Tryst with Destiny: The End of the Beginning

113: You reap what you sow

(Somewhere in the Kanto Region)

"Father!" Calem says as he bustles into the room.

"Yes? What is it?" Giovanni asks as he looks up from the work lying on the table.

"Your attack failed father. They are still alive," Calem retorts.

"Yes," Giovanni says in his cold, silky yet deep voice as he gets up from his seat.

He locks his hands behind his back and stares out of the window with ominous silence.

"And?" Calem inquirers.

"And nothing," Giovanni says while turning around.

"This was a setback but a minor one at best. Regrettable, but a testament to the Dragon Emperor's skill," Giovanni says as he turns to face his son.

"Don't worry. Contingencies have already been deployed. All we need to do now is wait. Now go and rejoin your sister," Giovanni reassures Calem.

"But..." Calem says only to be cut-off.

"But, nothing. I was not asking for your opinion," Giovanni dismisses Calem as he retakes his seat.

Calem stands in his position for a while, thinking about what to say but then decides now's not the right time, and then takes his leave.

(In KIP Meeting Room)

"Grace... Are you sure that you don't want him around? I mean..." Oak says before Grace turns around to look at Oak with a look which quells his voice.

"Professor. I don't know what to do right now at the moment. My mind is too fucked up to think clearly. All I know is that that man is the reason why my daughter and her husband are in danger. All this started the day he waltzed over her, with his fancy charlatan-like mysterious talk and tricked me in into allowing Ash and Serena to train with him. The whole reason behind their fucked up lives starts and ends with him," Grace's voice thunders across the room.

No one says anything. Everyone steals quiet glances at each other as a storm of thoughts takes shape in their minds.

"I agree with Grace, one hundred per cent," Delia finally speaks up.

"Grace. Delia. You know I agree with both of you. But..." Diantha says as her voice trails off.

"But what Diantha?" Grace responds.

"Grace. You know I am your friend. And god knows I despise the Dragon Emperor as the next person here. But we all could feel that the Dragon Emperor was scared. Now the man, who scares everyone else, being scared is not a good sign. I just want to know whether your decision on the matter is final?" Diantha asks.

"Yes," Grace reaffirms.

"Very well, then I and the others shall do all in our power to keep Ash and Serena safe," Diantha says as she takes Grace's hand to show her support.

"Thank you, Diantha. You're a good friend," Grace replies before the two share an emotional hug.

Everyone is silently standing by when Harry enters the room.

Grace, on seeing Harry is here, separates and then turns to face him, "Harry? What are you doing here? How are Ash and Serena?"

"Grace, I messaged you quite a lot but never got any reply to any of my texts," Harry says.

Grace realizes that her phone has been on silent mode and she takes it out of her pocket. Delia walks over to Grace while she's opening her messaging application. On seeing the pictures, Grace and Delia immediately start crying.