A/N:

Jedi Master Kyre AKA MeObviously: Look who's talking.

Shelby Cloyster: Koga, no. Tssalyo is in charge of the gym, Chris mentioned that. And as for the last... don't count on it. Nothing's for sure, especially when the author has no problems being evil to his / her own creations.

Fjord Cannon :)

Sandstone: (recovering from the stab wound with Recover) I hate being stabbed.

Luin: Well, duh.

Sandstone: (looking shocked) Uh, shouldn't you be blowing up Rocket buildings right now? Or killing random Rocket grunts?

Luin: I got bored. Besides, if I were Icewind right now, wouldn't my name reflect that?

Sandstone: I can arrange that...

Icewind: Aw, screw you.

Sandstone: Don't start. I'm going to make Chris loose or have something evil happen at the poison gym because someone took it for granted that he'd win, so don't tempt me to be evil to you.

Icewind: Uh... I'm going to go blow up some buildings, and cause havoc.

Sandstone: (smirking) Good.


Chapter Forty: Mathrara's Great Plan:
Sanja looked over at Chris. His eyes were narrowed, studying their opponents. Somehow, they'd been goaded into another fight. Well, actually, it had been her fault. Not that she cared, it'd been boring, they kept on challenging Chris (and he'd usually let his pokemon dictate those fights). Stupid male macho Tauros shit. Their opponents (two brothers) were another bunch of what Chris had taken to call 'Rocket Hopefuls', and she'd adapted it herself. Mixed bag, to say the least – some were really good, but most of them sucked.

These two she wasn't sure about. A Kangaskhan who looked to be in fair shape (from her classes, she could tell that much), and a Tauros who was in excellent battle condition.

The older guy (with dyed red hair, almost similar to what Chris said he looked like for awhile) said mockingly "well? Are you two clowns ready yet?"

Sanja cracked her knuckles, and nodded, glaring malevolently. Chris, on the other hand, just nodded expressionlessly, and said almost kindly, "go."

She called out silently to her Haunter, (Gra! Use Confuse Ray on that Tauros!)

She didn't 'hear' Chris say anything, but Mathrara began to glow the same color as Gra, setting up for a Confuse Ray.

The brotherly duo seemed confused by their lack of commands (they waited for a few moments), but then started with their own. "Kangaskhan, Mega Punch!" "Tauros, Fissure!"

Sanja rolled her eyes, as the two Confuse Rays connected first, confusing their pokemon. Kangaskhan, rather than attacking Mathrara, tried to attack her Haunter (which, of course, did nothing), and Tauros just stumbled around, then launched a fissure at Mathrara – which the agile Vulpix danced aside from.

She smirked at them, and Gra did his favorite trick – Hypnosis. Mathrara went for a more direct approach, closing with the Tauros with Faint Attack, and then pelting it with Flamethrower to the face.


Chris watched, letting Mathrara chose what to do. Sanja and her Haunter (Gra'shanki-nechana'oxama the sixteenth was kinda a mouthful, so they called him Gra) were working on their favorite trick – Hypnosis, followed by Dream Eater. The combo worked fairly well, but it was a shame that Gra couldn't use Nightmare as well. Normal types had that immunity to Ghost.

The Tauros shook off his confusion enough to use Rage – and since it was fairly pissed at Mathrara, it did some damage.

Mathrara got thrown back about 10 feet, landing with a skid. He said wryly (ouch…)

Chris mentally jabbed him, and gave him a cheeky comment of (well, you asked for me not to help. Don't you have Fire Spin?) He'd acquired the attack thanks to all the fighting they've been doing – but Chris had yet to see him use it besides the one time where he did it to try it out (and he'd screwed it up then).

Mathrara spared a moment to glare at Chris, then did the mentioned attack, enveloping the rushing Tauros in a vortex of fire.

He then used Will-o-Wisp, and hurled THOSE flames into the building tornado as well. When they disappeared, the Tauros still stood there, a vein in it's forehead standing out. Chris shook his head – it was PISSED, and you didn't even need psychic power to tell. Serious, oh shit, run like hell before it kills you pissed. He'd TRIED to warn Mathrara about that before, too. It looks like using the foes emotions against them hadn't sunk in either.

His opponent, the older brother, laughed heavily. "Well, now you've screwed up. Tauros, get rid of that little pest!" (Kill!)

Chris groaned, as it rushed forward towards Mathrara, a almost textbook (not that he'd ever read one on this) example of Thrash. (Mathrara, I'd suggest using Faint Attack, and dodging it until Gra can deal with it.)

Sanja looked over at Chris, and shot him a mental grin. (Want help? Gra's bored, that Kangaskhan isn't waking up anytime soon.)

Mathrara got thrown back, nearly crashing into Chris. He fielded the flying fox before he hit the ground, and looked at the cuddly red form in his hands. (Ready to listen yet?)

Mathrara lowered his head (his body bruised beneath the fur, and some blood leaking out from some wounds), and sighed. (Sorry. I'll listen. But can you PLEASE get Kani to think about it?)

Kani, who had remained silent up till now, sighed herself, and said reluctantly. (Chris… fine. I'll humor him. But we'll need all the psychics to do it. Genetic manipulation during evolution isn't a simple task.)

Chris chuckled, and tossed Mathrara back onto the field of battle. Since they'd never declared boundaries, at least Mathrara hadn't been disqualified by taking that flight (out of bounds). Gra, by this time, had utterly destroyed the Kangaskhan (he knew Psychic as well as Dream Eater – two Dream Eaters and a Psychic, and it STAYED down). The younger trainer had been eliminated by a 'mere girl', as he had arrogantly called her (ironically, he was thirteen, while Sanja was seventeen (or more, but Chris didn't know for sure)). Chris coughed, and then said (Right, here's what we do…)


The trainer shouted in frustration, "Grah! STOP DOING THAT, Dammit!", as Mathrara disappeared into darkness just as his Tauros came close, re-appeared on its back, bit it a few times (and used a Heat Wave to weaken it even more), and then disappeared again.

Chris smiled. "Never heard a rule saying this was illegal."

The opponent (Mak, if he remembered right), spat on the ground, and recalled his Tauros, his face a mixture of irritation, and bad temper. "Useless weak piece of junk. Can't even eliminate something weak like a toy Vulpix."

Chris sighed, and bent down to pick up the weary, battered, and bleeding Vulpix (hardly a toy, considering he just brought down a Tauros without sending it to sleep). "You OK now?"

Mathrara looked at him like he was stupid, and said slowly, (I'm going to want a nap… and then you owe me a Fire Stone.)

Chris shook his head, and began to tend to the Vulpix, still low to the ground. Problem was, he couldn't afford to fully heal him, they were going to be pushing it with their food. He needed to replace that energy he lost, and they were… strained with food, as it was. They had plenty of cash (Sanja's habit of accepting challenges was the cause of that, Chris could care less mostly), but you couldn't eat money. So all he could do is make sure his wounds didn't get infected. "Next time Mathrara, lay off doing stupid stunts. I don't have the energy to spare to heal you, so we're doing it the slow way…" A shadow cut him off, as Mak stood over Chris. He was rather tall, so Chris was shorter by about a head's worth, if he was standing up. "What? Battle's over, and unless you want to piss of Sanja, I'd beat it."

Mak smirked at him, and crossed his arms, menacingly. Chris, wondering what he was doing, began to probe his mind. Technically, this was a psychic no-no, but he'd rather be safe. After a few moments, he sighed mentally, and said softly (Sanja?)

(I know. Gra warned me about that.) She silently laughed over their unheard conversation, and then sighed. (Between you with Inquisitors and Rockets, and me with boys, we're the unluckiest duo around.) Both of them were pretending to look their pokemon over for further injuries, though they were actually speaking mind to mind.

Krited (Sanja's Lunatone) appeared behind Sanja (though he was floating behind her). Chris sighed audibly, and slowly stood up, meeting Mak's arrogant gaze with his own cold look. "What do you two want? Sanja's going nowhere."

Mak's smirk became worse, and he said quietly "not her. You, rat. Money, now." He made as if he was going to pull something from his pocket. To be precise, a 38.

Mathrara snarled audibly, and sprayed Mak with embers, setting his clothes alight. Mak, in response, ran away, trying to put out the fire, completely forgetting about trying to rob Chris and Sanja.

His younger brother wavered, and then chased after the older one. Chris watched them, a look of almost amusement flashing across his face, before he smiled down at the Vulpix still in his arms. "Well, it looks like you can be handy in dealing with people."

Mathrara smirked, despite the fact that he was still fairly beat up. (Damn right I can be useful. Now, about that Fire Stone…)

Kani, watching from the sidelines, shook her head. Chris, linked to her (as usual), felt like doing the same. "Ask Kani, not me. After all, she'll be the one who's doing a lot of the work."

Kani added in a soft tone (for once, to her 'voice') (And I've got to warn you… you'll be a wanted creature. Pokemon collectors are often fanatic to get their hands on pokemon with different colorings than the norm. A battle-worthy Ninetails would be doubly-sought. We'll have problems with thieves, too.) Kani looked up at Chris, and said in a breathless tone, (Chris, why aren't you stopping him?)

Chris shrugged. "Who am I to stop him? It's his and you psychics problem. It'd be annoying to deal with thieves, but I'll live."

Mathrara, bandaged, and loosed from Chris's arms, said pitifully (Please?)

Kani sighed. (I can promise you that you will regret this. It will be painful, it will hurt like hell, and we won't be able to change you back.)

Mathrara coughed up a few embers, and then looked at Kani with something that Chris suspected was 'puppy dog eyes'. (I don't care.)

Gra floated over, and then waved to Sanja, making a throwing motion. Sanja must have known what he meant, she released her last psychically gifted pokemon. (Revae, Mathrara's trying to acquire our help in making him a 'shiny ninetails')

Revae, floating due to her psychic abilities, sighed audibly. (Dear, didn't Kani warn you that it might not work?)

Mathrara snorted, and said disbelievingly (With four psychics? Even if two of you) he nodded to Gra and Revae, (aren't psychic types, you can still pull this off, right?)

Kani looked desperately at Chris. He hung his shoulders, and then blinked wearily. One minute, he was being robbed, the next, Mathrara was trying to implement his plan to become special via genetic manipulation. He honestly thought Mathrara was going the wrong way about it, but he could only warn him.

Sanja said "Let him choose. Well, him and the others. It's not our place. You said that before, right?"

Chris's eyes widened, before he nodded to her. "She's right, I can't dictate." He pulled out his only Fire Stone, and then put it next to Revae (Sanja's Lapras). "I'll let you ladies and gentlemen decide." Revae picked up the stone in her mouth, and held it lightly there. Chris looked over at Kani, and asked, "Kani, can you 'walk us somewhere where we can sleep? Like half a mile away from here?"

Kani nodded, and gave him a cat-smile. (Sure. And after that, we'll decide… you humans get some sleep.)


The black pokemon continued on his trip. Most other pokemon left him alone, and only idiot trainers dared challenge him. Usually, he would have humored them with a one on one battle (he'd win, because he gauged his opponents before accepting). Now however, he just used his powers to never get challenged. He traveled by night, and no dark type worthy of the name 'dark' would be caught at night.

Vengeance would be his. He'd learned that Fuchsia had several inquisitors, and a member of the inquisitor command, who also controlled the gym.

That bastard would die, poisoned under Toxic, just like his poisonous religion was slowly killing the world.


Dark Pokemon: Sandstone, are you ever going to reveal what pokemon I am?

Sandstone: Well, you could be an Umbreon, Mightyena...

DP: You are NOT making me into a Mightyena. I saw that sketch of the 'black faced Mightyena', and that ain't happening. Though I wouldn't mind being an Absol, if that's available...

Sandstone: (Shrug) I ain't talking, and there's nothing you can do to make me.

DP: Really...

Sandstone: (Sweatdropping) Oh crap.