This is a sequal to the Applin one if you have not read it yet.

It had been six months Applin joined your team. Since he was the weaker one out of the rest of your team, you had him train by battling low level Pokemon. One day, however, you picked a rather strange apple covered all in syrup.

"Ew." You commented as you held the apple by the stem. "Why is it covered in syrup? Here, eat this." You handed the apple to Applin as he helped you pick the apples.

"Sure!" Without hesitation, Applin ate the apple in only five whole bites. Not long after he ate the apple, Applin began to transform before your very eyes. Apparently human Pokemon can still evolve to your surprise. Applin evolved into Dipplin, his hair now covered in a weird syrupy texture and he was about the same height as you. It was a surprise to both of you as you never knew that was how Applin evolved into Dipplin this entire time...

~

In the present day, Dipplin is stronger and a little more mature compared to him being an Applin. He still played around but took his training more seriously. It was definitely a weird change, but one you did not mind.

Tonight was the Festival of Masks as you dressed in your favorite jinbei for the occasion. Dipplin wanted to join as well and you bought him a red jinbei to complement his shiny red hair. You helped him put on the jinbei as you stepped back and gave it a once over.

"Perfect. I think you're ready for the festival. Just try to not make it too sticky."

"Hey, that was uncalled for!" Dipplin pouted as he knew you were referring to the daily amount of clothes you had to wash due to his hair. "You know I can't control my sticky hair."

"Yeah, yeah, just get going." You grabbed Dipplin's hand as you led him up the steps to the town square.

The festival was something you always looked forward to each year as the food was the best part of the whole entire thing. The fried noodles were the first thing you hit up as the smell wafted up into your nose.

As the two of you ate, you noticed the amount of people you did not recognize. It then clicked in your brain as you slurped up the noodles. "That's right. The exchange students from Paldea are visiting. No wonder it seems busier than usual."

"Paldea?" Dipplin had heard of Paldea and how much bigger it was compared to Kitakami as a whole. "Are we ever going to visit there one day?"

"Hmmm... maybe after I graduate from Blueberry Academy."

"Aww! I want to visit sometime soon..."

You rolled your eyes as you finished up your fried noodles. "You're not the one who has to buy a plane ticket..."

Dipplin huffed like a child as he crossed his arms. At least he still acted like his old self at times.

"Oh, it's you, (y/n)."

The sound of his voice made you almost jump out of your skin as you turned around to find Kieran standing behind you. His white jinbei made his ogre mask stand out in the warm festival lighting.

"Oh, hey, Kieran." You said, trying to act normal. "Having fun?"

You did not have anything against Kieran. It was just his aura whenever you were around him. It was an unsettling feeling that made the hairs on your arm and neck stand up. Maybe it was just you that got that certain vibe from him as his sister and nobody else found him odd.

"Yeah, I'm having fun. Have you seen a transfer student with brown hair? I don't know where they went."

"Ooo! I think they went that way!" Dipplin pointed up the steps. Whenever Dipplin became happy his hair produced more syrup as some flew off and landed on your own jinbei.

"Ah! Dipplin!" You scowled as the jinbei was rather old.

Dipplin turned his head back as he saw the large red sticky stain appearing on your jinbei. His expression screamed 'I'm sorry' as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Oops... sorry (y/n)."

Kieran looked at Dipplin with an interesting expression, as if thinking deeply about Dipplin as a whole. While Dipplin found a nearby cloth to try and clean up the stained spot, Kieran turned and left without another word.

"Maybe that's how I can beat them in battle..." He murmured under his breath.

You lead Dipplin to an empty bench as you grab the cloth and try your best to get the stain out. Looks like it would need some heavy cleaning products.

"Please don't be mad at me..."

His eyes pleaded with you as had to look away. Despite being a Dipplin now, you couldn't resist his pleading expression as you had a soft spot for him. It didn't matter if he wasn't an Applin anymore, he was your Dipplin.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure my mom has some powerful cleaning products I can use."

Dipplin knew you were right, but it still didn't help his guilty expression. "What was up with Kieran? Did you see the way he looked at me?"

"Hmm? What are you talking about?"

"You mean you didn't notice the way he was looking at me?"

"No, I try to avoid eye contact with him." You admitted it easily to him. "How did he look at you?"

"I'm... not sure." Dipplin couldn't put it into words as he always liked Kieran as he often asked him to play with him from time to time. "He's been acting weird since those transfer students came here."

"True..." The worried expression on his face made you pat his head, giving him a soft smile. "Let's not worry about it and just enjoy the rest of our night. 'K?"

Dipplin nodded, sharing back his smile. "Yeah. This festival only happens once a year."

~

The two of you both had a blast at the festival as you bought Dipplin the mask he wanted. It was funny to see him fail Ogre Oustin' multiple times as he could not keep up with the Pokemon eating the berries. By the end of the night, Dipplin was stuffed on shaved ice and you on fried noodles.

"Gah... my stomach feels like it's about to explode..." Dipplin rested his hand on his stomach as his tail wagged behind him.

"Looks like your other half agrees with you." You chuckled as you still didn't understand how the whole two mind thing worked with Dipplin. He seemed just like one person, but he told you it was two personalities mixed together as one.

Dipplin grumbled under his breath as he reached over and grabbed your hand as you both walked. It was a habit he developed when he was an Applin. There was a comfortable silence between the two of you as you headed back home to the apple hill.

As you looked at Dipplin, you couldn't understand why you were feeling different around him. Was it because he was the same height as you? Honestly, Dipplin was the only human Pokemon you ever met as it seemed no one else at Blueberry Academy had a human Pokemon.

"Hey, Dipplin." You spoke up as you reached the patio of your house. "How do you feel about participating in double battles?"

"Eh?" Dipplin couldn't believe what he was hearing as you constantly told him he wasn't ready for the Pokemon battles your school held. "I thought..."

"Yes, I know I told you countless times you weren't ready. But... maybe I need to stop seeing you as the weak Applin you were once before. You'll never become stronger if I keep making you battle weaker level Pokemon."

Maybe it was a good thing you hadn't gone inside the house as Dipplin hugged you. You knew it was an accident as he had trouble keeping his syrup production under control wherever he became excited. He wasn't thinking as he acted on his heart rather his two brains. "Thank you, (y/n)! I promise I won't let you down! I'll become your strongest Pokemon! Just wait and see!"

You tried not to cringe as you felt the syrup cover your hair and some of your back. "You're welcome..." You refuse to become angry with him as you did not want to break his new found spirit. "Just... go and play with your Applin friends."

"Alright!" He pulled away, not noticing the large glop of sticky red syrup on you. "I'll be back before bed!"

You gave him a lazy wave as he ran over towards the apple orchard. Once he was out of sight, you let out a quiet sigh as you opened the screen door. "At least I didn't style my hair for the festival..."