MunchMunch practically vibrated in anticipation. He could see the second Pokeball on the trainer’s hip - and he really, reeeeeally hoped he got to fight next!

  Gastly cackled as she slipped out of their Teddy’s shadow, obviously enjoying the look of terror on the first Hoppip’s face. She sounded so happy! MunchMunch cackled with her, so she knew he was cheering her on!

  At first he had been a little sad Gastly was chosen to go first, but he quickly chased the sad feeling away. After all, it was right Mama Shadow should go first! She was their Teddy’s first Pokemon, and she deserved the right to go first!

  “Muuuuuuuunch!” He shouted, cheering her on. He could see some other trainers and their Pokemon watching, some of them pointing at Gastly in obvious envy.

  And they should be jealous! Mama Gastly was awesome! And so was their Trainer!

  The Hoppip tried to use Tackle, and Gastly just cackled harder as it fell through her body, not hurting her at all.

  “Shadow, Lick,” Teddy shouted, and Mama Gastly swooped down, her tongue licking the entire Hoppip.

  The Hoppip tried to dodge as Gastly attacked her with another Lick, but it’s body froze. It looked horrified that Shadow had licked it!

  MunchMunch couldn’t blame her. He loved Mama Gastly, but he hoped she never used that move on him. It looked really scary!

  The Hoppip fainted and the trainer recalled him.

  A second later, the second Pokeball flashed, and a new Hoppip appeared, this one a girl — and she looked stronger!

  Then, his Trainer called to him! “Munchlax, your turn!”

  MunchMunch gasped, giggling with joy as his Trainer picked him to join the battle.

  He MunchMunch-skipped as fast as he could to replace Shadow, cackling with her as he passed her! Without wasting a second, he waved his magic paw to begin Metronome.

  His laughter rose in volume as Body Slam popped into his head — and unlike the other awesome moves Metronome had granted before, this one felt right.

  He howled maniacally as his tummy somehow lifted him off the ground, leading the charge at super speed toward Hoppip, while his arms and legs flailed wildly behind.

  “Muuuuuuunch!” he screamed, barreling forward.

  Hoppip froze — whatever move she was planning forgotten.

  She looked at MunchMunch with huge eyes.

  Her mouth fell open.

  WHAM!

  She flew into the grass, and her trainer immediately returned her in a flash of light — staring at MunchMunch in stunned silence.

  “Ahahahaha!” MunchMunch cackled, trying to out-laugh Gastly, who was cackling so hard her eyes were pointing the wrong way.

  “Did you see that?! I love battling!” he cried, skipping in triumphant circles and singing a song as loud as he could.

  Gastly just cackled harder.

  ____

  Teddy stared in shocked silence as his baby Munchlax threw himself into battle with a gusto he had only displayed for food.

  He used Metronome all on his own.

  He hadn’t even needed direction.

  And he did it all while cackling like a Ghost-type. If he didn’t pay attention, he had trouble telling Gastly and Munchlax’s cackling apart.

  Frankly, he was convinced Shadow tried to sound like MunchMunch sometimes, just because she found it funny.

  He met the other trainer’s stunned gaze, matching it in intensity.

  His Munchlax screamed and waddled in circles, babbling to himself while Gastly keeled over cackling.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “These guys… are going to be monsters,” Teddy whispered, their cackling filling the air. The trainers around them seemed to agree, as they backed away — obviously uninterested in challenging them to a fight.

  “Hey!” The other trainer called. “I’m Gina — wanna be friends?!”

  Teddy paused for a moment, before smiling and pulling out his PokePhone.

  ____

  MunchMunch tugged at his Teddy’s sleeve in excitement. After the battle, he was talking with the new trainer - who Shadow told him was going to be Teddy’s friend!

  That made MunchMunch so impossibly happy, because his Teddy deserved a friend! Just like he had Shadow and Happy!

  He really, really couldn’t wait to meet Happy.

  “Muuuunch,” he giggled, pointing at the Egg and using the big eyes he usually only used to tell his Teddy just how hungry he was!

  The other Trainer — Gina, Shadow had called her, cooed in delight and patted his head while Teddy took off his backpack and pulled out the Egg.

  MunchMunch grabbed it happily and skipped back to Gastly, waving behind him as he went.

  “Muuuuunch. Munchmunchmunchmunch!” He cackled.

  His Teddy laughed behind him, and it made him happy!

  “Maaaaamaaaa!” MunchMunch called, “If Gina is Teddy’s friend, does that mean we will get to meet the Hoppip’s later? Maybe we can be friends, too!”

  Gastly sighed in exasperation. “It’s Shadow, MunchMunch,” she said — but her laugh betrayed the smile behind it. “And yes, I think that is a very real possibility.”

  MunchMunch nodded.

  “Oh! Remember when I used that move? Body Slam?! It was so cool! My tummy attacked for me! It’s the perfect move!” MunchMunch babbled on.

  “Did you like it that much?” She asked, smiling.

  “Yes!” He exclaimed. “Don’t you think it’s perfect? Just like Lick is perfect for you!?”

  Gastly cackled as the wild Pokemon in the grass gave them a wide berth.

  “I do think it is perfect! I bet you can learn it by evolving Tackle — I will tell Teddy how much you loved the move,” she said.

  “Oh Mama Shadow, thank you!” MunchMunch cried, running forward to give her a hug, Happy tucked under one arm.

  He remembered too late that she was a Ghost and he was going to fall right through her.

  But… he didn’t. He crashed right into her and was able to give her the biggest hug!

  “Mama Gastly… I didn’t know you could do that,” he whispered, looking up at her.

  “I… I didn’t know I could do that either,” she responded, sounding distracted. Then she ghosted again and MunchMunch plopped through her.

  “Gastly?” He asked, looking up at her. “Do you think we will get to battle more? I want to be strong. So strong, I am like you. I want all the battles to be that easy!”

  Gastly just looked at him for a moment, then gazed to the North beyond Goldenrod.

  To where Morty and her future waited.

  She nodded and drifted away.

  ____

  Gastly floated under the shadow of a tree, watching her Trainer talk with his new friend and the baby playing with the Egg — with Happy.

  She snorted.

  What a name. But it was also perfect.

  While the hug had been a surprise, it wasn’t impossible. She had heard of powerful Ghost-Types being able to turn tangible for a time. She certainly wasn’t powerful, but she loved MunchMunch a lot.

  Maybe that made up for it.

  But that wasn’t what was on her mind.

  Do you think we will get to battle more? the baby had asked.

  The question concerned her, yet made her fighting spirit rise.

  She looked around.

  MunchMunch certainly hadn’t noticed.

  She was pretty sure Teddy hadn’t either.

  Which was ok. It was her job to watch.

  To notice.

  To observe.

  There were more guards than there should have been. More than there needed to be — if all was well.

  Several on the path patrolling. More in the shadows like her.

  Watching.

  Her mind drifted back to Proton.

  “I am not sure we will have a choice, little one,” she whispered to herself.

  Not that she minded for herself. The thought of battle, of power — she wanted it.

  Craved it.

  But… MunchMunch was so sweet. Too sweet.

  Innocent.

  He had named an Egg “Happy” after all. She loved that innocence.

  More than that, she loved her team. Her Teddy. Her MunchMunch.

  She even loved the darn Egg.

  Her, Gastly — loved. The very idea seemed preposterous.

  Yet there it was.

  She sighed, sinking comfortably into the shadows, enjoying the protection they offered — only the glow of her eyes showing.

  Let the battles come. She would grow.

  And if the world came for them?

  She would fight back the world for the ones she loved.

  Hello Everyone,

  This was a sad, yet wonderful chapter to write.

  My old girl — a sweet cat named TigerLily — passed just a few minutes ago. It’s a hard moment. But writing about the innocence and vibrance of life… maybe it makes it a little easier.

  I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Truly, I do.

  For you, Tiger.

  Ad Astra,

  – TJ