With the class having taken cover and most of the rest of Josh's Gym employees safely inside the building, Josh could focus his full efforts on the battle. All that remained was a single maintenance worker. "Fabian, get in there and tell Archie we need a full lockdown! No one enters or leaves the Gym until this is handled!" Mauville's suspended Leader ordered. Ever the hero, he prioritized the safety of others before his own. "No! And I told you already! I'm doing my time for that!" Josh retorted.

The seizure-inducing lights of the Magmar's CONFUSE RAY caused Raikiri to start flailing uncontrollably, Josh wincing as the power behind the cat's bucking pulled a muscle of his. While the cocoon saddle was an important tool for being able to stay on the ultrafast feline, it was also a prison. By the time he could get his cocoon undone, there was no time for Josh to push himself away from his mythical mount. The DARKEST LARIAT and SHADOW BONE clobbered them both, sending them flying into the east fence.

Groaning, Josh slowly got back to his feet, but Raikiri did not. Knowing he could not maintain meaningful consciousness for long, the Zeraora stumbled toward his former rider and touched his Poké Ball at Josh's waist. While the Leader had the wind knocked out of him, he wasn't out of the battle by any means. He just had to stall long enough for his backup to arrive.

Seeing Dorian wasn't planning on fighting fair, Josh released the latches on three of his Poké Balls, hurling them toward Dorian. From them emerged a trio of male Pyroar, one of which was Shiny. Rather than get involved in the battle directly, he let his Pokémon fight for him. He covered his ears before ordering the three lions to shout. Deeply inhaling, Aslan the Shiny one led the charge, all three of them roaring in their HYPER VOICES simultaneously. The intersecting shockwaves from Kovu's and Simba's attacks caused real damage, a support pole for the main arena's scoreboard snapped in two. While only one support pole being dislodged wouldn't cause the entire structure to collapse, it would put undue stress on the frame. That would need to be a priority repair once the Gym's grounds were safe again.

The blazing Marowak was the only one of Dorian's Pokémon that absorbed the vibration without a concern; was that a look of pride Josh could see? The sheer power behind the follow-up BONE RUSH and DRAIN PUNCH were indicative that Dorian had just as much on the line as Josh did. He truly cared for Eris, and it seemed he somehow knew. Did Eris tell him about the incident? How did he find out?

At last, the cavalry arrived. Sirens blared as Mauville police, alongside their Stoutland and Arcanine partners, surrounded the south and east sides of the Gym. "Aslan, Simba! Get back!" The young man got on the back of his last remaining Pyroar, Kovu, weaving among the remnants of destruction the Mad Dog had wrought. Once he was in range to withdraw his lions, he did so. With the rest of his Gym's employees safely in lockdown and the police coming, he felt the best call was to let them handle it. After all, they were trained in dealing with dangerous criminals like dorian westcliff .

"Kovu, DOUBLE TEAM!" Spurring his Pyroar into a blurred sprint, images of the regal Pokémon and rider trailed behind. Josh flicked the reins in his hands, a silent command for the feline to leap the tall fence. He touched down outside the property, catching his breath from the terrifying encounter with the former Rocket Beast. The voice of an officer telling Dorian to stand down echoed behind the fleeing Gym Leader.