Seeing Geeta agree, Cynthia and Jason traded a smile.
Geeta read the look on this human-and-Pokémon duo and knew she'd been maneuvered. But what was said was said; there was no taking it back. And she had, in truth, thought it through: if Jason could really become a Trainer and put up a good record in Paldea's name, that was a win for Paldea.
Just then, a League staffer jogged up, saluted, and reported, "Chairwoman, Iron Boulder is secured and ready to transport."
Geeta's executive poise snapped back into place. She nodded, then turned to Jason.
"Three days from now, come to the top floor of the League HQ northwest of Levincia and pick up your Trainer ID."
"Mm." Jason answered calmly.
A nearby staffer overheard and went blank. Eyes bugging, he glanced between Geeta and Jason, processors smoking. What? A Trainer ID? For who—that Ditto? Was he hearing things from too much overtime? Or had the Chair taken a Ghost-type hit to the head during the battle—maybe the Haunter's fault?
A whole storm raged in his heart, but professionalism kept his face neutral—I heard nothing.
While he battled himself, Geeta was already leaving. "I need to get to the lab and look into why this Iron Boulder showed up outside, so I'll head out. Miss Cynthia—until next time."
She strode for the cave mouth; the dazed staffer snapped to and scurried after her—resolving to have his ears and brain checked once they were back.
Once Geeta left, the cave's air lightened. Cynthia looked at Jason, a smile in her gray eyes. "So? Want to go 'play' some more with those Armarouge?"
She put playful weight on "play," clearly teasing his "friendly sparring" from earlier.
Jason shook his head. His Dex was full, and the two bosses had shared a trove of battle insight—more would just waste time. He wasn't a battle junkie. And to be fair, he learned fast—picking up a pile of technique in no time.
"Let's go," he said crisply.
Cynthia recalled Garchomp briefly, then sent it back out with a pressure-laden roar, and led Jason, Iono, Gast, and Liko out. First stop: Zapapico.
Garchomp set them down in a quiet spot on the town's edge. Liko hopped off, face full of reluctance. She looked up at Jason perched on Garchomp's head—her dark eyes dim. Who knew when they'd meet again? Soon she'd be off to Kanto's Indigo Academy—then it'd be even harder.
Jason noticed. He hopped down in front of her. "Don't worry. Once I officially get my Trainer ID and my own comm device, I'll reach out if I can."
Her eyes lit at once. "Really?"
"Of course."
"Mm!" She nodded hard, smile blazing. "I'll wait for your message!"
After saying a reluctant goodbye to Liko, Cynthia had Garchomp take off toward their hotel. Back in Levincia, the moment they touched down, Iono took her leave. "Okay, Miss Cynthia, Jason—I need to get back to my Gym. This stream gave me so much to edit! Next time you've got something this juicy, call me!"
She spun away, then bounced back to tap Jason's jelly. "When you get your comm, don't forget to ping me!"
She waved wildly, summoned Kilowattrel, and winged off toward Levincia.
In the presidential suite, Jason slid from Garchomp as Cynthia recalled her team. Only they—and a zonked-out Gast—remained; quiet fell.
Jason thought a moment and asked, "Sis, when are you heading back to Sinnoh?"
He was just checking her schedule—but Cynthia turned slowly, gray eyes narrowing, a teasing curve to her lips. She walked up, crouched down, and leaned in until they could feel each other's breath.
"Oh?" her lazy drawl held a hint of danger. "I just helped you with the Trainer license, and you're asking when I'm leaving?"
"Am I unwelcome? Or are you trying to kick me out?"
Under the pressure, Jason's smooth Ditto skin almost stiffened. That's Cynthia, alright. Yikes. He rattled off the denial trifecta: "No—no! Definitely not!"
She smiled deeper—enjoying the rare fluster from the usually unflappable Ditto. Straightening with her usual poise, she explained, "Relax. I'll stay in Paldea a few more days."
She walked to the window, eyes deep on the cityscape. "Iron Boulder's appearance made me very curious about Paldea."
Then she glanced back. "Turning into Gible again tonight?"
Jason blinked—then readily agreed. Cynthia smiled too. Excellent—another night cuddling a Gible.
The next three days, as promised, she stayed—and Jason didn't idle. Waiting for the ID, he asked for higher-intensity training. Cynthia gladly obliged—sending out Lucario. The aura master stood like a grandmaster: compact power, calm eyes with cutting insight.
Jason spent almost all his time sparring it—rotating forms, testing copied moves from every angle. Lucario's aura counters were pinpoint. Jason wasn't aiming to win—he used the battles to sharpen "combat instinct": reading chaos, choosing optimal lines, sensing intent, pre-acting, channeling energy efficiently into offense and defense. Lessons no Dex grind could teach.
Gast didn't slack either. Maybe being grabbed had shaken her; maybe Jason's grind sparked her pride. She dropped her old laziness and studied like a model pupil—watching Jason vs. Lucario, then mimicking, and when Jason rested, Spiritomb coached her:
"Your ghost energy is pure, but used crudely. Compress it—don't just dump it."
"Shadow Ball isn't 'throw and done'—layer mental interference inside so it's harder to guard."
"As Ghost-type, remember your edge. Don't go head-on—use the environment and your quirks to create your windows."
Each point hit home; Gast absorbed and practiced like never before.
Three days flew. At sunset on the third, Jason finished the last bout with Lucario and returned to Ditto form—tired, but eyes brighter than before. He checked his panel—very pleased. The Dex entries weren't many, but each was quality; in total, twenty new entries. His HP had climbed to 68.
Name: Jason
Species: Ditto
Ability: Limber
Type: Normal
Base Stats:
HP 68 / Atk 48 / Def 48 / SpA 48 / SpD 48 / Spe 48
Unassigned: 0
Held: Wide Lens, Twisted Spoon
Transformable Entries: Ceruledge, Armarouge, Maushold, Tinkatuff, Riolu, Gible, …
On the morning of day four, Jason set out for League HQ to pick up his Trainer ID. As Fletchling, it wouldn't take long. He'd just bounced to the suite door when Cynthia's cool, lazy voice came:
"Wait, Jason."
He turned—Cynthia was already dressed to go. No signature black coat today; a sharp women's suit, golden hair loose on her shoulders—Champion's authority softened with urbane charm.
"We're going together," she said. "Chairwoman Geeta pinged me—wants a word. Asked me to stop by her office. We can bring you along."
Jason's curiosity spiked. What did Geeta want with Cynthia—new findings on Iron Boulder?
"She didn't say?"
Cynthia shook her head—gray eyes curious too.
The Paldea League HQ was one of the grandest buildings. Cynthia shepherded Jason and Gast through security to the top floor—Geeta's office. It wasn't ostentatious—clean and functional: a massive window with the city beyond, a desk, a meeting sofa, and rows of bookcases stuffed with volumes and files. Paper-and-ink lingered in the air.
Geeta sat behind her broad desk; seeing them, she smiled and gestured. "Please, Miss Cynthia—have a seat."
Then her gaze settled on the Ditto. She pulled a finely made card from a drawer and held it out to him.
"Here—your Trainer ID."
Jason hopped onto the desk and curled his body around the card. Cool to the touch, special stock—the front bore the Paldea League emblem, the name "Jason," and a Ditto photo; the back held an embedded scan chip.
"I've personally added your info to the League system," Geeta explained. "From today, you're a registered Trainer of the Paldea League. Even in other regions, this card will be recognized—it clearly shows you belong to Paldea."
"Thank you," Jason said solemnly. A thin card—but his plan's first step made real.
With that done, Geeta leaned forward, hands clasped, interest brightening her face. "Now that your status is settled—let's talk practicalities. If you plan to hit Gyms or enter League competitions as a Trainer… aren't you at a disadvantage?"
"After all, human Trainers field multiple Pokémon. You've only got yourself."
Gyms are usually 3v3; higher tiers allow six. No matter how strong, 1v6 isn't trivial.
Jason smiled and turned to the Haunter floating quietly at his side. "You've got partners—I do, too."
After three days of training, Gast had a handle on Haunter—purple mists coiling with more bite. Feeling Jason's look, she puffed up, trying very hard to look "very strong."
Geeta followed his gaze—and frowned. "But as far as I know, that Haunter hasn't been caught by any Trainer. By League rules, only Pokémon formally caught by a Trainer can compete in Gym matches and League tournaments. You can't just bring it into official battles—that's not compliant."
As the League's top administrator, no one knew the rules better. Jason seemed ready for it. "Don't worry, Chairwoman," he said evenly. "I may be a Pokémon, but I follow the rules."
Geeta's brow creased deeper. Follow the rules? How? He was leading her thinking sideways again.
"Human Trainers use Poké Balls to catch and carry Pokémon," she tried to re-center. "You… will also use a Poké Ball? That seems… ill-suited for you."
A slapstick image popped into her mind. Half joking, half serious, she ventured, "What if, while using it, you mis-operate—and accidentally catch yourself?"
Jason: "…"
His beady eyes blinked—rare. Bullseye; it was one of his worries. Human Poke Balls trigger by throw and button—hard for a fingerless Ditto. If he mis-aimed or mis-controlled the capture beam and zapped himself…
He'd be the world's first Trainer to successfully catch himself. The thought alone made him blush.
Seeing his awkward silence, Geeta knew she'd hit it. At that moment, Cynthia set down her tea. "I know a craftsman family—generations of specialty Poké Ball makers. I'll commission a ball designed for Jason—a Poké Ball a Pokémon can use."
She said it breezily, like nothing at all.
Geeta: "…"
She snorted, glanced at Jason, then at the terrifyingly well-connected Sinnoh Champion. "You're a lucky one," she said, genuine. A Ditto becomes a Trainer—and gets a custom Ball? Trainers everywhere would be dying of envy.
With the "trivialities" addressed, Geeta's questions were finally done. Her face grew proper again; the office's air shifted—lightness fading. She sat straighter, eyes leaving Jason to settle on Cynthia.
"Miss Cynthia," she began, "I wonder—are you interested in our Paldea Region's Area Zero?"
~~~
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