Chapter 8: The great escape

One month later

"That's why Alolan Exeggutor's neck is so long. Remember kids: without adaptation, there's no survival!"

With that sentence, Oak concluded his first lesson of the day. It dealt with the changes Pokémon with Alolan forms underwent to adapt to the Alolan climate.

Juliette could barely catch onto the last sentence. She had to scribble it down in her notebook as fast as she could. No matter how much she wanted to pay attention, Juliette's mind was busy with other thoughts; namely with all of the changes in her life during the last month.

Ever since that weekend at Luana's house, Juliette had been going out with her and the others somewhat often. When she was with them, there never was a dull moment for Juliette. She even found herself less and less afraid of calling them her friends. Not only that, but she also managed to feel at ease in the school. The only thing that kept giving her bad vibes was Telford and Chaos' presence. However, they didn't bother her at all except for some weird glances.

"Alright students," Oak spoke, "I'm Leavanny now. Please wait for Professor Kukui. He should be back soon." Oak picked up his Komala and left the class.

It wouldn't be too long until Kukui arrived, but the students took this intermission as a time engage in some idle talk. "I'm looking forward to our next class. I wonder what it's about," Sophocles told Juliette.

"Me too. I hope it's as interesting as this one," Juliette answered, eyeing the half-empty page in her notebook out of the corner of her eye.

"It's amazing how Alolan Vulpix can endure warmer temperatures just by using its tail!" Lillie thought out loud while going over her notes.

"Indeed," Mallow replied. "Nature is extraordinary." Her Comfey squealed to reaffirm the girl's words.

Not even two minutes later, Kukui arrived in the class accompanied by his Rockruff. Both stood in front of the desk. "Hello everyone," the man greeted. "Before we start, I'd like to inform you all that today's class will be a bit different."

Murmuring surfaced between the students. "Why is that?" Lana asked.

"Today we have two special guests." Kukui turned his head towards the door. "Please, come in!"

The door opened and a couple walked into the classroom. When Juliette saw the two individuals, her eyes opened wide and her heart began racing to the point Juliette feared it would stop beating at any given time. To top it off, her hands—which she had placed on her desk—began trembling.

Kukui continued speaking. "Meet Sina and Dexio. They are the helpers of Professor Sycamore from the Kalos region."

Sophocles noticed Juliette's shaky hands. "Are you alright?

Luana turned around and eyed Juliette with her eyebrows furrowed. Juliette smiled at her two friends. "I'm fine, don't worry."

Poppy climbed up onto Juliette's lap and lied down, hoping that would help soothe her Trainer. Juliette held her Pokémon close in response. Come on Juliette, calm down already.

Meanwhile, Dexio was addressing the class. "Bonjour à tous! My name is Dexio, and my partner here is Sina."

"We've been traveling Alola for some time," Sina added, "However, today we're here to aid Professor Kukui in his lesson. But first we'd like to talk about an interesting subject."

Dexio's eyes examined the faces of the students and smiled at their curious stares. "Who here has heard of the Legendary Pokémon Zygarde?"

"Huh," Juliette let out a gasp so loud it echoed across the classroom. Now everybody's eyes—including Sina and Dexio's—were on her and she wanted to disappear. "Don't mind me. Please continue."

Sina gave the awkward moment barely any thought as she repeated the question. "Well? Have any of you heard of Zygarde?"

Before anyone could raise their hand, Luana raised hers. Juliette did the same, albeit with some hesitation.

"Yes?" Dexio pointed at Luana.

"Zygarde is a Pokémon mentioned in Kalosian legends. It maintains the order and balance of the region."

Dexio smiled. "Correct!"

"What about the mademoiselle behind you?" Sina craned her neck to look at Juliette.

The girl's cheeks and ears grew warmer. "I-I um, know it's an important Pokémon in the Kalos region's lore. I also remember hearing it's made up of five cores and one hundred cells."

"Oui!" Dexio's enthusiastic response startled everyone in the class, even Kukui. For the second time in less than two minutes, Juliette wanted to disappear. "It's nice to encounter people who know about it. Before we continue, we'd like to discuss this Pokémon's legend. Sina?"

"Thanks, Dexio." The young woman took the floor. "As your classmates have said, Zygarde is a Legendary Pokémon from the Kalos region. It is said to live in the depths of a forgotten cave in Kalos. Not only does it guard the order and balance of the region, but it also monitors the ecosystem and punishes those who threaten it."

"Most people believe Zygarde hides an overwhelming power that it would reveal if the region was in danger," Dexio added in.

Juliette listened to Sina and Dexio with her elbows propped on her desk and her hands pressed to her cheeks. Hearing them talk about the various things Zygarde was said to have done brought back pleasant memories from her childhood. The two even talked about her favorite tale: the one where Zygarde exiled miscreants who harmed the ecosystem to the southern side of Kalos.

Dexio cleared his throat. "Now that Sina and I explained all the amazing things Zygarde is capable of, we're ready to reveal why we are here."

"Remember when your classmate mentioned Zygarde's cores and cells?" Sina asked. "It has to do with that."

"We are looking for volunteers to help us gather one hundred Zygarde cells! We've spoken to Professor Kukui and he agreed that it could serve as an interesting after-school activity."

At that moment, everything clicked for Juliette. This is what the magazine was talking about. This is what Grandma has been hiding from me all this time. Why did she do that? The girl was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't notice Luana looking at her with an expectant smile.

"Who would like to help with the task?" Sina's eyes darted across the room.

"Unfortunately I can't do that," Kiawe spoke first. "My family owns a farm and we're busy most of the time."

"I have the same problem. My parents own a restaurant and they need my help," Mallow said.

"Same here." Luana waved her hand.

"That's too bad! What about you?" Dexio looked at Lillie.

"I'd love to take part, but I have familial obligations."

"Me too," Lana chimed in. "I take care of my little sisters."

Hau scratched the back of his head. "The idea sounds exciting, but I'd have to think about it."

"I'm not sure about joining, to be honest." Sophocles directed his gaze at the floor.

Kukui gave his guests a nervous smile. He gestured towards Telford and Chaos. "What about you guys?"

"Dude, are you serious?" Chaos sprawled on his seat. "We have way better things to do than go on some wannabe Easter egg hunt."

"Nah," Telford said blatantly with a shrug. "I doubt looking for what's-his-name is that interesting."

Juliette shook her head at Telford and Chaos' comments. Despite that, their ignorant words had no priority in her mind. She was more worried by her inability to say anything as she tried to process what was happening. Sina and Dexio came to her class and they asked for people to help them find Zygarde cells. Because of various reasons, none of her classmates wanted to join them. If Juliette said she did want to help them, would it matter? She was the only person who felt interested.

The girl had to make up her mind before it was too late.


The school bell rang signaling the start of recess. Sina and Dexio stuck around for the rest of the lesson. They discussed Zygarde's biology in more detail and then helped Kukui with the day's subject: how a Pokémon's biology affects its moves.

The class was almost empty. Only Juliette, Hau, Luana, Sophocles, and their Pokémon were remaining.

"I'll go ahead and wait for you guys on the courtyard," Juliette said while grabbing her bag.

"Alright," Luana answered with a smile.

Juliette left the class and walked down the hallway accompanied by Poppy. The Bulbasaur walked happily behind her Trainer until Juliette stood petrified. She didn't notice her Pokémon bump into her. She was too busy watching–and hearing–what's happening in front of her.

Sina and Dexio were getting closer to the door and they were having a relaxed talk.

"Meeting those students was great, but now I'm tired." Dexio stretched as he spoke.

Sina giggled at his gesture. "Me too. We should go to the hotel and relax for a while. We can go sightseeing later."

"You're right," Dexio replied. "Since it's Friday, there must be plenty to do!"

Sina and Dexio left the building. Juliette hasn't moved an inch ever since she saw those two. She was immersed in her thoughts. If I start running, maybe I can catch them and say I'm interested in looking for Zygarde cells. I wish I was brave enough to chase after them…but they might see me as a weirdo.

"Hey!" Hau's voice brought her back to reality. "Why are you standing so still?"

"Oh," Juliette tittered, "I thought I left my lunch back in class, but it turns out I do have it."

"You're carrying your bag," Sophocles pointed out. "There's no way you forgot lunch..."

"Yes, you're right…" Juliette sighed and began walking.

The group ambled through the hallway. Soon, Luana decided it was time to start a conversation. "Hey, Juliette."

"Yes?"

"I'm surprised you didn't say anything when Sina and Dexio asked for volunteers. Why didn't you raise your hand or something?" Luana eyed her friend with expectancy.

"I remember one day you mentioned liking that Pokémon," Hau intervened.

Juliette crossed her arms and lowered her gaze to the floor. "I said nothing because I prefer asking my family for permission beforehand, that's all."

"I'm sure they would have had no problem with that. What's more," Luana said as she lifted her index finger, "they would have been proud that you decided to sign up for an after-school activity."

"It might be too late now," Sophocles muttered distractedly. "Sina and Dexio might go back to Kalos during the weekend."

"You're right..." Juliette sighed with resignation.

Luana put her arm around her friend's shoulders. "Hey, don't be sad! I'm sure you'll have a new chance in the future."

"Yeah, I sure hope so." Juliette gave her a lopsided smile. No, that won't happen...unless I do something about it.

The group reached the courtyard and headed for a bench where Lana, Mallow, Lillie, and Kiawe sat.

"Hello," Juliette mumbled.

"Hey!" Hau greeted his friends and gave Kiawe a fist bump. He then sat on a bench right next to the one where the others sat.

Juliette, Luana, and Sophocles sat on the same bench as Hau. Juliette put Poppy on her lap but as soon as they settled, the Bulbasaur leaped and approached Lukela. She began frolicking with the shiny Zorua.

"Isn't that adorable?" Mallow's eyes lit up.

Luana nodded. "It sure is! They often play together."

"I find ironic Poppy and I's personalities are total opposites," Juliette said, smiling at Poppy's antics, "yet we get along pretty well."

"The same could be said for you and me, don't you think?" Luana grinned at Juliette.

Juliette nodded and gave her a small smile. "Yes, you're right."

As the other began conversations of their own, Juliette focused on her lunch. She took her sandwich out of the brown paper bag it sat in and took a small bite. Juliette usually didn't mind the crust, but her mind demanded to be occupied. It didn't matter with what. She was trying her hardest to avoid thinking of her mistake.

Despite that, her efforts were futile. Why did I have to be quiet? How could I pass up something like that? I spent years hoping something like this would happen and now that the day finally came, I let it go. Curse my shyness and curse my fear of being made fun of.

Juliette looked around her. Her friends were still immersed in various conversations. Poppy was now playing with Kiawe's Marowak and Lana's Araquanid. Everyone was unaware of her inner turmoil. Everyone is having a good time. If they noticed my bad mood, I might ruin theirs and I don't want that. I must try and find a way to fix my mistake instead of beating myself up over it.

There are two major hotels here in Heahea City: Tide Song Hotel and Hano Grand Resort. They could be in either one but...they said "hotel" and not "resort". Although Hano Grand Resort is still a hotel. Does the choice of words matter?

Juliette's ears caught onto something Sophocles was talking about. "That reminds me, my cousin is working on a special Virtual Reality system. It allows the user to simulate battles with other Trainers.

"It will take months for it to be ready, but I'm sure the end result will be amazing."

Kiawe whistled in astonishment. "That sounds like an important invention. Will you help your cousin with it?"

"Yes," Sophocles answered, his eyes lighting up, "I already talked to him about it. He said I can go help him during the weekends."

"That invention would be great for me," Hau said with a wide smile, "I could practice battling my grandfather."

"Virtual Reality is a great escape from reality, isn't it?" Lana giggled.

Luana gasped and gave Lana a wide-eyed stare. "Don't say that to Hau!"

"I was only joking." Lana stuck out her tongue apologetically.

Juliette reviewed their words in her mind. Virtual Reality is a great escape. Great...escape...

She repeated those two words in her thoughts until a crazy idea emerged. It would be risky, but she felt it was worth it.

Juliette was going to ditch school after recess.

Unable to control her impulses, Juliette got up from the bench and let out a triumphant exclamation. "Got it!" She soon regretted her action. Her friends and some nearby students stared at her. "Sorry, I just thought of a possible answer for one of the exercises Oak gave us as homework."

"Come to notice it now," Kiawe said, looking at the girl, "you've barely spoken today, Juliette."

Lana nodded in agreement. "It's true. You seem more absent than usual."

"Don't worry," Juliette replied, giving a dismissive wave of her hand, "I'm a bit distracted, but I'm alright. Quite alright, in fact."


I can't believe I'm actually doing this.

The four walls of one of the stalls in the girls' bathroom surrounded Juliette. She had next to no room to move, but she was there by choice. As soon as the bell rang, Juliette made an excuse to separate from the group and withdrew Poppy into her Poké Ball. Afterwards, she headed for the bathroom.

Despite being free of onlookers, Juliette could not fathom on what to do to escape. If I didn't spend the entirety of recess with them, then I probably would've known what to do by now. I can't think of a place that can lead me outside without getting caught. Why did I have to get myself into this? Why didn't I speak up when I had to? I'm sure if I don't hurry up Sina and Dexio will change their plans and go somewhere else. I'll never be able to find them.

Juliette was starting to consider the idea of taking an exploratory walk in the courtyard. She already knew the layout, but if she wanted to escape, Juliette had to look for details she most likely was unaware of. Luckily for her, it was unusual for someone to be in the courtyard at that this given time.

As Juliette got up from the toilet, the sound of several people approaching the bathroom prompted her to sit back down. I should have known somebody would come to use the bathroom... The girl listened carefully and hoped the newcomers would leave soon.

No such luck.

"...that's why I think she's in the bathroom."

"Oh Lana," Luana reprimanded, "there was no need to be so eschatological!"

"I was just kidding," Lana answered in a softer tone.

Please tell me they're not here for me. Juliette took off her cap and wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. She shoved her hair back away from her face and put her cap back on.

"I can't help but worry," Mallow was the one speaking now, "when she made that exclamation all of sudden when we were in the benches… That's not like her."

"Right?" Luana agreed. "She hates doing anything that could draw attention to her."

Juliette contained a sigh. They are making a mountain out of a molehill! The girl leaned back in her seat and looked up. There was a square-shaped window right above the toilet. Juliette's eyes widened. What if...?

Juliette stood up and put her foot on the toilet, careful not to make too much noise. She checked the distance from window to ground. It wasn't too high up—just over meter and a half. Her decision was clear.

Ignoring the conversations going on on the other side, Juliette grabbed her bag and threw it out the window. It landed a few feet away and most importantly, the Poké Balls didn't open. Her Pokémon were safe. Now it was her turn.

Taking a deep breath, she climbed up on top of the tank. With the open window right in front of her, Juliette held onto the sill and pulled out one leg. The other was still resting on the toilet's tank. I'm halfway there. Please don't fall now, Juliette! After several seconds of hesitation, Juliette tightened her grip on the sill and pulled out the other leg. Now she was hanging more than a meter above the ground.

A suspicious thud interrupted the three girls on the other side as they kept talking. Luana raised a finger in front of her, asking for silence. She opened the stall's door with an abrupt movement.

It was empty. The only thing that stood out to the girls was the open window up at the top.

Luana tried to speak but her teeth wouldn't stop chattering. After recomposing herself, Luana could barely make out a few words. "D-did she r-really just...?"

"I told you so," Lana raised her voice and crossed her arms. "She's been acting weird ever since recess started."

"I wonder why that is..." Mallow rested her chin on her hand.

"I know exactly why." Luana stared at the open window with her forehead furrowed.

While the three girls discussed in the bathroom, Juliette had reached the fence and climbed a good portion of it. Half of her body stuck above the fence. How do I do this now? I might fall if I'm not careful...

Juliette looked down at her school bag. She threw it over the fence before starting with the climb. After a couple of deep breaths, she gathered enough courage to continue.

She pulled her right leg over the fence and rested her foot on a horizontal bar that crossed it. Juliette tightened her grip on the bars and repeated the process with her left leg. With her legs hanging in the air yet again, she closed her eyes and let go of the bars.

Her feet landed on the floor with a thud. Juliette opened her eyes. The sight of the school behind the fence's white bars made her grin. She really did it. She escaped school for the first time in her life. Hey, at least I did it for a good cause!

Juliette put on her bag and dashed away without even thinking of a direction. The adrenaline shooting through her clouded her thinking process. She reveled in the feeling of freedom she was experiencing, but that ended when Juliette remembered the purpose of her "escapade". She had to find Sina and Dexio.

The girl leaned against a wall to catch her breath. She took a look at her surroundings. The area had a couple of small supermarkets and some clothing shops aimed at tourists. A lone photo booth stood several meters away from one of the aforementioned clothing shops.

I have no idea where I'm at, but I'm certain that I'm nowhere near the hotel.

Clueless on where to go next, Juliette began walking down the closest sidewalk. When she reached a corner and turned, a similar looking street opened up in front of her. The only difference was that this one had much more people passing through it. If anyone noticed that I should be in school right now, I'd get in trouble...and I would be unable to talk to Sina and Dexio. Juliette lowered her gaze and pulled down her cap. Next, the girl headed west. If she looked ahead of her, Juliette would've noticed the ocean to the north.

Aimlessly, Juliette trekked on. She turned around various corners in hope that she would magically end up next to the hotel. Unfortunately for her, that is not what happened. Deep down, she suspected that she was actually straying further from her goal. She avoided making eye contact with a passersby and feigned interest in the different window displays.

Glancing at one of the displays, Juliette analyzed her current situation. I'm alone in Heahea City with no known person to turn to. I can't ask anybody for help. I can't even go to the Tourist Bureau… They'd notice I'm skipping school. What do I do?

Juliette trudged through the crowd with her shoulders slumped. Maybe I should just give up... Juliette shook her head at the thought. No, I can't do that! I will go on until the end...and I know who will help me.

With a new plan in store, Juliette ventured into an alley and took her phone out of her bag. She dialed her grandmother's number. After a single dial tone, the woman picked up the phone.

"Juliette?" Édith's voice sounded surprised. "Aren't you at school?"

"I won't beat around the bush," Juliette sighed, "no, I'm not."

A gasp came from the other side. "Why is that? Did something happen?"

"I escaped." Juliette remained silent and waited for her grandmother to say something, but that didn't happen. She continued. "Sina and Dexio were there today. They talked about Zygarde."

"Oh..." Édith murmured in a soft tone.

"They were looking for volunteers to help them gather Zygarde cells and cores." Again, Juliette made a pause. She took a deep breath and she finally asked the question that had been burning her mind. "Grandma... Is that what they were referring to in the interview you showed me?"

"Yes." Édith's voice took a blunt tone her granddaughter wasn't used to. "I'll admit I sort of wanted to hide it from you, but only for a bit."

"Grandma!" Juliette squeaked. "Why would you do that?"

"Please, Julie. Don't get mad at me," Édith pleaded. "There's a reason why I didn't let you know right away. I wanted to wait until you had spent some time going to school.

I hoped you'd see there was nothing to fear now and it looks like you finally realized. Seeing you with Luana and the others makes me immensely happy. You adapted super well and I'm very proud of you. Because of that, I was going to reveal the truth this weekend...but Sina and Dexio beat me to it, haha."

Juliette listened to what her grandmother was saying in complete silence. She was at a loss for words. "Um… Grandma...?"

"Yes?"

"You are the best grandma I could ever ask for!" Juliette didn't notice the passersby glancing down the alley after hearing her. At that moment, she didn't care either.

Édith chuckled. "I try my best." She cleared her throat in a theatrical way. "You called me for a reason, right? What do you need?"

"You see, when class ended I overheard Sina and Dexio talk about going to a hotel. I figured they were talking about the Tide Song Hotel, so I'm trying to get there and tell them I'm interested in—"

"Hold up," Édith interrupted her, "they asked for people to help them look for Zygarde Cells...and you said nothing?"

"I was too nervous and a bit embarrassed. I know I should have said something then and there but I couldn't. So now I'm lost in Heahea City because I can't find the hotel. I'm afraid of asking people for directions. I don't want them to realize I escaped from school. They would send me back."

"Alright," Édith said cheerfully, "tell me your location. I'll sit down on the computer and look for it on Silph Maps."

Juliette emerged from the alleyway as she heard her grandmother talk. She stood in front of a small bar with an orange sign. "There's a bar called Sun Stone Bar right in front of me."

"Okay..." Édith typed on the computer and opened the Silph Maps website. After a moment, she gave her granddaughter the information she waited for. "Turns out you're not too far from the hotel!"

"Really?" Juliette cracked a smile.

"Yes, really. You only have to walk straight two blocks and turn right at the next corner. Then walk straight for around ten minutes—as this thing puts it—and then turn left. You'll be next to a tall white building. Turn right and keep walking down the sidewalk until you reach the road that leads to Tide Song Hotel. You can't miss it."

"Thank you so much for the help, Grandma," Juliette beamed.

"You're most welcome, Julie. Do you think you can remember it all?"

"Yes, I can. I'm repeating it in my mind like a mantra as we speak."

"That's good," Édith nodded and smiled at the other side, "I hope you get lucky. I congratulate you on your resolve. I'm sure you'll make it."

"Thanks again, Grandma." Without giving her grandmother any time to answer, Juliette hung up.

She took a deep breath. With her grandmother's directions fresh in her mind, Juliette began walking again. She had just one chance and zero intention to waste it.


Following her grandmother's directions didn't take Juliette much time. She had been walking with swift steps which helped her save some precious time. Juliette was now in the pathway that led to the hotel. The exterior appearance of it had her staring in awe as she walked.

The building had a marked maritime motif. The silhouette of various Water type Pokémon—such as Staryu, Magikarp and Chinchou—lined the facade, which was predominantly white with some light blue streaks. A fountain depicting a Horsea surrounded by various hibiscus was at the end of the path and in front of the entrance.

After reaching the front door, Juliette opened it and walked into the hotel with a deep breath. She headed straight for the reception. The beige and blue carpeted floor muffled the sound of her steps.

The receptionist greeted her with the rainbow shaped gesture. "Alola! Welcome to Tide Song Hotel—" the woman stopped dead in her tracks. She had noticed Juliette's youthful features and the school bag hanging from her back. The receptionist raised an eyebrow. "Uh, how can I help you?"

Instead of looking at the receptionist, Juliette eyed the keys that hung on a panel behind the woman. She cleared her throat and repeated the greeting. "Alola, I'm looking for two guests in this hotel. I'd like to talk to them."

"I need to ask, what do you need that information for?"

Juliette's body tensed. "I just need to talk to them," her voice's pitch raised. "I must tell them something."

The receptionist nodded slowly. "Uh huh... Where are your parents?"

Juliette screamed internally. She exhaled and pursed her lips for a moment as she tried to avoid making those screams external. "You see...my parents are—they're the ones who want me to talk to these people. They need me to deliver a message but they're busy working."

"Sure," the receptionist muttered. She went back to her usual tone. "Well then, who are these guests you are looking for?"

"Their names are Sina and Dexio," Juliette blurted.

"Sina and Dexio, right?" The woman typed in her computer. "According to this, they are in room 208."

"Room 208? Alright, thank you so much!" Juliette quickly dashed away and headed for the elevator on the left of the reception.

The receptionist followed Juliette with her eyes. She looked away with a slight shrug once the teen walked into the elevator.

A few seconds later, that same elevator stopped at its destination: the second floor. Juliette stepped out and began walking down the corridor—which kept the same theme as the rest of the hotel. Sky blue streaks crossed the white walls and contrasted with the dark brown parquet flooring.

Juliette noticed the rooms were numbered so the odd-numbered rooms were on the left and the even rooms on the right. As soon as she saw the sign for room 207 on the left side of the corridor, she knew the moment of truth had arrived.

The girl stopped in front of room 208's door. You can do this, Juliette! She counted to ten and hesitated before knocking on the door. Juliette looked around her to verify she was alone in the hallway. No one was in sight. Alright, let's do this.

Juliette knocked on the door and took a couple of steps back. She was containing her breath and all she could hear was her racing heart. In a few seconds, the door opened and Juliette could swear her heart stopped.

Dexio was the one to open the door. "Hello—" The man gave her a shocked glance. "Weren't you one of the kids we saw today? It's still school hours," he said, looking at his wristwatch.

"Wait, you're skipping school?" Sina appeared next to Dexio. She was now wearing sunglasses.

"We promise we won't tell anyone," Dexio whispered. "You won't get in trouble."

Juliette sighed and hung her head. "Yes, I am skipping school, but...I need to talk to you two."

"How about you come inside?" Sina smiled at the teen. "You'll be more comfortable."

"I agree," Dexio chimed in. "Although we don't have much time. We were about to go somewhere."

"I'm sorry. I'll be as brief as possible."

Sina and Dexio moved away from the door and Juliette walked into the room. The pair pointed at a couple of loveseats—one in front of the other—in the right corner of the room. Juliette sat down as Sina and Dexio sat on the couch in front of her.

An awkward silence filled the room as soon as everyone was settled. Dexio cleared his throat and Sina rested her hands on her lap. Juliette's gaze was fixated on the floor. She was trying to find the right words to say. You shouldn't be wasting their time. Go.

"So," Juliette began speaking, "I came here because I'm interested in the assignment. I want to help collect Zygarde Cells and Cores."

Sina nodded and smiled. "That's great, but..."

"...why didn't you tell us before, when we were in class?"

"I didn't say anything before because...I was too shocked by the idea. I've been hoping for something like this to happen for as long as I can remember." She looked at Sina and Dexio to see their reaction. They were calm and expected her to continue. "So, now that it finally happened, I didn't know how to react.

Although I sort of knew about this already. My Grandmother has been teasing it for the past few weeks, but she wouldn't let me know what it was. Besides that, I was embarrassed and that kept me from saying anything."

Sina nodded. "I see..."

"I understand where you're coming from, but," Dexio said, leaning forward, "there was no need for you to run away from school. You could have asked Kukui and he would have given you our number."

Juliette's eyes widened. "Oh..." She gave them a nervous smile. Why didn't I think of that before? "You're right, but I was so nervous I didn't even consider that possibility."

"Don't worry," Sina answered, "it's hard to think straight when one is excited."

"Sina is right. Besides, seeing people show interest in our assignment is always welcome."

"Then...I'm in?"

"Yes! However..." Sina looked at her partner.

"...there is one last thing. Sina?"

"Since the weekend is coming, I think it'd be better to discuss this in full detail next Monday. Besides, that'll give you time to think this over."

I don't think I need to think it over. I haven't felt this sure in a long time. Juliette beamed at them. "Yes, I agree. Still, I want to thank you both for accepting me."

"It's no bother!" Dexio smiled. "You should probably tell your family about it."

"Yes, they need to know too," Sina added.

"True, true." Juliette nodded. I also need to think of how to explain the fact I ditched school. "So...I guess this is goodbye for now."

"Yes, we'll see you again next Monday."

Sina took out her phone. "Let us give you our number so we can keep in touch. If you have a question or you changed your mind, you can always send a message."

Juliette smiled and shook her head. "Thanks, but I doubt I'll change my mind on this."

The two adults gave Juliette their numbers and she gave them hers. After checking they got it right, they all got up from the couches. Sina and Dexio accompanied Juliette to the door.

"See you on Monday," Sina said, "and have a good weekend."

"Will you go back to school now?" Dexio questioned.

"Uh... Yes." Juliette lowered her gaze. "I guess I have lots of explaining to do. See you on Monday!"

With a wave of goodbye, Juliette began walking away. She couldn't help but feel proud of herself. She smiled with confidence as she made her way back to the elevator. As unusual as the smile was—at least for her—the situation called for it. Juliette just granted herself access to her wildest dream.

Once inside the elevator, she leaned her back against the wall and looked up at the ceiling. Congratulations, you made the right choice, she told herself, her smile widening.

When Juliette arrived to Alola, she craved changes in her life. Those changes have begun to unravel and she gave the biggest one yet a push for it to begin.