Author's note: I own the Dune Burrow-nit, plus everything that I owned in previous chapters.
Pikmin Worlds: Day 13
Just Deserts
My travels on this Pikmin planet have been truly amazing. Not only am I learning about the mysteries of life, I am learning so much more about my father. I hardly ever get to see him at home, and when I do he is always hard at work. This family mission has showed me how lucky I am to have such a smart and caring father. I feel somehow obligated to repay him somehow, but what could I possibly do to
"Sadie! Please report to the front of the ship; we are disembarking!" called out Captain Olimar. Sadie carefully stowed away her diary and hurried to the warp pod. After bathing in the rainbow light of the warp, she found the rest of her family standing on a clump of dry grass near the Pikmin Onions. Beyond the landing site all she could see was an endless expanse of sand and rocks. "Dad, where are we? Where is everything?"
"We are in the middle of this planet's largest desert, which I have named the Sea of Sand," explained her father. "You may think that this place is barren, but the Porpoise detected a myriad of life just beneath the surface. Help Chip get some Red Pikmin out; they won't wilt in this heat like the other Pikmin."
Sadie walked to the Red Onion to join her brother, but jumped up when a flash of green shot out of the sand. "Calm down, Sadie, that's just a harmless Flint Beetle," advised her father. "But I do warn you that many dangerous creatures live underground, so be prepared for anything here."
Sadie gingerly continued walking to the Red Onion, where her brother already had all 100 Pikmin raring to go. "Here are 25 for you, sis! Here, take these 50 to Mom and Dad!" After distributing the red Pikmin, it was time to start exploring the area.
"Hey, family, I want you to look at these rocks for a minute," stated Olimar.
"But Dad, I want to fight the dangerous creatures in the sand!" whined Chip.
"I know you do, but look at these rocks first. Do you see the faint eye markings? I believe that some of these rocks are actually a subspecies of the Cloaking Burrow-Nit disguising themselves as rocks. Stay close while I try to coax one to move." Olimar, with his Pikmin close behind, headed to the end of the rock without the eye markings. Sure enough, the rock started stirring and revealed itself to be a Burrow-Nit. One quick swarming was all it took to down the insect. "Let me write this down quickly in my notes. Everyone can go exploring; I will catch up with you later. Just pay attention and don't let any creatures catch you by surprise."
With Olimar temporarily gone, his wife Julie stepped up as the temporary leader.
"Now, kids, we should stay close to the Porpoise, and not get separated."
"But Mom, I want to explore and see what dangerous things are in the sand!" moaned Chip.
"I think its best that we wait for your father before we head of any farther from the landing site. Now, let's head away from these Burrow-Nits."
Just as they were walking away, another flash of green shot out of the sand, and this time it wasn't a Flint Beetle. With a loud crowing, a pair of Burrowing Snarrows reared back in an attempt to ambush the family and their Pikmin.
"EEK!" cried Sadie. "I better get Dad to help us!"
"No way, we can take them on!" shouted Chip, who was already throwing Pikmin rapidly at the feathered head of one of the snake-birds. Julie was futilely calling her Pikmin to swarm the other Snarrow, which did little more than allow the Snarrow to reach its meal more easily.
"Mom, Olimar told us that if we ever saw a Snavian creature we should aim for its head!" called out Chip as three Pikmin were devoured by the creature. Sadie quickly called the Pikmin away, and both Snarrows retreated into the ground. "Thank goodness that's over," she sighed, relieved. However, both of the determined birds resurfaced behind the family. Chip was able to finish off the injured one with a volley of red Pikmin, and started attacking the other one. The Burrowing Snarrow burrowed once more into the sand.
"Come out, you chicken!" called out Chip. The sand did not even stir. "Well, I must have scared it away." Chip ordered his Pikmin to carry the head of the defeated Snarrow back to the Red Onion, while he went to sit down on a nearby rock.
"I'm back, everyone!" called out Olimar as he ran to his family. "I saw the end of that battle with those Snarrows, you did a great job! Snarrows like to hunt in groups, so I don't think that other one will return anytime soon. It's getting late, everyone, so let's head back to the Porpoise."
"Just a minute, Dad, I want to rest my legs," Chip called down from the rock.
"Chip! What are you doing on that thing! Get down this instant!"
"Don't worry, I already checked for eye markings, and there are none."
"You don't understand! Get off before…"
"Dad, there's no hurry to get back to the Porpoise!" shouted Chip, pounding his fist on the rock for emphasis. Suddenly, the rock started quaking, causing Chip to fall off. As he got up, he realized that he was sitting on the back of a juvenile Emperor Bulblax.
"Everybody, hurry back to the Porpoise! I'll deposit the Red Pikmin!" shouted Olimar. Everyone ran in sheer terror as the groggy monster let out a terrifying roar. It did not take long to reach the landing site. "Start the engines, I'll be there in a second!" cried the captain as the Bulblax stomped towards the Porpoise. The red Pikmin retreated into the Onion, and Olimar beamed himself up into the ship right before it took off. The Porpoise took to the sky along with the Onions, leaving a very angry Grub-Dog stomping around below. Olimar took some time to catch his breath before he finished off his notes.
Sea of Sand: Day 13
Today we landed in a vast desert, similar in many ways to the dry wastelands found commonly on Hocotate, except for the almost unbearable heat. However, many creatures survive in this harsh environment by living underground to avoid the glaring sun. We discovered a new creature, the Dune Burrow-Nit (Trilobitins Saburra), which evolved a camouflage suited for the desert environment, but is in every other way identical to the Cloaking Burrow-Nit.
I am still worried about my son Chip. He treats our mission like a game; he is only interested in fighting the creatures of this planet and takes no time to admire their beauty. I hope that I can get through to him so he can realize that the animals he sees as enemies are only acting on there own instinct and he should only act in his own defense, not actively seek battle. I find each creature on this planet beautiful in its own way, even the most frightful ones; I just wish that my family can learn to think this as well.