Featured RP: Sagebrush Crossing

[Lady Arwen]

Sagebrush Crossing

The Marshal merely rolled her eyes and turned to face Jed.

"How long has she been like it, and is there any chance of recovery without a hard dose of reality?"

[narnianerd]

Sagebrush Crossing

"She was four, the first time she thought she could out-shoot me. I think." Jed shrugged, as if he had given up. "She still can't. What are we going to do with her, Marshal?"

"Here's your drinks! And a Pint for you, Jed."

[Lady Arwen]

Sagebrush Crossing

"I'm definitely not taking her," the Marshal replied, holding her hands up. "Thank you, Hugh."

[MountainFireflower]

"Excuse me?" Charlotte glowered at both the Marshal and Jed. "Take it back, both of you. I'm one of the best shooters in Sagebrush Crossing."

"Yeah, for a girl," one of the guys in the bar said.

"Shut up, John." She turned back to the Marshal and Jed. "Anyway, watch how you're talking. And don't speak about me like I'm not in the room, or you will find out just how well I can shoot."

John, the man sitting at one of the tables behind them, laughed. "Everyone here knows these are empty threats. You don't mean them."

Charlotte faltered for a moment, shaking her head. "I..." After a moment, her eyebrows lowered again, her expression hardening. She swiveled on her barstool and let out a harsh whisper. "I said shut up, John!"

The bartender set down a cold glass of lemonade in front of her, and she turned back to the bar. She inclined her head politely, letting out a sigh. "Thank you."

[Lady Arwen]

The Marshal looked at Jed and shrugged, then took a sip of her drink.

"Back to business, then. I'd say everyone needs to be in town and ready in the next three hours or so. So any animals or anything that need to be gathered up...needs to be done before then. I don't think Meyer's band had camped too far away from the tracks. He said they had been there earlier," the Marshal paused and squinted over Jed's shoulder. "Who's the gimpy old dude? He's really in a hurry. Funny how he sort of pops along."

[Bookwyrm]

"Jed! What in tarnation are you thinking, boy?" said gimpy old guy shouted across the bar. He lurched across the room, his clockwork left leg clicking softly as he walked. "Why didn't you shoot that miserable cur where he stood when you saw him? Don't you remember what Caldwell did to this town? He shot the sheriff, he took me hostage. Hanging's too good. Bleeding out in the street is the way for him to go"

[Lady Arwen]

"For your information, Cog Leg, the prisoner is mine, and shall not be prosecuted without due process," the Marshal said, leaning forward just slightly and peering out from beneath her cocked hat and veil. "Namely to stand trial before a Federal Justice of the Peace and a jury of his peers. Lay a finger on him, and I will shoot you for obstructing justice and hindering a marshal of the law."

[Bookwyrm]

"Oh, it's you again," Dr. Reynolds said to the Marshal. "Who said anything about fingers? I'm a doctor, not some low-down street brawler. I'll use lots of knives and stab that yellow-bellied snake till he dies crying for his momma."

[Lady Arwen]

"I'm sorry, but I seem to recall that Caldwell held a certain Doctor prisoner in his own office with...what was it, Jed? It wasn't a butter knife or a spoon...was it a fish fork? I think it was! He held a Doctor for ransom with a fish fork, right in this town!"

[Bookwyrm]

"I didn't have my glasses on! It looked like a atom splitter. Anyone could have made the mistake," Reynolds blustered. The truth was he had actually been recovering from a healthy dose of Monsieur Jacques' Elixir of Longevity and Beneficence.

[Lady Arwen]

"What? You haven't invented a clockwork precision eye yet?"

[Bookwyrm]

"Enough banterin'. How about you level with me and explain what all that shooting and exploding was down at the tracks. What are you and this wet-behind-the-ears kid conspiring about?"

[Lady Arwen]

"Sheriff Jeddediah and I are reviewing the situation. You aren't the only one to hold offense against Caldwell, Doctor. A rival ringleader's boys attacked Caldwell's gang and blew up the track. I would guess they'll be at Sagebrush Crossing in about three hours. So, in short, we are conspiring to save your hide."

[Bookwyrm]

The doctor gave her a squinty-eyed stare and considered her words.

"Does this mean I get to shoot somebody?"

[Lady Arwen]

"Killing the most and winning the most battles isn't the goal here, Doctor Reynolds. Subjugating the enemy without fighting would be the ideal, but I doubt this town could manage to reach the pinnacle of warring excellence on even a good day. Direct fighting is a last resort. Besides, I somewhat doubt you could shoot straight, anyway."

[Bookwyrm]

"How about we step right out into the street and we'll just see who can shoot straight, missy!" Dr. Reynolds blustered. The truth was he hadn't had any Marshwalloper Joe's Snakebit Cure and Liver Cleanser that day, so his shooting was currently pretty terrible.