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Normal POV

"Welcome back, Darien." his father said as he entered his room. "I trust everything went according to plan?"

"The S.S. Ketchum sank completely, father. The Gyarados killed every person and Pokemon who were floating in the water." Darien replied.

"Then perhaps you've not yet heard. There were three survivors, and their Pokemon, too."

"What?! Impossible!" he cried.

"Luckily for you, they were the three children who we need captured. If they had died, you would've suffered all of the blame."

"We're also in no danger of being exposed, since they don't know about our plans...But something is very troubling."

"What might that be?" asked the Team Rocket leader.

"I saw the radar on the sub right before we attacked. There were no other ships in the area. Someone's boat must've been hiding just out of range. Not to mention the fact that they were able to rescue the three kids and make it back to shore hours before rescue ships came to the scene."

"Then that can only mean one thing," he said with a troubled look on his face, "That person who saved them followed the S.S. Ketchum because they knew what we were going to do!"

"They knew we were going to sink the ship and were racing to stop us?" Darien couldn't believe his ears. "Then that means only one thing."

"Yes. We have a traitor in our organization. One of our own Team Rocket members is plotting against us. I want them found. Now."

Adam's POV

We walked along the road and then we came to a cliff looking over the sea.

"Um, did we go the wrong way? We've bypassed Saffron City again!" Michelle said as she glanced over the edge.

"Nope, I know exactly where we're going." I said confidently.

"Yeah, your dad used to say that all the time when he traveled with my mom." Michelle said, not believing me. "And they constantly got lost because of him!"

"Just roll with me. You'll be glad you did."

"That's a long way down." Jason said, stepping back a few steps.

I glanced down at the sea. The water was calm except for below us as it hit the side of the cliff and the rocks. It was a long way down.

"We get up on that ridge and we'll be on our way to Celadon City." Jason said, pointing.

"Hey, what's that?" Michelle asked, pointing towards the sky.

I look up and Jason did too. "It looks like hot air balloons." Jason said.

"Yes, and a bunch of Pokemon. Butterfree, to be exact." I said.

"What are they doing here?"

I racked my brain and thought of all the stories my dad had told me. "It's the Butterfree mating season." I said.

"Free!"

"Pi?" Pikachu said, looking towards the sky.

A Butterfree with a faded orange scarf fluttered in the sky in front of me. It looked very happy to see me, and I wondered why. But then it moved back and stared at me for a second. Then a disappointed look came on its face.

"Free..." it said sadly, flying away.

"What was that about?" Michelle wondered.

"I think that Butterfree mistook Adam for someone else." Jason answered.

"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu cried.

The Butterfree stopped and flew back over. "Free! Free?"

Pikachu hopped down from my shoulder and began talking to the Butterfree. "Pika...Pikachu. Chu...Pi."

"Free! Free!"

I then realized that this Butterfree was the one my dad had released so it could find a mate. It must've returned to make sure no one tries to harm and interrupt the mating season like Team Rocket did when my dad traveled.

"You're right, Jason!" I said. "This is my dad's old Butterfree. He did mistake me. He thought I was my dad."

"But it seems that Pikachu cleared up any confusion." said Michelle.

"Jason, are you going to let your Butterfree find a mate?" I asked, looking at him.

He removed his Pokeball from his belt. "It's only fair. And there are a lot of Butterfree around, so I know he'll find one." he said, tossing his Pokeball.

"Butterfree!" Butterfree cried, fluttering in the sky.

"Hey, Butterfree! It's time for you to find a mate." Jason said.

Butterfree looked towards the sky and saw all of the Butterfree that were around.

"Hey, we need to get a balloon so we can see." Michelle said.

"Yeah, we do, don't we?" I asked.

Jason's Butterfree and my dad's Butterfree followed us as we headed towards where Michelle had seen the balloons.

"We're in luck! There's still a few left!" she cried.

We paid the cost for renting the hot air balloon and climbed in. We were in a hot pink balloon.

"Wow, I've never seen so many of one Pokemon in one place before." Michelle said in amazement. "It's beautiful."

There were so many Butterfree flying in the sky. Some were flying in pairs while others were flying solo.

"Alright, Butterfree. Go get 'em!" Jason said.

Butterfree flew towards the group of Pokemon in the sky. He flew towards a few Butterfree only to have them fly away.

"Why does Butterfree keep flying from one to another?" Michelle asked.

"Just like humans, Pokemon have types that they like. My dad told me that." Jason said, watching his Butterfree.

I leaned on the back of the balloon, being careful not to fall, and remembered when my dad had told me this story.

I was laying on the couch watching one of his battles. His final battle in the Orange Islands, to be exact.

"Dad, what happened to your Lapras?" I asked, noticing the Lapras was not around now.

"I released Lapras so she could be with her family. She was lost when I found her, and while we traveled, we came across the family."

"Have you released any other Pokemon so they could be with family or anything?"

"Yes, I released my Butterfree, which I evolved all the way from a Caterpie. It was my very first Pokemon after Pikachu."

"Why did you release Butterfree?"

My dad paused the battle I was watching. "Just like humans, Pokemon have a chance to find true love. When I was traveling, I came to the place where Butterfree mate."

"So you released your Butterfree so it could have chance at love?"

"Yes, Butterfree got rejected a few times, but after saving all of the Butterfree from Team Rocket, the Butterfree he fell for accepted him."

I glanced back up and couldn't find Butterfree.

"Where's Butterfree?" I asked.

Jason glanced at me and frowned. "Butterfree flew quicker than I thought and I lost track."

Suddenly, Butterfree flew towards us and stopped. "Free! Free!" it cried.

"Did Butterfree find a mate?" Michelle asked.

"Did you find a Butterfree that you like?" Jason asked.

"Free!"

"Brock came up with an idea to put a orange scarf around Butterfree's neck. He thought that would help Butterfree gain the attention of the Butterfree he liked, it also helped us know which Butterfree was mine."

Butterfree turned around to fly away, but faltered.

"Free..." it said sadly.

I glanced to where Butterfree was facing and saw two Butterfree doing a dance. "Oh no..." I muttered.

"Butterfree just got it's heart broken." I said.

Jason looked and frowned. "Butterfree...I'm sorry." he said.

"Butterfree, don't let that get you down. There are plenty other Butterfree out there!" Michelle cried, staying optimistic.

Butterfree flew towards the other Butterfree to try again.

"Hey, look that that Butterfree." Michelle said, pointing.

I glanced to where she was pointing to find a Butterfree flying with its wings glowing.

"That's Silver Wind." Jason said.

"That looks like a contest move. Maybe its trainer is a coordinator, like me." Michelle said.

The Butterfree flew towards Jason's Butterfree. The sparkling Butterfree started to dance and soon Jason's Butterfree was dancing.

"Butterfree found a partner." Michelle said.

"Butterfree!" Jason and another voice yelled simultaneously.

The two Butterfree stopped and flew towards their trainers.

"That green hot air balloon is landing." Michelle noted.

"Then that's the other Butterfree's trainer. Should we go and meet them?" I asked.

"Yeah," Jason said.

We landed our balloon and headed towards the other balloon.

"Free!" Butterfree cried, flying off.

"Butterfree!" Jason cried, chasing his Pokemon.

"Jason!" Michelle and I called, running after him.

"You must be the other Butterfree's trainer?" a girl asked as Michelle and I stumbled to a stop.

"Yeah, I am. You must be the other one?" Jason replied, looking at the Butterfree.

"I am. The name's Blair," the girl said.

"I'm Jason and these are my friends, Michelle, and Adam."

Blair had blonde hair pulled into a bun and silver eyes and she was pale. She looked to be a few years older than us, probably in her mid-teens. She wore black track pants, a pink tank top, and sneakers.

"I'm glad my Butterfree found a mate." Blair said.

"Yeah, me too." Jason said.

"Tonight is the day they leave. They'll leave and fly across the ocean to lay their eggs."

Blair and her Butterfree left after a few minutes and Jason looked at his Butterfree.

Jason's POV

I glanced back at Adam and Michelle.

"I'm gonna go to the cliff. Wanna come, Michelle?" Adam asked. "I think Jason and Butterfree need some time alone."

"Yeah, we'll catch you later, Jason." Michelle said.

"Okay,"

They walked back the way we had come. Butterfree flew onto my shoulder.

"Butterfree, this is our last day together." I muttered.

"Free?"

I sighed and shook my head. "Butterfree, I'll never forget you. You were my first Bug Pokemon and my first fully evolved Pokemon that I ever caught." I knew I would have to say goodbye tonight. Boy, was this going to be fun.

I stood on the cliff in the middle of Adam and Michelle. Butterfree was on my shoulder. A lot of trainers were in the air in balloons or at the cliff's edges with their Butterfree out. I spotted the green balloon so Blair and her Butterfree were in the air.

Butterfree started flying into the sky. "Free, Free!"

I held Butterfree's Pokeball in my hand. I wasn't sure how to release Butterfree.

Many Butterfree were in the sky now. I noticed that Blair's Butterfree had flew and was flying in the sky, looking towards us.

"Butterfree, it's time for us to say goodbye. I want you to be happy. Go." I said as I held up the Pokeball.

I returned Butterfree and then when I released Butterfree, Butterfree came out in a blue light.

"Free?"

"Go on."

Butterfree started towards the sky, but stopped. Butterfree looked at me with a sad expression.

"This isn't a permanent goodbye, Butterfree. We will meet again one day, I know it." I said.

Butterfree flew towards the others and was joined by Blair's Butterfree.

"Bye Butterfree!" Michelle and Adam cried as Ash's Butterfree flew off as well, following them.

"Goodbye, Butterfree. I'll never forget you." I said watching as all the Butterfree flew off. Tears came to my eyes.

"You showed a lot of strength by letting Butterfree go like that, because you valued Butterfree's happiness above your own." said Michelle.

"And just like you said, you'll see each other again, just as I will with my dad." Adam added.

The next morning, we continued onwards to Celadon City. After a few hours, we heard sounds of battling in the forest nearby. As the three of us headed to the place where the noise was coming from, we saw a man training his Pokemon, who looked very powerful. I didn't know who he was, but something about him seemed familiar to Adam.

Author's Note: And so, with a heavy heart, Jason says goodbye to Butterfree.

Team Rocket, meanwhile, has figured out that there is a traitor in their ranks. Who could it be?

And who is this mysterious person that only Adam seems to recognize? If you have a guess, let us know in a review.

The identity will be revealed next time on Pokemon NG!