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Somewhere, a distant voice in Eddie's mind dismissed Josh's suggestion with contempt. If he cannot keep pace with us, perhaps it is best that he be left behind- [break][break]

“Sounds good! I'll make sure not ta leave ya in the dust,” Eddie called back to Josh, forcing some familiar cheer into his voice. [break][break]

He reined the Glastrier back to a slower pace, and already he felt the subject of his avatarship flare with a new angry current of agitation, [break][break]

“Yer a real piece of work, ain'tcha?” [break][break]

The horse whinnied beneath him with frustration. A frozen maw gnashed against its bridle, [break][break]

“Thought you Ice-types were supposed ta be cool an' collected. The hell's got you in such a tizzy?” [break][break]

As they passed another village, Eddie fought the urge to charge through it. These pitiful subjects were beneath the both of them; what were they but miserable playthings to terrorize for sport? His grip on the reins grew white-knuckled as they rode past. [break][break]

You have such incredible power at your command, yet you choose to cast it aside? [break][break]

Somewhere above them, Eddie heard the distant cry of a Corviknight. It swooped down to try and pick off what was supposed to be easy prey; with a flick of the wrist, the bird was suddenly struck by a jagged GLACIAL LANCE, [break][break]

“Don't wanna use it ta bully the peasantry, if that's what yer pissed about.” [break][break]

Then what good are such gifts if you choose not to exercise them in your domain? Your kingdom? Should your subjects not fear you, their ruler of ice and fury? [break][break]

“That's a real fucked up way of seein' things, ain't it? The hell you got a kingdom for if yer just gonna run it into the ground?” [break][break]

The Infinity Energy that coursed between rider and Glastrier suddenly flared bright, [break][break]

Do not speak to me, knave, of how a kingdom must be run! [break][break]

Perspiration began to bead at Eddie's brow in spite of the frigid cold. It was becoming so much harder to keep the beast's ire at bay; he looked back to Josh over his shoulder, [break][break]

“Maybe we oughta call it on this one an' move on? This is, uh -” Eddie swallowed hard, “Gettin' a little intense.”

[attr="class","bottom"]taming(?) glastrier![break]
Josh Devlin [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

The world washed away into another blinding expanse of white and warmth finally returned to Eddie's limbs. He shuddered against the last vestiges of the Glastrier's icy grasp as the next scene materialized before them. [break][break]

He wasn't exactly familiar with the over-sized Cyclizar of this simulation, but Eddie grinned at the proud king of the primordial world that stood before him. Men and Pokemon were reflected back in a hundred different versions of themselves against the glimmering planes of the tera crystals that surrounded them; a hundred different paths, a hundred different possibilities, but Eddie's heart thrummed with excitement at the prospect of getting to experience this one in particular, [break][break]

“Nice ta meet ya, bud!” he beamed as he looked up at the Koraidon, “I can already tell that we're gonna get along just fine.” [break][break]

A roar ripped through the cavern and thundering steps echoed in it's wake. Another Koraidon emerged and sounded it's challenge to the trio; it called to mind some of Eddie's experiences in the Giant Chasm, though this time he felt himself emboldened by the presence of his new friend, [break][break]

“You two ready ta help me crack some skulls?” Eddie jeered, rolling his neck and shoulders with a satisfying crack. [break][break]

Their Koraidon hissed in approval; a fighter recognized a fighter, it seemed, and Eddie was all the more excited for it, [break][break]

“Let's fuckin' rumble!”

[attr="class","bottom"]we're gonna win![break]
Josh Devlin [break]

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Eddie felt himself deflate a little at Hylda's easily accomplished take-down of the opposing Koraidon, but still felt some satisfaction as their own Koraidon roared in triumph. He turned back to Josh and tilted his head with some confusion, [break][break]

“What's about to go down?” he echoed with uncertainty. [break][break]

He looked from their Koraidon, who watched both of them curiously, and back to Josh, [break][break]

“You don't mean-” [break][break]

Eddie's eyes suddenly widened with the childlike glee of a kid in a candy store. He really hoped Josh was implying what he thought the gym leader was implying. [break][break]

Sure enough, the crimson dragon knelt, and though the ancient king groaned under the strain of it's injuries, Eddie found that the dragon did not resist his attempts to climb aboard.

[attr="class","bottom"]so long, farewell![break]
Josh Devlin [break]

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Eddie had to stop himself from cackling with pure, unbridled joy, [break][break]

“I'm sure Swift's great an' all,” he started as Josh settled in behind him, “But I ain't takin' that joyride 'til you're back to 100%. Wouldn't feel right otherwise, yanno?” [break][break]

With the ashen Raikou at their side and the Koraidon beneath them growing restless, Eddie held on tight to the crimson-scaled creature beneath him and beamed, [break][break]

“Let's ride!” [break][break]

With a fierce cry, the Koraidon started off, bounding with a loping gait as it hastily clawed it's way out of the cavern at incredible speeds. Eddie whooped with excitement as it leapt off of a rocky outcropping and picked up faster speeds still as they hit a straightaway. The terastral crystals lining the walls became a kaleidoscopic blur of colors and lights surrounding them, a prismatic rainbow illuminating their path to the exit, [break][break]

“How's yer buddy keepin' up?” Eddie called back excitedly to Josh.

[attr="class","bottom"]so long, farewell![break]
Josh Devlin [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

Eddie cried out in glee and surprise as they broke through the billowing clouds above the terastral cavern. They were hurtling towards the firmament now, almost fast enough that Eddie would've sworn that they were about to break from gravity's hold and be sent to ride among the stars. [break][break]

But that wasn't exactly where they were headed; as it turned out, they were about to be sent on a COLLISION COURSE with terra firma, [break][break]

“Hold on tight!” Eddie called back to Josh as the winds whipped around them in their descent, “I think we're in for one helluva landing!” [break][break]

They broke back through the cloud layer above and rapidly plummeted toward the ground below, with the Winged King truly living up to its name as its billowing wings guided them on the way down.

[attr="class","bottom"]so long, farewell![break]
Josh Devlin [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

Ow. Ow ow ow ow. Eddie whipped around in his seat on Koraidon's back, suddenly understanding how the punching bags at his favorite gym must have felt. They were tossed around on the dragon's joy ride out of the Giant Chasm like two passengers on the world's most perilous roller coaster ride, and by the time it stopped, Eddie could hardly stand. He scrambled off of the Koraidon's back with some difficulty before he turned to Josh, [break][break]

“Geeze bud, try an' go easy on us next time,” Eddie gently chided the dragon before extending a hand to try and help the gym leader down from his seat. In the next moment, the simulation began to fade around them, [break][break]

Eddie groaned, muscles tight and painful as the world turned to white, [break][break]

“Let's do somethin' a little more low-key next time.” [break][break]

Poor Josh looked worse than he felt, which was quite an accomplishment, [break][break]

“Besides, we ain't gonna be ridin' Swift anytime soon if we keep batterin' ourselves.” [break][break]

Eddie hoped the pain and discomfort wouldn't extend to the real world. Josh already had a rough enough go of it as it was; hopefully this wouldn't be yet another barrier to the Raikou-loving kid's journey to riding faster than the wind.