MunchMunch was really excited. So excited he was MunchMunch-skipping around the place Gastly told him was called a “room” in the Pokemon center. It was so great! He even got a Soft-boiled Egg from Nurse Chansey — and a head pat — plus they had a room upstairs!

  MunchMunch wondered if he could go back downstairs and ask for a Soft-boiled Egg whenever he wanted? The idea was super great.

  But that wasn’t what he was excited about. Mama Gastly had told him their Teddy was taking them out for something called a Celebration tonight! Because they had won the Hive Badge! She said it meant their Trainer was really proud of them!

  And that was just absolutely the greatest.

  “Muuuuuunch,” he sang, before pausing. His voice didn’t sound as nice as during the Gym Leader battle. He thought about using his magic-paw, but then remembered Hyper Beam. He probably better not.

  He still decided he liked singing though!

  _____

  Gastly watched in bemusement as Munchlax rampaged through the room screaming at the top of his lungs. The local PokeCenter Kadabra had even sent a questioning Telekinesis, just to make sure he wasn’t getting tortured. She had almost said yes, just to see the Kadabra panic — but decided against it.

  No need to get her Trainer a bad name with the League.

  She gazed out the window and watched as the local Spinarak worked feverishly to get ready for tonight. The townspeople bustled about, hauling tables and starting to prepare the food.

  She wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but it felt… good. They had stopped Proton and Team Rocket, saving the town and the Slowpoke. The party they were throwing in their honor was… not something she had ever expected to be a part of.

  Sure, the League would have eventually gotten some Rangers down to help, but who knew how many Slowpoke would have been hurt before they got there? She cackled softly as a Slowpoke who was carrying a table on his back decided it was nap time.

  Although if the local chef’s Snubull didn’t stop sneaking all the sausages, she would be sure to give him a Lick from head to toe. She was sure Munchlax would love them.

  As if sensing her, the Snubull looked towards their window with wide eyes. She smiled back, just wide enough to let him know there better be some sausages left later.

  She cackled as the Snubull yipped and scampered away.

  Her gaze drifted back to the child. Their Trainer would be back soon, after he had finished speaking with the local Rangers. From what she could tell, they had been polite but insistent he come with them for questioning.

  It still frustrated her to no end that she couldn’t understand anyone but her Trainer. At least he was kind enough to take a moment to explain to her what they wanted. A lot of trainers would just put their Pokemon in their Pokeballs and without saying anything at all.

  Once again she was certain she had picked the right trainer.

  ____

  Teddy sighed, running a tired hand through his hair as he made his way from the Ranger Station back to the PokeCenter. Life had become an emotional rollercoaster since his Munchlax joined the team. He wouldn’t change it for anything, but Team Rocket did have him concerned.

  It apparently had the League worried as well. Normally there were plenty of Rangers here - it was the gateway to Ilex after all, and the forest was known to house dangers. The fact there were no Rangers at all, leaving him and his team to handle Team Rocket hinted at wider problems.

  He had been assured by the officials it was nothing, that the Rangers had been called out for a training exercise.

  He had smiled politely and accepted it for what it was. A blatant coverup. Whatever the Rangers had been called away for, it must’ve been serious — because it left a sixteen-year-old to deal with Team Rocket alone.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  And there was no way Proton didn’t have stronger Pokemon. Why hadn’t he used them? What angle was he playing?

  If that wasn’t enough, the League had commissioned a real life Alakazam to teleport a League official to question him directly. Which was honestly crazy. Alakazam were so rare and powerful — there was no way what happened here wasn’t important.

  The League Official — Jasper he had named himself, had been kind. They had even given him a badge of sorts that would allow him some degree of leeway to investigate and act upon Team Rocket matters he might run into. As long as he kept them updated. Which honestly? He was fine with — it was sort of cool to be some kind of government agent.

  Jasper had been surprised by his age though. 10-12 was when most kids started training. Battles close to home, Little Leagues, school clubs. 13-14 was when Gym’s started offering official training, and kids would start venturing a little further off path or neighboring towns. At 15 you were allowed to challenge gyms, which was when most kids who had decided they wanted to be Trainers started their journey.

  He hadn’t gotten his first Pokemon until the day before his 16th birthday. He knew his Gastly thought she was sneaky. That he had never seen her — but he had known for years she was watching him. In the shadows, judging and waiting. For his part, he knew he wanted her to be his First, his Starter, the Leader of his team.

  And so he had waited. For years. Kids had bullied him for not having a Pokemon, said he was scared or weak. Others had understood — adults mostly.

  “Choosing your lifelong companion is important, you won’t regret waiting for the right one,” his mum had told him.

  It had been a huge honor and joy when Gastly finally revealed herself to him, the day before his 16th birthday.

  They had left together the next day.

  Teddy opened the door to see his little Munchlax waddling around singing terribly off-key at the top of his lungs, while Gastly floated in the corner, her eyes crinkled in amusement.

  “MuuuuuuuuuuunchmunchmunchMuuuuunch!” He waddled over to him, the egg from Professor Elm held out before him.

  Teddy smiled, all the stress and tension from the past few days draining away. Tonight the town was celebrating, and he couldn’t wait to show his Pokemon around.

  ——

  MunchMunch gasped and giggled! His Teddy had brought him and Mama Gastly outside. It was dark, but the whole town had changed! Spinarak had spun webs of rope from building to building, and there were lights hanging from them all over! Just like in the gym! They were the soft, glowy lights — and they were really pretty!

  And there were people playing things Gastly had told him were called instruments which made really nice sounds! He had never heard sounds like that before, except for the one time his magic paw had let him Sing!

  There were tables all over the place outside, and there were Pokemon and people everywhere! There were big flying Pokemon in the sky, but he couldn’t see them because above the lights it was dark! And there were bug Pokemon everywhere. Scyther was over talking to the Beedrill from the gym. Everyone seemed super happy! He even saw the Weedle he had fought during one of his gym battles! It stuck its tongue out at him and scooted away. MunchMunch laughed and stuck his tongue out too!

  But the best part — the best part was the smell! There was food everywhere. Some of the tables were hot — which Mama Gastly told him not to touch — and when the people put food on them, it made super yummy sizzling sounds.

  It made MunchMunch’s mouth water so much!

  “MuunchMunch!” He shouted, waddling to the next table. No matter where he went, everyone always gave him food! His Teddy was holding the Egg so he could hold as much food as possible to eat!

  “This is called sausage,” Mama Gastly whispered, when they got to the next table.

  MunchMunch felt his eyes water in the happy way. It looked and smelled sooo good.

  “Munch?” He asked, holding out a paw. The person cooking laughed, patting him on the head. From the corner of his eye, he saw a pink Pokemon watching carefully, but Mama Gastly looked at him and he yipped, running away.

  Then the person gave him a sausage, and nothing else mattered.

  It was so perfect. It smelled so, so good! Munch immediately put the whole thing in his mouth, so that he wouldn’t miss any of it. It was wonderful. Warm and hot! And juicy! And it did things that made his tongue prickle, but in a good way! And when he bit it, the smell went through his whole head!

  “Munch!” He gasped looking back up at the most bestest person making them. Gastly broke out cackling while the most bestest person gave him another one!

  He held it close, waddling away while looking around. He saw his Teddy talking to someone while laughing — which made him happy. He liked when his Teddy laughed. Gastly had floated off to watch from the shadows — but MunchMunch could always feel where she was! He liked the happy crinkles in her eyes too!

  He couldn’t be happier. He was with his favorite Teddy and his favorite Gastly doing his favorite thing — Eating. MunchMunch liked Celebrations very much!