Previously on Oranges to Grapes...
The Pomegranetes start another day of their field trip in the land of Kitakami raring to get their last signboard snapshot, but not before Samuel warns them of a newly-formed gang, Team Fetter. Little do they know, Gari has finally gotten off his duff to get a jump-start on the assignment, and meets said gang without incident...
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As Gari sauntered back down Apple Hills to Mossui Town, the two grunts patiently followed close by, and all three of them were starting to enjoy each other's company. Gari didn't bring up the gang's MO, (though he didn't have any idea what it was or think to ask) and the grunts didn't bring up Gari's crutches, so everything was going smoothly until...
"Gari!"
The crutched boy looked up, and Camilla, Pico and Balto were climbing up the path in the opposite direction, with Samuel following them. "Oh, hey guys. I was just coming back from getting my photo with the signboard."
"You already got your photo?" Camilla asked as the grunts passed them by.
"Huh," Pico said. "Perhaps you're a better Pokemon trainer than we thought if you could handle those two grunts all by yourself. Neat."
"Oh, those guys?" Gari replied. "No, there was no Pokemon battle. I just asked them if I could get my photo, and they just let me."
"You asked them... and they let you?" Balto questioned. "Well, that doesn't sound like the members of a villain team at all. It sounds more like perfectly reasonable human beings."
"That's only their cover," Samuel explained. "The thing about Team Fetter is they pride themselves on good manners and behavior with the public, and as long as you don't trigger them accidentally by insulting their mode of operation, you won't be set upon by their retaliations."
Pico asked with an exasperated sigh, "Does that mean we'll have to walk on eggshells with these guys?"
"Not neccessarily," Camilla reasoned. "We'll just need to be quick in getting our photo with the signboard before they come back."
"Good idea, so let's go."
With Samuel's suggestion, the group continued up the hill... with Gari following close behind so he could get his photos with the other signboards. So, once the group came back to the fork, Camilla, Pico and Balto hurried towards Loyalty Plaza while Samuel offered to escort Gari to the sign in Paradise Barrens. The trio got their photo taken and submitted quickly, then rushed back to Mossui without Gari to report their status to Ms. Briar and the caretaker.
"Oh, Ms. Briar?" Balto asked when he and the others found her in the lobby. "Good news! We just sent our third signboard photo in, which means we completed the assignment!"
"Well, that's great to hear!" Briar praised. "...But where's Garibosh?"
"Oh, he wanted to get his photos in by himself," Camilla explained, "but don't worry. My cousin Samuel is escorting him to the signboards personally, so he won't be stranded."
"I see," Briar mulled. "And does your cousin have an idea on how to get Garibosh to the signboard at Kitakami Hall?"
"Er, yes, he does!" Pico chimed in. "He told us that he has an in with the Flying Taxi service here in Kitakami, so he can just fly him there!"
"Is that so?" Briar questioned... and all three Pomegranetes nodded yes. "Hmmm... Well, I suppose that's alright." Just then, her Rotom Phone pinged, and she saw another pixt submission notification. It was Gari in front of the signboard at Paradise Barrens. "Okay, I'm convinced. It appears Garibosh has things under control, so I'd expect us to return to Paldea any day now!"
"Any day!?" the Pomegranetes questioned together.
"Well, of course!" Briar answered. "You didn't think we would stay the whole week here in Kitakami so I could see the Crystal Pool again, did you?"
That was met with a collective gasp, followed by, "...Yes."
"You thought we would stay the whole week here in Kitakami so I could see the Crystal Pool again, did you?" Briar repeated.
"Actually," Camilla clarified, "we were wanting to see the Crystal Pool ourselves and hoped you could put in a good word for us?"
"And why would I allow that?" the caretaker asked, having overheard. "Need I remind you, Camilla Otore, that the Crystal Pool is Kitakami's most restricted, sacred area, not only due to its ancient, mystical properties, but also that it's our land's water main?"
"Both stipulated," Pico said, "but we have a legitimate reason for wanting access to the Crystal Pool."
"But you probably wouldn't believe us if we told you," Balto added. "You or Ms. Briar."
"Try us," the two aforementioned adults challenged.
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One recap of Season 1 later.
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"You expect us to believe," the caretaker asked, "that a personification of Terastal energy wronged the Paldea region by cutting off access to said greater power, and asked you to seek out alternative sources so as to recompence for its wrongdoings?"
"See?" Balto said. "We told you, and you don't believe us."
"Because it sounds hackney'd," Briar stated.
"Then we have no choice but to show," Pico said. "Preferably where there's water."
The Pomegranetes then led the caretaker and Briar out to the current by the center of town, where they opened their backpacks and took out the sacred talismans. "Ready, Balto?" Pico asked.
"Ready, Pico," the husky answered.
"Ready, Camilla?" the lizard asked.
"Ready, Pico," the bunny answered.
"Then it's time to call upon the power of the sacred talismans."
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"I call on the friendship of the round!"
"I call on the promise of new discovery that lights the natural jewel!"
"I call on the maturity of the chimes!"
Then the talismans started to glow, then combined in midair to form the Terastal Tambourine!
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Upon the assembly of the tambourine, Pico explained, "We were told that when we get close to a source of Terastal energy, the Terastal Tambourine will chime, and if our hunch is correct, it will be indicated from being near the water." He then held the instrument over the current and gave it a quick shake... and the tambourine lightly jingled.
Chiring...
"There! It chimed!" Balto yipped excitedly.
"Now have we proven our credibility?" Camilla asked.
"I see," the caretaker mulled. "But if you insist on seeing the source of the water, know this: the Crystal Pool is known to show people visions of loved ones who have passed on due to the crystal clusters found in its waters, so be careful."
"So you believe us?" the Pomegranetes asked with budding hope.
"We're not saying we don't," Briar stipulated, "but protocol is protocol. You three will only get to enter the Crystal Pool the same way I did: by signing paperwork."
To emphasize their message, the caretaker produced three packets and gave each student one. "That's fair," Camilla supposed.
"Back to the center, then!" Balto said, and everyone left the stream.
"Sorry, Gari," Pico said as the group reentered the building, "but this mission needs completed urgently. Let's hope Samuel can stall you long enough for us to carry it out."
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To be continued.
