Almighty of Art

"Hm..." The Almighty looked back to the army, who began to settle down near the fires lit to celebrate their victory. "I suppose some of their moral is being damaged by the Catotons... We won, but I guess some of their words really cut deep."

Vee drummed out the attack ballad just as contently as she had told them to earlier. Internally, the Yaripons were wincing at the thought of having to continuously toss spears into the stubborn structure until it would finally give way. Ban, however, did not seem intimidated in the slightest. He charged right on ahead and gave that wall a good slash. That was all it took to expose the wooden supports of the building, a feat which had proved barely possible to the Yaripons.

That was also all it took to get Ton, Chin, and Kan to change their tune.

Ban brought his blade down on the stones once more to get it to collapse completely. The Catoton soldiers on the other side of that wall were then force to quickly swallow their fear and charge at the Patapons and their new beefy unit. The group of three Tateton lesser wild cats and three Yariton housecats split- the three melee units rushing to meet the enemy head-on while the spear-throwers were to hang back and chip away at the opponent by flinging their weapons. It was a solid plan, but ultimately ruined by Ban. At the command to attack, his sword caught all three Tatetons. The closest one to him plopped to the ground as the other two spontaneously caught fire and began to wildly run about in confusion. At the next command to attack, the Ancient Patapon warrior put these two out of their misery.   The Yaritons watched as this happened, and were rightfully stunned. Hoping the next wall would save them, they hid behind it and continued to lob spears at the juggernaut that was Ban Tatepon.

"What the deuce!?" One of them shrieked. "This guy just won't go down!"

The Catoton's excellent observation only served to invigorate Ban more. The rest of the army were wondering if their spears even mattered anymore as he brought down the wall his foes hid behind with only one swing. The impact of the flying debris sent the cat soldiers flying backwards while Ban only kept advancing. It didn't take much effort to cut them down.

"How are we faring up- H-h-holy smokes!"

Another fleet of four Yaritons arrived just at the right moment to witness the bloodshed. The last of the original squadron plopped at their feet, urking a "Ciao!" before perishing. "This is worse than we thought!" He said, pulling the other three at his side away from the danger. Behind him was an army Black-Footton cobbled together in light of the emergency at their front door. Now the fleet was six Tatetons strong, with the four Yaritons in the back. They didn't have the luxury of being lesser wild cats this time- everyone was ranked as a lowly Housecat unit. Even though everyone before them had been mowed down easily, this group hoped and prayed that their numbers would overwhelm the opposing army of four. "Get them!"The large force moved in, pushing the Yaritons to the back once more. For Ban, it was as if they were lining up at his blade. One swing brought down three of the ten-unit force, and then another cut brought it down to four once again. Ban went ahead cutting down the third wall that day as the Yaritons retreated. As soon as it came down, they were already scurrying behind the final one, hopelessly throwing their spears all the while. Once again, Ban attacked it as the excited Yaripons on his side made a great leap into the air as they threw their spears. The wall crumbled, and the cat-like Yaritons resigned themselves to their fate. Though they fought on still, it only took the Tatepon two swipes to reduce their numbers to zero. The final obstacle was an odd one- a headstone written in a dead language. "Oh- Wait a minute!" Hatapon came forward before Ban knocked this over as well, hoping to be able to read what it said. Other than Veeden and, allegedly, Vee- He was one of the very few who could still read and speak the language of the Ancients. Of course, Ban probably could too, but who was he to steal the little guy's thunder?

"...Oh... Oh dear." Hatapon whimpered, setting his hand over the grave solemnly. ""This is the final resting place of Pan Pakapon, Patapon Genius of the Horn", that's what it says... Poor Pan, I didn't know he- Hey!"Interrupting the moment, Vee ordered the army to attack once more, having Ban collapse the gravestone.

"What did you do that for, Great Vee!?" Hata snapped. "You can't just desecrate the dead like this, Almighty or not-" "Hata! Hata!" Chin interjected. "Stop yelling at our god and look!"

He had forgotten himself in that moment. From the headstone, Ban had procured the cap on Pan Pakapon and tossed it to the Mighty One to store away. All of Hatapon's humility came back to him, and he was too embarrassed to apologize right away.

"Well, we are out of danger." Ban said calmly as he walked forward, without the rest of the group. Ahead them was a simple brick house, which the Black-Footton they had been hearing so much about was likely hiding out in.

"You fought well. Glory to Vee!" "Ban... You sound like you're about to leave us!" Kan sniffled. "You can't do that, we just met you!"

The warrior looked at the four-man army to see that the eyes that once held looks of suspicion were now harboring tears. He could understand why, Ban missed being in an army as well. His look softened a bit. "Yes, I fear I do have to go. However, I will not leave you completely, Army of Vee!" Ban turned around and straightened his form. "Presenting the Memory of Tatepon, the mighty warrior. Tough as nails and lion brave. Soon, it will be our turn..."

By now, he was just about raring to go. However, Vee pushed past the army to come face-to-face with Ban. It was a bit unlike an Almighty to pull one of her warriors into a hug like this, but Vee did not care what anyone had to say about her form and how she presented herself. Of course, this took Ban aback, but he settled into the gesture nicely. It was secretly everyone's dream to feel the warm fluff that their Almighty represented. With this, he could properly retreat to heaven once more. "Ah, Great Vee..." He whispered to her ears. "If it is within your power... I've always wished for a daughter..." "In your honor, I swear it shall be done." The Goddess promised. "She will carry on your bloodline in your stead, you can count on it."

Ban smiled as she broke her hug and moved to side with her army again. His form then suddenly collapsed and fell apart as his spirit went free and slowly ascended to heaven with beautiful butterfly-like wings and antennae. On the ground where he stood, he had left them a scroll containing his memory, his shield, and quite a bit of Kaching. "Farewell! Oh, Great Vee!" His voice echoed as his shimmering spirit slowly faded from view. Vee commanded her army to advance, accepting the gifts Ban the Tatepon had left them. ~~~ Officer Black-Footton had a small crisis on his hands. It seemed like the large force he had put forth to deal with the problem was cut down in a matter of moments. While the army of Patapons continued to trash his base, Black-Footton made one last effort to the Catoton cause in the form of a letter carried by a surviving few.

General Gong, I know that by the time you read this, the Patapons will have overtaken us.They are marching again. The fort in Eyeball Forest is destroyed. We must stop them as soon as possible, before the world is lead to ruin! Please don't let our sacrifice be in vain. Long live Queen Kharmaness.

Officer Black-Footton

He didn't waste time with properly wrapping it up and sealing it with wax. The moment the ink was dry he rounded up his survivors and sent them away on horses. But he was not one to abandon a fight, even if he was the last Catoton alive here. Black-Footton was the captain of this little ship, and if he had to go down with it, he would!

He grabbed his trusty iron spear from its spot and prepared for a fight... That was until a chunk of the roof fell away. How could they be attacking already!? He was at the door when the rest of the structure fell apart on him, killing the officer. As his remains faded, only his iron spear remained. The marching Patapons quickly added the new weapon to their armory as they crossed the goal. They were now on their way to retaking Eyeball Forest! ~~~

"The Ancient Ban Tatepon asked for a daughter?" Veeden confirmed once Vee recounted the events in the forest to her that night. Everyone was pretty boisterous that night, and cheered loudly about how they finally had the Catotons on the run for once!

"Hmm... To do that... Come, Great Vee." Gently now, Veeden took the Mighty One's hand and led her away from the noise. "Allow me to show you to our sacred sanctuary..."

Vee was led to a magnificent tree unlike any other. Its branches curved inward towards itself at the ends, and the largest two curled together in an almost heart shape. Dotting these two thicker branches was a series of white, glowing orbs. The base of the tree showed protruding roots, and the dirt below it had clearly been dug up and reburied many times. Two Patapons with shovels stood by the great plant, looking very ready for some activity at last.

"This is Mater, the Tree of Life." Veeden said, motioning her staff to the mystical beauty. "Great warriors can be created here with the memory of the ancients, if you have the Kachings and the Materials to do so. You can also revive fallen units with her, so long as you have the cap!"

"Sooo, if we take the cap of good old Pan here-" Vee picked up the unusual headgear, prompting the shovel-wielding Patapons to dig a hole up. Dropping it in, she let the tree do the rest of the work.Mater glowed a light pink color as two orbs of light descended from the biggest branches, coming to form as one at the base of the tree. A single root that stuck upward then shot out Pan Pakapon, complete with cap and horn!

"Wha- What happened?" Pan looked around in a little panic. "I remember getting hurt and... Where's Ubo Bon!?" "Settle down, Pan Pakapon!" Vee intervened as coolly as ever. "You did die for a long time, yes. But now that you're back, I'm sure he'll be happy to see you again!" "Ah, yes! O-Okay, thank you, kind miss! Forgive me, but I need to go and check in on him! I'll be seeing you!" Just as quickly as he was revived, Pan Pakapon rushed off to go reunite Ubo Bon before Veeden could scold him about his behavior around Almighty Vee. Thankfully, she had other things to worry about.

"Well, let's see here..." Vee looked to the scroll left behind by Ban, reading the dead language clear as day. "To forge a Tatepon from the materials of the Earth, give the Great Tree of Life a stone to form their will and meat to strengthen their muscles..."

Stepping away while Vee read the scroll carefully, Veeden assembled the materials they needed. They had obtained a few stones from the day's encounter, as for the meat... Ban wouldn't have wanted just any Patapon for a child. Veeden took a drumstick of Tender Meat and brought it to Vee. "It will be more expensive, but I do believe it is worth it Great Vee!" Veeden chimed, offering the materials to her. Forming a new cap, Vee watched as it was buried beneath the roots and the glowing orbs took shape once more. They flowed down to the base, and a new Patapon already armed with a wooden shield and tin axe with an orange eye and rabbit ears was shot out from the upturned root. She was born ready for battle... Almost. The Pyopyo, unused to standing on her legs, stumbled and fell once her feet touched terra firma. Immediately, the attendants to Mater swooped in to support the new soldier. Her vision was new and adjusting, but the first thing she saw when it focused was Vee hovering over her, a hint of concern in her eye. "Woah there... Who are you?" ""Who are you?!"" Veeden snorted. "She's Almighty Vee! Our living Goddess, here to lead us to Earthend to see it! And you are now a part of her army, a great honor if I do say so myself-" With a wave of her hand, Vee silenced Veeden. Thankfully, the young woman was unfazed by that little episode. "Oh... That's pretty cool! Um... Do I have a name?" "A name? Well..." Vee was tempted to say no, and send the Pyopyo on her way... But Ban had a name. So did Ton Chin and Kan! It wound be unfair for this one to be unnamed... "Yolky." "Eh?" "That's your name! Yolky the Pyopyo Tatepon!" "Well... Okay then! I'm Yolky!"

With that, Vee gave her the pat of approval and sent her to meet the rest of the tribe. Vee was expecting Veeden to be a little more vocal at the birth of a new warrior, but she had oddly fallen silent. "Veeden? What's the matter?" Vee turned to face her Priestess, whose eye was staring off into space. She looked absolutely horrified at the sight, her pupil had dilated in terror and the hands that gripped her staff trembled and shook. There was nothing out there that was worth being afraid of, nothing but safety and allies all around, right? "A-Ah! Have mercy!" She cried out. "I sense something terrible!" "Veeden?" Vee urged the woman to sit down, lest she fall over in her hysteria. "Tell me what's wrong. What are you seeing?" "...What is it that approaches? " She sputtered. "Blood and... Crimson blood!"

Ton, Chin, and Kan- who now understood what was going on- Looked at Vee with their own confused looks. "Whaaat?" "Are you sure?" "For real?" "For real!" Vee assured. As usual, the Yaripons reacted with blank stares. Hatapon, meanwhile, hoped he could talk sense into his Almighty. "B-But Vee! There's only four of us, and an entire nation of them! How can we even hope to take them on? This is crazy!" "Hmm.... Maybe so." Quite suddenly, though, she went and grabbed Hatapon's free hand. "But! Have you considered that you've gained the most important asset towards winning this?" She pulled him closer, facing him towards the wall and once more pointing to it. "Just have faith, and destroy that wall! I'll be right here with you!" He was practically being hugged by Almighty Vee now, who was not about to let him forget just how cushy and plush her fur was. Reaching to straighten his cap, Hata sucked in his breath and narrowed his eye...

After his third attempt to make a break for it, he was forced to submit under the will of his Almighty and march. ~~~ This fort was quite small, not exactly a favorite with the higher-ups in the hierarchy of Catotons. Seeing as it was right along the current boarder of the diminishing Patapon territory, they didn't see the need for it to be that highly guarded. Most of the units here were young men and women, either novices or trainees. Very few were senior officers, and they were here to train the riff-raff. Most of the free time was spent resting, as cats did.

A sleepy lookout then heard something odd. Thinking it was at first the call of a Kacheek, he ignored it.

Then, his triangular ear swiveled as he heard it again.

No, this totally wasn't any sort of animal he knew. What was it...? Lynxton at last propped his head up, only to see a sight he had been told in training he'd never have to see. "Guys!! Guys!!!" The Catoton slid down from his post to rally everyone from their mid-afternoon slumber. A friend grabbed him by the hand and charged off with him. "We're going to go get Black-Footon!" She declared. "Fend them off! They can't be that strong!" As the two went to locate the senior in charge of the fort, Catotons of Housecat and Lesser Wildcat status darted about to arm themselves. Turns out the Patapons were pretty quick on their feet now, they were already at the wall. "Eegh! Those filthy eyeballs are trying to attack us!" At least four Catotons were ready with spears at the wall. However, tensions lifted slightly as they saw the Patapons struggling to make a dent in their fortifications. "Huuhh...? Did we freak out for nothing...?" "Haha! Silly Patapons, you can't even scratch our wall!" "Black-Footon is going to whoop you all so bad!"

"What the deuce!?" Chin snarled. "This will never give!" And yet, Vee still commanded them to attack, and attack, and attack. PON-PON-PATA-PON continuously rang in their ears, and the Yaripons kept throwing their spears into the wall. "Look at those stupid Patapons! It's almost cute how they-"

A Housecat's taunts were quashed as a crack suddenly formed in the wall. And then, some stones fell out, followed by larger chunks that exposed the wooden frame of the structure. The Catotons lost their nerve, immediately backing away from the oncoming storm. "Eek! It cracked?" "We have to go to Officer Black-Foot--" "No! We must report this to General Gong right away!"

The cats had turned tail and fled just as the structure collapsed in a flurry of flying wood and dust, allowing Vee's army passage.

"Starving?" Vee cocked her head a bit. "But... Pata Plains, it's right there. Can't you hunt?" "Oh no, Mighty Vee, we can." Meden said. "But... I'm afraid we've encountered quite a few setbacks as of late." "Them being?" "You know the three Yaripons you helped Hatapon rescue earlier? Well... Forgive us, Mighty Vee, but they are all we have left of our army. There is only so much three wooden spears can do, especially without the drums..." "Not to mention our enemies." Hatapon, who had previously been shoveling the scraps that counted as a feast into his mouth, finally spoke up. "The Catotons encroach on our territory day by day. They are awfully aggressive as of late, for some reason. They know how weak we've become, so they think they can bully our hunting party around!"

The Almighty really didn't need any more convincing. The Patapons were weak and the Catotons were pushing them around because of it, got it. Meden, for some reason, thought her Goddess was still on the fence. The Priestess reached out and grasped Vee's hand before looking right at her with the look of a sad orphan on the verge of tears. "Oh merciful Mighty Vee! Please lend the Yaripons your power, bring us only a little meat, that's all we ask!"

"U-uhm..." No, Vee, keep it together. It's not very god-like to stammer. You're an Almighty, you got this. It was unnerving how helpless they were without an Almighty around. It made Vee wonder how many had perished due to Catoton attacks, disease, exposure, or just plain starvation. She couldn't imagine what would have happened had she arrived any later than she did.

"You guys... Really don't need to try and coax me into this." The Almighty smiled nervously, but it was still a smile nonetheless. "Yes, I'll go hunting with you-""You will!?" Meden quickly dropped her sad expression and soon found herself bounding with joy. "Yes, yes! Great Vee, please follow me! I'll show you our Obelisk! That's where you go to hunt and talk to your army and equip new gear and-"

Meden had snatched Vee's hand with the gentlest, most inescapable grip and began dragging her off to the Obelisk. Hatapon, along with the rest of the Patapons, simply watched the scene go on.

"Someone ought remind Meden that's our Almighty she's dragging by the wrist!" One of them half-shouted, half-laughed at the display. An overeager Priestess and her Goddess, taken right off guard by it all.

"Aw, let it happen." Hatapon cooed. "I don't think our Great One will pack up and leave just because Meden's a little excited. I don't blame her at all, really... I kinda forgot myself, too." One fellow in the trees narrowed his eye at Hatapon. "...What... What do you mean, Hata?" "I hugged her." He replied. "I hugged the Great One..." "...And?" The other Patapon lowered his voice to a whisper. "What did it feel like?" "Like a warm, fluffy cloud... Just like the Volipons were, but even softer..." ~~~ Seeing as the Patapons were feeling quite hungry after their sad excuse of a feast, Vee decided to take them hunting that night instead of waiting for daybreak. There was a lingering worry in the back of her mind that they would wake up to find one of them already starved to death. The hunt was a breeze- Two Kacheeks and even a Mochichi were their prizes that night. The group especially went wild over the bird, and raved about how good the flesh would be.

The walk home saw Vee getting a bit more familiar with her army. The spearmen were called Ton, Chin, and Kan, as she would find out. Ton was impressionable, very impressionable. It didn't take much for him to be convinced that something was the truth, and it didn't take that much to make him question thing either. He was also quite the defeatist, but still charming and an absolute sweetheart nonetheless. Chin had the tendency to show his affection and happiness though light physical contact, usually with light bumps or even the occasional hi-five. He seemed to like being in the spotlight and was quick to try and get some personal glory for himself, now more than even considering that the Almighty was physically here, watching him. Kan was energetic and peppy, always doing some trick with his spear or telling some weird joke with Hatapon. Vee could certainly sense a hint of mischievous tendencies hidden in him somewhere, perhaps he was keeping it subdued in the presence of a Goddess.

The delivery of the meat saw an uproarious applause from the rest of the tribe, Meden was even on the verge of bursting into tears. The fresh meat was handed off to a supposed apprentice of a lost Patapon Genius for preparation. "Ah, Mighty Vee!" Meden piped up. "We thank you for this sustenance!" She then turned to the hungry tribe, further raising her voice to get their collective attention. "Everyone! Please leave your offerings for Almighty Vee at the Altar-" "Offerings? Aren't you all starving to death, though?" Vee felt her tall ears lower slightly. She didn't want to be the reason these guys had to go hungry... What kind of an Almighty would she be if that was permitted?

"Oh no, Great Vee! Please don't fret, we don't need that much food to fill our bellies!" Meden responded. "Our offerings to your are only the best cuts of meat- A fine sacrifice for the Almighty responsible for saving our lives!" The Patapons began to praise Vee once more with a symphony of "Yes, Vee! You're the best!" With that, she relented, allowing their tradition to continue. "Oh, Great Vee, I would like to declare one more thing!" Meden proclaimed in the midst of their new and improved feast. "As you know, Mighty Vee, I am your devoted servant. I should hope that my appearance communicates that already, tee-hee!" It was true. One could tell just how devoted she was by those robes. The feathers mimicking her ears, the cream-colored furs and cape she wore, and the overall brown color scheme ensured everyone knew who her people worshiped. "I felt that... Well, Great Vee! Not only my appearance, but my name should also express my devotion to you! Everyone, please call me Veeden from now on!" Vee nearly spat out her drink in shock. Instead, she choked on it a little. "Y-you don't have to, really! All these radical things you're doing for me, you don't need to!" "But Great Vee, I insist!" Veeden whined. "I would be much happier if you allowed me to express my love for you in this way! Changing my name is one of the highest offers I can give you!" "Er... M-Veeden... You're...?" Veeden gave the Almighty a knowing nod, her eye's glimmer returning. And Vee relented. ~ While they were gone, a large tent had already been pitched for Vee. Compared to the tiny homes the other Patapons made do with, the Almighty had a luxury villa on her hands. Veeden had stocked the place up already with soft hides and some simple furnishings. As it would turn out, nights often got pretty cold out here, hence the furs her Priestess wore.

She fully expected to stumble into her new tent and collapse upon her bedding, Vee felt at least entitled to that. However, the moment she stepped through the threshold of the tent's opening, a sense of divine power flooded into her. It was the distinct aura of Gods stronger than herself, and it was enough to make her fur stand up on end.

Normally, this sort of feeling would have humbled even the strongest of Patapon warriors. However, it only made the Great Vee feel instantly annoyed. "Oh, honestly! What are you two doing here?" Sitting in her tent as if she owned the place was a medium-sized land dragon covered in shining blue scales. She was very distinct from other dragons the Ancients had tangled with in the past, as she almost appeared to be a hybrid of some kind- a cross between dragon, dog, and lion. Two curved horns on her head appear to have been the influence in the distinct features of the Gyaba line of Rarepons. Resting against this dragon was an ornate golden shield. A few scratches damaged its surface, but they only served to prove how worthy this gear was for battle. They were not simply just a dragon and a shield, though. No, Vee recognized them, they were just in disguise. Looks like older siblings Tierra, the Almighty of Love and Motherhood and Lehabim, Almighty of Fire and Armor had just dropped in for a visit.

"I thought I told you all I could handle myself out here!" The Fox Almighty hissed. "What's with you two?" "Hello to you too, Vee." The dragon spoke with a hint of snobbishness. "Goodness me, we only wanted to see how you were doing!"

"I'm doing-" The younger Almighty stepped on a unchecked stone that had not been cleared from the tent grounds, causing her to jump a bit. "Just fine!"

"If you say so, Vee." The shield spoke. "But we couldn't help but notice how jittery you were at first. Vee, you have to be careful about your nerves! If your people see you get too nervous, their faith will waver!”

The lecturing shield sighed. “Are you absolutely sure you're ready for this? Do you want one of us to take over and mess with this world’s memories so you can-" "No!" Vee shook her head at the proposal. "No, listen! I'm just fine, okay? I've been watching all of you guys do the exact same stuff in your worlds for a long time now! I just got a little excited at first, that's all! I-I can do this, I swear to you-" "Try to separate our worlds from yours, Vee." Lehabim interrupted. "The worlds Eternity gave to us run parallel to one another- and so everything in those worlds played out the same. This one, however... It's all sorts of different. We can't guarantee that you can expect what'll happen next, so you need to be cautious." "Mhmm, it never hurt anyone to be careful." Tierra agreed. "And don't be afraid to call on your family if you need help, Vee! We all love our little sister very much."

The smaller Almighty felt her ears droop down a bit as she looked away from the two. They knew her weakness, her entire family did. Their sincerity and caring nature towards her always ended up forcing her guard down no matter what happened. A simple "Your family will always love you" made her drop any hostility she may have had in an instant.

He must have been feeling particularly good that night, because Lehabim took advantage of the distracted Vee to hop into his Patapon disguise- that of a decorated Tatepon with a unique helm. He marched over to her and gently grabbed her ears.

"We know you have it in you, Vee. All 21 of us know you can figure this out... Just use these big ears Eternity gave you and lead your world to greatness..." She was trying to gently swat him away, but Lehabim must have been feeling extra sentimental and countered her bats with a hug. "...Ah, if only she could see you now. Our mother would be so proud of you, Vee..." "She certainly would." Tiera joined in- still in her dragon form- and gave them as good of a hug as she could muster in that shape. By now, though, Vee was starting to have enough of it.

"Leha! Tie! You can let go now, please!" "Nope!" The Shield Almighty teased, hugging her even tighter. "Gotta keep our precious sister close, right Tierra?" "Yes! And we'll slaughter any who so much as scrapes her!"

The pain they felt, the sorrow, the despair. She could feel it all. It pained the Great One to be apart from them, as she heard all of their cries and prayers for help. Every last one of them.

It was time to change it.

Before her, she held a sacred parchment and pen in her hands...

                     TO THOSE WHO SEEKETH EARTHEND

                                  If thou hast found O holy Drum,

                                 The Patapons shall be thy sons.

                                Whether thou has Rhythm or Nay,

                                Sway thine hips and learn the way.

                              Thine efforts shall bear fruit one day,

                               And Patapons shall march and say:

                                “Almighty, Lord of Patapons,

                    We thank you now for what you have done!

                           Our Glory is right back on track;

                        Thank God you signed the Holy Pact!”

With the pen already hovering above the bottom of the paper, the Great One signed the pact!

~~~

We were hopelessly lost, and full of despair.

So we sent out our bravest to search for the holy drum...

But... It all seems for naught.

Almighty... Wherever you are, hear me, your faithful Hatapon.

We can not go on any longer. We are on the brink of complete exhaustion.

Oh Almighty, please help. The Patapons need you now more than ever.

Please... Hear me...

Worn out from this fruitless endeavor, Hatapon prayed beneath his banner. The air was stagnant, and so the flag hardly moved.

Having lost track of the three spear-bearing Yaripons who had accompanied him here, the weaponless Hata was left defenseless without them. Fearing predation by animals, he had hidden himself in some tall grasses... Heck, it wasn’t the animals he feared. Actually, it was the Catotons.

Red-eyed with bodies shaped like squares, the Catotons were supposedly Zigotons many years ago, but this tribe had evolved to take on various cat-like traits to better their survival, their ferocity... The weakened Patapons were surrounded by Catoton territory, which grew by the day. Those who were spotted by Catotons were either chased to camp or killed, so they had come to fear them.

As he prayed, Hatapon hoped none would come near. They were awfully close to the boarder, after all. What if that’s what happened to the Yaripons? Did they get them too? Was he completely alone now...? Please, Almighty! Where-

PON-PON-PON-PON-PON-PON-PON-PON-PON-PON!

The sounds of a drum rang out across the open valley. Instantly, Hatapon was revitalized, and standing on his feet no less!

“Is that... A drum? I think I feel... energized!”

The breeze had picked up a bit, causing his flag to flutter in the wind. The drum... He wanted to hear more!

“Hehe! As you should, loyal Hatapon!” A feminine voice broke the silence that fell over the land, prompting the Patapon to see who was speaking to him.

Before him was what looked to be a Volipon. She held all the hallmarks of that particular Rarepon, after all. Brown color scheme, tall ears coupled with a fluff “mane” of fur and a bushy tail... It was a valid conclusion, if only those Rarepons hadn’t gone extinct years ago.

The Voli, however, was a species created by...

“W-Wait! Could it be...” Hatapon glanced up and down at the lay before him. “... Oh, Mighty Patapon!?”

“Yes, yes! You’re absolutely correct! I am Almighty- Uwagh?”

The Almighty didn’t get to finish her thought, as the Hatapon quickly latched onto her in a big hug... Ah, she was fluffy, very fluffy! Just like the Rarepons she had created!

“I knew you would come, Mighty Patapon! I believed you would with all my soul!”

“Yeah! Uhum- Thanks! Thank you, calm down now-”

“Almighty! Here!” Letting go of her, Hatapon knelt on one knee. “Please, take this drum!”

In his hands, Hatapon had withdrawn a tall red drum, decorated with a square pattern. Though it was clearly a very ancient and important artifact, it was unblemished and showed no wear at all.

“Ah, the PATA drum!” Gently, Vee took up the drum. Using her other hand, she gave Hata a pat, urging him to look up.

“Thank you! I’ve been looking for this! It’ll work great with the PON drum!” She had both drums out in front of her for Hatapon to see. The PON drum was a bit smaller and painted blue. Similar to PATA drum, this one was decorated with a circle motif.

“Seeing as I have these now, are you ready to go home now?” She asked ever so gently. “I hear others out here as well. Shall we gather them up as we go?”

“Th-the Yaripons! Oh, yes please Almighty!” Hatapon rose from his spot, plucking his flag from the ground. “They’ll be in danger if Catotons get them! Please, Almighty, hurry!”

“Yes, yes.Patience now.”

She equipped the drums to her person, having them disappear from view for convenience. “Are you ready, Hata?”

“Oh yes, I am!” The Hatapon shouted back, ever eager to start. “Just relax and feel the beat! Remember, PATA-PATA-PATA-PON to advance! We take turns singing the beat, remember, Almighty?”

Clearly, Hatapon was ready to get going already. But the Almighty needed a bit of time to remember just how it was done...

pata-paTA-PATA-Pon

“...”

It was rusty, really rusty. He had hoped the Almighty would have been using all those years of being missing to practice, but to each their own. “Um.. How about a bit of practice before we really go?”

PAta-PATA-pata-PON

“Come on, that’s it! Strike that drum!”

PATA-PATA-pata-PON

“Fantastic! Keep it up!”

The Almighty took a deep breath, focusing her will to the drums...

PATA-PATA-PATA-PON

“Yeah! That’s the ticket!” Hatapon raised his flag and waved it. “Alright, here goes!”

“Yes, yes!”

It was starting to come back to her now, giving it her all and listening to the beat of the earth. While she still faltered in places, it didn’t seem to sway Hatapon, who charged right on ahead at each beat.

Quickly, they found a lost Yaripon. He had fallen to the ground, gazing into space with a forlorn look. Though, the moment he heard the drums, something changed in him.

“Feel the rhythm! Feel it now!” Hata cried out.

“What... Hatapon? You found the Mighty Patapon!?” The Yaripon stood up, glancing at the supposed Volipon. His mood picked up in a heartbeat! Raising his wooden spear to the heavens and crying out a “Hooray!” in joy, he skipped to Hatapon’s side in jubilee. The drums sounded so sweet!

“Blessed Mighty Patapon, we are humbled by the power of rhythm!” Another Yaripon, who had hidden in some shrubbery nearby, came twirling out, ecstatic from the beat. “Let me join you!”

“Ooh, ooh, ooh! What sound! It’s sublime!” Yet another came running over, twirling his spear like a propeller. “Alright! Let’s get back to Patapolis!”

It all seemed to be going very well! The Almighty smiled as she trailed nearby, happy to see that the three Patapons she had heard were doing just fine.

But then.. She heard thundering footsteps, approaching fast.

“Wh-what!?” The Almighty shrieked. “A Dodonga! What is it doing-!?”

“Dodonga to our rear!!”

“Run!!”

The Almighty was jogging to keep up with the fleeing group now. But when things couldn’t possibly have gotten worse, a flash of red appeared before them.

A Catoton patrol of two Yaritons made themselves known to the Patapons. With triangular ears atop their heads and short tails on their backs, they were low-ranking housecat units.

“Eeg! Patapons!? NYAAAGGHH!” One cried out.

“This is bad! Those slimy eyeballs are on the move!”

A hint of despair flashed in Hatapon. He must have thought that being surrounded by enemies on both sides would mean their Almighty would flee again and leave them for dead. Of course, she saw this, and was prepared to prove him wrong.

“Keep going! PATA-PATA-PATA-PON! The Goal is right there!!”

Even if they wanted to give up in that moment, the order from their God was simply something they could not ignore. The Dodonga was practically eating their dust, and the housecats were too afraid of the confident Patapons to attack!

He gripped his flagpole tighter, and urged his units past the goal.

“We maaaadddeeee iiiitttt!!”

~~~

Guided by their Almighty, Hatapon and the Yaripons returned to Patapolis- their home base- full of joy and hope. Who wouldn’t be? They had found their Almighty!

That night, a feast was held in celebration of the Mighty Patapon. Fires were lit, the Patapons gathered around a low stage and danced their hearts out before a pair on stage, who were decorated elaborately in fine helms and weaponry. They reenacted the triumphs of their Almighty in the form of dance.

That night, the Almighty came face-to-face with a very special Patapon. A female, she had longer legs than everyone else. She wore a brown headdress that mimicked the Great Patapon’s tall ears. In her hand was a staff, decorated with a fox symbol. Draped over her shoulders was a cream-colored cape that was fitted with warm furs- Dangling from the back was a pair of fox tails.

“Oh Mighty Patapon, it is an honor...” The lovely woman spoke. “I am your loyal servant and Priestess, Meden... Please, oh Mighty Patapon! Tell us-”

“Yes yes! At last!” The goddess cut the priestess off. “I meant to tell you all earlier, but I’m afraid we were caught up in the moment, huh?”

From his spot, Hatapon felt a blush overtake him...

“Well then! I suppose I’ll tell you now!” She stood triumphantly, letting the breeze ruffle her fur as it passed. From her inventory, she withdrew a most unusual weapon- a paintbrush.

“I am Almighty Vee! She, the Goddess of Arts and Colors, Endangered Species, and the Patron Saint of Artists!”

A pause to let it sink in. Too bad she couldn’t wink in this form.