The stadium and racetrack are built around a large canyon. Half the track is at the top of the canyon cliff, and half is down in the canyon's bed. The stadium seats approximately 70,000 people. Tall, strong guard rails prevent Pokémon from falling all the way down the canyon cliff while racing along the clifftop.
Josh was one of the last ones to run during the first day of qualifiers. The sun was actually beneath the stadium seats, necessitating the track's lights to be turned on. Nineteen people had already turned in times, and the field size for the big race was going to be only twenty-four. He knew he had to turn in a good time to stand a chance at qualifying. "Twilight, if we can make top ten, I think we have a good shot here," he pat his white Pokémon on the back--the Pokémon he was entering in the race. There were some fearsome times posted near the top--a Meganium currently held the pole.
Once officials announced the track was ready for him, Josh climbed on his Absol's back, and the two took position at the start/finish line, awaiting the green light.
REST ENERGY TIME
17649 m 23/ 23 00'00"000
SPEED
0 km/h
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A mere ten days after the Mending, a young knight of Valeron and a young ranger of Eos made a discovery that would change Alara forever.
Obstacle 1: The track opens up with a gentle left turn along the stadium walls. The track's width increases and decreases periodically, but remains wide enough to accommodate at least three-wide traffic.
"Not gonna get overzealous this time," Josh thought. "We gotta make sure to at least finish the race." Once the light flashed green, the rider gave the instruction for Twilight to take off. "Keep it steady, Twilight--I'd rather not take a second DNF," he said, riding down the opening stretch.
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Josh's familiarity with the track made him a lot more comfortable--and a lot more relaxed. For the most part, he now knew where to speed up and slow down. Twilight also felt a lot more stable than Ixion on the track. "Stay centered!" he said, patting the Absol's head gently. They certainly wouldn't have this luxury in an actual race, but he'd take whatever he could get in qualifying.
NAME ACTION ROLL RESULT TP CHG ENDUR CHG
Josh/Absol Normal 12 45 48 0
POS NAME ENERGY TP TIME
1 Josh 23/ 23 48.000 00'54"616
REST ENERGY TIME
15992 m 23/ 23 00'54"616
SPEED
104 km/h
Obstacle 2: The track quickly narrows up, bottlenecking to a maximum of two-wide traffic. Racers often hog the center of the narrow pass to prevent other racers from getting in front of them. A pileup here can narrow the gap between the front and back of the field by quite a large margin.
"Twilight, just stay centered! You got all kinds of room!" Josh encouraged, keeping up his pressure on his Pokémon's frame. The gap in the walls was narrower than he remembered, but it was also coming at him a bit slower. It definitely was one of those tracks where you couldn't blast forward just anywhere. If anything, slower Pokémon had an advantage.
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With confidence, Twilight ran toward the narrow pass. Josh's confidence was a little shaken when he saw how much room he had on his right. He eased up slightly, the white Pokémon braking for a split second before running through it without a problem. "Way to go!"
NAME ACTION ROLL RESULT TP CHG ENDUR CHG
Josh/Absol Normal 5 50 -1 0
POS NAME ENERGY TP TIME
1 Josh 23/ 23 47.000 01'13"383
REST ENERGY TIME
15268 m 23/ 23 01'13"383
SPEED
110 km/h
Obstacle 3: The track widens but not by much--anything more than two-wide traffic is just about impossible. A lazy, uphill 90-degree right turn follows the stadium walls, right below one of three skyboxes the facility features. Not a tough turn, but the narrow track makes the penalty for misjudging it steep.
The first real curve was coming up. Twilight veered toward the outside of the expanding track, ready to cross the apex. Just before the beginning of the turn, Josh leaned hard to the right.
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Josh had leaned too hard, but the intelligent dark-type corrected his path. The boy could feel a burst of air fly between his right leg and the corner of the track. "Whee!" he cried. "It's like this track was built for you, Twilight!" They didn't even have to slow down at all!
NAME ACTION ROLL RESULT TP CHG ENDUR CHG
Josh/Absol Normal 20 65 25 0
POS NAME ENERGY TP TIME
1 Josh 23/ 23 72.000 01'34"550
REST ENERGY TIME
14592 m 23/ 23 01'34"550
SPEED
115 km/h
Obstacle 4: The track remains narrow for a series of lazy S-curves--not hard to take, and one of the best places to make a passing run on the upper half. If a Pokémon does take a spill here, though, it can be difficult to recover from being on the outside of one of the curves.
Still smiling after taking the last tough turn perfectly, Josh relaxed and made gentle motions for his Pokémon to take the shallow curves. He didn't need to risk brushing walls by trying to move from apex to apex. Those fields on the canyon floor would still be tough--he needed Twilight to conserve his energy for those.
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The dark-type weaved close to the outside of each corner, but kept his path for the most part. "Alright, there's a hard turn coming up," Josh advised. "Ease up on it if you need to."
NAME ACTION ROLL RESULT TP CHG ENDUR CHG
Josh/Absol Normal 5 50 15 0
POS NAME ENERGY TP TIME
1 Josh 23/ 23 87.000 02'16"883
REST ENERGY TIME
13099 m 23/ 23 02'16"883
SPEED
122 km/h
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A mere ten days after the Mending, a young knight of Valeron and a young ranger of Eos made a discovery that would change Alara forever.
Obstacle 5: The track finally starts to show its true colors here. Its widening is designed to lull riders into a false relief, as it is quickly followed by a pair of switchback 120-degree turns. It is entirely possible for less thick-skinned racers and Pokémon to wipe out completely on this pair of tough turns.
Seeing the track widen was a cue to Josh to slow down. He eased up on Twilight, slowing down just enough to give the two a better chance. The rider let out a loud grunt during the sharp turn, holding on tight with both hands. He was afraid of pulling too hard on the Absol's white fur as he leaned into the first of the two turns.
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Twilight let out a yelp, turning rapidly in all kinds of directions yet somehow not touching any of the walls. "I'm so sorry, Twilight!" Josh apologized to his Pokémon as he noticed a small clump of white fur stuck to his gloves. The two slowed down more for the second turn, as to not necessitate the deathgrip on his Pokémon again.
NAME ACTION ROLL RESULT TP CHG ENDUR CHG
Josh/Absol Slowdown-4 1 50 -2 0
POS NAME ENERGY TP TIME
1 Josh 23/ 23 85.000 02'52"233
REST ENERGY TIME
12664 m 23/ 23 02'52"233
SPEED
106 km/h
Obstacle 6: After a very short straightaway, the course goes all-out on its racers again, featuring two lazy 180s back to back. The track is wider and the curves aren't as tight--just long. By running along the inside of one, it's easy to slide past the apex of the other.
"Come on, Twilight--just stay centered. We're probably ahead of the other racers by now!" Josh encouraged his mount. He leaned gently into the slow, long turns, trying to stay slightly to the inside of them as to gain time, but not so much as to risk grazing the walls.
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The hopeful racer smiled, everything going perfectly. Twilight even made the perfect transition, crossing the center of the track right as the turn switched direction. "How you doing, Twilight?" Josh asked. The dark-type nodded before sounding a cry of confidence. The big jump was coming, and he wasn't sure how his Pokémon would be able to handle it. Unlike Ixion, Twilight wasn't designed to carry riders. Josh wasn't sure how the white beast would hold up.
NAME ACTION ROLL RESULT TP CHG ENDUR CHG
Josh/Absol Normal 20 65 23 0
POS NAME ENERGY TP TIME
1 Josh 23/ 23 108.000 03'55"166
REST ENERGY TIME
10990 m 23/ 23 03'55"166
SPEED
120 km/h
Obstacle 7: This is it. The biggest jump currently on a Pokémon Racing Federation official track. Teams leap downward over a hundred and fifty feet, onto a long slope that slants further downward. It's not uncommon to come down the slope at speeds faster than even Extreme Speed will let it run. Make sure to go fast enough to clear the canyon cliff, or a certain wipeout will occur.
"Okay, Twilight," Josh said as the two raced toward the cliff's edge, "you ready for the big jump? It lands downhill, too. Make sure to stay balanced--we're going to come out of it fast." Twilight nodded in confidence. "Alright, Quick Attack!" he cried as the white quadruped leaped down to the canyon slope below.
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Josh actually felt in control of the ride this time as his Pokémon burst down the slope at a breath-stealing pace. "Wahoo!" he cried, Twilight's more rapid gallop making the thrill all the greater. It didn't quite feel like he was floating above the Absol this time, but it was still an incredible experience the second time around. Twilight eased up as soon as the first rock pillar came into sight.
NAME ACTION ROLL RESULT TP CHG ENDUR CHG
Josh/Absol QuickAttack 13 55 50 -3
POS NAME ENERGY TP TIME
1 Josh 20/ 23 158.000 04'25"850
REST ENERGY TIME
8267 m 20/ 23 04'25"850
SPEED
250 km/h
Obstacle 8: Immediately after this track's claim to fame is its other claim to fame--the "minefields" of rock spires that dot the canyon floor. Racers typically weave around the seemingly randomly-places hunks of rock, but racers confident in the strength of their Pokémon can bash right through. Racers may take a steep Endurance penalty to bash through this Obstacle.
Josh let out a deep sigh--this was the beginning of the end for him last time. These fields of earthen spires were still intimidating as ever. "Twilight, easy. Ease up a bit. We're not here to break a track record--we're here to qualify. Just go as fast as you're comfortable with." The Absol did as he was asked, though he didn't ease up as much as the trainer liked.
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He could feel a burst of wind from every pillar Twilight narrowly dodged. Though Josh's trusted Pokémon made some sudden curves, never once did he feel uncomfortable. The boy kept his eyes peeled for the end of the field, and the narrow tunnel feeding into the next field.
NAME ACTION ROLL RESULT TP CHG ENDUR CHG
Josh/Absol Slowdown-2 14 61 17 0
POS NAME ENERGY TP TIME
1 Josh 20/ 23 175.000 05'28"383
REST ENERGY TIME
6449 m 20/ 23 05'28"383
SPEED
112 km/h
Obstacle 9: A gently-curving tunnel generally impossible to pass in. Not a difficult turn, but the lack of width makes it easy to rub the rock walls and lose speed.
Going into the narrow tunnel, Josh had a brief flashback to when he and Ixion crashed coming out of it. Shaking his head, he had Twilight slow his pace a little more. "Twilight, for the rest of the track, I don't know what's coming! We'll have to improvise! Just stay centered--slow down if you need to!"
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Josh's caution paid off--Twilight came out the other end of the tunnel with no problem. He and Twilight slid left toward another field of pillars--this one slightly more dense than the previous. "Concentrate!"
NAME ACTION ROLL RESULT TP CHG ENDUR CHG
Josh/Absol Slowdown-4 3 52 11 0
POS NAME ENERGY TP TIME
1 Josh 20/ 23 186.000 06'00"450
REST ENERGY TIME
5591 m 20/ 23 06'00"450
SPEED
104 km/h
ooc: Posting two in rapid succession because I probably won't be able to get on until late tonight, and I'd like to finish this event tonight if possible.
Obstacle 10: The narrow tunnel opens into a sharp corner followed by a second field of spires, much more densely populated. The width of the field makes the danger of collision between racers very real. Racers may take a steep Endurance penalty to bash through this Obstacle.
A serious look on Twilight's face, the bleach-white Pokémon burst back into a full-speed run, highly confident in his ability to weave. Josh, sweating both from exertion and nervousness, simply held on and let his Pokémon make the decisions, since he was so good at it last time. He didn't feel he'd be able to do much better.
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The bursts of wind at both sides felt more intense from both the Absol's increased speed and the spires themselves being cut more closely. Close doesn't matter unless the spire is actually hit, though Josh could have sworn his suit grazed one or two of the rock formations. He kept his eye out for the next turn, as he could see the far canyon wall coming straight at him.
NAME ACTION ROLL RESULT TP CHG ENDUR CHG
Josh/Absol Normal 9 54 11 0
POS NAME ENERGY TP TIME
1 Josh 20/ 23 197.000 06'45"066
REST ENERGY TIME
4043 m 20/ 23 06'45"066
SPEED
122 km/h
Obstacle 11: Another narrow tunnel with 90-degree turns leading both in and out of it--left at the entrance, right at the exit. Not a recommended place to try passing, but it's definitely possible.
Though the tunnel was well-lit, Josh didn't see the second left turn coming, and jerked Twilight hard to the left. "Where did that turn come from?" he thought.
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He mentally thanked the dark-type Pokémon's ability to anticipate and react quickly to semi-blind turns, the jerking motion Josh made aiding him in his sharp slide to the left. Josh let out a loud grunt, exhibiting a great deal of strength staying on his Pokémon through the sudden, full-speed turn. He was more prepared for the second sharp turn out of the tunnel, but it still took plenty of strength to stay on through that one.
NAME ACTION ROLL RESULT TP CHG ENDUR CHG
Josh/Absol Normal 11 56 18 0
POS NAME ENERGY TP TIME
1 Josh 20/ 23 197.000 07'02"600
REST ENERGY TIME
3377 m 20/ 23 07'02"600
SPEED
124 km/h
Obstacle 12: The third spire field--the largest and most densely populated of the three, making it the most dangerous. Just as with the previous field, racer collision is a real danger, particularly since the track itself curves to the right gradually the entire way through. Racers may take a steep Endurance penalty to bash through this Obstacle.
This was it--the third and final field of spires. Not only was it tougher to navigate, but he had to gradually turn right. "Twilight, ease up!" It was hard weaving around the pillars even when the two were alone on the track. He couldn't imagine how hard it would be with twenty-four, thirty, or even thirty-six Pokémon down here. That would be the true test for Twilight and Josh if they managed to qualify.
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Josh noticed Twilight breathing a little more heavily, hopping around from time to time to dodge the columns of rock while maintaining his speed. "The worst of it's over, Twilight! Just a little more to go!" The white Pokémon let out a cry of victory, beginning one final push to the finish line.
NAME ACTION ROLL RESULT TP CHG ENDUR CHG
Josh/Absol Slowdown-6 10 61 14 0
POS NAME ENERGY TP TIME
1 Josh 20/ 23 211.000 08'09"913
REST ENERGY TIME
1420 m 20/ 23 08'09"913
SPEED
103 km/h
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A mere ten days after the Mending, a young knight of Valeron and a young ranger of Eos made a discovery that would change Alara forever.
Obstacle 13: Riders can breathe easy, but Pokémon can't--the stress is probably starting to take a toll on them as they head into this 180-degree, uphill turn to the right.
This was the start of the uphill climb. "Okay, Twilight, I know it's tough running back uphill, but pace yourself. Slow down if you think you have to." Nodding, he ignored Josh's command and kept pushing himself toward the end. "Alright, but don't wear yourself out before the finish line!"
Dice Roller1 D20 rolled
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Though he could hear Twilight's breathing, Josh trusted his Pokémon to push on. The finish line was about to come into sight. He smiled--this was definitely a good run and would qualify him so long as he crossed that finish line.
NAME ACTION ROLL RESULT TP CHG ENDUR CHG
Josh/Absol Normal 9 54 14 0
POS NAME ENERGY TP TIME
1 Josh 20/ 23 225.000 08'25"400
REST ENERGY TIME
858 m 20/ 23 08'25"400
SPEED
120 km/h
Obstacle 14: A gentle uphill curve to the left followed by a straight shot to the finish line. Though riders are likely pushing the Pokémon to the brink in this last charge to the finish line, they still have to make sure they actually finish the uphill climb.
"How you holding up?" Josh asked his Pokémon. Twilight let out another confident cry. The finish line came over the hill's horizon and into sight. "Alright! Double Team!" He gripped the white Pokémon tightly. He'd never ridden a Pokémon in Double Team before, but he knew it was fast from watching Mirage do it.
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Twilight sounded a loud cry, then broke out into a wild, almost uncontrollable run. A series of images of Pokémon and rider trailed behind the real one. Josh let out a scream of his own, the Absol's gallop shaking him hard. After crossing the finish line, he dug his claws into the track, braking to catch his breath after the intense Double Team. Josh was breathing heavily as well, dismounting his Pokémon and sitting down on the checkered line. He questioned whether the sport was tougher on the Pokémon or on him.
FINISH
NAME ACTION ROLL RESULT TP CHG ENDUR CHG
Josh/Absol DoubleTeam 12 57 57 -20
POS NAME ENERGY TP TIME
1 Josh 0/ 23 282.000 08'36"280
REST ENERGY TIME
0 m 0/ 23 08'36"280
SPEED
182 km/h
AMATEUR CLASS
The stadium and racetrack are built around a large canyon. Half the track is at the top of the canyon cliff, and half is down in the canyon's bed. The stadium seats approximately 70,000 people. Tall, strong guard rails prevent Pokémon from falling all the way down the canyon cliff while racing along the clifftop.
Josh was one of the last ones to run during the first day of qualifiers. The sun was actually beneath the stadium seats, necessitating the track's lights to be turned on. Nineteen people had already turned in times, and the field size for the big race was going to be only twenty-four. He knew he had to turn in a good time to stand a chance at qualifying. "Twilight, if we can make top ten, I think we have a good shot here," he pat his white Pokémon on the back--the Pokémon he was entering in the race. There were some fearsome times posted near the top--a Meganium currently held the pole.
Once officials announced the track was ready for him, Josh climbed on his Absol's back, and the two took position at the start/finish line, awaiting the green light.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
"Not gonna get overzealous this time," Josh thought. "We gotta make sure to at least finish the race." Once the light flashed green, the rider gave the instruction for Twilight to take off. "Keep it steady, Twilight--I'd rather not take a second DNF," he said, riding down the opening stretch.
Josh's familiarity with the track made him a lot more comfortable--and a lot more relaxed. For the most part, he now knew where to speed up and slow down. Twilight also felt a lot more stable than Ixion on the track. "Stay centered!" he said, patting the Absol's head gently. They certainly wouldn't have this luxury in an actual race, but he'd take whatever he could get in qualifying.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
"Twilight, just stay centered! You got all kinds of room!" Josh encouraged, keeping up his pressure on his Pokémon's frame. The gap in the walls was narrower than he remembered, but it was also coming at him a bit slower. It definitely was one of those tracks where you couldn't blast forward just anywhere. If anything, slower Pokémon had an advantage.
With confidence, Twilight ran toward the narrow pass. Josh's confidence was a little shaken when he saw how much room he had on his right. He eased up slightly, the white Pokémon braking for a split second before running through it without a problem. "Way to go!"
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
The first real curve was coming up. Twilight veered toward the outside of the expanding track, ready to cross the apex. Just before the beginning of the turn, Josh leaned hard to the right.
Josh had leaned too hard, but the intelligent dark-type corrected his path. The boy could feel a burst of air fly between his right leg and the corner of the track. "Whee!" he cried. "It's like this track was built for you, Twilight!" They didn't even have to slow down at all!
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Still smiling after taking the last tough turn perfectly, Josh relaxed and made gentle motions for his Pokémon to take the shallow curves. He didn't need to risk brushing walls by trying to move from apex to apex. Those fields on the canyon floor would still be tough--he needed Twilight to conserve his energy for those.
The dark-type weaved close to the outside of each corner, but kept his path for the most part. "Alright, there's a hard turn coming up," Josh advised. "Ease up on it if you need to."
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Seeing the track widen was a cue to Josh to slow down. He eased up on Twilight, slowing down just enough to give the two a better chance. The rider let out a loud grunt during the sharp turn, holding on tight with both hands. He was afraid of pulling too hard on the Absol's white fur as he leaned into the first of the two turns.
Twilight let out a yelp, turning rapidly in all kinds of directions yet somehow not touching any of the walls. "I'm so sorry, Twilight!" Josh apologized to his Pokémon as he noticed a small clump of white fur stuck to his gloves. The two slowed down more for the second turn, as to not necessitate the deathgrip on his Pokémon again.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
"Come on, Twilight--just stay centered. We're probably ahead of the other racers by now!" Josh encouraged his mount. He leaned gently into the slow, long turns, trying to stay slightly to the inside of them as to gain time, but not so much as to risk grazing the walls.
The hopeful racer smiled, everything going perfectly. Twilight even made the perfect transition, crossing the center of the track right as the turn switched direction. "How you doing, Twilight?" Josh asked. The dark-type nodded before sounding a cry of confidence. The big jump was coming, and he wasn't sure how his Pokémon would be able to handle it. Unlike Ixion, Twilight wasn't designed to carry riders. Josh wasn't sure how the white beast would hold up.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
"Okay, Twilight," Josh said as the two raced toward the cliff's edge, "you ready for the big jump? It lands downhill, too. Make sure to stay balanced--we're going to come out of it fast." Twilight nodded in confidence. "Alright, Quick Attack!" he cried as the white quadruped leaped down to the canyon slope below.
Josh actually felt in control of the ride this time as his Pokémon burst down the slope at a breath-stealing pace. "Wahoo!" he cried, Twilight's more rapid gallop making the thrill all the greater. It didn't quite feel like he was floating above the Absol this time, but it was still an incredible experience the second time around. Twilight eased up as soon as the first rock pillar came into sight.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Josh let out a deep sigh--this was the beginning of the end for him last time. These fields of earthen spires were still intimidating as ever. "Twilight, easy. Ease up a bit. We're not here to break a track record--we're here to qualify. Just go as fast as you're comfortable with." The Absol did as he was asked, though he didn't ease up as much as the trainer liked.
He could feel a burst of wind from every pillar Twilight narrowly dodged. Though Josh's trusted Pokémon made some sudden curves, never once did he feel uncomfortable. The boy kept his eyes peeled for the end of the field, and the narrow tunnel feeding into the next field.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Going into the narrow tunnel, Josh had a brief flashback to when he and Ixion crashed coming out of it. Shaking his head, he had Twilight slow his pace a little more. "Twilight, for the rest of the track, I don't know what's coming! We'll have to improvise! Just stay centered--slow down if you need to!"
Josh's caution paid off--Twilight came out the other end of the tunnel with no problem. He and Twilight slid left toward another field of pillars--this one slightly more dense than the previous. "Concentrate!"
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Obstacle 10: The narrow tunnel opens into a sharp corner followed by a second field of spires, much more densely populated. The width of the field makes the danger of collision between racers very real. Racers may take a steep Endurance penalty to bash through this Obstacle.
A serious look on Twilight's face, the bleach-white Pokémon burst back into a full-speed run, highly confident in his ability to weave. Josh, sweating both from exertion and nervousness, simply held on and let his Pokémon make the decisions, since he was so good at it last time. He didn't feel he'd be able to do much better.
The bursts of wind at both sides felt more intense from both the Absol's increased speed and the spires themselves being cut more closely. Close doesn't matter unless the spire is actually hit, though Josh could have sworn his suit grazed one or two of the rock formations. He kept his eye out for the next turn, as he could see the far canyon wall coming straight at him.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Though the tunnel was well-lit, Josh didn't see the second left turn coming, and jerked Twilight hard to the left. "Where did that turn come from?" he thought.
He mentally thanked the dark-type Pokémon's ability to anticipate and react quickly to semi-blind turns, the jerking motion Josh made aiding him in his sharp slide to the left. Josh let out a loud grunt, exhibiting a great deal of strength staying on his Pokémon through the sudden, full-speed turn. He was more prepared for the second sharp turn out of the tunnel, but it still took plenty of strength to stay on through that one.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
This was it--the third and final field of spires. Not only was it tougher to navigate, but he had to gradually turn right. "Twilight, ease up!" It was hard weaving around the pillars even when the two were alone on the track. He couldn't imagine how hard it would be with twenty-four, thirty, or even thirty-six Pokémon down here. That would be the true test for Twilight and Josh if they managed to qualify.
Josh noticed Twilight breathing a little more heavily, hopping around from time to time to dodge the columns of rock while maintaining his speed. "The worst of it's over, Twilight! Just a little more to go!" The white Pokémon let out a cry of victory, beginning one final push to the finish line.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
This was the start of the uphill climb. "Okay, Twilight, I know it's tough running back uphill, but pace yourself. Slow down if you think you have to." Nodding, he ignored Josh's command and kept pushing himself toward the end. "Alright, but don't wear yourself out before the finish line!"
Though he could hear Twilight's breathing, Josh trusted his Pokémon to push on. The finish line was about to come into sight. He smiled--this was definitely a good run and would qualify him so long as he crossed that finish line.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
"How you holding up?" Josh asked his Pokémon. Twilight let out another confident cry. The finish line came over the hill's horizon and into sight. "Alright! Double Team!" He gripped the white Pokémon tightly. He'd never ridden a Pokémon in Double Team before, but he knew it was fast from watching Mirage do it.
Twilight sounded a loud cry, then broke out into a wild, almost uncontrollable run. A series of images of Pokémon and rider trailed behind the real one. Josh let out a scream of his own, the Absol's gallop shaking him hard. After crossing the finish line, he dug his claws into the track, braking to catch his breath after the intense Double Team. Josh was breathing heavily as well, dismounting his Pokémon and sitting down on the checkered line. He questioned whether the sport was tougher on the Pokémon or on him.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya