Clair stared blankly at the Haxorus lying defeated on the ground. She had learned some of the Fairy-type traits Aoki described from her team's staff, but she hadn't realized Fairy-types were completely immune to Dragon-type moves. This revelation struck her harder than any previous knowledge about Dragon-type Pokémon.
The league officials watching the match remained silent for a long moment, their eyes fixed on the screens. They had thought the emergence of Fairy-types and the introduction of Misty Terrain already posed significant challenges to Dragon-types, but now they realized they'd only glimpsed part of the picture. The complete immunity of Fairy-types to Dragon moves - like Steel's immunity to Poison, Ground's immunity to Electric, or Dark's immunity to Psychic-type attacks - would cause seismic shifts across the Pokémon world.
Kalos might suddenly become the center of attention, while the dominance of Dragon-types faced unprecedented threats. Though inevitable, the league bosses sought to minimize Fairy-type's disruptive impact. One by one, they turned off their screens and began making urgent calls, assigning tasks to their subordinates.
Meanwhile, the battle between Aoki and Clair continued after the referee's delayed reminder - even he seemed stunned by the immunity revelation. Clair retrieved her next Pokéball with uncharacteristic hesitation. Her strongest Pokémon might have turned the tide under normal circumstances, but seeing Florges completely negate Dragon-type attacks had shaken her confidence.
Aoki wisely recalled Florges, anticipating Clair would send out her Charizard next. As predicted, the fiery dragon emerged from its ball while Aoki summoned his most powerful Pokémon - Slowking.
From the moment Clair revealed her Charizard's position earlier, she'd fallen into Aoki's strategic trap. Slowking's powerful Water-type moves overwhelmed Charizard before it could leverage its prized speed and strength against the teleporting, Trick Room-using Slowking. A crushing Hydro Pump sealed Charizard's fate.
With five Pokémon down, Clair's defeat seemed inevitable. Her composure shattered, her focus clearly no longer on the battle. Her final Pokémon, her true ace and favorite Dragon-type, emerged - Kingdra.
Pokémon: Kingdra (Dark Teal)
Gender: Female Newest update provided by N0velFire.ɴet
Egg Moves: Dragon Rage, Dragon Pulse, Water Pulse, Outrage
Basic Moves: Hydro Pump, Yawn, Bubble, Smokescreen, Leer, Water Gun, Twister, Bubble Beam, Focus Energy, Brine, Agility, Dragon Pulse, Dragon Dance
Learnt Moves: Draco Meteor, Bounce, Icy Wind, Snore
TM Moves: Ice Beam, Rain Dance, Scald, Rest, Sleep Talk, Surf, Waterfall
With dark teal potential, level 55 strength, and the Sniper ability, this Kingdra could have staged a comeback under normal circumstances. But witnessing Florges' dominance had left Clair mentally defeated. Kingdra's dual typing created severe disadvantages against Florges, whose type-shifting between Grass and Fairy allowed perfect counters to both Dragon and Water attacks.
Clair's deteriorating mindset and Florges' overwhelming advantages sealed the match. While Clair possessed skills comparable to Aoki's, his accumulated experience across multiple lifetimes let him easily read her straightforward strategies. Florges' revelation proved the final psychological blow that shattered her fighting spirit.
Against nearly any other opponent, Clair's Sniper Kingdra and Charizard could have overcome four-Pokémon deficits, potentially achieving three or four consecutive knockouts with some luck. But the untimely emergence of Fairy-types created insurmountable obstacles.
Aoki advanced to the quarterfinals while Clair's journey ended in the Top 16. Under normal circumstances, her skills suggested future Elite Four potential. However, Fairy-types' premature introduction cast uncertainty over her development, the Dragon Tamer clan's standing, and all Dragon-type specialists worldwide.
Still somewhat dazed, Aoki shook hands with Clair and returned to the private viewing room where Steven, Phoebe, and Wallace immediately confronted him.
"Aoki," Steven demanded, "you claimed full transparency about Fairy-types! Why hide their Dragon immunity?" Phoebe and Wallace flanked him like determined supporters, though their motives clearly involved negotiating more favorable terms from Aoki.
Amused by their coordinated approach, Aoki remained firm. "I didn't know either! Why would I withhold that from the league officials? Florges primarily serves as support in my team - she rarely encounters Dragon-types on the front lines. How would I discover this immunity in wild battles?"
His explanation held merit. Wild Dragon-types remained exceptionally rare, and Florges' movepool clearly indicated a supportive role rather than frontline combatant.
"Really?" Steven pressed.
"Absolutely," Aoki vowed, raising his hand solemnly. "More genuine than a Nugget!" Noticing the time, he added, "Speaking of which, Steven, isn't your match next? Shouldn't you prepare?"
Steven startled - the referees were already calling his name. As the third match's participant, he faced a formidable opponent: Kalos region's seeded water-type specialist, Siebold.