Rayman: The Island of Loss - Chapter 4
Characters created by Michel Ancel
Written by Andrew Kaiko
I do not own the characters and all related subjects, with the exception of Wanda Woodoo and any other character introduced within. Rayman is © 2002 Ubi Soft Entertainment. The character of Rayman and all other characters and subjects are all trademarks of Ubi Soft Entertainment. All rights reserved. Lyrics to Groove Armada's 'Madder' are © 2003 Zomba Records Ltd. All rights reserved.
Chapter 4
Rayman marched back and forth in front of the odd assortment of creatures, which were seated at the other end of the therapy room underground the floating island. He had organized a therapy session with the help of Wanda through the front desk, and was instructing them like a midget football coach minutes before the last third of the game!
"All right, people! I have noticed some particular laxity on your parts concerning whether or not these so-called hallucinations were actually real! Also brought to my attention were whether or not these hallucinations are connected to this mass illness. Now you are all aware that this disease puts us into a state of serious depression, topped with the physical deformation of our bodies! YOU!"
In character, Rayman pointed his stick at a random pink and black swirly creature that resembled a boar. The pink boar hesitated nervously and asked, "Yes?"
"All these things I have just mentioned are correct, IS. that correct, Mr. Boar?"
"Correct, sir, Rayman, sir."
"You mean all these qualities I have just mentioned all pertain to you and you have experienced these things first hand?"
"Correct, sir, Rayman, sir."
"And that is true off all these people here, am I correct?"
The nervous, troubled crowd paused and finally said, "Correct, sir, Rayman, sir."
Wanda leaned against the back of the room with her stage sisters, trying to act cool and collected.
"But as of a couple days ago, the performers and I have noticed some suspicion in the existence of these dirty beings. Through interviews, everyone onboard this island, regardless of their species, has seen a filthy version of themselves confront them with the meaning of each of our lives! Men, I act in this dutiful manner not to intimidate you, but to finally bring your attention to the underlining crisis that may be afoot anywhere on this island once and for all: THEY MUST BE REAL! In which case, all of you have a fear to face before we arrive at Planet Z! WHO'S WITH ME?!"
They all dashed out like a swarm of flies.
Meryl Woodoo approached Rayman from behind and said, "Cheer up, Ray. It ain't your fault that no one else will come with you in facing what could be your most formidable foe to date."
"You'll come, won't you?"
"Um, goodness gracious, do I feel my agent paging me?"
"WILL YOU?!"
David Woodoo, whose father wanted a boy, said, "My daddy always said, 'Patience is a virtue.'"
"Okay, look, it's okay to be afraid, but this situation calls for immediate action! We have to face this duplicate of ourselves and get to the bottom of this! How does the island move?! Is the Planet Z really a place of fortune and happiness? It seems like we're aiming blind!"
Wanda tried to console Rayman. "Ray, try not to get overly upset. You'll just make the illness worse."
"Thanks, Wanda. I knew I could count on you. You knooooow-"
"Ihavetogopracitcenow!" She slurped herself in through a hole in the wall and was out of site within a second.
Rayman was now the only person left in the room, and very upset. "Fine! If no one will go with me, I'll go alone! I'll face this miserable multiple of myself MYSELF! You'll see! Damn IADS gets in the way of EVERYTHING!!!"
He sulked for about a minute, when he finally loosened down, dropped his "shoulders", and put on his red hood, just because it made him feel comfortable if he ever found himself in a confusing situation. Wanda was right, even though a bit of a coward herself. He just needed to relax and take his time. His anxiety was getting worse.
Just then, he noticed some movement behind him. He swung around and tried to see where it might've been. No one was out and about in the hallways.
There it was again! Rayman followed the direction of the blur and discovered that it was his duplicate running through a passage he had never seen before, carrying some sort of cable!
It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that Rayman skipped dinner that night.
-
It was very damp and the humidity was more than Murfy's wings could bear! But the water was so cool; it was soothing even as they glided across the swamp on a boat. Once off the boat, they both stared wide-eyed up to a very high mountain. Although a bit difficult to climb, on the top rested the stations where the Stratifours were kept. Stratifours were gigantic blue birds that resembled eagles and peacocks, with red tail feathers and yellow head feathers. For years, they were tamed into domesticity by higher species- like dogs, they were artificially bred to fit any particular use. Even some puppy-sized birds evolved around Rayman's forest!
But the bird they were searching for was the most noble, which could grow up to reach 25 feet high and have a wingspan of 100 feet! Social animals, Stratifours were rarely seen apart.
Globox cowered behind a stone when he first caught sight of a Stratifour grazing in the fields in front of the tightly secured station. They were able to cross into the area by Globox's appetite for the cameras and ID Card Gate! The bird didn't even try to walk away- in fact, it greeted them with what looked like a friendly expression.
"Greetings, weary travelers. It is I, Stratifour Number 23, keeping my post, ever watchful of prey and trespassers." He had a very regal but a pretty limited monotone voice.
"Hey there. So I hear you're the birds who take IADS victims over to the planet, right?"
"That is correct! For as you know, we Strat-i-fours have been conditioned since the dawn of time to carry on this deed. Call it community service if you will, but to us, it is a lifetime achievement! We can breathe outside of the atmosphere and can travel for millions of miles without stopping, at a rate close to the speed of sound!"
"Great! My protégé and I are seeking access to the floating islands, which are in their route toward another planet. Will you please take us?"
"I am sorry, for as you know, I cannot take you to the islands."
"Why not?"
"You, as you know, do not have IADS!"
Murfy thought there was no way he could've known they didn't have IADS without medical treatment, so he tried to trick him. "Oh, you kiddin'? Man, I got the WORST case a' IADS you ever seen! I hate the world! Man, I even hate myself! Lookit me! I'm kicking myself in the knoggin'!"
Globox just gave him a weird look.
"Save yourself the trouble. We Strat-i-fours, as you know, can automatically sense when someone has IADS or not! We have been conditioned through centuries of testing to obey only victims!"
"Okay, great. Now I have no access AND a migraine!"
Globox responded, "Although you act pretty close to a victim in real life!"
"You tryin' to help?!"
"Ooo! Ooo! Wait!" Globox opened his mouth, put his hand inside and pulled out a Lum!
Murfy gasped. "So THAT'S where you've been hiding the Lums all along! I should've known. NO, I MEAN, I REALLY SHOULD'VE!!!"
Globox then presented the Lum to the bird. "Mr. Stratifour, sir. If I give you a Lum, will you take us to the island?"
"Hmmm. We Strat-i-fours, as you know, depend on among other things, Lums for energy. I am tempted, but, as you know, it is our moral duty never to make an extra trip! We are bound by the Ancient Stratifour IADS Act to only take those people who have IADS to the islands!"
"Sir, how about 25 Lums and a few plums to sweeten the deal?"
Murfy barked, "I wouldn't take it! He has a queer way of storing food!"
But the Stratifour relented and said, "I accept your offer, but, as you know, we Strat-i-fours never break a rule. This, as you know, is a very perplexing predicament. I shall have to, as you know, think about it. I'll do it!"
"Yay!"
Murfy just gapped like a codfish. Globox had gained them both access in their quest to rescue Rayman twice in a row by simply pulling something out of his mouth!
The Stratifour continued, "As a precaution, I shall meet you in the back of the garage this evening, for as you know, we Strat-i-fours, always report back to residence stables by the time the sun sets!"
Murfy said, "Okay, okay, 'you Strat-i-four'! That's fair enough. See you then!"
"I, as you know, am positively gid-dy inside. Ha. Ha. Ha."
When evening came, after about two hours of laying low in and around the stations, Globox and Murfy sneaked into the back stables to see #23. He was waiting for them, wide-awake! Globox gave him the 25 Lums and the plums, and he had enough energy to last 4 days!
"As you know, once out of the atmosphere, you won't be able to breathe. So I have borrowed a station pack on my back for you two to ride in while I fly! It will provide all the oxygen you'll need!" The pack he was speaking of was really a passenger area with two straps attached to it, like a backpack.
Murfy was relieved to see someone helpful for once. "That's cool!"
They all boarded the passenger area by running up his wing and into the door. It was made completely of metal and steel and was air-conditioned! In no time, they were reaching the stratosphere and, guided by the Stratifour's homing device, on their way toward the islands!
Murfy asked through the pilot intercom, "How long will this take?"
"As you know, being a Strat-i-four, it will only take about a couple hours to reach the islands!"
"Okay, okay! Sheesh! You only need to say what you are once, okay? So, where're looking for a guy named Rayman. You've probably heard of him. Big nose, crazy hair-do, purple tummy with an O on the front-"
"Why, yes! I was the one who happened to pick him up that night about 5 nights ago! And as you know, being a Stra-"
"SHADDAP!"
-
Everything was ready for the Sister's next performance on-stage in the middle of the ground floor. The Sisters expected to see the same old unenthusiastic crowd that came on their first day there, which they did indeed get. But no Rayman.
While the Sisters were performing however, they were temporarily halted by the intercom speakers!
"Attention passengers! The time counter on the main central machine appears to be going haywire!"
Indeed, the time counter, which counted the number of days left until they reached Planet Z, displayed the number 4 when it was only supposed to be 5! And to everyone's horror, it changed to 3 at that moment!
"The schedule for our usual 9-day trip will have to be put on hold, for there is no reason this should happen and might throw off our itinerary completely! Please stay calm, and report to your dorm halls in an orderly fashion! A guide will be there to make sure everyone has reported to your rooms, and no one is left out! We apologize in advance, and thank you!"
Wanda stroked her mullet, while pondering, "Has this happened before, Meryl?"
Meryl was admiring herself in a hand mirror. "Not that I know of. Maybe the machine IS going haywire! Don't tell me you're considering the possibility that the island might be going faster!"
"That may be a possibility. And this is the first time I ain't seen Ray since the first time we met!"
David raised her baritone voice, "Girl, you have to just forget about that Rayboy and his outrageous shenanigans!" She had the biggest wig out of all three snakes, and so, needed all four arms to comb it.
Wanda replied, "Well, I'm sorry. Ray may act really weird sometimes, but his absence parallel to this recent incident has me suspicious as well!"
Meryl perked up. "Look on the bright side! If we ARE going faster, we'll have a new life sooner than we thought!"
But Wanda didn't calm down. "Hey, I don't disagree with you, Meryl, but I'm gonna' get to the bottom of this whole thing, just because I'm LIKE that!"
"That's Wanda! Always pretendin' to act like the leader!"
"And you two should come with me!"
Meryl and David twirled their heads at her! "You crazy!? Has this superiority complex finally all gone to your head?" asked David.
"And have you ever considered your disagreeing with me to be the IADS talkin' and not you?"
They both stared silent at her. It was true that Wanda had the dominant role in the Sisters' decisions, but what made them think for a minute was the fact that they had always followed her every move no matter how ludicrous it was! That was back on Neotopia, before they discovered the symptoms of IADS!
Well, the only way they could find out if it WAS the IADS talking and not themselves was to actually go with Wanda. It was a test to see how strong they could control the effects of the disease.
Everyone onboard, despite what the voice told him or her, were running around screaming! So the Sisters slithered in and out through the wall's dirt holes, to get to the bottom of the situation. Literally.
No gig tonight! And no rain checks either!
-
Stratifour #23 dropped the two off near the bottom of the island, which ended in a deep, pointy edge downward. This, with the island's cold flat plateau above, made it look like an upside-down triangle from a side view. #23 knew where they stored the food for the trip, so he dropped them off there where they'd get the most instant oxygen when departing outside the unlivable space for nearly a minute! Globox and Murfy knew that they must hurry if they were to keep breathing, so they dashed like their life depended on it (which it did), into the metal entrance to the food cargo bay.
Once inside, Globox was beside himself. Meat, fruit, vegetables, candy, cootmellons, and Lums were all scattered into a vault-sized pile!
#23 said, "I wish both of you good luck in finding your friend, for as you know, living here is not a very pleasant experience. Being Strat-i-four #23, it is my duty to return to my post on Neotopia. If you need me for anything else, here is my card. As you know, good luck and Polokus-speed to you!" He then took off in the opposite direction, into the stars.
Murfy thanked him silently as he put the card in his pocket, and scoffed. "Man, now I'm gonna' have that annoying word circling in my head for all eternity! Hey, Globox, you know of any good songs that-"
"Oh! Is that who I think it is?!" gasped Globox.
Rayman's heart jumped at the sight of Globox and Murfy. His friends had made their way toward Rayman, regardless of distance and difficulty. They would've said hi again, if they hadn't all screamed at each other out of pure delight and ecstasy!
Never had Rayman experienced such fun in all his days aboard the Island of Loss! Globox and Murfy didn't even get a chance to reunite with him- they were all just so happy to see each other again that it called for a cootmellon fight! They all grabbed cootmellons and hit each other, bouncing, swimming, leaping, jumping, calling each other names and laughing like a trio of drunken idiots inside a sea of toy beach balls! The cootmellons were also very light- they reacted exactly like a well-blown up beach ball! This feud went on for about half and hour! Half and hour of pure nonsensical bliss!
Rayman caught his breath after laughing hysterically and said, still grinning solidly, "Hey, I'm in the middle of what may be an emergency. I really should continue downward to the island's engine."
"We'll go with you!" shouted Globox!
"Ha! As if I would say no?!" They all laughed again!
Globox collected a few cootmellons in his mouth sac for any occasion! Globox was able to store food and other thing in his mouth without swallowing them with the help of two sacs in each cheek, which he could use like an organic, slimy purse. He could talk just fine with stuffed cheeks- his lips were wide and very flexible! As of now, his mouth contained the remaining 25 Lums, the cootmellons, a few plums and his letter from home. With that, he and Murfy followed Rayman.
-
Rayman discovered himself in the middle of a narrow, dark, vertical tunnel that he climbed down from by ladders. He had lost track of the dirty duplicate, and was searching for a way to continue, when his hand knocked against a steel bar of some sort. Rayman's eyes adjusted to the darkness, and he could make out a submarine-style door! Pushing it aside, it led downward to an even narrower tunnel, this time with a light at the end of it. Could it be the absolute bottom of the island? Did this lead out of the island's nether-region? Would he be able to breathe if he continued?
Globox and Murfy soon followed downward to meet Rayman.
Murfy shook Rayman's hand and said, "Hey, Man With The Plan! How're you doing emotionally?"
"Eh, not too good. I haven't practiced in a long time since I got depressed."
"Yeah, hey, I'm sorry I didn't talk to ya' the day of the race. I was just so busy."
"That's okay. I've been a little down in the dumps lately. I guess that's what ended me up here. Just be aware that I can't tolerate sarcasm as much as I used to, what with me having IADS and all."
"Yeeeeeaaah, about that IADS. Uh, I have something to tell ya'. It's that IADS-"
Globox quickly hugged Rayman and said, "It's great to see your in good physical health, buddy! Man, I missed you something terrible!" His eyes watered.
"I missed you too, Globox. So that makes three of us, now huh?"
"And we make six!" All three Sisters popped out of random holes from the dirt, their pigments glowing the way, and lighting all three friends so they could see each other much clearer.
"Girls! You didn't rat out on me after all!"
Wanda said, "Hey, I don't know if you heard, but there was just an announcement that the time counter that counts the days 'til Planet Z was broken! It's counting down faster than it's supposed to!"
Rayman was surprised. "I'm surprised." That's just what I said. "Voice from above?" Pretend you didn't hear that. "Okay."
"The voice from above is right!" said Wanda. "It's a cause for real suspicion! Now I may not agree with what you think, but I am here to check what's up with the island! We may be going faster than normal!"
"Thanks. I appreciate the help, as always!"
Globox drooled a little bit, but Murfy put on his best impression on them as well. "So, Ladies, you three known each other for long?" Okay, the best he could come up with, anyway.
All six of them walked downward into the sewage hole. It was getting darker as they lowered themselves deeper into the very bottom of the island! Suddenly, they reached the point where a red light covered them and the walls. It was also getting a bit warmer. A faint exhaust and clanging noise from below told them they were nearing the very bottom center of the island, where the engine was. When they reached the horizontal floor, once again, the sight before them left even Rayman in shock!
The man was there, but he was doing something very odd. He was standing in front of the bottom of the engine, with the bottom lid opened wide to reveal a glowing hot panel of wires and outlets. Loud humming was coming from the machine, which filled up the entire cramped space. The man was inserting one end of the cable to the outlet on that panel, and the other side, to the right side of his head! Although Rayman had seen gore much worse than this, and although this wound was small, the fact that he had to see it for five minutes in a row made it increasingly sickening! He called out, "You."
He turned around. Despite the terrible-looking cut that he had formed on the right side of his head from the cable, he appeared to act like it was nothing at all. "Rayman, come to me. Come to me. I won't bite."
Rayman stepped forward.
Globox held a suffocating Murfy tight.
Wanda shouted, "No! Rayman, it's a trick!"
Rayman took some more steps toward the man, feet spread apart and hands clenched, to ask him some important questions. "Okay, Mister! I want to know once and for all! Who are you?! What's your deal?! Are you just a hallucination? Or are you just a pathetic homeless person intent on putting our lives on the line?!"
The man grinned something terrible! "Oh, how wise you are, Rayman! I knew you would've discovered my identity sooner or later! I realized no one here would reach the planet before you were sure to get to the bottom of this, and that is why I simply inserted a bit of my blood into this central engine to make it go faster!"
Rayman couldn't say a word. He just stood there in shock! The Woodoo Sisters slowly backed away into the side of the room. Globox couldn't take the suspense, let go of Murfy, and ran behind a nearby wall.
"I might as well tell you the rest of my story! I am not a figment of your imagination, nor am I a real being. I am somewhere in between. My existence is supported by the very source that also happens to power the movement of these islands- the ENERGY OF IADS! Just like you get energy from Lums and fairies, I get my energy from the disease. That is why I had to insert electricity inside the side of my head! Without me, these islands would never be able to float!
"Everyone here has seen a filthier version of themselves for that reason! To you, I look like you, Rayman. But to Wanda, I look like Wanda! To Meryl, I look like Meryl! That's right, Rayman! I am ALL those people's fear caused by the disease! I am one and all the hundreds of people's hallucinations all at once! I am the power that has been living on IADS's main energy source for all these years since it has been discovered, so I am also ancient! I AM YOUR INSECURITIES!"
Murfy blurted out, "RAYMAN'S DUPLICATE, or whatever other name you've got, IADS IS A HOAX!"
"Oh, no no no! I refuse to believe that! It is not entirely possible to rethink something that everyone has known as common knowledge for thousands upon thousands of years." He paused and then said, "By the way, you can call me Rex. That was my nickname in Evil School."
"I have proof, Rex! Here! Read these two books!"
"You think I have time to read that entire thing at a time like this? I am being faced by my counterpart here."
"But listen to me! Planet Z will bring you nothing but pain and suffering, even worse than what all of you have experienced here!"
"I doubt that."
"But if you're ancient, you must've taken a trip to Planet Z MANY times! You've seen how it is there! So why do you doubt it?!"
"Simple. The pilgrimages to Planet Z are annual, and occur at the same time once every year- they do not happen sporadically! I am the new generation of THIS year's group, so I have never even seen Planet Z personally, even though my ancestors have."
Murfy raced forward into his face. "But I'm telling you NOW, that Planet Z is no GOOD! You have the power to do anything you want with these islands! Turn them all back to Neotopia! You HAVE to LISTEN to me!!!"
Rexman (um, I didn't call him Rex, since I have no real taste for it, and because Rexman sounds cooler) flicked Murfy into the back wall! "Pesky pixie!" Murfy plopped down into the floor, muttering, "But Pinocke! I'm your conscience!", and fainted.
Rayman turned from stunned to stern! "You can't do that to Murfy! And even if Planet Z ISN'T a hoax- I would rather be beaten by Hoodlums than go to the planet with you now!"
"Don't get me angry, Rayman! There's one last thing I haven't mentioned. While my powers are dependant on IADS, being a duplicate also gives me YOUR powers! Eat THIS!!!" He unleashed the most deadly punch Globox had ever seen! It threw Rayman backwards into the same wall Murfy crashed into!
Rayman quickly got to his feet. Wanda, Meryl, David and Globox all saw that Rayman got his first ever black eye. It did not look good. He dashed back toward his opponent and this time, leaped onto his head and started bashing it like a six-pack of cans! But Rexman threw him off of him and did the same to him! After he was done with that, he stepped back to view Rayman's condition.
Rexman grinned at the sight of him. "Oh, yes! Now the disease is proving to be even worse! Watch how he displaces values off of everything he sees!"
The whole island began to quake! Rayman brightened! "Ha! You see that? The island is halting in it's place! You just said you get your energy from the disease! Well, this just in, pal! It's a fake, which means, YOU'RE a fake TOO!"
Rexman was stunned. Now it was personal! Rayman took another blow out of the nit and threw himself back, but this time, caught himself in mid-bend.
Rexman was so frustrated that he pounded his fists on the ground, making an indentation. "GGGGGRRAAAAAARGH!" He then regained what was left of his sanity, and replied, "Fine. I may not thrive on real energy! BUT I DO HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO FINISH YOU OFF!"
Rayman felt the fury rise within the center of his powers, but not because of his disease. He had no disease! He was perfectly fine, in fact, he was fine since that day when he looked at his reflection- he had just grown up. The circle on his chest started to glow a hot red and his face showed the sign of complete hatred. With full force, he ripped off his ID number and threw it on the floor! He said very deeply, "Now I'm more than mad!"
Globox cowered his face in his hands. "Oh, no! Now he's gotten MADDER!"
"Right about here's where I LOOSE MY PATIENCE!"
(to be continued)
Characters created by Michel Ancel
Written by Andrew Kaiko
I do not own the characters and all related subjects, with the exception of Wanda Woodoo and any other character introduced within. Rayman is © 2002 Ubi Soft Entertainment. The character of Rayman and all other characters and subjects are all trademarks of Ubi Soft Entertainment. All rights reserved. Lyrics to Groove Armada's 'Madder' are © 2003 Zomba Records Ltd. All rights reserved.
Chapter 4
Rayman marched back and forth in front of the odd assortment of creatures, which were seated at the other end of the therapy room underground the floating island. He had organized a therapy session with the help of Wanda through the front desk, and was instructing them like a midget football coach minutes before the last third of the game!
"All right, people! I have noticed some particular laxity on your parts concerning whether or not these so-called hallucinations were actually real! Also brought to my attention were whether or not these hallucinations are connected to this mass illness. Now you are all aware that this disease puts us into a state of serious depression, topped with the physical deformation of our bodies! YOU!"
In character, Rayman pointed his stick at a random pink and black swirly creature that resembled a boar. The pink boar hesitated nervously and asked, "Yes?"
"All these things I have just mentioned are correct, IS. that correct, Mr. Boar?"
"Correct, sir, Rayman, sir."
"You mean all these qualities I have just mentioned all pertain to you and you have experienced these things first hand?"
"Correct, sir, Rayman, sir."
"And that is true off all these people here, am I correct?"
The nervous, troubled crowd paused and finally said, "Correct, sir, Rayman, sir."
Wanda leaned against the back of the room with her stage sisters, trying to act cool and collected.
"But as of a couple days ago, the performers and I have noticed some suspicion in the existence of these dirty beings. Through interviews, everyone onboard this island, regardless of their species, has seen a filthy version of themselves confront them with the meaning of each of our lives! Men, I act in this dutiful manner not to intimidate you, but to finally bring your attention to the underlining crisis that may be afoot anywhere on this island once and for all: THEY MUST BE REAL! In which case, all of you have a fear to face before we arrive at Planet Z! WHO'S WITH ME?!"
They all dashed out like a swarm of flies.
Meryl Woodoo approached Rayman from behind and said, "Cheer up, Ray. It ain't your fault that no one else will come with you in facing what could be your most formidable foe to date."
"You'll come, won't you?"
"Um, goodness gracious, do I feel my agent paging me?"
"WILL YOU?!"
David Woodoo, whose father wanted a boy, said, "My daddy always said, 'Patience is a virtue.'"
"Okay, look, it's okay to be afraid, but this situation calls for immediate action! We have to face this duplicate of ourselves and get to the bottom of this! How does the island move?! Is the Planet Z really a place of fortune and happiness? It seems like we're aiming blind!"
Wanda tried to console Rayman. "Ray, try not to get overly upset. You'll just make the illness worse."
"Thanks, Wanda. I knew I could count on you. You knooooow-"
"Ihavetogopracitcenow!" She slurped herself in through a hole in the wall and was out of site within a second.
Rayman was now the only person left in the room, and very upset. "Fine! If no one will go with me, I'll go alone! I'll face this miserable multiple of myself MYSELF! You'll see! Damn IADS gets in the way of EVERYTHING!!!"
He sulked for about a minute, when he finally loosened down, dropped his "shoulders", and put on his red hood, just because it made him feel comfortable if he ever found himself in a confusing situation. Wanda was right, even though a bit of a coward herself. He just needed to relax and take his time. His anxiety was getting worse.
Just then, he noticed some movement behind him. He swung around and tried to see where it might've been. No one was out and about in the hallways.
There it was again! Rayman followed the direction of the blur and discovered that it was his duplicate running through a passage he had never seen before, carrying some sort of cable!
It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that Rayman skipped dinner that night.
-
It was very damp and the humidity was more than Murfy's wings could bear! But the water was so cool; it was soothing even as they glided across the swamp on a boat. Once off the boat, they both stared wide-eyed up to a very high mountain. Although a bit difficult to climb, on the top rested the stations where the Stratifours were kept. Stratifours were gigantic blue birds that resembled eagles and peacocks, with red tail feathers and yellow head feathers. For years, they were tamed into domesticity by higher species- like dogs, they were artificially bred to fit any particular use. Even some puppy-sized birds evolved around Rayman's forest!
But the bird they were searching for was the most noble, which could grow up to reach 25 feet high and have a wingspan of 100 feet! Social animals, Stratifours were rarely seen apart.
Globox cowered behind a stone when he first caught sight of a Stratifour grazing in the fields in front of the tightly secured station. They were able to cross into the area by Globox's appetite for the cameras and ID Card Gate! The bird didn't even try to walk away- in fact, it greeted them with what looked like a friendly expression.
"Greetings, weary travelers. It is I, Stratifour Number 23, keeping my post, ever watchful of prey and trespassers." He had a very regal but a pretty limited monotone voice.
"Hey there. So I hear you're the birds who take IADS victims over to the planet, right?"
"That is correct! For as you know, we Strat-i-fours have been conditioned since the dawn of time to carry on this deed. Call it community service if you will, but to us, it is a lifetime achievement! We can breathe outside of the atmosphere and can travel for millions of miles without stopping, at a rate close to the speed of sound!"
"Great! My protégé and I are seeking access to the floating islands, which are in their route toward another planet. Will you please take us?"
"I am sorry, for as you know, I cannot take you to the islands."
"Why not?"
"You, as you know, do not have IADS!"
Murfy thought there was no way he could've known they didn't have IADS without medical treatment, so he tried to trick him. "Oh, you kiddin'? Man, I got the WORST case a' IADS you ever seen! I hate the world! Man, I even hate myself! Lookit me! I'm kicking myself in the knoggin'!"
Globox just gave him a weird look.
"Save yourself the trouble. We Strat-i-fours, as you know, can automatically sense when someone has IADS or not! We have been conditioned through centuries of testing to obey only victims!"
"Okay, great. Now I have no access AND a migraine!"
Globox responded, "Although you act pretty close to a victim in real life!"
"You tryin' to help?!"
"Ooo! Ooo! Wait!" Globox opened his mouth, put his hand inside and pulled out a Lum!
Murfy gasped. "So THAT'S where you've been hiding the Lums all along! I should've known. NO, I MEAN, I REALLY SHOULD'VE!!!"
Globox then presented the Lum to the bird. "Mr. Stratifour, sir. If I give you a Lum, will you take us to the island?"
"Hmmm. We Strat-i-fours, as you know, depend on among other things, Lums for energy. I am tempted, but, as you know, it is our moral duty never to make an extra trip! We are bound by the Ancient Stratifour IADS Act to only take those people who have IADS to the islands!"
"Sir, how about 25 Lums and a few plums to sweeten the deal?"
Murfy barked, "I wouldn't take it! He has a queer way of storing food!"
But the Stratifour relented and said, "I accept your offer, but, as you know, we Strat-i-fours never break a rule. This, as you know, is a very perplexing predicament. I shall have to, as you know, think about it. I'll do it!"
"Yay!"
Murfy just gapped like a codfish. Globox had gained them both access in their quest to rescue Rayman twice in a row by simply pulling something out of his mouth!
The Stratifour continued, "As a precaution, I shall meet you in the back of the garage this evening, for as you know, we Strat-i-fours, always report back to residence stables by the time the sun sets!"
Murfy said, "Okay, okay, 'you Strat-i-four'! That's fair enough. See you then!"
"I, as you know, am positively gid-dy inside. Ha. Ha. Ha."
When evening came, after about two hours of laying low in and around the stations, Globox and Murfy sneaked into the back stables to see #23. He was waiting for them, wide-awake! Globox gave him the 25 Lums and the plums, and he had enough energy to last 4 days!
"As you know, once out of the atmosphere, you won't be able to breathe. So I have borrowed a station pack on my back for you two to ride in while I fly! It will provide all the oxygen you'll need!" The pack he was speaking of was really a passenger area with two straps attached to it, like a backpack.
Murfy was relieved to see someone helpful for once. "That's cool!"
They all boarded the passenger area by running up his wing and into the door. It was made completely of metal and steel and was air-conditioned! In no time, they were reaching the stratosphere and, guided by the Stratifour's homing device, on their way toward the islands!
Murfy asked through the pilot intercom, "How long will this take?"
"As you know, being a Strat-i-four, it will only take about a couple hours to reach the islands!"
"Okay, okay! Sheesh! You only need to say what you are once, okay? So, where're looking for a guy named Rayman. You've probably heard of him. Big nose, crazy hair-do, purple tummy with an O on the front-"
"Why, yes! I was the one who happened to pick him up that night about 5 nights ago! And as you know, being a Stra-"
"SHADDAP!"
-
Everything was ready for the Sister's next performance on-stage in the middle of the ground floor. The Sisters expected to see the same old unenthusiastic crowd that came on their first day there, which they did indeed get. But no Rayman.
While the Sisters were performing however, they were temporarily halted by the intercom speakers!
"Attention passengers! The time counter on the main central machine appears to be going haywire!"
Indeed, the time counter, which counted the number of days left until they reached Planet Z, displayed the number 4 when it was only supposed to be 5! And to everyone's horror, it changed to 3 at that moment!
"The schedule for our usual 9-day trip will have to be put on hold, for there is no reason this should happen and might throw off our itinerary completely! Please stay calm, and report to your dorm halls in an orderly fashion! A guide will be there to make sure everyone has reported to your rooms, and no one is left out! We apologize in advance, and thank you!"
Wanda stroked her mullet, while pondering, "Has this happened before, Meryl?"
Meryl was admiring herself in a hand mirror. "Not that I know of. Maybe the machine IS going haywire! Don't tell me you're considering the possibility that the island might be going faster!"
"That may be a possibility. And this is the first time I ain't seen Ray since the first time we met!"
David raised her baritone voice, "Girl, you have to just forget about that Rayboy and his outrageous shenanigans!" She had the biggest wig out of all three snakes, and so, needed all four arms to comb it.
Wanda replied, "Well, I'm sorry. Ray may act really weird sometimes, but his absence parallel to this recent incident has me suspicious as well!"
Meryl perked up. "Look on the bright side! If we ARE going faster, we'll have a new life sooner than we thought!"
But Wanda didn't calm down. "Hey, I don't disagree with you, Meryl, but I'm gonna' get to the bottom of this whole thing, just because I'm LIKE that!"
"That's Wanda! Always pretendin' to act like the leader!"
"And you two should come with me!"
Meryl and David twirled their heads at her! "You crazy!? Has this superiority complex finally all gone to your head?" asked David.
"And have you ever considered your disagreeing with me to be the IADS talkin' and not you?"
They both stared silent at her. It was true that Wanda had the dominant role in the Sisters' decisions, but what made them think for a minute was the fact that they had always followed her every move no matter how ludicrous it was! That was back on Neotopia, before they discovered the symptoms of IADS!
Well, the only way they could find out if it WAS the IADS talking and not themselves was to actually go with Wanda. It was a test to see how strong they could control the effects of the disease.
Everyone onboard, despite what the voice told him or her, were running around screaming! So the Sisters slithered in and out through the wall's dirt holes, to get to the bottom of the situation. Literally.
No gig tonight! And no rain checks either!
-
Stratifour #23 dropped the two off near the bottom of the island, which ended in a deep, pointy edge downward. This, with the island's cold flat plateau above, made it look like an upside-down triangle from a side view. #23 knew where they stored the food for the trip, so he dropped them off there where they'd get the most instant oxygen when departing outside the unlivable space for nearly a minute! Globox and Murfy knew that they must hurry if they were to keep breathing, so they dashed like their life depended on it (which it did), into the metal entrance to the food cargo bay.
Once inside, Globox was beside himself. Meat, fruit, vegetables, candy, cootmellons, and Lums were all scattered into a vault-sized pile!
#23 said, "I wish both of you good luck in finding your friend, for as you know, living here is not a very pleasant experience. Being Strat-i-four #23, it is my duty to return to my post on Neotopia. If you need me for anything else, here is my card. As you know, good luck and Polokus-speed to you!" He then took off in the opposite direction, into the stars.
Murfy thanked him silently as he put the card in his pocket, and scoffed. "Man, now I'm gonna' have that annoying word circling in my head for all eternity! Hey, Globox, you know of any good songs that-"
"Oh! Is that who I think it is?!" gasped Globox.
Rayman's heart jumped at the sight of Globox and Murfy. His friends had made their way toward Rayman, regardless of distance and difficulty. They would've said hi again, if they hadn't all screamed at each other out of pure delight and ecstasy!
Never had Rayman experienced such fun in all his days aboard the Island of Loss! Globox and Murfy didn't even get a chance to reunite with him- they were all just so happy to see each other again that it called for a cootmellon fight! They all grabbed cootmellons and hit each other, bouncing, swimming, leaping, jumping, calling each other names and laughing like a trio of drunken idiots inside a sea of toy beach balls! The cootmellons were also very light- they reacted exactly like a well-blown up beach ball! This feud went on for about half and hour! Half and hour of pure nonsensical bliss!
Rayman caught his breath after laughing hysterically and said, still grinning solidly, "Hey, I'm in the middle of what may be an emergency. I really should continue downward to the island's engine."
"We'll go with you!" shouted Globox!
"Ha! As if I would say no?!" They all laughed again!
Globox collected a few cootmellons in his mouth sac for any occasion! Globox was able to store food and other thing in his mouth without swallowing them with the help of two sacs in each cheek, which he could use like an organic, slimy purse. He could talk just fine with stuffed cheeks- his lips were wide and very flexible! As of now, his mouth contained the remaining 25 Lums, the cootmellons, a few plums and his letter from home. With that, he and Murfy followed Rayman.
-
Rayman discovered himself in the middle of a narrow, dark, vertical tunnel that he climbed down from by ladders. He had lost track of the dirty duplicate, and was searching for a way to continue, when his hand knocked against a steel bar of some sort. Rayman's eyes adjusted to the darkness, and he could make out a submarine-style door! Pushing it aside, it led downward to an even narrower tunnel, this time with a light at the end of it. Could it be the absolute bottom of the island? Did this lead out of the island's nether-region? Would he be able to breathe if he continued?
Globox and Murfy soon followed downward to meet Rayman.
Murfy shook Rayman's hand and said, "Hey, Man With The Plan! How're you doing emotionally?"
"Eh, not too good. I haven't practiced in a long time since I got depressed."
"Yeah, hey, I'm sorry I didn't talk to ya' the day of the race. I was just so busy."
"That's okay. I've been a little down in the dumps lately. I guess that's what ended me up here. Just be aware that I can't tolerate sarcasm as much as I used to, what with me having IADS and all."
"Yeeeeeaaah, about that IADS. Uh, I have something to tell ya'. It's that IADS-"
Globox quickly hugged Rayman and said, "It's great to see your in good physical health, buddy! Man, I missed you something terrible!" His eyes watered.
"I missed you too, Globox. So that makes three of us, now huh?"
"And we make six!" All three Sisters popped out of random holes from the dirt, their pigments glowing the way, and lighting all three friends so they could see each other much clearer.
"Girls! You didn't rat out on me after all!"
Wanda said, "Hey, I don't know if you heard, but there was just an announcement that the time counter that counts the days 'til Planet Z was broken! It's counting down faster than it's supposed to!"
Rayman was surprised. "I'm surprised." That's just what I said. "Voice from above?" Pretend you didn't hear that. "Okay."
"The voice from above is right!" said Wanda. "It's a cause for real suspicion! Now I may not agree with what you think, but I am here to check what's up with the island! We may be going faster than normal!"
"Thanks. I appreciate the help, as always!"
Globox drooled a little bit, but Murfy put on his best impression on them as well. "So, Ladies, you three known each other for long?" Okay, the best he could come up with, anyway.
All six of them walked downward into the sewage hole. It was getting darker as they lowered themselves deeper into the very bottom of the island! Suddenly, they reached the point where a red light covered them and the walls. It was also getting a bit warmer. A faint exhaust and clanging noise from below told them they were nearing the very bottom center of the island, where the engine was. When they reached the horizontal floor, once again, the sight before them left even Rayman in shock!
The man was there, but he was doing something very odd. He was standing in front of the bottom of the engine, with the bottom lid opened wide to reveal a glowing hot panel of wires and outlets. Loud humming was coming from the machine, which filled up the entire cramped space. The man was inserting one end of the cable to the outlet on that panel, and the other side, to the right side of his head! Although Rayman had seen gore much worse than this, and although this wound was small, the fact that he had to see it for five minutes in a row made it increasingly sickening! He called out, "You."
He turned around. Despite the terrible-looking cut that he had formed on the right side of his head from the cable, he appeared to act like it was nothing at all. "Rayman, come to me. Come to me. I won't bite."
Rayman stepped forward.
Globox held a suffocating Murfy tight.
Wanda shouted, "No! Rayman, it's a trick!"
Rayman took some more steps toward the man, feet spread apart and hands clenched, to ask him some important questions. "Okay, Mister! I want to know once and for all! Who are you?! What's your deal?! Are you just a hallucination? Or are you just a pathetic homeless person intent on putting our lives on the line?!"
The man grinned something terrible! "Oh, how wise you are, Rayman! I knew you would've discovered my identity sooner or later! I realized no one here would reach the planet before you were sure to get to the bottom of this, and that is why I simply inserted a bit of my blood into this central engine to make it go faster!"
Rayman couldn't say a word. He just stood there in shock! The Woodoo Sisters slowly backed away into the side of the room. Globox couldn't take the suspense, let go of Murfy, and ran behind a nearby wall.
"I might as well tell you the rest of my story! I am not a figment of your imagination, nor am I a real being. I am somewhere in between. My existence is supported by the very source that also happens to power the movement of these islands- the ENERGY OF IADS! Just like you get energy from Lums and fairies, I get my energy from the disease. That is why I had to insert electricity inside the side of my head! Without me, these islands would never be able to float!
"Everyone here has seen a filthier version of themselves for that reason! To you, I look like you, Rayman. But to Wanda, I look like Wanda! To Meryl, I look like Meryl! That's right, Rayman! I am ALL those people's fear caused by the disease! I am one and all the hundreds of people's hallucinations all at once! I am the power that has been living on IADS's main energy source for all these years since it has been discovered, so I am also ancient! I AM YOUR INSECURITIES!"
Murfy blurted out, "RAYMAN'S DUPLICATE, or whatever other name you've got, IADS IS A HOAX!"
"Oh, no no no! I refuse to believe that! It is not entirely possible to rethink something that everyone has known as common knowledge for thousands upon thousands of years." He paused and then said, "By the way, you can call me Rex. That was my nickname in Evil School."
"I have proof, Rex! Here! Read these two books!"
"You think I have time to read that entire thing at a time like this? I am being faced by my counterpart here."
"But listen to me! Planet Z will bring you nothing but pain and suffering, even worse than what all of you have experienced here!"
"I doubt that."
"But if you're ancient, you must've taken a trip to Planet Z MANY times! You've seen how it is there! So why do you doubt it?!"
"Simple. The pilgrimages to Planet Z are annual, and occur at the same time once every year- they do not happen sporadically! I am the new generation of THIS year's group, so I have never even seen Planet Z personally, even though my ancestors have."
Murfy raced forward into his face. "But I'm telling you NOW, that Planet Z is no GOOD! You have the power to do anything you want with these islands! Turn them all back to Neotopia! You HAVE to LISTEN to me!!!"
Rexman (um, I didn't call him Rex, since I have no real taste for it, and because Rexman sounds cooler) flicked Murfy into the back wall! "Pesky pixie!" Murfy plopped down into the floor, muttering, "But Pinocke! I'm your conscience!", and fainted.
Rayman turned from stunned to stern! "You can't do that to Murfy! And even if Planet Z ISN'T a hoax- I would rather be beaten by Hoodlums than go to the planet with you now!"
"Don't get me angry, Rayman! There's one last thing I haven't mentioned. While my powers are dependant on IADS, being a duplicate also gives me YOUR powers! Eat THIS!!!" He unleashed the most deadly punch Globox had ever seen! It threw Rayman backwards into the same wall Murfy crashed into!
Rayman quickly got to his feet. Wanda, Meryl, David and Globox all saw that Rayman got his first ever black eye. It did not look good. He dashed back toward his opponent and this time, leaped onto his head and started bashing it like a six-pack of cans! But Rexman threw him off of him and did the same to him! After he was done with that, he stepped back to view Rayman's condition.
Rexman grinned at the sight of him. "Oh, yes! Now the disease is proving to be even worse! Watch how he displaces values off of everything he sees!"
The whole island began to quake! Rayman brightened! "Ha! You see that? The island is halting in it's place! You just said you get your energy from the disease! Well, this just in, pal! It's a fake, which means, YOU'RE a fake TOO!"
Rexman was stunned. Now it was personal! Rayman took another blow out of the nit and threw himself back, but this time, caught himself in mid-bend.
Rexman was so frustrated that he pounded his fists on the ground, making an indentation. "GGGGGRRAAAAAARGH!" He then regained what was left of his sanity, and replied, "Fine. I may not thrive on real energy! BUT I DO HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO FINISH YOU OFF!"
Rayman felt the fury rise within the center of his powers, but not because of his disease. He had no disease! He was perfectly fine, in fact, he was fine since that day when he looked at his reflection- he had just grown up. The circle on his chest started to glow a hot red and his face showed the sign of complete hatred. With full force, he ripped off his ID number and threw it on the floor! He said very deeply, "Now I'm more than mad!"
Globox cowered his face in his hands. "Oh, no! Now he's gotten MADDER!"
"Right about here's where I LOOSE MY PATIENCE!"
(to be continued)