Disclaimer: I own Lily, and only Lily. I don't own anything else.

Thanks again to everyone who reviewed.

Tony Dark: Thanks for your review and your info on Giovanni's last name.

sapphireplusle: Thank you for reviewing! And thanks for your idea. I haven't decided yet but I'll keep it in mind! As for what happens next…keep reading to find out!

Briememory: Thanks for all your new reviews! You put me over the 30 mark! Um, one thing I just have to say. I was unaware there was a law against making Celebi a starting Pokemon. Please understand I'm not trying to be mean or rude or anything, but just who makes up these 'rules'? I never heard such a thing! I was under the impression I could put whatever Pokemon I wanted in my own story. After all, it is fan fiction, right? But since you were nice about your complaint, I guess I won't be upset about it. Besides, you figured out my reasoning for Celebi! Very good! You get a gold star! And thank you for the name info!

Shippo123: Thank you! You're so sweet! Oh, I have a message from my wizard for you. He really doesn't like the threats on his life…but don't worry, I'll keep him under control! Please keep reading!

Cheery Wolf: Thank you! I'll keep that in mind!

I also want to thank everyone who is reading this story, even if they don't review. Just knowing people are reading it makes me happy! So thanks again!

Chapter Three: Lily's Idea

Back at the gym, Giovanni turned on Ash. "How could you let that happen?!?"

"I'm sorry, Father, but she—"

Giovanni silenced Ash with a sharp slap. "I don't want to hear your excuses! If you had gotten rid of the girl when I told you to, she wouldn't be out there now, telling the world about us and Team Rocket!"

"Maybe you shouldn't have mentioned Team Rocket to her, then," Ash muttered under his breath. He had heard her asking to join the organization when he had first come into the room. How would she have known if Giovanni hadn't told her?

Another slap, harder than the first one, told Ash he hadn't spoken quietly enough. "How dare you!" Giovanni said furiously. "She had no idea what Team Rocket was! She thought we just train Pokemon! But then you had to go and ruin everything! What's wrong with you?"

Ash was silent. He was used to getting the blame for things that were not his fault. There was no point in arguing. He could never win.

Giovanni wasn't finished speaking. "For your sake, you'd better hope that girl knows how to keep her mouth shut."

But Lily's mind wasn't functioning well enough for her to even think of telling anyone. She had stopped her bike and sat in the grass by the road between Viridian City and Pallet Town. She knew she was just stalling because she was afraid to go home. But finally she got back on her bike and pedaled the rest of the way to her house.

When Lily got home, she quietly put her bike in the garage. She tried to sneak into the house unnoticed, but her parents were in the living room.

"So you came back after all," her mother said calmly. Lily looked at the floor, hoping she didn't have a very noticeable mark on her cheek.

"I'm sorry, Mom," she said, trying to sound as if she really was sorry.

"What happened to your face?" Professor Oak asked.

"I fell down."

He didn't question her further, but Lily sensed that he didn't believe her.

"So, Lily, where were you?" Delia asked.

"Like I said before, I can't tell you."

"Well, you'd better find a way to tell us right now, young lady," her mother said angrily. "You have some serious explaining to do."

"I don't feel like explaining anything right now," said Lily. "I'm just gonna go play Nintendo."

Delia was up in a flash, heading for Lily, but Professor Oak caught her arm.

"Calm down, Delia. Don't do something you'll regret. I'll handle Lily. Why don't you go for a walk or something to calm your nerves?"

She hesitated. "Oh, all right," she said finally. "I'll be in the garden if you need me." Working in her garden always relaxed her.

Delia went out to the backyard and Professor Oak turned his attention back to Lily. By now she was at the front door, ready to run, having realized she'd gone too far. He walked over to her and took her arm.

"Lily, I think we need to have a little talk. Don't you?"

"Not really," she replied, trying to pull away.

"Well, we're going to anyway. Come on."

"Ow! That hurts! Stop it! I didn't do anything bad enough to deserve this! Oww!"

"Lily, do you want that cut to get infected? Honestly, anyone who heard you would think you were getting beaten or something! It's just peroxide, not acid!" Professor Oak said, exasperated.

Lily didn't care if anyone heard her. She hated having her cuts cleaned. It always hurt a lot. She pulled away from her father. "Let it get infected! I don't care! At least it would hurt less!"

"Trust me, it wouldn't. And if you would have done this yourself, I wouldn't have to. You're ten years old! I shouldn't have to fight you to treat your cuts! Now hold still!"

"Owwww!" Lily yelled.

"There. You're done," Professor Oak said, releasing her.

"Great!" She hopped off her bed.

"Not so fast, young lady. Sit down," he said firmly.

Lily obeyed. "What? I said I was sorry."

"Where did you go today?"

"Um…shopping."

"Shopping?"

"For your anniversary," she said quickly.

"You know we had our anniversary last month, Lily," her father reminded her.

"Next year's anniversary, I meant. I wanted to get my shopping done early. The Celadon Shopping Center can get crowded later on."

"You could not have reached Celadon City and been back by now, Lily," Professor Oak said.

"Did I say Celadon? I meant Goldenrod," Lily said in a panic.

"That's farther away than Celadon. I want you to stop with these stories and tell me the truth, young lady!"

"No."

"What?!"

"No. I'm not telling you where I went," Lily said defiantly. "It's none of your business!"

"You know, Lily, I've had enough of your attitude," her father said angrily. "And I think it's just about time for a spanking."

So he spanked her. Then he left, after telling Lily to stay in her room until dinnertime. If that wasn't bad enough, at dinner, Lily tried to apologize to her mother, but Delia refused to talk to her. Lily went back to her room after dinner, hurt more by her mother shunning her than by her father spanking her.

Lily lay on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Finally she opened Celebi's pokeball so she could have some company. Her mother's refusal to talk to her really hurt her feelings. It wasn't her fault she'd gone to find Ash. If someone else had found him in the past, before he had a chance to be brainwashed…

"That's it!" she cried, sitting up quickly and knocking Celebi off its perch on her chest and onto the floor. The Pokemon squeaked indignantly.

"Sorry, Celebi."

Lily searched through her bookcase until she found the book she wanted. "Here! It says that Celebi are capable of time travel." She looked up. "You could have mentioned that before."

'Lily didn't ask.' The Pokemon's mouth didn't move, but Lily heard its voice in her head.

"I didn't—ask?" Lily cried. "Oh well. You're right. I didn't actually ask you."

Celebi smiled demurely.

"By the way," Lily asked, "are you a boy or a girl Celebi?"

'Celebi is a girl! How dare Lily think that Celebi might be a boy?'

"Geez, sorr-eee! You don't have to have a hissy-fit!"

Celebi's laugh in Lily's head sounded like bells.

"Boy, you're sure a cheerful Pokemon," Lily grumbled, not feeling very cheerful herself.

'Why shouldn't Celebi be cheerful? Celebi's life is great! The only bad thing that ever happened to Celebi was when she almost had to battle Nidoking…and just now when Lily threw Celebi onto the floor.'

"Maybe I should have thrown you on your head!"

Celebi just laughed again. 'Lily's funny. Celebi likes her.'

"Whatever," Lily said. She was in a bad mood. Her face was still throbbing, though it hurt less than it had before. She'd also realized she had a scrape on her nose from falling on her face in the gym. She threw herself into her desk chair, remembering too late that she'd just gotten a spanking a little while before.

"Ow! Damn it!"

Celebi giggled. 'Lily said a bad word!'

"Shut up! I didn't mean to!" Lily yelled. "And I'm getting sick of you. I wanted you to help me with something, but now I'm just gonna put you back in your pokeball!"

'No! Celebi will be good!'

Lily was surprised. "You don't like being in your pokeball?"

'Would Lily like to live in a cramped, tiny ball instead of out in the sun?'

"Uh, no, I guess not."

'Then why would Celebi?'

"Okay, then. You never have to go inside your ball again, all right? You can just walk around, or fly around, or whatever it is you do."

'Really? Does Lily mean it?' Celebi floated over to Lily and hugged her tightly. Lily noticed that the Pokemon smelled like a field of flowers. She hugged Celebi back.

'Oh, Celebi and Lily are going to be great friends!' Celebi cried. And just like that, Lily's bad mood vanished.

"Okay, here's the deal," Lily said. "Celebi, pay attention!" She and Celebi were sitting on her bed, giggling and eating Doritos.

"Celebi, that dip is for the chips!"

Celebi lifted her head from the bowl. 'Sorry, Lily. It's just so good.'

Lily burst out laughing.

'What?' Celebi asked.

Lily could barely speak because she was laughing so hard. She just pointed. "Your—face!" she gasped. She handed Celebi a mirror.

Celebi looked at her reflection. Then she laughed, too. 'Celebi looks stupid!' She hadn't realized she'd been getting dip all over her face.

Lily tossed her a napkin. "Okay, Celebi, listen up. I want you to take us back in time ten years so I can save my brother Ash."

'Celebi doesn't know. She's not so good at time travel.'

"Please? I'm sure you'll do fine. I have to do this, Celebi."

'Well, okay. Celebi will try.' Celebi closed her eyes tightly and took Lily's hands in hers. Soon the room started to shimmer and change. Then there was just darkness.

That's it for that chapter. If anyone thinks it's stupid, I'm sorry. It was really more like filler material to move the plot along. It's coming along slowly, but it is coming along! I'm doing my best here! Just so people know, whenever Celebi talks, it's in Lily's head because Celebi is a Psychic Pokemon. Please keep in mind when this was written Celebi hadn't appeared in the show or movies yet so I had no idea how it would talk. I'd seen pictures of it, but that was all. I liked the idea of Celebi speaking in third-person so that's what I did. I know some people won't like it, but please be nice when reviewing. I'm really sensitive when it comes to my stories (actually, all the time), and I welcome advice anytime but just please don't be mean, okay? Thank you all for reading and I'll have the next chapter up soon!