'Nurse Joy; can you please take care of my Vulpix?' asked a worried Jessica the nurse at Viridian's Pokémon center.
'Yeah it would be great if you could check my Charmander too,' said Nathan.
'Of course, I'm glad to help. This will take a while so go ahead to the cafeteria and Chansey will deliver your pokémon,' answered Nurse Joy smiling.

Nathan and Jessica went to the cafeteria which was located in the back of the Pokémon center. In the cafeteria, there was a counter which you could order food at. They ordered their food and brought it to a table nearby. They had left Pallet town at noon and they had not taken any breaks to rest or for eating. Now, the time was 5.13 p.m. and they were really hungry. On the way, Vulpix had fought a great first battle with another trainer and his Pidgey. At first, Jessica had been a bit insecure and she did not know which moves to call. But, when the battle came to an end, she and Vulpix pulled it out with luck and a powerful flame thrower.

'I'm so disappointed in myself and my effort today' sighed Jessica.
Nathan saw Jessica's sad face and tried to give her an encouraging smile.
' Come on! It wasn't that bad, and remember it was your first time battling. I'm sure you will do better next time Jess, and besides, you did win!' said Nate supporting.
'Yes, it's just that... it wasn't as easy as I pictured it' Jessica took a bite of her hamburger.
Nate and Jessica sat down on opposite couches with a table in between them. The couches were red and the table was white with black edges.
'It never is. You need to train, train and train to gain experience, just like all of us' said Nate while chewing.
'I guess you're right. But you did so well in your battle! And that was your first battle too,'
'It wasn't really my first battle. I have participated in tournaments with my school and I had a strategy. It is about that too. Having a strategy, you know?'
'Okay, I will make up a strategy for the next time. I did go to school too, but we didn't battle that much. Where did you go to school? '
'Special Battling School,' Nate changed subject really fast 'But Jessica, remember that you can't plan a battle completely... Things could happen that you hadn't seen coming. You need to be able to change your strategy THIS quick' Nate snapped his fingers.
'Okay, I'll keep that in mind, it seems hard though...'
Normally Jessica would get annoyed if someone pointed out what to do or not to do, but this time she didn't get annoyed, for some reason. She really needed help to understand battling.
'You will get better and better at it, some people work better without a strategy' said Nathan and smiled.
'Anyway, I've heard of that school. Isn't that the boarding school that only accept really promising students, or very rich students?' asked Jessica curiously.
'Yeah, I guess...' mumbled Nathan.
Maybe I should change subject... It doesn't seem like he wants to talk about it. Maybe he didn't like the school.
'Nate, I have forgotten to ask. Where do you live?'
'I live in Cerulean City actually, well at most times.'
'Really? Do you want to visit your parents and show them your Charmander like we showed my Vulpix to mine?' They had visited Jessica's parents after they had been at the lab and said a final goodbye.
'Not really... I don't have a good relationship with my parents so I don't feel like it.'
' I'm sorry... I shouldn't have asked,' said Jessica
'Don't worry!' said Nate and tried to smile.
A few trainers entered the room and they had a lively discussion.
'I know water types are the best, it's a fact,' said the guy.
'Oh really...?' the girl with a brown ponytail answered sarcastically. 'I know water types are good, but I wouldn't rely on just one type.'
The guy was quite tall and seemed older than the girl on his side.
'I don't. I have Typhlosion.'
'That's one... We have the same conversation every day, I can't take it.'

They ordered their food at the counter as Jessica and Nate did a while ago. When they were done ordering they turned around to pick a table. All of the tables were taken by at least someone. They said something to each other and closed in on Jessica and Nate.
'Excuse me? Could we sit with you guys?' asked the girl in the ponytail with a concerned face.
Jessica looked on Nate and Nate on her.
'Sure thing, come and sit!' answered Nate with a charming smile.

The girl in the ponytail and the guy whom she had talked to seated down at their table. They introduced themselves as Nicole and Brad. Brad was a little bit older than all of them and he had black hair and grey eyes.

'Where are you guys from?' asked Jessica.
'Ecruteak City, in the Johto region' answered Brad.
' Oh, I have been there with my family, you have the Bell Tower, right?' exploded Nate.
Brad and Nicole looked surprised at Nate and nodded.
' Have you been on your journey for a long time?' continued Nate.
' Mhm, or at least I have. I've competed in the Johto league recently. I came in the top 16 actually'
'That's great work dude!' said Nate with glittering eyes. He was really excited, you could tell. And he acted very different with Brad.
'And I have just started out as a trainer. Well I have been out for like two months but I consider myself as a newbie,' said Nicole.
' Cool' said Nate and gave her a big smile.
Nicole got a bit shy and started to blush a little. She wasn't sure Nate could see it but Jessica knew how girls worked and spotted things like this easily. But Nathan sure was a charmer.

'So what brings you here to Kanto? The Indigo league?' asked Jessica curiously.
'No, we won tickets to a luxury cruise ship to Kanto' explained Nicole excited.
'Yeah we arrived just outside Viridian City and we're headed trough Cerulean and at last Vermillion where the ship is headed to Sinnoh'
'Are you guys really going to Sinnoh?' asked Nathan with big eyes. 'That is like my favorite region!'
'Sounds like you've been there' said Jessica suspiciously.
'If I have!' answered Nathan excited.
'They have the Sinnoh league, and also contests' explained Nicole.
'Contests? What is that?' asked Jessica.
'What? Have you lived in a box for the last years? We do even have them here in Kanto!' exclaimed Nathan surprised.
They all explained to Jessica what it was.
'That sounds amazing, I want to try it sometime' was Jessica's reaction.
'Go to Sinnoh with us then' said Brad seriously.
'Oh... I don't know' she said and looked down.
'It wasn't a question but you should think about it' said Brad and smiled. 'It could get really fun'
'I'm up to it if you are Jess' said Nathan and smiled.
'Let me think about it for a while. I would really like to do that but I would also like to travel through Kanto'
'We can do that at any time, I mean, we should take all the opportunities we get. I could ask my dad for tickets to that boat'
'I can't expect that from you Nathan... It feels wrong'
'Come on! My dad is only going to get happy to ease his conscience by buying me things.'
Jessica looked at him, shocked. Was it that bad?
'If you say so. If he does that, and if he's fine with it, I'm in' answered Jessica and crossed her arms.
'Awesome, high five!' yelled Nate and stretched up his hand high. Jessica complicated herself out of her position and hit his hand a little bit iffy.
Sinnoh.. I mean why not?
'Yeah, what the heck, let's go for it!'