Ash was beginning to wonder if his house had become some sort of beacon for challengers from across dimensions. After Yuzuriha's surprise visit and sparring session, he'd been hopeful for at least a day or two of peace. Yet here he was again, trying to catch his breath before the next bizarre encounter.
"Pikachu, do you feel that?" Ash asked, sensing a strange shift in the air. His Pokémon companion nodded, eyes narrowing as the two scanned the room.
Just as Ash began to relax, a shimmering figure appeared by the door—small, lithe, and wearing a striking outfit of black, white, and pink. The woman didn't say a word, merely twirling an umbrella in one hand and smirking.
"Pika?" Pikachu tilted his head in confusion.
Ash blinked. "Uh… hi? Who are you?"
The woman gave no verbal reply but smiled sweetly, her eyes—a striking mix of pink and brown—flickering with mischief. She pointed to herself with a dramatic flair, before flipping open her umbrella and twirling it again.
"Okay… um, do you speak?" Ash asked hesitantly, but all he got was a shake of her head.
Pikachu scratched his ear. "Pika pika…"
Ash sighed, a bit baffled by the silence. "I've seen some strange things lately, but you've gotta be the quietest one yet."
The woman didn't seem offended. Instead, she winked at Ash and reached into her coat pocket, pulling out a small notepad and pen. In quick, flowing strokes, she scribbled something down before flipping the notepad toward Ash.
"Name's Neo. Wanna play?"
Ash raised an eyebrow. "Play? What do you mean by that?"
Neo gave him no time to figure it out. Before Ash could react, her entire form began to shimmer, twisting and distorting in front of him like a mirage. She started to morph, shrinking a little, her features changing in a way that made Ash's heart skip a beat.
In seconds, Neo had transformed into… Ash—or at least, a perfect copy of him, down to the signature hat and jacket. However, the transformation wasn't flawless. Her eyes still retained their mismatched pink and brown colors, a striking contrast against Ash's usual features.
"W-what the—?!" Ash stumbled back, genuinely freaked out. "You… you can turn into me?!"
Neo, now looking like Ash with her own peculiar twist, simply smiled and gave a cheeky wink. She mimed looking at herself in a mirror, adjusting her "hat," and gave a thumbs-up, clearly amused by Ash's shocked reaction.
"Pikaaa!" Pikachu gaped, equally stunned.
Ash rubbed his eyes, unsure of what to make of the scene in front of him. "Okay, this is officially the weirdest thing I've seen today… and that's saying something."
Neo's mimicry wasn't over. She playfully posed in Ash's signature battle stance, as if challenging him to a Pokémon match. But before he could react, she quickly changed her approach. Neo shifted her umbrella like a weapon, spinning it in circles before charging at him with surprising speed.
"Whoa! Wait, wait, hold on!" Ash shouted, dodging out of the way. He hadn't even agreed to fight, and here she was coming at him like she meant business. "Why do you want to fight so bad?!"
Neo stopped mid-charge and turned toward him, shaking her head with a smirk as if to say, Who said this was a real fight?
Confused, Ash scratched his head. "So you're just messing with me?"
Neo nodded, flashing a mischievous grin. She clearly enjoyed toying with her opponents. She spun her umbrella around again and twirled like a ballerina, making Ash even more disoriented.
Ash threw his hands up in frustration. "I don't get it! You show up, turn into me, and now you're just… dancing?"
Pikachu looked at Neo, then back at Ash, clearly trying to process what kind of challenge this was supposed to be.
But Neo wasn't done. She stopped spinning and pointed at Ash again. This time, there was something in her expression that Ash hadn't noticed before. Despite the playful demeanor, there was a certain intensity in her gaze—like a predator toying with its prey.
Ash gulped. "You're not just here to mess with me, are you?"
Neo gave a slow, deliberate nod, her eyes never leaving him. She mimed grabbing something from her side—a sword, or perhaps a dagger—and made a quick, slashing motion. Then, with a smile that sent shivers down Ash's spine, she pointed at him again.
"Okay, okay, I get it!" Ash said, raising his hands in surrender. "You're tough. But I'm not looking for a fight—especially with someone who can turn into me! That's just creepy."
Neo tilted her head, her smirk growing wider. She clearly found Ash's reaction amusing.
Ash took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "Look, I don't know what you want, but if you're here to fight, can't we just talk this out?"
Neo raised an eyebrow, then shook her head. She pointed to herself again and made a gesture like a small heart with her hands.
Ash blinked, taken aback. "Wait, what? You're not here to fight me for the title?"
She mimicked a little shrug, then pointed at Ash and mimed something close to petting a cute animal, all while keeping that sly smile on her face.
Ash's face flushed red. "You… think I'm cute?!"
Neo nodded, her eyes gleaming with playful amusement.
Pikachu snickered, finding the whole thing more entertaining by the second.
"W-wait a second, I thought you wanted to—uh, you know, challenge me or something!" Ash stammered, now completely off balance.
Neo tapped her chin thoughtfully, then scribbled another note on her notepad before holding it up to Ash. It read: "Who says I can't do both?"
Ash groaned, realizing he was in for yet another confusing encounter. "This is just… too much…"
With a final wink, Neo tossed her umbrella over her shoulder, spun around gracefully, and blew a silent kiss in Ash's direction. Then, with a playful wave, she turned and walked back toward the window, disappearing as mysteriously as she had arrived.
Ash stood there for a moment, completely at a loss for words.
"Pika pika," Pikachu said, giving him a sympathetic pat on the leg.
Ash let out a long sigh. "I don't think I'll ever understand what just happened…"
As the house grew quiet again, Ash leaned against the wall, shaking his head in disbelief. "Neo, huh? I've got a feeling that won't be the last time I see her."
Pikachu just shrugged.