SMG4 Movie: WESTERN SPAGHETTI (IF MEGGY WAS THE VILLAIN...) (Novel)

Chapter 4: The Nightmare (Run and Hide)

(WARNING/TW: MENTIONS OF HEAVY GORE, BLOOD, DETAILED DEATH! ⚠️)

~ 6:56 P.M. ~

The day went by quickly. Tari and Mario were still at the saloon. They didn't go out to search for their friends because they forgot. They found themselves too memorized by the games and food, that they didn't realize it was getting late until... well... it was too late.
   "Mario!"
Mario was seen on the other side of the saloon, chatting with a few of the Western Spaghetti folk, which seemed pretty odd to Tari. He seemed.... normal? If that was even the right word? Usually Mario would pull something stupid or reckless, but... he seemed like a regular citizen here. Especially around other people. But he seemed like his normal dumb self when Tari interacted with him, so what gives?
   "Mario!" Tari repeated, slightly more agitated.
Mario heard her yowl and turned to face her. "Yeah?"
   "Mario, lets go!" Tari pressed. "We got to go! Come on!"
   "Where are we going, Tari?" Mario swooped beside Tari, looking up at her curiously.
Did he forget that we were supposed to go out and look for our friends? Typical Mario.
   "We've got to find our friends, remember?"
Tari was taken by surprise when Mario snapped. "Of course I remember!" Turning towards one of the windows, he continued. "But isn't it getting late?"
   "It's only a few minutes before seven." Tari reassured. "We can try to be back by eight."
   "But Tari!" Mario whined. "Mario's too tired to go look. Can't we go look tomorrow?"
   "And risk spending another day here? No thanks. We're getting out of here as soon as possible!"
   "But Mario wants to stay!" Mario pouted.
Tari whirled her head around and snapped. "No buts Mario! Come on!"
Mario's face dropped.
   "...Please?..."
Mario's eyes narrowed and he let out a loud exhale. "Fine..."
 Smiling and nodding approval of Mario's acceptance, Tari walked towards the saloon doors. Opening them, she stepped out, with Mario behind her. The sky took the look of a pretty orange, blended with a bit of pink. It made Tari's stomach turn. It reminded her of Meggy.
Can't I go one minute without thinking of her?
She sighed.
No I guess not.
 As the two walked further away from the saloon, they could hear nothing but the wind stirring up the sand, making a swooshing noise that rung through their ears. It was warm out, but something still made Tari suppress a shiver.
 As the two finally made it to the entrance of Western Spaghetti, they both got ready to step foot out of the boundary. But right before they did...

"OI!"

Startled, the two turned to face the source of the voice.
   "What are ya'll doing?"
Tari recognized this guy! It was SMG3 as far as she could remember. SMG4's deputy.
   "Oh, we were just--"
   "People are prohibited from crossing this boundary after seven!" 
   "But it's not--" Tari paused to look over at a mini clock tower.
It was 7:01.
   "--Oh come on!" Tari snapped. "It's only one after seven."
   "Sorry, I don't make the rules. I would totally change them if I wanted to, but I'm only the deputy here, so."
   "Well it's a stupid rule!" Tari lashed out.
Shaking her head, realizing that arguing was only going to be a waste of time, she inhaled. "Look, this is very important. We need to cross this boundary. Just this once."
   "Nobody, nObOdY, is permitted to leave Western Spaghetti, after seven."
   "Why not?" Tari growled in a soothe voice. She was angry, but she wanted no confrontation.
   "With Meggy the Gargantua and One-Shot Wren out and about, the sheriff had set more rules and boundaries that we must follow. ...As stupid as it is."
   "Swag or SMG4?"
SMG3 raised his eyebrow. "What? Does it matter?"
   "Kind of, yeah. If it's a rule that SMG4 laid, I can ask him if he could let us bend the rule for just this one time."
   "Pfth, and you think he'll actually listen to you?" SMG3 mocked. "Even if he thinks he knows what's right for this town, he wouldn't be stupid enough to let you cross, and that's saying something because he is stupid."
That's what you think, Tari thought to herself, clearly pissed off.
   "You newbies have no idea what danger you could be putting yourselves into if you do. Plus SMG4 would get in shit if he let you guys leave. So even if he did have the heart to let you have a free pass, he literally couldn't."
That's a good point.
   "Tari, are we really going to stand around and argue with this Waluigi looking ass all evening?"
   "Hey!" SMG3 snapped in a protest. "As you know, I look way sexier than that Smash Brothers wannabe."
Both narrowed their eyes.
   "What?" SMG3 spat. "You guys clearly don't know what beauty looks like If you're comparing me to that piece of garbage!"
   "Come on Mario," Tari spoke, turning back towards him, ignoring SMG3's yapping. "Lets go."
   "Oh no you don't!" Out of instinct, SMG3 leaped over in front of the two, eyeing them angrily. "You think this is all a joke? Get lost!"
   "Come on!" Tari pressed. She was clearly having enough of SMG3's overreacting. "It's not like we'll be out long. we'll be back by eight. No later." When Tari saw the unconvinced look on his face, she finished off. "Nothing will happen to us, I promise."
   "Is it so bad that I want to keep your asses safe?!" SMG3 sneered in reply. "I'm the deputy here, and as the deputy, I say to GET LOST."
Tari was about to open her mouth to object again, but she was Immediately cut off. "NOW!"
   "FINE!" Tari, in rage, turned to stalk away. "Come on Mario!"
Mario couldn't bring himself to speak to Tari, so he just silently followed her, keeping his mouth shut.