As the sun began to rise over the snowy mountains, its rays shone down upon the Crystal Empire, making the crystals all around the castle and town shimmer. Inside one of the guest rooms, Trill snored loudly as she laid sprawled out on the bed, letting out chirps as she exhaled. The sunlight shone through the window, hitting her face as she was forced awake. She sat up, her hair spread out unevenly from her random tossing and turning, squinting her eyes as she glared at the sun.

"You couldn't let me sleep a while longer, could you?" she questioned the bright star. A moment later, she heard knocking come from her door, groaning in annoyance as she greeted the pony who wanted to ruin more of her beauty sleep, transforming into Evergreen in case it was a servant or guard. "Hang on a second..."

She opened the door, surprised to see Cadence, with a very awkward grin on her face. "Good morning, Trill! It's a beautiful day today!"

"...I'm gonna get back to sleep," Trill said.

"Oh come on! Don't be like that!" Cadence said enthusiastically, which was starting to freak the changeling out. "Before we get out to enjoy the sunshine, we're gonna need to fix up that bed head. Time for a little makeover!"

"Huh?" Trill was suddenly whisked away by the alicorn's magic, heading directly into the guest room's bathroom. "Hey, wait a second! When did I agree to have a makeover!?"

"Well, you can't go out looking like that." Cadence shut the bathroom door, the sound of rushing water and Trill's protests muffled as the princess washed her off, using the empire's specially scented soaps and shampoos to clean the changeling. Once she was smelling like a fragrant flower, the alicorn began primping Trill's mane, straightening it out and getting rid of built up knots from lack of grooming. "Ahh. There we go. Now you look a lot better."

Trill looked at herself in the mirror, surprised at who she was looking at. Even though she was still in her disguise, her mane looked a lot better, every single strand straightened out and sparkling in the light. Cadence had even applied some makeup to make her look prettier than anything she could turn into without the product accenting her features.

"Wow..." Trill said, utterly speechless.

"I knew you'd love it. Now, how about you and Solaris got around the empire together and get a good look around. There's plenty of interesting spots around here that you two should enjoy," Cadence said.

"Wait, I thought he was going to spend some time with you and Shining Armor," Trill pondered, finding Cadence's behavior suspicious. "I swear, the other day, he was going to explode if he didn't ask anything about you."

"Well, I have some important meetings to go through. Boring life of a princess," Cadence said. "And Shining Armor is still sleeping. I don't want to bother him too much. Solaris understands, and you guys could really use the time to relax."

"...If you say so," Trill said, unsure of what to think.

The changeling left the room, thanking Cadence for the makeover, leaving the princess to herself. As soon as Trill was gone, the alicorn pulled out a notepad with a list titled "Romance Signs to Success".

"Ok. Trill's all prettied up, and Solaris will find her irresistible. He's have to be brainless to not have any reaction." Checking off "Beautifying mare" on her little list, she giggled with glee as she grew excited. "This is gonna go along great! I just need to make sure they don't see me while they spend the day together!" Cadence clapped her hooves together, her excitement disappearing as she realized just how crazy she was being. "Wow, I almost feel like Twilight when it comes to anything involving learning...I kinda hope it isn't hereditary and Solaris doesn't freak out with knowledge."

As Cadence tried to calm herself before stalking her nephew and future marefriend, Trill wandered about the halls, already feeling lost in the crystal castle. Rounding a corner, she accidentally bumped into Solaris, both of them surprising each other.

"Ahh!" Solaris shouted. "Trill, for goodness sake. Every time something has to surprise me, you always have to be the one causing it."

"Sorry. This castle's huge, and I was trying to find you anyway." Trill fixed up her mane, making sure it didn't get ruined, though why she was being self-conscious about her looks now was beyond her.

"Same here." As Solaris calmed himself from the surprise collision, he got a better look at the changeling, his heart stopping for a brief moment. He saw her mane sparkling like the walls of the palace, as well as her coat. "Wow...What uhh...You look really...nice..."

"Oh..." Trill blushed at the compliment, averting her eyes away from him. "You have to thank your aunt for this. Though, to be fair, I looked like a train wreck this morning."

"Aunt Cadence?" Solaris asked. "Huh...She woke you up early too?"

"No, the sun did, but she was about to," she said. "...Why exactly?"

"She said she had some royal duties to attend to, and suggested walking around the empire with you." Solaris unfurled one of his wings, carrying a bag of bits with him. "She even gave me some money if we wanted anything. Quite a lot of bits if it's just for snacks or lunch."

"Hmm..." Trill was finding it really odd that Cadence wanted them to hang out together, without any supervision from her or any of Solaris's other relatives. But maybe this was a good opportunity to find out if he really likes her. "Well, can't let free bits go to waste!"

"We're not going to buy a ton of useless junk," Solaris said.

"Hey! My outfits weren't a waste!" Trill said as she pouted. "Those Saddle Arabian outfits were cute."

"They were for courtesans!" Solaris scolded.

"You're just mad because you don't wanna admit I looked sexy in it," Trill teased, wiggling her hips, catching the alicorn's eyes.

Solaris blushed, looking away as he walked away to find the castle's entrance. "L-Let's just go."

"Alrighty!" Trill giggled, following after him to explore what else the empire has inside its protective barrier.

As Solaris and Trill wandered around the empire's many streets, using a guide the alicorn teen thought to grab before going anywhere, Cadence followed after them, her body hidden inside of a cloud. She watched them from above, kept far enough away to arouse any suspicion as she went through her checklist. Down below, Solaris went through the map, showing some of the popular shops, restaurants, and locations known in the empire.

"I wonder where we should go first," Solaris pondered as Trill was too busy looking around. One little place caught his eye, and it wasn't too far from where they were walking. "What about this place? 'The Crystal Theatre'?"

"Where?" Looking over the map, she found the theater he pointed at. "Huh. A movie theater. Let's see what's playing!"

"What's a movie?" Solaris asked.

"Oh, right. You probably weren't told what they are." Trill thought of a way to explain to Solaris what movies were. "Well, think of them like a story in a book, except they show the whole story on a screen. They have actors who play out the roles of the characters, shooting the movie in different locations for the setting, stuff like that."

"...That's weird, but a little interesting," Solaris said.

Cadence overheard them as the two teens walked to the movie theater. She grinned as she checked off "Date at the movies" off on her list.

"Perfect. A good start for any couple, enjoying a good movie," Cadence said. "I hope they're playing a good horror film today. Best way for a mare to cuddle close to her stallion for protection."

The princess quickly flew off, keeping her cloud disguise intact, beating her nephew and date to the theater. From the feature that was mostly popular, titled "Terror of the Deep", it seemed fitting for their first movie to watch together. She bought herself a ticket and immediately headed inside, entering the theater showing the film. Hiding in the back, she waited patiently, and a moment later, by pure luck, she caught the two walking into the same theater room, her prediction on their choice spot on.

"'Terror of the Deep' has to be creepy," Trill said, carrying a small bag of popcorn in her telekinesis. "Maybe it's about some giant underwater sea demon that gobbles everypony up!"

"Are movie endings supposed to end that tragically?" Solaris asked, holding onto their sodas in his aura.

"I don't know. This is the first one I'm ever gonna see." Trill sat down a few rows in front of Cadence, both of them unaware of her presence. "This is gonna be so much fun."

Solaris sat down next to her, placing their drinks in the cup holders conveniently placed on their armrests. Trill gave the bag of popcorn to Solaris, not exactly fond of the snack and held it for him. The trailers for other future movies went through a moment later as other moviegoers filled in some more seats. The movie finally begins, starting off deep in the murky depths of the ocean, showing the introduction credits as the camera moved up closer to the surface.

Swimming casually above the surface was a mare that was relaxing, wearing a skimpy swimsuit, obviously showing she isn't going to last the beginning of the movie. Solaris blanched when he noticed the mare's mane, coat, and cutie mark.

"Oh no...Is that Sweetie Belle?" Solaris asked, staring at the unicorn on the big screen. As odd as it was, it was indeed Sweetie Belle in the scene, recognizing her white coat, pink and purple swirled, wet mane, and her shield cutie mark. He remembered the times she, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo would sometimes visit to folasit him when Spike went off to hunt for some gems to snack on. "She's acting in this movie?"

"You know her?" Trill asked.

"Yeah. She used to foalsit for me when I was little. I know she became a singer, but I didn't know she acted too." Solaris kept watching, still finding it hard to believe.

They continued watching, Sweetie Belle's character suddenly jumping when she felt something touch her under the water. Freaking out, she tried to swim back to shore, only to be immediately dragged under the water. A few seconds later, her head popped up out of the water, screaming in terror as she flailed away from the creature that had nabbed her. To no avail, she was dragged back under the water, air bubbles slowing down with each second passing by. The spot where the unicorn once was began to turn red, mimicking blood, along with a terrifying noise no normal creature would ever make, the screen fading black as it showed the title of the movie.

"Wow..." Trill said in astonishment. "...What a start. Wonder what the monster looks like?"

"...S-She's not really REALLY dead, right?" Solaris asked in fright.

"No. It's all fake." Trill took a sip of her drink, patting the freaked out stallion's hoof. "That isn't real blood. It's probably just some food coloring used to make it look like the real thing. Nopony actually dies when making these things."

"Oh...Ok..." Solaris munched on some popcorn, relieved to know everything that happens in films are all done with makeup and cheap tricks.

As the movie wore on, more characters getting killed by the mysterious water monster lurking in the ocean, Cadence watched Solaris and Trill's reactions more than the movie itself. So far, Solaris was the one jumping out of his seat when a jump scare happens while Trill was jeering at the terrible effects. Underneath the alicorn's list for the movie portion of the date, she crossed off "Mare huddling close to stallion for safety", seeing how the disguised changeling wasn't at all fazed by the scary portions of the movie, and crossing off "Stallion nonchalantly stretching foreleg over mare's shoulder", her nephew too engrossed in the movie to focus on his date.

After over an hour, the movie was finally at its end, the main character having survived the attack from the creature, which was a pony-eating tentacle beast, and blew it up using an explosive barrel conveniently placed on a boating pier for no logical reason. The stallion who had survived walked away after losing who knows how many of his friends, but as he was out of the shot, a lone tentacle rose up from the pier, squealing angrily and still alive, the screen going black as they showed the end credits.

"Aww man," Trill whined. "There better be a sequel in the making if that thing's still alive."

"It was...really interesting," Solaris commented. "Did there have to be a scene where we had to see one of them getting torn to shreds under the water, then get eaten by a shark?"

"But that was so cool!" Trill said. She soon noticed the sickening look on Solaris's face, her excitement immediately disappearing. "Oh...right. I forgot about you and...Yeah..."

"No more of these horror movies for me. I've seen enough death in real life..." Solaris got up, picking up his empty cup and popcorn bag to throw away, Trill following after him.

They didn't notice Cadence, who quickly hid from them, but she didn't seem all that happy with the results. "Maybe it was a bad idea for them to see a horror movie...Solaris is still upset after what's happened." She crossed off the entirety of the movie date portion of her list. "There's other dates though. I will not let this up until I see them on the perfect date."

Through the rest of the day, Cadence began to give up hope getting the two to say how they feel about each other. From the many other dates she had planned to follow them, they ended up with no signs of success. After the movie, they headed off to an ice cream parlor, where there was a special for cute couples to get a free sundae they can share. Too bad it only made them more nervous as other ponies were watching them, since they were known as the cutest couple in the entire building. Then there was the clothing store selling outfits made from the ewes woolly coats, which was supposed to be a fun little shopping trip for Trill and Solaris's test of patience for her mindless shopping. There was one problem; since word of Solaris's arrival, and the stallion being known as the crystal prince and princess's nephew, the mares who spotted him began swarming him. He did not appreciate the attention, and Trill didn't like the fact that other teens were trying to get a piece of him. At least they got out before anything got worse.

The sun was close to setting, Cadence sitting in the middle of the park, having set up a little picnic for the two. There was nopony around to disturb them, and it was the perfect environment for a romantic dinner.

"This has to go perfectly. A romantic picnic is simple: nopony to bother them, sun about to set, clean park, it's foolproof!" Cadence tossed aside her list, most of her ideas crossed off after they were all ruined, either by other ponies staring at them and embarrassing them, teens crowding around the princess's nephew like he was the biggest star in Equestria, or seeing fake deaths in a film that only reminded the stallion of the real deaths of his loved ones. "Maybe the first plan with the movie was a bit of a bust, but he did enjoy his first ever movie...I think."

Her ears perked up when she heard Solaris and Trill conversating as they entered the park. Quickly laying down a note for the two on the checkered blanket, Cadence quickly ran into a nearby bush, kept hidden as she watched them approaching the picnic spot.

"I swear, those mares will just eat anything like candy if they see somepony royal and handsome anywhere in their sights," Trill complained.

"Wait, did you just call me handsome?" Solaris asked, making the changeling freeze. "...Were you jealous?"

"J-Jealous!? Who said I was jealous!?" Trill shouted, trying not to sound jealous, even though she clearly was. "You never know who you'll end up meeting that'll want to just use you, you know!?"

"Kinda like what you did when we met?" Solaris asked, almost teasingly by his tone.

"THAT WAS DIFFERENT!" Trill shouted, blushing heavily as she tried to calm herself down. "I-I was hunting...and wanted to feed on your love."

"Mhmm," he said. As they approached the checkered blanket with the picnic basket set directly in the middle, Solaris picked up the note written out to him. "'Solaris, I hope you and Trill are having fun. I set up a little picnic for you two so you don't get too overwhelmed with my castle's winding corridors and enjoy a casual dinner together. Aunt Cadence.' Well, that's a bit odd."

"Yeah," Trill pondered, finding it really suspicious. "You don't think she wanted us to go out and set up a date for us, did she?"

"A date?" Solaris blushed, hoping that today wasn't the reason why his aunt wouldn't want to spend time with him. "I-I'm not sure...I mean, today had been kind of fun...if you don't count the bad stuff."

"...Well, might as well indulge her. Let's see what she got for us to eat." Trill sat down and opened up the basket, pulling out the portions of their dinner: some leafy salads, crystal berries, sparkling cider to drink, non-alcoholic, and for dessert, some chocolate cake. The dessert made the changeling salivate, practically smelling the chocolaty aroma from the plastic wrapping protecting it from insects. "Wow! I'll start with dessert first! You can have the rest."

"H-Hey!" Solaris stopped Trill before she could sink her teeth into the soft and moist pastry, sitting down next to her while keeping the dessert far away from her. "There has to be something else you can stomach besides chocolate. It's like an addiction to you."

"Hmph," Trill pouted, her senses still being invaded by the intoxicating scent of chocolate. "Fine then. I guess I can wait until you had your fill...And I'm not gonna try any of this other stuff."

"Have you really not tried anything else?" Solaris asked, getting his answer when Trill didn't respond. "I thought so. You gotta learn not to be so picky."

Cadence watched from the foliage as the two ate and talked for a little. Overhearing them, it was odd for her to think that Trill, and possibly every other changeling, really liked chocolate. Just learning about her made her learn a little more about the changelings, where Solaris was actually right in his idea to make a compromise. Though that would be difficult on both sides: Cadence and Shining Armor would both disapprove of the idea because Chrysalis almost ruined their wedding, and Chrysalis wouldn't even think about the idea, loathing the thought of working together with Equestria.

Time slowly ticked by as the couple finally began eating their dessert, Trill being thankful that they were going to eat the delicacy taunting her. They got a perfect view of the sunset, the sun's rays still shining through, lighting up some of the crystals around the park. Solaris occasionally glanced at Trill as they watched the sunset, unable to look away as her entire body seemed to shimmer like the surrounding crystals. But he was looking at Evergreen, not Trill. His mind wondered what she actually looked like without her disguise.

"Uhh, Trill?" She looked up at him, her lips covered in chocolate crumbs. "...W-We're...kind of alone out here in the park...I think you can change back."

"Hmm..." Licking her lips, Trill looked around, finding no other pony aside from them. "I guess I can drop it. Hopefully nopony else shows up." Her body was surrounded in flames, changing back to her original form. "There. Better?"

Solaris's breath got caught in his throat as he got to see her as a changeling. She still had her hair straightened perfectly, her black chitin body and mane still shimmering even outside of her disguise. Her eyes sparkled in the light, unable to look away from the emerald green irises staring at him. He couldn't even utter a word, finding her irresistible.

"...Uhhhhhh..." That was all Solaris could even say, his brain too slow to think of any response, any compliment, any other reaction besides "dopey dimwit staring at a pretty mare like a moron".

Cadence watched the scene play out, rubbing her forehead as she groaned to herself. She knew Solaris would have acted like this at some point, but to not say anything was ruining his chances.

"Solly? You ok?" Trill asked, finding his staring to be really awkward.

"...You're beautiful..." he finally managed to say, his cheeks bright red.

Solaris expected her to blush and look away, but all she did was look away, feeling a little self-conscious. "...Really?"

"Y-Yeah...I-I mean, I'm kinda surprised that makeover Aunt Cadence gave you stays with you no matter what form you take...but...you do look beautiful," Solaris said.

"...I'm...beautiful...?" Solaris tilted his head in confusion, hearing Trill question her own looks. "...Wouldn't you rather prefer me to look like a normal mare?"

"Why?" he asked. "Being somepony you aren't? I know you have to be disguised around others, but what do you mean?"

Trill sighed in annoyance, looking down at the holes in her legs. "How exactly am I beautiful like this? Just look at me, Solaris. I'm a pony cross-bred into an arthropod!" She held up her forelegs, showing the holes she was born with. "I have holes through my legs! Just this alone makes other ponies think I was born a mutated freak!

"Not to mention I eat love, I spit up green web to blind or tie my victims, I have fangs, something that ponies shouldn't have, and I have wings like a dragonfly's!" Trill shouted as her wings fluttered in her anger. "We're not even considered ponies, Solaris! Everypony hates us because we're known as 'soul-sucking manipulators' or 'love-stealing monsters', and my mother's attempt at invading Canterlot, during your aunt and uncle's wedding, only made their hatred for us worse because we almost succeeded!"

Tears began to well up in Trill's eyes as she grew more upset, confusing Solaris with her outburst. "But I don't hate you."

"That's because you never even knew about us until you met me! You don't even know how much everypony despises us...Your family wanted me dead just because of what I am..." Tears began to roll down the mare's cheeks, turning away from Solaris. "Why did I even think I could have a chance? I should have listened to mom...I shouldn't have grown any feelings for you at all..."

"...What did you say?" Trill's eyes widened as her mouth, yet again, worked faster than her thoughts. Solaris began to piece together what she meant, surprised at what he was thinking. "...Trill?...Do you...?"

He didn't need to finish his question, the answer quite clear from Trill's silence. Solaris had no idea what to think; knowing that Trill actually had feelings for him and was upset being called beautiful when she and other ponies see her and her hive as nothing but monsters. After getting to know her, and a few awkward bumps in their friendship, Solaris needed her more than ever.

Ever since he ran into her in the Everfree Forest, he didn't feel like he was alone. Even with how stubborn he was, while also being new to the outside world, she still kept coming back to him like a magnet attracting a piece of metal. Whenever he was upset, or needed to vent his feelings, she would listen to him and try to bring him back to a calm state of mind through logical solutions to the horrible events in the past couple weeks. And what was strange about all this was that he wanted to like Trill more then a friend.

Solaris could never get the changeling out of his mind. Trill had always interested him, aside from her species, always wondering how she would be so bothersome and a nuisance to him, yet also funny and always worrying about him. She actually cared about him, when she was supposed to be his enemy, and he cared a lot about her. Now, seeing Trill miserable, hating herself for who she was, he needed to prove to her that he sees her as a pony like him. He needed to tell her how he felt, how she can brighten his mood when he himself grew upset over the worst life had thrown at him.

"...Now I understand why you were always being a pest to me," Solaris said. "I didn't know you felt that way about me."

"Well, now you do," Trill said, still facing away from him. "And I was stupid to ever think things would actually be perfect for us if you liked me as myself..."

"But why would you hate that?" he asked. "Do you really think you're not pretty, or cute?"

"Solaris, I just said-" Trill suddenly yelped as she was spun around, facing the alicorn teen.

"I know what you said...but what you look like doesn't matter to me," Solaris said. "I think it's better for you to be you, not anypony else. I actually find your features far more interesting than a normal mare's."

"B-But-" Solaris pressed his hoof against Trill's lips, silencing her protests.

"I don't care what anypony else thinks. If they want to hurt you, they'll have to get past me," he said. From the bushes, Cadence was highly surprised her nephew would actually consider going against his family in favor over Trill. "You mean a lot more to me than anypony else. I don't even know where I would be if I didn't meet you back in the Everfree Forest." Solaris lowered his hoof, wrapping both of his forelegs around the speechless changeling. "I'm completely hopeless without you."

Trill couldn't find the words she wanted to say. She wanted to disagree with him, tell him that she would only make his life difficult, but her voice was lost to her. She couldn't even push away from him, part of her wanting him to hold her like this, and maybe a little closer.

"S-Solaris..." Trill uttered.

"I didn't want to believe it, but I can no longer deny it," he said, both alicorn and changeling looking in each other's eyes. "I'm in love with you, Trill. No other mare would see me as a normal pony except for you. And I need you." Solaris gently pressed his forehead against Trill's, staring deeper in each other's eyes, both teens blushing. "Please...stay with me. I don't want you to leave because of who we are on the outside...What truly matters is what's on the inside, right?" Trill could only nod slightly, unable to speak and moving closer to him, their snouts gently rubbing against each other's. "I love you, Trill."

Solaris closed his eyes and gently pressed his lips against Trill's, her eyes widening in surprise. Her mind raced as well as her heart as he kissed her. Her eyes slowly began to shut as she melted under his protective hooves, kissing him back and pressing herself closer to him. While the two were lost in bliss, Trill's horn began to spark, glowing brightly. A moment later, the two separated for air, relishing in their first kiss, but Trill was the first to snap out of her daze.

"Oh my gosh..." she said.

"Yeah...That was amazing," Solaris said, oblivious to Trill's shock.

"No...Well, that was, but..." Trill somehow felt full after that kiss. She did feel her magic spark against her own will like it did back on the train headed to Saddle Arabia, but this time, it was different. "I-I think...I think I just consumed love?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Solaris asked.

"Ok, you remember when you had that little freak out in the Everfree Forest?" Solaris nodded, knowing how horrible he had felt during his anxiety attack. "When absorbing emotions, especially love, we steal it from our victims. But...that kiss..." Trill pulled Solaris into a quick kiss, which had surprised him as he didn't expect it, the changeling's horn sparking as their lips touched. She pulled away and looked up, that same love energy flowing into her, and she didn't even cast the spell. "It did it again."

"...I don't get it, and warn me before you do that," Solaris said.

"My magic worked on its own, absorbing love from you, and I had no control over it," Trill said. "...Do you feel woozy or nauseous? Like the energy from you is drained?"

"No," he replied. "But...when you used your magic on me in the forest...I felt like I was going to pass out..."

The two stared at each other, eyes widening as they came to a similar conclusion. "...Us being in love, no deceiving of any kind-"

"Gives you food from the energy your magic takes, with no repercussions on the victim's end. Which means that...legitimate love between a changeling and a pony, or other species, is a good thing?" Solaris finished, both of them somewhat surprised at this new discovery. He grinned, his theory of compromising with the changelings possible now. "I think we just figured out a way to help your hive, even if it was by pure coincidence."

"Really?" Trill questioned. "Even if it is a good idea, when we found out about this by accident, I don't think my mom will like it."

"Why not? You're full, right?" Solaris asked.

"But the reason why she told me I can't fall for anypony else is because it's supposed to be forbidden," she explained. "She doesn't even tell me the exact reason why it's forbidden. It'll take you forever to convince her that it will work, even if we show her proof."

"...But you aren't complaining about it." Solaris wrapped a wing around Trill, holding her closer while nuzzling her cheek. "I'm sure as 'princess', you have every right to voice your opinion on the idea."

Trill blushed as Solaris's cheek rubbed against hers, accepting the affectionate nuzzling and moved closer. "I guess I won't complain. But I'm warning you, Solly; my mom is really stubborn. Good luck telling her if I take you to my home."

"Is that why you were too stubborn to leave me alone when you bugged me?" Solaris laughed, receiving a jab in the ribs by the changeling.

The new couple cuddled as they watch the sun set on the horizon, the alicorn teen feeling more happier than he had ever been in his life. Cadence continued to watch them from her hiding place, happy to see them finally admit their feelings to one another. It was a surprise for her to be a witness with Trill's absorption of love energy from Solaris, and it didn't drain him to exhaustion. As long as her nephew was happy, his mind brought away from the death and danger he had to face the past couple weeks, she was content.

As it got late in the evening, everypony was back in the castle, ready to head to bed. Solaris guided Trill back to her guestroom, only to disappoint the changeling that they couldn't stay together every moment. In time, maybe his family will finally get used to her, but if they knew they were officially coltfriend and marefriend, they would all flip their lids. The alicorn gave her one quick kiss good night and headed back to his room, leaving Trill to herself as she walked to her bed, plopping down on the sheets as she was stuck in her lovestruck daze.

"Best evening ever..." Trill giggled, unable to keep still as she had finally gotten together with Solaris. She couldn't believe that he relied on her, even after their fallout back in Saddle Arabia. "Not only are we together now, but his kisses sure are delicious too." She licked her lips, still tasting the bit of love he gave her before departing. She sighed, rubbing her belly, having never felt so full in her life. "I hope my mom can accept this...but why was this so taboo in the first place?"

Before she was able to settle in, Trill heard a noise in her room. She sat up, completely alert, but finding no sign of anything. The window was closed, so the wind didn't knock anything small objects over. Being cautious, she crawled off the bed and searched around, wondering if there was somepony who found out about her identity and is attempting to assassinate her. Her ears perked up to the sound of movement in her bathroom, creeping quietly up to the door to catch the assassin off guard.

She slammed the door open, baring her fangs, but there was nopony inside. She scratched her head, sure that she had heard something, but from behind her, from the shadows, an armored pony crept out and moved behind the unexpected mare. Before she noticed the shadow slowly growing closer, she was held in a headlock, unable to escape as she began breathing into a cloth pressed firmly against her muzzle, breathing in ether as she tried screaming for help. She felt her muscles grow limp as she began to lose consciousness, her struggles ceased as she passed out.

Her perpetrator dragged the unconscious changeling to the bed, tying her legs together tightly and placing an inhibitor ring around her crooked horn, preventing her from escaping with her magic if she woke up. He pressed a piece of tape against her muzzle, keeping her mouth shut so she wouldn't use her fangs to bite through her bindings. After Trill was bound and gagged, the kidnapper picked her up on his back, opening the window in her room, the moonlight shining down on his black armor.

"I've got my bait," Zero said to himself, looking down at the Crystal Empire's empty streets. In a flash of magic, a note appeared on the bed, written by the mercenary himself. "Now to set up my trap."

He teleported out of the room, taking Trill with her, appearing not too far from the empire's barrier. He made his way to a cavern, far from sight of the crystal kingdom, but close enough for Solaris to seek him out to rescue his marefriend.