" Alright that's enough you two!" Professor Rowan chidded as he separated Ash and Angie. " We are here to learn, not to start a fight."

" But we weren't doing anything!" Angie protested.

Ash nodded. " Yeah! We we-"

He abruptly stopped and furrowed his brows. " Hold on."

He ran to the door and put his ear to it.

He could faintly hear someone say, " hang in there, Arkinine."

Ash gasped. " That voice... I'd know that anywhere!"

He grabbed the doorknob and slammed the door open, running through like his life depended on it ( maybe because it did). He ran past the lab, where Gary was sitting and studying something. When he saw his rival running towards the door he raised a brow and pushed off his desk.

Then he saw Rowan.

Now he knew something was up.

Ash kicked the door open and
Pikachu  jumped off Ash's shoulder and ran to the girl, yelling, " Pika!"

The girl turned, and in a second was hugging the yellow rodent.

" Pikachu!" The girl said happily.

" Eveve!"

" Pika!"

" Toge!"

The girl laughed. " Go play, you three."

Ash raised a brow. " Hey, Wisty. What're you doing here?"

" Looking."

" For?"

Wisty looked up, but then her eyes narrowed. " Oh. It's YOU."

Ash turned to see Professor Rowan. Looking nervously between the two, he stepped in front of the Professor. " So....... What're you looking for?"

Wisty rolled her eyes. " Nothing, nothing! No-"

" Chika!"

Wisty turned. " Sorry?"

" Cika! Chikaaaaa!"

" WHAT?!" Wisty shrieked as she grabbed the guidebook and read it.

Then she sighed. " Great."

Girafarig walked up the hill, Sprigatito and Alacreme helping the giraffe hold something up.

Arkinine.

Ash blinked. " What.... Happened...... to it?"

Wisty sighed and pointed to the mountain. That."

Ash frowned. " Wisty, that's a really high mountain. How-"

" There was a rock slide because it's the rainy season and Professor Oak never told us and my poor Arcanine was injured because i wanted to protect us."

Arkinine howled, and Wisty gasped and ran to his side. " Easy, Arky, easy."

Rowan walked up. " You need to get it to the pokemon center."

" Yeah no kidding." Ash muttered.

Wisty shot Ash a look. " One more look from either of you or Pikachu gets it."

Ash nodded vigorously. " Okay okay okay!"

Wisy shook her head. " GOod riddance."

Then she looked at Chikorita. " Are you SURE there's no other Pokemon center nearby?"

" Chika."

Wis groaned. " It's gonna be a loooong few days for me."

" Eveve!"

" Chika!"

" Pidgeotto!"

" Char, Charmander."

Wisty paced back and forth, the room felt smaller with every step. The tension was palpable, and even the Pokémon exchanged uneasy glances. Her frustration radiated off her in waves, and no one dared interrupt—until Gary finally broke the silence.

"You know," Gary said, leaning against a desk, "if you keep pacing like that, you might just make a tunnel straight to the Pokémon Center."

Wisty stopped mid-step and turned, glaring at him. "When I want your input, Gary, I'll ask for it." Her tone was sharp enough to cut through steel. "Do you think I don't know how bad this situation is? My Arcanine is hurt, and I'm stuck in the lab of my arch-nemesis!"

Gary raised a brow, clearly unimpressed. "Arch-nemesis? I thought you were mad at Ash most of the time."

"Not this time," Wisty snapped, her hands balling into fists. "It's Rowan. Who else?"

Ash, who was quietly sitting on a nearby stool with Pikachu, flinched when her gaze briefly landed on him. He glanced at Gary, then Rowan, then back to Wisty. "Okay, Wisty, I know you're mad, but maybe yelling at everyone isn't gonna help Arcanine."

Wisty rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Thanks for the groundbreaking advice, Ash! Why don't you go write that down in one of your 'How to State the Obvious' books?"

Gary smirked but wisely stayed silent this time. Professor Rowan, however, stepped forward, his usual calm demeanor unshaken by Wisty's outburst. "Miss Wisty," he began, his voice steady but firm, "I understand your frustration, but you're letting your emotions cloud your judgment. If you want to help your Arcanine, you'll need to work with us, not against us."

Wisty opened her mouth to retort but paused, the words catching in her throat. She turned away, crossing her arms, clearly unwilling to admit that Rowan was right.

"Fine," she muttered after a long pause. "But don't think this means I'm okay with being here. The sooner Arcanine is better, the sooner I'm out of this nightmare."

Ash exchanged a glance with Gary, both of them wisely choosing not to comment further. Instead, Ash knelt down by Pikachu and whispered, "This might be worse than that time we got stuck in Team Rocket's balloon."

Pikachu nodded sagely. "Pika."

Meanwhile, Wisty walked over to Arcanine, who lay on a padded mat, his breathing shallow but steady. Her anger softened as she gently stroked his fur. "You'll be okay, Arky," she murmured, her voice trembling with guilt. "I'm so sorry this happened."

Arcanine let out a soft whine, nuzzling her hand as if to reassure her.

Rowan cleared his throat. "For now, let's focus on stabilizing Arcanine. We'll need to run a few tests, and then I'll contact Nurse Joy to prepare for transport."

Wisty nodded reluctantly, her shoulders still tense. "Just make it quick."

As the room settled into an uneasy silence, Gary leaned toward Ash and whispered, "She's scary when she's mad."

Ash smirked faintly. "Tell me about it. And I thought Misty was bad."

Wisty's sharp gaze shot their way. "I heard that."

Both boys froze, their faces turning pale as Pikachu sighed, shaking his head. "Pika pika..."

" Miss Wist-"

" FOR THE TENTH TIME GET OUT OF HERE!" Wisty yelled. " I don't care WHAT you want to tell me, tell me when I'm in a better mood."

" Easy Wisty. He just wants t-"

Wisty stood up dangerously. " Get. Out." She hissed.

Ash grabbed Rowan's and Gary's hands and pulled them out.

Once the door slammed shut behind Rowan and Gary, the lab fell into a tense silence, broken only by the ragged breathing of Arcanine. Wisty dropped to her knees beside him, her hands trembling as she gently stroked his fur.

"You're gonna be okay, Arky," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I promise. I've got you."

Her Pokémon crowded around her, each one doing their best to help. Clefairy gently dabbed Arcanine's head with a cool, damp cloth, while Chikorita extended her vines to stabilize Arcanine's position on the mat.

"Sprigatito, keep those leaves up for shade," Wisty ordered, her voice tight but commanding. "Amura, use your icy breath to keep his temperature down, but not too much. We don't want him to get too cold."

"Chika!" Chikorita chirped, nodding as she continued her work.

Eevee hopped onto the table, dragging over a small bowl of water. She nudged it toward Wisty, who smiled faintly despite her stress. "Thanks, Eve. You're the best."

Houndour stood guard at the door, growling lowly, ready to scare off anyone who dared interrupt again. Jigglypuff hummed a soothing melody, her voice soft and calming, while Altaria spread her wings, creating a gentle breeze to keep the room cool.

But no matter how much her Pokémon did, Arcanine's condition didn't improve. His breaths were shallow, and his eyes barely opened when Wisty called his name.

"No, no, no," Wisty muttered, panic rising in her chest. "This isn't working."

She grabbed a potion from her bag and sprayed it over Arcanine's injuries, her hands shaking. "Come on, Arky. You've been through worse than this. You're my strongest Pokémon. You can fight through this!"

Arcanine let out a faint whine, and Wisty bit her lip, tears threatening to spill. She turned to her Pokémon, desperation in her eyes.

"Okay, team," she said, her voice wavering but resolute. "We've got to think of something else. Altaria, can you fly to the nearest Pokémon Center and get help?"

Altaria chirped and took off through the open window, her wings cutting through the air.

"Clefairy, keep using Heal Pulse. Jigglypuff, sing if you think it'll help him rest. Everyone else, stay ready in case I need you."

Her Pokémon nodded, their determination matching hers.

Wisty knelt beside Arcanine again, her fingers brushing through his fur. "I'm not giving up on you, buddy. You've always been there for me, and I'm not leaving your side now."

Arcanine's tail flicked weakly in response, and Wisty smiled, though her heart ached.

Outside the room, Ash leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "I've never seen her like this."

Gary nodded, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "She's stubborn, but she's got guts. If anyone can pull Arcanine through, it's her."

Rowan sighed. "Still, her pride might be her downfall. We'll stand by in case she needs us."

Inside, Wisty pressed her forehead to Arcanine's, whispering, "You're gonna make it. I believe in you."

Altaria fluttered back through the window, landing softly next to Wisty, her wings folding neatly against her sides. She chirped urgently, her eyes fixed on Wisty, who was already pulling out a map from her bag.

"Right," Wisty muttered, spreading the map on the floor in front of her. Her fingers traced the faint lines and landmarks until they stopped on a small red symbol. "There. That's the nearest Pokémon Center."

She froze, her eyes widening as she read the distance. "You've got to be kidding me. Forty-five miles?! Are you serious right now?"

Her Pokémon exchanged nervous glances, unsure how to react to her frustration.

Wisty let out an exasperated groan, pushing her hair out of her face. "Okay, okay. Altaria, I need you to fly there as fast as you can. Let them know it's an emergency. Tell them it's for an Arcanine—huge, orange, and critically injured. Got it?"

Altaria chirped confidently, giving a determined nod.

"Good." Wisty folded the map, handing it to Altaria. "Take this in case you get turned around. Fly safe, okay?"

Altaria took the map carefully in her beak and leapt into the air, her wings propelling her swiftly out the window. Wisty watched her go, her hands clenched into fists.

"Forty-five miles," she muttered under her breath. "This is insane. But we don't have a choice."

She turned back to her team, who were still working tirelessly to keep Arcanine stable. "Alright, everyone, we've got to hold out until Altaria gets back with help. No slacking, no mistakes. Arcanine's counting on us."

Her Pokémon responded with a unified cry of determination, rallying around their trainer's unwavering resolve.

As Wisty knelt beside Arcanine again, she whispered, "Hang in there, big guy. Altaria's fast—you'll get the help you need soon. Just stay with me, okay?"

Arcanine's tail flicked faintly, and Wisty's heart clenched. She reached out, stroking his head gently, her voice steady despite the fear threatening to overwhelm her. "You've got this. We've got this. We're a team."

Outside the door, Rowan, Ash, and Gary exchanged glances.

"Forty-five miles?" Gary muttered, shaking his head. "That's rough."

Ash clenched his fists. "If anyone can make it, it's Altaria. But Wisty...she's got a lot on her plate right now."

Rowan sighed. "She's strong. Stubborn as a Rapidash, but strong. Let's hope that strength holds out."

Two minutes later, Richie burst into the room, nearly tripping over his own feet as he skidded to a stop. His face was pale, his breathing heavy. "Ash!" he called, his voice filled with urgency.

Ash turned to him, startled. "What's going on, Richie?"

Sparky hopped off his shoulder and bounded toward Pikachu, the two electric Pokémon chattering excitedly in their own language as if trying to piece together the situation.

Richie grabbed Ash by the shoulders, his expression frantic. "Ash, my cousin just sent her Altaria out!"

Ash raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, we saw. It was a good call—she's heading to the Pokémon Center to get help."

"No, you don't understand!" Richie tightened his grip, his knuckles white. "She sent Altaria into a storm!"

Ash blinked, the words hitting him like a Thunderbolt. He immediately turned toward Wisty, shouting, "WISTY! WE HAVE A PROBLEM!"

Wisty, who had been focused on Arcanine and her Pokémon, turned to see Richie. Her face lit up briefly. "Oh, hey Richie. How's Aunt Wilimina's leg?"

Richie waved the question off, his voice urgent. "Wisty, you just sent Altaria into a storm!"

The words seemed to echo in the room. Wisty froze, her hands trembling slightly. Her eyes widened as the weight of Richie's statement hit her. "A... storm?"

Richie nodded, his face grim.

Without another word, Wisty bolted to the window, her heart racing. Throwing it open, she leaned out into the gusting wind and rain, cupping her hands around her mouth. "ALTARIA! GET BACK HEEEEEEEEERE!"

Her voice boomed with such force that the entire lab seemed to tremble. Books wobbled on shelves, and the Pokémon inside the room paused, startled by the sheer intensity of their trainer's shout.

The ground itself felt like it quaked beneath her feet, and even Richie and Ash flinched. Pikachu and Sparky exchanged nervous glances, their tails twitching.

"Whoa," Gary murmured from the corner. "She's got a set of lungs on her."

Wisty didn't stop, her voice rising in panic. "ALTARIA! COME BACK! YOU HEAR ME? DON'T YOU DARE FLY INTO THAT STORM!"

Outside, the storm clouds churned ominously, and the faint silhouette of Altaria could just barely be seen battling against the strong winds.

Richie placed a hand on Wisty's shoulder. "She's tough, Wisty. She'll make it."

But Wisty shook her head, her eyes locked on the sky. "I should've checked. I should've known. Altaria's counting on me, and I just sent her straight into danger."

Ash stepped forward, his voice firm. "Wisty, listen to me. Altaria's strong, but she's out there because she believes in you. You believe in her, right?"

Wisty clenched her fists, her jaw tight. "Of course I do."

"Then trust her," Ash said. "She'll come back. And when she does, we'll figure out the rest. Together."

Wisty swallowed hard, her eyes never leaving the sky. "You better come back, Altaria. You hear me? You better come back."

Twenty minutes later, Wisty's pacing had nearly worn a track into the floor of the lab. Her Pokémon huddled around Arcanine, doing their best to comfort him despite their trainer's frantic energy. Ash, Richie, and Gary stood to the side, exchanging uneasy glances but wisely choosing not to interrupt.

Suddenly, a sharp cry pierced the air.

"Altaaaaria!"

Wisty's head snapped up, and she bolted to the window just in time to see Altaria swooping down, her wings heavy with rain but determination glowing in her eyes. Clutched tightly in her talons was a small satchel containing the medicine.

"Good girl!" Wisty exclaimed, throwing open the door to let Altaria inside. As the drenched Pokémon landed with a tired chirp, Wisty rushed to her side, wrapping her arms around her. "You're amazing! Charmander?"

The little fire Pokémon perked up, waddling over with a curious tilt of his head.

"Please warm Altaria up, okay?" Wisty said, her voice softer now. Charmander nodded, letting out a gentle stream of Ember to help dry Altaria's soaked feathers.

Satisfied, Wisty turned her attention to the satchel. She dumped its contents—a few small vials and some packets of powder—into a bowl and leaned over it, muttering to herself. "Now, how do I make this again?"

Richie, standing nearby, hesitated before speaking. "Uh, Wisty? There's a recipe—"

Wisty waved him off without looking. "Recipe, schmecipe. I've got this!"

Ash raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that? Maybe you should—"

"Quiet!" Wisty snapped, holding up a hand. "I'm concentrating!"

She began mixing the medicine with a fervor that could only be described as chaotic genius. Powders flew into the air as she added water, stirred, then added more without measuring. Her Pokémon watched with wide eyes, some ducking behind Arcanine for cover as the concoction started to bubble ominously.

"Uh, Wisty?" Richie tried again.

"Not now!" she shot back, her focus unyielding.

Altaria, now mostly dry thanks to Charmander, cooed softly and nudged Wisty's arm. The trainer glanced at her and softened for a moment. "I know, girl. Don't worry. This'll work. I promise."

With one final flourish, Wisty held up the bowl triumphantly. "Done!"

Gary peered at the concoction, his skepticism evident. "Are you sure that's—"

"Yes!" Wisty interrupted, turning to Arcanine. She knelt by his side and gently held the bowl out to him. "Here you go, Arky. This will make you feel better, okay?"

Arcanine sniffed the mixture, his eyes tired but trusting. Slowly, he lapped it up, and Wisty sat back on her heels, her hands clasped together.

"Now we wait," she said softly, her earlier frantic energy replaced with quiet determination. Her Pokémon gathered around, their faith in her unwavering.

Ash leaned over to Richie and whispered, "She's a little scary, huh?"

Richie nodded. "Yeah. But she's got heart."

Ten minutes later, the once-quiet lab was in chaos. Richie, Ash, Professor Rowan, Gary, and the other students found themselves scrambling around, each clutching a random assortment of items that Wisty had ordered them to retrieve.

"Gary! I said gauze, not a notebook!" Wisty barked, her tone sharp enough to make him freeze mid-step.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Gary stammered, dropping the notebook and rushing to find the correct item.

"Richie, where's the clean water?!" Wisty hollered, turning her piercing gaze on him.

"I'm on it!" Richie called back, nearly tripping over a desk in his haste.

"Rowan! Get those heat lamps set up! NOW!"

The esteemed professor blinked in disbelief. "I am a professor, not—"

"—a professor who can move faster than this, I hope!" Wisty cut him off, glaring until Rowan mumbled something about "fieldwork" and got to work adjusting the heat lamps around Arcanine.

Ash darted past with a pile of blankets in his arms, his face red with effort. "Where do you want these?"

"On the table, Ash!" Wisty snapped, pointing with the authority of a seasoned general. "And hurry it up!"

The students, wide-eyed and clearly unused to this level of intensity, scrambled to follow her orders, fetching items like thermometers, additional towels, and random notes Wisty claimed were "critical to survival."

Despite her fiery demeanor, Wisty's commands were precise and well-organized. Her Pokémon assisted in the chaos, each performing tasks under her watchful eye. Altaria helped move lighter items with her beak, Sprigatito gathered scattered supplies in its vines, and Eevee darted around delivering smaller tools to the right people.

"She's too good at this," Gary muttered under his breath as he fumbled with a roll of bandages.

"No kidding," Richie replied, narrowly dodging a charging Girafarig as it carried a box of first aid supplies.

By the time ten minutes had passed, the lab was practically a battlefield of efficiency. Arcanine lay resting under the heat lamps, his breathing already a little steadier. Wisty stood in the center of the chaos, her arms crossed and her expression fierce.

"Status report!" she barked.

Rowan, clearly flustered, adjusted his glasses. "The heat lamps are functioning properly. Arcanine's temperature should stabilize soon."

"Good," Wisty said, nodding curtly. She turned to Richie. "Water?"

"Delivered!" he replied, holding up the jug triumphantly.

"Blankets, Ash?"

"Done!" Ash saluted like he was a soldier.

"Fine," Wisty said, finally letting out a deep breath. She crouched down by Arcanine, her voice softening. "You're going to be okay, Arky. Just hang in there."

The rest of the room let out a collective sigh of relief, though none dared to comment. Wisty might've been the most intimidating general they'd ever faced—but she was undeniably effective.

Suddenly Wisty's phone rang. " Hello?" 

 " Oh, hi Professor. How are you?" 

 " Yes yes yes your grandson is fine."

 " Mhm." 

 " No. I am not doing that."

 " Because he's the enemy." 

 " Oh right. Because he's the esteemed Professor Rowan. Totally." 

 " Look, just call him on his own phone, okay?"

 " Good. Goodbye Professor Oak."

As Wisty hung up the phone with a decisive tap, the room fell silent, everyone watching her with wide eyes.

"Was that...Professor Oak?" Richie asked cautiously, his head tilting slightly.

Wisty rolled her eyes. "Yeah, he wanted an update on Arky, and his grandson." She shot a pointed look at Gary, who immediately pretended to be deeply engrossed in adjusting a bandage.

"And?" Ash prompted, leaning on the table.

"And nothing. I told him to call Rowan himself. I'm a Pokémon Trainer, not a messenger service," Wisty said flatly, tucking her phone away. "Now, where was I—oh right! Altaria, go help clean up outside. Eevee, you're on water distribution duty. Everyone else, hold position!"

"Wisty," Gary began hesitantly, finally mustering the courage to speak up, "don't you think you're taking this a little...far?"

She turned on him, her eyes narrowing. "Gary, if by 'far' you mean saving Arky and keeping this lab from falling apart, then yes, I'm absolutely taking it far."

Gary raised his hands defensively. "Okay, okay! No need to bite my head off."

"Good," Wisty said with a firm nod before turning her attention back to Arcanine, who let out a soft growl. She crouched beside him, stroking his fur gently. "See, buddy? We've got this. You just need to rest a little more."

Arcanine blinked at her, his gaze filled with trust, and let out a quiet, grateful rumble.

"You're doing great, Wisty," Ash said suddenly, his voice sincere.

For a moment, the fire in Wisty's eyes softened, and she gave him a small nod. "Thanks, Ash." Then, as if catching herself, she straightened up and barked, "Alright, everyone, stop standing around! There's still work to be done!"

As the team scrambled back into action, Richie leaned over to Ash and whispered, "She's terrifying...but kinda impressive."

Ash smirked. "You have no idea."

Meanwhile, in another part of the lab, Professor Rowan had retreated to his office for a much-needed breather when his phone began to ring. He glanced at the caller ID and sighed, muttering to himself, 

"What now, Samuel?" before answering.

"Rowan speaking."

 "Ah, Rowan!" Professor Oak's jovial voice came through the line. "How are things? I trust everything is running smoothly over there?"

Professor Rowan leaned back in his chair, massaging his temples as his phone blared in his ear.

"Samuel, what's with the girl you sent?!" Rowan exclaimed, exasperation evident in his tone. "She's turned my lab into a military command center! My students are terrified, and I've never seen Gary so quiet!"

On the other end, Professor Oak chuckled softly. "Ah, yes, Wisty. She's a bit...spirited, isn't she? But she gets results, doesn't she?"

Rowan groaned. "Results or no results, she's commandeered my lab and turned it into a war zone! Do you have any idea what it's like having her bark orders at me?"

Before Oak could respond, a loud voice interrupted their call.

"Uh, Professor Rowan?" Ash called out from the doorway, poking his head in cautiously.

Rowan sighed, muting his call. "Yes, Ash? What now?"

Ash rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Do you, uh, by any chance have bagpipes here?"

Rowan blinked, utterly baffled. "Bagpipes? Why on earth would I have bagpipes?"

Ash shuffled his feet. "Wisty said Richie and I need to 'create the proper atmosphere' for Arcanine's recovery."

Rowan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of course she did. And why does this require bagpipes?"

"She said Arky needs to be reminded of his 'inner warrior spirit,'" Richie explained as he walked in behind Ash.

Rowan stared at the two boys for a long moment, as though trying to process the sheer absurdity of what he was hearing. "Let me guess—you also need traditional Scottish attire for this?"

Ash grinned nervously. "Oh, you do have some, right? Richie and I can't exactly inspire Arky if we're not dressed the part."

Rowan threw his hands up in exasperation. "This girl is going to be the end of me!"

Meanwhile, in the background, Wisty's voice boomed from the other room: "I don't hear bagpipes yet! Arky's inner warrior isn't going to summon itself!"

Richie and Ash shared a look, then turned back to Rowan with hopeful smiles.

Rowan sighed deeply and turned back to his phone. "Samuel," he said gravely, "you owe me so much for this."