It seemed to be a Chinese restaurant. They filed into the restaurant lobby. It didn’t take them too long to get seated, the place wasn’t very busy. There was still an uncomfortable silence hovering over the trio. Misty didn’t regret doing what she did, not even for a second, but that didn’t mean she was proud of it. Gutting all those pokemon……

Ash felt bad that Misty felt bad, but he had trouble understanding why she cared so much. Sure she was a water pokemon trainer, so she definitely felt a fondness towards the pokemon. He just found it vexing that she could care so much for the lives of magikarp but when it came to shrinkee…… Well, she could polish off a whole plate of them without the slightest bit of remorse. Every shrinkee she devoured had had a life and a family who loved them. How many of them had woken up that day planning to go to work or school only to be shrunk down to an inch in size? It could happen to anyone at any time. Even to Misty, it could happen when she got out of bed, or when she sat down in a PokeCenter to wait for her pokemon to be healed, or even when she had some poor former pokemon trainer slipping down her throat. If that ever happened would her view of shrinkees change? One thing was for sure though, if Misty ever shrunk they would be good as dead. Ash sighed and stroked Misty’s crimson hair. If she did shrink he’d do everything he could to keep her safe.

“Okay, this is nice.” Casey smiled, looking around the restaurant.

“… Yeah.” Misty finally replied, still a little bummed out by the memory of her magikarp genocide.

She set Ash down on the table. He immediately started stroking her hand comfortingly. He didn’t speak, he didn’t need to, the two exchanged smiles. Misty cheered up a bit. She surveyed the restaurant, Casey was right, it was a nice place. The restaurant a very relaxing atmosphere, and she was here about to enjoy a good meal with her unofficial boyfriend and one of their old friends. There was no reason to mope.

“So Casey, what have you been up to?” Misty asked in voice that was significantly more cheerful.

Casey relaxed a little, glad to see Misty loosening up a little, “Well the Electabuzz’s having been faring to well.” Casey admitted, “half the team has shrunk.”

“That’s terrible, but your team still compete?”

“Yeah, the rules are now more lenient when it comes to being short on players.”

“So.” Ash decided to jump into the conversation, “What happened to the players who shrunk?”

Casey rubbed her belly and grinned.

Ash was visibly shocked, “B- but Case, I thought you idolized those guys. You really ate them?”

Casey sat back pretending to be confused by Ash’s question, “Now why would I do that? I love the Electabuzz’s! We just sent them back to their families.” She flashed Ash a ‘gotcha’ style grin.

He smiled back shaking his head, “………. Well that’s good to hear. Hey, since the team’s now recruiting are you going to try out?”

“Of course, as soon as I’m old enough.” Casey confirmed, “Actually they’re thinking of getting rid of an age limit due to all the shrinkings. If they do that I’ll be in for sure! I’ve been practicing a lot.”

Their waiter came and took their orders. Ash was in the mood for some fried rice and general Tso’s chicken. Misty ordered full portions for him even though he’d hardly be able to eat any of it. She didn’t like to make him eat whatever she was having. Casey, still a little hungry, decided to get a small order of orange ‘shrinkees’ and white rice. Misty decided to get some shrimp lo mein and human sushi. To tell the truth human sushi, human mcnuggets, and human ‘fun’ meals were all basically the same thing. Tiny men and women stripped of there clothing and served plain. The only reason they had different names was because ‘plain ol shrinkees’ didn’t look good on a menu. Misty’s meal would come with five. She had requested her entire meal be male. Not only were boys cheaper, due to there plentifulness, she’d developed quite a taste for them. Ash wasn’t too thrilled about her choice, he never was when shrinkees were involved. He wouldn’t complain though.

The three of them chatted while waiting for their meals. Ash and Misty shared their adventures with Casey and she did likewise. Eventually two bowls of miso soup were served to the table. Ash sat on the edge of Misty’s bowl. He was careful not to fall in, the soup was scalding hot. Misty would dip her spoon in then, after blowing on the spoonful gently, she’d lower it back down to Ash and let him take the first sip.

“So what’re you guys going to do after checking up on your mom Ash?”

“Misty and I are hunting for rare water pokemon. Dragonite in particular. You know” Ash turned to face Misty, “Lance of the elite four is a big time Dragonite trainer. If anyone would know a good place to hunt them he would. Maybe we should head to Indigo Plateau after Pallet?”

Misty’s eyes narrowed, though it sounded like the best possible course of action she couldn’t help but think it was an excuse to keep traveling with Casey. Was Ash really so lonely, wasn’t her company enough?

“I….. I guess we could go visit Lance.”

“Hey, that’s great! You can travel with me!” Casey said excitedly.

“Yeah….. great.” Misty, though she had been warming up to Casey, still would rather have nothing to do with the girl.

Eventually there food arrived.

“All right, let’s dig in! Hey Ash want some chopsticks? Hey waiter! Bring us some tooth picks!”

“I’m fine with my hands Casey. Tooth picks would still be too big anyway.”

Misty fingered her chopsticks. One boy who hadn’t been sufficiently ‘massaged’ into submission had enough strength to make a sprint of the edge of her plate. Misty mercilessly slapped him with a the end of on of her chop sticks sending him flying back into her steaming Lo Mein.

“Please, we’re people too!” One of Casey’s orange sauce covered victims pleaded with her.

“No you aren’t, not anymore.”

Ash tried to ignore his two friend’s victims. He wouldn’t complain but that didn’t mean he had to watch. He felt embarrassed, he could imagine the other kids his age wondering why he was eating instead of being eaten.

Misty moved her chopsticks to ensnare her first victim…… only to see a familiar face.