You're riding through a rough, backwater route that one of the locals in the last town described as a 'shortcut'. Some joker he was! This path's been nothing but brambles and ditches. Bastard might've even been another racer, trying to throw you off...

"Hey, you! On the horse!"

Startled, you snap to reality and spot someone ahead, dismounted and standing next to his horse. He's dressed in pink and has a bizarre pitch to his voice, aside from his stern tone. A hand rests on a strange device holstered at his hip.

"Would you mind telling me why you're following me?"