Pokémon: My Mom Is A Gardevoir

Cole looked at the dazzling array of items in the catalog, feeling tempted.

As he hesitated, Brionne and Heliolisk bounded over, flopping down on either side of his legs with expectant looks.

(◕‿◕) Look at me, look at me, look at me!

"Do you two want to participate?"

Brionne and Heliolisk nodded frantically.

Brionne had been training diligently, eager to shine in a proper competition venue (even if this wasn't quite a formal event). When it came to performing, the singing sea lioness wouldn't be outdone by anyone!

Meanwhile, Heliolisk was tired of training in silence — it needed to explore the world, and this seemed like the perfect chance.

"Alright, alright, let's give it a try." Cole had spotted a high-quality Shiny Stone in the catalog that caught his eye.

He had promised years ago to help Floette evolve into Florges, and now he finally had the opportunity to fulfill Leader Floette's wish (as Floette needs a Shiny Stone to evolve into Florges).

Lysandre smiled and asked, "Want me to help you pay the deposit?"

Cole quickly waved his hands, "That won't be necessary. If I lose, I'd have to pay you back. And if I win, I'd have to split the reward with you — it's not worth it, not worth it!"

Lysandre smiled and said, "I won't take any of your reward. When the betting starts, I'll bet on you. I'm sure you won't lose."

Having visited this young man frequently, he knew exactly what he was capable of.

"No, no, no!" Cole waved his hand dismissively, "I can afford the deposit myself!"

He pressed the button on the table, and within moments, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" Lysandre called out.

The hostess who had been guiding them entered with a bright smile, "How may I be of service?"

"I want to participate in the competition." Cole said.

"Very well, please follow me, sir." The hostess bowed and gestured for him to follow.

After returning all his Pokémon to their Poké Balls, Cole turned to Lysandre, "I'll be right back."

Lysandre nodded, smiling as he watched him leave.

✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲

The hostess led Cole to the arena's backstage, where another beautiful hostess handled the registration.

"What reward would you like, sir?" The registration hostess asked.

"Number 115239." Cole provided the catalog number for the Shiny Stone.

"Number 115239, is that correct? I've confirmed your registration. Based on the item's value, the required deposit is 6 million League credits. Would you like to pay by card or online?"

The Shiny Stone he wanted was of exceptional quality, and thus, the deposit was considerable. Following arena rules, the deposit was set slightly below the actual reward value.

After all, they needed to give customers some hope.

"Online payment." Cole answered.

"Very well, please wait a moment." The hostess said with a sweet smile.

Finally, with the hostess's assistance, Cole reluctantly parted with his 6 million credits.

"I must win, or that 6 million will go down the drain!" He prayed silently.

He would never have spent so recklessly in the past, but having money now made him a bit bolder.

"Which battle mode would you like to choose, sir? For double battles, you need to fight one match; for single battles, you'll need to fight three matches." The hostess explained.

"Single battle mode."

Without a partner, single mode was his only option.

"Very well, I've registered you. Please wait in the waiting room."

Another hostess led him to wait for his battle notification.

Within ten minutes, Cole received his match confirmation. The arena prioritized VIP customers like him — after all, their business depended on keeping clients happy.

Before the battle, the hostess presented him with a tray of elegant masks.

"If you'd prefer to keep your identity private, you may wear a mask." She said.

After considering his options, Cole selected a Zoroark-style mask.

In the battle arena, the announcer energetically warmed up the crowd.

[Dear audience, we welcome our newest challenger! Let's cheer for this brave contestant, who will surely deliver a spectacular battle!]

The platform rose slowly, revealing Cole in his Zoroark mask on one side of the battlefield.

In the VIP room, Lysandre switched the big screen to Cole's arena.

The announcer called out enthusiastically, [Welcome our challenger, Contestant Zoroark!]

Since anonymity was important, they used this nickname for Cole.

The audience immediately began their speculation.

"He looks quite young! Can he win? Which side should we bet on?"

Though Cole was only fourteen, his height and mask made him appear older — though still noticeably young.

"Quick, place your bets before time runs out!"

"Forget it — I'm betting on the other side. This one doesn't look promising!"

...

There were many similar comments from the audience, most doubting Cole's chances. However, Lysandre immediately placed a thousand bets on him. With each bet worth ten thousand League credits, he had invested ten million — a clear show of confidence in Cole.

Under the announcer's commentary, the other contestant emerged onto the battlefield. As a contracted trainer who frequently battled in the arena, he didn't wear a mask. He was a muscular man, bare-chested and wearing only shorts, exuding a rugged, bold presence.

The audience erupted into commotion at his appearance.

"That's Berserker from the Gym-level arena! He has a fifty-match winning streak! How did this newcomer get matched with him?"

"It's obvious — Zoroark chose such a valuable reward. The arena doesn't want him to win, so they sent out their toughest defender."

"That Zoroark is way out of his depth. He'll lose both the reward and his deposit."

Seeing Berserker as the opponent, the audience felt relieved they hadn't bet on Cole, certain they would have lost everything.

[Now, let's have both contestants release their Pokémon simultaneously!]

At the host's signal, Cole and Berserker took out their Poké Balls and released their Pokémon.

Cole sent out Carbink, while the opponent released Grimmsnarl. By chance, both were Fairy-type Pokémon.

"ROAR!!!"

Grimmsnarl appeared with a bone-chilling roar, its flowing mane dancing gracefully in the wind with stunning smoothness.

Cole couldn't help but wonder, "Bro, are you using Pantene?"

Was this meant to be psychological pressure? He wasn't intimidated in the slightest!

"ROAR!!!"

As the host signaled the start of the match, Grimmsnarl's eyes suddenly widened as it unleashed a purple shockwave directly at Carbink.

[Ohhh~ Berserker's contestant opens with Spirit Break! How will our Zoroark contestant respond?] The host exclaimed excitedly.

Just before the purple shockwave could strike, circles of white barriers materialized around Carbink.

Carbink had already set up Reflect — a crucial defensive move for a Pokémon with low speed and modest attack power.

[Blocked it! Blocked it! Zoroark's Carbink masterfully defends against Grimmsnarl's attack. As expected of Carbink, renowned for its defensive prowess!] The host exclaimed in amazement.

"ROAR!!!"

Enraged by its blocked attack, Grimmsnarl roared and, following Berserker's command, launched a Take Down charge at Carbink.

But as it lunged forward, massive stone slabs suddenly materialized and slammed into it — Carbink had cleverly set up Stealth Rock across the field.

"Roar~ Roar~ Roar~"

Grimmsnarl scrambled desperately for cover.

"Grimmsnarl!" Panic crept into Berserker's previously composed expression.

After the barrage subsided and the Stealth Rocks vanished, Grimmsnarl regained its composure. But when it turned toward Carbink, its eyes widened in horror at the sight of several two-meter-long stone spears hovering above its head.

Both Grimmsnarl and its trainer Berserker's faces fell.

[Incredible! Zoroark's Carbink is showing far more power than anyone anticipated.] The host exclaimed, [Berserker's Grimmsnarl is in serious trouble now!]

"Grimmsnarl, Protect!"

Cole was somewhat surprised that the opposing Grimmsnarl knew this move, but he merely smiled and called out, "Carbink!"

"Carb~"

At Carbink's call, the seven or eight spears shot toward Grimmsnarl. Even with its Protect shield raised, Grimmsnarl instinctively squeezed its eyes shut.

But the spears didn't strike their target. Instead, they planted themselves in a circle around Grimmsnarl, creating a prison of stone.

[What's this? What's this? Zoroark's contestant didn't attack Grimmsnarl directly — what could be the strategy here?] The host leaped up in excitement.

As Grimmsnarl's Protect faded away, the move proved wasted. With Protect's success rate dropping sharply after each use, Grimmsnarl would only have a fifty percent chance of success if it tried again.

"Grimmsnarl, shatter those rocks!" Berserker shouted.

[We can see Berserker growing anxious — that's not a good sign!] The host continued narrating the battle's developments.

"ROAR!!!"

Realizing it hadn't been struck, Grimmsnarl's confidence returned. It let out an angry roar and used Take Down to charge recklessly at the stone spears.

Meanwhile, Carbink's body began to shimmer as it secretly used Sharpen to boost its attack. This was necessary — low offensive stats were its inevitable weakness, barring an evolution into Diancie.

Once Grimmsnarl broke free from the stone prison, Carbink's crystals gleamed brilliantly. Grimmsnarl launched another Take Down toward Carbink, showing remarkable persistence in using the same move it had used to break free.

Take Down inflicts recoil damage on its user while damaging the opponent. This time, Grimmsnarl attacked with full force, and despite Carbink's Reflect, the impact sent it sliding backward.

Yet even as Carbink reeled, more stone spears materialized above Grimmsnarl's head.

"Grimmsnarl!" Berserker's expression turned to horror.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The spears shot downward.

Grimmsnarl was pinned to the ground, immobile. After a few desperate struggles, its head drooped as consciousness slipped away.

[Grimmsnarl is unable to battle! Carbink wins!] the host shouted excitedly. [It seems our Zoroark contestant is not to be underestimated — even Berserker has fallen!]

The audience erupted in excitement, particularly those who had bet on Berserker. They hurled insults at him, questioning his competence and claiming his reputation was unearned.

Berserker hung his head in defeat. This battle had not only tarnished his reputation but also cost him his prize money.

After his victory in the first match, Cole received a ten-minute break. The staff escorted him back to the waiting room while the audience placed their bets on the upcoming battle.

When the second match began, Cole was first to appear in the arena. The host, impressed by his previous performance, lavished him with such praise that Cole almost felt like one of the Elite Four.

[Now, let's welcome our defending contestant!]

As the host's voice faded, the second opponent stepped into the arena.

This time, his opponent was a striking woman in her thirties, nearly 180 centimeters tall, radiating confidence and mature charm.

"My, my, my opponent is just a little boy!" She blew Cole a kiss as she entered.

Her appearance electrified the crowd. She was clearly a fan favorite, with spectators frantically chanting her name.

"Assassin! It's Assassin!"

"They've actually sent out Assassin — looks like they really don't want that kid to win."

✲✲✲

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