Sylv's greeting took Josh by surprise, the young man glad he had his gloves on; otherwise, he would have spiked his hand into Blinky's fur as he was adjusting the Jolteon's saddle. Pinky, a Shiny Sylveon, squealed back at Sylv, the other six of Josh's Eeveelutions greeting Lutgarde Dijkstra in their own ways. All of them were larger than a Ponyta and smaller than a Rapidash, their saddles seemingly beckoning riders to hop on.

This Gym Leader really did ride almost any Pokémon, didn't he?

"Oh, Lutgarde!" Josh likewise greeted the young lady, standing up and turning around to face her. "I didn't see you on my appointment list for today. Thankfully, you caught me at a time when it's a bit slow. Business tends to slow in the cooler months. What do you need?"

If she looked in the distance behind the Eeveelutions, she may have been able to see a Type: Null and an Iron Boulder sparring in the distance. Their battle looked violent...

"This ... large pokémon thing seems to come in quite handy," Lutgarde laughs as she identifies the large pokémon - she didn't realise they were eeveelutions at first, since they were unexpectedly big. Sylv is a literal dwarf in comparison, but seems unbothered as he happily walks up to the others of his kind (or similiar to, at least) and exchanges greetings and communicates his surprise about their size.

"I just stopped by spontaneously, hoping I might be lucky to catch you," the ranger grins, "Just wanted to have a look around the gym since I was in the area before I'm going to sign up for an official gym challenge." They cast another look around, and- "Those two are fine, right?" Iron Valiant ... is the name they believed to remember from that one VCT battle, but they aren't sure what the other pokémon is.

But since Josh is unconcerned, it's probably fine! "You don't slow down though, huh?" they laugh, nodding at the saddled pokémon. "Are you going on a ride?"

Josh Devlin

"Ah, so just looking for a tour," Josh answered, relieved Lutgarde didn't come for something serious. It seemed they were interested in surveying the property for a future Gym Challenge. The motion made him smile; knowledge was an important fruit of the meal of victory. Josh's pack of Eeveelutions were all friendly toward Sylv, Pinky shaking feelers with the smaller fairy-type if they allowed it. "That I can offer."

Josh's gaze shifted toward Tyrfing and Aleph as their violent battle continued, CRUSH CLAW and MIGHTY CLEAVE colliding in a brilliant flash of sparks. The impact sounded like two enormous swords clashing with one another, the metallic reverberation causing even Josh to flinch. "They'll be okay; Aleph and Tyrfing are extremely tough."

"I wasn't planning on it right away, but if you're looking for a tour, we can saddle up together!" Josh answered. "They're all used to wearing them, like we as people wear clothes. The only time I take them off is when they're in a regulation battle. It's against the rules for a Pokémon to wear anything except a list of pre-approved items." Items like a Focus Sash or an Expert Belt came to mind. "You're more than welcome to hop on any of them!" She would let Lutgarde pick first. Pinky the Sylveon, Blinky the Jolteon, and Clyde the Flareon seemed most eager, though any of them seemed willing.

"Then I'll gladly take one," Lutgarde grins, adding somewhat of a casual and incredibly brief curtsy - a throwaway motion that they've adapted from the culture of their preferred fashion, but haven't internalised at all. Before they could continue the chatter, their attention focuses on the battle in the background - which becomes increasingly violent, with sparks flying as attacks clash. It was impressive to watch, even if the ranger couldn't help but worry for the briefest moment.

It does help that Josh reassures them that the pokémon will be okay, and Lutgarde laughs, "They certainly look like it. A building falling on them couldn't stop their battle, huh?" Not that there's much high building to fall onto anyone, here. (They feel relaxed in this open space, but there's also ... an odd comfort in being surrounded by skyscrapers, bustling streets and vibrant life.)

In the meanwhile, Sylv happily returns the other Sylveon's greetings, shaking their ribbon-like feelers without much reservation and pleasant cooing.

"Actually, that makes a lot of sense," Lutgarde replies to Josh's explanation that the saddles were like clothing to the pokémon. "And I'll make a note of the clothing rule for a future challenge," they add with a smirk - most of the time, Sylv doesn't wear any accessories since it mostly was more practical that way, but they better not feel cute on challenge day then especially. "I'd love to!" The ranger cadet seems quite eager to hop onto any of them, and chooses the most familiar one for them, and maybe also the one Sylv might want to stick close with for some more chats.

"Thanks for the ride," they say as they walk over to Pinky, petting them for a moment before hooking one foot into the saddle, ready to swing over - and remembering that they were wearing a dress, not trousers, today. They stopped somewhat awkwardly, but their athletic built allows them to arrange themselves in a side saddle manner. "I should've thought about the dress before coming here," they remark, ordering their puffy underskirts. Sylv waits until his trainer is fully settled before he'd also hop onto their shoulder.

Josh Devlin

Mauville City Gym was certainly a wonder: a taste of the country while still being on the border of the most densely-populated city in Hoenn. It was a place where one could brag that they rode the fastest specimen of almost any appropriate Pokémon species in Hoenn. How many Pokémon were roaming his Gym now, close to 150? Hiring a care team for his Gym was a necessity. Soon, he would have to sponsor health insurance; he wouldn't be able to keep the massive place running with just 49 employees anytime soon. Running a Gym really was like being an entrepreneur, wasn't it? So much to maintain. Business was booming, though; he had even been attracting off-region challengers and students.

"You only have to make sure they're removed for battle challenges," Josh clarified. "For racing challenges, most trainers find it easier to sit in one. Riding a Pokémon bareback takes a special kind of bond... and oftentimes, a lot of strength." He couldn't imagine trying to ride a Pyroar bareback; even with a special saddle to mitigate their flexing backs, it was rougher than a horse. Without it, his spine might snap when the lion got to speed.

Josh was surprised to see Lutgarde Dijkstra riding side saddle. "You're quite experienced, aren't you?" he asked. It took incredible balance to do what they were doing, especially with Pinky got to speed. She was fast for a Sylveon. He couldn't help but smile seeing Sylv also occupy the large, Shiny fairy-type's saddle.

Once they were secured, Josh took a seat on Blinky's back, the Jolteon eager to run... but the Gym Leader wouldn't allow her to do so right away. "I don't want to get too far ahead of you. I'll let you dictate the pace, and I'll guide you in terms of direction."

Lutgarde nods in agreement with Josh's words - there were some instances in their childhood when they would just hop onto a pokémon and just went for it, but that usually ended up in sore thighs and butts. Gladly, that was also before they decided that lace and puffy dresses were all the rage - they didn't even want to imagine if they had come up with their fashion choices earlier in life.

"For sure, I got some tales to tell about that ... but was kind of reckless, too, so that's totally on me," they laugh. "At least my parents say I've got good bones in exchange now." They also nod at Josh's question about being experienced while getting comfortable in the saddle. "I've grown up in the countryside, so I've got to ride a couple there, to get around or help in the field ... or some because you're a little guy who has no idea how angry a pokémon can be." They clear their throat, laughing but also slightly embarrassed at their stupidity. "We always made up, though, so I don't think they hold a grudge ... I really hope. And then, later I got to adjust for the dresses or they'll get ruined too easily." And they were way to expensive for that.

However, as they'd let Pinky do a few tentative steps to confirm their position, they return with a laugh and a tad more hesitancy, "Good, because I don't think I'm ready for the speed you're used to here, experience or not. Think we can manage a casual gallop? Or is that more of a sprint for you?" they laugh.

"Gonna keep the fullspeed when I'm either even more experienced or got some proper clothing on - didn't expect to get into the saddle that soon, but I'm glad for it." They motion for Josh to start leading the way as they were seated properly and ready. Sylv was mostly communicating with Pinky about the speed, as he could communicate with the other Sylveon more precisely than Lutgarde could hope for at the moment, or ever, probably.

Josh Devlin

So Lutgarde grew up in the country... no wonder they had so much experience, and that they could ride side saddle with little trouble. Josh chuckled alongside his guest as they told their childhood story. "Yep, you'll definitely want to wear a skirt instead of a dress if you plan on issuing a challenge later on," Josh nodded.

The number of people throughout Hoenn that were truly ready for the kind of speeds Josh was used to numbered very few. Many of them were Badge holders. Some were Avatars with powers that let them withstand that speed more easily. "Sure! I'll make sure to keep Blinky to the slowest gallop she can manage."

With that, Josh had set the hook. Lutgarde would truly get to experience the rush of being on the back of a racing Pokémon. Even if they weren't going at competitive speeds, Blinky and Pinky were still quite swift. "Whoo-hoo!" Josh cried at the transition from trot to canter, where their running strokes significantly changed. The wind whirled their hair around as the terrain flew by. the Main Sector disappearing behind them. Pinky would respond with a low-pitched squeal of approval. If Lutgarde wanted to control the Sylveon's direction, they had every bit of freedom to do so.

There's definitely some more preparations to do before Lutgarde would go and properly challenge Josh - even disregarding their current clothing, they don't think they were quite ready yet. Between the Vital City Tournament and now, they started training more, also setting a dormant battler spirit in Sylv ablaze, but they still had quite some way to go.

"I'd love to see Blinky at fullspeed, maybe sometime later?" They still remembered the sheer speed of Josh's Zeraora back at the tournament, and was wondering how Blinky compared to that - or if Lutgarde would even notice a difference beyond lightning fast.

But for now, those thoughts are blown out of the wind as the pokémon picked up speed, and Lutgarde reassures their sit in the saddle once more. It's both faster than they expected, and exactly right - a freeing feeling as the landscape changes around them, and they leave the main part of the gym. And once more, just the sheer size of the gym area comes into mind, as there's really so much space to walk around. Lutgarde and Sylv - very carefully sat in front of Lutgarde - both enjoy the moment of just running straightforward for a while. It's also necessary - their "slowest gallop" is faster than any speed they've gone before, with the exception of some of Sylv's especially fast Quick Attacks for a few, few seconds, and they both needed time to make sure they wouldn't fall out of the saddle.

Then, they nudge Pinky towards what they believe to be the water area. They were curious how it looked like from land, just running alongside the water.

"This is great!" they shout, too, their voice booming over the rushing of the wind and air.

Josh Devlin

"Tell you what, when we get back around to the entrance, I'll let you see her at speed if you want," Josh offered. The Jolteon had a special place in the Gym Leader's heart. Though Raikiri was faster, Blinky was his first ultrafast Pokémon: one whose gallop could reach truly terrifying speeds. She was one of the Pokémon that Josh would only let tenured employees and people he really trusted handle. A fall from a Pokémon running at the speed of a race car would be... unpleasant, to say the least.

Josh reined Blinky to match Pinky's direction shift toward Sector 2, several of his water Pokémon frolicking in the waves of the DRIFT WATERWAY. Kairi the Vaporeon, just as big as Pinky and Blinky, leaped onto the course's central island and cooed toward the duo passing by.

"There really is nothing like travel by Pokémon, is there?!" Josh shouted back, perhaps a bit louder than he would have liked. Even at these lower speeds, he loved the rush and the sense of freedom. The slower speeds also had the benefit of being less harsh on his body; even for him, riding at high speed for extended periods of time made his thighs sore and iron-hard.

Josh would ultimately leave it up to Lutgarde Dijkstra whether they wanted to make for the hlily, faux-mountainous areas at the back of the grounds or remain on the flats. They would also be able to see his pride of Pyroar roaming the grounds. All ten of them, including a Shiny one that seemed to be the pride leader. Their riding gear looked slightly different from most of his: the Hoenn Rangers logo was plastered onto the saddle itself, as well as each lion's halters.

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"Deal," Lutgarde grins, excited to see later just how fast a pokémon could be, and an Eeveelution to boot. They wonder if they would be able to get a similiarly fast pokémon one day ... talking with Josh and seeing the various ways of pokémon transport definitely reminded them that they might want to have more than only their Togekiss Sylph to get around places. They'd have to see what possibilities there might be ...

But at this speed, they don't dare let their mind wander too far. And there's also the surrounding area to take in. There's really quite a lot of water pokémon, and even a Vaporeon - Josh truly had the entire collection - playing around in the water. Sylv stands up slightly, returning the coo as last as he could manage above the wind. He strenghtens his voice with a bit of a Disarming Voice, without actively using the attack.

There's a moment of surprise at Josh's volume, but it quickly turns into a kind of relief as they laugh loudly in agreement - their head not really able to nod along. (Gladly, they remembered to take off any accessories beforehand, or they would've gone flying.) "Yes! It's-" They try to put it into words, but that's really hard when your mind's just blown away by metaphorical and physical wind.

They decided to stay on the flats for the moment, but got curious at the sight of the pride of Pyroar roaming the grounds. "What's up with them?" they shout-ask, hoping that the minimal head movement towards the lion pokémon was enough to get Josh to understand. They only were sure after looking a bit longer, and added to clarify, "Are they official ranger pokémon, too?"

Josh Devlin

Provided Lutgarde continued to spend time around the Master of Faster, they would one day raise a Pokémon just as fast as his. As Sylv and Pinky passed Kairi, the Vaporeon raised her tail and waved toward them. While he didn't have one of every mountable Pokémon on the grounds, he had most of them. There truly was something on the grand facility for riders of all skill levels, from beginner to master.

That first word was all Josh needed. First-time riders were often lost for words; the sensation of being bounced up and down with every stride let one truly understand their Pokémon partner in a way few other methods could. Seeing that joy on every graduating student's face was something no amount of profitability could bring him. Though it was nice he could make a comfortable living running this place, it was more a labor of love than one of necessity.

"Kind of," Josh answered. "All ten of them are mine, but they're on call for the Rangers if a mid-to-large scale rescue is needed. Say, if a school bus crashes, they could carry the survivors to the closest hospital." That was Josh's role as a Ranger: rescues. When not busy with his Gym, he loved going out into the wilderness and bringing lost people back to civilization. If they were well enough, he could even show them the art of controlling a Pokémon steed on the way back! Several of his Gym's regulars were people he saved the lives of in Hoenn's wilds, especially in the popular natural wonder of Hoenn, Chimney Canyon. "There's an eleventh on the way, too."

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At the explanation, Lutgarde nods understandingly. So some of the rescue pokémons that the rangers were using come from places like this ... they have never been too involved with rescue missions, but they smile as they think about how well everything slots in together. "Ohh, I see!" they shout over the roaring winds, "That's great!"

They need another moment, taking in the speed and the feeling, before continuing the conversation. "I usually am stationary in a city, but I haven't gotten an assignment yet, nor a real preference," they explain their own tasks as a ranger. "Taking care of the city folks and 'mons, below ground, high above ground, wherever a hand might be needed." They like the feeling of having a place to belong to, but haven't gotten to anything much yet in Hoenn ... and felt like maybe that's also alright. But well, they have only been here for a few months at most, so who could really tell what's still about to happen?

"I think I'm ready for a the hilly area!" they also shout with a grin. The time on the flats has gotten them used to the general feeling, so they feel like they are ready to add a bit more steepness to that.

Josh Devlin

The two continued to bond over their Ranger duties as they left Sector 2 in the dust, moving onto the hilly Sector 3, where the Gym's Operations Center was located. It was a two-story building located on the complete opposite end of the property, the Gym's backup power generator located in the basement. Approaching it brought memories of Blackjack (Isaac Merlo )'s attack on Mauville Gym. An attack that the ex-Rocket had used to toughen him up. How he longed to know how the young man was doing...

"That's an important duty, too," Josh acknowledged. "I'll occasionally get dispatched to an urban rescue, but most of the time when I do Ranger work, I'm out in the wilderness on assignments. Someone survives a fall off a cliff, someone's hiding in a cave from a dangerous wild Pokémon, someone's trapped in a wildfire... Or even just someone's ride Pokémon fainting in the middle of 119 and they can't walk back. Those sorts of things."

Josh smiled as he sped Blinky up ever so slightly, encouraging Pinky to do so as well. "It's gonna get a bit bumpy, so hold on tight!" As the transition from flats to foothills came, their running strokes became bouncier to compensate. As they climbed in elevation, the duo would get a progressively better look at the Racing Grounds. Eventually, they would get a perspective of just how truly vast the place was. It may as well have been a Pokémon sanctuary.

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