"This incubator contains a new batch of Pokémon eggs. They're all Normal-types - the specialty of this Gym."
Norman led Silas into the restricted section of the Petalburg Gym. The air was cool and faintly sterile, rows upon rows of neatly arranged eggs stretching before them. Each one was tagged with its species, along with notes on the parents' levels and abilities.
"Of course," Norman added with a small smile, "if you want to see one up close, you may enter the constant-temperature room. As long as the Pokémon is willing to go with you, it's yours."
Silas's eyes widened as he peered through the glass. Even the most ordinary Zigzagoon here carried terrifyingly high potential, some already imbued with inherited moves.
Norman swiped his ID card, and the heavy door unlocked with a hiss. "The further you go in, the rarer and higher-quality the eggs become."
Silas stepped carefully inside. Most of the eggs were a soft milky white, unmistakably belonging to Normal-types. He scanned the labels as he walked - Pidgey, Rattata, Jigglypuff, Meowth, Farfetch'd, Kangaskhan, Tauros, Ditto, Eevee, Munchlax, Furret, Aipom, Teddiursa…
His breath caught. "These aren't just from Hoenn… there are Pokémon here from Kanto, Johto, even Sinnoh!"
And all of them he noted with a shiver -came from parents no lower than level forty. Their genetics alone made them extraordinary.
At the far corner, Silas spotted a smaller sealed door. "Mr. Norman, is there… something else in there?"
Norman's eyes glimmered with amusement. "That room holds the Gym's most confidential eggs. You can't choose from them - not yet. If you like, I'll let you take a look inside, but you'd have to sign a secrecy agreement." Then, softening the mood, he chuckled. "Of course, if you ever rise to the rank of Champion, I might just gift you one."
Silas returned his attention to the rows of eggs before him, weighing each choice against his future team. His eyes lingered on a Munchlax egg - its father a level seventy Snorlax - then on a Miltank egg, the backbone of many professional support squads.
It felt like standing before a banquet table, starving yet unable to decide which dish to taste.
Norman spoke again, his tone instructional. "In the Alliance, there are two major schools of thought: specialization, and balance.
1. A specialist trainer builds a team around one type. Easier to master, efficient to raise, but also predictable.
2. A balanced trainer mixes types, making the team more versatile, but requiring greater time, resources, and knowledge to train properly."
Silas lowered his head in thought. Minutes passed. Finally, his eyes snapped up, a wild determination burning in them.
"Thank you for the advice, Mr. Norman. I've decided - I'll take Eevee. I'll specialize in the Dark-type."
Norman blinked, startled. He had assumed Silas would follow the water path, given his Carvanha and Crawdaunt. "Not Water… but Darkness? How unexpected."
Silas carefully picked up the chosen egg. He had intentionally chosen a female Eevee , a rare one in eight chance. Not only was it rarer, but research suggested that a Pokémon bonded to a trainer of the opposite gender would find intimacy easier to develop, a key to evolving into Espeon or Umbreon.
"This Eevee…" Norman smiled approvingly. "Not bad. Leave it here at the Gym for incubation. I'll also provide nutrient solution that it will help strengthen its potential."
Silas bowed in gratitude, clutching the egg close.
Norman wasn't finished. After Silas signed a confidentiality contract, he pushed open the sealed door. "Come. You should see what lies beyond. Perhaps one day, when you reach the summit, you'll be worthy of these."
The air inside was heavy with a strange, refreshing fragrance. "That's Spirit-Cleansing Incense, imported from Unova's Lorna family," Norman explained. "It's especially beneficial for eggs and newborns."
At the center of the vast white chamber sat six carefully guarded eggs, each one surrounded by protective equipment.
"These are strategic assets," Norman said gravely. "Even I cannot take them without reporting to the Alliance. Only one - a Slakoth egg, the child of my Slaking -truly belongs to me. The rest are supplied by the League… and yes, I still owe them a heavy loan."
Silas's eyes locked onto them a Happiny egg, an Audino egg, even rarer ones he could scarcely believe. His heart pounded with envy and longing.
Norman laughed, catching his expression. "Don't envy them, boy. High qualification is only a key. What truly makes a Pokémon powerful is the trainer who nurtures it."
Silas knew he was right… yet a pang of envy still lingered in his chest. Without secret training methods, even the most talented Pokémon could stagnate. Just as Cerulean Gym was built upon its unique Water-training techniques, or Pewter upon its Rock methods - these secrets never flowed to outsiders.
An ordinary trainer could stumble upon a rare egg… but without those special methods, progress would stall.
After one last look at the eggs, Silas exhaled deeply and bowed. "Thank you, Mr. Norman."
He stepped out of the Gym. The sky had already darkened. It was time to rest.
<><><><><><>
(End of chapter)