Pokémon: Raising Abandoned Pokémon into Legends

Chapter 23: Entei

Munchlax tilted its head, not understanding what that name meant. But it felt a strange closeness to this Pokémon—sitting on its back was warm and cozy, and it really wanted to curl up and take a good nap.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — Little chubby one, why were those people attacking you, weak as you are?

Munchlax replied innocently:

"Ka~" — I don’t know either. All I know is they were selling Berries. I ate all the Berries they were selling, and I wanted to take them to Rio to get paid, but they wouldn’t listen—they just kept attacking me. It’s not like I wasn’t willing to pay.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — Rio?

"Ka~" — He’s my good friend. Whenever I want to eat something now, I have him pay for it.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — Where is he? I’ll take you to him.

Munchlax opened its mouth slightly and stuck its little paw inside, deep in thought. After a moment:

"Ka~" — I think he’s in a city called Pewter City.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — That’s not far from here. I’ll take you to him now.

Entei turned around and started running in the other direction with Munchlax on its back. But just as it turned, Munchlax called out:

"Ka~" — Stop, stop!

Entei halted and looked back in confusion.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — What’s wrong, little chubby one?

"Ka~" — I spotted something good.

Munchlax hopped off Entei’s back, went over to a bush, and picked up a blue glass whistle. After examining it for a few seconds, it tucked it into its fur.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — Little chubby one, why are you picking that up?

"Ka~" — I’ll give it to Rio to buy me food. I’m a Munchlax who follows the rules—whenever I want to eat something, I trade something for it.

Munchlax jumped back onto Entei’s back.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — Why do you have to trade with him to eat? Isn’t he your trainer?

"Ka~" — He’s not my trainer—he’s my buddy Charmeleon’s trainer.

Entei glanced back, seeming a bit confused by their relationship.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — It seems like you really like this Rio. Why not let him become your trainer? Then you probably wouldn’t have to trade for food anymore.

Munchlax placed its paws under its chin and suddenly looked troubled.

"Ka~" — I haven’t decided yet. I’m scared he might be like my old trainer—promising me good food if I won battles, but then lying to me.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — Has he lied to you so far?

"Ka~" — Not really. Last time, he told me to run to a tree and he’d treat me to a big meal. I did it, and he really let me eat until I was full. And every promise he’s made since then, he’s kept.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — Then it sounds like he wants you to trust him.

"Ka~" — Seems like it. I’m thinking about my buddy Charmeleon. It used to be a listless little loser, always curled up in a corner waiting to die. I could beat it easily back then. But after meeting Rio, it took me down in two moves. Now it’s happy every day. Honestly, I’m a little jealous.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — Then Rio really is a great trainer. You should try trusting him.

"Ka~" — Are you sure that’s okay?

"Yan-yan-yi~" — Why not? Little chubby one, I’ve traveled this world for a long time, and I’ve learned that people are different—there are good ones and bad ones. It’s all about how you tell them apart. Since you feel sincerity from him, you can trust him. If one day you no longer feel it, then leave. Don’t be afraid of getting hurt. You should be partners with him, not dependents. Remember—you are your own master.

Munchlax put its paw back in its mouth and fell into thought. But as it thought, Entei never got a reply. It looked back and saw that Munchlax had fallen asleep on its back.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — What an adorable little chubby one.

...

When Munchlax woke up again, the sky had darkened.

The first thing it saw were high-rise buildings glowing with lights—towering above it.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — Little chubby one, you’re awake.

Entei’s voice came from beside it. Entei was standing atop a tall building, its long gray mane rustling in the breeze.

"Ka~" — Where is this? Munchlax looked at the tall buildings in confusion.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — This is Pewter City—the human city you mentioned. Take a good look and see if you can find your friend Rio.

Munchlax peered down carefully. Before long, it spotted the Pokémon Center sign and pointed.

"Ka~" — Rio should be there.

The moment it finished, Entei leaped off the building, darting swiftly between the high-rises until it reached the shadows about fifty meters from the Pokémon Center.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — Go on, little chubby one.

Entei lowered its body.

"Ka~" — Here—this Berry is really tasty.

Munchlax climbed down and pulled a pink Berry from its fur.

Entei looked at Munchlax in surprise. It knew this species was obsessed with food—it hadn’t expected Munchlax to share a Berry with it.

Entei took the Berry with its mouth and swallowed it. At the same time, its body glowed faintly, and a warm, orange-red strand of fur floated from its neck into Munchlax’s paw.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — Munchlax, if one day you feel that Rio has deceived you, burn this strand of fur with fire. I will come to you immediately, take you away, and teach him a lesson for you.

Munchlax examined the warm, glowing strand of fur like a curious child. When it remembered to thank Entei, the legendary Pokémon was already gone.

"Ka~" — I understand, Entei.

Munchlax murmured softly and tucked the orange-red fur deep into its own fur. Then it waddled toward the Pokémon Center.

As it reached the entrance, Rio, who had been searching all day, arrived back with Charmeleon.

"Munchlax, where have you been? Do you know Charmeleon and I have been looking for you everywhere? If you wanted to eat something, you should have told me first—not run off on your own," Rio said, frowning slightly.

"Rua~" — Yeah, yeah—do you know how worried we were? Charmeleon chimed in with an angry expression.

Munchlax looked at Rio, who seemed a little upset, and at Charmeleon. It lowered its head.

"Ka~" — I’m sorry.

Seeing Munchlax’s apologetic expression, Rio’s frown gradually relaxed. He realized he might have overreacted. He crouched down, patted Munchlax’s head, and said softly:

"Alright, alright. Next time you want to eat something, just let me know in advance."

The moment he finished speaking, he noticed that Munchlax’s apologetic look had completely vanished. Instead, its eyes were fixed eagerly on the ramen shop across the street, drool dripping shamelessly from the corner of its mouth.

"Ka~" — I want to eat that.

Munchlax tugged Rio toward the ramen shop and pulled an item from its fur, tossing it into Rio’s hand.

Rio picked it up and examined it—his eyes lit up.

It was a blue glass whistle, capable of curing a Pokémon’s sleep status.

Then his pupils contracted.

He noticed that Munchlax’s friendship had jumped all the way to 0.

Just that morning, it had been -14. How had it risen so much after being gone?

"What exactly did Munchlax experience during that time?" Rio wondered.

At the same time—

Hundreds of meters away, atop a high-rise building, Entei watched as Munchlax poured bowl after bowl of ramen into its mouth outside the shop.

"Yan-yan-yi~" — That little chubby one.

Entei leaped into the air and vanished into the night sky over Pewter City.