" Yeah? Well I'll block all of them off!*

" Stop! Calm down and let's make a plan! Hey!"

" I'm doing this my way! Let me handle them!"

" It's that type of recklessness that put the Sheildon in danger in the first place."

" Wacha say?*

" Cool it ash."

" I'm afraid Gary's right."

Pika Pika."

Ash saw and sighed.

Gary took a computer out. " If we keep this up those creeps will catch us for sure!*

Suddenly, they saw a fast moving object in the forest.

Ash looked up. " What was that?*

Again.

" I think it's some type of Pokemon." Brock piped up

" Yeah but which?"

Suddenly, they heard a voice bark, " Joteon, thunderbolt, now!"

"Jolteon!" A Jolteon jumped out of the bushes and hopped over the four young people who were currently crouched behind it.

" Altaria, wind gust!"

" Altaria!"

" Sprigatito, vine whip, now!*

Ash watched in wonder as the Pokemon did severe damage to the elite guards.

" Wow, this person is an amazing trainer.* Ash muttered.

" Yeah but they're being extremely reckless, too." Gary added.

Just then, the three Pokemon jumped over the bushes again and back into the foliage. Ash stood up.

" Excuse me?" He called. " Who are you?*

A straw hat in a hand peeked through. " It's me."

Ash blinked. " Wisty?!"

Wisty grinned. " The one and only."

Her eyes shot to the Sheildon, who has immediately come to Wisty and started to nudge her in the foot. She laughed and knelt down to hug them all. " It's been a while, huh? But I can still see you're the fabulous four!"

Gary blinked. " What?"

Wisty looked up. " Don't ruin the moment."

" Sprigatito!" Sprigatito lept on Wisty, and her other Pokemon followed.

Then the Sheildon did too.

" Guys!" She said through giggles. " Stop! I can't breathe!"

" Sheildon!"

Wisty wrapped her arms around them all. " Yes, I also missed you."

" Do you need help?" Dawn asked

Wisty shook her head. " Nah, I'm used to this."

The Sheildon lept off, and she dusted her dress before grinning at them. " So.... Whatcha doin'?"

" Trying to stop them from capturing these Sheildon." Gary said, arms crossed.

Wisty nodded, and everyone could see she was angry.

" Sheildon!"

Wisty looked down. " I'm sorry you guys but I have to. If I don't you'll be captured. And we don't want that, do we?*

She looked back at her Pokemon. " Okay, you three. Jolteon, I need Glaceon. Sprigatito, Razor leaf. And Alt-*

" Wisty, calm down!" Gary said as he put a hand in her shoulder. " We need a plan."

Wisty looked at him with blazing eyes. " This is a plan! Kill them so they won't see the daylight ever again!"

Then she looked at her Pokemon, who looked very scared. She sighed

" It's a figure of speech."

The Pokemon suddenly became fine again.

Wisty rolled her eyes. " Anyway, why aren't you four doing something?"

Gary was going to answer, but then they heard a cry.

The Sheildon gathered around Wisty.

They looked up at her with pleading eyes. They nudged her gently, as if trying to communicate their concerns without words.

Wisty knelt down to their level, her expression softening. "You guys don't want me to risk my life for you, huh?" she asked, her voice gentle.

The Sheildon all shook their heads, huddling closer together.

Wisty smiled and reached out, patting their heads one by one. "Listen, you four are my friends. And friends protect one another, right? We're in this together, no matter what." She stood up, her determination rekindled. "Friends forever."

She turned to her Pokémon, her expression shifting back to focused determination. "Okay, Glaceon, let's go! Use Ice Shards!"

"Glaceon!" The Eevee-evolved ice type emerged in a flash, its fur glittering in the light as it prepared its move.

Suddenly, a group of Elite guards appeared from behind the trees, charging toward them. "There they are! Don’t let them escape!"

Wisty narrowed her eyes, standing protectively in front of the Sheildon. "Not today. Glaceon, now!"

Glaceon unleashed a flurry of sharp, glimmering ice shards, the projectiles flying through the air at incredible speed. They hit their targets with precision, knocking the guards back and freezing the ground beneath them, making it hard for them to move.

Ash, Gary, Dawn, and Brock stood in awe as Wisty took command of the battlefield.

"She's really something," Brock murmured, impressed.

"Yeah, no kidding," Dawn added, her eyes wide.

Ash clenched his fists, feeling the surge of adrenaline. "We can’t let her do this alone! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

"Pika-chu!" Pikachu leapt forward, sending a powerful bolt of electricity that stunned several more guards, helping to hold the line.

Gary nodded, his earlier tension easing as he watched Wisty's strategy unfold. "Alright, Wisty, I get it now. We’ll follow your lead. But let’s make sure no one gets hurt."

Wisty flashed a grin, her eyes still blazing with determination. "You better keep up!"

As more guards appeared, Wisty turned to her Pokémon once more. "Altaria, use Dragon Pulse! Sprigatito, Razor Leaf, now!"

The battlefield erupted in a symphony of powerful moves, each attack perfectly timed to keep the Elite guards at bay. Wisty and her Pokémon moved like a well-oiled machine, defending the Sheildon with everything they had.

The guards were relentless, but with the combined efforts of Ash, Gary, Dawn, Brock, and Wisty’s incredible teamwork, the tide of the battle began to turn.

Wisty looked down at the Sheildon, who were huddled together, watching with wide eyes. "Don’t worry, guys. We're not going to let them take you. Friends forever, remember?"

The Sheildon let out small, grateful cries, trusting in Wisty’s words.

With a final burst of energy, Glaceon sent out another round of Ice Shards, freezing the last group of guards in their tracks. The battle was over.

Wisty stood tall, brushing the dirt off her dress as she looked back at the others. "Told you I had a plan," she said with a wink.

Gary crossed his arms, a smirk on his face. "Yeah, yeah, you did. But maybe next time we don’t jump straight into the 'kill them' part?"

Wisty laughed, shaking her head. "Alright, fine. I’ll tone it down next time."

Ash grinned, giving Wisty a thumbs-up. "You were awesome, Wisty. Thanks for helping us out."

She smiled back, her expression softening. "Anything for my friends. Now, let’s get these Sheildon to safety."

Gary stood at the base of the mountain, squinting up at the jagged, rocky path that stretched before them. "Yeah, that doesn’t look safe at all," he muttered, his arms crossed.

But when he turned to address Wisty, he blinked in surprise. She was already halfway up the steep cliffside, her Pokémon scaling the rocks with her. The Sheildon were snugly nestled in her large bag, their heads poking out as they watched the ground slip farther and farther away.

"Wisty!" Gary called, his voice echoing up the mountainside. "What are you doing?!"

From above, Wisty turned and waved down at them, her voice carrying on the wind. "Take a different route! This one’s too dangerous!"

Ash groaned, slapping his forehead with his palm. "Of course she’d pick the hardest way up…"

"She’s crazy!" Dawn exclaimed, staring in disbelief as Wisty continued to climb without hesitation, her Pokémon moving with perfect coordination beside her.

Brock chuckled softly. "She’s fearless, that’s for sure."

Gary sighed, shaking his head. "I don’t know how she does it, but we’d better listen to her. Let’s find another way before she gets too far ahead."

Ash glanced up at Wisty once more, then back at his friends. "Alright, let’s go. Pikachu, let’s find a safer path!"

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed, hopping onto Ash’s shoulder as they began searching for a different route.

As the group made their way around the base of the mountain, Wisty was already scaling higher and higher. The Sheildon in her bag chirped nervously, clinging to the sides of the bag as the rocks crumbled beneath Wisty's feet.

Wisty smiled down at them. "Don’t worry, little guys. I’ve got you. We’ll be at the top in no time."

Her Pokémon moved ahead of her, scouting for the best footholds. Glaceon used its ice abilities to freeze any unstable rocks, while Altaria flapped its wings to give Wisty a boost up the more difficult sections of the climb. Sprigatito used its Vine Whip to grab onto ledges and pull itself up, keeping pace with the rest of the team.

Despite the precarious nature of the path, Wisty was determined. She looked down at the distant figures of her friends, a mischievous grin on her face. "Come on, slowpokes! You don’t want me to beat you to the top, do you?"

Ash looked up from the safer route they were taking and groaned again. "We’re not racing, Wisty!"

By the time Ash, Gary, Dawn, and Brock finally reached the top of the mountain, they were panting and sweating from the effort. The climb had been long, but they’d found a much safer route. However, as they looked around the summit, they froze at the sight before them.

Wisty was lying on the ground, sprawled out with her hat tilted over her eyes, looking worse for wear. Her clothes were dirty, her knees scraped, and her Pokémon were gathered around her protectively, all equally exhausted.

"Wisty!" Ash yelled, rushing over to her side. "Are you okay?!"

Wisty gave a weak thumbs-up, pushing her hat back just enough to peer up at them with a tired grin. "Welp, guys... at least we beat those creeps, right?"

Gary knelt down beside her, concern etched on his face. He crossed his arms, glancing at the state she was in. "Yeah... but at what cost?"

Wisty chuckled, but it was strained. "Just a couple of scrapes, Gary. I’m fine."

Dawn knelt next to her, gently pushing Wisty’s hair back from her face. "Wisty, you should have waited for us. You could’ve really hurt yourself."

"Yeah, that route was crazy dangerous!" Brock added, shaking his head in disbelief.

Wisty sighed, sitting up slowly with the help of her Pokémon. "I know, I know. But we had to stop those creeps from getting to the Sheildon, didn’t we?" She looked over at the Shieldon nestled safely in her bag. "We did what we had to do."

Ash, still catching his breath, gave a small smile. "Yeah, and you were amazing back there, Wisty. But next time, maybe wait for us? We’re a team, after all."

Wisty nodded, her exhaustion finally catching up to her as she slumped back down. "Okay, fine... next time. But we still won, right?"

Gary shook his head with a small smirk. "Yeah, we won. Just don’t make a habit out of this, okay?"

Wisty grinned, her energy slowly returning. "No promises."

Suddenly, the quiet was broken by a loud yell from the Sheildon. The little Pokémon seemed agitated, hopping from foot to foot, its eyes wide with concern.

Wisty immediately sat up, her weariness forgotten as she grabbed her bag. "Alright, everyone, time to go!" she said, her voice firm and commanding. "Single file, no fighting. You know the drill!"

She glanced at her Pokémon, who quickly fell into line, ready to move. Sprigatito, Glaceon, and Jolteon all lined up behind the Sheildon, while the rest of the group looked on in surprise.

Gary blinked. "Already? You just got back on your feet."

Wisty flashed him a quick grin, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder. "No rest for the weary, Gary!"

She turned, pulling a Pokéball from her belt and tossing it into the air. "Altaria, let's go!"

With a bright flash of light, Altaria appeared, its wings spreading wide as it hovered above them, ready to take off.

Wisty jumped onto Altaria’s back, holding her bag close with the Sheildon safely inside. She glanced over her shoulder at Ash, Gary, and the others. "Come on, you slowpokes! We’ve still got a lot of ground to cover!"

Ash chuckled, shaking his head. "She never slows down, does she?"

Dawn laughed, while Brock sighed. "I think we’d better catch up."

Gary just smirked. "Typical Wisty."

With that, Altaria soared into the sky, with Wisty calling out, "Meet you guys at the next checkpoint!" as she disappeared into the distance. The others could only sigh and scramble to follow her lead.

When Ash, Gary, and the others finally arrived at the next checkpoint, they were greeted by an amusing sight. Wisty was sitting on a rock, her arm wrapped in leaves and vines, while the Sheildon fussed over her, carefully applying more makeshift bandages with their tiny paws.

Wisty glanced up at the group with an exasperated expression. "You guys are way too dramatic," she said, rolling her eyes at her Pokémon. "I only slipped, for crying out loud!"

Ash stifled a laugh, glancing at the Sheildon, who were determinedly tying another leaf around Wisty’s wrist. "Looks like they’ve got everything under control," he teased.

Gary crossed his arms, smirking. "Slipped, huh? You’re lucky that’s all that happened after you ran off and climbed that mountain on your own."

Wisty huffed, waving them off. "It wasn’t even that dangerous! I had it all under control." She shot a pointed look at the Sheildon. "But these guys won’t stop worrying."

The Sheildon let out a concerned whimper, and Wisty quickly softened, reaching out to pat them. "Okay, okay. I appreciate it. But seriously, I’m fine."

Brock chuckled as he kneeled down beside her. "You might want to let me take a look at that, just in case."

Wisty reluctantly extended her arm. "Fine, but I’m telling you, it’s nothing. Just a little scrape."

As Brock inspected her arm, Dawn grinned. "I don’t know, Wisty. Maybe next time you could wait for us before tackling a mountain."

Wisty just smirked. "Where’s the fun in that?"

As they continued walking, the group spotted the guards in the distance, closing in again. Wisty's expression darkened as she quickly assessed the situation.

"Brock, Dawn, you two take the Sheildon and keep them safe," Wisty ordered firmly. "Ash, Gary—you're with me. We’re gonna fight."

Without hesitation, Brock and Dawn took the Sheildon and started leading them up the mountain path, while Wisty, Ash, and Gary prepared to face off against the guards. The battle erupted swiftly, Pokémon clashing in flashes of energy and sound. Wisty’s Jolteon and Sprigatito, alongside Ash’s Pikachu and Gary’s Blastoise, launched fierce attacks, holding their ground.

But in the chaos, a loud cry pierced the air. One of the Sheildon had slipped from the ledge where Brock and Dawn were climbing. The small Pokémon tumbled helplessly down the mountainside.

"No!" Wisty screamed in horror as she watched helplessly. Before anyone could react, one of the guards, with a cold, emotionless expression, used a device to instantly encase the fallen Sheildon in solid gold. The transformation was immediate, and the Sheildon was frozen in place, lifeless.

Wisty’s eyes widened in shock, and she surged forward in a blind rage. "No! You monsters!" she yelled, her voice filled with fury and pain as she rushed toward the guards, ready to attack them head-on, ignoring everything around her.

Ash and Gary realized what was happening. "Wisty, stop!" Ash shouted, but she wasn’t listening.

Gary grabbed her arm, trying to hold her back. "Wisty, you can’t! It’s too dangerous!"

But Wisty fought against them, refusing to back down. "Let me go! I won’t let them get away with this!" Her voice cracked with desperation as she struggled fiercely, trying to free herself from their grip.

Ash and Gary had to physically drag her back, their hands gripping her arms tightly. Wisty kicked and fought, her eyes locked on the Sheildon, now nothing more than a golden statue. Tears of frustration and rage welled up in her eyes as they pulled her farther away from the battlefield, her heart heavy with the weight of the loss.

"Let me go!" she screamed again, but Ash shook his head.

"We can’t lose you too, Wisty," Ash said, his voice strained. "We have to retreat. Now."

Gary’s grip remained firm as he nodded in agreement, his jaw clenched. "We’ll get them back for this. But not like this."