🌟Hereitscool🌟
A short story based on the scrapped premise of the original Rayman game.
Follow the meek yet intellectual human boy, Jimmy Atoms, and how he dreamed up his ideal escape realm, along with his alternate ego, RAYMAN.
Welcome to 1995!
Meet Jimmy Atoms. He is 9 years old, 4'1 ft, and his sign is a Virgo. Currently in the 5th grade, and attends Ancel Elementary. Gifted with an IQ of 270. Very scrawny, yet in excellent shape. Is also nearsighted. If you ever need to find him, look for a little guy with strawberry blonde hair, yellow velcro sneakers, and a red sweater vest with an "O" sign printed on the front.
Who is he? Why, he's the perfect child, of course! He's smart, polite, and talented. Always says "please" and "thank you." Has never cheated, or got a single grade below A+. He receives the "Student Of The Month" title, well, every month. Whether there be a science fair, chess tournament, or spelling bee, he always takes home the gold. Nothing short of amazing. Yes, sir or ma'am! He was just unstoppable! Every teacher loved him!
Well, the same could not be said for his peers. What Jimmy could achieve, they couldn't. He's such a good little boy, who never gets into trouble, and is held in high regard. He's won many desirable prizes a kid dreams of, from gift certificates, to having lunch with a star. Some of them just want a trophy to feel validated in their hard worked trials, but they stood no chance against Jimmy Atoms. He was always a step ahead of them. No teacher has ever yelled at him, and only treated him like a saint. Every morning announcement, the principal gives a friendly shout out to him. No other student. Just Jimmy.
Is it possible to be too perfect? Yes, there is. Even though Jimmy didn't have one bad bone in his body, all the other children felt that he was deliberately making them look bad. They didn't believe that his kindness was genuine. Only a big kiss-up charade. The boy has not said one mean thing about the other students, but they presume he's rubbing it in through his actions. While everyone else attends recess, he's burying his face in a book, resting under cool shade. If he catches a student breaking the ground rules, he immediately reports them.
It was not just the students who hated Jimmy, but some parents as well, albeit it was very rare for an adult to loathe him. The parents didn't like Jimmy for the same reason their kids didn't: Jealousy. They feared he was intentionally trying to outclass their offsprings. A parent only wants what's best for their child, so imagine how they feel about some goody two-shoed poindexter robbing their kids of their dreams. Jimmy's problem was that he was an overachiever. Too clean for his own good. Nobody could keep up with him.
Oh, but the students weren't going to let him get away with it. Usually, some unpopular kid has one or two bullies bothering them. But when you're Jimmy Atoms, almost everyone is out to get you. They trip him in the halls whenever he's carrying a stack of books, because it's a whole lot of fun watching his precious hardcover tower tumble all over him. During lunch, they nab his food whenever he isn't looking. You know you're the biggest nerd in school when you have the chess club shoving you into your locker, and giving you swirlies.
But that's all child's play compared to the work of Andy. He was a big, scary, blocky shaped kid who got held back into the 5th grade for three years, and likely will be four "thanks to Jimmy." So many students feared him. As he stomps down that hall, they clear the way for him. Luckily, they began worrying about him less, since he found a new punching bag. Jimmy became his favorite victim. Hassling the boy became somewhat of a daily hobby for Andy. His backup crew even made a schedule for each routine.
7:30; It's very early in the morning. Andy and his crew want to make sure Jimmy is wide awake, with a cold blast of Super Soakers. 11:45; Lunch is here. Andy makes sure Jimmy gets his helping of juicy earthworms. If he doesn't like it, Andy always packs a nutritious knuckle sandwich. 12:20; After lunch, recess comes. Jimmy is invited to a wholesome game of tetherball. They tie his body down to the pole with the string, then repeatedly hit him with the ball. Whoever scores the most points gets to toss Jimmy in the dumpster. 3:10; It's dismissal time, but Andy wasn't going to leave without replacing the school flag with Jimmy's underwear. ...while he's still attached to it.
Despite all the torment, he hasn't ratted his peers out yet. Nor has he ever complained. He can take the hint that nobody likes him. After all, he wouldn't have noticed if his table at lunch wasn't always empty. Nobody says a word to him, unless it's going to be mean. He's about the only student who doesn't have a friend. There were, at times, where he tried to reason with him, tried to make friends, but nobody would listen to him. They'd ignore him even if he was alerting them of a fire.
.............................
After school, it's time to go home. Most of his peers lived in a nice suburban neighborhood, full of healthy green grass, and happy dogs on leashes. Some kids' had parents who were well-off, living in cosy apartments with a nice view of the city. Then we have those spoiled, rich brats, indulging in easystreet. Jimmy had the slum. It was a rundown street where the neighbors are always vocal, trash cans were unorganized, and there's a sad little wino who sits on the pavement and begs strangers for change. His neighborhood was a real mess. The only positive outlook was that the chances of being mugged only happened at 43%.
His home was no better. Jimmy and his family lived in a studio apartment. They were at least lucky to find one with two bedrooms. One for his mother, and one for him and his twin sister to share. They lived off of frozen meals, and processed canned food, for almost every supper. While all of his peers had a view outside of their window, his view was blocked off by another building. Oh, and I forgot to mention. The apartment came with a few unexpected surprises, too. Sometimes the power will die, the showers will run cold, and cockroaches will stampede through the building.
What's Jimmy's family like? Well, as mentioned before, it's just him, his mother, and his twin sister, Starla. As Jimmy was totally disfavored by his peers, Starla didn't treat him any different. It’s bad enough dealing with Mr. Perfect, but imagine living with him. She used to be a friendly antagonist towards her brother, now she treats him like an itch she can't scratch. Whether they're walking to school or from, she always walks ahead of him. Though the twins shared the same room, she installed a curtain to divide them. One time, she begged her mom if she could change her last name. ...and get plastic surgery.
Speaking of mom, Mrs. Atoms loves her children very much. She loves both of her children the same, but Starla fears she's grown a favoritism towards Jimmy. Always hugging him, kissing him, and telling him what a wonderful child he is. She bakes his favorite treats for every A+ he gets. Mrs. Atoms can't help but boast about how much of a great child he is. Starla, on the other hand, always gets scolded, compared to her brother, even though it's her own behavior skills to blame.
Mrs. Atoms never had a favorite. She constantly smothers Jimmy with affection because he always impresses her with his great accomplishments. Starla just gets herself into trouble. Both twins were packed with the same lunch, received an allowance of five dollars a month, and she never lets them sleep without a kiss goodnight. Just because she loves Jimmy more, doesn't mean she loves Starla less. She just wishes her daughter at least got along with her brother, or kept pace with her grades. One child got straight A's, while the other was an underachiever.
As mentioned before, Mrs. Atoms loves them both. So much, she's waitering tables, at Joe's Diner, from 7 am, to 7 pm. She doesn't just wait tables, but also wipes them clean, and sweeps the floors after the diner closes. 12 hours of the same boring routine everyday, while dealing with rude flirtation from male customers, and preadolescent children running around with no respect. The money she makes isn't much, but at least pays the bills. And the job isn't so bad. She's allowed to help herself to the customers' leftovers, the coffee is free to employees, and Joe lets her take home two slices of his special plum pie.
Mrs. Atoms is hardly there for Jimmy and Starla. Can't even afford nicer things for them. When her day-off comes, all she wants to do is lay down. She wants to give her children better, and treat herself to nice things once in a while, but she doesn't require any other special experience. So, it looks like she's stuck in a dead-end job of waitering. Her ex-husband, Mr. Atoms, is to blame for their poverty. He was once a sweet and funny man who lit up her world, now she wants nothing to do with him.
They go way back to 1981, where they were just juniors in college. These two were young fools in love, and I do mean "fools." What did she ever see in him that she now sees differently? Mr. Atoms was childish, undersized, and very clumsy. But he did have a handsome face. Unlike all the other frat boys, who are usually involved in some vulgar activity, Mr. Atoms was very sensitive and clean. He was also an old-school romantic.
In the middle of the night, he used to serenade Mrs. Atoms outside of her dorm, and risk getting hit by tired students chucking their shoes. He was that gentleman who would lay his jacket on a puddle, then let his lady walk across. While he couldn't afford fancy dinners, he did treat her to a lovely moonlit picnic. He was so corny, yet very tender-hearted. It's no wonder Mrs. Atom fell fast in love with him. Two years later, they tied the knot, and escaped to Hawaii for their honeymoon. Then after three years, Jimmy and Starla were born.
Things were okay then. Mr. Atoms had a decent paying job as a newspaper's copy editor. Mrs. Atoms was just a simple housewife, who got to spend more time with the kids. By mid 1993, things went downhill from here on in. You see, Mr. Atoms had a passion for magic. Ever since high school, he always wanted to be a magician. Everyone else, including his parents, scoffed at his dream. It's not that they found his dream to be silly, but he just stunk at magic. His rabbit popped out of many places, but his hat. All of his card tricks were sloppy. The only thing he could make disappear was his audience. ...with boredom. After all that negative feedback, he hung up his hat as he was moving to college.
Eventually, he watched too many magic shows on TV, which he found himself to be very impressed at, yet also envious. Once again, his passion for magic had resurrected. He really loved magic. A little too much to say. Mr. Atoms then quit his former job to pursue his dream career as a magician. But he seemed to forget that he was still terrible at magic. For three months, he didn't go into work, and spent all their food money on new magic supplies. He neglected his duties as a financial provider, and a father, as he spent hours leafing through "How To" books at the library. The new supplies, or books, did not improve his tricks one bit.
He got kicked out of amature theaters, nightclubs, and children's birthday parties. Then he got banned from performing on the streets. Mr. Atoms couldn't do magic for squat. The most fun his spectators ever had was using him as a tomato target. It got much worse when he tried a knife throwing act. He gradually injured his assistant, and had to pay for both her medical bill, and a fine for mental damage. His infamousy then gained him a degrading reputation. Mr. Atoms turned into the biggest laughing stock of the 90s, as declared by the news. Everyone started calling him "Loondini."
Mrs. Atoms begged her husband to stop chasing his dreams, because he's only dragging his family into a nightmare. She pawned her jewelry to keep everyone fed. They got evicted, and had to live with one of her sisters' at the time. The Atoms' name was now painted in humiliation. But despite all the setbacks, Mr. Atoms refused to quit. He believed he had a chance if he kept putting his mind to it. He also claims he's doing this for his family. After losing patience, Mrs. Atoms then snapped, leading the pair into a heavy argument. The whole neighborhood couldn’t help but hear them.
Mrs. Atoms knew her husband as a flawed man, but didn't think he'd stoop to this low. That autumn, a divorce was settled. Mrs. Atoms won full custody of both Jimmy and Starla, which was an easy case. And that's where we bring up their current situation. The twins had mixed feelings about the divorce. Jimmy took it maturely, while Starla wasn't the same since then. They were still allowed to contact him by telephone.
Mr. Atoms was a loser. In fact, if Mrs. Atoms had opened her eyes sooner, instead of being blinded by love, she would have avoided all this debt. Thanks to him, he cost them so much money, and damaged the Atoms’ family pride. Ever since the divorce, Mrs. Atoms had been depressed since then. Jimmy has never felt so bad for this mother before. Jimmy wanted to heal the wounds his father left on this family. If he could become the opposite of Mr. Atoms, then maybe there's a chance to save their future. That's when push came to shove.
Even supposing he already got the best marks in school, he felt that wasn't enough. Jimmy thought he could do better than that. He wanted to reach far beyond comprehension. His attainments would paint a positive name for the Atoms. And if his success continues to follow him through age by age, he may welcome his family into a wealthy lifestyle. His mom would never have to work again. If he gets any luckier, he could become the youngest fella to win a nobel prize. All of his overachieving began because he loved his mother.
Is Jimmy happy with his current position? It's sort of mixed. He made his mother proud, like he wanted, and his accomplishments show brighter opportunities are ahead of him. It feels nice to be on top. But it also can be really lonely up there. He has no friends, hardly makes time for himself, and the pressure of maturing early has taken a toll on his childhood. Jimmy was everything, but a real kid. While everyone goes out to play, he's chained himself to his work. As much as he'd love to put down a couple of subjects and just embrace a little mindless fun for once, he's afraid he might lose it all if he dares goofing off. What would his mother think? He just doesn't know when to quit.
The only time he decides to take a "brain cheat day" is on Saturday. His mom usually works on that day, and his sister goes off to visit her friends. Saturday is where Jimmy has the apartment all to himself. He watches cartoons, reads comic books, and fills up on candy and soda. He just shuts himself in, instead of going out for fresh air. How is he supposed to watch a movie, or visit the amusement park, without getting caught? He can't let the word out to his mother, either. She thinks he's dedicated his whole life to hardcover books. Poor Jimmy hasn't played outside since his father still lived with them.
And yes, he only saves a little me-time once a week. Not Sunday, either. Sunday is his mother's day-off. When he's not hitting the library, he's constructing inventions, built from used material he took from the scrap yard. Despite having minimal resources, it takes real brain power to devise a nifty gadget. Last year, he made an anti-cockroach force field projector, to bounce those annoying cockroaches off their apartment. Five months ago, he built a fully automatic dishwater, since they didn't have one. Dishes still had to be dried by hand. Last science fair, he made an Animal-Whisperer transceiver, where you can feel like Doctor Dolittle and read animals' thoughts.
What Jimmy would really like to invent is a portal that takes him to an alternate world, where he can run free. A place where he can escape to. Such a world that welcomed no responsibilities, no burdens, and no limitations. Darn it. Even for some whiz-kid with the IQ of 270, a multi-dimensional portal is far too advanced, even for him. Where would he put it? Would it need more than just triple A batteries to power? What if he ends up lost from home?
.........................................
Today is a special day for Jimmy Atoms. As a matter of fact, it's a special day for his sister as well. Both have reached a decade. Jimmy and his sister got comfy at the table, in front of a lit birthday cake, divided into two of their favorite flavors.
"Okay, you two, blow out the candles!" Proudly exclaimed Mrs. Atoms.
Just before Jimmy was about to exhale into the flames, his sister pushed him aside. Jimmy pushed back. The twins were then engaged into a shove-a-war to blow out the candles first.
"Hey, four eyes! You've already taken my dignity at school, and you're not taking my wish, either!" Argued Starla.
"Aren't both of us supposed to blow out the candles? ...together?" Replied Jimmy.
"Dream on. Traditions are in the past. I say the least obnoxious one deserves to blow first!"
"'Least obnoxious?' For the record, we both share the same genetic code pertaining to physical structure, pigmentation, and blood cells, which technically means WE ARE BOTH EQUAL ORGANISMS! Your opinion is invalidated!"
"Oh yeah? Well... ...I'm six minutes older than you!"
Mrs. Atoms then broke up the fight. "ENOUGH! Starla, you're not the only one turning ten here. Now cooperate with your brother, and blow those candles out with him, or you're not getting your present till tomorrow."
Oh, she knows her own children's weaknesses. Starla decided to suck it up, and blow out the candles with her brother.
"Can we have our gifts now?" Starla whined.
"Don't you want to dig into some cake first?" Asked Mrs. Atoms.
"Why? It's not going anywhere. Presents first, cake later. Chop-chop."
Mrs. Atoms rolled her eyes, and handed each twin a wrapped box. Starla was quick to open her present before Jimmy. She received a nice blouse, with a coin purse.
"I've noticed you've always had your eyes glued to that blouse whenever we visited the clothing department. Thought the purse would make an adorable touch, too. What do you think, sweetie?"
"I don't know, Mom. You got the wrong color."
"Starla-"
"I'm kidding! It's cute! Thanks, Mom! Think I'll wear it tomorrow!"
Jimmy looked down on the table as he mumbled in annoyance, "Girls." Afterwards, he began tearing at his gift's wrapping paper, and lifted the lid from the box. He got a new computer.
"No way! The brand new Ubi-soft Interface95! Mom, this is incredible!! But... ...it must have been very expensive."
"Sure was. It took a whole lot of tip money, but it was worth it in the end. Don't worry about me, honey. Now you can do some advanced practices and keep your work orderly!"
Jimmy gave a quick glance to his sister, who was giving him a scowling look of envy. She had every right to. While he got a new computer, she only got clothes. The prodigy couldn't help but feel a little bad for accepting this gift, especially with how hard his mother worked to earn it. He stared into the blank computer screen, looking back at his reflection. His mother started to worry.
"Jimmy, are you alright? Is it your computer? You liked it just a minute ago. Unless something's wrong with it? Hmmmm, I did buy it for a significantly cheap price than its usual worth. Oh dear, don't tell me I've been scammed!"
"N-no-no! No, Mom! It's fine! I love it, and it appears in excellent condition!"
"Then what was that frowning, honey?”
"I... I don't really know."
"For once, you don't know? That's a start." Teased Starla.
"Starla!"
............................
The computer was set up on Jimmy's desk. It made work a whole lot easier for him, and it helped keep his projects organised. He could fit all of his study notes in one file. Rendering simulations for future inventions saved him the hassle of exploding machinery. Every Saturday, there were plenty of fun games on the internet for him to try. This computer was the best thing that ever happened to Jimmy yet. It almost felt like stepping into a new realm, where the impossibles were within reach, and there were no barriers getting in his way. He could do whatever he wanted.
On the computer, he could do whatever he wanted? The boy stared blankly at his monitor for a while. Maybe he can't open a portal to an unknown, alternate universe, but perhaps he could open one in his computer. In fact, he could make a whole realm just the way he wants it to. He could model an entire different world. Why find his paradise when he could make it himself? A lightbulb then flashed over his head. Jimmy was so excited, he wasted no time crafting his digital paradise.
In this world, city skyscrapers smile back at you. Fairytales come to life. Oversized inanimate objects are scattered throughout the land. There's a kingdom made entirely out of candy. An amusement park with roller coasters that can touch outer space. Instead of a sun, there's a giant disco ball, because everyday shall be a party. Reality offers you nothing, but his world carries loads of surprises. Here, it's cool.
"Hereitscool. Yeah. HEREITSCOOL. Population: Very popular."
He had his world, but it was still empty. Before filling Hereitscool with people, Jimmy wanted to work on his avatar first, so that the citizens' designs gradually reflect on the aesthetic of his persona. He shut off his computer, then grabbed a notebook with a #2 pencil. Jimmy intends his avatar to be... ...different. One that represents his rebellion for childhood. Can't run an awesome realm as boring Jimmy Atoms, the insufferable bookworm who always gets ice poured down his back.
The first concept sketch was an imagination of him as a stock superhero: Spandex, boots, gloves, mask, cape, and a muscle bound physique. He called him The Impressional Super-Nerd! He could fly, shoot heat vision, zoom faster than the speed of sound, instantly solve equations, and he carries the strength of 20 men. Not bad, but after having some thought, he instantly regretted it. He's already "the perfect child" in real life. Why defeat the whole purpose if he's going to make himself more glamorous? Jimmy ended up crumbling up the sketch, and tossing it into the wastebasket.
The second sketch was a robot, whom he named The Atom Smasher. He had long, expansive tube arms, wheels for feet, a storage unit built into his torso, a helicopter propeller on his head, and he could print documents out of his mouth. The Atom Smasher would only be rejected, too. Having the body of a robot would make him too stiff and clunky. Next, he tried a cartoon jackalope, named Jiminy. One that could leap 10 meters far, glide on his long floppy ears, and butt trucks with his solid gold antlers. Jimmy was almost satisfied, as he loved the cartoony approach, but still found disappointment. Anthropomorphic animals are an overused deal.
He wanted his avatar to look different. Different as in very unique and original. A design that sets him apart from all the others. The boy sat, and pondered. He began thinking about cartoons, mascots, and mythical creatures, trying to take one genre each, and combining them together. Jimmy didn't want his avatar to look like something that already existed. Not only that, but it also had to be practical. Nothing too fancy, or too strong. He could be funny, yet charming.
Grabbing his pencil, Jimmy sketched out what he had so far. First, he started with a fat, chubby snout, followed by two bulbous eyes, hair, sneakers, gloved hands, an oval shaped body, and twig thin limbs and a neck. It looked great, but he was disgusted with how the limbs and neck appeared. Jimmy then erased them for a redo. Suddenly, he found himself gazing at the sketch. Somehow, it looked better without whole appendages.
That's it, Jimmy said to himself. He has finally found his avatar. Not only was it an ambiguous specie, but the lack of arms, legs, and neck helped it stand out more. It'd be really cool to detach his hands from his body to grab objects within reach. A limbless superhero was the best symbol for having no limitations holding him back. Although he didn't give the avatar a name yet, he took the design from paper, and digitalized it. Anyways, what powers did this figure possess? Jimmy gave him telescopic fists, helicopter hair, and the ability to scare bad guys with a funny face.
Later, Hereitscool was populated with life. The entire virtual civilization was made up of other limbless beings. Even the animals were limbless. To keep his world from being too dull, he programmed some villains too, based on his unpleasant encounter with bullies. For example, Mr. Stone had some strong likeness from that hard headed Andy. Besides, it would be fun to kick some bad guy butt. His avatar was designed to be a superhero, after all.
Then, he made two AI friends for his avatar, modeled after his parents. Loondini the Magician, and Betilla the Fairy. "Loondini" was a stage insult Jimmy reclaimed for himself, and made a character that was everything his father wasn't: A professional magician. He could pull an elephant out of his hat instead of a rabbit. Loondini was still like his father in personality, except he wouldn't quote his boring stories from the 70s. "Betilla" was his mother's middle name. She was sweet, nourishing, and secretly had a cheeky side, just like his real mother. The only difference is that Betilla will let him get away with anything. As far as Loondini and Betilla's relationship goes, Jimmy programmed them to be just friends. For reasons being that he respects his mother's wishes, and no 10 year-old boy wants any cooties in his world.
To keep any viruses from spoiling his fun, he created a malware protection software, and embodied it into these cute little pink spheres with blonde ponytails. He calls them the electoons. There are 1000 of them scattered around Hereitscool, so as long as an electoon is present, his world's safety is kept at bay.
Hereitscool is finished, and all ready for him. There was one last step. If you thought he was just going to control his avatar from behind the screen, think again. Hereitscool isn't a video game. It's a new dimension for him. Jimmy grabbed his astral projection helmet, and hooked it up to his computer. He was going to transfer his mind into his avatar, so that he could live, and feel, the experience of Hereitscool. This was his first test. Worried that his own invention might end up killing him, he wrote a will.
After setting the will on his bed, it was time to enter his computer. First, he took off his glasses. Jimmy was very nervous. His heart raced, and he broke out a single drop of sweat. The boy then sucked in his gut, and flipped the switch on his helmet.
"Next stop: Hereitscool!"
The lights turned on, meaning that the machine was now in function. It released a painful electrical discharge all over Jimmy's body, and it sent him into a vigorous vibration. His sight of the real world began to fade, with binary codes taking up his entire vision. He could feel himself getting lighter every second, like his brain was leaving his body behind. There was no turning back now. The shocking and vibrating eventually stopped when he found himself in a deep blue void.
"What is this? Where am I? WHERE AM I?! I can't see anything but blue! I can't feel my arms and legs!!"
He couldn't feel his limbs. But suddenly realized he could feel his hands and feet. He noticed that his hands were wearing gloves, just like his concept illustration. Jimmy touched his face, then found that his nose was a lot bigger. He tried to feel for his head, only to poke himself in the eyes, but he did find his hair. Later, his vision cleared up. No more blue. He was now surrounded by an enchanted forest, alive in fresh green vegetation, and glitter traveling through the air. It looked like the Dream Forest division of Hereitscool. Little pink orbs with blonde ponytails waved at him. Jimmy found a river just 8 steps away. When he approached the water, he stared into his reflection, and discovered that he wasn't himself anymore. The mind transfer process was a success.
"Eureka! Another scientific breakthrough for the boy wonder!”
Jimmy was so happy, he began to jump around and laugh in joy. Out of all of his inventions, this was his best one yet. He could make a cure for cancer, and care less about that. Looking at his new placeholder body, he wanted to give it a little test. He grabbed hold of his torso, and moved it out of position. It didn't hurt one bit. Because there was nothing supporting him. As Jimmy was even more curious, he bounced his dismembered torso like a basketball. He didn't know his body was as tensible as rubber, and he didn't get sick from tossing his own stomach.
After placing his torso back, he wanted to see if his helicopter hair worked. All he had to do was think, and think, and think some more. In only seconds, the three tufts of hair took off spinning like blades. At first he went too high, then he dragged along the ground, but with enough focus, he was able to pilot himself properly. Later, Jimmy looked out into the distance, and found a piece of fruit hanging from a tree. It was very far away. Instead of walking over to the tree, he stood in place as he released one of his hands from his body, and then picked the fruit. Without any arms holding him back, he could detach his mits as far as he desires. Jimmy took a bite into the fruit. Although it had a tender yet crisp texture, he couldn't taste anything at all. Well, you can't really imitate taste or smell in the digital world. What a bust.
"Pardon me."
A soothing feminine voice startled him. He turned around, and he was now facing Betilla the Fairy. Betilla looked as surprised as he was when he faced her forward.
"Mo- I mean, Betilla?" Asked Jimmy.
"It's you!" Exclaimed Betilla. "The maker of the world! How may I be of service?"
The reason Betilla immediately recognized Jimmy as the creator is because he programmed her with a special verification middleware. She can only identify him if he's bearing his signature chest ring.
"No, no service at all, Be! We're just here to be friends and have fun! There's no need for work!"
"But I insist! It's the least I can do for giving us all life, and a wonderful home."
"No, really! Just enjoy-"
Before Jimmy could finish his sentence, a couple of screams enter the scene. Hereitscool was suddenly invaded by zombies dressed as safari expeditioners. The dwarf ones were tagging graffiti on walls, littering trash, and kicking small critters. The musculed one tied up the inhabitants as they bagged up their food and precious valuables. The lanky ones were just planting flags onto the ground.
"What's happening?!" Asked Jimmy, all puzzled.
On the spur of the moment, a burst of purple and pink mist conjured up in front of him, out of nowhere. Jimmy nearly choked from breathing it. After the smoke cleared, there was a lone top hat sitting on the ground. The hat was then hoisted up, revealing Loondini in the living flesh.
"Wow, that's quite an entrance!" Said Jimmy.
"No time for small talk, Sonny! The Living Stones are here! They've come to disturb our peace for the fun of it, rob us poor for everything we're worth, and claim this home for themselves in their ghastly name!" Replied Loondini, then switching to a mellow tone. "Ever had one of those days?"
"Huh?? How could this happen? Hereitscool is supposed to be a hassle-free zon- (Oh yeah, now I remember. I made them.) Uh... Worry not! These dumbbells are child's play compared to THE AWESOME MARVELING MIGHT OF..."
Jimmy forgot that he still didn't give his avatar a name.
"I'll get back to you on that, later. Time to stick it to the stones!"
Jimmy propelled on his golden locks and took off. He first began with those lanky Living Stones. The best thing about having detachable hands is that he doesn't have to get near them. He shot off his fist like a bullet, and striked a Stone in the gut. Two fists were then launched, knocking out another Stone in the face, with the other from behind. Using his mathematical skills, he created a ricochet, hitting 8 Stones in one blow. After that, he decided to take care of those little Stones, which he presumed would be easy.
As he planted himself on the ground, he came in face-to-face with one. He threw his punch, but the little Stone only dodged it by ducking. Jimmy tried again, and again, but the Stone only managed to keep dodging.
"Quit dodging my punches, you walking corpse!"
Jimmy was about to throw another, until a "psst" interrupted him. He looked behind him, and there was Loondini's top hat again, with the hammy magician himself under it. He came to give the boy a tip.
"Don't cry over spilled milk! They may be short, but it really comes useful to their advantage! If I were you, I'd start thinkin' like a mini Stone!"
Loondini then vanished again. Jimmy started to think. If he wants to punch them, he needs to fight at their level. Another idea then hit him. No matter how many times he throws his fists, and no matter where he's standing, they always come back to him like a boomerang. Jimmy wanted to take his chance with that one annoying Stone again. He swung his fist forward, and then the Stone ducked. As the small Stone laughed at Jimmy for his failed attempt, the boy crouched down on the floor. The Stone was left confused. Suddenly, the Stone was then struck from behind.
Jimmy repeated this tactic with the other mini Stones. Now all that's left are those big muscled ones. The boy was not afraid at all. He's got this in the bag. He aimed his fist, but it bounced off the Stone. Jimmy tried to get a little closer, even swinging his fist around, but those big Stones were immune to his attacks. They were stronger than he expected, which worried him. The Stone grabbed Jimmy by the hair, then jerked him upwards. Betilla appeared right beside him.
"It's no good! They're immune to my hits!" Cried Jimmy.
"Do not fret, maker of the world. I shall aid you in your plight." Replied Betilla.
"But what can you do about-"
Before Jimmy could finish talking, Betilla then imbued him with luminous sparks of glitter, which then absorbed into the "O" on his chest. For a while, it tickled, but he felt like he was replenished with a new boost of energy. He looked down on both of his fists, which happened to be glowing now. Perhaps Jimmy put a little too much care into Betilla's AI system. Well, he did design her to be more fairy-like.
"Your fists have now increased in strength. If you wish to take them out in a single blow, try swinging your fist before release."
"Wooooooah. Thanks, Betilla!"
The boy went back to his unfinished business. He spun his fist a couple of times, like a cartwheel, and gave that muscled Stone his best shot. Complete knock out. Unbelievable, Jimmy thought. He felt like a real superhero at the moment. Anyways, with his newfound ability, he delivered the rest of the Stones, and untied the poor civilians they were bullying. The good limbless people gazed up at Jimmy with awe, admiring his power and good heart. To them, he was a savior sent down to their home as a gift. They cheered him on, tossed confetti, and held up picket signs to empower their support.
Just when Jimmy thought the Stones' days were numbered, a mini Stone woke up from unconsciousness, then blew on a bugle. That was the Living Stones’ war call. They weren't going to give up and let this brat spoil their plan for colonization. Every one of them decided to group together, and take the boy all at once.
"Oh, dear! Do be careful, maker of the world!" Worried Betilla.
"You got this in the bag, kiddo! Slug 'em! Give 'em the ol' one-two!" Cheered Loondini.
Jimmy just smirked as the Stones marched their way towards him. There was one tactic he saved for last. He grabbed both sides of his mouth, opened it wide, crossed his eyes, and let out a silly gurgling noise. That was his special, secret weapon: The grimace. In spite of how ridiculous it was, it actually worked. He frightened the Living Stones into a retreat. As they ran the opposite direction, they dematerialized into nothingness. Text appeared in the sky, spelled out in "Congratulations," followed by a peppy fanfare. The inhabitants were blessed.
You saved us! Are you our new savior?
Where did you come from?
Who are you?
They want to know his name. He refuses to give them his real name, because the point of Hereitscool was to create a whole new persona for himself. What should he call his alternate ego? Telescopic Boy? The Limbless Wonder?
"Do tell us what you'd like to be addressed as, maker of the world." Said Betilla.
"I'll tell you if you stop calling me that. I'm no god. I just did a few coding and rendering with raytracing-" Replied Jimmy, who suddenly found his alias. Raytracing…
The boy struck a heroic pose as he held his fist in the air.
"You may call me, RAYMAN!"
Rayman! Rayman! One 'n all Rayman! Rayman! Rayman! One 'n all Rayman!
While Jimm- I mean, Rayman promised himself he wouldn't do anymore spotlight soaking, he did save their home, so he might as well show a little gratefulness. ...as long as he doesn't let it get to his floating head. Rayman shook hands with the other limbless inhabitants, and kissed babies. He even gave an autograph to an electoon. As the boy looked out into the distance, he caught a glimpse of the clock tower that stood in the village. It was time to get back home to dinner. Rats, Rayman cursed to himself. His fun was short-lived.
"Excuse me, but I really have to get back home. Don't worry! I will return eventually! Promise!" Said Rayman.
"Oh, Rayman. Won't you stay a little longer, and partake with us in a feast? It's to relish your honor." Replied Betilla.
"Yeah! We're havin' your favorites! If ya like, we could start with dessert first!" Also replied Loondini.
"I'm very flattered, but my mom will get upset if I'm not home in time. Besides, I don't think your food could fill me enough. Carry on without me."
Rayman traced his fingers around his chest symbol. It began to illuminate, and he was seeing binary codes again. Hereitscool, with everyone living in it, disappeared before his eyes. In only a matter of seconds, he was back into his old body. The body of average, ordinary Jimmy Atoms. Jimmy awakened as though he just got revived from a coma. He may have to get used to this whole brain transferring process. But overall, that was the best experience in his young life. He couldn't wait to revisit Hereitscool as Rayman again, to catch up on a lot of fun he missed out on. Better be careful not to have too much fun, or else it will interfere with his studying.
He took off his helmet, turned off the computer, and exited the bedroom. It was his turn to set the table for dinner. Unknowingly, he accidentally walked in on his sister talking on the phone. It seemed like she was speaking to Dad.
"It's okay that you couldn't come to my 10th birthday. I understand. /// No really. /// You don't have to send a gift! I know you're still having trouble with money, and your career, and whatnot. No gift, Daddy. I'm just happy to at least talk to you. /// So, how have you been? /// Well, good to know there's at least some miracle for you. /// Oh... I'm sorry to hear that. I'd like to ask you to bunk with us, but I don't think Mom will be too crazy about that. /// I hope so. Please take good care of yourself. /// How's Jimmy? Pffft, he's been a loud knowitall lately. Can you believe it? He's addicted to being better than everyone else. 'Look at all these trophies I’ve won! Guess what! I'm student of the month! AGAIN! Don't you wish you had straight A's, too?' /// But Daddy, he really is a knowitall. He's rubbing it in our faces with his achievements, trying to make us look stupid. Do you know how that feels? /// *Sighs* Okay. I'm sorry. Say, I'll... ...talk to you some other time. Hope you'll have change for the payphone then."
Starla hung up with a face of grief. As she noticed Jimmy staring at her, it set off her bad mood.
"Were you eavesdropping, you creep?!"
"No! I was just going to-"
"’I was just going to,’ that's what they all say!"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hear all of that."
"Ughhhhhh, I wish there was more room in this place, so I could get away from you!"
She angrily marched over to her room, which was also his room, then slammed the door.
.............................
Five days later, it was another Friday afternoon. No school tomorrow, the kids could sleep as late as they'd like, and no one has to set the table, or do dishes, because that's when their Mom orders pizza. Starla laid on the couch, listening to stereo while she read her tween mag.
"AHEM!"
Starla put down her magazine, and saw that her brother was facing her, nervously grinning with his hands behind his back.
"What do you want, dorkface?"
"C'mon, Starla, how long do you intend to hold this grudge?"
"Until the Earth explodes."
"We probably won't be alive by then."
"Good."
"Please, listen. For just a minute."
"I get it! You're better than me!"
"No! It's not that. I just came to tell you that you may be right about me."
"Come again?"
“Look, you have your logical points. I have been a knowitall, a kiss-up, and an overachiever."
"Don't forget a snot nosed glory hog."
"Riiiiiiight. I never really meant to outclass everyone in school. All I wanted was to make Mom proud. You know how her life has turned upside down ever since..."
"I know. Well, if you wanna be a Mama's boy, then you don't have to overdo it! She really loves you, and pretends that I don't exist!"
"That's where you're wrong! She loves you! She just happens to give me more attention because I've done something noteworthy with my life. You could have that attention too, if you show her your potential."
"But how am I supposed to keep up with you?"
"Well, there's some things you are better at that I can't compete with. You're really good at soccer, you can sing, and you're a certified cook for your age."
Starla only silenced herself, and continued reading her magazine. He forgot. She hasn't done any of those since their parents' divorce. Starla was always Daddy's little girl. When all else fails, it's time for a bribe.
"Starla; If you start showing productiveness in your old hobbies again, I'll... ...do your chores for a week."
"Make that a month."
"How 'bout two weeks, and I show you something really cool?"
"Huh?"
Jimmy then withdrew another astral-projection helmet from behind his back.
............................
"JIMMY! WHERE IS MY BODY?! WHAT IS THIS BIG BLUE WALL?! AM I DEAD? I SWEAR, IF I AM DEAD, I'M TELLING MOM!"
Everything started to clear up for Starla. She was now a funny looking caricature like her brother. The twins ended up in The Dream Forest, which was their default spawn area.
"What happened to my arms and legs?! What happened to YOUR arms and legs?!"
"Relax, sis. Everyone looks like this in Hereitscool, whereas you stand right now."
"Seriously. ‘Hereitscool’ is a dumb name. Really awesome place, but dumb name."
"It's my server! I'll name it whatever I want!"
Starla observed her surroundings. Everything looked lovely, like a fairytale come true. She had to admit. Hereitscool didn't look too bad.
"Ah, you're back, Rayman." Said Betilla.
"Mom?!" Blurt Starla.
"Uhhhhhh, no. This is Betilla the Fairy. I'll explain later." Replied Rayman.
"Do tell me, Rayman; Who is this new friend of yours?"
"Oh, her? This is my sister-"
Starla didn't have a name for her avatar. Rayman and his sister then had a quiet pep talk together.
"Okay, what is your alias for Hereitscool?"
"My what?"
"Your alter ego. Your stage name. For example, I'm RAYMAN."
"'Rayman?'"
"Just give your character a name."
It took a couple of hesitations. Eventually, Starla quickly found an appropriate name for her avatar.
"You may call me THE SHOOTING STAR! Or ‘Star’ for short." Exclaimed Star.
"The pleasure is mine, Star. We hope you have a spectacular time here in Hereitscool." Betilla kindly greeted.
Suddenly, Loondini reappeared in an explosive cloud of mist.
"What's good, Rayman? Say, who's the newcomer?" Loondini addressed.
"Loondini, Star. Star, Loondini." Rayman introduced.
The magician shook his sister's hand. Then he decided to entertain her with a quick magic trick. At first, it was just a standard "Pick a card” game. Star draws out a random card without Loondini looking, slides it back into the deck, and then he shuffles it. In an unsuspecting twist, he set the entire deck on fire, then left it to burn until there was nothing but ashes. Loondini grabbed Starla's hand, then pulled out a single card from under her glove.
"Is THIS your card?"
Star was speechless. It was her card. That was incredible. But as impressive as that trick was, she was more stunned over the fact that Loondini reminded her of her Dad. The only difference was that he knew magic better.
"Would you like me to relocate you to another area?" Asked Betilla.
"Hmmmmm... Take us all to the Roaring Mountains!" Rayman requested.
The quartet spent quality time together, like the Atoms family had reunited. At Roaring Mountains, they rode the tallest rollercoaster in the park, three times in a row. Next, they moved on to the Echoing Caves, where they mined for jewels and fought off nasty creatures. Their third stop took place at the Candy Chateau. Betilla and Loondini threw themselves a peaceful tea as they nibbled on sweets, but the twins took on frosting sledding. Star was a bit disappointed when she found out for herself that she couldn't eat any of the candy. And last, the four of them settled in Picture City, making giant arts and crafts for the fun of it. Rayman looked over at his sister, and grinned. It's so refreshing having him and his sister get along once again, like old times. As stated before, Hereitscool is the best thing that's ever happened to him.
Just then, the ground began to shake. Was it an earthquake? No. A new villain has generated into Hereitscool. A big, bad, walking rock formation named Mr. Stone. He carried around lockers, and stuffed his prisoners inside. When he's out of lockers, he's shaking defenseless inhabitants out of their money. What happens if they don't have money? He'll force them to eat earthworms. Just like Andy.
"Yep, this one's a biggie! Sis, I’m gonna need an extra pair of fists here!” Ordered Rayman.
“Forget it! This heaping pile of pebbles is all mine!” Proudly stated Star.
“HEY! What makes you think you get the big bad for yourself?”
“Because I’m six minutes older than you! Duh!”
The End
Maybe?
