"I've understood the general outline of your plan."
In the office, Giovanni leaned back after listening to Luo Yuan's report.
"In principle, I support it," he continued. "However, there's one issue…"
Giovanni's sharp eyes locked onto Luo Yuan. "Do you think Malva is trustworthy?"
Team Flare's repeated provocations had pushed Giovanni to the brink of his patience. If Luo Yuan could permanently solve this problem, so much the better. But Giovanni still harbored doubts about Malva.
"She won't get the chance to betray us," Luo Yuan replied confidently.
He always planned for the worst-case scenario. That's why, just moments ago, his Gengar had silently slipped into Malva's shadow without her noticing.
Gengar would monitor her at all times. If she showed any signs of treachery, Gengar would deal with her before she could act.
"If you're confident, I'll leave it to you," Giovanni said, trusting Luo Yuan's judgment.
"One more thing—I'll need Mewtwo... and someone else," Luo Yuan added.
"Mewtwo is fine. But who's the 'someone'?" Giovanni asked. Mewtwo wasn't currently needed, so lending it out was no issue. But a person?
On the plane to Kalos, Luo Yuan sat in the first-class cabin, his disguise making him look unremarkable.
To his left sat Malva, and on his right was Matori, her hair dyed white as part of her own disguise.
Luo Yuan had brought along Matori's elite squad, the "Matori Matrix," as the main force for this mission. While he led the operation, Malva and Matori played supporting roles, with Matori's unit forming the backbone of the attack.
In his lap, Sylveon was happily nibbling on an energy cube, its ribbon-like feelers brushing against Luo Yuan affectionately.
Matori, however, looked less amused. She glanced at Luo Yuan and grumbled, "Why didn't you ask Sabrina for this mission? I haven't even finished my monthly reports yet."
As Team Rocket's chief secretary, Matori's workload was already immense. Being dragged along to deal with Team Flare meant she'd face a mountain of tasks upon her return.
"You know why," Luo Yuan replied, shrugging. "Too many people recognize Sabrina. If she shows up in Kalos, it'll blow her cover instantly. And everyone else in the organization is tied up…"
The situation in Johto didn't allow for any leniency. In Kanto, the three Rocket executives were too conspicuous to move around freely. Meanwhile, after Sird's capture, the remaining two of the "Beast Trio" were busy cleaning up the mess. That left Matori as the only viable option.
Matori let out a small huff but didn't argue further.
She had only been venting—if she truly didn't want to come, she wouldn't be here. In fact, she didn't mind field missions with Luo Yuan, even if Malva's presence made her feel like a third wheel.
She cast a sidelong glance at Malva, her expression subtly unreadable.
Thinking this, Matori turned to glance at Malva.
Malva, catching her gaze, looked puzzled. She quickly realized the meaning behind Matori's eyes and couldn't help but feel exasperated. Hey, I'm the one stuck third-wheeling here!
Noticing the odd tension between the two women, Luo Yuan decided to act.
After petting Sylveon, he grabbed Matori's hand, placed it on his leg, and used his psychic powers to encourage Sylveon to wrap its ribbons around her hand.
"Relax," Luo Yuan said with his eyes closed, settling into a meditative state as he prepared for the coming battle.
---
After nearly eight hours in the air, the plane finally landed at Lumiose City's airport.
The architecture of Kalos was strikingly different from Kanto, with its distinct regional flair.
As the stronghold of Team Flare, Kalos was riddled with their operatives and informants.
The moment their plane touched down, Luo Yuan knew they were already under Team Flare's surveillance.
Feigning disinterest, he glanced at Malva and sent her a telepathic message.
"Get off first. Identify the targets and report back to me."
Malva gave a subtle nod, acknowledging their prearranged plan. She was to gather information on Team Flare's leaders, and once the targets were located, Luo Yuan would strike decisively.
The strategy was simple, but given Luo Yuan's power, Malva believed it was feasible.
Putting on a pair of pink sunglasses, Malva disembarked ahead of the others.
Luo Yuan waited briefly before stepping off the plane with Matori, heading for the car sent by their hotel.
---
Not long after stepping onto the tarmac, Malva encountered a familiar figure.
Her steps faltered for a split second before she resumed her pace, greeting the man with a smile. "Chalmers."
Chalmers, dressed as Lysandre's butler but secretly a key Team Flare operative, had come to meet her. Malva instantly understood Lysandre's intentions.
"Miss Malva, the master requests your presence," Chalmers said, bowing respectfully but with a tone that left no room for refusal.
Though her rational mind understood the logic behind Lysandre's actions—to secure her as soon as she returned to Kalos—emotionally, it stung. Compared to Luo Yuan's trust, the contrast was painfully stark.
Still, Malva kept her composure, offering a slight smile. "Lysandre wants to see me? Let's go."
She stepped into the car without hesitation.
For a moment, Chalmers paused, a flicker of doubt crossing his mind. Perhaps Lysandre was overthinking things—Malva didn't seem suspicious at all.
Shaking off the thought, he slid into the driver's seat and headed for Team Flare's base.
---
Lumiose City
The bustling heart of Kalos, and without question, its most vibrant metropolis.
Luo Yuan couldn't help but notice the densely packed shops lining the streets and… the taxis.
Lumiose was renowned for its taxi industry, arguably the most developed among all regions in the Pokémon world. Taxis filled the streets, a defining feature of the city.
"My operatives just reported in. Malva has been picked up," Matori said, standing behind Luo Yuan.
"That was part of the plan." Luo Yuan activated his communicator, pulling up a map with a blinking dot representing Malva's location.
"For now, let's leave her be. When the time comes, she'll report back. What about Aliana?"
Malva wasn't the only Team Flare defector to join Rocket. After months of confinement, Aliana had also switched sides.
"Her airship is faster than the plane. She's already arrived at our Kalos outpost," Matori replied.
Of course, calling it an "outpost" was a stretch—it was little more than a secluded base in the wilderness, manned by a few operatives tasked with intelligence gathering. If not for that, Matori wouldn't have needed to bring her elite unit.
"Let's head out," Luo Yuan said, ruffling Matori's hair as he passed her. "Tell your team to regroup at the base. It's time for final preparations."
Matori shot him an irritated glare, though the corner of her lips twitched in a barely suppressed smile.