Disclaimer: Rayman belongs to Ubisoft, I do not own Rayman or any of its characters; This is purely a fan-made fiction.
There were nights where he just could not sleep, not at all. Sometimes it was because of Globox snoring too much, sometimes it was because of the Teensies causing a ruckus with their endless partying, or sometimes it was even because he was hungry! But this time… this time, our beloved Hero of the Glade could not sleep for another reason; uncertainty. Dread, even. Rayman had a lot of things on his mind tonight, as he sat up and watched the moon high above him in the skies, his friends snoring and sleeping away happily below him. Time and again, he had restored peace and serenity to the Glade by defeating some of the vilest, twisted, and weirdest villains they had ever faced, and yet, for some reason, there was one villain that his mind kept returning to… that villain was none other… than himself.
His dark 'alter ego', created by the foul Mr. Dark so long ago, when the glade was first threatened of an enemy; Dark Rayman. Or Anti-Rayman, as the Nymph Association called him. There was just… something about this dark and menacing half of himself that always made his skin tingle and twinge with a disturbingly… good sensation. A sensation that gave him the will and desire to just punch him in his ugly, sneering face, and beat him over and over again. Just… punching him until he was a bloody pulp. He had never given in to that sensation, not fully… but he feared that it would one day consume him.
He had not faced Anti-Rayman for a long while since Mr. Dark was defeated, however, which was possibly a good thing… but when Mr. Dark was around, each time he and his darker "twin" faced off with one another, it was a constant battle both against his enemy, and against his own urges. Those primal, barbaric desires to just go crazy on someone with his fists. It was, without a doubt, inhuman. A sort of indescribable, sadistic pleasure, and he had always been close to giving in to it. But never would he let it consume him… he was too good-hearted for it. Or was he? Was it just that he had not pushed himself far enough? Was he not even close to that threshold? Or had he always been just on the edge?
Regardless of what it was, it was troubling Rayman. What if he faced his darker half again? Would he be prepared to face him, with all the enemies he has faced so far? Or would it be like a whole new opponent all over again? He would not have time to think too much on that, as a yelp was heard down below. Reacting to it near-instantly, Rayman would leap down from the tree he had rested on, leaving Globox, Barbara and the Teensies to rest, as he would slide down along the trunk of the tree, swinging from a couple of vines, before landing on the forest floor. The yelping kept up, sounding like a Lum that was being bullied, which the Glade Hero did not tolerate. Winding up his fists a little, he would run towards the source of the troubled noise.
"Hey, let go of the Lum!" he'd exclaim, seeing a dark, shaded figure in front of him holding a small, spherical golden thing with a face and arms, struggling wildly in its hand, trying to flutter free with its small wings, but the figure still held a firm grasp around it, clutching its fingers around it like a set of prison bars. "Hey! Didn't you hear what I said?! Let go of that Lum, or else-" "Or else what… my 'better half'?" that voice… it made Rayman freeze to his very core. His eyes widened, his fists cringing a little. No wonder he was so quick to threaten this thing… this, dark, shaded being. It would let go of the Lum as it flew off, slowly turning to face the hero… only to reveal a light purple-skinned being, with purple hair, blue shirt, cyan hood and shoes… and a brilliant white grin on his face. No… it couldn't be… but it was. "Y-Y-… You!"
"Yes, woo-hoo, big surprise..." Dark Rayman would gloat at his nemesis, still grinning defiantly at him. "Me, me… me. Poor little me… did you think I was gone forever, Rayman? Did you think I just 'disappeared' when you defeated Father Dark? Think again, bozo…" he'd clutch his fists a little, before holding a pointing, accusing finger at his lighter self. "You didn't go away, did you? So in that sense… I can't go away either. I am YOU, remember? All that you stand for, all that you love and cherish and live for… just twisted into a more… darker perfection."
"Enough with the nonsense!" Rayman growled as he clutched his fists even harder, so hard that if he'd have nails, they'd dig through his skin by now. "I defeated you, AND Mr. Dark! How can you be back?!" he demanded, as the darker half would merely frown a little. "You're actually so dumb and clueless that you can't even figure out why I'm still here? Think about it, numbskull! Who was it that gave you the urge to just pummel your opponent senseless!? Who was it that made you desire to clobber and beat every single one in your way to dust!? That's right. I was that person! As long as those desires live on in you, you can never get rid of me!"
He was right… by Betilla, he was right. Ever since Rayman had faced him, urges of just beating his enemies senseless have swelled up in him more than often, untold desires of clobbering and beating them. And the one who did it the most when facing him… was the malevolent entity standing before him right now. "W-What do you mean!? Have you infected me!?" he growled out at him, however, still not convinced that this dark monster was the reason for his urges. There had to be some other explanation, something… vile that his opponents had done! This being could not have this much… influence over him! The darker half merely snickered, however, his baleful, yellow eyes staring him down. "Keheheheheheh… maybe I have. Maybe I am so much more powerful than you, that I merely influence you to believe you have the advantage over me. Oh, how hilarious it'd be if it was true…"
"C-Cut it out!" Rayman growled as he would suddenly charge Dark Rayman, fist winding up into a powerful blow, one that the darker half did not foresee in his gloating, as he took it square in the face, groaning loudly as he was launched back, tumbling along the ground and slamming into a tree trunk. "Enough with your vile words! I wanna know why you're still around!" Rayman demanded, fists clutching more as Dark Rayman merely spat a wad into the ground, wiping his mouth and feeling up his sore face. "Keh… that actually hurt me. I feel so sad right now… except I don't. I feel so damn fantastic! You STILL got that punch in you Ray! I like that! C'mon, hit me some more!" he was begging for it. Demanding it from Rayman, urging him on to punch his darker half more. He literally wanted the beating, Rayman could see the desire in his eyes. And for some reason, he did not care right now. He wanted to beat him up so badly for toying with him, and if he so wanted it… well, he would give it to him. "So, you want more, huh…" he softly growled, walking up towards the crouching copy of himself, looking down at him.
"I won't say no to giving you more." He'd grab the collar of Dark Rayman's shirt, hoisting him back up onto his feet, before smacking him across the face with a fist again, sending him tumbling down into the ground again, smacking into it face-first this time. He could feel a wound scraping up along his cheek, a bruise that began bleeding slowly, as the darker half began wiping it off quickly. He stared at the blood on his pale glove, coloring it with streaks of red, just staring at it… before he began to grin wildly. He had never been punched hard enough to start bleeding. This sensation, the sight of blood on his gloved hand, the warm feeling of it as it seeped out of his bruised face… it was delightful. "H-Heh… heheheheh… man… this feeling, it's just so… so delighting… I want more. More of it!" he'd quickly stand up from his crouched-over position, spinning around at a more or less shocked Rayman, sending a sucker-punch right into his face in return, slamming him into a tree face-first as he's gasp out in pain.
Rayman would feel it too, his cheek bruising up and starting to trickle lightly with blood. He reached up to feel the crimson liquid, watching it as it stained his glove, watching it drip slowly, softly… what was this? This… feeling he was getting. What was his darker half doing to him?! "Yeah… that's a first for ya too, isn't it? Seeing red… seeing blood. It's so soft… silky-soft… and so warm, isn't it?" he'd speak with a certain hiss in his tone… like a serpent, almost. That serpent-like voice… how he loathed it. Hated it. He had heard many of his enemies speak in that manner, and it just annoyed him… no, angered him to no end. There was just no words decent enough to describe how angry it made him. Rayman growled softly as he would clutch his bloody fist, pushing himself off of the tree as he'd lunge at his dark half, grasping his shirt and pinning him down onto the forest floor, straddling him. "S-SHUT UP! What are you doing to me?! Your voice… y-your entire behavior! W-Why is it doing this to me?!"
"What, me, doing something to you now? Heh… I ain't doing nothing. You're the one who's beating me up here, not me…" the evil half would grin up at Rayman, who merely tried to silence him with another punch in his face. Dark Rayman would wince and feel his head being pressed into the ground, spitting out a wad of blood. "U-Uagh… g-god damn, almost knocked a tooth out there, buddy… sure you can't hit any harder?" he was goading him on, trying to influence him more with his urges, whilst that grin of his was still on his face. Rayman was growing sick of just looking at it by now, raising his fist again, but it seemed that his darker half would begin struggling for once, raising his hand as he'd grab Rayman's fist and quickly sit up, pushing him off of him and head-butting his "good" half, foreheads smashing together as Rayman was sent backwards, another bruise forming on his forehead as he laid there, dazed, touching his head with one hand, whilst the other was vacant. Dark Rayman would seize his chance, picking up a sharp rock nearby as he'd lunge at his better half, raising the rock, and jabbing the sharp end right into his open palm.
"G-GAAAH!" Rayman screamed out in pain as the sharp end pierced his gloved hand, stabbing through his hand as blood would start to seep and run wildly from the wound. He flinched in agony as Dark Rayman would start wiggling the rock into the wound, sharp, searing pulses of pain flaring within his head as he could not even think straight. The pain… he had to make the pain go away… but for some reason, he wanted it to stay. He wanted it to stay there so he could understand… what was it that made him do this. What made him have the same urges as his darker self; why it felt so darn good to cause someone else this much harm. In that pain, however, another feeling began to swell up inside of him; some sort of dark, twisted, malign… desire. He thought he understood now. Why it felt so good to cause pain upon somebody else… he felt a rush. A surge of pleasure shifting through his veins. And as he laid there, the sharp end of the rock piercing through his palm, his darker half cackling over his presumed demise… that rush just got bigger, and bigger… but he had to make it reach the crescendo! He growled loudly as he'd use his other hand to punch at his dark self's face, flinching him enough to move off of him as he'd yank the rock out of his bleeding palm, using that very hand to rear back a punch, and slam it right into Dark Rayman's gut.
"G-GUAH!" he groaned and coughed in pain, reeling backwards and holding his torso, as Rayman merely got up and kept going. It was his turn to cause some pain now. He would bull-rush his evil side, shoulder-tackling him and sending him right into a boulder nearby, the darker half feeling his body smash upon the hard surface as another sharp exhale of pain left his mouth, but Rayman was not done. He would pick up another rock, this one a bit more round than the one Dark Rayman used, as he would then smash it right into the darker one's skull. There was no crunching noise… yet. Just a sickening smack as his head was smashed by the rock, a wound cracking open from his dark violet skin that would drip and stream blood down his face, towards the corner of his lips. He'd taste it… ooh, it even tasted delightful. Such a lovely mix of sweet and bitter… he woke up from his new-found euphoria as another smack was delivered, this time to his chest as he felt at least a rib getting smashed, as he would cough and actually felt himself spit out a wad of blood. It dried in his mouth quickly, tasting of rusted iron… he'd look up towards his torturer, but only got a glimpse of him before his head was smashed again by the rock, this time creating a rather visible in-dent in his skull, but not quite breaking it. Another bruise, with blood seeping out of it, but not quite as quickly as the gash just near his forehead.
"K-Khah… s-so, what now, eh, "good" self? You feeling it yet? The reason why I still exist? The reason I keep haunting your dreams?" he'd speak with a slightly wheezy tone, panting and spitting another wad of blood out of his mouth, as the remnants dried up in his mouth. Rayman was standing above him, the blood-stained rock raised once more to drive down upon his skull… but again, found himself frozen. He would just stare down at the bruised, beaten and bleeding specter of himself, his eyes fired up with both desire, doubt and questions, as he would stare down at his injured hand, the blood still flowing slightly from the wound as it slowly clogged up. He'd clutch it softly, glaring at Dark Rayman again. "… No. I still… I still don't get it! Why would this be the reason you exist?! This… unnatural, weird feeling in me?! It feels like my body's burning with some sort of… unnatural desire to just outright KILL YOU!" he'd throw the rock to the ground, grabbing Dark Rayman by the collar of his shirt, pulling him up to stare him in the face.
"What is it that you've done to me, Dark Rayman?! Tell me right now, or I'll… I will-" "Do what, Rayman? Will you keep punching me until all my grinning teeth are out of my mouth? Will you beat me up so badly with that rock that my face becomes unrecognizable by anyone other than you? Would you… kill me? C'mon, answer me, I don't have all day…" still with that seething, hissing and arrogant tone in his voice. It seeped through Rayman's mind like venom. Venom that he wanted to cleanse from his mind rather than embrace. But at the moment… he was embracing it alright. Cringing wildly, he would punch Dark Rayman in the face again. "I-I told you to cut that out! Let my mind be!" he growled through his teeth at his darker self, as he'd merely grin back at him again. "But it is OUR mind, dear…" 'Dear'… for some reason that word flinched Rayman into a halt, one that his darker self would take advantage of, lunging his hand out to the back of Rayman's head, grabbing him, entwining his fingers into those golden locks of hair, pulling him closer, their noses rubbing together, before the dark one would tilt his head and nose out of their way, their lips merely a breath away, one that he'd take slowly, whilst whispering; "It is our minds forever… inseparable. Unbreakable. We're tied together… forever."
And with that, he crushed his lips against Rayman's, tying them into a sudden, but oh-so direct and sensual kiss. Rayman would groan in surprise and disgust at first, flailing with his hand a bit as he tried to pry himself away from his darker self, but his grip was firm, and his lust undeniably strong… suddenly, he didn't want to let go. He stayed frozen in place, moaning in slight bliss as Dark Rayman's lips ravaged his own, his tongue soon trashing against his entrance as it managed to slip inside. He managed to get a smell of Dark Rayman's scent… it was vile. Dark. Mixed with that scent and taste of rust, from the blood he still had on his face. The dark one's grip of Rayman's hair grew tighter, his fingers tangling into it and pulling on it, as Rayman groaned out and returned the favor, twirling his fingers into the darker one's dark purple hair and yanking firmly, earning a masochistic moan of delight from his nemesis. His hair felt greasy… sweaty. It began to fill the already stinking aroma he was smelling. But he did not mind… finally, something other than violence that seemed to ease the dark desires he felt pooling up inside of him. And to be honest… it felt damn good.
Both of them moaned in ecstatic bliss, before the kiss was broken, both of them staring at each other for the longest of moments… before the dark one finally grinned. "Heh… looks like I broke ya. Finally, you seem to understand why the two of us exists. I am merely a result of the darkest, most sinister desires you lock up inside of you… therefore, I will not disappear. Not until all of those urges are let out…" suddenly, his body began to dissipate, as if being see-through, and Rayman began to panic slightly. "N-No, wait! Wait, what's going on!? Where you going?!" he demanded, trying to grasp at his now incorporeal form, but the darker one merely smirked and chuckled. "Heh… who knows. All I know is, that the moment you begin to pool up your urges again… I'll be back. Each time stronger… each time more desiring. I'll wait for ya to call me back… dear~" and with that, he was gone. For good? No one knew. He was, after all… Rayman's dark side. The result of his darker, hidden desires and urges. And as long as Rayman was capable of such urges and desires… his dark side would exist. Now, however… he needed some god-damn rest.
Author's Notes: WOOH, alright! First fan-fic of 2014 is out now! And it is quite a disturbing one, I'll admit it... now, if you'll excuse me, and maybe R&R this piece of 'art'... I will drink a bit of brain bleach. Hope ya enjoyed the darker side of my psyche...
