While Josh and the Science Sister had met several times before, this was the first time he had been to illeana reyes ' lab proper. It was quite the sprawling facility; Josh wouldn't even have to dismount his Espeon, Janus. Out of respect, though, he simply walked the halls alongside his saddle-wearing psychic-type, his reins in the Leader's left hand. He couldn't be too jealous of the space she had; after all, Josh had acres and acres of property to build Mauville Racing Grounds on.

"You're welcome, and thank you for helping out with finding an ABSOLITE deposit. I've got a couple of my best friends lined up to make the trip out to the Watery Grave. What a horrible-sounding name that is!" It was a desolate, ruinous, partially submerged island cave on Route 121. He had gone out there to scout it, and the Pokémon there were downright dangerous. Not to mention the subterranean network itself would be treacherous to navigate. He sat down at Illeana's request. "So, what brings you out here? I take it the Commissioner wants to bark at me again at how I'm not meeting expectations as a Gym Leader?"

It seemingly didn't take much for the scientist to smile. Perhaps Josh's enthusiasm and outward-directed positivity really was contagious. If only he wasn't so harsh on himself constantly, he might have been able to deal with the stress of his Gym Leader position better. He was one of those people whose ambition often took him too close to the run, shooting for lofty and unrealistic goals. Being taken advantage of in the past didn't help matters, either.

He tilted his head the other way, his frown turning upside down when the meeting wasn't about his performance as a Gym Leader. "Good!" he replied. "I would like to say I've come a long way since my last performance evaluation and have been looking forward to the next one in the middle of the month." It seemed Illeana's request was related to the rifts that popped up throughout Hoenn. "Yes. I've been to the one by Mount Pyre before. I saw the spirit of my Doublade there." He paused a moment, recalling the brutal battle with Haunted Fist, the Annihilape that had taken many lives near Lilycove City. "...Yagyu, I will forever remember you."

From her facial expression alone, Josh knew the scientist was all business. It wasn't a bad trait to have; after all, time was the more valued commodity for both of them. Her question was stark and clear.

"You're asking me because of my ride Pokémon, aren't you?" With his Pokémon being as strong and swift as they were, it gave the Gym Leader a greater sense of security than most. While the attacks at The Border were much more spiritual in nature, surely the other rifts would have environments where his speed would shine, both offensively and defensively.

"How much do we know as is about the other worlds?" he asked Illeana inquisitively. "Depending on which is which, my skills as a Gym Leader may be better suited to specific ones." He began composing an email to SHELLY SPIEL, his secretary, regarding being on leave from the Gym for an extended period of time, and to prepare to reschedule challengers. He, of course, wouldn't send the email until the duo came to an agreement, but he felt like he was going to take the job on.

So the endgame was to close the rifts. That made sense; from the Border, the one he had already been to, it was a place the living had no business being. "That makes a lot of sense," Josh replied. "I'll do it. It's not like I have much of a choice as Mauville's Gym Leader, as the desert rift could encroach upon the city if it isn't dealt with in a timely fashion. Obviously I'd like to do much of my work there, as I have a duty to protect the citizens of Mauville, but I'll go where you need me to."

It seemed Josh would be one of the first parties. As an Elite Ranger specializing in rescue operations, exploring the unknown was something he had become adept in. From the League's perspective, this was simply them using their resources in the best fashion possible. "I can actually share some information about the rift above Mount Pyre. I didn't stay long. Supposedly, it's a realm where restless souls wander. Humans, Pokémon, doesn't matter. If its life was ended prematurely and it can't move on to the afterlife, it's probably there. I can only speak of what I saw there, since it seemed you couldn't easily see the souls of those you didn't know. I'd ask Johanna Joy and Callan Young what they saw there."

It seemed Josh was raring to go. His pursuit of Raikou, though it was now on hold after learning of the Johto Beast's death, dulled his body, mind, and will to the sense and magnitude of danger exploring the rifts would put him in. "For the Great One, Ho-oh, and for the League, I swear to you that I will do my best to help you learn more about the worlds on the other end of these rifts."

"Wait, you said the rift has the power to reverse death?" Josh asked, his eyes wide open. Though it was a long shot, perhaps his quest for Raikou would be reignited once more. "I wonder... if that power is still there. You know how Raikou and Suicune perished in the Kanto War? If there's even a chance..." As much as he wanted to finish that sentence, the words simply did not leave his lips. It gave him hope that, perhaps, the soul of Raikou that perished in the war could be reunited with the body.

It seemed there were a lot of unknowns about what the rifts could even do, but the ability to reverse death gave Josh a small hope that, perhaps, the terrible atrocities of the Kanto War could be reversed, and that Raikou and Suicune's deaths could be undone. If he could be there for that, then perhaps that would be his path to fighting alongside the electric tiger.

"Hearing this motivates me even more," Josh replied, his voice also turning toward the solemn side. "You see, until I heard that news, I had been pursuing Raikou for twelve years. Perhaps if I can help his body and soul be reunited, he may recognize me as the Hero of Johto." This revelation may not have come as surprising, depending on how much Illeana had touched base with the Head Rangers.

"Could you imagine how much of an asset Raikou would be to the League?"

Illeana's stare was scary, as though it penetrated into the deep recesses of his mind. Recesses that showed how much he desired to fight alongside Raikou, and not for himself. His desires were truly to fight for the League and eradicate Team Rocket from not only Hoenn, but the entire planet. "I already had my hopes crushed when kyle lopez told me about Raikou's death. My childhood dream had been to meet, befriend, and ride Raikou. And while it wasn't the same as the real thing, Kyle has this... Raikou-familiar... that he can call on, and it's physically just like the real thing. He let me go for a ride on the Raikou-familiar, all the way across Hoenn."

Josh took his helmet off long enough to show s small to medium-sized scar on his chin, clearly from where bone had pierced it. "This was from riding Raikou's EXTREME SPEED. It was the most humbling experience I've ever had." Suspecting the scientist would want it, he shared the exact figure Raikou had topped out at, which was a frightening number. It was one that would have certainly been lethal in the event of a crash. "Before that, it was a surreal experience. It was the most fun I've ever had in my life. When he kicked it up to EXTREME SPEED, though, it was just too much for even me, the Master of Faster, to handle. And as far as I'm concerned, I've lived that dream. And without a Raikou to chase, my chase is over. The moment I hear about another one roaming Hoenn, though, the chase is on."

"But let's get back on task," Josh sighed. He could have reminisced about the ride on the Johto Beast's back for longer than the ride itself lasted. "Fire away."