Was she in today? Doesn’t he already know the answer to that?

Cheryl, the sweet, old lady receptionist blinks, a bit stunned by the question and who is standing in front of her. She knows exactly who he is . . . But he’s much more handsome in person. A slow smile creeps across her painted red lips.

Fortunately, Eva is already there. The blonde pokes her head around the corner with a slight frown and a single brow raised in question. She had heard his voice which immediately intrigued her, “Why didn’t you just text me or somethin’?”

---

MATIAS SILPH

"oops. sorry, i've been a bit...distracted."[break][break]

at that, he dips his head to the receptionist, polite as ever, and walks over to greet his other half with a kiss.[break][break]

"i got caught up in something in petalburg. no idea what, but my electrode changed."[break][break]

he holds up the odd-looking electrode in his arms, showing it to her.

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-virizion"]

This kiss leaves a small smile spread across her lips. Of course, it doesn’t last long when she follows his gesture down to the Electrode.

Suddenly, the doctor is slack-jawed and staring at the sphere in her boyfriend’s arms. To her, the differences are immediately obvious, Well, at least those differences on the exterior, “Wha- What? This is your Electrode!?” It doesn’t look like metal.

Eva reaches out to tap the exterior. Instead of the traditional clink of metal against her fingernail, the pokemon sounds like a hollow tree. She’s never seen anything like it before.

“Um, Cheryl, cancel my afternoon appointments,” she’ll make it up to them somehow. Her mind is already racing a hundred miles an hour when she grabs matias’s arm, “C’mon, this way.”

She leads him to a back treatment area and motions for him to set the Electrode on the floor so she can observe it from a distance, “Wait, what happened exactly?” Did she remember correctly? Did he say it just changed?

---

MATIAS SILPH

matias drops the electrode and stops it from smacking onto the floor with his foot like one does a football. it rolls along, following after them into the back treatment area.[break][break]

"it, uh, so—" he struggles for a moment. "some weird shit was going on in petalburg woods. gravity felt heavier, things felt off, and electrode just...changed."[break][break]

he sighs, folding his arms across his chest in thought.[break][break]

"i've never seen anything like it before."

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-virizion"]

Even as it rolls it doesn’t sound like a normal Electrode. Instead of the high pitched scrapping of metal across a tiled floor, it seems buffeted. Almost hollow.

As Matias speaks, she observes. It certainly retains some of the unique qualities of an Electrode, but it isn’t an Electrode. Or is it?

“Like, one of those storms that have been happening since after . . .” she lets the words trail off into silence. They haven’t spoken much about the events of their travel through space and time. He’d know what she means.

“Changed, like, evolved? Or different than evolution?” Was the energy of the storm strong enough to create a new form of evolution?!

---

MATIAS SILPH

after the incident. that seems to be the common theme here — a new incident every few months. briefly, he wonders when the next one is going to be.[break][break]

"yeah. like that."[break][break]

the voltorb thumps around in the room, knocking into desks.[break][break]

"different, i think. it kinda reminds me of how some species have variations. like an exeggutor looks different coming from alola."

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-virizion"]

The Electrode continues to roll, thumping into things with the same, semi-hollow sound. Eva’s gaze hasn’t left the pokemon, even as Matias speaks. What a strange story.

“I’ve been in one of those storms. There are some strange pokemon in there," has she told him she dove right into one yet? No? Well, now he knows.

Kneeling, Eva coaxes the Electrode towards her, ready to get a physical exam in now that she’s observed the pokemon, “Have you noticed any other changes? Is it still an electric-type?” her fingers float over the wooden exterior. It’s smooth, but natural, almost reminds her of an Apricorn.

“Do you think it will let me take a sample?” It’s difficult to obtain biological sample from the tradition Electrode due to its metal encasing. Imaging is really the only way to assess its physiology. A wooden exterior is promising. Is the wood a living tissue or petrified? Would she be able to carbon date it? Her gaze finally leaves the Electrode, glancing up at Matias for permission.

---

MATIAS SILPH

"strange and aggressive."[break][break]

he's yet to tell her how he's revisited petalburg on multiple occasions in hopes of encountering the same phenomenon. the two are perhaps more alike than they care to admit.[break][break]

"i think so. and yeah, it's quite passive so feel free to do whatever to it."[break][break]

it might zap eva now and again but what is the pursuit of knowledge without a little bit of pain?[break][break]

he sighs, moving to lean against one of the desks.[break][break]

"how have you been otherwise, love?"[break][break]

because it's been a while since they've actually...talked.

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-virizion"]

Eva exhales, nodding in agreement at the ‘aggressive’ part. They sure were something else, “I found a rather strange Zorua-like pokemon. I haven’t quite looked at it yet,” she muses out loud as she stands up and moves towards the other end of the room to ready some equipment.

This isn’t the first electric-type she’s dealt with. She snaps on a pair on rubber gloves for some sort of protection. It likely wouldn’t appreciate a biopsy sample being taken. She’ll start there, figure out exactly what this strange Electrode is made of.

His question elicits a surprised look from Eva as the turns to glance his way. She’s not surprised he asked the question, just surprised that they really haven’t spent much time together since their trip to Sea!Hoenn. Sure, they lived together but quality time and conversation are different than just seeing each other in passing at home.

For a moment, she considers her answer, turning to make the final preparations for the biopsy. How has she been? “I’ve been fine, busy as you well know,” it’s the truth, she hasn’t really had much time to sit and consider how she’s feeling so she’s been feeling just fine.

“I’ve . . . missed you,” she admits, turning to smile awkwardly at him. That’s one thing she is certain of. She tosses Matias a pair of rubber gloves to put on as well, “Here, put those on. You’ll have to hold it still for me.”

---

MATIAS SILPH

"i've missed you, too."[break][break]

the pair of rubber gloves are snatched out of the air and easily slipped on a moment later. they smack against the skin of his wrists.[break][break]

"we still need to take that holiday we talked about."[break][break]

but how can they? work occupies all of their time, and when matias isn't at work, he's off chasing personal vendettas. he hasn't even told her of Eris Halla or what happened at the tree of life.[break][break]

he sighs, stepping forward to hold his electrode in place.

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-virizion"]

Eva looks back, smiling fondly at him as if she’s happy to hear he shares the same sentiment. At the same time, she can’t help but feel like she sees someone else, someone she barely recognizes. Is it the time apart?

“Yeah, we really do,” she agrees, sighing as well as she kneels on the tile beside the Electrode as Matias steps into place.

Eva holds a small scalpel, it’s sharp and fresh. It should easily be able to shave off some of the wood for analysis. Nothing but a tiny skin scrape. Then maybe some imaging? Xrays can image through wood. Well, some wood. If this is actually wood.

“Here we go!” that’s all the warning he gets before she pulls the scalpel across the surface. He assumption that it is wood is confirmed by the way it splinters off into pieces she scrambles to collect before they are lost.

The Electrode shift uncomfortably, trembling under the subtle pain. Sparks of electricity dance over the wooden surface. Something else courses over the surface too. It’s a green, earthy energy not deterred by the rubber gloves.

Eva scrambles to her feet, rushing over to the nearest microscope to look at a pieces of the sample on higher magnification.

---

MATIAS SILPH

"it's okay, bud."[break][break]

matias can't imagine what it must feel like to be scraped for samples like this. horrible, probably. he reaches into his pocket for a gummy bear and offers it to his electrode as a peace offering.[break][break]

still holding it, he stands, approaching eva shortly after.[break][break]

"anything interesting?"

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-virizion"]

A piece of the sample is set aside for analysis later, and a small piece is placed beneath the dissecting microscope to confirm her suspicions. She hears the shuffle of Matias creep up next to he before he speaks. It doesn’t take her long to come to a conclusion, “Yep, it’s definitely wood,” she nods, standing up to her full, rather unimpressive, height, “But not one I recognize.”

Her face pinches in thought and a moment silence surrounds them. She glances towards the Electrode with narrowed eyes, “I think I’ll send this piece in for analysis,” she’s not a botanist, so figuring out what kind of wood would be difficult. It definitely didn’t resemble the wood the few grass-type’s she’s seen. It also didn’t seem petrified or rocky, like the false exterior of Sudowoodo, “This is fucking nuts!” she admits, moving towards a drawer to pack the sample away for proper storage and prepare it for analysis, “It might be part grass-type,” she continues, placing the shards gently in a container, “The wood under the scope is definitely alive, not petrified or something like that,” when finished, she turns to glance at the Electrode again, “Wanna see what kind of moves it has?” she’s proposing a battle. There’s no better way to observe a pokemon than when it is battling.

---

MATIAS SILPH