Lonely Golden Rabbit/Story

### The Deep Forest's Easter

The Easter festival begins in Lilywood. Staff and security personnel from each country have gathered, and things are lively with the preparations. Isogiku, who has come from Lotus Lake has been chosen to help at the cafe that is being run by Duranta.

*So in order to make the festival more exciting, people from the other countries have been asked to help. Even from the distant Lotus Lake...*
**Water Poppy:** Oh. It's become somewhat lively here!
There are so many rabbit and egg decorations, that it's starting to feel like an Easter festival.
**Isogiku:** I had heard that Lilywood's festivals are very solemn, but it doesn't seem to be the case this time.
This country has a lot of greenery, but I only ever come during hard times, so I was actually ready for...
**Water Poppy:** Ah, maybe that'll be true? But this time, it's a festival, so I think it'll be alright!
Well, I'd better go to the security post. The guardhouse is this way, after all.
**Isogiku:** Understood. Take care, Water Poppy-san.
**Water Poppy:** Yeah, thanks! Do your best as a bunny, Isogiku-chan. I'll come and take a look after I finish work tomorrow!
**Duranta:** ...So you can't come after all? Cobra Lily.
**Cobra Lily:** Sorry, Duranta. I've been assigned guard duty. I'll be working there until around tomorrow afternoon.
**Duranta:** I was glad for that... That means, with Cobra Lily...
**Cobra Lily:** Duranta was chosen to be a rabbit, so don't you need to liven up the festival? You'll need to do your job properly.
It'll be fine as long as it's you, Duranta. Everyone will surely help you out, so make sure you're helpful too, OK?
**Duranta:** ...OK
**Cobra Lily:** I'll also work hard at my security job, and I'll get hungry. Then, I'll be able to eat lots of Duranta's Easter cooking.
**Duranta:** ...OK, leave it to me. I'll make loads of food and wait for you.
**Cobra Lily:** Fufu, yippee! I'll look forward to Duranta's cooking while I work hard.
**Duranta:** ...The work itself is nothing special. But, can I work well with the others...? Especially people from other countries...
...someone from Lotus Lake? Seashore Pink or something? If I knew her face, it would make it a little easier...
Yes, come in!
**Isogiku:** H-hello...
**Duranta:** !!?
**Isogiku:** My name is Isogiku and I've come to help out for the Easter festival. It's a pleasure to meet you.
**Duranta:** …
**Isogiku:** ...U-umm?
**Duranta:**
So soft and squishy...
**Isogiku:** Eh?
**Duranta:** ...No, it's nothing. I'm Duranta, a pleasure.
**Isogiku:** Yeah, thank you for having me.
It might be a bit quick, but what should I do? Apart from the Easter festival, I haven't heard much of the details...
**Duranta:** Firstly... Change your clothes. It seems that they have prepared costumes for the two of us.
**Isogiku:** Th-that's...!
**Duranta:**
As I thought, so soft and squishy...
**Isogiku:** P-please don't stare so much. It's embarrassing...!
Uuu... It's a Lilywood festival, so I thought the costumes would be a little more subdued...
**Duranta:** Basically, that would be right, but when it comes to festivals, they've recently taken to having a more Banana Ocean feel to it...
But, this year's Easter is simple. We make food, and entertain with shows and games...But how it's done is left to each group.
**Isogiku:** So instead of doing a single thing with everyone, each group is doing various things, or something like that.
**Duranta:** Yes. So I plan to try something like a cafe with my place.
I'll do the cooking, so on the day, I would like you to do the waitressing, Isogiku. But for today, we'll be decorating...
**Isogiku:** Waitressing and decorating, right? Understood, leave it to me.
...Huh? So while I'm doing this, Duranta-san will be doing all the cooking by herself? That sounds pretty tough...
**Duranta:** It's fine. We're always making friends so I'm used to it, silently working alone while I watch them from afar...

*Both option 1 “I'm looking forward to it, pyon” and option 2 “I have high expectations, bunnies” have the same results.*

**Isogiku:** Ah, Danchou-san. Hello.
**Duranta:** Hello. Is Danchou also helping here?
**Isogiku:** You've come to help the Flower Knights who are helping out, right? And this person is...
**Gold Bunny:** Yes! Pleased to meet you, I'm Gold Bunny! I'm a Flower Knight that belongs to Blossom Hill's company.
During this Easter festival, I was thinking that I want to make friends from many different countries, so... Umm, first, a handshake, if you don't mind?
**Isogiku:** Of course that's fine. I'm Isogiku, a Flower Knight from Lotus Lake's Company. Pleased to meet you.
**Gold Bunny:** Ehehe, thanks Isogiku-san! A pleasure!
And you are? What's should I call you?
**Duranta:** I-I'm Duranta... My Company is Lilywood. A pleasure...
**Gold Bunny:** Lilywood's Duranta-san! Ok, I'll definitely remember! Pleased to meet you!

### Let's Make Friends!

With the addition of Gold Bunny, the group proceeds with the preparations to run the cafe. While out in the city, Gold Bunny gets mixed up with a mischievous rabbit trio, but she quickly makes friends with them. Does she have some kind of secret...?

**Gold Bunny:** So, what should I help with?
**Isogiku:** To start, why don't we start putting up the decorations?
**Gold Bunny:** Decorations! That sounds super fun! What kind of atmosphere have you decided on?
**Isogiku:** What should we do, Duranta-san? D you have any kind of hopes or ideas?
**Duranta:** The decorations' atmosphere...? I hadn't really considered it... I have nothing special, I'll leave it to you two...
**Gold Bunny:** What kind of things does Duranta-san like? This purple ribbon is super cute! What if we attach it to this? How is it?
**Duranta:** U-umm... Whatever, if I can run a cafe... If it gives it a cafe like air, then...
**Gold Bunny:** Understood! Thanks, Duranta-san!
So it's cafe-like, Isogiku-san! What kind of things make a Lilywood cafe?
**Isogiku:** A Lilywood cafe... Now you say it, I've never looked at them too closely...
**Gold Bunny:** Is that right? Well, should we go and take a look?
A stroll with everyone, cafes...! Aah, that sounds somehow wonderful! Like super friend-like!
**Duranta:** ...I'll be fine, everyone go take a look.
**Gold Bunny:** Eh? But...
**Duranta:** If I went too, this place would be left empty... I have things I need to do by myself anyway.
**Gold Bunny:** But but!
**Duranta:** …
**Isogiku:** U-umm... I understand. Gold Bunny-san, Danchou-san. Let's go and investigate the decorations.
**Gold Bunny:** Y-yeah... I'm sorry, Duranta-san.
**Duranta:** It's fine, don't worry. I'm don't mind at all.
Fu...I'm happy that Isogiku has come. If I was by myself, I wouldn't be able to manage that kind of presence...
I'm...Yeah. I wonder if I actually prefer to peacefully work alone.
**Gold Bunny:** Mmhmm...I see, I see... Of course, it's Easter after all, so the rabbit and egg designs are plentiful.
**Isogiku:** That's right. When you talk of classics, this would be the classic, but it might be a big deal, but should we think about discrimination...?
**Hare's Tail Grass:** The cute ladies over there, do you have a problem?
**Gold Bunny:** Ah, yeah! Actually, at tomorrow's festival, we're going to be...
Japanese Silver Grass: Mmhmm, mmhmm... That's a tough problem... In this case, please take this rabbit dumpling!
**Pussy Ears:** It's bite sized and the sweetness is just right. For those that are working their hardest, it gives brain energy.
**Isogiku:** Thank you. Such a cute dumpling. So I'll eat it straight aw...

*If option 1, Point out it might be a prank, is chosen;*
***Isogiku:** Eh? A prank?*
***Hare's Tail Grass:** I want you to buy it, Danchou-san! Do we look like such mischievous rabbits!?*
***Pussy Ears:** That's right, that's right. It's not like it's an improved version of the “dumplings that make you grow rabbit ears” that I gave Yellow Tulip at the moon viewing or anything.*
***Japanese Silver Grass:** Wait wait, Pussy Ears! You've said too much!*
***Isogiku:** D-dumplings that make you grow rabbit ears...?*

*If option 2, Quickly eat it first, is chosen;*
***Isogiku:** Ah, Danchou-san!? Y-you did that so suddenly, it surprised me...*
***Hare's Tail Grass:** Ah! Why did you eat it first, Danchou-san! Now rabbit ears will grow out of Danchou-san's head...*
*What? That might be interesting?*
***Isogiku:** ...Eh? Rabbit ears? What do you mean?*
***Pussy Ears:** Well, now that Danchou's eaten it, he'll grow rabbit ears.*
***Japanese Silver Grass:** W-wait Pussy Ears! It's still too early to tell!*

**Gold Bunny:** If that's the case, I think I'll be fine eating it. My rabbit ears are all natural, so I think eating that dumpling won't change anything.
**Hare's Tail Grass:** What!? There are people like me in this place...!
**Gold Bunny:** People like you? Does that mean your rabbit ears are...!?
**Isogiku:** Fufu... Gold Bunny-san, you're really good at making friends. You're getting on so well in just a moment.
**Danchou:** Actually, I was quite worried, so it's a relief...
**Isogiku:** Eh, you were worried? About Gold Bunny-san? What are you talking about?

### It's Not What I Meant

Now with more friends, the cafe group has become lively. However, Duranta, who wants to concentrate on cooking by herself, pushes Gold Bunny away who has come to make friends...

**Gold Bunny:** Duranta-san, we're back! We saw so much, and got hold of some materials!
**Duranta:** Ah, welcome back...
**Hare's Tail Grass:** Sorry to bother you!
**Japanese Silver Grass:** We've come to help!
**Pussy Ears:** Zz...zzz, zz....
**Duranta:** …There's now more of you...
**Gold Bunny:** Yeah! I made new rabbit eared friends, and they've come to help out a lot!
**Duranta:** Is that so... Well then, it'll be fine to leave everything out there to you all.
**Gold Bunny:** Ah, Duranta-san...
**Pussy Ears:** Mumumu... Something smells good coming from that person... Munyamunya...
**Japanese Silver Grass:** Pussy Ears, you shouldn't talk in your sleep. If you start nibbling me, I'll get angry.
**Isogiku:** Well, we should get started with the decorating straight away.
**Hare's Tail Grass:** Leave it to us! It's not that I have a mischievous heart... it's just that I'm a playful and bright coloured rabbit!
**Gold Bunny:** …
**Duranta:** ...OK, that's nice. The size and shape have stabilised. I should make more and more just like this...
**Gold Bunny:** \*stare\*...
**Duranta:** …
**Gold Bunny:** \*staaaaaare\*...
**Duranta:** ...What?
**Gold Bunny:** Does Duranta-san always do things by herself?
**Duranta:** …As you can see, I'm cooking. This is a cafe after all.
**Gold Bunny:** But, the festival's tomorrow, right? If you cook now, won't it all get cold?
**Duranta:** ...They're sweets, so you serve them cold. So before the end of today, if I can do all the prep...
We can't make everything in just one day tomorrow. Rather, I need to use today to get ready...
**Gold Bunny:** Is that right, I see! Well, I'll also help out! Is there anything I can do?
**Duranta:** ...How are the decorations?
**Gold Bunny:** They're fine out there. Hare's Tail Grass-san and the others are there!
But, you're alone here, Duranta-san? It looks tough, and lonely, so I came here to...
**Duranta:** I'm fine. I can do it myself, and I'm not lonely.
**Gold Bunny:** B-but but!
**Duranta:** I'm fine, so don't mind me.
...Sorry. I'm not good at speaking, and I'm bad at having a cheerful presence. So, please go over there...
**Gold Bunny:** ...\*sniff\*
**Duranta:** Eh? W-wait, why are you crying..?
**Gold Bunny:** Wh-what? It's not that, I'm sorry... I'm not crying at all...
\*sniff\* \*hic\*...E-ehehe. I'm sorry, I'm being a little strange today! I'm in the way here, so I'll go back to decorating...!
**Duranta:** Ah...
**Isogiku:** Umm... Duranta-san, has something happened? Just now, Gold Bunny-san was...
**Duranta:** ...I might have said something that may have driven her away... I'm fine by myself here. But, I didn't mean to...
**Isogiku:** I get it, so we...
...Duranta-san. Umm, about Gold Bunny-san...
**Duranta:** ...Because of the pests, she got separated from her parents...
**Isogiku:** Yes.. Even though she has been well cared for, it seems she's become very lonely because of that.
Being so active with making friends is like making a change... When she was a child, she wasn't very good at being alone or being in the cold, or so Danchou-san told me earlier...
**Duranta:** Is that right...? If I had known that, I'd have been a little more...
**Cobra Lily:** (Duranta was chosen to be a rabbit, so don't you need to liven up the festival? You'll need to do your job properly.)
(It'll be fine as long as it's you, Duranta. Everyone will surely help you out, so make sure you're helpful too, OK?)
**Duranta:** ...Yeah, that right, isn't it? If I knew, or if I didn't know...I should be a little more, even if just a little...
...Yeah. I have to go and apologise.

### The Lonely Golden Rabbit

Duranta learns about Gold Bunny's situation and makes up with her. Everyone's bonds deepen, and they continue to prepare for a successful Easter festival.

**Duranta:** ...Gold Bunny
**Gold Bunny:** Y-yes!
**Japanese Silver Grass:** That looks like a really serious expression... Gold Bunny-san, did you do something wrong?
**Hare's Tail Grass:** As expected of a bunny ear girl! She had already set up a prank to play on such a cool looking person!
**Duranta:** Th-that's wrong. That's not right...Umm...Sorry, but could you leave us to speak alone...?
...I'm sorry for earlier. I was a little too cold to you...
**Gold Bunny:** ! N-no! I should be the one apologising!
I've been thinking. I'm not particularly good at cooking, so I shouldn't have suddenly forced myself on you...
**Duranta:** No, listen. I'm...I'm the opposite.
**Gold Bunny:** The opposite...?
**Duranta:** Ever since I was born, I've only had a father...So I had to learn to do everything by myself, or so I believed...
I understand how difficult it is for someone to go and actively decide to make friends, Gold Bunny... I've failed to do that in the past...
Even though, it wasn't good of me to say such things...So...
**Gold Bunny:** ...fufu.
**Duranta:** Eh? Wh-what? Was that just a laugh...?
**Gold Bunny:** Ah, no, sorry. It wasn't anything weird, it was a happy laugh.
Duranta-san prefers to be by herself, but I was just thinking about myself, so if you could talk to me later...
Yeah. I can get lonesome, but just that would make me happy. So, thanks.
**Duranta:** That's... It's nothing, so you don't need to thank me so...
**Gold Bunny:** Really? ...Fufu, that might be right. We're equals as friends, so it should be a normal thing.
**Duranta:** ...Friends...
**Gold Bunny:** Well, let's each of us do our best to get ready for Easter festival! I'll go and help with the decorations!
**Duranta:** W-wait. Um...If you don't mind, could you help me with cooking...?
**Gold Bunny:** Eh? I-is that alright? I've already said before, but I'm nowhere near as good at cooking as Duranta-san...?
**Duranta:** It's OK, I don't mind. I'm good, so I don't really want help, but... we're friends, after all...
**Gold Bunny:** …! Y-yeah!
**Isogiku:** ...Fufu, that's a relief. It looks like there's nothing left to worry about.
**Japanese Silver Grass:** Aah, if you look, maybe Duranta-san also has a lonely side to her too.
**Hare's Tail Grass:** All rabbits are animals that die if they get too lonely... That's why they all get together and bounce around!
**Pussy Ears:** Munya munya...If we all work together, it'll be a huge success...

### End

It's the day of Easter festival and the city has become livelier, and Duranta, Isogiku, and Gold Bunny's cafe was always fully packed. Even though the country deep in the forest is normally quiet, the noise goes on late into the night.

**Pest:** Ta, ta....TameiGouuuu....
**Water Poppy:** Fu... Alright! With everyone's help, we're steadily defeating them! At this rate, more and more...
**Cobra Lily:** Water Poppy-saan! It's shift change time, so we can turn in now.
**Water Poppy:** Ah, that's right. Today's the festival, so the change over time is a little earlier, so everyone can see it.
**Cobra Lily:** Yeah yeah. The folks relieving us said the festival was really fun.
**Water Poppy:** Fufu, I'm so excited! Oh yeah, Cobra Lily-san. I'm still pretty new here, so could we go around the festival together?
**Cobra Lily:** Of course we can. Let's go!
---Lilywood, the day of Easter festival---
**Lamb's Ear:** Baa! Rabbit's are taking the lead role in a cute show! Please, come and take a look!
**Rabbit's Foot:** Come and play an egg hunt game! There are cute lucky rabbits, why not challenge them to a game?
**Water Poppy:** Yees, there are so many things to see, I'm lost! So first I'll...
**Cobra Lily:** Why don't we go to a cafe? I think it's about time I showed up.
Even so, it's a little strange. That both of our friends would be working at the same stall.
**Water Poppy:** That's true! I'm sure there's a reason! ...Ah, it's that shop, isn't it?
**Isogiku:** Welcome...Ah, Water Poppy-san.
**Water Poppy:** Wa! Isogiku-chan, that outfit really suits you! You're such a cute bunny!
**Isogiku:** Th-thank you... It's still a little embarrassing though...
**Cobra Lily:** It's not an embarrassing thing. It's more, bigger is better, right?
**Water Poppy:** Yeah, yeah! I also agree with Cobra Lily-san!
**Isogiku:** Are you Cobra Lily-san... Umm, Duranta-san's friend, right?
**Cobra Lily:** Yeah, that's me. Did Duranta tell you?
**Isogiku:** Yes. She's in the kitchen right now... but, I'll give her a call.
**Duranta:** Cobra Lily... You came.
**Cobra Lily:** Of course I'd come. I worked hard on my subjugation mission, so I'm starving.
Is that bunny a new friend?
**Duranta:** Yeah, that's right. That's Gold Bunny.
**Gold Bunny:** Pleased to meet you, I'm Gold Bunny. While following Duranta-san's teachings, I'm working hard as a cook today. Please enjoy!
**Cobra Lily:** I see, I see, it's a pleasure...Fufu, ufufu!
**Duranta:** Wh-what? Cobra Lily... Grinning so suddenly...
**Cobra Lily:** Eh? It's nothing really? It's just, Duranta's been able to make a new friend, so I'm super happy.
**Pussy Ears:** Chef, chef. Here's the next order.
**Hare's Tail Grass:** It seems our reputation is spreading! More and more customers are coming!
**Japanese Silver Grass:** This is going to be really bad, so I'll help with cooking! Just shout out anytime!
**Duranta:** ...Well, I'd better go back... Please take your time, you two. Let's go, Gold Bunny.
**Gold Bunny:** Yeah!
**Water Poppy:** ...Well then, waitress! Can I order immediately?
**Isogiku:** Ah, excuse me. I haven't even asked you yet. Please, have a menu.
**Cobra Lily:** Wa-. Everything looks so tasty. This is an issue, ummm, for starters, I'll...
*At the deep forest's Easter festival, the customers wouldn't stop coming. All the surrounding rabbits wouldn't be lonely, and the day was full of lively voices until late into the night.*