Sometime later, they reached the woods beyond Pewter City.  Once under the cover of the trees, Slasher stopped to let his passengers off.  He only hoped that no one had gotten a good look at him in the city.
    Looking up, Seth could see Mt. Moon looming in the distance.  He scratched his furry ear.  “Well, we’re back here again.”
    Aerie followed his gaze and shuddered.  “We’re not going through there are we?  I don’t want to go there again...”
    “May have to,” Seth stroked her back soothingly.  “I’m sure those Mew are long gone by now though.”
    “Maybe....” Aerie blinked.  “But now that I think of it, maybe that wouldn’t be so bad.  I never did get to *thank* them for hosting my stay there.”
    Seth noted her tone of voice uneasily, but decided not to dwell on it.  They would make it to Saffron....
    Marshmallow bounced over.  “Mt. Moon! I just came from there! But I don’t know anyone there named Mew.”
    “Mew not seen, hide themselves better than Ditto,” Mimic nodded.  “Continue now?”
    Slasher lay on the ground and brushed at his whiskers.  “Hold on a bit you guys, I want a breather here.”
    “Cha, me too,” Seth gave his head a quick shake.  “I’ve been stuck in this form too long, and my head is starting to feel funny.” Within seconds he was back in his default human form, sitting on the grass.  Once the glow faded from him, Marshmallow and Eevee screeched in terror.
    Seth turned startled wide emerald eyes on them.  “Geez!  You guys are just going to have to learn to accept the way I am, because staying in another form too long wrecks havok on my mind.  I’m *not* going to hurt you, okay?”
    Marshmallow looked nervous, and Eevee was still growling and bristling at Seth.  “Humans are bad!”  Seth saw Mimic shake his head in dismay in the corner of his vision.
    The blue-haired youth gave an exasperated sigh. “Look.....do I smell human to you?”
    Eevee paused at the strange question.  Then he lifted his little nose to the air.  He gave Seth a confused stare.  “No....smell like Ditto.”
    “Not quite, but close enough.  In any case, does that make you feel any better?” Seth asked, noticing Aerie hop up and cling to his head.  She seemed quite content to stay there.
    “Pika,” She smiled, resting her head in Seth’s hair.  He noticed that she didn’t seem to mind being out of her usual form during the extended period.  Hmm.
    Mimic, who had been watching, trotted up.  “Dittos know perhaps better than most that can never judge by appearance.”
    Marshmallow looked over at Eevee.  “Jiggly...”
    “I don’t know...”
    Mimic sighed, and exchanged a look with Aerie.  In mere seconds, three humans surrounded Eevee where there had been only one human and two Pikachus.
    “EEEEEEVEEEEEE!”
    Seth noticed the growing panic on Eevee’s face.  “Umm, guys, I don’t think that’s...”
    With a giggle, Mimic transformed into a row of can-can dancers, arms linked and all heads looking at Eevee.
    “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
    “Jiggly?  Puff?”  Marshmallow tried stroking Eevee’s fur, but it stubbornly stuck out, making Eevee look more like a puffball or a porcupine than an Eevee.
    Seth rolled his eyes, and began probing Eevee’s mind.
    #Help...#
    #It’s ok.  There’s nothing to be afraid of.#
    #Humanshumanshumanslotsofhumansevilevilevilthey’regoingtohurtmeandmy friendshelphelphelp...#
    #Enough!#
    Out of nowhere, Aerie reached forward and smacked Eevee to the ground. Her violet eyes which had been warm a moment before were now dull and cold.  Seth grabbed her wrist.
    “Aerie, stop!  It’s just scared!”
    “But it’s so irritating! Let me hurt it Seth!” Seth frowned and Aerie looked away realizing what she’d said.  “I’m sorry.”
    Eevee and Marshmallow were trembling and stunned.  Seth looked over at them, putting an arm around Aerie.  “You have to excuse her, she’s not well......that’s why we’re going to Saffron, to get her help.”
    Marshmallow blinked large blue eyes.  “I see...she’s sick?”
    “Yes, something like that.”
    Mimic’s can-can dancers remerged and transformed into a Ponyta.  “Should keep going.” With a whiney, he picked up both Marshmallow and Eevee in his teeth, flinging them onto his back.  The two little Pokemon panicked momentarily at the flames, but quickly calmed when they weren’t burned. Mimic trotted off.
    Seth helped Aerie to her feet.  “Yeah, can’t waste anymore time.  C’mon Slash!”
    In the shade of some bushes, Slasher peered out at them.  With a groan, he pushed himself to his paws and padded after them. 
    Just beyond the next bend was the most commonly used passage into Mt. Moon.  Seth increased his pace.  For him, Mt. Moon was filled with bad memories, but something about the mysterious cave still held him in a kind of boyish excitement of the unknown.
    Eevee whispered to Marshmallow.  “These Dittos, or whatever they are, are really starting to scare me.  Do you think we could go a different way perhaps?”
    Marshmallow was having similar thoughts.  Not wanting to be a burden on Mimic, Seth, and Aerie, she politely told them that they were going to head back towards Pewter.  “Me and Eevee are going to do some adventuring on our own.  Good luck getting to Saffron.”
    The three Dittos and one persian said goodbye and continued to Mt. Moon. Marshmallow and Eevee began heading back towards Pewter City.