Xenilla reads through a spell book Key Ring recommended and practices the first basic spell, telekinesis. Of course, he retained the psychic-based telekinesis from his true form, but he figures knowing his Unicorn body's full potential is prudent. After a bit of trial and error, he manages to turn the page with magic from his horn. Blade Dancer wakes up and he greets her. She gets scared and says he's one of those monsters, then catches herself and apologizes. He doesn't mind, after all it is true.
He introduces himself as "Xenilla". Eldest son of Godzilla Senior and older brother to Godzilla Junior. She says she was assigned to be his bodyguard, but he points out it's kind of redundant considering how powerful he is. He asks why she has Godzilla's scent on her, asking if they spent time together and hoping his brother wasn't Going Native. Embarrassed, she explains she tried to court him, but he didn't really respond. Amused, he explains that due to limited interaction with females, especially since they have barely encountered females of their own species, Godzilla has no knowledge of sex and romance. Xenilla is more knowledgeable about these things because he knows how to read.
Xenilla deduces that after Blade Dancer saw Godzilla's true form, she became scared of him and went to the Crystal Empire to get away from him. She says she is a little scared, but more confused about her feelings. He asks if she is scared of him, and she admits she is a little, but she'll be fine. As he continues to study the spell book, she starts pacing and patrolling the library. Eventually, he says that is distracting, so he tells her to read a random book so she'll calm down and stay quiet. As the hours pass, he continues to sense King Sombra, but doesn't understand what he's sensing, only that it is pure malevolence.
Eventually, the librarian Amethyst Maresbury tells them it is closing time. The two pack up and walk out, and Xenilla asks Blade Dancer what she read. She says it's a beautiful story about "A bewitched couple with a curse. At day the stallion turns into an owl, and at night the mare turns into a wolf. So they can only see each other at dusk and dawn." He is disgusted and says love stories are stupid, annoying her.
Princess Cadance, or going by her full name Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, goes to the marketplace with Prince Shining Armor and a few guards to have a friendly mingle with her citizens. This is so informal that the only regalia she wears is her crown, and her mane is undone. She loves mingling with the citizens because it helps cheer them up and remind them that she is one of them, not a tyrant or uncaring fop. She's a little nervous after they were shown pictures of Godzilla's battle with the Gyaos flock, but assures herself that Xenilla cannot transform on his own, and so far has not acted out in any way. Lurking in a dark alley, King Sombra spies on her.
Xenilla tells Blade Dancer that all decisions are based on two conflicting forces, love and hate. If you commit your decisions due to a hatred of something, you'll soon find yourself hating everything around it.
King Sombra glares at Princess Cadance. He hates everything about her. She looks so much like her predecessor Princess Amore Diamante and she's ruling his slaves. As Cadance plays with a colt in a wheelchair, Sombra is disgusted and declares that as soon as he reclaims his kingdom, he'll purge it of the weak and useless.
Blade Dancer tells Xenilla love is more powerful than hatred. To her surprise, he agrees. A fighter who hates everything in front of them is no match for an equally equipped foe who loves everything behind them. However, he says love is prone to consume a person just like hatred.
Sombra releases an invisible cloud of malefic energy, but the sheer love and happiness surrounding Cadance and her subjects neutralizes it. Scowling, he slips away, leaving a patch of black crystals where he stood. He'll move to the catacombs and come up with a new plan. He considers it a shame Cadance has to die, she'd probably give him a decent heir as a concubine.
Xenilla continues his speech about love. "You and everyone else I know talk and think of love as this pleasant little warmth, bringing joy when it is fostered by those around you. I on the other hand, can scarcely think of any other force that has driven so many to die, act, or kill for it than love. I spent many years watching Terra. Love exerts far more control and has achieved far larger ramifications than hatred or fear could ever hope to achieve." Everypony loves Princess Cadance so much that they would do anything for her, and seek revenge if she were harmed or killed. "You put your mane a certain way because you love the way it looks, or love the admiration of someone who loves it that way. You avoid stepping in a puddle because you love feeling warm and not cold-" He continues, "You attempted to court my brother because you either loved his characteristics or presence. Your romance novels make this stubborn emotion out to be some beautiful, small catalyst of a bond between two beings. I see only a self serving puppeteer pulling the strings the way he likes it. Far as I see it, love only exists to grow itself by forcing the actions of others. And when the puppeteer doesn’t get what he likes, cue the bloodshed. All of the most horrific bouts of revenge were spurred by love or the craving of it." He concludes that love is nothing but an addiction and all who love are slaves to it.
Enraged, Blade Dancer punches him in the face. It felt like punching a brick wall and she almost broke her hoof, but she is satisfied when Xenilla staggers and gets a bruise from it, staring at her in shock. She delivers her rebuttal, "Listen.Up. I am NO ADDICT. Hell with it all, I might have been with more than my fair share of stallions and mares over the years; but I loved every last one of THEM. The feeling was nice, but the fact it was being shared is what made it beautiful. The love for them never controlled me, it just guided me along! Sure some folks have done horrible things before with revenge, but what about all the good around to balance it? If you say and think love is so powerful, then wouldn't those who have had it in the way I have only been made stronger by it? So what if someponies would seek revenge if Princess Cadance died? She or some emotion she evoked didn't force them to feel that way about her. If they loved her so much, then it only proves she did something wonderful for them to earn it. I don't know what rock you crawled out under, because I don't think I've ever heard something so wrong!"
Xenilla is so angry about getting punched that he considers just incinerating her with his Corona Ray, but he calms himself down and declares he knows the truth because he's smarter. She retorts that if what he said is true, and all decisions are based on hatred and love, then he must have loved something once. He guardedly says he is a slave to nothing, and he loves nothing, then walks away. She follows him, confident he was lying about that last statement, which proves her right.
As they walk together, Xenilla senses something is not right. Together, they run to the marketplace and find the patch of black crystals Sombra left behind. He warns her not to touch them, then breaks off a small piece with his telekinesis and creates a small white crystal container to carry it safely. To be on the safe side, he vaporizes the crystal patch with his Corona Ray. Princess Cadance and her entourage are no longer here, but Xenilla deduces that this spot was a good place to spy on her. He tells Blade Dancer they should get some sleep, as they have a long day ahead of them.
Deep in the catacombs, Sombra throws a tantrum. He can see and hear everything that happens through his dark crystals, and now he knows of the existence of a Unicorn whose might rivals his own. Before he kills Cadance, this newcomer must be destroyed.
As Sombra observes Xenilla through the crystal fragment he collected and plots to do away with him, he himself is observed by the master of Zenith, who believes everything is going according to plan.
