For Bug-type Pokémon like Beautifly, their wing strength was naturally inferior to that of bird Pokémon of equal power.
When facing the fierce gales created by a large Flying-type like Pidgeot, it was almost impossible for them to maintain perfect balance in the air using only their wings.
However, that didn't mean they had no countermeasures.
Beautifly suddenly began a mysterious yet graceful dance against the wind.
This was Quiver Dance.
It was a signature move for mothlike Bug Pokémon using their fragile bodies to harmonize with the flow of the wind, maintaining perfect flight posture despite external interference.
Aside from Pokémon like Bellossom and Lilligant, who specialized in dancing moves, only moth-like species such as Butterfree, Venomoth, Beautifly, and Vivillon could perform this enchanting dance.
It was one of the few non-random moves capable of boosting three stats at once.
Quiver Dance stimulated the Pokémon's inner energy, raising its Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed simultaneously.
The only fully corresponding move was Coil, commonly used by serpentine Pokémon.
That move enhanced a Pokémon's Attack, Defense, and accuracy a stance that also indicated a snake Pokémon's readiness to strike its prey.
Then there was Shell Smash, used by shellfish Pokémon. It differed from the two; by lowering both defensive stats, it drastically increased Attack, Special Attack, and Speed.
In Kanto, one of the most famous users of Shell Smash was Blastoise, one of the Kanto starters.
Others like Shuckle and Cloyster also excelled at this move.
The first two moves Quiver Dance and Coil didn't grant as large boosts as Shell Smash, but they were much safer.
A Pokémon that used Shell Smash would take significantly more damage afterward — sometimes losing the battle before even landing another hit.
Other than these three moves, there were almost no techniques that could simultaneously raise three stats at once.
At least, that was what most Trainers knew.
However, Silas — who had read a lot of research data knew otherwise.
In the distant Kalos region, it was said that the Legendary Pokémon of Life possessed a unique move that could enhance three stats at once.
Of course, he didn't know the details; Kalos was far away, and he only knew a little from reading.
Watching Beautifly's unstable yet oddly elegant flight pattern, Silas frowned.
"Heat Wave."
He wanted to see how this Bug-type would handle a Fire-type move that dealt quadruple damage.
"Silver Wind!"
Nora Summers called out her command with a serious expression, drawing a regretful sigh from the commentator.
"We can see that Beautifly is clearly at a disadvantage right now!
Although Quiver Dance boosted its stats and helped it avoid some damage, using a Bug-type move like Silver Wind to counter Pidgeot's Fire-type Heat Wave is absolutely unwise!"
The commentator's voice echoed over the field.
Nora twitched her lips wordlessly.
Crimson flames rolled forward like a blazing curtain, rushing toward Beautifly across the icy battlefield.
Even the frozen terrain beneath began to melt, droplets forming where the heat touched.
The gale intensified, and countless multicolored powders from the ground, air, and Beautifly's body mixed into the storm.
One half silver-white, the other half fiery red — the contrast was strikingly beautiful under the shimmering reflection of the ice.
Something wasn't right. Silas quickly realized that the amount of scales in the air was off.
Beautifly normally wouldn't shed this much scales during flight. The Silver Wind attack was visibly saturated with far more powder than normal.
Could that increase Silver Wind's attack power?
Or did she mix in powders like Stun Spore?
Silas wasn't entirely sure.
He had never personally raised Bug-types before; he couldn't possibly understand every detail perfectly.
The commentator kept chattering excitedly.
"Bug-type Silver Wind, Rock-type Ancient Power, and Ghost-type Ominous Wind are collectively called 'Royal Moves'
They each have a small chance of raising all five basic stats after use!
Of course, the activation chance varies greatly depending on the Trainer and Pokémon some can trigger it every time, while others never succeed at all!"
Beautifly's proficiency with its own-type move was naturally higher than Pidgeot's mastery over a Fire-type technique like Heat Wave perhaps its only real advantage here.
Still, in terms of typing, base power, and overall strength, even with buffs, Silver Wind stood no chance against Heat Wave.
Although Pidgeot took the initiative and began preparing its Heat Wave first, the release speed was still slightly slower than Beautifly's Silver Wind.
The two attacks collided midair.
The instant they touched, Silas saw a faint, confident smile flash across Nora's face.
"Retreat — Roost!"
A sudden sense of danger hit Silas, and he shouted instinctively.
"Pidgee!"
Still in post-move lag, Pidgeot forcefully flapped its massive wings, pushing itself diagonally backward.
As it landed, its wings folded together in front of its body.
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"
The moment Pidgeot completed its movement, the two attacks exploded in a series of deafening blasts, each louder than the last.
Inside the Fuchsia Gym's lounge, Janine turned toward Koga as they watched Silas's match live.
"Wow, that Coordinator from Hoenn actually used your trick, big bro!"
Koga nodded slightly. "Yes but she improved it. She hid the setup during the Quiver Dance and compressed the powder even more tightly."
"You don't sound surprised at all," Janine complained.
"I used that move when she came to challenge the Gym. You were out that day, remember?" Koga flicked her forehead lightly.
Janine just laughed sheepishly. "Haha~ I don't even know what you're talking about."
Still, she was impressed.
To not only copy Koga's move but also improve it that was no simple feat.
Back on the battlefield, the explosions finally subsided. Smoke and dust filled the air.
"Ohhhh! What's going on?!
We saw a massive explosion the moment Silver Wind collided with Heat Wave and it's still going on!
This is terrible news for Silas's Pidgeot, the blast was far too close!"
The commentator's earlier analysis had been completely overturned, but that didn't matter.
For a commentator, being proven wrong just meant something exciting was happening and excitement meant higher ratings.
Powder detonation... Silas frowned.
He wondered how much damage Pidgeot had actually avoided.
He hadn't predicted it from Koga's technique specifically, he simply understood the mechanics.
After all, Pokémon powders like scales and spores were highly flammable substances.
That's precisely why Fire-type Pokémon counter Bug- and Grass-types so effectively.
However, when that flammable dust mixed densely in the air, even a little heat could trigger an explosion without an open flame.
The scale powder's combustibility actually increased the blast's power.
So she intentionally scattered extra scales during Quiver Dance… Silas thought back to the earlier exchange, but it was nearly impossible to notice during battle.
For a Beautifly, losing scales mid-flight was perfectly normal especially while being buffeted by Pidgeot's wind attacks.
The second explosion might've been stronger, but thanks to Roost, Pidgeot likely reduced some of the damage.
Still, Silas calculated that the first blast might have hit before the defensive stance fully formed.
The truly dangerous part of a powder explosion wasn't the first blast — it was the second.
The first wave lifted the settled powder, while the resulting vacuum pulled in fresh air.
Once mixed, the denser dust cloud would cause an even more violent secondary explosion.
Silas's expression hardened.
As expected of the Indigo League — every competitor here was formidable.
Even without overwhelmingly strong Pokémon, they each had unique, powerful techniques.
"Air Cutter, prepare!" Silas ordered.
After using Roost, Pidgeot temporarily lost its Flying typing, becoming pure Normal-type, meaning Flying-type moves wouldn't benefit from STAB.
Fortunately, Normal-type attacks like Razor Wind still allowed for ranged offense.
Nora bit her lip — she hated opponents who never let up in their offensive rhythm.
If Silas hadn't switched to Heat Wave so decisively earlier, the explosive power of her scale detonation might've been even greater.
Smoke swirled as a gust formed on the battlefield.
"Shadow Ball — aim for the target!"
The moment she saw the Razor Wind charging, Nora ordered her counterattack.
There was no helping it — Pidgeot resisted Beautifly's best Bug- and Grass-type moves.
Instead of wasting energy on ineffective attacks, she opted for a Ghost-type move.
If she was lucky, it might even lower Pidgeot's Special Defense.
She briefly considered using a Poison-type move to whittle away Pidgeot's HP, but Beautifly's venom was too weak, and with their strength gap, it would barely make a difference.
A dark-purple Shadow Ball formed before Beautifly's tiny body.
With a flick of its proboscis, it launched the attack toward Pidgeot.
Bang!
The Shadow Ball hit the air vortex, but it didn't even make it waver.
Beautifly didn't give up — it fired another.
Shhhh—!
This time, the Shadow Ball was obliterated as Razor Wind — a vertical vortex of compressed air blades tore through it and engulfed Beautifly completely.
Beautifly let out a pained cry.
"Air Slash, finish it!"
As Silas gave his final command, several shimmering blades of wind shot out from the lingering dust cloud, striking Beautifly's battered body.
Beautifly could no longer endure it—spinning helplessly, it crashed into the icy ground.
When the dust finally cleared, Beautifly's eyes were swirling in dizziness. Pidgeot spread its magnificent wings and soared back into the air.
Aside from a few ruffled feathers, it didn't seem hurt at all.
"Beautifly is unable to battle! Pidgeot wins!"
The referee raised the blue flag, signaling the victor—Trainer Silas and then turned to the blue side.
"Blue-side Trainer, will you be switching Pokémon?"
Silas shook his head slightly, signaling for Pidgeot to continue.
"In that case, Red-side Trainer, please send out your second Pokémon! The battle will resume!"
The referee lowered the blue flag and raised the red one, signaling to Nora Summers.
"Vileplume! Show them what you're made of!"
Nora threw her Luxury Ball with determination.
A Pokémon with an indigo body and a massive flower on its head—five red petals covered in white spots surrounding a thick orange core—appeared on the icy battlefield.
The two Pokémon stared at each other through the frosty air, as if the fight were beginning anew.
However, the large screen by the arena now displayed an unlit Poké Ball beneath Nora's portrait, alongside the image of her fainted Beautifly.
Though she'd shouted with confidence, Nora knew full well how bad her situation was.
Drawing the Ice Field for her first match had already been a stroke of bad luck.
Worse yet, her very first opponent was clearly strong enough to be among the top 64 contenders—someone far above her level.
There was simply no way to win.
Her team's type matchups were being completely countered by Silas's.
Beautifly had been outclassed; now Vileplume was, too.
Her ace, Nidoqueen, could have put up a fight, but not here—not on an Ice Field.
There was no way Nidoqueen could move freely across slippery floating ice, and if she accidentally fell into the icy water, it would be disastrous for a Ground-type.
"Air Slash!"
Once again, Silas took the initiative, continuing his relentless ranged attacks.
Nora nearly screamed in frustration.
You're already so much stronger than me—why fight so cautiously?!
But Silas wasn't about to let his guard down.
After all, Poison and Ghost-type Pokémon were notorious for turning the tables through trickery and status effects.
He wasn't going to let that happen here.
Especially after that powder explosion earlier—he'd learned to take his opponent seriously.
"Fling!"
Nora had no choice but to order Vileplume to go on the defensive, hurling chunks of ice from the frozen field.
With Pidgeot's superior speed and strength, it easily controlled the tempo of the battle.
Nora wanted to take the offensive, but it simply wasn't up to her.
She sighed helplessly.
If only he'd switched Pokémon after that last round...
It was a hopeless thought, but she couldn't help imagining it.
When the losing side sends out a new Pokémon, both trainers must again fight for the first move.
Whoever gives their command first gains priority.
It's essentially like starting a new battle—but with the victor's Pokémon possibly weakened.
However, if the winning side chooses to switch Pokémon, then the new Pokémon must be sent out after the opponent's, giving the opponent a free turn to prepare and attack first.
Don't underestimate the difference between going first or second—it can completely change the flow of a match.
That's why, in Gym Battles, the challenger—who's naturally at a disadvantage—gets the first-move advantage.
Still, few trainers actually switch after winning; it's rarely worth it unless necessary or if victory is already certain.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Pidgeot's Air Slashes collided with the chunks of ice Vileplume hurled with Fling, filling the arena with deep thuds.
The shattered ice burst into a fine mist, scattering into shimmering rainbows under the arena lights.
"Wow! As expected of a Contest Coordinator from the Hoenn region!
Trainer Nora Summers really knows how to turn a battle into something beautiful!"
The commentator filled the lull with lively chatter.
"Some of our Kanto audience might not be familiar with this—Contest Coordinators focus on both the beauty and performance of battles—"
Silas silently observed.
That Vileplume wasn't bad at all—it had mastered Fling, a non–Grass-type move, quite effectively.
"Gain altitude! Use Heat Wave—straight down!"
Keeping the stalemate going was pointless.
Even though Pidgeot was likely to win in the end, Silas didn't want to drag it out.
Having the initiative meant the pace was his to dictate.
Following his command, Pidgeot fired off several more Air Slashes, forcing Vileplume to defend, then flapped its wings powerfully and soared upward—sixty to seventy meters high.
That was the maximum height Flying Pokémon could maintain in official League matches.
Any higher, and it would be considered stalling—grounds for a loss by default.
Fair enough; many Pokémon couldn't fly at all, and too much altitude would make them impossible to reach.
A fiery red curtain of heated air spread across the battlefield—this time descending from above.
"Vile-Plume…"
As Nora and her Vileplume looked on helplessly, the icy field began to melt rapidly under the scorching wind.
Vileplume could do nothing.
Its powders and toxins couldn't possibly reach that height, and the heat was quickly dispersing them anyway.
That sixty-to-seventy-meter height limit was merciless for Pokémon without long-range attacks and Vileplume was one of them.
"Solar Beam! Break through it!"
Even as the hot air melted the ice and threatened to engulf her Pokémon, Nora refused to surrender.
After a long charge-up, Vileplume unleashed a blazing beam of energy upward.
The red curtain split open, a round hole forming in the center, revealing Vileplume standing on a single floating chunk of ice, surrounded entirely by water.
And although Grass-types aren't weak to water…
Vileplume certainly couldn't swim—it was a textbook land dweller.
By the time Vileplume had finished charging Solar Beam, Pidgeot was already in motion, darting around at high speed in the sky.
The powerful Grass-type attack didn't even graze it.
And even if it had, it wouldn't have mattered much—Grass-type moves deal only half damage to Flying-types like Pidgeot.
Given their power gap, even two or three Solar Beams wouldn't have been enough to bring it down.
The outcome was obvious.
"Vileplume is unable to battle! Pidgeot wins!"
The referee carried out his duties with practiced composure.
Still, the match had taken a toll.
Silas looked up at his Pidgeot, which was now breathing slightly heavier.
The difference between a quasi–Elite and an Advance-level Pokémon wasn't overwhelming, but after taking out two opponents in a row, even Pidgeot had lost some stamina.
Nevertheless, the last opponent shouldn't be a problem.
Silas once again chose not to switch Pokémon—both out of trust in Pidgeot and confidence in himself.
"Things aren't looking good for Trainer Nora Summers!" the commentator exclaimed.
"She's already lost two Pokémon—only one remains!
Meanwhile, Silas's Pidgeot still has plenty of strength left. Can Nora turn things around and pull off a miracle comeback?"
His cheerful tone only made Nora's jaw tighten.
She wanted nothing more than to march up to the commentator's booth and punch him in the face.
A comeback? With what—my head?! she thought furiously.
"But even if I can't win," she said aloud, "I'm not going down without a fight. At the very least, I'll take your Pidgeot down with me!"
She turned toward Silas, eyes burning with determination.
The referee didn't interrupt—it was normal mid-battle talk, after all.
"Good luck," Silas replied, genuinely.
"Slowbro—give it everything you've got! Take that bird down!"
Nora gritted her teeth and threw her final Luxury Ball.
"Brooo…"
A drowsy voice echoed.
A Slowbro appeared—its pink body upright on two legs, cream-colored belly banding its torso, and a Shellder firmly clamped on its tail.
The evolved form of Slowpoke after bonding with Shellder—a classic Water and Psychic-type Pokémon.
...
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