Rayman: Happy Neocreation Day! - Chapter 3
Characters created by Michel Ancel
Written by Andrew Kaiko
Rayman is © 2002 Ubi Soft Entertainment. The character of Rayman and all other characters and subjects, with the exception of Grunge and other characters introduced within, are all trademarks of Ubi Soft Entertainment. All rights reserved.
Chapter 3
Ly ran faster and faster on all fours, into the pitch black darkness of the glades. No one was out tonight on Neocreation Eve, not even forest animals! Ly just had to find the set of stones arranged in a circle in the middle of the forest, for that was the only way she could teleport herself to find help! She panicked as she realized 20 minutes had passed- there was no telling how much danger Rayman has in!
Finally, after much panting and tripping over loose twigs, she saw the stones. The stones were all giving off a blue and yellow light around the circle, and each one had a set of swirls carved into them- the symbol of dreams and creation. Being a certain type of fairy, she could sit straight on the stone right in the middle of the circle and reach the spirits from within it! She crossed her legs, placed her upper arms on her knees, lifted her head and closed her eyes, meditating.
Soon a yellow light started to glow from the inside of her body! She levitated above the stone. The light engulfed her body completely, and it was then that the physical embodiment of the fairy became translucent, floating above the stone.
She was still in the forest, but her soul was elsewhere. Her other half of her existence appeared as a glowing mirage in the middle of a group of Teensies. She had contacted the Teensie Sect up on the snowy, northern region of the Blue Mountains. The Teensie Sect was devoted to studying and achieving enlightenment through peaceful silence and mediation. Only fairies had the power to communicate to them through inner convergence. They conversed through thought only- no one ever spoke in the following conversation.
Ly's mirage, like a hologram, floated there, still in her mediating position, and spoke in a voice that echoed through the stone dome of the monastery.
"Master Wunk."
"Yes. Fairy Ly. We've been expecting you. We saw you in our minds. Only the most primitive and basic things are needed for us to answer the questions of the Universe."
The other Teensies bowed down on their knees in front of the light and repeated what the master had said, in a low murmuring tone. "Universe." "Universe." "Universe."
Ly bowed in response and said, "I come bearing bad tidings, I'm afraid. Rayman has suddenly become sick, and we don't know the cause! It's imperitive that he be cured before tomorrow or I don't think he'd last much longer!"
"Ah, yes. The Big Nose."
"Big Nose." "Big Nose." "Big Nose."
The master contemplated silently to himself and after 2 minutes, finally said, "Fairy Ly, please tell us more of his condition." Again the Teensies repeated, "Condition." "Condition." "Condition."
"Well, right before I left, he was choking and gagging forward at the dinner table. He looked rather pale right then."
"Can you tell us the situation and environment he was in?"
"In." "In." "In."
"Why, there wasn't anything unusual going on around him. We were eating our Neocreation dinner, I was sitting to his left, and this stranger, a robot, was sitting to his right-"
Suddenly, the entire sect gasped! "Robot, did you say?!"
"Robot?" "Robot?" "Robot?"
Ly hesitated. "Yes, he used to be a pirate onboard Razorbeard's ship, but now he's lost his memory and became nice to us! He was shaking Rayman's hand before Rayman started to choke-"
She froze in her sentence. She realized what the sect was getting at.
The master nodded slowly and steadily. "Yeesssss, we see the answer in your mind! The robo-pirate may in fact be the carrier of the disease Big Nose has caught!"
The image of Ly sat their startled.
"In past decades, it was common knowledge in the worlds south of here that the robo-pirates weren't just slave drivers and thieves, but also carriers of the disease known only to us as Gluphoid. People may catch Gluphoid up on very cold climates, and it is triggered by the contact of one carrier to the next. When the pirates disappeared years ago, the disease was no more, and people didn't dare mention it because it was so dreadful a disease. But now, you say a pirate has survived the explosion that Rayman himself caused?"
All the Teensies murmured under their breaths to each other. Ly was too shocked to respond.
"How did the pirate survive?"
Ly answered, "I think Rayman found him in a wreckage in the middle of a glade in the Summit Above the Clouds. I guess the pirate wanted to escape the explosion by going into a space pod, and he crashed down onto Neotopia!"
"Now listen to me, the Master of the Teensie sect, for we know the one cure for Gluphoid. You must give Rayman approximately 15 Red Lums. This will restore enough of his energy to activate his immune system- without it, his immunity would not function properly under the effects of the disease. He must get lots of rest. And most importantly,"
The master seemed to be disturbed by a sudden reflex. He blinked several times, when he continued to say, "Most importantly, Fairy Ly."
Ly was staring pleadingly at him.
"The pirate must keep away from everyone of you. If the others ever caught the disease, all the quicker for it to spread! You must get rid of this carrier and treat Rayman immediately!"
"Get rid of the carrier!" "Get rid of the carrier!"
Ly was shot! It was so obvious! The pirates were known for their bad hygiene! But from all the things he did for them, how in the world would she be able to make him leave now? Just when Rayman was starting to accept him!
But nonetheless, it was all for the better. No holiday spirit or kindness would ever prevent Gluphoid from spreading. She'd go back to the others, tell the children that Grandpa Gustav has to return home, and let him go.
"There is no time to think! You must do it now!"
Ly then lifted her head, saddened, and said, "Thank you, Master Wunk. The best of luck on attaining enlightenment."
"The best of luck to you, Fairy Ly."
With that, Ly's glowing image started to glow even brighter and stronger. Through the blinding rays, Ly closed her eyes, raised her two hands joined to form a tower above her head, and let the mystic light engulf her until with a POP!, she had vanished.
-
Rayman was placed on his bed in the middle of dinner. Ly had already given him the 15 Red Lums she created from her powers, and now, some of her energy was his. Rayman just laid there- it had to be one of the fastest- spreading diseases, for it was only a half hour after he was shaking Grunge's hand. It was about an hour toward midnight- and Neocreation Day would finally be here- but no one seemed happy enough to sense it now. It was as if the holiday had been erased from their minds.
The others were standing silently around him, making sure not to get too close. Globox and Uglette comforted their worried children. Murfy hovered low over the floor. Clark watched with fixated eyes like a child, standing just outside the doorway. Grunge was in the back of the crowd, trying to figure out what happened.
"Why does Rayman look sick?" he asked Ly.
Ly was in a fix. She had to tell him that it was best for him to leave, but in front of Rayman and the children?
No, she was strong willed! She had to tell him now!
"Grunge. I have discovered from some outside sources that- that you may be the cause of Rayman's illness."
Grunge's eyebrows raised, but he made no other movement.
"Um, look." Ly wanted to touch his shoulder, but he stopped, not wanting to make things worse. So she didn't say anything except, "I'm sorry."
The others read her mind, staring at her with looks of soft disbelief. Rayman heard the idea, but was too weak to respond. It was one of Globox's children who broke the silence and also made the most shocking news of the day for his siblings: "He's not Grandpa Gustav, is he?"
Immediately, everyone in the room felt the mood turn from bad to worse. Ly then felt shot again! Her plan! She wanted to tell the kids that Gustav had to leave to make the gifts! But now?!
Uglette cuddled more of her children, whose eyes were now shut tight.
Globox also cuddled Murfy, who, although also hurt, tried to struggle out of his throat-wrenching clench! "Dear, the children." Globox then put an air-grasping Murfy down and joined his wife.
Ly felt terrible. She had kicked out their new friend, and now, she had crushed most of the children's innocence!
Grunge then said, "I may have lost my sight, but when Rayman was shaking my hand at dinner, I felt like I gained it again. And perhaps I have." He didn't even show any sign of weakness as he strolled calmly into his room and gathered his other accessories.
-
It was nearing midnight when they were seeing off Grunge, who would soon wander off into the forest to try to find another life. In the middle of the night. In 5 degree weather. Out of the 600 there, about 20 of those children were in tears, and their parents were surprised at most of their childrens' mature acceptance of the facts.
But they all knew it would be a long good-bye.
No one could touch him especially outside where it was windy, so it was even tougher to express his or her bond. The strongest children wanted to hug him, but of course they couldn't. "Just blow him a kiss, dears," said their mother. So they all did in unison.
Murfy flew in front of the morose crowd to try to liven the spirits up. "Look at it this way. You've learned lots of new things, and if I'm correct, your eyesight is back!"
"That's correct. And that's not all that's back."
He paused. And saw that Rayman was hobbling outside through the front door of the lodge. He was saying good-bye to him even when he was too weak to walk!
"Rayman!" Ly yelled. "What are you doing?! You could get worse!"
But Rayman, as always, wasn't going to give up. As he was slowly nearing the robot, he said in his hoarse voice, "You just said you have gained more than your eyesight? What else?"
Grunge smiled, and pointed to the dagger he had in his left belt!
Ohmygod, thought Rayman!
Ohmygod, thought Ly!
Ohmygoodness, thought Uglette!
This'll be good, thought Murfy!
I'm hungry, thought Globox!
"-" thought Clark!
He had regained his memory!
Rayman was about to double back in the house, when Grunge suddenly pleaded not to. Grunge then beckoned him to come here in a soothing gesture and smiled the best smile he could manage. "Rayman! Living these two days with you has changed my life, whether or not I had lost my memory! I forgive everything my job meant! He's gone! And now I can be free!"
Rayman paused. He still wasn't completely convinced.
"Rayman! Did you ever wonder WHY I took a space pod before the explosion in the first place?!"
He listened.
"Because I didn't agree with the Captain's orders! I had the worst job as a mechanic! On the day you reached the ship, I didn't want to have anything further to do with him, so I secretly escaped in an escape pod! I crashed into this mountain, where YOU found me!"
Rayman's head turned around, and he gave him a look of astonishment! It was true! The wreckage Rayman had discovered used to be a pod used only for emergency escaping!
He turned around once more in his direction. Should he actually believe this man's apology? Is he really telling the truth about how he felt?
Then Rayman was reminded of his handshake and the bandana. In fact, he was the bandana right in his pocket. He had an idea.
To everyone's gasp, in his condition, he quickly ran 50 paces up to the robot in the middle of the empty, closed ski slope, and handed him back the bandana. Well, he actually let the wind catch it and had Grunge take it in mid-air, since he couldn't touch him.
"Take that as a Neocreation gift!" Rayman shouted hoarsely. "But more importantly, so you can always know that I forgive you!"
Ly was overcome with astonishment, so much that her legs almost gave in!
Rayman continued, "I'm sorry I never got to even touch you, Grunge! And I'm sorry I was acting so shielded from you these days! It's just-I had no idea-"
Grunge have him a small smile that meant he knew it was okay.
Rayman then finally wished him happy trails, may Polokus always be on your side, and a Happy Neocreation Day!
Everyone then said 'Happy Neocreation Day!' one at a time! It was the best way to celebrate the new day, even better than dancing and chanting the traditional hymn, or eating a big dinner! Even some of the children still called him Gustav out of sheer gratitude!
"Well", said Uglette to her children. "I think you kids have to have a little talk with Mommy about the facts of the holiday!"
"Aww." "Aww man."
Uglette raced back inside! A little meal and some home-sewn winter clothes couldn't hurt!
Rayman collapsed onto the hardened, white snow. Ly couldn't carry him inside, for fear of catching the disease, but she he was in so poor a condition already that she did anyway! Murfy gave Grunge one last Peace sign!
And with that, Grunge had to live the rest of his life on his own.
"Wait a minute!" said Globox. "If HE was the carrier of the disease, and HE touched the roast bird, then-"
They all paused, and RACEDTOTHEBATHROOM!
-
It was snowing that early morning! The children were the first to wake up and find the presents! Even though Uglette had given them the talk last night, they were still curious as to what would happen even if they knew the truth.
To what they saw, it didn't make much of a difference!
"Wow! I got blue gum drops!"
Globox and Murfy had wakened up at 3:00 in the morning not to play Grandpa, but just as a basic surprise. "After all the stuff we went through to get these gifts, pies and batteries, YOUR KIDS ARE GONNA' GET THESE GIFTS, GRANDPA OR NO GRANDPA!" yelled Murfy.
The colored teeth were all arranged in a heap in the middle of the room. The batteries had been put in a safe place for future use, since they had no use for it anymore. Clark was sort of looking forward to smashing through the wall, making a big Clark-shaped hole in the middle! Murfy said he could do it for fun, so he did!
Ly was the next to wake up, with Murfy, Globox and Clark following in that order. Uglette made the breakfast after they all opened their presents.
Ly was sad that Rayman couldn't join them for the day they were waiting for this entire trip- she would hand him all his presents to his room so he could open them. But she was also a bit puzzled. If she carried him into his room the night before, why didn't SHE get sick?
"Murfy. Why didn't I get sick when I carried Rayman into the house last night?"
"Well, where did you hear the disease from?"
"I contacted the Teensie Sect up on the north part of the Summit."
Murfy contemplated. "Well, you're a fairy, right? And the Teensies are also magical beings, as well as me, right?"
"Right. We've all evolved from the same organism millions of years ago."
"Maybe our species, the fairies and pixies and flying bugs, can't get the disease."
It was a good assumption. She didn't have any proof. So there was only one other way to make her convinced.
She excused herself from the party in the main room, walked toward Rayman's room (he was still sound asleep), put the presents in a corner, and then for the final test, she stroked his hair for about 3 minutes. If she didn't get Gluphoid in an hour after that, she'd be convinced. Besides, how dangerous a chance was it if she could risk it on her friends?
--
The trip to the Summit Above the Clouds was nearing its end, as they were planning on staying three more days after the holiday. It was not only a new day, but also, according to the planet's astronomical time, it was a new year. Ly found out that that was what Neocreation Day was all about- too bad she didn't find out about it sooner.
They all decided to complete the trip by snowboarding, skiing and enjoying the slopes together. Clark did not return from his escape from the house through the wall that morning, and as a result, was frozen inside the snow overnight, posing in a running position, with his mouth toothless! All the rest of the party found him standing their like a stupid-looking statue, and they all carried him down to the base lodge to get him free. The kids were amused by it, but Murfy was too embarrassed to even look at him!
To all of their surprise, Rayman had fully recovered from the illness by the very last day, and everyone was happy that he could join them before they left! As they were nearing the beginning of the highest trail, Ly said to him, "Well, this was a different holiday, wasn't it, Rayman?"
"Yeah, but you know, I'm not really going to miss that bandana. While lying on the bed half-asleep, I realized I've outgrown it. I'm fine with my hood anyway."
Ly smiled. "It's like a new turn for you, right?"
"Right."
"Tell me, how much DO you like that hood?"
"Well, enough to take care if how it looks."
"Really. Then I suppose you'd care if-
"-I HIT IT WITH A SNOWBALL!!!" She gleefully smacked Rayman into the side of his middle region with an icy snowball, laughing!
Rayman was really annoyed, but also really enjoying it! "WH--! Why, you! YOU-"
"I've been waiting to do that since we began this trip!"
Rayman flashed a devilish grin as he packed up a snowball, and right when he was about to launch it, Ly hit him again when he turned around!
They both started an all out snowball feud among everyone there! Finally, they all stopped their fighting, regained control, and flew headfirst right down the Summit, and disappeared into the clouds.
HAPPY NEOCREATION DAY EVERYONE!
Characters created by Michel Ancel
Written by Andrew Kaiko
Rayman is © 2002 Ubi Soft Entertainment. The character of Rayman and all other characters and subjects, with the exception of Grunge and other characters introduced within, are all trademarks of Ubi Soft Entertainment. All rights reserved.
Chapter 3
Ly ran faster and faster on all fours, into the pitch black darkness of the glades. No one was out tonight on Neocreation Eve, not even forest animals! Ly just had to find the set of stones arranged in a circle in the middle of the forest, for that was the only way she could teleport herself to find help! She panicked as she realized 20 minutes had passed- there was no telling how much danger Rayman has in!
Finally, after much panting and tripping over loose twigs, she saw the stones. The stones were all giving off a blue and yellow light around the circle, and each one had a set of swirls carved into them- the symbol of dreams and creation. Being a certain type of fairy, she could sit straight on the stone right in the middle of the circle and reach the spirits from within it! She crossed her legs, placed her upper arms on her knees, lifted her head and closed her eyes, meditating.
Soon a yellow light started to glow from the inside of her body! She levitated above the stone. The light engulfed her body completely, and it was then that the physical embodiment of the fairy became translucent, floating above the stone.
She was still in the forest, but her soul was elsewhere. Her other half of her existence appeared as a glowing mirage in the middle of a group of Teensies. She had contacted the Teensie Sect up on the snowy, northern region of the Blue Mountains. The Teensie Sect was devoted to studying and achieving enlightenment through peaceful silence and mediation. Only fairies had the power to communicate to them through inner convergence. They conversed through thought only- no one ever spoke in the following conversation.
Ly's mirage, like a hologram, floated there, still in her mediating position, and spoke in a voice that echoed through the stone dome of the monastery.
"Master Wunk."
"Yes. Fairy Ly. We've been expecting you. We saw you in our minds. Only the most primitive and basic things are needed for us to answer the questions of the Universe."
The other Teensies bowed down on their knees in front of the light and repeated what the master had said, in a low murmuring tone. "Universe." "Universe." "Universe."
Ly bowed in response and said, "I come bearing bad tidings, I'm afraid. Rayman has suddenly become sick, and we don't know the cause! It's imperitive that he be cured before tomorrow or I don't think he'd last much longer!"
"Ah, yes. The Big Nose."
"Big Nose." "Big Nose." "Big Nose."
The master contemplated silently to himself and after 2 minutes, finally said, "Fairy Ly, please tell us more of his condition." Again the Teensies repeated, "Condition." "Condition." "Condition."
"Well, right before I left, he was choking and gagging forward at the dinner table. He looked rather pale right then."
"Can you tell us the situation and environment he was in?"
"In." "In." "In."
"Why, there wasn't anything unusual going on around him. We were eating our Neocreation dinner, I was sitting to his left, and this stranger, a robot, was sitting to his right-"
Suddenly, the entire sect gasped! "Robot, did you say?!"
"Robot?" "Robot?" "Robot?"
Ly hesitated. "Yes, he used to be a pirate onboard Razorbeard's ship, but now he's lost his memory and became nice to us! He was shaking Rayman's hand before Rayman started to choke-"
She froze in her sentence. She realized what the sect was getting at.
The master nodded slowly and steadily. "Yeesssss, we see the answer in your mind! The robo-pirate may in fact be the carrier of the disease Big Nose has caught!"
The image of Ly sat their startled.
"In past decades, it was common knowledge in the worlds south of here that the robo-pirates weren't just slave drivers and thieves, but also carriers of the disease known only to us as Gluphoid. People may catch Gluphoid up on very cold climates, and it is triggered by the contact of one carrier to the next. When the pirates disappeared years ago, the disease was no more, and people didn't dare mention it because it was so dreadful a disease. But now, you say a pirate has survived the explosion that Rayman himself caused?"
All the Teensies murmured under their breaths to each other. Ly was too shocked to respond.
"How did the pirate survive?"
Ly answered, "I think Rayman found him in a wreckage in the middle of a glade in the Summit Above the Clouds. I guess the pirate wanted to escape the explosion by going into a space pod, and he crashed down onto Neotopia!"
"Now listen to me, the Master of the Teensie sect, for we know the one cure for Gluphoid. You must give Rayman approximately 15 Red Lums. This will restore enough of his energy to activate his immune system- without it, his immunity would not function properly under the effects of the disease. He must get lots of rest. And most importantly,"
The master seemed to be disturbed by a sudden reflex. He blinked several times, when he continued to say, "Most importantly, Fairy Ly."
Ly was staring pleadingly at him.
"The pirate must keep away from everyone of you. If the others ever caught the disease, all the quicker for it to spread! You must get rid of this carrier and treat Rayman immediately!"
"Get rid of the carrier!" "Get rid of the carrier!"
Ly was shot! It was so obvious! The pirates were known for their bad hygiene! But from all the things he did for them, how in the world would she be able to make him leave now? Just when Rayman was starting to accept him!
But nonetheless, it was all for the better. No holiday spirit or kindness would ever prevent Gluphoid from spreading. She'd go back to the others, tell the children that Grandpa Gustav has to return home, and let him go.
"There is no time to think! You must do it now!"
Ly then lifted her head, saddened, and said, "Thank you, Master Wunk. The best of luck on attaining enlightenment."
"The best of luck to you, Fairy Ly."
With that, Ly's glowing image started to glow even brighter and stronger. Through the blinding rays, Ly closed her eyes, raised her two hands joined to form a tower above her head, and let the mystic light engulf her until with a POP!, she had vanished.
-
Rayman was placed on his bed in the middle of dinner. Ly had already given him the 15 Red Lums she created from her powers, and now, some of her energy was his. Rayman just laid there- it had to be one of the fastest- spreading diseases, for it was only a half hour after he was shaking Grunge's hand. It was about an hour toward midnight- and Neocreation Day would finally be here- but no one seemed happy enough to sense it now. It was as if the holiday had been erased from their minds.
The others were standing silently around him, making sure not to get too close. Globox and Uglette comforted their worried children. Murfy hovered low over the floor. Clark watched with fixated eyes like a child, standing just outside the doorway. Grunge was in the back of the crowd, trying to figure out what happened.
"Why does Rayman look sick?" he asked Ly.
Ly was in a fix. She had to tell him that it was best for him to leave, but in front of Rayman and the children?
No, she was strong willed! She had to tell him now!
"Grunge. I have discovered from some outside sources that- that you may be the cause of Rayman's illness."
Grunge's eyebrows raised, but he made no other movement.
"Um, look." Ly wanted to touch his shoulder, but he stopped, not wanting to make things worse. So she didn't say anything except, "I'm sorry."
The others read her mind, staring at her with looks of soft disbelief. Rayman heard the idea, but was too weak to respond. It was one of Globox's children who broke the silence and also made the most shocking news of the day for his siblings: "He's not Grandpa Gustav, is he?"
Immediately, everyone in the room felt the mood turn from bad to worse. Ly then felt shot again! Her plan! She wanted to tell the kids that Gustav had to leave to make the gifts! But now?!
Uglette cuddled more of her children, whose eyes were now shut tight.
Globox also cuddled Murfy, who, although also hurt, tried to struggle out of his throat-wrenching clench! "Dear, the children." Globox then put an air-grasping Murfy down and joined his wife.
Ly felt terrible. She had kicked out their new friend, and now, she had crushed most of the children's innocence!
Grunge then said, "I may have lost my sight, but when Rayman was shaking my hand at dinner, I felt like I gained it again. And perhaps I have." He didn't even show any sign of weakness as he strolled calmly into his room and gathered his other accessories.
-
It was nearing midnight when they were seeing off Grunge, who would soon wander off into the forest to try to find another life. In the middle of the night. In 5 degree weather. Out of the 600 there, about 20 of those children were in tears, and their parents were surprised at most of their childrens' mature acceptance of the facts.
But they all knew it would be a long good-bye.
No one could touch him especially outside where it was windy, so it was even tougher to express his or her bond. The strongest children wanted to hug him, but of course they couldn't. "Just blow him a kiss, dears," said their mother. So they all did in unison.
Murfy flew in front of the morose crowd to try to liven the spirits up. "Look at it this way. You've learned lots of new things, and if I'm correct, your eyesight is back!"
"That's correct. And that's not all that's back."
He paused. And saw that Rayman was hobbling outside through the front door of the lodge. He was saying good-bye to him even when he was too weak to walk!
"Rayman!" Ly yelled. "What are you doing?! You could get worse!"
But Rayman, as always, wasn't going to give up. As he was slowly nearing the robot, he said in his hoarse voice, "You just said you have gained more than your eyesight? What else?"
Grunge smiled, and pointed to the dagger he had in his left belt!
Ohmygod, thought Rayman!
Ohmygod, thought Ly!
Ohmygoodness, thought Uglette!
This'll be good, thought Murfy!
I'm hungry, thought Globox!
"-" thought Clark!
He had regained his memory!
Rayman was about to double back in the house, when Grunge suddenly pleaded not to. Grunge then beckoned him to come here in a soothing gesture and smiled the best smile he could manage. "Rayman! Living these two days with you has changed my life, whether or not I had lost my memory! I forgive everything my job meant! He's gone! And now I can be free!"
Rayman paused. He still wasn't completely convinced.
"Rayman! Did you ever wonder WHY I took a space pod before the explosion in the first place?!"
He listened.
"Because I didn't agree with the Captain's orders! I had the worst job as a mechanic! On the day you reached the ship, I didn't want to have anything further to do with him, so I secretly escaped in an escape pod! I crashed into this mountain, where YOU found me!"
Rayman's head turned around, and he gave him a look of astonishment! It was true! The wreckage Rayman had discovered used to be a pod used only for emergency escaping!
He turned around once more in his direction. Should he actually believe this man's apology? Is he really telling the truth about how he felt?
Then Rayman was reminded of his handshake and the bandana. In fact, he was the bandana right in his pocket. He had an idea.
To everyone's gasp, in his condition, he quickly ran 50 paces up to the robot in the middle of the empty, closed ski slope, and handed him back the bandana. Well, he actually let the wind catch it and had Grunge take it in mid-air, since he couldn't touch him.
"Take that as a Neocreation gift!" Rayman shouted hoarsely. "But more importantly, so you can always know that I forgive you!"
Ly was overcome with astonishment, so much that her legs almost gave in!
Rayman continued, "I'm sorry I never got to even touch you, Grunge! And I'm sorry I was acting so shielded from you these days! It's just-I had no idea-"
Grunge have him a small smile that meant he knew it was okay.
Rayman then finally wished him happy trails, may Polokus always be on your side, and a Happy Neocreation Day!
Everyone then said 'Happy Neocreation Day!' one at a time! It was the best way to celebrate the new day, even better than dancing and chanting the traditional hymn, or eating a big dinner! Even some of the children still called him Gustav out of sheer gratitude!
"Well", said Uglette to her children. "I think you kids have to have a little talk with Mommy about the facts of the holiday!"
"Aww." "Aww man."
Uglette raced back inside! A little meal and some home-sewn winter clothes couldn't hurt!
Rayman collapsed onto the hardened, white snow. Ly couldn't carry him inside, for fear of catching the disease, but she he was in so poor a condition already that she did anyway! Murfy gave Grunge one last Peace sign!
And with that, Grunge had to live the rest of his life on his own.
"Wait a minute!" said Globox. "If HE was the carrier of the disease, and HE touched the roast bird, then-"
They all paused, and RACEDTOTHEBATHROOM!
-
It was snowing that early morning! The children were the first to wake up and find the presents! Even though Uglette had given them the talk last night, they were still curious as to what would happen even if they knew the truth.
To what they saw, it didn't make much of a difference!
"Wow! I got blue gum drops!"
Globox and Murfy had wakened up at 3:00 in the morning not to play Grandpa, but just as a basic surprise. "After all the stuff we went through to get these gifts, pies and batteries, YOUR KIDS ARE GONNA' GET THESE GIFTS, GRANDPA OR NO GRANDPA!" yelled Murfy.
The colored teeth were all arranged in a heap in the middle of the room. The batteries had been put in a safe place for future use, since they had no use for it anymore. Clark was sort of looking forward to smashing through the wall, making a big Clark-shaped hole in the middle! Murfy said he could do it for fun, so he did!
Ly was the next to wake up, with Murfy, Globox and Clark following in that order. Uglette made the breakfast after they all opened their presents.
Ly was sad that Rayman couldn't join them for the day they were waiting for this entire trip- she would hand him all his presents to his room so he could open them. But she was also a bit puzzled. If she carried him into his room the night before, why didn't SHE get sick?
"Murfy. Why didn't I get sick when I carried Rayman into the house last night?"
"Well, where did you hear the disease from?"
"I contacted the Teensie Sect up on the north part of the Summit."
Murfy contemplated. "Well, you're a fairy, right? And the Teensies are also magical beings, as well as me, right?"
"Right. We've all evolved from the same organism millions of years ago."
"Maybe our species, the fairies and pixies and flying bugs, can't get the disease."
It was a good assumption. She didn't have any proof. So there was only one other way to make her convinced.
She excused herself from the party in the main room, walked toward Rayman's room (he was still sound asleep), put the presents in a corner, and then for the final test, she stroked his hair for about 3 minutes. If she didn't get Gluphoid in an hour after that, she'd be convinced. Besides, how dangerous a chance was it if she could risk it on her friends?
--
The trip to the Summit Above the Clouds was nearing its end, as they were planning on staying three more days after the holiday. It was not only a new day, but also, according to the planet's astronomical time, it was a new year. Ly found out that that was what Neocreation Day was all about- too bad she didn't find out about it sooner.
They all decided to complete the trip by snowboarding, skiing and enjoying the slopes together. Clark did not return from his escape from the house through the wall that morning, and as a result, was frozen inside the snow overnight, posing in a running position, with his mouth toothless! All the rest of the party found him standing their like a stupid-looking statue, and they all carried him down to the base lodge to get him free. The kids were amused by it, but Murfy was too embarrassed to even look at him!
To all of their surprise, Rayman had fully recovered from the illness by the very last day, and everyone was happy that he could join them before they left! As they were nearing the beginning of the highest trail, Ly said to him, "Well, this was a different holiday, wasn't it, Rayman?"
"Yeah, but you know, I'm not really going to miss that bandana. While lying on the bed half-asleep, I realized I've outgrown it. I'm fine with my hood anyway."
Ly smiled. "It's like a new turn for you, right?"
"Right."
"Tell me, how much DO you like that hood?"
"Well, enough to take care if how it looks."
"Really. Then I suppose you'd care if-
"-I HIT IT WITH A SNOWBALL!!!" She gleefully smacked Rayman into the side of his middle region with an icy snowball, laughing!
Rayman was really annoyed, but also really enjoying it! "WH--! Why, you! YOU-"
"I've been waiting to do that since we began this trip!"
Rayman flashed a devilish grin as he packed up a snowball, and right when he was about to launch it, Ly hit him again when he turned around!
They both started an all out snowball feud among everyone there! Finally, they all stopped their fighting, regained control, and flew headfirst right down the Summit, and disappeared into the clouds.
HAPPY NEOCREATION DAY EVERYONE!