The Return to Phantomile
~ VISION 1-EXTRA: Underground Incident ~
"Uuuuuurgghhhh... w...where am i...?"
Klonoa slowly opened his eyes... as he found himself in what seemed like a brown tunnel underground, near the end of the wall, lying down on the ground. Then after looking for a bit, he got back up on his feet. He looked off into the further distance of the cave as he tried to look further ahead, but... there was nothing. It was just quiet... aside from a few puddles of water that were dripping nearby, as drops of water fell down onto them from the dirt above. Meanwhile, Klonoa reached for his pocket as he grabbed the Dream Crystal he had with him... No energy arose from it, as he just looked confused.
Klonoa: Did i... make it back...?
Klonoa then looked further ahead in the tunnel, as he still could see nothing.
Klonoa: ...It doesn't seem like any place i've ever visited before... I should try to get back to Lunatea.
Klonoa then held up his Dream Crystal with his hand, but... nothing happened. Klonoa slowly lowered his arm back down and deeply sighed.
Klonoa: Darn... it doesn't work... Maybe i should find the exit and see for myself.
Klonoa started to walk further ahead, and passed on through another tunnel to the right... He kept walking, as all of a sudden, something that seemed like a red ball on yellow legs wearing yellow goggles, dropped down from a hole above.
Klonoa: W-whoa! !
Klonoa quickly jumped away to the side, as the red monster landed onto its feet and behind Klonoa before walking on further down onto the tunnel in front of them. Klonoa raised a confused eyebrow when looking at the monster wandering away.
Klonoa: That's not a Moo, is it? It certainly doesn't look like any monster i've seen, at least...
Klonoa then continued walking on further ahead for a while, through more tunnels up ahead... As he eventually passed through one further up to the left, he heard some nervous humming in the distance that seemed to resemble a jingle that went up and down a lot... Klonoa raised his ear a bit to listen in on the noise.
Klonoa: Wait... what is that?
As he heard it coming from further up ahead, Klonoa then started to walk up further... eventually he got closer and closer to the nervous jingle humming, as he saw that it was someone in a red and white diggers outfit, wearing a blue flashlight on top of his helmet. The unknown digger was the one who was humming, as he seemed to be shoveling a tunnel...
Klonoa: Umm... hello?
The unknown digger then turned around, as it was revealed to be a freckled boy with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He quickly turned around and then saw Klonoa in the darkness... then out of nervous reflex, he immediately shrieked and turned on his flashlight, as the harsh light made Klonoa cover his eyes.
Klonoa: Magya! W-What are you-
Then the freckled boy grabbed what seemed like a pump, and pointed the tip at Klonoa while trembling a bit.
Freckled Boy: Don't get any closer, monster! I... I have a pump! ! !
Klonoa: W...What? A pump?
Klonoa then tried to look a bit more at the freckled boy despite the harsh light, as he just scratched his head.
Klonoa: Why are you threatening me with a pump?
Freckled Boy: B...Because it's all i have. And-and i know you all are out to kill everything living in this cave system!
Klonoa: Monsters? Wait... you mean those red creatures?
Freckled Boy: Yes! I'm warning you, stay back! !
Klonoa: Wait, hold on, i am not with them!
Freckled Boy: How should i know you aren't? You don't seem like any other human i've ever met!
Klonoa: Human...? N-Nevermind that, how about the fact that we're just talking with each other? Isn't that enough?
The freckled boy then slowly began to lower his pump, and turned off his light again.
Freckled Boy: ...Oh... right... i'm sorry. I just... have been stuck in this cave for too long.
Klonoa: I guess i can understand your reaction to seeing me, though... If you don't mind, can i ask a question?
Freckled Boy: Hm?
Klonoa: Are we in Lunatea right now? I'm not sure exactly where i am...
Freckled Boy: Lunatea? What is that?
Klonoa: Oh... i see... So i really did end up here by accident.
Klonoa then held out his Dream Crystal as the freckled boy looked at it for a bit, and seemed confused.
Klonoa: I promise you, i have the exact same goal here. I want to get out of this cave as much as you do. I need to get back to Lunatea, no matter the cost.
Freckled Boy: I... I dunno what this 'Lunatea' place is, but if your goal is to get out of here, then i guess we can work together for now. Better with two players than only one...
The freckled boy threw Klonoa another shovel that he was carrying with him, as he caught it. Then the freckled boy stuck out his hand, as Klonoa began to shake hands with him.
Taizo: Also, i am so sorry for shining that harsh light at you... It's really hard to see anything in here for me. My name is Taizo Hori. But you can call me Dig-Dug.
Klonoa: I'm Klonoa.
Taizo: Klonoa, hm? That name sounds... really foreign.
Klonoa then looked at his own shovel, and then back to Taizo Hori.
Klonoa: So... how are we going to get out of here? Just dig upward?
Taizo: No, there are a lot of rocks that can crush us... We should try to carefully make our way up towards the highest tunnels that are already dug out, and then carefully dig our own way up from there.
Klonoa: ...For someone calling himself 'Dig-Dug', you really seem to try and avoid digging in general.
Taizo: You would have no idea how many rocks i was nearly crushed by... E-either way, nevermind me, let's just go!
Taizo and Klonoa began to walk back upward right into another tunnel as they saw one of those red monsters with yellow goggles approaching them from the front, as Taizo quickly began to back off in fear.
Taizo: W-whoa, not one of those Pooka's again! !
Klonoa: Pooka?
Taizo: I can't believe they found us here! !
Klonoa then looked at the Pooka as it got closer... out of reflex, Klonoa tried to put his hand on his Wind Ring attached to his belt, but he quickly pulled away and just sighed.
Klonoa: I really should stop doing that...!
Klonoa then quickly looked back at Taizo, and saw the pump... before he eventually just grabbed that pump quickly away from Taizo, and then turned back towards the Pooka with the pump in his own hands.
Taizo: H-hey! What are you doing?! Those things are invincible!
Klonoa: Surely they couldn't be! If we want to survive, we should try at least something to fend them off!
The Pooka got very close, as Klonoa then took the tip of the pump, and fiercely throws it at the Pooka... As it penetrated through the Pooka's body, Klonoa quickly pulled up the pump's handle, and then downward... The Pooka, even to its own surprise, inflated a little bit as it started to get stuck, and couldn't move... Both Taizo and Klonoa stared in shock after this.
Taizo: ...You can inflate them...?
Klonoa then pulled the pump again, and started to pump multiple times... bit by bit, the Pooka growed larger, until it eventually just exploded and popped into thin air... It turned silent again, as Klonoa then started to grin a bit.
Klonoa: Hehe... This... this is something i can get behind! Let's go, Dig-Dug!
Taizo: W...What kind of weird extermination method is this?
Klonoa then began to run off as Taizo quickly tried to keep up with him out of fear.
Taizo: H-hey! Don't leave me behind, Klonoa!
The two went further ahead and eventually climbed their way upwards, while Taizo kept humming that jingle to himself... then as they still found themselves in a tunnel further up, they were approached by yet another Pooka. This time, Taizo Hori threw the tip of the pump into the Pooka, as Klonoa then quickly began to pump as hard as he could until the Pooka exploded. Then further up ahead, they saw something lying down onto the ground. Klonoa carefully picked it up, as Taizo turned on his helmet's light and shined upon it, revealing the item in question to be...
Klonoa: ...A carrot?
Klonoa just seemed a bit disgusted, and threw the carrot backwards to Taizo.
Klonoa: No, thanks. You can have it.
Taizo just seemed really confused as he threw the carrot away himself.
Taizo: W-why would i take it?! That carrot could be like... hundreds of years old and rotting in here, for all that we know!
A while later, both Klonoa and Taizo were now digging straight up with their shovels as Taizo kept humming the jingle to himself... Then they suddenly spotted three Pooka's heading right for them from below. Taizo quickly turned back towards Klonoa.
Taizo: T-Three of them?! Quick! We can't let them catch us! !
Then as they started to dig faster, they accidentally hit the end of a rock above them, as the rock started to tremble a bit with the dirt coming loose below it. Klonoa then quickly looked down below and towards the side of them, as he quickly dug a small wall section to hide in, before turning back towards Taizo.
Klonoa: Quickly, Dig-Dug!
Taizo: A-A rock?! What the- what do we do?!
Klonoa then just pulled Taizo with him, as the two of them hid in the small wall section away from the upwards tunnel... then the rock dropped all the way down the tunnel, and took the three Pooka's along with it, squashing them flat all the way at the bottom of the tunnel they were digging upwards out of. Klonoa and Taizo just looked down below at the rock in the distance after coming out of the small wall section.
Taizo: Whoo... that was a close one. Holy moly.
Klonoa: We should hurry, as it seems like the monsters are starting to catch onto us.
Taizo: R-right... let's move.
Klonoa then began to dig upwards again with his shovel, as Taizo immediately followed.
Then after digging for quite a while, they just dug their way into another tunnel, where there was light shining out of from the top in the center of the tunnel... Klonoa and Taizo saw this in the distance and quickly climbed up as they tried to walk over there... That is, until they heard a loud foostep from behind. The two stopped, as they then heard another loud footstep. Slowly, the two turned around, as Taizo was getting more and more nervous.
Klonoa: ...What's that?
Taizo: P...Please... No more...
When they turned around, they saw that it was a large, green dragon with red wings, as it directly looked at the two of them and then loudly roared, after the dragon stopped walking... Taizo froze from the fear, as Klonoa seemed a bit nervous himself.
Klonoa: What...? A dragon?!
Taizo: T-That's not a dragon... THAT'S A FYGAR! ! !
Then the Fygar attempts to breathe fire at both Klonoa and Taizo, as Taizo quickly began to run away and hide behind the nearest corridor, while Klonoa jumped upwards and to the side of the Fygar to dodge the breathed fire. Then the Fygar tried to bite Klonoa, as he quickly flapped his ears to dodge the attack and landed onto the snout of the Fygar. Klonoa laughed a little bit.
Klonoa: Heehee... you may pack a lot more power than both of us...
Klonoa then shoved the tip of the pump into the Fygar's neck, and fiercely started to pump... The Fygar started to inflate bit by bit while desperately trying to move, as Klonoa just grinned.
Klonoa: But i still have the upper hand! !
Then Klonoa put in one last push onto the pump, as the Fygar torn up in two... within a quick moment, Klonoa grabbed the pump and then jumped off of the Fygar, as it then began to cause a fiery explosion within the cave. Klonoa stuck out his hand, and yelled...
Klonoa: WAHOO! ! !
Klonoa then safely landed back onto the ground after the fiery explosion happened behind his back... meanwhile, Taizo Hori slowly arose back from the side of the tunnel next to him, and just stared in awe.
Taizo: W-whoa... now that was even freakier than what that Fygar did...
Klonoa then smirked a bit, as he turned his back towards Taizo and began walking towards the light.
Klonoa: Come, let's move. We are almost there.
Taizo, as he still stared a bit in awe, suddenly snapped back to it and just shook it off.
Taizo: R-right...
Taizo then began to follow Klonoa again, as they walked towards the light...
Eventually, back over at the sunny, grassy and beautiful meadows above the ground, Klonoa and Taizo just arose from the hole in the middle of it. Klonoa lifts himself up and then helps to pull the struggling Taizo upwards and out of the hole, as they now began to stand on the peaceful plains. The two just looked around at the beautiful flowers all around them, as Taizo faintly started to smile and actually dropped a tear. Meanwhile Klonoa just took in the fresh smell of the nature with his nose.
Taizo: I finally made it out... I... I never thought i would be so happy to see the light again...!
Klonoa then turned back towards Taizo as he a bit seemed confused.
Klonoa: Hm? But, how did you end up in that cave in the first place?
Taizo: Well... it is my new job... I was sent here on an expedition a couple of days ago to mine some ores. But then an incident happened, overrunning this cave with... those freaks. And i couldn't find my way back out.
Klonoa: Ohh, so that explains it...
Taizo then wiped away his head and turned back towards Klonoa, as he raised an eyebrow towards him.
Taizo: What about you though? You clearly don't seem to be from anywhere around here... It's like you're one of those fictional mascot characters only seen in commercials, actually having jumped to life.
Klonoa: Honestly, i am not sure... I jumped through a portal that i thought would send me towards another dream world, but... i ended up here...
Taizo: W...Wait, a dream world?!
Taizo just seemed confused... while Klonoa then grabbed his Dream Crystal from his pocket, as he noticed the crystal started glowing again.
Klonoa: Oh, it finally works again. Thank goodness!
Klonoa then put down the pump and shovel he was carrying, and held up the Dream Crystal with all his heart as it started to brightly light up. Klonoa then yelled...
Klonoa: Please... take me back to Lunatea! ! !
Then the bright light vanished, as a few sparks arose, with a new light green and blue portal opening up right in front of Klonoa, as he started to step up towards the portal... but before he entered, he turned back towards Taizo Hori, and smiled.
Klonoa: Dig-Dug... Next time, try to play it more safe, okay?
Klonoa then turned back around and jumped into the portal, as the portal started to close... as Klonoa and the portal then disappeared, Taizo just kept staring in awe, as he faintly said to himself while scratching his head...
Taizo: Play it safe...?
Meanwhile in Vodania at the giant fortress... Hue was holding up his cane, watching over the rest of the fortress from the top of the large research tower, as he just deeply breathed in and out, and then smirked to himself.
Hue: Hmmmm...
While doing this, Joka suddenly appeared out of thin-air behind Hue's back, after he had snapped his fingers. Joka kneeled down towards Hue with a smile, as he just turned around and looked down upon him with a more serious look on his face.
Joka: Lord Hueeee! !
Hue: ...What do you want, my servant?
Joka: Ho, ho, ho... Well, i come to bear some dual-sided news.
Hue: Hmph. Just squeak it out already.
Joka: Phantomile is going down at a steady pace. Jugpot and Forlock are fully overtaken by our army as we speak, and the other kingdoms seem to put up a little more resistance.
Hue: Good, good... And what is the other news?
A bit of sweat dropped from Joka's face as his smile faded away for a short moment.
Joka: Well... the brat escaped. Presumably to an unknown world.
Hue raised an eyebrow towards Joka, as he seemed a bit more annoyed.
Hue: Escaped?!
Joka: Y-yes... The prince of Cress held me off from what appeared to be the summoning of a portal, and just escaped from Phantomile...
Hue just dropped completely silent after hearing that. But then, Hue suddenly started to chuckle in an evil way, to which Joka seemed to be getting confused. Meanwhile Hue turned back towards Joka below him.
Joka: Um... sire?
Hue: Oh, fret not, my servant. It was inevitable. You should just keep up your task of conquering Phantomile, and pay no mind...
Joka: R...Right... Sire...
Joka then snapped his fingers again, as he disappeared into thin-air away from Vodania. Hue then turned back around and looked up to the dark clouds of Vodania beyond their fortress, as he said to himself...
"If the Dream Traveler is headed where I think he's headed... something much worse awaits him."