How should I communicate with Damian?
Back at her own house, Diantha, after a shower, puts on pajamas and is deeply distressed.
She thinks to herself about in-person communication with the Team Rocket boss, but when it comes down to it, she doesn't even know how to talk to Damian.
Most importantly, the pressure is enormous.
What if the conversation goes poorly and Team Rocket decides to engage Kalos League in battle?
Then she doesn't know if she can hold up against Damian.
No, even if she can hold up, no subordinate can withstand Team Rocket's top-tier Admin.
So how to handle this situation? This really puts Diantha under a lot of pressure.
"Ah—good luck is a blessing, misfortune is hard to dodge."
Diantha lets out a helpless sigh; she's lamenting.
Kalos Region has always been steady and diligent, usually peaceful with hardly any major disasters.
Diantha isn't particularly ambitious; she just wants to be a good actress and Champion, waiting for juniors to surpass her.
If their Kalos Region is so low‑key, why is Team Rocket still eyeing them?
If Team Rocket hadn't come, their Region wouldn't have any trouble at all.
"Maybe I should ask the champions from other regions."
Diantha hesitates briefly and glances at the time; it's only seven in the evening, so the other region champions should still be awake.
Diantha originally had no contact info for other region champions, since they are busy with Champion positions or their own hobbies, and exchanges between regions aren't frequent.
But last time Hoenn Region called for backup, it allowed Diantha to obtain contact info for several Region champions from the chairman.
Thinking this over, Diantha dials Steven's number; after a moment, it connects.
"Hello?"
"Champion Diantha?"
A magnetic, gentle young man's voice comes through.
"Is that Champion Steven?"
"Yes, Champion Diantha, what can I do for you? Speak frankly."
Steven cuts straight to the point; apart from the initial backup call, they haven't communicated since.
And Diantha's call now must mean there's something urgent.
"Is this: today I found that Team Rocket boss Damian appeared in Lumiose City, so…"
"Really? It's about time; Damian should be aiming to grow Team Rocket in Kalos, right?"
Steven considers for a moment, not too surprised.
After all, Damian had already planted a flag in Sinnoh Region not long ago.
"That's what we're thinking too, so I'd like to ask Mr.Steven for guidance on how to respond to Damian."
Diantha ponders over the words.
"Champion Diantha, you're welcome to ask, but I don't have a good solution."
Steven's voice carries a touch of complexity and helplessness; he's got deal-making experience with Damian—though in practice no one has ever truly succeeded.
Hoenn once, Unova once—did any of them ultimately win? And Damian even bullied them into shooting two widely circulated photo sets?
The internet is full of fanfic about Damian with Wallace, and now with Alder as well.
"Damian's personal strength has already gone beyond the ordinary; Champion Diantha, I would suggest you try a conciliatory approach with Damian."
"If you want to force Damian and Team Rocket away with force, how would that work? A Kalos League alone isn't likely to succeed."
Steven's words are careful, almost courteous, giving Diantha respect.
Even so, if Diantha asks him to deal with Damian… Steven would rather not bluntly reject it; fighting Damian? That's hardly a human task, is it?
"I see. In fact, the plan we discussed is this."
"This is a wise decision; honestly, to truly deal with Team Rocket and take Damian down, we'd need to set up a net across the Regions, gather all Region Leagues' strongest power, prepare for sacrifice of a Region, and only then might we succeed."
Steven speaks plainly; this is still a dream scenario.
"That's… rather ambitious, isn't it?"
Diantha is stunned.
That's not a small thing to say.
"This isn't exaggerated at all, Champion Diantha. Damian is truly a monster."
A deeper, more magnetic, almost sly young man's voice comes from the phone.
"Is that Mr. Wallace?"
Diantha instantly recognizes the speaker.
The former Hoenn Champion, a Master-class Coordinator who Team Rocket Caitlin captured twice.
Ahem—this capture twice is what Drasna mentioned earlier, otherwise Diantha wouldn't know.
"Yes, though I used rather rough wording just now, Damian is indeed an incredibly powerful bastard."
"Sorry for cursing again, but that guy is basically a monster; I apologize for swearing."
Wallace's words are a bit chaotic and excited, but Diantha roughly understands what he means.
In short, she wonders what Damian did to Mr. Wallace to provoke such resentment.
Could Mr. Wallace have been toyed with by Damian?
Diantha's mind buzzes with curiosity; she has seen Wallace's photos—he's finer than many women, so it wouldn't be surprising if a man took a shine to him.
"Alright, Wallace, you rest for now; in any case, Champion Diantha, my advice is limited."
Steven pushes aside the chatty Wallace and speaks to Diantha.
After all, wiping out Team Rocket would require sacrificing a Region, so they have to be prepared.
Moreover, Steven says, with the Primal Kyogre's Primordial Sea set in place, while Giovanni's Primal Groudon can contend, that would be a devastating approach.
But in Steven's view, Team Rocket hasn't reached the point where all-out wiping-out is necessary yet.
"And I must tell you, Champion Diantha, though Team Rocket has traditionally been an evil team, Damian is the Team Rocket boss now."
"Do you mean Damian isn't evil?"
Diantha ponders.
"Right, well, not exactly," Steven muses, "how to phrase it… Damian has a bottom line; he isn't a traditional villain, but he's not a good guy either."
"His personality is … unpredictable? I don't know how to say it; basically he's a free spirit, and in some ways his temper is—decent."
Steven sighs, almost helpless.
Diantha is surprised by Steven's words—how could he suggest Damian isn't evil?
"What do you mean by that? How can you say he's not evil?"
Wallace mutters something discontentedly, and Diantha hears him.
It's clear Mr. Wallace harbors strong resentment toward Damian.
"You've picked up bad habits—if you'd go back to Sootopolis City, and have Mr.Juan supervise you for a while…"
Steven rolls his eyes.
"I reject that; Sensei would confiscate all my clothes, and if it weren't for Damian, I'd never have seen this new world! I wouldn't fall for any other woman in the future."
Wallace grits his teeth.
"… "
Diantha senses this is a huge bombshell. What addiction has Wallace picked up?
"Anyway, Champion Diantha, I think if you approach Damian with sincerity, he won't go too far. As for letting Team Rocket settle in Kalos… don't worry too much; the Kanto side has also given tacit approval, though apparently the Indigo League is preparing to have a "big negotiation" with Team Rocket. Let's wait for news from the Kanto side."
Steven gives Diantha a heads-up; he's heard whispers too.
Supposedly, Indigo League hasn't fully stabilized with Team Rocket; it seems they plan to test the muscle in a confrontation to decide who has the final say.
Without question, this is going to be the most massive last clash ever—an all-League deployment across Regions to fight an organization.
This is unprecedented since the Pokémon League began ruling the world.
But to be honest, Steven thinks their League may not win; the shadow Damian cast is too deep.
"A big negotiation?"
Diantha is surprised; she's hearing about this for the first time.
"Yes, prepare yourself, Champion Diantha. I think Kanto will summon us over."
Steven nods.
This isn't really a secret; Diantha wouldn't reveal it anyway, since she's Kalos League Champion.
How could a League Champion be tied to Team Rocket?
Even if, hypothetically, Damian knew this news, would he care?
From Steven's view of Damian, probably not; or perhaps he would even be pleased—if Team Rocket could win this League's grand decisive battle, then as Damian says, he would stand above all.
"I understand."
Diantha licks her dry lips, about to witness history—no, to participate in it.
"By the way, one last question."
"Ask."
"I checked Damian's data; he's the eldest son of Giovanni, the Kanto Gym Leader. That's correct, right?"
"That's right—Damian is indeed Gym Leader Giovanni's son."
"Then why did Damian join Team Rocket?"
Diantha asks her most puzzled question, because the data doesn't provide an answer.
If Damian hadn't joined Team Rocket, how strong would the League be right now?!
Steven's side falls silent.
"How to say it…"
Steven sighs with a hint of sadness in his tone.
"This is a complicated matter, but the reason is…"
"All on Gym Leader Giovanni!"
~~
Get early access to 160+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
patreon.com/PokemonStoryWeaver
~~~