[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/6bK49TU.jpg[/img][/center]
[b]”The Ranchero of Miracle Mesa” - Glitter And Gold: Part Seven[/b]

[center][i]“The Cowboy must never shoot first, hit a smaller man, or take unfair advantage.”[/i][/center]
[center][indent]-Anonymous[/indent][/center]
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[indent][b]New York City, New York --- The Raft Prison Island[/b][/indent]
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Vigilante had never given much thought to how The Spirit saw the world. He’d thought it a kinda mess of goods and evils, targeting him to wrongs that had to be righted like some kinda vengeance-seeking-missile. But somehow, he could sense a [i]weight[/i] coming off these folks, if it weren’t enough to see ‘em so haggard anyhow. A weight mightier n’ anything Vigilante had ever seen sat on their shoulders; but here they were, riskin’ life and limb against Mr. Crayola Model Magic over there, crazy spandex or not.

[quote=@Morden Man]
[color=#f6b26b]“Old Chrome Dome [i]really [/i]isn’t playing around this time. There was enough on that one to flatten me. You’d better keep your heads on a swivel, people.”[/color]

[color=#3d85c6]“You heard the man,” [/color][color=#ffffff]Reed shouted to the others as he assumed control.[/color][color=#3d85c6] “The Surfer’s not pulling his punches anymore. If he hits you, you’re going down for the count. We need to play this one smart. Johnny, Vigilante, I want you to give him something to think about – keep your distance, pepper him with everything you’ve got, but keep moving.”[/color]
[/quote]

Vig hadn’t figured anyone outside of Jaime’d know who in the Hell he was. Apparently word was gettin’ around. Bout time to live up to the recognition.

[color=#f92a0e][b]”Loud n’ clear, Boss Man! C’mon, Hotshot! Let’s see if he feels lucky.”[/b][/color] Vigilante spun his pistol in his hand and began to fire again, giving The Surfer the runaround with his bike. As the drove he spun his whip, pulling out giant bits of concrete that had been knocked from the walls and flinging them at The Surfer.

As he fired, he shot a look at the ‘Johnny’ feller, see how he was handling it. There was a [i]rage[/i] building up in that boy. His face was all shock and awe. But then? Nothing but focus and anger. Even from the ground he could feel the flyboy getting hotter n’ hotter -- and he was headed straight for the Surfer.

[color=#f92a0e][b]”City slickers gettin’ into trouble all the gotdang time leavin folks like me to…”[/b][/color] Vigilante grumbled to himself, swerving his bike and following the hotshot’s path.

[color=#f92a0e][b]”Hey! What happened to ‘keep yer distance’?”[/b][/color] Vigilante shouted up at him. He wasn’t sure if the feller could hear over the roar of his own flames, boiling to a fever pitch.

[quote=@Morden Man]
[color=#ea9999]“You want death? You want destruction? Well buckle up, you son of a bitch, because there’s no coming back from where we're going!”[/color][/quote]

[color=#f92a0e][b]“Jesus, Mary, n’ Joseph.”[/b][/color] Vigilante said, staring up at the wave of fire that burst forth from Johnny Storm’s body, sweeping through the battlefield like a pyromaniac’s idea of a tidal wave. If that wasn’t everything he had in the tank, Vig didn’t know shit from shinola. Kid was probably about to fall like a ton of bricks. And he was the only one outta the fellers still standing that could handle that kind of heat.

[color=#f92a0e][b]”Hold onto your horses, kid! Imma comin’!”[/b][/color] Vigilante shouted. He flung his lariat out, dragging up a piece of weakened concrete into a makeshift ramp. He revved the engine and launched himself down the ramp, flinging himself high into the sky, through the fire that was just starting to ebb from the point of impact. Hopefully he could catch ‘im before he had a bad fall, or help him fight whatever came next.