For the next two days Jelin worked mostly on himself.  As far as he could tell, he had hit a bottleneck with his magic because there were just some things he couldn't figure out and would likely need to wait until he learned from the humans.  Instead, he tried to work on his psychic abilities, using bugs and creatures nearby, and his shifting abilities.  

He actually had to use the makeshift mirror a few times before he could shift between human and monster without it.  The minor shifts, like getting real claws or changing his voice, took a little more fine control versus memory.  Trying to remember what he did to make his voice sound a specific way was difficult but trying to make those specific changes without slowly changing until it got there was almost as hard as trying to go swimming without getting wet.

In preparation for the faerie, he also helped Claw and Scar clear out an area of all but one adult hyena monster.  The rat actually helped them keep an eye out when they were done.  He left it in a nearby tree to make sure the creature didn't leave and more didn't show up.  He felt an incredible sense of accomplishment at finally making the rat do something helpful.

Near the end of the two day span the faerie finally pulled her prank on him.  She even used what he assumed was her creation to do so.  He actually saw her flying towards him while he was walking around so he actually wasn't expecting her to try something right then.  It was as they were looking at each other while approaching one another that he felt a tap on his shoulder.

In slight confusion he turned to look behind him and didn't see anything.  When he turned back around he was met with a bright flash of light and a giggle.  Unfortunately for the faerie his eyes were actually highly adaptable to light changes and his blindness didn't even last a full second.  The faerie had only barely turned around to try and make her escape when he could see again.

As she flew away, she spared a glance behind her and when she saw him right behind her and about to catch her she actually looked horrified and panicked.  She flashed his eyes again and he felt a touch on his foot barely a split second later, which caused him to trip and fell over.  By the time he managed to get close to her again she had made it into her room.

"Who left?"

He felt he needed the practice and tried to use human words while keeping his voice flat to not betray how happy he was that she had actually succeeded at pranking him like she had.

"None.  You last."

He burst out laughing at that.  She still seemed to be most worried about trying to do things to him.  It was also a very good prank that he found funny enough that he would have chuckled earlier had he not been trying to act dignified.  If she was actually done, though, then there was no need to act like that.

<Good job!  That was great!  Especially that ranged touching trick.  Was that the thing you came up with?>

<Yes.  I wanted to make an attack but that was all I could manage.>

<Don't sound so depressed about it.  As it is right now, it's already incredibly powerful.  You managed to get me completely by surprise and even made me fall over.  If you use that to distract an enemy in a fight then it can allow you time to do all sorts of things.  It's very useful.>

<I guess.  I still don't have an attack that can hurt things, though.>

<You have one.  One is all you really need if you use it right.  Why don't you rest for a bit.  I'll come get you later this evening.  You have a fight tonight so you can try and do whatever you need to to prepare.>

Saying that, he left to go and make sure everything was ready.  He let the girls know that the faerie would finally have her fight and asked Queenie if she could spare any drones to help keep other creatures away.  He and the girls cleared everything but that one creature out of the area one last time to make sure and then he walked back to get the faerie.  He had her follow him until he was at the edge of where they had cleared.

<In that direction is a creature.  It's the only one in the area so you don't have to worry about figuring out which one or if something else will interfere.  We'll be around the area to keep anything from trying to enter or it trying to leave.  That said, we'll still be too far to help if something happens so there won't be anyone to save you this time.  Now, go kill the creature.>

<Kill it?>

<Yes, kill it.  Make it dead.  You should be alive and it should be dead before you leave the area.  Use or do whatever you need to.  Go.>

She looked a little dejected but turned her glow off and flew forward anyways.  He and the girls tried to pay attention to the area as best they could while they waited.  After almost two hours they all started hearing the sounds of fighting.  The sounds continued for at least another hour before there was finally silence.

About five minutes later the rat raised a paw indicating that someone was dead.  Jelin let the girls know through the link and started heading towards the center of the area.  He finally found a cleared area where the creature had obviously destroyed as much as it could in rage.  At the edge of all of the destruction was the faerie leaning against the dead creature.

He asked Claw to try and dig out the core for him while he talked to the faerie.

<Hey.  Good job.>

<Thanks, I guess.>

<Did you evolve?>

<What?  No!  You told me not to, remember?>

<I remember.  I was wondering if you did.>

<That doesn't make sense.>

<So, what's that behind you that you were just leaning on, by the way?>

<What?!  It's the creature you told me I had come kill!>

<And you did?>

<Yes!  If you->

<So let me get this straight.  A creature much older and stronger than the one you almost died to a little less than thirty days ago has been killed by you in a one on one fight with no help and without you ever evolving.  Did I get that right?>

<Yes!  That's what I just...>

<Did you finally understand?  Do you finally believe me?  Don't you think this counts as the proof that you wanted?>

<But...wait...how?  I can't even attack!  I never got stronger!>

<No!  You got stronger.  You just never evolved.  There should be no better proof than right here and now.>

Claw finally managed to cut out the core and handed it to the faerie who just looked at it while holding it.  The other girls all stood nearby and watched her.

<That's yours, you know.  It was your kill.>

<I...but...this doesn't make sense.>

<It makes sense if I was right the whole time, though.>

<So.  But.  If you were right the whole time then what do I even need this for?>

<Need?  You don't.  It's still yours and you have it, though.>

<So...I could evolve now, right?>

<You could technically have done it whenever.  I just would have stopped teaching you.  If you're asking me if you're ready to evolve, though, then let me ask if you really believe you are.  If you're having trouble answering that way, then do you think that I think you're ready?>

<...no.  I still glow when I sleep, I still have trouble changing directions quickly when flying, and I still can't->

<If you realize all that then you're doing better.  You don't have to be perfect.  Just be the best you can be.  Come on.  Tonight I'm going to finish the story and it's already late.>

He decided to drag the corpse back with them himself since the faerie wouldn't be able to and he felt it was wrong to ask the girls to do it for him.  He left the corpse in their clearing and then everyone went to bed.  He finished his story with the heroes beating the demon lord and everyone living happily ever after and went to sleep, anxious about the next day.

Once everyone had eaten breakfast the next morning he decided to talk to the faerie about evolving once more.

<So, now comes the hard part.>

<Oh no...>

<For me, that is.  You aren't one of us.  I can't help you with the evolution like I can with everyone else.  If we add in that your base is a little messed up then it makes this even harder.  First point to pay attention to is that you should only pick something that's like 'Greater Child Something Glow Faerie'.  I don't know what your options will be but that is basically a must.

Next is trying to figure out what that something will be or should be.  So let me ask some questions here.  Have you accepted that your strength lies in trickery or do you still want a different strength?  Do you still want or think you need more actual attacks right now or do you think you can wait?  Do you think flying or magic is more important?>

<Umm.  I...guess trickery is fine.  It is making me stronger, even if it's not how I thought.  And I guess I can wait for attacks as long as I still get some if it will make me even stronger to wait.  As for choosing between flying and magic, then I guess I would choose flying.  Is that enough?>

<Maybe.  Like I said, I don't know what options you'll have.  We just have to do the best we can.  Now, what's more important to you?  There's no wrong answer here.  Would you want more flying or more tricks?>

<Umm...more flying?  No, wait.  More tricks.>

<Hmm.  Okay, so.  What you'll be looking for is something that has to do with trickery, pranks, jokes, illusions, prestidigitation, or something like that first.  If nothing like that feels that 'Something' slot then you can try to find something with flying, wings, wind, air, or even maybe regeneration.  I say that last one because that would help prevent you from ever losing your wings.  If there's still nothing then not only would I be worried but would try to find anything magic related.>

<This feels like a lot to remember all at once.>

<Maybe.  It's more about feeling, though.  I'm just trying to tell you now so you have time to think about it.  Like you said, there's still more you can do before you evolve and the more you do before that, the more options you have.  Since you never really set your base at an earlier evolution, you're going to have to work harder to make one now.  That means you're going to have to try and stay at your current stage and add the important things the best that you can.>

<Okay.  So, basically I just need to train more now.>

<Basically,  yes.>

<Then I'll go do that, now.>

<Alright.  Have fun!>