Disclaimer: I don't own Tennessee 'kid' Cooper but I do own Danielle the Raccoon and a few others. The Cooper ancestors belong to the Sly Cooper franchise, sucker punch games and Sanzaru games. Not me!
Journey of a dream.
The afternoon reared its peaceful head quite quickly even though it felt like an eternity for the young outlaw. Tennessee had spent most of the day dwelling on stuff he shouldn't like a certain female coon whom had captured his heart in the most sweetest way possible.
He had an idea that he hoped would spell out his feelings for her but he fretted over the event like the white rabbit worrying about being late for the Queen of hearts. The yellow orbed raccoon scratched at his hole pocked ear as he gave a lazy-minded yawn as he watched over the town of Cotton mouth like a hawk, waiting for a potential prey.
The grey furred coon was just waiting to do something that should hopefully not only kick start his imagination but also the adrenaline rush should boost his confidence and should hopefully help him think of this plan out. Besides, he had always dreamed of doing a second heist that had not involved the bank but a location more exciting.
He was about to get his wish.
"Now, kid, Ah' know that y'all have been doin' some great work with heists but I believe that you'll enjoy this one like a coyote having a sugar rush!" Buck had told him prior to going out, clearly sounding as if he knew exactly what he was speaking about. The ferret was exceedingly knowledgable but he did have mad organising kills, heck he even told Tennessee were to be to be able to start this mission.
The dust furred coon had little to know idea what his mentor had sent him here for but he somehow had a feeling that it was for something big and dangerously risky. He loved dangerous and risky things as they always suited him best than sneaking into a home one night and stealing an apparently prized music box right under the Sheriff's nose. It got him a reputation and status, yes, but he still hoped that he could live up to his own father's legendary crimes.
The New Mexican sun beamed from the heavens the bore right through his dust fur, irritating his skin slightly as he scratched at his head continuously whilst staring down at the ground from behind the safety of the sign of the Saloon, watching numerous tumble weeds blow by to pass the time.
Tennessee couldn't help but think of a song that he thought that he'd sing some of the words to as yet another way to make the time go by faster "Rollin' rollin' rollin', keep movin' movin' movin', keep them doggies movin' rawhide..." His eyes went skyward as he began whistling the tune to the rest of the song all while he swayed his head to the sides as the song was mentally enveloping his mind from boredom.
It was then a pair of voices caught Tennessee's attention as he looked down to find the familiar face of Sheriff Ricardo walking alongside a western accented skunk whom though had his flimsy back turned, seemed to have this strange aura surrounding him.
The raccoon male outlaw didn't know weather to be intrigued or skeptical as the skunk seemed both familiar and strange at the same time. He never saw the guy but he just seemed very, very recognisable under that get up and the brown moustache he wore on his upper lip seemed very rowdy for a man of the law.
So Tennessee decided to eavesdrop on the conversation as his lifted an ear up and listened very carefully, a small frown being worn on his lips as he shuffled his toothpick through his teeth. He used his keen good ear to erect down in the direction of the two mammals and it automatically picked up what they were saying as he walked along the ropes to follow them.
"Its a dag gone good thing ya have arrived at such short notice Deputy Jeremiah Le Paradox," Rico almost exclaimed but he kept it low so only the skunk could hear and this was probably being used to keep any civilians happening to walk by from freaking out a storm "A huge increase of law has been busted out in this here town and lawlessness has been runnin' as rampant as a pack of escaped animals!"
The deputy seemed thoughtful "Hmm. Tell me more about these low down menaces. I am surer than heck that ah' can sort it all out quicker than a bolt of lightning striking down a tree."
Tennessee gave his own thoughtful mutter as he raised a hand to scratch his furry chin, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. This was interesting and somewhat intriguing. Any good outlaw, the few there were, needed to keep on their toes and be careful around town since this skunk was clearly here to apprehend someone but who would be in the bad books enough for Rico to be that desperate to call out for help?
Rico had a reputation of being a hardcore sheriff who only fought for justice and what was right although he could be very narrow minded at times as he could easily be fooled. This smelt like a set up and Rico never called for help unless it was serious as his reputation had him nicknamed 'The lone sheriff' and the reason was in the name.
Actually, Tennessee had figured that if they weren't working on opposite sides of the law then both Rico and himself would be the greatest of allies!
He carefully shifted his weight along the thin black wiring he walked across as to prevent himself from falling, his focus only being trained on the pair of authority figures whom casually strolled down the dirt path, being careful not to arouse any suspicion among the town.
He was sure that he wouldn't get caught if he just kept this up but he was very much exposed in the open for anyone flying overhead or anyone walking home the opposite way from the route Rico was taking but luckily no one even though as to look up. Tennessee was thankful for that.
He continued to eavesdrop on the chat they both shared down below as he slowly and carefully kept his weight in check and made sure that his ear canals were functioning properly. His senses had been sharpened like a pencil by the fact that his was basically born for this purpose and he stilled himself as he knew that he was once again in close range enough to hear them.
"Well, pardner, ah'll be frank with y'all. These mercenaries are gittin' increasingly reckless b'ah the minute and their truly rilin' me up like a explodin' cookin' pot full a melted cheese." The fox growled under his breath but calmed himself as he pulled at the rock-solid collars of his black leather trench coat. He even reached a hand to grab at his own hat but he resisted the urge to get himself riled up even further "But there's one who really chaps my hide."
The one named Jeremiah nodded his over-sized head to the frustrated fox "Who would that be, Sheriff?"
Tennessee listened intently. Clearly this one whom gets on Rico's nerves really needed to watch their backs most of all since they didn't want to be ratted out by some ugly looking stink-bag who looked like a filthy scavenger than anything yet he dressed formally, not really impressively for Tennessee's liking though.
"...Tennessee 'Kid' Cooper." Rico finally said with some reluctance.
Both Tennessee and Jeremiah had the exact same feeling of their stomachs dropping to the floor below at the mention of that name as they felt their hearts cease beating at all. Tennessee was the one who Jeremiah was going to get his hands on the most and lord knows how high his bounty is now! Tennessee knew he really had to watch his back 24/7 if he were to get through this and once again evade capture like always.
However the dust furred raccoon couldn't help but notice the shimmer of faint familiarity of that very name which Rico just spoke of as they both stopped dead in their tracks. The skunk stared at the fox with wide eyes as he stared off to his side just so Tennessee could get a look within those dark jungle green irises that seemed like snakes eyes in some kind of creepy way.
That eerie silence extended for a few short moments until Tennessee leaned his head forwards to get a closer look even if he was in close enough range and he could hear what followed after that disturbing silence.
"...Tennessee 'kid' Cooper, eh?" The skunk grinned so much that it was easy enough to see from the furthest of distances "Well ah'll see what an' can do whenever I got him under lock and key...with a rope around that stick of a neck..."
Tennesse swallowed upon hearing that even though it was clearly obvious that the skunk had muttered that last part more to himself than to the fox in his presence. The raccoon gulped as he put a hand up the message where the rope would be if he were ever to be caught red handed as he stared with eyes frozen with fear. He couldn't help but image the whole scenario in his head but he shook his head determinedly.
No! He wasn't going to get caught! He wouldn't allow himself to be put behind some rusty old bars and he would evade and dodge for the rest of his life if he had to. He continued to tail them until they reached just outside of the train station and they just stood there and shook hands with one another, clearly giving each other a small farewell.
"Well, ah'm off ta see to it that the Sandy Moore gulch bank gets the money," Ricardo managed a small, civil smile on his maize muzzle, his black nose twitching at the smell of dry sand.
The skunk Jeremiah nodded as he firmly shook that grip whilst baring his teeth in a razor toothed smirk that kind of made the fur on the back of Tennessee's neck stand on end as he felt seriously skeptical for some reason. He didn't trust that stink bag but then again, it wasn't like Rico had those kinds of gut instincts either so he couldn't really blame the fox.
Wait, Rico was going on holiday to his home town!? He wanted to request that Rico said hi to his family but he knew that it would be stupid to pull that off and risk himself getting caught and getting the noose rigged. He couldn't just risk that!
It was then that the pieces of what he was originally here for clicked into place into a full blown puzzle in his mind, making him smirk deviously at what the old ferret had originally plotted for his student to do in the first place.
He was supposed to rob the train Rico Fox was boarding.
The dust furred coon knew that this should give him the adrenaline he had waited for and needed to think about ways proving his love for Danielle. Even though the main reason Rico was coming to Sandy Moore gulch would be for naught, it would still give the family a much needed vacation.
Besides, He was basically doing the family a favour. Rico would be piled on his work and wouldn't have the time to spend with that adorable little dickens of a daughter and his wife. That got Tennessee wondering about if he would have a family someday...Being a father to a few children and loving them just as much as he loved Danielle. He shook his head at the thought as he was getting ahead of himself.
Whence Rico had went through the doors of the dinky train station and deputy Jeremiah had separated down different paths, Tennessee waited for the skunk to be out of sides before he made his way on to the rooftop of the train so he could peak over the other sides of the wooden slates, using his tail to hook on to the nails jabbing out of the roof.
The train was magnificent up close! It was the same one that circled the town on a daily basis because the gateway by the gorge and windmill had been blocked off usually to prevent any outlaws from getting out. He just lucked out that he had got here when the gate was open!
Steam poured from the steam trains massive spout as it released a 'Hiss' of a noise while the huge mode of transportation had been parked by the door upon the tracks where the controller, a pig wearing uniform, was guiding a horde of journeying passengers into their cart trailers of the massive rickety train.
Out of the horde, Tennessee almost hadn't noticed that the form of the family of foxes had been en route to one of the trailers hooked at the end of the train. Mrs Fox was dressed in a fancy blue dress with a very puffy umbrella shaped waist and bit at the hips as it was finely laced and she wore a charming little hat on her crown that even had a transparent trail behind the rim to make it more pretty on her red-haired head. The little girl fox wore a somewhat matching pink gown with her own red hair tied in a braid. Ricardo looked the same, really, just a little more fancy.
Tennessee Kid Cooper rubbed the palms of his hands together upon seeing the last of the gold being piled on the trailer in front of the private carriage where Rico Fox and his family were staying in for the time being until they arrived at Sandy Moore gulch.
He never ridden a train before, let alone stole from one.
This should be fun.
A/N: Hi guys. I would have made this more about Tennessee planning about his big night with Danielle but then I had a thought, what would be a Tennessee Cooper story without a train robbery involved?
I also added Tenny's rival, Jeremiah, in the mix. I thought that it would be fair since I made Rohan Le Paradox be in Rioichi's origin story so it should be fair that I should add another ancestor of that wretched skunk. I think you'll like where this is going.
I'll try and update another chapter on Slytunkhamen's story too today.
I have also done my very first community and I have made it for the Cooper ancestors origins, Sly's father included, and I hope you guys will check it out so far.
Thanks!
-Chloemcg
