Chapter 2: Rumbling Riot

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The sheriff’s eyes widened. Without thinking twice, he ran into the messy bar. There he saw people fixing the surroundings—some still complained about the happening, while the others thanked the other deputies. Unfortunately he did not see Summers Shrewd. He then hurried himself outside the saloon and looked around. There were a number of gossipers sneaking about the incident, but he did not see the woman. He looked around the bar once more, but still Summers wasn’t there. He almost lost hope but he knew giving up was not a decision. Still hopeful, he looked from afar. At last he saw her—the blue-haired woman briskly walking away against the crowd, as if she was trying to escape from the police. With her was the boy who was Harvey’s hostage a while ago.

“SUMMERS SHREWD!”

The sheriff ran and yelled again and again, desperately catching the lady’s attention. He was almost there, but the villagers who walked the opposite direction delayed him from getting to her. Persistently, he continued his call.

“That voice,” Summers spoke softly.
“What?” asked Tyler.

Summers held the boy's hand and walked back to where they came from. Tyler didn’t know what went into his mom’s mind, but he followed her anyway.

“Summers Shrewd!” The call still came from the air intermittently. The woman followed the voice until she found herself running back to the saloon. There she saw a tall slim man in a police uniform who now stared at her with blue round eyes. The guy had this huge scar marked on his left cheek and his blond hair partly covered them.

“ACCEL!”

Surprised upon seeing him, Summers cried and dashed to the sheriff’s arms. Because of her strong push, they both fell onto the dusty ground. They still caressed each other, but the lady had the stronger grip.

“I badly miss you, Accel,” she said, shedding tears of joy.
“Same with me—I thought you would never come back,” the man answered.

They never believed that they’d soon find each other's arms again, but thank God those doubts had finally ended.

“There’s a lot I want to tell you, darlin’!” Summers told Accel and kissed him around his head.
“So do, I baby!” he said, laughing.

“…But before anything else, I want to ask you something,” Shrewd spoke. The sheriff just stared at her. And before the woman continued, she got up and pulled Accel from the ground.

“If you are wearing that uniform,” the lady assumed. “Then it means—you are the sheriff who called for Harvey’s attention?”

The blond only laughed.
“It’s a long story, pretty girl. Let me take you to my dwelling first and I’ll tell you everything,”
Accel held his darling’s hand. He gazed at her face one more time, making himself fall in love with her much more. Soon he was witnessed waving goodbye to his deputies.

“Where are ya goin’, officer?” Harris asked.

“I’m taking our heroine at the congress,” Accel replied. “…and I’m taking her home, too!”

Harris was puzzled upon the sheriff’s answer. What did he actually mean by “I’m taking her home, too”?As the couple walked, the blue-haired suddenly stopped.
“Wait,” she told Accel. “We’re forgetting somebody to come along with us,”

The blond looked at her, wondering. He then remembered the teenager whom Summers was with, and as he looked at the crowd, he saw the boy from there, staring back at him.
Accel’s eyes shrank. That kid seemed so familiar.

“Is he—” the man asked and turned to Summers. The woman just smiled and nodded, telling him “Yes, he is.”

* * *

Next...Chapter 3: En Masse

Chapter 2: Rumbling Riot

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“Put the boy down, Harvey. Be a real man,” the sheriff said as he positioned his hands, to be sure he’s ready for the shootout just in case his enemy breaks the orders.

“Just like in the movies, isn’t it?” ol’ Harvey mocked. “The bandits run away, and the sheriff makes them pay. But in real life, no one can catch me!”

“Pardon me, grandpa?”
A feminine voice suddenly came, butting in Harvey and the officer’s duel. Harvey looked behind only to find out that his comrades now lied on the floor unconscious. Behind him was Summers, proudly holding the gangsters’ weapons.

“Curse you, little…!” he yelled.

As Harvey took the chance of gunning down Tyler, the kid rapidly swayed his right leg upwards, swiftly kicking Harvey’s delicate face that left him screaming in pain. Tyler escaped and grabbed the weapon from his captor and aimed it at him.

“You can drop that gun now, Hunter…It’s over.” The blue-haired claimed.
The deputies at last put the bullet-proofed handcuffs on Harvey’s hands which were especially made for the convict himself.

“Well, whaddya know?” the woman smiled, taunting. “You paid for it, old man! Just like in the movies!” she added, slowly waving her forefinger.

Harvey only growled. “This is not over yet, lady. Our match is only about to begin…”

* * *

Soon the townspeople hoorayed for the most-wanted criminals were finally arrested. They thanked the officers as well as Summers for doing a job well done. And as for the officers themselves, they also gave their gratitude to the blue-haired lady.

“Thanks for helping us stop those felons,” one of the deputies told Shrewd whose face never gloomed, even after that rumbling riot.

“The sheriff will assist you to get your reward at the congress. By the way, my name’s Harris,” the deputy added and offered his hand. At first Summers felt uneasy giving her name, but since she wasn’t really involved with the crime and she was long forgotten, introducing herself was quite safe for now.

* * *

“Sir, our hero is a woman,” Harris reported the sheriff as he walked outside the saloon. “I saw her stop the gangsters before me. She was really good!”

The deputy’s words got the sheriff curious. For his entire life, he never saw nor even knew a heroine in Sendsand Town, nor was there a lady who joined in duels in the mentioned place. There was no woman in history that ever held a gun; except for one whom he knew very well. Could it be—her?

…But that’s impossible, the officer thought, because that woman he knew well would never come back to him. Nevertheless, he carried on.

“So, our hero is a woman, eh?” the sheriff asked. “What's her name?”

“She hesitated telling me at first,” the deputy stated.
“…Her name was Summers Shrewd.”

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Chapter 2: Rumbling Riot

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“…And what’s your name again, old man? Was that Haughty ol’ Harvey I heard?” Summers asked, hardly stopping her giggle.

“His name sounds like a retired clown,” Tyler butted in and peacefully sipped his coffee.

“How dare you make ol’ Harvey an object of laughter!” the outlaw blurted. This time he was steaming with anger, like a hideous beast roaring from burning hell. He slammed his pumpkin-sized fists to the table until his hat fell to the ground, finally revealing his notorious face. All heads in the bar turned to them, whispering on each other in curiosity.

“Aaw, you just hurt poor Harvey's feelings, Tyler. Tell him your sincerest apology,” Summers continued, saving her beer that almost fell with the damaged table.

“Holy cow! It is Haughty ol’ Harvey!” a customer yelled, recognizing the giant’s fierce face. Everyone gasped in freight. They learned that the saloon was now surrounded with danger.

“Run for your lives!” a coward alerted and hopped from his seat to escape. But before he was able to reach the heavenly exit, the furious criminal pulled a gun from his holster and shot the poor cowboy.

“Nobody runs away from meeh!” the outlaw yelled. Still unsatisfied, he fired his weapon to a moose trophy which adhered to the wall above the exit, trapping all the people inside the bar. This even made the people panic more. And as a result, the nasty offender felt more excited. He took off his poncho that covered his entire appearance and with a roaring voice he declared, “THIS MEANS WAR!!!”

The gangsters swiftly leaped from their seats as they pulled out their pistols and began to shoot Summers and Tyler. The two quickly parted ways, rolling themselves onto the ground and into the covered tables of other customers. And within that stirring moment there was absolute chaos—people screamed and hid themselves under the tables while the goons continued firing their guns everywhere. Some of the cowboys even involved themselves in the shootout for their own excitement. There were violent sounds of breaking glasses and windows which even created a more horrifying noise than the people’s hysteria. And still discontented, the troublesome group kept their weapons alive, shooting the accused who underestimated their boss.


“Aaarrggghhh!”


A loud cry was heard. The gangsters thought that they had finally caught one of those brats, but to their surprise the voice came from their own ally, Stanley.

“Boss, Stanley’s shot on the leg!” the fat member warned Harvey, but their merciless leader didn’t pay attention to it.

“Mind him later—get the woman and the brat!”

“Not so fast, varmint!” a young voice was heard.
It was the kid who rolled over the floor just behind ol’ Harvey. The teenager abruptly swept the felon’s foot to trip him up, but because Harvey was heavyweight, slipping him was impossible. Instead, the malefactor himself immediately caught Tyler and seized the boy’s neck using his powerful hand. The youngster was now unable to free himself.

“Put him down, old man!” Summers said, aiming her weapon at Harvey. The crook only laughed at her.

“Go on, shoot meeh darlin’! This lad is begging fer yer help!”

The blue-haired then noticed that the two other felons were now aiming their guns at her too—she was now cornered. Shrewd gnashed her teeth. What must she do now?

“Put your hands behind your head, Harvey! You got 20 seconds to step out of the bar!” a familiar accent was soon heard from the outside.

“Boss, i-it’s the sheriff!” Larry alerted his leader. The people in the saloon slowly came into silence—and some of them cried for joy, whispering to themselves “We’re saved!” for their rescuers had finally arrived. The hoodlums now showed a feeling of despair. Nevertheless, this hadn’t petrified one man yet.

“Don’t just give me those faces, you dimwits! Show them what we’re made of!”

Harvey then stood in front of the swaying doors. He kicked away the trophy that obstructed the exit and carefully picked his gun from his holster. Still seizing Tyler, the outlaw walked outside the bar with pride.

“He got himself a hostage, sir!” one of the deputies told the sheriff.

“Just keep your guns aimed at him. We don’t know his plans,”

The officer stood up and walked slowly towards the bar’s façade. He paused in front of the scofflaw.

Next page...

Chapter 2: Rumbling Riot

Previously, on Chapter One..

A strange but alluring woman named Summers Shrewd came back to the nostalgic Sendsand Town. She came along with her son to find her long-awaited love, Accel. They stopped by at a busy bar to linger for a moment and take a glass of wholesome beer (and a cup of coffee).

* * *

The merry laughs of cowboys, cheers of drunkards, and rustic melody of the piano continued a harmonious background at Good Mornin’ Saloon. Ironically, the time stretched a moment of serenity from outside. Shortly in the middle of the happy hour, a sequence of heavy footsteps was heard thumping into the bar. It came from those three average-looking men and a colossal one who especially shook the floors with his heavy feet. Just like any other cowboys, they all wore a twisted old hat that covered half of their faces. The biggest of them bit a tobacco with his razor-sharp teeth; his left hand gently stroke his goatee while the other hand hid in his pocket. The giant appeared to be on his middle age, based on his body structure.
The three other men who stood beside him stopped by a table from the corner while the giant himself spotted Summers Shrewd and slowly walked towards the woman.

“Excuse meeh, young lady…” the stranger spoke with a deep, creepy voice as he pulled a chair from an occupied table and sat next to Summers.
“Ye seem tuh be new heere.”

Summers and Tyler were surprised upon the old man’s greeting. As the blue-haired glanced at the men from afar who stared back at her, she recognized their familiar features. Although she smelled trouble coming her way, Summers thought playing a game for the moment would mean no harm at all.

“I came to visit this nostalgic town. But it saddens me to see another pile of garbage spoiling its beauty,” she taunted the stranger. The stranger himself then felt surprised upon the lady’s words. She talks like she’s been heere fer a long time, he thought, as he looked back at his gang from afar who then turned away in shame.

"I knew it," Summers whispered to herself. Everything she suspected from these guys was totally obvious. That trio was indeed her competitors for plundering around Sendsand Town when she was younger. So, if the three cowboys were familiar enough, what then, would be the role of this big ol’ newbie?

“Ahem,” the giant spoke, shifting his voice to a gentler one.

“Looks like you’re an old friend of this town who came back. What a perfect time to give me entertainment,” he continued.

The enormous stranger came closer to the woman and offered her a hypocritical smile. Shrewd noticed the pervert’s hand lifted, slowly crossing towards her legs—but as the old man tried to do so, Summers immediately grabbed his hand and crushed his fingers, leaving the poor old man screaming in pain.

“Didn’t your mother tell you how to treat a lady?” Summers taunted.
“Don’t try to mess up with meeh, woman—yeh don't know whom yer talkin’ to!” the man warned her. Shortly the waiter butted in and served the beer and coffee on the table. The waiter quickly traipsed away learning that the most-wanted criminal was sitting with his customers. And as for Tyler, he only watched Summers and the stranger talk while he sipped the hot coffee he was served with.

“The name is Haughty ol’ Harvey—the nastiest and yet the strongest outlaw of Sendsand Town! Those are my sidekicks whom I’m looking from afar!” The stranger proudly whispered, pointing at the suspected trio. Harvey thought that his words had finally scared Shrewd, but because he had spilled it all without thinking first, the woman now learned his identity.

“Oh, finally! A new recruit from the Loser Squad,” Summers ridiculed him and showed a fake yawn. “I hope you'll lead them well! They hardly know anything that they badly need a babysitter,”

“Did you just call me a BABYSITTER!!?” Harvey uttered.

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Chapter 1: Return to Sendsand Town

It was past nine in the morning and the sun was almost at its peak. The long quiet streets gradually changed into a bustling edge as people, young and old, slowly crowded the placid spaces. Bakers opened the windows of their sweet-smelling pastry shops, dealers and merchants started displaying their goods, while the rest were customers who came for the morning rush with their children. Horses soon walked along the isles, pulling carriages where their masters sat in front, and passengers stayed inside the vehicle waiting to reach their destinations. The roads of Sendsand Town were later filled with a crowd—and when seen in aerial view they appeared like ants scattering in search of food.

Moving against the crowd was a blue-haired lady who stood differently among the rest of the women in town. She wore a sleeveless blouse and a pair of dark-colored jeans instead of a descent silk dress. She walked in leather boots that matched those of a wild horseman’s shoe in a rodeo competition. She appeared malicious with her way of dressing, but her charming green eyes and smile had invited people’s curious attention. Her tight clothing even revealed how slender her body was that she appeared like a stunning rose to the beholders—and little did they know that in some ways she was a very thorny blossom. Some townsmen knew her as Summers Shrewd.

Soon Summers Shrewd was found walking in at Good Mornin’ Saloon, a famous bar in Sendsand Town. As she pushed the swinging doors open, all the people inside the buvette turned their heads upon her—looking as if they’ve seen a naked woman. Ironically, the piano on the stage was continuously played by the musician, who knew nothing of what was going on. The music still filled the large room with a merry cowboy background.

Shortly, a spiky-haired lad followed. Despite his emerald eyes that equaled those of the strange Summers Shrewd, his eyes displayed a malignant look. His hair color almost matched his pale skin, and the excess was tied down like a tiny ponytail. From his appearance and height he seemed to be 14, and as though he was a younger brother of Summers Shrewd. But no, he was not really Summers’ sibling at all—he was in fact her only son.

As the two walked in, the people especially the men fixed their eyes on the woman’s face. Some of them stared at her buttocks and some—admittedly, ogled at her large fronts. Only then did they go back to their businesses when the light-blue haired lad next to the lady looked at them with hostile eyes.

Summers paused on a table next to the biggest window of the shop. From there, she could see the outside view of the busy and dusty town. She sat on that area, looking from afar as if she was waiting for someone. On the other hand the boy followed her to the table and called for a waiter.

“I’ll have a bottle of beer, please,” Summers ordered, staring at the menu while she bit her finger and her legs crossed.

“Make that two,” the boy added with a grin.

“No, the boy only gets coffee,” Summers favored the waiter and chuckled.

“What?” The teenager reacted.

“Tyler, you’ll just have coffee,” the woman told him.

The cerulean-haired just sighed. He couldn’t disobey his mother this time. After all—who pays the orders?

“That’s so unfair of you, mom,” he told her.
But he wasn’t mad—he was just a little frustrated. He often believed that whatever his mother does he should do, too—but as a result he was scolded for doing that, just like several years ago when he stole Summers’ handguns from her cabinet. The lady was and still, a good handler of guns, that’s why the child often imitated her. Tyler happily played with the weapons that day, shooting birds that chirped on a pine tree which stood next to their house. He was only seven back then and because he was careless, he dropped one of the guns that almost took his life. Luckily the guns had run out of bullets before it fell to the ground. And what was his reward after that? A loud heavy spank on the ass!

“Tyler, you can have beer as long as you want—when you’re old enough,”

“Well, you don’t look old enough to me, either.” The boy joked sarcastically.

The woman laughed and thought that he was flattering her. And the way the kid told that to her sounded like one of Accel’s sweet-talks. She then remembered those memories she and Accel had before. But that was a long time ago until the Great War began. And no, Accel didn’t die—he and Summers were only separated by that war—and the man was left with their daughter Shannen, Tyler’s only sister.

“You okay?” the youngster asked, seeing the lady with a blank face.

“Oh…nothing!” Summers answered, ceasing her daydreams. “You just reminded me of your father again…” she paused. “Aren’t you excited to meet him soon?”

The teenager only looked down.

“Well that’s what we came here for…after all those years…but I just don’t know what to tell him…” the boy said. “What does he look like, anyway?” he added softly.

Summers chuckled. “He looks exactly like you—except that his hair is blond…like your sister’s, Shannen.”

Tyler went to silence. For twelve long years he never imagined there would be another person living in his life other than his mother—not an idea how this blonde girl appeared to be, and what she sounds like. And thinking about it only gave him a headache.

Summers gently held the teenager’s hands and with a pat, she spoke, “Chill out, Hunter! I’m sure you’ll like them. I promise!”

* * *

Next...Chapter 2: Rumbling Riot