Professor did you go on a pokemon quest like oak and became the champoin?
Haha, no no. I did go on a Pokemon quest! I traveled around quite a bit during it, and still have badges from all the Gyms I managed to beat. But becoming a Champion... It never felt like the right time to go that far, you know? Champions have so much work they have to do behind the scenes, and so many public appearances, and I would have had to work extremely hard to get my Pokemon up to the point where we could even put up a fight... I ended up putting it off and saying that I’d do it in the next Region, or the one after that.
Now I can’t battle anymore and missed my chance, but I no longer view that as a bad thing! There’s so many ways to contribute to Pokemon and the world we all share together than just becoming a Champion, I think!
Honestly, thinking back now, I think this is where I was meant to be all along. I doubt I would have been very happy as a Champion, with all the public outings and pressure to keep myself at the top each battle. I would’ve worn myself out and been miserable, and who knows where I would have ended up. Or I wouldn’t have made it and been mad at myself for failing each time!
I still have my Badges, and I’ve met more Champions from traveling and doing research as a Professor than I think I ever would have had I done the challenge myself!