" .... And that's how you tell if a pokemon is a girl or a boy. Some Pokemon, such as a Porygon, however, do not show these signs. One of my assistants has a Porygon." Oak said cheerfully as he concluded the lesson.

Tracey nodded. " And it's definitely not me."

Oak nodded. " Now-"

Before he could finish Wisty ran in.

" And here is the trainer with Porygon!" Oak said.

Wisty didn't even reply. She ran to Tracey and, standing on her tippie toes, whispered something to Tracey.

" Really?" Tracey asked

Wisty nodded.

Tracey nodded, then turned to Oak. " Something has arisen. Me and Wisty are gonna go check it out."

Oak nodded. " Stay safe, you two."

Wisty didn't even reply.

" Where is it?" Tracey asked as they ran through the forest.

Wisty ran ahead. " This way. I don't know how much longer it can hold on."

" Then we have to hurry."

The two ran deeper and deeper into the forest, making turns and loops around trees.

Finally, Wisty stopped in front of a few bushes.

" It's here." She said softly. " You have your medicine for Pokemon, right?"

Tracey nodded.

" Okay."

She gently shifted the bushes, and Tracey gasped

It was a Pouncer.

Except it was lying on the ground in pain.

And it was bleeding.

" We have to take it to Nurse Joy." Tracey said. " I don't think-"

" I tried." Wisty sighed. " I tried everything. It wants to stay here. And it takes a while to earn its trust. Tracey, I think it's best we keep it a secret so no poachers find it or scare it."

Tracey nodded. " So you want me to heal it here?"

Wisty sighed but nodded. " Unfortunately. It's not gonna move."

The Pokemon watcher nodded. " Alright. I can do this. I've spent enough time as a Pokemon Watcher to know how to deal with Pokemon like this."

Wisty grinned. " Great. Thanks Tracey."

Tracey knelt beside the injured Pouncer, carefully unpacking his kit of Pokémon medical supplies. The feline-like Pokémon’s ears twitched weakly, its bright yellow eyes watching Tracey with a mix of pain and mistrust. Wisty crouched nearby, her expression firm but filled with concern.

"Easy there, little one," Tracey murmured softly, pulling out an antiseptic spray. "This will sting a bit, but it'll help."

The Pouncer growled lowly, baring its sharp teeth. Wisty quickly stepped in, holding out her hands in a calming gesture.

"Hey, it’s okay," she said gently, her voice soothing. "We’re here to help. Tracey’s good at this. You can trust us."

The Pouncer seemed to relax slightly at Wisty’s voice, its growl subsiding.

"You really do have a way with wild Pokémon," Tracey commented as he started cleaning the wound.

"Not really," Wisty replied with a small smile. "I just understand them. A lot of them have been hurt before, you know? You just have to show them you're not here to hurt them more."

Tracey nodded, applying a bandage to the Pouncer's side. "You’re right. Trust is everything with Pokémon."

As the Pouncer lay still, Wisty reached into her bag and pulled out a small berry pouch. "Here, Pouncer. These are good for you. They'll help with the pain."

The Pokémon sniffed the berries cautiously before nibbling on one. Its tail swished slightly, a sign of its growing comfort.

Tracey finished bandaging the wounds and packed up his kit. "There. That should hold for now. But we'll need to come back daily to check on it and change the bandages."

Wisty nodded, her determination clear. "We will. I’ll make sure of it."

The Pouncer looked between them, its eyes softening. It let out a soft purr, and Wisty couldn't help but smile.

"You’re gonna be okay," she said gently. "We’ll take care of you."

Tracey stood, brushing off his knees. "Alright, let’s head back and let Oak know what’s going on. We’ll need to keep this quiet, though. Poachers would love to get their hands on a rare Pokémon like this."

Wisty nodded, her expression serious. "No one else can know."

The two of them shared a determined look before quietly making their way back through the forest, leaving the Pouncer resting safely in its hidden spot.

At dinner, Wisty was noticably more quiet and eating faster than usual.

" Hey Wisty you okay?" Ash asked.

Wisty looked at her brother and nodded. " Yup. Real hungry. In fac-"

Before she could finish, Growlie ran in.

" Heyo! Heyo!" He said urgently.

" What happened, boy? What?"

Eevee ran in. " Eveve!"

Wisty jumped. " What?!"

She ran to Tracey and whispered something into his ear.

" We're coming, Professor Oak. Just.... Assistant stuff." Tracey said as he hurried out.

Ash raised a brow. " Should we go after them?"

Oak shook his head. " No. They'll be fine."

Ash sighed but had to agree.

And besides, he had all this food in front of him!

Tracey felt the Pouncer's head and sucked his teeth. " We need to move it somewhere safe."

Wisty snapped her fingers. " What about our room!"

Tracey blinked. " Huh?"

" The guest room," Wisty explained. " The one where you and I will stay. We can just sneak it in. Bingo!"

Tracey nodded. " But someone might go in."

Wisty grinned. " Don't worry about that. Let's just sneak it in."

The plan to sneak the Pouncer into the guest room proved far more challenging than Wisty had anticipated. With Tracey carrying the injured Pokémon wrapped in a blanket, Wisty led the way, peeking around every corner to ensure no one saw them.

"Alright, coast is clear," she whispered, motioning for Tracey to follow.

The Pouncer let out a low, pitiful growl, and Tracey winced. "Shh, buddy. Almost there."

The two darted down the hallway, avoiding campers and Pokémon alike. They were halfway to the guest room when a voice called out.

"Hey, Tracey! Wisty! Where are you two going?"

It was Brock.

Wisty froze, her heart racing. Thinking fast, she turned around with a forced grin. "Oh, hey Brock! Just, uh... grabbing something from our room. No biggie!"

Brock squinted. "What’s in the blanket?"

Tracey smiled nervously, shifting the bundle. "Oh, just, uh... supplies. You know, for assistant stuff!"

"Supplies, huh?" Brock said skeptically, stepping closer.

Before he could get too near, Growlie and Eevee appeared, barking and squeaking wildly.

"Growlie! Eevee!" Wisty said, feigning exasperation. "You’re making such a racket! Brock, could you please take them back to the dining hall? They’re causing chaos!"

Brock sighed, shaking his head. "Fine, fine. But hurry back, okay? You’re acting weird."

As soon as Brock walked off with the Pokémon, Tracey and Wisty resumed their mission, moving faster now.

"That was too close," Tracey muttered.

"No kidding," Wisty replied, her cheeks flushed.

They finally reached the guest room and slipped inside, locking the door behind them.

Tracey gently laid the Pouncer on the bed, while Wisty quickly gathered blankets and cushions to make it comfortable.

"There," she said, stepping back to admire their work. "Safe and sound."

The Pouncer let out a soft purr, its eyes half-closed but content.

Tracey smiled. "Nice work, Wisty. Now we just need to keep it hidden until it’s well enough to return to the wild."

Wisty nodded firmly. "We’ll protect it. No matter what."

But as they settled in, a knock came at the door.

"Tracey? Wisty? It’s Ash. What are you doing in there?"

The two froze, exchanging panicked looks.

"Uh-oh," Wisty muttered. "We’re busted."

Tracey panicked and looked at the bathroom. " Hide it in the bathroom!" He hissed.

Wisty didn’t waste a second. "Right!" she whispered back, carefully but quickly scooping up the Pouncer in her arms. Tracey opened the bathroom door, and Wisty hurried inside, gently setting the injured Pokémon in the tub.

"Stay quiet, okay?" she whispered to the Pouncer, covering it with a blanket for warmth. The Pouncer gave a weak but understanding growl.

Tracey shut the bathroom door behind her just as Ash knocked again, louder this time.

"Hey, guys? Everything okay in there?"

Tracey took a deep breath, adjusted his shirt, and opened the door just a crack, blocking Ash’s view inside the room. "Oh, hey, Ash! What’s up?"

Ash raised an eyebrow. "I could ask you the same thing. You’ve been acting weird all evening."

"Weird? Us? Nah, we’re just... organizing stuff for Professor Oak," Tracey said, a nervous chuckle escaping him.

Wisty, hearing the conversation from the bathroom, bit her lip. She carefully peeked out to see Ash trying to peer around Tracey.

"Really?" Ash said, skeptical. "Then why does it sound like something’s moving in there?"

Tracey stammered, "That’s just Wisty rearranging... uh, books! Lots of books!"

Ash squinted. "Books? In a guest room?"

Wisty groaned silently, rolling her eyes. Come on, Tracey, think!

Before Ash could push his way in, Wisty stepped out of the bathroom, a big, fake grin plastered on her face. "Hey, Ash! What’s the fuss about? Can’t two people do assistant work in peace?"

Ash crossed his arms, his suspicious gaze shifting between them. "Assistant work? In a guest room?"

Wisty waved her hand dismissively. "You know, top-secret stuff. Professor Oak’s orders. Can’t spill the beans, sorry!"

Ash sighed, clearly unconvinced but unwilling to argue further. "Fine, whatever. Just don’t cause any trouble."

"Us? Trouble? Never!" Wisty said, giving a mock salute.

As Ash walked away, muttering about how weird they were acting, Tracey closed the door and let out a huge sigh of relief.

Wisty leaned against the bathroom door, her heart racing. "That was way too close."

Tracey nodded. "We need to be more careful. If Ash finds out, he’ll never let it go."

The Pouncer let out a soft growl from the bathroom, as if agreeing.

Wisty grinned. "Don’t worry, buddy. We’ve got this. Right, Tracey?"

Tracey nodded with a determined smile. "Right."

Wisty yawned and peeked over Tracey's shoulder, watching as he wrapped the bandage around Lila's leg. ' you're good at this."

The Pouncer ( now named Lila) purred in agreement.

Tracey laughed softly as he stood up and dusted his green nightsuit. " Eh, it's nothing really."

Wisty shook her head. " Oh Tracey ...."

Then she looked at Lila. " Who sleeps with her tonight?"

" If you want, you can have her for one night, and I can have her the other." Tracey suggested.

Wisty nodded as she picked Lila up carefully, moving to her bed in her long, pink, short sleeve night gown.

As she lay on her bed, Growlie, Eve, Togepi and Chikorita surrounded her and Lila.

Wisty smiled sleepily. " You guys are the best. Night, Tracey."

" Goodnight Wisty. Did you say goodnight to your brother?*

" He's out like a candle." Wisty replied.

Tracey chuckled as he turned off the main light, leaving only the soft glow of a small lamp by his bed. "Fair enough. Sleep tight, Wisty."

"Night," Wisty murmured, already half-asleep as she snuggled closer to Lila, her other Pokémon curling protectively around her.

Tracey watched for a moment, smiling at the peaceful scene. Wisty had such a natural way with Pokémon—it was no wonder she managed to earn Lila’s trust so quickly. He pulled the blanket over himself and lay back, staring at the ceiling for a moment.

Despite the calm, his mind was racing.

How long can we keep Lila a secret? What if someone finds out?

He shook his head, reminding himself that Wisty was smart and resourceful. Together, they’d figure it out.

The room was quiet except for the soft breathing of Wisty and the Pokémon. Tracey let the sound lull him, his eyelids growing heavy. Just as he was drifting off, a small purr came from Lila, followed by Wisty’s sleepy mumble.

"Don’t worry, Lila," Wisty whispered, her voice barely audible. "You’re safe with us."

Tracey smiled faintly. "Yeah, Lila," he murmured under his breath. "You’re part of the team now."

And with that, he finally let himself relax, the weight of the day lifting as sleep claimed him.

" WAAAAAAKE UPPPP!"

Wisty screamed as she jolted awake. " What happened?!"

Tracey was running around the room. " We're late for the summer camp!"

Wisty jumped out of bed. " Oh no! Poor Professor Oak! Some assistants we are."

" Less talking more changing!" Tracey held as he threw Wisty her clothes.

" Wait. What about Lila?"

Tracey froze. " Uh....."

He looked at her sleeping Pokemon. " We lock the room and keep the Pokemon in charge."

Wisty shrugs. " Works for me."

Then they went back to panicking.

" .... And th-"

" PROFESSOR OAK!" Wisty yelled as she and Tracey ran into the class. " We're so sorry see we overslept and I don't think our clocks worked and please forgive us I beg of you a-"

" Wisty it's okay. I understand."

Tracey was leaning on the wall, panting for his life. " What... Were... You... Talking.... About.....?" He huffed.

Professor Oak chuckled warmly, waving a hand to calm them. "Relax, both of you. I was just reviewing yesterday's lesson on gender differences in Pokémon for those who needed a recap. You're not too late."

Wisty plopped into a chair, still catching her breath. "Oh, thank Arceus."

Tracey, still leaning against the wall, finally straightened up. "We... overslept. Sorry, Professor."

Oak smiled knowingly. "I figured. Late nights as assistants can sometimes catch up with you, can't they?"

Wisty shot Tracey a quick look, thinking about their secret mission with Lila. "Uh, yeah. Something like that," she muttered.

"Well, now that you're here, why don't you both help me demonstrate today's topic? Tracey, could you fetch the visual aids from the supply room? Wisty, I could use your help organizing the Pokémon data sheets."

"On it!" Wisty and Tracey said in unison, eager to move past their late arrival.

As Tracey walked out, Wisty gathered the data sheets, sorting them quickly. She glanced at the clock on the wall and whispered under her breath, "Hang in there, Lila. We’ll be back soon."

Professor Oak noticed her quiet muttering but chose not to comment. Instead, he continued with the lesson, appreciating the energy his young assistants brought—even if they were occasionally chaotic.

As Professor Oak showed the campers how to use the visual aids and passing out the data sheets, Eevee ran to Tracey.

" Eveve!"

" Lila's bandages!" Wisty hissed.

Tracey blinked. " Oh no."

" Don't worry. Go. I'll cover for you."

Tracey looked hesitant but nodded. "Okay, but don't let Oak suspect anything," he whispered.

Wisty gave him a sly grin. "Relax. I’ve got this. Just hurry."

Tracey quickly slipped out of the classroom, trying not to attract attention.

Professor Oak turned toward Wisty, holding up a chart. "Wisty, could you assist with this diagram? The campers seem to be struggling with identifying gender variations in Butterfree."

Wisty stepped forward with a nervous laugh. "Of course, Professor! Butterfree—no problem at all!" She grabbed the pointer and started explaining.

"So, uh, you see the difference is in the wing patterns. The females have these, uh, rounder spots on their wings while the males…" Wisty glanced at the campers, who were staring at her blankly.

One camper raised their hand. "What about shiny Butterfree? Do the differences apply there too?"

Wisty froze. "Uh, shiny? Well, um…"

Professor Oak chuckled. "Good question! Wisty, why don’t you explain?"

Wisty felt sweat forming on her forehead. "Shiny Butterfree? Oh yeah, totally. The differences are… uh…" She frantically searched her brain for an answer.

Just then, Togepi toddled into the room, waving its tiny arms and calling, "Togepriiiii!"

Wisty seized the distraction. "Oh look, Professor! Togepi wants to say hi to everyone!"

The campers turned their attention to the adorable Pokémon, giving Wisty a moment to catch her breath.

Meanwhile, Tracey bolted into the guest room. He found Lila lounging on the bed, her bandages slightly loose. Growlie and Chikorita were keeping a close watch.

"Sorry, girl," Tracey muttered as he knelt by Lila, carefully re-wrapping her leg. "This won’t take long."

Lila purred softly, her large eyes meeting his. Growlie barked quietly as if urging him to hurry.

"Yeah, yeah, I’m going as fast as I can," Tracey replied, tightening the last bandage. "There. Good as new."

Back in the classroom, Wisty was trying to manage the campers, who were now asking her rapid-fire questions about Togepi instead of Butterfree.

"Does Togepi evolve into Togetic?" one camper asked.

"How do you train a Togepi?" another chimed in.

Wisty held up her hands. "Whoa, whoa, one question at a time! Yes, Togepi evolves into Togetic, and as for training, uh… love and care, I guess?"

Professor Oak raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Interesting approach, Wisty. Perhaps Tracey has rubbed off on you more than I thought."

Wisty laughed nervously. "Yeah, Tracey’s always full of… great advice."

Just then, Tracey slipped back into the room, slightly out of breath but smiling. He gave Wisty a discreet thumbs-up, and she nodded in relief.

"Ah, Tracey, perfect timing!" Professor Oak said. "Perhaps you can elaborate on the differences in Butterfree genders that Wisty was just explaining."

Tracey froze for a second but quickly recovered. "Oh, uh, sure! The females have rounder spots on their wings, while the males have smaller, sharper spots. And for shiny Butterfree, the differences are the same, just with the color variation."

The campers nodded, clearly satisfied with the explanation.

Wisty leaned closer to Tracey and whispered, "Nice save."

He smirked. "No thanks to you."

Wisty grinned. "Hey, I distracted them, didn’t I?"

Professor Oak clapped his hands together. "Excellent teamwork, you two. Now, let’s move on to the next topic—Pokémon habitats!"

As the lesson continued, Wisty and Tracey exchanged a glance, silently agreeing that they had dodged a major bullet. All they had to do now was survive the rest of the day without any more surprises.

As the campers spewed out for lunch, the two assistants sighed.

" Oh my goodness. I did not know it was going to be this hard." Wisty sighed as she took a sip of coffee.

Tracey raised a brow. " Coffee?*

" Whaaaaat? I'm a teacher! Might as well act like one too."

Tracey chuckled as he leaned against the wall, taking a long sip of his water. "Acting like a teacher doesn’t mean you need to go full Professor Oak mode."

Wisty smirked, holding up her cup dramatically. "Coffee is the lifeblood of any good teacher, Tracey. You’ll understand one day."

He rolled his eyes. "Right. Just don’t start lecturing me about proper hydration or something."

Before Wisty could respond, Eevee trotted up to them, looking a little frantic. "Eevee! Eveve!"

Wisty immediately straightened up, her coffee cup nearly tipping over. "What’s wrong, Eevee? Is it Lila?"

Eevee nodded, then darted toward the direction of the guest room.

Tracey groaned, grabbing his bag. "We just fixed her bandages. What now?"

"Let’s go!" Wisty urged, already sprinting after Eevee.

The two assistants burst into the guest room to find Lila pacing nervously, her tail swishing and her ears twitching. Growlie barked softly, while Togepi tried to calm her down by patting her leg.

"What’s going on?" Wisty asked, kneeling by Lila.

Tracey examined the Pouncer, noting her tense posture. "She’s not hurt again… but she’s definitely distressed. Something’s spooked her."

Wisty glanced out the window, her brow furrowing. "What could’ve scared her? Do you think someone saw her?"

Tracey frowned. "If someone did, we’re going to have a problem."

At that moment, Chikorita hopped up onto the windowsill, her leaf glowing faintly as she pointed outside.

Wisty peered out and gasped. "Tracey, look!"

In the distance, a man in a dark trench coat was lurking near the edge of the forest, scanning the area with what looked like binoculars.

"Poacher," Tracey muttered, his jaw tightening.

Wisty clenched her fists. "I knew it. We can’t let him find her. What do we do?"

Tracey thought for a moment before pulling out a Pokéball. "We stall him. I’ll go out there and distract him while you keep Lila calm and hidden."

"Are you crazy?" Wisty hissed. "You’re not going out there alone!"

Tracey gave her a reassuring smile. "Don’t worry. I’ve handled poachers before. Just keep the door locked and don’t let Lila make a sound."

Wisty bit her lip but nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But if you’re not back in ten minutes, I’m coming out there with Growlie."

"Deal," Tracey said, then turned to leave.

As the door closed behind him, Wisty sat beside Lila, stroking her fur soothingly. "It’s okay, girl. Tracey’s got this. We won’t let anything happen to you."

Growlie barked softly in agreement, standing guard by the window. Togepi and Eevee huddled close to Lila, offering her comfort.

Wisty took another sip of her coffee and sighed. "I really need a vacation."

As Tracey stepped outside, he quickly spotted the poacher near the tree line, adjusting his binoculars as if trying to find something. His heart raced, but he kept a calm demeanor, hoping to get the situation under control before anything escalated.

However, as he started to move, he realized something that made his stomach drop—Professor Oak, Rowan, Gary, and Ash were all nearby, chatting and enjoying the afternoon breeze. They didn’t know about Lila, but they were getting dangerously close to the poacher.

"Great, just great," Tracey muttered under his breath, trying to stay out of sight while creeping forward. The poacher, however, seemed to sense something was off.

"Hey, you!" the poacher called, spotting Tracey out of the corner of his eye. "What are you doing here?"

Tracey froze, his mind scrambling for a lie, but before he could speak, he heard Oak’s voice call out from behind him.

"Tracey? What’s going on over there?" Oak asked, his hands on his hips, his expression friendly but inquisitive.

Tracey shot the poacher a quick, nervous glance before turning to Oak, trying to remain calm. "Oh, hey, Professor! Just... um... taking a walk, you know, just a walk." He smiled awkwardly, praying Oak wouldn’t ask too many questions.

Rowan, Gary, and Ash had now gathered behind Oak, looking at Tracey with curiosity. The poacher was starting to inch closer, and Tracey could feel the tension building. If the poacher started talking about Lila, everything would be blown wide open.

But before the poacher could say anything more, a loud, distracting noise rang out from the woods—Growlie barking frantically. Tracey’s heart skipped a beat. It was Wisty, trying to keep the attention off Lila. The poacher hesitated, glancing in the direction of the sound.

"Did you hear that?" the poacher asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes. "Sounded like—"

Before he could finish, Gary cut him off, casually stepping forward. "Oh, it’s just some of the Pokémon playing. Nothing to worry about. You know how it is." He shot the poacher a knowing look.

"Yeah, I’m sure it’s nothing," Oak added, his voice warm but firm. "Now, Tracey, you said you were just out for a walk?"

"Uh, yeah!" Tracey said quickly, trying to keep his cool. "Just... you know, clearing my head." He forced a grin.

Rowan raised an eyebrow, but before he could comment, Ash spoke up, pointing at the poacher. "Hey, uh, who’s this guy?" he asked innocently, looking at the stranger with curiosity.

"Just some guy I met in the woods," Tracey said quickly, throwing the poacher a nervous glance. "He’s... not from around here."

The poacher gave them a tight-lipped smile, clearly uncomfortable. "Yeah, just passing through. Got a lot of work to do, so—"

Gary interrupted smoothly, walking up beside Tracey. "Well, sounds like you're busy, so maybe you should be on your way." His voice was pleasant, but his tone carried an underlying sharpness that suggested the poacher shouldn’t linger.

The poacher looked at Gary for a moment, then at Oak and Rowan, before finally nodding. "Right, well, I’ll just be off then." He gave a curt wave and walked away, disappearing into the woods.

Wisty’s frantic barks from the guest room continued, but now that the poacher had left, Tracey let out a long breath. "That was too close," he muttered under his breath.

"Everything okay, Tracey?" Oak asked, still looking at him suspiciously but willing to let it go—for now.

"Yeah, everything’s fine," Tracey said with a forced smile, trying to act natural. "Just... you know, dealing with some... things. Pokémon stuff." He turned and quickly walked away, desperate to get back to Lila.

As the group began to disperse, Gary shot a glance toward Tracey and raised an eyebrow, as if he’d suspected something. Tracey’s heart raced—he wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep Lila’s secret.

The moment he was out of earshot, he dashed back toward the guest room, praying everything was still okay with Lila.

Back inside the room, Growlie was still on alert, his ears perked. Wisty was pacing, looking anxious, but when she saw Tracey, she let out a relieved sigh.

"You okay?" Wisty asked.

Tracey nodded, his shoulders slumping. "We’re good. The poacher almost said something, but we managed to throw him off track. He bought the ‘just passing through’ story. But we’ve got to be more careful."

Wisty nodded in agreement, holding Lila close. "I knew it was too risky bringing her here. We can’t let our guard down again."

"No more mistakes," Tracey said, giving her a stern look. "We need to keep Lila hidden, no matter what."

"Agreed," Wisty said firmly, settling down beside the Pouncer. "For now, we just wait it out and hope things stay quiet."

They both knew that the poacher wouldn’t give up easily. The battle to keep Lila safe was far from over.