Jubilife City

Quinn and Cyan eventually made it to Jubilife City without anything of note happening on the route. This was fine with Quinn as she was able to relax for a bit and enjoy the sights. She was often too busy to do such a thing, but now that she had more time for herself, it was quite nice just looking around at nature. However, the landscape eventually gave rise to a cityscape, and Quinn was once again surrounded by the typical dark color scheme she was used to from Black City. Still, though, she could still take her time and enjoy the city if she so chose to.

It was around midday when the pair arrived in Jubilife City and it was bustling with activity. In her more casual clothing, Quinn blended in more with the citizens of the city than her usual attire did. While they were walking about, Quinn began to speak to Cyan, “I don’t think we’ll be able to make it to our next destination before nightfall. As such, we should spend the night here. I am thinking somewhere a bit less high class than we are used to until we can be sure that my parents are no longer trying to track us. I was thinking of perhaps adjusting our plan so that we go to Eterna Forest first to complete Professor Juniper’s research task sooner than later. Once we finish that, we can circle back around to Oreburgh City and meet with some of my colleagues there. As such, we should try to look for a place on the side closer to Floraroma Town so we can leave early in the morning tomorrow. However, we’ll probably have to ask someone from here for a good spot to stay.”

Cyan croaked a sound of agreement and nodded as he continued to follow Quinn deeper into the city.

The group eventually got to a rather small inn nestled between two, larger buildings. In fact, the inn looked like it was old enough to be from an entirely different century than the two buildings next to it. Quinn and Cyan looked at the building, “Well, I am sure my parents would never think to look for us here at least.”

Cyan still had his doubts but continued to follow Quinn and the others despite them. The group made their way into the inn. It had many windows, which would have let the sunlight in had the inn not been surrounded by taller buildings. To light the place were many lit candles, though they also added an ominous feeling to the inn. “I know it isn’t much compared to what you youngsters are used to nowadays, but it is still my inn and I find it quite cozy,” The old lady announced as they walked through the main hall of the inn.

“Oh, so you are the innkeeper here? I can understand the coziness of this place. In fact, it is a nice change of pace from what I am used to,” Quinn responded, attempting to convey that she was actually genuine about her comment, but was worried her typical analytical voice may not have done so.

“Why don’t you join me for some tea? It is nice to have company here. We don’t often get visitors to this place, at least not like we used to,” The old lady said, smiling gently to Quinn and Cyan.

“We would appreciate some tea. Thank you.”

Grandma Hana began to talk about her days as a youth and how she traveled the world seeking adventure. Quinn listened respectfully and chimed in when she felt appropriate. The two ended up talking for quite a while and, before long, night had fallen. There were times when Quinn thought how odd it was for her to be opening up to a stranger, but something about Grandma Hana was oddly comforting. Perhaps she reminded Quinn of her own grandparents from when she was younger, though they had been deceased for quite some time now. Still, Quinn tried her best to shake off her apprehensions and be genuine with Grandma Hana knowing that Cyan was also watching them to make sure she was safe.

Grandma Hana looked out the nearby window of the table. Realizing how late it had gotten, she stopped talking for a moment before beginning again, “Ah, look how late it is now. I seem to have talked your ear off for far too long. I should show you to your room to rest for the night.”

“I truly did not mind talking with you this long, though I suppose I am a bit tired now.”

Grandma Hana stood up from the table and went down one of the connecting hallways. Her two Pokemon followed her down the hall with Quinn and Cyan behind them. They soon arrived at a door with a rather ornate doorknob. Grandma Hana turned it and opened the door, signaling for the rest to follow her in.

Inside the room was what one would expect in a normal bedroom, except the furniture was in a somewhat ornate olden style that reminded Quinn of something she had seen in the few antique stores she had been in when she was younger. "I am sure you are probably used to more of the modern amenities, but this is all I can offer you."

"No worries, Grandma Hana, it will make do for the night. We thank you for all the hospitality you have shown us so far," Quinn replied, grateful to have found a place so obscure to her parents with a patron as kind as Hana.

Quinn moved to open the door and had Phorus lead the way with her light. They all went down the hallway and back through the kitchen till they eventually made their way to a large room that must have been the living room that was the source of the cries. Strangely enough, though, they could not see who was crying, though it sounded as if the person was sitting on the large sofa in the center of the room. Quinn looked around for the source for a moment before she and her Pokemon felt a tap on their shoulders, to which they immediately turned around in shock. “Oh, I didn’t mean to scare you all, dearies,” Grandma Hana said innocently standing behind them as if she had been there the entire time with her Growlithe and Mawile beside her.

The cries had stopped when Grandma Hana began to speak. It was at this point that Quinn began to have her suspicions about their kind patron. “Grandma Hana, we just heard someone crying in this very room. I am sure you must have heard it too. Would you know anything about it?”

Grandma Hana let out a loud sigh before beginning to speak, “Well, if you must know the truth, the one crying was me.”

Quinn and Phorus were shocked to hear this but Cyan squinted harder in suspicion and was prepared to defend Quinn should he need to. “But, we didn’t see you just now in the room. How can that be?”

“I know you are quite smarter than that, dearie, and I am certain your Croagunk there is also fully aware that something isn’t quite as it seems here at this inn. Let me explain though. This here is what was my inn many years ago. I was indeed the innkeeper here and I lived a long, happy life with my Pokemon. Unfortunately, time is both a blessing and a curse for us living things. My Mawile here outlived me, but I could not depart this world without knowing she would be in safe hands. Though it wasn’t me that asked you for help on the sidewalk, I could tell that you were the right person to care for my sweet Sakura by the real you that I saw when we talked during and after dinner. You hide your heart well, but I can tell that under your cold shell you care deeply for your companions and their wellbeing. Now, I hope that you may welcome one of my life companions into your life where she may begin a new journey that I cannot follow her on,” Granda Hana explained before she raised a Pokeball up to Quinn which must have been Sakura’s.

Quinn had many questions in her head that she wanted to ask, many of them about Hana herself and the life she lived. That being said, she pushed those aside after a moment of thought and accepted the Pokeball from Hana’s hand. “Thank you, Grandma Hana,” Quinn said solemnly, like a last goodbye.

“No, dearie Quinn, thank you…” Grandma Hana replied before she began to glow with an intense light that consumed everything around Quinn and her Pokemon.

Quinn then lifted herself awake in what appeared to be a hidden garden surrounded by the tall buildings of Jubilife City. The sun was just beginning to rise and a gentle breeze made a nearby windchime jingle. As Quinn sat up, she looked around and saw Phorus and Cyan also waking on either side of her. In one of her hands was a Pokeball and the other was wrapped around a couple of objects. Quinn looked down at her clenched hand and opened it to reveal a pink-colored, rectangular tablet and a ring with a brilliant pink, black, and yellow stone as its jewel.

A breeze passed over the three of them and Quinn was filled with an inexplicable warm feeling. “Thank you, Grandma Hana,” Quinn said to the air.

A gentle jingle of the nearby wind chime rang in response to Quinn's words and Quinn then knew that Grandma Hana must have heard her. After that, Quinn got up and was ready to continue her quest to Eterna Forest.

Quinn and Cyan tried to gather more information on the situation at the news counter of the Pokemon Center. Quinn was greatly disappointed in the lack of information available there, though. In fact, some of the articles she scanned through seemed to have conflicting info on the events going around, which did not help her. One thing was clear though from what she was reading, the mass hoards of Pokemon invading cities is a global phenomenon with no clear pattern currently besides that it seemed that even Pokemon not normally found in a region could be found in these hoards.

Eventually, Quinn grew frustrated at the lack of objectivity in the news headlines she saw and decided it was time to call in a favor. She and Cyan stepped into one of the nearby private workrooms and closed the door behind them. Quinn pulled out her X-transceiver, waking up Apostrophe in the process. She dialed a number into the device as Apostrophe darted across the screen in curiosity. A moment later, a somewhat confused voice of a young man answered on the other line, “Hello? Quinn? Is that you?”

“Yes, I need to ask you for a favor, Alden,” Quinn replied, seemingly unaware of how confused her long-time friend was by this call.

“Where are you? I thought you were in Black City? That place has been taken over by grass-type Pokemon and plants. Communication in and out of there has been sparse! Are you alright?” Alden replied with the worry growing in his voice.

“I’m fine. I am actually here in Jubilife City right now. I am trying to get to Alamos Town and was trying to get more information on the nature of these mass invasions of Pokemon. The local news articles aren’t very reliable, so I thought I’d go directly to the news source. So, I need your help.”

“Oh! Well, uh, that is good that you are safe! If I had known you were in town, we could have met up or something sooner. Though, with these crazy outbreaks, I am super busy now trying to collect and send out info for the news. How about you meet me tomorrow morning in front of the Jubilife TV Station? I’ll do my best to gather what info I can, especially about Alamos Town, and hand it to you in the morning.”

“That sounds good to me. I’ll see you then at 8:30 in the morning then?”

“Geez, a bit early, but I know you don’t like to waste your days with too much sleep… Yeah, I can meet you at that time. See you then!”

“See you in the morning,” Quinn replied before hanging up the call.