My mistake. Probably gonna be pushed back to tomorrow. Mom randomly decided today is Weed The Entire Yard day and wanted me to help out, and since I don’t get to see her that often, I decided I’m gonna help out.
All the rolls and math and stuff has been done. I’ve just gotta finalize the final course and write it out. Stay tuned!
While I really hate to push things back yet again, I'm probably not going to be done with the finals for maybe as much as a week. Tomorrow I'm flying back home after spending my time vacationing with my mom. I tried to get everything done before the inevitable mood drop and before that happened and I had to go back to work, but I effectively had to try to fit two weeks' worth of work into one, and ofc that didn't work out lol.
To make it up, I'll try to get the loser brackets done as well with the finals. Those might be simplified a bit, though, to make things easier on me.
So nothing's set in stone yet, but the event SHOULD be concluded by next Monday (22nd of June). If it gets done sooner, that's great, but we'll have to play things by ear.
So sorry to everyone this might disappoint. Love you!
My mistake. Probably gonna be pushed back to tomorrow. Mom randomly decided today is Weed The Entire Yard day and wanted me to help out, and since I don't get to see her that often, I decided I'm gonna help out.
All the rolls and math and stuff has been done. I've just gotta finalize the final course and write it out. Stay tuned!
“And here we are, folks! The last match of the Semifinals between Raihan of the Morgremlins and Daniel of Team Sweet Puff! This one will be for all the marbles, deciding which team progresses to the Finals! Excitement is in the air!”
“It should be noted that the Chairman and I have come up with a few methods of deciding a winner, should this last match end in a draw, as well. Such as scoring teams based on how many obstacles were cleared or even doing a round of Sudden Death. Nothing will get in the way to impede the flow of this event, I assure you.”
“But, anyway! It’s time for us to get to the event itself! The drama! The showmanship! Both of these challengers had the most suspenseful times in the event, sliding in with only a second to spare! So I know they’ll put on quite a show for us today! They also both have Repeat Balls, so Bali, I’m going to be depending on you quite a lot during this match!”
Bali chittered and spun its head around, apparently denoting happiness.
“Ooh, we are neck-in-neck, fair patrons! Both Daniel and Raihan started crossing the platforms as quickly and carefully as possible, but a poorly timed step sent Raihan into the water early on!”
“Raihan decided to use his Repeat Ball Pin, so he was quickly spirited back to the beginning platform where he began again, trying to cross the platforms as quickly as he could manage. He’s effectively caught up to Daniel, though I will remind viewers that his time was restarted, and he’s effectively ten seconds ahead right now.”
Obstacle 2: Big Red Pokeballs -- Raihan: 142 seconds ; Daniel: 65 seconds
“Oh no! A Repeat Ball isn’t going to save Raihan from that mistake, I’m afraid! He and Daniel were still pressing forward at a blistering pace, but Raihan slipped on one of the balls near the middle, crashing into the water a second time!”
“Daniel is still pressing forward at a steady rate, though, and he still has his Repeat Ball Pin to save him in case his encounter with the Sucker Punch goes awry. Best of luck…”
Obstacle 3: Obstagoon’s Sucker Punch -- Daniel (ahead): 76 seconds
“A hush falls over the spectators as Daniel comes head to head with the dreaded Sucker Punch and sizes up his enemy. He watches for a pattern for a few seconds before he commits to cross as quickly as he can without slowing down.”
“I say, he’s doing spectacularly! He’s still getting hit, unfortunately, but he’s relentless in chasing the safety of the next platform. He’s not slowing down! The crowd is going wild!”
“Oh, but here comes Raihan, ready to pull yet another victory out of the jaws of defeat! He seems determined to make up time and starts crossing the Sucker Punch as quickly as he can!”
“Things seem to be going rather well for him, or at least as well as can be expected--”
“YOWTCH! Oh no! Raihan was just struck in an… Er… rather sensitive area, and just dropped into the water, clutching his groin. I don’t think there’s any way he can recover from that in time to finish the race! Someone get the poor lad some ice!”
“What kind of sadistic FREAK allows punches to be aimed below the belt on an obstacle course like this?!”
“Maybe it’s possible he didn’t account for how tall Raihan is…?”
“Mr. Chairman, that man is at least Raihan’s height, if not more, judging solely by the height of his shoulders! I’ll be talking to him about the safety of the next course after this match is over. He can ignore my recommendations at his own peril.”
“Daniel’s now at the last obstacle, the insurmountable Fishious Render Bender! No one who’s faced off with these massive, swinging arms of destruction has withstood them to tell the tale. But Daniel seems to have been planning for this! He hasn’t used his Repeat Pin even once, and still has plenty of time to cross it! Will this be what sends his team over the edge for certain?”
“You can really hear the excitement in the crowd… They’re all on their feet and singing the chant that plays when Gym Leaders pull out their signature Pokemon. This is really going to be some sort of finale -- just one man verses this massive obstacle.”
“Daniel seems to be gauging how far it is between each platform and considering how fast he can run… He takes off across the platform as soon as the first arm has cleared him! Go, go go!”
“He’s racing for the midpoint, apparently trying Rico’s strategy for himself. But it’s difficult to judge when the middle isn’t marked! He stands still in place, hoping the second arm simply goes past him, but he’s launched into the water without care!”
“But he still has his Repeat Ball Pin! He’s holding it up now… Bali! Use Teleport and bring him back to the starting platform!”
Bali chimed mystically and reset his position as Oleana wound back the clock. “This is likely the only chance he’s going to get. While he saved some time getting here, the margins are still too narrow to rely on. If he ends up in the water again, that’s likely it for his run…”
“The crowd is chanting his name… If he pulls this off, it’ll be legendary! Come on, Mr. Daniel! We believe in you!”
Daniel took a deep breath, waiting for the first arm to swing past, before he broke into another sprint. The first time, he’d tried to freeze in the middle of the platform, but there was no way he was going to bet on that again. He knew he couldn’t run the entire length before one arm came swinging back down towards him, but with any luck, he shouldn’t have to.
He blew right past the approximate middle of the narrow walkway, much to the surprise of the hosts, keeping the sight of the second arm firmly in his peripheral vision. Almost there… Almost…
When the arm was nearly crashing into his side, he did the one thing he could think of: he jumped as high as he could, hoping he’d clear it.
He did not.
His foot got caught on the very edge, throwing him into a frightful spin. Dhimani stood up and screamed. “OH NO, HIS HELMET CAME OFF--”
Nearly a death sentence. Daniel’s forehead was clipped on the very edge of the platform, then basically got launched into the mighty river with all the force of a Gyarados’s Hyper Beam. The crowd fell silent as he landed with deafening SPLASH. Out like a light.
A CRITICAL FAIL.
“B-BALI! Use Teleport! Bring him back to the shore, oh sweet Arceus!!!”
Bali chittered sadly, and did what it was told. From this close, a streak of blood could be seen gathering at his temples. Rose, of course went to check his vitals as Oleana sighed and dug out her phone again.
“I’m on it, Chairman… Hello, is this Wyndon General Hospital? Yes, hi, Clara. We’ve got another one for you today… Yes, I’ll hold.”
Final Score:
Team Morgremlin: 1,170 seconds (Winner?!)
Team Sweet Puff: 1,200 seconds
“Iiiit’s Ladies’ Night here at the Summer Ballympics!”
“Just for the record, it’s actually midday.”
“I was speaking metaphorically. But thank you, Oleana! I appreciate your helpful addition! Today, the two loveliest ladies will be going head to head in a battle to see who’s fastest, who’s deftest, who’s got the most grit!”
“We should also note that both young women were also largely responsible for propelling their team to the Semifinals. One was a literal hair’s breadth away from tying with the Elemental Trio, who we’ll be seeing more of later.”
“But back to today’s event! Let’s see if both ladies can make up ground where their captains sadly fell short. On your mark… Get set… GO!”
“And we’re off! Ooh, both ladies seem pretty shaky on their feet here. Most people really struggle with this obstacle, huh?”
“It’s fair to say that every obstacle is really causing strife with all the competitors today… Not being sure of your footing is a hard thing to deal with…”
“Uh-oh. Florie just fell down into the river, but she’s holding up her Repeat Ball Pin. Bali, do your stuff! Use Teleport!”
Bali let off a series of clicks, its pink eyes glowing as it concentrated on its target. In a fraction of a second, Florie was standing exactly where she needed to be, and continued on her way, crossing much slower than she had been.
“There we are -- right as rain! But, ah, oh no! Dee fell into the water, too! You’re doing amazing, sweetie! Keep at it!”
“She only has a Fast Ball Pin, so she’ll be forced to swim all the way to the beginning and try again, whereas Florie can press on, much as she has been. We’ll likely see her reach the second obstacle soon…”
Obstacle 2: Big Red Pokeballs -- Florie (ahead): 76 seconds
“Spectacular… Florie has just reached the Big Red Balls, and seems to have hit her stride. She’s crossing them all quite confidently, though she doesn’t display the same easy comfort as some earlier contestants. But it does end up saving her some time over her earlier misstep…”
Obstacle 2: Big Red Pokeballs -- Bede (behind): 175 seconds
“Oh, but here comes the lovely Devine, herself! Can she manage to cross all of the inflated balls efficiently, and pull out into the lead?”
“Oh… Apparently not. She lost her balance going across the first one and landed back into the water… Time will tell if she even gets to the third obstacle after two tragic time losses like that…”
“Have courage in my protege, Oleana! She brought her team to victory once, and she can surely do it again!”
“I’m rather nervous about her chances with this, Mr. Chairman… Florie has already used her Repeat Ball Pin earlier in the course, so she has to make the entire thing first try.”
“Let’s see if the first person to best the Sucker Punch at its own game will be Miss Florie!”
“After studying the pattern for as long as time will allow, she tentatively grabs onto the nearest handhold and starts trying to go as quickly as possible--”
“Ouch! That hit her right in her nose! Oh, Oleana, I’m not too sure about this course… An awful lot of people seem to be getting hurt by it!”
“Well, no one has been incapacitated so far, so I suppose that’s a good thing…”
“Brave Florie seems to be withstanding the barrage of strikes, though she’s been significantly slowed down by that first hit…”
“It seems another shot to her torso is what took her down in the end. I doubt she’ll have enough time to get back up and do two more courses, so we should look to see how Bede is doing.”
“Miss Dee is just getting to the platform, but I’m worried about her chances as well. Even with the Fast Ball bonus, she has less than a minute to take on both of these formidable obstacles! Do you think she can do it, Oleana?”
“If we’re being honest, no, I do not. But I’ve been surprised before.”
“That’s the spirit! Go on, Bede, we’re rooting for you--Oh no.”
“Erm… She was trying to reach for the first hand hold, but while trying to dodge out of the way of a strike, she lost her grip and fell into the water without being punched…”
“Th… That’s okay, sweetie! Your face is too precious to be marred by that dreaded machine anyway! Bravo!”
“Next up is Raihan vs Daniel, but both teams haven’t had a single win yet… Hopefully we’ll reach a satisfying conclusion by that match’s end, but the Chairman and I will figure out an alternative method of scoring, should the worst come to pass. Thank you very much for your vested interest, Galar, and we’ll see you soon.”
“We’re back from our break, covering the last bracket of the semifinals! Today, for the first time, we have two Captains going head to head against each other! Which one will be the one to face Zero in the finals? We’ll find out soon enough!”
“On the Pink platform, we have Rico from Team Sweet Puff. And on the Blue, we have Leon from team Morgremlin. He’s feeling much better today, so thank you for all the well wishes sent by fans yesterday.”
“Let’s see if Leon will pull a win out of the jaws of death or if the only Captain to have walked away unscathed from the brutal trials of the day before has a natural advantage against these courses! Get ready! Set… Go!”
“Well… That certainly isn’t a grand start for Leon. I wonder if he’s feeling alright from the day before…?”
“For those listening in, both men made a valiant effort to get a great start and stay centered on each platform as they leapt across! But Leon went down somewhere near the middle and now has to restart…”
“I told him about that blasted cape…”
“He’s got an eye for showmanship, Oleana! Just like me! Let the lad live!”
Obstacle 2: Big Red Pokeballs -- Rico (ahead): 153 seconds
“Uh-oh… Rico unfortunately seems to be having some difficulty bouncing across the Balls. He went flying over the second one, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t on purpose, like what Gordie did!”
“Indeed it wasn’t… Rico sadly went flying into the water and now is swimming back. Thankfully he doesn’t look hurt. Now that he knows a bit more what to expect, he jumps across… Success.”
“He’s got quite a lot of them to go through and he isn’t going terribly quickly, but it’s better to pace himself! I just hope he’s ready for the next obstacle…”
“Rico’s seen how this wall has bested many competitors before, and he’s not risking it! He holds up his Timed Ball pin and is safely making his way across, the automated punching going too slow to really harm him!”
“Ooh, he’s already getting so far! I’m so excited! But wait… Where’s Leon?”
Obstacle 2: Big Red Pokeballs -- Leon (behind): 208 seconds (Eliminated)
“Mr. Chairman…?”
“He’s… Not on the Angry Stunfisk anymore… Can someone get a Rotom-camera on where Leon is, please? I’m pretty worried--”
“No, there he is! He… somehow got himself wedged in between two of the Big Red Pokeballs? How long has he been there???”
“Oh no… It doesn’t even look like he’s struggling anymore -- he’s just accepted his fate…”
“What a shame… I suppose he won’t be finishing, then. Back to Rico!”
“Uh oh… Rico’s already used his one Timed Ball, so he’s going to have to try to time when he runs across this narrow platform without getting hit by either of the arms!”
“No one has done it yet -- including the one person who technically completed the course. In case you can’t tell, there’s a little gap between the two arms, so if he could just run far enough and hold still between them, he won’t have to run the full distance in just one sprint.”
“It looks like Rico is going for it… He tries running as far as he can just as the arms swing past him! He gets the middle of the platform and tries to freeze -- but he slides forward a bit more than he meant to, and--!”
“Ouch. The second crooked arm caught him on the torso and sent him flying. He seems fine, though, if a bit disappointed…”
“Ah, and there goes the timer! You gave it a very commendable try, the both of you! I can’t wait to see which of your teammates ends up sealing your place in the finals! So exciting! Stay tuned!~”
Any reason why there's a delay for the next bracket?
It’s pretty hard work being the only person writing for a big event like this. I promise you’re not the only one anxious to see all the results already.
I have all the rolls done for the next bracket, but I’ve gotta pace myself writing it all because I don’t want to burn myself out too fast. Thanks for your patience, though. The first one should be going up around noon tomorrow (12 June 2020), EDT.
“Would you like me to cover this one, too, Mr. Chairman?”
“Hah… It’s a bit too much work to expect one person to cover two competitors… I’ll handle Farhad, deal?”
“Of course. Oh -- we’re rolling. Good Morning, Galar. We’re here with our final Semifinals match between Piers of the Magne-zone and Farhad of the Mini-Bouquet. So far the Magne-zone is in the lead, following a stunning performance by none other than Gordie, himself -- who is now receiving emotional counselling.”
“While awe inspiring, his run wasn’t as tightly put-together as his first in the preliminaries! If Farhad was able to beat it, he might have a chance to send his team to the finals, instead!”
“Assuming he could, of course. He still would have to outdo P--”
“What a glorious entrance! Farhad takes the early lead on the Angry Stunfisk, leaving the other competitor in the dust!”
“Piers seemed to be moving carefully, but it didn’t matter much. One errant step and he went into the water. Farhad didn’t try to cross as quickly as some of the other competitors, but did move faster than Samar. That bodes well for his chances if he can get across the next one as well…”
Obstacle 2: Big Red Pokeballs -- Farhad (ahead): 197 seconds
“Oh NOOO! Farhad is really struggling to cross the Big Red Pokeballs. Hurry, hurry! He’s gaining on you!”
Obstacle 2: Big Red Pokeballs -- Piers (ahead): 76 seconds
“Oh my… What a reversal of fortune. As Farhad tries desperately to cross the Pokeballs, falling into the water multiple times and having to climb back up, Piers manages to cross them with ease. He’s now firmly in the lead, with Farhad still lagging behind and now utilizing the much slower strategy used by Samar last round.”
“Ugh… He’s got my begrudging respect, at least… But let’s see how well he does with the insurmountable Sucker Punch!”
“Well… It is with a heavy heart that I say that… Piers has indeed been struck by a fist in the face, and helplessly fell into the water. While he still looks… conscious, at least? It seems to have really hurt him. I don’t think he’ll be able to climb up to the platforms to try again at this rate…”
“It’s a very unfortunate thing, what happened. I hope he makes a speedy recovery.”
“You could stand to sound a little more broken up about it, though…”
“Oof, but it seems Farhad wasn’t able to get out of this one unscathed, either. ‘Thankfully’ he only got hit in the stomach, but… It still didn’t look pleasant… Into the water he goes.”
“After his multiple tries on the Big Red Pokeballs left him rather exhausted, it seems he hasn’t the strength to continue, thus sealing the fate for Team Mini-Bouquet. They all performed admirably, though, wouldn’t you say, Mr. Chairman?”
“Yes, that’s right! I certainly would, hahaha!”
“... I can’t believe Piers is going to the finals, of all people…”
Final Score:
Team Magne-zone: 996 seconds (Winner!)
Team Mini-Bouquet: 1,170 seconds
“We’re back from our break, ladies, gentlemen, and nonbinary pals! We have a real treat for you today -- perhaps the most anticipated matchup of the entire tournament! Gordie from Team Magne-zone versus Samar Rose of the Mini-Bouquet!”
“For those just joining us today, Gordie and Samar had the first and second fastest times, effectively pushing their team to victory. In the case of Gordie, his time was so astronomically amazing, even an injured penalty couldn’t stop his team from coming in first.”
“Samar might not have been as flashy as young master Gordie, but he still performed outstandingly well! Far better than many competitors half his age! So I’m expecting great things from them both!”
“Look at the way Gordie is making his fans in the audience swoon… He certainly seems confident about his chances, despite the revamping of the course… I sure hope that nothing shatters that.”
“You always sound so grim, Oleana! I’m certain it’ll be fine! On your mark… Get set! GO!”
“I-I don’t believe it… Gordie is already setting a positively blistering pace, going over the collapsing platforms as if he were as light as air! What IS he?!”
“It seems he’s trying to break his record from yesterday… There’s none of his previous flashiness -- he just wants to set the best time possible. It’s truly incredible to watch. Samar, on the other hand, is having some difficulties… His steps are much less sure of themselves, and every time he gets too far on one side and feels the platform tip, he scrambles back to the safety of the center.”
“If he manages to cross them all without falling, that’s a victory in and of itself! Great going, Samar! I’m rooting for you!”
Obstacle 2: Big Red Pokeballs -- Gordie (ahead): 10 seconds (PERFECT x2)
“What in Arceus’s divine name?!”
“I-CAN’T BELIEVE MY EYES! Gordie… is crossing the Big Red Pokeballs just as fast as Zero did -- but he’s skipping every other one so that he has more time to shoot finger-guns at the audience!”
“He’s halfway done with the course and Samar is still on his second platform on the Angry Stunfisk… This might be the biggest blow-out in competitive history!”
“Gordie presses forward, seemingly undaunted by the formidable Sucker Punch that felled both of the previous competitors!”
“Is he going to use his Timed Ball pin to slow down the punches, much like Jaideep did?”
“No, it seems that he doesn’t think he needs it! He tries crossing the narrow platform next to the punching wall as quickly as possible to decrease the chance that he’ll be hit -- BUT OH NO! One of the pistons actually manages to land a hit on him, and Gordie goes tumbling down--!”
“Er… Not quite. Just as Gordie was falling, he reached up and caught the ledge of the platform -- as well as his sunglasses, which went flying off his face at the same time. Such impressive reaction speed…”
“Oh no… Are they cracked? Gordie’s just hanging there with one arm now, inspecting them with this worried look… I hope we didn’t break them! They’re so important to his chic look!”
Obstacle 2: Big Red Pokeballs -- Samar (behind): 109 seconds
“As Gordie inspects his sunglasses, Samar finally makes it to the second obstacle to the Big Red Pokeballs! He didn’t fall even once, but he seems pretty nervous. He didn’t do too well on Falinks Hill, either, and both of these initial Obstacles don’t have sure footing he can ground himself with. You can do it, Samar!”
“He makes the first leap… Success. He’s on the first Big Red Pokeball, but he doesn’t seem to have the same confidence to cross each one in a bound like Zero did -- or every OTHER bound like Gordie moments prior. He’s taking his time, steadying himself on each one, and jumping to the next. Almost like a Rookidee flitting from perch to perch.”
“Well, it’s a pretty safe alternative, but if he doesn’t hurry eventually, he’ll run down the clock! Keep going! I believe in you!”
“Oh? It looks like Gordie has finished his fussing over his accessories. He slipped his glasses back on with what looked like a sigh… Ah, yes. I can see the crack in them now. He doesn’t seem very happy about that.”
“I’m so sorry, Gordie... I’ll try to buy you another pair like it later!”
“Undaunted, Gordie actually SWINGS his whole body to the nearest safe platform, and climbs back on there. He’s not smiling anymore… He looks pretty upset, and almost like he wants to go home…”
“Oh, he’s holding up the Timed Ball pin! I guess he doesn’t want another embarrassment like that again. The swinging of the Fishious Render is now slowed down so that he can--EXCUSE ME?!”
“No…”
“I… Don’t believe my eyes… Fair patrons, he actually grabbed ahold of the swinging arm as it went past, and is now climbing up the supporting pole to get to the top of the structure!”
“I-Is that allowed?!”
“I don’t know… I think so? Quick Ball Guy is giving a thumb-up, so I suppose it’s okay, but WOW… He’s now running effortlessly across the top, seemingly unbothered by the swinging motions of the arms beneath him!”
“Once he gets to the other end, he slides off of the supporting pole as if he were Mantine Surfing, and does a neat flip onto the finishing platform. He hits the Stop Time button, and… Success. He’s done it… In only 216 seconds, at that.”
“But he doesn’t look very happy about it at all… Oh NO! Gordie, please don’t cry! You did amazing, I promise! We’re all so proud of you! I’ll get you another pair of sunglasses! I’ll get you TEN! Please smile!”
“Well, just as Gordie is finishing up, Samar managed to reach the third platform, but time is running out… If he can cross the Sucker Punch without getting hit and falling -- something even Gordie couldn’t seemingly do -- and then cross the Fishious Render, all in a respectable time, he might make it to the finishing platform…”
“He certainly looks like he’s giving it his best go! But ooh… Ouch! Okay, that one looked like it hurt--And, he’s down in the river, fair patrons. I suppose that’s the end of that story. I’m so sorry you didn’t have a chance to make it, Samar, but maybe Farhad will avenge you next time!”
VIBE CHECK! Gordie (No bonus)
“Gordie still must be feeling not too great about his run. He just flopped down into the water, missing the target completely, and currently seems to just be content to float face down in the river…”
“It seems like Quick Ball Guy is fishing him out to pull him into a hug… It’s okay, Gordie, take as much time as you need! We’ve all been there!”
“Wow! Right out of the gate, it seems like both of the challengers are giving it their all! This is unfamiliar territory, but both are leaping from platform to platform, trying their best to keep their weight centered! They’re practically neck in neck!”
“Well… They certainly were. It seems Jaideep has fallen off his second-to-last platform and is now having to swim back and try it again. He doesn’t have a Repeat Ball like Zero does, so he won’t be getting an extra hand from Bali, either.”
“Zero’s already got a huge lead on Jaideep… Let’s see if he can keep it up!”
Obstacle 2: Big Red Pokeballs -- Zero (ahead): 10 seconds (PERFECT!)
“I… I’m amazed, viewers! Jaideep is still trying to get past the first obstacle, but Zero just blew past the Big Red Pokeballs as if he knew exactly what he was doing! I’m amazed! He’s going on to the third obstacle now… Let’s see how he does!”
“Uh-oh… This new obstacle seems like quite a challenge, doesn it?”
“Mr. Chairman, I have to ask again: Whose idea was it to make an obstacle where the entire point is to see who can withstand getting punched in the face the best?”
“Hmmm… I think I see what you meant when you called this a litigation nightmare now…”
“Zero seems to have slowed down considerably, watching the wall to see if he can make out a pattern before attempting to cross. Ah -- he managed to get about halfway before getting knocked down into the water. But wait -- he’s holding up his Repeat Ball Pin!”
“Bali, use Teleport! Roll back the timer, Oleana!”
“On it, Chairman.”
“Zero’s back on the platform now -- still dripping wet, but no worse for wear. He seems to have a better understanding of how it functions now and is trying to get across as fast as he can without slowing down. He’s almost across now -- can almost taste safety… But -- oh! He took another punch to the face, and down he goes for a second time! This time he WILL have to swim all the way back to the beginning and reset himself… But let’s see how things are going with Jaideep!”
Obstacle 2: Big Red Pokeballs -- Jaideep (behind): 131 seconds
“Not too good, I’m afraid… Jaideep finally got past the first obstacle, and is struggling with the second one. The first bounce he took sent him flying into the water, and he now has to reset himself yet again. Time is quickly running out, but if he can get past the Big Red Pokeballs on his next attempt, he has a chance to sneak the win…”
Obstacle 4: Fishious Render -- Zero (ahead): 208 seconds (Eliminated)
“Oh, hold that thought, Oleana! Zero managed to swim back and get across the Sucker Punch! Now he’ll be the first to take on the intimidating Fishious Render! If he can do this, he’ll get to take on Quick Ball Guy, but if he falls, there won’t be any time for him to try again! He’s watching the swinging of the pendulum, and… He’s going for it! Run, run!”
“Ouch… He tried to go as fast as he could, but ended up getting hit by the crooked second arm. And into the water he goes… He’s likely out for the rest of the match, but if Jaideep can pull out a miracle, he can still finish first.”
“Ah… Apparently, some miracles are just too fantastical to believe in! Jaideep saw how much Zero was struggling with the Sucker Punch, so he pulled out his Timed Ball to slow down the assault of the fists… But he still tried to make his way across too slowly! The timer went off just as he was in the final stretch of the Sucker punch… Too bad! But it was a great attempt! Bravo, you two! I’m sure your teams are very proud of you!”
“Good morning once again, Galar! It’s your favorite hosts bringing the 2020 Summer Ballympics to you, live! I’m your beloved Chairman, Rose!”
“And I’m Oleana. Today will likely prove to be even more challenging than the last, I’m afraid… Apparently Quick Ball Guy thought that the course that left three people incapacitated yesterday was ‘too easy’, so…”
“I’m sure our amazing contestants will rise to the challenge, don't you?”
“You seem to be putting an awful lot of faith in this random masked fellow who we don’t even know is on our payroll or not… This is a litigation nightmare waiting to happen.”
“Let’s try to get back on track, shall we?”
“Competitors, today we’ll be trying things a little bit differently. As opposed to going one at a time, you’ll be racing against each other on courses that look almost completely identical! Doesn’t that sound exciting? I know that the pressure of having to go head to head with the person you’re racing against will only spur you on to reach even higher heights! But be forewarned -- you still have to complete the course in under six minutes to get full points!”
“And that’s not all. For those of you with Repeat-ball Pins, worry not! We have an assistant with us today that will make your second attempt go much more smoothly. So hello to my Claydol, Bali!”
The Pokemon next to him lifted its too “arms” telekinetically and gave a cheerful sounding series of chimes. Rose chuckled softly and rubbed its head. “I’ve been practicing with Bali for the past few days to Teleport objects wherever I direct her to look. So the next time you fall into the water, instead of having to swim the whole way back, you’ll be zapped to the starting place with your clock restarted back to zero! Don’t worry about your safety. Bali’s been with me longer than most of you have been alive!”
"Anyway, matches between the first two competitors will start in an hour. The first being our two highest ranked teams from the day before -- Team Magne-zone vs the Mini-Bouquet. I'm sure the viewers from yesterday will be excited to learn that competitor Zero from yesterday is feeling much better. Today he's racing head to head with Jaideep -- both of which are thankfully wearing safety helmets today! So hopefully all will go smoothly.”
Oleana just nodded. “That’s all for the pre-show. We’ll see you soon.” The feed cut out.
“Greetings, competitors! Quick Ball Guy here! I hope you’re having a terrific day! It’ll be time for the Semifinals to start soon! It seemed like maaaybe that last obstacle course was a bit too easy for some of you! So I decided to really go ALL OUT with this next one! I hope you’re as excited as I am!”
The Angry Stunfisk (Wipeout’s Collapsing Catwalk)
“First up, we have The Angry Stunfisk! This will test your balance and your reflexes as you try to cross a series of platforms that tilt this way and that as you cross them! Try to stay as close to the center as possible, and make big leaps to achieve your goal!”
Big Red Pokeballs (Wipeout’s Big Red Balls)
“Next, we have an all-time favorite of mine. The Big Red Pokeballs! These semi-inflated rubber balloons require pin-point accuracy! One errant leap, and you’ll go flying off course into the river! Try to bounce safely across them all in one go!”
Obstagoon’s Sucker Punch (Wipeout’s Sucker Punch)
“How’s your reflexes? How’s your grip strength? How’s your mettle? Let’s see who among you can cross this very narrow bridge while clinging onto rock climbing handholds as automated fists try to knock you off balance! And don’t worry -- I tested these by getting hit in the head several times just to make certain it was safe. So you have nothing to worry about, probably!”
“And now… The Pièce de Résistance, as they say in Kalos… The Fishious Render Bender! If you thought the Low Sweep was bad, here’s its bigger, badder, more impressive older brother! Try to cross this narrow platform as two mechanical arms swing back and forth in opposite directions! The latter one has a bend in it to make timing just that bit harder. But don’t worry! Those spikes you see aren’t actually sharp! They’re made out of foam! See?”
“The bonus stage will be the same as last time. Thank you again to everyone for coming to these events, and I hope you’ve been having fun training for it! To those unfortunate souls sent to emergency services the other days, you doctors have cleared it with us that you can continue participating, as long as you have your protective helmets on at all times. Just a reminder that they’re to be worn at all times by EVERYBODY from now on. I wouldn’t want to see any of you get seriously hurt…”
He waved. “That’s all! Enjoy the rest of your day, and we’ll be back tomorrow!”
Hey, Guys! First off, I’ve already started on the next bracket, but I don’t think I’ll be ready for a day or two yet. So tune in on Thursday for the first match between teams Magne-Zone and Mini-Bouquet!
Secondly, I just wanted to throw out a few amusing statistics I noticed yesterday. So if you’re a nerd like me, stick around. (Note: all percentages are rounded down to the next integer because I’m Lazy)
General Statistics:
People who competed: 18
People who finished the course: 7 ( 38% clear rate )
Critical Fails: 3 ( 16% critical fail rate )
People who got a PERFECT roll: 5 ( 27% )
Percentage of people that passed by position:
First: 4 / 6 ( 66% clear rate )
Second: 3 / 6 ( 50% clear rate )
Last: 0 / 6 ( 0% clear rate )
Percentage of people in last position who…
Were Captains: 4 / 6 ( I intentionally had all Captains on teams that had them go last, not that I thought it would matter! )
Got a critical fail: 3 ( All captains )
Stats per obstacle!
Levitating Steps: 18 contestants
People who passed with time gain: 10 / 18 ( 55% )
People who passed with time loss: 8 / 18 ( 44% )
Ball Saves used: 3
Machamp’s Low Sweep: 18 contestants
People who passed with time gain: 8 / 18 ( 44% )
People who passed with time loss: 9 / 18 ( 50% )
People who did not pass: ( 5% )
Ball Saves Used: 3
Falinks Hill: 17 contestants
People who passed with time gain: 8 / 17 ( 47% )
People who passed with time loss: 5 / 17 ( 29% )
People who did not pass: 4 / 17 ( 23% )
Ball Saves Used: 1
Shapeshiftin’ Ditto: 13 contestants
People who passed with time gain: 4 / 13 ( 30% )
People who passed with time loss: 3 / 13 ( 23% )
People who did not pass: 6 / 13 ( 46% )
Ball Saves Used: 1
Vibe Check! 7 contestants
People who sent Quick Ball Guy flying: 4 / 7 ( 57% )
Here’s the brackets for the Semi-Finals! Congratulations to teams Magne-Zone, Mini-Bouquet, Morgremlin, and Sweet Puff!
The Bronze Match thing on the bottom there is something that I’m thinking of doing. This isn’t 100% certain yet, but I think I’ll try to set up brackets between the loser teams as well, so everyone’s got something to look forward to! So anyone who loses the Semifinals will go on to the Bronze Match, and both of the teams that were taken out in the Preliminaries will go on to have a little competition between themselves, as well! Maybe we’ll call it the... Nickle Match, I Guess, lol.
The next challenges will be head-to-head matchups, set up like a race! I’m probably gonna take a day off before I start uploading the next brackets -- mostly to give myself time to write and also because I’ve been going pretty hard the past few days and I need a little bit of a break. But I hope you’re enjoying it so far!
NOTE: If you want to change your Ball Pin, you have until tomorrow to do so, but I’m going to start writing the matches up as soon as possible so I have plenty of time! Send an ask or IM if that’s something you’re interested in doing! Thanks!
“Yes, haha… Rick and I ordered some cheesecake off of Grubbinhub while we waited for Eric to get done drying the platforms. Apologies again for my rather unprofessional outbursts, dear listeners.”
“Regardless, it’s time for the last run of the preliminaries. Everyone, give a warm welcome to the Captain of this team, Lotor from the region of… Pr... Preuzien? Did I say that right?”
“All I know is that this had better be good after he spent so much time making himself out to be such a big deal…”
Levitating Steps -- 186 seconds
“That is not an auspicious start…”
“For those listening at home, he got to the second to last step, decided he could cut down on time by leaping directly to the next platform, and consequently plummeted to the bottom of the river. Now he has to start all over again.”
“I’m thankful for his safety, at least… He came dangerously close to hitting his head…”
“He’s got a helmet on now. What’s there to worry about?”
Machamp’s Low Sweep -- 153 seconds
“That looked painful… The mechanical leg hit him so hard, he plummeted to the water right away. I don’t think we should use another obstacle like the Low Sweep again, if only for the sake of the competitors’ shins…”
“COME ON! I thought you were supposed to help my s--prodigy and his friend make it to the next round! Any time would be great, Lotor of ‘Lotor and the Boneheads’!!!”
Falinks Hill -- CRITICAL FAIL
Scowling at the short, portly man that almost seemed to be heckling him now (for some reason?), Lotor set his sights to the next obstacle. The free-spinning spheres that made up Falinks hill. It’d likely be an easy jump, at least for him.
He took a running start, but--OH FUCK! The starting platform was still wet from that last idiot’s attempt to clear it! Didn’t that woman say she was going to ensure that everything was going to be safe from now on?!
He tried to right himself, but it was no use. He fell backwards with an undignified yelp, and banged the back of his head HARD on the slippery platform behind him. As if that weren’t embarrassing enough, he still ended up splashing into the water thanks to his previous inertia, out like a light.
“OH FOR FRICK’S SAKE!” Dhimani screamed, tossing his headset down on the ground in a rare fit of rage. “You IDIOT! Somebody get the damn paramedics here STAT!”
Oleana blinked, looking up at her fuming boss impassively, then she turned to the cameras.
“Well, that’s it for the Summer Ballympics preliminaries… Thank you so much for watching, Galar. We’ll be back on tomorrow with the semifinals.”
The live feed cut out abruptly just as the sound of sirens drew near.
“Next we have a young man who’s incredibly special to me… He may not be a household name in Galar, like Champion Leon or the rising star Bede, but he more than makes it up with his kind and sensitive nature… Ladies and gentlemen, I’m pleased to introduce you to… Rick!~”
“That was a rather… Grandiose introduction for such a common name…”
“Well, you chastised me the last time I tried to do a fun introduction, so what do you want from me?”
“Point taken. Let the game commence.”
Levitating Steps -- 54 seconds
“My, what a strong showing… Rick doesn’t scale the obstacles quite as fast as some like Gordie or the Roses, but he still ascends them at a very brisk pace. You certainly have an eye for talent, Mr. Chairman.”
“I sure do! And, mark my words, Rick is one of the best! Just wait! You’ll see!”
Machamp’s Low Sweep -- 43 seconds
“ATTABOY, RICK! I mean, uh… Wow, look at how quickly he runs through the veritable gauntlet of sweepers! Isn’t he the most talented young man you’ve ever seen???”
“He’s doing very well, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Mr. Chairman. He still has a lot of the course yet to complete.”
Falinks Hill -- 186 seconds
“NO! Oh, Arceus! Rick, are you okay?!”
“Apologies to those listening. It seems Rick lost his balance on his first attempt to climb the Falinks Hill and has fallen into the water. He now appears to be panicking and all further attempts to climb back on are proving futile…”
“Rick! It’s okay, honey, just try to calm down! You’re doing amazing! Don’t give up!”
“Dhimani’s words seem to have hit their mark… Rick is climbing up the hill as carefully as he can now, as the Chairman continues cheering him on. But with that amount of time loss, he’s doomed if he fails another section…”
Dhimani was on his feet now, screaming into the microphone and bouncing anxiously. “This is it folks! THIS IS IT! Rick doesn’t want to leave anything to chance! He holds up the Timer Ball pin to slow down the rotation of the cutouts! But he still has to wait for the next one! Will he make it?!”
Oleana glanced at her countdown clock. “Ten seconds.”
“You can do it, Rick! You can do it! I believe in you!”
“Seven…”
“He finally makes the jump! Ooh, that was a tight squeeze -- but he made it!”
“Five…”
“THE BUTTON, SON! You have to hit the button! On your right! Hurry, HURRY!”
“One.”
Silence filled the stands as Rick slammed the button, chest heaving. Wide-eyed, Dhimani looked toward Oleana. “... Well?! Did he make it???”
She frowned up at the Chairman, and shook her head with a sigh. “I… I’m sorry, sir. He was only a second off… But he did not complete the challenge. Rick is eliminated.”
Dhimani bit his lip quietly, then sighed and gave a sunny smile up to Rick. “That’s… That’s alright! He came close and tried his best, didn’t he? Everyone, give him a round of applause! Well done, Rick… i’m so, so proud of you!”
Quick Ball Guy made a heart with his hands towards Rick as he climbed back off the finishing platform as the stadium rang out with supportive applause.
