As the forest brightened, William packed up his gear, storing away the Miracle Seed carefully to his belt pouch. Ivysaur helped by lifting fallen twigs with his vines, while Leafeon gently nudged the embers of the fire to cool them.
Kirlia floated the remaining cooking pans into his backpack using psychic power.
When everything was ready, William stood and stretched, looking toward the far end of the glade. The morning mist had begun to lift, revealing the great figure of Venusaur waiting beneath the flowering canopy.
Wild Pokémon gathered around which are Bellsprout, Roselia, Meganium's kins and a group of Bulbasaur hopping softly. The Mysterious Garden was lively again.
William and his team walked forward quietly, Chikorita tagging along behind, peeking from between Ivysaur's legs.
Venusaur's eyes followed them. He rumbled deeply with a sound like deep roar but full of warmth and care.
William stopped a few paces away, bowing his head slightly. "Thank you again for letting us stay, and for your gift."
Venusaur lowered his massive head, vines shifting gently. He extended one vine toward Chikorita, who squeaked in surprise. The vine brushed her leaf gently like a blessing, perhaps before retracting.
"She's from here, isn't she?" William asked softly.
Venusaur's slow nod was all the answer needed.
"I think she wants to come with me. So,I'll take care of her until she's ready," William promised. "You have my word."
Venusaur's eyes closed briefly in approval.
Eevee trotted forward and waved her tail playfully at the wild Pokémon who had gathered to see them off.
Ivysaur gave a proud nod toward his kin, the other Bulbasaur and Ivysaur watching from the edge of the grove.
Kirlia bowed slightly, her aura shimmering faintly.
Nidoran's tail twitched nervously, but he gave a small, awkward smile when a Roselia waved at him.
Even Electabuzz gave a short salute which is a gesture that made the smaller Pokémon giggle.
William adjusted his backpack, glancing around one last time. "All right, team. Time to go."
The forest was bathed in morning gold now, the air fresh and cool.
As they turned down the winding path leading out of the Mysterious Garden, Venusaur raised his head high and released a deep, resonant cry which is a farewell that rolled through the trees like a blessing.
The wild Pokémon echoed it in softer tones with chittering, chirping, and singing until the forest itself seemed to hum with farewell.
William stopped for just a moment, looking back. The petals drifting through the air sparkled in the sunlight.
He smiled faintly. "Let's go, everyone."
Eevee barked happily. Kirlia nodded. Electabuzz cracked his knuckles. Ivysaur adjusted his flower bulb proudly. Leafeon flicked her tail. Nidoran trotted a little closer to William's boots.
And Chikorita which is the smallest among them, looked up at the tall trainer, leaf swaying in the breeze. She took one small hop forward and smiled for the first time.
"Welcome to the family," William murmured quietly.
Then, together, they walked toward the forest's edge and their silhouettes bathed in morning light, fading slowly into the sunlit path beyond the Garden.
~~~ Vermilion City, Sakuragi Research Institute ~~~
By the time William and his Pokémon reached Vermilion City, the sun had risen high over the skyline, painting the glass of the skyscrapers in shades of silver and gold. The sea breeze carried a faint tang of salt, mixing with the city's mechanical hum.
William's coat swayed with each step as he made his way up the long, tree-lined road leading to a modern white-and-blue building which is the Sakuragi Research Institute. Its mirrored panels gleamed beneath the sunlight, and flocks of Pidove perched along the railings outside.
The automatic glass doors slid open with a soft hiss.
Inside, everything was alive with motion. Screens flickered with data. Assistants hurried between stations, holding stacks of papers and sample vials. The air smelled faintly of ozone and fresh coffee.
"Welcome back, William!" one of the assistants called, waving. "The Professor had been waiting since your message this morning!"
William nodded politely. "I've brought something worth waiting for."
Inside the Laboratory,
Professor Sakuragi stood at the center of the main lab, surrounded by his assistants whose are Chrysa and Ren and his daughter Chloe is also among them. His sharp eyes lit up behind his glasses the moment William entered.
"Ah! William, my boy! I heard you found something extraordinary near the forest north of Vermilion?"
William unclipped his pack, setting it gently on the main table. "You could say that."
He began laying out what he'd collected on to the small glass jars sealed with wax, containing samples of rare leaves, moss, and flower petals that shimmered faintly under the light.
Ren leaned closer, his eyes widening. "Whoa… I've never seen anything like this. These pigments are photosensitive."
Chrysa adjusted her glasses, voice low with awe. "Professor, this one looks like it came from a Lush Garden biome but the chlorophyll density is higher than normal. It is amazing."
Professor Sakuragi smiled faintly, stroking his chin. "Just as I thought. You've found traces of the Mysterious Garden, haven't you?"
William nodded. "And not just traces."
He swiped his Pokédex, opening the image gallery. There are the photos and short clips from his time in the Garden. The holographic screen filled with lush greens, waterfalls, and light filtering through the leaves.
Then came a photo of Venusaur standing tall like a guardian, surrounded by wild Pokémon which are Ivysaur, Bellsprout, and a single small Chikorita sleeping beside him.
Everyone in the room went silent for a moment.
Ren whispered, "That… that's the Garden people only talk about in myths. I thought that is just the rumors."
Sakuragi folded his hands behind his back, smiling. "A hidden ecosystem protected by a Venusaur Guardian. Magnificent."
William then pressed another command, and a new image appeared which is Leafeon, standing proudly in a shaft of sunlight. Her leaves glowed faintly from her inner energy.
"She evolved there," William explained. "I found her already in this form. Alone. She said she evolved on her own."
At that, even Sakuragi's eyebrows rose. "Evolved….How? In a naturally attuned environment?"
"Exactly," William said. He turned toward Leafeon, who stood quietly beside him, tail brushing against the tiled floor. "Kirlia, can you help translate?"
Kirlia nodded and closed her eyes, her aura shimmering faintly. A psychic link formed, her voice echoing softly into William's and the Professor's minds.
'It was the Garden,' Leafeon's thoughts came through gently, like a breeze rustling through leaves. 'The energy there. It called to me. It felt like sunlight and life itself were guiding me forward. I had been abandoned by my trainer because I can't evolve with evolution stones. When I reached there, I know my potential. Now, the forest gave me its strength.'
The lab fell utterly silent. The assistants are also waiting silently with interest between the communication.
Sakuragi finally exhaled, taking off his glasses. "Incredible… spontaneous evolution through environmental resonance. Theoretically possible, but never observed in modern times. So,Eevee has more evolution than we thought."
Ren's hands were already flying across the keyboard. "Professor, this means Eevee's genetic adaptability might extend to environmental catalysts!"
Chrysa added quickly, "If that data ever got out..."
Sakuragi raised his hand sharply. "Which is why it won't."
Everyone froze.
The Professor's expression hardened for a brief moment. "This discovery, as beautiful as it is, could be dangerous in the wrong hands. We cannot stop this new but we can delay the new a little bit. After all, the idea that an Eevee could evolve through environmental triggers without evolutionary stones would draw attention from organizations far worse than Rocket."
William nodded silently, understanding immediately. His mind flickered briefly to the faces of those same bad people, the ones who took what they didn't deserve.
Sakuragi's voice softened again. "Keep this between us. Study her evolution quietly now. And William when your Eevee evolves… record it for me, please. The world deserves to know the truth when it's ready."
William smiled faintly. "Understood."
***************
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