It's hard to remember exactly what happened after that, as my mind went fuzzy from excitement, in the way that it does when you feel like you might just up and faint. Trembling, sweaty hands, wanting to ask if he was sure, but being too afraid that he would actually say 'no' and retract his offer. Being pet on the head again, and being told that I had 'shown talent as a Trainer'. I was speechless, stuttering, and my face was flushed with embarrassment from my inability to talk; especially when the other children's attention turned to us as he gave me Hatenna's Pokeball, and quickly told me how to call Hatenna back to it, which I did.

I wanted to snap at the other children; demand they go away, demand that they let me have my precious moment alone. I didn't want to have eyes on me to watch as my face went pink and a wobbly smile crossed my face each time the Chairman said something about me as he began to address the other children, bidding goodbyes.

Eventually, though, I snapped out of my dazed state, just as the Chairman turned to leave the way he came. I stumbled over to him quickly, and grabbed his coat sleeve, tugging as hard as I could twice until he turned around.

I squeezed my hands into fists, still trembling, still high on the recognition, still floating from the euphoria of being called talented. Not allowing the Chairman the time to turn back around, I blurted out the very first parting words I could think of:

"I swear that I won't disappoint you, sir!!"

He smiled at that, which made me smile in turn, huffing proudly.