A Mew happily flew down a hill, jubilantly feeling the wind in her fur. She dodged trees and rocks, seeing how close she could get to each obstacle. Even if she hit a boulder at full force, she was a god, and nothing could really harm her. She called on the memory of Pokémon she'd made, and transformed into a Pidgeot. Nothing could compare to the feeling of the wind in your wings, and how a tiny twitch of a single primary could change the direction you faced.

Changing form had another purpose: she was entering a country where humans sometimes came. Mew didn't want to make a bunch of humans hunt her again. Mew banked, bled off most of her speed, and landed in a tree.

Since Mew was the ancestor of all Pokémon, some called her a god of life. That wasn't quite her domain, but reaching out with her aura and divine powers, she felt connected to all life in a half-mile radius. She felt Rattata in their dens, Fearow searching for prey, and a herd of Dodrio running across the field. Then she found something she hadn't sensed before. It felt like a Pokémon, but its aura didn't match anything she'd made. Mew remembered all her creations, so to find a Pokémon that wasn't hers was unheard of.

Mew, still in the body of a Pidgeot, took off to find this new Pokémon. Pidegeot were predatory birds, and so had excellent eyesight. Swooping low, she found a...blob. It looked like a 1 foot mass of pink clay or putty. Mew felt that this was what she was looking for. It had an aura, but this was so unlike anything she had ever made or seen. Mew landed next to it. If there was a stick nearby, Mew would have poked it with that, but to her surprise, it moved.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" The blob then quivered, and the simplest of faces appeared. It was like a human child's drawing of a face, with two dots for eyes and a line for a mouth. Even more surprising, after looking at Mew's Pidgeot form, it jiggled, then morphed into a perfect copy of her! Mew jumped back into the sky, hovering near this new creature. It wasn't like a Zoroark's illusion, which warped light to change what you saw. Even the aura of this creature had changed to match what a typical Pidgeot would be. Mew realized after a moment that it actually didn't transform into a typical Pidgeot, but a perfect copy of Mew's Pidgeot form, from which all other Pidgeots were modeled.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." The Pidgeot said glumly.

"What are you?" Mew asked with wonder. She had never seen anything like this before.

The Pidgeot spoke. "I don't know what I am. I'm the only one I've ever seen. I just know I can transform into anything I look at, even if it's a lot bigger than I am. I used to be with some humans on an island, but it exploded, and I've just been exploring."

"Wait, you can transform into anything? Have you seen a Charizard? I want to watch that trick again!."

If the beak of a Pidgeot could frown, the creature would have done so. He looked at the ground in shame. "Well, I have to actually look at the thing while transforming, I haven't made it work without that. It's not pretty to watch, and it hurts to try."

Mew considered, but didn't want to reveal her true self just yet. She pointed out one of the Dodrio across the field. "Can I watch you turn into that?"

"I can do that." The Pidgeot jiggled back into its pink form, then turned into a mirror image of that Dodrio. It even copied the scar on one of its heads. Mew watched with all her senses as this weird Pokémon transformed. On an aura level it seemed to be doing the same thing she did when she transformed, but where she looked into itself to find the essence of a Pokémon, it had to get the template from an outside source.

"Wow, that's weird. I've never seen anything like that!"

"That's what most Pokémon say when they see me transform. I'm just used to having to give several demonstrations every time someone sees it." It deflated back into a pink blob.

Mew looked at the blob, noticing that it was almost exactly the same pink as her fur, and about the same size of her normal form if she curled up. She remembered a big fight she had against a powerful Pokémon a few years ago, and how it was created by humans from her genes.

"Was that island you came from to the northeast about a Fearow's day flight?" Mew asked, pointing when she realized this Pokémon probably didn't know north from south.

"You know, I think that's about right. I don't want to go back though, I didn't like those humans there. They always seemed so disappointed with me, like they wanted me to be something else."

"Guess what? I figured out what you're supposed to be. You're supposed to be me!" With that, Mew changed back to her normal, catlike form. "A while ago, some human scientists were trying to clone me off an eyelash of all things. I think you were an attempt to make a clone of me."

The Ditto stared at this new revelation. He had never seen or heard of Mew before, but this Pokémon demonstrated a power that only he had shown before. Moreover, this Pokémon had a natural form that wasn't just a blob. He transformed into Mew, and felt the sheer possibility at his, well, not fingertips, but arms at least. He thought of all the different techniques he had used across different forms, and found that all of them were usable in this form. It was as easy to channel water as it was to channel electric, ice, or ghost techniques.

Mew sat and watched this. Now this Pokémon could be complete. Watching this strange Pokémon play with its new moves was fun. It also gave Mew a view for what she looked like normally. It was a bit weird seeing your doppelganger act so differently than you would. Still, had she always been this cute? She hadn't played with anyone else in ages. Arceus was too serious to play around, always seemingly worried about the future of his creation.

Mew noticed that she didn't know what to call this new creature. "Hey, do you have a name? I don't think I should call you 'Blob,' or since you're mostly me, Mew 2. I think the big guy already claimed that name, anyway. I know! I'll call you Ditto, because you copy anything you see!"

The newly named Ditto wasn't so sure. "It doesn't sound very strong or interesting. What would be my place in the world with a name like that?"

"It's alright. I created all Pokémon, and named them too! I always know what the right name is. Now, I wonder if changing into me fixed you. I have the genes of all Pokémon inside me. Transforming into me should have given you the same thing. You've seen a Charizard, right? Try changing into that now."

Uncertain, Ditto shrugged. "I'll try." Ditto shifted back into his normal state.

Mew watched to see if Ditto could change into a species that wasn't here. Hopefully, by transforming into her, Ditto would've been able to repair the broken pieces of himself. Ditto concentrated, thinking of the time he saw one back on the island. His flesh turned orange, elongating into a dragonish head, with arms, legs and a long, muscular tail. But the Charizard never fully emerged from the mass of putty. Ditto struggled, remembering the wings, the tail, the claws on the fingers. These features would pop out as Ditto concentrated on them, but never persisted. After a minute of struggling, Ditto gave up and resumed his natural form.

"I'm sorry. It seems like I don't have the essence in me to draw on. I have to see something in order to become it. I'm sorry to disappoint you. I'm just a one trick Pokémon, and it's not even that great of a trick. I can do anything anybody else can, in the exact same way. There is nothing unique about me. I'm just a copycat. "

"That's too bad." Mew said, nibbling on her tail. This poor creature was so sad. It was a flawed, incomplete version of her, doomed to be limited in form to what it could see.

"What if you transformed into me, then try to transform into something else from that? Even if it's not permanent, it should let you use all my capabilities."

Ditto easily copied Mew's form, mirroring her. Then, without going into his natural state, he concentrated on the powerful dragon Charizard. This time was a success. The head stretched into a predator's face, formed perfectly. The legs gained layers of muscle and dense bone and sinew. Finally, wings came out of the back, and a flame lit on the end of his tail, the pride of any Charizard. It seemed like this was working. With the DNA of all Pokémon within him, Ditto could become any Pokémon without having to see it. Mew also became a Charizard, taking less time with practiced ease. It was what she was made for; to embody every Pokémon.

Mew couldn't contain her excitement. She tapped Ditto with a wing. "I'll race you to that tree!" She darted off, not waiting for a reply. Ditto, mind racing with his new capabilities, followed only a second behind.

The race started with Mew a body length ahead of Ditto. Mew did a barrel roll, loving the strength and agility of this species. Ditto powered forward. He hit Mew, and they crashed into the ground, a tangle of tails, wings, and legs. Here was a completely new creature next to Mew, almost her equal in ability, just with much less experience. Even with a head start, Ditto had caught up to her. Ditto changed back to his putty form to crawl out from the tangle.

"Are you okay?"

Mew changed back to her natural form too. "That was AMAZING! I haven't had that close of a race in years! Let's do it again!" Mew joyfully replied.

Ditto remembered to copy Mew, then used her power to turn into a Fearow. "If you want to race, nothing is faster than a Fearow."

Mew chose to become a Pidgeot, liking the wider wings and sturdier build. As if reading each other's minds, they flew straight up into the air. After getting high in the sky, they dove straight down, daring the other to bank away twirled around each other, making a helix shape in the air. Ditto chickened out first, flattening out his course twenty feet off the ground. Mew was more reckless. It didn't matter if she hit the ground; she would surely survive. Mew pulled up at the last second, breast feathers skimming the grass. With the extra speed, Mew touched the tree first.

Mew and Ditto continued to play together for the rest of that afternoon. They raced, battled, and did any sort of contest their different forms allowed them to partake in. Mew won a few more than she lost, but it wasn't many more. After a few hours, they finally laid together on the grass, exhausted. Mew was a Ninetales, while Ditto was in the body of an Arcanine. The sun touched the horizon, lengthening the shadows of the trees and hills. They panted, tired from that battle. Mew leaned over and licked the top of Ditto's head. Ditto shifted position a bit, and they started to groom each other. Ditto relaxed, a little too much. His thick fur melted a little and gained a matted texture. Mew stopped as her tongue brushed on this new texture.

"Sorry," Ditto said as he focused on regaining his Arcanine form. He was tired enough that he could only barely keep his chosen form. He had to hold two transformations in his body this way: transforming into Mew, then using her power to become anything else. It was tiring, as most days he only kept a single transformation for a few hours. After a few minutes, he gave up and shrank back into a blob.

Ditto wiggled a little closer to Mew, hoping he wouldn't get stuck in her fur. "Today was the best day I've ever had. I've never felt wanted or valued before, but you gave me a name and were happy with what I could do. I'm glad we met."

Mew switched back to her natural self and waved her arms around. "That was the most fun I've had in ages! I can fly, swim, run, and do anything with you! You're the best playmate ever!"

"I'm glad you're happy." Ditto inched over to a nearby tree and laid down under it. I'm tired out. I'm going to sleep soon."

Mew floated over next to him. She laid her body on his head, with her tail curling around both of them. "Good night, Ditto."

Mew had had so much fun that afternoon. She considered taking Ditto along with her on her wanderings. She decided that It wouldn't really work out. She did actually have to do things occasionally for the balance of the world, and it was frowned upon to bring mortals into it. The other problem was that while Ditto could definitely be a match for her, his endurance was too low. Only a few hours of play had him tired out, meaning she'd travel two or three times farther than him in a day. No, better to leave him behind. I would be best to leave him behind, as much as that idea hurt. Still, she could do something for him.

Mew concentrated, focusing her divine powers. A small gem formed in her paw, the size of a diamond in a human wedding ring. It would have to be small, so it wouldn't be a burden. This gem glowed green, the color of life, flashing with blue, the color of aura. She couldn't take Ditto with her, but she could make him feel whole. Mew placed the jewel on the ground where Ditto would see it when he woke up, and drew in the grass. She made a picture of herself, with the gem where her heart would be. Now that she had done all she could, Mew flew off into the blue night, searching for new places and things to see.

When Ditto awoke the next day, he wondered if he had been dreaming. He remembered there was another Pokémon that could transform, just like him, but she wasn't limited by what she could see. He opened his eyes, and saw a picture carved into the dirt and grass in front of him.

It wasn't a dream. Yesterday actually happened. His sole ability, to copy whatever he saw, was valuable and wanted, and not just as a circus act. Ditto reached for the gem, and as he touched it, a voice echoed in his mind.

"Ditto. I'm sorry for leaving like this. It wouldn't be right for me to drag you along with me on my travels. I want you to know that yesterday was one of the best days I've had in centuries. You were something new and surprising, and it takes something truly unique to surprise a god! I'm leaving you this gem, which contains a tiny bit of my essence. It'll be just like carrying me with you, so you can be what you were meant to be. You should be able to just carry it inside your body, even when you're transformed, so you shouldn't lose it. That should give you complete freedom to do what you want to do. See all the sights of Kanto, then maybe check out Johto!"

"I'll return to this place in a year. I hope to see you then. It'll be a date, like the humans say! Goodbye, Ditto"

Ditto understood the logic, but that didn't make Mew leaving hurt less. He was determined to go out and see what he could do, and he was going to come back here and see Mew again in a year!

"Until we meet again, Mew."