The Steel-Hearted Pegasus

        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!”