014. Episode Inspiration: Ditto's Mysterious Mansion

This is the sixty-second submission for my attempt at looneytunerian's Pokeshipping Theme Challenge.

14. Episode Inspiration: Ditto's Mysterious Mansion

The air was fraught in anticipation for the oncoming battle. They had never seen a Ditto before, let alone a battle with one. Misty was no exception. It was probably due to that that she felt so excited for Ash’s match against Duplica. What Pokémon was he going to use against Ditto? Would Ditto transform into the same one Ash calls out? Or would Duplica have it transform into a completely different Pokémon? Oh, maybe she would have it transform into a super mega rare Pokémon that nobody has ever seen before?? … But wouldn’t that mean that Duplica and her Ditto wouldn’t have seen it either and make it impossible for Ditto to transform into that super rare Pokémon? 

Well, regardless, Misty was excited at all the possibilities. She also wanted to see Ash test his mettle against an opponent with such a rare ability. It had already been some months since they started traveling together and Misty had seen just how much Ash had grown in terms of training his Pokémon. He definitely wasn’t the best but he was far from the worst; the benchmark for worst being when he sent out his fresh-faced and underlevel Caterpie against Pidgeotto, not even knowing the simple logic of the animal kingdom. 

So, sitting on the floor before Duplica’s stage, popcorn in hand and already munching on it, Misty focused her sights on Ash and Duplica. Which was a little distracting in and of itself since Duplica was still wearing her mimicking costume of Misty’s young trainer friend. How did she manage to get the exact match of clothing, anyway? Down to finest detail on the sneakers, one might add! If Duplica’s skill as a trainer wasn’t anything to look at, then her copycat skill sure was! 

“Ditto’s power,” Brock mused aloud, “let’s just see.” Misty couldn’t agree more.

---

“Okay, so, how did their motto go again?” 

“I think it was… ‘Prepare for trouble and make it double’ and then… ‘To protect the world from devastation’?” 

“Yeah, and something like ‘To ignite all people within our nation’.” 

“We should definitely rehearse this a couple times before we actually do the performance,” Duplica said with pen and paper in hand and her director’s mentality up in the forefront. “If we’re going to surprise them with a taste of their own medicine, we have to get it right in all one go! That way, we get the best reaction from our audience,” she added coyly with a wink. Ash, Misty, and Brock agreed. If they were going to do it then they were going to have to do it right! Besides, they had heard Team Rocket recite their long-winded motto hundreds of times before. To be honest, it felt like a daily routine almost alongside brushing their teeth and eating breakfast. You know the day just hasn’t really gotten rolling until that annoying bad guy trio has come in with some ridiculous plan in mind and their matching motto to boot. 

Still, there was a bit of stage fright mixed within all this excitement, and this stream of anxiety was starting to affect their memory. Was it really ‘ignite’ for that second line? What about the next line? It was unfortunate that neither Ash, Misty, nor Brock could ask Duplica for help since this was her first encounter with Team Rocket. Her being used to stage performances and thus having much calmer nerves than any of them put together would really help in a time of recollection. Like now. However, this was not the case and so the three of them had to go off each other’s memories instead. They recited a few more lines of the motto before a question hit Misty. “What are we going to do with the part where we each say our names? Should we say them one at a time or two at a time?” she asked as she looked to her boys. 

“I think saying them one at a time is fine in a round-robin style,” Brock replied. “With Ash leading off and then you, Misty, and then me and then Duplica, who can do Meowth’s bit.” 

“What’s Meowth’s bit?” Duplica questioned. 

“Uhh, wasn’t it ‘Meeeoooowth dat’s right!’?” Ash recited, trying his best to mimic the talking cat’s unique accent. He felt a little knot form in his stomach as he said it, hoping his friends wouldn’t make fun of him for the possibly shoddy imitation. 

“Yeah, that’s it,” Brock said with a snap of his fingers and a smile. From what Ash could tell, the smile wasn’t to mock but a genuine one. 

“Now, what should be the order of ‘who says what lines’?” Duplica asked while looking down at her paper, scribbling down notes in the margin. 

“Probably the same round-robin style,” Brock said almost immediately. “You guys wouldn’t mind with that, right?” 

Ash shook his head with a ‘not at all’ but Misty, however, noticed the oh-so-nearly-undetectable smirk that pushed up the corner of Brock’s mouth. Her eyes narrowed at him as she felt this subconscious heat creep up along her cheeks. “And just what do you mean by that, Brock?” she asked with an almost accusatory look. 

“Nah, nothing,” Brock replied with a wave of his hand. “I just figured it’d be easier to go with the same pattern throughout the whole thing. It’ll make everyone less confused, wouldn’t you agree, Duplica?” 

Duplica, who was all but a second ago more focused on the makeshift script, looked up at Brock. And then to Misty. And then back to Brock with a quick side-glance to Ash, who was every bit confused about this new conversation as a newborn. Duplica wasn’t, however, as she had caught the context clues in Brock’s words just like Misty, who had gotten a bit of rosiness on her cheeks. “Yes, of course!” Duplica said in nearly too sweet of a voice. “No offense but since you guys are amateurs, I think this would be the best plan to go with. Good thinking, Brock!” 

“My pleasure,” Brock said with a small bow. 

“So… what’s going on? Misty, why are you so mad?” Ash slowly asked, looking between his friends with a deep-seated knot of confusion stuck on his brow. 

 “None of your business, Ash Ketchum!” Misty snipped at him with a quick turn of her head, arms firmly crossed as she began to pout and grumble. Brock could only internally sigh as he looked pitifully on at his friends. If their relationship was ever going to work, he thought, it would probably have to be in about five or so years. As they are now, they have a long way to go. 

---

The saying goes that ‘to understand someone else, you must first walk a mile in their shoes’. With Misty and Jessie and the whole performance idea that Duplica made up all in hopes of rescuing her Ditto, that couldn’t be more true. Wearing the Team Rocket uniform was uncomfortable, to say the least. Not only was it snug in every which place Misty moved but there were some parts that rode up too far for her liking. Like the skirt. Technically, there wasn’t a lot different between Jessie’s skirt and Misty’s shorts, what with the length and all but Misty could say otherwise. For one, her shorts had some room to spare for her pockets – something that Jessie’s skirt lacked. For another, Misty never felt anxious at having to bend over or move in any way that wasn’t standing straight up with her shorts. Jessie’s skirt? It felt like even trying to take baby steps across the room would let everyone get a show she didn’t give permission for. Oh boy, was this costume humiliating. 

The only distinction about that quote that Misty could think of, however, was that Jessie never seemed to mind the length nor the tightness of her uniform. She always spoke and strode with supreme confidence like she owned every bit of the world before her. Which, looking back on it, was probably something Misty could admire in her enemy. Despite how much she herself purported her own beauty, Misty still had some insecurities she needed to work out. It didn’t help having three amazingly beautiful older sisters to remind you of everything you lacked, especially with the enormous fanbase they had. Not that her sisters meant to hurt her genuinely – though the court’s still out on Lily – but it still got to Misty over all her differences to them. Looking into Duplica’s full body mirror, she tried not to sigh at the sight. A lanky body composed of nothing but knees and elbows dressed in a costume that was meant to accentuate parts of her body she had yet to grow. It took everything within herself to not blush out of sheer humiliation before tugging at the hem of her skirt, still trying desperately to avoid any future accidents. 

Meanwhile, across the room in full mimicking attire to James’ uniform, Ash stood by the dressing room windows with an unreadable expression. It was contemplative and a little confused with a mixture of anticipation, though that may have been due to his oncoming performance before Team Rocket. What made him have such a look on his face was not anything to do with what was going on outside but everything to do with his redhead friend standing in front of the mirror. He could feel a stir within his chest, the same kind of stirring he felt back at that summer festival where he and his friends (along with Team Rocket) fought against a Gastly that masqueraded as an actual ghost. He remembered how she looked that evening in her bubbly pink Goldeen yukata, hair loose and seeming soft to the touch. She was stunning and he was awestruck. So much in fact, that he only realized it when Misty invited him to dance. And here, now? He could feel himself going just as awestruck. 

“Something catch your attention there, Ash?” Brock suddenly asked, breaking the trance that held over his young friend. 

“N-no, not really,” Ash replied haphazardly, his gaze falling to the floor in increasing embarrassment. He tried his best to ignore the growing heat on his cheeks and hoped beyond hope that Brock couldn’t see any of it. If he did, then his friend was good-natured enough to not let him know. Ash knew the last thing he needed right now was an audience for the study of his own internal conflict. Especially if Misty got involved. And like second nature, with that thought bringing him back around to the start, his eyes looked up to catch the sight of her and somehow make an imprint in his mind of just how beautiful she looked. Thankfully, she was still too distracted with fixing her costume and he was too distracted with her to realize his own admission as a small smile spread across his lips.

So, (forgot to mention it but) over a year since the first theme-turned-drabble-post was made, I have finally come back to write some more! I know how much y'all must have missed my writing, right? ;D (That was sarcasm, by the way, if you didn't catch that.)

To be honest, the episodes besides "The Misty Mermaid" aren't very Pokeshipping specific. Heck, they barely had any hints at all. I definitely felt like I was grabbing at straws when I was re-watching the episodes and was trying to take notes on any (and all) hints. You could say I set myself for failure (or at least a challenge) by making myself write these drabbles based on actual dialogue and events in the episodes. So, I only have myself to blame. ^_^;; Which is why I caved and wrote a couple drabbles based on my own ideas instead of following the self-imposed canon rule. And look at what happened! I wrote nearly a full chapter length drabble! It's almost disgusting at how loose I let my own reins go. Like a wild & irate animal, I swear. ;P Hope y'all enjoy reading stuff that never happened in the episode (onscreen anyway)! 8D

And I hope you're looking forward to the other drabble-ridden themes. ;)

Art & Writing © Yours Truly, Hakui-Kitsune
Ash Ketchum & Misty © Satoshi Tajiri, Nintendo, Gamefreak Inc., OLM Inc., The Pokemon Company (& International), & Pokemon USA
Pokeshipping 100 Theme Challenge © looneytunerian