For the first time since coming to Hoenn, Josh was truly depressed. Everything was going his way, climbing the ranks all the way to the top of the battle circult. He was on the very short list of Hoenn's Champions, having conquered one of the toughest Pokémon Leagues in the world. He had the companionship of the Pokémon of his dreams: the fastest Pokémon on land. The unparalleled velocity of the Johtonian god of speed, at his beck and call. And he couldn't indulge himself in the way his younger self dreamed. Why?

Because some toxic-chained ogre delayed that opportunity, if not outright took it from him.

As he and his Beast veered off the road and into the vast meadow, a Galarian Rapidash ferrying him across the grassland at a mild speed, Josh's eyes veered toward the black thundercloud billowing atop Swift's back. Seeing it only magnified his frustrations. Echoing those frustrations, the ashen Raikou sounded a thunderous purr that would almost certainly get Honoré Nara 's attention...

Honoré Nara 's screeching did not go unnoticed over the wind. The Gym Leader tugged on Dashie's reins, the Rapidash rearing and turning around to face the familiar face he couldn't put a name on.

"I do," Josh answered, calmly and with a glum tone. Too down for someone being praised for possessing the Johto Beast. "Your face looks familiar, but I've forgotten your name - I'm sorry." If Honoré Nara remembered Josh's normally cheerful expression, it was all but gone today.

Josh was a bit flush. He had met so many challengers that he couldn't possibly remember all of them. "It's great to meet you again, Honoré - I'm so sorry I don't remember you as well as you remember me. That picture of me on the Raikou has circulated all over the Internet by now." Josh clicked open a third Poké Ball containing a Type: Null, the Gym Leader content to let the moody normal-type roam around and chase away a Houndoom getting a bit too close.

His memories were coming back to him slowly; there were only so many girls that bombarded Josh with questions without giving him a chance to answer them. "It was... but the reality isn't as dreamy as I would like it to be. Swift is... the same Raikou I rode in that picture." The more he talked about it, the more down he seemed to get. He was still taking the Top Champion's loss hard.

"You saw the news a couple months ago, right? That Top Champion kyle lopez was killed in action?"

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD ARAQUANID APPEARED!

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] FEMALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] WATER ABSORB
[attr="class","wildtabox"]SOAK	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]HEADBUTT
[attr="class","wildtabox"]BITE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]ENTRAINMENT
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Honoré Nara Josh Devlin

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD DURANT APPEARED!

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] MALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] HUSTLE
[attr="class","wildtabox"]ENTRAINMENT	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]SAND ATTACK
[attr="class","wildtabox"]VICE GRIP	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]GUILLOTINE
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Honoré Nara Josh Devlin

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

Honoré Nara CAUGHT THE SHUCKLE!

"We were more than friends," Josh answered, Swift's facial expression and general demeanor mirroring his trainer's own. "He was my mentor. He helped me become the Gym Leader I am now. I owe much of my success to him. And most importantly, this Raikou used to be his. It was as if he passed the Beast on to me knowing the hour of his death."

Had he known that the cost of joining forces with his childhood idol would be Kyle's life, he would have turned down the opportunity. That was in the past now, and he had to live without Kyle... at least for the time being. Something within him made him feel that Kyle was not truly dead... that the Great One was just waiting for the right time for him to return.

"So what's new with you, Honoré?" Josh asked, trying to shift the subject to something less glum as Ixion whinnied when a wild Durant got a little too close for comfort. Aleph was quick to chase the steel-type away with a TRI-ATTACK.

The emotionless Raikou did not react at all to Honoré's words. "I haven't done as much as I want to, either," Josh admitted. "Been going through rehab for my left arm after it got smashed at the end of April. I've had to relearn how to ride Pokémon from the ground up. It's been very frustrating having to limit appointments for my Gym as a result." The Racing Grounds' popularity caused him to be busy during the reduced hours his Gym was open, both for his own health and for the challengers' safety due to the region's hot summers.

"If you have interest in becoming a stronger trainer, I can help you," Josh offered, remembering when he was in need of the same before he became a Gym Leader. "What is it you need help with in that regard?" As he awaited an answer, his Type: Null continued to spar with wild Pokémon, a Murkrow flying away after Aleph narrowly missed with a TRI ATTACK.