Omg, I can't believe somebody actually NOTICED :'D; but yes, Bat13SJx, I got Mongo from Blazing Saddles :P! (I just freakin' LOVE Mel Brooks' movies (\/)) Lol, one night after watching said movie I was just like: "Omg, I need a Mongo in this fic..." and thus, Caleb and Mongo were created, lol xD (And Bad Bill & co. will reappear in a few chapters, THEN you'll get to know what happened to them :P)
This and the last chapter was surprisingly easy to write, but I'm still pretty much out of ideas here, that's why the ROTH story hasn't been updated in a while -.-... So yeah, the ROTH story will take some time before next update because I have NO idea how to write that chapter TT_TT... fml...
Anyway, lets go see what's happening in Dirt, eh? Of course it's another überlong chappie ;)
*** Chapter Thirtysix : Jailbreak! ***
The mighty bird, only a shadow on the clear, blue sky, let out a screech that sent a shiver of fear down Jakes back. He cursed loudly and recoiled, looking for a safe spot. He spotted the water tower just as the bird screed again and swooped down with it's claws bared.
Jolene drew her gun and fired of a bullet towards the bird, barely missing it's right wing. The eagle angrily screeched again and changed direction, upwards. "Ya okay, Jake?" Jolene turned around. No Jake. "Jakey?" She searched until she heard Blakes most malicious laughter yet. She turned to the sound and saw Jake all curled up between the beams supporting the water tower. His rattlegun was shaking ever so slightly.
"Aww, don't worry lil' brother! The mean, scary birdy won't hurt ya!" Blake cooed and earned a homicidal look from his brother.
"Shut up!" Jake hissed and scouted at the sky, trying to locate the bird. It wasn't a hawk, it was something much bigger; a bald eagle. A hawk would've been better... "Fuck my life..." Jake turned his eyes to the clocktower. Rango had vanished from the spot. "That little fucking bastard, I'll..."
Suddenly the eagle appeared out of nowhere again jabbing with it's beak at the curled up rattlesnake. This time it was Blake coming to the rescue; lunged at the bird and almost buried his fangs into one of its feathery legs. The bird retreated to the skies again and stayed hidden in the sun.
Blake turned to his brother and shook his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk..." He said. "Ya don't look very threatening right now, Mr Grim Reaper..."
"Another word from ya and I'll stitch yer mouth together!" Jake spat in response and turned his head to Jolene, who was firing at the sky, hoping to hit the big bird. But it was like shooting in the dark, or light, as the bird was flying in a way so the sun always got into her eyes. "Stop wastin' yer bullets!"
Jolene growled something inaudible and stopped firing. She looked around instead. "Hey! Where did Rang-rang go?"
"Don't ask me!" Blake and Jake said in unison.
Sheriff Rango had ducked for cover under a wagon and slowly crawled out from his hiding spot, looking around for the eagle. He looked around before turning his head up to the clocktower again. "Wait, where did he go?"
"We don't know!" The three rattlesnakes answered a the same time with annoyed voices.
The eagle had surprised everyone present, and as people got out from their hiding spots and they all agreed that arming themselves would be the best.
Just then they heard someone shout to get their attention. The crowd with Dirtonians all turned around at the same time and saw the two porcupines on identical roadrunners come dashing towards them, holding a long saguaro cactus between themselves. They both threw it at the same time, sending it rolling towards the crowd. Only a few people didn't make it out of the way in time and a cacophony of screams and curses were heard as a heavy, spiky cactus landed on them. One of them were Thomas. Luckily, he had his strong shell, and the indestructibility of a cockroach, to protect him, but that didn't mean he was being quiet about it while crawling out from under the cactus: "GET OVAH HERE YA COWARDS! I'LL RIP OUT YER INSIDES AN WEAR 'EM AS SUSPENDERS!"
Elton helped his brother to push the cactus off him. He was about to yank out a rather large thorn that had lodged itself in Tarrants leg when the shooting began.
It was probably Jolene who had fired at the porcupines as they split from the area, and somewhere someone returned fire. Dirtonians, both hurt and fit for fight, were hiding behind anything they could fit behind; wagons, barrels, crates, beams, houses. Rango scurried in behind one of the water towers beams. "Ya don't mind sharin' this spot do ya, Jake?"
Jake didn't answer, instead he began to fire at the four riders emerging from behind the livery; the bountyhunter with the two porcupines and the coyote. However, nobody saw the three shadows sneaking away to the jail.
With the outlaws and the Dirtonians firing at each other from each side of the town, it was a miracle nobody got hurt. Perhaps it was because whenever Jake peeked out from the water tower to shoot, the eagle swooped down almost immediately, keeping the snake prisoner underneath the tall construction. And boy did he hate it! He seemed to grow more and more annoyed and frustrated by every passing second.
And while the Dirtonians were busy fighting off the outlaws, Bentley, Scrange and Sam stood around the backside of the jail. Behind a thick, sturdy wall of clay and wood were Coral, probably intrigued by the sudden ruckus on the outside.
Sam cast a hateful look around the corner, at the reddish sand colored rattlesnake, helping his sister to fend off Thunder Wing. His grip around the shotgun hardened as he squinted his eyes. He could just shoot him now. That bastard wasn't looking this way. He would be dead before he knew what hit him!
"Ey, kid!" Bentley said and snapped his fingers in front of Sams face. Sam were yanked out of his thoughts and gave the hyena an angry glare. "Ya can shoot the livin' handbag AFTER we're done savin' Coral! We ain't s'posed to let anyone know we're here, right?" Bentley said with a snicker and turned his head to Scrange. "Ya done yet?"
"If you ask me that one more time then I solemnly swear I'll cut you as soon as I'm done here!" The rat growled in response as he was tinkering with the weathered and mostly broken window. Using a ridiculously thin and pointy dagger, he loosened the hinges, which would allow the to just lift down the window eventually. The problem was just that the nails were all rusted, and would rather break than to cooperate.
"Alrighty then, cheerio!" Bentley responded with a shrug, jokingly imitating Scranges British accent. Scrange closed his eyes and counted to ten before tempering with the hinges again.
Sam clenched his teeth shut and peeked around the corner of the building again. Blake was still there. He saw the big rattlesnake close his jaws just a few inches away from the eagles foot and cursed loudly when he realized he missed. Jolene had probably gone out of the way to reload as she was nowhere to be seen. His fingers itched. So close to his revenge and yet so far... No, it was HER revenge!
"Hey, ya daydreamin' again?" Bentleys annoying voice interrupted his thoughts again. He was closer than ever to just shoot that mangy freak. "I've told ya: Coral first, killin' later! Gee, what's so good 'bout revenge any way? You and Rango are both confusin' me!"
Sam snorted. "What's so good 'bout revenge?" He repeated. "A lot! Blake'll finally get what he deserves and Belle... Isabelle will have retribution! And Rango, well I think he's got pretty fine reasons too!"
"So, this Isabelle liked murderers? Well, I guess we've all got our little..."
"It's not murder if ya got a good reason for it!"
Bentleys ears drooped and he tilted his head with a puzzled frown on his face, before bursting out in a maniacal laughter, leaning back against the house to not fall over on the ground. "Are ya serious, kiddo?!" He gasped between the laugh attacks. "That's gotta be one of the dumbest things I've ever heard, and I've heard a LOT!"
Sam growled and crossed his arms. "Well, what if we put it like this: what if Hicks were to murder Miss Priscilla in cold blood, what would ya do?"
Bentley stopped laughing and frowned at Sam. "Hicks wouldn't do that!" He protested. "She's one of us!"
"Maybe not, but what IF he did? I thought Blake was one of us too, but look what he did!" Sam flung out his arm at the snake just a couple of feet away.
The hyena raised an eyebrow at the much shorter bobcat. "But what if it weren't Blake that..." Luckily he was interrupted by Scrange, who announced that he was done with an unnecessary loud voice. Bentley clenched his mouth shut. He nearly slipped there. Good thing ol' Scrange was there!
"Of course it was Blake! Him an' his sister were the only rattlesnakes 'round, an' Jolene spend all her time at the spa!"
"You've got a spa?!" Bentleys eyes widened in surprise as he helped Scrange put the window down on the ground. "Holy cow!" Sam rolled his eyes and climbed inside the building. The rat raised an eyebrow at Bentley before clumsily climbing in after the bobcat. Bentley threw his arms up in the air. "What?! Just curious!"
Corals body ached and her head was ringing. The only thing that seemed unharmed were the bars around her. She sobbed and hung her head. Great. Now her only hope were that father would come and save her. And she didn't like being saved.
Suddenly she heard the bell ring in the clocktower. She perked up and listened.
Bong... Bong... Bong..
But, it haven't been an hour since it last rang, had it? But then she heard a familiar voice; Rango? Father!?
She pressed her ear against the wall, yet still she couldn't hear what he was shouting. So, they WERE coming for her after all! Then she heard the battle cry of Thunder Wing and nearly exploded with happiness. Even Thunder Wing is here! This is gonna get good!
Soon, the screaming and the shooting began and she kept her head pressed against the wall to pick up every little sound. A sudden noise coming from the office made her head snap around and stared at the door. She heard more voices and immediately recognized Bentleys voice. She couldn't recall ever being so happy to hear that madman outside a door. That usually meant trouble was coming. But in this case, trouble meant something good! Probably!
She grinned widely when the door got kicked in by the hyena himself. "Pizza delivery!" He announced causing Sam to slap his palm onto his face and slowly shake his head.
"Was that really necessary?" Scrange mumbled and carefully stepped over the remains of the broken door.
"Nah..." Bentley shrugged. "But it was fun!" He turned to Coral. "Someone ordered a Jailbreak deluxe, with extra olives, no onions?" Coral giggled, or at least she tried to, and shook her head at him.
"Bentley, just stop! What are you even talking about, that doesn't make any sense what-so ever!?"
"Aww, c'mon Scrangey! It's a joke! It ain't s'posed to make sense!"
Scrange rolled his eyes and got a ring of keys from the wall before walking up to the prison gate. However, even if he tried every key, he just couldn't find anyone who'd fit the padlock. "That's odd..." He mumbled. "None of the keys fit!"Coral frowned and pressed her face closer to the bars, peering down at the keys.
"So, lock-picking it is?" Bentley did an annoyed grimace. "That's fun that too! I guess... Sam, you've gotta stay guard. Let us know if someone decides to scurry in here, 'kay?
"Can't we just shoot it open? Destroy it?" Sam frowned and tilted his head.
"And risk attracting attention? Nope!"
The outlaws had abandoned their roadrunners and were hiding all over the town, and the townspeople got more and more frustrated at the elusive outlaws.
Jake stopped firing and looked up at the sky. The bird were still circulating over the town, skillfully dodging Jolenes bullets. The big snake cursed himself and tried to locate Durango. The black dressed lizard showed up every now and then, running alongside the street, ducking from cover to cover.
Jake was fully aware of the irony in what he was going to say;"You bloody coward, I'm gonna... huh?" Jake growled to himself, but a sudden thought hit him in the middle of the sentence.
"What's wrong, Jake?" Sheriff Rango asked, still covering behind the beam.
"There's somethin' wrong with this picture..." Jake scrunched his face up in a suspicious frown. "He doesn't seem to be attacking us"
Rango turned around completely, staring at Jake with disbelief. His siblings did the same. "I'm not sure how to put this, Jo..." Blake said and cocked his head towards their sister with a worried frown. "... but I think our brother finally lost his marbles!"
"Ya morons! I know he was the one attackin' us, but look at 'em! They ain't even tryin' t'hit us! If Durango wanted us dead, he wouldn't run 'round like that, just shootin' randomly!" The big snake gritted his teeth. "Somethin's goin' on here, an' I ain't sure I like it..."
Jolene flinched. "Now when ya mention it, where's that freaky hyena-guy? An' the rat? An' Sam?"
"Wait a sec!" Blake exclaimed. "Who's keepin' an eye on Coral?!"
The four reptiles exchanged worried glances before Jake started cussing up a storm. "Blake! Rango! Ya two go an' stand guard in the jail!" He said and turned to Jolene. "Jo, it's time to git rid offa that bird!"
Scrange used the thin dagger again and tried to pick the lock on the ancient padlock while Bentley hovered over him like a vulture.
"Ya done yet?" He asked for the fortyeight time. Scrange didn't even bother answering his question, as he'd only ask it again a few minutes later.
However, since at least ten minutes had passed, Bentley wasn't the only one getting impatient; Coral was tapping her tail on the boards on the floor and grinding her jaws against each other, Sam turned around and looked at the rat every now and then and groaned impatiently whenever he did so.
Eventually, the bobcat got bored and left his mission at the window, spying on the ones on the outside. "Step back! I'm blastin' it open right now!" He said and lifted his shotgun. Bentley stepped in front of the gun and waved his arms.
"First of all: I said 'Nope!', and second: NEVER walk away from somethin' you're s'posed to watch! 'Cause that's ALWAYS when all hell breaks loose!" He barely had time to finish the sentence when the door to the office was opened and the sheriff barged in, shortly followed by Blakes head. The five men noticed each other and they all froze, just gawking at each other in shock.
"Well, crap!" Bentley said and bolted to the door separating the jail from the office and blocked it. A loud thud and the door nearly broke from it's hinges told them that Blake had bashed into the door. "Ya think ya can hurry up with that, ol' boy?!" Bentley chuckled at Scrange and nodded to the padlock just as another bash made the wooden door creak and complain. Bentley yelped, but kept blocking the door with his body. "I said NO! We don't want any damn cookies! Move along, lil' girls! Sam! Ya gotta find somethin' we can block this shit with, except for me! This Jehovah Witness is MIGHTY persistent!" Just as he said that, and Sam was going to turn around to look for some sort of suitable barricading materials, two fangs pierced the wood and emerged on each side of Bentleys head. His face grew pale as he in the corner of his eyes saw the greenish yellow poison run down the long, pointy tooth and drip down on the ground, forming small puddles. "Saaam! Today would be a good day, y'know! Can't hold the zombies off forever!"
The two fangs withdrew and he heard the two reptiles talking on the outside. He couldn't resist putting an ear against the door and eavesdrop. Not that he could hear that much though... Scrange began to furiously pick at the lock. He really didn't work well under stressed situations like these, but he still tried his best and angrily cursed at the black, rectangular little lock that just wouldn't give in!
Bentleys ears drooped when he heard the clicking of a hammer on the other side of the door and cursed, jumping to the side just as the sheriff shot the door three times. Three new holes formed as the bullets went through the wood and out the other side, two missed their targets while the third brushed past one of Sams ears, creating a big jack in it. Strangely though, Sam seemed like he didn't even notice. Not until Bentley pointed it out that is.
With the door unguarded, Blake could finally break it down with one bash. Coral hissed at him and bared her fangs. "Sorry, ain't got time for ya now sweetie!" Blake muttered and shook chunks of ex-door off his head. He saw a quick movement in the corner of his eye and dodged, just in time for Sam to fire at the big snake. Two holes on the wall behind him was all that happened. Blake threw a quick glance back before grinning at Sam. "Let's take this in a more open space, shall we?"
Sam was about to reload when Blake suddenly lunged at him, closing his jaws around him and dragged him out. Sam yelped in surprise and fear and reached out his hands. Bentley tried to grab one of them but was met with the sheriffs revolver. He stared into the muzzle and slowly raised his arms, grinning innocently. His eyes flicked to Scrange, despite all the commotion, he was still struggling with the padlock. Good.
"So, sheriff Rango, eh? I've always had a hard time picturin' Rango as a sheriff though..." He said, trying to stall the chameleon. He was very good at stalling people! Rango raised a scaly eyebrow, but didn't answer, so Bentley did what he was best at: talked. "I ain't sure if I should look at yer face or yer gun, officer. Sorry, no offense, but yer eyes are seriously buggin' me out! First I thought that Prissys eyes were creepy. Pretty! But creepy... However yers are off the chart! They're like, everywhere!"
Rango frowned and opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it again. Instead he grinned and turned one of his eyes to the rat tempering with the lock. "I'm sorry sir, but I'm gonna have to ask you to step away from the cell!"
"Wow, that wasn't creepy at all! Don't stop whatever you're doing, Scrange! I'll take care of this guy!"
The sheriff turned both of his eyes back at the hyena. So, this was Bentley, huh? Wonder what it was with this guy that could make Priscilla leave the town? Kinda tall, looked strong, Mississippi accent, excessive movements, way too many facial expressions and underneath a thick mess of hair hid a pair of eyes that more likely would belong to anyone else rather than an outlaw. Not to mention a mouth that never stopped chatting... Wouldn't exactly strike him as her type.
"That scarf..." Rango said and nodded towards the purple scarf around the mans neck. "I've seen it before. It's Priscillas, right?"
"Huh?" Bentley looked down and grinned. "Oh, yeah! Yeah, she gave it to me!"
"She gave it to you?" Rango raised an eyebrow, questioning the man. "You do know it's her lucky charm, right?"
"Yup! An' I gave her MY lucky charm, that's a fair trade innit?" Suddenly he staggered back and his eyes widened. "SWEET MERCIFUL GASTROPODS! WILL YA LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT THING!?" He exclaimed and pointed at something behind Rango.
"What?!" Rango quickly snapped around to see what it was the hyena had seen. But as he was staring out at the empty office, seeing Sam and Blake play some sort of cat vs rat game outside the door, he remembered what everyone had said about Bentley: a crazy, laughing prankster who mastered the art of trickery. When he felt someone grab his arm holding the gun and get thrown to the ground while the weapon was forced out of his grip, he cursed himself for falling for the oldest trick in the book.
Next thing the sheriff knew, he was lying on his back with the hyena standing over him, pointing the gun down at his face. Bentley was struggling to keep himself from bursting out in a roaring laughter, but he failed and threw the gun to the rat. "Take this instead Scrangey! Ya don't seem to get anywhere with that! Besides, I think people already knows we're in here anyway!" He laughed and extended a hand to Rango. "Sorry, but I ain't no fan of havin' a gun pointing at my snout. Need a hand?"
Rango pushed himself up to a sitting position and glared suspiciously at his hand. It was probably just another trick. And now, he was unarmed too. A loud bang next to them made them both jump in surprise and turn to the rat. He was standing with the smoking gun in both hands, the padlock destroyed.
"Really, Scrange?" Bentley said and rubbed one of his ears against his shoulder. "Ya couldn't have given us a heads-up first?"
"Sorry!" Scrange snickered and emptied all the gun shells in his hand before handing it back to Bentley, who in turn gave it back to the puzzled sheriff. The coralsnake barged out of the cell, squeezed through the opened window and disappeared squirming into the ground like an earthworm.
"Finally! Let's get outta here! I wanna go back to her now!" Bentley sighed and stretched.
Scrange rolled his eyes. "Really!? You don't think she could manage without you for a couple of hours or so? Really now, mate. Don't you think you're acting the slightest bit paranoid?"
"I ain't paranoid!... Okay, maybe a little... By the way, should we go help Sam out?"
"Nah, he seems to be doin' alright actually!"
While sheriff Rango held a gun pointed at Bentley, Blake had dragged the small bobcat out from the office and spat him out on the main street. Sam quickly got to his feet. He got a few scratches and wounds from the big snakes teeth, but no poison. He stifled a relieved sigh and looked up at the rattlesnake, looming over him with flashing eyes in the same color as fire.
"Blake..." He growled and felt around on the ground, searching for his shotgun. He couldn't find it so he looked around and there it was; 'only' twenty feet away. He quickly got to his feet and were going to make a run for it towards the weapon, but the rattlesnake slammed his tail down between Sam and his weapon, blocking the path.
"Maybe we should settle this now, n' git this nonsense over with?" The rattlesnake said and bared his fangs in an evil grin. Sam buried his hand into the dirt and didn't reply, he just waited for the snake to make a move.
He didn't have to wait long until Blake hissed and dove down head-first with his fangs bared, meaning to bury them deep inside Sams flesh. Sam threw a fistful of sand in the snakes eyes and quickly jumped out of the way. Blake missed and buried his fangs in the ground. He jerked his head back and roared. Sand burned in his eyes and, to add insult to injury, he got a mouthful of it too. While he was pitting and cursing meanwhile he rubbed the sand out of his eyes with his rattle, Sam had thrown himself over his shotgun and aimed it at Blake.
Blake turned around and forced his stinging eyes open when he heard the clicking sound of a hammer getting pulled back. Through the mists of tears that forced their way into his eyes, he saw the small bobcat pointing his gun at him. He froze and stared at Sam with a scared frown. Sam didn't say anything, neither did Blake, and put his finger on the trigger.
Click!
Sams heart skipped a beat and he glanced down at his weapon. Shit! I forgot to reload! He cursed to himself and looked back up at the Rattlesnake. The snake was grinning down at him, displaying his fangs.
"Nice one, Sam! Ya nearly had me there for a while!" He hissed and lunged at the bobcat again, only to get a hard hit on the snout with the butt of the shotgun. He hissed again as his head snapped to the side and decided to go with a new strategy; he dove down at the bobcat again but instead of baring his fangs, he just quickly wrapped himself around Sam, before the bobcat could hit the snake back. He was about to bury his fangs in Sam when something small hit him on the head. He spotted the item and growled. It was a freaking apple! "Apples?! WHO the HELL throws APPLES at people?!" He spat and turned his head around, spotting the bountyhunter standing on a wagon filled with various fruits and greens. He was bouncing another apple in his hand while pointing a revolver at Blake.
"Let go of the kid, will ya?" Rango asked and tilted his head.
"Nuh-uh, he threw SAND in my eyes! And you threw an APPLE! I should finish ya BOTH off!" He said and squeezed the cat. Sam forced his mouth shut as he felt the air getting squeezed out of his lungs.
"Alright then!" Rango pulled the trigger and Blakes eyes widened when the bullet hit his tail, continuing out the other side. Blake roared and unraveled himself around Sam, brutally throwing him down. Sam hit the ground and gasped for air before scrambling to his feet with the shotgun in a hard grip. "Get new shells in that thing! Hicks' got some I think, but ya have to hurry, he's about to climb up the watertower!" Rango waved his gun at the watertower before he had to jump off the wagon to get out of the way for the furious Blake.
"STOP jumpin' 'round ya ol' piece of YEEOOWCH!" The snake did a sweeping movement with his tail to knock the dodging lizard down, but accidentally hit the side of the sheriffs building, which sent a jolt of pain through his damaged tail and left some blood splattered on the window.
Bentley just poked his head out through the window and had to jerk back with a loud yelp to not get hit by the snakes blood. "Diiisgusting!"
Jake cocked his gun and clenched his fangs together as he looked up at the bird, sitting on top of the saloon sign. He just sat there looking at the snakes. However, if they would try to shoot him; he would be up in the blue in a matter of milliseconds. He seemed to be able to tell what they were going to do by just studying them. And it made Jake furious.
"What're we gonna do, Jake?" Jolene asked and looked at her brother with a worried frown. If they were to succeed in defeating these thugs, they were going to need Jake out there. But as long as the eagle were circulating the area, there was no way Jake would leave his safe spot underneath the watertower. She gritted her teeth. Stupid big brother! Why would he go an' git himself attacked by that darn hawk in the first place!?
Jake opened his mouth to answer when he in the corner of his eyes saw someone come bolting towards them; the coyote.
"What the...?" Jolene exclaimed as Jake whipped out his gatlin and fired away at the coyote. "Isn't that Hicks?" Hick the coyote threw himself in behind an empty barrel to get away from the bullets.
"That's Hicks alright..." Jake growled and stopped shooting for a while, waiting for the coyote to reappear.
As on a given signal, the eagle cried out again, swooped down from the saloons sign and started clawing at the snake covering underneath the tower. Jolene hissed and shot at the bird, trying to get it to keep it's distance. The bullet grazed one of the feathers on his headgear, which enraged the bird and he switched target to Jolene.
"Eeek!" Jolene yelped, dodged for the razorsharp beak and scurried into the already crammed space under the tower. "Move over will ya, fatty?"
"ME!? I was here first!"
Hicks used the distraction to make a dash towards the tower and climb up the ladder, leading to the platform around the container. From the platform he continued up another ladder, right into the basin. Considering that they had an entire lake to their disposal, they only kept the water tower for sentimental reasons. The container was empty, except for some crates with dynamite and something big and bumble covered under a large cloth. Hicks grinned to himself. Those darn farmers hadn't found it yet.
Bentley stared with an empty gaze at the blood splattered on the window and the walls.
Bang. Splat. Blood everywhere. Déja vù. Damn flashbacks... Father...
"C'mon, Bentley! We have let Rango know Coral is out so we can leave!" Scrange gave him a weak punch on the arm to bring him back to reality. "You were the one in a hurry, remember?"
"Where did Rango leave Prissys guns?!" Bentley said suddenly.
Scrange flinched. "What?"
Sheriff Rango blinked in confusion. She don't have her guns? Why didn't she bring her guns along?She NEVER leaves her guns anywhere! He slowly got to his feet and glanced down at his revolver. The rat had emptied it. Totally useless now. And he didn't have any spare bullets in neither his pockets nor his belt. He looked back at the two outlaws. He didn't have any useable weapons, but he had to stop those two somehow!
"Uh, you two!" Rango spoke up and pointed at the outlaws. They turned around to him looking surprised, they probably even forgot that the sheriff was there. He cleared his throat, trying to sound as authorizing as possible. "Y-you two along with yer comrades are now put under arrest for the siege of the town of Dirt, the murder of several townspeople; mayor Ambrose, Mr Black, Phillip Edwards just to point out a few. Then I put you under arrest for several other things which it would probably take all day for me to count up! You have the right to remain silent, everythin' you say can and will be..." The hyena couldn't contain it anymore and doubled over with hysterical laughter. Sheriff Rango frowned. "What's so funny?"
"S-sorry!" Bentley snorted out between the laugh attacks. "Ya just sound so funny!"
The rat sighed and rolled his eyes. "Sorry about this chap, he does like this sometimes..." He said and grabbed his friends arm. "Come along now, Bentley!"
"N-no wait, ya go and tell Rango. Oh, and tell him I'll be right with ya guys!" The hyena threw his leg over the windowsill and was about to climb over.
"Hey! You can't go! I'm putting you under arrest!" Sheriff Rango tried to stop them, but all he got was a raised eyebrow from the rat.
"Yeah, good luck with that!" Bentley said and jumped down on the ground, shortly followed by Scrange. Bentley however, continued to climb up on the roof of the sheriffs office and make his way to the hotel, hoping to find a route to the saloon without any fighters.
Scrange sighed and turned to the main street. At the furthest end, Rango and Sam were both fighting against Blake in a display of evasive skills. It was going to be hard to give the news to Rango like this.
Running on the rooftops gave Bentley a wider view of the town, however it also made him an easy target. Thomas soon noticed the hyena and fired away at him with his four guns; one in each hand.
"Ya shoot like ya smell: BAD!" Bentley couldn't help but to shout at the cockroach, however it caused some more people to turn their heads up towards the roofs and before he knew it; he had at least ten guns aimed at him. "Whoopsie!"
But when dodging for a bullet that were dangerously close to his nose, the scarf around his neck untied itself and slowly, gracefully floated down to the streets below.
He managed to get around the town without getting shot, even though one bullet managed to graze at his ear, ripping off some fur and skin. And since Coral appeared and joined the fight, it would seem like Scrange wouldn't have to tell Rango about her escape.
Bentley sneaked into the saloon via the backside. The saloon would be a great place to start looking, this is where Rango kept most things after all! He was about to run up the stairs when he heard something. He stood completely still with a hand on the rail and his ears perked up, listening.
There it was again! It sounded almost like a muffled sob.
His ears flicked and he looked around. The saloon was empty; everyone was out fighting on the streets. Yet, the sound coming from behind the counter must've come from a person. He carefully sneaked up to the counter and looked down. At first he didn't see anything, but then he noticed a small figure huddled up underneath the desk. He jumped over the counter and came face to face with the little person: a very young kangaroo rat, a child.
"Hey, what're ya doin' here, kiddo?" Bentley asked and grinned, kneeling down before her. She gasped and pressed her back against the counter. "C'mon now! Don't be scared! I ain't gonna bite ya!" Bentley tilted his head. "I think I know ya, you're one of them Edwards kids, right?" The kangaroo mouse nodded slowly, almost unnoticeable. "Gee, I'm mighty sorry 'bout yer brother..." The hyenas large ears drooped. "But y'know Rango, sometimes he can get a bit outta control, but he IS a pretty swell guy! Believe it or not!"
Suddenly he heard the sound of a rifle getting cocked above his head and a feminine voice said: "I don't believe it!" He looked up and saw Beans pointing a sawed off shotgun at him from the other side of the counter.
"Beans, right?" He chuckled. "Best. Name. Ever!"
Beans wasn't amused; she growled and did a wave with the shotgun. "Git up!"
Bentley slowly got up from the floor with his hands raised. "Ay, listen miss Lima, I'm just here to look for a couple of things! I'll be outta yer hair in no time! In a figure of speech..." He chuckled nervously and stared into the muzzle. "So, if you'd be so kind and remove that toy of yers outta my face, then I could just..." Suddenly the little girl got up from under the counter and kicked him as hard as she could on his shin before skipping over the counter to hide behind Beans. Bentley was yelping in pain and jumped around on his other foot, his hands clutching his pained leg. "That was TOTALLY uncalled for! Not okay! NOT okay!" He whimpered and nearly knocked a bunch of bottles down to the floor.
The little girl pointed her tongue at him and Beans chuckled. "Good job, Mattie!" She said and lovingly stroked the girl over her hair.
"No! NO good job, Mattie!" Bentley pouted when he was forced to hold his hands up again by the desert lizard.
"Alright, mister, git over here. Slowly! No hasty movements or I'll repaint this saloon with yer brains!" Beans pointed her shotgun straight at Bentley and growled.
He flinched. "Eww, really? That's just gross, lady! Gross!" Suddenly his eyes widened and he staggered back in fear, pointing a shaky finger at something behind her. "HOLY FLYIN' SPAGHETTIMONSTER, WHAT'S THAT?!" Beans didn't even budge. She just simply raised an eyebrow at him. He blinked in confusion. "Huh? That's strange? It worked on the sheriff..."
"Git a move on!" She hissed and put her finger on the trigger.
"Really?" He tilted his head. "Ya really gonna shoot me?"
"Just be happy it's me pullin' the trigger. I always kill immediately, the others however..." She nodded her head towards the door behind her. "They might just hurt ya an' let ya slowly die from blood loss, after they cut ya up like a fish!"
"AURGH! Ya people are GROSS!" Bentley did a repulsed grimace. "Besides, I ain't buyin' it!" He crossed his arms. "Prissy's told me 'bout ya guys! Ya always sound worse than ya really are!"
"Bad news, she was lyin' to ya!" Beans took a couple of steps forward, the hyena didn't budge.
"Maybe, maybe not. But listen here..." He let his hands fall to his sides. "I'm lookin' for a pair of Colt .45's, also known as Peacemakers. Silver alloy, ebony handles. Ya haven't seen them somewhere 'round?" Beans shook her head and tightened the grip of the shotgun. "Oh... alright..." His ears drooped slightly. "Um, if I put it like this then, I'm lookin' for Prissys guns..." He mumbled and moved his eyes to the floor. "Rango didn't have time to return them to her, an' I know she'd be safer with them 'round. At least it would make me feel less... worried!"
Beans slowly lowered the shotgun with a frown. "Ya really do care 'bout her, do ya?"
"Of course I do!" He looked up at her from under his dark bangs. "Besides, our job here is done. We're gonna leave as soon as possible. But I don't think they'll leave as long as I'm gone though. It's sort of like a policy we got, 'one for all an' all for one', y'know? So if ya want us to piss off as soon as possible, then just let me go. Let me fetch the guns and we'll all get lost in ten seconds flat"
Beans threw the gun over her shoulder and put a hand on her hip. "But what's the point? Y'all be back here in a few days anyhow!"
He shrugged. "Yeah, that's true. But we ain't out to hurt nobody this time!"
The desert lizard put her hand on her chin, pondered for a while. Eventually she threw her hand out and sighed. "I've gotta be crazy! Go!" She made a shooing motion with her hand.
His ears perked up. "Really?!"
"Go! The room to the far left is locked, an' we haven't got the door unlocked yet. They could be in there!"
"HAH-HAH!" He laughed victoriously and leaped over the counter and bolted up the stairs.
"But in five minutes we'll come up there!" She shouted after him up the stairs.
"Thanks! I owe ya one!"
Mattie pulled at Beans' dress and looked up at the lizard with a frown. "Miss Beans! Why did'ya let 'im go?! Why didn't ya shoot 'im?"
Beans sighed and shook her head. "Because I'm starting to become an sentimental old woman, that's why..."
"But, you're not old!"
"No, maybe not yet, but soon!"
Meanwhile, Rango and Sam were both busy holding the pissed off Blake away, both thanked their lucky star that Jolene and Jake were busy fighting with Thunder Wing.
Things didn't seem to go anywhere for either of them; Rango and Sam dodged for Blakes fangs and tail, Blake did his best to cause harm to the two evasive adversaries.
However, when Arrow tried to interfere, Rango stopped to send the bird away. Blake saw his moment and turned away from the bobcat he was trying to bite at the moment and threw out his tail. Rango tried to jump out of the way and got sent soaring through the air by the impact when Blakes tail made a connection with Rangos body. The revolver got knocked out of his hand and skidded to a stop outside the wagon Sam was covering under.
Rango turned around on his back and looked at the snake with wide-opened eyes. Arrow hissed and placed herself between her master and the snake in her battle-stance; feathers ruffled, head held low and the wings held out from her body, staring at the snake with flashing bright yellow eyes.
"Get outta here, Arrow!" Rango yelled at the bird and tried to get up on his feet.
Blake laughed menacingly and loomed over the roadrunner and the lizard, his dark tongue playing. He was about to throw himself over the pair when four shots echoed through the town.
Blakes body tensed up and he got a shocked expression on his face before falling to the ground right next to Rango and Arrow. The snake looked down at his chest, were blood began to run out from four small holes. Further away stood Sam, he held the revolver with both of his trembling hands.
"Nice shot!" Rango praised and leaned on Arrow for support.
Sam nodded and just stared at the snake he shot. Blake was still alive and breathed heavily, even though every breath sent a flash of pain in his chest, causing him to twitch. Strange. He thought that avenging Belle would make him feel... relieved. Content! But instead, he got a weird, gnawing feeling in his guts. The kind of feeling you get when you just did something wrong, and you know it. Something horribly wrong.
Rango unraveled a lasso from Arrows saddle and staggered up to the snake. "Sorry 'bout this kiddo, but I need some proof for the authorities that the Vampire of the West finally got brought down!" He said and tied one end of the lasso around one of Blakes fangs. A cold hand gripped Blakes heart as he followed the rope with his eyes to the other end. It was tied to Arrows saddlehorn. "Arrow! Go!" He hollered and the bird obeyed, dashing off as fast as she could.
"N-NO!" Blake shrieked right before the rope tensed. He got dragged a few inches before his fang were jerked out from his mouth with a wet snap!
The scream emitting from Blake was terrifying, loud enough to make the windows shake in the nearby windows. Rango shivered and looked back at Arrow, who stood at the other end of town, with the rope dragging behind her. At the end of the rope was their gruesome price: a bloody fang. Blake was screaming with pain, violently trashing about in a blind fury, crashing into buildings and leveling everything nearby with the ground.
The door on the top floor of the saloon were easier to kick down than the one in the sheriffs office. But just as the door fell to the floor, four shots echoed. These shots sounded different, almost a bit louder than usual. They hit something big that fell to the ground, and a few seconds later, a bloodcurling scream from Blake made the windows shake. Bentley flattened his ears. That was probably the signal for them to get the hell out. Better find her guns, FAST!
Another shriek was heard and Rango snapped around. It was Jolene. She darted out from the watertower and slithered as fast as she could to reach her brother, tears of panic running down from her eyes.
Sheriff Rango darted out from the sheriffs office, staring wide-eyed at the aftermath of the scene that just happened.
"ARROW!" The bountyhunter Rango hollered, calling for the bird. She chirped and turned around to return to her master. " LET'S GET OUTTA HERE! HICKS! SCRANGE! PORCUPINES! BENTLEY!" He grabbed the saddlehorn and were about to throw himself up in the saddle when Scrange came with their roadrunners dragging behind him. Hicks were next to come running from the watertower, careful when running around Jolene and Blake. She held her wounded brother in her coils. Sobbing, weeping, begging him to stay with them. Rango snorted and jumped up in Arrows saddle.
"Errm, Rango. You wouldn't mind waiting a few minutes?" Scrange said and gulped, knowing that Rango wouldn't be happy to hear this.
"Why should we?! And where the hell is Bentley?!" He looked around as they were joined with the porcupine brothers. Fledge had a nasty gash on his chin, which had stained blood on his colorful poncho, other than that they seemed unharmed.
"Umm, that's the thing sir. You see, he has gone to the saloon, t-to look for miss Priscillas guns!"
Rango opened his mouth to scream, probably something extremely foul about hyenas, when several, rapid shots from a gatlin were fired at something, shortly followed by a birds scream. Thunder Wing came tumbling down from the skies, bullets lodged in his legs. He managed to straighten himself up before crashing into his friends and screamed as he turned around. Leaving the town. And with the big bird finally out of the way, nothing could stop the by now beyond furious Rattlesnake-Jake. But first he stopped next to sheriff Rango. Shouting something at the little chameleon.
"For cryin' out loud, BEENTLEEEY!" Rango shouted, just as someone came bolting out on the saloons balcony and jumped off the old rail. Bentley landed heavily on the ground, rolled on his shoulder and staggered to his feet.
"Heree!" He reached up his hand and grinned widely.
"Get. On. The bird. NOW!" Rango hissed through his clenched teeth and pointed stiffly at Grumpy.
"Alright, alright..." The hyena pouted, hurt by the cold greeting and jumped up on his roadrunner. The gang finally got moving just when sheriff Rango and Jake started to chase after them. Suddenly Jake stopped and fired away at the outlaws. Arrow did an unexpected buck to the side and the unprepared Rango fell off. Hicks saw and held his roadrunner back and turned to his companion.
Rango staggered to his feet and grabbed Arrows reins, not noticing how strained she was breathing. "Go! We'll catch up!" He said and waved to the coyote to continue. Hicks nodded and turned back to the group. Rango turned to his bird. "We've gotta buy 'em some time. Meet me at the other side of the lake, understand?" Arrow did a short nod and Rango couldn't help but to smile. Amazing how this roadrunner was smarter than all of Jonas' men together. Arrow darted of with the fang trailing behind her, still tied to the rope and Rango turned to the two reptilians getting closer and closer. "HEY! SHERIFF! JACOB! HERE I AM!" He waved his arms above his head and dashed off towards the lake. Jake snarled and followed the lizard with the sheriff trailing behind him.
Sheriff Rango frowned when he saw the clear blue water surface. "H-he's heading t-towards the lake?!" He huffed while trying to keep up with the snake. "W-we've got h-him n-now Jake!"
"No!" Jake growled and skidded to a stop just as the outlaw were getting closer to the water. He cursed and raised his gun, firing away at the lizard. But instead of slowing down, the outlaw seemed to speed up. The sheriffs jaw dropped as the other Rango kept running. Even as he hit the water.
That bastard was running on the water!
"NO!" Jake growled even louder and fired his gatlin rattle at the outlaw, bullets hitting the water around the lizards feet. That seemed to be enough to disrupt his concentration as Rango fell down under the surface after getting about halfway. Jake kept firing until he ran out of ammo. Not until his weapon silence, the lizard poked his head up over the surface and swam the last distance to the opposite beach. There he lied for a few seconds, panting, until he got up and, waited for his roadrunner to arrive.
Arrow arrived, Rango threw himself up in the saddle and so the pair disappeared off into the wilderness. Jake roared in defeat and turned back to the town.
"D-did ya just see that?! H-he was running on water! Who does he think he is, Jesus?" Sheriff Rango stuttered and waved at the lake.
"He's a basilisk..." The snake growled and went silent as he came out on the street again, his eyes darting to his two younger siblings, practically bathing in Blakes blood.
"BLAKE! NO! J-just DON'T worry! I-I'll take care of ya, lil' brother!" Jolene sobbed with her eyes full of tears as she huddled up together with her brother in her coils, pressing her forehead against his.
Blake had stopped trashing around and was now lying in his sisters embrace, wincing in pain with tears rolling down his cheeks. Blood was gushing out from the bulletwounds and the hole where his fang once were, filling his mouth with his own blood and forcing him to spit and gurgle every fifth second. Rango bit his lip and put his hand over his eyes. He never wanted to see something like this again.
Jolene looked up at Jake. "J-JACOB! D-do something! H-he's... He's..." Her voice failed her and she started to tear up. "He's gonna DIE! JACOB!"
Rango glanced up at the big snake and flinched. Jake stared down at the ground, his jaws clenched together and one single, silver shining tear rolling down his cheek and dropping down on the ground to get soaked up by the dry sand. "For fuck sake... Ya stupid lil' fool!"
…
Umm... Yeah. I apologize to every Blake-fan out there. Sorry...
Anyway, I'm surprised how easy these chapters has been to write, while I'm totally STUCK with ROTH -.-... ARGH!
…
Must be Blake cursing me? Sorry 'bout the tooth, ol' boy :(... sacrifices needs to be made every now and then y'know...
Anyway, I hope y'all will be back to check on poor Blakey in the next chapter!
See y'all!