Chapter Fifty-Eight: One Day at Pleasant Lake

Peter Masters tapped the ground impatiently as chaos reigned supreme around him. Lara was pressed up against him and Maddy was up against her.

"This is the LAST time I let you talk me into retail therapy!" Maddy scowled at Lara, who shrugged.

"It's because we brought HIM along. Him and his bad luck!" Lara jabbed her husband in the ribs.
"Next time we're carrying our own shopping!"

"Gladly!" Peter snapped. To be honest, he was kinda glad that the turf wars had interrupted the shopping excursion – being the pack mule was no fun.

"Hopefully Chuckles and Giggles get here soon." Lara looked out from under Peters arm. In front of them, a Crusader was fiercely battling an Emerald Mobster. The Crusader, surprisingly, was winning easily, the shield on his arm protecting him from the Emerald Power while his replica Mystic Eight Gun provided plenty of firepower. The Emerald Mobster didn't survive long, and the Crusader was about to help one of his gangmates when an Emerald Shard hit him in the chest, paralyzing him long enough for his neck to be snapped by another Emerald Mobster.

"Brutal." Lara turned pale.

"HEY! LOSERS!" They heard a familiar voice that made them feel better.

"Although why she has to be inflammatory all the time is beyond me." Peter muttered.

"She's YOUR daughter." Lara pointed out.

Giggles went right for the head of the battle, where Crusader Mark and Crusader Roger were battling Mobster Marion and Master Revolver. Behind her, Chuckles was trying to herd civilians to safety.

"The Knights of the Last Order should be here soon!" He called to Giggles. "So I'll give you a hand in a second!"

"Will you two-just-will you cut it out?!" Giggles tried to pull Crusader Roger and Mobster Marion apart. "NO! Revolver! MARK!" She then rushed over to stop Crusader Mark and Master Revolver from killing each other. "WAIT MARION STOP!" She then had to seperate Mobster Marion and Crusader Roger again. "REVOLVER STOP SHOOTING MARK!" She rushed back to stop Master Revolver from killing Crusader Mark.
"It's like running after toddlers." She groaned, trying to wrestle Mobster Marion and Crusader Roger apart.

"HEY! GIGGLES! Let me help you there!" Sir Dark ran over to help. "Why do you guys INSIST on doing this where there are innocent people around?!" He groaned as he pried Crusader Marks hands from Master Revolvers neck.

"Because it keeps people in fear of us. Kinda the major thing that keeps us in power around here." Master Revolver replied, firing off his shotgun and nearly blasting off Crusader Marks face. Crusader Mark retaliated by trying to shoot him in the chest – the only thing that saved Revolver was Sir Hedgehog pulling him to safety.

"This is chaos!" Lady Courage quickly pulled an unfortunate citizen out of the path of a pair of battling criminals. "You try and get people out of here and your path is blocked by guns and swords!"

"Tell me about it." Chuckles groaned, running to the aid of Giggles, who had both Mobster Marions sword and the Dragons Scale Scythe at her throat.

"Easy guys!" Giggles tried to back away slowly.

"If you insist on getting in our way, you're going to get hurt!" Crusader Roger prepared to slash her head off.

"Don't even think about it!" The Dragons Scale Scythe connected loudly with the Lions Claw Blade, while Chuckles deflected Mobster Marions sword with one of the Arms Scythes.

"Thanks mate." Giggles jumped backwards, putting some distance between her and the two warring criminals.

"This isn't any of your business, leave this to the grownups punk." Mobster Marion swung her sword at Chuckles, who dodged and deflected a blow from Crusader Roger. He narrowly missed having his head removed by the Dragon Scale Scythe, before Giggles grabbed him and flew to safety on a nearby building.

"I give it ten more minutes before they get bored of it." Chuckles noticed that there was a large number of dead or injured criminals.

"You REALLY think a lack of bodies will stop them from fighting?!" Giggles groaned. "You KNOW that what you see in front of you isn't even HALF of these guys manpower; in fact I wouldn't be surprised if they call in WILL YOU AT LEAST DO ME THE COURTESY OF LETTING ME FINISH MY SENTENCES YOU JERK?!"

Chuckles had bolted, jumping down from the building top down balconies towards the road that lead to the markets. Sure enough, two convoys full of Crusaders and Mobsters was heading towards the battlefield. Quick as a button, Chuckles ran at the vehicles using the Lions Claw Blade to slash the tyres of the two convoys.

"Are…you…KIDDING me?!" One of the Crusaders jumped out of his van and scowled at Chuckles. "Not cool man. Not cool."

"Tell me about it." Another Mobster looked at his own tyres.

"You could always just head home and leave it for another day." Chuckles pointed out.

The Mobsters and the Crusaders scowled at each other.

"Fine then. You got off easy this time Crusaders. Run on back to March Hill before we change our minds." One of the Mobsters snarled, before walking back to Misneach Manor.

"So be it." The Crusaders headed back to their home base, all scowling.

"How Improbable." Chuckles laughed to himself. "I wonder how things are going back at the markets?"

The last of the Crusaders and Mobsters back at the markets were either injured or exhausted. They all eyed each other warily.

"Give up. You were washed out fifty years ago, and you should have stayed dead." Master Revolver snarled at Crusader Mark.

"You barely existed fifty years ago Gangster, if it hadn't been for us killing that Masters fool than the Death Valley Gang wouldn't have ever formed!" Crusader Roger barked back. Livid, Master Revolver fired off a nasty shot that nicked Crusader Rogers arm. He retaliated by attacking Mobster Marion, who was in range for a swing of the Dragons Scale Scythe.

Meanwhile, the Knights of the Last Order were sneaking the rest of the civilians out of danger.

"This feels far too familiar somehow." Lady Luck said to Sir Hyper as the last few frazzled citizens made their way to their cars and out of the market.

"Familiar how?" Sir Hyper asked.

"Just…familiar." Lady Luck wiped her brow.

Sir Hedgehog was panting, standing near the entrance of the markets, watching Mobster Marion and Crusader Roger continue to exchange blows. He had to admit, they were both exceptionally skilled with their weapons.

"C'mon, let's get you out of here." Giggles helped her father to his feet.

"Thank you Giggles." Peter smiled at her, as he took Laras hand and jogged to the exit with her. Behind them was Maddy, who eyed Sir Hedgehog warily.

Suddenly, the arguement between Master Revolver and Crusader Mark turned violent again, and gunshots were heard all around.

"Shoot!" Giggles groaned.

"Well, that IS what they're doing." Peter shrugged.

"Of all the times for bad Dad jokes." Lara scowled.

"We should be able to get past them, follow me closely!" Giggles pulled out the Lucky Seven Gun and lead the three stragglers to the exit.

"MADDY!" Sir Hedgehog cried. Crusader Mark was aiming the Mystic Eight Gun right at her!

"KEEP MOVING!" Giggles cried. Maddy froze. She couldn't move.

One of Sir Hedgehogs spines stopped Crusader Mark from firing the Mystic Eight Gun, but then Mobster Marion saw a chance to get one up on her hated rivals. Getting in between Sir Hedgehog and Maddy, she prepared to strike the young mother down.

"NO!" Sir Hedgehog threw another one of his spines towards the Mobster, who was speared out of the way at the last minute by Master Revolver.

Maddys eyes widened. She felt herself vomit blood, just as the spine entered her body.

She felt herself falling, hitting the ground.

She felt her world turn black.