TSecond Chances

• MLP: FiM
• Romance
• Drama
• Slice of Life

When Flim unexpectedly shows up at Apple Acres seeking advice from Applejack, she turns him away due to previous experiences but another mare steps in to help him in his time of need.

• Fluttershy
• Applejack
• Flim and Flam

Nailah · 38k words  ·  42  6 · 1.4k views

Okay, let it be said from the outset romance is never something I’ve been good at. Let me say that. Sure, I’ve written a few romance pieces from time to time, and they’ve always been received… fairly well for whatever reason but it’s not my best genre.

That being said however, I will attempt to do my best here with this review.

Flim and Flam. Con artists extraordinaire. We know this, and love and hate them for it. Not the kind of ponies you’d expect anyone to fall in love with. However, this story does a fairly acceptable job of the whole idea of a pony falling for Flim. In this case, Fluttershy.

Yes, that Fluttershy. I sorta had to make sure I wasn’t reading the story description incorrectly. The basic premise is this. Film decides to go straight after his brother leaves him high and dry. In some aspects, I can sorta see this happening. I mean, as much as the brothers enjoy conning ponies out of their money and working as a team, I can also equally see one of the two getting greedy and just tossing their twin out to the cold.

Now, of course, when Flim arrives in Ponyville, he’s treated with a lot of understandable distrust, especially by Applejack. (The first pony he goes to for help by the way.) Now, Applejack in this story comes off as sour towards Film, but it is understandable and never does she go completely over the line at any point. I mean, after almost losing your farm to a guy, or his ‘tonics’ nearly getting your grandmother killed amongst other things, I’d be a little sour towards Flim.

If I had one issue with the story as a whole, it’s that the romance is a little… rushed. By the end of chapter five, and this is a fifteen chapter story by the way, Flim’s already fallen for Fluttershy. Now yes, this is the Element of Kindness we’re talking about but still. I’d have dragged that plot out a little longer, maybe to chapter seven.

But that’s just me. Romance works differently depending on the pers… er, pony, I guess.

Now, the whole central conflict of the story is very obvious Flim VS Flam, with Flim trying to go straight while Flam isn’t exactly pleased with this whole endeavor and tries just about everything to get back at his brother.

It feels very… real, with Flam emotionally manipulating his brother in so many ways such as trying to convince him he’s not wanted in town or locking Fluttershy in her cottage just to get Flim away from her.

Honestly, I’m finding it hard to talk about this story. Not from anything relating to personal experience, it’s just it’s as I said before. Me and romance do not mix. But I’m trying my best here really. All in all, this story is hardly terrible by any means and it’s certainly worth a look at the very least. It’s just that I had a hard time, at least for me, getting emotionally invested in the ship itself. Maybe it's different for you, as romance is a very subjective thing I will admit.

But the final tally, at least for me is 7/10

All I have to say towards Nailah, well… keep doing what you’re doing. You’re awesome gal.