Chapter 50

Hayden slept uneasily that night, despite the familiar conditions of home and Eleanor's company. Maybe that came from the extra space since last time—her parents had knocked down a wall, expanding the room to twice its previous, closet-like dimensions.

That meant enough space for a bunk bed, a wardrobe, and an actual desk. All were secondhand of course, but covered in a fresh coat of pink and blue paint. She even recognized her sister's handiwork in the little cat designs.

But for all that, Hayden found herself sleeping fitfully, rolling from side to side every few seconds.

"Are you fighting someone up there?" Eleanor groaned, some time after trying and failing to sleep. "I thought you were too young."

She was young enough that she didn't understand what Eleanor meant. But admitting it was more than she was willing. Instead, she tilted her head over the side, hanging there. Liz handled the gravity, so her hair didn't even hang out of place. "Sorry. You can take the top one if you want. I'm… I dunno if I'll get better."

Eleanor was on her back. Loch pooled into a pail beside the bed, something that definitely hadn't been there last time either. Had Eleanor asked for it, or someone realized the truth? "You come down. I know how Unity makes you think. You don't want to sleep alone."

Hayden drifted down over the edge, slipping her pillow under one arm. "There's not enough room."

Eleanor rolled her eyes. "Of course. However will two of the most talented shapeshifters on the planet possibly get comfortable under these conditions? Don't try that on me—you're even doing clothes now."

She felt a brief burst of wakefulness from her, a surge of concentration, and Eleanor shrank. She was still purple, her hair still damp-looking without getting the pillow wet. She landed on the edge, staring. "How did you do that? You can't make your normal form look different! That was like… the first thing Liz and I tried. When I was still trying to be a boy."

"You can't," Eleanor said, scooting to one side. "That's what makes us different. Mew are all… real. Your insides have to do inside things. Bones, organs, and veins and the smaller stuff inside it. It's so complicated." She leaned sideways, gripping Hayden's arm with two smaller hands. Without changing species, Eleanor had become the same size and age as the smallest transformation Hayden had yet mastered. But despite the changes to her voice, her mental faculties seemed unaffected.

"I don't have a 'real' form. Loch helped me understand. The more I learn, the less I need all those… weird guts and stuff. Why make it complicated?"

She slid backward, resting up against the basement window. "No matter how good you get, no matter how perfect and special you are, there's still a single you under it all. One Hayden, who gets older and different but that you can't change." She stuck her tongue out, grinning tiredly. "Loch and I have talked about it a lot since… a few days ago. Being you was… neat. But we're glad we're us."

Hayden settled down next to her, slipping under the sheets. Despite Eleanor's presence for at least an hour, it remained pleasantly cool to the touch, without a hint of where her sister had been. "Does that mean I'm not gonna… that when everyone says I shouldn't get attached to common pokémon, I don't have to worry about that with you? You're not gonna… waste away?"

Eleanor cleared her throat. "Didn't say you could hog the whole thing. Go on."

She might have trouble if she had any luck getting asleep. But fully alert, the process took no particular concentration from her. The temptation to just change so she wouldn't understand what bothered her anymore was certainly a strong one. But if anyone would be willing to listen to her worries, it was Eleanor. 

So she picked another mouse, though not one that filled her brain with fog. Her ears got big and bright red, and her tail got much shorter. So did she, enough that she didn't press Eleanor to the wall. "Better?"

"So long as you don't shock me." Eleanor eyed her cheeks, then her ears. "If you're asking whether ditto last as long as mythicals—no. But I've read about it. We don't get old, just… tired." She slid down into the spot beside Hayden, resting against her shoulder. "Don't ask me what it feels like, I'm new. But from what I read about, it just gets hard to be anything solid anymore. There's this like… cave. Not sure where. But it has an entrance so small that only something made of goop can get in. The oldest ones are all inside, warm and comfortable forever. Guess I can think of worse fates."

She closed her eyes as she said it, and seemed to… melt? Her arm started dripping down Hayden's shoulder, enough that the plusle stiffened, rolling sideways to make sure she was still there. 

That motion was enough to jerk Eleanor back to reality. Her arm snapped back to the proper length. "Sorry. I forget sometimes. You understand, but you… don't. You're solid."

She nodded. "Ditto are the one thing Mew House discourages me from being. Apparently it's easy to get lost, forget how to change back."

"Figures," Eleanor grumbled. "But you weren't keeping me up wondering about ditto."

It took her a long time to say anything. First she hesitated so Liz could tell her if Evelynn or her espeon were listening through the wall. But of course a mouse couldn't do that, so she eventually had to keep going anyway. "Family won't leave. They don't understand the danger. Think I'm… overreacting."

For once, Eleanor didn't laugh. "Oh."

"Yeah. Mom and Dad were always… stubborn. But I wish they weren't."

"So what are you gonna do? Put it in their heads while they're asleep? Mew are pretty good at that stuff."

Hayden stiffened, sitting up. "Never! They're my family!"

"And you know best," Eleanor continued, without hesitation. "They don't see the same world you do. But if you show them, they'll do the right thing. Common pokémon aren't dumb, they just need encouragement."

She slipped back under the covers, resting against the pillow. Using her powers to force them—could she even do that? Influencing emotions wasn't much harder than sending a thought. But emotions or her own thoughts were very different from making people think what she wanted. 

"It wouldn't be right," she finally said. "Even if I knew how. I don't."

Eleanor shrugged. "If that's true, then… when we leave, you should probably stop talking to them very much. Let your brother bring a letter back when he visits or something, but otherwise… you should start pretending like they don't exist."

"What?" The suggestion was far less evil-sounding than her first idea. Even so, she sat right up in bed, raising her voice a little. "Why?"

Eleanor took her hand in both of hers, squeezing gently. "If they won't protect themselves, that's the next best way. Your rivals and enemies don't want to waste effort and gold hurting random people. They want a way to get you. So think about it—you don't care about them, and there's no reason to hurt them."

She tapped against Hayden's head with two fingers, hard enough that she winced and pulled away. "Would be better if you actually didn't care. Lots of the worst people out there can read your thoughts. If they know to ask, they'll realize how much you care about your family, and they'll use it against you."

She slipped back into bed beside Hayden. "If you weren't betrothed to the most important bachelor in the world, no one would even care. Hopefully they don't know. Maybe by the time they do, you'll be able to convince them? Or use your powers. Either way keeps them safe."

She nodded weakly. "Or maybe I could just… send them forward in time, to when I'm already married. No one's gonna hurt them then, not with the future Eldest's anger waiting."

Eleanor giggled. "Sure, no problem. Just change into a mythical extinct pokémon you've never met and learn their powers without a teacher. Simple."

Hayden remained silent, unwilling to lie. Of the options before her, arranging for a time traveler to kidnap her family did seem like the least awful choice. They wouldn't do the right thing to protect themselves, so it was either wait for someone to hurt them, or…

"Simple," she whispered, finally closing her eyes. "Yeah. That's a good idea. I'll have to ask if they still take gold in the future. I know clothes look different. But my family are always good about making things in new styles."

If Eleanor even heard her, she made no sign.

The next day came, and Hayden went through the motions of trying on the new wardrobe, posing to get fitted for each piece. It felt unfair to compare the quality and appearance to the strange outfits Mew offered her. Even Shaymin House gave her spun silk instead of linen and cotton.

But what her parents made fit, with an indescribable quality she felt in every blouse, skirt, or pair of trousers. Each one had their mark stitched in around the collar or the waist, a family name truer than Mew or Shaymin. Whenever she was allowed to wear these, she would never be apart.

"We're particularly proud of these," Mother said, late in the afternoon. She held up a simple sundress in pink and white, undecorated except for a little lace. Granted, she'd never seen so many buttons and fasteners on one before. "Try it, sweetheart."

It was just the two of them in the little changing room. Her father sat just outside, making slight alterations to some of what she had already tried. Of course that meant an adjustable tail-hole for her greater unity, stitched into every garment. Her presence meant the shop was closed for a second day, curtains drawn to give her privacy. At least they understood the importance of keeping her visit private.

Hayden took it, and undid the zipper. "Is it the Sylveon ribbon you stitched onto the inside?"

Her mother shook her head once. "No. We did put a little something for you into each of these. Actually—there's a box we haven't shown you yet. Your father and I made you something for each eevee. Seeing as you're all of them now. But this is better. Try it." 

She flushed, leaning a little closer to her. "This doesn't… feel weird, does it? Making dresses for me."

Mom patted her shoulder again. "Eevees are all about adaptation, sweetheart. Change, growth, exploration. We already thought it might happen after you settled, if you ended up a Sylveon. But you should try it—this is special."

She slipped it on. By accident or observation, her parents had selected her favorite kind of outfit, simple and freeing when she flew without getting too restrictive or elaborate. Yet compared to some of the other things she tried, it almost seemed like a downgrade. The fabric was tough and durable rather than gentle, and the weight of so many buttons and extra fasteners and loops pulled it down. Not that it mattered much—she only kept gravity in the changing room to help with fitting. 

"You look disappointed. Don't worry, it's just a first version. We'll make corrections once you give us your feedback. We've never had a mew in the family before." 

Hayden spun around once, then grinned back at her reflection. It fit well—everything here did. But her parents hadn't been so particular about any other outfit. "Why this one?"

"Change," Mom instructed. "Bigger or smaller. Then you'll see."

Hayden nodded. Her tail curled around her leg again, cheeks flush with color. Her parents had invented some new kind of clothes for her, after she figured out how to do illusions? She took a little extra concentration, removing her imagination of clothes from her transformation this time.

Her choice was obvious—what other form could be more at home in this house? She got taller, her tail got shorter, and a ribbon appeared under one ear. The dress now stretched out from her chest, and didn't reach her knees. "Like this?"

"Perfect." Mom circled once around her. "So next time you're out on some adventure, hopefully not crawling through rotten fish, you can do this." She lifted the dress in front of her, exposing the buttons and layer of cloth on the inside. "There's more here. We can bring it out. Do the same for the waist, loosen these straps…"

It took a few seconds. But when she was done, the dress fit again. Hayden ran one hand down the front, a grin spreading across her face. "This is… amazing! I guess that's why it's so big?

"It's the most adjustable thing we've ever made," Mom agreed. "We used sizes from six to eighteen—that should cover any kind of pokémon you can imagine."

Hayden hugged her, squeezing with arms and ribbons both. "It's amazing! Thanks!"

"There's only the one in this order. But once you get back to us with your feedback, we can revise it. Try and pay attention to what parts you don't use and we can cut those out of the next version."

From the room over, the entry bell rang. Hayden stiffened, retreating towards the mirror. There's not supposed to be anyone here. She mouthed the question to her mom, saying nothing. The jolteon wouldn't need psychic powers to know what she was afraid of.

"I'm sorry sir, we're closed," her father said, voice as polite and professional as ever. "I must've forgotten to lock the door. Can you come back tomorrow?"

"I'm afraid not," someone said. The speaker wasn't that much older than she was, yet he spoke with incredible confidence, even while spitting in her father's face. "This is rather urgent. This is about your daughter."

Without a word, Mom stepped between her and the mirror, pushing Hayden until she was up against the wall. "Don't say anything," she whispered directly into Hayden's sensitive ears.

"We have a few, you'll have to be a bit more specific. Evelynn is upstairs, are you calling on her?"

Amused laughter answered. "An espeon? No, but you may have the right idea." Something metal clattered to the ground, crunching under the impact. That could only be one thing—the makeshift shrine to Hayden herself, where visitors made offerings to the “miracle child” of Sunyshore. "That one. She was inside your house a few minutes ago. Valiant here tells me there have been no spatial disruptions, so I must infer she is still here."

Someone growled, and the air suddenly felt warm. "Whoever you are, you need to leave."

The speaker laughed again, tone entirely unchanged. "It would be… unwise for your daemon to threaten my person. Do you know why?"

Something heavy smashed through the room. Wood crunched and clothes crumpled. 

"Ron!" Mom shot past her, emerging from the changing room. That opening let Hayden see exactly what had happened.

Someone had thrown her father across the shop, knocking over several racks of clothes on his way. Mom darted over to him, rushing to his side. All those clothes had done something good—they broke his fall. "Bastard! We're just tailors!"

"Yes, you are," he continued. "And isn't that an interesting profession. Cloth has this fascinating property when you heat it…" Then he raised his voice, shouting through the shop. "I know you're in here, mew! Keep hiding, and I won't let them out when it burns."

Light flashed, and the diffuse glow of sunlight soon had a nearer cousin, smoke, and bright orange flames.

Her whole family were upstairs! Almost everyone she cared about in the world, all in one place, ready to be murdered. 

She'd never transformed faster in her life. Hayden shrunk back down, changing her dress along with her this time. Something pink blue, with the traditional flower patterns on everything mew house made her wear. Too bad she couldn't change the braid back into place while she was at it.

She floated more than walked, shoving out of the changing room and into the burning shop. As it happened, the one waiting for her was already flying too.

He wore a strange, simple outfit, almost like a loose robe with the chest open and nothing visible underneath. It shimmered like silk, though the cloth was too thick to be any she'd ever seen. More like tiny fibers of metal, somehow stretched and woven together. And the pokémon beside him—bright yellow, with a pair of vibrant orange ears atop its head. He had them too, a matching set granted by Unity.

Smoke filled the room, clouding up against the ceiling and obscuring her view. "There she is. Miracle kitten from the rags." He held out one hand, expectant. "You are?"

"Hayden," she said. Without asking, Liz pushed away the smoke, surrounding her with a cloud of clear air. Julian's trick worked for more than just swimming, it seemed. "Of Shaymin House. Are you attacking our territory?"

He waved a dismissive hand, scattering something onto the ground at their feet. Little coins, reflecting gold in the firelight. "Accident, apologies." He inclined his head to her, in something that wasn't quite a bow. "I am Fae, of House—it's obvious." 

She stopped a few feet from him, glaring at the outstretched hand. Somewhere behind him, several eyes appeared on the steps. Feet moved, sloshing buckets of water, distant shouts for help. Hayden could only pray they kept out of sight a little longer, no matter how much of her new clothes burned. "Get out of my house."

His expression hardened. "Whether there is anything but ashes left behind when I leave… depends on you. Will you come with me?"

She glanced back through the flames, to where her parents cowered. They retreated through the shop towards the back.

"If I do, you don't hurt anyone else. Okay?"

"Agreed."