Oleander held her phone to her ear, stunned that Diantha had actually hung up.
'Was she really not worried about leaking something like that?'
The Kalos Region practically worshipped Diantha. Maybe a breaking story wouldn't mean much to her personally, but for Luther, it would be a catastrophe.
Diantha's fame and prestige were already cemented. At worst, she'd be dragged through the gossip circuit for a while before bouncing back. But Luther? He'd be thrust into chaos.
Oleander could already picture it: groups of people, frustrated by their own powerlessness, would swarm to Sinnoh to take their anger out on Luther.
"Is she trying to fall from grace on purpose?"
Pacing the courtyard, Oleander tugged at her hair in frustration, mind racing.
If that were the case, then her threat would be meaningless. Diantha would take a short hit in the press, then walk away from everything with a clean slate, back to being the adored star, free of all burdens.
Luther would have to weather some public pressure, but in the end, he'd get to stand beside her.
And she, Oleander, would be the one left behind, shouldering the consequences. The International Police would abandon her to shield their reputation without any hesitation.
Some of them would probably celebrate the moment they saw her fall.
"Could they really not be in that kind of relationship?"
Oleander sighed, pressing her temples. She stared at Diantha's name on the screen, then tapped the call button again.
No answer.
She knew Diantha was ignoring her on purpose, so she kept trying, waiting her out.
On the fourth call, Diantha finally picked up, her tone as cool as ever. "Did you call the reporters?"
"You win," Oleander muttered. "Tell me. Why'd you really get involved?"
"Hippopotas."
Oleander blinked, thrown off by the unexpected answer. It didn't sound like a non-sequitur, but she couldn't place the connection.
"Sorry, what?"
"The only Pokémon that died in the Kalos amplification device incident... was one I personally chose to put down. Do you get it now? In a way, we share the same enemy."
Silence hung between them, heavy and uncertain, neither of them quite sure how to move forward.
"You don't believe me, do you? Even though I'm the Kalos Champion. Even though my name is everywhere in this region."
"I only trust myself." Oleander's reply was curt, sharp-edged.
"Then you must live a very exhausting life. No friends. No one at your side."
"You're right. I'm not meant to have any." She exhaled slowly. "But I'm offering you something. Cooperation. I'll share whatever I find. You have to do the same."
"Listen carefully. The situation surrounding Luther's parents is more complicated than you think. I've got enemies within the International Police, and I can't investigate openly. I need you to help, pose as a tourist, and follow up on a few things."
"First, track down the professor who oversaw Luther's parents when they were studying at Rainbow University. Ask him how many people knew about their first research paper. I've already narrowed it down to two suspicious individuals, I'll send you their profiles shortly."
"Second, I can't investigate the old family home in Sun Heart City. You'll have to find a way to visit it... But don't tell Luther."
Diantha's voice was tinged with surprise. "You want me to sneak around behind his back? Like you do?"
"It ties back to the first lead," Oleander muttered, rubbing at her eyes. "Also, if you can, look into the wild Pokémon ambush incident from his past."
"What exactly are you saying?"
"My gut's telling me something's off."
"You solve cases based on your gut?"
Something snapped in Oleander's mind. Heat surged up through her chest and into her head.
"I've hunted down almost every last rat in the International Police with nothing but my instincts!"
"It's my gut that's kept the agency from collapsing under its own weight!"
"I can smell those people hiding in the dark, like something rotten. Ever since I got stabbed, I've had this sense. I didn't stay in the agency for the pay. I stayed because I can still smell them."
Her voice had grown low, guttural, more beast than human. The sheer intensity in it sent a chill through the line.
"You asked if the knife hurt?"
"It hurt a lot. When it pierced through, I couldn't even speak. I just lay there, watching the rain fall from the sky, my body growing colder with every drop."
"Every time it rains at night, I curl up in bed and feel those raindrops again. That wound throbs. I can only fall asleep with a wall against my back."
"That intuition, that instinct, that's what the knife gave me."
Diantha said nothing.
There was a flicker of despair buried within Oleander's wild, frenzied words, a fragile truth that made Diantha drop the idea of continuing their verbal sparring.
"I'll be heading to Kanto this afternoon."
The moment she heard those words, a signal that cooperation had begun, Oleander's previously intense expression softened significantly.
"If you ever learn to let go of your distrust, if you choose to believe in me and in Cynthia... then come find me once you're done with your duties at the International Police."
"Really, you just feel sorry for me. Forget it. Didn't you once say I'm like a walking furnace, too dangerous to be near?"
"Beautiful butterflies shouldn't fly too close to the flames. If I burn out completely... and you still remember me, then bring it up again."
"Sweet dreams."
With that, Diantha ended the call.
Oleander stumbled back to her room, crawled under the blanket, and curled up, trembling. Nestled against her Ninetales, Beedrill, and Gastly, she quietly sought the comfort of sleep.
Meanwhile, Diantha was already dialing the number for the Kalos Pokémon League's event operations team.
"Leave of absence? Indefinite? What's going on? Weren't you just in Sinnoh for vacation? Did something happen?"
A barrage of questions came at once, leaving Diantha slightly dizzy, unable to explain herself clearly.
"Just… don't contact me for any upcoming League events."
"But your name's already on the schedule for several appearances. Couldn't you at least return for those?"
"Cancel everything. If there are any penalties, send them to me later. I'll handle it."
"You can't just go off the radar like Cynthia…"
Diantha let out a long sigh, feeling a wave of irritation she couldn't quite place.
There was no point in venting it on the events team, it wasn't like her. Without another word, she hung up the call. Staring out the hotel window, she let her mind drift in silence.
Once she was certain her emotions had settled, she picked up her phone again and called her assistant, Minami.
"Terminate the contract? But the press already leaked your involvement. Several actors only joined the project because you were attached. If you drop out now, the whole thing might collapse."
"If they demand penalties, pay them double. Triple, if that's not enough. Even quadruple, if it comes to that. Any losses caused by me, take responsibility and cover them."
"Money isn't the issue," Minami said gently. "I'm worried about your name. Your reputation."
Diantha paused. She rubbed her temples, and for a moment, Cynthia's teasing voice echoed in her mind, the way she had once pinched her cheek and asked:
"Am I really too easy to talk to?" Diantha muttered to herself.
That quiet question lingered. And with it came a quiet revelation.
There was no need to hesitate anymore.
"I think... I want to damage my good-girl image a little. Cancel everything."
After ending the call with Minami, Diantha sat quietly for a long time before finally standing.
Keeping too close to someone like Oleander was clearly unwise. Her madness, her despair, it radiated like an oppressive force, pulling everything nearby into chaos.
Anyone who tried to reach for her, to save her, to truly understand her… would only be dragged down into that darkness.
And yet, Diantha still found herself wanting to reach out.
(End of Chapter)
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