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While he wasn't showing it, Josh's nerves were spiking. His very first Gym Challenge was today, and it was the Director and Champion of Hoenn?! Talk about a trial by lightning! At least he would be battling in his element, a contest of speed rather than a contest of force. His fans from Silver Class and Gold Class races were starting to fill the modest stands near the facility's competition grounds. It seemed like more of them were Kyle fans than Josh fans, though that was to be expected. Any regional Champion would have a massive fanbase, and probably made enough off selling merch alone to make a living.

Suddenly, he received a call from his challenger, with a complaint he and his Manectric were lost. That made little sense to Josh; given that his matches were open to the public to watch, there was ample signage directing visitors around the facility. "Director, we have a front door here and I have a receptionist, you know..." the racer sighed. "Hold tight. I'll see if I can find you. Gonna mute for a sec." With that, he sent out Ares, his Charizard ready to take to the skies and look for Kyle. "Ares, just shoot an Inferno skyward and above him when you find him." With that, the fire-type became airborne and gained substantial altitude. It didn't take him too long to find Kyle; he was completely on the other side of the race course they would be competing on! "Thank you! Come back, Ares!" The Charizard spouted another gout of flames skyward before returning close enough for Josh to recall him.

Josh released the electric Pokémon he would be using in the race: of course Saber, his personal mount for the challenge, then Crash, Raiden, and Blitz, his Boltund, Zebstrika, and Luxray. All three of them were geared up and ready. He took his phone off mute, quite a bit more static coming through with all the electric-types present. "Got you in my sights, Director; we're on the way." His Manectric led the way at a strong clip, his other three Pokémon following behind.

It did not take them long to reach Director Lopez. The Manectric he stood next to looked like she had seen a ton of battles before. How experienced they were in racing was anyone's guess. "Nice to at last see you in the flesh, Director Lopez!" Josh greeted his first challenger with a facsimile of confidence, though anyone capable of reading body language could tell he was nervous.

"We are completely on the wrong side of the track, though. The starting line is that way. Follow me." he pointed down the long and narrow home stretch designed for Pokémon to go all out; there was even plenty of room for Pokémon to use Extreme Speed without having to terminate the blisteringly fast move early. The small crowd set on observing Josh's inaugural challenge cheered when the two arrived.

Josh let a deep sigh; it was getting increasingly more challenging for him to hide his nerves as he and his Pokémon lined up. "Okay Director, we'll review the rules one more time. We'll line up at that checkered line just before that arch. Before the race starts, the display on the arch will count down '3, 2, 1, GO' to signal the start. Quick Attack and the like are off-limits on the first lap only. After that, go nuts. If you can beat us to the finish line over three laps, or you otherwise prove to me that you can demonstrate your ability to keep your cool under split-second pressure, the Quick Badge is yours. I won't make it easy for you, though!"

Once the five Pokémon were lined up, a low-pitched but loud squawk from the arch's speakers blared, indicating for the Leader and challenger to get ready. Three still images of a sprinting Raikou faded into view. They disappeared in sequence as the race start counted down, each one accompanied by a brief squawk. The act of the last one disappearing was accompanied by a loud, higher-pitched squawk, indicating the race had officially begun. Josh sounded a loud cry as he squeezed his Manectric's sides, all four of his Pokémon leaping across the line.

INSTRUCTIONS

After each posting round, a prompt describing the upcoming section of the track will be posted. These prompts may highlight different sections of the course on each lap. You will react to the prompt, then [ roll ]. The totals of all the rolls will determine the track position of all Pokémon on the course. For the first lap, the Leader's rolls will be capped at 50.

Normally, these rolls would be modified according to parameters appropriate to the species of Pokémon used, but because both the Leader and Kyle are using the same Pokémon, those modifiers would cancel each other out. There is no one intended way to solve an obstacle. Creativity is encouraged!

To help with visuals, the rough shape of the course can be referenced below.

LAP 1 | OBSTACLE 1

The course begins with a series of three right-angle, uphill turns on a wide track, coming at competitors with increasingly rapid succession. The turns are sharp, but racers have plenty of room to find positioning. While there is little danger of a wipeout, wide turns are not advised without a plan due to how much extra ground the Pokémon would need to cover. A long straight stretch follows the third turn.

kyle lopez



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The two Manectric and the rest of Josh's Pokémon were off, Josh witnessing a huge blast of sparks from Tana's paws. Was Kyle a racing hobbyist? He showed tremendous promise as Josh followed his internal rules for the challenge. Beating a semi-pro, Arceus forbid a pro, in his own element would make for a very unfair challenge; rather than going all-out with every advanced technique in the book, he had Saber gallop along the middle of the road, the remainder of his Pokémon fighting for position alongside him.

Director Lopez was smart, knowing that taking the inside line was the way to go. While Manectric didn't have the greatest turning capability among electric Pokémon, it was good enough that they could swing wide and crest the turn's apex. Josh was impressed with the level of synergy the two had with one another. Kyle had to be in pretty good physical shape, too; the pivots his Manectric was making had to feel like he was being pulled and pushed around quite hard.

Josh's approach to the curves was different; rather than sharp pivots, he put his body into it, as though he were atop a Pokémon with much better turning capability. This time around the course, it wouldn't be too stressful, but those would be a lot more stress on his body the next two times around the course, when they'd be going a lot faster. He was content to let the challenger build his lead for now. Unless he really knew his Manectric well, including how much to push her for bursts of speed, he would take it right back on boost laps. The rest of his Pokémon followed behind closely; while Raiden the Zebstrika could have made a move for Kyle, all of Josh's Pokémon were under strict orders not to pass their trainer during Gym Challenges only.

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Kyle's instincts served him well; his Manectric's well-timed pivots, as well as the faux-Wild Charge to keep her legs filled with fuel in the form of electric discharges, let the two pull significantly ahead of Josh as the two crossed a retractable bridge near the arch the five Pokémon started under. Though the sudden momentum shifts likely felt jarring to a person not used to them, they were one way to follow the inside line. Josh mentally noted Kyle's demonstration of his incredibly close bond with his Manectric, but it would take more than that to win the Quick Badge...assuming, of course, the challenger didn't win the race outright. Josh estimated he was trailing Kyle by around a third of a second.

LAP 1 | OBSTACLE 2

After crossing a retractable bridge over the start, the course slowly narrows during a long left curve. While it isn't a particularly tight turn, the length of the turn necessitates quite a bit of stamina from the Pokémon as well as thigh strength from the racer to navigate at full speed. Once the course finishes narrowing, it turns at a right angle in the opposite direction and becomes only wide enough for four Pokémon to run alongside one another, making passing more difficult.

kyle lopez

Josh had given the Director the easiest course layout on his entire Gym to ease him into what would obviously be his element. He had given Kyle an inch, and Kyle took a metaphorical mile. The use of MANGET RISE reminded him of his run on the Mobius Ring course at New Mauville, which wasn't too far from Trainer Hill. The use of IRON TAIL as a rudder impressed him, too; it let Tara precisely control her drift and keep all her speed.

Josh took a much more traditional approach, making small adjustments to stay in the center of the rapidly narrowing course. It kept the black-haired racer and his Manectric out of trouble; however, it didn't do anything to help catch up to the challenger, who continued to build his lead. All three of Josh's other Pokémon were close by, though Raiden was getting increasingly agitated about not being able to pass the Leader and chase the challenger's Manectric down.

This was just a warm-up lap, anyway; the true test would be on boost laps, when the pace of the contest would get far faster. His challenger had demonstrated synergy with his Pokémon, even using moves in ways he had never considered before. After all, part of being a Gym Leader wasn't just teaching challengers a set of skills and values; it was also about learning skills and values from your challengers. Unsurprisingly, he had a lot to learn from the Director and Champion.

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Kyle's idea to have Tara use Magnet Rise allowed her to drift without grinding her claws. It wasn't perfect, but it was good enough for him to at least maintain his lead and even expand it a little bit. Had he come out of the drift even a little later, he would have collided with a thick, foam safety wall, and that would not have been pretty to recover from. His aggressive lines enabled him to expand his lead to close to half of a second.

LAP 1 | OBSTACLE 3

At the end of a narrow straight stretch was a tall dirt mound that made the 180-degree turn resemble the end of a half-pipe. It was intended to make the sharp curve easier at the expense of swinging wide and accepting a small time loss, but even with it, the curve was not easy. Furthermore, the blind turn made it difficult to react in time to the hilly terrain preceding the home stretch.

kyle lopez

The Director and Champion's racing style was certainly unique; his use of FIRE FANG and ICE FANG was certainly something that was not allowed in official Pokémon Racing Federation competition, but Josh wouldn't say no. There was a very good reason he didn't make his challengers abide by every single regulation that the Federation set forth; his Gym was intended to be a stepping stone to official races. Racing and battling took two completely different skill sets to master, and Kyle seemed to be good at both.

Even without Kyle's fog act, Josh had a lot of trouble judging the sharp curve. He had cut the curve too tightly, having to tug hard and release his leg pressure in an effort to slow his Manectric down. It was a good thing he hadn't reached the mogul-like hills leading to the starting arch, though; running into one of those at a bad angle could have launched him over the heavy, foam barriers marking course bounds. He was fortunate to survive the equivalent of a spin out with a mere loss of track position and maybe a couple of additional grey hairs. The Leader's Boltund and Luxray even passed him, leaving him in last place in his own race. That wouldn't last for long, though!

Raiden wasn't anywhere close to as lucky. He took the first bit of the curve slow, running up the ramp on the outside of it and using it to burst ahead of Josh. Unfortunately, the fog Tana's fangs created made it impossible for him to see the rough terrain coming, and he went flying over the barriers and out of bounds, ELIMINATING him from the race.

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While Kyle's idea to have Tara mix fire and ice to form a mist was against official Federation rules, it was perfectly legal to do in the Gym Challenge. Tara's focus on that and not on the turn did make navigating the rough terrain prior to the home stretch much more challenging, the two leaving the road long enough to slow them down form having to tear through thick grass. The display above the arch gave Kyle confirmation that he had a substantial lead heading into boost laps.

INSTRUCTIONS

You Got Boost Power! Speed-increasing moves, such as QUICK ATTACK, AGILITY, and EXTREME SPEED are now allowed. Tara will be able to use such speed-increasing moves up to three times for the rest of the race. Speed-increasing moves will grant you ADVANTAGE for the posting round, meaning you will [ roll ] twice instead of once for that post and ignore the lower roll. For the second lap of the race, the Leader's rolls will be capped at 65.

Beware! Taking tight turns and stamina-draining Obstacles at high speeds can result in dire consequences, and may impose DISADVANTAGE, meaning the lower of the two rolls will be taken. If the lower of the two rolls would still pass the Obstacle, Track Position for that Obstacle will be calculated based on the higher of the two rolls.

LAP 2 | OBSTACLE 1

The three right turns opening the course were much more rapid fire than before at high speeds, now that the Pokémon had the chance to accelerate. The big difference on the second lap was that the bridge at the end of the following straightaway had retracted. There was now a big gap to cross, and missing it would send them back to just before the course's first curve!

kyle lopez

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The Director was good at racing. Very good. If he only had the time to hone his skills, he could compete on the professional level. His use of Pokémon moves to aid his turning looked well-practiced. That or the Director was not only incredibly in sync with his Pokémon, but was also a quick study. Had Kyle done this before? Josh was getting his ass kicked. Laughably so.

The Leader took a bit of a risk getting caught up; he reined his Manectric to the outside of the third curve, which cost them a bit more time but set them up for the bridge he knew in advance would be retracted. A little unfair, yes, but he had to have a way to tilt the scales and really put the challenger's bond to the test. As his Manectric pivoted, he saw Tana initiating what looked like a WILD CHARGE from just one paw, using it to stabilize during the curves.

"Saber, QUICK ATTACK!" the Leader cried, squeezing his Manectric's sides. He grunted, lurching back in the saddle as the electric-type zoomed forward in a blur to spectators. He had ridden Saber in Quick Attack many times, but it didn't make the force of the explosive acceleration the species was known for any easier to withstand.

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The Leader's daring gambit worked! Josh and the rest of his Pokémon were starting to close the gap. Their QUICK ATTACKs and bursts of AGILITY, along with a well-timed flick of the reins to signal his Manectric to jump, put him within striking distance of passing the challenger. His Luxray was the first to land, followed by the Leader and his Manectric, and lastly by his Boltund at a fair distance. The challenger was doing well, as well; Tara had taken the curves a bit wide, but the use of WILD CHARGE on only one leg made up for the mistake. It was the only reason Kyle's Manectric maintained a narrow lead of around a quarter of a second.

LAP 2 | OBSTACLE 2

The second time around the course, the long left curve felt sharper than it was before, perhaps due to the increased speed from coming out of WILD CHARGE and QUICK ATTACK. Speed-boosting moves did take time to gradually wear off, after all. The sharp, narrow curve toward the end of the backstretch was coming, too. Positioning coming out of both the long curve and the hairpin turn would be extremely important coming into the home stretch.

Boost uses remaining | Josh Devlin 2 | kyle lopez 3

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Both racers' fans were on the edge of their seats, able to not only see, but hear, the electricity in the air. Even Josh's hair was standing on end beneath his helmet and visor. It felt like every time the Leader made a move, Director Lopez and Tana were one step ahead of him. Liberal use of MAGNET RISE to gain traction, while not legal in official races, would be extremely helpful in his Gym Challenges specifically. The power of magnetism let the Champion lean into a very low, sharp turn that Josh didn't expect him to have the strength to navigate, but he did!

The Leader had timed Saber's previous QUICK ATTACK to end right at the start of the curve, leaving him roughly as far behind as he was when the second lap started. It wasn't that Josh even made a mistake; all of his adjustments were timed well. It was more Kyle was doing exceptionally well! The more he and the rest of his electric-types tried to catch up with the challenger's Manectric, the more he realized that he had real skills that would translate well to a strong performance in the Silph Cup.

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Tara's drift around the long curve was perfectly executed! Though her right-front claws came very close to brushing the inside wall, they never actually touched. She had taken nearly the fastest possible route, her MAGNET RISE letting her navigate the small hill with ease. It left her in perfect position to swerve around the hairpin curve before the home stretch, but with her levitation on a possible cooldown, navigating the mogul-like terrain of the first half of the home stretch could be a real challenge.

Josh, on the other hand, was not so fortunate. Stepping into a small hole over a hill caused Saber to lose grip and go flying toward the outside of the turn. A quick flick of the reins at least let the Leader recover in time and not completely crash. It was still a devastating loss, though; he would have to take some significant risks if he wanted to catch up to the Director.

Blitz, Josh's Luxray, wasn't so lucky; an ill-timed QUICK ATTACK of his own lifted him over the small inside hill. He had tripped over the same hole, sending him flying over the inner wall and landing out of bounds. Only three Pokémon remained: Tara, carrying Kyle to a lead of over a second and a half; Saber, who had a lot of work to do if he wanted to give Josh a chance to catch up; and finally, Crash, the Boltund who was a non-factor, in a very distant third.

LAP 2 | OBSTACLE 3

The pounding of paws against dirt had made the final straightaway much more treacherous than it was the first time around the track. Not only were there alternating hills cutting across parts of the course, but the displacement of loose dirt made the terrain almost mogul-like, testing the rider's balance and the Pokémon's stamina. Once they were past that, though, it was a straight shot to the arch, where the presiding official was waving the white flag!

Boost uses remaining | Josh Devlin 2 | kyle lopez 2

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Josh watched sparks fly from Tara's paws the moment she and Kyle crossed the rough terrain that tested his balance aboard his own Manectric. As tempting as it was for him to have Saber respond to the QUICK ATTACK with a QUICK ATTACK of his own, that wasn't going to win him the race. As risky as it was, he decided he was going to commit to the play that gave him the best shot at winning the race: a blistering fast QUICK ATTACK chain at the very end.

When the final lap came around, he held his Manectric back. The Leader planned on using every square inch of that half-pipe, all the way to the top. His objective to accelerate up the banked curve, then come out of the first rush of speed with the fastest QUICK ATTACK Kyle had ever seen. If only he knew he had the fire-type Johto Beast on his side...then it might not be the fastest burst of speed his challenger had ever seen.

But that was neither here nor there. He simply maintained the firm leg pressure and hold on the reins he had been almost all race, the Manectric bounding across the line as the white flag waved, indicating it was the last time around the course. "Last time around, Saber. We're gonna show the Champion why we're turning pro later this year. On my cue, give 'em the fastest QUICK ATTACK you got, okay?" With a nod from the Manectric, he was committed. They were either going to win the race or wipe out on that nasty curve. There was no in between in his mind.

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The timing on Tara's QUICK ATTACK was a bit early; while Kyle's lean-in was correct, she had fired it just before the mogul-like terrain had ended, the small hill's angle sending her flying toward the inside of the track. Thanks to her rider's gambit of minimizing drag, she was able to more easily recover from the mistake, the only time the two lost being what it took to correct their swerve. The two could see the white flag waving as they crossed the starting arch, an indicator that this was the race's last lap. With Josh's Boltund being far behind enough that Kyle couldn't even see him if he were to briefly look back, he just had to hold off the Leader and his Manectric for one more lap, and the Quick Badge would be his!

[player]https://fi.zophar.net/soundfiles/nintendo-gamecube-gcn/f-zero-gx/225b%20-%20For%20The%20Glory%20-feat.%20Mute%20City%27s%20Theme-%20%28Mute%20City%29.mp3[/player]

INSTRUCTIONS

The fans cheered loudly as the white flag waved to the side of the starting arch; it was the last time around the track! For the final lap of the race, the Leader's rolls will be capped at 80.

FINAL LAP | OBSTACLE 1

The opening three right turns were made quite a bit more difficult now that the racers had to avoid their Pokémon's skid marks! Some of the marks the clawed Pokémon in particular had made were quite deep, and tripping over them would be a brutal way to wipe out! Furthermore, the bridge connecting the upper and lower sections of the course was still out, meaning they would have to make the long jump one more time!

Boost Uses Remaining: Josh Devlin 2 | kyle lopez  1