" So......." Ash said, breaking the awkward silence. " What are we doing today, Professor Rowan?"

" Yeah!* Dawn chimed in. " I'm stoked!"

Wisty scoffed and turned. " You have a class to teach, Rowan."

Rowan rolled his eyes. " We can discuss this later, miss."

Wisty rolled her eyes and walked away, Eevee trailing behind her.

Brock leaned in, " sheesh those two need to calm down."

" You can't really blame 'em." Dawn whispered back. " They are rivals, after all."

" Yeah but even me and Gary weren't like this. The only one time-"

" Mind telling the rest of us what you're whispering about, Ketchum."

Ash turned. " Oh. Easy. I'm -"

Before he could reply he heard stomps.

Dangerous stomps.

" Oh no."

Dawn looked at Ash,. panicked. " What do you mean ' oh no'?!"

Before Ash could reply a very very very angry Wisty barged in. She turned to Rowan.

" You." She said in a dangerous voice. " You. You owe me an explanation right now."

Rowan blinked. " Now-"

Wisty grabbed the dude by the collar. " Don't play dumb with me." She whispered. " I might be eight but I'm way smarter than you."

Rowan opened his mouth, but before he could speak the eight year old did the unthinkable.

She yeeted the professor across the room.

Yeeted.

Ash scrambled to his legs. " Wisty what-*

Wisty turned. " Stay out of this."

Ash backed away nervously. " You got it, ma'am."

Dawn raised a brow. " Why'
d you call her ma'am?*

" Because she's angry."

" Where. Is. My. Togepi?"

Rowan looked up. " I have no ide-"

" TELL ME NOW!"

Gary stepped forward. " Now, Wisty. How about we-"

Wisty grabbed Gary's collar and held him up. " Stay outta this Oak. "

" Bu-"

" Might I inform you I have three guns at hand. And I am not afraid to use them. Is that understood?"

Gary nodded with wide eyes, and Wisty dropped him. " You're lucky I'm professor Oak's assistant or you would have been toast."

" Noted." Ash said quickly as he grabbed his best friend and pulled him away.

Professor Rowan adjusted his collar, regaining composure as he stood. "Wisty, you need to calm down. I truly have no idea where your Togepi is."

Wisty’s glare could melt steel. “Then why,” she hissed, “did I hear from one of your aides that it was taken to your lab?”

Rowan blinked. “Taken to my lab? That’s impossible—”

“Don’t you lie to me!” Wisty snapped, slamming a fist on the nearby table, causing the Poké Balls on it to rattle. Eevee let out a small, concerned “Eevee…” as it nudged Wisty’s leg, trying to calm her down.

Brock stepped forward cautiously. “Wisty, maybe this is just a misunderstanding. Why don’t we—”

“Not another word out of you, Brock,” Wisty cut him off, pointing a finger. “Unless you know where Togepi is, zip it.”

Dawn whispered to Ash, “Is she always like this?”

Ash shook his head nervously. “Not this bad. She’s just really protective of her Pokémon. I don’t think she’s ever lost one before.”

Wisty turned her gaze toward Rowan again. “You better start explaining, old man, before I start tearing this place apart.”

Rowan sighed heavily, raising his hands in a placating gesture. “Fine. Let me check my lab records. If Togepi was taken there, it would have been recorded. Please, just give me a moment.”

Wisty crossed her arms, still glaring. “You’ve got five minutes.”

Ash stepped in cautiously. “Uh, Wisty, maybe you should—”

“Did I ask for your opinion, Ketchum?”

Ash froze. “Nope. Carry on.”

Rowan hurried out of the room, leaving the group in awkward silence. Wisty began pacing, her hands clenched into fists. Eevee tried to climb up her leg, seeking comfort, but she didn’t seem to notice.

Gary, still rubbing his neck, muttered to Ash, “She’s worse than a Primeape on a bad day.”

Ash grimaced. “You have no idea.”

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Rowan returned, holding a clipboard. “It appears,” he said, adjusting his glasses, “that Togepi was transported to the lab… but it was part of a routine health check. It should be back in the habitat enclosure now.”

Wisty’s eyes narrowed. “And why wasn’t I informed?”

Rowan sighed. “A mistake on my part. I apologize.”

“Apologies don’t cut it.” Wisty turned to Eevee. “Eevee, we’re going to the lab. Now.”

Eevee gave a determined “Eevee!” and jumped onto her shoulder. Without waiting for anyone else, Wisty stormed out.

“Should we follow her?” Dawn asked.

“Do we have a choice?” Ash replied.

As the group hurried after Wisty, Gary muttered under his breath, “This girl’s scarier than Mewtwo…”

When they arrived at the lab, Wisty stormed through the doors like a whirlwind, not bothering to knock. Her piercing gaze swept across the room until she spotted her precious Togepi, sitting in an incubator-like device with a confused but happy chirp of “Toge! Priiiii!”

“Togepi!” Wisty cried, running over and scooping Togepi into her arms. Togepi cooed and nuzzled her, clearly thrilled to see her trainer. Wisty’s tough demeanor cracked for a split second, revealing the soft-hearted child underneath.

But that moment didn’t last.

Rowan cautiously approached, hands raised. “Wisty, you must understand—”

“Understand?” Wisty whirled around, glaring daggers. “Understand that you took my Togepi without asking? Without telling me? Are you out of your mind, old man?”

“I-It was for her own health!” Rowan stammered. “We were running a standard check—”

“Standard check my foot!” Wisty snapped, holding Togepi protectively. “You don’t just take someone’s Pokémon without permission! Do you have any idea how scared I was?!”

Gary stepped forward, trying to mediate. “Wisty, look, Rowan made a mistake, but—”

“No one asked you, Oak!” Wisty barked, her voice making Gary flinch.

Dawn tried next. “Wisty, I think you’re overreacting a little—”

Wisty spun on her heel, fixing Dawn with a fiery glare. “Overreacting?! How would you feel if someone snatched your Piplup?”

Dawn opened her mouth but promptly closed it, taking a step back.

Brock raised his hands. “Wisty, maybe we can all calm down and—”

“You think I’m not calm, Brock?!” Wisty shouted, making him stumble backward. “Do I look like I’m calm to you?!”

Ash, ever the brave one, decided to step in. “Wisty, come on. We’re all friends here. Let’s just—”

“Ash Ketchum,” Wisty interrupted, her voice low and dangerous, “you’re on thin ice. Don’t push it.”

Ash immediately backed off, muttering, “Got it. My bad.”

With everyone silenced, Wisty turned her attention back to Rowan, her glare as sharp as ever. “If you ever touch Togepi without asking me again, I swear, there won’t be a lab left to run. Do I make myself clear?”

Rowan nodded hastily. “Crystal clear.”

“Good.” Wisty adjusted Togepi in her arms and stormed out of the lab, leaving the others standing in stunned silence.

Gary rubbed his temples. “I think I need a vacation.”

Dawn sighed. “I thought Piplup was a handful.”

Ash shook his head. “Nope. This? This is on another level.”

Brock sighed deeply. “Next time, I’m staying out of it.”

They all exchanged a look, silently agreeing to give Wisty—and her Togepi—a very wide berth from now on.