A month had passed since Albert's proposal had been approved, and the Stone Manor had quietly transformed into a base for his research.
Underground, a network of custom devices hummed softly: machines designed to simulate energy, detect elemental signatures, and measure happiness and intimacy.
For now, these instruments were used only to record the Eevee's type affinity; all other experiments would remain dormant until the formal study began.
In addition, Albert had persuaded Joseph to discreetly acquire every Leaf Stone and Ice Stone available worldwide, including sourcing directly from suppliers. After a carefully reasoned argument about their potential significance for Eevee research, Joseph finally relented.
Albert allowed himself a small, satisfied smirk as he arranged the stones in the laboratory—a meticulously labeled vault—where each stone piece is a key to unlocking potential new Eeveelutionary pathways.
The collection was staggering in scale, yet entirely necessary.
"Once this research bears fruit, every one of these stones will be priceless," he murmured to himself.
Albert then moved among the equipment with methodical precision, checking gauges, adjusting circuits, and testing calibration. Each machine was designed to help him later on in the research.
But at the moment, his focus was simpler: preparing for the arrival of the Eevee.
When the group of Eevee arrived, Albert quickly descended into the yard to meet them.
His psychic abilities, though initially unfamiliar, were quick to sharpen. Within hours, he became proficient enough to reach all the Eevee at once, projecting calm, reassurance, and gentle guidance.
The Pokémon responded immediately, their ears perking and tails flicking in recognition of his presence.
All Eevee bounded into their new home, tails wagging, ears flicking with curiosity. Albert greeted each with a soft smile, crouching to meet them at eye level.
"This way… gentle," he murmured, guiding the more hesitant Eevee toward safe zones and shaded areas.
He moved from one to another, recording basic characteristics: height, weight, sex, and coat color variations. Each Eevee was different, subtle differences in behavior hinting at unique potential.
Steven, arriving home from school, paused at the sight of dozens of Eevee exploring the yard. "There are… so many of them!" he whispered.
Albert smiled, gently patting his shoulder. "We'll get to know them all first. Today is just an introduction. You can help me observe, but we're not starting experiments yet."
Steven nodded eagerly and joined him in the yard, marveling as Albert communicated silently with the Eevee.
The connection was subtle but powerful—Albert could sense their curiosity, their comfort, their tentative trust.
By evening, the Pokémon had begun to adapt to their new home, moving freely under Albert's calm guidance. He rose and looked over the yard, the last rays of sunlight casting a warm glow over the flurry of tails and ears.
In the underground lab, Albert ran each Eevee through the type-affinity scanners.
While some showed weak tendencies toward known elements, many displayed only moderate or ambiguous affinities.
For these, he relied on his psychic impressions: subtle responses to certain stimuli, emotional resonance with environmental cues, or instinctive reactions when introduced to elemental projections.
Based on these impressions, Albert grouped the Eevee according to Ice, Grass, Dark, Psychic, and Fairy tendencies:
Ice-oriented Eevee were drawn to cool, shaded areas and responded most strongly to gentle energy that simulated icy conditions.
Grass-oriented Eevee gravitated to small gardens or clusters of foliage, displaying curiosity and calmness when sensing life energy from plants.
Dark-oriented Eevee preferred quiet corners, observing quietly with cautious attention, and showed subtle responsiveness to shadowed areas or low light.
Psychic-oriented Eevee reacted keenly to Albert's emotional and thought projections, often seeking direct mental contact and responding to abstract signals.
Fairy-oriented Eevee, though a completely theoretical type at this point, were categorized based on their unusually strong sensitivity to social and emotional energy.
Albert noticed that certain Eevee responded with heightened joy, playfulness, and empathy when he projected feelings of kindness and care. Unlike other Eevee, they instinctively approached others, forming harmonious social bonds and displaying subtle magical-like behaviors, such as responding to gentle lights or soft harmonics.
Though the Fairy type had no official existence in research, Albert trusted his psychic impressions, labeling them as Fairy-oriented for future study.
For those who are oriented towards Fire, Water, and Electric-types, Albert has grouped them according to their second-best type-affinity among the five aforementioned categories.
Through his psychic connection, he guided each Eevee toward its designated group.
The yard gradually took shape, with each Eevee settling into areas that aligned with their affinities. Albert observed quietly, noting subtle nuances in behavior, energy, and interaction with the environment.
Steven flopped onto the grass beside him, eyes wide with excitement. "I can't wait until you start the experiments!"
Albert's lips curved into a small, fond smile. "Soon, Steven. Very soon."