Disclaimer: None of the Klonoa characters belong to me, they belong to Klonoa Works/
Namco.
Joka: (weep.) Ghadius-sama…my superior…
Kero Guardian: Hmm….?
Chapter Four: Boîte à Musique
Joka sat, kicking his legs from side to side at the railings of a balcony near the entrance. Nagapoko had informed him that Garlen was preoccupied at the moment and instructed him to wait there. Although he sat outside, the clown could still hear the noise of gears running together. The loud clanking of machinery may have been music to the oversized mechanic, but the sound was distasteful to Joka. So as he refused to wait inside.
He pulled out a blue box, adorned with drawings of stars, moons, and planet shapes.
His gloved hand twisted the crank underneath the box and once he opened it, a soft, sorrowful lullaby filled the air around him. He closed his eyes, gripping his other hand around the railing, to ensure his stability before he allowed his mind to wander once more.
BGM: Tsubasa Chronicles - If You are My Love
"That's a pretty song."
Joka spun around in surprise at the voice behind him. Lolo tilted her head to one side and the strands of hair followed, the rest of her hair was tied up into a bun. It was a small festival after a hard round of Beach Volley and everyone had gathered to watch the fireworks. "How come you're here by yourself? Come join the rest of us, Joka."
He turned back to the ornaments and stared intensely at the music box in front of him, "I do not belong there, my sweetheart…the only one that talks to me is the Heart Moo, and still, I don't even understand him…" He paused and thought perhaps she would try to convince him to go back since she would strike up a conversation with him, so he provided an already made excuse. "And even if you offer to speak with me, that dog of yours would only bite me again."
Lolo lowered her eyes sympathetically, she knew not to push the subject, so she decided it was best to change it. "I always thought of you to like cheerful carnival music, Joka." He gave her a disoriented gaze and she pointed at the music box. "But the song is very lovely…" She lifted her kimono up a bit and caught the box in her hands, startling him.
She brought it to the counter and bought it before he could register her actions, or try to stop her. "It's a gift, for all your hard work."
"But my sweetheart…we lost the round today!" Joka quickly covered his mouth, not meaning to shout the obvious. In fact he left the beach, in fear that she was angry with him for losing.
Lolo raised her eyebrows then sighed, "I'm sorry, that was my fault. If I hadn't tripped up so much then it would have been a lot more easier for us to have won!" She sighed again, "but I have accepted that that is who I am a long time ago…it's a weakness." Her blue eyes became dim at the thought of the priestesses back at the temple's teasing.
Joka watched her expression closely, "Accepted your weakness? Who has called you clumsy, my sweetheart?"
She became uncomfortable and shifted the conversation back to the music box, "That doesn't matter, I mean…well. I just want you to have this as a gift from a friend."
"Friend, my sweetheart?" He took it from her hands and winded it again.
"…" They listened to the music in silence.
Lolo startled him again by placing a hand on his head, "In return, let's sit at the beach and watch fireworks together."
"But what about that dog?"
She pouted in response, "Are you really afraid of Popka? Don't worry, he's off chasing Tat again…something about cotton candy, I think. So let's get going before it's over."
Joka yelped when her hand took his, but soon he relaxed and allowed her to guide him back to everyone else.
-End Flashback-
"Joka!" Garlen's voice and the slam of the heavy entrance door broke the fiend from his thoughts.
BGM: Klonoa Heroes - Garlen's Dream
The dreamer laughed, tossing his head back, but balancing his hat in the process. "I am very glad that you are here! You have arrived just in time, for me to explain the full extent of my plans!"
Joka coughed twice, turned around and took a deep breath. He would once more play the bumbling fool and comical clown that everyone thought him to be. Yes, only a few knew of his homicidal tendencies. For people always seemed to judge on the surface, and could not see past his guise long enough to realize he was a vicious demon. "Ah, but of course Garlen-san. You know how I fancy myself as a gentleman, and arriving late would be very unbecoming." He grinned further, suggesting a playful spirit.
"I see…" Joka was surprised that Garlen had actually heard him through his laughter. He extended his clamp replaced arm to the empty area beside him. "Well, you will not need to work alone, Joka. For I have found quite a reliable co-worker for you."
"Co-worker? Where, Garlen-san?" The clown glanced around, "I do not-yeek!"
He suddenly felt the floor underneath him disappear as something wrapped around his ball-like body and raised him to the air, pinning his tail disagreeably to the railings which were once behind him. His star-shaped eyes met with two diverse colored pupils. And Joka knew very well that he was gazing into the eyes of a very insane feline.
"There you are." Came the leader's calm voice. "Joka, I'd like for you to meet-"
"Janga, Janga of Poison Claws…" The smell of alcohol made the oddball twitch in irritation, truly this was not a very well-mannered man despite his age. "So looks like me and you are working together now? Partner."
"Ah, the pleasure is all mine…Janga-chan." Joka was overjoyed when the tall purple cat dropped him at the sound of the sudden nickname. He teleported behind Garlen and proceeded to make small talk. Having a distrustful associate would only delay his plans. "So then, what are we to do, Garlen-san?"
Garlen looked at Joka, then back to the man with poison claws. "Janga will head to the Sky Temple to capture a priestess and retrieve the book called Legend of the Moon and Dreams while you go to the Ruins of the Moons to operate a couple machinery I placed there."
Joka's eyes widened, if that was the position of the mechanic's plan then it would ruin his. He did not want Garlen seeing the warnings within the book of such experimentation and there was only a certain priestess he knew would be there. Joka was about to argue with Garlen's reasoning but was halted by a scraping sound that served to agitate him further.
"Kikikikiki." It wasn't the sound of Janga's claws at all, but rather the cat's laughter that was as bad as nails scratching a chalkboard. "That sounds fine to me. It falls under my tastes, if they resist..."
"Tastes?" Garlen was too naïve to understand but Joka did, and he fumed at the remark, but he kept a happy-go-lucky expression.
"Nohohohoho…I do not mean to disagree with you, Garlen-san, but I think it would be better if I were sent to the Sky Temple." He swiftly added a compliment in fear of Janga's wrath, "Of course I am sure you, Janga-chan are very capable of doing the job…I find it difficult on my part. I am not a skilled fighter, but capturing things would be much easier for me. For I have the ability to twist space." The part of him not being able to fight was a flat out lie. He knew well that his magic was more than enough to destroy obstacles, but he needed to plow down the closer ones first. And that meant convincing these two to involuntarily cooperate with his plans, even if it required lowering his pride.
"Hmm…" The employer rubbed his chin with his remaining humanistic hand and nodded. "Janga, as long as it is alright with you…"
The cat cocked an eyebrow, but grinned showing fangs. "Sure, I don't see why not. After all, I must maintain poison claws for a bit longer…"
'Fools…' Joka's visage almost darkened with wicked happiness as the other two walked back to the planning room 'Nightmare will consume you two as well…everything is going according to plan, Ghadius-sama…I will complete what we were trying to do before that Wind Child disrupted us…'
Kero Guardian: Well, that was weird. I'm beginning to think I'm making Joka have split personalities…!
Joka: (Singing.) Like putty in my hands!
Klonoa: Scary!