"oh."[break][break]

it never even occurs to him how that might be the reason why she wouldn't be okay.[break][break]

the realization makes him tense. he looks at the deerling, watching how his kangaskhan closes the distance to throw an ICE PUNCH. the kangaskhan is so precise with its attack and moves with the agility of a pokemon much smaller.[break][break]

he tosses a pokeball at it from afar.[break][break]

"i'm sure i've said it before but i'm sorry for what i did."

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]
normal/grass/fairy[break]
catching deerling![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-kangaskhan color-shiny"]

Eva doesn’t want to relive it all. It’s something she’s moved past but for Matias it’s fresh, so she understands that, “You don’t have to apologize, we’ve moved past it,” well, to her they have. She squeezes his arm gently in reassurance before slowly continuing down the path. A Dubwool munches on grass, undisturbed by their presence.

What Eva can’t get past is freya morningstar trying to kill Matias. It bothered Eva more than she’d like to admit. They hadn’t been that close but she still felt the cold knife of betrayal stabbed in her back. It made her wonder who else she shouldn’t trust.

---

MATIAS SILPH
DW: Grass/Normal/Fairy
Skipping!
-5 pokeballs

"okay."[break][break]

if she says they've moved past it, then they have. he believes her.[break][break]

with a sigh, his emotions settle, stilling underneath the warmth of her touch. he reaches his hand up to cup hers before turning to continue their walk.[break][break]

a cinccino hides beneath the dubwool, though he pays either no mind.[break][break]

"aren't you close with freya?"

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]
normal/grass/fairy[break]
skipping![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-kangaskhan color-shiny"]

It was as Matias read her mind. His Groudon powers didn’t come with mind reading, did they? Of course, he knew her well enough to know that something was on her mind.

“If you consider trauma-bonding close, sure,” she shrugs her shoulders as a Spritzee flutters by. It’s not like they called each other to chat, but they did share some personal experiences and forging a level of trust that they had to venture into the unknwo together was significant, “I trusted her, though, yes,” Eva had always been too trusting, a flaw for seeing the best in others, “Do you think she’s . . . with Rocket?”

---

MATIAS SILPH
DW: Grass/Normal/Fairy
Skipping!
-5 pokeballs

"sorry to hear."[break][break]

it reminds him, in a way, of himself and KING WAYLAND. how they broke each other's trust only to end up trying to kill each other. he wonders if that's what's down the line for eva and freya morningstar.[break][break]

he takes the distraction, pokedex scanning the oinkologne, able to smell its LINGERING AROMA even over the stench of its BELCH. the nasty little thing.[break][break]

ROCK TOMB encases it to set up the pokeball.[break][break]

"i don't think so. at littleroot, she wasn't fighting with rocket. she just came to king's aid when he needed it most."[break][break]

tch.

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]
normal/grass/fairy[break]
catching oinkologne![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-kangaskhan color-shiny"]

It should be reassuring to know that Matias didn’t think Freya was with Rocket. There was a little solace in that fact. It still didn’t keep her from being labeled an enemy. She tried to kill Matias, that was enough to brand her in Eva’s book.

“Hmph,” she watched him catch the stinky, but hella cute, piggy, “I guess if find one . . . we’ll find the other then,” two targets, one bait. And Eva knew what would get freya morningstar out of the shadows, but Eva’s morals were too strong to use Rayquaza against her. Plus, she would never put the dragon in such a situation. There was no doubt it held a certain reverence regarding Freya. It saved her life, after all.

---

MATIAS SILPH
DW: Grass/Normal/Fairy
Skipping!
-5 pokeballs

his morals are not nearly as strong as hers so the suggestion leaves him easily.[break][break]

"we could use rayquaza to draw her out. she's obsessed with it, isn't she?"[break][break]

the plan would be simple to plan and even easier to execute. it's just a matter of whether or not eva would be willing to do such a thing.[break][break]

he expects not but it never hurts to try.[break][break]

the glob that is a milcery slides by, not wanting to interrupt their conversation.

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]
normal/grass/fairy[break]
skipping![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-kangaskhan color-shiny"]

The moment he suggests the obvious plan, Eva whips around to face him with a surprisingly furious fire burning in her emerald gaze. Matias’s morals may not be as strict as Eva’s but he should know better than to suggest something like that to her, “Absolutely not,” her voice is stern, snapping like a whip, “Rayquaza is not a pawn in our personal vendettas,” It's obviously a sensitive subject. Now, if Eva was attacked . . . that would be a different story. The serpent wouldn’t hesitate to come to her aid.

Eva watches the Raoserade skip across the path, SWEET SCENT drawing a sleepy Hatterene out from the trees. The enamored psychic-type walks straight into the path of Eva’s empty pokeball.

---

MATIAS SILPH
DW: Grass/Normal/Fairy
Catchig Hatterene!
-6 pokeballs

the way she whips around is telling enough. it acts as the precursor of her fury which helps him prepare for it. his expression softens as he nods.[break][break]

"understood."[break][break]

but should their roles have been reversed, he would not hesitate to use groudon or virizion to lure out her attacker. even now, the thought of killing bryan delarosa occurs to him like an unfulfilled desire.[break][break]

he steps away to pick up a chespin before moving it off to the side, away from the path.

[attr="class","ooc"]Eva Morales[break]
normal/grass/fairy[break]
skipping![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-kangaskhan color-shiny"]