"And… now!" Ash said. "Water Gun!"

Quaxly spat out a jet of water, hitting the rubber ball, and it went flying into the distance.

"Great shot!" Ash told the Water-type, as Koraidon went thundering off to retrieve the ball. "That's the second time you've hit in a row, you're really getting better!"

"Quaax," Quaxly said, sounding a bit nervous.

"Pika-kachu!" Pikachu told him, bounding over to pat the Water-type on the bat. "Kachuu-chuu!"

"Yeah, Pikachu's right!" Ash said. "You can't feel bad about having to start at the bottom, especially if you're improving! You'll be a star before you know it!"

He took the rubber ball from Koraidon, and gave the big Pokémon a scratch under the jaw. "Thanks, Koraidon."

Across the campsite, Penny made an impressed noise.

"Watching you with your Pokémon is always an experience, Ash," she said, putting aside her tablet. "I know you're the World Champion, but… it's one thing to know that and another thing to see that in person."

"Huh?" Ash replied, scratching his head. "What do you mean?"

"Well-" Penny began, then her Sylveon jumped into her lap.

"Syll-veon!" the Fairy-type said, firmly, and Penny began petting her.

Pikachu giggled. "Ka-chuu!"

Penny smiled slightly.

"I mean that it's not how people think of the strongest trainers doing things," she said. "The way everyone always seems to think about it, strong trainers are the ones who pick strong Pokémon."

"That's not it at all, though," Ash said, very seriously. "It's almost completely the other way around! You pick Pokémon who work with you, and then you make them strong by working together."

He clenched his fist. "Just like we're going to do, right, Quaxly?"

"Quaaax!" Quaxly agreed, saluting with his wing.

"Pikachuu, Pikapi!" Pikachu cheered.

Koraidon agreed as well, bouncing up and down, then hugged Ash.

Or tried to.

The big Pokémon mostly just ended up flattening Ash to the ground, and he laughed.

"I'm glad you're happy about it too, Koraidon," he said, as Pikachu retrieved his hat. "You seem really full of energy! How about you go for a run before lunch?"

"Raii-don!" Koraidon rumbled, sounding very interested.

Then stopped, and looked around. "Kooor?"

"Pika?" Pikachu asked, looking worried.

Then a sizzling blur of electricity raced across the field towards them, skidding to a halt in a cloud of dust, and when it faded Pikachu was sitting cross-legged and looking resigned as Miraidon licked him.

"Oh, Arven must be nearby," Penny said. "Eevee, can you see him?"

"Vee!" her Eevee said, bounding up to stand on her head, then pointed. "Vee-vee!"

Ash turned to look as well, picking himself up as Koraidon let him up, and waved. "Hi, guys!"

"How do we keep running into you?" Arven asked, holding his Fuecoco in both arms and his Skwovet on his shoulder. "I'm starting to think we should just travel together or something."

"No way!" Nemona replied, running past him. "Because if we're just meeting one another every few days, I can keep challenging Ash to see how I'm doing compared to him!"

"You do remember he's the World Champion, right?" Penny asked, as Sylveon jumped off her lap. She started to get up, only for Leafeon to smoothly take the place her sister had vacated, and shrugged a little before sitting right back down to pet the Grass-type instead.

"Well, of course I do!" Nemona said. "That's why it's a great challenge!"

"Sure!" Ash decided. "We can have one right now, if you want! Who are you using? Sprigatito? Pawmi?"

"No, I've got a new Pokémon since we last met!" Nemona told him. "It's going to be her first battle! Rockruff, come on out!"

"Oh, cool!" Ash said, crouching down to meet the Rock-type. "I had a Rockruff in Alola! They evolved to Lycanroc, though. Have they decided what they think about that?"

"Ruff…" Rockruff said, shaking her head.

"Well, there's loads of choices," Ash explained. "Right? Staying a Rockruff, or being a Midday Lycanroc, a Midnight Lycanroc, a Dusk Lycanroc-"

He shook his head, as Arven said something about how of course Ash had one on the list that nobody else did. "Anyway, uh… what do you think, Quaxly or Squawkabilly?"

"Quaaax!" Quaxly said, patting his chest firmly.

"You want to call dibs?" Ash asked. "Then sure, you can go first! Let's do this, Nemona!"

As the two trainers went just far enough that they wouldn't damage the camp, Arven sat down next to Penny.

"Do you think they're ever going to meet up without having a battle straight away?" he asked, reaching up to pat Koraidon as the big Pokémon came to sit down next to him.

Penny shrugged.

"I doubt it," she said.

Pikachu was still being licked by Miraidon.

AN:

After a bit of discussion about what it would be like if Ash was in Paldea, this came about.