Chris's battle against Norman's Slaking had been a curious display of strategy and circumstance. Gardevoir's graceful Hypnosis effortlessly turned the tide, lulling the hulking Pokémon into a deep slumber. Slaking's inability to resist sleep, compounded by its fatigue from earlier battles, rendered Norman's strategy ineffective despite his efforts.
Gardevoir's elegant movements, tracing invisible ripples in the air, were mesmerizing. When the Hypnosis connected, Slaking's sluggish demeanor betrayed its struggle. Norman's hasty command to use Fling came too late. The rock that was flung went wildly off course, and Slaking crumpled to the ground, snoring loudly—its resistance completely overcome.
Norman's abrupt surrender surprised Chris. "I surrender," Norman said, raising a hand in defeat. "Once Slaking falls asleep, it's as good as defeated. It won't wake up even if you knock it out. It's better this way."
Chris blinked, momentarily stunned. If I'd known it would end like this, I wouldn't have bothered with Blaziken and Greninja earlier. Gardevoir could've swept the entire match!
As the battle concluded, Chris's handheld displayed the results:
Defeat Slaking LV52, gain experience 7334. Defeat the Petalburg Gym Leader Norman, gain bonus 23300 Pokédollars. Received Balance Badge.
Norman's dialogue appeared onscreen, accompanied by his avatar's familiar smiling face.
Norman: Well played! As expected of my son. Here's the proof of your victory, the Balance Badge. With it, your Surf technique will be upgraded into the Secret Surf.
Chris's eyebrows raised as the dialogue continued.
Norman: How was my Slaking? Surprised, weren't you? So, are you interested in training one of your own?
Two choices appeared: Yes or No. Chris didn't hesitate and selected Yes.
Norman's next line sealed the deal.
Norman: Very good, as expected of my son. I've prepared a Slakoth for you in advance. Take good care of it!
Chris's eyes gleamed as the screen transitioned to show the small, sleepy Slakoth waiting to join his team. Despite the battle's odd conclusion, Norman had left him with a precious gift.
Chris read Norman's final gift message with a mix of gratitude and curiosity:
[Norman: This is the "Facade" skill CD and the Breeder experience of Normal Pokémon. I'm also giving it to you. It records my journey with Slaking. Make sure to study it carefully!]
[Norman: I look forward to seeing you at the Pokémon Championship in the future. When the time comes, our father-and-son battle will be legendary.]
Receiving only a Slakoth instead of a fully trained Slaking didn't come as a surprise to Chris. Raising Pokémon from their earliest stages is key to forging a deeper connection, he thought. Besides, starting with a young Pokémon meant he could train it to match his own style.
Since Chris already had a full party of six Pokémon, the newly acquired Slakoth was automatically transferred to the Pokémon Storage System. Looks like I'll have to head to the Pokémon Center to check it out, he mused.
Before leaving the gym, Chris noticed another notification on the handheld's screen. A girl in a white dress, Jasmine from the Johto Region, appeared with a brief message:
[Jasmine: If you come to the Johto Region, remember to visit me!]
Her cryptic message left no room for further dialogue. This must be a hint for a future questline, Chris thought. I'll have to wait until I can visit Johto to uncover more.
As Chris stepped outside the Petalburg Gym, Wally's father approached him, beaming with gratitude. After a few heartfelt words, he handed Chris a Surf TM as thanks for helping Wally grow stronger.
Upon examining the upgrade, Chris noticed the move had been enhanced to Secret Surf:
Secret Surf Power: 120 Effect: Causes the target to be trapped in Whirlpool (requires the user to know Whirlpool).
The upgrade's power boost and added status effect made Secret Surf a standout move. It was on par with other enhanced abilities Chris had seen, and he couldn't wait to teach it to his Pokémon. Opening his team's move panel, Chris prepared to teach Secret Surf to Greninja but was surprised to find several other candidates eligible to learn it, including Hariyama, Tyranitar, and Garchomp.
He recalled that Aggron and Haxorus could also learn Surf upon evolution, further expanding his options. More interestingly, Pokémon like Haxorus could learn Whirlpool alongside Surf, unlocking Secret Surf's full potential.
"Whirlpool's TM isn't in my inventory," Chris realized. "I'll have to seek out a teacher at Dragon University or find it in another region. It should be a basic Water move, so learning it shouldn't be too difficult with the right materials."
Dragon University, renowned as a training ground for Water-type specialists, seemed like a good lead. For now, though, Chris focused on the task at hand—retrieving the Slakoth Norman had gifted him.
At the Pokémon Center, Chris logged into the computer and retrieved the Slakoth. Scanning its details, he found it to be an absolute gem:
[Slakoth (Normal)] Level: 5 Ability: Truant (can only move every other turn) IVs (Individual Values): 31 in all stats (6V) Moves: Yawn, Slack Off Held Item: Oran Berry
Chris smirked. Exactly what I expected.
It was no surprise that Norman, whose ace Pokémon was Slaking, would gift his son the best Slakoth possible. With perfect stats and solid starting moves, this Slakoth was bred for greatness.
Norman's proximity to Petalburg Woods likely contributed to this quality. The forest, known for its abundance of Slakoth, was an ideal environment for raising them. Chris also recalled something from the anime—a "Slakoth Banana Paradise," famous for growing bananas and housing countless Slakoth.
"Maybe Norman runs that place," Chris wondered with a chuckle. "If that's true, it's no wonder this Slakoth is top-tier."
Chris grinned, imagining the long but rewarding journey ahead. With his father's guidance recorded in the Breeder notes and a perfect Slakoth in hand, he was ready to start cultivating it into a powerhouse. One day, Slaking would take the field again—but this time, it would be his Slaking, trained to surpass even Norman's.