Randmoness

Wasted Plotential - Ash Betrayed

We would start with a prologue which begins shortly before and during the Kalos League, and ends right after the finals. Lysandre shows up at the stadium and has a little chat with Alain about Mairin and Chespie. He asks Alain if he'll be willing to do whatever is necessary to save them, and he confirms, which is something Lysandre would use later.

We cut to Xerosic and the scientists testing out their Zygarde Cell cannon and mind control device. Unfortunately, either due to some malfunction or direct sabotage, the Team Flare higher ups realize that their plan could not possibly be executed when they originally intended it to (right after the Kalos League).

They tell Lysandre, who is furious at the situation. He stops to think of a new plan, and decides that if they can't control a Legendary Pokémon, they'd go after a Trainer instead. His first target is Diantha (obviously), but he changes his mind when he sees Ash using the Bond Phenomenon.

Realizing that Ash is literally using a power that's only been spoken about in myths and legends, Lysandre decides that he'll make Ash his avenging angel, the Trainer who would destroy humanity and make the world beautiful.

Unfortunately, he also realized that Ash is very strong-willed (due to him using the Bond Phenomenon even though he feels whatever Greninja does), and so mind controlling him right now, even if they could get Zygarde to obey them, isn't an option. What is possible, however, is messing with his mind in a more subtle way.

Following the Kalos League finals (and Ash-Greninja obviously losing), Lysandre approached Ash and somehow hit him with the mind control cannon. The next day, Ash was suddenly met by all of his friends and rivals who berated him for losing another League. They don't tell him to quit, but they do say that he'll never be good enough, since even with the power of Ash-Greninja, he couldn't beat a freaking Charizard with a Water type.

Ash is distraught at this and, not knowing what else to do, he runs away. Not to another Region, mind you, he just gets out of the stadium crying. "But, Sam!" I hear you ask, "isn't his friends acting out of character and telling him to quit is one of the reasons you hate these stories so much?" Why yes it is… which is why it's not happening here.

See, what Lysandre did was bring Ash's greatest fears and insecurities to the open. Cause let's be honest, if you were Ash at that moment, you'd probably feel like you were a failure and a disappointment, and the last thing you'd want to hear is those words coming from your loved ones mouths.

Anyways, he calls his mother, who starts off normal until the illusions take hold again, and Ash hears her saying that his father would be disgusted at the weak Trainer he had become. With no other options, he runs away again only to be met by Lysandre and Alain. Lysandre tells Ash that the best way to get back at everyone is to prove them wrong, and encourages Ash to travel to another Region and become stronger. Ash agrees and after letting Goodra go once again, he goes to Alola, vanishing into thin air from his friends' point of view.

From there on out, most of the Sun and Moon series happens as it actually did, with the only exceptions being when Delia, Brock or Misty show up. I'm thinking that when the class goes to Kanto, Ash either doesn't come with them, or just hangs out at Oak's Lab with his old Pokémon the whole time. The latter of which allows Ash to tell his Pokémon what happened, and they each find a way to smuggle themselves into Alola to aid Ash whenever possible, however he still only uses his Alola party and Greninja (who wasn't released because there are no vines).

The Alola League happens pretty much beat-for-beat as it did in the anime, with Ash winning and becoming Alola's first ever champion. Lysandre hears about it and personally visits Ash in Alola to congratulate him. Ash's time in Alola made him relax a lot, and his recent victory made him confident that he proved his friends wrong and that he can finally let go of all the negative feelings he felt towards them. Lysandre, meanwhile, uses the machine again and makes Ash see his friends again, only for them to completely disregard his accomplishment and say that it doesn't count because all of his opponents were amateurs.