What If Ash was in Pokemon Horizons?

The Plan to Capture Rayquaza

Friede and Ash fly near the island to spy on the tower, spotting a Magneton and Beheeyem patrolling around it. "Over there!" Ash pointed, seeing Spinel walk outside from the inside of the tower. "That's the guy that stole Liko's pendant! That must be his Pokemon!"

Charizard flies back to the Brave Olivine, where Liko, Roy and Dot wait on the wing deck. Ash gets off Charizard and rushes over to them. "Bad news, Spinel's here and he's the one in the tower."

"Which means the tower is what the Explorers are using to attract the Black Rayquaza." Dot murmured, "We need a plan to take that tower down."

"Both Pikachu and Cap's electricity would be enough to destroy it." Ash estimated.

"I can develop a shutdown program." Dot added.

"Well, we can't charge in on the Brave Olivine, it'd be too easy to spot." Friede said, "Charizard would be spotted too, but I could get Ludlow to boat ready so we can sneak in."

"We wanna come too!" Roy exclaimed. "We can't let those Explorers get away with this!"

"I should stay and work on the program." Dot said.

"They did put up a good fight against Spinel when we first met him." Ash brought up.

Friede sighed, then smirked. "Alright, c'mon, just be quiet."

Ludlow sails a small boat towards the island. The group sneaks up to the tower and walks up to the door. Friede grabs the handle and finds the door unlocked, "That's weird, Ludlow, stay out here with the kids, Cap and I will investigate."

Friede and Cap enter the tower, a wall slams down and blocks the doorway almost immediately. "Friede?!" Liko immediately rushed to the door in worry.

"I'm okay!" Friede's voice came out muffled through the door, "It's a trap. I think Spinel just wanted me out of the way."

"It is best to stay calm," Ludlow said, "Leave Friede to his battle and search for the correct source of the Explorers' plans."

Liko quickly catches her breath, "Okay, let's look around."

Terapagos suddenly emerges from Liko's bag, urging the trainers towards a nearby lighthouse. The clouds above it begin to part as the Black Rayquaza descends and roars down on those below it. Ludlow boards the children into the boat and uses his Quagsire to speed up the boat with Hydro Pump. They arrive at the lighthouse in record time, "I've finished the shutdown program, I'll have to insert it directly into the machine." Dot said on a call with Roy, "I can see it from here. Uncle Murdock is flying the Brave Olivine to the lighthouse."

"Look over there!" Roy pointed at the Black Rayquaza, being covered in ice and salt from constant attacks. "We have to stop the Explorers before they catch it!"

The trainers rush up to the lighthouse, only for Sidian to appear. "Not so fast."

"Okay," Ash smirked, "If you want a fight-"

Ash suddenly feels himself and Pikachu encased in a net and snatched up off the ground. Before he knows it he's within the Team Rocket hot-air balloon. Jessie and James stare the twerp down with glares.

"Now you listen here twerp!" Jessie spat.

"What do these Explorer Guys have that we don't?!" James asked.

"Yeah, ever since they came along, you've been treating us like jokes!" Meowth huffed.

"Wobbuffet!"

"Seriously?!" Ash exclaimed, "That's why you're always here when the Explorers are?!"

"It seems we'll have to teach you who to fear!" Jessie smirked as she held out a Poke Ball.

"Yes! Prepare to tango with Team Rocket!" James held out a Poke Ball of his own.

"Uh, you both remember da twerp already crushed Spidops and Capsakid, right?" Meowth cut in.

Jessie and James exchange dumbfounded looks, James smiles nervously at Meowth, "Meowth, it would be a big help to us if you-"

"You want me in a battle?" Meowth asked, "Well after that Terastal beatdown, no way!"

Ash suddenly flashes them a cocky smirk, similar to what Gary always gave him during his earlier days as a trainer. "Well, the Explorers would never forget something like that, no wonder they're so much better than you."

Jessie's face turned red, "Why you-"

Ash gets right up in Jessie's face "At least they're an actual threat."

James began to panic, "Now Jessie, maybe we should-"

 "Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" Ash exclaimed.

"PIKACHU!!!!!"

"Wobbuffet! Use Counter!" Jessie said impulsely.

Wobbuffet blocks the Thunderbolt, but the attack easily overloads the Pokemon and causes the balloon to explode.

"WE'RE BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"

"WOBBUFFET!"

Ash and Pikachu fall from the balloon and plummet towards the ground. Ash grabs Pikachu and prepares to take the impact for his partner Pokemon. He suddenly feels something gripping at his vest, he looks up to see Wattrel struggling to hold Ash up. The little Pokemon successfully lands Ash and Pikachu before catching its breath.

"Ash, that was so cool!" Roy ran up to Ash.

"More like dangerous!" Liko said in worry, "He could've gotten hurt!"

Ash rubs his hand behind his head and chuckled sheepishly, "Sorry..."

Roy rolled his eyes, "Don't worry about that Sidian guy, we took care of him."

The trainers spot Chalce toss an Ultra Ball at the Black Rayquaza, "Wattrel, stop her!" Roy commanded. Wattrel flies and diverts the Ultra Ball away from the Black Rayquaza. 

A blast of fire suddenly just misses Chalce's medicham by a hair, Friede reveals himself to the rest of the group as the Brave Olvine lands near the lighthouse. Dot uses her Nidothing to cushion her fall after jumping from the Brave Olivine. She plugs her Rotom Phone into the generator and shuts it down.

"Ugh, screw this!" Coral revealed herself, "Glalie, use Self-Destruct!"

Coral rides on Glalie right to the Black Rayuaza and unleashes the attack. The Black Rayquaza falls backward and crashes into the Brave Olivine. Much to everyone's horror, wondering what the fate of the airship and those still aboard it will entail now.

A/N: So, if you don't know Ash left the anime one year ago today, which also means this fic is one year old too. So I just wanna say, thank you, and I hope you all have a good day, even if some of us are a little sad since it's been a year without Ash.