Fanfic / Ash's Just Reward

Ash's Just Reward is a Pokémon: The Series fanfic by the author The Warmongers of Simora.

Ash has done a lot in his life. Despite being only 15, he has saved the world more times than is funny and had helped everyone he has come across. Now, in the Alola Region, he just wants to relax and have fun in the Pokémon school. However, the Legends of the world begin to congregate to the Alola Region, all with the intent of finding him, how will he deal with it?

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Ash's Just Reward contains examples of:

• Adapted Out: Since this fanfic takes place before Season 21 Episode 42: Alola, Kanto! Some characters are justified to be taken out.
  • Sun and Moon Characters like Lana's Eevee Sandy, Mallow's Shaymin, Ash's Melmetal, Dia from the Ruined Alola Guzzlord Dimension, and Professor Burnet
  • Cyrus, justified since during the Mt. Coronet's events where he jumps to the black portal before it evaporates, wherein the other end is unknown to the viewers, but from the author's words: 'It wouldn't make sense for him to just come back without making sense of it all.
  • Journeys as a whole is adapted out in this story as well. Characters like Goh, his Raboot, Professor Cerise, Chloe, and Ash's new Pokémon in that series like his Dragonite, Gengar and Riolu.
  • The whole concept of Pokémon World Championships is not here apparently.
• Adaptation Expansion: Characters in this adaptation get this.
  • Gary gets three new Pokémon in his party on his rematch against Ash, (Gogoat, Gallade, and Golurk), his Magmar evolved into Magmortar and having a keystone and a Blastoisnite for his Blastoise for helping out Prof. Sycamore.
  • Prof. Kukui's backstory is changed and tweaked a bit being more in-line with his game counterpart for his passion of Pokémon Battles.
  • Tobias having his character explored more here (rather than just a mere Diabolus ex Machina for Ash in Sinnoh).
  • The justification of Ash being not recognized by a lot of people in other regions. The adding of the I. C. O. P. Mystery Organization makes it clear that they want ALL Chosen Ones to be presented as Normal Citizens after clearing their goals.
• Adaptation Relationship Overhaul: Two pairs of characters' relationships to be exact.
  • Prof. Kukui and Burnet had started out as friends, next they become lovers and get engaged, and finally they get married. Here, the latter gets Adapted Out from the story assuming that they're strangers, at worst, or scientists that are acquainted with each other, at best.
  • Leon met Ash in Journeys Ep 13 (also discovering Pikachu's ability to Gigantamax) and after their match he became Ash's goal to defeat. Here, they are complete strangers who never met at all. Justified see Alternate Universe below.
• Adaptational Backstory Change: Prof. Kukui is more in line with the games where he participated in an Indigo League Conference, won that Conference, and challenged the Kanto Elite 4 and League Champion, though he lost to Lance. Also, that means he must have at least 5 Kantonian Gym Badges under his belt if he took a Pokémon League Test, and 8 if he didn't.
• Adaptational Badass: Thanks to the Mews to give Ash their reward. He now has access to Mega-Evolution, something he never got a taste to experience in canon. Same goes for his Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution.
  • Also Prof. Kukui (also an Offscreen Moment of Awesome) receives this where he had at least 8 Kantonian Gym Badges under his belt (he must've defeated all 8 Gym Leaders to get the badges), participated in an Indigo League Conference, won that Conference and challenged the Elite Four and Champion of the Kanto Region defeating 3 Elite Four Members until Lance.
• Adaptational Heroism: Tobias is hit by this. He acted as a Diabolus ex Machina to Ash in the Sinnoh League because he works for the ICOP, who tried to keep Ash's status as the Chosen One under wraps from the general public to avoid drawing too much unwanted (and dangerous) attention. However, it is revealed to be Subverted. Tobias, along with the I. C. O. P. are Evil All Along.
• Adaptational Jerkass: Played with. Looker is a less-than-pleasant and less well-mannered person than he is normally. Though he is more-or-less working for the secret ICOP (International Chosen One Protection) agency and also works with the Pokémon World's International Police Force. The job as an agent for the police is kind of making him a stressed-out dude who needs a vacation; Anabel sees him as a self-centered jerk who only cares about the mission, but several perspective shifts show that he is a good person with a lot of misunderstandings going on.
• Adaptational Nice Guy: Paul. Though justified since he mellowed out after his adventure in Sinnoh.
• Adaptational Villainy: The Aether Foundation who not only keeps several of Ash's Pokémon (and Kiawe) hostage, along with Nihilego!Dawn and Hoopa but Lusamine also joins Team Rainbow Rocket.
  • Same goes for Team Skull's Boss Guzma after he takes up the offer of joining Team Rainbow Rocket while in the Games of Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, he doesn't.
  • Though this is more like Took A Level In Villainy, not only is Hunter J on the run from the public eye and being vengeful to a 15-year old brat for foiling her plans to make cash while she was in Sinnoh, but she joins Team Rainbow Rocket for the 'Team Galactic' section of the organization since Cyrus is nowhere to be found in the overworld.
  • Tobias was originally just a one-shot trainer whose sole purpose was to defeat Ash in the Sinnoh League. Here, he is part of the ICOP, and brainwashes the Champions.
• Adaptational Wimp: Leon. Since the P. W. C. being Adapted Out above means he's just the Galar Region's Current Champion who isn't defeated yet. Not the strongest in the world (as in NOT the #1 in the Pokémon World Championships), just the current Galarian Champion.
• Ascended Extra: Characters like the Pichu Bros, Ash's Larvitar now Tyranitar and Anabel get this treatment.
• Age Lift: Ash in the main series anime is forever ten thanks to Word of God. Here he is A Teenager who's Older Than They Look after he started his journey leaving his hometown five years ago. This adaptation also averts the Not Allowed to Grow Up from Word of God. Do the math.
• Air-Vent Passageway: How Kiawe, Dawn, Hoopa and several of Ash's Pokémon (like Seismitoad, Emboar and Hawlucha) manage to escape the Aether Foundation. Conversed, Exaggerated and Lampshaded on how the Aether Foundation's Vent Shafts can fit such large Pokémon.^note To clarify, the average Garchomp is 1.9 meters tall, (6'3), not even mentioning its width, and the average Emboar weighs 150 kilograms (330.7 pounds). Both fit in the vents with no apparent strain.
  Seismitoad: These vents are stupidly large. Who designed this place?
• All-Loving Hero:  Ash, in this adaptation AND in the main series anime.
  A human who cared so much about life, so much so to constantly risk his own, was rare enough on its own. Someone who could instill joy and happiness into the hearts of those around him, raising them up to greater heights and to reach their innate potential. And one who had the potential to accomplish so much, to dedicate themselves to the preservation of life whenever they find it threatened? It was practically unheard of. Yet, here he was, saving both the weak and the powerful from the evils of the world, and escaping its corruption as well. Truly, he is a blessing from the collected mess that was humanity. The fact he had saved her [Arceus] from her own folly also helped her think of him in a positive light.
• Alternate Continuity & Alternate Universe: Both of these tropes apply because it happens Prof. Kukui's class trip to Kanto has been either postponed or wasn't planned at all, AND, while during the Legendary and Mythical Pokémon rewarding Ash for his heroic acts of rescue and just in his words: "Helping Out". While the Ultra Beasts are preparing for war against Arceus and the other Legendary and Mythical Pokémon (like the Creation Trio for example.) Plus, the Ultra Guardians is never formed to begin due to the events leading up to it being Adapted Out, which means no one is prepared to deal with Ultra Beasts AND Lusamine, along with Aether Paradise as a whole (who got hit with Adaptational Villainy and are more in line with the games.)
• Back from the Dead: Lucario and Latios, whom Yveltal resurrects at Arceus's insistence, using Ash as the anchor to keep them in the land of the living.
• Badass Adorable: Plenty of Ash's cute Pokémon. (Like Pikachu, Bulbasaur and Squirtle)
  • Also his gift from Xerneas being eggs that are born stronger than their average run-off the mill counterparts being: an Absol, a Lugia, an Eevee, a Ralts, a Mawile, and a Honedge.
• Badass Boast: Happens a bit.
  Bulbasaur: I may only be in my first evolution, but there's some things you can only learn with experience. And I got that in spades, kid.
• Being God Is Hard: Many of the Legendaries show how hard it is to keep the world in balance, especially Arceus.
• Berserk Button: Want to anger the four Pokémon (Pikachu, Charizard, Meganium, and Bulbasaur) who volunteered to look after some of the eggs Xerneas gifted Ash? Try to hurt the Pokémon that hatched out of the eggs they respectively took care of.
  • For Ash's Pokémon in general? Hurting their trainer. Mewtwo learned this the hard way from Bulbasaur, Charizard, and Pikachu when Ash's mindwipe of the events from Pokémon: The First Movie is undone and he learns about his death.
• Beware the Quiet Ones:
  • Sceptile didn't appreciate the Nihilego's lies to Ash and their capture of his past companions and fusion with them. He even threatened to cut up one of the Nihilego if it didn't unfuse with May.
  • Bulbasaur snapped after learning of Ash's death and subsequent revival/mindwipe.
• Blood Knight: Ash's Charizard and Primeape. The former being a dragon-looking Fire/Flying Type that won't hesitate to fight strong and powerful opponents while the latter is a pure Fighting-Type having an anger issue that is willing to beat up anything to calm down the anger inside.
• Big Bad Ensemble: The Ultra Beasts in the first half of the story with Team Rainbow Rocket coming along the way for the second half. And then we also have the ICOP, who prove to be fanatics, all of those along with Greater-Scope Villain Necrozma.
• Big Damn Heroes:
  • In Chapter 44, Ash's Pokémon and the Legendaries present as reinforcements have fallen against Dusk Mane Necrozma. As it prepares to charge through their trainers and finish the job, though, a swarm of Ultra Beasts (who want to protect Ash) arrives that focuses all of their attention on Necrozma, forcing it to retreat.
  • In Chapter 49, right after the ICOP is revealed to be a fanatic organization that's determined to put the world in their order no matter what the cost, up to and including killing Ash's Pokémon and brainwashing the Champions, Ash's Pokémon are saved from certain doom thanks to Giratina, who causes a significant amount of damage as he gathers them together and teleports away.
• Brainwashed and Crazy The Champions are mind-controlled by Tobias and his Darkrai to attack Ash's Pokémon who were at the ICOP's base.
• Break the Haughty: Downplayed example for Suicune who, after joining the team, turns down Ash's suggestion for more training, believing there was nothing more the trainer could teach her. Ash and Bulbasaur proved her wrong in a battle, showing her she can become stronger and greater under the guidance and support of a Pokémon Trainer. Downplayed because the haughtiness was all an act, and she just wanted to see how he would prove his point.
• The Bus Came Back: Several characters. For instance:
  • Hoopa teleported every single Pokémon Ash has onto the island, including the ones he previously released such as Butterfree, Pidgeot, Lapras, etc.
  • Each of the Legendary Pokémon Ash helped during his adventures shows up to give him their gifts.
  • A few of Ash's companions and rivals like Misty, Max, Brock, Gary, and Paul show up as well.
  • Even one-off characters such as the Pichu Brothers and Larvitar.
• But for Me, It Was Tuesday: While Ash's classmates and his Alolan Pokémon are shocked at his past and current encounters with the Legendaries, Ash and his older Pokémon and companions/rivals are unfazed by them. If anything, the only thing surprises Ash's older Pokémon is how long it took their trainer to obtain a Legendary.
  Lycanroc: Wait, so this isn't surprising to you? We've dealt with three Legendaries, not including the ones native to Alola, one of whom has joined our team, and chances are we are going to deal with a few dozen more according to you lot, and you're acting like this is just another day.
  • Unlike Latios, Lucario shrugged off being Back from the Dead.
    Latios: You know, you're rather unaffected by all of this. I mean, you've been dead for two years.
    Lucario: I was locked in a staff for a thousand years before that. Frankly, all things considered, this isn't a major development for me.
    Squirtle: Wow, an ancient warrior, who has seen the horrors of war, is unbothered by dying. Talk about being overburdened with indifference.
    • Subverted, though, as Torterra sees that he's not so much unbothered as suppressing his feelings; he starts working on it after that talk.
  • This conversation sums it up.
    Mewtwo: I'd ask why you're so nonchalant about this whole situation, but I'm aware of who your trainer is and what he gets up to.
    Pikachu: I've been traveling with Ash for about five years now. You either get used to strange or live in a state of shock. There's no other choice really.

• Chekhov's Gun: In Chapter 9, Azelf initially apologizes to Ash for the fact that her gift, blessing Ash to be free of others' control, seems lackluster compared to Uxie and Mesprit's less passive gifts. Then, much later in the story, we find out that the ICOP is using a unique form of brainwashing for their purposes…
• The Chosen One: Ash. The current one.
• The Chosen Many: According to Tobias and a female ICOP agent Ash is the CURRENT (or Latest) Chosen One. Meaning there were other Chosen Ones before him and when their duties are done, they settle down in a normal life. Ash just couldn't stop his instinctual acts of heroism.
• Completely Unnecessary Translator: The Nihilego claim that they captured and fused with May, Dawn, and Serena to communicate with Ash. Sceptile notices that the Buzzwole leader who attacked them could communicate just fine and calls them out on their ruse. There’s also the Fridge Logic that Uxie's blessing meant that even if they had been telling the truth, Ash still would have been able to understand them.
• Conspiracy Theorist: Conway is this in-universe, along with some members of an Alolan Ash Ketchum fanclub.
• Chronic Hero Syndrome: Whether be a small problem, minor issue OR A WORLDWIDE THREAT. Ash will ALWAYS be there to lend a helping hand, no matter who you are, be it human, Pokémon or God-like entity. In Latias' words solidify and lampshade this.
  Latias:Ash has always been like this, helping anyone he comes across, no matter who they are or what it is they ask of him. And that includes the Legendaries of the world.
  • Ash in this adaptation is the same as his main-series counterpart. Also helps the ICOP agency to stay productive and reminding them what their organization's meant for.
• Cooldown Hug: Misty, May, Lana, and Anabel to Ash after he finds out that the Nihilego had lied to him to curry favor and has a bit of a meltdown at how much danger his friends are in. They even coerce Paul to join in...and then the mood is lightened when Snorlax tries to join, too.

• Demoted to Extra: The Team Rocket Trio (Jessie, James, and the talking Mewoth), characters who are bumbling villains who appear as frequently in the mainstream anime as Ash and Pikachu, yet in here, they're barely seen past the first few chapters of the story and around Chapter 38 where their mission was to get Team Skull as a whole to join Team Rainbow Rocket.
• The Dog Bites Back: Lusamine treats Guzma and Team Skull as means to an end, despite their dirty work being the only thing that's allowed her to make it as far as she has, especially concerning Team Rainbow Rocket. This comes to a head in Chapter 49, where Guzma gives Plumeria an order to let him know before Lusamine when they capture the last Tapu.
• The Dreaded: Necrozma. Specifically, Dusk Mane Necrozma, who appears near the end of Chapter 43. In the next chapter, Ash's Pokémon that are present at the time barely manage to keep it at bay before a group of Ultra Beasts arrive to take over the fight, chasing it into a portal.
• Doom Magnet: Ash is this. When the first of the eggs he gets from Xerneas hatches into an Absol, its danger instincts leave it terrified and hiding behind Pikachu, who hatched the egg.
  • His Oshawott (later Dewott).
    Scraggy: Oshawott, are you sure this is a good idea?
    Oshawott: Of course it is, why wouldn't it be?
    Servine: Because not only are you involved, you planned this little expedition, it's practically destined to go wrong.
    Glalie: Agreed. You're a disaster magnet, mate.
• Double Agent: The Buzzwole who is leader of the Revolutionary-Section of the Ultra Beasts sends a Poipole to observe Ash (said agent being a major fan of Ash already), and she ends up caught by him. Her mission was to befriend him and sway him to their side, showing they're not the bad guys. She ends up too taken by his kindness, however, and comes clean.
• Dream-Crushing Handicap: Zigzagged. Meganium's daughter Ralts wants to become a Gallade, but since Gallade is an all-male species, this trope seems to apply. However, Meganium believes she could do better than any Gallade would. So she takes that as motivational support.
• Expy: Charizard's son Eevee can evolve into multiple Eeveelutions and revert back into its original Normal-Type self. Just like Vee, Red's Eevee in the Pokémon Adventures Manga BEFORE it permanently became an Espeon. The difference is that it's an effect of Mew's blessing rather than Team Rocket's experimentation. It also bears a resemblance to Molly's Eevee from Ashes of the Past.
• Evil All Along: Tobias and the ICOP present good intentions and fair reasoning for their actions. But in Chapter 49, it is revealed that it's pretty much a façade; they only want to impose their order on the world.
• Face–Heel Turn: Lusamine and the Aether Foundation along with Guzma and Team Skull are more in line with their video game selves to begin with, but then they join Team Rainbow Rocket.
• Fandom: In-Universe example. Ash manages to get one unintentionally, due to his career as one of the Youngest Trainers to participate in multiple Regional Leagues (ranging from Kanto to Kalos), receiving high ranks in the Pokémon League (one of the Top 16 for Kanto, Quarter-Finalist of Johto, Hoenn, and Unova, Semi-Finalist in Sinnoh and Runner-Up in Kalos), and being one of the first people to defeat the Kanto Battle Frontier. He manages to get fan clubs in locations like the Hidden Village, where its status as Ash's Bulbasaur's home is used by the Indigo League both to preserve and officiate its status as a sanctuary for wild and abandoned Pokémon and make it a center for an Ash Ketchum Fan Club.
• Fangirl: Ash's newly caught Mew. Among other things, she's angry at Tobias for acting like a Diabolus ex Machina during the Sinnoh League for Ash, and she had moved her nest to Professor Oak's ranch to observe Ash's Pokémon every day (while she's on breaks, of course). It's something of a dream come true to join his team.
• Fiery Red Head: Misty still retains her fiery anger and tsundere-like personality. With being the reason why Ash isn't fazed by god-like creatures from legends and myths. The reason? She's more scarier and authoritative than most creatures with god-like abilities.
• Friendship Favoritism: Ash had made a LOT of friends and knows a lot of famous people and powerful beings from legends and myths. But the Creator of the Universe ARCEUS herself, a friend of Ash's and her saviour, favours Ash over most human beings. See All-Loving Hero above for explanation.
• Gender Flip: Ash's Leavanny in Canon is a male while in this fanfic says he's female. Also, Arceus is sometimes/mostly depicted as male or omnipotently genderless but this fanfic makes it a female.
• The Glomp:
  • Bayleef loves giving Ash these. Even after evolving into a Meganium, she doesn't let her bigger size stop her from giving her trainer a tackle hug.
  • Lugia is fond of gives bone-crushing hugs to anyone who Hates Being Touched such as Litten.
• Greater-Scope Villain: Two examples.
  • One is Giovanni, as the one responsible for recruiting Leaders or Leader Successors to other villainous teams (like Maxie, Archie and Hunter J) and having the Aether Foundation and Team Skull join Team Rainbow Rocket to boot. Plus, nobody on Ash's side knows about this particular threat yet.
  • Necrozma is the other. It is, after all, the driving force behind the Legendaries' gifts, the Ultra Beasts' invasion, and the ICOP taking action.
• Hostage Situation: The Nihilego claim that they fused with May, Serena, and Dawn for this reason, after Sceptile sees that they do not need them to translate their language.
• Internal Reveal: Ash and his Pokémon at the events of Pokémon: The First Movie have their mindwipe of that time undone and learned about what happened to Ash back then.
  Ash: I died? Because of Mew and Mewtwo?
• It Sucks to Be the Chosen One: Ash feels this way whenever it leads to his friends getting involved in his trouble.
• Leaning on the Fourth Wall: The Legendary Mascots of Pokémon Sun and Moon Solgaleo and Lunala were watching the adventures of Ash to keep an eye out for our Lovable Idiot Hero. Solgaleo, the Legend that controls the Sun, mentioned that the young lad's adventures can be turned into some sort of show, he'd think it would be successful. Just like in real life, with Nintendo creating an animé (a form of a show) that is successful to an E for Everyone Audience.
• Let X Be the Unknown: Subverted and In-universe. The International Chosen One Protection Agency (ICOP agency) is responsible for covering the tracks of each Chosen One when they settle down to avoid them being targeted by criminals, governments, or well-known people; as such, their works are done in utmost secrecy. When they introduce themselves to the Champions (examples: Lance and Cynthia), the latter actually have no clue on who the group is, as they only introduce themselves when a massive crisis is happening. This quote from Tobias sums it up:
  Tobias: Understandable. ICOP is not an organisation which actively advertise their existence to the general populace, or even to the likes of powerful and influential regional Champions such as yourself. We prefer to operate outside of the public eye, so we tend to keep our presence to a minimum.
• Locked Out of the Loop: Poor Cynthia was unaware of most of Ash's encounters with Legendaries, knowing only about the ones she helped to stop.
• Mama Bear: Meganium with her newly hatched Ralts.
  Meganium: If anyone tries to hurt you, I will destroy them.
• Manchild: Both Groudon and Kyogre of the Weather Trio fit this role. Even Rayquaza points out how "mature" these two are.
• Made of Indestructium: To an extent, the gifts that Entei and Raikou give to Ash in Chapter 35: a shirt made from Entei's fur and a chain necklace set with one of Raikou's fangs. He will be protected from fire and electricity if he wears them but he won't be entirely immune after a prolonged period. Charizard isn't pleased to learn that his flamethrower can't affect his trainer anymore.
• Morality Pet: Ash serves this to some of the Mythical and Legendary Pokémon.
• No Sense of Direction: Ash, and his Pokémon have inherited it as well. Lunala, the Legend that can control the Moon, even questions and lampshades how directionally challenged the current Chosen One is. Ash's Pokémon chuckle at that.
• Odd Friendship: Paul manages to form one with Sophocles out of all people, getting into debates over topics related to Pokémon training, battling, and evolution.
  • The Pollyanna Cuddle Bug Lugia and Defrosting Ice King Litten who Hates Being Touched. It gets to the point that Litten evolves to Torracat to protect Lugia during the battle against the Ultra-Beasts.
• Offscreen Moment of Awesome: Professor Kukui in his past years (being more in line with his game counterpart) managed to beat at least eight Kantonian Gym Leaders, won an Indigo League Conference, and challenged Kanto's Elite Four and Champion. He lost to Lance, but still.
• Only Sane Man: Among Ash's Pokémon, usually Bulbasaur. Which makes his behavior when Mewtwo's Laser-Guided Amnesia is removed all the more jarring.
  • The Weather Trio's Leader Rayquaza, where he usually gets a headache every time his co-workers Groudon and Kyogre brawl out, to the point where he calls the two other Legendaries in the trio, well...
    Rayquaza: Children. Literal children. That's who I work with.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: During a battle against Gary, a few of Ash's Pokémon noticed that it's odd for Snorlax to be motivated to fight from the start since he normally takes a while to charge. Krookodile reasons that the usually lazy Pokémon is on edge and unable to relax because of recent events.
• Pals with Jesus: Ash is on good terms with most of the Legendary Pokémon. Much to the surprise and shock of his classmates.
• Papa Wolf: Pikachu, Charizard, Meganium, and Bulbasaur towards the Pokémon that hatched out of the eggs they respectively looked after, they get furious if something terrible happens to them. Absol gets injured by Jessie's Mimikyu, and Eevee nearly gets eaten by a Buzzwole.
  Charizard: I've only known you for a few moments, but I already love you. And if anything were to happen to you, I'd kill the ones responsible without a second thought.
• Pint-Sized Powerhouse:
  • Ash's Pikachu, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, to name a few...
  • Along with Pokémon like Mew and Azelf: small, yet Powerful Legendaries.
• The Reveal: In this fanfiction, Tobias acted as a Diabolus ex Machina during the Sinnoh League for Ash because he works for the ICOP agency, and being a Chosen One is already a huge yet obscure title. Being a Pokémon League Winner (or a League Champion if the Winner dethrones the current one) AND The Chosen One at the SAME time means that it would be a HUGE sign of too much publicity for both titles, meaning Ash would have been targeted by A LOT of people, be it, criminals, government organizations, well-known people, cultists, etc. It is also revealed that some members of the ICOP agency have the power, competence, and responsibility to take care and handle the power of Legendary AND Mythical Pokémon.
• Seen It All: Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu. The former has saved the world multiple times, taken down multiple criminal organizations, and befriended countless Legendary and Mythical Pokémon. Yet after all that, he's still that determined, kind, and foolish young boy from Pallet Town who manages to keep his sanity together. While the latter has been with the kid for 5 years but manages to be that lovable mouse we all know and love.
• Shipper on Deck: Ash's mother, Delia, is this to Ash with any girl that:
  • A. Has a crush or sign of romantic affection towards his son
  • B. Has either befriended and/or traveled with him in the past. The list is longer than Kukui's arm.
  • The Nihilego state that they abducted Serena specifically because she is the closest to what humans consider a "partner".
• Skewed Priorities: Why Paul gets involved in the battle against the Ultra Beasts? It would be good training for his Pokémon.
• Soul Jar: Yveltal implies this after he turns Ash's body and soul into an anchor so he can bring Latios and Lucario back to life:
  Yveltal: Death is like a river, and it flows in one direction only, carrying the rocks cast into it downstream. But sometimes, if you have something to keep them from falling back in, you can retrieve some of these stones.
• Spared by the Adaptation: In canon, the last we see of Hunter J is her airship crashing into Lake Valor, flooding, and exploding, leaving it ambiguous but unlikely that she's still alive. In this story, she is alive and on the run, craving revenge against Ash for what's happened to her. Giovanni tracks her down and recruits her to Team Rainbow Rocket as the new leader of Team Galactic.
• Speaks Fluent Animal:
  • Uxie's gift removes all language barriers from Ash's mind, which means he can communicate with Pokémon. Pikachu is delighted.
  Pikachu: Wow, that is incredible! Ash! I will make the most of this gift, and I demand now that ALL my meals will be coated in ketchup. You cannot use the excuse of not being able to understand me to deny me my right!
  • The Chairman of the ICOP also has this ability. He says that he just picked it up over time; no way of telling whether or not that's true.
• Spotting the Thread: Sceptile realizes that the Nihilego lied to them about needing to capture and fuse with May, Dawn, and Serena in order to be able to properly communicate with them after noticing that the Buzzwole that led the ambush against them in Alola was able to speak to them without any issue whatsoever, which contradicts the Nihilego's previous claim that the Ultra Beasts' native tongue is a painful, high-pitched scream.
• Strong, but Unskilled: Ash's Latias is this. She IS a Legendary Pokémon, but being one of the Eon Duo, she has never taken part in any Pokémon battles. Something that Paul is quick to notice when she enters her first battle against him.
• Took a Level in Badass: Several Legendary Pokémon apply their gifts to Ash's team.
  • Zekrom supercharges Pikachu by giving him his signature move, Fusion Bolt.
  • Groudon and Kyogre bless all of Ash's Ground and Water-type Pokémon, respectively, with their signature moves, Precipice Blades and Origin Pulse.
  • In Chapter 6, a collection of Mews give Ash (among other things) Mega Stones for Sceptile, Charizard (X), Pidgeot, Heracross, Glalie, and Gible. Noticing that Gible can't use the Garchompite as he is, Mew causes him to evolve twice, into Garchomp. And the other Mews, not to be upstaged, cause Ash's Boldore, Palpitoad, Bayleef, and Snivy to evolve as well.
  • Some of Ash's other Pokémon also evolve, including Oshawott and Pignite. Oshawott evolves into Dewott after successfully using Origin Pulse on a few Team Skull Grunts, while Pignite evolves into Emboar to rescue Dawn from a Nihilego. Then Scraggy evolves into Scrafty while fighting Gary's Gogoat.
  • Ash himself gets this when he captures Legendaries who are willing to join him, and he receives three elemental weapons from the Legendary Birds from the Pokémon 2000 Movie.
  • Some of Ash's friends are willing to fight alongside him against the Legendary-Ultra Beast War like his new Alolan Classmates (Lana, Kiawe, Lillie, Sophocles, and Mallow) and are willing to find ways to become powerful trainers in the process.
• Trademark Favorite Food: Pikachu still loves ketchup. Unsurprisingly, so does his clone.
• Trauma Button: Pikachu doesn't like talking with the weather trio given how he was possessed during Hoenn, and has a panic attack when he sees the Blue Orb.
• What the Hell, Hero?: The Nihilego get this from their Celesteela leader. She calls them out on kidnapping May, Dawn, and Serena in order to talk to Ash. She reminds them of what their poison could do to a human.

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