31 Ditto's Mysterious Mansion

After the events with the Biker Gang, Ashlyn and her friends continue their journey. The gang was walking along the path to Cinnabar Island when they saw some clouds were gathering.

"A storm?" Ashlyn asked.

As soon as she said that it began to pour down on them making them run for it to find shelter.

"Let's get out of this!" Ashlyn decided as they ran along the path, hoping to find some shelter.

"Where can we go?! We're in the middle of nowhere." Misty pointed out.

Ashlyn spotted something ahead of them, "Guys look!"

Looking in the direction she was pointing to, they saw it was an old looking house in the middle of nowhere.

"What's that?" Brock asked.

"I don't like the looks of it." Misty commented.

"That'll have to do, let's go!" Ashlyn said. They all went inside the house shaking the water off of them.

"Hello? Sorry for barging in!" Ashlyn called out.

"Is anybody here?" Misty called out.

The gang walked further in and noticed a stage that had a sign above that read "IMITE HOUSE" on it.

"It looks like some kind of theater." Brock said.

Misty nodded, "Yeah."

"Well, since nobody's around, we might as well stay here until the rain stops." Ashlyn suggested.

"Good idea." Volkner agreed.

Soon, Tesla noticed something.

"Raichu! (Look you guys!)" Tesla said.

Everyone turned to Tesla and saw another Raichu right in front of Tesla.

"(Where'd that other Raichu come from?)" Lucario asked.

The other Raichu copies everything that Tesla was doing.

"Arf arf (Interesting little Raichu)." Boltund commented.

Volkner's Raichu nodded, "Rai."

"How cute!" Misty squealed as she went over to the other Raichu and picked it up, "Hi there!"

Misty's happiness soon turns to surprise and shock when she noticed that the Raichu's face was different from Tesla's. She dropped the Raichu, "What is this?! What's wrong with it?!"

"What's your problem?" Flint asked.

"That Raichu doesn't look right!" Misty pointed at the Raichu.

Everyone looked and saw what Misty meant.

"Could be a new type of Raichu." Brock theorized.

Raichu shook his head, "Rai (I don't think so)."

"Could this be...a Ditto?" Ashlyn questioned as she knelt down in front of it.

"A Ditto?" Volkner asked, curious.

Ashlyn scanned the Pokémon.

[Ditto, a Transform Pokémon. It is able to rearrange the cells of its body and assume any form. Its only attack is Transform.]

The weird looking Raichu transformed into a pink blob with a smiling face.

Ashlyn smiled back as she petted Ditto, "Squishy."

"So it is a Ditto." Brock concluded.

They heard someone giggle, "You're actually the first to figure that out."

They turned towards the source of the voice to see a girl with green hair that was in two ponytails, red shirt, and purple pants. Ashlyn recognized her as Duplica.

"Who are you?" Misty asked.

Duplica smiled at them, "My names Duplica from The House of Imite."

"Pleasure to meet you, Duplica." Ashlyn greeted, "I'm Ashlyn Ketchum."

Everyone introduced themselves and the Pokémon.

"Duplica? As in, duplicate?" Flint blinked.

"Yup," Duplica nodded and turned over to Ditto who bounced over to her and she caught it as it jumped into her arms, "Still trying to get out of your habit, Ditto?"

Ditto nodded sadly.

"Habit?" Volkner asked.

"Whenever Ditto transforms into a Pokémon or anything else, it's face stays the same." Duplica replied with a sad expression.

"(Poor Ditto.)" Lucario said, sadly.

"I want to become a Ditto Master, but I can't because when Ditto transforms into other Pokémon its face doesn't change. And the audiences don't like it very much." Duplica explained.

Ditto looked down.

"I just don't know what to do." Duplica said.

"How about we help Ditto practice until it's able to get right?" Ashlyn suggested.

Duplica blinked at Ashlyn, "Huh?"

"I can easily tell that you cared deeply about Ditto and I know with enough practice, Ditto can transform as long as you believe in it." Ashlyn stated.

Duplica had a complicated expression and looked down at Ditto, "Ditto, what do you think?"

Ditto pumped his arm in the air, "Ditto! (Let's do it!)"

Duplica smiled softly at Ditto and turned to Ashlyn, "Alright, let's give a try!"

"Okay then, first things first; Ditto should try transform into someone or something that it's familiar with." Ashlyn instructed.

Duplica pondered, "But what should I ask it to transform into?"

"Well...try asking it to transform into you?" Brock suggested.

"That's a great idea! If Ditto transforms into Duplica then maybe it can get the hang of transforming into something else without a problem." Misty smiled.

Duplica smiled, "I'll try it! Ditto transform into me!"

Ditto jumped out of her arms and transformed into her...but the face still didn't change much to their disappointment.

"It didn't work." Flint commented.

"Arf (You're right)." Boltund agreed.

"Give it one more go Ditto." Ashlyn encouraged.

"Raichu (Try again)." Raichu added.

Ditto, still transformed into Duplica, transformed into Ashlyn this time and one of its eyes looked like Ashlyn's.

"Oh! Its eye!" Misty observed.

Brock smiled, "That's a start."

"Try Raichu again." Ashlyn said.

Ditto transformed into Raichu again this time and the face was almost half way there.

"Almost there Ditto, you can do it!" Duplica encouraged.

Ditto tried one more time and transformed into Duplica again only this time...Ditto finally got it.

"You did it!/Raichu (You did it!)" Ashlyn and Tesla cheered.

"Nicely done." Volkner complimented.

The Pokémon cheered as well.

Duplica hugged Ditto that was still transformed into her, "I'm so proud of you Ditto! I knew you could do it!"

Ditto hugged its trainer back with a smile.

"Congrads, Duplica." Ashlyn smiled.

Unexpectedly, Duplica and Ditto hugged Ashlyn, "Thank you, Ashlyn."

Ashlyn hugged them back and then let go, "Ditto was able to transform perfectly because you believed in it and it responded to your feelings."

"That's right." Brock agreed.

"Many trainers who have a Ditto would probably give up," Volkner stated, "But you didn't."

"He's right, ya know." Ashlyn smiled.

Duplica smiled at that.

Suddenly, the lights go out and the spotlights pan around the curtains, the gang's surprise, as Team Rocket rose from under the stage.

"Such a heartwarming moment." Jessie mocked.

"What? Who are you?" Duplica questioned.

"Prepare for trouble!" Jessie announced.

"Make it double!" James added.

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all peoples within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love."

"To extend our reach to the stars above."

"Jessie."

"James."

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! That's right! Let's give 'em a hand!" Meowth said.

"Okay, show's over. Time to go back home." Ashlyn clapped her hands in a bored tone.

"Quiet, young twerp. You'll be happy to know we're not interested in your Raichu, Lucario, or Boltund today." Jessie stated.

"We're here for..." James trailed off.

Meowth leaped off the stage, "The Ditto!"

Lucario quickly got in front of Duplica and Ditto and used Force Palm on Meowth which sent the cat Pokémon back to Jessie and James.

"Well that didn't work." James pointed out.

"I can see that!" Jessie snapped which caused James to flinch and step back.

"Primeape, come on out!" Ashlyn released Primeape who appeared on stage next to Team Rocket.

Team Rocket flinched when they saw Primeape in front of them.

"Primeape, use Karate Chop and Low Kick!" Ashlyn ordered.

Primeape launched both attacks on Team Rocket which caused them to fly off stage on the other side of the gang.

"Boltund, use Tackle!" Ashlyn commanded.

Botund ran towards Team Rocket and rammed into them which sent them bursting through the doors and landing outside of the mansion.

"Tesla, Boltund, Primeape, Thunderbolt! Lucario, Aura Sphere!" Ashlyn called out.

"Raichu, use Thunderbolt as well!" Volkner ordered.

"Ditto, use Thunderbolt too!" Duplica ordered.

All attacks went towards Team Rocket and sent them flying into the sky.

"I can't believe that we got beaten by that Primeape again!" Jessie growled.

"I can't believe that the twerp caught that Primeape." James sighed.

"You know what I believe?" Meowth asked.

"Yeah." Jessie and James said.

"TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!" They shouted before they disappeared in the sky.

"Well done, everyone." Ashlyn complimented the Pokémon.

All the Pokémon smiled and cheered.

Suddenly they heard a noise nearby. Ashlyn recognized the noise.

"My egg!" She gasped and took off her back. She quickly got the incubator out and removed the egg from. She sat down and held the egg in her lap. Everyone got behind her. The egg glowed brightly and when it went down, Ashlyn was shocked again at what Pokémon had hatched: A Shiny Raikou!

She took out her phone and scanned the Pokémon.

[Raikou, the Thunder Pokémon. It's said to have descended to earth on a bolt of lightning.

Note: This different coloration indicates that this Pokémon is a shiny Pokémon.]

"Hi Raikou. I'm your trainer." Ashlyn greeted the baby Raikou.

The baby Raikou looked up at Ashlyn and nuzzled her cheek. Ashlyn smiled as she petted the new baby Pokémon.

"Wow, another shiny rare Pokémon." Brock said.

"And a cute one too." Misty smiled.

"So now you have the beast trio, Ashlyn." Volkner commented.

"I guess so." Ashlyn said.

"I didn't know that baby Pokémon were so adorable." Dulpica stated and Ditto nodded.

"Trust me, they are." Ashlyn said.

Primeape got in front of Ashlyn and smiled at the baby Raikou who smiled back.

"Primeape sure loves being around baby Pokémon." Flint stated.

"He sure does." Ashlyn agreed.

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Duplica was outside fixing the sign on the mansion.

"There! The Imite House is reopened!" Duplica announced.

"Congratulations!" Ashlyn said.

"You did it, Duplica!" Misty cheered.

"You and Ditto are gonna become stars!" Flint complimented.

"Thanks for everything! Come back and see us anytime, okay?!" Duplica said, happily

"Good luck, and take care of yourself, Ditto master!" Ashlyn smiled as she waved to her.

Then the gang was on the road once more.

===================================

Pokémon on hand: Raichu (Tesla)(F), Lucario (M), Pidgeot (F), Shiny Suicune (Azure)(F), Bulbasaur (M), Shiny Charmander (Natsu)(M), Squirtle (M), Shiny Gyarados (Rory)(M), Dratini (F), Shiny Entei (Searius)(M), Primeape (M), Scyther (F), Boltund (M), Shiny Rapidash (Comet)(M), Shiny Raikou (Thor)(M)

Prof. Oak's Lab:

Mienfoo (F), Glaceon (F), Leafon (F), Shiny Rapidash (Comet)(M), Jolteon (F), Flareon (M), Vaporeon (F), Shiny Sylveon (Parisa)(F), Shiny Umbreon (Mani)(M), Espeon (F), Clefable (F), Sandslash (M), Butterfree (M), Pink Butterfree (Momo)(F), Gengar (M), Rockruff (M), Raboot (M), Braixen (F), Kingler (M), Magnemite (Genderless), Muk (M), Nidorina (M), Nidorino (F), Marowak (F), Cubone (M), Dewgong (M), Persian (F), Horsea (F), Vulpix (F), Eevee (F), Abra (M), Kangaskhan (F), Growlithe (F), Tauros (9)