All the Ditto mentioned above are from the games.
In real life, Ditto are not only rare but also pretty useless.
Most of them come with the Limber ability. The Imposter ability exists, but it's rare.
And Transform? It's basically a joke. The copied look is always off—beady little eyes, weird body proportions, sometimes only half the form changes properly.
So aside from breeding, most Ditto end up working as body doubles in movies.
Hardly anyone uses them for actual battles.
But if they're League-vetted Ditto, their natures and IVs should be top-notch. Using them in battle might not be such a bad idea after all.
The Day Care Granny looked at Caleb with satisfaction. She'd heard from Professor Elm that he was incredibly talented when it came to breeding, and now that she'd seen him in person—he was the real deal.
Just take a look at that Chansey beside him—so plump and pink, even she felt a little jealous.
"Why bother applying through the League? By the time they approve it, your eggs'll be cold. I've got some right here, ready to go!"
As she spoke, Granny tossed seven Poké Balls onto the table.
Seven pink "slimes" landed in front of Caleb.
"Take whichever one you want—your pick. Granny's got your back."
The Day Care Granny patted her chest generously. She really liked this young man.
Caleb pulled out his Pokédex and scanned them—three had the Limber ability, the rest were Imposter. As expected from League-screened Ditto.
The moment they realized Caleb was taking them away, the seven little guys clung to his leg like their lives depended on it.
Ditto #1: Waaah, I don't wanna go back to the Day Care! I heard the ones that do always come out weird and depressed...
Ditto #2: I'm only one year old!
Ditto #3: Please don't make me turn into a Muk and breed with it!
...
Come on, guys, you're making this real hard for me.
Just like Cynthia's indecisiveness with ice cream, Caleb had a tough time choosing Pokémon.
So usually, he went with the most straightforward solution—
Take them all!
That way, they could be with their buddies, and it spared him the agony of picking favorites.
Win-win.
As for money? Ever since he transmigrated, Caleb had lost all concept of it.
He looked up at Granny and asked tentatively, "Granny, do you think I could… maybe… take them all?"
The Day Care Granny blinked for a second, then burst out laughing. "Of course, of course! If you want 'em all, take 'em all!"
She loved curious, hardworking kids. Caleb must be trying to deepen his breeding research by taking all these Ditto, right?
Such a good kid. The more she looked at him, the more she liked him.
"Granny, enough chatting! Let's eat—I'm starving over here!" Gold's voice interrupted at just the wrong moment.
Granny shot him a glare.
Unlike that troublemaker over there, who only knows how to cause problems all day.
Why couldn't he be more like Caleb? If Gold were even half as responsible, she'd burn incense in thanks.
Food?
Who said "food" just now?
The moment those words were spoken, Caleb's pocket wriggled—and out popped Pachirisu.
It glanced around the room. Where's the food?
"Aww, what a cutie! Look at that little face, so squishy!"
Granny scooped up Pachirisu into her arms.
Even though Caleb had long grown used to its appearance, he had to admit—Pachirisu really was ridiculously cute.
Granny pinched its chubby cheeks. "Oh dear, look at this poor thing—so skinny! That won't do!"
Skinny? Withered?
Pachirisu? Either of those words? No way!
Also—Granny, how are you holding it?
Caleb had weighed Pachirisu once out of curiosity—530 pounds. That's the same weight class as a Munchlax.
But it's way smaller than a Munchlax… Man, the world of Pokémon is wild.
Granny carried Pachirisu into the kitchen. "Lunch'll be ready in a minute. I made sauerkraut dumplings—eat up, you all."
Caleb followed her in. "Granny, let me help. I know a bit about cooking."
"Shoo, shoo—kids don't belong in the kitchen." Granny wouldn't budge. "You even know the difference between salt and sugar?"
Caleb: "…"
Not gonna lie, I just figured that out yesterday.
And so Caleb got kicked out and ended up sitting at a table with Gold.
There was also a grandpa sitting there, wearing reading glasses and going through the newspaper.
"Grandpa, since we're just waiting, could I take a look at that egg?" Caleb asked.
The old man set down his paper and laughed heartily. "Impatient, aren't you? Just wait a little—he'll come on his own."
???
Wait… it can move?
"Dumplings are here!" Granny walked in carrying a steaming bamboo tray.
"Dig in, there's more in the kitchen."
Gold didn't hesitate—he grabbed his chopsticks. "Don't mind if I do!"
But just as he was about to pop a dumpling into his mouth, it flew out of his chopsticks and into the air.
The heck? Dumplings have legs now?
Pachirisu had opened its mouth like a vacuum cleaner on max setting—dumplings were practically flying straight into it.
"Wh-What move is that?!"
"Nooo, my dumplings!" Gold finally snapped out of it and dove into the tray, grabbing whatever he could before it was too late.
As Gold wrestled with Pachirisu over food, a single egg came hopping over and settled itself on a chair.
"This is… my egg?" Caleb pointed at the egg on the chair, confused.
The old man chuckled. "Yep. Funny little thing—it always joins us at mealtimes."
"It's long overdue to hatch, but hasn't shown any signs of doing so."
So the Pokémon inside was fully developed, just… didn't want to come out?
Shy? Or was there another reason…
With that thought, Caleb slowly approached the chair and knelt down beside the egg.
If the Pokémon inside was already developed, it should be capable of thought.
And if there's thought, there can be communication.
And when it comes to communication—nobody beats the Power of Viridian.
Time to activate the Power of Viridian!
In an instant, Caleb's charm ability kicked in—every Pokémon nearby felt an instant +80 to affection, including the one inside the egg.
The old man adjusted his glasses, surprised.
That egg was notoriously cranky—anything that got within three meters usually got headbutted.
Now Caleb had his face right up against it, and it was still perfectly still.
Caleb gently pressed his forehead to the shell.
He could clearly sense the Pokémon inside.
Blue fur, black feet, black chest, mask-like fur around the face, and two spindle-shaped tufts that looked like—but weren't quite—ears.
A little blue pup… Riolu!
There was a Riolu inside the egg.
At the same time—
Riolu sensed Caleb's presence too. For some reason, it felt an inexplicable sense of trust toward this human, and its aura told it Caleb meant no harm.
So it let him hold the egg without resistance.
Yeah… hatching eggs isn't really my thing. Better leave it to Chansey.
Caleb handed the egg over to Chansey.
Chansey received it like a proud mom expecting her second child, carefully tucking it into her belly pouch.
Riolu, still inside the egg, felt an overwhelming wave of kindness… but also… something felt wrong.
It felt… sick?
Poisoned?!
Darn it—miscalculated!
...
Granny came back from the kitchen, bringing two more trays of steaming dumplings.
Seeing the egg peacefully resting in Chansey's pouch, she smiled. "So well-behaved today—Caleb, you really have a way with them."
"Oh, no, I just got lucky."
Caleb waved his hands humbly.
At the table, Granny and Caleb kept chatting. The conversation flowed easily.
It was all compliments.
First, she praised him for managing the Gym so well at such a young age—diligent and capable.
Then she admired how knowledgeable he was, always knowing things others didn't.
Finally, she sighed about how he was clearly destined for greatness.
Caleb was a little embarrassed from all the praise.
Come on, I'm not that amazing.
Next to him, little Blue scarfed down three bowls of dumplings out of pure frustration, unable to say a word.
Then Granny said, "You're such a great kid. I wonder—what kind of father raised you?"
"Uh… You mean my dad?" Caleb replied awkwardly. "His name's Mario. He's currently traveling."
"Mario…" Granny repeated the name softly, her expression shifting slightly.
"You know him?" Caleb asked curiously.
But for some reason, the moment he said his dad's name, the whole atmosphere changed.
Granny, who had just been chatting and laughing with him, now wore a thunderous expression.
"Granny? Hello?" Caleb waved a hand nervously.
Suddenly, she snapped her head up and shouted:
"Don't you call me that! You're just like your dad—total disaster!"
The outburst nearly scared Caleb out of his skin.
"Eat your meal and get going! I've got a million things to do this afternoon!"
???
Wait, Granny—you never said you studied Opera!