Chapter 3: Cowboy Junction
"So this is Cowboy Junction, huh?" is the first thing Lyndsay asks.
"Neat! I wanna meet a cow!" says Buddy jovially.
"Where should we go first, Mandy?" asks Dee.
"FREZE, VARMINTS! SHERIFF GINNY'S GOT YA'LL IN HER SIGHTS!" Someone screams.
"Ahh! She's crazy!" Jai jumps. She points to the girl who I'm guessing is Sheriff Ginny.
"Hi pal!" Buddy waves.
"Howdy, varmint! Hate at pry, but ya'll aren't bad guys, right?" Sheriff Ginny asks, narrowing her eyes.
"No, we're nice … ?" Jai says this like it's a question.
"Oh, sorry about that varmint thing, then. I'm Sheriff Ginny. And welcome ta Cowboy Junction!" Sheriff Ginny throws out her arms. She has red hair twisted into braids. Ginny is wearing a cowgirl hat, jean shorts with frayed ends, and a cowhide vest. Her only accessory was a shiny star shaped pin.
"Ya'll caught me on patrol!" Ginny explains.
"What were you patrolling for?" Lyndsay asks.
"Bad guys!" Ginny's eyes glass with fire. "Ya never know when their gonna pop up!" she sighs. "I sure wish something exciting would happen. The only thing to do here is take Gino's Pizza Tour."
"Oh guys! We have to take the pizza tour!" Jai exclaims.
"Sure!" I agree.
"You know how I feel about free samples!" Buddy jokes.
"Gino's Pizza is would famous!" Dee says. "Let's go!"
"Have fun ya'll! Ah gotta get back on patrol." Ginny calls, waving after us.
We walk down the dusty, path and run into a man with a black mustache, black hair and a chef hat and a chef outfit. "Hello!" he says. "I'm Gino, the world famous pizza maker. You must be here for the tour! Please follow me to see how real pizza is made!" He lead us down to a flour mill. "The first stop reveals the mysteries of my delicious, buttery, crusts. You see, I mill the finest flour in this… huh? It's not spinning!" I'm sorr
Another man, came over and started to mine by the rocks that glitter with jewels. He wore a pair of dirty kaki overalls, a blue blouse with spots of dirt, work boots and a cowboy hat.
"You!" Gino runs over to him and adds, "It's good you're here! What ever is wrong with my pot gourmet flour mill?"
"Looks … broke!" the guy says, shrugging.
"It's not just broken, Gabby, it's SABOTAGE! All the gears connecting the flour mill to my windmill have been stolen! I need you to fix it!" Gino pleads.
"Don't worry, Pizza Guy!" Buddy says in a funny deep man voice.
"We know all about gears! We can fix it in no time!" Jai says proudly.
"Y-you can? How?" Gino asks.
""Course! Jai, Dee and I are the kings Wandoliers!" I explain.
"No." Gabby says.
"NO?!" We repeat.
"No, you don't know everything. You'll need more than gears to fix this mess." Gabby declares.
"NOO! I'm RUINED! Is this the end of Gino's Pizza?" Gino wails.
"Easy, easy. Ain't no one callin' fer all that caterwauling'. Listen, Dee, Jai and Mandy was it?" We nod. "I got a scroll here that'll teach ya how ta make the part ya'll need. Ya'll just scamper off and gather everythin' ya need/ Gabby get some rocks to hit with this here pick axe."
Oh great. Now how did Gabby expect me ta - dang! - understand any of that?
"Eight pieces of amber, and twenty pieces of metal." Lyndsay tells us.
We collect the needed Essences quickly and return to Gino.
"Oh, you finished!" says Gino. "Gabby, if you'd be so kind as to explain to these girls how to use these wonderful new axels that Lyndsay here unlocked?"
"Sure," says Gabby. He clears his throat and turns to us. "Hi. I'm Gabby. Let's talk about how to use those fancy axels of yours for a spell.
"Yer gonna want ta use those fancy axles ta spin this here gap between the gear and the windmill. Then just connect up these parts here usin' gears, just like yer used ta doin'. That's it." Gabby instructs. "Now go ahead and start fixin'."
He didn't have to tell us twice. We were totally on it.
When we finish, Gino says, "Watch as I demon stair my magnificent flour milling skills!" Gino plucks a piece of wheat from his wheat bundle and throws it on the mill. We begin to clap.
"Now lets look at my tomatoes!" When we got to this open field filled with shriveled up plants. Once again, Gino breaks down. "My tomatoes!" he cried.
"Where?!" Buddy asks, scanning the field.
"There!" Gino points to the shriveled up plants.
"Looks … delish?" says Dee.
"DELISH? It looks TERRIBLE! I always keep my sprinkler system on! This is terrible!" Gino cries grabbing her hair.
He looks around. "Ah-ha! My water pump is missing! AND all my pipes for my sprinklers! Please girls, ask Gabby if he'll help you again!"
"Okay," we say.
We quickly went to get Gabby, who was still by the flour mill
Cowboy Junction is beautiful. Just like the thing you'd picture when someone talks about cowboys, or the 'Wild Wild West'. They have horses, saloons, cows, ranches, barns, dust, random broken down wagons, cactus ... You get it!
"Hey, Gabby!" says Jai.
"We kinda sorta need your help again, if you're free." says Dee sheepishly.
"Free? Ha! Gabby should start charging you! What's wrong" Gabby asks.
So I explain what happened with the tomatoes. "So do you think you can help--"
"Someone stole his water pump? And his sprinklers!? VARMINTS!" Gabby shouts. "Okay, girls, I got this scroll that'll teach ya how ta build all these stolen parts."
"Thanks, Gabby!" says Jai, taking the scroll and unraveling it. "We'll need … five bass, five crabs, and one piranha. Easy, we'll each catch a certain fish! I call the bass!" Jai reads.
I laugh. "Then I'll get the easy one - the piranha!"
"Yay! The crabs here are so cute!" says Dee.
••••
We go to Lyndsay to get the new pieces for the sprinkler system. When we're done, we go back to Gino and his forsaken tomatoes.
"We can fix the sprinklers now! Fantastic! My prized tomatoes shall once again burst forth! I'll let Gabby tell you how to make the sprinklers." says Gino, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"Thanks, chef. Let's talk about water, grumming kiddies. The water comes from the water pump. Then ya get yerself an instant source of water!"
"Awesome!" says Dee.
"Indeed, little lass. But ta power the pump, ya gotta attach it to something' spinnin'. Place a new water pump into the real goal here, then hook it up to the windmill usin' one of them new axels. Then just connect up a bunch of pipes and sprinklers until all these here plants are bright green again. Now leave Gabby alone! Gabby needs ta get back ta his minin'."
"Okay, thanks for your help, Gabby! We'll see you later!" I wave goodbye.
••••
It took us awhile to fix the sprinklers, but we did it.
"Ah! These tomatoes look good! Sauce shall be made!" says Gino. "Now for the fourth constituent. CHEESE! To the dairy farm we go!"
On our way down the dusty crosscut to the Dairy Farms, we pass a girl. She wears a yellow dress with a big brown strip at the bottom. She has a white apron with a bee stitched on the corner. On her head was two antennas that were back with yellow balls on the ends. Her hair is twisted into a knot on her head. She has coffee colored skin to compliment her dark hair.
She was talking to her self, saying, "Sweep, sweep, sweep. 'Move to the country, Roxy! Fresh air will do you good, Roxy!' It's DUSTY in the country! Can't … sweep … all … the … dust!"
"Hey, Roxy! Got any fresh bottles of milk for me today?" Gino asks when we stroll over. "These delightful visitors are on my world famous Pizza Tour."
The girl looks up from the broom clutched in her hands and waved. "Oh, Gino! If only I did! M-My cows have gotten out of their pens! Someone stole my fences with all my things!"
"You too! Noo!" Gino sighs. "Without fresh milk, how will I show the Wandoliers the wonders of my forbidden cheese?"
The girl, presumably Roxy, says, "Wandoliers? Why didn't you say so? Getting my farm in order will be no problem then!" he voice has a cute buzz to it.
"Ha! I'm not ruined after all! Wandoliers, can you help Roxy?" Gino asks.
"Of course!" Jai says. "What do you need?"
"Well, someone stole my cow pen! My cows are everywhere! It's chaos! Please take this scroll so you can learn how to build my fences. Please help my little cows!" buzzes Roxy.
"Sure, Roxy." I read the scroll, "We need twenty five chunks of wood, thirty metal springs, and twenty bronze sticks."
I decided to dig for the bronze while Jai collects wood, and Dee goes mining for metal.
••••
"Alright! Now you need to rebuild my cow pen! And don't forget the stairs, for Clarabelle! She does love that view from the top of the cliff!" Roxy instructs.
I don't want to know how a cow could climb stairs and not break them, so I just decided to help Jai on the gate. Dee, the valiant Wandolier, made the stairs because she was not afraid of heights. She stood by us, making steps out of thin air - like back on Capitol Island. She climbed to the top and sweet-talks Clarabelle down.
••••
When we finish, Roxy needs us again.
"Great - good as new! Someone scared away my cows, so please heard them into their pen. Oh, and watch out for Tuffy! She's a real rascal!" says Roxy.
"Heading cows?! Awesome!" Buddy cries. He throws his arms in the air and runs around, yelling like a mad man.
"We can pretend we don't know him." Lyndsay suggests.
"Good idea." we agree before Lyndsay chased after Buddy.
"I'll corral Tuffy," I volunteer.
"I want Clarabelle!" Dee says waving her hands in the air.
"Good. I don't want to be the one on top of a cliff or the hard headed one so I'll get … " Jai tried to remember the third cows name.
"Annabelle." Roxy says, smiling.
"Yeah, I'll get Annabelle." Jai repeats.
We all split up to find the cows. Tuffy is a tough one. I had to say, "Heya!" and force Tuffy into the pen. I turned my back to go and help Jai or Dee, when I saw Tuffy walking out of the pen. I sigh and turn back to get her back into the pen.
••••
"You guys!" Roxy buzzes as we approach. "Thanks for helping me get the cows back in their pens! Now I can show you how we milk the cows!"
Roxy holds a bucket under Annabelle's udder and sits down on a stool. She squeezed and a light flow of milk poured out.
Yeah, I have to admit two things: It was delightfully gross.
Delightful to see Buddy crack up and turn red from laughing so hard.
"Here Gino!" says Roxy, handing the bucket to him.
"Thanks for the milk, Roxy.
"Crust, sauce and cheese can be combined to make any ol' pizza. But the secrete ingredient to my pizza is fame!" Gino says. "Okay, that concludes our pizza tour. Now I will be speaking with Gabby about something COMPLETELY non-pizza related! … So … yeah … "
"Um, okay?" I say.
As soon as he's out of earshot, Dee turns to Jai and I. "Let's go eavesdrop on them!"
"What?!" I yell.
"Please? Something is going on over there!" Jai whined, crossing her arms over her chest.
I open my mouth to protest but they grab my wrists and drag me over to Gino and Gabby.
"Um, hello there, Gabby!" We heard Gino say from our hiding spot in the bushes.
"Hunh? Oh, the Chef. What can ol' Gabby do fer ya, Chef?" Gabby asks, looking up from his blacksmithing things.
"Ah, another one of my special orders." Gino says in a stage whisper.
"Sure! Another one of my lucky horseshoes comin' right up!" says Gabby.
"Not so loud, Gabby!" Gino hisses. "No one can know about my appalling secret!"
"Whatever. Gabby requires ore. You wait here, Chef. Ah'm goin' ta that mountain to mine for a bit." says Gabby.
"Okay, just make sure no one knows about this!" Gino pleads.
"Yes, chef." Gino agrees.
••••
Gabby trudges up the slope to get up the mountain.
Jai Dee and I clamber up after him, and pretend to be surprised when we find him. "Gabby! You're mining? Us too!" I say. When I'm guilty or nervous, I ramble on. A lot. "I have a really nice pickaxe. He he, we were wondering if there is any spot to mine in the mountains. I just love mining. Especially for ore! Ore, ore, ore! I could find ore all day! Its so nice! And its worth getting covered in dust to look for--"
"Ah! Good thing you girls are here!" Gabby said, abruptly cutting me off, and stopping dead in his tracks. "Now the darn bridge is out! Gabby can't work under these conditions! Darn snabby bridge workers! Can you build me another one, Mandy?"
"Me? Uh, sure." I shrug. I take out wand and Gabby turns to Dee and Jai.
"Anything to shut her up!" he whispers. He winks at me.
••••
"Thanks fer helping' girls. Gotta go make … something special now." says Gabby, wiping the sweat from his brow. We just finished mining.
We race down the mountain to see what's going to happen with this 'special order'.
Gabby holds out a greasy handkerchief and a shiny metal U-shaped thing -- a horseshoe.
"Alright chef. One lucky horseshoe. Jus' let it cool fer a second and then its yers. Now, remember, the, uh, luck on that thing only lasts for two weeks, and then you'll have to buy a new one. From me."
"Yes, yes of course." Gino hurriedly grads the horseshoe.
Suddenly a guy who looked about our age dressed in black pants, boots, and jacket with spiked shoulders. He has sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. His mouth and neck are hidden being a red bandana. He streaked past, swiping the horse shoe from Gino's hands. I heard Jai's breath catch as she held onto my arm tightly.
"YOINK! Looks like its MY lucky horseshoe now, old timers!" The guy laughs and ran away.
"DANG BLASTED THEIF! Get back here with that horse shoe!" Gabby calls. "Bun gummet!"
"NOO! My luck! On, I'm ruined! I'll never make a world famous pizza ever again!" Gino cries, dropping to his knees and pounding on the hard, dry earth.
"Thieving' in the Junction? Gabby won't stand fer this! Gabby's making a POSSE!" Gabby declares.
"Where are you going to find a posse?" Gino asks.
"We'll be your posse, Gabby." I say.
"I found my posse, Chef." says Gabby happily.
"Posse! Is that a soup?" Buddy asks, his eyes gleaming with pleasure.
"No, Gabby hates soup. But, Gabby does like the sweet taste of justice!" says Gabby, practically drooling. "To the sheriff, posse!"
A few minutes later, we shuffle into Sheriff Ginny's jail house. Lyndsay is in there, talking with Ginny as we came in. "Hey, Mandy!" She slides off her stool to come and talk to me. "What's up?"
"Well a guy in a red bandana came and stole Gino's horseshoe!" I say, sighing.
"Why do you need a lucky horseshoe? You don't have a horse … " Lyndsay reasons.
"Oh, oh my! I'd tell you, but you can't anyone!" Gino lowers his voice. "The secret ingredient isn't fame, it's luck!"
"No! Without his horseshoe we'll never get free samples!" Buddy cries.
"Consain it, Sheriff! Farn blarnit ratzen fratzen gully-womper!" says Gabby. I'm pretty sure he's talking in cowboy.
"Omigosh!" Ginny gasps. "A horseshoe thief - here in Cowboy Junction? That's so exciting! Who is it?"
"Gabby's civic duty is complete. Gabby delegates the rest of the responsibilities to his posse."
"Ginny, there's a bad guy! And he's eating all the soup!" Buddy blurts.
" … Stealing all the horseshoes." Lyndsay corrects.
"Well, we need clues if we're gonna solve this case." Ginny says, nodding thoughtfully.
"But Ginny, we already know who did it!" Dee quips.
"Yeah, it was the dude in the red bandana!" says Jai.
"When Buddy and I were looking around we saw a guy in a red bandana!" Lyndsay says.
"Oh yeah! In the mountains!" Buddy slaps his hands on the table.
"Well I can't take this 'dude' into custody with out evidence or clues," Ginny made air quotes with her fingers. "Clues are the best part! Bow I'm making ya'll official deputies. Here's what you'll do. Explore around Cowboy Junction and collect as many clues as you can find. Scaddle off now!"
We leave the jail and look around. "The best place we could look first is the scene of the crime." I point out.
"Okay, maybe he left some footprints there or something." Jai agrees.
••••
When we get to the scene of the crime, which is Gabby's blacksmithing shop, we check for foot prints.
After thirty minutes or so of searching, we are ready to give up. Then I cry out, "I've found something!"
"It took us so long because the ground hasn't gotten any rain in like, forever!" Dee says, when she sees the footprint I've discovered.
"It could be one of ours, Mandy." Jai reminds me.
I sigh. "It could be … but, there is only one way to find out."
I follow the footprints up the mountain, behind some trees, until we find red-bandana-wearing-guy. Jai and Dee run up after me. "Mandy--"
"Shh!" I whisper. "Look!" I point to the guy and crouch down behind a bush. Dee follows me, but Jai stands starring stupidly at him.
"Jai!" Dee hisses, tugging on Jai's shorts.
"What?" Jai looks down at us, confused.
"Get down!" Dee and I whisper.
"Oh, oopsies!" says Jai, turning pink.
"You two stay here, I'll get Ginny!" I say.
••••
After hearing me say, "I found the felon," Sheriff Ginny tears up the hill to see. I jog to keep up with her.
"AhHA!" Ginny is saying as I finally make it up. "So you're the scum-bag goin' 'round thinking yer so important that you can just steal everyone's things?"
"Gin--" starts Jai, but Ginny has him pinned against the wall of the cave.
Red-bandanna-wearer looks like he's ready to oppose, but Ginny kicks his knee and tackles him.
"GINNY!" Dee, Jai and I yell, running over to get them disconnected.
"Get off me, you crazy girl!" the guy yells.
When we finally separate them, they guy's bandana is on the ground.
"Who are you?" Dee asks.
"I'm Rusty. And this is MY mountain. So get away!" The guy - Rusty - growls.
"But you just committed a felony! We can't leave until you give the horseshoe back!" I say.
Rusty sighs. "I prefer to have company anyway." He digs into his pocket and pulls out the horseshoe. "Here's you're precious horseshoe."
Sheriff Ginny snatches the horse shoe out of his hand.
"Wait!" says Jai. "You must get lonely up here, Rusty."
Dee snorts besides me. "I knew it!" she whispers.
Jai nudges Dee in the ribs. Hard. "Ouch! What was that for?"
"Yes, I do get lonely." Rusty answers glumly.
"I can build you a sweet pad if you want!" Jai says a little bit to animatedly.
"But wouldn't that take forever?" Rusty ponders.
"Nope! I'm a Wandolier!" Jai explains.
"Oh! Go ahead then!" says Rusty.
Jai builds a really cool house for Rusty in no time.
"Hey, thanks, uh … "
"Jai." says Jai.
"Jai … Cool. Here's a bunch of scrolls I, err, borrowed, aha." Rusty says, blushing.
"Aw, thanks Rusty!" Jai says, hugging the scrolls.
"Hey, um, I think we should go back to Gabby now." Ginny suggests.
"Chitter chitter!"
"Is that Guillermo?" Dee asks, happy to change the subject.
"I believe it is!" I say.
Guillermo flies down from the sky, and drops a scroll at my feet. I pick it up and unravel the message.
"It's another letter from they king!" I say.
"Go on then, read it!" Dee and Jai say.
"'Dear Mandy, News of your deeds have spread like strawberry icing over a moist, chocolate cupcake. Well done! It seems you have accomplished much in a short time! Everyone is proud. Attached if the map to Rocket Reef. Sincerely, King Ronald.'" I read.
"That's awesome!" Dee exclaims.
"Rocket Reef, eh?" Jai questions, biting her lip thoughtfully.
"Let's get everything done before we do anything else. Are you coming, Rusty?" I ask.
••••
"You! It's Sheriff and that bang-billed thief that took mah horseshoe!" Gabby yells.
"Ew! He touched you're dirty shoes with his bare hands?" Roxy shudders.
We were sitting in Gino's restaurant which is a big outside patio with chairs, tables, and a brick oven.
"Easy. Rusty - don't you have something' ta say?" Ginny asks.
All eyes are on Rusty as he mutters, "I'm sorry," the he adds, "here's your horseshoe."
"Keep it! I'm ending my dependency on horseshoes!" Gino declares. "So thank-you, Rusty."
"Thank Jai, Mandy and Dee." Rusty corrects.
"You've changed the way I make pizza!" says Gino, nodding at us.
"Yay! Everyone's happy in the Junction again!" Gabby cheers.
"Ha-ha!" Buddy laughs. "They love you, pal!"
Ginny turns to give me a hug.
I look over her shoulder and see Rusty and Jai hugging too. "Jai, I think you are the best Wandolier!" says Rusty.
"So what happens now?" Buddy asks.
"Now? Now Gabby starts a fiddlin'." Gabby takes his fiddle and starts to play a lively tune.
"Woo-hoo!" I cheer, tapping my foot and clapping to the beat with everyone. I see Jai and Rusty dancing together holding hands. I get the same warm feeling when I see Buddy and Lyndsay doing the same. Sheriff Ginny has her arm slung over Gino and my shoulders.
All of us are still dancing when Gabby tells us, "Gabby's done now."
Eventually we all stop, but Buddy keeps dancing. "Buddy! You can stop now!" Lyndsay hisses.
"Oh, sorry!" Buddy smiles sheepishly.
I yawn. "We better get going. Good luck with your pizza business, Gino!"
