Trill moaned, feeling her head throbbing in pain as she felt her consciousness coming back to her. She heard flames flickering nearby, feeling the warmth of a fire not too far away, keeping her body free from the cold air around her. Squinting her eyes, her head began to hurt as soon as she saw the light of the fire, which was green instead of how normal campfires are supposed to be. Her eyes began to adjust, looking into the flames while waiting for her migraine to stop.

She remembered what had happened earlier before she was knocked unconscious. She was trying to bring some sense to Solaris, yelling at him to get her words through to him, but then suddenly being punched by the teen after swiftly pulling her hoof down. She felt her cheek where she was hit, wincing as she felt the bruise under her dark chitin face. As she felt her head, she flinched when she felt where her headache came from, along with something soft over her injury.

Trill sat up, trying to dull out her throbbing head, looking around the cave in the green glow of the fire. She had no idea how long she was out for, but judging by how empty her stomach was, it must have been a few hours. On the other side of the campfire, she spotted Solaris, his back turned to the fire. She could feel he was far more troubled than before, probably from hitting her and knocking her unconscious. She did deserve it: yelling at him while he was struggling emotionally with the past few weeks, what he truly believed was the reason why his family getting killed one by one and the guilt he felt, and disregarding his feelings from nearly freezing to death and insulting him when he needed consoling.

Not knowing if he was awake or not, Trill decided to stay silent for the time being, give Solaris some time to himself for a little. She prodded at the soft cloth that was on her head, gently removing it from the gash that subsided its bleeding. She looked at the bit of fabric, which was stained with her blood, whining in frustration when she recognized it as part of her scarf she was wearing. She found the rest of it with her saddlebags, seeing where it was ripped.

"So much for fashionable warmth for the neck..." She tossed the temporary bandage in the fire to discard it, no longer useful. She rubbed her head, being careful not to apply too much pressure to her injury. "Good thing we have thick skulls."

Solaris stirred awake and sat up. He turned around to face the fire, but the moment his eyes laid on Trill, her looking at him, he averted his gaze away from her. She could tell he was afraid of what she was going to do to him after he hit her and knocked her unconscious. They stayed in silence for a long while, the only sound coming from the crackling fire between them.

Solaris waited anxiously for the worst case scenario to happen, but the silence was maddening. He was expecting her to just yell at him, insult him, even hit him back, but nothing happened. After what almost felt like an eternity, Trill finally decided to speak up.

"I'm sorry." Solaris's ears perked up, staring at the changeling princess in confusion. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that...I can get a bit ornery when I'm freezing cold, since I am a changeling, and being an insect, cold weather isn't something we like to live in."

"...Why are you apologizing?" Solaris asked in annoyance. "I'm the one who should be apologizing."

"Solaris..." Trill could see he was about to have another breakdown, seeing his eye twitch and fidgeting hooves. "I was supposed to try and calm you down, but I ended up being too harsh on you."

"No!" he shouted, startling the changeling. "You don't get it! I hit you! I could have killed you!" Tears welled up in his eyes as he began to pace around his spot. "You're supposed to hate me after I did that to you! I could have given you a concussion, or put you in a coma!"

"Solly-" Trill tried to stop him, but he continued his rambling.

"I was so scared I had killed somepony else I loved! I almost thought you actually died!" Solaris sobbed, his tears flowing down his cheeks, unable to look Trill in the eyes. "I'm not the hero everypony wants me to be if I can't save my own family! I don't want to lose anypony anymore, and I thought I was going to lose you in either scenario: you dying by my own hoof or leaving me and never wanting anything to do with me! I want you to be mad at me! I don't deserve-!"

Solaris's mouth was suddenly clamped shut as Trill spat out her green webbing from her mouth, shutting his muzzle tightly. Now that he had been silenced, he looked at the mare, showing no signs of anger or disdain toward him. She walked around the fire and sat right in front of the confused stallion, his distress making him forget he could have gotten rid of his gag via dragon fire or magic. He wanted to turn away, but her hoof grabbed his horn, forcing him to look directly at her.

"Remember when you told me I should think before saying anything stupid?" Trill asked rhetorically. "Well, you need to stop overthinking everything you just said, and listen to me." Solaris tried to say something, but his mouth was sealed shut by the green web. At least he was able to breath through his nose, but he was more worried about what his soon-to-be ex-marefriend was going to say. "I don't hate you, and I never will. I deserved to be punched after I said all those things earlier.

"I wanted to help you, but instead, I was only making your anxiety worse." Trill wrapped her forelegs around Solaris's neck, keeping their eyes focused on each other as she held him close. "Many of those things I said were true, but none of them about you were...I was freezing, and very exhausted braving a blizzard that should have killed me. I just wanted to bring you back to the others so all of us could help you, but instead, I called you a baby and told you the world was a cruel place to live in..."

She gently pulled off her webbing off of his muzzle, freeing his mouth, but he couldn't find any words to say. Trill rested her head against his shoulder, nuzzling his neck, pressing herself closer, relishing in his body heat helping to keep her warm. Solaris was completely still, having no clue what he was supposed to do as his mind muddled through what he supposed was going to happen.

"We're both clueless with what awaited us outside of the caverns we called home," Trill continued. "I was taught that the world outside my hive was full of danger, and I should always prepare for anything that could harm me. You were kept hidden from the world, unaware of the dangers outside what you called home. With Equestria being ruled the way it is, not one place is truly safe. Corruption is everywhere, even in havens we feel are safe to stay in..." She gently brushed her cheek against Solaris's, who was still confused. "We're both ignorant until we see the truth of the world with our own eyes."

She gently kissed her lover's cheek, her horn sparking from the small amount of love energy she took. Solaris wanted to look away, to push her away, fearing she was trying to lull him into a false sense of security. He couldn't even protest, his voice failing him while his ears sought her comforting voice and young ideals on what she sees in the world. Trill pressed her muzzle against his, rubbing her nose against his lovingly, making him blush.

"I know you believe that you might be the cause of what's happening to your family, but you don't have any proof that it's a possibility, right?" Solaris wanted to argue, but she was right. Even though the gaps between his successes in passing his trials and the moment where one of his aunts is killed were close to under possibly an hour, maybe it was all some horrible coincidence that they died. It still wouldn't leave his mind as he still felt some form of guilt, but it was starting to be more like a series of unfortunate events. "Don't blame yourself for what happened to them." Trill's voice brought him back from his conflicting thoughts. "You're important to them, and all of Equestria. We all want you to save the kingdom, but we also care about your safety and well-being."

"B-But-" Solaris was silenced by Trill's hoof gently pressing against his lips.

"No buts," she said. "I know it's tough to go through all this and be expected to win, but we know you can pull through...I know you can pull through." Trill gently removed her hoof, gently kissing his snout. "I promised you I would be there for you, no matter what happens. And once you finally stop Lucifer, you can do whatever you want to let out your sorrow. I'll never leave you, Solaris. Never."

She pressed herself closer, closed her eyes, and kissed him softly, surprising Solaris a little. More tears streamed down his cheeks as he was kissed, his conflicting thoughts slowly ebbing away as he began to close his eyes in bliss. He kissed her back with the same gentle passion she was giving him, wrapping his forelegs and wings around her, never wanting to let go of the changeling princess.

They pulled away from each other slightly, their eyes locked on each others' as they panted lightly. Trill licked her lips as she absorbed Solaris's willingly given love, almost enticing the alicorn to give her more. He gave her more, pressing their lips together, only more passionate and a little heated. Trill moaned into his mouth as she felt his hooves caress her back, her hair, even a surprise squeak from her as he dared to give her plot a little squeeze. She pulled away from him, giving him a seductive grin as she caught a glint of lust in his eyes.

"So, you wanna play it that way, huh?" Trill asked, quickly pinning Solaris down on his back as she took control. "What would the world think if they saw their future prince getting frisky with a changeling?"

"...B-Blame my hormones..." Solaris said, his face glowing brighter in embarrassment. "That and your constant flirting got to me."

"So they did work on you after all," she giggled as she watched him turn his head away from her. While looking away, she began to repeatedly kiss his neck, making the stallion gasp as he stifled a moan, feeling her teeth graze his skin as she also nibbled him. "I think we'll both enjoy this."

She trailed back up to his lips and they continued to make out, pressing their bodies closely to one another while moaning in bliss.

Shining Armor walked through the halls of Canterlot Castle, disguised as the mercenary, Zero, hoping that his troops in the Crystal Empire will report any sign of Solaris and Trill while he was gone. He already wasted enough of his "vacation" days, growing worried of Lucifer's suspicions on his lack of attendance. He expected them to be littered with the corpses of his previous assassins, but surprisingly, the castle was actually clean. There was a fresh clean scent in the corridors, no corpses, blood splatters, or organs littering the floors and walls. It was somewhat better looking, despite the atmosphere still feeling grim and dark.

He managed to figure out where Lucifer was, entering his chambers to find the tyrant reading through a novel with a content grin on his face, something that bothered Shining greatly. He had a wine glass filled with a very expensive red wine, the bottle on his reading desk over a century old. He was too focused on his book, though his ears moved to the sound of Shining's hoofsteps.

"Sorry for my tardiness, Your Highness," he said, bowing his head. "I had a job that came up at the last moment."

"Quite alright, Zero," Lucifer said, his eyes still glued to the pages. "You are a mercenary. You do what you must to earn a paycheck. Though your loyalty still stands by me, yes?"

"Of course, Your Highness." The stallion leered at Lucifer through his visor, wanting to vomit as he followed his orders like an abused lapdog. It still made him feel wary, seeing his "king" being this chipper and calm. "Might I ask what's gotten you in a good mood, sir?"

"I have nothing getting in my way to finally rule this kingdom." He marked the page in his book and set it aside, taking a small sip of his drink. "With no worries about that brat becoming a thorn in my side, I can finally relax and plan on liberating the other kingdoms on this continent, maybe even the rest of the world."

"W-World conquest?" Shining asked, not liking where this was headed.

"Exactly." Lucifer downed the rest of his glass, gently placing it down on the table. "You see, Zero, when Celestia came into power, she was deemed as a goddess. She and her sister Luna were immortal beings with immeasurable power, overlooking the mortals that worshiped them like a cult blindly following a lunatic priest who would lead them to salvation. In fact, everypony had claimed that they were so powerful, nothing could stop them." He refilled his glass, Shining staring at the liquid as it almost seemed to resemble blood. "Little did they realize that they're just as frail as they are."

"...What do you mean?" Shining asked.

"Think about Celestia and Luna's greatest feats when they were still alive." Using his magic, Lucifer pulled out a history book on Equestria's major events that had taken place since the founding of the kingdom. He flicked through each page for Shining Armor, having them bookmarked for when he decided to give a lecture on the princesses and their greatest moments. "Discord: His chaotic magic rivaled their own power, and by his own will, he could actually take away horns and wings. Being an unknown creature and deity of his own magic, he was able to make a mockery of Celestia and Luna." On the page was a picture of the stain-glass mural that was once on the walls of the castle: both princesses of the sun and moon turning the draconequus to stone with the Elements of Harmony. "How exactly was he beaten?"

"The Elements of Harmony," Shining answered, knowing the answer and with it highlighted in the book.

"Right." He flipped over to another page, this one featuring Sombra being cast into the shadows with the Crystal Empire in the background, Celestia and Luna wearing armor matching their coats. "Sombra: A unicorn tyrant who sought arcane magic to show his true power ruled the Crystal Empire. Like a fool, he wasn't smart enough to prepare himself for the corruption it had on his mind, wanting those crystals all to himself like a disturbing fetish his magic truly desired. Who were the ponies who banished him to the shadows, along with the empire?"

"...Celestia and Luna," Shining responded, unsure of what Lucifer was trying to get at.

"Yes." He flipped over to the last marked page, showing Celestia's greatest and worst moment in all of Equestria's history: Luna's transformation into Nightmare Moon, Celestia using the Elements to banish her to the moon. "Nightmare Moon: Celestia's sister turned to the corruption of her anger and jealousy into the Mare in the Moon. A climactic battle between the two waged, and Nightmare was far more powerful than her older sibling, where the night would last for all eternity. How was she beaten?"

"...The Elements of Harmony..." Shining replied.

"The Elements of Harmony," Lucifer repeated, flipping through the pages, this time only showing some of the recent events that had taken place in the past two decades. "Nightmare Moon's return; Celestia was nowhere to be found when she came back after a thousand years of banishment. Discord breaking free from his stone prison; Celestia sends six mares, the new bearers of the Elements of Harmony, to find the stolen Elements and stop him, doesn't do a thing to even TRY and fight against him. The Changeling Invasion; Celestia DOES fight back, only to be beaten so easily by the queen, her power weaker than a love-fueled succubus, a lowly parasite of a bug! Sombra's return; Celestia send her own student to try to save the crystal empire, putting the lives of the Elements of Harmony in peril, WITHOUT the artifacts to use against him to actually destroy him!"

Lucifer slammed the book hard, sending it back to where it was on the many shelves. He lost his calm demeanor, going back to infuriated and enraged the more he lectured Shining with Celestia's mistakes.

"...I-I don't understand," Shining finally said.

"It's obvious, Zero; Celestia was a pathetic ruler, and her godhood is nothing but a falsified rumor that she claimed she had." Lucifer took a sip of his wine, letting the alcohol calm his anger a little. "Alicorns are not as great as they seem to be. Darkness and chaos can easily beat one on their own. My old teacher had to rely on the Elements of Harmony, or the aid of her sister, to stop the threats set upon this kingdom. She even used them on me to render me unconscious in a comatose state, keeping me alive and hoping I would one day change the error of my ways." Lucifer pulled out another book, though this one had no title, no author, and looked like it was kept in pristine condition from a thousand years worth of time. "Even I blindly looked up to her like everypony else."

He let Shining take the book, letting him see what lied inside its pages. He skimmed through the words, which seemed to match the writing style of a young colt or filly's hoof writing, but what caught his attention was the drawing above the writing. It was crude, but it showed a young colt with the same color scheme as Lucifer's: black coat, black mane and tail, red dots for eyes. Next to the colt was what looked like Celestia, her badly proportioned wings spread out as the colt looked up at her.

"What is this?" Shining asked.

"My old journal I left behind." He looked up at the tyrant, watching him scowl at the book of his own memories.

Shining looked back at the book as he read the entire page to himself.

I can't believe it! This is so awesome! Princess Celestia saw my magical potential, and now I'm her first ever student she would take under her wing, literally and figuratively! If only I were born earlier, then maybe I could have also been taught by Starswirl the Bearded too! And I finally have a home...I don't have to live in that orphanage anymore...being shunned by the other colts and fillies because of how I look. I still don't know why they call me a monster...Is it my eyes? Is it my magic?...Oh well, it doesn't matter. I live with Princess Celestia now, and her castle is huge! I wonder what hidden passageways are in here!

He flipped through the next few pages, where Lucifer wrote down everything he had learned in his excited youth, his drawings turning to visual images created by his magic. For a few years of this journal's time, it told of his achievements, some moments he had with Celestia, some pages where he ended up calling her "mom" or "mommy", something that any orphaned foal would want to say, feeling as if they belonged in the family that adopted them.

On one specific page, where young Lucifer was around fifteen, Shining's eyes widened behind his visor as a picture of his cutie mark was at the top of the page, a red skull with two daggers stabbing the eye sockets.

It was so strange today. While going through the archives, brushing up on some spells Starswirl had created that nopony else was allowed to see, I ran into a strange looking tome. It was black, and held some form of magic I was really afraid of, but I was dying to know what was inside. I didn't cast any spells from it though, finding out it was dark magic, the same kind of power that corrupted Sombra many years ago.

I sought out Mo-I mean, Princess Celestia, showing her the book and asking her why it was in the castle. The moment she saw it, she panicked and slapped the book away from me. She...yelled at me...scolded me for just having it in my possession. I know she had bad experiences with it, especially when she told me about her sister, Luna...or, Nightmare Moon.

When she told me that story, what had happened between the two of them a few years before I was even born, she cried...I-I never wrote this in my earlier entries because it wasn't supposed to be a happy memory, but she actually cried as she retold the tale, far different from the fairy tale I read when I was ten. I thought she was some powerful goddess, fearing nothing and never showing her emotions around everypony. But all this time, she was hiding under a mask in the public eye, staying strong for her kingdom, only to hide her sorrow behind closed doors.

She told me she blamed herself, forced to use the Elements of Harmony to banish her out of desperation to save her sister. She never knew Luna was upset as ponies only looked up to her during the day and wanting nothing to do with the princess of the night. Her envy transformed her into Nightmare Moon, they fought, and Nightmare almost won. The moment she was about to say what happened, she broke down and wept, struck with grief by the horrible mistake she made.

Now, I saw her when she got angry. I was just curious about the book. She didn't have to yell at me. All Princess Celestia could have said was that I shouldn't have read the book, not give me a lecture on how stupid I was for finding it. I was sent to my room, grounded for a month, just from looking at the dark tome. But...I found this on my flank a little while ago, my cutie mark...Did she yell at me for getting this cutie mark as well?

The next page, it only got worse for Lucifer.

She won't even look at me anymore. After what happened a couple months ago, she never spoke to me, or continued giving me anymore magical lessons. I made one little mistake, did something I wasn't supposed to without any knowledge that tome was dangerous, and she completely ignores me. It's just like back in the orphanage I was dumped at by my parents, where nopony would even look at me unless they wanted to make fun of me. My parents didn't even care about me to try and raise me, my mother practically pushing me out of her birth canal on the doorstep, and leaving me with no family for eight years!

I was happy, finally finding a home, somepony I looked up to as a mother, loved and cared for, but then it just gets stomped out like a roaring fire! Did she only take me in because of my magical potential? Because she took pity on me!? Because she was lonely and wanted me around just as a companion!? Did she not want me as a son!?

I heard her sob story, her regrets with what she did to her own sister, but I think she still hides behind a mask! She's not a powerful goddess, she's a fraud! A mortal with extra appendages! And with her heroic efforts to save Equestria from evil, she didn't do it on her own! She had the Elements of Harmony, and her sister! Her sister could beat her, only making her status as a powerful ruler laughable to my eyes! I could beat her in a duel, one on one, WITHOUT MY-!

...Oh no...I-I just shot dark magic from my horn as I got more upset...I-I didn't even use any of those spells while I was grounded...W-What's worse about this...I felt powerful using it...W-What if I really am turning into a monster?...M-Maybe she won't notice.

Shining flipped over to the final entry. There was an image above what Lucifer had written: a pair of tombstones with the stallion as a teenager mourning at the graves.

...It's official...Princess Celestia doesn't want anything to do with me. She found out I used dark magic, but only by accident. I was old enough to be on my own anyway. After I packed up my things, she came to my room, but didn't come to see me off or say goodbye. She ignored me enough in the last couple years to not bother with watching me become an adult.

Instead, she told me about my parents...and knew who they were. Apparently, there was some war that was left out of the history books and everypony else's thoughts; a civil war between those who worshiped Celestia, and those who worshiped Nightmare Moon. There was a reason why many foals back where I used to call home were orphans, and I was one of the many who lost their parents.

There was a fire, and I was only a few weeks old. My parents were neutral on the matter, while their families feuded against each other along with other ponies. One of the cultist bastards thought to purge those who can't pick a side, and started with my home. I had luckily escaped with my mother, while my father was killed by his own brother, his body burned in what was supposed to be my home. My mother was shot by an arrow, straight through her neck as she choked on her own blood, suffocating to death. I was found by the royal guard, NOT followers of Celestia's worshiping cult, who tried to stop this madness, telling me that while the civil war between day and night occurred, she was out of commission because she was still grieving from banishing her sister.

She told me where their graves were, and why she chose me to be her student; she was sorry she failed to protect her youngest subjects from a battle she could have prevented, and pitied me because I was mistreated by my peers. Now that I earned my cutie mark against my will, which means I'm apparently evil to the eyes of the kingdom, and I found out my parents were killed because of her failure to stop two warring cults, I feel completely empty inside.

I found their grave, back in my hometown, but I didn't shed a tear. I felt dead to the world, this darkness rising in my being making me numb to sorrow. I had happiness, I had a home, I had a mother, but all of that is gone. Celestia, you are flawed in every way, no matter what others may see you as.

You're no hero. You're not a benevolent ruler. You can't even take care of yourself. You relied on the Elements of Harmony to win your battles, trinkets you and Luna found in order to stop Discord. If you were a goddess, you could have killed that draconequus in the blink of an eye. But you're not. Alicorns aren't deities; they're mortals with higher power than the average pony. No wonder Sombra almost won against you and your sister.

I'm going to send this journal back to you, Celestia. I hope you read the happier moments I had with you first, because I want you to know you just made another villain from your carelessness and ignorance. It was not my intention to use dark magic at all. I happened to find the book, and I couldn't control my magic when I got upset. I have some knowledge on how dangerous dark magic can be, and now I know how I can control it instead of the other way around. I hope you're ready to actually fight a real opponent in the future. No magical artifacts. No assistance from others. When we meet again, I'll be sure to mount your head on a pike, in front of your castle for all the world to see just how weak and pathetic you really are.

Shining Armor was speechless after reading the final entry in Lucifer's journal. He felt bad for him, but there was no possible chance for him to be redeemed, not after what he had done to the princesses and his sister. He looked up from the journal, watching Lucifer swirling the wine in his glass, keeping a disdainful gaze as he waited for him to finish reading.

"...You really believed the princesses are nothing but a joke?" Shining asked.

"...They are." Lucifer downed the entire glass of wine, placing it back on the desk. "I'm surprised Celestia didn't burn my journal when I sent it to her. She still felt pity for me, it seems." He grabbed his book, laying it down on the desk next to his novel he was reading. "After that, I began scouring the world, seeking any tomes or inscriptions on arcane arts, mastering them one by one as I felt my power growing. I wasn't greedy like Sombra was, and took my time learning to control this dark magic. It didn't help much when she used the Elements of Harmony against me, using powerful artifacts like a coward to protect her subjects.

"Little did she realize that she only delayed the inevitable." Lucifer stood up from his seat, stretching his legs and neck. "While comatose, my magical power only grew as my subconscious thoughts channeled my strength. She was desperate, just like with her sister, but instead of purifying either of us, she instead chose a last ditch effort to delay her mistakes, hoping that we would come to our senses when we came back...Too bad her ignorance blinded her along with her kindness. She's paid for her mistakes, and the world now knows that alicorns are pathetic mortals with no power. She even brought the lives of her sister and newly ascended princess, Twilight Sparkle, to their deaths."

Shining suppressed his growl, despising Lucifer for bringing up his little sister's death by his hooves. As much as he wanted to run the unicorn king through with a spear, he had to keep his disguise from being immediately torn apart. Solaris is hopefully still alive, and he is the only one who can harm him.

"Going after Mi Amore Cadenza is a problem with that Crystal Heart's light protecting her. I won't bother with her, since she's just as weak, if not more so with her love magic." Lucifer chuckled while Shining continued to hold himself back, having just insulted his wife. "For now, I guess I'll retire for the evening. I'll plan out my domination of the world tomorrow...Actually, I probably won't with the power I wield."

As Lucifer headed off to his bed, Shining wanted to know one thing. "Your Highness?" He turned to face the mercenary. "...If you didn't figure out anything about dark magic back then, and you found out what had happened to your parents...would you have forgiven Celestia for hiding the truth from you?"

"...Maybe," Lucifer replied. "...But it's far too late for forgiveness. I killed her, and I regret nothing."

"...I see..." Not exactly satisfied with the answer he was given, Shining bowed his head. "I'll leave you to your rest, Your Highness."

He saw himself out of Lucifer's room, teleporting back to his and Cadence's bedroom in the Crystal Empire. His wife was sitting on the bed, still really worried about their nephew's safety. She wasn't all that surprised by his appearance, knowing he could be gone for long periods of time and suddenly pop up at random.

"Still no sign of him or Trill," Cadence said. Shining took off his armor, placing it in its wardrobe for later use. As he sat next to her, she noticed he seemed troubled. "Shiny? What's wrong?"

"...Lucifer..." Shining tried to find the words to say, but it still conflicted him greatly. "...He wasn't actually evil when he was born."

"What are you talking about?" Cadence asked.

"Where do I even begin?" he sighed, wondering how his wife would take hearing what he had learned about the demonic tyrant.

The blizzard had finally ended as the sun began its ascent above the mountains, bringing back some warmth to the frigid wastelands of the frozen north. Inside the safety of the cave, Trill and Solaris slept soundly, cuddled closely together as the campfire still burned brightly. Trill opened her eyes, looking at the flames flickering in front of her, feeling Solaris's hooves wrapped tightly around her waist, his chest pressed close against her back.

Wriggling herself around his grip, she managed to twist around to face him, feeling him tighten his hold on her while mumbling in his sleep. She nuzzled her face against his chest, stirring him awake with her horn brushing his shoulder.

"Mrf...Trill," he muttered, groaning as he was forcefully awoken. "You know your horn is sharp, right?"

"I had to wake you up in some way," she said. "You really do like to cuddle when you sleep."

"S-Shut up." Solaris blushed, but he didn't pull away. The events last night came back to him, his blush glowing brighter as they ran through his mind. "Uhh, we aren't going to get in trouble for...last night, are we?"

"I didn't hear you complaining." Trill kissed Solaris's neck, feeling him tense a little as she nipped him with her fangs. "In fact, you were practically shouting my name."

"I-I was not!" Solaris denied, though his blush only intensified.

"Liar." Trill gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. "I won't tell if you won't."

"Knowing you, you're going to blurt it out to the world." Trill stuck her tongue out at Solaris, only to be rewarded for her playfulness with a light peck on the lips. After they had fully woken up, they sat by the fire, enjoying each other's company. Last night was nothing how Solaris was expecting things to go, and it only made their bond stronger. He still felt conflicted about what he's going to do for his last two trials he must face, but he had to keep going. "...Trill?"

"Mhmm?" she muttered.

"...I don't know if I can keep going." Solaris felt ashamed, remembering Trill's words from last night, not wanting to be told twice why he shouldn't stop. "I'm afraid to lose anypony else...I know you said my tests and my aunts' deaths weren't a coincidence, but I still can't help but feel that it's true...I want to save Equestria, truly, but I don't want to lose my family in the process."

"Would you want thousands of lives to be lost by that maniac?" Solaris shook his head. "Then what's important for you right now? Family, or the world?"

"...Both..." Solaris didn't look at Trill, but he knew she was rolling her eyes at his response. "I know I'm being selfish, but I don't know what to do...I...I just wished none of this ever happened. I want to see my mom, be raised by her, and live anywhere not covered in dirt and littered with pebbles." Solaris patted the ground beneath them as an example. "I want a normal life."

"...But, that would mean we wouldn't have met," Trill said.

"And that's what makes all this so conflicting to me..." Solaris sighed, leering at the green flames.

"Besides, if we were normal, we would all be the same." Solaris saw green flames next to him as Trill transformed. When he turned to her, his eyes widened as he was staring at an exact clone of himself where his marefriend was supposed to be, imitating his movements. "I would just be a dumb, boring stallion with a horn and wings, flailing my hooves like a sissy and spewing fire out of my mouth after a seven-bean burrito drenched in hot sauce."

His eye twitched as Trill mocked him, slapping her horn and dispelling her transformation. It was so strange how her voice perfectly matched his while transformed. She rubbed her horn, leering at him.

"That was so funny I forgot to laugh," Solaris mumbled.

"Well, that's how the world will work if everypony was the same." Trill rested her head against Solaris's shoulder, feeling him loosen up a little bit and get his mind off the thoughts he was having, if only for a little. "You gotta learn to relax from the stress instead of keep worrying constantly."

"I know...I can't help it," he said, gently wrapping a wing around her.

"Hey, how about I help you 'relax' like last night?" Trill asked, a seductive grin growing on her face.

"Trill," Solaris warned, lighting one of his hooves on fire.

She sighed, rubbing his chest with her hoof. "You need to also learn you can't keep threatening me with violence, Mr. Cavepony."

Solaris groaned in annoyance, dismissing his fire. He sometimes wondered why he fell for the changeling, but he didn't care. He looked over to where he threw his gear at, the guilt of his victories still weighing his heart, but it was quelled thanks to Trill and her comforting words. He got up and walked over to them, making the changeling fall, not expecting him to move. The alicorn put his armor back on, fitting securely on him while surprised to see the pendant's thin chain didn't melt from his fire.

"...I really don't want to keep going and stay being selfish." He walked back to the fire, tightening his gauntlets tightly to his forelegs. "But I need to do this. I don't want to let Equestria down...I'm ready to go back and continue."

Trill smiled and leapt at Solaris, wrapping her hooves around his neck. "Good. And I'll be with you every step of the way." She nuzzled his neck and he returned her affection. "...So, is there any way you can make some kind of shield out of fire? I don't want to be out in the snow again and freeze to death."