Rayman: Plague of the Mad Hare

Prologue

In a distant land isolated from the rest settled a village of teensies, not too small, not too big, but significant enough to have been able to thrive as a community. There are rarely visitors of any kind, the only to come in or out being messengers of The Grand Minimus who have traveled a long way to remind the teensies of the village that it was the grand king's birthday. Aside from the isolation, nothing else sets them apart from other teensie settlements. Except for perhaps one very odd custom. In the dead of night, in the outskirts of this village, near the edge of the massive woods that surrounded it, a pair of teensies keep watch. Silently surveying the sleeping town for the night. Or at least they were silently surveying before it became anything but silent.

"This is ridiculous!" the cloaked teensie remarked in a harsh whisper, spitting and swatting at the shrub that kept irritating their large nose.

"Just cut the branch," their hooded teensie companion sighed.

"I meant this job, Ivan!" The cloaked one barked, "We could be patrolling neighborhoods, guarding town hall, hell even posting by the outhouse is more productive than staking out these stinking woods!" They pouted.

"Every guard has had their turn to survey the edge of town and now it's our turn, that's just the way it's been and will always be," Ivan huffed, hoping it would put an end to their companion's tantrum but to their dismay, they only got louder with their complaints.

"Why?!" They exclaimed, "Because a stinking nursery rhyme said so?! This town and its ridiculous superstitions are driving me mad! I'm at my limit, at my limit you hear?! I'll-I'll complain! Yeah, complain to the Grand Minimus!"

"What is he going to do? Send us more birthday cakes?" Ivan laughed, which only agitated their companion further.

"Shut up!" They spat, their companion visibly taking great offense.

"Leo, relax." 

"Don't you tell me to relax! I've been 'relaxed' for the past fifteen hours! Very, very relaxed doing nothing but sitting in this wretched camp doing nothing!"

They whined and whined, cursing and kicking at their campsite as their hooded companion only watched in annoyance. Not moving an inch from their post as their partner made a mess of everything in their way, including ferns that simply had the misfortune of deciding to grow where they were. They'd be kicked and stopped, uprooted and punched. It would be a surprisingly long meltdown, which is likely due to having to sit in the same place for the entirety of the day and night. It made for some good entertainment. At least until their anger was redirected toward their partner.

Leo would point a tense finger at their companion. "And you! Your casual demeanor has irritated me for the last time!"

Ivan blinked. "Look, mate, I'm just doing my job. Just like every guard has, you just have to suck it up and endure it-"

"Suck this!" Leo interrupted as they chucked a pot toward them. The teenie had mere seconds to dodge it, which they thankfully did.

"Ha! You mi-" BLAM! 

A large pan would hit them right in the head. They'd be thrown back by the blow, groaning in confusion before they quickly grabbed a hold of the pan they were stuck with and got back on their feet. More items would be tossed their way the moment they stood up, forcing them to use the pan like a shield.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Exclaimed Ivan as they hid behind their makeshift shield.

"Everything apparently!" Shouted back the Leo, who only continued throwing items at them. Ranging from their rations, tools, and magazines. It wasn't long before they ran out of items to throw, practically relocating their entire camp by a few feet. The hooded teensie would peek over their shield.

"You done?" They grumbled.

"No!" Leo shouted, grabbing a nearby branch and charging toward their partner. Ivan would raise their pan over them, blocking the branch's strike. They'd push the branch off of them and swing the pan towards them, their companion just barely dodging it by jumping back.

Both teensies glared at one another, raising their respective weapons over their shoulders. It appears that a spar is in play. They stood still, waiting for the first to lunge. Leo would swing first, Ivan parrying it with their pan, charging toward their companion and - BLAM! - landing a heavy hit against Leo's nose. The cloaked teensie stumbled back, rubbing their nose painfully, their grasp returning to their weapon before they attempted to strike their companion from above which would only be blocked once more. Thinking quickly and desperately, they ditched their branch for another that was nearby, taking advantage of the pan's focus on one by swinging another. SLAP! The branch would whip Ivan's body, stinging and scratching their skin with its rough bark. 

The fight continued, each striking and getting struck. BLAM! SLAP! BONK! WHIP! Hit after hit, none showed any signs of getting tired, in fact, it appears that they both started enjoying themselves. Wide grins and laughs came from both as they sparred. 

"Give up!" Leo exclaimed, "There's no way you'll beat me."

"I'm not giving up my dignity that easily!" Laughed Ivan. Also, they've decided to make a bet during their battle. The winner gets to make the loser a butler for a day. A heavy price to pay. Leo would be thrown far back by a well-calculated blow, but they didn't give in just yet, bouncing back and ready to land their heaviest hit yet, their companion being wide open for the attack! It was too easy!... Way too easy. Last second, they would stop in their tracks. Their companion was frozen, their pan being held by their side. The cloaked teensie was hesitant to get any closer, fearing it was a trap. But as they continued to be unresponsive, they decided they'll just fall into whatever trap was set up for them.

Nothing. No ambush, no attack, not even friendly banter. They got closer to their companion, close enough to be at nose's length from them. Nothing.

"Hello?" Leo said as they waved a hand in their friend's face. Nothing. "Hey man are you alri-"

Wait. They would take notice of their companion's eyes. They were white, empty, and pointed at the sky. Leo grew pale at the sight. They couldn't believe it, they never believed it. They knew exactly what this was and it ran their blood cold. Leo stumbled back, falling to the ground. Their hands quickly covered their eyes from anything and everything terrified out of their minds.

"H-Hush and sleep," Leo's trembling voice quietly sang, "Rush and creep." They gulped as the thrashing of heavy steps surrounded them, "For here comes the horned beast that leaps and reaps." They whimpered as the unknown presence lingered right above them, "C-Close your eyes and ignore m-my cries, for here comes the horned beast that blinds your mind." They trembled as they felt the presence inch closer, "Eyes pale and frozen, rendered frail and broken, for here comes the horned beast to eat you alive." They repeated, mumbling it over and over until suddenly. The presence was gone, all was quiet again. Slowly, they uncovered their eyes. 

Nothing. Nothing was there. In fact, there was literally nothing but the woods around them. Their camp was completely gone, as were their rations, tools, magazines and-

"Ivan?" Leo called for their hooded companion. They were gone, nowhere to be found, "Ivan!"