“Shadow, what’s that?” MunchMunch asked around his Chocolate Cake.

  The Chocolate Cake his Trainer gave him, because his Trainer was awesome.

  They were walking the path to a city Gastly called “Goldenrod”, which was like Azalea, only way bigger.

  MunchMunch wasn’t sure how that was possible, so he just imagined it was a city as big as Ilex. Shadow had just shrugged and said “That works.”

  MunchMunch still giggled whenever she gathered up her gases and made them look like shoulders, just so she could shrug them.

  He wouldn’t tell her that though, it might make her sad.

  A breeze blew off the sea and ruffled the grass around them, pushing its way back into the forest. MunchMunch stuffed the rest of the cake into his mouth in contentment.

  Not only had his Teddy given him Chocolate Cake, he had given him a piece so big he couldn’t eat it all in one bite. So he got to enjoy two whole bites of it! He giggled happily and MunchMunch-skipped to catch up.

  He did that sometimes — forget to walk when the food was extra good.

  “Mmm, that’s the Daycare,” Shadow hummed in response to his earlier question.

  MunchMunch looked at the building, and the huge area behind it. It was so big he couldn’t see all of it — a grassy field, a forest, even a cave like the one he was born in.

  And there were Pokemon playing everywhere inside!

  “What’s a Daycare?” MunchMunch asked, chewing on his forever-snack now that the Chocolate Cake was gone. He felt some water in his eyes at the thought of no more Chocolate Cake — but he was sure his Teddy would have some later!

  “Well, the Daycare is lots of things,” she said thoughtfully, MunchMunch hanging on every word. “I think of it as a place where Pokemon who got unlucky with their Trainers go.”

  MunchMunch paused.

  “But… they look so happy?” He said, confused — looking at everyone playing.

  “Oh, they are,” she smiled. “But the truth is, the reason a Pokemon chooses a trainer is so they can be with them,” she explained, turning to look at the Pokemon playing. “The Daycare is where Trainers leave Pokemon when they either don’t have room for them, or don’t want to raise them themselves.”

  MunchMunch paused to think.

  “They are treated really well,” she continued, “But to me it is a sad place.”

  He hadn’t thought about it like that. Playing with other Pokémon sounded fun.

  But he did love seeing new things. And he loved doing it with his team and their Trainer. He loved how his Teddy taught him to battle — and how proud he made his Teddy when they won.

  “Mama Shadow… you don’t think our Trainer would do something like that, do you?” He asked.

  Gastly smiled as the group of them walked right past the entrance. Teddy didn’t even notice it as he continued to watch the wild Pokemon around them enthusiastically.

  “No, I don’t think he would.” Both MunchMunch and Shadow looked at each other and cackled happily, hurrying to catch up.

  ____

  “Mind if I ride along in your shadow?” Gastly nudged MunchMunch.

  “I don’t mind!” He giggled. MunchMunch held the Egg close and felt super proud Gastly wanted to let him carry her, too.

  Gastly slipped out of the bright sunlight and into his shadow. “Aahhhh, that’s better,” she exhaled.

  MunchMunch giggled and skipped up next to his Trainer, who was busy and taking notes. A lot of the Pokemon MunchMunch had never seen before!

  He recognized the Ratatta, and the Weedle — but there were other awesome Pokemon, too. Lots of small Bug-Type floated between the myriad of flowers, making funny bzzzzzzz-ing sounds.

  And there were other yellow Pokemon that would yawn Aaaabra, and then just vanish into thin air!

  After some time, the group wandered up to a person with a wagon in front of them, whom Gastly identified as a “Shopkeeper”.

  She was parked on the side of the road in the shadow of a tree and waving at passing trainers.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  She had a bunch of awesome things hanging from her stall. There were strings of glass that caught the light, and wind-chimes (which made MunchMunch smile as he thought of Celebi), and even Pokeballs for sale — just in case one of the wild Pokemon agreed to travel with a trainer,

  The shopkeeper and his Teddy spoke for a while, before the lady pulled out an item.

  It looked like MunchMunch, only smaller.

  And it didn’t move.

  “What is that?” He asked.

  “That’s a PokeDoll,” Gastly explained, floating out from his shadow — which caused the lady to jump in fright.

  MunchMunch and Gastly both cackled a little together. Pranks were so fun!

  “What do I do with it?” MunchMunch asked, wiping the laughter-water from his eyes.

  “Well, usually you hold it,” she explained.

  MunchMunch looked at her flatly.

  “I already hold Happy. And when she hatches, I’m still going to hold Happy — just so she is always safe.”

  He turned to look at his Teddy, then at the Shopkeeper.

  “Munch.” He stated, holding Happy protectively.

  Teddy coughed, but the shopkeeper just nodded, putting the doll away.

  Then, with a knowing smile, she pulled a berry out from under the counter.

  MunchMunch froze.

  She moved the berry to the left, and he turned his head to follow it.

  She moved the berry to the right, and he turned his head to follow it.

  He could hear Gastly cackling and Teddy laughing, but he was too busy watching the berry to pay attention.

  The shopkeeper smiled and handed him the berry.

  “Munch!” He shouted in thanks, before quickly stuffing it in his mouth.

  It was… it was beyond incredible.

  It was sweet like chocolate, but light… like Oran berries.

  And juicy.

  It was sooo juicy.

  He was vaguely aware he was giggling, but he didn’t care!

  Then, he inhaled — and the berry tasted even better! It felt like all the tastes went through his whole head, before stretching to the tips of his paws and settling in his tummy.

  “Maaamaaa,” he cooed, “what was that?”

  “That was a Pecha Berry,” Gastly cackled. “It cures Poison, but is also a favorite candy for baby Pokemon.”

  “Shadow… ,” he breathed, “I love Pecha Berries!”

  Gastly cackled as the shopkeeper laughed herself, handing him another berry. He almost stuffed it in his mouth right away, but he looked down and saw the Egg.

  This was… this was too special. He had to save one for Happy to try when she hatched! It made him incredibly happy, so he knew it would be perfect for her!

  “Munch,” he gasped, handing it to his Teddy, quickly looking away before his tummy got the better of him. He chewed on his forever-snack as fast as he could, to help him forget about it!

  He really didn’t know what he would do without his Leftovers. They were proof food loved him the most, because they were there the very moment he was born.

  Even before Mama Gastly!

  He felt his Teddy pat his head, so he knew it was safe to turn around again.

  He turned, and the shopkeeper had run around her stall, was already kneeling in front of him and positively cooing. She reached out to squeeze his cheeks… which MunchMunch decided he didn’t like nearly as much as head-pats.

  He was about to tell her, but then she pulled out another Pecha Berry.

  He smiled, and she stopped squeezing his cheeks to give him a hug instead.

  MunchMunch didn’t mind the hug, and even hugged her back.

  “Munch!”

  ____

  MunchMunch plopped down in the middle of the path, Egg safely in his lap, and just stared.

  It shouldn’t be possible. How could such a thing be?

  Before them the path ended and the city of Goldenrod began. But to get inside, they had to pass through the arch.

  It was huge. Impossibly huge. It was bigger than the trees in the forest!

  MunchMunch just sat there and felt incredibly small as he took in the size of the giant arch. It had to be… more than 100 MunchMunch’s tall!

  And it was entirely gold. The sun shined off of it like a beacon, but not in a bad way. Somehow, it felt warm and nice to look at. Vines wrought in gold spiraled its two giant pillars, and at the very top was a glass mural of Celebi, just like in the ranger station… only much, much bigger.

  “It’s beautiful,” MunchMunch breathed.

  Gastly floated next to him, gently resting on his shadow.

  “It was made to honor the city’s patron, the Lord of Ilex,” she explained.

  MunchMunch just sat and stared for a while.

  “Mama?” He whispered.

  “Shadow,” she whispered back, more a reflex than anything.

  “I had a dream once,” MunchMunch said, staring at the arch intently.

  “And in the dream, I dreamt of a house,” he continued, looking over at Gastly. “It was a house, because a house was the biggest thing I had seen,” he explained seriously.

  Gastly listened quietly.

  “Mama,” he whispered, looking back at the arch. “Do you think; somewhere in the world, there is one as big as that?”

  “One what?” Gastly asked.

  MunchMunch looked all the way up.

  “A Chocolate Cake,” he breathed.

  Hey everyone,

  This was a chapter to write.

  Originally, the plan was for them to actually make it into Goldenrod — maybe even explore a bit.

  But then I wrote the Daycare scene. And then I wrote the Arch scene. (There wasn’t even going to be a shopkeeper originally.)

  And I thought to myself, this last line? It’s too good to be in the middle of a chapter — it needs to end one.

  So, back to the drawing board I went… trying to figure out what to add in the middle.

  What we ended up with honestly surprised me. I hope it did the same for you.

  As always,

  Ad Astra!

  –TJ