To Catch a Pokémon

The tall grass swayed in the wind. A line of movement ran across the top of it, creating an effect that would've been really nice if you were looking at the grass from a low-flying plane, or perhaps a low-flying Pokémon.

Polo treaded his way through the thick grass, grumbling quietly as he went. Dimitri walked behind him, throwing Razor Leaves from the leaf on his head to cut himself a pathway through. Polo kept thinking he saw movement; at any moment, he knew a wild Pokémon could jump out, blocking his path and engaging him in battle.

Kyle strode confidently, about five metres or so ahead of Polo and Dimitri, taking deep breaths as he look across the landscape contently.

"Uh, excuse me," Desmond shouted out to Kyle. The wind was picking up, and even the sounds of his Chikorita were becoming hard to hear.

"Excuse me!" Desmond said again. "Kyle!"

Kyle, obviously not hearing Desmond's cries, spread his arms out wide, his red coat's sleeves lightly flapping the wind. Kyle was a young man, maybe twenty-five or thirty, and a close cut crop of black hair. He wore clothes similar to many people like him who called themselves "ace trainers": a red jacket with a black long-sleeved shirt underneath, and tight black tracksuit pants tucked into big red boots. It seemed like a ridiculous get up, but on someone like him, it looked almost natural.

Polo eventually made his way through the tall grass, and him and Dimitri stood next to Kyle.

Kyle took a deep breath, then exhaled, lowering his arms as he did it.

"Pokémon," he said slowly. "Is a state of mind."

Polo felt like laughing, but he stopped himself out of politeness.

Kyle turned to Polo. "You probably had an urge to laugh there. But I'm serious. When you are battling a Pokémon, you're not always going to have time to check your Pokédex for their strengths and weaknesses, and ask it what moves you should use. Sometimes, you're going to just go on the knowledge you know. And to access the knowledge, and use to its best, you're going to have to go into another state of mind.

"To achieve total "Pokémania", as I call it, you'll have to memorise all the types, and all their strengths and weaknesses, then be able to use them in battle in an instant. You also have to remember what strengths and weakness your Pokémon have, plus the moves they have that will be the most powerful against the opposing Pokémon. Same type attack bonus, critical hits, status ailments, these are all things you'll need to learn about.

"Only the greatest Pokémon trainers will ever achieve this state. When you're in the Elite Four, you don't have time to pull out your Pokédex and compile information on your opponent. If you try to do this, trainers like Lance will have their Pokémon knocking yours out before the Pokédex can even decide what move would best be used in the situation. The Pokédex is like a set of training wheels; you can't rely on them to balance you forever. One day you'll have to learn how to balance yourself."

Kyle went silent again. The wind continued to rush across the tall grass. A hundred metres or so away, Polo saw a cave, one he remembered from his trip to Violet City. On diagonals from the cave, two lines of trees blocked what was past the tall grass and Routes 30 and 31. Slightly to Polo's left, there was a small lake; he could spy Water Pokémon swimming around in the depths.

"Your first challenge, Polo," Kyle said, breaking Polo's thoughts. "Is to catch me a Bellsprout."

"A… Bellsprout?" Polo said, slightly bemused. "Like the ones in Sprout Tower?"

"Yes, a Bellsprout."

"But, sir," Polo said, trying to be polite. "Why would you want a Bellsprout?"

"I don't want a Bellsprout, Polo," Kyle said, slightly annoyed. "I want you to catch one. It is a challenge. If you can track down and catch a Bellsprout, I will help you win your Gym Battle against Falkner. Now, get on your way. I presume you have Poké Balls?"

"Yes," Polo said. "Alright, I'll try my best."

He began to boot his Pokédex up, trying to find the page on Bellsprout.

"Polo!" Kyle said harshly. "Give me your Pokédex!"

"What?" Polo said, taken aback.

"Give me your Pokédex! To find a Bellsprout the real way, you must wander around until one appears, and then learn what moves will weaken it enough to catch it. If you make it faint, you learn from your mistake. The old fashioned way. No technology, or no help."

Polo sighed. "Alright."

He handed the Pokédex to Kyle.

"I will be sitting here," the Ace Trainer said, seating himself in the long grass. "Please return when you have caught a Bellsprout."

"Alright," Polo said. "See you later."

"How do I find a Bellsprout?" Polo wondered out loud.

He had been walking around the tall grass for twenty minutes, and all that appeared were two Pidgey and a Weedle. Just for the sake of it, he'd weakened the Weedle with Dimitri's Tackle attack and caught it.

Polo and Dimitri kept wandering about. Polo pushed tall grass out of his way, just in time to see something move behind a small patch of thicker grass just to his left.

"Dimitri!" he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. "I think I've seen something!"

"Chii!" Dimitri cried softly, interested.

The two crept forward slowly, making sure not to make too much noise or to move too much of the grass surrounding it.

Polo looked around the corner.

"Belllllllll!"

Something jumped right onto Polo. Yelling with surprise, Polo smacked the thing off his head. The thing, a Pokémon, fell to the ground in front of Polo and Dimitri.

"A Bellsprout!" Dimitri said excitedly. "Come on, Dimitri! Use your Razor Leaf!"

Dimitri cried cheerfully, then shot a cloud of razor-sharp leaves at the Flower Pokémon. The Bellsprout threw out a vine, knocking most of the leaves away harmlessly. The rest hit it, but to little effect.

"Hmm," Polo said. "I wonder why that didn't hurt it. What was its type again? Was it Poison? Grass-Poison? It looks like it has little wings, I guess it could be part Flying-type."

The Bellsprout lashed out at Polo's Chikorita with long vines, whipping at the Pokémon's legs, tripping it over.

"Dimitri!" Polo said. "Well, I guess Grass moves aren't going to hurt it. Come back, Dimitri!"

Holding out a Poké Ball, Polo withdrew his Chikorita from the battle.

"I'm almost certain you're a Grass-type," Polo said, replacing Dimitri's Poké Ball with another. "This showed dozens of you in the Sprout Tower. Go, Pidgey!"

Polo threw his Poké Ball, releasing the Tiny Bird Pokémon.

"Piii!" Pidgey cried, flying a metre or so in the air.

"Sprrrrrroouuu!" the Bellsprout cried, and lashed its vines out at the new opponent. It did next to no damage.

"Pidgey!" Polo said, pointing at the confused Bellsprout. "Gust!"

Pidgey kicked up a gust of air with its wing, aiming it at the Bellsprout. The gust swept the Bellsprout off its feet, eventually throwing it to the ground. The Bellsprout fainted.

"Damn!" Polo cried, frustrated. "I should've remembered! Pidgey's Gust attack could knock out all the Bellsprout in Sprout Tower in one hit!"

Pidgey cooed, cocking its head to one side, and coming to rest on Polo's shoulder.

"Come on, Pidgey," he said. "Next time, we'll use a weakened attack."

They walked on.

"Maybe Kyle was right about learning from my mistakes."

Polo and Pidgey had been wandering the tall grass for almost an hour, but the only Pokémon they had encountered were a group of harmless Metapod and Kakuna. Pidgey had flown overhead for quite some time, scouting the area for Bellsprout, but, despite having a keen eye, it couldn't spot anything except the occasional movement. This didn't really help Polo too much.

"I swear we've walked around this same patch of grass three times before," Polo said to Pidgey. They had made their way into the grass near to the entrance of the cave, and were now wandering around aimlessly again.

Pidgey spotted a movement, and cooed, flying into the appropriate patch of grass.

"Yes!" Polo said. "I bet he's found a Bellsprout!"

The sound of two Pokémon struggling came from the patch of grass, and Polo soon heard Pidgey screech.

"Pidgey!" he cried, and saw Pidgey fly out, in battle with a large, spider-like Pokémon.

It stood about a meter tall, had a black and red-striped body, four long legs and two similar leg-like things on its back that looked like they could act like wings. It had a sharp horn on its head and two big fangs that looked like they'd could crush Pidgey. It swung its long talons at Pidgey, and all the Flying-type Pokémon could do was throw small Gust attacks at the Pokémon as it dodged, moving backwards slowly, flapping its wings desperately.

"Pidgey! Get out of there!" Polo cried again.

Pidgey gave one final swoop at the Pokémon and began to fly back towards Polo. Before it could make it however, the spider-like Pokémon turned around, facing its abdomen towards Pidgey, and shot out a spider web that reached from a tree to Polo's left to the wall of the nearby cave. Pidgey flew into the web, becoming entangled in the sticky string.

A bead of sweat appeared on Polo's head. He reached for a Poké Ball, the mechanism enlarging in his hand, and hurled it forwards, towards the web.

"A Bug-type will be able to handle this mess!" Polo said. "Go, Weedle!"

The little, larva-like Pokémon flashed out of the Poké Ball.

"Weeedle!" it cried.

"Okay, Weedle!" Polo said. "Climb over that spider's web and try and free Pidgey!"

Weedle obeyed, crawling towards the tree the web was attached to. Eventually, it reached the top and began to crawl with pace along the top of the web.

The spider-like Pokémon, meanwhile, was slowly advancing towards Pidgey. It began striking at Pidgey, but the Tiny Bird Pokémon kept dodging, swaying its body side to side. The spider-like Pokémon was restrained with its hits, otherwise it would risk breaking the web.

Weedle had already reached the part of the web just above Pidgey. It was preparing itself to climb down the web towards Pidgey, when the spider Pokémon leaped up on to its own web and began crawling towards the other two Pokémon.

"Oh no!" Polo said, his voice full of panic. "Weedle! Use String Shot!"

The Weedle, swinging its head precariously so it faced the spider Pokémon, shot out an amount of sticky string at its foe. The Pokémon dodged, losing its balance slightly and having to back away from Pidgey to stay on the web.

"Again! This time at its feet!"

Weedle shot again at the Pokémon. It dodged again, but the String Shot kept going, breaking through the spider web.

"Again, Weedle!" Polo cried encouragingly. "Don't stop with the String Shot!"

Weedle began shooting a series of String Shot's at the Pokémon. The Pokémon kept dodging, and the web kept breaking. Eventually, one shot connected with the Pokémon, hitting it right in the face. The spider-like Pokémon fell to the ground, unable to see.

"Alright!" Polo said, smiling. He held another Poké Ball in his hand, hurling it towards the skirmish on the net. "Go, Sentret! Free Pidgey!"

"Seennnnntret!" Sentret said, bursting out of its Poké Ball.

"Weedle, keep String Shotting the web!" Polo said. "Sentret, lift yourself up by your tail and pull Pidgey off!"

Sentret darted up the tree, climbing over to the other side of the web. As he landed on the ground, the spider Pokémon got up, flailing wildly.

"Sentret, behind you!" Polo said.

Sentret turned around, to see the spider Pokémon lift one of its legs high in the air. The Scout Pokémon darted out of the way, landing on its tail, just as the razor-sharp talon landed, digging into the ground.

"Sentret, use Quick Attack!"

Sentret hurled itself at the spider Pokémon, using its powerful tail to increase its speed, and slammed into the Pokémon with extreme force. The Pokémon, still blinded and with little balance, went spiralling, flying into the outside wall of the cave.

"Good work, Sentret!" Polo said. "Now, free Pidgey!"

Weedle had been working at breaking the spider's web, and now Pidgey was almost free, hanging off the web by just one wing. Sentret darted over and, letting itself up by its tail, grabbed Pidgey, pulling it to the ground. Pidgey gave a sharp coo of pain, but came down, safe.

"Yes!" Polo said. "Good work, team! Pidgey, Weedle, come back!"

The Hairy Bug and Tiny Bird Pokémon returned to their respective Poké Balls. Sentret crawled up the tree and over the spider's web, standing in front of Polo, grinning.

"Good work, Sentret!" Polo said, patting the Pokémon on the head. "Now, you help me find this Bellsprout."

As if by cue, a bemused Bellsprout walked out meekly from behind the tree the spider's web had been attached to, trying to slip through the small gathering of trees and into the tall grass.

"Look, Sentret!" Polo cried, pointing at the Bellsprout. "It must've been hiding during the battle! Quick Attack, now!"

Sentret jumped, sending itself hurtling across the dozen or so metres between Polo and the Bellsprout, knocking it to the ground.

"Now, use Scratch, but hold back!"

Sentret scratched the Bellsprout just as it was about to get up. It fell to the ground, weakened.

"Alright," Polo said, a Poké Ball enlarging in his hand. "Time to catch a Bellsprout!"

Polo hurled the Poké Ball the ten metres. It hit the Bellsprout, bouncing off it and activating its mechanism. The Bellsprout was beamed into the ball, and the ball fell to the ground. For a few seconds, it rocked around, then pulsated, and came to a stop.

"Yes!" Polo cried, as the Poké Ball hurtled back towards his hand. He caught it and held it up in the air. "I did it! I caught a Bellsprout!"