//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Character Changes // Story: My Friend Alice // by Betty_Starlight //------------------------------// I’ll admit that while I can barely believe it myself, the dragon is definitely not there! I searched all over while flying around and invisible… I then think of that miserable failure Misty and how she could’ve stopped this whole thing if she had only gotten me the dragon sooner, when I had actually asked for it! I stared down at the sniveling coward and furrowed my brow in righteous anger! “Misty, you twit! Now, we need a new plan, all because of your failure to get Sparky when I wanted you too!” She widens her olive eyes to me and backs away timidly with an aghast look on her muzzle, “I’m SO SORRY Opaline! I swear, I have no idea how any of this happened?” I sighed and looked down at the miserable wretch… It’s so strange, but I could feel the irritation draining from me at that moment as I stared down at her, cowering before me as she squatted halfway down on her puny legs and gazed up at me with those wide afraid eyes and quivering muzzle… I don’t know why I said this, “Misty! I-it’s not your fault… I don’t blame you…” Her eyes widen even further as she continues to squat in what I presume is fear from me, “W-what Opaline?” I frown as I can’t let her see me weak, either! “Misty, go back to your room!” I blink and am not sure why I add. “And make yourself something from the kitchen! I still need you alive, after all!” Her bottom lip trembled as she stared up at me with enormous pupils, “O-Opaline? Will y-you be okay?” My eyes widen when I suddenly wonder why she of all ponies would ask me that? “Yes, Misty! I’ll be fine! Now scuttle off! Go away and don’t come back unless I call you!” <*****> I straighten my wings at my side and gaze at the tan stallion across the table from me… He was wearing a green floral print dress and I’ll admit, it did go well with the strange red half-bun style wig he had on his head… I finally state what’s on my mind, “You’re wearing a dress!” Hitch blinks and nods, “Well, yeah!” I ask the obvious question, “Why are you wearing a dress?” He sighs and stares at me while saying, “Well, they told me in therapy that this is my way of coping with Sparky being gone… “ I frown, “So, it’s just something you do around the house now? I mean, I don’t think you go out like that, right?” He frowns back, “Well, not yet! Uh, “he looks down and smiles, “I was kinda thinking about going to the Hunky Cowpony like this, though?” I widen my eyes while straightening my mouth, “What’s the Hunky Cowpony?” His own pupils enlarge, “That’s Maretime Bay’s best gay bar! You don’t know about that Zipp?” “Why would I know about that?” He frowns while staring at me intently, “Well, aren’t you uh, you know?” “What?” “Gay?” I roll my eyes, “Okay, why does everypony always just assume I’m a lesbian?” He frowns while keeping his gaze on me, “Wait! You’re not a lesbian?” I stare back at the dress-wearing stallion, “NO!” “Oh, wow!” “Why do you think I’m gay?” He blinks, “Well uh, you know…” My eyes widen again, “What?” “Well, I mean, the fauxhawk mane and the athletic stuff…” “Tomboys exist too!” He blinks, “Yeah, but you’re kinda hardcore, don’t you think?” “So, what? Do I need to start wearing dresses too now?” His eyes widen, “Well, I didn’t mean it like that!” I furrow my brow, “Is that why you’re wearing dresses? To offset my lack of girly energy?” “Well, Sparky was uh…” I widen my eyes, blink, and nod, “Oh, right! I’m-I’m so sorry!” He sighs and wistfully stares off to the right, “N-no! It’s okay! I’m getting used to being without him now…” “But you’re gonna keep wearing the dresses?” He turns his gaze back to me, “Of course!” <*****> I sat there as the red fire alicorn hugged me in her forehooves… I think my eyes are wide right now? I’m not sure? She says to me, “I am so terribly sorry I was so hard on you earlier, Misty! You need to understand that I just wanted you to be your best!” “I uh, okay! But why are you now hugging me?” I manage to ask out while encased in her iron grip. She squeezes even tighter! “Because you need to know that I support you now, Misty darling!” “Y-you do?” I ask as I feel my eyes about to burst from my skull! She releases me to stand at the foot of my bed again, as I sat there staring at her on my haunches, “Why, of course Misty! Why wouldn’t I?” I sigh and stare up at her before thinking carefully on what I want to say to her, “W-well, earlier you were talking about how worthless I was and criticizing me for not getting Sparky sooner! And now, Sparky is gone and I just feel awful over how much I failed you!” She stares into my eyes and smiles, “Yes, I know Misty! That’s why I needed to check on you to make sure you’re okay!” I frown at this, “Okay, but…are you alright Opaline?” She nods, “Why wouldn’t I be?” “Well, Sparky is gone and you need a new evil plan and I failed you and…” “You did nothing of the sort, Misty! If anything, the fault is mine for not guiding and directing you properly!” My eyes widen, “Opaline! Why aren’t you criticizing and berating me?” She frowns, “Why would I do that?” I furrow my brow, “Because I failed you, yet again! You should be yelling at me, b-but you’re not!” “I don’t understand?” “That makes two of us, Opaline!” Her own brow furrows, “Misty, you are confined to your quarters until you learn to accept love! I’ll be back soon with a sandwich you may have for dinner!” I stared at the serious looking fire alicorn as she stared deep into me with those olive green pupils of hers, “W-why are you doing this?” “Doing what Misty?” She asks both haughtily and inquisitively. I look at the alicorn as she demanded an explanation, “B-being nice?” “Have I not always been considerate of you Misty?” As I stared at her wide eyes as she asked me that, I suddenly decided that I shouldn’t argue with that, “U-um, yes! Of course Opaline! You’ve always been n-nice to me!” and then I smile… She smiles and nods, “Excellent! Now come here Misty! I shall give you one more loving hug before leaving you to your confinement! Would you like a book from my collection?” I blankly stared at the confusing red pony… Before reluctantly getting off the bed and trotting a few paces to her only to embraced in yet another tight hug! <*****> I stared at the blue unicorn on my right as I sat in class and he stared back at me with that smug expression on his face… I don’t know what he’s thinking, but it’s probably not good? The white unicorn mare at the front of the room speaks up in her audible feminine voice, startling me out of my stupor, “Mary! Would you like to solve the problem, please?” I trot up to the blackboard to see a problem on it… I frown as I pick up the chalk with my magick and levitate it to my right to begin scrawling on the board… I stare at the problem and think hard… Before writing my answer underneath the bar… The teacher smiles and says, “You were close Mary, but you forgot to carry the two!” I hear that blue unicorn snickering… I stare at him and use my magick to force his left forehoof to grow pink and smack him right in the face! “Why did you hit yourself?” I ask with a big grin on my face! He stares at me with his eyes, now blue on the left and says, “You made me hit myself!” “No I didn’t!” I say before forcing his hoof to glow pink and smack him in the face again! He stares at me with a black and blue right eye before the teacher barks at me, “Mary! Leave Hoofster Horns alone and go to the principle’s office this instant!” I turn my head left towards her and gulp… <*****> The green unicorn filly stared up at me with her orange mane and smiled, “So anyway, that’s why I was late today! They gave me detention for beating up that twit in class! Totally worth it though!” I frown at this interesting new bit of information, “Interesting! Now, Mary! You need to understand two things here! First off, while your reasoning is sound, your methods need improving!” She frowns, “Methods?” I then turn my muzzle into a wicked grin as it dawns on me that I might be able to use these new character traits? “Yes, sweet Mary! You must learn to be more cunning and bide your time before taking action against those who have wronged you!” Her orange eyes widened with curiosity, “So I shouldn’t attack right then and there?” “No, Mary! Not out in the open where the teacher can see! Your revenge will be far more devastating if you take your time about it!” I raise my chin and fade my smile, “Probably during recess, or maybe after class would’ve been a better time to strike!” before lowering my view at the timid young unicorn filly and smiling once more, “Now Mary! I have somepony you should meet!” Her frown hardens, “M-meet?” (To be continued…)