Mission 02

Rescue the Prisoner

We have reason to believe that another rogue Hoodlum is currently imprisoned in Clearleaf Forest. The reason for the detainment is unclear as of yet, but appears to be due to wanton destruction of the previous cell. Exact whereabouts are unknown, but sources say that the prisoner is being held deep within a hidden chamber of the rebuilt Hoodlum Base Camp. Find him, recruit him, and bring him to safety.

"Before you leave," Begoniax stopped the usual trio from living. "Do something about that Spineroo!"

"Why?" Frank asked, shrugging.

"Every time we go near the door, that thing makes another dent in it!" Begoniax jumped up and down. "Soon that door's going to collapse and then where will we be?! Go out the back door and get rid of it or...something! Go!" She ushered them out of the back door, and Frank got the idea to grab a boat. They snuck around and eventually got to the other side of the house, where the Spineroo sat. It gave an expectant *clang!* when it saw them.

"So how do we get this mute guy to join the cause?" Larry asked. Globox blew a raspberry at him.

"Easy," Frank grabbed a bottle of plum juice off Larry and tossed it to the Spineroo. The Spineroo looked at it, then gulped it down.

"We have plenty more if you let us in and out, and keep the Hoodlums out instead," Frank added. The Spineroo seemed to think about it, then nodded happily, like a dog.

"Name...Bob," he choked out. "Please...meet...you." He extended a hand with a giant weight attached to it.

"Pleasure," Frank shook Bob's hand. "Alright guys, we got a mission." Frank, Larry, and Globox were let inside, and Razoff promptly sent them into the mirror.

* * *

Inside the mirror, a surprising problem appeared.

"Uh, Begoniax?" Frank checked in. "Yeah, there's a wall in our path. Um...can you magic it away, or something?"

"I know what this is!" Globox walked up to it. "This is a magic door! I opened three of these when we were going to get Andy at the Summit Beyond the Clouds. I just have to find the right formula! Hocus pocus? Nee, nee...nee! Nazoom melek uhtoo-oo-oom! Mirror, mirror, on the wall—nah, that won't work. Dratoo varata nektoh! ...Guys, go play somewhere else I'm trying to concentrate! ...Open sesame!" As Frank and Larry walked off, Larry eventually asked, "'Andy?' Who's that?"

"I think he's referring to André," Frank suggested.

"Wait," Razoff said. "Globox knows André? And from the sound of things, he knows him well enough to call him Andy?! This guy has some...shady...connections."

"I'll ask him about it later," Frank dismissed Razoff's comment and instead looked around for something to do. The hallway it self was dark, but...

"Oh," Frank sighed. "Hey, Larry, pick up the crown." Larry grabbed the crown, and then, already knowing what to do, walked over and stepped on the pedestal. The door opened, revealing the exit mirror.

"Hah!" Globox clapped. "I did it again! I'm the master of the doors! Good thing I was here, huh guys?" Larry made a move to say something, but Frank hushed him.

"Let's go," he stepped into the mirror, and the other two followed.

* * *

Clearleaf Forest

Frank was unfamiliar with this part of the forest he entered. Then he realized why—he was above it.

"Whoa!" he was standing on a massive hill overlooking miles of forest. A few trees rose here and there, but all that was around him were some small trees, grass and a building not to far away.

"Man, I didn't know that Begoniax would drop us on top of a mountain!" Larry exclaimed. "Hey, what's that thing?" He pointed to a strange stand with odd sparks and lights spinning around it, coming from an enormous green light flashing out of a floating piece of...some sort round material.

"Oh, that's the exit portal to a place with very nice music!" Globox explained. "Rayman went into a bunch of those and I got to ride on a helicopter."

"Don't you mean in a helicopter?"

"No," Globox replied. He then walked off to the building, casually glancing at his beautiful surroundings. Frank followed, then looked up.

"Get down!" he grabbed Larry and Globox and pushed them to the ground as a Hoodlum airship scythed through where the group just was. Frank expected it to turn around, but it instead just kept going.

"That's weird," Larry commented.

"They're alerting the Base Camp," Frank said with sudden realization. "We have to move!" Frank started running, Globox and Larry following behind. He scaled up through the building, and was about to go out onto the bridge when he heard a voice.

"You don't seem like the average Hoodlum," it said. "As a matter of fact, judging by your company, I don't believe you're a Hoodlum at all. Would you mind helping an old Teensie out of his dilemma?" Frank turned to see a cage being held up by a balloon. He walked over and busted it open with his rifle. An aged Teensie fell to the ground, pulled a cane out of his enormous beard and walked to the side.

"I thank you, strange Hoodlum," he bowed. "You are kind, especially for your race."

"We aren't Hoodlums," Frank said, gesturing to Larry and himself. "We're part of a resistance force trying to force back the Hoodlum tide."

"How very noble of you," the Teensie nodded, as if in agreement. "My name is Droth, and I happen to run this observatory. It is good to see you are well, Globox." Globox looked up and waved.

"This is an observatory?" Frank looked around, noting all the drawings posted on the walls, which were actually just open spaces with intriguing brass bars lining them. The bars seemed to be in the shape of vines.

"Of course, you fool!" Droth slammed his cane on the ground. "why else would we put a building on top of hill?!"

"Is there a way down into the forest from here?" Frank decided to change the subject.

"Yes, go through the hollow trunk of the tree across the bridge," Droth pointed. "Before I forget, I would like to ask that you save the other Teensies trapped throughout this world as well. You may need their help, and it's nice to have a world, of happy, free people. Much better than sad, imprisoned people. Those aren't good at all. Good bye, now. I have much to attend to, as I have been in that cage for the past year. My observatory needs so much cleaning, oh yes." He walked off, muttering to himself.

"Weird dude," Larry said after he thought Droth was out of earshot. His response was the book that hit him in the face.

"Jerk!" Larry called. Frank hit him over the head.

"Don't push him!" he said. He then walked off onto the bridge, jumping down the tree trunk.

The group landed at a small section of the path with a light river, coming from a large waterfall at the right side. Frank saw that there was a waterwheel, which could only mean—

"Great," Frank sighed. "A blockade." There was a bridge that led across the river—and right into a Hoodlum blockade, with four Hoodlums. One was carrying heavy supply crates back and forth. Another was drinking plum juice. The third was trying to catch an angry piranha in the river (failing miserably, I might add), and the fourth was standing on a large tower, waiting. A makeshift dumbwaiter lifted up a crate, and the Hoodlum briefly lifted it up, turned, and set it down next to him. After a few minutes, an airship came in, and the Hoodlum picked up the crate and dropped it in the airship, which then departed.

"I'm going to take out the one fishing first," Frank said. "Stay quiet." Frank shot the fishing Hoodlum in the head, killing him. As expected, no one noticed. Frank then took out the drunken Hoodlum, and, due to timing, was almost seen by the Hoodlum moving the crates from the stock to the dumbwaiter. Frank then took out the Hoodlum on the tower, and the last one didn't notice because of his task and the fact that his back was turned. Finally, Frank killed him, too.

"Alright," Frank got up and gestured to Larry and Globox to follow him. "Here's what we're going to do..."

* * *

Twenty minute later, a Hoodlum airship came in for restocking. However, it didn't take the brightest of Hoodlums to notice that the blockade was totally empty. The airship's crew all stepped out, looking around. Out of nowhere, a bomb came over the side, exploding upon hitting the wooden floor and killing the crew.

"Nice job," Frank said from his position on the dumbwaiter. "No get over here so we can get up there." Larry and Globox came over, and each of them stepped onto the dumbwaiter. Frank pulled the rope, moving the group up the tower.

Having reached the top, Frank, Larry, and Globox stepped into the airship. Globox, who had become an expert pilot somehow, assumed the wheel, and the airship took to the skies.

* * *

As Globox flew them leisurely to their destination, Frank looked out with awe. Frank, who had never been on an airship during his time with the Hoodlums, was amazed at how peaceful it was. Looking at up at the patched tarp, then moving down to the open flame keeping the blimp afloat, and finally to the canoe-like basket area, where the group remained, Frank couldn't believe that something so simple could feel so homely and give such an incredible feeling of comfort and amazement. Larry calmly laid on his back at the surprisingly long ship's back, his eyes closed.

"I can't believe that you're not amazed at this!" Frank looked at him.

"Hello," Larry looked up. "Hoodboom here? We live on these things. Unlike you, I actually served in the Hoodlums for some time. Novelty's worn off by now." Frank couldn't imagine how, but Globox interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey guys," he asked, "are we taking over that ship, too?" Frank turned around to see another ship docking at the empty blockade.

"Larry!" Frank grabbed the ex-Hoodboom and pulled him up. "Problem!" He turned Larry around so that his friend could see the problem, too.

"I got it," Larry grabbed a bomb and expertly tossed it into the airship, which promptly exploded.

"Easy," Larry made to lay back down, but then Globox said, "Wow, look at all the big birds coming toward us! Hi birdies! My name's Globox!" He gave a happy wave to the onslaught of Hoodlum airships that saw Larry frag one of their own.

"Globox," Frank tapped him on the shoulder, "those aren't birds." A bullet flew passed Frank's head.

"Give me the wheel!" he made to grab for it, but Globox resisted.

"I want to meet the birdies!" he argued. Frank and Globox had both sets of hands on the wheel, and it was turning back and forth wildly. Larry was trying hard not to be thrown off, his hands clutching the sides.

"Birdies!"

"Wheel!"

"Birdies!"

"Give me the wheel!"

"BIRDIES!!!!"

"GLOBOX!!!!"

There was the sound of a dull thump, and Globox slumped to the floor, unconscious. Frank stood there, a plum juice bottle in his hand.

"Go," he said, swaying slightly.

"You didn't—" Frank started to say.

"Yes I drank it all, drive!" Larry fell to the basket, making the airship lurch frighteningly. Frank turned the wheel and looked at his feet. There was—"a gas petal and a brake petal?" Frank said aloud. "On a blimp?"

"What does it matter?!" Larry called out. "Make blimp go zooom!"

Following Larry's instructions(?), Frank pushed as far down as possible on the gas. The blimp sped up to blinding speed, passing the other airships, which whirled around in surprise.

"Ugh," Globox moaned. "Hey, what the-? Frank! You made me miss the birdies!"

"Oh no," Frank moaned as Globox rushed up and grabbed the wheel.

"Turn it around!" he pulled one way, spinning the blimp.

"Those aren't birds!" Frank pulled it the other way.

"Yes they are and I want to see them!" Spin.

"We need to go this way!" Spin.

"Frank, you just don't want to see the birdies!" Spin.

"No, because I don't want to get my head blown off!" Spin.

"Hey *buuuuurp!*," Frank and Globox stopped to look at Larry, who was now completely drunk. "...The spinny ride made the fire turn invisible. Heh, heh *hic!*." Frank looked up to see what he was talking about and discovered with horror that the flame that was keeping the blimp inflated had gone out because of Frank and Globox's constant spinning of the blimp.

"Uh oh," was all he had time to say before the blimp rapidly began it's insane descent. Globox was screaming. Larry was drunkenly going, "Wheeeee-*hic!*-eeeeeee..." Frank was holding on for dear life and hoping that they survived the landing. There was a deafening crash made by much more than just trees, and Frank saw the wooden floor of the blimp rapidly come up to meet him before everything went black.

* * *

The world came back in slow, painful clips. Frank was being carried...he could see Larry, who appeared to still be drunk...and he could see Globox, still unconscious. Suddenly, the escorts threw him and Frank hit the ground hard, too hard for him to take in his weakened state. Frank felt a mixture of wood, metal, and tarp, and then nothing more.

* * *

"Frank," a voice whispered. "Frank...wake up...Frank!" Frank felt himself being rattled, and he opened his eyes to see Larry swinging back and forth, shaking him.

How's he...? Frank wondered, then realized that Larry was doing full-body swings because he was hanging from the ceiling—from iron shackles. Frank realized he was the same, as was Globox, who was hanging, unconscious, to his left. Then, to Globox's left, there was someone struggling frantically against the chains.

"Arrgh!" the strange Hoodlum-like voice came from an obviously Hoodlum body, which swung upside-down and hit the ceiling twice, then fell back. Frank then realized two things: 1) This was probably their prisoner, and 2) that he had no legs. He was short in general, but he had no legs. Frank then remembered the one type of ground-based amputee Hoodlum: the Hood Stomper, pilot of the massive leg-machine, the Masterkraag.

"So our target was a Hood Stomper," Frank muttered. Larry nodded.

"Any ideas on how to get him (and us) out of here?" Larry asked. "Because we are shackled to the ceiling in this metal-encased room, and we don't have any weapons."

"I don't know," Frank looked at the floor. "I have no idea how we are going to get out of this one." He and Larry sat (floated?) there, motionless, each lost in their own thoughts.

* * *

"I win," André cackled. "The Resistance's leader, along with his strike force, is in my possession! Rayman, you guys aren't!" André laughed again.

"That's no fun," a mysterious voice said. André turned to see a robed, sinister figure behind him. "What's the point of going for the goal if you have no competition?"

"Who are you?" André asked angrily.

"Whether I'm an ally or adversary is your call, Lord André," the man bowed.

"I like you," André grinned. "You know respect."

"I know to pick the winning team," the man replied.

"Well," André laughed. "You could prove to be a useful addition to my army. Welcome aboard!"

The man bowed again, only this time very low, low enough to where André could not see eyes even more sinister than his narrow as a cruel smile formed...

* * *

Frank didn't know how long he'd been there, lost in empty thoughts, but his head snapped up when he saw a sudden what looked like a giant laser come out of nowhere directly in front of him. The blast drew the eyes of Larry and the other prisoner as well, but Globox was still unconscious. However, when the blast cleared, in its place was a red can.

* * *

"What?!" André slammed his tiny fists on the table. "Where did that come from?! Because of how close that can is, the prisoners will escape! It's not fair, it's just not fair!" André screamed in anger. The mysterious man remained silent. Part of him marveled at how André could go from seeming like such a cunning, evil villain to one of the toad's horrible children, but there was another part of him who saw what the event truly meant. The robed man turned and left. If that was changing, then he was going to have to rethink his strategy to ensure his victory. The man sighed as he walked into the hall. No matter. One way or another, he would have his way...

* * *

Frank swung lightly back and forth until his foot tapped the can. Instantly he felt the familiar rush of power as the two guns formed in his hands. Using the spikes on the butts of the guns to his advantage, he rammed both of the shackles, releasing himself. Globox was starting to wake up, and Frank freed Larry and told him to explain. Meanwhile, he went over to the prisoner.

"You want out of here, right?" he asked. The prisoner nodded.

"Well then, you'll have to help us get back at the Hoodlums and stop André," Frank told him. The prisoner bounced happily up and down.

"Glad to hear it," Frank freed him.

"Larry," he called over to his friend, "I need you to carry him until we can find a Masterkraag for him to pilot." He then turned to the Hood Stomper.

"What's your name?" he asked. The Stomper moved his mouth for a moment before starting.

"M...Mor...Mo-ort," he sounded out.

"Mort?" the Stomper nodded.

"Alright," Larry grabbed Mort and slung the legless Hoodlum over his back. Frank then blasted a hole in the wall. Globox, who had been brought up to speed, jumped out, yelled, then ran off. Frank heard a shot fire.

"Let's move!" he jumped out and fired off his right gun, destroying an entire line of Hoodlums. Globox was behind him, now, and he, Frank, and Larry (carrying Mort) started sprinting through the base camp to the outside world. Hoodlums came, but Frank would just fire his right gun and blow through them all.

Eventually, they reached the outside. The sun blinded Frank momentarily, but he recovered quickly—which was good, since if he'd just blindly kept running he would've fallen into the arena. Larry and Globox came behind him and stopped. In the center of the arena was another Hood Stomper, and he had a Masterkraag.

"Frank!" Begoniax voice came in through patches. "Glad—escape!—Mirr—arena!—repea—there's a mirror at the exit of the arena!" Begoniax's voice vanished.

"Great," Frank grumbled. "Guys, our only way out is through the mirror at the arena exit."

"She put it there?!" Larry cried out, almost dropping Mort.

"We can't do anything about it now!" Frank responded. "We have an entire base on our trail. Our only option is to beat that Hood Stomper!" With that, he jumped down. Larry pushed Globox down, and then jumped down himself.

The Hood Stomper jumped high into the air. Frank rolled to the side, dodging it. Dust flew everywhere as the Hood Stomper landed.

"We can't beat this thing!" he called to Larry. An unlucky Hoodlum came out and Frank shot him instinctively. He then watched as a green can fell to the ground. Frank looked at Larry, who was already running. Frank followed suit, and reached the can first.

Frank felt exhilaration and speed. He felt fast, and he was ready to run. The feeling was like he was the wind; suddenly, he could move freely, and at any speed he wanted to. Frank could take it nice and slow, or he could fly. And now was a time for flying. Frank looked at his read and green outfit and the two guns with ten barrels, and readied himself for takeoff.

* * *

Larry wasn't just fast. When he touched the can, Larry realized he was more than fast. He was the very meaning of speed. He could touch a lightning bolt a kilometer away and return in seconds. He could counter-spin a tornado, making it cease to exist. He could traverse the world in an hour. He was speed, and he would not be contained.

* * *

"How is this going to help us?" Frank asked. Larry looked at Mort. Then, without any indication threw Mort onto the Hood Stomper himself. Mort, seeing what to do, began trying to wrestle the Hood Stomper of the Masterkraag by any means necessary. The constant shifts in wait made the machine even more dangerous, because it was now moving randomly, its original pilot locked in combat with another. Hoodlums began storming out of the entrance to the arena, but Frank had already figured out the rest of Larry's plan. He raised his guns and fired, using the ten barrels of each to make machine guns out of them. Larry was throwing bombs at the speed of sound, and Hoodlums were dropping as quickly as they came. Frank suddenly saw, Mort get knocked off the Masterkraag. Apparently Larry saw it, too, because he was over there in an instant.

"Thought you might need some help," he placed a bomb in Mort's hand and then threw him back up there again. Mort use instinct and placed the bomb in the other Hood Stomper's mouth, and soon got the Masterkraag under his control. Now, Mort stopped around, killing Hoodlums with ease, as Frank and Larry picked off the stragglers.

When there were only a few left, Mort jumped high into the air to finish them all off at once. Suddenly, he was slammed by another Masterkraag. Mort and his Masterkraag hit the ground hard, and the machine knelt, as if in defeat. Mort brought it back up again as Frank shot the last Hoodlum. Mort and the Hood Stomper circled each other with their machines as Frank and Larry watched. Suddenly, the other one struck out pushing Mort back. Mort retaliated by swinging from rope to rope on his Masterkraag. The result was miraculously a three-kick-combo, sending the Hood Stomper flying. Something, he did, however, made the Masterkraag back-flip and land on its feet.

Now he was on the offensive, and hit Mort with a series of mid-air kicks before sending him into a wall. Mort's Masterkraag shook and coughed out some smoke. He was losing. The Hood Stomper then charged at Mort, aiming straight for the little Hoodlum in the center of the great machine. The Hood Stomper raised his leg and kicked, but Mort move entirely to one rope, making the Masterkraag duck below the kick.

Suddenly, Mort was up and he launched a flurry of lighting-paced kicks that Frank wouldn't have believed possible in such a bulky machine with only two ropes for controlling. Then, Mort kicked the other Masterkraag up, jumped, did four mid-air kicks, and then slammed his opponent back down. The enemy's Masterkraag sputtered, emitted smoke, and then exploded, taking the Hoodlum with it. Mort landed triumphantly in the center of the arena.

"That was incredible!" Globox clapped, jumping up and down. "That was amazing, wow, spectacular, can we go now?"

"Where were you this whole time?" Frank asked as they got Mort down and walked into the mirror.

"I was watching from a safe distance to make sure I didn't get in the way."

"That's what you'd like us to believe, huh?"

* * *

When Frank entered the mansion again, he was surprised to see that it was crawling with Teensies. They were everywhere, talking, singing, merrymaking, just everywhere.

"Where'd these guys come from?" Frank asked Begoniax.

"Razoff heard what Droth said, and he's been out rescuing Teensies," Begoniax explained. "Says that he's going to do the same tomorrow, too. But...that's not important for you! I have another mission, and it is urgent!"Y