When the door clicked behind him, MunchMunch drew up short at the sudden silence.

  Without the outside crowd, the loudest noise was the humming of the lights. It was so quiet it was almost deafening.

  “Munch!” He shouted, just to be sure he could still hear.

  He could!

  His Teddy laughed as he ruffled the top of his head, on the spot right between his ears. It felt so good, MunchMunch giggled. That was his favorite spot to get pats!

  He looked around in interest. The Pokemon Center looked almost the same as the Nurse Chansey’s Center in Azalea, but this one was bigger and the lights were brighter. He wondered if that was why they were humming.

  “Hey, Shadow,” he called, turning to look at Gastly. But she didn’t answer, and was busy looking at a shadow in the corner.

  A shadow that shouldn’t be there, since it was so bright. Then she smiled and turned to look at him.

  “Yes, sweetie?” She asked.

  “What was that?” MunchMunch asked, taking a chew of his forever-snack. He had been so busy lately, he kept forgetting to chew it!

  Which was sad.

  He would be lonely if he was forgotten, so he didn’t want his forever-snack to feel forgotten!

  He would be sure to chew it a whole bunch to make up for it!

  “Oh, nothing,” Shadow smiled, “Just greeting the Pokecenter’s Ghost Protector.”

  “I wanna meet the Ghost Projector!” MunchMunch enthused, running over to the corner where he saw the shadow before.

  “Protector, MunchMunch,” Shadow laughed. “Very few know about them. I know because I am a ghost. And now you know because I shared it with you. But, you have to keep it a secret, ok?”

  “Ok!” MunchMunch said. He would do anything Mama Shadow asked him to do!

  “Hello,” a voice said from behind him. MunchMunch turned to see a Nurse Chansey. This one was even bigger than Azalea's Chansey!

  “Hi!” MunchMunch said excitedly, “Can I try one of your Soft-Boiled Eggs?! I really liked Nurse Chansey’s from Azalea! I wonder if they taste the same? Or if they are like cake!” He rattled, MunchMunch-skipping up to the Chansey.

  He gave her the same eyes he gave his Teddy when he was really hungry and needed food.

  Chansey looked down at him, clearly unimpressed.

  “Hasn’t anyone taught you it’s bad manners to ask that?” She scolded.

  MunchMunch immediately froze. Bad Manners?

  Gastly floated over but the Chansey held up her hand, the other still on her hip.

  “No I… I didn’t know! I’m sorry!” MunchMunch felt his face getting really hot, and it also felt like there was hot water stuck in his eyes, too.

  “But I know now, so I won’t ask ever again!” He said, surprised that his voice sobbed. He didn’t know why it was doing that!

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

  But instead of stopping, the water in his eyes kept leaking! He tried to brush them away, but it wasn’t working!

  “Ok, listen here!” He heard Mama Gastly saying, but the Chansey silenced her with a look. Even his Teddy was staying back, the pink haired human Nurse in the background holding her hand up just like Chansey was.

  The Chansey was looking at him, but she didn’t look so angry anymore. Instead, she looked confused.

  “How old are you?” She asked.

  MunchMunch sniffled and looked at his paw. He only had one paw, since the other was holding Happy.

  He tried to count, but the water in his eyes kept blurring everything!

  “I think… I think I am,” he sniffled. “I think I don’t know,” he finished sadly.

  “He isn’t even a month old,” Shadow said from behind him, her voice like ice.

  Chansey froze.

  “Oh.” She looked at MunchMunch.

  “Well, let’s get you back for an exam — make sure everything is alright,” she said, grabbing a chair with wheels for him to sit in. “You can bring the Egg with you, and here,” she huffed, putting a Soft-Boiled Egg in his paw.

  MunchMunch felt more water in his eyes, but this time it didn’t feel bad. “Thanks!” He sniffled, sticking the whole egg in his mouth at the same time, just so she knew how grateful he was.

  “OH!” He giggled, his tummy suddenly very happy! “Oh, this is so good, thank you! It is just like Nurse Chansey’s from Azalea — but it tastes a bit different, too! It tastes like candy!” He exclaimed.

  “So it is like cake!” He cried, certain that all Soft-Boiled Eggs could have different flavors now! It was final, he had to visit all the Pokemon Centers, too!

  “Ah yes well, Pecha Berries are a weakness of mine,” Chansey coughed, quickly wheeling him away, but not before Mama Shadow started cackling behind them.

  ____

  MunchMunch sat on the exam table that was lower to the floor — just like the first Nurse Chansey told him he should. He was really proud he remembered.

  “So,” Chansey began while she was lifting his paws and feeling his toe beans. He giggled when she squeezed his toe beans, it tickled a whole bunch!

  “Tell me about your adventures?”

  “Ok!” He exclaimed. “Well, I was born and then had to fight a super mean Zuubat that wanted to take my forever-snack! Then I met my team!” He started, giggling as she poked his belly.

  “Then we fought the bad guys and won, and then there was a super strong Croconaw! Oh and then we won a gym badge! And there was a really good restaurant! Aaaaaaaaand then, there was a huuuge party!” He babbled happily.

  “Wait wait, who are the bad guys?” Nurse Chansey interrupted him.

  “No idea!” He chirped, “But we beat them! Mama Gastly, I mean Shadow, knows who they are though! Then we went through Ilex! Oh and then… “

  MunchMunch froze. He was going to tell her about Celebi but… Well, he remembered there were good secrets to keep.

  The Ghost Protectors of Pokemon Centers was a good secret — because it was a secret Mama Shadow had told him to keep. So it had to be a good secret!

  Celebi felt really special… so maybe he could keep him as a good secret, too?”

  “…Baby?” He heard Nurse Chansey saying. Then he saw she was waving a Soft-Boiled Egg in front of his nose with a bemused smile on her face.

  “Thanks!” He exclaimed, reaching out and stuffing it in his mouth as fast as he could. It tasted like Pecha Berries, just like last time!

  “I really like your Soft-boiled Eggs!” he giggled.

  “I’m glad,” she smiled. “So, you are not even a month old and have already done so much? You even beat a Gym?” She asked.

  “Yep!” He nodded. “The other Nurse Chansey was worried, but then she talked with me and the pink-haired human talked with Teddy, and it was ok!” He exclaimed.

  Chansey promptly waddled over to a box that looked like a light and clicked some keys. “Hmm, yes, I see the notes — ok, that is fine,” she nodded absently.

  “Well, I don’t see anything wrong with you. In fact, you are quite remarkable for a little baby,” she said.

  “That’s because I’m growing up strong! Just like Mama Shadow — and Celebi too!” He declared, clenching his paws.

  Chansey smiled and pointed at the wall behind him. He hadn’t noticed before, but there was a painting of Celebi on the wall!

  “Yep! Just like him!” He said again, determination coloring his tone.

  “And I believe you,” she smiled, opening the door for him to leave. “Why don’t you leave the Egg here so I can look it over. Head on out to your Trainer and I will see you later,” she smiled.

  “Ok!” He said, setting the Egg down carefully on a chair before MunchMunch-skipping over to the door.

  He paused right before passing Nurse Chansey.

  “Uhm,” he paused, “I didn’t want to be bad… sorry about asking for the Soft-boiled Egg,” he said, “And thanks for being really nice!”

  Then he skipped out the door to see his Teddy. He thought he heard Nurse Chansey snort behind him, and that made him happy for some reason.

  Then he saw a shadow in a corner, and wondered if it might be the Ghost Protector? He waved, just in case.

  “Mamaaa!” he shouted, smiling as his Teddy patted him on his favorite spot. “Your turn!”