The rest of the day passed by in a chaotic blur of emotions. Sunburst sustained serious harm in his fight against Chrysalis' general, being inflicted with so much damage that he had to be taken to a hospital, even after Fluttershy had healed him. The yellow mare did everything she could for the stallion, easily mending the unicorn's more obvious injuries. Unfortunately, one wound in particular had given even the healer of the Elements a difficult time.

Sunburst had given his all to provide the Elements with an opportunity to help me in my fight against Chrysalis. His sacrifice costed him dearly. We were all in his debt. I planned to express my gratitude as soon as he recovered, so I, much like the others, had to play the waiting game.

Once she was done looking after him as best she could manage, Fluttershy and the other Elements accompanied me to our room. On the newly appointed Ruler of the Crystal Empire's orders, the three monarchs headed to the throne room to discuss more... official business. I wasn't sure what Cadenza meant by that exactly, but I at least knew there was no longer a risk leaving them alone with the overgrown bug. The Princess of Love could handle herself now... Honestly, she could probably handle the rest of us in the Empire, if she felt so inclined. From what I'd seen, alicorns were not to be trifled with and judging by the amount of mana I could feel coming from the newly created princess, she was only a few steps below the Immortal Sisters. Keeping the Queen of the Changelings in line would be foals play for somepony as powerful as she was now.

Besides, I had much more important matters to attend to and I needed Fluttershy to help me with them. During the final stages of the confrontation with Chrysalis I'd teleported my friends back to our room, being sure to melt away the magic she'd trapped them in first. It was the safest place I could think to move them at the time, considering Sunburst's barrier should have still been powered then. As we got to our room, I could feel the mana of the barrier still going, a testament to just how skilled the stallion really was.

Fluttershy had no issues when healing Star's body. The lilac mare's injuries -- all stemming from Twilight's spell and her horrendous collision with the wall -- were almost completely physical. There was some fracturing of the bones along her spine, but nothing that the yellow mare couldn't handle. It'd take Starlight some time to regain consciousness, but when all was said and done, she would be back to normal.

At least, physically.
Twilight on the other hoof...

There was no physical damage that needed to be healed when it came to our violet friend. While Chrysalis had drained the unicorn of all her emotions, and in doing so, all of her mana, she would recover that on her own given ample time to do so. Everything else the Queen of the Changelings had done to my friend was purely mental. None of us could fix those problems for her, not even with magic.

Regardless, I stayed with my friends for the rest of the day. Cadenza had been kind enough to have meals sent to the room, though neither Twilight nor Star had regained consciousness. All I could do was worry over them as I waited for any signs that they'd come around. At some point early on in the evening, I too fell asleep, far more exhausted than I'd initially thought I was. It had to have been due to the change in my magical signature along with the toll of using so much mana in the battle with Chrysalis and the being she'd referred to as "The Unknown".

The rest I got that night was conflicted at best. It was easy to fall asleep, but my mind was plagued with the suffering my friends were going through. Little did I know how much I'd need good rest. The next day, the day of the wedding... was going to be even more difficult than facing Chrysalis had been.

++++++++++++++++++++++

"There are two paths you can take, Sunset Shimmer," Queen Chrysalis remarked. We both stared down at Twilight, one of us standing on each side of her bed. The violet mare still hadn't even stirred since the day before. Apparently, that had been due to the Changeling Queen's design.

When I'd come to in the morning I'd immediately jumped out of bed in a rush to check on my friends. My giddiness was dashed to pieces in seconds. Twilight was still incapacitated. Star wasn't even in the room. My mind immediately jumped to conclusions. Ugly conclusions. The overgrown bug was the obvious initial suspect, but a harsh knock at the door halted my rampage before it could even begin. It had been her waiting at the door. The Queen of the Changelings had stood alone looking completely and utterly aloof as she waited right outside the room.

"Chrysalis?" I raised a curious brow.

There's no way she'd have the arrogance to take Star and then just return to the scene of the crime like this.

"My sister made me come," she stated bluntly, looking down at -- and on -- me before shoving past and walking into the room. "Where is Twilight Sparkle?" she turned to me after looking about for half a second, already far beyond her threshold of patience.

"Right there!" I pointed a hoof at the slumbering mare, returning the changeling's abrasive attitude in spades. "What do you want!?"
She trotted up to the bed, completely ignoring me and my righteous indignation.

...

"It's such a pity... to lose a devoted servant like this," she sighed, a look of genuine disappointment coming to her face.

"She's not yours, Chrysalis!" I voiced my displeasure, moving to the opposite side of Twilight's bed.

Now, here we were, the Queen of the Changelings giving me an ultimatum, or so I chose to perceive her words that way.

"Are you going to be vague on purpose?" I stroked Twilight's mane gently with a hoof. "Or do I actually get a choice?"

"So very snarky," Chrysalis grinned. "I could leave you to your own devices... if you wish."

"And disappoint your little sister?" I cooed the last part mockingly. "I seriously doubt you would do that."

"Irritating peasant," her eyes narrowed as the thick aura of arrogance around her intensified.

"Pompous insect," I shot back, drawing an impressed lifting of the corners of her lips.

"If I don't get on with this I'll be here all day," she relented with a bored shrug. "I'm going to end the control I have over her mind," she glanced down again. "It'll take time for it to completely clear, but I'll get rid of my hold over her here and now," she glared angrily at me. "As I said, you have TWO options. One, I can simply remove my influence from her mind this instant and that will be the end of that."

Well, that definitely sounds like a wish from a monkey's paw.

I decided it would be smarter to let her speak. She was clearly working towards something devious and complicating it further by interrupting would do me no favors.

"Two..." That same sickening smile that typically accompanied her scheming spread over her lips. I'd quickly come to understand that that particular face made me nauseous every time I saw it. "Along with my influence, I can also remove all of the memories Twilight has gained since I began my manipulations."

Hearing her say that made it feel like she'd just roughly jostled me with an elbow. My mind struggled to play catch up.

"Chrysalis..."

Why would...

"Why would I ever choose the second option?" I asked with a slight growl, knowing she had some hidden motive in giving me said choice.

"Oh you poor, naive little fool," her smile grew wider, an indication of just how much pleasure she was getting out of seeing my confusion. "Do you truly not understand the gravity of Twilight's sins?"

Her s-sins?

...

Sure, she'd screwed up. Pretty badly by my measure. We all have at some point, but it's not like she-

"Turned her back on both of her friends and violently assaulted one of them?" the insect queen cackled.

"Stay out of my head, BUG!" I tensed up, my horn flickering to life.

"As if I'd need to comb your mind to know what you're thinking at the moment," she huffed, her glee leaving her in a hurry. "You and your friends are like a bunch of foolish fillies in gradeschool, child. Don't blame me for your shortcomings."

"What is that supposed to mean!?" I hissed.

"As if you don't know," she smirked. "You're in love with this one," she swept a hoof down towards Twilight, "And she doesn't even know it yet. Secrets amongst friends, Sunset Shimmer? How scandalous." I was about to open my mouth to protest her claim, but she continued before I could. "This one has practically been driven insane by the ordeals her mind has been put through AND!" she lifted a hoof to cut me off. "I don't mean what I've done to her either! You heard what Un said. If there are more entities like him around and she's been dealing with one... The fact that she's been wrestling with such... darkness by her lonesome with absolutely no aid from you or Starlight, is laughable. To claim such devoted camaraderie when you all have no idea what the others are going through is positively hilarious to me."

"We... we are friends."

There wasn't much more I could muster other than a weak statement.

Aren't we?

What she'd said was the undeniable truth. It was absolutely mortifying that I'd been powerless to do anything for Twilight while claiming she was my friend. It was even more pathetic that I'd kept my feelings hidden from her.

"Would you like to know the funniest thing about all of this? Do you want to hear the punchline? The thing that makes all of this drivel worth my time?" She didn't wait for me to reply. "You're not even aware of the fact that Twilight Sparkle is actually in love with Starlight Glimmer."

I was pierced through the gut with a fact that I was better off not knowing. It felt like an earthquake shook me, nearly forcing me onto my belly.

"Twilight is..." I bit my lip, forcing the tears to stay inside. There wasn't a point in doubting the queen's claim. She'd been inside of Twilight's mind. Not to mention she wasn't as big a liar as I'd expected her to be. I'd come to see that, In spite of her shape-shifting nature, she told the truth with her lips more often than not.

"I..." I turned away from her, doing my best to fight off the despair and, more than anything else, not wanting her to see me struggle to do so. "...I hate you, Chrysalis."

"I can't tell you how many times I've heard that one, child," she grinned triumphantly. "You may have bested me in combat and thwarted my plans, but I'll gladly relish this meager victory."

"It'd be so much easier for me to just incinerate you and be done with it," I rubbed my eyes with my hooves.

"Do you honestly believe that?" she giggled.

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't," I snapped at her.

"And disappoint my little sister?" she mocked,
perfectly imitating the exact tone I'd utilized moments ago. "I highly doubt you'd do that."

"I'm sure she'd understand if I just knocked you around a little," I hissed back.

"Would she?" she asked almost excitedly.

"She-" I paused.

...

I wasn't really sure. The Queen of the Changelings burst out in a fit of laughter, winning the exchange. I blushed a deep crimson, utterly embarrassed to have been defeated so easily yet again.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, CHRYSALIS!?" I shouted over her laughter, changing the subject and pushing the feelings I didn't want to deal with at the moment all the way down into the pit of my stomach. "WHY EVEN GIVE ME A CHOICE AT ALL!? WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING!?" The changeling's guffaws ended before she looked at me with a grin, shrugged, and said nothing. "You really are a HORSE, you know that!?" I narrowed my eyes at the overbearing bug.

"I've been called far worse countless times, child." My barb hadn't affected her at all. "Now make your choice! I don't have all day!" she ordered.

"I..." I had no idea what to do. I hadn't even fully processed everything I'd just been told. If Twilight was in love with Starlight then-

"How about I make things even more fun for you, Sunset?" she jerked me from my thoughts. I knew what she really meant. She really meant fun for her.

"What are you talking ab-"

"Twilight realized her true feelings for that... psychopath here, in the Empire," she sneered. "If you choose to erase her memories then..."

Yet again, I almost collapsed, my heart suddenly beating so erratically I was sure it would soon completely stop.

"You could easily kill two birds with one stone," she spoke like a true temptress, her voice, as well as her offer, soothingly pleasant. "Save her from the scars that her selfishness has wrought AND preserve your own self interests? Sounds like a very lucrative deal to me."

...

...

...

I could... NO! I WON'T!

I wouldn't entertain such a horrible thing.

"Remove your mind control," I glared at the bug. "NOTHING else." Her eyes widened for a split-second before she sighed, a bitter laugh coming from her.

"Ever the righteous little stooge, aren't you?" her horn began to sparkle. "Just like that insipid teacher of yours."

"She's a hundred times the mare you'll ever be, insect," I placed my forehooves on Twilight's bed. "Now do what you said and then leave us be."

"Gladly," she replied flatly as she moved her horn downward towards Twilight to begin her spell. "One more thing, though," she stopped short, lifting her head with a devious smile. "There never really was a choice. I can't erase memories from a creature's mind. I just wanted to see what you would have done." She cackled like a mad mare before continuing with her spell.

I grinded my teeth, staring daggers at her. I wanted to melt her to nothing, but I knew that would devastate her sister so instead, I simply watched her work on Twilight with contemptuous rage on my face.

"Oh and one last thing, child," she kept her eyes on her task. I remained quiet. "You don't want to be around when she finally wakes," she sneered. "Trust me."

She might not be as evil as I first thought she was, but that no longer mattered. There was only one thing I was sure of when it came to the Queen of the Changelings.

I HATE her.

Author's Note

So yeah, Chrysalis is a horrible being that will continue to be a nuisance. To what degree is yet to be seen.