Princess Twilight ran into the throne room of Canterlot Castle, anxious and worried about why Princess Celestia wanted to see her — perhaps some new villain had appeared and she and the Elements of Harmony had to save the world once again, or some old villain had reappeared, or maybe something even more important than that — Twilight didn’t know, but she had set off for Canterlot as soon as Spike had given her the letter. It had been wrapped in a golden ribbon, which indicated that it was something important.

“Princess Celestia, I’m here,” she panted. “What's happening? Some new villain? Has Discord gone back to his old ways? Do you need some help? Is Starlight Glimmer back? Did I do something wrong? Do you—”

Twilight was interrupted by a giggle coming from the Princess of the Sun, sat on her throne looking at Twilight with a shine in her eyes. “Always worried, Twilight Sparkle, always. But you need not worry.” She rose and trotted to Twilight. “Well, at least not for now.”

“So why did you call me here?” Twilight asked, confused and curious about the weird tone in Celestia’s voice. Why is she talking to me like that? It is like she's… trying to convince me of something.

“It has been some time since your brother’s marriage and…” Celestia looked with a smile at the stained glass window depicting the Elements’ defeat of the changelings. “Everything that happened. Do you ever ask yourself where they are?”

“They… what, the changelings and Queen Chrysalis?” Twilight asked and Princess Celestia nodded patiently. “No I hadn’t really had time to think about that. With King Sombra appearing, my coronation, the Tree of Harmony, the incident with Tirek, and my new home, I never had time to consider Chrysalis.” Twilight sat in quiet reflection for a moment, but then her eyes widened. “Is she back with them?!” she asked shouting.

“No, no, my dear Twilight.” Celestia looked back at her. “I think I need to show you something. Follow me.”

Twilight followed the princess through the castle, after some time trotting they travelled down the stairs that led to a large underground library. Twilight’s eyes shone, looking at wall after wall of neatly shelved books. “Oooh!” She smiled, marvelling at the surroundings.

“This is where Star Swirl took note of everything in my life and Luna’s too. He was like a grandpa to us.” Celestia laughed, remembering all the misadventures they had had with the great magician. “Here he took note on how we lived, every single day, every single night. He wrote about when we earned our Cutie Marks, when I raised the sun for the first time, when Luna entered a dream for the first time… everything — even our friendships.” Celestia took down a book with her magic and laid it out on an old table, opening it.

“So that means… this is Star Swirl’s personal library?” Twilight asked with a smile and Celestia nodded. She tried to rein in her enthusiasm. “Can I…?”

“It’s all yours,” Celestia said kindly, smiling at the excitement of her student.

As Twilight looked over the old and powder-filled pages she began to grow confused with what was there. The pictures showed something quite different from what she was expecting to see when reading about their foalhood. “Princess Ce–, I mean Celestia, why is King Sombra in this book? And Discord? And… even Queen Chrysalis?”

“They weren’t evil when they were young. Well, Discord was always chaotic I suppose, but I don't think that matters when it comes to this.” She chuckled gently, remembering the exploits of her youth. “Sombra was the Prince of Crystal Empire, and…” She looked around to see if anypony else was there. “I have to admit I had a little bit of a crush on him.” Her cheeks turned a shade of deep pink.

Twilight raised her eyebrow, but then smiled. “But Chrysalis? Why does she look like that?” She pointed her hoof at an image that showed a pony quite similar to a changeling. She was a little princess — white, with green eyes and the same fangs, but with beautiful long wings.

Celestia sighed. “Chrysalis betrayed my mother when she grew older and to punish her, my mother cast a spell on her — an irreversible spell. She was turned into a monster, as were her guards.”

“That’s why…” Twilight whispered.

“Yes. Well, just as Star Swirl taught us, evil isn’t born, Twilight, it is made,” Celestia said with an emotionless look. “And that’s the reason I need to talk with you: Chrysalis. She was found close to the castle, hurt and without any other changelings with her. She told us that they’d all died in the fall… only she was strong enough to take it.” Celestia sighed, looking at the page showing her and Chrysalis playing in the Canterlot Garden. “She survived two years without any food — well, love — all alone.”

“You let her in the castle?” Twilight asked, surprised.

“She’s in the castle’s medical ward. I know when somepony is lying, Twilight, and she wasn’t when she said that they were all gone. Without them, I think we can work on something,” Celestia murmured, “and she has shown herself willing to try.”

“What do you mean, princess?” Twilight inquired.

“Chrysalis will be reluctant about this. I think you will too. Even if you’re my student, I can’t compel you to do this, but…” Celestia turned the page of the book revealing an image of Chrysalis, now a Queen. “Discord is reformed. He continues to be chaotic — you remember the last Gala, right? But you know what I mean — Fluttershy did that masterfully, she did something I thought I'd never see in my life. What I need to ask is…” Celestia stopped and looked Twilight’s confused face. “Do you believe you could do the same with Chrysalis?”

Twilight’s eyes flew open. “You want me to do what?!” Celestia nodded. “You want me to reform Queen Chrysalis? The Queen of the Changelings?”

“Yes. If you are able to, of course. I don’t even know if it’s possible, but I would appreciate it if you would try.” Celestia gave a kind smile.

“I…” Twilight looked around nervously. “Could you give me a moment to think about this?”

“Of course.”

Twilight smiled and trotted upstairs quickly. Standing in front of the big door of the library, she stared at her own hooves for some time.

“How did this escalate so quickly? She called me here and now she's asking me to reform that… that… bug queen, as Rainbow Dash said.” Her ears lowered. “That's crazy, Twilight,” she told herself. “I know. But Celestia is asking me… and I don’t want to let her down…” Twilight thought for a while more and sighed, beating a hoof on the ground with determination. “I won’t let her down! I can do this. It must be easy. If Fluttershy was able to reform Discord in a few days, then it can’t be that difficult. I can do it in… a few days or maybe months, but I can do it.”

She walked downstairs, determined.

Celestia looked up from the book. “Tell me, what is your choice, Twilight?”

“I’ll do it, Princess. I accept.”

“Oh, uh… there's just one more thing. Chrysalis will remain in her changeling form because we don’t have a spell to return her to normal, but I would like to see her adapt to our world once again and to ponies. She might have been evil, but I believe she can change. Even the worst monsters can,” Celestia said with a weak smile. “Come on now, I’ll take you to her. I’ve cast a spell on her and she won’t need to eat love until the spell runs out.”

“Good…” Twilight gulped.

They climbed the stairs and walked to the medical ward on the first floor. Some guards were stationed at the door with serious faces. “Your Highness, Queen Chrysalis is awake now. She looks peeved and bored,” the guard said and the other guard, a mare, giggled.

“Well, let’s enter.” They walked into the room where Chrysalis was lying on the hospital bed with a little heart plushie between her hooves, looking half-asleep and bored. She was starting to regret requesting help.

Chrysalis looked up at Celestia and then at Twilight. When she saw Twilight, her eyes rolled. “You! Why is this purple smart one here?!” she demanded with a hint of destain.

“Do you remember our deal?”

“Yes, yes! I want to go back to living a normal life, but I thought we’d discussed the yellow shy one. At least I don’t have much to complain about her.” Chrysalis smiled with pleasure. “And she is quite cute. She emits love from afar…” She licked her lips.

“I thought you had put a spell on her, no?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t prevent her from thinking of or remembering what she's already felt or seen about the taste of love,” Celestia explained and then turned towards Chrysalis. “We made a deal. Queen Chrysalis wanted to come back and have a normal life, but she isn’t really prepared for that and I trust you. I think it's time for you to have your own…” Celestia scratched her chin for a moment. “Student. Kind of.”

Twilight smiled with pride, seeing how the princess trusted her. It was an honour to be assigned a student, even if that student happened to be her.

“Wait, that means she’s really going to… no, Celestia, that wasn’t our deal!” Chrysalis exclaimed.

“It was. I said somepony would help you with this. She is my choice. We never agreed that you would choose.” Celestia wanted to smile, but she held it. Meanwhile, Chrysalis wanted to kill Celestia, slap the purple pony's face and get out of there as fast as she could. However, she did none of that.

Chrysalis sighed. “I hate you, Celestia. But you’re saying that she will help me and give me a new hive?”

“Do you mean a home?”

“Whatever.”

“Yes, she will — her castle,” Celestia said and Twilight and Chrysalis opened their mouths, each wanting to scream in anger, but with great effort, they held back. “Twilight will be able to teach you about friendship. After all these years, and all those friendship reports, I think you’ll be able to do that, right?”

“I… errr… of course, Princess Celestia!” Twilight said, nervously looking around, trying avoid the pair of green eyes with a killer stare coming from the changeling queen. If looks could kill, that one would send her straight to her grave.

“Ugh… I suppose I’ll have to accept it. I haven’t got anywhere else to go,” Chrysalis murmured between her fangs. “Maybe this can be good. Don’t you think, purple smart?” she asked and smirked. Meanwhile, Twilight gulped. Not in fear, but worry about what was coming ahead. This was going to be a very weird experience.

After Celestia removed the plaster from her broken hoof, Chrysalis stood up and looked down at Twilight with a look that was a mixture of disgust and twisted pleasure. “Chrysalis, if you cause any problems, you will be sent back to your old hive and live there, alone,” Princess Celestia said rigidly, and Chrysalis nodded quietly.

Twilight observed the scene, curious to see how they acted around each other.

“Good luck, my student. And be good, Chrysalis — then neither of us will have any problems,” Celestia said while arranging various objects around the room.

“Thank you, princess, I won’t disappoint you.” Twilight smiled and trotted out the room, followed by Queen Chrysalis, who looked at her with another big smirk, showing her fangs.

They travelled to the castle exit in total silence, just the clopping sound of their hooves beating on the ground. Not that Twilight really wanted to talk with her, somepony that enslaved her brother, almost killed her friends and herself, and also trapped Cadance, her old foalsitter, in the catacombs. But she had to socialize with her. After all, she was going to ‘teach’ her everything she needed to know.

As the two mares finally reached the exit, Chrysalis looked at Twilight and laughed sarcastically. “I think we going to have a very ‘interesting’ ride, purple smart.”

Twilight lowered her ears and chuckled nervously. Sweet Celestia, what have I gotten into?!