What If Ash was in Pokemon Horizons?

An Unexpected Picnic!

Friede stood at the head of the table in the Brave Olivine's meeting room. "So, bad news." he informed the Rising Volt Tacklers, "We're gonna have to delay our trip to Galar, the tail fin isn't responding and we'll need to run a security check."

"Aw man!" Roy exclaimed.

"It's nothing to worry about," Friede reassured, "These checks are common and make sure the ship flies safely. Should only take around half a day."

"Well, why not make today interesting then?" Liko suggested, "Maybe a picnic someplace nice?"

Friede smiled, "Good idea, Liko. Ludlow does like to stay behind to watch the ship, and Dot won't wanna come. But, I'm sure the rest of us are in."

The Rising Volt Tacklers move outside, setting base on a seaside cliff near Levincia. Murdock places some food on the picnic table and Roy reaches for some before Orla and Mollie stand in his way. "Roy, we're not eating the food directly." Orla chided, "These are ingredients to make sandwiches."

Everyone gets to work making their sandwich, though Liko struggles to choose what ingredients to use. She looks towards the others for suggestions, seeing Roy create a massive sandwich and watches it fall apart before he can take a bite. Ash sees this and piles everything into his sandwich and gobbles it up before it could fall apart, the World Monarch finishes his lunch after a couple tough swallows. Friede fills his sandwich with meat as Ash sends out his Quaxly and gives both of them bowls of Pokemon food.

Liko smiles despite her progess having gone nowhere, feeling a sense of gratefulness that Arcues seemed to bring them all together.

Suddenly a black-and-yellow Pokemon with wings swipes down and steals Roy's second sandwich. Ash and Roy chase after it with their Pokemon and corner the Pokemon on a cliff.

Ash pulls out his Rotom Phone and scans the Pokemon, "Wattrel, the Storm Petrel Pokémon. An Electric and Flying type. When its wings catch the wind, the bones within produce electricity. It dives into the ocean, stunning foes by electrocuting them."

Wattrel simply places Roy's sandwich down and glares at the trainers. "Wait, why didn't it fly away?" Ash asked.

"It doesn't matter!" Roy exclaimed, "I'm getting my sandwich back!"

Fuecoco strikes with Stomping Tantrum to no effect, Wattrel stuns Fuecoco with a Growl. Roy and Fuecoco begin singing, which scares off the Wild Pokemon. Wattrel is suddenly snatched up by a net, ending the battle.

Ash looks up to see Team Rocket in their hot-air balloon smirking down at the two of them, "Greetings, Twerp!" Jessie taunted.

"Looks like we're gots a new Pokemon for da boss!" Meowth declared, "It aint the Electric type we wanted, but Pokemon is Pokemon!"

"Wobbuffet!"

Ash sighed, "Y'know what? I'm not dealing with you guys today!"

Pikachu and Quaxly jump into action, Pikachu breaks open the net and frees Wattrel with Iron Tail and Ash's Quaxly blasts the balloon with Water Gun. Team Rocket's hot-air balloon deflates and flies off into the distance.

"WE'RE BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"

"WOBBUFFET!"

Wattrel lands back on the cliff as its stomach grumbles. Roy sighs and picks up his sandwich before breaking it in half. "Here buddy, why don't you take half?"

"Aw, Roy." Ash smiled, "That's so thoughtful."

"Thanks, Ash." Roy smiled back.

Wattrel finishes its half before grabbing the rest of the sandwich and gobbling it up. "Hey!" Roy exclaimed, "I trusted you!"

Ash placed his hand on Roy's shoulder, "Sorry about that, Roy. But, there should be enough to make another once we get back."

Roy sighed, "Yeah, you're right Ash. Let's go."

The trainers turn around and being walking away, Roy notices flock of Wattrel flying nearby as Wattrel watches from the cliff. 

Ash and Roy reunite with everyone as Roy makes himself a third sandwich. As they eat and socialize, Roy doesn't participate and instead stares at the floor before standing up, "Where you going, Roy?" Ash asked.

"I can't stop thinking about Wattrel," Roy admitted, "I'm gonna go check on it."

Roy and Fuecoco run off as Ash smirks, leaning over to Liko. "Liko, I bet you 20 Poke-Dollars that Roy catches Wattrel before the end of the day!"

Liko smirked, "Alright, you've got a bet."

Liko's Rotom Phone vibrates and Liko pulls it out of her pocket. "Did something happen while we were gone?" Ash asked.

"Murdock and I gave Ludlow and Do their own picnic in the Brave Olivine." Liko explained, "I didn't want them to miss out."

"Well that's really nice of you!" Ash exclaimed.

Liko squeals as the glow of the phone screen brightens her face, "What's wrong, Liko?" Ash asked.

Liko slowly turned her phone towards Ash, showing him a photo of Ludlow, the Brave Olivine's Pokemon, the second Quaxly and Nidothing holding sandwiches.

"Woah, is that Nidothing in the Brave Olivine?" Ash asked.

Liko steadied her breath, "Yeah, I guess Dot is a really big Nidothing fan."

"Oh yeah!" Ash agreed, "That makes sense!"

Unknown to the children, the adult members of the Rising Volt Tacklers look at them with astonishment on their faces.

In the Paldean forests, Team Rocket worm their way out of the bushes and begin inflating their hot-air balloon. "Who does that Twerp think he is?!" Jessie vented, "Not letting us stay for even a second?"

"He hasn't taken us seriously since those Explorers showed up," James recalled, "Which is completely unfair! Team Rocket was here first!"

"Then we oughta show 'em who the real threats are!" Meowth declared, "We'll steal Pikachu, dat pendant, those Ancient Poke Balls, da boss will promote us and everyone will see the might of Team Rocket!"

"Wobbuffet!"

James spots a little green Pokemon staring at them, "Meowth, get that Rotom Phone."

Meowth scanned the Pokemon, "I dunno what that is, but there's a software update. Update me." the rotom Phone said bluntly.

Meowth scoffed and let the phone update, soon a ring of blue light emits from the black phone-case.

"Hopefully now it'll give us more info on Pokemon." Jessie remarked.

"Don't count on it." The Phone said. "But yeah maybe sometimes."

Meowth scans the Pokemon again, "Capsakid, the Spicy Pepper Pokémon. A Grass type. The more it suns itself, the more spicy chemicals are produced in its body. Traditional Paldean dishes can be extremely spicy when including the shed front teeth of a Capsakid in their ingredients."

Capsakid continues walking towards James, "Oh hello, would you like to join Team Rocket as my Pokemon?" he asked.

Capsakid responds by hopping onto James' head and biting down onto him. "OW!" James screamed as the heat settled in. "Okay, I'll take that as a yes!"