"This Route One is a lot more complicated than the one in Kalos," Serena said. The three friends were walking across the dirt-worn path, Pikachu enjoying the ride on Serena's shoulder. She had her navigator out and was trying to determine where they were.

"It's such a nice day out," Bonnie said. "Right Dedenne?"

"De-denne denne!" said the mouse in Bonnie's yellow pouch.

"Hold it right there!" a voice said. "You're a Pokémon trainer, aren't you?"

The trio turned to see two boys, one who was wearing a backwards blue cap and shorts. The other boy had a big bug-catching net and…a samurai hat.

"Me?" Serena said, pointing to herself.

"Yes! You have a Pikachu! And you know the rule—when trainers lock eyes, we battle!" said the Samurai boy.

"I'm not a trainer," Serena said, waving her hands in front of her. "I'm a Pokémon Performer."

"A Pokémon Performer? What's that?" the other boy with the shorts said.

Serena suddenly felt glad for her newfound anonymity. "Here, I'll show you. Braixen, go! Use Fire Blast!"

Braixen leaped out of the Pokéball, pulling out her stick. Before she hit the ground, she launched a Fire Blast into the sky which exploded into a firework–like effect.

"Ooh," the two boys said.

"By the way, my name is Joey," the boy with shorts said.

"And I'm Samurai!" said the other.

"Samurai?" Bonnie said. "Wow, names are so different in Kanto! I'm Bonnie! And this is Dedenne!"

"De-denne!"

"My name is Clemont," he said, waving a hand.

"And I'm Serena," she said. "This here is Pikachu."

"Pika pika!"

"Are you a trainer, Clemont?" Samurai asked. "I need to train up more. I heard that Pinsir has a Mega Evolution so we need to battle to get stronger."

In a tree nearby, two teenagers and a cat was surprised at the revelation.

"That brat's Pokémon can Mega Evolve?" Jessie said.

"And it's a Pinsir, too. A Pokémon born and raised in Kanto!" James said.

"Giovanni will be pleased," Meowth said. "Forget foreign Pokémon. If we show him that a Pokémon here can Mega Evolve then we're bound to get promotions!"

"Wooooobbuffet!"

Back at Route One, the trio were talking with their newfound acquaintances.

"Mega Evolution? That's so cool! Do you have a Mega Stone and a Key Stone?" Clemont said.

"Mega Stone?" said Samurai.

"Key Stone?" said Joey.

"You need those two stones to Mega Evolve!" Bonnie said.

"Where can we find them?" Samurai asked. The trio just looked at each other and shrugged.

"Poor Pinsir," Samurai said, looking at a Pokéball. "We were getting so strong too! I was sure you would have Mega Evolved soon. Now we have to find some rocks? Boring."

"My brother's a gym leader though!" Bonnie said. "You can battle him if you want to show you've gotten stronger!"

"B-bonnie!" Clemont stuttered.

Joey's and Samurai's eyes flashed.

"Gym leader? Does that mean you have a badge?" said Samurai.

"Yes," Clemont said, sighing and scratching the back of his head.

"I challenge you!" Joey and Samurai said simultaneously.

"I said it first!" said Joey.

"No I did!" said Samurai.

"No me!"

"Me first!"

"Calm down, calm down," Clemont said, motioning with his hands. "How about this? We can hav battle. Joey and Samurai against me and Serena."

"Clemont!" Serena said.

"Pikachu's itching to fight," Clemont said. "Look at him. Ash used to battle every trainer he faced, right?'

"Pika pi! Chu chu!" Pikachu agreed, sparks already flying out of its cheeks.

"Oh alright. If it's for Pikachu," Serena said.

"This battle with b 2!" Bonnie said. "Each trainer is allowed to use two Pokémon! The gym leader and Serena are not allowed substitutions! Let's go!"

"Go, Rattata!" Joey said, his Pokéball flying in the air.

"I'll start with my ace too! Go, Pinsir!" said Samurai.

"Luxay, I'm counting on you," Clemont said.

"Pikachu, you're up!" said Serena. She pulled out her Pokédex to scan the two unknown Pokémon.

"Ratatta. The Mouse Pokémon," the Pokédex said. "It bites anything when it attacks. Small and very quick, it is a common sight in many places."

"Pinsir. The Stag Beetle Pokémon," the Pokédex continued chiming. "Its two long pincer horns are powerful. Once they grip an enemy, they won't release until the foe is torn."

"Pikachu! Make sure you avoid those horns!" Serena said, squirming at those massive appendages.

"I'll make the first move! Rattata, use Quick Attack on Pikachu!"

"Rattat!" it assented and in a split second Pikachu was sent flying.

"Pikachu, are you okay?" Serena asked.

"Pika!" it said.

"My Rattata is in the top percentage of all Rattata!" Joey said. "He was bred perfectly and has the perfect nature!"

"Enough talk!" Samurai said. "Pinsir, use Tackle!"

"Luxray dodge it!" Clemont said. Luxray easily dodged the attack and Pinsir slammed into a wall. "Now, use Electric Terrain!"

The ground turned yellow as bolts of electricity pulsed around Luxray.

"Now's your chance, Serena!" said Clemont.

"Right! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

"Pi ka…chuu!" Pikachu said, landing a direct hit on the Rattata.

"How that?" said Clemont. "Pikachu's Thunderbolt is powered up by Electric Terrain!"

"Ratatta, you can shrug it off right?" said Joey.

"Ratat!" it said. It took it a while to stand on all fours but it managed to prop itself up.

"That's my Ratatta! He's so calm he can withstand a lot of special attacks! Great, now use Bite!"

"Luxray! Use Thunder Fang!" said Clemont

"Oh no you don't!" said Samurai. "Pinsir, Vice Grip!"

"Pika? Pika!" Pikachu said, looking at Serena for orders.

"Um, um, use Iron Tail!" Serena said.

But it was too late.

The three were entangled in a slew of attacks. The Luxray was able to bite the Pinsir but in return was bit by the Bite.

"Luxray, are you okay?" Clemont said. The electric Pokémon growled but got back onto its feet.

"Pinsir? Pinsir!" Samurai said, running over to his fallen Pokémon. "Wow, that Luxray is strong, is he? You tried your hardest."

Returning Pinsir back to its Pokéball and going back to the side, Samurai said, "Go, Butterfree!"

"Butterfree. The Butterfly Pokémon," Serena's Pokédex said. "The wings are protected by a rain-repellent dust. As a result, this Pokémon can fly about even in rain."

"Wah, so pretty!" Bonnie said at the purple butterfly.

"...butter," the Pokémon said. It somehow crossed his arms and looked away from the battle in a defiant hmph.

"Butterfree, please," Samurai said, clasping his hands together. He got down on one leg and a laughably large amount of water flooded out of his eyes. "After this battle I promise promise promise you that I'll find you a mate."

"What's this about?" Serena asked.

"Samurai's Butterfree can't get a date," Joey said. "It's nearly the end of mating season and Samurai promised him a mate but Samurai still can't get one."

"Please! This is a gym battle! A gym battle!" Samurai said.

"Butter."

"Um, is this battle over?" said Clemont.

"Not on my watch! Rattata, use Quick Attack once more!" said Joey.

"Pikachu, use your own Quick Attack!" said Serena.

The two collided and this time Rattata was sent flying back.

"Wah, that's my last Pokémon!" Joey said.

"Butterfree! Please! Only 4 more Pokémon to go!" Samurai said again.

"Butter."

"I think this battle is over," Clemont said, scratching his head.

Samurai sighed. "I wish I could help him."

"Samurai, do you want help for Butterfree getting a girlfriend?" Bonnie asked.

"It's not like I can't get him a Butterfree," Samurai said. "But he's especially picky and only wants to mate with that one Pink Butterfree."

"Pika?" Pikachu said. He cocked his head.

"A Pink Butterfree?" Serena asked.

"Wow, it must be a shiny," Clemont said, adjusting his glasses.

"It must be really pretty!" Bonnie said. "Bonnie wants to see it! Bonnie wants to see it!"

"Here, follow me," Joey said. "It's right behind that hill."

The group walked up the hill, Clemont falling behind as usual. His gasps and pleas for help were ignored by the others but Samurai and Joey shot confused faces at each other.

"This is what Ash saw when he first left his home," Serena thought, taking note of the flowers and trees and dirt.

"Wow! There's so many of them!" Bonnie said, being the first to reach the top of the hill. When Serena reached the summit, she took her hat off to appreciate the view.

There weren't that many Butterfree. 70, perhaps? Maybe even 100? But most if not all of them were in love and to Serena it was cute and adorable that some Butterfree held flowers for others.

"I didn't know bug Pokémon can live so far away from forests!" Clemont said. He had finally caught up and was panting and clutching his knees.

"Look! Look!" Bonnie said. "That Butterfree has a scarf! Aw, look, it's all nuzzled up next to the pink Butterfree!"

"Pika pi! Pika chu chu chu!" Pikachu said, pulling on Serena's skirt again.

Serena looked over at Samurai's Butterfree. Red fumes were coming out of his head. "Say Samurai, do you have a plan to woo that Pink Butterfree?"

"No," Samurai said, groaning. "We've tried everything. Flowers, pollen, honey. Butterfree even tried to duel the one with the scarf, but we lost. For some reason that Butterfree is strong. Maybe it used to have a trainer?"

"Pika pi! Chu! Pi! Chu!" Pikachu said more frantically.

Serena put her hands on her hips. "That's not how you get a girl," she said. "You have to show her that you care for her." She remembered back at the summer camp when Ash gave her the handkerchief to wipe away her tears.

Clemont's glasses flashed. "Ah ha ha. I have invented something for similar situations. The future is now, thanks to science! Citronic gear, on!"

His Aipom arm extended and pulled out a machine. Placing it onto the ground, the mechanical limb unwrapped the box. A purple Butterfree-shaped machine popped out.

"I call it the Attract-A-Pokémon-ier!" Clemont said, light seemingly radiating from him. "Able to speak in any Pokémon language, it's the perfect wingman for your Pokémon! It boasts and tells of your Pokémon's feats!"

"Brother, why can't you come up with better names?" Bonnie said.

"Technology is amazing!" Samurai said. His Butterfree's eyes were also sparkling. "Come on, let's give it a go!"

Clemont pressed a button on his belt, and the robot Butterfree jerked forward. All of the Butterfrees in the field stopped to look at it. It rolled up all the way to the Butterfree with the orange scarf and the shiny Butterfree.

"But. Ter. Free. Free. Butter. Ter. But," the machine said.

"Free? Butter," the scarfed Butterfree said, confused.

"Butter free free," the pink Butterfree said.

"Brother, what are they saying?" asked Bonnie.

"I'm not too sure," Clemont said. "Something like 'That Butterfree over there is very strong! And tough! And handsome!'"

"Clemont," Serena said. "Did you hear a word of what I just said?"

"…chu chu," Pikachu said. He had stopped tugging on Serena and sat with his arms crossed.

"Um, is it supposed to be smoking?" Joey said.

"What?" said Clemont. Joey pointed at the Butterfree machine which was spewing out clouds of smoke.

"Well, at least it isn't next to us this time," Bonnie said. "Wait, it'll explode on the Butterfree! We have to do something!"

"That scarfed Butterfree is carrying the machine!" Joey pointed out.

"Aw, he's saving his friends," Serena said. "Wait. Something isn't right."

There was a big pause as everybody had the same thought.

"Get out of the way!" they all cried as the scarfed Butterfree dropped the robot onto their heads.

"Brother, your invention is a failure again," Bonnie said, her hair all poofed up.

"Yeah…Pikachu, are you alright?" Serena said, turning to the electric rodent.

"Pika! Pika! Pika pi! Chu!" Pikachu said, gesturing at the scarfed Butterfree.

"Free?"

"Pika pika!"

"What are they talking about? Clemont said.

Out of nowhere huge mechanical claws encased both Pikachu and Butterfree.

"Where did that come from!?" Joey and Samurai said.

"If you say 'Where did that come from?'" a catlike Pokémon said.

"Prepare for trouble!" said the all-too-familiar female voice.

"And make it double!" said the also recognizable male voice.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To stand by the evils of love and truth!"

"The lovely, charmy, villains!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"The pair from Team Rocket soars through the galaxy!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! That's right!"

"Woooobbuffet!"

"Team Rocket!" Serena, Bonnie, and Clemont said.

"Eh he he!" Meowth said. The three of them were in their Meowth Balloon as usual. "Surprised to see us?"

"Pi ka…chuu!" Pikachu said, sending a Thunderbolt. However, it had no effect on the arms.

"Really Pikachu? When will you learn?" said James. "Of course we used a metal that doesn't conduct electricity!"

"I got this!" said Samurai. "Go, Pinsir! Use Tackle on an arm!"

"Oh no, whatever will we do?" said Jessie. "Not!"

A third arm shot through the air and slammed right into the Pinsir.

"Pinsir!" both trainer and Pokémon screamed.

"Is that a pink Butterfree over there?" James said.

"Hmm, it seems familiar," said Jessie. "Let's grab it! Surely it'll sell for a lot on the black market!"

"But we only have three arms," James said. "I hate budgets."

"Easy enough. We can get rid of this Butterfree," Meowth said, releasing the scarfed Butterfree. "No offense pal, but your girlfriend looks a lot better!"

"Butterfree!" it screeched, trying to Tackle the arm, but it was fruitless as the arm snagged the female bug. The tip of the arm then smacked the scarfed Butterfree, sending it falling towards the heroes.

"And as for you brats," Jessie said. "Have a taste of this!"

She tossed a small blue and black box about the size of a Pokéball. Once it hit the ground it released some dark smoke that left the group coughing.

"Where did they go?" Clemont said, looking around after the smoke cleared. The balloon and Team Rocket had vanished.

Serena ran over to the fallen scarfed Butterfree and had a sudden urge to hit herself. "Ash would have caught the fallen Butterfree," she thought. "Or, better yet, he wouldn't have let Pikachu be stolen out in the blue in the first place! Why did I hesitate? I could have sent out Braixen! Or Pancham! Or—"

"Serena, let's go!" Bonnie said, putting a hand on Serena's shoulder, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Where? We don't have any flying Pokémon with us?" Serena said with a pang, thinking of Ash's Noivern and Talonflame. "Clemont, you don't happen to have any inventions, do you?"

Clemont was about to answer but he was interrupted by some squabbling. The two Butterfrees were fighting each other, pulling antennae and spraying what looked like Poison Powder.

"Stop fighting!" Bonnie said. "Aren't you both Butterfree? You have to work together to save your friend!"

The duo didn't stop. They even stopped flying and started tumbling across the ground, rolling around while each tried to pull hair.

"STOP IT!" Serena yelled, loud enough for people to cover their ears. "Listen, do you think the Pink Butterfree will like seeing you two like this? You can't change how people feel about you. But you can change how you act. So stop fighting, and if you really do care about her, prove it and work together and go save her!"

"…but. Free," the scarfed one said.

"Free free," Samurai's agreed.

They both flew off high in the air and out of sight.

"Sorry if I was too loud," Serena said, looking back at the group with a sheepish look.

Joey's eyes were welling up. "That was a good speech," he said.

"Agreed," Samurai said, rubbing an eye. "Remind me to hug my mother the next time I see her."

"They're back!" Bonnie said, pointing at the Butterfrees.

Following the two Butterfrees, the group raced to find Team Rocket just landing their balloon down.

"Please wait up!" Clemont said, wheezing.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu said, celebrating.

"What!? How did you brats catch up already?" Jessie said. "None of you have flying Pokémon!"

"We can do this," James said. "Go, Inkay!"

Jessie snarled. "Go, Gourgiest!"

"Sylveon, it's up to—" Serena stopped her words at the scarfed Butterfree who held out one of its limbs.

"Butter! Free! Free!"

"Oh?" Meowth said. "It says as one of Ash's former Pokémon, it's honor bound to save Pikachu."

"Ash!?" Serena said. She actually gasped. "You used to be one of Ash's Pokémon?"

"Pika pi!" Pikachu said, happy Serena finally understood.

"Free butter!" Samurai's Butterfree proposed.

"Butter!" Ash's Butterfree agreed, and together they both charged at Team Rocket.

"Inkay! Psybeam!" James said.

"Gourgiest! Shadow Ball!" said Jessie.

The two bugs dodged the incoming blows and slammed right into the two Pokémon.

"Aie!" Jessie shrieked. "Gourgiest, get up! Use Seed Bomb!"

"Foul Play, Inkay!" James said.

But it was too late. A green powder drifted over to the villains.

"I'm feeling sleepy. Oh so verrry sleepy," James said.

"I…can't…keep…my…eyes…open," Meowth said, his head bonking onto a control panel. All three arms then released their grip.

"Pika!" Pikachu said, pleased that it had been freed.

"Alright Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Serena said.

"Pi ka…chuu!" Pikachu said, the arc of lightning slamming into Team Rocket. It caused an explosion, sending Team Rocket flying out into the sky.

"Zzzzzzz," James snored.

"It feels nice having clouds as pillows," Jessie said.

"We're blasting off…again?" Meowth said.

"Wob…bbuffet…?"

And with that they disappeared in a white star.

"Butterfree! Butterfree!" the pink Butterfree cheered, hugging both Ash's and Samurai's Butterfrees.

"Pinsir! You're back!" Samurai said, petting his pleased Pokémon.

"Thanks a lot, Butterfree," Serena said, smiling as she knelt down near the trio of Pokémon.

"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

"Butter. Butterfree?" Samurai's Butterfree asked.

"Free…" the pink Butterfree said, shaking her head.

A torrent of tears started gushing from Samurai's Butterfree's face.

"Oh no," Bonnie said. "It looks like he got rejected."

"…free?" the scarfed Butterfree said. He paused as if he had a realization. "Free! Butter!"

"I wonder where he went," Joey asked. Ash's Butterfree had zipped off into the woods.

Seconds later, Ash's Butterfree came back, dragging another pink Butterfree in its hands.

"Two Pink Butterfree!?" Clemont said. He wiped his glasses with his jumpsuit. "How is that possible? The chances of a single shiny is improbably high! But two?"

Samurai's Butterfree's eyes turned into hearts as he floated towards the new Butterfree.

"Butter. Butterfree?" he proposed again.

"Butter!" she agreed.

"Aw, look!" Bonnie said. "A happy ending!"

Both pairs of Butterfrees cuddled next to each other. A smile on her face, Serena turned to Samurai who she noticed was crying.

"Samurai? What's wrong?" she asked.

"It's just…it's just…it's time for me to say goodbye to Butterfree."

"Huh? Why?" Serena asked.

"It's for his happiness," Samurai said, another waterfall of tears falling from his face. "He'll be happier here, with a family. Why do you think this Ash fellow released his Butterfree?"

Serena clutched her chest. "Ash…"

"Butterfree," Samurai said. He wiped away his tears and walked up to his Pokémon. "It is time for me to say farewell."

"Butterfree?"

"This is the place you want to be," Samurai said. He took his a Pokéball and snapped it in half. "Don't worry. I will always remember you. I'll make sure to visit, okay?"

"Free!" it said, and they both burst into tears as they hugged each other.

Serena imagined that it was Ash and his scarfed Butterfree hugging in front of sunset. "I miss you Ash. There's so many things you haven't told me," she thought. "But I'll save you. I'll find you and rescue you so you can see all of your old Pokémon again."

"Serena? Why are you leaning in and about to…kiss Samurai?" Bonnie asked.

"Dedenne?"

"Pika?"

Serena leaped back and blushed, both of her hands covering her mouth. "Kiss? No no…I was just…tasting the air. The Kanto air is pretty tasty. Right? Right?"

Bonnie's eyes narrowed. "Riight."

"Come on, let's go to Viridian City before it's too late!" Serena said, immediately sprinting away.

"H-hey, wait up!" said Clemont.

"Pika!" Pikachu said, waving goodbye to its old friend.

"Butterfree!"