Drapion

The desert appeared quiet, but that was no reason to relax. There were all sorts of sand and tar pits that one could get stuck in. There were prickly cactuses and scraggly bushes that could hide anything. Even the Drapion scuttling low to the ground, who seeking out some prey for a meal, was cautious despite being one of the predators.

He came across an opening in the desert. Twisting his head around to get a good look around, he stayed low, for there might be larger predators out. He had strong purple body armor and sharp claws on his forelimbs and tail. Still, there might be something out there that could kill him. Today, he saw nothing of danger to himself, but there was a group of small rocks nearby that caught his attention. He left the scrub brush cover to check it out.

It was seven rocks arranged in a specific pattern: one larger rock surrounded by six smaller ones. One half of the resulting ring had been scraped to give it a different texture. It was a symbol that all Pokemon acknowledged. The symbol signified a special place where, according to the law of tradition, one could not kill another.

Drapion snorted and scattered the rocks. This was obviously a lesser Pokemon's attempt to keep him away from something. Perhaps newly hatched young or perhaps a resting place for a group that had traveled far. Although it was in the peace pattern, it was not the official mark, so he need not acknowledge it.

He lifted himself off the ground and turned his head to get a full look around. There was a disturbance in the sand to his right, a little behind him. He went over to check that out. From the indentations and ridges in the sand, it was apparent that a group of three smaller Pokemon had indeed slept here recently. Hence the attempt to make the place safe for them to rest in.

Nearby, there were ashes contained within a circle of rocks. There had been a fire, but small and contained. It was unusual to find a fire like that. To get a better idea of the situation, he took a deep breath and checked out the smells. These Pokemon weren't familiar to him, so they were likely traveling through this desert. The fire had died only a few hours ago. And there seemed to be another two body scents that weren't with the rest of the group.

Curious, Drapion went to one of the other scents and checked out the area. The pattern in the sand was unfamiliar to him. It was a set of perpendicular lines with a larger indentation. A larger Pokemon was protecting the smaller ones. A similar pattern was on the other side of where the three small Pokemon had slept. Not unusual; the smaller ones were probably doing something for the larger ones in exchange.

Would it be worth it to keep an eye on this site? They had left the symbol and he could wait a while. Drapion found a nearby scrub brush that could hide him and spent the rest of the day there.

They came back as the sun was going down. Of the small Pokemon, there was a yellow-orange fox with three tails, a dainty Bug with colorful wings, and a blue Plant with green leaves poking out its head. As he had thought, they were not native to the desert.

The larger two, though, they didn't seem like any Pokemon the Drapion had ever seen. They were tall and bipedal, mostly hairless save for their heads. They lacked any kind of natural defenses or offenses, so they had to wear the skins of others and carry large sticks. However, there was something these two had that seemed to indicate some great hidden power.

They were bearing the peace symbol on the backs of their hands, the sacred ring that was half red and half white around a central black point.

This greatly puzzled Drapion, for he knew of no Pokemon that could actually bear that mark. That symbol was likely the reason why the smaller ones stuck with these two, for even he wouldn't dare kill them while near it. How could they have enough power to make that mark properly while looking so weak? He decided to observe them for a while to find out.

The smaller of the two went over to the small rocks that had made up the symbol. He made a complex string of noises, which Drapion came to understand as him saying, "Something's disturbed our campsite."

An odd way of speaking. The larger male replied, "Go ahead and set it back up. We need all the protection we can get out here."

The smaller one nodded and set the rocks back into place. The presumably older one checked out the area; he either missed or ignored Drapion hiding under the nearby brush. Then they cleaned up the fire pit, set some new wood inside, then had the fox start a fire. Normally such a thing would burn out, but the strangers were able to keep it going and under control. Intriguing; they didn't seem to be Fire-types, not like that fox who had helped them.

The Bug flitted around, reminding Drapion of what he had started this stakeout for. If it could be lured far enough away from the symbol-bearers, he could have his meal. Quietly, he left the scrub brush and searched the area. After a few minutes, he located a few stray rocks. He picked one up with his mouth, then spit it out onto another rock, making a thwack sound.

By the campsite, the Bug noticed the sound and came to investigate. Drapion hid by a bush. Unfortunately, it turned out the Bug was also Psychic, as it noticed him and began shrieking. "Aaaaah, monster!"

"Quiet," Drapion ordered as he tried to snatch the Bug out of the air.

He missed, and then the younger of the symbol-bearers came. "Master!" he called. "I think it's the one we've been looking for!"

"Then don't let it get away," the older one said.

"Butterfree, use Stun Powder."

Under orders from the symbol-bearer, Butterfree calmed down. "Uh, right!" It flapped its wings furiously, sending a fine violet powder over Drapion.

"This is not worth this effort," he grumbled as he started to scurry away. But as he inhaled the powder, his limbs became heavy and he found it hard to move. So hard that the symbol-bearer was able to loop a rope around his legs to keep him from leaving. Snarling, he attempted to scratch the strange creature.

"Careful, boy," the older one said as he came over. "If he gets you, the poison will kill you."

"I thought we were here for a Drapion's poison."

"We are. While it is very deadly, its properties can be reversed to make a fine healing potion."

"You can't get to my poison," he hissed.

"That's false," Butterfree said. "But it is true that they can't understand us."

"What, are they idiots? All Pokemon can understand each other."

"These humans are not like Pokemon. They have power over all the elements."

He lifted his head up, getting a startled gasp from the younger symbol bearer. "What? But that's impossible!"

"I have seen them do it. That is why I follow them."

The older human then managed to put a stronger version of Butterfree's Stun Powder to his nose, robbing him of all movement. Then somehow, they massaged his claws in such a way that his poison dripped out into a glass vial. After he was drained mostly dry, the younger human placed a tablet in Drapion's mouth. Within seconds, he regained all movement.

"Would you follow too?" Butterfree asked.

"No way," he grumbled, then scurried off into the desert. It was going to be difficult for him to hunt tonight, with so little poison at his disposal. But he would have to eat something to get his strength back.

From then on, Drapion avoided humans whenever he smelled them around.

…

Drapion Pearl entry: Its body is encased in a sturdy shell. Its head rotates 180 degrees, eliminating blind spots.

In the third-gen games, the Lilycove art museum has 'ancient' statues of Pokeballs. That kind of things makes me wonder, how old is this technology and might it be a symbol of something else? And the 'using poison to make antidotes' is a scientific fact.