In Episode 1, Kiki & Amy explore the likely origins of Kiki's auto-immune disease from a chlorine spill while working at a factory to be able to afford studying abroad, at which job Kiki muscles past sexism, and discovers life beyond the ivory tower, and even finds an unlikely love with a fellow factory worker. Despite serious on-the-job hazards, Kiki discovers resilience, and out of necessity, forges a different path from her college classmates; while her life will never be the same, she persists in adjusting to what will soon become life-long impediments.