"I like the frog costume" Elspeth pointed to one of the last outfits James would have chosen to wear, even in this store.
"A great choice!" The sales girl smiled with blatant insincerity as she reached up and passed it to the old woman "he'll look adorable. The mother and child changing rooms are just over there!"
"Thank you, you have been most helpful" Elspeth beamed as she lead James into the nearest compartment.
"I can do this by myself you know" James complained as they entered the small enclosure together "you don't need to come in with me"
"Oh shush, you don't have anything I haven't seen already!" Elspeth handed James the ugly green and yellow one piece costume "Just get changed quickly will you?"
Not seeing any other option, James removed the now oversized school uniform and held the amphibian outfit against his naked body.
"Look, it doesn't even fit" James observed with relief "It's too small for me. We should go somewhere else"
"Oh, don't fret, we can soon fix that!" Elspeth grinned. Without warning she pulled back the curtain exposing the miniaturised, naked James to the hot sales girl and a couple of other random customers.
"Excuse me miss, what's the time?" Elspeth asked as James quickly turned round so those present got the rear rather than frontal view of his shrunken body. Nonetheless, he could feel himself getting smaller once more.
"It's twenty to two" the young woman smiled back as if nothing were amiss.
Elspeth nodded and drew the curtain back again "There, are you happy now?"
Gridgingly, James got into his humiliating new attire. It was a little tight on him, but it fitted.
"Well, I think you look cute as a button!" Elspeth enthused as she admired her companion in his new outfit.
"I look ridiculous" James countered as he sadly inspected himself in the changing room mirror.
"You know, I'm getting a little tired of your constant negativity" Elspeth sighed as she waggled her fingers in James' direction ominously once more "I think it's time for another voice adjustment.:
"Ribbit!" James tried to apologise to his tormentor, but it was too late "Ribbit! Ribbit!"
"There, that's better" Elspeth nodded approvingly as she pulled back the curtain and the pair made their way back into the store.
"Aww, how cute!" The salesgirl enthused as she she quickly made her way over to her two newest customers. She leaned in towards James, placing her hands on her knees and adressed him directly for the first time.
"Who's an adorable little froggy?" She asked in a sickly patronising tone.
"Ribbit" James responded grumpily. The costume wasn't quite so tight all of a sudden.
"He loves to roleplay" Elspeth chuckled as she handed the young woman her card "Thank you for your help"
"If you don't mind me asking, could we take some photos of him for our website?" The assistant asked Elspeth, not James, once payment had been taken.
"Of course, be my guest!" Elspeth smiled with glee.
"Great thanks!" The woman smiled as she got out her camera phone and took a couple of snaps of a mortified James for posterity.
"That's great" the girl smiled at Elspeth "Um, could you get him to hop about a bit and make that croaking noise? It would be great footage for us and I could give you a discount."
"Of course" Elspeth instantly agreed on her long suffering companions behalf "off you go James"
Not willing to defy Elspeth, James unhappily did as he was told in front of the increasingly irritating girls camera and a handful of amused customers. His costume was starting to feel a little loose now.
"Great, we'll have that up on our website within the next few days" the salesgirl thanked Elspeth, not James, as the pair left the shop.
"Right, where to next?" Elspeth asked her froggy friend as they made their way back into the mall.
"Ribbit" James replied as he lookef up at Elspeth, desperately wishing he could ask for this horrible outing to end.