Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Oh! Hello! Back so soon? How did it go?" The receptionist would ask Ryan. "How did it all go? Did you find the Ranger okay?" While the receptionist spoke to Ryan a man in a brown trench coat and hat stood in the corner looking down obscuring his face though it was clear that this person was watching them.

"Well it sounds like you had a little adventure! I'm glad it all worked out in the end. Thank you so much for your help. I'm sure our gym leader will be pleased with your efforts." The receptionist complimented Ryan, grabbing his hand and shaking it vigorously. The Water Channeler would only have to take his eyes off the mysterious man in the corner before he noted he was going in that short amount of time. Strange.

"Agent Deep Blue." A voice would call out to Ryan just before he entered the gym, as Ryan turned to find the source he would find the mysterious man from before standing at the corner of the gym. As the Channeler approach the man would look up to reveal it was Looker all along. "Going to finish your last task I see, good. However you may want to be careful, our target appears to be unsettled by your appearance. You were being followed in the Great Marsh by them. If I were you I could keep an eye out, who knows what Galactic will do if they feel threatened." Looker warned. "Now then, be on your way, I was never here." He said, motioning for Ryan to go along.

Once Ryan actually made it inside he indeed wouldn't see Crasher Wake, instead he saw the various gym trainers cleaning the pool, testing its chemical levels, and so on. Apparently he had them working, all very diligently. Made you wonder which one of these was the mole.

As soon as Ryan neared the pool the man he came to find came flying out of it, splashing water everywhere as he shot up and landed on the edge of the pool with one fluid motion, striking a pose. His Floatzel would soon follow and strike its own pose. The various gym trainers just sighed in response.

"My new possible pupil! You're back! Crasher Wake has been watching you and your heroic exploits around Pastoria! From one hero to another I am pleased with your efforts!" He shouted.

"Yes! Of course! Your final task! Face the illustrious Crasher Wake in a battle for the ages!" The man laughed, his Floatzel mimicking him as usual. "Let us take our places!" He boomed as he walked over to the end of the pool to take his position, his gym trainers moving away from the pool.

"You might have figured I would be using my most loyal fan and comrade Floatzel but that would be overkill!" He laughed, his Floatzel nodding in agreement. "This one should be more than enough for you to prove your metal against!" He said, striking several posses before tossing a Net Ball onto one of the floating wooden platforms, the device popping open to release a Quaqsire.

"Quaaag..." Moaned the dopey Water Fish Pokemon, a blank stare and long and thin smile on its face.

"Remember, looks can be deceiving! We all wear masks! Now then, come at me with everything you go!" Wake declared.

Crasher Wake smiled as Niles rushed towards his dim appearing Pokemon, the Water Fish Pokemon not even so much as looking at the Croconaw as far as anyone could tell. Once the fellow Water type got in close Crasher Wake would issue a command. "Counter!" He said in a booming voice.

Niles would strike at Quagsire a few times, clearly doing damage but the Pokemon didn't show it visibly. Raising one hand up to its head as a kind of a salute the Quagsire would gain an brown shroud of energy and unleash a wave of invisible energy against the Shiny Croconaw at twice the strength as the Chip Away. At the same time the attack went off the Water Fish Pokemon uttered one word in a muted voice. "Quaaag..."

Again, Quagsire wouldn't visibly respond to Niles' attack, though both the Croconaw and his trainer could tell the Leer was a success, the Water Fish's Defense dropping, even though the target its self did not give a tell that it worked.

"Ha ha! Being clever now are you? The Pastoria Gym's specialty is effort and more effort! I admire your thinking though. Quagsire, maximum effort! Power-Up Punch!" Crasher Wake ordered.

Without so much as a sound this time the Quagsire would finally act, leaning forward and just fall into the pool in front it. It was such a slow act that one might wonder if it even intended to actually execute the attack, it was only once it made it into the water when the Quagsire's true potential was seen. The Water Fish would swim through the pool at a speed that was astounding for a Pokemon that appeared for all intents and purposes to be dim. The Quagsire would race towards Croconaw and once in range would leap out of the water and come down upon the crocodile, fist raised and glowing with Fighting energy as it aimed to punch it head on. "Siiire..."

There was no avoiding this one as Niles clamped down on Quagsire's arm, the one that he used to slug the Croconaw with previously. Whether it was the Water Fish still high off the adrenaline from getting the Attack boost or it was just that dim Quagsire would stand there with the Croconaw on its arm for awhile before slowly looking down, blinking once even slower, and then proceeding to let out an ear splitting scream before flailing its arm around to get the crocodile off. As soon as Niles was detached the Quagsire would spin around and smack it with its thick tail, executing a Slam attack.

"That was good! Your Pokemon is strong! But so is Crasher Wakes!" The gym leader declared.