Truthfully, Katrina had planned her escape a long time before that final battle, Bolt began. It was pretty much her backup plan, in case she lost the battle.
"Which means, through the years she's been secretly planning her running away without even giving me a hint about anything?" Falkner asked, shocked.
That's right, Bolt answered gravely. Katrina may be cold-hearted, but she is definitely quite intelligent. She knew that you must not know of her plans. That's why she left without warning, so that nobody would have a clue as to where to look for her.
"That… sure was smart of her, I admit," Falkner sighed, shaking his head. "We had no idea of where she had gone, and none of the Officer Jennies could track her down." He shook his head. "How did she evade them, though?"
Using the secret blimp she found in the forest, Bolt answered. She came upon the blimp the night of her escape. It used to belong to the Police, but they abandoned it because it couldn't even catch up to a certain Meowth-shaped hot air balloon. But you know how stupid the Police Force can sometimes be – first of all, the blimp actually had a high-speed setting that they didn't know how to use. And second of all, they had left the door unlocked, so Katrina could easily climb into the blimp and claim it as her own.
Because I did not have the Soul Gem, I knew that speaking would be useless. Therefore, I had listened to the story with my full attention, taking mental notes along the way.
"So let me get this straight," Falkner said. "All this time, my sister has been flying high above the region in a blimp she stole from the police?"
That is correct, Bolt thought. However, Katrina has been doing a lot more than just evading the police. She continued to observe the "Natures" of various wild Pokemon. She also trained her Skarmory and Golbat to be quite powerful, teaching them new moves such as Brave Bird.
"Brave Bird?" Falkner asked. "I've never heard of that move before."
It's… something Katrina… invented, I guess, Bolt thought, shrugging. Well, eventually, she also invented the first of her three special gadgets – the Nature Checker.
My whole body grew tense upon hearing those words. Nature Checker, I thought, frowning. If it weren't for that crazy thing, I would have been able to search for Ash in peace.
"Nature Checker?" Falkner echoed. "What is that?"
Katrina created it by re-programming an ordinary Pokedex, Bolt answered. She manipulated it so that when pointed at a Pokemon, it would provide her with the Pokemon's personality, or nature.
"But how is that possible?" Falkner asked. "Katrina was only fifteen when she ran away, and I don't think a fifteen-year-old would be able to do a complicated job such as re-programming a Pokedex."
Well, first of all, Katrina was quite intelligent for someone her age, Bolt explained. Second of all, she perfected the Nature Checker not overnight, but over the course of almost three years.
"Ah, that makes much more sense," Falkner said, nodding. "What else has she been doing while she was gone?"
A lot of things, Bolt answered. Firstly, Katrina concluded her research on natures, determining that there were twenty-five of them. Secondly, she continued to train her Pokemon, also eventually obtaining a Gyarados and a Charizard. And thirdly, she developed two other gadgets – the electric glove and the electric cage-balls.
I tensed again upon hearing those words, and I shuddered as I recalled the helpless paralysis caused by the evil blue electricity sprouting from Katrina's left index finger, and the painful current that flowed through me whenever I tried to break out of her cold metal cages.
"How did Katrina make them?" Falkner asked.
Well, Bolt answered, she made me use Thunderbolt on an ordinary-looking glove – then she modified it so that it could shoot paralyzing electricity out of its index finger. That's how she developed the electric glove.
The electric cage-balls were stolen from a duo of Pokemon thieves – but back then, the cage-balls were not charged with electricity. Once again, Katrina used my Thunderbolt to infuse the cage-balls with paralyzing electricity.
"And I suppose she developed these gadgets for one purpose – to catch 'good-natured' Pokemon," Falkner said. "I'm correct, right?"
Right, Bolt thought gravely, nodding. Katrina's heart truly turned black – although she had a Dream Team of six Flying-types, she never passed by any opportunity to catch a powerful, good-natured Pokemon, even ones that already belonged to other trainers. She even tried to steal Whitney's Miltank once, almost persuading Whitney to give Miltank's Pokeball to her.
"My sister had the nerve to steal a gym leader's Pokemon?" Falkner asked, horrified.
That is correct.
Falkner did not respond, and I was quite surprised to see a hurt, heartbroken look on the gym leader's face. His shoulders were slumped and his head was down, looking like he was on the verge of tears. Expecting him to break at any moment, I took a deep breath and prepared to provide any comfort I could give him. However, when Falkner finally spoke, he took a deep breath and managed to sit straight up, albeit with great difficulty.
"I… I… I don't get why my very own sister would become such a horrible person," he said softly, his voice shaking and uncharacteristically high-pitched. "I remember when I was five and Katrina was ten, we were great friends. We used to pretend that we were fearless explorers of the Land of Aaa…" Falkner shook his head and sighed. "How did she change so much? Sure, Katrina never felt as close to Pokemon as I did, but at least she had a fun personality… how did she let it disappear?"
Bolt took a deep breath. Jealousy, she answered slowly. Katrina let her poisonous jealousy for you take over her heart, until all she cared about was becoming stronger than you. Bolt paused. But it's not your fault that Katrina became the person she is. She just didn't realize the reason why you always received more praise than her.
Falkner nodded. "I just wish that I could have stopped her from changing," he sighed. "But now, my sister has become so cruel and powerful that it's too late…"
My impulses kicked in before I realized that Falkner couldn't understand my words. "No, it's not too late!" I exclaimed. "It's never too late to be a hero and stand up for what's right!"
Thunder's right, Bolt thought, translating. She said that it's never too late to stand up against evil and fight for what's right – which is true, very true. In fact, you will soon have an opportunity to show your sister that believing in your Pokemon will always win.
Falkner and I both tensed. "What do you mean?" Falkner asked.
Bolt took a deep breath. Katrina has a plan, she thought, and that plan is to perfect her Pokemon team before taking on the Pokemon League challenge. With her powerful, good-natured Pokemon, she's going to battle eight gym leaders, collect eight badges, and maybe win the Pokemon League Tournament. She paused, and when I heard her voice again, it was a quiet, serious one. For her final badge, Bolt thought, Katrina is going to battle you, Falkner.
"What?" Falkner exclaimed, shocked. "But people usually battle me for their first badge… and why does my sister want to battle me so badly?" His voice grew softer. "It's to get revenge, right?"
That's more or less it, Bolt thought. You proved to be stronger than her three years ago, and Katrina couldn't stand the thought of being weaker than her younger brother. Winning against you would prove to her that she and her strategies are superior. And it would also mean payback for the three years of your fame and her obscurity.
"So my sister will eventually come here and battle me for her final showdown before the Pokemon League," Falkner said softly, closing his eyes. "If I win, I will show her the true meaning of Pokemon battling, and maybe she will treat her Pokemon like friends. But if I lose…" Falkner sighed. "I'm not sure if I can win this battle. To tell you the truth, I'm really nervous, because I'm honestly not sure exactly how powerful my sister's Pokemon are."
Don't worry, Falkner, Bolt thought. You have plenty of time to prepare for your battle against Katrina – she's two good-natured Pokemon away from a perfect team, and it will take her at least a month for her to obtain seven badges, even with that blimp of hers. And by that time, Lightning, your Pidgeot, would definitely have come back.
Falkner nodded. "We're all going to have to train extra hard," he said determinedly, clenching his hand into a fist. "Katrina can't get away with her deeds, and it's up to us to show her what's right." He turned to Bolt. "Bolt, you'll help me, right?"
Right, Bolt thought, nodding. I'll help you give it all you've got, Falkner. After all, it takes a lot of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends.
"Thanks," Falkner said, smiling. He turned to me. "How about you, Thunder? Oh wait, you need that… necklace thing." He turned back to Bolt. "Bolt, would you mind if I gave Thunder's necklace back to her?"
Not at all, Bolt thought as Falkner removed her Soul Gem necklace and hung it around my neck. I smiled, for the beautiful pink jewel felt comfortably warm against my chest.
Falkner turned to me again. "Thunder," he said softly, "will you help me in my battle against Katrina? I understand that you're in the middle of your search for Ash, but… I'm not sure exactly how strong my sister will be, so I'd appreciate all the help I can get. Don't think I'm forcing you to help me, Thunder. If you want to keep on looking for your trainer, by all means continue your search. It's your choice."
I closed my eyes and sighed. Yes, my quest for Ash was important – he broke the promise he made to me, and I didn't want to get distracted from my goal of finding him. But at the same time, I knew that I couldn't leave Falkner behind. He needed my help desperately, and leaving Violet City would also mean perhaps never seeing Lightning again. I shuddered at the thought.
I'm staying, Falkner, I thought determinedly. You need my help more than I need to find Ash. And – and I need Lightning… it's going to be really, really hard to continue my quest without him.
Falkner nodded and stroked my plumes comfortingly. "Thank you," he said softly. "Thunder, thank you so much for your decision to stay here, and I promise I won't let you down."
No problem, I thought, when I realized that the Soul Gem was suddenly feeling even warmer against my chest. Looking down, I saw that the pink jewel was emanating a soft white light, and I suddenly remembered another important topic I had to discuss with Falkner about.
Falkner, I thought, there's something else I need to talk with you about. I turned to Bolt. Sorry, Bolt, but this discussion would be less awkward if only Falkner and I participated in it. Not that I don't trust you, Bolt… it's just that the topic is serious and I'd like to keep our discussion private.
"I understand," Bolt said, nodding. She looked around. "Is there anywhere I can go while you two talk?"
Bolt's asking if there's anywhere she can go during our discussion, I translated.
"Oh, okay," Falkner said, turning to Bolt. "Bolt, I'll take you to the indoor forest. It's pretty big, so it's sure to keep you busy. Come on." With that, he walked towards the elevator at the end of the battlefield, with Bolt trailing at his heels.
As Falkner and Bolt disappeared behind the sliding elevator doors, I gazed up at the cloud-dotted blue morning sky and sighed.
"I'm not sure if I should be doing this," I said out loud, talking to myself. "Janine didn't really seem to want anything to do with Falkner anymore, and… how am I supposed to tell Falkner about Janine without making him angry and uncomfortable?" I shook my head. "Should I leave Falkner and Janine alone, or should I try to get them back together? I'm not sure…"
I sighed again, staring intently at the fluffy white clouds as if they contained the answers to my questions. My mind was still completely blank, however, when I heard Falkner's voice slice through my quiet thoughts.
"Thunder?" Falkner asked softly. "You said that we needed to talk."
I gulped and turned to see that Falkner was sitting next to me, waiting patiently for me to speak. I took a deep breath, hoping that this talk would end well, and began.
Falkner, I thought, when I started my journey with Lightning, I merely thought of him as a friend and nothing more. But as our journey progressed, I began to realize that Lightning wanted to be more than just friends with me… he loved me and wanted me to be his mate. I saw the signs, and I slowly began to realize what he felt for me.
Falkner stroked my plumes gently, his fingers feeling soft and gentle as they ran through my feathers. "Did you… did you love Lightning back?" he asked softly.
For a long time… no, I admitted. I thought he was brave and handsome, but at the same time, I tried to push away my feelings for him because I thought that we could never be together. I told myself that my home was with Ash and Lightning's home was Violet City, so I thought we could never be together.
Falkner did not respond, and when I saw him frowning and staring intently at the beautiful Soul Gem that was hanging around my neck, I knew that what I said had made him think of Janine. Taking a deep breath, I continued.
But I had two helpers, I thought. The first one was Celebi –
"Celebi?" Falkner interrupted, his voice full of both interest and disbelief. "Isn't that Pokemon the legendary Guardian of the Forest?"
Right, I answered. I met Celebi in Ilex Forest, and after it observed the interactions between Lightning and I, it decided to have a talk with me. Celebi told me that it had a fateful adventure with Ash before, and from that adventure it learned something: true friendship can stand the tests of time and space.
"True friendship… can stand the test of space?" Falkner repeated quietly, looking confused.
Right, I said firmly. Suddenly, a revelation struck me, and I couldn't hold back my words. Love is a very powerful force, and nothing can break it, not even time and space. Separation destroys weak loves and fuels strong ones, just like how a gentle breeze blows out a candle and ignites a bonfire.
Falkner stared at me in amazement. "That's… so true," he said softly. "I… never knew that you were so philosophical, Thunder."
I shrugged. I just had a revelation, I thought, but what I said is based upon the lessons I learned from Celebi and another very special individual.
Falkner paused, and for a while I was not sure whether or not he would speak. But then, with a sigh, he said, "It's Janine, right?"
Yes… yes, I did meet Janine during my journey, I thought, quite taken aback by Falkner's reaction. But… how did you know?
"That necklace you're wearing… it used to be Janine's," Falkner explained. "I… gave it to her on her thirteenth birthday…" He paused and stared at me with a serious expression on his face. "Thunder, do you promise not to tell anyone what I'm about to tell you?"
I promise, I thought sincerely, shaking with anticipation. Was Falkner going to tell me what happened with him and Janine?
"Thank you," Falkner sighed. When he spoke again, his voice was even quieter and more serious than before. "Okay, I admit it – I do like Janine a lot. We've been friends since we were four, but as we grew older we both began to want to be more than just friends with each other… Thunder, I think I made the same mistake with Janine as you made with Lightning."
Yes, I thought. I know. Janine told me that you told her that you two could never be together because your home was Violet City and her home was Fuchsia City.
"That's right," Falkner sighed. "I still thought that Janine was cute and all – I still do. I tried to explain to her my feelings, and I definitely didn't want to make her feel lonely and rejected… I knew that I had broken her heart, but I thought I couldn't do anything about it."
Falkner, I thought, you really need to stop thinking that you can't do anything about a problem. Realizing that I had sounded a little harsh, I added, Yes, Janine still does feel bitter about you, but that doesn't mean that it's too late to talk to her. In fact, when she talked to me, she still seemed to have some feelings or you… she tried to hide them from me, but she didn't hide them well.
"Really?" Falkner asked. "I suppose talking to Janine is worth a shot, but it's been a long time since I last saw her… I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm scared."
I understand, I thought, giving him a comforting pat on the back with my wing. Love can be a very complicated feeling, but if you just be brave and follow your heart, everything will turn out fine.
"Everything will turn out just fine," Falkner repeated, looking more confident now. He stood up and smiled. "I'm going to be brave and talk to Janine." But then he frowned. "But what about Katrina? Fuchsia City is very far away, and I'm not sure if I can get there and back within a month…"
You can always use Starlight's Teleport, I thought. With Teleport, you can get there and back in a matter of seconds.
"Now, why didn't I think of that?" Falkner asked, smiling. "Thunder, you sure are smart for a Pokemon."
Eh, it just comes from being a Flock Leader, I guess, I thought casually. So, Falkner, when are you leaving for Fuchsia City?
"Tonight," Falkner said determinedly. "I'm going to need as much time as possible to prepare for a battle as serious as my showdown against my sister."
The soothing white moonlight washed over the artificial but realistic trees and shrubs of the indoor forest, flooding the room with a comforting glow. I perched on the highest branch of the tallest tree, gazing down at the leafy treetops below as Bolt curled up comfortably at the bottom of the tree, sleeping soundly.
It was night, and a blanket of silence engulfed Violet Gym. Falkner was gone – he had left for Janine shortly after dinner. Thought everything was peaceful, I couldn't sleep at all, for someone was missing: Lightning.
"I hope he's all right," I said quietly to myself. Although Falkner had used his tracking device to show me that Lightning was safely on the way back to Violet City, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry. Would Lightning find enough lakes to fish out of? And what if he encountered another ferocious Gyarados or, worse yet, Nature Hunter K?
And what has become of my quest for Ash? I asked myself. I didn't plan on helping Falkner when I began my journey…
"Ooooooooooooo Ohhhhhhhhhh Aaaaaaaa…."
My feathers prickled with excitement and I gasped in sheer delight and wonder as I raised my head upon hearing that beautiful-sounding call. That sound I had heard – it could only mean one thing: Articuno, the majestic, shimmering legendary bird I had seen at the beginning of my journey, had returned.
There it was: flying slowly and gracefully towards the full moon, its beautiful blue feathers shining like diamonds and crystals, its graceful wings flapping every once in a while, and its long, flowing tail trailing behind its body. I watched with enchanted awe and amazement as the legendary bird flew on, leaving a trail of glittering sparkles in its wake.
"Please, Articuno, grant me this one with I have," I whispered as it grew smaller and smaller in the distance. "I wish that I will eventually find the trainer with whom I really belong."
To be continued…