After a thorough discussion, Maki had more or less understood the situation. In simple terms, the Malamar in this area had a rather notorious reputation. They frequently bullied nearby Pokémon, even going so far as to seize their homes and drive them out.
However, as Maki listened, his expression grew somewhat perplexed. Up to this point, the Pokémon playing the role of protector was an Absol.
Yet, based on Maki's estimation, this Absol's strength was at best on par with the Malamar he had encountered before—possibly even weaker. Meanwhile, the Florges floating nearby were all at Ultra Ball-tier strength!
Wait a minute… weren't they protecting the wrong party here?
"Why… can't you beat the Malamar?" Maki asked in confusion. Malamar was a Dark/Psychic-type Pokémon, meaning it was weak against Fairy-type attacks. Moreover, these Florges were anything but weak.
"Flo?"
"Florges~"
But upon hearing Maki's question, the Florges simply exchanged glances before looking at him with equally puzzled expressions.
Are you joking? How would we even fight?
Seeing their pure and innocent expressions, Maki was speechless. He had a good idea why these Florges, despite their clear type advantage, were being bullied so badly by the Malamar—they had never even considered fighting back!
Or rather, due to their inherently gentle nature, Florges tended to shy away from combat, meaning they never became skilled at it. But even when being bullied to this extent, their inaction seemed… a bit too timid.
Maki also found it somewhat ironic. Florges was known as a rather crafty Pokémon in battles, yet their personalities were this pure? That was some dark humor right there.
Just look at Cottonee—devious in games, yet still so… well, adorable in real life.
As for why Florges had that reputation? Naturally, it was because of that move, the infamous Ally Switch.
"So, how many Malamar are there in total?"
After a brief discussion, the Florges came to a conclusion: there were about seven or eight Malamar in the area.
"And what about you?"
"Flo~"
Not many, just… around a dozen or so~
Maki: "…"
Maki was at a loss for words once again. Previously, he could still explain their losses by assuming they were outnumbered. But now? The Florges clearly had superior numbers! Plus, they had a complete type advantage.
Losing even when holding all the trump cards? That was beyond absurd.
"Have you ever tried fighting the Malamar yourselves?"
Maki asked the most crucial question.
Of course, the answer was no. When faced with the Malamar's aggression, the Florges had never once considered resistance—they simply endured. The situation only improved slightly when Absol arrived.
And as for why the Malamar specifically targeted the Florges? It all tied back to what had been discussed earlier. Besides the soothing aroma emitted from their flowers, which had healing properties, Florges also produced nectar with even stronger restorative effects.
That was what the Malamar were after. Otherwise, they wouldn't bother harassing them at all. While Malamar weren't exactly known for their kindness, they wouldn't engage in meaningless trouble unless there was something to gain.
To Absol, who had a strong sense of justice, it was impossible to stand by and watch Malamar's misdeeds. However, a single Pokémon was clearly not enough to stand against so many foes. The only reason Absol had managed to hold out until now was because, during each battle, the Florges would continuously heal him from the sidelines.
Maki sighed, then turned to both the Florges and Absol.
"This isn't a solution. The more you refuse to fight back, the more other Pokémon will see you as easy targets. And are you really planning to rely solely on Absol's strength? What if one day he leaves?"
"Sa~"
Before the Florges could respond, Absol spoke up first.
He had no intention of leaving until this matter was resolved.
There was no denying that Absol was both kind-hearted and just, but these qualities combined also made him somewhat stubborn and overly simplistic in his thinking.
"But the Florges will continue to reproduce, right? Can you protect them for a lifetime? And what about the next generation? Strength is the only real solution."
This time, Absol found himself unable to refute Maki's words, and the nearby Florges seemed equally at a loss for what to say.
They worried and felt heartbroken every time they saw Absol fighting to the point of exhaustion for their sake, yet they were never able to offer much help.
To say they felt no guilt at all would be impossible.
However, their long-standing way of life had made them ill-suited for combat.
"Flo?"
After some discussion, a Florges floated forward as a representative and approached Maki.
Can you help us become stronger so we can fight alongside Absol?
Hearing this, a smile appeared on Maki's face. At least these Florges weren't entirely beyond saving.
If, after everything he had just said, they still expected him to take care of the Malamar for them—or worse, continued relying on Absol—Maki might have just walked away.
Pokémon like that, even if inherently kind, would be so hopelessly weak-willed that they weren't worth helping. He might have even tried to convince Absol to leave as well.
Because his presence might not actually be a good thing for the Florges in the long run.
But since they had finally made the decision to stand up for themselves, Maki was more than willing to lend a hand.
"Take me to your home first."
Maki told the Florges. Based on what they had said earlier, their numbers were clearly greater than just the few gathered here.
Bringing a stranger into their territory wasn't something most Pokémon would do lightly. But the naturally trusting Florges saw no issue with it at all. After all, that was how they had welcomed Absol before.
Was it possible that Maki was merely thinking on the first level while the Florges were operating on an entirely different plane?
As for Absol, while he understood the risks, he didn't stop the Florges from inviting Maki along.
Because he could tell—Maki was undoubtedly a good person.
It wasn't just pure intuition, but something that came from his precognitive abilities and his characteristic's reaction.
Maki wasn't as naïve and overly trusting as the Florges, but perhaps that wasn't a bad thing.
And because he had seen this trait in Maki, Absol chose to trust him as well.
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