Today was a day to remember. It was the day. The day that the Eevee who had grow up together in the same pupil group could finally be allowed to join the clan officially.

As Caidea struggled with the fancy bows on her ears, her friend looked out the tent window at the main square eagerly. It was still very early. The sky was still dark, and the only thing illuminating them was the lone candle inside their tent. However, they both new that was the point, because all Espeon evolve in the light of the morning sun. They were both very tired, but too excited to show it. It was Caidea who insisted they get up before anyone else to get ready, though.

"Nym, could you stop staring at the statue and help me here?" Caidea was struggling to tie another bow around her ear, but it ended up going around her head instead. When enough pressured was applied, in an instant, all the bows came undone. Lainym snickered.

"Why do you even bother putting those on? Our bodies are going to change and those will squeeze the life out of you."

Caidea scowled. "At least I want to look pretty today."

Lainym smiled and rolled her bright brown eyes at her. "My beauty cannot be captured by a mere ribbon," she said in her best ancient monk impersonation. "Just take those off." Caidea giggled and sighed dreamily.

"I can't wait for the party tonight. It'll be so great..."

Lainym stared at her. "You mean you're waiting for some male to sweep you off your feet?"

Caidea's cheeks grew bright red. "I... I didn't mean it like that, I'm just excited about the... food! Yeah, that's it! The food will be great!" She smiled brightly at Lainym, who in turn laughed.

The ceremonial horn blew off in the distance, demanding that all Eevee come to the square. Caidea could barely restrain herself from squealing. Lainym was more of a carefree Eevee, but as much as she wouldn't admit it, she felt like squealing too. This was the moment they had all been waiting for since they were born. Soon, the square started to fill up with her Eevee colleagues and their proud parents. Lainym couldn't help but notice how they had all changed, even after 8 moons. Even Monnar, the shy little Eevee from her group, had grown slightly taller and more mature. Lainym often found herself talking to him after lessons when Caidea wasn't around, and she was often teased for it.

There was a small stage set up on the pebbled floor. As the crowd of Eevee at the front whispered among themselves excitedly, Lainym and Caidea included, the elders of the clan made their way to the stage. Instructor Adyss accompanied them and climbed up to the very front. She tapped the wood with her paw three times, and almost a quarter of a second later all heads turned to her. The instructor cleared her throat.

"Friends and parents. We are gathered here today to celebrate the welcoming of yet another generation of Espeon into our clan."

The crowd cheered on cue and most of it came from the Eevee themselves.

Instructor Adyss motioned for silence with her paw, and the crowd soon followed. "Very well. As we all know, these Eevee have been working hard for most of their young lives, learning about the environment around them and the history of our clan. Today, when the sun rises, the great Solgaleo shall decide which Eevee are worthy of receiving the blessing of the sun and finally evolve."

The crowd broke into whispers. Lainym hated this part. She knew that it was possible that not all Eevee evolved today. She feared one of those could be her, mostly because of her feelings of resentment toward becoming leader. But these past moons, she had been working so hard... She would wake up every morning to gather berries in the highest trees of the woods. She would go out after lessons to train with local wild Rattata and Raticate. She would try to get stronger every day, every day she would tell herself that she would impress the great Solgaleo and prove her worth. But... what if that wasn't enough?

The sun was beginning to shine in the distance. The Eevee arranged themselves in rows and columns in front of the stage, like they had rehearsed before a few times, each knowing their correct placement and marking. Lainym could already feel her heart beat faster. One of the elders, a female, stepped forward beside instructor Adyss. She raised her head to the sky.

"O, great Solgaleo, the beast that devours the sun... Bless these Eevee with your power! Give their bodies the strength to change!"

All Eevee knew that that was the signal for everyone to close their eyes. Lainym hurriedly closed hers, praying to Arceus that she would be able to evolve.

She already heard the first flash in front of her, meaning one of the Eevee had already starting evolving. It was soon followed by another flash. Then another. Then another. Finally, she could even hear Caidea's body right beside her being enveloped in a flash. It seemed everyone was evolving, but Lainym still felt nothing.

Come on... Please... Let me evolve... Lainym gritted her teeth as she tried to concentrate more. It couldn't be... That after all these years of training, she wasn't going to evolve after all? Was it all for nothing? She could almost feel tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Great Solgaleo... Please... I know I was selfish. Please... let me evolve...

FLASH!

That flash seemed to be closer than the others. She pricked her ears, trying to search for the source of the sound, when she noticed how they felt much longer. All of a sudden, she felt bare in her chest area. She touched her neck with her paw and noticed that her light colored fluffy patch of fur was gone. Her tail no longer felt heavy and furry like it always was. It seemed to get thinner and thinner until it split in two at the end. Finally, she touched her forehead, only to find a round gem growing on it. She could already hear some of the Espeon parents cheering. Lainym opened her eyes.

"Nym! Look at us!" Lainym turned to her right and met with a pair of sparkling violet eyes. She jumped in surprise.

"C-Caidea...?" Lainym stumbled on her own tall legs and fell on her bottom. Caidea giggled.

"Look! We evolved!" Lainym's best friend, now an Espeon, smiled with her eyes closed, her tail moving around behind her. Lainym looked down at herself.

Her fur was a bright shade of lilac. It was short and soft to the touch. She turned around and looked at her tail. It was the same shade of lilac, but just as she felt during evolution, it forked at the very end. She felt her ears. They were definitely longer than before, and they now had a large chunk of fur each growing from each. Lainym looked around and spotted two or three Eevee who weren't able to evolve, their ears dropped behind their heads and their parents trying to comfort them. Some Eevee, now Espeon started gather near the pond to have a better look at their new bodies. Caidea and Lainym followed them and poked their heads through the crowd.

Lainym was startled at her own reflection at first. She had been so used to looking in the water and staring at brown eyes and brown fur. Seeing that lilac body moving along with her, those violet, shining eyes staring back at her own, it all felt so foreign to her.

"Sweetie!"

Lainym pulled her head out of the group of new Espeon and turned around. Her mother was padding up to her, followed by her father.

"We're so proud of you!" Her mother smiled tenderly and nuzzled her cheek. Lainym happily returned the affection. She then turned to her father.

Taenan smiled slightly. "Well done, my daughter." Lainym felt happy enough to demonstrate public affection to just about anyone now, and that's just what she did with her father.

The leader of the clan was startled at first when he felt his daughter's head under his chin, but he soon gave in and chuckled. The wooden stage was tapped three times, calling everyone's attention once more. This time, it was one of the elderly Espeon, the one who made the prayer to the Great Solgaleo. "Congratulations to all of the Eeevee - now Espeon - who have worked all their lives for this moment. May the next generation of Espeon continue to flourish like the ones before them did!"

While the Espeon cheered, Caidea turned to Lainym and her parents. "What are you all doing there? Let's go to the fair to celebrate!"

The sun had settled more clearly in the sky now. The village had been decorated to fit the day's happy occasion. A large party was planned deep in the forest, which was about as far from the village anyone was allowed to go. There would be music, food and lots of dancing and partying, or so they were all told. The leaders of the village, following behind their daughter and Caidea, made their way through the square toward the forest path. As Lainym approached the stage, she bumped into a familiar male.

"...Lainym?"

"Monnar!" She cried cheerfully. The male Espeon looked up at her.

"Hey, Lainym. This is going to take some getting used, huh?" He motioned to his own paws. Lainym giggled and nodded in agreement. She was too excited to compose herself right now. Thank you, great Solgaleo. She lifted her head and smiled to the sky. Caidea stepped in between the two of them.

"Sorry to interrupt the two lovebirds, but there's a party going on and I'm not about to miss it." Monnar's face reddened and Lainym rolled her eyes playfully.

The day went on, except everything was so... different. The newly evolved Espeon mostly had the hang of their new bodies a few hours from then, while others still tripped on their own feet while running. Lainym watched the world around her. As she realized she was maturing physically and as a Pokemon, her childhood days of feeling trapped and misunderstood as an Eevee seemed to be fading from her memory. Only time would really tell if they would really be gone.

Taenan stepped into the tent where her mate was already carrying plates in her mouth and setting up dinner. Since the party started at sunrise, everyone had come back at around midday, but most of the young Espeon were still out partying. A selection of berries and freshly caught Magikarp decorated the round wooden table. This worked up Taenan's apetite, and he approached his mate to ask when they could start eating, since he knew his daughter was still at the party. Unfortunately, Erezel remembered she had something to tell him first. Something important.

"Taenan, I believe we have to have a conversation with Lainym soon."

The leader tilted his head. "About what? She only just evolved." Erezel sighed and nodded, but continued talking nonetheless.

"I know she just evolved, but we need to have a talk with her."

Taenan stared at his mate. "What is it? You look pale. Is something wrong?"

Erezel met her mate's worried eyes. "...They accepted, Taenan. They'll be visiting tomorrow."