Previously on Oranges to Grapes...
Through mental coordination and teamwork, the Hell-Sent Cures manage to trigger a staged ambush on a group of fresh Diademons, but despite their best efforts, they can only learn that these crystal monsters are under orders from a "higher influence..."
-
As the wisps of glitter wafted away in the mountain air, the three magical girls were left to wonder what their next step was. "Well, that was a bust," Cure Grudge admitted. "That was some of our best cooperation we did back there, but all we got out of it was the Diademons were operating under a higher influence without knowing what it was."
"Well, the way I see it, we always have the option to find another dome to see if we can learn what that influence is," Cure Fear contemplated.
"Or," Cure Hatred interjected, "we could search for another Cure. Remember, there were four Treasures of Ruin all over Paldea, and we already partnered with the spirits of three. Maybe if the team is at full squad, we might stand a chance against clearing out the domes."
Perhaps we can still help, Conner's voice said in Cure Grudge's head.
"What's that, Conner?"
"He said perhaps they can still help," Cure Fear repeated.
Cure Grudge did a double-take at that. "Wait, you can hear him?"
She sure can, Anton's voice said, and you can hear us, too!
That's another thing the Sealing Balls can do, Leopold's voice said. They allow us to communicate with other bearers, sort of like a... network of infrared wave connections.
"Boy," Cure Grudge said as she and the others looked down at their ornaments, "these things are just full of surprises."
Then here's another one, Conner's voice said. Now that three of you are gathered, and have proven yourselves highly capable of coordination, we believe it is time to tell you of another ability you have as Cures. Together you will be able to glide along air currents using the Precure Triangle Formation, which will make it easier for you to travel around Paldea.
"We can glide?" Cure Hatred asked.
"We can glide," Cure Grudge repeated.
"Aw, snap! I wanna try!" Cure Fear said eagerly, wagging her tail in delight. "Okay, everybody, one of you hold each of my paws, and on the count of three, we'll all jump together."
"But where should we glide to, if it works?" Cure Grudge asked.
Perhaps we should try somewhere to the northeast, Conner suggested. I can sense another shrine in that direction.
"To the northeast it is," Cure Grudge confirmed, taking hold of Cure Fear's right paw.
"Don't start without me," Cure Hatred said with a grin as she took the other paw, and with all three linked together, they crouched down and started counting.
"One... two... THREE!!!"
Together they slapped down a leg each and bounded straight upwards, ready to start the next phase.
"Precure Triangle Formation!"
While they were still in midair, Cures Grudge and Hatred grabbed each other's empty paws, and all three Cures were suddenly surrounded by semispheres of green, light blue and orange light that seemed to carry them down slowly on a gentle cushion of air.
"Wow! It works!" Cure Grudge exclaimed.
"Now let's see if we can make it move," Cure Hatred added. "Everyone, lean forward!"
As expected, the formation was tilted, and they started gliding forward, away from the mountain.
"Yay! We're doing it!" Cure Fear cheered. "Now, to the northeast of Paldea! AWAY!"
Now that they had a handle on their new ability, the three magical girls soared along the air to their new destination. They glid around the mountain, over the spring the mountain's silver-white winter melted into, until they realized something: although they were going forward more, they were also slightly going down.
"Uh," Cure Grudge piped up, "anyone else notice the ground getting closer?"
"That's because we're gliding," Cure Hatred explained.
"Girls, look!" Cure Fear said. "Let's see if we can reach where the grass is up ahead!"
Sure enough, the three managed to steer towards a ledge in Area One of the North Province where there was grass instead of snow. Right before they were about to touch the ground, they each let go and dropped down, landing clean on their feet.
"We did it!" Cure Grudge celebrated. "And Hell-Sent Precure sticks the landing!"
"Now we can keep moving forward to the northeast to find the fourth Cure!" Cure Hatred added.
"Yeah, baby, yeah!" Cure Fear added. "It's official! As long as we all have each other, nothing can stop us!"
But just as they were certain that was so, something unexpected happened: the colored lines on their ornaments started blinking between black and white for five seconds... then, all of a sudden, Cures Grudge, Hatred and Fear were gone, and Rosita Verdes, Jessica Winters and Eartha Crust were in their places.
"Uh, what just happened?" the caracal asked.
"I think our transformations wore off or something," the snow leopard answered.
"Okay, that's my B," the fennec fox admitted, lowering her ears. "Sorry, girls."
"Wait, where's our partners?" Rosita asked.
"You don't suppose they could've..." Jessica wondered, a little afraid to finish her sentence.
"Oh, no! We didn't burn them out, did we!?" Eartha fussed, folding her ears back against her head... and against her back. "We were transformed longer than usual, and we forgot to give them their Berry snack to recharge them!"
"Easy, there," Rosita calmly said, trying to calm the vulpine down. "We can always let them regenerate and feed them when they reform. We are not helpless. Now come here."
Eartha walked up to Rosita, and the latter gently wrapped her arms around the former. Eartha took some deep breaths as she settled into the hug, and the sight tempted Jessica to kneel down and join in.
"Ahh, this is nice."
Granted, they were on a grassy ledge with their spirit partners nowhere in sight, but they were taking the time to settle before they took any further actions...
-
To be continued.
