" What. Is. This?!"

Wisty looked at her foot, which was bandaged. " Oh, this? It's nothing."

Oak looked exasperated. " Nothing?! You call that nothing?!"

Wisty leaned on the wall. " Well at least I got you the Pokemon you wanted. Here's Rockruff. I caught it, so after this could you give it to me?"

" I'll give it back to you, sure, but Wisty!"

Wisty shrugged. " Eh. It's just my leg. I'll be fine."

" You're lucky I called someone over. He might be able to help you rest."

And out of the shadows, right there, was Richie.

Wisty’s eyes widened as she watched Richie step out of the shadows, his familiar grin spreading across his face. “R… Richie?” she whispered, disbelieving. Her heart skipped a beat, and before she could stop herself, she ran toward him, her injured leg momentarily forgotten.

“Wisty!” Richie exclaimed, his voice full of warmth and excitement. He reached out, grabbing her and spinning her around in a hug, lifting her off her feet. Wisty laughed, her carefree spirit returning for a moment, though her leg still throbbed beneath her.

After a few seconds, Richie set her down gently, a grin still plastered on his face. “It’s been too long!” he said, looking her over with a fond expression. “You’re still as stubborn as ever, I see.”

Wisty smirked, leaning back slightly, pretending to be nonchalant despite the emotions swirling in her chest. “Well, I had to survive without you, didn’t I?” she teased, wincing slightly as she shifted her weight to her uninjured foot.

Professor Oak, standing in the background with his arms crossed, let out a frustrated sigh. “I really don’t know what to do with you, Wisty. You get hurt and think you can just brush it off. What if it gets worse?”

“Yeah, Wisty,” Richie chimed in, his tone a mix of concern and amusement. “You didn’t even let me know how bad it was until now. And I had to hear about it from Professor Oak instead of you!”

Wisty shrugged, her usual carefree attitude returning. “Eh, I’m fine. Just a little sore, that’s all. Besides, I’ve been through worse.”

Richie shot her a pointed look, his arms crossing. “Are you ever going to stop saying that? You’ve really got to take care of yourself, Wisty.”

Wisty rolled her eyes but smiled softly. “Yeah, yeah, I know. But... look at this little guy!” She gestured to the Rockruff sitting quietly at her feet. “You have to admit, that’s worth it.”

Professor Oak stepped forward, his gaze softening. “You certainly know how to find Pokémon. But next time, I expect you to take better care of yourself.”

“Yeah, Wisty, if only you took care of yourself as well as you do with your Pokémon,” Richie added with a grin.

Wisty’s expression softened, and she gave a small, almost reluctant sigh. “Fine, I’ll rest up. But I’m not staying in bed forever. And don’t think I’m going to let you baby me, Richie.”

Richie chuckled. “I wouldn’t dream of it,” he teased.

Oak smiled faintly, though still looking concerned. “I’ll let you off the hook this time. But next time, no more hiding injuries. Understand?”

“Understood,” Wisty replied, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “But only because I got you that Rockruff.”

Richie raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you think that’s enough to get you out of trouble?”

Wisty’s smile widened. “You bet it is.”

Richie grinned, ruffling her hair. “I missed you, you know.”

“I missed you too,” Wisty said quietly, her smile softening for a moment before she quickly turned away, pretending to be indifferent.

“Alright, enough with the emotional stuff,” she said, clearing her throat. “I’m ready to get back out there and find more Pokémon. Houndour's probably getting bored without me.”

Professor Oak shook his head but smiled warmly. “You never change.”

Wisty winked at him, her usual fiery attitude back in full force. “And I don’t plan to!”

But then when she turned, she saw the unexpected.

Wisty raised an eyebrow, looking down at the Pokémon who had now gathered in front of her like a wall. Houndour stood in front, his ears perked, while Amura, Sprigatito, Charmander, Clefairy, Jigglypuff, and Eevee flanked him, their eyes filled with determination.

“Oh, really?” Wisty smirked, her arms crossed as she looked down at them. “You’re all ganging up on me now?”

Houndour gave a low growl, and Wisty rolled her eyes, knowing she was in for trouble. But before she could make a move, the Pokémon stepped forward in perfect synchronization, blocking her way.

"Come on, you’re not really going anywhere like this, are you?" Amura’s large, gentle eyes seemed to plead.

“Amura’s right,” Sprigatito added, the vine at her tail flicking as she nudged Wisty’s uninjured leg. “Rest is important.”

“Eevee!” Eevee barked, as though to emphasize the point.

“I’m FINE,” Wisty insisted, trying to step around them, but the Pokémon didn’t budge an inch.

Clefairy crossed her arms, a look of exasperation on her face, while Jigglypuff puffed out her cheeks in disapproval, making her even puffier than usual.

“Really?!” Wisty groaned, throwing her arms in the air. “Okay, okay! You’ve made your point, but this is getting ridiculous!”

Before she could make another attempt to leave, Houndour lowered his body and, with surprising agility, nudged her gently onto his back. “Oh, come on!” Wisty protested, though she couldn’t help but chuckle at the determined look in Houndour’s eyes.

“Fine, but I swear, this is just... this is just embarrassing,” she muttered as Houndour stood up and began walking off, with Wisty perched on his back, the Pokémon surrounding them like a parade.

As they made their way toward her home, Wisty’s mind wandered. She could already hear her mother’s voice in her head. “I’m going to hear it from all sides today, aren’t I?”

-

By the time they arrived at the familiar front door, it swung open with a familiar creak.  Delia Ketchum, stood in the doorway, her arms crossed and a concerned look in her eyes.

Wisty winced. “Uh-oh, here it comes,” she muttered.

“Wisty, really?” Delia’s voice was firm, though there was clear worry in it. “What on earth is going on with you, young lady?”

Wisty shifted uneasily, but she couldn’t avoid her mother’s gaze. “Mom, it’s not what you think. I’ve been... careful.”

Delia raised an eyebrow. “Careful?” she repeated, glancing at Houndour, who was still carrying Wisty on his back. “You’ve been ‘careful’ while acting like you're invincible and not even telling anyone you were hurt? I didn’t raise you to act this way.”

Wisty sighed, shaking her head. “I wasn’t that bad! I can still move around!”

Delia walked over to Houndour and knelt beside him, gently patting his head. “I’m glad Houndour’s been helping you, but why are you pushing yourself so hard? You’re not some superhuman. You have to listen to your body.”

“I’m fine, Mom,” Wisty said, trying to make light of it, but the look on Delia’s face told her it wasn’t working.

“Wisty, sweetheart,” Delia said, standing up and meeting her eyes with a more serious look. “You can’t keep running on empty like this. You have to take better care of yourself. You’re my responsibility, and when you don’t take care of yourself, we all get worried.”

Wisty opened her mouth to argue, but the words stuck in her throat. Delia wasn’t being harsh. She was being... concerned. The kind of concern that only a mother could show.

“Do you know how much you’ve worried Richie, Professor Oak, and me? And everyone else who’s tried to get you to slow down?” Delia asked softly, her voice still firm but filled with affection. “What would have happened if you hurt yourself worse out there?”

Wisty looked down at her leg, the pain from earlier now a dull ache, and she felt a lump form in her throat. She bit her lip, unsure of what to say. “I... I didn’t think it was that serious,” she admitted quietly.

“That’s the problem, honey,” Delia said, her voice softening as she crouched down to Wisty’s eye level. “You’re so busy rushing around that you don’t realize when to stop. Sometimes, it’s okay to slow down and let others help.”

Wisty felt her heart soften, her mom’s words sinking in. She nodded slowly, feeling a mix of guilt and appreciation. “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

Delia smiled gently, brushing a stray lock of hair from Wisty’s face. “You don’t have to apologize. Just take care of yourself. That’s all I ask.”

Richie, who had been quietly watching, stepped forward, crossing his arms and offering Wisty a grin. “I guess I’ve got to be the responsible one, huh?” he teased.

Wisty rolled her eyes, her spirits lifting a little. “Yeah, yeah, I get it,” she said, throwing up her hands. “Can you not be the ‘good’ cousin for once?”

Richie chuckled, but there was warmth in his eyes. “I’ll take it easy on you... this time.”

Professor Oak, who had been quietly observing the scene, nodded in agreement. “We just want you to get better, Wisty. We don’t want you pushing yourself to the limit.”

Wisty sighed, the weight of her earlier stubbornness finally hitting her. “Okay, okay. I’ll rest. Just... no more lectures for today, please?”

Delia laughed softly, standing up straight. “I think we’ve made our point.”

The atmosphere lightened as everyone relaxed. Wisty took a deep breath, finally accepting that maybe it was okay to let others take care of her for once. “Alright, I’ll rest. But just so you know... I’m really not used to this whole ‘being taken care of’ thing.”

“Maybe it’s time to get used to it,” Delia said, smiling warmly at her daughter. “Just remember, we’re all here for you.”

With that, Wisty finally allowed herself to relax, knowing that no matter how stubborn she was, her family—and her Pokémon—had her back.

" ASH GET ME OUT OF HERE I'M BOOOORED!"  Wisty yelled into her phone.

Ash sighed on the other end. " Wisty, one I'm all the way in Hoenn. And two you need to rest. Even Gary thinks so. Gary!"

Wisty rolled her eyes. " He always thinks people should rest."

Ash sighed. " You get my point. Hey, hand the phone to Richie will ya?"

Wisty groaned and flopped back onto the couch, looking at her phone like it was some kind of enemy. "Ugh, fine," she muttered, turning around to where Richie was sitting at the kitchen table, flipping through a magazine.

"Hey, Richie! Ash wants to talk to you!" Wisty said, tossing the phone in his direction.

Richie caught it effortlessly, raising an eyebrow as he took the phone from her. "Really? He wants to talk to me now?"

"Yeah, apparently you're the only one who can get me out of this boredom!" Wisty said, throwing her hands up dramatically. "I'm stuck in here because of my dumb leg!"

Richie shook his head with a small smile before pressing the phone to his ear. "Hey, Ash. What’s up?"

On the other end of the phone, Ash’s voice was a bit exasperated. "Richie, can you talk some sense into Wisty? She’s been going on and on about how bored she is."

Richie glanced at Wisty, who was laying dramatically across the couch, kicking her feet in the air as she sighed. "What else is new?" he muttered under his breath before speaking louder into the phone. "Wisty, you know you need to rest, right?"

"I know, but I’m bored!" Wisty whined, her voice muffled as she hid her face in the couch cushions. "This is the worst rest ever!"

Richie chuckled. "Yeah, I get it. Being stuck in one place isn’t fun, but you gotta listen to the doctor. You can’t get better if you keep ignoring it."

"Ugh, why is everyone trying to act like I'm an invalid?" Wisty grumbled, sitting up. "It's just a sprained leg, it's not like I broke it or anything!"

Ash sighed again from the other side of the world. "Wisty, you’re lucky you even have a leg to walk on. You really need to take care of yourself."

Richie turned back to Wisty. "Well, it’s not just about the leg, right? You’ve been running around all the time and not slowing down, like Ash said. We’re all worried about you, Wisty."

She rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of guilt in her expression. "Yeah, yeah. I get it. But I can’t just sit here forever. I have too many things to do."

Richie leaned back in his chair, trying to think of something that might get her mind off her boredom. "Well, if you’re bored, why don’t you teach your Pokémon something new? Or... I don’t know, maybe work on one of those crazy projects you’ve been making?"

Wisty thought about it for a moment. "Hmm... maybe... but my brain’s too fried to work on anything big right now."

Ash’s voice came through the phone again, clearly wanting to wrap up the conversation. "So you’re going to listen to us now, right?"

“Fine,” Wisty grumbled, still not entirely convinced. "But only because I *really* don’t have anything else to do."

Richie grinned, giving the phone back to Wisty. "I’ll take that as a win. Just... rest up, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Fine," Wisty said, taking the phone and hanging up. She tossed it onto the coffee table and stretched out, still a little pouty, but at least the boredom wasn’t as bad as before. "This is torture," she mumbled to herself, reaching for her sketchbook. "But I guess I can work on some ideas... Maybe I'll teach Houndour a new trick or something. At least it’ll be something to do."

As Wisty flipped through the pages, Houndour trotted over, nudging her arm as if to say, "What’s next?"

She smiled a little, even though she was still a bit frustrated. "Okay, okay, I get it, Houndour. Let’s make the best of it."

" Houndour use Flash fire! Amura use ice shards!"

Houndour fired up his Flash Fire, sending a burst of fiery light across the room, while Amura, on cue, shot a series of sharp Ice Shards that clattered against the walls. The living room was quickly turning into a chaotic battlefield, with flames and ice flying in every direction.

Richie stood frozen in the doorway, wide-eyed. "Kiddo! What are you doing?!"

Wisty looked over at him, a mischievous grin on her face. "Training!" she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. She gestured around the room. "I can't just sit around and do nothing all day, Richie. Training waits for no one!"

Richie's eyes darted from the fireball zooming past him to the frozen patch of floor where Amura’s ice shards had landed. He put his hands on his hips. "Indoors?! You’re training indoors?!" he asked, his voice rising in disbelief.

Wisty casually shrugged, unfazed by the mess. "Well, you won't let me move. I’m stuck on this couch, so why not make use of the space I’ve got?" She smiled and gave Houndour a thumbs-up, as he gracefully dodged a particularly large chunk of ice.

Before Richie could reply, the door creaked open, and Professor Oak stepped inside. He took one look at the scene unfolding in front of him—a living room full of fire, ice, and flying furniture—and blinked, his face draining of color. "Please," he said, his voice strained. "Tell me this is a nightmare."

Wisty, still grinning, sat back on the couch, wincing slightly as she rested her foot. "Well, not exactly, but it feels like one, huh?" She looked around the room, which was rapidly becoming an indoor disaster zone. "At least my Pokémon are getting some good practice!"

Professor Oak pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath. "Wisty, training indoors?! This is why I told you to rest! Look at the mess you’ve made!"

"Well, technically," Wisty said, "the mess was already here, but fine, I get it." She sighed dramatically and motioned to Amura, who was still floating a little too close to a vase. "Alright, alright, you win. Training’s over."

"Finally!" Richie muttered under his breath, clearly relieved, though he wasn’t sure if he should be more annoyed or impressed by her stubbornness.

Professor Oak took another step into the room, his expression a mix of disbelief and mild exasperation. "Do I even want to ask how you're not completely wrecked after all that?"

Wisty rolled her eyes. "Oh please, Oak. You know me better than that. I’m just getting warmed up!"

Richie let out a long, slow sigh as he walked over and checked on Houndour and Amura, making sure they weren’t about to destroy something important. "Wisty, you’re impossible."

Professor Oak looked at him, shaking his head. "What did I tell you, Richie? I thought I was supposed to be the one keeping her in check!"

Wisty waved her hand dismissively. "Hey, hey! I’m still doing what you said... just in my own way!" She raised her foot up slightly, showing off the bandage. "And besides, I can’t be the only one relaxing around here."

Richie smirked and crossed his arms. "I don’t think ‘training’ while half the room is in shambles counts as ‘relaxing.’"

Wisty gave a mock pout. "Fine, you guys win! I’ll rest now. Happy?"

Professor Oak shook his head, not entirely convinced. "I’ll believe that when I see it." He turned to Richie. "Take her outside for a walk or something. She needs fresh air, not a battlefield inside her house."

Wisty gave an exaggerated groan. "Ugh, fine... But only because you guys are being such sticklers about it!"

"Good," Richie said with a grin, giving her a pat on the head. "You can’t train your way out of this one."

As she begrudgingly limped toward the door, Wisty called over her shoulder, "Next time, I'm training *my way* on my own terms!"

Professor Oak sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I might never get used to her."

" Uh, professor Oak?"

Oak sighed. " What is it now, Richie?"

Richie's voice came through the phone, a tad bit worried. " What do you do if Wisty's..... Climbing trees."

Professor Oak blinked, a mix of disbelief and concern flickering across his face as he held the phone to his ear. "Climbing trees?" he repeated slowly, as if trying to make sense of what Richie was saying.

"Yeah," Richie continued, his voice tinged with worry. "I just got back from taking her outside for some fresh air, and now... she's up in a tree, hanging from the branches like some sort of wild Pokémon. I’m seriously wondering if she’s actually part monkey."

"Climbing trees?!" Oak nearly choked on his words. "That’s not what I meant when I said she needed to get some rest!"

Richie sighed. "You and me both. I’ve tried telling her to come down, but she’s acting like she’s on some sort of Pokémon expedition or something! She’s not even supposed to be moving around like this!" He paused, as if trying to figure out what to do next. "Professor, what should I do? She’s up there right now."

Oak closed his eyes, clearly trying to maintain his patience. "Alright, Richie, first things first: Tell her to come down safely. If she insists on climbing trees, at least get her to understand that she’s already injured and needs to take it easy. Wisty doesn’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to listening to common sense."

Richie groaned, clearly hearing Oak’s concern but also realizing the mountain of trouble he was about to deal with. "I’ve tried reasoning with her. But it’s like talking to a wall. She’s not listening to anyone right now. I might need a rope to get her down if she keeps going."

Professor Oak pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking for a moment. "Richie, you’ve got to stop her before she makes this worse. If she won’t listen to you, I’ll have to come over there myself. I didn’t raise her to be this reckless!"

"Please, no," Richie said quickly, almost sounding panicked at the thought of the professor showing up. "I don’t need you and Wisty both in full lecture mode. I’ll handle it."

"Good," Oak replied, his voice firm but still tinged with worry. "Just be careful. You know how Wisty gets when she’s determined. It’s like trying to stop a wild Vaporeon from running full speed into a river."

Richie sighed. "Got it, Professor. I’ll try not to let her fall."

As Oak hung up, Richie looked up at the tree where Wisty was still perched, hanging from the lowest branch with a grin plastered on her face. "Hey, Wisty!" he called up. "Professor Oak said you’re not allowed to turn into Tarzan today! Get down here, now!"

Wisty waved nonchalantly, barely hearing him over the rustling of the leaves. "What? I’m fine, Richie! Just a little bit of tree climbing! Can’t a girl enjoy a good challenge?"

Richie clenched his teeth, stepping forward. "Wisty, get down here. You’re NOT fine. You’ve got a sprained leg, remember?"

Wisty smirked down at him. "Oh, please, I’m fine! You’re just jealous of my skills!" she teased, dangling from the branch as if showing off.

"Skills?!" Richie was incredulous. "You’re risking falling and making your leg worse. Get down now!"

Wisty pouted, hanging upside down from the branch. "You’re no fun, Richie. Where’s your sense of adventure?"

"Adventure’s all fun and games until you break your leg again!" Richie shouted back, exasperated. "Come on, you promised the professor you’d rest, so please come down!"

Wisty gave a long, exaggerated sigh. "Fine, fine," she huffed, but instead of descending gracefully, she swung from the branch one last time. "Catch me, Richie!" she shouted, dropping like a stone toward the ground.

Richie barely managed to catch her, stumbling back as they both hit the ground with a soft thud. Wisty grinned up at him, not a care in the world. "See? I knew you’d catch me."

Richie groaned, gently helping her to sit up. "Wisty, you’re impossible. Seriously, impossible." He looked around to make sure no one had seen that chaotic moment, his face flushed with embarrassment.

Wisty leaned back against the tree with a grin. "Come on, Richie. I’m fine. Really." She gave her sprained leg a little shake. "Now let’s go do something more fun. Like... I dunno, climbing a mountain? Or skydiving?"

Richie sighed heavily. "You are going to be the death of me."

" Uh.... Ash?"

" Yeah?"

" Uh.... What should I do if Wisty's climbing a mountain?"

Ash groaned on the other end. Brock, Dawn and Gary sighed.

" She's impossible." Ash muttered. " Okay, Richie, I'm gonna call her. You might wanna shield your ears."

Richie held the phone away from his ear as Ash's voice blared through the speaker. He could hear Ash muttering, "This is going to be a mess..." before he let out a big sigh, grabbed Gary's phone and started dialing.

Brock, Dawn, and Gary, who had gathered around Ash's phone to listen, exchanged knowing glances. They had all been through similar situations with Wisty before, and they knew this wouldn't end well.

"What's she doing now?" Dawn asked, her eyes narrowing as she tried to imagine the chaos.

"Climbing a mountain," Richie responded, shaking his head. "I don't even know how she got the idea, but now she's really going for it."

"Climbing a mountain?!" Gary shook his head, exasperated. "She's going to get herself hurt, isn't she?"

"Yeah, but what can you do with her?" Richie sighed, rolling his eyes. "She won’t listen to reason."

In the distance, they heard Ash curse because Gary's phone lost charge.

"Good luck, Richie," Brock said, offering a sympathetic look. "I don't think anyone can talk her out of this, not even Professor Oak."

Before Richie could respond, the phone suddenly blared with Ash's voice, loud enough to be heard across the canyon.

"WISTY! WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING?!"

Richie winced, holding the phone at arm's length. Ash’s voice echoed with frustration. "You can’t just go climbing a mountain with a sprained leg, are you crazy?!"

Wisty’s voice came through, sounding completely unfazed. "Ash! You’re such a buzzkill! I’m fine! I just wanted to see the view from up here!"

Richie was almost in disbelief. "Wisty, seriously! You’re not a mountain climber! Get down right now!"

Ash’s voice cut through the chaos again. "Wisty! You’ve got to listen! You’re injured! You’re not supposed to be doing anything dangerous!"

Wisty groaned dramatically. "Oh, please! I’ve got this under control! What’s the worst that could happen? I’m almost at the top!"

Richie threw his hands up in the air. "Wisty! You can barely walk! You can’t climb a mountain!"

"Sure I can! Watch me!" Wisty said confidently, despite the obvious strain in her voice as she scrambled a little higher. "I just need to keep my balance—oh no, wait, I think I'm slipping!"

"WHAT?!" Richie yelled, his heart jumping into his throat.

There was a brief pause, followed by the sound of Wisty quickly muttering to herself, "Okay, okay, okay, maybe this wasn’t the best idea…"

Ash’s voice came through, now sounding a little calmer but still clearly concerned. "Wisty, just get down safely! Richie’s right, you're not invincible!"

"Ugh, fine, fine!" Wisty finally huffed. "I’ll come down—just don’t say I told you so!"

Richie let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. "You’re lucky you’re not on the news right now for doing something crazy."

"You would be the one to say that," Wisty muttered as she started climbing down slowly. "I’m fine, okay? I just got carried away. It’s not like I’ve never done something like this before!"

"I’m sure we’ve all had enough of these ‘adventures,’ Wisty," Richie said with a sigh, rubbing his temples. "Just get down, alright?"

Ash, still on the line, sighed deeply. "We all care about you, Wisty. Just listen to Richie for once, okay?"

After a moment of silence, Wisty grumbled, "Fine. I’ll be careful. But no more lecturing, okay?"

Richie, now relieved that she was at least coming down, chuckled lightly. "Only if you promise to take it easy for once."

There was a brief pause before Wisty replied with a huff. "Yeah, yeah. I’ll try. But no guarantees!"

Ash, now much more at ease, gave a small laugh. "Alright, but if you’re going to keep getting yourself into trouble, I swear I’m sending Brock to babysit you next time."

"Please don’t," Wisty muttered, the sarcasm clear in her voice. "I don’t think I could handle two lectures in one day."

Richie shook his head, smiling despite himself. "You’re lucky we all care about you, Wisty."

"Yeah, yeah, don’t get all mushy on me," she teased, now safely back on the ground, her voice as carefree as ever. "I’m fine, guys. I’ll be back to my usual self in no time!"

"Just no more mountain climbing," Richie added, still shaking his head.

Ash, Brock, Gary, and Dawn all groaned in unison. Wisty’s antics would never stop keeping them on their toes.

Someone knocked on Wisty's bedroom door. She sighed and turned on her bed. " Enter!"

Four pairs of feet walked into her room. Wisty faced the wall.

Then, one of them sat on her bed and rested their head in the pillow. " Miss me?" A familiar voice asked.

Wisty's eyes widened. " Ash?!"

She turned, and there, on her bed, was Ash.

Dawn, Gary and Brock and Richie were behind Ash.

Wisty and Ash wrapped arms around one another and hugged.

" You're here!" Wisty exclaimed. " But... How? You were in Hoenn this morning."

" When Richie told us how you couldn't sit still, I decided to make an unexpected return back home."

Wisty sighed. " At least you're here. Now we can have a Pokemon battle!"

Ash groaned, leaning back against the headboard of Wisty's bed as she playfully crossed her arms. "Nope," he said, shaking his head. "Mom told me I have to feed you before you do anything else."

Wisty rolled her eyes dramatically. "I thought you were the reckless brother! Not the one who listens to Mom!"

Ash gave her a smirk. "Okay, fine, you got me there."

Wisty grinned, triumphant. "Yes! Victory!"

"But..." Ash hesitated. "The professor told me not to let you go off on another crazy adventure today, remember?"

Wisty's expression turned mischievous. "Oh, I have a word for Mr. Oak. Eevee, Pikachu, with me!"

At the mention of Pikachu, Ash's eyes widened. "Wuh-oh... If she took Pikachu... that means..." His voice trailed off in realization.

Just as Ash spoke, there was a loud shock from the kitchen, followed by a few yelps and an extremely high-pitched scream from Professor Oak. "YAAAAAAAAH! WISTYYYYYYY!"

Ash winced. "She shocked the professor... poor Professor Oak."

Gary, who had been standing quietly in the back, let out an exasperated sigh. "Grandpa! You had to go and give her permission to have Pikachu..."

Ash facepalmed. "I didn't! I never said she could take Pikachu!" he shouted back at Gary, but the damage had already been done. The sound of another jolt of electricity, followed by an angry mutter from Professor Oak, filled the air.

Wisty's grin widened as she walked back into the room and leaned back against her pillows, hands behind her head. "Well, I couldn’t just leave Pikachu behind, could I? Besides, he’s my partner, just like Eevee." She glanced over at the small Pokémon curled up on her pillow, who nodded in agreement.

Ash's expression was a mix of amusement and frustration. "Wisty, you always manage to make things harder than they need to be."

Gary crossed his arms and shot Wisty a look. "If you ever shocked Grandpa again, I swear, I’ll never let you near Pikachu again. Ever."

Wisty stuck out her tongue. "You know you can’t control me, Gary. Besides, Pikachu's having fun, right buddy?"

Pikachu nodded energetically, letting out a cheerful "Pika!" as he jumped around Wisty, clearly enjoying himself.

"I think we need to go rescue Oak," Ash said, standing up. "Before Pikachu ends up frying him for good."

Wisty leaned back and sighed contentedly. "Eh, I think he’s fine. Besides, it’s not like he hasn’t been shocked before."

Gary gave Ash a deadpan stare. "Yeah, we’ve all seen the disaster that is Wisty in action. It’s a miracle Oak hasn’t electrocuted himself with her around."

"Hey!" Wisty protested, sitting up straight. "I’m not that bad, am I?"

Brock chuckled, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Oh, you’re pretty bad, Wisty. But that’s what makes you fun to be around."

Wisty smiled at Brock, giving him a playful nudge. "You know me too well, Brock."

"Come on," Ash said, holding his hands up, "let’s go make sure the professor doesn’t explode before dinner. Wisty, no more shocks, alright?"

Wisty winked. "We'll see," she teased. "But first, I still need to beat you in that battle!"

Ash sighed dramatically as they all made their way to the kitchen. "I’m definitely not letting you battle today, Wisty. You’ve already caused enough chaos for one afternoon!"

Wisty shrugged, still grinning. "Guess I’ll just have to wait... but trust me, Ash... the battle is coming."

As they walked down the hall, they could still hear Professor Oak’s voice, faintly in the distance. "Wisty! You’ll pay for this, you little troublemaker!"

Gary shook his head with a smirk. "I’m starting to think the old man actually *likes* getting shocked by her..."

"Let’s just hope she doesn’t accidentally blow up the kitchen next," Brock added with a wink. "We’ve been through worse with Wisty."

" WIIIISTY!"

Ash and the others winced from Ash's room. " Gary you'd better check on your grandpa. I think Wisty is enjoying shocking the poor guy."

Gary ran down the stairs, Ash Brock and Dawn following.

Oak's hair was everywhere, sparks were flying everywhere, and the culprits were nowhere to be seen.

Richie was already knelt besides the professor.

But Richie also looked like he was shocked.

" Are you guys okay?" Ash asked

Richie looked up. " Yeah. I'm fine. The thunderbolt didn't hit me as much as it hit the professor."

Ash reached down to help Professor Oak, but as soon as his fingers brushed the old man's shoulder, he was hit with a shock of electricity. He jerked back with a yelp, his hair standing on end.

"Ouch!" Ash exclaimed, rubbing his hand. "Okay, definitely not touching him again!"

Gary frowned, his arms crossed. "Where is Wisty?" he asked, looking around the room as if expecting her to pop up from behind one of the furniture pieces.

Just as Gary spoke, the door to the kitchen creaked open, and in walked two familiar Pokémon—Chikorita and Eevee—each carefully holding a basket of fruit in their mouths. The two Pokémon set the baskets down on the table, looking pleased with themselves.

But behind them, there was Wisty, standing tall on both legs, looking completely unphased by the chaos she had just caused.

"Well, well, well," Wisty said, casually striding into the room with a smirk. "It looks like you guys got a little... electrified."

Gary's eyes narrowed. "Wisty, what did you do?!"

Wisty raised an eyebrow and looked over at the professor, who was still twitching from the shock. "Oh, nothing much. Just a little training with Pikachu," she said innocently. "And maybe some... extra fun for Oak."

"Fun?!" Richie groaned, rubbing his temples. "You shocked him with an electric bolt inside the house!"

Wisty shrugged nonchalantly, but there was a twinkle in her eye. "It was a Thunderbolt, actually. And I’m pretty sure Pikachu enjoyed it. Right, buddy?"

Pikachu, who had been casually sitting on Wisty's shoulder, let out a happy "Pika!" and waved his tiny paws in the air.

Brock folded his arms, raising an eyebrow. "You know, you could have given us a heads-up before you used Pikachu like that. Not to mention, Professor Oak’s hair looks like it’s been through a tornado!"

Wisty's grin widened as she turned her attention to the professor. "Oh, Oak's fine. Right, Professor? You’ve been through worse, haven’t you?"

Professor Oak, his hair frizzed out to ridiculous proportions, shot her an exasperated look. "Wisty, I’ve never not been shocked by you, but THIS... this is a new level. Maybe it's time you got a LITTLE rest before you break something."

Wisty put her hands on her hips and made a dramatic sigh. "Rest? Come on, Professor. I JUST got here! Can’t I at least train or battle?"

Ash stepped forward, clearly trying to keep things calm. "Look, Wisty, we’ll figure out your battle later. Maybe after no more shocking anyone for the day?"

Wisty raised an eyebrow, her grin mischievous. "No promises, Ash," she teased. "But I did bring fruit! Looks like it’s snack time."

She gestured to the baskets that Chikorita and Eevee had carried in. The two Pokémon immediately sat down proudly, their tails wagging.

Gary groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm not sure whether to be impressed or terrified."

Richie, still kneeling next to Professor Oak, chuckled softly. "Honestly, I think we should just be thankful we still have a kitchen."

Brock chuckled too, shaking his head. "I’m starting to think that with Wisty around, *nothing* is ever calm."

Wisty sat down, pulling a fruit from the basket. "Hey, a little excitement never hurt anyone." She took a big bite of the fruit and leaned back with a satisfied grin. "So, who’s ready for a REAL battle now?"

Ash, crossing his arms, looked at her and shook his head. "You’re impossible, Wisty. But at least you're here. I guess I’ll get the battle started... after you get the professor an ice pack."

Gary rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because that’s DEFINITELY gonna help him right now."

Professor Oak muttered something about NEVER trusting a kid with Pikachu again, but the room was filled with a sense of laughter as they all tried to calm down from the chaos of the past few minutes.

Wisty, still munching on her fruit, simply smirked and enjoyed the moment, knowing that the next adventure—whether battle or chaos—was only a heartbeat away.