Josh figured Matias has his doubts. The Champion was aware from their interview as part of his Assessment that he had his soft spots. He recalled that one of the reasons Matias did not pass him was for his softer attitude toward the rank and file of Team Rocket. He had seen people rise from the Amnesty program into the ranks of AQUA.

If there was something he was doing wrong, he wanted to know about it.

"We've known each other for a long time. I know you don't like to beat around the bush, and neither do I. Just tell it to me like it is."

The Mauville Leader didn't disagree with Matias on that point. Josh did give off a certain aura of intensity. Perhaps it came with his Pokémon selection. There were very few Pokémon one would consider cute on his vast squad; almost all of them were apex predators that could seriously harm or even kill people and Pokémon with ease. Perhaps it was the way he battled, his Pokémon's movement being almost impossible to follow. Perhaps it was, once Elisabeth Fiorelli had forced his hand in the prismatic prison, that he utilized, perhaps even flaunted, the ashen Raikou. Even for a simple escort from Mauville to Lavaridge, he would often travel by way of his legendary partner. Perhaps a bit too often.

The remark insinuating Josh wouldn't defend his people made his eyebrows rise. "You're absolutely right on the first point... but at the same time, there is no personality that can please everyone. I've learned from my time serving Hoenn, as a Gym Leader and as a Ranger, that the best you can do is pleasing most people most of the time." The boy leaned forward on his Raikou's back, his mount lowering his head and tilting it slightly downward.

"But how can you talk about me not keeping Hoenn's people safe after what I did for you? Resheph died protecting you. I've known her longer than almost all the rest of my Pokémon." Matias, being on the front lines, had no doubt experienced loss in far greater numbers.

During his tenure in Hoenn, seven of Josh's Pokémon had died under his watch, not counting the ones that kyle lopez had brought back from the dead. Yagyu the Doublade met her end at an Annhilape's Destiny Bond. Bora the Corviknight did not survive a stem cell extraction to create Aleph. Rime the Alolan Ninetales died Dynamaxing beneath New Mauville, howard slayte the only other witness to the act. The rest had died as a direct consequence of the war: Slider the Braviary, to mint frost ; Dashie the Rapidash, to Elisabeth Fiorelli ; Aslan, once leader of Josh's Pyroar pride, drowned in the sea courtesy of Rhea Armistead , and most tragically, Resheph the Dragonair, speared upon jayden cross ' ice blades.

"How many of your first six Pokémon are still alive today?" The purpose of the question was not to get an answer. It was simply to get the Volatile to consider what Josh had given up to protect Hoenn's greatest military leader.

Josh and Matias had two vastly different views on what Pokémon should be. To the Volatile, they were naught but means to an end. To Josh, they were companions. Partners. Friends. Diametrically opposed stances that would have made them political rivals were they competing for a seat within the League's upper echelons. In his eyes, Matias was not respectful of the fact that Pokémon were living and intelligent beings. Some, like Resheph and Tiamat, displayed human-like intelligence. Sure, not all of Josh's Pokémon were keen on wearing reins, but they did so out of respect for him. All except Swift.

For he knew that trust was the only bridle a legendary Pokémon would accept.

From the look in the military leader's eyes, Josh knew his account was no exaggeration. "This is a Buneary hole we've gone down many times before. It's clear that you and I don't look toward Pokémon in the same way. But Matias, you know what I would give to protect Mauville. To protect Hoenn. You saw it before your own eyes that day. But why should that disqualify me from running for Melody's seat?" He did not yell at Matias, like his past self would have. He showed every sign that he was in control of his emotions. Every sign that he wanted to debate the issue as a mature adult.

"...Or is because the Commissioner and Council feel I'm too valuable in my current seat?"

As much as Josh didn't want to swallow that pill, it was true. He was a phenomenal Gym Leader with a wonderful work ethic. Unlike many Gym Leaders, who relied on their League stipend to remain afloat, Josh's Gym was quite profitable even without public funding. Taxpayer funds, of course, went to the Gym, whether it be maintenance, employee paychecks, or anything else directly related to the Gym's operation. He was one of the region's greatest success stories; during the warm months, tourists flocked to the Gym just to engage in his Pokémon racing challenge. Relieving Josh of his Gym by way of a promotion to Elite Four would split his focus between his city and the rest of the region.

Though Slateport and Ever Grande were the two most important cities in the region, Mauville was perhaps the most strategically located. It was at the very center of the region, serving as a strategic crossroads. To the west, Verdanturf. To the south, Slateport. To the north, Lavaridge. And to the east, the only land bridge between western and eastern Hoenn. Were Mauville to fall, dividing and conquering the League would be trivial for Rocket.

"I might need to ask the Commissioner herself about it. With supply lines becoming ever more important as Rocket marches inland, AQUA would be better with someone like me among their ranks. I had a successor lined up, but I haven't heard from him in a while." It wasn't like zachary stellar to disappear for so long. Though he felt a missing persons report was unnecessary, it would still have been nice to at least get word from him. "I just hope he's okay..."

Josh's heart sank at Matias' cruel remarks toward the psychic enthusiast. "Don't say that about him! If he has my Badge, he's a strong trainer." That may not have been the case when the Master of Faster first took the reins of Mauville from John Sullivan , but now he was one of the region's toughest Gym Leaders. He only handed out so many Badges due to taking on challengers in higher numbers. As a percentage of successful challengers, he may have been the toughest Gym in the region.

At last sliding off the Raikou's back to give his legendary mount a hug he wished the electric-type could appreciate the affection of on his own, Josh's eyes shifted toward Matias again, though his voice was muffled from his face being somewhat buried in ashy fur. "It was far from a stalemate. Yes, the first wave of battles resulted in an overall loss of territory, but having a stake in Sootopolis is huge. The island being a neutral zone is going to make supplying the eastern archipelago so much easier. The more our hold over Hoenn is split like this, the more AQUA needs someone who can keep supply lines running smoothly. Who's gonna keep Dewford afloat if we lose Slateport, too? I'm sure that or Mauville's going to be Rocket's next target. They're both too strategically positioned."