Chapter 2 – First Catch on Route 1
The dirt of Route 1 felt different under Ryan Shaw's boots.
Objectively, he knew that was ridiculous. It was the same kind of packed earth and scattered pebbles as the hill outside Pallet, the same wild grass swaying on either side of the path. But this wasn't just "outside town" anymore. Every step he took was officially away from home and toward the rest of Kanto.
Beside him, Larvitar marched with short, determined strides, head tilted up and eyes scanning everything.
"See?" Ryan said, unable to stop himself. Silence suddenly felt too big, too full. "It's not so scary. Just a road."
Larvitar shot him a look that clearly said, I was never scared.
"Right, right. You're fearless," Ryan amended quickly, grinning. "But still. First time leaving Pallet. That's a big deal."
A gentle breeze drifted across the route, making the tall grass whisper. A few early-morning Pidgey fluttered from tree to tree, chirping. Somewhere in the distance, a Rattata squeaked and darted out of sight.
Ryan shifted the straps of his new backpack. It was still too clean. So were his shoes. By the time they reached Viridian City, he wanted both to look like they'd gone somewhere.
He flipped open his brand new Pokédex as they walked.
"Let's test this thing properly," he said. "First wild Pokémon we see, we scan. Deal?"
Larvitar snorted but didn't argue.
A rustle in the grass up ahead made Ryan stop. He raised his arm instinctively, and Larvitar, already tuned to him after weeks of training, halted in sync.
"Something's there," Ryan said softly. "Get ready."
He took one careful step forward, then another. The grass parted—and a small purple shape darted into view, nibbling at a stem: big ears, sharp teeth, restless eyes.
Ryan's heart leapt. "Perfect. Our first scan."
He aimed the red device. A soft beep sounded as it locked on.
"Rattata," the Pokédex intoned. "The Mouse Pokémon. Rattata is extremely cautious. Even when it's asleep, it constantly listens by moving its ears around. It's very quick and can gnaw through nearly anything with its sharp fangs."
The Rattata's ears twitched at the noise. It turned, blinked at Ryan and Larvitar, then grew tense.
"Careful," Ryan warned. "If we scare it too much, it might run off."
He weighed his options carefully. He could attempt to catch it. Rattata wasn't particularly rare or powerful, but Professors and books always say: don't judge a Pokémon just by how common it is. A strong Raticate could be helpful. And more importantly, he needed to get used to catching Pokémon.
He glanced at Larvitar. "What do you think? Ready for a battle?"
Larvitar's eyes gleamed. It banged its tiny fists together and stepped forward.
"Lar!"
"Alright then." Ryan took a breath, feeling his pulse quicken. "Larvitar, let's start with Tackle!"
Larvitar charged, surprisingly fast for such a stocky little Pokémon.
"Rattata!" the wild Pokémon squeaked, springing aside. It narrowly avoided the full impact, Larvitar's body skidding across the dirt where it had stood.
"Whoa, it's quick," Ryan murmured. "Okay, adjust. Larvitar, cut it off and use Sandstorm to slow it down!"
Larvitar pivoted, raising its arms. The ground rippled as grains of sand surged up, whirling into a localised storm. Rattata let out a startled squeal as the grit lashed at its fur, making it squint.
"Now! Tackle again!
This time, with Rattata struggling against the sand, Larvitar's Tackle connected cleanly. The tiny mouse Pokémon tumbled, squeaking. It staggered but managed to get back on its paws, panting.
It's still hanging on, Ryan realised, impressed—strong little thing.
He grabbed an empty Poké Ball from his belt, pressing the button to enlarge it.
"Go, Poké Ball!"
The ball flew through the fading sandstorm and struck Rattata, sucking it in with a burst of red light. The ball dropped to the ground, rocking once.
Twice.
Three times.
Click.
Ryan exhaled the breath he hadn't realised he was holding. His shoulders sagged with sheer relief and adrenaline.
"We did it," he said, almost laughing. "Larvitar, we actually caught our first Pokémon!"
Larvitar straightened its chest and crossed its arms as if it had never doubted the result, not even for a moment.
Ryan hurried over and picked up the Poké Ball, turning it over in his hands. It felt different from the others somehow.
He clipped it proudly onto his belt. "Welcome to the team, Rattata," he murmured. "
He turned to Larvitar. "What do you think? Do you want to walk with us a bit more, or rest in your ball for now?"
Larvitar shot him a stubborn look, then flicked its head towards the path, as if to say, Are you kidding? I'm not missing out on any of this.
Ryan chuckled. "Thought so. Okay, Route 1—bring it on."
The morning continued as the sun rose higher, warming Ryan's face. Dew on the grass evaporated, filling the air with a gentle, earthy aroma. Along their path, they encountered a few other trainers—mostly older kids or adults heading back to Pallet, their teams well-trained. Some nodded to Ryan as they passed, acknowledging the look of a first-time trainer embarking on his journey.
One woman with a Butterfree perched lightly on her shoulder stopped for a moment.
"First journey?" she asked kindly.
Ryan rubbed the back of his neck. "That obvious, huh?"
She smiled. "I started here, too. Take it from me: don't rush. It's tempting to hurry all the way to the first gym, but there's a lot you and your Pokémon can learn just from the routes."
Her Butterfree fluttered its wings, scattering a few sparkling dust motes.
"I, uh, won't forget that", Ryan said. "Thanks."
She nodded and proceeded with her journey to Pallet.
Ryan watched her go, then glanced at Larvitar. "See? Everyone starts somewhere."
"Lar," Larvitar agreed, gaze fixed on Butterfree as it disappeared into the distance. There was a glint in its eyes, a fierce determination to get stronger.
They kept moving, using the time to practice.
"Alright," Ryan said during a break, when they'd found a patch of open ground between two trees. "Let's refine your Rock Throw. Aim for accuracy this time, not just power."
He gathered three stones and set them up on a fallen log in a row. "Left, middle, right," he said. "Call 'em in your head, then hit each one, Ok."
Larvitar nodded and then concentrated, tilting its head slightly. The ground vibrated gently as stones lifted and hovered.
"Lar… vi… tar!"
The first stone shot out, smashing into the leftmost rock and breaking it apart. The next two followed swiftly, hitting the middle and right in quick succession.
The log cracked under the strain.
Ryan whooped. "Awesome! That's exactly what Pewter Gym is gonna need to worry about."
He paused for a second, imagining standing in a real gym arena, lights bright, crowd watching, Brock on the opposite side of the field. Larvitar at his side, ready to launch stones. The image made his stomach flutter with a mix of excitement and nerves.
Shaking his head, they resumed their walk. By late morning, the path began to slope downward. Trees thinned slightly, giving way to wider fields. In the distance, he could make out the faint outline of buildings: Viridian City.
"We're almost there," Ryan said, mainly to keep his own energy up.
As if on cue, a voice rang out from ahead.
"Hey! You!"
Ryan looked up. A boy, maybe a year or two older than him, stood on a small rise to the right of the path. He wore a simple green shirt and shorts, with a cap turned backwards and a confident smirk.
"You've got a Larvitar?" the boy called. "You don't see them around here! You must be tough. Battle me!"
Ryan blinked, then stepped forward. "I'm Ryan," he said, heart speeding up. "From Pallet Town. And yeah—I'll battle you."
The boy grinned and slid down the slope, landing on the path with practised ease.
"Name's Kai," he said. "From Viridian. I sometimes battle new trainers on Route 1 when I'm not training." He thumbed his nose. "Think of me as your welcome test."
"Sounds good to me," Ryan said. Larvitar stepped in front of him, growling softly.
Kai plucked a Poké Ball from his belt. "Go, Spearow!"
The ball burst open, revealing a small brown bird with a sharp beak and a nasty glint in its eyes. It flapped its wings, letting out a harsh, rasping cry.
"Spearow: the Tiny Bird Pokémon," the Pokédex recited when Ryan snapped it up. "Spearow has a loud cry that can be heard over half a mile away. It flaps its small wings busily to fly. Because it cannot simply glide, it has to flap its wings all the time."
Kai smirked. "What, first time seeing a Spearow?"
"First time battling one," Ryan replied, squaring his shoulders. "Larvitar, you ready?"
Larvitar stomped once: obviously.
"Then let's do this," Ryan said. "You get the first move, Kai."
Kai's smirk widened. "You'll regret that. Spearow, use Leer, then Peck!"
Spearow's eyes flashed red as it glared at Larvitar. The air seemed to tighten around them. Larvitar flinched slightly—its defences lowered.
"Stay focused!" Ryan called. "Don't let it rattle you!"
Spearow dove, beak aimed like a spear.
"Sandstorm, now!" Ryan shouted.
Larvitar slammed its feet into the ground. Sand and dust exploded upward, swirling into a tight vortex. Spearow squawked as its vision was suddenly obscured, its path wobbling.
The bird still managed to jab Larvitar's shoulder, but the hit was glancing, far less damaging than before.
"Nice!" Ryan yelled. "Now, while it's in the storm—Rock Throw!"
Larvitar closed its eyes, listening. Even through the howl of the sand, the flutter of wings and shrill cries gave Spearow away. Rocks ripped from the ground and shot upward into the storm.
One stone struck Spearow dead-on. The Pokémon screeched, knocked sideways, feathers flying. Another rock grazed its wing.
"Speeearow!" it cried, spiralling out of the sand cloud and crashing into the dirt.
Kai bit his lip. "Come on, Spearow! Get up, use Quick Attack!"
Spearow staggered upright, wings beating erratically. It lunged forward in a blur of speed, determination in its eyes.
"Larvitar, brace yourself!" Ryan shouted. "Then Tackle when it hits!"
Spearow slammed into Larvitar's chest. Larvitar grunted, sliding back a few inches—but it held firm. Its little arms hooked around Spearow as the bird tried to pull away, and then Larvitar twisted, slamming Spearow into the ground with its full weight in a rough Tackle.
The bird lay still, eyes swirly.
Kai stared, then sighed and raised his Poké Ball. "Alright, Spearow, that's enough. Return."
The red beam pulled the fainted Pokémon back into safety.
Ryan exhaled slowly, feeling his own knees tremble just a bit. That had been… intense.
Kai walked over, a lopsided grin breaking through his earlier cockiness.
"Wow," he said. "For a newbie, you're not bad. That Larvitar's tough. Sandstorm plus Rock Throw was smart."
"Thanks," Ryan said, cheeks flushing. "You and Spearow were great, too. It wouldn't have been a fight if you weren't pushing us."
Kai shrugged, pleased despite himself. "You headed to Viridian?"
"Yeah."
"Then we'll probably run into each other again," Kai said. "Once I've trained Spearow some more, I want a rematch. Don't go losing before the Pewter Gym or anything, okay? I want to say I battled a real challenger."
Ryan smiled. "Deal. We'll both get stronger."
They bumped fists in an unspoken agreement, then Kai jogged ahead down a side trail toward a cluster of trees, likely where he trained.
Ryan looked down at Larvitar. "You okay?"
Larvitar let out a low growl that sounded suspiciously like "that's all he had?" but Ryan could see the thin scrape along its chest where Spearow's beak had connected.
"Let's not underestimate anyone, okay?" Ryan said softly. He crouched, pulling a Potion from his bag. "You did great, but I want us healthy when we get to Pewter."
He sprayed the Potion across the scrape. Larvitar winced but didn't pull away. The wound quickly faded.
"Better?" Ryan asked.
"Lar," Larvitar affirmed.
"Good. Viridian's not far now. Then we rest, maybe visit the Poké Mart Oak mentioned, and check in at the Pokémon Centre. Sounds like a plan.
Larvitar nodded.
As they resumed walking, the sky began to cloud slightly. Not the dark, threatening way of a storm, but the hazy cover that turned direct sunlight into a gentle glow.
He found himself contemplating what lay ahead: Viridian's massive Pokémon Centre, the Gym that was supposedly closed most of the time, and the rumours of a powerful, mysterious Gym Leader. Then, Pewter, Brock, and Ryan's first official badge challenge.
He pictured stepping onto the League field someday, a Tyranitar looming at his side, with his other partners arrayed around him in his mind.
He caught himself and snorted, shaking his head. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves," he muttered. "One step at a time."
Still, he refused to let go of the image. One day, it wouldn't just be an imagination.
By early afternoon, the trees had thinned, and the path widened. A wooden sign appeared ahead, its paint slightly chipped, but the words clear:
Welcome to Viridian City – The City of Evergreen
Beyond it, the first buildings rose—taller than anything in Pallet, but not yet towering. The roofs were mainly green and white, blending with the trees around them. People and Pokémon bustled along the streets: Trainers with their partners, delivery workers, kids running errands.
Ryan stopped at the city's edge, taking it in for a moment.
"Finally made it," he said quietly.
Larvitar stepped up beside him, staring with equal intensity. To the small Rock-type, the city must've seemed huge.
"Alright," Ryan said, squaring his shoulders. "First stop: Pokémon Centre."
They followed the main road, guided by signs and the occasional helpful local pointing out the way. The Pokémon Centre's red-roofed dome soon came into view.
As they approached, the doors slid open.
Cool, clean air greeted him, along with the soft hum of machinery and the murmur of voices. Rows of seats lined the waiting area, and at the front desk, a pink-haired woman in a nurse's uniform smiled as another Trainer handed over a set of Poké Balls.
"Welcome to the Viridian City Pokémon Centre," she said as she worked. "We'll get your team back into top shape in no time."
Ryan waited for his turn, trying not to fidget. Larvitar stood close to his leg, eyeing every passing Pokémon, sizing them up.
When he reached the counter, the nurse turned that same warm smile on him.
"Hello there," she said. "First time at a Pokémon Centre?"
"Is it that obvious?" Ryan replied, a little sheepish.
"Just a bit," she said kindly. "I'm Nurse Joy. And you are…?"
"Ryan Shaw," he said. "From Pallet Town. This is Larvitar."
"Lar," Larvitar grunted, eyeing her.
"Pleasure to meet you both," Joy said. "How can we help you today?"
"Uh, Larvitar took a couple of hits in battles on Route 1," Ryan said. "Nothing major, I used a Potion, but… I figured we should get a proper checkup"
"Very responsible," Joy said approvingly. She held out a tray. "Please place your Poké Balls here—Larvitar's too, if you don't mind, just for a quick scan. And any others you have with you."
Ryan hesitated, then nodded. "Alright, Larvitar. Go with Nurse Joy for a bit. I'll be right here."
Larvitar scowled at the Poké Ball Ryan produced, then at the tray, then at Joy. But after a moment, it huffed and hopped onto the tray itself rather than willingly entering its ball.
Joy giggled. "That's okay. I can work with that. And these?"
Ryan placed Rattata's ball next to Larvitar.
"Just caught that one," he said proudly. "Our first."
"Congratulations," Joy said. "We'll take good care of them. It should only take a few minutes."
She carried the tray to the back, Chansey waddling along behind her with a cheerful "Chan-sey!"
Without Larvitar at his side, the Centre felt weirdly empty. Ryan wandered to a nearby video phone terminal, resisting the urge to pace. He thought about calling home but decided to wait until after Larvitar returned.
He glanced around. Trainers sat around chatting, reading, or checking maps. One kid was bragging loudly about the Pidgeotto he'd caught. Another older girl was patiently brushing her Nidoran♀'s fur.
Nidoran.
The sight made Ryan's mind jump forward. Professor Oak's field guides had mentioned that wild Nidoran appeared around Viridian's outskirts. And in his own mental plan for the journey, he knew just outside Viridian City was where he wanted to catch one.
His future Nidoqueen, he thought with a little thrill. Strong, loyal, a powerhouse in battles… He could almost see her already.
He knew what he was going to do. First, rest. Then, training. Then, the city's outskirts for Nidoran♀.
A chime sounded behind him. He turned to see Nurse Joy returning with Larvitar walking stiffly beside her, chin up like nothing had happened, and Rattata's Poké Ball lay on the tray.
"All done," Joy said. "They're both in great condition. Larvitar's minor bumps have been fully healed, and your Rattata is healthy as well."
"Thanks," Ryan said, relief washing through him.
He knelt and patted Larvitar's head. "You, okay?"
Larvitar nodded, then gave him a look that seemed to say I told you I didn't need this, but fine.
Joy smiled. "It's clear you care for your Pokémon, Ryan. That's one of the most important things for a trainer."
He straightened up, cheeks warming. "I'm trying."
"I can tell," Joy said. "If you plan on staying in Viridian overnight, we have spare rooms for travelling trainers upstairs. Feel free to check in later."
"Thanks, we might," Ryan said. "But I think we're going to explore a bit first."
He clipped Rattata's ball back to his belt and nodded to Larvitar.
"Ready to check out Viridian?" he asked.
Larvitar made a low, approving sound.
As they stepped back outside, Ryan squinted up at the sky. The clouds were thinning, blue breaking through like someone had scribbled on the grey with a bright crayon.
"Okay," he said to Larvitar. "Here's the plan. We'll do a quick loop of the city, see what's what, maybe pick up some extra Poké Balls at the Mart… and then we head for the grassy areas just outside town."
He paused, a grin tugging at his mouth.
"Because somewhere near Viridian, there's a Nidoran♀ with our name on it."
Larvitar's eyes narrowed with a competitive gleam. It stomped once.
"Lar."
Ryan laughed.
"Our journey started today," he said quietly, looking out toward the city's edge. "And our team's just getting started too."
He had no idea yet about the Scyther that would cross his path in Viridian Forest, the Cleffa waiting in Mt. Moon, or the friends—Brock, Misty—who would soon walk this road with him. For now, it was just him, a stubborn Larvitar, and a freshly caught Rattata.
But as he and Larvitar headed toward the city's edge, the path unfolding ahead of them, Ryan felt as sure as he ever had about anything:
This was only the beginning.
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