Last weekend, it went from 80 degrees one day to 45 the next. So guess who got a nasty cold? This crazy temperature change has actually happened quite a few times to us, but I guess this time was my unlucky strike. Fortunately, after a few days of taking sinus pills, chugging tea, and going through an ungodly amount of tissues, I seem to be on the road to recovery!

I did realize, however, after almost a week of suffering, that now would be a great time to put up this story that I've had saved for quite some time!

Elizabeth: 2 and a half years old


Darling Little Doctor

"Oh no! Anothew ouchie."

Misty furrowed her brow as she heard the sound of ripping. Glancing up from her magazine, she was alarmed to see a flimsy piece of white paper flittering through the air like a piece of confetti, landing listlessly on the floor in a pile with similar pieces.

"What did she do?" Misty groaned, putting her magazine down and sliding off the bed.

She'd been in her room reading one of her monthly magazines when Elizabeth had come toddling in. With the twins out doing their own things, Misty had assumed that the little girl was simply lonely, and looking for someone to play with. Misty would have more than gladly put her magazine down to play with her daughter, but Elizabeth hadn't asked. Instead, she'd just gone into the bathroom. Misty had checked on her a few times after that, but all Elizabeth had been doing was sitting in the middle of the floor, playing with her stuffed Cubchoo.

Now, however, it seemed that she was up to no good.

Poking her head into the bathroom, Misty let out a sharp gasp, alarming Elizabeth. "Lizzie, what in the world did you do?!"

"Cubby had a ouchie!" Elizabeth replied, holding up her stuffed toy. It was covered in bandages, real bandages, with their discarded wrappers and wax backs piled up behind the little girl.

"Sweetie, you shouldn't put band aids on a stuffed toy!" Misty sighed, crouching down and tugging at the band aid that was splayed across Cubchoo's forehead. "They're going to get stuck!"

"But Cubby had a ouchie," Elizabeth repeated.

"Apparently he had lots of ouchies," Misty sighed, looking the stuffed Pokémon over. "How many band aids did you use?"

"I dunno," Elizabeth murmured.

Misty caught sight of the band aid box on Elizabeth's other side. She reached over and picked it up, peering into the small box and finding just three wrapped band aids left.

"A lot of them," Misty groaned, smacking her forehead. "Elizabeth, how many times has Mommy had to tell you not to waste these kinds of things? We need them in case somebody actually gets hurt!"

"I was payin- pwetend, Mommy," Elizabeth whined.

"I know you were," Misty murmured. "You should have asked me to play! I would have played with you."

"Pway now?" Elizabeth asked, her eyes lighting up.

"Yes, we'll play now," Misty giggled. "What do you want to play?"

"Doctow!"

"Still, huh?"

"Ya."

"Okay, let's go play in the living room," Misty decided. "I think that will be a lot easier than trying to play in the bathroom!"

Elizabeth nodded and jumped to her feet, scurrying out of the bathroom. Misty made sure to keep close behind, not wanting Elizabeth to make any more of a mess than she already had. Fortunately, Elizabeth made it down to the living room without any other incidents, and quickly discarded her stuffed Cubchoo on the floor.

"Elizabeth, don't throw your toys around!" Misty gently scolded.

"Sit, Mommy!" Elizabeth urged, ignoring the warning.

Sighing, Misty shuffled over to the couch and sat down, watching as Elizabeth climbed up next to her, a toy stethoscope around her neck.

"-eck up time!" Elizabeth announced, pressing the end of the stethoscope against Misty's chest.

"What are you listening for?" Misty asked sweetly.

"Heawt!"

"Oh, okay."

Misty sat patiently, watching as Elizabeth moved the toy stethoscope around. She climbed up onto Misty's lap, sitting on her knees so that she was face to face with her mother, still "listening" to her heartbeat. Misty raised an eyebrow until Elizabeth's head snapped up and their eyes were locked, greatly alarming Misty.

"Gah!" Misty shrieked.

"Mommy, you'ew sick!" Elizabeth cried.

"What?" Misty deadpanned.

"You'ew vewy sick," Elizabeth repeated, lowering the stethoscope. "I cuwe you!"

"What am I sick with?" Misty asked as Elizabeth clambered off her lap. "It sounds so serious!"

"I dunno!" Elizabeth whined, shoving at her mother's midsection. "Down!"

"Huh?"

"Down! Now!"

"Oh, you want me to lie down," Misty breathed, quickly obliging. "Next time, ask nicer, Lizzie."

"Nuh uh," Elizabeth refuted. "You'we vewy sick. You hafta –isten!"

"Okay, okay," Misty hushed, lying back on the couch. She turned her head and watched Elizabeth rummage through a box full of toys, intently looking for something. Sighing peacefully, Misty turned her gaze up onto the ceiling, staring at the white paint. She supposed this wasn't so bad. Sure, she had no idea what Elizabeth had up her sleeve, but at least she got to lounge around a bit. Playing a game where she got to lie on the couch couldn't be so bad, after all.

"-ot!"

"OW!" Misty's peace was quickly disrupted as she jumped to a sitting position, grasping her upper arm with the opposite hand. "Elizabeth!"

The little girl slowly tilted her head to the side. "Wha-?"

"What did you just do?" Misty asked gently, trying to keep her voice level.

"-ot!" Elizabeth reiterated, holding up a plastic replica of a needle.

"Oh, you gave me a shot," Misty replied dully. "You know, Lizzie, if a real doctor gave someone a real shot that hard, they'd probably get fired."

"But I pway pwetend!" Elizabeth crowed. "Isn't weal, Mommy."

"Well that jab definitely was," Misty grumbled, rubbing the afflicted spot.

"I gotsta check, Mommy," Elizabeth announced, trying to climb back onto the couch.

Misty sighed and lifted the child up, ending her struggle. "Check what, sprinkle?"

The toddler wordlessly pointed up towards her mother's head. Misty knew this was playtime, but she also saw it as an opportunity to help her daughter learn.

"What are you pointing at, Lizzie?" Misty asked. "Could you tell me?"

"-ead," Elizabeth answered, patting her own forehead.

"Oh, okay," Misty breathed, bending over to get closer to the toddler. "You can check my head, then."

Elizabeth pressed a small hand against Misty's forehead, and after a short moment of contemplation, let out a frustrated whine.

"What is it?" Misty asked quite seriously.

"You'we still sick," Elizabeth murmured sadly.

"Oh no," Misty breathed, frowning afterwards.

"Now you'we mowe sick."

"More sick?" Misty repeated.

Elizabeth frowned and nodded sadly.

"This is bad," Misty sighed, placing a hand against her cheek. "What else can you do for me, Doctor Lizzie?"

Elizabeth pursed her lips in thought. As she contemplated, Ash walked through the front door, smiling as he saw the two on the couch.

"Aw, there are my pretty girls!" Ash chuckled, walking over to them. He held his arms out to pick up Elizabeth, but the toddler had other plans.

"No, Daddy!" Elizabeth cried, shaking her head.

"Huh?" Ash murmured. "How come you don't want me to pick you up, pumpkin?"

"Mommy's vewy sick," Elizabeth informed her father. Ash shot Misty an alarmed look, causing her to let out a long sigh before shaking her head. That was all Ash needed to understand that Elizabeth was just playing pretend.

"Oh," Ash breathed, tapping his chin. "Well, uh…that's no good. We have to help her, right?"

Elizabeth nodded her head rapidly.

"What do we have to do?" Ash asked.

The young girl glanced between her father and mother, looking at them both for a few moments before declaring, "kiss!"

"What?" Ash murmured.

"Daddy, kiss Mommy," Elizabeth instructed, pointing at her mother.

"Why?" Ash questioned.

"What's the matter, Ashy?" Misty teased. "Don't wanna kiss me?"

The Pokémon Master's cheeks flashed red, causing Misty to giggle.

"You save Mommy," Elizabeth explained. "Wif a kiss!"

Misty stopped her giggling and once again looked at Ash, raising an eyebrow. This was an unusual request from the girl. She normally didn't like her parents showing affection for one another; she didn't like being left out. It was one of her more difficult phases, and now Misty couldn't quite understand why her daughter suddenly wanted them to show affection.

"That's the only way Daddy can save me?" Misty asked her daughter.

Elizabeth wordlessly nodded her head, pressing her lips into a tight line. The gym leader looked up at her still flustered husband, fluttering her eyelashes. "What do you say, Ash? You willing to save me?"

Ash's blush dissipated as he smiled at his wife, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss against her lips. He would've loved to kiss her more passionately, but Ash didn't want to push Elizabeth too far. After a few seconds, Ash pulled away, gently touching his wife's jaw as his smile returned.

"Yay!" Elizabeth cheered, breaking her parents out of their trance. "Daddy saveded Mommy!"

"Heh, happy to do it!" Ash replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

Elizabeth giggled and clapped her hands together. "I'ma good doctow!"

Ash chuckled and finally picked his young daughter up, giving her her own kiss on the cheek. "Yep, the very best!"


Elizabeth is one of those kids who, if you asked her what she wants to be when she grows up, would tell you a "doctor ballerina mommy" without a doubt. You could throw in top coordinator or gym leader for her as well, teehee.