The door slammed closed, and they heard footsteps and cackles of thunder. Wisty, who was leaning on the wall with her arms crossed and eyes closed, looked up and pushed off the wall. " That'll be Ash."

Professor Rowan raised a brow. " What's so important about him coming back?"

Wisty shook her head. " Nothin'. He just said he needed to do something. I'll be right back."

Wisty walked out, and ten seconds later they heard her scream.

" ASH KETCHUM WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

Ash winced at the sheer volume of how loud his eight year old sister could scream. " Wisty, please -"

" Don't you ' please' me! Go treat all those... Scars! What did you even do?!"

Ash Shrugged. " Thunderbolts, a bunch of other stuff... The works."

Wisty's Eevee, who was perches on her head, sighed. " Vee..."

" Just..." Wisty sighed. " Go change and lie down."

" But why?"

" Because unless you haven't looked in the mirror, big brother, you look like you lost a fight with Arceus."

Ash huffed. " T's not that bad...."

" Go."

With a groan, Ash turned and walked tk his room in Rowan's lab.

Wisty shook her head. " Knew it was a bad idea... Letting him go to Hunter J..."

Gary's eyes widened. " Wait what?!"

Wisty turned and gave him a wry smile. " What, you actually thought after that Sheildon incident the other day he would let go? That's where he was for the past few days."

Gary’s stomach twisted. “You’re telling me Ash went after Hunter J—alone?!”

Wisty crossed her arms. “You say that like it’s surprising.”

“It is surprising!” Gary snapped, his voice rising. “That’s Hunter J! One of the most dangerous poachers in Sinnoh! And you just—what—let him walk into that like it was no big deal?!”

Wisty narrowed her eyes. “I tried to stop him.” She threw her hands in the air. “But you know how my brother is! ‘I can handle it, Wisty! Don’t worry about me, Wisty!’” She grumbled, mimicking Ash’s voice with clear irritation. “And what does he come back looking like? Like he went ten rounds with a freaking Zapdos!”

Gary gritted his teeth and ran a hand through his hair. He could still hear the distant thud of Ash closing the door to his room. “I swear, that idiot’s gonna get himself killed one day.”

Wisty nodded, her expression softening slightly. “Tell me about it.” She rubbed her temples. “I should go force him to let me put medicine on those scars before they get infected.”

Professor Rowan cleared his throat, his deep voice cutting through the tension. “I understand that Ash has a rather… reckless nature,” he said, stroking his beard, “but I must admit, I was not expecting this level of self-destruction.” He sighed. “Did he at least succeed in whatever reckless mission he threw himself into?”

Wisty smirked. “Oh, yeah. Hunter J’s base? Gone.”

Gary blinked. “Gone?”

“Boom.” Wisty made an explosion gesture with her hands. “Ash made sure she won’t be using it again anytime soon.”

Gary exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down his face. “I don’t know if I should be impressed or furious.”

Professor Rowan shook his head. “That boy is a walking disaster.”

“Yeah,” Wisty muttered. “But he’s our disaster.”

With that, she turned on her heel and stalked toward Ash’s room, leaving Gary standing there, still trying to process the absolute insanity that was Ash Ketchum.