Aoi Hyoudou: I am extremely happy with the feedback provided. Thank you so much for your assistance. The outcome of the approaching destruction of Mesagoza and the Elite's status will be tested, with hopes that no one will be disappointed. The Area Zero arc is set to commence soon. As for Geeta, she doesn't currently have any romantic feelings for Ash, despite being curious about him due to what Cynthia and Diantha told her. However, things could change depending on the situation. We'll have to wait and see.

Chapter XIII

Chaos at Mesagoza - Part 3!

~(...)~

Book after book fell to the ground or was hurled against the wall. Pages and covers alike were ripped to shreds in frustration. In the main lobby of Naranja Academy, Cutlass frantically scanned the bookshelves, running her finger along each row as she searched for specific books with connections or links to Area Zero. Her dark red eyes darted back and forth, but so far, she had only come across volumes like How to Train Your Pokémon, Trainer's Guide 101, Pokémon History, Pokémon Literature, Pokémon Poffin Recipes, and other equally pointless volumes that had nothing to do with her search. She looked around, her eyes scanning the shelves. "Where are they? I know they're here somewhere," she muttered to herself, moving down to the next row to continue her search.

As the swordswoman went through the rows and bookshelf columns, one of the librarians was tied up and had her mouth covered by a white cloth. She watched in horror as the lobby was being treated poorly. Cutlass' Ceruledge guarded her with one of its purple-cyan blades, pointing threateningly close to her face. The librarian's precious Psyduck lay defeated at its feet, covered in cuts and bruises, having engaged in a battle with Ceruledge and ultimately getting demolished.

BAM

The librarian couldn't help but flinch at the loud sound of a heavy book hitting the floor, thrown by the frustrated Cutlass. "I don't understand! It's not even here. It's almost like someone knew we were look-" Suddenly, she was interrupted by a female voice, causing her to flinch.

"It's a good read," said a familiar female voice. Cutlass turned around to find that her grey-eyed professor was leaning against the bookshelf behind her, holding a purple-covered book that seemed to be the same one Cutlass was searching for. Raifort had a smug look on her face as she watched Cutlass slowly turn around to face her. The professor then gently closed the book and turned her gaze directly towards Cutlass, wearing a slight smile. "Don't you think so?" she sarcastically asked, knowing full well that the swordswoman had not yet seen the book.

Cutlass' eyes narrowed as she glared at the professor, her gaze shifting to the purple book in the professor's possession. She needed that book before her leader executed his ultimate plan. Time was running out. The tension between the two women grew more intense with each passing moment. "Hand over the book, professor!" Cutlass demanded, her voice hissing. A smug smirk twisted her lips as she added, "Or else, someone will get hurt." She gave a quick glance to her Ceruledge, which in turn leaned its blade closer to the whimpering librarian.

Raifort took a deep breath and tried to remain composed, despite the situation. She had always expected the woman to be cunning, but she didn't think she would stoop so low as to use innocent people for her own gain. Raifort gritted her teeth and bit down on her lower lip, trying to keep her emotions in check. "I see. So, it looks like you're not really a student, after all," she said, trying to buy some time until help arrived.

"Jeez, what was your first clue?" Cutlass responded sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Now, quit stalling and hand that book over to me!" Her demand showed that her patience was wearing thin.

Cutlass' eyebrow twitched violently, extremely annoyed with the professor's defiance. "Sorry, but I simply can't hand it over. It doesn't belong to criminals like you!" The professor's words only served to fuel Cutlass' frustration further. She knew it was time to take some action.

Cutlass tightly gripped the sheath of her blade and charged towards Raifort. "If you don't hand it over, then I'll just take it from you!" Her sudden movement caught Raifort off guard.

With one swift motion, Cutlass drew her Shadow Blade and sliced the bookshelf Raifort was leaning on in half. The split shelves toppled over with a loud thud. Raifort managed to dodge the unexpected strike, but just barely. However, Cutlass' surprise attack caused her to drop the book she was holding, which landed on the floor with a loud thud. Cutlass tried to reach for it, but before she could, she was tackled off her feet by a familiar woman wearing a black track jacket.

"Dendra!" Raifort immediately recognized her fellow instructor.

Cutlass found herself in a struggle with Dendra on the floor while Shadow Blade slid away from her reach. As the Battle Studies teacher had the upper hand, being on top of Cutlass, she momentarily looked aside to Raifort. "Raifort!" The History teacher flinched and glanced back at her colleague. "Take the book and get out of here!" she barked while trying to push Cutlass onto her back.

"But what about you, Dendra?" Raifort's expression shifted to one of concern, hesitant to depart and leave the swordswoman alone with her.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine!" Dendra gave a big grin, trying to reassure Raifort. "Now, go!"

Dendra's words finally convinced Raifort to take the book and run towards the exit. Cutlass grew frustrated and turned away from Dendra, only to notice Raifort escaping with the book. "No!" she exclaimed.

Raifort ran and ran, believing she was finally free and out the door. However, as soon as she reached the entrance, the double doors burst open, revealing Sarah with a wide grin on her face. "Ya-hoo~!"

Raifort was taken aback as she abruptly stopped in her tracks. Sarah's expression quickly turned serious, causing the professor to feel alarmed. Raifort slowly began to back away from the blonde woman, attempting to run in the opposite direction, but it was too late. Sarah immediately subdued Raifort by wrapping her arms around her neck and underneath her chin, applying a rear naked chokehold.

Dendra noticed that her colleague, Raifort, was in trouble and lowered her guard, which was a costly mistake. Cutlass seized the opportunity by lifting Dendra's arms and kicking her in the chest, sending her tumbling off her feet and onto her back. Dendra groaned as she attempted to recover. Cutlass quickly stood up and grabbed her Shadow Blade, pointing it at Dendra as she slowly regained her composure and glared at Cutlass with beads of sweat dripping from her face.

"Good work," Cutlass said, sparing a quick side glance with the blonde Elite and complimenting her while shifting her sharp gaze back to the glaring Dendra.

Sarah's eyes widened with surprise as she was taken aback by the unexpected praise. "Oh, wow..." she exclaimed, as she pulled Raifort towards Cutlass. "That's rare to hear that coming from you," she added, causing Cutlass to roll her dark red eyes.

"Shut it! And bring her over here!" Cutlass barked, causing Sarah to roll her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, right away Commander!" the blonde woman replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Cutlass acted fast and grabbed the purple book from Raifort's arms before she could react. "N-No!" she protested, her words strained as Sarah kept holding her in place.

Dendra struggled to get up from the floor but was held down by Cutlass' blade. Cutlass declared that they had secured what they came for and it was time to leave. She looked back at the blonde Elite who understood and signaled to her earpiece.

"Leader, we're all set!" Sarah reported.

Geeta had a feeling that something was off as she noticed Ash suddenly stand up from his seat with a smirk on his face. "Ash?" she said hesitantly, sensing that the young criminal was up to no good.

"I'm sorry, Miss Geeta..." he said with a hint of sarcasm, turning his auburn eyes towards the baffled chairwoman. "As much as I'm enjoying this little playdate, I'm afraid all good things must come to an end," he said, smugly declaring his superiority.

"What do you mean?!" Geeta quickly stood up and demanded with her multi-colored eyes narrowing at the smug teen.

Ash chose not to give the woman a direct answer. Instead, he reached for his wireless earpiece and contacted Stratos to move ahead with their plan. "Stratos, can you hear me?" he radioed one of his trusty Elites.

Sierra was in the midst of a conversation with her friends Penny and Arven when she was startled by the sudden ringing of her earpiece. Hearing her leader's voice on the other end, she couldn't help but let out a surprised, "A-Ash?" in front of her friends. They both looked at her with wide eyes upon hearing her speak Ash's name out loud.

"Wait, Ash?" Arven repeated, a bit puzzled, making sure he didn't misunderstand his new friend. "Isn't he the same Ash Ketchum who went missing four years ago? Why would you start talking to him, Sierra?" His curiosity was evident as he attempted to extract some information from Penny's new acquaintance.

Penny's eyes were fixed on the mysterious girl, her lips creased in a frown as a pang of hurt shot through her. She couldn't believe that Stratos was being so secretive with them. They were supposed to be friends. Despite Penny's wounded expression, the Elite spoke up, "I can hear you, Black Raven." Penny and Arven were taken aback when they heard Sierra mention Black Raven's name.

Penny and Arven were taken aback when they heard Ash's voice echoing back, saying, "We're finished here." Then Ash asked, "Do you remember the device I gave you before we left the ship?" The Elite nodded in response, even though Ash wasn't there to witness it in person. Stratos reached into her white robe and produced a capsule that resembled a detonator, holding it in her hand. "It will set off all the explosives around Mesagoza." Penny and Arven gasped at the revelation.

"Explosives?" Panic rose in Arven's voice. It's clear that he's afraid for the safety of everyone in Mesagoza.

Penny rose from her seat, her eyes fixed on Sierra with concern. "Sierra..." she began, her voice shaking slightly. She knew that her friend's next move could endanger the lives of many innocent civilians in the city. "Please, reconsider what you're about to do," she implored, hoping to appeal to Sierra's better judgment. "Think about the safety of everyone here."

The Elite hesitated briefly, biting her lower lip, until Ash's stern voice interrupted Penny's pleas. "Don't listen to her, Stratos!" Ash's tone was impatient, and his words left little room for negotiation. "Just do what I'm telling you to do and set off the explosives right now!" Stratos' body tensed up, and she started shaking. She had never heard Ash raise his voice to her like that before. She knew that if she didn't do as she was told, Ash would be extremely upset with her, and that was something she desperately wanted to avoid. Her shaky thumb hovered over the detonator, and she was about to press down on the button to trigger the explosives, but Penny once again tried to plead with her.

"Please, Sierra, don't listen to him!" Sierra's heart pounded as she stood frozen, tears welling up in her eyes. She felt conflicted as she caught a glimpse of Penny. "Is it worth hurting thousands of people?" she asked desperately.

"I..." The Elite seemed to be grappling with conflicting emotions and found it difficult to respond. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, adding to her distress.

"Who cares?" Sierra flinched as Ash's voice barked angrily. "Did you seriously forget about the people who mistreated you when you were young, Stratos? What difference does it make now? They are all the same! She's tricking you because she knows I'm right!"

Penny's outburst caught Arven off guard, and he flinched. It was unlike her to lose her composure like that. "No, you're wrong!" she shouted, her voice filled with frustration. "It's YOU who's confusing her!" Stratos looked surprised by her sudden outburst. "Can't you see you're tormenting her mind?" Ash chuckled in Stratos' ear, finding the situation amusing.

As the venomous spat was sent directly at the Eevee-loving Trainer, she felt a sense of shock and disbelief. "Please, as if you know anything about Stratos," the angry voice continued. "She is MY Elite, and when she's told what she's supposed to do, I expect her to do it!" Ash's brutal honesty seemed to be getting to Sierra, as her lips began to tremble. "She's nothing but a pawn!" Sierra's grip around the detonator began to shake as her thumb slowly moved away from the button.

"That's cruel!"

Ash's voice nearly shouted, "Friendship is a sign of weakness! The only person she needs in her life is ME!" He barked angrily at Stratos, "Now, Stratos, press that button right now!"

"No, Sierra, you can't!"

"Do it now!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

Tears dripped from Stratos' eyes as she clutched her head in conflict. The denotator slipped from her grip and fell to the ground with a chattering thud. She whimpered uncontrollably, unsure of what to do as she fell to her knees. Arven saw the opportunity to act and quickly rushed forward, crushing the denotator with his foot. With the possible threat momentarily subdued, Penny hurried over to Sierra and comforted her, holding her in a warm embrace and rubbing her back.

Sierra's friend comforted her gently, saying "There, there, it's all over now."

"I'm so sorry, Penny," Sierra said through sobs and tears. "I failed Ash."

"You didn't fail anyone, Sierra. It was him who failed you," Penny replied, trying to reassure her.

Soon after, Stratos' radio connection disconnected and went silent, as if Ash wasn't pleased with the outcome.

Ash stood there, motionless, as an uneasy silence filled the air. His eyes were brimming with hurt and disappointment. He couldn't fathom how one of his most trusted Elites could betray him like this, all for a fake friendship. As he tried to process the reality of it all, a chuckle escaped from his lips. It was almost as if he had seen this coming all along. "I always knew she was weak," he muttered under his breath, directing his words at the traitor. Then he turned his gaze towards Geeta, a smirk playing on his lips. Geeta's eyes widened when Ash dug into his pants pocket and held out a spare detonator. "A minor setback," he said. "However, I came prepared just in case someone had cold feet."

"Wait, what are you-" Before the chairwoman could even get a word in, she heard a loud clicking sound. She turned to see Ash with his thumb firmly on the trigger. In a matter of seconds, Mesagoza was plunged into chaos.

Boom

Bbooooooommm

Bbbooooooooommmm

The explosions that erupted throughout the city were deafening, sending debris flying and filling the sky with black smoke. The panic among citizens was palpable as they scrambled to find safety from the chaos. Buildings and businesses alike were destroyed or set ablaze in the aftermath, and the sky grew darker with each passing moment. Despite the danger all around them, Geeta and Ash remained focused on the situation at hand. As the chairwoman of the city, Geeta knew she had to take action to prevent further destruction, but Ash seemed to have other plans. With a smirk on his face, he triggered another wave of explosions, sending shockwaves through Mesagoza once again.

Boom

Bbooooooommm

Bbbooooooooommmm

The helicopter, bearing the Pokémon League Committee logo, was on course flying towards the city of Mesagoza. On board were Anabel, Looker, and several Pokémon champions, all responding to a distress call from the headmaster of Naranja Academy. The call reported that a group of suspicious figures had infiltrated the campus, and there was reason to believe that they could be none other than Black Raven and his Elite Corp. The group wasted no time in heading to the Paldea region, but as they approached Mesagoza, they were shocked to see the city engulfed in flames.

Nemona was deeply worried about her beloved city, which had helped her become a renowned Pokémon Champion. The sight of it in such a chaotic state only heightened her concern for her friends Penny and Arven, as well as her mentor and fellow Champion, Geeta. She prayed that they weren't too late.

"Penny...Arven...Miss Geeta, hang on. We're almost there," the Paldean Champion muttered under her breath, clutching her chest.

The scorching heat from the blazing flames was unbearable as Geeta engaged with Ash in an intense standoff. She was determined not to let him out of her sight after what he had done. His act of terror was unforgivable, especially since he used to be a sweet and respectable Trainer. Geeta couldn't believe that he had turned out to be just like his mentor, J. Although she was intrigued by him, she knew she couldn't overlook his actions any longer, especially since she was the chairwoman.

Geeta took a step forward but noticed a smug smirk on Ash's face. She didn't understand the reason behind it until she felt a sense of danger. Looking up, she saw a flaming piece of debris coming towards her. Quickly, she leapt backwards to avoid it as it crashed in front of her. The debris created a barrier between her and Ash. Geeta looked up to see Ash walking away, and she knew she couldn't let him escape. In a moment of panic, she reached for her Poké Ball and hurled it at him, determined to stop him.

Ash kept his back turned and hurried to catch up with the rest of the group when he heard Geeta's voice issuing a command from behind. "Glimmora, Power Gem!"

Ash's instincts kicked in, causing him to glance back quickly. In the midst of the flames and smoke, he spotted a pale pink beam of energy hurtling towards him. Reacting quickly, he sidestepped the surprise attack, narrowly avoiding it as it whizzed right past him and collided with the ground, sending debris flying everywhere.

BOOM

Ash's annoyance was evident as he glanced back once more, setting his eyes on Geeta and her ace Pokémon, Glimmora. This peculiar Pokémon was new to him and he couldn't help but feel intrigued. However, instead of showing interest, he decided to taunt the chairwoman. "Not giving up, I see," The Top Champion of Pokémon gave him a sharp glare.

"I'm bringing you to justice, Ash!" she said firmly but calmly, as she rarely lost her composure.

Ash didn't seem intimidated by Geeta's threat, despite the smile on her face. "Well, in that case, I suppose I have a few minutes to spare," he said. "I've always wanted to battle you. And now, to think that I'll get the chance to crush you!" With that, he grabbed a Poké Ball and held it tightly in his hand. It was an old, familiar Master Ball. "And just to make it more special, I'll finish you off quickly, just like that pathetic fool of a Team Rocket Leader!" As Geeta watched, Ash threw the Master Ball high into the air. She knew she was in for a tough fight. "Behold, Geeta! My strongest Pokémon!" he declared proudly.

The chairwoman's eyes widened as she watched the Master Ball release Ash's secret weapon. As it appeared before her, a sense of disbelief washed over her. "No...could that really be-" Her thoughts were cut short as a powerful surge of energy hurtled towards her and her Glimmora, indicating that Ash's Pokémon had already launched an attack without any instruction. "Glimmora, use Hyper Beam now!" she shouted urgently, hoping her Pokémon could withstand the incoming assault.

Glimmora's petals were surrounded by a bright white light as if preparing for a final attack. Suddenly, it released a Hyper Beam towards the incoming energy blast. However, the Hyper Beam was no match for the powerful blast, which pushed it back towards Geeta and the Rock/Poison-type. The chairwoman had no time to react as the attack hit her Pokémon, causing a huge explosion upon impact with the ground.

Bbooooooommm

With a grin on his face, Ash watched as the attack left a massive crater in its wake. Within the crater lay a defeated Glimmora, its expression replaced with a big swirl and its petals wrinkled up badly. A few distances away, Geeta lay on the ground, weak and covered in scars and bruises. The impact had sent her flying back into a world of hurt. Although Ash seemed a bit concerned about her, he had no time to help her. He had a feeling that the commotion had already alerted the Pokémon League Committee to assist Mesagoza. After returning his secret weapon back to its Master Ball, he resumed his pace to meet up with Cutlass and Sarah without sparing Geeta another glance.

Geeta struggled to lift her head and watched Ash walk away, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. The weight of sadness settled in her heart as her vision grew hazy. "Why, Ash...why?" she whispered before finally losing consciousness.

"What took you so long?" Cutlass barked impatiently at the group's leader, fixing a sharp glare on him as the group finally regrouped around the staircase.

"Relax, I'm here, am I?" The swordswoman continued to glare at him in response to his answer. "Whatever..." he sighed dejectedly.

"Hey...I don't see Stratos." Sarah scanned the destruction, hoping to spot her fellow Elite. But when she mentioned Stratos' name, Ash tensed up. Cutlass noticed the reaction and watched intently. "Should we wait for her?" she asked with a concerned look on her face.

"There's no point," Ash stated firmly, which startled Sarah and surprised Cutlass.

"What do you mean, Leader?" the baffled Elite questioned.

"She's no longer an Elite!" Sarah's gasp echoed through the air as she received the unexpected news. Even Cutlass, who was usually unflappable, appeared a little confused by what she had just heard.

"How come?"

"She's a traitor. She failed to carry out her orders," Ash provided an explanation that did not sit well with Sarah, who frowned in response.

"Even still...we can't just abandon her!"

"It's her own fault!"

"Leader!"

"Enough, Sarah!" Cutlass finally stepped in and the blonde Elite's attention shifted towards the swordswoman.

"But..."

"If you can't tell, it wasn't easy for him to make the decision." Her eyes grew wider as she turned back to her leader, who appeared to be struggling with conflicting emotions.

"Leader..."

"Before the doofuses from the Pokémon League Committee show up, we need to retreat," Cutlass announced and the group agreed with nods from Ash and Sarah. "Our next destination is Area Zero!"

As the Elite Corp airship lifted off into the sky, Ash stood at the ramp, gazing down at the fiery city below. He held onto a pillar tightly with his hand and saw Stratos standing still, despite Penny and Arven trying to convince her to move to safer ground. Ash whispered sadly, "It's for the best. Take care Str-Sierra."

Next preview - Chapter 14: "The Aftermath!"

Nemona: "Geeta!"

Geeta: "Nemona, it's good to see you. Sorry if you have to see me like this."

Nemona: "Did Ash do this to you?"

Geeta: "I tried to stop him..."

Nemona: "I'm going to crush him!"

Cynthia: "To think Ash would go this far, but for what?"

Clavell: "Allow me to explain what lurks in the depths of Paldea!"

Nemona: "Chapter 14: The Aftermath!"

?: "Hello, Carmen! How fate has brought us together!"

Carmen: "What the hell are you doing here?!"

It was a difficult decision to let go of another OC Elite, but it was necessary as she didn't contribute much to the story towards the end of the first volume of J's Apprentice. With only 20, possibly 21 chapters left to wrap up the story, the focus will be on Ash and his remaining Elites battling the Champions, culminating in Ash as the final boss before setting up the plot for the next volume. The cracks in the Elite Corp have already started to show, and this will lead to the introduction of a new group that will serve Ash in the next volume.