Dudunsparce (Dunsparce)

Talpadraconis magnus

Overview

The dragons hold special places in almost every culture. They are seen as messengers of the gods, or as gods in their own right. Even the cultures that do not worship them know the importance of approaching them with respect and fear. In general, dragons are split into three groups: the true dragons, the pseudodragons, and the elemental dragons. The latter category will be set aside for now.

Pseudodragons evolved from snake pokémon and the true dragons evolved from pseudodragons. The true dragons are mostly bipedal or quadrupedal and often have wings. The most well known pseudodragons, milotic and gyarados, are sea serpents revered as gods of peace and war around the world.

Dudunsparce is the third pseudodragon. They are not worshipped by any known culture.

Rather than being fearsome apex predators like most true dragons and gyarados, dunsparce are scavengers and herbivores. They are extremely timid and flee into the earth at the first sign of trouble. All of this has led dunsparce being mocked as the little dragon that couldn’t. Even upon evolution dudunsparce still spend almost all of their lives alone underground.

But all hope is not lost for the only terrestrial pseudodragon. Research has shown that they easily outlive milotic and gyarados. Dudunsparce, while not as strong as their cousins, are still reasonably competent in battle. They are also far friendlier than the temperamental gyarados and mercurial milotic.

Physiology

Both stages are classified as pure normal types. They are not true dragons and do not wield draconic energy as well as the elemental dragons can. Despite their digging abilities, they are not terrakinetic. These limitations rule out dragon and ground typings, and there is no other typing that would fit them.

Dunsparce are relatively short, thick snakes. They are typically about five feet long and one foot wide. The body is split into three segments: a large head, a thick middle body, and a drill-tipped tail. Most of their back is covered in yellow scales and their belly is lined with teal ones. The one exception to this rule is a patch of scales between their wings. This pattern, unique to each individual, is a mix of tan and teal scales.

Dunsparce have two short white wings with soft feathers. The species is not capable of flight, but they can hover for short periods. Their wings beat rapidly while they do this, but the flight itself is an elemental ability and not the product of mechanical force. Dunsparce have two very wide eyes with eyelids. However, these eyes are almost always shut. Sometimes a captive dunsparce will open them for a minute or so, but they will then close their eyes continuously for nearly a decade. No wild dunsparce has been observed with their eyes open.

At the end of a dunsparce’s tail is a drill. They can spin this drill rapidly to create a limited twister attack that carves out a tunnel behind the pokémon. Dunsparce slither backwards faster than they slither forwards; it is believed that dunsparce always move backwards in their tunnels, and only move forwards in large caverns and on the surface.

Dunsparce have two thick whiskers that are often confused with fangs. These are extremely sensitive and pick up vibrations for miles around them. A dunsparce buried deep inside of its burrow likely has a good idea of the weight and gait of creatures moving on the surface.

Dudunsparce are similar to dunsparce, just larger and with more segments. Their body, rather than having one thick segment before the tail, contains two or three segments that taper off before bulging into the next one. This is unique among organic snakes and believed to be the result of mutation. Dudunsparce also have two or three sets of wings. Their odd configuration of body segments and limbs makes them the possible ancestor of six-limbed dragons like salamence or dragonite. Dudunsparce trade their unevolved form’s whispers for three short patches of many whiskers that increase their awareness of space within one hundred feet of them but provide a lesser range. Dudunsparce have been known to open their eyes on the surface and when floating.

Dudunsparce typically have a mass between two to three hundred pounds. They can grow to be twelve feet long, although lengths of eight to ten feet are more common. One captive dudunsparce, Don Velez, was captured as an adult in 1467 and has shown no aging-related health problems. He has grown two inches in this time.

Behavior

Dunsparce are extremely timid. This makes observation of them in the wild difficult. When approached on the surface, they will immediately burrow back underground. When approached inside of caves, they will immediately burrow even further down. Pokémon and drones sent into their tunnels typically send the dunsparce into a full panic as they try to tunnel away as fast as possible, occasionally lobbing out attacks if they get outrun. They will go limp and play dead if anything gets too close. They will stop playing dead and escape the first time an opportunity presents itself.

There are a few things that are known about wild dunsparce behavior. They frequent caves that are not flooded or part of an active volcano. In fact, they appear on every continent (including Antarctica) and have frequently shown up on Melemele and other volcanic islands. There is no record of the indigenous people bringing them to the island. Dunsparce were already established on Melemele when Europeans discovered it. This suggests that they can dig under or swim through the oceans if need be. Because dunsparce seem even more afraid of water than they are of people (see Husbandry), the former is far more likely.

Dunsparce often share caverns with all subspecies of dugtrio. They appear to tolerate the presence of dugtrio and diglett in the wild. The only high-quality study of wild dunsparce was done by attaching cameras to dugtrio and having them check in every few days on any dunsparce they found. It appeared as if most dunsparce stay perfectly still for months at a time.

The study did manage to film a dunsparce eating. A cave fish killed a small crab in a nearby stream and the dunsparce slithered over, created a high-pitched grinding sound with their drill to scare the fish away, and then ate the crab. Captive dunsparce have never killed and eaten live prey. Between the two data points, it appears as if dunsparce are primarily scavengers. Captive specimens are fond of root vegetables and the roots of many grasses and shrubs. This suggests that part of dunsparce’s trips to the surface may be partially to eat plant material.

Dunsparce are usually sighted on the surface after very heavy rains. Presumably, they surface primarily to escape their flooding tunnels. Some dunsparce are also seen surfacing in the winter in areas where arbok live. They could be avoiding the den of much larger snakes that is temporarily occupying their home. While on the surface, dunsparce prefer to hide in thick grasses, piles of boulders, or other places that provide them with cover.

Dudunsparce sightings are more common than those of dunsparce even though they are likely far rarer. Dudunsparce react with curiosity to drones or pokémon entering their burrows and will often gently bite them and take them to the surface before letting them go. On occasion they even surface on cool, dark nights to float around for a time before going back into their burrow. Dudunsparce are exceedingly gentle and have been known to protect injured pokémon they encounter. Micro-seismological studies suggest that dudunsparce are quite rare. There are six known individuals in Alola with three more theorized but unseen. Dudunsparce on the surface have been observed floating up to berries and eating them. Scavenging behavior is not well documented in the wild but is supported by captive studies.

The longest known dudunsparce burrow was roughly three miles long and was 4000 feet deep. There were a handful of branching paths but it was remarkably linear for its length. Dudunsparce are believed to spend most of their time in a larger cavern at the center of the burrow.

Husbandry

Dunsparce are probably the most difficult species to capture and train in this entire guide. While the process is far safer than trying to tame a vanilluxe, volcarona or metagross, it makes up for the relative safety through the sheer time, inconvenience and frustration involved.

Capturing a dunsparce is no easy task (see Acquisition). After a trainer manages to capture one, they then face the problem that whenever they are let out of their pokéball, dunsparce will attempt to burrow into the ground and escape. They will do this even if held in love, luxury, or friend balls.

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To avoid this, the trainer must immediately go onto a boat and release the dunsparce. The pseudodragon will burrow through the boat, hit water, panic, and stop digging. If the boat can take on water and not sink, then the trainer can stay inside of it. If not, the trainer should pick up the dunsparce (the pokémon will struggle and they are deceptively strong; many trainers break a rib at this step), get onto a ride pokémon, and then get onto another boat.

The dunsparce will not attempt to burrow deeper so long as they can see and smell the ocean and feel the rocking of the waves. Now, the trainer can acclimate their pokémon to humans. The dunsparce must be left out of their ball for the entire process, ideally with a small, shaded and enclosed box or cavity they can retreat into. Their trainer must stay with them the entire time to slowly get the dunsparce to accept that humans are not a threat. Then, the trainer should feed the dunsparce at least ten times.

This may sound easy. There is a catch. Dunsparce eat at most once a month. Their trainer will need to stay with them on a boat for up to a year. The trainer can leave the boat to take a break, but it is recommended that breaks be kept to one hour a week. The dunsparce will also need to be acclimated to all of the pokémon species they will interact with on the team, many of whom are more intimidating than humans. It is also difficult to acclimate a dunsparce to a steelix while on a boat or to convince any ground-types to stay on a boat away from solid earth out of their pokéball at all times for a year.

Togekiss and blissey are among the best possible teammates for dunsparce as they have calming auras and eggs, respectively. They can halve the time it takes for a dunsparce to bond with a human, reduce the risk of flight, and all but eliminate stress-based diseases (see Illness).

If the dunsparce is not acclimated to humans and used to taking meals from them by the time they are allowed onto solid land, they will immediately try to escape and render the whole process fruitless.

Captive dunsparce should be fed roughly once a month. The recommended diet is a mix of fresh crustaceans, dog biscuits, wet cat food, fish, and root vegetables. They will not have the appetite to eat more than three standard servings of food at a given feeding. Dunsparce do not like to battle and will often burrow if spooked, although they sometimes will come back to a longtime trainer when they think the coast is clear. If a dunsparce is battled with, they should be fed once every two weeks. They should be provided with a stationary water dish in an easy to access place.

Dunsparce urinate roughly once a week and defecate twice a month. They cannot technically be housebroken, but they move so little that if they are set on a plastic sheet or in a pool, they will probably just relieve themselves where they are at.

It is unclear if dunsparce sleep or how often they do. But they prefer to stay motionless unless they need to move for food, to obey a command from a trainer they are loyal to, or to get away from something that intimidates them. Some dunsparce will explore their surroundings, but this is a relative rarity. The favored enrichment item of dunsparce is a network of plastic, metal or glass tubes big enough for them to slither through. The Lumiose Museum of Natural History has a popular burrowing species exhibit where the pokémon can move through a series of glass tunnels, concrete caverns and enclosed piles of dirt and rocks that spans nearly the entire museum. Their dunsparce, Lucille and Royal, are the most active captive specimens in the world

Dunsparce are not affectionate. They will accept petting from trusted humans, but they will never initiate it or show much reaction at all.

Most dunsparce kept today are not pets, but are research or museum specimens. The others are the pokémon of long-dead sailors who thought that a months long transoceanic voyage in a massive ship was as good a chance as any to train a dunsparce. Even in the 1400s, having a tame dunsparce was seen as a monumental accomplishment in the nascent world of pokémon trainers. By 1700 the impossible had already been done a dozen times over and most of Europe’s naval academies had at least one donated dunsparce in their collection. Dunsparce have remained uncommon in the centuries since, limited primarily to science museums

Dudunsparce are far more manageable than their juvenile form. They are more confident and curious and generally more accepting of being on the surface. The ideal way to keep one is to maintain a large rural property and allow the pokémon to burrow freely. They can be bribed to come to the surface by treats on the nights around a new moon or just the promise of friendship. Dudunsparce seem to enjoy being pet and cuddled. They also seem interested in music, either live or through a recording. Sometimes they can be convinced to leave the property with a trainer for an extended period of time. If burrowing will not be allowed they can be given a dark chamber with soft blankets, music, and small amounts of food. A translator can be used to convince them to stay in the cavern for short periods of time without burrowing out. Dudunsparce are reasonably intelligent and can understand and accept simple logic chains. They still generally refuse to answer questions about themselves or their species through a translator. Answers given tend to conflict with those from other individuals, opening up the possibility that dudunsparce may deliberately be playing pranks on researchers.

Dudunsparce’s diet should consist of a mix of fresh fruit, roots, tubers, and greens and proteins in the form of carnivore pellets or frozen meat. Dudunsparce only need to eat once or twice a month but will nibble on fruit or fresh greens if offered.

Small pokémon make the best teammates for dudunsparce. While they do not see humans as a threat, large carnivores or very large herbivores can still set dudunsparce on edge or drive them to spend more time beneath the surface. Pokémon that will lie next to dudunsparce without moving for extended periods of time are excellent teammates. So are musically inclined pokémon.

Illness

Sometimes dunsparce will hover in the air for no apparent reason. This will often be accompanied by a constant whirring of their drill. It is believed that this is a sign of stress as they often stop when they are left entirely alone in the dark. Dunsparce will also rapidly shed scales when they experience prolonged stress. Both stages will usually react to acute pain or major stressors by burrowing into the earth. One dunsparce died of stress when frequently used in battle for several months with while being held on a ship: this is the most recent reported accidental death of a captive dunsparce. That incident happened in 1550. Most of the world’s 45 captive dunsparce have had centuries-long runs of perfect health. Dudunsparce fare even better. Cancer has not been observed in the species, even though fairly major mutations (two vs. three segmented bodies) are common. They may be fully immune.

Evolution

No captive dunsparce has evolved. Dudunsparce are believed to be exceedingly old given their slow growth rates and answers given through translators. No dunsparce or dudunsparce have been found longer than six feet but shorter than eight. This suggests that they flash evolve between the stages. The exact conditions needed to trigger evolution are not understood at this time.

Battling

Normal-types and dragons have the widest elemental wells on average. Dudunsparce are no exception. They can learn a wide variety of coverage and supporting moves with time. Their nigh-inexhaustible patience and curiosity let them master many techniques as well. Most dudunsparce play the role of a wall or gradual booster. They are masters of spreading paralysis with glare and can easily set stealth rocks. Roost can allow them to recover damage. Moves like calm mind or coil slowly boost up both their offenses and defenses. In time they can attempt a sweep with normal-type moves or coverage attacks. The exact coverage and supporting moves can vary with the situation.

Dudunsparce lack immediate power and durability. Anything that hits exceedingly hard and has at least modest bulk can try to win the fight quickly before the dudunsparce can boost. Moves like haze and psych up can negate boosts altogether. Taunt can prevent most supporting and setup options. Essentially, the best way to counter a dudunsparce is to either prevent it from setting up or take the boosts away. A dudunsparce given time to get going can swing the match in its teams favor even if it does not entirely sweep the opponent.

On the competitive circuits extremely hard-hitting pokémon or even more impenetrable walls than a boosted dudunsparce are common. Anti-setup options are nearly mandatory on every team. This limits dudunsparce’s viability. On the island challenge dudunsparce can be a major asset against every opponent save some kahunas and the dragon trial.

Only trainers willing to risk scaring off their dunsparce for good should attempt to battle with them.

Acquisition

Dunsparce can be captured with a Class V license. Dunsparce can also be purchased or adopted with a Class V license, but trainers should be warned that all but the tamest of dunsparce will attempt to flee from a new trainer.

The best way to find a dunsparce is to search the tallest, thickest grass of Route 2 after a particularly fearsome rainstorm. This is best done with thermal goggles or a tracking pokémon used to the scent of dunsparce. At this point, trainers have three options for attempting the capture:

* They can throw a quick ball or ultra ball and hope they hit the target and successfully capture it on the first try.

* They can use a trapper to block off escape. Chandelure, gothielle and mega gengar are among the most popular with professional hunters. Some telekinetics can also suspend the dunsparce in mid-air for a moment, and even guide the pokéball towards the target.

* Use a faster pokémon to defeat dunsparce in battle. Dugtrio have the advantage of being able to outrun and outfight dunsparce even when they try to dig below the surface. Some variants of dugtrio can also try trapping dunsparce on the surface, but they are usually able to slip through the trap. Some birds can also swoop in and pick up a dunsparce in their talons. The snake can then be weakened with a few solid pecks.

The first strategy is entirely luck-based, the latter two require specialized teams. Between the trapper and a pokémon to ease the bonding process, many trainers need two rare and powerful pokémon to even be able to capture and raise a relatively weak, if interesting, new team member.

Dudunsparce can be captured, purchased, or adopted with a Class III license. The main challenge is finding one. They rarely surface in the same places and only do so around the new moon. Finding a known burrow entrance, laying down or hoisting a pile of buries, and playing gentle music is the best way to lure one out. Even then this can take months of attempts.

Breeding

Dudunsparce have never been bred in captivity. It is unknown how they breed in the wild.

Relatives

All dudunsparce populations are remarkably similar in phenotype and genotype, despite their vast range.