The Steel-Hearted Pegasus

        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.

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        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.

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        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.

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        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.