"How should I communicate with Damian?"
Diantha had returned to her house. After taking a bath and putting on her pajamas, she felt very troubled.
She had said she would personally communicate and talk with the leader of Team Rocket, but now that the time had come, she didn't even know how to start a conversation with Damian.
Most importantly, the psychological pressure was truly immense.
What if the communication went poorly and caused Team Rocket to decide to go to war with the Kalos League?
She didn't know if she would be able to hold her ground against Damian when that time came.
No, even if she could hold her ground against Damian, none of her subordinates could hold their ground against Team Rocket's High Executives.
So, how should she describe this situation? It really put a lot of pressure on Diantha.
"Sigh. If it's a blessing, it's not a curse; if it's a curse, it can't be avoided."
In the end, Diantha gave a helpless sigh. At this moment, she couldn't help but groan.
The Kalos region had always been hardworking and dedicated. Usually, there were no big disasters or troubles at all, and things were very peaceful.
Diantha didn't have any great ambitions either. She only wanted to be a good actress and Champion while waiting for a younger person to surpass her.
Their Kalos region was already being so low-profile, so why did Team Rocket still target them?
Originally, if Team Rocket hadn't come, nothing would have happened in their region.
"Maybe I should ask the Champions of other regions."
Diantha hesitated for a moment. She checked the time and saw it was only seven o'clock in the evening. The Champions of other regions should not be asleep yet.
Diantha originally did not have the contact information for the other regional Champions. After all, although they were all League Champions, each region was governed separately. They were usually busy with their duties as Champions or their own hobbies.
Basically, there was no other communication between them.
However, the last time the Hoenn region asked for help, it allowed Diantha to get the contact information of several regional Champions from the Chairman.
After thinking about it, Diantha called Steven Stone. It was connected after a short while.
"Hello?"
"Champion Diantha?"
A magnetic and gentle young man's voice came through.
"It's me. Is this Champion Steven?"
"Yes. Does Champion Diantha have something to discuss? You can speak freely."
Steven went straight to the point. Except for the time they contacted each other during the request for help, they had not communicated since then.
Since Diantha was calling at this time, there was definitely something going on.
"It's like this. Today, I discovered that the Team Rocket leader, Damian, appeared in Lumiose City, so..."
"Is that so? Calculating the time, it's about right. Damian probably wants to develop Team Rocket in Kalos."
Steven thought for a moment after hearing this. He wasn't too surprised.
After all, it had been about half a month since Damian finished "planting his flag" in the Sinnoh region.
"We guessed the same thing. So, I want to ask for your advice, Mr. Steven. How should we deal with Damian?"
Diantha chose her words carefully and used the phrase "ask for advice."
"Champion Diantha, you are being too polite. Besides, I don't have any good ideas either." Steven's voice was quite complicated and helpless. He gave a sigh as he spoke.
People said he had experience dealing with Damian. Every region probably spread that story, but where did he get any experience from?
Once in Hoenn, once in Unova. Which time did he not end up with absolutely nothing? He was even threatened by Damian into taking two sets of widely circulated photo collections.
Because of that, there were now a huge number of people on the internet shipping him and Wallace as a couple.
Most importantly, after that "three-person" photo collection from Unova was released, there were actually people shipping him with Alder.
Damn it. They ship everything. How can people even ship that?
"Damian's personal strength has completely gone beyond the normal limits. Champion Diantha, I suggest that your side uses a gentle approach to negotiate with Damian."
"If you want to use force to pressure Damian and Team Rocket to leave Kalos... how should I put it? If it's just the Kalos League alone, the chance of winning is really not high."
Steven's words were actually extremely polite. Or rather, he was really giving face to Diantha and the Kalos League.
Forget the Kalos League. Even if there were two more regional Leagues, Steven felt there was still no real chance of winning.
And to be honest, if Diantha was asking him to go over and help deal with Damian this time...
Steven actually really wanted to politely refuse. Fight Damian? Is that something a human can do?
"I see. Actually, the plan we discussed is also this method," Diantha understood.
"That is a wise decision. To be honest, if we want to truly deal with Team Rocket and capture Damian now, we would definitely have to set a massive trap, gather the strongest people from all the regional Leagues, make perfect preparations, and even be prepared to sacrifice an entire region. Only then would success be possible."
Steven said seriously. And that was only the ideal situation.
"Is it... that exaggerated?"
Diantha was stunned when she heard this.
She seriously suspected that Steven was exaggerating.
"This is not exaggerated at all, Champion Diantha. That guy Damian is a total freak!"
A more magnetic and even somewhat effeminate young man's voice came through the phone.
"Is this Mr. Wallace?" Diantha immediately guessed who this person was.
The only Master-level Coordinator and the former Hoenn Champion who was captured twice by Team Rocket's Caitlin.
Ahem. This "captured twice" was also something Drasna mentioned today; otherwise, Diantha really wouldn't have known.
"Yes. Although my choice of words was a bit crude just now, that bastard Damian's strength is indeed beyond imagination."
"Oh, please forgive me for being crude again. But what I want to say is that the guy is a total monster. Sorry, I can't help myself whenever that jerk is mentioned."
Wallace's speech was a bit messy and excited, but Diantha roughly understood what Wallace meant.
She just didn't know what Damian had done to Mr. Wallace to make him so resentful.
Could it be that Mr. Wallace was targeted by Damian in an inappropriate way?
Diantha's curiosity was exploding. Because she had seen photos of Wallace, and he was even more delicate-looking than a girl. It wouldn't be strange for a man to take an interest in him.
"Alright, Wallace. You take a rest first. Anyway, Champion Diantha, the advice I can provide you is truly limited."
Steven pushed away Wallace, who was shouting and spitting everywhere, and spoke to Diantha.
In any case, he wasn't talking nonsense. To completely destroy Team Rocket, one would definitely need the determination to sacrifice a region.
After all, Primal Kyogre's Primordial Sea was right there. Although Giovanni's Primal Groudon could indeed compete with the Primordial Sea.
But that was also a method that would hurt the enemy a thousand times while hurting yourself eight hundred times.
Besides, in Steven's view, Team Rocket had not become so evil that they must be destroyed with everything the League had.
"And I must mention to you, Champion Diantha, that although Team Rocket did plenty of evil things before, Damian is the leader of Team Rocket now."
"Do you mean that Damian is actually not evil?" Diantha thought deeply.
"Correct. No, that's not entirely right. How should I describe it?" Steven paused to think.
"Damian is a person with a bottom line. He cannot be considered a bad person in the traditional sense, but he definitely cannot be considered a good person either."
"His personality is rather... unpredictable? I don't know how to say it. In short, he is a man who does whatever he wants. And in a way, his temper... is actually pretty good."
Steven said helplessly.
Diantha was a bit confused by Steven's words. What did it mean to not be a bad person in the traditional sense, but definitely not a good person either?
"Steven, why are you praising him?! How is that guy Damian not evil!"
Wallace's dissatisfied mumbling was also heard by Diantha.
It seemed Mr. Wallace really had strong resentment toward Damian.
"Who are you going to blame for the bad habits you picked up yourself? I told you to go back to Sootopolis City and let Mr. Juan look after you for a while."
Steven rolled his eyes.
"I refuse! My teacher would confiscate all my clothes. And if it weren't for Damian, damn it! How could I have seen this new world! I won't ever fall in love with another woman again."
Wallace almost ground his teeth to pieces.
"..." Steven was speechless.
Diantha felt that this was a huge piece of gossip! She was extremely curious right now. What kind of habit had Wallace picked up?
"Anyway, Champion Diantha, I believe that as long as you bring sincerity and talk to Damian properly, he won't be too excessive. As for the matter of letting Team Rocket move in..."
"Actually, you don't have to worry too much. The Kanto side has also accepted it by default. However, it is said that the Kanto League is already preparing to have a 'Great Negotiation' with Team Rocket. Just wait for the good news from the Kanto side."
Steven told Diantha. He had also heard some rumors.
It was said that the Kanto League had not come to an agreement with Team Rocket. It seemed the Kanto League was preparing to have a "muscle-flexing" contest with Team Rocket next to decide the final say for both sides.
Without a doubt, this would definitely be a very massive showdown. I'm afraid the Kanto headquarters will deploy fighting forces from all regions to fight against Team Rocket.
This was unprecedented. It was the largest battle since the Pokémon League began ruling the world.
Using all the League's fighting forces to fight against one team, it was truly exaggerated.
But to be honest, Steven felt that their League side might not necessarily win. That was the most ridiculous part.
There was no helping it. The pressure Damian brought was simply too overwhelming.
"A Great Negotiation?"
Diantha was stunned when she heard this. This was the first time she had heard this news.
"That's right. Get ready, Miss Diantha. I think Kanto will call us over when the time comes." Steven nodded.
This wasn't really a secret that couldn't be told. Steven believed Diantha wouldn't leak it either. After all, she was the Kalos League Champion.
How could a League Champion be one of Team Rocket's people?
Even if he took a step back and said Damian found out about this news, would he care particularly much?
Based on Steven's understanding of Damian, Damian probably wouldn't care at all. Or rather, Damian might even be happy, right?
After all, if Team Rocket could win this final round against all the League's gathered strength, then just as Damian said himself, he would truly be standing above the heavens.
"I understand."
Diantha licked her lips, which had become strangely dry. It seemed she could witness history... no, she was going to participate in history, wasn't she?
"Oh, one last question."
"Go ahead."
"I checked Damian's information. He was originally the eldest son of the Kanto Gym Leader, Giovanni. This information is correct, right?"
"That is correct. Damian is indeed Leader Giovanni's child."
"Then how did Damian end up joining Team Rocket?"
Diantha asked the question that confused her the most because the information did not mention this answer.
If Damian hadn't joined Team Rocket, how powerful would the League be right now?!
Upon hearing this, Steven's side fell into silence.
"How should I put it..."
Steven's very obvious sigh came through, and his tone was full of emotion.
"This matter is quite complicated. But as for the reason..."
"It's all Leader Giovanni's fault!"
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