Lunch turned into an afternoon of wandering the city and easy conversation. They avoided the mall though, as Teddy wanted to explore it with his Team.

  As it turned out, Gina was getting ready to go on a trip of her own. An expedition of some kind. She was set on getting a Bulbasaur of her own.

  The two had promised to meet back up in Goldenrod for a battle in the future.

  Teddy had demanded pics once she caught one.

  He chuckled and leaned back in his chair. She had even been kind enough to walk him back to the Poké Center, where he was now content to spend the night in the waiting room.

  Sure, he had a room upstairs.

  But it didn’t feel right when his Team was injured because of his mistakes. So, he would spend the night in the waiting room.

  Even if Nurse Joy made very prominent eye rolls at regular intervals—just to make sure he knew exactly how she felt about said decision.

  At some point she huffed, pushed herself away from the desk and left the room, throwing a glare his way.

  She returned a half-hour later with a steaming plate of food, which she promptly deposited into his lap.

  “When I said you couldn’t see your Pokémon until they were healed, I did not mean you had to punish yourself,” she huffed.

  Teddy paused, the steam from his food warming his face. If she had said that this morning, she would have been right.

  Instead, he smiled.

  “I’m not punishing myself,” he began.

  She raised an eyebrow.

  “Really, I’m not!” Teddy stated defensively.

  “It’s just… yeah, I know I messed up. But that’s not why I’m here. Well… not entirely.”

  She gave a that’s-what-I-thought nod that would have made his mum proud.

  “They are just… they are family to me. So I want to be with them,” he finished, somewhat lamely.

  She motioned for him to scoot over so she could sit next to him.

  “I know,” she said, settling in with a please exhale.

  “Did you know that if Pokémon come in too battered — or if I have any concerns at all — it’s part of my job to report it to the authorities?” she asked, her hands folded properly in her lap.

  I didn’t know that! Teddy thought, his lips going cold. Was that what she was going to talk with him about?

  Arceus, if he lost his Team!

  “Now now, none of that,” she chided. “I can see you spiraling to your own conclusions over there. Let me finish before you do that, OK?”

  Teddy gulped and nodded.

  “I have had many a Trainer’s license revoked in my time. Pokémon are not tools, nor are they toys,” she stated firmly, adjusting herself so she could look him in the eye.

  “I did not; however, see the need to file a report on you. Do you know why?”

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “I — “ Teddy began, but she cut him off before he could continue.

  “The question was rhetorical, dear. I did not because I have been doing this for a very long time. And I know a Team that cares for each other when I see one,” she finished with a nod.

  Teddy smiled tentatively, afraid to interrupt her again. She nodded approvingly at his silence.

  “I have not, however, seen a team as close as yours in a very long time. Did you know, my Chansey told me your Pokémon were mumbling in their sleep as she wheeled them back?”

  Teddy shook his head.

  Nurse Joy smiled. “Your Gastly was mumbling “MunchMunch” — I presume that is your Munchlax?” She asked.

  Teddy froze. Was that his nickname? He had no idea.

  “Your Munchlax was mumbling, too. Do you know what he was saying?” She asked.

  “Probably something about Chocolate Cake,” Teddy teased.

  Joy froze. “Hmm, well yes actually. You do indeed know your team,” she smiled widely.

  Teddy smiled as well. He did know his Team. And he loved them more than anything.

  “That wasn’t all he said tho,” she continued with a mischievous grin. “He also said one other thing. ‘Teddy’.”

  She looked at him expectantly.

  Teddy quickly turned his face to hide the tears that rushed to his eyes.

  “Uhm,” he coughed. “He is… I love him. A lot.”

  Joy stood and patted him on the shoulder.

  “I know,” she whispered, and walked away.

  ____

  Teddy fell asleep at some point. He knew he fell asleep, because he was startled awake.

  “Geeeeenn~gaaaaar.”

  Teddy startled awake and glanced over to see the most terrifying Gengar he had ever laid eyes on.

  Well, he had never seen a Gengar before — most people hadn’t, except in murals and depictions. They were nigh mythic.

  So it was officially the most terrifying Pokémon he had ever seen.

  Sitting in the chair next to him. Smiling.

  And waving.

  Obviously extremely pleased with itself.

  “Don’t mind him,” a voice drawled from his other side.

  Teddy jumped to see a Kadabra floating on his other side, absentmindedly stroking the Egg.

  “Uhh, hi?” Teddy strangled out.

  “Who… who are you?”

  “I’m Gengar, he is Kadabra,” the Kadabra huffed, his voice echoing in Teddy’s head.

  Then paused.

  The Gengar exploded into laughter.

  “I’m Kadabra — that is Gengar,” Kadabra amended, twitching its mustache.

  “Oh. Hi?” Teddy responded. This day just kept getting weirder.

  Both Pokémon chortled and settled in to wait. For what, Teddy didn’t know, but they didn’t seem interested in going anywhere.

  So Teddy sat down between them again and waited.

  “I’ve never spoken with a Psychic-Type before,” Teddy eventually said. Kadabra raised its eyebrow from his doze.

  “Yes well, be grateful that I am indeed amazing,” he responded dryly. “Mental conversation with an untrained Psychic can be quite excruciating. Akin to scrambling eggs, or so I have been told.”

  Teddy winced.

  “May I ask why you are here?” Teddy asked.

  “Gengar wanted to be here,” Kadabra corrected. “I was bored.”

  “I know Kadabra are common to act as translators in the bigger Poké Centers, but what is Gengar doing here?”

  At this the Gengar exploded into laughter, floating up so their eyes met and drawing ever close.

  Close enough their eyes almost met.

  Teddy just smiled. That was one of Shadow’s favorite pranks, and he had awakened many times to it. The Gengar would have to do better if he wanted to scare him.

  The Gengar abruptly retreated, landing to stand in front of Teddy.

  “Not bad,” the Kadabra said, in what was the mental equivalent of begrudging praise.

  “Gengar likes your Munchlax,” Kadabra sighed, doing his best put-off-translator-for-hire impersonation.

  It was kind of funny. The Kadabra looked at him, mortified.

  Can Kadabra read my thoughts? Teddy froze.

  The Kadabra cleared its throat and continued while Teddy’s ears burned.

  “Partly because he is ‘adorable’ — his words, not mine — but also because he has rarely seen a Gastly so happy,” Kadabra drawled.

  “Ghosts don’t experience emotion as you understand them. But they do experience thoughts, and dark thoughts are more powerful than light thoughts. Hence, most Ghost-Types turn to cruelty and deceit, chasing those ever elusive experiences.”

  Is that what Shadow fights with? Teddy wondered. He hadn’t realized it was quite like that.

  In fact, he hadn’t realized it was like that at all. He had… a lot to learn about Ghosts. And well, Pokémon in general.

  “Gengar is intrigued. This experience with the Gym will direct her down one of two paths. He wishes you to know; in the future, she will wish to become a Gengar, too,” Kadabra floated forward to regard Teddy.

  “A Haunter cannot become a Gengar without another Gengar. When the time comes, return here. If he is pleased with the Pokémon she has become, he will lend aid.”

  The Kadabra stopped for a moment to ponder.

  “Though what that might mean, I know not,” the Kadabra shrugged, Teleporting on the spot and vanishing.

  Gengar melted into the floor with a gentle laugh, leaving Teddy alone with his thoughts.

  The Poké Center lights quietly hummed into wee hours of the morning.