"N...o...?" He's not looking directly at her face...

"I am...basically, since we'll be travelling to Ultra Holes...I'm looking for skilled fighters, or at least people who can handle space. It's too much to expect them to be skilled Pokemon Battlers given how long we've all been here, but if they can protect themselves or are good with this kind of thing, then..."

He clenches a fist and smiles softly, actually looking like the team captain he used to be.

"We can make it a team."