#My hands hurt from typing Puyo Puyo so much

[gren-arlio]

Part one of the final episode is here. Halfway there.

The first half of the video is straight talking the entire time. I plan to have the final video be...well, the final fight and ending. We got an all star cast though this time, almost everyone makes an appearance. Some are just not here though. Sorry Cockatrice and Incubus fans.

A few highlights, mostly being the popular characters we know and love:

(Translating Witch is...a ride.)

The video itself: (I've done most of the Schezo ones. You can check in my blog.)

Timestamps: (Since there's so much, I broke them down partially.)

Intro: (0:00)

Info Stuff and Bulletins: (0:45)

Succubus Encounter and Gameplay Dump: (1:25)

2nd Succubus Encounter: (2:48)

Skeleton-T Encounter: (3:15, 2nd one is at 3:50)

Draco Encounter: (4:25, second one is at 5:15)

Harpy Encounter; (6:00, second one is at 6:20)

Suketoudara Encounter: (6:52, second one is at 7:25)

Sasori Man Encounter: (8:05, second one is at 8:35)

Black Kikimora Encounter: (9:10, second meeting is at 9:43)

Panotty Encounter: (10:13, second one is at 10:40)

Serilly Encounter: (10:55, second one is at 12:38, and a THIRD at 13:40.)

From (14:00) beyond they're all Ultimate Tower stuff so I'll order via name.

Satan 1: (14:00)

Arle 1: (14:28)

Witch 1: (15:25)

Arle 2: (15:50)

Rulue: (17:20)

Witch 2: (17:49)

Satan 2: (18:48)

Lot of timestamps. Lot of work for me.

Also, special shout out to this screenshot. Flabbergasted me the first time seeing Witch pull out the heart from nowhere. Also got it on a frame where Schezo looks done with life.

With the sheer length of it (and how much my phone lags), I'm gonna format this a bit differently.

With that, Enjoy the super long translation text in the Read More.

Intro: (0:00)

Schezo:

What is that!?

Satan:

You're asking me?

Schezo:

Didn't you put that tower up there?

Satan:

Y-yes, that's right.

Schezo:

...Then shouldn't you know what's in the tower?

Satan:

Well, I've been busy with things.

I can't check every attraction.

Schezo:

What, you don't even know...Are you still the owner of this place?

Satan:

No, that's not...

Schezo:

I don't need you to tell me you don't know where the magic item is, 'cause I'm leaving.

-----

Info Stuff and Bulletins: (0:45)

[Menus, my beloved. Here's how they go in this game.

Listen

Bulletin <-

Back

The next screen goes:

Peddler Fufufu

Don't Throw Away the Magic Item!

Where is the Meteor Grimoire!

Mystery Appearance! <-

Back]

Bulletin:

Mystery Appearance! The name of it is called "The Ultimate Tower".

This is the final attraction! The "Incredible Magic Item" is in this tower!

It's connected to the other attractions by a mysterious force.

It's said you can enjoy all the attractions at once here! Those who are confident should give it a try. (If there's a line break, my apologies.)

The player then leaves the entire place.

-----

Succubus Encounter and Gameplay Dumping: (1:25)

Succubus:

Welcome. I'm surprised you came all this way.

Schezo:

You're...the perverted woman!

Succubus:

...I don't want to be held by an Ankh! (Basically: Egyptian Cross.)

Schezo:

What do you mean! ...Wait, what're you doing here anyways?

Succubus:

Of course. I've been waiting for you. ♡

Schezo:

I-I-I Don't know what you're talking about...

Succubus:

...I'm joking.

Schezo:

...

Succubus:

Actually, I'm not here to lead you on...I'm here to guide guests.

Schezo:

Guests? Is this place an attraction?

Succubus:

What? You didn't hear? Well, I'll make it easy for you. ♡

This is a special attraction where people who've appeared as bosses wait.

The guys there are at least level 50, and at best well over 100.

If you're lucky, you should be able to get halfway through, but if you're not sure, best not to go.

Schezo:

Do you think I'll be afraid of that sort of thing?

Succubus:

Well, you can go in, I won't stop you. Do what you like. ♡

Schezo:

Yeah, I'll do it.

---

2nd Succubus Encounter: (2:48)

Succubus:

Aren't you a curious person. I can't believe you came back.

Schezo:

Oh, sorry then!

Succubus:

Perhaps...you're here to see me then?

Schezo:

No! I'm not!

Succubus:

You don't have to get so worked up about it. ♡

Aren't you a shy one. ♡

-----

Skeleton-T Encounter: (3:15)

Skeleton-T:

Oh noooooo~!

Schezo:

What's wrong?

Skeleton-T:

I spilled my tea during the tremor earlier.

Schezo:

...

Skeleton-T:

Surprised, I went outside. Then, a huge tower appeared!

Schezo:

That's right.

Skeleton-T:

I'm in real trouble.

Schezo:

(...What in the world is troubling you?)

-----

2nd Skeleton-T Encounter: (3:50)

Skeleton-T:

Ochaaaaa-a! (He said the phrase guys, pack it up)

Schezo:

It's you again...

Skeleton-T:

Take a break. Go to the store and get a cup of tea.

Schezo:

I bet both your miso and your brain is green.

Skeleton-T:

Do I have any miso, is what you're asking?

Schezo:

What? You don't actually have any miso?

Skeleton-T:

Hmm...

Schezo:

Come on...don't take it so seriously...

-----

Draco Encounter: (4:25)

Draco:

Yo! (Or Gao, either or. Your choice.)

Schezo:

Oh, it's you.

Draco:

You. You're still looking all moody and gloomy.

You're ruining your good looks. If you were more breezy, wouldn't you be more popular with women?

Schezo:

Leave me alone! I have zero interest about women!

Draco:

Eh..."Zero interest about women"? ...Then do you like men?

Schezo:

How could that be? That's completely different!

Draco:

So then why don't you try to be more girl-consious? (Or conscious about girls.)

Though the ones who only think about girls like an incubus are the worst.

Schezo:

Why am I being compared to an incubus?

---

2nd Draco Encounter: (5:15)

Draco:

Yo! (Or Gao again. Choose your adventure style at this rate.)

Schezo:

Oh.

Draco:

You're not going back in there. (The Dungeon she means.)

Schezo:

Oh.

Draco:

Did you come to see me by any chance?

Schezo:

Oh. ...What!? That's not right!

Thats not true at all! What're you saying!?

Draco:

Ugh, don't be so forceful. I'm a bit hurt myself.

A popular guy like him doesn't know what going on with women...oh man, I wonder why...

Schezo:

...I'm popular?

... (Guy is making the cheesiest smile here.)

-----

Harpy Encounter: (6:20)

Harpy:

Hari-Hora~* (The * is in place for the music note. Also, her lines are stupid weird to translate, so bear with me here.)

Schezo:

It's so loud!

Harpy:

Horoharu-Helifla~* (I'm mostly using her Champions and PPT2 spell names because some of the words become jargin.)

Schezo:

Hey, shut up!

Harpy:

I'll let everyone know~*

Schezo:

Oh, come on...are you serious? Won't someone die?

---

2nd Harpy Encounter: (6:20)

Schezo:

Whoa. Surpsingly, no one's here.

Harpy:

Horoharu-Helifla~*

Schezo:

So it was a surprise attack! It worked...

Harpy:

I forgot something~*

Schezo:

That destructive power can't be underestimated. I have to be careful of her voice attacks.

----

Suketoudara Encounter: (6:52)

Suketoudara:

Heeeey!

Hey! If you're a real man, why don't you learn my sexy dance moves!

Schezo:

...That's ridiculous.

Suke:

What!? You made fun of my dancing!

Schezo;

I'm busy. Do it elsewhere.

Suketoudara:

Wait! We're still talking...

Schezo:

You're on your own.

---

2nd Suketoudara Encounter: (7:25)

Suketoudara:

Hey.

Schezo:

Again...I don't have time for your stupid dances.

Suketoudara:

Where are you, Serilly? (He says Serilly-Chan here, for the record.)

Schezo:

What? That's none of your business.

Suketoudara:

Fiiiish! I knew it!

I won't lose to you! I'll never lose to you!

Schezo:

What was that? Something about it pisses me off!

What sort of grudge does he have against me!?

-----

Sasori Man Encounter: (8:05)

Sasori:

Are you going to make a profit?

Schezo:

Nope, not at all.

Sasori:

You sure? I've heard rumors about you.

Schezo:

Rumors?

Sasori:

They say that you went into the deepest parts of the Puyo Puyo Dungeon.

Schezo:

Well, that's correct.

Sasori:

You're a lot more capable then you seem, I'll admit.

Schezo:

...Do I look that weak to you?

-----

2nd Sasori Man Encounter: (8:35)

Sasori:

Hey hey.

Schezo:

Oh, you again.

Sasori:

About the rumors of the tower, have you heard anything?

Schezo:

What?

Sasori:

Apparently, you can find some amazing items in that tower.

Schezo:

Of course there is. But it's mine.

Sasori:

As expected, I'm counting on you.

Schezo:

Hey...what did you even expect?

-----

Black Kikimora Encounter: (9:10)

Black Kikimora: (will be called Biki)

...

Schezo:

Hey.

Biki:

...

Schezo:

...I'm going in.

Biki:

...I'm going in.

Schezo:

... ... ...

She's really not pretty.

Biki:

Mind your own business!

Schezo:

Woah! I'm out of here!

Biki:

Eh!?

Schezo:

I knew she was...well, you know.

---

2nd Black Kikimora Encounter: (9:43)

Biki:

... ... ...

Schezo:

... ... ...

Biki:

...

Schezo:

... ... ...

Biki:

...Say something!

Schezo:

Guess I win this time.

Biki:

!! Damn it!!!

Schezo:

Hey...are you that bitter about it?

-----

Panotty Encounter: (10:13)

Flute:

(...you can see it, actually. Only translated thing in the game.)

Schezo:

Ah!

Panotty:

Eh?

Schezo:

You're too loud! Go somewhere else.

Panotty:

Why!

Schezo:

You're an unreasonable kid!

Panotty:

Hmpf! Akanbe! (Japanese jesture kids do to be mean. The pulling your eye down a bit and sticking out a tongue.)

Schezo:

He's such an annoying brat!

-----

2nd Panotty Encounter: (10:40)

Panotty:

Woah!

Schezo:

Woah!?

Panotty:

Bye-Bye!

Schezo:

Wait a second!

Panotty:

I did it~!

Schezo:

You're so annoying!

-----

Serilly Encounter: (10;55)

Serilly:

Ah! Mr. Schezo!

Schezo:

Hey, there you are.

Serilly:

Did you come to see me? If so, I'm really glad. ♡

Schezo:

That's not what I was going to say...

Serilly:

Oh...I see...

Schezo:

No, you see, the truth is that I came here to talk to you.

Serilly:

Oh, really? Yes, what is it!?

Schezo:

Aren't you afraid of me?

Serily:

What? Why? You don't scare me at all anymore.

Schezo:

Okay...

Serilly:

...?

Schezo:

Have...have I changed since I've lost my powers...?

Serilly:

...Mr. Schezo?

Schezo:

If I don't get my power back, will I be able to be who I once was...?

Serilly:

Mr. Schezo...um...for me...

You told me to "Always look forward in life," and that made me happy!

But...I don't know, but I think Mr. Schezo is thinking backwards right now...

Schezo:

!?

Serilly:

That's...not like you, Mr. Schezo.

Schezo:

!!

Serilly:

Oh, um...I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I sounded rude.

Schezo:

No, no. You're right.

I guess I was looking backwards, but you've opened my eyes. Thanks.

Serilly:

No, that's not...

Schezo:

Let's go! I am Master Schezo Wegey, The Dark Mage!

Serilly:

Yes! Good luck!

-----

2nd Serilly Encounter: (12:38)

Serilly:

Oh! Mr. Schezo!

Schezo:

Hey, thanks for helping me earlier.

Serilly:

No, I'm the one who...

Schezo:

What? Don't make that face.

Serilly:

...I'm sorry, but there's something about you, Mr.Schezo.

I feel like you're going far away...

Schezo:

Hah! What're you talking about, I'm right here.

And here I am, talking to you.

Serilly:

Yeah! That's right.

Schezo:

Yeah, so no more crying.

Serilly:

Yes!

Schezo:

...I'm the one telling a girl to not cry...

I can't believe it...something has changed after all.

---

3rd Serilly "Encounter": (13:40)

Schezo:

Nobody's here...

...not that I was expecting anyone to be here.

-----

The rest here are for the Ultimate Tower. Here we go.

Satan 1: (14:00)

Satan:

Are you going, Schezo?

Schezo:

Yes.

Satan:

Well...be careful. The road ahead isn't going to be easy.

Schezo:

I guess so, but with me...

Satan:

You'll lose your footing if you're too confident.

Schezo:

No need to worry.

(Text appears saying "Enter the Ultimate Tower?" For convenience sake, this'll only be one time.)

-----

Arle 1: (14:28)

Arle:

Oh! Schezo!

Schezo:

What!? You're after the treasure too?

Arle:

Schezo...what treasure?

Schezo:

I'm telling you now, it was mine originally.

It's not going to help you if you find it, sk don't waste your time searching for it.

Arle:

You know what "That" is...Schezo, what do you know?

Schezo:

That it's the Space-Time...no, it's nothing.

Arle:

...It's not very manly to stop halfway through what you were going to say.

Schezo:

Leave me alone! I hate words like "Manly" and "Hot-headed"!

...Oops, I shouldn't waste time here. Farewell Arle.

Well. Let's get into it.

-----

Witch 1: (15:25)

Witch:

Ah!

Schezo:

What the!?

Witch:

I knew it, it's still so cool... ♡

Schezo:

Hey, what're you talking about...

Witch:

The treasure and your clothes belong to me!

Schezo:

What're you saying? What?

Witch:

I'll work hard and do my best!

Schezo:

You don't have to work hard at all!

-----

Arle 2: (15:50)

Schezo:

...and the one over there is-

Arle:

Oh! Schezo!

Schezo:

Arle, why do you want the treasure?

Arle:

I'm not here for the treasure. I'm just playing here.

Schezo:

Then you should back off from here.

Arle:

Eh, why?

Schezo:

Why not? (AMAZING Reasoning.)

Arle:

Well, I guess I'll have to go searching too~

Schezo:

You're the one who...suit yourself then. I don't care what happens to you.

Arle:

Oh for heavens sake! If you're going to say something, speak up!

There's been something weird about you these days!

Schezo:

...Have you ever thought about yourself?

Arle:

Eh? What do you mean?

Schezo:

Im here to revive my lost self.

And I don't need to be nagged by you, who's playing around in the middle of the day!

Arle:

You don't have to say it like that...Schezo, you jerk!

Schezo:

I may have gone overboard...forgive me, Arle.

How could a Dark Mage like me get so worked up over a few words...

Arle...you're a strange girl. I think you're...well, it doesn't matter.

-----

Rulue and Minotauros: (17:20)

Schezo:

What the!? That lady over there...

Rulue:

Hey! What're you doing! Don't get lazy, or I'll leave you here!

Minotauros:

I'm sorry for bothering you.

Schezo:

...What makes that cow so happy to follow her around?

I'll never understand how cows think...

-----

Witch 2: (17:49)

Witch:

Oh, Schezo! (I'm a tad unsure here. Thing says, "Mr. Schezo" like Serilly, but is it Schezo-san/senpai because of what's going on? For now, just Schezo.)

Schezo:

...Here we go again.

Witch:

Are you here for the treasure too?

Schezo:

Yeah, that's right. It's mine.

Witch:

That's not true. Everything is beautiful.

And anything that's beautiful belongs to me. That magic item, your clothes, they're all mine.

Schezo:

Why are you so concerned over my clothes...

Witch:

...Because I want them.

Schezo:

...I don't have any good women around me.

Witch:

Well...you seem a bit embarrassed.

Sooner or later, you'll want to take those clothes off yourself. Oh-hohoho!

Schezo:

...Do you think she's even weirder than me? (Solid debate tbh)

-----

Satan 2: (18:48)

Satan:

Are you prepared, Schezo?

Schezo:

Yes.

Satan:

Okay. Well, be careful.

Schezo:

What? Did you hit your head?

Satan:

It's going to be a tough time for you now.

Schezo:

What do you mean? You've gone mad.

Satan:

Your current magic...something has happened to you, hasn't it?

I sense a great power in that tower. If you were in your best condition, I wouldn't worry...

Schezo:

What're you talking about! I'm invincible, you don't have to worry about!

Satan:

...in that case, I'll say no more.

Schezo:

That Satan...to notice that my powers were weakened...

And that's all the talk before the big fight and ending. It's been a pleasure having you around. Stick around for the grand finale and then extras.

[precisemuseum]

Puyo Puyo PC-98 Manual Translation

Once upon a time, in the age when the power of magic was bestowed upon the world, a powerful sorcerer created a great spell named "Owanimo." One of the strongest spells of all, it could banish monsters to a space between dimensions, but he sealed it away, recording it only in his "Book of Magic." 

Not because it was forbidden knowledge or incredibly hard to use, but because to him, it seemed useless. And thus, the spell entered a dormant state, awaiting a day when a new sorcerer would come forth...

Years came and went until finally, the seal came undone with the appearance of a great sorceress: Arle Nadja. One day, this auburn-haired girl with golden eyes came across the Book of Magic.

"Owanimo...?" Arle studied the chapter on forbidden spells for what seemed like hours. "When four monsters of the same color are in your sights, chant this spell loudly. The Goddess of Time shall listen, and whisk the monsters away to a space between dimensions." 

Arle continued to read, learning the Owanimo spell, but then closed it with a heavy sigh once she finished.

Why set it aside like that? Well, Arle had never seen "four monsters of the same color" as the spellbook described. 

"I spent so much time reading, and it's not even a spell I can use for anything..." 

But just as fate brought the Book of Magic into Arle's hands by chance, so it brought from the world of darkness the very monsters she had read about.

And thus, a great battle awaits. With her great magic abilities, and the newfound power of "Owanimo," Arle Nadja sets out to protect the world.

CHARACTERS A・C・P

Arle Nadja The protagonist of the game and the (aspiring) sorceress who released the spell "Owanimo". Nobody knows how she ended up this way, but despite looking like she wouldn't hurt a fly, she's actually a merciless girl that slaughters innocent Puyo. She currently attends a magic school, but she's already too scary for anything to stand in her way. That's my opinion, anyway.

Carbuncle During the game, when you find your eyes moving towards the center of the screen... Awww~! He's sleeping!!! This is Carbuncle. When he's lying still, he almost looks like a loaf of bread, but as he sings and dances he shows off a wide range of movement and facial expressions. A truly profound deuteragonist.

Puyo Puyo Despite their fate as short-lived, jelly-like monsters who are stacked and popped, they have managed to secure a leading role this time around, and even get to dance on the title screen. They're sure to enjoy this special opportunity to perform on a grand stage in five different colors. Looking at them with an empty stomach will reveal their appetizing nature and make you hungry. Hehe.

Arle, the protagonist, is brimming with curiosity.

PRACTICE STAGE ENEMY MONSTERS

Skeleton T While he appears as the epitome of a tea-loving Japanese man, he is a fine monster as well. He will be the first opponent you face during your trials. But you'll find that in a rather endearing way, he's a miserable fool who doesn't even know how to rotate his Puyo. Boohoo. Sipping bitter green tea during battle will instantly make you one of his tea-drinking buddies.

Nasu Grave An eggplant. Specifically, a Kamo eggplant. On top of that, he makes for a rather strange presence. Just what the heck is this thing? Despite appearances, his defensive power is high, so novices might find themselves struggling a bit. You'll have no choice but to keep at it and apply a steady technique. But in the end, your opponent is still just an eggplant. A regular talking eggplant. …Heh.

Mummy Even though it's called Mummy, it isn't a mommy. It's a mummy. What? You already knew that? Oh, deary me, I'll wrap it up then. (←One-man comedy routine.) Mummy is an opponent that makes you want to bully it because the crying face it makes when it's about to lose is just too cute. Sorry, Mummy.

The Goddess of Time whisking the monsters away.

BATTLE STAGES 1-6

Draco Centauros As you might expect from someone who shouts "Rawr", this half-dragon being takes pride in those sharp horns. Appearing as the first obstacle of your quest, this opponent has top tier judgment and piece precision but takes forever to think things through. Because of that, she's a pitiful lass who is only ranked as a third-rate monster girl... You heard me right! Draco is a girl. I'm sure someone around you thought she was a boy...

Suketoudara A pollock who has an aura of coming from some far-off sea. However, he seems to have the character of an Edokko​. He's an athletic-type who tends to err on the side of caution. However, he's also arrogant. When he wins, he makes a face that screams "You're no match for me!", which is truly aggravating. Many say they especially don't want to lose to him.

(TL Note: Literally meaning “Child of Edo”, Edokko is refers to a person born and raised in Edo (renamed Tokyo in 1868). It implies personality traits such as being assertive, straightforward, cheerful, perhaps a bit mercantile.)

Sukiyapodes Let's just get this out of the way; he has a giant foot. It measures about 16 mon. Even though he has a complex about it, he directs that frustration into bettering himself. Well, we're not sure if that last part's true, but he always has a cheerful expression on his face as he slowly and steadily builds precise chains. He's a bit of an unpleasant guy.

(TL Note: mon is a unit of length for measuring the size of one's foot. 1 mon is equivalent to 2.4 cm. His foot is 38.4 cm, or 15.12 in.)

Harpy Now then, it is time for Miss Harpy's song. She loves singing more than she loves having three meals a day. She could sing for ages if no one stopped her. If there was something like a "Puyo Puyo World Karaoke Tournament", she'd win for sure. But unfortunately, this is only Puyo Puyo. 

Sasori Man “How d'ya do, partner? I’m a famous Naniwa salesman known 'round these parts as Sasori Man. Put 'er there! Huh? Yer askin' for my secret to success? I ain't spillin' the beans no matter how much ya beg. That's somethin' to look forward to when we do battle. Till then, happy trails.”

Panotty A flute-playing boy. But honestly, he's nothing more than a noisy, mischievous brat. He disrupts his opponent's chains by dropping large amounts of Nuisance Puyo on them. Everyone has fallen victim to his antics at least once. What a truly ruthless Puyo technique. For when his last flute sounds, the dead shall be raised. Just kidding.

BATTLE STAGES 7-12

Zombie A zombie. All of his lines are stuff like "Ugheeee." This zombie is quite the formidable trickster. Sometimes he will be swiftly defeated, and other times he will take you by surprise and suddenly pull off a huge chain. If you don't take him seriously, you'll find yourself in a tough spot. Battle with caution.

Witch In the forest stands a grand mansion. Living there was a very ordinary family whose lineage can be traced back hundreds of years. The family's only daughter was born and was raised in a very ordinary fashion. But there was one thing that was not so ordinary...That young lady was a haughty witch. Ohohoho! Ohohohoho... *fadeout*

Zou Daimaou Pawoo! The mammoth mogul has arrived! A young aristocrat who comes from an ancient and distinguished line of royal Indian elephants. An irritating fellow who likes bad puns, gives his words an elephantine quality, and casually rhymes. He also enjoys Puyo Puyo. Plus, he's strong. An aphant-garde aristocrat whose ground-shaking chains are as sharp as his tusks.

Schezo A silver-haired man with deep blue eyes. Schezo, the embodiment of picturesque beauty. However, he's been deemed a pervert thanks to Arle, and strives to restore his honor by challenging her. 

B-E-A-U-T-Y! Perfection won't pass you by!  P-R-I-N-C-E! Of the Puyo Puyo World, it's meant to be! Go now! Go forth! Show us what you're really worth! 

...Well, this has turned into something rather silly..

Minotauros Risking life and limb for his duties, a bull who lives by the code of chivalry, leaving a flurry of cherry blossoms in his wake. That is Minotauros. Ever since Rulue rescued him long ago, he has served as her devoted attendant like a faithful dog. Seeing him like this brings some to tears. For Rulue, he'd go through hell and high water. He's giving it his all today, and his one-eyed look is as cool as ever.

Rulue A woman truly worthy of the title of "Fighting Queen". The queen of the Puyo Puyo world. There's nothing that she can't obtain... Oh wait, there is something — Satan's love. Possessing a very jealous nature, Rulue is always lying in wait, ready to obliterate anyone who gets close to Satan. It's rumored that her true strength is even greater than Satan's.

BATTLE STAGE 13

Satan He is the king that rules over heaven and earth. He soars the skies with wings that slice through wind. His two horns point towards the heavens. His sharp eyes are like glistening gems. Cloaked in the veil of night, his devilish hand beckons you in. He is darkness’s cherished protege. It seems playing Puyo Puyo is a guilty pleasure of his. His true strength is unknown. It's said he's won the Puyo Puyo World Championship a countless number of times. In any case, he's obviously a bigshot. Can you truly defeat Satan, who boasts of elite skills in speed and chaining?

(You can download the PDF here)

[erekiosuncreativeideas]

Is All Hope Lost ? (Rayman oneshot)

Summary :

"Now, the former hero of the Glade could do nothing, nothing but wait, for an opportunity… For anything, really, at this point. Was hope really lost? Was it all over?

Weak and unable to move too much, he was lying there in his freezing cell. Without much energy left in him, he could barely make any effort without feeling like he could faint, and it was the same for keeping his body warm enough to survive. It was clear that the new Master of the Glade wanted him to suffer without any interruption… An endless pain, fuelled by the dread of not even knowing what had happened after he got captured."

Also available on AO3 : https://archiveofourown.org/works/32011609

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Hello people !

Okay so this one shot is based off an idea I had a few years back. I finally got the motivation to write something about it, so... Here you go.

This is pretty angsty, there are references to torture and all that joyful stuff (no actual description of it though), so be careful when reading this. Hopefully you'll all like it.

There's an audio file for this chapter, which is a dub of the dialogues ! I commissioned it from my friend @puyo-proto, who is an amazing voice actor ! Go check out his work, he's awesome !

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Rayman’s cell was cold and damp- it had always been, and that would never change, he knew that much. Just like the rest of the castle of the new Master of the Glade, it was stone and iron all around. No nature, no trace of the environment the defeated hero had used to know all his life… No, it was different, oh so different.

How many days, months, years had it been? This was the question he was always wondering, never getting an answer. There were no windows in his cell, nothing that would allow him to know what was happening outside after he had won. Were there some of his people still fighting? Was this possible at all? Only Polokus knew how long it had been since he had last seen Globox and his family, Murphy, or even any teensie. And then… Then, there were Ly and Betilla, as well as all the other fairies. For all he knew, no one had managed to escape the invasion. Fighting Mister Dark was one thing, and it went the same for Razorbeard, André, or even the Magician…

Fighting an alliance made by all of them was another.

Sure, Rayman had been through a lot, saving the Glade since his creation- his main purpose after all! But all this time, he had only been fighting only one enemy at a time. Now, things were different, oh, very different… After the Heart of the World got corrupted, so was magic- and thus, all the magical beings, such as the teensies, the fairies, or even Rayman himself. Once that was done, there wasn’t much to do to capture everyone at this point… With a major part of the Glade using magic as life a source or even energy, enemies with mechanical weapons like the pirates or the hoodlums were much stronger. The fact that they were much abundant certainly didn’t help and, soon enough, the Glade was enslaved.

Now, the former hero of the Glade could do nothing, nothing but wait, for an opportunity… For anything, really, at this point. Was hope really lost? Was it all over?

Weak and unable to move too much, he was lying there in his freezing cell. Without much energy left in him, he could barely make any effort without feeling like he could faint, and it was the same for keeping his body warm enough to survive. It was clear that the new Master of the Glade wanted him to suffer without any interruption… An endless pain, fuelled by the dread of not even knowing what had happened after he got captured. However, the war against the pirates was enough for him to guess: if this was anything like it, or even worse, the whole Glade probably looked nothing like it used to be. And for its inhabitants, well… He wasn’t sure if he really wanted to know.

He closed his eyes, not knowing if he’d even fall asleep despite how exhausted he was feeling at the moment. It was only when he heard footsteps echoing in the nearby hallway that he reopened his eyes, confused for a moment. Wait, there wasn’t anyone else besides- Oh.

It had to be him. Instantly, Rayman’s expression drastically changed, going from perplexity to pure hatred. The footsteps were slow, and the hero just knew the other wanted to drag the suspense out- but as if there was any to begin with. Eventually, a familiar silhouette appeared behind the bars of his cell, one that the limbless hero had come to hate with a passion he had never felt before.

The leader of this whole invasion- Mister Dark himself.

How long had it been since Rayman had seen him at all? He couldn’t tell, but he sure knew he didn’t want to be in his presence again.

-“Well, well, well,” said his lifelong enemy, his tone mocking and sadistic: “If this isn’t our dear and powerful hero. Or, well, not so much, is it?”

The latter remained silent, gritting his teeth as he glared at his opponent, biting any type of retort- the other had taught him a long time ago this wasn’t a good idea. Countless of times before, Rayman had had to witness his friends being tortured in front of him for something he himself did or said. For a being created to protect his people, there wasn’t any greater punishment than actually being the source of their pain. And so…

The hero knew he couldn’t do anything but keep his mouth shut. After all the time he had spent here, his enemy had learnt what made him react, what made him crack. The more Rayman fell for his traps, the more that monster learnt from he and his friends, which just made their whole situation more terrible than it already was.

Instead of being bored of the hero’s obvious lack of reaction, the cloaked being just chuckled darkly, giving Rayman a look of great interest which… In itself wasn’t really reassuring.

-“Aw, not even trying to fight back anymore? Is this really all that’s left of the one that oh so bravely stood up to me once?” he insisted, tilting his invisible head to the side, the small orbs of his hat jingling around as he did so: “An empty shell? Some body without any fight in it? A poor, pathetic being?”

The temptation to snap back was strong, and Rayman had to bite his tongue not to do so. He knew this was all the other was waiting for, and there was no way he’d give him that pleasure. If he had to fight him, this wasn’t through words, this would be through actions… Once the right opportunity would present itself to him, that was. For the moment, however… There was nothing he could do but endure it. And while he knew that… That didn’t make it less harder to hold himself back.

His lack of answer still seemed to please Mister Dark. He supposed breaking him had been the other’s goal all along, and he had to admit he most likely was nothing with the hero he once used to be. Still, there was still… Some spark inside of him. A small one, yes, but it was there.

Just waiting for the right moment.

-“Perhaps it is time for you to know what happened to your dear world, Rayman,” eventually murmured his enemy, cruelty visible in his eyes. Nonetheless, the words still caught the limbless hero off-guard- wait, what? His surprise must have seen clear as crystal for his opponent, as the latter chuckled again:

-“Oh, maybe there’s still something to break inside of you,” he then extended one of his limbless hands to the lock of the cell, unlocking it with his dark magic: “But this is fine- we have all the time for that, after all.”

The hero frowned, his heartbeat quickening as the door of his cell opened, for the first time in… He couldn’t even tell. There was no notion of time in that hellish place. And while he was not tied up in any way… He knew it was all the same- without his powers, Rayman was just an harmless being among all the others. This was exactly why Mister Dark entered the room without any fear. Since the Heart of the World got corrupted, he had become much more powerful and… In comparison, well, Rayman was merely an insect. It was clear that his enemy could kill him very easily if he wanted to, but… That was the thing.

He didn’t want to. He just wanted his arch-nemesis to suffer eternally or, the latter hoped, until boredom stopped him first. In any case, when Mister Dark caught his hoodie and lifted him up in the air… There wasn’t much he could do. His hands and feet were dangling next to his body and, when the other forced him to stand up… Rayman wasn’t sure if he were able to. Without energy, any effort was making him dizzy, but who knew what his enemy would do if he didn’t obey.

The hero didn’t want to see anyone getting hurt because of him again. And so, despite how exhausted he felt, despite the bags under his eyes, he shakily stood up after Mister Dark let go of him. Yeah… There was no way he would be able to throw his fist in his state and, even if he could, it wouldn’t do anything without his magic back.

-“Follow me,” was all the other said, his tone back to seriousness. He didn’t even have to warn Rayman about trying to escape anymore- the latter was very aware of the consequences by now. And, then again, if standing up was a challenge on its on, then… So would be walking or even running. Despite that, the limbless hero did his best to follow his enemy. His eyes scanned the hallways, trying to memorize them in case he ever managed to leave his cell on his own… But the place was just a labyrinth and, with how tired he was, he soon was unable to focus very long. No, instead, his mind was trying really hard to keep him awake enough to keep walking. His vision became blurry after a while and his body started lose its balance- until he actually fell down on the cold floor made out of stones. He was dizzy, his head barely able to keep up with what was going on around him- until he heard a disappointed sigh.

It wasn’t long until he felt a hand grabbing his hair, pulling on it painfully. The hero let out a pitiful whine of pain but wasn’t able to move much in response. His nose hurt as he was dragged on the floor, his skin hurting as it was scrapped against the uneven stones.

-“Oh, if only your friends could see you right now…” mused the dark being, not slowing down as he kept talking: “Their only hope, the one being they trust so much to end their suffering… And look at you: you’re not even able to walk on your own anymore. How devastated they would feel, just looking at pathetic you have become.”

Rayman didn’t answer, but the words upset him more than he would have thought. When his only purpose was to protect the Glade, then… What was he supposed to be, if he couldn’t even save himself? With how weak he was, it was clear he wouldn’t be able to save a single being…

After what seemed like hours to him, he finally felt the other let go of him. His head fell down, hitting the floor painfully and making him wince in pain. He clenched his jaw not to make a sound- no, he would not give his enemy that satisfaction!

But then again, it was quite ironic to think that way, given how he looked right now.

When he reopened his eyes, he squinted. There was a lot more light than what he had grown used to- and this was because he had been put in front of a large window, one that was giving him a full view of a landscape he no longer recognized.

The Glade of Dreams- or rather, what was left of it.

What used to be islands full of trees were now barren soil. The grass had disappeared, the blue sky had been replaced by a perpetual black one, filled with smoke and toxic gas. The seas had lost their transparency, poisoned with chemicals and detritus. The Sun… Wasn’t even visible anymore, and most of the light seemed to come from large towers and buildings spread across the land. The mountains had lost their green hue and fires could be seen all around the place. Architecture the limbless hero could recognize very well had sprout, replacing the natives’ one. One island was filled with buildings that just woke up memories from the war against the robot pirates, another one was filled with tents reminding him of the hoodlums… And the island they were on was filled with metallic buildings, something he had seen somewhere-

When he had entered the Magician’s secret base.

The sight alone horrified him and his eyes widened in absolute disbelief. It was one thing to imagine what had happened to the Glade after his capture… It was another to be forced to see it. This was… So much worse than when his world had been invaded before. During earlier wars, the vegetation had still remained, making the landscapes recognizable despite everything- but here?

Here, Rayman couldn’t see anything that reminded him of the world he used to live in. It was like… He was on another planet- no, in another, entirely different universe.

This couldn’t be real, this had to be fake, this had to be an illusion…!

-“Ah, I see you like the changes we made to the Glade,” Mister Dark’s voice rose again, bringing Rayman back to reality: “I must admit I am quite impressed. I didn’t think those idiots would be able to do more than fighting under my orders but, here we are.”

The “idiots”, Rayman knew, were actually Razorbeard and André. The two of them couldn’t stand one another, and the same could be said about their armies. And while it was true they weren’t very clever on their own… Under someone like Mister Dark, their power could be used for the most terrible things- and now, Rayman had to face the product of it all.

There was nothing left of the Glade of Dreams he used to know. Nothing. He gritted his teeth, and tried to look away. He didn’t want to see this- it was unbearable, knowing what was happening now and yet being unable to do anything to fight back or help anyone. But of course, the monster next to him wouldn’t give him the ability to ignore it. Soon enough, the hand came back to grab his hair again, forcing him to watch the landscape in front of him:

-“Oh, no, no, no,” he cooed cruelly, dragging the limbless being closer to the window, before his tone got lower and threatening: “Keep looking- I want you to see what I did to your everything. Isn’t it painful? To realize how useless you have become? To see what happened to your precious land?”

Rayman wanted to close his eyes, he really did, but he knew he would get punished for doing so. And by that… He knew that someone else would get punished. So, he kept his eyes open, glancing back at his enemy. Pure hatred was radiating from him as he glared at the other.

-“You’re underestimating us all,” he spat, his voice full of contained anger.

-“Is that what you think?” the cloaked being retorted with an evil laugh: “And where’s your army? Where are your friends?”

The hero looked away, gritting his teeth more. Yeah, that hurt. Before he was able to retort anything, his opponent continued, sadism clearly audible:

-“I’ll tell you where they are: in cages, in working camps, in mines… What is left of your people is either kept on the ships or used on land. There is no one out of here, out of my grasp. You are all alone. No one is ever coming to save you.”

Mister Dark leaned towards him and forced his head up at the same time:

-“And you, hero, are not going to save anyone,” he whispered cruelly, pronouncing each words slowly enough for it to register in Rayman’s stubborn mind: “You are nothing.”

Those words just hurt the limbless being further, only reminding him of how useless he had become. But hadn’t it been the same, back when he had been captured by the pirates? Didn’t he feel the exact same way, thinking their world was doomed? Sure, it hadn’t been to the point it was now, but… He just couldn’t believe that this was over, that there was… Nothing else to do anymore.

He didn’t want to believe it.

His glare intensified and he narrowed his eyes, his fists clenching as much as his body could allow it:

-“I will take you down,” he promised, both to the cloaked being and to himself, his voice filled with determination: “No matter how long it’s going to take me, I’ll find a way to free everyone. You haven’t won yet- not as long as I’m alive.”

The other seemed surprised in his change of attitude…And rather pleased too. Probably because it meant his plaything could still be broken for a while. But Rayman didn’t care: he had meant every single word.

-“Is that so,” mused the other with amusement: “Well, I suppose only time will tell, won’t it?”

An evil laugh left him and it was obvious the latter didn’t believe him in the slightest. Nonetheless, that just made Rayman’s determination even stronger.

He was going to save the Glade of Dreams, again, like all the times before… And absolutely nothing would stop him.

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Hoped you all liked it. If you do, make sure to let me know, as I might work on an actual fanfic, depending on if this goes well. Have a nice day and thanks for reading my one shot !

Don't forget to check the audio file !