Yushu had six Pokémon in total, and that was more than enough.
After all, not everyone had a breeder like Brock Mom accompanying them all the way, with someone as wealthy as Professor Oak back home to help look after their Pokémon.
For most people, putting together a full team was already enough to bankrupt them. They had to treasure every battle they could afford.
Yushu tossed out his Poké Balls.
"Come on out, everyone. Get to know your new home."
Bang, bang, bang!!!
Six flashes of light appeared one after another, and six Pokémon of different shapes emerged in the yard.
"Mooo."
The first to enter his field of vision was a big pink fellow.
With a stocky, rounded body and soothing pink fur, she looked like a huge moving lump of cotton candy.
Her eyes were gentle and steady. Standing there like a small hill, she gave off an inexplicable sense of reassurance.
Yushu instinctively activated the Eye of Detection.
That was the name he had given his golden finger. It had no flashy system panel, just this one detection function. Plain, but practical.
He had named it the Eye of Detection.
[Pokémon: Miltank] [Type: Normal] [Ability: Thick Fat] [Level: Early elite] [Moves: Rollout, Defense Curl, Stomp, Heal Bell, Headbutt, Zen Headbutt, Milk Drink, Body Slam, Curse, Focus Punch, Double-Edge...] [Condition: Mild blockage in mammary meridians. Long-term frequent milk production combined with combat training has caused excessive calcium loss and poor microcirculation. [Recommended: Supplement with high-quality pasture grass and calcium energy intake for gradual recovery.]
Miltank was a Pokémon Qingmu had given Yushu before he left on his journey, saying he would feel more at ease with Miltank looking after him.
And Yushu had indeed been able to drink fresh Moomoo Milk every day. It had been his most reliable source of nutrition throughout his journey.
As for the hidden injury, blocked mammary meridians did not sound like a major problem, but if left untreated, it would certainly affect the Pokémon's health over time.
He had probably gone overboard with training before, treating Miltank as an all-rounder who had to both produce milk and fight.
Even an iron cow could not take that.
"Mooo?"
Miltank tilted her head at him, seemingly waiting for an order.
"It's nothing. You're doing great."
Yushu reached out and stroked her head. It felt surprisingly nice. Her fur was thick and soft, like petting an oversized cat.
"Torterra!"
The second to speak was a giant tortoise.
A lush little tree grew on his back, a few fresh green leaves hanging from its branches, while patches of moss clung to his shell.
Yep, a miniature mobile ecosystem, complete with its own shade canopy.
[Pokémon: Torterra] [Type: Grass + Ground] [Ability: Overgrow] [Level: Early elite] [Moves: Razor Leaf, Growth, Bite, Mega Drain, Leech Seed, Synthesis, Withdraw, Take Down, Wood Hammer, Earthquake, Rock Climb...] [Condition: Damaged energy channels in the back shell. Prolonged exposure to high-intensity attacks has disrupted the conduction pathways.] [Recommended: Stop confrontational attacks, supplement with restorative Berries, adjust diet, and combine with moderate activity to promote self-healing.]
Torterra, his Starter Pokémon.
This was the first Pokémon he had received from Professor Rowan when he began his journey in Sinnoh.
Why hadn't I picked Chimchar back then?
Wasn't Infernape great?
Just look at Ash's Infernape in the anime. From an abandoned, weak little monkey, he had evolved into a powerhouse who thrashed the legendary-spamming guy. That script was practically the blueprint for an inspirational movie.
The moment the BGM started, it could fire up the whole audience until they cried.
Then look at Torterra. His battle record was worrying, earning him the glorious title of cannon-fodder tortoise.
Of course, he also knew the Pokémon could not take all the blame.
A large part of that Torterra's dismal record came down to Ash's tactics being completely unsuited to him.
If you used a tank as an assassin, how could it not go wrong?
Wait, doesn't mine know Rock Climb too?
"Torterra?"
Sensing his gaze, Torterra slowly raised his head and glanced at him.
"Torterra, Rock Climb is more than you can handle. Best not to use it much unless you have to."
Yushu suddenly came out with that.
"Torterra?"
Torterra did not understand.
Use Rock Climb less? Didn't you love using it before?
"Just listen to me. You can't go wrong."
Yushu suddenly felt that Torterra was pretty good too.
Steady, dignified, and quiet.
Besides, the tree on his back really could bear fruit. Although there was none on it yet, perhaps he could one day have all the fruit he wanted.
Thinking of it that way, he had come out ahead.
The third Pokémon was a majestic large bird. A sweep of his wings stirred up a gust that blew Yushu's hair backward.
[Pokémon: Staraptor] [Type: Normal + Flying] [Ability: Reckless] [Level: Late Advanced Stage] [Moves: Quick Attack, Wing Attack, Double Team, Aerial Ace, Double-Edge, Whirlwind, Brave Bird, Close Combat...] [Condition: Chronic overload of wing tendons. Suspend use of recoil moves such as Brave Bird.] [Recommended: Increase nut intake to supplement high-quality fatty acids.]
The regional bird, Staraptor.
A very standard Sinnoh team member. It seemed every Trainer who set out from Sinnoh would have a Starly, then evolve it into Staravia and finally Staraptor.
He had done the same, catching a Starly on Route 201 and raising him from a palm-sized little bird into this majestic figure.
But this one's level had stalled at the Late Advanced Stage, and the reason was obvious.
The injuries to his wings were holding him back.
"Staraptor!"
Staraptor gave a loud, ringing cry,
He landed on the pasture fence and looked down at Yushu, as if waiting for an order.
Watching him, Yushu suddenly felt a little guilty.
He kept getting the feeling that this bird had some masochistic tendencies.
As if his very next words would be:
Trainer, what are we training today? Two hundred push-ups or a five-kilometer weighted flight?
"No rush. Rest first."
Yushu waved a hand at him.
Staraptor tilted his head, obvious confusion in his eyes.
No training? What do you mean?
I've got my wings ready, and now you're telling me to rest? Didn't I get ready for nothing, then?
Yushu did not respond to Staraptor's confusion. He looked at the Pokémon beside him, a majestic big cat.
"Roar!"
Blue-and-black stripes covered his body, his limbs were strong and powerful, and his mane looked like flowing lightning when it bristled.
[Pokémon: Luxray] [Type: Electric] [Ability: Guts] [Level: Late Advanced Stage] [Moves: Electric Terrain, Spark, Charge, Volt Switch, Roar, Crunch, Take Down, Discharge, Thunder Fang...] [Condition: Prolonged battle anxiety has caused elevated emotional stress. Has remained in a state of heightened mental alertness for an extended period.] [Recommended: Reduce the frequency of high-intensity battles. A stable daily routine is the best way to recover.]
Luxray.
Yushu's eyes lit up as he looked at the handsome big cat.
Who could say no to a handsome big cat?
Luxray stood where he was, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.
His expression seemed fairly calm, but Yushu noticed that his ears kept turning slightly.
This was a sign of heightened vigilance. Even in a seemingly relaxed state, he was constantly monitoring the activity around him.
"It's safe here. You don't have to keep watching everything," Yushu said.
Luxray glanced at him, and his ears turned a little less frequently.
Yushu sighed inwardly.
This was probably what they called a stress response.
Pokémon who spent a long time in high-pressure environments found it difficult to relax immediately, even after leaving the arena.
Yushu continued shifting his gaze. Next was a Pokémon who looked like a queen.