The Roosevelt lunchroom was doing what it always did, which was pretending it wasn’t a zoo.
Trays clattered like cymbals. Chairs screeched. A hundred conversations rose and fell in overlapping waves, every laugh too loud because nobody wanted to be the quiet kid. Under the fluorescent lights, the air was a wrestling match of smells: over salted fries, industrial pizza, sour ketchup, and that weird citrus-cleaner note from the mop bucket that always made everything smell like “lemon” and “school” at the same time.
Typical.
Except it wasn’t.
The room had that storm before the storm buzz, the kind that made even the loud kids keep checking the doors like something might walk in. It wasn’t a fire drill. It wasn’t a fight.
It was a story. And everyone knew the story.
Nicole shoved her tray onto the table by the far window and dropped into her seat like her legs had finally filed a complaint.
“Okay,” she said, breathless. “I still can’t believe it.”
Hayden peeled the lid off her fruit cup with a vicious little snap. “You can’t believe it? I thought Mr. Rhys was going to pass out in real time.”
Hannah set her chocolate milk down carefully, like she didn’t trust her own hands not to shake. “Dayton didn’t just file on him,” she said, voice half awe, half horror. “She got him. Everyone is talking about it. Every class people were talking about what Dayton did.”
Nicole leaned in, elbows on the table, lowering her voice out of habit even though the entire cafeteria was already humming with it. “No, but like… I knew she was serious. I just didn’t think it would be today. And not like that.”
Hayden’s eyes widened as she dug her spoon into the fruit cup. “In class. With the door opening and those guys just walking in like it was normal.”
Hannah made a face. “It was not normal. They were… they had gear. Like real gear. They were ready for war.”
Nicole’s stomach tightened remembering it, even through the lunchtime noise. The way English had started like any other day, Dayton getting her things ready, half listening, half ready to bolt the second the bell rang. The way the hallway had shifted when the SEA showed up. Not cops. Not school safety. SEA.
Dark uniforms. Big guns, Hard faces. The kind of calm that didn’t belong in a middle school.
And the worst part was how the adults reacted.
Teachers didn’t argue. Office staff didn’t question. Administration fell into line, The whole building had leaned out of the way like the law was a physical object you could bump into.
“I saw Agent Flaunders,” Nicole whispered. “Like, actually. In the hallway.”
Hayden’s spoon paused mid air. “Same. He was talking like… like Rhys wasn’t even a person anymore. Like it was paperwork.”
Hannah swallowed. “He didn’t even argue much in class.”
Nicole’s brows knit. “That was the weirdest part. He just… stood there while they talked. Like his brain stopped working.”
Hayden snorted. “His brain didn’t stop working. His ego did.”
Hannah shot her a look, but her eyes flicked down to her tray anyway, like she didn’t fully disagree.
Nicole picked up a chip and crunched it, trying to anchor herself in something normal. Salt. Crunch. The dumb comfort of routine. “Do you think Dayton knew?” she asked, voice dropping. “Like… knew the SEA was going to show up today?”
Hayden didn’t answer right away, which was basically a confession for Hayden. She stared into her fruit cup like the grapes had clues.
Then she shook her head. “No,” she said, confident now. “Because if Dayton knew, she would’ve come to school looking like she was about to win a court case.”
Hannah blinked. “What does that mean.”
Hayden tilted her head, dead serious. “Her hair. Her makeup. Be so for real.”
Nicole’s mouth twitched. She knew exactly what Hayden meant.
Dayton’s hair that morning had been the kind of ponytail you did on instinct, not intention. Not messy cute. Just… fast. A little frizz at the edges, a couple strands escaping like they’d been allowed to live. Her mascara had been there, but minimal. Her concealer blended like she’d done it in thirty seconds with one hand while grabbing her backpack with the other.
Rolled out of bed energy.
“If she knew the SEA was coming,” Hayden continued, lowering her voice like this was sacred logic, “she would’ve shown up put together. Like, slick pony. Cute hoodie. Lip gloss. The whole ‘don’t mess with me’ face. She would’ve planned the vibe.”
Hannah’s brows pinched. “You think Dayton plans vibes?”
Hayden stared at her. “Hannah. She’s Dayton.”
Nicole let out a soft laugh, then sobered. “So you think she didn’t know.”
“I think she knew something was coming,” Hayden said. “But not today. Not in English. Because she looked like she woke up and chose violence by accident.”
Hannah’s voice went quieter. “If she didn’t know and it still happened… that’s worse.”
Nicole glanced toward the cafeteria doors, remembering the way the room had gone silent the second the agents stepped in. “Either way,” she whispered, “Dayton didn’t blink.”
Hayden nodded once, eyes fixed on the doors too. “And he couldn’t even look at her.”
Nicole’s mind flashed to the way Mr. Rhys had always looked at Dayton before. Not cruel. Not openly mean. Worse than mean.
Intentional.
Mr. Rhys had never graded Dayton unfairly. Nobody could accuse him of that. He was too careful. Too correct.
But he graded her like she was the only one in the room who had to be perfect.
Sixth grade, he’d circle a tiny formatting mistake on Dayton’s essay and dock her a point, while a kid across the room got a “good job!” and a soft pass for the same thing. Seventh grade, he’d call on Dayton when she didn’t raise her hand, just to make her work for it anyway. Eighth grade, it had only gotten tighter, harder, like he was determined to sand her down into whatever shape he believed a “good student” should be.
And he never did it to the kids who could get him in trouble.
He did it to Dayton.
Everyone saw it. Everyone knew.
Nobody said anything.
Because the one time Hannah tried to speak up for Dayton, Mr. Rhys turned his gaze onto her like a laser and pulled her into a discussion she hadn’t asked for, the kind that made you feel like you were naked in front of the class. The one time Hayden made a joke to break the tension, he calmly made her answer the hardest question in the room, then corrected her in that polite slicing tone that made you want to disappear. Nicole had learned fast. Don’t volunteer. Don’t intervene. Don’t become the next lesson.
That was the truth nobody liked to say out loud.
They’d let Dayton take it because Dayton could take it.
And because they didn’t want it aimed at them.
Nicole’s eyes tracked automatically toward the cafeteria doors.
Her chip stopped halfway to her mouth.
“Oh my god,” she whispered. “She’s here.”
Hayden and Hannah turned at the same time.
It was impossible to miss Dayton Harris.
Not because she was loud. Dayton wasn’t loud. Dayton was worse than loud. Dayton was controlled.
She walked through the entrance like she had a plan and the world was just a hallway on the way to it. Back straight. Gaze level. Tray balanced in one hand like it weighed nothing.
And in her other hand, nestled in her palm, was Ezra Rhys.
Except… not Ezra Rhys.
Not the version their brains kept trying to summon.
He was tiny. Four inches of teacher reduced to something that sat inside a girl’s grip. A glittering collar hugged his throat, and a little charm on it made the faintest jingle when Dayton shifted her hand. The sound was soft, almost cute, which made it worse. Like the universe was laughing.
Hayden’s voice dropped to a breath. “Is she seriously holding him like that?”
Nicole couldn’t look away. “Like he’s a phone.”
Hannah blinked hard. “He looks smaller. I swear he was taller yesterday.”
“He was taller yesterday,” Hayden muttered. “Because yesterday he was like… a person or person like.”
Dayton didn’t glance around. She didn’t scan for reactions. She didn’t need to. The cafeteria reacted to her anyway.
A group near the entrance went quiet as she passed. A seventh grader in the line shifted aside without being asked, eyes wide, like Dayton had suddenly become something official and slightly dangerous.
Nicole felt her stomach flip when she saw it.
The way people moved around Dayton now.
The way nobody wanted to bump her.
Not because Dayton was scary in the normal sense. Because Dayton had the law tucked into her palm.
Hannah’s eyes flicked to the charm again. “That collar bell thing is… ugh.”
“It’s not a bell,” Nicole whispered automatically, even though she hated herself for knowing. “It’s a charm. They’re popular.”
“It’s a collar charm, Nicole,” Hayden said, wrinkling her nose. “It jingles so people don’t step on him. Like he’s a tiny cat.”
Hannah shivered. “I hate that. It makes it sound like he’s helpless.”
Nicole watched Dayton move through the line, watched her choose food without hesitation, watched her stop at the Little supply station like it was just another part of lunch.
“He kind of is helpless,” Nicole said quietly. “Did you see him when the SEA agents were talking? He couldn’t do anything. Dayton was doing the talking. Dayton was holding him. Dayton was…” She trailed off, because finishing that sentence felt too real.
Hayden tilted her head, voice lower now. “Do you think she’s going to be strict with him? Like Guardian strict?”
“She has to be,” Hannah said, serious. “That’s literally what they told us in that Guardian and Little unit we have to take now. If you’re not consistent, people think you’re weak.”
Hayden smiled, unbothered. “That’s why I have my note buddy. I review everything at the end of the week.”
Nicole snorted. “Your note buddy is just Hannah.”
Hannah’s cheeks flushed. “It’s not just me.”
“It’s totally you,” Hayden said, grinning.
Dayton reached the register.
Nicole watched the lunch lady scan the tray, then pause at the small navy bowl clipped to the side. A blink. A hesitation. Then the worker nodded like she’d been trained to do this without comment.
Dayton tapped her wristband.
The screen lit up in blocky glowing letters:
GUARDIAN DISCOUNT APPLIED
Nicole sat back hard. “Whoa.”
Hayden’s eyes widened. “Okay… now it’s real.”
Hannah’s voice went tight. “She’s coming over.”
Nicole’s heart jumped. She didn’t know why. Dayton was her friend. Dayton was her friend.
But also Dayton was walking across the cafeteria with a Little in her palm and a discount code on her wrist and a whole building full of kids watching her like she’d become a different category of person overnight.
“Act normal,” Hannah whispered.
Nicole let out a tiny laugh that sounded more like a breath. “Define normal.”
The three of them straightened anyway, the way you did when a teacher approached, except this time the teacher was the one sitting obediently in a little sit in Dayton’s hand.
Ezra didn’t move. Knees tight. Hands neat. Posture perfect.
Not because Dayton asked or even that he wanted to, but because annoyingly Dayton was right. He wasn’t bounced around as much as it helped lower his center of gravity. All those mornings of feeling sick with Cassie carrying him could have been avoided.
Above him, Dayton’s expression was calm.
Unhurried.
Unapologetic.
And the cafeteria, loud as it was, seemed to hold its breath as she crossed the final stretch toward their table, like everyone was waiting to see what the new shape of the world looked like up close.
“That’s literally what they told us in that Guardian and Little unit we have to take now. If you’re not consistent, people think you’re weak”
gross lol guess it’s okay if it’s approved indoctrination. Maybe Ezra would have been fine if the SEA signed off on his message 😀
I worry for Hannah. She seems like a critical thinker and is probably more in the center of what a Little should be considered, to me at least, so Ezra’s messages probably gave her more to consider about the whole situation. might get her into trouble
This is probably more philosophical but Is it really indoctrination if its just the law of your country. Like i dont think of north koreans as indoctrinated even if I dont believe in the laws, thoughts and beliefs of Kim jung un and those who support him. I’m just opposed to those beliefs.
But it doesnt make them indoctrinated or wrong per say just becasue they are different then my american values.
I’d say it’s closer to it than it is further away from it. To me the laws and enforcement of them are part of the process. If the people you govern can’t freely debate the laws without fear of repercussions or retaliation, eventually you find yourself with people not questioning them. Places like North Korea, Cuba, Iran (i know significantly less about Iran so that might be bad to include) can have different laws and customs, and it’s fine and though i don’t beleive them either, I can recognize that it’s their belief system. Where it crosses the line is when to question the state makes you the enemy of the state. Not referring to directly to what Ezra was doing since I think it’s a fair argument to say that you shouldn’t be having those discussions with minors, but had he been having a debate in a college course, odds are the SEA would still step in if it were reported and handle it the same way in order to reinforce their teachings.
That’s why I worry for Hannah. That collar’s gotta be recording and broadcasting to the SEA, and if she shows any signs that Ezra’s teaching were effective, they’d probably have to step in again in some capacity because she’s proof that there’s a possibility that a strong enough message and messanger can challenge the governmets teachings.
Are we going to see the Guardian and Little unit they’re referring to in any of these?
1) “No, but like… I knew she was serious. I just didn’t think it would be today. And not like that.” no I can’t imagine anyone thought armed troops would be how it happened.
2) “And the worst part was how the adults reacted. Teachers didn’t argue. Office staff didn’t question. Administration fell into line, The whole building had leaned out of the way like the law was a physical object you could bump into.” Yes the school staff reacted to SEA the way other students react to Dayton, both wanting to avoid consequences.
3) “That was the weirdest part. He just… stood there while they talked. Like his brain stopped working.” – “His brain didn’t stop working. His ego did.” he was scared, you all were but him most of all, because he knew they were there for him.
4) “Do you think Dayton knew? Like… knew the SEA was going to show up today?” the only clue that supports that was her having the collar on her already, but I suspect she’d had that on hoe foe weeks now
5) “No, because if Dayton knew, she would’ve come to school looking like she was about to win a court case.” Dayton would absolutely have dressed for the occasion had she known it was coming. Probably bought a new outfit special.
6) “You think Dayton plans vibes?” a girl with her ego? Yes, absolutely.
7) “Because she looked like she woke up and chose violence by accident.” like she’d forgotten she already chose violence.
8) “Sixth grade, he’d circle a tiny formatting mistake on Dayton’s essay and dock her a point, while a kid across the room got a “good job!” and a soft pass for the same thing.” That IS grading her unfairly, being softer on other students but not her isn’t fair.
Ironically I think a similar thing happened to Ezra, all teachers bring their political views into class, but Ezra was the only one punished for it.
9) “And he never did it to the kids who could get him in trouble. He did it to Dayton” Dayton did get him in trouble, worse trouble than any of the other students.
10) “That was the truth nobody liked to say out loud. They’d let Dayton take it because Dayton could take it.” It’s good that Dayton could take it given she also dishes it out.
11) “And in her other hand, nestled in her palm, was Ezra Rhys. Except… not Ezra Rhys.” That’s right, it’s Ezra Harris.
12) “He looks smaller. I swear he was taller yesterday.” “He was taller yesterday. Because yesterday he was like… a person.” he was and still is a person, but yesterday he was still being treated like one.
13) “The way people moved around Dayton now. The way nobody wanted to bump her. Not because Dayton was scary in the normal sense. Because Dayton had the law tucked into her palm.” They are scared of Dayton, scared of the girl who legally had armed thugs come into the school so she could get her way, take her revenge.
14) “It’s not a bell,” Nicole whispered automatically, even though she hated herself for knowing. “It’s a charm. They’re popular.” Nicole disapproving of the demeaning decorations is good, wonder if she’ll voice that to Dayton’s face
15) . “It jingles so people don’t step on him. Like he’s a tiny cat” – “I hate that. It makes it sound like he’s helpless.” The government wants everyone to see littles as helpless, so that when they perform cruelty under the guise of “helping” people fall for it
16) “He kind of is helpless. Did you see him when the SEA agents were talking? He couldn’t do anything. Dayton was doing the talking.” That’s because the SEA wouldn’t have listened to him if he did speak, Dayton was talking because she was the one they addressed.
17) “Do you think she’s going to be strict with him? Like Guardian strict?” yes, more so than she has to be. Above all else Dayton is doing this for revenge and being extra strict is the kind of revenge none would look twice at.
18) “That’s literally what they told us in that Guardian and Little unit we have to take now. If you’re not consistent, people think you’re weak.” inconsistency can be seen as a weakness, but so can inflexibility. Consistency is only good, if the thing she’s Consistent about is a good thing. “Consistently bad” is worse than “inconsistent but generally ok”
19) “GUARDIAN DISCOUNT APPLIED” out of curiosity, would Nicole also get a guardian discount, even though Kinsley isn’t her? Or does it only apply when Guardians are actively being Guardians and buying food for their Littles?
20) “Act normal,” “Define normal.” unfortunately for some Normal is about to be redefined for the people at that table, especially Ezra.
21) “Annoyingly Dayton was right. He wasn’t bounced around as much as it helped lower his center of gravity. All those mornings of feeling sick with Cassie carrying him could have been avoided.” I feel like the little sit is designed more to humiliate than help, it puts Littles in an uncomfortable, humiliating position, kneeling before the humans. Any benefits are an after thought or placebo
21) I can see that. Kelli seems to get by fine without it. It’s hard to say with Jordan since Sara probably is so good at moving with a little that he doesn’t need to on top of him using her hair when he rides on her shoulder for support.
though on the flip side, knowing how to brace your core and maintain balance isn’t 100% exclusive to littles. like anything you’d stand on while in motion without a harness you kinda need to do, just in the case of a little, it’s a daily thing.
Kelli has commented several times about how much she is bounced around Kayla’s hand and even commented the on the differences between being held by Sara then Kayla.
Kelli like Ezra can put up with being bounced around in the hand just like a person can put up with being bounced around as they drive down a bumpy road. But the preference would be not be bounced around wildly be it in a hand or a car.
But i do agree with your point that core and maintaining balance isnt exclusive to littles but it is more important do to their size and environment.
18) Spot on!
1) “No, but like… I knew she was serious. I just didn’t think it would be today. And not like that.” no I can’t imagine anyone thought armed troops would be how it happened.
Answer: Agree, i cant imagine anyone would have thought that would be the outcome of the incident
2) “And the worst part was how the adults reacted. Teachers didn’t argue. Office staff didn’t question. Administration fell into line, The whole building had leaned out of the way like the law was a physical object you could bump into.” Yes the school staff reacted to SEA the way other students react to Dayton, both wanting to avoid consequences.
Answer: The reactions to the SEA were valid. I mean they are basically an armed branch of the federal government. A enforcement and legal branch similar to the FBI and CIA. I’m not sure what the australian equivilent would be to the FBI and CIA. But SEA is of similar authority and governence when it comes to all little and guardian related issues. So people generally treat them similarly where if you encounter the FBI or CIA its best to stop talking and just listen and obey.
They probably do look at Dayton similarly but dayton is also popular at the school. So that also factors in. People generally are more willing to listen and fall in line to popular kids then they would be if she was a nobody. They are also familar with her Sara Reeves and Chloe Gracewood connections.
3) “That was the weirdest part. He just… stood there while they talked. Like his brain stopped working.” – “His brain didn’t stop working. His ego did.” he was scared, you all were but him most of all, because he knew they were there for him.
Answer: I would be scared. I would have acted the same way. As its not like the police showing up which is still scary in some ways but when the government shows up you know its business time. As they have the power to just delete you. Tuck you away to some pocket or hole on the map and be forgotten.
4) “Do you think Dayton knew? Like… knew the SEA was going to show up today?” the only clue that supports that was her having the collar on her already, but I suspect she’d had that on hoe foe weeks now
Answer: She did have the collar packed in her bag for awhile as she was unsure when it would occur. She wanted to be prepared.
5) “No, because if Dayton knew, she would’ve come to school looking like she was about to win a court case.” Dayton would absolutely have dressed for the occasion had she known it was coming. Probably bought a new outfit special.
Answer: She would have dressed up nicely thats for sure. She woudl have asked for a new outfit whether her mom would have bought one is a different story.
6) “You think Dayton plans vibes?” a girl with her ego? Yes, absolutely.
Answer: We are in lockstep on this one.
7) “Because she looked like she woke up and chose violence by accident.” like she’d forgotten she already chose violence.
Answer: Dayton? sweet innocent little Dayton?
8) “Sixth grade, he’d circle a tiny formatting mistake on Dayton’s essay and dock her a point, while a kid across the room got a “good job!” and a soft pass for the same thing.” That IS grading her unfairly, being softer on other students but not her isn’t fair.
Ironically I think a similar thing happened to Ezra, all teachers bring their political views into class, but Ezra was the only one punished for it.
Answer: Yeah, when I think about it more you are right. It would be unfair. Although harder to prove that you are being graded unfairly as it would be in subjective areas where I feel like a teacher if called out could probably bs there way into an answer.
I do think other teachers will insert political views into things but its more subtle and not so much each lesson plan is designed around proving a wrongness and blatantly calling out the government. They also atleast in my expierence do present the other side atleast. If for no other reason more of a comparison sake. Where Ezra more was doing daily ted talks that were were argumentative or persuasive speeches. Atleast thats how i differentiate the two points.
9) “And he never did it to the kids who could get him in trouble. He did it to Dayton” Dayton did get him in trouble, worse trouble than any of the other students.
Answer: In the end yes but it took basically all of 6th grade, 7th grade and part of 8th grade. I really do think his downfall was no collar. If he had done everyhting the same and wore a collar the odds of this playing out the same way are more slimmer.
10) “That was the truth nobody liked to say out loud. They’d let Dayton take it because Dayton could take it.” It’s good that Dayton could take it given she also dishes it out.
Answer: Credit where credit is do. I do like when people who dish it out can also take it. Dayton didnt complain she worked within the system and tools available to correct it. Whether people like or think the legal action is correct is another story but she did handle it responsibly in my opinion as she followed the laws and rules. She didnt just yell, complain and be a brat about it.
11) “And in her other hand, nestled in her palm, was Ezra Rhys. Except… not Ezra Rhys.” That’s right, it’s Ezra Harris.
Answer: Lol Probably your favorite harris.
12) “He looks smaller. I swear he was taller yesterday.” “He was taller yesterday. Because yesterday he was like… a person.” he was and still is a person, but yesterday he was still being treated like one.
Answer: Plus the podium, speakers, the microphone, his setup, and such portrayed him as a larger figure. kind of like the wizard of oz. Now with all that removed. They are seeing him for just what he is. A little.
13) “The way people moved around Dayton now. The way nobody wanted to bump her. Not because Dayton was scary in the normal sense. Because Dayton had the law tucked into her palm.” They are scared of Dayton, scared of the girl who legally had armed thugs come into the school so she could get her way, take her revenge.
Answer: Girls that age are either mean as hell or sweet as candy. Many grown adults are scared of middle school girls. they will verbally cut you down like no other. So its understandable. I would be afraid of anyone who basically has the gracewoods on speed dial. Not to mention the gracewoods and the montogomery-wards.
14) “It’s not a bell,” Nicole whispered automatically, even though she hated herself for knowing. “It’s a charm. They’re popular.” Nicole disapproving of the demeaning decorations is good, wonder if she’ll voice that to Dayton’s face
Answer: Well she doesnt like them at the very least. But depending on how they are used or presented she may feel differently. Like if Kinsley picked out some she liked and put them on to make the collar feel more like a necklace then a collar. She would probably be more open.
15) . “It jingles so people don’t step on him. Like he’s a tiny cat” – “I hate that. It makes it sound like he’s helpless.” The government wants everyone to see littles as helpless, so that when they perform cruelty under the guise of “helping” people fall for it
Answer: The government does fully know what its doing. It has good marketing teams. That is literally the idea behind it. They want the appearance of invalid status in regards tothe littles.
16) “He kind of is helpless. Did you see him when the SEA agents were talking? He couldn’t do anything. Dayton was doing the talking.” That’s because the SEA wouldn’t have listened to him if he did speak, Dayton was talking because she was the one they addressed.
Answer: that is true, but sometimes appearance means everything. They were talking with Dayton and not with Ezra. So perceptionally it makes him look meeker and without authority.
17) “Do you think she’s going to be strict with him? Like Guardian strict?” yes, more so than she has to be. Above all else Dayton is doing this for revenge and being extra strict is the kind of revenge none would look twice at.
Answer: We will see if you are correct. Your theory is as pluasible as any other. Although eye of the beholder will certainly come into play as well. As people tend to view actions and statements differently. I doubt Dayton could legitimately do much to change your view of her actions.
18) “That’s literally what they told us in that Guardian and Little unit we have to take now. If you’re not consistent, people think you’re weak.” inconsistency can be seen as a weakness, but so can inflexibility. Consistency is only good, if the thing she’s Consistent about is a good thing. “Consistently bad” is worse than “inconsistent but generally ok”
Answer: Well good and bad is perspective though. As the actions based on their world we’re good that Dayton took. She saw illegal acts and reported them. YOu could argue she was rewarded by getting Ezra as a little but even that is not all that different hten seeing a crime only reporting the indvidual who did it because a cash reward was offered. Reporting the crime was right thing regardless of it was done for the reward or because it was the right thing to do. You can argue it would be better to do it becuase a illegal act was committed even if no reward was offered. But nonethless reporting an illegal action is still a good thing.
I think this is where you and I differ. As you view it as a slight because she is doing it for ulterior motives in she didnt like Ezra. Where that trumps the fact what he was doing is viewed as illegal in this world. Even if you and I believe what he was saying wasn’t wrong and not wearing a collar shouldnt be a crime. It doesnt change the fact he was making seditious acts to minors as a teacher, was illegally not wearing a colllar both of which are illegal in this world laws. So she was acting justly and appropriately.
19) “GUARDIAN DISCOUNT APPLIED” out of curiosity, would Nicole also get a guardian discount, even though Kinsley isn’t her? Or does it only apply when Guardians are actively being Guardians and buying food for their Littles?
Nicole does get the discount as she is an active guardian. She could bring kinsley to school if she wanted. Kinsley just doesnt normally come. But the discount at school applies to her. It only applied to dayton today because she just got her little. SO while she was a guardian she wasnt an active guardian. Active meaning assigned a little legally. She couldnt just bring kinsley to school herself and get the discount as she isnt Kinsley’s legal guardian.
20) “Act normal,” “Define normal.” unfortunately for some Normal is about to be redefined for the people at that table, especially Ezra.
ANSWer: Ezra will probaby still be annoyed as normal for a group of 13 year olds is way different then normal for grown adult in there late 20’s to 50.
21) “Annoyingly Dayton was right. He wasn’t bounced around as much as it helped lower his center of gravity. All those mornings of feeling sick with Cassie carrying him could have been avoided.” I feel like the little sit is designed more to humiliate than help, it puts Littles in an uncomfortable, humiliating position, kneeling before the humans. Any benefits are an after thought or placebo
ANSWER: Well it does help with the balance. The little sit is like a weapon. A weapon can be used to harm, it can be used to defend, it can kill someone. It just depends on the person as to if its good or bad. Little sit does have practical purposes as demonstrated but can also be used more like Cindy prefers it to be used.
It actually a modified version of hindu pose used for prayer called Vajrasana Namaste. That the lore behidn where i got the little sit. I slightly modified it to make it my own but that is the origin behind it. I wouldnt say its intent is meant to be uncomfortable.
18). I think you missed the point. At least the way I read Lethal’s comment. He was saying consistency is not always a good thing. Being consistently wrong is not a good thing. I’m not saying Dayton or anyone else is wrong here, just making a point.
Right, I was more extrapolating the point Lethal doesnt think dayton is good though or consistently anything but bad. As from his point of view her actions weren’t just. Which is completely fair. That She reported Ezra solely because she wanted revenge.
Her treatment of Jordan is another point of consistently bad behavior which makes her a bad person in his view. So she would be consistently bad.
I was pointing out that whether you view what she did as consistently good or bad depends upon how you view the actions. Are you veiwing them within the confines of what is just and lawful within the world, culture, and values of that civilization or are you viewing them based on your own world views and morality.
So her actions could be viewed as consistently good based on the world view of littles and the laws that govern them Even if you are philospohically opposed to them.
However a person could also look at it based on solely there own views and beliefs and judge her based on that.
Neither is inherently wrong. But its fun to bring up the counterpoints with lethal. As it makes for a more interesting discussion then just agreeing for every answer
2) That’s another good point, The teachers reacted the way they legally have to, Dayton is a big supporter of these laws after all.
I do like the implications that part of Dayton’s clout came from name-dropping Sara and Chloe
3) Can’t blame him at all for being scared.
8) Harder to prove, but clearly they knew what was happening.
Levels of subtlety do Vary, as does acknowledgement of the alternative views.
It also doesn’t help that Ezra’s was the unpopular point of view. I went to school before same sex marriage was legalised here, and I’d regularly hear teachers shit talking the government about it, telling us as children that it should be legal and the government is wrong for not making it so None of them ever had to worry about their jobs. I think that’s about the same as what Ezra was doing, and what got him fired, I assume most teachers in this world would be similarly imperfect, all be it about different political takes.
9) And if the administration hadn’t lied to him about not needing one, and just gotten him even a cheap one, he would have been fine.
10) I do still want to see her endure more of what she’s done to others though, after a false accusation, I don’t believe what Ezra did to Dayton equates enough to count as karma for what Dayton did to Jordan..
11) Actually, yeah, I hadn’t thought about it like that.
12) Probably doesn’t help that he’s sitting instead of standing.
13) Agreed, though in my experience, the sweet as candy Girls are just pretending based on who’s watching.
14) I could see Nicole taking Kinsley to LittleMart to pick out charms, that’d be so damn cute. But yes, consent matters
16) They wanted his students to see him not being addressed, him spoken about, but not with.
17) Strictness is subjective and situational, even in the text they imply a difference between “strict” and “guardian strict”
There are things she could do to make up for her actions. I’m not sure specifically what they are, I may need to think about them, but you’re right, she’s burned bridges.
18) Very true. She could think she’s being consistently good, while he thinks she’s inconsistently bad.
I understand that what she did in this world is considered lawful and what he and the school were doing was illegal, and he was given to her as what could be looked at as a reward. I disagree with the law and criticise it, but I understand it well enough, I think.
Dayton’s “ulterior” motive was her main one, though, you said so yourself, if Ezra had just submitted to and obeyed her, she would have turned a blind eye and continued to let him break all the laws she’s now pretending are so important to her, him telling her ‘no’ was the only reason she set any of this into. I know that SEA wouldn’t know that, and therefore, it wouldn’t go into their decision-making process.
20) That’s what I mean, though, his normal is about to change far more than theirs
21) The idea of it being based on a prayer position makes it seem like they want Guardians viewed as gods by the Littles. But it looks to me like a position you’d put a child in a time-out to discipline then, because of the discomfort of it not being how they naturally sit
7) she is now giant little mom to him that he has to live by her mood
15) I hate to say it, but they are almost helpless. bugs, animals, cold & heat, humans from a baby up, most food outside human house all can kill them
Almost forgot to mention the size of the water bottles in the graphic. They seem to be rather large 😛
I was being lazy the set i was using only had these 1 liter water bottles modeled and my the 20oz water bottles are in a different folder in my props folder. But i didnt feel liek hunting for it.
i think so far, DAYTON is doing a good job with a little with a attitude. I must admit I’m byes because I’m a rule follower like Dayton lol
Dayton, a rule follower?
The same girl who threatened Jordan with false accusations so she could abuse him with impunity?
The sane girl who lied to her babysitter’s face about abusing her Little?
The same girl who immediately after being told off for the aforementioned rule breaking threatened Jordan again?
You’re joking, mate!
Well she is following the rules. They may not be the best rules but they are the rules her country has put forth.
So Dayton was told not to lie? And wasn’t told Sara was in charge of her?
I know for a fact Sara set the ruke of “be gentle with him” for when Dayton interacts with Jordan, which she broke
I more meant rules in general of the world. Dayton knew sara was in charge of her.
she did break some of Sara’s rules but I dont know of a kid who followed everyrule
While I wouldn’t call her a paragon or anything. I do think you judge her quite harshly over an issue that could be considered a small part of her character and not the entirety of who she is. Considering the two main issues encapsulate all of maybe 6 hours out of the 1044000 hours she has been alive.
It would be interesting to learn about the relationship between Jordan and Dayton, and how Jordan went about their first Christmas, which he agreed to attend after being coaxed by Sarah, Ellie, and Chloe. He did buy Dayton a gift, which could have changed her attitude toward him. After all, she’s still a child, albeit an extremely advanced one—beyond her years. 🙂 Besides, Asuka said that Dayton changed after training; she now admires the Little Ones—a direct quote from the author. 🙂 I think she sincerely apologized to Jordan for those incidents, and he, as an adult, accepted her apology, because he understands that she, Sarah, Chloe, and Ellie are still children, teenagers, and, hell, just people—and people make mistakes. The main thing is to admit your mistakes and draw conclusions from them, learn, and correct them.
you have a point lol, but I am thinking of post Jordan/Sara Dayton, because she seems like two different people.
It’s interesting to hear the thoughts of Dayton’s friends in response to what she did with Ezra, and even though they’ve interacted with him a little, the awkwardness can still be felt from everyone involved. I am interested in seeing how Ezra will settle into Dayton’s life.
Also, the way Nicole and company talk about Dayton makes her feel like Darkseid from DC comics.
I do think it woudl be awkward to have your teacher basically being cared for by your best friend. That would always take time to get used too.
her glasses giver her the eye beams lol.