The Monster in the Woods was a Pokémon that Josh had never seen before. While it took the shape of a Jigglypuff, the feeth beneath that smile, as well as its weaponized hairdo, made the creature unfamiliar. The claws and the Monster's axe collided in a bright explosion of sparks, sounding like clashing swords. Josh shook his hand as the two backed away from one another from the recoil of their swipes. "Not quick enough! Try that again, why don't you!" he TAUNTED the Scream Tail in an effort to goad it into another axe attack.

The Monster was far too smart for that. Raising its tenticular hair skyward, the night sky parted, a SUNNY DAY baking the woods around the cabin with a harsh heat wave that made the Inquisitor sweat beneath his white fur. PROTOSYNTHESIZING, the Monster not only matched, but exceeded, Josh's great speed. The heat was so great that it slowed the pace of his SWORDS DANCE to half effectiveness, while simultaneously causing him to lose track of the Scream Tail in escalating dizziness.

In a pink blur, his foe rushed in, wrapped its hair around him, and began to PLAY ROUGH with him. Closing his eyes and willing an air blade into existence, a rising PSYCHO CUT would delay, but not interrupt, the Scream Tail's tactics. As it wound up, Josh drew his arms in before it let go, spinning him like a top. Once he was free, he spread his arms to create air resistance and slow himself down, but not before losing his balance and rolling into the cabin's foundation with a loud thud.

With both his arms bruised and it being difficult to see, he had to get away from the Monster to catch his breath. Flexing his powerful muscles, Josh leaped and BOUNCED to the top of the cabin. "For someone prone to violence, you sure are quick to run away," the Monster teased. "And those who run away from the Monster in the Woods... do not live to tell the tale."

Grabbing its hair-tentacle and holding it like a microphone, the Scream Tail screamed a PERISH SONG that echoed all around them -- even on the roof where Josh was hiding. He had to make his move now. By sheer SUPER LUCK, he landed right on top of the Monster despite his dizziness, the harsh and swift impact knocking the axe out of its stubby hands. He was victorious... but at what cost? The Scream Tail's PERISH SONG would claim him well after its singer's defeat. Would he be able to make it back to the village before its dirge claimed his consciousness?

Josh gasped; they hadn't been playing in a giant escape room the whole time. This was a real mystery, a real crime, and had a very real victim and perpetrator. And that perpetrator was a Megalopolan, at that. If there were people the Gym Leader trusted less than the Megalopolans, it was Josh.

The Master of Faster gave the blue face a death stare, one that howard slayte may have been more than familiar with during their meeting at Dewford. He would aggressively grab the arm of one of the accused. "I'll hold them down while you unlock the door, Elise. This isn't over yet."

Josh was starting to feel the burn from the long turn at higher speeds. Toralf's extremely rapid gait didn't help matters, either: the Raichu, as much as the Gym Leader loved him, was one rough ride. He had to make constant adjustments to the tension on the electric vermin's reins, as the Pokémon was built for making quick turns. Even the minimum turning rate would be too much for the curve they were on, making him look unsteady to the racers behind him.

It was close, too; with Zachary and Hermes right next to him, the pressure was on. "Toralf, let's see where we're at when we come around this last corner. If we're behind, then I want you to floor it." With a nod, the electric-type tilted his head toward Hermes, a focused look on his face as the two battled intensely for the lead.

The extreme agility of a RAICHU proved to be a challenge for challenger zachary stellar and Leader Josh Devlin . The curve was long but gentle; too gentle to be handled steadily. Both were determined to snag the lead from one another. Neither one gave ground until the very end, when the Leader's RAICHU veered too close to the inner barricades, causing the Kantonian electric-type to trip. ARAVAN ESCHER's PURUGLY and ERON IUNIS' JOLTEON, with great agility, swerved out of the way and made moves on the Pokémon in front of them. The normal-type's stubby legs moved rapidly, closing the gap between they and the challenger, whose lead was now clear but shrinking.

ACE SHEEKE was not so fortunate; Josh Devlin 's erratic steering led the HOUNDOOM to try to avoid him in the same way his coworker veered. How the chaos of a Pokémon race can change its entire landscape in an instant. The dark-type and rider flinched from the RAICHU's idle current as he rear-ended the recovering Pokémon, giving the Gym Leader a substantial boost. He and the JOLTEON were neck-and-neck going into the second lap's home stretch.

Prompt: The pounding of paws against dirt had made the final straightaway much more treacherous than it was the first time around the track. Not only were there alternating hills cutting across parts of the course, but the displacement of loose dirt made the terrain almost mogul-like, testing the rider's balance and the Pokémon's stamina. Once they were past that, though, it was a straight shot to the arch, where the presiding official was waving the white flag!

Target Number: 130 (Endurance)

Special: None

That the high speed electric sphere was able to pierce a Marowak's natural defenses was a testament to just how well-honed the potent attack was in the Gym Leader's hands. To those newer to watching Josh's matches, it looked like a miracle. To an experienced trainer, especially one trained in the art of speed like Josh was, he knew that even grounded Pokémon could be overloaded with enough speed and voltage.

METEOR MASH was a powerful, but unwieldy, attack. It was one the Kilowattrel saw coming, springing out of the way ot the direct attack. The bird's quick thinking only dodged half the attack; it did little against Isis crashing into the ground with enough force to create a small crater in the battle court, sending ejecta flying all around and doubling the sandstorm's effectiveness. "Etali! Get down!" Josh cried, ordering the electric-type to ROOST and ride the storm out.

Once the sandstorm began to let up, Etali would soar the skies once more, building up speed for what appeared to be another diving airstrike!

The presence of the monochrome lady and outfit she was wearing left a horrible taste in Josh's mouth. He was more than familiar with them from the day he went to the bottom of Area Zero with Laurence Anderson .

DRK Triad. Avatar hunters, they didn't take sides in the war. And while he couldn't confirm it himself, he felt that they also hunted those who sought to be Avatars. He had too many friends that were Avatars to betray them.

"Your people want my head already," Josh scoffed, knowing that his fervent interest, and now acquisition of, the Beast of Thunder likely made him dangerous in their eyes. His eyes shifted to Gwyar. "...Action."

"You could say that," the Knight of Thunder confirmed, tilting his head toward Lars. "I can't wait for the day a challenger brings a rare or even legendary Pokémon to the Gym so I can actually do what I've wanted to do for years: race Swift." A thunderous purr shook him, making his hair stand on end. Just the thought of it gave him goose bumps... in a good way.

"I was," Josh answered, though he had kept their real name to secrecy. "It was the first time I had used my calling in speed for anything outside sports. And it was what got me in the door as a Ranger, too. Fortree really liked it on my resume."

With a flick of the Raikou's tufts of thundercloud, the duo were off down the winding canyon trail. Respecting Lars' limits, Josh let him and his Silvally dictate the pace for the time being.

Josh hadn't seen Matias in a hospital bed, but he had seen Matias at his ranch, under house arrest. He had completely changed, back to the familiar self from when he first revealed his status as an Avatar to Josh. "You are right, though; how would you know what kind of Patron you're getting until you sign the contract with them?"

Josh wasn't expecting to get an answer; he had already seen Articuno go berserk. He had to try to get some context from someone in Lars' close circle. "It's okay; I can do more legwork on my own."

The topic drifted to the origins of Shadow Pokémon and a series of dreams. Ollie's account made Josh open his eyes wide. "...The same thing happened to Saber. I had a dream where I was on AQUA, as Raikou's Avatar, and several others who were Avatars or I thought could become Avatars, such as Alexei Ivanov and Navy . We worked together to defeat Cillian Quinn and purify his Lugia. Then I woke up to my Manectric chewing on my arm... as a Shadow Pokémon."

"I'm a Gym Leader," Josh replied. "Word about us, AQUA, and the like usually gets around pretty fast." There were times he wanted peace and quiet, but as a Gym Leader of one of Hoenn's largest and most densely populated cities, such time was rare anymore.

"Hey, Elise," Josh waved toward the Ambassador. "You and Charles are lookin' good. Been getting much volume at your castle? I've had to reduce capacity at Mauville Gym because of the weather. Since Mount Chimney, it's been... really hot. I've closed the Gym between the hours of 11 AM and 3 PM until this horrible heat wave's gone." With Elise being part-time, it wouldn't affect her schedule at all. Even so, she was probably aware of the reduced hours.

Josh turned to Remiel Calcifet and carefully rolled back his bandage-covered left sleeve. "That's how I felt last month," he sympathized with the Avatar. "In that dumb ass jail, they banged up my arm. So I get your frustration. Though it might change depending on how well I do in rehab, my doctor says I won't be able to ride Swift again until November. I want to be out there, fighting with you. But I don't know that I can."

No wonder Remiel Calcifet was so banged up; if he had a run-in with an Avatar, his suffering must have been catastrophic. "Do you know who?" he asked. "Even a physical description would help."

As slow of a Pokémon as Tyranitar was, that sluggishness came with brutal strength. Their jaws could cleave through stone and bend metal. Carnation's took with it a hunk of the Luxray's cheek. As brutal of a hit as it was, the miracle of modern medicine and Pokémon healing made recovering from even nasty wounds like that simple.

When the move Payback was ordered, Josh smiled. With that facial blemish, he knew Blitz was not much longer for the match. A leap across the battle court would get Blitz out of harm's way, raising his tail and firing a SIGNAL BEAM toward the rampaging Tyranitar.

Whether by the dark-type's brutal PAYBACK or too much blood loss, the yellow feline's will to fight would quickly expire. "You've certainly done your homework, Kasper," Josh clapped. "There are many ways to deal with a foe that's frustratingly fast. Payback is one: an attack that strikes harder against Pokémon that make the first move."

Blitz limped off the battleground as Etali swooped in to take his place. "I am curious to see what your Tyranitar will do against a flying foe," he mused as the yellow avian built up speed flying along the court's edges.

It was a forest the Leader knew all too well. Both Leaders, for Josh had also traversed it during a Gym Challenge. She would have the advantage there, though; her Luxray had a skillset more adept to cramped quarters, as opposed to Josh's Shiny one meant for chasedowns on the open highway.

He had to end the chase now. Before things got out of hand. With the streets near the forest's entrance closed, this was his big chance. There was nothing but wide-open street between him and the child. Leaning as low as he could on the electric lion, Josh dug hard into his mount's flanks, his Z-GLOVE and the QUICKINIUM-Z hidden beneath the Pokémon's fur glowing a brilliant yellow.

As Josh fired his Pokémon's Z-Move, the duo ready to go hypersonic, the Top Champion's voice rang between his ears.

"Are you ready for your judgment?"

He had already ordered the move, and the Luxray was already accelerating, intoxicated by the adrenaline rush of Z-Energy coursing through his innards. "Stop, Blitz! Stop!!" Tugging on the reins with all his might, he would attempt to turn his ultrafast Pokémon to run wide of Eris. The attack wouldn't be completely harmless even that wide, though it would reduce the electricity and physicality of the attack to near zero. The turning and braking flung Josh forward, sapping him of more strength than he would have liked for being on a Pokémon as fast as his Luxray was. 

To Josh, the THUNDERCLAP looked like a Raikou's Extreme Speed: fast enough to make one's skin peel and savagely strong. Many would not have been able to see the attack coming and react to it at all. Josh could, reining the Walking Wake away from the blast of lightning.

Not fast enough, the explosive discharge sent Suicune flying -- and Josh with him, leaving them both vulnerable to the DRAGON HAMMER follow-up. Even Josh's skin was tingling, the THUNDERCLAP having engulfed him as well. Only his experience with electric Pokémon kept him from wailing loudly.

It was not the mount's capabilities, but the limitations of a human rider, that caused Suicune to fall. There would be a moment for Shred to close the distance as Josh reached for Entei's Poké Ball. By the time the Gouging Fire emerged, the Rocket could already be on top of him, if he desired.

With the battle won and Koraidon a little worse for wear, but with plenty of energy for the two to mount up, Lutgarde offered to take the dragon-type's reins... or steering bones. Koraidon, from Josh's previous trips into the simulation, seemed to be controlled much like Cyclizar.

Josh had experience on Koraidon's back, and he knew just how fast the Winged King could get. "I can take them if you want," he offered, "but I do have to warn you. Koraidon is one of the fastest Pokémon on land. He's faster than any Pokémon I've got." And yes, that included Raikou. "So if you don't mind that, I'll drive. Otherwise, all yours."

Regardless of their choice, Josh was looking forward to burning some rubber within Area Zero.

The tough sea conditions were part of why this ticket, simple of a task as it was, paid so well. Not many Rangers had Pokémon strong enough to maintain control in such nasty currents. "Yep, and riding him is really fun. He's nimble in the water and a great jumper!" These kinds of seas were not the place to demonstrate that; perhaps a beach party in the summer would be appropriate? That sounded fun, but he held off on proposing it to Yuina. Summer was busy time for Rangers, after all.

"It's been rough," Josh answered. "You would think I'd be on cloud nine after becoming a Champion, but..." he trailed off, holding back tears. It was a touchy topic, but it needed to be addressed.

"You heard about Kyle, right?"