Emotional Support Changeling

by Twinkletail

The Idea

“That is the worst idea ever.”

Ocellus was nearly bowled over by Smolder’s bluntness. It certainly wasn’t the first time she’d dealt with it. As great a friend as Smolder was, she had all the subtlety of a boulder to the face.

“What?” Ocellus protested.

“I said, that is the worst idea ever,” Smolder repeated, arms crossed defiantly in from of her as the two walked back to the dorms.

“I wasn’t asking you to just repeat yourself,” Ocellus pouted.

“Then you shouldn’t have just said ‘what!’” Smolder insisted.

“Ugh, fine,” Ocellus groaned. “I never knew you were so literal. What makes you think it’s the worst idea ever?”

“Seriously?” Smolder said, finally turning to look at Ocellus proper. “What makes you think it’s a good idea?”

“Everything!” Ocellus insisted. She didn’t like having arguments with her friends, but it was only fair for her to defend herself. “We’re supposed to provide a service for our friends using our own unique talents, right?”

“That’s what Professor Rarity said, so yeah,” Smolder answered.

“And that’s what I’ll be doing!” Ocellus told her. Smolder, however, was unfazed.

“Cell,” Smolder started. “For my assignment, I’m cooking food for my friends using my fire breath. That’s the kind of thing we should be doing. Not...what you’re doing!”

“I don’t get why you think what I want to do is wrong,” Ocellus sighed. “I mean, come on. You and Silver both agree with me that Sandbar should just tell Yona how he feels about her, right?”

“I still don’t get how she doesn’t see it,” Smolder said with a roll of her eyes. “It’s so obvious. Some creatures are totally blind to that kind of thing, aren’t they?” She gave Ocellus a pointed stare, and Ocellus smirked in response.

“Exactly!” Ocellus replied. “She’s totally unaware, and he’s having trouble telling her, so this is perfect! I transform into Yona, I let him practice what he wants to say to her with me, and that helps him build his courage and figure out how to tell her how he feels! And who knows, maybe others in the school might be having the same kind of hangups?”

“Maybe,” Smolder admitted, rolling her eyes.

“So it’s perfect!” Ocellus stated proudly. “I’m providing a service for my friends. I’m using my own unique talents to do so. And...”

The changeling stopped, sudden realization smacking her.

“...I get why you have a problem with it,” Ocellus said, giving her friend a sly smirk.

“You do?” Smolder asked, a look of surprise crossing her face.

“I do!” Ocellus told her. “You’re worried that I’m getting something out of it by being able to snack on a bit of the love they’re giving off.” The changeling nodded, quite proud of herself. “Well, it’s totally different from being paid. I’m not taking anything from them. I’d just get a little residual treat. They wouldn’t lose anything!”

Smolder didn’t respond, at least not verbally. She simply seethed, a small puff of smoke emitting from her nostrils.

“I’m sure it fits the guidelines that the worksheet has set out for us,” Ocellus said. “And I’m sure our friends would appreciate the help. So I really don’t see what the problem is.” She gave a resolute little nod, smiling at Smolder. Smolder, however, did not return the smile. The dragon clenched her talons, scoffing as she turned away from Ocellus.

“Fine,” Smolder said. “Do what you want. But don’t say I didn’t warn you when it comes back to bite you.”

Ocellus’s intent was to tell Smolder that she wouldn’t need the warning, but Smolder took off before she could say a word. Ocellus frowned as she watched her friend depart. It was nice being on the winning side of the debate, but she couldn’t help but feel guilty about the way Smolder had reacted. She would have to apologize to her later. For now, though, she needed to get started on her assignment.

Ocellus flittered into the room that she shared with Smolder, all set to get to work. As with any assignment she received from her professors, she was anxious to get right to work on it. Her friends didn’t call her an eager little studybug for nothing, after all. The changeling quickly settled into the chair at her desk, picking up a quill and setting to work. The wording of this advertisement was imperative if she was going to get any results out of it, and thankfully, Ocellus considered herself quite good with words.

“Attention, students of the School of Friendship,” Ocellus dictated as she wrote. She tapped the quill to her chin, tongue stuck out of the side of her mouth as she toyed with the wording in her head. “Having trouble admitting your feelings to somecreature? Then come see Ocellus! Take your proclamation on a test run! Just check a box for the time you want to meet! All meetings will be strictly confidential.”

The changeling carefully read back over her wording, making tiny revisions to it with each pass. It had to be perfect, after all. Not only was it for her friends, but it was for an assignment. Either one of those alone would have demanded perfection. The two combined called for a level of perfection so perfect that the word would have to be redefined.

Despite how excited she was to get this done, however, Ocellus still found herself concerned about Smolder’s reaction to her idea. She couldn’t for the life of her figure out just what it was about her idea that had Smolder all in a tizzy. Perhaps she was jealous of how good her idea was? No, that didn’t make sense. Smolder wasn’t that type of dragon. Maybe she was still concerned about Ocellus receiving something in return? But she’d already gone over how that qualified as acceptable under Professor Rarity’s guidelines.

Ocellus shook her head out and sighed. Whatever it was that was bothering Smolder, it would have to wait. She would be happy to apologize once she found out what it was, but seeing as she wasn’t in the room at the moment, there wasn’t much that could be done about it. Besides, she had an assignment to work on.

The determined little changeling headed down to the main hall of the school. If there was anywhere that her ad would attract attention, it was the main hall. As she hung her ad on the bulletin board, she caught a bit of movement out of the corner of her eye. As luck would have it, the exact pony who had inspired this idea was walking past.

“Sandbar!” Ocellus called quickly, waving her friend over.

“What’s up, Ocellus?” Sandbar asked, smiling warmly as he approached.

“You need to take a look at this ad I just put up for my assignment!” Ocellus told him.

“Sure!” Sandbar replied. He leaned in to take a look at the flyer, Ocellus watching over his shoulder with rapt interest. She watched his reactions as he read the paper, right down to the widened eyes and dropping of the jaw. She had caught him hook, line, and sinker.

“Uhh...Ocellus?” Sandbar asked, kicking a hoof nervously against the ground. “Is this really what you’re doing?”

“It is!” Ocellus confirmed, grinning brightly.

“I see...” Sandbar responded. “Uhh...do you think that maybe...you might have an opening tomorrow morning?”

“You’re the first one to inquire, so of course!” Ocellus said, grin growing ever wider.

“Great!” Sandbar said quickly. “How about 10 AM?”

“That sounds great,” Ocellus replied. If her grin grew any larger, it would have seceded from her face and declared itself a sovereign entity.

“Okay!” Sandbar said, voice cracking ever so slightly. “I’ll come by your dorm then! See you!”

“See you!” Ocellus called back as she watched her friend gallop away. Everything had been set in motion. Helping her friends (and getting a good grade) would be easy as pie.

Comments

[Jake The Army Guy]

And now the changeling is oblivious to the feelings of her friend. Great stuff. Also, apparent Tsundolder is always a good thing.

[RainbowDoubleDash]

Smolder x Ocellus OTP, of course. Also I have to remember to write Ocellus less like Fluttershy and more like this. She’s not really all that shy or timid once she gets into something. Plus, of course, cheerleading.

[Flicker Flame]

Ocellus flittered into the room that she shared with Smolder, all set to get to work.

This is a bit nit picky, and not that many people will care... but canonically, Ocellus is roommates with Yona. not smolder. I’m really enjoying this story so far though! It’s a pretty fun idea.

[Twinkletail]

10166786
Heh, that was actually something I did some research on, and some episodes have contrasting thoughts about that! I'm having trouble remembering right now, but either the one where the students were stuck at the school for the holidays or the season 8 finale seemed to have Ocellus and Smolder in the same room, though in 2 4 6 Great it was Ocellus with Yona. I just decided to go the other route because it worked better

Good catch though! And I'm glad you're enjoying it!

[Evil Paladin]

“That sounds great,” Ocellus replied. If her grin grew any larger, it would have seceded from her face and declared itself a sovereign entity.

Would her grin secede with the intent of returning to the days of dark chitin, leg holes, and draining creatures of all of their love?
Would it lead to a bloody Civil War between the grin and the rest of her body?