The Sinnoh League had long since grown used to Cynthia taking sudden leave, so when she claimed she was "feeling unwell and going home to rest," hardly anyone actually believed her. They all assumed she simply didn't want to attend the post-tournament banquets and media events.
What Cynthia probably hadn't expected, though, was that because Luther was also "sick," the League decided to postpone most of the champion's celebratory events by three days. After all, once a doctor's note was officially handed in, it would be pretty awkward to force the issue.
Still, some people found it strange. Cynthia and Luther seemed to get along quite well, so now that Luther had won the conference, shouldn't Cynthia at least show up out of courtesy?
While the rumors swirled, the two "patients" quietly slipped away from the crowds and returned to the Contestant Village.
Having received Luther's message ahead of time, Mai, Ash, and the others were already waiting for him on the small hill behind the artificial lake.
Luther gently ruffled Mai's hair. "I wanted to celebrate with you properly, but things didn't work out that way. Let's do it as soon as I get back."
Mai had already guessed why Luther was leaving in such a hurry, so she just held him tightly. She knew Luther understood everything she wanted to say without needing the words.
"There are plenty of Champions tagging along this time, and your boyfriend isn't exactly weak either," Cynthia said with a grin, patting Garchomp's wing. "No need to worry so much. I promise I'll bring him back safe and sound."
That reassurance eased Mai's worries considerably.
Nearby, Diantha fed Noivern some energy-boosting Pokémon food. By the time they reached Oreburgh City, it would already be the middle of the night, and their long-distance "drivers" needed to stay in top shape.
Dakota was doing the same, watching Salamence finish off an entire can of food before stuffing several more into his backpack just in case.
Ash could tell from everyone's battle-ready attitude that they were heading off to deal with something incredibly serious. Watching Cynthia prepare, he couldn't help stepping forward. "I want to help too."
The answer he received was an immediate no.
"Then why can Dakota go but I can't?" Ash protested.
Luther and Dakota exchanged a quick glance before answering in perfect unison. "Because we have history with these guys. You're completely uninvolved."
Ash opened his mouth to argue, but couldn't think of a comeback.
Luther tossed his phone over, and Ash caught it, looking completely confused.
Smiling, Luther reminded him, "We made a bet before the tournament. You're not going to go back on your word, are you?"
Ash answered without hesitation. "Of course not. A bet's a bet. But I want to know... will I ever get to learn that secret?"
Luther thought for a moment before looking him straight in the eye. "Sure. Win a League first."
"...What?"
"Become the Champion of any regional League within the next two years. If you do that, I'll tell you."
Ash agreed instantly. He had thought he'd lost his chance to ever learn Luther's secret, but now he had a brand-new goal. Ash had never lacked confidence.
During his journey through Sinnoh, he'd met so many incredible people, learned from their experiences, and grown tremendously. This time he had finished as the runner-up, only one step away from the top. He didn't believe that becoming a Champion was out of reach.
Even Brock thought this was a promise Ash could actually fulfill. After all, throughout their Sinnoh journey, he'd watched Ash mature by leaps and bounds.
"I've already pulled up the number for you," Luther urged. "Just press call."
Diantha, Cynthia, and Dakota all watched Ash curiously, intrigued by the mysterious phone call. They had never been able to figure out what this bet between Luther and Ash was really about. Normally, a wager either rewarded the winner or embarrassed the loser. So... was this phone call supposed to embarrass Ash?
True to his word, Ash immediately pressed the call button.
"Put it on speaker," Luther added, a grin he couldn't suppress spreading across his face. He was genuinely dying to see how this would play out.
"Oh, okay." Ash turned on the speakerphone.
"I'm such a terrible person," Luther muttered to himself with a self-deprecating smile.
Silence filled the air, and the ringing tone seemed unusually loud in the quiet night. Just as everyone thought no one was going to answer, a gentle young woman's voice came through the line.
"Hello? This is Serena. Who's calling?"
Everyone's eyes immediately darted to Luther, then instantly locked onto Ash. Brock thoughtfully stroked his chin, while Dawn frowned slightly, sensing the drama.
Completely oblivious to the tension, Ash answered casually, "I'm Ash. Ash from Pallet Town."
On the other end, Serena repeated his name several times, her words coming faster and faster. "You're Ash? The Ash from Pallet Town?"
The excitement and eagerness in her voice were impossible to miss, yet Ash simply replied at his usual dense pace, "Yeah. I don't think anyone else in Pallet Town has the same name as me..."
The line went quiet for a moment. Ash couldn't help glancing at Luther, still having no idea what counted as fulfilling their bet.
"Do you... remember, back at the Pokémon Summer Camp... helping a girl who fell down?" Serena's voice grew quieter with every word. "You even bandaged her knee... and walked her back to her group."
By now, everyone listening in had figured it out. This was incredibly juicy. All eyes were glued to Ash, eagerly waiting for his response. Surely this was the perfect chance to say something sweet.
"Oh..." Ash suddenly looked enlightened. Then he knitted his brows in deep thought. "Did that really happen?"
Luther slapped a hand over his face. Brock looked like he couldn't bear to watch, and Dawn buried her face in her hands.
"It did! It did!" Serena blurted out excitedly. Realizing she'd gotten a bit carried away, she quickly tried to calm herself. "Is this your phone number? Where are you right now?"
"No, it's my friend Luther's phone. I'm on Lily of the Valley Island in Sinnoh. I just finished competing in the conference."
While Ash and Serena were talking, Diantha quietly nudged Luther. "If I remember correctly, that's a Kalos region phone number, isn't it?"
"That's right," Luther whispered back.
"Interesting." Diantha smiled. "In a year's time, preparations for the Lumiose Conference will begin. Maybe we should invite Ash to visit Kalos."
On the phone, after finding out exactly where Ash was, Serena was already making plans to head for Sinnoh. Her decisiveness was honestly impressive.
Cynthia, who had been thoroughly enjoying the show, glanced at the time and reluctantly reminded them they had to leave.
Ash handed the phone back to Luther.
"Sorry, that's all the time you two get for now," Luther spoke into the receiver. "Ash will be staying on Lily of the Valley Island for a while longer, though. If you want to come to Sinnoh, just tell your family you're coming at Cynthia and Diantha's personal invitation."
Cynthia and Diantha both froze. He was really dragging them into this just to help Serena out. Still, after enjoying such entertaining gossip, neither of them actually minded.
Serena, her heart still buzzing, finally realized that the person who had made this phone call possible was a complete stranger. "...Luther?"
"Yeah. Cynthia, Diantha, and I have something urgent to take care of, so we can't stay and chat." Luther lowered his voice slightly. "I've given you the opening. The rest is up to you."
Ash was still somewhat bewildered by the whole exchange, but when he saw Cynthia and the others climbing onto their Pokémon, he quickly snapped back to reality. "Luther, whatever it is you're going to do... good luck."
Luther smiled and traded a high-five with Ash.
Noivern, Altaria, Garchomp, and Salamence took off together. Under the watchful eyes of Mai, Ash, and their friends, the four powerful Pokémon gradually disappeared into the night sky.
Beneath that same sky, far out over the open sea, a Dragonite flew at top speed, carrying Lance as he took the shortest possible route toward Oreburgh City.
'(End of Chapter)'
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