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Navy's old self would have been whooping with every undulation of the emerald serpent, but he probably wouldn't have been able to hear himself shouting. Several of Josh's Pokémon could break the sound barrier. Mastema could, Tiamat could, and Resheph was working on it. Rayquaza, though... that legendary dragon was in a league of their own. After unlocking the power of Mega Evolution, escape velocity was well within reach.

Even the Master of Faster would be crushed against the scaly god were he to sit behind Eva Morales when that moment came. That kind of speed would likely be hers and hers alone to enjoy.

As the conversation grew long, Josh gently pulled back on his speeding mount's body; out of reverence for what he believed was an incarnation of the Johtonian deity, he refused to outfit Raikou the Raging Bolt with reins. As he learned from being astride Rayquaza and Virizion, a legendary steed could only be controlled with the bridle of trust.

Raikou gently slowed to a stop with his rider's modest tug, static radiating from the electric dragon's body as the Gym Leader slid off. The two walked toward a colossal research station, the yellow paradox creating a big enough tremor with a BODY PRESS to render the door ajar. Sliding a claw into the opening, he used a combination of that and his long neck to get the warehouse door lifted fully into the open position.

Raikou walked into the center of the observation area within, Josh giving his "legendary" partner a pat on the side. The electric-type arched his head toward the Master of Faster, nuzzling him before letting him be. He took a seat on one of the benches inside.

"I know you would trust me with information like that, but I've never heard anything about a Suicune appearing at the AQUA meeting. Are you sure that's been declassified?" he asked, worried about Navy getting in trouble with the Commissioner and Council. "But yes, I have seen a Suicune down here, as well. So you say several Suicune shards have been spotted down here?"

---

Michael Navidson

{PC: 2}

NAME            SPECIES           STATUS
Raikou          Raging Bolt       Good

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"Of course not!" Josh laughed back, still in a relaxed state of mind after letting loose with Raikou. Navy, as far as Josh was aware, had a spotless record. Josh did not. While he wasn't in hot water with the League anymore, thanks to FERNANDO SILPH commuting much of the rest of his sentence. Three more months of working for the Rangers on his own PD, and he would at last be free of his community service requirement. He could be a Champion, both in strength and in title.

He pondered Navy's thoughts. They were valid, too. Perhaps Josh was wrong and Raikou the Raging Bolt had the same injuries as the Terastal Raikou by total coincidence. Confirmation bias sure was strong, wasn't it? Just as strong as his dream was. Even if he was living in a false dream, it made him happy. Happy to keep him motivated to serve the League in his fullest capacity. "Remember at the Dyna Tree? How there was one Calyrex until he approached Elise Calcifet ? Then there were two? That's what I mean. Think about it. I've always theorized that legendary Pokémon can do this when they get captured in a Poké Ball. Think about what Avatars wield versus, say, what she wields. Originals versus shards. It also very conveniently explains how there can be so many Suicune running around in Area Zero." Circumstantial, yes, but to Josh, it was sensible.

"He may look different from the Raikou I remember, but he's still a Raikou," Josh eyed his Raging Bolt, whose neck arched toward Navy in an effort to size the Elite Four up. "You know how Kantonian Vulpix and Alolan Vulpix are so different from one another, yet they're considered the same species? Johtonian Entei and... Hoennian Entei. Same thing."

---

Michael Navidson

{PC: 3}

NAME            SPECIES           STATUS
Raikou          Raging Bolt       Good

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Even the Raging Bolt's cry was no different from that of a Raikou: a peal of thunder. Other than the shape, Raikou, Josh's Raging Bolt, brought a similar sense of majesty to the Raikou Josh knew, both from tales of his childhood and from the Great One's Avatar. Through Protosynthesis, his Wild Charge was just as fast as a Johtonian Raikou's Extreme Speed. His THUNDERCLAP mirrored the power of a Johtonian Raikou's Thunderbolt. His roar tickled Josh just as much as a Johtonian Raikou's purr.

Navy's words were not painful at all, though they did not serve as the reality check he may have intended them to be. "Navy, I spent fourteen years of my life chasing him. Twelve years in Johto and almost two in Hoenn. And now, this Raikou's mine. It's time I paid Hoenn back for all the time I spent running around Hoenn trying to track him. Like I said when I came to you after Eris: if Raikou wanted me, he would come to me." He took two knees, again cuddling the Raging Bolt's face. "And now, he did. He came to me. He's my Raikou. And no one can take him away from me."

As the topic shifted, Josh sat down on the dusty floor, at last letting go of the electric dragon that seemed to love him. If it was anything like Tyrfing and Sigmund, they would only be placid within Area Zero. Getting them to listen elsewhere in Hoenn might be a bit more challenging. "I saw firsthand what happened to Laurence Anderson in Shoal Cave. I've seen what happened to MATIAS SILPH . And even that girl with the snail. Their Patrons control their Avatars' lives. Navy, I don't want that to happen to me." A rumble of thunder echoed as Raikou's mouth opened, the Raging Bolt doing its best to smile from being with Josh.

"Navy... when I first learned of it, I was so naive. My heart was in the right place. I desired Avatarship with Raikou to change Hoenn's future. A future where 820 passes beyond the Origin Point intact and unharmed. But now that I've seen what it's done to even a soul as strong as Matias... it's so much. I wouldn't want to be Raikou's Avatar with what I know now. My dream wasn't to be Raikou's Avatar. My dream was to be Raikou's friend. And look at us now."

---

Michael Navidson

{PC: 4}

NAME            SPECIES           STATUS
Raikou          Raging Bolt       Good

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Josh had come a long way. Once a man obsessed with Raikou to the point where it made him unhealthy, now he had the partnership of Raikou the Raging Bolt. While not quite the Johtonian Raikou he dreamed of, it was almost as fast. The difference was so small that even his speed-trained senses could barely tell. It had almost the same feel as Kyle's Raikou, too. There were differences between the dinosaur cat and the Johtonian deity, but there were too many similarities betwen them. Johtonian Raikou or Hoennian Raikou, the Raging Bolt would be a devastating weapon once properly harnessed.

"It's just like at Dewford, Navy. I fought like hell out there. I shouldn't have fought the way I did, but I fought. And when Sootopolis comes around, I'll keep fighting the way I know how to. You know how I said I wanted to offer a war courier scenario through the Gym? I pitched my first draft of it to the Commish, and she turned it down. Needed revision. But I digress. I know my role on the battlefield now, and with a Raikou on my side, there will be no one faster to resupply people like you with. You'll know when I drop a bag full of Max Revive in your safehouse. When I return with a blueprint our best agent pilfer from Rocket. Those things. Not putting Thunderbolts in Rockets' skulls. That's your job."

It was almost like where a movie would end. Almost. Josh had plans: plans to setup for the sequel.

"There's still one more chapter in this movie. And you know what that chapter's about? Kicking Kyle's ass." Little did he know that doing exactly that would result in a complete rebirth of Josh Devlin into a recognizable, yet vastly different, Gym Leader. When that day came, he would not be just a Champion, but a Signer. A holy Signer and Knight of Thunder.

The two would certainly have another man-to-man discussion when he would get the news...

---

Michael Navidson

{PC: 5}

NAME            SPECIES           STATUS
Raikou          Raging Bolt       Good