A Thirst For Gold

A Thirst For Gold Release Date Sep 25th, 2011 - Part 1 Nov 29th, 2011 - Final Part Dec 6th, 2011 - Original Author(s) michael2021 Illustrator(s) ChocoChimbu Links All 7 parts Original

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“Glug glug... Urp... Hey prickly!! Another sasaparilla over here!” The purple-colored furred Pokemon slammed the glass on top of the counter’s surface. She was quite an oddity around these parts, a Pokemon with fur! Not many furred Pokemon are seen around Gambitville, the vicious sun would bake them with their insulation. However, on top of her head laid a lone leather hat, which was uncommon. Still, it was an odd sight to see such a strange fur-covered creature needing a hat.

“Ah... of course, but... may I ask you one thing?” The ‘prickly’ Pokemon, a Cacturne, asked from behind the counter, rather hesitant to grab the nearby bottle of sarsaparilla.

“What? Oh, yeah... like Mac dun said last night, you can just put all of it on his tab. I’m sure he won’t mind after our little soiree last night... khaha~!” A brief laugh came from the foreign Pokemon. Brief enough to indicate that she was still expecting her glass to be filled again, but that wasn’t the answer that the Cacturne was looking for.

“Ah... my apologies. I didn’t mean to ask you for that... it’s just... how are you able to be up and about after last night? When Mac drinks that much whiskey, he doesn’t get back on his feet until the evening! And yet you eagerly had as much as he did last night!” The Cacturne was concerned with such a question that he didn’t even pick up the bottle with which the foreigner desired for so much.

“Kheh... you kiddin’ me? Is that why I ain’t fillin’ my belly with the good ol’ sarsaparilla right this moment??” The foreigner was quickly becoming annoyed at the lack of service.

“Ah! Please... forgive me!!” The Cacturne had quickly bowed his head down, and then back up. “It is just... there’s only one other person capable of such a thing... and he...”

“...haha.. what? You mean that wrangler Guld? The one everyone in this sandy town would want gone?? Kheh... kahaha! Yeah, you’re a little close there!! Now come on!! Fill me up here, I’m thirsty!” The foreigner clacked her glass on the counter top repeatedly, and to comply with her demand, he finally opened the bottle and poured her a glass of sarsaparilla.

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“Glug glug glug...” In one swig, she vigorously downed the sarsaparilla, and then thanked the bartender... by burping in his direction. It was a very unpleasant odor, which seemed to naturally exude from her own body, but it was made even worse when mixed with the harsh pungiency whiskey carries with it. It was very clear that she had done quite a lot of drinking with this ‘Mac’ fellow last night.

“Argh... urgh...” The Cacturne bartender was almost knocked off his feet from the gassy odor, but he maintained balance by hanging onto the counter. In some cultures, such an expression can be taken as gratitude for good food and drinks, but for him, it was just a simple handshake with death.

“Kahahaha!! Sorry there, prickly! I couldn’t help myself, this stuff is just so good!! I could just drink it til’ I die!” The foreigner continuously slammed her paw on the counter top as she doubled over laughing.

“M-ma’am... Just... what are you...?” The Cacturne was gasping for air at this point.

“Guess I could answer that one for you right now... Ya see I’m a ‘Skuntank,’ who goes by the name of Syrup. And to answer that earlier question of yours... alcohol’s just another kind of ‘poison.’ Now up on your feet! Pour me some more of that!! I’m already thirsty from breathing them words!” The Cacturne had to reluctantly agree with her demand and filled her glass with more sarsaparilla. Again, and again, this would go on for minutes, from which the Cacturne would begin to think that a Skuntank must be a camel-like Pokemon.

“...Listen, ma’am. There’s a particularly good reason why no one’s around the saloon... and--” The Cacturne was concerned in particular for Syrup, but she did not care. “Keep the bottle pourin’!”

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...dong... ...dong...

The town clock rang its bell. ...eight...nine...ten...eleven times. It had become 11 o’ clock in the morning. A few seconds later, the door to the saloon creaked open to a large, slender shadow. It slithered into the saloon, only to reveal itself to be a sand-battered Seviper. The Cacturne began to quiver at the mere sight of it. “A-a-ah... w-what w-will it b-be today, G-G-guld...?”

“Hey!! Who or what in the hell are you?” Guld yelled while edging closer and closer to Syrup, who was just completely uninterested by his demands. “Hey.. prickly, I’m gettin’ kinda’ thirsty again. Can I have another glass?” Syrup calmly pushed her glass forward to the Cacturne bartender. The Seviper clearly couldn’t take the mere thought of being ignored too kindly.

“Didn’t you hear me? I sssaid--!!” The Seviper yelled at Syrup, but was interrupted. “Prickly... now would be a good time for my glass to be filled up, so why don’tcha do that, hun’?” Guld was furious, he was completely invisible to this foreigner, and he wasn’t going to have that any longer.

The Cacturne poured Syrup a glass, but just as he was about to slide it back to her, Guld immediately spit a dark purple substance into the glass. “Go ahead, drink that!”

Syrup didn’t touch the glass. Instead, she turned around to face Guld. “Now now... that’s no way to treat a lady like me... so... are ya gonna apologize to me?” She stared down into Guld’s eyes, which set him off to laughter. “Sssssssssahahahahahahahaa... it’sss jussst sssso sssilly that a lady like you would have the gutssss or the ssstupidity to mosssey into my town!!”

“YOUR town? Kahaha... listen to this bullhonkey!! I don’t see the name ‘Guldville,’ just ‘Gambitville’! Man, that’s rich...” Syrup was just so focused on laughing that she didn’t notice when Guld leapt forward for a whole second. A second that would determine whether a Pokemon would live or die; Guld’s tail blade would nick Syrup’s hip as she tried to jump to the side from reaction.

“Sssssssssssssssssssssaahahahahaha... You know, you had a niccceeeee behind on you... it’ssss sssuch a ssshame that a rump like yourssss issss going to wassssste...” Guld was so ensured that his first strike would be the very strike that granted him victory.

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“Kheh... sorry to disappoint you, but this rump of mine ain’t gonna be for you.” Syrup regained her ground, standing on top of her two hind legs.

“Laugh all you want! In jussssssssst a few ssssseconds, you’re gonna keel over!” Guld was eagerly awaiting for his trump card to go into effect, for he already played it... however, after five seconds had passed, “...?! Go on... keel over already! Aren’t you tired?!”

“Kahaha... nope. I’m as fit as fiddle! Why do you think I’d get all tired? Ohhh... wait... how cute! You think it’s because of this!” Syrup grabbed the glass which held Guld’s caustic spittle and gulped it down immediately, which made both the Cacturne and Guld’s head spin. “Ahh... see, you’ve got some strong juices, but that ain’t good enough for me hun~!” Syrup giggled slightly.

“Ah... argh!! You WENCH!!” Guld leapt toward Syrup with tail blade dead set toward her neck, but it was all in vain as Syrup grabbed his tail in midair with one arm, and then grabbed his neck with the other. “A.. gr.. argh! Releasssse me!” Even though the act made Syrup drop her hat, which was going to happen, given that she placed her hat right on top of her tail, her show of strength and reflexes were quite a sight to behold and clearly made up for such a blunder.

It was then that Syrup had looked into Guld’s eyes again, but this time, such a sight was filled with frightening intimidation. “Sorry hun’, but I just need food in my belly for a few weeks~” And with that, she pushed the tip of Guld’s tail blade toward his very own neck. Guld put all of his strength to resist, but that only gave him a few extra seconds before his neck and tail had met with each other. Guld’s body wriggled violently as Syrup pushed the tail blade deeper and deeper into his neck, until the violent shaking of the Seviper ceased.

“H-heaven and earth...” The Cacturne was in awe of this whole spectacle. He believed that he just witnessed two demons clash before his very eyes. “Hum? Oh... hey prickly... sorry about this mess, but just gimme a moment to deal with this guy.” Syrup slung the body of Guld over her right shoulder, as if he were rope. “Just gimme a few, okay?”

Syrup passed through the saloon doors. Several minutes passed. The Cacturne was worried about Syrup’s return. Even if she did defeat Guld, who was a menace of Gambitville, he would rather not see his killer come back and potentially destroy his saloon. However, Syrup’s hat was still on the floor... did she forget about it? No... it meant that she was going to come back, like she promised. The Cacturne gulped down, and accepted this.

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...dong... ...dong...

...eight...nine...ten...eleven...twelve. It was high noon. An hour had passed since Guld slithered right into his own death. And only a few seconds later after the final bell rang, Syrup passed through the saloon doors, returning with a large bag full of gold coins... and Guld’s dead body.

“Here you go!” Syrup dropped the bag of money on top of the counter. “‘Suppose that oughta cover my tab... also I wanna rent a room here. Right next to Mac’s room.”

“...mmmmmnumnumn...” A figure appeared from behind a door on the second floor of the saloon, it was a Krokorok. “Someone say my name? My head’s killin’ me...” Mac rubbed his head, trying to ease the pain of his hangover.

“Ah~! That was me hun~! Go back to bed, I’ll be up there in a bit!” Syrup waved and yelled back at Mac, which just amplified the pain of his hangover. “Not so loud... okay okay...” Mac slunk back into his room and closed the door.

“Ma’am... here you are...” The Cacturne prompted for her attention, giving her the keys to the room. “Thanks hun’! I suppose I’ll let you figure out all the expenses and what not!”

Syrup was about to make a dash to her newly acquired room when she just remembered something. “Khaa~!! I forgot!! Here...” She took Guld’s body, ‘unhooked’ his neck from his tail, and laid his body flat and straight on the counter top. “Ahh!! What do you want with me this time?!” The Cacturne felt as if he was being cursed for no reason.

“Hey... what’s your name anyways?” Syrup asked the Cacturne bartender. “...um... it’s Donahue...” Syrup was intrigued by that name. “Hmmm... Donahue... that name’s got a nice ring to it. OKAY!!” Syrup grabbed Guld’s lifeless body by the tail, sunk her fangs into the ‘hilt’ of the tail blade, and ripped it clean off. “Well... this is a pretty nice souvenir, wouldn’t you say so, Donahue?”

“Y-yes!!” Donahue was absolutely frightened by Syrup’s violent act. “Well... the mayor said I could do whatever I want to rid this body... so... how good are you at making some stew?”

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“S-Stew?! What!?” Donahue jumped at that notion.

“Well yeah, stew!! I don’t like things to go to waste. As you can see... I’m a very resourceful lady...” Syrup started to pick at her fangs with her newly acquired knife while she smiled at Donahue.

“Y... Very well. I will prepare your supper for tonight.” Donahue had no other choice but to prepare this dish. A demon devouring another demon. This day was just absolutely bizarre...

...but before that could be done; “Excuse me, ma’am!” Donahue yelled to Syrup.

“Hmm?” Syrup was midway through the stairs in her excitement.

“You... ah... you left your hat here...” Donahue pointed to where she dropped it.

“Ah geez!! I can’t believe I forgot about that thing again! I swear, one o’ these days I’m gonna completely lose it!” Syrup ran down to pick it back up, and put it right on top of her tail again.

“Um... maybe it might do you better to... ...well, maybe if you put you hat between your tail and head...” Donahue was slinking back. He didn’t want to offend Syrup in any means necessary.

“Ah jeez! Well ain’t that a good idea!!” Syrup fixed her hat as so, and then ran up the stairs. “See ya for supper!!”

Donahue didn’t know just how to cook this stew... but one thing was for sure, after he cooked this, he’ll need to buy new dishes.

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“Damn. He’s really good at cookin’, I’m gonna eat ‘til I explode!” Syrup was busily gorging herself to the Seviper stew she had specially ordered.

“...hey... you sure I can’t have some of that?” Mac was very curious to try Syrup’s dish. “Yeah, if you want spoonfuls of death in your mouth, sure! Say aahh...”

Syrup held up a spoonful of the creamy, purplish stew toward Mac. “...nevermind...” Mac sighed and shook his head.

“Jeez... Poor me~! I’m gonna eat and eat and die from so much food~!” Syrup stuck the spoon into her mouth and happily continued eating.

“I’m just amazed you did this so quick... I guess I don’t have to be worried about you anymore...”

“Hmmm?” Syrup was intrigued by those words. “Awww... you were looking out for little ‘ol me in your dreams this mornin’, weren’t you?” Syrup blushed. “W-well!! I mean, I guess it’s safe for me to keep on going to new places...”

Mac sighed. “O-oh... well, that’s alright, hun’. I’m gonna just be here, waitin’ for you.” Syrup continued stuffing her face. “...hey, something’s been itchin’ me when you came to Gambitsville... Why on earth did you come here, anyways?” Mac was puzzled by Syrup’s existence here.

“...well, I guess you could say I came here dying of thirst... and wouldn’t you know it, this town’s full of opportunity to drink up!”

“...hahaha! Well, that’s good. There’s tons of sharks in this ocean of gold here... I reckon you’ll keep them busy for quite a while...” Mac chuckled as he tried to sneak his claw to Syrup’s spoon. “Hey, I said no!” Syrup slapped Mac’s claw away.

“Ah... so cruel...”