Elijah is the name I gave to the snazzy lizard with the hat and black hair whose card game Rango interrupts during the beginning. Also, Sekai has named her stolen pair of golden guns, Abbott and Costello. So, if you see these names come up in the rest of the story, know that I'm not talking about the comedians. =P

Sekai awoke upon the couch in her office late in the afternoon completely surrounded by all the townsfolk of Dirt. She felt well-rested if not a bit stiff.

"Ugh, w-wha's goin' on?" She groggily inquired.

"You were knocked out after you got bit by Rattlesnake Jake," answered Beans.

"How long have I been out for?"

Priscilla eagerly came up to her, "A couple of days."

"Days?! I guess that's not too bad," Sekai smiled at her before extending a closed paw that the cactus mouse fist bumped in greeting. "What happened to Jake? He run off?"

"He's dead," solemnly replied Rango from where he leaned against a beam.

Sekai's eyes went wide in disbelief, "What?! No … I know I kicked him in th' head but … not like that. It was his face. How could he die from me knockin' out a tooth?!"

"Infection."

"I … I don't believe ya. I need to see 'im fer m'self."

She pulled herself from the couch and headed out to the street where the sheriff led her and the others down the road and out of town a bit. Outside things felt different. The setting sun burned brightly in the sky yet it wasn't scorching out like usual. The dry heat was hardly uncomfortable at all and there even seemed to be a breeze. The town appeared unusual too, but Sekai found it difficult to put her finger on any particular dissimilarity. Was there more flora than before? The mayor and the townspeople followed Rango until they stumbled upon the long, dark winding body lying motionless on the hot sand.

"There he is!" Cried Priscilla before fearlessly running up to Jake's body.

Waffles, also unafraid, joined the young cactus mouse beside the snake.

"Be careful, you two!" Scolded the Mayor, racing after them and inserting herself betwixt the serpent and her friends, "I don't believe it fer a minute! Jake's playin' possum! Get up, Jake!" She drew her revolvers and jabbed them into the rattlesnake's rigid side.

"Mayor, have some respect for the dead!" Reprimanded Rango as he sauntered up beside her and removed his hat in respect for his fallen fellow legend.

"I'm with the Mayor on this 'un. Good riddance!" Said Buford, approaching the corpse and then giving it a swift kick.

Ambrose picked up and threw a rock at the snake, "Good riddance indeed!"

Many other Dirtonians began to assault the cadaver in their merriment as well. However, the Mayor seemed to be in awe. She had barely known him, but through their battle she had felt that Jake was every bit the survivor that she was. To see him laid there lifeless made her suddenly aware of her own mortality.

"Wow," sighed Sekai incredulously as she holstered her weapons. "I guess … he really is gone."

"And it's all thanks to you, Sekai!" Cheered the chameleon, smacking her on her back and snapping her from her astonishment. "I say tonight we celebrate!"

By the time the people headed back into town and gathered supplies for the festivity, night had fallen. Elijah lit a match and threw it into the pile of wood and kindling soaked with cactus juice that instantly became a roaring bonfire in the middle of town. Everyone cheered. There was music, singing, and dancing as the people of Dirt came alive with a happiness that Sekai didn't even know they were capable of. Spoons played his utensils along with Ambrose's fiddle, Sergeant Turley's banjo, and Hazel Moats on the washtub bass. A few citizens grabbed the nearest empty jugs and joined in. Waffles toasted marshmallows in the fire, while Elgin cooked franks, and Beans prepared the food after which she was named. Yet, the Mayor sat quietly by herself deep in thought.

Priscilla noticed and chose then to take a break from dancing. She filled a tin cup and rushed up to Sekai, "Mayor, you look so thirsty. Here have some water."

She offered it to the fennec.

"No thank you, I can't drink up all your water, Priscilla. You're gonna need every last drop to survive this drought."

Suddenly, the music and dancing all stopped and everyone turned to her before breaking out in uproarious laughter.

"There ain't no more drought!" Guffawed Snuggles.

"You're delirious, Mayor. Have some water, there's plenty to go around!" Chortled Doc, topping off her still full cup.

"Where did all this water come from?!" Sekai asked suspiciously. She quickly stood up as the cup overflowed and spilled into her lap.

No one seemed to even notice her question as they resumed partying the night away. She sat back down and took a sip of the water. It wasn't cool or refreshing at all. After draining the cup she poured another. This one wasn't quenching her thirst either, nor did the third. Strange. Deciding to give up, she tossed the empty cup to the ground. It landed on some grass near a patch of yellow flowers. Curious, Sekai picked one. Grass, flowers, she had never noticed that in Dirt before.

After everyone had worked up an appetite and then eaten, they gathered around the fire with full bellies to trade tall tales, but the Mayor had been quiet all night. Rango plopped down to the left of her and addressed the townsfolk, "Everybody, it's time we thank our great mayor, Sekai, for with her keenly developed senses she's brought us water so that we may continue to live. With her exceptionally tuned reflexes she's brought us security so that we no longer need live in fear. And how could we forget the two finest weapons to ever slay a serpent; not the gilded Abbott and Costello, but these right here!" He slapped a hand upon one of her legs to illustrate and the crowd cheered.

Sekai couldn't help but tease, "Maybe they should have names of their own."

"There's an idea," replied Spoons.

"You're right! From this day forth they shall be known as …," the chameleon paused to think of something good or perhaps it was just to add dramatic tension. You could never tell with Rango. "… 'Greased Lightning' and 'SnakeBane'!" He said at last, touching her right and left leg respectively. The multitude applauded more and Sekai rolled her eyes a bit and smiled.

Sekai slept poorly that night, her mind troubled by the eeriness of the day. She lay awake on her couch deep in thought until she couldn't take it anymore. The sun had just barely risen when she stormed from her office and strolled out of town towards Beans' ranch. Walking the path betwixt Beans' fields Sekai did a double take. Crops! Beans had crops growing, big and healthy. How could this be? A sudden thunderous rapping on the wooden door of the ranch house jarred the rancher and the Sheriff awake.

"Who could that be at this hour?!" Wondered the desert iguana as she reached for her rifle.

"Wait, Beans. I'll check it out," said Rango, climbing out of bed and slipping on his pants and gun holster. He cautiously tiptoed towards the door when the boisterous pounding came again.

"Dammit, Rango! Open up, I gotta talk to ya!" Growled the Mayor.

"Sekai?!" Rango cracked the door a bit and peered out at the fennec, "What do you want?"

"I want you to tell me where this water came from!" She yelled, her accent dropped in her irritation.

He yawned, "You couldn't wait until morning?"

"It is morning!"

"Alright! Alright, I'll meet you at my office," he closed the door on her and returned to bed.

"Who was that?" Asked Beans.

"Just the Mayor, honey."

"Well, what did she want?"

"To know about the water."

"How could she forget? Did you tell her?"

"Nah, I'll have you tell her later," replied Rango as he dozed off.

Beans glared at him but he was already fast asleep one more.

Knowing the Sheriff's tendency for tardiness, Sekai went about her day like normal. Well, as normally as she could since things were definitely out of the ordinary. She anxiously kept an eye on the jailhouse, watching for the chameleon to arrive. When he finally did, it was nearly noon and Sekai was seething. Waffles and Priscilla talked her down as she marched towards him.

"Ah, Mayor, there ya are, " Rango chuckled as he slyly pretended that he'd been looking for her all along. "I was gatherin' some folk to help explain everythin' ya wanted to know."

She grabbed a hold of his shirt and pulled him close, "What's going on here? Where did this water come from?"

He gently pried her claws from his garment and turned her to face Beans.

"You really don't remember? It came from you," began the rancher. " That aquifer ya found had more chambers. We busted one open and water started surgin' up from the earth! Dirt will ne'er know thirst again!"

"I guess that makes sense, but I've only been out for two days. Your fields are full of produce! There's no way-"

"Sekai, look around you," interrupted the Sheriff. "Dirt has grass now. The land is fertile, we've even been discussing changing the town's name to Mud."

"We have a lake too!" Said Priscilla, eagerly seizing her baffled Mayor by the hand. "Come on, I want to show you how well I can swim!"

"Yeah!" Cheered Priscilla's friends as they rushed the fennec.

Sekai was dragged by the children of Dirt to a magnificent lake into which had been erected a small make-shift dock. Boo Cletus and Samuel ran down to the dock, stripping down to their shorts along the way. Cletus jumped and performed a nimble front flip into the water.

"Cannonball!" Shouted Samuel before executing a clumsy belly flop.

"Ooh! Ouch!" Laughed Mordecai and Priscilla as they raced to join their friends.

"Is he okay?!" Called Sekai after them.

"I'll check," said Waffles following the kids and then diving into the water.

Sekai approached the edge and waded in, looking through the murky water in desperate search of Samuel. Like her drink the night before, this water was not cool to the touch. While her fur and clothes were certainly wet it didn't seem to soak in and weigh her down like normal water would, but she hardly noticed that now. She had to find Samuel. He could be hurt! Suddenly, something pulled both of her legs from underneath her and she fell into the water completely! Priscilla, Mordecai, and Boo Cletus burst into laughter as Waffles and Samuel ascended and high-fived each other. When Sekai resurfaced she gave the two pranksters a brief glare before chuckling, "When I catch you two, you're dead!"

She swam back to the threshold, drudged out of the lake, and shook the water from her body and clothing. Then she flopped onto the warm grass and looked up at the clear blue sky. The kids and Waffles breathlessly joined her at the water's edge. The bright sun shone down upon them but it was very mild today. Instead of threatening to cook them alive like usual, it gently warmed their bodies as they stretched out and studied the few fluffy, white clouds.

"That one looks like an armadillo!" Shouted Mordecai as he pointed to the heavens.

"No it doesn't, it looks like a skull to me," corrected Priscilla.

"You think everythin' looks like a skull."

"I know your ma's face looks like one!"

Sekai softly ended their squabbling, "Settle down now, kids, and enjoy this beautiful morning."

A few moments of silence passed as the friends basked in the day's excellence before, out of nowhere, a voice very much like Waffles' seemed to drift down from the sky, "…Find your way back to us…"

"Find my way back to ya? I'm right here with ya," Sekai smiled as she turned to the horned lizard.

"What are ya talkin' about, Mayor?" He inquired good-naturedly.

"Didn'tcha just tell me to come back to ya?"

"Nope."

Sekai never even once doubted the power of her great ears, "I could've sworn I heard your voice saying - - Well, nevermind, it's not important." She returned to soaking up the peace and sunshine but deep down she was unsettled, "I've never known a day in the desert to be so … perfect. In fact … it's … too perfect…"

"What are you saying, Mayor?" Smiled Waffles at her silly paranoia.

Sekai disliked not being taken seriously, "I'm saying that something is wrong. There's no way all this could happen in two days. There's no way Jake would be killed so easily. This isn't Dirt! Also, I know for a fact that Priscilla can't stand Mordecai, so … you're no Priscilla…" She pointed an accusatory claw at the little girl.

The horned toad grew concerned, "M-mayor, calm down."

Again, the ethereal Waffles' voice rained down on the fennec from the heavens, "…Ya have to put up a fight…"

She snarled, drawing her pistols and turning on him, "… And you … you're not Waffles!"

"Whoa!" He threw his hands up. "Sekai, please don't."

However, the Mayor was moderately sure the world in which she found herself captive was not reality so she pulled the trigger. Unexpectedly, Abbot and Costello went limp and melted out of her hands!

"I knew it!" She exclaimed, strangely thrilled at the sight of her weapons in a golden puddle upon the grass. Suddenly the world around her began to swiftly disappear! The sky and clouds, the grass and trees, the lake, the kids, and Waffles all faded away until she was standing alone in a pale oblivion. She threw her head back and roared, "WAKE UP, SEKAAAAAIIIII!"

In front of Willie's General Store, the Sheriff was interrogating a small group of townspeople as his deputy Wounded Bird, assisted by Priscilla, looked for clues inside. After Rango had dismissed the crowd, Beans stepped up to him.

"What happened here?" She asked worriedly. "Is Furgus alright?"

"Yeah, he's fine but someone broke into his shop last night. They took all the food and it looks like they high-tailed it outta town," he said. "So many folks've been leavin', who knows who it could'a been?"

"It's happenin', Rango. My ranch is all dried up now so I can't sell no more crops in town. There ain't no more community, it's every creature for themselves. Dirt's own people are turnin' to stealin' from one another just to survive … and it's only gonna get worse. The best thing we can do is to pack up what we got an' leave too. Take our chances in tha desert or in a new town."

"Can't do that, Beans. I'm tha sheriff of Dirt and I've gotta stay and keep her from fallin' apart, especially while the Mayor's outta commission."

"Well then you need to do something now! We can't wait for the Mayor no more!" The rancher had gotten angry at her boyfriend's response and she pointed to Samuel and Boo Cletus who lay sprawled on their backs in the shade of the porch of Doc's office, both far too thirsty to run and play.

Waffles merrily carried a glass bottle of water up the street towards the mayor's office like he'd done every day since Sekai had fallen into a coma after being bitten by Rattlesnake Jake almost a week ago. Beans ceased her arguing to watch the short lizard waddle past.

"Waffles!" She hailed and then lowered her voice when he turned to look at her. She approached him and continued, "Goin' to check up on the Mayor I see. You an' Priscilla have been takin' mighty good care o' her."

Though her words were encouraging, her tone was grim.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied.

"It's been nearly a week now and she looks worse an' worse ev'ryday. The Bank is practically dried up now and Willie's store got robbed last night…"

"Yeah, so?"

"So … I don't think ya should be wastin' anymore of your water … just in case … she doesn't wake up."

"She's gonna wake up!" Waffles insisted, offended that Beans would even suggest such a thing. "If you'll excuse me … tha mayor's waitin' for me."

"Wait, take this," she said, going to her carriage, pulling a bottle of water from under the tarp, and returning to him. "Don't think that I don't want her to survive. It's just that things are lookin' so bleak. We're all practically in tha same boat as tha Mayor now."

The horned toad remained unaffected by Beans suggestion and, taking her offering, he sustained his course.

Rango headed over to where Elgin, Sergeant Turley, and Spoons sat on the Saloon's porch and joined in their conversation. However, all four men stopped talking to heckle Waffles as he went by.

"Boy, ya give the Mayor much more of yer water an' you 'n' her can share th' same deathbed," jeered Spoons.

"Nah, he'll be fine. Don't'cha know …," joined Elgin. "He's Dirt's own resident vampire. He's jus' waterin' tha Mayor to keep 'er hydrated so he can suck her dry later."

"It does make ya think; I wonder what tha Mayor's blood tasted like?" Ponder the sergeant. "Ya think it was refreshin'? Maybe that's why that feller, Henry, was collectin' it!"

The bobcat quickly chided, "'Course not! It's blood, ya fool! It'd be all hot and … gooey."

"Gahh! Elgin, your breath reeks! You been drinking your own foot sweat again?!" Gasped Rango, covering his nose as his eyes watered.

"Damn right! An' I'ma continue drinkin' it as long as it keeps me alive!"

"I don't blame ya. I'm so parched, hell, I'd drink your foot sweat."

"Not so fast, Sheriff," interjected the prospector. "I've known Elgin way longer'n than you 've. Elgin, I'll give ya all tha gold I found prospectin' las' week fer a cup o' yer foot sweat."

"Nice try, Spoons," said Turley "We all know ya ain't never found no gold prospectin'. Elgin, 'member th' time one o' th' kids' boomerang got stuck on tha roof o' Willie's store an' I held th' ladder for ya so's ya wouldn't fall? If ya should be tradin' foot sweat to anyone, it should be me!"

"Back off, ya vultures! They's mah feets an' I ain't sharin' nuthin'!" Hissed Elgin.

Waffles continued on his way to the office. When he reached the double doors of the main chamber, he knocked first, fully knowing the mayor couldn't answer, then went inside. Lying there in her deathless slumber was the little fox. Her bandages freshly changed. Opening one of the bottles he brought, Waffles removed the warm, damp cloth from her forehead and poured cooler water over it before returning it neatly to her brow. Then he pulled up a stool and sat next to the bed; his own bed that he'd donated so that if she tossed and turned in her sleep she wouldn't fall on the floor.

"I see Doc was here … that's good," he began with a grin.

The mayor was silent.

"I know you're probably sick o' me comin' 'round here to check on ya, but I feel like … maybe if there's a voice for ya to follow … you can find your way back to us. I'm sure ya think that's stupid, huh?"

The fennec said naught.

"Maybe … you're thirsty?"

Dispensing some water into a mug, he carefully brought it to Sekai's lips and tilted her head back. After the cup emptied, he gently set her back onto her pillow. At this, all the water ran from the corners of her mouth.

Waffles' was alarmed, "What's wrong? You were drinking just fine yesterday…" He tenderly took her hand into his. "Mayor, listen to me; you can beat this! Ya have to put up a fight. I know ya can 'cause ya always do."

"You're … not … Waf…fles…," the comatose Sekai wheezed nearly inaudibly.

Confused, he replied, "Huh? Who else would I be?"

Suddenly, the mayor's hands started to twitch, then her arms began to jerk a bit until her whole body was convulsing violently!

"D-Doc!" Panicked Waffles, running out onto the veranda and screaming for the physician at the top of his lungs.

In no time at all, the mayor's room was full of people. Doc examined her.

"W-what's going on?!" Asked the horned toad, still terrified.

The rabbit answered, "She's havin' a seizure!"

"Should we strap her down?!"

"No, just make sure she doesn't fall off the bed or hurt herself. It shouldn't last long."

Doc was right on the money; as quickly as the shaking had started it ended and the little fox lay there very still. Deathly still, in fact, she was even more still then before she'd started thrashing.

The physician placed his one good ear against her chest and then near her face, "Uh oh, she's stopped breathin'."

"Mr. Ashton said this would happen…," Waffles said under his tightly held breath. "What are we gonna do?!"

"Someone'll haf'ta give 'er C-R-T or P or whatever it's called."

Waffles was already running to the door, "I'll give it to her! Where do I get it?! Your office?!"

"No, no, no, it'sa medical procedure! I seen a pamphlet about it long ago. Ya gotta kiss 'er an' push on her breasts."

All the other men's eyes went wide as they stared at the doctor.

"An' … that'll save 'er?" Asked Turley doubtfully.

"Hell, I volunteer fer that! Heheh!" Shouted Spoons as he elbowed Elgin in the side.

"Uh, I think Doc means C-P-R," corrected Rango. "It's where you breathe into someone's mouth and push down hard on their chest to help them start breathin' on their own."

"Well, then do it, fruit cup!" Spoons gave him a playful shove.

"Wait! I've never … uh … well, okay! I mean how hard could it be?" Rango nervously got into position. He cracked his knuckles and then began to stretch each of his arms. "Just … need to stretch first. Don't want a charlie horse."

The town watched as the Sheriff continued his stalling, stretching his legs then his torso. Suddenly, Wounded Bird moved to beside the fennec, crowding the chameleon out of the way.

"Wounded Bird, whaddaya doin'?! I was just about to do it!" Cried Rango in surprise.

"Move," the raven demanded apathetically.

"But - fine!" Rango sighed as he gave up his spot.

The Native American inhaled deeply before forcing air into the mayor's lungs. Her chest rose and fell with each obligatory breath. Then he placed his feathered hands over her sternum and pressed down hard repeatedly. It only took one set of compressions for Sekai to start breathing on her own again, but her body had become very cold.

Wounded Bird sighed as he stood up, "Don't think she'll make it."

Everyone turned and looked to Rango who was now leaning in the open veranda doorway looking outside. He thought about his girlfriend's ranch drying up. He thought about the thirsty children of Dirt. He thought about their Mayor, who even on her probable deathbed still required water as part of her treatment. Suddenly, he recalled Henry's words, "A settlement about three or four days' ride west … there's plenty of water to go around…"

"I've got it!" Rango exclaimed elatedly. "It's true; the Mayor would've been an invaluable asset in solving our water problem, however we can't afford to wait for her to get better now. If anything, her recovery depends on us finding water as soon as possible. I have an idea for where we can get all the water we need."

"Where's that?" Beans inquired.

"Hun, you 'member what Henry said 'bout where he was from?"

"Yeah, a place 3 o' 4 days west with lots'a water."

"Exactly! I think I've been to this place before … or at least near it, and not that long ago."

Beans placed her hands on her hips, "Don't tell me you're thinkin'a ridin' out to get some and bringin' it back 'ere."

"Well, why not?"

"It's suicide! Even if they was willin' to share, carryin' water unprotected cross th' desert, you'd be killed 'n' robbed before ya took two steps outta that town."

"Unprotected? We've got guns, Beans," laughed the Sheriff.

"You 'n' ev'ryone else out here, an' no gun is gonna keep you safe from all them thirsty varmints too dangerous to be accepted into any town … like Rattlesnake Jake. Sekai kept him from gettin' any water this week. He'll be out there waitin' too an' don't even get me started on them coyotes. I wouldn't be surprised if tha Mayor had a whole list o' critters she done pissed off b'fore takin' refuge here."

"Irrelevant. We don't need to carry the water back. I know where it comes from. I can just go there and redirect it to us." Then Rango turned to the townspeople and declared, "All in favor of headin' to The Valley to get water, say 'Aye'!"

The answer was as unanimous as it was deafening.

Later, a posse of Elgin, Sergeant Turley, Wounded Bird, Ambrose, Spoons, and Buford were packed and saddled up in the street just outside the Mayor's building. Rango mounted his own roadrunner.

Beans was still concerned, "'Supposin' they ain't willin' to share?"

Rango was resolute, "I'll try do things peaceably but without that water, we're sunk. I'll go down fightin' if I have to."

"You mean if we have to," she placed a pack of her things on back of Excelsior.

"Beans, I told ya b'fore; a posse ain't no place for a woman."

"The mayor went with ya'll to get th' water back."

"Well, that's cause she's hardly a woman at'all," he teased.

"I can't tell from th' way you be ooglin' her."

"I don't- Beans, honey, let's not quarrel."

"We ain't quarrelin'. I'm goin' with ya and that's final."

Rango then queried, "Then who's gonna stay and look after the Mayor?"

"Doc'll have to. He has to change her bandages and give her medicine anyway … but if she stops breathin' again, Wounded Bird's th' only one knows how to do CPR."

"No, not my deputy!"

Waffles stepped forward, "I know how to do it now. I'll stay with her."

"Nah, Waffles, you're part of my A-team too. You have to go," the Sheriff insisted.

"No, I was plannin' to stay from the start."

"Waffles, listen to me. The whole town needs ya to help us return water to Dirt, not just the Mayor. Besides, I'm sure she'll find it awfully heroic of ya to save the town."

He was still hesitant, "Well … "

Priscilla came and place her paw on his arm, "Don't worry, Waffles. I was watchin' too, and I can get Wounded Bird to show me again before he goes. I'll even teach Doc to do it right."

"Great! It's settled!" Shouted Rango as he hurried the young horned toad along, "G'on and get loaded up! We got a long ride ahead of us."

Waffles somberly returned to Sekai's room to say goodbye.

Kneeling next to her, he whispered, "I'll be back. You jus' hang in there, Mayor."

Once Waffles had joined them at the edge of town, Rango went over a checklist in his mind, "Alright, we got the Mayor taken care of, and Sekai's already run Bill, the Hill Clan, Jake, and our random predator encounter outta town for the week. Oh wait, Beans, ya remembered to pack my gun lotion?"

"Wha? Yes," she answered his foolishness in aggravation.

"Well, I think we're ready to go," he smiled delightedly. "Let's ride!"