Once again wonderful story!

Almost read like a genre work in a weird way, albeit a good one. Strangely classic.

Woop! First story you've written that came up in my Submission folder. It is nice to not have to go on the hunt for your work.

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Something very special I notice in what you write is a set formula that ensures the entire story flows perfectly from start-to-finish. There is a degree of variance, but your introductions always draw me in while the endings remind me of what you had intended to teach throughout the entirity of the tale.

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It was most endearing in how you had Penelope befriend Lightning. The story reminds me a lot of something I have put a lot of thought into over the past decade. This being how we are taught to be nice and caring to others when we are tots, but gradually discouraged from this as we grow up and reach adulthood. The irony is how it is those, like Mary and Audrey, who share and enforce these concepts and that they, obviously, are adults.

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I've wanted to be a Children's Book Writer for a long time. This has gotten me to watch and read a lot of tween and pre-tween shows. (My most recent discovery of inspiration being Disney Jr.'s T.O.T.S..).

What such media shows is high levels of love, tolerance, understanding, and other values that seem to be lost in content that one is expected to intake as they mature from Preschoo., Elementary / Primary School, Middle School / Jr. High, and High School. However, the paradox is that Preschoolers are not the ones who write, animate, produce, manufacture, distribute, etc. such content. It is done by grown-ups that, truly, I do wonder how many involved in such works cannot help but feel sad knowing that there efforts to teach healthy core values will be mocked and overruled by expectations of 'The world is a dark place and it is everybody for themselves'.

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Back to the story, I liked the character growth of Lightning. Something he thought was a disadvantage and reason to feel mocked was found to be a means to see that, despite his size, he is still someone worthy of friendship and should feel more pride in what he is over shame for not being like other PIKACHU.

PLUSLE / Penelope is the perfect example of a child who is raised with strong core values. It can only be hoped that, with time, she is able to retain her warm heart and pension for kindness. All too often those with the warmest hearts end up being driven to depression by those who embrace violence, bullying, and the desire to 'fit in'. Sadly, as they know that 'fitting in' through giving into the same negative behaviors of their peers ultimately results in a lot of internal conflict, insecurity, and self-esteem issues over the course of time.

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I'd like to think that this story has a bit of a follow-up where, from time-to-time, Lightning pops himself into that little town to check up on Penelope. One day, he may even help bring her into the guild through teaching her all he knows and has learned so she can be a true asset to any Rescue Team.