Phae was fairly bitter about not being able to fight in the Invasion. On the one hand, it didn't surprise her at all how quickly things had progressed from just a simple idea in the Woods, to a full on unified plan. They were a mercenary group after all, used to working quickly and efficiently; why should this invasion be any different? And yet...yet had she known, she would have put more time into training her body, rather than her skills as a spy. She'd only fought one spar, but couldn't she have learned? Tolio, for all of his romanticism and charm was still a warrior. He could have taught her but instead he just....Sighing, Phae realized she couldn't blame him for what had happened between them. He was gay after all, their night in the Grove probably wasn't what he had intended when they met their at all. But now here she was, cursed and a new mother - it was obvious that she would be of no use to them during the battle and yet...yet it still made her feel fairly useless.

As he mentioned that it might be the last time they spoke, Phae's mind was dragged with a bittersweet pull back to their moments on the beach. How everything had started out so innocently - how their games had led them into the water, and how the thought of dying had brought them closer together. Although Phae wasn't feeling the darkness of impending doom upon her shoulders this time around, she could tell that Apollo was. Nevertheless, she felt that same desire to comfort and be near him. For a few blissful seconds, she completely forgot about the curse - for he looked at her so sweetly that she couldn't imagine that he saw her deformed and wrinkled features. But that realization snapped her back to her cold, frail reality, and suddenly she wished to be far, far away from the black and white unicorn...at least until she was herself again.

Yet it appeared there was more for him to say, and Phae would not let him go into battle with a heavy heart. As he confessed the love for her that she had always guessed was budding in his breast, she couldn't help but smile, and shake her pink muzzle. "Oh Apollo....My sweet Apollo.." she began. She took a step towards him, unsure of how she would come across, given that this body did not portray her in the was she was used to. Her eyes did not sparkle the way they once did, but she hoped that he could still see the adoration for him, within them. Rather than gently touching his muzzle, as she had done in the ocean, she brushed past, and layed her forehead directly against his chest. Unicorn's can't do this... She thought with a small smirk, as she burried her face against him. Reaching up with her scraggly and graying wings, she attempted to reach them around his shoulders. Unicorns can't hug either.

"Promise me you'll come back..." She whispered into his warm body with a heavy sigh, as tears formed in the corners of her eyes. "Promise... Her voice was so soft, and raw with emotion as the words fell upon his patterned coat. She couldn't bear to lose Apollo, even if she wasn't sure how she felt about him. He had to come back....Had to give her a chance to find out if she could love him too.