Previously on Oranges to Grapes...
Chairwoman Geeta and Rika provide an escort for the Hell-Sent girls to the Academy just as Camilla, Pico and Balto send in their completed test packets before being called in by Director Clavell yet again...
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As Director Clavell sat patiently at his desk, a knock was heard at his door. "Who is it?"
"It's us," Camilla said from the other side. "Camilla, Pico and Balto."
"Responding to your announcement that you wanted to see us," Pico added.
"Also, some people from the Pokemon League are here, too," Balto tacked on.
"Ah, of course," Clavell said. "Please, do come in."
The door was opened, and the three students walked in better stride than last time... followed by one of the Elite Four of Paldea herself, Rika. "Thank you three for coming in," Director Clavell said, "and may I add that it is a pleasure to have you here again, Rika. Welcome back to the Foremost World-Renowned Pokemon Academy of Paldea."
"Gee," a different voice not belonging to Rika said, "thanks, Director Clavell."
That caught the director by surprise, and as he looked up, he saw four other anthros following the green-haired secretary... but he spotted one out of the crowd, and that familiar feline face gave him flashbacks.
"One of your students stole my Pokemon!"
"Well, I guess I have to understand!"
"No, I will not calm down!"
"You're just trying to save face!"
"You," Clavell said in a hushed, strained tone that gradually got louder as the old impression of the caracal spilled over. "You... You! YOU! Why, you... I SHOULD-!"
"Should what, Director Clavell?" the last, and most imposing, member of the crowd said as she made her entrance with foreboding heel clicks.
That presence alone quickly replaced Clavell's outrage with fear and regret, draining all other emotions from him as his tensed muscles wilted. "Ch-Chairwoman Geeta... I.. I... should..."
"Clavell," Geeta said, cutting off the director of HER Academy. "What is the meaning of you holding your students back from participating in the independent study project?"
"Why, whatever do you mean, Chairwoman?" Clavell tried to bargain through a tremble in his voice. "Can't you see that the Academy is practically empty because all the students are out hunting for their treasures as we speak? Eh heh heh..."
"If that is true, then what are these three still doing here?" Geeta demanded as she gestured to the three students in the chairs.
Deciding that there was no weaseling out of this, the director opted for a softer punishment by coming clean. "They sustained major injuries before the project was put into action, therefore I felt it was in their best interest to remain at the Academy for seven days to heal and recover, during which they were also allowed to participate in the full curriculum, including the Foremost World-Renowned Pokemon Academy of Paldea's Academic Review, which I imagine you seeing them turn in at the front desk."
Wanting absolute certainty that Clavell wasn't lying to cover for them, Geeta turned to the three students and asked, "Is what Director Clavell telling me true?"
"Yes, it is," Camilla confirmed. "I sprained my ankle, Pico got his tail torn off, and Balto chipped his teeth."
"I see," Geeta said. "And how, exactly were those injuries inflicted upon you?"
"With all due respect, Chairwoman Geeta," Pico said, "you wouldn't believe us if we told you, but I'll try. You see, three of the students were actually sleeper agents; crystal humanoid monsters with-"
"Long spikes on their shoulders called Diademons?" Rika interjected. "Sorry for interrupting."
"Oh, so you know about them?" the lizard inquired.
"I do," the secretary said. "Let's just say a little... kitty told me about them."
"Now, you were saying about your injuries?" Geeta pressed.
"Right, sorry," Pico said, starting back up. "Anyways, I accidentally mentioned a trigger phrase that brought them out of hiding, and Camilla and Balto tried to stop them on their own, but it didn't work out. Fearing for my life, I tried to make a run for it, but that only resulted in my injury. Because it was either us or them at that point, we had no choice but to send out our Pokemon and have them attack the Diademons directly, wrecking their hides to save ours, which left behind...this."
Pico then reached into his backpack and brought out the crystal wand. Taking that as a cue, Camilla and Balto brought out theirs as well, surprising the Hell-Sent girls.
"Well, that's different," Rika said.
"And the rest, as they say," Balto added to be included, "is history."
"I see," Geeta spoke up after listening carefully. "Well, first off, you three have my condolences for being hurt before the project began, and my praises for passing the curriculum with flying colors." She then punctuated her sentence with head pats for the bunny and the doggy, and chin rubs for the lizard, all of which were welcomed with smiling faces and wagging tails. "As for Director Clavell, however..."
That was met with a nervous gulp from the man in the mauve coat, believing that his chew-out wasn't over yet.
"While I do sympathize for your concern for these three students, I do not condone you turning away an applicant more than one week prior to today. And the reason she, along with these three others, are here is because of the news regarding these... Diademons, was it?"
The Hell-Sent girls confirmed with nods.
"These Diademons and the havoc they have been causing, not just here within the Academy's walls, but in other areas around Paldea as well. And do not think for one second that I did not witness your initial behavior towards Rosita. She was willing to apologize to you for her earlier behavior, but you refused to hear it."
"My apologies, Chairwoman," Clavell struggled to say through his remorse.
"If my memory serves proper," Geeta continued, "I do seem to recall another of our former students you were this punitive towards... six of them, in fact. Threatening to expel them for truancy when they were defending their own treasures, instead of lending a sympathetic ear to their troubles. Perhaps someone who is incapable, or chooses to outright refuse to learn from their past transgressions shouldn't be part of the Academy..."
Those last six words of that statement made the heart of everyone who heard it sink. To think, that Chairwoman Geeta, in all her infinite kindness and wisdom, would threaten to fire Director Clavell...!
"...but I am not going to punish you that way."
"...I beg your pardon, Chairwoman?" Clavell asked in stunned confusion.
"Instead, I am going to commandeer your task of sending these three students off on their Treasure Hunt and see to it myself," the chairwoman stated, "but I hope that you glean an important lesson from this discussion. Come along, children, this has been overdue for far too long."
No one dared to argue after that ominous, foreboding aura Geeta seemed to emit as she was followed by her secretary, the caracal, the snow leopard, the fennec fox, the axolotl, the rabbit, the lizard and the husky out of the director's office, leaving Clavell alone with his own thoughts and feelings scrambled together, forcing him to stop everything and sort through the tangle by himself...
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To be continued. (But this arc is finally over! YAY!)
