Torrido was a desert community, with canyons and dust filled winds that could easily get into the eyes of people who weren't careful or just plain unlucky. Or into their throats as Luke and Johanna were the most unlucky to be the mild victims of. The sun wasn't too much of a friend either as it beamed down, heating all rocks it touched. Though it didn't feel as hot as San Grio had been, though the difference wasn't too noticeable.
"Hey. A word of advice from me to you. We don't take kindly to strangers her in Torrido."
The first welcome here to this rustic, western town from a freckled man in a salmon shirt and western hat wasn't too pleasant either.
"Wow, you talk just like they do in cowboy films!" exclaimed Luke, and excited grin on his face. "Howdy there, pardner! A fiiine day for rustlin' some cattle, ain't it? Yee-haw!" Elaine could hear Johanna stifle some giggling at Luke's imitation, and Elaine fought to keep her own smile from showing though it mostly failed.
"What?" The man just looked at Luke like it was either his first time seeing a child, or Luke was speaking an unknown language. "I don't think you've heard me straight, boy. You hightail it outta here and don't you come back. You hear?"
"I can't say this has been the warmest of welcomes," commented Professor Layton, frowning as he adjusted his top hat. "Is there a particular reason for your hostility, sir?"
"Sure is. You folks. You see, you shouldn't be here. And unless you're a tough nut, like me, you ain't gonna last teen seconds in this town." The man looked a little smug as he said this, and brimming with over confidence. But no sooner had he said his words was a yell heard.
"Everyone! Run for your lives! It's Ol' Red!" The confidence their greeter had seemed to instantly evaporate as fear shun in his eyes.
"O-Ol' Red?!" he said, with a slight stutter. "Yiiikes! S-somebody call the sheriff!" he cried before he ran to the nearest building to hide inside of.
"It didn't take much for that tough nut to crack," Luke commented as the man vanished from sight. The town had few people about outside when they had arrived. Elaine thought maybe it was just a small population or that there were people working outside the town perimeter who had yet to return. Though the people that were out quickly ran inside as well.
While a bit hesitant to do so due to the populations reaction to this 'Old Red' character, the group did go further into town, though were prepared to hide if necessary.
Walking down what appeared to be the main street of Torrido, the last of the current people had fled indoors when Old Red made his appearance after walking out of another street. It was a rather large wolf with bright red fur that was contrasted with a little cream on its underbelly, mouth and top of its head. From the distant, its eyes appeared to be a milky white and when it opened its mouth to roar, it sounded a little high pitched.
"That must be Old Red," Elaine said, before wincing a little as the wolf gave another roar. Seeing the group, he growled lowly causing them all to stiffen before the wolf walked away with little interest in them. However, there was interest in the wolf since around its neck was a much wanted Azran Egg.
"Professor! It's Targent!" Luke cried out, pointing to the, oh so familiar duo of Bishop and Rook. Though they didn't seem to have as much enthusiasm for running after the red beast as they usually did. Not that they appeared to let it hinder them much.
"Yes, this is very worrying. Even more worrying is the fact that the egg appears to be hanging around that wolf's neck."
"Well, at least now we know why the streets are virtually deserted," Emmy noted. "We should probably ask around first before we try to go after them."
"That would probably be a good idea," Elaine agreed. "Maybe now that 'is ego 'as crumbled, that man from before might actually be willing to 'elp us."
"Unless he's still hiding," Johanna commented. And speak of the devil, it didn't take too long to find him again. He looked shaken and had been quickly glancing around once or twice. Still cautious of whether Old Red was still present or not.
"Th-the varmint's gone? Well, gee, that's a relief."
"Hello, again," greeted the Professor, and the man a smile a sheepish smile that showed he was aware to some level that the image he tried to make of being a confident cowboy had been damaged.
"You folks again? Look… I ain't no yellow-belly. Jus'… Skedaddles already. You came to the wrong place at the wrong time."
"One moment, if I may. It's fair to say the wolf we saw earlier is the cause of Torrido's troubles, is it not?"
"Yeah, what you saw jus' now was Ol' Red. 'Bout, oh, three weeks ago, he started coming down from yonder mountains."
"Could you be a little more specific as to which mountains exactly?" Elaine asked. He gave a small laugh.
"Heh, not a chance, missy. You go up there an' he'll gobble you up faster 'n you can shake a rattlesnake! But if you're still fixin' for an early grave, go see the sheriff about it. He'll be in the saloon," he explained as he pointed in the direction of said saloon.
Inside the saloon, everything seemed fairly cheerful and did have a warm feeling inside along with a smell of hot food and some alcohol. Filled with people happy to have survived another encounter with Old Red, and celebrating with drink and hot food. Though one slightly (to use the word loosely) man had tried to cheat Aurora in a card game until the red haired and thick eyebrowed sheriff of Torrido arrived and berated him.
"Sorry 'bout that, ladies an' gents," the sheriff apologised as the drunk man (Derringer Elaine thought the sheriff say) left the saloon. "That Derringer may be a bit sly, and he may have a terrible sense 'o humour, but I guess deep down, he ain't a really bad egg. Anyhow, you folks must be from another county or some such. What brings you out here to this deadbeat town?"
"We're actually looking for something very important," Elaine explained to him. Aurora continued on.
"The wolf you call Old Red has the item we seek around its neck." The sheriff gave them a rather incredulous look.
"You want to meet Ol' Red? Hah! With all due respect, you folks must be off yer rocker!"
"We are very serious about this, and plan to find that wolf one way or the other," Elaine told him firmly, feeling pleased when he did give in.
"Gah… Well if you're serious…" He stopped and looked around at the small celebrations still happening around them and looked back to them. "Listen, this ain't really the place. Folks is celebratin', and I don't wanna bring down the mood, you hear? Let's talk somewhere quieter. Meet me by the dried-up creek just north of here."
It couldn't be said he wasn't a considerate sheriff. There was always a chance that someone else could have been the sheriff and not have been as caring for the citizens of Torrido as this one was.
The creek itself didn't look much different from the rest of the location, except for a little grass that had managed to survive its conditions up to now, albeit it was starting to yellow, with some of it looking to be very much close to death.
"Pard'n me for back there. I jus' didn't want to cause a fuss for the whole town, you know," said the sheriff when they found him near what looked like a jail house.
"You are afraid of the big wolf?" Aurora questioned.
"I ain't denyin' it. That ol' boy causes us a heap o' trouble whenever he pays us a visit. Now I'm sure you ain't blind, but beyond our little oasis of calm, there ain't nothin' but badlands, far as the eye can see. I figure his ol' watering hole dried up, so he made Torrido his new favourite spot, if you catch my drift."
Elaine couldn't really deny the logic in that. If there really was no other place for him to go to, Old Red may in fact have come here and was possibly trying to frighten off the people to try and claim the town as his territory.
"Now, I ain't saying I don't feel for the poor fella, but if he goes on like this, folk'll not want to live here no more. 'Sides, who's to say he won't try an' make off with Derringer or the like one day for his breakfast?"
'He would probably feel very ill if he eats nothing but intoxicated people' Elaine thought dryly before the Professor spoke up.
"We are well aware of the danger, Sheriff. Nevertheless, it is imperative that we find Old Red. I take it you would know where his den is?"
"No backin' down, eh? Ahhh, fiiine. Some folks has seen Ol' Red goin' into the ol' abandoned mine at night," explained the sheriff, pointing in the direction said mine. "My guess is that's where he sleeps. Now, I'm sure you've got good intentions an' all, but I want no more part in this," the sheriff told them in a firm tone. "From here on, your lives are in no one's hands but yer own. Please, for yer own good, stay clear o' the ol' boy." He left then, leaving the group alone with one chance to change their minds.
Not that they would or had much of a choice really.
"So, Old Red's den is somewhere in that min, is it?" said Emmy, looking in the pointed direction. "Well, let's go and pay the 'old boy' a vist!"
"Leave it to me! I'll see if I can convince him to give us the egg!" Luke was grinning a bit at this, and Elaine felt grateful for their luck that Luke could converse with animals. It was a skill that certainly had its uses.
Though that still left the question of whether or not the wolf will actually listen to him, and possibly not to his stomach if he was that carnivorous.