Author's Note: Once again, I have been hit by a lot of personal stuff that has postponed this update. Applying for college and scholarships is much more time consuming and difficult than I expected. That on top of school, work, and other projects has really cut away from my time for writing. Having said that, I hope to be more consistent with my updates.
This chapter was inspired by the request sent to me by the reader Vixal, so I hope they enjoy it!
Name: Deino
Type: Dark/Dragon
Background: As long as humanity has survived, certain preconceptions are bound to become deeply rooted within our psyche. One of the most common ones is the thought of powerful and chaotic Dragon Pokémon slumbering with the countless caves and caverns throughout the land. Modern research, however, has shown that large numbers of Dragon Pokémon tend to avoid caves. Their duel-typings tend to leave them vulnerable to other cave-dwellers, as Rock Pokémon are easily the most common wildlife found within caverns. On top of that, Ice Pokémon, or at least those who do not make their homes in forests or the tundra, also live within the endless network of caves. The largest exception to this rule, however, is the Pokémon evolutionary line that begins with Deino, as this species lives almost entirely in caves.
Habitat: In a word, caves. Nearly any cave system can prove to support a healthy population of Deino. Practically the only reason a cave or cavern would prove unsuitable for Deino to flourish is if the cave is too small.
Despite their small size, Deino populations, as well as their evolutions, have huge territories within the world's larger cave systems, though most of the populations live in areas that tourists and trainers cannot normally enter.
Ecosystem: Deino has an interesting niche within its ecosystem. Unlike most dragon Pokémon, which are predators, Deino is a herbivore until its evolution. For all of their traditional draconic behavior, Deino are grazing Pokémon, eating any sort plant or fungal matter they can find. This largely contradicts their appearance, which gives it the look of an ambush predator. Most biologists have agreed that the herbivorous nature of Deino has been a recent, though major, evolutionary change to decrease its competition with other cave Pokémon.
Deino are blind due to the shaggy hair that encases their upper head, which is may either be their main reason to or a result of living in caves, so they find their food by utilizing a surprisingly developed sense of smell for a Dragon Pokémon. However, they constantly bump into rocks and walls of their caves while searching for their food. This is not an accident, as some mushrooms grow in places that Deino cannot reach without biting through rock. As such, Deino bite almost anything they bump into.
This habit of biting almost anything has given humans the ridiculous belief that Deino eat everything they find. This line of thinking is highly inaccurate, as Deino are unable to digest nonorganic matter. Deino teeth cannot effectively grip flesh, either, so any reports of supposed 'man-eating' Deino should be written off as teenage pranks. Any chunks of rock or dirt that Deino have in their jaws in their search of food is promptly spit out.
Another part of Deino's niche that differentiates it from other Dragon Pokémon is its place on the food chain. Deino are prey for many cave predators, including Durant and Druddigon. However, the most deadly predator of Deino is its final evolutionary stage, Hydreigon. Luckily for the Deino population, their keen sense of smell allows them to avoid most of their predators. Most Deino that are consumed are newborns, sickly, or just unlucky.
Community: Deino tend to rarely associate with the later stages of their evolution. The obvious reasoning it because of the tendency of Hydreigon to eat their preevolution, though why they avoid Zweilous is unknown.
Deino, in the event that they stumble upon others of their species, will form small herds for a time. This is especially prevalent when the large amounts of food is found in one place. Another factor that will lead to herds of Deino are when plants that are rich in calcium, which is noted for influencing a Pokémon's Special Attack potency, are growing in their caves. This is uncommon, but when it does occur, the plant is devoured as soon as any Deino finds it. This is due to Deino being genetically hardwired to want to increase its Special Attack for once it becomes a Hydreigon.
While in these herds, the Deino do not stay together because of any sense of community. Rather, they stay together because they all happen to smell the same food and travel in the same direction. Eventually, the Deino will break away from the herd one by one as they smell food that the rest of the herd does not.
Herds of Deino are much more susceptible to becoming prey, so an attack by a predator may scatter the herd faster than normal.
Deino eggs are usually hatched alongside four or five others, though the individual Deino quickly disperse.
Deino do not mate. Deino eggs are laid primarily by Zweilous, though some Hydreigon do lay eggs.
Lifespan: Like other Dragons, Deino have amazingly long lifespans for their size and evolutionary stage. A Deino that is somehow unable to evolve, such as by accidently swallowing an Everstone, can live up to 80 years. Most Deino evolve or are eaten much earlier than this, so this lifespan is practically a formality.
Danger!: Danger Level for Deino is 2. Man-eating Deino, as stated, earlier, are a myth. Even if a Deino wanted to eat a human, their teeth are far better suited to grinding plants than cutting flesh. They may be able to take a chunk out of a person's leg with their bite, but they would have difficulty aiming at someone fleeing in the first place. The only time a Deino can pose a serious threat to a human is if that person is attacking the Deino and getting close to its jaws.
Battle: Despite their desire to improve their Special Attack for their final evolutionary stage, Deino, like most base-stage Dragon Pokémon, works best with physical attacks. This Pokémon's nearly unique duel typing of Dark and Dragon also gives it interesting STAB moves.
Powerful STAB moves such as Crunch, Dragon Rush, and Outrage complement Deino's tendency to recklessly attack. This battle style is further pushed by Deino's ability, Hustle. This ability references Deino's recklessness and blindness coming together to give Deino the ability Hustle, which improves the potency of Deino's attacks than a Pokémon with similar build but makes them miss more often.
However, most trainers would balk at using a Deino in battle. The combination of slow speed, little special presence, and blindness make battling with a Deino a chore. Only dedicated trainers, usually Dragon Tamers, have the ability to utilize Deino effectively. Even then, most of these trainers battle with Deino simply to get a Hydreigon.
When fighting against a Deino, ranged attacks are the best way to prevent the small Dragon from dealing damage to its opponent. If ranged moves are not an option, fast Pokémon are usually able to strike at Deino and then flee out of its range before it can retaliate.
Among first stage Dragon Pokémon, Deino is one of the least used in tournaments, though its final form is immensely popular.
Human Interaction: Once again, Deino shares the main parts of its relationship with humans with other first stage Dragons. Deino tend to avoid humans when in their natural habitat, as people are seen as dangerous predators.
Deino's fear of humanity is not misplaced, as many travelers who happen upon the little dragon attack it in 'self-defense', fearing that the Deino is actively hunting them. Many Dragon Tamers and scientists have tried to correct the common populace's views, but select influential professors, namely Professor Juniper, have released faulty information.
The student who reported several Deino attacks to Juniper for her to publish has been stripped of all scientific achievement, but Juniper's record has been irreversiblely stained and people remain ignorant to Deino's true nature.
The only time that common people see Deino as safe is when it has been captured and trained, despite the fact that these Deino are much more likely to attack on the command of their trainer than they ever would on their own in the wild.
Summary: Deino is a completely misunderstood Pokémon. Despite its Dark and Dragon typing, these Pokémon are relatively peaceful herbivores when compared to other cave Pokémon. Social stigma as seen the labeled as a dangerous Pokémon, though nothing could be farther from the truth.
Their evolution, on the other hand, is a different story altogether.
Author's Note: As you readers no doubt noticed, I went completely against the Pokedex entries for this Pokémon. Please let me know what you think about this. Do you prefer when I give Pokémon entries that follow what the Dex says, or do you prefer a different interpretation?
Either way, thank you for reading! As usual, please let me know if there is a Pokémon or Evolutionary Tree you would like me to cover!