Previously on Oranges to Grapes...
The Pomegranetes report to Terry about the success of their mission, and everyone falls asleep for tomorrow. That's pretty much it.
-
The next morning, the sun rose over the horizon to herald in a new day over the Paldea region. At the Foremost World Renowned Pokemon Academy of Paldea, Ko was just rousing from his sleep, and after he rubbed his eyes, he noticed that his Rotom Phone's eyes were pulsing with light, meaning that he had a message to check. Once he opened his phone, he noticed a text from Director Clavell, so he tapped it.
"Master Kosaru," the message said, "it is with great pleasure that I must inform you of this news. After all of your jam sales, the Academy Expansion Fund you have set up has officially met its final milestone, and the preparations to expand the Academy can finally be underway. Congratulations for all your hard work! I thank you dearly!"
As he finished reading that message, the device pulsed with light as another popped up saying, "And I have also been informed that Camilla, Pico, Balto and Garibosh are on their way back from their outing in the land of Kitakami, so you can have a chance to apologize to Garibosh for your transgression when they first left."
"Uh-huh," Ko said to himself, but when a sunbeam spilled through his dorm window, the energy in him started perking up, and after a few minutes...
"It's morning, everyone!" the bear said as he happily left his dorm in full uniform. "Today's the day! The sun is shining, the Academy Expansion Fund goal is met, and my friends are coming back from-" But with a gasp, he looked at his Rotom Phone again, grasping the situation of the second message. "The goal is met. THE GOAL IS MET!!!"
-
Back in Kitakami, the field trip was winding down to a close, and everyone had already piled into the bus to go back to the airport, eager to come home to Paldea after being away for so long. But during the bus ride, Balto asked Camilla, "So, uh, Camilla?"
"Yes, Balto?" the bunny replied.
"I've been kind of wondering," the husky fidgeted, "just... how exactly are you related to Samuel again?"
"He's my cousin, silly," Camilla quipped. "I told you that already."
"Yeah, I know that part, but like... first cousin or distant cousin?"
"He's my dad's brother's son," Camilla clarified. "That makes him my first cousin."
"Could've fooled me," Pico commented.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Camilla asked with suspicion.
"All I'm saying here is," the lizard corrected, "with how I've seen the two of you interact the whole trip, your dynamic could suggest you were closer than that, what with the nicknames, the similarities, the concern you expressed for him..."
"Yeah," Balto realized. "Come to think of it, I noticed that too."
"That's just what happens when you live with family as close as I have," Camilla explained. "Don't forget, I used to live in Mossui before I came to Los Platos to enroll in the Academy, and so we've gotten used to each other enough to pick up on our mannerisms and enjoy them."
"Alright, I understand," Pico said, his hands up in defense. "But isn't it a bit odd that he didn't come out to say goodbye before we got on the bus?"
"No, he was still busy with his morning routine," Camilla said, "so I sent him a text."
While that was going on, Briar was holding a conversation on her Rotom Phone, texting back and forth with someone. But no one dared to ask questions, so the rest of the trip went by without much incident...
-
After some time.
-
Ko was up on the balcony of the second floor of the libratrium with the book he borrowed, splitting his attention between that and the entrance door as he waited for the group to come back from their trip. It seemed like they were taking their sweet time, but just as he looked down at his book-
Tlk. Crrreeerr...
"They're back! They're back!" Ko pipped excitedly as he shut the book, left it on the desk and hurried down the stairs to greet the group. "Welcome back, everybody!"
"Hi, Ko," Camilla started. "Did you miss us?"
"Sure did," the bear answered. "So, how was your trip to Kitakami?"
"Oh, you know," Pico listed off, "explored a new land, met some new people, experienced a new culture, boss fight..."
"Well, I've been having my own adventures here in Paldea," Ko stated. "After my punishment for disrupting the drawing, it was back to business with my multi-Berry jam job. Eventually, I finally made enough money for the Academy to get on their expansion plans. I was so exhausted from the work, though, I almost couldn't bring myself to get out of bed this morning!"
"Wow, that uh..." Balto paused before he found the rest of his sentence, "that sounds like you've been keeping busy while we were gone."
"Oh, yes I was," Ko stated, "but there's still one thing I need to do before the day is up. Where's the guy with the crutches I inconvenienced at the start of the story arc?"
"Right here," Gari said as he hobbled up on his crutches, a bit worried.
"Listen, fellow student," Ko said as he and Gari faced each other, "I've had some time to cool off, and I've thought long and hard about what I did before the field trip was underway. I can only imagine what I must have put you through when I took away your mode of transportation, and possibly caused your recovery progress to backslide. I was upset about being left out of the experience, but I know that's not an excuse for what I did, so all I have to say in my defense is... I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted," Gari said with a smile. "So, how about we wipe the slate clean and give this another go-round?"
"I'd like that," Ko said, then reached his paw out and added, "Hi, my name is Garaboshi Kosaru, but folks here just call me Ko."
"Hi," Gari replied before he shook Ko's paw, "my name is Garibosh Kosal, but folks here just call me Gari."
"Well, that's a step in the right direction," Camilla said as the other Pomegranetes watched.
"I agree," Balto added. "We can all learn something from this."
But when they looked for Pico to contribute to the conversation, he was nowhere to be found...
-
...because he was already back in his dorm room, digging in his pocket for his Rotom Phone to make a call of his own. After a few taps, the device left his hand and hovered before him, then...
"Hello?" a feminine voice asked.
"Hola," Pico answered.
"Oh, hi, Pico!" the voice said. "It's been a long time, how've you been?"
"Great, great, thanks for asking," the lizard answered. "Sorry it's been so long since I've last called, but I've had things to do over here."
"Oh, no need to apologize," the voice said. "I understand entirely. Me, I've been busy myself, but I've been thinking of you as well."
"That's nice to hear," Pico stated, "because I've been missing you, too, which is pretty much the reason I called... you know, just wanting to say hi and all."
"Well, I'm glad you took the time to do that," the voice said, "because I missed the sound of your voice. Ohp, sorry, my presence is requested right now, so I'll have to let you go."
"I understand," Pico said. "It's been nice talking to you."
"You, too. Bye."
"Adios," Pico said, and the call was ended... and as his Rotom Phone sank into his hand, he added to himself, "Hope I get to see you in person soon... mi hermana."
-
The end of the Tree of Masks arc. (But there's still more story, so... to be continued.)
