I was a young boy. I lived in a small town just outside of Cerulean City. I spent my days playing outside and looking for wild Pokemon, pretending to be a real trainer. As soon as I turned ten, I knew exactly what Pokemon I wanted to catch first: a Ditto! It was my favorite! It could be any Pokemon in the world, or even something cooler like a dinosaur! I loved the grassy hillsides around my country home, and I loved sledding down them when they got covered in snow during the winter months. I didn't have many friends, since there weren't many neighbors nearby, but I did play with my dad and Fearow.

Mom was always busy cooking or doing something grown-up like that. Bo-ring! Whenever I bothered her too much she'd tell me I'd make a terrible older brother. One time I asked her if she was going to have another baby, and she said with a sad look in her eyes that she already did. I still haven't figured out why she insisted I had a younger sibling. If I did, I would have seen him, right?

I finally turned ten years old. I could hardly wait! I was so ready to go out and catch my first Pokemon, when dad stopped me on my way out the door. He had a present for me. It was a Pokeball! My very first Pokemon! I was so excited! I ran outside to open it and sure enough, there was a Ditto inside, sleepily blinking up at me. It was the beginning of the greatest adventures of my life! I could still remember my parents' smiling faces as I left the house on my grand expedition, ready to tackle the world. I didn't want to be a Pokemon master, though. I didn't intend to challenge any gyms. I wanted to see the world. To see what other fantastic creatures awaited me on the other side of those grassy hilltops. To see the vistas, the ocean, the mountains. To see if the people in Johto were really as angry as everyone said they were.

But before I left, I had to ask.

"Dad? Why did you go so far out of your way to catch me this Pokemon?"

But he just smiled sadly at me and said, "We want you to have it as a way to remember us. Me, your mother... and your little brother."

...

I gasped and woke up with a start. That was the most intense dream I've ever had, I thought as I sat up, rubbing my head. The campfire had gone out on its own last night. "Hey Abra! Ditto! Come here, I..." I paused as I saw what looked like an exact copy of me, sleeping huddled around the cold firepit. I nudged him awake.

"Hey, Ditto, that's not funny! Cut it out!"

My duplicate peeled his eyes open sleepily, then practically jumped out of his pants when he caught sight of me. He blinked, rubbed his eyes, then smirked and said, "Hah, good one Ditto! You got me!"

"Huh? I'm not Ditto..." I was perplexed. "I'm Zack. You're Ditto."

"Very funny, Ditto," my duplicate replied, giggling a little. "You're a good actor! Looks like you can copy more than just my looks."

Still perplexed, I replied, "No, I'm serious, I'm Zack. I remember being Zack. I remember sledding down the hills back at home, and flying with Fearow, and how my parents wanted me to remember my little brother..."

My duplicate went silent. His expression of merriment vanished, replaced by a deeply disturbed look. "You... Ditto... don't ever copy me again."

"I keep telling you, I'm not-" but before I could reply, the duplicate reached over and tickled me under the armpit. I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing. And then, my body began to disintegrate, melting into globs of pink, translucent jelly. So I really was the Ditto. Of course I was the Ditto. I could remember everything now. And Zack sure didn't seem pleased with me for my little trick. He silently packed up his gear and turned his back on me.

"C'mon Abra, we'd better get going."

He was upset because I'd tapped into his deepest, innermost thoughts. He probably didn't appreciate that, since some of what I found was... personal to him. Guess I'd never be able to try it again with him, but I couldn't help but feel a little bit of euphoria from the whole experience. I had replicated Zack perfectly. I had copied him both body and mind. I became Zack, I believed I was Zack.

I trailed silently behind my trainer, bobbing up and down with uncontrollable glee. I had done it. I could be satisfied with that. Right?