Josh, too, had four Pokémon that wanted to zip around the back of the rugged den: Braver, Craggro, Entei, and Jiujiu. At first, the Xurkitree walked on two wires like a bipedal creature. Not for long, though; the Ultra Beast's cords took the shape of a predatory cat. The orange wires forming his front limbs looked like feline claws, and the thickest cord served as as a sturdy spine to support Josh.

Feeling adventurous, he would be a passenger aboard the electric wireframe for his first race. He had ridden the alien creature inside the Ultra Plant a few times, but this would be his first outside the Ultra Wilds. He doubted Jiujiu could outpace three Arcanine and two Gouging Fire. The point of the race wasn't to win, though; it was to let loose and have a good time.

"Ready!" Josh called out over the crackling sparks flying from his mount's head.

Jiujiu's change in shape was an intriguing one, Ettie and Yip both watching with clear fascination. What other sorts of shapes could a Xurkitree take, Ettie wondered?

Well, perhaps that was a question for another time. For now, it seemed that Josh was ready to go. Ettie grinned wide with this - excited - and would nudge at Zeit with her heel. "We go! Lets go!" She chirruped with an eager laugh. Zeit, in turn, let out a couple of eager barks - and with that, everyone was off!

It was interesting, really, the differences between the pokemon. Of Ettie's pack, Duchess and Duke were by far the fastest. However, Duke was a little zippier in his turns and side-steps to avoid obstacles, and Duchess had a bit more stamina overall. These two were true blue racing pokemon, especially in open or clear spaces.

Zeit and Apex weren't as fast, but they were juggernauts - any obstacles were simply knocked aside or crashed through, between Zeit's Rock Head and the impressive crest Apex had. Zeit's acceleration was better than Apex's though, even if Apex's top speed was slightly higher once they got up to speed. They made wonderful off-road pokemon, as a result.

Ettie and Yip both appeared to be having a wonderful time though, Ettie letting out happy whoops and Yip barking eagerly. The rush of wind, in getting to simply get out and run - there was nothing like it!

Josh Devlin

On the signal to start, Jiujiu's long tail, which served as the feline-shaped Xurkitree's back, began to gleam brightly in a TAIL GLOW. The electric Ultra Beast was the slowest of Josh's four Pokémon, but by no means slow. The alien's feline-like gallop looked wholly unnatural compared to Entei's, the Gouging Fire running past the Gym Leader's Arcanine.

Jiujiu's wireframe was good at making sharp turns, flicking Josh back and forth as he rounded corners with precision unlike most Pokémon native to Hoenn. He felt something within his skin crack as his mount rounded a U-turn, closing the gap rapidly.

Where Entei had raw speed, he lacked Apex's strength, having to move around obstacles that the wild child's Gouging Fire could simply ignore. Braver, impatient, kicked up his running stroke into EXTREME SPEED, his four legs turning into a single blur as a dust cloud formed behind his invisibly fast legs.

"Faster, Jiujiu!" Josh ordered, trying to keep up with the others. "Use DOUBLE TEAM!"

The Tail Glow is a dazzling sight - one that catches Yip's eye especially. The Smeargle watches the glow for a few seconds, before eagerly Sketching it..!

But all the while, the racing continued along. If this were a smooth and open environment, Duchess and Duke surely would've had the lead; but the terrain here was rocky and uneven. This meant that Zeit and Apex had chances to keep pace, simply ignoring the obstacles that the other two had to maneuver around.

Though on the flipside, if Duchess or Duke ever fell behind due to obstacles, then Apex or Braver would've likely cleared the way for the two to catch up.

As Braver and Jiujiu both took it a step further with Extreme Speed and Double Team respectively though, a couple packmates were quick to match that energy. Duke would Copycat to use an Extreme Speed of his own, and Duchess rose to a Quick Attack! (Which, of course, prompted excited yips and whoop-like howls from Yip!)

Ettie, similarly, giggled eagerly - simply enjoying herself as-is. Just to get out and run was so much fun...!

Josh Devlin

Jiujiu was one rough ride mid-DOUBLE TEAM; the wire serving as his back flexed just like a cat's back. It wasn't an issue for his felines, for they all wore saddles designed to mitigate the bounciness that came from their powerful spines. Jiujiu did not wear such a saddle; Josh had yet to come up with a design that fit the Ultra Beast in each of the different forms the wireframe could take.

Riding bareback wore him out.

Josh and Jiujiu whizzed past many Pokémon in the impromptu race, but a particularly competitive one caught his interest: Duke. The Jolteon's legs were a total blur as he zipped past.

Completing a circuit around Ettie's "back yard", Josh coaxed his Pokémon to a stop, the alien lowering his rear wire to the ground to let him slide off. "Whew...!" he exhaled. "How did you teach your Jolteon Extreme Speed? I'd love for Blinky to learn it!"

As the race loops back around to the den, Anne - and another Lycanroc, a shiny Midday one in particular - were both there to greet the returning group. As the pokemon slowed and came to a stop, Ettie giggled - hopping down from Zeit's back and reaching over to pet Anne and Maria both in greeting with either hand.

Anne and Maria, in turn, nuzzled either side of Ettie's face - Maria briefly licking over Ettie's wind-tousled hair as if to smooth it out a little. Even if a copy from a strange dream, this Maria was still Ettie's adoptive mother all the same.

But, then came Josh's question - which prompted a quizzical look from Ettie. She blinked, glanced to Duke (who was grooming himself,) blinked again... Before it clicked. "Oh! Is Copycat!" Ettie chirped, giggling. "Duke see, he Copycat!" It was very useful, both for keeping up with the pack on hunts, and for joining in on howls.

Which, with that in mind, Ettie hummed, until... "Teach Blinky Copycat?" She suggested, tilting her head a little. "Then Blinky can copy, when packmates Extreme Speed!"

Josh Devlin

It was such a simple trick, yet so ingenious. Copycat could cause a Pokémon to learn any move it could see another Pokémon use. It was like a Smeargle's Sketch, but temporary. "That's... I can't believe I never thought about that. I'll need to see what Pokémon can learn it. Next time you're at Mauville Gym, it might be fun to see how fast Blinky and Duke can go together, powered by Extreme Speed!" As he would later find out, the list of Pokémon that could learn the move was quite limited. Even so, it was fun to think about.

A little sore after being flung up and down by Jiujiu's back wire, Josh made himself comfortable back inside Ettie's den. "This was a lot of fun! I'd love for Apex and Entei to meet again when I... don't have to keep them under wraps any more." Once Rocket was aware of them, then he could feature them at his Gym, too. They would be boss Pokémon for his war courier Gym Challenge he was pushing to get approved before the war kicked into high gear again.

"Unless there's anyone else new that's joined your pack recently, I think I'm gonna rest just a little while longer before I take off. Again, it's been really fun!" Ettie would be able to catch another good look at Josh's RAINBOW FEATHER while he was making himself at home on the den floor.

Perhaps now was indeed a good time to head inside; the storm clouds were nearing, and with it the scent of rain and rumble of thunder. The pack would follow Josh into the den - Ettie pushing aside a heavy fur curtain that seemed to be meant to keep the elements out, to let him in.

Descending through the tunnel a short distance, was a sizeable cavern - a mix of natural-made, that was then further worked on by pokemon moves - that acted like a livingroom, with a few tunnels branching off. A number of 'nests' were here, built of feathers, fur, and even miscellaneous soft human-made objects like old blankets and pillows.

It seemed that though the amenities were ultimately primitive, Ettie's pack made sure that one's creature needs were as met as could be.

As Josh sat down, he'd immediately be met with a couple of Yamper pups, who would happily climb into his lap. Ettie, meanwhile, would settle in next to him with a happy giggle - leaning into him and snuggling close. With this proximity, she indeed would note the Rainbow Feather - and would hum. What a pretty feather! She wondered what sorta pokemon he got it from...

... Well, that was a question that could wait for another time. As of now, she was ready to simply relax; yawning softly, as her eyes drifted closed. Napping until the storm was over sounded nice, right about now....