Reunion Three (Guntz)

We've been standing at the bank's counter for about half an hour now.

I already spoke with the sole teller – a petite, La-Lakooshan woman – about depositing our bounty and getting Klonoa set up. Now, just behind the divider glass, she finished counting out all one hundred thousand dorees, and started typing on her computer terminal – presumably to update our accounts.

While we waited, I took a quick glance at Klonoa to my right, idly fiddling with his shirt's zipper pull. He seems to have relaxed a bit since our last conversation, though his face still bore a vacant look.

I thought about asking what's on his mind, but… well, depending on his response, it… probably wouldn't be appropriate to discuss with the teller nearby. Besides, I already said I'd ask him first before telling others about our conversations, so whatever it is, he probably wouldn't want to talk about it out in the open anyway.

Probably for the best – as I looked out into the bank's lobby, there were about five others within earshot, in line behind us, with about twenty more behind the ATMs lining the side walls.

I was about to turn back towards the counter, before a familiar-looking pangolin, whose head reached a bit taller than the others, silently flagged me down from one of the ATMs. Orange scales ran down his neck and back, and his round form was covered with a pair of green overalls. Pinned to them was a gold hero medal, the same kind as on my chest.

He pointed towards the entrance and… was he mouthing out something? From where I was, his lips seemed to read "me…ou…si…"

Meet outside? I nodded; if he's who I thought he was, then it'd probably be nice to see how he's holding up – maybe take Klonoa's mind off the shadow, if only for a bit.

He nodded back, before he turned back towards his ATM, and I turned back to the counter. I glanced at Klonoa to see if he noticed the pangolin – doesn't look like it; his eyes were still fixated on his zipper pull.


After another minute or two, the teller seemed to finish up. She handed me two ATM cards: my personal one, and a new one for Klonoa.

"Alright, you're all set." she told us.

"Thanks." I responded, pocketing both cards. "And, um, while we have you here…" I lowered my voice, "did a masked person in black combat gear come here before us? He's the one who gave us our bounty, and… well, if he came here to withdraw it before…"

"Sir, with all due respect," the teller answered, bluntly, "I'm not allowed to disclose information regarding potential clients of ours."

"I see… well, thanks anyway."

"Of course."

I tapped Klonoa on the shoulder, motioning for him to come with me. While we walked back over to the entrance, I glanced back at that ATM, from where the pangolin flagged me down. He was no longer there – must've gone outside already.

A few paces in, Klonoa tapped my shoulder. "So," he began, "I heard the teller's answer… guess we'll have to ask elsewhere, huh?"

"Looks like it." I answered. "In the meantime, though… did you notice anyone at the ATMs trying to get our attention?"

"I… don't think so…"

"Thought not; he wants to meet us outside."

"You think he saw that shadow?"

"Probably, but…" I hesitated, stopping right in front of the entrance. "I think it'd be good for you to talk to him either way."

"How come?" Klonoa asked, stepping outside. "If he doesn't kno-"

He fell silent, his eyes locking onto two figures standing near the Red Clan II.

"Hey, Klonoa!" said the taller figure – the pangolin from before – his voice cheerful.

"P-Pango?" Klonoa said back – that slight grin seemed to return to his face.

"Good to see ya again!" said the second figure – a small, pangolin boy in blue overalls. He bore a medal similar to Pango's – only his was bronze in color.

"Boris?" Klonoa rushed towards them, falling into their embraces. "I thought you guys're preparing for the summer festival!"

"Oh, we are." Boris remarked. "Daddy was about to start on the fireworks, but we needed to come here for materials first."

"Right." his father added. "Turns out, unleashing multiple Rolling Blasters against a giant nightmare-eating whale dried up my gunpowder supply."

I could've sworn I heard Klonoa chuckle a bit. "Makes sense." he said, leaving the pangolins' embrace.

"Agreed. We didn't know if you already finished your gig coming in, but we saw Guntz's bike here and thought we could check up on you two – we needed money for the gunpowder, anyway."

"I see…" Klonoa sighed, still grinning slightly.

"Say, um…" Boris chimed in, "speaking of your gig, how did it go?"

"It was…" Klonoa began, "it was fine, I guess. Though it felt like Guntz and I tore through the phantom beasts more easily than before."

"Figures," Pango said, grinning, "you've both grown so strong on our last journey…"

"You too… actually, Guntz said the same thing once we wrapped up."

"It's true." I added, just now approaching the three.

"Yeah, although…" Klonoa continued, his grin fading once again, "since you two arrived, you… you haven't run into anyone wearing black combat gear by any chance, have you?"

"N-no…" Pango answered, his and Boris' grins fading likewise, "I can't say we have. How come?"

"Well," Klonoa elaborated, "we saw this shadowy figure on one of the factory's catwalks… we think he was our client, as he dropped a bag containing our bounty near us once we were finished."

He pulled a small card – the card that was taped to our bounty – out of his pocket, handing it to Pango. "And this was attached to it."

"Hrmm…" Pango muttered, reading the card. "'We shall meet again, Golden Killer'?"

He turned to me. "He knows you?"

"I mean," I began, "my nickname isn't exactly a secret; I figured he'd heard of me from one of my other gigs. Though, we're mainly concerned about the symbol on the back."

Pango turned the card over, looking at the yellow, 4-pointed cross. "Your mark, right?" he asked.

"Sorta – it's really Pops' mark, but he let Janga put it on his hat, back when they were partners. Now, Klonoa's convinced…"

"The figure's Janga." Klonoa finished my statement. "Or, at least, someone loyal to him."

"I see…" Pango sighed, turning back to Klonoa. "I'd probably guess it's the latter; after all, I saw the cat fall into that magma crater…"

"I know." I cut in. "Klonoa and I already discussed it – he's worried Janga somehow survived that and the multiple rounds I put in him."

"Right." Klonoa added. "Either way, I… I just wanna make sure he and his sworn allies are dead once and for all – try to put my mind at ease."

"Because he poisoned you?" Boris asked.

"W-well," Klonoa continued, clutching his chest slightly, "it's… more than that, actually. It's a long story, but…" A few tears seemed to creep out of his eyes. "If he and Joka hadn't kidnapped Lolo, or… or forced her to use her prayers to revive Nahatomb, then… then she'd still be with us now…"

"Oh…" Boris muttered, a pensive look growing on his face. "I… I didn't know he was…"

"It's fine. Although, even if he hadn't kidnapped her, Guntz'd have his own reason to go after that cat."

The young pangolin turned to me. "Is that so?"

I nodded. "See, when I was Klonoa's age, he…" I hesitated. "He poisoned my pops in front of me."

"Same poison as…?"

"Yep." Klonoa cut in, still clutching his chest. "In fact, it's only thanks to Guntz and your dad that I'm still alive."

"Indeed." I added, sighing. "Pops, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky…"

We waited, wondering how Boris would react. He didn't respond right away, nor did his expression fall any farther.

After a few moments, he slowly approached Klonoa and me, his face still pensive.

Then, without warning… he hugged us, resting his head on my mane. "I…" he whimpered, "I don't know what to say…"

"It's alright." I said back, my hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to say anything."

"Agreed." Klonoa added.

"Thanks…" Boris said, before motioning for Pango to come over. "But, this Janga… if that shadow's him, then…"

He glanced at his father, almost like he was seeking approval for something. Pango nodded to him.

"Then…" he continued, "we'll help you find him… knowing you two, he'll be dead once and for all!"