After successfully delivering the medicine to Sunny Town, Ash and his companions continued their journey.
The heavens were not kind, however. As they reached the outskirts of town, the once-clear sky was suddenly blanketed by dark clouds, and a torrential downpour began in an instant. The three of them hurried along the muddy road, searching desperately for shelter.
"Look! There's a big house over there!" Misty, possessing a sharp eye, pointed toward an ancient-looking mansion standing in a clearing within the forest.
They sprinted to the eaves of the house and knocked on the door. A young girl with short brown hair and a slightly melancholy expression opened it; her name was Duplica. Upon learning that Ash and his friends were travelers seeking refuge from the rain, Duplica kindly invited them inside.
The interior was simple but tidy.
Soon, a purple, sludge-like Pokémon a Ditto slid out from an inner room, eyeing the guests with curiosity.
"This is my partner, Ditto," Duplica introduced, her voice carrying a trace of imperceptible disappointment.
To welcome them, Duplica had Ditto perform its specialty Transform. Ditto's body began to wriggle and shift. After a flash of light, it successfully took on the appearance of Pikachu! Its body, tail, and color were almost identical.
"Wow, it looks exactly like him!" Misty exclaimed in admiration.
However, as they looked closer, they discovered that while the body was perfect, the face of the transformed "Pikachu" still retained Ditto's signature beady eyes and a slightly curved mouth. It looked both hilarious and somewhat eerie.
"Sigh, it's always like this..." Duplica let out a heavy sigh. "My Ditto works very hard, and its transformations are almost perfect, but it just can't get the face right no matter how hard it tries. We've been practicing for a long time, but we haven't been able to break through this bottleneck."
Through his Aura Power, Ash could clearly sense the frustration within Ditto and the anxiety radiating from Duplica. He stepped forward, knelt down, and spoke gently to the Ditto. "It's okay, Ditto.
You've already done a great job! Transforming isn't just about imitating an appearance; it's more important to understand and feel the subject you are becoming. Don't rush; how about we try again together?"
Moved by Ash's kindness, Duplica, Brock, and Misty decided to join in for a special training session. they had Ditto take turns transforming into Pikachu, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and other Pokémon. The group patiently pointed out the details, encouraging Ditto to feel the expressions and temperaments of the different Pokémon.
However, the special training had not been underway for long when the mansion's front door was suddenly slammed open with a loud bang!
"Prepare for trouble!"
"And make it double!"
"We are Team Rocket, soaring through the rain! We'll be taking this rare Ditto, meow!"
The Team Rocket trio appeared right on cue, like cats smelling fish.
They had clearly been lurking outside the window for some time. Taking advantage of everyone's focus on the training, Jessie quickly threw a specialized capture net, accurately snaring Ditto. James and Meowth immediately retracted the ropes, dragging the struggling Ditto out the door before vanishing into the curtain of rain.
"Ditto!" Duplica cried out, frantic with worry.
"Damn it! After them!" Without hesitation, Ash led Misty and Brock into the rain to track Team Rocket.
Following the tracks in the mud and Ditto's faint, lingering scent, they tracked the trio to an abandoned shack that appeared to be a temporary Team Rocket hideout.
Peering through the window, they saw Team Rocket gloating as they admired Ditto, who was locked in a cage. They were already barking orders at it to transform.
"We have to save Ditto!" Ash whispered. He observed the surroundings of the shack, and his eyes fell upon several dusty old boxes in the corner, which seemed to contain some old stage costumes.
A brilliant and somewhat mischievous plan formed in his mind.
He signaled Misty and Brock to lean in and whispered his idea.
Misty and Brock were surprised at first, but their expressions quickly shifted to ones of eager anticipation.
The group quickly found suitable outfits from the boxes and began to wait for the perfect moment.
Meanwhile, inside the shack, the Team Rocket trio had just seen Ditto transform into Meowth. Just as they were about to order it to turn into another Pokémon, a voice rang out from outside.
"In your dreams!"
"Who's there?"
Click! A familiar spotlight shone down as the protagonist group began their parody entrance.
Ash: "Prepare for trouble!"
Brock immediately followed, mimicking James's tone: "And make it double!"
James's face turned red with rage at the sight. "How dare you imitate us?!"
Misty lowered her voice, doing her best to mimic Jessie's flair: "To protect the world from devastation!"
Duplica added: "To unite all peoples within our nation!"
Misty: "To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
Brock: "To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"Ash!" "Misty!" "Brock!" "And Duplica, our guest star for the night!"
"We are the Protagonist Group, soaring through the galaxy!"
"White hole! A white tomorrow awaits us!" "Pika-Pika!"
As Pikachu finished the closing line, Jessie and James were steaming with rage. They were experiencing what could only be described as a true "social death."
Even then, Duplica didn't forget to add, "No wonder Team Rocket always enters with such personality. Saying those lines feels amazing!"
While Team Rocket was plunged into a state of immense embarrassment, confusion, and shock, the Ditto in the cage seemed to be triggered by the hilarious and brave mockery—and perhaps the intense emotional fluctuations coming from Team Rocket.
Its body suddenly surged with power. Amidst a burst of light, it actually succeeded in transforming—into Meowth! But unlike before, this time, even the face was perfectly replicated. It was impossible to tell the difference!
"Meow? Why is there another me, meow?" The real Meowth stared through his paws, completely stunned to see a double of himself.
The Ditto-turned-Meowth nimbly used its claws to pick the simple lock on the cage. It then quickly reverted to its original form, jumped out the window, and returned to the side of Duplica and Ash.
Ash looked at the Ditto, which had successfully broken through its bottleneck and achieved a perfect transformation, and then looked at the shamed and soul-crushed Team Rocket. He felt a sudden impulse.
Although Team Rocket were always troublemakers, in a way, their kidnapping and the "humiliation-style" rescue that followed had provided Ditto with the necessary pressure and opportunity for its breakthrough.
Ash cleared his throat and spoke to the Team Rocket trio, who were still reeling from the aftermath of their social death. "Hey, Team Rocket. Considering you 'helped' train Ditto so it could finally reach perfection, I'll spare you the Pikachu shock this time. Just get out of here, and don't come after Ditto again."
Hearing this, Jessie, James, and Meowth recovered slightly from their overwhelming shame. They were... being let go? Although the reason was incredibly humiliating, it was still better than being blasted away by Pikachu's electricity.
More importantly, they wanted to flee this place where their reputations had been destroyed as quickly as possible. Disregarding their pride and Ditto entirely, the three scrambled out of the shack, even forgetting their hot air balloon as they vanished into the woods.
The rain gradually stopped, and a rainbow appeared on the horizon. Duplica hugged her Ditto, who had finally learned the perfect transformation, and wept tears of joy while repeatedly thanking Ash and the others.
"No need for thanks, Duplica. See? Even Team Rocket can be 'helpful' sometimes," Ash said with a laugh as he took off the ridiculous costume. "I'm sure you and Ditto will make an even better team from now on!"
That night, at Duplica's warm invitation, the group stayed over. Late in the night, the moonlight spilled through the window frames into the guest room as Duplica quietly slipped into Ash's room. Her face was flushed, and her eyes shimmered with a blend of gratitude and admiration.
"Ash," she said softly, "thank you so much for today. You didn't just help Ditto break through its bottleneck, you saved it from Team Rocket in such a clever way... I don't know how to repay you."
Ash looked at the sincere girl before him and smiled. "There's no need for a reward. Seeing you and Ditto smiling again is the best repayment I could ask for."
Duplica shook her head, summoning her courage to take a step forward. "No, I want to express my gratitude in my own way... Will you... explore the origins of life with me?"
Under the moonlight, two young hearts drew closer. On this night filled with the miracles of Ditto's transformation, they explored the most primal mysteries of life together.
[Ding! The host has helped Ditto break through its bottleneck and established a deep bond with Duplica. Reward: 300 World Origin Points.]
[Current World Origin Points: 19,400]
The next morning, after bidding farewell to a radiant Duplica and her perfectly transforming Ditto, Ash and his friends set off into the morning dew toward a new adventure.
Every encounter left a unique mark on their journey.
---
Translator's Note: We have to leave some unique memories, right? What plot points do you want to see next? Should we have Ash catch Jigglypuff early? Is there anything else worth writing before catching Jigglypuff?
🚨 Note: Consider supporting this story on Patreon.com/kleinmoretti to access 100+ advance chapters and 2 new chapters daily! (Full story bundles also available without a subscription).