Tennessee tumbled backwards a little, thankful that he was quicker than the door as it slammed down hard where his arm had been not even seconds before. Too close of a call maybe. Shaking off the mental image of what could have happened, Tennessee stood, only to find that his footing was not as stable at he would have hoped. The board under his feet cracked loudly, causing him to jump back. This would have been fine if there had been anything for him to actually jump back onto and with a single yelp Tennessee fell off the thin walkway right down into a well lit room, landing with a soft thud. "I already dislike this place..." He hissed, gathering himself off the floor to look around. It looked like less of a mine and more of an over sized storage facility. Boxes twice as high as the raccoon stood were stacked up all around him, covered with dust and sacks of gold of all shapes and sizes. Normally Tennessee would have made a note to grab as much as he could, but the empty bottles and a few chairs suggested that guards may have been posted before, or may be on their way back. With no time to dilly dally, the scruffy raccoon turned around, hoping to find any way of escaping and getting back his cane.

To his surprise, half of his mission was already complete when he turned to look behind him. A huge glass case sat atop a large decorative stand with a gold plaque that read 'Cooper' on it. No doubt Toothpick's way of gloating that he had stolen the gun off him while he was in jail. With a huge grin on his face, Tennessee closed the gap between himself and the box. With a swift jab of his elbow, he smashed the case open with no regrets. "My gun!" He proclaimed loudly, holding it up to inspect it. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he gave it a warming spin, remembering the weight and how if felt after so long. Grinning like a fool, he turned away from the remains of the glass case. "Uh huh. That's right! The Kid is back in business!" He cheered, feeling silly for it afterwards when he realized how childish it had been. He tilted the gun forward, taking a shot at one of the stools in the corner. Seeing it shatter into splinters gave him a small sense of satisfaction.

He turned his attention to the other half of the room, slightly shrouded in darkness and caught sight of a small glint of metal. "Tennessee! Can you hear me?" Bentley's voice crackled for a second before clearing up. "Uh yeah. I hear ya friend." He scratched irritably at the earpiece that Sly had outfitted him with before the mission started. "I still don't see how you fellas can stand this thing. Feels like I have a bug crawlin' about where it doesn't belong." He could almost hear Bentley sighing, but that could have been static too. "Just listen up. There should be a large door not too far from you. If what the data says is true, then a sharp pressure in the center of the lock should short the system and open it." Tennessee moved in the direction he had been informed of, stopping short when he realized just how large the door actually was.

The door itself was massive, the gunslinger not even tall enough to reach the bottom handle of the lock. He had to admit that he was thankful there was a different way to open the mass of metal. He wasn't exactly the strongest fool in the west. Tennessee spun his gun around and took aim at the smallest portion of the lock, the very center. It was no bigger than the bottom of a beer mug but that wasn't a problem for him. A single shot and the gears inside the lock creaked before it's own weight caused it to pop open. Tennessee gave the door a shove and it swung open, slamming against the boxes on the other side of the wall. The room he stared into was not much different, boxes stacked as high as the ceiling and various barrels and smaller crates littering the corners. It was looking less and less like an actual mine as he moved forward. The boxes were creating a path, lowering down to a lower floor with again, more boxes. "They should have thought up a better fella to decorate..." He joked, before stopping short. "What in tarnation?" A buzzing sound that he had heard once before was now making his ears twitch. "Bentley friend? You hearing that?" Crackling was all he heard in return over his earpiece. Taking this as a sign that he was on his own right now, he turned the corner, looking before he stepped. Sure enough a familiar green glow covered the floor.

Tennessee grumbled to himself quietly, looking around for anything that might be of help. The ground didn't have anything he could use, as he couldn't see any switches like the last time when Sly had helped him. "This is more useless than wet gunpowder..." He sighed, sagging against the wall for a second when he saw it. A weird symbol in the same green glow attached to some sort of contraption hung up on an exposed crate. Something was better than nothing so Tennessee took aim and shot it dead center. To his surprise, rather than something he usually got for shooting at strange things, like and alarm or a slap, the green glow on the floor disappeared. "Huh...well I'll be. That worked out rather slick." A confident smirk crossed his face as he moved to take a step forward. That confidence was quickly dashed however when he saw the all too large skittery creature make eye contact. "No way..."

He stumbled backwards as fast as he could, scrambling to aim his gun at the massive spider that rushed forward. Missing the first time only caused more of the beasts to scurry forward, out of hiding and making Tennessee question just why he had agreed to go into the mines rather than Sly. The gunslinger kicked one of the bugs that got too close back into the angry mass of legs, but not before it bumped against a rather curious looking barrel. Tennessee took a look at the writing on it and smiled. TNT. How perfect. Taking aim he shot out one of the lamps scattered about the walls, the spattering of burning oil dropping onto the barrel. The wood quickly caught fire and Tennessee ducked down as the massive boom scattered what remained of the bugs across the room. "Now THAT is how you take care of a spider!" He laughed loudly, throwing himself to his feet before charging forward again.

He didn't get very far when the next obstacle made itself clear. Another locked door, only this one was much larger, having six large locks circling a much larger lock in the center. "Woah! This big ol' door is gonna take more than just a little sharpshooting." Tennessee swung his gun forward and closed his eyes, concentrating. With a deep breath, he made a mental note of each of the locks, tracing the muzzle of his gun through the air slightly. His muscles seemed to click with his memory, recognizing the familiar act. It seemed silly, but it helped the gunslinger to strike his targets without missing a beat. Another deep breath and Tennessee spun the gun quickly, firing six shots directly into each of the locks, the flash of the gun blinding him a little in the process. He could never explain it but since he was first learning to shoot, he had a talent for quick-draw. With a low groan, the locks all turned at once, leaving the heavy door to swing slowly open.

Rubbing his eyes to try and clear the muzzle flash away, the ringtail nearly walked right off the ledge in front of him. Catching himself quickly, he looked forward only to see a lack of pathway and in it's place, rails. "No cart to snag a ride, so I suppose I'll take the express!" He chuckled, stepping up onto the metal rail before pushing himself off, sliding down with ease. The spurs on his boots caused a spark trial to follow not far behind as the rail curved, causing him to balance himself out a little so he didn't fall. He did that once, and he certainly wasn't going to do it again. A month with a busted arm was a month too long for him. As he was continuing to steer himself through the surprisingly long tunnels Tennessee couldn't help but notice the copious amounts of gold littering the walls. The gunslinger's mind wandered as he imagined just what he could do with such riches and he nearly missed the cracks along the wall, heaving and crumbling as a large portion of the wall collapsed down on the tracks. The metal rails swayed under his feet, threatening to throw him over at any second into the mess of hot spring water, rejected rock and ash and cracked wood planks that stirred together into a disgusting stew. Tennessee jumped from rail to rail, keeping his balance as best as he could until he could see another platform ahead.

He considered jumping off until he caught sight of the swinging lantern. A steer guard was pacing back and fourth, making the idea of dismount in such a confined space turn sour the more he thought it over. He allowed the tracks to cast him by the guard, smiling as he moved just outside his light. His smile faded however when another track nearly hit him upside the head. The rails were curving upwards, following a loose spiral around what seemed to be the center of the mine until they splayed out into multiple paths. Tennessee took a last second decision and steered himself into a tunnel, hoping it would be a way out eventually. He wasn't even a few feet into the new tunnel when he reprimanded himself for his poor choice. A loud boom echoed through the confined space and the walls quickly started to crumble, large chunks landing dangerously close to the rails, and Tennessee. He had to preform some tricky maneuvers but he managed to clear the falling debris and stumbled his way up onto the platform, catching himself before he fell over. The rumbling of the walls began to silence as Tennessee stole a glance upwards.

The new area was much larger than the first one. Similar crates were stacked as high as the raccoon could see, but there were a few stacked low enough to create another almost loft like space. A few barrels and more stools littered the sides of the rather roomy area. The gunslinger moved to step forward when a coyote strolled across a plank of wood that traveled across the room, connecting the two sides of crates together. "Looks like I'm gonna have to be careful..." He waited until the guard had his back turned before shuffling forward, taking mind not to slip into the gap on the platform. Bracing himself to jump, Tennessee saw the steers just a second too late. A loud gunshot caused his ears to ring as he felt something hot slicing into his right arm. He yelped loudly and slipped, barely snagging the edge with his good hand. Dangling above a pool of slow churning water that began to turn red, Tennessee faced what few options he had. If he didn't act fast, the guards would surely check to see if he was still alive. Testing his strength in his arm, he lifted his gun slowly up to the ledge, listening very carefully to where the footsteps were and with a wild guess, shot a few rounds out. A loud thump confirmed that he had at least got one, but the angry bellowing told him that the other was not happy with that.

Gun turned down, Tennessee steadied himself and waited until he saw the large steer poke his head over the side. Using the cane end of his gun he hooked the guard's horn and pulled hard, using the momentum to hoist himself up and toppling the guard over the side only to slam hard into the shallow waters, stunned and unable to get out. "Dang...I do hope I can get out soon. This is turning worse and worse by the second." He sighed, checking the gun wound quickly. It was just a graze and the bleeding wouldn't last long but it hurt like none other. "Bentley? Any luck gettin' things fixed?" He tried, not expecting anything. The silence on the other end only confirmed his suspicions. Tennessee sighed, struggling around the corner only to be greeted again by his least favorite thing. Three huge spiders dropped in from the crates above, spooking the gunslinger into taking swats with the wrong end of his gun. "Dang creepy crawlies!" His swings were awkward as he twisted his left arm in an attempt to control the aim. A few swats and some scattered spider bits later before Tennessee was through the small corridor and facing down another steer on the other end of the makeshift hallway.

He hadn't seemed to notice Tennessee yet, and the raccoon took the opportunity to take his time taking out the unknowing guard. A TNT barrel was situated just behind the steer, and above it luckily was a lamp. Using the same tactic as he had earlier, the shot out the lamp, dropping burning oil down onto the guard and the barrel. The sound of the shattering glass called the hidden guard over to his friend who seemed less concerned about the burning barrel and more about the oil. It was only a few moments before the barrel crackled, blowing the steers clear of the hall and off into the darkness. Tennessee covered his face as the explosion sent debris about. He hoped that the other guards didn't hear, or at least couldn't get to where he was. Tennessee stumbled forward, clearing the gap in the floor with no problem, and turning corners in the now shrinking corridors.

The corridor turned into a slightly more open area with little more than a rickety bridge. "Ugh...I'm getting sick of these turns... Makin' me more confused than a tumbleweed in a tornado." Tennessee pushed forward, the ache in his arm dulling his senses. He almost didn't see the huge spiders drop down on him until one had it's large pointed legs touching the gunslinger's hat. "Gah! Why are there so many of these things?" He stumbled, swinging his gun angrily at the bugs before charging away from them and across another sad excuse of a bridge. With the spiders practically chewing the fur off his tail he swung around the corner, colliding roughly with a coyote guard who had been making his patrol. The two tumbled to the ground, confusion and curses flying from both of them. "Hey! What 'er you doing?" The coyote yowled, struggling to untangle himself from the raccoon. Tennessee on the other hand, was more than happy to just have something between himself and his pursuers. He quickly rolled himself away from the guard and tucked himself against the wall, watching as the spiders immediately took to the poor guy, biting and crawling all over him as he screamed in terror. The sound of distress caught the attention of another guard just around the corner, and Tennessee nearly ended up run over when he tried to peek around. The other guard, despite being a large burly steer was dancing circles away from the bugs who had finished tormenting the coyote and were seeking their next 'friend'.

Taking the opportunity while the guard was busy, Tennessee wormed his way around the bend, nearly slipping off the ledge. Another missing bridge? "These fella's sure must be quick to not fall in the drink!" He sighed, throwing his weight forward, launching himself over the open pit of water. As his feet touched the wood on the other side, a loud crackling sound caused him to wince. "...an you...where..." A voice broke between the static in the earpiece, but not enough for Tennessee to understand. "I must be getting close to the exit. Gotta be..." He sighed, leaning his gun down for a moment to take a breather. The mine itself was massive, so many twists and turns. Not to mention the tight spaces made the air thick, and hard to breath in. Tennessee wanted to get out soon. "I need a drink after this..." With one last puff of energy, the gunslinger pulled himself upright and trotted forward, awaiting to see what was in store for him.

Tennessee stepped around the corner, and sighed in relief when he saw nothing more than one of the six-lock doors. "I can handle one of you big guys. As long as you ain't got eight legs and a set of big ol' fangs." He chuckled, kicking the barrel of his gun lightly to spin it upwards into his hands. Just as he was about to shoot the locks out, he was interrupted rudely by a large fluffy mass hitting him square in the face. He let out a loud scream and flailed wildly, throwing the mass away from him. "I have had it with y'all! Darn bugs!" He yelled, quickly shooting the locks before darting for the rails. He caught on with the heel of his boot and let the sparks of his spurs shower behind him as he flew down the tracks. It was a short trip, but it was much better than sticking around with those nasty critters.

The tracks ended rather abruptly, throwing Tennessee face first out into a surprisingly open area. He landed with a thump, shaking himself off as he looked around. There were still small corridors ahead, but for the time being, the open room was welcome. Short lived however as a few guards heard the gunslinger's less than beautiful landing. Tennessee yanked himself to his feet and tucked away in the corner, trying to stay out of sight. Thankfully there was a stack of barrels, perfectly raccoon sized for him to stow away behind. He didn't think to check how much ammunition he had before he started off on his little journey through the mines so the less he had to fight off the guards himself, the better. Two coyotes and a steer charged by, all grumbling about 'a noise'. Once the coast was clear, Tennessee slipped out from his cover, sneaking quickly through the halls and over the walkway board covering yet another hole. "Fella's need to do a lil housekeeping..." He sighed, feeling the board bend under his weight. Another blind corner ahead, Tennessee decided it may best to try a new route. The gunslinger looked about for a moment before noticing that one of the walls of crates was lower than the rest. Possibly short enough for him to climb on with a little help. Wasting no time, he pulled one of the nearby barrels over and clambered up to hoist himself up onto the top of the crate pile.

Tennessee looked around from his new vantage point and quickly spotted two more steers, both of which were stationed rather smartly. He would have had a lot of difficulty had he tried to move through the corridor on foot. Thankfully, just on the other side of the crate, one final locked door sat. Tennessee could make out the word 'exit' on a sign with 'danger' scribbled over it with crude red paint. His way out! Finally could get out of this horrid mine. He slipped over the side of the crate and dropped heavily to the ground. He crept forward, making sure to look carefully for any other obstructions. To his luck, there were none, save for a lone spider. It didn't take much more than a solid whap to get rid of that problem. He climbed slowly up the ramp in front of the door, taking aim quickly and shooting out the locks. The door made a loud creak and all but slammed down. The weight of the door shook the room around Tennessee, the very walls crackling and crumbling. Not wanting to waste any more time to see if the tunnels would collapse on him, the gunslinger was on the tracks. As the tunnels around him began to collapse, he could hear Bentley's voice crackling through the rumble of the falling rocks. "Tennessee! Do you read me? What's going on?" Nearly missing a falling chunk of the wall, Tennessee tried his best to shout a reply. "Nothing to worry about pal. Just be ready! I'm on my way out and it ain't gonna be pretty!" His reply was cut short however when he noticed another door blocking his path. He acted quickly, shooting out the center of the door lock and jumped over the gap from the door. The cave continued to crumble all around him and it was beginning to become rather urgent that he get out as soon as he could.

A portion of the rail wrenched upwards, rocks bending and twisting the metal. Tennessee nearly fell down, having to catch himself and avoid the chunks of debris that flew at him. A small rock hit the raccoon square in the forehead, catching his attention just in time to swing his gun upright to shoot out the locks on the final door. As it began to creak open, the whole door collapsed off it's hinges, exposing the bright rays of the noonday sun. A wash of fresh air hit Tennessee, breathing a sigh of relief into him. With a final well timed jump, he was out of the way of the crashing tunnel and free of the mine.

Author's Comments: It's been a really long time since I last updated this story and by gosh I miss writing it. But I have to say this chapter was strangely difficult to write. I loved this mission in game, but it's so long that it felt almost a bit repetitive to write. I apologize if it's not my best chapter. Thankfully the next chapter will hold something that I know quite a few of my readers have been looking forward to for quite some time. Thanks for sticking with me for so long everyone and I hope you will continue to follow along with my stories! Love all around~ 3