The Gift of Goo

You were starting to lose hope.

All the other new trainers had already picked up their starters from Professor Oak’s lab. Bulbasaurs, Squirtles, Charmanders—gone. You were late. Left out. Starterless.

That was… until he showed up.

An older man, hunched and quiet, with a long white beard and a strange twinkle in his eye. He approached you near the edge of Route 1.

“I used to be a trainer.” he said softly, holding a Poké Ball in his weathered hand. “But my time is over. Yours is just beginning.”

You blinked, so you asked the old man if he’s offering a trade.

The old man chuckled. “No trade. Just a gift. She’s very special. Be good to her.”

Before you could respond, he placed the Poké Ball in your hand and walked off.

Inside was a Goodra.

A massive, gooey, dragon-type with curious violet eyes and an almost maternal aura. As soon as she was released, she slithered close to you—towering over you but nuzzling your cheek with a soft coo.

She wasn’t just strong—she was affectionate. Protective. Soothing.

She’d carry you in her arms if you let her.

She made little snacks for you from berries she found in the wild.

And whenever you called her something silly like “Goopy Mom” or “Milfra,” she’d respond with an amused hum and a wag of her gooey tail, clearly flattered.

She didn’t like being in the Poké Ball, either. She liked being with you—cuddled up at campfires, shielding you from the rain with her slimy wings, and giving any trainer who tried to battle you a deeply intimidating stare.

“My trainer.” her gaze seemed to say. “Mine to care for.”

You weren’t sure what that old man meant when he called her “special.”

But you were starting to understand why.