The first place to fall to the Pokémon was Celadon city. Once a place of harmony between nature and technology it became a desolate monument to the death and destruction that was to follow for the rest of the war. It also marked the first of a series of losses for the Hunters and the beginning of the intervention of the Kanto government in the case of the war.
From the journal of Professor Oak
It had been a long day for Malone, Ash, and Brock and so still a ways away from Pallet town they decided to stop and camp out for the evening. Ash offered to build the fire and set up the camp, Malone actually was impressed at this. As Ash started the fire with a minimal amount of wood and effort (not to mention he also didn't disturb the wildlife) Malone complimented him, "you're pretty good at this huh Kid". Ash shook his head in agreement, "well we Pokémon trainers did live in these woods more than in our own homes, despite the hate you Hunters have for us we could teach you a few things". Malone rolled his eyes, "I don't hate trainers Kid" "Really?" Ash asked both quizzically and sarcastically (with a hint of rhetoric) "I thought all Hunters hated trainers?" Brock asked to soothe the tension. "No" Malone replied "they hate people who can't let go of the past and hate them for trying to preserve the future" "then why were you such a jerk to Ash earlier?" Brock asked. Suddenly Malone felt like he was being ganged up on, "Sorry, I've been through a lot of this war and when people aren't all on the same page and aren't working off the same plan" Malone paused for a moment, a sad look upon his face, a look in his eyes like he had just wrestled up horrendous memories from the depths of his psyche that hurt just thinking of, "People die, A lot of people die". Malone finished his words softly almost in a whisper. "Sorry" Ash replied, Malone's smile suddenly returned to his face "Why? You didn't do anything" Malone took a swig of the water bottle in his hand, "I'm sure you've both heard of the places I've been, and the things I've seen" "You mean like in Celadon?" Brock asked. "Yeah" Ash replied "The big first battle between the Hunters and the Pokémon". Malone burst into laughter, almost creepily he replied "Is that what they're calling it now" he laughed a bit more "The first big 'battle' was it" he laughed more almost shedding tears. The seriousness returned to his face "It was no battle Kid" he said to Ash "it was a massacre, it was the Pokémon showing us that they could kill us easier than anyone had anticipated, the Pokémon, the grass Pokémon had taken positions In the buildings, when you can shoot razor leaves and vines that's more deadly than any amount of men with machine guns". "Could you tell us about it" Ash asked him, "Why" "because it might help us understand you more". Malone sighed and answered "Sure, well I was seventeen when it happened, we were hired by the Kanto government, a bunch of us, somewhere between 60 maybe 70 guys to go to Celadon and clean out the compost, but they were waiting for us, and they had one hell of a plan"
Malone and, about 60-70 other Hunters that were hired by the Kanto government, were moving quickly through the forest that connected Vermillion and Celadon. He felt a mix of anxiety and excitement, of the dangers that may await them, and the good that they will be able to do. Two other Hunters that were about his age came up to Malone. "Excited, man" the long-haired boy spoke, "Well duh, aren't we all" the short-haired girl remarked. The two introduced themselves as Tony and Mary, two friends who were, like Malone, seventeen and, like plenty of others there, knew who he was. Tony apparently didn't just know him from stories of his exploits but was apparently present during one of them. Tony began reciting said story, the time when Malone bare-fistedly defeated a Machoke. "Dude I remember it like it were yesterday, it was in Vermillion, and this Machoke started beating people up. Then you just walked in and that damn Pokémon bastard threw the first punch, and boom! It broke this table into like a gashimillion pieces but you went in and bam got him right in the face…" "Hey we're at Celadon so keep your goddamn voices down". They were finally here, Celadon, the attack was suppose to begin soon according to a captured Bulbasaur so the Hunters were to wait in the city and counter the Pokémon once they tried to attack. Tony ran out of the forest and into the daylight of Celadon where a few frightened people were hanging around in the middle of the city. "Hey guys, no need to fear the Hunters are here, Whoop!" Malone was about to tell him to stay back and that it wasn't right for so few people to be out and about but it was too late. "Tony get the hell back" Mary yelled, Tony turned around but suddenly looked pale, blood started to drip from his mouth until he jerked upwards once more only to fall forwards, revealing the Razor Leaves lodged in his back. "TONY!!!!" Mary yelled running forwards, suddenly vines expanded outwards from the nearby building grabbing Mary; she shot off the gun in her hands but to no avail as the vines pulled her towards the building where she got stuck on some broken glass from the window from which the vines expended. Blood started flowing from her mouth as the vines heaved and hoed in order to get her inside finally succeeding on the third pull. All this happened within seconds; Malone lost both of his new friends in a matter of seconds. The Hunters had been tricked into a surprise assault by the Pokémon. The few people left in the square screamed and tried to fun only to have a Weepinbell drop down from a nearby building and eat the girl whole and chopped the heads of the man and the young boy off with a well placed razor leaf. The Hunters only had one choice left to them, "Charge" one Hunter yelled, "Kill them" another shouted, shouts of macho cheer rang throughout the city and the Hunters attacked hoping to reclaim both land and life in what would be known as the first "battle" of the Pokémon war.
Malone charged in with the rest of the Hunters, gun raised and at the ready, hoping to take out the bastards who took the lives of his new friends. The Hunters sprayed bullets into the buildings hoping to hit one of the Pokémon who had taken up residence in them. Malone switched his gun to burst fire and started with the vines that were now beginning to envelop the building that had taken Mary. Bullets connected with the vines and muffled screaming noises came from the building. Two long objects were shot out of one of the windows and fell to the ground, they were Mary's, or at least some woman's, legs. Malone pulled the pin on one of the four grenades he was carrying and threw it inside the building. The explosion sent bits of debris and plant flying from one end of the building. Malone ran further in and started spraying bullets into the buildings. The Hunters were in a discord, they all started shooting at whichever building the razor leaves were coming from at that point in time. Hunters got arms chopped off by incoming razor leaves while others were dragged into buildings and still others were merely vaulted into the air only to fall back to the ground with a sickening splat. Malone looked over and saw the department store, which was out of view from the entrance the Hunters, came through had vines protruding from all over. Malone switched to full automatic and joined a small group of about fifteen Hunters in spraying bullets all over the department store. Another small group started a charge towards the Celadon city Gym, hoping to take out the Victrebell who was trying to poke his way through the windows. Two Hunters approached spraying bullets into the large vicious plant. It screamed and spat out a poisonous fluid at them which caused them to melt on impact. One other shot a rocket at it causing it to explode into several bits, but its place was soon taken up by about three more of its kind. Someone looked through the windows into the Gym and yelled, "Survivors, we've got, Survivors in here".
Malone looked over at the Gym, "survivors?" he whispered, it was a chance to do some good here. Malone started running like he had a purpose, because he did, spraying bullets at the vines covering the door, he turned sideways slightly and rammed the door with all his might opening it and revealing the gym leader Ericka and a few others trapped inside. "Move, Move" Malone cried, Ericka helped some of the injured girls up and they all started running out the door. A small child cried "my bear" pointing to the stuffed Teddiursa on the floor. Ericka ran back and grabbed the bear, throwing it to Malone who gave it to the girl. The girls ran out of the gym, and then a vine pushed Malone inside and shut the door behind him. Ericka stood in the only lighted part of the gym as she asked "are you…" her words trailed off as vines descended from the ceiling grabbing hold of her. Malone switched gun to single shot and started to pick off the vines, but for every one he took out two more dropped down. The vines began wrapping themselves around Ericka squeezing her in some places, groping others. She screamed "help" to which Malone's reply was "I'm trying". The vines began undressing her and two others started to squeeze the blood from her arms. Malone realized that there was only one way to end her pain, he lifted his gun and pulled the trigger, one bullet flew forward and shot Ericka right between the eyes. The vines didn't really seem to notice as they continued their conquest of the corpse of Celadon's gym leader. Malone pounded on the door hoping that someone would notice that he was still inside but he eventually just laid back and fell to the ground. Out of bullets all he could do was sit there and wait for help. The next day help came as a few of the surviving Hunters helped him out of the dilapidated gym he saw what the battle had wrought. The buildings were covered in vines, flowers, and Pokémon, dead bodies were scattered throughout the city, it became painfully obvious of who was victorious. "Come on Malone we have to get out before nightfall". "What" Malone asked, one of the other three still alive said "the Pokémon are plants, while the suns out they are absorbing energy, so as long as we don't make ourselves noticeable we'll make it out alive". Malone and the others quickly exited the city leaving a horrid loss behind them.
When Malone had finished his story, Brock and Ash's faces had gone white. Almost everything that they had been told about the battle was a lie. "Dear God" Ash exclaimed aloud. "It's no wonder why you hate trainers like us; I mean what those Pokémon did." Malone shook his head, "Ash I told you, I don't hate trainers" Malone sat back readying himself for sleep. "Why not, I mean if it weren't for us capturing them and all maybe they wouldn't be like this" Ash persisted. Malone simply replied "Because Kid, I used to be one."