i’d be interested in hearing more about ammonia’s nanny and how she’s shaped her into who she is today 💜
DUDE I - no words. TALK ABOUT A GOOD QUESTION. My appreciation is immeasurable 😭💖 and I’m a psych student, so I hope you like detail!! This took so long because I just had so much fun thinking about it - I hope the wait can be forgiven 😅
First, you must know that Ammonia was not an only child - she was raised with three brothers, one of whom was her twin. Her father was their sole source of income and worked + travelled for said work nearly all of the time. Her mother did not work at all, and suffered from a myriad of mental health disorders that resulted in her very rarely leaving her bed (Perhaps this is why Ammonia does so many things with such great effort).
Ammonia’s nanny was an older woman that she only knew as ‘Nanny.’ She was a very traditional person who did not approve of many things - a mess, no matter how creative; a morbid book, no matter how educational; and a certain child’s feline energy and instincts. It wasn’t that Ammonia disliked most ‘little girl’ activities - she just preferred them her own way. A tea party picnic was better in the cemetery, because then the spirits of children could join in! - but Nanny rarely even took her outside at all.
Nanny was hired because Ammonia’s mother would not get up from her bed. Ammonia was around five at the time. She didn’t understand why Mama ignored them all so much then. Her older brother had school to finish, and her father had work. Her twin distracted himself from his anger with his toys. The youngest was a vulnerable toddler - and that was the deciding factor in hiring Nanny (Not that Ammonia was distraughtly anxious and didn’t understand a single second of it).
Ammonia noticed that Nanny favored her brothers, and then noticed that her brothers were not werecats. Her eldest brother was a Da Vinci, practicing telekinesis when he could, and as they aged, the other two would show such traits as well - but they did not pounce, or hiss, or scratch furniture (Othering her within her own home.)
She didn’t like Nanny. She would growl and claw and cry and beg for her mother, but Mama ‘wasn’t to be bothered’ and Nanny did not have the patience or compassion Ammonia needed. When attacking did not work, Ammonia would be left sobbing on the floor, deliberately ignored, accused of exaggerating for attention - or simply locked in her bedroom (Nanny said that she was a feral animal and was too unsafe for the baby).
Nanny did not know that a growing werecat needs certain proteins and vitamins and exercise. Ammonia’s mother didn’t care enough to mention it, perhaps. Her scratching post shedded rope fibers, so Nanny got rid of it. Her brothers liked macaroni and cheese from a box, so that is what Nanny made for lunch - and when Ammonia would gag over the artificial scent, and mention that she needed proper protein, Nanny would tell her not to be so spoiled, dramatic and difficult. It was that, or buttered toast (Ammonia learned that she was inherently wrong).
Nanny made her learn to be independent because Nanny did not properly take care of her. She babied her (two younger) brothers, because they appeared normal - and when their telekinesis showed, it was a ‘minor inconvenience’ compared to Ammonia’s feral intensity. Nanny didn’t let her play with the other children after dance class (‘you’ll only anger their parents when your claws come out, Ammonia’). Nanny hated what she read and what she drew and what she painted (a Disney coloring book was favored over mimicking postmortem photography). Nanny was Ammonia’s first understanding of indifference, discrimination, and occasionally, downright cruelty.
I hope this is close to what you were hoping for! It was very fun for me to plan out and write ^^ if anyone ever has any more questions, my inbox is always open!