#030: Nidorina

When female Nidoran evolve, their bodies remain as toxic as ever, but they further lose the ability to administer venom. This was not always the case. Fossil evidence shows this pokemon was once covered in long quills which it could use to inject attackers.

It's commonly believed that long ago a Nidoran, panicked by the changes to its body as it evolved, lashed out blindly, poisoning her beloved trainer, and causing him to fall into an endless sleep. When he would not wake, the heartbroken Nidorina cursed her spines, swearing never to use them again, even if her life was in danger. Staying true to her word, over time the Nidorina learned to defend herself like a Normal-type, with tooth and claw, and to her satisfaction the spines on her back gradually shrank away to nothing. When the last spine vanished, the trainer awoke, as though by magic, and the pair were reunited.

Of course, the veracity of this tale is highly dubious. For one thing, in 99 out of 100 cases, Nidorina poison causes death – not sleep.