Black Haze

**Black Haze** (Japanese: **黒煙霧** *Kuro Enmu*) was an ancient giant Haunter that terrorized the people of Saffron City and had killed countless by devouring their souls.

## **New Era**

### **Indigo Challenge**

The Black Haze is described as a high-level Haunter that preys on humans and Pokémon and has been doing so for years. He kills his prey by stealing their souls with its Dream Eater and disappears just after it does so. The Black Haze first appears where Sabrina, its latest victim, is sent to the hospital. One of the people who have been combating the Black Haze tells Dwayne that the giant Haunter had killed Sabrina's Pokémon years prior. Dwayne, surprised that a kind woman could be filled with feelings like revenge, decides to defeat the Black Haze and free Sabrina from its grasp.

Dwayne quickly develops a giant Poké Ball and stations himself outside the Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town. The giant Poké Ball or Enormo Poké Ball XI has a capture net that is a hundred times more powerful than an ordinary Poké Ball, so normal Pokémon have no chance against it. Dwayne then gets a report of the Haunter sleeping in the Tower, and the leader quickly orders to move out. The first group of Trainers enter the tower and lures out the Gastly, followers of the Haunter. After that, Dwayne enters and wakes the sleeping Haunter by throwing rocks at it. After throwing another rock, the Haunter charged at the Trainers. Dwayne quickly get his Pokémon to attack, having Kirlia attack with Confusion, and Clefairy assisting her with Helping Hand, although the Haunter was too strong and presses everyone to the wall using a strong Psychic attack.

However, Sabrina's Abra stops Haunter's attack, countering it. Dwayne sees Sabrina is commanding Abra through telepathy. Haunter uses Psychic again, though Kirlia uses Teleport to dodge, before grabbing a rather large piece of rubble and uses Fling to launch it towards Haunter, and Clefairy assists with Dazzling Gleam. Haunter recovers and goes to use Dream Eater. Haunter goes to devour Abra, but Kirlia rescues it by teleporting it away from harm's way. Haunter follows them to the exit, then gets absorbed into the giant Poké Ball. Abra, Kirlia, and Clefiary are pleased, but Haunter emerges from the Poké Ball, as it used Explosion inside it. However, they are certain Haunter's health is near zero, and now it can be caught with just an ordinary Poké Ball, but are not sure where it went. Dwayne follows Haunter into the ruins, so Haunter throws some rocks. Abra, Kirlia, and Clefairy dodge, then Clefairy retaliates with Moonblast.

Dwayne sees his chance and throws an Ultra Ball. Unfortunately, before it could reach the Pokémon, Haunter uses Self-Destruct, killing itself and causing the underground cavern to collapse. The moment Haunter dies, Sabrina wakes up and Kirlia teleports everyone to safety, who were about to be crushed by falling debris. They teleported back up to the surface and see the partly destroyed statue of a Haunter. Sabrina explains that people used to worship Pokémon like gods in the past, and that maybe the Haunter was used to being worshipped, it would rather kill itself than get caught, fitting for a god.

## **Personality and Characteristics**

The Black Haze was a large, powerful, and evil Pokémon. He had no qualms with killing others and had been doing so for many years. The Black Haze was apparently very old and had been around since the times when Pokémon were treated as gods. Because of him being accustomed to that treatment, he became arrogant and prideful, and despite having a gang of Gastly under his command, Black Haze treated his own pre-evolved forms as mere servants instead of allies, often threatning them with death should they disobey his orders.

Due to his ancient status and size, Black Haze possessed extraordinary power, as his Psychic attack was capable of sending Kirlia and Clefairy flying into a wall with its psychic waves. Black Haze also had extremely quick reaction skills, using Explosion inside of the giant Poké Ball solely created to capture him to prevent his capture. Because of his prideful nature, Black Haze utterly refused to serve others, and ultimately chose to commit suicide rather than become captured by a Pokémon Trainer.

## **Moves used**

 A **†** shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves.