Once they were clear of the congested woods and onto the more open Route 104 proper, Josh squeezed his paradox mount's sides. "Faster, Entei! DRAGON DANCE!" the Master of Faster ordered. With a volcanic roar, the Gouging Fire tromped and stomped forward, on his way to a League outpost not far from Petalburg. It was where he needed to make his all-important delivery. It contained a blueprint seized by a HBIC agent; an accompanying document contained plans that would give Rocket a huge edge in their next invasion.

He couldn't risk that city being Mauville.

In a trail of dragonfire, Entei zoomed toward the outpost like a purple comet, perhaps a blur to Aqua Kennedy and robin coello . The rider's keen eyesight let him catch sight of their battle. While he didn't recognize the Rocket, his eyes widened at the sight of a familiar face. "...Robin?! What's she doing here?!" She was barely of age. Why was she in such a horrific warzone?

After making his delivery, he left the cart for those operating the outpost to unload. Dismounting long enough to unhook it from Entei and make sure the secret paperwork was properly handed over and secured, Josh waved goodbye to his allies before climbing atop the Gouging Fire again. Worry overflowed as he saw the young psychic's battle unfold, the Gym Leader kicked his paradox Pokémon's sides, the already speedy Pokémon performing a second, more fierce-looking DRAGON DANCE as part of its charge toward Aqua Kennedy 's Lapras.

With a lowered head of an angry fire dragon charging in a blur and a lowered head, Aqua Kennedy might learn why the Entei-like species was called Gouging Fire.

Robin was showing the Rocket no mercy, wielding Mega Evolution from the word go and overwhelming the Lapras with a mighty POWER GEM. Josh reined Entei back to try to limit the DRAGON RUSH's power, but it was too late. Like the legendary Pokémon the Gouging Fire was named after, Entei was fast. Almost uncontrollably fast. Were Aqua and the Lapras unable to intervene, the two attacks would collide violently, blinding the dragon-type with briny water. The paradox's size kept the rider safe, but did he ever feel his mount's muscles tense from the polluted liquid that was especially toxic to Pokémon of his type.

The Champion turned to Aqua Kennedy , his height advantage from being mounted perhaps adding to his intimidation. "Champion Devlin. You're outmatched, little one. I have no idea why Rocket would send a minor into battle against their will," he assumed their age, "but I won't stand for it. Give yourself up, and I will do everything in my power to make your rehabilitation and amnesty as painless as possible."

Josh turned his Gouging Fire toward robin coello next. "Robin, what's gotten into you?! They're just a child!" he scolded the psychic. "Show a little restraint! They may be Rocket, but they're still a human being!"

The vile tone underlying Robin's already hateful words left Josh in shock. This was not the robin coello that walked into his Gym that day. This was a monster. He never thought he would see a League fighter more unhinged than MATIAS SILPH . The Volatile had his maniacal and narcisstic moments, but he had never heard such vitriol come from a Leaguer's lips before. It opened the Leader's eyes to just how much hypocrisy there was within the League's ranks. How much dissonance there was. Was this why Rocket hated the League so much? With the number of fanatics in the League's ranks growing, those on the straight and narrow path, like Josh himself, seemed to be growing increasingly rarer by the day.

Josh had been called a Rocket sympathizer before for his more moderate stance in the war. It was part of why he had not passed the Champion Assessment's interview the first time. His career path as a Ranger guided him to his political stance that the truly evil ones within Rocket were at the top. Not the helpless-looking Aqua Kennedy before her.

He had to do something.

With a frightening bellow and a rear, Entei stood between Robin and Aqua before stomping the ground violently, forming a BURNING BULWARK around himself, the Rocket, and his rider. "Robin, get ahold of yourself! Please!" Josh pleaded, leaning around the Gouging Fire's crest to make eye contact with her. "They're just on Rocket's rank and file, following orders! Think about all the people from Rocket that have become heroes! Think of Isaac Merlo ! Of CIAN MAHER ! Of Remiel Calcifet ! They're dying! You don't have to kill them! Bring them in alive, and let Law Enforcement decide how they're punished. They may be Rocket, but they deserve to be treated with humanity and due process, just like the rest of us!"

He was certain that Hideo Kino would be proud if he saw Josh now.

An enemy combatant Aqua Kennedy was, but that didn't mean robin coello could choke them to death. "We may be enemies, but I can tell you're just following orders," Josh answered them as the BURNING BULWARK cooled down. "It's not you that I truly have problems with. It's the irredeemable decision makers at the top of Rocket. Turn yourself in, now, and I will do everything in my power to stop her," he side-eyed Robin menacingly. "Unlike Rocket, the League offers mercy and forgiveness to those truly willing to repent. Rehabilitation. Amnesty. I went through it, too," he referred to the time he nearly murdered Mesprit's bearer, Eris Halla . Though they may never understand one another, he still genuinely cared for her and her well-being.

Did Josh have a bleeding heart? Yes. But that didn't make him not Champion material. It didn't disqualify him from being Gym Leader material. Above all, it certainly didn't disqualify him from the blessing the Great One Ho-oh gave him in their final moments with their Avatar.

Entei lowered his mean-looking horn toward Robin and her Toxtricity upon seeing the familiar Shadow Pokémon that he disqualified the Ranger from his Gym over. "That's still no excuse to treat them inhumanely!" he barked. "Robin, why do you fight? Is it to obtain something? Is it to destroy something? Or is it--"

Upon the SHADOW RAVE reaching his ears, Entei reared and bucked with volcanic force, Josh frantically pulling on the Gouging Fire's reins to try to get the Gouging Fire under control. The Champion simply lacked the strength to resist, unable to keep his Gouging Fire from attempting to gore Robin or her Toxtricity (GHOSTFINCH's choice) with his wicked horn. His horn stuck in the earth, he mightily heaved with strength putting the meanest Tauros in the world to shame, sending Josh flying over the paradox Beast's crown and into a vulnerable position closer to Petalburg City.

As he struggled to get to his feet, the RAINBOW FEATHER began to scintillate with bright iridescence...