The few clouds that dotted the sky did little to keep the sun's rays from shining down on the world below, bathing it in warmth. The place that seemed to take in the most sunshine however was the city of Canterlot and currently many ponies basked in its light. Like any other day of the year, the streets were packed. Several ponies were walking through the streets though there weren’t too many for it to be considered overcrowded. Normally this would appear to be an average thing to expect in city life. But today was much different as everyone was heading for Canterlot Castle. Today was the coronation of the new Princess of Equestria, Anima Memoriae. It was a momentous event for many, seeing as how Equestira would be getting a new ruler. One thing most ponies did know about her was that she was the personal student of Princess Luna. It came as a bit of a surprise since very few had ever heard of Luna having her own student.

But regardless, what mattered now was seeing how well this new Princess would play out. Ponies from all across Equestria had come to witness the coronation. Many ponies were looking forward to getting the chance to meet her in person. Some for simply seeing what she was like, others for personal reasons. The latter could be said for Caster Forge as he made his way through the crowd along with his family. In his coat pocket he held the neatly wrapped amulet that he planned to give to the Princess. Both to celebrate her coronation and to promote his parent’s business. For a moment he wondered if she would even notice him or even accept his gift. But those thoughts were quickly dispelled, knowing that someone who was about to become a Princess would never just turn him away like that. At the very least Caster could get a word with her.

So with a slight skip in his step, he continued forward, confident of what was to come as he brushed his suit a bit to remove any excess lint. Like everyone around him, Caster had gotten dressed up for the occasion, sporting his best suit. His suit consisted of a black coat and pants, a white undershirt, a beige tweed, an emerald green tie, black polished shoes, and a set of cufflinks resembling his cutie mark. His family also wore their own formal attire. They all walked close together, but didn’t squish next to each other, so as to not be separated in the crowd. Amethyst Emberglow had an arm wrapped around Copper Gold’s as they cuddled close. Hotpop and Jack Spirit held onto either of Vicente’s hands, making sure he wouldn’t wander off or fall to the ground if he fell asleep again.

“So Vicente, are you excited or what?” Hotpop asked, acting like a child herself.

“You bet I am, mommy!” Vicente responded, jumping up and down.

“Well it isn’t every day you get to see a new Princess after all,” Jack said, trying not to let go of his son’s hand.

“Indeed, if we’re lucky we may get the chance to actually meet her up close,” Caster said, hoping that would be the case.

“I take it you’re still planning on giving her that amulet you made?” Copper said.

“Of course. I worked really hard on this so I’m not just going to back down now,” he responded, clutching the gift in his coat pocket. “Besides it’ll be a good way to promote your business, Dad.”

“And probably a good way to promote yourself huh, Cast?” Hotpop said, nudging him with an elbow and wearing a sly grin.

“I-it isn’t like that at all, Hotpop!” Caster said, his cheeks turning red. “I just want to do something nice for her, that’s all.”

“Sure, whatever you say, Cast,” she said, giggling.

Caster simply sighed as he tried to rid the blush from his face. The truth is the thought had crossed his mind once or twice. But he never really thought it would happen of course. After all this was a Princess they were talking about and he was just a blacksmith. He shook those thoughts out of his head, not wanting to continue on the matter. After all, Caster promised himself that he would wait until the right mare came along and would never use a situation like this to his advantage. His family could tell the topic was bothering him and decided to talk about other things. And their conversations went on until they reached the castle and made their way to the ceremonial chamber.

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Much like everyone around them, Caster and his family waited intently as the voices of the crowd echoed throughout the ceremonial chamber of Canterlot Castle, which was decorated very festively for the occasion. Many ponies from both nobility and common status talked among themselves of what was to come from this coronation. Some ponies were still piling into the room, the sound of their footsteps on the tile floors mixing with the voices still echoing across the room. Caster couldn't get a good view from where he was standing, being too far from the platform at the end of the red carpet that divided the crowd. As he pondered how he’d greet the new Princess, Princess Celestia spoke from the platform. The clamor of many excited ponies quickly changed into silence as all eyes focused on her.

“Mares and gentlecolts, thank you all for coming here this day. Today is a truly momentous occasion. Not long ago we were all here before, celebrating an event much like this one. We came to celebrate the crowning of my most faithful student, Princess Twilight Sparkle,” she stated, addressing her former student who stood to her side accompanied by the other Elements of Harmony. “She had accomplished what many ponies believed to be impossible. At first I thought that it was only Twilight that was destined to discover this new type of magic. But now I see that is not the case.”

“It appears that somepony else in our kingdom has learned the true meaning of this magic as well. A pony who has been guided under the teachings of my sister, Princess Luna. This is a day not only for our newest Princess, but for all of Equestria as well. She has shown us that anypony among us can have the courage to believe in others and draw strength unlike any other. I hope that in a few years’ time you all too can see the joy in being with and helping those around you. But I digress, it is time for what we all came to bear witness too,” Celestia said, moving to the side to let her sister speak.

“Fillies and gentlecolts, it is my honor to introduce to all of you, Princess Anima Memoriae!” Princess Luna said, signaling the guards at the large double doors.

They opened the doors and in walked the Princess, with a couple guards behind her carrying banners with her cutie mark, a collection of yellow and pink flashing stars with what seemed to be a pink reel surrounding it. Everyone in attendance was awed at seeing Princess Anima Memoriae. Though from Caster’s position he couldn’t get a good view over the crowd. All he could make out of the Princess was a white Unicorn horn and the top part of her pink mane. She walked briskly across the red carpet toward the platform, excited to begin a new stage in her life. Once Anima reached her destination, she gave a little curtsy to Luna before her teacher spoke.

“Anima Memoriae, you may have been the only student I ever took under my wing, but you have shown that you were capable of so much more than I had expected. Your skills in magic are unparalleled and the love you show for others, even those beyond help, is inspiring to us all,” Princess Luna said, turning to Anima’s friends nearby, one of which held a golden tiara with three rubies embedded in it. She levitated it in front of her student in her blue magical aura.

“My faithful student, I see it only appropriate that you take on the title that most befits you. Will you accept this symbol of authority and take on the duties and responsibilities of your new role in Equestria?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

“Yes I will, your highness,” Anima said, lowering her head slightly.

“Then I officially decree you, Princess Anima Memoriae,” Luna said, placing the tiara atop her students’ head.

Anima turned around to face her audience as their newest ruler. They all clapped and cheered for her, some shouting a few words of encouragement. Though Caster could still not see her, due in part to a couple of ponies blocking his view. So he merely applauded along with everyone else. When the cheering had died down a bit, the Princesses announced that it was time to move on to the castle ballroom for the party. And so the crowd dispersed, making their way to the aforementioned location. Caster tried to see if he could meet up with Anima, but she seemed to have disappeared amongst the crowd.

“Hey, Caster come on. We don’t want to miss out on the free grub,” Jack said, trying to get his brother’s attention.

“Huh, oh right. Listen, you guys go on ahead I’ll catch up with you later. I’ve got some business to take care of,” Caster said, looking nervously at his family.

“All right then dear,” Amethyst said, giving her son a quick hug. “Just remember, when you do meet the Princess, let us know okay?”

“Mom!” he stated, blushing profusely.

They all gave a little laugh before they left with another group to the ballroom. Shaking off his embarrassment, Caster set off for the ballroom.

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

The hallways of the Castle were flooded with ponies, making their way to the ballroom. Many of them were eager to get a chance to meet the Princess, yet Caster Forge proved to be more so than the rest as he gracefully maneuvered through the crowds. All the while he was clutching the gift held in his coat, protecting it from harm.

Once he got to the ballroom, Caster surveyed his surroundings. All around him were ponies conversing with one another. Some talked about how well their businesses were holding up, while others conveyed juicy gossip. The whole room looked festive as streamers and balloons decorated the upper walls and ceiling. Many of the tables were covered with a fine white linen while horse d'oeuvres and multicolored beverages glinted in their glasses. The bright rays of the sun shone through several windows with multiple tiled pictures adorning them, covering the room in a transparent rainbow of color. While the room looked lively and active, it presented a problem for Caster. And that was the crowds of ponies made it difficult to find Princess Anima. It was almost like trying to find a needle in a haystack. But he wasn’t going to give up now, he was determined to deliver his gift after all the effort he put into making it.

So he dove into the ballroom, hoping to find the Princess. He pushed past a couple of ponies, excusing himself so as to not appear rude. When he thought he saw her at times, he went straight for it only to find it was either a Pegasus or Unicorn who only looked slightly similar. The more the party wore on the more difficult it seemed to locate Anima. After about fifteen minutes of searching, Caster decided to take a break and grab some refreshments from one of the tables. He grabbed a small white plate with pink edging and piled some of the asparagus and lentil hors d'oeuvres onto the plate. Then he picked up a bottle of champagne and poured some of its golden contents into a delicate fluted glass.

As he poured more of the golden drink, Caster gazed out at the ballroom and the many ponies adorning it. If he was lucky, he could manage to spot Princess Anima. While taking a bite of one of the delicacies, he watched as all the other ponies that were near him kept talking with each other. Caster remembered that he also came here in the hopes of socializing and making new friends. Although from the looks of it, no one around spoke of anything that he could relate to.

His gaze then shifted over to a certain group of ponies, which he recognized as the Elements of Harmony. They were all seated at a nearby table each of them with a special somepony. One of them, a white Unicorn with a purple mane, was even paired up with a dragon of all creatures. Though that was a bit of a surprise to him, Caster wasn’t going to judge the two of them. While it looked sweet seeing them all with somepony they deserved, it still reminded him of his own love life and how long it would be till he found his own special somepony. His thoughts kept trailing on before he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Caster ol’ boy, good to see you again,” a stallion said, in a familiar Canterlot accent.

“Good to see you too Fancy. You as well Fleur,” Caster replied, turning around to face the older pony and his wife, Fleur De Lis.

Fancy Pants was an old friend of the Forge family. Soon after Caster was admitted to Canterlot University, Fancy had met his family to get to know two of the best jewelry artists as well as the up and coming colt who managed to gain admittance. At first Caster was a bit hesitant with meeting him, due to how many ponies in Canterlot acted. Over time, after receiving orders for jewelry and visits, Caster could see that Fancy was warm hearted and caring. He also was quite good at telling jokes too. And since then Fancy and Fleur had become a part of the family.

“I say, this truly is a marvelous party for such a grand occasion, don’t you think?” Fancy declared, taking a sip from his glass of champagne.

“Yeah, it sure is,” Caster said, half-heartedly as he stared into his own glass.

“Whatever is the matter, dear boy? Something on your mind?” he asked, wondering what was up.

“I guess you could say that,” Caster replied, scratching the back of his head.

“Would it have to do with waiting for your special somepony?” Fleur said, with an innocent grin.

“Huh!? W-what makes you say that?” Caster asked, his face turning a crimson hue.

“You can’t fool me Caster,” she said, giggling. “I noticed you were looking at that table over there and I saw your expression just before we came to you.”

“Fleur, honey, don’t push the young man too far,” Fancy said, trying to get his wife to ease up. “He doesn’t have to tell us if he doesn’t want too.”

“No, no, it’s all right Fancy. She is right, the subject has been on my mind a bit lately,” Caster said, looking down.

“I’m guessing the right mare still hasn’t come around yet?” he asked.

“Nah, just more and more mares who see me as nothing more than eye candy and social advancement,” Caster said, his expression turning sour.

“I see. I remember my younger years when all the ladies only seemed to care about my money. That is until I met my lovely Fleur,” Fancy said, Fleur nuzzling him in response. “She actually shared my personal interests and there were some parts of her that intrigued me as well. Needless to say we were practically meant for each other.”

“That’s a very sweet story, Fancy. I just hope the same thing can happen to me soon. Though the way things are going lately I doubt it’s ever going to happen,” Caster said, trying to get in a better mood.

“Trust me, my good lad, you’ll find your special somepony when you least expect it. When the time comes you’ll know,” he said, holding Fleur’s hand.

“And remember, Caster, if you ever need somepony to talk to come see us. Our door is always open to our friends,” Fleur added, showing her kind nature.

“Thanks, Fleur, I’ll be sure to take you guys up on that offer,” Caster said, a smile finally adorning his face.

“So, Caster, is there anything else you would like to talk about?” Fancy asked, hoping to change the subject.

“Actually, if it’s all right with you two, I’d like to go and get some fresh air. This place is getting a bit too crowded at the moment,” he said, feeling a bit suffocated when he realized how cramped it was getting.

“Of course, I understand. Go ahead and take some time to reflect on what we’ve talked about,” Fancy said, with a hearty laugh.

“I will, Fancy Pants. See you around,” Caster said, moving past the crowds.

After some navigating and handing off his plate to a butler, Caster Forge found himself standing outside in the private castle gardens. Even though the flowers weren’t in full bloom the whole area still looked beautiful. The sound of multiple conversations coming from the ballroom became mere muttering as Caster focused his attention on the soft breeze and the chirping of nearby birds. The large hedges that covered the garden made him feel like he was cut off from the rest of Equestria. It was all so serene that one would almost think that.

Continuing his leisurely stroll, Caster thought of what Fancy and Fleur had taught him. Fancy had gone through nearly the same problems when he was younger. Yet despite all that he still managed to find comfort in the arms of a lover after some time. It was inspiring to see even the wealthy suffer the common problems and still bear through them like anyone else. It gave Caster a rising sense of hope. He felt more confident now, that if he just kept waiting a little while longer he may find what he has been hoping so long for. Thinking back on it now, Caster found it a bit amusing that he got all worked up over nothing.

“I mean it’s not like my special somepony is just going to fall from the sky after all,” he said, laughing sarcastically.

“LOOK OUT BELOW!!!” a voice rang out from above.

Caster quickly turned around and looked up, before his vision was blocked and something heavy slammed him into the ground. He groaned from the sudden impact, his mind becoming a bit dazed. A similar groan reached his ears, coming from whatever had landed on him though this one was more feminine. He lifted himself up slightly to see who it was and saw that it was a mare. Caster noticed she had wings, which would probably explain why she came down from the sky. He was about to help her up when something else caught his attention. That being the Unicorn horn protruding from her forehead, her pink mane, and the golden tiara that rested upon it. The sudden realization made him freeze up. Caster then completely panicked as he backed away quickly, got onto his hands and knees and bowed his head low.

“Your highness, please forgive me! I did not mean to impede your path!” he exclaimed, not daring to look her in the eye.

Caster waited for the chewing out he would most likely get. He didn’t know what the new Princess was like but it was better to be safe than sorry. The silence lingered for a while before the sound of laughter rang out. Confused, Caster moved his head up to find Princess Anima Memoriae sitting down and laughing as she held her hand to her mouth.

“Don’t worry about it, it was accident on my part anyhow,” she said, smiling at him.

Anima started dusting herself off a bit while Caster simply sat in front of her in awe. Just one look at her told him that she definitely deserved the title of Princess. Anima’s fur was one of the purest shades of white, second only to Princess Celestia herself. Her mane and tail were long and poofy, almost like clouds. Both were a bright shade of pink with a few magenta streaks, which matched well with her pink dress, which went down to her ankles, and her pink dress slippers. Anima’s body looked very lean, from her arms to her legs, and curved into a nice set of hips. She had an above average bosom that was well-rounded. Her light green eyes turned their attention to him, snapping Caster out of his stupor. She squinted her eyes at him before speaking.

“Would you mind helping me find my glasses? I seemed to have misplaced them,” Anima said, feeling embarrassed as she searched the ground.

“Oh, yes of course,” he said, aiding her in her search.

They both searched through the grass, looking for Anima’s glasses. Caster occasionally shot a glance over at her, watching her fumble along the ground. It was kind of amusing to see a Princess go through such a petty matter, though he wasn’t going to make fun of her of course. That being said, Caster kept on looking until his gaze fell upon a small set of blue glasses. He grabbed them and brought them over to Anima.

“I found them! Here you go, your highness,” he said, being as polite as possible.

“Thank you kindly,” Anima Memoriae said, putting on her recovered glasses. “And for the record please just call me… Anima.”

As soon as she regained her vision, her words got caught in her throat as she stared at the pony before her. One thing she immediately noticed about him was that he was tall, about more than half a foot taller than her to be precise. And his broad shoulders gave evidence of his muscular body. Though the stallion’s stature and figure did appear somewhat intimidating, those thoughts were dispelled when she looked up at his humble and gentle expression. The small smile that adorned his lips calmed Anima enough to let her get a better look at him. Such as the few scars adorning his face, the small tuft of hair on his chin, and his deep green eyes, which she found herself staring into longer than she intended. Caster had realized that Anima had been staring at her for a while now and his cheeks began to blush, along with Anima’s.

“Heh heh, um, nice to meet you. My name is Anima Memoriae. Though I’m sure you and everypony else here already knew that,” she said, feeling embarrassed.

“Yes I did actually, heh. It’s an honor to meet you in person your high- I mean, Anima,” Caster said, correcting himself. “My name is Caster Forge.”

“Caster Forge?” Anima asked, remembering the name. “The Royal Blacksmith, Caster Forge?”

“Um, yes?” he answered.

“Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it! You’re the pony that they say got the lucky mark. Is that true?” she asked, excited to meet him.

“I guess so, nopony else seems to have it anyway,” Caster said, amazed that a newly crowned Princess actually knew about him.

“Hey uh, I hope this doesn’t sound too imposing. But would it be all right if I could see it?” Anima said, hoping he wouldn’t think she was weird.

Caster was a bit surprised to hear that request as his cheeks started to blush again.

“I mean if you don’t want to that’s fine of course. I was just curious about-”

“No i-it’s okay. It’s just that not many ponies ask me to see it,” he said, cracking a smile despite his nervousness.

Pulling out a bit of his tucked in shirt, Caster slowly moved the waist of his pants down on the side. He managed to reveal his cutie mark without showing his more personal areas. Anima looked at the lucky mark with rapt attention, intrigued by how it resembled the Roman numeral fifteen.

“Wow, so this is the rare mark that everypony talks about. I’m amazed you were able to get one,” Anima said, her tone one of amazement and surprise.

“You and pretty much everypony else in Equestria,” Caster said, tucking his shirt back in. “Even I was stunned when I first got it.”

“So hey, is it true that since you’re a Pegasus, the lucky mark gives you more speed?” she asked.

“Yes actually. Although even with it I have yet to perform a Sonic Rainboom,” Caster said, chuckling. “I doubt that’s ever going to happen.”

“Well you never know. After all Rainbow Dash was able to pull it off like five times already from what I’ve heard,” Anima said, throwing some words of encouragement at him.

“That’s true I suppose,” he said, thinking about the possibilities.

Suddenly all was quiet as the two ponies did not know what else to speak of. The awkward silence got to both of them as they tried to think of something to say. Then Caster thought of how she asked to see his lucky mark and chose to continue the subject. Though with Anima’s cutie mark.

“So I’m curious. What exactly did you do as a special talent before becoming a Princess? And also how did you become one in the first place?” he asked, hoping this would keep their conversation going.

“Huh, I never thought anypony would ask me about all of that,” Anima said, glad that someone was interested in her past. “I should warn you now though it’s going to be a bit long to tell.”

“That’s fine, I’ve got plenty of free time. I’m all ears,” Caster said, standing up and helping her up as well. “But do you mind if we find somewhere more comfortable to sit?”

“Sure, wouldn’t want to get grass stains on my new dress after all,” she said, giggling.

Before they started wandering through the garden, Caster spotted a nearby white wooden bench. He pointed it out to Anima and they both took a seat on it, getting comfortable for the most likely long talk they would be having.

“So, how did it all start?” Caster asked, ready to hear Princess Anima Memoriae’s story.

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

“To start off I should probably tell you that I wasn’t an Alicorn at first. I was originally just a Unicorn, and the one thing I loved more than anything was taking photos. At first I just drew whatever I saw that seemed interesting. But then one day my Grandmother gave me a camera for my birthday,” Anima said, reaching into one of her dress pockets and pulling out a small red and black camera. “Since then I’ve used this little guy to take photos wherever I can. Sometimes of ponies chatting, playing, sometimes pretty flowers, or even just funny shaped clouds.”

“I see, that’s cool. But how does all of that tie in with your cutie mark?” Caster asked, curious where this was going.

“Don’t worry, I’m getting to it. One day, I and a few others from school went on an outing at the park. It was really nice there, lots of flowers, a playground, and even a cool statue which at the time depicted a mysterious mare that no one knew. Anyway, after a while I saw that the statue was being vandalized by a couple of bullies from my class who were chucking rocks at it. I soon recognized them as Windie Light and her entourage,” Anima said, clutching her hand from the memories.

“I take it you’re not too big a fan of them?” Caster asked, seeing how touchy the topic must’ve been.

“No one was back then. Windie was always mean to everyone for no reason other than thinking it was funny. I used to feel so afraid of her that I could barely stand up for myself,” she said.

“Sounds like it must’ve been tough on you. If it’s any consolation, I know how it feels,” he remarked, remembering his own problems with bullies in the past.

“Thanks, but don’t worry it wasn’t always like that. I may’ve been a coward before but this time I felt Windie and her friends had gone too far. And so I just started yelling at her to stop. I believed that such a piece of artwork is something that needs to be preserved and not destroyed for fun. No matter how something is preserved, whether taking care of it or even snapping a photo of it,” Anima stated, holding her camera close. “The memory is always what’s most important about it.”

“Whoa, wasn’t expecting you to go all deep there just now,” Caster said, admiring her philosophy.

“Neither did I. But anyway, as I continued ranting my horn started to glow and soon a burst of magic shot out towards the statue. That was when the area and everypony in it got surrounded by an image of the night. It was odd at first but suddenly a mare showed up out of nowhere. She was an Alicorn with a beautiful blue coat and looked strikingly similar to the statue I was defending. We all watched in awe as she began to not only raise the moon but also set out the stars in the sky,” Anima said.

‘Huh, I wonder who that could’ve been?’ Caster asked himself, having a pretty clear idea.

“After the image faded, all the other ponies in my class seemed to rally together against Windie and the others. I guess they must’ve felt the same way after seeing something like that. Needless to say, Windie and little entourage seemed to back off, claiming we all weren’t worth the effort or something stupid like that,” She said, rolling her eyes at their past excuse. “Soon after, everyone seemed to stare at me with surprised looks. I followed their gaze to find that I had finally earned my cutie mark. I was so overjoyed that I couldn’t but, obviously, take a photo to celebrate the occasion.”

“Wow that’s really impressive Anima,” Caster said, taking an interest in her story.

“Thanks, but I’m sure lots of other ponies have cutie mark stories that are just as interesting,” she said, blushing a little from the compliment.

“Well don’t tell me the story ends there right?” Caster teased, wanting to hear the rest. “I still want to hear about what lead to you becoming a Princess. Also what lead you to becoming Princess Luna’s own student.”

“Oh right. Well it really continues where I left off,” Anima said, happy that he wanted her to keep going. “When word got out about how I got my cutie mark, not only were my parents impressed but a few of my teachers as well. So much so that they gave me an application for Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. I was to be accepted on the condition that I pass a special entrance exam to test the magic I used.”

“They asked me to use the spell on an artifact that had been used for centuries. It was difficult at first and took a few tries but I eventually managed to project the events and ponies it had been associated with throughout history. Seeing that I had great potential in magic, as well as use in this special talent of mine, the judges gave me a passing grade and welcomed me into the school,” Anima said, remembering how overjoyed she was at the time. “And so I spent the rest of my school days there. Learning new advanced spells, seeing the many mysteries in magic, and developing my talents in what many called ‘Memory Magic’.”

“Then Nightmare Moon returned and the whole ordeal associated with it piqued my interest. When Princess Twilight and her friends used the Elements of Harmony to turn Nightmare Moon back into Princess Luna I was ecstatic to learn that there was also a Princess of the Night. You see I had always been fascinated by nighttime. All the stars in the sky forming dozens of constellations, the moon that gave a beautiful radiance in the darkness, and all the wondrous creatures and plant life that thrived in the night. It also cheered me up when I was little. Back when I was still being bullied around, my mother would bring me out to look at the night sky and tell me the story of the mare in the moon and of the stars. Everything about it seemed so beautiful to me and yet nopony else thought of it that way. That is, of course, until I heard the story of Luna,” she finished.

“I understand how you feel,” Caster spoke up. “I kind of have the same issue myself, though mine revolves around rain. Most ponies seem to see it as a burden aside from providing necessary water to Equestria. However I don’t see it that way. While ponies say it just makes the land look gloomy, I personally think it’s beautiful. Because even something dark like rain can still bring about beauty and light to our world. After all, rainbows always appear after a storm and the land grows and flourishes soon after. But most of all it gives me a sense of peace. Whenever I had troubles as a foal, the rain made me feel at ease because it felt like the world was crying with me.”

“My, you sure sound like a poet,” Anima said, chuckling softly at hearing his speech.

“Uh, thanks I guess,” he said, his cheeks turning red. “But anyway sorry for interrupting. Please continue.”

“It’s all right,” Anima said, brushing it off. “After Luna had returned to her position as Princess of Equestria, I had thought about meeting and getting to know her. But I was so nervous at the time that I couldn’t work up the courage. Yet after hearing what happened during Nightmare Night a few years ago, I felt that maybe it wouldn’t be so hard to talk with her. Yet when I tried to speak with Princess Luna, her guards merely shoved me off saying she was too busy. I kept trying but it always ended the same way.”

“Then how did you manage to speak with her at all?” Caster said.

“It’s a funny story actually. One day while at school, I seemed to bump into her by accident. Apparently she came to read some of the new texts at the library. At first her guards got all on my case again but she moved them aside and apologized for how they acted. I told her of honored I was to finally be to speak with the Princess of the Night and she seemed happy to find another pony who was interested in meeting her. We ended up chatting for a little while and I mentioned how I managed to get my cutie mark and be enrolled here,” she said.

“Really, what did she have to say about that?” Caster asked.

“Well, you’ve probably figured it out by now, but it turned out that the mare I had a vision of was in fact Princess Luna herself. Upon realizing that, she seemed to take a deeper interest in my special talent. So she asked if she could speak with me later and I agreed, feeling ecstatic that someone of royalty would even consider being interested in me. That night I met up with her at her personal quarters and had some tea as we talked about my abilities and how they’ve advanced over the years. Soon I asked Princess Luna about her own abilities and the conversation eventually moved onto our personal interests and hobbies. Soon enough, we ended up becoming good friends over time, talking to each other whenever we had the chance,” Anima said, happily remembering all of her talks with Princess Luna.

“You certainly are lucky to have made friends with a Princess like that. Though I’m guessing that’s not why she took you on as her student,” Caster said, knowing there was more to the story.

“Indeed not. I was nearing the last few days during my last year of high school at Celestia’s school. It was then that I had asked Princess Luna if I could be her student for my next few years. I thought it would be an honor to be able to learn from somepony familiar with ancient magic and shared my interests in the night. She took some time to think it over, seeing all that I’ve accomplished and what I can do. Princess Luna then tasked me with mastering an advanced spell by the end of the year. Saying that she would make me her personal protégé if I succeeded,” Anima stated, knowing how grueling the test was at the time.

“Well I’m pretty sure you managed to pass with flying colors,” Caster said, putting two and two together.

“It took a few tries, but yes, I managed to pull it off. And so Princess Luna took me under her wing, believing I had great potential awaiting me,” she said.

“That’s pretty cool and I suppose why Princess Luna wanted to keep this all a secret. Not wanting to draw too much public attention,” Caster said, beginning to understand the whole scenario.

“Yeah pretty much. Even after over a thousand years she’s still a bit secluded from everypony else,” Anima said, knowing how difficult it was for her teacher at first.

“I see. So now I guess all that remains is how you became a Princess as well,” Caster said, ready to hear the last part of Anima’s story.

“Indeed and that is definitely a story worth telling,” she said, remembering the recent events leading up to her coronation. “It all started about a couple of months ago. I was studying a bit when apparently word had reached Luna and me about a situation occurring within the city. Apparently some mare was going around harassing the citizens, violently lashing out, and just disrupting the peace. Our lesson was put on hold while Luna went with a few guards to investigate the scene. I decided to come along to as I wanted to see what could be causing such a mess.”

“When we got there, I was quite shocked to see who it was. It turned out to be Windie Light, my old bully, and she looked like a complete mess. Apparently she had been drinking too much and just went on a rampage of sorts. But it looked like the guards had managed to subdue her as we arrived and were about to haul her off to the holding cells. That was when I asked Princess Luna if I could have a chance to talk with Windie, to see if I could get through to her. It took some persuading but she said yes and she let me speak with her at the holding cells,” Anima said.

“So what happened next?” Caster asked, wondering had become of Anima’s old bully.

“Well, when I finally got a chance to speak with her, Windie didn’t seem to remember who I was. It was like her mind had become scrambled or something. So I used my memory spell to search through her past. And let me tell you, it was not pretty,” she stated, remembering how horrible the experience was. “Losing her friends, getting fired from her job, and even being rejected by the one she loved most. But through it all I managed to at least find a memory of me and used that to connect my mind with hers. From there I was able to help Windie confront her inner turmoil’s and bring her back to state where she could think properly. And so afterwards I managed to convince the guards into putting Windie in a rehabilitation program. Because even though she was mean to me in the past, I believe she at least deserved a second chance and I knew I was the one meant to give it to her.”

“Wow, that’s really inspiring, Anima. I’d certainly be happy to have received help from somepony like you,” Caster said, seeing this was both a Princess and a pony he could trust to help others.

“I only did what I knew was right. And you’re not the only one who was so impressed,” Anima said, ready to share the last piece of her story. “When word had reached Princess Luna about what I had done, she congratulated me on my achievement and believed she made the right decision in making me her apprentice. Though I could see in her eyes that she was thinking of something else that was important. It was only about a week ago that I was finally called into Princess Luna’s study for an important matter. I didn’t know what it was about, but I could tell she was serious about it from the letter she sent me. When I got there, she told me that my time studying with her had come to an end. I was disheartened when I heard this news but she went on to say it was partially because I had learned everything she had to teach me. But mostly it was because she had much bigger plans for me.”

“What do you mean?” Caster asked, wondering where this was going.

“Princess Luna told me that my time learning from her provided me with more than just knowledge on spells and history. When she heard about what I did for Windie Light, she saw not only the true power in my abilities, but also how much I cared for those around me, whether they be friend or foe. It was similar, she believed, to the heroic deeds of Twilight Sparkle and she became a Princess. Luna thought that perhaps I was meant for more and after discussing it with Princess Celestia, believed that I was destined to become one of them. And so, it was then that she told me that it was time for me to fulfill what I was meant for. With a flash of her horn and a quick trip through some strange vortex, I found myself sporting these babies and my new role as Princess,” Anima said, spreading out her wings slightly.

“Wow that’s one impressive story you got there,” Caster said, admiring her new appendages. “I guess now you must know how Twilight Sparkle felt when she became a Princess.”

“That’s an understatement,” Anima said, with a light giggle. “Already I can feel a new kind of power surging through me. I truly do feel like a Princess, both in title and in strength, particularly with the first part.”

“Oh, and why do you say that?”

“Well, after I became an Alicorn and my coronation was set into motion, I started to think on what my role as a Princess would be. That’s when it hit me like a ton of bricks. My talents have always helped me to see the past and learn about history in new ways, even teaching others on it. And only now have I used my magic to truly help others with their problems in life. And so I came to realize who and what I am: I am Anima Memoriae, the Princess of Memories,” she stated, proudly. “I preserve the past so that the present and future may be enlightened.”

“That certainly has a nice ring to it,” Caster said, liking the concept of her role to come.

“Indeed, I may only be here for a time, but I’m sure my legacy will live on for others to remember,” Anima said, knowing her time would one day come to an end.

“Wait, I thought you were immortal now, like Princess Celestia and Princess Luna,” he asked, curious about the subject.

“Actually no, I’m not,” she stated. “You see only Luna and Celestia have the immortal trait in their genes. The reason is because their specific family of Alicorn comes from a more divine heritage. So only members of their family and their descendants can become immortal. That of course means that Princess Twilight is not immortal either since she became an Alicorn through the same means as me. The same goes for Princess Cadence as well. A distant relative in her family was an Alicorn that did not have the immortality trait.”

“I see. That makes sense I suppose,” Caster said, understanding how it all worked. “So now you don’t have to worry about outliving your friends one day.”

“Yeah, that would have been unfortunate. I love my friends so much that it would’ve pained me to live on without them,” Anima said, a frown forming.

Once again the awkward silence found its way into their conversation. Caster always had a knack for saying the wrong thing at times, even if it wasn’t intentional. He needed to think fast if he didn’t want the whole scene to get all depressing. But suddenly a slightly throbbing pain in the back of his head reminded him of how Anima got here in the first place. That being said he was a bit puzzled as to why she came crashing from the sky at all.

“So uh, if you don’t mind me asking, what were you doing out here anyway?” he said, breaking the silence.

“Oh right, I never did explain that did I?” she said, feeling embarrassed. “The truth is I came out here to try out my new wings.”

“Ah, I guess that explains why you came crashing down huh?” Caster said, putting two and two together.

“Yeah I still haven’t gotten used to them yet it seems,” Anima said, giving her wings a flap.

“Well I’m sure that with time and practice you’ll be soaring the skies in no time,” Caster said, putting on his best smile.

“Actually, that’ll be a bit of problem. I really don’t have anypony or know anypony that would be willing to help me practice using my wings,” Anima Memoriae said, rubbing her arm.

“I’m sorry to hear that. But don’t you have any friends that could teach you?” he inquired.

“Yes, I have two friends that are Pegasi. But like most of my friends they’re so busy most of the time that they wouldn’t be able to make room in their schedule,” she stated, seeming more down than before. “I guess it’ll be a while before I can actually fly.”

Caster didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t easy to find a training coach when it came to flying. Usually because they focused mostly on training foals. She may have been a Princess, but it would still take a while to book Anima into a class since she was a full grown mare. So many options flowed through his mind, but they seemed almost impossible for this situation. If only there was something he could do to help her out. Then, forgetting an important detail about his own anatomy, the realization of the most obvious solution hit Caster like a ton of bricks.

“You know, if it’s all right with you, I could teach you how to fly,” he said, trying to give her some hope.

Anima’s ears perked up and she faced him directly as she heard what he just said.

“You, you really mean it?” she said, eyes filled with glee.

“Of course. I mean, not to brag, but I am a pretty skilled flier. If you stick with me you’ll be in the sky in maybe a couple of months,” Caster Forge said, not wanting to sound too arrogant.

“Are you sure about it? I wouldn’t want to trouble you what with your busy schedule,” Anima said, hoping she wouldn’t be too much of a bother to him.

“It’s no problem at all. My job gives me a two hour break at any time and it’ll be a nice way to spend my time. Plus,” he said, as he flapped his wings, jumped up and flipped his body so that he was floating upside down in front of her, staring into her eyes and smiling. “I’m sure you would love to do something like this.”

“Wow, that’s so cool!” she proclaimed, giving him a big hug. “Thank you so much, I’ll be the best student you’ve ever had.”

“Probably because you’ll be the only student I’ve ever had,” Caster said, blushing as he floated back to the ground and sat down on the bench. “So, when do you believe you would have the time for me to teach you?”

“Well first off, now that I’ve become a Princess, I’m to start learning the etiquette and the responsibilities of being one. Things like how a Princess should behave, duties that I must perform, and all of the treaties and laws that have been placed throughout history. I’m supposed to come to the castle five times a week, starting tomorrow, for these lessons and I of course get breaks during the day. So I’ll see what I can do about getting my time frame to work with yours,” she said, wondering if that would work for him.

“All right, that’s perfect for me. I’m allowed to take my breaks whenever I please. So you can just stop by my forge when you’re on break and we can get started. I should probably give directions to where it’s at, I swear somepony’s can get lost in that castle. Here, let me see if I have something to write with,” Caster said, searching through his coat pockets.

“Hey, what’s that?” Anima asked, noticing the red and white gift box in his coat.

“Huh what’re you- Oh right, I can’t believe I almost forgot about this!” he exclaimed, pulling out the box. “I got this for you. To celebrate your coronation as Princess.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet of you Caster,” she said, taking the present. “Thank you very much.”

She quickly peeled away the red ribbon and white wrapping paper and saw the small box it covered. She gently removed the top and was stunned to see what was inside. Her eyes reflected the beautiful sheen from the silver oval shaped amulet, its large center ruby, and the tiny sapphires that circled it. Its elegant carvings were mesmerizing and the thin silver chain complimented it nicely.

“Oh my, this is beautiful,” she said, transfixed by its beauty. “You know you didn’t have to go through so much trouble as to buy me something like this.”

“Um, actually I didn’t buy it from anywhere. I-I made it myself,” Caster said, grinning sheepishly.

Anima said nothing as she looked at him incredulously.

“You see my parents run their own jewelry store just outside the city. I may have learned a thing or two from them on occasion, though I’m still not as completely skilled as them. I thought that maybe this would seem like a better gift for you rather than just buying something. If you ever get the chance, I hope you’ll be interested in seeing some of my parents’ work,” he said, hoping he wasn’t pushing it too far.

Though Anima didn’t seem to pay attention to that last part as she was still taking all the previous information in. In a flash she brought Caster in for another hug, this one a bit more affectionate than the last.

“I don’t know what to say, this is just so kind of you to do. You truly are a great friend to have,” she said, smiling widely as she continued hugging him.

“F-friend?” Caster said, curious about her statement.

“Well of course you big knuckle-head,” Anima responded, looking up at him and keeping her smile up. “I mean you listened to my life story, you’re offering to teach me how to fly, and you gave me a beautiful amulet that you made yourself. How could I not have you as a friend?”

“Um, thank you Anima. I’m glad you think of me that way. I just hope this means you’ll be my friend as well,” he said, getting more flustered by the second.

“Absolutely. After all it’d be rude of me to have you as a friend and not be yours back. When I get the chance I’ll introduce you to my other friends as well,” she said, her smile never wavering.

“Cool and I promise I’ll do my best to get you into the sky as soon as possible,” he said, giving her another hug that she graciously returned. “Though I should probably still give you those directions.”

With that he went back to searching through his coat till he found a pen and some small note paper in one of his pockets. It was always nice to have some on hand in case of situations like these. As he wrote down the directions to his forge, he couldn’t help but shoot a few glances at the mare sitting next to him, who had just put on the amulet. To think that he was worried about meeting the Princess and trying to make new friends when he had managed to do both tasks at once. And it was all thanks to this one mare, whom he had learned so much about in so short a time. Caster never would have believed that somepony like her would befriend him so easily, even with all the things he had done for her. And yet she did exactly that; she accepted his friendship and returned it in kind.

Caster blushed a little when he realized he’d been staring at Anima too long, even if she didn’t notice. Her look just seemed so different from most other mares he had seen. Probably because they took to putting insane amounts of make-up just to even feel pretty. Yet Anima’s was much more natural which let him know more about her. That being she was comfortable with the way she looked. Caster had been so caught up in his thoughts that he almost didn’t notice he had finished writing down his information. As he handed Anima the small slip of paper, he was suddenly tackled by something small and full of energy.

“Found you, Uncle Cast!” Vicente stated, hugging him tightly.

“Heh, nice to see you too Vic,” he replied, wrapping an arm around his nephew and giving him a playful noogie.

“Aww, who’s this cute little guy?” Anima asked, giggling at the scene playing out in front of her.

“Oh right, where are my manners? Anima this is my nephew, Vicente. I usually just call him Vic for short,” Caster said, letting the colt out of the head lock. “Vicente I’d like to introduce you to her highness, Princess Anima Memoriae.”

“Wow, so you’re our new Princess?” he asked, his eyes becoming filled with amazement.

“Indeed I am, it’s nice to meet you Vicente,” she said, offering him a warm smile.

“That’s awesome! It’s so cool I get to see you in person as well and also you’re really pretty Ms. Memoriae,” Vicente said, blushing lightly.

“Well aren’t you the little charmer?” Anima said, bringing him in for a hug that the child returned in kind.

The moment was interrupted when they heard someone calling out in the gardens. They turned to see it was Jack Spirit and Hotpop, most likely looking for their son who had run off.

“Vicente, honey, where are you?” Hotpop shouted out, worried for her son’s well-being.

“Over here you guys!” Caster shouted, calling them over.

He got their attention and she and her husband immediately went over to where they were. Hotpop then picked up Vicente and held him as tightly as she could and gave him a serious look.

“Vicente, you know better than to run off on your own! What if you had gotten lost?” she questioned, glaring daggers at him.

“I’m sorry, Mommy,” he said, looking at her with puppy dog turquoise eyes. “It’s just that I saw Caster going into the gardens and I wanted to see him. I’m really, really sorr-”

Suddenly he was fast asleep in his mother’s embrace. Whatever agitation Hotpop held for her son at the moment had disappeared when she looked upon his sleeping form.

“I can never stay mad at him when he’s like this. He’s just so adorable,” she said, nuzzling his cheek.

“Um, does that happen a lot?” Anima asked, curious by this turn of events.

“More often than we’d like,” Jack chuckled, as he petted his son’s mane.

“Soo,” Caster said, gaining his sibling’s attention as he and Anima stood up from their seats. “I guess I should probably introduce the two of you to my new friend. Anima this is my older brother, Jack Spirit and my sister in law, Hotpop. I’m sure you two have already seen Princess Anima Memoriae.”

“Oh my goodness. Your grace, it’s an honor to meet you!” Hotpop said, bowing a little.

“Your highness, please forgive us for any improper acts our son may have done in your presence!” Jack said, bowing as well.

“Please, both of you, settle down. There’s no need to be so formal. You can just call me Anima,” she said, trying to assure them everything was fine.

“Sorry about that your maje- I mean, Anima. It’s just so wonderful to meet you,” Hotpop said, holding out a hand for the Princess to shake.

“Likewise,” Anima replied, accepting the hand. “It’s nice to meet the sister and brother of my new friend.”

“New friend?” Jack said, turning to his brother who was waving awkwardly at them. “I’m impressed, Caster. I didn’t think you’d be able to make friends with a Princess that quickly.”

“Heh, neither did I,” he said, scratching the back of his head and grinning nervously.

“Well when you give somepony a gift like this, you’re bound to earn something in return,” Anima said, showing her new amulet that she was wearing.

“Huh, so that’s what he’s been working on all this time. I’m even more impressed,” Hotpop said, admiring the craftsmanship.

“It really is beautiful isn’t it?” Anima said, admiring it as well.

As the two mares entered into a conversation, that left Caster and Jack on their own away from them.

“So, Caster, are the two of really just friends or are you. You know?” Jack Spirit asked, trying to put two and two together.

“What? No!” Caster exclaimed, quietly so the others wouldn’t hear them. “We’re just good friends that’s all. Besides I doubt she’d ever go for a stallion like me. She hardly even knows me that much.”

“I don’t know, little bro, I’ve seen how other mares stare at you from time to time and they hardly knew you that much either,” Jack said, teasing him.

“Oh shut up. You know as well as I do that those mares don’t care for who I really am. Only for what I possess,” he said, feeling himself getting flustered.

“Okay, okay, just relax you giant spaz,” Jack responded, realizing how serious his brother was. “My point is, Cast, just give it a little time. Whether she likes you or not is completely up to her. Besides she already seems to like you enough as a friend and you are one of the kindest ponies I know. I can tell that something may happen down the line, you just have to wait.”

That last part rang through Caster’s ears. Before this whole event had transpired, he had told himself to just wait a little longer for the right mare to come along. Though the mare in question may have come sooner than expected, Caster still felt a bit uneasy about all this. So now, after listening to his brother, he believed it was best to give it some more time. To see where this newfound friendship would lead; either continuing as it was now or blooming into something else entirely. One thing was for sure though, Caster was glad he was a patient pony. Because it would take a while for an answer to make itself known to him. Caster was then brought back to reality when he heard some voices shouting in the distance. Everyone turned to see a group of ponies calling Anima over.

“Hey Anima, c’mon it’s time for your chariot ride!” a violet Pegasus shouted, full of excitement.

“I’ll be there in a minute Cloud Heart! Just give me a moment,” Anima responded, turning her attention back to her new friends. “Sorry to have to leave so suddenly. Royal ceremonies and all that.”

“It’s all right, it was nice seeing you, Anima. I hope we can meet each other again soon,” Hotpop said, giving the Princess a quick hug.

“It was nice to see you too, Hotpop. I look forward to meeting you and your adorable son again in the near future,” she said, ruffling the mane of Vicente who had recently woken up again.

“Bye, bye, Ms. Princess,” he said, still held in his mother’s arms.

Anima couldn’t help but giggle at the foal’s constant adorableness. She then looked over at Caster who made this whole situation possible. He stared at her nervously, not knowing what to say to her. The mare quickly took care of that as she walked over to him and gave him a comforting hug.

“Thank you Caster, for everything,” she said, as she moved to look directly at him with a smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow, k’ay?”

“Yeah, of course. I can’t wait,” he said, smiling back.

Anima felt her face heat up as she blushed. Before the moment could become awkward, she bid the Forge family farewell and rushed over to her friends, for the next part of her ceremony.

“Well, well, seems like you’ve got some plans for tomorrow, huh Caster?” Jack said, curious as to what the deal was.

“Yeah, so what were you two talking about anyway?” Hotpop asked, interested as well.

“It’s kind of a long story, it’s hard to explain,” Caster said, crossing his arms in thought. “All I can say for sure is that starting tomorrow, I’m going to be teaching a Princess how to fly.”

Author's Notes:

And here's the next one! Sorry for the delay, midterm's can be very tedious at times, but I say the 95 out of 100 I got was worth it. And I'd really like to thank my beta-reader sevenofeleven for all the extra effort he put into suggesting better scenery and more description. So thanks buddy, your editing has really helped me to improve. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Also I know there are some of you who don't like anthro characters, but give me a break at least. This is my first time doing anthro and it's be nice if you all at least gave the story a chance. That's all I ask.

Edit: I had to upgrade Anima's back story due to my girlfriend's submission of her OC's new character sheet.

Edit 2: Fixed a few grammatical errors.

Edit 3: Changed it so the bully in Anima's backstory was officially Windie Light, an OC adopted by my girlfriend.

Edit 4: Cured it's LUS and fixed some grammatical errors.

Edit 5: Get ready to see the new and improved, Princess Anima Memoriae.