Chapter 17 Rhodochrine Battle with Meteor

After bringing the Growlithe back to the Jasper Ward Police Station, the Chief lowers his head with a frown.

Chief: By Jove, kid, you've done it! You found our entire missing police force! Well, there is the matter of the officer who died in service... (Pets the Growlithe) Like in many other regions, all of our officers are issued Growlithe as partner Pokemon. But now that its Trainer is gone, that Growlithe... I would feel it an insult to the memory of my former officer to simply give that Growlithe to another new recruit. It may be difficult to understand, but if you would, please feel free to take Growlithe with you. You were the one to find it after all.

Ash: (Widens his eyes) Are you sure? I can take this Growlithe?

Chief: And after everything you've done for us... Consider it a token of appreciation. You're now an honorary member of the Reborn City Police Department!

Ash smiles as he captures the Growlithe, who agrees to be with him after what he has done.

Ash's New Capture in Jasper Ward: Growlithe (Event)

After getting back to the library, Ash finds a secret passage to the Rhodochrine Jungle, but there are Team Meteor grunts there as well, so they have to defeat them before moving forward. There, they find Amaria who is also there.

Amaria: Hi again, Ash! Keep it down; Team Meteor isn't far away. I've been following Borealis' trail and he's definitely here too, but he's far from alone. By my count, there's gotta be five or six of their leading officers up there... Apparently, someone shut down another one of their machines in Jasper Ward, so they're on ultra-high alert.

Ash: Looks like my work has gone into their ears, huh...

Amaria: Huh, that was you? I'm impressed! Though it certainly doesn't make our job here any easier. I'll be out of sight, just waiting for an opening. The second their guard is down, we're gonna get Victoria back for sure.

Ash: You're right. (Destroy the last vine and rushes towards the other Team Meteor members)

Right there, Ash notices Borealis, ZEL, Taka, Ace, and a green-haired girl that he doesn't recognize standing in front of them.

Borealis: You should not have come here.

Taka: It really is a shame...

Ace: Ah, the audience has finally started to trickle in!

ZEL: (Smart female voice) I told you they would make their move eventually.

Taka: So anyway, this is the Trainer that defeated the PULSE in Jasper. I invited Ash to come here so we could all deal with the problem properly. Happy?

Ash: Yeah, thanks for the invitation, by the way.

ZEL: (Male voice) Ash also took out the Obsidia PULSE!

Borealis: I am all too aware.

Ace: It is SO kind of you to volunteer for our act- But unfortunately, you are not our star performer!

Borealis: (Looks in Amaria's direction) That distinction goes to the clandestine girl clamoring about on our flank. Come out and face us directly.

Amaria: (Groans as she leaves her hiding spot) So much for the element of surprise...

Borealis: You kid yourself to assume you ever had it. Why else do you think we've been amassed here?

Ace: If you were just going to get caught anyway, you might've saved us the time and shown up sooner!

Fern: She isn't alone, moron! (Arrives at the spot and punches Taka to the ground) If I don't help out, you'll probably just get smacked. You can thank me later. Dartrix, let's show them some style!

Taka: (Sighs) Looks like we're up again...

ZEL: (Male voice) For all your brave talk, you're still far outnumbered!

Cain: You sure about that? (Steps in front of ZEL) I'll be taking that coupon now~

Amaria: We're not about to go down easily! Tell us where you're keeping Victoria, and we can make this quick!

Ace: Ah, but it's the same show; second act! Had you been sooner, the story might have been different- But the curtain's closed, the ship's sailed, and all those other alliterative expressions- Sorry, little Leader, but she's long gone!

Borealis: And like her, we cannot abide by you all simply strolling in here as you please. No matter your rank or numbers, you cannot hope to face us. The only choice before you is to accept the situation you've allowed yourself to be trapped in, and capitulate.

Ash: As if we'd do something like that!

Borealis: Your heroism is mere vainglory. Allow me to remind you of the futility of your reality.

Amaria: (Narrows her eyes) Are you always this edgy? Like, sure? Everything is pointless, nothing brings true happiness, yadda yadda- But at least some of us are out here trying, yeah?

Borealis: That luxury is a privilege, not all share. But this cannot be resolved by words. Crobat (Sends out his Pokemon)

Amaria: (Sends out Lapras) Help me out! Deliverance!

Heather: Salamence!

Heather and Salamence slam to the ground hard, causing a shake towards everyone who is present.

Heather: What? I thought we were all saying the names of our Pokémon.

Borealis: (Shocked) What are you doing here?

Heather: Stopping you bad guys, duh! Now that I'm here, you're in for a world of hurt!

ZEL: (Male voice) Tch, this is getting bad... Just how many of them are there?! Hey, private! How long are you gonna stare stupidly into the distance for!? Get over here and stall her or something!

Girl with Green hair: Understood. (Walks towards her and sends out Hydreigon)

Heather: Don't underestimate me! You'll be lucky if you can so much as to stall!

Ace: (Turns to Ash) Well, we've suddenly got quite the crowd, hm? I'll have to ask for your attention center stage!

Ash: So I'm battling you, huh...

Ace: You and I can work our own magic trick here, little hero, and the trick-is that I make you disappear! (Sends out Tangrowth)

Ash: (Confused) I thought Tangrowth is over there? Infernape, I choose you.

Ash goes for Infernape for this one, and it goes for Grass Knot when Infernape goes for Mach Punch, tripping the Pokemon. But after getting back up and punches, the Tangrowth turns out to be Zorua.

Ash: Figures...

And in the end, Zorua is defeated by another Mach Punch, so Ace's second Pokemon is Roselia.

Ash: Now we're in a Forest Arena, use Fire Pledge!

Just then, the field becomes a Burning Field after Roselia takes damage.

Ace: Not cool, bro. How about Extrasensory!

Infernape takes a lot of damage from the Psychic attack, and Ash decides to recall Infernape and goes for Litleo, using Work Up to boost, and thanks to the field-effect, Roselia faints after the Fire Spin like damage.

Baltoy is the third Pokemon, and it goes for Rock Tomb, which lowers Litleo's Speed, but Litleo goes for a Bite Attack, which is super effective. And in the end, Baltoy is also defeated by Fire Fang.

The fourth Pokemon is Braixen, and Ash decides to switch to Ludicolo.

Ash: Let's destroy the field! Rain Dance!

The Fire is burnt and the Forest is back to normal.

Ace: Aw...man. I was saving my Fire Type for the last...you're no fun. Hypnosis!

Ash groans as Ludicolo falls asleep, and then it goes for Fire Spin to deal some damage, but Ludicolo manages to wake up and goes for Bubble Beam, eventually knocking out Braixen.

Ace: Please stay seated! The main act is yet to come!

Ash knows that the final Pokemon is the Tangrowth, and Ash decides to switch back to Infernape for this one. Infernape tries to go for Mach Punch, but for each move, it raises the Defense because of Stamina.

Ace: Stored Power!

The attack goes a lot of damage to Infernape, causing it to fall to the ground. But suddenly, Infernape is now glowing red and Ash is delighted.

Ash: Here comes the Blaze! Infernape! Use Flare Blitz!

Infernape charges at the Tangrowth, and Ace has Tangrowth use Rock Tomb to stop it, but in vain, as the rocks are being crushed and then the heat from Infernape slams into Tangrowth, causing it to get burned into ashes just like the first two.

Ash: Infernape. (Rushes towards him) Are you alright?

Infernape nods, but Ash frowns as he kills the third Tangrowth already.

Ace: Ah, so that's the show?

Just then, Heather was slammed into the tree with Salamence as she gets knocked out by the private and her Hydreigon.

Borealis: (Rushes to her) HEATHER!

Girl with Green hair: Subtle.

Borealis: Crobat, get her out of here!

Crobat nods as he brings Heather out of the way, and Borealis glares at the green-haired girl.

Borealis: Just what part of your orders included harming a young child?

Girl with Green hair: What part forbade it? But if you wish to talk of orders, "Borealis", let us do so. What part of your orders bade you let an enemy escape?

Borealis: I've no need to explain myself to you.

Ace: Ah, but you will have to explain to the boss- And even I'm not looking forward to hearing how that conversation would go. One agent to another- I must admit I'm confused as to your actions here. It seems the others' battles have led them elsewhere. As your sole other witness in the group, it may do you some good to reveal your intentions before I get the wrong idea.

Girl with Green hair: The wrong idea is the right one. He is responsible for the failure here.

Ace: You're awfully quick to turn on one of our own.

Girl with Green hair: Should dogs not starve when they bite the hand that feeds them? This is the natural consequence of insubordination.

Just then, the Hydreigon is hit by the Ice Beam from Amaria's Lapras: Deliverance.

Amaria: Go! Ash, and Borealis, too- Get out of here! I'll deal with her!

Borealis: Tch. Your naive and foolhardy sense of justice extends even to your enemies?

Amaria: I prefer to think of it as compassion. Get going already!

Ash: Yeah, let's go now! (Drags Borealis away)

After getting out of the jungle, a street rat approaches them.

Street Rat: Excuse me, sir...Could I trouble you for just a moment?

Borealis: Step aside; I don't have time for charity right now.

Street Rat: Sorry about it, sir... But I really can't do that...

The Street Rat takes off his disguise and reveals himself to be one of the Police officers.

Officer: Because, sir, you're under arrest.

And the other officers appear, even the Chief. They surround Borealis and the man just laughs.

Borealis: I had heard under good authority that Reborn City's police department was indisposed.

Chief: That might've been true- until recently! But thanks to Ash here, we were able to round up enough men to pull one quick sting operation at the request of a certain Gym Leader.

Borealis: (Glares at Ash) You. And that Leader. She sent us this way knowing I'd walk face-first into an ambush. So much for her supposed "compassion".

Ash: Sorry about that, but we have to do this.

As the chief takes off the mask, everyone is surprised, the man turns out to be Corey Molinar, Heather's father, and the former Poison Gym Leader.

Chief: Corey Molinar...? I don't understand- You were working with us to control damages from and pinpoint Team Meteor's operations! You were a former Leader yourself! For how long have you been a double agent?!

Corey: I've been cleaning your information since I was given access to it. How callow of you to trust me simply because I was once part of the league. Even more to believe that I'm alone either. Trust on the basis of authority is inherently fallacious. It exists on the notion of believing in a promise that no one made.

Chief: Those are big words for someone who's going to be facing the judge soon.

Corey: You'd be a fool to count on that either. Never underestimate the strength of someone who has nothing left to lose.

Just then, he disappears, much to everyone's shock.

Ash: Where did he go?

Chief: Gone just like that, hm? Check his house first- just north of here! We can clench this yet! Move quickly! (All leaves to chase after Corey)

Ash: Why is he a member of Team Meteor? This doesn't make any sense...and what about Heather...what happened to her? I just hope she's okay...


And here is a new chapter, and in this chapter, as you can see, Agent Borealis turns out to be Corey Molinar, the former Poison Gym Leader. And Heather was injured by the mysterious woman with the Hydreigon. Who is she and what will happen? Find out in the next chapter.