Josh's posture astride his Manectric was not quite as pure as Remiel's was, but perhaps it was the Gym Leader's racing instincts. "Ah, there you are!" he took his right hand off Saber's reins long enough to back to the Galarian noble. "Great to see you again, Remiel!" The tanslucent equine immediately caught Josh's attention. "Wow, that's a slick-looking ride! I've never seen a Pokémon like that before. Where'd you get that?"

Attention turned toward his recent goings-on. "I don't think I ever properly introduced you to my finest Pokémon, did I?" He gestured toward each of the five saddled, electric quadrupedal Pokémon and called them out by name. "It's been pretty calm since... you know, the end of the world." At least Josh was appropriately dressed for the cooler weather this time, his fall and winter clothes at last having arrived from Johto. "Well, other than... you know, Kyle. I'll never forget that. Oh, did you see Wyndon's going to the Ultra Bowl? I'm sure you're happy to hear that."

"That's quite the story," Josh softly replied with a nod as his electric-types continued behind the Spectrier and Manectric. "That's what they're called, Spectrier? I've never heard of them before. Wonder what they're like? I'd love to track one down myself."

The conversation drifted toward Josh's Pokémon. "Thanks," he again nodded back. "Supposedly, some of them had their origins in Space-Time Distortions, which is why they're so big. Especially Blinky - she's one of eight of her size. The pride of my Gym now is her and seven other Pokémon that are about her size. The whole Eevee evolutionary family."

Suddenly, it came to Josh's mind that he still owed the royal something important. "Right, you wanted to know the story of my meeting with kyle lopez , right?" He pulled his phone out and showed Remy the photos Kyle had taken of him, sitting astride the majestic, vicious, and regal electric feline, Raikou. In the photo, he held the outer tufts of Raikou's cloud much like reins.

Before he got too much farther, Josh caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a second Spectrier dashing past them. "No way! A second one! Will have to hold off on this story for now, because it's MINE!" He hurriedly dismounted his Manectric and got on his Jolteon's back, squeezing the electric Eeveelution's sides to get up to speed.

No matter how much Josh pushed Blinky, the Spectrier was able to kewp up with little trouble. The equine's speed far exceed that of a Rapidash. He had to have one for himself. He tensed his hold on the electric fox's reins and leaned as low as he could without risking being poked by wills. "Blinky, QUICK ATTACK!" The blindingly fast burst of speed, impressive for anyone to watch, was the key in catching the dashing horse. When Josh pitched his Poké Ball at the fleeing phantom, he frowned when he saw what was drawn into it was not a Spectrier. It was merely a Ditto.

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD EEVEE APPEARED!

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] MALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ANTICIPATION
[attr="class","wildtabox"]LAST RESORT	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]BITE
[attr="class","wildtabox"]TACKLE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]COPYCAT
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Remiel Calcifet Josh Devlin

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD LINOONE APPEARED!

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] MALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] PICKUP
[attr="class","wildtabox"]FURY SWIPES	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]FLAIL
[attr="class","wildtabox"]HONE CLAWS	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]HEADBUTT
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Remiel Calcifet Josh Devlin

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

BOTH OF YOUR CAPTURE ATTEMPTS ARE SUCCESSFUL!

Josh smiled at the prince's interest in his relationship with the Top Champion. "It's a long story, so buckle up and hold on for the ride," he warned, reining his Jolteon next to Rocinante. "The whole thing started with... does the Cloud sound familiar?" If so, he would continue. "It was last summer. I was one of those fifty or so people that saw Mirage Island. If you were there, you would know what I'm talking about. Well, I saw a future where Hoenn was completely decimated by a Pokémon I've never seen before. Even legendary Pokémon, like Raikou, had been killed." That Raikou was specifically namedropped was an indicator of the Gym Leader's borderline unhealthy obsession with the Beast of Thunder.

"It was seeing that future that gave me a true reason to chase Raikou like I had been for the last...what is it, thirteen years now? This was before I even had Blinky." He withdrew his Manectric back into his Poké Ball. "Saber doesn't like to hear this story, as he almost lost his life that day. Anyway, it was that day I felt my hunt for Raikou had purpose. That's when I started doing some serious legwork. Ultimately, all roads led to kyle lopez , whom I was on a first-name basis with, because he was director of Hoenn's Minor League Gym program. Did I ever tell you I got promoted to Mauville Gym from the Minor League?"

Before he could continue, he heard the distinct sound of a skidding Linoone of massive size. Massive for its species, that is; it was shorter than Blinky by a significant margin. More importantly, it was the last common Pokémon he didn't have that could learn EXTREME SPEED and had the correct body shape. It was a good thing Josh could write all of his purchases with the Verdanturf tanner he was loyal to as business expenses, as a saddle that could raise him off the Linoone's back enough to accommodate his size would be expensive! It would be worth it, though; the joy of riding the fastest Pokémon move a common Pokémon could learn was unparalleled.

He also knew Raiden couldn't catch the Normal-type on his own. He had an idea. "Crash, NUZZLE Raiden, if you would, please?" The large dog showed the equine adorable electric love, the resulting charge of the Zebstrika's MOTOR DRIVE ultimately giving him the added speed he needed to ram and trample the normal-type with a FLAME CHARGE. Kicked onto its back, the desperate Pokémon FLAILED all about Raiden's underside, the equine collapsing before Josh could get there with an empty Poké Ball to break the fight up.

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD CLAYDOL APPEARED!

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] GENDERLESS	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] LEVITATE
[attr="class","wildtabox"]POWER SPLIT	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]POWER TRICK
[attr="class","wildtabox"]GUARD SPLIT	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]EXTRASENSORY
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Remiel Calcifet Josh Devlin

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD DUNSPARCE APPEARED!

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] MALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] SERENE GRACE
[attr="class","wildtabox"]SCREECH	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]ROOST
[attr="class","wildtabox"]ENDEAVOR	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]DOUBLE EDGE
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Remiel Calcifet Josh Devlin

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

BOTH OF YOUR CAPTURE ATTEMPTS ARE SUCCESSFUL!

By now, it was well known that Josh was Mauville's Gym Leader, and a renowned one at that despite his lack of tenure. He had accomplished so much in just four months, and would accomplish so much more in the upcoming months. "Thank you. Though I'm widely known as Mauville's Gym Leader, not a lot of people know I started in the Minor League. And I have Kyle to think for that. Ultimately, it was his Battle Arcade and Meteno that made me realize all roads to Raikou truly did lead to him. And not in the way I thought, either."

He vividly recalled his battle with Entei. "So as part of my own Gym Challenge, I signed up for his Battle Arcade, and met Entei up there during the challenge. The speed and power of the Fire Beast was overwhelming. After the match, we talked about how he happened upon Entei. Then, during Meteno, I got to see him fighting alongside the Great One." An inquisitive that was familiar with Johtonian histoty would have easily been able to infer he was talking about Ho-oh. "And after Eva Morales and Rayquaza smashed the meteoroid to pieces, I asked Kyle if there was a day, perhaps around my birthday, where I could meet the Great One and Entei, and perhaps be a passenger on Entei's back. That was when he one-upped me and gave me the greatest birthday present of all."

Josh's experience within the Cloud was traumatic, as well. "So instead of seeing the future, you saw the past? If you're comfortable talking about it, what did you see?" he asked as Crash retrieved the Gym Leader's catch. He couldn't wait to get this Linoone fitted and ready for riding.

"Thanks. That means a lot," Josh exhaled, Blinky having to make an effort to keep up with Roicante. "As someone who is probably too self-critical due to the environment I was raised in, that means a lot. Have you ever had to work with someone who constantly tells you that your best isn't good enough? It hurts."

The Gym Leader remained silent as he listened to Remiel's account of his time in the Cloud. "That's... completely different than what I saw. Those three are gods even among gods. The amount of power one would have being able to use time as a plaything..." He trailed off, not wanting to think about it. "Right. Sorry, I got distracted. Anyway, what happened that day." He closed his eyes, trying to visualize that joyous day once again; it was the day he held Raikou's thundercloud reins and shot across the land perhaps faster than anyone else ever had on any Pokémon.

"Kyle showed me... not Raikou, but a Raikou-familiar. It was supposedly just as fast as the original. And I got to ride it around Hoenn. I got to see just how fast Raikou was firsthand. It's unlike anything I've ever experienced. It was... it was like riding on a lightning bolt." When Raikou struck out of the clouds above Pyre and onto 123 in EXTREME SPEED, that moment was as close as he would get to doing exactly that. "It's a day I'll treasure for the rest of my life. I want to befriend him and relive that experience." By now it was well-known celebrity gossip that Josh sought Raikou. "But with what happened in the war, I won't ever get that chance."