" Ash?" Someone called from the forest and Ash cradled Pikachu on the ground. " Are you there?"

" Yeah?"

" Is Gary there?"

Gary, who was walking away, turned with a raised brow. " Yeah?"

" Great."

Ash raised a brow. " Wisty?"

" Hm?"

" What's wrong?"

" Nothing. Nothing at all. Uh.... Do you think you could look away for ten seconds?"

Ash exchanged a confused glance with Gary before shrugging. "Alright, ten seconds. But what are you-"

Before he could finish, Wisty had vanished into the trees, leaving only a blur of movement behind. Ash started counting under his breath, Pikachu nestled weakly in his arms, while Gary leaned against a tree with a skeptical look.

"Ten seconds," Ash muttered once he was done. "Where'd she-"

Gary's sharp eyes caught something glinting in the grass where Wisty had been standing. "What's that?" he asked, stepping closer. The sunlight caught something red, staining the ground in streaks that were far too vibrant to be dirt. Gary knelt, his hand hovering over it. "Ash... this isn't ketchup."

Ash blinked and crouched beside him, his heart sinking as he inspected the crimson smear. It was thick, unmistakable. "You don't think it's... blood, do you?"

Gary stood abruptly, brushing his hands against his jeans. "I don't know, but it's fresh. And I think it's heading..." He trailed off, pointing toward the steps leading down to the Observatory. A faint trail of red drops led in that direction.

Ash's stomach churned. "That's... that's our house. Why would-?"

"Why don't you go find out?" Gary said, crossing his arms but unable to hide his concern. "I'll stay here in case she doubles back."

Nodding, Ash adjusted Pikachu in his arms and jogged toward the Observatory steps. His shoes echoed faintly as he descended, the trail of red growing fainter but more distinct with every step. His mind raced with possibilities-what had happened to Wisty? Why wouldn't she let them help? And how bad was it?

He pushed open the door to the house, the familiar warmth of their home doing little to calm his nerves. The smell of freshly baked pie drifted from the kitchen, but it was overpowered by the sharp, scolding voice of his mother.

"Wisty! What in the world were you thinking? You should have told someone about this instead of running off like that!"

"I didn't want to worry anyone," came Wisty's voice, tight and defensive but with an undeniable edge of pain.

Ash stepped into the living room, Pikachu stirring weakly as he took in the scene. Wisty sat on the couch, one leg propped up on a low stool. A makeshift bandage-once white, now soaked through with red-was wrapped around her thigh. Her face was pale, and she looked more annoyed than ashamed as Delia knelt beside her, carefully unwrapping the bandage to inspect the wound.

"You didn't want to worry anyone?" Delia snapped, her hands gentle despite the frustration in her tone. "You've worried everyone twice as much by sneaking off like that! What happened?"

"I tripped," Wisty mumbled, looking anywhere but at Delia. "It's not that bad-"

"Not that bad?" Delia shot back. "This is deep, Wisty. You're lucky you didn't cut an artery! Honestly, what were you thinking, running on an injury like this?"

Ash finally found his voice. "Wisty? Why didn't you say anything? And why the heck did you run?"

Her eyes flicked to him, a hint of guilt flashing across her face before she masked it with defiance. "I didn't want to be a burden, okay? You've got enough to deal with."

Ash stared at her, baffled. "Not telling us made it worse! Look at your leg!"

Delia interrupted, her voice softer now as she worked on rewrapping the wound. "Wisty, you don't need to handle everything alone. Ash and I are here for you-no matter what."

Wisty sighed, her tough exterior cracking just a little. "I just... didn't want you to see me like this."

Ash crossed the room, placing Pikachu on a nearby cushion before kneeling beside her. "We've seen you at your worst and your best, Wisty. That doesn't change anything. Next time, just say something, okay?"

She hesitated, then gave a small nod. "...Okay."

Delia straightened, her expression softening as she finished tending to the wound. "There. But you're staying off that leg until it heals, young lady. Understood?"

"Understood," Wisty muttered, looking more sheepish than Ash had ever seen her.

As the tension eased, Ash sat back with a sigh. "Wisty, you scared us. Just promise you won't pull something like this again."

She managed a weak smile. "I promise. Next time, I'll scream for help... or at least give you twenty seconds."

Ash chuckled despite himself, ruffling her hair. "That's more like it."

Ash frowned as he stared at Wisty's leg, the blood-soaked bandage not doing much to hide the severity of the wound. "You know what? We should have Gary look at this," he said, turning toward the door. "He might have some idea if it's serious or not."

Delia perked up, nodding. "That's a great idea, Ash. Gary has more first-aid training than either of us."

Wisty groaned loudly, throwing her head back against the couch. "And this is exactly why I don't tell you guys anything! One second, I'm fine, and the next, we're bringing in the cavalry!"

Ash shot her a pointed look. "You call this fine? Wisty, you've got a hole in your leg!"

"Yeah, a small one," she snapped back, folding her arms. "I didn't think it was gonna turn into a family intervention."

Delia wagged a finger at her. "Wisty, stop being so stubborn. If Gary can help, you're going to let him help."

Grumbling under her breath, Wisty leaned back into the cushions, clearly outnumbered. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you when he turns this into a big deal too."

Ash rolled his eyes but didn't bother responding as he stepped outside and called, "Hey, Gary! Can you come down here? We've got a situation."

Gary appeared a moment later, hands in his pockets and an eyebrow raised. "What now? Did Pikachu bite you again?"

Ash scowled. "No, smart guy. It's Wisty-she's hurt, and we need you to look at her leg."

Gary sighed dramatically but followed him into the house. "Alright, let's see what the big deal is."

When he entered the living room, Wisty was slumped against the couch with her arms crossed, glaring daggers at both Ash and Delia. "This is unnecessary," she muttered, not meeting Gary's eyes.

Gary crouched beside her, his expression quickly turning serious as he unwrapped the bandage to inspect the wound. The jagged cut was deeper than he'd expected, the edges still oozing blood despite Delia's earlier efforts to clean it.

"Yeah, Wisty, this is bad," Gary said, his voice firm. "How long have you had this?"

Wisty hesitated, avoiding his gaze. "...Oh, for what, ten minutes?"

Gary's eyes narrowed. "Try again."

She sighed heavily, finally meeting his gaze. "Okay, maybe longer. Like... half an hour. Tops."

Gary leaned back, shaking his head. "Wisty, this kind of wound isn't something you just walk off. You're lucky it hasn't gotten worse. You could have passed out if you lost too much blood."

Wisty groaned. "See? This is why I didn't say anything! You guys are acting like I'm about to lose my leg!"

Delia put a hand on her hip. "You could lose your leg if you're not careful, young lady. You're not invincible."

"Exactly," Gary said, pointing at her. "This needs proper treatment. I've got some supplies in my bag outside-I'll grab them. Don't move."

"Wasn't planning to," Wisty muttered as he left the room.

Ash crossed his arms and looked down at her, his frustration giving way to concern. "Why didn't you just say something when it happened? We're your family, Wisty. We're supposed to help you."

Wisty shrugged, her tough exterior cracking just a little. "Because every time I do, it turns into this. I didn't want to make it a big deal."

Ash softened, crouching beside her. "It's a big deal because we care. You're important to us, Wisty. Next time, just tell us, alright?"

Before she could respond, Gary returned with a small first-aid kit in hand. "Alright, let's clean this up and see if you need stitches."

Wisty groaned louder than ever. "Stitches? Oh, come on! I'm fine!"

Gary smirked as he knelt beside her. "You don't get to decide that, Wisty. Now hold still."

Ash stepped back, sharing an amused glance with Delia as Gary went to work. Despite her protests, Wisty stayed still, grumbling the entire time. But as Gary carefully cleaned and dressed the wound, it was clear she was relieved to finally have it taken care of-even if she'd never admit it.

As Gary finished wrapping up Wisty's leg, the door to the living room suddenly burst open, and in hopped a cheerful bundle of energy-Chikorita, followed by Sprigatito, Charmander, Clefairy, Jigglypuff, and Rockruff. The group bounded in with playful enthusiasm, tails wagging and paws tapping the floor as they bounced around Wisty, happy to see her.

Togepi, ever the little adventurer, waddled in after them, her tiny hands gripping a shiny spoon. She looked up at Wisty with a curious tilt of her head and held out the spoon, offering a soft "Toge?" as if asking for something.

Wisty smiled softly at her Pokémon, her heart warming at the sight of them. "You want to eat, baby?" she asked gently, kneeling down to pick up Togepi. She ignored Ash, Gary, and Delia for a moment, not because she didn't care about them, but because her Pokémon were her family. They had always been there for her in ways no one else could understand.

Without waiting for an answer, Wisty stood up and moved toward the kitchen, her Pokémon trailing behind her like a loyal little parade. "Alright, alright, hold on. I've got you all covered," she muttered under her breath as she opened the pantry.

She quickly grabbed the Pokémon food, taking special care with each of their preferences. Charmander liked his food a bit more fiery, so she mixed in some spicier bits. Rockruff's food had to be hearty, something that would give him energy for all his bounding around. Togepi, of course, preferred something soft and sweet. Wisty filled each of their bowls, making sure everyone had exactly what they liked.

Meanwhile, Ash, Gary, and Delia exchanged glances, bemused by the sight of Wisty interacting with her Pokémon as though they were the only things that mattered in the world. It was clear to them that her bond with her Pokémon ran deep. Wisty didn't need grand speeches or declarations of loyalty-they just understood each other in a way that was quiet and steadfast.

Gary rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I guess there's no getting through to her when she's like this, huh?"

Ash chuckled softly, nodding. "Wisty's always been like that. She's got a big heart for her Pokémon, and I guess they feel the same way about her."

Delia smiled warmly. "I can see that. It's a good thing she's got them. But Ash, you've got to admit, we might have to intervene again if that leg doesn't heal properly."

Ash grimaced but nodded, knowing that Wisty's stubbornness often meant it took a lot to get her to accept help. "Yeah, I know. But for now, it's good to see her happy with her Pokémon."

As Wisty finished feeding Togepi and the rest of her Pokémon, she stood up and looked back at them with a content smile. "There you go, everyone. Eat up."

The Pokémon happily dug in, their little tails wagging and faces lighting up as they enjoyed their meals. Wisty leaned against the counter, watching them with pride. Even with the bloodstained bandage on her leg, the moment felt peaceful. This was where she belonged-surrounded by her Pokémon family.

"Don't worry about me," Wisty muttered, her voice soft as she gave a slight glance toward Ash, Gary, and Delia. "I've got this under control."

She wasn't sure if they believed her or not, but as long as her Pokémon were happy, she could get through anything.