What If Ash was in Pokemon Horizons?

Orla, Grounded

A/N: CHAPTER 100 LETS GOOOOO

The train reaches its stop in Galar and the five trainers step out. Dot sees that Murdock had texted an address to her, she leads her friends to a familiar Poke Ball factory.

"Guess Orla took Karna's offer after all." Ash observed the building, remembering the day they first met Karna.

"You've been here before?" Asked Uruto.

"Yeah, it's a bit of a long story." Liko repiled while Uruto stiffened.

Roy knocks on the door, it slowly opens. Once Uruto sees the silhouette of a woman, he bolts behind a nearby bush, making Roy roll his eyes. Orla sets her eyes on the four kids she once knew and her face brightens up.

"Hey, long time to see, kiddos!" Orla exclaimed, "What brings you here?"

"Hi Orla!" Ash matched her joy, "We just wanted to come see you, we're trying to get the Rising Volt Tacklers back together!"

Orla seemed to stiffen at that, "Well, that's nice, but I'm not interested. I think my time in the air has ended, plus, I had the Brave Olivine dismantled a while ago."

"Well, can't you just make us a new one?" Roy asked.

"Yeah, please Orla?" Ash added.

Orla struggled to even meet their eyes, painful memories filling her mind. The boys reminding her so much of her old friend, it doesn't help that they both have a Pikachu on their shoulders. Orla shuts her eyes to hold back her tears. "Sorry, but I'm not interested, my time in the air is up." With that, she shut the door as Uruto comes out of the bush.

"So, now what do we do?" Ash asked, Cap suddenly jumps off Roy's shoulder and runs into the forest.

"Wait, Cap, where are you going?" Roy chased after alongside his friends. They eventually find a large clearing holding down none other than the Brave Olivine.

"Wait, what?" Liko observed, confused to her core.

"So, Orla lied?" Dot wondered.

Cap opens the ship door, coming face to face with every Pokemon that made a home on the airship. The Pokemon embrace the familiar humans, the Alolan Muk embracing Ash.

"Oh hey, bud..." Ash tried not to grimace. "Good to see you again." Ash sank into the Muk's goop. His own Muk popping out of his Poke Ball to embrace Ash in jealousy. Causing his friends to marvel at the differences between regional variants.

"So, you found it." A voice is heard, casting the kids to perk up. Seeing Karna standing before them.

"You knew about this?" Liko asked.

Karna nodded "Orla came to me around a year ago. Told me everything that happened in Laqua, swore to never fly again. But, I know she still cares, that's why she still visits the ship. Feeds the Pokémon. I hope you kiddos can help her see that." Karna was near tears by the end of her tangent.

"Well try our best." Ash placed a hand on her shoulder.  Just as more footsteps are heard and Orla stumbles onto the scene. Her eyes filling with horror upon seeing the kids near the old ship.

"Perhaps we should give them some space." Karna suggested to Uruto, who nodded as they both left the clearing, Uruto keeping his distance.

"So, now you know." Orla whispered, not meeting their eyes.

"Yeah, but Karna told us how much you still care!" Ash tried to seem enthusiastic. "How often you cleaned the ship, or feed the Pokémon! Orla, you still care and you know it, I mean, you built this whole thing-"

"That means nothing!" Orla snapped, "Friede was the one who asked me to build the ship, I only joined the group because Friede convinced me!" Orla paused to breathe, "Now that he's gone, what's the point..."

The group stare in slience for a while, unsure how to respond and tears slowly fall from Orla's cheeks. 

"So what?!"

Heads snap to the source of the voice, seeing Liko of all people glaring, "Yes, Friede's gone. But he'd want us to keep going. He'd want us to clear our name, he'd want us to take down the Explorers, he'd want us to get rid of every last piece of Laquium..." Liko covers her own eyes as tears begin to fall. "I know Friede's gone, but journeying with all of you made it feel like he's still here."

The kids envelop the girl in a group hug while Orla can only stare in shock. Liko's words making her reconsider her choice to never travel again, perhaps she only buried herself into her work to ignore the pain of losing a dear friend. Before she can ponder more on it, the group hears loud blasts coming from the direction of the Poke Ball factory. 

The group rush back to the factory to see Uruto's Sableye fainting to a duo of Paldean Tauros, a Blaze and Aqua breed. their trainers wearing grey suits dawning accents of the respective colors of their Tauros. Behind them are two men in suits, while Uruto and Karna are guarding a tall box.

"What is going on here?" Orla asked.

"These guys are with the Explorers." Uruto spat, "They're here for the Strong Spheres."

The four kids lean over the box's top to find tons of Strong Spheres, enough to fill the box all the way to the top. "We were simply following orderings, "Karna explained on Orla's behalf, "Uruto here told me the truth about them."

"What's wrong with Strong Spheres?" Orla seemed genuinely confused.

"They're made with Laquium!" Ash whispered to her, making Orla gasp.

The Explorer with Red accents looked to the World Monarch "I assure you, Mr. Monarch, we simply wish to obtain what we ordered."

The blue accented one added, "Though, Director Spinel wishes to have a word with you. He's very regretful about what happened during the demonstration. He's hoping to arrange a meeting with you, to reenfore the alliance. We can take you to him if you wish."

Ash stiffened, having his own relfection on how much Spinel was able to accomplish since he stayed slient. He pulls out two Poke Balls. "If you want me to meet with your leader, you're gonna have to beat me!" He pops open both balls and sends out one of his Kantonian Tauros and his Paldean Tauros in the Combat breed. 

"That won't be necesary."

Ash turns head to see a boy with red hair donning all black clothes walk out from some nearby trees. "Who are you, and what do you want?" Ash asked.

"The name's Silver." The boy said, calm, almost cold, a chilling tone that sends chills down Ash's spine. "And I challenge you, World Monarch."

"I hate to tell you this bud, but I'm kinda busy."

Silver's face seemed to contort, "You don't understand." Silver releases his Feraligatr. "I'm not asking."

Ash gives the Explorers one last look before recalling both Tauros and then releasing his Quilava to face off against Feraligatr. He looks back to his friends. "You can handle them, right?"

Roy simply smirked. He and the girls preparing their Pokemon. "Without a doubt."