"Metagross is unable to battle. Contestant Chen Shi, please send out your next Pokémon!"
The referee's cold and emotionless declaration echoed through the arena.
Chen Shi's heart clenched.
He had seen clearly—right before fainting, Metagross looked at him with apology in its eyes.
It had gone against orders.
It hadn't dodged.
It had willingly taken Dragonite's attack head-on… all just to land one more Ice Punch—to carve out even the tiniest chance of victory for him.
How could he blame it?
How could he ever blame it?
The idea of sending out Dragapult next—something he had planned—vanished instantly.
Metagross had fought with everything it had.
He could not let its efforts go to waste.
He quietly recalled Metagross and spoke softly to the Poké Ball:
"Thank you… Metagross. I won't let you down."
Then he picked up another Poké Ball.
"Florges… our opponent is very strong. Are you afraid?"
The Poké Ball trembled—and opened on its own.
Florges emerged in a burst of shimmering petals.
"Flaa~…"
This time, she did not bow to her opponent.
Instead, she turned her head back toward Chen Shi.
In her eyes shimmered a gentle, indescribable warmth.
Then she faced Dragonite.
The mighty creature that even forced Metagross to gamble everything just to wound it.
It was terrifyingly strong—
but compared to the nightmare of being abducted long ago…
Dragonite didn't feel scary at all.
Florges remembered everything.
Back when she was still a Flabébé, living freely and peacefully with her colony—
until the day she strayed too far and was captured by Pokémon poachers.
Locked in a dark cage.
Starved.
Electrocuted for being "worthless merchandise."
Pain. Fear. Despair.
She had lost all hope.
Then—
a boy arrived.
A boy with a tiny Dreepy perched on his head, and a Swampert standing beside him.
He rescued her.
Fed her.
Treated her wounds.
Gave her warmth she had forgotten existed.
Then he told her he would send her back to her homeland.
At that moment Flabébé panicked.
She clung desperately to the boy's arm, tears streaming down her face, begging not to be sent away.
And the boy chuckled softly and said:
"Alright then. From today on, I'll be your Trainer.
My name is Chen Shi."
Her first light in the darkness.
Her first warmth after endless cold.
Now, that same boy was fighting the greatest battle of his life.
And she—
she would illuminate his path forward.
The host shouted excitedly from atop his Aegislash:
"Chen Shi has sent out Florges—the fairy Pokémon from Kalos!
Earlier she defeated Lance's Hydreigon using three mysterious, unknown moves.
How will she fare against his Dragonite? Let's watch closely!"
The crowd leaned forward, breathless with anticipation.
In the resting room, Cynthia's hands tightened slightly.
She understood Chen Shi best.
Florges and Dragapult were all he had left… and the gulf between their levels and Dragonite's was massive.
The scales of victory were already tilted toward Lance.
On the field
Lance's expression hardened.
He had learned fear from Hydreigon's defeat.
Dragon-type moves did nothing.
Florges' mysterious attacks were devastating.
He dared not underestimate her.
"Dragonite — Extreme Speed!"
Chen Shi had just opened his mouth to command—but Florges was already moving.
She lifted a delicate hand to the sachet at her throat.
Her eyes softened.
"You illuminated my world once…
Now let me illuminate the road to your victory."
She drew upon the sliver of Fairy energy inside the broken antler shard of Xerneas.
That power—gentle in appearance—contained a terrifying truth.
As she absorbed it, Florges trembled violently.
A cry of pain tore from her throat.
But she held firm.
She would not let the energy run wild.
Not when this battle was for him.
Then—
Light erupted.
The battlefield turned into blinding day.
Florges shone like a small sun, her radiance swelling, blooming, bursting.
The entire Silver Arena was bathed in shimmering, dreamlike brilliance.
And with it—
She unleashed Moonblast.
The blast swallowed Dragonite.
The mighty dragon shot backward faster than it had flown forward—
slamming into the ground at Lance's feet.
"Wu… fuaah!!"
Dragonite roared in agony, Fairy energy clinging to its scales like burning frost.
Florges, however—
Her body was trembling violently.
Her strength nearly drained.
Her exhaustion immense.
But she still turned, still lifted her chin, still smiled.
And she bowed—graceful as a noble lady.
Answering the question Chen Shi had asked her moments ago.
"Flaa~."
(I'm not afraid.)
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