PH019: The Bittersweet Truth

is the 19th episode of of , and of .
==Synopsis==
Arriving in Motostoke in the Galar region, the Rising Volt Tacklers prepare for their journey to see Liko's grandma. Murdock invites Liko and Roy to go shopping, but during a break at the Battle Café, he becomes flustered—he's not on good terms with the café's chef, Mitchell. Murdock explains that he and Mitchell used to work together alongside Alcremie when it was still a Milcery, but when it evolved, its cream no longer paired well with Mitchell's style of sweets. Wanting to help, Liko asks Murdock to join her in a friendly battle against Mitchell—can the two chefs find a way to reconcile?
==Episode plot==
As soon as the Rising Volt Tacklers arrive at Motostoke in the Galar region, Roy and Liko are amazed by what they see up ahead. After a serving of Alcremie's cream coffee, Friede mentions they'll be going by foot by the time they land, to the rest of the team's dismay.
Friede explains his stealth approach that the Explorers would notice them had they carried on by air; so they land on the edge of Motostoke. Friede explains that they will take the train to Hammerlocke, which the trains are undergoing maintenance for the day. Orla bursts past a sighing Liko and Roy mentioning her plans to upgrade the ship; leaving the team along with her Metagross. Friede leaves it up to them to find an activity, until Murdock comes in with the suggestion that they shop together for food exclusive to the Galar region, which they accept delightfully. As soon as Roy mentions about the Black Rayquaza, Dot interrupts, suggesting that they head to the Battle Cafe for some 'Swirlicious Cotton Candy', an idea she's made for a new video's prop, which excites Liko, and that it invites many customers, suggesting that Roy could speak about the Black Rayquaza, which he agrees.
The heroes take the elevator and start exploring the shop first, with Liko picking up berries, and Roy speaking to random customers about the Black Rayquaza. By the time they finish, they walk together, with Roy feeling mostly disappointed, but remembers one customer mentioning about Kabu, who knows a lot about Black Rayquaza. Murdock suggests going to the Battle Cafe first before the Motostoke Gym, which excites both heroes.
Murdock reads the menu, but couldn't find the special Cotton Candy; meanwhile a battle is going on between a trainer's Cufant and Mitchell's Vanillite, with Cufant finishing off the Fresh Snow Pokemon with Iron Head, and thus Mitchell declaring the winner and the Cotton Candy prize to the trainer, which interests Liko and Roy, and suggests to Murdock that they'll have a go against Mitchell, but Murdock becomes distracted after looking at Mitchell and realizes what they were saying. Soon, Mitchell spots Murdock with a glum look on his face, along with Alcremie, offering him a cream droplet, until the Pokemon loses its smile. Tensions start growing between the two, with Mitchell refusing to battle Murdock, causing the two heroes to gasp in shock, and walking away with his Slurpuff.
Liko asks Murdock about Alcremie and Mitchell's relationship, and considers battling him if they ask nicely, but Murdock declines and lapses, saying that he never wants to get involved with Mitchell ever again, to their horror. Liko then asks how his relationship with Mitchell got strained. A flashback plays as he starts off his essay, first explaining that Alcremie was a Milcery at the time they started working at a sweet shop bakery. He explains that she was a huge help to both bakers, who were rivals who excelled with different flavors to their bakes (Mitchell's Matcha Green Tea and Murdock's Ruby). At one point. Milcery hovers over to one of a group of Strawberry Sweets on the plate, picks it up, and starts spinning, evolving into the Ruby Form, which delights Murdock, and annoys Mitchell.
The next day, many customers flogged for Murdock's treats, leaving Mitchell with plenty of Matcha treats still on the counter. By the end of that day when they started cleaning, Murdoch takes a treat from Alcremie, who then offers a treat to an upset Mitchell, who turns away, and then slaps the treat out of her hands, breaking it. Murdock consoles the upset Pokemon and questions Mitchell for his actions, only for the Blond-haired chef to snap back at both of them. Murdock decides he's not baking with Mitchell ever again, and takes Alcremie - still confused about Mitchell's betrayal - with him.
The flashback ends. Liko becomes glad about Murdock sharing his story, then sees a familiar chef in the distance, who lock eyes with her then hides in panic behind the counter. She then sees Murdock's Alcremie whimpering, and suggests to Murdock that they all challenge Mitchell to a Pokemon battle together as allies, and with Roy's encouragement, they make their way inside the Battle Cafe to where he's standing and initiate the challenge. Mitchell accepts the challenge to a battle against Liko, but soon locks horns with Murdock, raising the tension between the two once again.
The battlefield is set, with Liko's Sprigatito and Murdock's Alcremie against Mitchell's Slurpuff and Appletun. Mitchell goes first, commanding Cotton Spore to his Slurpuff, which traps Sprigatito, followed by Appletun using Apple Acid on the same Pokemon, and then to Alcremie. Murdock commands Alcremie to use Acid Armor. The Pokemon starts spinning, absorbing the Apple Acid and keeping up the momentum, spins away Cotton Spore, freeing Sprigatito. Roy and Liko commend Murdock for that move, before Murdock commands Decorate on Sprigatito, decorating the Grass Cat Pokemon with a Ruby Cream crown, impressing Roy and Fuecoco. Liko commands Scratch for Sprigatito, which hit both of the opponent's Pokemon.
Mitchell plans a combo move, in which Cotton Spore and Apple Acid are fired together. He draws out his mixing bowl and whisk. Murdock excitedly joins in and starts mixing too with Alcremie; Roy and Liko become confused by what's going on, but Sprigatito is impressed. Murdock and Mitchell continue baking, making impressive looking cakes, to the delight of everyone else. Murdock asks Liko to provide a 'nice garnish', confusing her, but she has an idea, commanding Sprigatito to use Leafage on the cakes to complete the garnish, impressing everyone inside the battlefield, and the crowd watching.
The two chefs sit down in exhaustion. Roy and Fuecoco test out one of Mitchell's cakes, and become delighted about its taste, along with everyone else. Liko explains to the two chefs that helping the two chefs create awesome treats was what Alcremie enjoyed the most. The Pokemon offers a treat to Murdock, who then apologizes to Mitchell. Mitchell leaves, worrying Murdock, before returning with a Matcha Green treat and asking Murdock's Alcremie to complete the dish, which she obeys delightfully. Mitchell becomes teary eyed, claiming that his techniques 'weren't good enough' as the reason why his Matcha Green treats didn't work, causing him to get peevish and jealous, hurting both the feelings of Murdock and Alcremie. He tries to restore their friendship by promising that they won't fight each other anymore. Murdock accepts and eats Mitchell's treat. Roy, Liko and their Pokemon also take a bite of Mitchell's treat. Murdock hails and complements Mitchell's treat, causing then both to cry and hug each other.
Then, Mitchell sees Kabu in the cafe, having a hot drink; exciting Roy. Kabu stands up and introduces himself.
==Debuts==
===Character===
*Kabu
===Pokémon===
*Murdock's Milcery
===Moves===
*Decorate
*Apple Acid
==Trivia==
*Professor Friede's Pokémon Seminar: Alcremie
**
==Gallery==
==References==