MunchMunch watched as the enemy trainer and his Trainer talked. The enemy trainer was still shouting, but he didn’t seem as strong anymore.

  Then they did something — which Gastly explained was the enemy trainer giving the stuff to Teddy so he could buy food later.

  MunchMunch perked up and watched with avid interest, making sure he didn’t miss a thing. He needed to see how it worked, so he could make sure it always happened.

  After.

  Every.

  Single.

  Battle.

  Gastly cackled beside him, but he was too busy chewing on his leftovers and watching both two-legs.

  Suddenly, there was a loud noise and another enemy trainer came around the corner, saying two-legs things. She threw out a Pokeball and a new Rattata appeared.

  Gastly slowly floated forward cackling. But MunchMunch wanted a turn. He wanted to try. He wanted to train, too!

  He plopped his leftovers in his mouth so they would be super safe and waddled out on to the field. Gastly and his Teddy both looked at him uncertainly.

  “You are still just a baby, maybe you should wait a little longer?” Gastly asked, while his Trainer said something and something else - he did hear Munchlax though. It felt like he was asking the same thing Mama Gastly was.

  MunchMunch tried to answer, and almost dropped his most favorite thing ever from his mouth! He frowned, but then suddenly he found a perfect spot in his cheek where it would fit and be safe!

  “Yup!” He nodded, “I’m going to win and get stuff to get more food. And I’m going to get super strong so I can have all the food I want!”

  Gastly shrugged. At least, once she was a Haunter it would look like a shrug. She really couldn’t wait until she became a Haunter.

  “Ok, Munchlax!” his Trainer shouted. MunchMunch was bubbling with excitement. This would be his first time!

  ____

  The enemy Rattata didn’t wait, zooming forward to tackle Munchlax. It really hurt, and his tummy bounced in as the Rattata smashed into it. MunchMunch gasped in surprise - accidentally biting into his leftovers. He gasped again as it suddenly made him feel better!

  “Munchlax - Defense Curl!” His Trainer shouted. MunchMunch didn’t know why, but he understood both words! And he squeezed all his muscles really hard and tucked his tummy in! But while he was concentrating, the Rattata Tackled him again!

  But this time his tummy didn’t move as much, and it didn’t hurt as much. MunchMunch chewed on his forever-snack as a reward.

  Then he gasped — Mama Gastly had taught him how to win, and he had already forgotten what to do! It was ok, he would do it now!

  MunchMunch opened his mouth and started cackling, doing his best to sound like Mama Gastly!

  The enemy Rattata stopped moving. The enemy trainer stopped moving. Teddy stopped moving. Gastly positively exploded cackling — so he knew he was doing it right!

  “Defense Curl again!” His trainer shouted! MunchMunch squeezed aaaaall his muscles again, but he made sure he didn’t stop his winning noises — they were how he was going to get strong!

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  The enemy Rattata smashed into him again, but this time his tummy barely moved at all - and it didn’t hurt! Well ok, maybe a tiny bit — but it was only a tiny bit!

  MunchMunch took a chew as a reward and started his Gastly-winning-noises back up right away. Even his Teddy was making the noises-that-didn’t-sound-mean too!

  “Last Defense Curl!” He yelled, and MunchMunch knew just what to do! This time, the Rattata bounced off of him and his tummy didn’t move at all. It didn’t hurt at all this time!

  MunchMunch really liked training!

  He kept cackling, and so did Mama Gastly — his Trainer kept making noises like them, too! And the enemy Rattata and her trainer were looking more and more scared — which meant he was doing it right! He was winning! MunchMunch made sure to cackle louder.

  Suddenly, his most favorite thing popped out of his mouth. He stopped laughing right away, watching in horror as it bounced away from him. The enemy trainer shouted, and Rattata shot towards it.

  “MUNCH!” He bellowed, swinging his paw in the air. He had to save his most favorite thing! He had to!

  He kept waggling his paw when suddenly a thought popped into his head. Extremespeed. He didn’t know what it meant, but he didn’t care.

  One minute he was standing next to his Trainer. The next, he appeared in front of the Rattata, belly slamming her as she tried to take his favorite thing! She catapulted back somewhere, but MunchMunch didn’t care. He bent down and picked up his most favorite thing.

  “I promise I will never lose you again,” he said solemnly, putting back into its special place in his mouth. He gave it a good chew to show it how much he loved it.

  He looked up to see the enemy Rattata smooshed into a wall, fainted. He turned to waddle back to his Trainer.

  Gastly was positively rolling on the ground cackling. Teddy was staring at him with his mouth open.

  “Munch!” He shouted.

  “Munchlax…why do you know Metronome?” His Trainer said. He didn’t understand what he was saying, but he heard his name and Metronome, and his paw started wagging again — all on its own! MunchMunch gasped. Maybe he would magically fly this time?!

  Suddenly, Mama Gastly was right in front of him, and her eyes were so beautiful! They shimmered and shone and she whispered “sleep.” Suddenly MunchMunch was super, duper tired. So he plopped down and went to sleep, the Hypnosis doing its job.

  ___

  When Munchlax woke up, Gastly was busy beating up the enemy trainer’s Zuubat (maybe all enemy trainers had the same two Pokemon?), and cackling the whole time. MunchMunch made sure to cackle too, but he was still tired so it wasn’t very loud. He munched on his yummy-snack happily.

  Then the battle was over, and his Trainer was talking to the other trainer. This was the part where they got food-stuff!

  MunchMunch hurriedly waddled over, intent on watching. He needed to make sure nothing went wrong.

  The enemy trainer seemed very scared of him for some reason. She kept looking at him while giving the stuff to his Trainer. MunchMunch didn’t know why, Mama Gastly was way scarier.

  “Munch!” He chirped, taking a chew from his leftovers. The enemy trainer blanched and left in a hurry with her friend.

  Teddy bent down and started petting him (which MunchMunch really liked!) and laughing. MunchMunch grinned happily.

  “That was really, really fun!” he told his Teddy. “I want to do that more!”

  “Sweetie, that was amazing!” Gastly said, swooping down from her shadow to spin around him.

  “Did you see me! The other Pokemon couldn’t hurt me! Just like you! And then I was suuuuper fast, but I don’t know why! Mama, I think I might like training almost as much as I like food!” MunchMunch babbled.

  For once, Gastly didn’t correct him on her name. She just smiled. To anyone else, the smile would be terrifying, but MunchMunch thought it looked really nice.

  “I have never seen a baby battle like that before, little one,” She whispered, floating away to find a shadow to hide in, “This is going to be So. Much. Fun.”

  MunchMunch giggled as his Trainer pet his head.