Ellie Sattler was at her lowest point. It was surprising that she had reached it now of all times, but then again, she was no stranger to life-changing events that got worse with each iteration. First, she was called back to Isla Nublar. Second, she was mysteriously changed into a T-Rex. Third, she was roped into a raptor revolution, and saw many of her friends die as a result. Fourth- actually, there were too many crazy moments to list. Between giant, blue tigers and dragon battles, Ellie had been living a tumultuous existence for the past decade or so. Things finally seemed to turn around when she became Queen of the Universe, donning a pair of pale wings as a display of her royalty, but lo and behold, that whole situation got messed up by a snakebite. Now, she was struggling to hold back her magic, lest she cause any more harm by reverting to her dark alter ego.
So in summary, shit got weird really fast, and it was making her life a living hell.
In any case, she was doing marginally better. Every day was still a shitshow, but at least she didn't have to worry about Claire Dearing. She was off living her happy, little hybrid life in Tennessee, and the Tennessee she inhabited was located in a parallel dimension, which meant that she was literally a world away. That was good. Ellie wasn't particularly keen to get involved with her affairs. Unfortunately . . .
"Claire is sick!"
Ellie's dragon grandmother burst through the door, holding a long piece of parchment. She lifted the base, pointing to ink-ribbon stamped words, and twitched uncontrollably.
"She's going to die. I checked. She drank from a poisoned water source, and-"
"Let her die."
Ellie knew that she was being harsh. A part of her was glad that she was self-aware, but on the other hand, she was being serious, and wanting someone dead was never a good sign. Her grandmother paused, then lowered the paper slightly.
"We should save her."
"No. I've made up my mind."
"I just told you."
"Doesn't change the fact that I've made my choice."
"She has a child."
"I'm aware."
The dragon's ears folded back. She appeared to be crushed, but after a second, she glared at Ellie.
"This isn't right! Since when have you been okay with letting people die?"
"Since I realized the world is unfair, and some of us have no chance to redeem ourselves."
"That's not true. You're just bitter because-"
"SHUT UP!"
Ellie spread her wings, which became as black as soot. The dragon backed away as Ellie composed herself, letting her wings brighten.
"It's over. If she's going to die, she's going to die. She's as good as dead already."
The dragon let her ears droop, then turned away in defeat.
"Okay, Ellie. Whatever you say. I'm sorry for bothering you."
She slunk out the door, but before disappearing entirely from view, she turned around one last time.
"If you change your mind, come find me. I might be able to help with your problems, but only if you're willing to let me."
"Goodbye, Elkay."
When she was alone, Ellie turned her full attention to writing. She did fine at first, completing a good five paragraphs, but out of nowhere, she felt her stomach twist. Perhaps it was guilt, or else regret, but whatever the reason for her discomfort was, it made her want to throw up. How had she sunk so low? She was literally letting someone die because of a long-past argument. Even if the circumstances had been different, allowing a family to be torn apart was inexcusable, plain and simple.
Ellie let herself fall back in her chair, then turned towards the window. She could see bags under her eyes in the ghostlike reflection, but past her dismal self was an entire world that was flourishing under her guidance. Perhaps her sacrifices were not futile, after all. Despite her inner turmoil, the world was ticking along just fine. Was this what it was like to be Elkay? Had the dragon ever thought about her inner demons in such a way? If she had, she'd have brushed it off, Ellie was sure. If there was one thing that she was not good at, it was confrontation. That, and anything related to interaction in general.
Of course, Ellie too had spells of antisocial tendencies, which was further proven by the fact that she felt like disappearing when the door opened once more. She did not vanish, however, for the guest was none other than Alan Grant. He had remained faithful during this whole ordeal, which made it unpleasant when Ellie recalled that they had never bothered to get married. She was thinking about that a lot, recently. It had never bothered her before, but now that she was starting to lose control of herself, she had to wonder how Alan really felt about her. Perhaps he was genuinely frightened of her power. Ellie was frightened of her power, actually.
As shyly as a child, Alan slunk towards her desk, holding his hat in front of him with both hands. He did not make eye contact as he spoke.
"Is it any better today?"
Ellie closed her eyes.
"I don't know. I feel ready to snap, but other than that . . ."
She stood up and took a deep breath.
"Claire is dying. I'm going to let it happen."
Alan was surprised, but only for a moment.
"Are you sure? You spent so much time assisting her-"
"Yes, well, I was mostly doing it for June, and what came after that was damage control. If only Neithhotep had kept her beak out of my affairs, this wouldn't have happened, so I guess that makes two dragons who have ruined my life."
There was a fluttering by the window. Ellie ignored it.
"Don't do anything impulsive, Ellie," Alan mumbled, "If Claire dies, that's it for her."
"Not necessarily. Death isn't final anymore."
"For some people, it is. But are you saying there's a chance you want to save her?"
"No. She's dead to me, and soon to the rest of the world."
Alan took a deep breath.
"Ellie . . . This isn't the right thing to do."
"Of course it isn't. It wasn't right of Claire to force me to wipe her daughter's memory, either, but I don't see you getting on her case."
"I'm not bringing this up because I care about Claire, though I don't think she deserves this kind of death. I'm bringing it up because I'm worried about you. You said you were doing better, but you haven't been to see Charlie-"
"It's dangerous to be around other people, especially the people I love. I have to make sacrifices to be a Queen."
"But do you have to be a Queen?"
Ellie froze. Alan sensed that she was losing her temper, and began to back away slowly.
"Do I have to be Queen?" she hissed, "Is it really necessary? Well, I was never given a choice now, was I? I tried and tried and tried to say 'no', but then this stupid Star starts talking to me and telling me that I'm the perfect person for the job. That. Was. A. Lie. I am NOT perfect for the job, and right now, I'm barely holding myself together. I have watched my friends and family die because of my actions, and the whole time, I kept telling myself that things would get better, that it was all leading up to something good. I've given up years and years of my life chasing after some stupid dream that I can make the world a better place, but the truth is that I've only made things worse. I'm no leader. I'm barely even myself anymore. So don't you dare ask me if I have to do this, because you damn well know that I'm being forced into it. I was given wings and a second life, only to become a tyrant. Every time I try to undo my mistakes, I only make things worse. This world is on the brink of collapse, and it's all because of me."
Alan gulped.
"Ellie, you don't have to-"
"DON'T LIE TO ME!"
With this outburst, her wings turned black once more, and a shock wave laced with darkness crossed the room. Alan yelped, then disappeared. Ellie stood absolutely still. Then, she put her hand over her mouth.
"OH MY GOD!"
She ran over to Alan's hat, which was all that was left of him. She knelt in front of it and began to weep.
"Oh my god, oh my god. I've killed you. I've killed you . . ."
She picked up the hat with a quivering lip, but dropped it suddenly. Surely, she was seeing things. She lifted the brim to peek again, and just as she suspected, a tiny hedgehog was sitting on the floor. Slowly, she scooped it up and looked into its beady, little eyes.
"Alan? . . ."
The hedgehog sneezed. Ellie let out a high-pitched sound, then cradled the animal against her chest.
"Oh my god, I've turned you into a hedgehog!"
The animal squirmed. Ellie placed it on the ground and took a deep breath.
"I'm going to change you back. I'll be using magic, but I promise not to go crazy again . . ."
She took a deep breath and held out her hands. She focused on making Alan human. Nothing happened. She tried again, this time scrunching up her face to concentrate, but the hedgehog remained a hedgehog. Ellie picked it up with worry.
"Something's wrong. My magic's not working. I must have made the spell too strong to undo."
She placed him in her pocket.
"We're going to go get help. Hang on."
She opened the massive windows behind her desk and flew out into the night. Along the way, she crossed paths with another dragon: her great-grandmother.
"Neith! I need help!"
The dragon slowed down and flew in place, beating her wings calmly.
"What's wrong?"
"How do you undo a spell that's too strong to undo?"
Neithhotep hummed.
"Well, there are very few spells that can't be undone. All you need to do is figure out how much magic is required to overpower it. There aren't exactly units of measurement for magic, mind you, so you'll just have to find a magical being strong enough to outdo it."
Ellie wrung her hands.
"But I'm literally God, so what on Earth could be stronger than me?"
Neithhotep twisted her beak.
"Good question. You probably shouldn't have been able to cast a spell too powerful for yourself to undo, but accidents happen. The question now is whether or not anyone can find a way to reverse it. If I were you, I'd try a being that has infinite power, but self-imposed limitations. Some creatures live by strict codes, only using magic under special conditions, because if they had all the power in the world and no way to keep it in check, they might be corrupted by it."
"I know the feeling," Ellie muttered sourly, "What kind of beings do you mean?"
She sucked air through her teeth.
"Hmm . . . Let me see . . . Sphinxes, genies-"
"I know where to find a genie! Thank you for your help!"
Ellie did not wait for a response. She soared above the clouds, holding the hedgehog, which had begun to crawl out of her pocket. She opened a gateway to a Cambodian mountain in another world, then landed by a purple rock. She quickly pressed her hand against it. Smoke poured out of the cracks, and a figure emerged. Ellie didn't waste a second.
"I wish for Alan to be human."
The genie nodded.
"You mustn't fear, o winged one. Your wish is granted, it is done."
Ellie waited. The hedgehog yawned, but did not change shape. She placed it on the ground.
"Okay. When will it be granted?"
"It has been granted, mark my word. Your simple prayer has now been heard."
Ellie frowned.
"But he's still a hedgehog. Are you sure you have the right Alan?"
"Inside your head, I read your mind. You were specific, I did find. For Alan Grant is human now. It's simple magic: don't ask how."
Ellie looked down at the hedgehog, then spread her wings and arms in disbelief.
"He's still a hedgehog!"
"I have remarked that tiny one. But you must go, your wish is done."
Ellie started grinding her teeth.
"You liar! You just don't have enough magic to fix it!"
The genie held up his hand.
"I promise, I've not lied to you. There's nothing more that I can do."
Unable to contain her fury, Ellie snapped. Her wings went dark, and she pounced upon the genie.
"LIAR!"
Without warning, she was flung back by a ring of fire. The genie sprouted leathery wings and claws. His round, friendly features became angular, and he erupted into purple flame.
"FOOLISH MORTAL, YOU WILL PAY! YOU WILL NOT SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY! TONIGHT, YOU TAKE YOUR FINAL BREATH! THE PATH YOU CHOOSE IS ONE OF DEATH!"
Ellie tried to escape, but a pillar of fire shot out of the genie's palm and caught her in the chest. She screamed in pain. Her flesh sizzled. The genie pinned her down with one hand, then raised the other to finish the job. He made half of a striking gesture, but paused. Slowly, he turned to the hedgehog.
"Your shrewish friend has made a wish. Your doom, for now, I will not dish."
Ellie sighed with relief.
"He saved me. After everything I've done to him, he saved me."
The genie shook his head.
"Your spiky friend has asked for food. He's likely in a hungry mood."
The genie waved his hand, and a pile of worms appeared in front of the hedgehog, who shoved its snout into the mush. Ellie's jaw dropped.
"Alan wished for a pile of worms? Oh, it figures. I'm worth no more than that. Even so, I can't let myself die when I'm supposed to be running the world. Can't we work something out?"
The genie rubbed his chin.
"Perhaps a trade might quench my ire. I am not known to be a liar. Join me at the sacred pyre. Make a trade, a bond of fire."
Ellie blinked.
"Sure? . . ."
The genie wheeled around and pointed at the hedgehog, which burst into flame. Ellie shrieked.
"WAIT! THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANTED!"
"Too bad, what's done is always done. Now, go back home. Goodbye. Have fun."
The genie evaporated, and his rock stopped glowing. Ellie crawled towards the pile of ash that had formerly been a hedgehog with tears in her eyes.
"Alan . . . I'm sorry . . ."
She scooped up as much dust as she could manage, then began a painful flight home. When she arrived in the other world, she set herself down by a lake near the center of the island. She walked towards it with the ash still in her hands.
BAM!
Elkay landed beside her quite violently, sending up a hail of dirt.
"Hey, Ellie. You feeling better?"
She whimpered, then held up the pile of ash with a quivering lip. The dragon was clearly unsure of how this was supposed to answer her question.
"Okay . . . It's kind of late. Are you going to bed soon? I'm sure Alan is waiting for you."
Ellie made an incomprehensible noise that turned into a sob. Elkay folded her ears.
"I'm not really reading you, Ellie, but I do have some good news. I found a bottle of lithium pills lying around . . . in someone's medicine cabinet. Take them. Feel better. I'm sure Alan will appreciate it, considering you warped him to Beijing today."
Ellie's eyes went wide.
"What? . . ."
"You warped him to Beijing. He came back a few minutes ago. That's the good news. The bad news is that Tiggywinkle is still missing."
"Who's Tiggywinkle?"
"My pet hedgehog."
Ellie dropped the ash, grabbed the pill bottle from Elkay's paws, and zoomed away to her living quarters. As she approached the bedroom window, she saw Alan sitting on the bed, waiting for her to return. She did not bother to slow down, instead crashing into him and giving him a very aggressive kiss. He was stunned, but held her close after a moment. When she broke away, he batted his eyes.
"I'm glad to see you too? . . ."
Ellie wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I thought you were a dead hedgehog!"
"Uh . . ."
"I'm sorry!"
Alan smiled and stroked her hair.
"You don't need to be sorry. I'm fine now. And I brought you back some trail mix from the airport."
Ellie sniffled, then burst into tears once more. Alan rocked her back and forth calmly.
"Don't cry, Ellie. I don't like seeing you upset."
She wiped her eyes.
"Why? Am I making a funny face?"
"The face you make whenever you cry? No, I haven't noticed."
Ellie laughed gently and rested her forehead against his chest. He yawned.
"Well, it's getting late- Early, actually, since it's four in the morning. What do you say we take a break from work and just sleep in all day?"
Ellie nodded emphatically.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea."
They got into bed (Ellie changing her outfit with magic and Alan settling on wearing his shorts) and pulled the covers tight. Ellie closed the curtains with her mind, knowing full well that the sun would be invading their quarters soon. She folded her wings, snuggling up against the pillow. Alan had already fallen asleep, which was a shame, because she had so much to say to him. But that could wait until morning . . . or maybe the afternoon, since she intended to sleep for a few hours yet.
But Ellie did not sleep. She tossed and turned, and finally couldn't stand it any longer. With a deep sigh, she got out of bed and fluttered out the window. She made her second trip to the parallel world, this time on the opposite side of the globe.
When she finally returned from her quest, Ellie fell down with exhaustion next to Alan, who appeared to be sound asleep. This was not the case, however, since he reached out and pulled her close.
"I knew you'd do the right thing."
Ellie nodded.
"Yeah, well . . . That makes one of us."
Alan smiled.
"Don't sell yourself short. You're more amazing than you know."
"Not letting someone die is hardly amazing."
"But saving someone's life is."
"Even so, she'd have been better off without me in the first place. A lot of people would . . ."
"Not me."
They did not speak after that, but their shared smile said more than words ever could.