Previously on Oranges to Grapes...

Our aspiring pupils make it to Mesagoza in their own ways, and are about to cross the threshold...

-

Camilla aproached the southern gate of Mesagoza, ready for her first day of school... but just before she reached her paw out to the door, she stopped and thought, Why do I get the feeling I'm forgetting something?

She then turned around and saw her neighbor Rosita... with her face shaded over. "Oh, hey, Rosie. Everything going okay?"

"Sure," the caracal said simply, not really paying attention to her neighbor's question.

"Are you sure?" the bunny asked, a little worried. "Because we can always talk about-"

"I'm. Fine," Rosita stressed, a bit of an edge in her voice. "There's no sense crying over spilled water."

Camilla didn't know what Rosita was talking about, but the agitation alone told her not to push it. "Okay, if you don't want to talk about it, we don't have to. Now come on, let's go."

"Yeah," Rosita said as the door was finally opened. "Let's just get to the most prestigious school in all the region..."

-

At long last, the gates were passed, and all four students-to-be had entered the largest city in all of Paldea: Mesagoza. Each of them navigated through the paths of white concrete until they eventually met up at the multitype Battle Court in the center of town.
 
"Look, Rosita!" Camilla pointed out. "More anthros in uniform, just like us!"

"They must be on their way to enroll in the Academy, too," Rosita supposed.

"Then they wouldn't mind if our paths happened to cross with theirs," Camilla said. "Now come on, let's go say hello."

As the bunny, the caracal, the lizard and the husky met face to face... to face to face, each of them waved hello before they grouped together in the center of the pitch.

Camilla was the first to speak. "Hello, fellow future students!"

"Um, hello?" Pico answered, a little caught off-guard from the sudden greeting.

Balto, however, wasn't as aprehensive. "Hi!"

After the short greeting, the four students were ready to aproach the academy... but unfortunately, they overlooked one minor detail: the stairs. But that didn't stop them as they took the first few steps of many.

-

Several tens of steps later.

-

All four anthros were breathing heavily (especially Balto, who was panting with his tongue lolling out), but their efforts were soon rewarded as they finally reached the top stair, where a man with white, shoulder-length hair in a bergundy jacket, light gray slacks and hard shoes was waiting at the gate.

"Ah, our newest students have arrived," the man said pleased. "I do hope the journey alone has not made you weary. Welcome to the Foremost World-Renowned Pokemon Academy of Paldea, where our school motto is 'Bettering Ourselves in the Here and Now.' My name is Clavell, and I am the director of this fine establishment. And you four might be?"

"Ah, yes. Hello, Director Clavell," Camilla said as she extended her paw. "My name is Camilla Otore, and this is my neighbor Rosita Verdes."

"Pleasure," Rosita added.

"I'm Pico Hatsuki," Pico followed, "and I'm eager to learn what this school has to teach."

"And my name is Balto Mijuumi," the husky said, "but people just call me Balto."

"Well, Camilla, Rosita, Pico and Balto," Clavell said, "it is a pleasure to have you enroll in our fine learning establishment. But first things first, do any of you have any Pokemon with you?"

At that, Camilla, Pico and Balto inhaled through their teeth, because... they didn't have any Pokemon.

Rosita, however, was more direct. "I used to have a Pokemon, but one of this school's 'students' snagged it away from me on the way here."

At that comment, Clavell took on a sharper demeanor. "Now listen here, young lady. I understand that you recently suffered a bad experience, but as the director of this academy, I will not have you badmouthing my students first rattle out of the box. Is that clear?"

Rosita finally unshaded her face, but her eyes became more feral, her pupils having been reduced to slits. "Well, I guess it has to be!"

"Watch your tone," Clavell warned, but Rosita was already pushed past her breaking point!

"NO I WILL NOT WATCH MY TONE!!! I wanted to be fully prepared to embrace this academy experience when one of your 'acceptence packets' found its way into my mailbox last month, so I set out to catch a Pokemon beforehand so I could be ready! And when I was lucky enough to happen upon a Maschiff outside the lighthouse on Poco Path, I tried every Poke Ball I could afford to catch it, but it kept breaking out every time! Eventually I gave up trying, but it decided to follow me back home for some reason, I don't know why, but I wasn't going to look a gift Mudsdale in the mouth! Now I tell you that I lost it to one of your followers, but you won't show me any sympathy because you don't want to lose face!?"

"That is it!" Clavell snapped! "Our academy will not tolerate any disrespect towards its students or its faculty! We have suffered enough of that four years ago, and we shall not repeat that anarchy! Leave the premises now before I have to get the authorities involved!"

Bitter tears were welling up in Rosita's eyes after that outburst. "Rrr... Fine! Who needs this cult anyhow!?" she spat before storming back down the stairs weeping.

Camilla, Pico and Balto were rather shocked at what transpired, and they certainly felt sorry for Rosita... but they also didn't want Clavell to eject them from enrolling into the Academy, too, so they did their best to keep inside the line they were toeing.

Clavell then took some deep breaths and readdressed the three remaining anthros. "My apologies for that spectacle, but over the years I've developed less of a tolerance to disrespect. But I don't have to worry about that from you three, do I?"

"No, sir," they replied simultaneously.

"Then I shall ask again: do you have any Pokemon with you?"

"No, sir," they repeated.

Clavell took another breath... then smiled before adding, "Then, by all means, you can have one of these. Come on out, little ones, and meet your new trainers!" He then reached into his jacket pocket and threw three Poke Balls from it into the air, and in flashes of light...

-

To be continued.