The Pangolin's Advice (Guntz)

We spent the rest of the day riding around town, asking if anyone caught a glimpse of that shadowy figure. Pango and Boris decided to split off and help cover more ground – I had Klonoa give them his radio so we could still keep in touch.

Maybe they'd have better luck with it, as most of the locals mistook me for one of Janga's men – like Klonoa said before, his hat and my pistols bore the same yellow cross. I initially thought it best to keep up the ruse (much to Klonoa's chagrin) to coerce them into telling us about the shadow, but they claimed they didn't know any more than I did.

After a few hours of this, Pango's voice crackled on my radio. "Guntz, Klonoa, do you read me?" he asked.

"Loud and clear." I answered into the microphone. "Any luck?"

"None so far." he responded. "Though, this one shopkeeper said if he's wearing black gear, then he's definitely not from Volk – they prefer ivy green here.

"That reminds me, did Janga ever say where he was from, by any chance?"

"I… don't believe so…"

"I see. In that case, I don't know if we'll get any mo-"

He fell silent.

"…You still there?" I asked.

"Y-yeah…" Pango answered. "I… I just didn't notice how late it's gotten, that's all."

I looked up. Since we weren't close to the main factory, there wasn't as much smoke lining the sky – the sun, now obscured by the city's buildings, cast red rays of light on the rooftops.

"R-right…" I added. "Thinking about stopping for now?"

"Pretty much – I figured we could grab dinner somewhere and stop at Volk's inn for the night… continue our search in the morning."

"Alright, then." I turned to Klonoa. "Is that alright with you?"

"I… I guess…" he said back.


After dinner, the four of us checked into an inn facing the dawn plaza, parking the Red Clan II next to a nearby streetlamp. Our room looked similar to back at Jugkettle's port, except this one had two king-size beds instead of full-size – one for Pango and Boris, and another for Klonoa and myself.

I started changing out of my street clothes, as did Klonoa and Boris. Just as I pulled off my gloves and jacket, however, I felt a small tap on my shoulder.

I looked over – it was Pango, leaning close to my ear. "Can we please talk outside?" he whispered. "It's about Klonoa."

"S-sure…" I whispered back, before turning to the two children.

"Boris? Klonoa?" I asked, just as Pango stepped out. "You think you can keep an eye on each other for a bit? Pango and I need to discuss something."

"On it." Boris answered.

"Thanks. And, Klonoa…" I leaned close to his ear, whispering: "If Pango asks, is it alright if I tell him what you told me near the bank?"

"If you need to." he whispered back.

With that confirmation, I went outside, meeting Pango near my bike.

"Let me guess…" I began, "you're worried Klonoa's mood's getting worse, too?"

"N-not just me…" Pango responded, nervously. "Popka, Chipple, Bo, his grandfather… everyone back in Breezegale's severely worried for him."

"Figures; I told him as much back at Jugkettle."

"You knew?"

"No, it's just… a kid his age losing someone close to him… I'd be worried for him, too, even if I hadn't lost Pops."

"Indeed. So, do you really think finding this shadow's gonna help?"

"…I mean, it's worth a shot. After all…" I told him about our pre-bank conversation – how Klonoa needed something to go forward to, my remaining jobs being repeats of our last one, and how he said he can rest easy once he's certain Lolo's death wasn't in vain.

"I see…" the pangolin said. "Like how you felt when we had Janga cornered?"

"Right."

"Alright, then. So, let's suppose you catch up to this shadow, and confirm that Janga and his allies are dead. What then?"

"W-well, I'm hoping by then, some better gigs'll be available for us… something more exciting than phantom beast cleanup, at least…"

"And if there aren't?"

I hesitated. "Honestly, I… haven't thought that far ahead… "

"We were afraid that'd be the case. Plus, ever since Popka said he can't lose Klonoa too, I… I can't help but think that…" He sighed, a tear rolling down his cheek. "…that he's gonna do something reckless while he's out."

Like join Lolo… I thought to myself. …Wait – did Popka tell him…?

"So what are you saying?" I asked the pangolin. "You think I should just send Klonoa home?"

"Please." he answered, resting his hands on my shoulders. "At least, once you deal with that shadow. With his mind the way it is, he's… he's gonna need all the help he can get."

I thought it over. "…Okay, but I don't know if he's willing to accept it. He said the last thing he needed was the entire village worrying for him… I know we both said they're already worried, but still.

"Besides, I'm the only other person he knows who experienced a similar loss at his age – that's why he's confided so much in me already."

"Hrmm…" Pango paused for a bit. "In that case… I might be able to help. Though, I was already an adult when it happened for me…"

He fell silent.

"…When what happened?"

"I'll give you a hint: where do you think Boris came from?"

"From your ex-wife, of course." I answered, nonchalantly.

Pango's expression fell. "S-sorry," I hastily added, "you… you never mentioned her before, a-and I didn't see her at Lolo's funeral, so I… I just assumed you divorced…"

"Not divorced." He hesitated again. "…Widowed."

A few more tears trickled down his cheeks. "Her name was Marigold, but I'd… I'd always call her Mari for short. She… she developed a tumor in her brain a… a few months after Bo was born, and…"

He didn't finish his statement… he just let his head drop down, his hands still on my shoulders – though like with Klonoa, he didn't sob outright.

"Oh…" I began pensively, resting my hands on Pango's shoulders as well. "I… I didn't realize…"

"It's fine; she… she still comes to visit in my dreams…"

He seemed to relax a bit. "My point is, if Klonoa needs someone to confide in back home, I'm his guy. Just… just promise me you'll bring him back safe, once the shadow's been taken care of?"

"Of course."

"Thanks, Guntz." We let go of each other's shoulders, and started heading back to our room. "Now, if you ever wanna come by and check up on him, you're more than welcome to stay with Bo and me. I could even set up Mari's old bed for you."

"Thanks, Pango."

"Any time."

With that, we re-entered our room. Boris and Klonoa were already in their nightclothes, sound asleep – Pango and I took care changing and getting into bed with them, so as not to disturb them.

Just before I closed my eyes, I took one last look at Klonoa, Pango's words echoing in my mind:

With his mind the way it is, he's… he's gonna need all the help he can get.