My Pokémon Anime Journey | BOOK ONE: KANTO

The Copycat Mansion

Ari had heard of rain being a metaphor for sadness. In actuality, it probably just wasn't possible to be cheerful when being drenched by a storm.
The group spotted a mansion in the distance: salvation from the torrential downpour! Trying not to slip in the mud, they veered directly towards it, the only building around.

As the door was unlocked, Ari threw it open.
"Hello? Sorry for barging in!" She called. The mansion responded with a thicker silence, muffling even the rainwater.
Ari, Misty, and Brock were dripping all over the threshold. Ari placed Eevee down; the Evolution Pokémon shook herself dry, splattering dirt all over the polished wooden floor.
Misty yelled louder than Ari. "Is anybody here?" She jumped as some unseen bug briefly chirped to break the quiet.
Ari squeezed her hair dry and took a bigger look around, eyeing a platform like a theater's stage at the entrance hall's opposite end. Perhaps the owner was a renowned actor - or liked to pretend they were.
"Since nobody's around... we might as well stay here until the rain stops."
Brock and Misty nodded.
"Ve-vee!" Eevee nudged Ari's leg. Ari followed her Pokémon's line of sight to find a second Eevee.
"Where'd she come from?" Ari said.
Ari's Eevee leaned foward to sniff the other, who mirrored the action. They both held the same paw up. Moved their tails in sync. Of they hadn't started chasing each other in a perfect circle, Ari would've suspected a mirror.
Misty, enamoured by the cute antics, leaned foward to scoop up the second Eevee.
"Hi there!" Misty squealed. She admired the Eevee's face: her happiness turned to shock. She almost dropped the Eevee. "What is this? What's wrong with it?"
"Misty, what's your problem?" Said Brock.
Misty put the Eevee down and pointed at it accusingly. "It's face doesn't look right!"
Upon closer inspection, Ari and Brock saw the second Eevee had a fin mouth, drawn as a nervous smile, and pinpricks for eyes.
"It could be a new type of Eevee," Brock pondered.
"New kind?" Ari drew a Poké Ball. "Alright, then I'll Catch it!"
Another Poké Ball flew through the air with a woosh, knocking Ari's from her hand. Ari turned to see the thrower was-
-Another Ari?

This girl wore a red cap and black blouse. This girl's shorts had small grass stains, like the ones Ari couldn't get out. This girl wore shoes whose shine had faded. This girl wore the same bag in the same manner, and her hair cut in the same style as Ari's since Team Rocket had snipped it short at Celadon.
But this girl had hair like blue moss. This girl was not Ari - she was a pale imitation.
"Who are you?" Ari demanded.
The girl chuckled: a ringing like the tinkle of a bell. "Tell me who you are!" She teased.
"I'm Ari Mustar, from Pallet Town."
Again, the girl laughed like a sprite. "Duplica, from the house of Imite."
"Imite... imitate. That's why you look like me."
"That's right. I perform my imitation shows here."
The Eevee with the funny face scampered to Duplica's side.
Duplica regarded her partner with pity. "You still haven't gotten over your old habit."
The Eevee seemed to whither from dissapointment. Its body glowed and bubbled, melting into a purple blob.
As an automatic response, Ari used the Pokédex. Ditto, the Transform Pokémon. A Normal-type. It is able to rearrange the cells of its body to assume any form. Its only Move is Transform.
Misty took to Ditto instantly, smiling childishly upon discovering its squishy texture.
"If it can only learn Transform, you don't get the fun of teaching Ditto new Moves," Ari said. With a Pokémon like that, how could a Trainer know if they improved?
Duplica smirked. "Let's have a little match so you can understand Ditto's true power, Ari-girl."
"Ari-girl?!" Ari gripped Bulbasaur's Poké Ball tightly. This girl was on.

Ari and Duplica stood on either side of the stage, the spotlight overhead soaking into Bulbasaur's bulb.
Ari was more than ready. "Let's begin-,"
"Wait!" Misty dashed into the room - Ari hadn't noticed her leave - holding fresh popcorn. Misty took her place next to Brock in the audience, placing the popcorn between her. "You can start now!" She said, upon swallowing her first mouthful.
"Go, little Ditto! Transform!" Encouraged Duplica. Ditto mimicked Bulbasaur's appearance. Shape, size, his leafy hues - all exact. Yet the face was as derpy as the Eevee impression.
Ari ordered, "Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf!"
"Ditto, Vine Whip."
Vines shot, lightning-fast, from Ditto's body - just as they would on a real Bulbasaur - and swatted the Razor Leaves from the sky.
"So it can imitate attacks, too," Brock said.
"Alright!" Duplica celebrated. "Ditto, restrain Bulbasaur!"
Ditto's vines did not lose momentum, immediately restraining Bulbasaur. The Seed Pokémon squirmed, but was completely immobilised.
"Have you had enough yet, Ari-girl?" Asked Duplica.
The vines squeezed Bulbasaur tighter and tighter. His face became more and more pained...
Ari didn't want to be a quitter - but she had to admit she had been wrong about Ditto. "I understand. I give up," she said, hoping to save face.
Misty spat out some of her popcorn.
Ditto immediately released Bulbasaur, before reverting to its original form.
"But... how could the real thing lose?" Ari said quietly, returning Bulbasaur to his Poké Ball.
"Vee?" Eevee said.