SMG4 Movie: WESTERN SPAGHETTI (IF MEGGY WAS THE VILLAIN...) (Novel)

Chapter 8: Vote (Blue Jay and The Kraken)

~ 10:55 A.M. ~

Tari watched as Kaizo, Bowser and Axol took SMG3's body out towards where they had previously buried SMG4. Guilt swept over her as she saw his limp body dangle in their arms. It was all my fault he killed himself. If I didn't become Sheriff, he probably would've still been alive. Maybe if I didn't make him go Vigil...
   "Hey..."
Tari turned to see Mario staring up at her with big eyes.
Tari didn't realize that Desti had also placed a hand on her shoulder. "It wasn't your fault, Sheriff. The boy was miserable from the start. Their was nothing you could've done to change that."
 Tari turned her head. "But I could've prevented him from doing it if I knew he was gonna..."
Desti shook her head slowly. "No you wouldn't of." She blinked away a tear. "Believe me."
Tari felt heavy, as if she had just rose out of a deep pool of regret. I could of stopped it though! Maybe if I talked with him a little more...
Ugh. I'm such an idiot!
   "Tari, Mario doesn't like this place anymore... Mario wants to go home..." Mario had spoken when Desti was out of earshot as she walked away to assist the others.
Tari could feel Mario's fear radiating in the atmosphere. "Mario misses the Showgrounds. His house. Can we please go home? Mario doesn't want to be here anymore..."
   "But Mario... if we leave... then we're leaving all of these vulnerable folk behind... without a Sheriff on top of that!"
   "But... but Mario..."
   "Mario, this town has lost not one, not two, but THREE of it's citizens. In the span of what? A MONTH? Imagine what it'll be like when we leave!"
   "But Mario doesn't want to die!" Mario howled in a protest. "Mario just wants to be home in his house... eating Spaghetti, tormenting his friends..."
Tari sighed. "I know, Mario. I want to go home too. But we can't just bail on these kind folk. They need us!"
   "Well at this point, Mario doesn't care!" He snorted as he kicked a pebble below his foot. "They can all die for all that Mario cares!"
   "MARIO!" The audacity!
   "What?! Mario's just saying! He'd rather be back at home with his real friends, than hang around, waiting to die with these... strangers!"
   "Mario, they aren't strangers!" Tari's voice cracked with disbelief. Since when did Mario think that? Were all of those moments with him and the others; them laughing together, having a good time...
Did all of that mean nothing to him?
   "Mario thinks they're okie dokie. But getting killed is not on Mario's bucket list!"
   "And we wont!" Tari snapped. "Not if we're cautious."
Mario frowned but didn't reply. He was obviously upset, but he knew that he didn't stand a chance at winning this argument.
   "I promise Mario, what ever happens..." She gently latched onto his shoulder with her robotic arm. "I will try my very best to protect you and everybody else." Almost to herself she finished off. "Especially you."
Mario blinked his gratitude with big, puppy eyes. "Really...?"
Tari nodded. "I promise."
 Mario's eyes sparkled as she finished her reassurance. As if back to his jolly self again, Mario ran over towards SMG1 and the other remaining folk that weren't busy carrying Three's body.
Tari's smile faltered. What if Mario was right? Could we really survive like this?
Maybe we should go home...
But we cant, Tari! I'm the Sheriff now, and I promised these folk that I would protect them with my life. But what if I couldn't even protect myself? What would happen then? What would happen to these folk if I was the next to die? What would happen to Mario if I died?
  Tari's mind was swirling with so many horrifying scenarios. Meggy would have this place destroyed in a finger snap. Nobody here has the strength to defend themselves without a Sheriff. And everybody here; SMG1, SMG2, Desti, Axol, Bowser, Karen, Melony, Luigi, Kaizo... and even Mario...
They would all die without me.
 The thought alone made Tari's stomach turn. It's a horrible time to wish for something like this, but I really do wish that Meggy was here to coach me on what to do in this situation...
Because even I don't know what to do.