Previously on Oranges to Grapes...
While Camilla, Pico and Balto go over the neccessary permissions to visit the Crystal Pool, Samuel and Gari hoof it together to snap Gari's last signboard photo, chatting along the way. After he does, Gari returns with Samuel to Mossui to clock out, just as the Pomegranetes clock in with their chaperone...
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"Alright, class," Briar said just before the four crossed the bridge to Reveler's Road, "you said that when we get close to a source of Terastal energy, that tambourine of yours will chime, right?"
"Right," the three Trainers said.
"And you've demonstrated earlier that there are traces of that energy in the water, right?"
"Right," the three repeated, and Pico shook the Terastal Tambourine over the stream again to prove it.
Chiring...
"So, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong," Briar tried, "but why not send the energy from there back to Paldea? Did you try that?"
"...Huh," Pico supposed. "No. No, I guess we never did."
"Then perhaps we can broker a deal," Balto said as he was handed the tambourine. "If we can't get the Terastal energy to Paldea from the stream, we keep going. But if we can-"
"Then we got held up by those blocks of boilerplate over nothing," Camilla said. "No offense, Ms. Briar."
"If I had to take the time to read every page of those packets, Miss Otore," Briar stipulated, "then I can assure you, they were not boilerplate."
"No arguement from us, Ms. Briar," Pico said.
Balto cleared his throat, then added, "Ahem. Attempting the transfer now." He then shook the tambourine again, but nothing happened except more jingling. He even tried hitting the side with his palm pad, and-
Tchang!
A faint glow came from the water, but nothing else. Balto tried moving the tambourine up, and the glow seemed to move from the water... then it fizzled out. "Okay, we cannot," he concluded. "And now we know."
"Obviously the water in the stream's too filtered for it to hold a significant amount of Terastal energy," Camilla supposed. "We'll have to get closer to the source and try again there."
"Works for me," Briar conceded. "As per our agreement, let's keep going."
And off they went, climbing up the rising path to the Crystal Pool. Up and up they went on Reveler's Road, then up the stairs to Kitakami Hall through the Festival of Masks, then more up the right side of Oni Mountain... then they stopped at a wooden bridge crossing a rushing river.
"Oh, here's some water," Briar said. "Shall we try the process again here?"
"Alright," Camilla said as she held out her paw. "Let's see how we fare now that we're closer to the source." She was then handed the tambourine, and when she shook it...
Chiri-chiring!
"Whoa, that was loud!" Balto said in surprise, lowering his ears.
"As someone who's holding the noisemaker, trust me," Camilla said, "that hurt my ears more than it hurt yours. Now then..."
TCHANG!!
This time, the water in the river shone brighter than the stream in Mossui Town. Camilla then raised the tambourine like she saw Balto do it, and the light rose up in a column! "I think it's working!" Pico called out. "Maybe we can swing this from-"
But before he could finish the sentence, the column of light popped in a flash of sparkles, and the light in the water flickered off. "Or not," the lizard said, deflated.
"It had more energy then the stream," Camilla said, "but it's still not enough. Looks like all that paperwork we had to slog through wasn't just fishwrap after all. If we want to get Paldea back in Terastal energy again, we'll have to get a direct connection..."
"From the source," all three students said together.
"Then that means we'll have to keep going," Briar said, "but this is the part where the journey gets hazardous. If we're that set on getting to the Crystal Pool, we'll need to go through Infernal Pass."
"A result of years of accumulated volcanic gasses and ash," Balto stated, "used as an elite training ground during the days Ogerpon was vilified."
"And still is," Camilla added.
"You see?" Briar said. "Not boilerplate!"
"In Camilla's defense, Ms. Briar," Pico piped up, "she's been here in the land of Kitakami longer than we have, so she's probably had a chance to be bored with the land's lore. But how are we going to get through someplace that's saturated with lung poison?"
"Don't worry, guys," Balto said as he reached in his backpack, "I've got this." He then pulled out a box of disposable face masks, and handed one out to everyone.
"Good thinking, Balto," Pico said as he put his mask on, tying the bands behind his nape so it would fit.
"Don't thank me," Balto said modestly, "thank my father's love."
As soon as everyone's face was protected, Briar said, "Now we can keep going!" And the group crossed the bridge over the river and kept climbing up. Up, up and up some more until they reached the fork in the path between the Ogre's Den and Infernal Pass, and obviously turned towards the latter. Once they did, it was every bit as hazardous as described: the ground was warped and covered in ashes, pockets of hot gas were leaking into the air, and even the Pokemon there touted danger; Koffing, Slugma, Geodude and others dotted the path along the way, but the Pomegranetes had their Poke Balls ready to battle them if they had to. So, they surrounded Briar in secret-service style as they trudged further up the path.
As Balto's Quaquaval, Prince, Camilla's Cyclizar and Pico's Skeledirge, Apple, held formation, the long walk began to take its toll on the group. "Boy, this Infernal Pass is pretty long," Balto commented. "If anyone were to try and head us off for some cockamaime reason, this would be the most opportune moment to do it."
"Balto, don't tempt fate," Pico chided.
"Over there! It's the gate to the Crystal Pool!" Camilla called out, pointing towards the red, angular arch over the foot of stairs they needed to take. "Our long trek up Oni Mountain is finally gonna pay off!"
Excited, the group hurried towards the gate, but almost groaned when they saw more stairs. But they saw no other way to reach their objective, so they sucked it up and started climbing again. Good thing they did, because halfway up the climb...
Chiring.
"Who's shaking the Terastal Tambourine now?" Balto asked.
"It wasn't me," Pico defended. "Camilla had it last."
"It must be chiming on its own," Camilla said. "That means we're close!" And further up the walk...
Chiri-chiring!
"Oh, we're getting warmer now!" Pico cheered, spurring everyone faster up the climb.
Chiri-chiri-chiri-chiri!
"Warmer! Warmer!" Camilla piled on before the top of the stairs.
CHIRICHIRICHIRICHIRICHIRICHIRI!!
"Ah! We're white-hot!" Balto yipped, bounding up the steps with his tail wagging. And finally...
Shirang... then silence.
They had made it. Camilla, Pico, Balto and Briar had reached the top of the stairs, where they were treated to the sight of clear, blue waters, softly lit by the glow of a large cluster of crystals at the bottom of said pool.
"Take it all in, students," Briar said, putting herself back into the focus of the group. "This is the most sacred spot of the land of Kitakami in all its majesty. Welcome... to the Crystal Pool."
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To be continued.
