He spends an unusually long time just squatting there by the pond, hands together over his mouth as he contemplates the ethics of what he’s doing. Do they even have those? Trainer ethics? Fish ethics?

His spiraling is interrupted by a swift thwap against his arm. Gumball pouts as he points back to the lake, where the fishing pole has already been set up. Without waiting for his trainer, the popplio waddles back to his new extensive pool, eager to continue playing with the fish.

Saint sighs. Right, just—this is a game. He should remember that. He gets up and moves to continue fishing, but not without making one last cautionary glance at the Magikarp pond, where the current sole occupant stares at him from the water. Unblinkingly.

Bullseye!

Saint blinks, watching as his starter basically torpedoes the poor Mantyke in his excitement to return. “Hey! Gumball, calm down!”

But Gumball has jumped out of the water, now clinging to both the Mantyke and the line that its hanging off of. He has his mouth clamped over its fin and is happily jiggling his body. It’s the same way he moves when he’s wrestling snacks out of Saint’s hand.

'Does he think it’s an actual pancake?' Saint thinks, alarmed as he tries to reel the Mantyke in before Gumball can turn it into breakfast.