Eevee Therapy for Little Magi, Chapter 55: What is Eternal

Misora stepped off the plane with a frown, Mana trotting at her side as the trainer and her partner made their way into the terminal, looking around with furrowed brows. “Dunno how we’re going to find these agents, we’re supposed to know them when we see them. What does that mean?”

“Given the Moureon waving at us, I’d imagine that they’re waiting over there, Trainer Mine,” Mana deadpanned, looking towards Misora with a mildly judgemental look. “You’re losing some of your edge, dearest trainer.”

“Oh come off of it you silly fox,” the aforementioned woman griped back, her eyes fixing on the selfsame Moureon that her partner had glimpsed briefly as Haboo faded into the walls, quite literally. “Well, I do believe he wants us to follow him to a more discreet location. Mana?”

“Yes yes. Follow me and all that.” Misora’s starter Pokemon was truly such a little shit sometimes, but hey, at least she was reliable, always.

Moving down several hallways and then out into the city, Misora finally found a pair of humans and a half-dozen Pokemon lounging in an out of the way eatery, Emmanuelle carefully looking over a wine list. “...call me uncultured, but–” She looked up, then waved as the two approached. “Oh, perfect, a tiebreaker. Agent… Misora, yes? Tell me, with duck would you say red or white wine?”

“Not a wine gal, or alcohol, for the matter.” Misora shrugged, grinning at the groans emitted from the agents, “And it’s still Ace Misora, if you want my proper title. Just because I’m being seconded to INTERPOL doesn’t mean I’m with ya’ll full time. I have a different path to walk.”

“Sorry, sorry. You seemed to know Kalos pretty well in your interviews, but I shouldn’t have assumed.” Elle waved. “Agent Emmanuelle, longtime anti-cartel and anti-Team operative. My partner, Emiya Kiritsugu. I believe you’ve met his children.”

Kerry gave her a cool look, folding his hands atop the table, a Kirlia teleporting to his shoulder and mirroring him. “I know my son was in no real danger. That being said, I trust Immortal Akari didn’t give you any missions before you came here?”

“I wouldn’t have accepted them anyway,” Misora winced, grimacing a bit. “She got her one favor out of me, and I got my favor out of her. As far as I’m concerned, unless she justifies the order with backing from the Legends, she’s got no grounds to ask anymore.” She paused. “She did pass on something of a lead to me on the way out of the islands.”

“Fill us in on that after lunch,” Emmanuelle said, a waiter appearing at her side. “Yes, we’ll have two bottles of wine, this one and this one, thank you. And the duck is on the way, yes?”

At Misora’s odd look, Kiritsugu clarified. “We get paid far too much but are kept far too busy to enjoy it, at least according to her. So, when we get the chance to splurge on something simple, she insists we take it.”

“Morale is most important,” Mana added, blinking up at the table, “May I have a seat as well?”

“Of course. Most of our teams are having their own days out, excepting Frogadier, who’s watching from the shadows,” Kiritsugu said after checking his phone’s translator, tossing a slice of bread into the air, a long tongue snapping it up in a flash. “But we’re happy to meet you as well. Are you alright with roast duck, trimmings, and potato pave?”

“Neither of us have an issue with that,” Misora answered for the pair of them, the rest of her team already having taken their meals. They’d also been promised another team meal once they got moving, even if Lumiose City was one of the best places in the world to have a meal with your full team.

Leading city for that, honestly.

“That’s good,” he replied, even as the waitsmon started bringing platters and dishes out to cover the table. Several minutes passed as the group tucked into the feast with a will, before Kiritsugu sat back, idly sipping his second glass of wine. “Alright, what did the immortal send with you?”

“A letter, apparently passed along from one of her superiors.” Misora produced a piece of folded paper, handing it across to the two agents. “Apparently she got her hands on your reports, and took special interest in the mention of an ‘Ultimate Weapon.’ She didn’t know much, but according to the letter, there is someone here in Kalos who does. Another immortal.”

“King AZ?” Emmanuelle asked, if only for confirmation. At Misora’s nod, the woman grimaced. “Interpol’s been keeping tabs on him, but we don’t have him sufficiently covered. He’s been a nonproblem for centuries at this point, so we didn’t see the point.”

Kiritsugu looked up from the letter. “According to this, AZ knows all of the details about the Ultimate Weapon; he was the one who built and fired it, and his status as an immortal is a result. A curse.” He folded the letter, then quietly flicked it into the air, Braixen igniting it with a flourish of her wand. As the ashes fell to the table, he looked back at Misora. “Dialga… they are the deity responsible for Time, correct?”

“Correct,” she nodded, furtively casting her gaze around the room before sighing in relief, turning to address Emmanuelle. “He hasn’t had the training yet, right?”

“Nope. Hasn’t been necessary, and we’ve lacked the time,” she responded immediately.

“Right. Kiritsugu. Don’t mention the Legends as if they actually exist. It’s restricted information. Not outright classified, but…”

“The next best thing.” Kiritsugu nodded, then stood, putting money on the table. “We need to move, then. Several lines burned their way onto the paper when I touched it; reacting to my family crest. AZ is nearby, and he has less than a week before Flare catches him. We need to try and find him first. Elle, you said Interpol was keeping tabs on him?”

“We didn’t know he was in Lumiose,” she growled, obviously considering the implications of that, “We thought he was somewhere in Shalour City. We either have a traitor or AZ himself has been upping his game. My money is on the former.”

“Then we need to sweep the city. Does he have any preferences when it comes to haunts? Any residences here?”

“He’s a vagrant, forages or does odd jobs for food, doesn’t own property,” Elle shot back as they piled out into the street. “He’s also three meters tall, but manages to fade into the background most of the time. He likes historic sites and places with flowers.”

Misora raised one eyebrow. “You know a lot about one random guy– immortal, sure, but I barely knew anything about Akari before she barged into my life.”

“I did a deep dive on them recently when I was assigned to Kalos. It seemed prudent, seeing as Flare has been looking into old legends. Interpol knows AZ once ruled the ancient kingdom, which means Flare also must know. It was inevitable that they’d target him,” she answered, rolling her eyes.

Amelie spoke up from her spot on Kiritsugu’s shoulder. “Before we get deeper into the weeds, we should try to find this man before he is captured. There are many places with flowers here, but precious few ruins or old structures; Lumiose tore down their old castles and churches during the revolution, and they were never rebuilt.”

Misora spoke up. “There are the plazas, several parks outside the city proper, and the museum, right? That sounds like the extent of areas he might be visiting.”

“Correct. We’ll need to do a sweep and ask careful questions; make too much noise, and Flare will find him first,” Kiritsugu finished. “Splitting up has its pros and cons. Thoughts?”

“I say we go for it,” Misora offered immediately, receiving a vocal and nonverbal affirmation from Mana. “We have an Ace, two interpol agents, and their teams. We can each hold out if necessary, and while I’m not nearly as good a shot as Kiritsugu is, I do have a firearm and I do know how to use it if it ends up being required."

“So do I. Right, split up, stay in contact, each of us covers a different Arrondissement.” Elle quickly divvied up the map. “Go.”

The three trainers spread out, each heading down different side streets. Behind them, one of the waitstaff shook her head, nudging the Hawlucha helping her bus. “Exercise right after eating. Hmph. I wonder what has them in such a hurry?”

--(o)--

Lumiose City was quite large; not nearly as big as Paris, Kiritsugu thought, but large enough to make searching the entire place for one man very difficult. One of the few advantages they had in their search, Kiritsugu found, were the wild Pokemon nesting everywhere.

“I’m pretty sure I saw a man that tall, yes. He was feeding Ducklett down in one of the Plaza. What do the humans call it?” The Swablu murmured, tapping his chin. “I think they call it Bleu?”

Kerry nodded. “Was this recently? I mean, within the last few hours?” He asked as Amelie relayed the words to him.

“No less than half a day. A very sad perch of a human, he was very gentle with the little ducks. Wouldn’t mind being caught by him, but he doesn’t catch anyone, far as I know,” the little bird gossiped.

“Thank you for the information,” Kerry thanked Swablu, then checked his map, heading towards the plaza in question. “Half a day is a broad stretch, but it’s the first lead we have.” He muttered to Amelie. “Think we’re in luck?”

“Depends. We have the advantage of being able to tap the local Pokemon, which Flare is unlikely to consider quite yet. They have access to tech that will let them, but it’s not really caught ON yet, if you understand what I mean? It’s an assumption that most make that you’ll only be able to understand your own Pokemon, or have a psychic willing to translate for you.” Amelie shrugged, offering her trainer a wan smile. “But they’ve likely been tracking him longer, and if Elle is right, they know roughly where he is.”

“Agreed. Your analytic skills are coming along well,” Kiritsugu commented, the little fairy giving a happy trill as they wove their way through the side streets. As they came closer to Bleu Plaza, he slowed, hearing shouting from up ahead. “...of course our luck would be like this,” he muttered, slowing and ducking into the open space.

In the middle of the open space, a massive man in threadbare clothing stood, eyes carefully passing over the force arrayed against him. Six other men, each wearing some form of red clothing, stood supporting a single woman with green hair, wearing a lab coat and a red suit. “...what you know is vital to our plans of advancement, ancient one. You should be honored to help us remember what we have forgotten.”

AZ shook his head slowly. “...should be forgotten.” He ground out slowly. “What you’re asking for. I buried it myself.”

“Buried, you say? Interesting.” The woman folded her arms. “Where?”

“No.”

“They don’t know we’re here yet, Kiritsugu,” Amelie cautioned. “And it’s likely AZ can hold out while we contact Elle and Misora.” 

Kerry nodded, quietly producing his phone and shooting a text to both of the other two, along with his current location, then turned his attention back to the confrontation. By this point, the six men were spreading out, circling around AZ, the larger man watching them with detached interest. He reached into one pocket and produced a Pokeball, a Golurk emerging from the orb to stand at his back. “...keep them off me.”

“I see negotiations have broken down.” The green haired woman produced a Pokeball of her own, a Bisharp emerging from the ball to glare menacingly at the towering man. “Laurant, David, make sure no one’s nearby. Everyone else, dogpile,” she ordered, a half-dozen Pokemon released into the world even as two of their number fell back and spread out.

Three balls sprung into the air as Kiritsugu hucked them then drew his sidearm, Amelie already reading his intentions as she grasped one of the grunts and held them in place - a bullet slamming into both knees on the man in short order. A trio of Kalosian starters hit the field a moment later and added their own attacks to the mix, hyper-pressurized water sending another grunt flying in the same instant a torrent of flames set another alight. Quilladin, meanwhile, intercepted a Houndoom who’d responded near instantly to the attack on their trainers, a Protect momentarily keeping the hound at bay - the followup Drain Punch sending the dog flying backwards.

The woman spun at the sounds of the gunshots, and immediately shrieked. “It’s the assassin! Someone call Xerosic!” she exclaimed, one of the men near her hauling a pistol out of his jacket, aiming it at Kiritsugu, only for AZ to step forward, one hand seizing his arm and dragging him into the air.

Amelie released the man from her telekinetic grip, then looked up with wide eyes, teleporting to Kiritsugu then popping both of them to one side. In the space he’d been a second previously, a familiar armored figure crashed into the ground, emerging from the shine of their own Teleport. EXS rose to its feet, then darted forward to engage the Earthling in melee.

Amelie teleported off of Kiritsugu as the man was forced to grapple with the armored figure, darting over to AZ as the man and his three pokemon – a Sigilyph and a Torkoal having joined the Golurk – fended off the incoming men.

She landed on the massive man’s shoulder. “Apologies for stepping in, your majesty. These men are enemies of ours, and we don’t want them getting the Ultimate Weapon.”

“I’m no king. Not anymore,” AZ sighed. “Thank you for the help.”

“You are welcome. If you would like, I can simply teleport you away to another location in Lumiose,,” she offered kindly.

“Running from things like this… I find it doesn’t work for long,” he said simply, casually picking up a Grumpig and throwing it back to smash into her trainer. “...Flare, right? The heraldry matches.”

“Yes. We are not certain of their goals yet, but if it involves the Ultimate Weapon, I doubt they are benign," Amelia replied, a psychic shield briefly flickering into existence around the pair as she deflected a stray bullet. “Their grunts should learn better fire discipline.”

“Guns should be rarer than this,,” AZ remarked, Sigilyph putting up a Reflect barrier around them to deter more incoming fire. The man who’d shot at them was brought down by Mana, the Primeon hitting him with Extremespeed as she emerged from one of the side streets. 

The green haired woman shivered as another of her teammates was brought down. She yanked out a small medallion, triggering it with a pulse of green light. “Odds are against us now…” EXS broke off from where they’d been sparring with Kiritsugu, their Porygon appearing at their shoulder.

It was at that moment that a brown blur slammed into the aforementioned Porygon and rammed it into the nearest wall, a dervish of fur, fang, and claw laying into the poor utterly startled Pokemon. In nearly the same instant, another brown blur of fur slammed their utterly toned legs into that of the EXS themselves, the Mega Lopunny sending the man flying into a wall on the opposite end of the small clearing that had devolved into the battleground for the group.

“Astolfo, keep them occupied. Mana, keep that Porygon honest.” Misora’s clipped voice called from a nearby rooftop, another ball three balls hucked into the air, the Kanto Eeveelutions snapping onto the ground below.. “Suiko, Raiden, Himiko, contain the rest.” The command had barely registered to Kiritsugu before the trio of Eeveelutions blurred into movement. The Vaporeon unleashed a torrent of water - Hydro Pump - at the group of Pokemon that had been pressuring AZ’s, sending them diving for cover or also, slammed into walls. Jolteon followed up moments later, their Thunderbolt electrifying the torrent of water in an expert display of teamwork. Meanwhile, the Flareon blurred forwards, a corona of blue flames surrounding them as they slammed straight into a particularly unlucky Furfrouu, knocking the creature out and, of course, straight into another wall.

‘Misora was making rather excellent use of the terrain’, Kirsitugu noted idly, his brain finally catching up as he himself spoke.. “Frogadier, Quilladin, Braixen, capitalize. Prioritize the HVT.”

The group darted towards the green-haired woman, who only smirked as she returned her team, a Beheeyem appearing at her side and taking one hand. Before they could vanish, Misora snapped out a command. “Block!” sshe yelled, Mana rounding on the woman and flaring her eyes red, the teleport failing immediately. With a cry, the woman was taken down by the three starters, the psychic at her side falling to a fast Dark Pulse from Frogadier.

In the few seconds of divided attention, the Porygon popped out from the spot it’d been pinned, warping over to EXS– but before it could teleport the harried fighter to safety, Amelie warped onto its back, landing a psionic smack which sent it reeling back. EXS crumbled seconds later, Astolfo landing a kick which shattered their faceplate and stunned them.

Elle emerged from another alleyway seconds later, looking around. “Well, looks like we made it here in time!” She laughed. “Your majesty–”

“Please stop calling me that,” AZ rumbled.

“You do realize she’s just giving you shit, right?” Misora called, leaping down from the building she’d been standing upon, Astolfo catching his trainer gracefully before setting her down, “Sup, former Kingman. How goes?”

The massive man gave her a tired frown. “...no better than usual. I’d prefer to be left alone. That seems unlikely now.”

“Not our fault,” Elle huffed, looking over at Kiritsugu, the assassin carefully stripping a man from the EXS suit. The man had a nearly forgettable face, but his body was covered in too-tight, lean muscles. “Well, that’s one thorn out of our side. How is he?”

“Underfed, brainwashed, and wounded. Get a team out here to secure the suit; I want it taken out of Kalos before someone moves to retrieve it,” Kiritsugu ordered.

“I’ll have Interpol teleport it over to HQ,” Elle responded immediately, already whipping out her phone, “They’re pretty sure they know who the traitor is now too. We’re gonna let him think he’s gotten away with it, though. Better the spy you know, after all.”

“Really? She’s not said anything yet,” Kiritsugu shot a look at the green-haired woman.

“She doesn’t have to; there’s only so many people who knew about AZ and had access to other information we know got leaked. If Flare had infiltrated too much, I’d probably been given orders to hunt you down as a murderer, after all.” Elle shrugged.

“I can see it. Easy to frame the incident at the hospital as a serial killing. Just have to silence the witnesses - or enough of them that one speaking out would look insane,” Kiritsugu acknowledged. “It was still fairly fast though.”

“He overplayed his hand. AZ is too niche, and he likely relied on us finding out way too late. He didn’t expect Legend intervention, which honestly was his first mistake after Flare overtly targeted them.” Elle shrugged again.

AZ spoke up as sirens approached the scene. “I appreciate the help. But I would like to be elsewhere before more people arrive. Too much attention, and they will notice me,” he informed them. “You have questions. I will answer what is appropriate.”

Elle nodded, giving Misora a glance. “Escort him, and we’ll meet up with you both later. For now, Kerry and I need to handle the police, and the paperwork.” The younger woman nodded, and the group spread out to secure prisoners or leave the scene as appropriate.