Chapter 51: Trouble In The Rodeo

Prviously on Chapter 50: The mercenary team Destructix, alongside Dr. Finitevus, created an alliance with a new, dangerous armada of dark ninjas and soldiers known as the Dark Force. We discovered Andie Sammerson's past before she became the red KindHearted Fairy, Starfire, and how Sileanne and her only son, Augustus, ended up creating the Dark Force and becoming the Gothic Queen and Prince Deathblade Dark. And in Sand Blast City, will Jenny be able to deeply convince Jack Rabbit to end the warring against the Legionnaires? Will the Gothic Queen make it to find the Iron Queen with her forces? Say hello to Chapter 51, everybody!


"Yaawwwwn!"

Okay, so it was like 1:37 PM in Sand Blast City, and it was about time I woke up. I sat up and stretched my arms forward while moaning a bit, then I rubbed my eyes to open them. I felt my forehead and found out that my fever was dying down. I cleared my throat and it felt a bit itchy, so a small cough came in, but the sore was gone. I tried to inhale through my nose to smell something. I caught up the smell of a familiar rabbit, but it led me to sneeze again.

Still with my eyes closed, I caught up the box from the bedside table and pulled out a hanky, then blew out through my nose.

"Man, that rabbit smell brought my allergies back! Am I allergic to rabbits now?" I joked and laughed.

"Very funny, kid." Snapped Jack.

I opened my eyes and gasped. Jack was actually sitting in front of me in the bed. I let out a gasp and a scream, which led to more coughing.

"Jack Rabbit! Don't you EVER do that again!" I screamed panting.

Jack laughed at my reaction. It was kind of awkward to say something funny in front of the one you're mentioning in a joke, and that the one you mentioned surprises you. I blushed. He kept laughing as I stood there, maybe petrified.

"Jack, could you quit it?" I finally snapped with a harsh tone. "I admit the joke was pretty funny, but scaring me was too much for laughing."

He sighed. "Shut it, kid." Then he got up and walked to the door.

"Hey! Where are you going?" I said, jumping out of the bed. "I'm feeling quite better, so I guess we could just... you know... hang out."

Man, I started blushing there!

"I'm not in the mood to "hang out", Jenny. Right now, I have more important things to do." He said, turning his back to me.

I walked closer to him and grabbed his right hand with both my hands just like when I asked Aunt Lorena to buy me something, like ice cream. "Oh, come on, Jack! Forget about fighting for a while and come with me."

At that point my heart was beating faster and faster, making me feel nervous again.

"Fine." He sighed. "Where would you go?"

"Just outside. I love seeing the outside world freely." I said smiling, though I still felt so nervous around him.

"Alright. I'll postpone the mission for later. For now, I'll spread the word over to the Sand-Blasters and-"

"No, Jack." I interrupted. "No more... and leave that gun." I added seriously, watching as he put his gun into the pocket. I snatched it from him and placed it on the bedside table.

"I'm gonna' have to remind you that I'm your boss here." He said, picking the gun and hiding it in the pocket again. "I'm not supposed to take orders from you."

"Okay, I'm sorry." I said with a low voice. "Just... just promise me that you will not harm anyone... neither the Baron."

My promises were heart-stabbing, I could tell. It took Jack long enough to respond. He sure wanted to attack Beauregard, but I wasn't going to let that happen.

"Please... do this for me... and I'll do anything you want me to do. In fact, we can go wherever you want. What do you say?" I said softly.

"Fine." He said, this time he had a satisfying smirk. "No regretting, I promise."

"Great! So, where would you go today?"


Later that day...

I honestly wished I could reverse what I said. I never liked the places where Jack went. Armory stores, just that. And sometimes he would go to get a drink at a local bar. I'd say he's kind of like those cowboys back on Earth.

Now it was like six o' clock in the afternoon and we were standing in front of another local bar. This one was called the Southern Cactus Of Mobius. I raised an eyebrow and saw Jack already opening those small, wooden doors you see when you enter these kinds of bar.

"Ladies first." He said, extending his right hand for me to go in.

I let out a breath. "Jack... I agreed with hanging out, but I don't usually go to places like this." I said, backing off a little.

The Rabbit rolled an eye and sighed out loud. Then he held my hand and pulled me inside the bar. Lots of Mobian men were dancing to a cowboy-like music. Some others were drinking beers and other kinds of those drinks I myself disliked, and they also were chatting and laughing. Even one of them almost threw a knife at me. Jack held his hands over my shoulders and both of us ducked. The knife hit a wall that stood close where we were standing.

"Are you okay?" He asked, staring at my eyes.

"Um... yes, I am." I said blushing so bad.

Jack held me by the arms and slowly helped me up. We stood looking at ourselves in the eyes for a moment. Then we went at the table where those people serve the drinks, and sat on some chairs.

"So, what would you like to drink, Jenny?" He asked, resting his left arm over the table.

"Just fresh water. I'm getting really thirsty, and it's getting hot here." I replied, getting myself some air with my hands.

"Barmaid!" Jack yelled and snapped, calling the barmaid, which indeed was a rabbit... with a robotic arm just like Bunnie's.

"How can I be at your service?" She asked.

"Just give me a small cup of Mobian whisky... and fresh water for the child."

"You drink whisky?" I whispered. He nodded.

"Coming up!" The barmaid said and left to serve the drinks.

I turned to see the crowd laughing and singing, and they even screamed...

"YEEEEE-HAAWWW!"

That made me giggle a bit.

I cleared my throat and then turned to Jack. "So... do you always come to local bars like this? With all the singing and laughing and cups chiming?" I then laughed. "Hey, at least I know of a Sand-Blaster who always has a good time."

"Not all the time." He said.

"Huh?" I raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"It's... difficult. Trying to keep the city safe from evil. Trying to stop Eggman's forces from attacking." Then he slightly punched the table. "Tell me, Jenny, have you ever had a good time after saving someone else's city?"

I sighed. "I know how harsh it is, Jack. But because they threatened your city doesn't mean you have to kill their ruler. I've faced some villains before and all I did was stopping them from fighting, and bringing peace without the intention of killing."

He let out a deep sigh.

"Let me help you, Jack. You said yourself that my Neon Power could be useful. So let me help you, and your city will be saved."

We stood quiet for a while, until the barmaid placed the cups in front of us.

"Your drinks are here." She said nicely, then her eyes rested on me. "I know you. You escaped from being Legionized, didn't you? Legionization wasn't that bad. I don't know how you can live and walk with only flesh and blood."

"The drinks are nice, thank you very much!" I said quickly, grabbing Jack by one hand and the cups with another hand, then we left to another table away from the Legionized barmaid.

We sat near a table that was close to the exit, just in case I needed to rush away from the lady. She scared me to hell!

I panted. "Didn't you heard what she said? She knows me, Jack! She knows Eggman too! No wonder she's got a robotic arm."

"Well, that doesn't mean everybody here is involved." Jack replied.

"How can you be so sure about that?" I asked.

Both of us stood quiet after the question.

It was then when a certain old squirrel was playing a small guitar while others sang a cowboy song. I took an ear to the music and found out it wasn't that bad.

I didn't knew if the music was paradise to my ears, but it made me tap my right foot in the ground at the rhythm of the music. I haven't heard such musical harmony ever in Mobius. Everything had been trouble.

"You wanna' dance?" Asked Jack as he got up, interrupting my thoughts.

"Dance?" I repeated out loud and laughed. "I can't dance, Jack. And this kind of music isn't like for dancing. It's just jumping and tapping your feet at the rhythm of the music like those cowboys over there."

We saw a group of Mobian rabbits dancing just like I described it. And the loud sound of their boots tapping the wooden floor of the stage made it more southern-style. Even though I didn't had any dancing lessons, I liked the way they danced.

Suddenly, the Mobian rabbit cowboy in the middle pulled out a rope of those out of nowhere and began spinning it like a cowboy when he catches a horse or something like that. Well, he caught exactly my right wrist and began pulling back. I got up from the chair and also pulled to break free, but the grip was strong, so I gave in and let myself go. As the rabbit pulled, the whole crowd started backing off to let me pass through. The rabbit's vivid green eye widened with amazement just like he were to pick up a first place prize or even a bar of gold. His other eye was covered by the hat. He held out a hand for me and helped me up and into the stage. And he sure was taller than me.

"And what is fine lady doing in a place like this?" He asked handsomely, holding down his cowboy hat. I took a shaky breath. There was something in him that wasn't right.

"I..." I said shakily, but the rabbit guy placed a finger over my lips, keeping me quiet.

"Don't say a word, child..." He stood quiet for a moment. And I failed to notice that he was pulling something out of one of his (many) pockets. "Shall we... dance?"

There's when I heard yells from Jack.

"Jenny! Brace!" He yelled.

"What?" I looked at him confused.

"Just... do it!" He screamed.

Then I felt a pinch, and something flowed into my bloodstream. I yelped and pushed the rabbit cowboy away from me. I heard slight glass shattering in the wooden floor and realized he was injecting me with something.

Jack pulled out his gun as I ducked to the floor and fired a shot at a wine bottle the other Mobian rabbits were holding. I screamed and ran out of their way and back to Jack. I forgot that I had my wrist tied up, so the rabbit cowboy guy pulled me back to him.

"Jack!" I screamed before the rabbit pulled out a similar gun and fired shots at the tables, trying to hit Jack.

Every Mobian, male and female, ran out of the bar screaming and calling for help. The guy holding me kept firing at one table, then the other, but Jack dodged every shot and fired at the barmaid's robotic arm, causing her to shriek and run. The bullet had broken some of her mechanical arm, so she rushed out.

I struggled to break free from his arm, which didn't felt normal either, but the grip was strong as well, so I gave up.

"Help!" I called.

Every gunshot whistled in my ears as the guy fired at Jack, but he kept dodging every shot. Jack was busy shielding himself, so I had to save myself in order to save him as well.

I remembered having a dagger in my leg belt, so I reached down with my left hand and pulled it out, then I broke the rope that held my wrist tight.

After that I surprised the guy with a slash from my dagger at the belly, then another one at the right arm, which was robotic as well. He screamed in pain and took a blind shot.

On that moment, everything went slow and quiet. The bullet flew through my hair and hit Jack in the left arm. He fell to his side and grunted in pain.

"JACK! NO!" I screamed.

I turned around in slow motion, my hair flying behind me, and hit the guy with my bare fist at the face. Small pieces of metal flew out of his left eye, which was also robotic. I nearly broke it due to my brute force.

After the first punch at the eye, I made an uppercut to his chin, then roundhouse kicked him on the torso, sending him flying to inside the stage with loud cracks following him.

Everything went quiet after that. I panted heavily and put my dagger back in the pocket, then I rushed to see Jack.

As I kneeled closer, I saw something that stroke my heart...

He was bleeding.

Wounds like that one gave me the creeps, but they also made me cry. He grunted again and tried to get up, but I forced him down and pressed gently onto his arm.

"It was just a bullet, kid. Don't worry." He said in miraculous calm.

"JUST A BULLET?!" I yelled. "YOU ALMOST GOT YOURSELF KILLED BECAUSE OF THAT GUY!"

Just then, a tear fell down to his arm and I collapsed to the floor crying. I knew he wasn't bleeding too much, or weak enough from the shot, but I've never seen such thing before. It could've been me who was shot. I didn't care! I just wanted him safe.

"Kid, slow down. Stop crying." He said deep serious.

I never listened, I just kept crying and gently pressing the wound to stop bleeding.

"Jenny, stop crying." He said again. And again, I never listened.

"JENNY!" He yelled.

I looked at him, tears falling down my eyes, then something began glowing. I looked down with surprise and saw a neon blue light covering the wound without pain. I gasped. I never expected my Neon Power to have any kind of healing ability, but it had. I felt so grateful when his arm was fully cured. Then I gave him a big hug.

"Sun Gods, thank you so much!"

I felt more tears coming out and cried again. I had saved Jack Rabbit for the first time ever in Mobius. He sat up and hugged me as well. We were like that for seconds, then we left the ridiculous bar, which was now almost entirely destroyed.


That night...

We walked through the outer desert lands, both of us never spoke a word. We had nothing to talk about since the bar incident happened. I was a bit serious at Jack for bringing me there in the first place. And I was mad at the fact that the guy and the lady were fugitive Legionnaires who once worked for Eggman. But after all I had a good time hanging out with Jack, and I also offered him my help to save Sand Blast City as it should be... fighting for freedom.

Minutes later, Jack sighed, breaking off the silence between us, and stopped walking. He sat in a nearby rock and crossed his arms. He took a good look at his left arm, maybe admiring how I healed it beautifully with Neon Power.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Jenny." I heard him say. "I should've listened to you. If I wouldn't have taken you to that bar... this wouldn't have happened. I've brought you to danger, and you ended up saving me."

I sat next to him in the huge rock. It was my turn to say something.

"Hey, it's all right. I was scared too, about what happened recently. But it wasn't your fault, Jack. It was theirs. The guy and lady in the cybernetics caused the trouble, and you did all the possible to save me, all right?"

"I guess you're right, kid." He replied calmly. "But you said they were fugitives from Eggman. I bet they worked for the Baron as well."

"But they weren't the same as those Legionnaires, Jack. They were way too different."

I never knew why but something weird made me stop talking. I felt a horrible sensation in my abdomen and stomach. I tried not to groan, not in front of Jack. But the pain was heavy and overwhelming...

"Jack..." I whispered, then in a matter of seconds, fell to the ground.

I could hear him yelling my name and shaking me before I passed out...


Meanwhile, in the Dragon Kingdom...

The Gothic Queen, her son and the whole Dark Force Armada arrived exactly where the Iron Queen was imprisoned to release her. The Queen and Deathblade got closer to the dry well and looked down... the Iron Queen was there... asleep.

They backed away with evil smiles in their faces.

"The honor is all yours, my son." Purred the Gothic Queen.

"A pleasure, my darkest highness." Replied Deathblade.

With just a punch from his strong hands, Deathblade broke the dry well, waking up the Iron Queen and surprising her at the same time.

"We have found you, Iron Queen." Said Deathblade. "You are the last Technomage we need for our Dark Force."

"How can I be at your service?" She asked, pleased to rise to power once again.

"Join the Dark Force Armada, and we will help subdue those who had defeated you."

"I'll be NEVER merciful towards that kid. She deserves to DIE!" Exclaimed the Iron Queen. "Although... there is something I would like to do before the child falls."

"And what would that be?" Asked Deathblade Dark.

"I would upgrade your headquarters if you help me gather four ninja clans around the Dragon Kingdom. They have an alliance with the child that must be broken."

"We agree to your request, Iron Queen." Said the Gothic Queen. "My Avenger Clan should be able to convince them to break ties with the heroes. Our Dark Force shall be powerful than ever then!"

And so, they returned to the Dark Palace with the Iron Queen as a new member of the Dark Force, and started making plans for the first mission.

The four ninja clans would soon be at their downfall...