xel101 - He'll be going back... eventually... Mwahahaha!

Arkraiththeepicbrony - Ok, so unfortunately, this week is another one of those extra busy weeks, so as much as I'd love to, I don't really have time to answer all your reviews. Like last time, I'll do the highlights though. As far as the cantaloupe vs. pumpkin thing... the short answer is that the Rule of Funny was in effect. Well, if you read my side-fic, you'll know that I'm not necessarily above letting bad things happen to my favorite characters.

PBJFanFiction (Ch94) - Hmm... Well, sort of. You'd probably be better off looking up what a Succubus is if you don't already know. And no, she's not pregnant, Aerith's disembodied spirit is inhabiting Twilight's body alongside her own soul. Sorry if that's not helpful, I'm not entirely sure what you're having trouble with to be honest.

PBJFanFiction (Ch95) - Lol right? I got a good laught writing that part myself. Don't worry, it's coming, soon enough. I probably should...

TurnupGrain 43 - Why would he tell Luna that? Hmm... interesting theories... We'll have to find out how they turn out.

SaiyanUltima - What do you mean? They're just as much your fans as they are mine. And so you now, I'm a fan of yours as well. ;)

Guest - Why thank you :D Lol perhaps in more way than one ;)

Hunter Shorette - What can I say; it's fun to watch my readers speculate on what's going to happen (Lol and also squirm as they wait for the next chapter :) ) I might be...

Kyguy - Isn't is always? :P

KillerWoW - Woot! Lol. It feels good, I have to admit. I'm grateful to everyone whose stuck with me for this long as well; this story wouldn't be what it is today without all my awesome fans and their amazing feedback. You should read Diaries of a Madman... now that's a long fic.

centaurus2 - Lol when don't I have plans? Mwahahaha!

MarteUltore - Thanks, I love hearing when people like my story. :D Oh, Don't worry, things will come to light between them soon enough.

shadows being - We'll just have to wait and see...

PyraohXBlaze - Lol it would be kinda awesome if Blake won the hearts of every Princess in Equestria, wouldn't it... We'll just have to see how things play out though. ;)

SquirtlePWN - Lol you'll find out...

coldshadow 92 - You say that like it stopped being interesting at some point :P Lol I kid, I kid.

ShadowfireAngel - Right? At least it was a relatively mundane problem for once.

MortBlackthorn - Wouldn't you like to know... ;)

KyuubiMakai009 - Perhaps... or perhaps not. That just means I'm doing my job right :D

Mikalzilla - 1. Who knows? 2. Lol who said it had to be Blake? Or even just Blake... maybe someone else could get involved too ;) 3. I dunno, where do you think it's going? :3

A/N - Howdy everypony! I hope you're all ready for this week's installment of A Second Chance! Sorry this one's going up so late today, it's been busier than usual today, and I only just managed to sit down and get everything done a short while ago. That being said, I'll keep things short so ou all can get right into the story. As always, don't forget to follow/favorite, review, and most importantly; enjoy!

I couldn't answer her; I knew that Celestia was a good friend, but I had never allowed my feelings for her to grow past friendship since I knew that she and I wouldn't be allowed to be together. Scootaloo and Dinky called the two of us over to join them, and I put those thoughts out of my mind as best as I could, doing my best to focus on my two daughters and keep them from realizing that anything was wrong.

It seemed that my plan worked well enough, and after a few hours, the five of us decided to head home. Once we were on the road again, Scootaloo happily riding on Luna's back while Dinky rode on Cadance, Pabu and Aurora walking alongside me, I allowed myself to begin thinking about Luna's question once again; Just what did I feel for the Princess of the Sun?

I still hadn't answered the question for myself, let alone Luna, by the time we reached the house again. The girls hopped off of their respective rides and scampered into the house while Aurora and Pabu made their way around towards the back of the house. I held the door for the two mares and followed them in after. By the time I got inside, Scootaloo was already digging in the refrigerator for juice boxes, one of which she tossed to Dinky before talking her own in her hooves and piercing the top with the straw that had been taped to the side of the box.

The pair of fillies trotted into the living room and sat down to enjoy their juice. "Thanks or taking us to the park, everypony!" Dinky exclaimed as she sipped her juice.

Luna smiled warmly at her. "You're very welcome, little one. Now, enjoy your juice; you must be very thirsty." The little filly nodded enthusiastically and drank her juice with just as much enthusiasm.

As I watched Luna, I noticed something; her smile was very similar to her sister's, and I felt a twinge in my mind as realization began to set in; Luna reminded me of her sister, moreso than I had realized before, and I began to understand that I cared for Celestia, as much more than a friend.

I watched the two fillies for a moment, then leaned in to whisper to Luna. "Can I talk to you for a minute… upstairs?" A small smile creased her lips, and she nodded.

After assuring the fillies that we would be right back, I led her upstairs and into one of the empty guest bedrooms. We sat down on the bed next to one another, and I stared at the floor, unsure of how to tell her how I felt, and unsure of how she would take the news.

Finally, feeling the silence growing unbearable, I decided to speak up. "Lulu... you asked me how I felt about your sister." I looked her in the eye, and did my best to hold her gaze. "I can't lie to you... I do care for her, almost as much as I care for you."

Surprisingly, Luna actually smiled at the revelation. "I'm so glad to hear that!" I tilted my head to the side in confusion. "I know that sister cares for you, and I wanted to make sure you cared for her as well."

"But... why would you want that, Luna?"

She smirked at me. "It's simple; I want my sister to be happy, and I know that she would be just as happy with you as I am." Her face turns slightly more serious. "What I want to ask you next is no small decision to make, Blake, and I want you to think about if this is truly what you want. Would you be willing to court my sister, as well as me, in secret?" I was stunned by her question; I had never dreamed that she would ask me something like that, and I had never considered it a possibility myself.

I had no idea how much time passed as I sat there, trying to process what she'd said, and trying to think of a response for her. Did I really want to date Celestia? Would it even be worth it for us if we had to do it in secret? Would she even want this in the first place? All those questions and more raced through my head as I tried to sort out my emotions and decide for myself if I wanted what Luna was proposing.

I looked to Luna several times as the struggle whirled around inside me, but she merely held her loving smile. I could see it in that smile; she wouldn't think any less of me, no matter what I decided.

Eventually, my mind settled, and I looked Luna in the eye. "I do, Luna… if she feels the same way about me as I do her, then I do want for us to be together. In fact, if it weren't for that law, I probably would have talked to you about asking her out some time ago…"

She nodded, and her smile grew slightly. "I hoped you'd say that. I know I… didn't react the best when I found out about the two of you kissing… but I really do want for you two to be able to be happy with one another. I think you could be very happy together, so long as you can keep your relationship a secret."

I chuckled darkly. "That's going to be easier said than done; you know how ponies like to talk."

She nodded. "I do. I wish it weren't an issue, but short of rewriting the very laws Equestrian society is based on, there is little we can do."

I sighed, and looked to her, steel in my gaze. "Then maybe that's exactly what needs to happen; if those laws truly are that archaic, then maybe it's time for a change." I looked down to my hands for a moment. "If Celestia, you and I are all happy together, then what does it really matter? I mean, it's not like I'm going to gain extra political power just by dating both of you anyway… besides, you know I don't want that kind of power in the first place."

Luna was silent for a moment. "I know that, my love, but it would be all but impossible to convince anypony else of that… I do admire your determination though… if hearts and minds could be won with that alone, then this would be a simple task, but that's unfortunately not the case." She looked at me with loving eyes. "But… if you and my sister find that you truly do love one another… then I would be willing to fight by your side, tooth and hoof, to make the council change its mind and allow the three of us our happiness."

I smiled softly, and kissed her. "Thanks Lulu… it means a lot to hear you say that. And I'm glad you're being so supportive."

She apparently caught the tone of my voice, as her face fell slightly. "Blake… I wish I could tell you why I reacted the way I did before… but, I want you to know that I am behind you all the way, no matter who comes into your heart."

We were distracted by a sudden knock at the bedroom door. "Papa? Mama Luna? Are you two almost done in there? You guys have been in there forever!"

I chuckled and looked to Luna, who smiled. "Yeah kiddo, we're almost done." I called out to her.

The two of us walked to the door, and when I opened it, I saw Scootaloo sitting just outside the door, a rather impatient look on her face. "What were you two talking about anyway?"

I chuckled, and tousled her mane. "It's another one of those 'you'll understand when you start liking colts' things, kiddo."

Scootaloo made a face. "Bleh!" Luna and I both laughed, and the three of us made our way downstairs.

When we reached the bottom, we caught sight of Cadance and Dinky playing with the vampony doll the little filly had won on Nightmare Night when she bobbed a winning apple from one of Applejack's apple-bobbing stations. I had the feeling she would have left that as an offering for Nightmare Moon as well, but it seemed she'd forgotten about it, at least temporarily.

I smiled at the sight, and Cadance looked up to us, having seemed to notice our approach first. "Hey there, you two. So what was with all the secrecy?"

I chuckled and looked between the two fillies. "Oh, nothing. Just some stuff we didn't think these two would want to hear, that's all."

I saw Cadance's eyes lit up, and she sat up straight, somehow still playing with Dinky while she gave us her full attention. "Do tell." She had a growing smile on her face.

Luna blushed slightly, and I walked over to her. When I was close enough, I leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Well… we were discussing the possibility of me dating both Celestia and Luna at the same time."

Cadance gasped, her hooves covering her mouth as her eyes lit up even further. 'Really?! Oh, I just know Aunt Celestia would be happy with a stallion like you, Blake!"

I smiled warmly at her. "Thanks Cadance. I like to think so too."

Before she could reply, I heard somepony clear their throat from the top of the stairs. We all looked up to the head of the staircase, and saw an unfamiliar mare standing there. "Sir… I think I've finally found a form that I like." The voice had lost its warbling tone, but it definitely belonged to Shimmer.

As we stared, awestruck, at her, she made her way down the stairs. My head cleared slightly from the shock of a seemingly unfamiliar pony in my house, and I began to take in her new features. Her coat was a deep, sapphire blue, the fur framing emerald green eyes while a mane of curly scarlet hung from her head. She bore a slightly curved horn, though no wings, indicating that her chosen form was a unicorn. Beneath her emerald eyes was a smattering of even deeper blue freckles that seemed to accentuate her eyes even further. Her cutie mark seemed to be a maid outfit with a feather duster crossed over the front.

I blinked several times, unable to come up with any words. "Sh-Shimmer… is that you?" Luna finally asked.

The mare before us giggled. "Yes, My Lady; it's me. I took some time, like Sir asked, and made a form that I liked. Making everything just right is what I've been doing in my room for so long."

Dinky jumped up suddenly. "You're really pretty, Shimmer!"

Cadance giggled at her outburst. "I agree; You'll be knocking all the colts in town dead before you know it."

Shimmer's eyes went wide. "Oh No! I don't want to hurt anypony!"

Cadance giggled again. "No, no… it's a figure of speech; it means that all the colts will really like the way you look."

The newly transformed mare blushed, and tried to hide her face. "O-Oh… I didn't know that… I'm sorry, I'm still new to all of this."

I chuckled and walked over to her, patting her on the back lightly. "It's ok, Shimmer; we know it's going to take time to adjust, and we're all here to help make it easier for you, however we can."

She looked up to me, and gave me a faint smile. "Thank you Sir… you're too kind to me."

I waved a hand in the air dismissively. "Nah, don't even worry about it; believe it or not, I had some trouble adjusting to all of this when I first got here too."

Shimmer looked at me. "Sir? I think you've talked about coming here from somewhere else before… where is it you're from, exactly?"

I sighed, and patted her again. "That's a tale for another day, Shimmer; it's not exactly a happy one, and the past few days have been pretty stressful for me, so I'm not really in a mood to tell it right now. I promise I'll tell you though, someday soon." I glanced back to her flank briefly, remembering her cutie mark. "I have to ask though; did you make that cutie mark yourself, or is that what your cutie mark would be if you had one?"

She looked behind herself to her flank for a moment before turning back to me. "I made it myself. I don't want to live here for nothing, so I thought I could help out by keeping your house clean for you. I'm already used to that kind of work, so it would help me feel at home too."

Luna smiled. "That is a very generous offer, Shimmer. I know Blake normally would never accept such help, but if it makes you more comfortable, then I think he'd be willing to make an exception."

I suppressed a groan as Luna basically backed me into a corner. "She's right; normally, I'd consider you a guest in my home, and I wouldn't dare ask you to do something like that, any more than I would Cadance here. I can see why it would be for the best though, so I'll allow it."

Shimmer smiled up at me "Thank you, Sir! I'll get started immediately!" She turned to trot off somewhere else in the house, probably to look for cleaning supplies.

"Hang on a second, Shimmer." She stopped and turned back to me with a curious expression. "If you're going to act as my maid, then I'd like you to look the part; I want you to go into town and commission a few maid outfits from a mare named Rarity."

Her expression, which had brightened up at the mention of having a uniform to wear, fell as I finished. "But sir… I don't have anything to pay with."

I smiled and walked towards the stairwell. "That's ok Shimmer. I'll pay for them for you; I wouldn't expect you to do it yourself. I'll even figure out a salary to give you for your work so you can buy things you want for yourself in the future."

Her emerald eyes shone with tears. "Th-thank you, Sir… I don't know how I could ever thank you enough for all you've done for me."

I walked up the stairs, Shimmer following close behind, struggling not to let the tears fall. "It's alright, Shimmer; this is how ponies in Ponyville and beyond treat each other. You'll get used to it eventually."

She sniffled and wiped her eyes as we reached the top of the stairs. "I know… I just feel so… special when you show me kindness like this."

I stopped, turned around, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You are special, Shimmer. Nopony ever has been or ever will be the same as you, and that alone makes you special, but more than that, you're a very brave pony for trying to adapt to this kind of life rather than trying to go back to the life you know… even if it was a terrible one."

The sapphire blue mare was quiet for a moment, but then surprised me by rearing up and throwing her forelegs around me. "Thank you, Sir…"

She held onto me for a moment, and when she let go, I could see that her eyes were no longer misted over with tears, instead they were filled with genuine happiness. I smiled at her as she took a step forward to follow me. "You're very welcome Shimmer."

I turned and led her to the master bedroom. A few steps in, I turned and noticed that she was lingering outside the door with an apprehensive look. "I… may I enter, Sir?"

I nodded to her. "You're free to come and go in this room, Shimmer, just like you are any other. You can't exactly clean the place if you're afraid to come in, now can you?" I made sure to keep my voice light and friendly as I spoke, not wanting my words to sounds like an order or in any way condescending.

She gave me a small smile and took a tentative step into the room. A few more steps and she had caught up to me. When she was standing next to me, I led her over to a large closet and opened the door. Inside were three large chests, all sitting on the floor; one against the back wall, and one against each side wall. Each chest had a shelf above it for an additional chest should I ever need that much storage space. There were indentation in the walls behind each of the chests so that the lids could be fully opened while still having them up against the walls. I walked back and opened the lid of the chest that rested against the back wall.

Shimmer walked up next to me and peered inside. Her eyes went wide as she caught sight of the sheer number of bits piled into the chest. She looked to me with an astonished expression. "H-how many bits do you have, sir?" She gasped suddenly. "I-if I may ask?"

I pointed to each of the three chests. "Right now, each one of these chests holds about one hundred and eighty-seven thousand bits." She blinked several times, obviously trying to figure up the numbers in her head. "That's about five hundred and sixty thousand bits in total."

Her jaw nearly dropped. "I… I never…"

I chuckled and started counting out bits. "Yeah, it's a long story. Needless to say, you don't need to worry about me running out of bits by spending them all on you or anything like that." I finished counting the bits and poured them into a sack that I'd grabbed from a container of the small cloth bags and handed it to her. "There you go, one hundred bits; go get yourself some nice outfits to wear from Rarity at the Carousel Boutique, and use whatever's left over to buy something for yourself."

She nodded, and turned to leave. "I-I'll go right now then." I could hear from the tone of her voice that the tears were threatening to return, but I could also tell that she was trying to take my earlier words to heart and not let the gesture get to her so much.

I walked downstairs with Shimmer, planning to give her quick directions to the Boutique. I looked for Cadance, Luna and the fillies as we descended the staircase, but I didn't see them anywhere. I guessed that the two mares had taken the rambunctious fillies down to the hot tub to swim and play.

We crossed the living room, and I reached out and opened the door for the timid changeling. The pair of us jumped in surprise as none other than the Princess of the Sun stood on the other side of the threshold, hoof raised to knock.

It was plain to see by her expression that she was just as startled as we were, though she seemed to do a better job of hiding it. Celestia cleared her throat and smiled at me. "Hello, Blake."

I smiled back at her and stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter. "Hey there Celestia. What brings you to our little neck of the woods? Looking for Twilight?"

Celestia shook her head, her pastel rainbow of a mane swaying gently. "I'm actually here to see you, Blake." Her smile faded slightly. "I received an… unusual visit from Shining Armor last night, and he told me something rather unsettling; he said that you're harboring a changeling in your home."

I felt my blood run cold as she mentioned Shining Armor, and it turned to ice in my veins as she mentioned a changeling. "So what if there is a changeling here?"

The Solar Diarch quirked an eyebrow at me. "I mean no ill intent, Sir Marshall. I simply wish to speak with him or her."

I was about to speak up, to try to move her focus elsewhere, unsure of what I was even going to say to accomplish that, when Shimmer stepped forward and bowed. "I think you're looking for me, your Highness." She was engulfed in green fire for a moment, and when it cleared, she'd reverted to her natural form.

Celestia's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, and her expression quickly became unreadable. "I see. So it seems Shining Armor was right on the count of there being a changeling here… please, may I speak with you, Miss…?"

I could see that the poor mare was doing her best not to shake like a leaf under Celestia's intimidating countenance. "Sh-Shimmer… my name is Shimmer, your Highness…"

The regal mare's expression remained unreadable. "I see. Tell me, Miss Shimmer; what brings you to the home of my Knight-Defender?"

Shimmer shook at her nearly monotone voice, which somehow seemed more threatening than if she'd raised her voice to the trembling changeling. "P-Please your H-Highness… don't be mad at Sir Blake." She took a few deep breaths to calm herself before she continued. "He saved my life… he found me out in the Everfree, cold and starving, and he saved me… he brought me into his home, allowed me to take sustenance, and gave me a warm bed to recover in."

Celestia was quiet for a long moment. Eventually, she looked to me. "Yes, that does sound like something I'd expect from my Knight-Defender. Though I must ask you Shimmer; What are your intentions here?"

I felt it was my turn to speak up this time. "If you're worried she has ulterior motives, don't; the whole reason she was out there in the Everfree in the first place was because she was abandoned by her former 'Queen' and left for dead. She was almost there by the time we found her too. After she'd recovered somewhat, she renounced that bitch and swore her fealty to me for saving her from that terrible fate."

Celestia's expression remained neutral, but I could begin to see something in her eyes; pride, perhaps? "I can't say I blame you, Sir Marshall; it would be a pitiable pony indeed that would leave a living being to such a fate, but I must question your decision to bring her here."

I shrugged. "Well, where else could I take her? At least here I can keep an eye on her and keep her out of trouble. Besides that, I wouldn't ask another pony to look after someone that I had taken into my care unless they needed treatment that I couldn't provide myself."

The room was quiet for a few long moments. "You raise several good points, Sir Marshall. I have only one question left, and that is; what is it you plan to do in my Knight-Defender's service?"

Shimmer chanced a glance up at the royal pony, who seemed to be honestly curious about Shimmer now. "W-well Your Highness… I don't want to be useless, so I was going to clean Sir Blake's house for him; he actually gave me some bits so I could go buy a uniform of my very own." A tinge of excitement began to grow in the little changeling's voice as she spoke.

Celestia actually gave her a slight smile. "You sound excited."

Shimmer, seeming to gain some confidence, nodded and smiled back. "I've never owned anything in my whole life, Your Highness, and Sir Blake gave me enough bits to buy something for myself on top of the uniforms he wants me to buy!" She became very excited at the prospect of owning something of her own.

Celestia giggled at her enthusiasm. "I see. You're very lucky then, Miss Shimmer; Sir Marshall is one of the most generous souls I know, save but a few. I doubt you could be in better care than what you're in at this moment. And by the way, you may rise; there's no need for you to bow before me for such a long time."

The prone changeling did as asked, albeit with a groan from her stiffened joints. "Thank you, Your Highness. I promise I'll do whatever I can to pay Sir Blake back for all his kindness." She turned her head back and gave me a bright smile.

My unexpected guest then gestured to Shimmer. "You may also resume your disguised form if you wish; I'd like to get a better look at the form you chose for yourself anyway." In a flash of green fire, Shimmer did as Celestia asked, reverting to her newly-created form. Celestia's eyes roamed her new form, inspecting her. "You've chosen quite an appealing form for yourself, if I do say so myself."

Shimmer did what I could only describe as a pony version of a curtsey in front of her new Princess. "Thank you, Your Highness."

Before anyone could say more, Celestia turned to leave. "Thank you for your time, Blake, Miss Shimmer." She opened the door once again with her magic. "I'm glad to see that Shining Armor was wrong on his second count; as far as I can tell, you're certainly not dangerous." She trotted out the door without another word.