Aoi Hyoudou: I am extremely happy with the feedback provided. Thank you so much for your assistance. The battle to capture Mew will be intense, with a twist towards the climax mentioned in the last chapter. It may not be necessary to feature the two opposing factions prominently in this chapter, so don't be disappointed if your favorite characters don't appear frequently.

Chapter IX

Mew is captured?! A Mysterious Visitor Appears!

~(...)~

The atmosphere became tense and cold with every passing moment as the Pokémon Hunter faced off against the Legendary Pokémon. Ash kept his eyes fixed on his target, his cannon still locked and aimed at the pink creature. Meanwhile, Mew gazed back at the young man with an innocent expression, seemingly curious about why he was alone in this place. The herd of Quagsire looked on from a distance, their faces emotionless and blank. A gentle breeze swept through Blue Moon Falls, causing the trees to sway, the riverbank water to ripple, and Ash's bangs to flutter. Neither side seemed willing to make a move until Ash finally broke the ice.

"It's been a long time seeing you again, Mew!" he replied cooly, causing the pink cat to blink and tilt its head in confusion. A small chuckle escaped from the young man's lips as he was amused by the fact that the Pokémon didn't recognize him."Oh, right! Where are my manners?" Sarcasm hung in his voice as he lifted his goggles, revealing his face to Mew. This may help you remember a bit better!" Mew was surprised to see the boy it had encountered many times before. Ash was pleased as he slid his goggles back over his face. "Now that I have your full attention, it's time to capture you!" The arm cannon fired a beam as he finished his sentence. The Legendary Pokémon dodged the attack, anticipating its trajectory.

"Tch!" Ash clicked his tongue in annoyance. He retook aim as a second beam went straight at its target, but Mew dodged again with a slight giggle. The Legendary Pokemon seemed to think its old human friend was trying to play a game with it.

J's apprentice grew increasingly frustrated with the playful Pokémon. He fired multiple rounds but to no avail. Mew effortlessly dodged the first two beams and then, with a playful twirl, elegantly redirected the last beam as its giggles echoed through the night sky. "Quit moving around already, and let me catch you!" Ash fired a series of energy beams at Mew, but the elusive Pokémon effortlessly floated and glided through the environment, dodging each attack. Despite his best efforts, the Pokémon Hunter could not keep up with Mew's lightning-fast reflexes and could only watch as the cat-like creature evaded his every move.

'We're not making much progress at the moment. Let's try to speed things up.' Black Raven paused his assault while Mew watched cautiously. 'It's time to try a new method. Let's take a different approach.' An evil smirk appeared on his face as he reached for two small spherical balls and clenched them tightly in his grasp. "Garchomp! Noivern! Come forth!" After clicking the button to enlarge the spheres, he threw them and relied on his Pokémon to help him fight Mew.

As the colorful and glittering glow subsided, two powerful Pokémon emerged. One was a shark-like Pseudo-legendary creature, and the other was a dragon-like creature with a giant wingspan. Mew floated in the air, observing the newcomers with interest. The two Dragon-types fixed their gaze on their target, ready to follow their Trainer's commands. "Dragon Pulse!"

Both dragons followed orders and unleashed their respective versions of Dragon Pulse. Garchomp and Noivern opened their mouths and fired a beam of multicolored energy in the shape of a dragon towards their target. Mew's eyes lit up at the sight of the combined attack, which was aimed straight at it. However, Mew was able to easily dodge the Dragon Pulses using its incredible speed, causing the beams to collide where it had been moments earlier.

BOOM

The collision of the Dragon Pulses was so intense that it shook the night sky, causing solid gusts of wind and shockwaves in the area. The trees were swaying frantically while the group of oblivious Quagsire on the riverbank was almost blown away. Ash was struggling to keep his footing as he gritted his teeth and felt his feet slipping a bit. After everything had settled down, Mew floated in the air unscathed. Ash fixed his gaze on his Pokémon, and they immediately knew what he was asking of them. Noivern expanded its wings and took flight, launching itself into the air with a big flap. Using the air gust left behind by Noivern, Garchomp glided upward and followed its comrade.

Ash stood calmly on the ground, watching the battle in the sky with his arms crossed. Noivern attacked with Air Slash, sending multiple glowing discs of energy towards Mew. Mew expertly dodged each one but was caught off guard by Garchomp's Flamethrower. Garchomp then proceeded to use Dragon Claw, creating a green aura around its claws before striking at Mew. Mew managed to dodge the attack but had to evade another series of Air Slash attacks from Noivern quickly. The rogue discs sliced through several trees, causing them to fall with a deafening crash that shook the surrounding area.

Amidst the ongoing sky battle, Ash made a quick move to grab his belt yet again. "Let's get started with the actual plan," He held Lucario's Poké Ball with a smirk, muttering. The diversion to distract Mew was going smoothly; now for the follow-up. The Aura Pokémon stood tall after being released from its Poké Ball. It fixed its gaze momentarily on the battle in the sky. "Lucario!" Lucario turned away from the sky and fixed its gaze on its Trainer as soon as it heard his voice. Both aura users faced each other and stared directly into each other's eyes as if they were preparing to synchronize as one. Without saying a word, they simultaneously closed their eyes as their bodies were immediately coated with aura. When they reopened their eyes, they both displayed a pair of blue eyes.

"Aura Sphere!" Black Raven gave a smooth order to his Pokémon, which wasted no time in lifting one paw and forming a blue ball of energy. The Aura Sphere grew larger and larger until it reached its maximum size. Lucario then planted its feet on the ground and leaped into the air, away from the battle. The Aura Pokémon guided the massive Aura Sphere, positioning it at a specific angle. "Now, use your other paw to form another Aura Sphere!" Lucario extended its other paw and started to create an Aura Sphere, this time in its average size. Without waiting for its next command, it forcefully collided the smaller energy ball into the larger one. "Finish with Focus Palm!" Lucario's paw began to emit a blue glow, followed by sparks of electricity. The newly charged Aura Sphere was then pushed into the larger one with a strong force, causing a sudden vibration. However, the bigger Aura Sphere couldn't handle the amount of force being inserted into it, which resulted in the sound of crackling echoing from the massive ball of aura. Soon, the sound became louder as more cracks appeared and spread across the sphere's surface. As soon as it hit its limit, it popped like a balloon, unleashing a storm of rapid miniature Aura Spheres towards Mew. Sensing the impending danger, the Legendary Pokémon shifted its attention away from Garchomp and Noivern and noticed the incoming attack that was traveling at lightning-fast speed towards it. This signaled both dragons to quickly move away in order to avoid getting caught in the barrage as well.

Mew cried out in agony as it failed to dodge the incoming attack. The force of the attack knocked it off balance, and it felt the full impact of each sphere, which grew more robust with each hit. The Pokémon Hunter sensed the hunt was reaching its climax and gave his final command. "Now finish it off with another Focus Palm!"

Lucario instantly teleported above the stunned pink cat and slammed its paw, which was emitting a blue glow with electricity, down onto Mew's small frame. The direct contact caused Mew to cry out in agony and left its body numb from the surge of electricity. Lucario continued to press its paw down, sending both Pokémon tumbling to the ground below. They fell quickly, but Lucario kept its paw glued to its target, ensuring that Mew couldn't escape its fate. Upon impact with the ground, a thunderous rumble shook the area, causing debris to fly everywhere and a dust cloud to form. From a safe distance, Ash watched the event unfold, letting out a chuckle and a confident smirk. Once the dust cloud settled, a small crater in the shape of Mew was visible. Mew was barely moving, covered in scars and meowing weakly. Lucario stood over it with a disappointed look, letting out a frustrated snarl. It was expecting more of a fight from the Legendary Pokémon. Garchomp and Noivern landed safely nearby, also eyeing the defeated Mew.

"I warned you, Mew!" Black Raven approached the Legendary Pokémon that lay defeated, standing over it as it weakly moved its head and opened its eyes, staring back at the arrogant teen. "If you had let me capture you, I could have saved you from this painful defeat!" He aimed his arm cannon threateningly at Mew, ready to collect the bounty."Well, I expected it from you anyway." Mew closed its eyes, preparing for capture by Ash. Just then, a chilling, monotone voice interrupted from behind.

"Hello, Black Raven. Or you prefer to be called Ash Ketchum of the Forgotten?"

~(...)~

The Pokémon School - Melemele Island

Due to the time zone difference in the region, the sky was still bright with sunshine, making it challenging for Jake, also known as "Scout," to stay stealthy in the sky. Without any clouds to provide cover, he had to rely on his skills to adapt to the situation. Jake was well aware of the risks involved in his missions and knew that he had to stay out of sight of the locals to avoid getting noticed. If he did get spotted, he had contingency plans to handle the situation. For now, his main focus was to search for any signs of Mew. He was flying on the back of his Yanmega, a large, dark green dragonfly Pokémon, while scanning the Pokémon School and its surroundings with his high-tech binoculars. Zooming in and out, he tried to gather as much information as possible. Jake noticed that Professor Kukui was chatting with Goh and Ash's friends, but he couldn't read their lips to know what they were discussing. He assumed it wasn't relevant to his mission and decided to keep his distance from the Alolan professor. Despite not holding the Champion title, Kukui was still considered the second strongest Pokémon Trainer on the island.

Jake lowered his binoculars and let out a heavy sigh, feeling defeated. He had been searching for Mew on the island for hours but to no avail. He began to question the accuracy of the intel he had received about recent Mew sightings. If they were all just false leads, then there was no point in staying on Melemele Island any longer. As he was about to pack up and leave, Tapu Koko, the guardian deity of the island, appeared behind him. Jake couldn't help but smirk as he saw the vaguely rooster-like Legendary Pokémon. He greeted the Electric/Fairy-type with a glare in his eyes and a hint of satisfaction on his face.

"Hello there, Tapu Koko. What a surprise to see you!" Jake greeted the legendary Pokémon with a sarcastic tone, a hint of amusement in his voice. However, he noticed that Tapu Koko's eyes narrowed slightly, indicating that the deity wasn't pleased with his tone. Despite this, Jake remained unfazed and continued to meet Tapu Koko's gaze, waiting for the next move. As Jake held Tapu Koko's gaze, he could sense the tension in the air. The guardian deity seemed to be unhappy with his presence on the island and was ready to teach him a lesson about intruding on its territory.

~(...)~

Blue Moon Falls

"Who are you?" asked Black Raven, his voice tense as he glared at the figure in the darkness. The figure seemed disoriented and stood far from Black Raven and the defeated Mew. Despite being unable to discern the figure's identity due to the shadows concealing its face and form, Ash could tell from the voice that it was a man.

The atmosphere turned eerie as the stranger's lips twisted into a sly grin. "Isn't it funny how we cross paths like this?" he asked, his tone almost taunting.

"What do you mean?" Ash's auburn eyes narrowed behind his visor as he stood his ground.

The way the figure crossed its arms and locked eyes with the teenager in the darkness was eerie. "Your life has taken a turn, hasn't it?" the stranger spoke in a cryptic tone, almost as if he was toying with the Pokémon Hunter's mind.

Black Raven seemed to be annoyed by the stranger's cryptic words and responded with a scoff. However, he soon chuckled and said, "Come on, out with it already! If you have something to say, then say it plain and clear. I don't have time for riddles right now, as you can see." He pointed his hand cannon towards the motionless Mew.

"Apprentice of Pokémon Hunter J!" Ash's body tensed up when the stranger's voice became even more eerie. "I do enjoy a good show. The way you cling to a future that is beyond your reach. How very amusing indeed." The stranger's response remained enigmatic, leaving no clue as to what they meant. It became increasingly clear that any hopes of a straightforward answer were futile.

Black Raven's patience was wearing thin with the stranger. "Are you done?" he asked, clearly frustrated with the distraction, as Mew began to stir.

The stranger gave a chilling chuckle that sent shivers down Ash's spine. "Unfortunately, ignorance runs deep," he said before disappearing without leaving a trace.

Ash couldn't help but wonder what the strange encounter with the mysterious figure had led to. Nevertheless, the temperature had returned to normal as the figure finally left, and he decided to shake off the stranger's cryptic words and focus on more important matters. However, as soon as he did, he realized that Mew was nowhere to be found. "What!" Black Raven and his Pokémon were in a state of panic as they searched frantically around the area. They couldn't believe how a wounded Mew could have escaped from right under their noses. "Damn it!" Ash's frustration boiled over as he cursed under his breath, quickly reaching for his goggles and turning towards Ciel. "Ciel, can you please search for Mew?" he asked, his tone strained and angry as he berated himself for letting the bounty slip away.

"Searching...searching...searching..." Ciel meticulously scanned the surrounding environment again, her sensors sweeping through the bushes and tree branches, searching for any unusual movements or signs of life. Ash could only hope that his trusted female AI would be able to locate Mew or else their mission would be doomed to failure. He stood by anxiously, watching as his visor continued to collect data and scan every inch of Blue Moon Falls. After a few moments, the scanning process was complete, and a large red X appeared over Mew's image on Ash's goggles. "I'm sorry, Master. Mew's signal was undetected," Ciel offered a sincere apology for being unable to track down the elusive Pokémon.

Black Raven's frustration boiled over as he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. A loud cry escaped his lips as his body released a powerful gust of wind, causing the trees to sway uncontrollably. Ash's Pokémon and the group of Quagsire braced themselves as the strong gust carried debris towards them. The whole area trembled as the shout echoed through the night sky, but soon Raven regained his composure as things began to settle down. Despite his heavy breathing and racing heart, he was able to calm himself down and return to his normal state.

Ash's attention was soon fixed on the riverbank where the Quagsire still remained, and he walked up to the herd, aiming his hand cannon at his next target out of frustration. However, before he could pull the trigger, he looked over his shoulder at Lucario and his other Pokémon, a sinister smirk spreading across his face. Behind his visor, his auburn eyes glittered with delight. "Let's set this forest ablaze, everyone!" His Pokémon hesitated, exchanging nervous glances with each other. "Come on, do it!" Ash commanded. Reluctantly, they nodded, not wanting to disobey their Trainer's direct order.

~(...)~

Pokémon League Committee HQ - President Charles Goodshow's Office

The news reporter on the TV in Charles Goodshow's office announced with urgency, "BREAKING NEWS!" All heads turned towards the screen as the reporter continued, "Just in...less than an hour ago, Black Raven was seen at Blue Moon Falls!" The split screen displayed a video clip of a helicopter with a raven-shaped logo landing near the famous waterfall. Next, a group of grunts were shown loading a cart of stonified Quagsire into the back of the aircraft under Ash's supervision. "And it seems Black Raven has captured all the local Quagsire!" The room filled with gasps and murmurs. The final clip showed the helicopter taking off into the sky, with Garchomp, Lucario and Noivern attacking the forest with their abilities. "Not only that, Black Raven's Pokémon were attacking the forest!" The Pokémon Champions were appalled by Black Raven's heinous actions.

Cynthia was in disbelief. The kind and gentle boy she had met several years ago had turned out to be a ruthless criminal. She couldn't wrap her head around it. "I can't believe it..."

Leon was seething with anger as he balled his hands into fists and glared at the TV screen. "How could he!" he exclaimed in disgust.

Lance couldn't believe how much he had changed. "To think he has changed so much..." he said in amazement.

"Guess I won't get my battle with him anytime soon, then..." Even Nemona was quite disappointed with Ash's outrageous behavior.

Anabel's heart sank as she bit her lower lip and stared at the TV screen with a pained expression. She clutched her chest tightly before whispering, "Oh, Ash...what have you done?"

Next preview - Chapter 10: "Scars of Defeat!"

Kiawe: "You're one of Black Raven's goons, right?!"

Goh: "We won't let you lay a finger on Tapu Koko!"

Pikachu: "Pika pi!"

Jake: "Please, you two are no match for m-Oh no!"

Cutlass: "Forget Mew! We're going after a much bigger prize!"

Goh: "Chapter 10: Scars of Defeat!"

Ash/Black Raven: "Which is?"

Cutlass: "Area Zero!"

I understand the need for suspense and surprises in storytelling. It's good to hear that Mew won't be captured after all, especially since it didn't put up much of a fight. And it's intriguing to know that the strange figure Ash met was actually an original character who will have a bigger role to play later on in the story. In the next chapter, one of the Elites will be written off, which is unfortunate but necessary for the plot. Additionally, Ash's group will be focusing on the Paldea region for their next major project, which has been highly anticipated by fans. It's still undecided, but it's possible that this could be a multiple-chapter event, with the Champions getting involved.