The atmosphere was oddly subtle, yet filled with an undercurrent of tension.
Luther had never received such a bold, and frankly, embarrassingly cheesy, letter in his life.
"Tsk tsk, looks like someone's been hiding their true colors," Cynthia remarked, sipping her coffee with a mischievous glint in her eye.
Somehow, even while Luther had been quietly eating his meal, he had already prepared a small extra portion… for someone else? How did that even happen?
"When did you manage to get a girlfriend? You've barely had time to breathe, let alone meet anyone new. Don't tell me this is some sort of long-distance thing, are you dating online?"
Luther groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Give me a second to process this. First of all, I have no idea what you're talking about. I didn't do anything of the sort."
"Roses were delivered. Do you even know what it means when someone uses this kind of floral perfume on a gift?" Cynthia pressed, raising a brow.
"Is there a specific meaning behind it?" Luther asked, genuinely puzzled.
"It actually ties back to Pokémon behavior," Diantha chimed in. "Many species mark their territory with their scent. So if someone sprays perfume on a gift like this, it's a symbolic gesture, it's their way of 'claiming' you."
"Looks like someone's been watching you from afar," Cynthia said, resting her chin in her hand and stirring her coffee with theatrical flair. "They saw the girls around you and decided to make a statement with that gift box."
"I really don't think it's that serious," Diantha said flatly. "So she marked her territory, big deal. You're not obligated to play along."
Diantha was always direct. In her eyes, these sorts of gestures meant nothing in the long run. What really mattered was strength. If you could win something, then it was yours, simple as that.
"Okay, wait, let's rewind a bit." Luther raised his hands in exasperation. "I need to say this again: I have no idea what's going on. I haven't met anyone new, aside from the three of you, this entire time."
Diantha picked up the heart-patterned gift box and handed it over. "Didn't Nurse Joy mention there was a letter inside? Go on, open it already."
With three sets of eyes fixed on him, Luther lifted the lid. Inside was a single Poké Ball, with an envelope tucked neatly beneath it.
Luther reached for the letter, while Mai took the Poké Ball, holding it up for inspection.
"Mind if I release it?" She asked.
Still bewildered, Luther just nodded.
A pink, dreamlike figure emerged in a shimmer of light, blinking as it looked around.
The Musharna scanned the room, eyes finally landing on Luther, and without hesitation, it floated toward him and crashed into his chest.
Still processing the first line of the letter, Luther stumbled backward as Musharna clung to him, its breath hitching with quiet sobs.
Watching Musharna cry like a heartbroken child on his shoulder, Luther felt a wave of emotion swell in his chest.
What kind of loyalty did it take for a Pokémon to wait in the same house for twenty years… unwilling to leave… just for the chance to be reunited with its Trainer?
As Luther gently comforted the distressed Musharna, Cynthia began reading the letter aloud, unable to hide her amusement.
"You folks really live charmed lives," She muttered. "Even your rocks start blooming once they hit your soil. Not content with snatching up your own Champion, now you're trying to poach Sinnoh's rising stars too?"
"I already told you last time, it's all just a rumor. Nothing's been confirmed," Diantha replied, clearly unbothered.
Cynthia held up the letter with a smirk. "Then what's this, huh?"
"You should be asking Luther," Diantha said, brushing her hair behind her ear. "She claims to be his fiancée. Says they've been promised to each other since birth."
"But Luther was born in Sinnoh," Cynthia argued. "How would someone from Kalos even get involved with him?"
"Careful with your words," Diantha said coolly. "'Involved' sounds so scandalous. You should say 'entangled', it's more poetic."
She tapped the letter. "If you actually read it properly, you'd see that she visited Luther when they were both children. The whole letter hints that he's forgotten her."
At this point, Luther could no longer focus on calming Musharna. The conversation had veered into something so wildly unexpected that he found himself frozen.
With Musharna still clinging to him, he stood up, reached out, and snatched the letter from Cynthia's hand, his eyes scanning the words with disbelief.
The more he read, the more Luther's hands trembled. What in the world was happening?
'He had been sold by his parents right after he was born?'
Still reeling, Luther stood frozen as Mai hesitantly took the letter from his hand.
"Well? Aren't you going to say something?" she teased. "Like, how does it feel to have multiple wives already lined up?"
"It's fiancée," Diantha corrected for the second time, deadpan.
"Thanks for the invitation, but, ugh," Luther replied reflexively, nearly choking on his words.
"Why are you so worried? She's been thinking about you for over ten years. That kind of loyalty is rare."
"I'm just saying, it's strange, isn't it?" Mai leaned in thoughtfully. "They must've only met a few times as kids. And yet she remembers him so clearly? Something about that doesn't add up."
"Maybe Luther was especially charming as a kid? Or maybe something happened that made a lasting impression, like he rescued her from a wild Pokémon deep in the forest, and she's been devoted to him ever since."
"If you're going to talk like that, at least go all in. Write a script, cast me, and I'll act it out for you."
If such a passionate girl really existed, Diantha's first instinct would be to bring her home immediately. But after glancing at Mai, still carefully reading the letter, and then at Cynthia, who was clearly enjoying every moment of this drama, she sighed.
She didn't know what was going on in their heads, but a phrase drifted through Diantha's mind, unbidden:
'Those who don't take the initiative don't even earn the right to lose.'
Musharna, still unaware of the strange atmosphere, licked Luther's cheek affectionately, sensing his distress.
"Wait, there's something off about this letter!" Cynthia suddenly spoke up, shifting the tone again. Diantha was mid-sip, momentarily distracted.
"She claims to have remembered you for over a decade, but there's not a single actual memory mentioned. Not even one shared experience between you two."
Diantha narrowed her eyes and smirked, setting her cup down.
"The whole thing reads like it's trying too hard. All elegant phrases and fancy wording, but there's no real feeling behind it."
"Maybe the girl who likes Luther is just… an artsy type?" Cynthia offered with a shrug.
"Even so, someone like that would care more about the bond you share. But this letter? It's stiff. Flowery, but empty. No sincerity at all."
Diantha couldn't help speaking her mind. A woman's intuition was a powerful thing; when something felt off, it usually was.
"A prank?" Luther's breathing began to steady.
"Without a doubt," Mai said firmly. "This was set up just to mess with you."
"But who would go to such lengths… That's just mean."
Luther's voice caught in his throat.
"Have you offended anyone lately?" Mai asked.
"I barely interact with anyone these days. Who would be that bored or petty?"
"It's not just you they're targeting," Diantha said evenly, arms crossed. "They're mocking all three of us."
The others blinked in surprise, not fully understanding.
"You're not exactly free of enemies," Diantha continued. "There's someone you recently crossed, isn't there?"
Luther thought for a second, then froze.
"Oleander?"
"Exactly."
"But… why would she go this far?"
"It's not that complicated. After you got ambushed, Cynthia and I immediately retaliated. Oleander is the type who overthinks everything, always suspicious, never trusting coincidences. So to her, this might feel like cause and effect."
"You don't think she actually believes…" Luther's voice trailed off, unable to say it aloud. But the look in Diantha's eyes and Cynthia's contemplative silence said it all.
"She's lost it, hasn't she?" Luther muttered bitterly, finally snapping. "Seriously, is she completely out of her mind?"
"There's definitely a chance," Diantha replied with a shrug. "Who told her she wasn't crazy?"
(End of Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 30 chapters on my Patreon, and I've also activated a (date-to-date) subscription model on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395