Since today's luck is so good, Aoki doesn't want to waste it.
He immediately woke Floette from his chest pocket.
Now Floette is at level 42, making her a reliable Grass- and Fairy-type Pokémon.
Moreover, due to her small size, Floette can always stay by Aoki's side, acting as a secondary guard.
In the ruins of the Great Hoenn Desert, Shedinja faced Floette's defensive moves after dodging Gengar's attacks.
But after Floette evolves into Florges, her height reaches 1.1 meters, meaning she can no longer serve as Aoki's close guard.
However, at this point, Floette truly needs to evolve. Her current form has reached its limit, and if she wants to improve further, she must break through her body's constraints.
The only way to do that is through evolution.
Right now, Floette's aptitude is only Dark Green, the lowest among all of Aoki's main battling Pokémon. She is quickly approaching the ceiling of her potential.
Even Aoki's flying mount, Flygon, has Cyan-level aptitude.
Originally, Floette's role was simply that of a caretaker, so Aoki didn't have high expectations for her aptitude.
But after Aoki's training and skill development, Floette has mastered the ability to seamlessly switch between her Fairy and Grass attributes.
Gradually, she began taking on the role of the team's primary Grass-type Pokémon.
Because of this, Floette's current aptitude is indeed somewhat lacking.
Floette, who had been sleeping soundly in Aoki's pocket, opened her drowsy eyes after being woken up, unsure of what was happening.
Since Aoki had been flying over the sea for so long, Floette had grown bored and fallen asleep, remaining asleep until now.
This also meant that Aoki hadn't been in any immediate danger—otherwise, Floette wouldn't have had time to react.
This is one of the reasons why Floette can't serve as Aoki's permanent guard—she still needs rest and sleep.
Only Ghost-type Pokémon like Gengar have minimal sleep requirements and can stay awake indefinitely.
That's why Gengar is the most suitable Pokémon to act as Aoki's guard.
Floette blinked her eyes and looked up at Aoki.
Suddenly, her whole body trembled as she sensed something calling to her.
Her attention turned to the Shiny Stone in Aoki's hand.
That's it!
If she can obtain it, she'll undergo tremendous growth.
This realization struck Floette instantly.
Noticing Floette's gaze, Aoki smiled and said, "It's for you. But don't rush—adjust your condition first. Try to reach your peak state."
Hearing this, Floette's eyes sparkled, and she nodded eagerly.
She leaped from Aoki's shoulder and landed on the ground.
Feeling the warmth of the sunlight, tiny roots sprouted from her feet, burrowing into the soil bit by bit.
The flower in her hands bloomed fully, and her emerald-green body glowed faintly with a soft light.
Photosynthesis!
Though Floette is a Fairy-type, she is still a plant, and this method is the best way for her to regulate her condition.
Half an hour later, the glow around Floette faded, and the roots retracted from the ground.
She had now adjusted herself to her optimal state.
Her small eyes shimmered with anticipation as she looked at Aoki.
Aoki chuckled and pulled out a few Pokéblocks from his storage space, handing them to her.
"Eat these first. That way, you won't run out of energy later."
Floette nodded obediently.
Ever since joining Aoki on Neverland, her life had become far more comfortable. Though she still had to train daily and occasionally battle, it was nothing compared to the harshness of living in the wild.
She could feel herself growing stronger at an unbelievable rate.
Though she had to fight, she was always protected by her reliable teammates, ensuring she rarely took direct hits.
This was the life Floette loved. She adored Aoki and her fellow Pokémon.
Because of this, Floette always gave her all in battle, providing the best support she could—healing her allies so they could fight without fear.
After devouring the Pokéblocks, Floette's thoughts settled.
Her mind was simple—she believed in returning kindness with loyalty.
Seeing that Floette had finished eating, Aoki retrieved a talent Booster from his storage.
Matsuda's formula didn't include data on Floette, so Aoki had to develop this potion himself using the system's help, cross-referencing other Pokémon's Aptitude Booster recipes. Since Fairy-type materials were rare before the type's discovery, it had been difficult to produce—but he had succeeded.
"Drink this," Aoki instructed.
Without hesitation, Floette downed the entire vial.
Then she scrunched up her face in disgust—it tasted awful.
The other Pokémon had only taken Aptitude Boosters during evolution, so they hadn't noticed the bitterness.
But Floette had to endure the full flavor.
Aoki laughed before placing the Shiny Stone directly on Floette's head.
Some might think it wasteful to use a top-quality Shiny Stone on a Pokémon with Floette's current aptitude. Between the stone and the potion's ingredients, the resources spent could have bought a stronger Pokémon.
But to Aoki, compatibility mattered most.
If Poliwhirl hadn't adjusted its attitude, Aoki would have released it regardless of its potential. Even after investing so much, if a Pokémon didn't suit him, he wouldn't force it.
The moment the Shiny Stone touched Floette, her body erupted in radiant light, identical to the stone's glow.
Her entire form was engulfed in a brilliance far more intense than any other evolution Aoki had witnessed.
The system monitored Floette's changes.
Through the light, a hazy silhouette could be seen—growing rapidly, expanding under the luminous energy.
Floette had begun to evolve!