There could also be an older trainer named Max who has been struggling to win battles. He meets Ash and asks for help. Ash mentors him on new battle strategies, like using the environment to their advantage during battles, something Ash has learned from his many encounters in different regions.
Perhaps it's a boy named Tom who was given a Charmander by his grandfather. Tom is a bit clumsy with training, and Ash, having experience with his own Charmander - turned - Charizard, helps Tom understand the needs of his Charmander, such as proper diet and exercise for growth.
It could be a young girl named Lily who has just started her Pokemon journey. She has a Pikachu - like Pokemon but doesn't know how to train it properly. Ash steps in and shows her the ropes, like how to train it to use electric attacks more effectively.
In this fanfiction, Nurse Joy could also be a mentor. She has a lot of experience with taking care of all kinds of Pokemon, which is related to breeding. She could teach Ash about the health aspects that are crucial for successful breeding. And maybe there could be a mysterious, old - time Pokemon breeder in a far - off region that Ash meets. This breeder could have ancient knowledge about Pokemon breeding that Ash can learn from.
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.
A group of rogue scientists who are experimenting on Pokemon in unethical ways could be new antagonists. They might be creating powerful and dangerous hybrid Pokemon.
Another cool new partner for Ash in fanfiction could be Riolu. Riolu is strong and has the ability to sense auras. It could learn a lot from Ash and Pikachu and grow into a powerful Lucario. This would give Ash a Pokémon with great combat skills and a unique ability that could help in battles and in understanding other Pokémon's emotions.
Misty is a very likely candidate. She has been with Ash from the early days of his journey. They have a deep bond and have shared many adventures together. Their relationship has always had a bit of a romantic undertone, so in a fanfiction, it would make perfect sense for them to get married.
A young girl who is a prodigy at Pokemon battling. She has a unique style of training her Pokemon that Ash is initially skeptical about but later learns from. She could be from a far - off region and has her own goals in the Pokemon world, like trying to find a legendary Pokemon that is said to be able to grant wishes.
Potential characters might include a new group of Pokémon thieves that Ash has to deal with. Also, there could be a local Pokémon healer who becomes an important part of the story. There might be some young Pokémon enthusiasts who look up to Ash and join him on his adventures. Another possibility is a reclusive Pokémon trainer who has some rare Pokémon and Ash tries to learn from them.
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 could have a new member who is a ninja. This new member could be Ash's main rival. They would try to steal Ash's pokemon in more sneaky and ninja - like ways. And Ash would have to use his ninja skills to protect his pokemon and defeat this new rival from Team Rocket.
Pikachu is a very likely candidate. It's Ash's most iconic Pokemon and has a deep bond with him. Whenever Ash is in trouble, Pikachu often steps up to protect him.