Gary knelt beside Wisty, his eyes scanning her tired expression and the Pokémon gathered around her. He gave her a half-smile, trying to gauge how to approach the situation. "I saw you out here and figured something was up," he said. "You okay?"

Wisty shrugged, sitting up slowly. "Do I look okay?" she asked, her voice sharper than she intended. She sighed and softened. "Sorry. I'm just... overthinking everything. Like usual."

Gary crossed his arms and sat down on the grass beside her, his own Eevee hopping into his lap. "Sounds like you've got a lot on your mind. Wanna talk about it?"

Wisty looked at her Pokémon, who all seemed just as concerned as Gary. She fiddled with the hem of her sleeve, avoiding his gaze. "I don't know," she admitted. "It's just... I don't think I can do this. The whole gym challenge thing. The training, the traveling, the pressure. I thought it was what I wanted, but now I'm not so sure."

Gary tilted his head. "Why not? You've got two badges already. That's proof you're more than capable."

"It's not about being capable," Wisty said, shaking her head. "It's about whether it's the right path for me. I love my Pokémon, but... I feel like I'm holding them back. They deserve more than just following me around while I try to figure out my life."

Gary leaned back on his hands, looking up at the sky. "You know, I've been where you are. Feeling stuck, wondering if I'm on the right path. It's not a fun place to be."

"Yeah, well, how'd you get out of it?" Wisty asked, her tone a mix of skepticism and hope.

He smirked. "I realized something important. Your Pokémon are with you because they want to be. They believe in you. Even if you're unsure, they're not. And as long as you keep going, they'll follow. Because to them, you're already enough."

Wisty blinked, her gaze dropping to Togepi, Chikorita, Eevee, and Charmander, all of whom nodded enthusiastically at Gary's words. Her Togepi even hopped into her lap, chirping happily. "You guys..." she murmured, her throat tightening.

Gary gave her a nudge. "Look, no one said you have to have it all figured out right now. Take it one step at a time. And hey, if you decide gyms aren't your thing, that's okay too. There's more to being a trainer than collecting badges."

Wisty stared at him for a moment before a small smile crept onto her face. "You know, for someone who used to be kind of a jerk, you're not half bad at this whole pep talk thing."

Gary grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment."

She laughed softly, feeling a little lighter than before. "Thanks, Gary. I think... I think I just needed to hear that."

"Anytime," he said, standing up and offering her a hand. "Now, how about we get back to camp? I'm sure Ash is doing something ridiculous again."

Wisty rolled her eyes but took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. "Probably. Let's go make sure he doesn't blow anything up."

As they walked back, Wisty felt a newfound determination growing inside her. Maybe she didn't have all the answers yet, but with her Pokémon and friends by her side, she figured she'd find her way eventually.