PyraohXBlaze - Yeah, Shining can be a douche like that...

darksoul78 - I've got several chapters made and in reserve, but I only post them on Tuesdays

recordflipthepony - Ain't nothin's gonna ever keep me down!

bobfromsiam99 - Lol nope, no spoilers

killer43penguin - Lol Derpy and Dinky are always fun :D

PBJFanFiction - Lol yeah, me and my cliffhangers :P

Lone The Dark Hearted Wolf - Yeah, she done goofed big time...

KingTobi - Lol it had better be good :P

xel101 - They can in this fic ;) THough I was kind of worried it would be hard to picture when i was writing its description.

Lord of darkness the 1st - Oh there will be plenty of Pinkie randomness to come, though you'll just have to wait for a group love scene ;)

DragonLovingBrony - All shall be revealed in time young Padiwan...

KillerWoW - She's not an Alicorn just yet, though whether or not she'll be immortal is yet to be seen...

Ketsuoni - Lol that it did, though I don't hear you complaining :P

chipmunkfanatic - You say that like he might actually say no...

Mikalzilla - Lol she can no longer resist my cupcakes... What has baking done?! Oh, and you'll just have to wait for the answer :P

Kyguy - More like a little poot hit the fan...

A/N - Howdy everypony! Welcome to this week's installment of A Second Chance! I think that might be a record number of reviews for a single week... Not really much to say this week unless you all want to hear about how I burned my fingers and now have nerve damage in my fingertips... As always, don't forget to follow/favorite, review, and most importantly; enjoy!

The train car I was in bumped and swayed gently as the locomotive chugged along for Canterlot. I couldn't help but think about the past several days while I waited; Twilight's betrayal, Derpy asking to move in with me, and now I was finally headed up to see Princess Celestia to find out what she had learned from Filthy Rich.

I looked over to Scootaloo's peaceful, sleeping form. It did my heart so much good to have her back; the days we were apart were Hell, and the thought of never being able to see her again had been even worse. I reached over and gently stroked the sleeping filly's unkempt, purple hair, and she shifted ever so slightly at my touch, mumbling something unintelligible in her sleep.

Twilight had made good on her word to speak to the townsponies and undo the damage she had caused, though some had still given me nervous looks as I walked through the town to the train station. She had even made good on fixing my front door, which was even now being repaired; that had been part of the reason I had chosen now to go to Canterlot, so that Scootaloo and I were away from all the noise and dust, and out of the worker's ways.

A part of me couldn't help but miss the hustle and bustle of a construction site, and that longing was a big part of the reason I didn't want to be there; I knew that if I was, my bones would be crying out for me to pitch in and start working alongside them. After seeing the quality of the construction of both the Apple's barn and my house, I had come to trust the Ponyville construction crew again, which was saying something after that fiasco with their forestallion challenging me to that wall building contest some time ago. Though I had to admit that the whole affair had worked out in my favor; I had gotten to spend an entire week with Luna, and Celestia had seen to it that I was well compensated for teaching her ponies how to build better and safer structures without resorting to magic.

I had thought about simply summoning my wings and flying up to Canterlot, but I was still no distance flyer, and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend time with Scootaloo. Fortunately, Cheerilee had been very understanding of my reasons for keeping her out of school today, and didn't hold the absence against her. In fact, Cheerilee was one of the few ponies that didn't seem fazed by the events of the last week or so, greeting me with the same cheerful smile as always and treating me just as she had before Twilight made her announcement.

Things between Hammer Hoof and I were mending, though she was understandably leery of having me back in the shop. I couldn't blame her, given what Twilight had told her and the rest of the town about me.

Every time my thoughts turned to the purple mare, I could feel my blood pressure rise; she had very nearly destroyed the life I had made for myself here, and I still felt anger towards her for that. Among the worst of her sins had been trapping Scootaloo at the library, keeping the poor filly away from me against her will. I hadn't talked to or even seen her since she ran off after Luna's little slip-up, and as far as I was concerned at the moment, it could stay that way.

I tried not to think about her too much, instead turning my thoughts to what Celestia had gleaned from Diamond Tiara's father that could be so important she wanted to share it with me in person rather than just sending me a letter; though I was glad she hadn't, otherwise I might never have gotten said letter thanks to Twilight.

I resigned myself to simply watching the scenery roll by outside the window opposite me, since I couldn't keep my mind off of a certain mare.

The train lurched slightly as we entered Canterlot, slowing down before it pulled into the station. I shook Scootaloo awake, and we waited for the expected flood of ponies to subside before we got off ourselves. I looked around at the city, and then down at Scootaloo. "Say kiddo, you up for a Pegasus-eye view of the city?" Her huge grin was all the answer I needed, and I called my wings, leaving my armor off for the time being.

I flapped once and jumped into the air, flapping again to gain some distance between us and the ground. When we were high enough that we could see the full, impressive view of the palace, I angled myself forward and headed towards it.

Scootaloo cheered the entire time, only stopping to point out some random thing or other. When we got close enough, I made my descent, landing fairly softly on the cobblestone at the foot of the grand staircase that led to the palace proper.

I set my daughter down and dismissed my wings as we made our way to the overly large front doors. The guard stallions recognized me and stepped aside to let us through. We made a bee-line for the throne room, as I expected that to be the best place to find the Princess of the Sun. I knew where to find Luna too, but that would have to wait till later…

The stallions at that entrance gave us much the same treatment as the ones at the front door, stepping aside and even opening the large double-doors for us. As I had expected, Celestia was sitting on her ornate, sun-themed throne on the far side of the long throne room. Scootaloo groaned when she saw how far we had to walk just to get from the door to where the solar Diarch was seated.

She gave us a warm smile as we approached the dais the thrones rested on. "Greetings Sir Marshall, Scootaloo. I hope that all is well back home?"

I stifled a groan. "Well, they're certainly better, though I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say they're 'good'."

She shook her head. "I'm very sorry to hear that… I had thought Twilight knew better than to jump to conclusions like that, let alone make an announcement to the entire town that could potentially destroy somepony's livelihood, not to mention carry the possibility of inciting a riot if not handled properly." She looked past me and nodded to the two guards stationed on the interior of the doors, and I heard the faint metallic clop as they walked out of the throne room. "Anyway, I don't believe you came all the way here for simple small talk; I assume Luna told you of the development with the stallions that foalnapped you?"

I shrugged. "She told me that you found something, and you wanted to see me, but that was it."

She nodded. "Indeed. This matter is of the upmost importance, and I could not risk either Spike or Twilight accidentally reading this information. Speaking of which… Scootaloo, I am sorry to say this, but this matter is for your father's ears only. I would like you to tell one of the guards outside the door that I want them to take you to my sister."

The feisty filly seemed torn between leaving me and going to see Luna again. It was plain to see she liked Luna, and after some mental debating, looked up to me. "Is it really ok for me to visit Princess Luna?"

I knelt down and put a hand on her shoulder. "Sure it is, why else would Celestia tell you to have someone take you to her?" She seemed to accept this, but still looked unsure. "It'll be fine kiddo; I'm just gonna talk to Celestia for a bit, then I'll join you two in her room." I gave her a wink. "Besides, if she's asleep, you can give her your special wake-up call."

She perked right up at the thought, and wrapped her hooves around my neck. "Ok Papa, that sounds like fun!" She let me go and scampered off towards the door. "I love you Papa!"

There was a giggle from behind me. "'Special wake-up call' hmm? I wish I could be there to see my sister's face when that happens…" Celestia stood up from her throne and her horn glowed, throwing off her pale, golden aura and coating the entire room with it. "There. I have created a barrier that will prevent eavesdroppers from physically listening in, as well as block all but the most powerful magical scrying attempts."

I looked around at the faintly shimmering walls. "Is all this really necessary? I mean, what could be so bad that you wouldn't want even your guards to hear?"

She walked down from the dais and looked me in the eye. "Blake, you must swear to me that what I am about to tell you will never leave this room. You will understand the gravity of the situation by the time I have finished."

I saw something in her eyes that I never thought I would see from either her or her sister; fear. It was well concealed, but I caught just a glimmer of it. "Alright. Princess Celestia Solaris, I swear to you that any and all information disclosed within this room shall remain confidential, only to be revealed at your discretion."

She let out a small sigh. "Thank you Blake. Now, I must begin by informing you that you were correct about the stallion known as Filthy Rich; there was indeed magic about him. However, that magic was not his own; rather it was a powerful mind control spell, the likes of which would be beyond any unicorn to cast. It took both my sister and I casting a counterspell to break the caser's grip upon his mind." Her brow creased in worry. "That is not what disturbs me however. When we freed him from the spell, I caught a glimpse of his assailant."

She started pacing, and it made me nervous. "I would guess Nightmare Moon to be the culprit, but judging by how worked up you are, I'd also guess that would be wrong."

She sighed and walked back over to me. "You would be correct Sir Marshall. To help you fully understand the gravity of this situation, I must tell you of the fate of our… of our parents." She let out a shuddering sigh, and the pain was evident everywhere. "Several millennia ago, only a hundred or so years after Luna had been born, a threat arose that put the entirety of Mythis at risk. A demon came to our world from another plane of existence. He has gone by many names over the course of your history, some less reviled than others, though I believe the name you would know him best by would be Ares." I felt a twinge of fear go down my spine. "Known as the God of War in your mythology, he was kept mostly placated by your species' penchant for destruction. However, when his attention was drawn this world, he saw that peace reigned over the planet, and so came here not to bring war, but the destruction of all life. He saw us as too peaceful to incite into the kinds of violence your kind are capable of, and thus sought to destroy us."

"So… He couldn't control you, so he tried to destroy you?" Celestia nodded. "How did you manage to defeat him? Ares wasn't exactly known for being a pushover."

She looked away, off into nothing. "It was our parents that bested the demon." She looked back at me. "You must understand; compared to the might our mother alone possessed, Luna's and my own magical might combined would be little more than a foal's. I tell you this that you may comprehend just what it took to defeat the demon the first time. The battle for Mythis was lengthy and brutal, but in the end, our parents emerged victorious against the demon known to us as Sathanus, but that victory cost them both their lives…" She choked back a sob as she spoke, though thanks to her millennia of practice keeping her composure, I almost didn't notice it.

I had seen only a portion of Celestia and Luna's power, and it was awe-inspiring enough, but to think that it took two beings, each more powerful than both of them combined to end this threat was almost too much. "I don't understand… wouldn't an event like that be recorded in Equestrian history, if not the histories of the entire planet?"

She cleared her throat to regain her composure. "It likely would have, had the battle taken place upon our fair world. However, our parents wished to spare our little ponies the fear of such a threat, so they transported themselves to his home plane and challenged him there. Even with their combined might they could not slay the beast, so they imprisoned him instead."

"But then… how would you know all this? And what does it all have to do with that weird cult and Filthy Rich?"

"We learned of it because our mother managed to return here, though she succumbed to her wounds shortly after her return." I wiped away the single tear that rolled down her alabaster cheek. "She used her dying breaths to tell us this that we would know we were safe… and then she perished in my hooves…" She took a few breaths to steady herself. "As to how this pertains to the cult wishing to resurrect Nightmare Moon… I can only guess that he wished to use her to break the seal binding him, since she is technically of our blood. I believe he controlled Filthy Rich to achieve this end, as he is a pony of influence in Ponyville; and as you know, you are a key component in Nightmare Moon's return, so it only makes sense to have an agent with Mister Rich's qualities near to you."

"What about those Elements of Harmony things? Would they have the power to stop him?"

Celestia shook her head. "I do not know, they were not discovered until some time after his defeat. And if they could, he would likely find a way to make them unusable, the easiest of which would be eliminating their bearers…"

I felt a real pang of fear as that sunk in; if that cult had succeeded, and this demon freed, the first to die would be my closest friends and marefriends. I felt my armor form around me unbidden as the thought continued to permeate my mind, and I forced myself to other thoughts and dismissed the armor. "So, if Rich was being controlled, what will happen to him?"

"He will be released, and we will place agents near him to ensure that no remnants of his mind control remain. Since his mind was not his own, neither were his actions, and he will not be charged for them. The other stallions however, are another matter. Unlike Mister Rich, they were not under the influence of such a spell; which means that they were convinced to aid in Nightmare Moon's return, either of their own will or through force."

I was still puzzled by that thought. "Why would anyone want her to come back? I mean, wouldn't eternal night here mean eternal day on the other side of the planet, causing one half to freeze while the other half fried?"

Celestia turned and headed for the door. "That is something I intend to have my guards find out, though it's a matter that will likely take some time to see fruition as they've been… less than cooperative thus far. For now, I believe both my sister and your daughter are waiting for you." She opened the doors with her magic, and the glowing ward surrounding the room dissipated.

No sooner had the two guards that had been in the throne room reentered and the doors shut behind us when Celestia's horn lit up again. An instant later, a scroll flashed into existence in front of her. She opened the scroll and began reading it. "It would appear that my student wants me to advise her on how to make amends with you…" She continued reading for a moment. "It seems she understands the grievous nature of her actions and wishes to set right her wrongs, even if that means the end of your relationship…"

I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest. "Celestia… You know that there's a lot that I'm willing to forgive… I mean, I forgave Luna for how she reacted to you telling her we kissed, but I just don't know if I can let this go. What happened with Luna stayed between me and Luna, but Twilight got the entire town together and essentially told them I was a monster."

She rolled the scroll back up and it winked out of existence again as she started walking. "I can't tell you what to do in this matter Blake, but I ask that you at least try to mend your friendship with Twilight, if not your romance. She is still young, and spent a good deal of her life sequestered away, reading and studying all manner of subjects; but friendship is still new to her, and her lack of experience leads her to act rashly on occasion, as it does us all."

I studied the white marble floor tiles as we walked. "I told Applejack I'd consider giving her a chance to talk, for each of us to hear what the other has to say… I suppose it's only fair to grant her at least that…"

"Thank you Blake, that is all I ask. If after that you decide not to pursue a romantic relationship with her, I will understand."

The rest of the walk was made in silence, until we came to a familiar door. Celestia raised a hoof and knocked on the ornate iron-clad wood. "Sister, there is somepony here that wishes to see you." She turned to me with a small smile. "I'll leave you to visit my sister in peace; for now, I must write a reply to Twilight. I shall tell her that you have agreed to meet with her when you return to Ponyville, but that she shouldn't get her hopes too high." I patted her on the shoulder as she turned to leave, which earned me a glare from the guard stationed just down the hall from Luna's door.

I knocked on Luna's door a moment later. "Lu-lu, it's me, are you in there?" I waited for nearly a minute with no response. When I was sure she wasn't coming, I opened the door and walked into her room to find it empty. "Luna, are you in here?" I knew it was a dumb question, since the only places she could be in the room where I couldn't immediately see her when I walked in were the walk-in closet and the side bathroom, but I asked anyway.

I was about to turn and leave the room to look for them elsewhere in the palace when a folded, standing piece of paper on the dresser caught my eye. I walked over and saw that the obvious note had 'Papa' written across the front in what looked like Scootaloo's writing. I opened up the letter to see Luna's beautifully calligraphed writing on the inside. Looks like they worked on this together…

Dearest Blake,

I have taken young Scootaloo for a flight over Canterlot at her request. I cannot specify a time for our return, so please feel free to wait in my room if you wish. I would enjoy being able to eat with the two of you when our flight is concluded.

P.S. I will get you for that 'special wake-up call' that you gave her a mind to perform.

"Heh heh… looks like I'm in trouble now…" My mind started cooking all kinds of fantasies about Luna's 'revenge' while I waited for them to get back. The thought of calling my wings and taking off after them did cross my mind, though I decided against it since I didn't want us to miss each other somehow.

I was laying on her bed, lightly dozing, when I heard the faint sounds of the balcony door opening. I cracked an eye to see a smiling Scootaloo hop down from Luna's back while she watched the filly. When she spotted me, Scootaloo's smile grew even brighter. "Papa! I had so much fun flying with Mama Luna!" I saw Luna freeze at the same time I did.

"Wh… what did you call me…?" Luna didn't sound upset, just caught off-guard.

Scootaloo's ears folded to her head. "I-I didn't mean… I was just hoping…" She started pawing at the ground nervously.

Luna walked over to the filly. "It is alright dear one, you merely took me by surprise…" Luna cooed into her ear, and Scoots practically melted into her embrace. "I would love for you to call me 'Mama', though you must wait until Blake and I are wed to do so in public."

I could practically see Scootaloo's eyes light up through the back of her head. "You're getting married?!"

Luna's cobalt eyes darted around, looking for a distraction. "I-I umm… I did not mean…"

I decided to rescue my damsel in distress. "I don't think we've known each other quite long enough to go that far kiddo…" She looked up at me with her best sad puppy eyes. "Oh don't worry, I'm sure it'll happen, just not so soon…" Luna snuck a happy smile when Scoots wasn't looking.

"B-but… when Papa?"

I patted the filly's shoulder. "Soon enough kiddo. First, I have to propose to her, and that's supposed to be a surprise, and it's also a really big deal, so I can't just ask her whenever, the moment has to be just right. A lot of people where I'm from would plan out their proposals months in advance."

She gave me a small smile and looked back at Luna. "Can… can I still call you 'Mama Luna'?"

Luna beamed with a radiant smile. "I would be delighted sweet one. Though as I said before, you cannot call me that in public just yet; it would be seen as improper for me to adopt or even bear a foal outside of wedlock." She leaned down and gave Scoots a soft kiss on the forehead. "And you may simply call me 'Mama' if you wish."

I almost couldn't suppress a chuckle as a wholly unprepared Luna was nearly tackled to the ground by a teary-eyed Scootaloo. "I have a family now! A real family!" Luna wrapped a sable hoof around the filly's back as she clutched her neck like she'd never let go.

I walked over and wrapped the both of them in a big family hug, the first of hopefully many we would share. "That's right kiddo… we're all part of a family now… you and me, Luna, Derpy and Applejack, even Dinky and 'Bloom. And I want you to remember something; no matter what happens, that'll never change now."

I let go of the two of them and Luna let Scoots down gently. "But… What about Twilight Papa? She did do some pretty mean stuff…"

I sighed and tousled her mane. "We'll see kiddo; I'm not sure what's going to happen myself right now."

"You may wish to know that I have released the spell safeguarding Twilight from her memories. I also altered the memory so that she saw the original event, so that she may know the full extent of your father's evil. I hope you will at least take that into consideration when you decide what it is you wish to do."

I nodded. "I will Luna, thank you…" I was about to suggest we go out to lunch when a thought popped into my head. "Speaking of 'evil', there's something I've wanted to talk to you about for a while now."

She regarded me quizzically, her sparkling cobalt eyes spoke of curiosity. "What is it my love? You know that you may speak to me about anything."

"Well Lu-lu… It's about a little village in the Everfree Called Sunny Town." Her eyes went wide with shock at the mention of the name of the accursed town.