DUSTDAME (aka SAHARA), the Sandstorm Pokégirl

DUSTDAME (aka SAHARA), the Sandstorm Pokégirl

Type: Very Near Human/Metamorph
Element: Ground
Frequency: Uncommon (Desert areas), Rare (Elsewhere)
Diet: Water, Sand, Minerals
Role: Desert combatant, Living trap, Dousing rod
Libido: Low, Average when wet
Strong Vs: Electric, Fire, Poison, Rock, Steel
Weak Vs: Flying, Ice, Plant, Water
Attacks: Air Recovery, Sand Splash, Entrapment, Resonate, Dig, Harden, Soil Armor, Self-Soften, Gold Fist, Dust Absorb, Dust Bomb, Crushing Wrap
Enhancements: Enhanced Strength (x3), Enhanced Durability (x5), Metamorph (Body Molding, Alternate Form: sand), Body Sculpting (self only), Flight, Geokinesis, Water Sense, Hydrokinesis (limited, can absorb water from plants and other living beings), Blind Sight (sand form)
Evolves: Glass (Fire Stone)
Evolves From: None

Dustdames (known as Saharas in more Middle Eastern territories), at first don't appear to Pokégirls at first. Being very near human in appearance, they look like any beautiful, well-tanned woman native to that particular region. However, they are anything but. Dustdames, as mentioned, are very near human Pokégirls in their normal state. To transform into their combat state, they have to release almost all the moisture in their body, which allows them to transform into living, sentient sand. Their body in this state is composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles. The composition varies from region to region, but in their 'battle' state they all appear in varying shades of tan to gray, with some unusual variants such as green depending on the material composition.

Dustdames were first discovered in the desert their alternate name came from. Groups of them would ambush troopers hiding out in caves and desert fortresses, disguising their presence in a natural sandstorm to create the perfect ambush. Some would simply melt out of their human form altogether, becoming just another patch of sand, remaining perfectly aware of their surroundings even in sandpile form. When a human soldier or vehicle would come near, they would shoot up and swarm them with their bodies, draining them dry of moisture. Sukebe would also use them to guard some of his labs, setting up several patches of normal sand in addition to the Dustdames. Their ability to sense moisture would tell them when someone was close.

Moisture is the most important part of a Dustdame's biological needs. A Dustdame can absorb the moisture out of a living being or any outside source. If their body is completely dried out, they absolutely HAVE to take in moisture every three days when they're in sand form otherwise they will lose cohesion and dissolve into an inanimate pile of dust, effectively dying. This also acts as a combat weakness for them, as enough water will force a Dustdame to return to their human form. In terms of dietary needs, a Dustdame can only go for three days without any water at all, however their bodies in both forms can be sustained with merely two to five gallons of water or other moisture per day. Any more than five gallons forces them back to human form. They have an ability to detect water in either form, making them quite useful to Tamers in deserts.

A Dustdame's fighting style can best be compared to a Mercury, although at its core there are fundamental differences. Both have malleable bodies, and can shape their fists into weapons. Both can morph their bodies to dodge attacks. A Dustdame is different in that she can break her body down completely, turning into a living sandstorm, using a limited form of psychokinesis to project each particle of their body through the air. They are less resistant to damage than Mercuries, but they can counter impacts by breaking the struck part of their body down into a sand cloud. They do not 'see' as most Pokégirls do in their sand form, instead having a unique 'awareness' of their surroundings that allows them to move freely as if they could use their eyes normally. Note that this also effects their human form, many Dustdames having eye troubles in their flesh-and-blood state.

Despite their similarities to the liquid metal Pokégirl, it is NOT recommended that you have them fight in the same way. A Mercury is more of a straight-forward fighter. Their Steel-element typing allows them to take a greater array of punishment than most Pokégirls could. A Dustdame is best suited for more agile combat tactics, taking advantage of their malleable form and ability to change into a suffocating sandstorm. (Note that in official battles, unless a water-type is involved in the battle, then using the sandstorm form to suffocate the opponent has been banned from play and will be considered an illegal technique, too difficult to counter otherwise. The reason why this isn't banned when water-types are involved in the match is because of the reflex Dustdames have to turn back to human when enough of their body is moist.) Dustdames are very capable combat Pokégirls, but in moisture-heavy environments, their fighting ability is reduced to nil.

Dustdames don't make good Alphas. When not given a specific task to work on, they tend to be very absent minded and space out. They aren't the best choice for Beta either, as the breed is better led than being a leader. They are friendly to their harem sisters, however, and even when not focused on a task will willingly come to the defense of their harem mates and Master. In terms of Taming, a good way to get a Dustdame worked up is to bathe with them or shower with them. Despite their nature as sand beings, Dustdames are very fond of water. Researchers have theorized that this is because water is so important to their basic needs.

Feral Dustdames are dangerous. They tend to be found only in desert areas, and use the surrounding sand to disguise themselves, allowing them to sneak up on their prey and absorb all the moisture from their bodies. Their presence can be detected if you look for Pokégirls suffering from severe dehydration and plants that have been drained of moisture. The best way to deal with them is to bring along a water-type and have them spread as much water, as much moisture, around as possible. This will force the Dustdame to revert to flesh and blood, allowing for much easier catching.

Threshold cases are not unheard of, but are rarer than most. The first sign isn't any physical change. The girl going through Threshold will suddenly have a tremendous craving for water. Their body will then start to collapse into sand. In some Threshold cases, the girl is unable to keep control of her body structure and will dissolve into a pile of sand, dying in the process.