Even his own Pokemon could be forced or tricked into betraying him in some extreme versions of the fanfiction. Maybe an evil organization captures his Pokemon and brainwashes them to turn against Ash. This would be a really heart - breaking situation for Ash as he has such a strong bond with his Pokemon.
Some of the gym leaders could also be involved. Maybe they feel threatened by Ash's new - found power as a champion. They might think that Ash will change the way the Pokemon battling world works and in order to stop that, they betray him. They could spread lies about Ash misusing his Pokemon or something similar.
Maybe Team Rocket. They've been after Ash for a long time. If Ash comes back as a champion, they might see it as a threat and betray him in some way. They could pretend to be his friends at first and then stab him in the back to get what they want, like his powerful Pokémon or his championship title.
A fellow trainer in Alola could betray Ash. This trainer might be envious of Ash's success as a champion. He could secretly work with Team Skull or some other antagonists to undermine Ash. For instance, he might give false information to Ash about a battle location, leading Ash into a trap.
It could be his rivals. For instance, Tracey or Paul might see Ash's potential in the new region as a threat and decide to betray him. They could try to sabotage his battles by giving false tips to his opponents or stealing his battle strategies.
It could be a rival trainer. Rival trainers are often very competitive in the Pokémon world. Maybe this rival is jealous of Ash and May's progress and decides to betray them to slow them down. They might spread false rumors about Ash and May, causing other trainers to be distrustful of them.
Gary could be a likely character. He has always been Ash's rival and there could be a plot where his jealousy or some other motive leads him to betray Ash. Another could be one of his so - called friends from the Pokemon League who might be influenced by power or some dark secret. Or, in some really dark fanfictions, it could be a Pokemon that Ash trusted deeply but for some reason turns on him.
It could be Gary. Gary has always been a rival to Ash. Maybe in this fanfiction, Gary gets jealous of Ash's progress and decides to betray him by making false accusations to the Pokemon League about Ash using illegal training methods.
His rival could be the one to betray him. Rivals are often jealous and competitive. If Ash's rival saw an opportunity to gain an advantage by betraying him, they might do it. For instance, they could lie about Ash to the Pokémon League, getting him disqualified from important battles.
Some fanfictions might have Misty betray Ash. Perhaps she gets lured by the promise of power or some valuable reward. She could be tricked into believing that Ash is no longer the friend she thought he was and that betraying him is for the greater good.
His rival, Gary, could be a likely candidate. Gary has always been competitive with Ash, and in this fanfiction, his jealousy could reach a boiling point, causing him to betray Ash for his own gain, like trying to steal his Pokémon or get credit for his achievements.
It could be a jealous fellow trainer. There are always those in the Pokémon world who envy the skills and achievements of others. This trainer might see Ash and Cynthia as obstacles to their own glory and decide to betray them to get ahead.