"I'm not agreeing to anything less than twenty," Chrysalis said with an air of finality and a glare that could rot an apple in minutes.

Unfazed, Applejack fired back. "Twenty is ridiculous. Four or five maybe, tops."

"Now you're being unreasonable. You have no idea what you have here and I think I'm being more than fair considering the circumstances." Chrysalis was impressed with Applejack's resolve. They'd been fighting back and forth like this for some time now.

"Now now, there's no reason to get fired up about this. I keep telling you both, this is meant to be mutually beneficial. I'm sure we can bring those numbers closer together without shouting." Twilight was trying to maintain peace while Big Macintosh and Granny Smith watched on in confusion. Granny Smith also found herself stealing glances at the changelings behind Chrysalis.

Integration of the changelings had officially begun. However, due to the delicate nature of the situation they were taking it slow. Thanks to Pinkie the town had been abuzz with rumors, and seeing so many changelings moving between Twilight's library and the town hall everyday for the last week had only made that more prominent. So before opening up to the town fully, they had decided to stress test their new system with some more reliable individuals.

"I'm trying to be reasonable Twi, she's the one who seems to want to ring us dry." Applejack declared this with a stamp of a hoof as she glared up at the much taller queen.

"I should be insulted that she would turn down an offer as generous as this." Chrysalis hissed this at Applejack before directing discontent back at Twilight. "And I am not shouting. I'm still physically incapable of doing so thanks to you."

Twilight looked puzzled, then it clicked. "No, I've told you that you can speak freely since then."

"Yes, speak." Chrysalis emphasized this before turning back to glare at Applejack.

Now feeling embarrassed, Twilight opened her mouth to correct her previous order. She then realized the situation her fellow queen was in and reconsidered. "Maybe after this negotiation is done."

"If she ain't gonna budge on this, I'd say we're done right now. It don't matter what the pay is, that's still too much. We don't need that much overhead round here." Applejack seemed adamant.

"And here I was told you element bearers were generous. You'd really keep something like this to yourself. Especially when you can't even benefit from it." Chrysalis sneered before casting a glance over the farmland they'd been given a tour of earlier in the day.

Seeming to catch onto something, it was actually Granny Smith that chimed in next. "Now wait up b'fore 'ya keep on with all this foalish fightin' Applejack. Them there buggy folk seem to have taken a shine to the farm. I don't rightly know why, but maybe they'll clear some things up?"

Applejack broke from her glare off with Chrysalis to finally look back to the other changelings she'd brought along. They seemed almost unable to sit still. Each would randomly lick their lips while looking around and shuffling on their hooves. "Ok, so it's clearly not about the bits. Why do you want so many changelings working here?"

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "Considering how much you bragged about your farm all morning, I would have thought that was obvious." She then dragged one of her hooves across the ground, presenting a small pile of dirt for her efforts. "I'm not even sure how it's possible, but there seems to be some kind of emotion coming from the ground itself. It's not distinct, more like something that would come from a domesticated animal, but it's there. We can't feed on it, but it makes this whole area," Chrysalis paused, seeming to consider how to phrase her next statement. "... More tolerable."

Applejack was taken aback by this. Granny Smith however, just laughed. "That'd be decades of Apples puttin' all their love inta' makin' this here farm what it is. I reckon if they can appreciate that, we can bring in a few extra. Right there youngin."

Applejack seemed to consider. "Alright, but just cause the farm is like catnip to y'all still doesn't mean we can take on the lot of them."

"Considering the circumstances, I'm sure they could take less bits for their work. I'm still not sure what if anything they might end up needing them for." Seeing the conversation finally taking a turn for her, Chrysalis seemed to have lightened up some. A situation that seemed to be making Twilight smile wider.

"Just because they will work for cheap doesn't mean it sits right with me," Applejack finally explained. "I'm with Twi on this. We need to make sure no pony... no creature is being taken advantage of. If Sweet Apple Acres is going to set the example, it needs to be a good example. We usually put up our workers at the farm house. We don't have that much room."

Chrysalis deadpanned. "There are so many ways around that. We can fly for one, heading back into town to a hive entrance isn't a problem for us. We can also dig a hive entrance out here. But if you insist on your 'Apple hospitality'..."

"We do." Applejack added.

"They could just live in one of these other structures. What's in that one?" Chrysalis asked, gesturing to a further away barn.

"That? That's the old barn. It's basically just being used for storage. I ain't putting no creature up in there. It'll take more lumber than its worth to make it livable."

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "Please. You ponies and your reliance on depletable resources." Chrysalis now made a series of hisses and clicks. One of the changelings she'd brought with her instantly jumped to attention and scrambled over to her.

After a series of hums, hisses, and clicks between them, the changeling turned and promptly began shoveling dirt into their mouth. While Granny Smith and Big Macintosh looked troubled at this, Applejack seemed curious.

"I been meaning to ask about that," Applejack said, gesturing to the display. Chrysalis nodded in acknowledgment. "Isn't that a might... gross?"

Chrysalis rolled her eyes again. "Taste is a learned behavior for interacting with ponies. Maintenance workers rarely leave the hive, so they don't learn transformation that precise. They are just processing materials."

In the time she'd been making the explanation, the maintenance changeling had already begun to produce a black substance from their fangs. They skillfully began working it out into a flat slab. It began to take on a brown color as they did. As they formed it into a flat thin form, they even took the time to produce a wood grain pattern on either side. In a matter of minutes, they produced what looked like an ordinary plank of wood. Chrysalis gestured, and they offered it to Applejack.

"Dang, ain't that something." Seeming to acknowledge it was not any form of waste, Applejack took it and began to examine it. "I wouldn't even know this wasn't wood." She attempted to put pressure on it. She then put more pressure, and more. Seemingly impressed, she passed it on to Big Mac. "See if you can break that."

After a few attempts and changing his grip more than once, the large stallion eventually did manage to break it. Though he did look impressed as it did seem to take him considerable effort. "Eeeyup," was his only acknowledgment.

"Dang, really? I reckon we could sell something like that." She seemed to consider while looking off towards a far area of her farm. She absentmindedly spoke more to herself. "I wonder how many boards they could make with that big hill in the north orchard where we can't grow nothing?" She looked back to Chrysalis, suddenly realizing she looked smug. "Alright. But I still ain't doing more than ten at a time. And their first job is fixin' up a living space for themselves. Once I know they can be comfortable out here, they can stick around." She then held out a hoof.

Chrysalis examined the offered hoof with scrutiny. "What is the meaning of this gesture?"

Remembering the situation, Applejack looked apologetic. "Oh right. It's a pony thing. Tapping hooves as acknowledgment. It means we have a deal. If we have a deal, that is?"

Chrysalis seemed to think for a few moments. "I suppose ten will keep my changelings happy. Deal. " She reached out and bumped hooves with Applejack.

Twilight now clapped her own hooves together with glee. "See, I told you Chrysalis. Our changelings are going to find plenty of places to belong in pony society."

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "It will make it all the easier for me to take the ponies by surprise the day I manage to defeat you and take back our hive."

Chrysalis felt only a little frustrated that her threat was met by a smile from Twilight. "Ok. I-54 can handle translation. Should we just leave them and M-101 here to get familiar with things?" She posed the question to both Chrysalis and the Apples.

Applejack responded. "If y'all wanted to head back alone, we can keep showin' them around."

"That seems to be the most logical course of action. We can decide later which workers will join M-101. I-54." The Changeling came when called. "The rest of your siblings that will be coming here will be maintenance, so you're going to have to take care of them. You'll be working for the ponies, but that doesn't mean they control you. Do your job and earn your keep, just as it's always been, even if the circumstances are different."

Twilight came over, sliding in next to Chrysalis to address them as well. "And try to have some fun. Other than when you're working for the Apples, you'll have free reign to do whatever you want. As long as it won't hurt anycreature."

"Thank you, my Queens." With that, they both turned to approach the Apples who led them further into the farm.

The two queens watched them as they went. "Is it weird, that I feel like a proud mom right now?" Twilight wondered aloud.

"Except for the fact that they are not biologically your children, no." Chrysalis turned to begin leading the way back into town.

"So, are you proud right now too?" The question seemed to make a delightful swirl of emotions rise up in Twilight.

"I'm always proud of my children. That's why I'm trying to do all I can for their survival." From the corner of her vision she could see Twilight looking at her face, and smiling. "What?"

"You might not show your softer emotions, but I think I'm starting to be able to see them. I think I'm going to call that a Chrysalis smile."

"I wasn't smiling." Twilight seemed to giggle as a few layers of her voice broke in the reply.

"You didn't show a smile, but I'm pretty sure you're happy." Twilight smiled smugly as she now began to trot ahead of her companion.

"Why are you so frustrating?"

Twilight only giggled more. "Oh, speaking of frustrating. Before I forget. You may speak freely, with whatever volume you think is appropriate."

"GAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!" Twilight jumped at the sudden outburst. She then smiled and was thankful they'd made it a good distance from Sweet Apple Acres already.

"Needed to get that out, huh?" Twilight teased.

"By the foremothers, that felt good." There seemed to be a little extra rasp to some of the tones of Chrysalis's voice.

"Sorry," Twilight started. "I need to be better about taking care of those I'm responsible for."

A bit of guilt crept into Twilight's emotions. But Chrysalis knew she could clear them up. "Get me something for my throat and it'll be fine. I think I threw out my voice."

Twilight smiled as her emotions cleared. "I'll take you to my favorite tea shop. Let's go."

Twilight led her fellow queen back into town. Chrysalis ate up her emotions with great satisfaction the whole way.

Author's Note

This chapter was supposed to be shorter. At one point I thought it would be less than a thousand words. This will be part of what should be a few smaller chapters. I might even throw in some bonus uploads depending on how fast I can crank them out. Thanks for reading and as always feel free to comment, good or bad.