"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 straightened his coat, coughing to regain his composure after being unceremoniously flung across the room. "Now see here, young lady," he began, his voice firm but wary of provoking another outburst, "I assure you, I have no knowledge of your Togepi's whereabouts. I suggest you calm down so we can discuss this rationally."

"Rationally?" Wisty growled, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Rationally? You lose my Togepi, and you want me to calm down? I don’t think so, old man."

Ash nudged Dawn and Brock, whispering, "We need to diffuse this before it gets worse."

Brock nodded. "I’ll handle it." He stepped forward cautiously, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "Wisty, listen, I know you’re upset—"

"Upset?" Wisty interrupted, turning her fiery glare on Brock. "Upset doesn’t even begin to cover it. You think losing a Pokémon is just a minor inconvenience? Togepi’s my family!"

"She’s got a point," Dawn whispered to Ash.

"Yeah, but throwing people isn’t the solution!" Ash whispered back.

Gary, now rubbing his neck, muttered, "This is exactly why I avoid working with her. She’s got a temper worse than a Primeape."

Wisty snapped her head toward him. "I heard that, Oak! You want a demonstration of my temper?"

Gary immediately shook his head, stepping behind Ash. "Nope. All good here."

Professor Rowan sighed deeply, brushing off his coat. "Wisty, if you want us to help, you need to cooperate. What’s the last thing you remember before Togepi went missing?"

Wisty narrowed her eyes but grudgingly answered, "We were at the forest edge near Lake Verity. Togepi was playing with Eevee, and then—poof—she was gone. And I know someone here knows something!"

Rowan exchanged a glance with Ash, Dawn, and Brock. "Lake Verity, you say? That’s not far from here. There have been reports of unusual Pokémon activity in that area. It’s possible Togepi was caught up in something bigger."

"Unusual activity?" Wisty repeated skeptically. "If you’re trying to distract me with vague answers, it’s not going to work."

"It’s true!" Dawn interjected. "We’ve seen some strange stuff near the lake, too. Pokémon acting weird, lights in the sky—"

"Enough talk!" Wisty declared, cutting her off. "We’re wasting time. If Togepi’s near Lake Verity, then we’re going now."

"But—" Rowan began.

"No buts." Wisty turned on her heel, marching toward the door. "Eevee, let’s go!"

"Eevee!" her partner chirped, trotting after her.

Ash sighed. "Guess we’re going to Lake Verity."

Brock adjusted his backpack. "We’d better hurry before she storms the place on her own."

Gary groaned. "Why do I feel like this is going to end with someone—or something—getting yeeted again?"

"Because it probably will," Dawn said, following Wisty with a resigned expression. "Let’s just make sure it’s not one of us."

The group arrived at Lake Verity, the serene atmosphere completely at odds with the storm brewing in Wisty's fiery glare. They scanned the area carefully, with Eevee sniffing around for clues.

"Where’s Togepi?" Wisty muttered, her fists clenched tightly.

"Relax," Brock said nervously. "We’ll find her."

Just then, an unmistakable cackle echoed through the trees.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"And make it double!"

The group groaned in unison.

"You’ve got to be kidding me," Ash muttered as Jessie and James emerged from the bushes, followed by Meowth. In James’s arms, Togepi wiggled unhappily.

"Togepi!" Wisty yelled, her voice shaking with fury.

James smirked, holding Togepi up like a trophy. "Looking for this little one? She’s ours now!"

"Yeah, twerps!" Jessie added. "And with this cutie, Team Rocket will finally—"

"NOPE!" Wisty interrupted, charging forward with the ferocity of a Tauros.

James barely had time to blink before Wisty launched herself at him, yanking Togepi free. She landed with a roll, cradling her Pokémon protectively.

"Togepriiii!" the little Pokémon chirped happily.

"How dare you steal my Togepi!" Wisty growled, glaring at the trio.

"Hey, kid, let’s not be hasty—" James began, backing away.

But it was too late. Wisty hurled her Poké Ball, releasing a snarling Arcanine. "Flamethrower! Full power!"

"Wait, what?!" Jessie screamed as a wall of fire engulfed them, sending the trio blasting off before they could even finish their catchphrase.

Ash blinked. "That was… fast."

Wisty turned to the group, still seething. "And you!" She pointed at Rowan. "You let this happen. This is your fault!"

Rowan opened his mouth to argue but decided against it, opting instead to hide behind Gary, who promptly shoved him aside.

"Don’t look at me!" Gary said, raising his hands. "I’m not getting involved in this!"

But Wisty was having none of it. She stepped toward him, her expression enough to make even the cockiest Oak descendant break into a sweat.

"Arcanine, roar!" she commanded.

Gary let out a terrified yelp as Arcanine’s deafening roar sent him stumbling backward into a tree.

"Wisty," Brock tried, "I think we’ve made our point—"

"No! Nobody messes with me or my Togepi and gets away with it!"

Dawn and Ash exchanged a glance before deciding it was safer to just stay out of her way.

By the end of it, Jessie, James, Meowth, Gary, Rowan, Ash, Dawn, and Brock were all either scorched, trembling, or hiding behind trees.

Wisty, meanwhile, stood victorious, Togepi perched happily on her shoulder. She adjusted her cap with a satisfied smirk. "Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get some ice cream. Togepi deserves a treat after all this nonsense."

The group watched her leave, Arcanine and Eevee trailing behind like loyal bodyguards.

"Is it over?" Dawn whispered.

Ash shook his head. "Nope. Not by a long shot."

Gary groaned from his spot on the ground. "I’m transferring to another region after this."