Chapter 9

Setting: Back on Planet Earth. Outside in Rani’s neighbourhood.

Vaux (calling with hand around mouth): Rani! Where you?

Peuge follows looking at his hand. Imprint still not glowing.

Vaux: Rani! (Turns to Peuge) Hey, why are you not helping me to find her?

Peuge: I am.

Vaux: What, by looking at your hand?

Peuge: Exactly!

Vaux laughs.

Peuge: I’m serious!

Vaux looks at Peuge with one raised eyebrow.

Peuge (sighs): Look, if you haven’t noticed our imprints seem to glow when an Earthling who believes in us is present. It flickers when both a non-believer and a believer is present.

Vaux: And doesn’t glow when just a non-believer is present?

Peuge (nods): That’s right! And it’s the believers that can see and hear us.

Vaux: That explains why the Mad Boys and Rani’s Parents didn’t notice us.

Peuge: Yep.

Peuge looks back at his hand. Imprint starts flickering.

Peuge: We’re getting close now.

Vaux (concerned, looking at his flickering imprint): Ok, what if who we find isn’t Rani?

Peuge (smiles): I doubt it very much, cous. You could tell by her face that she’s the only one thriving here to have her beliefs understood.

Vaux (smiles with fascination): Wow!

A sad figure leaning against a wall appears.

The imprints start glowing brightly again as it appears to be Rani.

Vaux (runs to Rani, eyes lit up): Hey Rani! You’re ok.

Rani (sniff and dries tears): Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?

Peuge: You look like you’ve been crying.

Rani: What else would you do if you have no one who understands you?

Vaux (mumbles): You got that right.

Peuge elbows Vaux.

Vaux: Oi!

A sudden wind comes from nowhere.

Rani’s Alien Detector goes off again as another Teleport Machine with Mondi, Hal and Granddad.

Mondi’s Vi-Poodle jumps off and lands on Rani’s feet.

Mondi (shouts): Mini!

Rani (Bends down, pat’s the Vi-Poodle): Hey there!

Granddad (gets up, mumbles): They come here, by accident and befriends with an Earthling already (puffs).

Vaux (excited): Hal! Granddad! You found us!

Granddad: Yes, and now you are coming back. (Tugs on Vaux’s arm).

Hal: Where’s the other Teleport Machine?

Peuge: Er... Well, it got stolen.

Granddad (freaks out): Stolen?! How can it be stolen? You should have used the power of your hand to make it visible only to you!

Peuge: Really how?

Granddad: Like this...

Granddad just about to demonstrate when he notices his imprint was already glowing.

Granddad: How is this possible?

Peuge: That would be the power of Rani.

Granddad (turns to face everyone): Rani? Who’s Rani?

Rani (steps forward to greet Granddad): I am.

Granddad (surprised and confused): So our imprints glow for a different cause?!

Vaux: Cool huh?

Peuge: But at the moment it only works when Rani is present.

Vaux: She believes us, you know.

Mondi narrows eyes on Rani.

Mondi (pushing Rani aside): Step aside Earthling, you’re not going anywhere near my Vaux.

Rani falls to the ground.

Mondi (putting arms around Vaux’s shoulders): Come on, Vaux. Let’s find that Teleport Machine and take you home.

Vaux (goes red in cheeks, takes Mondi’s arms off his shoulder): Er... Sorry, but even if we do find the Teleport Machine, I’m not going back.

Mondi, Hal + Granddad (wide eyes): What?!

Vaux (walks over to Rani, aids her back up): Rani’s our only hope now. Without her help, our strengths would one day disappear, and our planet would be in jeopardy.

Mondi (crossing arms and narrows eyes again): Trust an Earthling Maiden to be the one who believes.

Peuge (walking to Rani and Vaux’s side): He’s right. And if we can help Rani, she can help us.

Deep Sinister Voice: How very intriguing!

Mondi, Hal, Granddad, Peuge, Vaux and Rani turn with wide eyes of shock and worry.

They see a tall yellow-green Vi-ackling, sitting on the ‘stolen’ Teleport Machine, grinning at them.

Mondi, Hal, Granddad, Peuge + Vaux (Gasp): Volco!