"Marie!" Klonoa called out, his voice being drowned out by various noises, mainly fireworks "Where are you?"
Lolo and Popka stared on, unsure of how to react. Klonoa yelled out over and over with no success, trying to call over the crowds until his throat was sore. He punched a lamp post cursing under his breath and turned back towards his friends.
"It's no use" Popka told him "She can't here ya."
"Who was she anyway?" Lolo said accusingly to him "What are you doing with another girl?"
"Hey, don't get it that way!" Klonoa frantically explained "She's just my sister, and now she's lost……….. Manyo, this isn't good. Grandpa will kill me for sure."
"Hey, why would you care anyway?" Popka asked Lolo "You're soundin' paranoid."
"Ehhhh……. I- it's nothing!" she stuttered, turning pink "Don't worry, I think she'll be alright."
"I doubt it…" Klonoa muttered "She's so naïve, she gets herself in a lot of trouble, even when I'm keeping an eye on her."
"Sounds like havin' a younger sister is a hanful "Popka commented "Anyway, we should probably split up, this park's a little too big to explore bit by bit."
"You're right" Klonoa said.
"No, "Lolo said "What if we lose each other; we could end up searching for hours……"
"That's true too" Klonoa said "Let's stick together….."
"Ya always listen ta her" Popka uttered.
"Hey!" some random anthromorphic blue fox said to Klonoa, out of the blue "You look familiar."
"Huh?" Klonoa paused "but I've never seen you………"
"Oh, well, I saw some one who looks like you" he said, fluffy tail swishing, rubbing his whiskers "She was shorter, same species as ya, and headed off that way."
He pointed towards the well known haunted house with an outstretched claw.
"Really?" Klonoa said "That helps a lot."
"I'm not sure" Lolo said "Can we trust him?"
"Whad do we have to lose?" Popka asked "We are going to search the park anyways…"
"Yeah, I guess you're right" Lolo said "It's just……….."
"Ah, we'll be alright" Klonoa said "I'll protect you."
"Okay" she said "Let's go then."
She leapt up into the air, turning into a small, glowing aqua sphere, flying towards Klonoa's ring. The light disappeared into the emerald, causing a holy fusion of powers, allowing Klonoa to unlock the ring's full potential.
"I'm ready" her voice said, sounding distorted from the ring.
"Okay, let's go" Klonoa said, running off.
"Hey, wait for me!" Popka yelled, flying behind.
Waiting for them to disappear into the horizon, the fox boy held a small communicator to his mouth, and quietly said "They've fallen for the trap….."
"We're almost there" Klonoa thought " Marie, please be okay..."
Bursting through the doors, Klonoa scanned the musty room quickly and thoroughly, his cat eyes glinting in the light. Popka stood next to him, panting heavily, muttering about taking a break.
"Could ya run any faster?" Popka sarcastically remarked "Don't get yourself so worked up, she's probably fine."
"She's not..." Klonoa paused 'Something's not right... do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Popka asked, perking up his ears.
"Listen very carfeully" he said as his long floppy ears twitched slightly "Something is lurking about."
"Hmmmmmm..." Popka thought "Doesn't look like anything..."
Klonoa paused for a minute, eyes setting upon the stone wall. He glared at that spot and held up his ring, preparing for battle. Closing his eyes, his ears twitched once again.
"There!" he said, shooting a spot with his ring. The wall began to quiver like flesh, and something fell off from it. Klonoa ran to it, but it manuevered its body with great speed and grace. Leaping off the ground it positioned itself behind Klonoa with blinding speed, trying to land a punch, but Klonoa stepped to the side and grabbed his arm in midair. Summoning up his strength, Klonoa swung the darkling from its arm and sent him flying. Popka stared on, mouth gaping widly.
"So uh..." Popka thought " Where'd ya learn moves like that? And how did ya know he was there?"
"Oh, I learned a ton of stuff while I was away" he said, adjusting his cap slightly "Imagine what would happen if I didn't."
"We'd have been ambushed " Popka said " I wonder if there were more creatures like that..."
"Oh there is" a hostile voice said, revealing himself as the fox they met earlier. He seemed to be levetating above them, holding a pulsing orb in his hand " I have an army of these creatures, but that's nothing compared to what I'm after."
Meanwhile, further away, Marie stirred, fighting to regain conciousness. The king sat by her side, hopeful that she'd survive. Suddenly her eyes flicked open, and she sat up immediatly. She instantly sprung up, rubbing her sore head and stretching her stiff joints.
"Man, what happened?" she asked aloud "I feel sore all over... and my shoulders feel funny."
"Ehhhhhhh..." the king paused, not wanting to surprise her. He gazed wide-eyed at her, very amazed.
"Eh, why are you staring?" she asked "Do I have something on my face?"
"... no" he said, gesturing behind her back "YOu might want to look there."
She did so, looking over her shoulder to discover soft, white feathers which twitched and folded slightly. She took her fingers and felt them, gentle and silky smooth. As she ran her fingers down, she felt a tingle in a place she couldn't before and gasped.
"What are these!" she said, eyes dialating in surprise. The king got closer and prodded the feathers with his fingers.
"I think they're wings" he deduced "amazing, it must have been the potions doing."
"More like painful if you ask me" she said, folding the wings together "I betcha that's why it hurt so much..."
"Well, now you could probably fly over the pit" he suggested "but they are rather small..."
"Hmmmmmmm..." she paused, focusing on the door knob she chucked, it lay in the corner of the room. She thought she saw it rattle a bit, but then she noticed it lift off the ground.
"Ummmmmm do you have any psychic powers?" she asked him, she knew too well that the door knob was levatating somehow.
"No, why do you ask?" he replied.
"Look over there" she pointed "the door knob, it's floating..."
The king peered over and inspected saying "There's no ghostly powers at work here, so there must be a telekinetic somewhere." He looked up at her and pondered deeply.
"It must be the potion" Marie said " It gave me powers, I guess the wings are kind of useless... boy, Klonoa's gonna be surprised..."
"Well, at least you can get out now." he said, pointing towards the exit "Better now than never."
"Yeah, you're right" she said, stepping towards the ledge.
Once again, she peered over, but something was amiss; her fears. This time, she was not reluctant and hope and courage seemed to blossom from the darkest corner of her heart, replacing all the worries. She closed her eyes and focused intently, taking in gentle breaths as she imagined a blissful happening, that she would rise above all the evil. Openning her eyes, she smiled in glee, seeing the stone floor far below her.
"I'm... I'm floating!" she said, manuevering herself through the air. The king flew up next to her, and then she realised something.
"Hey, you ARE a telekinetic, aren't ya?" she accused him "Why did you lie?"
"Hey, if I told you I could get you out of here, then you'd never get new powers, or overcome your greatest weakness" he said " I helped you in a freaky, bizzare way."
"Oh" she thought " Well, then maybe you can guide me out now that I have these powers..."
"Of course" he said, smiling like always "It'll be fun."
Little did the two know that awaiting them was the greatest threat to the Lunatea...