Disclaimer: None of the Klonoa characters belong to me, they belong to Klonoa Works/
Namco.
Kero Guardian: Wow…so far so good.
Guntz: I do get an appearance, don't I?
Kero Guardian: Of course you do! How can any Klonoa Heroes story be typed without you and Pango!
Guntz: Pango…?
Chapter Five: En Ce Qui me Concerne
Lolo was running back to the two heroes, stumbling slightly due to the books in her arms. She was very excited at her discovery and thought silently to herself that perhaps the Hikari Sakura was bringing her a bit of luck. "This is an old book. The Legend of Moon and Dreams was located in the library in the innermost shrine in the temple." She then shifted to the other book in her hand, "Oh, wait! I also found a good book for Mr. Pango…eek!" Her feet knocked against one another, causing her to trip and as she was trying to regain her balance by moving to the side, her footing gave way against the wet areas of the grass under her. Lolo soon found herself in the waterway of the Sky Temple, though she was an adequate swimmer, she could not fight against the rushing waves of its river. "Aaahhh, cough! Cough!"
"Lolo?" Klonoa rushed to the side of the path, but missed her hands, as she was pushed further down. "Good grief! She fell into the waterway! And I don't even know how to swim! What's the point of having the hero medal! When I can't even help!"
The armadillo knelt and examined the structure of the river, "This is serious! We must help…oh, and that other book Miss Lolo had was the All of Gunpowder, first limited edition. Collecting rare books in a place such as this is so troublesome…"
Pango led the newly appointed hero along the way, breaking various statues with his skillfully designed bombs. It wasn't until much later did they reach the end of the waterway, but there was no sign of the clumsy priestess. Klonoa began to worry and rushed about shouting her name, until the older man stopped him abruptly. "Ssh! Look over there!"
The youngster's ivory pupils were partially covered by his glare, "A fellow that looks like a clown…" Sure enough at one level below them was Joka, who hummed to himself, picking up a fallen book. He then ran out of view behind the entrance to another section of the large temple.
"I feel as though I've met him before!" Klonoa declared.
Pango frowned, "He took the Legends of Moon and Dreams…" He needed the book to cure his son from a sleeping illness which had spread across all of Lunatea, and was always a patient, kind-hearted man, but with this delay, he became exceptionally displeased. "Hmm…there's something not right here, Klonoa."
"Yipe!" A familiar voice cried out in distress.
Klonoa took off swiftly, looking back at the cautious father, "Lolo! That voice was Lolo's!"
BGM: Klonoa Of The Wind - Joker Mood
The now drenched priestess had her back pressed against a pillar behind her. Lolo would have fled long ago, had not for the large gloved hands that were encircled around her arms, pulling her into a kneeling position to match their heights. Her turquoise eyes were shut and she shivered from fear and the wind that blew.
"I would be more than happy if you were to cooperate with me a little." Joka grinned despite the pit he felt inside of him, as she looked back at him with horror-filled eyes, "Do not worry. You will only sleep for a moment, in the cradle of the moon." With each word he spoke, he drew closer to her, until his face was merely inches away from hers.
"Have you forgotten me, my sweetheart?" His voice whispered more soothingly.
"N-no!" Lolo exclaimed, squirming in his grasp.
Joka was entirely confused, "To which question have you answered to?" But when she gave no further reply, he continued, "Do not say so, for three meals and a catnap has already been prepared for you!"
"Wait!" The Dream Traveler shouted loudly, skidding his shoes in the dirt underneath him. Not too far behind was Pango, who came up, gasping for air. "Are you planning on kidnapping Lolo?" He rashly drew his wind blade out, threateningly aiming it at the clown. For this cabbit remembered well of the vexing encounters he has had with Joka in past experiences and has grown unafraid to strike at him whenever it was required.
Lolo's panic-stricken expression relaxed into a hopeful smile, "Klonoa!"
"Oh?" Joka mused hostilely, turning to the hero, "How impolite of you and this is our first meeting in such a long time."
"What are you saying?" Klonoa barked sharply, "Part with Lolo!"
The captor chuckled, "Even if you say to, I cannot merely do so, because I have my circumstances…" He faced the girl once more, "Hmm? Actually, since my task was to capture a priestess, anyone was acceptable…this excellent girl, however, attracted my attention the most."
Despite Lolo's efforts, she ended up blushing deeply, "What? It is nothing…I'm not so attractive.." She glanced embarrassingly away, but felt as though something like this has happened before.
"No." He covered a hand over his red grin. "It was because you were the slowest and it seemed to be easier to capture you."
"Dear me." She blushed even further, cocking her head to one side for being so easily insulted.
"Ah! Eek!" But that was soon broken when he grabbed her without warning and tossed her into what appeared to be a split in time-space. He then gave a quick bow before disappearing with her, "Anyhow, I promise I will not injure her! Ah, and I didn't introduce myself. I am called Joka, please remember me. However, it is not known whether I shall meet you again, adieu."
Pango and Klonoa rushed forward, but was only surprised for Joka's sudden appearance again. "I was twisting space beyond here, a bit, because I hate persistence. And this girl would never cooperate with me, without force." He offered a hand to the two, "Returning before you get lost is wiser. Nohohohoho…."
-Start Flashback-
BGM: Beyond the Clouds - Pairotto ban Numo no Muko u Yakusoku no Basho
Lolo huffed heavily, landing on her knees upon the beach's soft sand. After a few breaths, she picked her hat up once more and placed it on her head. "I should have known he wouldn't be here…" Her hands clutched a small dime in her hands. It was what was left of the reward money from the tournament, everything spent on broken materials, due to her ineptitude. "Why did you want me to keep it all, Joka…?"
"I have not left yet, my sweetheart." The fiend was not grinning, as he stepped out from behind a tree.
The apprentice priestess peered nervously at his frown, 'is he mad at me for coming so late…?' The sky above them was dark for it was late in the night and only a few lanterns around them provided small glimmers of light. "Joka, I'm sorry I-"
"I am too, my sweetheart." His voice was unusually dull and flat, not laced with manners, or courteous. "You are determined to become a priestess…?" Joka clenched his fists together, but it did not drive the numbness in his mind. "Then from the day you become a priestess, we will no longer be friends, but rather, enemies."
"What?"
The fiend looked up to the atmosphere, "I do not deserve…"
"Stop it! Why do you say such cruel things!" Lolo yanked her hat off and pressed it tightly to her face. She began shouting in confusion, "Why do you always hide yourself from others? Is it because of the way you look? Joka, you are good at heart, you just need to believe-"
A cracking sound halted her words and her widening eyes looked up to see a spell within the clown's palm. It was a dark swirl, that sent an even more uneasy feeling down her spine, "Chaos magic, my sweetheart. I am the loyal servant of Ghadius, the Dark Spirit." He enclosed his hand, snuffing the spell, and dropped it back to his side, "This is the path I have chosen and it will never change…to bring disorder to this world…that is the complete opposite of what a priestess' duty is. And so I tell you all this to warn you…" His eyes were starting to blur with lament as well, but he turned away, and kept his tone bitter. "Please, my sweetheart, resign from your position…"
Lolo was not fooled however, she could tell that the creature was hiding something. "I can't." Joka looked back at her, "As you have said, I too cannot abandon the path I have chosen. It is my dream to help others…to see a peaceful world called Lunatea. For that reason, I want to become a priestess."
"My sweetheart…" Joka allowed the tears to fall, "Then you will hate me."
-End Flashback-
Kero Guardian: I hope the flashbacks aren't annoying…
Ghadius: Joka, what are you messing around for!
Joka: Aaaahhhh…divided, divided, Ghadius-sama! My sweetheart!
Guntz: Well, there's Pango…