The light that illuminated the path to victory (thanks to Starfall and Night Sky for the supreme endorsement)

"Metagross is unable to battle! Contestant Chen Shi, please send out your next Pokémon!"

The referee's cold, merciless declaration rang out.

Seeing that final trace of apology in Metagross's eyes, Chen Shi did not blame him for disobeying his orders. He only felt a tightness in his chest.

Even at the very end, Metagross had never considered dodging the attack. All he had wanted was to inflict a little more damage on Dragonite, to fight for a sliver of hope for Chen Shi's victory.

How could he blame him? How could he possibly have the heart to?

His original plan to send out Dragapult vanished in that instant.

Metagross had fought so desperately to give him a chance. He could not let him down.

Then Chen Shi recalled Metagross and spoke to his Poké Ball.

"Thank you for everything, Metagross. I won't let you down!"

He took out Florges's Poké Ball again and asked, "Florges, our opponent is very strong. Are you afraid?"

The Poké Ball rocked, then opened on its own. Florges appeared in the Battle Arena once more.

"Flo~"

This time, she did not bow to her opponent. She glanced back at Chen Shi, an indescribable tenderness in her eyes.

Then she turned toward Dragonite, a fleeting look of distraction crossing her eyes.

So this was the opponent Metagross had given his all against, only to inflict a little damage? He really was terrifyingly powerful!

But compared to her days in the poachers' captivity, the Dragonite before her no longer seemed quite so frightening.

Florges remembered when she had still been a Flabébé. Back then, she had lived with her colony, and every day had been carefree.

Yet fate was always full of uncertainty.

One day, carried away by her play, she had wandered beyond her colony's territory