[Rebel_the_Proud]

Closed, except to those who've posted their characters in this thread.
Anyone who has posted with their characters in that thread are free to post whenever they'd like~
Also, this thread is tentatively rated at PG-13 due to themes such as smoking, drinking, and also due to violence, should it occur here~

References of Deadwood: The Town || Sherriff's || Saloon || Saloon Doors || At the Bar

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It was nearly high noon as the lone Emowockee entered into the strange looking town. Used to the city life, Kuroi had never seen such a town. All the buildings were made of wood, rather than brick or stone. The "roads" through the city were nothing but dirt and sand, and there was no pavement or asphalt anywhere. All-in-all, though, the town appeared to be dead. There was no movement out on the street or the porches of the buildings. Kuroi started to feel a bit nervous from the strangeness of the town. He wandered down the large, straight street down the middle of the town, which was so small, he could clearly see the end of the town just ahead. As he neared the center of the street, he realized there was one more street in the town, one that lead off to the left. Kuroi stopped at the center of the T-intersection, looking down the path, feeling as though he were in a dream.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
Kuroi leaped in place, spinning around to face an incredibly loud noise above him. Kuroi looked up to see a bank at the center of the town with a large clock tower at the top. It was right at noon. Angry at himself for getting worked up over a clock, Kuroi shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts and steady his heart. Suddenly, his ears pricked to another sound across the street. Kuroi lifted his head and looked up towards the sound. It sounded like people... Sure enough, somebody came tumbling out of two swinging doors on a place titled "Saloon." Behind the man was another person who appeared to have pushed him out, and Kuroi heard a woman's voice. He tilted his head, wondering what was going on, but more importantly he realized he wasn't alone. Perhaps Kuroi could finally get some help! And, more important at this moment, some water. He waited until the man who'd been pushed out staggered away before making his way towards the saloon.

Slowly, Kuroi peered underneath the saloon doors, looking into the dark room. He could hear the mumbling of people, but he wasn't sure if anyone here was friend or foe. Kuroi stepped back, still in his Emowockee form. He stood in thought for a moment. It had been quite some time since he'd stepped into his human form, preferring his Emowockee form over anything. But, Kuroi had found out the hard way that no one respects someone they think they can kick around. With a sigh, Kuroi closed his eyes and called upon his human form. His body shifted to his human form, and Kuroi ran a hand through his hair. It felt strange, but, for now, he'd have to get used to it. After a moment of collecting his thoughts together, Kuroi nodded his head to reassure himself, and walked into the saloon.
Almost immediately, eyes fell upon him, but Kuroi just walked on. He walked up to the bar, and steadily took a seat. A young man, quite a few years older than Kuroi, walked up to him, nodding his head in greeting. Vincent Hart. The bar tender. Without hesitation, Vincent asked, "Care for a drink, sir?" Kuroi appeared surprised by this, but responded with, "Water would be nice, if you have it." With a nod of his head, Vincent turned and flipped over a glass to pour Kuroi's water.

Across the bar, a young woman sat, eyes on the stranger that had walked in. She sat in a very unlady-like position, rocked back on two legs of the chair, with her legs propped up on the table. Calamity Kate, as she was known, was suspicious of the newcomer, but made no move, as of yet, to call him out. Instead, she watched and waited, wondering who was going to be first to ask what this newcomer was doing in their town. A smile crept across her face. What she wouldn't give for one of the drunks to pick a fight with him! For now, though, she'd just wait and see what would happen.


________________________
[ Kuroi ] || [ Calamity Kate ] || [ Vincent Hart ]
[ 4 :: 17 ] || [ 1 :: 1 ] || [ 1 :: 1 ]

[Kitsumi]

Having left Dotti and Carrie at the market to gather some fabric and other well-needed supplies, Canaan decided that he had some time to buy himself a drink. He wasn't exactly a drinking man, per say, in that he didn't drink until he was drunk. But after a long week of working in the fields day after day, he figured that he deserved a whiskey every now and then. As long as he didn't drink enough to dull his senses or make him unruly in any way, he was alright with drinking. Dotti didn't particularly like it, but she admired and understood the fact that Canaan was careful about drinking, and didn't make a fuss about it.

Walking into the saloon, Canaan's eyes immediately fell on the newcomer. He paused for a moment, shocked. There hadn't been a stranger in Deadwood since...well, god knows when! His eyes narrowed, and he kept a careful watch on the stranger as he took a seat on a bar stool about two away from him. "Can I get a whiskey, Vince?" Canaan leaned his elbows on the table as he waited, eying the stranger in quite an obvious way. Strangers almost always meant trouble; if this guy tried to ruin the peace of Deadwood, or of Canaan's family, Canaan would be the first to step up and put him in his place.

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Arms crossed tightly over her chest and her eyes rolling at nearly everything her mother said, Raven wished she could be anywhere but here. Stuck in this little one-horse town, where everyone was the same, and there was no individuality - it was boring as hell. It was bad enough that she had to listen to her mother and father's little tirades all the time. Usually, it would be about her clothing. "Down-right inappropriate," her father had said. "No proper young lady should dress with all that skin showing."

This week, however, there was a different aspect of her to criticize. "Carrie, your beautiful blonde hair! How could you do this to us?" Dotti reached out to touch a strand of the purple and black hair that had replaced the angelic blonde curls. "What did you even use to dye it this color? And how did you get rid of your curls like that, Carrie? Don't you know that you look like a...a heathen circus performer or something!"

Another roll of the eyes accompanied Raven's reply. "I hated my blonde hair. It was too boring. I like purple and black better. And I told you, my name is Raven now. Stop calling me Carrie." Before her mother could respond, she quickly moved over to another part of the store, leaving her mother alone at the front to pay. As she watched her mother pay for the goods, same as always, boring as usual, she wished there were some way to get out of this routine, to find a new place where she could be the person she wanted to be.

~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~
{Canaan Walton}{Dotti Walton}{Carrie "Raven" Walton}
{1}{1}{1}

[Mousen]

Ahmose guessed it had been a couple of years since he'd first wandered into Deadwood, it had been a long time since he'd stopped counting. The days passed in blur of arid air and dusty streets. He had two ties to this world, one kept him (for the most part) sane, and the other kept him (for the most part) alive. The first one was Qet, an unusually large scarab beetle who purred like a cat when he was in a good mood The other was Esmerelda Johansen.

He'd been travelling for a long while, the small town in which he had grown up in had been equally dry and arid, but in a different manner. His homeland was one of pyramids, vicious merchant traders and curious little bazaars. Ahmose had no idea that his stay in Deadwood was to be a permanent one. Esmerelda had been in Deadwood for as long as the houses had stood, or at least- that was what he assumed. Either way, she was the first person he met when he stumbled into town. Ahmose told her of his plans to stay a few days then try and head towards the plains as there were some merchants there that owed him a favour. The barmaid just sat there and laughed at him. "You're a riot," She had told him. "Why, no one ever leaves Deadwood! Once you end up in this place, you're here until your bones turn to dust!"

The next year had followed, and so had his various escape attempts. They all seemed to end with Qet and Esmerelda dragging his half-concious dehydrated self back to Deadwood after wandering around the surrounding desert for a week. She was also the one who managed to persuade him from doing anything 'real stupid', as she so quaintly put it.

The Saloon in which Esmerelda worked wasn't busy at this time of day, as such they were both sat in the little corner booth that Ahmose usually occupied when he had nothing better to do. He held the look of someone who was always a stranger, and this was true. He didn't feel like he belonged here. His hair was dark and looked as though it hadn't been cut for a long time. Of an average height and a lithe, wriry build, the only thing intimidating about the young man were his eyes, which were a steely grey. All in all, he was a stark contrast to his companion. Her bushy, bright blonde hair was pinned up at the back and a green feather stuck in it. Her large, almond shaped eyes were a lively blue and there was a permanently cheerful expression on her face. The many layers of her skirts rustled as she moved, and her jewellery clinked.

"I'm just tellin' you, Ahmose, you should thank the gods for that scarab of yours. He's as sharp as a pin, an' that's more than I can say for his owner!" She looked over at him, her hands resting on the small wooden table between them.

"Sure, sure. Qet's a real Lassie, just wait until I fall down a well. 'Why, what's that you're sayin' now, Qet? Oh my! Ahmose has fallen down a well?!" He mimicked, raising his voice an octave higher in what was an immaculate impression of the young woman's tone. Her glare was enough to make him fall silent. The scarab, who hadn't really been listening to the conversation, buzzed contentedly.

Despite some of the original misgivings she'd had about Ahmose, she was rather fond of him now. He could be interesting, and interesting was hard to come by here. "I'm beginin' to think that if you actually fell down a well, I might just be tempted to leave you down there. It'd be far less trouble for me, it ain't my job to make sure you stay outta trouble." Esmerelda's tone was reproachful, though it was clear she didn't mean what she said. They were silent for a moment as Qet decided that it would be a good idea to try and climb into Ahmose's drink. He'd always had a soft spot for anything alcoholic, though, thankfully, he was a bit bigger than the glass.

Upon seeing that the saloon was getting a little busier, the barmaid stood up and straightened out petticoats. "Well then, I'd better get to it." She said more to herself than to Ahmose. "Sorry Vince, I've been makin' you do my job for me while I've been natterin' away over 'ere." Esmerelda called over to him as she stood up and walked towards the main part of the saloon.

[Rebel_the_Proud]

It felt strange. Kuroi felt more out of place here than he'd ever felt anywhere else. He cautiously glanced from side to side, trying to gather what kind of people lived here. Already he could tell he was severely out of place. In what he considered as his "street clothes," Kuroi stuck out like a very sore and out of place thumb. The thought itself caused him to feel quite a bit nervous. He began to tell himself repeatedly in his mind that all he was going to do was get his drink, ask for directions, and get the hell out of here. This was not his kind of place. The bartender turned and placed a glass down, though Kuroi wasn't entirely sure what was in it. If it was water, he'd never seen any water like it. It had almost a rusty color to it. Kuroi glanced up to the bartender, wondering if this was some sort of mistake, but before he could ask, someone else came into the saloon. Kuroi couldn't help but glance back to see who'd walked in.
"Can I get a whiskey, Vince?" Vincent looked up to the familiar face of Canaan, and with a light smile, nodded his head in response. "Right away, Mr. Canaan." Once again, Vincent turned to pour another drink, this time one that was most commonly asked for. Kuroi felt awkward as he picked up his glass, deciding to at least try and act like he belonged. He could feel the gaze of the man he'd heard the bartender call Canaan on him. He tried not to look, how he tried so hard as he sipped at his water, his face distorting at the gritty taste. His eyes glanced over, almost uncontrollably, at the man, and Kuroi knew it was too obvious, so he went with it and looked to the man, nodding his head slightly in greeting. The awkwardness of all this nagged at him terribly. He was glad, however, that the saloon wasn't entirely quiet. Two others were talking, taking away at least a bit of the awkwardness.
"Here you are, sir." Vincent, placed Canaan's whiskey on the bar, and grabbed another glass and a towel and began to clean it, waiting for another order. "Sorry Vince, I've been makin' you do my job for me while I've been natterin' away over 'ere." The bartender smiled - a rare occurrence - and dipped his head at the lady as if tipping a hat, without a hat.  "Quite alright, m'dear. Was just busy givin' Mr. Canaan here 'is drink, and this young fella here, too." Vincent pointed out to Kuroi and Kuroi cringed slightly as he sipped his water again. The last thing he wanted to was to be the center of attention. Vincent tilted his head slightly, directing a question to Kuroi. "What's yor name, son?" Kuroi hesitated for a moment, but managed a reply. "Uh... Kuroi." He tried to direct his name to everyone, hoping that it would help to break the awkwardness he felt.
"Looks like Deadwood got 'nother 'un." Kate spoke from across the saloon to everyone else who would know exactly what she was talking about, still sitting back in her chair, shuffling through a deck of playing cards. The words she said appeared as though she'd said them a few times before. She'd heard those words time and time again, and it was about time for this stranger to understand what had happened to him. Kate didn't mind Deadwood at all. She had the run of the town, pretty much. She could do what she wanted, have fun, and not get in too much trouble. She'd spent the night in the jail before, but the Sheriff always treated her right, and let her go. The more newcomers into Deadwood, however, could mean a lot more fun to Kate.


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[ Kuroi ] || [ Calamity Kate ] || [ Vincent Hart ]
[ 4 :: 18 ] || [ 1 :: 2 ] || [ 1 :: 2 ]

[Rebel_the_Proud]

Vincent went straight back to work, dipping in his head in acknowledgement to Kuroi's name. He ignored Kate's comment. Vincent already knew that the boy was trapped here. Of course, to Vincent, it was just another customer. "I'm Vincent. If you need a drink, give me a holler. The water's on the house." With that said in a short, simple tone, Vincent turned to straighten up his work station, as he did so often.
Kuroi felt awkwardness all around him. He was glad he had the water - despite it's unusual taste and texture, but he was starting to wonder if it was a mistake coming here. But, more over, the young woman who had spoken had said something that bothered him. Deadwood got another one? What was that supposed to mean? He sipped on his water, trying to keep focused on it, and keeping his eyes away from everyone else. As soon as he was well hydrated and got directions out of here, he was going to be gone. Kuroi had no intentions on staying here at all.
Kate rolled her eyes, clearly unamused by the stranger ignoring her. Actually, it seemed like usual: everyone was ignoring her. Kate had a way though to get people's attention. She'd do anything to be the center of attention. Grabbing her last shot of whiskey, Kate chugged it down, placing the shot glass back down on the table. "Heh, yeah... There's no escape now." To Kate, it was something she liked. But, she knew those words were sharp to others, as not everyone wanted to be here. None the less, Kate was always one to push everyone's buttons she could.
As usual, Vincent let Kate do her thing. Kuroi couldn't help but glance over to the strange young woman. Now she was saying there was no escape? Just what the hell was she talking about?



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[ Kuroi ] || [ Calamity Kate ] || [ Vincent Hart ]
[ 4 :: 19 ] || [ 1 :: 3 ] || [ 1 :: 3 ]

[ Has this lost interest already? :[ Sorry if I didn't make the posts interesting enough D: I've been out of practice for RPing well with someone for quite some time =/ Anyways, I didn't want this thread to die out, so I'm continuing. Please, do feel free to jump back in whenever you guys are ready~ :3 ]

[Mousen]

((I'm still very interested, I just thought we were waiting for Jobie to post. xD;; Hope this is okay, it's kind of short, just trying to make my characters interact with people a bit.))

Esmerelda, who'd been collecting empty glasses, stopped by Kate's table. "You should try tellin' that to Ahmose. Do you remember his last escape attempt? Spend three days wanderin' 'round the desert in circles." She smiled wryly and glanced back towards Ahmose and his pet scarab. Being the type not to bother keeping her voice down, he'd obviously heard what she said.

He grinned. "You wouldn't be laughing if I'd actually managed to get out of this place."

"But you didn't, so I am." This conversation was another repeat of one that took place nearly everyday. "Say, now, why don't you do something useful for once? All you do is sit here and expect work to come strollin' through the door." Putting a few odd glasses down, she turned back to Kate. "You don't happen to have any odd jobs that need doing, do you?"

Ahmose walked over towards the newcomer. "How'd you end up in hell?" His tone of voice said more than his words, as did his expression. Even the most naive person would realize just how much contempt he held for this town.

[jobiehanna]

((Sorry guys, if you have been waiting for me. I've been having a hard time trying to figure out how to fit my characters in. ))


Theodore wasn't happy about being dragged out of the place he shared with Becky. It was a nice little place, with a window overlooking the desert where he could watch birds. That what he had been doing, until the young woman came running in the door out of breath. At first he thought something was wrong, but her news certainly surprised him. "You're sure? There's a stranger here?" He couldn't believe what his ears were hearing. There hadn't been a stranger here for quite a while. It seemed people where starting to avoid the place.

Rebecca nodded her head vigorously. "Yes, quite sure, I saw him," she said eagerly. Moments before she had been sitting at a back table in the saloon. It wasn't often that she went in there, but she had wanted something different to do than her everyday routine. The stranger had walked in and sat at the bar. All the while eyes turned to him, including her own. Becky had wondered if he knew his fate yet. But Becky didn't want to be the one to tell him. So she had rushed out and told the closest person to her, Teddy. He didn't like being called Teddy, but it was her nickname for him and he was getting used to it, or so she thought. Now they were on their way back to the saloon. But Teddy was still unsure of what she was telling him.

"Oh, alright, whatever," Theodore said with a slight smile. He followed after the young woman, not the least curious as to who the newcomer was. He was going for Becky's sake, of course. She got excited over the littlest things, and he couldn't keep holding her back. As long as she wasn't getting into trouble, that was. He felt like a big brother to the young woman, especially after fate had them meet before coming to this town.

The doors of the saloon opened once more as the pair rushed in. Becky went right up to the newcomer, nodding her greeting to the others. Theodore kept his head down as they walked. He never did like socializing, but Becky sure did. He sat at a bar stool while Becky leaned against the counter next to the stranger. He watched sceptically. But Becky smiled at the newcomer, then at Ahmose. She had barely caught what the other man had said, but decided to jump in on the conversation. "Yeah, how'd you end up here?" She was genuinely interested, but didn't want to tell him his fate.

[Rebel_the_Proud]

Kate could not help but enjoy a chuckle as Esmerelda spoke of Ahmose's trial to try and find a way out. Unlike a few others in the town, Deadwood was home to Kate, even if there was no way out. She didn't care if she were "trapped" here. Here, she had no responsibilities, no real problems, and could live life as a true rebel. Life was perfect to her. Finding amusement in the familiar conversation between Ahmose and Esmerelda. It was a common one, but one that showed disagreement; something Kate thoroughly enjoyed.
Kate was pulled out of her moment of enjoyment when Esmerelda spoke to her, asking about odd jobs. "Jobs?" The word 'job' was so far distant from Kate, she couldn't even think of a job for someone else. Kate was used to doing things just as they came, not planning ahead to do things. She sat thoughtfully for a moment, picking up her deck of cards to shuffle them again. "Well, I could think of a few good 'uns... What about spit-shinin' m'boots?" With her sly grin and mischievous glint in her miss-matched eyes, Kate wiggled her boots with her toes, drawing attention to the muddy, dusty pair on her feet. Kate chuckled, finding such amusement in these games.
Kuroi had felt himself start to fade into the background, which he as glad of. Perhaps he could sl- "How'd you end up in hell?" Kuroi nearly cringed had he not been so surprised by the statement. Looking over to the match the face with that voice - which was one that held such a strong voice behind those words. Right behind the young man's words came another question pipped in by a young woman - who appeared out of no where, it seemed. Kuroi was slightly startled by the questioning he was receiving, and it took him a moment to gather his thoughts together. "Uh... I dunno how I got here. I woke up in the middle of the desert, and I just... ended up here, I guess." With a clearly confused look, Kuroi quickly added, "Just where exactly am I?" Vincent glanced up from wiping off the bar table, a hint of sympathy in his eyes. He knew that Kuroi was about to find out the truth they all had had to come to at some point.

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[ Kuroi ] || [ Calamity Kate ] || [ Vincent Hart ]
[ 5 :: 20 ] || [ 1 :: 4 ] || [ 1 :: 4 ]

[ @ Mousen; It's perfect~ ^^ I think smaller posts with this many people are easier to manage anyway xD; And, I never want to be one to push, but the thread was just lying here for about a month ^^; I'm not sure where Kitsumi disappeared to... o.o; I hate continuing too far ahead, but I also hate leaving a thread hanging Dx ]

[Mousen]

Esmerelda couldn't help but choke back a laugh at her suggestion. "If only he'd agree to that. What I wouldn't give to see Ahmose shinin' boots, it might humble 'im a little. 'Specially considerin' how sure of himself he is. Still thinks he knows better'an me. Psh." She was having fun now, gossiping was one of Esmerelda's favourite pastimes. Anything to have a little bit of fun. One of the reasons she'd taken such a shine to the prickly young man. He was everything but boring. She lowered her voice a little. "Anythin' goin' on, then, Kate? You hear just about everythin', so you must know."

Ahmose's expression turned a little sympathetic at the young man's explanation. It was an odd way to get into Deadwood, certainly, just waking up in the desert. Most people just seemed to stumble in on it. Well, that's what he'd done. "You don't know how you got into the desert?" He certainly wasn't dressed for traversing through this climate, but Ahmose hadn't assumed that it meant anything more than he'd been a woefully under prepared traveller. "Hell is pretty much an accurate description. This is The Literal Middle Of Nowhere. The town of Deadwood. No one ever leaves. No one has yet, anyway." Ahmose sighed. "I didn't stay anywhere for more than two weeks before I got stuck here. It's killing me. If this place doesn't drive you insane... I- I don't know how anyone stands it." He was going to have to get out of here.

That, or he was going to have to die trying.

Qet, now completely bored with the lack of attention he was receiving, buzzed in a rather annoyed-sounding manner. "Shut up, Qet." Ahmose told his pet, quietly, the phrase so standard it barely registered.

[Kitsumi]

((Oh geez...sorry guys v.v I forgot to add this to my little list of threads in my signature, and I'm still getting used to using the 'View Your Posts' button to see if there are any new replies to my roleplays, like I used to. Plus, I got bronchitis (3rd time this year -.-) may have Boo moving back in with me, and also had a friend who had sent me a suicide letter. He has no cell, and I have no car, and was worried as hell for like a week, too stressed to reply to anything because I thought he was dead. Turns out he's fine, just grounded from the computer so he couldn't reply to any of my frenzied messages xD Anyways...I'm blabbering, sorry...but I'm back?))

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Sipping his drink in his own little corner of the world, Canaan had remained silent until now. Finally, though, he set his drink down, a bit harder than necessary, with a loud clank as the glass hit the wood. "Deadwood is a good place to be, and y'all know that. This ain't no hell - we have a good, clean community, for the most part at least, and we ain't got much crime or nuthin' of that sort. We're lucky to be here."

Gazing at each person in turn, his eyes fell on Kuroi last, and it was on him they remained. "Son, you don't listen to Calamity Kate when she says this is hell; heck, I ignore her most of the time." He shot a quick grin over at Kate's way to show that he was simply joking around. "And Ahmose there just hasn't allowed himself to settle down yet. But this here is a good place to live, if you let it be. And whether you like it or not, you're stayin' now that you're here, so you might as well learn to like it."

Now that he had thrown his lot out, he turned to Ahmose and Esmerelda. "Boy could always help me out on the farm. I'm fit for my age, even if it's not right for me to say so myself, but I could always use some more help. Having a steady job might help 'ya get settled down. We may have different views, but I'd hate to see you have to be dragged back again, half dead like ya usually are."

---

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"Carrie, dear, come on now." Dotti called to her daughter, unable to bring herself to call the girl she had given birth to and raised by such a...a worldly name as 'Raven'. "We have to go get your father from the saloon." Peering out the window, she could see, even from a distance, that nearly all the residents of Deadwood seemed to have gathered there. "There seems to be some sort of ruckus over there. We'll probably have to tear your father away."

Rolling her eyes, Raven murmured under her breath, "It's Raven." She didn't bother with any more than that, though. She knew that her mother wasn't going to call her by that name, no matter how hard she wished it. And she didn't want to upset her, knowing how fragile her mother's health was. "Fine, let's go."

~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~
{Canaan Walton}{Dotti Walton}{Carrie "Raven" Walton}
{2}{2}{2}

[jobiehanna]

That was certainly interesting. How could you just wake up somewhere and not know how you got there? Well, Becky supposed there were ways, like say, getting to wasted you don't know what happened. "You poor guy," Becky said with a shake of her head. "Well, like they said, you're stuck here, like the rest of us," she murmured the last part. Becky wasn't as loud about her desire to leave the town like Ahmose was, but she did. She hated the dusty little town.

Theodore wasn't one to jump in on conversations like this, but he had to get Becky away. He felt the young girl was his responsibility, after all. He took a few steps forward, until he reached her. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Now now," he said gently. "No need to get into this. This town sure is a fine place," he added with a smile. He didn't want to cause trouble, but this stranger seemed to hold nothing but trouble for their small town.

((Is there going to be a posting order, or not? I'm just curious. :3))

[Rebel_the_Proud]

Kate chuckled, commenting, "Ain't that just like a feller." Pulling off her hate, Kate set it on the table, getting settled in so that she could talk. The saloon was her second home, and she enjoyed the company within, but more importantly, she enjoyed talking, and that's what the saloon was always full of. "Well, lemme see..." Kate began as she looked up thoughtfully. It always seemed that she could scrounge up the dirt around town, which was increasingly hard to do with the limited number of people in the town, and the fact that she knew nearly every last one of them. "I 'ear the sh'rffs after that outlaw, Jake, again. Saw new wanted posters 'round the town, 'nd I hear'd the sh'rff talkin' 'bout it. Dun know whut for this time, though... I cain't figure out that Jake, yet." For once, Kate looked very puzzled. It wasn't often that she didn't have an answer for something, so when she didn't, it was obvious that it bothered her. A bit of a snoop, Kate wanted to know it all, and when she didn't know it drove her crazy.

Kuroi stared down at his water. He shook his head to confirm that he had, in fact, no idea how he ended up here, or why. The question was haunting. So much so that it made Kuroi queasy in his stomach... Or, perhaps it was the water. Either way, the thought itself was one that wheeled Kuroi's mind with questions. Questions that had no answers.
The stranger next to him continued, and, thankfully, drew Kuroi's attention away to why he had ended up here. Kuroi listened, his eyes focused on this stranger as the stranger revealed the reality of this place. But, disbelief was all he could feel. There was no way that this could be real. Surely, this stranger was just a drunk speaking nonsense, right? But, the tone that the stranger was speaking seemed to convey otherwise. There was real... almost... despair, there. Certainly, unhappiness, but it almost seemed like despair. Was this truly some trap? Kuroi struggled to process this. He opened his mouth to try and speak, but nothing would come. What could he say? Where could he begin with all his questions? Kuroi began to feel light-headed. Nothing made sense anymore. He noticed a buzzing sound, and absent-mindedly thought it was a fly buzzing near his ear or something. But, at the command of the stranger, it was silent. Kuroi couldn't help looking over, trying to figure out just what he was talking about. But, again, his attention was diverted.

The loud clank! of a glass near him nearly made Kuroi jump, probably on account of that he had been so wracked with thoughts. He looked over to the older man as he began to speak about this place deemed Deadwood. Kuroi recalled Vincent referring to this man as Mr. Canaan. It appeared that he did not share the same feelings as the stranger with the pet. When Mr. Canaan's eyes came to meet his own, Kuroi could only stare, still disbelief and confusion on his face. He tried to soak in all that was being said, but all he could truly gather was that he was trapped here. Trapped.
Kate caught the conversation quickly due to her name being said, and she met Canaan's gaze with her own fiery one, but a sly grin crept across her features. He was lucky she was busy talking to someone else, or it would surely be a battle of wits about to take place.
And, now, Kuroi was getting pity, from the two newest to join the conversation. Was this place truly that bad? He was getting both views of this place at once, and the information was very trying on his mind. The young lady who spoke appeared to share the same feelings as Ahmose, while the young man she was with did not. A town divided, no doubt, and it was extremely hard for Kuroi to deal with.

Kuroi finally managed to push himself past the disbelief, and shook his head, standing up off the bar stool. "No. I'm not supposed to be here." He spun around, looking at everyone, glancing from face to face, with hardened, determined eyes. "I don't care what any of you say... There must be a way out!" Kuroi's voice rose to anger, his frustration venting without control. Vincent watched him carefully from behind the bar. He knew that this type of behavior usually wasn't tolerated in this town, especially if it began to escalate. Kuroi continued to glance from one person to another, seeking answers in each of their faces, and after a tense moment, he looked to the one named Ahmose, and asked, "Are you telling me that there is no way out of this place..? At all?"

________________________
[ Kuroi ] || [ CalamityKate ] || [ Vincent Hart ]
[ 5 :: 21 ] || [ 2 :: 5 ] || [ 2 :: 5 ]


((Wow, Kitsumi... I'm so very sorry to hear that =( I hope you feel better soon, and I'm glad that things are okay with your friend ^^ Please, don't ever feel rushed to reply ^^ I would like this to be relaxed for all of us ;D
And, if everyone is okay with this posting order that we have now, then, yes ^^; Personally, I much prefer posting orders so that things are better organized, and everyone knows when to post and all that ^^; So, if everyone is good with it, the posting order will be: Rebel (me), Mousen, Kitsumi, and then jobi. If anyone has any problems, just let me know ^^
And, I apologize for my lateness... x_x; It's the middle of the school-year, so classes have picked up increasingly, which means much more work-load for me. >> Plus, the scavenger hunt thing had me all tied up. xD But, I'll try to post as quickly as I can~))

[Mousen]

Casting a wary glance towards the bartender, Esmerelda sat down for a moment. She'd been working here for as long as anyone could remember, it was a nice way to spend the time. After all, it wasn't like she had anything else to do. She was sure a few moments gossiping wasn't going to alienate Vincent too badly, he could always shout if he needed her to collect glasses or anything.  "Jake? Well, he's goin' to have a mighty amount of trouble catchin' that one, or it seems like it anyway." The blonde was clearly interested in the talk of the outlaw, to her it was another little neat little drama that was unfolding.

Hadn't allowed himself to settle down? Ahmose bit back a reply, he'd learnt a long time ago that his fight to convince the people of the Deadwood that trying to leave would be a good idea was a useless one. He'd been so insistent in the beginning, kicked up so much drama that he was surprised he was still allowed into the saloon. This town really wasn't a good place to cause trouble.

A good part of Ahmose still believed that there might be some sort of trick, some sort of escape from this place. Forever was an awfully long time to be stuck in a tiny little place like Deadwood. He'd been much the same as Kuroi when he'd first came here. "... If there is, no one has ever found it." The tone of his voice was heavy. He wanted to get out of here just as much as Kuroi, if not more so.

While he knew that was some genuine concern in Canaan's words, he was just too rattled to acknowledge it.  
"To be honest, Mr. Walton, I think next time I'd rather be dragged back dead." Quiet though his words may have been, they were audible to most people within the saloon.

It was at this Esmerelda stood up. "Ahmose! Don't you dare go around sayin' things like that!"

"I'm serious. You... All of you are living your lives in a... circle. Nothing ever changes. The sun rises and the sun sets and nothing ever changes. There's a whole world beyond Deadwood and... Y'know what? Never mind. It's useless isn't it? It's all useless." With that slightly garbled statement he turned to Kuroi. "Good luck, whatever you plan to do here. You're going to need it." He didn't look back as he walked out of the Saloon doors.

Esmerelda opened her mouth to say something then shut it again. "... Uhm." She said, almost feeling as though she had to defend his behaviour in some way. "The, uhhh, heat gets to him sometimes. You know how it is with those, uhm, desert-dwellers. ... Good people, though." Until that moment, she'd always thought she'd been rather good at making up excuses.

((Pff. XD; Excuse Ahmose's amateur dramatics. ))

[Kitsumi]

For a moment, Canaan Walton was distracted at the mention of the outlaw. He was well known, or at least his name was, to Canaan and his family, so it was a sufficient topic to steal his attention. "That boy, again?" Canaan shook his head in disapproval. "Now, it would be a whole lot easier for everyone if people just did what they was supposed to. Anyone else remember the good 'ole days, when you never had to worry 'bout no one stealing nuthin', and nobody was ever trying to pull a gun on you when you wasn't lookin'? I remember those days...course I'm a bit older than you younger ones, I'd reckon."

He laughed then, a hoarse sort of chuckle. He was older than them...much older, although he seemed to be stuck in his forties forever. Not exactly an unpleasant idea, of course. So long as he was able to stay fit enough to manage the farm and to care for Dotti and Raven, he was pleased with his current situation.

Ahmose's next words infuriated him; not that anybody would have been able to tell, of course. Canaan had as much of a temper as many a man did, but he was better at hiding it, so that only his wife, Dotti, knew when he had become upset. Luckily, Ahmose was smart enough not to continue on that path, and Canaan nodded at Esmerelda as she scrambled for an excuse for her friend. "'s alright, Miss Esmerelda. I'm sure we all know Ahmose's feelings on the matter by now." He offered a small smile towards the woman, despite his inner disdain. It wasn't she he was upset with, anyways. "I'm just thinking of his own health, y'know. It won't do ya no good to keep pining away for something that's impossible."

---

---

As they reached the saloon, Dotti paused at the door, not quite wanting to enter. She had always been raised in a way that looked down on women who entered into what she had been taught was 'man's domain'. "The only women who enter a saloon are harlots or don't know their gender," her papa's voice whispered in her head, even now, long after his death. She may not have completely agreed - she would never judge anyone, as a harlot or otherwise. But she would never enter a saloon, preferring instead to wait outside for her husband to finish.

Raven, on the other hand, had no such reservations. Sauntering in as if she didn't hear her mother's gasp and whispered reprimands, Raven began to walk towards her father. But at the sight of a stranger, a newcomer sitting next to him, she instead plopped down on the seat next to him.

Having heard nothing of the past conversation, she said, "Well, I certainly haven't seen you around before. You've come to the wrong place, mister...this isn't anywhere you wanna be, trust me." Glancing over at Ahmose, she added, "Although I bet you've already figured that out, huh?"

Sensing her father's glare, and knowing that both he and her mother would be completely appalled by such a 'forward' action, she put out her hand towards the new guy. "I'm Raven Walton. I'm sure that by now, you'll have met my father." She gestured towards the man on the other side of the stranger. Leaning closer and saying in a mock whisper that everyone could clearly hear, she added, "I wouldn't listen to a thing he said, if I were you."

Dotti, even though outside the saloon, put a hand to her mouth, looking pale and sick at her daughter's words. "Carrie, darling, don't speak about your father so!" She shot an apologetic look towards the stranger, trying to keep her interest in who he was at bay. It wasn't a woman's place to ask questions. "I apologize, sir, for my daughter's...irrationality."

~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~
{Canaan}{Dotti}{Raven}
{3}{3}{3}

[jobiehanna]

Becky shrugged Theodor'es hand off her shoulder. It wasn't his place to protect her from danger. And this new young man seemed to hold a lot of mystery and danger about him. Maybe he was the final link in her getting out of this town. If he was determined enough, maybe it could happen. "None at all," she added quietly as Ahmose stormed out the door. She sighed, she never wished this fate on anyone. With Raven's entrance and introduction, Becky felt as if it would be a good idea to introduce herself and Theodore as well. The least she could so was be nice, right? "And I'm Rebecca, Becky for short," she said with a smile. She nodded toward Theodore, "And that guy there is Theodore, don't call him anything else, he hates it. Right Teddy?" She added the last part as a tease.

More and more people were coming into the saloon. Theodore wasn't a people person at all. He wanted to leave, but he didn't want to leave Becky here all alone. He swallowed, taking a few paces back. He could feel the pressure building in the air between the people who wanted to leave and those who didn't mind staying. He glanced between all the faces, wishing he could disappear. He glanced up as Becky mentioned his name. He mumbled a greeting, although real words couldn't be made out.