Early the next morning.
In the bathroom of the Capsule Villa.
Serena sat at the dressing table.
Marie stood behind her, her beautiful black hair still loose, not yet tied into her usual twin tails.
As her eyes swept over Serena's smooth flax-colored hair, she revealed a hint of reluctance:
"Are you sure?"
"Yes!"
Serena nodded firmly.
Hearing this, Marie said nothing more, supporting Serena's hair with her left hand while holding scissors in her right.
...
About half an hour later, at the doorway.
Seeing the two girls walk out, Sun Wuming focused his gaze on Serena, raising his eyebrows:
"What's this about?"
At this moment, Serena's waist-length hair was gone, replaced by shoulder-length short hair.
The previous mix of girlish innocence and mature allure had vanished, replaced by a spirited and energetic aura.
Serena touched her new hairstyle, forcing a smile, "Long hair isn't really suitable for training."
Sun Wuming vaguely recalled that in the original anime, Serena had cut her hair after suffering a devastating loss in a performance battle.
Now, with her mother's affliction, the shock was certainly greater than that, so he could understand her actions.
"Short hair suits you too."
As Serena showed a slightly embarrassed expression, Sun Wuming raised his hand to return the house to the capsule.
"Where do we look for Xerneas next?"
Marie asked curiously.
"No need to specifically search. When Yveltal causes trouble again, it will naturally appear."
Sun Wuming said sideways:
"During this time, continue to increase your strength. The good days like yesterday are over, prepare yourselves mentally."
Feeling the invisible pressure emanating from Sun Wuming, Serena gulped.
But thinking of her mother and the townspeople of Vaniville Town still in their petrified state, she clenched her fists tightly.
I must become stronger, I absolutely must become stronger!
...
...710
In an underground area northwest of Geosenge Town in the Kalos region.
A massive secret base was hidden here.
This was the headquarters of Team Flare, the largest criminal organization in Kalos!
"Though we paid a certain price, we finally succeeded in capturing Yveltal."
A burly man, standing three inches taller than Sun Wuming at a full two meters, nodded with satisfaction.
However, his height wasn't his most striking feature.
The key point was his hairstyle, which reminded one of a Pokémon native to Kalos—
Pyroar.
This man was Lysandre, the leader of Team Flare.
His public identity was that of the president of Lysandre Labs, the most successful technology company in the Kalos region.
This company had discovered Mega Evolution, which benefited trainers worldwide, and invented holographic projection technology.
Thanks to these two outstanding contributions, Lysandre had successfully risen to the position of Kalos League President.
At this moment, the person conversing with Lysandre was Malva, one of the Kalos Elite Four.
Malva crossed her arms over her chest, further accentuating her rather alluring figure.
Her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly behind her red sunglasses, lost in thought.
Lysandre continued:
"Let's proceed with the plan. Now that we have Yveltal, luring out Xerneas will be child's play. Once we have both Pokémon under our control, our years-long wish can be fulfilled."
Few people knew why Yveltal and Xerneas had become such legendary powerful Pokémon.
It was because 3000 years ago, they had absorbed the power of the ultimate weapon that had once destroyed the entire Kalos region.
This weapon possessed both the power of destruction and eternal life.
And now, these powers were absorbed by the God of Destruction and Eternity.
In other words, Yveltal and Xerneas were the two keys to reactivating the ultimate weapon!
Lysandre's goal was to claim them for himself, to use them to activate the ultimate weapon.
"That plan won't work anymore."
However, faced with an enthusiastic Lysandre, Malva coldly threw cold water on his plans.
"What?"
Lysandre raised an eyebrow.
Malva spoke again in a cold voice:
"The operation has been exposed. Sun Wuming is also looking for Xerneas. If we use the old method, it will definitely attract him too."
Team Flare had originally planned to have Yveltal release its energy somewhere after capturing it, to draw out Xerneas.
But now this plan clearly wouldn't work.
Before they could lure out Xerneas, they might first attract Sun Wuming.
"Sun Wuming?"
Lysandre repeated this name, then suddenly realized:
"Oh, you mean that trainer with Zygarde? Even with Yveltal, you're no match for him?"
"...Zygarde's power exceeds that of Yveltal."
After a brief silence, Malva answered.
At this moment, Malva was somewhat conflicted, actually wanting to say that Sun Wuming's power might even exceed Zygarde's.
Back then outside Vaniville Town, when she released her Talonflame to ambush Sun Wuming to buy time for Yveltal to escape, and then...
Recalling the beam of light Sun Wuming had released with a wave of his hand.
Malva still got goosebumps thinking about it.
"Is that so? Indeed, Zygarde is troublesome. In that case, we need to find a more efficient method, we can't let him interfere."
Lysandre stroked his beard, thinking.
Malva hesitated for a moment, but decided to tell Lysandre about Sun Wuming.
"Beep~ Beep~ Beep!"
However, at this moment, her phone's ringtone interrupted her.
Malva took out her phone from her tight pants pocket.
Seeing the caller ID, her eyebrows furrowed.
Diantha!
"...Answer it."
Seeing this caller name, Lysandre was also startled for a second.
But he quickly gestured for Malva not to hesitate.
"Champion Diantha, what can I do for you?"
Malva answered the call in her usual tone.
"Malva, where are you right now?"
Diantha's tone was surprisingly calm, even somewhat chilling.
"I'm out shopping, why? Is something wrong?"
True to her role as Kalos's top news anchor, Malva lied without batting an eye.
"I'm at your villa right now. Please come immediately, I have something very important to discuss with you."
After saying this, Diantha hung up without even giving Malva time to respond.
"My identity has most likely been exposed."
Malva put down her phone and turned to look at Lysandre.
"Oh?"
Lysandre first furrowed his brows, then relaxed and said:
"Though it's been exposed earlier than planned, it's still within acceptable limits. No need to worry too much."
"Then I'll just disappear for a while..."
Malva thought that since her identity was most likely exposed, there was no need to meet with Diantha.
"Hmm!?"
Suddenly, Malva's body trembled, as if feeling a bone-chilling pain.
"What's wrong?"
Lysandre noticed Malva's change in expression.
Malva frowned deeply, her tone carrying some annoyance, "This Yveltal, it wants me to immediately replenish its life force."
Though Malva had managed to capture Yveltal, it wasn't exactly an obedient subject.
After being injured by Zygarde, it refused to accept treatment from Team Flare's internal medical staff, insisting on absorbing life force to heal itself.
"In that case, go ahead."
Lysandre indicated:
"If we can take this opportunity to further reduce the League's strength, that's not a bad thing."
"...Understood."
Malva responded coolly, striding out of the base.
...
...
Night, Lumiose City.
Malva's villa was located east of the Lumiose TV station.
Besides being one of the Kalos Elite Four, Malva had another public identity as Kalos TV's top news anchor.
This was arranged by Lysandre after he became the Kalos League President.
It was meant to facilitate Team Flare's intelligence gathering and even influence public opinion.
Malva walked along the streets of Lumiose City.
Her high heels clicked against the asphalt, making "dong dong" echoes.
This was too unusual.
Malva's beautiful eyes swept across both sides of the street behind her sunglasses.
For Kalos, even one of the most prosperous cities in the entire Pokémon world.
It was only evening, yet there wasn't a single person on the streets.
Back at her villa entrance.
After unlocking with her fingerprint, Malva found Diantha sitting elegantly on her living room sofa.
But her body emanated waves of coldness.
"Welcome home, Malva."
Diantha greeted with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"My my, what matter is so urgent that you'd break into my home to discuss, Champion Diantha?"
Malva returned the smile, sitting across from Diantha.
She wasn't surprised to find Diantha in her living room.
It was just a matter of Gardevoir's Teleport after all.
"No rush, before we talk, I'd like to ask you one question, Malva."
Diantha rested her chin on her hand, exuding intellectual beauty, but her eyes flashed with a cold light, "Where is your Talonflame?"
At these words, Malva's eyebrow twitched slightly.
Though it passed in an instant, it was still noticed by Diantha across from her.
"It got a minor injury during training, so it's being treated at the Pokémon Center now."
Malva maintained a calm demeanor.
"Oh? Which Pokémon Center? Let's go check on its condition together."
Diantha's lips curled up slightly.
"Champion Diantha, what exactly are you trying to say?"
At this point, Malva couldn't be bothered to pretend anymore.
Diantha's smile deepened as she snapped her fingers with a "pop."
Gardevoir appeared in the living room via Teleport, holding a Talonflame with thick bandages wrapped around its chest!
Though it no longer mattered, perhaps for aesthetics, Diantha had still had someone bandage Talonflame.
A flash of hatred passed through Malva's eyes.
Diantha asked with a smile:
"Is this the one? Elite Four Malva, could you explain why it appeared in Vaniville Town after Yveltal's rampage, and why it attacked Sun Wuming?"
This Talonflame was one of Malva's main Pokémon, how could she not know about it?
"...Champion Diantha, at this point, you don't need to demonstrate your acting talents in front of me."
Malva spread her hands.
BANG!!!
Suddenly, the front door was violently burst open.
Siebold, Wikstrom, Drasna, the three Elite Four members, along with dozens of Officer Jennys rushed into the villa, surrounding Malva.
"Don't move, Malva!"
Water-type Elite Four Siebold shouted.
— — —
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