MunchMunch sat in the basket of his Teddy’s bicycle and wrung his paws in worry.

  After Mama Shadow had her awesome battle, he got to fight two whole trainers all by himself.

  He had been very excited but… it wasn’t very hard.

  “Munch,” he sighed.

  He wanted to go back and fight the Gym Pokémon.

  They were much more fun.

  He touched his cheek, which was still sore. Then he giggled. Next time, he would be so strong they wouldn’t be able to hurt him at all!

  At least the Pokémon had been nice! Oh, and Mama Shadow said they beat the trainers up enough to have all the money they needed to go eat more Chocolate Cake.

  That made him very happy.

  Then he sighed again.

  No, the reason he was worried was because of their Teddy. Right after he won his second battle, another trainer challenged them.

  But then his Teddy’s magical box made a lot of noise. And when he looked at it he started yelling.

  Not an angry yell. MunchMunch was really proud he was able to tell that. It meant he was getting closer to his Teddy!

  No, it was a panic yell.

  Then he bent to scoop up MunchMunch.

  Who was way too big and strong to be picked up. His Teddy’s grunt had made him giggle. MunchMunch let him put him in his Pokéball, after making him promise he was going to let him right back out again.

  His Teddy put him in the basket right away, and then peddled away super fast.

  Which MunchMunch liked because the wind reminded him of the first time he used Fly!

  They all forgot about the trainer behind them, who was still standing there with his mouth open waiting to battle.

  Well, Mama Shadow didn’t forget — she made sure to turn around and stick out her tongue at him.

  So MunchMunch did it, too! He found out if you blow with your tongue out, it made funny noises!

  Then, Mama Gastly told MunchMunch the reason Teddy was upset was because he forgot.

  Forgot he was supposed to have a thing called a video call with his mom tonight.

  MunchMunch didn’t even know their Teddy had a mommy.

  Just like he had his Mama Shadow.

  So now he was worried.

  What if Mama Teddy didn’t like him?

  “Muuuuunch,” he groaned, taking a bite of his forever-snack.

  He immediately felt better. So he smiled and took another bite.

  MunchMunch giggled.

  After his third bite, he was really happy! So he stuck his tongue out like he had just learned and blew bubbles into the wind!

  ____

  The computer whirred to life as Teddy bounced in anticipation. He hadn’t spoken to his Mum since Violet City, but she was supposed to be back from her trip today.

  “I can’t believe I forgot!” he berated himself for the thousandth time. Thank goodness for phone alarms.

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  The computer beeped as it finished waking itself up. Nurse Joy nodded at him with a smile from behind the counter. Teddy smiled back from the computer booth, taking a sip of the drink she had brought him to calm his nerves.

  Something fizzy. He loved it.

  Still, his stomach was in his throat. He had so much he had to ask him Mum. So much he needed advice on.

  And so much he couldn’t tell her. Like Celebi.

  Or Rocket.

  Especially Team Rocket.

  Teddy shuddered, just imagining that conversation.

  The computer trilled as the connection took hold.

  “Honey? Honey? Hi — can you hear me?” His Mum popped up on the screen, a small lady with huge eyes and brown hair.

  Teddy immediately felt all the tension drain from his shoulders.

  “Hey Mum!” He smiled, his grin splitting his face.

  “Hi Sweetie! How are you?” She smiled back with a small wave.

  Teddy waved back. “I’m doing great! How was your research trip?”

  Gastly was floating in the background and MunchMunch was nibbling on his leg, where he had spilled some food earlier.

  He couldn’t wait to surprise her — she didn’t even know about his Munchlax yet!

  “Oh — it’s great to be home,” she smiled. “And you honey? How is your Journey?! I still can’t believe my baby grew up and started his Journey while I was away!”

  Teddy blushed as Nurse Joy snorted into her own drink.

  “Muuum,” he groaned, not really too upset. “I still called and let you know!”

  She laughed and nodded. “It was about time that Gastly stopped hovering and made a choice. I’m really glad you two found each other.”

  Shadow sniffed in the corner.

  “I actually had a question on that… do you remember the Egg the Professor sent me?” Teddy asked.

  “Mmhmm, the really pretty one? Of course I do — I told him to send it to you in the first place,” she laughed. “It was such an odd find — all alone in the middle of a cave in. We never did find its parents.”

  Teddy faultered. He didn’t know that part. The Egg came with a note asking him to take care of it on behalf of the Professor, an XOXO from his Mum, and that was all he knew.

  “Oh… that’s so —“

  “Don’t worry, Sweetie!” his Mum cut in. “We didn’t find its parents at all, meaning they are still out there, somewhere.”

  Teddy smiled. His mum always knew exactly what he was thinking.

  “That’s really good. Also… I’m a bit worried. It still hasn’t hatched. Do you think anything is wrong?” Teddy asked worriedly.

  His Mum laughed. “I don’t think you need to worry — some Pokémon can take years to hatch. I’ve heard of Lapras taking a decade or more to hatch before.”

  “Oh.” Teddy wasn’t sure he wanted to haul an Egg around for a decade…

  “By the way, how is that Gastly of yours doing?” she interrupted his thoughts.

  Gastly popped out from her shadow and spun a circle while cackling — obviously exceedingly proud of her jump scare.

  Teddy laughed at her antics.

  “She is great — she says hi,” Teddy smiled.

  “Hi to you, Gastly,” his Mum waved through the screen.

  “Shadow,” Teddy corrected gently.

  His Mum blinked.

  “Oh my, that is wonderful. Teddy, you have to bring her by for me to meet sometime! Oh wait. Hmm — I could fly out to see you?” she trailed off, tapping her chin with her finger.

  “Oh, uh — actually, we will be leaving Goldenrod soon, and I don’t think I want to stay in Ecruteak for too too long. What do you think of Olivine!” Teddy enthused.

  “We could totally have a vacation!”

  Teddy laughed when his MunchMunch instinctively copied the sound of his Mum clapping her hands. All without taking a break from trying to naw his leg off.

  He had never known MunchMunch to —

  Oh. He is nervous, Teddy realized, gently reaching off camera to pat his little gremlin’s head.

  MunchMunch cooed.

  “That is such a wonderful idea, Honey,” his mum gushed, bouncing up and down in excitement. She was so tiny, but she had such big feelings.

  Teddy felt his heart glow.

  “And I am going to be here combing through my research for quite some time yet — I don’t think I’ll be heading out to another expedition until some time next year!” she continued excitedly.

  Teddy could hear the gears turning in her head — the same ones that started spinning when she latched on to a new question to find an answer for.

  It imminently brought him back to being a kid in the living room, playing with a Poké Doll while his Mum had books and papers scattered everywhere.

  He smiled.

  “Awesome! I will shoot you a call when we are close?” Teddy confirmed with a question.

  “Yep! Flygon will be ecstatic to see you — he absolutely loves the flight to Olivine anyway!”

  “How come you get to have a Dragon, but I can’t,” Teddy immediately pouted. Of course he knew why… but still.

  Dragons were cool.

  “Now now, none of that — you know I rescued this one as a baby under… extreme circumstances. And even then it took a note from the Champion himself for the Dragon Tamers to allow it.”

  Teddy puffed a sigh.

  “I know, I know. Say hi to Flygon for me?” He asked.

  “Sure thing, Sweetie!”

  “Hey so uh, Mum — I’ve got someone for you to meet,” Teddy hinted in excitement.

  His Mum immediately got serious.

  “What is her name?” she asked sharply.

  “Her? Wha — no, it’s a Pokémon, Mum,” Teddy complained, blushing furiously.

  Nurse Joy, Chansey and Shadow all laughed in the background.

  His Mum froze with her mouth in a small “O”.

  “Oh well that is just lovely,” she gushed. Teddy wasn’t sure if it was because she was excited to meet the new Pokémon, or if she was happy it wasn’t a girl.

  Who was he kidding?

  It was definitely the latter.

  Teddy rolled his eyes, but laughed anyway as he adjusted the camera to show his little food gremlin.

  “Hey Mum — this is MunchMunch!” Teddy beamed.

  MunchMunch paused and stared wide-eyed at the screen.

  “Teddy,” his Mum said slowly. “Is that a Munchlax? And why is he covered in bruises?”