Hearing Jason's righteous protest, Cynthia slapped her forehead lightly as if she'd just remembered.
"Ah, look at my memory—got so caught up in the fun I forgot the important part."
She walked over to Iono, looked at Jason dangling from Iono's hand, and a sly glint flickered in her eyes.
She deliberately lowered her voice, speaking with layered meaning: "Thing is… this mission really can't be done without you, Jason."
Jason's protest cut off instantly.
His help? It has to be him?
He froze. Thoughts bolted through his head like wild horses.
Wait—what kind of situation could need a Ditto's help? And not just anyone's: both Cynthia and Iono?
What special ability did he have?
Talking? Sure, unusual—but "indispensable"?
Transforming? That's just Ditto 101.
And then…
There was one more—something every Ditto had; something unique and… irreplaceable.
A terrifying notion rose slowly from the depths of his mind.
No way…
They're taking me to some place with an endangered species and then—
—then making me lay eggs?!
He pictured a crowd of bizarre-looking Pokémon while Cynthia and Iono stood outside with clipboards, solemnly telling him, "Jason, for the sake of the species, we're counting on you." The world spun.
No! My purity! My freedom!
His beady eyes went wide with terror. He stared at the two breathtakingly beautiful women before him—smiling oh-so-gently—with the look one saves for human traffickers.
Seeing him react like he'd seen a ghost, Cynthia and Iono both blinked and traded a puzzled glance.
They were both sharp; with a little thought they quickly deduced what horrifying path his little brain had just sprinted down.
The next second, their lips curled upward in perfect sync.
"Pfft…"
One of them leaked a laugh.
That was the fuse.
"Ahahahahahaha!"
"Oh man—I can't—ahahaha—this is killing me!"
Iono broke first, doubled over with laughter, hands shaking so hard she nearly dropped him. Cynthia's champion composure was gone; she covered her mouth, but laughter spilled through her fingers, shoulders shaking until she had to lean on the sofa to stay upright.
Two gorgeous women, right in front of him, laughing themselves senseless without a shred of image.
Jason: "…"
He felt ton-weight insulted.
The more he looked at their wicked grins, the less sure he felt.
Don't tell me… I actually guessed right?
"Aiya," Cynthia finally managed to catch her breath. She dabbed tears from her eyes and, still suppressing a smile, said, "Iono, perhaps we shouldn't tease Jason anymore."
Iono was wheezing, nodding as she spoke. "Agreed! Agreed! If we keep it up, he'll bolt! Where are we gonna find another Ditto this cute and this imaginative?!"
Jason was speechless.
After a while, the laughter ebbed. Iono cleared her throat, tried to look serious—though her twitching lips betrayed her.
She set Jason on the table and finally got to the point.
"Okay, okay, we're done. Listen up, Jason—our destination is a massive cave near Zapapico."
She raised a finger, face earnest. "League records say that cave is a shared territory for two clans: Armarouge and Ceruledge."
At those names, Jason's eyes flashed bright. The earlier dead-eyed despair vanished.
Armarouge! Ceruledge!
Two of Paldea's most iconic Pokémon—one a fire warrior wielding psychic force like a heavy artillery caster; the other a ghostly sword-wielder, a wreathed-in-blue-flame assassin.
And most importantly—super cool.
If he could log both Dex entries, that'd be pure profit.
Watching him suddenly rev like he'd mainlined caffeine, Cynthia rested her cheek on her hand, studying him with quiet amusement. The moment he heard "powerful Pokémon," he lit up. His obsession with getting stronger was beyond ordinary.
Interesting.
Iono missed the subtle exchange; she just carried on with the briefing.
"Normally, even though their types and styles differ, the two clans coexisted peacefully in that cave. Recently, Trainers who went there to train reported the clans suddenly began all-out fights, seizing territory."
"Their clashes are huge," she added, expression uncharacteristically serious. "When they fight, the entire cave shakes. The energy backlash has even affected Zapapico several kilometers away—people there are spooked."
"Chairwoman Geeta's been stumped. There are very strong individuals in both clans; most Trainers sent can't resolve it and might get pulled in. Geeta herself can't go because of League business, so it's been delayed."
She glanced at Cynthia with pure faith. "But now Miss Cynthia is here! With her strength, I'm sure she can stop the infighting."
Then she turned to Jason. "Also, since you're a talking Ditto, Geeta added a side task. While we're de-escalating, she wants us to find out why they suddenly turned on each other. She's worried some evil group might be stirring things up behind the scenes."
By the end, Jason's mind was clear. In short: Cynthia handles suppression; he handles negotiations and intel.
Perfect.
With a Champion tanking in front, he didn't have to worry about safety; he could watch the fights, log Dex entries, and chat up the locals.
He bristled with energy. He hopped off the table and beckoned to Gast, who'd been listening in, confused by these unfamiliar names.
"Let's go, let's go! Gast—I'll take you somewhere fun!"
"Keh-keh-keh! Yay!"
If Jason said it was fun, it had to be fun. Gast brightened at once.
Watching these two treat a dangerous mission like a field trip, Iono sighed helplessly. "Hey! Jason! We're not going to play! Armarouge and Ceruledge are really strong!"
Before he could answer, Cynthia stood as well—the faintest fighting spark on her face. She called toward the corner where Garchomp still sulked.
"Garchomp—let's go. Time to see what Paldea is like."
~~~
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