The "Fluffy" ability had first been documented in the Galar region on a species known as Wooloo. The discovery was somewhat comical: a farmer noticed his flock was terrified of his lanterns, leading researchers to find that while their wool was an incredible physical insulator, it was lethally flammable.
Cynthia hadn't expected Stufful to share this trait. She made a mental note to update Professor Oak later. In the context of Emerald's brutal mechanics, this was a godsend. Halving all physical contact damage meant Stufful was an immovable object, as long as it stayed away from Ember.
With her team prepped, Cynthia stepped back into the Rustboro Gym. As she expected, Stufful's Force Palm made short work of the junior trainers. Finally, she stood before the Leader.
"The earth, forged of stone, can weather any storm. I shall show you the unyielding grace of the Rock-type!" Roxanne declared.
The battle music surged. Roxanne led with Lileep. Cynthia led with Stufful.
The chat was a wall of hype. "Show her the power of the Sinnoh Champion!" "Time for that fossil to go back to the museum!"
Cynthia's eyes sharpened. A heavy, invisible pressure seemed to radiate from her through the camera, a state of total focus she usually reserved for the Master Class circuit. She was no longer "playing a game." She was commanding a battlefield.
"Stufful, Force Palm!"
But as the command executed, a red flash cut the animation short. [Leader Roxanne withdrew Lileep!][Leader Roxanne sent out Cranidos!]
Cynthia's breath caught. A tactical switch? Even in Battle Path, the AI rarely swapped to preserve a defensive core. Roxanne was playing like a human professional.
Cranidos, a blue dinosaur with a reinforced dome-head, screeched onto the field. Stufful's Force Palm connected, and the Rock-type's health bar plummeted to zero, then stopped. A tiny sliver of red remained.
[Cranidos hung on using its Focus Sash!]
"What?!" the chat screamed. "She cheated! It had 1 HP left!"
Cynthia stared at the screen. A Focus Sash. An item that allowed a Pokémon to survive any single lethal hit if it was at full health. Such an item didn't exist in the public market or any known simulator. Cliff was introducing entire layers of competitive theory through a "simple" indie game.
She knew what was coming. Cranidos was fast, and it was about to hit back.
[Cranidos used Head Smash!][A critical hit!]
The screen shook as if the monitor might crack. Stufful was flattened instantly. One hit. KO.
Cynthia didn't say a word. She closed the game and restarted. She had learned the "Iono Reset" well. The debt to the Gym was a pittance compared to the tactical data she just gained.
She initiated the rematch. Same lead, same switch. But this time, as Cranidos prepared its Head Smash, Cynthia made her move.
"Switch: Lotad."
The little lilypad Pokémon appeared just as the Cranidos lunged. [Cranidos used Head Smash! A critical hit!] Lotad's HP bar didn't just empty; it vanished. But as Lotad fainted, the blue dinosaur also crumpled.
[Cranidos took recoil damage!][Cranidos fainted!]
"I had to preserve Stufful," Cynthia explained calmly to her stunned viewers. "Cranidos's Head Smash deals massive recoil. By sacrificing Lotad, I cleared the board of Roxanne's offensive threat while keeping my 'Sledgehammer' at full health."
She felt a pang of guilt. I'll have to give Lotad extra treats after this. Being sent out just to take a hit like that...
Roxanne sent Lileep back out. Stufful returned. The battle of attrition began. Force Palm slammed into the fossil, dropping it to yellow. Lileep tried to retaliate with Confuse Ray, but it missed.
Cynthia didn't let up. Another Force Palm. Lileep hit the red, then glowed with a brilliant light. Synthesis. Back to green. Leftovers ticked. Back to half-health.
It was a stalemate. Stufful's PP was ticking down. If she didn't get a lucky break soon, the stall would win.
"Stufful, one more time!"
The animation played. A burst of yellow static rippled across the Lileep. [Lileep is paralyzed!]
Lileep tried to use Synthesis, but its body seized up. It couldn't move. In the next turn, Stufful landed the finishing blow. Lileep fainted.
The chat erupted. "WE DID IT! THE WALL IS DOWN!" "Two down, one to go! Cynthia is unstoppable!"
Cynthia, however, remained frozen. Her instinct told her the worst was yet to come. Roxanne's sprite reappeared, smiling with a chilling confidence.
"Your will is as strong as stone, I'll grant you that. but I will not fall here! My pride, my final rock, go, Archen!"
A prehistoric bird, a riot of red, blue, and yellow feathers, screeched onto the field. It looked wild, ancient, and terrifyingly fast.
"Archen?" Cynthia muttered. Another fossil.
She commanded Force Palm, hoping for one last push. But before Stufful could even twitch, the bird became a tricolor blur.
[Archen used Wing Attack!][It's super effective!]
Stufful didn't stand a chance. The "Fluffy" ability reduced contact damage, but Wing Attack was an aerial strike that bypassed the bear's bulk. Stufful went down in a single, clean sweep.
One bird. One hit. The Champion's second Pokémon was gone.