Thankfully for both kyle lopez and Temp, this ship was just a research vessel now and I had accidentally bolded the wrong part. Just had to get that extra flavor in.

Temp, himself, stepped out with a wet 'plap plap plap' of fins on his feet, a diving suit on his body and looking just pleased with himself.

"Welcome, welcome! It's, like, super cool to see you again Mr. Champion Dude!" He offered his hand in more a slap than a handshake. He was energetic.

"Well... either go get suited up or grab a spare pokemon that can keep you underwater safely. We're getting wet, my good dude."

Temp went to wait on Kyle to get ready but paused...

"Hey, do you have your dog with you again? Can I pet him when we're done?"

"That's okay! I'm sure any dog loves pets!" His own dogs did. They were scampering around the ship somewhere, being cute, but that was for later. This was fluff. Filler. Post padding. We needed the MEAT of this.

At kyle lopez's question, Temp let out a laugh and headed for the ladder built into the side of the ship. "Come get in the water, champ! I know you'll probably kick my ass again, but getting to battle you is super cool! It'd mean a lot to me if you were down there, too!" Which, coming from a lot of people, would maybe sound like a guilt trip, but Temp meant it in the nicest and most sincere way. Even if he was a horny idiot, he was a kind horny idiot.

With that in mind, instead of taking the ladder, Temp just leaped off the side of the ship. There was a long pause before he splashed into the water. If Kyle really did decide to follow, he would find Temp puttering on the back of a Relicanth, who was his Diving pokemon. He was already heading under the water, a bubble of air around his head from his pokemon.

Under the water was a coral reef, bright, colorful, and full of life. They wouldn't be too close so the battle would destroy anything, but it was pretty. Once underwater, Temp called out his Sharpedo. She would circle in the water until Kyle or his pokemon were ready to take point.

---

- lots of fluff lol
- temp sends out Sharpedo
- challenger gets first move
- from now on, roll with every post you make

Temp beams when kyle lopez is in the water, too, even if he seemed to be hanging closer to the surface. Surely at some point Temp could convince him to come on down and enjoy the deep water. Surely.

"Crunch!" Was called out, his air bubble and the water making his voice echoey and strange.

The Sharpedo was in action instantly, her weird ass-jet propelling her through the water. She chose to go straight through the cloud of Toxic, jaws wide and teeth shining, to try and chomp down the leafy dragon pokemon. She was probably going to get poisoned anyway and it was best to use that murky cloud her opponent had made to her advantage while she could.

---

- Sharpedo is poisoned
- Sharpedo used crunch

The smoke blinds and the Sharpedo surges forward to try and escape the cloud. Yet, it's not sharp teeth or rough skin that will chase after the Dragalge. Instead a grating Screech, rippling through the water, like sheets of metal grinding together. It gives a moment for the Dragalge to get that distance but since the Sharpedo is still inside the cloud, it's own defense is working, slightly, against it.

Down below, something stirs, awakened by the Screech and the general battle going on above. Unless kyle lopez somehow rolled super low again, it would surface soon, butting in.

What the fuck kyle lopez how are you rolling so consistently low. No super secret surprises this round.

Shooting from the cloud, the Sharpedo sails forward fast and sharp as a bullet. A faint blue glow surrounds her, a Liquidation letting her glide through the water with ease. She tries to slam into the Dragalga; the move is less for damage and more for closing the gap between them.

Below, a single red light flashes, followed by two, then four, until dozens of them flicker in rhythmic patterns.

Maybe all those low rolls into a giant one was actually really unlucky.

The Sludge Ball slams into something but it isn't the Sharpedo. The first of many, a Staryu is when ends up slammed with the attack, knocking the pokemon backwards. About that time a few more streak by in the water, Rapid Spinning in the water like ninja stars towards the surface. Sharpedo does not go unscathed, a few of them hitting her. They will, also, strike the Dragalge if it's not careful.

Since kyle lopez got that 96, he gets TWO Interruptions since that made his break the threshold twice in one post! Damn!

While disturbed by the battle made the Staryu freak out and go for the surface, they're not the only thing drawn to them. A swarm of Mantine, one of Staryu's predators, are attracted to the rapid-spinning treats as they go fro the surface. The swarm of manta rays don't seem enthused by the presence of the two trainers of their pokemon. They split off into groups, circling them.

The Mantine are circling the battling pokemon to try and 'intimidate' them. This will make it both harder to hit your opponent and harder to be hit!

The food chains grows larger, as a massive shadow passes by underneath.

"Uh-oh."

Temp frantically waves his arm from his side of the field, yelping when it's almost taken off by an angry Mantine. He takes out a pokeball and calls back his Sharpedo, forgetting the battle. But kyle lopez won't get the badge just yet... because a Dhelmise has made itself known. While normally they only hunt for larger prey like Wailord, a hungry one will still feast on Mantine in a pinch.

This mess is compounded by the Staryu now coming back down, slicing through the water. The trainers and any pokemon are also still trapped by the Mantine who hadn't fled.

Kyle has won the battle but the Gym Challenge has changed. New goal: Assist in escape
kyle lopez may release 1 more pokemon that fits the Gym criteria to help