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"With great speed comes great responsibility."

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POSTED ON Nov 20, 2023 8:18:19 GMT

Since its legality at the start of the 2023 season, Mega Evolution had become an important tool to have in a Pokémon racer's toolbox. Even challengers to Mauville Racing Grounds were encouraged to use Mega Evolution mid-race if they had access to it. This necessitated the Gym Leader to collect more Mega Stones. They simply could not be bought. Not the ones he was looking for, though; he was waiting on Alexei Ivanov to call him back with leads on Pidgeotite. The bird Pokémon Josh had known for almost fourteen years had developed enough of a bond with him to Mega Evolve. It was just a matter of finding the Mega Stone.

As Josh rode Twilight down the Gym's east concourse, approaching the aquatic courses of Sector 2, he received a text from his scheduler on duty, ANDREW WEISS, notifying him that Roy Aker had finished checking in and would be passing to the Racing Grounds proper in a minute or two. Wait, Roy Aker ? He didn't recall anyone with that name on his list of challengers for the day...

Roy Aker

{WC: 179}
{PC: 1}

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Twilight Absol Good
Snacker Sharpedo Good

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Teal

Roy

He/Him

twenty-seven

May 02

Rustboro City, Hoenn

Heterosexual

Pokémon Ranger

Draconid

6'00" height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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POSTED ON Nov 22, 2023 17:37:24 GMT

[attr="class","roythread"]All he wanted to do was find the man he was looking for. He didn't want to set up an appointment. He didn't want to wait until tomorrow. He wanted answers right now. Unfortunately, his sly attempts to outmaneuver the Gym's office were unsuccessful. They even robbed him of his name. Fortunately for Roy, his timing was perfect. A brief time slot between now and the leader's next challenger was available.

A loud and abrupt bang could be heard echoing across the Racing Grounds. Using the bottom of his right foot, the trainer had kicked the door open in one sudden motion. It was rude, even if he was looking for attention. Keeping his hands in his pocket, he carelessly navigated to the edge of the track and waited for the leader to appear.

[attr="class","roypkmnlist"]

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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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POSTED ON Nov 22, 2023 21:27:21 GMT

The loud noise from the Gym's back sliding door got Josh's immediate attention, the frame sliding closed again from the recoil. It was a miracle the glass didn't shatter from the force needed to create a noise that loud. As he rode toward Roy Aker , the Gym Leader received another text from his scheduler:

Candidate Roy Aker is escalated; use caution.

"Great," the Gym Leader muttered as he turned his Absol mount around and rode toward the Racing Grounds' back door. While they were going fast to try to cover the great distance between Leader and visitor quickly, Josh didn't want to spook him or make him any more upset than he already was. The mounted Gym Leader took a deep breath before addressing him. "I'm so sorry if my scheduler, Andrew, gave you a hard time. I didn't see you on the challengers' list for today. How can I help you?" he asked in a professional manner. The Absol, quite large for her kind, saw almost eye-to-eye with their guest. Her stoic gaze made her nearly impossible to read.

Roy Aker

{PC: 2}

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Twilight Absol Good
Snacker Sharpedo Good

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played by

Teal

Roy

He/Him

twenty-seven

May 02

Rustboro City, Hoenn

Heterosexual

Pokémon Ranger

Draconid

6'00" height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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TAG WITH @roy

POSTED ON Nov 27, 2023 20:10:41 GMT

[attr="class","roythread"]In spite of the gym leader's excessive entrance, the trainer didn't budge. The leader was clearly proficient, especially when it came to sheer speed, but this didn't matter to Roy. His interest was elsewhere.

He examined the oversized dark-type from head to toe, but in reverse order. First, he scoffed. Then he smirked. Using his thumbs on the insides of his pockets, he pulled his waist forward. He listened into the speedster's questions and then turned his head to another direction. There was no eye contact.

"So you're the one, huh?" His question was rhetorical. He kept his mouth away from the leader but spoke loud enough for him to hear.

"Let me see it."

[attr="class","roypkmnlist"]

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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 Nov 29, 2023 6:20:41 GMT

Though she didn't show many signs of it, Twilight was not appreciative of Roy's close inspection, nor his initial dismissive reaction. The only sign Roy would get would be the hardening of her sharp forehead blade, turning from a felt complexion into a metallic one, now brilliantly reflecting the sun's rays. "Yes, that's Twilight," Josh introduced his Absol steed to Roy Aker . For someone who was so focused on speed, he seemed to have the patience and professionalism of a saint. Those were traits he struggled with at the start of his Gym Leader tenure.

How much had changed in one short year.

What he lacked in was the ability to read between the lines. Even so, he had to be sure what it was Roy wanted. His staff did warn him he was escalated, after all. "I'm sorry, I think I missed what it is you wanted. What did you want to see again?" he kindly asked.

Roy Aker

{WC: 157}
{PC: 3}

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Twilight Absol Good
Snacker Sharpedo Good

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played by

Teal

Roy

He/Him

twenty-seven

May 02

Rustboro City, Hoenn

Heterosexual

Pokémon Ranger

Draconid

6'00" height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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583 posts

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TAG WITH @roy

POSTED ON Nov 30, 2023 17:52:49 GMT

[attr="class","roythread"]He expected more out of the gym leader. To him, his request was obvious even if it didn't seem that way for anyone else participating in the conversation. Roy's interest brought him to the Mauville City Gym for one reason; to see Mega Evolution. He had never seen it up close. Not since he was a child.

Wiping away at the corner of his mouth, the trainer restored his view on the leader.

"Mega Evolution."

He straightened his vertebrae to prepare, but he did not move his feet. This is where he wanted to be. It had to it up close. In all of its glory. He had to know if it would live up to his grandmother's stories.

[attr="class","roypkmnlist"]

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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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POSTED ON Dec 19, 2023 17:11:21 GMT

Eva Morales likes this

Straight to the point. In a way, Roy was a lot like Josh, except more terse. With fewer manners. Being blunt wasn't a bad thing in general, but there were times where subtlety and softness were appropriate. This wasn't one of them. "Alright, I'll show you. But before I do so, I want to show you all the things you'll need for it."

Josh rode close to Roy and scooted back in his saddle, raising his left hand and showing the Key Stone in his MEGA GLOVE to him. "First, you'll need a Key Stone and a Mega Accessory," the Gym Leader explained. "You can turn just about anything into an accessory. I've seen gloves, pendants, headgear, just about anything. It's as simple as getting a Key Stone and having a slot for it added to your accessory. It's a service many Pokémon Marts offer, but it's not cheap. The most important part is you have to be able to reach the Key Stone with your dominant hand. I'll explain why soon."

He gestured toward the ABSOLITE within the hollow at the saddle's front end. "Second, you'll need a Mega Stone corresponding to the Pokémon you want to Mega Evolve. The stone is kept on the Pokémon. This is a bit harder, as Mega Stones aren't sold in Pokémon Marts usually. Mega Stones are rare and well-hidden. Eva Morales and illeana reyes have an uncanny ability to locate Mega Stones. If you're looking for one, they're the best people to help with it."

"The final component is a strong bond," Josh explained. "Mega Evolution is a strenuous process on both you and your Pokémon, as it takes the Infinity Energy you and your Pokémon share to transform your Pokémon into its ultimate form. It's stressful on both of you, and the Pokémon usually can't maintain the form for very long."

Roy Aker

{WC: 315}
{PC: 4}

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Twilight Absol Good
Snacker Sharpedo Good

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played by

Teal

Roy

He/Him

twenty-seven

May 02

Rustboro City, Hoenn

Heterosexual

Pokémon Ranger

Draconid

6'00" height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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TAG WITH @roy

POSTED ON Dec 24, 2023 21:47:46 GMT

[attr="class","roythread"]In spite of his lack of patience, Roy played the role of student very well. Although his demanding posture remained consistent throughout the lesson, he spoke no words. If he wanted to get what he was after, he'd have to stick to this charade.

His first note was of the Key Stone located in the leader's glove. The relic hunter was already educated in most ways of the subject, but he was ignorant to its practical uses. This is what made it interesting. Every other word of the gym leader's description funneled through one ear and exited the other.

Next was the Mega Stone itself. Again, he was brought to awe in response to its appearance. This turned the leader's words into background noise. Roy would only chime in for mentions of both members of the league that were proficient in finding stones.

"Are you going to show me or not?"

This time he backed away. He was done with classes. It was time for the final exam. If he was Santa Clause, his passionate intrigue would allow him to ho ho ho.

[attr="class","roypkmnlist"]

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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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7,249 posts

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POSTED ON Dec 26, 2023 0:28:39 GMT

With all the components, Josh noticed Roy backing off. Good. Without being used to Mega Evolution, being near a Mega Evolving Pokémon was dangerous. Resuming normal riding posture, the Gym Leader nodded. "I am. This is how you induce Mega Evolution. You point the Key Stone of your Mega Accessory toward the Mega Stone and pinch your fingers over it like this," he gestured, his index and middle fingers covering the Key Stone's sides. Pivoting his wrist around, he focused the Key Stone's radiation toward the ABSOLITE embedded in Twilight's saddle, both of them glowing a brilliant purple-pink color: the light of MEGA EVOLUTION.

Twilight sprouted fake wings above her front legs, her blade-like tail became longer and sharper, and her forehead blade became double-edged. She grew in height some, as well, Josh having to tilt his head down a little more to make eye contact with Roy. She looked like a four-legged angel of wrath. "Can you feel the Infinity Energy radiating from her?" he asked. The rider could; it took some of his own just to maintain the Absol's heightened form.

Roy Aker

{WC: 184}
{PC: 5}

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Twilight M-Absol Good
Snacker Sharpedo Good

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played by

Teal

Roy

He/Him

twenty-seven

May 02

Rustboro City, Hoenn

Heterosexual

Pokémon Ranger

Draconid

6'00" height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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TAG WITH @roy

POSTED ON Dec 30, 2023 18:41:25 GMT

[attr="class","roythread"]Again, Roy ignored the leader's words, but not openly. His passion was placed elsewhere. In spite of this, his eyes followed the teacher's gestures. This was how you initiated Mega Evolution.

In a sudden flash of light, the pokemon before him was engulfed in a combination of colors. Once the transformation was finished, a subtle burst of wind erupted from the dark-type's exterior. Roy didn't falter. He didn't even budge. He was in awe.

Initially he was silent. Absorbed by the display of sheer strength before him, he was incapable of words. This was just like the stories. Better, even.

"I can."

He fought against his temptation to pull out a hand from his pocket.

"How long does it last?"

[attr="class","roypkmnlist"]

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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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7,249 posts

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TAG WITH @joshdevlin

POSTED ON Dec 31, 2023 8:18:34 GMT

"Good that you can notice it; it's something you'll have to get used to if you want to be around Pokémon in their apex states," Josh said with a nod. It was similar to the feeling one would get wearing a Sygna Suit and drawing on its powers. They were powers that varied greatly by not only the Pokémon, but the wielder. The Manectric side made Josh's Pokémon steeds even faster than they normally were, as long as he was in the electric-type's presence. In the presence of any of his lions, his voice carried even farther than it normally would. It was all powered by the Infinity Energy radiating from their perfected bond that could go toe to toe with even legendary Pokémon and their Avatars.

In a sense, the synced Pokémon was legendary.

"That's not an easy question to answer," the Gym Leader raised a hand. "It really depends on what your Pokémon is doing and your Pokémon's fortitude. In combat, Mega Evolution usually lasts for less than a minute. Outside of combat, I would guess... about ten minutes?" There was even variance among his Pokémon; Snacker's Mega Evolution had a shorter duration than Twilight's. Was there a difference in how certain Pokémon discharged their stored Infinity Energy assuming these powerful forms?

"Pokémon can push themselves beyond those limits, but it's a huge health risk for them. You have to find what those limits are and be seldom with crossing them. While I haven't heard of Pokémon dying, I have heard of permanent injuries from Pokémon staying Mega Evolved for too long."

Roy Aker

{WC: 276}
{PC: 6}

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Twilight M-Absol Good
Snacker Sharpedo Good

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played by

Teal

Roy

He/Him

twenty-seven

May 02

Rustboro City, Hoenn

Heterosexual

Pokémon Ranger

Draconid

6'00" height

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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583 posts

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TAG WITH @roy

POSTED ON Jan 12, 2024 23:03:25 GMT

[attr="class","roythread"]This time, Roy appears to listen to the entire lesson. He's in awe. This isn't something he can escape from. His eyes are glued to the creature in front of him. This is the kind of power a Key Stone can offer.

"Hmm. Cool."

That's all he can muster before he finishes. He makes note of the ten-minute timer and the potential of permanent injuries but pays little mind outside of that. He got what he came here for.

Pulling his pockets forward from the inside, the trainer makes it clear that he's done with the conversation. Without any further additions to the topic, he turns around in one swift motion and begins to walk. His path is aimed towards the office he originally came from.

"Maybe I'll challenge your gym sometime," He scoffs, raising a hand to wave at the gym leader behind him. "When I have one of my own."

[attr="class","roypkmnlist"]

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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."

awards

7,249 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @joshdevlin