“Kai,” she began softly, staring at the small pebbles scattered at her feet, “when you left for your journey… did you try to find a sponsor first?”

Kai, who had been gazing out at the horizon, turned his head slightly and smiled, though there was a hint of something else in his eyes—something deeper. He adjusted his position, stretching his legs out in front of him.

“Yeah, I did,” he replied, a little quieter than usual. “I wanted to make sure I was as ready as I could be. Having a sponsor isn’t just about getting help with money, you know? They’re supposed to support you in all kinds of ways. I thought it’d make things easier.”

Ariel glanced up at him, her wide eyes full of questions. “Who did you ask? Did anyone say yes?”

Kai hesitated, his gaze drifting back to the waves. “I went to Noah—Old Man Tide,” he said, his voice heavy with the memory. “You remember him, right? He’s the old guy who was at my welcome home party, sitting at the back, shaking his head. He wasn’t too impressed with my gym battle stories either.”

Ariel’s face scrunched up in confusion for a moment before it clicked. “Oh! The grumpy one who was muttering stuff to himself!” she said, frowning. “He’s always been a meanie.”

Kai chuckled softly, but the laugh didn’t reach his eyes. “He’s more than just an aquarium owner. He’s one of the strongest trainers in our town, even though he doesn’t show it. I figured he’d be the perfect sponsor—someone who really knew what it was like to be on a journey.”

Ariel leaned in, her knees tucked under her chin as she listened carefully. “So… did he say yes?”

Kai shook his head, his smile fading. “No. He didn’t.”

Ariel blinked, surprised. “But… why? Didn’t you do good?”

Kai sighed and scratched the back of his head, his expression a little distant. “He gave me a test. Just a simple battle to see how well I could handle my Pokémon. I thought I did alright, but…” He trailed off for a moment before continuing, “He said I wasn’t ready. He didn’t really explain much, just told me I wasn’t ready and that he wouldn’t sponsor me.”

Ariel’s lips formed a small pout. “That’s not fair! How were you supposed to know what he wanted if he didn’t tell you?”

Kai shrugged, his shoulders sagging a little. “That’s just how it goes sometimes. He’s a tough guy to impress. And you know, being a sponsor means a lot of responsibility. If a trainer messes up, the sponsor can get in trouble too. I guess he didn’t want to take that risk.”

Ariel’s eyes flickered with understanding, even though the concept seemed a bit too big for her. “So, after that… what did you do? Did you find another sponsor?”

Kai nodded slowly. “I left the village without one. I was stubborn and thought I didn’t need the help. It made things a lot harder. Without a sponsor, I had to figure everything out on my own, and there were so many things I wasn’t prepared for.”

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

The waves gently washed over the shore, the sound filling the pause in their conversation. Ariel could sense the weight of her brother’s words, even if she couldn’t fully grasp all the details. She hugged her knees tighter, feeling a bit small in comparison to the world Kai had ventured into.

“Why didn’t Mom and Dad sponsor you?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kai smiled gently at her question. “Sponsorships don’t usually work that way. Family members can’t sponsor you. It’s a rule to stop too much favoritism. They can help with some things, like getting you your first set of gear, but the rest… you have to figure out yourself.”

Ariel tilted her head, still trying to understand. “So… sponsors are people who aren’t family, and they help you by giving you stuff and… making sure you don’t get in trouble?”

Kai nodded. “Exactly. They’re like a safety net. But not everyone gets one. Some people have to go it alone, like I did at first.”

The little girl stared down at the sand for a moment, her brows knitting together. “But it doesn’t sound fun to do it all by yourself.”

Kai sighed, leaning back on his hands and staring up at the sky, now streaked with hues of orange and pink. “It’s not. It’s tough, especially in the beginning. You don’t always know where your next meal will come from, or if you’ll have a safe place to sleep. And without a sponsor, you don’t have someone watching your back. I was lucky that I found one later during my journey, but those first few months were rough.”

Ariel stayed quiet, trying to imagine what that must have been like for her brother. Her mind wandered to Old Man Tide, his stern face and gruff demeanor. She couldn’t believe someone like him had turned Kai down. It didn’t seem fair.

“But… you did find a sponsor, right?” she asked, her voice soft.

Kai nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Yeah, eventually. It wasn’t someone I expected, either. Sometimes, help comes from the places you least expect.”

Ariel nodded slowly, though she didn’t fully understand what he meant. She shifted her legs, stretching them out in front of her like Kai had done, feeling the cool sand beneath her feet. “Kai?”

“Yeah?”

She hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Do you… do you think I’ll need a sponsor when I go on my journey?”

Kai glanced over at her, his expression softening. “Maybe. But Ariel, your journey won’t be like mine. Everyone’s path is different. You might find someone to help you, or maybe you’ll catch the perfect Pokémon to start with, and things will just fall into place.”

Ariel smiled a little, thinking of her Magikarp swimming in the ocean nearby. “I guess I’m lucky that I already have Magikarp, huh?”

Kai laughed, it was a strange Laugh. As if he had heard something very funny. “Yeah, you are. You’re ahead of the game already.” It almost sounded like a mocking laugh, but that that could not be possible. It was Kai after all!

The sun had almost set, and the first few stars were beginning to peek through the darkening sky. Ariel gazed up at them, her mind still spinning with thoughts about journeys, sponsors, and what her future might hold.

Kai’s voice broke through her thoughts. “You’ve been asking me all these questions,” he said, his tone a little more serious now. “Can I ask you one?”

Ariel blinked and turned to him, curious. “What is it?”

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes reflecting the fading light. “What’s your goal, Ariel? For when you start your Pokémon journey?”

Ariel stared at him for a moment, her young mind racing as she tried to think of an answer. She hadn’t really thought about it before. She loved Pokémon, of course, but she hadn’t decided what she wanted to do when she got older. She was only six, after all.

“I… I don’t know,” she said quietly, her voice uncertain. “I just… I just wanna be with Pokémon.”

Kai’s serious expression softened, and he reached out to ruffle her hair. “That’s a good enough goal for now. You’ll figure the rest out when the time comes.”

Ariel grinned, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for now.

As the stars twinkled above them and the sound of the ocean filled the air, the two of them sat quietly, side by side. Ariel didn’t have all the answers yet, but she knew that with Kai’s guidance, she’d be ready when her time finally came.