When I evolved, it was great. The tight feelings inside me had been getting worse, and finally they just exploded in a burst of light, into flower buds. I scattered leaves all over the floor, but new ones grew, stronger.
It felt good, but my new leaves were still weak and uncertain. The flower buds weren't solid enough, and I was exhausted. Evolving takes a lot out of you, especially for grass Pokemon, when they often get new growth when they evolve. Normal plants do it gradually.
Master came into the room a few minutes later, hurried but dignified as always. I think she was looking for something, but for once, she lost track of what she was doing. When she saw me, I mean.
"Oddish, you evolved!" she exclaimed. I felt happy. Maybe now I would be good enough for Master. I did feel better, although very tired.
"Oh dear, this won't do at all," she sighed, as she looked at me closely and wrinkled up her nose. "A Gloom is not an appropriate Pokemon for a fine young lady."
"Gloom gloom?"
"Just LOOK at that mess you made all over the floor," said Master, scoldingly. "I'll have to call one of the servants in now to clean up all those leaves. Gloom, you should know by now, it's not proper to make a mess."
I sighed, as much as a plant can, and my leaves drooped a bit. My master always wants perfection, and it's hard being a Pokemon, because Pokemon are really wild. Even me, I'd rather be out in the grass and forests and sun than cooped up in stuffy rooms and going to stuffy parties.
But I don't really have anyone else. There are no other Pokemon here, except for Magikarp, which are too stupid to strike up an intelligent conversation with, and a Growlithe, which I think I might like except Master doesn't like it. So I'm not allowed to either.
It had a better master than I did. I shouldn't be so disloyal, but his master didn't care if it was a little wild.
His master is gone now, so Growlithe does nothing but howl and howl. Master complains a lot about that but she doesn't realise how sad it really is.
Master came back into the room, and she was carrying something. A greenish rock. I'd never seen one before but I knew exactly what it was.
"Here, Gloom, this'll be much better. Just a moment."
I didn't want it anywhere near me. My buds had just sprouted, and I wanted to be in the sun. I felt good, too.
"Stop squirming, this won't hurt a bit."
Master pressed the stone against me and she was wrong. It hurt a bit, actually, more than that. I didn't want to evolve and it hurt all the way, but I had to because it was the proper thing to do.
Huh. How is that proper.
I'm a Vileplume now. A beautiful and refined Pokemon. But my petals grew too quickly, and now I think there has been wasted potential and power.
Of course, power means nothing now. I am a Pokemon of class. My power is wasted here, it's not even relevent. Nobody wants power in the upper classes, yet everyone does. I don't really get it.
All I know is that I'm stuck wanting to go into the sun and I can't.
I just watch it from the window of an elegantly furnished room, listening to Growlithe howl.
I would like to join in.