LIVE-A-LIVE: Echoes of the Forgotten Clone

Mother's call

Despite the area being secured from earlier, I walked cautiously into the navigation room and checked for any signs of other life being here. Everything was exactly as I had left it, minus the computer, which was blinking in alarm again. I ignored it until I had checked over everything and ensured it was safe to talk, and then opened the call.

"About time. Your work here is done now, Chozu. You can go home. Leave the rest to the Federation," Surge said.

"Excuse me?" I replied. Pyonchi barked in the same tone.

"You heard me. You're done. We don't need you in here anymore," he said. My body stiffened. "We've gotten enough data to take control of the situation now, and we've taken an interest in these Ditto. That's all there is to it."

"Surge, listen to what you're saying. Have you seen the things I've been dealing with?" I challenged.

"Yes. One of those Mewtwo attacked you upon sight. It's quite remarkable that they managed to progress this far," he muttered.

"Wait. One of those Mewtwo?" I couldn't help but raise my voice at that. "There's more than one?"

"Don't act so surprised, Chozu. It shouldn't be a secret that we've been monitoring this place for a while," Surge replied, sounding unnaturally calm. "We got data from the other trainers that went here, a big bit from Professor Oak, and now, you."

I didn't reply, squinting intensely. That made him snicker, and he continued. "Ditto is a remarkable species that can transform into any living being or thing. However, they've been known to get details wrong when transforming based on memory. They can only properly copy what's directly in front of them."

"Is that the reason the Ditto here are monstrosities?" I asked.

"No. The Ditto seem to have been here for many years. Their intelligence has evolved, and they are able to transform just by getting information," he explained. "They're ambitious, but still hostile. They've been copying the Pokémon that the trainers used, and then combining them into hybrids for extra power. Add in the information that they got from the computers here, and some were even able to become Mewtwo. There are a little more than ten of those Mewtwo still around, and they're all active around the labs."

"There are over ten Mewtwo?" I shrieked. "Is the federation insane? What possible use could they have for clones of Mewtwo?"

"For peaceful application, of course. We don't expect you to understand. And don't get your wording confused – these are advanced and evolved Ditto, not clones of Mewtwo. Becoming Mewtwo is only a property they all share," Surge answered. "If we can learn to control them, think of the power we'll add to our forces."

I stopped breathing, clutching Varia tightly. Perhaps it could be considered a kneejerk reaction, but I could tell that I was in extreme danger right now. No, the whole world was in danger. If the Ditto down here were undergoing their own evolution that enabled them to become Mewtwo, then it was only a matter of time before we humans would be overpowered.

Ditto that could absorb knowledge and transform based on their intelligence. The very thought gave me more chills than anything I had ever dealt with, and the federation were about to feed right into that danger, just as the champion trainers had. However, the Mewtwo I faced could not make use of psychic, yet. It could be defeated by me and my Jolteon, together. The federation weren't here yet, either. Therefore, there was still time.

I could see it in my mind already: the Kanto Federation troops arrive and attempt to control these intelligent creatures. But once the Ditto learn their true potential, the people will be overrun, and those Ditto will release themselves upon the outside world. At that point, the future of intelligent life becomes uncertain. Fearing the worst, I knew that I had to destroy this threat at all costs.