Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath

[Dark Elite_H2]

Whoo-ee! That had to be...the longest piece of fic I've written so far! Well'p, I'm finished, buddy! Come check it out!

[LoboDiabloLoneWolf]

Awwwww, fluffiness. Yep, still good, but I can't wait fer the 'de-pants-ing'...yer know, that could be taken in a very bad way actually...wow, never thought of that before...

[Dark Elite_H2]

De-pantsing is after the ;ast three bounties, Lobo. Keep yer skin on, 'cause it's gettin' close!

[Dark Elite_H2]

THICKETS, MASKS, AND TREACHERY--The shadow of the Steef



The Clakkers in New Yolk watched the bounty hunters stride in to town, with a slight smile spreading over their faces. They didn’t look at any of the Clakkers staring at them, but just waltzed on in to the Bounty store. The clerk, in its office, heard the clanking boots on the wooden planks rumble towards it, and the clerk stumbled out of its office behind the counter. It gave a cool smile up to the bounty hunter.
“Welcome back! Nice goin’ at catchin’ McGee! He ain’t goin’ nowhere fer a while. But it’s a shame we have to put that pecker head behind bars,” the clerk shook its head down. Stranger slapped the paper parchment of Flint X’Plosives McGee’s poster on the counter, and the clerk slipped it to itself. It stamped the poster, and gave it back to Stranger, but didn’t pull up more posters for him. “Well, I got’s s’more bounties, but yeh have to purchase a Mongo River pass down at the General store. Then I can give’s yeh more bounties to chew on up,” the clerk winked at them. Stranger sighed, but nodded, turning down to Umi.
“You wait here, kid. I’ll be right back,” Stranger ruffled her hair gently, then walked out of the Bounty store, glancing once more back to the clerk. Umi turned back to the counter, tapping her finger on it and propping her elbow up to her chin. She watched the clerk walk back in to its office, turning on a tap and hearing a glass fill up with water. It came back out, glugging down the water, and throwing the glass over its shoulder. She lifted her head off her palm up to the clerk, her eye squinted in persuasion.
“So...what bounties do you have up next fer us?” Umi put down her propped arm, leaning over the counter to the clerk. It nodded, bringing up three more posters, with three weird-looking bounties. One was wearing camouflaged clothing with a green hunting hat on its head, another looking like a mechanical experiment gone wrong, and the last had an eye patch over its eye, grinning out from the poster. Plus, including with their weird looks, included with some funny names: Lefty Lugnutz, Elboze Freely, and Fatty McBoomBoom. She grinned more at the first bounty at the top of the list: Lefty Lugnutz, the poacher. She asked about the bounty to the clerk.
“Well, Lefty’s known to poach in trespassing area, which made the locals furious. He mainly hunted Slegs, but then turned on the Clakkers, just fer fun. It’s kinda sick, if yeh ask me,” the clerk shuddered with its last words. She slipped the poster under her fingers up to her face, reading over once more the bounty information posted at the bottom. She heard the squeaky hinges of the double doors open, but she didn’t turn up to the person entering. She grinned befuddling at the bounty, then passed it up to Stranger, who stopped at her side. He took the offer, and looked over the poster as well, while Umi leaned back over the counter. “We’ll take Lefty,” Umi accepted. The clerk smiled widely, nodding to Umi’s acception. “Now, I know where this one is. Head down passed the Mongo River gate, show the officer yer pass first, then head straight down the water’s edge, ‘till yeh come to a small passage. Follow that, and you’ll be at the Old Grubb graveyard. That’s where ole Lefty should be hidin’,” it directed, but opened its beak again. “But, you can’t just get him out ole willy-nilly. You need’s to lure him out. I bet a Sleg call’ll do the trick. But to learn a Sleg call, you’ll need to find the town’s Sleg hunter, Rusty Cornjaws. He’ll help yeh,” the clerk explained further on. Stranger nodded at the clerk, stuffing the poster in to his poncho. They exited the doors behind them, then looked around, then back to each other’s eyes.
“Where could this...Sleg hunter be?” Stranger asked confusedly. Umi shrugged, “Ask around! They’ll know!” Umi suggested loudly. He looked up to all the waddling chicken fingers around town, but walked up to the closest one he saw. “Hey! ‘Scuse me! You know where this...Sleg hunter could be?” Stranger asked a male Clakker, wearing...some type of bonnet. It turned to Stranger, with curious green eyes up to him.
“Ol’ Rusty Cornjaws? Eh, you’ll find ‘im loungin’ behind the general store,” it replied, then immediately turned away from Stranger, and walked away. He looked back over to the General store, then both walked over casually over. They looked over the left side of the General store, seeing an old-looking Clakker, wearing a tan camouflage suit, and wore an eye patch over its right eye, baring out a long pipe from his crusty beak. It watched cautiously, as the two strangers walked up to it.
“Hey. You the, town Sleg hunter?” Stranger asked gruffly. Cornjaws nodded solemnly up to him. “I need’s yeh to, teach me a Sleg call, so’s I can, lure out ole Lefty,” Stranger grinned. But Rusty only shook his head.
“No, no. Hell...no. I ain’t doin’ crap-related things to Slegs. Ever since that giant purple-ass Sleg cut me down in my prime, I’ve shut down the whole operation,” then he looked up to Stranger with a glint of persuasion. “...but...if yeh get that Sleg, w’ll, I might take yeh under my wing,” Cornjaws offered. Umi felt her heart stop for a sudden moment, looking up to Stranger, he grinning in a more acceptive way.
“Wait a second, Stranger. You remember what happened with our last encounter with Slegs,” Umi patted his arm. He looked down to her, his lips curling down.
“We got’s to, Umi. To get Lefty out from his perch,” Stranger shrugged slightly. “Yeah, unless yeh wanna stay with ol’ Cornjaws ‘ere. I don’t mind,” Rusty offered. Umi looked away from the Clakker, shaking her head uncomfortably to Stranger. She gave a loud, irritable sigh, trying her innocent look on Stranger once more, but he only smiled, and shook his head.
“Fine. I’ll go...” Umi mumbled, following Stranger away from Cornjaws, and to the Mongo River passport gate. He showed the passport manager his pass, and opened the gates for them. Then they ran down a steep slope, running off in two directions, parting from the river. Docks and a Sky cart facility were linked together in to one large building out on the side of the Mongo River. Clakkers walked up and down of the docks, even one checking up on a barge that was roped to the side of the dock. A sign was far out left from the Sky cart facility, reading:
Mongo Wilds. Take caution to where you step!
Stranger, loping on his limbs, ran under the sign, with Umi clinging to his self. The waters churned calmly under the roar of a waterfall, feeding the river more. They knew they would be going in to it sometime later on during the day. Sprinting deeper in to the Mongo Wilds, they heard an unusual growl, rumbling through the trees. Stranger slowed to a halt, letting Umi off his back, and listening hardly to where the growls were coming from. Umi, keeping as still as she could, couldn’t resist but walk up to Stranger, and listen as well. She heard the growls good too, but not as good as Stranger could.
“Yeh hear that?” Stranger asked in a low whisper. Umi nodded. He put down his ear, looking over to a widely opened cave, covered nearly in trees. Bones of what used to be Clakkers and Grubbs trailed out of the cave. They could also hear a series of smaller growls, which meant that the Sleg wasn’t alone. Stranger, loading his bow up with his newly purchased Rabid Fuzzles, walked towards the cave from the other side of the river. The Fuzzle looked more devilish that the regular Fuzzles Umi was used to see. Fangs from its lower jaw reached out to the height of its eyes. The fur all over its body was longer and more scraggly-looking. Its eyes seemed as if they were on fire, with a yellow core. It seemed the spawn of Satan took form of a meaner-looking Fuzzle. Stranger stepped his soles of his boots in to the river, watching intently on the cave opening, waiting for anything to come out. He shot a couple of Fuzzles out and in to the cave. He listened for a reaction, but only hearing the Fuzzles impacting growl land inside the cave. He nearly gave up and crossed the river, when he heard a loud whine of a Sleg, and saw the Sleg under attack, rush out with the Fuzzle on its snout. The Fuzzle was doing more damage to the Sleg as Stranger and Umi expected. Even the whine of the Sleg was louder as the Fuzzle chomped in to its fur. When the Sleg fell down, and the Fuzzle flying off the Sleg, he heard the most biggest growl that came from the cave, and heard heavy footsteps land on the grass, exiting through the cave. His eyes widened in amazement, as he saw the giant purple-ass Sleg, approach out of its domain, and glare deeply at Stranger. He couldn’t even speak his words until Umi touched his arm.
“Damn, that’s a huge Sleg!” he said in a near shout. Umi nodded slowly in agreement, staring at the demented Sleg crawling out of the cave. It roared loudly, as more Slegs trotted out from behind it. The other little Slegs just barked at the intruders, but the giant Sleg rushed to the water’s edge, holding up its snout. He felt relatively more safe across the river, but there was only one problem he didn’t see coming: The sleg could spit acid.
He, slinging Umi over his shoulder, ran to the farthest and thickest tree they could take shelter behind from the balls of acid flying around the river side. He loaded on more Rabid Fuzzles, and locking them down on both of the launchers.
“Stay here. Don’t even get an idea to come out,” Stranger held up his arm, then squatted back up over the tree, and shot the Fuzzles out to the Sleg. The Fuzzles seemed to have little affect, for the Sleg moved around while the Fuzzles nipped at its toes. The other Slegs surrounding, however, had the pleasure of taking some of the Fuzzles on the giant Sleg, and then running itself in to the river to drown themselves. His bow squeaked loud, telling him that he was flat out of Fuzzles. He grunted in anger, rushing back behind the tree and down to Umi.
“Out of Fuzzles?” Umi asked, raising a brow of mischief. “Yeah...Damn things run out like moolah...” Stranger grumbled, searching his ammo sack. Umi nodded, bringing up her Needler to her face, and ran out from behind the tree. Stranger growled loudly as she ran from him, trying to stop her from looking in to the face of what could be serious pain. Firing pink flurries of needles out to the Sleg, the Sleg continued to bare out acid towards the attacking foe. Umi side-stepping from the acid, knelt down and fired the rest of her clip at the Sleg. But stupid as it may seem, kneeling down at a Sleg spitting acid was the worst thing she could’ve ever done. The needles stuck in to the Sleg, and let out an enormous explosion of pink dust and red blood, with fragments of meat and bone. But while the needles sticking in to the Sleg, it once more spat one last ball of acid, which fortunately passed over Umi. But the bat part was, a splash of acid stung right on to Umi’s arm, sizzling a grotesque smell of burning flesh. Umi wailed loudly, rushing to the river with her arm in the air. She sunk her arm in to the cool crystal water, feeling the acid remaining on her skin flush right off. Her jaw quivered hardly, as she brought up her arm, gazing at the burnt gash left from the acid spots. Burnt parts from the outter skin was a greyish color, but luckily, she got to the water right before it could strike her bone. But the wounds were serious. Stranger ran up by Umi, hissing deeply at the wounds the acid caused. He lifted her once again like a child, and carried her back in to town. But Umi, trying her persuasive ways, tried to stop Stranger from doing this.
“But...the mission-“ ”I ain’t carrying on the mission. Not until yer treated fer that wound,” Stranger said sternly. “But I’m fine, really! I can survive-“ ”Nothin’ ain’t important to me than my partner’s life. You’ve got to understand that, Umi! I ain’t lettin’ you die of whatever that would happen to you!” Stranger snapped his gaze down to her. She fell silent, she looking amazed at Stranger for moments. She couldn’t believe what he just said, and made her feel very awkward to Stranger all of a sudden. Like, she cared for him too. But he cared more for her...She just couldn’t explain it...
They passed through the archway, leading out of the Mongo River passport, and out in to town. The Clakker’s attention caught on quickly, as Stranger carried his partner across town, and quickly in to the General store. The clerk looked intensely at the stranger and the human.
“What happened all of a sudden, Stranger? You weren’t gone fer nearly 15 minutes when all of a sudden you come back in ‘ere-Who the hell is that?” the clerk pointed directly at Umi. She sneered slightly at the clerk. “You have any medical items in here?” Stranger asked frantically. The clerk grinned at Stranger. “Uh, this is a General store, buddy. It ain’t no Medical office. So what d’ya think the answer’s gonna be?” the clerk unwisely said. The smart-ass comment the Clakker had to make just didn’t fly through Stranger well, not at all. His heinous green eyes squinted on the clerk, growling deeply in his throat, and leaning closer to the Clakker’s face. The clerk’s grimace faded away quickly, its arms shaking violently, but had the nerves to say something more. “Y-you don’t scare me with yer...growlin’, and...sneerin’, an’...” it quivered now.
“If I don’t scare yeh so, then how’s ‘bout this...” Stranger growled lowly, “I’ll pluck you of every feather, ‘till yer bleedin’...then, I’ll skin yeh while yer still alive...Then, while yer cluckin’ around like a lil’ pecker head, I’ll take yer throat, and snap it...like a toothpick...” Stranger said deeply in to the Clakker’s face. The clerk, now shivering in fear, backed away from the ominous bounty hunter. “...now. If yeh don’t want any of this lil’ conversation to happen, I suggest you help me out with my partner...” Stranger growled loudly. The clerk took some time to think over what threat Stranger had said to it, then nodded frantically.
“Alright! I’ll help yeh! Just, don’t kill me! I have a wife to take care of!” it pleaded loudly. Stranger sighed in relief, finally thinking that he’ll get somewhere in this god-for-sakened town. Umi groaned painfully down to her arm.
“It’s getting worse...Damn, is it hot in here or what?” Umi put an arm to her forehead. Stranger’s eyes dropped down, his panicky feeling getting worse. ‘The infection’s beginning...’ Stranger’s stomach turned in to a rock. The clerk returned from its back office, with a slight frown on its face. “W-well, I’m sorry to say, but all I have are bandages...Nothin’ more...” the clerk shrugged. Stranger let out another panicked growl, looking back down at Umi. “Is there anywhere close to a doc’s office?” Stranger quickly said. “Well, there’s Doc’s Mongo retreat office, down the Mongo River...but the Outlaw activity is large, so the barge keeper won’t be able to take you down...” the clerk rubbed its chin thoughtfully, “...but I bet there’s a Clakker surgeon ‘round this town. Many bad things happen in this here town, so there must be a doctor Clakker ‘round here, besides of Doc. People don’t like him here either...” the clerk said. “Where can I find this Clakker surgeon?” Stranger asked. The clerk shrugged. “Go knock on some doors, hell I dunno!” the clerk replied smartly. Stranger growled again at the clerk. “Uh...ask ‘round town! I ain’t positive!” the clerk cringed. Stranger nodded, and ran out of the store. The bounty mission was going to have to wait.
“‘Scuse me! Where’s this...Clakker doc ‘round here?” Stranger asked every Clakker in town the same question, but no one decided to reply nicely to him. Plus, Umi’s condition was worsening with every little minute wasted. She kept saying weakly, “Stranger, just go on without me...Yer bounty is more important than me...” but he didn’t even want to answer that. In fact, he was nearly about to scold her in the middle of town for just saying a thing like that. He ran up to the doors of some Clakker’s homes, and knocked hardly on them to see if anyone that was a doctor could appear at the doorstep, but all failed. He was just about to give up, and swim to the Doc’s Mongo retreat, when he knocked on one last door in town, near the elevator they had taken when going to McGee. There was a Clakker with a white lab coat on, and had a stethoscope hanging from its neck. The doctor looked impatiently at the stranger, but Stranger’s throat clogged with relief and joy.
“You’s the...doctor in this here town?” Stranger kept calm, trying not to shout in joy. The doctor looked around outside the door, then back to Stranger.
“Yeah, I am. What d’ya need? I have patients in line, fer a checkup,” the doctor replied impatiently. Stranger lowered Umi down to the doctor, and it ruffled its feathers widely. “Wow! We got’s a condition here! Quickly, bring it inside!” the doctor rushed back in to its office. Nurse Clakkers rushed out with a Gurney in front of Stranger. “Put it on, and we’ll take it to the ER,” the doctor said, grabbing its equipment. Stranger laid Umi gently on the metal bed, pushing away a strand of her hair from her paled face. She had sweat all over her face, but she looked up to Stranger.
“Where am I going?” Umi asked hoarsely. “Don’t worry, Umi. You’ll be fine...” Stranger said, with a giant lump in his throat. She sighed, slamming her head on the Gurney, and the nurses pushed passed Stranger, and ran with the metal bed behind the office. The doctor walked up to Stranger, holding out a card for him.
“The name’s Judley Hectors. If yeh need me fer anything, give me a buzz,” the doctor gave Stranger his card, and patted him on the arm reassuringly. “Don’t worry, bud. Yer kid’ll be fine,” Judley nodded, and then ran in the back of the office with the nurses. He looked down at the card between his fingers, then looked at the office where the Clakkers ran back to. A tear ran down his furry chin, but held back up.
‘Don’t worry, kid,’ Stranger thought, emotions of sadness running through his stomach. ‘Just hold strong, an’ everything’ll be alright...’
Hours flew by, as Stranger impatiently tapped his foot worryingly on the cobble-stoned pat outside Doc. Hectors office. His mind flew with horrible images of something bad happening to his partner. And now, he longed to tell her how he really feels, but was too shy to spit it out. The Clakkers far out near the Doc’s office saw Stranger, with his hat over his face, his arms across his chest, and his boot tapping up and down. They knew something was up, but too scared to ask, after what they heard in the general store. The doors slid open, and Stranger turned to the sound, but saw a couple walk out, with the male in a cast and the female pushing him out on a wheelchair. Then Judley walked out, waiving good-bye to his departing patients. He looked over to Stranger, with a slight smile on his face.
“So...how’s Umi?” the only question came to his mind. The doc’s smile diminished in to a rock-hard poker face. No happiness or sadness crawled along the doctor’s face. He motioned him to come in to his office, and behind the counter in to the ER room. Many rooms were empty of patients, but one remained open, with near-silent beeping and a lump with a head under a ghost-white sheet. Nurses worked over-time on the patient, checking on the machines and equipment attached to the young human. Stranger felt his heart sink below him, as he walked in to the ER room, staring at his partner.
“Well, I can say, you got her here in the nick of time, Stranger. Any longer, and the infection would’ve spread through her system, and shut her down,” Hectors explained. Stranger felt a little more worse for what the doctor said, any longer, and your partner would be flying high above you...
“You can talk to her, but I ain’t sure she’s awake right now,” Hectors cautioned. Stranger nodded, as he took full grip on the metal bars outside the Gurney table. He stared overhead of Umi’s flushed face. An IV trickled down in to her arm, and a pulsar machine laid right behind Stranger. Umi felt the shadow overrun her face, and her eyes popped open, she gasping deeply. Stranger hushed her fright, running his hand over her face. She let out a sigh of relief.
“Damn, you scared me...” Umi said in a near-regular tone. She was going back to life little by little.
“How yeh doin’, kid?” Stranger asked in a soothing voice. She groaned a little. “Quite painfully, if I say so meself...” Umi shuffled around a little. He let out a little chuckle, wiping away another strand of her unruly hair out of her face. She looked at him awkwardly. “What’s up?” Umi asked curiously. He looked back down at her, then a smile appeared on his lips. “Nothin’...just, worried sick of yeh...” Stranger admitted quietly. Umi let out a little huff. “Well, don’t worry about me no more...Go do yer bounty mission. That’ll get me off yer head for a while,” Umi suggested, but he shook his head. “Nah...wouldn’t want you to miss out on all the fun...” he replied, “...plus, I need you, Umi,” Stranger frowned a little. “Oh, no you don’t...” Umi moved her head away from his stare. “Yes...I do,” he argued back, but Umi didn’t reply, but close her eyes a little. She snapped awake when she realized she was falling asleep. “Damn...My energy was, totally wasted after all that commotion,” Umi pulled an arm to her forehead. Stranger smiled a little again, pulling the sheet over her body a little more. “Yeh need’s yer rest, Umi. We ain’t goin’ bounty huntin’, ‘till yer better...” he said in a purr at the end. Umi moaned an acknowledgment, turning her head away from Stranger slightly, letting out one last sigh before she fell off to sleep. His lip quivered low, leaning down to Umi’s face. He kissed her on the forehead, then back up, playing with her hair gently. His words clogged his throat, but managed to say it: “I...I love yeh, kid,” Hectors walked behind Stranger, touching his arm, and leading him the way out from behind the desk.
“Don’t worry, Stranger. She’ll be fine by tomorrow. I suggest you go get yerself a hotel room and something nice an’ hot ter eat. That’ll calm yeh down,” Hectors rubbed his arm reassuringly. Stranger nodded down, a swirling emotion boiling in his mind. Then he looked down to the doctor.
“D’yeh...mind if I stay here tonight?” he asked, and Hectors looked up to him.
‘Wow...what a dedicated stranger...’ Hectors thought, but smiled. “Sure, yeh can, Stranger. If yeh don’t mind the smell of the operatin’ room,” Hectors joked. Stranger let out a small laugh, and exited through the office doors. “Just go cool off fer a while, Stranger. Go get a drink at the Winged tavern. It’ll cheer yeh up,” Hectors nodded. Stranger thanked the doctor in any way possible, and departed from the doctors office, with only one thought on his mind: His partner.
“Gimme a tall one, ‘tender,” Stranger slapped his palm on the counter. The bartender, dressed in a blue shirt with a red bow tie, nodded to Stranger’s request, and slid a keg to Stranger. It stopped right at his hand, and he took it up, and gulped it down. Clamoring of dishes and Clakker’s conversations filled the tavern with joy and excitement, while Stranger held his head low hear the counter. Today wasn’t such a joyous night for him.
A near-drunken male Clakker stumbled on to the barstool next to Stranger, ordering another round for himself. The Clakker looked at the stranger, with his hat over his saddened face.
“Aww, what’s the matter, pardner? Why you lookin’ so...droopy?” the Clakker slapped Stranger’s back. He grimaced at the wasted Clakker, then went back down to the counter, but the Clakker didn’t give up. “Oh, you can tell ole Dusty ‘bout yer problems, boy!” the Clakker smiled widely, but drunkenly. Stranger, becoming annoyed with the nuisance Clakker, spun on the barstool to the Clakker, but didn’t have an angry face on, but a frown. He averted from the Clakker’s gaze, then back up, and spun back to the counter.
“My...partner’s, in a bad condition...And it’s all my fault...” Stranger mumbled loud enough for Dusty to hear him. “Oh...oh, really? Well, that’s...that’s horrible. Well, I hope yer partner’s ok, Stranger. I’ve seen you ‘round town, with yer partner, and I can see yer bond between each other. But it ain’t nothin’ too serious to worry ‘bout...” Stranger was about to object, but the Clakker continued its ramble. “...but you listen to ole Dusty, here, Stranger. I know you feel’s bad ‘bout her, and I could feel the same thing if she was my partner, my kid...my friend...But if you both have each other, anything can be made out. Sure, you save yer kid many times before, haven’t you?” Stranger nodded to his words, “well, and she saved yer ass, too. See? That’s how partners help out partners! As long as you have each other, nothing bad will happen!” Dusty patted him on the back, and Stranger felt a little more comforted. “...but don’t listen to my ramble. I know you know that! Don’t yeh?” Stranger didn’t reply, but nod. “Well, don’t worry, Stranger. Everything’s gonna be alright. I promise,” he let out his sympathy. Stranger sighed greatly, looking down to the old Clakker with a smile of relief.
“Thank yeh, kindly, ol’ timer. I know, too...” Stranger nodded. The Clakker smiled an old wrinkly one up to the bounty hunter. “Well’p, I’ll jus’ leave yeh alone now, Stranger. Stay calm, and have at least a lil’ fun ‘round here. It’ll cheer yeh up,” Dusty smiled once more, and jumped off the barstool, and left Stranger to his self, for the rest of the night.
Stranger walked out of Winged tavern, still sober. The town was as quiet as a ghost town, but the stars lighting up the pitch-black night of Oddworld. The moon shone on the quiet town like a silvery aurora, as Stranger walked up to the doctor’s doors. He knocked gently and loud enough for the doctor to stumble out of his comfy chair, and walk to the door. He smiled up to Stranger with a gleam of hope, and led him to Umi’s room. A chair with a recliner was already set up for him to get comfy. Hectors bid him good-night, and shut the doors. Stranger leaned over to Umi, she sound asleep in her dreams. He smiled at the sight, and kissed her again on the forehead. He pulled over the white sheet over her arms to make her more warm, then reclined the sofa out. He lifted his legs on the recliner, putting his hands over his stomach, but looking at the Gurney one last time. He smiled hopefully, then tipped his hat over his head, and fell right to sleep. He definitely knew everything was going to be Ok.

[LoboDiabloLoneWolf]

Awwww, well ain't that just too cute, keep it up DE! Right, I'm off to post another chapter.

[Dark Elite_H2]

Oh, damn...This is gonna be intense...Here yeh go!

[LoboDiabloLoneWolf]

GAH! I can't believe you left it there! How could you!? (in case you're in any doubt, that means I'm hooked an' on the edge of me seat )

Loved the insults by the way. You go Stranger!

YOU GOTTA UPDATE!

I want more like five minutes ago...

Yes, I am offically hooked.

[Dark Elite_H2]

Ooo....that part made me sweat a lil'...don't like expressin' my...emotions so much out in public rather than in a story...
But, hey. People like that kinda crap. Go on ahead buddy!

[LoboDiabloLoneWolf]

This is getting redundant, but... Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! How very, very sweet. Stranger's just a bit softy. Nice, very nice, I likes it. I could go on about how great it is but I'd jist be repeatin' meself.

[Dark Elite_H2]

And that...would be the end of this chapter... fer now...
You'll have to wait fer a while Lobo. I have to go somewhere within 30 minutes. I'll type s'more when I get home. Otherwise, enjoy s'more fulffiness!

[Dark Elite_H2]

THICKETS, MASKS, AND TREACHERY--The shadow of the Steef


Soft humming pinched at Stranger’s ears. His ears propped up over his hat, and his eyes opening groggily to sheer sunlight burning through his pupils. The humming became clearer to a quiet melody, sung by a girl, hanging by the windowsill. He rubbed his eyes, more covering it from the intense sunlight, and yawned loudly, stretching his arms far out. The melody didn’t stop when he made al these noises, as he put back the recliner, and stood up, scratching his head.
“...Will they open their eyes, and realize we are one...On and on, we stand alone, until our day has come...” Umi sung quietly, sitting on the windowsill, gazing out below to the unsuspecting townsfolk emerging from their dark homes, and walking around town without a clue. She seemed to have more life than last night, her skin wasn’t pale, but glowing a healthy color. Her arm was covered in a blanket of white gauss bandages, covering her wound tightly. “...Will they open their eyes, and realize we are one...Till the day, we carry on, and know our day will come...” she didn’t hear Stranger coming up from behind her, with a smile spread over his face.
“Mornin’, Umi,” Stranger greeted in a near-low growl. Umi spun her head over to Stranger, and she smiled shyly.
“Hey...” her voice faded. “What ‘che singin’ there?” he asked. Umi moved her head away from his face, she felt a blush fall upon her cheeks. “Nothin’ much,” Umi lied, then hummed again. “So...uh, you feelin’ better?” Stranger asked with a pinch of concern in his throat. “Fine...have a soar throat, but I’m fine...” Umi nodded. Stranger kept silent after that, looking around him and scratching his head. “So...uh, you, think yer fine ‘nuff to go bounty huntin’ today?” Stranger asked, knowing what the answer was going to be. Umi’s head snapped back to Stranger, with a smile spreading across her face. “Damn-straight! I’m full of energy. I just want to go beat the crap outta Outlaws,” Umi swung her arms around. Stranger let out a laugh, seeing her in her full life. Doc. Hectors peeked through the door, then came in, bowing his head to Umi.
“Well, seems as if my patient’s all worked up! That’s a very good sign! Lemme just checkup on yeh, Umi, and you can probably leave today...” Hectors sat Umi on the Gurney again, and pulled out his clipboard and stethoscope. The doctor grunted positively, writing on his clipboard. He nodded at Umi, giving a bright smile. “Well, Umi! This has to be the biggest surprise outta all my patients! You have to be the fastest healer ‘round here, and that’s astonishing ter me!” Hectors patted her on the arm, then looked at the bandage. “...But I suggest you keep that bandage on fer a lil’ longer. I ain’t positive that yer wound has healed yet,” Hectors nodded. Umi agreed with the Clakker, standing up and walking to Stranger. “Well, it’s safe fer yeh to go, Umi! Be careful out thar, and Stranger,” he looked up to him. “...take care of Umi, ok? She seems to be an OK-kid ter me,” Hectors nodded.
“T’ain’t a problem, doc,” Stranger smiled down at him. “Well, ok then! You may leave! G’luck on that bounty mission, you two! Wish yeh the best ‘o luck!” Hectors waved at the bounty hunters, as they exited the office, and out to the morning sun of New Yolk. Umi stretched her arms out, groaning sleepily.
“Damn, it’s been a long night...” Umi relaxed her arms. “Well, you ready fer Lefty? ‘Cause I am,” Umi looked up to Stranger. He laughed a little.
“You don’t seem ter give up easily, don’t yeh?” he ruffled up her hair. They walked out on the cobbled streets of New Yolk, the Clakkers surrounding watching them as they passed them. Cornjaws walked up to them from nowhere, watching suspensefully as they walked closer.
“Well! I’ll be damned! You actually survived the purple-ass Sleg?” Cornjaws asked surprisingly, then turned to Umi. “I’ve heard all about you, human. I’m most surprised to see you still alive! Din’t know it’d be so life-threatening to go after a large Sleg like that! But hey, glad you didn’t die,” Rusty said, then back to Stranger. “Well, you want to learn that Sleg call now, huh?” Stranger nodded. “Well, follow me. Don’t want to start a commotion ‘round town fer doin’ a Sleg call. C’mon,” Cornjaws led them out of town, through the Mongo River passport, and at the head of the slope. Rusty cleared his throat to sound clear, then howled a weak howl of a Sleg. He coughed hoarsely, plucking out his cigar. Stranger rubbed his chin th oughtfully.
“Like this?” Stranger asked, then brayed a perfect howl from Cornjaws demonstration, almost like a wolf howl to Umi’s comparison. Cornjaws looked up in surprise. “Wow, that’s-that’s purdy convincin’ thar, Stranger. Much better than what I did in the old days...” his voice trailed off. “Well, now all yeh have ter do is use that Sleg call to lure out Lefty, and his ass is all yers,” Rusty nodded. Stranger nodded in thanks, and Rusty left them to their own, bidding good luck as he walked through the closing gates. “Well, climb on,” Stranger stood on his four limbs, leaning down close enough to Umi’s height. Umi hesitated.
“What about my arm?” she said in a reminder tone. Stranger stood back up, grinning a little. She knew that kind of grin, and she frowned a little. “Oh...not again...” Umi’s head dropped down. Stranger gathered her up in his arms, and sprinted down the slope, she near to the ground as his arms hung down. Traveling right near the water’s edge, and dodging trees and bushes, while Umi squeaked out cries for him to watch where he was going. Through a small passage, across a roofed bridge over the sparkling Mongo River, and now on a left plateau of land, leading down a small gorge to the Mongo River. Stranger continued sprinting through the thick brush of trees and leaves, doing what he did best at times: Scaring the crap out of his partner. Barrels and wooden crates were stocked on the sides in the brush, seeming to grow more numerous as they continued down the path. Someone was here, and they were ready for anything.
He stopped at a slight drop down to the Grubb graveyard the clerk told them about. A small pond of water streamed out through the metal gates blocking most of the water flowing out. He dropped down heavily on the grass, letting Umi down from his arms. The graveyard went by its name: Lots and lots of gravestones. But on the tops of each gravestone was the shape of a Grubb’s head, and words engraved on the stones. But they weren’t interested on the stones, but what was above the graveyard, perched near the trees. A camouflaged-colored tent, with a wooden perch was built on the rocky hills overshadowing the graveyard. Stranger walked to the middle-most row through the gravestones, tensioning his throat.
“We’re on Lefty’s turf now, Umi. Get ready,” Stranger cautioned, rubbing his throat. She kept a hand near her Needler. He cleared his throat, and inhaled deeply. Then, he let out the howl, the perfect-cut howl Cornjaws tried to demonstrate, clearly and loudly so that every bird perched in the trees fluttered away from Stranger. He relaxed his voice, listening to the surroundings. He heard mumbling and scrambling from the tent above, and hid them both behind one of the tall gravestones from Lefty’s sights.
“Hey I heard a Sleg...” he mumbled to himself. “Where are ya, you mangy beast!?” he shouted, glancing all around the bottom of the graveyard. Stranger and Umi stepped out from behind the gravestone, keeping their head down from Lefty.
“Ain’t no one here, Lefty...” Stranger kept a fist on his hip, then perked his head up. “...just, you an’ me,” Lefty’s eyes burned up in anger, “What!? You bastard! You’ve gone ‘n done tricked me out!” then he knelt down by the balcony from his tent. “Well, if that’s how you want it? Yer gonna have to fight my boys before you can even think of gettin’ me!” Lefty stood back up, then glared back down to Umi. He grinned at the human. “Well! What do we have here? If it ain’t the human that’s up fer a bounty! Yer just dumb enough to stoop in to my turf, human! Now I got’s to hunt you down, so don’t move an inch!” he ran back in to his tent, shouting out from his tent to his minions. “Get’m, boys! Make sure that human doesn’t escape! Like they even can!” he cackled, then fell silent. Minions from every side of the graveyard crawled out of open mine shafts, and growling down the hill to the gravestones. Most of them were Shredder minions, but mixed up with some Shooters and Semi-auto’s.
“Wow, there’s a lot’a them...” Umi snapped her head to each minion closing in on them. “They’re going to try and get you, Umi. Listen closely, and they won’t get you,” Stranger whispered over his shoulder. Umi nodded, still watching at each minion, growling and snarling intimidatingly at them. He kept his armed arm behind his back, loading on Boom-bats on each launcher. Umi still hovered her hand over her weapon on her belt. Then, Stranger snapped his arm up to the surrounding outlaws, and fired both launchers with Boom-bats. The Boom-bats attached to the outlaws, and an immediate chain-reaction began. All the outlaws stumbled down from the explosion, some dead, but most alive, but gave Stranger a chance to escape from them. He grabbed Umi by the arm, and dragged her away from the circle of fallen minions behind a thick couple of trees. He reloaded his bow with Rabid Fuzzles, compliments from Hectors, and Stingbees.
“Stay here, Umi. I think Lefty’s gonna show his ugly face real soon-like,” Stranger told, and jumped out to the ring of outlaws stumbling up. The Fuzzles were first to go, them gnashing and biting with their unnatural strength in their jaws. The outlaws even screamed louder compared to the first version of Fuzzles. Then came the streams of Stingbees, nipping at their faces with super-sharp stingers. The outlaws fell faster than Stranger expected. Then came Lefty, and his cackling voice from his tent. But he didn’t come alone. He came with his trusty boomstick: a high-powered sniper rifle, without a scope, and had a very powerful and painful shot. How they knew? He shot at the trees they were behind, and wiped out nearly half of the tree.
“Holy...sh-“ Stranger grabbed Umi in his arms, and sprinted away from the trees, and behind the gravestones. But that didn’t even hold up for long. It took only three shots to lower the gravestones down to the sights of their heads.
“You can’t escape, Stranger! I got’s you right on my sights!” Lefty cackled, purposely missing his next shot so they could scramble out in the open. Stranger kept Umi low still in the rows of gravestones, and ran lone, frantically loading his bow up with Thud-slugs. The bullets came closer and closer to Stranger. He leaped behind another tree farther on Lefty’s left, peeking out as far as he could without getting shot, and fired both Thud slugs on his bow to Lefty. The Outlaw cried in pain, falling back on his balcony. He caught his breath, glaring at the tree Stranger hid behind.
“Damn! This rifle’s over-heatin’! Be back in a jiffy, Stranger!” Lefty lied, running in to his tent again, and ordering more outlaws of his own to go out and stall. Same amounts of outlaws came from the same places near the tent of Lefty. Shredders and Semi-autos were only to come out this time, which made it more challenging. Umi came out when she heard Lefty yell and go back in to his tent, but Stranger motioned her to stay down. He shot out Snuzi darts, killing five outlaws, then squeaked when he ran out. Then Rabid Fuzzles came in to play, Stranger shooting them far out to the Semi-autos and the rest of the Shredders. Higher above the graveyard was Lefty’s grunts and hoots. He was now far right near his tent, higher than his regular post. The bad part was he had a clear shot on Umi’s hiding hide, and the really bad part was Stranger was too far to get her out of the way.
“UMI! MOVE, NOW!” Stranger roared at her. She perked her head up immediately, looking behind her back and up.
“I got you now, human!” Lefty wildly said, and pulled the trigger. She jumped up and ran faster than a jackrabbit, through the rows of gravestones. Stranger began to lope towards Umi, as his bullets got closer and closer to Umi’s legs. He knew what Lefty was up to, and it was nearly the same plan to Meagley’s. Lefty reloaded his rifle quickly with his sharp-tipped bullets, and fired again. Two out of three bullets missed. What happened to the other bullet was dramatic. Luckily, it didn’t hit any of the vital areas. What made matters worse was that the bullet shot and struck in to her wounded arm, passing through entirely her bandages and her arm. When it stuck, the pain immediately struck through her nerves, but the pain rating was much higher than last time. She screamed louder than ever, tripping down from the pain, and tears spewing down her cheeks. Lefty above, jeered and cheered at his efficient strike at the human, and ran back in to the cave behind him. Stranger stopped at her screeching self, writhing around and holding in her screams of pure pain. He lifted her arm carefully, seeing through that the bullet had cut right through her arms.
“God damn. Can’t nothing come wrong with you, kid?” he joked slightly, and lifted her up in his arms.
“Stranger...” she clenched her teeth tightly. “This hurts more than hell...” “I know, I know...Calm down...” he said in a soothing voice, but she continued to writhe in his arms. He heard Lefty coming again, through his tent again. He ran aside behind the trees they hid behind at first, but kept low in a stock of reeds. He laid Umi inside the reeds, thickening the reeds more so Lefty or his goons would find her. She was cooling down her movements, but they continued still. “You need ter, stop movin’, Umi. Or Lefty will catch yeh...” Stranger said in a deep purr quiet enough that Lefty wouldn’t hear. “Where...are you going?” Umi looked to his neon-green eyes. “I got’s a bounty to get...” he unlocked his bow, and exited behind the reeds. Lefty, beckoning the human to come out, didn’t realize that the bounty hunter was now on his tracks. Loading on a Thud slug and a Boom-bat, he aimed for Lefty behind a tree near the reeds, planning to use the Boom-bat first.
“Oh, STRA-A-A-A-ANGER! C’mon out with that purdy human, so’s I can finish BOTH of yeh!” Lefty chuckled.
‘I don’t think so...’ Stranger growled, and shot the Boom-bat first. Lefty caught the Boom-bat flying towards him, and shot it down. The Boom-bat exploded in mid-air, making one final squeak in pain. “I ain’t stupid with yer lil’ plan, Stranger! C’mon out, and fight like a....whatever you are!” Lefty jeered loudly. No reply, but Stranger launched the last critter on his bow. Now, Lefty didn’t realize the Thud slug coming at him, which knocked him down flat on his porch. He grumbled in anger, glimpsing around to see the bounty hunter. “So! Is that how you wanna play!? Fine then! Time to get up close and personal!” Lefty jumped from his balcony, and landed heavily on the ground.
“Good...” Stranger whispered a growl, loading on now the last of his Fuzzles and Thud slugs. Lefty wandered around the graveyard, not even noticing the trees the bounty hunter is behind. Fuzzles flew out from behind the trees, and on to Lefty. When the Fuzzles worked their part, the Thud slugs then came out, knocking in to Lefty’s gut like rocks from a slingshot. He regained his breath from the Thud slugs quickly, showing a slight sign of fatigue. He looked over to the trees, growling angrily, and stomping towards the trees, holding his rifle up. He jumped over behind the trees, roaring at the sight of...nothing. He grumbled confusedly, having his rifle above his arms and looking around wildly. Then, he looked to the reeds, silently ruffling in the wind. His eye squinted at it, slowly approaching it with his rifle now at his gut. Stranger, perched up in the tree above Lefty, growled protectively, and swung down, kicking Lefty back from the reeds, and holding down his bow. Lefty glared at Stranger, then chuckling maliciously.
“There you are, ya pussy outlaw! You finally show yer face!” Lefty struggled up with his heavy gear on his back. “Now, I can truly show the many signs of pissed off, I’M in!” Lefty roared, swinging his rifle unexpectingly at Stranger’s jaw. He flung to the pond of water, stumbling on his stomach, and weakly lifting his face out of the water. Lefty came up to Stranger’s back, striking the butt of his rifle in to the back of his neck, sending him back down in the water. He stepped a heavy foot on Stranger’s back, and put the rifle at his head, chuckling more evilly. “You ain’t the bounty hunter...no more...” he nearly pulled the trigger. Lefty groaned in pain, as prickles of something sharp stuck in his skin, and more and more of the prickles came in a gathering on his back. Pink needles flurried from the reeds, sticking straight in to his back, as they gathered more and more. Umi slid herself out of the reeds, using her full clip of crystalline needles through her weapon. She lowered her arms, grinning at the corner. “Why you lil’-“ then a massive explosion came before he could even finish his sentence. Pink dust shrouded his corpse, as it fell down in to the water and bubbled painfully. The dust settled down and showed Lefty’s entire back blown off. His mumbles of pain quickly stopped, blood trickled heavily with the calm current of the water, trailing small rivers of red along with the river. Stranger coughed hardly, holding his throat and gagging all the water that was caught in his lungs. He exhaled heavily, shaking the water out from his hair, and looking over to Lefty. He blinked widely, gazing back over to Umi, her head down in the grass.
“Umi!” he growled, scrambling over to her. She mumbled in acknowledgment, keeping her head down in the grass. He lifted her off the grass, her face having a streak of dirt across her cheek.
“Saved yer ass, didn’t I?” Umi smiled tiredly. He chuckled, “Yeah...you did,” Her face was returning slowly from her pale state, but her eyes red of tears. Her arm was slowly coming to a stop of bleeding, but the bloody gash still was wide open. “You feelin’ ok?” Stranger asked, surprised at her critical state. She shrugged. “I’m used to pain. Always have been. It’s nothin’ new to me,” Umi replied. “I can see...” Stranger stood up with her in his arms. “Thanks...” he nuzzled down to her face, giving her a small cuddle. She swung her arm around his neck, kissing him on the nose. “Ain’t a problem. That’s was partners do,” Umi smiled, then looked over to Lefty. “Ooo...Did a slight number on him...Sorry fer messin’ him up,” Umi looked innocently in to his eyes. He shook his head. “Eh...I bet the clerk’ll give us something...” Stranger shrugged. “Yeah...I bet,” Umi said hopefully. They walked back to town through the mine shaft that was wide open from one of the outlaws’ exiting gates, and back on the trail they went on to get to Lefty in the first place, and back across the bridge. The ripples of the waters shone off from the light of the mid-evening sun. The sky was turning an unusual red, near the color of blood. They knew something bad was about to come...Especially to Stranger...

[LoboDiabloLoneWolf]

*in a 'mystical' voice* Oooo, I sense a disterbance in the Force...*gets hit on the back of the head* OW! *rubs head* that wasn't what I had in mind...

Anyway, yeh, am'a right in thinkin' that somat rather nasty is about to happen?

[Dark Elite_H2]

There's a lil' more...can say that the chapter's nearly done. It ain't that long now is it?
Well, I had to stop the chapter so it didn't get too long...so it ain't gonna be too long...
But, hey! Enjoy it while you can!

[LoboDiabloLoneWolf]

Dun, dun DUH! Urg, will those two ever get a break....

......not likely....

Still lovin' it Darky dude!

[Dark Elite_H2]

there yeh go, Lobo. Enjoy!

[LoboDiabloLoneWolf]

The horror! Wonder what happens next? Yer won't keep me in suspense will ya?

[Dark Elite_H2]

Hey, that's what I do. Leave cliffys, AND suspense. So, yer answer is most likely...YES!

[LoboDiabloLoneWolf]

You down right meanie. Leavin' your loyal readers in the dark, for shame Darky E tut tut tut...

[Dark Elite_H2]

All done with that chapter. Enjoy it, Lobo! And don't be too gone fer long!

[LoboDiabloLoneWolf]

Wow, just...wow.

At the risk of being repetitive...wow... ^.^ Yeh, as you can tell, I still love this story to bits. And I'm lookin' forward to loads of new stuff when I get back.

Wow.

[Dark Elite_H2]

Yeh. Ain't the suspense killin' yeh? It's killin; me fer yer fic. Real bad-like

[Dark Elite_H2]

THICKETS, MASKS, AND OUTLAWS--The shadow of the Steef


“Welcome back, Stranger! Glad you two made it!” the clerk greeted brightly. Umi walked on her own, standing by Stranger and holding her arms down heavily. Stranger leaned closer to the clerk, and explained about Lefty. The clerk understood greatly, and gave Stranger his moolah he deserved, then spreaded out the last two posters.
“Elboze...Freely?” Stranger questioned, looking at the poster clearer. “Yep. He’s been causin’ trouble down at the Mongo Wilds, blowin’ up expired explosives in to the water. What makes things worse is that he and his gang are all banged down in the head, you know...mentally...” it whirled a finger around the side of its head. Stranger knew what it was talking about, but didn’t reply. Instead, accepted the mission, and slipped the poster in his poncho. The clerk sighed greatly, looking up to Stranger. “You sure?” it asked.
“You know it,” Stranger grinned impatiently. The clerk let out one more sigh, then let Stranger and Umi go, but with a warning.
“Well’p, let’s get it on,” Umi stretched her arms. Stranger grinned in concern down to her. “Oh no, you don’t. We’re gonna get that arm checked, ‘fore we go anywhere,” Stranger said firmly, and led themselves to Hectors office again.
“Well, seems you got yerself in quite a pickle down thar, Umi! That bullet shot clear through yer arm! Yer lucky it didn’t hit yer main vein in yer arm!” Hectors scolded, taking off the soaked bandage on Umi’s arm. She frowned slightly, rolling her eyes, but Stranger stared at her, shaking his head. Hectors examined the hole in her arm, a clot forming inside the hole. He mumbled a little, moving her arm around more. “It’s healin’ well. That’s good. Just put a fresh bandage on there, and yer good to go...” Hectors pulled out of his pouch a white thick bandage, and wrapped it tightly around her arm and pinned it up. “Now, I’m warnin’ yeh. You’ve got to let this wound heal, or it won’t heal properly like it is right now. If you do, then...I’m gonna have to remove yer arm. Nothin’ else to say, Umi. You need to be more careful. And Stranger. If yer gonna do these missions, I suggest you keep a closer eye on her. ‘Cause, honestly, I really don’t want to remove someone’s arms fer such a thing,” Hectors said firmly. Stranger looked down to Umi, thinking of way to protect her more. “Ok-doky, then. Be careful, you two. ‘Specially you, Umi. I’m serious. Watch yerself if yer gonna do such things. I’d keep you here, if I did such things you guys do...” Hectors suggested. Stranger nodded, and left behind Hectors office again. Umi checked her newly-wrapped bandage, then back up to Stranger. He sighed heavily, but grinned to her a little.
“Well, let’s go!” Umi said sweetly. Stranger nodded slightly, his grin slowly slipping down to a frown. She cocked her head to the side. “What’s up?” she asked.
“Nothin’...Just, thinkin’ what the Doc said...” Stranger’s mind trailed off from her. She rolled her eyes while he wasn’t looking. “I’ll be fine! That was just unexpected! I’m sure my arm’ll be fine when we come back!” Umi raised her arms, but accidentally slammed it on a barrel next to her. She mumbled a painful “Ow...” then smiled back up to Stranger. He let out a concerned sigh, shaking his head down from her sight. They walked silently on down the streets of New Yolk, Stranger’s mind on the fritz. They passed once more through the Mongo River passport, and up to the down-leading slope to the Sky cart facility. She looked up at him awkwardly. “What’s up?” Umi asked concerned. He didn’t reply this time, but grumbled something incoherently. She became frustrated with him, knowing what he was thinking. “Look, if I had to make this clear, nothing’s going to happen to me!” she nearly shouted.
“How are you sure?” Stranger asked, looking down to her. Her brows furrowed down to her eyes. She didn’t reply, for she wasn’t sure at all. She stomped down the slope, leaving Stranger to his thoughts. He didn’t follow for a while, watching Umi walk away from him. “Wait a sec. Umi!” Stranger ran down to her. She stopped, looking behind her. “Don’t be mad at me,” he stopped. “Well, if you keep on thinking ‘bout these things, then I wouldn’t be so mad,” Umi folded her arms over her chest, looking away from Stranger. “You’ve got to understand, Umi. I have to worry ‘bout you,” Stranger walked to her face. “Really? Tell me exactly,” she huffed a sigh. “Because! I care fer you! It’s my instinct to do such a thing now!” Stranger knelt to her. “You’ve got to understand such a thing, kid,” she looked at him, her arms relaxing down. “We’ve gotten really close, Umi. I know this is slightly annoying to yeh, but...it’s what I do now. It’s more of my duty now to watch out fer yeh, rather than bounty huntin’, which is my second priority when it comes to you,” Stranger’s voice softened. Umi’s lips curled down in to a frown. “I love yeh, kid. It’s turned out to me that yer like, a part of me now. Family, close partners. I would never let anything happen to you,” he put his hands on her shoulders, his eyes softening to her. She felt her throat choke with emotions, feeling tears come from her eyes. She sunk down to her knees, embracing him around the neck.
“Yeah...I understand...” she swallowed her sob. “Thank you...” she whispered. He curled his arms around her, lifting her up in a tight hold, rubbing his furry jaw on her head. “T’ain’t a problem, kid...” Stranger purred gently, shuffling his fingers through her hair. They held each other for moments, until Umi pushed off his shoulders, smiling greatly to him. “Well, yer ready?” Stranger asked, putting her down. She nodded deeply.
“Damn-straight!” she said excitingly. He grinned happily, reaching in his pouch, and pulling out her scarf. “Here. Fergot’s to give this to yeh,” he walked behind her, and tied her hair up. She tightened the scarf, then smiled up to him. “Thanks. Now, time to kick some Outlaw ass!” Umi slammed her fist in to her palm confidentially. He let out a chuckle. “Such a challenger, aren’t yeh?” Stranger said. “Eh, quit stalling! I wanna get these bounties before nightfall!” Umi growled, grinning, running further away from Stranger, and passed through the docks to the Mongo River, and through the forested strip of land by the riverside. He snickered down to the ground, and then followed behind, loping passed Umi. She gave a challenging grin, and ran as fast as her legs could go, but he was just too fast. He slowed down a little, so it’d make the challenge a little more interesting.
“This ain’t fair! Yer faster than me! You lil’ cheater!” Umi shouted ahead of her. Stranger slowed himself to her side. “Wish I had my speed...Then you’d be sorry,” Umi grumbled. He slowed more down until he got behind her, and lifted her on to his back. She gripped tightly over Stranger’s neck, as he loped through the thick brush, and leaping far over the river to the other side of the riverside. They heard explosions far out in the river. They were closer than they expected.
“Good morning to all of you! Today’s objective: Dumping all those explosions in to the river, and blowing the hell outta them!” a loud voice from far across the river shouted to the minions out on the riverside. Stranger hugged closely to the steep rocky hillside, avoiding the line of sight from the outlaws far across the river. There was no easy way to cross, so they had one option to do: Swim across.
“But Stranger! What ‘bout my arm? It can’t soak the bandages!’ Umi whined in a whisperly tone.
“Stay here, then. I’d rather you not be in that river with all them outlaws blowin’ up those explosives,” Stranger said, and dove in to the river, resurfacing and shaking his head off of water. He swam away from the small island, and deeper in to the deep parts of the river. Boulders and large rock formations stuck out of the water, making good sniper spots for the outlaws. Mortar minions stood on flat rock, firing their mortars randomly out in to the river. Semi-autos patrolled further in the back, and Suicide bombers held further in the back, near an abandoned mill. There was a narrow passage, leading further back to a higher platform, jumping up to a plateau, with more to come. Stranger zoomed in on his scope, seeing the Mortars in his sights. The Snuzis took out all the Mortars, but left the Semi-autos and Suiciders left in the dust. They scrambled over to the dead bodies floating out in the river, and glared around suspiciously for the culprit. Stranger swam down passed more of the tall rocks until he hit land. He shook off the water on his fur so it wouldn’t slow him down, and unlocked his bow, loading on Boom-bats and Thud slugs. He pressed his back to a tree close by him, twirling around to the group of Suicide minions in the far back. He shot the Boom-bat unnoticingly on the first minion the Boom-bat could get to, and detonated. The entire squad of Suicide minions flung away and in to trees dead, with one last scream at hold. All the Semi-autos gathered around the dead minions, roaring and glancing around aimlessly at whom was causing the trouble.
“This is too easy...” Stranger grinned with a slight growl, loading on his last Boom-bat for the rest of the minions alive. They all turned to the direction of one who saw the Boom-bat fly. It was a little too late for Stranger to put back down his arm, when one of the minions called out that they spotted him. “Damn...Ferget what I just said...” he said to himself disappointingly. The minions scrambled over to the trees, while Stranger frantically thought of a plan. He looked up the tree, then grinned mischievously. The minions parted to each side of the tree, baring their armaments. They appeared to nothing in their sights, but moving grass. The minions grumbled in confusion, wandering around what would be their death bed. Stranger hung down like a monkey, on the branches of the trees the Semi-autos stood under. He crawled down slowly, putting his boot securely between the middle of the tree. His bow was loaded on with still one more Boom-bat, puffing smoke out of its tiny mouth.
“Where’d that bounty hunter go to?” one minion grumbled. Stranger smiled, with his lips parting to show his teeth. “Right here...” he whispered, and launched the Boom-bat on the minion’s head. The Semi-auto screamed bloody murder, swatting at the time bomb about to go off. The Boom-bat exploded, the chain reaction affecting the outlaws all around. He jumped down in the circle of outlaws, burning and smelling of singed flesh. He sneered at all of them, then bountied them up. He looked over to the island he left Umi on, she laying under the shade of the trees, her eyes locked on the sky above her. He leaped back in to the river again, this time swimming underwater, grinning in that devilish kind of way again...
Daydreaming, and not even noticing where Stranger had gone to. She twittled her thumbs around with boredom. She wished she had some action right now, beating outlaws, tricking Stranger, the sort. She gave a loud, irritated sigh, looking across the river again. She noticed no outlaws activity was going on around there, but no Stranger as well. She knelt closer to the river’s edge, squinting hard through the evening sun blinding her. She sat back in curiousness.
“Where’d he go?” she said to herself, glancing around the river and the island. A dark figure passed through the deep end, going closer to the shallow and near the shore. Then, the figure stopped, and headed down deeper, touching the riverbed. She didn’t even know what was in the river. The figure kicked off the bottom hardly, and resurfaced high, leaping over to the shore where Umi was. She screeched loudly, cringing and flinging her arms over her head. The water splashed back down, and then there was quiet. Umi quivered, lowering her arms, and not noticing who was next to her. It laughed deeply.
“Scare yeh?” Stranger laughed. Umi slammed her arms down on the grass, her nose crinkled and her brows furrowed angrily. She growled lowly at him, with eyes sparking of anger. “That was...NOT...funny!” Umi roared, baring her teeth widely. Stranger laughed, sitting up from his propped elbow and on to his hands. “I thought it was. Scarin’ yeh has to be, the most fun, ter me,” Stranger grinned. Umi’s anger broke, and she pounced on Stranger, wrestling him with great fury. He played around with her for a little while, then got a little more rough, pinning her down in a rock-hard lock. She growled at him, as he kept her arms locked down on the ground, and his knees pressing on her legs. She wasn’t going to escape this one.
“Yer a rough lil’ missy, you know,” Stranger smiled to her face. She only sneered, moving her head aside from him. He gave a chuckle, picking Umi up in an embrace. She nearly clawed him, but realized what he was doing. “C’mon. We ain’t done yet with our mission,” Stranger stood up with her. He walked in to the water, holding her up to his chest, and jumped off from the shore. He paddled his feet, Umi keeping her arm in the air from the water and her bandages. The deep end came upon, and Stranger’s self fell a little more lower. Umi was half-way sunken with him, but still held her tiring arm up. The shallow ends came up now, and then Stranger ran on shore. Umi wrung her shirt out and wiped her face of water, while Stranger acted like a dog, and shook his entire body. She glared at him for a moment, then followed him passed through the narrow passage, and up to the plateau of land.
“Ok, fellahs! There’s that bounty hunter sneakin’ ‘round here somewhere. So keep a sharp eye out for it. Oh! And that bounty on that human’s still up fer the takin’! So if you spot it, lemme have it!” the familiar voice came to Stranger’s mind, like all the rest of the Outlaws he faced. Elboze was taking over the speakers. Stranger pressed himself and Umi against a sheer stone wall, hiding from the many outlaws around that bend. But what made him grin again, was the many explosives on a wooden carrying cart, trailing from the cart all the way to the backside of the hill, up to more outlaws standing aimlessly up on the top.
“These guys makes it too easy fer us, Umi. It’s almost as if they planned on this,” Stranger nearly laughed in glee, but forgot that he was a man, not a girl. He loaded on the last possible explosive-causing thing he had left, besides the Boom-bat, a Zapp fly. He waited for it to charge, then pulled his arm over the bend, and shot randomly near the cart. He waited for a reaction, but only heard angry outlaw growls. The impact took some delay, then they felt the earth shake with the rumbles of the explosions going off like dominos. Outlaw bodies were flung everywhere, even to where Umi and Stranger were, and heard nothing more but the distant echoes of the minion’s screams. Stranger let out a hearty laugh, walking out to the wreckage of dead outlaws. Umi looked up to him widely, as he dimmed down his laughter. “What?” he asked breathlessly. Umi shrugged, looking back away from him.
“Yer just creepin’ me out, is all,” Umi said. Stranger patted her head, going by each outlaw and vacuumed them up. They heard the loud feedback come back, hearing the loud growls of Elboze Freely.
“Hello? Is this thing on?” he tapped on the microphone, emitting a loud screech. “If I have to go down there to beat somebody’s ass, I’m going to be so pissed off!” Elboze roared, then slammed the microphone off. They went on another higher plateau of land, the high rocky cliffs bordering the area off, and another smaller narrower passage leading down. This time, the explosives were a small group, with another group of minions surrounding the explosives and drooling tastefully to the explosives. Semi-autos held further back to the passage, watching around aimlessly. Stranger snickered again, shaking his head down and loading his bow up with another Zapp fly.
“We won’t be getting them all this time. Watch yerself when those minions in the back come up to us,” Umi warned. Stranger didn’t reply, and aimed for the explosives around the drooling Suiciders. It was almost as if they were doing him a favor. He shot the Zapp fly, impacting and leaving a hole, with the sparks running in to the flammable liquid. The barrels exploded on impact, sending the surrounding minions to their death. The others behind gibbered loudly, rushing up to the scene, glaring at the bend where the Zapp fly was launched. Stranger jumped out from the bend, sending rock-hard Thud slugs out to the remaining Semi-autos. They groaned out loudly in pain, flying on to their hides and falling unconscious. He ran out to the last outlaw, throwing its rifle on the ground angrily, and roaring at Stranger, him loping on his limbs. The outlaw held its ground, which was a very stupid thing to do, as Stranger came closer and closer, with his head baring out. After what seemed time slowed in to slow motion, Stranger rammed his hard skull in to the outlaw’s gut, it suppressing the air out of its lungs, and flying backwards, crashing its spine in to a small boulder. The minion moaned for a second, then fell its limp head down. Stranger rubbed his head painfully, turning to Umi.
“Damn, that thing had a rock-hard belly,” Stranger moaned, lowering his arm. Umi scoffed at him. “Baby...” she insulted quietly, walking by his side. He rolled his eyes at her back, bountying the fallen outlaws, and following to the smaller passage leading downwards, in to what seemed as a arena. There were eight metallic platforms hanging above the arena ground, with wires attached to the hinges to a button box. Four high-powered air vents blew upwards and a small grill in the middle of the arena was wide open. They walked on the closest platform to the entrance of the arena, staring at the monstrosity in the arena, stomping around boredly: Elboze Freely.
He looked mostly of metal and machinery, but his head was awkward. It seemed as if his brain was encased in a glass case on top of a metal-coated head. His stomps shook the entire arena, as he lumped around, muttering angrily to himself.
“Oh, I bet that bounty hunter’s bound to get here...” he reached over his back, scratching a bare patch of skin. He trembled his arms in fury, “...AND WHERE’S MY BACK ARMOR!?” he roared out irritatingly. Stranger and Umi jumped down from the passage, trying to keep as quiet as they could be, but failed. “What’s that sound?” Elboze spun around, and froze. His robotic eye whirled around the intruders, his radar going off the fritz. “It’s you! And that human! Oh, am I going to give you SUCH a pounding,” Freely smacked his fist hardly in to his iron palm.
“Scatter!” Stranger yelled, and both parted from Elboze’s rage. Umi ran right and behind Elboze, while Stranger ran oppositely. Elboze scrambled back around to the sprinting bounty hunters, his eye wandering around, choosing who to go for. He took the path to Umi, he running and catching up much faster than she expected. She panted scarcely, watching Elboze catch up to her back. Stranger loped around the arena, running as fast as he could to get to Umi. He pushed aside his partner, holding off Elboze’s attack. The Outlaw cackled wildly. “I’m stronger than you, puny bounty hunter! I’m all metal and machine, and yer just flesh and bone!” he smacked aside Stranger in to an iron beam. Umi saw Elboze gaze dart directly to her, and she began to sprint again, away from the much-faster-and-stronger Outlaw. Stranger regained his conscious quickly, and sprinted oppositely of where Umi was going. He scooped her up, sliding under Elboze’s legs, and towards the high-pressured air vent. He jumped on to it, and the vent shot him up flying to one of the metal platforms. He was safe, for now.
Elboze glared up at the pathetic bounty hunters, looking over to the button box that was wired to the platform, and rushed over to it. Stranger watched Elboze go for it, and he jumped down with Umi, his bow loaded with a Thud slug and Zapp fly, the only thing that would tire out this Outlaw. Elboze groaned loudly, tripping down to the button’s box, but regaining his balance again, and spinning back to Stranger.
“You ain’t gettin’ me that fast, Stranger!” Elboze roared, and ran back to him. Stranger carried Umi again to another one of the air vents, and jumped on it. His plan was simple: Lure, jump, and tire. He would keep on jumping on the air vents, and when Elboze went to drop the platform, he’d drop down and shoot the Thud slug and Zapp fly at Elboze’s open back. He waited for Elboze to drop the platform, and dropped down, firing his ammunition again. Elboze let out a gasp of air, nearly falling to his knees this time, but stood back up. His eyes were a faded shade now, which was a good sign. He was tiring out. He tried his plan once more, jumping on the platform, luring Elboze to the button box, and launching his ammo again at his back. Elboze this time fell to his knees, moaning painfully, and slamming his head harshly on the metal box. Stranger grinned widely, approaching Elboze’s body, seeing faint breathing from his rising and falling back.
“Wow...That was...easy,” Umi blinked surprised. But it wasn’t over yet...Elboze’s self suddenly came back to life, whirling around and snatching Umi up in his metal arms. He chuckled maliciously to Stranger, “Now what’cha gonna do?” Stranger growled heinously to Elboze and his dirty trick. Umi grunted at his arm around her neck, her body dangled down to his hips. She tried kicking him, but his metal self was too hard to even feel a little. She wiggled a little, feeling herself slip down a little, but not much. But she came up with a plan, grinning over to Stranger. He had no idea why she was smiling, but he knew what she was thinking of. And he didn’t like it.
She pulled her legs up to Elboze’s arm, and used both her arm and leg muscle strength to loosen his grip. It was coming along finely, but her muscles were tiring out quickly.
‘C’mon, Umi. Just a lil’ more...’ Stranger thought, watching intently at her efforts. Elboze tried to fight her, but she was just a little more stronger than him. And he was part machine, for god’s sakes! She grunted loudly, until she felt his arm snap loose, and she fell to the ground. Elboze looked at her wildly, but she crawled quickly under his legs. She jumped up on his back, getting a secure grip, and spun out her Needler. Elboze frantically clawed at his back, while Umi pressed her gun at his open patch.
“Dirty varmin...” she scowled, and shot her full round in to Elboze’s skin. She pushed off his back, and landed on the ground. Elboze roared loudly, as the explosion shrouded his body. A mighty thud crashed on the ground, and then total silence. Umi sighed tiredly, kneeling heavily on the ground. Elboze’s entire back was blown off, like the same for Lefty, but less worse. Blood trickled out of the metal casing, and fell down the grill in the middle of the arena. Stranger walked up to Umi, his arms wide out.
“Good work, Umi. Might be the third Outlaw you’ve killed so far, but good work,” Stranger put a comforting hand on her shoulder heavily. He turned back around to Elboze, while Umi worked at her wounded arm. She moved it around slightly, not feeling a slight tinge of pain whatsoever. She slipped off some of the bandage, seeing a pinkish color. She gazed in surprise, tearing off the entire bandage, and only seeing small scabs covering the areas of the wounds, and the rest of it a light pink. She smiled excitedly, making sure she wasn’t hallucinating or anything.
“Wow!” Umi said with joy, jumping up. Stranger finished boutying the Outlaw, turning to her, and looked at her in amazement. “My implant! It must’ve had a little more juice in it!” Umi said in a near crazily voice. Stranger cocked his head to a side. “Implant?” he asked. She looked up to him. “Long story. I’ll tell you later,” she said quickly, rubbing her arm up and down, but not even the slightest pain came. He chuckled while walking up to her. “Yer weird, I hope you know that,” he said, wrapping his arm around her neck, giving her a one-armed hug. “Yeah,” she agreed, lowering her arm. He snickered some more, but leading themselves to the grill widely open. He jumped down it, landing in what seemed as an exotic sewer pipe, with mosses and shrubs growing between the pipes and above. Critters roamed around the planted areas, which made Stranger’s thought of buying more ammo slip away. The pipe led back to town, fortunately, and with one more bounty to go.

[LoboDiabloLoneWolf]

Yeh, to heck with a sabbatical...miss all me luverly mates (which is you, and er...you...and you again I guess ). Anyway, awwww, the chapter was definitely cuddle worthy. Update, NOW!

PS. And this also means yer gonna havta wait fer me ter beat me writer's block fer the next chapter...although, I feel better now...hrm...*goes off muttering about writing*

[Dark Elite_H2]

Eh, sorry. I thought the ending was pretty bad...had to rush 'cause my brother's home and he would kick me off any second while I was on. Well, enjoy, Lobo! And I'll get to starting the next one tomorrow!

[LoboDiabloLoneWolf]

Hrm, one more and then...what will Umi (you-me ) do? I still think she'll do her nut. But good job, yep, enjoyed it. Abou' that implant, I'm not familar with Halo (sounds good though) but would I be right in thinkin' that the implant thingymabob is a regernerative thing, same as the Master Chief. Not completely clueless am'a?

[Dark Elite_H2]

Huh? Halo? Her implant wasn't from Halo!
It was from WAAAY far bac, way before Halo. And I won't go in to detail, but she got that implant that was only meant fer her to breathe in space. But the chemicals also gave her supernatural defects. It's useless right now when she's on Oddworld but it had somewhat of some juice left over in it to partially heal her wound. She got lucky...

[LoboDiabloLoneWolf]

*swats at Dark Elite* Oh stop laughin'. It was a perfectly good guess.

[Dark Elite_H2]

Yeh...Can give yeh some credit...She got that when she was 13, and she's now 14. The implant also gives her some delayed growth, which is kinda cool 'cause she's gonna be a kid a lil' longer. (She's so lucky...)

[Dark Elite_H2]

It ain't much, but it's a start. And it's kinda funny at the beginning:

THICKETS, MASKS, AND TREACHERY--The shadow of the Steef (cont.)

“Whoa! Yer buildin’ up a bad-ass reputation, son! C’mon over, and take the las’ bounty!” the clerk smiled brightly, as it watched Stranger and Umi stride back in to the Bounty store. The clerk left out the last poster for Stranger’s return. He slipped up the poster, gazing about the information, while the clerk gave Stranger his pay, and stamping down the poster. He waited for Stranger to ask the simple question.
“Fatty McBoomBoom, eh?” Stranger looked over the poster’s edge. “Yup. If yer gonna go after McBoomBoom, you’ll have to talk to Skycart Joe. He operates them sky carts, so he’ll help you to get up to McBoomBoom’s lair,” the clerk said. Stranger stuffed the poster in his poncho, and walked out to the townsfolk of New Yolk. Where this Skycart Joe was wasn’t a clue to them.
“Hey, pardon. You know the whereabouts of this...Joe guy?” Stranger asked a male Clakker, wearing a red baseball cap. It ruffled its feathers in anger and annoyance.
“Skycart Joe? I hate that guy...” it muttered off in space, then back up to Stranger. “...just look fer the moron wearing the hat and the pants...” it walked away from them, muttering angrily to itself. Umi wandered a little away from Stranger, looking for the description the Clakker vaguely said. She saw a top of a black top hat rock back and forth, emerging over the Clakkers in its path. The Clakkers parted away from the top hat in to a Clakker with a fancy-looking suit of black, with a glass eye spectacle on its left eye, and a small red bow tie around its neck. She grinned happily, running back to Stranger and pulling his arm.
“I think I found our guy, Stranger,” Umi tugged at his arm. He gazed over to the spot where Umi pointed, and saw the Clakker with the black suit and long top hat. He followed Umi up to Joe, the Clakker watching intently at the approaching strangers.
“Yo, Joe. I need’s yeh to-“ ”Look, piss off, poor boy! I’ve got better things to do that to talk to strangers!” Joe clucked, with strict beady eyes narrowing on Stranger, then walked by him, scoffing. Umi felt her brows furrow down in anger, touching Stranger’s arm. “Let me take care of this...” she said with teeth baring. Stranger’s anger also worked up, his green eyes becoming bright. “Nah. Allow me,” Stranger cracked his knuckles, and followed behind Joe. He formed a fist, then saying, “So, uh...You know what the, five fingers, said to the face?” Stranger slammed his fist in to his palm, watching Joe turn around to him with his beady eyes. “Hey! I thought I told you to piss off!” Joe repeated loudly, but Stranger didn’t listen. He raised his fist to behind him, his arm muscles tensioning. The Clakker didn’t even realize what came next, but the feeling of a rock-hard blow to its clammy beak, knocking him totally senseless. His blackout lasted for mere seconds, then he regained consciousness. Stranger was glaring overtop of him, rubbing his knuckles in to his palms. “Now, if that sky cart ain’t runnin’ when I get there...I may have te, tell yeh another joke,” Stranger pointed an ominous finger at the shaken Clakker. Joe rambled fearfully, then scrambled down the path through the passport gate, yelling, “I’m goin’! I’m goin’!” Stranger grinned, lowering his arm, while Umi came up behind him, applauding him for his take-down.
“Nice work with the joke take-down, Stranger. Built up the Clakker’s fear faster than a steam kettle,” Umi rung her arm around his. “Now let’s go check if that chicken nugget’s started the sky cart fer us,” Umi walked from Stranger down to the Mongo River passport gate. “Oh, I bet he has. If not, it’s joke time again,” Stranger lifted a fist up. They ran down the steep slope down to the docks and the sky cart facility. They could hear the rumbles of the motors to the sky cart as they got closer. Even the Clakkers whined about the distinct loudness, but only Joe told them to, “Quit yer bellyachin’!” Stranger walked up the ramp to Joe and his only running, rickety, old sky cart.
“So. The sky cart up ‘n runnin’?” Stranger asked, knowing the answer to come out. “Yeah, yeah! Just get on and leave,” Joe scowled, muttering under his breath, “I hope they kick yer ass...” Umi, hearing the gall of the Clakker to say something like that, made her spin around and grab Joe’s expensive suit up in her clench, saying closely to his fearful, beady eyes.
“Now listen here, tater tot. I don’t like yer attitude ‘round us. Yer supposed to be damn-happy we’re even saving yer ungrateful asses! Now, I suggest you keep yer petty comments to yerself, or I’m going to do the same thing to the Clakker back in the Oppal Farms. You hear me?” she rambled him around by the neck. Joe’s eyes stared down from the human, she getting the point, and dropping him to the dusty ground. “Let’s not have this conversation again,” Umi sneered, getting on the departing sky cart Stranger started. Joe dusted off his bottom, watching the departing bounty hunters, and having the last remarks the human made clearly in to his face.
The wind blew softly in their faces. The river sparkled deeply under the evening sun. Everything seemed to be near-perfect for her, as the sky cart rumbled up and higher to the ending point of the sky cart facility, leading further inside. The Clakkers below gazed up at the hovering sky cart, pointing in awe, one cheering on the bounty hunters. The sky still showed blood-red, but they didn’t take thought to that. The platform sticking out to them stopped the sky cart, and they quickly jumped off before it climbed back down on its hinges to Joe again. Sounds from the waterfall closely next door sprayed little mist inside the sky cart’s ending perch. It was widely, halfway filled up with rusty metal crates, stacking upon each other, creating slight barricades to some smaller areas of the perch. They climbed higher up to the motor room, where a giant, but old-looking giant wheel-type machine held up inside, looked to be of a coal-powered machine. They passed on out fo the perch, through an open bridge, in to a long mine tunnel, and out to the fresh air. Mountains from the waterfall made a barrier out and over the long stretch of hillside, still hearing faintly the thunderous crashes of the waterfall. Small amounts of trees grew along the sidelines of the path stretching up slightly, but to a small building shooting out to the other end. Minions of the sort blocked the way through the building, most of them regular grunt Shooters. Using his newly-found critter, the Howler Punk, he slipped it on his bow, along with a few Bolamites. The Howler Punk looked of a regular Chipunk, but with two slightly large megaphones behind its ears, seeming to be grown in to its skull, and a microphone twisted to its mouth.
“Yo, brotha. Got someone you need talkin’ to?” it said in to its microphone, its voice enhanced making it louder. Stranger smiled at his new ammo, and aimed it right out front of the outlaws. Three Bolamites rubbed their fangs together, making a slick gooey sound. He shot the Howler Punk out to the minions, they growling even louder at the bigger annoyance, and this time, the whole five of the outlaws went over to the Howler. It was more effective than Stranger imagined. He held down a few Rabid Fuzzles, for he knew he couldn’t wrap all of them at one time. He jumped out from behind the boulder they held to, and shot the three Bolamites at the Shooters, then threw his remaining Fuzzles out to the free Shooters. The fur balls gnashed hardly at the outlaws’ flesh, and the three others struggled from their sticky entrapment. Seemed like it was going to be a good bounty mission for Stranger. He quickly bountied the trapped minions, while Umi held down the others that became free from their torture of the Fuzzles. They passed on through the building, heading down from a drop, and up to what looked like an abandoned train gate. They stepped up to the ramp, but heard another minion grumble, “What’s that sound?”
“Let me get them this time,” Umi whispered, holding out her Needler once again.
“No way, Umi. It’s too dangerous,” Stranger denied, unlocking his bow. Umi looked up to him, her eyelid up to her eye and her lip dropped down. She scoffed a little. “Tie me up and gag me to a tree, Stranger! C’mon! You can’t have all the action to yerself!” Umi argued, he digging through his ammo sack for a Bolamite. He let out a grunty sigh, glancing to Umi with one eye. “Fine. But don’t wander off too far from me, you hear?” he said gruffly. Umi smiled brightly, nodding in agreement, and crouch walked up near the stairs up. A Shooter, along with its pet Suicider, held at the top of the stairs. She grinned devilishly, raising her armed arms up. She jumped out front, holding her weapon out to the minions, and show merely a few needles to them, not enough to blow them up. They both grunted in unison, “Ow...” and glared down at the intruder. The Suicider screamed gibberish loudly, lighting up its stack of explosives on its back, and running like hell down the stairs. Umi swore under her breath, backing away to Stranger, he already prepared for the Suicide bomber. When the crazed minion showed itself over from the stairwell, Bolamite’s web wrapped around itself, tying its arms and legs together. But that didn’t keep its timer from going off. The many explosives on its back detonated, splattering chunks of meat and blood around the station. The Shooter roared loudly in confusion, rushing down the stairs and to the bounty hunters, but immediately stopped when another Bolamite tapped it and wrapped it around. Umi wiped off a speck of blood near her mouth, watching as Stranger bountied up the trapped minion. They continued up the stairs, stopping a pair of Semi-autos at the exit of the station, leading out to another cart, similar to the one Stranger rode in last time. Snipers held them off a little longer, as they shot through the barred fence. Stranger fought back harder with a Snuzi dart implanted in to its head, sending it back to the mob of minions behind the gates. They hoped in to the cart, he pulling down the lever next to it to start the travel over to the other side.
Another Sniper, placed on top of the same place his partner got shot off, hid behind the thick brush of the pine trees he luckily got the chance to hide behind before the bounty hunter caught him. He heard the heavy clank of the cart’s gates opening, he parting the branches apart to see the cart moving slowly across the tracks and the deep forestry below.
“Who the hell!? Someone’s coming up in the cart!” it yelled behind to the others below, but made an abrupt silence, when a Snuzi dart passed through its head. The other minions chattered suspensefully, as the cart came closer to the gates they held behind.
The gates bursted open, smacking aside some minions stupid enough to stay behind of. Stingbees shot through the opening and at some of the visible outlaws to stand in front of the gate. Pink crystalline needles were also mixed in to the flashes of yellow wasps darting through. Nailer outlaws, three of them to be precise, roared loudly, cramming out from a slit passage to the campsite. Semi-autos were docked on high perches, reloading their rifles quickly to the new arrivals, just awaiting their deaths.

He hummed to himself, stashing papers up to his round purple head and counting the moolah he had just gotten from some patients he took care of, if you catch my drift. The front door’s bell jangled, telling him there was someone coming in.
“The office is closed, sir. Sorry to disappoint you,” Doc spoke loudly in a whiny voice, but the shadows didn’t retreat from the office. Instead, they approached the counter to him. He became nervous, holding a surgical knife under his desk, but watching the figures come closer to him. “Uh, s-sir? The office is closed to patients. You’ll have to wait tomorrow,” Doc repeated himself. The Outlaw leaned closer to the Vykker’s face, grinning widely and maliciously.
“I ain’t ‘ere to have you checkup on me, Doc. I’m here, fer you!” D. Caste Raider snarled in his face, reaching for his throat, and dragging him over the counter. The minions behind the Outlaw sneered and jeered at the frightened Vykker surgeon. “Now, listen up, big head. You gonna do exactly what I say, or I’ma kill you,” D. Caste threatened, with his spiked-head hammer. The Doc swallowed heavily, looking back with his yellow-green beady eyes back on to the Outlaw.
“W-what d’you, want of me?” Doc stuttered. D. Caste smiled, reaching over the counter, and slammed down his phone. “Call fer Stranger,” D. Caste ordered smoothly. Doc hesitated, but he couldn’t exactly get to the phone since the Outlaw had him by his neck. D. Caste’s grin turned down madly. “I said call fer him!” D. Caste growled.
“Well, I can’t exactly call him if you have me up in a choke lock,” Doc smiled smartly. D. Caste grunted, setting the Doc on the boarded floor. He slid the phone up to Doc, watching him closely, as he dialed in the Bounty store number. A dial tone spoke through his ear, until he heard a click, then the clerk’s voice.
“Hello, this is the New Yolk Bounty store office. How may I help you on yer situation?” the clerk greeted buisness-like. “Yes, hi. This is Doc, from the Mongo River retreat,” Doc replied, keeping calm as D. Caste breathed over his shoulder. “Oh! Hey’a, Doc! What can I do you fer?” the clerk said. “I’m looking for my patient, uh, believe he goes by Stranger, correct?” “Uh-huh...And?” the clerk asked, then fell silent. Doc looked up to the outlaws, them glaring at his back.
“Yes, well...uh, I need him to be down here this instant, if you please,” Doc spoke politely, waiting for the clerk to reply any moment. “Well, sorry, Doc. But he and his partner’s out bounty huntin’ their last. But, I-I’ll be happy to tell them when they get’s back,” the clerk said. Doc blinked nervously, but hidden from the outlaws. Sweat ran down his wrinkled face. “Oh...ok. Please do so, sir. And thank you for your time,” Doc’s words quivered a bit. “No prob’, Doc! See yah!” the clerk spoke, and hung up. Doc hung up the phone as well, looking back to the outlaws sneering.
“Well...?” D. Caste asked impatiently. “Uh...he wasn’t there right now,” Doc pushed his hat back up on his head correctly, then cleared his throat. “Well, I did what you said, and we’ve agreed that you wouldn’t kill me. Now, may I ask once more for you...filth outlaws...to leave my office,” Doc pointed to the door, but the outlaws chuckled deviously. D. Caste shoved his face to Doc’s.
“Didn’t yeh hear? Outlaws don’t keep a promise!” D. Caste cackled back, snapping his head back. “Bring out the rope!” the Outlaw ordered to his minions, them laughing and chatting back to one another. A Shredder came up with a white nylon rope, snapping it at Doc’s face. The outlaws moved on in closer to him, having their knives and weapons out on their arms. Doc moved as far as he could back, until he touched the back of his counter. The outlaws chanted smatteringly in unison, “Bring ‘im out! Bring ‘im out!” D. Caste made a choke lasso, hanging it down in front of Doc’s face, and grinning evilly. The outlaws continued moving in on to him, until they all piled on to him. He knew, at that point, nothing would be able to save him, as they carried him outside, D. Caste looping the hang rope over his neck, and looked up to a long sticking out pole above his office doors. The canyon echoed with only the Doc’s screams, and his lingering death.
“Wow! These guys just don’t seem to stop!” Umi said in a loud whisper, hiding deeply in a thick brush of reeds, placed in front of a squad of minions. Two Semi-autos stood on wide perches, while two Nailers stood under them, and three Shredder outlaws stood further out front. They finished the shanty campsite further behind when they exited the cart, and now had passed through the slit passage behind to a sharp turning bend with a few road blocks. Stranger lured most of the outlaws to his pile of Rabid Fuzzles laid out in front of the Howler Punk as a defense for the little rat. He shot out further to the outlaws behind, and gave the Semi-autos a Thud slug in the gut. The Fuzzles dropped off the corpses of the fallen outlaws, their bites and scratches on their faces leaking little blood. He quickly bountied them up before moving on. They passed down the squiggling path around a right turn to an open gate, leading to a shady area of tall pine trees looking over an old barn. A stone bridge held over their heads, as they moved on in through the gate. They slammed themselves up behind a tall rock, hiding from the one that they came for: Fatty McBoomBoom.
“Uh...boss? I think we got’s a problem,” a Shooter spoke up undoubtfully up to the Outlaw.
“Well, if you’re thinkin’, son, then really, do have a problem...” McBoomBoom snickered at his insult. “Alright, now listen up. I want you and yer boys, to shoot off the head, of anybody that moseys on in ‘ere. There ain’t no way I’m not going down without a fight,” Fatty clenched his fist together, and his minion nodded up to him. He pulled up the end of his tattered white tank top up to his face, wiping off the sweat beading from the evening humidity that stung at his face. He corrected his eye patch so his sight wouldn’t be so far fetched if someone had already came on to his turf. Red faint tatoos ran all over his chest, arms, and under his shirt, markings of what looked like tribal marks, or hunting marks. He was the ruffle of someone’s tannish-brown hair flurry over the tall rock he viewed to, and became more alert. “Listen up! Someone’s hidin’ over there! At that rock! Get ‘im!” Fatty shouted, pointing a chubby finger over to the rock.
“Damn, they got us...” Umi scornfully said, reloading her Needler. She was running low on her Needler cartridges, but she didn’t notice. She only cared if she had some to grab for. Minions began to swarm near the rock. Stranger setted down Fuzzles around their perimeter, loading on when he ran out Stingbees and Thud slugs. Umi kept an eye on her side, while Stranger watched his. The Fuzzles attacked the first few outlaws that came near, but some got through without a scratch. Minions appeared at Umi’s side as well, getting a face full of pink needles, spined and exploding bits by bits. Little shards came from over the side of where she was, sticking in to one of the trees next to her in a glowing pink shape. The minions died down one by one, them still flowing in a stream up to the rock.
Fatty squinted over to the rock, seeing his men being blown to bits and being knocked out with rock-hard bugs. He growled impatiently, grumbling to himself, “Why do I have to do everything myself? Can’t get good work these days...” “Give me a rocket!” he shouted to his closest minion, which was a Shooter. The Shooter jumped to his boss’s unexpected shout, and ran in to the barn, and rolled out a thin rocket up to Fatty. He snatched it up, and loaded it in to his rocket launcher. “I suggest you step back. Unless, you wanna be fried,” Fatty snickered, squatting down slightly and holding down his rocket launcher. “GET READY STRANGER!” he shouted out, holding tightly on the trigger. “‘CAUSE YER GONNA DIEEEEE!” he screeched, pulling down the trigger. He jumped high, and the rocket shot under his feet, sending him flying over to the rock.
“What the...” Stranger mumbled, seeing the Outlaw fly up above the trees, then back down. He snatched Umi by the arm, and ran away from the rock. Fatty then came soaring down like a rock, nearly above them. He jumped down on the ground, holding Umi under him. Fatty impacted the ground, the earth rumbling under their bodies. Stranger looked up from the grass, seeing Fatty standing before him. His impact left a pretty decent size crater behind his legs. No wonder why they called him “Fatty”.
“Well, well. What do we have here? Stranger, and...no, it can’t be!” Fatty nearly screamed, looking at the head of the human. “It’s the human! It’s still alive!” he yelled behind him to his minions, then came back to them with a grin. “We heard all ‘bout yer lil’ conception between the big purple-ass Sleg you’s fought with. Kinda impressed me thar, human,” Fatty gave a sly grin to her. She scowled at him, moving up from under Stranger’s heavy legs. Stranger stood back up, still watching Fatty for any sudden moves. He had his arms down by his sides, his bow still unlocked, but had a Thud slug still on, but hiding it from Fatty. “But...since yer head’s still on bounty, I’ma just have to kill yer Stranger friend ‘ere, and take’s you in m’self,” Fatty approached Stranger, with his rocket holstered on his shoulder, with one arm hanging down.
“I don’t think so,” Stranger’s neon eyes sparkled, snapping his arm up, and firing the Thud slug he kept on his bow at Fatty’s gut. He suppressed a loud groan, supplanting it with a heavy exhale of wind. Fatty thumped down on his knees, keeling over his arms and holding his stomach, moaning painfully. He lifted his head to Stranger, giving a mucus-caught growl up to him. He held his bow up to Fatty’s face, with a Bolamite rubbing its two fat fangs in front of him. He nearly squealed at the spider, trying his best to stand upright.
“Oh, this ain’t over yet, Stranger. C’MON OUT BOYS!” he yelled over his shoulder. Two Snipers up in an open shaft lit their rifles with a red-green spark. Two Flamer outlaws emerged from the barn, refilling their gas tanks with propane, mumbling and growling through their white stained masks. They were evenly matched. The Flamers were the ones to start the match, scorching out blue-hot flames from their long nozzles of their flamethrowers. Stranger backed away from the flames, loading on his last two Thud slugs, and firing them through the stream of flames, blocking in to their nozzles, and backfiring in to their gas tanks. The flames reached the gas tank’s supply, and exploded in to a bluster of metal shards, white flames, and chunks of meat and blood. Fatty had reached back up to the roof of the barn, reloading his rocket launcher again. The Sniper were last, red streams of smoke passing by Umi’s and Stranger’s ears. They hugged back again to the rock, Umi peeking over to the Snipers. She hoped that her needles would reach the Snipers, and shot the entire clip at both of them, with eyes shut tight. When she opened, all she saw was the pink dust in the shaft blow out in the wind, and parts of the minions blew out as well. All were defeated, except one.
Fatty frantically loaded his rocket launcher, hearing all his minions dead, and the jingle of the bounty hunter’s boots rattle out from behind the trees. He locked down the loading chamber of the rocket’s ammo, and held up his launcher shakily. “C-c’mon out, Stranger! Fight like a man!” Fatty shouted, aiming around to find the bounty hunter. The trees rustled calmly under the cool evening winds. The sun setted low on the rocky mountain tops. Everything seemed quiet to Fatty...wa-a-ay too quiet...
There wasn’t any fast movements behind trees, nor were there behind him. It seemed as a suspense movie in real life. But what he didn’t notice what was right above him...
Stranger hung off the branches low below the pine tree. He kept his movements silent as possible, as he lowered more down near Fatty. He left Fatty linger more in suspense, then came the pounce. He jumped off the branches, suppressing the shaking of the trees and his voice that was nearly to come out. When he got quarter near Fatty, he let out a gigantic yelling roar at his head, then wrapped his arms around Fatty, holding tightly down on his neck. They wrestled for a while, Stranger beginning to win. Fatty was fatiguing quickly with all his wrangling and running around. All Stranger did was hold on tighter, as Fatty kept crawling around.
“All yer gonna do is get more pain, Fatty! The more you wrestle, the harder I hold on!” Stranger shouted in to his ear, but Fatty didn’t heed Stranger’s caution. He panted heavy, sounding like he was going to have a heart attack any second he continued his sprawl. He thumped down on his knees, bending down near the boarded floor, and spitting on the floor.
“D-damn you...bounty hunter...” he mumbled, still heaving heavily. Stranger grinned behind his ears, and kicked off his back, knocking him down with ease. Fatty didn’t get back up, instead continued to catch his breath. With the advantage at hand, he wrapped Fatty up, with him not even trying to break free. He bountied Fatty up with ease, and giving a grin of excitement. His last bounty, with more than enough moolah for his operation.
“Boom, boom, I say,” Stranger cocked his head aside. Umi climbed up the ramp to Stranger, on top of the flat roof of the barn.
“Wow, easier than you thought, huh?” Umi asked. Stranger nodded in agreement, perching his hand on her shoulder. “Let’s mosey on back ter town, so’s we can, cash ‘im in, and get to, Doc’s,” Stranger smiled, looking down at an open gate under the barn. They ran through, following down the deep tunnel, opening another gate, and continuing down. They heard the familiar sound they started off with, feeling a cool mist brush over their faces. They turned down the exit of the tunnel, feeling the mist becoming stronger when they faced. The waterfall thundered over the exit of the tunnel, falling steeply down in to the deep end of the Mongo River. Umi smirked up to Stranger, he looking down at her face.
“You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?” Umi asked in a cool tone. Stranger grinned with her, looking back to the waterfall. “Oh, yeah...” he purred happily. She ran on without Stranger, sprinting out to the exit. She leaped off the edge of the tunnel, and curling herself in to a tiny ball, screaming, “CANNONBALL!” The heavy force of the waterfall splashed across her back, parting it slightly through, and down to the river. Stranger chuckled, following faster behind. She splashed down in to the river, the river gulping her up in a high wave. Stranger came flying down in a swan dive, pulling his arms and legs together in to a dart shape. He darted in to the river, diving deep down to Umi, she beginning to resurface. He kicked off to her, grabbing her around the stomach and carrying up to the surface. She grunted, releasing a series of air bubbles following up to the surface. They broke through the water, inhaling deeply and looking up to the orange setting sun. Umi shook her head full of hair off the water soaking in, looking up to the soaked Stranger. He looked like a wet dog, she almost laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Stranger asked childishly. She suppressed a smile, stopping her giggles. “Nothin’,” Umi lied. Stranger smiled slightly, pressing his nose up to her soaked head and kissing her. He swam back to shore, shaking off the water on his poncho and fur. Umi swam back out to fetch his hat that unexpectedly washed off, wringing it out her best of the water absorbed in it, but he managed. They walked back off the shore, up passed the sky cart facility hoping Joe wouldn’t show his ugly face again, and back in to town, with Stranger’s heart filled with nothing but joy.

[LoboDiabloLoneWolf]

Well, even though I'm clueless about SW, I got one thing right...Stranger can't tell jokes ...Urg, worst joke ever

Yeh, it was amusin', chicken nugget...hee hee, Oddworld, here comes McDonalds.

[Edit:]

Tater tot!? That's Hilarious, hi-la-rious.