After freshening up and having breakfast, Yuga headed to the Ecopark. The Pokémon there were delighted to see him and gathered around, making joyful noises.
Amidst the bustling group, a tiny figure emerged. It pushed and wiggled its way out from between two Eevees, revealing itself with a toothy grin. With eyes the size of small beans, it curiously gazed at Yuga.
A Budew? Why was there a Budew in his Ecopark? Yuga examined the Budew with curiosity,
Attributes: Grass, Poison
Ability: Poison Point
feeling that there was something familiar about this deep blue-aura bud that enveloped its distinctive green form.
Yuga picked up the Budew and walked toward the weather tree where he had previously placed the Pokémon eggs. As expected, the eggs were gone, and this Budew was likely the last to hatch from the 31 genetically defective eggs, possessing the highest aptitude.
Happily, Yuga gently patted the Budew's cheek. In response, the Budew nuzzled his palm, even opening its blossom atop its head.
Yuga then noticed something unique about this Budew. The usual Budew has a red and blue bud on its head, but this one had two bright red ones. Was it a Shiny Pokémon? Shiny Pokémon were said to possess extraordinary abilities. Yuga held the Budew at eye level, examining it closely. Other than the color difference, he couldn't detect anything unusual.
Unsure why Yuga was scrutinizing it, the Budew gazed back with its small green eyes, showing no sign of fear.
The sight amused Yuga, and he chuckled before placing the Budew back on the ground. "Alright, go have fun."
The Budew stared at Yuga for a moment before toddling away on its tiny feet.
Yuga then released the rest of his Pokémon, including Audino and Floette. He addressed them, "From now on, this place is your home. Treat each other well."
Audino responded with an enthusiastic "Au~di~no!"
Turning his attention to Audino, Yuga continued, "Audino, with so many Pokémon babies around, I'll be relying on you to help out."
"Au~di~no!" Audino gave a confident reply, looking pleased with its new responsibility.
By now, Floette and the others had already gone off to play with their friends Murkrow Houndour, and Vulpix.
Yuga also took a moment to thank Miltanks. During his absence, they had taken excellent care of the Pokémon, and they all looked lively and energetic. These Miltank had truly become reliable members of his Ecopark team.
Yuga introduced Audino to Miltanks, explaining that they would all work together to care for the Pokémon in the Ecopark. Miltanks warmly welcomed Audino, and the two groups quickly bonded. Miltanks even treated Audino to some of their Moomoo Milk.
With Audino's addition, along with Miltanks, Yuga believed that his Ecopark was gradually forming a strong team of Pokémon assistants to help manage the park efficiently.
At this point, Yuga felt that he should also dedicate some time to learning. After all, how could he take care of the Pokémon in the Ecopark without understanding them? As the owner of a Day Care, his knowledge about Pokémon was quite limited, which wasn't ideal.
Returning to the Ecopark, Yuga found Floette playing hide and seek with Chimecho, Vivillon, and the recently arrived Linoone in the flower field.
Swellow seemed to have befriended Murkrow suddenly. The Murkrow stood on a branch of the weather tree, looking up at it with admiration, though Yuga couldn't comprehend what they were discussing.
Absol, usually composed, was lounging under the weather tree with Vulpix and Houndour, enjoying a rare moment of relaxation.
There was also Mudkip playing in the water, Eevee frolicking on the grass, Medidite meditating, Treckoo hopping around in the Berry trees, Swablu soaring freely in the sky, and Snivy indulging in the berries.
Everything seemed harmonious, giving the Ecopark a vibrant and lively atmosphere. Yuga felt a sense of accomplishment in his heart.
Yuga decided to check on Gligar and Flygon in the Desert Sub-Ecopark. Both groups appeared to be getting along well. He hadn't provided them with Pokéblocks yet; the oasis's fruits were their main sustenance.
Thankfully, the oasis was abundant in various types of fruits, satisfying both the Gligars and Flygon.
Flygon had an easier time, as they used to live in the Guardians' realm, where food was plenty. However, Gligars had a different experience. During their time in the underground maze, they rarely had enough to eat. The current oasis life filled them with happiness.
Yuga also fulfilled a promise to the Gligar leader. He informed both groups that he would place the Guardian Orb on the main Ecopark's weather tree. They could take turns sending a small group of Pokémon led by their leaders to the main Ecopark daily to receive the orb's blessings.
However, he set a few conditions:
1. Each group should only send a limited number, preferably around ten Pokémon per batch.
2. They must peacefully coexist with the main Ecopark's inhabitants.
3. No conflicts should arise during simultaneous blessings.
The Flygon, ever loyal, agreed without hesitation to these conditions. For the Gligars, receiving the Guardian Orb's blessing was a longstanding wish. The Gligar leader was thrilled and didn't object.
Upon returning to the main Ecopark, Yuga immediately retrieved the Guardian Orb and carved a hole on the thick trunk of the weather tree. Placing the orb inside, a warm energy enveloped the park, and even the plants seemed to stretch out their leaves instinctively.
Yuga was satisfied with the effect of the Guardian Orb. He believed that with this orb's presence, the Ecopark would become more vibrant, and the likelihood of high-aptitude offspring among the Pokémon here would increase.
However, he understood that the long-term effect of the orb would require time to gradually influence the Pokémon in the Ecopark, rather than an immediate transformation.