History FandomSpecificPlot / Pokemon

* In ''Pokémon'' fanworks of all kinds, the idea of Pokémon [[FusionDance fusion]] has been a very popular idea for a long time, thanks it being a feature in other {{Mons}} series like ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'', while the ''Pokémon'' series would only play with it twice (the Gen V trio of legendaries in Gen V has Kyurem able to fuse with Reshiram or Zekrom to become more powerful, and the Gen VII trio has Necrozma able to fuse with Solgaleo or Lunala).

* A popular {{crossover}} idea is to take character(s) from Series ''X'' and feature out what Pokémon they would have if they were a trainer. Would they have only one or two, or a full team? Would their team reflect the powers and abilities the character has in their home series, or would it based on their personality, character theme, etc.? This is most often seen in the form of fanart, but fanfics that amount to "Series X but with Pokémon" or "Series X characters in the Pokéworld" are just as common.

* An example not relating to the main series anime: Episode 15 of ''Anime/PokemonGenerations'' ended with Hilbert (the male protagonist of ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' arriving to help N defeat Ghetsis. Inevitably, fans (especially a [[YaoiFangirl certain subset of fans]]) began writing stories about what happened ''after'' N and Hilbert defeated Ghetsis. [[SlashFic These usually involve N and Hilbert kissing.]]

* Hilda and N being reunited. Rarer is the alternative of using Hilbert instead of Hilda, though as mentioned above, this became a bit more common after ''Anime/PokemonGenerations''.

* Manaphy [[FreakyFridayFlip using Heart Swap on characters]] is another fairly common plot. This tends to happen between two human characters, especially in fics based on the [[Anime/{{Pokemon}} anime]] that usually have Manaphy switching Ash and one of his companions, though that isn't to say that Pokémon-Pokémon swaps or even human-Pokémon swaps (in any of the continuities) aren't fairly easy to find as well.

* 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 takes heavily from the stage musical ''Theatre/PokemonLive'', wherein Delia heavily implies this to be the case.

* Most fics about the Pokemon themselves are set in the games universe, however those that aren't tend to be about what the characters Pokemon do when they're not battling or training.

* Reversing Lusamine's AdaptationalHeroism and presenting the more villainous, obsessive Lusamine from ''Sun and Moon'' in the anime's 'verse.

* 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. Sometimes 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.

** There are quite a few in which Ash [[spoiler:defeats Alain and takes the Kalos League Championship. There’s even a fan made manga which adds on to the end of the Kalos episodes where he decides to stay, reunites with Greninja, defeats Alain, and marries Serena]].

* {{Patchwork Fic}}s using the game's or ''Pokémonmon Adventure'''s characterizations for undeveloped characters in the anime's continuity.

* Though it's not a plot but it hella appears more often in fanfics. [[TerribleTrio The T.R.io (Jessie James and Meowth)]] often recieve the short end of being used by authors/writers in Anime Fanfics since they get DemotedToExtra. At best they appear lesser than usual, but still relevant to the plots and at worst they end up as unimportant characters, cameos or AdaptedOut entirely.

* Though it's not a plot but it hella appears more often in fanfics. [[TerribleTrio The T.R.io (Jessie James and Meowth)]] often recieve the short end of being used by authors/writers in Anime Fanfics since they get DemotedToExtra. At best they appear lesser than usual but still relevant to the plots and at worst they end up as unimportant characters cameos or AdaptedOut entirely.

* Probably the most popular set of plot points for fics related to the anime: the characters growing/being older and Ash is/or will become a Pokemon Master (whatever the author decides that means, usually being a Pokemon Master and being one of the Pokemon Champions is treated as basically one-in-the-same). This isn't specific to any single fic plot, but most of the fanfics tied to the anime, regardless of the broader plot, rely on the conceit that the characters can/do age. Particularly any shipping fics, because the idea of 10-year-olds hooking up (frequently followed by [[CoitusEnsues sex]], shown or implied) is a [[NoJustNo bit much]] even for most hardcore shippers to accept. So it will quickly be established that time ''has'' [[FanonDiscontinuity been passing as Ash engages in his adventures]] and the plot will go from there. In more recent non-AU fics, which usually take into account the most recent seasons, Ash and the other characters will usually be somewhere around 16-19, rather than canon-declared 10. Ash becoming a Pokemon Master is so common it's usually just a given with ''any'' fic with him as the main character. Frequently it will be a major part of the plot and his goal, other times he'll have already have achieved the title.

* Probably the most popular plot point for fics related to the anime: the characters grow older and Ash is/or will become a Pokemon Master (whatever the author decides that means, usually that he wins a 'major' Championship). This isn't specific to any single fic plot, but most of the fanfics tied to the anime, regardless of the broader plot, rely on the conceit that the characters can/do age. Particularly any shipping fics, because the idea of 10-year-olds hooking up (frequently followed by [[CoitusEnsues sex]], shown or implied) is a [[NoJustNo bit much]] even for most hardcore shippers to accept. So it will quickly be established that time ''has'' [[FanonDiscontinuity been passing as Ash engages in his adventures]] and the plot will go from there. In more recent non-AU fics, which usually take into account the most recent seasons, Ash and the other characters will usually be somewhere around 16-19, rather than canon-declared 10. Ash becoming a Pokemon Master is so common it's usually just a given with ''any'' fic. Frequently it will be a major part of the plot and his goal (but one he will actually accomplish), other times he'll already have achieved the title. Why this is should be self-evident.

* Probably the most popular plot point for fics related to the anime: the characters grow older and Ash is/or will become a Pokemon Master (whatever the author decides that means). This isn't specific to any single fic plot, but most of the fanfics tied to the anime, regardless of the broader plot, tend to rely on this conceit. Particularly any shipping fics, because the idea of 10-year-olds hooking up (frequently followed by [[CoitusEnsues sex]], shown or implied) is a [[NoJustNo bit much]] even for most hardcore shippers to accept. So it will quickly be established that time ''has'' [[FanonDiscontinuity been passing as Ash engages in his adventures]] and the plot will go from there. In more recent non-AU fics, which usually take into account all the most recent seasons, Ash and the other characters will usually be somewhere around 16-19, rather than canon-declared 10.

* Ash finally becoming a Pokemon Master appears a lot.

* Probably the most popular plot point for fics related to the anime: the characters grow older and Ash is/or will become a Pokemon Master. This isn't specific to any single type of fic, but most anime fanfics, regardless of the broader plot, tend to rely on this conceit. Particularly any shipping fics, because the idea of 10-year-olds hooking up (frequently followed by [[CoitusEnsues sex]], shown or implied) is a [[NoJustNo bit much]] even for most hardcore shippers to accept. So it will quickly be established that time ''has'' [[FanonDiscontinuity been passing as Ash engages in his adventures]] and the plot will go from there. In more recent non-AU fics, which usually take into account all the most recent seasons, Ash and the other characters will usually be somewhere around 16-19.

!!''Red''/''Green''/''Blue''/''Yellow''/''[=FireRed=]''/''[=LeafGreen=]''/''Let's Go''

!!''Gold''/''Silver''/''[=HeartGold=]''/''[=SoulSilver=]''

!!''Black''/''White''/''Black 2''/''White 2''

!!''Sun''/''Moon''/''Ultra Sun''/''Ultra Moon''

!!''Sword''/''Shield''

!!General

!!Anime

!!Manga

!!Video Games
* Hilda and N being reunited. Rarer is the alternative of using Hilbert instead of Hilda, though as mentioned above, this became a bit more common after ''Anime/PokemonGenerations''.
* Lillie [[spoiler:returns from Kanto]] a few years in the future and pairs up with Selene/Eilio.

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

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

* The protagonist being villainous or at minimum dark. Dawn is especially so associated with this plot due to her design making for an EeriePaleSkinnedBrunette, combined with her source game's relationship with Darkrai, Giratina, and Team Galactic.

* Post ''Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon'', fics involving the Selene 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]].

* In ''Pokémon'' fanworks of all kinds, the idea of Pokémon [[FusionDance fusion]] has been a very popular idea for a long time, thanks it being a feature in other {{Mons}} series like ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'', while the Pokémon series would only play with it twice (the Gen V trio of legendaries in Gen V has Kyurem able to fuse with Reshiram or Zekrom to become more powerful, and the Gen VII trio has Necrozma able to fuse with Solgaleo or Lunala).

* In ''Pokémon'' fanworks of all kinds, the idea of Pokémon [[FusionDance fusion]] has been a very popular idea for a long time, thanks it being a feature in other {{Mons}} series like ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'', while the Pokémon series would only play with it once (the Gen V trio of legendaries in Gen V has Kyurem able fuse with Reshiram or Zekrom to become more powerful).

* Silver's mother being Ariana is a common fanon, so works about Ariana's relationship (or lack of one) wIth Silver and Giovanni aren't uncommon

* Post ''Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon'', fics involving the Selene 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]].
* Fanworks set a few years after ''Sun and Moon'' where [[spoiler:Lillie]] comes back to Alola.

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

* A previous female partner meets up with Ash and it causes tension with Ash's new traveling partner. The most common set-up is Misty meeting Serena and either Serena realizing that Ash likes Misty or Serena otherwise being jealous of Misty's (romantic or [[MistakenForRomance platonic]]) relationship with Ash.