"Alright, don't be mad." Jason patted Miraidon with his soft, squishy body. "What I said just now was out of line—I'm sorry. You're not a deserter; it was a strategic redeployment."
Miraidon snorted a little spark from its nose—apparently accepting the phrasing.
"Let's head back," Jason called.
The team formed up. Led by Tinkaton, they set off in force for the metal mine.
The mood on the way back was nothing like before. On the way out it had been breakneck speed, Jason and Gast wound tight with nerves. Now it was relaxed, easy.
The Tinkatink were bursting with curiosity about Jason's crew. They trailed behind, whispering.
"That little troublemaker's actually this strong now."
"I thought she only knew how to make a fuss. Didn't expect her to be the one who saved us."
Hearing the chatter, Gast's tail practically curled up to the ceiling. It deliberately slowed down, drifting among the Tinkatink and animatedly recounting its heroic rescue of Big Sis, drawing wave after wave of gasps and admiration.
Iron Valiant stayed silent as ever, but whenever a Tinkatink nearly tripped, it shot out a steadying hand in an instant.
As for Miraidon, Jason forbade it from going full speed—so it could only amble along at a strolling pace. Occasionally a braver Tinkatink would scurry up to sneak a touch of its cold metal shell, then dash away again.
Sprawled on Miraidon's back, Jason watched the lively scene and felt utterly at ease.
Just like that, they returned to the familiar metal mine. The place was a bit of a mess from the fight earlier, but the home still stood, and not a single clansmate was missing.
For the next few days, they didn't leave. They stayed at the mine: partly to wind down—after all, the Area Zero expedition had been grueling—and partly to help rebuild.
The whole mine swung into a feverish construction boom.
Jason became the most in-demand laborer.
"Jason, we can't move this boulder!"
"On it."
A flash of white—and a Lucario appeared, lifting the multi-ton stone with aura/psychokinesis and setting it exactly where it needed to go.
"Jason, we can't reach the ore at the top of that cliff!"
"No problem."
Another flash—and a Roaring Moon took to the air, snatching the high-quality ore from the cliff face with ease.
Gast kept busy too. Using its ability to phase through walls, it slipped into narrow shafts and brought out tools and materials left deep inside—occasionally spooking slackers for good measure, with remarkable boosts to productivity.
Iron Valiant used its lightblades to cut ore of varying sizes into standard modules. Every stroke was pinpoint-precise, with error under a millimeter. The self-styled artisan Tinkatink looked on, slack-jawed, crowding around to learn this "advanced cutting technique."
Even the chilliest of them—Miraidon—got assigned tasks.
With everyone pitching in, the battered mine was restored in just a few days—stronger than before.
Those days gave Jason a kind of relaxation he'd never had. By day, he worked with everyone to rebuild; by night, they gathered around the campfire to share stories from this stretch of road. No need to think about battles, no need to guard against enemies. The simple peace felt good.
But he knew he would have to leave. Geeta's invitation had planted the idea of a Gym Challenge.
On the fifth day, Jason told Tinkaton he was taking off. She seemed to have expected it.
"Leaving already?" she asked.
"Mm." He nodded. "You know me—I like to see the world."
"Fair." Tinkaton nodded. "The world's too big—your stage shouldn't be confined to a little mine."
She paused, then suddenly raised her hammer and pointed it at him. "But before you go, Jason—spar with me."
Fighting spirit burned in her eyes. "I want to see how strong you are now."
Jason laughed at her serious look. "Alright."
He didn't refuse.
The other Pokémon cleared the center of the yard, leaving the field to the two of them. Tinkaton gripped her hammer in both hands, taking a stance—her aura completely different from the cave that day.
Across from her, white light wrapped Jason. The next second, another Tinkaton stood where he'd been.
"Let's do it, Big Sis," Jason invited.
No more words. Tinkaton let out a low roar, kicked off hard, and charged with crushing momentum. Her hammer drew a brutal arc straight for his head.
Jason didn't take it head-on. He swung his own hammer, and just before the heads collided he twisted his wrist—tapping the side of hers along the lever arm.
Clang!
A single thunderous note. Tinkaton felt a cunning force shunt her full-strength blow off course; it smashed into open ground, carving out a crater.
Missed once, she recovered instantly, sweeping for Jason's legs. He stepped in rather than back, dipped, and brought his hammer up to meet it with perfect timing.
Another boom. Pure strength this time. The two giant hammers locked in midair—then Tinkaton's face changed. From Jason's hammer, a power she couldn't resist pressed down—and kept getting heavier.
"Hup!"
Jason grunted and drove through. Tinkaton and her hammer were shoved back several steps before she barely steadied herself.
Two exchanges, and the gap was obvious.
"Your strength…" she stared, shocked. She couldn't believe that in her own form, he could completely overpower her.
Jason didn't give her time to think. He attacked. His movements were open and bold, yet every blow landed just right—sometimes fierce, sometimes deft. His grasp of the Tinkaton form and its combat rhythms was far beyond an actual Tinkaton's.
Big Sis could only defend, beaten back again and again—until he caught a flaw and stopped his hammer less than a centimeter from her forehead.
Match decided.
Jason dropped the morph and returned to Ditto. Tinkaton lowered her hammer and looked at the pink little blob before her, speaking from the heart:
"Jason, you've grown so much stronger."
The spar made the chasm between them crystal clear.
Jason smiled. "Big Sis, want to come adventuring with us?" he offered. With her strength, she'd be a powerful ally.
But Tinkaton smiled and shook her head. She glanced back at the clan watching nervously from not far away. "I'll pass," she said gently. "I have to look after them."
For her, becoming a ruler or exploring the world meant less than protecting her home and people. That was her duty—and her choice.
Jason understood, and didn't press. Everyone has their road to walk.
Departure came all the same. With Gast, Iron Valiant, and Miraidon at his side, Jason waved goodbye to Tinkaton and her clan.
"Take care, Big Sis!"
"You too—safe travels!"
Under the reluctant gazes of many Tinkatink, Jason's group turned and left.
Their next destination was clear: Cortondo Town. The Cortondo Gym.
Gym Challenge!
They reached Cortondo Town soon enough.
The air of Cortondo was sweet—not from flowers, but from baking. Caramel, cream, and cocoa mingled into a rich aroma that wrapped every traveler. The buildings lining the streets were whimsical: walls like stacked giant cookies, roofs frosted with what looked like icing, window frames dotted with chocolate-like studs.
Miraidon's eyes roved, curious about everything. It took a long metal tongue to lick a "cream" corner.
"Pah." It yanked its tongue back. "Looks tasty, tastes like rock."
Behind it, Jason and Iron Valiant were much calmer. Iron Valiant's face was blank, arms hanging naturally, steps even—the pastry architecture might as well not exist. Jason lounged along, eyes drifting.
The fidgetiest was Gast. The Gengar flitted around them, body now solid, now ethereal, utterly captivated by the cake sculptures in the shop windows. More than once it leaned in before a gigantic strawberry cake model, tracing imaginary cutting motions with a ghostly hand.
"Jason, I want that," Gast said, pointing at a three-tier luxury cake model.
Jason shot it a look. "After we clear the gym."
"Not even a tiny slice now?" it tried to wheedle.
"No." Flat and final.
"Stingy," it muttered, but relented. "Fine—then you owe me the biggest one after."
"We'll see."
"Yay!" Gast brightened immediately, looping a happy spin in midair.
Thus the odd little party moved through the sugar-scented streets and soon arrived at the Cortondo Gym.
A receptionist stood at the entrance—cute pastry-chef apron, tiny chef's hat, looking like an apprentice baker.
She froze at the sight of the wildly mismatched team. Her gaze skimmed the imposing Miraidon and the cool Iron Valiant, then stopped on the Ditto walking in the middle.
Normally, Pokémon followed behind their Trainer. But this crew clearly centered on the Ditto.
While she was still processing, Jason stepped up and spoke directly. "I'm here to challenge the Gym."
His voice was clear, diction perfect—human speech.
The receptionist's brain blue-screened for a second. A Ditto… talking… and challenging a Gym? Was this some new prank show?
She blinked and took a closer look. Purple body, beady black eyes—definitely a Ditto. But the image, the voice… felt familiar.
Suddenly it clicked. Her eyes flew wide. "Ah! You're that viral Ditto!" she cried, pointing at Jason.
He wasn't surprised. Ever since he'd made a splash on Iono's stream, his popularity had skyrocketed. Iono was one of Paldea's biggest streamers with a massive audience; as a regular in her chat, it was only natural he'd get recognized.
He bobbed his body up and down in a "nod."
Miraidon leaned in curiously. "You seem kind of famous."
"Of course!" Gast cut in before Jason could answer, hands on hips, boasting. "Jason's going to be the strongest Trainer Pokémon!"
Miraidon's eyes flickered with confusion. "Don't you mean Pokémon Trainer?"
"Heh-heh," Gast snickered. "Sure, but Jason's a Pokémon, not a human. So he's a Trainer Pokémon. Nothing wrong with that."
Miraidon's processors seemed to overload. It was silent for a few seconds, then snapped toward Jason. "Hold up—are you saying I'm one of your captured Pokémon?"
Jason shot it a sidelong look. "What else did you think? You ate my triple-secret Herba recipe—planning to dine and dash?"
Miraidon's eyes flattened into a helpless "><". It turned away with a faint crackle of electricity—clearly done with the topic.
Jason let it drop, faced the receptionist again, and repeated his request. "I want to challenge the Gym."
Now she was even more lost. Her eyes drifted past him, searching for a hidden human trainer. Was Ms. Iono here? Or maybe Champion Cynthia?
~~~
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