Dan Dan and the Land of Maths

The Thunderbird

'In my years of solitude, I have had plenty of time to think through the events on HanDwash, piece together the facts and discover the forces at play.'

He shrugs his shoulders in false humility as he admits his failure. 'Exposing the Machine's numerical receiver to your jumper, which I now realise is a roaming wormhole portal, was the fatal mistake. No doubt the worms have something to do with how it came into your possession, and the thought of them working against me makes my plan all the more delicious.

I could, of course, rip the jumper from your body, sending you back to your world, but that does not suit my purpose. Because you see young DanDan by coming to this world, you have become part of my plan, an essential piece of my project. You see, dear boy, I know all about your primitive friends and the Thunderbird.'

As Daniel hears those words, before they have bearly had a chance to sink it, he feels time slow down. At that moment it's just him and Bill with the entirety of the multiverse receding around them. Daniel's manner changes from the frame of a boy who shouldn't have touched the forcefield, to that of a warrior with immeasurable strength of will.

'What did you just say?' demands Daniel with cold determination.

'Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design. Your primitive friends, outside the forcefield, are walking into a trap, as is your flock of feathered accomplices. It was I who allowed the Wise Old Bird to know the location of the shield generator. It is quite safe from your pitiful little band. An entire legion of my best wolves awaits them. Oh, I'm afraid the deflector shield will be quite operational when your friends arrive.'

A dull thumping sound reverberates through the machine room as Daniel starts punching the forcefield across his door. 'You'll never get away with this, we will stop you.'

'Ah DanDan, save your strength, your cause is lost, and your world is doomed. There is nothing you can do but resign yourself to the inevitable.'

Daniel lets out an anguished cry of pure frustration as he falls to his knees.

☁

As the sun begins to make way for the moon, Kicking Blackbird kneels in prayer while Ramases turns to the others and says. 'Now, we wait.'

Kicking Bird starts singing quietly to himself as he relaxes into a trance-like state. His gentle rocking and constant singing are building as he enters half-consciousness as if suspended between sleeping and waking. His songs drift between supplication and adoration of the Thunderbird as his melodies call upon her.

After what must be an hour of praise and worship, he raises his arms to the sky and calls the Thunderbird to help them in their quest.

As they all look up into the sky, Tiddlepuss jumps to attention as he notices for the first time it's filling with clouds. Clouds which are turning darker by the minute with rivulets of rainbow filling their crepuscular rays.

Kicking Bird rises to his feet and starts to dance and chant in a circle: his pounding feet and chanting repetitious phrases entreating the Thunderbird to come to their aid.

Suddenly the clouds above the island part to reveal the Thunderbird high above in the transcending sunlight. She turns and dives towards the island with ferocious speed. Plunging through the clouds, she levels and sweeps across the water, her talons streaking the surface, while her dark blue feathers crackle with energy as she pulls up to the clouds above.

Kicking Blackbird's job is done, and he slumps to his knees to catch his breath.

'Get ready.' cries Ramases as they grasp the kite and their weapons and run towards the forcefield.