The Return to Phantomile
~ VISION 1-8: The Dream Arena, Part 3 ~
Within another blurred vision, Klonoa slowly opened his eyes, and heard two mysterious voices in the distance... Klonoa couldn't make out the scenery yet, but remained silent on everything and lets it all play out. But he could see there were two people watching over him from above. One was an older girl, and one was an older man... As Klonoa could hazily see them from below.
Klonoa (Thoughts): Wait... where am i this time...?
"...what's his nam... ...suo? "
Meanwhile, the larger man was thinking a bit to himself. Klonoa's vision became a bit more clear, and noticed he found himself in a baby crib...
Klonoa (Thoughts): Suo...? Hmm... I'm smaller again... is this a memory from the past...? Or... what is this...?
The larger man then picked up Klonoa carefully and slowly up from the crib, and said...
"...Klono..."
Klonoa tried to make out their faces even when up close, but the vision was too blurry, he couldn't... the girl then mumbles it a bit to herself, directly looking at Klonoa from the distance.
"...noa, hmm... ...lonoa... ...Klonoa..."
Klonoa (Thoughts): Wait... is that the same girl from the previous memory...? W-who are you?! Where do i know you from?!
Klonoa's voice couldn't reach her... Then as she kept saying it, the faint voices turn a bit more clear... but meanwhile, everything else turned foggy, and the echoes of her voice just kept going, repeatedly calling out his name.
"...Klonoa... Klonoa... Klonoa... Klonoa..."
Slowly the voices started to evolve into someone else's... Then what seemed like a priestess, suddenly appeared in the foggy distance with long ginger hair, wearing a pink hat, short-sleeved dress, black leggings, golden bracelets and brown shoes, had her back turned on Klonoa, as she was pondering about something... meanwhile the name of Klonoa just kept repeating in a somewhat lower tone. She then slowly turned around... and before Klonoa could even see her face, she just directly said towards him at an angle...
"...Klonoa."
Klonoa suddenly wakes up with a shock, staring at the ceiling.
Klonoa: Ah! !
Klonoa caught up with his own breath as he turned silent, realizing he found himself back on his bed over in his own room, with the light right above him... Klonoa slowly got back up from lying down, noticing that the food table's been refilled, but nothing eaten yet... then he slowly looked at his arms and then carefully touched his own face... he realised his wounds were fully restored, with no marks and blood left on his body.
Klonoa: I'm back here... But... What was all that about?
Klonoa seemed completely lost in thought... Then Huepow, who was sitting in the sofa, noticed Klonoa regained consciousness, and immediately hugged him.
Huepow: Oh thank goodness, you made it through!
Klonoa: M-Magya?! Hold on, what happened to me...?
Huepow: You passed out from blood loss, and seemed to be on the verge of dying... I immediately tried to heal and patch up your wounds when we were warped back to our room... I did the best i could, waiting for hours on your recovery. But i thought it was all over... until just now...!
Huepow actually began to cry a little bit out of relief while still hugging onto him.
Klonoa: Uh... maybe a bit rude to ask, but did you also tamper with my memory during that time?
Huepow then quickly let Klonoa go as a few tears were still rolling.
Huepow: What?! No, i would never dare to do that ever again! I promised myself to never use mind manipulation powers ever again... Ever! !
Klonoa: O-Oh... i see... sorry for asking that. I just had another weird dream...
Huepow then slowly wiped his tears and looks back at Klonoa.
Huepow: Hm? Another dream?
Klonoa: Yeah... Two unknown people called me out to my name, and... i... i think i saw Lolo in there.
Huepow: Well, what was wrong with the dream?
Klonoa: I don't know... something seemed off about her... she seemed a bit paler... And... a bit sad...
Huepow: Oh...
Klonoa then just shook his head rapidly and pulled himself in the cheek once.
Klonoa: Aargh, I shouldn't think too deeply about all of this... It was just a vague dream, after all. We got a tournament to win first!
Huepow then smiled up a bit towards Klonoa.
Huepow: Right. Besides, i'll help you on your journey as much as possible to go back to this Lunatea place.
Klonoa then softly smiled up to Huepow, as he patter him on the back a bit.
Klonoa: Thank you, Huepow. So, can i ask what happened to Zweegle since i passed out?
Huepow: Well... i wasn't there to see it, but i overheard that he was banned from the colosseum entirely... not dragged out by the security, but having been seen running away from the place by himself.
Klonoa: Wow, i guess i must've really scared him off from here.
Klonoa chuckled a bit as did Huepow, and Klonoa then looked around the room, as the teleporter was still off.
Klonoa: Say... We did make it to the final bracket, right? My mind is still a bit hazy from the last fight... And i expected there to be another match rather quickly...
Huepow: Correct. I haven't checked out the final bracket myself yet, but the announcer had claimed that you're now contestant number four.
Klonoa then pointed at the door.
Klonoa: How about we go and quickly check out the brackets in the meantime before the match starts? Then feast on as much as we can before the next fight!
Klonoa and Huepow then stood up and got off of the bed, carefully opening their room door to the hallway and looking around... noticing it's gotten really silent compared to last time.
Klonoa: Wow... it's way too quiet down here now...
Huepow: Makes sense, considering there's only a few contestants left for the final bracket over these entire hallway dungeons.
Klonoa and Huepow then walked on over to the handdrawn bracket, noticing a second handdrawn bracket has been hung up to the right of preliminary bracket number four. The final bracket contained sixteen names from top to bottom: The Archer's Mark, Controller of the Moon, The Puffy Fluff, The Water Dragon, A question mark with no real name on the bracket spot, The Samurai Master, The Fishing Frog, The Child of the Wind, Master of Flames, Barbaric Brigand, The Water Warrior, Wolf's Bane, The Spellcasting Mage, Javelin Thrower, The Iron Fist, and at last The Wild Bear.
Klonoa: S-sixteen?! That is a lot more than before...!
Huepow: For us that would mean... we have to fight about four opponents. One of these must be the person we're looking for!
Klonoa: But which one would be the high-ranking jugpot soldier again? Something about Water, right?
Huepow: Yeah, it was someone who masters the arts of water... So i'm going to put a bet on either the Water Dragon, or the Water Warrior.
Klonoa: I see... Too bad we have two opponents to try our guesses with, but at least our targets are finally in sight! Let's try to make it to them...
Huepow: ...if we can meet up on the final brackets, that is.
Klonoa and Huepow both sighed a bit, and kept their heads down.
Klonoa: It's all just dependent on luck, isn't it? We can lose before even meeting them.
Huepow: Or they will lose before meeting us. Let's just give it our all and pray.
Klonoa: R...Right...
Then they heard the bell go off in their room to their surprise.
Klonoa: Already?! I barely even got over my last fight, and didn't even have any time to fill my hunger!
Huepow then quickly checked their own current position on the bracket, noticing the Fishing Frog just above them as their next opponent.
Huepow: The Fishing Frog...? What would make them get so far up in the tournament?
Klonoa: I guess we'll find out soon enough... Either way, i'll just let the food situation slide for now. Let's go!
Klonoa then held up the Wind Ring, as Huepow immediately transformed into the ring spirit form and then entered the Wind Ring. Klonoa ran back into his room and stepped onto the glowing teleportation pad, warping back into the battleground in a flash...
When Klonoa arrived onto the sandy battleground, he was the only one there, aside from the audience... Meanwhile it appeared as if it was late in the night/really early in the morning.
Meanwhile in the audience, Kio seemed to just sit in his own chair in the audience, looking somewhat depressed... Then he suddenly saw that Klonoa finally appeared in the battleground, as his face lighted up and he began to yell out of excitement and happiness.
Kio: He... he survived... He survived! ! WHOOOOOOO! ! ! HE MADE IT! ! !
Klonoa stood still and looked around for a while, noticing that his opponent still hasn't appeared despite a minute having passed. Then the announcer started to talk.
Announcer: ...He's still not here? E-ahem... Welcome to the third match of the final bracket! Where contestant number thirteen, the Fishing Frog, who... still hasn't shown up... going up against constestant number four! The youthful, and only, Child of the Wind! !
The audience began to cheer as Klonoa just stared at the other side of the battleground out of confusement for another couple of seconds. Klonoa seemed to be getting a bit impatient himself.
Klonoa: Where is my opponent...?
Huepow (Wind Ring): You don't think... he died, did you?
Then finally, after one minute and fifty seconds have passed, a fat green/blank frog with a tail, blue spots on his chin and two sharp fangs while wearing a short yellow jacket and a blue/white lifesaver around him appeared.
Huepow (Wind Ring): Oh thank god, he didn't.
Announcer: O-oh, he's here! The one and only luring Fishing Frog, everyone! Place your bets now! Twenty...
The Fishing Frog was just staring around the area. Klonoa seemed a bit confused about his opponent.
Klonoa: Do i really have to fight an innocent frog like that...?
Klonoa then began to walk up a bit closer to the Fishing Frog.
Klonoa: Hey... it's nice to meet you. I'm Klonoa.
The Fishing Frog only really stared fight back at Klonoa, with a weird neutral look. Klonoa decided to try and still form a conversation with the Fishing Frog, despite him not even replying back.
Klonoa: So... uh... you're my opponent this time, right? Let's make this a fair fight.
The Fishing Frog then slowly opened his mouth, and responded.
Gomeroth: ...Gomeroth...
Announcer: Thirteen... twelve...
Klonoa seemed a bit confused, but then slowly started to grin.
Klonoa: ...Guess i'll be winning this one with ease, hehehe...
Huepow (Wind Ring): I know, right? Haha... i feel bad for us having to make him lose...
Then as Gomeroth overheard the two of them on the spot, Gomeroth suddenly snapped, and turned into a blind rage as he loudly roared.
Gomeroth: Drats...! DRATS! ! THE REAL FIGHT STARTS NOW! ! !
Then within a sudden moment, Gomeroth grabbed Klonoa with his long tongue, lifting him up, and then forcefully throwing him at the wall, making Klonoa harshly crash into it.
Klonoa: H-hey! Whoa- AAAAHHH! !
Meanwhile as the announcer was still counting, he suddenly stopped when he noticed Klonoa just smashed into a wall.
Announcer: Seven... si- ...oh... seems like the frog wanted to start earlier...
As for Kio, he was over at the better's desk surrounded by other betters and just before proudly putting down his pouch of 40 golden coins, he spotted Klonoa having crashed into the wall. The other betters around the desk just smugly laughed at him.
Random Better: Sooo... what was that about him going to win?
Kio then tried to brush it off, and forcefully shoved the pouch over.
Kio: Ngh... i'm still going to put it all on the Child of the Wind! Just... please, win this one!
Announcer: Either way, let's cut the counter short and have the match of...
The Fishing Frog VERSUS The Child of the Wind...
BEGIN!
As Klonoa fell back to the sandy floor after coming free from the wall, he slowly stood back up from sitting on his knees after landing.
Klonoa: Magya... Well... at least our opponent's just one who's only settled on winning the tournament this time.
Klonoa straightened out his back a bit. He then sees that Gomeroth started to run directly for him, with his weight making nearly the entire colosseum rumble with every running step.
Huepow (Wind Ring): Klonoa look out! !
Klonoa then held up the Wind Ring and changed its form to the Wind Sword... Then as Gomeroth got close, Klonoa dodged from the side, but when he did, Gomeroth's loose tongue grabbed a hold of Klonoa by wrapping it almost completely around him, and started to drag him around.
Klonoa: W-whoa, what?!
Huepow (Wind Ring): Again with the tongue grabbing?! Quick, break yourself free before he breaks all your bones!
Klonoa: How though?!
Huepow (Wind Ring): I don't know! Just... do something!
Klonoa then hastily thought of the first possible method to get free, and came up with one thing only... just as Gomeroth prepares to Klonoa into another wall, Klonoa quickly widens his mouth, and then bites onto the side of Gomeroth's tongue with his sharp fangs.
Gomeroth: Aiye? ! ?
The pain of Klonoa's fangs biting him causes Gomeroth to retreat his entire tongue out of the sensitive pain, and to release Klonoa. Gomeroth began to slowly blow onto the bitten part of his tongue to soothen the pain, as Klonoa immediately did a backwards jump away from Gomeroth to gain some space.
Gomeroth: Whooo... whooo...! Drats... That hurt...! But... there's plan B...!
Gomeroth then slowly pulled a long fishing rod out of the back of his jacket, and with all his might throws a hook right at Klonoa, to which he noticed it coming right for him, dodging the thrown hook.
Klonoa: A fishing rod?!
Huepow (Wind Ring): What kind of a ridiculous technique is that?
Although Klonoa easily dodged the flying hook by jumping sidewards to the left, Gomeroth then leaned the fishing rod to the left as well, and made the hook go right at Klonoa... and it managed to grab a hold of Klonoa from his shoe. As he noticed the hook sticking out, he had barely any time to even comprehend it.
Klonoa: Wh-
Then Gomeroth flings the fishing rod upwards, sending Klonoa skyward, as he was being pulled.
Klonoa: A-AAHHHH! !
Then Gomeroth flings the rod back down to send Klonoa back to the battleground and harshly crash onto the sandy floor.
Klonoa: Magya! ! !
The line broke as Klonoa had crashed onto the sandy ground... Klonoa slowly got up, as his face was scratched up from the impact on nearly his entire body...
Klonoa: Ugh...
As Klonoa carefully and slowly stood up, Gomeroth then prepared another fishing hook on his rod's line.
Klonoa: This frog... he's using a rather simple but really effective technique that i can't even really counter. If... If only there was some way to combat it... But... how...?!
Then before Klonoa could think a bit further, Gomeroth threw the rod's line at Klonoa, as he swiftly dodged by sliding under the thrown line, and then running right for Gomeroth himself, kicking him in the chest and shooting him in the face with a regular Wind Bullet. However, his foot got stuck in his chubby belly, and the Wind Bullet just easily bounced off.
Klonoa: W-what the?!
Gomeroth: My body is too thick and heavy... that won't work on me...!
Gomeroth then slowly and harshly chopped Klonoa in the neck, as he was still stuck in his stomach. Causing Klonoa to tumble down right on the ground. The frog just laughed slowly, and sends Klonoa harshly tumbling over the floor by kicking him with his big feet... The impact of this also caused Klonoa's left arm to break.
Klonoa: Aaarghh! ! Ngh...!
As Klonoa slowly got up only using his right arm with the Wind Ring holding onto it, he heavily panted, with the dust of the impact slowly clearing up.
Gomeroth: If only you were able to lift me whole... But as you are a small runt, you should forfeit!
Klonoa: Lift him whole...?
Gomeroth then then prepared to cast another hook onto his fishing rod. Then it just snapped to Klonoa.
Klonoa: I see... so that's what i should've thought of...
Gomeroth: What is wrong? Give me the victory, you runt!
Klonoa then glared over towards Gomeroth, as he got into his battle position.
Huepow (Wind Ring): Klonoa, what are you trying to do?!
Klonoa: You'll see, Huepow... I'm going to grab the grabber.
Huepow (Wind Ring): Grab the grabber?! But how? ! ?
Klonoa: ...Just watch.
Klonoa then pointed directly at Gomeroth once, and yelled at him...
Klonoa: No, i won't seize the fight just yet! Now come at me! !
Gomeroth: Hrrrghhh... you with your broken arm cannot do anything! !
Gomeroth then furiously threw another hook right at Klonoa, as Klonoa then started to aim the Wind Ring right at the hook with his right arm.
Klonoa: Steady...
Then the hook got close enough, and Klonoa immediately fired the Wind Bullet at it before it could grab Klonoa.
Klonoa: FIRE! !
As the Wind Bullet then hit the Hook, Klonoa actually managed to grab a hold of the Hook with the Wind Ring. Gomeroth tried to pull the line back, but couldn't... even though Klonoa was only holding onto the hook with one arm on the Wind Ring.
Gomeroth: What...?! Hrrrngh...! ! How are you doing that?!
Klonoa: You're not the only one who fought their opponents by grabbing them and throwing them around... I used to do that a lot when i was younger too...
Gomeroth: Who-
Klonoa: And i still can outthrow even you, just with one arm! ! !
Klonoa then fiercely throws the entire fishing rod in the air while Gomeroth held onto it, sending him almost flying out of the colosseum, with Gomeroth screaming out of the sudden launch.
Gomeroth: -OOOOOOOAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH? ! ? ! ?
Klonoa then then started to charge the Wind Bullet, as Gomeroth came flying back down... then when almost landing back on the battleground, Klonoa aims the Wind Ring right at Gomeroth.
Klonoa: Fully Charged... WIND BULLET! ! ! !
Klonoa then shoots the Fully Charged Wind Bullet right at Gomeroth into the head as he was still airborne, which sent him flying down onto the audience seats, as the audience immediately ran away when they see Gomeroth's body heading for their direction... the crash onto the audience seats then knocked down Gomeroth, as it caused the entire audience area to rumble and go up in smoke, with the audience going silent... when the smoke cleared up, it was revealed that Gomeroth was knocked out, almost looking like he's seeing stars.
Gomeroth: D...Double drats...
The audience then began to loudly cheer again out of celebration.
Announcer: Amazing! Absolutely ASTOUNDING! ! Even with a broken arm, the Child of the Wind managed to counter the unstoppable force known as the Fishing Frog!
The Child of the Wind reigned victorious and will be moving to the quarterfinals! !
As the announcer was still talking, Kio swiftly snatched back his pouch from the better's desk, now containing 80 golden coins. Meanwhile the random betters who laughed at Kio now all just stood there with their jaws dropped, not even able to move.
Kio: Soooo... what was that about that little fellow going to lose?
Random Better: Why you-
Meanwhile, Klonoa looked around the audience who were starting to directly cheer and chant for him in sync... Almost all of it was able to heard across the entire colosseum
"Wind-child! Wind-child! Wind-child!"
Announcer: With this, i'm excited to say that our new fighter in town will make it to the next set of rounds for the final bracket! !
Klonoa, with his only functioning arm at the moment, attached the Wind Ring back onto his belt and sticks out his thumb at the audience with a bit of an awkward but also genuine smile... Then he slowly looked back at Gomeroth who seemed to slowly be getting up from the audience seats he was launched onto... Klonoa carefully climbs up onto the audience seats himself towards Gomeroth as he was wiping his head a bit from the pain.
Gomeroth: Nghh... Came out all the way from the seas for nothing...
Klonoa then spoke up towards Gomeroth as he stood in front of him.
Klonoa: Hey...
Gomeroth: Hm? What do you want, runt?
Klonoa: Look, i am so sorry for having to beat you, sir Gomeroth. I'm not even here to really win. I'm just here to find a specific someone, and get out.
Gomeroth: Why would i care about your story? I lost to you anyway. I failed.
Klonoa then pointed at his broken left arm with his right hand.
Klonoa: Well... I only was able to beat you due to quick thinking... Besides, i believe that next year... you'll make it even farther.
Gomeroth: ...!
Klonoa then laughed a bit as he scratched his head.
Klonoa: I just wanted to point out that you really pack a lot of punch, you know? It's insane! But if you really want to be unstoppable to your foes, try to think much quicker on the fly, as opposed to letting your rage do the work.
Gomeroth then slowly smiled up as he heard that from Klonoa.
Gomeroth: Thank you... Klonoa. I will keep that in mind.
Gomeroth was then teleported out of the arena... in that time, Klonoa looked upwards to the sky for a few seconds... and then suddenly briefly screeched. The audience members close to where Klonoa stood seemed a bit worried.
Klonoa: M-Magya! ! ! !
Huepow (Wind Ring): What happened, Klonoa?!
Klonoa: M-must be my broken left arm catching up with me... Please, whoever's in charge of the whole warping thing, warp me back to my room now! !
Klonoa was then teleported out of the arena as well just after he finished his sentence.