"Thunder", Celebi inquired once we were out of Lightning's sight, "Why are you traveling with Lightning if all you're going to do is argue with him?"

I sighed angrily. "I don't know," I groaned. "He's the most intolerable, insufferable Pokemon I've ever met. He's so overconfident – just like Ash Ketchum – but Ash has the optimism and guts to make up for his stupidity."

"Ash Ketchum?" Celebi asked with excitement. "I've met a trainer named Ash before! It was a very complicated occurrence though, and I prefer not to talk about it."

"That's okay," I said respectfully. "But you've met Ash before? I used to be Ash's Pokemon!" I sighed sadly. "He released me in the Viridian Forest more than a year ago, though. He promised he'd come back… but he hasn't come back so far. That's why I'm on a journey with Lightning to find Ash and ask him why he never came back for me."

Celebi nodded. "But all you ever do with Lightning is argue with him…" It gazed up at the dense treetops of the forest. "You know, they say that when two people – or Pokemon – argue, they really care about each other."

I gasped. I had heard that saying before: from Willow the Butterfree, back in the Azalea Town gym. When Willow had said that, I had kept my thoughts and feelings to myself pretty well. Now, however, all the thoughts that had been stored inside me since then came tumbling out, as unstoppable as a swarm of Beedrill.

"No!" I screamed. "Lightning and I can't be mates! We just can't!" I kicked a small rock on the ground. "That's what you mean, right?"

Celebi nodded. "Why can't you and Lightning be mates?" it asked gently.

I narrowed my eyes. "I'm currently on a journey to find Ash Ketchum, not a mate," I spat. "I've never wanted a mate for my whole entire life, by the way. I've always been independent, fending for myself just fine. When I became Flock Leader, I decided to devote all of my energy to protect the flock – which, of course, left no time at all for mates and families."

"Why did you do that?" Celebi asked. "Just because you're Flock Leader doesn't mean you can't have a mate." The small green Pokemon giggled softly. "You know, I think Lightning really likes you."

I felt my face turn hot. "How are you supposed to know anything about how Lightning feels?" I asked angrily. "Can I trust what you say, or are you just guessing?"

Celebi giggled. "Of course I'm not guessing, Thunder," it said softly. "I am legendary and Psychic, after all. Sure, I am no Gardevoir, but love is a very strong feeling. Even a weaker Psychic-type like Natu can detect it, and Lighting's feelings for you are very strong."

I sighed. Suddenly, all of my anger flowed out of me, while a new feeling of helplessness engulfed my body and soul. "All right. I admit it," I said helplessly, staring at my feet. "I do think that Lightning really, really likes me. And – oh, why am I saying this? – Lightning does look kind of handsome."

"Oh, really?" Celebi gushed. It smiled broadly and twirled around a few times in the air. Landing on my shoulder, it suggested, "Why don't you tell him how you feel?"

I shook my head. "No matter how handsome Lightning may be, he cannot be my mate," I insisted, trying to cover the hurt that was welling up inside of me. "Lightning belongs to Falkner of Violet City in Johto. And hopefully, I will belong to Ash Ketchum, my former trainer. I don't even know where Ash is! He could be in that faraway land of Ho-ann, or even places I don't know of. However, if I do find Ash, Lightning will have to go back to Falkner, and we won't ever see each other again." I held my head up. "So that's why, no matter what, Lightning and I can never, ever become mates."

Celebi sighed and fluttered off my shoulder and to the ground. "Thunder", it said wisely, "When I met Ash, I learned something important: True friendships can withstand the test of time. I guess you can also say that true love can withstand the test of space… do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

"No," I grumbled. "How is love like friendship? And how is space like time?" I turned away from Celebi. "Why should I even listen to your advice? What do you know about love?"

Celebi fluttered in front of my face. "First of all, love is like friendship – a warmer, stronger friendship," it explained patiently. "Space is like time; both are powerful forces that can threaten to tear apart a close bond between two individuals." It closed its eyes, breathing deeply. "But if the bond is strong enough, it can overcome the forces of space and time. Oh, Thunder… please tell Lightning how you really feel about him. He needs to know that he is loved."

I stamped my foot. "I never said that I'm in love with Lightning!" I snapped, embarrassed. "I just said that he looks kind of handsome." I shook my head. What was I thinking? I was supposed to be looking for Ash Ketchum, not talking with a legendary Pokemon about the forbidden subject of love! "I don't love Lightning," I said coldly. "I'm not supposed to be doing this. I'm supposed to be looking for Ash." I turned away, getting ready to leave.

Celebi sighed. "If you don't want love, then that's fine with me. It's you who's getting hurt, not me." It fluttered towards the treetops, its spirits dampened.. "But Thunder, please think about what I said. Don't be afraid of telling Lightning what you feel." With that, the small legendary Pokemon flew through the treetops, disappearing from sight.

I watched the thick, green treetops for a while, uncertain of what to do. Finally, I growled and shook my head. "Lightning can be a friend, but nothing more," I told myself firmly. Without any further ado, I launched into the air and flew back to where I had left Lightning earlier.

~~~~Alternative Point of View:~~~~
~~~Lightning~~~

I sighed as I watched Thunder fly away with Celebi. Why would a legendary Pokemon want to talk to her? I wondered. Is it about me? But how is Celebi supposed to know what I feel about Thunder?

My gaze fell upon a nearby flower bud, and I turned to admire its seeming innocence and hidden beauty. Thunder's like a flower bud, I thought warmly. She isn't very remarkable on the outside, but she's beautiful and wonderful on the inside.

I shook my head, feeling silly and girly. I'd never had such tender thoughts for someone before, but Thunder was different. I sighed as I thought of her, my adamant but lovably smart traveling companion. Sure, she could be stubborn and self-centered at times, but I admired her strong and feisty personality. Thunder wasn't the most gorgeous Flying-type Pokemon I'd ever laid my eyes on, but there was something about her that made her special – her remarkable intelligence. Thunder learned quickly, considering how quickly she'd learned her berry lessons at the Azalea Town gym. In just a few days, she had learned the names, properties, and uses of every single berry in the Pokemon World. She could also read maps! To me, maps were just pointless, incomprehensible pictures. Sighing, I wondered how Thunder got all her amazing smarts.

She's a good friend, too, I thought longingly, but I wish she were more than just a friend.

I trembled a little. The thought of telling Thunder how I felt about her drained all the courage out of my soul. I shouldn't be scared! I thought angrily. I'm supposed to have a Brave nature! I can defeat a Tyranitar and fly through a snowstorm! Falkner's parting words echoed in my mind: "Nothing can break a bird Pokemon's wings…"

"If that's true, then why am I so scared of talking to Thunder?" I grumbled. I shook my head and launched into the air. I'll get my stomach full first, I thought, suddenly realizing how hungry I was. I'll think about Thunder later.

A movement in a nearby patch of grass caught my attention; turning, I spotted a small Caterpie, wriggling through the verdant grass. My first reaction was to scream and run away: after all, it was a creepy, crawly bug!

Then I got a better idea: Why don't I catch it? I thought suddenly. That would make Thunder very proud of me!

I puffed up my chest, trying to ignore my fear. Hovering in the air, I searched my brain for the memory of how to hunt – after all, it had been a long, long time since the elders of my flock taught me how to hunt Magikarp.

"Approach from the front of the Magikarp, because its eyes on the sides of its head prevent it from seeing straight ahead," the elders had advised. "As long as the Magikarp is under the water, it won't see you, unless your shadow in on the water. Dive quickly and use your clawed feet to grasp the Magikarp on the head. That way, it'll die instantly and won't suddenly evolve into a fearsome, dangerous Gyarados."

"Sounds simple enough," I chirped proudly, and quietly glided to the front of the Caterpie. Taking a deep breath, I folded my wings and dived, extending my clawed feet as they brushed against the grass. The next step would be to just grasp the Caterpie on the head without looking back and losing my balance…

Unfortunately, the Caterpie looked up just in time to see me diving at it with my claws extended. Silently and unexpectedly, a long, sticky, white string shot like a bolt of lightning out of the Caterpie's mouth. Gasping, I flapped my wings, trying to dodge it. I somehow wasn't fast enough though, and the sticky String Shot wound itself tightly around my legs and bound them together.

"Ack!" I cried, instinctively plucking at the threads with my beak. No longer streamlined, I lost my balance, my back hitting the ground with a painful thud. I flapped my wings desperately, trying to somehow get back into the air, but the Caterpie had slithered away and disappeared into the tall grass.

Before I had any time to feel ashamed of myself, a light giggle sounded from behind me. "Nice landing, Lightning."

I jumped to my bound-together feet, my back aching, and managed to turn around. Thunder stood there, apparently trying very hard not to laugh.

"Where did you learn how to hunt like that?" she asked between giggles. "Don't you know that Bug Pokemon can see you if you approach them from the front?"

My face turned hot with embarrassment. What had I just done? I had disgraced myself in front of Thunder, the worst Pokemon to disgrace myself in front of. "Well, that's how you hunt Magikarp," I explained. "You have to grasp them on the head to kill them quickly so that they won't suddenly evolve into Gyarados."

"Oh, I see," Thunder said, understanding. "But with Bug Pokemon, you have to approach them from behind or they'll see you and attack."

"Totally," I groaned. I plucked at the sticky strands wrapped around my feet. "As you see, a humble little Caterpie just defeated a powerful Pidgeot."

"Here, let me take a look at the String Shot," Thunder offered. I nodded gratefully as Thunder carefully examined the tightly wound strands. She plucked one of the strands and shook her head.

"It's pretty tight," she said. "I think I'll need something sharper." She looked down at her clawed feet, lifted one of them, and flexed it. "Don't move, Lightning. Let me try this."

I nodded and tensed as Thunder's clawed feet tried to slice through the String Shot. The strands held tight, however, and Thunder stamped her foot. "It's no use," she groaned. "It's hard to balance on one foot and cut the String Shot with the other foot."

"What do I do then?" I asked, frustrated. "I can't fly properly or hunt if my legs are tied together like this!"

"Why were you hunting Bug Pokemon, anyways?" Thunder asked suddenly. "I thought you were horribly scared of them."

I looked down at my feet. "You see, um, I just figured that there isn't always a lake nearby, so I have to learn how to hunt bugs," I said quickly, concealing my true reason. I couldn't possibly tell Thunder what I felt about her now, after how I'd failed so badly at catching a Caterpie. I looked at Thunder, trying hard not to blush. "I don't like being afraid of things, so I have to conquer my fear of Bug Pokemon."

Thunder looked away. "I'm going to catch a Weedle," she said abruptly. "It'll break the strands around your feet." With that, she flew away.

I sighed. Why did Thunder turn so abrupt all of a sudden? For some strange reason, she didn't care that I was trying to conquer my fear. I didn't have any more time to think however; in just a few moments, she was back, with a fat, brown Weedle dangling from her beak.

"How did you catch that Weedle so quickly?" I asked, amazed.

"I just got lucky," Thunder explained, her speech muffled by the Weedle. "I ran into a Weedle just seconds after I left." She began rubbing the Weedle's big stinger on a nearby tree trunk.

"Why are you rubbing the Weedle's stinger on a tree trunk?" I asked curiously.

"To get rid of the poison," Thunder explained. "The Weedle's poison flows into the tree bark, making the bug safe to eat." She dropped the Weedle to her feet. "It's just a technique I came up with soon after I joined my flock."

"That's a very smart idea," I complimented, once again amazed by Thunder's intelligence. "I used to think that only Fearow, with their tough stomachs, could manage to make meals out of Weedle."

"Not anymore," Thunder said proudly. She picked up the Weedle by its lower end and hopped towards me. "Another technique I came up with is this," she said. Using the Weedle's tail stinger, she cleanly sliced through the String Shot, one sticky strand at a time. The strands fell to the ground, and I sighed with relief as I flexed my clawed feet.

"Thanks so much, Thunder," I sighed gratefully. "I never knew that Weedle could be used like that. I thought they were just food."

"They are food!" Thunder exclaimed, dropping the Weedle on the ground. "The cool thing about Weedle is that they can be made into good meals after you use them as tools" She nudged the bug towards me. "Why don't we share this Weedle? That's what good friends did, back in the flock."

I tensed. Thunder had emphasized the word "friends". What did this mean? Then I had a horrible thought: What if Thunder only wants to be friends with me, and nothing else? Does she know what I feel about her? Does she…

"Aren't you going to eat, Lightning?" Thunder asked suddenly, interrupting my thoughts. "You know, Bug Pokemon don't taste that bad."

"Um, sure I'm going to eat," I stammered, tentatively taking a bite out of the Weedle. To my surprise, the bug didn't taste very bad at all. It did taste a bit like the Bug Pokemon food from the Azalea Town gym, but richer and meatier.

"You're right, Thunder; it doesn't taste bad at all," I said after the quick meal. "I guess I was wrong to be so scared of Bug Pokemon."

Thunder nodded and stretched her wings. "Perhaps aquatic Pokemon don't taste very bad, either," she said. She rose into the air. "Come on; let's hit the road again." With that, she darted through the treetops and disappeared from sight.

I sighed, with no choice but to follow her. Oh, Thunder, I thought miserably, how can I make you understand what I feel about you?

To be continued…

~~~~Alternative Point of View~~~~
~~~End~~~