Hi. I am trying to scale a selection of a layer so parts of it align with guide dots in another layer. Most of the first layer is transparent. A small area in the center has color data and the layer is in legacy Dodge mode.

I select my layer, then get the Fuzzy Select Tool and put it in the "replace current selection" mode. I click in a transparent part of the layer, then invert the selection. Now, all pixels with color data are selected and the selection is near the center of the image. https://ibb.co/wYgCs7r

Then I choose the Scale tool. I make sure it is in Selection mode and click in my selection. At this point one of a handful of weird things happens. Either the Scale Frame starts at the top of the selection, hugs either side of it, then drops down to the bottom of the image; or the Scale frame starts at the top of the selection, extends to either side of the whole image and down to the bottom; or it starts at the right edge of the selection, extends to the top and bottom of the image and then out to the left edge of the image. The selection is far too large to scale the detail I need! https://ibb.co/n1WNsCj

Either way, if I grab one of the handles of the frame and move it, the "marching ants" resize themselves, https://ibb.co/pd4k1Xt
but when I click the Scale button, the colored pixels themselves do not move, though the dancing ants do. https://ibb.co/XjJTyFq

Changing the layer mode from Dodge (legacy) to Normal (legacy) shows all the pixels with color data. It looks like no color data has moved. https://ibb.co/8PWYbr6

To confirm this, I take the Fuzzy Select Tool again, in "replace current selection" mode, and click an area outside the new marching ants. Only the colored pixels are selected so the Scale Tool has truly moved no color data to new pixels. https://ibb.co/6wqpM5b

What gives? I've looked everywhere for something I have done to cause this but I can't find anything. I sure would be grateful for any help; this is crippling me -- I can't really use Gimp without being able to scale parts of images.