Chapter 6
116.
Currently in an unknown territory, the group is puzzled about why there are no Kemis in sight. The 5 of them carefully walk through the neighborhood, meanwhile, FeLinE is just casually minding her own business. Kita and others are trying to warn FeLinE by calling her name only with minimal voice and signaling her to be more cautious, but it looks like FeLinE won't do as they say. The rest of the group continues to trail behind FeLinE.
"Oooooy. FeeeeLiiiinE, come back hereeee." Kita said, trying her best to shout but with minimal sound.
"I wonder why is she like that?" Yuna whispered.
"This scenario feels familiar…" Hana replied as she tried to remember something.
"This already happened before?" Lulu whispered back.
Because of Lulu's question, Kita remembered that FeLinE also acted like this when they were on the Island of the Beast Mimis. "Well… Yeah, that was the time when the 3 of us were-" She was about to answer the question but suddenly, a Kemi finally appeared. 4 feet tall and slightly chubby, with light skin and black fur on his body, he also has 2 black stripes of hair from his forehead down to his eyes, his name is Ruru a Badgerman Kemi.
Ruru stretches his arms while yawning, he then sees the group standing in front of him. "Wow, y'all up early? I don't know y'all but usually, I'm the first Kemi that gets up here." Ruru said.
"Up early? How is it early when it's already night?" Kita questioned.
"Ooooh… Y'all aren't from here, aren'tya?" Ruru responded.
"What makes nyu think that we are not from here?" Yuna replied.
"Yow everyone! We got visitors! Let's start the par-te-hey!" Ruru shouted.
As night comes in, the night lamps light up, the windows and doors of each house open, and the Kemis from the land come out individually. Other Kemis even started to play some tunes using their handmade instruments. The lifeless image earlier drastically changed, and everyone is warming up for another fun night. There are wide varieties of Kemis in Noctambulist Land, Bats, Nightmonkeys, Owls, and basically any other Nocturnal-type.
"Welcome to the Noctambulist Land! Where night-time is our time~" Ruru said as the residents wiggled their ears to greet them.
"Kemis here are Nocturnal-type," FeLinE:1000X mentioned.
"I knew it, FeLinE knows something, that's why she was confident. Just like the time when we went to Badi's lair, she casually walked through since she knew that the lair was empty." Hana said after fully remembering the passed event.
"And once again, nyu did not ask FeLinE," FeLinE:1000X replied.
"I guess it's our fault again…" Kita responded.
"By the way, I'm Ruru, what brings y'all here?" Ruru asked the group.
"Aaaaaaa…" The group reacted, not knowing what to say, but all of a sudden Lulu shouted, "TO PAR-TE-HEY!"
"NYATTA!" The noise erupted as the residents responded. In that instant, the music got louder as everyone started to dance.
"Should we dance as well?" Hana questioned. Kita, Hana, and Yuna are the only ones that aren't dancing.
"I suppose so? Even FeLinE is vibing." Kita answered. FeLinE is not dancing as energetically as the others, only reluctantly grooving with the upbeat tunes.
"At this point, I doubt that FeLinE would do something unnecessary. Maybe we need to blend in first, to get more information." Yuna added as the three of them looked at each other.
"Are you just gonna chitchat there? The three of you probably don't have the groove like mine~" Furo teases the group as he dances with Ruru.
"Oh, nyu think nyu are good? Bring it on!" Kita replied. She jumps on the dance floor to prove Furo wrong.
The majority of the residents of Noctambulist Land are carefree. As long as they can eat something for that night, have a secure place to stay, and have no threat from something they don't know, then they will party all night as they want. Worrying about the future is non-existent in this realm, though they are ready to do everything to keep their place the way that it is.
During the party, various activities were going on, Kita took on the challenges and participated in each of them no matter what. "CHUG, CHUG, CHUG!" The crowd repeatedly chanted as Kita drank a small barrel of fermented grape juice in one go.
"Is she gonna be alright?" Hana worriedly asked.
"I hope so, she's no longer blending in, Kita is the center of attention now," Yuna replied.
"Also, that's fermented grapes, she'll probably get a massive headache tomorrow," Furo mentioned.
"GO KITA, WOOOOH!" Lulu shouted.
Meanwhile, FeLinE is just minding her own business, still grooving with everyone on the dance floor.
An all-out party is the theme for the whole night mainly because of the new visitors. Eventually, everyone went back to their houses whereas Kita's group was left sleeping on the grass. As the star shines again in the UniPaws, the group wakes up from their slumber. The mess is all cleaned up, and there are no other Kemis outside besides them. From their observation, it looks like nothing happened in this place.
"My… My head…" Kita said as she groaned from a headache.
"I told you, her head will hurt from that drink," Furo commented.
"My body also huuuurtsss." Lulu also complained.
"Nyu partied way too much last night." Yuna scolded Lulu.
"Gomenasaiiii…" Lulu apologized.
"All that partying last night knocked us out cold. It's hard to believe that we all slept here outside," Hana mentioned.
"Though I gonna admit, that was the best party of my life! Well, it's actually the first party that I experienced but still!" Furo said.
"Anooo… Where's FeLinE?" Kita asked upon noticing that they were not complete.
"She was already gone when I woke up," Hana answered.
"Let's just wait for her, maybe she just checked something. Besides, it's easier for her to track us, than the other way around." Yuna suggested.
"I agree, I am also not in the best shape to explore right now, let's rest here instead." Kita supported Yuna's suggestion as she lie down again.
While they were waiting, Yuna and Hana decided to cook soup, the best food for hangovers or overfatigue. In their case, the rest of the group will surely benefit from the idea. After two hours of waiting, FeLinE finally showed up, with multiple burned marks, even her shoulder was on fire. The rest of the group was both concerned and confused by the situation.
117.
Earlier that moment, FeLinE already explored the place. The dungeon is directly below the village, and the entrance is somewhere nearby. The Kemis are using the raw power from the dungeon to light up their place. They discover that they can do such a trick after solving the riddle at the entrance. However, none of them sought through the depths of it, they already got what they wanted. Most of this information was told to FeLinE by the residents themselves while they were grooving last night, FeLinE just proved those claims earlier. Truly, blending and doing what others do, gave them information regarding the setup of the place. It's a different approach compared to what they did in BijouTerra since the dungeon is relatively close to the village.
FeLinE patted her left shoulder to put out the fire, she then began to tell the group about what she uncovered. Listening to FeLine's report, everyone was amazed as they praised her efforts, all those hangovers were worth it after all. Now it's time for a piece of news that contains both good and bad conditions.
"FeLinE got some discoveries, a good and a bad one, quite complicated," FeLinE1000X said.
"Let's hear it," Yuna replied.
"The good news is, the Kemis here are afraid of changes, none of them interacted with Forbidden Runes, and they all just party in this place. Not to mention, this is actually the town proper since they are harvesting the dungeon's energy. The probability of interacting with a corrupted Kemi is close to none." FeLinE:1000X explained.
"Oh, so this is not just a village, it's the main town itself," Kita responded.
"That's good then, at least we don't have to do random shenanigans when facing corrupted Kemis," Hana added.
"If that's the case, what makes it complicated then?" Yuna asked.
"The bad news is the Kemis here are afraid of changes," FeLinE:1000X answered.
The rest of the group blankly stared at FeLinE, dumbfounded about what they heard. "Is this the riddle in that dungeon?" Furo responded.
"FeLinE asked the residents here last night, and they said that the dungeon is off-limits to everyone. They fear change, meaning they want things to stay as it is." FeLinE:1000X added.
"But what's that supposed to do with the Mystical Runekey? I mean they can still use the power of the dungeon even without the item, right?" Kita questioned.
"Hai, but they don't know that. What matters to them is everything works well, and they don't want the risk of changing their setup. Most probably, they'll stop us once we try to get the key." FeLinE:1000X replied.
"That's problematic… What should we do?" Lulu responded.
"We need to get the Runekey while they are sleeping. Which FeLinE did but failed to do so." FeLinE:1000X answered.
"That explains the burned marks, let me heal nyu," Hana said as she walked closer to FeLinE. While Hana is healing her, FeLinE starts to explain the setup in the dungeon. The current one that they are facing is not as big as the previous one but loaded with traps. After the riddle, various trigger points will ignite the torches and summon flames all over the place.
In addition to the problem, there are also Templarites guarding the treasure, which means every dungeon has it. In the current one, the Templarites make the Kemis fall asleep, once they do, the target will most likely step into another trap as the torch will wake them up.
To top it all up, they need to solve the maze before night comes. They cannot let the residents know about their goal, or else they'll get in trouble for violating the residents' rules.
When FeLinE was all healed up, she changed her clothes and took some rest. Yuna led the brainstorming of a new plan, thanks to the information that FeLinE provided. There's no way that they can enter the dungeon at this point in time, they must wait for the next opening after the party.
After a couple of hours, nighttime arrives. The Kemis came out again from their homes and because of what Kita did last night, they crowned her the Night Queen. This is an awful situation for the group since Kita will be forced to participate in those activities once more.
"Y'all know what time it is, it's time to PAR-TE-HEY!" Ruru shouted as the crowd went wild like they used to.
The party starts and the group must maintain the same energy that they exerted before. Doing something different may raise suspicions, they must outlast the nightlife this time. At first, it was all fun and games, but it became a challenge as the group continued to ride along to the same motif all over again.
Everything is just too overwhelming even for the so-called jar of energy of the seashore tribe in Riverania, Kita mistakenly created an image that she needs to pull out every night, currently being the center of attention. With that being said, she most likely not gonna participate in dungeon exploration. Luckily, Yuna and Hana were labeled as Downbeat Kemis, which means they are viewed as Kemis with no partying skills. It may be an insult in this realm but at least they got a free pass for not exhausting themselves.
"NIGHT QUEEN! NIGHT QUEEN!" The crowd repeatedly chanted as the party went on for the whole night.
Just like their first day, it all ended as the morning approached, without any trace of the event, like nothing ever happened. Kita is down on the grass again, and it's all up to the rest of the group to fulfill their mission. Even with precautions and energy conservation, staying awake is a hard skill to pull out. The moment that one of them dozes off, triggering a trap is inevitable, which leads to torches blowing flames that will surely wake them up. The fire is not that strong, though it is hot enough to at least create some burn marks. It was not meant to be lethal but was designed to make the intruder regret their actions.
Dodging traps while staying mentally strong, the group is doing their best to overcome this challenge in one go. However, it looks like no matter how hard they try, the situation is not working in their favor. The burned marks all over their body tell the story, resulting in a second failed attempt in the dungeon on their second night.
118.
Looking at the bright side of the situation, the dungeon is already well-lit thanks to the residents solving the riddle. The group must find some sort of way that will lead them to the heart of the dungeon. For now, it's time to go back to the drawing board while Hana heals everyone one after the other.
Lying on the grass, the group starts to vent out their frustrations. "This is harder than I thought," Yuna said.
"FeLinE got burned again, FeLinE don't want to be roasted for the 3rd time," FeLinE:1000X added.
"If only Kita can go there and get the key, I bet she can outlast the Templarites," Hana mentioned.
"But I can't, those party-Kemis won't let me leave their sight, even just for a second…" Kita responded.
"But what if we can?" Lulu questioned.
"Chuu~ What do you mean?" Pily replied.
"Nyu know, how I usually just sleep to escape tasks. Maybe Kita can pretend that she is not feeling well, then they won't bother her anymore." Lulu suggested.
"That's a great idea!" Yuna said as she stood up. "She can sneak out once the residents stop looking for her!" She added.
"I never thought of that, I thought we just needed to sneak some sleep, but I'll take the credit!" Lulu responded.
A long silence continues their conversation as Yuna and Lulu's enthusiasm fades away. It was indeed a good plan, nothing to argue with, everyone was just too tired and didn't have the energy to talk anymore.
"I guess we need to take some rest first," Yuna said right after she grasped the situation.
"Haiiii…" The rest of the group answered, evidently exhausted and wanting to sleep.
With a half-baked plan, the group spent the remaining hours recharging their strengths. The night once again begins, and it is technically the 3rd-day for them in the Noctambulist Land. It looks like the group has adjusted their body clocks according to the realm.
Starting the party like they used to, Ruru shouted, "IT'S TIME TO PAR-TE-HEY!". The crowd erupted but sadly for them, the situation is different for tonight.
"Ano… Where's the Night Queen?" Ruru asked the group.
"She's resting in the treehouse ward," FeLinE:1000X answered as she pointed to the town's treatment area.
"Oh no, what happened to her?" Ruru worriedly asked.
"Sad to say my fella, we, the visitors, are diurnal Kemis. We usually sleep at night, that's why Kita is not feeling well tonight," Furo replied.
"That's… Weird… I guess your group is definitely different compared to us," Ruru responded.
"Don't worry, we can still be friends despite our differences. The important part is it's time to PAR-TE-HEY!" Lulu said as she jumped into the dance floor.
"That's more I like it!" Ruru replied, finally dropping his queries.
The group's setup is pretty simple; FeLinE, Furo, Lulu, and Pily will party as the diversion. Yuna and Hana guard the room where Kita is supposedly resting. Lastly, Kita will sneak out of the town to enter the dungeon. So far they concluded that searching the cave needs a little more time, it should be at least a whole day. The rest of the group already gave Kita some tips and tricks in the cave, the remaining task for them is to make sure that no one will find out. They must cover for Kita regardless of the dungeon-seeking outcome.
"Hana is positioned at the door, and I'm watching by the window. How's the situation there?" Yuna sent a voicemail to FeLinE using her wristwatch.
"Everything is fine as of now. Lulu and Furo are doing their best to create more commotion." FeLinE responded the same way.
"Please stop them if they try to make Lulu drink the fermented grapes." Yuna requested.
"Pily is there for Lulu, but FeLinE will still look out for her," FeLinE:1000X replied.
"Thank nyu, I owe nyu one." Yuna said.
The first couple of hours were as smooth as it gets. Kita managed to enter the dungeon and already crossed half of it. She used to sneak out at night in Riverania, and by the looks of things, those solo adventures were coming in handy right now. Sneaking through the night as she avoids the traps in the dungeon, this setup truly pumps Kita's heart. The adrenaline keeps Kita awake, and the Templarites are no match for her.
Kita also entered the dungeon with new tactics in mind. She carries her newly-crafted weaponry named "Ice bombs", it's a ball made out of a waterproof leaf with water inside. The idea is to throw the Ice bombs whenever a torch is triggered, and then turn the water inside into ice. Timing it perfectly, the water will splash out as the leaf is broken, that is the window for Kita to freeze the water, thus creating an ice shield to combat the flames. Besides adrenaline, Kita's ice magic is also an ace on her sleeve. Running, sliding, jumping, and basically doing every parkour technique, Kita is in her own element right now. "BRING IT ON!" She shouted as Kita went all out on this mission.
Meanwhile at the party, "How long should we keep doing this? I'm already tiiiiired." Lulu complained while catching her breath.
"Maybe we should call out the mission, I can't dance anymore," Furo replied.
"Chuu~ 3 more hours before morning, we are almost there." Pily encouraged them.
"Good thing Ruru stopped looking for us. This gave us room to rest." Lulu mentioned.
After a few seconds, the three of them realized something, it was Ruru that they should keep their eyes on. "WHERE'S RURU?" They all suddenly reacted.
"Warning, warning, Ruru is out of sight. I repeat Ruru is out of sight." Lulu reported to the rest of the group using her wristwatch.
Upon hearing the news, FeLinE immediately scans the area while Yuna tries to assess every Kemi nearby, Hana enters the room and locks the door to prevent visitors. Later that moment, a 5-feet tall with brown feathers and a dark skin tone Owlman Kemi, appears by the window of the room, carrying Ruru. He then puts down Ruru inside as the Owlman returns to the party.
"THANKS FOR THE LIFT MAN, 'PRECIATE IT!" Ruru said to his friend. He then turns his attention to Hana, "I enter by the window since it's urgent, your friends are dying out there! They cannot party anymore!" Ruru said while chuckling.
In the next instant, Ruru notices that the bed is empty. "Where's the Night Queen?" He questioned.
End of Chapter 6