//------------------------------// // Acting Right // Story: Beyond Me // by Boopy Doopy //------------------------------// “Stop following me!” I demanded the teacher as I tried to stomp away from her. I tried my best to sound aggressive as I walked, but I knew it was coming out more pouty and sad. I wasn’t good at being aggressive, even as a human, and this little girl's voice was just making it worse. “I’m an adult! I don’t need you to follow me!” I continued as I stomped. “No you’re not,” she told me calmly, staying directly behind me. “You can’t just wander off on your own, Ashley.” “Stop calling me that!” I yelled frustratedly without thinking. “I don’t like that name! I don’t want to be called that!” I knew I was just being emotional, but I really couldn’t help it. I couldn’t tell if it was because I hadn’t fully wrapped my mind around being a pony or if it was just because I was in a child’s body, but I knew I had to stop. However, even as I thought that, I couldn’t stop myself from feeling ready to cry. “You’re not my mom or dad, so please just stop following me!” I demanded, knowing that it sounded like I was about to cry. However, my demands went unanswered, and the next thing I knew, Cheerilee was using her teeth to pick me up by the neck like a cat. It wasn't painful at all, but I couldn't help but feel more frustrated by the move. “Now Ashley,” she was somehow able to say as she kept her teeth firmly around the fat of my neck, carrying me off in the direction we came from, “I know you said you’re not from Ponyville, but I can’t have you running off all on your own until we find your guardians.”  “I’m an adult!” “Well,” she said calmly, “why don’t you prove it by acting like one?” She continued to hold me as she walked for about a minute before setting me back down, which I responded to by immediately setting off once again in the opposite direction of the school before she was able to say a word. At that point, I didn’t care about whether or not I was acting like an adult. I just wanted to get away from her, even if it meant reconfirming in her mind whatever she thought about me. I heard her sigh as she followed me, staying silent as I walked. Despite her being behind me and seeing other people, ponies, out and about, it was the first quiet moment I’d had since I’d gotten there, and it made me start to think. What was I going to do? What was I supposed to do? I was in a world I didn’t understand in an unfamiliar body as a child. I knew that being emotional wasn’t going to be helpful, and yet here I was, acting emotional and stomping off as if there was anything I could do.  “No, you’re not being emotional,” I thought. “These ponies just aren’t listening to you. You just need to… do something. I just wish I knew what…” “Ashley?” Cheerilee asked, still directly behind me. “Can I talk to you?” Despite my urge to just flat out tell her no, I stopped and turned around to face her as she started simply, “What’s wrong?” “I already told you what’s wrong,” I answered frustratedly as I turned back around but refrained from walking. “You just haven’t been listening to me.” “Ash-” “No,” I interrupted. “Tell me why you don’t believe me. Why would you think I’m lying about not being a girl?” She let out a breath before saying, “Well, if you really were a colt from another world like you said, I’m sure Princess Celestia would’ve noticed by now.” “And I guess it’s safe to assume that there’s no way for me to be able to talk to her at all since, from what you told me before, she’s the ruler of wherever we are.” “No, you won’t be able to,” she confirmed. “So I guess I’m just going to…” I couldn’t help but sit down and put my head in my hooves as I started to feel sorry for myself. I’d been there just over twenty-four hours and I was just… letting myself get worked up. I needed a moment to relax and get myself straight, but so far, that moment hadn’t come, and it was screwing with my emotions. “What would I even do anyway if you did believe me?” I said aloud, mostly to myself. “It’s not like anything would change. I’m going to be stuck here, and I don’t even know why. I wish I just knew why…” “Well…” she started awkwardly as she sat down next to me, clearly trying to get me to talk again. “Why do you think you’re here?” I knew she wasn’t going to understand, but I couldn’t help at least trying to talk out my problems, and answered, “I don’t know. I mean, I have a few ideas, but I really don’t know. I just… wish I knew what I was supposed to be doing here...” “Lord,” I silently prayed, “please, I just ask that you give me a sign as to what I’m supposed to be doing here…” “Well, um… what do you think you’re supposed to be doing?” the teacher asked cautiously. “I don’t know. I have no idea. I’m just- I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m not acting like an adult right now. I’m sorry. I’m just… getting myself overwhelmed.” “You’re okay,” she told me kindly, then paused before adding, “Why don’t we go back to the boutique and pick out a nice dress for you?” I sighed disappointedly, frustratedly, saying, “I don’t want a dress. I just- how do you not know what pants are, but you do know what dresses are?” “Why don’t you explain to me what they are?” “Forget it. I’ll just- I’ll be fine I guess…” “What about a shirt or a hoodie?” she asked. “I’m sure Miss Rarity has something like that, or could stitch something up for you. Would you wear something like that?” “Yes,” I answered. “I’d like that please.” She gave me a kind, gentle smile as she asked, “Why don’t we head over there now?” I considered it for a second, before standing up and telling her, “Okay, but I’d really like it if you did something for me.” “What’s that, dear?” “I’d… really like it if you treated me like an adult and listened to what I’m telling you. You’ve just been treating me like a liar and dismissing me this whole time, and... I really don’t like it… and I don’t like the name Ashely...” “I’m sorry,” she apologized. “You’re right. I haven’t been listening to you, and I’m sorry. If you don’t like the name Ashely, I won’t call you that.” I felt like she was brushing past the bulk of what I was saying, but decided to be satisfied for the moment, and let her lead me back to the clothing store. What we returned to was a unicorn that was a mess of tears. She was standing in a corner of the room, her mascara clearly running, sniffling and crying, hanging her head low. I instantly felt bad at the sight, automatically knowing she was crying because of me, and found myself wishing I hadn’t complained and stomped off. Cheerilee cleared her throat and called, “Rarity? I have a filly here with me who told me she'd like you to design something for her.” I blushed at the teacher's words as Rarity turned around and saw me, and then flinched as she suddenly ran up to me and wrapped her hooves around me without warning. It was one of the things I was going to have to get used to, the fact that nobody here had any sense of personal space. “Oh, I’m so sorry, darling!” she cried as she held me tightly. “I didn’t mean to overwhelm you like that! I truly didn’t intend to pressure you! I just wonder how you’ll ever be able to forgive me!” “I- I forgive you,” I stammared. “Please put me down though.” “Oh, of course dear,” she responded, quickly letting me go and laughing nervously. “I’m terribly sorry. I do still hope I can make something for you however, if that’s quite alright.” Her change of emotion from crying to fine in a second was very jarring to me, but with the hope of preventing more tears from her, reluctantly said, “Yes, please. Um, I’d like a shirt or a hoodie if it’s no trouble…” “Not any trouble at all!” she assured me happily, excited that she could make something for me. “Let me just take some quick measurements of you here…” The filly drew in a loud breath and tensed up fearfully as Rarity brought the tape measure up to her. She was just starting to get used to the idea of being a pony and living in Equestria when she saw something that nearly caused her to scream in surprise. It was a new wrinkle she didn't expect. “How- how are you d-doing that?” Asher stuttered out quietly, nervously. “Doing what darling?” “How are you lifting the tape measure?” she asked barely above a whisper, her eyes trained on the transparent blue color that was wrapped around it. “Why with my magic, of course!” the mare answered without batting an eye as she continued to measure her.  She flinched hard at that news and clenched her teeth, not liking the idea at all. She really, really didn’t want to be involved with magic, and being around it was making her very nervous. “Is something wrong, dear?” Rarity asked a few moments later, finally noticing the way she looked. “I really don’t want to be around magic,” Asher responded quickly as she continued to stare at the tape. “At all.” “Can I ask why?” Cheerilee jumped in. “I don’t want to talk about it right now,” the filly continued, the anxiety evident in her voice. “I just don’t want to be around it, please.” “Give me just one more second here darling,” Rarity said, who’d already gone back to measuring her. “There! I’m done. Now, what color were you wanting it to be?” “I- I um- give me one second,” she said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to try to get relaxed again. "Are... you alright, darling?" the unicorn asked. "I didn't scare you did I?" "No, I'm fine," she answered a bit shakily, keeping her eyes closed and still breathing. After several seconds, she opened her eyes and finally answered, “Blue. I'd- I'd like my hoodie dark blue, please.” Rarity waited a moment for her to continue, and when she didn’t, asked, “Was there anything else you wanted on it? Any other colors or particular patterns?” “No. Just solid blue, please, if that’s okay.” “Are you sure? I can add anything you’d like, dear.” She blushed again, and, afraid to make the mare cry again, told her, “I mean, you can add other stuff if you want to.” “I assure you miss, by this time tomorrow, I shall deliver you with a hoodie that’s positively amazing!” “I’m sure it will be, Rarity,” Cheerilee agreed. “For now though, Asher and I will be going back to Miss Holiday’s, where she's staying. We’ll see you tomorrow though. Goodbye for now.” “Toodeloo!” she called as the two headed out. The teacher waited until they were a bit of a ways away from the boutique before starting, “Can I ask why you don’t like magic?” She didn’t answer, instead asking, “Can… can other ponies do that? Can other ponies use magic?” “Well, everypony has magic,” Cheerilee explained. “Unicorns have magic to use levitation and cast spells, Pegasi have magic in their wings to fly and control the weather, and Earth Ponies like you and I can lift things with our hooves and are stronger than other types of ponies with our magic.” The filly’s ears went down at that, hating the sound of it. She really, really didn’t want to associate herself with magic, and was nervous about the fact that she would be. However, she consoled herself with the fact that, at the very least, if she had magic in her hooves like the teacher suggested, it was because God gave it to her, and not because of… other things. “Is something wrong?” “It’s nothing,” she told her, her ears still pressed flat. “I don’t want to talk about it right now.” “Are you sure? You can tell me anything. I’ll listen to you like you asked me to earlier.” With an exhale, she quietly said, just above a whisper, “You’re not listening to me again right now.” “Oh, you’re right,” Cheerilee chuckled awkwardly. “I’m sorry. You can tell me later if you want. But please promise you’ll tell me eventually. It’s not good to keep everything internalized. “I haven’t kept anything internalized as of yet,” she thought as she assured her, “I promise I’ll tell you, but not right now. I need to get my thoughts straight and emotions under control. I’m not… acting right.”  “Come on, Twilight,” Spike said to the mare as the two walked through the town. “You’ve got two weeks to check on preparations! We should explore and meet other ponies! Maybe they have interesting things to talk about!” “Well…” she trailed off thoughtfully as she watched a mare and a filly having some sort of conversation. As the two approached, she was able to pick up bits of their discussion, watching as the filly walked a bit awkwardly on her hooves. “...you ponies have any sense of personal space?” “What do you mean?” “Well, all of you ponies don’t seem to mind me not having clothes on or coming up to me and touching me nose to nose or flying me everywhere and scaring me.” “Who picked you up and flew- oh! I’m sorry. Excuse us, please,” Cheerilee apologized as she bumped into the princess’s pupil. “It’s no trouble. But um, can you tell me where Golden Oaks Library is by chance?” “It’ll just be straight down this road on the left. You should get there in a few minutes.” “Thank you, ma’am.” “It’s not a problem, miss.” “That was certainly interesting,” Twilight thought as the two pairs made their separate ways, turning to take one last look at the filly, who was looking back at her as well.