The Perfect Christmas Gift
chapter one
I was thirteen at the time, which where I lived, was the correct age to get your first Wyrm. Unless you were one of those odd parents that let their child have a Wyrm early, or one of those protective ones that waited until the kid was sixteen. My parents were open parents and were kind, but they liked to wait until their child turned thirteen. In this case, that child was me.
Wyrms were much more then just a pet. They were a friend and a partner. You could have many Wyrms, but it was smart to have one or two unless you were a registered breeder or you had the space for more then that. I always imagined having one or two, but for now, one was enough. I was just glad I was finally getting a Wyrm.
Not to mention, it was Christmas. I had been thirteen for a while, but my parents felt that a Wyrm would also make for a lovely Christmas gift, so they waited until December came. It was finally here, and I was estatic.
My parents were also excited. They felt I was ready to take on such a responsibility. I already acted older then I was, and my mother said she also got her first Wyrm at this age. So it fit, I was to get a Wyrm within the next couple of weeks.
Of course, things weren't easy. I lived on a Military Base. One for the Navy, to be exact. It was only right for me to be getting a Marine Wyrm. One that was familiar with the area, and enjoyed the beach and the sea. I, however, wasn't very fond of Marine Wyrms. My step-father declared that I wouldn't be getting an Angler Wyrm, for they were very common and many of the teenagers owned them.
My step-dad believed that I was deserving of a Bright Darter. He said their horns would protect me (which is sort of silly since it would be a tea-cup and I'm human sized) and that they were perfect starter Wyrms. My blood related father, on the other hand, thought a Hairy Nudibranch would be best. They seemed like calm and sweet creatures, something cute that would prove as a good friend for me.
Honestly, I didn't want either of those darn Wyrms.
They were cute, but too common. Who said I needed to have a Marine Wyrm because I was in a family that supported the Navy? This wasn't a rule, it was just suited to be the best in case the children themselves decided to grow up and join the Navy. As if I wanted to do such a thing. I wanted to be a Vet, not join the Military. I didn't need a Marine Wyrm to help me fight battles on a ship. I didn't even like boats, since drowning was something that I didn't fancy.
Both Wyrms are nice, yes. I didn't have anything against them, and did believe both were quite cute. However, I was a unique person who liked unique things. It's not like I was asking for a rare Wyrm that would cost tons to buy, such as a Resplendent Fan Tail or a Spiny Sand Shifter. All I wanted was a Wyrm that was slightly different from the rest. I wasn't born into a Navy family, and I didn't feel I should have a Wyrm that represented the Navy.
I argued about this with my parents several times. My fathers both were reluctant to agree, and my mother just kept her mouth shut and didn't feel she needed to jump into my problems. I often went her way for help, and she brushed me off, saying I would need to solve this problem myself.
That's it! I thought one morning after I had thought things through. This was my problem, not my fathers. This would be my starter Wyrm, not theirs. I had a right to help decide what Wyrm I would be getting. And I knew for a fact that it wouldn't be a Marine Wyrm.
My plan was simple. My step-dad was supposed to be going to Japan for two years, so he wouldn't be able to pester me about a Wyrm. For the next couple of months, I planned on checking out the woods on base to see if I could find a Wyrm of a different Type. If I found one, and it was nice enough, I planned on making it my parter. If I couldn't find such Wyrm, I would give up and pick between a Bright Darter and a Hairy Nudibranch.
This wasn't easy though. My fathers were very stubborn.
"A couple months, that's all it'll take. I'll just go out into the woods and see what I can find. If I can't find one, I'll decide between the two Marine Wyrms. Simple? It don't care if I can't have it by Christmas, that's fine." I hoped that they would be satisfied with my answer. They were stubborn, but they were also very kind and caring. I knew that my plan would work.
Only, it didn't.
"We'll give you two weeks. I'm leaving in four days, so you'll have a nice amount of time. Months is too long. If you can't find a Wyrm in the two weeks, we'll be picking one for you." My two fathers both agreed on this answer, and it stung. It really did. This wasn't nearly enough time logically. However, I also liked to believe in fantasy as much as I did in logic. I kept telling myself that I would find a Wyrm in time, and things would be alright.
"I accept. Give me two weeks, and I'll tell you all about the Wyrm I find. It'll be cute and cuddly, as well as strong. Just you wait, I'll find it!" I exclaimed, turning and marching out the door with my hand still up in the air, waving around as if I was directing someone.
I heard the chuckles of my parents behind me. They doubted me.
Unfortunately, I think I doubted me too.
chapter two
The next four days pasted in such a blur I swore it was only four minutes. There was tears and lots of crying once my step-dad went off to live in Japan. However, I also felt a bit of excitement. I would never say this out loud though. My mother would kill me, since her life did revolve around family, and with one member gone, things were hard for her.
Nevertheless, I was excited to go off and explore for my Wyrm. Kissing my mom on the head to comfort her, I turned and headed out of the door. I had a small bag with me, inside of it carried the usual things that would help me get a Wyrm. Throughout the whole experiance, I kept telling myself that I wouldn't fail, and that I would find a Wyrm.
However, that December night, I returned home alone.
"No worries," I told myself, trying to keep a positive attitude while munching on the leg of a gingerbread man. "I'll just find a Wyrm tomorrow." With that, I set out again on my journey into the woods in hopes of finding a Wyrm.
This time, I didn't find a Wyrm. I fell and cut my knee, which hurt.
"It's alright..I'll fine one today..I know I will." That's how I would go off for the next few days. I'd tell myself that I would fine a Wyrm, but I'd always do it with little spirit. I usually went home with nothing but cuts. Twice I ran into a Wyrm, but they were Marine Wyrms and were very skittish.
Over the phone, I told both my fathers about how my quest was going well. I told them I swore I saw a Leaf Crawler the other day, and that I was sure I would run into it. While speaking, I tride to sound confident, but I ended up sounding like I was the worst lier in the world.
It seemed my parents were starting to feel bad for me, and they often said a few things to try and encourage me such as "Oh really, that's so cool." Or, "Keep it up, champ."
Their words did little to make me happier.
On the last day, I went out telling myself that I would find a Wyrm. I knew I would. However, my attempts failed and I returned home defeated. I explained this to my fathers, and they seemed to be content with my conclusion. Then they told me that my new Wyrm would come any day now.
chapter three
Any day now. Those words kep repeating in my head all night. Did he already have a Wyrm picked out? Had they both decided on one Wyrm long ago, knowing I'd fail? Probably, they must have known that I wouldn't have been able to find the Wyrm I wanted, and now I was getting a Marine Wyrm.
I thought about this, and I finally gave in and decided that it wouldn't be too bad. I would have a more uncommon type of Wyrm, that was good. It may even have interesting colors. They were still cute.
I slept that night, my mind whirling. The next day wasn't any better. It was the third day that I got a package in the mail.
I know what you're thinking, and I was thinking the same. A package? It had no holes in it! Surely, the Wyrm in here was probably dead now, which would only break me even more. So, taking a deep breath, I opened the box and pulled out a small velvet cloth bundle. Unwrapping it, a small egg was inside.
I was shocked, stunned, surprised. Whichever word you felt like using, that's how I felt. An egg, how was this? Inside the velvet cloth there was a few bread crumbs. Obviously the egg was going to be hatching soon, since my step-father had supplied it with food.
I called him up right away, cradling the small egg in my arms. I asked him the usual questions. "Where did you get this? It looks so unique. How'd you get it? How did you send it over here? Are the Marine Wyrms different in Japan?" All he did was chuckle and told me that this Wyrm was very special.
He was right.
The egg hatched later that night, and even my mom looked happier then usual. I was excited, but I didn't want to show it. I stayed calm and collected, watching the egg crack and break in front of my eyes. At first, I thought it was a Bright Darter. It had horns on it's head, but after a few moments I realized it had three horns. Three!
It also had a feather on it, a lovely little plume. And the whole Wyrm was white other then two little tear drop markings on each side of it's face. This wasn't a Bright Darter, and this wasn't a Hairy Nudibranch.
This was a Jiao-Di.
I called my fathers again, petting the baby Wyrm that was in my lap. Again, I asked the questions you would probably ask. "This is a Jiao-Di, this isn't a variety of a Marine Wyrm. How'd you get it? Why'd you get it?"
My fathers explained to me that in Japan, finding a Jiao-Di wasn't to hard. So, he went to a breeder and picked a nice egg and sent it off to me. They both wanted me to have something special as my first Wyrm, since I was a special person. Surprisingly, my mother was in on this two. They had been planning this for a while, and that's why she hadn't acted so surprised or interested in my situation.
I was shocked. I couldn't believe that my parents had done this. I had my first Wyrm, at last. And it wasn't a Marine Wyrm. It was a Zhong Lung. A Jiao-Di. She was unique and beautiful.
And she was all mine. My perfect partner, and my perfect Christmas present.
Yeaaaaahhh. It's sorta long, and odd, maybe? I liked it though, in a way. xD