PMD: Life in Flames

Chapter 35: Final Decision

Elisa let her gaze drop from Ho-oh's glowing visage. She needed a little longer to contemplate her final choice in this matter.

I can go home now. Finally, this long journey is over.

She still could not say for certain whether she truly wanted to go back.

I've never accomplished so much with myself before now. I've done so much and I can do so much more.

She looked up at Ho-oh, she hadn't decided yet but she had a question, which she suspected the answer to already:

"I… don't suppose Rio can come with me, can he?" She said, downcast.

Ho-oh shook her large head gently. The answer that Elisa had expected...

"No… I am afraid I may only send you back to your own world. I cannot remove Rio from his place in this realm. If you choose to return, you must return alone."

Elisa's spirits sank as the half-hearted hope was shot down.

So… I will have to leave without Rio… I guess I'm not surprised. He doesn't belong in my world anyways…

This didn't make it any easier for her to choose though.

She turned to face Rio. He had a somber expression as he waited for Elisa to make her choice. There was no surprise or shock over the conversation with Ho-oh; after all, they had spoken to Heatran and the three dogs (dogs, if in name only) as if to any other pokemon. This bird was no different.

"Rio, I-"

Rio raised a paw, silently hushing her before she started. He walked up to her and crouched down slightly they were face-to-face with each other.

"Don't base your decision around me, Elisa. This is your choice to make."

She opened her mouth to speak, to argue that she needed to consider Rio in her decision but he brought up his paw and gently shut her mouth.

"Elisa, listen okay?" she looked up so they were looking directly in each other's eyes.

"You're not the only one who has changed from this experience. You've changed so much about me. My mind's been sidetracked on my dad… and all this time, I don't think I've had the courage go searching for him. It's been a distraction for me and possibly why I've always been down on myself while I was in the guild. I was trying to outdo my own dad every time I went out and it ended up with me getting myself in trouble."

"How-?" Elisa started,

"How did you change anything?" He asked her question for her, "You gave me a different focus. You… you got me to focus on something that actually did matter. My dad's past, and his legacy doesn't really matter. It's something for me to try and beat someday, but when you came by, I needed to just focus on building up and taking things one piece at a time. What really mattered Elisa… was that I focused on myself and my partner; on my team. I've realized I can't do everything by myself but even if you leave, I'll find another partner to support me."

Elisa again, attempted to speak up and argue that she didn't have to leave but Rio was well ahead of her.

"Elisa, I won't forget you and I'm thankful for all that you've helped me with. But don't rely on me for answers. Don't base your decision around me. Choose what you feel is right, deep down… like me: just focus on yourself. You've been kind to give me consideration all this way… now it's time you made a decision without me here to help make it. You've always had the will to make your decisions alone so make use of that will now."

He then motioned for her to turn back to Ho-oh and give her answer, giving her a kind smile.

He reminds me of Rick in some ways… he's helped me find and express myself. Maybe that's why I've gotten so attached to him.

Elisa sighed as she accepted Rio's words. She didn't turn around yet.

Her gaze dropped until she was looking at the ground as she thought over her choice.

I've got so much to lose… no matter which way I go.

If I go home… I abandon Rio… I abandon Quil, Roserade… and everyone here's who has shown me so much support and helped me with so much. I give up my abilities as a Vulpix…

There was so much, both good and bad that she would lose if she went back home.

If I stay here though… I'll be living a lie. I'm not a Vulpix… I'm human and unlike Alex, I've got the chance to be human again and I know what's waiting. I'll never see my parents again if I stay like this… I won't ever see another human being. I… I'll be trying to forget what I abandoned at home. It doesn't matter if I died or not, my parents are going be heart-broken… I don't want to do that to them. And besides all that… I need to let go of Rick and I don't think I'll ever do that if I'm with Rio all the time like this.

There was also the Riolu back at her human home.

She smiled lightly as she remembered the pokemon she had mistreated.

He was looking for a friend… well, he or she. Either way though, I was so cold to that pokemon for something that wasn't their fault. They're not Rio, but if they want a friend… I can take care of them.

Elisa felt responsible for that pokemon and as she had told herself so many times before now, she needed to make up for her actions towards that Riolu. Something she couldn't do if she stayed here.

She also was, admittedly curious what had happened to it following her human death…

Elisa finally came to a decision and she looked up again at the pokemon that she had traveled with almost her entire time as a Vulpix.

"Rio… thanks for the support." She said, and then she leaned in closer to Rio. She gave a light touch with her nose on the Riolu's head, but the way it was delivered was like a small kiss.

She backed away from Rio then, her entire body flushing with warmth, as her feelings couldn't help arising within. Her heart seemed to have gotten louder in her ears.

Rio blinked, a little surprised by the motion and raised a paw almost to feel the spot where she had nuzzled him. To him, it just felt a little warmer from the brief contact but as the meaning of the act settled in, Rio flushed a little, embarrassed and the temperature was soon lost as his face got a little warm.

Elisa smiled one last time and then, dropping the treasure bag she was carrying, she turned to Ho-oh and stepped up to the bird once more. Rio opened his mouth to say something but Elisa's last action had left him momentarily lost for words.

"As much as I'd like to stay here with Rio… I need to go back home. There's too much I left behind there… and while there is a lot I can do here… this isn't my place… nor my body. This… isn't home." She admitted the last words in a sad tone, "I'm going to return home… as a human."

Ho-oh did not respond at first, aside from a faint, understanding smile. But she then spoke,

"Very well… prepare yourself."

Elisa inhaled deep, bracing herself for any number of sensations that might accompany being turned back into a human being.

Rio stepped up. Despite himself, his heart was throbbing now.

"Elisa, I…I'll-" he started, but the words simply wouldn't come.

She glanced back at him and gave him a final, sad smile.

"Good-bye, Rio." She said gently and turned back to Ho-oh as the great bird folded her wings inwards, hovering in-air for several moments without the aid of her wings.

Before Rio could say anything more or respond, Ho-oh unfurled her wings with an aggressive flap and a bright red and yellow blaze of fire engulfed the Vulpix before her.

Elisa's ears were immediately muffled by the crackling and general sound of a bon-fire burning away around her. As usual, the fire did not harm her and the intense heat felt cozy to her.

She felt her four legs leave the ground and she hovered in-air, the fire embracing her gently. She was somewhat reminded of her final dream as a human. Except there was no pain.

This thought was corrected when Elisa suddenly felt a hard force in her gut, like someone had taken hold of something inside of her and was now trying to extract it out through her mouth. She gasped as the uncomfortable feeling spread and her front legs, which had automatically gone to wrap themselves around her belly, were slowly spread away from their protective position.

Finally, the force seemed to try tearing her apart and the last thing Elisa heard was her own scream of pain, which was overridden by what might've been falcon, then she blacked out.

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Sorry to disappoint since many of you were hoping she'd stay.