~What Do I Want to be When I Grow Up~
My family is special. Other Pokémon all evolve the same. A Weedle will always become a Kakuna...and then every Kakuna becomes a Beedrill. It is not the same for Eevees. We have many forms we can take.
When an Eevee turns 13 they must choose which form they will take as their evolution. My family always holds a big celebration. That is the day we get our true names. Right now my name is Evelyn, but depending on what I become my name could become Jasmin, or Esmirelda, or Gwendolyn.
The only problem was...I don't know what I want to be.
Each of my brothers had picked what they wanted on their 13th birthday. My eldest brother Flash became a Flareon, and our middle brother Justin became a Jolteon. I am the youngest and I don't want to disappoint them. Our parents had passed away and both of my brothers worked very hard to make sure I was happy. I wanted to honor them, and to do that I wanted to pick one of their types as my own. But, should I choose a Jolteon? Or a Flareon?
"Evelyn, breakfast is ready!" I ran downstairs to find Justin already sitying at the table. "Flash found your favorite sis. Berries." I quickly sat down. "Thank you Nii-San." Flash smiled gently at me. "Well, your big day is tomorrow. I figured you could use a treat today." I was about to bite into my berry, but instead put it down. "...yeah..."
Justin frowned. "Still don't know what you want to be do you?" I blushed. "I...I will have a choice by tomorrow." Flash pet my head. "Honey...you don't have to pick tomorrow. It is a big choice. It is something you will be stuck with for the rest of your life." I shoved my plate away. "I know that! I just...I don't know what I want to be!" I got up and ran back to my room.
That night I snuck down to the kitchen to see if there were any berries left. Flash was sitting in his chair. He had a book open in his lap. "I knew if I waited kong enough you would come out." I looked down at the floor in shame. "I'm sorry I was rude earlier." He smiled at me. "Come here Evelyn." He held opem his arms and I went to him. He set me on his lap and held open the book. It was a photo album.
"I know why you can't pick what you want to be. You are as transparent as mom said Justin and I were when we were little." I didn't remember mom or dad very well. "I don't know what you mean." He chuckled. "You want to become either a Jolteon or a Flareon right? Because of Justin and me." I stiffened, and he sighed. "We have so many wonderful forms we cam choose, and you are only worried about 2 of them."
He flipped through the book. He stopped on an old family photo. "This is a picture of mom...and all of her brothers. They each chose a different form. One for each type of evolution we have. Mom, like you, was also the youngest." I sighed. "But it was obvious that if they all had picked something different mom would get what was left." Flash smiled. "Yes. And do you know what she told me the night before my birthday? She told me that she had regretted thinking that way. She hated her evolution. What she really wanted to be was an Espeon. Instead what she got was Umbreon. The exact opposite."
My eyes widened as I looked up at Flash. "So...mommy didn't like herself?" Flash shook his head. "She didn't at first, but she said after she met dad she began to see things differently, and she found things about herself she didn't know was there." I sighed. "So, it doesn't matter what I pick? " Flash groaned. "You're missing the point. "Mom regretted that she didn't follow her heart and pick what she wanted. It took her a very long time to come to terms with that. I don't want you to pick something because you feel you need to honor us. I want you to pick something that calls to you."
After that he kissed my head and shooed me off to bed. That night I dreamt of mom.
"Happy birthday!!!" I smiled at my brothers as they set up gifts and placed my cake I front of me. Flash was still concerned, but he didn't say anything. After we ate cake it was time to go to the ceremony. All of our relatives were gathered there and waiting. Our family elder Ester the Espeon was standing at the front of the group. She embraced me. "Happy 13th birthday Evelyn! Today is the day you will choose your path in life." She lead me to the statues. There was one for each evolution, and in front of each statue was the item needed to become that form.
Flash and Justin looked worried as I stood there looking at all of the statues, but it was ok now. I knew what I wanted to be. I stepped towards the Vaporeon statue and took ahold of the waterstone. As I evolved I heard everyone cheering and clapping. Elder Ester raised her hands. "Brothers and sisters, I present to you our sister Vara the Vaporeon!" Justin and Flash ran up and hugged me. "We are so proud of you Vara!" It was going to take some time to get used to that name.
Flash leaned down and whispered in my ear. "Vaporeon is the same form that mom wished she had chosen. You are just like her, and I know she would be very proud of you." I cried. I am very happy that I oicked this form. I felt right...I had finally found my place.
~End~
