This is a challenge I created in response to a number of stories on site with Ash going through Hoenn, Sinnoh, and occasionally Unova with some of his old Pokemon and a more 'mature' thought process.
I've seen a few fics like that in Kalos, but they didn't really do it for me. Pikachu nearly killing Viola's Vivillion with a half powered Iron Tail doesn't make me want to read a fic.
So, I decided to give my own idea of how to do it a go, and what better way to start than showing a potential first chapter off.
...
"Leavanny, use Energy Ball on Swampert!"
Ash, his hat turned backwards, called for his Bug-Type to begin charging the spherical grass move.
"Leavannn-yyy!" And with a eager call, he followed, the grass type move flying right at the crouching Water-type.
His opponent, however, was quick to counter.
"Arcanine, use Flamethrower to intercept it!"
From behind Swampert burst forth a massive red dog, who reared it's head back and let loose a torrent of fire.
Ash was quick on the uptake however "Krookodile, intercept it wit Stone Edge!"
Off to the side, the massive red reptile responded quickly, forming a ring of stones around itself as it's eyes glinted from behind it's shades "Krooko-Dile!"
The stones flew, smashing into the stream of fire and canceling it out, letting the grass attack through to strike Swampert, sending it flying.
"Swamp!"
Ash's opponent frowned, but was not done yet "Arcanine, use Aerial Ace on Leavanny, Swampert use Hydro Pump on Krookodile!"
Flipping back to a controlled stance, Swampert reared its head back, as Arcanine charged with white streaks surrounding itself.
"Use Aerial Ace too Krookodile, and Leavanny use String Shot!"
Flying like a airplane with outstretched arms, Krookodile flew right at Arcanine, as Leavanny spat out a silky string.
The two Aerial Aces collided, while Swampert was quickly bound up in a silky cocoon and unable to move.
Arcanine, a little dizzy from impact, stumbled backwards as Ash saw his chance.
"Now Krookodile, use Dragon Claw! Leavanny, X-Scisssor!"
With glowing blue claws and purpleish-blue arms, both Pokemon struck.
With singlular slashes they struck their opponents and reappeared on the other side of the stage, as an explosion rang out from behind him.
As the smoke cleared, the defeated figures of both Arcanine and Swampert remained.
"The Dome Ace's Pokemon are unable to battle, the winner is Ash Ketchum of Pallet town!"
Ash grinned as the crowds cheered them on. Running onto stage, he hugged both of his Pokemon as Pikachu jumped off his shoulder and waved as well.
His flamboyant opponent returned his Pokemon with a sad smile, before walking over to him and extending his hand.
"It was an honor to battle you again Ash" he said quite sincerely "You fought exceptionally well."
"Thanks!"
Of course, there was more to this battle than just him having a bit of fun.
"Ash! Excellent battle, I really need to visit Unova one of these days." Scott greeted Ash back at Pallet, this being Ash's last day before he flew off to Kalos with Alexa.
"Thanks! I think you would enjoy Unova".
Nodding, Scott and Ash took a seat at the table in Oak's living room, a series of papers between them with information Ash really could not comprehend, with Pikachu hopping off his shoulder and taking a seat next to him and promptly fell asleep.
A lot of math, observations, and words never heard before meant Ash did need Scott to translate for him what had been observed.
"Now then, while I'm sure my funding does greatly appreciate your filling the seats in the Battle Dome the highest since Bruno stopped by for a battle, I didn't have you revisit my facilities just to earn me some money and keep Noland away from his contraptions." Scott noted, well, the notes before them. "You asked me for some opinions after your Unova adventure, about how you tried a few new things and felt a little uneasy about their results, so I got you the opinions of a few people who know a thing or two about Pokemon battling".
Reaching for his papers, Scott looked them over quickly "The recurring theme of all these reports is that you appear to have trained all your new Pokemon the same as your old ones, but they generally appear to lack a certain...polish to them. Now, given that this was your first time seriously trying to rotate a team, this is expected. Rotating Pokemon has issues you had not experienced before, and a lack of polish as opposed to your usual tendency to retain Pokemon teams from the start of a region to the end of it is one of them."
"Of course, as Rotation does have some benefit to it. Having more Pokemon to choose for is rather useful in tournaments, as it means it is harder to counter your team if they don't know what you are carrying. It also reduces exhaustion on the Pokemon used: I believe that is what affected your Charizard in your top 8 match in Johto, your team's performance in Hoenn's top 8, and you specifically said the reason you did not use your Leavanny or Krookodile in Unova's top 8. But the lack of polish is, I do believe, something you are greatly worried about".
At Ash's nod, with a visible bit of surprise about the commentary on Johto, Hoenn, and Unova, Scott continued.
"Now, if we ignore a certain Darkrai user, we can assume that you stood a good chance at having won Sinnoh based on how the final match went for the runner-up. There, you combined your well polished, exclusive Sinnoh team with your reserves. The overwhelming suggestion from the Brains, including Anabel, Tucker, and Spencer, is that you try something similar in Kalos, though by rotating your Pokemon here as opposed to a Professor's lab in Kalos. Lucy commented about that...and I don't particularly feel like repeating her vocabulary on the subject."
Scott had no plans to have to deal with Ash's mother after teaching him new, 'spicy' vocabulary.
"I don't know..." Ash admitted "I feel that could backfire. If I have Charizard or Sceptile on hand, I feel I would have a lot of temptation to use use them on everything".
He was guilty on that in early Johto for certain, who knows what would have happened if he had kept Charizard.
He had the mental image of Charizard being used against Scyther, Milktank, Gengar, Machoke, Steelix and Piloswine in his mind, and it was not going away.
"You are just going to have be careful about that" Scott admitted "Perhaps you don't bring your Charizard into cities with gyms, and just have Gible or Snivy on you then. Or maybe you don't use your old Pokemon in Gym challenges unless they throw, I don't know, a Pidgeot or Houndoom at you while you only have a Scatterbug and Fletchling as new captures (A what and a who?)."
Ash thought about that...could he do that?
After a careful few moments, Ash nodded.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained after all.
Scott's outreached hand was quickly and firmly grasped by Ash's, as the old friends noted each other.
"So, maybe after Kalos you might consider joining us here at the Battle Frontier? Spencer isn't getting any younger after all".
Ash shook his head "Maybe if I win Scott, maybe if I win" Ash admitted "Though I do worry sometimes if I could actually settle down. I just like traveling too much".
"Well then, maybe I'll just make you a Battle Yurt then. Brandon isn't the only Brain who can move after all" Scott laughed as Ash just looked confused.
What the heck was a Yurt?
Pikachu awake now, Ash noted a series of cards in front of him: each showing the face of one of his Pokemon (or thirty of them in one case) that Scott had printed up for him for one simple purpose; to help him decide what Pokemon to bring.
"So Pikachu, anyone you definitely want to travel with?" Ash asked, to which Pikachu shook his head.
"Okay then, what about anyone you don't want to travel with?" Pikachu responded the same way as a thoughtful Ash noted the cards.
"So...okay then, then what about we just figure out who we shouldn't take first then" Ash began removing cards from the table.
"Okay, so first I think we shouldn't bring anyone who can too overshadow any new Pokemon we might catch, at least before we can train with them a bit, so Charizard stays here...same with Kingler, Muk, Snorlax, Noctowl, Donphan, Sceptile, Swellow, Torkoal, Glalie, Staraptor, Torterra, Infernape, Gliscor, Unfeazant, Krookodile, and Leavanny" Ash put all his fully evolved Pokemon, and Snorlax, into a pile on the side.
"Pika" Pikachu agreed.
"Bulbasaur is needed here, so he's out" he removed his card "And the Tauros don't like being separated for too long..." the 30 in one card was also sided.
"Squirtle is busy too, and I haven't seen or heard from Butterfree and Lapras in ages" the last part was said in a sad tone, as he sided those three cards.
"Pidgeot is still needed to protect the flock" Ash had met up with Pidgeot earlier, as he did with all his visits back to Pallet Town, so he sided that card.
It had been a blast to battle with Pidgeot again against Spencer, but the Flock just didn't like Swellow, Staraptor, and Unfeazant as subs enough to make it a common occurrence.
That left Quilava, Bayleaf, Totodile, Corphish, Buizel, Gible, Oshawott, Pignite, Snivy, Scraggy, Palpitoad, and Boldore.
Noting the now greatly diminished card selection, Ash stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Which two should be bring with him first?
...
Challenge 69: Kalos Ash Masterquest
Following his travels through Unova, Ash prepares to go to the new land of Kalos to discover the Pokemon the regions holds in store. After having experimented with rotating his Pokemon in Unova, and having gotten advice from Scott and the Frontier Brains, Ash has decided to meet Rotation and singular teaming in the middle: Ash will travel with both old and new Pokemon, but he will focus on the new Pokemon and use the old Pokemon as aides to teaching the new ones.
Arriving in Kalos with Pikachu along with two other Pokemon, Ash prepares to challenge the first Gym he can. However, his lack of Kalos badges leads to him being thrown out, meeting a brother and sister named Clemont and Bonnie and with that the adventure begins once more.
1: The basic story of the short above is required basis material. You can change a few things, but the core must remain. You can add or change Frontier battles, for instance, but Pidgeot remains as explained in the oneshot.
2: You can use any of Ash's old Pokemon, but you must put priority on the not overpowered ones. If you want to use Charizard or other Mega-capable mons, wait for Korrina at the earliest.
3: Ash's age is your call, and by extension Serena's.
4: Part of what I was thinking of here was some complaints that XY Ash is a Canon Sue a la Kirito. So, what I wouldn't mind seeing is someone do what the Sword Art Fic Prince of Swords did with Kirito: Basically run with the idea to the end. I want to see someone take what makes XY Ash get called a 'Canon Sue', and run with it like Crazy Awesome in Gurren Laggan.
5: Capture all Canon Kalos mons, though releasing is your call. Movesets can be changed as well, size limits are your call. Use OC mons sparingly. Gym league rosters are your call for both Leader and Ash.
6: Amourshipping levels are your call.
7: Try and retain some of the Filler episode plots, but be free to add your own. But don't overuse Team Flare.
8: Be free to experiment with interesting directions, but do not have Ash turn evil, get betrayed, or anything of that nature.
Let's see how this take on the Best Pokemon season, and quite possibly the last one, goes, shall we?