Bunnelby Line
Morphs [Oak Catalog #]
- Bunnelby [#659]
- Diggersby [#660]
Appearance
Bunnelby are small lagomorphs with wide eyes, large cheeks, thick whiskers, visible elongated incisors, a short tail, and three muscular pseudo-digits at the tip of their long, broad ears. Their skin is a pinkish color, but this is only visible on the inner surface of the ear. While their coat is primarily gray, they do have brown markings at the tips of their feet, ears, on paired spots on their flanks, and in the form of a small brown neck ruff. Certain individuals lack the brown pigment, and their markings are a lighter gray; they also have tan skin and red eyes, and are sought out by collectors.
Diggersby are three times the size of Bunnelby, having grown rotound bodies and thick long ears. A small spur of fur has appeared at the 'elbow' of each ear, which resembles nothing so much as a muscular arm ending in three-fingered fists. The brown markings have shifted considerably; while the Diggersby does not have flank marks, their feet are completely covered, great brown spots are just behind the ear markings, and their muzzle and a portion of their neck is fully brown. While they do not have the neck ruff anymore, they have gained a thick band of wool around their body divided into four portions; the front and back sections are yellow, while the sections on the side are brown. They have also developed white 'gloves' on their forepaws. Interestingly, those who lacked the brown pigment as Bunnelby have faint brown forward and rear wool sections and light grey mittens, but otherwise retain the same coloration.
Notable Biology
The most famous aspect of the Bunnelby line is their long, spadelike ears and the three clawed digits at their tip. Analysis of both Bunnelby and Diggersby reveal that there is a cartilaginous bonelike structure in the ear just beyond the functioning aural portion; in Diggersby especially it is thick and well developed enough for the pokemon to use their ears as a fully functional set of limbs. In the wild, this allows the line to dig complicated underground burrows to live in, with Diggersby even being able to pound rocks to rubble; captive Diggersby have even been taught to use this huge power to practically double the impact of their physical assaults.
Bunnelby are also adept at foraging, able to locate and carry small objects with ease. This can be helpful to their trainers, as they can sometimes pick up random items in the grass that either prove useful or can be sold for a small amount of cash. An equal amount have adapted to keep small pockets of food in pouches located in their cheeks, and will consume them with berries to keep up their health.
Habitat
The Bunnelby line lives in a complex network of warrens in the central Kalos region that open in regions around Santalune forest. A large population has also migrated to the area around route 5, attracted by the purple flowers there. Diggersby can be found in all warrens, but they are seen aboveground when they emerge to gather yellow flowers.
Diet
The Bunnelby line is primarily herbivorous, foraging for seeds and berries in the tall grass around their warrens and often eating the grass itself. Trainers are encouraged to feed them regularly, as the average Bunnelby requires its own weight in food for daily consumption. Thankfully, their palate is quite wide; any natural greens will do, including fresh grass.
Hazards
While Bunnelby are not inherently aggressive, they do have powerful ears that can dig through soil easily. Damage to water pipes and underground wiring is not uncommon in areas near the Bunnelby's warren; assaults, though rare, have caused reports of broken bones. Diggersby are more dangerous, both in the sense that they will defend their home aggressively, and due to their far more powerful musculature; they are known to break underground boulders in the wild, and have apparently caused minor earthquakes on occasion. Thankfully, neither morph will attack if they do not feel threatened.
Social Structure
The relationship between Bunnelby warrens is a complex mix of hiearchies. At the core of each warren is a small group of Diggersby, ranging from one to three individuals, who direct most of their subordinates and generally only move from their portion of the warren if they are needed to smash rocks. These Diggersby are surrounded by the warren nursery, where select members of the warren are chosen to care for the young. Any Bunnelby that wants to join the nursery must prove their worth to the Diggersby, usually by providing a particularly interesting trinket or outright seducing a member of the core group; if the nursery gets too packed, the Diggersby will throw out random Bunnelby until they feel comfortable again.
While these core groups are distinct from each other, Bunnelby outside the nursery can come and go between warrens as they please. An individual Bunnelby can move between anywhere from three to six warrens in the course of a year, coming and going as they please so long as they contribute to the feeding and maintenance of the group. Bunnelby who evolve to Diggersby will either attempt to integrate into the core of an available warren or, if there is no willing group, head out to gather flowers and attract their own following of Bunnelby to form a new warren.
Courting and Childrearing
Sexual activity is common among the Bunnelby, who treat it as a form of casual interaction. If a Bunnelby outside a nursery becomes pregnant, it will linger on the outer edges of a nursery until it gives birth, and hand the child off to the nursery for caring. Children are generally taught by Diggersby how to dig and, when they are thrown out, join Bunnelby to learn how to forage.
Trainer's Notes
The Bunnelby line is highly agrophobic and will require 'cave' of their own to retreat into. This is fairly easy to provide; lining a cardboard box with pillows will give the illusion of safety. Other risks include a digging instinct, which can be trained out, and a habit of gathering random small objects lying about.
In Human Society
Bunnelby has long been considered an acceptable pet for the home, and many stores carry small populations of them for sale to eager youngsters. A Bunnelby with its alternate coloration is also a famous cartoon star. Diggersby, on the other hand, tend to be used in construction work; their habit of resting until called on for duty has indirectly led to some stereotypical portrayals of lazy construction workers.
Written by Masterweaver.
