Rarity hummed enthusiastically as she shuffled in circles. A little purple dragon followed obediently, helping her work quickly. It still wasn't quite quick enough for some of the occupants of the room. Chrysalis had found a nice place to partially sprawl on what she believed to be a remarkably impractical couch. Part of that impracticality was that it seemed to naturally push Twilight closer to her on the cushioned piece of furniture.

It was still comfortable though.

"So, if he's your assistant, why does he spend so much time helping her?" Chrysalis asked this for no other reason than to pass some time. Normally any idle time she might have had would have been spent in the hive mind. Previously there were always issues coming up that would require her input and influence. However, she'd been finding herself with little to handle in that regard as of late.

Not to mention, Twilight's emotions did taste better when she was showing an interest in pony affairs. Or was at least pretending, which she totally was at the moment. "Oh, well technically speaking he's always been free to come and go as my assistant. We've always just used it as an excuse to stay close, since we consider each other siblings."

"You've mentioned that before. The found family concept I'm familiar with, but how did that happen with a dragon? More weird pony stuff I'd imagine," Chrysalis question, only to keep Twilight's emotions positive.

Twilight giggled some at this. "Better than accidentally becoming his mom. I hatched his egg when I was just a filly. It was for an advanced placement into Celestia's school, but I'm pretty sure even they didn't know it was a dragon egg."

"Even after birthing him, he shows more loyalty to her than to you. See, this is why you ponies will never be as great as changelings."

Twilight giggled more at this. "I didn't birth him, that would have been weird. I was eight. And besides that, I can't fault him for wanting to spend time with Rarity." She drew in closer to Chrysalis with an only slightly hushed whisper. "He's got a bit of a crush."

"Obviously," Chrysalis intoned. "The air in here might as well be marshmallow fluff."

"It used to be a little frustrating, but more and more I'm starting to understand." Twilight shifted on her side of the couch, seemingly to get more comfortable. It didn't escape Chrysalis's attention that this shift put them a little closer together on the awkward piece of furniture. "Rarity is smart enough not to actually mislead him though. She lets him have his feelings, as long as he doesn't go too far with it."

"Allowing a creature to indulge an impossible fantasy as long as it's still advantageous to her. Finally, a pony I can understand." She made sure her words of praise were as sarcastic as possible.

A slight sour taste came into Twilight's emotions from that regardless. Though it oddly didn't actually seem to dampen Twilight's mood. She playfully bumped their shoulders together and blew a mild raspberry at Chrysalis. "Oh, don't be like that. As long as both are getting something out of it, no creature is being taken advantage of. Right?"

Chrysalis scoffed at this, acknowledging the implication. "Do you honestly think anything I've done has been 'mutually' beneficial. Every creature is trying to get the better half of the bargain."

"So what was the better half of the bargain when you diverted changelings that were digging the new hive to dig that new storage for town hall?" Twilight said this with a smug tone.

Without missing a beat Chrysalis replied. "The faster our changelings become citizens, the faster ponies will presume them tamed, the faster you'll all let down your guard, and the faster I'll be in control."

"And yet I believe you said it was to keep me suffering in the love seat in the library reading area." Twilight's voice dripped with smugness at the words.

"Good plans are meant to have layers. Weakening you with bad sleep is also crucial." Chrysalis turned as well to smugly explain this to Twilight. She turned back away though when she realized their muzzles were mere inches apart in their current position.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "As long as I get my new lab, you can divert as many changelings as you want to other stuff. Build yourself a dozen royal abodes if you want, I'll still sleep peacefully knowing everything is running smoothly."

Chrysalis seemed to remember something as she once again feigned interest in what the dragon was doing well following around the seamstress. "The engineers are having trouble with the triple blast protection you proposed for your 'magical accelerator'."

"I gave them detailed diagrams. You even interpreted it into a coded form that could be viewed through the hive mind." Twilight gave a little shudder at that, as Chrysalis ignored an interesting taste coming through her emotions. "That was still an amazing thing to do by the way. What's the problem?"

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "Just one more reason you ponies should have been wiped out a long time ago. Why would you build a settlement right on top of so many faults? The fact that this town hasn't been swallowed by a dozen different sinkholes is a dozen different miracles."

Twilight looked genuinely shocked at this. "You're fixing them, right?"

"Of course. I need this area secure for when I take over, don't I."

Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. That's one thing I would have never thought to check on. I'm so glad I can rely on you."

Chrysalis grumbled as she turned to glare at Twilight. "What about my statement made it sound like you could rely on me?"

Twilight smiled. "I didn't have to order you to do anything, and yet you did something that would benefit the whole town. That's borderline heroic if you ask me."

Chrysalis hissed. "Only fools become heros. Reinforcing a stronghold and securing a food source is just practical empire building. You insufferable pony."

Chrysalis didn't turn away this time as their muzzles once again came close. Chrysalis glared as Twilight gave her a smug look. Chrysalis assumed that by pony standards, the smirk on her lips would have qualified as cute. But Chrysalis was not won over as her own lips twitched in frustration as she found herself focusing on them.

The standoff was interrupted with an elegant clearing of a throat. "If the two of you could stop flirting for a few moments, I believe we have something grand to show you."

"Changelings do not flirt," Chrysalis hissed, but then stopped at what she saw.

Twilight still smiled as she too looked over to see Rarity holding a hoof out in presentation, of a changeling still in their natural form, wearing a nicely fitted outfit. "Oh, interesting." Twilight seemed to be thinking as she stood from her seat to examine the look from different sides. "I thought you'd have them transform to try different styles on different body types all at once."

Chrysalis stood too, passing information to the hive as she too took in the look. "Indeed. I was not expecting this either." She noticed that the outfit was definitely designed for a changeling. Dark colors to match their chitin. A motif of holes that complimented their natural ones. The wing slits even seemed to be fitted perfectly so that they opened with the ones on their body. The changeling did so as they extended their wings, showing that the design took them into account and looked natural with them open or closed.

"How could I pass up this opportunity? I've designed for all types of ponies already. Making the first ever outfit for a changeling, that is an all new challenge." Rarity already seemed triumphant at the impressed looks the royals were giving their subject. "I dare say, bringing a changeling that couldn't speak ponish made it a bit harder, but I think E-54 and myself began to understand each other fairly well. Right darling?"

E-54 chirped in what seemed to be a happy way. Chrysalis interpreted. "They really seem to like it. As an engineer, they know what it's like to design for something specific. They praise your ability to work with their body type." E-54 now turned, showing off how the clothing moved with them as they stretched in various ways.

Twilight smiled at her changeling's clear delight. "I'm glad they enjoyed the experience. But this doesn't really help in the question of if changelings could work in the fashion industry."

Rarity's mood now shifted slightly. "Yes, unfortunately I was bouncing the ideas off of Spike while we worked. I think he said it best."

Chrysalis and Twilight looked to the dragon who was now snacking on a gem Rarity had promised him when their work had begun. "I just pointed out that if you had a few changelings, you wouldn't really need any other models at all."

"Indeed," Rarity intoned. "Unfortunately, I don't think changelings would be a good fit. They could very easily destroy the entire modeling industry. I'm afraid on anything more than an interpersonal level, it won't work out to every creature's benefit."

"Humm, I think you might actually be right there Rarity. That's really unfortunate too." Twilight continued to consider, while another in the room became concerned.

E-54 couldn't understand what was going on, but sensed the change in the mood of the room. They began chirping and humming in question to Chrysalis. Chrysalis responded in turn, which only made E-54 more distressed. They now approached Rarity, a look of pleading in their clear blue eyes.

"Whatever is the matter darling," Rarity inquired, before turning to Chrysalis for the answer.

Chrysalis was now intrigued, and responded in all honesty. "They enjoyed modeling for you. And they really like the clothes. They're worried they won't be able to come back and do this again."

Rarity looked shocked and intrigued. "Really, they enjoyed modeling that much? Normally I have to beg and bribe my friends to come model for me if I don't have the means to hire a professional."

Chrysalis nodded. "Several others in the hive wish to try your clothing too. Some of them are making bits intown already and are willing to pay."

Rarity was taken aback, looking once more at the earnest face of the changeling before her. She then smiled. "Darling, you can come model for me any time you want. And you'll be paid a fair wage as well. Help between friends can't hurt anything, I just can't use you in an actual fashion show. Unless it's a show featuring changelings anyway." Rarity seemed to think about that. "That could be an amazing idea. I'll have to work on it."

E-54 once again turned to Chrysalis. There was some chittering back and forth, then the changeling turned to embrace Rarity, humming in what sounded like glee.

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "They're thanking you. They promise they will come around whenever they aren't busy in the hive to help you around your shop. They seem to want to learn all about fashion."

Rarity hugged the cute little bug back. "Who would have known changelings could be so adorable. Of course darling, I've always wanted to train an apprentice."

E-54 seemed to stop, looking back and forth between Rarity and Chrysalis. They chirped some more. Chrysalis responded. "They know it's a term of endearment, but they were wondering if you could keep calling them that?"

Rarity looked at them in wonder. "You wish to be called Darling?" The changeling looked pleading, their flap of a tail seeming to wag in anticipation. "I think that would be perfect for you." Darling embraced Rarity again.

Chrysalis broke away from the display, returning to Twilight's side. "That's one at least."

Twilight nodded. "I was hoping for more before we widened the search. But between town hall and the Apples, we aren't doing that bad."

Rarity gestured to them. "If you two love birds are OK with it, I'd like to keep Darling and Spike here for a bit. This outfit is only fit for display currently, and I think they'd like to keep it for more than just that."

"That's fine Rarity. They know when and where they need to be for the hive." Twilight began to lead the way out of the shop.

Chrysalis grumbled as they went, shooting a glare back at Rarity as Twilight led the way through the door. "We are not love birds." Chrysalis growled this as she slammed the door to the shop.

"I can't wait to design dresses for them." Rarity giggled.

"What kinds of dresses?" Spike inquired.

Rarity patted him on the head. "Don't worry about that Spikie. You'll find out when you're older."

Author's Note

Sorry for this being so late. Last week it was me being sick. This week, I blame lantern rights. That is still my fault though. I need to do the events if I'm going to get the primos to get Shenha.
However it wasn't all due to me slacking off. The first half of this chapter was largely just exposition, which is really hard to write well. That whole section was redone a few times when I couldn't get it to go anywhere. Next chapter will be a slight diversion from this theme, but I have a few other ways of examining how changelings might become part of pony society. If you have any ideas for jobs they could try, let me know. As always, let me know what you think. I know this chapter is probably a little weak, especially considering the wait for it. But good or bad, I still like hearing from everyone.