Previously on Oranges to Grapes...
After Rosita and Jessica establish that they need to get down so they can continue their journey, Conner and Leopold combine their powers to create an ice slide to do so. But upon finding out they're low on supplies, Rosita decides that their next destination should be Porto Marinada...
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And so, Rosita and Jessica continued down the path to their destination, with Conner and Leopold in tow on their respective shoulders... but no one they passed seemed to take notice of them because they were hidden that well or no one simply cared.
Along the way, though, Jessica stopped to ask Rosita, "You know, something just occured to me: since we're headed that way already, why don't we just stock up at Cascarrafa instead?"
"I thought no one would ever ask," the caracal answered as she took out her Rotom Phone to show the snow leopard, but looked up instead to see two crystal domes; one blue covering the aforementioned city, and one brown surrounding the Quaking Earth Titan's den in Asado Desert. So she pointed to both domes and told Jessica, "Short answer, look."
"Well, that was unnecessarily tactless," Jessica said as she looked where Rosita pointed.
"Then maybe the long answer will make you feel better," Rosita explained as they kept walking. "You saw what happens when a Pokemon touched the dome we passed earlier; it disappears and the material it leaves behind is used to make those crystal monsters, whatever they're called. So the less domes we have to deal with, the better."
"Okay, then."
"And not only that, before I met you, there was another dome surrounding the town of Cortondo that I had the sense enough to not touch. Now, I don't know where these domes came from or why they're here, but I do know this: one, whatever you do, do not, I repeat, NOT, under any circumstances, EVER!!! ...touch them. And two, they seem to be placed where there's a Pokemon Gym or Titan's den, but there could also be more I don't know about."
"You mean like that one?" Jessica said as she pointed towards the Segin Squad base... where there was yet another crystal dome (this one black) over the gate.
"Okay, I deserved that," Rosita supposed. "And now we know that these domes are also placed over Team Star bases... and Porto Marinada matches none of the criteria for those domes."
"Fair enough. Now let's go!" Jessica said.
As both feline fems continued down the path, Rosita wondered to herself, Huh. Wonder how Cammie's doing with her enrollment back at that school?
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Meanwhile, back at the Academy.
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Camilla was finishing up another session of classes in the comfort of her dorm, sitting on a swivel chair as her leg continued to recover. "Phew... there. 16 classes down, 40 more to go." Suddenly, there was a knock on her door, and she pushed towards the door with her good leg. "Just a minute!"
The bunny got up from her chair and looked through the peephole to see none other than Ms. Tyme at her door, carrying a paper bag. Pleasantly surprised, Camilla opened the door and said, "Ms. Tyme, what a coincidence! I was just wrapping up another set of classes when you knocked!"
"Well, that's good to hear, sweetie!" Ms. Tyme replied. "I just thought I'd bring you a little something while you were still up here, so, mind if I come in?"
"Please do," Camilla said as she hopped to the side to let her homeroom teacher in. "Mi dorm-a es em su escuela, hope I said that sentence correctly."
"Thanks!" Ms. Tyme said before she walked in. "So, how's your foot?"
"Better than yesterday, that's for sure," Camilla said as she sat back down in her chair. "I still don't trust myself walking around on it yet, though. But I am trying to move it so it's not completely useless."
"That's good, sweetie," the Academy's math teacher said as she set the bag down on the counter. "I figured you would get hungry while you were stuck in your room all week to heal, so I brought you some sandwiches from the cafeteria. Hope you like peanut butter and vegetables."
"Ooh, yummy!" Camilla said as she scooted over to the counter. "Thank you, Ms. Tyme."
"You're welcome, sweetie," Ms. Tyme said with a warm smile. "Just fulfilling my obligations as a homeroom teacher and making sure my students are doing well during school hours, is all."
"And I appreciate that very much," Camilla replied with the same smile. "And don't worry, I both understand and accept the terms Director Clavell set and am carrying myself accordingly. I just take the classes until the allotted maximum, and fill my remaining hours with other activities."
"I see," Ms. Tyme said. "Well, Camilla, it's nice to know that you're enjoying your enrollment here at the Foremost World-Renowned Pokemon Academy of Paldea... considering the circumstances. Anyway, enjoy those sandwiches, sweetie! Don't eat them all at once, though, because we don't want you to have a tummyache to recover from during your reprieve as well."
"Will do, Ms. Tyme," Camilla replied as her homeroom teacher walked towards the door. "Thanks again!"
"Anytime, sweetie," Ms. Tyme said on her way out. "See you later, hopefully!"
The former Gym Leader then shut the door behind her, leaving Camilla to enjoy one of her sandwiches and put the rest of them in the mini-fridge for later. After swallowing her first few bites, she decided to make a note of calling her grandma to say hi...
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To be continued.
