At an increasing distance from where The Blur was currently engaged with the mutant pig in combat, Cocoa Fox hurtled through tangled foliage with her tails swishing behind her urgently. The smell of raw liquor and body odour guided her keen animal senses towards escaping prey - two dim-witted thieves fleeing the scene by scrambling on hands and knees.

"Get back here before I practice mohawk hair styling with these claws!" She vaulted over roots with graceful agility, gaining ground rapidly.

Up ahead, spindly Cricket glimpsed his pursuer closing in and yelped fretfully. “She’s catching up!”

"Clumsy man! How can yuh fail at something so simple as driving away. Now we getting chased down by crazy girl!" Exclaimed Gold Tooth in between labour breaths half supporting his associate past muddy inclines.

Cocoa Fox paused briefly and tapped her foot pads thoughtfully. "Hmm, better avoid maiming flesh too deep while chasing them through this thorny bush..." Carefully, her front paw clasped a storage clip attached along the utility belt cinched around her costume’s midriff. It ejected bola ammunition connected by a durable cable cord.

Taking precise aim while the panicked thieves struggled uphill over slippery terrain, Cocoa Fox hurled twin iron balls towards their retreating legs. The compact weapons expanded mid-flight through centrifugal energy, twisting into whirling bola loops just before entangling Cricket’s skinny ankles.

“Gaaahhh!” He crashed face first into mushy soil and began howling in dismay. "Mi get jack by weird boomerang toy!" His nose bled profusely, likely broken again from previous underground fight club matches. Cricket's history of bad decisions trailed behind almost as far back as his criminal record. However, today's blunders proved the lanky kleptomaniac’s last taste of freedom for a while.

Cocoa Fox towered above Cricket with her furry arms sternly akimbo. "Yuh days of stealing people pigs are over!"

Gold Tooth halted his awkward scramble and clutched his lower back while panting heavily as he glanced over one shoulder. No way could that tubby fool escape solo if FOX BITCH caught his fleet-footed partner first. As the realization crystalized fearfully, regret clenched his thoughts almost painfully.

‘Maybe if mi listen to Mama warning about bad company and using mi goldsmith skills legit, mi wouldn't be roped inna this scheme facing hard labour time now at this age! Shit!’

Wincing, the defeated gangster uncorked his last liquor bottle for one bitter swig before Cocoa Fox cuffed him too using thick pieces of wisp.

"Yuh got what yuh want already. Mi friend get mashed up, so stop now before...” Gold Tooth gulped anxiously. “Before yuh Coco Powers infect me too!" His knees quaked, making damp soil mushier.

With one paw raised demandingly, Cocoa Fox stopped his snivelling excuses. "Save yuh crocodile tears! Both of you are facing justice for harming Mr. Clarke's livestock. Now march!”

Meekly, the bandits complied in silence and began marching. Cocoa Fox worried what chaos the other mutant hogs unleashed back with her partner hero. If The Blur hadn't contained those monsters yet, intercepting them herself may prove necessary!

Boom! Boom!

Back at the dirt track, The Blur evaded toxic neon clouds melting vegetation around the battlefield. Visibility grew sparse against the remaining feral hog dubbed King Yorkshire. Blood seeped from the creature’s spear-skewered eye socket.

“Bredrin, yuh need serious anger management counselling plus obedience school enrolling, sah!” Blur quipped wittily if just to ease his own nerves somewhat. At least lethal tusks couldn’t shred him into lunch meat presently. Small blessings acknowledging there lay the true key to consistent heroic operations - limiting proximal exposure around unstable threats until proper containment achieved.

Observing the pig monster’s violent tantrum post-injury, Blur formulated an idea both pacifying and practical. "Time to whip up pulled-pork sandwich special for Mr. Hogg here! Tally-ho"

Sprinting out from shaded foliage swiftly, coils of glowing energy tendrils emerged crackling from each dreadlock tip. Blur’s focused mind hastily braided 10 electrified strands into a specialized lasso tool. King Yorkshire detecting renewed movement resumed honed attack despite impaired field of vision from previous eye skewering. It unleashed curled neon beams wildly from flared nostrils in Blur’s general vicinity.

Boom!

“Whoa now! No need overreacting, sah.” Blur barely managed anticipating then ducking the stray vortexes oozing corrosive slime. “Hmm, looks like yuh running low on juice.”

Noting dissipation in the hog’s neon beam volatility likely tied to its stamina depletion similar to his own bio-electric energy manipulation. Seizing the opportunity, Blur professionally twirled lasso overhead launching it forward accurately. The dazzling electric coils snatched King Porker’s hulking neck mid-squeal then constricted tightly.

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“Oink! Oink!”

“Gotcha now! No more uprooting soil or soul with that sour attitude.” Glowing tendrils tased their thick target with relentless voltage until blackened skin suggested thorough incapacitation. Blur safely approached the unconscious mutant face down in muddy wallows. Binding all four meaty limbs with extra wire just in case, the victorious hero hoisted his second catch over both shoulders towards the crop road.

“Phew! This brutish bacon factory seriously pushing maximum density ratios...” He marched slowly adjusting King Yorkshire’s cumbersome weight. “Cocoa Fox surely wrapped up her side chasing them cowardly thieves. Provided no other powered pests or problems, I deserve soak in Jamaica’s soothing springs after this mission.”

Nearing the dirt path turnoff, Blur noticed Cocoa Fox waving eagerly beside a battered truck with two hogtied captives loaded inside its cage rear.

“Hahaha, nice knots Foxxie! Your lashing skills prove handy if hero jobs dry up.” He jested while dumping slumbering King Porkums adjacent inside the truck bed transported. “Trust your hunt proved more eventful than my brief tagging session there? He squealed louder than the twins birthed litters!”

Cocoa Fox chuckled. “Indeed! That lanky stooge tried fleeing so I simply tripped him up via bolas then dragged both him and the gold tooth fella squealing all the way here! But uh, yuh get some deadly warthog soldiers there?” She scratched her furred ear puzzlingly at the two colossal bodies.

“Affirmative. Turns out our snatch ‘n grab bandits used a more potent form of neon serum from Lord Skull's circles. They injected it into two pigs trying to weaponize them which went about as well as dating advice from prison inmates...” Blur sighed solemnly inspecting both unconscious prisoners. “Risking citizens and livestock to avoid petty incarceration themselves...” He turned away in disgust, missing days when average greed topped the vice charts.

Cocoa Fox placed a gentle hand on his slumped shoulder after sensing the mood. "We captured the thieves plus stopped modified attackers here. Don't dwell on murky roads not taken, sah! Now focus: We missing several pigs that escaped in the bush earlier."

Blur nodded, regaining his heroic composure quickly. “Correct Fox. Let us split up recapturing them - whoever corrals most porkers decides weekly training routines, agreed?”

“Understood. Happy hunting, Blur!” Cocoa Fox grinned playfully before zipping towards the wilderness' heart utilizing swift vulpine dexterity masterfully.

Sprinting himself in a wide perimeter, Blur felt his enhanced speed and tracking abilities proved sufficient corralling confused swine scattered around the countryside region's outskirts. Electrical tendril nets assisted nicely immobilizing them without causing permanent injury. Soon, eight plump squealing captives piled on the roadside from his efforts.

Cocoa Fox by comparison struggled after losing two previous marks to sheer dense tropical forests with her keen smell often fooled by lingering odours. She eventually returned up the narrow pathway with just a single cuddly triumph find held carefully.

“Clever pigs indeed, yet no match for seasoned Lightning Shepard! Tallying the score it seems this week's training falls under my discretion?” Blur bragged teasingly gathering a ninth catch to the truck bed cage housing other occupants. His amused grin barely concealed pride towards his partner’s brave development from previous shy recruit.

“Hmph, beginner's luck!” Cocoa Fox pouted while loading her tiny pig inside gently. “I demand rematch during next upland wind sprints!” Secretly though, she too acknowledged through subtle smiled just how fortunate it was existing here beyond law textbooks and stale courthouse confines. Each good fight nourished the soul greater than self-righteousness.

Soon the valiant rescuers finished securing everyone for transport including groggy gangsters. Blur even located their previous liquor stash and generously offered Cocoa Fox first swig to revitalize her energy before the bumpy return trip. Celebration seemed appropriate after some intense hours thwarting an unexpected crisis. The refreshing orchid elixir tingled their insides pleasantly during the drive.

***

Arriving at Pork Paradise grasslands, a distressed elder farmer, Jeffery Clarke nearly fainted in relief upon spotting truckloads of recovered pigs. Profusely he thanked both heroes before they departed handing tied thieves into police custody.

“Whew! Never expected small‐time swine thieves would turn out giving us so much trouble.” Cocoa Fox looked puzzled about the entire ordeal and stretch her weary limps. “At least we got paid good credits from Hero Association for our efforts though.”

“Correction, you got paid.” Devon looked slightly bitter about this.

“Well, you can’t blame me. It’s your fault for not being registered. If you were, then we could have shared the profit.” Said Cocoa Fox, brandishing her Hero card.

Because Devon was not in the JHA system, he couldn’t share the benefits and perks that came with being an official hero. Yet, he didn’t make this bother him too much.

“You should register soon if you want a share of the spoils,” she encouraged.

“Maybe after I’ve rescued Cain and put Lord Skull behind bars.” He clenched his fist with a flare of determination bouncing off his eyes.

“Ok, you do you, man.” Tanya tapped his shoulder and added, “I didn’t make much from this D-Grade mission but it feels good to help that old farmer get his pigs back.”

“True, although city mission boards would scoff at such measly digital deposits. I’d dare claim this local act's meaning outweighed the petty payout.” Blur smiled genuinely peering at expansive sky. “Protecting common folk beyond glory comes before amassing fortunes during uncertain times, Cocoa. Don't forget that moral.”

His partner nodded, cherishing the picturesque landscape surrounding them beyond concrete jungles.

“Yuh right, Blur. We help make wrongs right directly. Feels better uplifting communities using our powers . Sure beats studying statutes all day!” Cocoa Fox chuckled before recalling her friend’s personal appointment. "Anyway, yuh mentioned something about family plans earlier? These events probably make yuh super late by now!"

Cringing inwardly, Blur imagined his generous mum fretting what delayed her only son's attendance. "Ha! I completely forgot about the barbeque gathering by the river. Hope no cousins or friends drop by while I'm long gone...Quick Cocoa, what's the time now??"

"Ten minutes past 2pm by my communicator watch syncing with Portland Delta Tower," she responded, wide‐eyed by his flustered reaction. "That party was at noon right??"

“Yes, we can still make it. I’m going home to shower. I’ll meet you there later.” The Blur dashed off abruptly before Cocoa Fox could get another word through to him.

She sighed, shaking her head. “That wasn’t even a proper invitation.”