What If Ash was in Pokemon Horizons?

A Wild Mom Appears!

The chapter begins with Dot following Tinkatink around the Brave Olivine. As the Metalsmith Pokémon arrives at the kitchen door, Dot gets a text from someone, but decides to ignore it to focus on Tinkatink. Murdock opens the door, letting Tinkatink in to Dot's dismay. Friede and Charizard pick up the one who contacted Dot. She is annoyed that Dot read the message but ignored it. Murdock chases Tinkatink around the kitchen trying to get his frying pan back from her. They all run out of the kitchen, Murdock leaving his Rotom Phone in there as texts from the same person come in. Annoyed by not receiving her regular report, the person sends Murdock several angry Primeape faces. The chase continues outside the observation deck, Ash, Liko and Roy chasing Tinkatink too. They all spot her on the wing deck, running into Terapagos and being sent flying.

Luckily when Friede arrives, Tinkatink is caught by the Midnight Form Lycanroc belonging to the person sending all those texts, who is revealed to be Murdock's sister Blanca, Dot's mom, surprising Ash, Liko and Roy. Blanca claims that she is just popping in, and scolds Murdock and Dot for not responding to her texts. She explains to Murdock that his check-ins have been getting more and more brief so she decided to swing by in person. Blanca says that Friede was kind enough to give her a ride and as she goes on about how smooth Charizard's skin is, Lycanroc stops her from going off topic, something she often tends to do.

Blanca: Well, it is a nice surprise to know that the World Monarch has been with Dot all this time

Ash: Thanks, I guess..

Ash pets Lycanroc

Friede: Say Ash, you seem to be familiar with Lycanroc.

Ash: Yep, I had a friend in Alola that has this exact form, and I have one of my own.

Ash shows Friede his Rotom Phone, which is on the page of his Lycanroc, and Friede looks shocked.

Friede: I've never seem that form of Lycanroc before!

Ash: Oh yeah, that's Dusk Form Lycanroc.

Friede: Lycanroc has a third form?!

Ash: Yeah, well I remember being told it was never seen before

Friede: So you're telling me you got a never before seen third form of Lycanroc?!

Ash: Yep!

Friede faints at this new info

Blanca remembers that she came to pick up Dot since her "trial period" is over. Blanca tells Ash, Liko and Roy that Dot is only on the Brave Olivine as a trial, and as she turns to Dot, she is not there. Blanca doesn't sweat it, saying that she and her daughter can catch up when they're home, to Ash, Roy and Liko's shock.

As Dot heads to her room and lays down on the bed, Murdock apologizes for his little sister's brand of energy. This prompts Blanca to start talking up a storm again, only for Lycanroc to cut her off. Murdock knows how Blanca has never stopped worrying about her daughter, Friede remarking how much bigger of a worrywart she is than Murdock. However, Dot can't really match her mother's energy, apart from when she's streaming. Blanca becomes intrigued by hearing that's what she was always doing whenever she was cooped up in her room, Roy remarking how she does that at her own home too. Blanca tells the group how Dot got super mad at her for barging into her room one time. Roy thinks that Nidothing was in the middle of a livestream. Blanca has never heard of this Nidothing character. Liko suddenly remembers that she caught that stream live, becoming excited to meet the "mom" from that livestream, though Ash calms her down.

Ash: Easy Liko, not now, there's more important things than meeting someone who appeared in one stream.

Blanca decides to look up Nidothing on her phone. Seeing how popular her daughter is as this costumed streamer, she goes to ask her about it herself. Seeing how Murdock can't stop her, he shows Blanca some donuts for Dot, as it is one way she will open up more. He hands them to Maushold to take to his niece. Blanca decides to go ask Dot about that too. However, Ash, Liko and Roy want to talk to Dot instead. As they exit the room, Blanca is moved to tears by her daughter having made such great friends.

At Dot's door, Ash Liko and Roy request to hear her side of the story, and about her "trial period". They don't want their friend to leave the crew like this. Roy tells Liko that maybe now is not a good time and that they should head back. Quaxly points to the door, and Dot opens it thinking they're gone. It's only after seeing that Ash, Liko and Roy fooled her with reverse psychology that Dot finally tells them everything. She says that the trial period was her idea, having felt like she wasn't getting anywhere being stuck in her house all the time.

Dot: I made the app and joined the crew by convincing my mom that it was a trial period. She agreed on the grounds that I could stay until the period was over

Ash: I see, Dot you were just scared to face your mom, make senses seeing how protective she is, but what parent isn't, Liko and Roy know that, don't you guys?

Liko and Roy get reminders of when they were afraid to tell their father and grandfather respectively that they wanted to leave home to join the crew

Ash: And I know it too.

Ash shows his Rotom Phone, showing many calls from Delia, Professor Kukui, and Professor Burnet.

Roy: Why are those two professor constantly calling you?

Ash: Well, you know how some pokemon have regional forms, like Meowth, or Wooper

Liko, Roy, and Dot nod

Ash: Well, I like to think the professors as my Alolan parents.

Blanca enters, surprised that Dot is out of her room. Liko tells her that she came to pick up Dot, and Blanca is quick to admit it herself. Blanca then confronts Dot saying that she never tells her anything. Dot calls her annoying under her breath, to which Blanca knows she's that way but she's her mother. As Lycanroc is about to cut her off again, Liko chimes in, wanting Dot to find the time to talk. As Blanca wonders what to do, she sees Quaxly and realizes that Dot became a Pokémon Trainer, challenging her to a battle.

Everyone gathers on the wing deck to watch the Pokémon battle between mother and daughter. Blanca says that battles speak just as loud as words, so Dot will be able to express how she feels. Dot thinks that the idea of battling her mom is pointless, but at the same time feels like she shouldn't run away. With that, both Trainers pull their hair back, and the battle begins. Quaxly starts with Water Gun. As Lycanroc dodges Quaxly's back-to-back Water Guns, Blanca says that Murdock shares how even on the ship she is cooped up in her room. While Dot admits that she's not wrong, she shares how she has made friends and gotten to enjoy the outside world. Blanca asks Dot why she became a Pokémon Trainer, which she wasn't interested in before. Dot tells her that ever since meeting Quaxly, and later Tinkatink, it felt more exciting to be a Trainer. Lycanroc closes in, prompting Quaxly to strike with a close-range Pound. Lycanroc takes the hit and nearly knocks Quaxly overboard with Counter, Dot catching him just in time. Dot tells her mother that she can do everything that was out of reach from her in her room, which Blanca is excited to hear. Quaxly's Water Gun and Lycanroc's Rock Throw collide. Quaxly charges at Lycanroc, who blows him back with Counter again. Dot wonders if this was hopeless from the start, but, as a Trainer, decides to work less like an individual and more like a unit. Dot has Quaxly aim for Lycanroc's legs with Pound. Lycanroc takes Pound, but this time, Quaxly dodges Counter and knocks it off it's feet with a powerful kick. Dot is surprised as Quaxly blows Lycanroc back with another kick. Murdock catches Lycanroc, who is knocked out from Quaxly's new Low Kick. As Tinkatink and Quaxly celebrate, Dot requests that Blanca lets her stay with the Rising Volt Tacklers. Blanca is moved to tears, having just that be what she wanted Dot to say. With that, Blanca lets her daughter stay on the ship with her friends, which relieves Ash, Liko and Roy.