Previously on Oranges to Grapes...
The Hell-Sent girls continue on their quest to the Pokemon Center, during which Anton and Conner inadvertedly combine their powers to grow a stronger, greener vine stalk to climb, further questioning the Principle of Ruin and giving Conner an idea to use later after their mission was accomplished. Meanwhile, Ko and his friends at the Academy count down to sunset to help him find his treasure...
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The Academy was already beginning its transition from day shift to night shift right when the sun completed its descent over the western horizon. The students were getting up from their seats and heading out the exit door, followed by the Pokemon. As soon as the last of the day shift filed out, only a few seconds of silence and emptiness passed where only four select students remained behind. Finally, the first of the night shift started filing in and getting into position. Right when the last of them were set up, a single word passed a certain bear's muzzle...
"Showtime."
Ko got up from his seat and began the first phase of his plan. He sauntered over to the table where some students were having their evening tea, and dared to ask one, "Well, hello, fellow student. Is that a cup of tea you're drinking?"
"...Why, yes, it is," the student said.
"Fascinating," Ko said in response. "I, too, enjoy the occasional cup in the evening. In fact, speaking from experience, you know what would go good with that?"
"No, what?"
"A drizzle... of honey," Ko answered in a hushed tone. "And I'm not just saying that because I'm a bear. I'm saying that because it turns out the Academy has its own source of honey right here in this cafeteria. But it's only available during the daylight hours."
"Interesting," the student said. "Well, thank you for the information. I will certainly take advantage of it in the near future."
"You're welcome," Ko said happily. "Oh, and if you see a girl in the kitchen asking if the fruit on the island is really fruit, tell her it is, but a pair of Skwovet snack on it because that is definitely the case. Well, good night, now!"
As the student was left to finish their tea in peace, Ko exited the cafeteria to return to his own dorm. "Good, good. I've managed to hold up my end of the plan. Now all I have left is to wait until tomorrow to regroup with the others and share our findings before we start the next phase. I just hope they're holding up their ends..."
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(Scene transition: Academy crest)
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Meanwhile in Class 1-D, Camilla was indeed holding up her end of the plan, watching as she saw one of the students blissing out with his two Meowth. But she also felt a pang of an unusual emotion for her...
She was feeling a little jealous.
But, remembering she had a mission to carry out, she got up from her seat and walked up to the front of the room where the student was. "Oh, hi. Nice Meowth you have there."
"Aren't they?" the student said. "And two for the price of one! Does it get any better?"
"No, it does not," the bunny said. "I'll admit, I'm a little jealous... but also concerned."
"Concerned for what?"
"Well, you didn't hear this from me," Camilla said, "but there's also a Shinx and a Riolu who hang around during the daylight hours, and if these two kitties catch a whiff of their scent, it may lead to something awful... or worse, the other way around."
"If the Shinx and Riolu pick up the Meowth's scent?"
"Again, you didn't hear it from me," Camilla said as she confirmed the reply with a tap on her nose. "Welp, I've still got a few days of classes to clear, so I'd better get some rest for tomorrow. Goodnight, fellow student. Bye, kitties!"
Both the student and his Meowth were left to wonder what the lapine girl was going on about as she closed the door behind her and said, "Whew. Hope I didn't start anything with what I did back there. Ko owes me big if I did, and I still have 32 classes left before I can go on my Treasure Hunt with two good feet."
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(Scene transition: Academy crest)
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In Class 1-A, Pico was looking for something to compare the night shift to the day shift, but the most he could find was a student and her Igglybuff, so he had to make do. "Excuse me?" he said as he walked up to the two. "I just have to say, that Igglybuf of yours is really adorable. Any chance you could tell me where I could catch one for myself?"
"Good luck with that," the student said. "Because I was lucky enough to get this one in a Surprise Trade the other day."
That made the lizard's eyes widen, for he found his in. "A trade, you say?" he asked. "Well, what a coincidence, because I happen to know another regular student here who got his Gengar-formerly Haunter-in a trade themselves. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"
"Is that so?" the student inquired. "Because I may or may not have traded my Haunter for this Igglybuff!"
"Well, if you'd like, I can arrange for the two of you to meet," Pico offered, "so the both of you can see if you're taking good care of each other's Pokemon, as I hear every trade ending with. Just one stipulation: he's only around during the daylight hours."
"Deal!"
"Great!" Pico said with pride. "I'll go ahead and tell them to hang back tomorrow evening so you can meet. Well, goodnight, then!"
Both the student and her little puffball waved the lizard goodbye as he exited the room to head to his dorm. "Okay, now that that's taken care of, I'll just go snack on some leftovers so my tail can keep growing back before I turn in tonight. Good thing I had my Rotom Phone recording the whole thing..."
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(Scene transition: Academy crest)
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Class 2-G, however, wasn't as diverse between shifts as Balto had hoped. All he could find was an elderly student studying near two Magnemite, and three other students talking about sandwiches. But, for the sake of making a long story short, he opted to talk to the group about starting a Sandwich Club with the day shift, and the elderly student about forming a study group. After that, he left the room to go brush his teeth and turn in along with the others.
So, all four classmates had completed their after-class objective for the day, and all that was left after their next alloted classes was to regroup, share their findings and choose a different room to compare between shifts...
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To be continued.
