1234andynguyen - Read on and see for yourself~

The it - Blake is certainly a unique individual. I've certainly learned a lot researching the interests I've given him. And perhaps they will, perhaps they won't, I won't be giving out any spoilers. ;)

A/N - Hey there, everycreature! I hope everyone who celebrates the Fourth of July had a good and safe one! As always, be kind and enjoy the latest installment of A Second Chance! Disclaimer: Snowdrop and the work of fanfiction containing her belongs to SillyFillyStudios, I am merely borrowing their work for my own use.

"... So what you're saying is, trying to teach me magic the way you have been for the past several months was more or less like trying to teach a Pegasus how to fly by giving them math homework." I said flatly, after what felt like an hour of Twilight trying to explain it all.

The poor mare groaned and thumped her head down onto the table lightly, thankfully missing the bowl of strawberries and cream oatmeal she had ordered for herself, which had now gone cold on her. "That's… an oversimplification, but it's also not wrong either. The fact you can cast anything is a small miracle." She said with a grumble.

In the intervening time since Twilight had made her announcement, a few of the others joined our little group in the dining hall, as all had open invitations to use it when visiting the palace. Now gathered were Celestia, Luna, myself, Twilight and all five of her closest friends, Derpy, Dinky, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. This had, unsurprisingly, slowed the process down, as most had filtered in one at a time, and asked Twilight to backtrack in her explanation so they could keep up. While I was glad to see them all, it also made the explanation take longer and made it more difficult for me in particular to follow.

The next to speak was Rarity, after daintily dabbing at the corners of her mouth with a white napkin, though I didn't see any of the eggs she'd ordered anywhere on her delicate, beautiful face. "Twilight dear, I understand there's been something of a… shall we say a 'misunderstanding', but now that it's all cleared up, can't you simply resume Blake's instructions in the correct manner?"

Twilight groaned softly, head still slumped down on the table. "That's just it, Rarity! I've spent so long teaching him how to do it the wrong way that teaching him the right way is going to take twice as long, because we're going to have to start clear back at the beginning, and he has months worth of improper teaching to unlearn while he's trying to build his skills back up from rock bottom!"

I decided to step in at this point, chuckling softly. "It'll be ok, Twi." I said reassuringly, patting her head gently. "To be honest, this whole magic thing is still so relatively new to me that I don't think I'll have much trouble unlearning the stuff that didn't work. I mean, I haven't exactly had a whole lot of time to really ingrain it in my mind. Especially with how little I tend to use my magic in the first place."

Twilight sighed and raised her head up from the table, looking at me with those lovely, amethyst eyes. "I… I guess you have a point there. Thanks Blake, I appreciate that." She shifted her head and nuzzled my hand for a moment before looking to her oatmeal. "Hmm… I got so wrapped up in things I forgot to eat… again." Her horn lit, and hot pink magic surrounded the bowl, causing the contents to steam a moment later.

Tentatively, Twilight took a bite of the stuff, which I immediately guessed wouldn't go well, and was almost immediately proven right as she made a face and forced herself to swallow. "Bleh… I guess you can't really reheat oatmeal without it turning to paste."

That last sentiment bought a flashback of memory to my mind, and I reached out with my own spoon. After a pause to silently obtain permission from Twilight, which she gave with a wave of her hoof and a curious expression, I took a bite of the stuff, humming softly in thought before swallowing it. "Well, it's not great, but I'd eat this stuff over that gods-awful nutrient paste any day of the week…"

Rainbow Dash tilted her head at that sentiment. "What the heck is 'nutrient paste'?" With everything that had happened between us recently, I could only assume she'd forgotten, and I couldn't say I blamed her.

The thought caused Luna to shiver, and she answered for me. "It is a vile concoction Blake was forced to consume after his unfortunately timed discovery of his extended lifespan, and the subsequent mental strain that caused him to neglect himself, including failing to eat or drink anything for several days. It was an emergency measure to bring him out of the malnourished state he had put himself into and aid in setting his body on the mend once more. I asked for the recipe some time ago, and was told even I could not be made privy to what goes into the offensive substance. Likely with good reason."

I nodded lightly. "That pretty much sums it up. Though whatever they put in it, the stuff looked, smelled, felt and tasted like someone had taken cardboard and a bit of water, put them in a blender, then served the results to me in a bowl. Like I told Luna at the time; I bet if it could have, it would have even sounded like pureed cardboard."

Nearly everyone in the room made a face at being reminded of the nasty goop I'd been forced to eat, which I had to admit, had probably saved me from a much longer recovery, at the very least. It had certainly done its job quickly at least, and allowed me to use my magic again shortly after eating it. "Well, I think I'm good on food for awhile." Dash said, pushing her bowl of salad away from herself. Fortunately it was nearly empty by this point anyway.

Applejack shook her head at the thought, and downed the last of her apple juice. "Sometimes Ah ferget ya had all that happen to ya, lover colt. Ya sure don't let it affect ya none."

I looked down at the empty plate in front of me, and nodded lightly. "I try not to think about it, to be honest. It's easier to deal with that way." I said softly, feeling my eyes suddenly starting to sting. Immediately, I felt several pairs of legs surrounding me in a comforting hug. "Thanks girls… I don't know what the future is going to bring, but I'm so glad I have you all with me here and now." I knew of at least two that would stay with me for the rest of my long life, but that was little comfort to all the rest, who I knew I would eventually have to say goodbye to.

I felt one of those hugging me close nuzzle into my neck. "Ah'm mighty sorry, sweetheart. Ah didn't mean ta get ya thinkin' about that. Ah know it ain't easy fer ya."

Their comfort meant the world to me, and I managed to steady myself with a few, deep breaths. "I know you didn't, Sugarmare. I don't blame you even a little, either. It's just another change in my life, that's all." The loving hug was held for a long moment, then released. "Anyway, shouldn't we all be getting ready for the festival's culminating ceremony in just a little bit?"

"Blake, my love…" Luna's soft voice cut off anyone else's reply before they could be made. "Are you sure you wish to take the second transfusion of my blood? I would not blame you if you were to change your mind."

There was a chorus of confused gasps and quiet mutterings coming from those who had not been present for my initial announcement at that revelation, but I ignored them for the time being, instead wrapping my arms around the Lunar Diarch, who had joined in on the comforting hug. "Of course I'm sure, Luna. I love you, and I love Celestia, and I want to be able to be here for you both, with you both. I admit it's still a lot to wrap my head around, and I'm more than a little scared, but I know this is what I want." Before I could act on my own desires, Luna pressed her lips to mine, kissing me with a passion that left me speechless.

The kiss, which told me just how much she appreciated that sentiment, making my heart melt with joy and love was broken a moment later, far too soon in my opinion. "Blake, my beloved… I know I say this often, but I truly do love you more than I have words to describe."

I smiled broadly at her sweet words, and gave all of them a warm hug. "I love you too, Luna… so much. I love all you girls. You've all given me more kindness, love, compassion and friendship than I ever thought possible. More than I ever thought myself worthy of. I… honestly don't don't know what I did to deserve it all sometimes."

Applejack chuckled and wrapped her hooves around my neck, hugging me and kissing my cheek. "Aww shucks, Sugarcube! Y'all do plenty fer all o' us too. Ah don't rightly know how we c'n ever pay ya back fer helpin' with tha barn. And Ah don't just mean helpin ta pay fer a new one. Ah keep thinkin' how bad it coulda been if'n y'all hadn't spotted all them weak spots and got us ta stop usin' it when we did."

Rarity reached out and patted my hand with a dainty, well-groomed hoof. "That's right, Darling. You've helped me out a time or two as well, not to mention you continue to give me quite wonderful challenges when it comes to crafting new clothing for you to wear." She sighed softly and looked at the floor with those lovely, indigo eyes. "And don't forget all the times you've put yourself at risk for our sakes. I'd say you've done more than enough for us as it is. If anything, we should be counting ourselves as the lucky ones for having a marvelous friend such as yourself."

After Rarity, timid little Fluttershy decided to chime in. "That's right, Blake. You've taken such good care of Pabu and Aurora too. They both tell me how happy they are with you when they come to visit." She giggled softly. "That reminds me; Pabu told me he's very excited to see the new pond you're going to build for him in the spring, and he's very grateful you'd do that for him."

I chuckled softly and waved my hands around in mock defeat. "Alright, alright, I give up." I said with a smirk as I looked around. "I'm just grateful to have such good friends now, that's all. It's something I'm realizing now I've never truly had before, and I'm still getting used to the idea."

After a few more moments of warm embraces, I stood from my chair, and looked to the gathering of my closest friends and loved ones, more of a family to me at this point, and smiled. "Thank you all for being there for me, even when things get rough. But now, we really do need to get ready for the ceremony."

There was a chorus of agreements among the gathering, and they all started to disperse. However, Applejack paused when she noticed me hanging back. "Everythin' alright, Sugarcube?" She asked, giving me a look of curiosity mixed with concern.

I waved a hand in the air dismissively. "Nah, I'm fine. You girls go on ahead, I just want to talk to Creme Brulee about getting some of the sourdough starter her kitchen uses. I love sourdough bread, but I could never get the starter going to make it for myself."

Luna nodded lightly. "It is true. He told me as much earlier, when we ordered our meals. He ordered some sourdough for himself, then discussed this with me as we ate."

Applejack chimed back in at this, smiling broadly. "Well shucks, Sugarcube. If Ah'd a known that, Ah could'a had Granny Smith give ya some. She has a batch she's been keepin' since b'fore tha Apple clan ever came here ta help found Ponyville. She might even teach ya how ta start yer own too, so's ya can have yer own, instead o' usin' hers!"

I smirked at the apple farmer. "I didn't know she had a starter, though I suppose it makes sense." I reached down and caressed her cheek gently. "Thanks, AJ. I might actually ask her for both so I can have some of the Apple family starter to carry on down the line, and practice starting my own as well. That way I can keep a bit of the Apple family tradition alive for as long as I am."

Applejack covered her face with her hat for just a moment, trying to hide that crinkled smile she wore when she was trying not to cry. "Aww shucks, Sugarcube. That'd mean a lot ta her… and it means a lot ta me too." She took in a deep breath, then put her hat back on her head. "Anyway, let's get ta goin' b'fore we get caught up in anymore o' this emotional stuff. Ah get tha feelin' this here festival's gonna be plenty hard ta keep a dry eye fer as it is." We all nodded, and everyone else went their separate ways, with only Luna remaining with me to help make sure I was properly ready, though I had a feeling we would be seeing Rarity again once she was convinced she herself was perfect, to make sure I looked perfect.

Once the two of us were alone in Luna's room, where Rarity had sent my outfit after final fittings, I turned to her. "Hey, Lulu?" I started, a little nervous, despite knowing I didn't need to be. "I wanted to talk to you about something earlier, but we never really got the chance with everything else that happened. It… it's about Celestia."

Luna gave me a quizzical look, then her eyes widened. "Blake! My love, please do not tell me something has happened between you!" She rushed up to me and looked me in the eye. "What is it? Are you reconsidering your relationship? Has she done something?"

I chuckled softly, placed my hands on her cheeks, then pulled the mare in for a big kiss. "It's nothing like that, love. I just wanted to let you know that… I wanted to spend the night with her tonight. I haven't gotten to sleep next to her once since we decided on this secret romance thing, and I really want to. She means a lot to me, but I feel like we don't get to bond a lot."

My Lunar lover's features lit up with happiness. "Oh! Is that all? Why didn't you just say so, my love?!" She ended on an almost singsong note that made me smile. "I would be overjoyed to know the two of you finally got a little time to spend together, and to bond together. I have desired that since the two of you first agreed to court one another in secret." She was all smiles now, and it was infectious.

With that little tidbit cleared up more quickly and easily than I'd expected, the pair of us continued to get ready for the ceremony. As I thought about what was to come, both the emotional aspect, as well as being up in front of all those ponies again, the room began to warm up, or so it seemed. I could tell I was nervous, but I wouldn't let Luna down, so I kept my mouth shut about my own nerves.

"Blake, my dearest… it is alright to be nervous about this." Luna said in a soft, comforting voice, seeming to have caught on to my feelings. "I know you do not like to be in front of crowds of ponies. Fortunately, your role will only be a small one, so the attention will be mostly upon my sister and I."

I smiled softly at her words of comfort and encouragement, and knelt down to kiss her softly. "Thanks Luna. You're right; I am nervous. But I know you have your own reasons to dread this, so I'm trying to be strong for you." I knew she had things worse than I did in this moment, and I wanted to be supportive.

My words seemed to touch her, and she sniffled softly. "Thank you. But, you do not need to be strong for me." Her hoof reached up and caressed my face gently. "It is alright to show weakness, for we can share in our weaknesses, and be there to comfort and raise one another up. In that way, we are both even stronger, together." Her love was clear for any to see, and it warmed my heart.

Giving her another smile and a kiss, I stood. "Thanks Luna." A soft chuckle escaped my lips then. "Today has been full of emotions so far, but I think we're allowed a few feels, given all that's happened, and all that's about to happen. And I'm glad you're so willing to support me." The light of the sun through the window caught my attention briefly, and I sighed. "Anyway, how do I look? Am I presentable?" The outfit Rarity had crafted using the hybrid designs thought up by both myself and Shining Armor both fit well, and looked quite dashing, if the opinions of my marefriends were to be believed.

My lunar lover looked at me with an expression that was both loving, and appraising, and she nodded. "You are more than presentable, my dear Blake. You are quite the handsome stallion." She reared up, and wrapped me in a tight hug. "Even if I did not need your support, I'm glad you're here with me in this. Having a special somepony to share in this event is something I find quite special, and it makes me happy to know we can share this memory together." The hug was released then, and she hopped down. "Now come, let us not tarry any longer." I knew she was right; it seemed that all of us had been finding any reason we could to put off going to the event, and we really couldn't do so any longer.

With both of us ready, we headed out of Luna's chambers and made our way through the winding halls, and out to the main courtyard of the palace, where Celestia already stood in front of a large gathering of other ponies, with what looked like a small vase under a domed glass lid sitting on a pedestal beside her. If I had to guess, the snowflake in question rested within the vase, which was a lovely, blue-white color that matched the falling snow quite well.

When we arrived by her side, Celestia looked to the two of us with a smile, then looked back out to the gathering of her ponies as Luna took her place to her sister's left, on the other side of the pedestal, while I stood to the left of the Princess of the Night, my lover and the mare I knew needed me the most right now. "My little ponies." My lovely, alabaster marefriend began, retaining her role as Princess of the sun quite well as she made her voice loud enough to carry, yet allowing it to contain a somber note. "There is nothing in this world quite so amazing as the first winter snow. The first flakes falling from the sky, signifying a time for the land to rest, the animals to dream, and the ponies of Equestria to relax and play. It is a time of wonder and a time of celebrations, filled with days of brisk laughter and nights of peaceful slumber. All brought forth by a single, powdery fragment. Some might scoff that something so small could hold such power, taking their majesty and beauty for granted, though others can see the true beauty that lies within each of these tiny flakes of glittering starlight."

A brief pause fell over the hushed crowd as Celestia allowed her words to have their somber effect. "Today marks the one thousandth year since we were first gifted the marvel of snowflakes, their serene beauty calming the snows so that the winter could be properly enjoyed by us all, and allowing wishes to be made on the glittering little stars as they fall from on high."

I could hear Luna sniffle next to me, and I placed a reassuring hand on the back of her neck, stroking it gently to reassure her. I knew it was out of protocol, but I didn't give a damn in this moment; one of my greatest loves needed my support, and if she asked for it, I'd pull her into a comforting embrace and let her sob her heart out in front of this entire gathering if she needed to.

My focus on Luna caused me to miss part of Celestia's speech, and I silently cursed, though I knew it was being recorded via magic to be played back later for those who were unable to attend. "Today, this one thousandth celebration of the Winter Snowfall Festival also marks the ending of an era, as this will be the day that the last remaining snowflake carved by Snowdrop, the very pony who first gifted us these tiny wishing stars, shall be released. I have cared for this flake in particular for all this time, as it is also the very first one she ever crafted, and gifted to my sister and I so many, many years ago."

Beneath my hand, Luna was quaking softly as she held back her tears, trying to remain strong, for herself, for her ponies, and for her friend. I knew that struggle well, and I would be here for her, whatever she needed. "Snowdrop was a pony I considered to be my friend." Luna stated after a moment. "She overcame adversity to bring us a gift of something beautiful, and she showed me that true splendor lies within oneself, not merely in what lies upon the surface, nor in any material object. That is why her final snowflake shall be released, so that the splendor of her heart may be shared by all." I noted the faint cracking of Luna's voice as she spoke, and both her and Celestia's horns lit, raising the lid from the vase, then lifting the vase itself up into the air in their mixed magics.

The next words I heard from the Lunar Diarch were spoken more quietly, and I could tell that, though she was still addressing the crowd, the words were just for Snowdrop. "Thank you, my friend. For everything you gave us… for everything you gave me. Thank you for every wish you never knew came true. Thank you for showing me that true beauty lies within." As she spoke, the vase lifted itself high into the air, then slowly upended. "Goodbye…" I could only just barely make out something slipping from the neck of the vase to float back down, but it was lost to even my sight as snow began to fall all around us.

I was vaguely aware that Celestia had begun to speak again, but my attention had already turned back to Luna, who had her eyes closed, and as I looked down at her, a single tear slid down her cheek as she stood there with her face turned up to the sky. This first tear was followed by another, and then a third as Luna said her silent farewell to the little pony who had warmed her heart one winter, so very long ago.

Sometime later, after the somber event had ended, Luna and I found ourselves in the Canterlot gardens, having left the palace grounds to seek a little solitude. There were no words exchanged between us as we sat on one of the cold, stone benches I had cleared of the light dusting of snow that had accumulated. I wasn't sure for how long we sat there, with me holding the Princess of the Night close, comforting her with my presence alone. I had an idea of the melancholy feelings swirling through her mind at the moment, and I knew her well enough that the best thing to do was simply to give her time, and reassure her with my presence, letting her know she wasn't alone in this.

Eventually, though I wasn't bored, my mind still sought something to occupy itself with, and I began to look around at the garden grounds themselves, taking note of all the dormant plants that were just waiting for spring to arrive so they could come back to life and share their splendor with everyone. It was during this time that something caught my eye; a small flower, its head bent over at an odd angle. Then, I saw the reason why and smiled. "Hey Luna, look… Snowdrop wants you to know everything will be alright."

There, on the flower, weighing down its already light frame, was a single, crooked snowflake that looked like it had been carved by an inexperienced hoof. The hoof of a young, blind filly, filled with love and care.