(April 12 2024)—-

Things are at an all time high since I got here. When I first came here, I was a clueless and very VERY dehydrated cabbit that didn't know a soul. Now I have a safe place to lay my head at the end of the day, many great friends and even an army. I also not only know why I'm in this dimension, but we've carried out successful operations against Chris-Chan's cruelty. We re-took a hospital, helped secure parts of Chris-Chan's enforcer, Akechi's, region, rescued Narukami's little sister and we're all here to tell the tale… but I've been very sad these past five days since shutting down Akechi's dungeon of love. I remember what Narukami said in the garage after we rescued Nanako; 'I know it's a bit soon, but after everything we went through, you're honestly starting to feel like second family to me.' I have a family for now, but right after we accomplish what I was sent here to do, I'll be sent back to the void of nothingness. I have no control over that. I'll leave my family. I know this isn't a good thought, but what if I didn't finish the mission on purpose? Could I stay here with Narukami and Suomi, my family? No… that's not an option. I have to defeat Chris-Chan. The least I can do is help my family by taking out the biggest threat to the dimension they live in. I hate thinking about what's best for myself, it seems selfish. It's just that… this is eating away at me. It's a vicious cycle and I've been through it twice already. I tried to not let myself get too attached, but I couldn't help it. As I was stewing all this over, I heard a knock on my bedroom door.

"Klonoa? Are you okay?" That was Suomi's voice. I've barely left my room since the successful mission. I opened my mouth to answer her, but all the sadness I had done my best to keep inside bubbled up. An emotional pain started in my torso and worked its way violently up my throat. The emotional pain was so great, it almost felt like a physical pain. I ended up just sitting on my bed with my mouth hanging open.

"Klonoa... I'm worried about you. Can I come in?" She asked. I scrunched my face up, hoping it would make the pain go away. It didn't. Tears were welling up, I couldn't stop myself from crying. I covered my face with my hands, then I heard the door open slowly, creaking as it did. I was trying so hard to not audibly cry, but my throat tightened up and when I exhaled it made a groggy whistling sound. She walked over to me slowly and lightly hugged me.

"I'm…. sorry…" I said in between gasps for air.

"I haven't seen you for a while. Why are you so sad?" Suomi said. I figured I'd feel better if I told her everything. I mean… she feels like family to me. I've never actually had a family. Even my grandpa back in Phantomile wasn't real. This time though, it feels real. Like I'm getting to know a new family, from the ground up. It took some courage, but after a few seconds, I opened my mouth to speak.

"I have to leave this world after I save it. I'll never see you again when it's all over." I admitted after regaining some semblance of composure.

"You'll be going back to your home?" Suomi asked. That question hurt so much.

"I… I don't have a home. I don't belong anywhere." I said barely above a whisper. Suomi looked at me with a confused look, tilting her head slightly. "I'm a dream traveler. I get sent to different realities and I save them from ruination. After all is said and done, I go back to… nowhere. Literally just a void. I'm all alone and I never know how long I'll be alone. When I went to my first world, I was only ten years old."

"How long were you in your first world?" Suomi asked me.

"No more than a week." I answered. "But it felt like more than a week. I was given fake memories so it felt like I was there all my life. Honestly, I accepted my role as a dream traveler after I saved the second dimension I went to, Lunatea, but this one feels different."

"Different how?" Suomi asked.

"I don't want to leave this world. I thought it would be easy when I first came here, but it's not. I met You and Narukami, and now I don't want to leave anymore. I want this vicious cycle to end here." Suomi sat there thinking for a little bit.

"How long were you in Luna… Loony… that other place?" Suomi asked, struggling to say 'Lunatea.' It was kinda funny. As dumb as it sounds, that lifted my spirits a little bit.

"I was there for three days, I think." I answered. Suomi perked up a bit.

"Think about this, Klonoa." Suomi said. "You weren't in those other worlds very long, but I think you'll be here for a long time. There are a lot of things we have to accomplish before we can end this war. That gives us lots of time to find a way around this." I wiped a tear from my eye as she said that. "I'll help you find a way, and I'm sure Narukami will too. I don't want you to leave either."

"Suomi…" I started. "How can I ever repay you?"

"This is my way of repaying you." Suomi said gratefully. "You saved me from being violated by a fat greasy creep. I'm free now because of you. I had lost hope, and you gave it back to me. When you took that blindfold off of me back at the security station, I literally felt like I was looking at the embodiment of hope. I was serious when I said, 'I owe you my life.'" We sat in silence for about a minute. I didn't know what to say, but I felt a lot better. Maybe we will find a way with all the time we've got. I don't think I need to dread the end anymore. "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you." Suomi started, breaking the silence. That was a good thing, by the way. "Kar98k's throwing some sort of party upstairs later this evening, wanna go?"

"Sure." I answered. "What kind of party is it?"

"I don't know… some German drinking thing or something." Suomi answered.

—-

I went to the third floor later that evening. I forgot to ask Suomi when the party was starting, but I didn't have to. The party was so loud I ended up following the noise in order to find where the party was. Right when I went into the room, everyone stood up.

"Shikikan Klonoa!" They all yelled and cheered. Even Narukami stood up and raised his glass. I noticed Kar98k behind a counter, but she was wearing something… different. It was like an old-timey dress, and it showed a lot of cleavage. She motioned me over to the counter.

"Guten Abend!" Kar98k started. "Vas kann ich ihnen bringen?" What can I get you?"

"Why are you wearing something different tonight?" I asked her.

"Es ist Oktoberfest! Well, Oktoberfest in April!" She exclaimed. "Because we could all use a party after the victory we had, ya? Anyway, what can I make for you, Shikikan?"

"Ummm…" I was trying to think of something that wouldn't make me sound stupid. I've never been to a party like this before, but I remembered Suomi saying it was a 'drinking' party, I had little idea of what that meant. I started scanning the shelves with tons of bottles on them and picked out a random one. "I'll have rum!" I mostly chose that because it was easy to pronounce.

"You want it… straight?" She asked with a shocked expression.

"Yes… I mean no?" I was really grasping at straws here.

"Meine Güte…" Kar started. "You don't know what you're doing, do you?"

"No I do not." I outright admitted.

"Alright mein freund," Kar started, "What's your current favorite thing to drink?"

"Apple juice." I answered. "I love apple juice almost as much as jolly ranchers."

"Ach so…" Kar took a glass bottle out of a mini fridge, took the top off using some sort of metal thingy and put it in front of me. "Das ist ein Angry Orchard. Unten nach oben."

"What's that mean?" I asked her. She then took a mug out from beneath the counter.

"Bottoms up." She answered. I took a sip, and it was extremely good! It was carbonated and it had this really strange aftertaste. It was like a new twist on apple juice! I couldn't put the bottle down. I kept sucking it down. Kar98k looked very concerned.

"Vorsichtig sein, Shikikan." Kar98 said. "You might want to pace yourself."

"Oh trust me… I don't." I said after I got the last few drops of Angry Orchard out of the bottle and put it back on the counter. "I need another one." Kar98k sighed and got another one.

"Pace yourself this time. I don't want you waking up with ein uber headache tomorrow." She warned.

"I won't get a headache." I reassured Kar98k. "Apple juice has never given me a headache." Kar98k was staring me down as I took my first drink. I wanted to just down it, but I didn't want a lecture in German… or any other language for that matter. It was starting to get kind of tense… "I'm… gonna go socialize." I said to Kar98k.

"Viel Spaß beim betrinken." Kar98k muttered under her breath. I walked around for a little bit. Everyone was having fun and chatting. Everytime I walked by a table, someone would stick their cup or bottle out and expect me to softly hit their drink with mine. I wasn't sure why.

"Shikikan! Sit with us!" I looked over. It was 45. She was sitting with 9 and G11, who was asleep, as usual. I sat down with them.

"It's good to see the three of you doing well after being locked in a closet." I said.

"Wow, kind of starting off on a dark note." 9 jokingly said.

"Don't listen to her, Shikikan." 45 said. "We're all grateful to you and Narukami for freeing the hospital from Akechi's grubby hands, isn't that right, G11?" G11 didn't respond at all. She was still asleep.

"How is she still asleep?" I asked. "It's pretty loud in here."

"Nothing can wake her up, Shikikan." 9 said as she grabbed her empty bottle. "Here, watch this..." She leaned over and smashed her bottle on the table, right next to G11's head. Not only did she not wake up, but she also didn't even flinch. "...And that's why we call her 'Sleepo-beepo.' 9 said. I was in disbelief. I'm just hoping she doesn't conk out during a mission.

"That aside," 45 started, "Where have you been? We haven't seen you for a long while."

"I was dealing with… something personal." I answered.

"Ooohhh, 'personal' he says!" 9 cooed. "Tell me all about it! Is there something going on down South?"

"Down South?" I pondered. "Wasn't the dungeon of love to the West?"

"She's talking about something else." 45 said. "9, stop being a moron." I was very confused.

"By the way, where's HK?" I asked.

"She doesn't like parties." Answered 9. "She's no fun at all. She's got the biggest stick in the world up her butt."

"Well don't be too hard on her." I said. "She was part of the reason why we re-took the hospital. Although not going to lie, Narukami and I wouldn't have even found this place if it wasn't for Suomi."

"I honestly thought Suomi had been killed after she was taken away." 45 started. "Honestly, everything you've done for us… I feel like we'll never be able to fully repay you."

"Maybe this will help." 9 said as she climbed on the table.

"Oh, please don't." 45 said as she did her best to cover her face.

"Attention everyone!" 9 yelled. The chatter in the room slowly died down. "None of us would be enjoying ourselves right now if we were still under Akechi's thumb. In fact, we'd be packed like sardines in the sleeping room, only to get up super early the next morning and do work for a bunch of fruity CWC guards. It's because of Klonoa that we have the freedom we've been hoping for since we came to this dimension."

"She's right!" I saw Suomi standing on a table across the room. "The entire time I was held prisoner, I kept hoping Akechi would get what was coming to him. At a certain point, I gave up all hope because... I didn't think there was a reason to have any hope. Finally, one day, Klonoa and Narukami came to the security station, untied me and took me in! Thank you, Shikikan!"

"Akechi is going to pay for what he's done!" Now Narukami was standing on a table. "Akechi showed no mercy. He's using his authority to cause pain and misery, and nothing more! Akechi wants to show no mercy? Then we have no mercy to show him!" Everyone started cheering. "Klonoa!" Narukami started. "You are my brother! I will fight alongside you and I will always watch your back out there! We will be Akechi's downfall! Then we will take it right to Chris-Chan and all his other Lieutenants!"

"If I may quote Chris-chan…" 9 yelled, "We are going to shove his butt… down his throat… and make him eat his UNDERWEAR!" 9 didn't actually say 'butt,' though.

"Yep, I knew she was going to say something embarrassing." 45 muttered while smiling.

"If I may," I said as I climbed onto the table. "I wouldn't be here without Narukami. He saved my life when I first came here. Give him some appreciation as well!"

"Everyone raise your glasses!" 9 yelled. Everyone did as 9 said, me included. "TO KLONOA AND NARUKAMI!" Everyone burst out cheering, except for G11, who was somehow sleeping through all of this. 9 came close to me. "What do you like to drink, Shikikan?" She asked.

"Well, I like angry orchards, but Kar98k said-" I was cut off.

"To heck with what Kar98k said!" 9 shouted. "Yo, Kar! Get our Shikikan another angry orchard!"

"But he's already-" Kar98k was cut off by 9.

"Kar, do it now!" 9 yelled. Kar very quickly ran an angry orchard to me and opened it for me.

(April 13 2024)_—-

Kar98k was right. I woke up the next morning with a headache. Not exactly sure why, but I should probably be more careful in the future with what I drink. Apparently apple juice can hurt me. I rolled out of bed and right when I stood up, there it was again. That dehydrated feeling I knew a little too well. I had to go get some water. I was walking down the hallway, and I ran into Narukami and Nanako.

"Big bro, is that Klonoa?" Nanako asked.

"It sure is." Narukami said. "Want to say 'thank you' to him for getting you out of the castle?"

"Thank you Klonoa." Nanako said. "I didn't like it in the castle. The gray haired man was really mean to everyone."

"You are very welcome, Nanako." I said. "How have you been getting along with everyone else?"

"Everyone here is really nice, but I like Soapmod Junior a lot." Nanako said. "She likes to play with me." Just then, Sopmod Jr. came running down the hall.

"I tagged you!" Soppo said. "Now you have to chase me!" Nanako took off after her, both of them were laughing. Narukami chuckled.

"How are you doing?" Narukami asked me.

"I think Kar98k was right. I'm dehydrated again. Not to mention my monstrous headache." I answered.

"I figured that would be the case." Narukami said. "I brought you a water bottle."

"Thanks, big bro." I teased.

"Only Nanako can call me 'big bro.'" Narukami said. "You can just call me 'bro, how about that?'" MP5 came running around the corner.

"Shikikan, Narukami, you two are awake! You two need to come see this! It's hilarious!" MP5 said. She started running, so Narukami and I followed. It was kind of hard for me to run, not going to lie. She led us to the waiting area in the lobby, which had a big TV. She rapidly tapped me on the shoulder after I sat down, she was really riled up.

"This is gonna be so funny!" MP5 said in between bursts of laughter. When the TV came on, it showed Akechi and Chris-Chan sitting down in chairs across from each other. I think it was supposed to be some kind of interview.

"Hmmm…" Chris started with his typical depressed-yet-condescending-sounding sigh. "So Akechi, how are things going in the region of which I have asked you to keep things in control?" Akechi adjusted his tie before he answered the question.

"Well, Goddess Sonichu," Akechi started. I cringed. I looked over to Narukami, who was cringing and clenching his fist. MP5 was just laughing. "Besides the obvious and unwarranted enemy raid on the private security station three weeks ago, I would say things are going quite well and everything is under control, which is the way it will stay. I can assure you, any uprisings attempted by the enemy are being quickly and thoroughly shut down."

"I'm glad you think that…" Chris-Chan started. "But you are very wrong. You see… I wanted to lose more of my virginity, so I went to your dungeon of love. And I went there, and instead of seeing many of the beautiful females you had procured in the past… I saw lots of dead soldiers. YOUR soldiers. It stressed me out, so I went to visit my boo Neptune and she gave me a massage." Akechi had a look of complete shock on his face. "That's also including the fact that you lost the beautiful blonde female I chose to make into my heartsweet, among which."

"Suomi…" I whispered. I don't know exactly what Chris would have done to her, but I don't think it would have been good.

"Oh no… my apologies, Goddess Sonichu!" Akechi groveled. "I will personally see that whoever has committed this egregious action against you will be severely punished!" Chris sighed.

"That's good, Akechi. Because if you don't have this handled soon… I may have you labeled as a troll, among which you shall be thrown into my detention center." Chris threatened Akechi. MP5 fell off the couch laughing.

"That… that won't be necessary, Goddess Sonichu…" Akechi nervously said. "I will begin attending to these trollsome parasites very shortly. I will have them all on a skewer for your viewing pleasure."

"Hmmm…" Chris started. Not going to lie, I thought the sighs were pretty funny at first, but now I'm starting to get nervous. "Let me give you something to make you catch these trolls faster." Chris pulled out a piece of paper and showed it to Akechi. "This is a letter from Ignatius Mortimer Meen, the commander of the security force… at the castle. One of the trolls he describes… hmmm… seems quite familiar." Akechi read the letter with the widest eyes. He suddenly scowled.

"The prisoner who escaped my CWC Honor Guard training facility…" Akechi quoted part of the letter in an angry tone.

"I want the one they call 'Klonoa' imprisoned immediately. Mr. Meen also describes lots of young females who raided the dungeon. I want a few of them… for myself. I trust you will not fail me, Mr. Goro." Chris Chan said as he leaned back in his armchair with his arms crossed.

"I will not fail you, Goddess Sonichu!" Akechi said as he bowed to Chris. Akechi then came up close to the screen. "You heed my words, Klonoa, by the end of this week, you and your little pathetic army will be punished for your misdeeds against the land of CWCistan." The TV started becoming staticy, then the picture immediately cut to Neptune announcing the weather and wearing something that showed off a lot of her chest. I turned the TV off.

"Wasn't that hilarious?" MP5 asked. "Chris and Akechi are so funny and stupid!" I wasn't sure how seriously I should have taken that message, but if Akechi actually was going to attack us, we needed to find a way to be at least a few steps ahead. He'd probably kill me and Narukami, and then take all the T-dolls as prisoners and possibly kill a good number of them. I don't even want to know what will happen to Suomi if Chris gets his hands on her again. MP5's bright and cheery face slowly faded to a worried expression. "Wait, is he... actually coming for us?" MP5 asked shakily. I looked at Narukami. He nodded at me.

"MP5," I started. "Get everyone to the planning room. We have to plan our defenses." MP5's face went from worried to determined.

"Yes, Shikikan!" MP5 said before she ran off to tell the others. I looked back at Narukami.

"This isn't good…" Narukami started. "We're on Akechi's radar now."

"We need to choose our next actions carefully." I pondered outloud. "One wrong move and we could end up getting surrounded."