1. Ash's Story (Part 11: Paldea,Kitakami,Unova)

Chapter 30

Since Kieran has been rushing ahead of us, we decide to take our time and explore the area around Mossfell Confluence. While wandering, we stumble upon a store that sells Syrupy Apples. Curiously, nobody seems to be working at the shop, but there's a nearby vendor who is still open for business.

"I wonder what we should do with the Syrupy Apple," Alice muses, her expression reflecting her confusion.

Just as we decide to purchase one of the apples, an Applin rolls toward us, catching our attention. I ask, "You want this?"

The Applin nods eagerly, and I hand it the Syrupy Apple. To our astonishment, Applin begins to glow, signaling its evolution. It's a moment of excitement as we watch, eager to see which form it will take – Flapple or Appletun. Finally, the glow subsides, revealing a new Pokémon, a delightful surprise in our journey through Kitakami Village.

"It's called Dipplin..." Serena says after consulting the Kitakami Pokedex. "It has an ability known as Supersweet Syrup, a sickly sweet scent spreads across the field the first time the Pokémon enters a battle, lowering the evasiveness of opposing Pokémon."

Alice adds, "Not to mention it can use a move called Syrup Bomb. The user sets off an explosion of sticky candy syrup, which coats the target and causes the target's Speed stat to drop each turn for three turns."

We all feel a sense of joy and accomplishment as Dipplin, grateful for the Syrupy Apple we provided, decides to join our team. It's a delightful addition to our group.

Dipplin: The Candy Apple Pokemon: Grass and Dragon Type. Evolve from Applin with Syrupy Apple. The head sticking out belongs to the fore-wyrm, while the tail belongs to the core-wyrm. The two share one apple and help each other out.

As we return to Reveler's Road, we notice some Poltchageists. Much like the previous encounter with Sinistea, we're on the lookout for one in its Artisan Form. It's a bit challenging as the marking on Poltchageist is known to be elusive.

After some careful searching and a bit of luck, we spot a Poltchageist in Artisan Form. The mark is indeed quite difficult to discern, but our persistence pays off, and we successfully capture the rare and elusive Poltchageist.

Poltchageist: The Matcha Pokemon: Grass and Ghost Type. Supposedly, the regrets of a tea ceremony master who died before perfecting his craft lingered in some matcha and became a Pokémon.

"Well, it seems like we have another addition to our Ghost Manor," I chuckle, acknowledging the new addition of Poltchageist to our team.

As we finally arrive at Kitakami Hall, we notice a bustling scene with numerous vendors selling various items, including food with meal powers. Additionally, there are shops offering an array of masks, catching the attention of Serena and Alice, who have a keen interest in fashion.

We decide to indulge in some shopping, purchasing masks that catch our eye. The masks not only add a fashionable touch but may also prove useful during our journey through Kitakami Village.

We find Kieran waiting in front of the second signboard, and he comments, "That's the second signboard. Bit tricky to find, huh? S-sorry... I'm following at a distance, so... I...I hope you can get used to me showing up like this."

I reassure him, "It's not a problem at all. We did have some time capturing some new Pokémon along the way."

Kieran seems thoughtful and mutters, "Well, I watched it. The way you befriended Dipplin like that... I wish I had the same charm..."

We then turn our attention to the second signboard, ready to read and learn more about the history.

The ogre possessed four mysterious, glimmering masks. It is said that depending on the mask the ogre donned, the powers of its cudgel would change. When wearing the teal mask, it could bring life back into the withered greenery around it. When wearing the crimson mask, it could turn a candle's flame into a raging inferno. When wearing the blue mask, it could stop the very flow of a river. When wearing the ashen gray mask, it could easily break the hardest stone in two. Before the Loyal Three fell, they wrested away three of the ogre's masks, greatly weakening it.