Epilogue Act 2
After surviving the corruption threat, the Kemis went back to their normal lives. The Kemis bowed to commit to their responsibilities, as well as the Sentient Kemis, something must change for the future generation. The nations paid their respect to the late King as Kemitopia hosted his funeral. The day of his sacrifice will be a nationwide event to honor King Luke. It won't be a festive one since it will also be the day to commemorate all the Kemis who suffered, survived, and died throughout the cosmos during the crisis, the commemoration will be called; The Liberation from the Great Corruption. The group has a lot of plans to quickly share this event with everyone across the realms so it can bring inclusiveness.
So for the next succeeding days, everyone commits to delivering the change that they aim to fulfill. Since the Realm Sanctuary needs to undergo a major renovation, VesTris sealed the Ruin towards the Realm Sanctuary for the time being. She also put a map with a note where the Sentient Kemis will wait and gather to discuss what needs to be changed in the Realm Sanctuary. The Royal Castle will be open 24/7 to accommodate all Sentient Kemis who will find the note at any given time.
While waiting for the arrival of the Sentient Kemis, the group started to craft their plans of action. This time, Zela and Hideo will participate in the meeting. They figured that the fastest way to spread realm-wide commemoration was through the event in Hachtile since it's a realm-wide tourist spot for Kemis. Not to mention, winning the Mud Brawl wouldn't be a problem because Mathus would surely help them. Influencing a lot of Kemis along the way will also help their mission.
In a deeper sense, their mission is not just to share the realm-wide commemoration. FeLinE and VesTris want to remind the Kemis that UniPaws is welcome for everyone. Crossing through realms will allow the Kemis to exchange knowledge, products, and culture, just like what the UniKemis further established between Riverania, Kemitopia, and Zenshin. On that note, VesTris also wants to do the same thing with the Underworld.
It was a long conversation and they tackled a lot of areas of the proposed idea. Good thing Zela and Hideo were there to express their personal views regarding the realm. Their stories matched what the group experienced in the Underworld even though they were just there for a short period. It showed that none of the Horn-type Kemis were to blame for the situation, especially the current generation. Their behavior is just a by-product of the past, and the chain must break to set them free. The theory is if they can change the environment of the place, the awful tradition will fade out through time. But in order to do so, they must resurface the name KeraValley. The goal is to give the realm another chance and let them reconnect to the UniPaws once they corrected the wrongdoings.
In conclusion, everyone has their mission to focus on. FeLinE and VesTris will formulate a proposal that they need to address while waiting for the Sentient Kemis. Zela and Hideo will handle the KeraValley case. Kita, Hana, Yuna, and Lulu will target Hachtile, aiming to win Mud Brawl, and then request to spread the word about the realm-wide event. The three nations are still in the rebuilding phase so they'll need a lot of resources, which will not be available for Kita's group. Luckily, Darli and Raven are there to handle the transportation plus delivery system with the help of the Dragons and Raven's haste talent. The Kemis already experienced the same dilemma and working with other nations is no longer new for them. Everyone will try their best to carry out their part.
4 months have passed and a lot has happened during that time. The peace talk in KeraValley was controversial mainly because of the objection from the higher-ranked Kemis in the realm, they would obviously lose their power if the hierarchy was demolished as a new system emerged. Unfortunately for them, the rest of the Horn-type Kemis agreed with the movement that Zela and Hideo initiated. For an overview, the proposal aims to remove the horn-collecting tradition for honor and resurface the name KerraValley, Lord status Kemis can maintain the ownership of their land but the rest of the Kemis will have the freedom to choose whether to stay there or flee without being hunted. There were a lot of modifications that need to be addressed in the said proposal, and amendments will be implemented as the movement progresses. It feels like redemption for Zela, an opportunity to accomplish what she truly dreamt of as a child. Hideo is also on the same page since he is fulfilling what King Luke told them in the Realm Sanctuary.
Meanwhile, Ovae supported the motion and lent Zela's team the necessary resources. Opening up the realm will allow Ovae to pursue her new goal: catching Cerono. The recent events opened Ovae's eyes, realizing the true cause of the state of the realm. Ovae thinks this is a rare chance for them to change, but she still believes Cerono's schemes are far from over. That is why her mission changed from infiltrating the Realm Sanctuary to catching Cerono, and she's eager to do it alone. Something tells her that catching Cerono will teach her a lot of things she didn't know. It would be a long process but it's a good trajectory towards a progressive change.
On a different realm, Mathus heard the news from Kita's group. It was unfathomable for him at first, but after some in-depth thinking, Mathus teamed up with Kita to play a role in this movement. The thirst for battle was already gone from his system, and making the Underworld a better place could end the pointless fighting in that realm.
Eventually, Mathus was crowned as the Mud Brawl champ for the second time, and then he once again passed the wish reward to the group. Also, Kita got her chance to battle Mathus 1v1 though she didn't stand a chance at all, it went exactly the way FeLinE and Yuna warned about Mathus. Until now, Mathus felt like a lost lamb, pondering the meaning of his existence. Maybe someday Mathus will find something or even someone to fight for, a beneficiary of his skillset and aptitude in terms of combat.
Compared to the other realms, UniPaws tremendously changed. The 3 nations were all in sync, and knowing the roles they needed to play helped the Kemis rebuild plus enhance all nations. During the rebuilding phase, 9 Sentient Kemis arrived at Kemitopia one by one. 2 Dogman, 2 Swangirl, 1 Foxgirl, 1 Racoonman, 1 Pigeongirl, 1 Deergirl, and 1 Bearman, each one of them holds a unique Relic with different styles and purpose. It went according to VesTris' plan since she knew that the Sentient Kemis would try to return to the Realm Sanctuary once the problem was solved. Besides the note in front of Ruin in the Island of the Beast Mimis, Queen Grace also ordered to create more maps directed to the 3 nations. The plan is to create a small shed beside the Ruin where the maps will be installed. It is a way for tourists to reach the mainlands of the UniPaws, welcoming everyone who wants to venture. Lulu and Raven led the charge in this mission and eventually, Kita's group joined them after their quest in Hachtile. With the help of the Dragons and the Giant Beasts, they managed to cover all of the known islands with Ruins within 6 months. This will be the temporary setup as the Kemis formulate more plans to make the mainland more accessible.
On the other hand, VesTris, FeLinE, and the rest of the Sentient Kemis had a meeting in the Royal Castle. They all agreed that it's better to let those Sentient Kemis in foreign lands spread the word about the realm-wide event and gather materials needed for the renovation. Surely, more of them will arrive soon, good thing the Pigeongirl has a Relic to communicate with all Sentient Kemis through their Relics. They sent out the tasks and a voting survey answerable by yes or no, to know if Sentient Kemis would agree with their proposal. After some hours, the votes were tallied and everyone was in favor of the plan. The Sentient Kemis in the Royal Castle will design a new model for the renovation of the Realm Sanctuary while those in the foreign lands will do what they were told, and also investigate anything about Cerono along the way.
All the hard work that the Kemis exerted truly paid off. It inspired the citizens to do what they could to help and be part of the change. A lot of groups were formed to achieve a common goal; some wanted to build more port stations, others envisioned creating a dock area in the middle of the ocean to bridge far lands, and the rest were still studying different aspects of the UniPaws.
The workload for the group is slowly decreasing due to Kemis wanting to help. Eventually, the group finds themselves chilling in the Maid Cafe, everyone is present and they are only the customers right now. After a short while, Kita received a message on her wristwatch. It turns out, Kita secretly gave Linx a wristwatch so they could communicate in the future, and now she's here in the UniPaws. Kita, Hana, Yuna, and Lulu will pick her up with the help of Thirdy while the rest think of something they can do as a pastime.
It didn't take them long to reach the island where Linx was. Yuna and Lulu finally met Linx and more surprises welcomed her when they introduced Thirdy with a yacht on top of his head. Exactly that moment, Linx realized that it would be a vacation of a lifetime. Later on, Linx met the rest of the group, and that's when their leisure plan panned out. The idea is to wander through the 3 nations and appreciate the activities available, which means being spontaneous is the primary objective second to exploration. It will be the first time for them to explore the world without any pressure to save it, the group surely deserves a leisure vacation like this.
The first agenda of their 3-part agenda is to go camping in Riverania. Not just the normal and comfortable one, but a survival mode camping. They will venture into the forest of Riverania, only with minimal equipment and they must survive on their own for 3 months while exploring the beauty of nature. It was indeed an exciting plan and they'll have a week's grace period to arrange their schedules. Kita, Hana, Yuna, Lulu, Linx, Eve, Rubi, Celeste, VesTris, FeLinE, Darli, Raven, and Maiko will stay in the Royal Castle for now, while the rest proceed to their home.
In the succeeding days, the Catgirls rushed and did what they could to free their schedule in the next couple of months. Queen Grace passed her duties equally to her trusted royalties, just like what Maiko did to the Tribe Leaders in Riverania. Eve and Rubi also took their hands off from research for now, there are a lot of scientists to cover for them anyway, Celeste did the same with her ocean current studies. FeLinE and VesTris both requested time off from their project and the Sentient Kemis gladly agreed to let them be. Meanwhile, the maids are trying their best to empty their shelves and sell as much as possible so nothing will expire and be wasted, a couple of discounts will surely do the trick. Good thing it's summer break and customers will flood the streets, it's also beneficial for Mae and Mittsy because they won't be missing anything from their school, though they still need to win the approval of their pawrents. Lastly, the rest of the group with a free schedule searched Kemitopia to find matching outfits for everyone and customized them suited for their Riverania adventure. They are only bringing limited equipment meaning there's nothing much to prepare, and a comfortable yet cute outfit will definitely be handy.
Eventually, everything was settled and the Catgirls proceeded on their adventure. Everyone is present, wearing camouflage theme outdoor jackets, plus cargo shorts to complete their outfit. Lulu and Darli were the ones who suggested this dress code, the rest agreed and styled it fitting to their taste. Later on, Darli called 10 Wyvern Dragons to carry the Catgirls to Riverania by pair. With that, on to Riverania they went, straight through the heart of the forest.
Upon arrival, the group divided themselves into two; the first group would build the camp and create a fire, while the other one would hunt for food. It is more efficient in this manner since they need to secure their food and shelter before the day is over, thus the true camping experience starts.
Gathering woods, building a base, catching fish in the pond, swimming through the river, bathing at the falls, and nighttime campfire songs while grilling their dinner. These are only the premise of what the Kemis have been doing throughout their camping trip. But of course, the group still encountered a lot of inconveniences just like how real camping should be: heavy rain during the campfire, Beasts and Tameable Mimis stealing their food, getting lost in the wilderness, and much more. The group even stumbled into the secret place of the Tree Tribe. That is when they realized why the tribe has been hidden and will always be, the tribe itself was built on trees. Not to mention, there's no pathway leading to this place, unlike the other tribes. There's nothing fancy about the tribe, making their treehouses perfectly blend with nature. They were intrigued to know more, but the group decided to leave the premises and let the tribe keep their tradition as a form of respect. Some things should be left untouched, and if they cannot grasp the principles of the Tree Tribe, then might as well not enter at all.
The group survived their 3-month camping in Riverania, wielding a new view of the world. They learned a lot from this experience, and reconnecting with nature helped them appreciate the world even more. Surely, it is something that they will reconsider doing again in the future. But just like how the river flows, they must continue their journey into a different scenery, it's time for them to proceed to the 2nd phase of their 3-part agenda. To let them experience how different the continents are, next up is the exact opposite of Riveranial, which is the Zenshin. The Wyverns once again carried the group to their next destination, thus the next plan began.
If the Riverania was a survival mode experience, Zenshin is about impulsiveness. Whatever activity they see or feel like doing, then it's up for grabs, it will be 3 months filled with randomness. When the group stepped into the Southern region, excitement rushed through their body. With the flashing lights, LED billboards showcasing Digi arts, and multiple advertisements left and right, Zenshin is truly something else, especially in the Southern Region. The initial plan is to spend 1 month in each region to fully dive into the Zenshin experience, but having full impulsiveness as their theme might just make them throw everything out the window.
The group roamed around the city, submerging in the colorful life of the region. Being in a lively city automatically tells everyone what to do upon visiting such a place, it's calling for a shopping spree. The Catgirls rushed toward the mall to find a casual outfit according to their taste. The whole day was spent trying different clothes, eating fast food, and of course, a karaoke night led by Rubi. Afterward, they all stayed at the condo near the mall. They were hesitant initially due to the price range, luckily, Quaga spotted the group and gave them accommodation for 3 months. The group still needs to pay at least 25% of the total for room services, but it's definitely worth it considering the fact that they are in a luxury suite.
By the next morning, Raven wakes up everyone because it's time to head to her home court as a surprise is waiting for them. For the next succeeding days, everyone will learn how to ride a motorcycle. To top it all up, Raven already set up a City Race with 20 competitors at the end of the month, meaning they'll race against each other and Raven wants her revenge against Kita. The different levels of competitiveness were evident, some of them were fired up while others were only there for the experience, nevertheless, everyone was on board.
In 3 weeks, they all trained in group and individual sessions in DustPit. They have 2 different trainings to help each other and also improve by themselves, all the knowledge they'll ever need is accessible through Soc-Med anyway. In due course, the last week of the month arrived and it's time for the event. The Catgirls got their racing outfits ready, matching the color scheme of their chosen motorcycle. The City Race was live throughout the Soc-Med and it was surprisingly trending, earning them a lot of sponsors during the event. "Catgirls on the Streets; The Rematch Between the Racing Queen and the Golden Racer." This headline is all over Zenshin. The rules were simple, just pure skills without using talents, with that, the Catgirls ignited their engines, and the City Race began.
Zooming through the road, drifting the streets, and continuously passing each other with a little bit of teasing, the City Race was as lively as it gets. It was an intense event and after a few hours, the City Race was concluded: Lulu, Darli, and Coco ended up in the last place. Lulu and Darli went out together, got lost during the race, but still crossed the finish line, Coco just followed them along the way. Ahead of them were Rin, Aoi, and Lisa, the trio sisters also had a hard time navigating the streets. From 14th to 11th place in order were Grace, Eve, Hana, and Celeste, they navigated the place well but racing wasn't really for them. Reaching the top 10 to 6 in sequence were Mae, Rubi, Linx, Mittsy, and VesTris, they were natural on the road and have the potential to be a real competitor someday, further training would surely sharpen them. And now for the top tier racers, 5th place was secured by FeLinE, 4th spot was claimed by Yuna, and ranking at 3rd was unsurprisingly grabbed by Maiko, looks like riding a White Tiger gave Maiko the upper hand. Lastly, the winner of the Catgirls on the Streets event was the Racing Queen. It was neck and neck throughout the race, but the Racing Queen reigned supreme at the final stretch, getting her revenge win against the Golden Racer.
Indeed, it was a successful event and they all had fun. The event gained enough profit allowing the group to wander in different regions luxuriously, pay for the rented motors, and donate the excess generated income. When everything was sorted out, the group spent the remaining months equally in the Central and Northern regions. They created their own research plus a prototype related to environmental cleaning in the Central region, whereas world mapping and ocean current studies were the focus in the Northern region. The group did multiple activities across the regions, mostly learning new things and experiences. Their Zenshin vacation was fruitful and worth it.
Reaching the finale of their 3-part agenda, the group was planning to proceed towards the last continent but Lulu and Darli wanted to take a detour, a very far detour before heading back to Kemitopia. The rest of the group doesn't have the slightest idea of what's gonna happen though they still tag along to Lulu and Darli's so-called detour.
Without asking any questions, they split into two groups; one riding on Thirdy with Lulu, while the other on Padra with Darli. It took them some hours to travel through the UniPaws, and eventually, the group reached a newly discovered archipelago, the Giant Beasts' Kingdom. The Catgirls finally witness what Lulu and Darli were up to while they were away, and it's insanely outstanding. 2 young Kemis successfully unite the 3 Giant Beast Kings, all living in harmony in one place. The Catgirls explored the key-shaped archipelago and saw multiple different nests made by the Giant Beasts, the ocean is as lively as the islands too. They spontaneously decided to camp for a night and it was one of the best abrupt decisions they ever made.
By the next morning, the group went back to their tracks to spend the remaining part of their agenda in Kemitopia. Upon reaching the place, the Catgirls wondered what they should do with the remaining funds from the previous event. They don't really need that much and randomly giving it away feels like a waste. It was complete silence for a moment but it was shattered when Linx had an idea that was further developed by the rest of the group. Linx suggested establishing a shipping system connecting the Ruins to the mainland so her tribe could also visit UniPaws anytime. Since there's already an organization focusing on it, it gave them a better idea to make their stash bigger and then fund the organization, in exchange for putting Blizshore on the priority list. Celeste's ocean current studies will come in handy too, finally applying her goal to reality. It's time to brainstorm and see where this idea going.
After a short while, the group found a way that would benefit everyone without fully relying on Kemitopia's fund. The last segment of their 3-part agenda will be a maid cafe with a mission; the goal is to double or even triple the revenue and link more connections for the organization. The Catgirls sprinted toward Trio Brews and Sweets to immediately start their plan. Upon entering the cafe, they spread out the roles so they could cover everything all at the same time. The group must gather connections, contact the organization, create advertisements, prepare a lot of ingredients, premake some pastries, sew more maid uniforms for the rest of the group, maximize the space by putting extra tables with umbrellas by the streets near the cafe, and design everything with the theme they are aiming which is bridging the islands.
It took the group 2 weeks to prepare everything, the tables were set, the uniforms fit them, deliveries were on time, and they even had Digi arts posted on Soc-Med for advertisements. The light blue maid costumes fit well to the sand color shade table cloth, it was a refreshing sight embodying the ocean theme. "Maid Cafe's Mission: Serve to Connect" is the motto of the Catgirls, and the tagline currently circulating the UniPaws. The Trio Brews and Sweets is now open and ready to go.
And so, days passed by and customers were like endless waves from the ocean. A lot of Kemis supported this mission, making most of the citizens of the 3 nations invested in this goal. Other fundraising activities also showed up to unite with the Catgirls. Having a clear vision of their goal made everyone committed, making it feel like hours were just seconds and weeks were just days. There were struggles along the way, but just like what they experienced in their previous journeys, these struggles made their memories more precious as they overcame them.
Eventually, the group reached their quota and the fundraising was successful. It was still far from over though starting a movement was the one that set the trajectory of the project. The group celebrated the success but all of a sudden, FeLinE and VesTris received a message in their Relics sent by the messenger Sentient Kemi.
"We found a lead about Cerono," the message announced.
End of UniPaws Act 2