Master of Faster
He/Him
25
December 12
Goldenrod, Johto
Straight
Mauville Gym Leader
Champion
"With great speed comes great responsibility."
TAG WITH @joshdevlin
Josh Devlin
PHANTOM RACER [quick badge]
POSTED ON Jan 24, 2023 15:39:09 GMT
Josh, likewise, was running on fumes. Dragon Slope was the second-longest aerial course he had. Even Resheph was showing signs of tiring, which was unusual for the Dragonair, or Dragon-types in general. Dragon Pokémon were generally known for their deep bowels of energy, able to hold boosted speed for very long periods of time. It was a testament to both the difficulty and the length of the course, third among his aerial courses only to Intersection and the six-star Spiral he tested Champion Assessment-eligible trainers with.
As cruel as it might have been to most Dragonair, Josh's Pokémon were trained specifically for the sport of Pokémon racing, and they were well aware they had to put the pedal to the metal when they were most exhausted, which was at the very end of the race. As the track widened, Josh knew what he had to do. If he was going to make a move on his Braviary and at least make the podium, it was going to be now. "Resheph! EXTREME SPEED!" Josh cried, bracing himself for the whiplash-inducing speed that would batter his already-aching body. Av0faeRs||
Though all four Pokémon that remained in the race were nearly running on empty after three laps around the grueling Dragon Dlope, Josh's Pokémon knew exactly how much energy to save for a final push, particularly the competitive Bladestorm. The four Pokémon were pushing themselves, and their trainers, to their limits. All three Pokémon were gaining on Agretti and Mint, and fast. They were also very rapidly running out of real estate. With a primal, metallic screech, the Skarmory pushed himself to his limit with a burst of AGILITY unlike what the Leader even thought was possible.
He wanted to win this, badly.
Mint would have felt the harmless wake of an incidental AIR CUTTER cross his body as he and Bladestorm crossed the finish line almost simultaneously. Slider and Josh, despite their heroic efforts to get back in the race, finished a very clear third and fourth, Resheph in particular sailing past the course's bounds to cool off from the meteoric charge that was EXTREME SPEED. It was impossible for the officials to tell in real time who crossed the line first.
This finish would have to be called upstairs.
In his weariness, Josh could have sworn Mint looked pale. The dry heaving was the only other sign he needed. He dialed for the Gym's emergency services. "Leader Devlin! Need medical to Sector 3, immediately!" he cried over the phone. It did not take long for the young, slender, and long-haired HAYLEY THOMAS to arrive astride Josh's Togekiss, Mastema. The Fairy-type doused the challenger in LIFE DEW while she transferred him from Agretti to Mastema.
By the time the gently flying Pokémon had crossed the Racing Grounds to the small medical unit, the officials had made their decision. Mint and Agretti had won.
By only four hundredths of a second.
[player]https://fi.zophar.net/soundfiles/nintendo-gamecube-gcn/f-zero-gx/228%20-%20Hurrah%20for%20the%20Champion%20%28Winning%20Run%29.mp3[/player] [break] 🎼 NEW THEME SONG! - Hurrah for the Champion! - F-ZERO GX OFFICIAL SOUNDTRACK
Once Josh felt Mint was well enough to speak, he would address him. "You okay?" he asked. "You really gave it your all out there, didn't you? And it paid off. You won. Barely, but you won. Can't get much closer than four hundredths of a second, can it?" he continued with a weak smile, Agretti's Poké Ball on an end table next to the challenger. "I think you have more than demonstrated trust in your Tropius, your ability to make split second decisions, and your ability to keep your cool. All of these will see you far in the Pokémon League."
He then lifted Agretti's Poké Ball out of the way, revealing the Hoenn League QUICK BADGE he had hidden behind the capsule containing the victorious Pokémon. "The official Hoenn League Quick Badge is yours, Mint. You and your Tropius shall be enshrined in the Gym's list of Qualified Riders not only as champions, but as Dragon Slope record holders. While the Badge is eternal, records are meant to be broken."
Josh was genuinely concerned for Mint's health, though; it would not have looked good if a challenger suffered serious bodily harm. While that was his medical team's job, he wasn't going to let that go unheeded as well.
"Need me to get you another bottle of water, Mint?" mint frost ···
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