Wanted

#8 | Shocking Display of Skill

Sly nodded. "Yeah, this seems more genuine. Let's check it out."

"Hey!" the man shouted as he slowed his pace and reach the group. He looked to Sly. "Yer attire, you're a Ranger, right? Please, you have to help us!"

"Yes, of course I am," Sly said and straightened his posture. He looked to Curtis and Mabel with a wide smile. Curtis sighed.

"There's an Outlaw," the man explained. "He's wreakin' havoc in town and no one's been able t'stop 'im."

The man looked up at the mounted Ranger with pleading eyes. Sly glanced to Curtis and Mabel once more, then stared down at the man.

"Of course," Sly said again. "Who would I be if I couldn't help a people in need." Firefly started walking forward slowly, then turned so Sly could look at the man. "You should stay here, sir. Obviously, things seem dangerous. We'll take care of it, though; don't worry!" He looked at the Outlaw in the wagon and gestured with his head toward the middle of town. "Let's go, Dawn."

Curtis furrowed his brow; he didn't really like when Sly gave him commands like that, but he didn't want to leave Proudkeep to suffer.

"Oh, thank you!" the man cried as the group made their way into the heart of Proudkeep. "And be careful! They're a dangerous one!"

Sly rode closer to Curtis and said in a low tone, "Do you think this guy has a Spell?"

"I don't know," Curtis groaned. "Maybe. I'm sure we'll find out more once we find 'im."

"So, does Proudkeep really not have its own Rangers?" Mabel asked, climbing out of the wagon and onto the little bench at the front where Curtis sat. "If a town as small as Sunnyville had a Ranger, surely Proudkeep has at least one."

"Yeah, I'm not sure," Sly said. "I agree that there should be one here, but maybe they're not responding for some reason. Like how only the police showed up the Bad Mouth's robbery, but no Rangers, even though Onyxlanding definitely has several stationed there."

"Yeah," Curtis chimed in. "That was weird. I hadn't thought about it 'til now. Any idea why they wouldn't've shown up?"

Sly shrugged and shook his head. Then, the sound of a crowd caught the Outlaw's and Ranger's attentions.

"Mabel," Curtis said. "Get back in the carriage. We don't know what we're up against."

Mabel sighed frustratingly, but knew Curtis was right. She had been able to help before against foes with weaponry that, while unique, was predictable after a brief study., but if facing someone with a Spell, their powers could be incredibly dangerous and more uncertain. Mabel hid in the hooded cart, but peeked through a small tear in the front of the cloth.

Straight ahead, Curtis and Sly saw a large crowd gathered around a large bank. The bank sat in front of the perpendicular street that ran east from the main road. Law enforcement were standing around outside and keeping the crowd away from the building.

"Another bank robbery?" Mabel wondered aloud. "Maybe Rangers just don't respond to those?"

Sly stopped and gestured for Curtis to halt, as well. He rode closer and suggested they switch places: Sly drive the wagon and Curtis ride Firefly.

"Being seen together seems unavoidable here," sly stated. "I figure it would be best to make it look like you're in my custody.

Curtis looked ahead at the crowd. There was a very good chance he would be recognized by the police. He groaned again and reluctantly climbed down from the carriage bench and hopped onto Firefly's back. Sly tied Firefly's reins to the back of the carriage with some rope from Curtis's satchel and handed Curtis some shackle handcuffs.