Unicorns

Unicorns are ancient creatures that hold strong cultural significance in the Derpy Dimension. They are descended from Derposaurs and bamboo and are essential to the Derpy Dimension's ecosystem.

Unicorns are well known for the horns that protrude from their foreheads. They are often kept as pets by Derplings across the Derpy Dimension but are only prominent in the Derplandz, Western Melonland, and Southern Turtland.

There are various species of unicorns, but the most common unicorn is the silver-horned unicorn, which is known to all nations in the Derpy Dimension. The most species diversity is seen in the Derplandz, the next country being Melonland.

Characteristics and the Ecosystem
Unicorns are muscular animals that vary in size (depending on the species). Most unicorns do not attack Derplings unless they feel threatened by them and tend to bond easily with them after a week or month.

Unicorn weight also tends to depend on the species, and their diets also greatly affect related characteristics. Unlike most animals, unicorns are more cooperative with other species with similar niches and do not need to compete for resources, as they are very mentally and physically flexible animals, adapting to new environments quickly.

All unicorns possess a horn somewhere on their bodies, some even possessing multiple; however, some species also have horn inside their bodies, though these are not considered true horns, as the scientific criteria (according to Derpy Labs) states unicorns' true horns are actually hardened pieces of their brains and are always directly attached.

Unicorns' roles in the food chain vary depending on the species. They all contribute to the fertilization of plants and provide food for waste-consuming animals. They also leave trails of rainbows behind them while at high altitudes, which, for many animals, is attractive, causing them to come out, thus providing adequate amounts of food for predators.

Common Silver-Horned Unicorns
One of the only unicorns native to the entirety of the Derpy Dimension, common silver-horned unicorns are found on land and cannot swim; however, they can fly up to one thousand metres above the ground and are commonly seen dancing on the rooftops of houses in cities. Common silver-horned unicorns are the most common species of unicorns kept as pets by Derplings, as they bond very easily (they take two days on average). They are also great stress relievers, one of the species that can use their horns, which are hardened cones poking out from the brain, to alter the emotions of Derplings. Oftentimes, pet unicorns can be seen lightly touching the foreheads on humans with their horns to calm them.

Common silver-horned unicorns are medium-sized and muscular, about the same height as a Derpling and approximately three times their average weight. Their diet consists primarily of waffles, though they are also willing to eat other foods; however, they are reluctant to eat meat. Common silver-horned unicorns typically live for about one hundred fifteen years.

Backwards Unicorns
Backward unicorns have black fur and are notable for their unique behaviour, walking backwards, flying backwards, and even having a backwards structure. They are well known for their reversed horns and tail, the tail on the forehead and the horn on the back.

It is commonly theorized by scientists that this structure is a defence mechanism. The unicorn is a herbivore and only eats waffles from Waffle Trees in the forests of the Southern Derplandz and Northwestern Phantasia, and it takes a long time to chew. It is believed they evolved to create an alternative to turning around constantly, which sometimes caused neck problems.

The unicorn is classified as a primary consumer in most ecosystems, and it cannot digest meat; thus, it is commonly prey to many other species in the areas it occupies. Predators that try to attack from behind are poked by its venomous horn. When kept in zoos, the animal often has its horn's tip shaved while it is in deep sleep to prevent anyone from getting hurt. The animal does not suffer any consequences from this.

The Backwards Unicorn is extremely essential to keeping the environment rich in air quality. The Backwards Unicorn is also reversed in terms of breathing—instead of breathing in oxygen and breathing out carbon dioxide, Backwards Unicorns, like most plants, breath in carbon dioxide and breath out oxygen.

The species is smaller than the average unicorn, and it cannot fly very high either, only able to hover ten metres above the ground (on average, the record being fifteen metres). Backwards Unicorns are nearly extinct in the wild due to adaptions of predators to get around its venomous horn. Backwards unicorns typically live for approximately eighty-seven years but live about twenty years longer in the Derpy Dimension's zoos.

In order to prevent total extinction of the species, the Derplandz's parliament approved the trading of Backwards Unicorns to nations in the Derpy Dimension and nations outside considered ethical by the Derplings. The Derplandish parliament also attached a set of instructions by which nations purchasing Backwards Unicorns are required to follow.

The summarized instructions go as follow:

The Derplandish parliament hereby requires that nations purchasing the Backwards Unicorn (Corpus e converso) would impose the following regulations on all institutions owning Backwards Unicorns:
 * The Backwards Unicorns will only be fed waffles from Waffle Trees (Amulum lingo) whose contents are approved by Derplandish parliament
 * The Backwards Unicorns will be fed five pounds of the aforementioned waffles every day
 * The aforementioned
 * The Backwards Unicorns will not be abused (as to be physically, emotionally, or mentally harmed), including but not limited to inflicting pain upon, neglecting, or riding against the Backwards Unicorn's will
 * The Backwards Unicorns will not be kept as domesticated pets by individuals or non-government/non-government-regulated groups/persons unless approved by Derplandish parliament

Origin
During a playdate between a baby Panderp and a baby Derposaur, a now extinct invasive species of bamboo, the Derposaur's Lover (Mens telum), was quickly populating the area due to its attraction to Derposaurs' brains. Naturally, Derposaurs avoided the plant, opting to move away from areas in which they were prominent; however, it was becoming impossible to not be around them completely.

Curious, the baby Panderp bit the roots of a bamboo shoot, causing it to fall. It nibbled on the bamboo to make a toy—a stick—which the baby Panderp playfully poked the baby Derposaur with, and when the bamboo touched the baby Derposaur's forehead, it glued itself to the centre.

The bamboo began to slide inwards; the baby Derposaur began to panic. The Panderp's desperate attempts to pull it out was to no avail, and soon, the bamboo fused with the Derpasaur's brain. The baby Panderp once again tried to pull it out, but they immediately became happy instead of panicked, the bamboo horn having altered the Panderp's emotions, which promoted the spread of the unicorn species.

Discovery
Centuries later, unicorns were still rare but were growing exponentially. The abundance of Waffle Trees resulted in even more growth, and eventually, a unicorn, for the first documented time, came into contact with a Derpling, DerpyMcDerpell.

DerpyMcDerpell was having waffles for breakfast that morning, and the unicorn was about to as well. Before DerpyMcDerpell could finish his feast at Derp Castle, the unicorn jumped through a window and scooped up the waffles. For a few seconds, it stared at the Derplings around it, both species equally intrigued by each other. It was short-lived, however—the unicorn soon leaped out another window.

DerpyMcDerpell tried to have waffles again (a week later), but the unicorn once again found a way in (even thought the windows were boarded). Through the vents, where the smell of waffles was prominent, the unicorn traced its way back to the grand hall, slurping them up immediately.

After repeated scoopings of waffles (and repeated escapes), DerpyMcDerpell lured the unicorn into Derpy Labs, placing a giant stack of waffles into a room replicating the environment of Derp Face Islands, as the unicorn had a leaf attached to its tail that Derpy knew was native to the islands.

After scientists sent search teams for unicorns across the islands, citizens in the Derplandz began to search as well (against the government's advice), which resulted in the revelation of unicorns across the Derpy Dimension.

Gaining Popularity
After the unicorn was released, it returned once again to Derp Castle and (also once again) scooped DerpyMcDerpell's waffle breakfast up. Eventually, the common silver-horned unicorn grew on him, and he kept it as a pet.

After the news spread, businesspeople across the Derplandz demanded they be allowed to sell unicorns bred in captivity. As a result, the Derplandish parliament approved the sale of domesticated unicorns (the unicorns adapted quickly to urban environments) but imposed a set of regulations for everyone that made sure the unicorns were "treated ethically".

Unicorns became even more significant as cultural symbols of majesticness in the Derpy Dimension after DerpyMcDerpell started including his pet unicorn (now immortal) in celebratory events, such as the parades all over the Derpy Dimension during Derp Day. Today, unicorns can be seen in the coat of arms of the Derpy Dimension.

Several years later, they became common in the Derplandz and were becoming abundant in Western Melonland. Soon, different types of unicorns emerged, and unicorns were known to every Derpling to ever exist.