Previously on Oranges to Grapes...

While Ko is introduced to Clive back at the Academy, the Hell-Sent Cures get to shake off the rust as they help Balto clear out the dome over the Ruchbah Squad's base before they have to head back to Montenevera...

-

Finally, the sun had set, and night had fallen over Paldea. The sky had turned a deep, dark navy blue speckled with twinkling stars, and as some of the Pokemon in the region went into their dens to call it a night, others were prowling under the cover of darkness, eager to cause trouble.

But back in Montenevera, the glow of the torches and candles kept the town visible as the Pomegranetes and Hell-Sent girls came back to it. "Whoo! I don't know about you, but I am burnt out," Balto said with his ears folded back in exhaustion.

"Well, don't conk out just yet," Camilla said. "Nice as Dina is for letting us stay at her place for the night, we don't know what her accommodations are to house seven people."

"Oh, I've got plenty of options," Dina reassured. "Recliners, the couch, sleeping bags, an air mattress... I knew keeping those around would come in handy someday."

"Cool, it'll be like having a sleepover... with a camping vibe," Eartha said. "That plays right into my wheelhouse."

"Well, at least two of us'll find a bright side to this," Rosita supposed. "At least here, there's no risk of being shoved out of bed because of an itinerary."

"You think that's bad?" Pico challenged. "Try having an older sibling who got so sick of sharing credit with you that they fled the region to get away from your company."

"Apples and oranges," the caracal shot back.

"Both of you stop!" Jessica snapped. "We'll have plenty of time for you to bicker about your regrets in the morning when we're rested up, but for now, we should settle."

"Fine," Rosita relented. "But this is not over." And with that, everyone lined up outside of Dina's building and waited for her to unlock the door. Once she did, one by one, everyone entered until the last person closed the door behind them.

-

Several minutes of settling down later.

-

While Dina was resting comfortably in her bedroom with an excess of water in her gill-buds, Rosita, Jessica and Eartha were sleeping on recliners and the couch, and the Pomegranetes were sleeping in a separate room with Camilla on the air mattress and the boys in sleeping bags... something odd was happening. The Hell-Sent girls' Sealing Balls were pulsing with faint glows... but outside of the building, the Spirits of Ruin had materialized. Conner formed from the uncovered patch of grass, Leopold formed from the outside snow, Anton formed from the dirt under the grass, and Bea formed from the flames of the lit candles.

"Ah... Finally I get to form again," Conner said.

"Tell me about it," Leopold sympathized. "I feel like I've been taken for granted."

"Well, in fairness," Bea reasoned, "now that our bearers have those three students to watch over, they have been growing with experience."

"But why should that have to cut into our time with them?" Anton griped. "We have feelings and emotional needs, too!"

"We can still socialize with each other," Conner countered. "Just because they have different friends doesn't mean it takes anything away from us."

"You're right," Leopold agreed. "We'll just have to come up with something to do together when we're not being used for our partner's wants..." He then placed a paw to his chin and thought, "Something that could use our talents together, maybe... but what?"

"Well, let's do some inventory first, shall we?" Anton said. "Now, Conner can make plants grow, Leopold can freeze things, I can break ground, and Bea... umm... Sorry, it's been a while since we've seen you in action. What exactly can you do, again?"

"I can control heat energy and accelerate metabolism," Bea explained, "which is how I can make my bearer run with increased speed."

"I see," the moose said. "Now, the question is, how can those powers work together in a constructive way?"

"Good question, Anton," the snail mused. "And one that poses a challenge."

As he said those words, a passing Trainer with his Greedent were walking by, when for a split second, the plump squirrel Pokemon lost its footing, causing it to drop a few of its Berries. But, true to its nature, it caught its footing and kept walking alongside its Trainer without noticing a thing. Those particular Berries happened to be the Spirits' favorites: Kelpsy, Qualot, Hondew... and Grepa.

Conner saw what was dropped, and an idea came to him. "I think something we can do just came to me, but I'll need everyone's help to carry out a plan I have. Leopold, while I grab those Berries over there, you breathe one of your ice-sighs and freeze up a spot by the side of the building."

"Kind of odd," the snowy weasel puzzled, "but okay." While Conner extended some vines to reach for the Berries, Leopold bounded through the snow until he found a good spot, then breathed an ice-sigh to solidify some snow into a patch of ice. "Okay, now what?"

"Now you lift up the ice and expose the dirt underneath for Anton," Conner explained as he pulled the Berries towards him, "so he can stomp the Berries into the ground."

"You can't be serious!" Anton exclaimed. "That would squish them and bury the mess into the dirt!"

"That's the idea," Conner said as he put the Berries over the dirt, while Leopold held up the ice-patch in his paws. "Trust me, I know what I'm doing."

"Alright, here goes nothing!" Anton said as he charged forward, jumped, and just when Conner's vines let the Berries go...

Doomplapf! Tenk!

Just as Anton predicted, the Berries were crushed under his hoof, mixing the juices and pulp into the dirt. But the vibrations also made Leopold lose his grip on the ice-patch, and it fell back to where it was before, sealing off the splotch like a lid.

"Good work so far," Conner praised, "but now it's time for Phase 3. Bea, put some heat energy over the ice and melt it, but don't let any steam come out."

"I think I know what you mean," the goldfish said. "Leave it to me." She then extended her fins and willed a small fire spark over the ice-patch, causing it to melt into water that irrigated the soil and exposed it more, revealing a circle of mud that got bigger until-

"And stop!"

The spark was exinguished, and the mud reached the size of a soccer ball.

"And now it's my turn to bring it on home," the snail said as he focused. "Time to kick Phase 4 into overdrive!"

As Conner concentrated as hard as he could, the last of the plan was starting to take shape. A sprout popped up from the fertile mud that grew and grew, growing leaves and branches as the stem changed from fresh green to sturdy, rough brown, making it a sapling, then a tree. As that tree kept growing, its branches started growing buds that popped open and bloomed into colorful flowers... but it didn't stop there. Soon those flowers lost their petals, spreading them like confetti as the leftover hips started growing, changing color and shape until finally... The Spirits of Ruin had grown their own Berry Tree!

"Hah... hoh..." Conner panted after spending so much energy. He then caught his breath and said, "My fellow Spirits of Ruin, behold. In the past, our previous Pokemon forms were fueled by the negative qualities of humanity, only allowing us to destroy, therefore earning our team moniker and reputations as unstable monsters that had to be subdued. But together, in our current forms fueled by the determinations of four anti-heroines who come off reckless but actually mean well, we have been given a gift... the ability to create sustaining life!"

"Unprecedented," Bea said, "but magnificent."

"At the risk of making it sound wierd," Anton asked, "does that mean we're plant parents? All four of us?"

"It does... but yes," Conner relented.

"Boy, I can't wait to show the others what we did tomorrow," Leopold added with a yawn, "but it'll have to wait. I'm getting sleepy..."

"I agree," Bea said. "We should retire to the Sealing Balls until the morning. Good night."

"Good night," the others said before they all dissipated one by one, leaving their new tree to stand in the moonlight and wait for the next day to dawn...

-

To be continued.