The bushes rustled next to him and Zander jumped in fear as a wild Pidgeotto sprung from its hiding place and flapped its wings menacingly. Quick as he could, Zander took the familiar Ultra Ball from his belt and sent out his Raichu. The orange hair on the mouse-like creature's back bristled and its tail swung around, trailing static as it moved.

"Raichu! Use shockwave!" Zander yelled, and the Raichu curled up slightly. When it stretched out half a second later it released an electric blast from its cheeks that struck the Pidgeotto hard. The large bird fell back and shook its head. It furrowed its eyes and Zander saw it start to lift its wings, obviously preparing to blow the Raichu away with a gust of wind.

But before it could start flapping, Zander commanded his Raichu to hit it with a thunder wave. The Raichu used this useful move to paralyze the Pidgeotto. The bird looked even angrier when it realized it could no longer move.

"A bird pokemon would be useful." Zander thought to himself. Having one would mean he could fly to the various towns in the Kanto region where he currently lived, instead of taking the time to walk. He had been waiting for a Farfetch'd to come along but a Pidgeotto wouldn't be too bad either, especially because with enough training he could evolve it into a Pidgeot, one of the best flying types a trainer could get in Kanto.

As the Pidgeotto crouched on the ground unable to move, Zander reached into his bag and pulled out a spare Great Ball. He felt the Pidgeotto was weak enough at this point to be caught with a less power pokeball...and he was right. After he threw it and the Pidgeotto was sucked inside it, the ball rolled three times on the ground and stopped. Zander waited a minute to see if the pokemon would break free but it was secured. He had himself a pokemon that could learn the ever useful "Fly" move.

Having already obtained the Hidden Machine to teach "Fly" from his friend and neighbor May back in the Hoenn region, Zander reached into his bag and pulled out the small disk. He touched it to the Great Ball and the HM lit up as it activated. When it stopped glowing after a minute, the trainer knew it had been successful.

He touched the button on the pokeball to send out his new Pidgeotto. It came out looking a little flustered. Zander knew it would take time for the pokemon to trust him completely, but he had become a good enough trainer over the years that he knew that the Pidgeotto would follow his commands in battle and on the field. Zander approached it. The bird looked down at him a little skeptically but the trainer continued moving closer. When he was close enough he reached out to stroke its beak and the Pidgeotto let him, just as Zander knew it would. Pokemon seemed to act a bit differently once they were caught, which was first noticed by the famous Professor Oak of Pallet Town here in Kanto.

Having an urge to go see the Professor to get his Pokedex evaluated, Zander climbed on top of his new friend's back.

"Off to Pallet Town." Zander told it. "I'm sure you know the way." And indeed the Pidgeotto did. As the Pidgeotto flew up high, Zander could see Celedon City behind him. The pokemon flew southwest to get to get the small town and Zander was able to relax as the landscape below him flew by...