The four boys gasped, eyes wide with shock as Goh exclaimed, "It's Articuno!"

Before anyone could react, two boys came stumbling in backward, trying to placate someone. The boy in a green shirt and red shorts spoke first, his voice tense, "Come on! Can't you calm down?"

The other boy, with brown hair and black fingerless mittens, quickly followed. "Yeah, how about we just calm down, and—"

"NO!" a girl's voice cut through the air, filled with fury. "I CAN'T!"

Ash's face went pale. "Tracey? Todd? What's going on?"

The two boys spun around, surprised to see Ash. "Ash!" Tracey exclaimed, relief in his voice.

"We need help!" Todd added quickly, glancing over his shoulder.

Just then, Wisty stormed into view, her eyes burning with anger. "Articuno, let's go," she ordered sharply.

Articuno gave a sharp cry. She didn't want to.

But then Wisty pulled out a Pokéball with a determined glare. "Articuno..."

Before she could proceed, two more majestic figures burst onto the scene—a Moltres and a Zapdos.

Gary's jaw dropped. "The legendary Pokémon!" he exclaimed in awe.

Goh narrowed his eyes, observing the scene. "They look more like they're trying to calm her down," he noted, puzzled.

"Because they are!" Horace shouted over the chaos, his voice strained with worry.

Articuno seemed to understand and moved to join Moltres and Zapdos. The three legendary birds formed a tight formation around Wisty. In unison, they unleashed their elements—Articuno sent forth a blast of icy wind, Moltres ignited a wave of searing fire, and Zapdos crackled with a surge of lightning.

Ash shielded his face from the combined onslaught of elements, shouting over the roar, "What are they doing?!"

"They're trying to purify her!" Tracey yelled, struggling to keep his balance amidst the intense winds.

Ash's eyes widened with shock and confusion. "Purify her?! What do you mean?!"

Todd shouted back urgently, "Something’s not right with Wisty—she’s not herself!"

The legendary birds intensified their elemental barrage, and it became clear that they were not attacking her but trying to purge some unseen force. Articuno's ice swirled around Wisty, Moltres's flames burned intensely yet harmlessly, and Zapdos’s lightning crackled in rhythmic pulses.

Gary, watching with bated breath, whispered, "They’re cleansing her..."

Horace nodded gravely. "If it works... she might come back to her senses. But if it fails..."

"Then we're in big trouble," Ash finished, his expression grim.

The air was still thick with tension as the icy winds, searing flames, and crackling lightning faded. But it was clear—the purification attempt had failed. Wisty remained as furious as ever, her eyes wild and unrelenting.

Desperate to get a closer look, Tracey and Todd stepped forward. "Hold her steady!" Tracey urged, brandishing his sketchpad. "If I can just capture her image, maybe we can understand what's happening!"

Todd readied his camera, nodding nervously. "We just need a clear shot!"

But Wisty's fury turned towards them. In a flurry of motion, she lashed out, and before they knew it, both Tracey and Todd were sent sprawling to the ground, each sporting a fresh black eye.

Gary rushed over, kneeling beside the two wounded friends. "You guys okay?" he asked, pressing a cold compress to Todd’s swollen face.

Ash watched the scene with a mix of sympathy and frustration. He sighed. "Good try, you two," he said gently, kneeling down beside Gary. "But it's not really your fault. You guys are sketch artists and photographers, not fighters. Sketching and taking pictures is basically the only thing you know how to do."

Tracey winced as he managed a rueful smile. "We just... thought we could help."

Suddenly, Eevee darted back into the clearing, wagging its tail excitedly. But this time, the little Pokémon wasn’t alone—another Wisty followed close behind!

The entire group froze, staring at the second Wisty in shock. Unlike the enraged girl commanding the legendary birds, this new Wisty was not calm. Her expression was one of confusion and anger as she surveyed the scene. "WHO THE HECK ARE YOU, AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY BIRDS?!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the clearing.

Tracey’s jaw dropped as he struggled to sit up. "Wisty...?" he managed, eyes wide with disbelief. "You... you escaped?"

Gary’s face paled as he looked between the two Wistys, his mind racing. "But... if you’re here..." He turned to the furious Wisty still surrounded by the legendary birds. "Then who... or what... is that?"

The calm Wisty looked over at her doppelgänger, her expression darkening with realization. "That’s not me," she said coldly. "Whoever that is... they're using my Pokémon, and they're going to regret it."

Todd, his eye swelling shut, struggled to his feet, camera in hand. "I... I don’t understand. How can there be two of you?"

The second Wisty narrowed her eyes and stepped forward with Eevee by her side. "That’s what I’m here to find out." She turned to the legendary birds, calling out to them with authority. "Articuno! Moltres! Zapdos! Come to me!"

But the doppelgänger Wisty’s grip on the legendary trio tightened, her voice rising in a sinister challenge. "They belong to me now!" she snarled, her face twisted with rage.

The two Wistys locked eyes, a tense silence settling over the clearing. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the inevitable showdown between the girl they knew and the furious imposter.

The atmosphere crackled with anticipation as the doppelgänger Wisty brandished three Poké Balls, her smirk dripping with arrogance. “You think you can take them back?” she taunted, preparing to issue commands to the legendary birds under her control.

But just as she was about to speak, the real Wisty, fueled by determination, stepped forward, her eyes ablaze with defiance. “You forgot something,” she shouted, her voice unwavering. “Zapdos! Articuno! Moltres! Use your ultimate power!”

The three legendary Pokémon hesitated for a moment, their gazes shifting between the two girls, confusion evident in their eyes. The doppelgänger, eyes wide with disbelief, shouted, “Not going to happen!”

Just as the standoff reached its peak, Ash’s sister took action. With a fierce yell, she leaped into the fray, kicking and dodging the ice.

“Let them go!” she shouted, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife. As she reached the legendary birds, they sensed her true aura and immediately recognized their real master.

Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres began to swirl in the air, glowing with an intense light. They unleashed a collective burst of energy, the combined force of ice, fire, and lightning illuminating the clearing. The power surged around them, forcing the doppelgänger Wisty back.

With a swift motion, the real Wisty dove toward her, throwing her body into a well-aimed kick that sent her doppelgänger staggering. “You won’t take my friends from me!” she declared, summoning all her strength.

The legendary Pokémon, now freed from the grip of the impostor, swooped in beside Wisty, their majestic forms radiating an aura of unity and power. “We’re with you, Wisty!” they seemed to say with their presence, as they lined up alongside her, ready to defend against the impostor.

The doppelgänger glared at the real Wisty, her expression shifting from shock to rage. “You think this is over?!” she screeched, clutching her Poké Balls tightly. “I won’t let you win this time!”

With that, she hurled the Poké Balls toward the ground, summoning a wave of energy that began to darken the skies. “Zapdos! Articuno! Moltres! Return to me!” she commanded, but the three legendary birds ignored her, choosing to stand by Wisty instead.

The clearing filled with tension as Ash, Gary, and the others stood back, uncertain of how this fierce confrontation would end. But one thing was clear—the real Wisty had won the loyalty of the legendary Pokémon, and together, they would face whatever challenge lay ahead.

“Let’s show her what real friendship looks like!” Wisty shouted.

Ash's eyes widened. " Wisty get out of there!"

But Wisty would not back down. " No. Let's do this, guys!"

And with that, they fought.