Equestria that ah was invited as a thank you fer all mah hard work. Never thought I’d ever come to these things really,” Braeburn said, flashing a big smile.

“Well it’s nice to see you again Braeburn. I’m glad you were able to make it,” Twilight said, happy to hear about his achievement.

“Thank ya kindly Ms. Twilight,” Braeburn said, turning his attention back to Pinkie Pie. “Now as ah was sayin’ earlier ah can help ya’ll with your situation. What say you and ah share a dance and show these what it means to party?”

It took the party pony only a few seconds to process what he had said. In a flash she had grabbed ahold of him and nearly dragged him to the dance floor. The mare wore a smile so big they were afraid her face would get stuck like that.

“Looks like everypony else has decided to have a dance. Might as well join in,” Caster said, looking toward Fluttershy. “Shall we?”

“Of course,” Fluttershy said, as she and her date made their way to where most of their friends had gone to.

Twilight watched in delight as two of her friends went off to spend time together. Yet she couldn’t help but feel a little lonely. All of her friends had somewhere to be but she had no clue what to do to pass the time. She would’ve gone to talk with Princess Celestia but remembered she was busy greeting all of her guests. Twilight kept thinking about what to do that she didn’t even notice somepony walking up to her. When she finally did notice, the lavender unicorn’s mouth dropped and her face lightly blushed. It was Princess Luna, wearing a beautiful blue and black Gala dress.

“Hello Twilight, it is nice to see you again,” the princess said.

“I-it’s nice to see you too your highness,” Twilight said giving a respectful bow. “What are you doing here?”

“Well my sister was able to convince me to try and attend more social events. So I decided to start by being at the Grand Galloping Gala this year. At first I tried socializing with a few of the nobles but most of them were just so boring, only talking about business and such. That was when I saw you. You seemed to be by yourself, I thought you would’ve been with your friends,” Luna said, wondering what was up.

“I did come here with my friends but they all went off to do their own things. I was going to talk to Princess Celestia, but I’m pretty sure she’s probably greeting guests right now,” she said, looking a little down.

Princess Luna was a bit surprised to hear. Twilight was probably not aware of what Princess Celestia had plans for tonight, said plans made Luna blush a tad. Removing her blush and wanting to cheer her friend up, the dark blue Alicorn chose to change the subject.

“You know you can talk to me if you want,” the Princess of the Night said, making the unicorn’s ears perk up.

“Really, you mean it? I mean I don’t know if you’d be interested, I was mostly planning to talk about my studies in friendship,” Twilight said.

“It’ll certainly be better than what all those other ponies are talking about. Besides I’ve always wanted to hear about you and your friend’s adventures,” Luna said, intrigued by her stories.

Not wanting to waste this opportunity, Twilight began talking with the Princess about all she had over the years. They soon started walking away from the dance floor, wanting to find a place to talk in peace. Meanwhile, back at the dance floor, Caster and Fluttershy were about ready to dance. They had gotten into the usual dance position like everyone else around them.

“So I’m guessing you’ll need me to lead again right-” Fluttershy was cut off when a hoof touched her muzzle.

“No. This time, I’ll be the one to lead,” Caster said, as he guided himself and her across the floor with the other couples.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tEj6gXA_eA

On the stage, Octavia and her band had begun playing some classical ballroom music. It was very upbeat and gave nice rhythm to the whole dance floor. Caster displayed this first hand as he danced surprisingly well with his partner. They both kept staring into each other’s eyes, never once averting their gaze. The stallion’s dancing was superb, getting every movement right and succeeding in not stepping on Fluttershy’s hooves. Curious at this turn of events, the mare decided to speak up.

“My Caster you’ve certainly gotten better at ballroom dancing. When did you learn to do this?” she asked.

“I’ve been taking lessons, it’s one of the reasons why I’ve been so preoccupied lately,” Caster said, as he gave her a little spin. “It wouldn’t have been much of a dance if one of didn’t know how to after all.”

“Well I must say it was time well spent,” Fluttershy said, admiring his newly found dancing skills.

“Thank you Fluttershy, that means a lot,” the light brown Pegasus said, upping the routine slightly.

As they danced across the floor, the two of them couldn’t help but look at their other friends doing the same. Pinkie Pie and Braeburn were laughing as they danced, who knew Pinkie could do so well in this manner. Fancy Pants and Fleur De Lis showed that even at a somewhat old age, they showed that they still got it. Jack Reels and Hotpop were simple, no fancy moves but rather being closer than everyone else, signifying how much they enjoyed being together. Spike and Rarity were something to behold, the former being the ultimate gentledrake and using moves that would almost put Caster’s to shame.

Finally, as a sudden addition, most of the ponies saw something they never expected. Entering the ballroom was Princess Celestia, wearing a bright orange and white dress, being escorted by none other than Discord. He was wearing a black jacket, a red undershirt, and a white bowtie. The God of Chaos did not have any look of mischief about him, rather one of pleasantry as he held onto Celestia’s hoof in his claw. Once they reached the dance floor they immediately started dancing along with the other couples. It was a bit surprising to see those two of all creatures sharing a dance together, but no one there was willing to judge.

And so the music continued on until reaching a final crescendo. Caster and Fluttershy picked up the pace a little, knowing the song was about to end soon. As the final notes played out the stallion gave the yellow mare a quick spin before ending in a dip. The ponies all around them applauded Caster and Fluttershy’s dancing, as well as the other dancers. That was when something completely unexpected happened. Back on the stage the curtains behind the band revealed a certain DJ mare with wild blue hair, white fur, and dark sunglasses, operating a large DJ system.

“Hello Grand Galloping Gala!” Vinyl Scratch shouted, earning everyone’s attention. “I have to admit those were some sweet moves out there everypony, you were awesome. Now while I myself do enjoy my girl Octavia’s tunes, a party will always need some rocking vibes. So I say we turn things up a notch and really get this party started!”

At that point the white unicorn mare began one of her latest hits. The music vibrated throughout the ballroom. Not surprising to most of the ponies there, Pinkie and Braeburn immediately started boogying to this new song. Some of the more noble class were about to say something about what they thought to be nonsense. But that was when they saw Fancy and Fleur dancing along with the music. Seeing as how one of the most influential ponies in Canterlot was going along with it, they thought they should as well.

In no time at all everyone was moving to this new groove that was playing. Even Celestia and Discord were have a blast as the latter used his magic to create some stage lights for effect. Caster and Fluttershy had an exceptionally good time as well, dancing any way they saw fit. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the moment, all except for one stallion. This pony, who had blonde hair and blue eyes, was displeased by this sudden change of tune and wanted to try and put a stop to it. As he made his way through the crowd, he soon came across the dance floor where he saw several ponies dancing to this ‘hideous’ music he thought.

One pair of dancers soon caught his attention, particularly the stallion of the pair. To him, this light brown Pegasus looked somewhat familiar to him. However he could not seem to put his hoof on where he had seen him. That is until the blonde maned stallion noticed the all too recognizable lucky mark adorning the Pegasus’ flank. Upon realization, the pony gritted his teeth and his blue eyes grew with a fierce fire inside them. He wanted to confront Caster once and for all but decided to bide his time, not wanting to make too big a scene. For soon he would have his revenge for what the blacksmith had done to him all those years ago.

===============================================================

As the night wore on, so did the events at the Grand Galloping Gala. Many of the ponies had gotten used to the music that Vinyl Scratch had brought about. Surprisingly, it had really turned the Gala around as a lot of the nobles found this new beat very enthusiastic. Seeing as this was her chance to liven things up a bit more, Pinkie Pie brought out some party games from seemingly out of nowhere. They all went along with it and found the games to their liking. Eventually Caster and Fluttershy, along with their friends, got a little tired and decided to find where Rainbow Dash was in the VIP section.

Pinkie, Braeburn, Jack, Hotpop, Spike and Rarity all went with them to group up with the rest of their friends. They made their way to the VIP section where two guards stood at the ready. Caster was wondering how they were going to get in when Rainbow Dash appeared in front of them.

“It’s okay you guys, they’re with me,” the cyan Pegasus said, letting the guards move out of the way to let them in.

“Thanks fer that Rainbow, I don’t know how we else would’ve gotten in,” Braeburn said.

“Oh hey Brae, when did you show up?” Rainbow asked, surprised to see her friend’s cousin.

“Ah’ll talk about it later, right now we need to get some food. Ah’m hungrier than a buffalo durin’ an apple shortage,” the tan colored stallion said, his stomach barely growling.

With that, Rainbow Dash led her weary friends to the Wonderbolts's private table. Upon arrival, they saw Applejack and Caramel working at their food cart serving food to the Wonderbolts at great speed. Some of the Wonderbolts they noticed like Spitfire, Fleetfoot, and of course Soarin’. Also there was Twilight Sparkle along with Princess Luna, talking about sorts of topics, most of them being about the friendship reports.

Sitting down next to their dates, as Pinkie referred Braeburn as at this point, Caster and Fluttershy along with their friends ordered some dinner from Applejack’s stand. Proceeds from the sales of dinners would be used for Apple Farm renovations. And so it went on like this throughout the night.

Twilight and Luna went on about their personal lives and such. Spike and Rarity conversed about many dress designs and projects that were coming up. Pinkie and Braeburn kept on telling one joke after another, laughing all throughout dinner. Applejack and Caramel, while preparing and serving food, made idle chit-chat about their individual work on the farm. Rainbow Dash and Soarin’ talked about all the times they’ve ran into each other and the many flying tricks they’ve learned over the years. And finally Caster and Fluttershy simply talked about their normal lives, like working at the forge or tending to the animals.

“Hey Applejack, one apple pie please,” Soarin’ said, tossing a few bits into a small chest full of them.

“No problem partner, comin right up,” the orange mare, reaching for a premade pie.

“Make that two please,” Caster said, tossing in the same amount of bits

“You got it,” Applejack said, grabbing a second pie and serving one to both of the stallions.

“I guess you love pie about as much as I do,” the light blue Pegasus said.

“That all depends, are you up for a challenge?” the blacksmith pony said, shooting a grin at him.

“What’d you have in mind?” Soarin’ asked, already eager.

“First one to finish their apple pie wins,” Caster said.

“Oh you are so on,” the Pegasus stallion, getting ready.

They both stood at the ready, waiting for someone to start it off. Rainbow Dash took it upon herself to act as the referee for this little contest. The tension was rising in anticipation before the signal was given.

“Ready, set, GO!!” Rainbow said, watching as the two stallions went for their meals.

Everyone at the table started cheering, wanting to see who would come out of it victorious. It was sort of an oxymoron, seeing Caster wearing such a fancy suit and yet he dug into his pie like there was no tomorrow. Though that didn’t seem to matter to him as the stallion focused solely on winning what he had started. Soarin’ was in the same state of mind, eating his apple pie in a rather sloppy manner. As a Wonderbolt he should’ve been fast everything, including pie eating.

Even as they devoured the large desserts, the two of them still managed to enjoy the flavor. Especially Soarin’, apple pie being his favorite treat. Before anyone knew it the contest had already ended, with Caster being the winner.

“Woo hoo!” Caster said, after swallowing the pie still in his mouth. “That was awesome.”

“I have to admit, it was pretty impressive,” Soarin’ said, giving credit to his friend.

“Indeed. You may be fast in the sky but you’re slow in pie. No offence of course,” the light brown Pegasus said.

“It’s all right, you can’t beat everypony after all,” the dark blue maned pony said, laughing.

They all soon joined in the joke, as well as congratulating Caster on his win. Although the moment seemed perfect, it was about to be brought down. This was due to a familiar stallion speaking up.

“I almost find it hard to believe that somepony like you could attend a prestigious event such as this, Caster,” an annoying, snobby Canterlot voice said.

Everyone at the table looked in front of them to see it was. To their utter displeasure it was Prince Blueblood. He wore his normal, regal attire which complimented with his white fur. His blonde mane was groomed to perfection, though it had a few out of place hairs. And his blue eyes seemed to burn with a fearsome look. Needless to say, no one there was pleased to see him.

“You! What do you think you’re doing here?” Spike said, visibly angry at the pony he hated most. “You’ve got some nerve showing your pompous face around here!”

“I agree,” Rarity said, joining the dragon. “I don’t care what apologies you’ve come up with, I’ll never forgive you for your inexcusable treatment you ruffian!”

Blueblood walked up to them and Spike got in his way, keeping him away from Rarity. But to their surprise, the unicorn simply walked right past them, almost ignoring their presence.

“I have no time to waste with you, you overgrown lizard. My business lies with this pony,” Blueblood said, pointing a hoof directly at Caster.

“Hello Blueblood, it’s been a long time hasn’t it?” the blacksmith said, calmly while Fluttershy shook with fear behind him.

“16 years in fact. 16 years of my potential that you stole from me!” He spat out, seething with rage.

“Are you still hung up about losing that contest?” the Pegasus Stallion said, sighing in annoyance. “Look Blueblood it was a fair completion of both style and effort and there’s nothing you or I could do about it. It was a long time ago and you need to get over-”

“YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU DID TO ME DO YOU!!?” Prince Blueblood shouted, earning the attention of everyone in the VIP section. “My dreams were crushed because of you!”

“Blueblood calm down, you’re overreacting over something that happened years ago,” Princess Luna said, trying to calm her nephew.

“You stay out of this auntie. This is between me and him,” he said, sneering at the dark blue Alicorn.

“What are you talking about, I’ve done nothing to you,” Caster said, confused by this whole ordeal.

“I thought you wouldn’t know, always thinking you’re better than me after all. Well I shall tell you,” the white unicorn said. “My aunt Celestia wanted me to get into her art school by actually proving myself rather than using my position to get myself in. So I practiced for many years just to prove that I was meant to her school. However that all came crashing down when you beat me in that contest and Celestia forbade me from attending her prestigious school of the gifted arts.”

Caster simply sat there, along with his friends, listening to the Prince ramble on.

“After losing my chances of getting in, I had tried enrolling in other art institutions all over Equestria. But no matter where I went, nopony would ever accept me. None ever even gave me a reason as to why they wouldn’t, but in my heart I always knew. It was because of you Caster! You made a fool out of me that day by showing me up with that pathetic sculpture you made. They must’ve thought that if a Prince’s art could be beaten by something like that, then I would have no place in their institutions. My reputation was ruined forever because of you!” Blueblood said, finishing his past misfortunes.

Caster rolled his eyes, seeing how the Prince had become so blind. “So then what do you want Blueblood? What happened in the past cannot be changed at this point. What could you possibly want from me?”

“What I want is my honor and respect back. And there is only one way I see to get that. Caster Forge, I challenge you to hoofticuffs!” the unicorn said, pulling out a handkerchief from his coat pocket with his magic and slapping Caster across the face with it.

They all gasped at what they had just heard. No one would’ve thought that a Prince like him would ever resort to violence.

“Please Blueblood, this isn’t necessary,” Luna said, trying to be the voice of reason.

“It is for me Aunt Luna,” Blueblood said, not backing down.

“You leave my friend alone you bully!” Fluttershy said, moving in front of Caster trying to protect him.

“Get out of my way filly. I have no interest in fighting mares and I’d hate to ruin that pretty face of yours,” he said, acting as smug as ever.

“I don’t care what happens to me, I won’t let you hurt my dearest friend,” the yellow mare said, unwavering.

“You’re dearest friend? Ha! What could he ever see in a filthy commoner like yourself,” the Prince said.

That insult pushed Caster over the edge. Insults against himself that he could handle. But those directed against his friends, especially the pony he loved, the stallion would not stand for.

“Fluttershy. Stand aside,” Caster said, so determined that nothing would sway his mind.

“B-b-but Caster, he’ll hurt you,” Fluttershy said, trying to talk him out of this.

“Don’t worry Fluttershy, I’ll be fine,” the blacksmith pony said, reassuring her.

“So you’re ready for what’s coming to you?” Blueblood said, grinning with bad intentions.

“I’m not doing this to satisfy your selfish desires Blueblood. I’m doing this to show how wrong you are,” Caster said, with an intense tone.

Prince Blueblood was confused by what he meant, but he didn’t care at the moment. All that mattered was that he would get what he rightfully deserved. The light brown Pegasus removed his coat and proceeded to walk and past the unicorn. Soon the two stallions stood in front of the other in an open space in the VIP section where everyone saw them. One looked ready to brawl while the other kept calm and collected.

“What are you waiting for, fight me now!” the unicorn stallion said, already impatient.

“Before we get started I have something to give to you, ‘your highness’. A free shot,” the Pegasus stallion said.

“What?” Blueblood asked, perplexed.

“What!?” Caster’s friends asked, astonished.

“I realize that you’ve lost out on a lot because of me apparently. So I see it only fair to give you one strike against me,” Caster said, honestly. “I will not do anything to defend myself. But after this shot, I won’t hold back in the least.

“Y-you’re lying, what are you up to?” the white unicorn asked, more confused by the second.

“This is to teach you a lesson Blueblood. In fact, why don’t you channel all your rage into your hoof? Every bad thought you’ve had of me, every curse you uttered at my name, every memory of me, and then direct it all here,” the blacksmith pony said, pointing at his left cheek.

Blueblood and everyone else there did not know what to make of this. What lesson could Caster possibly teach by allowing himself to be punched in the face? However the Prince did not seem to care too much as he didn’t want to pass up this opportunity. He raised his hoof and simply stared at the stallion in front of him. The Pegasus just stood there, uncaring of what was to come. Like he was trying to mock him. It angered Blueblood so much that every thought he had of Caster came crawling back. With nothing left to lose, all of his anger built up until he saw his hoof rocketing forward.

They all expected Caster to move out of the way, that he just made his statement up. Yet he did not, he was a stallion of his word. In an instant, Blueblood’s hoof came in contact with the light brown Pegasus’ cheek. Caster made no effort to resist its force and he was sent nearly flying across the floor. He ended up landing on a vacant table, about ten feet away, which promptly broke in half upon impact. Right at that moment, Fluttershy immediately bolted to his side to see if he was all right.

“Caster, are you okay!? Please say something!” Fluttershy said, already starting to cry.

She looked upon him and saw the damage that had been done. Caster’s cheek had already started to swell up. His eye had been seriously bruised but enough to be deemed a full on black eye. And his bottom lip was slightly cut causing it to bleed along with his nose. The stallion was groaning in considerable pain from what he had suffered.

“Did anypony get the number on that cart?” Caster spoke, in a daze.

“Are you all right?” the yellow mare asked, concerned for his well-being.

“Uhh, yes I am okay Fluttershy. No need to worry,” the Pegasus said, patting her gently on the head and faintly smiling.

Caster picked up a napkin from the demolished table and wiped the blood from his muzzle. He took another one and tore a piece off to act as a nose plug. The stallion then tried getting up, though he was a bit wobbly at first. He soon managed to stand up, with Fluttershy’s help. Walking forward he came back to face not only a perplexed Blueblood, but many astonished friends and bystanders as well.

“So Blueblood, now are satisfied with your accomplishment?” Caster asked, waiting for a response.

“How am I supposed to feel satisfied, that was just a free shot. Our fight has yet to begun,” Blueblood said, getting ready for what was to come.

“You still don’t get it do you?”

“What in the name of Celestia are you going on about?”

“Don’t you see, even after punching me you still feel no joy inside? Nothing to even speak of and do you know why?” the blacksmith said.

“Please, do tell,” the Prince said, sarcastically.

“It’s because you’re not angry at me. You’re only angry at yourself,” Caster said, in a matter of fact.

“What?”

“All of these years, you’ve held onto a loss that happened over a decade ago. You’ve put your reputation up so high that you brought upon your misfortunes by yourself. You didn’t need to go someplace fancy to prove your talent at art and because of that you locked your talent away due to shame and in pursuit of revenge,” the light brown Pegasus stated.

“That’s only because you prevented me from attending those schools in the first place!” Blueblood said, trying to defend his case. “I could never bring my beautiful artwork to light because you overshadowed me!”

“That is not true Blueblood, they never let you in because of your ideals on art,” Celestia said, surprising everyone.

“Aunt Celestia, what are you talking about?” that white unicorn questioned.

“At the contest you stated that art is only something that takes years to achieve. Your selfish views made you fail to realize that art can take on any form and that anypony can do, regardless of how long they’ve been doing it for,” the white Alicorn stated. “When the other institutions heard of your ideals they said would never accept somepony who thinks art is only for the select few and uses it for their own self-centered purposes.

“But I-” Blueblood tried to speak.

“They are right you know. I may be the Lord of Chaos but even I have principles,” Discord said, standing next to Celestia.

“You see Blueblood, your misery is your own fault and nopony else’s. That is why your punch was hollow and meaningless,” Caster said, putting another thorn into the Prince’s side. “If you still feel the need to release your aggression though, then continue to fight. But as I warned you before I will not hold back this time. So what’s it going to be Prince?”

Blueblood did not know what to say. It was all so confusing for him. Almost all of his life the unicorn had believed that Caster had been responsible for ruining his chances of showing his art to the world. Now that all of this information had been brought to light, he was conflicted between his anger and rationality. For now he thought it would be best to just get out of here before he was made an even bigger fool.

“I will not dignify that with a response. You’ve gotten what you deserved and that shall be more than satisfactory for now. Enjoy your pathetic party,” Blueblood said, storming off with his nose held to the air.

“Geez, if he ever learns a lesson it’ll be a miracle,” Caster said, retrieving his coat and straightening his suit.

“My goodness Caster are you all right?” Rarity asked.

“I’m okay Rarity, just a little scraped is all,” he said, feeling the bruise on his cheek. “I have to say though, for such a whiner he certainly knows how to throw a punch.

“Yes well we’re all just glad that you’re okay,” Fluttershy said, giving him a soft hug.

“Indeed. I think I might need some fresh air though, I’m still a little woozy,” the stallion said, lightly swaying side to side.

“I’ll go with you,” the yellow Pegasus said, wanting to make sure he would be okay.

Their friends tried to rekindle whatever conversations they left, trying to forget what had just happened. They also watched as the two Pegasus’ went off to the Royal garden just outside the ballroom.

===============================================================

Caster and Fluttershy walked through the gardens, not talking but rather enjoying the scenery around them. The gardens were always beautiful, filled with the most wondrous flora imaginable from the trees to the small flowers and plants. Also around them were the creatures that inhabited the garden. But as Fluttershy expected they all hid away at the sight of the two of them. Ignoring it for now, the ponies continued their walk before Caster spoke up.

“I’m sorry you had to see that back there. I never thought I’d run into him again,” the stallion said, hoping she wasn’t upset by the whole ordeal.

“Its fine you’re safe now and that’s all that matters,” Fluttershy said cuddling up to him.

He returned the cuddle and they stayed like that for a while. That was until the mare felt something move in Caster’s coat pocket. She moved back to see that it was none other than Nina.

“Nina, what are you doing in there? When did you get here?” the yellow Pegasus pondered.

“Actually she’s been with us the whole time,” Caster said, taking the squirrel out and giving it a little nuzzle.

“But then why didn’t you say something about her?” Fluttershy asked, confused.

“I meant it to be a bit of a surprise. Partly for this reason,” the blacksmith pony said, whispering a message to Nina before she took off into the bushes.

“Where’s Nina going?”

“Don’t worry Fluttershy, she’ll be just fine.”

After that the two ponies continued walking through the gardens. Soon they came across a large fountain at the center, which reflected the full moon’s image upon the water. Caster and Fluttershy took this opportunity to sit down and rest, sitting close together and listening to the crickets chirping.

“This is really nice,” Fluttershy said, enjoy the stallion’s presence and gazing at the fountain water.

“It sure is. And I must say, aside from that little incident we had, this has truly been a night worth remembering,” Caster said, looking on the bright side of their evening.

“I agree,” the pink maned pony said, before realizing that this would be a chance to bring up what she learned about a couple days back. “In fact I’d say this would be, the perfect night ever.”

The light brown Pegasus nearly felt his heart skip a beat at those words. They were so exact that he almost didn’t know what to say. But he still tried to mutter something.

“W-what did you s-say?” Caster asked, in a quiet voice that rivaled Fluttershy’s.

“I knew, Caster, about your perfect night ever plan.”

“How did you know?”

Fluttershy was a bit timid before speaking. “I-I read your mind journal.”

The stallion said nothing, trying to ponder why she would do something like that.

“Please let me explain,” the Pegasus mare said. “The only reason I did was because I wanted to know you better. When Jack and Hotpop told me about your life before we met I felt so bad for you. I just wanted to see what it was like for you back then so I could know how to support you at times when you’re down.”

Again there was nothing but silence from Caster. He felt a little betrayed by what Fluttershy had done. But her reason why was a bit understandable. Besides he was bound to tell her and his friends how he truly felt eventually. So with a heavy heart the stallion spoke.

“While I’m not too happy with you invading my privacy I can understand why you did it. Just promise me that next time you just ask,” Caster said, smiling sympathetically. “You’re my dearest friend and you can hear anything about me that you want.”

“Okay, I promise,” Fluttershy said, hugging him. “Now please tell me, what was this perfect night ever plan about.

“No point in keeping secrets anymore I guess,” he stated. “This was something I have been planning to repay you and your friends for all that you’ve done for me since I came here a year ago. The only other ponies who know about it are Princess Celestia, Spitfire, Fancy and Fleur, and the Doctor.”

“Aww that’s so sweet and thoughtful. So how did you do it?” the yellow Pegasus asked, becoming interested.

“Well I started by going to Doctor Whooves. I wanted to see everything that went wrong at your first Grand Galloping Gala. He offered to help me by using that blue box thing he calls the TARDIS, provided I do him a favor,”

“What was it?”

“He asked me to give him some dating advice so that he could ask Ditzy Doo out on a date,” Caster said, bluntly.

“Oh my, I never thought he had feelings for her. Also I didn’t think he’d ask you for help in that matter,” Fluttershy said, stunned by this turnaround.

“I never knew he did either. As for why he asked me, despite my unfortunate mishaps with dating I’m actually very knowledgeable on it. So I agreed to help him and we spent the next few months going back in time to see all the flaws that occurred during the Gala,” the blacksmith said, retracing all that had happened before.

“That’s sound like it was fun. What did you fix anyway?” the mare asked.

“Firstly was Applejack’s food stand. Not many of the ponies seemed to be even remotely interested in her food. All of them accept Soarin’. That was when I realized that since the Wonderbolts worked so hard, they would work up an appetite that hors d'oeuvres could not satisfy. So I talked to Spitfire and she managed to arrange for Applejack to personally serve food to them. For Rainbow Dash, a lot of ponies kept interfering with her time with the Wonderbolts. I didn’t much of a way to bypass this until I saw the private Wonderbolts table where none of them were disturbed. So I talked to Spitfire again and got her to send Dash an invitation.”

“Then there was Pinkie’s party attempt. Despite her efforts none of the partygoers wanted to follow along with her idea of partying. What she needed was something to get everypony, and I mean everypony, to join in. It was a doozy at first, but that was when I remembered somepony who all nobles in Canterlot looked up to: Fancy Pants. No matter what they all agreed with whatever he went along with, which meant he would be perfect for this situation. So I asked if he would go along with it and he gladly agreed. As for Twilight, hers was simple, wanting to talk to the princess. So I talked with Celestia into convincing her sister to attend this year’s Gala. We both knew that she and Twilight would eventually meet and talk to each other.”

“I see. What about Rarity?” Fluttershy asked, doing her best to keep up.

“Honestly I really didn’t have to do much,” Caster said. “All I did was give both her and Spike a little motivation and sure enough here they are on a date.”

“Well I guess that’s no real surprise there,” the mare said, giggling.

“Yeah. That was also another thing I planned for this night. Making sure everypony had their special somepony,” the Pegasus stallion said.

That comment made Fluttershy blush a little. “R-r-really?”

“Indeed, Spike and Rarity were already at that point so there was no need to meddle any further with them. As for the others, I had an invitation sent out to Braeburn. I know that Pinkie has always seem him as more than just a friend. For Applejack I had her letter suggest that the she bring somepony to assist her. Knowing that the rest of the Apple family would be busy she would most likely ask Caramel, and they both had an eye for the other. Rainbow Dash, being at the Wpnderbolts private table, would most likely get to spend time with Soarin’, who I’m pretty sure has been admiring her since she rescued him. And as for Twilight, well, I’m pretty sure you can guess where this one is going,” Caster said, hoping Fluttershy would get the message.

“Oh my,” she said.

“It was a surprise to me too when I found out,” he said. “But I digress. Either way this night has probably turned into one of my crowning achievements.”

“I’m glad you’re happy with the outcome Caster. This has been a wonderful night for me too,” Fluttershy said, smiling warmly at him.

“Yes well, it’s not over yet actually,” the stallion said, looking nervous.

“What do you mean?” the yellow mare asked, wondering what was left.

“There’s something I wanted to tell you Fluttershy. Something I’ve wanted to say for a long time now,” Caster said, starting to blush.

“What is it?”

The blacksmith pony took a breath before he revealed his truth. “I love you Fluttershy.”

Now it was time for Fluttershy’s heart to skip a beat. All the world seemed to stop around her as those words passed Caster’s lips. She could hardly form a sentence after hearing them.

“I, um,” she tried saying.

“Give me a moment to speak, please,” the light brown Pegasus said. “I’ve had feelings for you for quite a while now. Maybe ever since we met I don’t know. But even so the reason I fell in love with you was because you were always there for me Fluttershy. No matter what the situation or the reason for it was you always were there to keep my spirits up. You gave me a place to stay when I had nowhere to go. You brought me back from my depths of loneliness when I had chosen to give up. And you even took care of me when I was wounded, both in heart and body.”

Fluttershy just listened as he kept on talking about his feelings. Starting to blush and cry a little as time went on.

“I don’t know if you share the feelings toward me or not, but I still want to have this said. I love you Fluttershy with all of my heart and nothing will ever change. But if you don’t feel the same way we can still be good friends, I just hope neither of those relationships will ever disappear,” Caster said, finishing what he had to say.

The only sound that could be heard was the crickets chirping and the rustle of leaves by the soft wind. Neither of the ponies could think of anything to say after that confession. One for not knowing what else to say, while the other tried to process what the stallion had said. The silence continued on for a while longer until Caster felt Fluttershy’s hoof gently take hold of his. He looked at her and saw that she was looking at the butterfly necklace, that he made her for Hearth’s Warming, around her neck, which he didn’t notice she was wearing until now.

“That was, very sweet of you to say Caster,” Fluttershy said, turning to look at him. “And I-I have something to tell you to.”

“Okay, go ahead,” Caster said, gulping in anticipation.

“I… I love you too,” she said, at last. “I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember since meeting you. It simply started off as curiosity, just wanting to know you better and it went on from there. Ever since you moved here to Ponyville you’ve always been there to help others around you as well as me and my friends. You also never swept your duties to the side either. You were devoted to work for the sake of keeping countless soldiers protected.”

The stallion was stunned by what she was saying. Not many ponies had given much thought to the amount of effort he put into his work before.

“I fell in love with you not only because you were there for me and my friends, but also because you’re there for everypony. That is what makes you stand out above the rest,” Fluttershy said, ending her confession.

When it was all said and done Caster didn’t know what to say. After finally confessing his feelings to the mare he loved, his feelings were actually returned in kind. It was all a bit much to take at that point.

“Fluttershy I, I don’t know what to say except-” the Pegasus pony was interrupted when he felt a surge of pain run through his cheek.

“Are you okay?” the pink haired pony asked.

“I’m fine, just a little sore is all,” Caster said.

“Here let me help,” Fluttershy said, leaning up and kissing him on his sore cheek. “Hope that feels a little better now.”

“It does a little, thank you,” he said, appreciating the gesture.

“Does it hurt anywhere else?” she asked.

“Um it kind of hurts here,” the stallion said, pointing to the spot under his eye.

Fluttershy leaned in again and kissed him at the designated spot.

“And here,” Caster said, pointing to his nose.

The mare kissed his nose, this time with more affection and let it last longer.

“And… h-here,” the light brown Pegasus said, blushing as he pointed to his bottom lip.

They both knew where this was leading and neither one of them wanted to point it out. The two ponies just wanted it to happen. So, more nervous than ever, Fluttershy slowly leaned closer to Caster’s head. Wanting to reach their moment sooner the stallion moved in as well. Before they knew it, their eyes were closed as their lips finally met. They felt each other’s warmth, unwavering as they had their first kiss. The other’s breath filled the other’s mouth as the held each other close. When the two of them eventually needed to catch their breath they parted and breathed, looking into one another’s eyes. There were truly no words to describe what they had just felt for the first time. Soon enough though the moment was cut short when Fluttershy felt something poke her side. She turned to see that it was Nina, who had just come back.

“Oh hello Nina, where’ve you been?” she asked.

To answer her question, the red squirrel squeaked at some nearby bushes. The two ponies turned to see a small chipmunk crawl out of the bushes. It slowly made its way toward them as it approached Fluttershy. The chipmunk was a bit hesitant about going any further to this stranger, but it looked at Nina and she nodded her head in approval. Being reassured, the little creature got closer to the mare. Fluttershy slowly reached a hoof out to the chipmunk in an attempt to pet it. It flinched at first but allowed itself to be petted.

It was comforting to the creature, as it was a new sensation having never come into contact with ponies before. Fluttershy was also happy to have finally gotten to meet one of the fauna from the garden. The yellow Pegasus figured that Nina must have talked one of the woodland critters into meeting her. She was so busy enjoying the moment that she almost failed to notice the other creatures that were coming out of hiding. Seeing how one of their fellow friends approved of her, then this Fluttershy was okay to be around. Many of the animals gathered around the two ponies, knowing that there was nothing to fear.

“Now that is what I call a perfect night ever,” Caster said, smiling.

Fluttershy looked at him in a surprised expression. She had then realized that it was him who had made this gathering possible. There was nothing more to be said as she lunged forward, wrapped her hooves around him, and kissed him on the lips with more passion than the last. The animals remained quiet as they witnessed the display before them. Soon enough the two ponies departed from their kiss once more as they helped each other up.

Caster and Fluttershy spent some more time with the critters of the garden before heading back into the ballroom. As they walked in they saw that most of the major partying had worn down. A lot of the ponies simply mingled or danced, having enjoyed this new change to the Gala. The light brown Pegasus flew up to the stage where Octavia and Vinyl still were and whispered something to them. They nodded in agreement and Caster went back to his new found love. Fluttershy followed him back onto the dance floor as the other party goers seemed to vacate it.

Suddenly the band on stage had begun playing a romantic slow song with lyrics included. Caster led the yellow Pegasus in a slow, yet passionate dance. As the two new lovers danced throughout the night they thought of what would become of them now. What new challenges would arise in the future that they would have to face? However, looking into each other’s eyes they knew that all would be well. For now that they had each other, they could face anything that would come their way.

Epilogue: A Mark's Fate

One thing that made Equestria stand out the most was its beautiful sunsets. The shimmering orange glow that the star casted upon the City of Canterlot gave it a relaxed feeling. It was practical as a lot of the work and the crowds had settled down as the day was coming to an end. In fact, the only pony that actually currently working was the stallion walking down the street, with a large cart, toward the castle. The cart was full of different armor, weapons, and any other supplies that a soldier could want. For this stallion was none other than Caster Forge.

He looked as he always did with his light brown fur, sepia mane and tail and green eyes. However the Pegasus was noticeably different. His body was beefed up a bit, which was shown by his muscles that flexed beneath his fur as he walked and having grown a few inches taller. Caster’s mane had grown a bit longer and his goatee had grown where it connected with a newly grown mustache. One noticeable feature was the golden bracelet on his left hoof with a pink gem in the center. He stopped to look at it, remembering everything that had led to this point.

It had been over ten years since the Grand Galloping Gala where the light brown pony had confessed his love to Fluttershy. She in turn confessed her own hidden feelings for him and the two shared the rest of the night as true lovers. From then on, the two Pegasi lived their lives together. Caster would always find the time to help his marefriend tend to the animals. And occasionally Fluttershy would assist her coltfriend at the forge with Gilda, who had taken up permanent residence in Ponyville with a special somepony of her own. It was a time of love and bonding for Caster and Fluttershy and neither one of them could be happier. It was only a few into their relationship that the blacksmith stallion was ready to take the next step and proposed to the yellow mare. She shed a few tears and simply said yes.

The rest was just history as they had built a new home and started a family of their own. Remembering that he had a job to do, Caster continued forward to make his delivery. Crossing the bridge and making his way around the castle, he soon came across the armory where he dropped off the Royal Army’s supplies. He started unloading all the armor and weapons, most of them in crates, into the different assigned slots at the loading bay. A good thirty minutes passed before the Pegasus stallion had unloaded the last box. He was about ready to leave and make the long journey back home, when something caught his attention.

“I knew I’d probably find you here Caster,” a thick Canterlot accent said, followed by a brief chuckle.

Caster turned to see a stallion coming out from around one of the castle walls. To his surprise it was Prince Blueblood, with a small grin on his face. He had relatively the same appearance as before, but he looked a bit older now. The light brown pony simply gave him a blank expression seeing who it was. He went up to the Prince, never once changing his expression. When he got in front of him, the two did what few ponies would see. They hugged each other.

“Hey Blueblood, how’ve you been?” Caster said, glad to see his friend.

“I’ve been doing well. How’s work at the forge lately?” The white unicorn replied.

“Just take a look over there and see for yourself,” the blacksmith said, pointing to his creations.

“I must say you have really come a long way,” Blueblood said, admiring his friend’s work.

“The same can be said for you as well Blueblood,” Caster said.

And it was the truth. After that incident the two of them had at the Gala ten years ago, the unicorn Prince had started to do a lot of thinking. After some time and getting to know the world better, Blueblood soon came to realize how wrong he was about, well, everything. He learned that his own arrogance was to blame for failing to enter art institutions, not because of Caster beating him. Soon after that conclusion he began to see the other wrongs in his life, most of them being how he acted socially. When that came to pass he began making apologies to those he had hurt, one of them being Rarity. It took a while but eventually she was able to forgive him for how rude he behaved toward her.

In no time at all he had become the Prince he should’ve been all along. Many other ponies had come to respect him and this new change he went through. Not only that but he also got the chance to do what he dreamed of most. He had become a part time teacher at his Aunt Celestia’s art school, so that he could not only showcase his artwork but also teach it to others as well. It was a good life and it got even better when he met somebody special.

“So how are Trixie and your daughter doing?” Caster asked.

“They are doing all right. Trixie’s got another show coming up and my little filly is getting amazing grades in magic school,” Blueblood answered, proud of his family.

“That’s great. As for me, Fluttershy has been taking good care of all the creatures lately and my son has been doing well at school,” the Pegasus said, proud of his own family as well.

“So, how are those wounds holding up?” the Prince asked, hoping his friend was fine.

“They’re just fine, though I doubt they’ll ever completely heal,” Caster said, looking back at himself.

Across his body were some noticeable scars. It was all a result from the battle that occurred a few years back. Two years after the stallion had confessed his feelings, a terrible foe had come back to Equestria. One that was thought to never be seen again. It was Queen Chrysalis and her army of changeling warriors. On the day of the attack, a changeling tried to kidnap Caster but the attempt failed. While both he and Fluttershy were confused by all this, they decided to meet with their friends about this.

They went over to the library to see if Twilight knew anything about the current situation. When they arrived they found not only Twilight and all of their friends, but also Princess Celestia as well. Everything was getting more confusing by the minute. Caster started asking questions like ‘what is going on’ and ‘why did they want me’. The Princess managed to silence him so that she could explain what was going on. It was true that the changelings had returned, but the Pegasus wasn’t just some random victim. The Queen's entire plan was about obtaining Caster Forge, or more specifically his special gift. He was about to question what that meant until he remembered what he had. It was his lucky mark that she was referring to. But why it was so special to the Changelings, the stallion did not know. That was when Celestia told him the truth behind the lucky mark.

She explained that aside from having extra luck, the pony who achieved the mark gained special abilities depending on their race. An Earth pony would become stronger and would be more in tune with nature. Unicorns obtained more magical stamina and could perform spells that would normally be out of their range of casting. And Pegasus’ had more control over the weather and their speed would increase. Anyone who received the lucky mark had great roles to play in Equestrian society. The part about having more speed made Caster realize how he was able to tie with Rainbow Dash in that race three years ago. Despite that, it still didn’t explain why the Changelings wanted something only he could have.

Princess Celestia went on to say that for Alicorns, as they are a combination of all three races, would have tremendous power surpassing all others. The only Alicorn in history to achieve the lucky mark was her father, High King of Equestria and the one who bestowed the mark on ponykind. The point here was that changelings are almost identical to Alicorns as they have both horns, wings, and are strong like Earth Ponies. That meant a changeling with a lucky mark would be a threat to all. Thankfully of course they could not obtain the mark as they were not truly ponies in the first place. That was, until a certain changeling changed everything.

It was about five hundred years ago when the previous changeling Queen, Chrysalis’s mother, chose to take the power of the lucky mark for herself. She had discovered a way to harness its power through a spell that could take away all of a pony’s luck, including the mark, and transfer it to another. With enough lucky marks she could’ve taken over Equestria. For a few months, the former changeling Queen had secretly sent spies throughout Equestria to obtain ponies that possessed the mark. After some time she had enough lucky powered warriors to go to war with the nation. But in the end she still lost due to what little power remained in the Elements of Harmony before they were incased in stone. The Queen was banished to the deepest depths of Tartarus for her crimes and only a handful of changelings and her daughter, Chrysalis, fled to the badlands. But despite all their efforts, Equestria still suffered loss of lives and not just from the battle.

The spell that the Queen used took more than just a pony’s luck. The lucky mark drew its power from a pony’s natural life energy. So when those pony’s had their marks removed, their very life was taken away from them. Lives from foals to older ponies were lost because of the mark and the war. So to prevent another tragedy like this, Princess Celestia cast a powerful spell over the whole of Equestria to ensure that nobody could receive a lucky mark ever again and removed all knowledge of it from every possible source known to pony kind. After all those years the lucky mark passed out of all knowledge and was completely forgotten.

All of it was a lot for Caster to absorb. Hearing all of that he really only had one question to ask: why did he have the lucky mark? To which Princess Celestia said that she did not know. The stallion getting a lucky mark was all pure chance. But that didn’t matter right now, what was important was the fact that there was an army trying capture him and kill him to obtain his power. The Princess wanted to keep Caster locked up until the battle was over, so the changelings couldn’t get to him. But the light brown Pegasus refused, saying that this fight was his responsibility as the bearer of the lucky mark. Celestia tried to reason with him, but Caster’s friends all stood beside him, saying that they would protect him with their lives.

The Princess of the Sun saw how determined all of them were and chose to let them fight. So she went and teleported them all to Canterlot where the changeling army was heading toward. Knowing that the fight would most likely be difficult, the blacksmith pony outfitted himself and his friends with the best armor and weapons available. When the army arrived the Royal Guard saw that the changelings had their own armory as well. But that stopped none of them as they prepared to fight. The battle was truly something to behold, for they were not fighting to protect one stallion alone, but to protect the nation they cared for most. Caster, with his experience in swordplay, held his own and fought with all his strength. He himself even took on Queen Chrysalis alone, as he believed he was meant to fight her.

In the end the changeling army was defeated and their Queen struck down. The last reamnants of the soldiers dispersed, wanting to save their own lives. Using the Elements of Harmony, Twilight and her friends banished Chrysalis into Tartarus to spend eternity alongside her mother. Many soldiers’ lives were lost that day, but they all thought it was necessary. For they kept a great power from falling into the hands of evil. During the battle, Fluttershy took her own share of injuries and wounds which Caster blamed upon himself as this all happened because of him. When everyone’s wounds had healed up, the light brown Pegasus decided to always be with Fluttershy and protect her and proposed to her soon after. From that point on life has gone on fairly normally, aside from random events that always occur. Caster was pulled out of his long train of thought when Prince Blueblood asked him a question.

“There’s always one thing that’s bothered me about that whole incident. You through so much just to protect everpony, so how come you never joined the army?” he asked, puzzled.

“It’s true that I want to protect others, but I don’t want to risk my life and make my friends and family suffer at my loss. That is another reason why I chose to become a blacksmith, so I could provide the ones who do risks their lives with the protection they need,” the blacksmith pony said. “However, if the time ever does come when all of Equestria is on the verge of collapsing, I will gladly lay my life on the line.”

“I see, well whatever life you lead is your choice to make,” Blueblood said, encouraging his friend.

“Thanks Blueblood. Anyway I have to be heading home now, it’s going to be a long trip. I’m sure by the time I get there my family will be asleep,” Caster said, heading back to retrieve his cart.

“Why don’t I help you get there faster?” the prince said.

“How would you be able to do that?” the Pegasus stallion asked.

Blueblood gave a cheeky grin as he walked over to Caster, already having the reins of the cart on him. The white Unicorn lifted a hoof up and placed it on the side of the cart. He lit up his horn and with a flash of light both ponies, along with the cart, were gone.

===============================================================

The sun had just set over the horizon, giving a pinkish and purple glow across the sky. Outside of Ponyville a small flash of light popped out of nowhere. When it faded, Caster Forge and Prince Blueblood appeared. The light brown pony was a bit dazed from the teleportation but eventually came back to his senses. He looked around and saw that Ponyville was nearby as shown by all the lights that were turned on. Needless to say, Caster was a bit surprised.

“Wow, when did you learn how to do teleportation spells Blueblood?” he asked.

“I’ve been studying them for a few years now. Comes in handy when I need to get to some court meetings,” the Prince said, thinking of how useful it’s been.

“Well thank you very much Blueblood, I’m sure my son and Fluttershy will appreciate it,” Caster said, giving him a hug.

“Be sure to give them my regards,” Blueblood said, returning the hug.

“I will.”

With all that said and done the white Unicorn lit up his horn once more and he was gone. Remembering he had somewhere to be, the blacksmith pony went off into town with his cart in tow. As he walked through Ponyville, the stallion saw all of his friends scattered around. Applejack and Caramel were packing up their stand at the market place with their daughter, who wore Apple Blooms’ old bow. In the sky, he noticed Rainbow Dash flying with Soarin’ along with both of their sons, both of them as headstrong as their mother was in years past. Though since she became a member of the Wonderbolts, the cyan Pegasus had become a more mature mare.

Caster also spotted Rarity sitting on a nearby park bench with Spike, who had grown twice as big as her and his wings were larger. In the mare's hooves, the stallion saw their recently newborn baby. It was almost hard to believe that a dragon and a pony could have a foal together. But then again, if High Queen Celestia and High King Discord could have a child, then anything was possible. Hay, even Queen Twilight Sparkle and Queen Luna were able to have one as well. It was amazing to see what wonders could happen in Equestria.

Continuing his walk through town, he saw Pinkie Pie and Braeburn closing up their Party and Hardware Supply store for the night. Some ponies thought it would be impossible for the pink mare to work two jobs as she still worked for Sugarcube Corner. But as always she manages to complete the impossible. Their little filly bounced around the two ponies, giddy as ever. She really took after her mother in so many ways. Caster also spotted the Cutie Mark Crusaders, all grown up and each with lovers of their own. They even managed to get their cutie marks at last, yet they still referred themselves as the CMC.

It had been so many years since the stallion had moved to this town. And finally, he and all of friends were happy and fulfilled. Not wanting to keep his family waiting any longer, the blacksmith pony went off to into the forest outside of Ponyville towards his first home here. When he had arrived he gazed upon the building that he and his friends worked so hard to build. Now it had been converted to a complete work area, all meant for working on the forge. After taking a moment to admire his old home, Caster parked his cart to the side of it. Once that was done he spread his wings and took to the sky, heading for his new home.

===============================================================

Near the Everfree forest rested a large cottage that looked almost similar to Fluttershy’s new home. It was built mostly from brick and wood and all of the plant life surrounding it from top to bottom gave it a very natural feeling. One would almost mistake it for something naturally part of the land rather than being built. Caster could certainly understood that as he descended upon his house. It was a great achievement that he and Fluttershy worked so hard to build. Remembering that he had a family to greet, he opened the front door and went inside.

Immediately after locking the door, the stallion was suddenly tackled by something small yet heavy. Caster recognized it right away as his son, Lightning Fury. The foal earned that name due to the yellow streak that ran through his messy dark brown mane and tail since the day he was born. Despite being only being seven years old, he was a bit heavier than most foals his age, having a slightly more developed muscular frame. Lightning had a golden yellow coat almost like his mother’s, his eyes were a bright shade of green, and like his parents he was a Pegasus.

“Daddy you’re back!” Lightning said, giving his father a tight hug.

“I can see somepony’s happy to see me,” Caster said, ruffling up his son’s mane.

“He isn’t the only one,” a very feminine voice said.

The two ponies looked toward the entrance of the living room to see Fluttershy coming out of it. Like the light brown Pegasus, she too had grown over the years. The yellow Pegasus stood about half a foot taller and her pink mane and tail had grown much longer. Though now her mane was kept out of her face as she did not feel the need to hide herself any longer. On her left hoof she wore a silver bracelet with an emerald embedded in the center. Fluttershy went over to them and gave Caster a quick peck on the lips.

“I thought you said you wouldn’t be back until later tonight,” Fluttershy said, curious to why he was here so early.

“Blueblood used a teleportation spell to bring me back quicker,” the blacksmith said, standing up.

“Well wasn’t that nice of him,” she said, knowing how much the Prince had matured.

“Hey Dad, you’ll never guess what happened today,” Lightning Fury said, excited.

“What is it son?” Caster asked.

“I finally got my cutie mark!” the Pegasus foal said, pointing to the three red lightning bolts on his flank.

“That’s amazing, Lightning! How’d you get it?” the stallion pondered.

“Well you see these kids challenged me to a race, and so I agreed. When we started I was going so fast that *yawn* I thought I would’ve done a sonic, rain, boom,” Lightning said, before falling to the ground like a log, fast asleep.

“Long day for him I take it?” Caster asked, his wife.

“No he just stayed for so long waiting for you to come home,” Fluttershy said, smiling. “Don’t worry, he’s already had his dinner he’ll be fine. I’ve had mine as well.”

“I figured I wouldn’t be in time for dinner so I got a quick grab and go dinner at Canterlot before making my delivery,” he said, picking up his son and sliding him onto his back. “I’ll be right back, I’ve got to put this one to bed.”

As the stallion went upstairs with his son in tow, the yellow Pegasus went back into the living room. Said room composed of simply two couches, a large circular rug and a brick covered fireplace, which Fluttershy headed toward, feeling it was a little chilly at the moment. She grabbed a couple logs of wood from the side, placed them into the fireplace, lit a match and watched as the wood slowly started to burn. Already the room was starting to get warmer and got even more so when she felt a pair of hooves wrap around her. Fluttershy knew who it was and turned around to give Caster a long, passionate kiss. They soon parted and looked into each other’s eyes.

“I missed you,” Caster said, giving a comforting smile.

“I missed you too,” Fluttershy said, nuzzling into his neck.

The stallion grabbed a nearby blanket from one of the couches and wrapped it around the two of them. Both Pegasus’s just sat there on the rug in silence, watching the flames dance around. They both basked in the other’s presence enjoying the warmth given off by the fire and being so close together.

“Thank you Fluttershy,” Caster said, breaking the near silence of the room.

“What for?” she asked.

“For making both of our lives complete,” he said, smiling warmly.

Fluttershy said nothing as she gave him another loving kiss, this one tender than before. After the kiss she fell asleep next to him. Not wanting to wake her up the, light brown Pegasus simply went to bed along with her. They both slept comfortably, relishing in the fact that they were with the one they loved most.

Interlude: Cutie Mark Crusader Sleepover at Caster's! Yay!

4 months previous…

“No Spike, I said that pile goes on the other shelf,” Twilight directed her assistant.

“All right already, geez,” Spike let out an exasperated sigh.

It was re-shelving day in the library and the small purple dragon was being worked ragged. Normally Twilight did the task herself, but the growing collection of literature eventually took its toll on her magical limits. So this time she had asked Spike to lend a claw, which he happily agreed to at first, but regretted it an hour later. So for the entire day, since early that morning, the two of them sorted, cataloged, and organized the books to their new locations. The day had been fairly pleasant as multiple clouds dotted the skies surface. The Ponyville weather patrol gave a report for light showers later in the afternoon, but the chances were still at around 45%.

Back at the library, Spike had finished moving yet another pile of novels to its new destination, as he stopped to take a quick breather. He wiped the sweat from his forehead as he felt a familiar tension in his chest. Without a moment’s notice, he burped out a small column of green fire as a neatly wrapped scroll materialized and fell to the floor.

“A letter from the Princess, Spike?” the librarian asked, a bit surprised.

“Yep,” Spike replied, as he handed the scroll to his caretaker.

Twilight unrolled the scroll with her magic and analyzed the writing at a steady pace. When she finished, she turned her attention back to her green and purple assistant.

“Spike, go and gather the girls. Princess Celestia has called for our assistance.”

“What’s going on Twilight? It’s nothing serious I hope,” he asked, unsure of the situation.

“Don’t worry, I’ll explain to everypony as soon as you get back. Now please hurry,” Twilight said, moving a few books in her magic grip.

“You got it!” Spike said, eagerly bolting out the front door of the library.

===============================================================

It was half an hour later when Spike had returned with Twilight’s friends, who were just as confused by the situation as he was. Rainbow Dash quickly flew into the library, ready to take on whatever danger might be threatening Equestria, while Pinkie Pie simply hopped around blissfully unaware of the situation. Applejack was the first one to speak.

“All right we’re all here Twi’, so would ya mind telling us what the hay is going on?” she said.

“Princess Celestia has asked for us to assist her in negotiating with the Dragon Empire. It seems they want to increase the borders of their land but their demands are too high and would work to our disadvantage. So the Princess has requested an audience with a few ambassadors to see if we can come to a fair agreement that works out for both parties,” Twilight said, bluntly.

“So what does that have to do with us? Sounds like the Princesses could handle it just fine without us,” Rainbow Dash said, already bored at the thought of being in a meeting.

“You’re right Rainbow, but the Princesses don’t want to take any chances. So they asked us to attend the negotiations with our elements in case the situation goes south,” the lavender unicorn stated.

“How soon do we need to arrive?” Rarity asked.

“Princess Celestia said that we need to be there in the next few hours, so we’ll have to catch the next train to Canterlot which leaves in about an hour and a half,” Twilight said, as she gathered the Elements of Harmony from their display case with her magic and put them in a suitcase. “Now, are there any more questions?”

“Yeah, ya know where Ah can find someone to watch the crusaders for me?” Applejack said, in a slightly annoyed tone.

“What do you mean AJ?” Twilight asked.

“Well I was ‘posed to watch Applebloom and her friends during their sleepover tanight since Granny Smith an’ Big Macintosh are out of town fer a few days,” the orange earth pony pondered her solutions for a few moments. “Ah know, why don’t we just leave em’ here with Spike, Ah’m sure he can keep an eye on them.”

“Unfortunately that’s not possible, Celestia requires his assistance as well. She didn’t explain all the details but she says that having a dragon on our side of the negotiations might help create a better outcome,” Twilight said, watching as Spike was becoming nervous and excited at the same time.

“Ugh, great, so what am Ah gonna do now?” Applejack asked, nearly clueless.

Everyone in the room just stood around, thinking of possible solutions. Most ponies were busy around this time of year so it seemed almost impossible to get someone to watch the girls. Just when they were about to call it quits, Pinkie Pie had an idea.

“Oh, oh, I know, how about we ask Caster to watch them. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind,” the party pony said, in a bubbly voice.

It went without saying that everybody in the room was surprised by Pinkie’s suggestion, Fluttershy blushed slightly at the mention of his name.

“You sure about that Pinkie Pie? Ah mean, Cast’s an all right guy but Ah don’t if he’s anybgood at watchin’ other ponies, especially my sister and her friends. Plus he just started workin’ last week so Ah don’t know if he’ll even have time ta watch them,” Applejack stated, unsure of the idea.

“It’s either that or we take them with us; and I don’t think having fillies at a negotiation with dragons is a good idea AJ,” Rainbow Dash said sternly, worried about their safety.

The orange earth pony took a moment to consider before coming to a decision. “Oh all right, Ah guess it couldn’t hurt to ask. Ah’ll meet you all at the train station after I drop off the youngins’.”

“Actually Applejack, if you don’t mind, I’d like to take them over. I mean… if that’s all right with you,” Fluttershy said, surprising her friend.

“Um, sure I guess. It will save me a little time gettin’ my stuff from the farm. They’re over at Sugar Cube Corner all packed up, so hurry up, we ain’t got much time,” Applejack said.

“O-okay, I’ll see you all in a bit,” the yellow Pegasus said, as she quickly headed toward the bakery, not wanting to tell her friends why she really wanted to go, nor understood why.

===============================================================

“Ah still don’t see why we can’t jus’ go with you guys to Canterlot,” Applebloom argued in her southern accent.

Fluttershy let out a sigh. “I told you already Applebloom, it’s because we can’t risk anything happening to you girls if something were to go wrong at the negotiations.”

“Yeah, but maybe we could help you guys and get our cutie marks in negotiating,” Scootaloo said, as she rode on her scooter.

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADER NEGOTIATORS! YAY!” the three fillies shouted in unison.

Fluttershy covered her ears to avoid going deaf for the third time during their walk. When the Pegasus mare went to pick them up, the cutie mark crusaders were bummed that their sleepover might’ve been cancelled and they couldn’t go with them to Canterlot. But they were fairly elated to hear that they would be spending the night at Caster’s, since they didn’t get a chance to meet him at the party.

“So Fluttershy, what’s Caster like anyway?” Sweetie Belle spoke up. “You two spent a whole week living together, so you should know more about him than anypony in Ponyville.”

“Oh, well uh, he’s a very kind and gentle pony,” the yellow Pegasus stated. “He always works hard to make others happy as well as himself. Admittedly he can lose his temper if he’s pushed too far, but he always makes up for it when he can. Sometimes he prefers to be alone and it’s best to leave him be, yet he still enjoys time spent with his friends. With that being said I’m sure he wouldn’t mind looking after you three.”

“Wow Fluttershy, this Caster fella sounds like a really nice guy,” the earth pony said.

“Yes, yes he does,” Fluttershy mumbled, with a tint of blush on her cheeks.

The three fillies noticed this and fell into a fit of giggles from the look on her face. Their laughter snapped the Pegasus out of her day dreaming and she tried to move past the conversation.

“Anyway, we should keep walking. We’re almost at Caster’s place,” Fluttershy said.

Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo calmed down for a moment to register her words as they all continued to make their way through the forest. After a few more minutes of walking, the group of ponies found themselves in front of a large home in the middle of the woods. The cutie mark crusaders looked up in awe at the home that Fluttershy and her friends helped to build. When they approached the door, the pink maned Pegasus rang the doorbell on the side and waited for somebody to answer.

It was only a minute later that the door opened to reveal a large light brown stallion known as Caster Forge. He was wiping his face with a small hand towel to clear what seemed to be sweat dripping down his forehead. He tossed it over his neck and opened his eyes to see who was at the door, which to his surprise was Fluttershy. He had only seen her a few days ago but to him it felt even longer. At the realization of that knowledge he couldn’t help but smile at seeing her again.

“Oh, hello Fluttershy, it’s good to see you again,” Caster said, in a joyful mood.

“N-nice to see you too. Listen Caster, I know this is short notice but could you do me a favor?” she asked, a tad nervous.

“What can I do for you?” the stallion asked.

Fluttershy then started to explain what was going on. From the negotiations with the dragons, to the immediate summons of the Elements of Harmony. When all was said and done, the light brown Pegasus simply stared in disbelief.

“Wow, that’s quite a hoofful you’ve got there. Are you sure you and others can handle it?” he asked, genuinely concerned.

“Don’t worry Caster, I’m sure everything will be just fine. The Princesses will be there and we have the Elements of Harmony as well,” Fluttershy said.

“Very well then; so what is it that you need me to do anyway?” he asked, returning to the matter at hand.

“Well, um, we were all wondering if you could look after the cutie mark crusaders till we get back,” Fluttershy said, sheepishly.

“The who?” the blacksmith asked.

As if to answer his question, three fillies came out from behind Fluttershy. They all looked like they were in their teens, roughly around thirteen to fourteen years old.

“Caster, I’d like you to meet the CMC,” the canary yellow Pegasus said, starting from the filly on her left. “This is Applejack’s little sister, Appleblom; Rarity’s little sister, Sweetie Belle; and this is Scootaloo.”

Caster took a moment to get a better look at them. Scootaloo was a Pegasus with an orange coat and a messy purple mane and tail with matching eyes. She rode a small wooden scooter and seemed to have a more muscular frame than the other fillies, but not by much. Sweetie Belle was a Unicorn that had a coat similar to her sister’s and light green eyes. She had a curly mane and tail that was lavender and had a pink streak going through them. Applebloom was an earth pony with yellow fur and amber colored eyes. She had long red mane and tail that was bouncy and tied by a large red ribbon. The three of them seemed to have looks of excitement on their faces as they were waiting for him to speak up, which he eventually did.

“Good to meet you all, I’m Caster Forge,” the stallion said, as held out a hoof for them to shake.

“Pleasure to make yer acquaintance Mr. Forge,” Applebloom said, accepting his hoof.

“Nice to meet you sir,” Sweetie Belle said, doing the same.

“Is it true that you raced with Rainbow Dash and the two of you tied!?” Scootaloo asked, excitedly shaking his hoof.

“Uh, I guess so,” he said, with a sheepish grin while rubbing the back of his head.

The orange coated filly let out a squeal of glee. “Oh my gosh, that’s so cool! You’ve got to tell us what it was like.”

Caster let out a small chuckle. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell you about it later.”

“So does this mean you’ll watch them for us?” Fluttershy asked, hopefully.

“Sure thing Fluttershy. It’s my day off today anyway and I’ve already finished some personal matters of mine so I’m free for the rest of the day,” the light brown Pegasus said, happy to have some company over.

“YAY! CUTIE MARK CRUSADER SLEEPOVER AT CASTER’S!” the three fillies shouted, as they bolted into his home.

“Ow,” Caster said, bluntly as he rubbed his ear. “Do they always do that?”

“Only when the moment strikes them,” Fluttershy said, giggling.

There was a moment of silence between the two of them as they couldn’t find any other words to say. When she realized her friends were still waiting on her, Fluttershy decided to speak up.

“I-I should probably get going, don’t want to keep everypony waiting right?”

“Right, of course. Good luck,” the blacksmith said, trying to work up a smile.

“Thanks, you too,” the Pegasus mare said, as she turned around to make her way back to Ponyville.

“Fluttershy, wait,” Caster said, watching her turn her head back. “Be safe okay? I would really hate for something bad to happen to you and the others.”

His words made Fluttershy blush slightly as she realized just how much he cared for her and her friends. She walked back over to him and, in a moment of pure gratitude, gave him a comforting hug.

“We’ll be back, I promise,” she said, in a gentle tone.

Caster was caught off guard for a moment but quickly returned the hug. After a moment of reassuring contact, the two of them separated as Fluttershy said her goodbye once more. The stallion slowly closed his door as he watched her leave, not noticing the faint blush on his cheeks.

“Blegh, so sappy,” a voice rang out.

The light brown Pegasus was startled and turned around to see Scootaloo sticking her tongue out in disgust. He also noticed the other two trying to stifle a giggle at how he acted. He only then noticed the rise of heat in his cheeks and realized he was blushing.

“What’s so wrong about worrying about your friends?” Caster said, defiantly.

“Nothing, just try to keep your mushy moments between you and your marefriend far from me as possible,” Scootaloo said, giving a smirk.

The stallion’s face went completely red as he stammered out. “S-She’s not my m-marefriend! We’re just good friends that’s all!”

Soon the three fillies broke out into a fit of laughter. They kept at it for a good minute or so making taunting noises and silly faces. After a few more minutes of that, Caster started to laugh a little at their antics, remembering how mares acted like that when he was their age.

“Yes ha ha, very funny,” the blacksmith said, with a sarcastic grin. “Now let’s get upstairs and get settled in, shall we?”

Applebloom, still laughing a bit, watched as Caster walked past them. As he did, she noticed his cutie mark and how odd it appeared to be.

“Hey Caster, what kind of cutie mark is that? Ah’ve never seen anythin’ like it,” she pointed out.

Caster looked to where she was pointing and remembered the 15 on his cutie mark. “Huh? Oh, that’s just my lucky mark.”

“A lucky mark?” Sweetie Belle said, joining the subject. “Is that like some kind of second phase of cutie marks? Why doesn’t anypony tell us these things? Now we have to spend even more time getting our marks. Who knows how long it’ll take us before we-”

The unicorn filly was quickly silenced by Caster placing a hoof on her muzzle. “No, no Sweetie Belle, you’ve got the wrong idea. None of you have to worry about getting a lucky mark. Because as far as I know, I’m the only pony in all of Equestria that has one.”

“Well then how did you get one?” Scootaloo demanded.

“I dunno,” the blacksmith shrugged. “Pure chance I guess. For now let’s just head upstairs, I’ll talk later.”

The three fillies nodded as they followed him to the back of the room and up the stairs. When they entered the living room, their eyes went wide and their mouths slack jawed by what they saw. There was indeed furniture, but it was all moved to the side, leaving only what left them astounded. In the center of the room was a ponyquin wearing a set of royal guard armor that had a few gashes covering every side, like it had just been used in battle. But their attention was brought to the numerous swords and spears that rested by some custom made saddlebags. Some of them were standard issue weaponry, but a select few were rather unique. One was a katana blade that was long and thin and looked almost sharp enough to cut through steel. Another was a scimitar which had a curved blade that was broader at the end. Needless to say, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were amazed to see such an extensive collection of weapons, a little too amazed it seemed as ideas started to flow through their minds.

“Whoa, look at all this stuff!” the Pegasus filly exclaimed. “What were you doing before we came over anyway?”

Caster chuckled at her excitement. “Well you see, during my college years at Celestia’s school, one of my teachers taught us that the best way to find a weapons or armors worth was to test them to their fullest. So every now and then the other students and I would grab a ponyquin, dress it up in armor we each made and use our weapons to test how much damage they could withstand as well as the weapons themselves. Sometimes we would have to go against each other, we received training and had teachers to make sure things were safe of course, those were fun times. But anyway that lesson always stuck with me, so whenever I get the chance I test my work and see if there can be room for improvement.”

“Wow Caster, you sure had some good times at ‘yer’ school. All we do is learn about math and English and everthin’ else in between,” Applebloom said, a tad jealous.

“Actually, despite what the school was meant to teach us, we all still received basic educa-”

“Hey, maybe we could get our cute marks in fencing!” Sweetie Belle said.

“Wait, what?”

“YAY! CUTIE MARK CRUSADER FENCERS!” they all shouted loudly in unison.

Caster shut his eyes tightly as he covered his ears to avoid the pain of having his ear drums breaking. When he opened his eyes, the Pegasus stallion saw the three fillies quickly making their way to the pile of weapons across the room, which made him panic. The crusaders were about to reach for the swords and spears when suddenly a flash of light brown went right past them, leaving them dazed for a moment. When their vision began to clear, they looked in front of them to see that all of the weaponry and other stuff by the furniture was gone. They were surprised to say the least, but as they surveyed the room, they soon found them with Caster, stored safely in the saddlebags that were large enough to fit each weapon without them sticking out.

“Sorry, but I can’t let you play with these. Wouldn’t do us any good to have you all injured on my watch now would it?” Caster said, in a serious tone.

“But…,” the crusaders tried to speak.

“No buts, these weapons are too dangerous for young fillies and you should not mess around with them,” he retaliated sternly.

Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo all looked down with disheartened faces, sad that their latest cutie mark attempt was over before it began. But then they heard the stallion walking toward them and looked back up to see him smiling.

“Which is why you will all wait here while I grab some things that will be safer for you to play with,” Caster said, as he removed the armor from the ponyquin.

As the blacksmith pony made his way downstairs, the three fillies set their saddle bags aside by the furniture and decided to talk about their thoughts on their current ‘babysitter’.

“So, Caster seems pretty cool don’t he?” Applebloom stated.

“Are you kidding, we’re hanging out with the pony who raced against Rainbow Dash and tied! How could anypony like that not be deemed awesome?” Scootaloo practically shouted.

“Even so, we still don’t know that much about him or what his opinions are. It’d be safe if we avoid any awkward topics that may upset him,” Sweetie Belle said, throwing a quick hesitant glance at Scootaloo.

“I guess you’re right,” the orange Pegasus replied

“Well anyway, we should be grateful he that let us stay with him and try to have some fun while we’re here,” the farm filly said.

As the other two nodded their heads in agreement they turned their attention to the stairs and saw Caster walking back up. When he reached the top of the stairs, they noticed that under each of his wings were two wooden swords that had the edges rounded and the rest cleared of splinters. He said nothing at first as he passed one toy to each of them.

“My brother and I used to play with these when we were kids. I decided to take these with me for both nostalgic and practical reasons. I guess now I can use them for the latter,” the light brown pony said.

They all debated on who would get to go first and they soon came to an agreement; Sweetie Belle was up first, then Scootaloo, and finally Applebloom. The unicorn filly stood at one side of the room, holding her sword in a basic levitation spell that had a light green aura, while Caster stood at the other end, holding his sword in his mouth by the hilt. When they were all set for their little duel, the stallion spoke, momentarily taking the toy from his mouth.

“Lesson #1 of combat: always keep your guard up. Your opponent will always be ready to strike,” when Sweetie Belle got the message, she moved the blade closer to her, feeling hesitant about what was to come. “Begin!”

At those words Caster charged at the white unicorn, feeling the will to fight from his days at school coming back to him. Sweetie Belle saw him move in and was a bit frightened as he swung the replica blade at her. All she could do was block his attacks, afraid of what would happen if she did not. Scootaloo and Applebloom were trying to cheer her on but their words did not register in Sweetie Belle’s mind, as all her attention was focused on defense. After a while, Caster got tired of being the only pony attacking, and realizing the little filly was not going to change the situation he decided to end their duel. So with skill and precision, gained from all his fencing back home, he did a quick 180 spin and knocked Sweetie Belle’s sword out of her magical grip, where it landed a few feet away on the floor. The realization that her only means of defense was gone was soon evident to the unicorn filly as she saw Caster pointing his toy blade directly at her.

“Lesson #2 of Combat: find an attack of opportunity. If you do nothing but keep your defense up, it will eventually crumble,” the light brown pony stated, moving the blade to speak.

“Y-you certainly made that evident,” Sweetie Belle said, still shaken up from their fight.

As he moved his sword away from the unicorn, Caster spoke. “Yet I must admit your skill in defense is impressive, I couldn’t land a single hit on you. If you improve yourself you may be able to get the hang of it.”

“Thanks Caster, I will,” she said, happy to hear his approval.

“No problem; now who’s next?” the blacksmith asked, excited for another duel.

“Memememememe!” Scootaloo said, ready to show off as she usually does.

The light brown pony smirked at the Pegasus filly, seeing that she was just as eager as him. In fact she seemed a little too eager as she went to her side of the room, sword held tightly in her jaw. Sensing that this one would be more of a challenge, he quickly prepared himself for what was to come. Once Caster gave the signal to start, Scootaloo was the one to make the first move as she lunged forward, her sword in tow. The stallion blocked her first attack but that did not stop the orange Pegasus as she began a flurry of blows upon him. Their duel was tense in Caster’s opinion yet he was still able to keep his wits about him and was slowly analyzing Scootaloos technique. He noticed that she was putting a lot of power into her strikes, more than necessary it seemed as he devised his strategy. When the next strike came, he made sure to block it, but with less force than necessary, and as the toy swords connected he side stepped to his right letting the fillies blade slide past his and in turn, Scootaloo herself. The amount of force she used in her attack caused her to tumble forward as she stopped at the other end of the room, upside down and her weapon released from her mouth. In her daze she noticed Caster walking toward her, though in her position it looked like he was walking on the ceiling.

“Lesson #3 of combat: you must control yourself. Put too much power into your attacks and the only pony you will bring down will be yourself,” the light brown stallion stated, as he helped Scootaloo back onto her hooves. “You really need to be careful Scootaloo, I’ve seen many of my colleagues back in Canterlot get hurt because they were reckless. Learn to balance the momentum in your strikes and your enemies will not know what hit them.”

“Ugh, no problem Cast, I’ll try to keep that in mind,” the Pegasus filly groaned, rubbing the side of her head to relieve the pain.

“Well Ah reckon it’s my turn now,” Applebloom said, as she picked up her toy sword and proceeded to the same side of the room her friends took up previously.

“Let’s hope you can put up a good fight as well,” Caster said, getting ready for his last duel of the day. “There is, however, one last lesson of combat: remember lessons one through three.”

As the words reached the earth pony’s ears, she readied her sword and waited for the starting signal. As soon as he gave the word, both Caster and Applebloom charged at each other, which both impressed and surprised the stallion. They continually exchanged blows, both either blocking or attacking, letting their fight continue longer than they anticipated, yet the Pegasus stallion was still carefully analyzing his opponent and soon found his key to victory. After a while, both participants were starting to tire themselves out and the young filly was getting ready for her final strike before Caster spoke.

“You appear to be holding up well for yourself Applebloom,” the blacksmith said, his words muffled with the toy sword still held in his mouth as he continued to fight.

“Ah can say the same fer you Cast’r,” the yellow coated filly responded, in the same muffled speech.

“It seems you understand the fundamentals of fencing, but I just remembered one more important rule of combat.”

“What would that be?” she inquired, before she felt a large hoof sweep into her leg, causing her to fall to the ground and lose her grip on the wooden sword.

“Your stance,” Caster spoke, giving a slightly smug look at his victory.

“Hey no fair Cast’r, ya cheated!” Applebloom said, more than angry.

“Indeed I did, but it was mostly to teach you a lesson,” he said, helping her back up. “Sometimes your opponent will fight dirty and try to throw you off balance if they notice a fault in your stance or otherwise. Your hoof work is a key element to any form of fighting, large or small, and must be practiced if you don’t want to end up on your face again. Aside from that though, your technique was nearly flawless. Keep it up and you may even impress my old teachers.”

“Thanks, I’ll make sure to remember that,” the earth pony said, feeling a bit of pride from the compliment she was given.

Then suddenly, from out of nowhere, the room flashed white and a loud thundering boom filled the air. The three fillies nearly jumped out of their fur when the noise hit their ears and huddled together. Caster was excluded as the sound merely made him shake for a second, but he quickly got over it when he looked to see a scared Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle.

“W-what was t-that?” the latter pony asked.

The blacksmith pony went to the large window near the stairs, which was also the only window in the room, and looked to find to find the source of the disruption. He saw that the clouds completely blotted out the sky, giving it a dark grey color, as dozens of gallons of water poured down and thunder and lightning boomed in the distance, the earlier of which being closer than the others.

“It appears to be raining, strange though I thought the storm wouldn’t arrive for at least another hour,” Caster said, a small grin growing on his face as he stared out the window while the crusaders relaxed.

“Thank goodness, see Scoots it was just the weather. Ya don’t have to be such a chicken about it,” Applebloom teased.

“I’m not a chicken! And I wasn’t scared either, I was just, uh making sure the two of you weren’t scared by it,” Scootaloo protested.

“Yeah right, we was doin’ just fine unlike you.”

The young earth pony then began to make clucking noises and did impressions of a chicken to further make fun of her friend. This only made the orange coated filly angrier as she tackled Applebloom to the ground and the two proceeded to fight and insult each other. Sweetie Belle merely watched from the sidelines as her friends continued to get their cutie marks in arguing as she liked to refer it. She was about to ask Caster to help her break it up when she noticed that he was gone. The unicorn then heard the front door from downstairs opening, thanks to the bell above it, as well as some cheering from the missing pony in question. Sweetie went downstairs to see what was up and Applebloom and Scootaloo soon followed after they settled down and saw their fellow crusader leaving.

When they entered the first floor of the house the three fillies saw that the front door was wide open, letting in the cold air from outside and causing them to shiver. The white unicorn looked around the room for Caster, but soon found him outside in the rain, sitting down and looking up at the sky. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo looked at the blacksmith in bewilderment as he seemed to be in a state of bliss letting the water run down his coat and flatten his mane and tail. The moment was short lived, however, when Scootaloo noticed a mud puddle forming nearby and a devious grin began to form. Caster was busy enjoying the downpour, letting the cold rain chill his body, when he felt something collide with his head, sending him onto the wet grass below him. The Pegasus wiped the substance from his eyes to see what it was and found that it was mud. He turned around and saw the cutie mark crusaders, each with a sinister look and a lump of mud in their hooves. Caster raised an eyebrow, cracked a smile, and drew some of the mud from his face as he let his expression dictate his next words: it was on!

The light brown stallion started throwing the wet dirt back at the three fillies as they did the same. All of the ponies met up in the mud puddle as they kept tossing mud at each other or simply splashing it around. They kept laughing and giggling at the fun they were all having until the rain started to pick up and the winds got stronger. So Caster, deciding it was best to get back inside, ushered everyone into the house and back upstairs. He made his way to the nearby bathroom where he brought back a few towels and handed one to everybody so they could all dry off and clean away the dirt from their fur. Once everybody as mostly dry, Caster spoke.

“Sorry about running off like that, I tend to go a little overboard when it rains,” the now dry Pegasus said, as he went to the kitchen to turn up the thermostat. “Most of the ponies I know don’t like the rain, but I don’t see what’s wrong with it. How could somepony not like to get wet from something that falls from the sky? Plus some ponies think that this is horrible weather but I say that even something gloomy can have a sense of beauty to it, you just have to find it.”

Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle just stared at him blankly.

“Okay,” they all said, together.

“Sorry again, I usually get carried away when I start talking about a subject I’m interested in,” he said, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

“No biggie Cast it happens to all of us, just try to keep at a low level while we’re here,” Scootaloo said, with a cocky grin.

“I’ll try, now why don’t we fix the place up so it will look at least remotely pleasant. Sweetie Belle, would you mind using your magic to help me move the table?” Caster said.

“Sure thing Caster,” the unicorn said, as she lit up her horn in a light green aura.

===============================================================

As the day went on, Caster and the cutie mark crusaders spent their time getting to know each other better. Sweetie Belle talked about how she was going to be staring her music lessons next week with the towns’ local musician Octavia and on occasion Vinyl Scratch. Her passion for music had grown over the years and decided to take lessons to improve her skills and her older sister Rarity talked to her acquaintance Octavia into giving Sweetie Belle a chance, which the earth pony mare gladly accepted. Scootaloo even mentioned her training with Rainbow Dash and how her wings have been getting stronger. She wasn’t ready to fly like a professional Pegasus yet but she had trained enough to get herself off the ground.

Then, Applebloom had talked about working on the farm with her brother and sister. Normally she only did small chores like cleaning the pigs or help make zap apple jam with Granny Smith, but as she got older she was allowed to start bucking apples from the trees with the rest of the family and any other jobs she needed to do. Caster finally told the three fillies the story of how he got his cutie mark and lucky mark which, needless to say, left the girls in awe thinking of how to get their own lucky marks but quickly put those thoughts away when he made it clear that it appeared merely by chance.

Later they started playing games on his game console, such as Pony Combat or Equestrian Band. Most of the time, the crusaders managed to beat Caster at almost every game they played, but he occasionally won a few rounds and eventually got the hang of gaming again. After that they all sat down for lunch and the day continued on from there. Everyone was currently found lounging around the living room where Scootaloo, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle were sitting on the couches and watching TV while Caster was in his recliner reading a book with Nina resting on one of the armrests. The blacksmith stallion thought that their time spent together was pretty fun. At first he thought watching over them would be aggravating, considering children occasionally got on his nerves in the past, but he soon warmed up to the crusaders and found them to be great friends.

At the moment, however, he had gotten bored with both his book and glancing occasionally at the TV and he could tell the others were as well. He thought of ways to try and relieve the boredom from the room but nothing came to mind, so he decided to ask the fillies what they wanted to do next.

“So, what do you girls want to do now?” Caster asked, closing his book and letting out a yawn.

“I dunno, maybe we could go another round of Pony Combat,” the teenage Pegasus suggested, eager to kick some more virtual butt.

“Nah, we already did like twenty games of that. What else is there?” the stallion said.

“Oh ah know, how ‘bout we tell some ghost stories,” Applebloom said.

“Hmmm, that’s not a bad idea actually,” Caster said, having a story already in mind. “But just one, and I get to tell it.”

“Aww, that’s not fair,” Sweetie Belle complained.

“Sorry, my house, my privileges,” the stallion responded by sticking his tongue out at her and went to put the book he was reading, and Nina, back in his room.

After about a minute he came back with a lantern held in his mouth which he placed on the round table between the couches. Caster lit the lantern and turned off the living room lights as well as the ones in the surrounding rooms. The only light left was the dim glow of the fireflies buzzing in the lantern and the occasional flash of distant lightning from the window. Caster turned his chair around to face the others who were all sitting on the couch to his left as he took his seat.

“This is the legend of the Hook Pony,” the light brown Pegasus said grimly, making the fillies huddle together out of fright and he continued to speak.

“Many moons ago, on a night just like this, two young earth pony lovers took a drive to lovers’ lane, where the colt planned a make-out session with a his marefriend. He rented a private carriage, which was made for privacy and towed it himself to their destination. Upon arrival, it started to rain and the colt ran into the carriage before he got soaked.”

“He was about to get started when he noticed the mare was shaking and it was not from the cold. The colt asked her what was wrong and she said that she was still worried about the mass murderer that was still on the loose. Earlier that day a stallion had escaped from prison who was known as the ‘Hook Pony’ because of the steel hook that was imbedded into his right hoof, which some pony’s say he used to kill his victims with.”

“The colt paid it no mind and reassured her that they were safe as he tried to rekindle the mood. But even as they made out, the earth pony mare was still unnerved about the whole ordeal, feeling that somehow they were being watched by some unseen figure. Eventually she lost her cool and told her coltfriend to take her home. Needless to say, the colt was not happy and angrily got out of the carriage to move it away.”

“After taking a moment to secure himself, he galloped away from Lover’s Lane as quickly as he could, letting the cold rain drench his fur. When he arrived at his marefriend’s house he went to open the door and let her leave. The mare heard a scream come from outside the carriage and went to see what happened. She saw the colt lying on the ground, on his back, with a look of horror stamped on his face staring straight past her. The mare looked in his direction and saw, hanging from the door handle, a bloody hook,” Caster finished, his voice dripping with a tone of pure terror.

Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were all holding each other tight, scared senseless by the story and how it was presented. The blacksmith pony knew that it wouldn’t take much for them to soon start screaming and secretly he had planned for this to happen. So he made one last edition to the story to set things off.

“Oh right, there’s one last thing I forgot to tell you. The town where this all happened, was right here, in Ponyville. Some ponies say that the murderer still roams these parts, searching for his missing hook and claiming new victims as he goes. He could be anywhere really,” the stallion said, sinisterly.

As the three fillies were on the verge of running scared, a bolt of lightning lit up the room and the shadow of a large figure was cast upon the wall behind Caster. The sight alone sent the crusaders reeling back in fright as they all bolted out the room and into the kitchen. They waited for something to happen but all they heard was, for some reason, a stallion laughing but it was not a maniacal laughter that they thought it’d be. Applebloom hesitantly led her friends back to the living room to see where the laughter was coming from. To their surprise, the only pony they saw in the room was Caster, laughing his flank off. Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo were confused until they saw the shadow against the wall and tried to find the source.

They soon found what they were looking for sitting on the window sill. It was Nina covered in a large blanket who was also laughing but they came out as small squeaks. The red coated squirrel went over to Caster and shared a quick hoof claw bump. The realization hit the crusaders like a ton of bricks, and it was safe to say that none of them were pleased.

“That wasn’t funny Cast’r,” Applebloom said, as she trotted up to him and gave him a punch in the shoulder.

“Lighten up AB, it was all in good fun,” the light brown pony said, rubbing his arm to relieve the pain. “Besides what’s life without a little scare, right?”

The earth pony considered the thought and then let out a small chuckle. “All right, Ah guess it was kinda funny.”

The other crusaders followed suite as they all got over being nearly scared to death, and began laughing of their own accord. They kept telling jokes about how each of them reacted to the story. This went on for a couple of minutes before Caster noticed the clock in the kitchen, showing that it was half past nine. Already feeling worn out, he decided it was time to turn in for the night.

“All right girls, it’s time for bed,” Caster said.

Scootaloo let out a prolonged yawn. “Suites me, I’m pooped.”

“So, where will we sleep?” Sweetie Belle inquired.

“Well, I only have one guest bed so I guess two of you will have to take the couches,” the Pegasus stallion stated.

“Uh, Sweetie Belle and I will sleep on the couches. Applebloom, why don’t you take the bed?” the orange filly said.

“Are y’all sure Scoots?” Applebloom asked.

“Don’t worry Applebloom, we’ll be fine out here,” Scootaloo said, putting on a forced smile.

Caster noticed this, and thought it was a bit strange at first. But he simply shrugged it off, not wanting to pry into other ponies’ business.

“Very well then, you two get settled in while I show Applebloom her room,” he said, as he grabbed the yellow coated pony’s bag and led her to the guest bedroom.

Caster opened the door and allowed Applebloom to see the interior of the room. It was a fairly large room, but still half the size of the blacksmith’s bedroom. It had a twin sized bed with silk sheets, a night stand with a lamp on top, a small wardrobe off to the side, and a large window that showed the raging storm outside.

“It’s not much, but I hope it will do,” he said, as he went in to turn on the lamp.

“It’s jus’ fine Cast’r. Thanks again fer lettin’ us stay here,” the earth pony said, letting her appreciation be known.

“No problem Applebloom now get some sleep, it’s already getting late,” Caster said, already out of the room.

“Okay, night Cast,” she said as she closed the door.

The light brown Pegasus turned his attention to the other two fillies who were already settled on the couches, ready to call it a night. Seeing that all the lights were already off, Caster made his way to his bedroom before looking back at the crusaders.

“Goodnight girls,” he said, before closing his door.

“Goodnight Caster,” Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo responded.

===============================================================

Later that night, the thunderstorm continued to roar on. Gallons of water poured from the clouds as bolts of lightning flashed with a resounding boom every now and then. The home in the middle of the woods was being assaulted by the rain, causing a small echo to sound throughout the interior of the house. In the main bedroom Caster was turning about in his bed, unable to sleep. Not from all the noise caused by the rain, but from his earlier dream.

He had awoken about half an hour ago from the peculiar dream he was having. It involved him and Fluttershy, which almost didn’t surprise him. It was not necessarily a bad dream, truly it was the opposite. Caster had been thinking of her lately ever since his stay at her cottage. Her kindness wasn’t like most of the mares he had known, and it seemed to spark an old habit that he developed in his younger years. He knew what it was, though, and decided not to go further into it, thinking it was just part of who he was.

Feeling a bit parched, Caster decided to go get a glass of water. The light brown Pegasus quietly got out of bed then he made his way to the door. He slowly opened it, not wanting to wake the two fillies in living room, and went straight to the kitchen. Caster didn’t bother turning on the lights as he quickly got his drink, and was about to head back to his room when something caught his eye. Once his eyes had finally adjusted to the darkness, he saw that the couch Sweetie Belle went to sleep on was empty. He thought she might be in the bathroom, but he checked to see that the door was wide open and the lights inside were turned off.

Curious as to where she was, Caster went over to the living room to solve this little dilemma. When the blacksmith reached the first couch, something caught his peripheral vision. He turned his head to see Scootaloo and, to his surprise, the unicorn he was searching for. Both of the fillies were cuddling up next to each other as they slept in peace. Caster didn’t need to be a genius to put the two halves together and when he did, the stallion let out a small laugh.

“Kids these days, whatcha gonna do?” he said, a smile spreading on his face.

Caster pulled the blanket over them to give them extra warmth and watched as Sweetie Belle snuggled closer to Scootaloo. Feeling that he was intruding on them, the light brown Pegasus went back to his room, with part of his mind hoping that his dream would continue where it left off.

===============================================================

The next morning, the rain had ceased its dreadful downpour from the night before and the sun was just starting to shine through the clouds. Back inside Caster’s house, two fillies were holding each other closely, sleeping with a sense of ease. The sense was soon lifted as Scootaloo woke to the smell of something cooking. Realizing that none of the other crusaders were awake yet, she came to the conclusion that Caster was the one cooking, and that he might have seen her and Sweetie Belle together. Without a moment’s hesitation she woke up the sleeping unicorn next to her.

“Sweetie Belle, Sweetie Belle wake up,” Scootaloo said, lightly shaking her friend.

“Mmm? What’s up Scooty?” Sweetie Belle said, still drowsy.

“I think we might have a problem. Caster might’ve seen us together,” the Pegasus filly said.

It didn’t take long for the white coated filly to get the picture as her eyes nearly went wide as saucers. Quietly, the two of them made their way to the kitchen to see if their suspicions were correct. They peeked around the corner, and, sure enough, Caster was standing in the kitchen preparing breakfast for all of them. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked away and contemplated how they were going to explain this to him.

“You two going to hide behind there all day?” Caster said, from inside the kitchen.

The unicorn and the Pegasus were startled when they learned they had been caught. With nowhere else to go they went into the kitchen to face the stallion. They walked in to find him chopping vegetables on the counter. The kitchen itself was small compared to the other rooms and was painted a bright yellow. To the left stood the fridge, and the pantry where he kept all his food and to the right was the oven, the stove, and the dishwasher. Caster drew his attention away from the food and looked to the fillies who just stood there, not knowing what to say.

“Listen Cast,” Scootaloo started. “About what you probably saw in the living room; I just wanted to say-”

“That you and Sweetie Belle are a couple?” Caster finished. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo both felt their jaws drop. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anypony if you won’t.”

“Um, thanks Caster,” Sweetie Belle said. “We really don’t want too many ponies knowing about us yet.”

“Fine by me. Wait, does Applebloom know about you two?” the stallion asked.

“Actually no. We’re afraid of what she might think us like this,” the orange Pegasus said.

“Well, I’m pretty sure she’s going to find out eventually; she is a smart filly after all. Plus she’s your friend; she should have the right to know don’t you think?” Caster queried.

“I guess so,” Scootaloo replied.

“Well enough about who’s dating who. Why don’t the both of you head on into the living room and I’ll finish up on breakfast. Applebloom should be up soon anyway,” Caster said, as he focused his attention more on the matter at hand.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle went back to the living room where they both took a seat on the couch they were sleeping on earlier. A few minutes later, Applebloom walked out of the guest bedroom and took her place on the couch opposite of them.

“Mornin’ gals, how’d yall sleep?”Applebloom asked, in a cheerful yet drowsy tone.

“Good morning AB, uh, we slept well enough. How about you?” Sweetie belle asked back.

“Good, Ah guess. It was a tad difficult fallin’ asleep with all that rain last night. I hope you two didn’ git bothered by it too much.”

“Nah, we were just fine last night,” Scootaloo said, sharing a quick glance and a giggle with Sweetie Belle.

Applebloom didn’t know what was so funny, but thought that it was nothing and moved on.

“So what’s Cast’r up to right now,” she asked.

“He’s in the kitchen making some breakfast for all of us,” Sweetie Belle stated.

“Well ain’t that nice of him. Ya know, we really oughta find a way to say thank you to him fer lettin’ us stay here,” the earth pony suggested.

The thought had crossed the other crusaders’ minds as well, but they couldn’t think of what to give him as a ‘thank you’ gift. They thought back to the conversation they had with Fluttershy yesterday to see if anything might help. A light bulb seemed to go off in all their heads as they appeared to have reached the same idea. The crusaders tried to keep their smiles hidden as Caster walked in and passed around the meals to everyone.

When the food had been put away, Caster took all the dishes back into the kitchen and cleaned them up. The blacksmith really did enjoy the time he had spent with the crusaders and he wished they could have a little more time to hang out. Unfortunately, he knew that Fluttershy and her friends would probably be back soon and that meant they had to leave. So for now, he decided to make do with what time they had left. After the dishes had been put into the dishwasher he made his way back to the living room where Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo seemed to have vanished. He was about to call out for them when a camera in a light green aura appeared in front of him.

“DOGPILE!” three voices shouted out.

Caster turned around to see the three fillies jumping at him and was unable to react in time. They all piled on top of him as he let out a loud grunt while they all laughed as the camera went off.

===============================================================

The brown Pegasus looked at the dresser in his room and saw all the photos resting on top of it. He drew his gaze to the one with him and the crusaders together the day he agreed to watch them.

‘Good times,’ Caster thought to himself.