Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [228] [50 PS]
In this rescue operation, Celosia and Malva shared the role of commanders, each with distinct responsibilities.
Malva, leveraging her status as a member of the Elite Four, worked from within the Kanto League to gather intelligence and establish a channel for negotiation with Team Rocket.
Her goal was to secure Aliana's release without resorting to violence.
Celosia, on the other hand, was the contingency plan. If negotiations failed, she was tasked with leading Team Flare's elite members to rescue Aliana from Team Rocket by force.
"How's Malva's side progressing? Any updates?" Celosia turned to ask one of her subordinates.
Since they had split up during the journey, Celosia wasn't privy to Malva's current status.
"Lady Malva's flight is scheduled to arrive in Kanto tonight," the subordinate replied after checking the flight information. "However, she mentioned needing additional time to prepare."
"So, how much longer do I have to stay in this submarine? Even my coffee is reduced to these canned ones," Celosia muttered with evident dissatisfaction, draining the canned coffee in one gulp.
Still, before her departure, Leader Lysandre had given strict instructions to act with utmost caution.
As the team's trump card, she was not to reveal herself until after Malva's negotiations with Team Rocket had concluded.
Despite her frustrations, Celosia had no choice but to wait until Malva made contact with Team Rocket before taking any action.
She took a deep breath of fresh air and, with a swift kick, sent the empty coffee can flying into the sea, where it struck a curious Tentacool.
"There are way too many Tentacool in Kanto." She sighed before retreating back into the submarine.
Glub glub glub.
Amid a flurry of bubbles, the submarine descended rapidly, sending a swarm of startled Tentacool scattering.
Unbeknownst to Celosia and her team, a massive silhouette flickered through the filtered light in the depths.
Tentacles swayed ominously before the figure vanished into the ocean's shadows.
---
After a day of rest, all contestants were revitalized and ready for the elimination rounds to begin.
The venue for the Indigo League shifted from the secondary arenas to the main stage for the elimination matches.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the live broadcast of the Indigo League! Up next is the first round of the elimination stage."
"Thirty-two contestants will battle head-to-head, with sixteen winners advancing to the next round!"
Perhaps due to the televised nature of the event, Luo Yuan couldn't help but notice that the commentary seemed far more professional than it had been during the preliminaries.
As this thought crossed his mind, the commentator's voice rang out again.
"This year, we are honored to welcome a very special guest!"
"One of the Kalos Elite Four and renowned news anchor—Malva!"
"Hello, everyone!"
A pleasant, melodious female voice echoed from the commentary booth.
Luo Yuan's brow arched as he looked up, catching sight of Malva's striking figure—pink hair, red sunglasses, and a youthful, vibrant demeanor.
"?"
Luo Yuan found himself utterly puzzled as he stared at Malva seated at the commentator's desk.
It wasn't her presence in Kanto that surprised him—he'd already heard news reports about her arrival.
But what on earth was she doing as a tournament commentator?
A Team Flare admin and Kalos Elite Four member volunteering to commentate at the Indigo League?
The sheer absurdity left him bewildered.
He wasn't the only one confused by this bizarre move.
Even Lance, tasked with receiving Malva on behalf of the Kanto League, had been thrown off by her request.
Malva's official purpose in coming to Kanto was to represent the Kalos League in negotiations about importing Mega Stones.
Previously, the Hoenn League had managed to procure a batch of Mega Stones through negotiations with Kalos, only for them to be stolen by Team Hunter J.
This loss forced Hoenn to focus on local excavation efforts, eventually discovering Mega Stones in its ruins to compensate.
Kanto, however, lacked such resources.
So, importing Mega Stones from Kalos was the only viable solution to fill this gap.
The Kanto League had high hopes for these negotiations, evident from Lance personally welcoming Malva.
Yet, before talks even began, Malva casually expressed her desire to try her hand at tournament commentary.
At first, Lance intended to decline, but Malva hinted that this was a long-held dream of hers—and that she might be willing to make concessions during negotiations.
Considering Malva's experience as a news anchor and her standing as a Kalos Elite Four member, Lance eventually gave in and agreed to her request.
And so, here they were.
"Hello, residents of Kanto! I'm Malva~!"
Malva's appearance was highly deceptive. Like Luo Yuan, she didn't look anything like an operative of a sinister organization.
That was intentional.
Her role as a commentator served as a perfect cover for her Team Flare affiliation, allowing her to negotiate with Team Rocket discreetly.
After all, who would associate someone who spent most of their day in front of a camera with a criminal syndicate?
The move was meant to ensure her safety while she carried out her mission.
To the people of Kanto, having an Elite Four member as a commentator was a novelty.
Unlike the Kanto Elite Four, who were too busy with official duties, the Elite Four from other regions were known for dabbling in side ventures.
This curiosity made Malva an instant hit.
Amid the excited buzz and intrigued gazes from the crowd, the main commentator raised the microphone.
"The first round of the Indigo League elimination stage is officially underway! Contestants, please enter the arena!"
As the announcement ended, Luo Yuan rose from his seat and strode onto the field.
The moment he stepped onto the stage, a deafening roar of cheers erupted from the stands.
"Luo Yuan! Luo Yuan!"
"Go, Luo Yuan!"
Cheers filled the stadium, echoing throughout the massive venue.
As the Indigo League's top-seeded contender, Luo Yuan's undefeated streak had made him a fan favorite. His popularity was overwhelming.
In stark contrast, the trainer standing opposite him seemed utterly outclassed, despite having a modest group of supporters. Their cheers were quickly drowned out by the deafening chants for Luo Yuan.
"What incredible popularity! Kyosuke, why does this trainer, Luo Yuan, have such a massive fanbase?" Malva asked, turning to her co-commentator.
Her question seamlessly transformed the previously solo commentary into a conversational format.
Kyosuke, the commentator, paused in momentary surprise at Malva's question but quickly recovered thanks to his professionalism.
He explained to both Malva and the many viewers unfamiliar with Luo Yuan's performance in the preliminaries:
"Luo Yuan is widely regarded as the strongest dark horse in this year's Indigo League! He achieved an undefeated 9-0 record during the preliminaries. His most iconic Pokémon is a Dragonite—three times the size of a regular one!"
"Three times the size of a regular Dragonite?"
Malva expressed her shock with perfect timing, capturing the sentiment of countless Kanto viewers watching from home.
Her reaction immediately bridged the gap between her and the audience, showcasing her expertise as a renowned news anchor.
A seasoned professional indeed.
"That's correct! A Dragonite three times the usual size. However, Luo Yuan has yet to accept any media interviews, so we don't know why his Dragonite is so massive."
"Interestingly, though, some media outlets have noted that earlier this year, Professor Oak published a paper on gigantism in Dragonite, with Luo Yuan credited as the second author."
"Although Professor Oak declined to comment further, citing confidentiality, it's hard to believe this is just a coincidence."
"This research might hold the key to explaining the origin of Luo Yuan's gigantic Dragonite."
In just a few sentences, Kyosuke introduced Luo Yuan, skillfully using Professor Oak's name and scientific intrigue to capture the audience's attention.
Malva's gaze flickered briefly upon hearing Oak's name but quickly returned to her composed expression.
"Fascinating! It seems the match is about to begin. Let's switch the camera feed to the battlefield!"
---
"Let the match begin!"
As the referee's flag dropped, both trainers threw their Poké Balls almost simultaneously.
"Go, Dragonite!"
"Go, Golem!"
Boom!
The Indigo League's main stadium trembled as both Pokémon landed, their sheer size causing the ground to quake.
The cause?
Both Pokémon were absolutely massive.
"Let's see! Luo Yuan has led with his signature Pokémon, Dragonite, while Eito has chosen Golem!"
"Malva, what's your take?"
Kyosuke was fully in his element, taking the initiative to ask Malva for her analysis.
"In terms of Pokémon selection, Luo Yuan's Dragonite has the upper hand. Ground-type moves are ineffective against Dragonite, and Dragonite likely knows several Water-type moves that can seriously threaten Golem."
Malva broke down the matchup with a focus on their type advantages and disadvantages.
Kyosuke nodded in agreement. "I share your view, Malva. Now, how long do you think Luo Yuan will need to secure victory?"
"I haven't seen Luo Yuan's previous matches, so I can't precisely gauge his skill. However, judging by the size difference between Dragonite and Golem, I'd estimate Dragonite could win within five minutes," Malva offered, basing her judgment on their physical disparity.
Her words had barely left her mouth when—
"Dragonite, Dragon Pulse!" Luo Yuan commanded.
With less than a second of charging, a vibrant purple shockwave shot from Dragonite's maw, striking Golem just as it attempted to dodge.
Boom!
The explosion echoed throughout the stadium, with smoke and debris enveloping the field.
With a flap of its wings, Dragonite dispelled the smoke, revealing Golem lying unconscious on the ground.
"Dragonite wins! Luo Yuan advances to the next round!"
The referee confirmed Golem's condition and raised his flag to announce the result.
A one-hit KO.
Malva sat stunned, taking a moment to process what had just occurred.
"Incredible!" she finally exclaimed, her tone conveying genuine astonishment at how easily Luo Yuan had dispatched his opponent.
As an Elite Four member, Malva had a solid understanding of the caliber of trainers competing in League tournaments. While differences in skill were to be expected, the gap was rarely this dramatic.
In her mind, five minutes had been a reasonable estimate.
Who would have thought Luo Yuan could win with a single move?
"Could it be that his opponent was too weak?" she mused silently.
But then again, a Golem that had fully evolved couldn't possibly be that weak.
Shaking her head, Malva quickly regained her composure. Years of experience as a news anchor allowed her to transition smoothly.
"Luo Yuan's performance is truly remarkable! However, the battle isn't over yet—there are two more matches to go!"
"Malva, do you think Luo Yuan can win as easily in the next round? And does Eito still have a chance to turn this around?" Kyosuke asked.
Although he didn't want to dwell on shallow commentary, the one-hit KO left little to discuss. Filling airtime was now a challenge, and his question was the best option under the circumstances.
Malva smiled as she prepared to say that Eito would likely adopt a more cautious approach in the second round, making it harder for Luo Yuan to secure such a decisive victory.
Boom!
A sudden crash interrupted her.
Looking toward the battlefield, she saw Dragonite pressing Ninetales' head firmly against the ground before delivering a devastating punch.
Wham!
The Mega Punch landed cleanly, leaving Ninetales completely subdued.
The referee began counting down.
"Ten… nine… eight… three… two… one!"
Swish!
The referee raised his flag. "Ninetales is unable to battle! Luo Yuan wins again!"
"..."
Malva swallowed her words and forced a smile.
"Luo Yuan secures another victory. Unless Eito sends out a much stronger Pokémon, he may not stand a chance in this match."
Eito's performance had been lackluster, to say the least.
Even after experiencing a one-hit KO in the first round, he still fell victim to another in the second.
Across the field, Eito clenched his fists, his expression darkening at Malva's words.
The thought of Luo Yuan achieving a twelve-match winning streak by defeating him only added fuel to the fire.
Eito reached for a Poké Ball at his belt, stroking it carefully.
"I wasn't planning on using this… It's a Pokémon I just caught and haven't trained much. But if it's come to this, I have no choice."
"You're about to witness the Pokémon I went all the way to Johto to capture," he declared, throwing the ball.
Bang!
With a thunderous crash, sand and dust filled the air as a massive Tyranitar appeared on the battlefield.
The Pokémon roared, its fierce gaze exuding untamed wildness.
Kyosuke's eyes lit up.
"Eito has sent out the pseudo-legendary Pokémon from Johto—Tyranitar!"
"Could the tide of this match be about to change?"