This Isnt The Beginning, Just The First Step

Nikky was jumping as she proceeded along Route 1. Just leaving Pallet Town, she couldn't wait to start her journey. But then again, she already did. Though she hardly constituted bounding out of Oak's Laboratory and then tripping and falling down a large flight of steps anything journey worthy. But she did count her new girl Nidoran!

...Speaking of her Nidoran. She might as well let her out and get to know her.

Nikky unclipped the PokéBall from her belt and examined it, tossing it between her hands. She never had really handled a PokéBall before (her friends thought she'd break it if they'd give her one) so she tossed it in the air a bit unsure and called out, "Um...come out, come out, wherever you are?"

It worked for the Nidoran had burst out in a flash of light from the ball. It shook it's head and blinked, adjusting it's eyes to the light and new surroundings. It then looked up at it's trainer who was shaking with excitement at her (which was sincerely freaking the poor Nidoran out).

Nikky opened her mouth to speak but then remembered her PokéDex. She fumbled with it as she brought it out and pointed it at her first Pokémon quite enthusiastically. The device then rang out in a female electronic voice, "Nidoran, the Poison Pin Pokémon. Though it has a smaller horn than it's male counterpart, it still can secrete dangerous poisons and cause much harm to their opponents."

"What. That's it?" Nikky asked, tilting her head to look at her PokéDex. She then saw a list of statistics. Among them, she saw her Nidoran had the ability Poison Point, knew the attacks Growl and Scratch, and her nature was Quiet.

Nikky smiled, "Well, this certainly isnt bad. I guess I gotta name you, huh?" She asked, her Nidoran only getting half a nod in before Nikky continued, "I need to name you something awesome...but not so awesome it takes away from yourself..."

Nikky stood there, thinking hard of a name as she searched her brain. She always had a somewhat knack for naming. She then snapped her fingers in revelation, "I know! Taryn! I'll name you Taryn and you shall be a beast!" Nikky looked down at her Nidoran for approval.

The Nidoran paused for a second, then nodded and chirped in approval. The first noise she had given the whole time while outside of her PokéBall.

Nikky cheered at that and then continued her travel down Route 1, with Taryn.

Nikky couldn't help but smiled as she was approached but this kid, Dan. He seemed kinda shy. But not so shy that he would've just sat on the rock and stare at her like a creep. That would've been bad and kinda weird with a hint of awkward.

As it turned out, Dan wanted to battle, for he was just as much a new trainer as she. And he had a Pikachu. Which totally distracted Nikky because Pikachu's were her second favorite Pokémon (of course Delibird was her favorite. Anyone could tell you that. And if you didnt notice, you obviously lacked skills that only people who could notice would notice.), and because she loved Pikachu's so much, she couldn't move forward in life until she had picked up that Pikachu and go on about how cute it was. Embarrassingly, of course.

"Aren't you so adorable!?" Nikky cooed, hugging the Pikachu's breath (and probably soul) out of it. "You just are so cute! And adorable! And I love your ears!" The blonde went on and on, petting and pulling and moving the electric-type around.

Taryn, who was unfortunately embarrassed from her trainer already, had too nudge Nikky to bring her back to the planet. Nikky blinked then sheepishly put down the Pikachu where she had found him, "Sorry about that..." She apologized quickly to the boy and stood there awkwardly for a second.

"So..." She continued, "A battle right? I guess we can do that. Is that okay, Taryn?" She glanced down at her Nidoran eagerly. Taryn paused, considering her options, then nodded up to Nikky; she seemed to have turned her humiliation into determination of some sort. Which was a good sign to Nikky.

Nikky smiled at this approval and gave two thumbs up to Dan. She then loudly announced, "We accept your invitation to battle our pogeymans, Dan-o!"

Seeing her opponent had started to attack, Nikky smirked and called out, "Alright, Taryn, since he's using Growl, Growl back! Then try a Scratch attack!"

She then fumbled to take her PokéDex out and scanned the Pikachu, to add some info to her device. It's vice rang out, "Pikachu, the mouse Pokémon. The electric pouches in it's cheeks hold all of it's energy supply."

Nikky smiled as she pocketed her PokéDex. She was happy to see Taryn wasn't affected as much as Dan's Pikachu was. (Though she was a bit sorry that she had to hurt the poor thing.)

Nikky cleared her throat and ordered, "Go in for another Scratch, Taryn! Then use Growl again!"

Nikky's eyebrows arched from this sudden change. She wouldnt have guessed Dan had enough in him to try to win. She smirked at the new development.

"Try to Dodge it, Taryn! Then go in for double Scratch!"

Nikky smiled, happy with how the battle was turning out. But she needed some sort of strategy, going strategy-less might work now, but in the future, it could spell trouble.

But she did like her little Growl and Scratch combination...Maybe she could try to reform it...

"Taryn, use Growl to try to stop it temporarily, then try to Bite!" Nikky commanded, hoping it would work.

Nikky jumped up and down, seeing Taryn had poisoned the Pikachu. "Awesome job, Taryn!" She congratulated her Nidoran, though she did look a bit tired.

Seeing as Dan was taking this seriously now, though, Nikky decided it was time to be a bit more serious as well. "Dodge it, Taryn!" Nikky ordered. She then paused and thought to herself briefly before ordering again, "And try another Scratch! Maybe we can take him down this time!"

Nikky jumped in happiness, seeing that Taryn had come out to be the victor. "That was awesome! Taryn, you're amazing!"

Taryn smiled as she skipped back to her trainer, happy with a job well done. Dan seemed to have followed, congratulating her and giving her money and a Sitrus Berry.

Nikky frowned as she quickly counted her money and calculated it in her head. It was barely enough for a PokéBall or a Potion. Was everyone this cheap?

She then perked at the term 'rival' and before she could respond, Dan was already gone. She beamed at Taryn, "Did you hear that? I have a rival! Though when I always thought of a rival, I always imagined a girl. And if a dude crossed my mind, he was usually really cute and I'd think I would have a crush on him. Eh. Dan's not bad though. Nothing spectacular either..."

Taryn sighed as her trainer went off into her own world (where ever that was) and nudged Nikky to snap her out of her thoughts.

Nikky's head snapped around, "Yes, we should continue to Viridian City! I agree wholeheartedly, Taryn!" Nikky yelled obnoxiously, starting to march farther down Route 1. Taryn quietly followed after, slightly wondering what would happen next.

(OOC: Thank you, Dave!)

Nikky was happy to finally seem to be reaching Viridian City. She loved to travel, but her legs were getting a bit bored from the constant walking. She thought to herself about jogging there, but that would require Taryn to go in her pokebal-

"Whoa!" The blonde said, having fallen on the ground. She had tripped over something from the bushes, which she could hear obnoxious quacking from. It sounded like laughter.

Taryn obviously took action, as her trainer had been messed with (and embarrassingly so). Nikky quickly gathered herself and hurdled over the bushes with pure curiosity. She landed with a loud stomp to see that Taryn had cornered a Farfetch'd, who was ready to fight.

Nikky squealed in delight. She used to play with a Farfetch'd as a kid. Then it died. But not from her playing with it; some underage-trainers had accidentally killed it while trying to capture it. She then realizedd how morbid her mind was going and pushed the flashback out of her thoughts. She focused on the bird Pokémon, he was interesting, to say the least. Nikky retrieved her PokéDex from her pocket, wondering about the little guy...

"Farfetch'd, the Wild Duck Pokémon. The leek it carries is used most commonly for a weapon. They also cannot seem to live without it, for unknown reasons."

"It seems useful!" Nikky concluded brightly, fishing in her backpack momentarily then threw the Sitrus Berry to Taryn. "Catch! We're gonna try to get this little dude, Taryn! He seems like fun!"

Though Taryn hardly called being tripped by a leek in the middle of a road fun, she did catch the Sitrus Berry and eat it. She felt much better than from the battle before and readied herself for battle.

"Use Growl to weaken it, Taryn! Then Scratch!" Nikky called.

Nikky smiled at the Farfetch'd's moveset. It wasnt that bad at all. It was pretty awesome, actually!

The blonde then turned serious, seeing an attack heading straight for her Pokémon. She had to think quickly to save Taryn and get that farfetch'd as well.

"Dodge him, Taryn! Then Bite if he's close enough!" Nikky ordered quickly.

After that last round, Nikky had bitten her lip in thought. She was rolling a minimized PokéBall between her fingers, wondering when she should use it or not.

She remembered back in school (which wasnt required after you turned 14 in Lilycove) that she took a course with her friends on Pokémon training in general when they were all eleven. They taught her everything from training to battling to capturing to surviving.

She really didnt remember much from the capturing section (alot of parties were on the days that they learned the subject) and it wasnt really a surprise now-a-days why she had failed the capturing portion of the exams in that class.

Nikky decided that she'll use it if Taryn lands another hit. The Farfetch'd seemed pretty weakened by now.

"Use a Double Scratch, Taryn!"

Nikky enlarged the PokéBall, this seemed like a perfect moment to try to catch the bird Pokémon. She quickly thought of a strategy in her head and issued it.

"Dodge him to get farther away from him, Taryn! The use another Scratch!" Nikky ordered, the readied to throw her PokéBall after Taryn's Scratch. She was hoping that this was enough to capture the Farfetch'd (and that her aim didnt fail her today). Also, she didnt really want to hurt him anymore than it seemed to be needed.