Chapter 1
101.
Kemitopia, the land of the Nobel, and the home of the unification of all Kemis. Rich in history, especially the newly carved one. For sure the event will be remembered for ages since the story is recorded through books, imprinted in technologies, and passed down through tribes. Truly, today's milestone will be tomorrow's founding history. The stepping stone for the betterment of the future.
The story in the UniPaws continues. A month has already passed but the 1st declaration of the UniKemis felt like it was yesterday. It was monumental, a festive of a lifetime. The first-ever celebration that showcased all of the existing cultures from different continents in one place. Other Kemis are wishing for a full whole month's event but sadly, the land could not accommodate such a lengthy occasion. For now, a week-long celebration is optimal, though it may extend for more days in the succeeding years to satisfy the request of the crowd.
As days pass by, there is still a question that lingers around. If the problem is already solved, then why are the gates are still closed? It should have opened by now. All this time, the Kemis are leisurely waiting for the gates since they believe that everything is fixed. On their third time checking the Ruin in the Island of the Beast Mimis, the result stays the same. It was that time when the group started to get suspicious.
Later that day, the Catgirls gathered along with the members of the UniKemis, the scholars were present as well. The discussion on a round table occurs. Meanwhile, Maiko, Zela, Eve, and some Royal Guards are trying their best to make Hideo and Ovae talk. The words that Ovae told before, echoed in Zela's mind as the current situation proves so. It gives the idea that Ovae and Hideo know something about what's truly happening, but neither one of them is spilling anything.
"It's been long stagnant weeks, we must do something now," FeLinE:1000X said.
"What are nyu suggesting?" Queen Grace asked.
"We force our way through. Only the gate towards the Realm Sanctuary is locked, the others are open. We can collect the 7 Mystical Runekeys to open the gate." FeLinE:1000X suggested.
"Oh, I remember! Hideo has a small crate containing hundreds of Runekeys." Kita responded.
"We confiscated those and safely stored them in our security," Raven added.
"We will be needing those for entering other realms, but those are not the ones that will open the gate towards the Realm Sanctuary. It was passed down to Sentient Kemis that the 7 Mystical Runekeys are scattered in different realms, hidden and protected." FeLinE:1000X answered.
"So that's why Hideo has tons of it, they are planning to find the 7 Mystical Runekeys…" Yuna mentioned.
"Sooo are we going to visit hundreds of realms just to find 7 of those? It might take forever." Hana questioned.
"I want to play finding treasures, I'm in!" Lulu said while holding Pily.
"FeLinE knows the 7 realms that contain the Mystical Runekeys. We just have to find it there." FeLinE:1000X responded.
"Afterwards?" Rubi asked.
"And then we'll go back here and put those in the Ruin where FeLinE came from," FeLinE:1000X replied.
"Hmmm… Sounds doable." Kita commented
"What are these realms that nyu mentioned?" Rin asked.
"BijouTerra, Noctambulist Land, Nesuto, Hachtile, Blizshore, Euchambersia, and the KeraValley, also known as the Underworld." FeLinE:1000X replied.
"I take back what I've said." Kita reacted.
"Looks like we really have to face the Underworld…" Aoi worriedly mentioned.
"Not everyone will go, some must stay here to protect the land and of course the Ruin, while the other team will collect the Mystical Runekeys. FeLinE prefers a small group, that's why FeLinE will choose FeLinE's team." FeLinE:1000X explained.
"Oh boy…" Hana reacted.
"I kinda know where this is going," Yuna added.
"The obvious choice is the 4 Kemis that have talents," FeLinE:1000X said.
"Who are those? I mean Maiko also has a talent, we are like 5 here." Hana argued, trying to dodge the selection.
"My talent also evolved from only feeling the emotions of the Beast Mimis to understanding their words and being able to communicate with them effectively. I guess practice can further polish a talent." Maiko shared.
"Kita, Hana, Yuna, and Lulu." FeLinE:1000X quickly answered, without any hesitation.
"Nyatta!" Kita and Lulu celebrated.
"These two are clueless, aren't they?" Yuna questioned.
Hana sighed deeply and said, "Nyu know the answer…"
"Wait, may I go too?" Raven requested.
"FeLinE cannot see why nyu should," FeLinE:1000X replied straightforwardly.
"I… I can carry the bags if nyu want. I may not possess any talent but I'll do what I can to help!" Raven insisted.
"Nyu can help just by staying here," FeLinE:1000X responded.
"But I want to explore! Who knows, maybe I can unlock my talent too along the way." Raven argued.
"This is not a field trip. The decision is final and we will move tomorrow morning." FeLinE:1000X firmly said as she stood up and left. The mood changed because of the short argument between FeLinE and Raven.
"I'm sorry Raven, nyu did help us a lot. FeLinE may sound harsh but I'm sure she just wants what's best for us." Queen Grace comforted Raven.
After a long discussion, the meeting is finally adjourned. The Kemis highly respected FeLinE, mainly because she's a Sentient Kemi. After all, their knowledge of the cosmos is nowhere near FeLinE. The group has no choice but to follow FeLinE's order for everyone's safety.
As per FeLinE's suggestion, Queen Grace ordered the Royal Guards to assist FeLinE with everything that they would need. When the list was created, Kita, Hana, Yuna, Lulu, and the maids started to gather the items. On the other hand, Eve, Rubi, Celeste, and Raven help FeLinE in mapping out the best route for them.
The Ruins are scattered around the Deserted Isles. Because of that, the plan is; that the group will enter the first Ruin using Hideo's Runekeys, get the Mystical Runekey, go back to the UniPaws, and then move to the next island. This course of action will be repeated until they complete the 7 Mystical Runekeys. Dividing the team and then assigning each a realm to enter, may sound tactical and time efficient. However, the risk of the unknown is the main reason why they cannot operate the plan. Adjustments are only applicable if the other realms are guaranteed safe.
102.
After a long busy day, the group is successful with their itinerary. Kita, Hana, Yuna, and Lulu are preparing themselves for another wild adventure. This time, it's literally out of their own world, the group will be treasure-hunting in foreign realms. This feeling is nothing new for the group since they explored the UniPaws without the slightest clue of what was waiting for them.
As the day once again lights up on the UniPaws, the group wastes no time in preparing for their quest. With accurate mapping, complete equipment, and backup plans, the Catgirls voyage to the target island where the Ruin of BijouTerra is located. When they arrived, the group started to build a base near the Ruin. Protected by some Royal Guards from Kemitopia, and accompanied by scientists from Zenshin.
Since Raven insisted on helping more, she was assigned to protect and lead the base, alongside Maiko and Celeste whereas Eve and Rubi will occasionally visit the place. They cannot fully commit since they are also in charge at Zenshin. The same thing can be said for Queen Grace and the maids in Kemitopia. Thankfully, with the globalization of Zenshin's wristwatch, they can contact each other instantly. Of course, it is a watered-down version of what Zenshin has, it can only video call and send a mail or a voice mail. Some of the reasons behind the downgrade are; that fewer features make it easier to reproduce for mass use. Keeping the wristwatch simple allows everyone to adapt quickly. Most importantly, the rest of the features are exclusive to Zenshin, like the NYA-Coins which other areas don't have.
With the help of everyone, the camp is eventually established. It's time for the Catgirls to set their paws in a different realm named BijouTerra. FeLinE gets one Runekey from the small crate and puts it in the middle of the Ruin. The circle in the middle glows as a portal begins to widen. The gate is now open, first stop, BijouTerra. Kita, Hana, Yuna, Lulu with Pily, and FeLinE walk through the portal as it closes.
"Ganbatte!" Everyone from the base cheered.
Entering a different world, the Kemis' eyes met a new scenery of a lifetime. Interestingly, everything in this realm barely meets their eye level. Welcome to the world of BijouTerra, the home of Rodent-type Kemis. Mice, Hamsters, Squirrels, everyone here in this realm are small. The tallest Kemi in this land is 3 feet tall, while the infrastructures are almost the same height as Mathus, the 7-foot-tall Mammothman. Everything is cute and bubbly, a place where Coco's heart will surely melt.
"I think I'm having a sugar rush in my eyes…" Kita commented.
"Why is this allowed to exist?" Yuna questioned.
"Coco will probably trade everything just to live here…" Hana mentioned.
"I LOVE THIS PLACE!" Lulu said excitedly.
"Chuu~ me too," Pily added.
"We finally found a place where nyu are taller!" Kita kiddingly said as she laughed.
"At least we are all cute!" Lulu responded while pouting.
"Let's just find the Mystical Runekey and then get out of here. This place is too sweet for FeLinE." FeLinE:1000X said as she walked forward, the rest of the group followed her.
The residents are baffled by the sudden appearance of these new Kemis, but they are not doing anything about it. They are the type of Kemis that usually mind their own business. It was the first time a bunch of Catgirls entered their realm, but strangely from the others' reactions, there was a depth of concern lingering from them.
"Shouldn't we ask someone or are we just gonna ignore everyone?" Kita asked.
"The way we pass everyone as they look feels kinda awkward." Hana echoed Kita's point.
"I can ask them if nyu want!" Lulu volunteered.
"Not necessary, FeLinE's Relic is detecting the Mystical Runekey miles away from this location," FeLinE:1000X replied.
"I see, then I guess this quest is way more peaceful than I thought," Yuna mentioned.
"Please don't jinx it…" Hana immediately responded.
So far, the journey seems simple. It's been quite some time but nothing has happened. There's visible confusion among other residents but it does not result in something problematic. Eventually, they left the small village. The only struggle that they have right now is the trees. They are only slightly above the group, meaning the forest is hard to investigate since the leaves are at their eye level, except for Lulu.
After a short while, a hurtful growl can be heard from a distance. Someone is grinding their teeth while aching from a massive pain. The Catgirls carefully sneak closer to check where the noise is coming from.
Beneath the bushes, they saw a fairly tanned skin with light brown fur, 2 feet tall, and slim Kemi. The Squirrelgirl is down on the ground, holding her shoulders, and looking like in a terrible situation. FeLinE did not want to interfere but Hana moved instinctively, wanting to give aid to the stranger as fast as she could.
Upon a closer look, the group saw violet lines, slowly crawling through the veins of the victim. The color highly resembles the Evil Mimis, something beyond nature is happening.
"Let us help nyu," Hana told the Squirrelgirl. "Quick, carry her to the nearest pond or some sort," she added. Yuna uses her talent to make the Kemi levitate as they all rush to the closest body of water.
Eventually, they found a small lake deep in the forest. Yuna puts down the stranger and then Hana uses her talent to heal the wounded.
"I wonder what happened to her…" Lulu worriedly said.
"Those colors in her arm… Is she transforming into Evil Mimi?" Kita wildly guessed.
"That's impossible, Eve and Rubi found out that Evil Mimis came from Tameable Mimis, not from Kemis," Yuna argued.
After a few seconds, FeLinE began to remember something. Fragments of information flash inside her head. It looks like she saw this before but cannot fully gather her thoughts. Her eyebrows met, trying her hardest to recall this scenario.
"Weird… My healing talent is not making that much of a difference…" Hana said.
Out of nowhere, FeLinE suddenly said, "Help me find a Runecrystal." She then immediately runs, following her Relic's direction. Yuna and Lulu joined FeLinE while Kita stayed with Hana to offer assistance. No one knows what's going on, nor what FeLinE is up to. Even though Yuna asks while they are running, FeLinE is not answering. At this point, even FeLinE is not sure what she is doing.
103.
An unknown situation welcomed the Catgirls. Maybe the residents in the village wanted to warn the Catgirls, but another side of the coin says perhaps the appearance of this group will solve their problem. These are mere theories in terms of the locals' strange reactions earlier.
Later that moment, FeLinE found a Runecrystal slightly buried in the ground. The three of them went back without any second of delay. As soon as they arrived, FeLinE gave another instruction. "Use your ice talent to break some fragment of this Runecrystal and gather them." Kita immediately does what FeLinE said. "Now Hana, create a water circle with those fragments inside of it. Use that mixture to heal the Kemi." FeLinE:1000X added.
The rest of the group are puzzled but as soon as they follow FeLinE, the result gives them the answer. The veins of the Squirrelgirl are slowly relaxing as the violet marks are leaving. Later on, a Violet Rune the same shape as the Runecrystal, pops out from the Kemi's hand.
"Fo… Forbidden Rune…" FeLinE:1000X stuttered in shock. The rest of them became nervous as well. It was the first time they heard FeLinE break her voice like this.
"What's a Forbidden Rune?" Yuna asked.
FeLinE checks the surroundings, upon confirming that no one is around, she picks up the Forbidden Rune and hides it on her Relic.
"THAT SHIELD CAN STORE ITEMS TOO?" Kita loudly reacted.
"Quick, we must hide," FeLinE:1000X said.
A small hut can be spotted nearby, and the group barges in without any hesitation. Luckily, no one was home.
"From heroes to burglars, character development real quick!" Lulu commented.
"I don't think that's what character development means…" Yuna confusedly reacted.
After a minute, the Squirrelgirl woke up. "Wh-who are you? Why are we at my house?" She confusedly asked.
"So it's her place, lucky~" Kita responded.
"We saw nyu in a terrible state outside, but everything is okay now," Hana explained.
"Outside…" The Squirrelgirl reiterated as she held her head. "The last thing that I remember… I was using my talent to gather food, and then I suddenly felt a massive pain…"
"Talent? What's your talent?" Lulu asked.
The Squirrelgirl extended her hand, trying to do something, but nothing was happening. "Wha-what? I can't summon?" She said while puzzled.
"Summon?" They all asked as they tilted their head.
"Hai… I usually can summon any object that I can think of, and then use it efficiently. Spoon, knife, arrows… Spoon, as long as I can fully imagine it." The Squirrelgirl answered.
"Did she say spoon twice?" Lulu reacted.
"That's a handy talent!" Kita commented.
"But I cannot do it now. Maybe I just need some rest. By the way, I'm Ridsae! Thanks for helping me earlier." Ridsae said as she wiggled her ears.
The Catgirls wiggle their ears as they also introduce one after the other. After the introduction, it's time for FeLinE to explain the situation, "Going back to what nyu said, no amount of rest will return your talent." FeLinE:1000X said.
"What? Why?" Ridsae questioned.
"FeLinE remembered that something like this already happened before, though FeLinE's memory is still not yet clear. To prove FeLinE's vague assumption, we created a solution that was used to extract Forbidden Runes. Hana's talent is the substitute for the purification process. It turns out, this Forbidden Rune is corrupting nyu." FeLinE:1000X explained as she showed the Violet Rune.
"But… that can't be true… My life was easier when that Rune fused to me…" Ridsae argued.
"Forbidden Runes can fuse to anyone without compatibility. It will bypass all the procedures, and not only it will unlock your talent, but it will also boost it to drastic levels. This Rune is highly unstable, which is why it's Forbidden. FeLinE firmly believes that it should be removed from your system." FeLinE:1000X responded. She can remember the origin of the Rune, but the history regarding what exactly happened with the said Rune is missing from her memory.
"You removed my talent with a fuzzy memory?" Ridsae madly questioned.
"Calm down Ridsae, we all saw how your nerves turned the same colors as that Rune. FeLinE might be right." Hana said.
"Let's put it this way, we have scientist friends back in our realm. If nyu want, we can go there and let them decipher that Rune. They will tell us if it's dangerous for Kemis or not." Yuna suggested.
"I suppose, that's a good idea," Ridase responded as she slowly calmed down. "Sorry for yelling, I'm just used to depending everything on my talent…" She apologized.
"That would be a waste of time. FeLinE already told nyu that this is dangerous. Nyu all saw it too." FeLinE:1000X argued.
"We're doing this to help Ridsae believe us. Plus we can use the result to raise awareness. Not to mention, this may also bring back some of your missing memory. Let's just leave the Forbidden Rune there and then we go back to the plan. Ridsae can also stay and wait for the result in the base." Yuna reasoned.
"Fine," FeLinE:1000X answered shortly as she walked out.
"I never saw her this short-tempered before… Though she still sounded emotionless as ever." Kita commented.
"We're sorry about FeLinE, her memory is in shambles. But I assure nyu that she truly cares about the situation." Hana added.
"Nyu can hug Pily while we walk if nyu want! It calms me whenever I do it." Lulu offered.
The group made their way back to the small village, opened the gates once more, and returned to the UniPaws after what had been 5 hours of journey. As soon as they reached the other side, they were welcomed by Raven, Maiko, and Celeste.
"Well, that fast." Raven reacted.
"We are not yet done with the mission. We just need to check something." Kita said.
"Where are Eve and Rubi?" Yuna asked.
"They left immediately earlier, but I can call them if nyu want," Celeste answered.
"Please tell them it's an urgent matter. By the way, this is Ridsae. We found her in a grave state because of the fusion with the Forbidden Rune. We managed to separate the Rune and it needs to be examined." Hana explained as FeLinE showed the Forbidden Rune.
"This is the first time I saw such Rune…" Maiko stated.
A new mystery poses a possible big threat to the Kemis. This scenario proves Ovae's point, something is happening beneath what they know.
End of Chapter 1