Chapter 9: Get the Cube rolling
It was 2:30 a.m.—an unusual hour for Juliette to be up. Her mother arrived home from work not long before. Édith and Mainard soon filled her in on what her daughter did. They decided it would be best to wait until Rachel made it home to tell her about what had occurred at Juliette's school. Mainard wanted to avoid upsetting her at work and Édith agreed it was the best course of action.
As expected from the family, Rachel was disappointed and upset. There was a tense silence in the living room as she tried to think of what to tell her daughter. The woman sat on one of the armchairs while Juliette sat on the couch flanked by her father and grandmother. Halbert and Poppy slept all snuggled up on a pillow on the floor, blissfully unaware of the scolding their Trainer was about to receive.
"What you did today was unnecessary and foolish." Rachel began. "It makes you look bad."
Juliette was silent and didn't look at her mother. The teen already knew she did something risky. Her mother's reprimand was needless in her eyes. She's hardly ever around. Why does she care?
"What did the teachers say about it?" Rachel crossed her arms. "I doubt they were happy."
"Of course they weren't," Mainard intervened, "she already got scolded by Kukui."
"That's enough. Acting like we're a jury won't change anything," Édith said.
Rachel looked at her mother-in-law. "We are not judging her. She just needs to know what she did was not okay." She turned her attention back to her daughter. "You could have asked your teacher or even the principal for more information. Even Sina and Dexio themselves told you so."
"How would she know?" Mainard shrugged. "That's why she ditched school in the first place."
Juliette sighed and looked up at the ceiling. She was ready to give her two cents. She knew the answer to her words was decisive. It could mean having to say goodbye to her dream.
She leaned forward. "I have something to say and," Juliette looked at her mother, "I think some of you might not like the idea. I want to stop attending school to focus on gathering the Cells and Cores."
Rachel gasped. Her eyes went round. "You want to leave school now that summer is approaching? Why?"
Mainard tried to intercede for his daughter, but Juliette stopped him with a gesture of her hand. "This is something I've been wanting to do all my life and I can't wait any longer. I know it might be too radical, but nothing can change my mind."
Rachel was silent. She didn't answer her daughter. Instead, she sighed and pressed her hand to her cheek. Mainard and Édith looked at each other with worry while Juliette sunk in her seat. She is going to keep me from gathering them. I should start forgetting about it.
On the other hand, Rachel had a different idea. "Yes, you can leave school and embark on your journey. All kids do that at some point, don't they?"
A smile lit up Juliette's face. "You really mean that?"
"Oh, I sure do." Her mother smiled back.
"Thank you so much, Mom!" Juliette instinctively bowed her head in gratitude.
"Although I want you to have everything ready beforehand."
"She's right," Édith agreed. "You'll need to get a Ride Pager as well as permission to navigate through Trial Sites."
"We'll have to go to Melemele Island for that," Mainard added.
"That being said," Rachel continued, "it doesn't mean you can't get a Cell if you happen to come across one."
"So then...I can start as soon as Sina and Dexio tell me more about their assignment?"
Rachel nodded. "Yes, just keep everything we said in mind."
"I will..." Juliette's eyes sparkled and for a second, it looked like she was about to cry. "Thank you all so much for letting me do this. It means a lot to me."
Mainard gave his daughter's back a little pat. "It's nothing. We want you to be happy."
"Besides," Rachel joined, "I think you'll be responsible enough for this task."
Édith grinned and clasped her hands. "I can't wait to see what you get from this journey!"
"I can't wait either," Juliette smiled.
Monday arrived, leaving the weekend behind. The longest weekend of Juliette's life. On Saturday, she messaged Sina and Dexio saying they would meet on Monday around 12:30 a.m. They said it was okay and they would be available.
Juliette and her grandmother were steadily approaching Akala Trainer Academy. The teen eyed the empty campus as the car approached the building's entrance. Everyone was still in class, but it wouldn't be long until recess started. Juliette decided now would be the best time to inform Oak of her decision since he wouldn't be busy. Besides, she would be able to say goodbye to her friends properly.
Édith and Juliette got out of the car. Unlike previous school days, Juliette wasn't carrying her school bag. This'll be the last day she stepped foot into a school.
"Are you excited?" Édith asked, closing the car's door.
Juliette sighed. "I am, but I'm also scared they will object to my decision."
Édith faced her granddaughter and placed her hands on Juliette's shoulders. "Listen, Julie, you're not the first nor the last person who has withdrawn from school to go on a journey. It's so extremely common that teachers don't usually care. Why should it be different in your case?"
"Because I'm not setting on a journey to collect badges or to partake in the Island Challenge. It's something different."
"But it's still a Pokémon focused journey, is it not?" Édith gave her a soft smile. "Now, let's get going. Sina and Dexio will be waiting for us at the hotel when we're done."
The two entered the building and made their way to Oak's office in silence. Juliette peered at the hallway out of the corner of her eye, knowing it would be her last time seeing it. Soon, they were in front of the office's door.
"Will you do the honors and knock on the door?" Édith asked her granddaughter.
"Of course," Juliette answered.
She knocked on the door twice. "Come in!" Oak called shortly after.
Juliette opened the door and walked into the office followed by her grandmother.
"Oh, it's you, Juliette!" Oak gave her and her grandmother an affable smile. "I've been wondering why you were absent today."
Juliette looked at Édith for reassurance. The woman nodded at her. Soon she found herself speaking without hesitation. "I didn't go to class because I have something important to say."
"Really now?" Oak drew his chair closer to the desk as the two females sat in the ones in front of him. "What would that be?"
Juliette hesitated as she looked into Oak's gaze. "Um," she mumbled, only for her to find her composure moments later. Spit it out! Juliette scolded herself. "I've decided to withdraw from school to focus on gathering Zygarde Cells and Cores."
Oak's eyes grew wide in shock. "You want to stop attending school? Are you sure about that?" Juliette didn't answer him. She looked down at his desk and Édith gave the principal a serious look. "The gathering of Zygarde Cells and Cores is an after-school activity," he continued. "You still can attend class as usual."
"I know," Juliette finally replied, looking straight into the man's eyes, "but I've already made my decision. It's something that I want to invest as much time as possible in. That's why I want to leave school."
"I see..." Oak leaned back in his chair, pondering. A few seconds later, he smiled at Juliette. "In that case, I don't see why you can't leave. You're about to embark on your very own journey!"
"I told you," Édith whispered to her granddaughter with a grin.
Oak got up from his chair and took a folder from the shelf behind his desk. He sat back down and opened it, browsing its contents until he took out a sheet of paper. "Fill this up with your personal information. Mark the reason why you're leaving right here," he pointed at the sheet on one spot, then drifted to another, "then leave your signature here. Your grandmother's signature goes right next to yours."
"Okay..." Juliette answered, taking a blue pen lying on the desk.
She filled out the first half of the form. Her eyes then drifted to the lower half of the sheet. It listed reasons why the student left school: Urgent familial obligations, job incompatible with school hours, going on a journey, and other. Juliette hesitated between the last two options, but she ended up marking "Going on a journey".
Juliette wrote her signature down, then handed the sheet of paper to her grandmother. Édith scribbled her signature with a swift movement and gave the form back to Juliette. The woman wanted her granddaughter to be the one giving it to Oak. After all, she was the one who was about to start a life-changing journey.
As soon as Juliette gave it to him, Oak glanced at the form. "Everything's OK!" He got up from his chair. "I hope you come back eventually to finish your studies."
"I'm not sure I can do that before the current school year ends, but I'll try to be here for the next one."
Oak waved his hand. "It's all good! I wish you the best on your journey."
"Thank you so much." A bright smile adorned Juliette's features.
"I'm sure she'll do great," Édith joined, "my granddaughter has been waiting for something like this all her life. She could barely sleep this weekend!"
"Grandma...!" Juliette scolded, but a smile still managed to escape her.
Oak giggled at the exchange. "I think this is goodbye for now," he addressed them. "Alola!" He made the rainbow shaped gesture.
"Alola!" Juliette and Édith returned the gesture and opened the door, leaving Oak's office.
It was official. Juliette was no longer bound to school. Only a few processes were in her way now. After completing them, she'll be free to chase her dream. The teen and her grandmother were now walking down the hallway.
"I'm guessing you'll go say goodbye to your friends now, won't you?" Édith asked.
"Yes, I will." Juliette paused. "...The idea of having to say goodbye to them saddens me a bit. It took me so long to have a true group of friends and now that I finally have one, I'm leaving them all behind."
Édith gasped, placing her hand over her heart. "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts!"
Juliette shook her head. "Of course not. I just find it kinda ironic, you know?"
"Oh, alright," Édith sighed in relief. "Although I do get what you mean. Life as a whole can be pretty ironic."
The two exited the building and set foot on the campus. It was bustling with activity as the students and their Pokémon played around.
"Alright Julie," Édith said, "I'll be waiting for you in the car."
"Okay, I'll try to be brief so you don't have to wait too long."
"Oh no, take your time! You need to say goodbye properly. I'll be patient."
Juliette smiled at her grandmother and watched her walk away towards her car. Once Édith disappeared from her field of view, Juliette headed for the benches she and her friends usually sit on.
As she expected, they were there. Lillie was the only one missing. I guess someone else will have to fill her in on the news.
Everyone looked at Juliette. Luana raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Julie! How come you didn't show up today?"
"Did you go to the doctor or something?" Hau asked.
"No, I didn't." Juliette paused. She swallowed hard in nervousness. "It's something else."
"Something else?" Sophocles cocked an eyebrow.
Juliette sighed and avoided eye contact with the group. "I don't know how to say what I'm going to say. It will sound so out of the blue."
"Don't stress yourself, I'm sure we'll understand." Mallow casually rested her head on her hand.
A tense silence followed Mallow's words. The silence contrasted against the sounds in the courtyard. Sounds of students laughing and playing with each other and their Pokémon. Sounds of other ongoing conversations. Sounds of friendly Pokémon battles happening not too far from them.
After a few seconds, Juliette was ready to drop the bombshell. "What I want to say that...I'm leaving."
"Leaving?" Kiawe shifted on his seat, facing his body towards Juliette. "What do you mean?"
The girl rubbed the back of her neck. "The other day I...uh, ditched school to look for Sina and Dexio. I wanted to tell them that I was interested in gathering Zygarde Cells and Cores. It's something I should have said earlier, I know."
Lana pointed at Juliette, her eyes wide open. "So that's why you jumped out the bathroom's window!"
"Yes. It also leads to the reason why I'm leaving. I want to devote as much time as possible to the task. For that, I decided that leaving school is the best option."
Luana got up from the bench abruptly and approached Juliette. She faced her without saying anything. Despite how irrational her expectations were, Juliette braced herself to hear Luana scold her and question her choice. Instead, she received a hug. As soon as Juliette returned the gesture, she noticed Luana was crying.
"Will we still see each other?" Luana sobbed.
"Of course!" Juliette felt her heart heavy at seeing her friend cry. "I can always come over to the Café, can't I?"
"You know you can come over whenever you want," Luana said, pulling away from the hug without breaking it completely. "So can your family. Not only that, but if you ever have to go to Melemele, my house will always be open to you."
"That's very kind of you." Juliette paused again. "Are you sure that's okay? Would your parents mind?"
"Oh Julie," Luana replied, ending the hug, "you know they wouldn't mind. They're very lenient and love it whenever I bring my friends over."
"In that case," Juliette smiled, "I'd love to come over if I need to."
Everyone had gotten up from the benches during Juliette and Luana's exchange. Hau approached the former. "It's a pity to see you go, but I wish you the best on your journey. I'm sure you'll enjoy the experience."
Juliette nodded and simpered. "Thank you, Hau."
Mallow spoke next, "To be honest when you skipped school the other day, you left us worried. We thought something happened!" She gesticulated with her hands. "Luckily, there was something positive behind what you did. I can tell this is something you're excited about, so I hope you have fun!"
"At least you came and explained yourself," Lana continued, "I hope that assignment isn't too hard on you and you can join us again soon."
Next, it was Kiawe's turn. "To me, this is not really a goodbye since we are neighbors," he smiled briefly, "although it'll still be strange not seeing you in class with us. May you have a safe journey."
"I agree with Kiawe," Sophocles said. "This is not a goodbye; we just won't see you as often." He rolled his shoulders. "Either way, be careful out there."
It was hard for Juliette not to cry at her classmates' words. She blinked back her tears a few times before finally answering. "Thanks everyone for your kind words...and thanks for understanding. It means a lot to me. It was nice being a part of this class." Juliette stopped speaking to recompose herself, discreetly wiping her eyes. "Wait, where's Lillie? She's the only one missing."
"Lillie couldn't show up today either." Luana looked up and to the left, recalling what Lillie told her earlier that morning. "Oh yeah, her mother needed her for something."
"Don't worry!" Hau exclaimed with eagerness. "I'll make sure to let her know about your departure. We can't leave her in the dark about this."
Juliette smiled at them wistfully. Her eyes went downcast for a brief moment before she spoke again. "I have to leave now. My Grandmother is waiting for me in the car."
"Alright..." Luana's eyes had become wet again, but she wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. "Please, be careful."
"Don't worry, I will."
Juliette took a few steps forward away from them before stopping and turned around. She waved goodbye to her friends, who waved back at her. Everyone uttered words of farewell along with best wishes. Juliette answered them all as she kept waving her hand. At the end of their minute long exchange, Juliette turned around and parted away from them. She wasn't going to look back this time.
The teen clutched the strap of her bag and lowered her head. No matter how hard she tried, her tears were impossible to hold back. She walked across the courtyard sobbing quietly, hoping no one would see or hear her in such a state.
When Juliette walked past the Tapu Lele statue, however, her tears stopped cold and her face went pale. Telford and Chaos had appeared out of the blue.
"Aww, you were crying? How cute." Telford sneered, a twisted grin appearing on his lips.
"Tell us, Ronson," Chaos put harsh emphasis on Juliette's name, sending a feeling of terror into her soul, "what were you crying about?" He crossed his arms and leaned backwards on the fence in a slouched position.
Juliette stood still. She wished she could tell them how it was none of their business and continue on her way. That would have been easy for anyone else, but not for her. She looked down at the ground in silence, avoiding eye contact with the duo.
"It's because you're leaving school, isn't it? We heard it all." Telford leaned closer, making Juliette step back. "You know, now that you're dropping out...it can be said you're not too different from us. Right, Chaos?"
"Yeah." Chaos nodded.
She had enough. Juliette tried to dodge them and keep walking, but Chaos was quick to grab her by the arm.
"By the way, Ronson," he growled into her ear, "this isn't goodbye." Chaos pushed Juliette away before he and Telford walked away cackling.
A heavy sensation settled in Juliette's chest. She stood frozen as she watched Telford and Chaos go. After standing in a daze, she looked down at her arm. There were no marks. Chaos' grip hurt her, but it wasn't tight enough to leave a bruise. He knew what he was doing.
Juliette took a deep breath and put on a happy expression. Juliette didn't want her grandmother to realize that something went wrong. She wanted to forget about the recent conflict as soon as possible.
Only a few meters separated Juliette from the car. She dashed towards it and got inside, sat on the passenger's seat, and closed the door quickly.
"How did it go?" Édith asked.
"They took it well. Although Luana acted like I said I'm going away forever."
Her grandmother chuckled. "You already know she's a sensitive girl. Besides, if it affected her that much, it means you're very important to her."
"Yes..."
"Wait." Édith leaned towards her granddaughter. "Have you been crying?"
"W-what? No!" Juliette went quiet. However, she couldn't suppress the truth. "Well, maybe a little."
"Knew it. You can't trick me. Now," Édith said as she twisted the ignition key, "are you ready?"
"Heh. I'm more than ready," Juliette answered with a grin.
They soon started driving towards their destination. Juliette settled on the seat and looked through the window. Her mind couldn't help but replay the incident with Telford and Chaos over and over. She frowned at her own reflection. I must stop thinking about them. They only want to scare me. Unlike Luana and the others, I'm never seeing them again. At least, I hope so...
In less than ten minutes, they made it to their destination. After finding a parking space that left them close to the exit, Édith parked and left the car. She prompted Juliette to do the same with great enthusiasm. Once she was out, Édith put her arm around her granddaughter's shoulder and the two made their way into the hotel. With her grandmother by her side, Juliette was ready to listen to whatever Sina and Dexio wanted to say.
As soon as they entered, they spotted Sina and Dexio waiting in the lobby. Édith withdrew her arm from around her granddaughter's shoulders and approached the duo.
"Ravi de vous rencontrer! I'm Juliette's grandmother."
"Ravi de vous rencontrer également," Dexio answered, "My name is Dexio and this is my partner Sina."
"Enchanté," Sina greeted.
"I must say, you two are punctual!" Dexio congratulated the duo.
Sina took a glance at her wristwatch. "Indeed, it's exactly 12:30 now."
"We had to fill out some paperwork," Édith said. "I'm surprised we aren't late."
"Wait...paperwork?" Sina gestured with her hands.
"My granddaughter will tell you all about it." Out of the corner of her eye, Édith caught Juliette giving her a nervous smile.
"We can discuss it more comfortably in the room. Let's go." Dexio began walking towards the elevator.
The rest followed him as they walked across the lobby. They entered the elevator and a few seconds later, they reached the second floor. The four of them walked in a line until they reached the door to room 208.
Sina opened the door and pointed at the loveseats inside the room. "Please, sit over there."
Édith and Juliette did as Sina told them. Her and Dexio did the same on the couch across them.
"So, Juliette, what is it that your grandmother wants you to tell us?"
Juliette let out an exhalation. "I...I left school. I'm not attending anymore."
Dexio ducked his head backward in surprise. "You won't go to school anymore?" Juliette looked down at the floor and shook her head. "Well, maybe having someone so eager to help us will make things easier."
Sina nodded and gave her an idle look. "So that's what the paperwork was for."
"Yes...I hope I can be helpful."
"With that disposition, of course you will!"
"T-thanks!" Juliette covered her simpering with one hand.
The room went silent. Édith looked at her granddaughter and shrugged with a smile on her face. Juliette knew that meant her grandmother was expecting her to talk more. Luckily for Juliette, Dexio was the one to break the silence.
"Alright, are you ready to learn more about your task?" he asked with a gesture of his hand.
"Oh yes!" Édith exclaimed, earning herself a bewildered look from Juliette, "What? I can be excited too."
"Sina, start us off."
"Thanks, Dexio." The woman bowed her head. "You already know what Zygarde's Cells and Cores are, so that saves us lots of time. However, you're about to learn something new."
"Oui, you'll need something on your journey. It's an indispensable tool. Without it, gathering Zygarde's Cells and Cores would be impossible."
"This item we are about to entrust you with was discovered by Professor Sycamore in the Kalos region. Let me go get it." Sina got up from her seat and headed for the back of the room. There, she opened one of the drawers in the nightstand and pulled out a strange device. She handed it to Juliette.
The girl examined the device in her hands. Its colors matched Zygarde's. "What is this?"
"That's the Zygarde Cube," Dexio answered.
Sina continued, "This item serves as a nest for Zygarde's Cells and Cores, in a way."
"A nest?" Juliette looked up with a quizzical look on her face.
"The Zygarde Cube will store all the Cells and Cores you find inside and it will keep them safe," Dexio explained.
"Think of it as a Poké Ball, but with more room," Sina added.
Édith laughed and lifted her index finger. "That's a good comparison!"
"It really is," Dexio smiled. "Now Sina, will you explain to our friend how it works?"
"Of course!" Sina got up and approached Juliette. She squatted to her eye level. "See that button? Press it."
Juliette pressed the button and a screen activated on one of the cube's faces. "This looks like a GPS."
Dexio chuckled at the comment. "That's a radar that will show you where each Cell and Core is located."
"The Cells will appear marked in green and the Cores, in red," Sina added.
Juliette looked at the screen up close. A blinking point indicated her position. "That...that's amazing! I'm guessing there's no Cells or Cores nearby."
"You guessed right." Sina placed her hands on her hips. "The moment you're close to one of them, you'll hear a beep coming from the device."
"Alright. How do I gather them?"
Dexio took the floor. "There's another button on the right side of the device."
Juliette glanced at it. It was a flat, green button.
"Whenever you're in front of either a Cell or Core, you just press that button and it will go straight into the Cube."
Juliette's eyes sparkled. "That's it? Is it really that easy?"
"Well...you might have a harder time trying to get the Cores," Sina said with a slight frown. "While the Cells are unable to act on their own, the Cores are sentient and have their own will. They might try to flee from you."
"Huh, that's interesting."
"Speaking of that, there's something very important we still have to tell you. Dexio?"
"Oh yes. Last but not least, you should know that you won't be collecting all one hundred cells."
"No?" Juliette tilted her head.
"No. You will gather fifty Cells. That number includes two Cores." Dexio held up two fingers as he spoke the last sentence.
"Meanwhile, Dexio and I will gather the remaining Cells and Cores."
So that's why Oak was so surprised about my decision... "That means it shouldn't take too long, right?"
"Exactly," Dexio answered. "That's why we labeled it an after-school activity."
"At the same time, seeing your enthusiasm reassures us we got the right person to help us," Sina said with a wide grin.
"It's...It's no biggie." Her cheeks turned pink. "I'll do the best I can."
Dexio spread his arms. "Now, get out there and gather as many Cells as you can! You can find them anywhere: mountains, beaches... Even inside buildings."
"Buildings?" Juliette tilted her head to the side in confusion. "That's strange..."
"It's said the Cells and Cores are attracted to powerful individuals, such as strong and capable Trainers," Sina explained.
"Really now?" Édith's mouth went agape for a second. "I never heard about that in legends, although I'm already ancient."
"Grandma!" Juliette admonished.
Dexio continued where Sina left off. "Some things still hold many secrets even to this day. Zygarde is one of them."
"That's one of the reasons why we're doing this," Sina added. "We want to understand this Pokémon better."
"I'm thankful I can be a part of this." Juliette clenched her hands in front of the lower part of her stomach. "It's...it's an honor for me."
Sina let out a hearty chuckle. "It's alright, there's no need to thank us."
"You came to us, after all." Dexio took a glance at his wristwatch. "Sadly, this is it for today. We have to go somewhere. Remember to call us if you have any questions."
"I will." I hope I won't end up getting annoying.
"I have a question," Édith chimed in with a hand raised. "Is there a deadline for this?"
Sina waved her hands. "There's no need to worry about that. We're in no hurry."
"Your granddaughter has to focus on carrying the Zygarde Cube with her everywhere and keeping it safe. Nothing else," Dexio answered with a slightly stern look on his face.
"D'accord!" Édith looked at her granddaughter. "Don't you feel ready to begin already?"
"Oh, of course!" Juliette peered in Sina and Dexio's direction, the two smiling warmly at her.
"Although we're parting, I think we'll be seeing each other again soon," Dexio said. "Au revoir!"
"Be careful out there. Au revoir!" Sina waved goodbye.
"Au revoir!" Édith and Juliette said goodbye to their hosts and exited the room.
The two left the hotel in silence. On the way to the car, Édith stared at Juliette from time to time. The woman expected her granddaughter to say something. She couldn't wait to start talking about how her imminent journey could go. Needless to say, Juliette shared her grandmother's enthusiasm but showing it wasn't so easy in her case.
Édith and Juliette got in the car. The two sat in silence for a few seconds until Édith broke the quietness. "Can I see it?" she asked, referring to the Zygarde Cube. As Édith eyed the device, however, she noticed her granddaughter's knuckles had turned white. "Julie... Just because you're supposed to take care of it doesn't mean you have to break your hand."
"I know, but..." her voice went brittle, "I can't believe this is in my hands. I fantasized about similar things so many times... I never thought those fantasies could become reality. Do I really deserve this chance?"
Édith hugged her granddaughter. She felt the girl sob in her arms but said nothing. The crying outburst was short-lived.
"I'm sorry." Juliette raised her hand. "I got emotional. I didn't mean to cry...again."
"No need to apologize. Crying can be good. One has to release their emotions in some way." Édith eyed the Zygarde Cube. Her granddaughter's grip on it was much more relaxed now. "Oh, and to answer your question: you are perhaps the only person I know who deserves this chance the most. Now go and make sure you enjoy every moment of it."
"Thank you so much... I'll try to." Juliette extended the Zygarde Cube to her grandmother. "Do you want to see it?"
"Actually... I changed my mind," Édith declined her offer with a familiar grin on her face.
"Oh no, it's your plotting face again!" Juliette joked.
"I want to see the Cube in action. You'll be trying it on Route 4. Let's go." Édith started the car and began driving towards the nearby Route.
"You want me to gather a Cell right now? What if there's none there?"
"I'd be surprised if there was none. Sina and Dexio said that you can find them anywhere."
Juliette leaned her back on the seat and stared ahead of her. The tall buildings kept going past them and soon, they'd give way to the trees. The girl fidgeted with the device in her hands. Looks like leaving Kalos was indeed a good thing.
Édith drove away from the hotel and headed for the city's exit. In less than five minutes, they were in front of the entrance to Route 4. Édith stopped the car right at the entrance. She got out of the car and gestured for Juliette to join her.
"What if leaving the car here bothers people?" Juliette asked as she closed the passenger's door.
"I don't think it will bother anyone. They have plenty of room to walk around it. Now, turn on the Cube!"
Juliette pressed the button Sina indicated earlier. The screen lit up and the blinking point signaling her position appeared. Like last time, there was no sign of any Cell or Core near them.
"Now we'll just walk around here and see what happens." Juliette eyed the patches of grass ahead of them. "We must be careful with the wild Pokémon. I should have brought Halbert and Poppy..."
"You don't have any Repels in your bag?"
"Let me see..." Juliette rummaged through her bag and took out a Repel can. "I have one. I think you should use it." She handed it to her grandmother.
"What if a wild Pokémon attacks you? You should use it instead." Édith gently pushed the Repel back to Juliette.
"I insist: it'll be better if you use it. I'll feel more at ease," Juliette insisted as she pushed against her grandmother's hand.
Édith took the Repel and began to spray herself. "Okay, no need to worry anymore. Now I'm all protected!" She flexed her arm in a joking manner.
Juliette giggled at the woman's gesture. "Give me the can. I'll put it in my bag so I can throw it in the trash as soon as we find a bin."
Édith gave her granddaughter the empty can and she put it back in her bag. Juliette closed it and approached Édith, standing to her right. The two of them stared at the Route opening up in front of them. A few Trainers stood around waiting for someone to challenge them.
"Alright: there's a bifurcation. Both will take us straight to Paniola Town, but we have to think of the tall grass first." Édith tightened her lips as she kept thinking.
"Yes, plus the Repel only lasts for one hundred steps so we have to be careful," Juliette warned.
The two pondered in silence. Juliette looked down at the Zygarde Cube. It still wouldn't give off any signal. It's no wonder. We only walked a couple of steps since we got off the car.
"We'll go left," Édith decided. "It'll be for the best. While the grass patch is wider, it's also shorter. We won't see another patch until we're almost at the Town's entrance, so we should be good to go."
Juliette nodded and smiled. "I agree, that'll be the best."
Édith and Juliette began walking. "Is there something in the Cube yet?" the former asked.
"I won't look at it until we've crossed the tall grass." Juliette's arms remained at her sides. "Besides, Sina said that the device will beep if we are near a Cell. We won't have to worry about missing out on one."
As they talked, Édith and Juliette reached the first patch of grass. Édith walked through it with zero hesitation since the Repel protected her. Juliette, however, wasn't sure about doing the same. She looked down at the grass to see if any Pokémon could be spotted moving around. After making sure there was no movement, Juliette strode across the grass and joined her grandmother on the other side.
Juliette exhaled. "That was easy!"
Édith grinned. "We shouldn't have any trouble navigating through this Route. It might be one of the safest Routes on the island."
"I hope you're right..." Juliette took one last glance at the patch of grass they left behind.
The duo kept walking until they eventually reached a ramp. A Breeder standing nearby noticed them and stopped the two. "Are any of you up for a battle?"
Édith shook her head. "Sorry, my Granddaughter's Pokémon are at home and I'm not a Trainer."
"Aw, nuts! I guess I'll have to keep standing there until a Trainer drops by. It's getting boring." Édith and Juliette left, but the Breeder kept talking to himself as he took out a mini-comb for his mustache. "What kind of Trainer leaves the house without their Pokémon? How nonsensical."
Édith and Juliette were still on their tracks. They climbed up a hill and were granted a heightened view of the route.
"The sights have changed a bit." Juliette eyed the trees to her right.
"The Route looks beautiful from up here." Édith changed the subject afterward. "So...are you getting anything?"
Juliette looked down at the device. "Non, I doubt there are Cells in this Route at all."
"We can't give up just yet. Maybe we'll find one in Paniola Town," her grandmother said with heightened enthusiasm.
Juliette looked at her grandmother with a half-smile. "I didn't say I'm giving up."
Not long after, the two reached the last patch of tall grass separating them from Paniola Town. They could swear the town's distinct smell was already reaching them.
"I'm not sure if the Repel is still working for me." Édith placed her hands on her hips. "Our best bet is running through the grass as fast as we can. What do you think?"
"It's a good idea, I guess. Let's do that." Juliette walked closer to the grass.
"Alright!" Édith took a deep breath. "On the count of three: one, two... Three!"
Édith and Juliette took off and dashed across the grass without a second thought. The momentum made them run past the entrance to Paniola Town for a few meters, but they didn't care. As soon as they caught their breath, Édith hooted triumphantly.
"Grandma, don't be loud," Juliette scolded, almost whispering, "we could alert a wild Pokémon."
"Julie, we already left the tall grass behind. Nothing bad can happen to us now."
"True..." Juliette nodded her head in slow motion.
The duo backtracked and walked into town. Juliette's eyes darted across the scenery. It feels weird to be here now. I'm usually at school at this time. She then glanced down at the Zygarde Cube. It was still unresponsive.
"What should we do now?" Édith asked, the both of them still walking.
"We can walk around the town and see if something happens. If not, we can go home and try again tomorrow." Suddenly, Juliette stopped and shook her head. "No, I can't do that. I just remembered that Mom said I have to wait until everything is in order."
"She also said that you can gather Cells if you happen to find them nearby. Besides, she isn't even home now."
A sad smile escaped Juliette. "You're right... Let's go, then."
They ambled around town without a fixed destination. A few tumbleweeds rolled past Édith and Juliette. People pushing wheelbarrows loaded with various things also crossed their path. There were many Pokémon too; most of them played with their Trainers. Others played together while their Trainers had lively conversations.
Juliette ignored it all. She only had eyes for the screen on the Zygarde Cube, which still wouldn't give off any signal.
Édith noticed her granddaughter's furrowed brow. "Don't worry about it, Julie. If we don't find any here then you're bound to find one somewhere else. Akala Island is huge."
Juliette only answered with a sigh. They were now leaving the Pokémon Center behind. The situation remained the same, but that was about to change. Not even four minutes later, Juliette let out a sudden gasp.
"What's wrong?" Alarmed, Édith jerked her head in Juliette's direction.
The Zygarde Cube was beeping. Juliette showed her the screen. There was a green dot on the upper edge of the screen on the left side.
Édith's face lit up. "That seems to be in the Ranch's direction! We must go!"
"Of course we must," Juliette grinned.
Juliette and her grandmother headed towards Paniola Ranch with quick steps. Juliette could barely contain her excitement. A giant smile appeared on her face ever since the green dot came into view. Her heart thudded in her chest, feeling like it was about to overflow with joy. The thoughts that worried Juliette a few minutes ago were now gone.
Unfortunately, Édith and her had to stop so a herd of Mareep led by their shepherd could cross the path. It felt like the Pokémon would never stop parading, but soon all the individuals had crossed.
Édith and Juliette resumed their steps. Juliette looked down at the Cube's screen. She watched as the dot signaling her location drew closer to the one indicating where the Cell was. She smiled again. I can't believe this is happening!
Afterwards, it didn't take long for the duo to reach Paniola Town. In over five minutes, they made it. Juliette hadn't peeled her eyes off the screen on the device the entire time. To her, knowing that she was so close to her first Zygarde Cell was glorious. When she thought of looking up, however, her enthusiasm went down.
There was more tall grass to cross. It was necessary to get to the Cell, but that wasn't the worst of it: a couple of Mudbray were grazing by the patch of grass. Without her Pokémon or any kind of Repel, Juliette would be an easy target.
"Will you still go?" Édith asked.
Juliette was immobile. I should have suggested stopping at home to get my Pokémon. She looked at Édith with a feigned smile. "They're Mudbray. I don't think they're dangerous, but I'll be careful either way."
"Alright." Édith nodded. "I'll go with you until you're closer to the grass."
Édith and Juliette walked across a dirt path that led them straight to the tall grass. Behind a nearby fence there was a ramp and a few hay bales. On the left side of the path a Breeder was busy spreading hay. He didn't notice their arrival and Juliette was thankful. She didn't want to be bothered when she was about to earn her first Cell.
The duo stopped before the tall grass started. Édith faced her granddaughter. "Good luck."
"Thank you. Don't worry too much, I'll be careful," Juliette reassured her.
"Oh, I know. You got this! I just want you to avoid any wild Pokémon."
Juliette nodded and turned away from the woman. She took a good look at the Zygarde Cube and then at the area in front of her. There was a fence that broke off next to a pile of hay bales. According to what the screen showed, the Cell should be in the left corner. If I walk up against the fence, I would only have to cross a single row of grass and then the Cell would be right in front of me.
She took a deep breath and stuck herself against the fence, separating from it by only a millimeter. Her walking was so quick that she feared she would trip over her own feet. Luckily, that didn't happen. Juliette left the tall grass behind without any incident.
"Alright, this is the button," Juliette spoke to herself. She placed her index finger over the button that withdraws the Cells and Cores into the device. She took a few more steps and looked at the screen. The pointer signaling her position was now on top of the green dot.
Juliette aimed the device at the floor and pressed the button. In doing so, a green light came from it and illuminated the floor like a spotlight. A curious looking being revealed itself: a green creature with a flat body and head. It had two protrusions: one on its head with the appearance of a beak and another one on the back, serving as a tail.
With her mouth hanging open, Juliette took in the sight of the Cell until the Cube sucked it in. Once the creature disappeared, she looked at the screen. A text had appeared: Count: 1 Cell, 0 Cores.
Juliette grinned and pumped her fist. She read the displayed text in her mind over and over again. The girl was awestruck. She took the first step to what could make her lifelong dream come true. Nothing could knock her off her cloud.
Well, almost nothing.
"Watch out!" Édith alerted her granddaughter.
Juliette turned around. The two Mudbray that grazed peacefully moments ago were approaching her. She didn't have much time to react. They were getting too close already and the mere shock paralyzed her.
"W-what do you want? I'm not doing anything bad," she stammered. I wasn't even in the tall grass.
The two Pokémon stared at her, immobile. Juliette didn't move either. She turned her head sideways and watched the Pokémon out of the corner of her eye. Juliette also raised an arm in front of her face, protecting it in case any of the Mudbray decided to attack.
Suddenly, one of the Pokémon moved its head towards her with a fast movement. Juliette winced and braced herself for the pain coming from the upcoming bite, but that didn't happen. Instead, the Mudbray licked her arm affectionately, while the second Mudbray joined soon after. The two Ground types were as happy as a Clamperl with the visitor, who they perceived as a playmate. Juliette held her breath for a moment before letting it out in relief, realizing she wasn't in danger.
"Well, that could have gone much worse!" Édith leaned on the fence to observe the scene.
"No need to tell me twice," Juliette sighed.