Ethan crouched in front of Munchlax. "Want a feast?"
The tired droop in Munchlax's eyes vanished instantly. He rubbed his chin, gaze sharpening with anticipation.
"Ka~"—Thinking about it.
Ethan pointed to a tree twenty meters away. "Get there in ten seconds and I'll buy you anything you want, until you're full."
Munchlax's eyes narrowed. "Ka~"—Sounds like a trick.
"Believe me or don't," Ethan said, starting a countdown. "Ten… nine… eight…"
At "three," Munchlax's hunger won. He lumbered into a surprisingly fast charge, reaching the tree well before the final count.
Ethan smiled. So that's it… His trust was broken by a trainer who promised food and lied. If I prove I keep my word, no matter the cost, he'll believe in me again.
"Congratulations," Ethan said. "You did it. Now—let's eat."
Munchlax's excitement was instant. He barreled toward the nearest barbecue stall.
Karen caught up. "You're not really treating him to an all-you-can-eat, are you? Fuji won't reimburse all that."
"Don't worry," Ethan said. "I've made enough from the Gym sign-ups to cover the rest."
Two hours later, Munchlax was sprawled in bliss, having emptied the entire food street. The bill was over 40,000 Alliance Coins. Fuji would cover half; the rest came from Ethan's pocket. Still, the system chimed:
[Munchlax's intimacy increased: -21 → -18]
Progress.
The next day, Ethan began more structured training in the truck bed. Spin a set number of times? Get an energy cube. Practice Rest on command? Get a Poké Puff. He balanced this with equal care for Charmeleon, ensuring his first partner never felt overlooked.
By the time they reached Pewter City—locally nicknamed "Pitch Gray"—Munchlax's intimacy had climbed to -14.
"Karen, coming with me to meet Nurse Joy or to watch the Gym challenge?" Ethan asked.
"Neither," she said. "There's a museum here I want to see. Contact me after you're done."
Ethan nodded. Charmeleon and Munchlax followed him toward the Gym, Munchlax still scanning every stall for food.
Midway, Munchlax tugged at his pants. "Ka~"—That one.
Ethan followed his pointing paw to a specialty shop selling Pewter Rice Crackers, a local snack that cured all status effects.
"You really know your food," Ethan said—and then Munchlax produced a golden nugget from his fur.
Ethan's brows lifted. "Another Pickup treasure, huh?"
He pocketed it with a grin. "Alright, I'll buy them. But remember the rule—if you want shop food, trade me something you've picked up."
It was a profitable arrangement: over the past few days, he'd collected high-grade Poké Balls, antique coins, even a Thunder Stone.
Ten minutes later, Munchlax had cleared out the store's stock, trailing happily behind Ethan—though his eyes kept drifting to Charmeleon's bag of crackers. After a few minutes, Charmeleon sighed and tossed it over.
"Ka~"—Thanks, brother. Bag and all went into his mouth, the plastic wrapper spat neatly into a bin.
An hour later, they reached the Gym… closed.
A young man stepped out. "Sorry. Gym Leader Brock is away on League business after a Team Rocket attack in Phantom City. No battles for now."