Previously on Oranges to Grapes...
After Professor Jacq's video warning goes viral and strikes up an uprise, two Diademons retreat into the Great Crater of Paldea to inform their superior, a polyhedron called the Dooctohedron, about their situation. In response, said polyhedron ends up Terastalizing(?) most of Paldea into an entirely new landscape overnight...
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The next morning, back in Mesagoza, the sun was rising upon the city to herald a new day... but not just any day. This was the day that the independent study project of the Foremost World-Renowned Pokemon Academy of Paldea was to begin!
For most, anyway.
Meanwhile, in their dorm rooms, Camilla, Pico and Balto were still confined due to their injuries from yesterday: Camilla's foot was still wrapped up because of her muscle sprain, Pico couldn't keep his balance because of his missing tail, and Balto had to switch to a liquid diet and brush his teeth right after because of his chipped canine teeth.
However, just because they weren't able to venture outside of their dorms, let alone the Academy, didn't mean they couldn't witness the ceremony at the least. Back at the schoolyard, all the other students had gathered around the mini-pedestal by the north entrance, where Director Clavell stood proudly with his faculty below him. Some Rotom Phones were standing by to record the ceremony so it could be livestreamed for those who couldn't be there in person.
"Splendid," the director said, starting the ceremony and quieting the audience. The phones began the recording, and Clavell began his speech. "Welcome, young students of the Foremost World-Renowned Pokemon Academy of Paldea! Just as it has many years before, the time has come to announce the beginning of our independent study project... the theme of which, as always, is 'The Treasure Hunt!'"
The students (there) cheered until Clavell continued. "It is here that every one of you here today shall venture out into the Paldea region in its entirety to search for your own treasure; whether that be the experience of the culture, the people, the Pokemon, the nature... Whatever this glorious home region of ours has to offer! Find the answers to these commonly asked questions: Where will you go, who will you meet, and what will you achieve? And with your Pokemon partners, you will journey, learn, share, and find something to treasure together! Of course, this year a select few of our own, who shall remain nameless, will be unable to join us this year for now, but I can assure you all, they will not be left out of the experience. And I do so look forward to the day when all of you return to the Academy... as accomplished, great Trainers! Now, onward with the Treasure Hunt!"
All the students in the audience gave one final cheer before they were dismissed, then swarmed out of the schoolyard to swarm out of the building altogether, eager to take advantage of their newfound freedom. As soon as they were outside of the entrance...
"Go, Cyclizar!"
"Come on out, Cyclizar!"
"Cyclizar, I choose you!"
Poke Balls were thrown, bursts of white light flashed, and hordes of the aforementioned Pokemon stood on all fours at the ready, fitted with different colored saddles for each one. Their Trainers hopped on, and the riders took off down the stairs and split up at the Battle Court in the town square, half towards the east gate and the other half towards the west gate. This got some reactions from the citizens on the sidelines.
"Hello, where's the fire?"
"There they go again..."
"Must be that time again."
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But as soon as the students passing through the west gate made it to the other side, something strange happened. What they saw on the other side of the Pokemon Center on the hill was the small town of Cortondo, known for its annual olive festival and famous pastry shop, the Patissierie Soapberry. But what they didn't expect was the sight of the whole town encased in a giant dome of chartreuse crystal!
"What the ha!?" one student exclaimed. "When did Cortondo get turned into an oversized peridot?"
"Who cares?" another replied. "This is a Treasure Hunt, remember? Maybe we can find out if we storm that dome! It could break, and we'd free the town and get to challenge the Gym!"
"Are you sure that's what'll happen?"
"Habala habala habala habala I JUST WANT THE BADGES!"
While some of the crowd stormed down the hill without thinking, the rest of them just shrugged and followed, still skeptical. But when they reached the base of the dome, the unthinking ones decided to simply ram the dome, hoping it would crack!
"Cyclizar! Use Quick Attack!"
The mount Pokemon recieving the order darted forward as their riders shouted a primal battle cry. But as the Pokemon made contact with the walls of the dome, each of them disappeared instantly, as if the dome swallowed them all in one gulp!
"Retreat!"
But as soon as the Trainers turned around to run, pieces of the dome started to pop off of its surface and mold themselves into Diademons... but these were the same color of the dome and had flowers on their heads, and on the front of each of those flowers was a Cyclizar Scale!
Those special Diademons chased after the Trainers and grabbed them by the arms, hauling them towards the dome. The ones that stayed behind, however, tried to get their Pokemon after their attackers, but their Poke Balls didn't open for some reason!
All their actions did was get the attention of the Diademons, and they simply flung their victims at the dome with brute strength. The poor Trainers also disappeared on contact with the dome, and the Diademons ran after those Trainers as well, too fast for them to get away, and too strong for them to escape.
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Meanwhile, something similar was happening past the east gate: a dome of tan crystal had encased the den of the Stony Cliff Titan in Area Three of the South Providence. Half the Trainers there charged with their Cyclizar, but they were taken by the dome and made more Diademons with inverted pyramids embedded into their heads with Cyclizar Scales. That horde of unbleached quartz monsters hauled all those Trainers into that dome, and they couldn't defend themselves with their Pokemon because their Poke Balls wouldn't open, either.
It looked like the Treasure Hunt was over before it could even begin...
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To be continued.
