Dayton: The Junior Guardian Chronicles: Episode 13

Dayton walked from the bus stop to her house. She didn’t live far from school but was on the border of needing bus or being able to walk. Normally she took the bus so that her and her friends could talk more. This time she decided to walk home. She wanted to collect her thoughts. She still fumed that Mr. Rhys was a little. He had kept his status hidden. All this time. She wondered how long he knew. The timelines didnt mesh he was gone several weeks but not enough time to go through the system, get assigned to the district and go through recertification to teach if littles were even allowed to teach. Now he paraded around at four inches tall like nothing had changed when in fact everything had changed.  

Mr. Rhys, isn’t a person. This wasn’t some kind of arguable point. The cold hard science of it all validated everything. He is a different species. His body internally is different. He breathes different. Smells different. Hears different. He was human in shape only.  

She had heard her mom talking with Mrs. Reeves about how hard it has been for the school district to find teachers. In the back of her mind that’s what this was really about. The school trying to use Mr. Rhys now that he is a little. They went too far though. She was certain that the authorities, the government, SEA the Smallara Enforcement Agency didn’t know. They would never let a little parade around in public without a collar. It was illegal.  The law was specific. Littles were to be collared. The collar was to have an I.D. tag. The I.D tag would have the littles Name, along with the guardian’s name and address.  
 
Mr. Rhys was walking around the school like some kind of undocumented immigrant only in this case little. A little gains their rights firstly through the jurisdiction they are registered in. Secondly by the guardian who ends up owning them. Mr. Rhys doesn’t appear to be registered; he doesn’t appear to have a guardian. If he does then its on the district to prove it. The school is publicly funding they have to publish how the money is spent and if they havent allocated funds to pay for a liscensed guardian to care for him, to oversee him, to be ultimately in charge of him. The law is the law and they would be in violation of it. He would be improperly cared for which would equate to neglect a SEA issue. He would be improperly liscensed as no guardian directly in charge of him a SEA issue. He has no collar and parades around in public without one which is a SEA issue. All of them illegal. All of them improper for a government entity to allow and schools are government entities funded by tax dollars. Accountability is everything. She knew this didnt smell right and she just needed to line all her ducks up.  
 
Dayton could see her house now. This was normally where she would separate from Hayden as she lived on the backside of the block adjacent to her house. This time Dayton turned towards her home alone.  

She trudged up the walkway kicking a rock before pressing her shoulder into the large heavy front door.  She stepped into her house letting the door slam behind her with a muted slam. She could hear her mom in the kitchen. She knew better then to let the door slam. She would never hear the end of it from her mom.  

She bounded up the stairs two by two with her backpack slapping against her back. “I got a bunch of homework mom. Be down later.” She yelled, giving her mom a slight wave of her wrist  
 
Her mother’s reply was muffled, curious, probably, but Dayton didn’t care. Not tonight. Her mother’s hovering could wait. The last thing she needed right now was more questions. She was already simmering. 

Up the stairs and into her room, the door clicked shut behind her. She exhaled hard, jaw tight, and leaned her back against the door. Her gaze shifted to the corner shelf, where her Little supplies sat in perfect, untouched order, tiny blankets, carefully stitched pillows, a delicately carved feeding bowl, and the velvet-lined collar she’d ordered the week she passed Guardian training. 

All of it had been meant for Thomas. Her trial Little. A stubborn little prick who’d eventually folded, who learned, like they all did. Who looked up at her, finally, with the wide-eyed deference she deserved. The part she wouldn’t admit to herself is she also warmed up to him. He showed her the other part of being a guardian. That littles were pets but they were also more than that. It was complicated. Like Sara Reeves her unofficial official sister, while not related they considered each other family nonetheless. Tiffany Reeves and her mother were close friends and had been since childhood. So, their family were close, tight knit.  Sara talked about how Jordy, her little was more than a pet and less than a person. Dayton never quite understood that until Thomas.  They stayed in touch via the LittleNet. But, it wasn’t the same. He was in one of Chloe’s little cities at Generitech now. She could still see him but arrangements always had to be made. It wasn’t just a pop over kind of thing. 

Dayton’s hands clenched as she sank to the floor, yanked her phone from her back pocket, and opened the chat with Thomas. The screen glowed, and her fingers hovered pausing over his name before she typed: 

“Hey Tommy…How’s the new guardian group? Did you get a good one?” She giggled to herself knowing how much he ‘loved’ it when she called him tommy.  

“I sent a few things via Generitech’s LittleMail.” Dayton said pausing for a second before adding “Just a blanket. Had to make it for home economics, so don’t get excited. Not like I was thinking of you or anything. There’s a little surprise tucked in too. Nothing fancy. Just your style. I added some reeces peanut butter cups to. Sorry that they are people sized.” She added on not wanting him to think she missed him or anything. She then added “stay safe” 

She hit send. 

It was only after the message was sent off that she noticed Nicole’s update blinking on her home screen. One message. Just one. 

But it was enough. 

Mr. Rhys, confirmed unclaimed. Working under some district protocol. Temporary housing on campus. 

Dayton stared, her heart thudding. Her lips parted as her breath hitched, and slowly she turned her head toward the shelf again. 

She could practically see him there. Not as he was now, buttoned-up, smug, defiant, but as he should be. Kneeling. Collared. Obedient. Pet. 

Her little. 

Her fingers tapped furiously across the screen. 

Dayton [3:42 PM] 
Kinz, your sister home yet? 

Kinsley [3:42 PM] 
Nope. Why? Too scared to message her yourself? 

Dayton [3:43 PM] 
Why would I, when I’ve got you. my legally designated god little for that? Perks of the title, babe. Comes with 24/7 access. 

Kinsley [3:43 PM] 
You’re the worst. I knew Nicole naming you my god guardian was a mistake. I’m filing for reassignment the second I figure out how to forge her signature. 

Dayton [3:44 PM] 
Too late. I’m locked in. I even framed the paperwork. 
You’re stuck with me, short stack. That means if Nicole gets hit by a rogue drone delivery, I own your tiny butt. 

Kinsley [3:44 PM] 
You’d turn my life into a dystopian Girlboss sitcom. I’d be cleaning your AirPods with a toothbrush by day two. 

Dayton [3:45 PM] 
Please. Day one. 
And you’d still prefer me over some randos. Admit it. Imagine geeky Grant Mills from 4th Grade standing over you. 

Kinsley [3:45 PM] 
Ugh. 
I almost miss arguing with you. 
Keyword: almost. 

Dayton [3:46 PM] 
Careful. You’re starting to sound like you have feelings or something. Gross. 
 
Kinsley [3:46PM] 
You’re insufferable. I prayed you’d wash out of Guardian training. But nooo. Top of the class. Must’ve been a sea of NPCs. 
 
Dayton [3:47] PM 
Jealousy is such a bad color on you. You know Nicole would never revoke me. She’s obsessed with me. 😛 Love her.  
Anyway, speaking of chaos,  
We’ve got a teacher at school. A Little. Unclaimed. No collar. Tried to pull rank. Refused to call me Miss Harris. Like… what? 

Kinsley [3:46 PM] 
LOLOL. 😂 
You’re telling me a Little told you no? That’s rich. All that Guardian training and you’re still getting clowned in public? 

Dayton [3:47 PM] 
He’s pretending he’s still our teacher. Like nothing changed. It’s actually kind of surreal. 
He made me pass out the syllabus. Me. A ranked Guardian. 

Kinsley [3:47 PM] 
Wait, he’s still teaching?? I thought only licensed Littles could teach other Littles. I’ve been studying legal precedents, don’t roll your eyes, and that’s not supposed to be a thing. 

Dayton [3:48 PM] 
He’s unclaimed. I think the district’s stretching things while they stall on hiring a real teacher. Save money or pocket the extra or something. I’m gonna talk to Sara and Chloe, if he’s working outside the traditional little system, they’ll know. Might even be a legal oversight. 

Kinsley [3:48 PM] 
Translation: you’re already plotting your power grab. 
Try not to put him on a leash in class, Dayzilla. 

Dayton [3:49 PM] 
Hey! 
I am not Dayzilla. I’m just… assertively nurturing. 

Kinsley [3:49 PM] 
You’re a tyrant with lip gloss. 

Dayton [3:50 PM] 
And yet, I’m still your god guardian. 
Sleep tight knowing your future is in my hands. 😘 

Kinsley [3:50 PM] 
Nicole made one mistake. She’ll correct it. 

Dayton [3:50 PM] 
She won’t. She loves me. I bring snacks. And I do the best French braids in the neighborhood. I’d take a bullet for her and hten come back from the dead to haunt your little ass for sport. 

Kinsley [3:50 PM] 
Blocked. Emotionally. Spiritually. Digitally. 

Dayton [3:51 PM] 
Text me when she’s home, Kinz. 

Kinsley [3:51 PM] 
Yeah yeah. 
Try not to dethrone your Little teacher before dinner. 

Dayton [3:52 PM] 
Talk later, tiny terror. 😘 

Her thumb hovered over the FaceTime app. Then she tapped into the group chat and hit call. 

Video Call Connects 

Sara’s face appeared first, relaxed against a pillow, curls glowing golden in the afternoon light. 
“Dayyyton,” she drawled. “No fires to put out today?” 

Chloe, half out of frame, raised her hand lazily. 
“Hi, Day.” 

Dayton didn’t waste time. Her face was already flushed. 
“We’ve got a Little teaching at my school.” 

Sara blinked. “Wait, what? Teaching?” 

“Unclaimed,” Dayton said. “Four inches. Standing on a platform. Talking to us like he’s in charge.” 

That got Chloe to sit up. 
“That’s… bold.” 

Dayton scowled. “He refused to call me Miss Harris. Just said my name like we were equals. Then had me pass out papers. Like. I. Was. His. Assistant.” 

Sara cringed. “Oof. That had to sting for you.” 

“I passed everything,” Dayton snapped. “Guardian evals. Licensing. All of it. I earned my place. I’ve trained with actual Littles. And this, this guy, walks in and pretends none of it matters?” 

Chloe’s tone was curious but careful. 
“Does he have a handler or guardian?” 

“Some temp aide. Cassie. Student teacher. But he’s technically unclaimed. Lives on campus housing. District’s just dragging their feet or something.” 

Sara leaned forward. “You thinking about filing a claim?” 

Dayton hesitated, then said quietly, “I could give him what he needs.” 

Sara tilted her head. “And what is that, exactly?” 

“Discipline,” Dayton said flatly. “He’s arrogant. Completely unsocialized. He still thinks he’s a person.” 

Chloe raised an eyebrow. “He is a person.” 

“He was,” Dayton shot back. “Now he’s a Little. He doesn’t even act like he understands what that means. I could help him. Train him. Teach him how to… exist properly.” 

Sara frowned. “Day. That’s a life you’re talking about. Not a project.” 

“I know what I’m doing,” Dayton said, crossing her arms. “He needs someone firm. Someone who doesn’t treat him like he’s still full-sized. If no one steps in, he’s going to get himself hurt.” 

“Is that really why you want to file?” Chloe asked quietly. “Because you care? Or because he embarrassed you?” 

Dayton didn’t look away. “Both.” 

Silence. 

Chloe’s voice was soft but cold: 
“So this isn’t about helping him. It’s about control.” 

“I’d treat him well,” Dayton said, jaw tight. “He’d have structure. A real home. A routine. And no more pretending he’s something he’s not.” 

Sara leaned back, arms crossed. “You sound like you’re talking about a possession, not a pet person.” 

“Maybe he’s somewhere in between,” Dayton said. “He acts like one of those strays that thinks it owns the neighborhood. But with the right handling? I could fix that.” 

Chloe looked straight at her. “And when he resists? When he still talks back?” 

Dayton’s eyes didn’t waver. “Then he learns. Like any pet.” 

Sara looked like she was about to say something, but Chloe spoke first. 

“You don’t train a Little like a dog. You don’t leash him just because he bruised your ego.” 

“I wouldn’t leash him to hurt him,” Dayton said. “But I’d leash him to remind him. Who’s the guardian. Who’s in charge.” 

Sara shook her head. “I’ve made mistakes Dayton. But my intentions were always on doing the right thing. What you’re talking about is not what being a guardian should be about.” 

“It is to me,” Dayton said. “And if no one else is willing to teach him his place, I will.” 

The screen went dark as Dayton ended the call first. She didn’t wait for Chloe or Sara’s approval. 

She stared at the reflection in the black screen. Imagined Rhys, his little voice silenced, his sharp shirts traded for something soft and manageable. A collar resting snug under his chin. 

She’d pet him gently, reward him when he behaved. Teach him commands. 

He’d fight her at first. Of course he would. But he’d learn.  

He’d learn who he belonged to. Who kept him safe. Who protected him. Who cared for him. Who provided him with a better home. A better life then most littles could dream of. She’d provide him with enrichment activities and education. She could take him along when she visits Thomas.  Thats not cruelty. That’s providing a better life within the confines with which are allowed. 

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