All That Glitters

**All that Glitters** is an InCryptid short story. It is seventh in the Alice and Thomas Shorts.

## Synopsis

Alice Healy did not have an uneventful childhood.  But she's trying to become the sort of event that happens to other people.

## Plot

Alice takes up summer work babysitting the local children. She is incredibly successful at it, as her brand of weird is perfect for making kids want to follow her.

Meanwhile, Thomas is working on repairing the roof of the Parrish Place when an apparent Covenant agent arrives, demanding he resupply her on her journey across America. While he is trying to explain his situation to Miss Smith and why he cannot help her, Alice arrives. Miss Smith attempts to brush her off.

From her misinformation and not recognizing Alice as having Carew blood, Thomas realizes she is not from the Covenant. When he tries again to send her away, Betty pulls a gun on him and Alice. Thomas and Alice work together to disarm and contain her. Then, while Thomas is checking to see if Betty left any signs that would lead to the house, Alice confronts her. Alice knows Betty is a dragon princess and offers to help her escape.

Then Alice introduces herself properly and Betty recalls meeting Fran in Whiting. Then they learn that she has been infiltrating Covenant communities and killing them. Alice retrieves her father and grandparents for help. They decide to fake Betty's death to help her escape the pursuit of the Covenant, then send her to the Carmichael Hotel for a new lease on life.

## Characters

* Alice Price
* Michael Cole, local child
* Holly Cole, his sister
* Thomas Price
* Betty Smith
* Jonathan Healy
* Enid Healy
* Alexander Healy

**Mentioned**

* Caroline Carew
* Frances Healy
* Kalakos family

## Field Guide

* Dragon Princess
* Tailypo

**Mentioned**

* Lake Michigan Monster ("Plesiosaur")
* Routewitch
* Angler Tortoise
* Apraxis Wasp

## Locations

* Buckley Township, Michigan
	+ Lakeside beach
	+ Old Parrish Place
	+ Mill Road

**Mentioned**

* White Otter Lake
* Florida
* Penton Hall, England
* Carmichael Hotel, Chicago

## Continuity

* Betty first appeared in Oh Pretty Bird; she references meeting Fran and Jonathan.

## Trivia

* Dragon princesses always carry around three pounds of pure gold. No one knows why.
* Dragon princesses have married oblivious Covenant men before.

## Quotes

* "When somebody bigger than you decides you're a target, it's either an insult or a challenge, depending on how you take it. If you let them be right, then you're insulting yourself. If you say 'you're wrong, I can whoop your butt with both hands tied behind my back,' then you're showing the universe that you can handle anything it throws at you." -Alice
* "Pity the man [Alice] eventually fell in love with. The poor sap wasn't going to stand a chance." -Thomas, internally
* "Would you kindly shut up and start cowering in fear?" -Betty "Nope." -Alice
* "You [Covenant] people, you think you're so subtle, but you advertise your presence. You write things down. It's like an addiction for you. Writing things down. One day you're going to write the wrong thing, and it's going to knock the foundations out from under your house of horrors." -Betty