Tapu Fini was so mad it almost laughed.
Oh, okay. Okay!!
"Fini!!"
Tapu Fini's clear cry rang out sharp and high, and a pink mist started to spread across the ground.
"What's that?"
Caitlin's eyes flickered. Misty Terrain.
But judging from how fast it spread, that wasn't the move—it looked a lot more like the Misty Surge Ability triggering Misty Terrain.
It was like the difference between the Drizzle Ability and the move Rain Dance. Both created rain, but in battle terms, they were fundamentally different.
Drizzle could fire off rain with no warning, while Rain Dance had to be used as a move, giving the opponent time to buff up or launch an attack while you were casting it.
That was the strength of weather and terrain Abilities: they let you put a field effect into play without paying any real cost.
And for certain Pokémon, a single weather or terrain could be a massive power boost.
"So it really is Misty Surge." Damian actually looked pleased. If this Tapu Fini had Telepathy instead, he'd have been a bit disappointed.
"With Misty Terrain up, status moves are off the table."
He tilted his head slightly.
Misty Terrain: for a set duration, grounded Pokémon can't be inflicted with status conditions or confusion, and they take reduced damage from Dragon-type moves.
"But that's fine."
A moment later, Damian just smiled.
"Fini!!"
With Misty Surge activated, a faint sea-blue light flared over Tapu Fini's body.
A Water-type Surf.
Whoooosh—
The ocean surged, a towering wave nearly twenty meters high heaving up beneath Tapu Fini and sweeping forward toward Gengar.
That Surf was insane.
Watching the massive wave blot out the sunlight, Caitlin's eyes shone. Sure, the coastal terrain was helping, but pulling off a Surf with that kind of force—this Tapu Fini was strong.
"Sludge Bomb."
Shiny Gengar opened its mouth wide, spitting out glob after glob of deep violet sludge that hammered into the oncoming wall of water.
Boom, boom, boom!
Under the relentless bombardment of Sludge Bomb, the wave's momentum slowed, its structure breaking apart. Gaps tore open one after another until the whole thing finally lost its shape and collapsed.
The roaring collapse of that much water crashing down was spectacular, almost overwhelming to watch.
"Phantom Force."
A dark, yawning rift opened behind Shiny Gengar, and it slipped straight into the shadow.
A Ghost-type Phantom Force.
As the last of the water fell away, Tapu Fini watched its surroundings warily.
A shadow rippled into existence behind it, and Shiny Gengar emerged. Tapu Fini sensed it immediately and turned.
"Gengar~"
But Gengar didn't attack. Instead, it shoved its face right in close, eyes lopsided, mouth stretched wide as it pulled the goofiest, "look-how-cute-I-am" ghost face imaginable.
Tapu Fini actually flinched at the sudden "face-to-face kill," instinctively shooting backward at high speed.
"Fini!!!"
Then, seeing Gengar rolling around clutching its belly in laughter, unable to stop, Tapu Fini snapped back to itself and exploded in a shrill, furious cry.
This damn Gengar! How dare it toy with me like this!
Bastard!!
Blue water-light flared, forming a massive Hydro Pump that tore through the air straight at Gengar.
A Water-type Hydro Pump.
"Sucker Punch." Damian's voice was calm, tinged with amusement.
Black light flashed in Shiny Gengar's eyes as its body turned into a gray-black blur, slipping past the Hydro Pump in an instant and rocketing toward Tapu Fini.
With the priority boost from Sucker Punch, Gengar's speed was terrifying.
"Thunder."
Bzzzt—
Golden lightning crackled around Gengar's body. Tapu Fini had just started turning, trying to open up distance again.
Boom!
Thunder's bolt slammed straight into Tapu Fini.
Lightning crawled over its whole body, the searing pain wrenching a cry out of it.
The Thunder detonated, blasting Tapu Fini backward through the air.
Electric beat Water. The hit landed hard.
"Sludge Wave."
Shiny Gengar's grin stretched even higher as it raised its right arm and aimed at Tapu Fini. A flood of deep purple sludge surged forth, sweeping toward the guardian.
A Poison-type Sludge Wave.
Tapu Fini forced itself to steady midair, barely managing to spit out a boiling stream of Scald in response.
But the Scald clashed with Sludge Wave and quickly lost ground. Moments later, the hot water was overwhelmed, and the poisonous tide smashed directly into Tapu Fini.
A STAB Sludge Wave from Gengar hit like a truck. Tapu Fini was driven straight down into the sea.
"Thunder."
Damian didn't let up.
Tapu Fini's Special Defense was high. It shouldn't be down for the count just yet.
Another Thunder shot from Gengar, lancing into the water where Tapu Fini had fallen. Golden lightning lit up that whole patch of ocean, scattering arcs across the surface.
"This Gengar…"
Caitlin's pupils reflected the golden lightning dancing over the waves. Above the sea, the gray-black Gengar hovered, its wicked silhouette framed by those two glaring crimson points of light.
She genuinely hadn't expected this bizarre Shiny Gengar to be this strong.
That was the legendary Tapu Fini—yet in front of this Gengar, it looked helpless.
"No need to be that shocked. Legendary Pokémon aren't as untouchable as people like to think." Damian had clearly read her thoughts and spoke with a lazy smile.
"?" Caitlin blinked, puzzled.
"The Tapu—this kind of 'ordinary' legend—are basically just around Champion-tier. And that's on the stronger side." Damian's tone was casual.
"Some of the weaker wild legends are only Elite Four-level. You could take them yourself."
Caitlin: (°—°)
But Damian wasn't lying. The Seafoam Islands' Articuno, Victory Road's Moltres, and the Power Plant's Zapdos that Team Rocket had located were all only Elite Four-level in the wild.
By comparison, the Tapu were pretty decent, sitting at Champion-tier.
"But that's only for this kind of 'standard' legend. Stuff on the level of Ho-Oh or Lugia is a whole different story."
He added that as well. High-tier legends like Ho-Oh and Lugia, even in the wild, were on a level that Moltres and the rest just couldn't touch.
"I see." Caitlin nodded slowly, starting to get what Damian meant.
"Which means… now it's time to throw the ball."
Damian watched as Shiny Gengar used Psychic to haul the limp Tapu Fini out of the water and over toward him, and nodded in satisfaction.
Tapu Fini had already fainted, little spiral eyes spinning.
That was perfect—less resistance.
Catching Phione had taken him thirty-seven Ultra Balls. He wondered how many he'd need for Tapu Fini.
Not that it mattered. He had two hundred Ultra Balls in his bag, easy.
Tapu Fini is mine now!