The hallways of Roosevelt Middle had mostly emptied, leaving behind the familiar institutional quiet that settled over schools after hours. A few stragglers wandered toward the main exit, backpacks slung over shoulders, voices echoing off lockers. The custodial staff had already started their rounds, their carts squeaking down distant corridors with methodical precision.
Hayden pulled her Champion hoodie tighter and adjusted one earbud, leaving the other dangling. She wasn’t in any particular hurry—unlike most of her classmates who bolted for the exits the second the final bell rang. She had nowhere urgent to be, and besides, Dayton had asked her to dig around.
Can you figure out where he’s living? Dayton had asked during lunch, leaning in with that look she got when she was really curious about something. Like, is he staying with someone or what? The whole thing is just weird.
Hayden didn’t mind the assignment. She was good at noticing things other people missed, and honestly? The whole situation with Mr. Rhys was weird enough to be interesting. A Little teaching middle schoolers wasn’t exactly standard protocol, and if Dayton thought something was fishy, it probably was.
She took the stairs to the second floor, her sneakers silent on the worn treads. The staff wing up here was quieter, older—the kind of space that felt forgotten during the main chaos of the school day. Most students never bothered coming up here unless they were lost or looking for a bathroom that wasn’t completely destroyed.
The hallway stretched ahead of her, lined with doors marked for storage, old faculty offices, and administrative overflow. Nothing immediately screamed “Little housing,” but Hayden had learned that the interesting stuff was usually hidden in plain sight.
She was examining a door marked “District Facilities” when she spotted it—a sleek, climate-controlled unit built into the wall about twenty feet down. It was tall, maybe her height, with a digital keypad and what looked like ventilation slats. A small chute had been installed at the base, metal and institutional. A laminated sign read: District Housing – Authorized Access Only.
“Well, that’s not obvious at all,” she muttered, walking over for a closer look.
The unit was clearly designed for someone small. The proportions, the access chute, the way it was positioned—it had “Little accommodation” written all over it. Hayden crouched down, noting the wear patterns on the keypad, the faint scratches around the lock mechanism. Someone used this regularly.
“Can I help you with something?”
Hayden straightened without rushing, turning to find a college-aged girl watching her with polite curiosity. The girl wore jeans, an oversized Lancaster Teaching College sweatshirt, and a visitor badge clipped to her sleeve. She carried a plastic tub labeled “Art Supplies.”
“Just wandering around,” Hayden said with a slight shrug. “Got turned around looking for the bathroom.”
The girl stepped closer, her expression friendly. “I’m Cassie. I’m doing my student teaching here. You are…?”
“Hayden.” She gestured at the unit behind her. “So is that like… where the Little teacher lives?”
Cassie glanced at the housing unit, then back at Hayden. “That’s district housing, yeah.”
“Weird,” Hayden said, genuinely curious. “Is it like a tiny apartment or just a room?”
“It’s got everything he needs,” Cassie said, her tone becoming a bit more careful. “Kitchen, bathroom, climate control. It’s temporary while the district figures out his permanent situation.”
Hayden tilted her head. “So he doesn’t have a Guardian yet?”
“He’s managing on his own for now.”
“But someone checks on him, right? That’s your job?”
Cassie shifted her supply bin. “I help out when needed. Make sure he has supplies for class, that kind of thing.”
“Cool,” Hayden said, then paused. “Can I ask you something? Do you think it’s weird that he’s still teaching? Like, doesn’t it feel different now that he’s…”
“Small?” Cassie finished. “Honestly? He’s still one of the best teachers I’ve observed. He knows his stuff, cares about his students. That shouldn’t change just because of his size.”
Hayden considered this. “Some of the kids in my class think it’s like… inappropriate or whatever. Like he shouldn’t be in charge anymore.”
“What do you think?”
“I don’t know,” Hayden admitted. “It’s definitely weird. But he’s been our teacher since sixth grade. He’s always been kind of intense about literature and stuff.” She paused. “Though I guess some people might want to… help him? Like, take care of him?”
Cassie’s expression shifted slightly. “You mean claim guardianship?”
“Maybe. My friend Dayton is really good with Littles. She’s certified and everything.”
“I see.” Cassie’s voice was neutral, but Hayden caught something in her tone. “Well, that would be between Mr. Rhys and whoever petitioned. But right now, he’s doing fine on his own.”
Hayden nodded. “Got it. Well, I should probably get going. Nice meeting you.”
“You too, Hayden.”
Hayden didn’t answer, but she filed the comment away as she headed back toward the stairwell. Her phone buzzed as she reached the main floor, and she pulled it out to see a text from Dayton: Any luck?
Hayden typed back quickly: Yeah found it! He’s living in this weird locker thing on 2nd floor. No guardian or anything. There’s this student teacher who checks on him though.
She hesitated, then added: The student teacher thinks you might want to like… take him or something?
The response came back almost immediately: lol she’s not wrong
Hayden stared at the message for a moment, then pocketed her phone. She pushed through the main doors into the crisp October air, where a few students were still waiting for rides. The afternoon sun slanted through the trees, casting long shadows across the parking lot.
She thought about loyalty—to friends, to principles, to people who couldn’t protect themselves. Dayton was her friend, had been since elementary school. They’d grown up together, they were each other’s first real friend, shared inside jokes and weekend plans and all the small intimacies that built real friendship.
But standing in that hallway, talking to Cassie, Hayden had felt something shift. A recognition that this situation was more complicated than simple friendship politics.
Her phone buzzed again. This time it was a group text from Dayton: OK girls emergency meeting tomorrow before school!! Hannah and Nicole did you guys talk to him??
Hayden looked at the message, then at the school building behind her. Somewhere up there, Mr. Rhys was probably grading papers or preparing lessons, still trying to be the teacher he’d always been despite a world that kept insisting he was something else now.
She typed back: I’ll be there
Because that’s what loyalty meant, even when it got complicated. Even when you weren’t sure what the right answer was anymore.
Hayden walked home through the quiet streets, her earbuds back in, her hands buried in her hoodie pockets. She had the information Dayton wanted. Tomorrow, she’d find out what Dayton planned to do with it.
And then she’d decide what that meant for her own conscience
I can see Dayton’s friend group being split on what to do with Mr. Rhys.
it’d make sense. Nicole would already be on the fence about it, but i’m betting outside of her and dayton, the normal idea of a little is what Hannah had shown and admitted to when she and nicole met with Rhys. Now that Hannah is seeing how much more independent and actually still human in personality and thinking Rhys is, it’s making her reconsider things. I’d imagine her Daytons friend group would question things too if they went about it this way. I’m pretty sure even Dayton was starting to have her own doubts in the training which is why i think the procedure stuff and Mr. Rhys not acknowledging that she’s guardian trained is overshadowing what she probably learned right now.
I’m not the biggest fan of Dayton but I still think she’s shown growth and some change, just wish we could see it more lol
I agree with this, even as a big Dayton fan; she has some more growing to do in maturity before she’s ready to have a little of her own now. However, she is rushing through things, and I think this situation with Mr. Rhys will backfire on her one way or another.
That’d be gold, her anti little obsession ruining her popularity and destroying relationships.
I could see that. Its also possible they may not care that deeply to be split in a meaningful way. Lots of different possibilites
That’s the biggest tragedy. That an adult person’s status can be taken away and turned into a pet based on a whim of some bratty grade schooler.
I would agree. The colder adn crueler outlook is influenced by things like the cyberpunk series. Where you often sees a more chilled outlook and things are genuinely not far.
As I feel like real life often mimics that. As many things occur in life in general which aren’t fair or equal. Not everyone starts at the same starting point. Not everyone is afforded the same advantages in life.
we often see life is centered around haves and have nots and never hads. The series and universe in general highlights those areas and puts them in a narrative focus.
Please dear god be legal and please let this be another Thomas situation for Dayton please I refuse to let this be the little she gets
Well, there is no guarantee she gets any little at this point.
1) “if Dayton thought something was fishy, it probably was.” that’s a decent amount of trust
2) “It was tall, maybe her height, with a digital keypad and what looked like ventilation slats. A small chute had been installed at the base, metal and institutional. A laminated sign read: District Housing – Authorized Access Only. “ that’s a lot of effort, probably had tradies brought in to install it, definitely leaning towards legal,.
3) “I’m Cassie. I’m doing my student teaching here. You are…?” I wasn’t expecting to meet her so quickly
4) “Honestly? He’s still one of the best teachers I’ve observed. He knows his stuff, cares about his students. That shouldn’t change just because of his size.” Cassie seems to be good people
5) “Maybe. My friend Dayton is really good with Littles. She’s certified and everything.” Dayton praise, disgusting
6) “Well, that would be between Mr. Rhys and whoever petitioned. But right now, he’s doing fine on his own.” Who put him in this position
7) “The student teacher thinks you might want to like… take him or something?” “lol she’s not wrong” At this point Dayton would probably take any Little she could
8) “Because that’s what loyalty meant, even when it got complicated. Even when you weren’t sure what the right answer was anymore.” Blind loyalty can often be worse than abandonment
9) “And then she’d decide what that meant for her own conscience” I would really like it if this story ended with Dayton losing friends and popularity on top of not getting the Little she wants, the cherry on top could be criminal charges that cancel her guardian license.
1) Well they are friends. I mean i can understand the readers not liking dayton but she hasn’t been a bad friend canonically. She hasn’t done anything outwardly that would be considered mean within the confines of the world. That would make her friends think less of her or not like her or trust her.
2) It was a custom job by the district for sure hiring someone.
3) well she works in the school. it seemed weird if i didnt bring her in early.
4) Overall i would agree. Shes no chloe but shes not a bad person.
5) I tried to only include it where it made sense as Dayton did do well in training so regardless of anything else it is a factual statment to make on merit.
6) Good question
7) Well, she does want a little, so she wouldn’t turn down any little unless it was deformed in some extreme way or was mentally below intelligence markers.
8)true, but they arent talking abotu anything that deep though. To them it would be having opinions on animal rights. most people aren’t going into indepth blind loyalty over that. Im sure some would but its not gerally a relationship ruiner.
9) That would be pretty extreme. I would say if seh lost her friends over something like this they probably werent very good friends to begin with. As real friends are thick and thin and even if you have disagreements are still friends. IF they just abandon you then even if it is harder in the moment you are better off without them long term.
Criminal charges is wild. what are you wnating her to do kill someone?
1) True enough, but we have seen her lie to her friend Sara.
4) fair call
5) she’s so bad with Littles one she was interacting with tried to do a runner.
6) guess it’ll come up later.
7) how bad would the deformity need to be?
8) disgustingly true that this world considers animal and Little rights to be the same discussion
9) I don’t think that’s true, people Change over time, and even if there were truly good friends at 8 they may have simply grown incompatible over time, I don’t think that makes someone a bad friend. But also Dayton obsessing and scheming about this could reveal a side of her that they decide they don’t want to be friends with.
Nothing so extreme, attempted littlenapping is where my mine was at, possibly throw in some intimidation and harassment.
9) you have a good points. I agree with you in regards people do change over time. They could grow apart.Who they were 8 may not be who they are at 16 which may not be who tehry are at 24.
I do think societal and cultural beliefs do weigh in where the status and stance and beilefs around littles in the world are different then we woudl ideally hope they would be seen in reality. Even if i do believe tehy would be exploited, commercialized and seen as unequal ultimately because humans have propensity historically and in modern times to exploit weak and exploit their power over things they consider lesser than.
often making illogical leaps and overlooking things to fit the narrative points they want to see.
I mean… we’re talking about if Littles are people or not. Or should be treated as such. You seem to really think that this is just “animal rights” when that is fundamentally not the conversation that is happening. The way you framed it, it sounds like it’s considered fact by everyone that Littles are animals and seen as such by everyone. But that isn’t the case because why would you have an animal teach? Why would you allow animals to start bands or enjoy food truck versions of food? You’ve repeatedly shown that Littles can and do act similar to full grown people, with complex wants and desires. It’s a little crazy there is no Little rights group.
I know I wouldn’t be friends with someone who treated my sister as an animal when I still consider her a person. Also this is 8th grade. Kids stop hanging out for tons of reasons but I know that I wouldn’t be hanging out with kids who insulted my family. Also, 8th graders aren’t small children. They have a sense of right and wrong. Some are even working park time jobs.
Well, it’s been established within the universe that their status is ranks above an animal and below a person. That is considered the majority belief within the world. So the stories are written from that viewpoint canonically.
What I personally believe is irrelevant as I write from the rules of which the universe was created. While there is a minority of people who do disagree. People who have differing opinions and such. Like you see it a generitech. Thats the view fo the majority of the worlds population or the countries population.
Generitech itself does benefit from that as tehy use the money from people who think that way and use it to insolate littles and put them in cities where they have more freedoms then they do on the outside. But they also only allow certain littles with skills, and mindset, etc into the cities to maintain peace so the littles in the city like within generitech itself are likeminded. Generitech generally hires people who share their belief set.
But once again that is not the majority of the world. So you have a juxtaposition of the two dichotomies. The people are choosing to elect politicians and support politicians who dont believe in little rights. Thats not an accident or luck. Its a ingrained belief set that is a foundational principal of the majority of society itself.
There are obviously extremists on both sides and people who take things to far. Just like in real life.
So i understand your point of view and if that was your belief within the world thats fair. But if also if you were within the canonical world you would have different touchstones and influences as it would be impossible to be the same person you are in reality in the story as you would ahve grown up differently with differing influences and circumstances as the world and universes arent the same all hte way down to history and events. The people from of this world from the very beginning evolved and grew and spread differently with different beleifs, different governments, different infleunces and societal norms.
Which i did on purpose. As while the world has some similarties they are in name only. Like america exists in this world but its not hte same america that existsin reality. Its government is different, its laws are different. Some the same some differ. Etc.
So while we as people can say from our societal and cultural beliefs, our raised subset of what is right, what is wrong, etc.that what they believe and are doing is wrong. That dayton is a horribel person and the people who think like her are all wrong.
its important to remember taht the people of this world don’t share our societal beliefs or culture beliefs, or have the same influences historicalyl which shaped our world. They have their own cultural beliefs, societal beliefs, etc.
So while i agree with you in principal that in 8th grade friends do break apart and taht could happen here. The belief around the status of littles is different culturally for them then they would be for us.
My understanding is the world is the same as ours and Smallara and a relatively recent phenomenon. You even wrote that in the middle of the OG Smallara stories, they were just passing laws that are anti-Little. If society as a whole sees them as basically domesticated animals, then I don’t see any reason for the band Liv Dangerously to exist. Littles can clearly reason, speak, and have desires.
it was stated thatits only recent to specifically the United States. The OG series talks about how other countries crumbled under the weight, others fell into dissary others rose up under new powers.
It also discussed hwo some countries were hit harder then others when it came to Smallara.
We saw in the charity series how Mexico dealt with smallara before it ever came to the U.S.
The first U.S. case was Rachel harbours in 2019.The first officially recognized smallara appearance was 2010.
The outbreak that caused Jordan to get infected adn reduced was 2020. So it had ravaged teh world for almost a decade.
It’s why in the original series it mentioned borders were closed and international flights stopped in the U.S. for a long period of time.
Let’s be real here. This dude’s still a Little. The “he’s doing fine on his own” is kinda bullshit. He still needs everything literally done for him. Whether Cassie is a guardian or not she’s still taking care of the class gerbil. Just this gerbil has delusions of grandeur. Jordy would probably be pissed if he knew someone who was a Little was given a break from being guardian owned, collared, and brainwashed via petting. Bah…. just give him to Dayton. It’d be funny if this was all illegal and he and the school board got into deep shit for it.
I agree lol
I don’t really see him as being delusional. As far as we’ve seen he’s probably one of the few littles that knows his life has changed and he’s not the same as he used to be. He’s more or less saying things now that took Jordan days to somewhat come to terms with, with Kelli still slowly doing the same. He just seems to want to keep teaching is all lol
as for Jordan, idk. he’d probably be as annoyed as he would be confused about the no collar, but he’s already met littles at this point that aren’t individual guardian owned and he didn’t seem to mind (the littles at chloes party were from the generitech city. technically owned, sure, but not like having a guardian) and if anything would probably be happy the dude got to keep something he was passionate about from his old life.
I’m still hanging onto my theory of Dayton being his school guardian. comes with status, school perks, etc. stuff she cares about, without being responsible for Rhys after school or her mom having to shell out a tone of money suddenly
a large part of this is the perceived inequality and special treatment. As that is what Dayton is upset about. The fact her teacher is a little is very surface level to the problem. She didnt like Mr. Rhys teaching style or as a teacher from the start. As she had him 6th and 7th grade as teacher. Both parties know they dont like each other. He doesn’t like her as a student either.
Dayton’s main issue with him though is that what she understands to be the laws, rules, etc. he is not following.
Dayton sucks, can you imagine her as an adult … manipulating everyone in her path especially men because she´ll be hottie one day ? she´s a toxic being for everyone around her including herself because she will become very lonely over time. Catlady … or in this universe Littlelady.