Ditto was truly an unreliable little thing. Relying on it to stay focused was like waiting for a pig to fly.
Feng Che watched in horror as a panicked Ditto (Golbat form) scrambled out of the forest path. Hot on its heels was a massive Kingler, followed by a dozen larger-than-average Krabby—likely the leader's personal guard.
"This is the worst possible start!" "How can you be this incompetent?!" "Fine... we have to fight our way out!"
Feng Che didn't hesitate. He pulled a Pitcher Plant filled with concentrated Sweet Scent from his bracelet and hurled it at the oncoming swarm. The Kingler, seeing a projectile, reacted instinctively with a Slash. A white flash sliced the plant open, drenching the Kingler in the intoxicating lure.
Suddenly, the Kingler found itself covered in a scent that drove its own subordinates mad. The Krabby guards looked at their leader with burning, hungry eyes. Ignoring the intruders, they swarmed over their own leader, trying to get to the scent.
Only then did the Golbat-Ditto flutter down, landing near Feng Che.
[Ditto: That was close! Too close! I thought that crab was going to clip my wings for sure.][Ditto: I don't get it. Why was it fine when Rookidee did it? I just flapped my wings a little and the whole beach came after me!]
Ditto's internal grumbling was cut short when it felt a gaze cold enough to freeze hell. It looked up to see Feng Che's face, dark as ink and eyes burning with fury. The blob retreated a few steps, hiding behind a leaf.
"Stop cowering and transform into Electrode! Support the Krabby!" Feng Che barked. "I'll deal with your laziness later, but right now, MOVE!"
Ditto realized it had truly messed up. It rolled onto the ground and shifted into the spherical Electric-type.
"Aim for the Kingler! Don't hit the Krabby—they're our distraction!"
Ditto unleashed a bolt of electricity. At that exact moment, the Kingler shifted to dodge an underling's pincer. The bolt struck a Krabby squarely in the shell. The Krabby did a quick "electric dance" before collapsing, a faint smell of grilled crab meat wafting through the air.
Aw, nuts. Ditto's expression was one of pure dread.
"DITTO!" Feng Che roared. "Focus! This is a battle, stop the 'accidental' sabotage!"
[Ditto: Little Ditto didn't mean it... sob sob (T_T)]
"Get closer! Don't let the Kingler recover!"
Feng Che noticed the Kingler's giant claw glowing with a blinding white light. It's charging a Crabhammer! If it lands that, the Krabby won't be able to hold it back anymore.
"Rookidee, use Whirlwind to keep the guards pinned to the leader! Ditto, use Static on the main claw!"
Rookidee created a localized storm, forcing the Krabby to dig their claws deeper into the Kingler's armor to stay grounded. This gave Ditto the opening to discharge a weak but precise spark onto the Kingler's giant pincer. The white light vanished. The Crabhammer failed.
The Kingler shrieked in pain and humiliation. Its eyes turned a murderous red as it ignored its underlings and lunged toward the source of the interference. It ignored the paralysis and unleashed a massive Slash.
"DODGE!"
Feng Che threw himself into a roll. A second later, the massive ancient tree he had been standing behind was cleaved clean in half. The shockwave sent Rookidee and Ditto tumbling back, both taking light damage.
"Get up! We need to end this!"
Feng Che pulled a Hallucinogenic Mushroom from his bracelet and tossed it to Rookidee. "Rookidee! Into its mouth! Now!"
Despite her singed feathers, Rookidee took flight. She dove through a gap in the Kingler's frenzy and dropped the mushroom directly into its gaping maw just as it opened to roar. The Kingler swallowed instinctively.
Moments later, the Kingler's eyes turned a deep, sickly crimson. Its shell began to flush an unnatural red, as if it were being boiled alive. It began to vibrate like a balloon about to pop.
"Now! Ditto, Thunderbolt!"
A massive arc of golden electricity—far stronger than its usual Thundershock—erupted from the Electrode-Ditto. Feng Che realized that in its desperation, Ditto had finally mastered Thunderbolt.
The Kingler, hallucinating and trapped by its own swarming guards, couldn't move. The electricity tore through the entire group. Krabby and Kingler alike spasmed violently before collapsing like a house of cards.
Ditto reached Level 15!
The blob reverted to its base form, exhausted and charred. It lay like a puddle of melted strawberry ice cream.
"Good job, buddy. Rest now." Feng Che checked Ditto. It was suffering from severe burn recoil and exhaustion. He applied a sliced Rawst Berry to the burns. "Sleep it off. You won't feel the pain when you wake up."
He recalled Ditto into its ball, leaving the lock open so it could emerge when healed. Then, he turned to the treasure.
Rookidee brought him the Silver Key. Feng Che sprinted to the partially buried chest and unlocked it.
Click.
Inside was a gravity-triggered explosive device—a trap for those who tried to pry it open—and six Black Rocket Balls, along with a 50-point Credit Plate.
Feng Che swept the loot into his bracelet. He looked at the unconscious Kingler. With the official Rocket Balls, this thing is mine.
He hurled a Black Ball. The Kingler was sucked in without resistance. The ball clicked and—interestingly—automatically locked.
So that's how they do it. I can't use the Pokémon I catch in these balls; they're strictly for points. Good thing I bought my own balls for Rookidee.
Exhausted, Feng Che collapsed onto the sand, the adrenaline finally fading. He pulled out his communicator to check on the others.
"Man... what a harvest."
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