Tasting the Bitter with the Sweet! (Japanese: マオとスイレン、にがあまメモリーズ！, Hepburn: Mallow and Lana, Bittersweet Memories!) is the 16th episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon - Ultra Adventures.
Synopsis[]
When Harper and Sarah tell Lana that a Pokémon saved them after they got lost in the woods, Mallow remembers the same thing happened to her and Lana when they were younger! The two friends decide it’s time to find this Pokémon, nicknamed Grandpa Forest, and offer it their thanks. Always up for an adventure, Ash and Pikachu tag along, too! Our heroes soon learn that Grandpa Forest must be a Drampa, and when they find its favorite bittersweet Haban Berry trees, they realize they’re on the right track. Then, after a brief scuffle with Team Rocket, Lana and Mallow joyfully reunite with their old friend![1]
Episode plot[]
Everyone is having lunch at the school. Ash is delighted by the food he is eating, though Sophocles promises to finish his meal if Ash can't. Lana tells her sisters got lost yesterday, but they were found before dusk. Lana scolded Sarah and Harper, who were cheerful they got lost, for they met a huge Pokémon and obtained some berries. Ash is amazed by this, while Lana describes the berries were red, and smelled nice. Rotom shows pictures of berries, and Lana points they were a Haban berries. Mallow yells out in excitement as she and Lana remember Grandpa Forest, whom Lana's sisters must've met. Mallow and Lana explain when they were small, they also got lost in the forest, but a big Pokémon helped them out. Mallow admits she doesn't quite remember its appearance, for they never saw that Pokémon ever again, and as time passed, they started to forget about it. Lana wishes if there is a way to meet up with it, since she wants to express her gratitude for saving her sisters. Mallow wishes to meet it, too, so Ash braces them for a trip to meet that Pokémon.
Team Rocket overheard this, and believe this is a very rare Pokémon. Meowth imagines the boss would cuddle him for bringing a Pokémon like that, while Jessie and James fantasize being wealthy. Thus, they plan on following the twerps and as they cheer on, they bash their heads on the low wooden ceiling. Later, Mallow and Lana walk with Ash, who wishes his friends could've gone, too. Sophocles had to go with his dad to the Charjabug repair shop, Lillie had to go shopping with her mother, while Kiawe had to work at the ranch. Mallow reminds this came out suddenly, though Ash still wishes to meet this Pokémon. Lana swears they will find Grandpa Forest. Mallow remembers it was also the day she met Lana. Years ago, Lana came with her mother to the Aina Kitchen, where her mother went to receive a delivery. Lana played around for a bit, but was startled by Mallow, who asked her what was she doing. Mallow introduced herself, while Lana silently muttered out her name. Mallow grabbed Lana, going into the forest to play with her.
The two went deep in the forest, to a flowery place, which was Mallow's favorite spot. Mallow made a flower bracelet for Lana, who thanked "Miss Aina Kitchen". Mallow asked Lana to call her by her name, but Lana was unable to do that. Instead, the two went to chase after a Cutiefly, and came to a hive of Ribombee. A Ribombee was interested in Lana's bracelet, who placed the item to the Pokémon as a crown. To repay them, the Ribombees gave the two pollen puffs, whose taste delighted Mallow and Lana. The two ate the puffs, and started laughing. In the present, Ash notes this is how the two became friends. He wishes to eat some puffs, too, and continues walking with the girls. Team Rocket heard this, and James reads the pollen puffs have amazing taste, and are nutritious, too. Jessie finds a Ribombee, and asks it for some pollen puffs. The Ribombee frowns and throws a purple puff to Jessie, who eats it. She is glad for a moment, but falls down, as James reads the pollen can be used as a weapon, too.
Ash, Lana and Mallow stop by the tree, where the girls have met the Forest Grampa. Mallow and Lana were playing with the Ribombee, who flew away. The two kids followed the Ribombee, and discovered a strange, large Pokémon. The two were terrified, and Mallow remembered her father had told her she should walk away carefully if she bumped into an unknown Pokémon. The Pokémon lowered its head a bit, and emitted out a wind, causing Lana and Mallow to run away in terror. Mallow and Lana remember that first encounter, so Rotom promises to guess the Pokémon, if they describe its characteristics, with Team Rocket looking at them from the bushes. Mallow and Lana explain the Pokémon looked old, had white and green colors. Rotom claims he has enough information to make a guess, amazing Ash, Lana and Mallow. However, Rotom reminds it didn't say anything yet, much to Team Rocket's displeasure. Rotom guesses it was an Abomasnow, but Lana immediately denies that. Rotom becomes sad, but swears it'll make a better guess, and needs better descriptions.
Mallow and Lana continue remembering the events. As the they ran off, Lana and Mallow got lost in the forest. Mallow apologized for forcing Lana to go with her into the forest, and the two's stomachs begin to growl, too. Mallow started crying, fearing they will never be able to return home. Lana, however, noticed Haban berries on the floor, and harvested them. Mallow never saw these, and continued crying, while Lana ate one of them and was terrified of the bitter flavor. Regardless, she gave one to Mallow, who ate one and was also struck by the bitterness. Mallow called out to Lana for lying, but the latter was glad she stopped Mallow's despair. Mallow, however, was glad that Lana called her by her name, which made Lana blush. The two ate the berries, and noted they were starting to become sweeter, and dubbed them Bittersweet berries. The two walked away, and Mallow recognized the path, which would take them home. Lana attributed this success to the berries.
Suddenly, Lana tripped over and dropped the berry. The berry slided down, so Lana ran after it, only to nearly fall down a cliff. Mallow grabbed Lana by her shirt, but the vine she was hanging onto broke in half. Mallow and Lana fell down, but the Pokémon they had seen earlier saved them. Ash is amazed to hear the two rode on the Pokémon's back, as Lana and Mallow claim it was a dangerous situation. Rotom has found the answer, and explains that Pokémon is a Drampa. Lana and Mallow are amazed Rotom has discovered Grandpa Forest identity, and rush on to find it. Team Rocket spies on the twerps, and James, upon hearing this story, wants to ride on Drampa. Jessie reminds him he is not a kid, while Meowth has a brilliant plan about this. To find Drampa, Rotom tells they need to find a place with lots of berries, and Lana believes it is the place where she and Mallow played with Grandpa Forest.
Lana and Mallow were with Grandpa Forest at the place, with lots of Bittersweet berries. The two wondered if the Pokémon was watching over them the entire time, to which Grandpa Forest uttered a wind that nearly blew off the girls. Lana and Mallow believed it wanted to play with them, and hanged around it, being amused by its softness and cudliness. Mallow and Lana wish to search for this place. Their Pokémon smell something and run off, with Ash, Lana and Mallow following them. They arrive to the place, where Bittersweet berries grow, and soon find Grandpa Forest behind a tree. Suddenly, "Kid" Team Rocket appears, stopping the trio from reaching Drampa. They try to fool it to believe they are little children, but Drampa silently walks away. Since that backfired, Meowth fires out a net to capture Drampa. Pikachu goes to save Drampa, who becomes angry and frees itself from the net. Drampa emits out a whirlwind to blow Team Rocket away, who get blown away with Bewear.
Lana and Mallow confront Drampa, Grandpa Forest, who recognizes the girls and hugs with them. Ash is also amazed to meet Drampa, and hugs it. Lana and Mallow thank Drampa for rescuing them, and for rescuing Lana's sisters. Ash got some Bittersweet berries, and shares it with everyone. Lana and Mallow blush, and eat the berries, only to get startled by its bitterness.
Later, Lana, at her house, watches Harper and Sarah draw Drampa and the Bittersweet berries, and approves of that drawing.
Debuts[]
Pokémon[]
Move[]
Trivia[]
- "Who's that Pokémon?": Drampa (JA and EN)
- The Poké Problem segment hosted by Lana asks what was the nickname she gave Mallow when she was little in today's episode. The correct answer is the blue answer, Miss Aina Cafeteria. The other answers are Maomao (red), Maorin (green), and Chatterbox (yellow).
- When Jessie said her part in the Team Rocket motto, the Pokémon she was "playing" with were ones she previously owned, they're Seviper, Dustox (released in "Crossing Paths"), Pumpkaboo (evolved into Gourgeist in "A Festival Trade! A Festival Farewell?") and Ekans (evolved into Arbok in "Dig Those Diglett!" and released in "A Poached Ego!").
- The title is a reference to the saying "taking the bitter with the sweet".
Gallery[]
References[]
- ^ (n.d.) . "Tasting the Bitter with the Sweet! | Pokémon TV (pokemon.com)". From The Official Pokémon Website | Pokemon.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2024.
