Seconds after the Uta grabbed the Hydreigon, the brutal dragon-type began to buck and writhe, hurling its enormous weight around in an effort to send the fairy-type flying. He winced at seeing the horrific force the prideful leader put upon the Jigglypuff, idly wondering if Shalin Nariya would ever ride upon a wild Hydreigon. The heaving seemed like, in his eyes, something she would enjoy.

Wearing itself out from trying to send the light Pokémon flying, it was overcome by sleep. That sleep wouldn't last forever, and if it woke up, it would be furious -- furious enough that Josh expected combat to be the only solution. He watched Ghost carefully, curious as to how he would make use of the time where the Hydreigon was at its most vulnerable.

Josh perked up at Ghost's encouraging words. "Exactly. I've chased him for fourteen years on and off. What's a few more months to be able to relish the experience of riding a living lightning bolt?" He wasn't lying, either; he vividly remembered the time he got to do that while the Beast was still under Kyle's command. That leap over Mount Pyre, flying on the underside of a storm cloud... only to strike out of it at incomprehensible speeds, coasting on momentum that caused his four legs to turn into a blur from how rapid his gait was.

Under his control, once he mastered his Beast, would Swift be able to exceed the speeds he did under Kyle? Could he outrun even Josh's Z-Move? How fast could get go with it? Those were questions for the future Champion to find the answer to. For now, it seemed Ghost wanted to spar.

"I can, but you're sure? Even in his current form, Swift is amazingly strong. I highly doubt you'll even be able to follow him in battle," Josh warned, having to strain his eyes every time Swift bolted into a Quick Attack. Provided he was certain about the battle, Josh would lead Ghost to the main, triple-sized battle court his Gym challenges took place at. No glitz, no rising trainers' platforms, no crowd... just Pokémon combat at its finest.

Avatarships seemed to come in all shapes and sizes. Some Patrons were symbiotic with their Avatars. Others dominated their Avatars. The way Navy described his was unlike any other relationship between Patron and Avatar he had heard of. "So... what you're saying is... Zacian isn't a god, just a Pokémon that's very special to you." the Gym Leader replied, exhaling. "...Am I close? Because that's how I feel about Swift. There's something about him that makes him feel... not divine, which is the vibe I get from a number of Patrons. It's like he's not a real Raikou... but Raikou exactly as I've wanted him to be."

Josh was a hero. Not as grandiose as Navy , MATIAS SILPH , or Greyson Connors were, but he was Mauville's everyday hero. A hero to every person he rescued from Hoenn's wilds. A hero to every Pokémon and person traumatized by Rockets he had captured with Law Enforcement's help. "You're absolutely right. My heroic acts don't affect as many people as yours do, but that doesn't matter. I don't need Hoenn to sing of my accolades. I don't need to fight like you do. Not in the same way you do. The sword I wield against Rocket is not this one, but a sword of intelligence. One of guardianship. Making sure the wartime infirmaries are stocked with Potion and Revive to get the wounded back on their feet and fighting again."

Josh excelled at speed, but speed alone would not win him battles. Greyson Connors had beaten that into his head, both during the Champion Assessment and outside it. With Kyogre prowling the seas and carrying widespread storm clouds with it, the Champion could deliver supplies anywhere in eastern Hoenn via lightning strike.

Once he was out of rehab, that would be exactly how League supplies would be delivered in the field.

"But I have to watch my health for now," Josh sighed, giving his Type: Null a gentle pat. "So I can be as strong as possible when the war breaks out. Once I'm through rehab, though... Rocket won't know what hit them. Raikou's the god of speed for a reason."

Bladestorm screeched toward the younger chicks nearby before taking off once more, making a beeline to the far east side of the island. "I do want to get Swift some better combat experience. What would you say to setting up an appointment to spar with one of the legendary Pokémon the League keeps?" he proposed.

The emotionless Raikou did not react at all to Honoré's words. "I haven't done as much as I want to, either," Josh admitted. "Been going through rehab for my left arm after it got smashed at the end of April. I've had to relearn how to ride Pokémon from the ground up. It's been very frustrating having to limit appointments for my Gym as a result." The Racing Grounds' popularity caused him to be busy during the reduced hours his Gym was open, both for his own health and for the challengers' safety due to the region's hot summers.

"If you have interest in becoming a stronger trainer, I can help you," Josh offered, remembering when he was in need of the same before he became a Gym Leader. "What is it you need help with in that regard?" As he awaited an answer, his Type: Null continued to spar with wild Pokémon, a Murkrow flying away after Aleph narrowly missed with a TRI ATTACK.

The phrase "until he comes back" made Josh smile. She understood, too, that Kyle's "death" may not have been real... or at least, wasn't final. With a Johtonian phoenix as an ally, Kyle may have been effectively immortal unless he and his Patron were both killed simultaneously. Everyone else he asked had believed Kyle to be truly dead and not coming back. Melody was clearly close enough to Kyle that she shared Josh's instincts about the events over Mount Chimney.

"Given how weak Swift still is in battle, I think Keldeo would be a fair opponent for him," Josh suggested. "I remember him from the winter, seeing how incredibly fast he is. I think he would be fun to just watch in battle, and he seems really playful!" Playful certainly helped. It would be a great way for Cobalion to check on him, too. Perhaps he would bring Sigmund and Tyrfing to say hello to the young one, too!

Regardless of their scheduling, Josh would take one last bite before sliding his plate away from him. "Phew, I'm stuffed. I might have forgotten to save room for dessert," he sheepishly admitted, looking ready to stand up and push his chair in.

Shinobu had correctly discerned that Isis would likely not be able to land another strong hit on the Kilowattrel. The electric bird was simply too fast for big physical attacks to hit. The steel-type's mental attacks were far less powerful, but power was not what Isis and Shinobu needed. It was accuracy. The accuracy needed to land the finishing blow on a flying target that felt as fast as a lightning strike in his heightened state.

His instincts were correct; the CONFUSION attack did not pack much punch, but it was enough to down the severely weakened Kilowattrel. With a referee blowing a whistle to signify the end of the match, the platforms began to descend. "You seem to know how to combat speedy Pokémon well," the Leader complimented his friend as he walked across the battle court to meet the challenger in the middle. "I was also especially impressed with your snap judgment to deploy Confusion over Meteor Mash at the end. With that kind of heads up thinking, you will go far in the Pokémon League."

Josh presented a closed fist at Shinobu's chest level, then opened it up to reveal a well-earned reward. "Shinobu, you've earned this. Reach forward, in front of you. It is the official Hoenn League Quick Badge. Wear it with pride. This Gym has a history of being run by some of the toughest and most successful Leaders in Hoenn. Never forget that."

Seeing the Thwackey struggle, Josh called the match off, having seen enough of what the grass-type could do. Toralf zipped back toward his trainer, the young man getting to work re-attaching the Raichu's saddle. "I have to say, I thought the use of Wood Hammer as a defense was creative. It was the reason your Thwackey didn't fall to the volley of Electro Balls." He gave the grass-type a thumbs-up before offering suggestions on ways Haoyu could improve against fast foes.

"I think this is just a rough matchup for you, but I do have a few suggestions for battling really fast foes with your Thwackey. Screech is a good disorienting tactic, but it's not as effective against fast Pokémon because the wind tends to drown out sonic attacks without a physical component. Have you thought about teaching your Thwackey how to use Swift? It's a Pokémon move just about any Pokémon can use, and it's a good hedge against Pokémon too slippery to hit." While a Thwackey might not be able to use it as effectively as other Pokémon, it would be a good fallback.

Eris' words were piercing. If Balder Schwartz , Laurence Anderson , MATIAS SILPH , and others' Patrons were indicators, the gods truly didn't care whether their Avatars died. As Josh felt the blade's edge about to pierce his neck, the young child asked him a powerful question. What matters to him?

If he was asked that question at the time of their first encounter, his answer would have been Raikou. Since falling to his low point, he had learned much. Much from his Gym Challenge, much from the war... and much from being a Champion. The answer he was about to give Eris was not the answer he would have given then. His reasons for pursuing Raikou were selfish with an alibi of changing Hoenn's future. The future that refused to be changed.

Now, it was about what he could do to change the present. To save lives he could save now.

"Protecting my family, my city, and my region. Keeping them safe from the DRK Triad. Stopping Hoenn's descent toward the Origin Point. I may be a rider, but I'm no fighter. I'm a courier. An Envoy. It's... funny, Eris. I once wanted to be Raikou's Avatar above all else. And now, with Raikou at my side, I...don't want to be an Avatar anymore. I've seen too many lives ruined by the gods. And you know what? I don't need that kind of power. That kind of power is not needed to do what I do best as a Ranger: saving lives."

It was part of why the RAINBOW FEATHER vanished before his eyes. He had done great things without Raikou all this time, and he would continue to do those same great things, with or without Swift's aid.

The Type: Null and Iron Crown sped toward the side of the island far from Sootopolis, Aleph skidding upon its surface. Aslan slipped on the unstable ground, slowing him down as the now primordial rain battered him and paralyzed him. The super-saturated air made Josh's left arm ache as raindrops the size of currency coins mercilessly held him back in the battle. It drove away his focus and slowed his reaction time. The KYOGRE's eyes briefly shifted toward Rhea Armistead and her Rotom, the dangerous weather more than doubling the strength of the point-blank HYDRO PUMP that pierced through both sides the lion's saddle with the force of a cannon's discharge.

{TW: Body horror/gore}

SPOILER: Click to show

Pyroar leg bones and ribs snapped into pieces as the sound of squished muscle seemed to be amplified over the violent surge of water. It seemed even louder than the exhausted lion's final roar of agony, his blood-covered body struggling to remain standing without a heart to pump it. His blue, oxygen-deprived eyes closed, his red and yellow mane turning different shades of amber from the weaponized water. Through the gaping hole and the steam resulting from the water-type attack ripping into the lion's superheated insides, one could see blood spattered all over the dying king, muscle tissue ripped from the whitewashed bones that didn't shatter upon the impact of one of the strongest water-type attacks the Gym Leader had ever witnessed.

With no muscle power to support his body, the eviscerated lion fell into the sea, Josh desperately trying to withdraw the Pyroar into his Poké Ball but missing. "Aslan!" he cried over the wind and rain.

The dead lion fell off the crumbling island, reverse somersaulting toward the swallowing waves below. Josh guided Sigmund toward the most stable edge, catching his Shiny Pyroar's final moments before the feline was devoured in a loud, steamy splash. Even the Iron Crown made a weeping face with his eyes, recognizing how hard the loss was for him.

With kyle lopez gone, this Pyroar would not be given a second chance at life, unlike Nala and Rani.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAASLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!"

As the Gym Leader was lost in his despair, Rhea Armistead would have a moment to accomplish whatever objectives Rocket had for her on this island, the Type: Null occupied with protecting him against any of the Rotom's attacks. Were she to attempt to continue her killing spree with Aleph or Josh, though, the RAINBOW FEATHER pinned to his combat vest would glow yellow with electricity on its own...

The mist turned to a heavy rain in little time at all, Josh's left arm stinging as the heavy drops battered him. It showed no signs of letting up, either. He couldn't imagine what poor Aslan was going through. With his precious lion's time on the rainy battleground limited, he pushed the normal-type to his limits. Raising his Z-GLOVE skyward seemingly in sync with a flash of lightning, the Shiny feline's PYROARIUM-Z glowed with a bright, white light. "EMPEROR'S ROYAL ROAR!!!" Josh bellowed as the SHOCK WAVE struck and danced over the lion king's wet body, conducting and amplifying the Rotom's electricity.

EMPEROR'S ROYAL ROAR
[Normal][Sonic]
The user threatens a target with a mighty roar that does moderate damage. Those around the user will be empowered while those near the target’s area will find their strength lowered.

Opening his big mouth wide, Aslan deeply inhaled before expelling an ear-crushing clamor. The deafening cry could be heard as far away as Ever Grande, the ears of everyone on the island ringing as it sounded like the lion's shout had been amplified through a rock concert's loudspeakers. The exertion, when combined with the rain and the electric attack, left Aslan highly vulnerable. It was a move that robin coello may have recognized from the time they spent together.

Between the deluge and the Z-Move's morale-sapping side effect, Aleph was able to shrug off the BITTER BLADE. The artificial legendary Pokémon abruptly reared before pouncing the Ceruledge with a swift AERIAL ACE amplified by his ally's invigorating war cry.

When it looked like Josh was going to be in full control of the battle, the sheer power behind the Z-Powered roar's vibrations caused a large portion of the island to crumble and sink into the sea. "Aslan, Aleph! Get out of there!" Josh shouted through the rain as he mentally reined his Iron Crown away from the collapse. The lion, having spent so much of his energy on that attack, was much slower on his feet than usual. It looked like he would barely make it at this rate...

As haughty as Josh was, he was right. He was a Champion: one of only five in Hoenn. He may have been the least decorated of the five, all four of the others war heroes in some way, but he had still proven his mettle against Hoenn's best. Perhaps even the last to ever battle the late Top Champion kyle lopez before he became a martyr the region would never forget.

"That does not matter; it is a Champion's duty to confront the unknown for the sake of the region," Josh retorted as Sigmund continued to defend him. The Cobalion look-alike's artificial eyes glowed pink, loosing the PSYSHOCK dancing between his antlers directly upon Rhea's mind. It may have felt like her brain was directly exposed to a shock much like that of an electric Pokémon's Thunderbolt. "The true heroes will give all they have to reclaim the Sootopolis mainland from Team Rocket. And it is my job to support them in every way I can."

That Rhea wouldn't stand down even in the face of the facsimile of Melody Miro 's Sword of Justice was a sign of her own resolve. Neither would back down. "If you can keep your wits about you in Sigmund's presence, then it's clear you are as indoctrinated as I am to your own cause." As the raindrops became more dense, Josh realized he was on borrowed time.

Josh's two Pokémon bared their fangs toward Jack after the OMINOUS WIND harmlessly struck them. "Aslan, free Aleph!" the Gym Leader ordered, lunging toward Cain and aiming to CRUNCH down upon the blade-wielder's soul gem.

Such were the woes of migrating from region to region; due to the war effort, getting Pokémon across the border was a tedious process. Even two years after immigrating to Hoenn, there were still Pokémon stuck in customs. Classie, his Lapras, was one of them. The paperwork he needed to present was somewhere in the boxes Josh's parents had brought over when they moved to Mauville City, many of which were still unpacked. Until he could procure that paperwork, the Lapras would be stuck in the League's Pokémon Storage network.

"It's okay, Silverino! I've got you covered," Josh replied, gesturing toward the four Pokémon surrounding him. "Goroh, Simba, Kovu, or Kion would be more than happy to let you ride them!" The Cyclizar looked the easiest to control, but could be a bit of a rough ride in the uneven ground beneath Cycling Road. The three Pyroar all looked strong and amazingly fast. If they ever took off, their gaits would be rougher than a horse. Their large, sloped saddles were evidence of just how agile the lions were. "Now my left arm is still healing, so we won't be able to go full gallop on a Pyroar together, but it'll still be a lot faster than walking there." Considering how fast even one of the large males could trot, it might feel like a canter or gallop on a slower Pokémon.

Josh Devlin wasn't called the Master of Faster for nothing!

Meteor Falls was indeed well-lit, perhaps the most well-lit cave system in Hoenn. Even at night, it would be illuminated by moonlight, much like Kanto's Mount Moon. Ghost was certainly a go-getter, keeping a positive attitude in even the toughest scenarios. It was one thing the Champion admired about him. Though his self-confidence had improved during his Champion Assessment, it still wasn't where he wanted it to be. Nor where a Champion's self-confidence should be.

The SINGING attack was a good start, putting the horde to sleep and making it easier to be cleaned out. Uta's song made the Pokémon around her drowsy, the Deino looking like cuties as they curled up and passed out. The only one that remained awake was a furious-looking Hydreigon, clearly the ruler of the storm. The three-headed dragon took flight, only to dive toward the fairy-type in an effort to BODY SLAM her and brutally flatten her into the rocky floor.

Josh smiled upon seeing Ghost turn the conflict to a one-on-one battle. He commended Ghost for his confidence to be able to resolve the situation nonviolently, but how long would it last against an extremely dangerous foe?