"We're sorry, ma'am, but do you mind coming over to talk with Leah? She won't tell me what's wrong, just that she wants to go home and refusing to go back to class."
Tina sighed. She figured as much. The trigger she gave was a rather mean one, but one Tina thought would work well for what she had planned. It made Leah lose the ability to read for a month, making her less capable of recognizing letters than a toddler. It was strange enough and noticeable enough for Leah to think something is wrong with her, but not as visible as an accident as to embarrass herself. Afterall, you'd notice pretty early on in high school that words no longer made sense. Leah probably panicked and went to the nurse soon after, taking into account her earlier actions and assuming they were connected. Not only that, but now Leah would need to rely on Tina to read for her, whether it's catch up work for missing school (because there's no way Leah's staying in school for the month), or reading her bedtime stories! Yep, those were the reasons. Totally not because Tina's afraid Leah might stumble across her list of triggers and completely expose her plan. Tina isn't so much of a scatterbrain that she easily loses track of such important, sensitive things. Tina double checks her pocket for the list anyways---just for good measure---and sighed in relief when it was where she put it.
She walked into the clinic, gave a wave to the nurse, and found Leah covering her head with one arm in a desperate attempt to hide the fact that she's sucking her thumb. She quickly signed away the release form for Leah, and helped her out of the school without any further questions. Leah seemed thankful that she wasn't brining anything up, enough that she actually stopped sucking her thumb.
They didn't say anything to each other until they were both in the car, and Leah let out a sigh of relief.
"Okay, *bunkin*, what's the problem?" Tina asked
"I can't read." She blurted out, blushing at the sheer bluntness of her confession.
"You can't read?"
"Words, they...they don't look like words anymore, just scribbles! I thought it was a fluke, but...every poster, every sigh, it all looks like gibberish!"
To her distress, Leah jabbed her thumb back into her mouth and began sucking again, groaning in embarrassment.
"Hmmm...you've also been sucking your thumb since last night."
Leah blushed brighter.
"I cant sawhp et eitha." She mumbled, blushing even brighter.
"Let me try something...would you like this *liquid turquoise* pacifier?" She asked as she presents the infantile object. Leah, though confused, finds herself removing her thumb, allowing Tina to plop it into her mouth. The trigger should make her want to use the pacifier at all times, but still able to take it out when she talks; there's only so much mumbling Tina can handle.
"Have you experienced anything else strange with your behavior, *bunkin*?"
"I...feel really clumsy. I kept dropping things all day. And I pooped myself last night without warning." Leah admitted, unnerved by her level of honesty, but grateful she can take the pacifier out to talk...right before putting it back in again with a groan.
"Well, I think I know what this is. It's rare, but I've seen it a few times. It's a disease that makes you regress in behavior and body control. You start to move and act like a toddler, and sometimes lose adult abilities. It's called *Horseshoe Sauce* disease." Tina explained. Leah's eyes widened.
"Wait, really? That sounds just like what I have!"
Tina couldn't conceal a smile. The trigger she used turned Leah into a gullible baby, making her believe anything she hears as fact for a short period of time. There's triggers that make it last longer, but Tina's not interested in damaging her step-daughter's ability to think.
"From what I've seen, the symptoms get worse over time. You might even need diapers for a bit. But I don't believe it's permanent. It should go away in a month." Tina could see in Leah's eyes that everything she said has been taken as truth. Good, step one complete.
"And if it doesn't?" Leah bites the end of her pacifier. Tina shrugs.
"Well, we'll deal with it when we get there. For now, though, it sounds like you might need a break from school."
Leah grumbled but nodded.
"If you say it gets worse, then yeah...besides the fact that I can't read, I don't want to start pooping my pants in the middle of class."
"Leave it to me. I'll let them know you're having a medical emergency, you just focus on getting better."
Leah let's out a sigh, not happy, but not upset.
"Thanks Tina. Ugh, this is so embarrassing. Everyone already treats me like a kid, now I'm going to act like one?"
"Again, we'll deal with it as it comes. And hey, you get a break from school! And even if you need help with doing catch up work, I can help you with the reading bits."
Leah's cheeks blushed at the prospect, realizing how dependent she'd have to be.
"I have a feeling you're going to like this much more than me." The teen deadpans, "I bet you're cheering right now, finally being able to treat me like a toddler."
Tina...frowns. Leah's entirely correct, but...is this really the right thing to do? She pushes her second thoughts away; she's come this far, and it's only for a month.
"How about this, we MAKE it fun? No one else has to know about your little problem, and you can just spend the month doing whatever you want. How's that sound?"
"You make it sound like being turned into a baby as freeing."
"I'm just saying look at the bright side."
"Fine, whatever. It's not like I have a choice."
"Attitude could use some work, but the spirits there."
"Can we just go home now?"
"Yeah, sure. Just try and relax, okay?"
The drive back was peaceful, and relatively silent. Tina feels her heart pounding in her chest, exhilarated. She did it, she got a month of Leah being a tot. She already turned in the forms for Leah's absence, and informed the daycare that she might need some time off. Now, all she had to do was get Leah to the house, and sprinkle in a couple other triggers.
Looking to her side, she realized the reason the car was silent: Leah had fallen asleep. Watching the usually angsty teen look so peaceful and cute with her pacifier made Tina want to take pictures. But more importantly, now's the perfect time to get started. That way, Leah will wake up with the new trigger in effect when they get home. She couldn't read her list at the moment, but she knew a couple on the top of her head she wanted to try, and decided to go with...