"Victor and Gloria had arrived at the Master Dojo, where Victor earned his right to train, and Gloria earned her right to stay. But now, Victor and Cinderace's training begins…"

"Catching a Slowpoke by the Tail"

Gloria is exiting the Master Dojo to see Mustard in front of all of his students, and some of their Pokémon, including Victor, Cinderace, Avery, and Klara.

"Today, I have a special training exercise for everyone," Mustard says, as he turns to see a group of several Slowpoke.

"...Slow…" one of the Slowpoke says.

"As some of you may know, these Slowpoke were specially trained by the dojo," Mustard continues.

"Honey did say there were Slowpoke around," Gloria whispers.

"Well, today's training exercise is to catch a Slowpoke," Mustard says.

"Catch a Slowpoke?" Victor repeats under his breath.

"You just need to catch a Slowpoke, relatively unharmed, and bring it back and you're done," Mustard continues.

"Heh, too easy," Avery says to himself.

"If there's no questions," Mustard turns to the Slowpoke. "You may start."

Suddenly, all the Slowpoke run off past the dojo, at a breakneck pace.

"What?!" All of the students call out.

Mustard gives a small laugh, "Too easy, huh?"

Mustard turns and walks past Gloria, entering the dojo.

"Look like you might have your work cut out for you," Gloria says.

"Yeah," Victor says, as he and Cinderace turn to her. "What are you going to do for the day?"

Gloria holds up a Poké Ball, "Yesterday's battle inspired me. I think I'm gonna train with my Slowpoke."

"That's great, good luck," Victor says, as he waves and starts to run off with Cinderace.

"Cinder!"

"Good luck to you too," Gloria says, as she watches her friends.

On the dojo's roof, Kubfu turns and watches as Victor and Cinderace run toward the Soothing Wetlands, "Kub, fu."

Victor and Cinderace are walking through the wetlands, looking around.

"Okay, so where could a Slowpoke be…?" Victor asks, as he looks around.

"Cinder, Cinder," Cinderace points to the side.

Victor looks over and sees a Slowpoke in the distance.

"Well, I guess we won't have a problem finding a Slowpoke," Victor says, before looking at his Pokémon. "Cinderace, let's get on either side of it."

"Cinder," Cinderace nods.

"...Slow…"

Cinderace stands several feet behind the Slowpoke, as Victor stands several feet ahead of it.

"And… go!" Victor calls out, with Cinderace and him jumping at Slowpoke.

"...Slow…"

Suddenly, the Slowpoke speeds away, with Victor and Cinderace colliding against each other.

Nearby, behind a large log, Avery is watching, with Klara standing behind him.

Avery barely contains his laughter, "I don't believe them. They can't catch a beached Magikarp. This is too good."

Klara sighs, "Perhaps we should focus on our own training. We have to do the same thing."

"Yeah, yeah, I just want to make sure this kid doesn't luck out or anything," Avery says, with Klara rolling her eyes.

"Okay, then," Victor stands, turning to the Slowpoke. "Let's try this. Cinderace, Flame Charge!"

"Cinder!" Cinderace starts to run ahead, as it becomes surrounded in flames, chasing after the Slowpoke. Cinderace's feet start to slip, before it trips and falls down, with its flames dissipating. "Cinder!"

"Cinderace!" Victor takes a couple steps ahead. "The ground's too slippery and uneven…"

Avery knees behind the log, laughing, "On the other hand, we don't have to do a thing."

Klara sighs and starts to walk away, "I'm gonna focus on my own training."

Avery continues to laugh.

In front of the Master Dojo, Gloria knees in front of her Slowpoke.

"Okay, Slowpoke, yesterday I was able to hear your thoughts during our battle with Klara," Gloria says. "Let's try that again. Okay?"

Slowpoke stare at Gloria.

"Okay," Gloria starts to stare at Slowpoke.

Gloria and Slowpoke continue to stare at each other, with seconds and seconds passing.

On the roof, Kubfu punches the air a couple times, before looking down as Gloria and Slowpoke continue to stare at each other, with a sweatdrop.

Eventually, Honey passes by a window and notices the pair staring at each other. She tilts her head.

"...Slow…" Slowpoke runs off, as Victor and Cinderace both fall down, knocking up some mud.

Behind the log, Avery continues to laugh.

Victor slams a hand on the ground, "I don't believe this! No matter what we do, it keeps on outrunning us!"

"Cinder, Cinder," Cinderace holds out a hand to its Trainer.

Victor looks at Cinderace and its worried expression, before sighing, "I'm sorry, Cinderace, I didn't mean to get frustrated. I-I just don't know how we can catch a Slowpoke, when they're so fast. And with the ground being wet and uneven…"

Avery leans back behind the log, "Is this just the best, Klara." He then turns to see he's alone. "Klara? When did she leave?" Avery straightens up, shrugging his shoulders. "Guess I better get to it as well."

Several feet away, Avery notices a Slowpoke, before he smirks and holds out a hand, with the Slowpoke levitating off the ground.

"Ah, I don't even need Kadabra for this," Avery walks over to the levitating Slowpoke. "Master Mustard should've given me a harder exercise to complete. At least challenge me."

"...Slow…" Slowpoke starts to run its legs, splashing Avery with a lot of mud, causing him to drop Slowpoke, who runs off, causing Avery to fall down, splashing him with more mud.

Gloria seats down, exhausted, before watching her Slowpoke yawning.

Honey walks over to the pair, "Everything okay, Gloria?"

"I'm fine, it's just…" Gloria says, as she watches Slowpoke. "I'm just trying to connect Slowpoke, like I did during the battle."

"You're trying to connect?" Honey asks.

"I hope we can grow stronger, but it isn't working…" Gloria says.

Honey smiles, "You know, I'm not much of a Trainer, and I'm no teacher." Gloria looks up at her. "But I do know you can't rush perfection. Anything, especially anything worthwhile, takes time."

Honey starts to walk back to the dojo, before Gloria turns back to Slowpoke.

"...Slow…"

"'Can't rush perfection'," Gloria repeats.

Victor and Cinderace are watching a Slowpoke, several feet away.

"How can we catch it…?" Victor wonders, before noticing the ground. "We have to be careful where we run… but so will Slowpoke…" He turns to his Pokémon. "Cinderace, I have an idea."

"...Slow…"

"Okay, Cinderace, let's go!" Victor calls out, with a hand in front of him. "And watch the ground!"

"Cinder!" Cinderace starts running, with the Slowpoke also starts running.

As Cinderace chases after Slowpoke, it watches the ground, managing to avoid any missteps or overly slippery spots, while keeping pace with Slowpoke, just a couple seconds behind it.

"Cinder! Cinder!" Cinderace keeping after Slowpoke.

Slowpoke reaches a deadend as a cliff wall blocks its path, and starts to turn.

"Cinder!" Cinderace calls out.

"Gotcha ya'!" Victor jumps through the air.

"...Slow…?" Slowpoke's eyes blink a couple times, as it realizes Victor and Cinderace are on it.

"Alright, it worked!" Victor calls out, holding Slowpoke in his arms, as Cinderace bumps its fists.

"Cinder! Cinder!"

Victor turns slightly to the wetlands, "This exercise… It shows us how to watch the terrain and use it to our advantage. I guess this is the kind of training we could expect on the Isle of Armor."

Gloria sitting next to her Pokémon, pets Slowpoke's head, "Honey's right. We will master our connection in time. And I promise to be patient."

"...Slow…"

Gloria smiles, before turns and notices arriving on the Fields of Hope is Victor and Cinderace, with Victor carrying a Slowpoke.

Gloria stands up, as Mustard approaches, "Ah, congratulates on completing the exercise. All of you."

Victor turns to see more students returning carrying Slowpoke.

"I really hate running…" Klara, carrying a Slowpoke, says, as she arrives, sweating.

She then turns to see Avery arriving, covered in mud.

"What happened to you?" Klara asks.

"Don't ask," Avery says, walking past Klara.

Victor places the Slowpoke onto the ground, as he stands next to Gloria, "So how did your training go?"

"I'll need to be patient," Gloria answers. "I'm sure we will grow stronger in time."

"Realizing that on your own is proof you are already growing stronger," Mustard says, walking over to them.

"Actually, Honey helped me realize that," Gloria rubs the back of her head, with a sweatdrop.

"I'm not surprised," Mustard says, with a slight laugh, to Victor and Gloria's confusion.

"...Slow…" Gloria's Slowpoke says.

"...Poke…" the wild Slowpoke says.

"Kub, fu?" Kubfu looks off the roof, before noticing Cinderace.

"Victor and Cinderace's training had started with flying colors, while Gloria also learned to be patient in her relationship with her Slowpoke. What next for our heroes on the Isle of Armor?"

"Find out, as the journey continues…"