Previously on Oranges to Grapes...

On the way to Casseroya Lake, Camilla, Rosita and Jessica discuss their ideals with each other: Rosita wants to keep being Camilla's friend, Jessica wants to socialize more with others, and Camilla wants to keep finding her way forward. Eventually they clear out the last dome on the Path of Legends, and Camilla gains her last Prime Tera Jewel and her talisman...

-

(Dome 18: Caph Combat)

Finally, Eartha and Balto were riding the Flying Taxi together to enact the last part of the mission: removing the citrine dome over the Caph Squad's base. But this time, Eartha was the one who made the call so they could reach a close enough stop near the dome, but not so close that they couldn't do their walk-and-talk.

"Alright, here you go, kids," Hilda said as she parked the cab near a Pokemon Center. "North Area 1." As the canine and vulpine exited the vehicle, the pilot took out her Rotom Phone, gave the screen a few taps, and... "There. That should do it."

"What should do what?" Balto asked curiously, his head cocked to the side.

"I've just submitted that as of right now, I am officially off-duty," Hilda explained. "So if someone needs a pickup now, they'll have to get someone else to do it."

"Stop the presses!" Eartha said. "There are other Flying Taxi drivers?"

"Well, of course!" Hilda said with a chuckle. "What, did you think I was the only driver in all of Paldea?"

"Well, you are the only one we know about," Balto pointed out.

"Fair point," Hilda admitted. "But enough prattle, I've got to get the Squawkabilly back to their post so they can rest. Come on, birdies, just a little more flying and we can stop for the day!"

As the flying, colorful avian Pokemon carried the metal box on their strings one last time for today, Eartha and Balto began their walk, letting the sun shine down on their pelts and the breeze blow through their fur. Anton also formed from the dirt of the path to trot alongside the two.

"So, ah..." Balto said, trying to break the ice. "What would you, uh, like to know about me?"

"You know what, perhaps I should start this off," Eartha offered. "I can tell that you're unsure how to go about this, so why don't I talk first, then you can go afterwards?"

"Well, by all means," the husky said, rolling with it, "ladies first."

"Flattering," the fennec fox said before she began. "Well, to start, I was the youngest fox kit in a litter of four, not to mention the only female, so believe me when I say that having three older brothers has its ups and downs... but mostly downs. I had to get my own bedroom when I was nine, my brothers weren't allowed to bond with me because Dad worried their hormones would turn them bad, and if they didn't knock before opening a door, well... we all got grounded for the day. Needless to say, when they went off to college and I didn't, it was a breath of fresh air for all of us, both figuratively... and very literally. But Mom wanted me to have a hobby that would help me in the future, so naturally, I chose Girl Scout camp thinking I'd make money selling cookies and have fun making friends, but... I was wrong on both counts. The camp I was sent to focused on one aspect: earning badges for completing tasks. The less badges you had, the less respect you got... but the tasks to earn them proved challenging, so anyone who earned them deserved them. Knowing that was what I was in for anyway, I made it my life's mission to collect every badge possible, even if I was in over my head. Obviously I started with the easiest first and worked my way up, but by the time I could complete my collection, summer was over. Since I had already found my calling, having to stop took a toll on my ego, but what really pained was finding out that if I came back, I would have to start all over. So if I was on that Treasure Hunt of yours I've heard so much about, my treasure would be getting my earned respect back if not more."

"I see," Balto said after letting Eartha speak. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I respect you."

That put a smile on Eartha's muzzle. "It does make me feel better. Thanks, Balto."

"So, what sort of treasure are you hunting for," Anton asked, "if, uh, you don't mind my asking?"

"Quite the contrary, I'm glad you did," Balto answered. "My story starts off the typical way, male dog meets female, male likes female and vice versa, male and female decide to date several times before they get married and start a family, and pop, here I am! But later down the line, Mom couldn't find any job opportunities because all of the good ones were taken, so she had a long talk with Dad about going out of the region to find something. Dad wasn't one to clip Mom's wings, so he was supportive of her decision as long as she wasn't going to cut him and me out of her life. She insisted that wasn't the case, because she would never want us out of her life. Now, every so often, the three of us share face-time over the Rotom Phone, but I would be dishonest with myself if I said I didn't want to interact with her in person. So, mine isn't exactly a treasure to find, but if I had to choose a treasure to keep, it would be all three of us still being a family."

"Aw, that's sweet," Eartha cooed.

"Over there!" Anton cut in. "It's the bamboo grove! That means we're close!"

"Right!" Eartha said, already over the sympathy moment. "That means we still have a chance to complete the mission!"

The group passed through the mountain pass and entered the bamboo grove, a.k.a. North Area 2, where they walked up to the Pokemon Center there and witnessed the citrine dome over the Caph Squad's base... the last dome of all. The mere size of it was imposing to Balto, but Eartha only looked at it and sneered.

"Caph Squad base, here we are again!" Anton announced.

But Balto looked around and saw that there weren't any Pokemon around. "Nobody seems to be around to care," he said.

"That's because me and the other Cures fought a lot of Diademons the last time we were here," Eartha explained. "A lot of Pokemon were absorbed by the dome to make them, and if you look closely..." She then pointed out a lot of specks in the dome's crystal, which were actually Pokemon locked into their shrunken states.

"Yikes," Balto commented. "Lots of dirt in that glass."

"Close enough," Eartha supposed, "but once we get rid of that dome, that dirt will be Pokemon again, and you can get the last car in it! Plus the people inside won't be trapped anymore."

"That's right!" Balto said with a wag in his tail. "You didn't dismiss any of the good deeds as 'all that other kerfaffle!'"

"Hey, I can be sympathetic," Eartha pointed out.

"Uh, guys?" Anton piped up. "What did we come here to do again?"

"We came to clear out the last dome on Starfall Street," Balto reminded. "But we can't do that unless I get the diamond dust swept up."

"Then what's that Diademon doing?" the moose pointed out.

Balto and Eartha looked where Anton was pointing, and right there was a single belt-headed Diademon absorbing all the leftover diamond dust from the fight. (No one could see what material its belt was adorned with because it was looking up.) As the diamond dust shimmered, spraled and swirled into the Diademon's hands, it started growing bigger!

"Um!" Balto commented. "I feel like we should be stopping this!"

"Then what's stopping us!?" Eartha said as she took out her Sealing Ball.

-

Eartha raised the Sealing Ball over her head and shouted, "Precure Ruination!"

Anton dissipated into rocks and dirt, and it swirled around Eartha and made her clothes turn into orange light... then they started changing!

First, her torso became surrounded with rocks that clustered onto her until they became a brown jacket over a tan shirt.

Next, more rocks spiraled around her waist and became a pair of brown shorts.

Then, even more rocks and dirt swirled around her wrists and ankles until they became brown gloves and Mary-Jane shoes.

Finally, she threw the Sealing Ball in the air as more orange light poured out of the top of her head, and she ran her paws through the sides of it as it became a set of brown twin-tails. The ball then landed on her chest and became a chartreuse ornament of a brown tie.

"Antithesis of courage, Cure Fear!"

-

Balto then took out his Poke Ball and said, "Alright, Prince! Cure Fear's got the right idea, so let's help her out!"

After the mentioned Quaxwell appeared in a flash of white light, the last of the diamond dust was absorbed, and the Diademon was almost the size of the dome it came from. Looking down, it said in a booming, low voice, "Aww, look at the little fluffy huggaboos, thinking they're able to stop biggole me. That's so cute~"

"Think nothing!" Balto shouted as Prince took a battle stance. "We will stop you!"

"Who're ya calling cute!?" Cure Fear spat as she clenched her fists.

"Well, forget it," the Diademon said as it raised its fist. "Bugs go squish now."

But the lumbering giant made the mistake of slamming its fist on Cure Fear, because when her own fist connected, a massive shockwave of impact burst from the crash, pushing Balto and Prince away a few inches. Then, a crack crept up its hand, and an expression of pain was shown in the crystal giant's eyes!

"OWW! My fingy!"

"Now, Prince!" Balto called out. "Use Air Slash while it's vulnerable!"

A whirl of his body, a fling of an energy crescent, and Prince nailed the giant Diamant right in the ankle!

"AAUGH!" But when the colossal hunk of crystal grabbed its leg, it ended up losing its balance and began to topple! "Whoa! No no no no NO NOOOOOOO!!!"

"TIMBER!!!" Cure Fear called out before the big, earth shaking CRASH upon the ground. "And now to finish the job and get back all the diamond dust we lost!"

-

Cure Fear jumped up and slammed her fists onto the ground, causing it to crack towards the giant Diademon!

"This is the punishment for your crimes! Precure... Groundblight..."

She pulled the ground apart with all her strength, and the crack opened up wide to look like a gaping mouth!

"WRECKER!!!"

She kept slamming the crack open and shut, making it chomp the Diademon again and again and again!

"You have issues!" the Diademon seemed to say before it was shattered into diamond dust.

-

"You're darn right I have issues!" Cure Fear retorted. "You're my issues!"

"Take it easy, we got the dust back," Balto said as his scepter absorbed the reclaimed diamond dust. "And in a few seconds, we'll never have to worry about those things ever again."

Prince saw how brightly the scepter was shining, and took it as a cue to hold Balto so the recoil wouldn't jar him. Cure Fear joined in after she snapped out of her anger, and when the beam was fired, there was some kickback, but the husky stood his ground with the help of his bodyguard and his Pokemon until finally, the last crystal dome was gone.

"Alright, now all we have to do is get rid of the Diamant on the inside, and our mission will be complete," Balto said, and Prince lowered his wings. "Um, you can let go now."

"Right, sorry," Cure Fear said after she took her paws away... and looked a little sad afterwards. But there was no time to dwell on that, as the three of them entered the gates to the Caph Squad base and climbed the network of bridges and hills until they came across a floating orange kimono with a hand pattern and a Fighting Tera Jewel for a head... the last Diamant of all.

"I can see that you lot have the gumption to fight,
But defeating me will not make your crimes in the right.
The whole of Paldea had abused a great privilege,
Using Terastalization to cause excess damage.
We've enacted a reckoning to correct this mistake,
As all Terastal energy we just had to take.
If you thought beating us would have our resolve shaken,
I'm sorry to tell you, you're sorely mistaken.
For if I, the Uppercut Diamant, am defeated,
All Terastal energy will remain depleted.
So if you still insist on causing me pain,
I have three words for you: Fist... PUNCH... RAAAAIIIIINNN!!!"

As the sparkles were pre-gathered and the sleeves pre-raised, countless orange energy fists were falling from the sky at the three, forcing them to take evasive countermeasures. "Prince! Use Aqua Cutter!"

"Well!" the mallard Pokemon confirmed as he swung blue energy crescents from his wings, causing the fists to explode with orange and cyan sparkles.

"Gavel Bash!" Cure Fear shouted as she punched the ground, catapulting pieces of the ground to counter even more fists... but the onslaught kept coming strong!

"Pathetic at best, and far too frail,
So just go ahead and accept the fail!
One way or another, the light will get its due!
So just give up, SHRIMP! And your boyfriend, too!"

That just signed the Diamant's death warrant. "NO ONE CALLS ME SHRIMP!!!" Cure Fear shrieked!

"And I am NOT! Her boyfriend!" Balto barked!

But while the others were fuming, Prince was still throwing crescents at fists until suddenly... he started glowing, and the mass of light began changing shape. Teardrops emerged from his tail feathers, toes grew from his talons, and his coif was slicked back and more pronounced along with the usual increase in height, and what was once the prim and proper avian was replaced by Quaquaval.

"PRECIPICE CRUSHER!!!" Cure Fear screamed as she crammed all of her anger into a mighty STOMP that she dug her heel in, forcing a spire of solid stone to shoot at the Diamant!

"Now, Prince! Run up there and finish it off with Aqua Step!"

The newly-evolved Quaquaval used his powerful legs to run along the edge of the spire to the Diamant, swatting fists along the way with his water feathers until finally, he jumped at the kimono and spun around rapidly, slicing, dicing and pureeing the fabric away!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! SSOOOOOOOOOOOO BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!"

With those last words, the last shower of light restored the energy of all the dome trapped and reversed the damage the battle caused, but Cure Fear's eyes suddenly lost their clarity, and Eartha collapsed with Anton next to her.

"Eartha!" Balto said in concern as he rushed to the fennec fox with Prince close by. "Eartha, are you alright?"

"I'll be fine," Eartha groaned, "I just overworked my body some. Just go and get that last car, I'll take care of myself once I get my feet back."

"Alright," Balto said as he stood back up. "I'll be back for you, I promise." But before he and Prince could move...

"Balto Mijuumi," the voice said as the Prime Fighting Tera Jewel descended before him... the last one of all. "You have broken the influence of the light over the Fighting type, and as such, have liberated the hearts of every student in the Star Training Centers. Not only that, your newly-found faith in others have proven your adherence to one of the pillars of Pokemon training: growth. Please present your crystal scepter, for it shall become one of the legendary talismans."

Balto did so, and when he did, it condensed into a ball of crystal before it split into a set of water feathers like the ones Prince got.

"Behold, the Chimes of Maturity," the voice said. "Accept it and your final Prime Tera Jewel, for you have earned them both well."

"Thank you," Balto said as he pocketed his fifth and final Prime Tera Jewel and held his talisman in his paw. "Now, only one thing remains." He and Prince walked up the rest of the way to the big tent at the end of the path, and when they opened the curtain, there was the orange Caph Starmobile... the-

"I know, I know, the last one of all," Balto interrupted.

(Uppercut Diamant defeated!)

(Starfall Street cleared!)

-

To be continued.