If Wishes were Cheap-Shots

Chapter Four

The sky became somewhat overcast.

Befitting the mood, Orangusnake thought.

The wind picked up and blew his cape perfectly as he stared down at the grave he had made for Mao Mao. There was a little vase with flowers sitting on top of the mound.

Daisies.

As the rest of the crew, wide-eyed and solemn, stood at a respectful distance on either side of their emotional captain, Orangusnake bowed his head before the grave. Boss Hosstrich and Ratarang exchanged shrugs when Orangusnake had his eyes closed. They straightened up again once his eyes were opened.

"Oh, Mao Mao," he said wiping away a stray tear. "I just want to say that as much as I despised you as my enemy, I really respected you as a rival. Something in my hearts and souls has been torn by your unfitting parting from this world. I know it was a cheap-shot, and I know wherever you are your honor has been besmirched by such a parting. Please accept my peace offering with you so that you may be a free spirit once more."

Elegant tears began to fall, and the wind blew them twinkling from his cheeks.

"There, there, Boss," said Ratarang patting Orangusnake on the knee.

He and the other two assumed Orangusnake was finished, but just as Orangusnake looked about to turn away he threw out his arms passionately towards the mound of dirt and gasped, "Oh!"

He almost kicked Ratarang by accident, and just as Ratarang got out of his way, Orangusnake stepped on his tail instead.

"Ack!" Ratarang cried, and tried to pull out from under the foot. "Hey, I'm dyin' here!" Yanking on his tail proved as useless as his shout as Orangusnake continued.

With arms again at his sides, Orangusnake said, "Who am I fooling? Having you as an enemy gave my life meaning, after all. You were the one responsible for who I am today! Without you I'd probably still be catching my tail on mousetraps in people's pockets as they passed by the beach road. Without you, I'm just a petty thug and not a pirate. I almost wish that you were still alive so that we could have gone on like we were— two creatures in combat—at least for a little while longer..."

Still under the mound of dirt with his head sticking out the side of the cliff and unnoticed by the completely distraught lunatic, Mao Mao had been listening quite to his regret to this psychotic monologue. With one eye squinting very low and the other raising up in disbelief that anyone could speak so stupidly, he was pretty much frozen for the moment. When at last he found himself enough to exchange one squinty eye for the other he muttered, "What is he talking about?"

"But that's all in the past," Orangusnake went on putting a hand over his face.

Even the Tanner-half's head looked rather morose though he really did not know why.

"Now, the world must move on," spoke the mouth of the Coby-half as the usual speaker of the two-in-one villain.

How befitting that the sky was continuing to darken. Rumbles of thunder could be heard in the distance as the wind grew into a gale.

"But at least, if you could do me a favor for old time's sake, Mao Mao!" Orangusnake prayed with hands folded and head bowed in worship of his fallen foe. "Give me a sign." He held out his hands and bowed on one knee finally releasing Ratarang's tail; the rat sped off like a bullet crying and kissing his tail as he stroked it like a wounded pet. "Give me a sign that you are well in the afterlife and that I am free to move on."

"Oh, make me puke, why don't ya," muttered Mao Mao, but he blinked and his eyes went wide. A slow smile formed on Mao Mao's face.

The wind died down, and Orangusnake felt his cape close in around his shoulders. He sighed, and stood upright with shoulders slumped. He sniffled.