OCTOBER 2, 2023

2017

After a long ride through the subway tunnels, weaving a trail of electric destruction alongside the Ecruteak Gym Leader's ghost-type Pokémon, Josh had at last arrived at the 10th Street subway station. Rocket's Normal-type, Fire-type, and Poison-type Pokémon wielded by their rank and file were little match for the duo, showing the impressed, brown-haired trainer why the Johtonian Pokémon League was eying him to take over a Gym. Even his companion had to make use of PHANTOM FORCE from his Gengar just to keep pace with the blistering fast skirmisher, who neutralized sentry after sentry with bursts of crippling THUNDER WAVE.

He was fearless, on an adrenaline high, and determined to see his family again.

A series of SHADOW BALLS flew into several tall, dark-tinted windows of Goldenrod City's Radio Tower's empty lobby. Once the duo were done breaking and entering, Josh slid off his Manectric's back but still kept close to his prized partner he had developed an unbreakable, eight year bond with. "We gotta figure out where they've got these people at!" Josh called out to his Gym Leader ally as the two made their way to the tower's main elevator.

Though it was difficult for him to understand due to interference, the officer Josh had worked with on the south side of town was trying to get ahold of him with an update. Able to faintly hear over the static, the young man answered quite informally, not having developed good radio communication skills. "You do?! Where are they at?!" he replied, anything but calm.

"I'm sorry for my colleague's terseness," the Gym Leader answered over his own comms. "We're inside an elevator, making our signal spotty at best. Now you were saying you located where the hostages are being kept? I'm sorry - it's hard to understand and I don't think we can safely get to a location with better reception."

"Affiemative," the officer answered. "They're being kept in the fifth floor studio. They're lightly guarded, but there's got to be a reason for it. Be careful. Radio me when you have an update, over."

Without thinking, Josh slammed the button for the fifth floor. The elevator began to rise. Everything seemed normal until they passed the third floor, the elevator making an uncommanded stop at the fourth. Red, flashing lights accompanied an alarm as Rockets armed with Pokémon and Pokémon-based firearms dashed toward the two heroes. He observed the signs above the fourth-floor studios switching to "OFF AIR". Did all of Goldenrod, and perhaps anyone listening to select Johtonian radio stations, hear the daring boy's operation in action?

Ecruteak's Leader dragged Josh and his Manectric through the ethereal via his Gengar's PHANTOM FORCE without warning, Josh not prepared for the lonely cold within. He shivered as both trainers and Pokémon reappeared right in the middle of enemy lines, Saber quick to contain as many as he could within a powerful DISCHARGE that caused many to drop their weapons. The few who remained discharged SCALE SHOT cartridges at the invaders and their Pokémon. It was only the Gym Leader rushing in front of Josh to shield him that kept him unharmed, blood dripping from his left side.

Several QUICK ATTACKS and SHADOW BALLS later, the fourth floor studio had been secured. Taking a brief respite to bask in the MOONLIGHT of one of the Ecruteak Leader's Pokémon, the four were ready to ascend to the fifth floor.

Taking the elevator to the top floor, a smirking Amor Rose awaited them there, Josh's family visible on the other side of a thick pane of glass. "Jim! Jamie!!" he shouted, reaching for them. They both looked like they were shouting for him, but he couldn't hear a word they were saying. What drew his attention more was a pool of blood at a desk beyond the studio. Its source was the body of an older male dressed in a high-end suit, blood gushing from his head.

As Josh and the Gym Leader approached the body, the imposing figure stepped from around the corner to put himself in their way. "I'm impressed you were able to make it here. But whatever it is you came to do, you're too late. We don't need these people, or this Radio Tower, anymore." As quick as Saber was to fire off a THUNDER WAVE in an effort to paralyze the Rocket Executive, Amor was quicker, throwing his Garchomp in front of him to harmlessly absorb the electric attack. "They're all yours. We've got bigger plans now." The duo turned tail toward the roof access staircase.

"You tail him," Josh asked the Gym Leader. "I'm freeing their captors." Thankfully, the door was very easy to open - no complicated locking mechanism; it was simply only able to be opened from the outside. Josh rushed into the room, leaving the door hanging wide open, and gave both of his parents each a great big hug. Nowhere near as mobile as their son was, it took him some time to get them out of the room and toward the elevator.

While Josh was waiting for him, he received a radio message from his Gym Leader ally. "...Josh, this is a lot bigger than your family. Amor Rose got away, and we know why Goldenrod Radio Tower, and its executive, were targeted."

"Why would that be?"

"He had the SILVER WING. And now it's in Team Rocket's possession. If they aren't stopped, the Beast of the Sea will awaken, and the Eternal Shadow will spread. It's not just about Johto. It's about the whole world. It's got to be Rocket's endgame. And it's way too dangerous for you to be involved."

"You think I want to live in a world like that, family or none? No! I've shown I'm more than capable! If the League is scouting me to be a Gym Leader, then treat me like one!"

OCTOBER 3, 2023

EARLY 2020

Josh was in his element.

Olivine Gym's Steel and Ground-types impossible for the racer to overcome with the Pokémon he liked, the Johtonian had put his Gym Challenge on hold to turn a hobby of his into a lucrative career: Pokémon racing. He had performed so well that he earned the privilege to race in the Last Chance Qualifier to be promoted to Ultra Class. Thirty of the finest, most skilled amateurs in the Johto region and nearby regions assembled in seven rows of four and a row of two near the starting line. Josh Devlin and Saber were on the pole, with Isaac Merlo and kyle lopez also in the front row, sporting a Tauros and a Mightyena.

The top five finishers would punch tickets to Ultra Class, the lower professional circuit, where lucrative prizes and small-time sponsorships awaited. While it wasn't enough money to live a lavish lifestyle like a Master Class racer could, it was sufficient to make a living. All thirty racers in the field deserved one of the top spots, but alas, only five could advance. The crowd roared upon the Goldenrod Gym Leader's announcement from the loudspeakers of the Pokéathlon Dome, the most famous words in all of Pokémon racing:

"Ladies and gentlemen, mount your Pokémon!"

The field took their positions on their Pokémon and awaited the countdown, tensing as soon as they heard the warning horn. Josh's heart raced. This was his best opportunity to do what he enjoyed, not having to answer to a boss or a quota just to pay the bills. He lived in his parents' apartment still, not to live rent-free, but to help them around the house. If he were to punch a ticket to Ultra Class, he could support himself doing what he loved.

This was the most important race of his life.

When the final starting horn sounded, Josh and the rest of the competitors sprung forward down the course symmetrical on both axes. That didn't make the turns easy, though! There were still sharp corners and other obstacles to weave around. The start of the race was chaotic, with lots of contact between Pokémon as they fought for early position. kyle lopez and his Mightyena broke into an early lead, Isaac Merlo 's Tauros muscling out Josh and Saber for early position and leaving them toward the back of the front half of the field.

Just as the first boost lap was about to begin, an eardrum-shattering roar that sounded and felt like a hurricane ravaged the inside of the dome. Windows shattered all around the course's backstretch, subjecting the athletes to dangerously cold winds. Snow blew in from the fresh holes in the structure, alongside a SHADOW MIASMA. Peering outside, the entire sky was covered in purple, sinister clouds. Pokémon on the track became aggressive, turning against their racers. Some simply bucked their trainers off and ran away. More aggressive ones clawed, bit, and subject their trainers, racing officials, and other innocent bystanders to painful elemental attacks.

Saber was no exception, flinging Josh out of the saddle faster than he could react, then attempting to fry him with a SHADOW BOLT. If it weren't for the quickness of Isaac Merlo 's Tauros, who seemed to be unaffected by the MIASMA, he may not have been able to walk away from the scene. Josh took a peek outside, only to witness utter chaos. Even wild Pokémon were far more aggressive than before. The MIASMA spread outward like an airborne virus, driving even docile species such as Pidgey and Chikorita to assault fleeing fans completely unprovoked. Remembering what Ecruteak's Gym Leader told him three years ago, Josh felt sick to his stomach. This could only mean one thing.

This was Cillian Quinn 's Eternal Shadow in action.

Without warning, a noble voice spoke from within Josh's mind. Unbeknownst to him, similar voices invaded the minds of kyle lopez and Isaac Merlo , as well:

"It is not just Johto that is in great peril, but the entire world. And I need your unique skills to stop it. Meet me at the bottom of the Brass Tower in Ecruteak."

OCTOBER 4, 2023

MID 2020

For week after week, Josh Devlin 's sleep was restless. A noble voice, the same noble voice that spoke to him at the Pokéathlon Dome, boomed within his mind, a thunderstorm too loud to sleep through. Unable to take it anymore, Josh resolved to travel to Ecruteak's Brass Tower -- the Burned Tower -- to answer the voice's call.

Getting there would be easier said than done. Cillian Quinn 's ETERNAL SHADOW by now had spread throughout most of Johto, and its effects were starting to be understood. Pokémon, wild and trained, were affected by the MIASMA lingering in the air. A Pokémon exposed to it for too long would become a SHADOW POKEMON: one whose door to its heart had been closed. The MIASMA turned Pokémon into merciless, uncontrollable weapons of war that attacked people unprovoked. As such, a regionwide advisory had been instated limiting Pokémon from being out of their Poké Balls outdoors. Any Pokémon traveling outdoors was required to wear a mask, though as scientists would later find out, the masks would be largely ineffective.

With distance travel on a Pokémon no longer an option, Josh took public transportation as close to the Brass Tower as he could, then rode Saber the rest of the way. The PRESSURE of the Beast of the Sea was oppressive even this far from the Eternal Shadow's epicenter above Johto's Western Sea; Josh's head thumped with every one of his mount's strides. The effects of the MIASMA were visible, the Manectric's blue fur subtly shifting to a deep purple color the longer he was exposed. The closer he got to the tower, the more powerful he felt his Pokémon's running stroke become.

By the time he arrived at the tower, Saber was even radiating a small amount of MIASMA directly. Making his way to the ruins' precipice overlooking the tower's basement, he saw kyle lopez and Isaac Merlo glowing a brilliant red and blue, respectively, two noble voices echoing loudly enough for the racer to hear:

"The ETERNAL SHADOW threatens to devour not just the Great One's homeland, but the entire world. Your trial by fire has proven sufficient. kyle lopez , by the authority vested in me by the Great One, Ho-oh, I dub you her sacred Knight of Fire. Call on me anytime by drawing my Sign on the ground using the Crimson Blade you hold in your hand."

[attr="class","chosen"]YOU ARE WORTHY

[attr="class","chosen2"]
Entei has chosen kyle lopez , the Patrician, as their Avatar.

Kyle receives the following perks:

• Kyle can conjure a burning sword in his hand. He can wield it to deal FIRE-TYPE damage.
• Kyle and his Pokémon are immune to high-temperature environments, and their ATTACK cannot be lowered, including by the BURN condition.
• Kyle can cause magma to burst from the ground near him at will. While standing on magma, his Pokémon gain INCREASED SPEED AND EVASION.
• Fire-type moves used by Kyle's Pokémon deal SUPER EFFECTIVE DAMAGE to SHADOW POKEMON.
• Kyle gains SUPER STAMINA and does not tire easily. Once per thread, he can expend this stamina to create a warm heat dome around himself, soothing the wounds of those around him and applying a POTENT GRADUAL HEALING EFFECT.
• Kyle gains a WEAKNESS to WATER-TYPE attacks.
• Entei is added to Kyle's party.

"The ETERNAL SHADOW threatens to devour not just the Great One's homeland, but the entire world. Your trial by cold has exceeded her expectations. Isaac Merlo , by the authority vested in me by the Great One, Ho-oh, I dub you her sacred Knight of Winds. Call on me anytime by drawing my Sign in the winds around you using the Crystal Brand you wield."

[attr="class","chosen"]YOU ARE WORTHY

[attr="class","chosen2"]
Suicune has chosen Isaac Merlo , the Purifier, as their Avatar.

Isaac receives the following perks:

• Isaac can conjure a freezing, crystal-shaped sword in his hand. He can wield it to deal ICE-TYPE damage.
• Isaac can use the move RAIN DANCE at will.
• Isaac and his Pokémon are immune to low-temperature environments, and their SPECIAL ATTACK cannot be lowered.
• Isaac can control local winds, causing them to blow in any direction and at any speed up to a minor hurricane. His Pokémon can gain INCREASED SPEED AND EVASION by utilizing a tailwind in this way.
• Once per thread, when Suicune knocks out a SHADOW POKEMON, Isaac can choose to PURIFY that Pokémon. That Pokémon will forget any SHADOW MOVES it knows, replacing them with any applicable move. (REQ: RPer permission)
• Isaac gains a WEAKNESS to ELECTRIC-TYPE attacks.
• Suicune is added to Isaac's party.

Josh stared into the collapsed tower from above, starstruck at what he had just witnessed. Two Pokémon he had admired since he became a trainer, said admiration part of the reason he became a trainer, he was seeing in the flesh for the first time. He wanted to call out to them, but reverence of the gods before him prevented him from saying a word. All he could do was watch as the two drew their Beast's Signs.

Without warning, a gigantic lightning bolt struck in the very center of the foundation, its impact knocking Josh off his precipice and to the basement alongside Kyle, Isaac, and their newfound Patrons. The noble voice haunting the racer reached his ears once more. The voice this time was not mental; it was physical. Audible.

"You're late," the voice barked, booming as loudly as crashing thunder. "I seek to reward the one who so fervently reveres the Great One and also possesses the courage, purity of heart, tenacity, and sheer force of will. To do so, a trial by combat is necessary. Bring forth from your iron prison your most loyal partner. Impress me, and I shall bestow holy gifts from the Great One upon you."

Every hair on Josh's body stood up on end as the brilliance of the lightning bolt faded, revealing the figure beneath it as Raikou. The young man visibly shook in the Beast's electric presence, every pore of his body tingling as though a THUNDER WAVE was running through him. Everything about the Pokémon of his dreams was intimidating: the frightening red gaze of a god, the grey crown that radiated enough electricity to blow a transformer, the constant shower of sparks flying from its paws, and scariest of all, two fangs long and sharp as knives more than capable of skewering him. He knew the speed of the Beast well, speed not even other landbound gods could match.

"Now, free your partner. Claim your birthright. Fulfill your destiny. Show me you are worthy of the sacred title of Knight of Thunder."

OCTOBER 5, 2023

MID 2020

Josh's heart was thumping, his mind racing faster than it ever had before. The Beast of Thunder, the Pokémon of his dreams, stood in front of him. All he had to do was impress Raikou. That, of course, was far easier said than done. Raikou was a god. A Pokémon that did not follow the rules other Pokémon followed. The electric feline would annihilate Saber in one-on-one combat if both gave it their all. These were Pokémon that were divine for a reason: their power was staggering. Simple knowledge of the type chart, and Pokémon that could exploit it, would not be enough to claim victory over one.

Josh didn't need to do that, though. He just needed to give it his all. If his best wasn't good enough, then so be it. Seeing the glowing kyle lopez and Isaac Merlo , dressed in lightweight but sturdy battle armor, gave him the confidence he needed to do so. If Entei and Suicune were smart enough to pick those two, and they passed, he could only assume Raikou was equally smart. Breathing a nervous sigh, Josh spoke to the Beast.

"Raikou, for ten years I have been looking for you. And you have come. I am honored that you have come to me and am considering me for loyal partnership. I shall reciprocate that loyalty with unerring devotion, to you and to the Great One." Popping the switch on his Manectric's Poké Ball, Saber appeared by his side, small purple wisps flying from his flanks.

"Your most loyal partner has been born in my image," Raikou's voice boomed, his mouth unmoving. "Your devotion to the almighty Great One is admirable. But that is only a small aspect of one worthy of the title Knight of Thunder. Now, thunder must clash with thunder!" The Beast snarled, exposing his THUNDER FANGS in a lightning fast attack that neither of them could react to. Even the electric wolf's LIGHTNING ROD couldn't fully protect him, the Beast the first to draw blood.

Matching speed with speed, the skirmishing canine chased after Raikou in a jousting QUICK ATTACK, the first two blows catching him off guard. He matched the third with a QUICK ATTACK of his own, slamming Saber into the ground after traveling from one corner of the tower to the other in the blink of an eye. Josh was awestruck. From how much racing he had done, his eyes could follow even Extreme Speed from a Pokémon, something very few others could do. This was beyond even that, though. There was no adjective that came to Josh's mind that could adequately describe just how fast Raikou was.

Raikou truly was the Johtonian god of speed.

Pinned down, Saber freed himself by chomping into one of Raikou's legs with mist-laden ICE FANGS. The two chewed each others' fur up like ravenous scavengers, Raikou's gigantic fangs giving him the upper hand. The mist from Saber's attack gave him a brief window to escape. No longer feeling the Manectric underpaw, Raikou let out a thunderous roar, lightning striking in the center of the altar and knocking Josh off his feet. kyle lopez and Isaac Merlo seemed unharmed and unfazed, despite the Purifier's weakness to electricity.

Raikou took the back corner again and crouched, assuming a lunging position and facing Caber. Josh knew that could only mean one thing: Extreme Speed. In such a space, not only would such a blow be unavoidable, but such a high speed crash would flatten its victim. Josh had to stop it before it could happen. "HYPERSONIC..."

And he had just the tool to do it.

"...PLASMA CHARGE!!!"



EXTREME SPEED met Z-Move in a thunderous, explosive, split-second impact, both the bodies of Manectric and Beast crackling loudly with excess electricity. Gently tilting his head down and toward the trainer who was still prone, Raikou walked toward him.

"For hundreds of years, I have wandered these lands in search of a trainer with the speed, courage, tenacity, and sheer force of will to be worthy of the title of Knight of Thunder. Come, pull the Lightning Sword from its pedestal in the back of this chamber. Do so, and the Great One shall dub you."

Shaking, Josh climbed to his feet and withdrew his bleeding Manectric. Every step he took toward the lightning-bolt blade echoed like crashing thunder. Placing his feet on the pedestal's edges, he grabbed the hilt of the shortsword with both hands, the shockwave of a deafening thundercrack sending debris flying up the gaping hole in the ruined Brass Tower's ground level and making the hole even bigger. A flash of white lightning blinded all three as Raikou's noble voice permeated the racer's mind:

"The ETERNAL SHADOW threatens to devour not just the Great One's homeland, but the entire world. Your trial by thunder and lightning has exceeded her expectations. Josh Devlin , by the authority vested in me by the Great One, Ho-oh, I dub you her sacred Knight of Thunder. Call on me anytime by drawing my Sign in the sky above you using the Lightning Sword you wield."

[attr="class","chosen"]YOU ARE WORTHY

[attr="class","chosen2"]
Raikou has chosen Josh Devlin , the Cavalier, as their Avatar.

Josh receives the following perks:

• Josh can conjure a lightning-bolt sword in his hand. He can wield it to deal ELECTRIC-TYPE damage.
• Josh cannot be dismounted from his Pokémon against his will. While mounted, he and his mount can gain INCREASED SPEED AND EVASION.
• Josh's Pokémon are immune to TRAPPING moves, and their SPEED cannot be lowered, including by the PARALYSIS condition.
• PRIORITY MOVES used by Josh's Pokémon have INCREASED STRENGTH and cannot be interrupted.
• Josh can create a personal BULLET-TIME effect, perceiving his surroundings as though they were moving at a snail's pace. This gives him GREATLY HEIGHTENED REACTION TIME, but leaves him considerably drained afterwards, both physically and mentally. It can render him completely defenseless if engaged for too long.
• Josh gains a WEAKNESS to GROUND-TYPE attacks.
• Raikou is added to Josh's party.

When their vision returned, Josh, too, found himself dressed much like his compatriots were, except in yellow instead of red or blue. Lost for words, all he could do was approach the Patrician and the Purifier, shakily tilting the Lightning Sword at a high angle above his head. The two clinked their elemental blades against his, sparks, flames, and mist dancing an elegant choreography around one another.

They were now the Beast Riders.

OCTOBER 6, 2023

LATE 2022

Despite the Beast Riders' budding powers, Johto had fallen to Team Rocket. Cillian Quinn 's ETERNAL SHADOW made him the de facto monarch of the region. For every trainer that fled the region's countless Shadow Pokémon, another suffered a life-changing injury or even death. Johto and Kanto both were wastelands, only Rocket operatives capable of fully controlling Shadow Pokémon able to live there now. Rocket had once aspired to create a machine capable of artificially producing Shadow Pokémon. Unbeknownst to the rest of the world, the Harbinger had usurped power from declan walsh , the Obfuscator's Darkrai little match for the very Shadow Lugia he had helped create. He was Rocket's head honcho now.

Even then, it wasn't enough for the cruel leader of the most powerful crime syndicate in the world. Even with the complete control of Kanto and Johto, he wanted more. The ETERNAL SHADOW crept across the seas and toward Hoenn, one of the last safe havens in the world. Were the AQUA Initiative not able to stop the madman, Hoenn would fall. With so many benefactors of legendary Pokémon being from the region, there would be little stopping the entire globe from being wrapped in the Harbinger's MIASMA if they were unable to stop arguably the most powerful Avatar in the world.

With the ETERNAL SHADOW forecast to make landfall on Hoenn's north coast in a matter of months, Commissioner dahlia goode had charged three of the AQUA Initative's most recent Avatars with finding a way to protect Hoenn from the storm headed their way. Studies of the Johtonian and Kantonian atmosphere post-fall revealed that it would be impossible for ordinary Pokémon to operate within for an extended period of time. Too much exposure, whether rapid over the short-term or gradual over the long-term, would turn victims into Shadow Pokémon, weapons of war that could turn on their wielders at any time. The more MIASMA they were exposed to, the more compelled they were to devour anything that moved and was not a Shadow Pokémon. Rare Pokémon such as Shaymin and Zeraora were quite resistant to the airborne plague, but not immune; one of kyle lopez 's many Zeraora had fallen victim, and now was an uncontrollable feline of mass destruction.

The only Pokémon truly immune to the MIASMA were the gods. Only Avatars and their Patrons had a hope of meaningfully ending the crisis. The three the Commissioner wanted to send to the front lines, the ones most familiar with the situation due to having been in Johto at the time the ETERNAL SHADOW had began, were not quite ready for deployment on such a mission-critical operation. Having just been crowned a Gym Leader weeks ago, Josh offered his vast Mauville Racing Grounds as a training center for the three to finish honing their skills and fully grasp what their Beast Patrons enabled them to do.

While Raikou, Entei, and Suicune would not allow saddles to be placed on their backs, their white and purple manes served as stand-ins, letting kyle lopez and Isaac Merlo ride just as comfortably. There would be little comfort in what they would be doing today, though. Today was their final exam in understanding the limits of their powers. One of those powers, as Josh Devlin would find out, was withstanding the fastest Extreme Speed any land Pokémon had to offer. The three Beast Riders' hearts thumped as Raikou, Entei, and Suicune crouched, looking ready to race one another.

Better hold on tight.

OCTOBER 7, 2023

LATE 2022

Every pore of the three Beast Riders' skin popped upward, their hair standing on end in anticipation. Their legendary steeds' powerful purrs rattled their bodies like the knock of a revving engine. Magma seeped from under the ground where kyle lopez 's Entei stood. From behind Isaac Merlo 's Suicune blew a strong breeze that grew in intensity by the second. From within the legs of Josh Devlin 's Raikou came a thunderous crackle, all four fleaming a brilliant yellow and white. With a lunge that made all three of them yelp, they ripped across Mauville Racing Grounds, Gym Trainers Elise Calcifet and Raju Mystic in awe at what they witnessed.

A red, molten, destructive trail followed Entei as the Gym's concourse raced past him in an overblaze, a corona surrounding Beast and rider. No matter how many times he was flung side to side, the Patrician's SUPER STAMINA kept him from falling. Even with ear and eye protection from his red helmet's visor, it was impossible for Kyle to hear anything over the maddeningly loud wind.

That wind's source was Suicune, the hurricane-force TAILWIND letting Isaac Merlo nearly keep pace with the Knight of Fire. As graceful as the Beast's running stroke was, it was one rough ride for the Purifier. It was only the Avatar's control over local winds that kept him aboard the Beast; every time a flex of his legendary mount's back threatened to send him flying, a gust of wind would steady his balance and keep him in the metaphorical saddle.

Josh Devlin did not have that privilege. The only help he had in riding Raikou was his experience as the Master of Faster, as well as the back of his legendary mount's thundercloud. The tufts at the back of the Beast's mane worked like a saddle's cantle: a protrusion at the back of the saddle designed to keep a rider from flying off their mount's back from its own acceleration. Though Suicune and Entei were faster off the line, Raikou was the Johtonian god of speed for a reason.

In a thunderous boom, white lightning arcing among all four of the Beast's paws, Cavalier and thundercat chased their friends down. The force of the Raikou's acceleration squeezed Josh. He was used to this from riding during Extreme Speed, but not for so long. The feline's strides were so rapid that he couldn't even feel the entire motion. The god's flexing back dropped out from underneath his rider with every trough, catching him and bouncing him upward with every peak.

Though all three of the Beasts' speed was intense, Raikou's was in a league of its own, the electric-type's footfalls echoing throughout north Mauville like a thunderous stampede. Shortly after passing Entei and Suicune, the Beast had reached the far end of the property. Josh let out a wail, feeling like his mount's immense momentum was peeling him apart as they rounded the concourse. By the time they had resumed their straight course back toward the Gym's office building, the Cavalier's left leg was thumping. "Josh, look alive - we're going faster," Raikou mentally warned him, causing him to sweat even more than he already was.

Faster? How was that even possible?

OCTOBER 8, 2023

LATE 2022

It wasn't just Raikou that was about to go faster. Entei and Suicune had given kyle lopez and Isaac Merlo warnings that, as fast as they were running, they were barely trying. The Gym Leader, the Master of Faster... was he truly worthy of his title? This was already faster than he had ever ridden his Arcanine, and Arcanine was one of the very few Pokémon capable of mastering the hidden art of Extreme Speed. It was a technique so fast that the user's legs disappeared into a blur, with strides so rapid that it made anyone on the Pokémon's back feel like they were riding a living tremor.

These three children of the Great One, Ho-oh, the holy runners of Johto, went beyond even that.

With the force of a volcanic eruption, the ground directly behind Entei exploded in a magmatic burst. kyle lopez peered down to see the seemingly illusory legs carrying him so fast that he could only see directly in front of him. Even Isaac Merlo was a large, blue and purple blob, the Top Champion gritting his teeth as the wind burned in his face. Even so, not once did he experience discomfort from what would have caused an ordinary person's skin to combust from friction burn. While not strictly a high-temperature environment, the Patrician's ability to keep him from being unaffected by heat kept the supernatural pace of his Beast mount from harming him.

Not wanting to be shown up, Isaac Merlo likewise commanded Suicune to use EXTREME SPEED. The water-type's crystal glowing a bright blue, the hurricane-force winds blowing behind him grew even greater. The sacred creature's legs themselves hummed beneath Isaac from the absurdly rapid running stroke. He could barely hear the humming over the destructive winds surrounding Suicune, their very wake leaving a trail of brown in the middle of the green surrounding the Gym's western concourse. The Purifier felt like his hair was going to be torn from his scalp with how fast Suicune's EXTREME SPEED was, feeling like be was riding on the leading edge of a tornado, yet he never felt truly in danger of being blown off his legendary mount. The Purifier created a makeshift (and literal) wind shield in front of him, deflecting the burning gales to the Beast's sides as the world around them disappeared into a sea of color.

When Josh saw just how fast the Beasts' EXTREME SPEED was, he braced himself for the worst. His two friends were going faster than any human had the right to. He saw what was coming from the dashing Raikou, his hair standing on end from anticipation of the force that would almost assuredly slingshot him into the back of the purple thundercloud he was seated on. "Alright, Raikou, EXTREME SPEED!" Josh ordered.

"EXTREME SPEED?" the Beast's voice echoed in his mind as the RAIKOUNIUM-Z embedded in the gray, regal crown gleamed yellow. "You think a god of speed would be limited by the bounds of Extreme Speed? That move is so slow it barely touches what my true potential is. If you truly have the full potential to match, the potential of the title Cavalier, then you can handle riding the tempest."

The RAIKOUNIUM-Z drew out the Z-Power in the racer's Z-GLOVE all on its own. Raikou gleamed bright yellows and whites as his legs disappeared into a loud hum that rattled the Cavalier to his very core. Every fiber of the Beast's skin transformed into the plasma of a gigantic lightning bolt, other than his face and the very thundercloud Josh sat on. The surreal acceleration whipped Josh into the back of the thundercloud, his supernatural ability to ride any mount, no matter how rough, the only thing keeping him in his seat on the Johto legendary Pokémon. This went beyond EXTREME SPEED. Well beyond it.

This was the Z-MOVE: TACHYON TEMPEST.

A field of white crept into the electric Avatar's horizon, getting closer and closer by the moment. In a moment of panic, Josh going too fast to see, time seemed to slow down around him. The thunderous legs of the legendary, transformed into four gigantic bolts of lightning, looked like they were moving at full gallop even in his zen state of heightened perception. The Beast Rider's superhuman reaction time let him see his Gym's office building as a faint object against the white horizon, letting him brace himself for Raikou to inevitably slam on the brakes.

A RAIN DANCE from Suicune put out the fires caused by Entei's explosion fueling his EXTREME SPEED and those left in the wake of Raikou's lightning-speed sprint. Josh was unconscious in the thundercloud saddle, drool dripping from the side of his mouth. Both of the other riders' jaws dropped at what they had witnessed.

Raikou had covered the entire length of the Gym Leader's property in a matter of seconds.

OCTOBER 9, 2023

EARLY 2023

Being an Avatar was exhausting. Among duties as a Gym Leader, those as a member of the AQUA Initative, and daily practice riding Raikou during his lightning-speed TACHYON TEMPEST, there was little time for Josh to do much else. There were days he wanted to break his routine, feeling like he would be wrenched from the back of the living lightning bolt, and there were days he wished that the electric tiger could harness Z-Power more than once per day. Though his divine blessing as the Cavalier and the Great One's Knight of Thunder prevented him from falling off his mighty mount's back no matter how rough the ride got, it didn't prevent him from feeling miserably sore afterward. Avatar or no, the human body simply was not designed to withstand the kind of speed that the Johtonian speed god could reach mid-Z-Move.

The weight of the Cavalier's responsibility became a whole lot greater when Commissioner dahlia goode called for an all-hands emergency meeting in Ever Grande's Leaque HQ. Among the myriad of familiar faces at the meeting table were two new ones: Elise Calcifet , the Priestess, with the High King Calyrex behind her, and Michael Navidson , the Indomitable, a BEHEMOTH BLADE strapped to his back. The Lightning Sword tingled at Josh's waist as he sat down next to kyle lopez and Isaac Merlo at the round table.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," the Commissioner began the meeting with her appreciative words. "First off, I would like to congratulate our two newest members on their induction into the AQUA Initiative: Elise Calcifet , securing Calyrex's Patronage, and Dewford Gym Leader Michael Navidson , ally of Zacian. Your willingness to serve the League is not a moment too soon, as Hoenn faces a danger far greater than even the meteoroid."

With the press of a button, the lights dimmed, an image of the national map appearing on the meeting room's main screen. A purple filter blanketed the JOHTO, KANTO, UNOVA, and SINNOH regions, touching the HOENN region's northwest edges and covering RUSTBORO CITY. "All other national efforts to stop the ETERNAL SHADOW have failed. To get our newest members up to speed, I will briefly cover its recent developments. As I am certain you are aware, the ETERNAL SHADOW is a dangerous phenomenon expanding from the Whirl Islands in Johto. It covers all beneath it in a purple veil, inducing the transformation of Pokémon into Shadow Pokémon. The aggression of Shadow Pokémon cannot be understated; it has caused the populations of entire regions to flee to other unaffected regions. It had rendered meaningful life there impossible."

MATIAS SILPH interjected, asking why the League can't simply make use of these Shadow Pokémon. Several members, including Isaac Merlo , made convincing retorts. After a heated debate on the ethics of the use of Shadow Pokémon, the Commissioner broke up the argument. "Shadow Pokémon are volatile, unreliable wildcards, though it is true that their power greatly exceeds that of ordinary Pokémon. Your motion is approved. MATIAS SILPH , you may recruit Gym Leaders not present here to an excursion to Johto. It will fall to illeana reyes to conduct a study of these Shadow Pokémon to determine their war-readiness."

As the meeting continued, Josh looked increasingly overwhelmed, his new duties giving him access to classified details about the ETERNAL SHADOW. Hoenn's government had covered up the true severity of the phenomenon. A sinking feeling in him wanted him to go back to leading Mauville Gym. Before he signed the AQUA Initiative contract, Josh had wondered why Gym Leaders were excluded from it when all other appointed and elected officials were not.

This was why.

"We do have a new lead on the cause of the ETERNAL SHADOW. Deep intelligence has led us to believe that the boss of the Hoennian branch of Team Rocket, Cillian Quinn , had gained the Avatarship of a Shadow Lugia sometime in early 2020. This is the primary reason I am hesitant to greenlight any operation involving Shadow Pokémon. Spy satellites have shown him capable of mentally dominating any other Shadow Pokémon, even ones in the hands of other trainers. While we have not been able to confirm the extent, the prospect of losing control of a Shadow Pokémon at any moment makes their use risky at best and foolhardy at worst."

Several jaws, including Josh Devlin 's, dropped. Domination was a powerful word. Did that mean that the Harbinger could assert absolute control over Shadow Pokémon, denying them of free will? It had been known that too much exposure to the ETERNAL SHADOW would transform a Pokémon into a Shadow Pokémon. That was bad enough. But in the presence of its source, Rocket's big bad, he could turn those very Pokémon against their trainers?

With that kind of power, it was little wonder the rest of the world was powerless to do anything about it.

With a press of another button, the map zoomed in on the Hoenn region, showing RUSTBORO CITY completely covered in purple. "RUSTBORO CITY has already fallen, and PETALBURG CITY and DEWFORD TOWN are being evacuated as we speak. Every capable man and woman will be needed to keep Hoenn from being draped in the ETERNAL SHADOW that makes life as we know it impossible. MATIAS SILPH , you will go with several of our Gym Leaders to Johto for your Shadow Pokémon capture operation as requested. Michael Navidson , you will go with PENELOPE LIVY and Elise Calcifet to repel Rocket's forces in Dewford. Josh Devlin , you will go with kyle lopez and Isaac Merlo to Petalburg. Be especially careful: Elisabeth Fiorelli has been spotted several times in Petalburg Woods. She is known to be WO-CHIEN's Avatar, but we do not know the extent of her powers. Be ready for anything. The rest of you will be deployed as needed."

Raikou had scouted Josh for his heroism, tenacity, and force of will. Those traits would be stretched to their limits, his likely first major battle since joining the AQUA Initaitive now known to be against another Avatar with unknown powers. The true burden of Avatarship weighed the Cavalier down. As much as he fervently desired it, he had failed to consider the full weight of subjecting himself to be a chesspiece of the god of speed.

The road to being a hero was far from easy, after all!

OCTOBER 10, 2023

MID 2023

By the time League Commissioner dahlia goode and her Avatars has finished their preparations, PETALBURG WOODS had already fallen. The entire forest was as gloomy as the wisp-filled purple sky above its canopy. kyle lopez led the Beast Riders north into the woods from the Petalburg side, the three holding the billowing manes of their Patrons with one hand and their elemental swords with the other. All three remained on edge, watching for Shadow Pokémon. illeana reyes 's theory about the ETERNAL SHADOW and legendary Pokémon seemed correct; the purple wisps dissolved within a short distance of the Beasts the brave Knights of the Great One were atop.

A female's scream caught Josh's attention, calling out to kyle lopez and Isaac Merlo . He didn't need to; all three Beasts acted on instinct, bounding toward the voice. Despite their incredible speed, it was too late. By the time they reached the voice's source, it was already too late; all the three could see was a Shadow Yanmega feasting on a mutilated, unidentifiable human body, the dragonfly's compound eyes shifting toward the legendaries.

The Cavalier spurred Raikou into a QUICK ATTACK that forced even his own eyes shut. The electric tiger rammed and trampled the aggressive wild. Before the other Beast Riders could strike, the Yanmega violently flourished his wings in a SHADOW PANIC that made even the legendary Pokémon delirious and deaf. In their confusion, the Beasts reared and bucked, sending kyle lopez and Isaac Merlo flying backward. Josh was the only one who remained seated on his mount, but it came with a price; his body was not yet conditioned to absorbing the feline's weight being hurled into him. The thrashing was so powerful that he had to voluntarily let go.

As the three got back to their feet, the Shadow Pokémon showed no mercy, churning its wings to maddening speeds and blowing Josh and Isaac off their feet. Entei and kyle lopez remained on their feet, the only ones able to shrug off the resulting shockwave thanks to their SUPER STAMINA. With a FLARE BLITZ to its face, the Shadow Pokémon fell in a single blow.

Seeing the others shaken up badly, the Patrician channeled his excess energy into the injured Beasts and their partners, his warmth relaxing their pain away like being immersed in a bubbling spa. It did not take long before the trios felt good as new.

Leaping up a tall incline and onto a familiar-looking grassland plateau that was once Shalin Nariya 's domain, the three beheld a menacing-looking woman spreading purple gloom all over the plateau. "Well, well. The foolhardy cavalry have arrived," the red-eyed Avatar greeted the two with puckered lips ready to administer the kiss of death. A large snail Pokémon shifted its wiry eyes toward Josh, then the others. "If you think you can prevent the ETERNAL SHADOW from spreading across Hoenn, you are sorely mistaken." The TABLETS OF RUIN emitted an eldritch glow barely visible in the twilight-like purple blanketing the plateau. "Cillian Quinn 's ETERNAL SHADOW will encircle the globe. There will be nowhere for the lap dogs you are to run."

kyle lopez pointed his sword at the Scorned and her ruinous snail. Elisabeth Fiorelli had her answer. With an alien cry, Wo-Chien's tablets began to absorb what little light remained around them, the forest, plateau, and grass disappearing from sight. All the Beast Riders could see were each other, Elisabeth, and the four legendary Pokémon present. Unable to see even the ground they stood on, the only thing that was visible was purple, vitality-sapping sludge spreading from the dark-type in all directions. Josh didn't want to know what would happen if he were to touch it...

OCTOBER 11, 2023

MID 2023

The all-consuming darkness left the Beasts and their riders' vision impaired, their depth perception and balance upset from being unable to see the very ground they stood on. With reckless abandon, Josh flicked his wrists, sending a commanding pulse down Raikou's thundercloud mane and to the back of the Beast's head. With a mighty, thunderous roar, the legendary tiger dashed toward Elisabeth Fiorelli and her ruinous partner. "You really have learned nothing from our last meeting, haven't you? I can't believe Raikou could make such a grievous mistake choosing someone like you. Let me do you a favor and declaw that oversized furball of yours."

Josh remained silent, focused on maintaining control over his Beast's charge fast enough that even as the Cavalier, the stresses it put on his body were very real. Only when Raikou stopped accelerating, charging the snail at close to top speed, did he point the Lightning Sword at Wo-Chien. The world around him slowed a split second before passing the ruinous duo, Josh's whistling, handheld lightning bolt slicing smoothly through the dark-type's flesh. Repelled by the TABLETS OF RUIN on the creature's back, the sword throbbed in its wielder's hand, a wave of lethargy further sapping Josh after the immense concentration needed to land the precise, high-speed blow.

"I'm disappointed in you," the Scorned taunted, slowly approaching the winded Beast and rider. "From when we first met until now, nothing has changed about you. You're so predictable. So naive. So foolish. And now, so--"

An ICE BEAM grazed Raikou and Josh, striking Wo-Chien directly while freezing some of the surrounding gloom solid. Shaking his head, Raikou distanced himself from their foes, getting in position for their next charge. "Isaac, thanks for the save!" Josh thanked the Purifier after recovering his breath. He gave the Gym Leader a thumbs-up as Suicune whizzed past, freezing more of the gloom around them and giving kyle lopez a path to get in range of Wo-Chien with purifying flames.

"Gotcha," the Scorned grinned, a dome of gloom rising upward around the three and trapping them within range of the snail's deadliest power of all. "By the power of the ruinous tablets, all the earth's grudges shall blow toward mine enemies upon the east wind. The ruination comes. CRUEL RUIN!"

Ruination: CRUEL RUIN
After obtaining Z-Power, the user brings about the apocalypse in a wide area around itself. Surrounding targets that are not Dark-resistant will suffer wounds so harsh that even a glancing follow-up blow will KO them. They will also be inflicted with a HEAL BLOCK effect for as long as they are near the user. (This move is ineffective against Dark-resistant targets, and cannot KO a target on its own.)

The dome of gloom now completely encasing the trio, its vile, foreign substance raining upon them. Beasts roared and Avatars wailed, gnashing their teeth as every drop sapped their strength down to almost nothing. Their heads thumped alongside their slow heartbeats, covered in ichor and wrought with torpor that slowed even the Johtonian speedsters to Wo-Chien's pace.

Even in his weary state, kyle lopez would not that stand. In a desperate move that knocked him off his legendary mount and into the gloom beneath him, the Beast of Fire belched SACRED FIRE all over Wo-Chien. The holy attack razed the snail, the dome dissipating from its user's inability to maintain it while burned by hallowed flames. "This... isn't over," Elisabeth muttered. "Even with this victory... the ETERNAL SHADOW will continue to spread." With that, the grudge-bearer and her wounded legendary Pokémon sunk into the gloom. Though all of the goo vanished, including what crippled the Beasts and their riders, the Shadow Pokémon threat remained. The exhausted Avatars and their Patrons returned to Petalburg City to lick their wounds and deliver their report to the Commissioner.

OCTOBER 12, 2023

PRESENT DAY

Reports that had come in from the Beast Riders and the AQUA Initiative's other Avatars were growing increasingly bleak. While they had repelled many of Rocket's Avatars in the war to combat the ETERNAL SHADOW, many had been so badly injured in clashes of the gods that they could not return to the unending war any time soon. What few battle-ready League Avatars and other League big shots remained, including the few active Gym Leaders remaining, had assembled at League HQ in Ever Grande at Commissioner dahlia goode 's behest.

"I regret that I could not gather all of you to today's briefing," Dahlia's solemn voice echoed inside the large meeting room, Josh burying his face in Raikou's mane in dismay. He knew the news she was going to break, and it had already hit him harder than any trial he had been through. This was worse than Meteno. Worse than Dewford. Worse than the living hell Raikou had put him through to gain his Patron's full trust. "Even our Avatars have not been strong enough to repel the ETERNAL SHADOW. Slateport and Mauville have fallen. While we were able to evacuate many residents to Lilycove, those left behind quickly succumbed to the Shadow Pokémon that now blanket western and central Hoenn." Mauville. The city Josh was once a Gym Leader of. Now he had no city to lead.

Cillian Quinn 's master plan had almost come to fruition; with the League in disarray and with Fortree next in line, the TORNADUS inside Alexei Ivanov 's Cherish Ball broke loose. Through the power of the REVEAL GLASS, the wind genie morphed into its true form: a majestic, green bird whose tail whirred with the purest form of the wind itself. Desperate to save Fortree City and the life of his partner, the flying-type blessed him in a last-ditch effort to keep Hoenn from falling into cruel, everlasting ruin.

[attr="class","chosen"]YOU ARE WORTHY

[attr="class","chosen2"]
Tornadus has chosen Alexei Ivanov , the Stormbringer, as their Avatar.

Alexei receives the following perks:

• Alexei can conjure a bow with a cloud motif in his hand. He can fire arrows of pure wind with it to deal ranged FLYING-TYPE damage.
• Alexei and his Pokémon are immune to any move that uses wind.
• Alexei can sprout large, green wings from his shoulders, using them to fly.
• All of Alexei's Pokémon gain SLIGHTLY INCREASED COMBAT PARAMETERS while at FULL HEALTH.
• Alexei can "airbend", able to shape wind around him into barriers and other objects. Maintaining these objects for extended periods of time is stressful and can cause Alexei to tire easily
• Alexei gains a WEAKNESS to ROCK-TYPE attacks.
• Using the REVEAL GLASS, Tornadus can change between INCARNATE FORME and THERIAN FORME at will.

Grateful to see a legendary Pokémon choose another benefactor, the meeting continued on. "As for Councilwoman PENELOPE LIVY 's absence, she has been stripped of her position after the discovery that she was a double agent, the influence of CHI-YU compelling her to work with him in spreading the ETERNAL SHADOW. It was only through Isaac Merlo 's persistance that we were able to gain our best lead yet, and Hoenn's likely last hope." Gasps echoed; while the former Councilwoman seemed to have ulterior motives, no one ever thought their plight would be a partial inside job.

"In exchange for her freedom, she has given us information on Cillian Quinn 's whereabouts. He and Lugia have made their stronghold on a large, isolated island near Sootopolis. Approach by air will be impossible, and the rough seas make a surface approach difficult. This leaves an underwater approach. I know many of your Pokémon that can take us there have turned into Shadow Pokémon, but they are our last hope. Isaac Merlo , as Purifier, we rely upon your powers to purify others' Pokémon for the operation." With a heavy nod, the Beast Rider agreed to the Commissioner's request. It brought him dismay that he would have to battle his allies' Pokémon to do so, but it was the only way.

"I cannot stress this enough: if Lilycove falls to the ETERNAL SHADOW, then all hope is lost. The League will fall. I want everyone in the AQUA Initiative to support Isaac Merlo . While we are unsure of its effectiveness on Lugia, Suicune's ability to purify Shadow Pokémon is our last hope in dissipating it. He will not be your only threat, either; jayden cross and his CHIEN-PAO, as well as Lulu Flint and her DARKRAI, will likely be present. You may have to get through them to get to him."

After more smaller mission details, the meeting came to a close. Josh's skin tingled with the weight that was on his shoulders. For the first time since becoming a Beast Rider, the fate of millions of people throughout Hoenn was on his shoulders.

OCTOBER 13, 2023

PRESENT DAY

The nigh-unapproachable island where the ETERNAL SHADOW's embodiment made his stand left the League with few options but to use a military submarine, invisible to sonar, to transport what few Avatars had not been sidelined by the Harbinger's godlike power. The SHADOW ARTICUNO that had attacked Ever Grande yesterday was living proof that even legendary Pokémon were not completely immune to Cillian Quinn 's malice, as was once believed. Sending all of the remaining battle-capable Avatars to the island was not a decision even Commissioner dahlia goode was comfortable with, but what choice did she have? The ETERNAL SHADOW had nearly circumnavigated the globe. If it were to fully close, the entire world would fall into turmoil and chaos unlike anything ever witnessed in history anywhere.

Laurence Anderson was heavily on former Gym Leader Josh Devlin 's mind, the Iceborne Mirage now weaponized by Rocket.

The last six Avatars that could fight split into two groups: Elise Calcifet , Michael Navidson , and Alexei Ivanov down one tunnel, and Josh Devlin , kyle lopez , and Isaac Merlo down the other. The Purifier was mission critical; the other two Beast Riders had to protect him at all costs. If he fell in battle, all hope was lost, for his Suicune's powers were the only known way to purify Shadow Pokémon. A Rocket Avatar would be waiting in the weeds for each of the two trios of the League's last line of defense. The two Gym Leaders and Galarian royal would stare down one of their worst nightmares: howard slayte , the Distressed, pure fear radiating from the cursed bowl nestled in the antlers of the TING-LU standing next to him.

The Beast Riders would face a nightmare of their own; halfway through the cavern, it opened up into a rocky, canyon-like topography exposed to the purple light -- and MIASMA -- of the ETERNAL SHADOW. Standing in its center was Lulu Flint , the Revenant. Floating in the wisp-filled atmosphere was Darkrai, whose mind was filled with NASTY PLOTS and whose eyes cast a gaze of pure malice toward them. "Is this all the League could muster? They really are desperate to hurl those whose bonds with their Patrons remain weak and unrefined. But it matters not. Once I eliminate you from the face of this wretched planet, there will be nothing to stop Cillian Quinn from becoming the unstoppable ruler of not just Hoenn, but the entire world. Every soul remaining on this planet shall fear his name. I do not want to take your lives. In exchange for your unconditional surrender, I offer you and your Beasts a place in Cillian Quinn 's army as his generals."

From Suicune's back, Isaac Merlo scowled and scoffed toward Lulu. "This is not how I wanted to meet you again. I already went through that life. Been there, done that. I once thought the same of the League. How they did nothing but let down their followers. I once trusted Rocket because I thought they would bring about change. Cillian Quinn 's ETERNAL SHADOW has opened my eyes. The change he wants to bring about is not true change. What he is doing is not only not solving the problems that Rocket claimed to want to solve, but he wants to upend the lives of Hoennians? Nuh-uh. And that -- that is why I left Rocket."

From Entei's back, kyle lopez kept his retort short and sweet. "A world where only Shadow Pokémon exist is a Hoenn that benefits only a select few. As Top Champion, I refuse to allow the many to serve the few."

From Raikou's back, Josh Devlin 's anger grew like a billowing thunderstorm. "You don't get it, do you? He's using you! What good is your fealty going to do you?! What's stopping him from casting you aside like he casts aside anyone else not used to him?! Do you not care for your Pokémon? A trainer who truly loves and respects their Pokémon would never, ever let them become Shadow Pokémon! They have personalities, quirks, and most importantly, hearts, just like us. By closing those doors and treating them like weapons of war, you deny them free will and true companionship. Lulu, true loyalty is, has been, and will always be a two-way street. Wake up!"

The Revenant's response was simple and sword-point. "Then take your naive heroism to your graves."

As a DARK PULSE raced outward from the ultrafast Darkrai, whose reaction time exceeded even that of the Beasts, Raikou's blue muzzle, Entei's yellow crown, and Suicune's blue crystal began slowly and subtly changing color to a deep purple...

OCTOBER 14, 2023

PRESENT DAY

The nightmarish legendary Pokémon's DARK PULSE hurtled toward the Beast Riders, Josh's SUPERHUMAN REACTION TIME letting him duck behind his mount's head and out of the way. The others weren't so lucky, their Beasts rearing as a wave of pure hatred crashed into them, their crown and crystal turning slightly more purple on impact.

Though the dark-type had a reaction time advantage over the Beasts, it did not have a raw speed advantage, particularly after a TAILWIND blew from behind Suicune. "Thanks, Isaac!" Josh gave the Purifier a thumbs-up before leaning in and kicking Raikou's sides. Conjuring the Lightning Sword into his right hand, the Knight of Thunder and his legendary steed flew toward Darkrai in the fastest jousting match Hoenn had ever seen. The shifting winds further disoriented the Revenant and her partner. Though the first caught her off guard, Lulu Flint was ready for the second, disappearing into a shadow cast by one of the tall crags surrounding the battleground.

She waited as long as she could, her patience rewarded. Though Darkrai had suffered a heavy blow, it was worth her while to emerge behind Josh after her partner had recovered. Her bond with Darkrai heightened the lethality of the DARK VOID that blanketed their surroundings in complete blackness, putting all her foes to sleep on the spot. Not even any INSOMNIA they may have had would save them.

With the six asleep, Lulu Flint and Darkrai gorged themselves on Entei and Raikou, the DREAM EATERS able to nearly fully heal their wounds by the time the three Avatars and Suicune woke up from their nightmares. A thrust from kyle lopez 's Crimson Blade forced Lulu back into the shadows, but Suicune was ready, encasing her in the freezing prison left by an ICE BEAM the moment she materialized.

With only the Patron remaining, kyle lopez pointed his burning blade at the dark-type. It was his turn to go fast, inspiring the former Mauville Gym leader with an EXTREME SPEED charge once the other Beasts had risen from their slumber. Back in the saddle, Josh Devlin followed the charge up with an EXTREME SPEED-fueled slash from his own blade. Isaac Merlo , not one to be outdone, raised his Z-Charm skyward, the SUICUNIUM-Z embedded in the Beast's purple-blue crown glowing brightly. "End this! AURORA CRYSTALIS!"

Suicune: AURORA CRYSTALIS
[Ice][Special]
After obtaining Z-Power, the user, Suicune, channels an aurora borealis through the crystal crown on its forehead, subjecting the target to deadly, biting cold. This deals extreme Ice damage to the target and reduces its ATTACK and ACCURACY to ROCK BOTTOM.

A tempestuous wind threw Isaac forward in his seat, both their bodies glowing with all colors of the rainbow. The cold light induced an unnatural shriek and an intense seizure from the creature of darkness, forcing it to disappear into the shadows. With Lulu Flint remaining frozen in place, the Revenant was a threat no more.

The Beast Riders' hearts thumped; the power of Rocket's Avatars was staggering, and they certainly had more than one defending Cillian Quinn . As the trio rode into the next large tunnel, kyle lopez couldn't help but notice a small cloud of wisps surrounding the crowns of their three Patrons...