MunchMunch froze mid-gnaw on his Teddy’s leg and stared wide-eyed at the screen.

  The lady on the screen was very pretty. But she also looked like his Teddy.

  Which confused MunchMunch, because he didn’t think his Teddy was very pretty.

  “Munch!” he questioned, tilting his head to the side.

  Then the lady started talking very loudly and shaking her finger.

  MunchMunch thought that seemed fun. He liked noise. And he liked waving his paw.

  MunchMunch gasped. Should he show Mama Teddy his magic-paw?

  ____

  Nurse Joy sat behind her counter and sipped her tea in amusement.

  Teddy’s Mother was off on a tirade about proper Pokémon care. Joy caught a glimpse of her on the screen, and if she was who she thought she was…

  Well, she wasn’t getting involved.

  Of course, the trainer’s surprisingly intelligent Munchlax decided to join in and was currently screeching on the top of his lungs, spinning in circles, and flapping his arms like a bird.

  Which meant the Gastly joined in, because heaven forbid a Ghost get outdone when there was mayhem to be caused.

  And in the midst of it, Teddy was desperately trying to calm his Pokémon, reassure his mother and keep the noise level down.

  All of which he was failing with spectacular gusto.

  Then the Munchlax gasped and began waving its paw, screaming excitedly at the scream.

  Wait —

  Before she could stop him, the little gremlin used Metronome.

  In her Poké Center.

  She moved to get up, but then the Metronome finished.

  And the Munchlax promptly face-planted into a deep sleep as its Rest took hold.

  Which led to a new round of cackles from both Gastly and her Gengar, who had joined from the shadows to watch.

  Of course, she could have Chansey straighten everything out in an instant.

  Instead, she settled back and took another sip of her tea.

  After all, she didn’t get much in the way of entertainment.

  ____

  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

  Teddy stared at Munchlax, who was now sleeping peacefully on the floor.

  Face-planted with his tiny toe beans facing straight up.

  He stared at his Mum, who was staring at Munchlax.

  Gastly cackled and plummeted into his shadow.

  Suddenly, the room was much, much quieter.

  “Mum, I didn’t know she was the Gym Leader,” Teddy tried again.

  “Gym Leader?” his mother asked. “Bellora did that?”

  Teddy paused. “Bellora? Who is Bellora?”

  “It wasn’t Bellora — it was Whitney, Bellora’s daughter,” Nurse Joy called from the counter.

  “Whitney? Baby Whitney? Has it been that long?” his mum trailed off to herself.

  “Huh, well, I’ll just have to drop by and speak with Bellora myself,” she nodded.

  Teddy paled. “Mum… please don’t.”

  His Mum sighed.

  “You said you were in Goldenrod, right?” She said — more a statement than a question.

  Teddy nodded.

  “Call Nurse Joy over,” she huffed, raising her voice at the end: “I know you can hear me, Joy!”

  Joy lifted herself out of the chair and made her way over.

  Once Joy had stepped in front of the screen, she gave a smile that showed just a few too many teeth.

  “Well hello there, Marilla.”

  Teddy froze. My Mum and Nurse Joy know each other?

  “I should have known,” his Mum rolled her eyes with an annoyed sigh.

  “I presume there are special circumstances? I’ve known you to have trainers lose their licenses for far lesser injuries than that snoring Munchlax has over there?”

  Teddy paled but MunchMunch giggled in his sleep and flopped onto his back, scratching his belly.

  “You would be correct,” Joy responded.

  Silence.

  Teddy stared between the two. His Mum was fuming, but Joy seemed content to inhale the warmth of her tea.

  “Do I get to know those circumstances?” his Mum ground out when Joy failed to volunteer any more information.

  “Now now Marilla,” Joy smiled. “It’s not very often I get a chance to get one over on you.”

  She tittered a girlish laugh that certainly didn’t match her demeanor or age, obviously enjoying goading his Mum way too much.

  Teddy’s Mum clenched her teeth. Which shocked Teddy.

  He had never seen anyone get such a reaction out of her before.

  “So no, I don’t think I will share,” Joy finished sweetly, walking away and sipping her tea.

  “Uh… Mum?” Teddy asked, curiosity burning.

  “Oh, it’s nothing, Honey,” his Mum replied, but her paper-thin lips gave her away.

  “She just doesn’t like that I am a better trainer than she is.”

  She said it just loud enough it was obvious the words weren’t meant for Teddy.

  At some point, Gastly had floated out of his shadow to observe. Both Teddy and Shadow turned to face Nurse Joy.

  “Ah. Ah. Ah,” Nurse Joy called over her shoulder. “As far as I recall, you have never beaten my Chansey.

  Not.

  Even.

  Once.”

  Teddy and Shadow both turned back to the screen.

  “Teddy, don’t you ever call me from this Poké Center again,” his Mum snapped.

  They both pivoted back to Nurse Joy.

  “Don’t be like that, Marilla — you son is such a sweetie. And Gengar absolutely adores that little goofball on the floor over there.”

  At this point, MunchMunch gasped in his sleep, reaching out his paws in desperation before shoving them both in his mouth and fading off again with a contented sigh.

  Teddy and Shadow looked at each other and shared a nod.

  Chocolate Cake.

  Teddy risked a glance back at his Mum. Maybe Gastly was rubbing off on him, but Teddy was having a tough time holding back a smile.

  Usually his Mum kept everyone else on the back foot. He really wanted to know who this Nurse Joy was.

  “I promise, Mum,” he said seriously. “And when we meet in Olivine, I promise to tell the entire story about how I met MunchMunch.”

  His Mum was immediately sunny again. “Oh? Oh that is such a sweet name!” She gushed.

  Teddy smiled.

  “I bet it is also really sweet on your wallet!”

  Nurse Joy snorted her tea again.

  Right. Still in trouble, Teddy noted.

  “Teddy, I miss you tons. You know I love you, right?” she changed her tone so he knew she was being serious again.

  This time the smile came easy for Teddy.

  “I love you too, Mum.”

  “Take care, I will see you soon — and remember, no dragons or —“

  “Or Fairies. One will rule me, the other will ruin me. I know Mum!” Teddy groaned.

  “Ok, take care Sweetie,” his Mum finished with a final blown kiss.

  The computer powered down just as MunchMunch blinked himself awake.