Sometime after returning to the Crystal Empire after the events of Review, Blade Dancer wakes up and finds she's no longer sleeping on Xenilla. She finds he's moved her onto some pillows and is off in a corner of the room studying some books. Evidently the two have been close enough that Blade Dancer has been using him as her favorite pillow and they've been sleeping in the same room. Unfettered, she hovers over to him and rests on his head and back upside down, asking what he's flipping through. Xenilla turns a book upside down and levitates it in front of her, saying he's studying defensive spells and magic to try and find ways to safeguard the empire and royal family. He's taking his oath to protect both seriously as a means to atone, and brings up the fact King Sombra unexpectedly returned and may not decide to stay dead again as well as the fact Queen Chrysalis has a beef with Cadance and Shining Armor as cause for concern. Blade Dancer suggests that if he wants to also help get on the royal couple's good side, especially since he once used Cadance as bait to lure in Sombra without telling her, he might want to consider getting something for the upcoming baby shower since Cadance is pregnant.
That's when a realization dawns on Xenilla. That his oath to the royal family also applies to their unborn heir. An unborn heir which no one but him knew about until very recently and Cadance has been in multiple strenuous situations that might have brought the babe harm. Blade Dancer, realizing she just caused the kaiju crazy enough to have getting himself thrown in jail be part of a plan to kill King Sombra to worry, tries to bring up how the doctors assured everypony that the child was in good health. However Xenilla, stickler for details, brings up Cadance's alicorn magic messed with the sensors so details could have been overlooked. And given how dangerous the pregnancy has been thus far, he is not going to take any chances in it being threatened further; even if he has to take matters into his own hooves.
After getting several books on pregnancy and healthy foal growth from the library, the pair walk to the market district. Xenilla levitates the books so they can read while they walk. Blade Dancer asks if he doesn't mind her tagging along, and he says he doesn't. He's respected her ever since she refuted his argument about love and punched him. Before, he thought she was a shallow idiot who only had a crush on Godzilla Junior because of his good looks, but now he knows she is smart and mature. Also, he enjoys spending time with her. This makes her blush, and even though she can't see his face, she feels his body become warmer and knows he's doing it too.
They enter a health shop and start buying foods like oranges and frost moss. As Xenilla goes into the aisles, the female clerk comments to Blade Dancer on how handsome her coltfriend is. The clerk then asks if it's a little early to be buying this stuff. Blade Dancer asks what she is talking about, then the clerk reveals she knows these foods are for pregnant mares, but considering Blade Dancer isn't even showing, it's a little early. Blade Dancer and Xenilla, who heard that, become incredibly embarrassed that the clerk thought Blade Dancer was pregnant.
They walk out of the store with Xenilla levitating their groceries. Blade Dancer is still a little upset at being thought pregnant, as she doesn't want to be seen as fat. He assures her that she's not fat. She's toned and fit, and fellow guard Catched Ire told him she's very beautiful by pony standards. Blade Dancer remarks that she used to date her. Xenilla becomes a little self conscious upon hearing that, as he remembers how Catched Ire seemed overly fond of talking about her. She assures him that they had an amiable break up, and she maintains friendships with all her exes.
She looks him over and notes to herself that he and his brother both have strange but charming features. At first, she didn't like him because he acted smug and condescending, unlike Junior who was friendly despite his social awkwardness. Then he saved her from a collapsing ceiling, and ever since his battle with King Sombra, he's shown more compassion, and she knows that is his real self. She nuzzles him and he returns it. As they return to the palace, he apologizes for the crazy day. She says he can make it up to her and shows him a book on wing massages and preening, then giggles as she presents her wing.
