The sun was warm, the ocean waves gentle against the shore, and the breeze carried the salty scent of the sea. Ariel stood on the beach, her heart pounding with a mix of excitement and nerves. Beside her, Goldy the Golduck stood alert, his webbed feet sinking into the wet sand, his eyes scanning the horizon. Her mother, Selene, watched quietly from a few feet away, arms crossed, but with an encouraging smile on her face.

Ariel looked down at the Pokéball in her hand. The cool surface of the customized blue Pokéball gleamed in the sunlight, reflecting the start of her journey. Today, she would officially capture Magikarp. They had already agreed—Magikarp was ready.

Taking a deep breath, Ariel knelt down at the edge of the water. “Magikarp,” she called softly, holding the Pokéball out in front of her. Her fingers trembled slightly, but she steadied herself, focusing on the bond they had forged.

The surface of the water rippled as Magikarp swam closer, its orange scales glinting in the sunlight. It stopped just before her, its large, blank eyes staring up at her expectantly.

“This is it,” Ariel whispered. “Are you ready?”

Magikarp’s tail flicked in response, sending a small splash of water her way, as if to say, Of course. With a smile, Ariel gently tapped the Pokéball against Magikarp’s head. A burst of light engulfed the fish Pokémon, and in a moment, it was gone—safely inside the Pokéball.

The ball shook once. Twice.

And then it clicked.

Ariel blinked, staring at the Pokéball in her hand, her heart racing. It was done. Magikarp was hers—officially.

Her mother clapped softly. “Well done, Ariel,” Selene said, walking over to place a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “That was quick. I think Magikarp was more than ready for this.”

Ariel grinned, her eyes still locked on the Pokéball. “Yeah… it feels right.”

Goldy gave a satisfied quack, nodding in approval. Ariel reached down and patted the Golduck’s head.

But her mind was already drifting back to the ocean. There was another Pokémon she needed to convince—one that was a bit more stubborn. She stood up and turned toward the water. Somewhere out there, Feebas was swimming, watching, waiting.

She took a step toward the shore. “Feebas,” she called, her voice steady but with a hint of challenge. “I haven’t forgotten about you. I want you to join me too.”

For a moment, nothing happened. The water remained still, the waves gently lapping at her feet. Ariel held her breath, hoping Feebas would respond.

Then, a ripple. And another. The water parted as Feebas swam toward her, its dull brown scales shimmering faintly in the sunlight. Its wide eyes fixed on Ariel, and for a moment, they simply stared at each other.

Ariel knelt down again, her fingers brushing the surface of the water. “I know we’re not as close yet,” she admitted. “But I see something in you. I think we could be great together.”

Feebas didn’t respond. Instead, it glanced out at the ocean, then back at Ariel. There was a flicker of something in its eyes—determination, perhaps? Ariel wasn’t sure, but then, without warning, Feebas lunged forward, bumping against her hand. It wasn’t a greeting. It was a challenge.

Ariel’s eyes widened. “You... want to battle?”

Feebas nodded, its tail flicking water into the air.

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Ariel stood up, her heart pounding again. She glanced at her mother, who smiled and gave her a small nod of approval.

“Alright,” Ariel said, taking a step back and releasing Magikarp from its Pokéball. “Let’s do this.”

Magikarp appeared in a flash of light, flopping on the beach. It glanced up at Feebas, then at Ariel, ready for whatever was to come.

Feebas watched from the water, its dull brown scales reflecting the last glimmers of sunlight. It moved slowly, deliberately, sizing up its opponent. There was something about Feebas’s gaze that made Ariel pause—it wasn’t just a battle for the sake of battling. Feebas was testing her.

Ariel clenched her fists. She had to stay focused. This was her first real test as a trainer, and she couldn’t afford to second-guess herself now.

“Magikarp,” Ariel called, her voice steady. “We’re in this together. Let’s show Feebas what we’ve got.”

Magikarp gave a small flop in acknowledgment, its tail twitching as it faced Feebas. It didn’t have many moves at its disposal. Ariel knew that. Magikarp’s battle potential was famously limited at this stage, but it was more than just a Pokémon to her—it was a symbol. A promise of what could be.

Feebas darted forward, its body slicing through the water with surprising speed. Feebas used Tackle! Ariel barely had time to react before the drab fish lunged out of the water, slamming into Magikarp with all its might.

Magikarp flopped backward, landing with a splash in the shallows, but it wasn’t down yet. It wriggled, regaining its position, its blank eyes staring back at Feebas. Ariel’s heart pounded in her chest, but she knew there was only one move she could rely on.

“Magikarp!” she called, her voice carrying over the sound of the waves. “Use Splash!”

The words felt strange on her tongue, almost laughable. But Ariel didn’t hesitate. Magikarp was doing its best, and she would support him, no matter what.

Magikarp leapt into the air, its body flopping wildly as it performed the move it had always known. Water sprayed around it as it splashed back into the sea, the motion full of energy but ultimately, as always, ineffective.

Nothing happened.

She had known the move wouldn’t do anything, but seeing it in action—the sheer futility of it—was a little crushing. This was her first battle, and she had to rely on a move that did… nothing.

But then she caught Magikarp’s eyes. It wasn’t discouraged. It flopped back into place, ready to continue, as if it had just completed the most important move in the world.

A soft smile tugged at Ariel’s lips. She could feel the weight of her family’s eyes on her, but all that mattered right now was Magikarp. “That was brilliant, Magikarp,” she said sincerely. “You’re doing great.”

Magikarp wiggled in response, as if soaking in the praise.

On the other side of the battlefield, Feebas had paused. Its wide, unblinking eyes were fixed on Ariel and Magikarp, as if contemplating something. Ariel could sense a change in the atmosphere. Feebas wasn’t attacking again. Instead, it seemed to be… thinking.

What is it? Ariel wondered. Could Feebas be reconsidering the challenge?

Before she could say anything, Feebas made its move—but it wasn’t another attack. Instead, it swam swiftly toward the shore, and to Ariel’s surprise, it nudged one of the Pokéballs hanging from her waist.

Ariel blinked, her mind racing to catch up. Was Feebas…?

In a swift, fluid motion, Feebas pressed its head against the Pokéball’s button. A burst of light engulfed the fish, and the ball snapped shut. It barely shook before the telltale click echoed across the beach.

Silence fell over the scene.

Ariel stared at the Pokéball in her hand, her thoughts a whirlwind. Feebas had chosen her—not through battle, but through its own decision. It had been a test all along, not of strength, but of trust.

Her mother broke the silence with a soft chuckle. “Well, that’s one way to catch a Pokémon,” Selene said, her voice filled with pride. She stepped forward, wrapping her arm around Ariel’s shoulders. “Looks like Feebas was watching you more closely than you realized.”

Ariel looked down at the Pokéball, her heart swelling with emotion. “Yeah,” she whispered, still in awe of what had just happened. “I guess… it wanted to see what kind of trainer I’d be.”

Goldy quacked softly, giving her a nod of approval.

Ariel couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across her face. Her team had grown. Magikarp, who had given its all with just a simple Splash, and Feebas, who had chosen to join her despite being stronger than her starter. This was only the beginning, but already, she could feel the weight of the path ahead.

On the cliff above the beach, a figure stood, watching the scene unfold. Noah’s serene expression betrayed no emotion, but inside, he marveled at what he had just witnessed. Ariel’s first battle—and her first technical loss—had ended in a way no one could have predicted. Little did anyone know, they had just witnessed the beginning of something much greater.

The beginning of a legend.

The Legend of Ariel, the Queen of Tides.