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It was highly likely that whatever Evergreen wanted from Luther had to do with their current operation.
Luther never expected Evergreen to start the conversation this way.
"You guys from the Hoodlums can't handle it, so you want me to?" Luther held his emotions in check and quickly continued, "I remember you showing off your 'strength' back at the Moon Loop Commercial District, didn't you?"
"If we stepped into the light, it would be an easy problem to solve. But we can't."
Luther snapped. "So you want me to take that risk? Evergreen, you're something else. Last time, you didn't trust me, so you sent some weirdo to ambush me. Then, you sent someone else to 'apologize.' But you didn't even show up yourself. It's hard for me to believe your sincerity, you know."
Also, right when I entered Rockshade Town today, you suddenly appeared. We agreed that you wouldn't track me. Did you treat that promise like a fart?"
I've already seen plenty of your Hoodlums' broken promises. Do you want to put on another show for me? Or do you really think I won't turn hostile?"
Unexpectedly, Evergreen laughed... light and relaxed.
"First of all, I didn't track you. Sun Heart City has the highest population density in all of Sinnoh. It's perfectly normal for our people to move around the nearby towns. When they spotted you and reported it to me, that was normal, too. My word is always good. If I say no tracking, then there's no tracking. Believe it or not."
Second, you said "turn hostile"? Sorry, but what exactly would you do? What can you accomplish if you turn hostile?"
Luther frowned. Evergreen's attitude told him something.
"If we were face-to-face, maybe I'd worry about you going down with me. But we're separated by a phone line now. As for the other Hoodlums you want revenge on, be my guest."
As expected. During their first clash in the Moon Loop Commercial District, Evergreen didn't understand Luther and wasn't mentally prepared. Luther's combination of actions left Evergreen dazed. Although the "gift" he sent later increased Evergreen's caution, it was still only caution.
Just like in the Pokémon League, Luther had no way of locating the Hoodlums. Harsh words or threats of retaliation fell on deaf ears.
Evergreen didn't blow up earlier only because Luther's claim of "stalling two Champions" had been enough to keep him quiet.
"All right, stop getting angry. Turning hostile is boring. Besides, what I need you to do isn't difficult. You just need to go out, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself. Why are you so worked up?"
Luther steadied himself. He was losing this conversation—if he kept pretending to be angry, he'd keep losing ground. He needed to change the rhythm.
"Eat, drink, and enjoy myself?" Luther's voice carried a mocking tone. "Such a great task, why don't you do it yourself?"
Evergreen repeatedly clicked his tongue and said regretfully, "If I could be as close to Cynthia as you are, I'd love to take her out for a nice meal. Dining with Cynthia is a dream for many people. But you've already done it. In that respect, I really envy you."
Luther didn't let Evergreen distract him with this nonsense. He latched onto the real point.
"You want me to invite Cynthia out to dinner? What do you plan to do while she's gone?"
"Do you really need to know that much?"
Luther replied instantly. "Depending on your answer, I'll decide how much effort I put into this. If you're planning something big and she leaves halfway through, don't blame me for not trying hard enough."
Evergreen chuckled. "You didn't mention the possibility of not being able to get Cynthia to go out with you. Things are really going well between you two, it seems."
"It's not much of a secret. Two important Hoodlum members failed to retreat from Sun Heart City in time. The Pokémon League and the International Police are investigating heavily, so they'll be exposed sooner or later. I think they're useless, but the higher-ups believe they still have some value. So, I have no choice but to step in."
Sun Heart City is Cynthia's turf. I'm not afraid of the Pokémon League or the International Police. The only thing I'm worried about is Cynthia being summoned away by League members. If that happens, those two are done for."
"With your relationship with Cynthia, this shouldn't be hard, right?"
It wasn't difficult at all—it was a classic bait task.
He made it sound casual. "Two important people are being chased." He said they were "useless." But did he really think that everyone in the Hoodlums was blind and brainless except for him?
Obviously, these two were core members; otherwise, Evergreen wouldn't be personally involved.
If the Pokémon League captured them, they'd gain major intel and make an enormous breakthrough.
For so long, the League hadn't been able to grasp a single thread of the Hoodlums. Now, one had fallen into Luther's lap.
If he pulled on this thread, what information might he uncover?
For a brief moment, Luther felt excited, but a strange sense of foreboding instantly cooled him.
He couldn't stay silent. He needed to keep responding; otherwise, Evergreen might notice something.
"When?"
"So you agree?" Evergreen asked.
"Evergreen, didn't you date Oleander? Is something wrong with your brain? Did you go swimming in a river and let water into your skull?"
Luther couldn't help but be sarcastic.
"Asking a girl out is an art. It all takes preparation: how to ask, when to ask, where to go, planning the whole day, and raising affection."
Do you think you can just call her up, say, 'Let's eat,' finish the meal, and send her home? Is it that simple?"
How did Oleander's blindness get cured anyway? I saw her once before, and she didn't seem blind at all. How did she even fall for you in the first place? Please tell me; I'm genuinely curious. I'd like to be brainless and still have girls like me, too."
In Luther's world, snark was an art form. He wasn't a master, but taking down Evergreen was well within his skill level.
Just from hearing Evergreen's faint exhale, even though he had pulled away slightly from the microphone, Luther could tell that he was hesitating about asking for a direct call.
The Espurr hanging on Luther's chest looked up at him with an admiring expression. It was the first time she had heard her trainer speak like this. It sounded…oddly attractive.
This time, Evergreen didn't respond for quite a while. Clearly, he was hesitating.
"If you don't speak up, I'm hanging up. If you mess this up, it might drag me down too. I don't have time to get involved in your damn problems."
Luther's words finally prompted Evergreen to speak.
"Four days later. Sunday. You have four days to prepare. Cynthia stopped participating in Pokémon League affairs a long time ago, so there won't be any scheduling conflicts. It won't be hard to arrange a meeting with her. I only need four hours. During that time, you must ensure that Cynthia cannot answer her phone.
Luther fell silent. It was clear that Evergreen was fully prepared. The fact that he didn't say, "I'll contact you again closer to the time," was proof enough.
They needed to keep the most unstable factor occupied.
First, he had to agree. Only by doing so and then rushing to Sunyshore City to discuss things with Cynthia could he properly handle what came next.
"Fine. I agree."
Evergreen's smile had barely begun to surface when Luther's voice sounded again.
"But don't you think you should show some sincerity?"
Evergreen seemed to have expected this. He let out a small chuckle and said, "There's a backpack in the trash can to the right of the Pokémon Center's front entrance. Inside is the cash you'll need for your date with Cynthia."
"You say I don't understand women, maybe I'm not as good as you but I at least know the basic courtesy of not making a woman pay on a date."
Luther snorted. Evergreen really didn't understand what liking someone meant, nor what love was.
But he couldn't be bothered to point it out.
"You don't seem pleased with what I said."
"I'm very dissatisfied with what you did," Luther replied.
"In what way? Was giving you money not enough?" Evergreen was stunned.
Luther snarled, "Have your guys take the money out of the backpack, put it in a clean, scentless bag, and bring it to me. Otherwise, the deal's off."
"Evergreen, are you trying to make a fool out of me? You expect me to dig through a trash can for a bag of cash? Do you think too highly of your money?"
Perhaps sensing Luther's quickened breathing and near-explosive anger, Evergreen dialed a number and signaled the person near the Pokémon Center to handle it, right in front of Luther.
"My oversight. Apologies. Are you satisfied now?"
"Maybe you know best," Luther replied with a cold laugh.
He turned toward the Pokémon Center entrance. A burly man dressed in black and wearing a baseball cap appeared in his line of sight. He walked to the trash can, bent down, and started rummaging through it.
"By the way, there's something I've always felt I should remind you of."
Just as Luther was about to speak, hang up, and address the situation, Evergreen's voice came through again.
This time, his tone was completely different. It was as if he were speaking to Luther the way he had during their first meeting, when Luther didn't know who he was. Every word carried a gentle, approachable quality.
"I looked into what you did after you left Shiran. I have to say, your life path is… fascinating."
Luther shuddered.
"I heard you caught Cynthia's attention because of your debut and your blind pick battle with Professor Rowan. Of course, that's just like Cynthia. She often approaches trainers who show talent in battle and gives them a few pointers. For someone as powerful as her, looking for a future star to be a potential rival is perfectly reasonable when she gets bored."
"Thanks for the reminder. I know I'm not the only one Cynthia thinks highly of. She's contacted several other talented Trainers. I even know two of them. You don't need to create a sense of crisis for me. I know my own worth."
You're a smart person. I've never doubted that." Evergreen's smile was faint and almost mocking. "But you've never really thought about this, have you? Cynthia's care for you is one thing. But why did Lance and Diantha allow you into their circle?"
"That's the Champion's circle. Don't you think you blended in a little too easily?"
"Tell me, smart man. Do you believe there's such a thing as love without reason in this world?"
(End of Chapter)