I OWN NOTHING.
What, exactly, were the dietary requirements of one extremely genetically unstable cat-fox abomination of nature? Danny didn't know. What were you supposed to do if said abomination of nature got sick? He didn't have a clue. How were you supposed to keep the abomination of nature secret from the PRT, therefore preventing its creator from going straight to the birdcage? Hell if he knew.
Long story short, the moment Danny Hebert returned from a shopping trip to find his daughter and his houseguest panicking, and a brown creature in between them, the only thing he knew was that he knew too little.
"First rule," Danny found himself saying to a sullen Taylor. "No more Pokémon, not until we can figure out some way to keep the Protectorate from arresting you."
Taylor kept quiet, but her eyes were flitting back and forth nervously.
"..It won't work." Lisa groaned. "She has an instinctual drive to create more Pokémon. It's like how Tinkers go mad if they aren't allowed to tinker." She rubbed her temples. "Great. That's just perfect."
'I don't feel like I have to now...' Taylor protested. Even Danny could tell she didn't fully believe her own words.
"That's because you're not used to it." Lisa said, before flinching a bit. "Ow… you should be itching to make a new Pokémon in a few days."
Danny sighed. "I still don't… ugh." He shook his head. When had his life gotten so complicated? "Could you at least make something that will keep out of sight? Or maybe something that looks like a normal animal at first glance?"
"Something that lived in the bay probably wouldn't attract too much attention either," Lisa spoke up, still rubbing her head. "Maybe something that lives underground?"
Taylor's brow furrowed. 'Those are all good ideas… or I could make a ghost type. It ought to be able to stay… out of… trouble.' She looked at Danny and Lisa, who were staring at her like she had just claimed to be able to kill an endbringer. 'What?'
"…'Ghost type'." Lisa breathed out. "Taylor, are you talking about actual, spirit from beyond the grave, ghosts?!"
Taylor looked like she was about to say something, stopped, then rubbed the back of her head. 'In some cases…?'
"Taylor, oh my god..." Lisa just shook her head. "Just… Oh my god."
Danny sighed. "Alright, let's nip this in the bud, we can cross that bridge when when we get to it. Right now we have another problem." He gestured to the Eevee sleeping on the couch in the other room. "What should we do with him? He wasn't exactly keen on the prospect of being cooped up in here forever."
'Well, he says that he can hide on his own, since he's done so for so long already, but I'm not so sure.' Taylor looked at Bob. 'What if becoming an Eevee changed him, so that he's more personable toward people? He wouldn't have approached a human as a fox, he wouldn't have realized that there wasn't any reason to fear them. But now...' She sighed. 'He knows that it's dangerous to be seen, but it isn't immediately dangerous.' She started breathing heavily. 'What if he forgets? What if he lets himself get spotted? He'll be taken to the PRT, and then he'll… he'll be...'
"Taylor, calm down," Danny gently put his hand on his daughter's back. He hadn't seen her this upset since…
Since…
God, he didn't even remember.
Taylor gave Danny a weak smile, spoiled by small droplets on her cheeks. 'Sorry, Dad. I think I… I need some time alone!'
And with that, Taylor had vanished.
For a few halting moments, Danny and Lisa stared at each other, before Lisa smiled. "Well? She's your daughter. Go to her."
Danny nodded. He barely hesitated before quietly sitting up and walking toward Taylor's room.
It was time to be a father again.
Taylor popped into her room and immediately curled up on her bed. She was crying. Why was she crying? Why was everything going wrong? She was supposed to be happy!
She had hoped that becoming Mew would make her stronger, make it so that she would never have to feel helpless again. She was strong now, she had powers! She was cheerfulness incarnate! So why…?
Why did she suddenly feel more helpless than ever?
There was a knocking at her door. "Taylor, can I come in?"
Her dad.
She didn't say anything.
"I'm coming in."
She still didn't say anything as the door creaked open.
She felt a rough, but gentle hand on her back. "Taylor, what's wrong?"
'Everything.' She mumbled.
"Oh come on, it can't be that bad, right?"
'Isn't it?' Taylor asked him. 'I messed up, dad. I could have put you and Lisa in danger! I acted without thinking, and it could get me… I could go to the B-Birdcage!' She sniffled a bit. 'And it's all because I was an idiot who forgot that biotinkers are treated like… like...'
Now he was hugging her. "Taylor… is that really the reason you're so upset?"
Taylor stopped to think. Was that the reason she was so upset? Sure, she was beating herself up over her mistake, but that wasn't why she felt so… so…
'I feel so helpless.' She whispered. 'Before I got my powers, those b-b-bullies kept putting me down. Kept making me feel like I was worth nothing. I tried everything, dad! I tried telling them to stop, I tried avoiding them, I tried telling the teachers. Nothing worked, nothing ever got any better, and they just kept getting worse and worse. It started out with jeers and teasing. Then came the pranks, like spitballs and pencil shavings.' She sniffed, then continued. 'Then they got worse. Much worse. Madison's pranks started having an effect on my grade, because she kept ruining or outright stealing homework, Sophia started getting...really physical, and Emma… she started using all of the secrets we shared to hurt me, to humiliate me, and I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING!'
She sobbed for a few minutes before continuing. 'And just when I thought they couldn't fall any lower, they did the goshdarn locker!' She sobbed. 'It was so cramped, Dad. I could feel bugs crawling all over me. I thought I'd never get out. Then Arceus appeared, and… and I...' She choked up.
"It's okay, Taylor," Danny whispered. "Let it all out."
That caused something to break in Taylor and she turned around and buried her head in her father's shoulder, sobbing furiously. 'I thought I wouldn't have to be helpless anymore Dad! I thought I would be strong. Then today happens and I… I…' She let out a wail.
"Shh, it's okay, I'm here." Danny cradled her gently. "I won't leave you, Taylor. I won't leave you ever again, I promise."
I Know some people have complained about my author's notes, so I'll keep things brief this time.
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