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perfectworrytitle: Showdown at the Cactus Flower Saloon (2/?)
verse:People's Republic of Heaven Electric Company & shiftverse
community:![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
writerverse
prompt: Phase #4: Challenge #9: Quick Fic #3
word count: 796
characters: Mariel, Silas (AU!Shujin), Nikos, Aya, Koji
rating: PG13
summary: In which Koji Kotobuki must learn to faint like a delicate young lady, Elias and Kaius prowl around outside, and Aya Scarlett is disappointed in the object of her affection.
"Can you faint in an appropriately delicate and ladylike fashion?" asked Nikos, leaning against the windowsill of the guest room. His back was to the dusty street outside, where bounty hunters Elias and Kaius prowled below.
"Sorry?" asked Koji, glaring. He didn't seem to believe Nikos was taking the $1,000 bounty on his head, or the two men after it, quite as seriously as he should.
"You heard him," grumbled Mariel, while Nikos mimed fainting in an exaggerated way.
"I… Yes," said Koji, although he sounded uncertain and his eyes darted to his companions; whether for reassurance that he could lose consciousness in a ladylike way, or for back-up on this ridiculous request, it was difficult to tell.
"You've gotta make it good, kid. Let's see this," said Mariel.
When no help was forthcoming for Koji, he stumbled and pretended to fall backwards. His self-concious grin ruined the effect.
"Very convincing," Mariel said, but one look at her face told Koji otherwise. "You look like a gutter drunk, not a delicate flower."
"You'd know all about that, would you?"
"I <i>could</i> sell you down the river to your charming friends outside," she hissed, "and take my portion of your price. I just happen to like my boss, who seems to fancy you." She paused. "Couldn't say why."
"Ladies," said Nikos. "Ladies, please. Don't fight over little ol' me."
"Go to hell, Vallas," said Mariel, at the same time as Koji growled at him to shut up. they shared a look of camaraderie before remembering that they hated each other.
"She's right, Kotobuki," said Silas. It was the first time he had spoken since they barricaded themselves into one of the upstairs guest rooms.
"Aren't you on my side?" asked Koji petulantly.
"Yes," said Silas. With that, he lapsed back into thoughtful silence.
"So you have to do as we say," said Nikos. He threw an arm around Koji's shoulders, but was immediately shrugged off. "You faint away in the heat of the blistering desert sun and the excitement of a duel to the death - hopefully not Mariel's - and while Elias is busy not getting shot, we put you in a wagon to get you into the shade, Alamande and Licht take off, then loop back around to collect you and off you go."
Koji made a face.
"Unless you've got an idea that doesn't involve me getting shot at by a man who wants your head on a platter, in which case, I am all for it," said Mariel, but Koji said nothing. "In that case, Ms Scarlett, if you would do the honors."
"Of course," said Aya . She had ladylike fainting down to a fine art. She swished into the middle of the little room, with her back to Mariel and Nikos. "Watch and learn, honeybunch."
Aya curtsied to Koji, then: "Oh, I say!"
She stamped her foot for added effect, threw a hand up to her forehead, and fell backwards. Mariel sidestepped her neatly, and she collapsed into Nikos's waiting arms.
"Thanks, sailor," pouted Aya as she straightened herself, smoothing her rumpled skirts. Her perfect ringlets were mysteriously unruffled.
"My pleasure, Ms Scarlett."
"When you two are done flirting," Nikos cut in; Mariel made a face and Aya batted her eyelashes, "- it's Koji's turn."
"I'm not doing this," he announced. "This is ridiculously."
"Shut up and pretend to faint, or I'll make you do it for real."
"Good Lord" cried Koji.
"Do it," said Mariel, crossing her arms.
"Oh, I say!" he said, stamping one heavy booted foot and falling like a tree. No one caught him. Mariel nearly choked with laughter, and even stony, silent Silas Licht was chortling at the sight. Aya seemed torn between amusement and anxiety.
Still, Koji did not move. Mariel nudged at him with the toe of her shor'boots. "If he's dead, can we still collect the bounty? I could use a few hundred dollars."
"Damn you, Delacroix!" growled Koji. "Why are you doing this, if you hate me so much?"
"Adventure is my business," she told him, shrugging.
"She's a hired gun," explained Nikos. If Mariel felt anything, she didn't betray her thoughts to the others. "Let's try again, Koji. Dawn will come, whether we welcome it or not."
title: Showdown at the Cactus Flower Saloon (3/?)
verse:People's Republic of Heaven Electric Company & shiftverse
community:writerverse
prompt: Phase #4: Challenge #4: Grab Your Fedora
word count: 793
characters: Mariel, Silas (AU!Shujin), Nikos, Aya, Koji, Lero, Elias, Glory
rating: PG13
summary: In which Mariel and Elias have a showdown at noon, a young woman faints, and there's more to Aya Scarlett than you'd expect.
High noon, or nearly.
Mariel and Elias stood at opposite ends of the dusty road; she faced northwards, he looked south. Both of them stood perfectly still, with a casual, practiced ease that belied the tension simmering down the street.
Silence fell as the sun arced slowly upwards, marking the minutes until noon. Curious onlookers gathered on porches and children and cowards peered out of windows, peeking around curtains.
Mariel began to tap a foot impatiently. She might have checked her pocket watch, if reaching for the waistband of her jeans wouldn't alert her opponent's double and raise suspicions about her honesty. So she waited.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a young woman with dark hair faint; whether from the baking dry heat or the anxiety of watching two strangers waiting for the chance to kill each other, Mariel didn't know. She crumpled delicately against the man standing behind her. He was a big man, and caught her easily.
"She needs a doctor!" cried Nikos.
Mariel smiled, and the sun reached its peak.
She didn't hear the commotion at the Cactus Flower Saloon as she turned on the heel of her shor'boots, drawing the revolver from the holster on her hip. She pulled the trigger.
She was prepared for the deafening dry crack that echoed through the town, but she hadn't been expecting the explosion of pain in her shoulder. She staggered backwards, nearly knocked off her feet by the impact.
"Oh, sailor!"
Aya Scarlett jumped the bannister of the veranda in a decidedly unladylike fashion, but no matter; most of the town had seen her underthings (and more) before anyway, and those who hadn't appreciated the free show.
She bustled over to Mariel, now sitting on the dirty ground. Kneeling down, she obstructed Mariel's view of Silas, the man who caught the fainting woman, dropping her rather unceremoniously into the waiting arms of another of last night's visitors.
She saw him clear the railing in an easy leap and take off running down the street after Elias. It was tempting to black out, but they had a plan and she needed to know whether she had just been shot in vain. Once she knew the outcome of their scheme, she would reconsider losing consciousness.
Mariel hoped Elias was dead, but she hadn't bothered to look. She felt no personal animosity towards him; she faced him only to settle a debt. At least, not until he shot her. Now she worked her way through the pain of being shot by silently cursing him and every member of his godforsaken family: past, present and future.
Aya fretted, but didn't flinch away from the blood pouring down Mariel's side. Beneath her simpering exterior, Aya Scarlett had a core of steel; she showed it now, both hands pressed down over the wound to staunch the blood. Her eyes were soft with concern, but she betrayed no distaste at the blood soaking into her best dress.
Gabriel "Glory" Aldreich was all that the town had for a doctor. He hurried towards them now in loping strides and crouched before Mariel. She hadn't even seen him coming.
"I've seen to Ms Kotobuki at the Cactus Flower," he said.
Mariel nodded in understanding. With the knowledge that she hadn't been shot for nothing, she gave in and passed out.
verse:
shiftversecommunity:
writerverseprompt: Phase #4: Challenge #9: Quick Fic #3
word count: 796
characters: Mariel, Silas (AU!Shujin), Nikos, Aya, Koji
rating: PG13
summary: In which Koji Kotobuki must learn to faint like a delicate young lady, Elias and Kaius prowl around outside, and Aya Scarlett is disappointed in the object of her affection.
"Can you faint in an appropriately delicate and ladylike fashion?" asked Nikos, leaning against the windowsill of the guest room. His back was to the dusty street outside, where bounty hunters Elias and Kaius prowled below.
"Sorry?" asked Koji, glaring. He didn't seem to believe Nikos was taking the $1,000 bounty on his head, or the two men after it, quite as seriously as he should.
"You heard him," grumbled Mariel, while Nikos mimed fainting in an exaggerated way.
"I… Yes," said Koji, although he sounded uncertain and his eyes darted to his companions; whether for reassurance that he could lose consciousness in a ladylike way, or for back-up on this ridiculous request, it was difficult to tell.
"You've gotta make it good, kid. Let's see this," said Mariel.
When no help was forthcoming for Koji, he stumbled and pretended to fall backwards. His self-concious grin ruined the effect.
"Very convincing," Mariel said, but one look at her face told Koji otherwise. "You look like a gutter drunk, not a delicate flower."
"You'd know all about that, would you?"
"I <i>could</i> sell you down the river to your charming friends outside," she hissed, "and take my portion of your price. I just happen to like my boss, who seems to fancy you." She paused. "Couldn't say why."
"Ladies," said Nikos. "Ladies, please. Don't fight over little ol' me."
"Go to hell, Vallas," said Mariel, at the same time as Koji growled at him to shut up. they shared a look of camaraderie before remembering that they hated each other.
"She's right, Kotobuki," said Silas. It was the first time he had spoken since they barricaded themselves into one of the upstairs guest rooms.
"Aren't you on my side?" asked Koji petulantly.
"Yes," said Silas. With that, he lapsed back into thoughtful silence.
"So you have to do as we say," said Nikos. He threw an arm around Koji's shoulders, but was immediately shrugged off. "You faint away in the heat of the blistering desert sun and the excitement of a duel to the death - hopefully not Mariel's - and while Elias is busy not getting shot, we put you in a wagon to get you into the shade, Alamande and Licht take off, then loop back around to collect you and off you go."
Koji made a face.
"Unless you've got an idea that doesn't involve me getting shot at by a man who wants your head on a platter, in which case, I am all for it," said Mariel, but Koji said nothing. "In that case, Ms Scarlett, if you would do the honors."
"Of course," said Aya . She had ladylike fainting down to a fine art. She swished into the middle of the little room, with her back to Mariel and Nikos. "Watch and learn, honeybunch."
Aya curtsied to Koji, then: "Oh, I say!"
She stamped her foot for added effect, threw a hand up to her forehead, and fell backwards. Mariel sidestepped her neatly, and she collapsed into Nikos's waiting arms.
"Thanks, sailor," pouted Aya as she straightened herself, smoothing her rumpled skirts. Her perfect ringlets were mysteriously unruffled.
"My pleasure, Ms Scarlett."
"When you two are done flirting," Nikos cut in; Mariel made a face and Aya batted her eyelashes, "- it's Koji's turn."
"I'm not doing this," he announced. "This is ridiculously."
"Shut up and pretend to faint, or I'll make you do it for real."
"Good Lord" cried Koji.
"Do it," said Mariel, crossing her arms.
"Oh, I say!" he said, stamping one heavy booted foot and falling like a tree. No one caught him. Mariel nearly choked with laughter, and even stony, silent Silas Licht was chortling at the sight. Aya seemed torn between amusement and anxiety.
Still, Koji did not move. Mariel nudged at him with the toe of her shor'boots. "If he's dead, can we still collect the bounty? I could use a few hundred dollars."
"Damn you, Delacroix!" growled Koji. "Why are you doing this, if you hate me so much?"
"Adventure is my business," she told him, shrugging.
"She's a hired gun," explained Nikos. If Mariel felt anything, she didn't betray her thoughts to the others. "Let's try again, Koji. Dawn will come, whether we welcome it or not."
title: Showdown at the Cactus Flower Saloon (3/?)
verse:
shiftversecommunity:
writerverseprompt: Phase #4: Challenge #4: Grab Your Fedora
word count: 793
characters: Mariel, Silas (AU!Shujin), Nikos, Aya, Koji, Lero, Elias, Glory
rating: PG13
summary: In which Mariel and Elias have a showdown at noon, a young woman faints, and there's more to Aya Scarlett than you'd expect.
High noon, or nearly.
Mariel and Elias stood at opposite ends of the dusty road; she faced northwards, he looked south. Both of them stood perfectly still, with a casual, practiced ease that belied the tension simmering down the street.
Silence fell as the sun arced slowly upwards, marking the minutes until noon. Curious onlookers gathered on porches and children and cowards peered out of windows, peeking around curtains.
Mariel began to tap a foot impatiently. She might have checked her pocket watch, if reaching for the waistband of her jeans wouldn't alert her opponent's double and raise suspicions about her honesty. So she waited.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a young woman with dark hair faint; whether from the baking dry heat or the anxiety of watching two strangers waiting for the chance to kill each other, Mariel didn't know. She crumpled delicately against the man standing behind her. He was a big man, and caught her easily.
"She needs a doctor!" cried Nikos.
Mariel smiled, and the sun reached its peak.
She didn't hear the commotion at the Cactus Flower Saloon as she turned on the heel of her shor'boots, drawing the revolver from the holster on her hip. She pulled the trigger.
She was prepared for the deafening dry crack that echoed through the town, but she hadn't been expecting the explosion of pain in her shoulder. She staggered backwards, nearly knocked off her feet by the impact.
"Oh, sailor!"
Aya Scarlett jumped the bannister of the veranda in a decidedly unladylike fashion, but no matter; most of the town had seen her underthings (and more) before anyway, and those who hadn't appreciated the free show.
She bustled over to Mariel, now sitting on the dirty ground. Kneeling down, she obstructed Mariel's view of Silas, the man who caught the fainting woman, dropping her rather unceremoniously into the waiting arms of another of last night's visitors.
She saw him clear the railing in an easy leap and take off running down the street after Elias. It was tempting to black out, but they had a plan and she needed to know whether she had just been shot in vain. Once she knew the outcome of their scheme, she would reconsider losing consciousness.
Mariel hoped Elias was dead, but she hadn't bothered to look. She felt no personal animosity towards him; she faced him only to settle a debt. At least, not until he shot her. Now she worked her way through the pain of being shot by silently cursing him and every member of his godforsaken family: past, present and future.
Aya fretted, but didn't flinch away from the blood pouring down Mariel's side. Beneath her simpering exterior, Aya Scarlett had a core of steel; she showed it now, both hands pressed down over the wound to staunch the blood. Her eyes were soft with concern, but she betrayed no distaste at the blood soaking into her best dress.
Gabriel "Glory" Aldreich was all that the town had for a doctor. He hurried towards them now in loping strides and crouched before Mariel. She hadn't even seen him coming.
"I've seen to Ms Kotobuki at the Cactus Flower," he said.
Mariel nodded in understanding. With the knowledge that she hadn't been shot for nothing, she gave in and passed out.
no subject
Date: 2012-09-23 03:28 am (UTC)Anyway, I love your stories in this verse, especially Mariel, she's fascinating.