"You could say that," the Knight of Thunder confirmed, tilting his head toward Lars. "I can't wait for the day a challenger brings a rare or even legendary Pokémon to the Gym so I can actually do what I've wanted to do for years: race Swift." A thunderous purr shook him, making his hair stand on end. Just the thought of it gave him goose bumps... in a good way.

"I was," Josh answered, though he had kept their real name to secrecy. "It was the first time I had used my calling in speed for anything outside sports. And it was what got me in the door as a Ranger, too. Fortree really liked it on my resume."

With a flick of the Raikou's tufts of thundercloud, the duo were off down the winding canyon trail. Respecting Lars' limits, Josh let him and his Silvally dictate the pace for the time being.

"That's not what I'm saying at all," Josh corrected as he squeezed Swift's sides slightly to maintain pace with Amir. "Racing on the back of a legendary Pokémon is a thrill. As harrowing as Operation Meteno was, soaring on your Articuno is something I won't ever forget. But as you know, even among the legendary Pokémon, Swift is... very special to me." Little was he aware that the events within Megalopolan prison would substantially delay the opportunity to live such a dream. "Not that I haven't forgotten about our race."

It wasn't until Lars' last line that Josh realized the Avatar was teasing him. "It's okay. This is our chance to relax and let loose. A chance for us to forget about Hoenn and just... be ourselves." And a chance to get himself used to the Beast's speed, would Lars and Amir dare to do so.

"It was," Josh agreed. "Hard to get more dire than a meteor threatening to obliterate the entire region." It was an event Josh wished he could forget about, and presumably Lars, too. Josh because of the near-death experience for not just himself, but several of his Pokémon, and Lars for starting the feud between Patron and Avatar that would ultimately lead to Articuno looking elsewhere for assistance in combatting Rocket. "And one I will remember forever."

Being blessed by Kyle's Patron, Swift the Raikou falling into his hands was certainly a curve ball that came out of nowhere. "Been on the receiving end of that. I certainly wasn't expecting Kyle to put me on a trial by fire through Ho-oh during the title match. His loss, I imagine, is a big reason why Rocket's making their move now."

The smirk that formed on Lars' face was contagious, Josh leaning forward as Amir zoomed ahead of him. "Faster, Swift! Faster!" he whooped, the Beast happy to oblige. He broke into a canter that was far faster than the full gallop of many Pokémon known for their speed, bouncing Josh up and down on his flexing back. He didn't dare order Swift to use a move. Even a mild speed boost from the electric tackling attack known as Spark would be too much for his body to handle without extensive training. Training he would need to undergo if he wanted to truly represent the titles of Champion and Knight of Thunder.

The thought had, strangely enough, never crossed Josh's mind. If he could find Kyle at The Border, then that would confirm his death. For The Border was where restless souls wandered when they could not pass on, most commonly due to having their lives taken from them before they had completed what Fate resolved them to do.

"Might be worth taking a trip there," Josh nodded, slowing Swift down as his body started to reach its limits. Had it really been so long since being astride the Beast in Kyle's hands that his body's speed tolerance had regressed on him? To be fair, just like when he was in fervent pursuit of the Beast, there was nothing that could prepare him for the exertion. Swift's land speed truly was in a league of its own.

"That's exactly it," the Gym Leader replied. "With the number of apocalypses he's survived... he wouldn't just die from a volcanic eruption." Let alone MATIAS SILPH or Elisabeth Fiorelli ... whoever Kyle's murderer was. "I never thought I would have business there again. Not after helping Shawn's soul pass on. I... I still think about him. But he's no longer at The Border. He's in the land of paradise. The racetrack in the sky. And when my time comes, I look forward to being with him. Funny you bring this up, though. Do you have business at The Border?"

Right, weren't Kyle and Noah best buds? Yet not a word about the late Top Champion's last rites. Lars did have a point. "Same. Once I saw Shawn off, I didn't think I was coming back, either. Given he's how I can command Swift, I only owe him to see this through. Let's schedule a trip out to The Border together. We'll get to the bottom of each of our mysteries. And if we don't find Kyle there... we'll have to redouble our search efforts in Hoenn. We have to find him. Hoenn needs him to be able to win this war."

Little did they know that this trip to The Border would be delayed for months on end, for Josh wouldn't be feeling well enough to sit in Swift's thundercloud saddle for an extended period of time. And he wasn't going to be able to ride for a while with the terrible injuries he was to suffer in Ultra Space.