The entire chariot ride back to the Crystal Empire was silent, not a single pony was speaking. All that could be heard was the soft beating on the guards' wings. Cadance, Celestia, Luna and Twilight watched the slow rise and fall of the queens' chest through the makeshift bandages.

The landscape passed quickly and time seemed to flow past in a haze as they started to get close to Ponyville. Landing in front of Twilights' castle, they slowly filed into the castle as a small contingent of guards stood, posted outside every possible entry. Chrysalis was gently lowered onto the couch as Spike came downstairs followed by the other mares of the Elements of Harmony.

"Hey Twilight! Welcome back! How did your trip gooooo..." He stood in front of five shocked mares as he slowly got curious, his gaze shifting over the occupants of the room. Eventually setting on the form of the queen of changelings, he got nervous. "Uhhhh... T-twi? Why is she here? I mean, I know you've reformed most of our rivals but..." His words were lost on him as the others all but teleported and tackled Twilight into a hug, unable to steady herself, Twilight fell to the ground in a heap with a chorus of "We miss you" and "Don't scare us like that!" Twilight giggled and hugged her friends, happy to be home when princess of the sun cleared her throat, catching the attention of every pony there.

"*ahem*... Now that we are all paying attention, we must let you all know. Yes, this is Queen Chrysalis, no, she is not a threat, for now at least. She seems to be in a coma like state and... It seems to be... We did more damage than we originally thought when we reformed the changelings." She watched to gauge the reactions of everyone there, watching as Rainbow and Applejack looked unsure, Pinkie looked obliviously happy, though the slight flattening of her normally springy mane showed that she was understanding. Rarity looked a bit disgusted as she saw the mess from the wounded queen but kept her remarks to herself, and Fluttershy stared with a hoof over her quivering mouth, tears on the edge of her eyes as she took in the emaciated form of the changeling before her.

"What do you mean damage? The changeling are prospering without her! It's not our fault that she just can't seem to reform like every other changeling! It's her fault she can't see past the wants and needs of herself and her subjects." Spike would have kept going if he wasn't smacked by a bright pink hoof. Shocked, he could only look up at the princess of love who was threatening to cry out in sadness and anger.

"While... Yes... It's not our fault, neither is it hers. She is the queen, so she must remain as such else she risks losing everything she is meant to be. Spike, we didn't just reform and take away subjects of a queen... We took away children... A hive of children away from their mother." No one said anything as they slowly exchanged hesitant worried gazes then settled on the queen. Her regalia forgotten, they now saw a pained mare who had lost her family. Cadance walked past a tearing up Spike and went up to the queen. Placing her horn next to the queens' own, projecting soothing love filled thoughts into the queens mind so as to help her slumber.

A few weeks had passed and Chrysalis' condition only worsened, she had more holes all over her body, signs of starvation. Her breathing shallowed as she was skinnier that before. Cadance was beside her bed sniffling as the queen stayed silent.

"Please Chrissy... You need to eat... Get healthy for us..." She sniffled and tried to push some love towards the bedridden mare, the push only getting forced back by something. Chrysalis' horn was glowing, she was making an emotional inhibition field around her head so that she wouldn't want to eat. Her eyes fluttering open slowly as she took in Cadances' appearance.

"Princess......" Her voice was raspy, due to not talking for a while she lost her regal multilayered voice. "Don't... I don't deserve your love..." She kept the princess of love from breaking through the field, as she listened to Cadance, she felt weaker with each minute, eventually her eyes closed as she went limp in the hooves of her former rival. Her last breath being said quietly, lost to all but the ears of one mare. "Sorry......"

"No! No no no! I accept your apology! Don't leave! You can't!" Cadance was bawling as she held the now deceased form of Chrysalis. The elements and other princesses looked up as Cadance reentered the room, their expectant looks turned to horror and sadness as she shook her head.

The next day, the weather ponies had made sure the day was cloudy as a dark obsidian casket, adorned with emeralds and a jagged rocky design was lowered to where every pony could pay their last respects. Everyone said sorries and wishes for better life for her, one dragon staying silent, not trusting his voice past a quiet apology. Cadance came up.

"Chrissy... I know we didn't have the best time, and that you imprisoned me below Canterlot... But I want you to know... I forgive you, and I... I-i... I love you... You didn't accept my love... Why? Why didn't you accept my love?! We could've been happy! We could have you roaming free in your true form, as a queen, but no! You had to push my love away! Why?! Why? W-whyyyy!" She couldn't hold it anymore and broke down crying against the closed casket. "Please... Come back..." She was gently lifted and pulled away my Twilights soft embrace as Celestia walked up and spoke to everyone present.

"I know you all have doubts about why we are here. Let me make this clear, she was a former enemy yes however... That doesn't give us the right to take children... And that's what we did... In our conquest of peace and friendship, we tore the one thing that was stronger... We tore a family apart. Let Chrysalis be known, not as a mad queen of an insect hive bent on eating all love... But as a mother who was doing the best she could with what she was given for her children. A mother on her wits' end, only looking to making her children happy, and we turned them against her... I'm sorry, I failed as a Princess... I can't correct my past but I will not make this mistake again. Let it be known in this new law, any changeling, reformed or not, must be brought before me. I will tell them about her passing and that, if they wish to stay true to her form, then they will be welcomed with open hooves!"

Following the queens funeral, there was not a single true changeling left, only the reformed. They had built a statue of Chrysalis in her prime, a wide beaming fanged smile with a smooth marble body, no holes to be seen. Her wings outstretched and whole, her eyes shown with a vibrance as her pose was that of a true queen, a proper ruler of a civilization. Below the statue stood a plaque that read: "Here lies Queen of the true changeling race, Queen Chrysalis. A mother who's family was stripped from her and held away from her loving embrace, driven to an early end. May we never forget, a friendship is only outweighed by family."

Thorax stared at the statue as he let a tear out and walked away. "Goodbye... My queen." He walked away with a few other reformed changelings, into the castle as the guards gave then a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Soon, the gravesite was empty, except one lifeform.

Coming out from behind a bush, a small orange coat, purple maned filly walked up. "Gah! It's so tiring!" Scootaloo was engulfed by green flames and there stoon a small filly that looked exactly like Chrysalis. "I'm gonna miss you mom... I made two friends while you were finding food! Sweetie belle and Applebloom are great friends! They love me... Though... Not as much as you did. I-ill never forgive you! You used the last love to feed me!" She began crying at the hoof of her mother. "I hate you! I hate that you put me before you! I hate that you sent me somewhere safe while you got into danger! I hate that you left me early... And I hate that I never got to have a hive of my own..." She kissed the leg of the statue. "Rest well mom... And I hope I get a hive as grand as yours..." As she turned to walk away, there was a flash and a snapping sound. Turning around, she gasped as she looked at the small bundle. Pulling the cloth away there was a paper and what seemed to be a bright green ball.

Opening the letter she read. "My daughter, if you get this then that means I have passed before my time. With you are a list of instructions and an eggsac... The last one I made before I was making starved sacs. They are in a pocket time hole so when you begin making our special resin. Only a queen can make a birthing resin. When you become of age, you can make it. Then you can start your hive, I only hope you keep them from becoming a reformed changeling, I don't know what the ponies call them but I'm dubbing them as my mother has, Flitterlings... Please, don't let us die out. Goodbye... My only love." The nymph was now crying as she held the letter tighter. She sniffled

"I-i will mom... I will..." She looked up at the statue determined. "I will make a grand hive, as grand as the hive in your stories back when you said you first came to queendom. Maybe grander! No... I promise it will be grander! I will bring our kind back from the depths or my name isn't Queen Ivory 'Scootaloo' Chrysalis! Daughter of Queen Ebony 'Anastasia' Chrysalis!" She turned and flew into the night, not noticing the smile from the mare with a starry night sky mane.

"I'm sure you will Ivory... And I'm looking forwards to seeing your hive flourish under your rule. I will be the first ally, Princess Luna and he Thestrals will be at your beck and call... Good luck..." She sent the small queen a bit of love, not a lot, but the filly would be fed for the night.

Author's Note

Happy/sad ending of "Evolution isn't always the best" tell me what you think of either ending. Love you all and stay safe!