A/N: This story is set roughly a year or two after the end of Klonoa 2, and also follows on from The Setting Sky as my Entry Level, so read that first if you haven't already. Again, I do not own any of the characters of the game, (Klonoa, Lolo et al) nor the locations found within the game itself. This first vision is just setting the scene and characters, so sit back and (hopefully) enjoy the ride.
-
The sun had become a god of righteous fury, sending down lancing spears of light which pierced the earth to the rain pregnant clouds that had been creeping into the afternoon sky. From within the Claire Moa temple, Lolo stared out of the window at the shadows cast across the rolling countryside by the clouds. Something in the air felt strange and electric, as if there was something imperceptible on the horizon that was fighting for her attention.
The young La-Lakooshan felt the cluster of ribbons again falls from her hands, and she shook her head to clear away the strange, muggy sensation.
"Lolo? Are you with us?"
"Oh…yes." Lolo quickly stooped down to pick up the ribbons and looked across at the Senior Priestess, an embarrassed smile on her face. "Sorry, I must have been daydreaming."
The Priestess returned the smile, albeit with an element of weariness attached to it, and looked back across at the altar, where other priestesses were hard at work attaching ribbons and flowers to designated areas.
"The Advent of Tranquillity is an important ritual," she said gently. "And we are already behind in the preparations, so let's work hard to complete it in time."
Lolo rubbed the back of her head and nodded ruefully at the slight reprimand. "Okay, I'll work hard!"
She tidied the cluster of ribbons and looked for their designated place on the altar, wondering where Popka had hidden in order to avoid taking part in the preparations. Suddenly, a rumbling filled the air, distant and barely perceptible at first but gradually growing louder as if whatever was causing it was getting closer. As the crescendo intensified, the young La-Lakooshan felt her gaze return to the window and the horizon beyond it. The earlier clouds had thickened and darkened, with black and grey tinted swells forming rapidly and expanding outwards across the blue sky. Lolo's first thoughts was that it was just a storm, but she began to doubt herself as it seemed so unusual for one to form so quickly and violently, especially at this time of year.
She felt the presence of other priestesses at the window as the centre of the bloated cloud began to ripple and distort, swirling in a circular motion as if there was a whirlpool just above the surface, unseen to them.
"What's happening?" One of them whispered nervously.
Lolo looked across at her. She was a young adept, only just beginning her training at the temple, and looked scared. The La-Lakooshan remembered feeling that way on numerous occasions, and could relate to the younger girl's fears.
"I'm sure it's just a bad storm," she replied, keeping her voice free of the strange excitement she felt. "Don't worry – let's just ignore it and – "
A vast pillar of light burst abruptly through the cloud at the centre of the swirl, a glorious celestial inferno bearing straight down from where it had emerged. Its destination was out of sight, behind the crest of many hills, but Lolo estimated that the strange occurrence must be roughly over the Sea of Tears. No sooner had it appeared then the light vanished, leaving a shimmering imprint on her eyes, and the blackened clouds began to disperse – emptying a gentle of mist of rain as they did so.
"That was scary," whispered another adept, but Lolo didn't reply. The La-Lakooshan felt that earlier sensation again, only even more strongly than before, and whatever it was seemed to be willing her to come closer. A second feeling, of warmth or comfort, surged up within the priestess, and in that one moment both confusion and familiarity gripped her.
"I've…I'm sorry, I've got to go." She thrust the ribbons into the hands of another adept and darted towards the door of the temple.
"Lolo! Where are you going?"
The young La-Lakooshan didn't reply to the senior priestess, mainly because she didn't really have an answer to give. All she knew was that something was drawing her to the area where the light pillar had descended, and she couldn't understand why it seemed so strange and yet so familiar to her – nor why she smiled on emerging from the temple to feel the light spray of rain across her face.
---
He opened his eyes as rain splashed down on his face to see a clear, empty blue sky hanging above him. Other than that of the rain, the only other sounds that filled the air were that of small waves breaking and the sea birds crying out to each other. He lay there for a few moments, catching his breath and trying to clear away the dizzy sensation that plagued his mind. His body and clothes were soaked through and stained with sea salt, and as he gingerly sat up he became away of another, more ethereal, sound – that of panpipes.
The beach was deserted – a long stretch of golden sand flecked with sea foam – and as he looked around he saw that the only way from the bay seemed to be via a steep rocky slope that wound its way up the encircling cliffs. The lucid panpipe sound also seemed to be coming from that direction too so, dusting the sand from his fur and clothes, he made his way towards the slope.
---
Lolo continued her descent down the winding grassy path from the temple, still not sure where she was heading exactly, or for what purpose. She began to feel a little foolish, but something was forcing her onwards – and the La-Lakooshan kept up her fast pace, despite being already out of breath and the defiant pain in her chest. She could already see the Sea of Tears – a vast surface of water expanding to the horizon, far below her current elevated position – and tried to mentally gauge where the light had actually fallen. It was hard to tell, with the sky above returning to its previous state, but she estimated that it had probably been on the eastern side of the beach, near the Bay of Tranquillity.
Wiping away the raindrops from her face, Lolo grinned happily despite herself and pushed onwards.
---
Climbing up the steep path was no easy task, but he managed it, despite having to stop on numerous occasions to avoid wayward Moo's. The sound of the panpipes intensified as he grew closer, acting as an incorporeal guide, until he reached the source of the noise.
A young La-Lakooshan dressed in exotic clothing was sat in a large crevice in the cliff. Her chocolate brown fur was quite long for her species and she fixed him with strange, ethereal eyes as she stopped playing and set the panpipes down.
"Greetings Dream Traveller," she said, her voice carrying soft in the breeze. "You, whose path is in both shadow and light."
Klonoa stiffened. "You know me?" He looked around. "Where…am I?"
The musician looked amused. "You remember not the roads you have travelled before? You are in Lunatea."
Klonoa turned to look back down the slope at the bay, where the water still cascaded rhythmically against the rocks in the shallows. "The Sea of Tears," he said slowly, feeling the warmth of familiarity slowly flow through him. "I wondered…it did look familiar."
"Yes…" The La-Lakooshan studied Klonoa, and then laughed in a high tone. "It would appear that your journey has brought you back here – but for what purpose…" she frowned in thought. "…No, I do not know, but perhaps what you seek is at the top of this trail."
Klonoa looked up the trail and nodded. Whatever had brought him here would become apparent soon enough, but in the meantime, if he was by the Sea of Tears, then nearby would be the Claire Moa temple.
Lolo.
Memories surged to the surface of Klonoa's mind and he smiled to himself, wondering how the La-Lakooshan was faring. His thoughts pleasantly occupied his mind, and a sense of security came over him – as though he knew he would see her soon. Turning back to the musician, he nodded. "Thank you."
The musician smiled, picking up the panpipes again. "Fare thee well, Dream Traveller. Perhaps our paths will cross again."
---
Lolo came to a halt on the edge of the cliff overlooking the Bay of Tranquillity. Whatever feeling had drawn her here had intensified to the point of being unbearable, before fading and leaving her instead with a strange sensation of expectation. The sea, reflecting the bright blue of the sky, stretched off into the distance – as calm as if the earlier phenomena hadn't even occurred. Something was here though, she thought, inhaling deeply the warm salty air. Something really close, and every moment that passed filled Lolo with a delightful anticipation. A strange thought came to her then, or was it an old memory? A close friend she hadn't seen for…
"Klonoa." Lolo closed her eyes as she whispered the name, and allowed the warm sunlight caress her face.
Suddenly there was a small grunt of exertion, and Lolo opened her eyes in alarm to see a gloved hand appear over the edge of the cliff. A second joined it and a few moments later he hauled himself up over the edge.
Lolo gasped as he stood up and dusted himself off, not quite believing her eyes. He looked up at the sound and froze with surprise.
"…L-Lolo?"
The La-Lakooshan stood in ecstatic shock for what felt like hours – as if the moment had been preserved by time – just gazing at the emotion etched on Klonoa's face – and feeling an unparalleled rapture consume her thoughts. The wind picked up a little behind her, blowing her long hair straight outwards on either side of her face, and Lolo felt tiny tears of joy form at the corner of her eyes.
Because we never said goodbye…
"…I knew you'd come back," she whispered eventually, and smiled.