Chapter 255: Weaponize Laziness? [Bonus]
~Azure S. POV~
[Hoenn Region, Next Day, Route 111]
The aroma of freshly brewed Oran berry coffee mingled with the crisp morning air of Route 111, a soothing balm after the bustling energy of Mauville City. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the nearby trees, carrying the scent of rich earth and burgeoning wildflowers.
I took a deep, contented breath, the familiar warmth of my mug a comforting weight in my hands. Beside me, Sapphire, my enthusiastic companion and burgeoning student, was already halfway through a plate of freshly cooked Pecha berry pancakes, a stack I'd prepared for her, my own Pikachu and Eevee nibbling on their special blend of poké-food nearby.
Sapphire chirped, her eyes shining with youthful vigor, perhaps even more active than her Combusken, Chic, who was currently stretching near a sturdy boulder, "Another excellent breakfast, Master! You know, I'm still buzzing from getting those Macho Bracers yesterday. The Winstake family challenge was tougher than I thought, but so worth it!"
I smiled, remembering her determined face as she guided her Kirly, the Gallade, through the intricate obstacle course after I won my own set. Grabbing my own Macho Brace, I used [Observe] to check the item.
[Item: Macho Brace
Rarity Item: B
Type: Held Item
Description: An item to be held by a Pokémon. Holding this stiff, heavy brace reduces a Pokémon's Speed in battle but allows its stats to grow more quickly.]
Chuckling to myself, I replied to Sapphire as I'd been meaning to put them to good use myself, specifically with some of the newer members of my team, "It certainly was. And they'll be invaluable for some of our upcoming training. You earned them, Sapphire. Every bit of that increased stat growth will make a difference."
With that, we all ate our breakfast as our Pokémon enjoyed it with gusto. But eventually Breakfast was finished, the last crumbs devoured, it was time to put our words into action for some training.
The sun was still climbing but already promising a warm day. I called out, my voice resonating with a practiced command that carried easily across the clearing, "Alright, everyone! Let's get to work! Metang, Gardevoir, if you please."
*Shiii*
My Metang, a shimmering metallic form, hovered gracefully into the center of our makeshift training ground. Beside it, Gardevoir, elegant and serene, nodded in understanding.
Their psychic energies began to hum, a palpable aura spreading through the air. I ordered excitedly, "Gravity!"
*THUD*
With a collective surge of power, the very fabric of our reality seemed to compress. A heavy, invisible weight settled upon us all.
For my experienced Pokémon – Sceptile, Ninetales, Golduck, Crawdaunt, and Shelgon – it was a familiar sensation. They adjusted, gritting their teeth, their movements becoming more deliberate, more focused.
Sceptile, usually a blur of green, moved with a newfound, powerful slowness, each swing of its tail a testament to raw strength. Ninetales' graceful strides became a powerful, slow march, its nine tails swishing with immense effort.
Golduck and Crawdaunt, practiced in intense aquatic training, now found their land-based exercises pushed to their limits. Shelgon, already a living tank, seemed to absorb the pressure, its shell hardening further.
Pikachu and Eevee, my two oldest and dearest partners, grunted, but their determination never wavered. Pikachu practiced its Extreme Speed, now a slow-motion push against immense resistance, while Eevee refined her moves.
But the real focus for this session, beyond general conditioning, was on my newer recruits. Electrike, usually a bolt of lightning, was struggling.
It tried to dart forward, but the increased gravity pinned its paws to the ground, making every step a monumental effort. Its small body trembled, panting, its electric fur crackling not with energy, but with the strain.
Mudkip, even more out of its element, flopped helplessly on the grass, barely lifting an inch off the ground. It cried in frustration, looking utterly beaten by the invisible press.
I knew they were having a tough time, being so new to this level of training. I encouraged, walking closer, "Good, Electrike, Mudkip, keep pushing! Feel that resistance. It's what we want. Electrike, focus on building electricity by brushing your fur. Let the energy build, even if you can't move fast."
I'd obtained them only recently, Electrike from Wattson's breeding house, and Mudkip from Route 118, who joined me only for food. Both had potential, but they needed refinement, and this was how we'd achieve it.
My gaze flickered between the two. They have great synergy between them, as with Electrike, with its Discharge, would be useless once Mudkip evolves.
By having the youngest members work together, they'll have some competition between them to foster growth. A rivalry, even if possible.
This wasn't just about making them stronger; it was about expanding outside their comfort zones and fostering collaboration. Not only that, but I also plan for Mudkip to master its moves of Strong and Agile Style soon.
It's important to have a foundation, and fortunately, Metang can provide examples thanks to its intelligence. Having a foundation and comrades is good. That's what being a team was all about.
I turned my attention to the others, giving specific instructions. Clearing my voice, I gave each of them orders for them to work on, "Sceptile, keep that Leaf Blade sharp, maintain form. Ninetales, refine your Flamethrower, control the spread. Golduck, mental focus, build your Psychic. Crawdaunt, Crabhammer, aim for precision. Shelgon, Iron Defense, really feel that density."
Sapphire was training her own team nearby, her Pokémon also feeling the profound effects of the Gravity. Kirly, her Gallade, moved with a dancer's grace even under the pressure, its Psycho Cut slicing through the air with a visible ripple.
Chic, the Combusken, practiced its Double Kick, its legs pumping laboriously but powerfully. Rono, the Lairon, seemed to revel in the added weight, stomping around with even greater force, its metallic hide shining.
Relly, the Relicanth, was doing surprisingly well on land, its ancient body adapted to immense pressures, focusing on its Surf, which cut surprisingly deep furrows in the earth despite the gravity.
Phando, her Dolphan, was a graceful, albeit slow, blur of motion, using its nose as a sonar to map its surroundings with impressive accuracy beneath the heavy pull. And then there was Troppy…
This was a Pokémon I hadn't seen Sapphire use before, a majestic Tropius with wide, leafy wings and a gentle demeanor. It was struggling a bit, but persevering, its large body adapting to the unusual conditions.
Raising an eyebrow, I couldn't help but ask, intrigued, "Troppy? I haven't seen you with a Tropius before, Sapphire."
She smiled, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. She casually explained to me as I observed the Fruit Pokémon, "Oh, right! My dad handed him over to me just before we left the Pokémon Center. He thought it'd be a good opportunity for me to have a reliable flyer for the Hoenn region, especially since you don't usually travel by air. Troppy's great for getting around quickly, and he's so gentle."
I nodded, understanding. It made sense.
Her father, a seasoned professor, would know the value of a strong flying type for navigating the diverse landscapes of Hoenn. I commented, nodding my head at Birch's choice, "A wise choice. Tropius is are excellent Pokémon, and Troppy seems to be adapting well to the gravity."
As I continued my rounds, checking on each of my Pokémon, offering encouragement or tweaking their exercises, my gaze eventually fell upon one particularly large, furry form. It wasn't straining, it wasn't grunting, it wasn't even moving.
My Alpha Slaking was a true piece of work. It was sprawled out beneath the widest, shadiest tree, completely oblivious to the crushing gravity, or perhaps, simply unwilling to acknowledge it.
Its chest rose and fell with slow, rhythmic breaths, its face a picture of absolute, unadulterated laziness. This… this is going to be rough training this fella and worst… It's an Alpha Slaking, too, boot, the apex of its kind… of being freakishly lazy.
Sapphire, following my gaze, chuckled. She walked over, peering down at the slumbering giant, asking curiously, "Of course. Slaking. He really is something else, isn't he? Always so… relaxed."
She turned her curious gaze to me, continuing her question as she asked, "But Master... How do you train a Pokémon that just… lies there? I mean, you're trying to increase everyone's growth, refine their moves, push their limits. But he just seems to be breaking all the rules."
It was a fair question; one I'd been asked countless times. And it touched upon one of the more unique aspects of my training philosophy.
I knelt beside Slaking, gently stroking its thick fur. Its eyes remained closed, but a soft rumble emanated from its throat…. It makes me recall Ruby's battle with Norman, how he trained his Slakoth.
Using Multi-Hit moves to bypass Truant. But even then, from what I can see, it doesn't give the right results, as it was done over time to get Norman's results.
Time, which I have a short supply of time, so I must improvise. But the question is, where do I even begin to train the laziest Pokémon in the world?
I began, my voice soft, but firm, designed to carry the weight of experience, "Slaking is a unique case, Sapphire. It just has an incredibly unique relationship with energy. Its ability, Truant, means it acts only every other turn. Most trainers see that as a liability, a flaw to be overcome. I see it as its fundamental nature, and something to be worked with, not against ultimately enough…"
Sapphire tilted her head, listening intently. She uttered with a raised eyebrow in a doubtful tone, "Worked with? How?"
I explained calmly, gesturing around us, at my struggling Pokémon and hers, "Think about it. Everyone here is pushing against gravity. They're expending energy, tearing down muscle fibers to rebuild them stronger. Right?"
Sapphire nodded, then I gestured to Slaking, taking bits of grass from the ground while chewing them down where it was lying, "Slaking; however, even while 'lazing around,' it is still experiencing that immense gravitational pull. It's lying there, but its colossal weight, now amplified by Metang and Gardevoir's Gravity, is constantly bearing down on its body. Its muscles, its bones, its very core, are under an incredible, constant, passive load."
I paused, letting that sink in. Then I continued finishing off my words, "It's like an inverse form of training. Slaking is effectively undergoing continuous, low-intensity, high-resistance conditioning. Its body is constantly adapting to hold its own mass, which is now several times heavier. Its skeletal structure is strengthening, its muscular density increasing, its resilience building, all without what most would consider 'active' effort."
Sapphire's eyes widened. She pieces together what I meant as she says, "So… even when he's sleeping, he's getting stronger?"
Nodding my head, smiling proudly, I continued my explanation, "Precisely! The real trick with Slaking is understanding its explosive potential. When it does decide to act, when that energy it's been conserving is finally unleashed, it's devastating. My training with Slaking isn't about making it run marathons. It's about maximizing the impact of those brief, active moments."
I stood up, walking a few steps away to demonstrate as I said calmly with an eager grin on my face, "Imagine a spring that's been compressed for an incredibly long time. When it finally releases, the force is immense. That's Slaking. So, while it's resting under gravity, its body is becoming an even more potent spring. When its turn comes in battle, when it rises and unleashes a Hammer Arm or a Giga Impact, it's not just a powerful attack—it's the culmination of all that stored energy, all that passive conditioning, all that immense, dense power concentrated into a single, overwhelming strike."
Sapphire mused, catching on as her eyes widened, gazing at my Slaking in a new light, "So you focus on moves that hit incredibly hard, then?"
I nodded my head as Sapphire quickly understood my intentions. I pulled out one of the new Macho Bracers from my bag, holding it up. I said, looking at the heavy wristband, "And this, Sapphire, will only amplify that. By increasing the base stat gain, even its passive conditioning under gravity will yield greater returns. We'll be focusing its active turns even more on moves that benefit from that raw, physical power."
Slaking shifted, letting out a soft groan, but its eyes remained closed. It was as if it understood, accepting its role in this unique, paradoxical training regimen.
It truly wasn't lazy; it was simply optimized for a different kind of growth. Sapphire breathed, her eyes now fixed on the slumbering giant with a newfound respect, "It's brilliant! I never thought about it that way. It's not about forcing a Pokémon to change its nature but understanding it and finding a way to make that nature its greatest strength."
I affirmed, looking back at my team, proudly said, "That's the core of it."
Electrike was still struggling, but now, with Mudkip watching, it managed to move slightly, not wanting to be outdone. The glutton had a fire in its eyes now.
It would take time, but the seed had been planted. I said coolly, my gaze sweeping across the clearing, encompassing all our partners, from the struggling new members to the passively strengthening titan, "Every Pokémon is an individual. They all have their strengths, their weaknesses, and their unique ways of growing. Our job as trainers isn't just to command them, but to understand them, to unlock their full potential, however unconventional that path might be."
Sapphire nodded, having been fueled with determination, as she returned to training her Pokémon. I sighed a breath of relief that Sapphire believed my words because I'm having a hard time believing in mine.
Shifting my gaze to Slaking, I didn't know how to train this lazy Pokémon… at first. But studying for a while, when it was a Vigoroth, I researched the ability Truant, trying to see if there was something I could use.
Every second turn, a Pokémon with Truant cannot use a move due to loafing around, such that the Pokémon can move on its first turn but not its second turn. Switching out or gaining the Ability Truant resets the turn count for Truant.
Truant cannot be overwritten by Simple Beam, Worry Seed, or Entrainment, but it can be overwritten by Skill Swap, Role Play, Doodle, or Mummy, or disabled with Gastro Acid or Neutralizing Gas. Encore will force a Pokémon with Truant to be locked into using the last move used.
Those are the disadvantages normal people have when raising a Pokémon that has the Truant Ability. But I have something people don't have… my Arc Phone and the knowledge of how to train one.
Unfortunately, according to my research, there's no possible way for Truant to be ignored… normally that is.
Smiling lightly, reading the content of my Arc Phone as I muttered calmly, "… but what if I introduced a different form of Truant that's beneficial and possibly game-breaking to the meta…?"
What I mean is that I used Truant from other games. Like, say the other game counterparts… Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon…
In Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, Truant instead causes the truant status condition for one turn. Truant can additionally inflict the Yawning status condition on all surrounding enemies when the Pokémon with the Ability Truant is asleep.
That could be a good counter to surprise my enemies. When they attack a sleeping Slaking using Rest, only to get hit by a Yawning Sleep effect, followed up with Sleep Talk… bruh they're sitting ducks.
Although the move is random… it is a Slaking we're talking about here. Base stats of 670 with 160 Atk and 95 Sp. Atk… but how exactly do I get it to work with a move, though, is the question?
Although a Chesto Berry would fix that issue for a one-time use. And with my Arc Phone, I slowly widened my smile, reading the possibility of enhancing the Truant Ability, adding a sleep status effect…
Oh boy. My opponents better be wary when I train my Slaking this method of utilizing its Ability because I'm about to break the meta!
/////
A/N: Reach the goal of 100 PS to get a Bonus Chapter!