Mauville Racing Grounds' facility was enormous indeed; while the office space had little signage due to its size being on the smaller side, the property where the action took place, just outside the city proper, was enormous. Luckily, there were experienced staff who knew the facility well, and signage that could guide challengers to the correct location. The voice of ANDREW WEISS, the Racing Grounds' scheduler, echoed over the Gym's loudspeakers:

"Challenger Sunderland, please report to Sector 1. Challenger Sunderland, to Sector 1. Thank you!"

Provided the challenger found ample signage, they would see the brash and tall ACE SHEEKE, already seated on Komainu, a mean-looking Houndoom with no reins, instead being steered by his horns. They would next see the timid and short ERON IUNIS, on Ixion the Shiny Rapidash, then the reserved ARAVAN ESCHER, astride Luna the Liepard. Lastly, they would see the Interim Gym Leader, a young, athletic girl with a medium build. She made adjustments to the saddle strapped to Blinky, a Jolteon she looked a bit nervous about riding. "Challenger El?" the female would greet and sheepishly wave if El prompted her. "Interim Gym Leader Jackie. I'll be taking your racing challenge in place of Leader Josh Devlin ," she explained. The three Gym Trainers introduced themselves and Josh's Pokémon they were borrowing, one by one. "Due to an internal matter, he is not available to take your challenge directly." El may have known why that was the case already.

There was a rather strong east wind today. While mostly helpful, it would prove to make the hairpin turns at each end of the course more challenging than normal. A small crowd filled the bottom several rows of mostly empty stands on both sides of Sector 1's SCREW MOUND course. Less shaped like a screw and more like a banana, most of the course's curves were gentle, with exception of the two aforementioned turns. Both featured very wide lanes, giving racers ample room for needed braking.

Jackie went over the rules of the challenge, required by Hoenn League statute. "See that arch near the starting line, with the long and skinny monitor on it? That's where we line up and wait for the countdown. It will sound four horns and display '3, 2, 1, GO'. On 'GO', we're off. You can't Quick Attack or anything of the sort until after we're done with the first lap. After that, though, you'll need it! Beat me to the finish line after three laps, or otherwise prove to me you can handle the pressure of split second decision making, and the Hoenn League Quick Badge will have your name on it."

Once the explanation was over, Jackie took her seat on Josh's Jolteon, trembling a bit as she grabbed the super-fast Pokémon's reins. She was far more used to riding Pokémon with more finesse than raw speed, but it was the Pokémon the Gym's files strongly suggested she used. The other three Gym Trainers looked much more focused, squinting toward the monitor in anticipation of the green light.

You will have 8 ranks to distribute among three skills. No more than 5 ranks can be assigned to any one skill.

• SPEED: This represents how fast your Pokémon can travel. Each rank of Speed adds 10 to all your rolls, and an additional 10 to rolls on Speed-based Obstacles.
  
• ENDURANCE: This represents how well a Pokémon can navigate difficult terrain, and affects how often a Pokémon can use its Boost during a race. Your Pokémon can use its Boost a number of times equal to its number of ranks in Endurance (min. 1). Each rank of Endurance reduces the Target Number of Endurance-based Obstacles by 20.
• REACTION: This represents a Pokémon’s cornering ability. Each rank of Reaction reduces the Target Number of Reaction-based Obstacles by 20.

In the OOC notes of your next post, please note your Pokémon's distribution of skills.

You do not need to roll after your next post, but you will need to [ roll ] twice at the end of every post mid-challenge. This roll will be modified according to your Pokémon's skill ranks.

Example: If a player rolls a 60 on a post involving running down a straightaway as fast as possible atop a Pokémon with four ranks in Speed, their effective roll will be 140.

The Leader's next post will include a "mod post" that depicts the course's first Obstacle: a prompt that presents a challenge for the racers to overcome. Each Obstacle will include the following information:

Target Number: This is the number the racers need to roll at or above to overcome the Obstacle without penalty. While it is uncommon, an Obstacle can have multiple Target Numbers.

Intended Skill: This is the Skill that will apply to the Obstacle. It can be Speed, Endurance, or Reaction.

Example Obstacle: The track starts out with a bang--a sharp, 135-degree left turn mere tens of meters from the starting line. The width of the turn itself makes recovering from a misjudged angle easier, but the track quickly narrows up again afterward. A guardrail on the outside keeps Pokémon from sliding off the course, but there is no such guardrail on the inside, and there’s a shallow stream that looks time-consuming for non-Water Pokémon to climb out of!

Target Number: 105 (Reaction)

After the players make their rolls, the Target Number is deducted from the player's roll, and the difference becomes the player's Track Points (TP) for the round. 100 TP corresponds to roughly one second of time differential. The race will consist of three laps, with three Obstacles per lap. After the ninth Obstacle, total Track Points will determine finishing order. The QUICK BADGE is awarded if at least one of the following conditions are met:

1) The challenger finishes the race in 1st or 2nd place.
2) The challenger finishes the race ahead of the Gym Leader.
3) The challenger otherwise demonstrates their mastery of the tenets of Mauville Gym, at the Leader's discretion.

It was a shame that Josh wouldn't be available to race with - but El already knew that coming in. They did hope to get a proper race with him later in the year, though - even if not in the capacity of an official gym challenge.

Initially, Ixion would hold El's attention - the shiny rapidash being quite eyecatching. How many shiny pokemon did Josh own, they wondered? It was only relatively recently that El had come into possession of a shiny pokemon of their own - not that Midas' colors were outwardly apparent.

Though, their attention would shift as Jackie spoke up. "Oh - yes, that's me," El confirmed with a smile and nod. "It's nice to meet you, Jackie." But before long, El noted her demeanor, and they tilted their head a little. "You ok? You seem a little on edge." They asked - taking this as a chance to double-check Konchu's equipment as well, though things otherwise looked to be in order.

At Jackie's lead, El would carefully hop up into Konchu's saddle, and follow her towards the starting line. They listened closely to her explanation, all the while affixing the straps their saddle had - somewhat like a cocoon, but less restrictive. It was made to keep El steady and secure, without straining their bad knee with stirrups.

The rules were met with a nod of understanding, their gaze casting between the track ahead, and the other racers. They were ready to try their hardest - hopefully, they wouldn't end up stuck at the back, like they had during the prior Silph Cup.

Speed: B (3) // Endurance: B (3) // Reaction: C (2)
Josh Devlin

Little did El know that Josh was watching their race. While he was not welcome at the Gym physically, he still had some duties as a Gym Leader. Most of those were in the form of admininstrative roles he could do remotely. As much as he wished he could take the challenge himself, he could at least watch El's technique... and Jackie's. The Interim Gym Leader had caused issues for Mauville Gym ever since SHAWN RICHARDS died. Jackie was a great employee and a wonderful Gym Trainer. She just didn't have the leadership skills nor the intricate Pokémon battling knowledge to take a leadership position.

Jackie was in her element here, though, astride one of Josh's toughest Pokémon at the Gym. While she was fierce in battle, Blinky was a blistering fast Pokémon on the track, often defined by what her rider could handle. She was one of the Pokémon Josh had trained to hunt down Raikou when he was hellbent on doing so. Now, she was simply a Pokémon Josh employed in the land race challenges when he needed to get his win rate back in line with League standards.

"I'll be okay," was Jackie's response, though she was still a bit on edge. "There's just a lot more to being a Gym Leader than I thought. I hope Mr. Devlin is able to return to duty soon. That man just has a fire in his eyes for this place. He talks to me at least once a week about how he's frustrated he can't lead here. But enough of that - let's do what you came here to do. Good luck, and may the beat team win!"

Once the five were lined up, three images of the legendary Pokémon Raikou at full gallop appeared on the banner monitor above the starting arch. Behind them was a "GET READY" prompt, Josh and his Gym Trainers tensing their legs in anticipation. The first of the three images began to fade away, with it sounding a loud squawk as a simultaneous aural warning that the race was about to begin. A second, then a third followed. When the final image of Raikou disappeared, the prompt changed to a green "GO" alongside a longer and higher-pitched squawk. Jackie squeezed Blinky's sides, and she and her co-workers were off down the long straightaway, all five fighting for early position.

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 ] twice. For the first lap, the Leader's rolls will be capped at 130 before modifiers.

Prompt: The course's opening stretch takes racers into a brief but wide tunnel to accommodate another Obstacle farther down the track. The end of the tunnel marks the beginning of a lazy, uphill U-turn with slight slopes on each of its sides intended to subtly guide Pokémon toward the center of the track. Taking the inside line while holding the long turn would test how long Pokémon could keep their balance on the uneven ground.

Target Number: 115 (Endurance)

Special: None

El nodded as Jackie spoke - smiling gently. "I'm sure you've been doing great." They speak in reassurance - being a Gym Leader seemed like a ton of hard work, honestly. But with that being said, they'd give Jackie a big grin as they added "Good luck to you, too! Have fun!"

The countdown was one met with rising anticipation, not unlike that of the Silph Cup a few months back. Certainly, perhaps the stakes and pressure weren't quite as high - this wasn't some big yearly event, and they could easily try again in the event that they lost. But all the same, it was still a race - a competition - and there was something in their heart that just responded to it with an eager flutter.

In a way, this gave them a similar feeling to the sports they used to love to play, once upon a time.

And at that signalling squawk, El was ready. "Let's go, Konchu!" They called as they gave a little nudge with their heels, spurring the scolipede beneath them into motion!

Konchu's gait was a gallop, between that of a horse or dog, as he charged into the fray. Though, the motion beneath El was more of a gentle undulation, up and down as the different 'sections' flexed and twisted with the forward movement. At least to start off, he wouldn't be the fastest on the ground - but El wasn't worried about that.

All it'd take is a bit of time, for the scolipede to get up to speed.

But in the meantime, there came the question of the obstacles ahead. After a tunnel, there came what almost looked like a shallow halfpipe - one that went into a sloped 180 turn. Though to take a chance with the inside line felt tempting, El would decide to give Konchu at least a little bit of space to work with - instead attempting to stay just outside of that innermost space!

PJHRHv4S

Speed: B (3) // Endurance: B (3) // Reaction: C (2)
Josh Devlin

El's relaxed, carefree demeanor helped the Interim Gym Leader relax somewhat, though the nerves were clearly still there. The young female had been on many of Josh's speedy Pokémon before, but never once his Jolteon. The quilled electric-type was incredibly fast; in terms of sustained speed, she was Josh's second fastest Pokémon on land. Blinky was second only to Raikiri, a Pokémon the Gym Leader kept near and dear to his heart. The Zeraora was also dangerous to ride due to his sustained speed exceeding the boosted speed of many of his Gym Pokémon. This lack of trust was one of the reasons Josh had shut down his legendary Pokémon challenge after Shawn died.

When the green light flashed, Blinky lunged forward, her rider's body arching backward from the intense acceleration. Jackie let out a yelp, fighting with Ixion for the very early lead. Taking advantage of her mount's quills, she hoarded the straight path favored in time trials for herself, making the rest of the field think twice about invading her space.

The crackle of a JOLTEON's paws and the clack of a SHINY RAPIDASH's diamond-hard hooves peppered the air around the starting line as all five Pokémon burst off the line with explosive acceleration. El Sunderland and their SCOLIPEDE were just a bit too antsy in getting off the line, though! In trying to time their spurring of their bug-type, the Pokémon's legs crossed the starting line a split second before the light turned green. An amber light glared on the monitor, roughly in El's lane, indicating a time penalty would be assessed against them. While it would not be impossible to overcome, the Gym Leader Pokémon were fast, and his Gym Trainers by now were strong amateur or even semi-professional racers on their own.

ERON IUNIS and JACKIE MYERS' Pokémon battled valiantly for early position, the SHINY RAPIDASH not afraid of the JOLTEON's quills as they fought for early position. While ACE SHEEKE's HOUNDOOM did not have the acceleration the others did, the dark-type could maintain his full speed for far longer. ARAVAN ESCHER closely trailed the blue and yellow Pokémon down the opening straightaway before making a move, his LIEPARD extending her claws. Sparks flew from them as they took the inside line, in a heated battle with the RAPIDASH for first place coming into the narrow backstretch.

Prompt: After passing over the tunnel the racers had just run through, the track veered left gently and became narrow. Extremely narrow. Most of the way, it was barely wide enough to allow three Pokémon to run alongside each other, making passing difficult. There were even small stretches where passing would be flat-out impossible, due to becoming so narrow that only a single wide-bodied Pokémon to run.

Target Number: 125 (Reaction)

Special: Pokémon cannot exit this Obstacle within less than 0.2 second of each other. Any Pokémon that is less than 20 TP behind the Pokémon in the next position will instead be 20 TP behind that Pokémon.

The flash of the amber light made El wince and Konchu's antennae droop - although they couldn't help a laugh, patting the scolipede on the neck. "Someone's ready to go," They joked - easily brushing off the mistake and penalty in lieu of giving a lighthearted tease. "It's okay, it's okay - we can still give it our best shot."

But still - come the actual race, El couldn't help but laugh with excitement as the scolipede went into a gallop. Though it wasn't quite his top speeds, that was only a matter of time - El found that Konchu tended to be a little slow to start, but was eager to get going once the time came!

With the next obstacle though, El couldn't help a quirk of the lips. Agility wasn't wholly Konchu's strong suit - but perhaps his large size would mean that if they managed to squeeze in, those behind them would have a hard time passing? Though, the reverse was true as well...

But in any case, El would give Konchu an encouraging nudge. "C'mon - we can do this!"

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Speed: B (3) // Endurance: B (3) // Reaction: C (2)
Josh Devlin

One advantage Jackie enjoyed by way of riding one of Josh's Eeveelutions was their narrow bodies, just wide enough for a human to comfortably sit on. So were the rest of her coworkers' Pokémon, and with an extremely narrow curve coming, she was grateful for having that little bit of extra space to work with. Jackie's heart was still pounding, feeling more like she was hovering above Blinky's saddle rather than sitting in it from how much the electric Pokémon's running stroke was bouncing her up and down. How in the world did Josh ride this Jolteon? There was no way this kind of speed was safe, even with the precautions built into the Gym, right?

Almost relieved to see the narrow curve, she pulled back on the quilled Pokémon's reins, coaxing her into slowing down. Though there would be an opportunity to speed back up after rounding the curve, she could not bring herself to do so. Little did she know that somewhere in Mauville, Josh was watching the live feed of the challenge, screaming at her for her hesitancy...

As the course narrowed, gradually making passing more difficult, two competitors made big moves. El Sunderland and their SCOLIPEDE charged toward ACE SHEEKE and his HOUNDOOM. While intimidation may not have been intended, the redhead took the move as an attempt at it, spurring the dark-type to higher speeds in an effort to keep his position. The venomous insect matched and exceeded that speed increase, encouraged by the Ranger's cheerful coaching. They managed to squeeze past the HOUNDOOM, the bug-type's venomous tail keeping their competitor at bay as the course became too narrow to pass.

JACKIE MYERS and ERON IUNIS had a similar battle about a second farther up the track, the Interim Gym Leader trying to take advantage of her mount's greater speed. Their JOLTEON and SHINY RAPIDASH were breathtaking to watch, a cascade of sparks and blue fire trailing their rapid and efficient strides. If the equine entered the narrow no-passing zone first, they would be able to set the pace of the competition until the course's very last turn. Jackie could not allow that. Letting out a scream of fright, she pushed her ride uncomfortably fast. It left her in second place for now, but how much more of this could her poor heart take? One thing was for certain: when Josh was able to return to the Gym, they were going to have a long talk about what Pokémon she was going to use for future challenges.

Prompt: After becoming extremely narrow, a long straightaway that slowly widened gave racers a chance to regroup. That chance would be short-lived, though, as the course's most difficult challenge loomed ahead. It was a wide hairpin turn over 180 degrees! While the banked track would help Pokémon make the gut-wrenchingly tight turn, even Pokémon that could fiercely grip the track would need to slam on the brakes to get through without brushing against the outer wall!

Target Number: 120 (Reaction)

Special: Pokémon do not apply ranks in Speed to this Obstacle.

Though it was slightly touch and go, they had managed to squeeze their way past the Houndoom, putting them in 4th place - not bad! "Atta boy, Konchu!" El praised with a bright smile - stroking along the Scolipede's neck. If they could keep this up, they'd be able to make up for the prior foul in no time!

Although, a scream up ahead would suddenly catch El's attention - and alarmed, they'd glance up to see Jackie, who had managed to spur Blinky onwards into 2nd place. Even if this was meant to be a competition, they couldn't help but be concerned for the interim Gym Leader - was she doing okay?

They almost wanted to call to her - but the distance that even a second's difference provided meant that that was easier said than done.

Especially when they had to pay mind to the obstacle up ahead - another one that would test agility that Konchu was - sadly - not quite specialized in. Much like with the turn at the beginning, El would decide to try and play it safe - figuratively pumping the breaks with a light tug on the reins, and hoping that the Scolipede's size would be enough to prevent the Houndoom behind them from passing. "Let's take this nice and easy..."

RyeghRb8

Speed: B (3) // Endurance: B (3) // Reaction: C (2)
Josh Devlin

That Liepard in front of Jackie was proving to be a tricky one to catch, the big cat taking full advantage of her extendable claws. She and Aravan showed no signs of slowing down despite the daunting turn ahead, the blue-haired Gym Trainer confident in his Pokémon's ability to maintain grip and let the track's bank do the work for him. It was almost as though the course was made for a Pokémon like Liepard to run on.

The severe turn was, oddly enough, an excuse for the Interim Gym Leader to relax and be able to breathe normally again, not having to ride at breakneck speeds for a change. Even if that was short-lived, she took the opportunity to regain her own stamina, slowly and subtly guiding Blinky toward the outside of the track. When the sharp curve came, Jackie gradually but firmly pulled back with her left arm with almost all of her strength, sparks flying from the Jolteon's paws as the duo slid around the corner at a low angle.

The extreme width of the course after the sharp turn was little compensation for how maddening it was to navigate. Pokémon without extremely sharp claws capable of gripping the track like glue had to slam on the brakes to avoid being plastered on the outside wall, and even those with great turning capability had to bear their riders' limits in mind. Exhibit A: ARAVAN ESCHER and his LIEPARD. While their sweep of the hairpin turn was sublime, the severe motion whipped his body about when they exited it. He was already woozy coming into the home stretch, and there were still two laps to go.

As El Sunderland and their SCOLIPEDE took full advantage of the track's slant, braking just enough to maintain a good line, he found himself in a fierce battle with ERON IUNIS and his RAPIDASH. The gallery roared and started chanting the Ranger's name, impressed that their bug-type mount could keep up with one of the quickest equine species in the world.

As the challenger and rival rounded the corner, they would be able to catch a glimpse of the Interim Gym Leader and her JOLTEON sliding through the severe corner, proving difficult to catch up to. At the end of the curve, though, disaster struck, the Jolteon's legs briefly locking up after such a long slide. Unable to exit the slide, Blinky drifted into the side of the inner wall, a yelp coming from both the electric-type and the rider. Even ACE SHEEKE and his HOUNDOOM had briefly passed Jackie, though she quickly regained fourth position with the Eeveelution's explosive acceleration.

Ouch. That had to hurt.

As the five racers crossed the starting arch, they would hear the announcer cry "Pour it on! You're way out in front!" in reference to the water-type specialist's substantial lead, as well as a message on the arch's display: "YOU GOT BOOST POWER!"

Now, the real race would begin.

You Got Boost Power! Speed-increasing moves, such as QUICK ATTACK, AGILITY, and EXTREME SPEED are now allowed. Pokémon will be able to use such speed-increasing moves a number of times up to their Endurance ranks for the rest of the race. Speed-increasing moves will grant you ADVANTAGE for the posting round, meaning you will [ roll ] four times instead of two for that post and ignore the lower set of rolls. Please separate the first two rolls from the second two rolls with a delimiter of some kind. For the second lap of the race, the Leader's rolls will be capped at 150, before modifiers are applied.

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.

Prompt: After the wicked turn, racers had another moment to breathe easy, as the longest straightaway on the entire course followed. Up until they crossed the starting arch, that was: for trainers that trusted their Pokémon's stamina, it was the ideal place for a Pokémon to let loose with the fastest move they had at their disposal!

Target Number: 0 (Speed)

Special: None

Careful handling was doing wonders for El as they managed to slowly but surely gain on the rapidash ahead of them. Ixion's beautiful shiny coloration honestly was a dazzling sight to see in action - ashen-blue flames trailing behind the swift-but-steady steed.

However, yelps from Jackie and Blinky quickly drew El's gaze for the brief time that she was in front of them - and before they knew it, she'd dropped down to a decent way's behind them, prompting a wince from the young Ranger. "You okay??" They gave a shout in the two's direction, sportsmanship (and El just in general having a heart of gold) demanding they at least check in.

But as the fivesome crossed the line, lap 2 had begun; which meant that things were going to get a bit more hectic. Gazing to the straightaway ahead, El would give a gentle nudge at Konchu with their heel. "Alright - let's get that momentum going, buddy!"

The scolipede would let out an eager hiss in response - and allowing Speed Boost to take effect, would begin to build in acceleration!

Am Boost!
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Speed: B (3) // Endurance: B (3) // Reaction: C (2)
Josh Devlin

While JACKIE MYERS wasn't as passionate and as experienced about racing as Josh was, her experience as a Gym Trainer led her to get to know many of the Racing Grounds' low-level courses well. SCREW MOUND was one of them. As much of a fear as she had of her mount's very fastest speeds, she had a duty as a Gym Leader to give every challenger her all within the challenge's limits. There was, of course, a certain level of holding back to be expected of any Gym Leader, or the Gym's Badge Award Rate would be too low. Though most Gym Leaders out of that range struggled to make their challenges difficult enough, there were some that made theirs too difficult. Josh had found the sweet spot. But he wasn't here.

Holding her breath in anticipation as she steadied her hold on the reins, Jackie waited until she crossed the starting arch before sharply squeezing Blinky's sides. "Blinky, use QUICK ATTACK!" She squealed again as the paws of her lightning-fast ride became wreathed in electricity, the tall cantle of the Jolteon's saddle the only thing stopping her from falling off during the explosive acceleration. It felt not unlike being in a fighter jet mid-takeoff roll, except a lot bouncier from the rapid gallop the electric-type put on display.

Even for someone as experienced as her, it was one wild ride. How did Josh stay on Blinky's back, anyway?

Popping noises from QUICK ATTACKS, bursts of AGILITY, and displays of TRAILBLAZING got the gallery cheering as the Gym Trainers' JOLTEON, SHINY RAPIDASH, and HOUNDOOM chased after ARAVAN ESCHER's LIEPARD. The dark-type feline and rider seemed content to let the others catch up. While the big cat was monstrously fast, it was an unforgiving Pokémon to race with. Even slight scrapes and miscues could sap a lot of speed and stamina out of the clawed hunter. He would have to pick his spot for burst speed carefully, and he already had one in mind.

The blue-haired trainer's reserved approach allowed ERON IUNIS to catch up, his SHINY RAPIDASH's blazing, blue mane expanding to two body lengths during the show of AGILITY. ACE SHEEKE spurred his HOUNDOOM into TRAILBLAZING a path through the competition, still in last place but gaining ground. They were about to pass El Sunderland and their SCOLIPEDE when JACKIE MYERS and her JOLTEON screamed in front of them both. It was a display of the extreme speed Mauville Gym had become known for. While the electric-type was adept at short-lived bursts of speed, the SCOLIPEDE was much better at using their SPEED BOOST over longer sections of the course, slowly gaining on the JOLTEON after its QUICK ATTACK petered out. Leaning into a curve, the challenger was able to pass the electric Eeveelution, their sights on the blazing fast equine in front of them.

NOTE: This Obstacle has more than one Target Number. Please indicate in your OOC notes which Target Number you are challenging.

Prompt: After three quick left turns, the course looped into a short and narrow tunnel beneath the track's starting line. It would take racers mere seconds to cross from one end to the other. Following the tunnel was a rapid-fire U-turn made more difficult by the blinding light flooding the eyes upon leaving the low-light environment. At full speed, the turn would be very difficult to react to, and sliding off course carried with it a huge penalty. The safer approach would be for racers to pump their Pokémon mounts' metaphorical brakes, though that would yield position to those confident enough to take the turn at full speed!

Target Number 1: 140 (Reaction)

Special 1: Pokémon that roll above this Obstacle's Target Number gain 40 TP in addition to any TP normally gained. TP loss resulting from rolling beneath this Obstacle's Target Number is multiplied by 1.5.

Target Number 1: 100 (Reaction)

Special 1: All TP changes (gain or loss) resulting from this Obstacle are halved.

One by one, it seemed like just about everyone was making use of the opportunity offered - speeds rapidly increasing across the straight stretch of road provided. Konchu took well to this, being able to build speed as his body was made for - though he might not always start the fastest, once he got going, he got going.

However, it didn't last forever. Up ahead, a series of turns - including a tight u-turn - posed an issue for the Scolipede. Recognizing this, El would nudge for Konchu to slow - "Nice and easy, let's take it carefully." They spoke, not wanting to risk falling off the edge. Not when they were, all things considered, in a pretty good position!

Much like before, they hoped his size would make it difficult for those in the back to pass Konchu by... Else, they might end up losing a bit of the ground they had gained before!

Taking Target #2
isArinPJ

Speed: B (3) // Endurance: B (3) // Reaction: C (2)
Josh Devlin

The Interim Gym Leader felt physical stresses on her body ramping up as she and her Jolteon sped through the first few turns, nearly grazing her right leg against the outer wall despite its modest bank. As the course narrowed, she instinctively loosed her grip on the electric Eeveelution's sides, somewhat afraid to do so with the threat of falling off entirely. While not individually powerful, the quilled Pokémon's strides were incredibly rapid, at times Jackie feeling like she was floating above the saddle. Little wonder Blinky was one of Josh's favorite Pokémon.

Jolteon were great racing Pokémon: they had some of the highest raw speed of all common species, their claws gave them workable turning capabilities, and they didn't tire especially easily. Riding one required great trust and anticipation, though; they were not at all good at slamming on the brakes. Blinky in particular had a hard time slowing down quickly due to her artificial claws. As the commanding trainer chased her challenger through the lit tunnel, she found she was going way too fast to make the turn, and yanked back on her mount with both hands! Sparks flew through the tunnel as Blinky's synthetic claws started to grind against the track, trying to shed enough of her speed to make the difficult turn.

While ARAVAN ESCHER and his LIEPARD gracefully slide through the narrow tunnel, extending their lead, chaos ensues in the rear ranks of the race. Interim Gym Leader JACKIE MYERS and her JOLTEON, as well as ERON IUNIS and his SHINY RAPIDASH, come out of the last series of curves far too fast. Both racers sharply rein their Pokémon back, but it is too late.

El Sunderland and their SCOLIPEDE barely slip past the blazing blue equine before the Gym Trainer caused a traffic jam. ACE SHEEKE and his HOUNDOOM are not so lucky, colliding the fire-type from behind. With a neigh and a howl, the two slide and scrape along the smooth rock face. JACKIE MYERS' reflexes save her, narrowly averting putting the three in a race-ending pile-up, but the challenger and their bug-type mount start pulling away. Though the RAPIDASH's acceleration allows ERON IUNIS to catch back up to the horned insect in a hurry, their high top speed lets the challenger hold onto SECOND PLACE by a narrow margin.

Prompt: Following the nasty U-turn in the tunnel, the course's backstretch remained narrow but relatively straight, only minor curves peppered throughout. Straight did not mean straightforward, though; each of those curves was accompanied by shifting banks that constantly drew racers toward the inside line. Pokémon would need to compensate by running up the slope at a slight angle, ready to change directions when the course did! A mistake could result in quite the nasty scrape or even a complete wipeout!

Target Number: 130 (Endurance)

Special: Pokémon that roll beneath this Obstacle's Target Number by 25 or more also lose one use of BOOST. NPC Pokémon that roll beneath this Obstacle's Target Number by 25 or more are instead ELIMINATED FROM THE RACE.