History FandomSpecificPlot / Pokemon

* Fics involving [[DisappearedDad Ash's father]] and Ash's backstory. Some have him dad abandon his family when Ash was younger, others have him never even knowing his dad, and others have Ash's dad on a journey. There's also the sub-category of "Ash finds out [[LukeIAmYourFather that his dad is Giovanni]]", an idea that was born out of the stage musical ''Theatre/PokemonLive'', wherein Delia heavily implies this to be the case.

* Ash becoming a Frontier Brain is a common plot and often come with Ash x Anabel shipping.

* Prior to Ash's Pikachu being confirmed as male, many wrote it as male. In many of these works, Ash would be [[YourTomcatIsPregnant under the impression]] that Pikachu was male until given an UnsettlingGenderReveal. Oftentimes, Ash was the ''only'' one of his friends who didn't know this.

* Any character, be it an AuthorAvatar, an original character, or even an existing fictional character from any sort of media, waking up in either the standard ''Pokémon'' continuity to make the trainer's journey, or in the ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' continuity transformed into a Pokémon themselves. Cases of the latter, and sometimes the former, often have some of the main character's family, friends, or even enemies transported into the world along with them.
** In regards to the former, the "trainer is late so they end up with a nonstandard starter ''Pokemon'' plot is very, very common thanks to many a writer using Ash's own acquisition of Pikachu as a basis for their character's beginnings. Otherwise, the classic "one of the three traditional region starters" is used. Fics that try to avoid both have their most common methods be the character receiving their first partner by finding them injured and bringing them to health or have the Mon given to them by a family member.

** Somewhat related to this are fics involving Ash ''getting serious'' with his training and goals. This usually involves Ash not behaving like Ash and basically being an author avatar for competitive battling.
** One specific variation of the "Ash Betrayed" plot is Ash being framed for some crime, being forced to go on the run and survive on his own, effectively forcing him to train harder just to survive and then meet up with the traitors at some League. Naturally these fics are DarkerAndEdgier than canon but also at least make an attempt to make sense beyond the characters betraying Ash because the plot requires them to.

* Fics involving [[DisappearedDad Ash's father]] and Ash's backstory. Some have him dad abandon his family when Ash was younger, others have him never even knowing his dad, and others have Ash's dad on a journey. There's also the sub-category of "Ash finds out [[LukeIAmYourFather that his dad is Giovanni]]", an idea that was born out of a stage musical from the late 90s, wherein Delia states this to be the case.

* Red accidentally kills Blue's Raticate and this either traumatizes Blue or makes him furious. The UrExample is likely ''Fanfic/PoorRival''.

* Red accidentally kills Blue's Raticate and this either traumatizes Blue or makes him furious.

* Ash becoming a Frontier Brain is a common plot.

** One specific variation of the "Ash Betrayed" plot is Ash being framed for some crime, being forced to go on the run and survive on his own, effectively forcing him to train harder just to survive and then meet up with the traitors at some League. Naturally these fics are DarkerAndEdgier than canon but also at least make an attempt to make sense beyond the characters betraying Ash because plot requires them to.

* In ''Pokémon'' fanworks of all kinds, the idea of Pokémon [[FusionDance fusion]] has been a very popular idea for a long time (seemingly because of other {{Mons}} series like ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' and ''VideoGame/YoKaiWatch'' offer it officially). The series eventually did it officially with a specific trio of legendaries: Kyurem can fuse with Reshiram or Zekrom to become more powerful.
* Equally as popular is a character, be it an AuthorAvatar, an original character, or even an existing fictional character from any sort of media, waking up in either the standard ''Pokémon'' continuity to make the trainer's journey, or in the ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' continuity transformed into a Pokémon. Cases of the latter (and sometimes the former) often have some of the main character's family, friends, or even enemies transported into the world as Pokémon along with them.

* A Crossover idea that's as built for fan''art'' and thought experiments as it is fanfic: Take the character(s) from series ''x''; what Pokemon would you give them? Would they have only one or two, or a full team? Do you follow the character's powers or themes, or tie it do their history?
* The "trainer is late so they end up with a nonstandard starter ''Pokemon'' plot is very, very common. It's because the anime used this plot with Ash, and so people wrongly assume that ALL trainers get their first Pokemon from Oak or another professor, and that it's always one of the same three unless the trainer is lucky enough to be late. People that realize this is not necessarily a rule of the ''Pokemon'' world often give their trainers Pokemon another way to avoid this cliche, such as finding it injured, buying it, or it being given to them by a family member.
* Prior to the theory being jossed in the sequel, works where the Striaton Trio are the Shadow Triad were commonplace in both the anime and game fandom.
* Pokemon being portrayed as slaves and rebelling, a deconstruction/alternate interpretation of the premise of the series. This is based off the planned ending of the anime as originally planned by Creator/TakeshiShudo, and is thus slightly more common in anime based fics.

* Plots where Ash is betrayed by his friends and loved ones and he goes off on his own with only his Pokemon, except in variants where the Pokemon also betray him, becoming more powerful and many variants of this premise are unnervingly common. These fics tend to involve Ash vanishing for years before resurfacing at a tournament and defeating everyone with his new found strength. Also don't expect the betrayal part to make much sense or be in character. At all. With anyone. The "BetrayalFic" is diffused enough it has finally started gathering parodies such as ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12432002/1/Reunions-Can-Be-Good-and-Bad Reunions Can Be Good and Bad]]'', and is generally considered horrible by a variety of writers up to the point of outright mockery.

* Fics involving [[DisappearedDad Ash's father]] and Ash's backstory. Some have him dad abandon his family when Ash was younger, others have him never even knowing his dad, and others have Ash's dad on a journey. There's also the sub-category of "Ash finds out [[LukeIAmYourFather that his dad is Giovanni]]".

* The default for Pokémon-centric fics are for them to take place in a nondescript forest in a nondescript region.

* Plots where Ash is betrayed by his friends and loved ones and he goes off on his own with only his Pokemon, except in variants where the Pokemon also betray him, becoming more powerful and many variants of this premise are unnervingly common. These fics tend to involve Ash vanishing for years before resurfacing at a tournament and defeating everyone with his new found strength. Also don't expect the betrayal part to make much sense or be in character. At all. With anyone. The "Betrayal Fic" is diffused enough it has finally started gathering parodies such as ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12432002/1/Reunions-Can-Be-Good-and-Bad Reunions Can Be Good and Bad]]'', and is generally considered horrible by a variety of writers up to the point of outright mockery.

* Post ''Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon'', fics involving the Ailey and Gladion pairing has stories of [[spoiler:Gladion's travels in Kanto and Johto and how he got his Kanto starter, since it's Gladion who leaves for Kanto in ''Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon'' instead of Lillie]].

* Misty being brainwashed to join Team Aqua or [[TheBusCameBack temporarily returning]] to help Ash defeat them. This comes from an old rumor that Misty was going to do either one.

* There are many fanworks on Lillie and Gladion's childhoods with Lusamine.

* Pokemon being portrayed as slaves and rebelling, a deconstruction/alternate interpretation of the premise of the series. This is based off the planned ending of the anime as originally planned by ''Creator/TakeshiShudo'', and is thus slightly more common in anime based fics.

* There a lot of fanfics that include terms like "Smart!Ash" and "Powerful!Ash" in the summary (''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' has a lot of similar fics). These are re-tellings of the anime featuring an Ash that isn't an IdiotHero. They also very often either include the writers favorite Ash ship (usually Ash/Misty or Ash/Serena) or are outright harem fics. An even larger number of these fics will have Ash basically being an author avatar and have little to any trace of his canon characterization.

* In the Original Series days there were many fics about Oak and Delia have UnresolvedSexualTension and having to come to terms with their feelings despite their large age gap (and usually baggage due to the loss of their previous lover). These haven't disappeared but are ''far'' less common than before.

* There a lot of fanfics that include terms like "Smart!Ash" and "Powerful!Ash" in the summary (''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' has a lot of similar fics). These are re-tellings of the anime featuring an Ash that isn't an IdiotHero. They also very often either include the writers favorite Ash ship (usually Ash/Misty or Ash/Serena) or are outright harem fics. A even larger number of these fics will have Ash basically being an author avatar and have little to any trace of his canon characterization.

* Childhood fics are any of the ChildhoodFriends in the franchise are a dime a dozen.

* Pokemon being portrayed as slaves and rebelling, a deconstruction/alternate interpretation of the premise of the series.

* Plots where Ash is betrayed by his friends and loved ones and he goes off on his own with only his Pokemon, becoming more powerful and many variants of this premise are unsettingly common. These fics tend to involve Ash vanishing for years before resurfacing at a tournament and defeating everyone. Also don't expect the betrayal part to make much sense or be in character. At all. The "Betrayal Fic" is diffused enough it has finally started gathering parodies such as ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12432002/1/Reunions-Can-Be-Good-and-Bad Reunions Can Be Good and Bad]]''.

* There a lot of fanfics that include terms like "Smart!Ash" and "Powerful!Ash" in the summary (''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' has a lot of similar fics). These are re-tellings of the anime featuring an Ash that isn't an IdiotHero. They also very often either include the writers favorite Ash ship (usually Ash/Misty or Ash/Serena) or are outright harem fics.

* Hilda and N being reunited. Rarer is the alternative of using Hilbert instead of Hilda.

* Fics involving Ash's father and Ash's backstory. Some have him dad abandon his family when Ash was younger, others have him never even knowing his dad, and others have Ash's dad on a journey. There's also the sub-category of "Ash finds out [[LukeIAmYourFather that his dad is Giovanni]]".

* Two of Ash's female friends meet and fight over Ash. The most common of this sort is Misty and Serena.

* In the Original Series days there were many fics about Oak and Delia hav UnresolvedSexualTension and having to come to terms with their feelings despite their large age gap (and usually baggage due to the loss of their previous lover). These haven't disappeared but are ''far'' less common than before.

* The "trainer is late so they end up with a nonstandard starter Pokemon'' plot is very, very common. It's because the anime used this plot with Ash, and so people wrongly assume that ALL trainers get their first Pokemon from Oak or another professor, and that it's always one of the same three unless the trainer is lucky enough to be late. People that realize this is not necessarily a rule of the ''Pokemon'' world often give their trainers Pokemon another way to avoid this cliche, such as finding it injured, buying it, or it being given to them by a family member.

* Silver's mother being Anthea.
* The default for Pokémon-centric fics are for them to take place in a nondescript forest in a nondescript region.

!!Video Games