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, Josh had experienced staff who knew the facility well, and signage that could guide challengers to the correct location. The voice of ANDREW WEISS, Josh's scheduler, echoed over the Gym's loudspeakers:

"Challenger Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki , please report to Sector 4. Challenger Tsubaki, to Sector 4. Thank you!"

Provided the challenger found ample signage, she would see the brash and tall ACE SHEEKE, already seated on Kamuy the Umbreon; the timid and short ERON IUNIS, on Pinky the Shiny Sylveon, who shied away from the intimidating-looking Scolipede; and the reserved ARAVAN ESCHER, who held the reins of Inky the Glaceon, the impatient ice-type wanting to start as soon as possible. Lastly, she would see the Gym Leader Josh Devlin , making adjustments to the saddle strapped to Blinky, a Jolteon that looked like she was one of the Leader's fastest Pokémon. All four looked like they were close to the maximum size discovered for their species. "You're certainly enthusiastic today, Baki!" Josh greeted his challenger. "Great to see you again after that horrible day in Dewford!" The three Gym Trainers introduced themselves and Josh's Pokémon they were borrowing, one by one.

The gallery surrounding Sector 4's WAVE PANIC course was full, small as the stands were. True to its name, there was not a flat spot in the foothills the course was composed of, other than the home stretch. The true battle would not be against its snaking but fairly gentle turne; instead, it would be against the uneven ground that could cause even the most sure-footed of Pokémon to slip on occasion.

Josh 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? We line up behind that, and the countdown will be on that display. It will sound four horns and display '3, 2, 1, GO'. On 'GO', our Pokémon will start running. Pokémon are not allowed to use moves like Quick Attack or Extreme Speed on the first lap. After the first lap, though, use them as much as your Pokémon can handle! 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 is yours."

Once he had finished explaining the rules, Josh reined Blinky forward, joining his three loyal Gym Trainers for the contest of speed. "Had I owned a Scolipede of my own, I would have used it against you," Josh said as he slammed his helmet's visor down. "Out of all the Pokémon I have at the Gym, and there's over a hundred of them now, I don't have one of them. I'd love to catch one, though!" If Baki were to glance toward him, the challenger would see a laser focused expression, almost like he was in a zen state as he held the Eeveelution's reins 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.

Special: Any extra rules specific to this Obstacle are located here.

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)

Special: Track Points lost as a result of non-Water Pokémon rolling beneath this Obstacle's Target Number are multiplied by 1.5, rounded up.

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.

Josh laughed at Baki's quick line. "Perhaps four legs are better than a hundred. I know Scolipede are some of the fastest bugs around, though. Even so, you'll have to work hard to give Blinky a run for her money!" A crackled bark came from the Jolteon's mouth, not intimidated by the Scolipede's show of confidence. "Good luck out there, and may the best racer win!"

Wave Panic was a course rated three stars in difficulty mostly due to rating creep; the Kalosian course it was based on had its difficulty rating changed several times. The lack of flat spots on the course would make rider balance even more important than normal, mandating them to shift their weight constantly to keep as much forward momentum as possible. Steady hands on the reins would be imperative in avoiding costly OFF COURSE penalties from landing out of bounds.

Once the five Pokémon and riders were lined up, three images of the legendary Pokémon Raikou, dashing full blast, appeared on the monitor covering the starting arch's near face. Behind the images was a "GET READY" prompt, Josh and his Gym Trainers tensing up in anticipation of the signal. The first image of the Beast started to fade away, accompanied by a loud squawk serving as an aural warning. A second, then a third, followed. When the final image vanished, the prompt changed to a green "GO" alongside a longer and higher-pitched tone. Unlike he normally would when taking on a challenger, Josh gently raised his leg pressure, the Jolteon gradually getting up to speed. The lack of explosive acceleration potentially gave the Gym Trainers and challenger an early edge, but he also had to mind his own health. Though all the Bullet Seeds had been extracted, his body was still on the mend!

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: Wave Panic made its name known right away, its lack of flat spots making an otherwise lazy left U-turn a real challenge. The height difference between every trough and peak was so great that the riders could not see over each one even from the backs of their Pokémon, leaving them with precious little time to react. The course itself was also laterally sloped toward the inside, which naturally pulled the Pokémon toward the inside line. With every change in direction, though, that lateral direction would change! Split second reflexes would be needed to round these corners would having to pump the metaphorical brakes!

Target Number: 125 (Reaction)

Special: None

Today's Gym Challenge against Baki and Scolipede would be just as much of a challenge for her as it would be for the Leader. This was his first seriously fast ride on a Pokémon since being released from the hospital, and some of the wounds around one side of his body were still healing. Furthermore, Wave Panic was not the ideal course for a Jolteon to run on. Perhaps one of his other Eeveelutions would have been a better pick. He was harnessed up and ready to go already; there was no turning back once that green light was illuminated.

Sounding a grunt as the Jolteon's blistering acceleration yanked him forward, Josh squinted, keeping his eyes directly in front of him. The course's constant sloping to the inside left him pulling his Jolteon to the right to compensate. Thankfully, gravity was shoving him toward his good side... for now. When it pulled him toward his bad side, he might be hurting. For now, the Gym Leader pushed forward as much as his strength would allow, easing up on his Jolteon's speed when the pain fiared to notable levels.

The start of the race was extremely tight, Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki and Josh Devlin spurring their SCOLIPEDE and JOLTEON to great speed off the starting line. Both responded in kind, causing their trainers to lurch backward. The two did not give each other an inch as the uneven ground came. It was somewhat of a struggle for both Pokémon to keep their balance, the more sure-footed UMBREON and SYLVEON threatening to pass them. The traffic jam kept ARAVAN ESCHER and his GLACEON from making a move, going four-wide around the course's first of many wavy turns.

At the trough of the first wave, ERON IUNIS' SYLVEON let out a low squeal that was almost alien-sounding as both of them jerked rightward. Nearly colliding with ARAVAN ESCHER and his GLACEON, the opportunistic ocean enthusiast made his move, taking advantage of his ice-type's long claws designed to grip frigid, slick surfaces. Slicing through the rough terrain as though it were flat, the duo gained on Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki , ACE SHEEKE, and Josh Devlin as they fiercely fought for second place, still three wide with the GLACEON now in front of them by less than half a second.

Prompt: Wave Panic was named after its waviness in not one, not two, but in all three dimensions! While the vertical and lateral sloping wasn't too severe after the first two turns, the snake-like first half of the course was merciless, switching back a total of five times! By the time the racers had completed one U-turn, there was another one following it almost immediately! While the vertical and lateral angles weren't as severe as on the opening stretch, they were still there and had to be accounted for! With insufficient or improperly-timed counter-steering, it would be very easy for a Pokémon or rider to scrape their legs or sides on the inside walls!

Target Number: 125 (Endurance)

Special: None

The last time Josh had raced this course, it was the memorable Cyclizar duel he had with Andrea Vaneau . The constant contact that Goroh's air sacs had with the ground made judging turns a lot easier. With a more traditional ride Pokémon, steering would be a lot harder. An unexpected or severe angle could cause the Eeveelution to twist an ankle and trip, or even topple over completely. It would be doubly dangerous for Josh, as he would wind up not only with scrapes, but with punctures from Blinky's quilled fur, too!

The sudden lurches from Blinky's less stable footing kept the Gym Leader alert. "Ease up, Blinky," Josh calmly ordered, relaxing his leg hold some. Though he would give up some ground against the Umbreon next to him, there would be plenty of time later in the race to take advantage of the electric-type's blistering speed. Early leads didn't matter; all that mattered was the finishing order when the race ended.

The U-turns' unstable footing, along with the intensity of each curve itself, proved to be quite the challenge for the Eeveelutions and Josh's Gym Trainers in command of them. Even Pokémon that were sure-footed, such as ARAVAN ESCHER'S GLACEON and ACE SHEEKE'S UMBREON, had to use their claws as brakes to avoid rolling their ankles over on the uneven ground beneath. The alternating directions gave each side a momentary reprieve, though the relentless, wavy course would make that fleeting. Even the other racers, particularly ERON IUNIS and his SYLVEON, found themselves breathing heavier than they normally would after the first time around the course. Josh Devlin 's conservative approach kept him and his JOLTEON behind most of the field, but out of trouble.

The challenger's SCOLIPEDE seemed almost built for the course; its long body and dozens of legs let Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki be passenger on one of the smoothest, yet fastest, rides possible across the terrain that gave quadrupeds fits. Used to crawling up the sides of sewer pipes, the gallery watching the race on the main screen applauded loudly as the bug-type gripped the inside of one of the tighter turns like it was nothing. They had left the ice-type behind, no one in front of them.

Prompt: After a wavy downhill straightaway that the racers would be good to remember for boost laps that were rapidly approaching, the course entered a tunnel that featured the most brutal corner on the entire track: an uphill left turn the racers would not be able to immediately see the top of, followed by a sharper, downhill right turn they would not be able to immediately see the bottom of. A third, more shallow left turn would take them to the home straightaway that would given them a precious moment to breathe. It would be almost impossibly fast to react to at the speeds the racers were flying along the previous downslope at, and the biggest reason Wave Panic used to boast a difficulty rating of four stars.

Target Number: 135 (Reaction)

Special: None

The tunnel on the backstretch was the great equalizer for challengers' Pokémon that had adapted to the wavy ground. The blind turns required a lot of braking or almost superhuman reaction time to navigate without having seen the course. Josh and his Gym Trainers had raced the course many times before. They knew the angles. They could start turning before they even saw the turns coming. It was almost cheating. Almost.

Not slowing his Jolteon down one bit, Josh made an almost jab-like motion with the reins, tugging hard on her left halter before he even saw the first turn, then just as hard to the right before he saw the second. The noise of her claws skidding against the track was grating, and the force behind the shifting momentum uncomfortably squeezed his legs. Pokémon racers were athletes, too - it was not until one sat on a racing Pokémon's back and went fast could they appreciate the pros put themselves through.

The two rapid-fire turns would not have been anywhere near as challenging if they were not inside a tunnel. Pokémon that ran too fast and caught air could have resulted in mount or rider brushing their heads against the tunnel roof. It was a big concern for Josh Devlin and ERON IUNIS, their JOLTEON and SYLVEON not pumping the metaphorical brakes one bit, relying purely on course memorization. ACE SHEEKE and ARAVAN ESCHER showed some caution by loosening their hold on their UMBREON and GLACEON, giving the Gym Leader a window to pass and challenge the competition ahead of him.

The SCOLIPEDE's dozens of legs let Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki steer precisely, but not quickly, through the tunnel. The more fleet-of-foot UMBREON zipped alongside the challenger, fire in ACE SHEEKE's eyes, the two neck and neck as they were about to cross the starting line. The Gym Leader's aggression let him catch up to ARAVAN ESCHER and his GLACEON in the tunnel as well, the duo almost in sync going into the second lap. Other than ERON IUNIS and his SYLVEON being about a second and a half back, the race was tight, turning what was to come into almost certain chaos.

[player]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/763977284038033418/1088229073215574077/You_Got_Boost_Power.mp3[/player]

Boost laps were on, changing the complexion of the whole race now.

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 lowest two rolls. 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 highest two of the four rolls will be ignored. If the lowest two of the four rolls would still pass the Obstacle, Track Position for that Obstacle will be instead calculated based on the highest two rolls.

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

Prompt: The wavy backstretch that Wave Panic was known for, sloping both vertically and laterally. While the series of five U-turns, one after another, had become more familiar to the racers on the second lap, the ability to put on bursts of speed opened up a new avenue of attack: leaping across one switchback and landing in the middle of the next. While it would save a substantial amount of time, it came with the risk of a costly OFF COURSE penalty if the Pokémon came up short!

Target Number 1: 125 (Endurance)

Special 1: None

Target Number 2: 140 (Speed)

Special 2: Pokémon who meet or exceed the Target Number gain 80 TP in addition to any TP they would normally gain from this Obstacle. A Gym Leader or Challenger who rolls beneath the Target Number by 25 or more will instead suffer a flat 150 TP penalty from landing OFF COURSE. Gym Trainers that land OFF COURSE are DISQUALIFIED instead.

Not long after crossing the line, Josh's gut was at the mercy of the wavy road again. At times, he felt like he was airborne from how far apart Blinky's strides were. There were times he felt the urge to pull back on her and loosen her hold on her sides to gain just a little more time to react. Racing this course on a Cyclizar rather than on a traditional ride Pokémon was totally different, his learned timing totally out the window. Memorization would do him no good anymore; he had only his racing instincts honed over the years to carry him.

Josh knew his Jolteon well. He knew all she could handle was a single burst of speed, and that it wouldn't make her go that much faster. Even if she was not forbidden from using her Z-Move by agreement, she simply lacked the stamina to use one in the middle of a race.

As they rounded the first two corners, the Gym Leader noticed Blinky lagging behind each turn. While her paws and claws were sharper than they were before her surgeries years ago, they were not sharp enough to slide around curves that long and sharp without pumping the brakes. With an intense glare beneath his helmet, Josh flicked Blinky's reins as she crested a big hill. There was no Quick Attack from the yellow Eeveelution -- just a leap across the out-of-bounds gap using her impressive natural top speed.

A low-pitched, almost alien-sounding squeal echoed from behind the rest of the competitors, ERON IUNIS making a daring move by slamming his heels into his SYLVEON's sides. With a swift QUICK ATTACK, the Shiny fairy-type zoomed toward ARAVAN ESCHER and his GLACEON, the chilly Pokémon's rider swerving toward the curves just in time to avoid a collision. Josh Devlin and his JOLTEON refused to pay the fairy-type heed, the two hastening their pace. Both Eeveelutions catapulted off the crest.

ACE SHEEKE and Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki would have been able to see the two Eeveelutions' grace as they sailed through the air in long leaps. While it was a breathtaking sight, they would do well not to lose their focus, the SCOLIPEDE and UMBREON in an intense battle for the lead. The challenger's bug-type was adept at moving on uneven ground, being well-practiced at crawling up the sides of tunnels and even the inside of metal pipes. Its dozens of legs easily let it grip the very inside of the uneven course, Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki on her side at times. The bug's mobility and sheer stamina let the duo pass the redhead and take the lead. With Josh Devlin and his JOLTEON landing just behind them after their daring leap, they had no time to relax if they wanted to hold the lead!

Prompt: The downhill stretch before the deadly tunnel curve was coming, but it was fairly long and would give the riders a breather from the back-and-forth turns Wave Panic was known for. As long as the Pokémon remembered to ease off the speed before entering the tunnel at the bottom of the hill, this would be a great place to let loose with a powerful speed-boosting move!

Target Number: 0 (Speed)

Special: None

Josh was hot on Tsubaki's trail, though the Scolipede was sure to tear through the downhill. It was an ideal location for Blinky to go all-out, too, the track's negative grade allowing her to exceed her normal top speed even without the use of Quick Attack. It would likely be necessary to keep up with the Scolipede. He was content to keep a close second for now.

While it was a great spot for use of the speed-boosting technique, it also came with an enormous risk. While incredibly swift, Jolteon were not known for their stamina at all. With how long and intense a single Quick Attack from the Eeveelution was, they might be going far too fast coming into the dead-man's-curves at the end. There were limits on how much pressure her artificial claws could handle. She already had four paw surgeries. Winning one race, even if it was hypothetically important to him, was not worth endangering his Jolteon steed's health.

Staying the course, he gave Blinky a light squeeze to coax her to top speed, ready to ease up at the bottom of the hill and brake hard to get ready for the nasty curves on the home stretch.

The gallery to the side of the starting arch roared as they heard the stampede-like roar of a SCOLIPEDE's many legs, cheering for Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki . The duo zoomed down the hill in a burst of AGILITY so fast that Gym Leader Josh Devlin and his JOLTEON had little hope of making a pass with their reserved strategy. The giant insect's legs weren't just good going fast, either; their sharp feet had solid grip, giving them great braking capability. They were handily, even comfortably able to slow down right as they reached the bottom of the hill, the next curve unlikely to catch them off guard. They couldn't slow down too much, though; Josh Devlin was right on the SCOLIPEDE's heels!

The sounds of the rest of Josh's Gym Trainers shouting "Hyah!" would faintly reach the challenger's and Gym Leader's ears as well, the Eeveelutions behind him appearing like white, blue, and black comets as their trainers ordered them to go into overdrive with QUICK ATTACKS. It was through their heightened speed that they kept up with the yellow Pokémon in front of them, the three shuffling positions as they competed with one another for third place. With the blind turn looming ahead, ACE SHEEKE and his UMBREON held third place by a modest margin over the neck-and-neck ERON IUNIS and ARAVAN ESCHER, their SYLVEON and GLACEON running side-by-side with one another.

Prompt: The long but wavy downhill gave the racers just enough time to breathe before a familiar, whiplash-inducing S-curve obscured by it being within a tunnel. The racers' familiarity with the blind curve would likely be offset by the higher speeds of the second lap, forcing them to either turn earlier than they felt comfortable with, or slam on the brakes. It was one of those corners that simply didn't get any easier no matter how many times one practiced it.

Target Number: 135 (Reaction)

Special: None