Author's notes: I intended to take it slow, on getting to the poison gym, and dealing with Tsaalyo. But things turned out differently, I got fed up of designing traps and ambushes, so instead, you readers get to find out what pokemon the DP actually is. As well as the potential I mentioned in the last chapter, about there being death.

Lyfe.exe: Another update, this one not as happy... well, it's a bit more doom-and-gloomy than the previous chapter.

doom18769: Yeah, responding when high doesn't help. Minus five respect points for that. But in all seriousness, every time the Rockets think ahead like that, something screwes up their sucess, so I figured 'let them seem somewhat intellegent'.

Fjord Cannon: (Sandstone looks over towads the 'mini-fridge') Yay. Now I have cookies, and pie. Sugar! Bwahaha... yeah right. I get sick if I eat too much sweets, I have a limit.

seantheimp: There's death in this chapter. And next chapter, we'll find out if some of the main characters can die or not.

Soren Whitebird/Killer Storm X: No, not the 'normal' rockets of J, J, and Meowth. There are capable ones in WoH... and... well... bah, no plot revealing! I've said too much already! But I was watching a few pokemon shows before I wrote that chapter, because I did want it to 'feel' like a TV show episode, minus May and Max. I never liked her that much... probably why I put Ash and Misty together.

Poison Gym: the Dark Pokemon, Revealed


The five pokemon trainers were setting up camp for the night. Ash and Misty had pointed out that they could make it to the ninja mansion in one day, but Sanja and Brock (surprisingly) had just asked them if they wanted to arrive at a Rocket-run base in the middle of the night, when they were exhausted from walking. The two had quickly caved, and were setting up their own supplies, though no one was pitching a tent.

Misty looked at the sky, and said, "Remind me again why we're not pitching tents?"

Chris looked over from his position, and said, "Kani's capable of predicting the weather a day ahead. So long as there's no Rain Dance in the general area, it won't rain. If you want to put up a tent, feel free though."

Misty grumbled under her breath, but Ash whispered something in her ear that made her relax.


The dark pokemon looked into the gathering of five trainers in a state of slight shock. He'd run across two of them before, but it was still slightly strange, seeing a gifted one, and another potential one gathered together.

Ever since he'd encountered them (he'd seen them leaving Fuchsia), he had followed them, rather skillfully in his own opinion, none of them seemed to have a clue.

One of the trainers was awake, apparently doing the smart thing – taking turns at watch duty. He was also talking to a Nuzleaf that seemed a bit… strange.


Chris looked up, as he heard something walk towards the camp. He looked towards Tsali, then back to the source of the noise.

A human trainer staggered in, looking completely defeated. He had a pair of sunshades on, and looked to be about 14 years old. Chris recognized him from the pokemon center – he'd been the one with the Forretress, though now he didn't seem to have it out.

Chris was about to call out to him, when he leaned on a tree, then slumped. A bemused Tsali walked up to him, and started poking him.


The next morning, Chris was greeting the sun with Kani and Mathrara, when the two of them caught the fourteen year old awakening groggily. Chris gave Kani a small nod, then walked over to him, waiting for him to fully awaken.

Which didn't take long, because he turned to Chris after about a minute, and asked shortly, "Who the fuck are you?"

Chris snorted. He'd heard a lot more profanity from kindergarteners, so he just responded lightly, "Chris. You kinda walked up to our camp, and passed out."

Misty, from within her tent, started to wake, stuck her head out, then looked over at Chris and the younger trainer. "You find someone in the forest?"

Chris shook his head, and said, "Not really. He staggered into the camp when I was on night watch, so I made sure some random Beedrill didn't stab him to death."

Misty yawned, then stuck her head back into the tent, apparently deciding to get some more sleep. Chris turned back to the shaded teenaged trainer, and asked, "What about your name?"

He seemed to be a bit annoyed with something, and said darkly, "Trev. That's all you need to know." He glared off into the distance, then said crossly, "If you want to try that jerk Tssalyo's gym, forget it. Bastard cheats like no one's business. Stole Bombshell from me too."

Chris winced. He was telepathic, not empathic, but he could still feel the teenager's rage and frustration. He'd… lost two pokemon to the rockets? Apparently, it was the last straw. "We're going there, but not for a badge." Chris sadly shook his head, then said, "We're out to stop him, or… as much as I hate to think about it, kill him. One of the two. Not play fair for a badge, though I'll be faking that to make them think I'm an idiot."

Trev looked up from his seated position at Chris, then shook his head. "Well, I'm coming with you. I can at least let you know where the traps are, and where the sentries like to hide. Who knows, I might even get back Bombshell and Venusaur."


Chris explained loudly enough for Trev to hear, "He's lost two pokemon to the Rockets, and he knows the way through there. We're going to need his help, unless you guys want to run the risk of Tsaalyo getting greedy, and sending enough 'testers' to weaken all our pokemon, and killing us off after he steals them."

Ash winced, then nodded. Misty looked reluctant, but went along with Ash. Sanja shot Chris a silent look, then said (Do you really trust him?)

(He wasn't lying about the two pokemon he lost to Tsaalyo. Would you help the Rockets after that?)

(What if they bribe him with the potential to get his pokemon back?)

(You really believe that anyone is that naive to fall for that? Rockets are criminals, and no one in their right mind believes their 'promises'. But… no, it's too convenient. I really only trust him as far as I can throw him… and I'm not exactly a bodybuilder.)

Sanja nodded, then said, "Alright Chris, you win. But we go in there as paranoid as hell. And with one hand on our pokeballs."

Chris and the others nodded, though in Chris's case, that was un-needed, his pokemon were always out. "Trev, would you care to lead the way?"

The bitter fourteen year old nodded, then almost stomped off in the direction of the gym.


Trev whispered quietly, "There's a trap right at the door. I think it's pressure sensitive, if you have your Espeon trigger it, we should be able to keep on moving without it going off. And the patrols won't be back for another hour, I trashed all of them too severely for their pokemon to do any good right now."

The assembled trainers and pokemon nodded, as Kani triggered the spikes in the ground, and they carefully stepped around them.


There was a collection of traps, from the classical 'rolling bolder of doom' (Kani and Trev's Lunatone stopped it before it could hit them), to less typical traps, like acid almost being poured on them.

Trev whispered, "We're almost at the center, where that bastard waits for trainers…" He pushed open a door, then froze. Inside, were about ten Rockets, and one that Chris immediately recognized – an old friend from home, who went by the nickname… Tssalyo. He had on his usual trench coat, fedora, cold amber eyes, and underneath the open coat, a Rocket shirt. "Oh, crap."


Trev held out his hand. "I did my part of the deal, I brought you five trainers. Now give me back Bombshell and Venusaur."

Tsaalyo smirked. "Oh, you poor fool of a kid, Trevor. Do you honestly think I would keep my word?"

Trevor clenched his fists, then made to throw a pokeball. But before he could react, a tranquilizer dart hit him in the neck. He toppled, while the other five trainers (and Chris's pokemon) glared at Tsaalyo. Chris called, "I should have known you'd do this, Tssalyo. Or should I call you Shaun?"

Tsaalyo turned, and then blinked. "Well, if it isn't doom-and-gloom Chris. It's been a long time, and I hear you've been messing with my organization."

Chris glared at the ten other Rockets, who were smirking. He flicked his eyes to Sanja, and she became almost a pillar of red light, that screamed, and rushed toward the Rockets at an insane speed, kicking one in the gut hard enough that he went flying into a wall, and moving on, all at a near-blinding speed.

The other pokemon attacked the human Rockets, Kani and Sanja's Lunatone working with Mathrara and the other psychic-capable pokemon to disable their pokeballs.

Pikachu was busy defending and co., the Rockets were firing tranquilizer darts at them. But unfortunitly, he was struck by one, and his thunderbolts started missing, enough for Ash and Brock to be struck by two darts each, and Misty was hit a moment later by one. Their pokemon (Ash's Bayleef, and his Charizard, Misty's Starme, and Brock's Geodude) made a screen, blocking the rest of the shots, as Pikachu slumped.


Sanja slumped, panting, as the last Rocket was knocked out. Tsaalyo crossed his arms, merely smirking at Chris. "Interesting friend you have here. I never thought a kid like you would actually get a girlfriend."

Chris scowled, then looked back at Ash, Misty, and Brock. They'd helped out in attacking the Rockets, but had gotten tranquilized. Pikachu was still standing, but he was panting in exhaustion from trying to block all the darts, and had gotten hit himself. Their pokemon were deflecting the last of the shots, the Charizard having shot a flamethrower that severely burned the shooters. "I came here for a badge, but now I think I might as well just fight you street-style, because I know how you're a cheating bastard."

Tsaalyo smirked. "Alright, let's go. One last match, to decide which of us is the better trainer. Your Eevee only won last time due to a fluke."

Chris sighed. "I never wanted to fight, you forced the issue. Sanja…" Sanja looked over at him, her red eyes having faded to a deep brown, her powers exhausted for the time being, though her hair was still a flaming red. "Keep an eye on Misty and her friends, ok? They volunteered to come with us."

Tiredly, Sanja nodded, standing next to them, Dasban and Gra her only awake pokemon. They'd had a running battle with a few of the Rocket's pokemon, though it had been too fast to really describe. Ash, Misty, and Brock's pokemon made room for Sanja to get inside their protective circle, and for the two pokemon to join in their guarding.

Tsaalyo smirked. "We won't need a ref for this, so let's go. And you're anteing that Ninetales."

Chris rolled his eyes tiredly. "Jackass, as usual. Mathrara?"

Mathrara stepped up coldly, glaring at the Rocket. Tsaalyo merely smirked, and released a Muk.

It started off by using Rock Tomb, which Mathrara dodged with a quick attack to the side, and then used Double Team. The clones went in separate directions.

Tsaalyo scowled, and said, "Still fond of that trick? Muk, send out your poison gasses."

The Muk shot out toxic fumes, but none of the Ninetales reacted, instead, they mostly gave smirks.

The real Mathrara popped up beneath the Muk, hitting it with a Dig attack, followed up by a flamethrower.

The Muk staggered, but managed to fire a return volley of Rock Tomb, which connected, and stunned Mathrara enough for him to be hit with a sludge bomb.

But that was the last move the Muk made for the rest of it's life. It burst into black-colored flames, screeched, and was consumed by the attack.

Tsaalyo gasped, as did Chris, as he whirled about, seeing the pokemon that had suddenly appeared on the field. A Houndoom, but an unusual one. Rather than having the bone-like extrusions from it's body being white, it was all black and red, and glimmering darkly in the light.

Tsaalyo started to gasp, but then the Houndoom was at his throat, and ripped it out. The blood poured from the ruined Rocket's throat for a few moments, then he collapsed as the Houndoom jumped off of him, blood pooling on the ground.

Chris and the rest of his pokemon (even the nearly passed out Mathrara) stared in shock.