Leonardo had a long way to travel before he was going to reach his parent’s farm. It was going to be several months before he would reach the county line. Fortunately the farm was only a few days from the county line and the town lest than a day’s ride from there. He knew that if he was going to go after Oroku Saki then he was going to have to go above Saki and present his documents to the county officials. They would then determine the rightful owner of the land.
There wasn’t much time. The land was in a state of limbo at the moment and under the jurisdiction of the county. If no one stepped forward in time to claim the land then the county would decide what to do with it, which meant that it would most likely go up for auction. All Leo had to do was present the documentation to the county officials and the land would be his. Then he would tell them that Saki had killed his parents in order to get the land.
That was all the vengeance Leonardo needed, to see Saki brought to justice for the crimes he had committed.
The problem was that Saki had taken out a bounty on Leonardo, claiming that Leo had stolen from him and that it was Leo who had killed his parents. Apparently, Saki had sent out several bounty hunters to capture Leo. He was able to evade them so far but his picture was showing up everywhere. It was getting harder to avoid attention. So Leo had to be careful.
Leonardo looked over his wanted poster. Saki was offering a handsome reward for his head but Leonardo wasn’t the only one Saki was after. There was a poster right next to his with the likeness of another turtle on it. He was wanted for murder. And, like Leo, he was wanted dead or alive. There was something that told Leo that the other turtle was just as innocent as he was.
Leo had changed his appearance as best as he could. He had found a dark blue hat and a nice pair of shirts that he was able to adjust to accommodate his shell. He hoped it was enough. It actually helped that he didn’t have Hob with him.
He fell into old habits and stole what he could to survive and foraged for everything else. He was getting sick of fish. He missed his mother’s stewed pork with boiled egg and vegetables. A wave of anger overtook him for a moment, causing him to curse Saki for messing up his life and he tore down his wanted poster. He didn’t care anymore that his father wasn’t going to let him leave the farm and go to the town. He just wanted his family back.
Leo had managed to pinch the purse off of a man in another town and was hoping to spend some of his new found wealth on a good meal. The sounds of a men laughing told Leo that there was a saloon nearby. So he led his horse down the road until he found the place. He paid the boy at the stable to take the horse for the night then grabbed his bag from his cart.
The saloon reeked of tobacco and unwashed bodies, the stable had smelled better, but Leo’s hunger kept him from leaving. He sat at an empty table near the fireplace, the smoke from the burning wood actually helped with the smell. There was a man playing a piano but to Leo it just sounded like he was just pressing the keys with no real song in mind. To make matters worse, the piano was out of tune.
Leo paid a serving woman for some food and drink and almost regretted his decision the moment the food got to his table. Whatever it was, it was grey, flavorless, and cold. It was not what he had in mind when he entered the saloon.
Not wanting the money to go to waste he ate the ‘food’ anyway, knowing that he would pay for it later. As he ate, another woman approached him. “You looking for some company tonight?”
Leo looked up at her and shook his head. “No ma’am. I would like a room though.”
“Ain’t none left,” the woman said. “Unless you want to share with me.”
Swallowing hard, Leo once again shook his head. He had no intention of losing his virginity to a whore.
The woman shrugged. “Suit yourself. If you want a place by the fire tonight it will be seventy five cents.”
“That will do fine,” Leo nodded and handed over the money.
He was hoping to turn in early but do to the fact that his ‘room’ was a spot on the floor he would have to wait until the owner called it a night. He was not looking forward to curling up with a bunch of strangers.
As the night wound down most of the men in the saloon went either upstairs or left. There were only three other men who stayed to sleep on the floor. Grabbing his bag to use as a pillow, Leo walked over to the fire to find a place to sleep.
“Not the most comfortable of options,” a rabbit said as he sat on the floor. “But still better than sleeping outside.”
Leo nodded in agreement and then added, “I’ve been in worse places.”
“As have I,” the rabbit smiled. “But I don’t think I have had food as bad as the swill they serve here.”
Leo laughed, “I never thought I would miss having fish.”
The rabbit tilted his head, “It is not like your kind to eat meat of any kind.”
“When you are on your own, you do what you must to survive.” Leo replied as he lied down. Something about the rabbit made him uncomfortable. He was digging for information. Leo wasn’t about to give it to him.
The rabbit extended his hand, “My name is Usagi.”
“I’m not looking to make friends,” Leo rolled over so that his back was to Usagi. “I just want to get some sleep.”
“Very well,” Usagi said, ending the conversation.
A day of hard travels had Leo falling asleep fast but years of being on the road kept him alert. Every shifting movement, every sound from the other men had Leo waking up and clutching his bag. It ended up being a long night and in the morning Leo felt like he hadn’t slept at all.
With a grunting sigh, Leo got up and checked his bag to make sure everything was still there. Satisfied that nothing had been touched, he left the saloon and headed to the stables. He had no desire to have whatever they were offering for breakfast. When he saw his horse, he was relieved to see that at least it was well taken care of.
He hitched the horse back to the cart and set his bag inside before jumping up in the driver’s seat. Leo made his way through the waking town and spent the rest of his money on food and supplies. He bought a variety of fruit and vegetables and what he would need to preserve them. He even had enough for some dried meat and eggs.
Leonardo had a smile on his face as he headed out of town. For the first time in a long time, things were going his way. The best part was that there seemed to be no ill effects from his dinner the night before.
The sound of an approaching horse had Leo turning and he saw Usagi. Leo’s good day came to an abrupt end. It left Leo to wonder if Usagi was a thief or a bounty hunter. One thing was for sure, the rabbit wasn’t really there to make friends.
Leo turned back around and continued on his way, hoping that the rabbit would just pass him by. No matter how much he wanted to outpace him, Leo’s horse drawn cart was not as fast as Usagi’s horse burdened with only one rider. It didn’t take him long to catch up to Leonardo. “Where are you heading?” Usagi asked.
“East,” Leo lied.
“Oh,” Usagi said, sounding regretful. “I am traveling west. That is unfortunate. I was hoping for a traveling companion.”
Leo scoffed. Of course. Leo only said east because he suspected Usagi to be following him and to respond by saying that he was going the same way. He was planning on correcting himself to west in order to throw the rabbit off but now that was ruined. He couldn’t travel east on a whim. He needed to go west to get to his destination. So through gritted teeth Leo said, “Actually, I need to go west. I was mistaken.”
“Well this is good news,” Usagi beamed. “It makes the journey go faster when you travel with someone. Are you heading into the next county?”
“I am,” Leo nodded. “I have some business to settle there.”
“As do I,” Usagi said.
They traveled in silence together for a while until they were away from the outlying farms. They passed by a river and Leo noticed another box floating in the water that was similar to the one Slash was in. It led him to wonder just how often the Snappers did such a thing. With a sigh, Leo continued on his path, he couldn’t save them all.
“I noticed that you do not speak with an accent,” Usagi said. “Most of your kind has a heavy accent when speaking the common language.”
“I studied really hard,” Leo replied.
“Or, is it perhaps because you weren’t raised by the turtle tribes?” Usagi ventured as he pulled out his gun. “Stop your horse. I don’t want to have to hurt you.”
“I knew it,” Leo grumbled as he pulled the horse to a halt. “You are not the first to try and collect this bounty and you will not be the last. I will get to Saki and I will make him pay for what he has done.”
“You are the one who has stolen from him,” Usagi said. “I am simply here to collect his property. If you give me your word that you will travel east and away from where he resides then there will be no reason to kill you.”
“I stole nothing from him,” Leo snapped. “He killed my parents because they wouldn’t sell him their land and now he sends assassins to kill me and take what is mine. I will not let him have it. I will bring him to justice for his crimes.”
Usagi kept the gun fixed on Leo but Leo could see in his eyes that the rabbit was thinking. “I believe this is why Saki had instructed me not to enter into a conversation with you.”
“Yeah,” Leo scoffed. “All the others simply shot at me. You are the first to talk to me at all. Saki didn’t want them to give me a chance to tell them the truth.”
Usagi’s eyes narrowed, “That makes sense. But I am still not sure if it is the truth.”
“The two documents Saki wants are the deed to the land and my parent’s will leaving it to me,” Leo explained. “He wants to destroy the will and use the deed to claim the land. I also happen to have a signed confession from one of his former employees. I am hoping it will be enough to put him away.”
“If what you are saying is true then I want no part in this,” Usagi said, lowering his weapon.
“I may be a lot of things,” Leo said, “and I may have broken plenty of laws but I haven’t murdered anyone.”
“Yes,” Usagi agreed. “You are wanted by more than just Saki.” He raised his gun once again, “I guess I could turn you in to one of them and collect the reward. I have never been known to let a wanted criminal go.”
“Are you kidding me,” Leo shouted. “Every crime I have committed is because I have been on the run from that lunatic.”
“No one has made you commit crimes,” Usagi shook his head. “You chose that path for yourself. Where is Hob? There is a reward for him as well.”
“He died,” Leo said as he glared at Usagi. “Snake bite.”
“That’s too bad,” Usagi tisked. “That is an awful way to go. It must have been hard for you to watch.”
“Don’t act like you are sorry for my loss,” Leo snarled. “You’re just sorry that you won’t be able to collect the bounty for him.”
“I’m not the criminal here,” Usagi said. He gestured with his gun, “Now get down so I can tie you up. And keep your hands up so I can see them. We don’t need this turning into a gun fight.”
Leo and Usagi dismounted at the same time. Usagi reached for the rope that was attached to his saddle then proceeded to tie Leo up. Once the knots were secure, Usagi guided Leo up into the cart and tied his horse to the back. “At least I’m not taking you to Oroku Saki.”
“Thanks,” Leo mumbled as he lay down. His heart sank. His family land was lost to him and Saki was going to get away with murder. Usagi got up into the driver’s seat and urged the horse forward. Leo looked up at the back of Usagi’s head. “Where are you taking me?”
“We are still going west,” Usagi answered. “You are wanted in a town not too far from here for theft.”
“Please don’t do this,” Leo begged. “All of my crimes are petty. They are nothing compared to what Saki had done. Without my testimony he will go free.”
“You still need to pay for the crimes you have committed,” Usagi answered. “I am truly sorry for your loss and I hope that one day you will be able to find justice as well.”
The rest of the trip was done in silence. It was hot and even though he wasn’t moving, it wasn’t long before Leo was sweating. The open skies were soon replaced with the tops of buildings as Usagi rode them into town. They came to a halt outside of the jailhouse and Usagi pulled Leo from the back. “My bag,” Leo said as he placed his feet on the packed dirt. “I won’t be able to get my justice if I don’t have what is in my bag.”
Usagi nodded and retrieved Leo’s bag from the cart then led Leo into the jailhouse. “I am here to collect a bounty,” Usagi announced as soon as they entered.
“Very well,” the jailor said and pointed to an open cell. “Untie him, strip him down to the waist, and put him in there then place his belongings in that box there.” The jailor then pointed a shot gun at Leo as an incentive to cooperate.
Leo didn’t put up a fight while Usagi followed the jailor’s orders. When the cell door was closed, Usagi turned to the jailor. “Do you mind if I stay here for a while? It is hot out and I would like a chance to cool off for a bit.”
“There is water in the barrel over there,” the jailor said. “I need to go collect your money anyway.” He left them alone in the jailhouse, complaining about the heat as he stepped outside.
Usagi removed his shirt, hanging it on a nearby peg. With a heavy sigh he shook himself and placed a wet rag at the back of his neck. Leo’s eyes moved over Usagi’s form, admiring his strength and despite himself, found himself wanting to see more. Dipping the ladle into the barrel, Usagi took a drink.
Leo shook his head, chiding himself for being caught up and leaned up against the bars, “Can I get a little? My throat is parched.”
“I don’t see why not,” Usagi said and scooped up some more water.
When he held the ladle out, Leo grabbed Usagi and pulled him towards the bars. There was a brief struggle but Leo proved to be stronger and managed to hold Usagi back against the bars. “If Saki wins and I end up losing my land because of this I will hunt you down…. But then again, we both know that once you leave I’m going to be taken and turned in for Saki’s bounty. You may not be killing me yourself but what you are doing will result in my death. He is far worse than me but that doesn’t’ matter to you does it?” Realizing that there wasn’t anything that he could do to Usagi, Leo pushed Usagi away, “Enjoy your money, bounty hunter.”
Usagi watched as Leo turned and sat down in the corner before reaching down to pick the ladle up off the ground. “I am not heartless,” Usagi said. “I do not wish for you to die.”
“Whether you wish for it or not,” Leo said, crossing his arms over his plastron, “It’s going to happen. I’m helpless in here.”
“You are correct. I hadn’t thought of that,” Usagi returned the ladle to the bucket and sighed, “I am going to regret this.” He then turned and retrieved the keys from the jailor’s desk. “But if I am going to do this, we better hurry.”
Leo couldn’t believe that his little speech had worked. He was up on his feet as Usagi worked to open the lock. When the cell door opened, Leo grabbed his things and headed for the door. They made it only a few steps before the door opened and the jailor returned with another man. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“I’ve changed my mind,” Usagi said. “You can keep your money.”
“You can’t do that,” the jailor said. “This turtle is under arrest. He needs to pay for his crimes.”
“The crimes were all done by his associate, Hob, who is dead.” Usagi said. “Leonardo himself did nothing wrong.”
“I know what you are doing, rabbit,” the jailor pointed at Usagi. “You learned of the larger bounty on this turtle and are going to collect that. Well you can’t. You gave him over to me, he is mine now. My brother is going to collect that bounty.”
“That is not going to happen,” Usagi said, pulling his gun. “You’re going to let us walk out that door.”
“I don’t think so,” the other man said, pulling his gun. “That bounty is ours.”
“I don’t have time for this,” Leo growled and pulled his gun.
“This I getting ridiculous,” Usagi pointed out. “We are getting nowhere like this.” He shot at the door frame, making the jailor and his brother duck. Taking the opportunity, Leo and Usagi plowed passed the men and out of the door.
Usagi untied his horse from the cart as Leo dumped his things in the back and jumped into the driver’s seat. They set off at a thundering pace, the cart bouncing wildly along the bumpy road. Shots were fired behind them and one bullet hit the cart. Leo looked over in time to see Usagi’s horse falter and fall.
For a moment, Leo thought about leaving him behind but decided to stop, help him collect his things and climb into the cart. It was all done in a matter of seconds and they were off again before their pursuers could reload their guns or catch up.
Leo pushed his horse to run and didn’t let it stop until the town was out of sight. Once the cart had come to a halt, Leo stood up in the driver’s seat and looked behind them before looking down at Usagi. “Are you okay?”
“I really liked that horse,” Usagi griped as he sat up. “I think I will be covered in bruises from that ride and I am covered in egg but otherwise I am alright.”
“Thank you,” Leo said then sat back down and urged the horse to move. They couldn’t stop for long. The men would be after them sooner rather than later. “I owe you.” He looked back over his shoulder at Usagi. “When I get my land back I will need some help. You are welcome to join me for a simple life of farming.”
“That is tempting,” Usagi smiled. “I will consider it. We’ll see how well we get along over the next few weeks.” He lied back in the cart and looked up at the sky. “How do you plan to take on Saki?”
Leo thought a moment before answering. “I know I can’t go directly to the county officials myself. He most likely has men watching the place. I will go to the town where he resides. There I will hide out and send a message to the county officials to come and investigate my claims. I will have to find someone to help me of course.”
“I will see if I can help but after that incident, I’m sure word that I helped you will get back to Saki.” Usagi took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “My reputation as a bounty hunter is ruined.”
“Once Saki is dealt with,” Leo assured him, “that will no longer matter.”
