"Return, Swampert. You did very well." Cain took Swampert's Poké Ball and returned it.
Then, Cain took another Poké Ball from his belt.
He showed a peculiar smile.
"I didn't expect you to have to go out so soon." Cain looked at the Poké Ball in his hand as he spoke.
He then held the Poké Ball in front of him and, in a very low tone, said something that only he and the Pokémon inside could hear:
"When you go into the field, use Camouflage immediately to change your type to Grass."
Indeed, the Poké Ball Cain had taken out contained Florges, who had recently reached quasi-elite level on the mysterious island, reaching level 51.
"Go, Florges." Then, with a slight command, he threw the Poké Ball into the field.
In the Sinnoh Tournament stadium, people in the Kalos region's VIP box immediately stood up with expressions of astonishment upon hearing the name.
Florges?
Isn't that a Kalos Pokémon?
It wasn't so much that seeing someone from another region with a Kalos Pokémon surprised them, but specifically this Pokémon, Florges.
We must remember that Kalos only began systematically accessing Pokémon knowledge after joining the League.
It was thanks to the data provided by the League that local residents learned that some Pokémon could evolve using evolution stones. After further tests, it was confirmed that Florges was one of those Pokémon.
Additionally, the League had provided Kalos with a complete file on Pokémon types. After receiving this information, Kalos' inhabitants began cataloging their local Pokémon, integrating the data into the League's files.
However, there were certain Kalos Pokémon whose types couldn't be clearly identified, either by the locals or by researchers from other regions who had come to Kalos.
Florges was one of these Pokémon.
For a long time, there was debate about whether it should be classified as a Grass-type or another type.
Though it resembled a Grass-type, it also had significant differences. To this day, several Kalos Pokémon have not been officially registered in the Pokédex due to these ambiguities.
That's why, when Brycen saw Florges, he was clearly puzzled.
What kind of Pokémon is this?
Despite having researched Kalos Pokémon due to trainers from that region participating in the tournament, Brycen found no information related to Florges.
Of course, Cain didn't shout Florges' name just for theatrical effect. He simply wanted everyone to know which Pokémon it was, making the commentator's job easier.
"Florges, Captivate, then Energy Ball." Cain smiled slightly as he gave the order.
Florges' Captivate move was being used for the first time in the tournament.
Upon hearing the order, Florges struck a coquettish pose and released a pink, heart-shaped gas toward Walrein.
Being a male Pokémon, Walrein was immediately affected by Florges' move, which considerably reduced its Special Attack.
Brycen's face changed drastically. It didn't matter what type Florges was; he would treat it as a Grass-type.
"Walrein, react and use Blizzard!"
Walrein, stunned by the effects of Captivate, was slow to react to Brycen's orders.
When it finally came to its senses, a massive ball of green energy was already hitting its face.
Boom!
But that wasn't all. Florges, having learned from Cain's Gengar, kept using Energy Ball in rapid succession, hitting again and again.
Grass-type moves are super effective against Water/Ice-type Pokémon like Walrein. Also, Florges had used Camouflage when entering the field, changing its type to Grass, which further boosted the power of its attacks.
"Roar!"
Walrein, furious, gathered all the Ice-type energy it could and fired the Blizzard move at Florges.
"Florges, use Tearful Look and remember to deactivate Camouflage." Cain, observing the blizzard forming, gave another command.
"Flott~"
Florges gave a soft whine while showing an extremely vulnerable expression.
Walrein, seeing this, stopped for a moment, as if it was doubting whether it was right to attack a "lady."
Brycen slapped his forehead, clearly frustrated.
Walrein's physical and special attacks were further reduced.
At that moment, thanks to Camouflage, Florges switched its type back to Fairy just before the Blizzard hit, avoiding significant damage.
"Use Grassy Terrain, then Grass Knot. Finish it with Energy Ball."
"Walrein, Ice Beam!"
However, after the reductions to its stats, Walrein barely managed to deal any damage with the Ice Beam move.
Meanwhile, Florges deployed the Grassy Terrain move, gradually restoring its health. Then it used Grass Knot, the roots trapping Walrein and severely limiting its mobility.
Though the damage from Grass Knot wasn't significant due to Walrein's lack of movement, the key point was that it was now immobilized.
Florges continued firing Energy Ball one after another, relentlessly striking.
Walrein tried one last attack with Aurora Beam, but it wasn't enough. Finally, it fell defeated.
Although it had only lost its combat ability, its expression as it fell, with a slight smile, seemed more satisfied than frustrated.
When the blizzard cleared, Florges, beautiful and radiant, stood tall on the grass. The audience erupted in cheers, clearly captivated by its elegance.
Brycen, resigned, returned Walrein to its Poké Ball. It was clear that its defeat was inevitable.
Florges' first appearance in battle had been a resounding success.
In the Kalos VIP box, those present stared at Cain in astonishment. They never imagined that someone from outside Kalos could understand their Pokémon better than they did.
Cain, with a smile on his face, thought:
"Maybe... it's time to officially introduce the Fairy type. Should I name it first?"
(End of chapter)