[attr="class","mon2"]

[attr="class","monbody2"]< You seem in your element here, > Adonis observed, peering up at Hal from where he moved beside her on the forest path. And he wasn't wrong, really. The canopy of the forest cast dark shadows, hardly letting any light through to the floor below. Said shadows played against dark hair and clothes, leaving only her eyes to stand out from the surroundings - blue, vibrant. She wasn't a creature of the night or anything quite so cliche. She just often appealed to the darker creatures of the world, and they to her, and her lifestyle wasn't always incredibly... tame. So here she was, happily entrenched in the beginning of the maze that was route two. It had occurred to her that a fire or flying type would likely have been helpful, but her one little bird that fit both of those criteria wasn't quite route-ready just yet. Not that all of her Pokemon were... but she couldn't have two babies tagging along that she had to keep an eye on. And while Ross was just beginning her journey through childhood, Eva was reaching its end. Even now she walked along the path in front of them, looking around curiously and without fear. And not stupidly without fear, but just without the timidness that she used to possess. She knew that Adonis and Hal were just behind her, so she didn't have to worry too much. And she was getting smarter, or wiser, or something. Her speech had begun to even out, and she wasn't scared of Adonis, and she didn't cling to Gavin like she used to. And Gavin wasn't here, so that was for the best. The Grimer needed a break.

"I'm always in my element, purple snake. Stop here, I think this is a good spot." She'd promised Zelus that she'd take her into a forest once they started. The Weedle - Kakuna now - had performed well in the Magidome, and Hal had estimated it was about time for the next evolution to occur. Zelus hadn't wanted to evolve in some city though. She wanted to be in the forest, somewhere she'd never been able to visit before. If it went further toward getting the bug to trust her, Hal was willing to do this for her. Eva pointed to a tree, one she deemed 'good for growing!', and Hal let the Kakuna out of the Pokeball. Hal lifted the creature up to the tree, where she anchored herself with a series of String Shots. The Kakuna's shell was warm. "Good there?" Hal asked, and the cocoon vibrated softly. < See you on the outside, > was her tinny response, so Hal took that as a yes and the three of them backed away from the bug-type. Eva watched with rapt attention, and even Adonis seemed interested. Both of them memorizing, calculating, as if watching it happen would somehow give them a way to make their own growth happen more quickly. Children, all children. But there was something endearing about it nonetheless.

They were quiet as they watched it all unfurl. The cocoon began to vibrate gently at first, jerking now and then. A crack began to form on the back of the Kakuna - which would have seemed painful, if it wasn't obvious that the life inside of it had moved to a new form. Shining in white light, a creature crawled from within, long and wickedly sharp, with wings that slowly unfurled before the light faded away. It revealed a sleek wasp, striped to ward off predators and sporting great dagger-needles for hands. Zelus shook herself off, turning great red eyes to the rest of the group and giving her wings an experimental buzz. Then she laughed, pushing away from the yellow husk, flying like a natural already. Hal had never heard her nearly so happy. "So how is it? Everything you've ever hoped?" Hal asked, scooping Eva up into her arms. The Cleffa was strangely quiet, and had the oddest expression on her face as she watched the Beedrill fly.

< Better! > Zelus said brightly, giddy, flying up to the canopy, around, and back to them. She landed tentatively in front of Hal, testing her new legs, then looked up at the woman. < Thank you. If I'd stayed at home, I may have evolved, but it would have been a prison sentence trapped in the hive. You've granted me freedom from that life. > She was earnest, something Hal hadn't seen from her before. Perhaps evolution was more than just a change in state - it was also a change of mind. Hal shrugged. It wasn't that she didn't care, or that she cared overly much. It was just something that happened, and she was who she was, and that was it. She didn't need thanks or gratitude to justify her actions or give her a sense of purpose.

"Alright, if that's all settled, let's get moving. I'm sure we can find something to entertain you guys." Adonis led, seeming a bit sulky if one was being honest. Probably because the Weedle he'd beaten down once had gotten so far ahead of him. But it wouldn't last forever - Hal was planning on getting some training in for him on this trip. It wouldn't be too long before he had his moment. There wasn't any point in saying it to him, though - he was well aware, and wouldn't appreciate being patronized. As she wouldn't.

---

Hal has a lucky egg in effect.



Word Count: 900
Notes: Evolution was a holdover from West of Nowhere magidome thread

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF WW