The Racing Grounds' main office had a stormy decor to it, the ceilings thundercloud gray, wlth all kinds of color and art to make one feel like they were inside a lightning storm. If Elise was familiar with Johtonian legends, she would have instantly recognized that it was a giant love letter to the legendary Beast of Thunder, Raikou. It was a Pokémon with unparalleled land speed. How did Josh know? He got to experience it firsthand. It was nothing short of paralyzing, and yet he still wanted to conquer it.

After a short wait in a mostly empty staging area, Shelly called for the princess. "Elise Calcifet ? The Leader will see you now, Take an immediate left, then an immediate right, then take the elevator to the top floor. You can't miss his office once you're there."

Provided Elise was able to follow the directions, she would find Josh's office, similarly colored to the main waiting room. On a large, wooden desk rest a computer monitor, a keyboard, a bottle of water, and a 12-inch Raikou plush toy with the most vicious-looking yet adorable face. "Great to see you, Princess Elise!" Josh greeted her, Saber, his Manectric, smiling at her from the corner behind him. "So I understand you're interested in either a security position or a Gym Trainer position at Mauville Racing Grounds, is that correct?"

Josh rubbed his hand over the Raikou plush's black crown as Elise inquired about the positions she was interested in. Royalty as a security guard was not what he was expecting. If it was romance she was seeking, then the princess was out of luck; Josh wasn't looking. He tapped at his keyboard for a bit, exploiting the vast resources his position as a Gym Leader gave him. "I pulled up your League file, and I noticed you do not possess a single Hoenn Gym Badge. Do you possess any Badges from other regions?"

Gym Badges were an important measure of Trainer prowess respected worldwide. One of a Gym Leader's responsibilities was to make sure they only handed out Badges to those who were truly worthy. One of Josh's speculations was that the number of Badges needed to take Hoenn's Champion Assessment being reduced from eight to six was that the League's Gym Challenge was too difficult, and her Elite Four may have started to get soft from getting so few challenges.

"A lack of Hoenn League Badges will not disqualify you from consideration. I do need to ask you, though: Why do you want this position, and why should I hire you?"

Josh hummed as he continued clicking away, pulling up a copy of Elise's application. Everything she was saying was consistent with what was on her paperwork, and she did indeed have multiple Gym Badges. "Getting past Goldenrod and Ecruteak Gyms is a great qualifier," the Leader admitted. "Back when I was taking Johto's Gym Challenge, most people gave up on one of those two Gyms. Hoenn's Gyms hold their challengers to far higher standards, but I expect that experience to serve you well." Saber wandered to Elise's side of the desk and sat down next to her, the female perhaps able to feel mild static.

Josh smiled when he heard the girl did not mention compensation once, which was a good sign. It was a sign that she was motivated by the work, and not the pay. "Good. Very good. Next, can you describe an experience you've had in the last two years that would make you a good fit for these positions? It can be anything you feel would help you in your new position, were I to hire you." After all, a lack of job experience didn't mean she didn't have experience at all. Even something like an intense battle with a Gym Leader would qualify, or a situation where her bodyguard was overwhelmed and she had to protect herself.

Josh nodded as he listened to the young princess' story about a trying Gym battle. It seemed a lot of her experiences were on the Gym Citcuit, which scored a lot of points with the Leader. His eyebrows shifted when he heard that it was a Fuecoco that did the job against Goldenrod's traditionally Normal-type Gym. Perhaps there had been a change of leadership prior to Elise taking her challenge? Either way, he wouldn't question it. "That's good to hear! You sound like you have a lot of experience with Pokémon battles."

Clicking through several more prompts on his screen, it gave the Gym Leader the next question to ask of Elise. "Next, could you describe to me one of your moments of greatest personal success and one of your most difficult moments of personal failure?" Saber walked around the desk and wagged his tail next to the candidate.

Many of Josh's candidates could not come up with a shortfall, even if was as simple as not passing a class in high school. It didn't have to be a life-changing failure, merely a setback where one's expectations were not met. That she could mention a failure at all was a sign she was willing to improve, and a sign she had the work ethic to continue. "Thank you. Finally, I have a few questions pertaining to the positions you applied for."

Josh's prejudice, given her victory over Ecruteak's Gym Leader using an Eevee, was to make her a Gym Trainer. He still wanted to give the Galarian princess an option, though. "If I were to hire you, would you prefer to work as a Gym Trainer or as Gym security?" The two, even though they were related positions, required totally different skill sets.

Josh nodded with a subtle smile. Given their past meetings, he knew from the beginning that the Gym Trainer role would fit Elise the best. His smile became less subtle as the young lady's Zorua hopped into her lap. What a cutie! At that point, he had made his decision. He needed to get a little more information about Elise's roster of Pokémon.

"I have just a few more questions of you, now that you have said you wish to be a Gym Trainer," the Gym Leader asked, taking a deep breath. "As a Gym Trainer, you will be expected to take battles from members seeking to prepare for challenges, as well as take official Gym Challenges. You will also be expected to be part of the field for Racing Challenges. What Pokémon do you have that you feel would be a good fit as a Gym Trainer at Mauville Racing Grounds?"

An Absol was a great fit. They were smart and could listen to complex directions. Their body shape was perfect for a rider, and with their mixed quadrupedal features, weren't as rough of a ride as felines like Persian and Pyroar were. It seemed like Elise really did her homework and knew her stuff. It was her combination of openness, work ethic, and preparation that sealed the deal for her.

"I use an Absol pretty regularly for some of the courses out here," Josh related. "You have a great eye for recognizing how great of a species Absol are for battle and for racing." With that, he began typing up a written communication to send to Elise. "I'm going to send you an email with upcoming days I can take you through orientation, some self-paced learning, and hands-on training. You don't have to decide right now, but I do need a decision by Friday. Once you're out of training, I'll get you added to our personnel roster." He stood up and offered the princess a handshake. "Welcome to Mauville Racing Grounds, Elise."