Elinor did have a point. "I know, Elinor," Josh answered in a solemn tone. "I know. But please, take my history and my accolades with the League into consideration." He turned his face to the heavens, closed his eyes, and began saying a prayer. "Raikou, if you're out there... please, you forgive me, too. O Great One, please forgive your wayward servant. Your wayward servant who has walked astray from Your straight and narrow path. By forgetting why I want to serve as your Knight of Thunder, I had become lost, nearly committing the gravest mistake of all: an unforgivable, irredeemable sin against the very people I vowed to protect. I pray to you: wash my heart clean with your Sacred Fire, and make me once more your ever-faithful servant. A servant who desires more than all to become your Knight of Thunder for ever and ever. Amen."

At Elinor's agreed effort to make a case to be as lenient as possible with Josh, he flashed a shallow smile. "...I thank you, Elinor... both as a Councilwoman, and as a friend." He listened to the consequences she had in mind. When she mentioned the Beedrill, Josh put the aggressive Pokémon's Poké Ball on the politician's desk. "Here... just take him now."

With that, their meeting had drawn to a close. "Nothing. There's nothing more I have said on the issue that needs to be said. And now I see that in my current state, both of them had every right to decline me. Sometimes, it just takes an external perspective. I'm going to take a long, hard look at myself and see where I can start making changes. I think I know where I'm going to start my community service at, if it's needed. Mauville's slums. With how comfortably I live, I need to get a feel for what it's like to be one of Hoenn's less fortunate people." With that, he stood up and pushed his chair in, and headed toward the door. As he turned the doorknob, he turned around and faced his friend one more time.

"Thank you."