[Pokémon: Gulpin]
Gender: Female
Ability: Intimidate
Moves: Growl, Astonish, Taunt, Iron Head, Play Rough, Bite
Condition: Weakened
Mood: 😠 Unhappy
Happiness Level: -10
Friendship: 0 (You're not acquainted yet)
Note:What a terrible day — Gulpin
As Carver's eyes swept across her, Gulpin's detailed status information popped into his mind.
"Gulpin, huh…"
Gulpin had a yellow, doll-like body, but the most distinctive feature was the huge mouth on her back—lined with sharp, menacing teeth.
Carver knew Gulpin to be a cunning and somewhat terrifying Pokémon, using her innocent appearance to lower an opponent's guard before suddenly turning around and clamping down with powerful jaws—so strong they could even bite through steel.
However, the Gulpin before him didn't look particularly fierce.
She stood there quietly, expressionless, looking up at Carver with calm eyes.
"All right, let the test begin!" Elder Egid announced.
At his words, the examinees began to move.
Egid's gaze stayed fixed on Carver, curious to see how he would handle this.
Carver simply crouched down, lowering himself to Gulpin's level to avoid appearing dominant.
Looking into her eyes, he gently said, "Hi Gulpin, I'm Carver. I'm going to check your condition and help you feel better."
Gulpin hesitated for a moment, then gave a small nod.
Egid silently nodded in approval.
Gaining a Pokémon's trust and closing the distance emotionally—this was a core skill every breeder should have. And none of the other kids even considered it!
Turning back to the others, Egid saw they had all immediately begun checking their Pokémon's physical condition.
While this wasn't a required step in the test, only a true breeder understood how to build that bond first.
Carver, unaware of Egid's thoughts, began his inspection.
Gulpin cooperatively raised her arms and turned around so he could check thoroughly.
This was a junior-level breeder exam, so the difficulty wasn't very high.
Carver soon noticed a small, scorched patch near her back.
It was clearly the result of a Fire-type move—likely Ember.
Unfortunately, the Ember had triggered its secondary effect: a burn status.
Apart from that, Gulpin seemed mostly healthy—wait.
Carver suddenly spotted an issue with the teeth in her massive jaw.
Normally, Gulpin maintained her teeth carefully—they were always pristine.
But this Gulpin's teeth were stained and discolored, some showing signs of cavities. When he gently touched a few, they even wobbled slightly.
"She's calcium deficient!"
It was obvious: this was a case of poor nutrition.
That wasn't something that could be fixed quickly. After ensuring there were no other problems, Carver stood up and reported to Elder Egid.
"...Gulpin has burn marks on her back, most likely from a move like Ember. The injury is minor, but the burn status needs treatment. Additionally, her teeth are in poor condition—discolored, with cavities and looseness. She'll need proper nutritional support going forward."
Egid nodded repeatedly.
He even noted Carver picked up on additional, non-obvious issues—an excellent bonus point.
He looked at Carver with newfound admiration.
"Did you learn all this from books?" he asked.
Carver blinked but answered honestly, "I used to read a lot of Pokémon books when I had nothing else to do."
"I see," Egid smiled. "Then next, find the right item to treat her."
Carver nodded and walked over to the pile of berries and herbs.
He quickly located a Rawst Berry—perfect for treating burns.
After feeding it to Gulpin, the burn healed visibly.
"Guu~"
Gulpin let out a grateful cry—no more pain!
"All right, you've passed the exam," Egid declared. He had come specifically for Carver.
Perfect scores in both the written and practical portions. Without a doubt, the boy standing before him was qualified to be a junior breeder!
But more than that—his age, his talent… This kid was a rare genius!
He accompanied Carver outside to where Jenny was waiting.
Jenny looked at both of them, noting Egid's excitement, and asked, "Mr. Egid, how did Carver do?"
"Perfect scores! Both written and practical—flawless!" Egid's eyes gleamed. "Carver, would you be willing to study under me? I'll teach you everything I know. If you're dedicated, even becoming a top-tier breeder is within your reach!"
Before Carver could answer, Jenny stood frozen in surprise.
Carver was that talented?
A genius… She remembered hearing that one of the Jenny family members who left home was also a prodigy in Pokémon breeding.
Carver shook his head and politely declined. "Thank you, Mr. Egid. But I'm currently running a daycare. There are many Pokémon there that need my care—I can't leave right now."
"Daycare?" Egid was surprised.
"Carver inherited his mother's legacy—he's chosen to continue running the abandoned daycare," Jenny explained.
Realization dawned on Egid.
So the kid took the exam just to legally reopen the daycare…
What a waste!
With this kind of talent, to spend it all running a daycare—how frustrating!
Yet now that Carver had passed, he was ready to leave.
He and Jenny thanked Egid, then departed from the Breeder Association.
Watching their backs disappear, Egid looked tormented.
He had just seen a new star rising in the breeding world—only to watch it refuse to shine.
No way!
Egid wasn't giving up. He decided—he'd visit Carver's daycare personally to persuade him again.
—
On the road back, Jenny drove Carver home on her motorcycle.
"It looks like you inherited your mother's gift," she remarked.
Carver fell silent. After a moment, he said, "Thanks for everything, Miss Jenny."
"No need to thank me. You're part of the Jenny family too—we're blood relatives. Helping you is the least I can do," she said. Then, after a pause, "If possible… I'd really love for you to call me sister."
Carver: "…" What if he couldn't bring himself to say it?
Jenny didn't press. She changed the subject.
"Now that you're certified, I'll send the results to the Hoenn League. If all goes well, they'll deliver that batch of Pokémon eggs by tomorrow."