Scrunchie's eyes sharpened.
The moment Ditto splashed happily and was about to leave the fountain, she moved.
Without warning, she jumped forward, the steel bowl clutched tightly in her hands. In one swift motion, she flipped it over—
Clang!
The bowl trapped Ditto beneath it.
Instantly, the metal shook, and the bowl rattled violently against the stone fountain edge, trembling as it was struggling to go out with all its strength.
The old man gasped.
"Miss! That's dangerous!" he rushed forward, panic filling his voice. "You cannot do that without your own Pokémon! What if it attacks you?"
Scrunchie pressed both hands firmly against the bowl, her expression calm despite the violent shaking. "Don't worry. You already know who I am." Smirking at the old man.
''I know, little miss. But you are hurti_" The old man says out.
The bowl shook harder.
"If I don't break its will now, it will never follow me", she said quietly, tightening her grip. The silence comes out between them.
Then—
A thin stream of smoke slipped from beneath the steel edges.
The old man froze.
"… there's smoke…" The steel bowl began to glow faintly red.
"Miss!" he shouted, voice trembling. "The bowl is getting hot! Get your hands off that bowl. "
Scrunchie didn't move.
Her fingers tightened even as the heat burned her palms. The metal turned darker red.
Her skin began to burn. Still, she held on.
Then—
BOOM!
The people in downtown got startled with loud bang coming out from the top of a valley and faint smoke coming out.
"'Is that smoke coming out from that big Manor. ''
''I don't see one. But it seems the sound came from that direction.''
The carpenter working with old man macho also witnessed that loud sound.
''What just happened?''
''Why did the sound come from the silenced part of the valley.""
Macho worried and ran immediately without looking back at him.
"Wait! Macho, I'm coming too.". The carpenter says out loud. The small boy with glittering white hair runs after him. ''Did you get hurt, father?'"
''No, son, but it seems like someone got hurt. I hope that girl and the old man are fine."
The small boy's eyes locked on the faint smoke as the birds flew away.
-
The steel bowl exploded upward, blasting Scrunchie backward. Smoke burst into the air, and flames flickered briefly.
The old man stumbled back in shock.
From the smoke, a small figure appeared— Cyndaquil.
Flames erupted from its back, flickering dangerously. The old man rushed forward, panic-stricken.
"Miss! Are you alright?"
Scrunchie pushed herself up silently, brushing dust from her dress. Her wide insane eyes never left the Pokémon.
"Ditto.…" she whispered.
The Cyndaquil looked startled. Then it turned and tried to run.
Scrunchie moved immediately and ran toward the garden corner, grabbing the long hose lying near the fountain. She twisted the valve open.
And the Water burst out.
She aimed directly at the fleeing Cyndaquil. The spray hit it hard.
Steam rose instantly as water met flames. Cyndaquil stumbled, its fire weakening.
It slowed, and the flames became weak.
The body softened. The shape melted, transforming back to Ditto appeared again, weak and wobbling.
Scrunchie didn't hesitate a single minute as she leaped forward again, slamming the bowl down with her seared hand.
Clang!
"I got it," she said quietly, pressing down firmly. The bowl trembled again.
Then suddenly—
The bowl lifted along with her. Scrunchie's feet left the ground. A massive dark blue-green body rose.
The old man gasped in horror. "Miss! What have you done?"
Scrunchie was suddenly hanging from the neck of the giant Pokémon. Snorlax.
"I think ditto is angry." She heard him and looked at Snorlax.
Snorlax shook its head, roaring angrily. It tried to throw her off.
But Scrunchie didn't budge.
Suddenly, she tightened her grip and lifted the still-hot steel bowl.
"Without hesitation, she swung the bowl.
''Take back your flame."
Bang!
The giant Pokémon roared and jumped, shaking the entire garden. Trees rustled. Birds scattered into the sky.
Chaos erupted.''It hurts, right?"
Snorlax's eyes flared with fury. It leaped— Its massive body rose into the air. Scrunchie was shocked and confused at the same time.
The old man's face turned pale.
"Miss… no—"
Snorlax crashed downward.
Body Slam.