The metallic doors would open to reveal one of Hoenn's Champions, Josh Devlin , with his Type: Null behind him. While he didn't look thrilled to be at the underground League facility at Ever Grande, he didn't look upset, either. By his standards, he was in a good mood. "Thanks for inviting me, Paxton," the Ranger answered. "I've been meaning to meet with you about this since April, but it's been so busy... what with kyle lopez passing, then my kidnapping that left my arm out of commission for so long, then Shalin Nariya 's capture... it's been nonstop. But now that I'm feeling well enough, I can at last come out here."

Josh's eyes shifted about the course: it was almost a replica of the land course that used to be on Route 111, near the Battle Arcade. "This looks like my old Minor League Gym," he mused as he reached for the three Cherish Balls on his belt, profile images of the heads of Raikou, Entei, and Suicune each on one of them. "Really impressed. Definitely room to run here."

Clicking open the Poké Balls containing his "Hoennian" Beasts, the three stood proud, the riding gear on them uniquely identifying them as his. "I've already talked with illeana reyes about these three - Raikou, Entei, and Suicune," he introduced the paradox Pokémon before they all ran off to playfight with one another -- and with Aleph. "But that's not why you called me. It's because of this feather. It was a gift from kyle lopez ." Plucking the scintillating object from his shirt, its quill dripped with ash. "This feather is the vessel for the Raikou that was under his command. And now, it's under mine."

"It's alright. You're not the only person I've had trouble scheduling an initial meeting with." he said, assuring the gym leader it was all good. Paxton was rather adept at rescheduling conflicts by now. "Yeah, SAPPHIRE's been allowed to re-kit a few of the League's preexisting facilities for our use." Which was just a fancy way to say that they had taken over from 9 to 5 on the weekdays. Their budget was secure, but Paxton wouldn't overextend it just because he'd gotten some good will from the Commissioner.

He nodded as Josh continued. "Yes, the paradoxes that resemble the Johtonian dogs." he'd managed to acquire his own, but not done too many studies on them yet considering how recently he'd managed to collect them. "Exactly, I caught a glance of it during the Sootopolis raid." he continued.

He looked at the rainbow feather, not reaching to touch it. "I wanted to take some readings about it, but I have a feeling it will echo an energy signature similar to a mega stone. Maybe stronger due to its connection with Ho Oh."

He gestured at the track before adding, "I also wanted to see it in person as well as ask a bit about your connection with it." To his knowledge it wasn't a physical Raikou some he didn't think the mental strain would be too much. But better safe than sorry.

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ooc: Josh Devlin | mission prompt: community engagement

The war had made many League officials' schedules tight, Josh had imagined. Even with the Gym Challenge slowing down in the cooler months, he had plenty to keep him busy. With him owning so many rare and strong Pokémon, each of which was a handful to raise, he felt the need to retain all his employees. They would just be shifted to different roles. "This really is up my alley. What would you say to moving the 2025 Silph Cup down here?" Josh proposed. "I've been trying to coordinate a place with the Hoenn Racing Federation, and they're really skittish to commit to a place to run it ever since Petalburg fell." As things stood, there might not even be a Silph Cup next year.

Suicune tromped toward Josh, the young man gently running his hands through his purple mane. "Everything about them makes them seem like they're regional forms of the Johtonian Beasts. And until Science is able to confirm otherwise, they're Hoennian forms of Raikou, Entei, and Suicune to me."

When asked, Josh plucked the feather from his outfit, SACRED ASH dripping from its quill. "Another layer of security is in order to release Swift from the feather, you have to draw this Sign that looks like a lightning bolt," he explained. "Swift is the Raikou's name. As a child, I've always dreamed of being friends with Raikou, and I even named him like I do my other Pokémon. It's just... stuck." With the preamble out of the way, he raised the feather in front of him and above him, drawing the Sign's four strokes. Electricity surged through the trail of ash, building itself into the spitting image of the Johtonian Beast.

Both the Raging Bolt's and the Raikou's cries were identical rumbles of thunder. "And that's why I think they're regional variants of one another. They sound the same, they resemble each other as much as Kantonian and Alolan Vulpix do... they're both Raikou."

He looked around the facilities. "Isn't this a bit too small for it?" he asked. Not to mention the security issues. "Hard to get a crowd down here as well. Too many checkpoints." he added with a small shrug before moving right along. 

"I did get readings of Isaac Merlo 's Suicune to compare to our Walking Wakes." His own securely in his pc as opposed to his Magnezone who freely roamed around as a calm, trained presence for Paxton. "Paradox pokemon exhibit about the same amount of energy as any other pokemon. Legendaries have a bit more nuance, but Suicune and a Walking Wake wasn't comparable. Even the shard samples we have read higher than mine." he explained with a small shrug. "I think it helps if you understand paradoxes just take on a wilder form because of the nature of where they come from. But with our data, paradoxes have been confirmed a different species altogether. Not a regional form." Which is dreams or some sort of tera crystal phenomenon. It's a headache and a half to pull at that thread though. 

"Blessings be from Ho oH then, eh?" he said as Josh went on to explain the activation of the SACRED ASH form. amidst sparks and a cloud of dust forms a monochrome look alike. Josh's evidence for their similarities falls to the wayside as he looks to other personnel who move in to observe and annotate. Somewhere the clicking of a device goes off as it taps into the SACRED ASH Raikou's energy signature. "Do you control it? Or just summon it." he asked taking a few cautious steps forward. 

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ooc: Josh Devlin | mission prompt: community engagement

As valid as Paxton's points were, Josh was desperate; he didn't want to give up the 2025 season, and he wasn't sure where else to propose the opener should be other than his Gym. It would be a last resort, too; Mauville was already a target. That many people gathered in one spot would be asking for trouble. Perhaps too much trouble for Rocket to resist deploying a Dynamax attack.

Had the League's knowledge of paradox Pokémon come so far in such a short time? With how closely the director worked with Science, Josh couldn't deny it. It was consistent with what illeana reyes had told him, as well. "So they actually are different species..." he trailed off, a pang of disappointment in his voice. A brief one, bit still noticeable. "I'm not changing their names, though. They're still Raikou, Entei, and Suicune to me." The long-necked electric-type craned his neck toward Josh, the Gym Leader cuddling the Pokémon's face like a child would a Growlithe before stepping in front of the two again.

Paxton's question about his legendary partner felt quite loaded. He paused for quite some time, choosing his words very carefully. "It's... complicated. Swift is... different from all the other legendary Pokémon I know of within the League. He's... not even a Pokémon. He's a memory of the Raikou that fought in the attempted Johto invasion. A memory influenced -- and perhaps even altered by -- my inner self."

"You don't have to. But don't be surprised people are confused when you call out the names of a sacred trio and you send out paradoxes." he said with a small shrug. He didn't have the power to force him to do anything. Just as long as he didn't misinform. And he'd told him everything he knew, to the best of his abilities.

Paxton turned to Josh at the description, eyebrows furrowing at the revelation. "This Raikou...is a memory?" He takes pause. What's intriguing here is not the Raikou itself then but the source of that power. "Ho Oh is lending you its power directly, but you're not an avatar..." he trails off, looking over to a passing scientist. A quick order and personnel move instantly to acquire supplies for sampling of the gym leader. "Josh, while you're here, do you mind if we take a blood sample from you? Just in case." It could be just a tool.

"Can you go into more detail about this...memory bit?" It's interesting to be specified as such. That's exactly what their old Champion is missing isn't it? He doesn't voice that but...could Josh have one of the only things left to unlock kyle lopez 's memories? They'd gifted him the 'memory' of Raikou after all. And if it's modified by Josh's own self...his memories of Kyle? He blinks, feeling himself going in circles. Paxton pulls out a pad and pen, ready to annotate.

---

ooc: Josh Devlin | mission prompt: community engagement

Josh had come to grips with that since Science had explained it to him the first time. They looked so similar that to him, they were the three Pokémon he loved and cherished so much. His were different, too; where most Raging Bolt were extremely tough physically, Josh's traded that toughness for the speed the legendary species was known for.

"As far as I've been able to ascertain, yes," Josh answered. "And that is correct. The Great One Ho-oh did not make me an Avatar. It's kind of funny. Before she passed on the ashen blessing, I wanted to be Raikou's Avatar more than anything in the world. Now that I've seen how Avatarship ruins lives, I would say no to it now." In spite of what Melody Miro said in her Elite Four chamber. In spite that the League needed more Avatars to combat Rocket. In spite of the wondrous powers Raikou could bestow upon him. His past self's imagination ran wild. This self, transformed and reborn in the rainbow Pokémon's funeral pyre, no longer had such a desire.

Josh at first tensed at the request, not liking needles. He hummed before nodding in the affirmative. "As long as you can forward the blood test results to my family doctor, too," the Gym Leader agreed. "That way I don't have to get blood work done for him, too. What else do you need to test for?"

There were far too many unanswered questions. Even after visiting Kyle's spirit in the Border, he had many unanswered questions. "I'm still learning about him, trying to expose him to different places. Different elements. So some of the information I have might not be accurate. But I'll do my best. As far as I've been able to tell, the Raikou only obeys me if my surface emotions and my subconscious are in sync. Otherwise, he won't listen to me." It was a long battle just getting the two to agree with one another, and even now, he occasionally lost control of the Beast.