If I use Fake Tears onto my Contrary Malamar, will her SpD get boosted instead of lowered? Or does Contrary only activate when targeted by an opponent?
Kind of like how you can't use Growl on your partner to activate Defiant.
As a matter of fact, yes. It doesn't matter who inflicts the stat change, as long as Contrary is in effect and the boosts/drops weren't Baton Passed, they will get reversed.
Hope I helped!