“So you think they are at the Ranger Station?” MunchMunch asked, skipping excitedly.

  Twilight nodded. “I do believe so.”

  “And you’re sure it’s them?” he squealed, picking up the pace even more.

  “I do believe so,” she nodded back.

  “And you’re absolutely sure it’s them?” he checked one more time.

  “I do believe — “

  “Mama Shadow, they are at the — “

  MunchMunch was walking too quickly. Which meant he accidentally kicked his tummy too hard, which bounced his foot back and caused him to trip, flopping on to his tummy.

  Rather than slow down, he just kept rolling.

  “Ranger Station!” he exclaimed, once he had finished his roll back onto his feet. He even got to take a bite of grass on the roll around!

  “That was… remarkable,” Twilight observed.

  “What’s remarkable, Twilight?”

  “I didn’t realize you were serious when you said you liked to roll,” she explained.

  “Oh! Yes! I do — “

  MunchMunch tripped again.

  This time, when he finished his roll and stood back up, he stomped a foot-paw.

  “Maybe I should just roll from now on. That way I won’t have to worry about tripping.”

  Shadow cackled softly from the canopy while Twilight shook her head.

  “It’s not polite to roll,” she explained.

  “Why not,” he asked, adjusting his backpack.

  “Look behind you,” Twilight gestured behind them.

  MunchMunch turned to look.

  “See where the small steps are in the grass? Those are your paw prints.”

  MunchMunch nodded.

  “And see where everything is smashed?”

  MunchMunch nodded again.

  “That’s where you rolled.”

  MunchMunch giggled. “I did that?!”

  Shadow burst into a full on cackle, drifting down to float above him.

  She sounded so happy, it reminded MunchMunch he hadn’t cackled in a long time!

  It wasn’t that he had forgotten… he just hadn’t felt like it. But now, they were about to find his Teddy and Happy, he wanted to again!

  But when he opened his mouth to practice his Gengar-cackle, it came out so loud and perfect, he froze in confusion.

  Why was it so much better when he hadn’t been practicing it?

  He squealed and cackled again. Maybe cackles loved him like food loved him? Which meant… maybe he was like Shadow?

  “That’s… quite terrifying, you know.”

  MunchMunch paused, looking at Twilight. “What does terrifying mean?”

  Then he froze. If she was talking about his cackle, then maybe —

  “Does it mean I’m like Mama Shadow!”

  “Yes!” Shadow gasped between cackles. “That is exactly what it means!”

  MunchMunch turned to beam and Twilight. “Thank you! I’m so glad I am terrifying like Mama Shadow!”

  Twilight nodded, blinking slowly.

  MunchMunch was very happy. If cackles loved him, and he was terrifying, maybe he was like Shadow after all?

  “Mama Shadow, if I’m like you… do you think I could go through walls like you do?!” he stopped to ask, staring wide eyed at Shadow.

  Then he gasped.

  “Or trees? Or rocks!”

  “You know, I think you most certainly could go right through any wall you wanted!” she encouraged with a huge smile.

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  “That’s awesome!” MunchMunch exclaimed, turning to try going through a tree.

  “Stop that right now,” Twilight huffed. “MunchMunch, don’t you dare try to go through any walls.”

  “Spoil sport,” Gastly whispered, sighing in contentment as she settled into MunchMunch’s shadow.

  “But… Mama Shadow said — “

  “If you go through a wall, you might just bring the whole building down with it.”

  MunchMunch felt his chest expand.

  “Do you really think I’m that big and strong?” he whispered.

  “Arceus above,” Twilight whispered, her voice drowned by Gastly’s cackle.

  “Oh thank Arceus!” she exclaimed in relief, looking up the path, “The Ranger Station!”

  MunchMunch took one look and dropped into a full on roll.

  ____

  MunchMunch stood before the door, brushing his paws nervously against his tummy.

  It wasn’t that he couldn’t open it. Unlike a lot of other places, the Station had a door for Pokémon to use — which meant it was smaller and swung open when pushed.

  “Shadow,” he whispered, “the berries in my tummy feel like they are jumping.”

  “You’re just nervous, it’s ok, Sweetie,” she smiled. “Come, let’s go inside.”

  MunchMunch nodded.

  “Ok.”

  But his foot didn’t move. Even when he tried again, it felt like he was stuck to the ground.

  For some reason, his paws felt cold.

  “Mama, I’m stuck.”

  Gastly half sunk into his shadow to let him know she was with him.

  “I’m right here with you, Sweetie,” she smiled, brushing up against him. “Let’s go find our Trainer.”

  With his Shadow, MunchMunch took a deep breath and stepped through.

  ____

  Happy was sleepy.

  And warm.

  She cooed and nestled into Big One’s neck.

  Happy was happy, but also sad.

  She missed Fluffy. He was soft, warm and safe.

  A loud noise startled her.

  Happy looked up.

  And then felt warm all over.

  “Pii~”

  ____

  The Station was just like they left it.

  Warm.

  Green.

  And smelled like pine trees.

  Even the big Noctowl was back, resting on his perch.

  MunchMunch kneaded his toe-claws and looked around.

  He didn’t see his Teddy.

  There was the Ranger, and the Noctowl of course. Then there was Shadow and Twilight.

  There was one other human sleeping in the corner, but his hat covered his face.

  MunchMunch thought he might be his Teddy because he had the same hat… but feet were all wrong.

  They were white and way too big.

  “They’re… they’re not here, Shadow,” he whispered, his chest feeling very tight.

  He reached up to wipe water from his eyes but accidentally knocked a plant off a table.

  “Oh!”

  “Pii~”

  MunchMunch looked up and saw a tiny face staring at him from the trainer’s collar.

  “Munch~”

  Then the trainer looked up and MunchMunch saw his Teddy.

  “Munch!”

  ____

  “Identification please?”

  “Sure,” Jat smiled, flashing his fake ID badge.

  The employee nodded and continued on his way.

  Jat adjusted his stolen jacket and resumed his work. It really was remarkable how little people cared, and how much you could bluff your way through things.

  He whistled, easing into the 3rd floor electrical room, where he planted the miniaturized Poké Ball containing a Magnemite programmed with one order:

  Thundershock shock and then Self-Destruct on the Signal.

  While he wasn’t convinced the stupid thing could follow the command, Proton seemed sure. Which was fine. Jat’s job was to make sure he planted the creatures in the correct rooms. Proton would handle the rest.

  Jat would have done things differently, but Proton was the boss.

  He shrugged and closed the door, giving a wink to a passing assistant in a white lab-coat. She blushed and looked away.

  Amazing how well a wink worked to keep prying eyes away from where they shouldn’t be.

  He slipped into a closing elevator with another researcher. He was graced with a glare, but nothing more.

  Jat grinned. When he arrived on the next floor, he would immediately have credence — showing up with a researcher.

  A funny thing, perception.

  He adjusted his jacket again, beneath which was hidden his belt of Magnemite, and hummed softly to himself.

  The elevator whirred, seeking its destination at the 4th floor of the Radio Tower.

  ____

  Teddy dropped to the floor, gasping as MunchMunch plowed into him.

  Through many tears, giggles, and sobs, MunchMunch proceeded to tell him everything important to him.

  Teddy couldn’t understand any of it, but he knew what his Munchlax needed nonetheless.

  So he held him tight while MunchMunch told his story.

  Happy trilled contentedly near his ear, and Shadow waited patiently for her turn. Behind her, an Umbreon watched, curled comfortably on a cushion and licking her paw.

  MunchMunch abruptly gasped and stopped, looking between Shadow and Teddy.

  “Munch. Unch—unch Munch,” he said to Shadow, turning to look back at him.

  Shadow smiled and told Teddy what MunchMunch needed.

  He didn’t understand her words of course, yet somehow he understood what she was saying.

  MunchMunch wanted to go into his Poké Ball, and then be let right back out.

  Teddy felt his heart crack. Did… did he want to check if it still worked? Did he really think Teddy had abandoned him?

  “MunchMunch,” he whispered, burying his face into his Munchlax’s head, right between his ears.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “MunchMunch,” he tried again, pointing seriously to the Poké Ball.

  Teddy nodded and unhooked it from his belt, realizing it had been a long time since he had held it.

  He looked at MunchMunch and pushed the button, watching his Munchlax disappear in a flash of light.

  The room wasn’t just quiet. It was… empty without his baby gremlin.

  He glanced over to where Pete and the Noctowl were watching. In the corner, the Umbreon used Moonlight while stretching.

  Gastly drifted forward, nudging him as a reminder.

  Teddy smiled and wiped his nose and eyes. He hadn’t realized he needed to — and looked down at the Poké Ball.

  Incredible, how so much of his world resided in such a small thing.

  He took a deep breath and pushed the button.

  MunchMunch re-materialized, striking a pose with his arms outstretched.

  Happy cheered in support.

  Then, MunchMunch reached into his mouth and pulled out a Poké Ball. More accurately, an Apricorn Ball.

  Teddy had forgotten he had it.

  MunchMunch wiped it carefully on his tummy and held it towards Togepi, who trilled and held out her tiny paws.

  Teddy choked back a sob.

  MunchMunch hadn’t felt forgotten.

  He was worried about Happy.

  Wiping his nose again, Teddy gently lifted her down to where MunchMunch was holding out the Poké Ball.

  But she wasn’t interested in the ball.

  She was looking at MunchMunch.

  Teddy reached out his hand and ruffled MunchMunch’s hair, offering to take the Poké Ball.

  MunchMunch giggled and handed it to him, eyes on Happy.

  Teddy handed Happy to her big-brother.

  His breath caught and he had to sit back. The love between the two of them was so pure, it melted his heart.

  Togepi was nestled against his tummy, while MunchMunch hugged her, giggling softly.

  Teddy tucked the Apricorn Ball away safely, and reached forward to hug his two babies, gesturing for Shadow to join them.

  Togepi trilled the loudest he had ever heard her.

  Something about it was different.

  Teddy exhaled as peace settled over them.

  “It’ll be ok,” he whispered, smiling as Gastly settled contentedly into his Shadow.

  “It’ll be ok.”

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