The fog had thickened to an almost tangible wall, curling between the lamp posts and over the cracked streets. The air smelled faintly of ozone, and I could feel the pulse — slow at first, then accelerating, like a heartbeat that wasn't mine.
Charcadet perched on my shoulder, head flame flickering violet. Ditto hovered beside me, shiny blue form wobbly but alert. I knew something was out there, and I had the uneasy feeling it wasn't going to wait for introductions.
I wasn't wrong.
A ripple in the fog, like a shadow moving against itself, and then it appeared: Shiny Gengar. Blacker than midnight, liquid-like, with eyes that gleamed silver. Its grin stretched impossibly wide, and I froze as it hovered silently… and then lashed out.
The blast of ghost energy was instantaneous. It tore through the streets, shaking debris and sending stray ghost Pokémon flying. A Misdreavus screamed, retreating into the fog, and a Haunter collided with a lamp post, shattering it. The students who had been wandering nearby screamed.
"No!" I yelled, diving forward to shield a younger boy. Charcadet immediately reacted, flaring it flame to deflect some of the energy, sparks flying. Ditto reshaped into a flexible barricade, bouncing stray debris and Phantump harmlessly away.
Even with both of them helping, Gengar's attack was overwhelming. Every strike it sent was precise and calculated — it wasn't blind aggression. It was forcing the battle. Forcing us into it.
I took a deep breath, fists clenched. "Charcadet, Ditto — we don't have a choice! Let's go!"
Charcadet surged forward, flames flaring, and hit Gengar with a side-angle Flame Charge. It wasn't enough. Gengar tilted, and the shadows around its body thickened, absorbing the flames and striking back with ghost energy, sending Charcadet skidding across the street.
Ditto wobbled, then morphed in an instant. "Transform," I yelled. Its body quivered, light bending as it duplicated Gengar's form, abilities, and ghost energy. The newly transformed Ditto-Gengar hovered, grin wide, ready to fight.
"Okay," I muttered, adrenaline pumping. "Let's see if this works."
The two Gengars faced each other. The fog seemed to respond, swirling violently, tendrils of shadow curling around their forms. Ditto-Gengar mirrored attacks, firing Shadow Balls back at the original, pushing it slightly off balance.
Charcadet, recovering, darted in with Flame Charge again, forcing Gengar to dodge and exposing weak points. The three of us worked in tandem — Ditto-Gengar intercepting attacks, Charcadet striking openings, and me calling precise directions.
Gengar's laughter echoed, high-pitched and gleeful, as if mocking us. Then, energy spiked violently. Its body expanded uncontrollably, shadows bursting outward. I barely had time to react before the ground trembled.
"Gigantamax!" I yelled, barely believing my own words. Gengar's form exploded, towers of jagged energy stretching upward, fog twisting around it like a hurricane. Charcadet's flames flared defensively, Ditto-Gengar braced against the pulse, eyes locked on the now colossal shiny Gengar.
The city seemed to quake under the energy. Lamp posts bent, debris flew, and ghost Pokémon froze mid-air, caught in the tremor. I realized we couldn't attack blindly — the destruction would be too great.
"Ditto, use Shadow Ball — aim carefully!" I shouted. "Charcadet, keep it moving and dodge its energy blasts!"
Ditto-Gengar fired Shadow Balls with uncanny precision, each one timed to intercept rogue attacks and redirect them. Charcadet dodged and struck with exact bursts of flame, creating openings. I could feel the tension rising; the fog itself seemed alive, pulsing with every clash of energy.
Gengar swung its massive form, lashing shadows in all directions. One wave slammed toward a group of students, and Ditto reacted instantly, transforming into a bouncy shield that absorbed the impact. I shouted commands, directing Charcadet to strike while Ditto contained chaos.
Step by step, we wore it down. Its energy stabilized slightly, pulses becoming rhythmic rather than chaotic. And then, I saw it — hesitation. Recognition. Connection.
I gritted my teeth. "I'm not your enemy! Ditto, work with me! Charcadet, flank it!"
Ditto-Gengar mirrored Gengar's moves, teleporting short distances to create confusion, firing Shadow Balls strategically to herd it. Charcadet's flames danced, precise and controlled, forcing Gengar to react defensively. The combined effort wasn't about raw power — it was about synergy, trust, and timing.
And then… the final pulse. Gengar's energy surged one last time, unstable, threatening to tear the city apart. But we were ready. Ditto-Gengar used a final Shadow Ball, perfectly timed, knocking Gengar off balance. Charcadet followed with a controlled Flame Charge, pushing the giant body back.
The massive shiny Gengar shuddered, then gradually shrank. Its spikes retracted, the shadows calming. The fog lifted slightly, and the other ghost Pokémon scattered or resumed normal behavior.
I dropped to one knee, breath heaving. "That's it. You can stop now. You're safe."
Gengar floated, silver eyes locking on mine, then slowly descended into my Poké Ball. Not forced — it went willingly, understanding that I had fought alongside it, respected it, and kept the city safe.
The Poké Ball pulsed faintly in my hand. Ditto morphed back into its shiny blue form, wobbling slightly from exertion. Charcadet collapsed beside me, tail flame flickering low.
Noctopolis exhaled with us. Streets stabilized, fog dissipating, students gathering cautiously. The battle was over. For now.
I sank to my knees, heart still hammering. Shiny Gengar. Ditto's transformation had been crucial. Without it, we wouldn't have stood a chance. And Charcadet had been incredible as always.
I looked at my team, the weight of the day settling in. We had survived the outbreak, faced the pulse at its source, and earned the trust of one of the most powerful Pokémon I had ever seen.
And deep down, I knew this was only the beginning.
Noctopolis glimmered faintly in the distance, lights flickering, energy still lingering. And I smiled, exhausted but alive.
"We did it," I whispered. "Together."