Previously on Oranges to Grapes...
While the Pomegranetes and Hell-Sent girls rest for the night in Montenevera, the Spirits of Ruin sneak away from the group, and through a random chain of circumstances, grow a Berry tree together...
-
(Dome 15: A Third-Eye View)
-
As the sun was starting to peek over the eastern horizon, something was starting to brew in the southwest corner of the Paldea region... Inside another dome, this one made of pink tourmaline, flashes of colored light were shining, but due to the dome's magenta coloring, the colors of the flashes were filtered, making some of them look dim while others looked bright.
That's because that particular dome was holding the city of Alfornada, where a group of Diademons topped with energy ripples were going through ESP (Emotional Spectrum Practice) training. After what seemed like hours of expressing anger, excitement, joy and surprise and flashing red, green, yellow and blue, respectively, one ripple-headed Diademon at the head of the group adorned with Flittle Down whistled sharply, and the group stopped. "Okay, everyone, that's enough for today," the head Diademon said. "You've all been doing great so far putting this training to good use, but now the hour is near. I've recieved word that fourteen of our domes have already been exterminated, and do you know why?"
"Because they didn't change up the playbook!" the group said in unison.
"Exactly!" the head Diademon said with a snap of its fingers, which made a sharp "CLINK!" "But we can learn! We can adapt! We can make ourselves better than them, and we have! Thanks to our base being more remote than the others, we have taken advantage of our location and the enemy's (supposed) ignorance of us to improve ourselves, and once they catch on, we shall not give them mercy!"
"No we will not!" the group shouted.
"We shall rise victorious!"
"Yes we will!"
"AND WHAT DO WE DO THIS FOR THE SAKE OF!?"
"FOR THE LIGHT!!!" That last shout was chanted over and over again, knowing that these Diademons would prove themselves...
-
Back in Montenevera, the sunlight was making the sky over the town paler and paler with every passing moment, rousing its residents from their sleep. The door to Dina's building opened up, and one by one, the group exited, ready to start the next day of their mission.
"So, how did everyone sleep last night?" Dina asked.
"Very restful, thank you," Camilla answered. "I do like that air mattress. Very comfy."
"Speak for yourself," Pico said, still a little groggy. "My sleeping bag did not provide back support, and it took a while for me to get up. Thank legendaries there was a pot of coffee brewing."
"Well, I don't know about you," Balto said, "but I sort of felt right at home in my sleeping bag. But enough about me, how did the couch and recliners treat you girls?"
"Not too bad, not too bad," Jessica answered. "Been quite a while since I slept on something that soft, so it may have influenced that."
"I know the recliner influenced me," Eartha said, "and I'm happy it did!"
"Uh, guys?" Rosita said, snapping the others out of their conversation. "You might wanna look at this."
Right where the caracal pointed out was the Berry tree the Spirits of Ruin grew last night. Speaking of which...
"Ta-da!" they all said as they reformed.
"Connor, you guys did this?" Rosita asked.
"We did," the snail confirmed. "Do you like it?" But before an answer could be given...
"RO-TO-TO-TO-TO!!!"
Camilla, Pico and Balto's Rotom Phones were all ringing at the same time, and when they answered them, they gathered together to form a large image of Coach Dendra. "Up and at 'em, kids! Time to keep erasing domes! Osu!"
"Coach Dendra?" Pico asked. "How are you calling all three of us at the same time?"
"Conference call, kiddo," the Battle Studies teacher said. "But come on! You guys still haven't rescued Tulip yet! What gives?"
"We were just about to head off to Alfornada right now, Coach," Camilla explained, "as soon as we can get there from Montenevera. We can get a Flying Taxi ride as far as Cortondo, and then hoof it the rest of the way."
"Now that's what I like to hear!" Dendra said. "Someone who can think on her feet! Well, once you get to the dome over Alfornado, I'll be seeing you outside. Later, kids, and remember..."
"Osu! Osu! OSU!!!" the Pomegranetes cheered.
"There ya go! Coach, signing off!" As soon as the screens went blank and the phones returned to their owners, the group enacted Camilla's plan.
-
(Scene transition: Paldea Flying Taxi)
-
As soon as the group was dropped off at Cortondo, Dina, Eartha and Rosita gave the Pomegranetes some Spirit help while Jessica stayed close. With Bea giving them super speed, combined with Anton's catapult stomps and Conner's vine ladders, they were able to make good time on their word with Coach Dendra as they spotted her outside of the exit of Alfornada Cavern, further away from the pink tourmaline dome.
"Whoa!" the coach said in total surprise. "When did you all get here? And where did you come here from?"
"One, a few seconds ago," Pico said. "And two, from up the side of the rock wall."
"Let's just say some time on the equipment in the Academy's schoolyard really paid off," Balto added.
"And!" Camilla piped up before gesturing to the Hell-Sent girls waving, "We had a little help."
"Well, glad to see you could make it after all!" Dendra said. "Now we can get rid of the dome over Alfornada and rescue Tulip! I'd have done it myself, but I don't have one of those fancy sticks you guys have. Plus, the dome looks Psychic-type colored to me, and if my Fighting-types came at that, well..."
"Say no more, I understand entirely," Pico said as he took out his crystal scepter. "But first things first; girls, did you happen to break some Diademons here?"
"Actually, no," Eartha said. "We've never even been to this part of Paldea before."
"So consider this a fresh experience for all of us," Eartha said.
"You got that right!"
The new voice made everyone look up, and right on top of the dome stood five ripple-headed Diademons... four of which were glowing in different colors! "And we're about to show you how fresh this experience is gonna get!" the only Diademon not glowing said as it raised its arm. "Diademons, transform and combine!"
"Lock in!"
The four glowing Diademons leapt into the air, then bunched themselves together into a group hug before their crystal bodies merged and morphed before the group's eyes! Torsos and limbs fused into a long, slender, segmented shaft, shoulder spikes sealed together from eight to four, heads rotated and became a top segment with colored faces divided by the spikes... but what topped the performance off was the head adornments merging into a pink tourmaline jewel with their Materials arranged together inside: a Spoink Pearl covered in Indeedee Fur with Gothita Eyelashes surrounded by Ralts Dust. Once the tops of the spikes clasped onto the jewel to hold it in place, the whole newly-formed staff fell back down to the one Diademon who caught it in its outstretched hand, twirled it for dramatic effect, then pointed it at the group before calling out...
"Behold! The Emotional Spectrum Prism!"
But the Hell-Sent Cures had already transformed during the show, and Cure Hatred said, "Yeah, so?"
"So this! Come forth, fellow Diademons!"
As the lead Diademon raised its new staff, an army of others emerged from the dome's surface closer to the ground... but it still didn't phase the Cures. "Thanks for giving us plenty of fodder, dim bulb," Cure Fear called out. "This should give us enough diamond dust to last us for days!"
"That's what you think, dumb fluffs!" the lead said as he twirled the staff. "Take THIS!!!"
"Shield your eyes!" Dendra called out... but it was too late. The jewel on the staff shone brightly with multicolored light, strobing throughout the scene and disorienting everyone's sight. When the light faded, Cure Grudge called out while squinting, "Ha! Nice try, but it's gonna take a lot more than a seizure attack to stop us!"
"That wasn't the part you have to worry about!" Dendra said.
After blinking a few times, the group was able to see again... but what they saw was all the Diademons acting chaotic. Some were fuming with anger, some were trembling with fright, some were skipping with glee... and others had their eyes closed peacefully.
"What's going on!?" Cure Envy questioned.
"Isn't it obvious?" Balto said. "The Diademon on top of the dome just turned four of its fellow Diademons into a new Vibe Scepter, and it's using it to control the emotions of all these Diademons!"
"How do you know what the Vibe Scepter is?" Camilla questioned.
"I used to own a copy of the game it was in during my youth."
"Close guess," Dendra said, "but not quite. That scepter is actually harnessing the power of Emotional Spectrum Practice, a training regimen I teach in Alfornada!"
"Whatever it's called doesn't matter!" Cure Hatred said as she extended her ice blades. "We still have an itinerary to complete! Icicle Kunai!"
"NO WAIT!" But again, it was too late. As the missiles of ice flew into the crowd, the happy ones flew upwards, the scared ones darted out of the way, and an angry one caught both of them in its hands... and crushed them!
"Oh... snap," Cure Hatred said.
It was the same for the other Cures, as well. Cure Fear tried her Gavel Bash to pop out some land, but they were also dodged and countered. Cure Envy tried to put some clone-bombs into the crowd, but the scared ones were even fast enough to outrun her and the explosions... and the peaceful ones that were caught in the blasts were able to heal themselves!
As for Cure Grudge, she flung her vine laces at a happy one to try and yank it back down with her Lanyard Suplex, but once the vines caught hold... "Gotcha!"
"Hee-hee! Not for long!" the Diademon chirped before it started spinning. "Whee!"
"Uh-oh."
The poor green Cure was the one who got yanked... up, and around and around in circles! "WRER! WRER! WRER!"
"Oh, sweet baby carrots, we're in a real predicament here!" Camilla said.
"How are we going to get rid of the dome if we can't get any diamond dust to fuel our scepters!?" Balto questioned. "Especially if most of the Diademons can't be hit, and the ones we can hit can fight back!"
"Maybe I have some advice on that!" Dendra suggested. "Just remember what happened the last time you were up against the wall with these things, and do what you did before!"
"When did we-" Pico started, but then he remembered the sleeper agent Diademons he and the other Pomegranetes fought back at the Academy. "Oh, yeah, I remember! Good idea, Coach!"
Pico then sent out Apple, and Camilla and Balto caught on before they sent out Rosie and Prince.
"Rosie! Use Magical Leaf!"
"Apple! Use Flamethrower!"
"Prince! Use Water Pulse!"
"And aim for the top of the dome!" all three of them called out together.
Acting on those orders, the Floragato spun her yo-yo to blast the spray of glowing leaves, the Crocalor shouted fire at the top of its lungs, and the Quaxwell thrusted a ball of blue energy with all his might. The leaves and fire were then absorbed into the ball en route, making it bigger and bigger as it got closer and closer to its destination.
The lead Diademon saw what was coming to it, and as the ever-growing ball of swirling red, green and blue energy came hurtling towards it, all that it could say was, "Oh, I've wasted my chance."
KERPLAMMO!!!
The explosion on the dome erased the Diademon on top of it, along with its staff... and with no staff, the emotional army lost their feelings as well as their advantage.
"AAAHHHH!!" Cure Grudge shouted as her impromptu carnival ride came to an abrupt end, and her vines lost their grip as the Diademon they were holding shattered from the force alone, causing to get thrown back to the other Cures in unceremonious floundering. "Dow! Doph! Deip! Deck! Dalf! ...Ouch."
"Grudge, are you alright?" Cure Hatred asked in concern.
"I'll be fine, I just need to get my feet back- Orp!" Cure Grudge said before clutching her stomach. "Oh, I don't feel so good..."
"Uh-oh," Cure Fear said in worry. "I think all that spinning around must've upset her stomach!"
"If you're not up to crushing the army with Ruinous Crash," Cure Envy offered, "we can handle this ourselves-"
"No," the green (in more senses than one) Cure said. "I'm doing this together with you. And if I ralph, I'll make it so it adds insult to their injury!"
-
"Precure Triangle Plus Formation!"
Cures Grudge, Hatred and Fear leapt into the air, and once they reached the apex of their jump, quickly linked paws to summon the force-field semispheres before Cure Envy jumped after them and grabbed ahold to boost them further into the air with her flame-jets.
"Our powers united together as one," Cure Grudge started.
"Take this!" all four said together before the glider looped around to plummet back down towards the army!
"Precure! Ruinous... CRASH!!!!"
At that call, the Cures' elemental energies began to pool together and morph into a giant face with angry, piercing eyes and a jagged mouth that let out an eldrich roar before it collapsed upon the earth and the army all at once!
"You have issues!" the army seemed to say before they were all shattered into diamond dust.
-
As Pico's scepter absorbed as much diamond dust as it could, he told Camilla and Balto, "Okay, while I get this part of the mission dealt with, you two go make sure Rosita's gonna be okay."
"Right," Camilla said. "Let's go, Balto."
"Right behind you," the husky said as he, Rosie and Prince followed.
As Pico fired the beam at the dome, he got pushed back a little by the recoil from the sheer mass of diamond dust he collected, but still managed to pop the dome. "Come on, Apple," he said as he re-pocketed his scepter. "Cathartic as this was so far, it still isn't over yet."
"Cro," the fire croc Pokemon agreed as they both ventured into town.
While navigating through the brick-wall streets decorated with fancy dishes, Pico called out, "Come on, Diamant of here! Your footsoldiers provided a challenge, but they still lost! We both know how this is going to end!"
"Well, I do!"
The voice that said that line didn't come from the observatory as Pico guessed, but in the alley in the opposite direction. So he and Apple turned right to investigate... and floating above one of the pools of water was a carnation-pink kimono with pink and purple spirals and a Psychic Tera Jewel for a head that Pico challenged with, "So why don't we do this the easy way, and I'll be on my way back to Mesagoza with your Prime Tera Jewel?"
The Diamant shook its head no before saying,
"Only I, the Third Eye Diamant, know
How this quest is truly going to go.
You'll either stop the actions that we are despising,
Or you'll ruin your region without realizing.
But if you're still dead-set on driving in the knife,
Then I have no other choice... but to end your life!"
"Oh no you DON'T!" Pico said before hucking a rock at the kimono, breaking its focus before it could raise its sleeves.
"OW!"
"Now, Apple! Use Bite!"
"Cahhh-LOMP!" TSSHHHHHRRRRRPPPP!!!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
Pico looked up at the fourth wall and said, "Narrator? You have a line here."
I'm not in the mood because you ruined the fight.
"Then perhaps you'd like me to evolve my Combee so it can use Attack Order on your feet!"
AH! I'll say the line! I'LL SAY THE LINE! As the Diamant was vanquished, it exploded in a shower of light, restoring the energy of Alfornada's citizens and reversed the collateral damage, please don't get me stung!
"There," Pico said. "Now, was that so hard?"
"Pico Hatsuki," the voice said as the Prime Psychic Tera Jewel descended. "You have broken the influence of the light over the Psychic-type, and as a result, have earned the respect of the community of Alfornada. As you accept this Prime Tera Jewel, take solace in the knowledge that only one more task is left before your quest is complete."
"Alright, I'm on the homestretch!" Pico said as he pocketed his seventh Prime Tera Jewel.
"We all are," Camilla said as she and Balto walked up to rejoin their friend.
"And don't worry," Balto added. "I'll spare you the details, but Rosita's gonna be perfectly fine."
"Good to know," the lizard said. "Now let's see if we can't find Tulip here. Coach Dendra was really sounding concerned for her."
"I appreciate all of your concerns," a new voice said, "but I am right here. And you did splendidly today." Those words were said by none other than the Alfornada Gym Leader herself, Tulip! "After you brought fresh air back to Alfornada, Dendra came and helped escort me back to my personal powder room to freshen up. While I was doing so, she had nothing but praise for you all to say, so I had to come see it for myself. I hope that kind of talented inner beauty never fades away as you continue to search for your own treasure. In fact, why don't we preserve it with a photo of my best pose? I have recently made myself up, after all."
"It would be an honor," Pico said.
(Third Eye Diamant defeated!)
-
To be continued.
