The Innkeeper
chapter-336-30041322

The planet Nibiru was an extremely energy rich planet, causing it to develop a vibrant and diversely populated world. Not only were tens of millions of different species of beasts found in this world, but they also had incredible strength.

An unexpected result of this, however, was that it became an extremely chaotic planet. Battles happened night and day, and only a few overlords who could control large regions of space managed to bring some semblance of calm to their lands - if they chose to do so.

But in the endless battlefield that was this planet, there was a certain mountain range that gave birth to a very unique environment. The mountains themselves contained hundreds of spirit stone mines, buried deep in their cores. But instead of the spirit stones leaking out energy, as these mines sometimes did, they expanded until they ended up combining with one another. With regions of higher and lower concentration of spirit stones, yet an endless connection of underground mines that somehow managed to form a closed loop, the mines somehow formed a natural formation.

This formation gave birth to a land completely separated from the struggles and strife of the outside world, creating a sanctuary for the beasts living within. Those beasts, living in such an environment for hundreds of thousands of years, evolved without the need for any kind of combat ability.

In such an environment, they flourished, and established entire nations. Among the many such nations was one called the Bunny nation. Populated only by rabbits, some with fur as white as snow, others orange like the light of the setting sun, and others still brown, like a young oak tree, these rabbits were at the forefront of science, technology, art, literature, music and much more.

Such a flourishing nation had many influential rabbits, but none more so than the bunny known as herald for the birth of a new ideology, pontiff Faloofa.

The latest generation of rabbits were not satisfied with living in a cage, and as the voice for these new and heretical thoughts, Faloofa took it upon himself to educate the masses of the kind of preparations they needed to bring to even consider such a pilgrimage. His ideas were just as hated amongst the older population as much as his wisdom, foresight, and thoughtfulness were appreciated by the young.

But before the debate between generations could be settled, fate took it upon itself to provide them with an answer. In the Midnight games, the planet Nibiru won the prize known as Bailey's Vitalizing Dwarf Star Ferment. The single drop of the ferment caused the planet to undergo major changes, as it prepared itself for a rise in its star rating.

All the inhabitants of the planet underwent some degree of elevation in their strength and bloodline, and the environment of the planet underwent some changes as well. The mountain range, already rich in spirit stone mines, underwent an evolution and came to life in the form of Earth giants.

The formation protecting the lands disappeared, and the many nations underwent an upheaval. Many died, simply due to the giants standing up from where they were born, and entire nations collapsed in the earthquakes that followed.

The few survivors were then, for the first time in living memory, faced with the ferocity of the beasts outside.

What ensued could not be called a war, for slaughter and slavery were more apt descriptions. Pontiff Faloofa, during this upheaval, was separated from the Bunny nation. With no idea of his strength, or cultivation level, since it had never mattered before this, Faloofa faced the endless onslaught of madness with his ears held up high.

With kicks that could shatter not just hide and bone, but the very will of his enemies, the pontiff scoured the lands for his fellow bunnies. Over time, the pure white fur became synonymous with terror as he slowly went from surviving, to thriving, to hunting.

Lions kneeled at the sight of his fluffy cheeks, wolves ran in terror at the sound of the hopping hurricane, snakes coiled up under his gaze and, eventually, even the earth giant crawled back into the ground and pretended to be mountains at the sound of his name.

Yet pontiff Faloofa, the bunny wearing only a black bandana across its head, like the hero from the movie Roomba, was not satisfied with his achievements. He did not crave strength; he craved a safe land for his people. No matter how strong he was, the Bunny nation could not thrive if they relied on him alone.

Not to mention, he rarely ever found his fellow countryrabbits. The few he found were filled with fear and covered with scars. He could not leave them alone, for they would never survive.

In the beginning, this was fine, for they were few. But when they grew in number, and word spread that the nightmare Faloofa was trying to protect his people alone, all those who feared him banded together to hunt him down. Unable to exert his strength because he was too busy protecting his fellow rabbits, Faloofa feared the worst.

But then, like a holy blessing from the heavens themselves, at the moment before demise, a shining, golden door appeared. With no recourse, the pontiff led his fellow rabbits into the light, hoping for salvation.

What he found, instead, was the Midnight Inn. Millions of humans, hundreds of thousands of beasts, base animals, all mingled happily and seamlessly without any violence. It was a land that smelled sweeter than carrots, felt warmer than the fuzziest fur, and felt safer than the deepest burrow.

But how would they stay? The projection that appeared before them like a holy deity told them that this was an Inn, and that they could stay as long as they paid. Faloofa had no concept of money, but he had undertaken the gravest of dangers to protect his cohorts, so he was determined to take this burden upon its tiny shoulders.

It was then that, like a holy messiah, a kind and benevolent turtle appeared before them, followed by a whale flying in the air, as well as a lone wolf with fur almost as white as Faloofa's. Almost.

The turtle that had a single horn on its head looked at the refugees from the Bunny nation with kindness in his eyes.

"Oh dear, oh dear," the majestic turtle exclaimed, the rumble in his voice shaking the very ground beneath Faloofa's feet. "You children seem to have a very special bloodline. Would you like to work in my greenhouse?"

When the turtle spoke the words that were sweeter than the best honey, he seemed to be taking on the position of one requesting for help, yet it was the Bunny nation that was saved. The survivors, one and all, accepted the turtle's offer. Yes, the survivors accepted, but the nightmare that Faloofa had evolved into did not enter the hallowed lands known as 'the greenhouse'.

Instead, he made a pact with the turtle. The pontiff would return to Nibiru in search of his lost brethren, save them from the hell that land had turned into, and bring them to this heaven. All the bunnies that Faloofa brought would be hired by the turtle as its workers, tending to its garden.

The turtle accepted the deal and gave Faloofa a golden key to return to this kingdom with golden chariots known as golf carts.

Yet, just before Faloofa left, the fire in his heart reignited, an angel in the shape of a human came to him. Faloofa was a rabbit pure of heart, and had eyes only for other rabbits, but even he had to admit that this lady who introduced herself as Anita was spectacularly beautiful.

She asked the pontiff his life story, as well as the history of Bunny nation. She promised that in exchange for his story, she would personally take care of the rabbits he brought to the Inn.

Enamored not only by her beauty, but by the heart that offered safety in exchange for a story, Faloofa began his recitation of the history of the bunnies.

He told her of the great bunny pope, the first to enlighten the simple minds of the rabbits. He told her of the king, who turned random rabbits in a garden into a nation. He told her of mother Treesap, who brought love and peace to the hearts of the rabbits. He even told her of the rumors of the one true bunny god, his true name forgotten in the annals of history, now known only by his holy title 'Bugs'. He also told her of the nightmare, who had sworn an oath to never remove his bandana until every last rabbit was saved.

When he had told her all there was to tell, he promised her that he would tell her more every time he returned, and she accepted.

Faloofa looked one last time at his fellow rabbits who would, no doubt, take a long time to recover, before returning to Nibiru. So it was written and thusly recorded in the Midnight library, the first chronicle of plaintiff Faloofa, the roomba rabbit.