That was a little more than a small fall; Braver was huge. So big that the Arcanine had to crouch for Josh to climb onto him. And yet, she seemed to take it with stride. What a tough girl! The scientific analogy caught Josh off guard; he had never heard of a beginning rider's experience quite that way, but understood the gist of it. "The world needs more quick learners like you. With instincts and intuition like yours, there's nothing you won't be able to do if you put your mind and body to it."

Braver took off as fast as a trot could carry him without going into the long and powerful strides his species was known for. As much as the cocoon functioned like training wheels on a bicycle, it was both a great tool for beginners and an important safety mechanism for experienced riders looking to push the giant dog's speed to his limits. "Isn't it rewarding? Once you get a Pokémon of your own, you'll have the freedom to travel wherever you want, when you want."

With the lesson over, Josh guided Absinthe to the Gym's rear entrance. "There was one more thing I was going to go over with you. If you hold the reins then flick your wrists to send a pulse down them, the Pokémon will jump. But I'll leave that for you to practice. You're welcome to come down here in between Gym challenges if you want!"