[O, our poor, poor sacrificial godbuns in our burning season

We gave our people options to grow, ways to stand on their own,

Many ways to take a moment to see, they shouldn't have to rely on us deities!

And, yet they reject them all, they act like such option does not exist in any capacity!

Every single time we implore, every single time we ask and let out a plea,

Such requests remain unheard for all eternity!

Please, divine above, we need you, hear us out, pretty please!

It matters not how much we bear our fangs,

It matters not how often we try to make them realize

Those little needs they seek can be done by their lonesome!

Where is the barricade between self sufficiency and codependency?

Even we don't know the answer.

Don't you see?

O, our poor, poor sacrificial godbuns

What's a deity to do,

When our people need us for everything?

We ask ourselves how to counter this constant reliance

On the daily.

And, yet, the answer to that question has stalled

For reasons of many.

How can we get the wheel to stop spinning?

We wish we knew

How to keep our grinds from gearing!

We tell our people 

One could have accomplished this themselves,

But, they never hear us.

Don't you see?

The mortals keep depending on us for every little thing and care little how much we can give!

O, our poor, poor godbuns in a repeated cycle of constant gears sparking,

What will it take for our people

To learn to depend on themselves

Rather than asking us for everything.

Why should we have to be the end all be all?

We gave them ways to learn,

We gave them the powers that they seek,

And yet, it's never enough.

We cannot do every little thing they request,

We do not have infinite power they seem to think,

Why can't they see?

We do not have every second of every moment

To answer to their every need!

The wire keeps getting thinner,

Patience is a corpse that keeps on getting a beating!

Don't you see?

We cannot be there every step of the way

To assist mortals every little plea!

O, our poor, poor godbuns stabbed in the chest repeatedly,

What can be done to change this never ending burning cycle of give and never receive?

Our people need to learn 

How to rely on themselves

Rather than us deities,

And yet, they keep on summoning us for the tiniest of things!

Why, o why, is this so?

We are at a loss on where to go.

In this season of constant beatings,

Change needs to happen already!]

Ssss, ssss, sss.

Loud hissing noise jolting him awake, the bun let out a groan. Where was he again? Oh, right, he was sent to Sumazo Forest to do some poison training. Did he really need to do all that? He most certainly didn't. So long world, goodnight, zzz. Wake him up and send him back to Seeboro before the sun rises, zzz.

Sss, sss, sss!

Disruptive hisses only getting louder, the vampa turned onto his backside on the straw bed beneath him. Can whoever is making that loud racket keep their mouth shut? Can't a bun get some sleep around here? Forget this, he's not even here. So long world, once again, it's time to say goodnight to it all, zzz.

Sss, sss, sss!

"Can chew wake up? Hello?" Zinn asked, tone annoyed. "We gotta vermin problem on our hands!"

"Oh, really?" Peltro asked, sarcasm evident in their voice. "Gee, I wonder what gave that away! Could it perhaps be the persistent hisses outside the door? Or, was it the wind?"

Sss, sss, sss.

"One could assume it could be the wind," Rashmi said, arms crossed.

"It's not the wind! How stupid are you?" Peltro cried. "Listen to it!"

Sss, sss, sss.

Hissing noises only getting louder, the farmer crawled up into a ball upon the straw bed beneath him. Is there really a vermin problem on their hands out there? Maybe it could just be the wind, that had to have been possible, right? What time is right now? Ugh, the second hour? Forget this, he's not dealing with this nonsense right now, goodbye.

Sss, sss, sss.

"Chew hear that?! There's more out there now!" Zinn cried. "We gotta chase 'em off! I bet the Ethanoribbit sent them!"

"No, really?!" Peltro cried, sarcasm evident in their voice. "I thought it was the wind getting stronger! Gee, we might have a twister on our hands right about now!"

"One could assume the wind is indeed picking up in speed," Rashmi said, arms crossed across her waist.

"Yeah, that could be it, right?" Pixiu asked. "Wait, why did we come to Sumazo Forest again? Does anyone know the answer to that?"

"Uh, duh! You know why we came here! We were looking for something, remember?!" Peltro cried, they then pointed at Zinn. "But, no! My lovely sibling over here just had to get us lost and get tangled deep into the toxin zone!"

"Could chew quit it with chewr wise cracks already?!" Zinn cried. "And we did not get lost!"

"We did get lost, get over it!" Everyone except Siorc shouted.

Sss, sss, sss.

Bam.

Something hitting the rest spot on the outside, the young adult rolled his eyes. Sure this is the wind! It sure sounded like it, didn't it? No, no, Siorc, there's no time to get smart here. As if sarcasm was the right answer here. He needs to take a moment and study the racket for a moment longer. Here goes, it's coming again.

Sss, sss, sss.

Pop.

Popping noise filling up the area, the young adult's knees buckled. Oh, no, are there gumsnakes here? This is bad, very bad! If they're around these parts for too long, everyone is going to fall! He can't let that happen! He has to do something before it's too late! Standing himself upward, the peanut gallery kept their nonsense going.

"Oh, no, the wind's really picking up!" Pixiu cried. "What should we do?!"

"For the last time, this ain't wind!" Zinn cried. "I can't believe chew're listening to anything Peltro's gotta say! Did chew forget what kinda peep they are?!"

"Not really, but I'm sure there's not that much vermin out there for us to deal with!" Pixiu cried. "Shouldn't we go back to sleep? We have to be in tip top shape to fight that Ethanoribbit, you know!"

"Chew serious right now?! There's gumsnakes outside! If we leave 'em for too long, do chew know what'll happen to us?!" Their voice rose.

Golden Hamster rolling their eyes in the corner, the young adult reached for the Talkmaster B. There's no time to be sitting around here! Turning the knobs the bun almost wanted to shake the device. What's drawing a whistle here going to do?! Forget it, this is probably the only way to get their attention anyway. Numbers scribbled as well, a robotic voice released itself from the speakers.

[Tweet, tweet. Everyone, we don't have time to sit around here like this! If the gumsnakes stay outside for too long, their toxins will get into the air and we'll all be out cold for a whole week! Quit arguing and let's give them a quick beating!] A crackling voice shouted through the Talkmaster B's speakers.

"One is not arguing," Rashmi said, turning her head.

"Listen here, chew purple haired chinchilla! Chew need to listen to Unhappy Bunny over here!" Zinn cried. "If I'm right, there's at least thirty gumsnakes out there, we're running out of time! We have to beat them now!"

"Did one ask for one to bring one's hair into this?" Rashmi asked.

Sss, sss, sss.

"Hello?! Can we stop sitting around while those gumsnakes camp outside the rest stop?!" Peltro cried. "Get a shovel and get going!"

"Wait, do we have any shovels on us?" Pixiu asked, tilting her head.

"You're storing them in your pockets, remember?! If you make us all fall, I'm blaming you!" Stomp, stomp, stomp.

Hopping out of the rest stop, a sight of terror awaited the vampa. Colorful, bubbly vipers everywhere, the bun's eyes opened wide. Oh, no, how many were out there? One, two, three, two hundreds? Oh, no, this is bad, really bad! They're all about to be done in if they don't all do something now! Gah! Where did these fiends all come from? He needs to hurry!

Ssss, sss, sss.

Shake, shake.

Rattles on the fiend's tails shaking, the farmer sifted through his back pocket. Here they come, they're armed and loaded! He has to get rid of them before it's too late! Sun hairpin turning into a blade, the bun aimed for the bellies. Take this, gumsnakes! He can't let them live for much longer!

First of many decimated, the bun huffed a breath. Why did there have to be a whole army of those things outside? Something is truly wrong with this forest. How is he supposed to defeat the Ethanoribbit after this? He doesn't know anymore. Maybe he should just pack it up. It was an impossible battle from the very beginning, wasn't it? No, no, happy thoughts, Siorc, happy thoughts! Of course he can do this.

"Wait, why do we need shovels for?" Pixiu asked, tilting her head.

"You know why, Pixiu!" Peltro cried. "Hurry up and take them out! You want to be able to defeat the Ethanoribbit later, don't you?!"

"Why do we need to beat that thing again?" She tilted her head again.

"You know why!" Peltro shouted. "If we do, we can prove to Preciobu we don't need the help from the divine to kill a toxic beast!"

"Oh," Pixiu said, turning her head. "I don't get it."

"Less talking, more fighting!" Zinn cried. "Can't chew see we're swamped here?!" They then turned towards Rashmi. "Rashmi, are chew seriously standing around and doing nothing right now?!"

"One is not doing nothing. Can't one see one is charging an attack?" Rashmi said.

Group of buns looking ready to fight themselves rather than the vermin, the young adult held in the urge to sigh. Wow, everyone sure is getting everything done here, aren't they? No, no, Siorc, keep the sarcasm away. It's fine, he can do this. Alright, gumsnakes, take this, wing flap of oblivion! Flying upward, the bun's wings brushed the monstrous fiends with a little clap.

Army getting smaller by the second as shovels did the group in, the vampa prepared himself. Something big is coming, something dangerous. Any second now, and they're going to take him out of the picture. He has to hurry and get rid of them before toxic hour can occur. Is it coming? How long have they been out here for? He doesn't know, but he has to figure it out before it's too late!

Sss, sss, sss.

Even more fiends slithering in, sweat poured down the bun's cheek. Oh, great, why did there have to be even more than ever before? What, can gumsnakes regenerate indefinitely or something? Please no! He didn't have the time to deal with this right now! Time is ticking, time is ticking, gah! Any second now, toxic hour would arrive!

"You smell that?!" Peltro cried.

"Smell what?" Zinn cried.

"Are you seriously trying to play this game with me right now?! I know you can smell it! Use that stupid nose of yours already!"

Whiffing up a minty scent, the bun froze. Oh, no, not that anything but that. Toxic hour will be here before he knew it! This is bad, very bad, time is running out. He has to think of something, quick! How can he eliminate the rest of this army before the worst possible outcome can occur? Quick, Siorc, think, there's no time left!

"That scent, I know that scent!" Pixiu cried. "Guys, hurry and pick up your shovels and toss the dirt in their eyes! If we don't, poof, we'll definitely be stuck here forever!"

"Not forever, a week," Rashmi said in an annoyed tone.

"May as well be forever! Everyone, start digging!" Her hands were on the shovel with a fury.

Shovel armed and ready to go, the young adult aimed the creature at the ground beneath. Brown sediment decorating it quicker than he could keep up with, the weapon was ready to go. Reptile pupils taken out of the picture one after another, the vampa swore he could hear a scream from somewhere off in the distance.

Hiss, hiss.

"Oh, no! What do we do now?!" Pixiu cried.

"Don't tell me chew forgot!" Zinn cried. "We gotta burn these things! Use chewr powers now! We're running out of time here!"

"I have fire powers?" She titled her head.

"See for chewrself!" A shout.

"Okay, here goes nothing!" Pixiu shouted, tail on the top of her head. "You just all blew my mind!"

Pixiu's head looking about ready to explode, the bun backed away. This is going to work, right? Surely, it had to. Something looking ready to go boom, everyone backed away in tandem. This vampa sure was powerful. Where was she hiding that trick up her sleeve? He doesn't have a clue, how is he supposed to know the answer to that question?

Area getting quite smoky, the bun flapped upward once more. They're losing steam, now's his chance to deliver the final blow! Flapping upward, a scream released itself out into the open. Come here, snakes, this time, they're going to get the final blow they deserve! Bellies his for the taking, the final strike had been awarded to the lot.

"Looks like those rascals are finally gone," Pixiu said, yawning. "What's next after this again?"

"How many times are chew going to ask that?!" Zinn cried. "Chew already know the answer to that! We gotta eliminate the Ethnoribbit, then we gotta go back to Stratopia!"

"Oh," Pixiu said, voice trailing. "Uh, why do we have to back there for?"

"How brainless are you in that head of yours?! We live there, remember?!" Peltro cried.

"Do we?" She titled her head.

"One simply cannot believe how much of a scatterbrain one can be," Rashmi said, sighing.

"What are you talking about, I'm not a scatterbrain!" Pixiu cried. She then yawned. "You know what, I'm sleepy, I'm going back into the rest zone, nighty night."

Everyone returning to the rest stop, the young adult turned his attention to Pixiu's head for a moment. That power she used, was it just him, or had it made her head blow? Just what were her mystic powers anyway? Something about them feels different, but he can't quite put his finger on it. Ah, forget it, why dwell on it? He needs to go back to sleep, goodnight world, zzz.

Shake, shake, shake.

"Unhappy Bunny, could you wake up, please?" a voice asked.

Ugh.

Voice calling out to him, the vampa lifted himself up from the straw bed beneath him. Who called him Unhappy Bunny just now?! Could everyone stop calling him that, please? He's not unhappy, not in the slightest. Rubbing his eyes, the vampa turned towards the owner of the voice. Oh, it's just Pixiu. What does she want? Can't she see he's trying to catch some zes here? Reaching for the Talkmaster B, he turned the knobs in a rapid fury.

[What do you want? I'm trying to sleep here.] A crackling voice said through the Talkmaster B's speakers. He then turned away. Ugh, maybe that was a little too rude of him, try again. [Sorry, I didn't mean that. What is it?]

"I just wanted to ask, you're joining the Mystic Carrot Bowl, aren't you?" Pixiu asked.

[Yes, I am going to be fighting in the Mystic Carrot Bowl. How did you know?] A crackling voice asked through the Talkmaster B's speakers.

"Just a feeling, that's all," Pixiu said, yawning. "I just thought you should know this since it's coming up pretty soon. I would be super careful, if I were you. You never know what the godbuns might be thinking." She then yawned. "That's all, goodnight."

[Goodnight, also don't call me Unhappy Bunny!] A crackling voice said through the Talkmaster B's speakers.

Crawling back up into a ball, the bun closed his eyes. Should he reconsider entering the Mystic Carrot Bowl? No, of course not. Everything will go fine, right? Of course it will.