With Pokémon, you can do anything!

I realized in the process of planning Repaved's last book, Champion, that there was room to give Bayleef closure to her and Ash's situation, after all! And, it was woven into two of ARR's most important elements:

Ash's relationship with Dawn, and Ash becoming a Pokémon Master.

I'd long intended for Ash and Dawn to somehow give each other some sort of gift at the end of their adventure before Dawn's departure. A show of gratitude that they can carry with them, to mirror their long-held tradition of borrowing from one another to reach ever higher!

Up until mid-last year, I had no idea what those would be. But, my desire to bring about less heartbreak for Bayleef made me realize something: Dawn delivering Ash into her arms could be her gift to Ash!

Not just for the happiness it would provide on its face, but it would provide a gateway to the most prevailing theme of ARR: Understanding Pokémon. Ash had struggled throughout the entire story to hear the hearts of Pokémon, and listen to them by discarding his own assumptions. Through some advice that Empoleon recalled and relayed to Dawn, she came to an epiphany: The key to knowing Pokémon is to be completely honest with yourself and discard all doubts! She was going to help Ash reach his dream by somehow helping him do this.

The answer came days later, when she learned that Ash also had mutual feelings for Bayleef, but suppressed them since he "obviously couldn't act on it," with them now dating. Part of Dawn's arc in ARR is coming to despise people denying themselves their wants and their feelings. Even on principle, she couldn't stand Ash depriving himself!

It was all the better that Ash going for it could solve several problems in one! (Dawn is literally too sure of herself to consider being jealous.)

c: Standreamy

So in a series of events, Ash confronted Bayleef, she initially rejected him because she was already trying to move on, and they expressed their full feelings in battle, and began their bond as trainer and Pokémon anew! So, Ash and Bayleef are an item. Dawn found her gift for Ash, and he found his own, in the following chapter.

In the story's last chapter, Ash hears Pikachu's voice with complete clarity, without Aura, for the first time. Ash can speak to Pokémon as he would any human forever more, and with Peeks's goading, accepts, in his heart, the mantle of Pokémon Master. Ash's big arc was complete.

She also got a sick battle with Elite Four's Bruno, for her accolades.

c: GML_z__

I'm also working on a sequel story where Ash is taking time off from new adventures, where he explores his new relationship with Bayleef, and tries to answer the in's and out's of a human and a Pokémon being in love; for themselves, and to show the world that it's possible!

So, Ash x Bayleef gets a whole fic to itself. And potentially another small follow-up, before I can finally dive into the events of Best Wishes!

Not bad at all for a lovesick dino, huh? She finally secured Ash, and gets one or two worldbuilding fics of her own! She also gets a Battle Bond form, like Ash-Greninja.

Now, for the ripple effects!

With Ash and Dawn (and Juliet!) in an open relationship, I was able to pursue the full extent of Ash's dynamic with his Snivy-Serperior, Reina. That ship is intricately tied into her and their character arc in Unova, and encompasses far more than some cute fluff. So, thanks to Bayleef, they can be an item for almost the entirety of Best Wishes!

I have plans to develop Ash and Peeks's bond to its romantic ends during Unova, but I haven't quite sorted those plans out, yet!

This also applies to Meloetta, who would be able to pursue Ash far earlier. This makes her arc of coming to protect him in the Team Plasma finale, just as he saved her from Giovanni, a bit more poignant.

c: Jalenciaga

However, the biggest change, beyond Juliet herself, might have ended up coming through Serena's character. As I'd previously described, Ash and her bond was meant to be put off, on both of their parts, until Dawn's appearance. It even had its own fic, pre-retcon!

But, truthfully... Ash shoving down his feelings for so long feels out of character. It also limits both his and Serena's agency in their dynamic's progression. Bayleef opening up Ash's love life changed their course.

During Professor Sycamore's summer camp, Ash can see the writing on the wall, from the past few months; he likes Serena, and he's become love-wise enough to tell that she likes him back. He can't stand to be dishonest with her, so he confesses as much... with the warning that he's already in a relationship, with several of his companions. He'd understand if that's too much for her, but he wanted her to know.

At the moment, it may be too much... at the moment. But, learning about Ash's other loves has an unexpected result: It intimidates Serena, but also inspires her. All of these lovely women in Ash's life; he speaks of them so highly. They have so much ambition. So much grace, and power! It makes her feel like nothing. Serena wants to be more than that. She wants to be someone she can consider herself proud of.

Both in regards to Ash, and herself. So, she asks Ash to take a rain check on what they have cooking, until she's self-actualized. Of course, Ash agrees, and they agree to come back to their feelings, later.

This puts the ball entirely in Serena's hands, for a game of hot-and-cold between her and Ash, where she struggles with her doubts, self-image, and desires for her close friend, all battling it within her heart!

There's more to that story, but suffice it to say that Serena asks for Ash's hand in a relationship, formally, after her part in the Master Class.

Dawn's cameo is more about Dawn and Serena forming a connection than Amourshipping, truly; not that it's not a factor, of course!

Additionally, Bayleef will get to cameo during the Team Flare arc, so!

So, there you have it: Ash's Bayleef and her affection for her trainer not only went from zero to one hundred in securing her heart's desires, and giving her a greater role in this AU in general, but it catapulted plot points and arcs for multiple other characters — even playing a key role in her beloved trainer's titular dream of becoming a Pokémon Master.

Good for her.