After much deliberation, I have decided to add Ash to this AU. There are a few reasons I chose to do this and a few why it took so long. I’ll use this post to explain my reasoning and outline how he fits into this world. 
My reasons: 1) While the base of this AU was originally game-verse, it has grown to encompass many anime characters, to the degree it’s a bit odd now that Ash isn’t present. 2) Ash is a sweetheart and a wonderful person and someone I am excited to work with as a character (even if this is a different version of him).
Why it took so long to add him: 1) I wasn’t sure how to fit him into this universe. It is game-based, so the protagonists of the games who are companions to Ash in the anime filled different roles and often have very different personalities from their anime-counterparts. I wasn’t sure how I could properly include Ash if his journeys just didn’t make sense in the already established context of this AU. 2) This would inevitably be an AU Ash. Like I said, while plenty of anime characters exist in this world, they are anime characters in the context of a fantasy version of the gameverse, as such, their roles are different from the anime, and sometimes their personalities are a bit different as well as a result. Since Ash is the main character of the anime, I was worried I would receive a negative reaction if I included an AU version of him who was different from his canon self. 3) I wasn’t sure exactly how he would be part of the fankid aspect of this universe specifically. Looking at all the candidates to ship him with, I found that most of them were already paired off or accounted for. I considered having him be an single father, but even then, I wasn’t sure what exactly he’d be doing as an adult – where he would live, what he job would be, etc. 4) But! After a lot of deliberation, I’ve found a way to include him that satisfies me and also adds to the development and characterization of one of my already-established fankids and her father. (…. yeah I’m talking about Emery this is now a ComaShipping blog I’ve succumbed.)

That being said, in regards to what I have currently for Ash. He’s from Pallet Town (of course) and is a few years older than Red and Blue/Gary. His initial journey is fairly similar to the anime, up through the point where he leaves for Hoenn. He travels with Misty (who is his age) and Brock, and later Tracey, throughout Kanto, Johto, and the Orange Islands. After that, he returns home for a bit rather than go abroad. This kind of plan is pretty common for young folk in this world – travel closer to home when you’re young, finish school, then go abroad when you’re in your late teens or early twenties. When he’s 18 years old, Ash decides to travel the world. He meets some of the same people he does in the canon anime, and he meets some new faces as well. He sometimes travels with others, and sometimes by himself. He’ll sleep in Pokémon Centers, camp out, or crash on a friend’s couch. It’s a nomadic lifestyle and he loves every aspect of it. Of course, he also challenges the League of whatever region he’s visiting. He has a vague goal of becoming a top trainer, but the more he thinks about it the more he’s not sure he wants a position like Champion or Gym Leader (since they’re very bureaucratic in this world). At some point, he settles in Sinnoh for a while, which is where he and Paul first grow closer. At this point, Paul was the single father of a young Emery, and Ash absolutely adored her. She was probably half the reason he stuck around long enough to form an attachment to her father, haha. Eventually (the details are still a bit hazy), Ash and Paul start a relationship, and end up getting married when Emery is around 4 or 5 years old. Ash ends up getting a job as a teacher at the local Sunnyshore Trainer School, where he teaches children how best to interact with pokémon, the basics of battling, and other kinds of hands on lessons. He also gets to be pretty good friends with the rest of the Sinnoh League who live in Sunnyshor, like Dawn, Flint, Volkner, Lucian, and Dahlia, as well as their kids. Ash still keeps in touch with his friends and family back home – especially Misty and his mother, as well as all the people he’s befriended over his travels. All in all, he’s doing very well for himself, even if he’s not quite the aspiring Pokémon Master or Chosen One he is in canon. He’s got a husband he loves, an adorable step-daughter, a great job, and tons of friends.