Morning comes to the Rhino household. As with every morning, a beam of light shines through the mostly-drawn curtains, inexplicably shining on the closed eyes of the blue changeling.

She quietly groans but gets up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "...Rhino...wake up..." She puts a hoof on his shoulder, gently shaking him. "...we don't want to be late for work, do we?"

The stallion groans as he opens his eyes, one hoof reflexively going to the back of his head, but a flinch and a quick withdrawing of the hoof shows he immediately regrets that action. He grunts as his eyes blink rapidly while he wakes up. "It's days like this that I wish was I was less responsible and could just take the day off..."

"But you are responsible." She smirks, carefully pushing him toward the edge of the bed. "So get up. We don't want to keep your parents waiting, right?"

He braces himself with a hoof on the bed so that his movement stops. "Alright... alright... I'm getting up..." He stretches his hooves towards the ceiling as he yawns. "Are the little ones all present?"

"I think they're waiting for their food...all but one, at least." She motions to a spot next to his head, where a certain black creature patiently waits for him to stand.

Rhino turns and looks at the little squirrel, smiling and petting him on the head. "That's my boy..." The stallion rolls out of bed and cracks his necks before a small weight lands on his back and the feeling of tiny claws making their way up his neck announce Specter gaining his usual spot. Rhino offers his tail to Gel. "Shall we?"

She smiles softly, taking the offered tail in hers. "We shall." With that, they exit their room, Gel not bothering with her disguise for the moment.

The two enter the kitchen, currently only occupied by Mercury and Selena. At Gel's questioning glance, Rhino explains. "Well, it was an eventful day yesterday, I'm not surprised they want to sleep in. They'll probably be down before we leave."

She quietly nods, moving forward and quickly pouring the pets their food. Still, I can't help but be worried. What if Bio accidentally said something? He did seem really upset... She nuzzles the two on the floor, smiling softly at them as they start eating. ...I don't want to make you an outcast, because of me...

He chuckles as he starts to get out the stuff for a quick breakfast. You know me, I'm not that social of a pony anyway.

She sighs a bit, sitting down at the table. ...but what about your job? She rests her head on the flat surface, using her magic to pull out some plates and silverware. She sets the table, though her mind is elsewhere.

He sighs, walking over and nuzzling her, Specter jumping into her mane and doing the same thing. It'll be fine, love, I asked him not to tell anypony, and he wouldn't have. If need be, I'll talk with him today and I'll make sure he sees you as I do by the end of it.

She smiles softly, leaning up and tenderly kissing him. ...thank you, Rhino...it'd be good to know that both of your parents approve of us...

After a few minutes, Mist walks in with a yawn. She's wearing an oversized shirt and her normal straight mane is frizzy. She mutters to them as she passes. "Good morning..." Rhino smiles knowingly as he passes her a steaming cup of tea he had been making in the event she came down. She takes the cup gratefully and sips at the warm liquid. "Thank you, dear..."

Gel smiles kindly, nodding to the pegasus. "...good morning, Mist...did you sleep well?"

The red mare takes another sip of her tea before responding. "Once I got asleep, yes, I have a bit of a problem turning my mind off enough to sleep sometimes. What about you?"

She blushes softly, glancing at Rhino before responding. "...um...y-yes...I had a very...enjoyable...dream..."

Mist is too out of it to notice the glance. "That's good... Bio never came to bed last night... I think he slept on the couch."

Rhino comments as he takes a bite of toast. "Well, it wouldn't be the first time. No big deal."

The stallion in question enters the kitchen at that moment. He nods to the room at large, looking at Rhino when he starts to speak. "Do you still not have coffee?"

The green stallion shrugs apologetically. "Sorry Dad."

Bio exhales. "Ah well, plan B then." He fixes himself a coffee mug of milk and leans against the counter as he drinks it.

She blinks at this, surprised and mildly curious. ...Rhino, did you get your enjoyment of milk from your Dad, or am I assuming wrong? She smiles at the darker stallion. "G-good morning, Bio. D-did the couch treat you well?"

Rhino quickly thinks back the answer. Yes actually, and he got it from his dad. Mom actually can't stand milk.

Bio answers curtly, not aggressively, but not happily either. "It did."

She flinches at this, unnerved. "...y-you know what, I'll just...g-go get ready for work..." She gets up and quickly rushes out the room, hurrying up the stairs and into the bathroom. It was clear she feels too awkward to be in the kitchen, at the moment.

Rhino looks at his father with a steady stare. Bio notices this and responds. "What?"

"You know what."

The older stallion sighs. "Look, it's not like I'm yelling at her to get out anymore or trying to attack her. I guess I'm still... wrapping my head around the idea..."

Mist comments. "I suppose thats a start..."

Rhino looks at the clock before finishing his milk and turning back to his father. "We'll talk later." He heads out of the room after Gel.

The changeling in question is currently sitting on the bed, dressed up in her scrubs. She looks up at the door as it opens, sighing and holding a white hoof up to her chest in relief. "...for a moment...I thought you were someone else..."

Rhino walks over and sits down next to her. "I told you... it'll be fine. He's at least improved since last night, right?"

She slowly nods, sighing softly. "...I know...but still..." She bites her lip, nervous. "...I feel a...sense of unease..." She shakes her head, groaning quietly. "...I don't know...maybe I'm still a little jumpy from yesterday..."

He embraces her warmly, trying to comfort her. "How's your cheek by the way? i know it got cracked yesterday..."

“It's fine now. See?" She turns her head, showing the unblemished white fur. "All of your love last night healed it up rather nicely."

He smiles and kisses it softly. "Good. I don't like seeing or thinking about you getting hurt." He looks at the clock on the nightstand. "Well, we'd better get ready. Try to resist the urge to sneak into the shower with me." He lightly flicks the tip of her nose with his tail as he heads into the bathroom.

She giggles, quickly moving forward and playfully nipping his neck with her fangs. "Try not to have fun without me, love." She winks as she passes him, heading downstairs to wait for him.

He shakes his head as she exits. "Even when I try, she always gets the last laugh…”

***

The house is quiet later that day a little after noon. The only activity can be seen in the kitchen, where both Mist and Gel stand wearing crisp white aprons. Various ingredients can be seen around the kitchen.

Mist looks around and nods approvingly before turning to Gel. "Alright, ready?"

She squirms nervously, nodding a bit. "...I-I think so...I-I've only cooked once, before...and I...burnt it a bit..." She coughs, feeling a bit awkward. "...but I have to ask...why did you make Rhino and Bio leave?"

Her eyes twinkle. "Well, those two needed to talk anyway, and I felt this was some time we could use to relax and get to know each other while making some little things for our favorite stallion."

She tilts her head to one side, slightly confused. "...you mean Rhino, right? Because I only like Bio as family." She shyly laughs, rubbing the back of her neck.

Mist giggles. "Of course I meant him. Bio will probably enjoy this as well, though." She claps her forehooves together. "So, how much experience do you have with desserts?"

She shrugs a bit, playing with her hooves to distract herself. "...honestly? Eating them is the only experience I have..."

The mother smiles. "And how much of that experience do you have?"

"Quite a bit." She giggles, blushing a bit. "They gave me some free food at the cafe I used to work at...I always ate desserts..." She sheepishly smiles. "...they were just...so delicious..."

Mist smiles understandingly. "Well, today i thought we would tackle two different desserts. So, we'll be doing banana pudding, and the classic chocolate chip cookies. So, let's get started!" She directs Gel to the counter and slides her some bananas, chopping one in a few roughly bit-sized slices before sliding her a knife and continueing using her own with a wing.

Gel nods, getting to work cutting the fruit up. "I don't think I've had either of those before. I can't wait to try them out!" She fantasizes about what they might taste like, a little drool forming in the corner of her mouth.

"Careful now, don't want to drool on the food now do you?" She thinks about this statement for a moment. "Changelings feed on love right? But you were eating food last night, so... I guess either works for you? Could you survive entirely on food?"

The changeling sighs, shaking her head. "...no...but I wish we could..." She quickly moves through the bananas, the knife flashing at the rapid pace she set. "...ponies only know us as love-eaters...or as insects...all of the books in the library portray us as sadistic, when we're only doing our duty!" She stops, having reached the end of the current banana and less than an inch away from hitting her hoof. "...that could've been bad..."

Mist stays silent for a moment. "Ok... this has obviously been bothering you a while..."

"...sorry..." She whimpers, her ears flattening against her head. "...I just...I want my kind to be treated as equals...not villains to be defeated..." She goes silent, scooping up the slices and putting them to the side.

The pegasus stays silent a moment before quietly commenting. "I see... well, on a more positive change of subject, I think we're done with these." She puts the bananas aside and brings over a bowl that she puts various ingredients in. "Would you like to help me stir the pudding?"

She nods, though she appears unsure. "...um...h-how do I do that?"

Mist points to a wisk with a wing. "Just take this and stir at a decent speed until it all looks the same." As Gel starts to do this, Mist observes her a moment before speaking again. "So... what made you pick my son? Out of all the stallions in Equestria?"

She squeaks, splashing herself in her surprise. "...aw..." She grabs a nearby washrag, carefully cleaning herself as she answers. "...w-well...d-during the...Canterlot incident...I tried to sneak off..." She tosses the cloth to one side, blushing softly. "...I...I ran into him in front of his house...I found this out later, when he ran inside..." She rubs the back of her neck as she averts her gaze. "...I-I was smitten...there's no two ways about it..."

The other mare hums to herself. "Just by appearance? That's all it took?" She adds the dry ingredients to the mixture and motions for the changeling to keep stirring.

"...n-not all..." She resumes mixing, a distant look in her eyes. "...I can...sense...emotions...not just love, either..." She softly bites her lip. "...I felt a strong wave of determination...compassion...and, unlike everypony else there..." She turns to look at the mare. "...he was brave...set, I believe, on protecting his family..."

Mist nods. "You know... I asked why he did that... why he stayed and fought when everypony else seemed to run and hide. The question was actually to Bio at the time, but Rhino was the one that answered. Would you like to know what he said?"

She stops her actions, turning to her in curiosity. "...what did he say?"

"He said: 'What would be the point in running? I was already at home, which is where I would have gone. You have to protect your home and the ponies in it. Hiding wouldn't have done that, they were breaking down doors and dragging ponies out. There was really only one option.'"

Gel's jaw drops and she stands there in stunned silence. "...w-wow...I-I mean, it sounds like him, but still...to hear such motivational words from him..." She blushes brightly and turns back to the bowl, stirring once more. "...and all I've ever done is shout at soldiers..."

Mist pats her back. "Everypony goes about it differently. He always said those words weren't meant to be inspirational anyway, he just told me what his train of thought was." She checks the mixture. "Almost there. So... have you discovered anything new about him that reaffirmed your initial feelings?"

She giggles, smiling softly. "...he's sweet...smart...strong...a little over-protective, at times, but I'm thankful for that..." She sighs quietly, continuing to mix the ingredients and move a little faster, muttering to herself. "...we would've lost each other if he wasn't..."

The pegasus stops her with a wing. "Woah there, that's enough. You don't want it to get runny." She sets the bowl to the side as she pulls the bananas and a box of vanilla cookies towards them. "All we do now is layer them, starting with bananas, then pudding, then cookies, then repeat until we get to the top." As she puts the first layer down she looks over to Gel and winks. "Back on the other subject though, it does sound like he's got you hooked, and from what I saw the reverse is true too."

The nymph's cheeks positively burn with her embarrassment. "...y-yes, that's right..." She starts to do as the mare does, layering as told. Her mind roams, and one of those places wasn't a pleasant memory. "...though...there was a moment...I worried he'd fallen out of love with me..."

Mist looks to her questioningly. "I don't really see how that would happen... it would take something pretty drastic to shake his feelings. His emotions are very strong."

She gives the pegasus a flat look. "He found out I was a changeling."

The red mare's ears lay flat. "Ah... but he seems fine with you being a changeling..."

"Yes, now." She groans, holding her head in her forehooves. "I had to convince him I wasn't an imposter, and that my feelings were genuine. He didn't say anything at first, so...I thought he wanted me to leave..." No need to bring being pinned to a wall into this.

Mist nods as she puts a comforting hoof on Gel's shoulder. "I can see how that would have worried both of you... but it all turned out for the best right? You're together and happy. The silence was probably just him thinking, he gets quiet when he does that, as you've probably noticed."

She nods, smiling coyly. "Oh, we've found a workaround to that." She turns her attention back to the dessert, using her magic to be as precise as possible with the layers.

Mist raises an eyebrow. "Do I want to know?"

Gel waves a hoof dismissively. "It's just a psychic link. Not too big a deal."

The pegasus stops. "Wait what?"

"A psychic link." The nymph turns to her, not breaking her magic's actions. "It's simply a way to communicate without using words. It came in handy once, back when I was working as a waitress..." She flinches, focusing on the dish once more. "...my last day as a waitress."

"Umm..." Mist thinks about this. "Is that a... changeling thing?"

She nods, starting to near the top of the dish. "It is. I apparently formed one with him that night, completely by accident." She turns to look at the mare, her all-blue eyes focusing on her. "...can I ask you a question, Mist?"

The mare nods. "I've been asking a lot of them, so it's only fair that you get to ask them too."

Gel lifts a blue, hole-filled hoof up, staring at it for a moment. "...does my species...my background...make you uncomfortable?" She looks up at her, frowning slightly. "...can someone with a face like mine...be truly accepted in pony society?"

"Well..." Mist puts the final cookies on the finished dish. "I admit... you are new, and new things are approached differently by different ponies. I'd imagine there was just as much going against griffins, minotaurs, and especially dragons when ponies first met their species, and look what happened to them." She looks at the changeling a moment before giving her a hug. "I think, now that I've gotten to know you, that ponies would accept you, if they give you a chance."

She smiles softly, gently hugging her back. "...thank you, Mist..." She pulls away, giggling softly. "...I think I know where Rhino's compassion comes from..."

The separate as the pegasus responds. "Oh, his father has it too, it's just covered right now." She carefully puts the pudding in the fridge. "Now, how about we start on those cookies?"

"Sure!" She grins brightly in excitement before remembering herself. She blushes brightly, shrinking in a bit on herself in embarrassment. "...b-but you'll have to teach me that, too..."

Mist giggles. "Don't worry, I'm more than happy to. Maybe I'll tell you more things if you answer more of my questions."

She nods, smiling kindly. "...I think I'll take you up on that offer..."

***

"So she can read your thoughts, and you can read hers?" Bio looks questioningly at Rhino as the two stroll through Whitetail woods, an excellent place for not being overheard.

The larger stallion nods. "Just the surface ones, we can still have thoughts to ourselves as long as they are a little deeper than that. It at least lets us talk privately."

"I suppose..." The mustached unicorn thinks before asking his next question. "Has being with her put you in any other dangerous situations?"

Rhino shakes his head. "No, this was the first, and hopefully the last." He looks along the path they are walking. "Next time though... I'll be more prepared... Do you remember that rune i got from when i visited the Crystal Empire?"

His father's eyes widen. "Ah... I see... well, just be careful with that spell." He thinks again before asking another question. "Why didn't you say she was a changeling in the first place?"

Rhino sighs. "Because I knew if it wasn't handled correctly, it would turn out like it did last night. I was planning on getting all of you together, doing a little speech praising her and how much I care for her and trust her. Then, and only then, I would have her reveal herself. It would still be a little bumpy, but I would have thought waiting for the right time would have helped it go smoother."

Bio shakes his head. "Isn't that the same excuse you used for procrastinating when you were younger? 'Waiting for the right time'? Seems some habits are hard to break." He looks ahead of them. "You say you trust her... but how can you trust a species that survives by deception?"

His son looks at him. "Because I know her. She is completely honest with me and I see proof in everything she does. She may have to have a cover to go around town, but it's the same as ponies wearing hats to cover balding heads. It's to make things go smoothly."

His dad looks down at their hooves. "You really do care for her... don't you?"

Rhino nods resolutely. "I do. I have plans for us."

Bio raises an eyebrow, the tension working out of his body with every step and replaced by curiosity. "Oh, and what exactly are these plans you have for this one?"

The green stallion hesitates before steeling himself. "I'm going to marry her."

The blue stallion instantly stops in place as he regards his son. He doesn't say anything as he looks into Rhino's eyes and sees the determination behind them. As the two silently communicate, a smile slowly crawls across the older stallion's face. "Well... she's the one, huh?"

Rhino nods. "She is."

They start walking again as Bio continues. "You do realize what all needs to happen though, don't you? Even for a normal marriage, you need the proposal item, a date, the paperwork... afterwards you'll need a house... though I guess the one you've got right now will work."

The large stallion rubs the back of his head with a hoof. "Erm... no actually... it won't. Not enough room you see..."

His father raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean, not enough room-" His eyes almost bug out of their sockets. "Wait... you mean to tell me... you and she can..."

Rhino simply nods with a smile on his face.

"Wow..." Bio exhales loudly. "Well... that's gonna make it an interesting future..." He shakes his head. "But let's focus more on the immediate. You heard what all I said will be needed right?"

Rhino nods again. "Yeah... I'm actually working on two of those... I actually have a design in mind for a proposal necklace.... It took me a bit to come up with it, but I think it'll be great."

His dad nods. "You never have been a fan of horn rings... but, are you sure? You've only known her for a month..."

He nods. "I know. I think of it this way though: most couples start dating and hang a maybe a few hours every few days. Gel and i have been around each other almost 24/7. We have maybe ten times as much exposure to each other as other couples would have by this point, plus with the added benefit of knowing that we can enjoy living together."

Bio looks down in thought. "I guess that's true..."

Rhino continues. "Even yesterday she proved she would put herself in harm's way for me... I can't think of anything else that I would need to know to make this decision."

"Well..." his dad starts, "when were you planning on starting down this path?"

The green stallion rubs his head. "Well, actually I was going to go ahead and get the thing ordered as soon as I got out of the house without Gel, since it's a custom one I can't just take it home the same day, you know."

Bio looks around. "Well, she's not here now is she?"

Rhino eyes widen. "No... no she isn't..."

The blue stallion motions with a hoof. "Well... why don't we head to the jewelers then?" Rhino smiles and begins to follow him as he asks one final question. "You said you had two parts of the plan you were working on?"

The green stallion nods. "Yes, the other part is something I've been keeping an ear out for..."