The old man paused in his story as he reached for a drink out of his water bottle. I 
wondered if he was going to tell me more of this strange trainer, whose pokemon evolved 
so soon into his journey. Perhaps I could learn the secret and pass it onto my own 
pokemon. But alas, I never had the chance to ask. As soon as the man had had a nice 
mouthful of water, he moved on to begin telling the rest of his tale. I suppose I could 
have interrupted if I really wanted to, but at the time the thought never occurred to me. 
‘Now, the boy woke up that morning…’ 







The morning was bright; a soft wind blew throughout the area, creating whisper like 
conversations between trees.
As Leif awoke, the sadness he felt at his captures disappeared when he noticed they still 
slept together, peacefully. The two would not only always be together, but they would 
also grow stronger together. Perhaps if he hadn’t caught them, they might have been 
separated by the other new trainers traveling this way. 
Refusing to wake and separate the pair, Leif watched them for another minute before 
returning both to their pokeballs, where they would wake up eventually. 
Sneazle, on the other hand, was awake and sitting in the nearby tree, scanning the 
horizon, as if he were looking for something coming their way. Leif smiled at his wary 
pokemon, and then began to pack up the campsite. 
A piece of fruit was all the pair ate as they began their travels that day. It was all they 
needed, or perhaps just all they wanted. Leif was in a hurry now. After his pathetic 
attempt at traveling the day before, he had distance to catch up. The other pallet trainers 
were not only a day ahead, but also now had the time Leif had just sat feeling sorry for 
himself and his new nidoran. The pace he set was a brisk walk, but Sneazle had a little 
trouble keeping up with just a walk. So often he would swing ahead through the few 
trees, and until Leif caught up, he would scan the area for adversaries or wild pokemon. 
Leif had been walking for nearly fifteen minutes when he began to think Sneazle had 
gone awfully far this time. But as he was about to call out for his pokemon, he heard a 
trainer cry ‘Ivysaur, use razor leaf, and don’t miss’. Leif immediately felt a bad feeling in 
his stomach. It worsened when he heard ‘Sneaa’… cried out over all the noise.
Without seeing his pokemon, he yelled out, ‘get into the tree’s sneazle’. Sneazle reacted 
in seconds. 
Leif noticed a razor leaf attack slice a bush into smithereens, and walked straight past it 
to find a boy completely dressed in black, except for his shirt which carried a completely 
red R in the centre. Leif looked into the boys unnaturally white face, acknowledged his 
spiked hair, and the many piercing’s his face carried. But it was the eyes that really 
stopped him. There was such hate, such animosity, and it was all directed at him. 
‘Oh god’, Leif said quietly. ‘What were you doing to my Sneazle”? Leif asked, but he 
feared he already knew the answer. 
‘That pokemon is different, rare even. All rare pokemon are claimed for team rocket. And 
you. YOU dared to interfere with my business. With the business of team rocket. Its time 
to make you pay, kid”. The mans eyes were almost glowing with hate now. There was no 
reasoning, that was obvious. ‘Ivysaur, attack that kid with vinewhip’. The pokemon also 
seemed to radiate hatred; it was obviously its master’s pokemon. 
Leif looked towards Sneazle. It was just hanging onto consciousness, sitting up on the 
branch it had jumped to. 
“Looks like ill have to use you guys now”, Leif whispered to his two remaining 
pokeballs. “I know the pokemon battle rules, but this is too important to risk”. And then 
the two nidorans left their pokeballs, and were standing in front of Leif. They had heard 
what he said. They looked at each other, then at the enemy ivysaur. Finally, they began to 
growl. Soft, menacing growls, yet growls the same. The Rocket mightn’t have taken 
much notice of the growls, but ivysaur did. 
‘Your going to battle me with those pipsqueaks’, the rocket stated, the humor showing in 
his tone and facial expression. 
“Leer”, Leif ordered quietly. The two nidorans eyes began to glow a golden color, and 
Ivysaur took note again, and worry entered the beasts’ eyes. This time, however, the 
rocket also noted, and seemed slightly angered also. “Get rid of those little babies, use 
vine whip and squeeze them into nothingness”.
Leif was certain loss was at hand. The vinewhip had been faster then he hoped, and he 
failed to issue an order before his pokemon were stuck in a vicious wrap attack. No 
matter how they moved, both nidorans could not escape. Leif was almost ready to return 
his pokemon when out of the sky, Sneazle fell onto Ivysaur, claws slashing like there was 
no tomorrow, and unless they won the battle, perhaps there wouldn’t be. 
Ivysaur, however, barely acknowledged the attack. 
“Icy wind on that flower”, ordered Leif, and Sneazle followed through. This time ivysaur 
acknowledged the attack, and threw the two baby pokemon together into a tree. 
“Damn it, use stun spore while its still on your flower”, the rocket roared, and sure 
enough, before Sneazle could jump away, it was paralyzed on the ivysaurs back due to 
the attack. 
“No, not you too Sneazle”, Leif whispered. 
“Now, your next little ma… woh, what’s happening to them”, the rocket said, surprise 
revealed from his harsh voice. Leaf looked at the pair of Nidoran. They both let out a cry 
of pain together. They both seemed to acknowledge it as well. It seemed they both could 
sense the others pain, and as they looked into each others eyes, they also sensed their 
love. And then, they both began to glow. They grew, not one times bigger, or two, but 
almost 6 times bigger then their original size. Both were the equal of ivysaur now, and 
both had a look of complete rage. Leif reached for his pokedex. 
‘Nidorino and Nidorina, the evolved forms of both male and female nidorans. These two 
pokemon are said to increase strength immensely when they have found a life partner, 
and will fight to the death to defend that partner. If you find a pair in the wild, it is 
suggested that you get away as fast as possible. The Nidorino is known for its immensely 
affective poison whilst the nidorina had strength that one her size should not be aloud to 
own’.
Then the match was on, and the rocket was in trouble. 
“get them both with razor leaf”, the pokemon thief ordered, slightly shaken at the 
pokedexs explanation of the pair.  The attack, however, the pair simply ignored and 
continued charging. Then, without warning, both heads were lowered, and a double skull 
bash was performed, smashing the ivysaur straight back into it’s trainer. 
The winded rocket began to speak, But leaf and Sneazle had had enough. 
“Sneazle, lets show this pokemon thief what we thing of him. Use water gun and blow 
him away”. And so Sneazle did. He used the move he had inherited from his father 
golduck, and with the equal skill of any squirtle or horsea. Leif smiled as he watched the 
Rocket blast off into the air, and his grin expanded as he watched his two newly evolved 
pokemon once again snuggle together. This training thing was beginning to work out. 



For 2 days Leif had been walking since the boy from team rocket had attacked him. Each 
day seemed to last merely hours, as morning would turn to day, and just as quickly day to 
night. Then Leif and his pokemon would have to unpack to camp once again. A routine 
slowly began to unfold. During the morning, Sneazle would swing from tree to tree, 
exercising as it did so, while the pair of evolved nidoran would also exercise, though in a 
more playful sense, as they raced and wrestled each other all morning. Then, lunch would 
arrive, and they’d all have a piece of fruit. Then, Nidorino and Nidorina would return to 
their pokeballs and rest, while Sneazle continued to train itself. It seemed to have a need 
for strength ever since its defeat at the hands of Ivysaur. And sure enough, Leif’s 
pokedex told him that Sneazles level was raising at abnormal rates. 
But finally, after a few days traveling and training, the small group came to Viridian 
Forest. 
The forest was exactly as everybody said it was. Thousands of tree’s and an equal 
number of metapod and kakuna, Which Leif could see hanging in tree’s all over the 
place. Something brushed the edge of Leif’s mind, something to watch out for when 
Kakuna were in the vicinity, but he couldn’t think what it was, so decided to think on it 
later. Big mistake. 
Leif slowly entered the forest, taking in the view and suddenly cold air with as much 
caution as he could muster. He didn’t want to be surprised by a pokemon or a trainer is 
this maze of trees. Sneazle wasn’t so worried, however, and jumped into the nearest tree. 
Leif smiled up at his pokemon as it disappeared into the growth. 
Leif slowly walked, following the path that although small, had been clearly used by 
humans not long ago. As he walked, he noticed more kakuna, and around them about 6 
weedle. Once again his mind nearly discovered the reason to keep away from groups of 
weedle and kakuna, but he just couldn’t place it. 
Suddenly, Sneazle jumped out of the tree, and Leif understood his fears. 
Just as Sneazle hit the ground, eight beedrill followed him out of the tree. Each carried 
the same, I’m going to kill you look, and Leif knew they were in trouble. Without even 
thinking, Leif returned his pokemon to its pokeball for the first time since they left, and 
began to run. 
He ran as hard as he could, only just managing to keep his lead over the pokemon behind 
him. He jumped a log and noticed a paras underneath it, and wished he had time to stop 
and catch it. The same again to a shroomish he passed, but he knew there was no way he 
could stop. 
And then it happened. Just as he reached what looked to be an exit out of the forest, 
perhaps 20 more beedrill showed up, right in front of him. He was trapped. He reached 
for his pokeballs, but realized they would be no help. Leif began to say his prayers. 
“Drowzee, use hypno wave”, yelled a voice. Leif looked to his left, and sure enough a 
pretty, young girl of about his own age and her drowzee stood.
He began to feel relief as the girls pokemon began its attack, and beedrill fell, but soon 
the relief turned to dread. He was being saved by a girl. He had to do something or else 
he’d never live it down. He had no choice. 
“Sneazle, go”, he yelled as he threw his pokeball. “Sneazle, use icy wind on those 
beedrill”, and sure enough, Sneazle followed the order. Leif was shocked, however, to 
find the attack not only hurt, but knocked out many of the beedrill. And what was left 
were out cold sooner or later from the hypno wave attack. Leif grinned as he realized the 
power his pokemon must be gaining.

“Nice work there kid”, stated the female trainer who had helped him. She was barely 
older then he was he realized upon closer observation, and grinned at the irony of it. 
“I didn’t need your hope you know”, Leif began. “I was being chased by them 
too…..boost my pokemons speed”. The girl snorted and covered her mouth, obviously 
hiding a grin. 
“Oh, well I knew that, I just thought my drowzee could use some training. Thanks for 
bringing the beedrill all this way for me. It’s like, totally nice of you”. 
Leif noticed Sneazle to his left pulling a smirk, and realized this was all an act. The girl 
was entering complete sarcasm. 
“Oh just shut it will you. Thanks for your help”. And with that, Leif began to walk into 
viridian city, eyes not leaving a huge roman like building, a pokemon gym. 
Smiling, the drowzee trainer muttered to herself, “He’s in for a surprise”.