“What are you doing here?”

  Teddy started, surprised to hear another voice and doubly surprised at the acid it contained.

  He looked up to see Red sneering at him.

  Teddy slumped. Great.

  “Those are Legendary Pokémon down there. I already beat you once. You shouldn’t waste your time,” he continued, blocking their way forward.

  “Who’s this guy?” Lani blurted.

  Red stared at her impassively, but didn’t respond.

  Beside him, his Croconaw growled in the dark.

  Teddy felt MunchMunch tense.

  “What do you want?” Teddy sighed.

  “I will earn the recognition of the Legendaries. They will acknowledge me.”

  Is this guy serious right now?

  “That’s cool,” Lani rolled her eyes. “Can you save it for someone who cares and move?”

  Teddy choked back a laugh.

  Red gritted his teeth, zeroing in on Teddy.

  “You, battle me. If you win, you can pass.”

  “Like we need your approval,” Lani groused.

  Teddy agreed. Plus, he really didn’t like the guy’s attitude.

  “Munch.”

  Teddy glanced down to see MunchMunch staring intently at Croconaw. From his shadow, Gastly was staring at him intently.

  “You guys… want to fight?” he whispered.

  “Gaaaaaaas.”

  The grin said it all.

  MunchMunch’s ears flicked while Shadow whispered to him but his eyes didn’t move.

  “Munch,” he responded, balling his tiny paws.

  Teddy exhaled slowly, smoothing his nerves.

  “Alright. Let’s Battle.”

  ____

  Shadow watched in joy as her Trainer stepped up to the challenge.

  Unmitigated, unashamed glee.

  The Croconaw spit on the ground, but didn’t step forward.

  Shadow watched MunchMunch gulp, but he didn’t back down.

  Good.

  They had a score to settle. Besides, she didn’t know who that other human who spoke with her Trainer earlier was, but he had some very powerful Ghosts in his shadow.

  Powerful enough she couldn’t tell who they wore.

  Powerful enough they didn’t bother acknowledging her.

  But they were still here, somewhere.

  Watching.

  The enemy trainer tossed out a Poké Ball and the same Gastly as before drifted lazily onto the field.

  ____

  MunchMunch didn’t understand what he was feeling.

  Croconaw stood across from him, deliberately ignoring him.

  MunchMunch knew he was doing it on purpose, because he was standing right there, and Croconaw wouldn’t look at him!

  He clenched his hand-paws and kneaded his toe-claws.

  He wasn’t the same Pokémon as the last time they fought.

  Last time, he was a baby. Newly hatched.

  This time, he was a big-brother.

  “Munch.”

  The Croconaw still ignored him.

  “Pii~”

  MunchMunch grinned.

  “MunchMunch.”

  Then the other trainer threw out a Poké Ball and a Gastly appeared.

  MunchMunch remembered him.

  Shadow was amazing.

  Ash was cool.

  This Gastly just looked mean.

  He settled onto the floor, took one look at MunchMunch, and started cackling.

  But MunchMunch had decided. He never wanted his Trainer to lose again.

  He would become so strong, nothing would get through him.

  MunchMunch prepared to step forward.

  “Sweetie,” Shadow only said his name, but he understood.

  MunchMunch smiled as Shadow floated onto the field, cackling louder than he had heard in a long time.

  ____

  MunchMunch gasped as Shadow immediately started with a Sucker Punch.

  When did Mama get so fast!

  The enemy Gastly faltered before blinking and rushing forward to Lick her.

  Which only made Mama cackle harder.

  But MunchMunch could tell, it wasn’t her usual happy cackle.

  This was her battle cackle. The one meant to scare the other Pokémon.

  MunchMunch grinned. It would be his turn soon.

  Shadow dipped into the gloom and reappeared in front of the other Gastly, her eyes flashing. He tried to look away, but was too slow and fell asleep instead.

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  MunchMunch heard the other Trainer shout angrily, but he was too busy watching his Shadow.

  She grinned and floated over the enemy Gastly, but she was looking at the enemy Trainer.

  Then, she used a move MunchMunch had never seen before. She started absorbing wisps of something from the other Gastly, who shuddered and immediately fainted.

  Shadow shivered and immediately cackled breathlessly.

  The other trainer stared in shock.

  “PII~ TOGE! PII~~~” Happy screamed in delight.

  Shadow cackled and smiled at her, settling back onto her side of the field.

  The enemy trainer grunted and sent out a Zubat.

  MunchMunch froze, suddenly a baby freshly hatched in his first cave.

  “Give me that!”

  MunchMunch cried again as the Zubat attacked him, trying to take his forever-snack.

  But it’s mine! He thought, but was too scared to speak.

  The Zubat swooped in again…

  But then Mama was there.

  MunchMunch smiled, but a little sob escaped, too. He hadn’t realized it but…

  Mama was always there.

  “Munch.”

  Shadow glanced back.

  “You want to switch, Sweetie?” she asked in surprise.

  MunchMunch nodded.

  She turned and nodded to their Teddy.

  He looked at MunchMunch.

  MunchMunch nodded, clenching his hand-paws.

  His Teddy smiled and gestured for them to switch.

  MunchMunch grinned.

  This time, he would stand in front.

  “Naw. Croco. Naw.”

  For the first time, the enemy Croconaw moved, stepping forward and pushing Zubat off the field.

  He looked MunchMunch dead in the eye.

  “You gotten any stronger, kid?”

  MunchMunch grinned as both Trainers gave their orders.

  “Pii.”

  MunchMunch froze for a second, turning to look back at Happy. He smiled for her, and she immediately relaxed.

  “MunchMunch!”

  “Pii~!”

  When he turned back around, Croconaw was already standing right in front of him, glaring a Scary Face.

  MunchMunch felt his legs turn to jelly and thought he wouldn’t be able to move very much. But that was ok!

  He wasn’t the same Pokémon he once was.

  He stared Croconaw in the eye, took a bite of his Leftovers, and used Defense Curl.

  ____

  Shadow watched in bemusement and… Pride? as her MunchMunch squared up to the much larger Croconaw.

  He was… learning so well.

  He didn’t laugh. He didn’t even move as the Croconaw tried to pulverize him like last time.

  He started with a Water Gun.

  It splashed off MunchMunch like a drop of rain.

  Which made her stop and blink. That shouldn’t — Ah. Right.

  Thick Fat.

  Obscene. That move would have hurt her enough to alter her tactics. MunchMunch looked the Croconaw in the eye and ate Leftovers.

  Ridiculous.

  Apparently the Croconaw and his Trainer agreed, as the next move he tried was Rage.

  She thought the move suited him well as his face grew red and he proceeded to punch and kick MunchMunch.

  Who sat there and stared, eating and bulking.

  For the first time, Shadow stared at him curiously.

  When had her MunchMunch grown up so much?

  When had her Trainer grown so much?

  Teddy stood behind, calmly calling out the moves for MunchMunch to use, Happy firmly held in his hands.

  She was watching MunchMunch intently.

  My Team… is growing, she realized.

  I could have been a Haunter right now.

  The thought came unbidden, but crashed into her like a wall.

  She shook her head.

  No!

  This battle was about MunchMunch.

  But… the thought still lingered.

  ____

  “What are you. A rock?!” the Croconaw exclaimed.

  MunchMunch took another bite and bulked further.

  “Not bad, kid,” Croconaw huffed. Then he opened his jaws and used Bite.

  MunchMunch flinched and closed his eyes, remembering how badly it hurt last time they fought.

  He peeked when nothing happened, only to find Croconaw with his jaws wrapped around his tummy and trying to lift him.

  MunchMunch giggled. He was much too big and strong for that now!

  He also realized, he didn’t need to use Defense Curl anymore!

  Now, it was his turn.

  His Teddy apparently realized the same as he shouted for MunchMunch to use Tackle.

  He prepared to and then realized…

  He widened his eyes and looked at Shadow, who looked back at him.

  They both started cackling at the same time.

  ____

  Lani watched with her team.

  Teddy was… scary.

  There really wasn’t any other word for it.

  He would make a good Ghost-type specialist.

  He spoke in one volume, sending orders calmly as he pet his Togepi’s head.

  How he even managed to have a Ghost and a Fairy on the same team was a mystery to her.

  Everyone knew better.

  Well, everyone except Teddy, apparently.

  But if he was scary? His Pokemon were terrifying.

  They seemed to know what he was thinking before he even said it. Like his commands were simply formalities.

  She had only seen battles like that on the Poké Net.

  When Ace Trainers and above battled.

  So… who was this guy?

  She was startled from her thoughts as a Gengar started cackling out of nowhere.

  She and her team immediately went into defensive mode. A Gengar would wipe them all and move on without thinking anything of it.

  “Ash, Uppie, you need to find Morty quick. If that Gengar — “

  She paused when she saw her Ash, frozen and staring at the battle.

  She turned and realized…

  It was Munchlax who was laughing like that.

  Then he levitated off the ground and hurled forward, tummy first, arms and legs flailing behind him.

  All while cackling manically.

  Who is this Team?!

  ____

  Teddy breathed deeply, keeping himself calm for his team.

  Then… he blinked.

  When had MunchMunch learned Body Slam? And judging by the way both his Pokémon were cackling, they had known.

  Known.

  And hid it from him!

  “These two,” he whispered, handing Happy an Aspear berry when she bit his finger to demand one.

  Apparently she wanted finger food for the battle.

  He sighed as she dug into it voraciously, eyes on the battle.

  Also, why did MunchMunch’s Body Slam look so ridiculous? He watched his Munchlax shoot across the field again, arms and legs flailing, crashing into a traumatized looking Croconaw.

  ____

  “WHEEEEEE!” MunchMunch screamed, crashing into Croconaw. “Mama, it’s almost like flying!”

  The Croconaw glared at him, retaliating with a bite.

  Which did nothing as MunchMunch chewed on his Leftovers some more.

  He cackled again.

  “How do you know Body Slam,” Croconaw demanded.

  MunchMunch paused.

  “Shadow and I got separated from our Trainer. We had to get stronger,” he said, taking a bite thoughtfully.

  “You… what?” the Croconaw blinked.

  But MunchMunch gleefully used his new move again and Croconaw fainted.

  MunchMunch grinned as Happy chimed in excitement, face and paws covered in berry juice.

  It felt good to make her proud.

  ____

  The enemy trainer threw another Poké Ball and MunchMunch blinked.

  He had… forgotten the battle wasn’t over.

  A tiny round Pokémon he had never seen before floated on the field.

  ”Mag.ne.mite,” it buzzed.

  MunchMunch cocked his head. It was so tiny…

  The enemy trainer said something and the Magnemite vibrated.

  MunchMunch gasped as the loudest sound he had ever heard exploded from the Pokémon and crashed into him.

  It felt like it was digging in to his ears!

  ”MunchMunch!” he gasped. It felt like all of his Defense Curls didn’t help at all!

  Magnemite used Sonic Boom again and MunchMunch curled over, grabbing his ears.

  ”Munch!” he shouted, taking a bite and hurtling himself forward.

  He crashed into the Magnemite, but it just bounced back like his Body Slam hardly hurt him!

  It buzzed and then a bunch of electricity came out of him and MunchMunch felt like his legs were frozen.

  Then it used Sonic Boom again.

  ____

  Shadow narrowed her eyes. She had thought the hardest part of the battle was over.

  Where had the enemy trainer gotten a Pokémon like that? It was absolutely demolishing MunchMunch.

  He managed to get a third flying tackle off just before he fainted.

  Fainted.

  The tiny floating ball of metal managed to make her MunchMunch faint?

  “P… Pii?”

  For once, Shadow agreed with the fairy.

  She floated onto the field warily, studying the Magnemite.

  Despite appearances, she could tell MunchMunch had done some work on it.

  It was drifting lower to the ground and its arms were slanted down.

  She nodded.

  She could handle this.

  She opened with a Sucker Punch and sighed in relief when it did noticeable damage.

  The Magnemite blinked and retaliated with Sonic Boom.

  Shadow flinched.

  So that’s what it felt like.

  No wonder MunchMunch was crying.

  But there was a price to pay for making her Munchlax cry.

  She finished the Pokémon off with Lick, shaking her body to clear the pain.

  Zubat floated out next.

  And immediately started screeching, as Zubat were known to do.

  Terribly irritating.

  Shadow used Hypnosis. Since the Zubat didn’t have eyes, she hummed instead.

  It screeched, ignored her and used Bite.

  Shadow gasped and realized…

  She was about to faint.

  That annoying metal ball had hurt her more than she realized!

  She glanced at Togepi.

  It was too weak to do anything. It was up to her to win.

  Teddy looked at her uncertainly. She nodded to him, she knew what she needed to do.

  She turned back and used Hypnosis once more, this time with a cackle.

  The Zubat fell asleep, dropping to the ground.

  The enemy trainer yelled in frustration, but Shadow just cackled softly as she descended to use her Dream Eater.

  The Zubat instantly fainted and Shadow shivered.

  Dark. Speed. Flight. Angry.

  “Good job, Shadow,” her trainer said, brushing her head and pulling her back from her devoured dream.

  “Pii~” the fairy agreed, as if to say it would have been sad if she lost after MunchMunch worked so hard.

  Shadow huffed but had to agree.

  The enemy trainer stared at her Teddy impassively.

  Teddy stared back.