STUDENT: “What's your favorite pokémon?"

LASS: “Hm... I guess I'd have to say cyndaquil. Or mareep. Or, recently, I've been really liking furret for some reason."

LASS: “...I'm just now realizing that all of my favorite pokémon are from Johto, but I've never actually been there. How weird."

STUDENT: “Have you caught any shinies?"

LASS: “Oh yeah! I caught one once while travelling in Kalos! And it was a carbink, of all things! I had never really heard of him prior to this, so I almost missed that he was a shiny at all until... y'know, I saw the sparkles."

LASS: “It was such a crazy moment! Like, I'd heard of people online talking about shinies, obviously, but even after decades of adventures around the world, I had never actually seen one in real life until then! I half thought it was some kind of elaborate prank before, honestly!"

STUDENT: “What's your go-to team?"

LASS: “Oh, it changes depending on what region I'm in, obviously. Like, when I was younger I used to always go with fire types. Do you know how long it takes to KO Brock's geodude with ember? Apparently not long enough for me to learn my lesson!"

LASS: “Since I've gotten older, though, I've started trying to mix it up a bit. I try to consider type advantages and team weaknesses and what not, y'know?"

LASS: “Still, whenever I'm going around Hoenn, I always default to an all bird team! I always tell myself: ‘this time it's going to be different!' but it never is... You can pry the Blaziken, Skarmory, Pelipper, Altaria, Swellow, and Tropius dream team from my cold dead hands!"

STUDENT: “...But--"

LASS: [glare]

STUDENT: “Oh, I just realized! You've been talking about all these places you've been and all these badges you've won... So, does that mean I've been talking with some kind of major champion all this time?! I can't believe you didn't lead with that!"

LASS: “Oh. This is a bit embarassing to admit... Like, yes, I've travelled all over the world and have quite a few badges under my belt, but I've never actually fought the Elite Four, anywhere."

LASS: “You have to understand -- I took my first plunge into the whole competitive circuit when I was just seven... I stole my older sister's torchic and ran off to train whenever I could. On weekends, I'd secretly take buses all over the country to fight gym leaders (who were certainly just taking pity on me)."

LASS: “And, then, finally, all my begging my parents to take us to Ever Grande City on vacation paid off... I was just steps away from the finish line I had been working towards all this time... but, standing there in the flower fields, eye to eye with the cave's entrance... And all these thoughts came rushing to me: what if I'm not good enough? What if I just end up embarrassing myself in front of all those people? It was too much for me! I turned back and went back to our hotel room, my tail between my legs..."

STUDENT: “..."

LASS: “And, to this day, no matter how many regions I visit, how many badges I win, I'm taken back to that day and that anxiety I felt all those years ago... And I end up retreating at the foot of Victory Road, and spend the rest of the weekend crying in my hotel room..."