There was nothing inherently wrong with wearing a mask. There was a time a few years ago where Josh had to wear a mask to protect himself, and his family, from a disease running rampant through Goldenrod City. Health concerns were one valid reason to wear one. As such, Josh's female receptionist, SHELLY SPIEL, didn't so much as bat at eye when the masked woman entered the Gym's office space.

From the reception desk, Absinthe Blackwood would be able to see many saddled Pokémon running, swimming, and flying across the vast Racing Grounds. Many of them were much larger than the average for their kind, some of the most fascinating ones being an entire rainbow of Eeveelutions. The Sylveon in particular looked adorable, adorned with brightly-colored riding tack much like a Galarian Rapidash. "Good morning!" Shelly greeted her. "What's the name on the appointment?"

"Just a moment, Abby," Shelly responded, keyboard clacking filling the mostly silent air as a teenage trainer slid off a Thievul's back just outside the sliding-glass doors, he and the blue-haired ARAVAN ESCHER heading toward the first-floor locker room. "Found you. Right through the doors to my left. Follow the signs to Sector 1. You'll see the Gym Leader near the Twist Road starting line."

Provided Absinthe Blackwood was able to follow the ample signage to her destination, she would find Josh atop a Boltund that looked positively enormous for its species, the electric dog greeting her with a singular bark. "Abby?" Josh asked. "Gym Leader Devlin or Champion Devlin, but please, call me Josh. Excited to learn some saddle basics?"

It wasn't just the Boltund; there were other enormous Pokémon wandering the Sector, let alone the entire outdoor complex. Several Cyclizar weaved around one another, a screech from one making a sharp turn catching the Gym Leader's attention briefly. "I am!" Josh answered. "The two types of students I enjoy teaching most are beginners, then experts looking to become masters."

Nearby would be several Pokémon that looked quite beginner friendly. The golden, fanning tails of a Ninetales waved in the light breeze, the fox standing as tall as Josh would on the ground. The calming feelers of a Shiny Sylveon would reach out toward Absinthe, touching her and attempting to calm her if she allowed it. A female Pyroar approached, as well, the Mauville Rangers' emblem emblazoned upon her tack. Finally, Braver the Kantonian Arcanine approached, standing taller than the other Pokémon present. He looked to be the most traditional of the four ride Pokémon, though the speed his species was known for may have made them look intimidating.

Josh didn't notice anything immediately wrong with the way Absinthe was sitting. Perhaps it was a lack of confidence in herself, or even a fear of the Arcanine's speed. After all, the giant dog was one of the fastest Pokémon species on land, nearly capable of challenging race cars when giving it their all.

"Your posture looks good for a walk or a trot!" he reassured her. "The reins are not just for steering. They're for your stability, too. If you grab them with both hands and hold them in a neutral position, it takes a lot of tension off your back." Braver let out a howl that may have startled the guest if she wasn't expecting it. "Once you get up to speed, you'll want to lean forward, into the wind. Before we get to that, though, I'll show you the basics of controlling a Pokémon mount."

Josh set Crash's reins down and gently pat at his knees. "Leg pressure is how you speed up and slow down. The more you squeeze your mount's sides, the faster they'll accelerate. Reduce that pressure, and they'll slow down. Want to give it a try? I'll keep pace with you."

Josh could tell from both Absinthe's posture and her tone that she was filled with mixed emotions: excitement yet also discomfort. "You're doing well!" he answered, noticing the female's posture shift forward as Braver got up to speed, approaching what could have felt like a swift canter or even a gallop to her. Arcanine were cooperative, but they were among the fastest Pokémon commonly ridden by trainers. They were commonly employed as police dogs for a reason!

"Next is steering! If you pull on the reins with just one hand, he'll turn in the same direction you pull," Josh taught Absinthe the second part of the basics. "The more agile your mount, the tighter they'll turn. With an Arcanine, it can take a bit of muscle power for them to make anything but shallow turns. Think of it like tilting their head in the direction you want to go. Give it a try! And if you ever feel uncomfortable with tactile controls like these, many Pokémon will respond to verbal commands, too."

As if to guide her, Josh would lead the Arcanine off the main concourse and onto Twist Road, the easiest track on the property. It had several turns that would be perfect for the novice rider to get used to steering with!

Being in control of a Pokémon mount was one of the most liberating things Josh could imagine. There was something simply magical about working with a living creature capable of moving at dizzying speeds, blasting across the land, sea, or sky as one. Something magical about feeling a beast's powerful strides. It gave one the sensation of disappearing on the wind. After rounding each turn, Josh gave Absinthe a thumbs-up, letting her concentrate on steering the giant dog.

The words our of Absinthe's mouth made Josh smile... and yet, his face had a hint of worry about it, too. Braver was one of his fastest Pokémon, capable of going faster than a race car when invoking his fastest attacking moves. "Braver is an Arcanine. They're some of the fastest land Pokémon on the planet," he warned. "If you give him enough room to invoke his Extreme Speed... he'll go as fast as a Raikou."

That remark wasn't far from the truth, either; as hard to believe as it may have been, Josh had personal experience with both.

Absinthe was doing well until she tried to turn the Arcanine too sharply, causing her to fall. Thankfully the grass surrounding the course was soft, absorbing what would have been a nasty impact if it had been on a harder surface. "You okay?" Josh asked his student, pulling Crash alongside her. "Arcanine can be fast. They're so fast that even I don't hesitate to zip up his cocoon when I really want to have Braver let loose."

Josh hopped off his Boltund and gestured for the Arcanine to crouch. Taking a seat on the giant dog, he put his feet through two loops, one on each side, before zipping the cocoon up. The saddle's zipped leathers now covered him up to his waist. He wasn't going anywhere, no matter how fast the Arcanine ran... or no matter how hard the Arcanine were to buck, were he so inclined. "Just like this," he said, turning toward Absinthe. "It's an excellent training tool, and it's important for safety if you want to go as fast as he can."

After giving the demonstration, he undid all the zippers keeping the cocoon in place, then slid down from the saddle. "If you've never been on a Pokémon before, then you've got a lot of natural instincts for it. With some practice, there's nowhere in Hoenn a Pokémon won't be able to take you!"