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"With great speed comes great responsibility."

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POSTED ON Jul 10, 2023 4:48:36 GMT

Josh was proud of Lam after hearing the announcer's remark regarding the massive lead the challenger had built up. That he did it with an Altaria, a Pokémon not traditionally known for speed, was quite impressive. The bond they shared was special. Perhaps it was special on the same level of bond Josh shared with Saber, to the point where one day he would wield the awesome powers of a Sygna Suit.

There was little time to dwell on that, though; the Gym Leader and Squall were still in the middle of fairly heavy traffic, and the most disorienting part of the entire course was coming: an inverted loop that would have made him sick at any time last year. Not now, though. With confidence, he reined Squall "down" toward the sky before beginning the dizzying twist that pushed the aerodynamic capabilities of his Pokémon to their limits.

t4smoxtt

For the first time in a while, challenger lam logan could relax. While it wasn't pretty, his ALTARIA clearly in quite a bit of discomfort, the two managed to twist out of the back end of the loop well enough to follow the course. It could have been rather dizzying from the blood leaving their heads. It could have been terrifying to see ACE SHEEKE and his CHARIZARD, followed by ERON IUNIS and his TOGEKISS rocketing toward him upside down. While there was plenty of vertical separation between the two, that wouldn't have made it any less scary. It also was the first easy visual indicator of the kind of lead he had. The fire-type's flight looked labored coming out of the inverted stretch, demanding of him a maneuver his body really was not designed for. Huffing and snorting embers, the fire-type was forced to slow down to catch his breath, letting faster traffic pass him and leaving him in FOURTH PLACE.

He didn't get to see Josh Devlin and ARAVAN ESCHER, their ALTARIA and DRAGAPULT causing their riders' stomachs to turn from how quickly, effortlessly, and flawlessly they were able to soar through the inside of the loop and twist their bodies to a normal orientation once more. It may have been a struggle for the two to keep their innards inside themselves, but the two gained a lot of position. The competition was about to get a lot more intense as the challenger's ALTARIA's TERASTAL BODY shattered, reducing it to its normal capabilities right as the white flag waved. Could they hold the lead when it mattered most?

[player]https://fi.zophar.net/soundfiles/nintendo-gamecube-gcn/f-zero-gx/226b%20-%20Osc-Sync%20Carnival%20%28Lightning%29.mp3[/player]

NEW THEME SONG! Osc-Sync Carnival (Final Lap) - F-ZERO GX ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

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 170, before modifiers are applied.

FINAL LAP | OBSTACLE 1

Prompt: After an all-out sprint down the long and straight home stretch of the previous lap, plus the long straight strength of the opening stretch of this last lap, the long, right turn loomed ahead. The much higher speeds of boost laps would necessitate a much sharper turn, and one that would be even tougher to hold than before. Racers without iron guts might consider tapping the brakes throughout this one!

Target Number: 160 (Endurance)

Special: Pokémon also add half their ranks in Reaction to this Obstacle.

lam logan

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played by

lou

lam

he/him

twenty-seven

may 7th

hau’oli city, alola

rooksexual (demi)

lilycove gym leader

gym leader

5'9 height

his hands keep turning into birds and flying away from him. eventually the birds must land.

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TAG WITH @lou

POSTED ON Jul 14, 2023 16:58:58 GMT

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[attr="class","star2"]This loop was clearly a bit more of a struggle on Mallow, even with the added boon of terastralization before it began to fade. Maybe it was the extra weight of her crystallized body making it more of a strain to remain upside down this time around. Or just the fact that it was a second bout of the angle, with more of the race packed on and beginning to wear her down. Whatever the cause, Mallow still managed to pull through. “You got this, Mall! Good job,” he coaxed her forward, whether he needed to speak aloud or not.[break][break]

Unfortunately for them, the boon of her Tera type couldn’t last forever. As they shot out of the loop, reorienting themselves upright in a spiraling twist, the bright pink crystal burst around them as they shot forward in a pink burst. He imagined it must’ve looked awfully pretty, like the swirl of cherry blossom petals swept up in the wind around them before they left it in their dust to fade away until the normal, bright blue and white of her feathers returned.[break][break]

Just a little bit more. They only needed to hold out for a few more laps. As they broke ahead, Lam made no attempt to further boost up Mallow’s speed—not yet. Still reeling from the loop, he steered her forward across the stretch to regain their bearings before hooking into the right turn. The last thing they needed was to crash because he got ahead of himself!

[break][break]

YnDmIv78

[break][break]

Josh Devlin // speed: 3 // endurance: 2 // reaction: 3![break]
terastralization had ended!

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·

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played by

raikourider

Master of Faster

He/Him

December 12

Goldenrod, Johto

Straight

Mauville Gym Leader

Champion

6'1" height

"With great speed comes great responsibility."

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TAG WITH @joshdevlin

POSTED ON Jul 19, 2023 4:11:00 GMT

Alexei Ivanov likes this

Just because Lam had an almost insurmountable lead didn't mean Josh was giving up. He didn't get as far as he did on the road to being a Champion by giving up. What would Alexei Ivanov have to say after his own Gym Challenge? Despite his defeatist attitude toward being the first person in Fortree Gym's history to obtain a score of zero on the obstacle course, he walked out with the Skyrider Badge. This wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot.

As the spiraling turn came, Josh squeezed Squall's sides tightly, flinging his body weight to his right to induce a sharp turn from the dragon-type. "Squall, use your DRAGON DANCE!" the Gym Leader grunted with grit on his face and in his voice. Vertigo was starting to set in even for him as the Altaria's clouds became enveloped in purple dragon energy. His head thumped halfway up the turn, pushing even his own physical capabilities as they rocketed and spiraled upward at dangerous speeds.

DRAGON DANCE is used.

e5EkxCPn||

With a lead of over two seconds, lam logan was wise to coast through the spiraling turn, saving his ALTARIA's strength for the extended inversion at the end of the course. The Gym Leader wasn't going to make it easy, though! In a daring maneuver, his DRAGON DANCE necessitated his own ALTARIA to make an almost completely vertical turn that may have caused both his head and his thighs to start thumping from the G-forces threatening to wear him down. ACE SHEEKE and his CHARIZARD took a similar line, a DRAGON DANCE of their own forcing them to ascend at nearly a vertical bank angle.

The Gym Leader remained competitive with ARAVAN ESCHER and his DRAGAPULT, the phantom dragon slithering back and forth in an effort to confuse him and prevent the blue and white rival from passing them. When the two had at last leveled off, they were neck and neck, the orange dragon not far behind as the purple glow left his wings and tail. ERON IUNIS, looking for an opportunity, rode the thermals of the fire-type's wake, his TOGEKISS picking up some ground. While no one was out of the running for the silver, the challenger had the gold nearly on lock, barring a major mistake.

FINAL LAP | OBSTACLE 2

Prompt: A short straightaway was the last respite the tired Pokémon would get, for Pokémon would be flying in any orientation but right-side up for quite a while. While it would be tempting for those adept at inverted flight to let loose with DRAGON DANCES, QUICK ATTACKS, and the like, flying off course was a real risk for very fast Pokémon if they could not slow down in time for the gut-wrenching twist at the now-familiar loop's end. Even the Gym Leader, trainers, and challenger might be fighting vertigo by now, having been in the air for over three minutes performing dizzying maneuvers mandated by the course!

Target Number: 130 (Reaction)

Special: None

lam logan

···

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played by

lou

lam

he/him

twenty-seven

may 7th

hau’oli city, alola

rooksexual (demi)

lilycove gym leader

gym leader

5'9 height

his hands keep turning into birds and flying away from him. eventually the birds must land.

awards

1,782 posts

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TAG WITH @lou

POSTED ON Jul 20, 2023 18:52:27 GMT

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[attr="class","star2"] Inevitably, the gym leader began to close in on them. Coming up from the back, Josh had surpassed the rest of their competitors until a glance over his shoulder told Lam that he was sneaking up behind them. What a comeback, though! It was honestly impressive, no matter the lead Lam had managed to hold. To him, that skill was evident in the way that the gym leader managed to maneuver his way back up the rankings.[break][break]

Not that Lam was about to let Josh overtake him, though. He redirected his focus ahead of them then, as they continued to surge forward closer and closer to the flags that would signal the final push for the end.[break][break]

“We’re almost to the end! Get ready to let loose with a SKY ATTACK after this loop.” As the straightaway ended, Mallow began to glow with harsh, white light. Energy was stored from the two-stage move, but not yet released as the pair endured yet another twist in the air. Lam’s head spun, stomach flipping over uneasily. He stuffed away the uncomfortable feeling, though–too intent on seeing the rest of the race through.[break][break]

They hadn’t held the lead for the duration of the race just to lose it in the last moments!
[break][break]

Uc5flVdi

[break][break]

Josh Devlin // speed: 3 // endurance: 2 // reaction: 3![break]
setting up to use sky attack in the next turn

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played by

raikourider

Master of Faster

He/Him

December 12

Goldenrod, Johto

Straight

Mauville Gym Leader

Champion

6'1" height

"With great speed comes great responsibility."

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TAG WITH @joshdevlin

POSTED ON Jul 22, 2023 2:27:46 GMT

Blood rushed to Josh's head, even the Gym Leader fighting dizziness near the end of the race. While the course tested the strength of the Pokémon, it also tested the limits of challengers themselves. Even with gear designed to secure riders, those who lacked the strength to maintain their senses and the dexterity to control their Pokémon while inverted would not be earning Badges in the Mauville Leader's challenge. There was a reason Mauville's Gym was one of the most difficult and physically demanding challenges in the region. Many entered it for its fun factor and appeal of truly becoming one with their Pokémon. Few succeeded.

Lam appeared to be among the few.

If there was anyone in the world that could catch the challenger and his Altaria, though, it was the Master of Faster himself. Following the loop's path, he greatly raised the pressure on Altaria's reins, remembering that while inverted, all vertical commands were backwards. Though the two would be "falling" from his perspective, they were flying higher. Even his stomach didn't appreciate the third high-speed twist of the afternoon, his arms shaking in an effort to steady Squall after the maneuver few of the Altaria's kind could perform. If the two could make it through this with Lam in sight, maybe they'd have a chance to win this after all!

9OzJaSad

Gym Leader Josh Devlin was all business, focused on catching up to lam logan . If he had his way, those two and their ALTARIA would be dueling for the gold! Focused on taking the inside line, he was slowly gaining on the challenger. That would be short lived when the normally reserved ARAVAN ESCHER made an incredibly aggressive move with his DRAGAPULT, ordering the phantom to DRAGON DANCE! The dragon shot through the loop like a heat-seeking missile, whipping past the Gym Leader and threatening to catch even the challenger, momentum on his side. Having pushed his CHARIZARD to its limits, ACE SHEEKE and his partner could not maintain the speed needed to properly exit the loop, suffering a time penalty that would allow ERON IUNIS and his TOGEKISS to pass them going into the home stretch.

Feeling the heat from the Gym Leader starting to catch up, lam logan ordered the use of SKY ATTACK coming out of the stomach-churning inversion. The dragon's white clouds turned orange as the Pokémon began to build energy for one of the fastest aerial charges a Pokémon could muster. On par with EXTREME SPEED, it would be best for the brave challenger to brace himself for the final stretch, as it was about to fly past him in a blur unlike anything he experienced in the race at Fortree!

FINAL LAP | OBSTACLE 3

Prompt: The home stretch was all that remained, an official standing near the starting arch and waving the checkered flag. There was little risk of an accident on this straight sprint to the finish! Now was the best opportunity for the five Pokémon to give it everything they had!

Target Number: 0 (Speed)

Special: None

lam logan

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played by

lou

lam

he/him

twenty-seven

may 7th

hau’oli city, alola

rooksexual (demi)

lilycove gym leader

gym leader

5'9 height

his hands keep turning into birds and flying away from him. eventually the birds must land.

awards

1,782 posts

DOLLARS

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TAG WITH @lou

POSTED ON Jul 24, 2023 16:40:17 GMT

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[attr="class","star2"]They might actually pull this off.[break][break]

The thought crosses his mind before he catches sight of the dragapult and its rider catching them again on the inverter loop. Hanging out in the distance between himself and Josh, Lam is reminded they’ve got just that last stretch to worry about. But that’s what the added boost is for, right? Bright, harsh energy continues to collect around his Pokémon partner, mounting to its highest power. The second stick down, and he waits for that exact moment when the loop ends and they flip upright once more. The flags are in the distance, his head is spinning—it’s now or never.[break][break]

One last shot to pull it off.[break][break]

“Okay, Mallow—let that SKY ATTACK loose!” He’s grinning like a madman as the altaria trills loudly. The sound ripples around them like the wind that pushes through his hair, her feathers. His stomach lurches in threat, but Lam only leans forward against the whip of the current as it pushes against them in the seconds before Mallow shoots forward with a final burst of energy. Everything left in her energy tank is put into her SKY ATTACK and he feels it in the surge, in the pull of gravity that threatens to blow him off of her back if he weren’t hanging on tight of the reins. [break][break]

His legs squeeze against the dragon bird’s sides more out of the effort to cling to her than to spur her further. Because for sure—she’s at a high speed as is. They’re moving too fast for him to even think about looking over his shoulder, but he can only hope it’s enough to keep the gym leader at a distance. As well as the returning presence of the stubbornly determined dragapult.

[break][break]

wyOq|8ik[break]

[break][break]

Josh Devlin // speed: 3 // endurance: 2 // reaction: 3![break]
shoots forward with a sky attack!!

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played by

raikourider

Master of Faster

He/Him

December 12

Goldenrod, Johto

Straight

Mauville Gym Leader

Champion

6'1" height

"With great speed comes great responsibility."

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7,248 posts

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TAG WITH @joshdevlin

POSTED ON Jul 28, 2023 2:52:33 GMT

With Lam's Altaria turning right-side up in beautiful form after the loop and the ultrafast SKY ATTACK coming that would further distance him from the rest of the field, there simply was not enough airspace left for Squall and Josh to make a move. Even catching up to Aravan and his Dragapult would be a long shot.

While Josh's competitive side would have left him disappointed with the finish he and his Altaria were looking like they would take in the race's final seconds, his Gym Challenge wasn't about winning or losing. It was about testing the challenger's ability to act under pressure, make split second decisions, and prove that their bond could see them through the dangers of high speed travel. Lam had more than proven his worth, not only looking like he would defeat the Gym Leader and his trainers, but downright embarrass them.

They weren't using that as an excuse to finish strong, though. Seeing the Dragapult ahead of him trail with purple dragon energy, the Master of Faster ordered his dragon to follow suit. "DRAGON DANCE, Squall! Let's finish strong!" With an at-first erratic but soon stable burst of great speed, the two rocketed around the final curve and toward the finish line!

DRAGON DANCE is used.

2JTDEuk5||

While it lacked true obstacles, the home stretch of any race was most stressful both for rider and Pokémon. The rider knew it was their last chance to hold or improve their position, their very mastery of fundamentals magnified, and the Pokémon the trainer rode was being pushed to their physical limits when they were the most tired. That didn't stop ARAVAN ESCHER's DRAGAPULT and Gym Leader Josh Devlin 's ALTARIA from trying to outdo each other with DRAGON DANCES that were true poetry in motion.

At the back of the pack, ACE SHEEKE and his CHARIZARD fiercely battled ERON IUNIS and his TOGEKISS for fourth place. As the fire-type passed him, the white-haired young man spurred the white, floating Pokémon to a burst of EXTREME SPEED. Under the extreme pressure, the TOGEKISS' powerful speed burst misfired on one side, rider and mount going wildly off script and having to counter-steer sharply just to stay in bounds. By the time he recovered, the CHARIZARD was long gone.

All eyes were on Challenger lam logan and his ALTARIA, the cloud-winged dragon-type's SKY ATTACK hurtling the two down the home stretch at death-defying speeds. They crossed the finish line well ahead of second place, looking like a blazing sunset of vibrant oranges and yellows.

[player]https://fi.zophar.net/soundfiles/nintendo-gamecube-gcn/f-zero-gx/228%20-%20Hurrah%20for%20the%20Champion%20%28Winning%20Run%29.mp3[/player]

NEW THEME SONG! Hurrah for the Champion - F-ZERO GX ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

Josh's crowd gave lam logan a standing ovation, "IMPRESSIVE! NEW RECORD!" flashing next to his finishing time. Even in a time trial setting where Josh could restart the race as much as he wanted, claiming back the record on one of his favorite courses would be a tall order, and one he lacked the time to pursue.

"That performance was masterful. Exquisite. Dare I say, flawless, the Gym Leader complimented as he reached into his pocket for one of Mauville's Gym Badges. "There is not a single person on the planet that could say you haven't demonstrated the tenets of Mauville City Gym after today's performance. Calmness, sharp-mindedness, and an unbreakable bond with your Altaria... those are all skills that will see you far in the Pokémon League."

Presenting a closed fist to the challenger, within was the prize Absalom had earned. "Take it. Like I've said, you've more than earned it" He opened the closed fist in front of him, revealing his Gym Badge to be snapped into his friend's Badge case. "This is the official Hoenn League Quick Badge. You and your Zoroark shall be enshrined in the Gym's list of Qualified Riders not only as champions, but as LOOP CROSS record holders. While the Badge is eternal, do not forget that records are meant to be broken." Once the award ceremony was over, he would lead his friend back to the lobby. "Have you given any serious thought to turning pro as a racer? I think you'd make better money doing that than the Gym Challenge!"

lam logan

···

close tab

played by

lou

lam

he/him

twenty-seven

may 7th

hau’oli city, alola

rooksexual (demi)

lilycove gym leader

gym leader

5'9 height

his hands keep turning into birds and flying away from him. eventually the birds must land.

awards

1,782 posts

DOLLARS

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TAG WITH @lou