CHAPTER 2

Diantha crossed one leg over the other. Her eyes regarded me with nothing but curiosity.

"There's a lot of things I'd like to talk about—" she began, but I held up a hand before she could continue.

"Couldn't this have waited until after the Conference? I thought the Kalos elites would be busy preparing for it," I politely interjected.

In fact, the Lumiose Conference was only a week off. Since it was one of the biggest events our country had to offer, naturally a lot of effort went into making sure it was the best it could be.

This year in particular was a tricky one considering the recent incident here in Lumiose.

"Thank you for your concern, but preparations are going well. We're doing our best to ensure everyone feels safe," Diantha assured me. "Coming here was more important. I didn't know if you'd up and vanish to another part of Kalos."

"I wouldn't have done that. This is my office, you know. Has been for the last year. I don't plan on leaving Lumiose anytime soon."

"I'm well aware. I worried regardless," Diantha replied. She leaned back in her seat, one slender finger tapping rhythmically against her knee. "It's an interesting setup you have going on here, Monsieur Odaria—"

"Ray is fine."

"—Ray," Diantha smoothly corrected. She continued on without pause. "The Problem Solver has come up a lot lately in local reports. The rumor goes that he'll do anything for the right information."

"Not anything," I corrected. I reached up and idly patted Astre, humming to myself. "I may help people when the authorities cannot, but I'm pleased to inform you that I've never stepped outside the boundaries of the law."

Diantha Carne was not impressed.

"Yet you toe the line."

I shrugged in response. Diantha looked like she wanted to roll her eyes, but she gracefully refrained.

"Let us move on. The Problem Solver isn't the only name you go by, is it? Charles Fabreau, Antoine Martin, Lyam Damita, Pierre Tremblay…"

On and on Diantha went listing names, all of which were fake identities I went by. I whistled softly and clapped my hands together in light applause when she was finally done.

"Excellent sleuthing," I sincerely congratulated her. "You missed seven, though."

This time, Diantha actually rolled her eyes. Only the most beloved icon of Kalos could make such an action look as glamorous as she did.

"Yes, well, you certainly made our Directorate of Intelligence shed tears of blood. Trying to uncover everything you've been up to since returning to Kalos was like following the tracks of a phantom, which isn't far off the mark considering where your specialty as a trainer apparently lies," Diantha said flatly. "I'm lucky I dug far enough through last year's border entry records that I was able to make the connection between Raynard Odaria, the Problem Solver, and Monsieur Nuit. Speaking of…"

Diantha paused, staring at me. "You do realize what sort of fuss you kicked up a year ago at the Battle Chateau, right? I lost 2-4. My reputation took a hit."

"I do apologize," I said with a shrug of my shoulders, leaning back in my seat. "It wasn't my intention to besmirch the reputation of our Champion, but you know how it is as a fellow trainer. We don't want to lose."

"While I admit it frustrated me at the time, I'm not angry about it. I'm more curious about how you got so strong, but I'd rather ask something else."

Diantha tilted her head.

"Do enlighten me. What business did you have at the Battle Chateau, Monsieur Nuit?"

Now there was a title I hadn't heard lately. Monsieur Nuit… It was the name of the masked individual — none other than me — who'd taken the Chateau by storm last year. I hadn't gone back to the Chateau as Monsieur Nuit since then, but I'd used plenty of other fake identities and appearances.

The establishment had a long and storied history. Once, it had been a country club for Kalosian nobles. Later, its owners converted it into a public school out of noblesse oblige. It even became a temporary base for revolutionaries during future wars.

Today, it was simply a place for Kalosian trainers to gather, mingle, and battle from all walks of life.

The Kalos League Circuit was typically praised for its prestige and high level of competition. A large part of it was because of the Battle Chateau. Local trainers were able to push themselves harder thanks to a centralized place where they could always find opponents.

Even the elites — the Kalos Champion, Elite Four, and Gym Leaders — dropped by the Chateau occasionally in search of a good fight. They were a big reason why the Chateau was so popular in the first place. It gave ordinary trainers a chance to fight them outside of ongoing League Circuits and Conferences, but only if they had the corresponding rank.

The Battle Chateau had a unique system where points were handed out based on what kinds of opponents you defeated. Depending on how many points you possessed, the Chateau assigned you an honorary noble title inspired by the real ranks of Kalosian nobility. For example, our Champion was an Honorary Grand Duchess… at least within the context of the Battle Chateau.

This gimmick was fairly popular with young trainers nowadays. They found it amusing to say the least.

I liked going to the Battle Chateau for a good fight as much as anyone else, but I'd started frequenting the Chateau a little over a year ago for an entirely different reason.

So many people gathered there that it was a good place to gather intel and connections.

"I was trying to gauge how I fared against the trainers of this country," I said instead. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either.

Diantha knew it.

"Please, let us be truthful with each other, Ray," Diantha implored. She crossed her arms with a certain look that I wasn't sure I liked. "It was after our fight at the Chateau that I first started looking into your identity. I wasn't going to let someone that powerful roam around Kalos until I knew if you were a threat or not. Do you know how difficult it was getting to this point? To this office?"

The fact that it had taken her a year to find me said everything, but I held my tongue.

"Now that I know Raynard Odaria and Monsieur Nuit are the same person, I don't think you're a threat anymore obviously. Only questions remain," Diantha said, and she leaned forward in her chair. "You've been haunting the Battle Chateau. You've bought several different establishments in and out of Lumiose, and you've been masquerading as everyone but Raynard Odaria. What are you up to?"

"What do you think?" I deflected, asking her a question instead.

Blue eyes gleamed in the light.

"I think you came back to this country for one purpose only. You're looking for the serial killer, aren't you?"

Silence befell the office.

My lips were curled in the shape of a smile as always. I was pleased to say that my inner emotions weren't in turmoil either. They were still, like the surface of a lake that hadn't yet been touched.

They had to be.

"And if I said I was?" I answered.

"No more beating around the bush. Are you here for the serial killer or not?"

We engaged in a silent stare-off. Eventually, my lips parted to form two words.

"I am."

Diantha let out a long, shuddering breath. She didn't say anything as she slumped back in her chair. I did the same.

"I knew it…" she finally murmured. A sense of weariness filled her tone. "It was the only reason that made sense to me. I don't know why you were so reluctant to tell me one simple truth."

"Can you blame me?" I retorted in a tone that bordered on sarcastic. "My grandparents and I lost our faith in the Kalos League after they failed to uncover the truth from fifteen years ago. You're probably here to tell me to stop."

Diantha exhaled again, this time more heavily than the last.

"I said it back then, and I'll say it again now. On behalf of the Kalos League and this country… I'm sorry. We truly tried our best. We're still trying even now—"

"Yet another Gym Leader is dead," I said. The frigid way I said it did not match the smile on my face. "A pillar of our country, one of the strongest trainers… gone. The serial killer — he who goes after nobles — strikes again."

Diantha jolted a bit in place.

"You… That wasn't mentioned in the news. How did you know that Meyer was—"

"A baron? That, before taking up his post as Gym Leader years ago, he begged the League to erase any and all traces of his title and family's noble lineage from records? He didn't want to become a target someday, but here we are now," I calmly interrupted. "You've forgotten that my grandfather was the one in charge of the archives. He saw the changes."

"…How is your grandfather doing now?"

"He passed away last year. Grandmother passed away in her sleep shortly after as if she could not bear to live a day without him."

Diantha closed her mouth. The woman sitting across from me had nothing to say.

I stared off into the space beyond her shoulder with an almost soulless gaze.

Diantha may have compared me to a phantom, but the term was better suited for the serial killer that had evaded the Kalos League and government for almost two decades now. They were a stain on our international reputation and a source of great fear and gossip for the public.

Sometimes they outright killed their victims in a bloody mess. Sometimes they used more elaborate methods like poison. The method differed, but the targets never changed.

They always killed nobles.

There were still real nobles living in present-day Kalos, but the Kalosian nobility did not legally exist anymore, not since the revolution. Their titles were only decorative and held no actual power. At best, they signaled that the bearer came from old money and held generational wealth and honor.

The perpetrator's kill count steadily increased with every passing year. It was up to forty-six now.

"So please, do enlighten me," I interrupted my own thoughts, parroting Diantha's earlier words. "Can you blame a person for wanting to try and find out the truth with their own hands?"

I stared at her with a challenging gaze, daring her to say no to my face. To her credit, the Champion did not falter. She met my gaze with a neutral expression.

"You're wrong about one thing, Ray," Diantha told me. My brows furrowed in anticipation of an ensuing argument. They only creased further with her next words.

"I didn't come here to ask you to stop. The Kalos League needs you."

For the first time in a long time, I was caught off guard.

"Excuse me?"

Diantha's eyes did not leave my own as she went on.

"I don't know why this serial killer is targeting nobles, but this series of tragedies has to stop. When I ascended as Champion, I swore that I would uphold the ideals of our nation… and that means we must all unite against a common evil," Diantha spoke in a somber tone. "I admit the League has failed you and its people in regards to these cases, but we will not stop until we bring this criminal to justice."

"And how do I play into this exactly?"

"Meyer Limone's surviving family members have left the country already," Diantha informed me. I wasn't surprised. A lot of people with noble titles were leaving — fleeing, really — Kalos nowadays out of fear that they would be next on the chopping block. My grandparents and I had done the same many years ago. "Meyer's son and successor, Clemont, was too heartbroken. He rejected the Gym Leader position we offered him."

In a loud, clear voice, she said the following to me:

"I choose you, Raynard Odaria and scion of House Odaria, to be the next Lumiose Gym Leader instead."

Cue pin drop silence.

My eyes widened a miniscule amount as she continued with nary a thought for the shock she had inflicted.

"Lumiose is the beating heart of Kalos, and it cannot be without a leader for much longer. In fact, it needs one more than ever. Our infamous serial killer has inspired criminals across Lumiose and Kalos as a whole to widen their scope of nefarious activities. They require someone to rein them in."

One pale hand was brought up into the air and clenched into a tight fist.

"Not anyone can fulfill the role of a Gym Leader either. I need someone strong, someone who will not bend in the face of evil… someone who is not afraid of the encroaching night. What I need is an Odaria."

Diantha lowered her hand, but she kept my gaze locked with hers.

"Let me be clear: I'm asking for Raynard Odaria. You, and not any of the dozens of faces you masquerade as on a daily basis. Your prowess as a trainer is one reason why I want you for the job, but your identity is the other."

She leaned in.

"You and I both want to catch this serial killer. To that end, an idea recently came upon me. I want you to announce your return to Kalos and act as bait for the serial killer. They want to kill nobles, yes? Then an Odaria is at the top of the list. You can't get much nobler than that. It's a crazy and dangerous plan, I know, but I saw your strength for myself when we battled and…"

The woman kept rambling, but I was only half-listening.

Arceus.

Out of all the scenarios I'd imagined this conversation devolving into, this was certainly not one of them.

I held up a hand and waved it a few times to get Diantha to stop talking. She thankfully complied.

"So, let me get this straight," I said slowly. For every word I spoke, one of my brows gradually rose higher and higher. "You want me to reveal — publicly, I might add — my identity as a noble, paint a target on my back for the serial killer, take over as Gym Leader, reform the backstreets of Lumiose, AND run the whole damn city?"

I stared at her expectantly.

The Honorary Grand Duchess of Kalos at least had the right notion to look embarrassed.

"Legendaries… when you put it like that, it does sound bad."

I kept staring at her.

"First of all, there are specific reasons, Diantha, as to why I go around with fake identities. It's to not attract attention and more easily gather information from different sources. I don't want our infamous serial killer running away if he thinks I'm getting close," I began, holding up fingers as I went. I spoke slowly as if I was speaking to a child. "Second of all, I am the last person who should be a Gym Leader. I don't particularly have an interest in testing kids about battles nor do I have the required experience—"

"But you do," Diantha interrupted, blinking at me. "Your mother, didn't she teach you for a time—"

"Do not bring my mother up, please, not now at least," I ground out in as civil of a voice as I could manage. Diantha respectfully bowed her head in silent apology. I waited until my inner emotions had settled into a still-like void again before continuing.

"Third and most important of all," I went on, "my… way of doing things wouldn't mesh with the League's. You already know that I like walking in a gray area. A big one. I don't think the rest of your coworkers would be happy if they knew what things I've done either."

"They don't have to know," Diantha immediately countered. Her smile was a sly one as she shifted in her seat. "You said it yourself earlier. You've never actually stepped out of the law's boundaries. Thus, I don't see a reason to tell anyone about your previous history. And, as a Gym Leader, you'd enjoy more power that lets you act in the interest of public peace. You could enforce the safety of Lumiose as you see fit. The Mayor and I have already reached a certain agreement."

She wagged a finger at me.

"If you have any conditions or anything you want, just tell me. We can work out the details."

I stared at her with disbelief.

"You'd go this far just to get me to be the Lumiose Gym Leader?" I asked.

"Yes," Diantha replied in a firm voice. I couldn't sense any hesitation at all. "There's no one else who's more fit for the job of Lumiose Gym Leader. I'd also rest easier knowing it was in the hands of someone who is more than capable of protecting themselves and coming out alive in dire circumstances."

"…Thank you?"

Diantha waved my unsure gratitude away with a flick of her hand.

"So, do you accept my offer?" Diantha asked. Her eyes betrayed the neutral tone of her voice. In them, I saw hints of hope.

She was really banking on me saying yes.

"…I'm going to need some time to think about it," I finally said after a few moments of silence.

"Of course," Diantha murmured, nodding her head in courtesy. "My apologies, I did not mean to rush you for an answer. When may I come back to hear your answer?"

I glanced over at the clock hanging in my room. It was nearly three o'clock in the morning.

"Noon. That'll be more than enough time for me to deliberate things," I replied.

Diantha looked surprised.

"Won't you need sleep?"

"A lack of sleep affects me less than normal people," I answered, rolling my shoulders free of their stiffness.

Diantha's eyes narrowed, but she did not inquire further.

"Then I'll be leaving now. Thank you for being willing to have a conversation this early in the morning," Diantha announced. She turned on her heel before pausing mid-step.

"Oh, and Ray?"

I stared questioningly at her. Diantha gave me an indecipherable look.

"I only speak out of concern, but take it from someone who's been acting in front of the camera for almost their whole life: wearing a mask can get tiring. Wear it long enough, and you'll forget who you really are."

The smile I gave the older woman was a small but sincere one.

"Thank you, but don't worry about me, Diantha. I'll be okay."

Neither of us had anything else to say to the other. Diantha and her Gardevoir Teleported out of my office, leaving me to stew in my thoughts.

Finally, we were alone again.

A long sigh drew itself from my throat as I slumped further down into my seat. I was more tired than I thought after everything that had transpired in the last twelve hours alone.

Zoroark placed a warm hand on my shoulder in a comforting gesture, crooning softly into my ear. Astre nuzzled my cheek while the rest of the Pokemon in the room drew closer to my desk.

Instead of complaining about the meeting that just took place, I asked them a completely different question.

"How did I do today? Was I 'normal' enough? Genuine?" I asked.

A dissonant array of Pokemon cries answered me. They thought I did well.

Not well enough, apparently, if Diantha saw through me. Was it her numerous years of acting experience at work or her senses as a Fairy Specialist?

I closed my eyes, breathing in and out in slow, controlled waves. The intense emotions I'd been keeping steady during my conversation with Diantha were still there. I imagined them sinking like pebbles into a bottomless sea. In their place, I tried to muster new and happier emotions into existence. I felt myself relaxing as I visualized them drifting like leaves on water.

They were fragile but still afloat.

I opened my eyes, urging my lips into a smile. It looked real and felt natural to me. Better yet, it got a pass from my Pokemon.

There was still the Copperajah in the room to address.

Astre took the plunge for the group and asked me if I was going to accept Diantha's offer. My Pokemon watched as I mulled it over in my head. Idly, I found myself wishing for another coffee but forced myself to stay on track.

I tried to at least. I was usually really good at focusing on tasks that needed to be done, but I couldn't get my thoughts in order right now. I felt restless.

Had this office always felt so stuffy?

"I think…" I trailed off, a desire resurfacing within me. There was something I'd been meaning to do over the last year but had never found the time to. I'd always put it off with convenient excuses.

Now, I felt like it was finally the perfect chance to go. I thought maybe it would help me get my thoughts in order.

"I don't know yet," I told Astre and the rest of my Pokemon honestly. "There's somewhere I'd like to go, though."

Obstagoon pulled the window open without me asking.

A sea of lights glittered below. Lumiose was always stunning, but there was something about seeing the city at night that truly drew me in. I felt… hopeful, even, when I gazed at the sleepy lights blinking in and out from Honchkrow's back. The wind caressing my cheeks helped stave off any lingering humidity.

I tried my best to ignore the shape of the giant, glowing tower in the distance. I didn't want to think about that right now.

Minutes passed. Eventually, I directed Honchkrow to one of the more historical districts across the Venora River, the very one that separated Lumiose into two distinct halves. Buildings and overall signs of urban life grew sparser the further in we flew. Eventually, they disappeared completely in favor of a huge forested region. We zipped by a few quaint cottages and even one mansion, but I wasn't looking for those. Astre squeaked as we drew closer.

I exhaled quietly when the outlines of an estate eventually came into view. I'd seen it once from afar after returning to Kalos one year ago, but this time, we were actually going to go inside.

Moonlight illuminated steeply pitched roofs of a blue so dark it almost seemed black. Below, arched windows were arranged in neat, symmetrical rows across a cream exterior. A balcony jutted out proudly from the middle. Even the chimneys and two towers on either end of the mansion were aligned perfectly, each accented with ornate crestings. A marble fence circled around the mansion's perimeter and looped back to a wide and low staircase — a perron — situated near the double door, but we wouldn't be using that tonight.

The estate grew larger as Honchkrow flew over extensive, sprawling gardens with arches, fountains, hedges cut in intricate shapes, and flowers in every color of the rainbow. I would have been confused if I hadn't already known that a certain group of people still maintained this massive property.

Honchkrow landed silently in front of the entrance. I pulled out an intricate key that hadn't seen the light of day in years and inserted it into the keyhole. The moment I twisted the doorknob, I felt like maybe this was a bad idea after all.

Then I actually opened the door, and a wave of nostalgia washed over me.

It was pitch-black except for a few wall lamps, but I could see crystal clear. Just like the exterior, everything looked the same inside. From the double staircase to the lush carpets to the paintings and… a quiet chuckle escaped me when I saw little mechanical trinkets strewn on a table in the foyer. None of them probably worked anymore, but they brought back memories.

I closed the door quietly behind me and tossed out Umbreon's Pokeball first. I wanted all of my Pokemon here to see something, but Gyarados was going to be the biggest problem. The first floor was big enough for Tyranitar but not him.

Glowing rings lit up the gloom as Umbreon emerged, ears pricking up once he realized we were somewhere new.

"Void Sea," I told him in a low voice.

The ground writhed with shadows in an instant. It almost felt like if I stepped hard enough, I'd sink through the floor entirely. Flashes of light went off one after another as I released my Pokemon. I saved Gyarados and Tyranitar for last and pointed their Pokeballs straight at the floor.

Much to my relief, they emerged half-buried in the shadows like I'd intended. I didn't want any property damage.

I started walking up the left staircase. Everyone followed me across the sea of shadows as I led them to the thing on the wall. It was situated so that it was the first thing someone saw when they entered the mansion. The object in question was long and rectangular in shape, and it was covered by soft cloth.

I thought I would hesitate, but I surprised myself. My hand didn't shake as I grabbed the end of the cloth and pulled.

It fell down, revealing a portrait.

A family of three stared back at me with smiles on their faces. There was a young boy with silver hair and purple eyes, and a man and woman standing on either side of him. What I saw was a happy moment preserved forever, yet one that could never truly be revisited.

I don't know what kind of emotion I had as I smiled.

"Mom, dad… I'm sorry it took me so long to visit. I brought my family."

Author's Note: Before anyone gets confused about Ray and any odd behavior exhibited by him in this chapter, everything is intentional. If it's not explained now, it will be later on or at least alluded to. A large portion of this fic has to do with character growth, development, and certain themes.