Ariel splashed joyfully in the shallow waters, her laughter mingling with the gentle sound of waves lapping at the shore. At six years old, she had become a confident swimmer, mastering her strokes with surprising ease. Each day spent with Magikarp felt like a new adventure, the little Pokémon flopping beside her as they played together under the bright sun.

“Come on, Magikarp! Let’s race!” she called, her eyes sparkling with mischief. With a powerful kick, she propelled herself through the water, leaving the little fish trailing behind. It didn’t matter that Magikarp could never keep up; every moment with her friend felt magical.

The salty sea air filled her lungs as she splashed toward the shore, her movements natural and fluid. As she slowed to catch her breath, Ariel glanced over her shoulder. Magikarp, despite its clumsy flopping, always seemed to try its best to follow her. She giggled. “You’ll get faster one day, I promise.”

But then, a sudden commotion erupted from the village. Voices rose in excitement, laughter and shouts mingling in the air. Curious, Ariel paddled back to shore and dried herself off quickly, her heart racing with anticipation. Something was happening. She could feel it.

After making her way from the beach, pushing her way through the throng of villagers, Ariel’s eyes widened when she spotted a familiar figure at the center of the crowd. Kai! Her brother had returned! He stood taller than she remembered, his shoulders broader and his face more mature. The villagers surrounded him, showering him with praise and congratulations.

“Kai!” she squealed, her heart leaping with joy. She rushed to him, her small arms wrapping tightly around his waist. “You’re back!”

Kai chuckled and lifted her off the ground with ease, spinning her around. “Hey, Ariel! Missed you, little sis.”

“I missed you too! How was your journey? Did you catch a bunch of cool Pokémon?” Her questions spilled out in a rush, her excitement bubbling over as she beamed up at him.

Kai smiled warmly but with a hint of something Ariel couldn’t quite place. His expression wasn’t as bright as she remembered. “It was… an experience. But I’ve decided to settle down now.”

Ariel blinked, her head tilting in confusion. “Settle down? What do you mean?”

He took a deep breath, glancing around at the villagers who were still chattering excitedly. Finally, Kai cleared his throat and announced, “I’m going to become a fisherman’s apprentice.”

There was a moment of silence before the crowd erupted in applause, cheers echoing through the village. “That’s great news, Kai!” called out Mr. Thompson, the local shopkeeper. His eyes sparkled with pride. “We need more dedicated hands in fishing!”

“Just like your mother!” added Mrs. Hart, a motherly figure who had known their family for years. Her voice brimmed with warmth as she clapped. “You’ll do wonderfully, just like her!”

A few more villagers chimed in, their voices ringing with approval. "A hard-working young man like you is exactly what this village needs," said Old Man Rivers, a distant relative who had always been fond of Kai.

Kai smiled at their encouragement, but Ariel’s heart sank a little. She tugged on his sleeve, her brows furrowing. “You’re not going to be a Pokémon Trainer anymore?”

Kai shook his head, but the smile on his face seemed forced. “Nope. I’ll be here and annoy you lots,” he teased, but there was a sadness in his eyes that only Ariel seemed to notice.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“But you were so good at it! You had so many badges!” Ariel protested, feeling the weight of disappointment settle in her chest. Her brother had been her hero, the one who would go on to challenge the Elite Four and make their family proud.

“I know,” Kai replied, his gaze drifting toward the ocean, where the waves seemed to pull his thoughts away. “But I think I’m done with the trainer’s life.”

The words hung in the air between them, heavy and final. Ariel wanted to ask why, but the look on Kai’s face stopped her. He was holding something back, something he didn’t want to share.

The villagers continued to celebrate, and Ariel felt a mix of happiness for her brother and confusion about his decision. Wasn’t he supposed to continue being a Trainer? The idea of him fishing instead of battling seemed so... ordinary. Was this really what he wanted?

That night, during dinner, Ariel noticed her parents exchanging concerned glances as they sat around the table. Her mother, Selene, spoke up first. “Kai, are you sure this is what you want? You’ve always loved being a Trainer.”

Kai shrugged, poking at his food with a fork. “I just think it’s time to move on.”

“But you’ve done so well!” Aron, their father, added. “You were on track to become one of the better Trainers in Sinnoh. Why the sudden change?”

Kai’s mouth twitched, and for a moment, Ariel thought he might finally say what was really on his mind. But instead, he gave a nonchalant smile. “I’ve just had enough, I guess.”

The conversation shifted to other topics, but Ariel could see the worry etched into her parents' faces. Something wasn’t right.

A few days later, excitement filled the air as the village gathered to watch the Lily of the Valley Conference on a makeshift screen set up in the town square. Ariel couldn't wait to see the battles. She loved watching Trainers compete, imagining what it would be like to battle alongside Pokémon of her own one day. But when she looked for Kai, she found him sitting away from the crowd, staring into the distance.

“Hey, Kai! Aren’t you going to watch?” Ariel called, moving closer to him.

Kai shook his head, his voice quiet. “No, I think I’ll pass.”

Ariel frowned. “Why not? You’re the best Trainer in Rivertide! Everyone’s watching.”

Kai’s shoulders tensed. “I just... I don’t want to think about it right now.”

Before Ariel could press him further, Isla, her first human friend in the village, bounced over with her fiery red hair tied in a messy bun. “Come on, Kai! Everyone wants to hear about your journey. You’re the talk of the village!” she said, her green eyes wide with excitement.

Kai forced a smile but didn’t respond. Instead, he looked toward the ocean, his gaze distant and unreadable. Ariel could feel the tension in his posture, like he was carrying a burden too heavy for anyone to see.

The atmosphere in the village square was electric as the villagers cheered on their favorite Trainers. Their voices rose and fell with every intense battle on the screen, but Kai remained distant. Ariel turned to him, her heart heavy with worry.

“Isn’t it amazing?” she asked, trying to spark some excitement in him. “Look at all those Trainers competing!”

Kai nodded, but there was no light in his eyes. Just... emptiness.

Nearby, an older man sat quietly, watching the battles with a critical eye. Ariel recognized him as one of the village’s strongest Trainers from years ago. He shook his head and muttered to himself, his tone dripping with skepticism. “As expected,” he grumbled, his gaze shifting toward Kai.

Isla huffed in frustration, her hands on her hips. “Why does he always have to say something like that?” she whispered to Ariel. “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

Kai’s jaw clenched, his face tightening with discomfort. “Maybe he does,” he said softly, almost to himself.

Ariel’s frown deepened. She could feel that something was wrong, but she didn’t know how to reach him. “Kai,” she said gently, touching his arm. “I just want you to be happy.”

Kai glanced down at her, a small, sad smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Thanks, Ariel. That means a lot.”

The celebration continued around them, but Ariel couldn’t shake the feeling that her brother was slipping away from something important—something he wasn’t ready to talk about.

That night, after the excitement had died down, the family gathered around the dinner table once more. Ariel noticed how quiet Kai was, how his usual chatter was replaced by thoughtful silence.

Finally, their mother spoke up. “Kai... if there’s anything you need to talk about, we’re here for you.”

Kai looked up, his eyes softening. “I know. I appreciate it.” But he didn’t say more, and the silence hung heavy in the room.

Ariel would support Kai no matter what, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something significant had shifted within him. Whatever the future held, she would be there by his side, ready to embrace it together.