Hello, my name's Zeragii. :)

I have been wanting to write some adventures of the Three Caballeros for some time now. I always thought it was a shame that the characters of Donald, Panchito, and Jose worked so well together, but where then never used much afterward. I've decided to give it a go. My stories may become a series, depending on how well they are received. Please let me know. Kind criticism is welcome and appreciated.

My story doesn't take place in any particular time, since I will be portraying it as the old west, but Donald obviously lives in modern times. But in cartoons, anything works. My stories may also have a very Wild Wild West-like feel to them (an old western TV show I love very much).

Alright, here goes. :)

I do not own the Characters of Panchito, Jose, or Donald; Disney does. I write only for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of others.

...

In a small seaside village in Mexico, the night sky was clear; shining with the gleam of a thousand stars. The heavens glowed with their brilliant light, casting points of hope, just as they had for countless years, guiding settlers across the great oceans to the undiscovered world of the Americas. But these points did not reach the small town tonight, for a thick, encumbering fog lay over it; blocking out all light. It was dark and desolate. The hour was late, and all of its population was fast asleep.

By the water, the seemingly endless trail of the boardwalk wound its way across the shore, lined with multiple buildings. All empty, since they were stores and workshops. No one was there at this time of night...

Almost no one.

BANG! BANG!

The bullets flew through the fog laden air; invisible, but audible in the dark night. They embedded themselves in the various shacks and rundown boat houses; splintering wood flying in all directions. Besides the echoing discharge of gunfire, the only other sound was the water lapping against the docks. The boardwalk appeared to be deserted, but looks could be deceiving. After all, guns didn't fire of their own accord.

Panchito Pistoles crouched behind an old crate. He pressed against it as much as he could, trying to make himself as small as possible as the shots rang out and fired over his head. The wooden box was wet from moisture and smelled of mildew, but, at the moment, it was the best cover the rooster could find. It was tough, since he didn't know from which direction the bullets were coming. He wasn't sure where his opponents stood, since he had lost sight of them shortly after the beginning of the fight.

He had been following the group of thugs for the last three hours, as were his orders. It hadn't been easy; they dodged and moved as if they suspected they were being followed. Now that was a certainty. When Panchito had followed them to the docks they had suddenly turned and started firing, forcing the red rooster to duck for cover. Panchito was pretty sure that there were five of them. Five against one...Not the best odds...but they were the kind of odds Panchito liked.

Shifting himself closer to the crate, the red rooster cautiously peeked over the top of his shelter and fired a single shot into the darkness. He had already fired several, with no result. This time he heard a yelp and smiled. He'd hit one, and that was a start. With all the swirling fog and dark night, it was impossible to see anything. Panchito was just glad the blindness worked both ways, and the thugs weren't able to get a clear shot at him either. The smile faded when a voice, filled with anger and pain, growled out from the dusk. It was deep, almost growling. Certain words ended with a sharp clicking sound, as though two knives were being hit together. Panchito knew that noise. It was the sound that was made by a sharp beak clacking shut. He had heard it before in other encounters with villains in the past. The sound brought to mind the razor- sharp mandible, causing the rooster to shudder.

"Surrender! And maybe we'll take it easy on you!"

Panchito shook his head, regardless of whether his adversaries could see the motion or not. He wasn't about to just give up. Granted, he was in a tough spot, but he'd been in tough spots before. Besides, Colonel Hawkins had assured him that backup would meet up with him after dark. They were a little late, but Panchito figured he could hold the criminals off until they arrived. He peered through the fog, trying to catch a glimpse of the speaker. "I am sorry, Señor," he called back, "but I still have a little fight left in me!" He fired another shot, but this time there was no yell. Panchito frowned. He had shot in the exact same direction as he had a moment ago; he was sure of it. The speaker must have moved.

"You are very foolish to decline our offer, Pequeño..." the voice warned. This time it was closer and slightly to the left.

The change in position surprised Panchito, and he swiftly turned his pistol in that direction. He stopped himself just in time from firing another bullet. He knew what they were up to. They were trying to get him to waste all his ammunition. That way they could rush him without fear of being killed.

Panchito wasn't even sure how many bullets he had used up already. There were advantages to having two pistols, as Panchito did, but they didn't make that much of a difference in the long run, especially for him. Sometimes the faulty illusion that he had an endless supply of bullets made its way into his mind, and he'd become a bit trigger happy. This would leave him with only one loaded gun before he had gotten a hold of himself. That had been the case tonight, and he mentally berated himself for it. The fiends probably knew it too.

"That may be so," Panchito said loudly, a fake smile pasted on his beak. "But at least I am not a criminal who will be spending the rest of my life in prison." It was, perhaps, an unwise comment, but Panchito couldn't help it. Sometimes, in all the excitement, he forgot how important it can be to hold one's tongue. It was a trademark characteristic of his. He waited for the customarily hateful reply...

But none came.

There was only silence up and down the length of the dark, waterside street. The only light was a few lanterns hanging outside the various shops. Crates and other cargo lined and piled all along the way, casting distrustful shadows. It was maddening, the way the fog made everything invisible. It even seemed to muffle any sound that there might have been. No footsteps; no breathing; nothing. Except his own.

Panchito gnawed his beak nervously as a nearly overwhelming sense of danger urged him to make a run for it. It was a feeling he wasn't familiar with. Normally he felt quite confident, but he suddenly felt that confidence start to fade. He wanted to back away; wait for help, but his pride wouldn't allow him to run. He was Panchito Romero Miguel Junipero Francisco Quintero Gonzalez III; Panchito never ran away from a fight. And he wasn't about to start now.

Panchito was just beginning to think of what to shout next when a soft sound behind him made him whirl around. The pistol was knocked from his stunned hand; he heard it hit the ground and go off, luckily, not shooting him as it did. Unfortunately, it didn't hit anyone else either.

Someone grabbed his arm and Panchito lurched forward, punching his attacker in the gut. The fiend, a small, scruffy looking vulture, gasped and released the rooster's wrist. Panchito scrambled back. Getting up from behind the crate, he made a dash for the ground hoping to reach his pistol, but another figure jumped out on him from the surrounding darkness. The assailant latched onto his back, knocking them both to the street, and began to try and choke him from behind.

Feeling his air suddenly cut off, the red rooster's movements became more desperate. When trying to pry the large, feathered hands from his throat failed, he tried another tactic. Bracing himself against his attacker, he pulled his arm forward, then back sharply, jabbing his elbow into the villain's lower chest. The hold on Panchito's neck loosened at once and the rooster was able to move up and away.

Panchito gasped in several lungfuls of fresh air just before he felt a tremendous kick to his back that sent him stumbling forward. It hurt terribly; sending tendrils of pain up his body. He was roughly caught by yet another thug, another vulture, who gripped him so he couldn't get away. A moment later, the other, probably the one who had kicked him, joined in. Panchito found himself trapped between the two, both arms held so tightly he could barely move, never mind escape. The two vultures he had incapacitated rejoined the group, making a full count of four. Panchito struggled and kicked, to no avail.

Yep, four against one. Panchito liked those odds...but only when he won. But wasn't there supposed to be five?

Out of the fog the fifth figure appeared. Dark and menacing, he towered over Panchito, seeming to grow bigger with each gliding step. The sound of claws against the boardwalk was audible, and the beak was curved and sharp, just as the rooster had imagined. Panchito stopped struggling and glared up at what he assumed was one of the largest vultures he had ever seen.

"Not much fight left in you now, is there?" the monster hissed. His scissor-like beak clacked dangerously as he looked down at his captive. He seemed to be pleased with the smaller birds immobility; smiling in a way that made the rooster uncomfortable. But he wasn't about to let his captor know that.

"I am just catching my breath, Señor," Panchito growled. He added another few tugs at the restraining hands to prove his point. "Then I shall put you in prison, where villains like you belo- AH!" The red rooster tried to squirm away from the sharp claws that snapped forward and grabbed his jacket. The talons had snatched more than just cloth, however, and a stinging pierced his chest feathers and reached down to the skin underneath. It dug in; not deeply, but definitely enough to draw a little blood. The force pressed him up against the brick wall of the nearest shack.

The enormous bird sneered at the pain he saw in Panchito's eyes and pushed a little harder, causing Panchito to moan. "You're not putting me anywhere, Pequeño." He gave one final jab before letting go, watching in satisfaction as the smaller bird gasped as the claws were retracted.

Panchito wanted nothing more than to rub the stinging sensation from his chest, but couldn't. Both his arms were still held firmly by the two vulture lackeys. So all he could do was glare up at his smug captor with as much dignity as he could muster. He noticed a fresh wound on the monster's shoulder. It was still bleeding, though not badly. So it was the leader Panchito had shot in the dark. Great.

"You know," the bird hissed evilly, voice calm, almost careless. "You've become quite the legend among us 'villains', as you call us." He chuckled. The sound was harsh. "The great USM Border secret service agent, Panchito Pistoles." He leaned down to his prisoner's level and Panchito had to try hard not to gag at his foul breath. "You don't seem so great to me."

"Yeah, well, it's been an off day, Señor." Panchito blanched at his own boldness, half expecting a clawed slap across the face. But, again, nothing came.

The vulture-like monstrosity smiled wickedly. "How fortunate for me." He finally backed away. "You've been a thorn in many a criminal's side. They say you are clever and hard to get a hold of..." Another sickening grin. "And here I am, standing with the ability to snatch your pathetic little life away whenever I please." He flexed his talons with a smirk as Panchito stiffened. "I hear it's rather painful to be ripped to shreds. Perhaps we could perform a little...experiment. See if it's true."

Panchito leaned as far away as he could from the razor sharp claws that rested only a few inches from his face. His breathing quickened and his heart felt as though it might pound right out of his chest. He was certain everyone present could hear it. Forget dignity, he was going to die! He clenched his eyes shut tight and backed against the wall behind him as much as he could as the talons moved closer, resting their needle-like tips against the base of his neck. Any moment now he expected the agony of being torn apart to begin.

The evil bird watched in cruel amusement as his captive trembled in anticipation of his gruesome death. He could feel the wild heartbeat and hear the ragged breaths. It was music to his ears. It would be so easy to take care of the agent right here and now. Snuff out his life like the flame of a candle. But the villain had other plans.

"It almost seems a shame that I should win so easily," he clacked, pressing just a tad bit harder. "What's the point of killing an adversary I hardly know?" He signaled his lackeys, and the birds released the rooster's arms. Panchito stayed where he was, claws still holding him backed up to the cold, brick wall. The only movement he made was slowly shifting his arms to his sides. He opened his eyes, but they were still full of uncertainty.

The creature laughed; a deep, cruel cackle. "Yes, it would be a shame. Tell you what; I'll let you live this time. That way you and I can become...more acquainted. Before I kill you. Play a little cat and mouse, eh? I enjoy a good challenge." His voice hardened. "Yes. Yes, that's what we'll do. Until next we meet, Pequeño."

Panchito cried out as his captor suddenly reached out and grabbed him. With tremendous strength the monster took him and slammed him against the brick edifice. There was an explosion of stars in the rooster's head as he felt himself collapse to the boardwalk. The last thing he heard before consciousness left him was an evil, echoing cackle...then darkness.

...

Alright, there it is the first chapter. :) Please review and let me know what you think and whether you would like me to continue. Thank you! :)