- WARNING: This story contains child abuse, profanity, graphic violence, alcoholism, sexual references, and drug use.
However, the way CL handled him was done in bad taste, in my opinion. Rayman felt like he was exploited for shock value rather than being treated as a real character. Look, I don’t care if Ubisoft wants to make him dark and serious, but he was missing those old charming characteristics that made me a Rayman fan: His good nature, sense of humor, childish demeanor, and love for sleep. CL Rayman was only “Rayman” in name and appearance.
But as I mentioned before, an R-rated Rayman story seems interesting. So, I decided to write my own spin on Captain Laserhawk, where Rayman’s depiction is more faithful to his original source material, but still carrying that same edge. The premise is also a bit altered. This story will only be focusing on Rayman himself, with some expanded lore.
………………………
Chapter 1
Hi, folks. Ya wanna know what's going on? Let me tell you the story of Ramon.
Outside our world, far beyond the cosmos, there lived a dimension that you may consider to be odd, yet gave off such a pleasant atmosphere, almost like some kind of dream one would wish to escape to. This universe was alive with vibrant colors, from clear blue skies, to healthy green vegetation. Dazzling sparkles traveled among the air. Every scenery in whole looked like something out of an illustrated children's storybook. Magical entities, and mythical beasts, co-exist in this dimension, as well. This world mostly happened to be populated by these smiling inhabitants. As to describe the inhabitants themselves, they maintained human-like features, in terms of skin, hair, and all were fully dressed in clothing. On a different note, the rest of their appearances were anything but human. Their heads consist of long, rectangular snouts, wide eyes conjoined together, and no visible ears. The young offsprings had rounder features, from their eyes to snouts. But it gets more bizzare from there. They appeared to be missing arms, legs, and necks. Their body pieces just float in place, as if they were magnetized.
Everybody in this world walked around limbless, right down to the animals, fairies, monsters, and other strange colorful characters. All of these creatures were different from their subspecies, as you can tell, but their lack of full appendages shows that they were built equal. And so, they were treated equally. However, out of all of them, our story centers around one little boy. A lad named Ramon. Ramon had strawberry blonde hair that was styled in three fronds, wore a purple shirt, red bandana, and yellow tennis shoes. He also had this mysterious white ring on his chest. As of right now, he seemed like a sad loner. The limbless child walked on forward, with his hands behind his back, and his head hanging down. Nobody around him was in sight. The poor little outcast had the biggest frown you'd ever see on a person's face. Why is he so lonely? What did he ever do to get this lonely?
All the inhabitants: SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RAMON!
Everyone, and I do mean everyone, jumped out of their respective hiding place to surprise Ramon with a party. The child immediately grew out of his sad state as he formed the biggest smile. The reason for his glumness earlier was because he thought everyone was avoiding him all day, running away or brushing him off with no explanation. Turns out they were planning a secret birthday party for him all along. He's turning nine, by the way. A fairy, named Betilla, approached with his cake, then asked him to make a wish.
Ramon was considered quite popular with all the inhabitants of this dimension. Despite his age, he delivered a powerful impact on his people. Ever since he was 5, he's been lending a hand to anyone he found in distress. Whether they ask for it or not, he would never let another soul down. He fixes problems of all kind, from manual, to mental. Ramon always thought of others before him. Even youngsters who became jealous of his likable status eventually shaped into his friends, as Ramon is willing to help anyone. He loved helping people, and found their smiling satisfactory to be rewarding. In fact, he's been helping people for so long, he believes that's been his entire purpose. Ramon was their hero. Corny way to start a story, but it's true.
All these random acts of kindness and selflessness came from his foster mother, Betilla. Ever since he was left on her doorstep as an infant, Betilla has showered him with nothing but the love and affection a true mother could provide, but still gave him moderate discipline to help him recognize right from wrong. Back to his birthday party; Ramon walked up to the cake, then blew out the candles. As the crowd of partygoers cheered him on, Betilla whispered closely to him, asking what he wished for. Ramon just giggled, and replied,
Ramon: If I told you, then it wouldn't come true!
Modest, humble, and could never hurt a fly, do you ever wonder what he had wished for? After sitting down to some cake, it was time to open presents. Ramon got the usual standard children gifts, like toys, as well as a Junior magic kit from Houdini. Although he loved them all, these gifts pale in comparison to what Betilla would end up presenting to him. She had a gift she knew he would treasure forever. Waving her hands in motion, she started imbuing Ramon with a luminous sparks of glitter, which absorbed right into the big "O" on his chest.
Ramon: What is it?
Betilla: You have been gifted with flight.
Ramon: I can fly now? YIPPEE!
The enthusiastic child started flapping his hands as fast as he could, ready to take the sky. However, his weight remained on the ground. He tried jumping, but no luck. Even tried holding his breath to make himself feel lighter. Instead, he only looked silly. Some partygoers may have let a chuckle escape from their mouths. Betilla then settled down his excitement.
Betilla: No no no. Ramon... Try using "your head."
Ramon sat down, thinking it out. It wasn't just because Betilla told him to, but he's trying to figure out how to activate his flying ability. His three fronds of hair would wave back and forth. As Ramon continued to think deeper, his hair would begin to sweep, turning all around at 360-degrees. It wasn't long until the fronds started to rapidly spin like a propeller. Ramon stopped thinking as he felt as if somebody was carrying him. He looked up at his hair, then down at the ground. He couldn't believe it, but he was actually flying. It was such a thrill to Ramon. He elevated higher into the air, giving him a perfect view of all the partygoers. He knew how to go up. Unfortunately, he could only move up. He couldn't change directions, or even float down. The fun then turned into fright, as he ascended higher and higher. Ramon would've reached space too, if Betilla hadn't retrieved him.
Betilla: Perhaps you need practice, before you're ready to straighten up and fly right.
After laughing off that little incident, the party continued on. Humanoid instruments played a joyous ditty that brought life to the partygoers, which inspired them to grab a partner to dance with. Ramon's dance partner was his own mother. Fireworks were launched into the sky to build excitement. Everyone danced away until they tired out. Another wonderful day has ended. Each individual had a smile before they went to bed. Yup. In Ramon's world, nature and people lived together in peace. And since Ramon was there to help with all of their problems, the inhabitants couldn't be happier. Even Ramon himself was happy.
Sorry, folks. This apparently can't last.
..............................
[*Two weeks later*]
Little did the inhabitants know, they were all under the watchful eye of a mysterious, ominous figure donned in a long black cloak, and a big hat. His facial features were hidden, only showing his golden illuminating eyes. Nobody knew who this man was, but few who did referred to him as Mr. Dark. It wasn't his real name, but the inhabitants called him that because of the hostile aura he gave off. Not to give the whole thing away, but they had a reason to be afraid of him. Mr. Dark was spiteful, presumptuous, and loathed the inhabitants' happy ways of life. All that mushy stuff, sugary bliss, pearly white smiles made him sick to his stomach. The mention of purity is enough to have Mr. Dark cringe. Now this was a guy that Ramon couldn't cheer up, even if he tried.
Mr. Dark wanted the whole world in the palm of his hand, and transform it to a utopia that fits for him to live in. He also intended to change the inhabitants' customs of life. Blast it, he could never make it happen by will alone. However, with enough power, that dream will become a reality. The power he demands for could be found at the heart of the world, also known as the Great Protoon. The Great Protoon was this mystical pink orb of light, which works as an energy source that holds Ramon's world together. This orb was responsible for keeping everything intact. People were allowed to look at it, but not touch. The Great Protoon was heavily guarded by the Electoons, a race of tiny, walking pink critters that take turns in groups. Ramon visits them every weekend, providing a fruit basket and milk to keep their energy up. He was the only one they could trust with the Great Protoon. This gave Mr. Dark a deceptive idea.
For those who don't know, Mr. Dark possessed many supernatural powers! One of them being the ability to shapeshift his physical form. Today's identity he chose to imitate was Ramon's. Though Mr. Dark could easily fight off those little pink balls himself, he didn't want to alert the Electoons into signaling for reinforcement. Besides, as a bonus, he would have loved to see their looks of betrayal when he's done
That afternoon, "Ramon'' paid the Electoons a visit. He offered to guard the Protoon himself, and suggested all the Electoons take the rest of the day off. Mr. Dark had studied Ramon's behavior very wisely on how to project compassion, something he never had. Without batting an eye, the Electoons bit the worm. After all, this was "Ramon" they were talking to. Someone they knew for years, and had been generally nice to them. There was nobody they trusted more. The Electoons packed their picnic baskets as they marched off to the beach, feeling a sense of freedom. He waited at least an hour for them to be completely distant from the Great Protoon, then at the right moment, Mr. Dark stripped out of his disguise. He was now hovering over the Great Protoon. All that was left was to harvest its energy.
Elsewhere, Betilla was having tea with her friend, Houdini. All seemed calm at first, until an Earthquake interrupted their leisure time, knocking their goodies onto the floor. In Betilla's heart, she knew something was going on from afar. She has dwelled in this world for many centuries, and she recognized that this mishap was a sign that someone was tampering with the Great Protoon. Ramon, who was playing outside with his friends, became aware of the situation himself. He reacted appropriately by telling his peers, including the adults, to take refuge in their homes. Even though Ramon was doing the right thing, Betilla was worried he might get hurt himself. He was still a child, after all.
Betilla: RAMON! Get inside, and shield yourself under the table!
Ramon: But what about these people? They need my guidance!
Houdini: Awwww, don't worry, kiddo! Your uncle Houdini's got you covered! C'mon! Your life is as precious as everyone else!
Ramon: But-
Betilla: No more "buts," Ramon! Please do what you're told!
Houdini: You better listen to your mother, Ramon! This hang-up may be a little too dangerous, even for a hero!
Ramon stopped arguing and did what his mother told him to do. Meanwhile, Houdini gathered all the people into their homes to stay safe, and once he found the Electoons on the beach, he began to scold them for being unprofessional.
Houdini: S'matter wit you all?! Here, you fellas are catchin' waves, when some schmuck is getting his mingy lil hands on the Protoon! You call yourselves guardians?
One of the Electoons: But... ...Ramon told us he'd watch over the Great Protoon for us!
Houdini: Impossible! Ramon was with us when the quake bega- Oh, Polokus, help us all!
Whoever's touching the Great Protoon seemed like a more serious threat than they thought. Meanwhile, Betilla and her sisters were racing to the Great Protoon. To their shock, it was Mr. Dark, harvesting energy. For some strange reason, he didn't move upon the fairies' arrival. He's usually very defensive towards their presence. Even when one of the fairies spoke to him, he continued to ignore them. Betilla tried to reason with Mr. Dark herself.
Betilla: LISTEN!! Resist at once!! The Great Protoon holds an indomitable force nobody can obtain!! Even someone such as yourself!! It's far too much than your expectations hope for!! The whole world relies on this heart, and without it, everyone and everything will collapse as we know it!! You cannot control a world if there isn't any!!
Betilla was screaming to the top of her lungs, desperately trying to gain the villain's attention. Alas, he continued to ignore her, still not moving an inch. Losing her patience, Betilla threw herself at Mr. Dark. Suddenly, to her disbelief, his whole body just disintegrated. Nothing was left of Mr. Dark, but his disembodied eyes, his clothes, and a pile of dust. He had already been dead as soon as he made physical contact with the Great Protoon. As Betilla stated earlier, it was too much power for anyone. Despite their troubles of Mr. Dark being over, their new worries shifted towards the Protoon, which was just about to rupture. Betilla and her sisters tried to tame it with their magic, but it was too late. The collision from the Protoon's explosion had pushed them all back. The heart of the world had been shattered.
When things couldn't get any worse, the fairies' bodies began to deteriorate, from being exposed to the Great Protoon's radioactive discharge. Their visions blurred up. All of their colors were phasing out. Their floating appendages started falling apart. Death was approaching. Everyone else will die too, as the Great Protoon is no longer there to stitch the world together in balance and harmony. The end was happening right now, with the earthquakes worsening, skies turning black, and volcanos erupting. Thinking about poor little Ramon back at her house, Betilla refused to let death hold her down. At least not now. She took an emergency elixir from her pocket, which helped keep her body stay in one piece, but only temporarily.
She flew as fast as she could to her cottage, while battling her terminal disease. However, despite her efforts, it was slowly starting to overcome her. Lucky for her, she reached Ramon on time. Ramon got up from under the table to hug his mother out of fear, since their world was falling apart. Suddenly, Betilla's hand fell off right in front of him. He helped her reattach it, but then he noticed her colors fading away.
Ramon: Mom, are you alright?? Tell me you're alright!
Betilla: Ramon... You have to leave this world. It's not safe.
Ramon: No, I wanna stay here, and take care of you! I'm not leaving!
Betilla: You mustn't worry about me. Your life is more important than mine. Listen, my child; I will use my magic to transport you to another world. One that is more bearable to live in.
Ramon: B-But why only me?! What about everyone else?! Why can't you transport yourself as well?! Doesn't everyone matter?!
Betilla: I'm afraid I'm not gonna make it. And with my condition, I only hold enough magic for one passenger. The reason I chose you alone is because I believe you could make a difference to this new dimension, just like what you've done for ours. Every universe needs a hero like Ramon. Please, don't argue with me anymore.
Ramon was left speechless. He wants to stay with his mother because she means everything to him. On the other hand, Betilla is putting his life before hers, not because she really cared about him, but also because she truly believes he can help anyone. After all, he always felt he was born to. That statement made it hard for him to decline further. It's true. Everyone needs a hero. Soon, Betilla summoned a whirling vortex above Ramon. Just before this portal swallowed him whole, she muttered her last words to him.
Betilla: I love y-
................................
[*Earth; Dolph's reality, 1962*]
Ramon arrived in this new dimension, and faced a rough landing in an alleyway, on a row of trash cans. The fall made him quite dizzy for a while. As soon as he could get back on his feet, Ramon took in his new surroundings. This world was not like his at all. Every color in view was very dull. The people and "houses'' were gargantuan. What puzzled Ramon even more was that these people had "pipes'' connected from their heads, hands, and feet. This new world was too different from his, which he considered to be frightening. However, Ramon knew that he would have to adjust to this world if he's going to live in it. Besides, heroes are supposed to stand up bravely. Ramon then walked up to a random citizen, and tugged at their pants to ask for information on this new world.
Ramon: Excuse me, but I'm new to this worl-
The citizen only screamed, kicked Ramon away, and then ran. Just before Ramon could pick up on that rude gesture, a little girl also screamed from his presence. A few more people, who were overall freaked out at Ramon's appearance, would shout "What is THAT?!" One took pictures. A few started throwing stuff at him. All were saying very unpleasant things. Ramon didn't feel welcomed in this world at all. Everyone here treated the poor child like he was some kind of monster. Ramon then ran away to make himself scarce from the scene, but these people chased after him like an angry mod.
Later, Ramon was able to lose the crowd by hiding in the same place he fell in. These inhabitants weren't very friendly, to say the least. This world was very big, yet scary. There was no way he could possibly survive. Where is he supposed to sleep? How will he find food? Ramon figured it would be much safer if he took to the rooftops, but he hasn't fully mastered the function of his new flying ability yet. What's worse is that Betilla won't be able to teach him anymore. He is trapped, and grounded.
Ramon: (Awww, cheer up, Ramon. You're a hero. Heroes don't sit around, feeling sorry for themselves.)
The child built up the courage to come out of hiding. He was determined to move forward, but for now, it's best to keep a low profile. Ramon then sneaked across the city, trying to make sure he wasn't seen by these giant inhabitants, and hid whenever he felt out of breath. He was searching for someplace to take shelter in, or hopefully someone he could trust. Finding a citizen who would be kind enough to let Ramon into their home seemed like a difficult task, since everyone looked cold and shallow. All appeared to be the same from the outside. Perhaps he could find the right person if he searched for the one who looked different.
Eventually, Ramon stopped walking, and instead hitched a ride on a produce delivery truck. Not only did it save Ramon the exhausting footwork, but he also managed to get a bite to eat. However, he wasn't one to steal food, so he left two tings. In case you're wondering; Tings were crystal shaped orbs, which the inhabitants of Ramon's world used for exchanging goods. Kind of like money. He didn't know what the inhabitants of Earth used for money, but it was better than leaving nothing.
Later, he climbed out of the truck to stop at an inner city neighborhood. This place looked much worse than his previous location. Buildings appeared worn out, graffiti written on the walls, and trash was piled up in every corner. Why did Ramon stop at this specific area? Well, because the people were different. They dressed comfortably and casually. A bunch of kids, around his age or older, played on the streets, while adults relaxed on their front stoops. What fascinated Ramon even more was that a few of these inhabitants possessed animalistic features. He could spot an owl lady drying laundry on a clothesline, and a lizard man enjoying a smoke. Very young animals of various species played around with a can they were kicking. Since these were kids like him, Ramon wanted to introduce himself to them first.
Ramon: Why, hello! I'm Ramon! I moved into this world, and I hope we can be good friends! I'm also here to assist you in any hassles weighing you down, because helping people is my middle name!
Ramon walked up to the group, and put his hand out to be shook. The children only froze as they stared at him. This was the exact same stare the last inhabitants were giving him. But Ramon continued to smile. These kids are probably not used to newcomers, he thought. But then, the children began whispering into each other's ears. Since Ramon didn't know what they were saying to one another, he kept on smiling. He was a little nervous though, since they were taking their sweet time to introduce themselves back. Suddenly, to his relief, a rat boy, about his height, then decided to shake hands with him. Just before Ramon's hand came in contact with the other, the rat boy was pulled back by one of his friends.
Dog boy: Don't touch 'im, man. Your arms will fall off.
Turns out they were afraid of him just like everyone else. That's what Ramon started to understand, but what he didn't understand were the mention of "arms." What were arms, and how would they fall off, Ramon asked himself. Unlike the last incident, he wasn't planning on running away from his troubles this time. He approached the children closer, wishing to reason with them, but they only backed away.
Ramon: You don't need to be scared! I mean, there's no shame in being scared, but I'm not here to hurt you! Honest! I'd just like to be friends with all of you!
Feeling threatened, one of the kids called out to their mother. The mother quickly responded by shoving her head out the window. When she saw the children were being closed in on by some strange extraterrestrial critter, she ordered them to take cover in their homes. After that, she took some old canned food, which she used to throw at Ramon. Others did the same from their apartments. They either wanted him to die or go away. It didn't matter to them that Ramon could walk and talk like they could. They were unfazed by his kindness. Everyone was frightened by his bizarre appearance. The lizard man from before had run into his apartment, then came out with a shotgun. Ramon ran like hell to get out of that mess.
Troublesome, isn't it? And untidy, too.
..............................
[*Following day*]
Ramon hid himself in a storm drain, at an empty park. He stayed there until night, and even slept there too. Even though it was cold, at least he felt safe. The limbless child curled himself into a ball, tearing up. Yesterday was really miserable. He lost his home, his mother is gone, and he's been exiled into a new dimension where everyone treats him like a freak. This world isn’t as bearable as Betilla roposed. But Ramon knew it was only a mistake. His dearest mom would never do that to him. Oh, how he missed her. At this point, Ramon thought that getting across to these new inhabitants was entirely impossible, and thought of giving up. All he wants right now is to go home. If only he could, but he can't.
Then, abruptly, he was startled by some uproar. It sounded like an angry parade, Ramon thought. Curious, he crawled out of the storm drain to take a peek. There was a rowdy crowd, dressed in a colorful assortment of clothing, and grew long, shaggy hair. It sort of reminded Ramon of his old friend, the Musician. They varied between different species, from the standard inhabitants he's met by default (humans), and the animal people. They were all chanting, holding picket signs. As Ramon read from them at a safe distance, they were all displaying written messages of empowerment.
"Hybrid rights are human rights!"
"Equal pay should not be a privilege!"
"Stop the draft! Make love, not war!"
Some of their messages included words that Ramon has never heard of before, and shouldn't repeat, but he gets everything clearly. This crowd was fighting for justice. Perhaps he isn't the only one in this world who's been mistreated for solely existing. Ramon thought that these were the people he'd been looking for. If they're truly devoted to protecting the vulnerable little guys from a mean-spirited society, then they must be accepting as well. Ramon, with his spirit lifted, walked up to the crowd while repeating their chant.
Ramon: Power to the people! Power to the people!
Instead, the first member of the crowd to notice Ramon began to scream. This wrapped up the group into a paniacing scramble. Most of them screamed. They tried to run, but only bumped into each other. A big bull man then took his sign, about to wack Ramon dead out of fear. Before he could, a teenage frog lady stood in front of the limbless child, shielding him from the strike.
Bull man: Get away from it, Grenouille! We don't know what it is, or what the hell this thing is carrying! Your limbs will possibly fall off if it tries breathing on you!
Frog lady (Grenouille): You're right. We don't know him. Those words you say about him, don't they reflect on what those upper class, snooty humans think about us?
Bull man: But... Look at it! Look at those eyes! That nose! Its got no arms, legs, or neck! Its so unnatural! Can't you see it?
Grenouille: He's unnatural, yes. But aren't we all?
Bull man: Dammit, don't you start with us, girly!
Grenouille: I'm not starting, I'm finishing. Every single one of us had been feared, rejected, and denied rights by this majority dominated society. Though we see ourselves as a local community, which isn't far from the truth, what the exclusionary sees is a bunch of freaks. How you look at this young man doesn't make you any better than your oppressors. It defeats the whole purpose of what we stand for!
Ramon was moved by this French frog lady, whose name was Grenouille. No one in this world had ever stood up for him before. Then, Grenouille took his floating hand, and held it up.
Grenouille: We stand together, or crumble apart!
Ramon's eyes fixated on the crowd. All were silenced. The bull looked hopping mad. This quietness made the child timid, as he didn't know whether they were with them, or against them. One member then clapped, followed up by two more members, and then carried on with the rest. The bull, who had given up, decided to just walk to the back of the group. Everyone once again, minus the bull, chanted "Power to the people!" Ramon wanted to thank the frog lady for defending him.
Ramon: I would like to say thank you for standing up for me like that! I was actually starting to lose hope in this world.
Grenouille: Don't mention it. I stand for all my oppressed brothers and sisters. I believe we are all the same, individually.
Ramon: Oh, by the way, I haven't properly introduced myself yet. The name's Ramo-
The protest was interrupted after the police arrived. Without giving them a warning, violence immediately broke loose. To Ramon's horror, everyone was beaten, maced, and pinned down. Those who ran or fought back were shot. Those who resisted were still shown no mercy. Ramon pleaded to the officers to stop, telling them that the crowd was doing nothing wrong, only to get knocked out cold by a club.
...........................
The crowd, who the cops referred to as "dirty hippies," were all locked away in prison. Males and females were held in separate cells. Because Ramon lacked any legs, the police presumed he didn't have any genitals, so they threw him in with the females. Ramon was actually happy with this choice, because it meant he could be with Grenouille, and not that mean bull person.
Ramon: If you guys are doing the right thing, why do the police oppose it? Why are they hurting us? Aren't they supposed to be on our side?
Grenouille: That's exactly what they want you to think, kid. Cops were never hired to help us. They are hired to keep us off the street, one way or another. Their organizations are run by a corrupted government, full of pigs who place themselves on a higher pedestal.
Pig lady: [*Snort*] I resent that.
Grenouille: Sorry.
Ramon: I don't get why everyone can be so mean in this world. We're all built equal, right? Yet they can't see it. What went wrong? It was never like this where I came from.
Grenouille: I don't know what planet you beamed from, but here, this world isn't all sunshines and lollipops. This is the sad truth of reality. Here, the helpless are left to burn by the people who started the fire. Those who labor themselves through hard work to achieve their dreams, only to have it all poured down the gutter. Welcome to America: A free country! ...to those who are, as the average white human man quotes, "A picture-perfect image of God."
While Ramon was somewhat confused by what the frog lady was telling him, he understood that this dimension was a place where no one can be happy. Compared to the heavenly bliss of his dimension, a war seems to be going on. The bad gets off scott free, while the good is harshly punished for minding their own business. Anyone who tries to speak their minds gets silenced. Everything here was twisted. However, if this world needed fixing…
they definitely need a hero to save them now. Don't you think?
Ramon: I think I'll stick by your side, and help you fight against this injustice matter! I will free all who are suffering!
Grenouille: That's gonna be tough, but I admire your courage. We could use a soul like yours.
Ramon: Oh, by the way, I have a question.
Grenouille: Shoot.
Ramon: What are arms? ...legs, and a neck?
Grenouille: These here? Well, they're like bridges from your head, hands, and feet.
Ramon: What use do they make?
Grenouille: Um... They keep our bodies from falling apart.
Ramon: You mean your parts don't float? This world really is different!
When Ramon looked out his cell, he noticed the guard had fallen asleep. This gave the child an idea.
Ramon: Ya know, I don't think having arms, legs, or necks come any useful.
Grenouille: Why's that?
Ramon: Watch!
Because Ramon had no arms, that gave him the advantage to completely detach his hand, and then reach for the keys in the guard's pocket. Grenouille and the others carefully observed Ramon's plan in motion. As quietly as possible, he took the keys and unlocked the males' cell first. As he began to unlock the females' cell next, the guard then yawned, which meant that he was waking up from his nap. Ramon froze in fear, but Grenouille whispered some motivation to him.
Grenouille: Just keep going. There's only one of him. He can't stop all of us.
Ramon unlocked as fast as he could. Just as the guard awakened, everyone charged towards the exit before he had a chance to reach for his gun. Some beat up the guard as revenge. The frog lady was right. He can't take on all of them. Rayman, feeling so fulfilled from doing his first good deed in this world, started to bask in his success by cheering on his fellow crowd to embrace freedom. He really should be running with them. Grenouille tried to get him, but the crowd kept pushing her back. She called out for him, but he couldn't hear her over all the shouting. When Ramon finally realized he should leave, it was too late for him. The bruised and beaten guard grabbed Ramon by his hair, and looked him in the eye.
The guard: Where the fuck YOU think you're going?
Ramon: With my new friends?
............................
Ramon was then contained in isolation, so that he couldn't try to perform any tricks with his detachable body parts. Ramon's capture was then made public by the news. "Newly Discovered Unknown Species." All around America, news stories heavily focused on Ramon's species, debating what he was, or where he came from. Ramon was the biggest talk of the town, with everyone engrossed in how weird he looked. The news spread out to everyone, including a wealthy general curator, who saw a huge dollar sign on this ugly child.
Ramon was released from prison, only to move to the zoo. His enclosure was a small plastic tank with breathing holes. There was hardly any room for him to walk around in, which made him feel claustrophobic. According to the general curator, this strange boy of unknown species would be his star attraction. He was apparently right. As soon as those gates opened, the humans immediately ran to Ramon. They didn't care about the other animals around the park. All their attention was on the big nosed, round eyed creep who didn't have limbs.
After a week and three days, Ramon's life has met with misery. All those humans came to his tank just to uncomfortably stare at him, and say the most dreadful remarks about his looks. And when it wasn't about his looks, it was also on his filthy image and horrid stench. It was Ramon's fault. These zookeepers don't bother with giving him the right hygiene or grooming care. All they do is hose him down. As for his diet, they didn't know what his species ate, so they just gave him expired fruit. Some of these fruits were too rotten to be considered edible, but he forces himself to eat them anyway, to keep himself from starving to death. Every time Ramon politely requested for a simple need to be met, the zookeepers would just bang against his tank with a club, and tell him to shut up.
There was nothing Ramon could do but just sit in his tank. While a few human visitors would loudly knock on the tank to gain his attention, or mischievous teens would doodle vulgar words on his walls, he just ignored them. They were not worth the time to feed them any of his weaknesses. He tries to forget about it all by entering his daydreams, remembering a happy life he used to live. He had friends, admirers, and a foster mother who cared for him deeply. Whenever Ramon was feeling crabby, Betilla would sing a special song to get his spirits up.
Oh, dearest child, don't you fret.You're strong and remarkable, don't forget.
But before you jump at a leap of fate,
Just start with first steps, and build up rate.
To smile.
To laugh on.
To jump high.
To run fast.
To hold on.
To help those.
To show them no fear.
Keep moving forward. Bear your pride.
Whatever burden holds you, throw aside.
But since there's so much you don't know,
Start at your first steps. Wait till you grow.
Ramon was so indulged in his daydreams, he didn't notice the human visitors gathering up to his tank. It wasn't anything new, since they did it everyday. But they weren't saying anything rude about him this time. They weren't even getting up to touch the tank walls. Instead, all they were doing right now was listening to him sing. He was an ugly being, but had a beautiful voice. It almost made them feel bad about how they treated him earlier. As Ramon continued to sing away, a grown man in his early 40s shoved through the visitors, just to get close to the tank. He knocked loudly on the tank, which awakened Ramon back to reality.
41 year-old man: Say, kid, you have quite the voice.
Ramon was flabbergasted. Nobody has ever said anything nice to him at this place. He's probably the only human to ever compliment him.
Ramon: Thank you. ...I guess.
41year-old man: You poor thing. Caged up in this small box, living here to be a freak show attraction, instead of having your wonderful singing shared to the world! How would ya like to get outta there, son?
Ramon: Yes! Very much! Thank you, sir! I'm Ramon, by the way!
41 year-old: The name's Yves Eden. You can just call me Mr. Eden.
Ramon: Of course! Mr. Eden! How could I ever repay you!
Yves: Tell me; Do you get stage fright?
Ramon: No, sir! Um…. why?
Are you waiting for season 2 to continue this or will you go your own way?
Spark Of Hope’s third DLC was already so perfect! They didn’t have to go out of their way and 
And why did they give him sleeves?! I can tolerate pants, but I draw the lines at sleeves! Fans told me the sleeves are supposed to make him incognito, but here’s the problem: The Board Of Directors IMMEDIATELY recognized him as soon as he entered their office, proving his disguise is useless! It doesn’t help that is non-existence neck is also visible! (To give the benefit of the doubt, concept art originally showed that his sleeves were supposed to dangle)
