"Don't worry, you and Eevee will be fine," Gary said.
Cassidy and Butch were furious. The stolen Pokémon had clearly been theirs, but now someone else had taken it. As Team Rocket members, they had no lawful way to reclaim it.
The problem was, being members of Team Rocket, they couldn't exactly go to court. It was maddeningly frustrating.
"Butch, let's go," Cassidy snapped.
Butch recalled his Mightyena and left with Cassidy.
Gary didn't chase them. He knew that even if Cassidy and Butch were taken to the police, Team Rocket would rescue them before anything serious happened—unless, of course, they were permanently removed first.
However, this was a city. Gary wasn't a police officer or an investigator, and killing criminals here wasn't necessary. If Team Rocket wanted him gone, they could simply hire a few crooked lawyers to land him in prison.
Even being Professor Oak's grandson wouldn't protect him completely—especially not in the city. Out in the wild, though, such matters were handled differently. As long as one could eliminate the problem at its roots, there'd be no risk of it returning.
Eevee suddenly dashed toward the woods on the left, water spiraling around its tail—Aqua Tail—and swung it sharply.
Several trees were sliced clean in half. At the same moment, a Sableye hiding among them was struck and fell to the ground, lifeless.
Gary frowned. "You really don't give up, do you?"
That Sableye had clearly belonged to Cassidy. It had stayed behind to spy, possibly waiting for an opportunity to recapture Eevee.
Sableye, like Gengar, could merge into shadows. Without a cautious search, one might never spot it.
Luckily, Eevee's Anticipation ability had sensed the lurking danger in time.
"Sableye!" Cassidy's enraged voice rang out as she and Butch rushed back. Seeing their Pokémon defeated and motionless, they gnashed their teeth in fury, glaring at Gary as though ready to tear him apart.
"If you don't behave yourselves, I won't mind turning you over to Officer Jenny," Gary warned sternly.
Cassidy clenched her fists but knew she had no chance of winning now. "Let's go," she hissed to Butch.
After retrieving Sableye's Poké Ball, the two left immediately.
Eevee didn't relax until the two had vanished into the park. Its ears twitched and it called softly, "Vee-ee…"
It could sense that Cassidy and Butch had gone far away.
After its Anticipation ability was strengthened, Eevee's senses had become much sharper—nearly twice as effective as before.
"Eevee, are you okay?" A young boy dashed up to check on Eevee anxiously.
Gary crouched to inspect the Pokémon. "Don't worry," he reassured the boy. "Eevee's just a little hurt from the battle, but nothing serious. Let's get it to the Pokémon Center."
"Then, big brother, can you take Eevee there?" the boy asked.
Gary smiled gently. "Leave it to me."
He returned Charizard to its Poké Ball, then carefully picked up Eevee. "Let's go," he said, signaling to his Eevee to use Psychic to guide the way while carrying the boy alongside.
"Big brother, my name's Timmy. What's your name?" the boy asked curiously.
"My name's Gary," he replied while checking Eevee's injuries.
As he examined Eevee's fur, Gary noticed something odd behind its left ear. Carefully parting the fur, he found a small metallic device—an electronic implant. It was securely attached, likely by Team Rocket.
Gary's expression darkened. "So this is why you evolved into a Flareon… and somehow reverted back again."
He wanted to remove the implant, but since it was embedded near Eevee's ear, he feared it could harm the Pokémon. Better to leave it for now and let the experts handle it.
"Brother Gary, will those bad guys come back again?" Timmy asked softly.
"I think so," Gary admitted.
"Then, Brother Gary, can you take Eevee away?" Timmy pleaded.
Gary hesitated. The boy's eyes reminded him of Ash from his younger days—brave, hopeful, but powerless against villains like Team Rocket.
"If I take Eevee away," Gary said, "you won't see him again for a while."
Timmy nodded sadly. "That's okay. As long as Eevee is safe, Brother Gary. You're strong—those bad guys can't take Eevee from you."
Gary smiled faintly. "Don't worry. I'll make sure Eevee's safe. Once it's fully healed, I'll bring it back."
"But… I…" Timmy stammered. He wanted to protest, but he knew he couldn't protect Eevee on his own.
"I know what you're thinking," Gary said kindly. "Trust me. I'll handle everything. Team Rocket won't come after Eevee again."
Timmy's face softened. "Okay, Brother Gary. I believe you."
Gary and Timmy reached the Pokémon Center, where Nurse Joy greeted them warmly. Gary explained the situation and handed Eevee to her for examination. He asked Eevee to stay by Timmy's side for comfort.
Meanwhile, Gary went to contact Timmy's parents.
As he waited, Gary learned how Timmy and Eevee had first met.
Timmy had found Eevee unconscious near the park several days earlier. The poor Pokémon was injured and weak, so Timmy had taken it home to care for it, giving it food and water as best as he could.
However, being just a child, he couldn't afford proper treatment. He had been saving up a little money, hoping to take Eevee to the Pokémon Center when possible.
That afternoon, he'd finally managed to borrow some money from his mother's purse and decided to go after dinner.
But as soon as they left the house, they were ambushed. Team Rocket's grunts had surrounded the area, forcing them to run. They narrowly made it to the park, where Gary happened to arrive just in time to rescue them.
If not for Gary's intervention, Eevee would have been captured once more.
When Gary called Timmy's parents, they were shocked. "What? Timmy's injured? We're coming right away!"
Within minutes, they arrived at the Pokémon Center, relieved to see both their son and Eevee safe and under care.
Once they were settled, Gary excused himself to make another urgent call—this time to Professor Oak's Laboratory.
The video connection flickered on. Professor Oak appeared on screen, cheerfully slurping instant noodles.
"Grandpa," Gary sighed, "I've told you a hundred times—instant noodles aren't healthy. They're delicious, sure, but not nutritious. You should eat at Aunt Delia's place instead." ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩~𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢~𝔫𝔢𝔱
Oak chuckled sheepishly. "I know, I know. It's just convenient while I'm working. Now, tell me what's going on."
Gary detailed everything that had happened—from the encounter with Cassidy and Butch, to Eevee's evolution into a Flareon and its shocking reversion, to the mysterious device he had found on it.
Professor Oak nearly dropped his chopsticks. "What!? After Eevee evolved, it… devolved?"
He rubbed his chin, deeply intrigued. "In all my years of studying Pokémon—across regions and through generations—I've never encountered a natural reversal after evolution, not even with Mega Evolution. This… is extraordinary."
Gary nodded. "That's why I need your help studying it, Grandpa."
Oak smiled, instantly energized by the challenge. "Of course, Gary. Send Eevee here immediately. I'll notify the Pokémon League and prepare the lab!"