"Your Pokémon will recover soon. You can go to the rest area and wait," Nurse Joy reminded.
But Gary didn't leave.
Seeing that Gary remained where he was, Joy tilted her head in confusion. "Is there anything else?"
"Nurse Joy, I have a question for you," Gary said.
"Of course, go ahead."
Nurse Joy wasn't only responsible for treating Trainers' Pokémon — she also occasionally helped with coaching work. Some Joys even served as inspectors for the Pokémon League. Her position was quite significant.
"Excuse me," Gary began, "what's the woman wearing round-frame glasses doing here?"
Joy paused for a moment before replying, "You mean Ms. Millie?"
"Yes, that's the one," Gary confirmed.
Millie — the name Matori used as her alias in public.
"Ms. Millie said a prize Pokémon from the Celadon Game Corner went missing," Nurse Joy explained. "So she came by to ask if anyone might have sent the lost Pokémon here."
Gary blinked. "Huh?"
Lost a Pokémon?
That was... unusual.
Team Rocket was usually the one making other people lose their Pokémon. Why would they be the ones to lose one this time?
Losing a Pokémon was one thing, but the real surprise was that Matori herself came to the Pokémon Center to ask about it. A Team Rocket executive going to the League's own facilities for help? That was a serious risk.
"May I ask what kind of Pokémon was lost?" Gary asked curiously.
The only Pokémon Team Rocket usually cared about were Legendary ones. But if that were the case, they wouldn't be openly looking for it at a Pokémon Center — that would be a trap waiting to happen.
"It was an Eevee," Nurse Joy replied.
"Eevee!?" Gary's eyes widened in surprise.
"What's wrong?" Joy asked, puzzled by his reaction. "Eevee isn't that rare. Many people in Celadon keep them as pets."
Gary frowned thoughtfully.
If the missing Pokémon had been a rare species, there might've been a chance of finding it. But an Eevee? That would be almost impossible to track in a big city — especially since Eevee were so popular among children. Most would take one home in a heartbeat.
Besides, Pokémon were intelligent. If that Eevee had been used as a prize in the Game Corner, it must have understood its situation — treated as merchandise rather than a living being. If it managed to escape, finding a new Trainer would be a far better future than remaining trapped as a prize.
"It's nothing," Gary said after a pause. "I just think that once an Eevee escapes, it's basically impossible to find again. It's bound to go with someone else."
"True," Joy sighed softly. "After all, it was a prize Pokémon from the Game Corner."
As someone born and raised in Celadon City, she knew how grim the fate of those prize Pokémon could be. Many ended up resold by the Game Corner, or worse, traded away by gamblers desperate for cash.
"By the way, when did Ms. Millie start looking for this Eevee?" Gary asked.
"Two or three days ago, I believe. I don't remember the exact time," Nurse Joy replied.
"Thank you, Nurse Joy. I won't bother you any further," Gary said, turning away once he'd learned enough.
He stepped outside, frowning slightly.
"An Eevee, huh? Could it be one that was part of an experiment?" Gary thought to himself.
Team Rocket would never risk exposure over an ordinary Eevee. That one must have been special.
"If Matori's still searching for it, that means they haven't found it yet. Considering Eevee's speed, it shouldn't have been able to leave Celadon City in just two or three days," Gary reasoned.
Without wasting time, he went to the Pokémon Center's teleporter and requested that his Alakazam, Gardevoir, and his own Eevee be sent over.
Once the transfer was complete, Gary waited for Charizard to finish recovering before heading to the open area outside the Pokémon Center.
"Alakazam!"
"Gardevoir!"
"Vee!"
The three Pokémon greeted him joyfully. Eevee immediately dashed forward, circled Gary's legs, and leapt onto his shoulder, rubbing its fluffy face against his cheek affectionately.
Smiling, Gary patted Eevee's head. "I called you all here because I need your help with something important."
"Alakazam!"
Alakazam adjusted its spoons with a focused look, ready to use its high intellect for whatever task awaited.
"Gardevoir!"
"Vee!"
Both nodded eagerly.
"I want you to help me find an Eevee," Gary said.
"Alaka?"
"Voir?"
Alakazam and Gardevoir exchanged confused looks before glancing up at the Eevee perched on Gary's shoulder.
Eevee blinked. "Vee? (O_O)?"
It tilted its head, confused.
It was right there — why were they looking for another Eevee?
"The Eevee I'm talking about isn't you," Gary clarified quickly. "It's another one."
"Vee! (￣へ￣)!!"
Eevee puffed up its fur indignantly.
You already have me! Why do you need another one? Am I not good enough?
Seeing Eevee's sulky face, Gary chuckled softly. "Don't worry. I'm not planning to catch that Eevee — I haven't even seen it yet."
"Vee?"
"Gardevoir?"
"Alaka?"
All three Pokémon looked confused. They didn't even know what this mysterious Eevee looked like.
"I don't know its exact appearance," Gary admitted. "But I'm certain it's special. And it's still somewhere in Celadon City."
The three Pokémon exchanged another uncertain glance.
Celadon was enormous — finding one Eevee there would be like finding a needle in a haystack.
"There's one more thing," Gary continued. "This Eevee should be in a state of panic. Alakazam, Gardevoir — you two are great at sensing emotions. Use that to your advantage."
"Alaka!"
"Voir!"
Alakazam's mind pulsed with psychic focus, while Gardevoir's eyes glowed faintly as she nodded in agreement.
"Good. You two will search separately within the city. Eevee and I will form a third group. If either of you finds anything, come directly to me," Gary instructed.
The Pokémon nodded firmly, understanding their mission.
"It's already 5 p.m.," Gary added. "We'll regroup at the Pokémon Center entrance at 8 p.m. sharp."
"Alaka!"
"Voir!"
With that, Gardevoir and Alakazam disappeared in a flash of psychic energy.
Gary turned to his Eevee. "All right, partner. Let's get started."
"Vee!"
They began their search together. Gary reasoned that if the Eevee had escaped from the Game Corner, it likely hadn't used the front entrance — that area was always guarded by security.
"Eevee probably ran through the back," Gary murmured. "The rear exit faces north, so that's our best lead."
He and Eevee made their way toward the north. The search relied mostly on Eevee's instincts — its sense of danger and ability to detect others of its kind.