Nikki or Nikki Flying Fleugel was one of two playable characters in the Pandemonium series along with friend, Fargus. She was voiced by actress Helen Keaney in the first game and Deborah Ben-Eliezer in the sequel.
Nikki was the youngest member of the Flying Fleugel Family. She found life at the carnival too dull for her, especially with friends like: Brenda the Alligator Lady and Fritz the World's Smallest Cow. An acrobat with high-trigger reflexes, Nikki was nobody's fool and thought there had to be more to life than gripping a balance beam. It was her ambition to become a great Wizard and she often daydreamed of it a lot. It was this daydreaming that eventually led her to trouble. She'd forgotten to feed the lions one day, and fellow carnival act - The Great Zeigfreed almost lost his arm. "I've gotta get out of here, I'm tired of performing with geeks and freaks," she said to herself. She then made her way to Lancelot Castle to hopefully begin her training.
It was at the castle that Nikki first met Fargus and Sid, two jesters with insane motives. Having bumped annoyingly into one another once too many times, the three exchanged greetings whilst waiting for The Worldly One, Tony Vu, to make an appearance. However, once Vu had made his corny entrance, the three found themselves somewhat bored and bewildered. As Sid made spitballs and Fargus dropped off into a snoring slumber, Nikki practiced her back-flips. Not long after, Vu proclaimed that after a short break, he'd introduce the Wizards-in-training to the Most Important Book In the Universe. "C'mon guys, let's follow him," Nikki hissed, eyes wide with mischief. As the three followed, they realized the Worldly One was a little more far-gone than they had realized, eventually tripping over a carpet ruffle in his drunken stupor and dropping the book. Grabbing the book before it hit the floor, Nikki caught it and the three rushed up a staircase to a balcony to test its worth.
As Fargus and Sid leapt in jest, Nikki took hold of the book and began performing simple tricks. Amazed with the magical fireworks, Fargus pressed Nikki for grander performances. Claiming that the fireworks needed more "firepower", Fargus picked out a 10th Level Spell. Little did the two know that after casting it, they had released a monster from another dimension - Yungo, upon the world. As the giant monster bobbed magically in the night air, it looked down upon a nearby village, before devouring it whole. Claiming that the spell was fun (horrible, but fun); Fargus demanded Nikki to set it right again. Reading the book's instructions further, Nikki discovered that Yungo could only be wished away, by travelling far across Lyr to the Wishing Engine.
Avoiding the blame bound to be bestowed upon them, the trio followed a map found in the book across the lands.
Nikki travelled with Sid and Fargus to the nearby Skull Fortress, gaining access then to the Hollow Stairway, leading into the Dungeon Tower. From here they made their way into the Lost Caves. Beneath these caves lie Fungus Grotto and the Acid Pools, having to fight The Shroom Lord to gain passage. Once through the acidic ordeal, they made their way up into the Burning Desert, passing through Branky Wastes till they reached a dense forest known as Spider Forest. Deep in the forest was Canopy Village which provided a path through to the Soldier Barracks, and eventually into the logging facility known as Honcho's Logmill. However Goon Honcho's displease with the trio, led to a confrontation. Having defeated the bounding beast, they gained access to Honcho's Airship, which in turn led them high above the landmass to the first of many sky cities. Dragoon Skyfort, Cloud Citadel and Efreet Palace; beautiful cities in the sky that led them to a raging storm high above the tropical islands off the coast of Lyr. Entering a strange Frozen Cavern in the sky, they then made their way to Storm Temple, beyond that the Wishing Engine provided them finally with the means to stop Yungo. After a long and tedious battle with the guardian of the machine - The Eyeball, the three were granted three wishes (probably to represent the three individuals who come before it).
Sid suggested wishing for a million wishes, only to have Nikki criticise that that never works. To test it out, Fargus wished for a chicken, his wish then was granted. After glares from both Sid and Nikki, Nikki stepped up, wishing for Yungo to be banished back to his original dimension. The three are transported back to Lancelot Castle to watch Yungo spitting the Village back out of his mouth. Feeling cheated that the Wishing Engine promised three wishes, only for the trio to receive two, Nikki scowled. A sheepish Fargus then guiltily admits that he'd taken the third wish and wished that everyone back home was more like him (which could explain why they were transported back home, when it wasn't part of Nikki's wish). Fargus' defense for the wish was simply that he wanted to share his joy with the whole world. Low and behold, every person in the village had been transformed into versions of himself. Viewing this damage, Sid suggested the need for the Wishing Engine again.
After the events of Pandemonium!, Nikki's ambitions rose. She became a Sorceress after defeating Yungo, however she was no longer a limpet-eyed young naif. She had grown, blossomed, "leafed-out and sapped" as it were. Nikki was just so darn busy to hang out in some drafty library poring over dry, dusty, worm-riddled tomes or magic. Instead, she decided to cut some corners on her way to becoming the Sorceress Supreme and snatch the power held within the Comet of Infinite Possibilities.
Nikki was the voice of reason amongst the three comrades, at least in the first game. Unlike the psychotic Fargus and Sid, Nikki originally had ambitions which didn't lend just to blowing things up. In the first outing she's definitely more innocent than her second magical adventure where she's "blossomed" so to speak, both in personality and preference in attire: this dangerously curvaceous creature is not your garden-variety sassy Sorceress. Don't be misled by her bikini-ready chassis, however, dissing this dish might end in finding yourself blasted into oblivion. She desires infinite power, and she desires it by any means.
Nikki boasts an array of special moves and abilities whilst being played. She's able to perform a simple Bounce to leap over obstacles and is capable of then furthering this with flips to gain height. In the first game she can also transform into a Dragon, Rhino, Frog and Turtle when the opportunity arises. Like Fargus, Nikki has the ability to use weapons and shields. She can cast spells with movements of her arms, as opposed to Fargus's usage of Sid as a wand. Fireball, Shrink Rays and Freeze Rays can be performed when power ups and obtained.
In the second installment Nikki can perform three high powered spells. The first being your run-of-the-mill Fireball, the second being the Super Fireball (which bowls over enemies with help from directional buttons), and the last being Lightning Jab (a summoning of frantic colorful energy which grills Goons in seconds).
- Nikki's name is a cognate of Nicholas, a cognate from the Greek name Νικολαος (Nikolaos) which meant "victory of the people".
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