Rayman and the Hunter Ch.2

Rayman and the Hunter Ch. 2

With narrowed eyes, Rayman waited at those cold, stone mansion doors. When there was no reply, the limbless brought out a fist and banged upon the door once again.

I know you’re home,Rayman thought to himself, his expression unwavering. I just heard something in there.

Rayman could’ve sworn he heard slight scratching from inside the door. All sorts of scratching, for that matter.  The limbless raised an eyebrow when it all suddenly stopped when loud footsteps could be heard overpowering all of the other little noises.
And then the footsteps ceased altogether. Rayman tapped a finger to his chin as he debated on whether to pound on the door once again, or not. After a few moments, the limbless decided to attempt and disturb the peace once again.

Reaching out with his hand balled into a fist, the Hero of Light was about to knock. However, before he could, the door swung wide open.

“Unwise souls enter upon my domain,” a voice harshly hissed.

Rayman stumbled back quite a ways when Razoff aimed his gun directly at his head.

“Get off of my doorstep, or I will make a Raymanskin rug out of you…! You’re not breaking in again, you little irritating pipsqueak!” the tall swamp creature snarled, his eyes narrowed.

“Calm down, sheesh!” Rayman cut in, holding up his hands. “I’m not here to break in, idiot.”

“Then what are you here for exactly? Planning to destroy all of my furniture again perhaps?” Razoff murmured, clicking off the safety on his large, rusty shotgun. Rayman could see the metal glimmer with each breath the reptilian hunter took in.

“You know, you actually destroyed everything,” the limbless hero countered. “If you hadn’t shot at me so many times, nothing would’ve broke.”

“You broke in. I had every right to blow your brains out; just like I do now!” the Count snapped.

“I’m not the one who chains animals to chairs in my house,” Rayman smartly answered, rolling his eyes.

Razoff had no intention of bickering any further the moment he pulled the trigger. Rayman immediately threw himself off the doorstep, avoiding the long, harpoon-like bullet as he maneuvered an acrobatic flip.

“Hold still! I would love a new head on my wall!” the huter laughed, reloading his single shot gun.
Rayman immediately wound up his fist, charging it as quickly as he could. Letting it loose, his hand sprung out at the hunter, knocking the gun clean out of his hands. Razoff dove for it, but Rayman ran up on him, snatching the gun away before the larger creature could get it.

Rayman held onto it tight and aimed it directly at Razoff, warning the old hunter to keep his distance. Quite honestly, the Hero of Light had absolutely no idea how to hold a gun.  He was carelessly holding it with one hand gripping the barrel, and the other hovering near the trigger.

“P-put that down! You have no idea what that thing can do!” Razoff snapped, slowly backing away.

“Hah, well I sure do. You’ve shot me with it more than once. You know, normal people don’t shoot houseguests of their doorstep!” Rayman snarled.

“Well I thought you were breaking in!” Razoff gasped. “What do you even want?! The animal heads on my wall? Or what about the privilege of destroying my house again, you revolting little brat!”

“I…” Rayman stopped in midsentence and stared down at his feet, his eyes narrowing. He couldn’t believe that he was going to ask such a psychotic, terrible creature for any form of help. Especially considering the fact that the monster had attempted to kill him yet again.

“I…Betilla needs your help,” Rayman grumbled, finally looking back up at the Count.

Razoff’s eyes narrowed slightly as he raised an eyebrow. “She needs my help? Why, she’s definitely a pretty lass…but I have things on my schedule. Perhaps if she didn’t send such a rude messenger as yourself, I’d be more willing.” He chuckled, a devilish grin overcoming his green face.

“Listen- I didn’t do squat! Let me remind you that you were the one that pulled a gun and tried to shoot me off your doorstep!” Rayman curtly replied, pressing the opening of the gun’s barrel into the dirt.

“Ah, don’t press it into the dirt like that!” Razoff snapped. “You’re going to clog it all up.”

A devious smile came over Rayman’s face.

“Oh? You don’t like that?”

The Hero of light immediately began twisting the end of the gun around in the dirt, being sure to clink it over every single rock.

Razoff merely glared, refusing to give into Rayman’s silent taunts until he heard a crack come from his precious shotgun.

“Okay, stop! You have to!” Razoff gasped, clasping a webbed hand over his mouth. “You’re going to break it!”

“Hmm….nah,” Rayman chuckled, continuing to cake dirt up inside the barrel of the gun.

The moment Razoff snapped forward to grab his precious gun, Rayman had it locked back onto the hunter, his finger hovering just above the trigger.

“Listen,” Razoff huffed, his eyes narrowed, and his hands stretched out towards his much desired weapon.  “If I listen about Betilla’s ridiculous request, you have to give me back my gun. I can’t have you getting your greasy prints all over it!”

Rayman couldn’t help but feel inwardly amused. He had Razoff in the palm of his hands, and he knew it.

“Oh, I assure you, I keep my gloves very clean,” Rayman chuckled.

“Tell you what. You can have it back if, and only if you actually partake in doing what Betilla wants you to. Until then, you’re not getting anywhere near this shiny toy.”

“No, I can’t have you roughhousing with my special edition Blam-O shotgun. There’s only a few of these left, and you’re destroying the one I possess. Give it back now. Then I might listen,” Razoff nearly begged, though he tried his hardest to keep a straight face. Rayman could easily see his eye twitching.

He wanted that gun back. Badly.

“Hah, well, that’s not the deal,” Rayman chuckled. He lifted the gun closer to his face, pretending to wipe dust off of it and then feel it between his gloved fingers. “Hm…it looks a little dirty. I’m sure that the bog water would do wonders on it.”

Turning his back, Rayman proceeded to take the gun near the water, and pretend to be preparing to fully submerge it. Slowly, the limbless lowered it until it was nearly a centimeter away  from touching the revolting globs of algae growing along the top of the water.

“Okay, okay!” Razoff gasped, throwing his hands up in defeat. “You win, I’ll do it, you stupid brat! Just don’t destroy my gun!”

Rayman smiled. In that moment, the limbless knew that he had finally won.

--

On the entire way back to the Glade of Dreams, Rayman kept Razoff’s prized gun strapped tightly onto his back. The hunter followed close behind, though he often dragged his feet and retained a disgusted glare the entire way.

Rayman couldn’t help but have a spring in his step. The limbless had managed to get Razoff agree to Betilla’s plans, and on top of that, he would be receiving a delicious treat as a reward! Truly, the day couldn’t get any better for Rayman.

And as for Razoff, his day could get any worse, Rayman had assumed.

Rayman could see Betilla’s eyes widen the moment she saw Razoff.

“Rayman, you actually got him out here! Great job!” she excitedly shouted, her wings flittering in excitement. “I knew I could count on you!”

In mere moments, she had excitedly pinched his cheeks before patting him on the head. “I can always count on you,” she murmured, a smile encasing her entire face in its presence.

“Of course ya can, Betilla,” Rayman responded with a dip of his head. “That’s what I’m here for, after all.”

The limbless simply smiled as he slipped into Betilla’s house, proceeding to get himself a snack. His stomach had been growling for hours, and it was finally time to satisfy it. As Rayman treated himself to some delicious fruits, he managed to hide Razoff’s gun deep in the house the best that he could. He decided that underneath Betilla’s bed was the best place for it to be.

Rayman watched out the window for quite a while as Betilla spoke to the tall creature from the bogs. Razoff appeared to be having a hard time simply standing there. He was constantly shielding his eyes from the sun with his arm as well as wiping his brow.

Well…..he never really sees light in the Bog of Murk, does he? I guess it would definitely be a culture shock, Rayman mused to himself.

After a little bit of time, Betilla stepped into the house, her eyes locking onto Rayman, who was still sitting at the table, munching away on anything that he could find. His small journey had truly made him terribly ravenous.

“Alright Ray, you’re heading out with Razoff tonight, just after sunset. So I would definitely take a little nap if I were you,” Betilla told him with a nod.

“Why not now, Betilla?” Rayman asked. “I thought you would want us to get started right away.”

“Well, Razoff is as good as blind in the light; his body isn’t used to it,” Betilla answered him quietly. “And plus, all the attacks have been happening at night. That’s probably when you’ll catch the kidnapper!”

Betilla finally smiled and clasped her hands together.

“And don’t worry. I didn’t forget about your treat. I’ll have it ready for you to take out hunting with you tonight!”