[Pokemon] Chapter 70: VS Roy

The night before, Roy had reaffirmed his resolve to grow stronger so he could one day capture Rayquaza. And to guide him, Jin was already on the Wing Deck early the next morning.

“Quite a crowd today…”

It wasn’t just Jin and Roy. Along with Liko and Diana, who often observed or sometimes joined their training, nearly all the other members had gathered as well—everyone except Mollie, who was still tending to Terapagos.

“I heard about your training from Liko. I was curious myself, so I thought I’d watch for a bit.”

“S-sorry, I told Grandma and she insisted on coming…”

“No problem. It’s not like this is anything to hide. You’re fine with it too, Roy?”

“Yeah, no problem!”

Even with an audience, Jin didn’t mind. In fact, having observers meant more perspectives—there was always the chance of gaining new insights.

“Alright then, today’s training will be a little different. Roy, send out both Fuecoco and Wattrel. I’ll use just one Pokémon.”

“Got it.”

A 1-on-2 battle. At first glance, it might have sounded like Jin was underestimating Roy, but in truth the power gap between them justified it. Roy understood that perfectly well, so he didn’t complain.

“And as for the win condition… just one hit.”

“…Huh?”

“No matter how—whether by chance or skill—if you manage to deal even the slightest bit of damage to my Pokémon, you win.”

“W-wait! That’s way too one-sided in our favor!”

Two versus one was fair enough, but winning by landing a single hit? To Roy, it sounded insulting, like Jin was mocking them.

“It’s fine. Against you two as you are now, that’s about the right handicap.”

“Wh-… Fine then.”

Roy still looked frustrated, but in his eyes was determination—the urge to prove Jin wrong and land that single hit.

“Alright then… let’s begin.”

Friede volunteered as referee, and the two trainers took their positions at opposite ends of the field.

“Fuecoco! Wattrel!”

Roy sent out his two partners. Jin followed by pulling a Poké Ball from his pocket and tossing it onto the field.

(What’s he going to use…?)

Not only Roy, but everyone—including Friede and the onlookers—watched closely. The Poké Ball burst open, revealing a purple, slime-like creature.

“Mooon!”

It was the Transform Pokémon—Ditto. The moment it appeared, Ditto reshaped itself into Fuecoco.

“It transformed!?”

“What, never seen a Ditto before?”

“M-Metamon?”

“It’s originally from Kanto, but…”

Roy’s shaky grasp of Pokémon knowledge was showing again. Jin silently decided he’d need to add more classroom lessons into Roy’s training.

“Hahaha, I’ll explain. Ditto’s called the Transform Pokémon. It can rearrange its cells to copy another’s form.”

“So that’s why it looks like Fuecoco now…”

“Only thing is, the only move Ditto knows is Transform. But after it copies an opponent, it can use whatever moves they know.”

“I see…”

Hearing Friede’s explanation, Roy finally began to steady his nerves.

“But a copy’s still a copy! A fake can’t beat the real thing!”

He declared it boldly, but he was mistaken. Ditto didn’t just copy appearance and moves—it retained its own training and level. Having been rigorously trained under Jin, this Ditto was far beyond Fuecoco or Wattrel in experience.

Under normal circumstances, Ditto would crush them outright. But that wouldn’t make for useful training. That’s why, last night, Jin had shown Ditto recordings of Roy’s Pokémon battling, teaching it not only their quirks but also how to match their attack power. That way, it could fight them on even footing.

So this was to be a mirror match—Roy’s two against a perfect mimic, guided by Jin’s far superior skill. All Roy had going for him was numbers. Whether that would be enough depended entirely on him.

“Roy! Give it your all!”

“Go all out!”

“Yeah, leave it to me!”

Cheered on by the others, Roy’s resolve only grew stronger. Both sides were ready.

“Alright then! The battle between Jin and Roy begins now! Trainers, ready?”

“I am.”

“Me too!”

“Battle start!”

At Friede’s signal, Fuecoco stepped forward to face its copy.

“First strike wins it! Show them your true power—Flamethrower!”

Fuecoco fired a stream of fire, but neither Jin nor Ditto flinched.

“Ditto! Flamethrower—into the ground!”

Copy-Fuecoco blasted the floor beneath it, propelling itself high into the air. While airborne, it released the transformation and then transformed again—this time into Wattrel.

“Spark!”

In its Wattrel form, Ditto dove like lightning, cloaked in electricity, straight at Fuecoco.

“Fueeeh!?”

Fuecoco had no chance to dodge, and Wattrel got caught in the blast too—both were sent flying.

“Fuecoco!? Wattrel!? Are you okay!?”

“Fueeeh!”

“Kaai!”

Roy rushed to check them, relieved when they stood back up despite the damage. But his relief quickly turned to confusion.

“Wait… that move just now…”

It was the same combination attack Roy had once devised during training—yet Ditto, who had never seen them before today, had pulled it off perfectly.

“…How?”

“Simple. I showed Ditto recordings of your past battles last night.”

“Recordings? But there’s no way…”

“It can. My Ditto can replicate almost any move it sees, even from video footage.”

The revelation shocked not just Roy, but everyone watching. For Ditto to copy moves to that degree was almost unbelievable. Almost. Because if it was one of Jin’s Pokémon, then perhaps it made sense.

“Roy! Every move Fuecoco and Wattrel know, every tactic you’ve used—I’ve memorized them, and so has Ditto. If you want to pass this test, you’ll have to push past your limits!”

“Past my limits…?”

“If you can’t even do that, catching Rayquaza will stay a dream.”

“…Alright then! Wattrel, Tailwind!”

With powerful wingbeats, Wattrel whipped up a favorable wind. Its success rate had improved lately, and this time the gale took hold perfectly, boosting their speed.

“Ditto! Transform back into Fuecoco!”

Ditto shifted forms again, becoming Fuecoco once more.

“Fuecoco, Flamethrower again!”

Fuecoco, boosted by Tailwind, fired a stronger Flamethrower. The flames roared with the wind’s aid, surging toward Ditto.

“Ditto! Stomping Tantrum!”

Ditto stomped furiously, raising the ground into a small wall of rock. The fire smashed against it harmlessly.

“Tailwind will be a nuisance… Ditto, cancel Transform! Become Wattrel again!”

Hidden behind the rocks, Ditto reverted to its slime form and prepared to transform. But just then, a small shadow darted at it from the side.

“I knew you’d try that! Wattrel, Quick Attack!”

The shadow was Wattrel. Timing its move with Fuecoco’s attack, it had been waiting for this exact moment—when Ditto was between forms and vulnerable.

Quick Attack was a priority move, and with Tailwind boosting its speed, Ditto had no way to dodge. And it couldn’t transform in time either.

(One of Ditto’s weaknesses—the brief moment of defenselessness when it cancels and reapplies Transform. Roy spotted it in an instant. Impressive.)

Roy had identified the weakness and aimed straight for it. By rights, Ditto should have been hit, and Roy would have passed this test.

“Ditto!”

“Monmon!”

But… this was Jin’s Ditto.

Facing the incoming Wattrel, Ditto extended its gooey body into arms, grabbed its beak and wings, and flipped it over its shoulder—hurling it straight into Fuecoco’s path.

“Kaaiii!”

Fuecoco tried to brace itself, but Wattrel, accelerated by Quick Attack and the throw’s momentum, slammed right into it. Both went tumbling, battered by flames along the way.

“Y-you can do that!?”

Ditto’s only move was supposed to be Transform. That was true for every Ditto.

“You think I’d leave that weakness untouched? I’ve trained Ditto in martial arts. Even without transforming, it can fight to this extent.”

No other moves, true—but martial arts weren’t Pokémon techniques, they were human skills. With a flexible body, Ditto could imitate them. Back in Hoenn, Jin had even had Gym Leader Brawly demonstrate proper fighting forms for it.

So Ditto wasn’t helpless untransformed. With training, even a “Transform-only” Pokémon held untapped potential.

“N-no way…”

Roy had been certain of victory, only to see it snatched away. Shocked and disheartened, his commands faltered. Fuecoco and Wattrel, both badly hurt, struggled back to their feet, waiting on his orders that didn’t come.

“…If you won’t act, then I will! Ditto, transform into Fuecoco and use Flamethrower!”

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“Overwhelming…”

From the entrance of the observation deck, Diana spoke in her usual calm tone. But it wasn’t just her—everyone watching shared the same impression.

At first glance, this battle looked to be in Roy’s favor. But once it began, the reality was harsh: Fuecoco and Wattrel hadn’t landed a single hit, instead being toyed with completely by Ditto.

“…Roy…”

Liko watched with worry. She’d seen Roy and his partners pushed to the brink before, but this time was different.

In past training matches, Jin and his Pokémon never pressed the attack relentlessly. They deliberately left openings, giving Roy’s team a chance to counter so they could build experience in offense, defense, and evasion. But now, Jin wasn’t holding back at all.

“Why’s he going this far…?”

“Because… maybe he’s expecting something,” Diana answered.

“Expecting…?”

“Yes. As Roy’s mentor, Jin already knows every move Fuecoco and Wattrel can make. On top of that, he’s had Ditto copy their style perfectly. In this situation, the only way Roy’s Pokémon can land even a single hit is either to come up with a brand-new tactic that even Jin can’t predict… or to grow stronger here and now. Those are the only two paths.”

“So Jin’s… expecting Roy to do one of those two things?”

“That’s just my guess,” Diana said.

Her guess was exactly right. That was what Jin wanted. If Roy could manage it, he’d grow not just in strength, but in spirit as well.

“But… isn’t that way too difficult?”

“It is…”

Right now, Ditto was completely outclassing Fuecoco and Wattrel. No one watching could imagine them landing a single blow.

“But in the end, it’s up to Roy. For now, let’s keep watching.”

“…Yeah.”

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“Fuecoco! Dodge it—Flamethrower into the ground!”

Rather than trading fire with Ditto’s Flamethrower, Roy chose to evade.

Fuecoco copied Ditto’s earlier trick, blasting the ground to leap into the air. But once airborne, it had almost no options—it was practically begging to be shot down.

“Wattrel! Quick Attack!”

Roy knew this, so he sent Wattrel charging in to prevent Ditto from targeting Fuecoco.

“Ditto! Bite Wattrel!”

In Fuecoco’s form, Ditto lunged, sinking its teeth into Wattrel’s wing. Then it spun its body and hurled Wattrel like a projectile—straight into the airborne Fuecoco. With no way to dodge mid-air, the two collided and crashed to the ground.

“Fuecoco!? Wattrel!?”

Both Pokémon were battered from the prolonged exchange, their stamina nearly gone. Struggling to rise, their bodies shook, while Roy’s face darkened with despair.

(…It’s no good. I can’t think of anything…)

Roy had poured everything he’d learned into this battle. Yet still, they hadn’t landed even one hit. No path to victory was in sight.

“Roy… are you going to give up again?”

“…Again?”

“That’s right. Remember? Back in the Galar Mine, when we faced Galarian Moltres. You were the first to give up.”

It was when Moltres had gone berserk, ignoring Arboliva’s plea. Jin, Liko, and Friede were desperately searching for a solution, but Roy had already said words of surrender.

“Th-that was…”

“Whenever you face someone overwhelmingly stronger, I think you give up on winning without even realizing it.”

“…!”

(But it’s my fault too…)

Months into their journey, Roy had still fought very few battles against trainers. Aside from members of the Rising Volt Tacklers, he had only faced some trainers Kabu, and the Explorers. And most of the time, his opponent had been Jin himself.

And of course, whenever Roy battled Jin, he lost. Losing again and again had unconsciously ingrained the idea that it was natural to lose against someone far stronger. That unconscious habit of surrender—Jin knew it was his responsibility for letting it form.

“Roy… no matter how much you train, you might never surpass Rayquaza’s power. But if you train Fuecoco, Wattrel, and other Pokémon you’ll catch, I believe you can at least fight it properly.”

Even then, the chances of winning would remain slim. But if Roy truly wanted to capture Rayquaza, he needed the spirit to keep fighting through hopeless odds, to search for a path to victory without ever giving up.

“No matter how mighty the opponent, there’s always a way to fight. A trainer’s duty is to keep searching until they find it. And your Pokémon… they haven’t given up yet.”

Looking to the field, Roy saw them—Fuecoco and Wattrel, battered and barely standing, yet staring at him with unwavering determination.

“Fuecoco… Wattrel…”

There wasn’t a trace of surrender in their eyes. They would fight to the end—for themselves, and for their trainer.

Roy wasn’t coward enough to give up while his partners still stood tall. He slapped both cheeks with his hands, lifting his face. The doubt and defeat were gone.

“Thank you, both of you! No matter what happens, let’s fight together to the very end!”

“Fueeee!”

“Wiiiii!”

Fuecoco and Wattrel roared in unison, answering his declaration with all their might.

And then—their bodies began to glow.

“What… is this?”

“No way, both of them at once…?”

Their forms grew larger, reshaping under the dazzling light. When it faded, they stood revealed in new forms.

“Achigéeeh!”

“Deeeekaaaaiiiin!”

Fuecoco had evolved into Crocalor.

Wattrel had evolved into Kilowattrel.

The change in Kilowattrel was especially striking. Where Wattrel had once been small compared to the average, now its body had grown so large it looked strong enough to carry a rider through the skies. It was clear now—there’d be no fear in flying with it.

“They… evolved for me.”

Roy quickly pulled out his Rotom Phone and searched their new forms.

> Crocalor – Fire Croc Pokémon.

> The evolved form of Fuecoco. Its abundant life force blends with fire energy, creating an egg-shaped fireball atop its head.

> Kilowattrel – Frigatebird Pokémon.

> The evolved form of Wattrel. It inflates its throat sac to amplify electricity. Riding the winds, it can fly 700 kilometers in a single day.

“Crocalor… Kilowattrel…”

Roy muttered their names in a daze. Both turned to him with smiles—not the carefree grins of their earlier forms, but the proud, confident smiles of Pokémon saying you can depend on us completely. That feeling reached Roy, and he couldn’t help smiling back.

(…All three of them look so much stronger now.)

Two Pokémon evolving at once—Jin hadn’t seen that coming at all. This was beyond his plan. From here on, it was going to be a true, serious battle.

“Congratulations on the evolutions. But I won’t be holding back either!”

“Monmon!”

Neither Jin nor Ditto had any intention of going easy. Ditto transformed into Crocalor and awaited his order.

“Kilowattrel! Fly together with Crocalor!”

Kilowattrel gripped Crocalor in its talons and soared upward. Its flight was on a completely different level from before, dominating the skies.

“Circle the field! Crocalor, Ember down on the ground!”

Circling above, Crocalor spat out Ember after Ember, showering Ditto below like fiery rain.

(Interesting…)

The damage wasn’t much, but with the one-hit rule in place, even a single spark would count as victory. Blocking a storm of Embers wouldn’t be easy.

(It’s risky to try it untested… but let’s go for it.)

“Ditto! Fall onto your back!”

Following Jin’s command, Ditto lay flat in the field’s center, staring up at the downpour of fire.

“Now spin—Flamethrower!”

Spinning rapidly, Ditto unleashed a Flamethrower all around itself, the flames forming a shield-like vortex that burned away every falling Ember.

“That move’s called the Counter Shield.”

It was a technique invented by a certain trainer—an attack and defense in one. Useful, though imperfect; spinning couldn’t last long and left its own weaknesses. Still, it was versatile and effective.

(Counter Shield… Those flames look like a vortex… A vortex…?)

Roy studied it closely—the flames, their motion, their shape. And then it hit him.

“…I see. Kilowattrel! Higher—fly above the clouds!”

Straining under Crocalor’s weight, Kilowattrel obeyed, climbing higher and higher until it pierced the clouds themselves.

“Good! Now dive—straight into the center!”

They plummeted down, aiming for the eye of the fiery vortex.

“! Ditto, get up!”

Like a typhoon, the Counter Shield had a blind spot at its center—the eye of the storm. Charging in there would bypass the defense entirely. Jin recognized the brilliance of Roy’s move, but this wasn’t the time to praise him.

Ditto stopped spinning and stood. Escape was impossible at this speed. It would have to face them head-on.

“At last… finally I get to fight Jin seriously!”

“Hmph… Then come at me.”

Kilowattrel released Crocalor, hurling it downward with all its might. From the sky and from the ground, the two Pokémon gathered energy at once.

“Fire Blast!” x2

Both trainers shouted the same command. Whether coincidence or destiny, it was the strongest technique they could choose.

Fuecoco once needed several seconds of charging, but as Crocalor, it fired instantly. Both blasts launched nearly at the same time, colliding in midair.

The Fire Blasts clashed, equal in power. But the added momentum from Kilowattrel’s throw tipped the balance—Crocalor’s flames overwhelmed Ditto’s, crashing down upon it.

Not even Jin’s Ditto could dodge or defend at this point.

“…Magnificent.”

Ditto was struck and took damage. Though it could still fight, the rules were clear.

“Roy… the victory is yours.”

“W-we… we won?”

Roy froze for a moment before the realization sank in. Then a huge smile spread across his face.

“W-we did iiiiiiiiit!!”

“Croooca!”

“Kiiiilooo!”

Roy ran onto the field and threw his arms around his partners, forgetting entirely how unfair he thought the rules had been.

“Moooon…”

Ditto reverted, puffing its cheeks in a sulk as it waddled back to Jin. It clearly disliked ending the battle when it still had strength left.

“Don’t pout. We got to see something incredible, didn’t we?”

And Ditto couldn’t deny that. Even living at Birch’s lab among many Pokémon, a double evolution like this was a rare sight. With gratitude toward Roy for showing it and Jin for setting the stage, Ditto hopped onto Jin’s shoulder.

“Congratulations, Roy!”

“Two evolutions at once—amazing!”

The onlookers rushed to the field, showering Roy and his team with praise. Jin watched them with a wry smile.

(Well, well… looks like I lost—even if it was under special rules.)

He had been confident, but unexpected evolutions and Roy’s growth had tipped the battle. He had no choice but to accept defeat.

“Jin!”

While Jin reflected, Roy ran up to him.

“Thank you! I never could’ve done this without you! Crocalor and Kilowattrel evolving—it’s all thanks to…”

“…That was your strength, not mine.”

“No, but—”

“Yes. We only nudged you forward. The real credit belongs to you and your Pokémon.”

Crocalor and Kilowattrel would have evolved eventually. This battle had simply been the spark. Their evolution was the fruit of Roy’s constant hard work.

“Even so… thank you!”

“…You’re welcome. Now then… shall we continue?”

“…Eh?”

Jin pulled out another Poké Ball and released Salamence.

“Since Kilowattrel’s evolved, it’s time to learn flying techniques and aerial combat. You’ll need to practice.”

“W-wait, already!?”

But Jin was already in motion, far too eager to train the newly evolved pair.

“Ditto, next—be Sceptile.”

“Monmon!”

Ditto leapt down, transforming instantly into Sceptile.

“Ehh!? How’s it transforming without even seeing it!?”

The others gaped. Normally, Ditto could only transform into what it could see. But Jin’s Ditto was special.

“This one has a good memory. If it’s transformed before and sparred with them, it can do it again without seeing them.”

Not perfectly—accuracy dropped to about eighty percent—but enough to be useful. With this, Ditto could transform into any of Jin’s Pokémon except Darkrai, whom it had never met.

“Ditto will spar with Crocalor. We’ll have it cycle through forms—Sceptile and the others—to sharpen Crocalor’s reflexes and adaptability.”

Jin explained, practically glowing with excitement. Roy and his partners looked to the others for rescue, but everyone quickly looked away.

“Ditto has to return to Birch’s lab in a few days, so time is short. Let’s push hard while we can—and enjoy it too!”

And so, for several days, they endured grueling training. Roy and his team grew stronger than they’d ever imagined—but those days would remain etched in their memories as pure trauma.

//END

A/N: Since I couldn’t picture Fuecoco defeating Rayquaza, I decided to evolve Roy’s two partners here.

If the anime insists Fuecoco must stay unevolved, I might just cry.

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