Ariel stood outside the entrance to Noah’s Aquarium, her heart pounding in her chest. The name alone felt ridiculous to her, adding to her reluctance. What kind of place is this? she thought, scuffing her foot against the pavement.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the glass door open. The chime of a bell above announced her entrance. The air was cool and filled with the scent of saltwater, instantly calming her nerves. Vibrant colors swirled in the tanks around her—coral reefs bustling with life, schools of fish darting to and fro, and a massive Empoleon gliding lazily in its enclosure.

But instead of the grim, intimidating Noah she had imagined, she was greeted by a young man in his twenties, dressed in a crisp uniform that bore the aquarium’s logo. His dark hair was neatly styled, and his sharp blue eyes twinkled with warmth. “Welcome to Noah’s Aquarium! How can I help you today?” he asked, his tone professional yet inviting.

Ariel felt her confidence waver. She had prepared herself for an encounter with someone older and more abrasive. Now, standing in front of this friendly stranger, her resolve began to crumble. “Um, I want to inquire about a sponsorship…” she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I’m sorry, could you repeat that?” he asked, leaning in slightly as if he hadn’t quite caught her words.

Before she could gather her thoughts, a familiar voice broke through the air like a thunderclap. “You heard her, Alex! She wants a sponsorship!” It was Noah, his tone dripping with mockery as he sauntered into view, a smug grin plastered across his face.

Ariel felt her mouth twitch in irritation but remained silent, her patience wearing thin. The last thing she needed was for him to make this more difficult than it had to be. Why does he have to act like this? she thought, her anger bubbling beneath the surface.

“Yeah, let’s get it over with,” she said, her tone curt. “What’s your test?”

Alex, taken aback by her sudden shift from shyness to assertiveness, blinked a couple of times. “Uh, it’s pretty straightforward. You answer a couple of questions and then a simple battle. How does that sound?” he asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

“Fine. Let’s go to the training yard,” she replied, her mind racing. She wasn’t about to back down now. She could already envision herself moving on to better opportunities once this was over.

They made their way to the training yard, a well-maintained pond surrounded by walls of glass that allowed for plenty of natural light. In the center was a small battle arena, and the sound of splashing water echoed softly, sending a shiver of anticipation through her.

“First, let’s start with the questions,” Noah said, pulling out a notepad. “What is your reason for going on your journey? What is your starter, and what is your goal for the journey?”

Ariel took a moment to gather her thoughts. “My starter is a Magikarp,” she replied, feeling the weight of his gaze. “I want to participate in both the Gym circuits and Pokémon Contests. My goal is to see this beautiful world of Pokémon and its various wonders.”

Noah said nothing, jotting down her answers with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Next question: What motivates you to train?”

Ariel hesitated, her heart racing. “I want to show that even the weakest Pokémon can become strong. It’s not just about winning; it’s about the bond you form along the way.”

“Interesting,” Noah noted, barely masking his skepticism. “And what’s your biggest fear as a trainer?”

Without thinking, she blurted out, “Dark caves.” The memories of her past fears flooded back—those dark, ominous places filled with unknown dangers. She clenched her fists, the unease tightening around her heart like a vise.

Noah again said nothing, the corners of his mouth twitching in what she could only interpret as amusement. “Now, let’s see how you handle yourself in a battle.It will be an one-on-one batlle. You will use your starter and will face this Piplup.” he said releasing the small Pokemon.

Ariel nodded, her heart pounding. She called forth her Magikarp, who flopped onto the arena with a splash. Across from them, Noah sent out his Piplup, its feathers shimmering with energy.

“Let’s see what you’ve got, Ariel!” Noah said, a hint of amusement in his tone. He thinks this is a joke, she thought, determination igniting in her chest. I’ll show him.

“Magikarp, dodge!” she commanded, feeling a wave of adrenaline rush through her. The Piplup lunged forward, water swirling around its beak as it unleashed a powerful Water Gun.

Magikarp managed to evade the attack, flopping to the side. Ariel felt a spark of hope. “Great job! Now, use Tackle!”

Magikarp jumped into the air, its splashes creating small droplets that glistened in the light. Maybe I can turn this around, she thought, her heart racing with newfound confidence.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

“Piplup, use Water Gun again!” Noah called out, his voice carrying authority.

The water blasted towards Magikarp, and Ariel’s heart sank as her Pokémon flopped helplessly onto the ground. No, no! Get up, Magikarp! she thought, panic clawing at her insides. She watched as Piplup’s attack hit its target squarely, sending Magikarp reeling.

“Come on, Magikarp! You can do this!” she shouted, trying to encourage her Pokémon, but deep down, self-doubt gnawed at her. What if I’m just wasting our time?

Noah laughed lightly, and Ariel felt her cheeks flush with humiliation. “Let’s see how long you can keep this up, Ariel.”

“Use Splash again to dodge!” she shouted, though the command felt feeble even to her. Magikarp leaped into the air once more, splashing down and avoiding another attack. But as the battle progressed, it became clear that Piplup’s agility and strength were overwhelming.

“Piplup, finish this with a Tackle!” Noah commanded, his voice dripping with confidence.

Piplup charged forward, colliding with Magikarp, who flopped helplessly to the ground. Ariel’s heart sank as she watched her Pokémon struggle to rise. I’m failing, she thought, the weight of her disappointment pressing down on her.

“Return, Magikarp,” she said quietly, frustration swirling inside her. She had hoped for more, but Noah’s Piplup had been far too powerful.

“Not bad for a beginner,” Noah remarked, an insufferable smirk on his face. “But you need to realize that training takes more than just heart.”

Ariel did not respond to that.. “So is my application rejected” she asks planning to leave

Noah looked at her for a couple of minutes, his expression unreadable. Finally, he shook his head. “No. It’s accepted.”

“What? Why? But i Lost!” Her voice trembled, a mixture of disbelief and frustration washing over her.

“There wasn’t just one test, little girl. There were several.” Noah's tone was serious now, his previous mockery replaced by a contemplative demeanor. “The first was the day I met you. I called that Feebas ugly to see your reaction.”

Ariel’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she recalled her fiery defense of the Pokémon, how she had fired back at him.

Noah continued, “You immediately defended that Pokémon and called me ugly to my face.” A chuckle erupted from Alex, who had been standing by quietly, but both Noah and Ariel ignored it, the tension between them still palpable.

“No one has talked back to me like that in years to defend their Pokémon. I might not look like much to you, but I’m the strongest trainer in this village after all,” he added, a hint of pride creeping into his voice.

Ariel frowned, her confusion deepening. “But you rejected Kai…”

“I tested your brother similarly. I called his Buizel flimsy-looking.” His voice was steady, devoid of any malice. “He didn’t respond—not through words and not through actions.”

The gravity of his words sank in, and Ariel felt a wave of understanding wash over her. “The point of my first test was to see how you would respond when people criticize you and your Pokémon. If you, as their trainer, won't even defend your own Pokémon, who will?”

Her stomach twisted as she thought of Kai’s silence. She didn’t want to believe her brother would let such a thing slide.

“Sure, battle tactics and training capabilities are important,” Noah continued, “but you have to have the heart of a trainer to become a respctable one. Your brother did not want to offend me because of my comment; maybe he was scared or maybe he respected me. But to me, it showed that he was willing to let his Pokémon get hurt temporarily if it meant improving his chances of becoming a better trainer. He wasn’t malicious, but I didn’t like that.”

“Then came the actual sponsorship tests,” Noah continued, his tone serious but thoughtful. “Each of those questions told me different things about what kind of person you were. I asked you about your goal, your starter Pokémon, and your reason for your journey. You answered that your starter was a Magikarp.”

Ariel felt a rush of pride at the mention of her Pokémon. “Yes, my Magikarp. It’s special to me.”

“Exactly,” Noah replied, nodding. “That shows me you see something others miss. Sure, it’s just a common Magikarp found everywhere to most people, but you were proud of it. Did you notice the smile on your face when you revealed your starter to me? You don’t care about people’s immediate mockery. You showed that you care about your Pokémon for who they are, not just their potential.”

“The same goes for your Feebas,” Noah continued, his gaze steady. “Next, You mentioned that the type of trainer you wanted to be was someone who participated in both the Gym circuit and contests. That’s something I don’t fully understand, but I can see your ambition clearly.”

“What’s wrong with wanting to do both?” Ariel asked, her brow furrowing.

“Nothing at all. It’s admirable. But you must understand the commitment it requires.” Noah’s tone shifted slightly as he spoke. “When we talked about your reason for your journey, it wasn’t something grand or overly dramatic. You don’t know how many trainers come to me believing they are the chosen ones, destined for greatness. You didn’t say anything like that. Your answer was simply to look at the world. That is what a proper trainer should do after all.”

Ariel’s mind buzzed with thoughts as she considered his words. “I just want to experience everything I can.”

“Good. That openness is essential,” Noah affirmed. “Now, let’s talk about the battle next. The test started the moment I released my Pokémon. It was a Piplup—something rare and a Pokémon that only Rowan can distribute. I could not see any jealousy in your eyes when you saw it. I saw no greed, just pure battle intent. You just wanted to battle Piplup.”

“Here’s the thing, though: you must understand that the world is not fair. Not all trainers start equally. If you cannot accept that, you won’t amount to much.” Noah’s gaze intensified as he continued. “Now, when it came to the battle itself, you were abysmal. You and your Pokémon lacked coordination. Your pokemon's moveset was worse, and I could list several defects you have in battling.”

Ariel’s heart sank slightly at his words, but she forced herself to listen.

“Yet, these are skills you can acquire over time,” Noah said, his voice softening just a bit. “But not everyone will battle and not give up. Not everyone has the heart for it. Because of these reasons, I choose to sponsor you.”

Ariel’s breath caught in her throat. “You…you really mean it?”

“Of course,” Noah replied, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “But don’t think this means you can slack off. I’ll be watching you closely. You’ll need to put in the effort, and I expect you to grow from this experience.”

“I will,” Ariel vowed, determination filling her chest. “I promise I’ll do my best.”

“Good. Then let’s get started.” Noah leaned back in his chair, looking more relaxed now. “Tomorrow, we’ll set up a training regimen for you and your Pokémon. Get ready for some serious work.”