Previously on Oranges to Grapes...

Rosita and Jessica continue on their quest to increase their numbers, using Conner and Leopold's powers to navigate Casseroya Lake. Along the way, they decide to name their group Hell-Sent Precure...

-

After all that walking, climbing, water-crossing and whatnot, the girls had finally crossed the threshold from fresh, green grass to crunchy, yellow grass with crisp breezes that carried fallen leaves in red, orange and brown colors. In other words, they had entered the autumnal portion of the Paldea region: Socarrat Trail.

"Well, it's official," Rosita said. "We can't say it's the tail end of summer anymore."

"Not here, anyway," Jessica supposed, "but, technically, you're right."

"But," Conner reminded, "what's important right now is that we find our third member, because look." As he pointed with his eye stalk, everyone else saw that they were closer to the iridescent crystal dome now. "Fortunately, we won't have to look too far because I can sense that we're really close."

"Well, that narrows it down," Leopold said, "but they could still be anywhere in this canyon that never grows gre- wait a second, wait." He started sniffing the air for a few seconds. "Smells like something's cooking."

"Maybe someone set up camp with their Pokemon to whip up some curry?" Conner guessed.

"Wrong region, Conner," Rosita said before she started sniffing. "Huh, but Leopold may be on to something. I smell it too."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Jessica said. "That could be the start of where we need to look! Follow that smell!"

Now that they knew where to start, the girls followed their noses to find the source of the aroma, hoping that it could lead them to their newest member if it didn't make them too hungry.

But on the other side of the trail, someone had set up a picnic table next to a campfire. A little spark of electricity was zipping around the table, keeping a close eye on it. Later, someone was walking up to the table with an armful of Berries. It was a short fennec fox, with tan, fluffy fur, a short fluffy tail, dainty little paws, and big, pointed, fuzzy ears. She was wearing a gray scout uniform, complete with a brown sash for badges, shorts, Mary Jane shoes over short white socks, vest, and a gray beret.

"Okay, this should be enough Berries, Rotom," the fennec said. "Now we'll be able to put together something really tasty!"

"Bzzt!" the little spark happily buzzed.

At that moment, Rosita and Jessica had followed their noses near the little fox's campsite. It was the light of the campfire that caught their attention, but when they saw who was tending the spot, they had to duck behind a ledge.

"Okay," Rosita whispered, "maybe Conner wasn't too far off. What kind of sandwich has to be cooked before it can be eaten?"

"Perhaps she's toasting the buns?" Jessica supposed. "Also, why are we whispering?"

Suddenly, the girls started hearing something unusual; something metallic. They peeked over the ledge and saw the fennec fox girl putting something on a tray and shaking some kind of powder on it. Then she put the whole thing in what looked like an orange... toaster oven?

"What the?" Rosita said in her hushed volume.

"Son of a Bisharp," Jessica commented. "I was right."

Suddenly, the fennec's big ear twitched, and she looked to the side. She could've sworn she heard something, but all her eyes could see was rocks and yellow grass. "Hmm," she wondered. "Rotom, you keep the toasting going. I need to check something."

She then walked up to the closest ledge and folded her ears down... and found a caracal and snow leopard crouched down with their backs against the wall. "So," she said, startling the two felines, "stalking a little girl by herself, are you?"

"Now- hold on a second," Rosita said, "we can explain!"

"Yeah, this isn't what it looks like!" Jessica added.

"Oh, isn't it?" the fennec challenged. "Because it looks like you were lurking behind this ledge, watching my every move!"

"Okay, so we were found out," Rosita said. "But we were only curious about something!"

"And you may have your ears," Jessica challenged back, "but we have our noses, and they were telling us you were cooking something the moment we entered the trail!"

"Which is a little unusual for someone in Paldea!" Rosita tacked on. "So we wanted to know what that was all about!"

"Oh, is that all?"

"Yes, that is all!" both cats answered.

No one spoke for about ten seconds, as the fennec stared at the two felines, and they stared at her. Finally, the silence was broken with, "Well, if you must know, I was conducting a little food experiment with bread slices and curry powder to see if toasting them together would make a sandwich made with them taste better."

"So!" Rosita exclaimed. "Our noses were correct!"

"Yes they were," the fennec confirmed. "Now, if you don't mind, I would like to get back to my lunch before it burns."

Just then, a "ding" was heard, signaling that the smaller female's curry toast was ready. But just before she was about to turn around, Jessica took a shot and asked, "I assume it's too much of us to ask if we could join you?"

"Well," the fennec said, getting an idea, "give me a break, I don't even know your names."

"Fair enough," Rosita admitted. "My name's Rosita."

"My name's Jessica. What's yours?"

"Glad you asked," the fennec said with a wag in her fluffy tail. "Eartha Crust, girl scout-in-training, at your service!"

"Well, Eartha," Jessica said, "could we trouble you for some of that curry toast now?"

"Sure, just let me get first crack at it," Eartha said. "I wouldn't want to poison two friendly faces by mistake. What kind of a girl scout would that make me if I did?"

"Good point," Rosita said, and now the three anthros were getting up to rejoin at Eartha's campsite...

-

To be continued.