Through his Champion Assessment, Josh had learned that speed was both a mighty offensive tool and a steadfast defense. Every cut from Swift's claws left Okidogi progressively defensive, unable to retaliate with its chain, lest it risk being trampled at breakneck pace. The knowledge had made Josh, previously reliant on a single trick to win battles, incredibly deadly with his newly-developed understanding of his talent. He wondered what Greyson Connors would think of him now, battling with speed as the center of his strategy, but having multiple ways to take advantage of it now.

That buildup came to a crescendo, Swift having chained enough of the speed-increasing attacks together to reach the highest velocity he could under Josh's control. One more art would come in due time. One that would prove a true challenge for him to rein in. But this was not that time. Now was the time for the Raikou to unleash an electric barrage stronger than any attack the Beast was capable of under Kyle's command. It was an attack that symbolized everything Josh loved about Raikou, getting down to the very essence of the Sacred Ash Raikou as the trainer wielded him.

"ELECTRO BALL, Swift!"

The tiger circled Okidogi, almost looking like a distant planet's rings from how fast he ran. All the while, electrical arcs from Swift's crown, creating a whirlwind of charged spheres that flew toward the strongest of the Loyal Three at truly enigmatic speeds. Each rocked the air with a miniature shockwave from the sheer velocity the Raikou reached, almost sounding like a gunshot when it left the black, reflective headpiece.

From how slow she was to accelerate Kion past a trot, Josh felt Alina was nervous about the trot-to-canter transition. It was one of the most frightening parts of riding a big cat Pokémon for those who had no idea what to expect. Even for new riders of horse Pokémon, the sensation of moving slightly from side to side to bouncing up and down on a stable back was jarring. A big cat's body was designed for burst speed, and their flexing backs showed it. Even at the lowest speeds necessitating full strides from the Pyroar, Kion's gait was far bouncier than even the strongest equine Pokémon.

"No sweat, Alina! How are you adapting to Kion?" Josh asked, riding alongside her on Kovu's back and keeping an eye on her posture and how she held the reins. "Once you get used to it, we'll be there in no time!" Unlike most Pyroar, these were meant for racing. Whether they had more endurance than wild Pyroar or they could reach higher top speeds than ones in the open, it was his pride's expertise -- one very useful in higher stakes situations. This one was not; their victim was stable and out of danger. "We have time. The guy's not in danger. He just can't get back to Mauville on his own." It was a perfect rescue for a first timer. The stakes were low, there was no sign of injury, and the threat of a wild Pokémon seemed minimal. It was less a rescue and an escort.

Josh gave the white electric-type a gentle cuddle before facing Nick and truly paying attention to his story. The mention of control over shadows made his eyes widen. He had run into someone that matched that descriptor before. Someone that not even his ultrafast Zeraora, Raikiri, was a match for. "Did he use this giant, purple, bird dragon Pokémon?" he asked. Recognizing the gestures as ones he had made, he knew generally where Nick was hurting. Though it was not the same circumstance, he seemed to have lost movement in the same places the Champion did.

Josh felt empathy toward his Ranger friend. He had been cooped up in a room for weeks during one of the busiest parts of the year, far as his Gym was concerned. He had been blessed with inheriting Kyle's Sacred Ash Raikou. He wanted to sit on the Beast's thundercloud and slam the metaphorical gas pedal into the floorboard, claws screeching against the ground like rubber on asphalt. He wanted to create hurricanes from the wake of his legendary mount's blistering speed. Even now, he had to hold back some. With a few more weeks of training, though, he would at long last be a free man from his injuries.

"I went through the same thing you did during the spring and part of the summer," the Gym Leader consoled him. "I hated it. There's nothing as torturous as being unable to do the things you've taken for granted. When I had to be admitted to Mauville Regional Hospital after my left arm got smashed in that damn jail, it took me almost three months before I could even sit in a saddle. I've been through it, too. If there's anything I can do to help you, say the word. I'll do my best to make it happen."

Josh's Sacred Swords were fast. The thrusters beneath the paradox Pokémon's metallic boots had some real kick to them, letting them keep up with their legendary counterparts. As the Terrakion and Virizion look-alikes mentally strapped their riders on with psychic power, ensuring they wouldn't need to focus on their posture and balance, Josh swiveled to face Dirk. "Considering you've beaten several Gym challengers on your own already, you're a mighty trainer, more than capable of completing the Gym circuit. I'm just a little worried because the Pokémon down here can be a problem... even for me."

While rare, the legendary paradox Pokémon were known to be here, and they were terrifying creatures in the wild. It had taken Josh quite some time to learn just why Entei's species name was Gouging Fire, and he had learned so the hard way. On a routine sparring day at his Gym, Entei's mean horn had pierced through even Teyo's armor, the stout Bastiodon experiencing true pain for the first time. Perhaps it was because the fossil Pokémon has sacrificed some defense for speed when Josh trained him.

"It's all the waterfalls," Josh educated Dirk as their Pokémon's metallic hooves kicked against one another during their long and powerful strides. "Once we get below the cloud level, the air should become a lot drier." As is, it was really thick... more so than Route 119 in the summer. "Just keep your eyes out for paradox Pokémon that look like legendary Pokémon. Like Raikou, Entei, and Suicune at my Gym, and these three. If you see one, we run. They're... a lot even for me."

Josh was not complaining; he was simply cautious. Perhaps overcautious. "Simple enough," he answered. "I'm just a little concerned that this is bait to get me out here. I knew Captain Nariya personally, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were trying to use her to get to me." Though little was known about the female's capture, she was strong. She could be a Champion herself if she put her mind to it. The conditions for her capture had to have come on suddenly, like a Pyroar waiting in the brush ready to pounce.

When asked to dismount, Josh blew Montgomery off. "If detection is the issue, Eriette can go ethereal. Good luck finding her unless you've got a ghost Pokémon yourself." The ghost-type mare snorted, knowing just as well as her trainer did that she had that extra dimension most Pokémon didn't. Being able to take Josh with her into that cold and inhospitable world was a godsend for as long as the Champion could last.

Not a split second after the deputy told Josh to drop, he and his steed instead vanished into the ethereal. Not only would they avoid whatever he warned him about, but they might be able to see some of the ghosts haunting Petalburg...

This delivery would have been an easy task were it overcast. Having learned of Swift's ability to fly on the underside of a storm cloud, Josh could ride lightning itself -- and there were few faster ways to deliver a war bulletin than aboard a living lightning bolt. Though Swift lacked the strength he had under Kyle, he more than made up for it with raw speed.

With a blood moon painting the cloudless sky red, that was no longer an option.

He had to rely on Regole, a Shiny Dragonair whose pink scales blended in with the ominous colors above them. This message from a fallen, enemy-overrun, and barely recognizable city, was vital to return to Ever Grande with. "This is what being a war courier is about," Josh huffed, having fought his best to keep supply lines and troop lines open to the city as long as he could. "We can't let Rocket advance any farther eastward. If they claim Mauville, it's over."

Ultra Plant was a dream for Josh to go back to. With low-lying storm clouds constantly covering the sky, he could do not just wnat he dreamed of, but go beyond. It would be the ideal spot to make one final push to get the entire motion of his left arm back.

For the first time since before Josh's tragic injury, Swift was ferrying two passengers: Zaborg the Shiny Zeraora's legs were just as tightly gripping the electric Beast's back as his trainer's were. "We're gonna smash that wiry floor as hard as we can," the Champion relayed his part of the plan to Thomas Benoit and the others. "And Locke, you'll get to see I wasn't kidding when I told you my dream of making deliveries by lightning strike. Let's fly!"

With a squeeze to the Raikou's sides and a flick of his outer tufts of thundercloud, Swift made a dramatic leap to the low-lying thunderclouds. "PLASMA FISTS, Zaborg!" Josh ordered. Once the Beast was hanging from the bottom of the cloud, the Zeraora slid off, hurtling toward a patch of wires like a meteor.

Please remove Josh Devlin from the employee roster and add his Gym as a business partner!

Name of business: Mauville Racing Grounds
Name of owner(s): Josh Devlin
Located in: Mauville City
100x100 Logo or image:

(might need to be downscaled)
Link to plotting/wanted thread: Mauville Racing Grounds
Applying as a: Partner
What wares or services does your business provide?: Though Mauville Racing Grounds is primarily a sports venue and a Pokémon riding and racing academy, the vast number of Pokémon among its ranks are often used for Ranger rescues and other odd jobs far from the city or in rough terrain.
Why do you want to work with Delibird Deliveries?: A partnership with Mauville Racing Grounds would be a wonderful opportunity to advertise our customer bases to one another, and the variety of Pokémon at the Racing Grounds' disposal could expand Delibird Deliveries' range to parts of the region previously inaccessible.
Give us a little background into your business' founding!: Founded in March of 2023, Mauville Racing Grounds was merely the location of Mauville City Gym, but it was registered as an independent business that could outlast the Gym in the event Josh Devlin stepped down from his Gym Leader position. Since then, it has grown into one of Hoenn's largest and most popular sports venues, single-handedly transforming Mauville City into the sports capital of the region.
[break]

"Thanks!" Josh chirped, holding it above his head triumphantly before wheeling his Manectric around and slashing an imaginary foe in a ride-by attack. The Manectric barked, his long, false fangs shaking. "I would have brought the real thing, but it's not the same as Saber," the young man answered. "He'd also be hard to see when it gets darker out."

Josh, too, provided a fake title as part of competing, calling himself the "Envoy of Lightning". With his Sacred Ash Raikou at his beck and call, it wasn't far from the truth, either. In just a little more time and with a little more training, Josh would be making entrances astride a living lightning bolt. Unlike Vespa, Josh wasn't after candy. He was after some good, clean fun.

"I'm ready! Let's see who can put more points on the board," he proposed as he dismounted from his Manectric masquerading as a Raikou. Once they were given the signal for the game to start, Josh would dive in, sifting through the ball pit much like those at a children's arcade.

Lutgarde's Rapidash was certainly inventive, making her platform more buoyant by increasing its size. "Okay, but I'd be sure to keep an eye on her in case something goes awry," Josh responded. Both of his Pokémon perked up at the fellow Ranger's alert that there was a Pokémon, or even a person trapped nearby. "Staccato, join Noh!" he pointed, the saddled Primarina joining the bareback one to search for a potential victim.

There was still no sign of the Ranger skiff Josh had called for, either. What was taking so long? As Josh watched Noh and Staccato move loose pieces to one side, he received a RangerNet message. Regole briefly took to the air to get his device out of the way of any splashing water from the other Pokémon working. He rolled his eyes when he read the message. "They've had engine trouble in Ever Grande," the Elite Ranger reported. "They're arranging for another vessel and will be out as soon as they can. No ETA."

"Until the day one of us dies," Josh added in an almost poetic tone as Yosei yielded to a passing Dragonite that seemed to be in a hurry. From what he could see, there were no markings or equipment it wore suggesting that it belonged to a trainer. It was truly a wild one - so rare to see outside Meteor Falls and the Sky Pillar. "Like Resheph did. Like Aslan did." Even seeing a wild Dragonite brought the dead dragon to mind. Regole was an obedient Dragonair, but she just wasn't the same.

The duo took a turn toward Oldale Town, landing not far outside its east gate. "It's a pleasure," he replied, dismounting and extending a hand. "There's something that tells me this isn't the last time we'll meet, either. If you need me, call Mauville Gym and ask for me. I'll answer." With that, the two parted ways, the Gym Leader withdrawing Zaborg and taking Zetalpa back to Mauville City.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

Althus Rex

Your challenge has been accepted! Please tag Josh Devlin in a new thread in Mauville City. Your movesets are not locked in until the first post of your Gym Thread. You have until November 12, 2024 to post your Gym Thread or you will lose your spot.