-Wild Aces-
Vander Town was a beautiful town, known as one of the leaders in cattle production as well as many other sought after valuables in the West. Set in a valley full of lush grazing grounds it also had its own train depot, which brought more and more business into the ever growing town.
Many of the townsfolk chatted as they passed by many of the shops. Wagons traveled down the street while many other visitors pulled their horses up to the tying post before walking into the ever popular saloon.
Three individuals exited the saloon, each one of these figures unusual in their own way. The smallest of the trio had wild gravity defying spikes of tricolor hair with beautiful, innocent wide amethyst eyes, which gleamed in mirth at the second tallest of the trio.
This one had long snowy white hair and doe brown eyes that were shyly looking away from the rest of the trio while a rosy blush dusted his ivory cheeks. "Would you two please stop looking at me like that."
The last of the trio smirked while running a tan hand through his platinum blond hair and winking his lilac eyes at both of his companions. "It's not our fault that you took Miss Mai's flirting to heart, Ryou. Yugi and I tried to tell you that she flirts with everyone, it's her job."
"Malik's right, Miss Mai is always teasing, it's something that she and Anzu do frequently," Yugi chuckled. "Be glad she wasn't in a touchy-feely mood."
"Heh, if that would of happened, poor Ryou would have had a heart attack at the lip-lock she would have laid on him," Malik laughed, patting Ryou's shoulder lightly.
"Both of you, shut up!" Ryou pouted while crossing his arms. "You both know that I hardly ever go into the saloon since the doctor always has me helping him."
"We know, Ryou. We're just having a bit of fun," Yugi chuckled, patting his friend on the arm with a warm smile on his face.
"That's right," Malik nodded. "So can Yugi and I still accompany you on delivering that medicine to Miss Lily?"
"Of course, I would love the company. Just come with me to get the supplies then we can ride out." Ryou smiled as the three of thementered theinfirmary to get everything ready.
Retrieving the package needed the three of them headed toward the town stables, but came to a stop at seeing the familiar blond haired, honey eyed figure dismounting his horse at the sheriff's post.
"Hmm, it seems Joey made it back. Where did he go anyways?"
Shrugging, Yugi shook his head. "I'm not sure, maybe we should ask him before we leave." Seeing that his friend's agreed with them, the three of them headed over to the sheriff's post to talk to their other companion.
Meanwhile…
"So this is Vander town," Bakura drawled out as he looked over the approaching town.
"Nice place, I say we take a little rest at the saloon before we make our way to the bank, what do you say?" Marik asked looking at Bakura to see the nod of agreement.
"Jeez, you two and beer," Seto sighed, rolling his eyes while continuing to survey the town they were approaching.
"Whiskey, my friend, that's what we're after," Marik chuckled.
"Either way I still end up with two drunks to deal with," Seto countered.
Clearing his throat, Pegasus decided to break up the banter, "How about business before pleasure?"
Marik chuckled, "You're joking right? Heh, hate to break it to you, Peggy, but with us it's pleasure before business."
Growling at the nickname the blond had given him, Pegasus turned back to Keith to notice him snickering lightly. Giving the other a harsh glare, he turned to look at all the people walking around the town.
Back at the sheriff's post, Yugi looked idly at the window before gasping at the sight of a group of riders entering town. "Hey you two, come here and check this out," he said as his friends joined him at the window to gawk at the new arrivals.
Three riders took up the front of the group while two others brought up the rear. The back riders were looked over though, since they didn't stick out as much as the front riders.
Seated on a creamy white horse was a tall lithe man with tresses of silky brunet peeking out from underneath a cream colored cowboy hat, shadowing his sharp sapphire blue eyes. The man was dressed in a deep brown knee-length duster; tight dark blue jeans covered in dark brown leather chaps, brown boots with gold spurs, and a dark brown vest covering a blue shirt.
The next one beside of him was seated on a black and white paint. This rider looked very familiar to them, with long spiky cotton-white hair seeping out from under a black cowboy hat, which shaded a hard set face with piercing russet brown eyes. Clothed in a deep smoky charcoal colored duster of knee-length, fringed leather chaps of the same color wrapped tightly over dark blue jeans, black boots with silver spurs, and a slate blue shirt as well as white bandanna wrapped comfortably around his neck.
"Oh my…" Ryou gasped, eyeing the middle rider with unknown interest.
"Seems Ryou has his eyes on someone," Marik teased. "Better go tell Miss Mai about that," chuckling, he quickly dodged the punch aimed at him.
"Hush!" Ryou snapped, glaring at his laughing companion.
"Both of you stop, besides there's something you should see, Malik," Yugi shook his head as his friends quickly stopped their little quarrel and crowded back around him to look back out the window. "Check out the last rider."
The last rider, like the middle rider, looked familiar as well. Saddled up on a palomino horse, this one, like the two beside him, had a lithe frame, but didn't look to be as tall as first rider. Long spiky platinum blond locks shifted out from under a dark brown cowboy hat, which caused his already tanned face to be shadowed further, but caused his deep lilac eyes to almost glow with their own light. Wearing a light sandy brown colored duster, fringed leather chaps of the same sandy brown wrapped snuggly across his tight faded jeans, dark brown boots that had silver spurs, and a dark brown vest over a cream colored shirt.
Whistling lightly in admiration, Malik licked his lips playfully. "Quite the lookers aren't they?" he asked looking back at his friends.
"Amen to that," Ryou sighed quietly before looking at Yugi to notice him looking over the riders carefully. "What is it, Yugi?"
Shaking his head, Yugi looked back up at his friends and shrugged. "Nothing really, just that the three front riders all have a black leather wrist guard on their right hands and the two in the back don't." Seeing the confused look on his friend's faces, he sighed. "Nevermind that though, I have to admit that I am a bit disappointed since two of those riders look like you guys and I don't have the same pleasure."
Looking at his friend, Ryou sighed as Yugi turned away from the window with a frown on his face. Glancing back out the window, he watched as all the riders dismounted and tied their horses to the post at the saloon. "Looks like they are going for a drink, they must be planning on staying around for a while."
"Hope Miss Mai doesn't sweep them off their feet," Malik sighed dramatically before looking at the glare that Ryou was giving him.
"Hey, not that I don't enjoy y'all's company or anythin', but don't ya have a package to be delivering right about now?" Joey asked looking at his friends while sitting down at his desk and taking his hat off.
"Damn, he's right! We've gotta get going," Ryou cried out, looking down at the package in his hands. "Miss Lily will be expecting us."
Nodding, Malik and Yugi smiled as they turned to Joey and waved before running after Ryou, who had just bolted out the door with amazing speed.
"Hot damn… I didn't think… Ryou could… run this fast!" Malik shouted out as he glanced at Yugi to see him nod in agreement. They had never seen Ryou really do anything real physical, since he was always stuck in the infirmary helping the doctor clean or organize stuff.
"Hurry up you two!" Ryou yelled back at them as he came to a halt at the town's stable.
Arriving at the stable moments later, they had to catch their breath before looking up at their white haired companion. "You run too fast!"
Offering them a smile, Ryou motioned for them to follow him as they all went inside the stables to get their horses.
"Ah, good ol' whiskey," Marik chuckled, downing the shot in a blink of an eye.
Rolling his eyes at the comment, Seto looked around the rest of the saloon. The ragtime piano seemed to echo throughout the building while cigar smoke and the smell of chewing tobaccofiltered around the corners, where gamblers were busy playing poker.
"Nice place, ain't it?" Bakura asked, downing his fourth shot of whiskey.
"Can you not sense my thrill for being here?" Seto replied dryly,looking over at the two psychos that were part of the gang. "I don't see how you drink that stuff."
"Simple, I lift the glass to my lips and…"
Smacking Bakura in the back of the head, Seto snorted. "Just drink the damn stuff!"
"Don't mind if I do," Bakura smirked before glaring at the brunet. "And next time you hit me I'll…"
Nodding, Seto took off his hat and laid it on the bar counter before running a hand through his hair. "Wonder where Yami is? Pegasus did say that Yami said that he would meet up with us here, and it's not like him to be late for anything."
"Hmph, I wouldn't worry too much about him. You know how he likes to…"
"… make an entrance," Bakura finished off as Marik downed another shot.
"Gentleman, I know you are really enjoying the whiskey, but can we please get down to business," Pegasus urged, walking over to the bar and looking at the three seated there.
Cocking an eyebrow, Seto turned to look at him curiously. "You're in an awful hurry to do business here."
"If you haven't noticed, Kaiba, the Sheriff post is down the street while the bank is at the very end of the street." Pegasus pointed out.
"And that means?" Marik asked, looking over the rim of another shot glass.
"That either the sheriff or one of his deputies will be making rounds from the station to the bank," Pegasus sighed.
Bakura took another shot of whiskey before turning to look at the silver haired man and belch distastefully in his face. Hearing the snickering Marik and the menacing growl from Pegasus, he shook his head. "Don't worry so much, Peggy, we are professionals after all."
"Professionals at being drunk," Seto smirked while running a finger across the rim of his ordered water.
Seeing that he wasn't going to get anywhere and knowing that he was going to blow his top, Pegasus stormed out of the saloon with Keith in tow. "Oh how I hate those three!"
"So what are we going to do?" Keith asked pulling off his hat and fanning himself lightly.
"I'm not sure," Pegasus sighed, scanning across the town before seeing three horses coming toward them. "It can't be…"
"What?" Keith asked putting his hat back on before turning to see what the other was staring at.
Three riders were heading toward them, all three of them holding an uncanny resemblance to someone they knew and loathed.
The middle rider had to be the shortest, but he still had a lithe frame but his facial features were definitely giving off an innocent aura as did his wide amethyst colored eyes. This one was seated on a chestnut appaloosa horse while wearing tight looking dusty blue jeans, black boots, and a black vest over a pale lavender and white striped shirt.
"It's a mini-Yami," Keith chuckled.
"It seems Marik and Bakura have their doubles as well," Pegasus pointed out.
Seated on a buckskin horse, a lithe young man with long platinum blond hair and lilac eyes wearing a dark brown shirt, tight blue jeans, and dark brown boots, smiled while issuing a race between his friends.
The last rider was seated on a dapple gray horse. This one had long powder white hair that flowed in the current as well as soft brown eyes. It looked as though he must have been an apprentice to a local doctor as he was wearing a dark gray vest over a white shirt as well as black boots and dark gray pants.
Watching as the three riders started a race, Pegasus smiled darkly while turning back to Keith. "We will keep those three in mind for later use."
Keith nodded before turning to notice a lanky figure wearing a dirt brown duster, cream shirt, and blue jeans with a mop of blond hair peeking out from under a sand tattered cowboy hat with warm honey colored eyes was heading their way.
"Howdy," Joey mumbled out at the two before pushing through the swinging doors of the saloon.
Pegasus smirked as he watched the blond before turning back to his company. "That was a deputy," he smiled looking over the swinging doors into the saloon to watch as the blond stalked up to the bar before taking a stool a few seats away from a certain brunet.
"Looked kinda young, didn't he?" Keith asked looking back at the other to notice a crafty smile appearing on the other's face. "You are really freaky when you're plotting."
Glaring at the dirty blond, Pegasus snorted before looking up and down the streets carefully. "I have an idea. I want to rob this place and they are taking far to long, I suggest we start to motivate them."
"Really?" Keith asked with a smirk.
"Indeed."
Seto rolled his eyes as he watched Bakura and Marik challenge one another to a drink-off. He was almost certain that if the two continued that neither one of them would be able to pull off the heist, or better yet, neither one of them would be able to get up on a saddle without falling. Letting a smirk form on his lips, he though the last option would be rather amusing to watch, especially in Bakura's case, since his horse had a nasty temper to begin with.
"Hey there, handsome."
Hearing the feminine voice, Seto turned to see a woman with long blonde hairand violet eyes walking toward a man sitting at the bar, looking over to the one the lady addressed he blinked as the other pulled off his hat and offered the lady a heart-stopping smile.
"Hey there, Mai," Joey smiled as the lady wrapped her arms around him in an affectionate, but friendly hug.
"Good to see ya, Joey. I heard ya rode out late last night toward Daxton," Mai smiled dropping the hug. "Didn't think you'd be back so soon."
"Yup, I was only being the pick up boy though. Apparently, Daxton has had a run in with some very rowdy outlaws, so I had to go pick up the wanted posters and what not." Joey sighed while ordering a mug of beer. "Enough about that though, how ya been?"
"I've had a hell of a day. Many nice looking cowboys have been riding into town today," Mai smiled while giving the other a saucy wink. "Take for instance those three," She purred, pointing to the three men a few stools down, "The white and blond haired ones know how to really take their liquor apparently, but the brunet seems to be rather quiet and moody."
"Not falling for your lady charms, eh?" Joey smirked before chuckling at the glare he was receiving.
"More like Anzu's. I've been two busy watching over the poker players. One of them has already been calling me his 'Lady Luck'," she smiled.
"I bet ya been giving him tips, ain't ya?"
"Ya know me well," Mai smiled before turning and heading back over to the poker players. "I'll talk to ya later, handsome."
Rolling his eyes, Joey turned back to his mug and took a swig before taking in a deep breath. The trip had left him exhausted and thewanted posters that he had received weren't all that helpful either.
"You seem to have a way with the ladies."
Turning to the voice, Joey sucked in a breath as honey looked up into sapphire. Blinking, he quickly noticed that it was the brunet that Mai had pointed out to him. "Ah, not really, just Mai and I are good friends."
"I see," Seto smiled, giving the blond a quick look over. Eyeing the blond carefully, he had to fight the urge to laugh at noticing that the blond reminded him of a puppy that he had when he was a kid. Shaking his head, he recalled the blond mentioning something about wanted posters. "I heard ya received some wanted posters, might I ask who has the price on their heads."
"Um, I think it was Silver Mane and his gang, but there was also a message about another gang that goes by Wild Aces," Joey sighed while taking another drink. "Funny thing is, they had sketches of a few of Silver Mane's gang, but as for the Aces it didn't have anything, not even names."
Seto smirked while taking in the info. He had already noticed the badge of authority pinned to the blond's shirt, which was being blocked by his duster. "Sounds like the Wild Aces are really tricky then, if no one can get a sketch off of them."
Nodding, Joey smiled before taking another drink. He had to fight off the urges to just stare at the other without end, since he was the best looking cowboy he had ever seen before, excluding himself in his opinion anyways. "I'm Joey by the way."
"I'm Seto," came the reply as Seto smiled lightly at the other before looking at his other two companions to notice at least a dozen or more shot glasses scattered around each of them. Rolling his eyes, he turned back to the delectable blond beside him.
"You're not from around here, are you?" Joey asked while turning to face the other.
"Nope, I have a homestead out in the valley a pretty far ways from here," Seto answered while taking a drink of his water.
"Oh, so what brings ya to Vander?"
"To get a few supplies," Seto smiled.
Nodding at the answer, Joey smiled before looking down the table where Marik and Bakura were sitting. Seeing the two of them he blinked wildly. "Jeez, those two look like two of my friends."
Looking down at the blond, Seto cocked an eyebrow curiously. "Really? I pity your friends then," he smirked lightly.
Joey chuckled lightly. "They're alright; it seems they only have looks in common, especially the white haired one. Ryou doesn't drink that much, but as for the Malik, well I think he has had a few tumble weeds to the head."
"Then he would definitely fit in with Marik," Seto smiled before turning away to scan the saloon once again, instantly noting that neither Pegasus nor Keith had came back inside. 'I wonder where those two are. Hmm better yet, where the hell is Yami?'
"Well, I better get going, I have bank duty today and the manager there is nothing but an old geezer that will beat me with his cane if I ain't there on time," Joey grumbled before paying for his drink and heading toward the door.
Watching the other leave, Seto promised himself that he would run into the blond again, but he also had to be careful since the said blond was also going to be in the bank that they were going to rob. 'Dammit Yami, where the hell are you when we need you and your stupid diversions?'
"Ha, I win again!"
"What do you mean you win? I drank as much as you did!"
Eyeing the quarreling duo, Seto rolled his eyes before getting from his seat and getting between the two of them. "I say it was drawl, both of you have exactly same amount of shot glasses."
"Maybe, but mine were filled more than his," Bakura pointed out while crossing his arms.
"Bull shit! They were all the same amount!" Marik growled out, glaring at Bakura.
"Both of you stuff it, I think its time we get ready for business," Seto growled out, placing a hand on each one of their shoulders.
"I couldn't agree more, especially since I heard talk outside that some of Silver Mane's men are coming," Pegasus sighed entering the saloon.
"Damn, we better hurry or else it will be an all out showdown between us and them," Seto growledbefore turning back to Bakura and Marik. "I don't have any idea what is holding Yami back, but we better get this over with before they show up."
"I guess so, but that prick is going to have a lot of answering to do," Bakura growled out,shifting his hat to hide his features as he stormed out of the saloon.
"Right behind ya, Whitey." Marik chuckled wildly while jogging after his friend.
Walking by Pegasus and Keith, Seto shot them both a glare. "You two will follow my orders, since Yami isn't here," he said harshly, making sure they got the point before continuing out the door. "Now come along gentleman, it's Show Time."