Running the West (Discontinued)

Jack watches her as she speaks about the experience she had been through, he nods to her. "Sorry to hear about that." He says while running a hand through his hair, unsure of what to say as he hadn't been through a siniliar experience. "I've never really encountered anything like that in my time here." He admits. "But I have been through war, mind you, I was in the Phillipines when the Spanish had occupied it, proudest day of my life when I helped lead that company." He explains. "Not a single American life was lost, and I hope that we can do the same against Black, though I very much doubt that Black is as incompetent as the Spanish were." He says.

"You should get some rest, Sheriff, I gotta go find Ellie, she was kinda pissed after I didn't get into a gunfight with Black and his lackies." He explains as he stands and grabs his hat. "Ill see you in the morning." He says before leaving the sheriffs office to find Ellie. He checks all around town, including the bar, hoping to apologize to his blue-haired companion.

Gemini felt a bit strange about his sudden exit, but perhaps he had more important matters to attend to. "Something like a war is sure to be something scarring and life changing." She sat back on her chair when he excused himself and pardoned him immediately. "I will see you tomorrow, sheriff." Maybe talking about a murderous ex boyfriend scared the man away.

In the bar, Erron's men were at least spending money on whiskey. They looked dangerous, and Justine's remains were completely cleaned off the roads except for stains of blood tainting where Erron executed her. Unfortunately, those were the caliber of men some towns needed to feel well-protected. One of them spotted the sheriff and stared for a moment, before lifting his glass and swallowing the whiskey.

Ellie wasn't there, at least not in sight. Hopefully these men hadn't touched her.

Jack walks into the bar and eyes the two men that Black had left behind. "Evening gentlemen, y'all see the Blue Ribbon around?" He asks while walking over, leaning against the table. "I figure if she was in here you might've seen her, she's kinda hard to miss." He says while watching them, as if expecting them to make a move against him.

He sits at the bar next to them now, the bartender walks over and Jack quietly orders a whiskey. "How're y'all enjoying the town?" He asks. "Twenty four hours is a pretty long time to stay somewhere you don't wanna be." He comments while taking a drink, hoping that they would give him some insight.

Kudos and Diego were Black's men left behind. After an alotted time, they'd see what Jack wanted to do with Erron. Diego seemed fancied with knives as he seemingly was always playing with one, tons of scratches and cuts on his arms and hands. "Evenin' Mr. Sheriff...". He said calmly, as Kudo, the larger man packing a large rifle on his back continued to drink.

"The blue ribbon? Oh yes, the spunky little lady with the perfect... everything...". Diego smiled. "I wish I did see her. I think she came in for a moment though... right?"

Kudo shrugged, his face was mangled by scars, acne and pock marks. "Don't care much for women. They can be fun here and there." He was significantly taller than Jack, and Jack wasn't short by any stretch. "Think I saw her walking towards the graveyard... Hope you don't mind. We prepared Justine a grave. Figured she should be buried here since it's your fault she was killed..."

(Sorry! I didn't even know you posted back)

Jack nods to the men seated at the bar, rubbing his nose as he listens to them speak. "Towards the graveyard? I thank you kindly." He says while standing from the bar. "Was it my fault that she died? I didn't think anything of it." He says with a shrug. "Justine pretty much lynched herself the moment she involved herself with Erron Black." He says while walking out of the bar with his hands stuffed in his pockets, the hint he had dropped to them subtle but very telling.

He walks to the graveyard with his hands still in his pockets, spotting her inside. "Ellie." He says quietly while approaching her from behind. "I'm sorry." He says to her, genuinely feeling bad that he had possibly hurt her feelings. "Listen, I know that Black is a murderer and we let him walk today, and honestly I would've fought him right then and there... But we have a bunch of boys with repeater rifles and he has an army, I couldn't let all of those people die, you gotta understand." He says.

"Please forgive me?" He asks.

(Not a problem. We all get busy)

Ellie was sitting against a tombstone, an old grave keeper stumbling around the grounds as they spoke. "I know. You did what you could. We would all be dead. I don't want you to die. I hope you don't make a deal with him. He will most likely betray you. And make me his property or something."

She slowly stood up, "I should be apologizing to you. I nearly started a fight we couldn't win. Still can't. Even with Cold Stone and the Pirates. She looked over at old man grave keeper and started to leave. What should we do?"

Jack walks with her, his hands stuffed into his jeans. "Well, I'm not making deals with Black, I can tell you that much." He says. "Gemini and I already discussed it, it would be too risky." He says to her as they walk. "I'm not letting him take you or kill me.. After all, I still haven't gotten that follow up date." He says with a laugh, rubbing the back of his head.

"We pretty much decided that we're not facing Black head on, if he rides into town we're giving everyone guns for defense but if he is away, we hit the stragglers." He explains. "Guerilla warfare, like during the French and Indian war." He explains to her. "You don't have anything to be apologizing for, I understand your concern and how much you hate him, I just had to keep a level head.. I didn't mean to hurt you." He says.

Ellie couldn't bring herself to smile at his date comment, but she tried. "It worries me. What if Black is just a lackey to a bigger, badder person? We can end up getting a lot of good men and women killed. People who aren't fighters. I sometimes think if it would just be easier to try and work something out with him. He seems to like you. He can probably pay you a lot. And give you all the food, women, and power that you want. Doesn't sound like to bad a deal. You just have to shoot who he tells you to shoot."

She shook her head. "Gemini? The red haired girl I saw? She's still here? Where is she..."

Jack shakes his head. "I signed up to help these folks not abandon them." He says while they walk. "I don't want food women and power, Ellie, what I've got right now is pretty spectacular in every way, Erron Blsck could not improve my life simply because he hands off material goods, I'd feel like a hack for leaving this town in the dust and dirt while Black rapes her people on a weekly basis." He says while leading her towards the Sheriffs office. "Gemini is in the office if you want to talk to her." He explains to her, he had his own plans to talk to Gemini and explain that he wasn't creeped out by her stories.

"Doesn't have to be that way. I think Lance feels the same way. If you're okay with turning your back on the rest of the counties out there, Whitewater, your townsfolk, they could all be exempt. But that still leaves him at large, and you basically in his pocket. I don't think I could respect you if you don't do something about him. I don't want you to get slaughtered, but we can use these guerrilla tactics to take him out piece by piece..."

Ellie walked with Jack and entered their office, where Jack showed her where Gemini was located. Ellie knocked lightly and pushed the door open, Gemini fixing her hair into a tail again. She was looking at herself in a small mirror and saw Jack, she turned and noticed Ellie was there with him as well. Still in her tank top and looking rather saloon-ish to say the least, Gemini gasped and covered her breasts (not that they were completely exposed anyway), quickly reaching for her jacket. "Excuse me! I didn't know..." She murmured off at the end, as if Jack had come alone, she probably would have stayed dressed less.

Ellie's eyes narrowed and she gave a look at Jack as Gemini got her jacket on finally. "Sorry about that, Miss." Gemini quietly said as she looked at Ellie's hair. "Oh, I saw you after Black left Whitewater. You were upset. But going by your hair you must be the famous Blue Ribbon."

Ellie frowned, "Nothing famous about me, red. Still, Ellie's my name. Good to meet you."

Gemini nodded, "I am Gemini, and likewise. Always good to see another female doing right by her own aspirations."

For some reason, it was tense.

"Tomorrow we can hopefully discuss these Guerrilla tactics the boss has been talking about. I'm here to take the fight to Erron Black, but if we have to be annoying pests to whittle his forces, then a pest I will be."

Gemini nodded, "Good, because annoying pests we will have to become. This is a losing battle, but with enough endurance, we can bring down that horrible man."

"Right then." Ellie said, for some reason not liking Gemini at all. "Well, good night Red." She looked at Jack, not sure if he was coming with her, "Sheriff..."

"Good night to you too, Blue." Gemini also didn't know if Jack would leave with Ellie, stay a while with her, or just go his own way.

Ellie opened the door and started walking out slowly, leaving Jack in a weird void of a place where his next action would seem to have massive implications. Maybe.

Neither woman wanted to ask him to stay or come with them, and they seemed to dislike each other, just from vibes.

"I'm not stopping this fight until my last dying breath, Ellie." He promises her as they enter the office and walk to Gemini's room, where he had told her that she could sleep.

Jack looks to both of them, the awkwardness of the situation dawning to him. He stuffs his hands into his pockets and awkwardly shifts his weight from one leg to the other, deciding not to join in on the conversation that they were having.

When Ellie moves to walk away he can sense what both of them wanted almost immediately, he bites the inside of his cheek, how would he make a decision like that? He wanted to talk to Gemini again, as he had left her hanging to make sure Ellie was alright and he didn't even know if Ellie liked him in that way any more but he wasn't even certain that Gemini liked him, despite the hint that she would've stayed a little exposed if he was the only one there.

He watches Ellie disappear into her room before he steps into Gemini's, closing the door behind him. "I'm sorry I left like that." He says to her while leaning against the wall, his hands returning to his pockets. "I had to make sure Ellie was alright, I wasn't sure where she had gone and she's really important to the operation we have going... You know, we need every person who can shoot straight and she can do that and more." He explains to her.

He was tempted to ask why they seemed to not like each other but he decides against it, walking over to her and sitting down on the edge of her bed. "So.. When we walked in here you started to say something but you cut yourself off.." He says with a laugh, watching her with a big grin on his face.

Gemini nodded, "She's a known gun slinger, that's for sure. I haven't seen anyone with hair like hers. I doubt she was born that way..." She shook the idea out of her head. "I wasn't expecting you to come back with anyone, or come back at all. It was my mistake for leaving the door unlocked." She had to ask, maybe it's none of her business, but she had to, "Are you and Ellie... uh... seeing each other? Not trying to pry, in just curious. She seems a little childish to me."

Jack nods to her. "Yeah, she's a good shot." He admits. "It would be a shame to lose anybody at this point, we need all of the help we can get." He says while leaning back on the bed. Jack listens to her question and shrugs. "We dated once, the first date didn't go so well and when I asked about a follow-up she didn't seem to want to.. So I guess not." He says with a laugh. "Honestly I wish I had a woman, this whole thing is stressing me out, you know?" He asks with a chuckle, rubbing the back of his head.

"Well...". She sounded relived. "... I'm sure the right girl will take her role with you at the right time." She smiled nervously. "Maybe we can discuss our attack plan tomorrow? I too wish I had some companionship in the middle of all this. Tomorrow is never guaranteed in our world... it's good to make the best of every possibility." She liked him. He was attractive and had a cool and calm demeanor. She twirled her hair in her fingers, "I think I'd like to see more of you. Who knows what might happen? I am a little lonely, and have commitments only to my duty. I would enjoy spending some time with a gentleman." She smiled widely.

Jack looks over at her and a smile breaks across his face. "I'm sure she will." He says while running his hand along the back of his head. "You do...?" He asks while looking over at her. "I'd enjoy spending some time with a beautiful lady." He says with a smile on his face. Gemini was beautiful, there was no denying it, and on top of that he really liked her as a person, they were almost complete matches. "You'd like to see more of me? I'd like to see more of you." He admits while biting the inside of his cheek. With the moment at hand he leans in and presses his lips against hers, his eyes closing as he does so. He only does this act gently, pulling back after a moment just to make sure that he was actually reading her signals correctly.

Gemini was surprised at first. She didn't expect it. Her lips did have a moment to pucker before he backed up. "Mr. Sheriff!" She cried playfully, starting to laugh. "You sir, stole that kiss from me and I demand you return it to me..." She didn't seem bothered. She wasn't the type of girl to do anything too brash too soon.

Jack laughs and leans back against the wall that the bed was against. "You're going to have to take it back, Gemini." He says with a playful teasing tone of voice. "Because it was good enough that I want tot keep it." He admits while looking at her, his hands laying on to his lap.

Gemini laughed again, "And so I will!" She said, approaching him and mounting him against the wall, her hands on his shoulders as she brought her rosy lips to his. She was close, basically sitting on his lap. Her chest close to him, her scent faint and sweet. Her breath was still glittered by her drinking but it added a good taste to her tongue, which she slowly shared with Jack's mouth.

Jack grins as she practically sits in his lap and kisses him, which he happil returns, his lips pressing back against hers and his hands moving to her hips in order to keep her in his lap. He loved the closeness, as he had been picking up signals from her that she wanted something like this, and of course he wanted to too. He groans softly against her lips and moves his hands up to her back, where he pulls her against him so that her chest presses against his.

She giggled when he pulled her, unable to keep her breasts off his skin. She was about the same size as Ellie in terms of bust, give or take just a bit. Smaller than what Justine was, but comparing chests with the late great traitor of Maribelle was unfair to most women. "I don't want you to get too riled up, Sheriff... I'm enjoying this... I am... but I can't take it much further... not tonight..." She rubbed over his shoulders lightly, a fine build for a man on the healthier side.

Jack gives her a small smile, looking up into her eyes. "I understand." He says happily while moving his hands back to her hips. "May I at least stay by your side for the night?" He asks her, wanting her permission for such a seemingly bold move. He looks to her with raised eyebrows, moving back so that she wasn't pressed up against him any more, as he didn't want to be tempted to go past the boundaries she had set for them. A smile was still plastered on to his face from her attention, to both his lips and body.

Gemini smiled at him and shook her head. "No... it's honestly too much of a temptation and I can't promise I won't break my own word..." She came off him and kissed him one more time. "It's probably time we called it a night..." Suddenly, they heard lewd sounds from a nearby room. Lance? Or was it Ellie? Either way, whoever it was they were having a good time.

Gemini started blushing, "I suppose your deputies get along quite well!"

Jack kisses her back and his eyes open to watch her crawl off of him. "I wish we didn't have to end the night." He admits while reaching out to her and running a hand through her hair. "But, if I must go I'll go." He says while sitting up, preparing himself to leave. He hears the noises from the other room and chuckles. "I dunno if it's my deputies per say, could be Lance and the Pirate." He says with a shrug while standing. "I'll see you in the morning, Gemini." He says while walking to the door.

Gemini reluctantly smiled and let him go. She really just wanted to rip her clothes off and let him take her, but they honestly just met. Kissing is fairly harmless, granting full access to a man you just met can make you look like a whore.

They'd have time to do plenty of that, if he was patient enough to wait for her.

As Jack was walking out, Billy was actively walking in. He was surprised at the whole sight, Gemini again covering herself somewhat.

"Gemini!" He turned and looked at Jack. "Sheriff?" He covered his face in embarrassment. "Damn I didn't mean to interrupt! There's weird noises in the hall, but we have a few coyotes messing around town. "Wanted to see if I could take a few boys to gun em down." He watched Gemini's skin. Gemini frowned, "Hey! Stop staring or I'll smack you one!" Billy chuckled, "Sorry Ma'am..."

Jack bites the inside of his cheek as he looks back at her, he looks forward as Billy comes in and gives him a nod.

"You didn't interrupt nothin' I was just leaving." He says while watching the boy. "Coyotes, huh? Grab two or three guys and come with me, we'll leave whoever's fucking to their business." He says. "You wanna come coyote hunting, Gemini?" He asks while looking back at her, placing his hand in his hip where his revolver sits.

"Billy, didn't your parents warn you about staring? Gemini'll be able to smack you to the moon." He says with a chuckle, not really worried about anybody staring at his newly found possible lover, as she was very capable of defending herself.