The deadpan tone brought MATIAS SILPH 's words to mind. Did he really come off as intense? Perhaps the Avatar was right. "I'm sorry!" he quickly apologized. "Still trying to get used to Swift." While it was half-true, a lot of what made the Beast stand out so much was the intensity with himself. Despite his apology, the monochrome legendary Pokémon's stare looked like it could sear a soul with electrical burns. In order to fully control the ash Raikou, he would have to fully control himself... a Herculean task, and perhaps even an inhuman one.

"Seven badges?" Josh remarked, whistling at how quickly Aaron rose through the ranks. "Impressive. I do want to warn you, though, getting eight Badges is the easiest part of the road to the rank of Champion. Speaking from personal experience." Each one of the Elite Four had a different lesson to teach Josh about the way he handled himself -- lessons that had shaped the racer into the exemplary Champion he was. With CIAN MAHER stepping away from the circuit to focus on taking care of Rustboro City more directly, Josh was now the only Champion Ranked trainer in Hoenn that did not work with AQUA -- or a legendary Patron.

And he preferred to keep it that way.

Josh's challenge, too, was physically taxing. To the uneducated, riding a Pokémon may not have seemed strenuous. That notion couldn't have been farther from the truth; at speed, a Pokémon mount exercised the thighs, hips, and even upper body. Keeping one's balance on a Pokémon with a spine as flexible as a Raikou's required great strength, dexterity, and stamina. "I'm here to work with Swift. After the attempts to retake Petalburg failed, it's clear I need to redouble my training and efforts in making us the best partners we can be. And with the Silph Cup's season finale taking place early next month, I had to come out here instead. Because today...I'm pushing him to full gallop. No Quick Attacks or anything like that yet. Just as fast as he can run without tiring." It was a tall order, too; even a race car with its gas pedal to the floor could not keep up with the speed god's ashen vestige.