Silverio had a hit; it seemed there were some trapped on the lower levels, where air was at its most precious. The human body could only last for minutes at a time without air, and once the lungs began to fill with salt water, it would be all but over. "Roger, Silverio," Josh acknowledged. "I'll finish sweeping the top floor, then I'll work my way down. If you need any immediate help, let me know, and I'll be down in a flash, over."

On the top level, there was a single man that had locked himself inside his cabin. He would be relieved to see that Rangers had come to his aid. Unlocking the door, it retracted when commanded to, water rushing into the room from the hallway. "Champion Devlin. I'm here to save you." He clicked open a Poké Ball containing Kairi, his Vaporeon, who pointed toward her saddle with her tail. Without hesitation, the man clung to the saddle, and the two were off toward the surface. That was one life saved, with presumably many more to go!

"Sick ride you've got there!" Josh complimented the Captain. It was hard to tell that long ago, they didn't get along. Josh not only tolerated the Slateport Captain, but seemed to be getting along with him. "Must be one well-trained Palafin to dive this deep. Ecco, my own Palafin, can't handle being too far below the surface. He's been helping with other aspects of the operation."

The notion of Key Stones being down there didn't surprise him. "Given that this was supposed to be a delivery for the war effort, I wouldn't be surprised if there were Key Stones down here, too," the Champion replied. This many Mega Stones didn't exist in nature in one place. Not unless they were all the same kind. It had to be a lost shipment.

Illumina surfaced and communicated the way to Razz's and Josh's Pokémon. It seemed straightforward, but nothing was ever easy for Rangers, was it? He crossed his fingers before giving Razz the rundown. "Illumina's found a way inside the ship. It's at the very bottom of the sea bed, and we might need supplemental lighting in case my Lanturn has to rest. Once we're inside, we scour the place and retrieve as much as we can." He was more excited to get his hands on a new Mega Stone. As hard as he had worked before, this would be child's play compared to what he had to go through to get his Pidgeotite, Absolite, and Sharpedonite.

"As am I," Josh nodded. If anything, he was happy his injury took place through the dog days of summer, when he reduced his Gym hours due to hot weather. "Cause when we race again, I won't hold back. Just because Raikou's a legendary Pokémon doesn't mean he won't race, too!" It was his dream since he first got involved in the racing scene: to hold the reins of the Johtonian god of speed and break every known land speed limit. Once his body could handle it... better buckle up.

Blowing BUBBLES to serve as large air pockets would at least make retrieving sensitive circuitry easier. The container's weight would likely be counteracted by the air of the bubble, making it easier to get their cargo to the surface. "I'd appreciate it," Josh confirmed as he led the way into the data center. Provided Noh was willing, he would make the rest of the preparations.

He scanned the room for the server they were to retrieve the disks from. With the ends of the cables being rusted out, they would need to be cut. Josh dismounted from his Lanturn as soon as the Primarina blew his bubbles. Undoing the straps letting Snacker tow the container that they would be placing the technology in, Josh opened the container's lid and dumped the water out of it. Carefully cutting the wires so that only the rusty tips were left behind, he retrieved a small stack of disk drives and stowed them, making sure the container was sealed before strapping it back to Snacker's saddle. "That should be everything," Josh sighed as he felt the ship jostle unpredictably. "Let's get out of here before it gets any worse."

Hideo's loud words blasted Josh back in his seat, just like the day Eris' Mesprit blasted him back with their MYSTICAL POWER. His remarks were just as scathing as they were before. kyle lopez saw the changes in him. Melody Miro did. Yet Hideo Kino did not. The psychic Gym Leader had avoided adapting the soldier's mindset that MATIAS SILPH and others in power had instilled in Josh. To him, even a single loss of life, ally or enemy, was unacceptable.

Today's challenge would reverberate in Josh's mind every time he tried to convince Eris that he meant no ill will, that he wanted to repent, put the past behind him, and simply be friends. He wanted to say something, to interrupt Hideo. Every scathing remark slammed him back into his seat, as though he were immobilized by psychic power.

He wouldn't even bother asking for the results of the challenge. He already knew what the answer was.

"So what you're saying is that the true Monster in the Woods... is me?"

• player/ooc name: RaikouRider
• character tags: Josh Devlin Shalin Nariya
• dropped characters' tags (if applicable): na
• ic posts for characters: Josh Shalin
• are characters in directories?: Y/N
• any notes/comments: Gearin up for WAR

The crystal inside Josh's Z-Glove was hot, too. Even through its leathers, the back of his hand was starting to grow uncomfortably warm. "The Emperor's Royal Roar," Josh replied, naming the move. "It is a hidden art that any Pyroar worthy of the title of monarch can learn. I was expecting the late Aslan to have passed it on to just one of my pride, not two. A coronation is in order, it seems." It would have to be on a day once the weather cooled off, and one where he had the Gym closed for challenges to begin with. On top of that, she would have to schedule around Nuka's coming-of-age ceremony. The Litleo was on the cusp of evolution, ready to join the Mauville Ranger force proper.

Clover seemed in shock and awe of the move. "It's a Z-Move. To have your Pokémon perform one, you need a Z-Glove and crystal, like this one," Josh drew attention to his left hand. "You'll also need a corresponding Z-Crystal, which are the seeds of Passho Berries. They're powerful, but they're tiring. Tiring for the Pokémon, and even you as a trainer will feel it a little."

Clover's last question provoked some thought from the Gym Leader. He hadn't considered whether it was training or genetics as to why those two were able to roar so loudly. "I can only theorize, but my guess is it's a blend of the Pokémon's strength and the trainer's bond with it that lets them use Z-Moves. You can't perform them with only one. You need both."

Once Josh reached the island, he dropped Megalo off at it, stationing the healer Pokémon in the shallows. He radioed to Dewford HQ to give the Rangers there updated. "HQ, this is Leader Devlin. Captain annalise henderson and I will be routing victims to a small island at my current coordinates. A Milotic will be stationed on its north side. You'll know it's him by his saddle. The Captain will be doing her best to rout aquatic threats, but be prepared in case some slip through. Send a small medical team to assist with first aid and transport to Dewford General, over."

It would not take long for Dewford Rangers to arrive, though one had to be patched up after a rogue Bruxish attack. Such were the dangers of rescue operations: it was easy for the rescuers to turn into more victims. Taking full advantage of his successful rehab, Josh whistled for Suicune to come to his side, the Walking Wake crouching to let him aboard. The dinosaur Beast tromped forward, the Gym Leader keeping his speed limited to avoid putting too much pressure on his arm. The wild Pokémon in the area fled the Walking Take, fearful in the paradox Pokémon's presence. "We gotta keep an eye out for them, Suicune. They're probably well hidden."

While riding around the island, Josh switched frequencies to contact the Captain again. "Captain, it's Leader Devlin. I've got a small medical team on the way to assist with getting the family out of here. Still no sign of the victims, over."

While not necessarily true throughout all of Hoenn's cities, in most of them, the Gym Leader and Ranger Captain worked closely with one another, and Mauville's heroic duo was no exception. "Captain annalise henderson . She was the one that oversaw my Senior Ranger promotional exam. A little strict, but she's so friendly when you get to know her."

After Airi had returned from her capture, Josh began his tale. "So it started a little over two years ago. I met former Councilwoman Elinor Anderson for an assignment to protect a Pokémon shrine just outside Fortree -- one dedicated to my favorite legendary Pokémon. Raikou. She was the one who had encouraged me to become a Ranger. Not long before that, I had applied for the Minor League program... and I got approved for both simultaneously. How familiar are you with the Minor League program?"

The Minor League was a way for Hoenn's Pokémon League to evaluate potential Gym Leader candidates by giving them the resources to run a Gym without all of the political responsibilities that came with the job. Funding would be limited, and challengers could only apply one Minor League Gym to eligibility for the Champion Assessment, but it was still a wonderful way to weed out those who weren't truly passionate for the position.

The young girl was there, Josh subtly tensing up un her approach. Reiner's tension seemed to be high, his tail swaying back and forth rapidly. He remembered the promise he made to her in the dream world.

And he would make good on it.

"Good afternoon, Eris," Josh greeted her, not with sympathy, but not with apathy either. If what she said in the dream world was to be believed, this would be a perfect opportunity to show himself as not a monster, but as a true Champion. A selfless one. "You mind giving me the briefing so we can get out there and save some lives?" he asked, Kopala floating toward the shallows.

There was nothing inherently wrong with wearing a mask. There was a time a few years ago where Josh had to wear a mask to protect himself, and his family, from a disease running rampant through Goldenrod City. Health concerns were one valid reason to wear one. As such, Josh's female receptionist, SHELLY SPIEL, didn't so much as bat at eye when the masked woman entered the Gym's office space.

From the reception desk, Absinthe Blackwood would be able to see many saddled Pokémon running, swimming, and flying across the vast Racing Grounds. Many of them were much larger than the average for their kind, some of the most fascinating ones being an entire rainbow of Eeveelutions. The Sylveon in particular looked adorable, adorned with brightly-colored riding tack much like a Galarian Rapidash. "Good morning!" Shelly greeted her. "What's the name on the appointment?"

Blinky was a bit different from a horse Pokémon. Her gait was a little bouncier, she was faster to respond, and she felt lighter. She was also much, much faster. The Gym Leader would show Montgomery how to control the electric-type; while not fundamentally different than a horse, it would take some adjusting. A squeeze too hard, and the Jolteon would sprint. "When you're ready, let's head deeper in."

Back atop Saber, Josh led the way northwest toward the lost trainer's last-known position. "Keep your eyes out for Galvantula webs," Josh warned. "Other Pokémon, too, but it's easy to get tangled up in them. It's part of the reason I brought electric Pokémon; they'll keep us safe from their webs."

"It does," Josh nodded. His less than stellar history with the League, nearly murdering a child over his ambition to bond with Raikou... was that why the League didn't want to listen to him? Or was it a much more sinister reason? "I've been in hot water with the League before. I... I fear retaliation," the Champion admitted. "I don't run Mauville Racing Grounds purely for profit. I run it because I have a passion for being a Gym Leader. The number of lives I can positively affect, both in Mauville City and through the region, is what keeps me going. If I lose my job, I also lose the funding needed to operate my Gym the way I want to."

It was that fear of retaliation from the higher-ups that prevented Josh from voicing his concerns. He had previously been silenced over other concerns about the Gym program and his handling of Rocket. He had felt that his voice only mattered within Mauville's purview, and not the region as a whole. Navy being chosen over him for the Elite Four came to mind, as well.

"Yuina, I've... wanted to say something, but I can't do it alone. I think if we can gather like-minded people who feel there are more... issues like these, we'll have a voice the League can't ignore."

Now this was more like it. Josh had seen this incredible legendary Pokémon before: both hearing of it from Alexei Ivanov , as well as seeing the speed with which its storms covered Lilycove during the tournament. If it was up to him, he would match the aggressive, swift legendary Pokémon with one of his own.

The Master of Faster smiled as he plucked the RAINBOW FEATHER from his shirt. "What do you think, Gwyar? Ready to see him in action?" he asked his coworker, the artifact's quill sparking yellow in anticipation of its occupant being let loose.