MunchMunch happily skipped next to his Trainer as they left the restaurant.

  Well, he didn’t really skip. He was getting too big and strong for that! So…he couldn’t really get himself off the ground. Instead, he lifted each foot a little higher than he needed to, making sure to hold on to his Trainer so he didn’t fall.

  It was pretty awesome.

  MunchMunch looked up behind the counter and saw Mama Gastly in a shadow, getting ready to surprise one of the two-legs — which he now knew were called humans or people.

  MunchMunch grinned. Just as Gastly was about to pop out —

  “MUNCH MUNCH!” Munchlax shouted as loud as he could. Which was louder than he expected. He even surprised himself.

  And everyone else. His Teddy looked at him. The human looked at him. Gastly looked at him.

  Then Gastly started cackling — which scared the human she was behind, which made her cackle harder.

  It made MunchMunch cackle too. See! He could surprise everyone, just like Gastly! He would have to do this more, it was very fun.

  Smiling, he looked at the glass counter that held the food and —

  Oh no. Now that his tummy was full and he could think again…he realized he had forgotten something very important.

  “Munch Munch!” He gasped, pulling on his Teddy’s hand.

  MunchMunch had forgotten about the Egg! The Egg he had promised to protect!

  “MunchMunchmunnnnnmunch!” He pointed to his Teddy’s backpack.

  His Trainer smiled and knelt down, taking his backpack off. MunchMunch stuck his favorite-leftovers into his cheek so he could carry the Egg. He took it solemnly from his Teddy and held it close.

  It still sparkled and shined just like he remembered. It was *beautiful*, and he loved it — and the Pokemon that was inside. He hoped he got to meet it soon.

  “Munchlax,” he whispered, petting the Egg. He knew he liked head pats, so he wanted the Egg to have them too!

  They all walked out the door together. His Teddy was super nice and held the door for him, so he could keep both hands on the Egg.

  MunchMunch heard someone shout at his Trainer.

  But it didn’t sound very nice. He had never heard anyone talk to his Teddy like that. Not even the scary blue-haired trainer.

  MunchMunch didn’t like it.

  Both Teddy and Gastly had stopped moving. Neither looked very happy. MunchMunch looked up and saw a young human standing in the distance, with red hair. MunchMunch had never seen red hair before.

  His Teddy and the red-haired human spoke for a moment. Teddy didn’t sound like his usual happy self.

  “Who is that?” MunchMunch whispered to Gastly.

  “That’s a bad trainer,” she whispered back. “He is a thief who stole a Pokemon from Professor Elm. We have fought him before,” she said. She did not sound happy.

  MunchMunch turned back to look at Red with wide eyes.

  “Gastly, what is steal?” He asked, keeping his eyes fixed on the bad trainer. He had a really ugly look on his face, like he thought Teddy was dumb. It made MunchMunch shake and feel very hot, especially in his head. He hated the feeling even worse than the scared feeling the blue-haired man gave him.

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  “Stealing is when you take something that is not yours,” Gastly said. “But the Pokemon he took, that is what happened to you,” she continued, her eyes flashing angrily.

  “That Pokemon was kidnapped — taken from his home — just like you.”

  The hot feeling in MunchMunch’s body changed. It reached all the way to his tummy, and down to his toes. And he couldn’t stop himself from shaking, no matter how hard he tried.

  “Munch. Munch.” He said.

  Then Red said something, and for the first time MunchMunch was really upset he couldn’t understand what humans were saying. But his Teddy did, and he sighed sadly.

  “Gastly,” he called, and Mama Gastly nodded, floating off in front of him. MunchMunch grabbed his egg and watched. There were even other humans and Pokemon gathering to watch.

  Some of them were making rude noises, and some of them were cheering. MunchMunch noticed the ones making rude noises were looking at Red, and the ones cheering were looking at his Trainer.

  That made the hot feeling go away a lot. It made his shaking change too — now it was more like bouncing!

  “Munch! Munch!” He shouted towards his Teddy, too! He tried to bounce up and down, but he was too heavy. So instead, he helped the Egg bounce up and down! He was still super careful though, so she didn’t get hurt.

  He didn’t know why, but he just knew the Egg was going to be a she!

  Red threw out a Pokeball and it flashed. MunchMunch gasped when he saw a *Gastly*, just like Mama Gastly! This one looked a little different, and MunchMunch just knew it was a boy.

  It also looked a lot meaner. “Hi, Princess,” it called at Mama Gastly with a cackle.

  She didn’t respond. She just waited.

  Then Red shouted something and the other Gastly zoomed forward. Mama Gastly didn’t wait, zooming forward to Sucker Punch him. The other Gastly looked completely shocked as it fell to the ground, but Mama didn’t stop. She popped up in front of him and made her eyes glow and the other Gastly fell asleep!

  Then Mama Gastly Licked the enemy and it fainted.

  Teddy had never said a single command.

  And for the first time, Mama Gastly hadn’t cackled. Not even once.

  Everyone watching was quiet too.

  “Tck,” Red made a sound as he held out his Pokeball to recall Gastly. It was the only sound on the field.

  Gastly floated back to be in front of their Teddy. MunchMunch thought the quiet Gastly was even scarier than the cackling Gastly. He also didn’t realize just how strong Mama Gastly was. The other Gastly didn’t even get to move!

  Red and Teddy said a few things to each other, before Red threw out another Pokeball. This time a Zubat appeared on the field.

  MunchMunch grunted. He was really getting tired of seeing Zubats.

  The enemy Zubat didn’t wait, immediately screeching. The sound made MunchMunch’s ears hurt a lot. It looked like it hurt Gastly more though, because she started looking around in confusion.

  Gastly tried to dodge, but spun the wrong way and accidentally hit herself with her tongue. MunchMunch gasped. He had seen Mama Gastly make other Pokemon confused, but he had never seen it happen to her.

  He didn’t even know it could happen to her!

  Then the Zubat used Bite on her.

  MunchMunch expected the move to go through here, just like when the Rattatas tried to hurt her. But it didn’t. It looked like Zubat’s teeth sunk into her. Gastly screamed angrily, her eyes no longer looking confused and Sucker Punched.

  The Zubat wheeled back. But Gastly looked angry now, and chased the Zubat down with a Lick. The Zubat’s wings locked up for a moment, before it screeched and jumped at her for another Bite.

  Mama Gastly didn’t move. One more Sucker Punch and the Zubat fainted.

  Red screamed something. Not at Teddy, but at Zubat this time. MunchMunch still didn’t understand, but it didn’t seem like he was saying very nice things. MunchMunch almost felt sorry for it, but when he remembered how he hurt Mama Gastly, it was hard to feel sorry.

  Red recalled Zubat, holding his last Pokeball in his hand. Gastly floated back to their Trainer, and Teddy took out a spray bottle and squirted it on Gastly. MunchMunch didn’t know what it was, but it looked like it made Gastly feel better. MunchMunch wished he could give her some of his leftovers to help her feel better.

  She turned to face Red.

  But she drooped a little closer to the ground than she usually did. MunchMunch hugged the Egg as tightly as he could.

  Red threw his Pokeball, and his final Pokemon flashed onto the field.