After an intense meeting with dahlia goode , Josh needed the rest of the day off to relax. He needed a day to act carefree like nothing in the world mattered. Johanna Joy had passed her skills onto Josh when they met in the Big Top, her Trevenant nearly taking down the Mauville Leader's entire squad single-handedly. It was a nail biter of a battle that had qualified him for the Champion Assessment. That was another reason he needed to get away for a day. Taking loss after loss was really starting to wear on him. He was in that odd skill gap where he would trounce amateurs but be trounced by pros. While not as busy as Gym Leaders were, the Elite Four were often almost as occupied with challengers, many of which were around his skill level. It did not look good on his position as a Leader that he had lost multiple Elite Tests in a row. What did Melody Miro see in Josh that none of the others saw in him?

Today was not the day to dwell on it, though.

He was going to bounce on the waves, under the waves, and perhaps even soar above the waves with Ever Grande City's Gym Leader. He brought a swath of water Pokémon for the two Leaders to hop among as their time at sea passed. Among his Pokémon was a vicious-looking Sharpedo that looked ready to jet across the waves. In a modest wetsuit of his own, Josh waved to Johanna as he slid down from the south dock, taking a seat on the back of the swift shark Pokémon. "Johanna! Long time no see! The Champion Assessment is the most brutal thing I've ever seen. I've been at it for months and have made hardly any headway."

Josh wondered how knowledgeable Johanna was about riding Pokémon; it was common for Blastoise to be ridden backwards, so that their water cannons could be used like jet propulsion. It would almost certainly be needed to keep up with Snacker. "Slick ride you've got there! Guess I won't need the others. You're welcome to use them if you want!" Once she gave the ready signal, Josh would squeeze his Sharpedo's sides, the dark-type bouncing along the waves' surface much like a jetski, picking up speed rapidly. Flanking him were a familiar Lanturn, as well as a Kingdra, both of which wore saddles much like Snacker's, and looked quite fast for their species.

“Hardly any, still sounds like a bit!” Johanna replied.

The Blastoise turned a little but to let it’s trainer have a better look at Josh.

“Thank you, both for the compliment and the offer. But I don’t think Anat here would appreciate me riding other Pokémon in the water.”

The Blastoise huffed a bit of water into the air confirming her statement. Johanna gently gave the Blastoise a few pats of reassurance.

“So, have you gotten through the interview phase yet or are you still stuck there?” Johanna asked as the pair bobbed in the waves.


MISSION Prelude to paradiso
TAG Josh Devlin

"Fair," Josh laughed. "For a number of my Pokémon, it's the opposite problem. They won't let anyone else on their backs but me. It's a bit of a problem, given what Mauville Gym is all about." She could feel the power of Anat's expulsion of water from where he was at; he couldn't imagine how strong it must have felt for Johanna. "I bet Anat's a fast one with those cannons for thrust! Seems like she'd have little trouble keeping up with Snacker." Regardless, Josh would let Johanna set the pace as they cast off from Ever Grande's south port.

The duo clearly had a lot of catching up to do. "Melody Miro saw in me what Callan and Matias didn't. It took jawing with three of them, but she passed me on to the Elite Test. So far I'm oh-for-three." In his impatience, the Sharpedo put on a burst of speed, circling Anat with a potent AQUA JET that got a whoop out of the Gym Leader. "Anyway, as I was saying, I'm winless against them. Callan's the one I'm most concerned about. He took all three of my Pokémon down with his Pokémon all in perfect condition at the end of the battle. A flawless victory, if you will. A complete shutout."

“She can be, when she wants to be.” Johana said.

Anat clearly didn’t like the implications of laziness and so set off in a short burst of speed which forced Johanna to hold on tight.

“Okay, okay, message received loud and clear.” She reassured the Blastoise. As the pair returned to a more normal speed alongside Josh. At least for a moment until Josh’s Sharpedo grew impatient and circled them with AQUA JET empowered speed.

Luckily Anat was not one to be bothered by displays of speed and challenge like that, otherwise Johanna might have had trouble staying on.

“Really?” Johanna almost exclaimed in surprise. “I knew Callan was good, but I didn’t know he was THAT good. To take your Pokémon down and still be in perfect condition. That is impressive.” She paused for a moment as she had to ready herself against an upcoming.

When the wave had passed she returned to the conversation. “How did he manage to defeat you like that?”

MISSION Prelude to paradiso
TAG Josh Devlin

The brief use of Anat's cannons to propel her was enough for Josh to see she would be stiff competition for Snacker. "She'd be a good Pokémon to bring to Mauville Racing Grounds some day, especially with the aquatic challenges opening during the nicer weather," Josh replied in a not-so-subtle effort to upsell. Though he hadn't been on a Blastoise himself, he knew they had a unique niche in racing. Rather than weave around course obstacles, their shells were so tough that they could pinball off walls and other solid obstacles if their angles were right. It would be whiplash-inducing for less hardy riders, but those that could handle being flung about were truly masters of the large water-type.

Josh paused to think about how he wanted to spin his embarrassing defeat against the former Lilycove Gym Leader. "It doesn't come as a surprise, honestly," he would begin to segue into the match. "His Stark Badge was my final badge to qualify for the Champion Assessment, and it took me three Pokémon to take down his Trick Room Slowbro. I came prepared for a Trick Room team, and I instead ran into his Slaking. That Slaking of his is... special."

With the wave coming, Josh pushed forward on his Sharpedo, then pulled up sharply. With another AQUA JET-powered gout of water from the shark's rear, the Gym Leader's mount abruptly reached the surface and soared over the large wave. With a big splash, the two surfaced and returned to Johanna's side. "Whoo-hoo! That never gets old."

The attempt at upselling was not lost upon her nor her Pokémon. Some happy Blastoise noises urged its trainer on to take up the challenge. But admittedly Johanna was not much of a badge collector. She was content with what she had. Yet, perhaps it would be a good opportunity to make improvements on her battle skills.

Johanna listened to Josh’s words. She considered them while she watched the young man and his Pokemon nearly soar through the skies with the help of a wave and Aqua Jet.

But as Josh returned only a singular question had formed in her mind. “Special, how?”

MISSION Prelude to paradiso
TAG Josh Devlin

Returning from his thrill ride on the Sharpedo, Josh reined the shark in, maintaining a brisk pace alongside Anat and the Ever Grande Leader. "A terrifying thing I've never seen in my life. A Slaking that could physically manifest its facades. You know how Mimikyu fight? That, and you know how Slaking can only give their all about half the time?" He waited for her to confirm or deny. "Well, that Slaking of Callan's fights like one, disguise and all. And it never gets tired." Such a beast could truly go toe to toe with the world's strongest legendary Pokémon. Perhaps even Arceus itself.

"I'm... I'm at a loss for how to handle such a Pokémon. I anticipated Callan to use a Trick Room team, then he swapped in that Slaking right away and I couldn't even make a scratch on it." Josh's team was fast, but the power that Slaking wielded was overwhelming. One single blow was enough to down any of his Pokémon, no matter how tough they were. "I've formulated a plan for my rematch with Matias. Same for Melody. At least those matches were close. But Callan... I'm clueless."

“Wait, hold up…. Rewind here. Are you telling me that Callan Young has managed to find a way to rid a Slaking of its disposition toward laziness, as well as giving it Mimikyu’s Disguise as well.”

Johanna was in shock.

Luckily Blastoise focused on making this ride smooth sailing.

When the shock subsided she began to wonder how anyone would deal with such a beast. “I am sure he has ways to deal with it. But perhaps a strategy based around a Ghost type Pokémon might stand a chance?” She suggested.

“Though I am sure that wouldn’t exactly surprise him, so he probably has means against it.” She paused. “Still can’t believe he has such a beast.” Hearing this almost made her realize how lacking of such beasts her own team was.

MISSION Prelude to paradiso
TAG Josh Devlin

Surrounded by the waves on all sides, even the coast of Ever Grande had disappeared over the horizon by now. It made Josh feel small no matter how many times he sped across the surface of Hoenn's lonely waves. As much as he wanted to bounce along them, Josh had to respect Anat's comforts, and more importantly, Johanna's.

"That's correct," the Mauville Leader confirmed. "It took me completely off guard, and took my entire squad down. "That was the first thing I thought of, but the only ghost-type ride Pokémon there is... is Dragapult. I have one, but I would need to get Sidewinder ready for competition. There's a big difference between readying a Pokémon for war and readying one for competition, even if they are both battle at their core."

Elite Four didn't get into their positions without showing true mastery of their craft. If Gym Leaders were prepared with countermeasures to the strategies that were commonly employed against them, so were the Elite Four. "I knew it wouldn't be easy. I went into each of my battle expecting to lose, but gathering information on their teams to come back with a better idea of how to battle next time. But with Callan... I felt like I learned nothing. How he isn't Top Champion boggles my mind."

Josh offered good points on all accounts, from the lack of prepared ghost types to the frustration of having learned NOTHING from the battle.

A wave came by, Anat took the opportunity to jump it, halting Johanna from entering a long winded mental dialogue with herself about how to approach the battle. Instead, when the wave was conquered and Johanna was given an opportunity to speak she instead focused on the question Josh posed.

“Perhaps he does not want to be Top Champion?” Johanna replied, it was a possibility. “Or perhaps kyle lopez is simply stronger?” Given her lacking experience in fighting either, she couldn’t really tell for sure.

"Since I haven't battled against kyle lopez, I can't say for sure. Have you ever had a serious battle against him?"

MISSION Prelude to paradiso
TAG Josh Devlin

Josh's relationship with Kyle was complicated. Riding on his Beasts, both Raikou and Suicune, was some of the greatest joy he had ever experienced. As much as he loved Raikou, bounding across the sea's surface at high speed, paws never breaching the water, was equally thrilling. He wondered what a run on Entei would be like... if he would ever get one. Entei had turned Josh down last time. Perhaps after he completed the Champion Assessment, it would be a victory lap? Legendary Pokémon were fickle, though; he couldn't count on being given that chance.

"I battled him once at his Battle Arcade. That's how I found out about his relationship with the Johto Beasts. He crushed me with Entei. But I don't think Entei is unbeatable. It's going to take a plan and a lot of looking into his battles at the Pokémon League, but I think it's a very winnable battle. He promised me that he would use Entei in our championship match. If I truly am worthy to wield Raikou, and I still have hope for it to this day, then I need to show I don't need a Beast to defeat a Beast."

Even then, the rest of his team was uphill. While he was timid about using Ho-oh (Josh couldn't get an audience with the Great One even if he tried), the Top Champion had other incredibly powerful Pokémon. The number of gods he had on his side made it close to impossible for anyone to become a Champion, if he truly willed it.

Johanna’s attention stuck to Josh as he informed her of his current track record with Kyle and his beasts. So focused were she that Anat took the opportunity to bump through a wave rather than going over.

SPLASH.

A wave washed over Johanna and her Blastoise. A snorting chuckle escaped from the Blastoise.

Johanna managed to cling onto the shell. “Anat!” She scolded, though her voice made it clear it was but a mild inconvenience. She quickly waved a bit of wet hair out of her face.

She returned her attention to Josh, pondering for a moment on what to say. “So, you think your chances against Kyle and Entei are better than your chances against Callan and Slaking?” Johanna said half in jest.

MISSION Prelude to paradiso
TAG Josh Devlin

Snacker was much less sturdy than Anat was, forcing the two to leap the tall wave as it came. Jumping out of the water was trivial for the Sharpedo, his powerful AQUA JET letting him reach thrilling heights. Landing from the leap, the shark suddenly thrashed and bucked. Not expecting the flailing, the rider's leg slipped... and when one did, the other was not far behind. Illumina was quick to scoop him up, the much more mellow Lanturn perhaps a familiar sight for the Ever Grande Gym Leader.

"Snacker gets a little excited sometimes," Josh sheepishly explained, holding the Lanturn's reins for comfort and control. "Riding him is fun, but Sharpedo are known to be difficult to control, even for veteran trainers." Johanna's question snapped him back to the more important issue of his Champion Assessment, the racer turning Illumina back toward Ever Grande. He would still have plenty of time to take his other water-types for a swim, given how far Anat and Snacker went out to sea.

"I think so. One thing I've had to learn as a Gym Leader is how to battle opponents that are better than you are at your specialty. In my case, how to battle opponents that are even faster than I am." There was no jest to Josh's reply; he was serious. "I don't think the real gatekeeper of the Champion Assessment will be Kyle. It's as simple as getting a feel for what battling them is like, bringing the Pokémon team best for each opponent, and trusting your skills. It shouldn't take more than two or three attempts with each of them. With Callan, though... I just don't know if a single ghost-type will be enough. When I battled him as a Gym Leader, he used a Trick Room strategy against me."