Legend of the Sierra Negra

Pterano · **Reply #40 on:** March 28, 2014, 12:21:38 PM

"You better not be implyin' what I think you're implyin'." Rango said, narrowing his eyes at Stirrup here.

"I ain't so bad with a gun, meself." Bill commented in an off-hand fashion, as if it were no big deal.

"Heheh... now THAT I'd like to see." Melander responded, turning to Stirrup, with a smile. "But not right now. I'm sure there are plenty of non-living targets to practice your marksmanship on, after all. Accidentally killing the good sheriff because your bark isn't as good as your bite simply wouldn't do." The western fence lizard shook his head here here and tsked. "I'm sure a judge might put a bounty out on you for such an action, and then you might find myself hunting you down." he smirked, pushing a hand into his chest now.

"Well!" Melander thumped his hands on the bar top as he continued. "It seems we're gathering up ourselves a posse, or close to it. Excellent! This is sort of what I was hoping for." Chugging another glass of water, he set it down heartily on the counter.

Before much more could be said, sudden screams resounded from outside...

A few minutes before, Waffles had been heading over to the general store to buy something for his hangover. It hadn't been very long before he'd suddenly looked up (after mostly looking at his feet during the walk) and found a giant chuckwalla standing before him. "Huh?" he muttered, blinking in the bright sun to see him more clearly.

Without warning, the big reptile suddenly grabbed Waffles by the throat, and yanked him in close. "Now you listen and you listen quick, mate. I believe a certain western fence lizard's either passed through these parts or else is staying with you here in town. You produce him NOW or I'll burn this entire town to the ground! Got it?" he demanded in a loud voice, shaking Waffles rather violently.

The horned lizard found his brain jarred from the constant rattling, and he had to take a moment to compose himself. "Eh... what?" he asked with confusion. "I... I haven't seen him!" he insisted.

"So... already won you over, has he? Have it your way!" The chuckwalla brutally kicked Waffles on his right knee, causing him to scream in pain as he went down, holding his bruised leg as the chuckwalla kicked him aside and began walking down Dirt's main road. "Attention citizens of Dirt!" he boomed in a voice that reverberated off the walls. "I believe you have in your possession a western fence lizard by the name of Peter Melander! He might be traveling under an assumed name! You will produce said individual at once, or I'm gonna raise hell in this town you won't soon forget! Ya hear me? Bring him on out!" he shouted, hands on his gun belt as he stepped with confidence down the row of buildings on either side.

Inside the saloon, Waffles's shrieks and the booming voice were clearly audible. "What's going on?" Rango asked, straightening up and listening to the words being shouted out now, then looking down at the western fence lizard, who appeared to shrink lower in his stool as if trying to appear inconspicuous.

"Nobody here by that name, right?" Melander asked softly, looking around innocently as his claws drummed on the counter top.

"You aren't some wanted criminal now... are ya?" Rango asked suspiciously, looking down at him.

"No... I can prove it." Melander reached into his coat pocket and quickly produced a warrant for a potential bounty, signed by a circuit court judge several towns away. "See? It's my profession, in case you doubted me before. I'm a servant of the courts. Why would I be motivated to commit a crime?"

"Ya got three minutes!" the voice was saying.

"All right, all right! I'll go take care of this!" Rango said, holding up his hands, pulling up his gun belt a bit, and striding for the saloon's doors.

StrutEggStealer · **Reply #41 on:** March 28, 2014, 02:57:27 PM

(Ooh! Conflict :3)
Chip growled as he slid off his stool. To hell with this headache- that shouting wasn't doing any good to help with that- and the sooner he shut this newcomer up, the sooner he could have peace.
"Hold it, Sheriff," the ferret pulled up smartly in front of the chameleon. "This calls fer a diversion. Get what's-his-name someplace other'n here." He turned to Bill and the rotter. "If yer as any good with a gun as ya say, bet ya wouldn't mind showin' off, huh?" He smirked, pulling on his hatbrim and reaching for his blade.
"Showtime." He was looking forward to this.

Pterano · **Reply #42 on:** March 28, 2014, 03:15:00 PM

"Oh uh... you serious?" Rango asked, blinking, but could see Chip was very serious. "Well... all right!" Rango nodded here and looked at Ambrose. "Ambrose! You're with us!" he ordered the burrowing owl, noticing Ambrose at least had his gun on him.

"Sheriff, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, but I think there's something..." Melander began, but was cut off by Rango.

"Don't argue with me! If something happened to you well... just think of the consequences!" he started to fib. "I mean... that circuit court judge would most likely have my head if I let something happen to one of his men! Now let's go!" Rango said in a more authoritative tone.

Suit yourself..." Melander murmured, and stood up off the stool.

"Oh and Chip!" Rango said, digging around in his pockets. "Here! Take this!" he tossed him a silver sheriff's star. "Distraction! Like you said!" Rango drew his gun and headed for the back door, opening it up and peering around outside. "Think we're good to do! Let's stay behind the buildings for now." Waving them along, he stepped out into the hot desert heat and waited for the others, who followed shortly after. "We'll get him over to the bank! Can hide him in the vault and get a better angle on this whole thing! This way!" Rango motioned, and Ambrose moved to follow, with Melander bringing up the rear.

Out front, the chuckwalla was chortling in a menacing fashion as he picked up a rock and threw it through a window of the saloon. "Anybody home? Havin' a good time, are you? Well you BETTER GET YOUR TAILS OUT HERE! NOW!" He roared. "I wanna see this lizard at my feet in two minutes! This town got a sheriff? Mayor? Where might they be hiding this fine morning? Eheheheheheh." Flashing his dirty white teeth, the chuckwalla craned his head from left to right, and finally settled his gaze on the saloon.

"All right..." Bill said inside the saloon, drawing his gun and keeping it at his side. "So how you want to play this?" he asked the ferret.

Kor · **Reply #43 on:** March 28, 2014, 04:59:03 PM

"That sherrif looks like he could use more then a little help." Jack said looking at the direction he had gone in.

John finished his drink. "If you want I can throw you to the top of a building and you can watch to see if he needs any help." John said.

"Hmm," Jack said thinking, "if I recochet the shot a time or 2 they'll never know here it came from. In case he does need help. Maybe I can even make it seem like it was his shot." Jack said, having part of his sharpshooting and trick shooting having a ricochet shot as part of his show.

They went out the back. Jack coiled himself up into as small a ball as he could. John picked him up, looking around at some buildings. He picked a good one and threw Jack so he would land on top of one with a good view of the area out front, in case Rango needed any help.

"Reminds me of that on city where I threw Jack into the air towards a net and he shot a card in half while h was in the air. Fun to watch." John said. "But we need to get a certain someone to the bank vault for his safety." He said.

bushwacked · **Reply #44 on:** March 28, 2014, 05:57:14 PM

Stirrup took a final gulp of Bill's cactus juice, then spat to the side and dropped the bottle on the floor, flashing his teeth at Chip. "Ya bet I ain't gonna mind." Swaggering over to the window, he peered through the hole where the rock had broken through, and took in the huge lizard standing outside. "Big fella... this is gonna be fun..." he sniggered, tongue forking across his teeth in anticipation.

Turning back to Chip and Bill, Stirrup adjusted his gun belt. "Looks like it's gonna take more'n a few bullets to take 'im down. I say, me an' Bill go right out there, soften 'im up, keep him occupied on us. An' you," he pointed a claw at Chip, "You can get 'round 'im. When he's nice, weak an' tired, you can put yer little pigsticker right in his eye." Stirrup gestured at Chip's knife. "Thing like that, y'ain't gonna get more'n five steps 'fore he takes you out, if you go right for him."

StrutEggStealer · **Reply #45 on:** March 29, 2014, 11:30:37 AM

Chip caught the Sheriff star and pinned it to his jacket. "Hmm, looks good, don't it?" He snickered. "I may not wanna give this back..."
At the word 'pigsticker', the ferret stiffened and slowly drew out his machete. "Pardon? Don't believe I heard y'all rightly. Pigsticker? This is a pig eVISCerater!" He snarled. "An' I've got the star. Don'tcha think I should be th' one t'draw 'im out?" He started for the door. "There's a back door. Lead ya 'round the buildin'. Think you pea-brains can manage bein' quiet-like?"
He shouted through the broken window. "YEAH, WE'VE GOT A SHERIFF! AN' WE'RE GONNA NAIL YER SORRY ASS IF YA DON'T BUTTON UP!"

Pterano · **Reply #46 on:** March 29, 2014, 12:27:38 PM

"Hmph! Yeah... we can manage it!" Bill responded gruffly, and turned and headed for the back door now. "Come on, Stirrup! Let's go shoot this bloke in the back!" Although... Bill had to admit, watching Chip play sheriff for a little bit WOULD be amusing, so he'd probably hold his fire initially. Kicking open the back door, the Gila monster began wandering around the building, and then ducked a bit as the alley opened up to reveal the stranger.

"Chuckwalla, eh?" Bill muttered, and continued on to the general store, moving behind that now to circle around behind the newcomer. "Had to be a bloody chuckwalla."

Out in front of the saloon, the chuckwalla grinned. "Is that the sheriff I hear actin' all blustery? Look sheriff! We don't gotta do this the hard way! You bring ole Melander out to me, I'll go on my way very peaceful like." he said. Of course, Waffles was still sobbing on the ground a good ways behind him, so it was a bit late for that. "You're down to one minute! You don't show yer sorry face in a minute, this town's gonna suffer! Mark my words!" the big lizard threatened.

Heading towards the bank, Rango knew they simply couldn't circle around to the front to enter, and the bank only had one point of entry. "Damn!" he cursed. "Uh... OK... just wait here!" he whispered. "I'm gonna go back up Chip!"

"Sheriff! A moment, please!" Melander urged.

"What?" Rango asked, stopping in his tracks to turn around now.

"That ferret of yours... you might want to give him this..." The western fence lizard held out a bright red stone now that caught Rango's eye. The chameleon whistled.

"What is it? A ruby?" the sheriff asked, taking it in his hands now to admire it.

"Not quite. But he's going to need it, take my word for it." Melander reiterated.

"Uhhh..." Looking at the stone again, Rango thought that Melander was off his rocker. "Sure..." he said here slowly, dropping it into his pocket.

bushwacked · **Reply #47 on:** March 29, 2014, 07:20:46 PM

Stirrup narrowed his eyes at Chip. "Ya think that badge makes ya proof 'gainst his bullets?" He grinned. "Suit yerself." Swaggering out the back door, he followed Bill around the alleyways, taking his time. Stirrup didn't particularly care about what happened to the town, didn't mind if the chuckwalla started killing civilians to get to Melander. The only thing on his mind was that Melander stayed away from this big guy... and given how much noise he was making, that shouldn't prove too hard.

Catching up to Bill, he leaned against the wall of the convenience store and adjusted his hat, looking at the chuckwalla who was facing away from them. "I take it lettin' him kill our beloved sheriff in there," Stirrup gestured towards the saloon, "An' then takin' this guy out ain't an option ya want t'explore?" He rolled his eyes and drew his revolver.

Kor · **Reply #48 on:** March 29, 2014, 08:19:04 PM

"Still want to get Melander to the bank and into the vault? Also is that person alone or does he have others with him?" John said, curious on both accounts. He glanced up to where he had tossed Jack, who had moved so he could provide any needed cover for Rango, or an extra gun if need be. He knew that Jack was a far better and more accurate shot then he was. Though he could use his pistol and was a decent shot also.

StrutEggStealer · **Reply #49 on:** March 29, 2014, 08:29:29 PM

Chio couldn't help but throw an extra dose of theatrics as he strode out of the saloon. He was enjoying this too much. He planted himself in the middle of the street, mere paces from the big lizard. inwardly, he cringed, almost second-guessing this scheme.
Knock it off! He told himself, harshly. Jus' give 'im what-for, then let those blowhards figger out th'rest!

"I reckon you wanted t'see me? Though in all seriousness, I'd much more 'preciate a little handwritten note, 'r a bouquet. Standoffs ain't really my thing." He shrugged, exaggeratedly. "Sheriff Addison Wilder. Might I have th'semi-pleasure of inquirin' YOUR name?"

Pterano · **Reply #50 on:** March 29, 2014, 11:53:35 PM

"Personally, I don't care WHAT you do, mate." Bill responded in a very low tone. "You wanna watch the 'sheriff' get gunned down in the street... be my guest." the Gila monster informed him. "Either way, I'm openin' fire, either when that ferret gives us the signal, OR... if he drops to the ground deader'n that hawk that Rango killed last year."

The chuckwalla grinned wickedly as Chip strode out into the daylight. Certainly didn't look that threatening, even if he had a certain air about him. "My name? It's Bandon." he replied. "But you've just wasted 25 seconds on that little exchange... which means you got exactly 35 seconds to produce Melander Sheriff Addy-son Wilder... or you're the first one I'm gonna waste, you get me?" He was flexing his fingers here, and getting ready to draw, by the looks of it.

bushwacked · **Reply #51 on:** March 30, 2014, 01:01:26 AM

Stirrup slowly finished checking his revolver was loaded, then looked up and regarded Bill for a moment. "Ya know what I reckon' I like most 'bout you, Bill?" he said. "Yer receptive sense of humour." Snorting, he brushed past him and leaned casually over a barrel that was placed halfway out of the alleyway, revolver cocked. He saw the fingers of Bandon's gun hand flex, and Stirrup grinned, waiting to see what Chip would do as the countdown neared zero.

Kor · **Reply #52 on:** March 30, 2014, 05:14:01 PM

Not knowing what the others were doing John went around behind a building and down and alley, peeking out of the side of a building. He bent over so from the height of his head he may look shorter then he really was. He wanted to look like a curious person, peeking out to see what was going to happen. He kept his right side hidden, since that was here his special made pistol was. If any shooting did happen he would diffidently join in, to help the sheriff, if need be. Just in case he made sure the strap that helped to keep his pistol in his holster. He also used his other hand and made sure he had an extra clip or 2 in a pocket of his vest. Then all he could do was wait and see what would happen.

On the top of a building Jack was also waiting. He picked a good spot that gave him a good view of things and waited to see if he'd need to use his sharpshooting skills to aid the townsfolk in any way. Very different from what he did at the circus. He had not done anything like this since before he joined the circus.

StrutEggStealer · **Reply #53 on:** March 30, 2014, 07:53:04 PM

Now this was certainly an interesting change of events. Chip it the edge of his lip as he let his head tilt to the side. He raised his paws up in a surrendering posture, his left paw twitching slightly, serving as a signal to the two gunslingers - or whoever else was around that had a gun trained on the intruder - to get ready. "Now, now. No need t'butcher th'pronunciation. It's Add-ison. An' now, Bandon, why don'tcha settle down an' maybe tell me what a fella like you wants with a deadbeat like Melander?"
He gave his paw another flick. C'mon, c'mon, can't be blind can ya? He thought, irritated. "Let's say I'm willin' t'help out. But I can't rightly do that while yer armed, can I? Got people t'look after, don't I?"
---
It was at this moment that Beans chose to ride in from her ranch. She was on the other side of the happenings in the street, so when she saw the hullabaloo of townsfolk scurrying for cover, she was instantly on alert. "What's that dad-blamed Sheriff done got himself into this time?" She thought angrily, hopping off her javalina.

Pterano · **Reply #54 on:** March 30, 2014, 09:00:33 PM

"Must be the signal! Works for me!" Bill exclaimed, and took aim now, pulling the hammer back and lining up his shot. Closing one eye, he sighted along the length of the barrel, and fired off a blast, the bullet impacting with the chuckwalla's back and causing him to stumble forward in surprise, his eyes widening and his body wobbling a bit... but strangely enough... he didn't fall flat on his face like Bill was expecting. "What's this now?" he murmured, and then his eyes popped as the wound on the chuckwall's back began sealing itself up of its own accord. "What the... HELL?" Bill breathed, gasping as he witnessed it.

Quickly drawing his gun, Bandon fired behind him without looking, and Bill just barely managed to pull his head back behind the building in time, chunks of wood flying off the corner of the general store as the slug tore into it. "Holy shit!" Bill exclaimed, blinking, and thanking his lucky stars that he was still alive. "How's he that accurate!?"

Snarling now as he looked right at Chip, Bandon began cracking his knuckles and advanced on the ferret. "That was a dirty trick... but it's gonna take more than that to bring me down." he snorted derisively, apparently completely unfazed by getting shot in the back.

Kor · **Reply #55 on:** March 30, 2014, 09:40:47 PM

Jack saw what happened. He was curious how that happened. Time enough to think that over later, he thought. He raised the end of his tail and took aim, then fired off a shot at Bandon's head, darting his head and tail back since he wasn't sure his head shot would have done any good and he certainly didn't want to be shot.

John was thinking that his pistol, though it was a gatling pistol, as the creator called it, would do much good. He was thinking if he'd have to bring his modified gatling gun, with a pistol grip that he used for his strong man show sometimes. He took out his gatling pistol & fired half a clip at Bandon, daring back so he would not be shot. He was thinking that his modified gatling gun wasn't to far, still in the wagon, if this continued he'd go and get that.

Pterano · **Reply #56 on:** March 30, 2014, 09:50:34 PM

Bandon's head rocked backward as blood burst from it, and then he brought it back forward, grinning as the wound once again began to close and heal itself, this shot to the head apparently having about as much effect as getting shot in the back had done for him. He nimbly dodged the rest of the shots with a speed that didn't even seem possible with his bulk and returned fire on the snake, firing right in his direction without even having to look. "You idiots just about done with this?" he called, grinning wickedly at the ineffectiveness of their fire. "You convinced NOW that this is pointless, sheriff? Where's Melander?" he demanded angrily, apparently done with the games. "Or you wanna keep shooting me and watch what happens?" he inquired.

bushwacked · **Reply #57 on:** March 30, 2014, 11:16:43 PM

Stirrup stared in a mixture of confusion, annoyance and jealousy as Bandon recovered from shots that should have put him down twice over. Now where th'hell did he learn ta do a trick like that? Robbing people would be so much easier if he didn't have to worry about taking a bullet to the face.

Sand was pouring out of bullet holes in the barrel he was leaning over. In the few seconds after Bandon sarcastically invited another round of bullets, the only sound was the low hiss as the sand escaped. Then Stirrup shrugged, aimed his revolver lazily towards the chuckwalla and fired two more shots at the back of his head, then a third for good measure, the bullets tearing in and the wounds healing almost instantly. After a second, Stirrup frowned and looked over his shoulder at Bill. "There's somethin' fishy about this guy, Bill, and I ain't talkin' 'bout the smell, neither." He turned his attention back to the scene in front of him, trying to think of what to do next. Not being able to solve a problem by blasting it away was a first for him.

StrutEggStealer · **Reply #58 on:** March 31, 2014, 10:21:57 AM

This wasn't the first time Chip had been surprised, but it was definitely the first time he'd been surprised by something like this. The ferret's throat tightened - Well, so much fer blowin' him t'Kingdom Come, he thought, wryly. He took a step back. "How come you ain't dead?" He hated that his voice sounded so unsure - sod all this roleplaying, anyways. He had to warn Rango.
"You any good at footraces? 'R do yer legs not grow back when ya use 'em?" He snickered, spunk returned. "Ya want Melander? Catch me if ya can."
(And that's why Chip is not Sheriff XDD)

Pterano · **Reply #59 on:** March 31, 2014, 11:10:28 AM

"I possess certain unique... 'gifts', you might say." Bandon responded, sneering. "As you can see... I ain't like others. Sure... I can race ya... whenever you're ready." Bandon smirked. "Start running... I'll even give you a head start by counting to five." He chuckled here. Judging by how he'd dodged the fire thrown at him earlier, this chuckwalla could move much faster than this girth would otherwise dictate.

From behind the bank, Rango emerged, having been drawn by the sounds of gunfire. He'd arrived in time to see Stirrup's bullets do absolutely nothing to the big chuckwalla, and his eyes only widened at this. "What in the...?" he trailed off, his hand shaking as he considered putting some of his own slugs into the lizard's back... but would it really do any good?

"Beans?" Rango asked, noticing her get down off her mount. "Wait! Beans!" he called, running over to her, and drawing Bandon's attention. Rango froze in his tracks, and then suddenly, remembered Melander's words. "Wait a moment..." he murmured, digging around his pocket as Bandon leveled his gun at him. "Agggggh!" he cried out, beginning to run as the chuckwalla fired off a shot, the bullet kicking up dirt where the chameleon's feet had been a second ago. He briefly considered returning fire, but as Bandon was standing in front of the saloon, he didn't want to risk accidentally injuring or killing any of his fellow denizens within.

Pulling out the "ruby", Rango looked over at Chip as he ran down the opposite side of the street Chip was on. "Chip!" he called. "Chip! Use this!" he shouted, throwing it over in the ferret's direction now as Bandon fired another shot at Rango, this one grazing the top of his tail and hitting the building behind the sheriff, which was the old mayor's office. Rango needed no second urging, and dove through the doors of the bigger building to take some cover so he wasn't so exposed.

Rolling around the lower floor, Rango came to a kneeling position underneath one of the windows so he could get a view of what was going on, and get ready to back Chip up in case that ruby thing didn't work. But wait... what was Chip supposed to do with it? Melander hadn't said that... Gulping, Rango peered through the window to watch, his gun at the ready in case he needed to draw Bandon's attention.