Route 1 began as an open field which later turned into a more foresty area. Two different terrains, and the first was perfect for spotting wild Pokemon Cora may be interested in catching. Maisie was curious, but not quite as interested in land Pokemon. However, that was already common knowledge between them.

"See anything yet?" Cora asked. Maisie shook her head before replying.

"Maybe we can go find a pond instead."

"Well, there are none near the trail." Cora took out her Poke Ball, which held the only Pokemon she had. "Maybe Eevee will help."

"So... Where's the Professor?" Maisie asked, addressing one of his lab assistants, Researcher Fig.

They were standing in the Pallet Lab, the laboratory of Pallet Town's Professor Maple. "I'm sorry girls, but the Professor is out right now. He was invited to Celadon University as a guest lecturer. But since he knew you wouldn't wait to start your journeys, he left your supplies here with me."

As he spoke, Fig approached a table with two metal trays atop it. The first tray he brought over to Cora, who was holding her newest friend, an Eevee in her arms. Six Poke Balls and an aqua-colored Pokedex were handed to her on it. "This high-tech device is called a Pokedex, short for Pokemon Index. It will tell you information on whatever Pokemon it detects, simply by pointing at it." As Cora switched hands to hold Eevee in one arm and put her Poke Balls away into her brown bag with another, Fig opened and pointed the aqua Pokedex at her.

"Eevee, the Evolution Pokemon - A normal-type. It may evolve in a variety of different ways due to an unstable genetic code. It can alter itself to adapt to its surroundings and is extremely rare. Even its face begins to appear like that of its trainer's. Its genes are said to contain the secret to evolution, though the mystery in them has not yet been solved."

"That's just what happened when you point it. If you search for it, you can find out even more - like abilities and moves." He proceeded to input something into the Pokedex using the buttons on its side and directed it at Eevee and Cora once more.

"This Eevee's ability is; Adaptability. An ability that doubles the power of moves that share the same type as its user."

"Eevee's moves are; Tackle, Growl, Sand Attack."

"It's amazing no matter how many times I see it!" Maisie exclaimed as Cora took the Pokedex, putting that into her purse as well. "Pokedexes are so handy," She added while being given an electric pink Pokedex and Poke Balls of her own. Cora put five of the Poke Balls into her bag but held one out in her hand.

She enlarged the Poke Ball. "This'll make it official." She announced, holding it out towards Eevee.

"Rattata, the Mouse Pokemon - A normal-type. It will bite anything as it attacks with fangs to wear them down; small and quick, Rattata is easily found in many places thanks to its impressive vitality. It is not picky about where its nest is. If one is spotted, 40 more are certainly around. It will eat anything and scavenge ceaselessly, settling and continuously reproducing quickly. Rattata is cautious; even in sleep, its ears move, listening for danger. Its fangs grow until death, so it gnaws on things to whittle them down."

"Nice job spotting that, Eevee!" Cora praised. They were staring at a purple rodent Pokemon with a pale underside and sharp, pale claws. The inners of its ears were the same color, but a slightly darker shade. Rattata's eyes were sharp and red, one long, pale whisker protruding from each of its cheeks. It had two front teeth larger than even what was shown in the Pokedex. "I'll make Rattata my first Pokemon."

"It's a nice color and cute, too! I'd totally catch it if it was water-type."

Eevee stepped forward for battle, what was to be their first. "Whatever you say, Maisie. But it's a normal-type, so I'm getting it!" Rattata was currently gnawing on a branch, its teeth seemingly a bit overgrown. Just as the Pokedex described. "While it's distracted," Cora lowered her voice upon realizing that this was a great chance to strike. "Use Tackle..!"

With a tiny nod, Eevee rushed for Rattata, its paws skittering almost soundlessly over the grassy ground. But Rattata may have felt its pawsteps instead as it raised its head just before Eevee slammed side-first into the Mouse Pokemon.

Rattata was sent sprawling across the long grass that was its cover and into the open field they'd been approaching. But it rolled over and recovered, hardly taking a scratch. "Keep the pressure on!" Cora cheered. "Use Tackle again!" As Eevee rushed for its opponent, Rattata didn't go down quite as easily, considering that it was ready this time.

It countered with its own Tackle attack. Being newly hatched, Eevee's weakness and inexperience clearly showed as it stopped in its charge, as though not expecting Rattata to counterattack. While Rattata was sent tumbling due to the element of surprise, Eevee could see it, and yet was sent soaring into Cora's arms. "Eevee! Are you okay?"

Eevee looked up at her, one of its ears twitching as it smiled. A sign she was alright. It hopped straight back on its feet. "Eevee's ready to go," Maisie remarked. "Good luck!"

"Thanks," As much as she appreciated Maisie's support and Eevee's eagerness, Cora wasn't as sure of herself anymore. Eevee had only recently hatched, and neither it nor Cora had any real experience battling. And we're losing to a statistically weak Pokemon, too!

Rattata clearly saw Tackle coming, so we can't just keep using that... What else does Eevee know? Sand Attack and Growl. Which one would be better in this situation? Eevee, without waiting for a command, determinedly charged towards Rattata in another Tackle. "Oh- Eevee! Wait!"

Cora barely blinked before she realized Rattata was nowhere to be seen, and Eevee was simply standing there, glancing around with a confused look on its face. "We don't know where it is!" Cora shouted. "So be-"

A rustling of grass in the corner of her eye and Maisie's exclamation of "Behind you!" cut her off swiftly. Rattata shot into Eevee like lightning. That was a Quick Attack! And it lives up to its name... Though, a wild Rattata living on Route 1 should be a rather low level.

As Eevee tumbled, Rattata leaped up into the air before spinning and diving down fangs-first. They shone with a white glow as it attacked its opponent, the Evolution Pokemon. Eevee was knocked out quickly by Rattata's powerful move.

Cora could barely believe it. "That was a Hyper Fang! No way a wild Rattata knows that." But that wasn't her very first worry. "Eevee, are you alright?"

Eevee let out a meek whimper, most of its energy gone after being defeated, but still, it managed to lift its head.

"Hold on," Maisie's blush pink scarf and lemon-yellow ribbons flitted upwards as she suddenly dropped to her knees, letting her pink backpack - the exact color of her scarf - slide off one of her shoulders, swinging it in front of her. "I've got potions somewhere in here!"

Getting down and kneeling, falling back onto her legs Cora lifted Eevee's head and forepaws onto her knees. "You tried very hard," Secretly, she wondered what would've happened if Eevee had just waited for an order instead of charging at Rattata with its third Tackle in a row. What would she have chosen, Growl or Sand Attack? Would she have chosen in time? Could she have chosen in time, if Rattata was going to use Quick Attack? Sand Attack would've just missed its mark. Growl would've been the correct option because it could've stopped their foe in its tracks. But how could she have predicted what was going to happen and used the right move?

Meanwhile, Maisie was pulling out item after item in search of a potion. A pencil, a Clefairy look-alike Poke Doll, a whisk, and several colorful strands were strewn across the field's ground. So that's where all her ribbons come from... I bet she has even more.

"Ah-ha! Here it is!" She yanked out what looked like a spray bottle, purple and white. "Potion! Now let me see," Maisie went around her and glanced at Eevee's scratches, where it was hurt from Rattata's variety of attacks. Tackle, Quick Attack, Hyper Fang... Cora could count out the injuries from each attack.

Eevee began to shiver, letting out a yelp of surprise when Maisie began her first aid treatment. "Sorry!" Maisie recoiled at first, but continued on, ignoring Eevee's further complaints. "I know; it stings, doesn't it?"

"You'll feel much better afterward," Cora soothed. "Just hang in there a little longer - then take a nice rest in your Poke Ball."

When Maisie was finished and began retrieving all of her belongings and putting them neatly back into her backpack, Cora took out her Poke Ball. "We'll get you properly fixed up at a Pokemon Centre... And it hopefully won't sting as much!" She joked half-heartedly. Eevee didn't seem to mind that, though. She couldn't tell if the sting of the potion woke the normal-type up or tired her out, but either way, it was back in the Poke Ball for Eevee. "Return for now."

In contrast to her joke, Cora let out a hearty sigh the instant her partner had returned to its Poke Ball. She shrunk it with the white button in the middle and slid it into the pocket of her brown purse. "What's wrong?" Maisie asked, glancing over and pausing in her clean-up.

"What's wrong?" Cora echoed. "I lost to a literal rat. On Route 1, about an hour after starting my journey."

"Hardly anybody wins their first battle."

"Their first trainer battle," She corrected. "That doesn't apply when you're battling a low-level Rattata on a route."

Maisie proceeded to continue putting away her things. She had only the potion and a few more ribbon colors left. "No, it applies to both," She stated very matter-of-factly. Watching her friend's Eevee get beaten and injured seemed to have taken a bit of her childish energy away. At least for the moment. "Didn't Eevee hatch... Almost a couple of days ago? You can't expect it to win, even against a wild Rattata."

"So you're saying we should've trained more before we charged into battle."

"Maybe. I wouldn't know, because I haven't tried yet!"

So, she did.

As they proceeded to follow the trail, it took them past the open field and into a thin forest, steadily growing thicker until the only treeless area in sight was the path the two were on. Maisie glanced around the nature briefly, then, "Cora!" But from one of the trees came a figure, swooping down and shooting like an arrow straight between them.

"Maisie! What in the world was that!?"

Both jumped back to avoid being hit and when they both turned to look, they were greeted by the sight of a tiny thing. "It's adorable!" Maisie exclaimed. She was staring at a small fully purple Pokemon with red eyes and giant ears, teal on the inside. A small horn was perched on its forehead with spikes over its back, and some slightly darker purple spots over its quadruped body. It had clean, white claws, two on each foot, and white buck teeth.

"That's your first thought!? After it just tackled us from the sky!?"

"Well, it didn't hit us, so..."

She's more concerned with it being 'cute' than her possibility of getting hurt by it! But she couldn't think much more than that one thought, because it had landed behind them, and was kicking at the ground with its hind feet. "Does it want to battle..?"

"It looks like it!" Cora glanced at her purse, then back up at Maisie, who smiled and gave a small nod. "Eevee needs to rest. So I'll give it a battle!"

First, Maisie pulled out her electric pink Pokedex and pointed it at the Pokemon, likely to find out more about it before her battle. The Pokedex began in a monotone voice;

"Nidoran, Male, the Poison Pin Pokemon - A poison-type. It is small and cautious, yet brave. Its large ears are kept upright. When checking its surroundings, it raises and flaps its ears like wings thanks to muscles that let the ears freely move in any direction. It can hear any sound. When danger is sensed, the ears stiffen and it strikes first. Nidoran's horn contains a powerful poison - it charges and attacks with a sting of its horn to inject the poison. The larger its horn, the more powerful the venom."

"How specific of it, to mention that this Nidoran's a he," She commented. "A female Nidoran is different, aren't they?"

"They each learn different moves and look way different. So, yeah, I'd say they're different." Cora explained, somewhat sarcastically at the end. It may have been because she was still bitter over her earlier loss, but she backed up against a tree to watch the battle.

From her backpack came a red-lidded Poke Ball and a swift throw, completely without hesitance. "Go, Poliwag!"

"Poliwag, the Tadpole Pokemon - A water-type. It is more adept at swimming than walking because its legs are newly grown. Poliwag wants to come to land, so it waddles along until an enemy comes and it rushes to water. In fast-flowing rivers, it clings to rocks with its thick lips like a suction cup. Its skin is thin, damp, and slick. It is also quite flexible, so even sharp fangs can bounce right off. The swirl on its belly is its inner organs showing through the skin. It looks clearer after eating. If the swirl is tinged white, it may be sick."

"Whoops, forgot to put away the Pokedex..."

Cora gave her second sigh that day. "Will you be okay?"

"I'll be fine! I just need to try my best!"

While Maisie dropped her backpack beside Cora and cheered herself on both mentally and out loud, Cora wondered why a Nidoran would suddenly attack them. And how in the world did it fly down at them? According to the Pokedex, Nidoran only attacked if they sensed danger. But they weren't bothering it. And Nidoran certainly couldn't fly, either!

Maisie fist-pumped into the air. "Alright, Poliwag! Use Bubble!" How fitting that her first move is a water-type move.

From its pink lips shot out a blasted barrage of blue bubbles, but bubble by bubble broke as the Nidoran began to use a move of its own to counter. Its horn was popping each bubble that attempted to knock it off its feet, and Nidoran battled even more fiercely once it began to move forwards. Such a nimble Horn Attack!

Poliwag had to stop to take a breath, it not being used to using its moves and unable to keep going for longer. Nidoran took that chance to begin running in a full-out charge, racing for its foe head first. It lowered its head slightly so that the horn was pointed directly at Poliwag's body and shone with an ominous glimmer.

Cora suppressed a gasp. "It's going for Poison Sting! Get Poliwag out of there!" Poison Sting was a weaker move than Horn Attack in power alone, but the force of the attack wasn't the issue. It was the chance of being poisoned, and taking residual damage would've brought Poliwag to a much more horrible disadvantage.

"Dodge it!" Poliwag didn't understand what would've happened had it not dodged, but thanks to its trainer's command, the water-type didn't need to find out. Poliwag gave a sharp hop to the side. Rather than run backward, which would've been near impossible for such an unbalanced Pokemon, the Tadpole Pokemon hobbled from side to side as it dodged Nidoran's rapid onslaught of Poison Stings. "Keep going Poliwag, and wait for an opening!"

Cora was sure that it did its very best, but at one point Poliwag came close to stumbling. Though it recovered at a decent speed, 'decent' wasn't quick enough. Nidoran stopped using Poison Sting and whipped around on its small forelegs before lashing out with its hind legs in a strong Double Kick attack.

It hit its mark square in the belly; or, spiral in the belly? Regardless, it hit, first one foot striking out then the next to send Poliwag toppling over. Its round body caused it to roll back until it hit a tree. "Poliwag!" Maisie cried out. Poliwag used the tree as support to climb back onto its feet.

It seemed like it was completely fine. Cora recalled the Pokedex entry in her mind.

"Its skin is thin, damp, and slick. It is also quite flexible, so even sharp fangs can bounce right off."

Even sharp fangs can bounce right off. If sharp fangs could bounce off, why not kicks? Poliwag's skin must've at least lowered the damage. With renewed courage at seeing her Pokemon recover, Maisie called out another command. "Poliwag! Use Hypnosis!"

Poliwag's eyes became outlined in a pink glow as they stared directly into Nidoran's red eyes. It was almost as though waves were passing between them while the water-type used hypnotic suggestion to put Nidoran to sleep.

The poison-type crumbled to the forest floor and laid with its back stretched and legs tucked in like a crumpled piece of paper that just fell to the ground. "Now that it's asleep, you can get in a few hits before it wakes up!" Cora grinned. This battle was going to turn around! Though they'd already been turning the tables so much, the tables were probably spinning.

"Okay Poliwag, you can- Poliwag?" Maisie rushed over to stand by the tree Poliwag had been knocked to as Poliwag keeled over. "Poliwag!"

Cora broke into a half-jog, half-speed walk over. Poliwag was turning colors at the cheeks like it suddenly got a fever, but instead of turning red, it turned hues of purple. "It's poisoned!" Cora gasped.

"But how? I could've sworn it never landed a Poison Sting!"

Cora reached into the side pocket of her purse and pulled out her aqua-colored Pokedex. She pointed it at Nidoran.

"This Nidoran, Male's ability is; Poison Point. An ability that may poison the attacker upon contact with the ability-bearer."

"That's how," Cora murmured. Louder, she said, "Nidoran poisoned Poliwag when it made contact with Double Kick."

"We just have to get through this forest to make it to Viridian, right?" At Cora's nod, Maisie looked back to Poliwag. "Can you finish this battle?"

Poliwag struggled to its feet with a little help from its trainer before hopping onto a decently steady standing position. It let out a determined cry and started for Nidoran. "I'd say that's a yes," Cora muttered.

She was still unsure, but if her Pokemon would continue, then Maisie would too. "Use Pound!" Poliwag broke into a run before using its tail to unleash a Pound attack, slamming it into Nidoran's side. The purple Poison Pin Pokemon was sent tumbling a few feet to the side, and yet it remained asleep. Poison Point no longer mattered since Poliwag was already poisoned.

"Well, someone sure is a deep sleeper." Cora casually noted.

"But that works well for us. Poliwag, Bubble!"

Unlike last time, the water-type Pokemon's water-type move made contact. Bubble hit its mark and bombarded Nidoran repeatedly. "Keep up the attacks!" Maisie ordered.

Over and over, Poliwag hit Nidoran with repeated Pound and Bubble attacks. But the turn couldn't last forever - Poliwag was getting tired, and taking damage from the poison all the while. Plus, their poison-type opponent was bound to wake up soon. Finally, Poliwag fell onto its stomach. The poison is really getting to it..!

Maisie took a step forward, ready to dash at any moment. "Poliwag!" Cora blocked her way. "What-"

"Just return it to its Poke Ball!"

"Oh, right." Following her friend's advice, she ran over to her backpack to grab her Poke Ball. But during that time, Nidoran began to wake. It blinked, as though unsure of what it was doing, napping midday. But then, it hopped up, recollection flashing in its eyes.

Poliwag began to get up after its particularly bad bout with the poison when it suddenly froze. Cora looked over at Nidoran to see why, and the glare Nidoran was giving the Tadpole Pokemon said it all. It's using Leer! "Maisie, hurry!" She urged.

"I... I got it!" Nidoran lowered its forehead and charged toward Poliwag with a powerful Horn Attack. "I threw it in there pretty carelessly," Maisie noted, explaining why it took so long to find.

By the time she stood and pointed her Poke Ball at Poliwag, she had to quickly draw her arm back. Poliwag, weakened by poisoned and unable to move and with its guard down at Nidoran's scary Leer, was hit dead-on with Horn Attack. It let out a sharp cry of pain and was sent flying back into Maisie's arms while she caught it.

Nidoran gave a smug look, obviously satisfied after defeating its opponent, and ran off into the trees. "Hey!" Cora called out, but it had already disappeared, leaving behind nothing but the rustle of bushes.

"Poliwag, return," Maisie sighed. That made two of them who'd lost to Route 1 Pokemon. But Maisie's loss was even more astounding than Cora's. Poliwag hadn't just hatched from an egg - it may not have had battling experience, but it must've been a higher level at least? And how could that Nidoran have known Double Kick? It shouldn't have known that move yet!

But now, they had far bigger problems. And that was, of course, their injured partners. "Viridian's close... Let's hurry," Maisie nodded at the suggestion. Instead of throwing Poliwag's Poke Ball into her bag like she had when it was empty, she held it close to her chest as they started - or rather, restarted - for Viridian City.

The first checkpoint in what was to be a long, long journey for the two friends. Especially if they were already losing battles... To Pokemon on Route 1.