by Frosterfree and Time Lady
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 not what anything
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
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
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 maim. 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 happen to know the fasted 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. No 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
ridicules 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.
“My match is in 20 minutes! I have to get my Pokémon
from the center!”
“You better go dear,” said Lillian. “We’ll
be along soon.”
“Nice to meet you,” Sarah Jane said 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.”
To Be Continued…