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“Sneak… sneak… sneak… snea–”
The sound of talking girls broke her concentration and self-whispering, as she quickly darted into the nearest dark corner of the monastery. This intruder certainly wasn't the type of person you’d imagine inside a cloister.
Dyed lavender hair in a shaved sidecut and a few piercings adorned her head alongside a QR-code tattoo on her left cheek. Under a simple brown cloak were ragged street clothes, which had already seen their fair share of adventures and she purposely didn't fix for the true wasteland rebel look (ignoring the lush forests right outside the building). This was the style of the girl, who hoped she was infamous, Runic.
“I can't wait for the next sermon!” the dullahan proclaimed.
“You trained your praying so much, it’d be crazy if you won't receive your blessing next,” the dog girl added.
As Runic watched these girls walk past, she couldn't help but wonder if she wasn't the only thing out of place here. She may have only lived a couple of years in this world, as far as she remembered, but what these girls wore definitely didn't feel like something devout nuns would wear.
Bunny suits! They wore bunny suits.
The dog girl wore the commonly known black leotard with fishnets covering her furred legs. In addition to her own animal traits she also had a matching bunny ear headband and round white cotton tail.
The dullahan featured the less common reverse bunny suit, leaving the torso bare with only pasties hiding critical points, while black latex claimed her limbs. A bunny headband and cotton tail could be found on her too and definitely looked less out of place here.
These were the uniforms of the Church of the Lunar Lapin, an infamous cult around these parts of Duskgard. They’d mostly indict young adult females, convincing them to almost exclusively walk around in these slutty bunny suits (not that Runic minded the view) and spend entire nights praying to the moon where their moon bunny deities supposedly resided and would one day come down to rapture them or something.
Once both “nuns” were out of eye- and earshot, Runic came out of her hiding spot and let out a breath she'd been holding. “Phew… that was close,” she whispered to herself. “Now where is it..?”
The reason Runic was, let's be honest, breaking in were rumors that this cult was in possession of an artifact that could supposedly open a portal to the other world that Runic probably came from, Ouradawn. A few years ago she'd been found after falling out of a portal without her memories and since she was able to walk around on her own again, had been searching for ways to return. Unfortunately her caretakers weren't as keen on risking their limbs and minds to find a way back as she was. Bad enough they insisted on staying in the far off neutral zone, when all the cool cities and places she heard of were far closer to the Demon Queen’s castle.
The rebellious girl continued down the hallway until she stopped at a particular door. “Oho!”
It wasn't the treasury she had been looking for, but the second best thing, a wardrobe. If she was dressed up like the others, she could walk around this place much easier. Plus, you’d never find a better excuse to wear some figure-enhancing latex.
She snuck in and was rewarded with rows upon rows of bunny suits. Good to know these girls most likely weren't wearing the exact same suit each day.
Luckily, Runic was undisturbed, while changing her outfit. As much as she’d have loved to flaunt with the reverse suit, certain parts of her anatomy would've gathered too much attention with that configuration and thus she opted for the standard one. Runic chose a simple black leotard with an already attached tail that left her upper back free and provided a very generous cleavage. Fishnets and fitting high heels pronounced her legs and butt. The final accessories were tight cufflinks for the wrists and a bunny ear headband made out of the same black latex material that firmly sat on her head. She really looked like another of the bun nuns.
The disguised intruder couldn't help but take a moment to admire the effect the outfit had on her curves. “Not gonna lie, I might keep this one. I look so hot, it makes me wanna bunny hop.” She suppressed the urge to actually start skipping, yet didn't notice the weird choice in words. “Anyways, back to the mission.”
With a heavy heart she had to leave her trusty rune daggers behind, due to her new getup not offering any storage spaces. After finding a good place to hide them, Runic left the room and almost immediately walked into another cultist. This one was a lamia with a custom leotard for those without humanoid legs and very robust stockings that covered her entire tail.
“Oh… uh… hello…. fellow sister… bun day we’re having, am I right?” Runic mentally groaned at herself only slightly at the pun she made.
“Yes, it has been a truly bun-derful day, pyon,” she replied in a soft voice that didn't hint at any potential suspicions. “It couldn't be a more perfect day for the Full Moon Sermon.”
“Uh… oh… yeah, of course! The sermon! Thanks for the reminder. I hope I’ll be able to see you there, but right now I got something I really need to deal with,” Runic said, as she slowly maneuvered around the large snake woman.
“Sure!” the lamia exclaimed with a beaming smile. “May the Lapin’s Light shine upon you!”
With that Runic was free to make her way down the hallway. On her way she came across a couple more buns, but dealing with them got easier with each one. Runic found it easier and easier to get into the right headspace and copy the bunny speaking patterns. She didn't even notice she occasionally started bunny-hopping on her way, even if nobody was looking. Runic was just in a really bunny mood.
Despite that, the bunny-suited intruder did not find what she was looking for or even anything hinting at the rumors being true. Finally she had resolved to call this mission a bust and return home empty-handed, but when she rounded the next corner, she was met with a massive congregation of bunny-suited girls excitedly running towards her. There was nothing Runic could do to avoid this mass inside such a thin corridor and had no choice but to let herself be swept along.
“Wowowowow! Hey, watch it! Can someone explain to me where we are running?” Runic shouted into the crowd pushing her along. She received various answers from all sides.
“It's time for the Full Moon Sermon, silly!”
“We’re gonna call for the Lunar Lapins!”
“Finally we’ll all receive their holy blessing!”
With no way out, Runic was led into the central atrium of the property. A large podium had been erected right in the middle with statues of very busty bunny girls lining it. The slightly overcast full moon was visible through the glass ceiling. The intruder ended up trapped right in the middle of neat rows of devout followers. She spotted several exits that were unfortunately all guarded by more bunny girl nuns. For now Runic could only play along and hope to make her escape when everyone went to sleep afterwards.
An apparently important oni bunny girl nun in a fittingly elaborate outfit walked up to stand in the middle of the statues and began to address the assembled followers, “I’m so happy that everyone could make it for tonight's Full Moon Sermon. I’m sure the Lunar Lapins watching us from above are overjoyed by our dedication to their cause. Let us begin to show them our love! Gaze upon their beauty! Receive their communion!”
As if on command, the clouds parted, allowing the full dark glow of the moon to cover the atrium and, more importantly, all of the zealots within. The moment she looked up it was like a shock went through Runic’s body. Was it the eye-catching light of the moon? Or was it the uniquely alluring way the windows above them broke the light? Nevertheless, her eyes and mind were completely entranced by the view, leaving her brain open by the doctrines being spoken by the bunny girls all around her.
“Be proud of your body~”
“Believe in the Lunar Lapins~”
“Always wiggle your bun bum~”
“Keep the Lunar Lapins in your thoughts~”
“Always have a hop in your step~”
“Be devoted to the Lunar Lapins~”
“Always shine your latex to perfection~”
“Be controlled by the Lunar Lapins~”
These and many, many more would ensure everyone assembled to keep the perfect bunny girl mindset. The power of community snuffed out all attempts of rebellious individuality, not even Runic was spared. A smile formed on her face, as she began to join the reciting herself. She was starting to see, beginning to understand. The Lunar Lapins were hope. The Lunar Lapins would bring salvation. They would one day bring the truth to all worlds and bless all their most devout followers in the process. At that moment, there was nothing the formerly faithless intruder desired more than to be part of this holy event.
Once Runic’s mind, heart and soul had been fully opened to and invaded by the Lunar Lapin belief. She began to feel a prickling on the parts of her body covered by her bodysuit. Soon it was feeling like she wasn't wearing a suit at all and more like a second skin. The latex bunny ears and cottontail in particular were starting to feel like actual body parts, which she proudly waggled as symbols of status as a bunny girl cultist. Why would she ever want to take off their hallowed robes? They would forever stay with her as a sign of the religion her heart belonged to.
“It is time for the ritualistic dance to please the Lunar Lapins!” the head cultist on the podium announced. She posed like a bunny and began hopping around on stage. “Pyon Pyon Pyon Pyon~”
The entire audience perfectly copied her movements, as they also began to hop around to join the dance. “Pyon Pyon Pyon Pyon~”
Runic didn't know why she knew the moves and how she was able to perfectly match them. It was nothing her brain was supposed to bother itself with. She simply did what she had to do as a pure and devout bunny girl cultist, no matter if it was skipping, waggling their tails, hopping, jiggling their chests, posing, stretching their supple legs. “Pyon Pyon Pyon Pyon~”
Runic and her fellow bunny girl sisters would dance until way into the night, only stopping once the moon bagan to set. The cultists would disperse, their bunny suits vanishing beneath their skins, and allowing them to return to their lives none the wiser of the true religion burned into their souls by the lunar light.
Runic herself would return empty-handed and become the laughing stock once more for her actions. Yet, despite not even being able to fully recollect what happened during that night, part of her refused to acknowledge it as a waste. In the coming months, each time there was a night with a clear full moon, Runic would mysteriously disappear, which unfortunately didn't catch any attention, considering her widely known penchant for just running off on her own.
~PYON~PYON~PYON~PYON~PYON~
It wouldn't be a stretch to say the last months of Runic's life had been a crazy rollercoaster of events, even if you knew the stuff she was up to before her return to the world of Ouradawn. Being sent to prison for being falsely considered an ally of the worst villainess she ever met, failing to capitalize on someone breaking into prison to break out and being recruited alongside of other rejects into a super-powered task force to do the work the actual heroes of this world couldn't be bothered to do. And this was really just the cliff notes version. But looking at the bright side, she did at least have room and board now. Even if it was just the refurbished personnel area of an abandoned cinema.
“RUNIC RUNIC RUNIC!!!” One of the rebel’s teammates, the Dancepet Pricat Dancer, a black and white rubber catgirl with orange inflatable paws on all limbs, was rapidly banging on the door of said room in the middle of the night. “PLEASE OPEN UP! I’M SCARED!”
One of the other doors opened and the very grumpy, dark-skinned head of another team member, the plant werewolf Azalea, poked out. “CAN YOU SHUT IT! PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SLEEP AND VERY MUCH CAN’T WITH ALL THE NOISE YOU ARE MAKING! EITHER SHUT UP NOW OR YOU’LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH A BIG, BAD, SLEEP-DEPRIVED WOLF!”
Azalea’s way more and louder shouting went ignored (as was teammate Sangria's shouting from within her own room), as the latex cat just ran up to her and tightly held onto the redhead. A good chunk of Azalea's anger dissipated, as she eventually relented with a groan and started petting her head.
“There, there, I guess… What is it that got you so scared?” she asked with barely hidden annoyance.
“I-I wanted to go for a small midnight snack… c-cause I had trouble sleeping… b-but then on the way I heard these weird and scary sounds… I-I think we might have an intruder… l-like a big monster or something.”
“I don't think we need to worry about that. Falke filled this place from top to bottom with security systems. Nothing gets in or out of here unless she permits it. Probably just a loose screw that fell off.”
“B-But I’m certain it sounded like footsteps.”
“Who knows? Maybe it was Falke herself? No clue where in this place she sleeps. Better to just go back to bed and stop thinking about it. Especially because I’m certain a rifle muzzle is pointing at us from Barretta’s door.” (It was.)
The cat girl gave the wolf girl her best puppy dog eyes. After a few seconds of stare-off, Azalea relented with a groan. “Fine, you can stay the night here. Just be careful not to knock over any of my plants.”
“Yay! Thank you! Thank you, Azzie!”
“Whatever…” As she was about to return to her room, Azalea threw a final, dirty look at Runic’s door. “Lucky you apparently sleep like a log.”
What neither was aware of was that Runic’s room had been empty the entire time. Security cameras had watched her every step, as she walked out of her room a bit before Pricat left hers. She moved forwards with a clear goal, yet occasionally stumbled, as if in a daze, including one that caused the noise that spooked her teammate.
Her path eventually led her to the rooftop, which the girls were still in the process of turning into a hangout spot for themselves. Once she was outside under the free, brightly glowing light of the full moon, she casually shrugged off her night clothes, while a latex bunny girl outfit formed on her body, latex ears and cottontail included.
“I am blessed to receive the light of the Lunar Lapins even in this world,” bunny girl cultist Runic prayed in reverence. “I swear to spread your truth and teachings far and wide. O Lunar Lapins, please watch over my dance and give your loyal, little bunny your blessing!”
With those words spoken, Runic went into a bunny pose and began to hop and dance around with the movements taught to her during her first communion. During all the jiggling, skipping and wobbling, ideas formed in her head, most likely placed there by the almighty Lunar Lapins themselves, on how to spread their teachings in this new world and expand the influence of the bunny girl cult. Sleeping not far below her were several girls with fantastic potential to become bunny girl sisters, after all.