"If these things don't have air conditioners, we'll make our own. Hold on tight, Lutgarde!" Josh cried; the air was so uncomfortably thick that even riding the Cyclizar at normal speeds was doing little to dry the beads of sweat forming on his face. "QUICK ATTACK!" The galloping dragon reared and expanded his air sacs, looking like he was pulling the most dramatic wheelie the past world had ever seen, the black and white organ spinning fast enough to create a whirlwind beneath him. A loud, high-pitched screech ravaged Josh's ears as brush ignited beneath where the Pokémon's natural wheels touched the ground, his borrowed mount zipping forward at the speed of heavy artillery.

Provided Lutgarde wasn't on the same Cyclizar behind him, Josh would have lost sight of them completely. Every bit of his focus was on controlling the friendly yet fiercely fast dragon, the Master of Faster able to feel its heartbeat much like one of his own well-trained steeds. Even though he was in his element, they were going way too fast for their environment. If he lost focus for even a moment, he could become paste on a big tree!

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The simulation doesn't give them any time to adjust - instead, Lutgarde promptly finds themself in the saddle behind Josh, and they're very glad about it. If Cyclizars are any like horses and motorbikes, having an unsteady hand is a recipe for disaster.

"Much appreciated!" they laugh, already starting the sweat to form on their skin in this truly beyond-tropical heat - and they are, as expected, in their Gothic Lolita fashion. (They did not expect to end up in a jungle. Maybe they should be better prepared for next time.) The speed is dizzying and worrying in this environment, but they trust Josh to keep control - and uh oh. Better not distract him, either, but there's a volcanic eruption in their back ...

"Think we can outrun it for now," they shout so they could be heard over the wind - they've heard the simulation's pulling different scenarios, so they hope to just keep going for long enough. There are caves that they spot, but ... they're not really elevated from what Lutgarde can see.

Josh Devlin
choice deeper into the jungle, 50pts

The eruption was slowly catching up to Josh and Lutgarde, his heartbeat speeding up with the Cyclizar's. "Floor it, buddy!" the expert rider encouraged. Unlike some of his hand-picked Pokémon, Quick Attack was as fast as this one went. Even if he had one of his own, there were very few Pokémon that could outrun a pyroclastic flow. He just happened to be in possession of one of them, but he had to keep it a secret. Lutgarde, as much as Josh trusted them, was not a party he could reveal Swift to yet.

All of a sudden, a ROAR OF TIME froze the entire scene, bringing them forward thousands of years. To an ice age that the Cyclizar could not survive. Before them was an angry-looking Dialga who looked ready to decimate them with the hastiest DRAGON CLAW imaginable. The Champion grumbled; he didn't want to expose this secret to Lutgarde, either, but their lives depended on it... at least, far as the simulation went.

"Entei!" he cried, clicking the switch of a Cherish Ball. "BURNING BULWARK!" From the red device emerged a crowned paradox Pokémon that the Gym Leader believed to be a regional form of Kyle's Johto Beast, his belief so fervent that he named it after his homeland's fire god. The resemblance was uncanny. The Gouging Fire stood in front of Josh and Lutgarde, ready to protect them against anything the Timelord had planned...

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The heat catches up to them, threatening to engulf them fully if they don't find themselves with a sudden temperature drop. Time shifts, fast forwarding, and ... suddenly, it seems like it's the ice age. Lutgarde has no idea who is standing before them now, but they feel that this pokémon must be what myths and legends are made of. Incredibly powerful, and so, so dangerous.

It's only proven further by the menace in its eyes, making Lutgarde doubt there's anything they could do against this. However, Josh calls forth - Entei? - trying to battle the beast, and they couldn't just stand there either! "Sylv, Light Screen!" they shout, and the Sylveon moves quickly, providing cover for the many times larger Paradox pokémon as best as he could, with his screen being way, way larger than anything they've used before.

Josh Devlin

Sylv's LIGHT SCREEN and Entei's BURNING BULWARK shielded their trainers from the Timelord's fury, Josh wincing as a diamond-hard DRAGON CLAW deeply scratched the fiery shield. Roaring in pain from being cooked from within, the Dialga bellowed another ROAR OF TIME. While common knowledge stated fairy-type Pokémon should be immune to dragon-type attacks, legendary Pokémon often operated by their own rules. Entei slid back, his shield-crest under a tremendous amount of stress from absorbing the attack. The overwhelmed paradox, downed in a single blow, began to bleed as Josh's vision faded to white.

"...Entei! Hang in there!" Josh shouted, reaching for a Hyper Potion in the fading moments of his sight...

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Disaster and catastrophe is about to unfurl in front of them, facing the legendary, but the simulation fades and they find themselves in an entirely different, yet similiar landscape. There it is again- Eternatus. Lutgarde has since looked up how it looks like from the outside, and it's ... it's hard to believe being inside one, and in such a grotesque way, too.

"Sylv, are you alright?" they ask, opening their arms so the Sylveon could jump up. He's shaking, but tries to fool Lutgarde into thinking he's alright - a futile attempt with their connection via his ribbon. "It's alright."

They turn to Josh, "What an intense scenario in many ways," they say, trying to calm down their panic, even if ... yeah, this isn't that much better. But ... "Are we supposed to pick up one of those?" they ask Josh, then lean forwards with a pensive face. "I'm always a bit more shield-inclined." They'd be open to go with Josh's pick too, however.

choice? shield, 1 curio
Josh Devlin

Entei, on the other hand, was far from alright. Josh's Hyper Potion was far too late; the paradox Pokémon had fallen to the Timelord's most powerful weapon in its arsenal. By the time the duo had appeared before the sword and the shield, Entei was back in his Cherish Ball. "Their power is unbelievable..." Josh gasped as he stowed the device, palming a second Cherish Ball. This one contained his Raging Bolt. Sighing, he clicked its switch, the electric, long-necked paradox nuzzling Josh with his tiger-like face. "Hey, that tickles, Raikou! Stop it!" he laughed, the purr of the "Hoennian Raikou" sounding like rumbles of thunder.

Shaking his head at where the simulation deposited them, it reminded Josh of the day he rode kyle lopez 's ashen Raikou in the Galar memory, cleaving through Eternatus' forces one after another. The same ashen Raikou that now belonged to him.

"You've already seen more than I intended you to," Josh interjected before he would answer their question. "Entei and Raikou, the Pokémon you saw, are regional forms of the legendary Beasts of Johto. The League has not acknowledged their existence publicly yet. I need your word that until the League makes a public statement about them, you didn't see them or hear about them. Okay?" It was not delivered as a question; it was an order.

Afterward, Josh stepped toward the sword. "We're different in that matter; though I am rusty with them, I know how to use a sword. There used to be a school in Fortree. Taught be the art of mounted combat. Now if you wanted to learn it, you'd have to go to Mossdeep Gym. At least I think Gwyar Wledig runs classes there."

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Lutgarde's eyes widen slightly as there's not only the alternate version of Entei, but also Raikou. This feeling is quickly replaced by a chuckle as they see the pokémon nuzzle Josh affectionately - but no doubt that this, too, would be a terrifying sight to behold on a battlefield. A battlefield like the one surrounding them, mayhaps ...

They straighten up as Josh's tone suddenly became more serious than they were used to, and nod at the information relayed to them. Indeed, this explains while they didn't have any idea ... ... no, actually, that's just sort of their default state (even prior to arriving in Hoenn; they only tried keeping up with the constant stream of information now, seeing as it becomes more and more relevant to know what they're dealing with). "Got it," they nod, sincerely. "... may I ask if there's also a Suicune or?" they couldn't help but ask still, curiosity winning the upper hand. It'd be strange, right, having two but not three of a trio?

Anyway, they are arriving at odd ends now with the decision, and if they were remembering correct - the simulation needed a decision unisono to continue. "Mounted Combat, huh? Sounds like something to pick up for sure," they smile, standing in front of the shield with a pensive glance. "Wanna put it to the test? Sword versus Shield?" they suggest, a bit with a playful, challenging grin in this battle-torn landscape. "I've done some blocking in martial arts and stuff, so if you're rusty with a sword, we might be evenly matched."

Josh Devlin

Josh breathed a sigh of relief when he had acquired their assurance of secrecy. To answer Lutgarde's question, the Champion undid a latch over his third Cherish Ball. From it emerged a Walking Wake whose mane vented hot steam. "Hoennian Suicune," he gestured toward the crystal-horned paradox. Unlike Raikou, Suicune did not wear a saddle. Suicune also looked less well-behaved than Raikou did, red eyes shifting about as though he was looking for trouble.

At Lutgarde's suggestion, Josh gave Raikou a pat. "Most of what I learned was using a sword from the saddle," he clarified. Suicune crouched as though he were beckoning them aboard. "...Suicune?" Josh asked the Walking Wake, the paradox sounding a regal cry identical to a Suicune's. "He's usually not too keen on being ridden. I wonder what's changed suddenly?"

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The lack of a saddle is almost more surprising than the appearance of the Paradox pokémon itself - but another glance says why, giving its less tamed, wild demeanour. Definitely a huge difference to Raikou from before.

"Maybe it feels the challenge in the air?" they grin, and nod. "Let's go for it then!" They call Oreo for themself, and the horse neighs in greeting, lowering her head to be patted. "Hello, Oreo. We're going to have a little mounted battle here, are you up for it?" they ask. The Galarian Rapidash turns their head to look at the other pokémon, before nodding and bowing, slightly - it's not a full bow, but they do lower teir head, with one front leg angled while their body leans backwards a little bit.

"Can we get saddles somehow here or will we just do it bareback?" Neither Suicune nor Oreo were saddled up, which could be a bit of a complication. "And then ... wanna do it lance-tournament style, just with sword attack versus shield bash?"

Josh Devlin

Riding bareback was going to be rough, especially with a Pokémon as swift as a Walking Wake. Josh sat upon the blue creature's back, instinctively burying his hands in the paradox's purple mane for a split second before yanking them out with a loud yelp. "Yikes, that's hot! Owwwww!!" Without the ability to grab onto its mane, he would have to find purchase against Suicune's skin, ultimately relying largely on his legs for balance.

He was gonna be sore when this was over.

"Exactly! That's a great idea!" Josh cheered, giving them both time to get situated astride their new steeds. Being on the Walking Wake's back brought forth fond memories of riding Kyle's ashen Suicune across Dewford's archipelago, the north wind howling behind him. He would replicate that in the battle.

"I hope you're ready, because we're coming in fast! Suicune, Tailwind!" he ordered, though what came from the Walking Wake was instead a burst of HYDRO STEAM, its thermals creating an intense wind that blew at the paradox's back. It could easily have been mistaken for a Tailwind. His left hand thumped as he held on tight through the Beast's strong acceleration, the rest of his attention on timing a sword swing against Lutgarde Dijkstra 's shield. A solid blow, with the speed they were clocking, might knock the shield out of their hand entirely!