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THE GYM DOORS OPEN ON THEIR OWN ACCORD SHORTLY AFTER. the front desk, and by extension the gym, is no stranger to visitors. josh is given the standard introduction and welcome that any would be challenger would receive. a brief wait and accommodations are used to buy time until the receptionist motions him down the hall to fernando’s offices.

inside, fernando is at his desk. contrary to how many will find him at his league office, his desk is seat level. his single eye is closed, face wrinkled in deep contemplation, as he casually types away. his fingers move with a dexterity that’s long memorized the keys and their position.

the rest of his office seems blatantly minimalist. no color on the walls. far from any decorations. only a single desk, some chairs for visitors, and several electronic devices and pokeballs strewn across his desk.

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
Josh Devlin

The back of Josh's head was sweaty, FERNANDO SILPH perhaps able to notice as Josh removed his SYGNA SUIT's helmet as he stepped inside the office. When he saw the small size of the office, he was forced to recall his Zeraora. If the Pokémon was more typical of the species in size, he would have been able to remain out. He was simply too large for the small space.

Josh pulled out a chair from near the desk and made himself comfortable. "Thanks for agreeing to meet with me here instead of at League offices, Mr. Silph," Josh greeted the Gym Leader and Councilman. "If you got my email, then you know what this is about. This hasn't been easy to approach you about, either... but it needs to be done. I'm a bit... bewildered with how split the higher-ups have been about a... controversy I've caused." His heart raced as he set his helmet down at the corner of the executive's desk.

"It's about Eris Halla ."

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“WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN PERSPECTIVES,” is his answer to josh’s concern. “it’s only natural for people to disagree on certain matters.”

his eye opens and his typing slows down. juggling an active conversation and thinking of what to say next is too hard a task for him to proficiently do both.

“go ahead, devlin.”

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
Josh Devlin

Josh deeply inhaled, then exhaled. "Thank you. It's a long story, so saddle up and strap on." His mild Johtonian accent showed in the way that phrase rolled off his tongue. "I know you were looped in on this email that I would assume came from Councilwoman PENELOPE LIVY 's Accountability department. I'm not comfortable approaching her directly about it, and I've already talked to Elinor Anderson about it."

Confident the discussion would remain within League leadership, Josh recounted his encounter with Eris in great detail. "That day, I lost sight of why I fought for the League. I found out that the one I sought more than all else, Raikou, had perished in Kanto. I was desperate for answers, and let my desire consume me. I tried to beat Eris out of an answer that I now realize she likely didn't have. And I want to do what I can do make it right. I want to know... what is the League's official stance on Eris? And in the eyes of the League, is there a true difference between Rocket the people and Rocket the organization?"

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“…”

fernando remains silent for a good while after josh stops speaking. he blinks, once, while ruminating on both what the gym leader has revealed and what was actually documented in league records. where they differ and how they’re presented is important for that is what defines how opinions are skewed.

finally, he responds, “what is your current stance on that? are people defined by their affiliation or are they more than that?”

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
Josh Devlin

Josh's view on Team Rocket used to be simple. In the nearly two months of his restitution he had served since, that view had drastically changed. "I used to think just like MATIAS SILPH . I used to think that everyone in Rocket was the same: ruthless, cold-blooded killers like Cillian Quinn , whether they wanted to be or not. From the boss all the way down. Working with Mauville's less fortunate folk, though... that's changed everything. Some have fallen to Rocket because the League failed to take care of them in their time of greatest need. Now I can't name names, but working with these people has made me realize that it's far from the case. And the more I talk with these people, the more I realize that many of them aren't in Rocket by choice." Isaac Merlo came to mind. As did Asher Baran . Unbeknownst to him, @elio fell in that camp, too: a generally nice guy who had the potential to be a huge success story. "If I could exfiltrate these kinds of people from Rocket, I would. Not even to the League. Just... anywhere but Rocket."

He then asked Fernando what he anticipated would be a difficult follow-up question. "You've been fighting this war a lot longer than I have, I imagine. Have you... have you ever lost sight of why you're fighting?"

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THE MERE MENTION OF MATIAS SILPH IS A BAD ENOUGH PREMONITION. no further explanation is needed for what spurred the gym leader to such depravity. a circumstance of spoiled leppas.

“that is only half correct.”

he gaze is sharp. pointed.

“you cannot lump everyone into a single, sweeping generalization. whether it be team rocket or the league. however, whatever excuse they come up with does not mitigate the impact their involvement begets.”

his eye narrows.

“you always have a choice. you must always remember that.”

he doesn’t spare even a moment on the question.

“and with that choice, i have never lost sight of what must be done. once you remove yourself and your personal selfishness, you only see what needs to be done for those around you.”

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
Josh Devlin

Fernando's gaze was terrifying. After all, he was perhaps the second most powerful force in all of Hoenn's League, second only to the Commissioner. "And that is something I have realized over time, despite what the scriptures say. I never thought anything would be harder than Meteno. Being conscripted to space and what have you." The executive's words cut Josh like a blade of lightning. The more he thought about it, the more he realized just how much his obsession had taken control of him. He had convinced himself that his purpose to chase Raikou was to drive Hoenn away from a grisly future.

In retrospect, it was an alibi. A mere conduit with which he could be the undisputed king of speed. But to what end? Hypothetically, if Raikou were still alive, and Raikou were to make him an Avatar, what then?

The young racer thought long and hard. "Once you remove yourself and your personal selfishness, you only see what needs to be done for those around you," he repeated. Twice. "After thirteen tireless years, that's such a hard pill to swallow. I just feel terrible that it took a desperate act like this to see where I went wrong. I've talked to a lot of people about what direction to even start before I came to you. And other than you, the only person to really open my eyes to how far I had fallen was Top Champion kyle lopez ."

"you're right that it's ruthless," he tells josh. "but have you wondered why it works with the honorable entei and the benevolent suicune?"

he folds his arms.

"power without values is just brutality. please keep that in mind. aim to be strong, but don't do it just for the sake of it."

"I let my obsession control me. Until that day, everything I had done for Hoenn. The Gym. Meteno. Even that horrible day earlier this month. It was all a means to an end." It took great effort for him to hold back tears, though it was obvious through body language that the Master of Faster was emotionally hurt. "But there is nothing that be done now. All the League reporting I've seen indicates that Raikou is no more. It stings so much. Now, more than anything... I want to make this whole situation right. This whole misunderstanding. Right to the League, right to Hoenn... and most importantly, right to Eris."

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FERNANDO SPARES NO SYMPATHY FOR THE MAN BEFORE HIM. by all appearances, he is an adult. enough time to have ample chances to learn how to cope with his feeling. how to digest guilt. if not, how could they continue to let someone represent such an important decision?

so he treats him like he would anyone else.

“and what right do you have to do such a thing?”

his eye focuses on josh’s right before slowly crawling to match his left.

“to ease your own guilt? to try and offload the pain you feel right now?”

a pause.

“do you want to do the right thing for the sake of morality? or are you still motivated for selfish reasons that revolve around you and your feelings?”

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
Josh Devlin

Josh recoiled back in his chair, throwing his hands up in silence. Out of all the people he had talked to, FERNANDO SILPH had been the only one to bring up the topic of his own guilt. What if Eris didn't want Josh's apology? What if she didn't give a Rattata's ass about Josh's remorse?

His head jerked toward the floor.

"...You're absolutely right. I want to clear my name. But that's not what this should be about. It should be about justice. And if justice says I should be tarred and feathered for what I did, so be it. It should be about doing the right thing for the greater good."

There was clearly pain in his voice. While it might not have been the intent, the executive's words were hurtful. Josh's words toward himself were, likewise. But they needed to be said. He needed to understand that by the League reprimanding him, he was already making good with them. And by understanding that, the only person that he needed to make good with was himself.

The Gym Leader shook his head.

"Absolutely. This isn't about me. It's about making sure I can make this whole situation morally sound. My reputation will fix itself over time, long as I keep doing what I had been doing before this incident. Except for one thing." He took a deep breath, then exhaled.

"About Raikou."

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“DEVLIN,” fernando starts. “do you care for a word of advice? from hoenn’s first avatar?”

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
Josh Devlin

It only took two words for Josh to realize the long-standing Council member read where he was taking the conversation. With his Gym being a love letter to the dead or missing Johto Beast, it was well known that the Mauville Leader's greatest desire was to befriend Raikou. While there was rampant speculation that Josh wanted to be Raikou's Avatar, he had never confirmed that, and for good reason. The DRK Triad had their sights not only on Avatars, but potential Avatars, as well. With how much he had accomplished and how powerful he had grown, he had to be somewhere on their hit list. A deprioritized target in his mind, but on their hit list, nonetheless.

Wait, Hoenn's first Avatar? Out of all the things Josh knew about the Silph, Hoenn's first Avatar wasn't one of them. If he was this willing to share his experiences as an Avatar, Josh was willing to listen to him. "Go ahead," he replied, remaining silent afterward.

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“RAIKOU DOES NOT CARE ABOUT YOU,” he says plainly. “whether it be revived, come from another world, or come about some other way, it will never pick you as an avatar, much less acknowledge you.”

he doesn’t bat an eye.

“nor will any other legendary pokemon. even i, a human, can recognize that your obsession makes you unfit.”

it reminds him of a conversation he had with an old professor.

"at least, the current you."

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
Josh Devlin