Tryst with Destiny: The Beginning of the End (Main Story)

51 : Calm Before the Storm

(10 Minutes Later)

There is pin-drop silence in the common room. All the champions except Diantha are looking at the floor in silence while clutching a fistful of their hair in each hand. Diantha who has already gone through this experience once before is taking it much better. However, she too isn't saying anything.

The Elite Four, frontier brains and gym leaders are also not saying anything. All of them are giving one another nervous glances, unsure of what to say. The members of the press also are not saying anything for a change. All the professors and teachers are not saying anything either. Ash and Serena are however sitting calmly with their eyes closed and a deep thinking expression on their expression.

"How long Serena?" Diantha suddenly says to everyone's surprise.

"Are you talking to me Diantha?" Serena asks after opening her eyes.

"How long?" Diantha repeats herself to everyone's confusion.

"How long for what?" Serena asks.

"Did the battle last after he actually started battling? You were timing if I recall correctly." Diantha asks.

"Umm. Diantha this is not the best time. We can talk about it later," Serena says sweetly hoping to avoid the inevitable.

"No. Now!" Diantha says in a rather loud and hurt tone.

"But," Serena starts to protest.

"Now!" Diantha says in a menacing tone to everyone's shock.

Serena sighs and says, "1 Minute 57 Seconds." 

On hearing that Diantha starts laughing hysterically to the surprise of all the other champions.

"Is there something funny? We just got our asses handed to us on live TV, got Goodshow humiliated when he to kneel before that man and you are laughing?" Lance asks in an annoyed tone.

"Of course, there is. We took two months. Two fucking months to develop our strategy. Another three months to practice and modify it. It took him less than two minutes to blast and rip our efforts to shreds. Are we pathetic or incompetent or idiots or what?" Diantha says in the middle of fits of laughter which soon turns to incessant crying. 

No one says anything for they don't have an answer to Diantha's question.

"Neither of you is pathetic or idiots or anything like that. You are just out of your league is all," Ash says after opening his eyes.

"Easy for you to say. Mr. in-training-to-be-Pokemon Master," Diantha coldly replies before collapsing to the floor on her knees.

"Trust me, Serena and I have been in your shoes several times before to know what you are going through. That man is nothing short of invincible," Ash says while getting up. 

He walks over to Diantha and extends his arm to her crying face.

"True strength is to know to get back on your feet and trying again," Ash says as he pulls Diantha up.

"And true wisdom is to know your limits." He says as he seats her next to Cynthia who's sitting with her hands clutching huge folds of hair.

"Why not some hot chocolate and some cookies to cheer up the mood?" Serena says to Seibold who takes the cue and goes out to fetch the pick me up items.

(20 minutes later)

"Feeling better?" Serena asks as everyone else finishes their hot chocolate. All the champions give a little smile on hearing that. Even Goodshow nods in silence, giving his first visible reaction ever since he sat down in the room. Both Ash and Serena breathe a sigh of relief on hearing that.