Eevee Therapy for Little Magi Chapter 57: Malva

Fury burned through Misora Hibiki as she pocketed her phone, eyes flashing with contempt. At her side, Mana’s own hisses of disgust and shared anger crystalized into a glacial certainty. Through her bonds, she could feel the rest of her team’s raging emotions, anger, fury, contempt, righteous indignation, and more coursing through the links between herself and her Pokeballs.

“Malva’s a traitor.” An eerie sense of calm filled the girl as she spoke, the Ace Trainer’s eyes finding their reflection in the eyes of her companions. “The rot goes far deeper than we thought.”

In front of the group, a battle raged in the city streets before Cafe Lysandre, and the entrance to the attached lab beside it. The entrance to the lab was fortified, stone walls rising from the earth to block entry, a flood of Flare grunts and lab security forces pouring out through the doors and shattering the cohesion of the gathered Interpol agents, Ace Trainers, and Lumiose gendarmerie who’d been gathering for the assault.

And in the middle of the dozens of smaller battles, fire and water clashed, the two leaders of the attacking force now turned against each other. Siebold, local chef and Elite Four member, desperately shouted orders, his team shielding burned and fallen agents even as they battled the blaze set against them.

Across from him, standing in front of the Cafe and supported by a dozen Flare agents, Elite Four Malva directed her own team. Blasts of fire lashed out at Siebold’s Pokemon and those he protected alike, the glasses on the woman’s face not hiding her pinched, stoic expression, each flare burning away her reputation and all she’d earned even as she sought to bring him down.

Kiritsugu ignored the shouted words and oaths exchanged between the two former comrades, grabbing Misora by the shoulder before she could lunge out of the alleyway and into the fray. “If they’re revealing such a trump card like this, Flare’s either desperate, or their goal is in sight,” he hissed into her ear. “Do you trust me?” He asked, his own heart shivering. He’d only known this woman for a few hours, and right now, he needed her to listen.

“... So long as you’re not telling me to ignore her,” Misora answered, breathing deeply as she got her emotions under a semblance of control. By her side, Mana did the same, the Primeon looking towards her partner with a somewhat annoyed but understanding look.

Kiritsugu winced. “Well… yes. I am. For now.” He pointed past the fighting. “This has to be a stalling tactic, it makes no sense to burn an asset like this otherwise. Besides AZ, there must be something important in there; and we need to go in and keep them from evacuating. And of course, we need to free AZ.” He looked back at her. “I don’t know how many of them will still be in there, or even how big the lab is; there’s already more people coming out than were supposed to fit in the lab to begin with. Elle and I can push in together, but it’ll be much faster with your help. Malva is already occupied; we have our own objectives.”

For a moment, it seemed as if Misora would be willing to hear out his demands, then, she turned her attention towards the battle for a few moments. “... Seibold is going to lose this one unless I intervene. He’s playing for keeps, sure, but he’s having to defend every downed agent and Ace. If things keep going as they are, he’ll lose, and Malva will kill him. Then Kalos will be down two Elite Four Members. It’d be a PR Coup for Flare if they spin it the right way.” Turning towards Kiritsugu with a sad, determined smile, she closed her eyes in apology. “I’m sorry, but I’ll have to turn you down. Go. I’ll keep them busy out here, clean up Malva and her goons in a snap, and join you two afterwards.”

If anyone else had declared that, one might have thought it was bravado. But Misora… Well, Misora had beaten a member of Kalos’ Elite Four, and while she’d been on vacation and was self-admittedly rusty, she had one advantage over Malva.

She was defending her adopted homeland against a Team. And that would give her all the strength she would need.

Kiritsugu nodded. “Once you win, call me, and I’ll have Amelie come and get you.” He turned to Elle, the other woman nodding. “Right, let’s go.” The two agents sprinted back down the alley, rounding the corner.

Elle shot Kerry a look as they circled around. “Back entrance?”

“Loading docks. We had agents back there, so there’ll be a fight, but at least we’re not forging through two Elites brawling it out,” he said as they ducked down the alley. A group of interpol agents were busily hammering against the roller doors, ducking down to avoid gunfire and Moves sent their way through the gaps they’d opened. Kerry pulled out his own pistol and shot through the thin sheet metal, screams and cries of pain echoing into the alley. Without missing a beat, he jumped to the door and wrenched it open. “Let’s go.”

--(o)--

Misora stormed onto the battlefield, Mana striding alongside her as she withdrew Sam’s Pokeball from her belt, a cry of challenge on her lips.

“MALVA!” Her declaration, filled with fury, froze the battlefield for an ephemeral instant, all within turning towards the Ace Trainer as she stepped forth. A confident presence that buoyed the hearts of those she would fight alongside, and one that sent terror into her unhardened enemies. This was a trainer who could stand amongst the Four Heavenly Kings - the Elite Four - face them down, and defeat them.

This was someone with the sheer potential to be champion. A sixteen year old girl who had gone farther than most ever would in their lifetimes.

“Face me,” Misora spat, Sam’s pokeball spinning onto the battlefield and releasing the Alolan Ninetales from his confinement, the majestic vulpine Pokemon hailing the coming of Snow. Without waiting for a formal acknowledgement from her foe, she sprung into action, directing her Pokemon calmly even as she began summoning all but one of her other Pokemon onto the field, “Mana, take the Houndoom. Sam, defensive. Screen the team.”

Malva’s grim expression dropped, a small smirk gracing her lips. Half her team returned to their balls, before she hurled out Torkoal, the fire type releasing a cloud of smoke to obscure his entry and a set of stones erupting to strike at the Ninetails. “I accept your challenge, Misora. Leading by cutting off the sun; clever,” she acknowledged, her Houndoom releasing a Wil-o-wisp to strike at Misora’s ace. “I didn’t expect to see you here,” she admitted.

With the ancient tradition and accord struck, Siebold immediately withdrew his team. Now free to direct his attention towards the suppression of both the Flare and Lab forces pressuring Kalos’ own, and the fires which had begun to rage out of control, he directed his Pokemon to handle the crises, one eye kept on the clash before him.

Both of the Ace Trainer’s Pokemon dodged the opening blows as Misora withdrew the rest of her team out of respect for the ancient customs she had invoked in the first place, offering Malva a terse nod of respect. While they stood as enemies, there was one thing she could acknowledge about her foe - she was powerful. “Nor did I expect a Shittenou to side with a Team. I suppose we’ll all have to be disappointed today, Malva.”

Malva winced. “Believe me, I’m having second thoughts myself. Not enough to stop, mind you.” Her smirk remained. “I won’t stand down, unless you can make me. Can you?” She whipped out a hand, pointing towards her opponent. “Torkoal, Stealth Rock, both variants, Houndoom, hit that fairy with a Sludge Bomb!” 

Misora didn’t bother speaking, Sam seemingly to be taken off guard by the poison-type attack only to vanish in a blur of snow powder, the real Ninetails dropping out of his illusion and skipping away from the pointed stones which attempted to burrow into his side. Mana took the opportunity to blur forward, smashing into Torkoal with an Extremespeed, carrying her into close quarters with the two fire-types. Before she could attack again, a bright flash of rainbow light lit the field, and when it faded Mega Houndoom immediately released a Fire Blast, the explosion of flame knocking her back to skid to a halt near her trainer.

“Misora,” Mana declared, even as Sam wreathed himself and his partner in battle in a living aurora. Not even a moment later, the defensive barrier turned aside another attempt to set up the ‘status effect’ form of Stealth Rocks against the Ninetales. “Astolfo. Tag him in.”

With a short nod towards her starter, she withdrew her into her Pokeball for the first time in… forever. In the same movement, Astolfo’s ball flew onto the field, depositing him onto the field. As he wove through another Fire Blast, Misora touched her lips against the ring she wore on her left ring finger, the keystone embedded within shining with inner light. Golden threads of energy connected her and Astolfo as she brought her left hand forward and raised it into the sky. “I’m counting on you, ‘Stolfo.”

“As always, I shall answer, ‘Sora,” Her companion declared, the Mega Lopunny standing on the battlefield with a presence more than equal to that of his opponent. Blurring forward, Astolfo bounded into the air and came down on the Houndoom with a vicious Mega Kick. Malva’s hound wove around the attack, attempted to use the opening to punish the Lopunny for his hubris at using such an ‘inaccurate’ move, only to receive a flurry of punches and kicks for his efforts, the Fire Blast blooming in his mouth sent skyward before Houndoom was sent flying away with a vicious kick to his barrel.

Malva’s eyes narrowed behind her glasses. “Torkoal, Landmine. Houndoom, Protect.” Torkoal rolled forward, getting right underneath Astolfo before his shell began to hiss. No fool, the Lopunny sprang backward, barely escaping the brunt of the Overheat which bloomed outward, searing him and washing over Sam, Houndoom’s barrier flickering as it took the wave of fire. The fox’s eyes shone pink before he fired off a Moonblast, the shot cracking the damaged barrier and searing the dark type with fae energies. Houndoom took the hit with a small whine, before responding with another Fire Blast which struck the ice-type in return, the fox giving his own cry of pain.

“‘Stolfo, don’t give Houndoom room to breathe. Number four special,” Misora called, whipping out Sam’s Pokeball as Astolfo once again began to put pressure on Malva’s Houndoom, a flurry of punches and kicks wreathed in lightning coming from all possible angles as the rabbit bounced around like a demented pin-ball. “Sam, return. Suiko, announce yourself.” Another ball spun onto the field without pause, the disadvantaged fox replaced with one that very much possessed the advantage. As she hit the field, the Vaporeon trilled her greeting to the world, ever the ‘idol’. As she did so, a deluge of sparkling pink water crashed across the battlefield like a tsunami, her combat partner barely escaping the wave of Dazzling Water by leaping to the skies.

Malva spared one glance towards the sky, Houndoom leaping up and trying to blast out of the way as she withdrew Torkoal ahead of the pink tide. “...Scovillain,” She decided, releasing the two-headed plant onto the battlefield. “Cue the sun.” Immediately, the red head of the grass type pointed upward, releasing an orb of light which dissolved the snowstorm, a haze of bright sunlight forming over the battlefield. As soon as the sunlight grew harsh, the green head of her second Pokemon bloomed with green-tinted energy, a Solarbeam blasting towards Suiko. The Vaporeon melted out of the way of the hasty sunblast, reforming a few meters to one side. Houndoom landed, panting slightly as the impact of all the hits he’d taken caught up with him.

Misora rapped out another order. “Finish him before he can–” She stopped as Houndoom took a deep breath, absorbing sunlight, before he blasted out a massive Fire Blast, catching Astolfo square across his torso, before his flames flickered out. Astolfo grimaced as Malva returned her ace, sending out her Pyroar in response, the bulky fire type attempting to lunge forward only to be blasted aside by a Hydro Pump, Suiko calling the switch. “Bring the storm, Suiko.”

“Oh, not again…” Malva muttered as raindrops started falling on her head. She paused for a split second as Scovillain hit Vaporeon with a Seed Bomb, before shaking her head. Getting into a control battle over the weather would do her no good here. “Pyroar, stick to Hyper Voice, the bunny’s weakened,” she ordered, her pride queen nodding before she released a massive roar which splattered Atolfo with both concussive force and the remnants of Suiko’s attack. Astolfo staggered, then darted forward, Quick Attack allowing him to close to quarters and land a short flurry of blows before Pyroar lashed out, another blast of sound and force sending him tumbling, his Mega Evolution fading.

Misora withdrew her champion, watching for a moment as Pyroar turned to face Suiko, the water type focused on keeping Scovillain honest with more bursts of Dazzling Water, dodging Seed Bombs in return as she swayed and danced around her attacks. She palmed another ball. “Mana, your turn.” She released the Primeon, the Eeveelution immediately forming an Aura Sphere in her mouth and firing it at the Pyroar.

Malva smirked, glasses gleaming as her keystone shone once again. “Oh, let’s see if I’ve got the timing right…” She murmured as the blaze of Mega Evolution interrupted the incoming attack, Mega Pyroar roaring to the sky as her mane blossomed.

“Oh, so that’s how we're playing things then.” Misora smirked despite the situation, her own fighting spirit rising to the fore as she mentally juggled how she’d want to respond. She didn’t have an option besides Mega Evolution, which left exactly one option for her. Showing off something new that she and her starter had been working on. Breathing deeply, she nodded to herself. “Mana, we’re testing that out!”

“Oh finally, trainer mine. It was so worth putting a bounty on any information that people could find. I managed to figure something new out, after all~” Her starter replied with unbridled glee, the Primeon’s eyes shining with inner delight.

This time, Misora didn’t bother with her usual flair for Mega Evolution. No such thing was needed. Her keystone simply responded to her will, connecting her aura with that of her partners. Instead of physically changing her, however, it instead simply unlocked something. Temporarily broke Mana’s limits, so that she could fight harder, stronger, and faster than she could otherwise. A halo of eighteen orbs of different colors floated around her neck, a rainbow of Type energies present and ready for use as Mana stopped holding back.

Mana called it “Awakening”. Misora was inclined to agree that it fit.

Malva blinked, then grinned widely. “As far as final matches go, this one’s going well!” She laughed. “I thought you might have a Z-Move, but this is something else!” She gestured. “Pyroar, Burning Voice! Sear your opponent!” she ordered. Her second ‘ace’ responded near immediately, a blast-wave of flames and force forming into a concussive fireball which roared towards Mana.

In response, the Primeon almost dismissively let the light of a dark purple orb wash over her, her form going wispy for a moment before the attack landed. The wave of force passed right through, and without pause she sprang forward and released a blast of brown light in a scatterblast, the Power Gem shredding Pyroar’s mane.

Malva paused at the impossible sight. “Wait, is that some sort of… improved Protean?” She asked, horrified. For the first time since the fight had begun, the Kalos Elite Four member was visibly rattled, shocked in a way that none had truly ever seen her.

Silently, Misora tilted her head to the side, not bothering to answer her foe’s question. Distinctly aware that she and her starter were being recorded and that the secrecy of Primacy was likely at least partially blown, she endeavored to not make it worse. “Vector, Mana.”

Understanding her partner’s command despite how long it’d been since they’d come up with various tactics let alone practiced for the moment when she’d reveal Primacy to the world, Mana once more embraced the light of her dark purple orb. Once again, the Primeon faded from sight, yet this time, she did not reappear quickly. As both Malva and Pyroar near-frantically kept their eye out for the now Ghost, Suiko took the opportunity to once again execute a wide area attack, drowning the battlefield with Dazzling Water once more. Pyroar gave an uncomfortable yowl, even as Malva was forced to dodge the unconscious body of Scovillain, the Elite returning her second downed Pokemon and releasing a Chandelure to replace him.

“They’ve got a– temporary ghost. Find her.” She ordered her own ghost-type. Chandelure bobbed amiably, before getting caught by a Shadow Ball fired from just behind them both, spinning and trying to catch her opponent with Hex.

“Suiko, keep the pressure up,” Misora barked, hiding a wince as Mana took the hit from the Hex, retreating back into the shadows to keep her foes honest more than anything else. This was a combination they’d practiced, adding an unexpected vector of attack to draw the focus of the opposing trainer firmly to her and not her partner for double battles. Once Suiko took center stage again, Mana would actually take advantage of her concealment to support her fellow Eeveelution, but for the moment, her starter would remain the “star” of this show.

Pyroar opened her mouth to blast flames in the general direction Mana had gone, only for her maw to be fouled up by an Ice Beam which left her muzzle locked open and blocked. Spinning around and freeing her jaw with a Fire Fang, she then proceeded to catch another Hydro Pump directly in the face. Before Suiko could blast her again, Chandelure dove into the way, erecting a fast Protect to block the shot, then lashing out with a Wil-o-Wisp which the Vaporeon easily dodged.

Malva’s eyes narrowed, reaching for her Keystone again, only to wince as reality seemed to throb around her. She didn’t have enough left in the tank for another Mega Evolution, and firepower didn’t seem like it was working; Pyroar was a few hits from falling, which left her with few options. “Pyroar, Wild Charge, keep that fish honest. Chandelure, stick to Hex and overwatch for now.” Pyroar nodded, crouching before she leapt towards Suiko, electricity surging across her form as she barrelled into the water-type.

Clicking her tongue, Misora fixed her eyes on Suiko as the Vaporeon dove to the size, wincing as she was clipped by Mega-Pyroar’s Wild Charge. Tilting her head subtly to the side, she spoke, “Intercede.”

Surging forward from the Phantom Force that she’d been concealing herself in, Mana slammed herself into the Chandelure, the retaliatory Hex fizzling away as she Primeon remanifested herself on the battlefield under her native type. With a vulpine smirk, the Primeon followed up her attack against the living chandelier by slamming a water encrusted tail against it, sending the previously floating ghost straight into the cobbled streets outside of the lab.

Malva winced as she watched the twitchy but still functioning Suiko douse both Chandelure and Pyroar with another Dazzling Water, the strike leaving Chandelure water logged and drooping, and knocking the leonine Pokemon to the ground. She tried to rise, then faltered, legs splaying as the transformation of her Mega Evolution gave out. Malva returned her starter, sighing softly as she held the ball in one hand. With a murmured word of thanks, she tucked the ball back onto her belt, and threw out her next Pokemon. “Talonflame, set the stage, and then bring Vaporeon down,” she ordered, and with a cry, the bird complied, wings flapping to form a Tailwind before she dove into a Brave Bird, aiming straight for Vaporeon.

“Swan Song!” Misora barked in response, the Vaporeon trilling in agreement as she gathered energy to counterattack the moment the attack landed. Alas, unfortunately for her, Suiko’s exhaustion caught up with her, and she went down without a fight to the Brave Bird, leaving Mana alone on the field as Misora withdrew Suiko. Another ball hit the court even as Mana lashed out with a volley of rocks, the Stone Edge clipping the Talonflame as they circled around for another pass.

Out of the ball, Sam arrived on field once more, heralding the coming of snow again. Their greeting to the world was an omnidirectional Blizzard, whipping the snowy weather into a frenzy of violent winds laced with shards of ice. He looked up moments afterwards, flicking his tail and sending a barrage of Ice Shards to catch Talonflame in the wing, the hits forcing him to lose speed.

Chandelure switched from ghost energy to fire, sending bursts of flames through the resurgent snow as they tried to pin Mana down, only for the Primeon to grin and vanish into the drifting snow just long enough to lose her opponent. Chandelure pivoted, incidentally exposing their back to a blast of Power Gem, Mana rippling out of the snow as her coat changed from snow white to jagged rock. Chandelure collapsed to the ground, Malva returning her ghost and releasing Torkoal, the smoking tortoise immediately adding to the poor visibility with drifting clouds of white smoke.

“Talonflame, Flare Blitz. That Eevee has to be getting tired,” Malva ordered, her voice still steady, but cooling to embers. With only two Pokemon left, and Misora still having two in reserve, victory was unlikely. “Torkoal, no Overheat. Curse and then Stone Edge. Pick your shots.”

“End it, Mana,” Misora called softly, Sam once more deploying an Aurora Veil to dampen the incoming attacks as Talonflame raced towards Mana. Nodding in response to her trainer’s demand, the fox stilled momentarily, only for her eyes to snap open. Her corona of energy dimmed, fed into the move she was preparing even as Talonflame approached, hampered constantly by support from the other vulpine on the field. Briefly, Mana closed her eyes, before they snapped open once more, and she pulsed with energy, a seemingly endless array of stars and playing cards surrounding her.

With a flick of her tail, the unholy combination of Trump Card and Swift was launched towards two separate targets, the fusilade knocking Talonflame out of the sky and firmly into the snow-covered ground, where he was promptly buried under an avalanche from Sam. Torkoal threw up a protect, weathering the storm, only for the protective barrier to shatter as Mana’s form blurred, the Primeon’s body slamming into her foe’s before he could possibly react. Torkoal was bounced across the ground, landing on his back in front of Malva.

The former Elite Four withdrew her Pokemon, slipped her belt off, and dropped it and her keystone onto the ground before her. She held her head high as Misora approached. “...fire’s out now,” she admitted. “Lysandre said the world wasn’t enough to stop us, not as broken as it is. But maybe we’re the broken ones after all.” She gave a mocking salute to the crowd and news cameras which had gathered at the edge of the battlefield. “For the last time, this was Malva, going off air,” she declared, before offering her wrists to Misora.

Taking the handcuffs she had been provided with off her own belt, Misora solemnly clapped them on the soon to be former Elite. “Malva of the Kalos Shitennou, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent…”

--(o)--

Xerosic darted around the corner, hastily stuffing documents and data drives into a satchel. “So much data, plans, structures, lost–” He stopped as the sound of gunfire echoed from the corridor behind him. “-including the suit. Damn them,” he muttered, moving to head back into the cell block only to freeze as he heard gunfire from inside. He peered through the door to see Kiritsugu Emiya gun down the grunts he’d had trying to wrangle AZ from his cage, watching as the ex-hitman unlocked the cell door and let the disgraced king loose from his cage. “...and one last loss,” he murmured, backing away and triggering his panic button.

It was barely a moment before a gateway formed in the shadows next to him, and Xerosic darted through to find himself in a warehouse across town. Lysandre stood in the middle of the chaos as dozens of grunts loaded priceless equipment, books, and documents into boxes and packages to be shipped out to other bases. “Xerosic.” The Flare Leader greeted his first scientific subordinate. “...how bad is it?”

“Bad. Malva is lost to us; burned entirely. The King gave up little we didn’t already know, and Interpol’s dogs advanced too swiftly for us to reclaim or erase everything,” he admitted.

Lysandre’s face pinched. “...we’ll overcome this. Our story is not over yet; they still have yet to find Hearthfire. Come, we need to leave the city before they can capture us. Malva will be freed before the final dawn; I swear it. But this is our greatest loss thus far.” He turned, looking over the remains of what was supposed to be his final sanctum, being divvied up and sent away. “...there’s no PR recovery from this. It may be time to start subcontracting. However distasteful the results might be.”

“At least the Alpha and Omega are contained, yes?” Xerosic offered.

“For now,” Lysandre growled softly. “For now.”