The Return to Phantomile
~ VISION 1-2: Familiar sense of the Wind ~
It was now in the middle of the afternoon. As Klonoa and Kio were walking up through the north of Breezegale, Kio was carrying around a large, dark-brown camping backpack while Klonoa was staring at the small, dark blue and shiny triangular crystal he had in his hand.
Klonoa: So... you're sure this crystal is mine?
Kio: I found it in your pocket while you were unconscious at the lake this morning.
Klonoa: Hmmm... that's strange. I have no idea how it ended up here. But... maybe it could be an important clue for all of this?
Kio: Could be. Just make sure not to lose it.
Klonoa: Right...
Klonoa and Kio then started to follow the road to the north west, where the road started to split.
Klonoa: What exactly are we heading north west for? I planned to go further up north myself too, but you seem to look for a specific place...
Kio: Well, there's a lookout spot called Bell Hill here in Breezegale. From there, you can easily watch over most of Phantomile. I figured it would be a great spot to decide our first destination at. We first need to make it through the Gunston Mine and from there climb up the hill.
Klonoa: Oh yeah, I think I remember the route now.
As they followed the road, they came across a giant stone tower, just before the road that leads to Gunston Mine. They started to bypass it as they were looking at the tower from the side.
Kio: I haven't really gone this far in the village... i wonder who lives there?
Klonoa: Same. But... it does seem familiar from somewhere.
Just as they were about to head into the cave next to the giant tower on the road, they heard a loud yell from behind and above them. They turned around.
"HEY! Who goes there without recognising the beauty of my tower?!"
Klonoa and Kio looked around, and then at each other in confusement.
Klonoa: Who?
Kio: No clue... I guess the both of us?
Then the voice yelled at them back yet again.
"Hold it right there, i'm comin' down right now! Hruuumph! !"
Klonoa: Where have i heard that before...?
As a figure appeared all the way from the top of the tower, it quickly appeared from above with him blocking the sun behind his back... It was revealed to be a rotund, middle-aged cabbit with brown fur on his body, orange fur for his eyebrows and mustache, and light brown on his ears and tail's ends. He was wearing an old yellow cap, sweaty white/gray undershirt, white gloves, light brown pants and black boots.
While still falling in the air, Klonoa stared in awe... and suddenly gained another flash in his mind.
The young Klonoa got shocked from the rough landing that the middle-aged cabbit made next to him, inside of the unfinished tower.
Cabbit: Oompfh! ...Hey kid! You shouldn't come sneakin' around here!
The young Klonoa slowly walked up to the middle-aged cabbit.
Young Klonoa: Oops... I'm sorry...
The middle-aged cabbit confidently smiles right at the young Klonoa.
Balue: Hmph. Apology accepted. I'm Balue, the mason!
The memories start to fade again, as Klonoa snaps back to reality...
Balue roughly lands on the ground near the two, shocking Kio. Meanwhile Klonoa was still staring a bit in awe.
Kio: W-whoa!
Balue: Hey, you two! Why didn't 'ya even take the time to stop for a full minute. This is my masterpiece at the works!
Kio: O-oh, i'm sorry... we were just on a journey.
Balue: Hmph. I can let that slide for now. I'm Balue, the head mason of Breezegale!
Klonoa then shook himself awake a bit, and looks right at Balue after he introduced himself to the two.
Klonoa: You actually did it... wow, that tower's become huge.
Balue: Hmm?
Balue seemed a bit confused and stared back at Klonoa.
Balue: Wait a moment. You... no... the kiddo? What was 'yer name again that the blue prince mentioned?
Klonoa: Blue prince...?
Balue: Ermm... Oh... Umm... Klone-ow? Clonear?
Klonoa: Umm... it's Klonoa, sir.
Balue: Oh yeah! Wow you've grown, kid! Almost as high as me now... I figured you were dead!
Meanwhile as the two were talking to each other, Kio from a distance, was trying to measure the height from them both, while noticing that Klonoa is even a bit taller than Balue, confused at what Balue said.
Klonoa: But... i don't exactly remember what happened that day.
Balue: Me neither. Heard something went down between you and that blue prince back then... Well anyway, none of my business. But that's all i know, and that's your own score to settle. I'mma relax with my martini. Good luck on your journey or whatever you're doing!
Klonoa: W-wait! What about-
Balue: Hroooomph! !
Balue then jumped back all the way up to the top of the tower from the ground.
Klonoa: ...What about that Lephise statue you built?
Kio: Lephise statue?
Klonoa: Oh, just... a statue that Balue built on the side of a mountain next to here. I think he was a fan of her or something.
Kio: Ahh, i see... Seems a bit more like obsessive love to me.
Klonoa: Regardless, I hoped he would've known more about what exactly happened that day... My memory is still really foggy.
Kio: In that case, we have all the more reasons to head up to Bell Hill. Maybe some memories will come back to you and it could lead us to our next destination!
Klonoa: R...Right... Let's go.
Klonoa and Kio continued on walking past Balue's Tower, and headed to the Gunston Mine further up the road... Just before the entrance to the cave, Kio suddenly stopped for a second. Klonoa then turned back around towards Kio. Kio seemed a bit nervous.
Klonoa: Kio? Are you okay?
Kio: Yeah... Just, um... this will be the farthest i've ever been outside of the village.
Klonoa softly smiled and put his hand on Kio's shoulder.
Klonoa: Don't worry, Kio. You will get used to it. A whole world of possibilities will open up for you once you make it past this point.
Kio: A whole world?
Klonoa: Yeah... Maybe in my case it didn't end as i hoped. But it had me seeing a lot of different things over these last few years. Just stick together, and we'll be fine.
Kio: Oh... o-okay.
Kio politely nodded his head with a smile, as the two begin to set foot into the Gunston Mine together... They followed the dark cave's path, as they took in their surroundings. The various blue and green gems shining through the walls were mesmerizing.
Kio: Whoa... Look at those lights... they're beautiful!
Klonoa smiled a bit, looking at the glowing rocks from the walls as well. After walking for a while, they eventually reached the end of the path, which connected with a railroad at the edge. There was a minecart in front of them.
Kio: Are we supposed to... ride this thing?
Klonoa: If my vague memories are correct... this is the only way to the top of the mountain.
Kio: O-oh... Okay... Well... Let's just get it over with then.
Klonoa easily stepped into the minecart, as Kio nervously got in. Klonoa gave the cart a push, and the cart began to ride the tracks. It went downhill into a turn, and then in a few circles at first. Although not that intense, Kio seemed nervous throughout this though, as the minecart then made it past the final circle. It went so fast, that the structure of the minecart broke off and fell down below. Kio seemed really shocked.
Kio: Oh my goddess!
Klonoa: Just like when i was a kid... hehe~
Kio: What are you smiling about?! We're so gonna die! The cart's structure just fell apart! !
Then further up on the straight road, they noticed one final turn and that the track just ends... Kio seemed absolutely scared now.
Kio: We're so gonna die... We're so gonna die! Crash and burn!
Klonoa: What do you mean? You just jump out at the end.
Kio: E-easy for you to say! !
Klonoa: Just prepare yourself to jump at the right time. See?
As they were getting closer to the turn, Klonoa pointed at the light near the end of the tracks.
Klonoa: The exit is right there.
Kio: Oooohhh... well, fine!
Kio then held on to the edge of the minecart, ready to jump... as Klonoa did on the other edge... The minecart made the final turn, and then began to drop down...
Klonoa: Now! !
Kio, upon Klonoa's command, jumps off, as did he. They safely slided back onto the ground near the end of the cave. The minecart then crashes into the wall and falls apart, with the remains of the minecart falling down below. The two stare back at the pieces falling into the darkness.
Klonoa: See? It's not that hard. Exactly how i remembered it as a kid.
Kio: Just like back then...? I don't know what exactly you went through as a kid, but... i'm already sympathetic about it.
Klonoa and Kio then turned around, headed for the exit, and followed road further up ahead. They went through the system of caves and trails on the side of the mountain, as the sun was slowly starting to set, until they finally arrived at the end of the final cave... And reached Bell Hill, the top of Breezegale's region.
Klonoa: Whew... We made it.
Kio: Wow, who knew it would be such a long climb from home just to here?
Klonoa, with his giant ears, then heard a voice coming from above them... Klonoa put his finger on his mouth to try and signal Kio to be more quiet. Klonoa then pointed to above, and held his ear out a bit to listen better...
"They called me a disgrace... They all called me a disgrace! They STILL call me a disgrace! How did they consider me disloyal to my own lord?!"
Kio then gestured to Klonoa they should carefully spy on where the voice came from... so they quietly looked above where they entered Bell Hill from and only stuck their eyes out. They saw it was a jester-like creature with no limbs, and had red and yellow stripes on his body and tail, white gloves, and pink elf shoes. The jester-like creature was looking over the entirety of Phantomile in the distance with the sun setting.
Clown: I got defeated by that little brat years ago, trying to please my lord as best as i could and this is what awaits me?! All i wanted to do was to be recognised and appreciated by my hard work for him... But i couldn't even do that! !
Kio: Brat?
Klonoa: Lord...?
Clown: Hrnghh... well, just you wait, Phantomile. I will be back for you soon, cause nightmares upon the land and avenge the lord. I WILL make a legacy of my own! ! !
The clown then readies his long pose, and then disappeared into thin air by snapping his fingers. It turned quiet at Bell Hill again... Both Klonoa and Kio climbed up on the top of Bell Hill.
Kio: Bringing nightmares upon Phantomile? Who even was that?
Klonoa: No idea. But... He seemed familiar.
Kio: I wouldn't be surprised if he was talking about you.
Klonoa: What do you mean?
Kio: O-oh, nothing. There's just... something special about you. You seem like somebody who could've beaten that fellow.
Klonoa: Oh... i see...
Kio: Anyway, look over there...
Kio then pointed on over to the horizon of Phantomile in the distance with the beautiful sunset, where they saw a kingdom filled with water in the distance, and a giant forest kingdom...
Klonoa: It's so pretty...
Kio: Yeah... wow. i don't think i've ever looked this far over the entire land... But... Do you remember anything about these two other kingdoms?
Klonoa: Hmmm...
Klonoa stared a bit closer at the water and forest kingdom, as he slowly thought it out a bit more about both places from the past... He first points at the water kingdom.
Klonoa: I remember that... That there is Jugpot. With King Seadoph ruling the kingdom and taking control over the water in the land...
Kio: Jugpot, huh?
Klonoa then moved his finger and points at the forest kingdom.
Klonoa: And that giant forest over there is Forlock. With Granny having control of the kingdom. She's a nice old lady who is a bit too stubborn to give in to any danger.
Kio: I see... So, what do you think we should head to?
Klonoa: I think we could head directly to Forlock to find Granny, but... Jugpot is closer. And i want to ask Seadoph if he knows something as well. Plus, i have this feeling that he could help us with something, but... i'm not sure what.
Kio: Well... okay. In that case, let's go to Jugpot!
Kio smiled up, as did Klonoa towards him. The two then started to carefully slide off of the mountains as safely as possible. As they were sliding down, Kio noticed the sun was going down, and the orange sky started to turn dark.
Kio: Uhh... nighttime is heading for us soon.
Klonoa: Hehe, no worries. We'll just run as quickly as we can across the plains. Besides, you have supplies, right?
Kio: Fair point. It's just that i'm not really used to camping outside of the village...
As the two finally hit the plains from sliding down the mountains, they began to run as quickly as they could.