AN: Just fair warning, Misty and Serena are like their early instalments here and are pretty nasty in the beginning. I won't keep them like that forever. In any case, I hope you enjoy! :)

Ash has been in his room for months, his recent league loss still fresh in his mind. He was so close, and he really thought he had it this time. Yet, it seems the universe had it out against him. But it's not like he doesn't think Alain doesn't deserve his win. He was just frustrated for yet another lost and was starting to wonder if he'd ever be able to ever win a league, with being a Pokemon Master becoming more like a pipe dream to him. His thoughts then drifted to one of his friends. "No need to worry!" There was a bit of a smile that came from Ash. He felt like he was happy with her, even when he felt down. She even cheered him up once when he was feeling down like this. He sighed. "I wonder where she's at now. She probably has won a cup already. It's best she doesn't have a loser like me that kept holding her back…" he thought to himself.

Delia watched the tv with a worried look. This wasn't like his son to coup himself in his room like this. She knows that he loves being out there, meeting new people and pokemon.

"… And in just a couple weeks, we are starting another school year where any pokemon trainer or anyone interested in starting out as a trainer can join!" a man on tv said.

"How exciting, Clavell. Tell us what makes this school so interesting?" A news reporter asked.

"Well. Besides our great teachers and low reports of bullying, we also have a great curriculum, and students ever favorite time… the search for their treasure!"

"Treasure? What does that mean?"

"It simply means to find what helps them get closer with their own personal goals with their pokemon!"

The reporter gasped. "Wow, how interesting! And it sounds like an amazing school!"

"I'd say! Perfect for Ash! He's in need of some learning! Plus, maybe this treasure searching can help him out of feeling so down!" Delia thought. There then was a number on the screen to call for those who are interested in enrolling or getting their child enrolled and she quickly picked up the phone and dialed the number.

Delia was on the plane with her son to help him with his things for school.

"… I'm not sure, mom. Do I really need more schooling?" Ash asked.

"I think you'd like it! Some socializing well do you good! Plus, I'm sure you and Pikachu need something to do to clear your mind!" Delia replied.

Ash looked down with a frown. "I guess I can try it out."

The two arrived in Paldea and went into a hotel. There, Clavell met with them and gave Ash a school uniform and gave Ash a schedule and some instructions for the school.

"… I see you already have pokemon of your own. However, I do offer all new students to Uva Academy a starter, and have three for you to choose, if you like," Clavell told Ash.

Ash beamed. "I'd love to receive one!"

"Pika pika!" Pikachu happily shouted. He was excited in meeting a new friend.

"Alright." Clavell sent out three pokemon: Sprigatito, Quaxly, and Fuecoco.

"Wow, so cool! I don't know who to choose!" Ash shouted.

The three starters went up and happily went up and greeted Ash.

"It's nice to meet all of you too!" Ash went down and petted all of them.

Delia smiled, seeing his soon becoming excited again after so long.

Clavell laughed. "Well, it looks like you need some time to think it over. I'll let you go and go for a walk with them and shall return after I have checked in with another student close by!"

Ash gave a shocked look. "Are you sure that's okay?"

Clavell nodded. "Of course! And take all the time you need."

"Alright! Let's go check out Paldea everyone!"

All the pokemon happily shouted.

"One more thing!" Clavell shouted.

Ash gave a confused look.

"Here, take this." Clavell gave Ash a pokedex.

Ash took it with a curious look. "… A pokedex?"

"Yes, it's also acts like a phone, and a map, as well as saves protects you from a nasty fall, being there's a rotom in there!"

Ash gave a surprised look. "Woah! A rotom? Cool!"

"Anyways, I'll be off now. Please enjoy your walk!"

"I will! Thank you very much!" Ash was about to head out the door.

"Wait!" Delia shouted.

Ash gave a confused look.

Delia handed out a sandwich and pecha berries to him. "It's getting close to lunchtime, and I thought it'd be nice to enjoy some lunch on your walk!"

Ash beamed. "Looks great! Thanks mom!" then dashed out the hotel with all the pokemon behind him.

"Take care, sweetie!" Delia shouted after him.

Ash looked around at the vast area with a cliffside and ocean with awe. It's been some time since he's been outside, so he enjoyed the view. Suddenly, he heard a cry and suddenly something hit the ground down below. He didn't know how close he was to the cliff, and the sudden quake from the thing falling down made Ash slip down the cliff.

Pikachu and the other pokemon went and tried to stop him from falling, but he was too heavy for them and went down with him.

The pokedex rushed out his pocket and shouted, "grab me!"

Ash quickly grabbed the pokedex and was stopped just short of hitting the ground as all the pokemon held onto Ash.

Everyone sighed.

"Phew, that was close… Thanks, Rotom!" Ash shouted.

The pokedex showed a smile on the screen. "Happy to help!" Then it slipped back into his pocket. Suddenly, he heard some weak cry nearby.

"What's that?" Ash questioned.

Sprigatito was sniffing something red. Smelling it's a living creature and in a playful mood, she pounced on the creature.

The red creature let out a weak sound, letting Sprigatito know it wasn't in a condition to play.

Ash ran up to them. "Is that a pokemon?" He held up his pokedex.

The pokedex scanned the creature. "Koraidon. This creature resembles Cyclizar, but far burlier and more ferocious. Nothing is known about its ecology or other features."

"Cyclizar? And since the pokedex was able to scan it… does it mean it's a pokemon?"

Koraidon let out another weak cry.

Pikachu and the starters went to it with a concerned look.

"Well in any case, it needs help." Ash figured the quickest way to do that was to chuck a ball, hope it stays in, and have Nurse Joy check out. There's no way he's going to be able to lift Koraidon to the pokemon center, after all. Ash chucked the ball, but it just bounced back at him. "Huh? It… already has a trainer?" He searched in his bag to see if he had any oran berries but was struggling to find any.

The sandwich from his mom slipped out of Ash's bag, besides Koraidon. It smelled the sandwich, ripped the saran wrap off it, and ate it up.

Ash turned around with a worried look, when he saw the sandwich his mom gave him go in Koraidon's mouth and slide down its throat.

"Hey! That's mine!" Ash whined.

Koraidon got on its legs, the sandwich seeming to have given it strength.

Pikachu and the pokemon happily cheered seeing Koraidon feeling better.

Ash smiled. "Yeah! It's good to see your doing better, Koraidon!" Ash went to pet it.

Koraidon starred at Ash with a distant look, remembering his previous master petting it, and leaning into his hand, familiar what it was.

Ash laughed. "Oh, so you like that, Koraidon?"

"Gayo!" It happily responded.

"Anyways, you have a trainer… where are they at?"

Koraidon gave an uncomfortable look.

"Oh, are they a bad person?"

"Gyao…"

Ash smiled. "Well if that's the case, I'd be happy to keep you safe from them!"

"Gyao?" Koraidon gave a confused look. It knows it's safe as long as it doesn't return to that place.

"And if you come with us, I'm sure my mom would be happy to make more sandwiches for us!"

Koraidon made a happy face and nuzzled Ash.

"A-alright! It's settled!" Ash then looked back from the cliffs they came from and crossed his arms with a frown. "… Looks like we can't go back that way…"

Quaxly started quacking to get everyone's attention as he was floating across the water, saying they could possibly go by water to get back.

Sprigatito started yelling at it, saying that was a terrible idea and Fuecoco didn't seem to like that idea ether.

Pikachu started hopping on rocky areas of the cliffside wall sticking out and shouted for everyone to follow him.

Koraidon slowly tried to follow Pikachu, but the area quickly crumbled when he attempted to move his last lag up.

Ash frowned. "How are we supposed to get to a pokecenter then?"

"Coco!" Fuecoco shouted.

Everyone turned and saw Fuecoco stand in front of a cave entrance.

"A cave… There's no telling where it leads, but we don't have any better options."

The shouting alerted some houndour and they came out and attacked Fuecoco, protecting their territory.

"Cocoooo!" Fuecoco cried out in pain from the houndour's bites.

"Pikachu, Thunderb-" Ash thought a bit, and realized that'd hit Fuecoco as well. "… use Quick Attack!"

Pikachu slammed into a houndour with Quick Attack.

With the attack, the houndour released Fuecoco and yelped.

Fuecoco able to move more freely with only one houndour biting it, slammed it into the wall with a Tackle and was freed.

"Nice going, Fuecoco!" Ash shouted.

Fuecoco made a happy face with Ash's words.

The Houndour shook a bit, then was reading to attack again.

"Watch out!"

Fuecoco looked behind it, then tried to run.

The houndour was much faster than Fuecoco. When it was about to swipe it with his paw however, Koraidon slammed against it into the other houndour and both ran away yelping.

"Wow! You're pretty strong, Koraidon!" Ash shouted.

Koraidon bashfully looked away, then frowned remembering something.

"Koraidon? You okay?" Ash asked.

Fuecoco went over to Koraidon and thanked it for its help.

Koraidon said it didn't like seeing it in such a bad position. It was because it remembered when it was ran out of its old home.

"Well, we better be getting back. We don't want to keep Clavell waiting," Ash commented.

They all looked at the cave with an uncertain look.

"Gyao!" Koraidon roared.

"What is it, Koraidon?" Ash asked.

It slowly hovered to the entrance of the cave and waited for them. "Gyao!"

"Oh, I see! You want to help us through the cave! Yeah! With you with us, we'll be fine!"

Pikachu and the starters happily followed Koraidon.

"Hey, wait up!" Ash ran after them.