Eelizabeth's Tale

6

"Wow, Jon, this looks great!" Elizabeth commented at the elegant spread of spaghetti, garlic bread, and fruit in front of her. "I did not know you could cook like this!" She was sitting on the table so that she could see Jon and Latias, along with being able to actually reach her food.

Jon put his hands behind his head and leaned back in his seat. "Thanks, Ellie. Spaghetti is the only restaurant-quality food I can make. I just tossed some noodles in a pot, and boom, it's done. Go ahead and dig in."

Elizabeth reached for the fork beside her, but realized that her paw wouldn't pick it up. "Um…"

"Yeah, I thought of that too. Just, go ahead and eat it like an eevee would. I promise not to laugh."

"I don't, but I'll try my best not to." Latias giggled.

"But- Oh all right." Elizabeth complied, and she went face down into the noodles before her. Jon and Latias picked up their silverware and twirled the spaghetti on it.

By the time they were both almost done, the eevee had been sitting quietly for a few minutes. Jon noticed this. "Wow, your appearance may have changed, but that doesn't appear to have put a damper on your appetite."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she inquired angrily.

"Oh nothing like that, I've just never seen an eevee eat that much in such a short time."

"Well I'm totally full if it helps any." she declared.

"Me too." Jon and Latias said in unison. "Oh," Jon coughed "Well if that's the case, then I'll run over our plans for the trip. So tomorrow, we'll get up at around 8:00-ish, then we'll have about an hour to get stuff all ready and things like that. After that, I'll drive us over to the dock and buy tickets, and eventually we'll land in Canalave, from where we'll go to Jubilife, then Oreburgh, then take route 207 to Mt. Coronet, which we'll climb to the top of, play a little tune on my flute-"

"You have an azure flute?" Latias asked.

"The color is pretty close." he replied. "Then we'll bargain with the council to get you back to being human."

"It sounds so easy the way you say it." Elizabeth remarked, "But there is a flaw in the plan. You' already be carrying six pokemon, that's the legal amount. If you bring me and Flashbolt along, that's eight, someone is bound to notice that."

"True." Jon answered, "That's why Latias will take on your human form and use your ID. And you, I'm sorry to say, will have to pose as my pet."

"That is very offensive, but it sounds like it will work." Elizabeth said dryly. She hit herself on the head with her paw. "Ohmygosh. I forgot to tell mom and dad!"

"That you're an eevee now?" Latias asked in confusion. "I know I'm not human, but I don't think I would take that very well. They'd take it even worse than I would, since I've actually seen this happen."

"Yeah, but they're my parents. They deserve to know."

"Parents…" Latias whispered to herself, looking down at the soul dew that she carried.

"Okay, you can give them a call, but we're going even if they say not to." Jon replied. He went back into the kitchen and came back with the phone. "I put it on speaker and dialed already. Thought it would save some time."

Elizabeth sat next to the phone, listening to the beeps. "Hello?" the voice of her mother came through the phone.

"H- hi mom." Elizabeth answered, her voice shaky.

"Elizabeth? Hi, what do you need?"

"I just need to tell you both something. Is dad there?"

"Yes dear, do you need me to put him on the line?"

"No, um, just tell him that I know firsthand that his machine works. Also tell him, 'eevee.'"

"Are you okay? Is this a joke?"

"No mom, just tell him what I said. You both need to know. I'd be too upset if I told you directly, but I'm sure dad will know what I mean and fill you in."

"Honey… Do you need us to come home?"

"No, please, just…" her voice cracked and she started crying quietly. It was quiet on the other end for a while. Elizabeth realized that her mother must be holding the phone to her shirt. Soon she heard faint yells on the other end, knowing that her dad was right now freaking out and telling her mom what she was talking about.

"Elizabeth… are you-" her mother asked sadly and hopefully.

"YES!" she sobbed "Yes I am!" She complemented that statement with a small dog-like whimper. "I…" she started, "Mom, I'm so sorry! It just happened… I… I'm sorry… I can't…" she cried more. "I'm going to make things right again, I promise you!"

"Elizabeth!" Elizabeth realized her mother must have tears flowing down her face as well. "I can't believe it. Elizabeth! My girl…" More sounds of crying.

"Mom… I'm just so sorry…" Elizabeth pressed the button with an image of red phone and hung up. "There." she said to Jon and Latias, her small body still quivering, and tears still streaming from her eyes. "It's done." Then she lifted a paw and walked towards and into her parents' bedroom.

Jon's eyes followed the eevee girl until she was well out of sight. The shadow of a tear formed in his eye, "Latias," he asked the legendary pokemon, "What would you do in a situation like this?"

Latias changed into the guise of Elizabeth. "Help me, Jon." She changed into an eevee, "Comfort me, Jon. I'm sad and lonely."

As Latias changed into… well, back into a latias, Jon shook his head and followed Elizabeth's pawsteps. "Elizabeth?" he whispered while opening the door. He saw a small ball of fur curled up on the bed. "Elizabeth." He whispered once again, stroking the fox's back, "I can't begin to imagine what you must feel like with this happening to you. But I just want to remind you that for as long as you are like this, I will look after you. If that means ten days, fine. If it means the rest of your life, it's okay." The sad little eevee jumped into Jon's lap and curled up again. Jon could feel her small breaths and continued stroking her. He set her down on a pillow and lay down next to her. "Always…" he repeated softly, and they were both soon lulled to sleep by Elizabeth's quiet breaths.

***