//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Suited for Insects // Story: It Takes a Village to Reform a Changeling // by MattTOB //------------------------------// It Takes a Village to Reform a Changeling Chapter 4: Suited For Insects After several minutes of walking past glaring ponies, a large white building shaped like a carousel came into view. Rarity stopped and gestured grandly towards the establishment. "Voila! Welcome to the Carousel Boutique!" Mandy looked over the structure and held back a gag. He'd never seen anything so... Colorful. "Give me slate gray and mucus green any day..." He mumbled to himself as Rarity unlocked the door. A little bell rang when they entered, drawing a small unicorn filly's attention away from her drawing. "Oh hey, sis!" she began in the squeakiest voice Mandy had ever heard. "What're you–" Sweetie Belle took one look at the Changeling, let out a shrill scream, and fled into the laundry room. Mandy shrugged. "Eh, I don't blame her." Once Rarity managed to find and calm Sweetie Belle, she explained the whole situation to her: "This... quirky fellow is Mandy, and he's here to help me with some tasks, as part of his punishment for that whole Canterlot... ordeal." "Oh, just say what you mean, Rarity," he retorted bluntly. "I'm creepy, and the Canterlot Invasion was a huge disaster." Sweetie Belle looked at him confusedly. "You don't have to put yourself down like that..." Mandy shrugged again. "I just say it like it is." Now that her little sister was no longer freaking out and hiding in a laundry basket, Rarity turned back to Mandy. "Now, then, if you'll follow me this way, please?" He and Spike followed without protest as she led them towards a platform surrounded by mirrors. She had him stand on said platform, then started silently looking him over for several uncomfortable minutes. Eventually, he had to ask: "Uh, what're you doing?" She tapped her chin in thought. "I'm trying to find inspiration. You didn't really give me a lot to work with, what with you not knowing a lot about yourself..." Suddenly, Rarity gasped. "That's IT!" And with that, she zipped off into the supply room. Mandy eyed Spike, who was staring at where she'd disappeared. "Is she always like this?" Spike sighed in bliss. "Even better..." He replied automatically. After a moment, she came out with rolls of different colors and patterns of fabric, along with spools of silver and blue thread. "I've got the perfect idea! I'll make clothes that practically scream, 'I can be whomever I want to be'! Now, before I start, could I have a sample of that resin you use to make cocoons, just in case?" She placed the rolls onto holders and the spool into a sewing machine, then held out her hoof. Mandibles took a moment before he hocked a large glob of the Changeling resin into her waiting appendage, making sure it wouldn't stick to her. He then shifted uncomfortably and asked, "Are you really gonna try and make clothes based on... Me?" Rarity laughed, "Oh, darling, you make it seem as if it's going to be hard!" She returned to her craft, the sewing machine seemingly playing a quiet tune. Then, she started singing. Thread by thread, Stitching it together Mandy's suit, Cutting out the pattern snip by snip, Making sure to leave room for the wings, It's the perfect color and so hip, Always got to keep in mind my pacing Making sure the clothes correctly facing I'm stitching Mandy's suit! Mandy looked on at her as he realized she was breaking into a song while she worked. Yard by yard Fussing on the details Bold hemline, Don't you know a stitch in time saves nine, Give the garb a little depth with rolls, Even if his legs are full of holes, Gotta mend those elbow patches right Even if his chitin's black as night I'm sewing it together! Mandy watched as she expertly put together the basics for a shirt and jacket, mixing the black, silver, and cyan fabrics with incredible results. She then placed it onto him and started fitting it. Suit making's easy For Mandy, it's something sleek Casual, but still proper Now about the buttons – do you think you'd like copper? Mandy realized that she'd asked him a question there, and quickly shook his head. Something suave, Perhaps quite fetching Carapace, A Changeling looks quite good in this! Making sure it fits around his chest Don't forget some magic in the vest Even if it itches in the treads, You, sir, will be turning heads! I'm stitching Mandy's suit! She was nearly done with the suit now, adding some finishing details as the song began to wind down. Piece by piece Snip by snip Croup, dock, haunch Shoulders, hip Thread by thread What a hoot Yard by yard Best to boot And that's the Art of the Suit! She stepped back and declared, "I'm finished!" Mandy, who was still dumbstruck by the song, barely had the presence of mind to look into the mirror. The shirt he wore was a light shade of cyan, with darker pinstripes that matched his eyes. It was secured up with buttons made from the Changeling resin he'd given her earlier, and the collar folded down to rest right above an empty breast pocket. The jacket, however, was the main piece. Made from mostly black fabric with a silver interior. The waistline perfectly fit his chitinous body, accentuating his curves. There were two embroidered holes on the back where the wings poked through, and on his lapel was an embroidered spiderweb pattern. The sleeves also had embroidered holes in them where the holes on his arms were, showing them off proudly, and the cuffs were buttoned with more of the resin. He turned around and looked himself over, admiring the craftsmanship – especially the work she'd done with the buttons (Changeling resin becomes incredibly tough incredibly quickly). "Not bad for a first pass, eh?" Rarity asked him, somewhat out of breath from all the work she'd just done. "Rarity?" He began levelly. "Yes, Mandy?" "I think this is the best suit I've ever worn." Rarity beamed. "Why, thank you so much, darling! I'm glad you like it so!" Mandy's stoic exterior finally broke, and he began gushing over the outfit like a foal who'd just gotten exactly what they wanted for Hearth's Warming. Meanwhile, Spike had passed out when she'd started singing, his nose bleeding from pure arousal.