The grasslands, sandy beaches, and waves of Route 118 were Josh's playground away from Mauville Gym. Today, though, he wouldn't be at play; he would be at work. He and the eight saddle-wearing Eeveelutions near him. They were gigantic for their kind, comparable to a Ponyta or a small Rapidash. Though it was clear they could only seat one person at a time, the Jolteon's seat covering most of her back, they all seemed adept, moving around in their gear like they had done so for months. The sweet-looking, blue-hued Sylveon stretched her feelers toward Faolan.

"That's correct, Faolan," Josh confirmed as Kairi, the Vaporeon he was astride, slapped her tail back and forth to shoo away a Wartortle getting a bit too close for comfort. "You don't remember how to access briefings in RangerNet?" he asked the new recruit. "Might be a good idea to confirm what we're trying to rescue and any other information that was in the briefing before we continue on."

As Josh listened to Faolan's reading of the briefing, he realized that he had made his own embarrassing mistake. There was a very similar-looking ticket submitted at almost the same time, for the same Route, but for the rescue of a Shinx instead.

He had pulled up the wrong ticket in the system!

"I am so very sorry, Faolan!" Josh blurted out, Inky and Clyde laughing at him for his mishap. "I was looking at the wrong ticket when I came out here! Not to ignore you, but can we take a quick detour to the Pokémon Center on the east side of Mauville?" he asked. "I'll even give you a ride on one of my Pokémon once we get back to the bay."

Provided Faolan would agree to the trip, Josh would call his secretary at Mauville Gym. "Hello, Shelly? It's Josh. Can you upload Snacker, Genbu, Ecco, Illumina, and Winky into the PSS, please? I brought the wrong Pokémon with me and need to swap teams. Thanks. Bye."

After the two had arrived at Mauville's Pokémon Center near the east checkpoint, Faolan would be able to see Josh switching out his Pokémon team. Were he to look over the Gym Leader's shoulder, he would see a Sharpedo, Blastoise, Palafin, Lanturn, and Greninja make their way across the Internet and to Josh's belt.

"As Mauville's Gym Leader, I only catch Pokémon that one can ride on," he answered. While there were a few exceptions, such as Zaborg, the Shiny Zeraora that rode his other Pokémon, as well as Amp the Toxtricity behind running Josh's sound system at the Gym, it was true. He owned over a hundred saddled Pokémon, each capable of being half of a devastating cavalry unit specializing in blitzkrieg.

Once Josh had sent seven of his eight Eeveelutions back, he stepped outside and clicked open a Poké Ball containing... a Greninja that stood taller than he did? With a full set of riding gear strapped to her, it may have been hard to imagine the engineering work behind making the giant, blue frog both comfortable to ride and the Pokémon herself comfortable carrying him. Whether she hopped or she ran, she could put on some serious speed. "I bet this answers your question," the Gym Leader smirked as he took his place atop the dark-type. "Hope Whiskey can keep up!" he teased.

Stoutland had high stamina within a specific speed range. In excess of that range, even they could become short of breath, as was demonstrated by the heroic efforts the duo made to keep up with the buge frog. Faolan's concerns about diving were warranted; it seemed the Ranger wasn't prepared to submerge. Josh was, having done so with his Pokémon many times. "You don't have to dive! I was more thinking one of us on the surface, one of us beneath!"

As Josh waded into the shallows, he released the rest of the Pokémon on his belt from their Poké Balls. "Genbu will be able to keep you dry! Otherwise, you're welcome to just wait on the shore," he gestured toward the Blastoise as he switched rides to a much more comfortable Pokémon for aquatic travel. Ecco chattered loudly as his trainer mounted the Palafin. "Up to you, of course! Besides, it's possible the Wishiwashi, if it's that hurt, maybe it washed up on the nearby riverbank. Keep your eyes peeled and an open mind!"

With his pep talk over, the young man grabbed the dolphin Pokémon's reins and gently applied pressure to the sea creature's sides. Flipping his tail up and down with surprising strength, the Palafin slowly disappeared over the waves, the Gym Leader aboard him in search of the ailing Wishiwashi.

Blastoise were faster than many trainers gave them credit for. By shifting their water cannons to their rear instead of their shoulders, they could use the high-pressure blasts as propellant. A Hydro Pump attack used this way could produce enough speed for their shells to skip across even the roughest waves imaginable.

Not to say Ecco wasn't capable of putting on great speed as well; the ramming attack that mimicked a JET PUNCH was faster than even a traditional Aqua Jet. "Alright, DIVE, Ecco!" Josh ordered, putting pressure on the skin in ftont of the blue Pokémon's steering fin: the nonverbal command to dive beneath the surface. The air bubble produced by the technique let Josh breathe while underwater. His eyes shifted between the riverbed and the surface, keeping an eye out for the missing Wishiwashi.

Perhaps faolan ashbaker would have better luck with his search aboard Genbu...