Gacha Gacha Hero

Ash, Luke, and Ave hurried down the corridor to the stables. They entered the stables through a large wooden door. Several tarpans were waiting patiently in their stalls.

Ave started to open one of the stalls. “Find us some saddles and bridles.” She said to the other two.

Ash and Luke looked at each other in confusion.

“What are… what are those things?” Luke asked.

“Haven’t you ridden a horse before?” She asked him.

“Yes. But I’ve never actually done the saddle-before-part.” Luke smiled.

Ave turned to Ash. “What about you?”

Ash shook his head. “I’ve never even done the animal part before. What are we looking for?”

“The saddle and the bridle.” said Ave.

The two boys stared blankly at her.

“The top part and the face part.” She tried.

*Dull silence*

Ave threw her hands up. “Nevermind. I’ll do it. You two keep watch.” She spun around and started leading a tarpan out of its stall.

Ash ran over to the entrance of the stable and looked out into the courtyard of the Mayor’s mansion.

Luke walked over by the door leading into the mansion. He didn’t see anyone so he tired to listen for any footsteps nearby.

*Scratch*Scratch*

He looked down.

A small squirrel with a vest was standing next to the door. The squirrel scratched the door ineffectually with its paw. Then it turned his furry face towards Luke. The messenger rodent gave him a pleading look.

“Hey now. Don’t look at me like that. You’re gonna get me arrested.” Luke said.

The squirrel’s eyes were full of lost hope at being unable to complete its mission.

“Oh alright.” Luke said as he opened the door.

The tiny critter scampered inside.

“The office is down the hall on the left.” Luke called after the animal.

“Squeak”, came the reply.

“I had better get out of here before the horses turn against me too.” Luke said to himself. He turned around and jogged off to see how Ave was doing.

#

The Helmeted Guard was staring at a map of the town laid out on the table in front of him. He casually let ash from his cigar fall onto the map.

Jack let out a sigh. He wiped away the sweat on his forehead and straightened his shoulders. “I think I know what you should do,” he announced.

All of the other people in the room turned to look at him.

whispered his father next to him,

The Helmeted Guard took another drag from his cigar.

“Excuse me sir.” Jack tried to keep his voice from breaking. “I think, or rather, I suggest, that you search the roads and woods around town.”

The Helmeted Guard stomped over to Jack. Smoke curled from beneath the metal segments of his faceplate. In the dim light Jack could see no eyes beneath the mask.

“Are you trying to give me orders boy?” The guard’s voice was hollow as a grave.

“More of a suggestion… about what you should do?” Jack swallowed hard.

“Did I ask you for any suggestions?” Bellowed the guard.

“No but… I know the town and… I would…” Jack was losing his breath.

“You would do well to be silent.”

“I was only…”

“If your father hasn’t taught you manners. Perhaps I should.” The armored guard raised one of his gauntleted hands above his shoulder.

Jack squeezed his eyes shut.

*Slam*

The door of the smoking room slammed open.

“Squirrel sir!” The Mustache Guard ran panting into the room.

The Helmeted Guard held still. Jack was still standing paralyzed in front of him.

“What is it?” The Helmeted Guard hissed.

“It’s a messenger squirrel sir!” The Mustache guard held up a tiny roll of paper.

“At this hour? What does the message say?” One of the other Guards in the room stood up.

“It’s from one of our patrols. They say that they’ve located the Royal, er, the fugitive outside of town.” The facial hair wearer replied.

“Where?” The Guards’ leader slowly lowered his hand.

“In the woods sir.” The message carrier replied.

“Is that right?” The Helmeted Guard leaned forward.

Jack leaned back.

“How very… convenient.” The Guard commander hissed.

“What should we do sir?” The Mustache Guard asked politely.

“Seal off the town.”, came the reply.

The assembled guards in the room looked at each other in confusion.

“Sir?”, one of them asked.

“You heard me.” The Helmeted Guard shouted.

“But what about the message?”, asked the Mustache Guard.

“Ignore it!” The Helmeted Guard shouted again.

The other guards shut up.

“I will be pickled before I take orders from a squeaking, red faced rodent. Or from a squirrel.” The Helmeted Guard spun around to face his men. “There’s something fishy going on here. I want this entire town searched top to bottom until I find out what.”

“Yes sir!” the other guards shouted.

The assembled guards leapt to their feet, saluted once, and then marched out of the room. Jack was elbowed to the ground as they walked past.

The Helmeted guard strode to the door. He turned and gave Jack a dismissive stare.

*Hmph*

He left.

Jack rubbed his neck again. He sat down hard on the floor.

“I’ll make Ash pay for this one.”

#

“I can’t believe that worked.” Ash smiled to himself.

The group was making their way out of the West Gate. There were a few townsfolk with lanterns on the street but most were on their way home. The three of them were riding their tarpans on the road leading out of town.

“You didn’t know if it would?” Luke asked.

“I estimated we had about a fifty-fifty shot. That’s why we had to move quick. I had to see Jack and start talking before he could come to any ideas of his own. If I could convince him that he was going to get to be the hero in this story then he might go along with what I had to say.”

Luke nodded along. “Not bad. That’s very clever.”

“It was, wasn't it.” Ash grinned.

Ave spoke up. “I hate to bring this up but there’s a very good chance you two won’t be able to come back here.”

“What do you mean?” Luke asked.

“Yeah? Once clear Luke’s name everything can go back to the way it was.” Ash said.

“You may not have noticed but he had wanted posters on his desk. Of you Ash.” Ave continued.

“Wait, he had a wanted poster of me?” Ash snapped.

“That’s right. A poster of Luke makes sense. He’s wanted in the Capital after all. I’m sure the Guards probably brought some with them. But a poster of you. You’re just a local forester. There’s no reason to have a wanted poster of you unless…” she trailed off.

“Unless…?” he trailed on.

“Unless he was always planning to say that you were involved from the beginning.” she finished.

“So that sneaky weasel was going to frame me before I even walked in the door? That son of a …!”

Ash fell off of his horse.