Though she had been determined to do whatever the older woman had in store for her a moment ago, what the woman said completely threw her off-guard “I…” She considered the woman’s question for a moment before responding. “Well… It’s definitely not that I don’t trust my Pokemon… So… Maybe…” But she couldn’t hold back her curiosity, “But Miss Ia… what do you mean ‘learn to do more than just ‘win?’’ Isn’t that the main point to Pokemon battling?” She was just innocently curious.
A huge grin appeared across Ia’s face, “Well, it’s not really a Pokemon ‘Journey’ if all you do is battle gym leaders to win, now is it! If you win every time, when do you spend time learning how to improve?”
She bounced on the heels of her feet, remembering back to when she first started exploring the world, “For the longest time, I only cared about winning, but it wasn’t until I met a dear friend, that I learned that a Pokemon Journey is far more than just going out and winning badges. It’s about making friends, seeing new places, enjoying life.” A few tears formed in Ia’s eyes, as she thought of her first human friend, and the joy Jori had brought her ever since.
Wiping the moisture away, she smiled softly, “It took me a long time to enjoy life, it would be a shame if I couldn’t teach others how to as well, and perhaps give some professional battle training on the side.”
