Here's chapter three, finally. Sorry it took so long. I was planning to make it longer, but decided not to keep you waiting. Enjoy!
I don't own any characters except Rastik, Kopaska, Yudenno, Morval, the newly added Morval's Swift, and anyone I used from my last story.
La-Lakoosha Woods, Lunatea
Klonoa followed the other students to the center of the woods. When they came to a tree, Rastik turned around. "Okay, everyone," he said, "we'll split up here. Come back to this spot when the sun shines through the bell." He pointed toward the Bell of Tranquility. He then lifted up his stick. It glowed, and soon, in its place was a large spear with the same carvings on it. He made an 'X' in the tree with the tip of the spear, then nodded. Everyone ran off in different directions.
Klonoa soon came across his first monster: a flying Moo. It dove at him, but he dodged the strike and countered with an attack. "Rain of Nails!" he shouted. Sharp nails shot out of Klonoa's ring and placed themselves over the flying Moo. They rained down on it, piercing its skin and sending it crashing to the ground. Klonoa picked it up and ran it back to the tree, where there were quite a few other animal hides, and some fruits as well. He put the flying Moo hide down near the others and went back into the woods. He repeated the process of piercing the monsters and taking their hides, as well as picking up any fruits that caught his eye. He would occasionally see one of the other students putting down a hide or fruit of their own. The pile soon grew quite large.
The sun was nearing the bell now. Klonoa went back in for one last hide. Soon, he saw a Likuri and readied his ring for an attack. Just then, however, something strange caught his eye. There was something slithering down the tree that the Likuri was near. It looked nothing like any monster he had seen before. It was very dark purple, and looked like a chameleon with evil eyes, horns, and fangs. When it moved, colors seemed to trail from it, like it was a painting. It lunged at the Likuri and became one with it. The Likuri now had dark colors, as well as all the other features of the creature, including its paint-like movement. It swiped at Klonoa, and he jumped back. He would have to fight.
"Emerald Arrow!" he shouted. An arrow seemingly made of pure emerald shot from his ring. However, when the arrow had come a few feet away from it, the creature sidestepped the arrow and caught it in its hand. It was strange, though. Time seemed to go slower as the creature sidestepped Klonoa's assault. Also, while he was sidestepping, the paint effect had ceased, and then come right back into effect when the creature stood in place.
The creature saw Klonoa's amazement and took this time to attack. It created a bow from its arm and shot the arrow back at Klonoa. When Klonoa came out of shock, it was too late. The arrow was barely an inch from him. It pierced straight through his arm. "Aaaaaaaggggghhhhhh!" Klonoa shouted in pain. He collapsed, holding his arm in hopes that the searing pain would cease. The Likuri-creature exploded, leaving the chameleon-like creature in its place. It approached Klonoa, ready to finish him off.
Back at the tree marked with the 'X', the other students met up. They looked around, and saw that Klonoa hadn't come back yet. "I'll look for him," said Dark Death.
"I'm coming, too!" said Flieber.
Dark Death and Flieber ran into the woods. They began their search. They looked in hollowed-out trees, on tree branches, behind rocks, even in snake holes, but to no avail. They sat down and wondered where he could be, when they heard a scream of pain that sounded just like him. They ran toward its direction to see Klonoa lying in front of a purple, chameleon-like creature. He was holding his arm, though they weren't sure what for. All they knew was that they had to help him right away.
The creature looked at Dark Death and Flieber. He glared at them for quite a while. They returned the glare. After what seemed like forever, the creature ran away. Dark Death and Flieber ran up to Klonoa. "Mister Klonoa," said Flieber, "are you okay?"
Klonoa just winced in pain, his teeth clenched tightly. "Arm…" he said weakly. "Look at…arm…"
They looked at his arm and saw the problem. An arrow had pierced his arm. Dark Death examined the arrow. Then he remembered that during that day's training round, Klonoa had fired an arrow just like that at him. "We have to get him back to the guest house, quickly!" said Dark Death. "Something very strange is going on."
Flieber helped Dark Death lift Klonoa up and bring him to the tree. The others were surprised. "What happened?" asked Kopaska.
"We're not sure," said Dark Death, "but we have to bring him to Reyza."
Everyone agreed. They picked up Klonoa, who had now fallen unconscious, and ran him back to Reyza's Island.
Reyza's Island, Lunatea
Reyza was preparing the Training Block for Mental Training when the students ran up to him carrying Klonoa. "What is the meaning of this?" asked Reyza. He looked at Klonoa, who was unconscious. "What happened?"
"Look at his arm, Master!" said Rastik.
Reyza did look at Klonoa's arm. There was an arrow in it. "Oh my," said Reyza. "How did this happen?"
"We're not sure, Master," said Dark Death, "but what I am sure of is that this is one of his arrows. He shot one at me during training today."
"But then he would've had to attack himself!" said Reyza.
"Not quite, Master Reyza, sir!" said Flieber. "When Mister Dark Death and me found Mister Klonoa, there was a weird monster in front of him. What would you describe it like, Mister Dark Death?"
"It looked like a chameleon," said Dark Death, "but there was something about it I couldn't quite put my finger on…"
"Yeah, there was something wrong with its skin!" said Flieber. "It was like its colors were coming off!"
"I've never heard of such a thing…" said Reyza. He shook his head. "Well, for now, we must get Klonoa to thehospital. Kopaska, call Tat. Yudenno, Dark Death, you two help me stabilize Klonoa's arm. Flieber, Rastik, fetch me some of those red herbs from my medicine cabinet. They'll keep Klonoa from losing any more blood. Hurry, now!"
Everyone did as they were told. Soon, Tat was there with her plane, which now had more passenger seats for her airline service. They loaded Klonoa onto the plane on a stretcher and immediately flew to the New Kingdom of Sorrow.
New Kingdom of Sorrow, Lunatea
As soon as Tat landed, Lolo and Leorina were there to meet them. "Just what is going on?" asked Leorina.
"No time to explain," said Reyza. With the help of his students, he got Klonoa out of the plane. They carried his stretcher to the hospital. There, he was put into surgery. Reyza and his students took this time to explain the situation to Lolo and Leorina. After they were finished, Reyza asked, "What can your surgeons do about it?"
"Well," said Leorina, "they can remove the arrow without any damage, but I'm not sure if we can heal his arm. We'll have to see the extent of the damage."
Reyza nodded and said, "I see. Well, if there's any progress, let me know."
Leorina nodded. She looked at Lolo, who was looking in at the surgery. Leorina stood next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry," she said to Lolo, "he'll be okay."
Lolo nodded. "I know, but I can't help wondering if this is my fault…"
"Why would it be your fault?" asked Leorina.
"It might have something to do with that machine I made," she said in reply. "You see…"
Blackness, Unknown Dream
Klonoa woke up and looked around. He was surrounded by darkness everywhere he looked. And yet, he could see faint wisps of color. They had the same paint-like motion as…what was it? What had happened?
Oh right…the monster…it shot my arrow back at me…but how? What was that thing, anyway?
"You still don't know?" Klonoa heard a voice from the darkness. "Hmmph. I don't know why they chose you as a Dream Traveler. You know nothing of your destiny."
"What?" said Klonoa. He got up, but the piercing pain was still in his arm. He didn't see any arrow. Rather, there was a faint burst of light, with the same paint-like effect. "Who are you?" he asked the voice.
"Who am I?" said the voice. "That is none of your concern for now. You do not even know of your own destiny! Why should you know of mine?"
"But I didn't ask for that," said Klonoa. "I asked who you were."
"Hmmph!" said the voice again. "Do you not realize that our destinies are who we are? Our destinies shape our lives. They give them meaning. But how would you know that? You are but a fool, stumbling along the path presented before him. I tried to give you guidance, but you failed miserably. And so here you are. I will give you one chance to redeem yourself, Klonoa, but only one! If you cannot defeat my creature this time, I will destroy you, for it would show your unworthiness for being a Dream Traveler."
The chameleon-like creature appeared before Klonoa. A Moo also appeared, and the creature became one with it, just like it did with the Likuri in the forest. Klonoa readied himself, ignoring the pain in his arm the best he could. The creature darted at him, but he dodged once again. I have to be more careful this time, Klonoa thought to himself, especially with my arm. He threw his ring up into the air and said, "Flying Sawbalde!" The ring spun around very quickly. Its edges turned razor-sharp. It flew toward the monster, which sidestepped it. It had the same effect as in the forest: the monster's paint effect ceased, and returned when it stood still. The ring flew back into Klonoa's hand. No good! thought Klonoa. I need a better plan! He threw the Sawblade again, this time purposely aiming a bit to the left of the monster. It sidestepped to the right, making the paint effect go away, and then stopped, making the effect return. Suddenly, the Sawblade did a U-turn in the air and ripped through the monster. It settled back into Klonoa's hand. He looked at the monster's halves. They got back up and reformed into two monsters. "What?" said Klonoa. "No way! How am I supposed to defeat this thing?"
"You really think I will tell you?" said the voice.
Klonoa sighed. There has to be some way to beat it… he thought. He lured one of the monsters to attack him and noticed the same thing he noticed when it sidestepped: the paint effect stopped. He then lured both monsters to attack him. They swiped at him, and the paint-like effect ceased. He dodged, and had a split-second to strike back. "Rain of Nails!" he shouted. The nails shot out at them while the paint-like effect was still gone, and they ripped through the monsters. This time, however, the pieces didn't get up.
"Impressive," said the voice. The creatures disappeared. "I underestimated you, Klonoa. You do have what it takes to become a great Dream Traveler. But to do that, you need more guidance. I cannot give much more to you now. Seek another Dream Traveler for help. 'Till next we meet, Klonoa." The world around Klonoa dissipated, and he returned to consciousness.
New Kingdom of Sorrow, Lunatea
Klonoa found himself in an operation room, with several people operating on his arm. One of the surgeons said, "He woke up!"
Another said, "Get Miss Leorina!"
Klonoa sat up on the operating table. He looked at his arm. The arrow was gone, and in its place was a scar. He heard a voice in his head: To remember your first failure…keep on trying when you fall, and not even death can stop you.
The operators noticed that the arrow was gone. "Hey, what happened to it?" one of them said.
Klonoa got up off the table. An operator immediately said, "No, sir, you can't get up! You're still not stable!"
Klonoa shoved him aside. "Outta my way, buddy," he said calmly, "I need to talk to someone." He wasn't sure where he was to go, but he knew he had to find someone. Another Dream Traveler? Where was he to find one here? Well, first he had to meet up with his friends and ask them the questions he wanted answers for. He walked out of the hospital and began his search.
Meanwhile, at a café on the other side of the Kingdom, Leorina and Lolo were talking.
"So you see," said Lolo, "that's why it might be my fault."
Leorina nodded. "Did you know about the risk when you made it?"
"Yes," said Lolo in reply, "but Dark Death said not to worry about it. There was little to no chance it would happen, so…"
She was interrupted by a man running up to Leorina and saying, out of breath, "Miss…Leorina…its about Klonoa…"
Leorina shot up from her seat. "What happened?" she asked, immediately concerned with the matter at hand. "Is he okay?"
"He's…fine," said the man, "but he…left the hospital…" He stood up straight and sucked in a bunch of air. "He said he needed to talk to someone, and then he just left. We're not sure if he's stable yet, but he seemed fine. Do you know where he might be going?"
Leorina shook her head. "I have no idea," she said, "but we have to find him. Who knows where he is right now? He could be…" She stopped and gazed over the man's shoulder.
"What?" asked the man. "What is it?"
Lolo looked too. She burst into joy when she saw what was coming. "Klonoa!" she nearly squealed, running toward him. "You're okay!"
Klonoa, who was still quite a distance away, smiled. "Hey Lolo!" he shouted back. Lolo ran up and hugged him. She had built up a little too much extra momentum, though, and ended up knocking Klonoa over. "Ow!" he said as he hit the ground.
Lolo got off him. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" she said, worried. "Are you hurt? Is your arm okay?"
"I'm fine, Lolo," said Klonoa. "Where are Reyza and the others? I need to get around to asking them my questions."
"Oh, they should be here any second," said Leorina, walking up to them. "We ordered a runner to get them if anything happened. But I'm confused…how did you get better all of a sudden?" She looked at his arm. "Wait…where did that arrow go?"
"I'm not quite sure myself," said Klonoa. "But I do know one thing: I need my questions answered today."
Leorina nodded. "Anything you have to ask us?"
Klonoa thought about it for a moment. "Yes, but I need to ask the others a few things first. Come over to Reyza's later, okay?"
Lolo and Leorina nodded. Just then, they saw Reyza running toward them with his students following him. "We came as soon as we could," said Reyza. "What happened?" He looked at Klonoa. "Ah, I see you're all better. They got the arrow out?"
"Well, no," said Klonoa. "It's a long story. Before I can say anything, I need you to answer my questions."
"Yes, of course," said Reyza. He turned to Lolo and Leorina. "We're going back to my island for dinner, okay?"
They both nodded. "Do you mind if we join you?" asked Lolo.
"Of course not," said Reyza. They all hopped in Tat's plane and headed toward Reyza's island.
Reyza's Island, Lunatea
They reached the island and got out of the plane. "Flieber, you go prepare dinner for our guests. Klonoa, come with me." He walked toward the tree in the center of his island until he was covered in its shade. Klonoa followed. Reyza sat down and asked, "So, Klonoa, what is it you want to ask me?"
"Well," said Klonoa, "I have several questions. But first things first: I fell asleep twice in this world. How did that happen?"
"A good question," said Reyza, "because it is one easily answered. You see, as a Dream Traveler, you have the ability to become one with your dream when you're there. So the things the people on your dream can do, you can do as well."
"I see," said Klonoa. "Okay then, next question: how exactly does that training block of yours work?"
Reyza smiled. "Follow me," he said. "I'll show you."
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And that caps off chapter three. For those of you still reading this story, stick around for chapter four!
