Ri and Billy left the inn early that morning. They stopped by Brock’s Diner for breakfast before touring the rest of Pewter City.
“This is such a big place,” Billy said. Ri nodded as she looked around.
Billy held Nidoran close to him. It smiled as its trainer took it on the grand tour even though it knew nothing about what Billy was talking about. He just watched and smiled. Ri decided to hold Aqua too. And, like Nidoran, the little Horsea enjoyed every bit of scenery.
“I wonder where we should go. I know pokémon trainers travel to different cities to earn badges, but where do pokémon breeders go?” Ri looked frustrated. Billy didn’t know how to cheer her up so he just held out Nidoran to her.
“Look. Nidoran can be so cute!” Nidoran put on a very adorable face and Ri just laughed.
“Thanks Billy. Hmm, what’s this?” There was a sign on a bulletin board. “University of Rosetta?”
“Hey, they teach about pokémon breeding.”
“Hmm, yeah they do. Cool.” Ri read the note further. “Looks like it’s outside of Pallet Town. That’s south of here through the Viridian Forest.”
“A forest. Are there pokémon there too?”
“Yeah. I’ve heard that mostly bug type pokémon live there. And something about a Pikachu trainer.” Ri couldn’t recall the trainer’s name. It had been a while since the legendary Frosterpie mission. Not many remembered it now.
“Ok. Let’s go Ri!”
“Ok, ok. Huh?” Some tall man was now standing next to them. “Move it little girl.”
Billy’s face turned red with anger. “Listen you. Don’t you push around Ri like that.” Ri stepped back and urged Billy to do the same. For a shy boy, Billy did know when to speak up.
“Billy, it’s ok. Don’t.”
“No, the kid thinks he’s a tough guy huh? Let’s see. You have a nice little Nidoran there, Billy was it? How about a little battle to settle our dispute.”
A whistle blew. “Ok, break it up before I arrest you. How dare you raise your voice to those children. People like you should be locked away. What’s wrong with you?” Billy decided now was a good time to step away. Nidoran was equally happy, not being in any mood to battle.
“Sorry officer. It won’t happen again.” The man turned to Billy and Ri. “Hey, I’m really sorry kids. I’ve been having a bad day. I didn’t mean any harm.” He turned away and walked off.
“Ouuu… Hey, what are you kids doing around here anyways? Are you two trainers?”
“Not really m’am. I’m studying to be a pokémon breeder and he’s just with me.”
Jenny knelt down to Ri and spoke close. “Is he your boyfriend?”
“What! Well… Kinda, I guess.” Billy blushed bright red. Nidoran smiled although he hadn’t a clue why he was. Jenny laughed then walked off.
“Hehehe, so you really like me Ri?”
“Well, ya. I do Billy. You are a really cool guy to be around.”
“Umm, thanks.” Ri didn’t know just how much more brighter Billy’s cheeks could get. She simply smiled and tugged Billy’s hand to get him to follow.
“C’mon, you said you wanted to see the forest right?”
“Oh, yeah! I want to see more pokémon.”
“Ok, well, I think it’s this way.”
Another stranger walked up to them. “Excuse me, but are you two headed for that Rosetta University?”
“Yes.”
“Well, you might want to stop by the Indigo Area. The best people who run that place are there cheering for their granddaughter Sarah Jane. I met the girl once, very nice lady.”
“Ok. We’ll do that.”
“Cool, are we going to see The Pokémon League?”
“Yeah. I guess we are. Um, mister, you would’t happen to know the fastest way there would you?”
“There’s a bus leaving for the Indigo Pavilion right now. You can take that. Just ask around when you get there. Someone will direct you to her.”
“Thanks!” Ri and Billy ran as fast as they could to catch the bus.
“WAIT!!!!” The driver opened the doors.
“Get in quick please.” They hopped into an empty seat and the bus drove off towards Indigo Stadium.
The bus arrived at Indigo Plateau. “It’s beautiful!” Ri said. They both got off the bus.
“How do we find the pavilion?”
“Are you looking for the pavilion? It’s just down that road there.”
“Gee, thanks.” Ri and Billy headed down the road the person directed them to.
“This whole place is just for the Pokémon League. That’s so cool.” There were many different pokémon here that Billy of course, but even Ri didn’t recognize.
“I’ve never seen one of those.” A young boy was holding a small bulb-like pokémon. “Excuse me, but what kind of pokémon is that?”
“Hmm, oh, this is an Oddish. Would you like to hold it?”
“May I?” Ri handed Billy Aqua and picked up the Oddish. “Aww, it’s adorable. I have to get myself one of these.”
“I believe if you look hard, you should be able to find some outside of Cerulean City. Are you here for the pokémon league?”
“Not exactly,” Ri said giving Oddish back and taking Aqua from Billy. “We are just looking for a trainer named Sarah Jane. Do you know her?”
“Hmm, name sounds familiar. Try looking in the pavilion, that’s where trainers hang out between battles usually.”
“Ok, thanks!” They continued towards the pavilion asking everyone if they knew where to find this trainer. Finally, one lady directed them to a table.
“See that girl over there. That’s the person you’re looking for.”
“Thank you miss.” Ri and Billy approached the table Sarah was sitting at.
Sarah Jane and Damian sat and listened with amused smiles on their faces as Dr. Eckert played 20 questions with Drake. Jon and Julia both still appeared to be in shock over discovering the Dragonite could talk.
“You don’t seem to be very surprised that Drake can talk,” said Damian.
“I sort of discovered it accidentally.... the first time I was in the hospital,” explained Sarah Jane as she broke up a Pokechow nugget formulated for carnivorous pokémon. It would be a few weeks before Pteryx grew in any teeth, and it would be easier to feed the baby Aerodactyl solid nuggets than pureed baby food when on the road. Under the table, Cuddles and Spunky were tugging and pouncing on their PokeDoll. Suddenly, Spunky kicked the doll out from under the table.
“Hey, what’s this?” asked Billy as he nearly stepped on a Pokedoll. Ri reached down to pick it up, but found it snatched away by a small female Nidoran. Billy’s Nidoran growled. Startled, the female grabbed the pokedoll and ran off.
“Do you think it belongs to anyone?” asked Ri.
“It had a collar,” said Billy.
“We should go after it to make sure it gets back to its trainer,” said Ri.
Billy’s Nidoran struggled briefly, then took off after the smaller one. “Hey, wait! Come back here!”
The female Nidoran ran under a table. Billy’s Nidoran chased it, stopping suddenly when it found itself facing a smaller, snarling male Nidoran. The two faced each other, growling. The female came out from under the table and also growled.
“What are you two up to?” asked Sarah Jane as she tucked Pteryx into her carrier. She looked down and found Cuddles and Spunky growling at a strange Nidoran.
“There you are!” said Billy as he picked up his Nidoran. It continued to struggle in his arms. “Sorry about that.”
“Its ok,” said Sarah Jane as she tried to calm down Cuddles and Spunky. She looked at the two strangers appraisingly.
“I’m Billy, and this is Ri,” said Billy by way of introduction. He tried to get his struggling Nidoran to settle down.
“I’m Sarah Jane. These are my grandparents, Xavier and Lillian Eckert, and my friends Damian, Jon, and Julia. The Dragonite is Drake, and the two troublemakers under the table here are Cuddles and Spunky,” said Sarah Jane as she bent over and fastened leashes on Cuddles and Spunky’s collars.
“Sarah Jane? We were looking for you....” said Ri.
“Oh?” replied Sarah Jane cautiously.
“Yes. A man in Pewter said you might help us find out about the University of Rosetta,” explained Ri.
“I see,” said Sarah Jane, relaxing. “My grandfather is probably the one you would want to speak to. He’s the Dean of Pokémon Studies at Rosetta. Grandpa?” Sarah Jane tugged at her grandfather’s sleeve.
“Hm?” asked Dr. Eckert, turning for a moment from Drake. The Dragonite tried to catch his breath. Dr. Eckert had been asking questions for 15 minutes straight.
“These are Billy and Ri. They were interested in Pokémon studies at the University,” explained Sarah Jane.
“A pleasure to meet you sir,” said Ri. Lillian and Xavier shook hands with the children.
Ri spoke first. “I heard that you teach about pokémon breeding. Well, I’m studying to be a pokémon breeder, but I don’t know where to start really.”
“Well young girl, you’ve certainly come to the right place. My university has classes on pokémon breeding and I know many famous breeders you should meet.”
Billy interjected. “But what’s the fun in breeding when you can battle in these cool games?”
“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong, Billy was it.”
“Huh?”
“You see, Celadon City hosts multiple breeding competitions. It’s really a cool thing to see. Not as publicized as the League Games are, but lots of breeders attend. Breeders work hard all year grooming and raising their pokémon, then, at the competition, judges rate just how good a job they’ve done. And for you Billy, they do have battles.”
“Cool! Umm, but I don’t know anything about battles...”
Ri stepped in. “Billy’s parents don’t approve of pokémon.”
“Don’t approve of it! That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. Pokémon are amazing creatures. And they can help us to grow as individuals by learning from them. I think I should have a word with them some day. But hey, I believe my school can help both of you.”
“Cool! Can you tell us some more about this school of yours.”
“Well... oh, hold on Ri, Christy, over here!”
Christy came up to the group, her hands full of shopping bags. “Hey guys! Here’s a copy of the standings.” She handed Damian, Sarah Jane, Julia, and Jon each a printed sheet.
“Man, they’re starting too soon after the last matches,” said Jon as he looked at the lists. “Looks like you and I are both on the Ice Field,” he said to Sarah Jane. She looked at the starting time for her match, then jumped out of her seat. “Oh no, my match starts in 20 minutes! I need to get my Pokémon from the center!”
“Wha?” began Billy.
“You better go dear,” said Lillian. “We’ll be along soon.”
“Nice to meet you,” Sarah Jane said to Billy and Ri as she grabbed Cuddles and Spunky’s leashes. “I’ll try to talk to you after my match.” Sarah Jane ran off, the two Nidorans following her.
“Sarah Jane, wait! You forgot to leave Cuddles and Spunky!” called Lillian.
“She’ll be okay,” said Dr. Eckert as he grabbed his wife’s arm to keep her from running after Sarah Jane.
“I guess we sort of chose a bad time,” said Ri.
“Nonsense,” said Dr. Eckert. “Why don’t you come and watch the match with us, then we can talk some more.”