Josh was also well over the age limit for collecting candy. That wasn't why he was going around Rustboro, though. He was there to show the young ones around the place his costume! It was a labor of love, the Mauville Leader's adoration of Raikou perhaps greater than that of anyone else in Hoenn.

He wondered what kyle lopez would have thought of his costume.

Thankfully, the young man had a teleporting ride Pokémon of his own, Lars perhaps remembering it from their less-than-legal Gym Challenge a few months prior. "I'm actually going to let you indulge yourself in that. I'll just be keeping you company and seeing if Rustboro will be just as impressed as Mauville at seeing their latest Avatar, Josh Devlin the Signer!"

What a wishful thinker. Could his body even handle the high dosage of Infinity Energy needed to be an Avatar in the first place?

He wasn't wrong. This was the one day of the year where he could feel like he was the hero he wanted to be. The hero of his dreams. The person he wanted to be. Given the issues Lars was having, was Avatarship as dreamy as Josh's imagination made it out to be? Probably not. While his Sygna Suit exposed him to quite a bit of Infinity Energy, that of a legendary Pokémon was on a totally different level.

"And remember, Raikou, not so fast. Our pirate friend here is on foot. He can't exactly go from zero to 240 in twelve seconds like you can," the self-proclaimed Signer joked. The Manectric maintained pace with Lars as they headed down Rustboro's largest residential district, the Gym Leader getting compliments about his glowing sword. Not one of the children or adults accompanying him recognized Saber's costume. Was Raikou's very existence a well-kept Johtonian secret?

Josh happily accepted the handful of candy from Lars. While he wasn't going to collect it directly from residents of Rustboro, he wouldn't say no to some from his friend and coworker! "I guess Raikou isn't too well-known outside Johto, huh?" Josh mused, striking a pose from the back of his electric mount for the young ones to take pictures of. In his getup, the Gym Leader looked like a god of thunder himself.

"I do remember," Josh recalled the trip they had taken across Hoenn, hitting up all the sports bars in the region. "Easy. I don't drink. Sports bars are more than just beer, you know. They've got good eats, and there's postseason football. What more can you ask for?" He paused to let one more child take a picture of him before readying himself to cross the street. "Sadly Goldenrod's not doing too well. Our quarterback's thumb injury got worse, and he's out for at least six games."

"Every region has their own fables and their own gods," Josh replied as the two crossed the street to the next block. "Johto's god of speed has just... resonated with me since I was young. It's a big part of what influenced me to be a Pokémon racer. I think Hoenn's a better place as a result of that influence, too." Mauville becoming a sports hub raised tourism to the city several-fold. He was able to turn his hobby of speedsports into something truly difference-making. Something that left Hoenn's army high in spirits: entertainment between dire missions.

While he had not run into other medieval knights, there were other sword wielders on the streets. One that was dressed as a traditional Kantonian samurai walked up to Josh and clinked swords with him as the two passed one another. A local equivalent, for those with knowledge of the lost region's traditions.

"You're not wrong; there's a reason it only really took off recently outside Unova," Josh remarked as Avatar and Gym Leader approached one of the city's wealthier districts. "A lot of people think team sport athletes are overpaid. Football players earn every dime they get. It's almost more dangerous than being on the front lines against Rocket. Almost."

Josh raised his hand toward Lars at how boisterous his cursing was. "Not so loud! There's kids around!" he protested. It was true even in his own field; while racing wasn't a team sport, pro racers made so much money, and not just from performances. A lot of their money was in sponsorships.

"True..." Josh sighed, swishing his blade about as though he were performing an elaborate, stylish finishing move against a helpless foe. As Lars remarked about Rustboro's wealthy district with a whistle, Josh let out a chuckle of his own. "This place's wealthy neighborhoods are like the middle class neighborhoods in Mauville. If you think people are rich, we should do another round of this back home. Some people in Mauville Hills are making some serious lettuce."

The mention of Eva Morales got Josh daydreaming about the unforgettable birthday present she gave him last year. "I wonder if I could handle Rayquaza any easier now. Did I ever tell you I got to fly with her last year?"