" Today we have three special guests coming to stay with us for a few days and teach us about Pokemon!" Rowan said cheerfully one day, but Ash could detect the slight waver in his voice.

Before he could ask, though, the door opened, and in came Professor Oak, holding boxes.

" Ah hello Rowan. How are you?" Oak said warmly. " My two assistants are getting stuff out of the van."

He turned to the campers. " Hello everyone!"

All the campers except Ash and Gary and Brock went crazy. Some were squealing, others were talking.

Dawn, on the other hand, was staring at him, eyes wide open.

" It's... Him. It's really him! It's the Pokemon poet!"

Ash sighed. " Yes, Dawn. It's Professor Oak."

" Wow. He looks so smart!"

Ash nodded. " He is. Him, me and Gary used to spend the summers out looking for Pokemon. It was fun."

Gary was noticably worried.

" What happened Gary? Worried about Tracey?" Ash asked. " He'll be fine."

" It's not the artist I'm worried about. It's the other one."

Ash blinked.

Then he gasped.

" Oh no."

Suddenly, Tracey walked in, holding two heavy boxes.

His Syther was helping.

" Wow, hello everyone!* Tracey greeted as he set the boxes down. " I'm so happy I can be here."

Then the third person came in.

She did not look happy.

Maybe because she was dragged there?

Our dear Wisty Ketchum.

The moment Wisty walked in, the mood in the room shifted. Her posture was stiff, her arms crossed tightly across her chest, and her usual fiery glare was directed at everyone in sight. Ash could practically feel the heat radiating off of her. She wasn’t there voluntarily, and everyone could tell.

"Professor Oak," Wisty muttered, her voice laced with annoyance as she turned to him. "Next time, don’t drag me into your messes. I didn’t sign up for this."

Ash looked at her, eyebrows raised. "Wisty, what’s going on?"

She shot him a quick, irritated glance. "Don’t even start, Ash. Oak thought it would be a great idea to have me here so I can help him with his Pokémon research and 'settle our differences.' As if that's ever going to happen."

Gary leaned in, whispering to Ash, "I’m guessing things didn’t go too smoothly between her and Oak recently, huh?"

Ash shook his head. "Not even a little. You don’t want to know."

Meanwhile, Professor Oak was doing his best to keep things cordial, though it was clear he was walking on eggshells. "Ah, well, Wisty, I didn’t mean to make you upset. It’s just that I thought you could bring a unique perspective to the team."

Wisty rolled her eyes, clearly unconvinced. "Unique perspective? Please. If it were anyone else, I’d be on a beach somewhere, not stuck here with you."

Ash sighed. He had hoped that Wisty would be a little more understanding, especially since Oak had been a big part of their childhood, but this tension was all too familiar. Wisty had always been difficult, and her rivalry with Oak seemed to only intensify over time.

"Is this your way of trying to make up for the whole 'giving me the wrong coordinates' thing, Oak?" Wisty continued, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Because, let me tell you, it’s not working."

Rowan looked between the two, clearly concerned, but he didn’t say anything. He had learned by now that when Wisty was angry, it was best to stay out of it unless it directly involved Pokémon.

"Well, I’m glad to see someone is excited," Tracey said, trying to ease the tension, though his voice was a little shaky. "I know this is a bit awkward, but maybe we can all learn something while we’re here?"

Wisty shot him a pointed look. "Don’t even start, Tracey. I'm not in the mood for your 'let's all get along' speeches."

Gary shifted uncomfortably, looking back at Ash. "This is gonna be a long few days, isn’t it?"

Ash nodded. "Yeah. If we're lucky, we’ll all survive it."

Dawn, still looking starstruck, stepped forward, oblivious to the tension in the air. "Professor Oak, can you tell us more about your time with Ash and Gary? I’ve heard so many stories, but I’m dying to hear more from you directly!"

Wisty, hearing the mention of her brother’s name, seemed to soften slightly but quickly masked it with her usual tough exterior. "Don’t get all gushy now, Dawn. He’s just another Pokémon professor. Nothing special."

"Hey, I’m right here!" Ash protested, but Wisty just gave him a sideways glance and rolled her eyes again.

Dawn’s enthusiasm didn’t falter, though. "I think it’s amazing how much you’ve accomplished, Professor Oak! And you’ve done so much for the world of Pokémon."

Wisty gave a sarcastic laugh. "Oh, sure. He’s a big deal, alright. So big, in fact, that he couldn’t even figure out the coordinates to find a simple Togepi."

Ash winced. "Wisty, not now."

Oak cleared his throat, clearly flustered. "Well, perhaps this will be a good opportunity for us all to work together. Maybe we can all help each other out and finally make some progress."

Wisty didn’t seem convinced, but she remained silent, choosing instead to stare daggers at the professor. It was clear she wasn’t going to make things easy.

The campers exchanged glances, none of them sure how to break the tension. Gary finally spoke up, trying to change the subject. "So, what are we actually doing here for the next few days?"

Professor Oak seemed relieved by the change of topic. "Ah, yes. We’ll be teaching you all about Pokémon research, exploring the area, and helping with any ongoing studies. Wisty and Tracey are going to lend their expertise in their respective fields. We’ll learn a lot from each other."

"Yeah, but first, we’ll need to make sure there aren’t any more surprises from your coordinates, Oak," Wisty muttered under her breath, but loud enough for everyone to hear.

Tracey gave a nervous laugh. "Let’s just start with a simple activity, shall we?"

Wisty crossed her arms. "Fine. But don’t expect me to be nice about it."

Ash sighed. This was definitely going to be a challenging few days.



" Well this is nice." Ash said as he observed the data on the Pokemon Raticate.

Someone tapped his shoulder. He turned.

" Oh hey Tracey."

" Ash can I ask you a question?"

Ash fully shifted. " Yeah, anything."

" Is it true Rowan and Wisty have a.... Rivalry."

" Where to start?" Ash sighed. " Yes. A big one."

Tracey tilted his head, intrigued. "How did that even happen? I mean, Professor Rowan’s pretty composed, and Wisty... well, she’s Wisty."

Ash laughed nervously. "Yeah, that’s part of the problem. Wisty’s fiery and doesn’t take orders well. Rowan’s all about structure and order. It was bound to clash."

Tracey nodded slowly, still not fully understanding. "But why is it this bad? I mean, rivals are one thing, but they’re at each other’s throats."

Ash glanced around, ensuring Wisty wasn’t nearby to overhear. "Okay, so it all started when Rowan accidentally gave Wisty the wrong instructions on a research expedition. She ended up in the middle of a swamp instead of a field full of rare Pokémon. Let’s just say... Wisty doesn’t handle mistakes well."

Tracey winced. "Ouch. What happened next?"

Ash sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, Wisty wasn’t exactly forgiving. She stormed back, covered in mud, and gave Rowan an earful. Since then, it’s been a constant battle of who’s the 'better researcher.' Every time they’re in the same room, it’s like a competition."

Tracey frowned, still confused. "But isn’t that a bit... extreme? Surely they’ve resolved it by now?"

Ash shook his head. "You don’t know Wisty. Once she gets a grudge, it’s hard for her to let it go. And Rowan’s too proud to admit when he’s wrong, so it just keeps spiraling."

Tracey sighed. "Well, that explains the tension. I just hope this doesn’t get in the way of the research here."

"Good luck with that," Ash muttered. "I’m pretty sure Wisty’s planning her next move already."

As if on cue, a loud crash echoed through the building. Both Ash and Tracey turned toward the source of the noise, dreading what they’d find.

"ROWAN!" Wisty’s unmistakable voice rang out, full of fury.

Tracey gave Ash a panicked look. "What now?"

Ash groaned. "Welcome to life with Wisty. Let’s go break it up before she tries to 'prove a point' again."

Ash and Tracey burst into the research room, their eyes immediately landing on Wisty, who stood next to a very agitated Togepi. The poor Pokémon was hooked up to an array of machines, wires and monitors beeping erratically. Wisty’s arms were crossed, her glare sharp enough to cut steel as she stared down a frazzled Professor Rowan.

"Wisty," Ash said cautiously, stepping forward. "What’s going on here?"

Wisty pointed at Togepi, her voice a low growl. "Ask him."

Rowan adjusted his tie nervously. "Now, Wisty, I was simply running a few harmless diagnostics. Togepi is perfectly fine—"

"Perfectly fine?" Wisty interrupted, her tone deadly. "You call hooking up my Togepi to half the lab 'harmless'?"

"It’s standard procedure!" Rowan defended. "I needed to ensure Togepi’s vitals were stable for further research."

Wisty’s eyes narrowed further. "Research? Or your excuse to meddle with my Pokémon? Because it sure feels like the latter, Professor."

Tracey leaned toward Ash, whispering, "This is worse than I thought."

Ash nodded grimly. "Yup. And it’s only just started."

Rowan, to his credit, tried to remain calm. "Wisty, you have to understand, as a researcher, I—"

"Save it," Wisty snapped, stepping protectively in front of Togepi. "I don’t care if you’re the king of researchers. Togepi’s mine, and you had no right to hook her up like this without asking me first."

Rowan opened his mouth to retort, but Wisty raised a hand, silencing him. "No. I’ve had enough of your excuses, Rowan. You owe me an apology. And you’re unhooking Togepi right now, or so help me—"

Ash quickly intervened, placing a hand on Wisty’s shoulder. "Wisty, calm down. I’m sure Rowan didn’t mean any harm—"

"Stay out of this, Ash!" Wisty snapped, her fiery glare turning on her brother for a moment before refocusing on Rowan. "This is between me and him."

Tracey, sensing the tension escalating, tried to mediate. "Maybe we should all take a step back and—"

"I’m not stepping back until Togepi is unhooked!" Wisty shouted, her voice echoing in the room.

Rowan sighed, clearly realizing he wasn’t going to win this argument. He moved toward the machines and began unhooking Togepi, who chirped in relief as the wires were removed.

"There," Rowan said, straightening up. "Happy now?"

Wisty scooped up Togepi, holding her close. "Not even close. Next time you want to use one of my Pokémon for your experiments, you ask me first. Got it?"

Rowan hesitated but finally nodded. "Understood."

Wisty turned and walked out of the room, her head held high, Togepi cradled in her arms. As the door slammed shut behind her, Tracey let out a low whistle.

"Well," he said, glancing at Ash. "That could’ve gone worse."

Ash sighed. "Believe me, Tracey, this was the better outcome."



The dining hall buzzed with conversation as everyone gathered for dinner. Tracey animatedly recounted stories about the Pokémon at Oak’s laboratory, gesturing enthusiastically as he described their antics.

“And then, just as I thought things couldn’t get any crazier, Snorlax rolled over—right into the pond! Poor Psyduck hasn’t been the same since,” Tracey finished with a chuckle, causing Dawn and Brock to laugh.

“That sounds chaotic,” Dawn said, shaking her head but smiling. “I can’t believe you keep them all under control.”

“Barely,” Tracey admitted, grinning. “But it’s worth it. Every Pokémon there has its own unique personality. You’d love it, Dawn.”

Ash, meanwhile, was picking at his food, his eyes occasionally darting toward the door. Gary noticed and leaned over.

“She’s not coming, you know,” Gary said quietly.

Ash sighed. “I know. She made it clear she didn’t want to sit and eat dinner with her ‘rival.’” He shook his head. “She’s so stubborn sometimes.”

“Sometimes?” Brock teased.

“Fine. Most of the time,” Ash admitted, earning a few chuckles from the group.

At the far end of the table, Rowan and Oak were engaged in a deep discussion, their voices low but animated.

“I must admit, Rowan,” Oak said, taking a sip of his tea, “your methods are thorough, but you might want to work on your... interpersonal skills, especially with younger trainers.”

Rowan frowned slightly. “You’re referring to Wisty, aren’t you?”

“She’s passionate, Rowan. And protective of her Pokémon. You can’t fault her for that,” Oak said gently.

Rowan sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I suppose I may have been a bit... heavy-handed. But she’s not exactly easy to work with either, Samuel.”

Oak chuckled. “That’s what makes her a great trainer. Stubbornness can be a virtue when channeled properly.”

The campers were equally lively, chatting about the day’s events and speculating about what lessons might come next.

Ash, however, couldn’t help but glance toward the door again, his mind on his sister. Finally, he pushed his plate aside and stood up.

“Where are you going?” Dawn asked, her fork paused halfway to her mouth.

“To check on Wisty,” Ash said simply. “She shouldn’t have to eat alone, even if she’s mad.”

Gary smirked. “Good luck. She’s probably still fuming.”

Ash shrugged. “What else is new?” With that, he left the dining hall, determined to find his sister.



Wisty was laughing as Ash approached her. She was  watching Togepi, Chikorita and Eevee play tag, but it ended up in chaos.

Ash sat down next to her. " Hey sis."

Wisty grinned. " Hi Ash! Fancy to see you out here when there's dessert in there."

" Some things are more important than dessert."

Wisty smirked. " Wow. Big words coming from you."

Ash shoved her, and Wisty jumped on him. " Oh now you've done it!" She said mischievously.

Wisty had a mischievous gleam in her eye, and before Ash knew it, she had tackled him to the ground, her laughter filling the air.

“Oh, come on, Wisty! What’s with the sneak attack?” Ash groaned, trying to push her off, but she was quick to dodge and leap away, sticking her tongue out at him. 

"You should know better than to mess with me," she said with a wink, picking herself up and brushing off her pants. 

Ash sat up, shaking his head with a grin. "You’re impossible." 

But just as they were about to get back to their play, a familiar voice interrupted their fun. 

“Hey, Rowan’s calling you two. He said it’s urgent.” 

It was Gary, standing just outside the small area, arms crossed and a smirk on his face. 

Wisty stopped play fighting and sighed. " Is the Professor Oak related?"

" Yeah."

" Least it's not all bad." Wisty muttered as she walked to the door, her Pokemon following.

Gary followed her with his eyes, then turned to Ash. " No luck?"

Ash shook his head. " She still hates them."



" What happened?* Wisty was asking as the two older boys entered

" Wisty, I have a new mission for you." Oak said.

" Sure. Where?"

" In the forest. New Pokemon named Patience Timid-"

" Let me guess." Wisty said with a sigh. " My brother named it?"

" What do you think?" Gary snorted.

" Hey!" Ash exclaimed. " It's not a bad name! Besides, that's the name you told me!"

Gary sighed. " I was in the middle of- oh never mind."

Wisty nodded and turned. " I'll go out right away."

" Tracey will join you." Oak added. " He wants to-"

Oak didn't even get to finish because as soon as Tracey walked in, the eight year old girl grabbed his hand and pulled him.

" See you later professor Oak and Professor Rowan!" Tracey called as he was dragged out the door.

As Tracey was pulled out the door by Wisty, Oak and Rowan exchanged a look, both smiling knowingly. 

Gary raised an eyebrow. “Wait a minute. What did you need us for, Professor Rowan?” 

Rowan sighed, glancing around the room. “Well, it’s not quite as exciting as your previous tasks, but... We need someone to look after something. A Pokémon.” 

Ash tilted his head, curious. “A Pokémon? What kind?” 

Rowan smiled a little, though his expression seemed slightly apologetic. “An Oddish.” 

“Oddish?” Gary repeated, his voice incredulous. “You want us to babysit a Pokémon?” 

“Yep,” Rowan confirmed, his tone leaving no room for argument. “It’s a special Oddish, one we’re studying for research. It’s... um... not very cooperative, but I’m confident you two can handle it.” 

Ash shrugged, already starting to feel the familiar pull of responsibility. “Oh well. How hard could it be?” 

Gary’s skeptical look made it clear that he wasn’t as convinced. “It’s a weird Oddish, right? Sounds like a handful.” 

“Well, it is a little odd,” Rowan added, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. “We’ve been having trouble keeping track of it. It tends to... wander off.” 

Ash grinned. “Perfect! I love a challenge. Let’s go, Gary!” 

Gary rolled his eyes but reluctantly followed Ash as Rowan led them to the Pokémon nursery. 

Inside, the Oddish was calmly lying on the floor, surrounded by an assortment of plants and flowers. The Pokémon didn’t seem particularly dangerous or difficult, but there was something about the way it looked at them that felt mischievous. 

“There she is,” Rowan said, pointing at the Oddish. “Her name’s Fern. She’s a bit... stubborn.” 

Ash knelt down to get a closer look. “Hey, Fern! How’s it going, little buddy?” 

Fern blinked and then promptly rolled over, ignoring Ash entirely. 

Gary let out an exasperated sigh. “Great. This is gonna be easy.” 

Rowan gave them both an encouraging smile. “Just keep an eye on her, and don’t let her wander off. She’s known for escaping the area when no one’s paying attention.” 

Before either of them could respond, Fern suddenly perked up and darted out the door, leaving Ash and Gary in a startled panic. 

“Oh no, no, no!” Ash exclaimed, leaping to his feet and running after the Oddish. 

Gary followed, muttering under his breath. “This is gonna be a disaster…” 

The chase was on. Fern darted through the hallway, weaving between the furniture and plants, laughing almost as if she were playing some sort of game. 

“Fern, wait up!” Ash called, but the Oddish was already too far ahead. 

Gary grabbed Ash’s arm. “Let’s just trap her in the corner!” 

Ash nodded. “Good idea!” 

They both sprinted forward, trying to corner the fast little Oddish, but it was clear that Fern wasn’t going to be caught so easily. She darted into another room and out of sight before they could even get close. 

“Well, that’s just great,” Gary said, exasperated. “A Pokémon that’s too smart for us.” 

Ash grinned. “Looks like we’re gonna have to outsmart her, then!” 

Gary gave Ash a look of disbelief. “That’s *your* solution? You’ve got to be kidding me.” 

“Hey, I’ve done it before. Just watch!” Ash said, determined as ever. 

With a new plan in mind, Ash and Gary began their pursuit of Fern, determined to show this Oddish who was really in charge.

" Fern, return!" Ash barked as he held the Pokeball up. The red light swirled around the Pokemon, and brought it back into its ball.

Gary stared at him. " That was your master plan?!"

Ash grinned sheepishly, holding the Pokéball in his hand. "Hey, it worked, didn’t it?"

Gary crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed. "Yeah, after we ran around the entire building like a bunch of idiots."

Ash shrugged, unfazed. "At least it’s over now."

"Over? You think it’s over?" Gary raised an eyebrow. "You’ve only caught her temporarily."

"Hey, she’s in the ball. That counts for something!" Ash said, tossing the Pokéball up and down as if it were a toy. "Besides, we’ll just keep her in there until Rowan can figure out what’s going on."

Gary groaned and rubbed his temples. "So, your big plan is to trap her every time she gets out?"

Ash paused for a moment, staring at the Pokéball. "Well... maybe. But I’ll work on a better plan. I’m not just gonna give up on her."

Gary sighed. "I swear, you’d never change."

The two of them walked back toward Rowan, who was waiting for them in the hallway, an amused but slightly concerned look on his face.

"Everything okay?" Rowan asked, his eyes flickering to the Pokéball in Ash’s hand.

"Yeah, we’ve got her," Ash said with a proud grin.

Gary shot Ash a look. "I don’t know if ‘got her’ is the right way to put it."

Rowan raised an eyebrow. "You two didn’t chase her, did you?"

"We might’ve," Ash admitted.

Gary added, "It was a disaster."

Rowan chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, at least she’s back in the ball. That’s a step in the right direction." He gave Ash a pat on the back. "Good job."

"Yeah, good job," Gary muttered, though it was clear he wasn’t entirely convinced. "Now, maybe next time, we’ll try something other than just the Pokéball."

Ash grinned. "Next time, I’ll make a real plan. Promise."

Gary rolled his eyes. " You'd better."