Suicune's speed, and Josh's skill with the sword, won out over defense, a clear victor in their jousting match. Something in his mind made him feel slightly bad for Lutgarde; the speed advantage his legendary mount provided him would have been difficult for an experienced jouster like Gwyar Wledig to resist, let alone someone inexperienced in the art of mounted combat.

As Josh pulled the sword out of the pedestal, the statue of a Zacian shattered, coming to life with a regal howl. Eying the long sword, Josh grabbed it by the guard and let the wolf chomp down on its hilt. Bowing and crouching like one who had been knighted, the Zacian transformed into a form that he recognized from his trip to cyberspace almost two years ago.

"I don't know this Pokémon's name, Lutgarde," Josh recalled aloud, "but I've seen them before. I think they wants us to jump on." He slid down from the Walking Wake and withdrew him before gently patting the Zacian's snout. He sat on the back of the enormous wolf, feeling the INFINITY ENERGY radiating from them. "You want to take point or do you want me to?" he asked Lutgarde, a small army of Dynamax Pokémon looming ahead...

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Lutgarde has not expected that there'd actually be another pokémon involved with the sword - and probably also with the shield? But this question would have to be solved during another trip. The pokémon has a regal bearing, or maybe it's more knightly ... as it accepts the sword and transforms yet another time, this time shining in all its full glory.

"They are rather beautiful," Lutgarde comments, before also bowing slightly to it. "It's an honour to fight along your side, Knight," they add, and chuckle slightly - it feels a bit odd, given that they do know someone whose first name is Knight. At Josh's question, they ponder for a moment, before grinning, "I'd call shotgun for that one, if you don't mind?" Sylv also approaches the hero without hesitation, cooing in greeting as Lutgarde recalls Oreo again. Zacian regards the much smaller creature, but there's not much time for chatter - after all, there's a whole army to fight off!

"Alright ..." Lutgarde needs a moment to get seated in a stable position. The energy radiating from this pokémon feels enormously powerful - and even as their opponents are dynamaxed, all but colossi, they have the feeling that this sword could take them. "Ready to go!"

And how they go, indeed. The air has been almost still before, but is now cutting the air - or maybe they are cutting the air as the Zacian leaps forward with a ferocious, fierce battle cry. One would think that a large dog with an even larger sword in its mouth would move a bit awkward, but it's fast, cutting through its enemies with apparent ease.

Josh Devlin
50pts, 1 curio

"You got it!" Josh replied with a nod, scooting back on Zacian to let Lutgarde take the metaphorical reins. There would be no saddle and no reins on this legendary Pokémon. They were gods, after all, many of which could telepathically communicate with their trainers. They could simply probe their riders' minds for direction on which way to run and how fast; no need for physical pressure to be put on their heads or shoulders.

Josh yelped as the fairy-type wolf lurched forward, keeping balance despite wielding a greatsword in its jaws. What a ride! With a spinning slash that made even the Gym Leader dizzy, the warrior dog cleaved through Pokémon after Pokémon, the racer hearing the glass-breaking sound of Dynamax Barriers shattering. He let out a loud whoop that may have been deafening to poor Lutgarde, unable to hold his emotions in during the massive rush Zacian's spin attack induced. "Think he knows how to use Quick Attack, Lutgarde?" he asked, drunk on his own adrenaline high.

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Sylv has to truly hold on tight for this journey, and Lutgarde makes sure to also help him with that, using one hand to steady themself and the other to keep their Sylveon boarded as the sword-wolf lurches forward, making its way through the enemy lines. The speed is dizzying, but not as worse as the many spins and direction changes as it cleaves effortlessly through its opponents, with energy, shaped like crystal-glass barriers, break under its continuous attacks.

Lutgarde laughs as Josh lets out a near-deafening whoop, but gladly, they're no stranger to that - instead, they actually join in the howl, feeling their blood rush as adrenaline kicks in from the whirlwind ride. "Hmm, I wonder?" they shout over the wind rushing with them. Their mount lets out a low growl, as if in challenge - as if in warning even.

And sure enough, Lutgarde can feel its muscles tense below them. "Oh, here it comes-"

Josh Devlin
50pts, 1 curio

Josh felt the fairy wolf's muscles flex as he turned straight toward Eternatus. Those cleaving strikes had done enough to thin the skeletal dragon's army; now it was just a matter of confronting the big bad. "Zacian, QUICK ATTACK!" the racer called out.

In a gait that was as rapid and as bouncy as his Raikou's, the hero zoomed toward their titanic foe, zipping out of the way of poison-type attacks that threatened to separate rider from legendary steed. Even Josh was squinting, his focus unbreakable as though he was the one directing the heroic deity.

Just when Josh thought it couldn't get any faster, Zacian started chaining QUICK ATTACKS together like a seasoned racing Pokémon, threatening to curl the racer's lips backward and blow away every drop of moisture from his teeth and gums. He couldn't imagine what Lutgarde was feeling, directing Zacian at truly disgusting speeds!

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The army is nothing compared to the gigantic Eternatus that now grows ever closer - and Lutgarde shudders at the memory of being in its innards, harvesting them for parts and crystals and ore ... but there's no time to dwell on this memory, even if they almost believe - does it slow down?

Zacian lurches forward, and doesn't seem to stop. It's getting faster and faster, chaining several Quick Attacks that push all of them further and further onward. Lutgarde instictively, and out of experience, has leaned foward, taking position as if they were a jockey in a Rapidash race. Reduce the resistance for the wind, or you'll really regret it.

It's exhilarating and exhausting at the same time, this dizzying speed that almost seems to slow down their environment, or maybe that's just their imagination ... ... and then, the final blow.

Eternatus' roar is almost inaudible over the air rushing to make space for them quickly enough, whipping their faces. Zacian's battle cry is also more felt as a rumble of muscles below, a gutteral sound as it leaps, and leaps-

The speed having built up almost several Quick Attacks at once, but they couldn't tell if this is reality or maybe just the simulation being overwhelmed by having to deal with this button mashed input. What they do know is the moment of impact, and not being able to hold on anymore- but that's also when their scenario changes around them again.

Josh Devlin
50pts, 1 curio

Zacian's sprint prompted Josh to bury both his hands in the fairy wolf's fur and hold on with everything he had. The Galarian warrior was fast even by the Gym Leader's standards. Josh, too, had leaned forward to avoid being blown from his perch on Zacian's back.

Their legendary mount sprung toward Eternatus in a dizzying BEHEMOTH BLADE spin attack that was a whirlwind of motion unlike anything Josh had ever experienced. What a ride!

Before the climatic battle could reach its end, the scene faded to white, leaving them with the sensation of spinning in circles at speeds imperceptible to the untrained eye. This was the kind of thrill that Josh longed for, and one day he would be able to indulge himself in with his Beast. Even so, he had to be responsible with it, for an accident at that kind of speed would almost certainly be lethal...

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The speed is dizzying, and thus, as the new scenario begins, Lutgarde needs a moment to orient themself. Nonetheless, there's a grin on their face as they let out a long breath, before laughing. "What a ride." They have no idea what kind of sword-dog this has been, but huh. "Do you know what kind of pokémon that was?" they ask, before noticing their surroundings eventually.

A cavern, and all the walls just covered by terastal crystals. Their reflection is everywhere, and Lutgarde finds themself ordering their disordered appearance slightly - it's a wonder that their curls are still curls, and not flattened out by the wind. Could be an effect of the simulation, maybe? Their attention then is drawn to a majestic creature - the moniker Winged King immediately comes to mind. And curiously, there seems to be a connection ... "There's another one," they say, before realising the same situation from other pokémon.

A territorial dispute.

They glance at Josh, grinning slightly. "We gotta win this, right?"

Josh Devlin
choice? win the battle?
50pts, 1 curio

Josh, too, was breathing heavily. Not because of the raw speed, but because of the immense torque behind Zacian's BEHEMOTH BLADE. It's why he enjoyed the Rayquaza rollercoasters -- both the one at Johanna Joy 's Joyland and the real one that Eva Morales took him on -- and not the types of rides that whirled their passengers around. "I've... met it before but I don't know its name," he sheepishly admitted. "It was a wild ride, though! Whatever it is, it's... really fast. I'd love to meet it for real!"

There was little time for that, though; Josh had been to this part of the RKS Simulation many times. He wanted to experience every path to get there; the reward at the end was worthwhile, whether they defeated the Apex Koraidon or not. Koraidon was a legendary steed that, if the simulation was accurate, was even faster than his own. "That wolf might not be the only legendary Pokémon you get to ride on today."

Even so, they had to win first. And that wouldn't be an easy task.

"Raikou!" Josh shouted as he clicked open the Cherish Ball containing the long-necked paradox Pokémon. Climbing up the yellow and black creature's side, he mounted up and was ready to run interference for the smaller Koraidon to turn the battle around.

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"Let me just hang on for a moment ..." Lutgarde grins, looking at the red pokémon. It seems like there's quite some interesting things to be met here ... ... but eventually, they do not truly care about the scientific questions all that much. "Let's win this battle!" Lutgarde approaches the Koraidon with a non-hostile demeanour, but that's not even needed - as they've noticed before, there seems to be a strange bond connecting the two ...

However, how do these two even fight?

"Hey, Josh-" they're about the ask the more experienced of them, but- then the battle already started. The two Koraidon start charging each other, and Lutgarde could only hold on for dear life. Regaining their composure, they pull down in their mind, signalling the Koraidon to jump high into the air - narrowly avoiding the other pokémon for now. But it's on their tail, and they'd have to think of another maneuver fast.

Josh Devlin

Firmly in Raikou's saddle, Josh grabbed the Raging Bolt's reins with both hands, ready to charge the Apex Horaidon at blistering speeds. "EXTREME SPEED!" Josh ordered, still deluded over the identity of the paradox's THUNDERCLAP. To an untrained eye, the moves were almost identical, Raikou's legs turning into a blur and sounding like an industrial fan pounding the air. The Gym Leader's hair stood on end as his mount charged the Apex Koraidon with seemingly impossible speed, causing the foe to recoil back. That small window was all the smaller Koraidon need to rear up and viciously wheel its larger foe with a BREAKING SWIPE.

"Did... did we do it?" Josh asked, watching the smoke clear as he listened to the hum of the smaller Koraidon's wheel spinning fast enough to whip up a whirlwind. He knew what was coming next: they were about to saddle up a legendary Pokémon again. A question raised itself in the back of the Champion's mind: could Lutgarde handle another dizzying ride? Zacian was fast, but Koraidon was faster.