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Frontier Town Old Town

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Jackie Cat

Jackie Cat

A cat who writes stories.
Heartache staff
Pronoun
they or she
Generations ago, all that lay here were a handful of sandstone homes, a well, and a pair of ancient joshua trees, wrapped around each other – the namesake of the town once known as Desert Knot.

The oldest part of Frontier Town was still intact, even in 181 CE. The sandstone houses still stood, over on the west side of town, in the 'old quarter'. Their sides were painted with colourful geometric patterns to decorate them and provide directions. Betel's telepathic translation made these comprehensible even to Wayfarers. Here, a small local tavern made an attraction of the obscure local culture, drowned out by generations of Frontier Town growing larger and larger until the old quarter had been swallowed by it.

Part of the old quarter was a sort of public park that served also as a community garden. There were private spots here to rest awhile on a bench, and foot traffic was limited. It was out of the way enough that at the quiet times of day, hardly anyone used it – which made it all the more precious to those who did.

In the centre, a small shrine carved in sandstone depicted the historical patron of Desert Knot – the Saint of Song and Step.

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[Ch03] Bandit Buddies
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    • Wes didn’t usually care to get too attached to any singular location. His lifestyle had always made it impossible to settle anywhere for long, or for anything to start truly feeling like home—and as far as he was concerned, he was perfectly fine with this.

    Yet he immediately took a liking to this place the first time he’d found it while exploring the town, and it was becoming a favorite location for some peace and quiet. Away from the bustle of Main Street and never crowded, it was a reliable refuge. And Wes could really use a moment to relax after the horrifying chaos of last night.

    He settled into a spot of grass under what was becoming his favorite tree and let out a sigh of relief, relishing the way the cool grass felt against his aching muscles. At least that Drapion—Odette had reminded him of the creature’s species—hadn’t shredded him like the Charmeleon had. He’d take some aches and bruises over that first experience any day.

    He stared up at the sky and watched the clouds roll by, lost in thought. How much longer will I be stuck here? he wondered.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • The clouds above the town were wispy things, most days. This day, they languidly passed overhead, whipped into swirls by the arid winds. Beyond them, though, were very different clouds hovering above the Obstine mountains. These were smooth, rounded, and silvery, hanging stationary in the sky like saucers stacked one atop the next atop the next. Lenticular clouds – a sign of an approaching weather front.

    "You're lookin' the worse for wear," remarked a nearby 'mon with a familiar voice. "Heard some of y'all angels got struck in the night by a demon. That true? Y'all farin' okay?"

    Wes would not have heard Sonora approach, even if he'd had his ears pricked for a soft approach – the Floragato was incredibly light of paw. But there she was, leaning back against a nearby low wall, at ease with her lower arms resting on the stone surface.

    She gave a little wave with one paw without raising it, and a nod.
     
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    Wes gave a start at the voice and snapped around. Gods, could people at least afford to announce their presence sooner? He nearly snapped at her, but stopped short upon recognizing who he was looking at. He let out a breath and grumbled. “Yeah. Something like that.” He then gave her a sideways glance. “Sonora, was it?”

    Then something else about what she’d said registered. “…Did you just call me an angel?” What in the hell?
     
    "Angel, yeah. Human, is the word in Tenacindean – 'angel' and 'human' are kinda the same thing down south, where my ma was from. Some of y'all sure get funny about it, but you're definitely from other worlds come here to save this one, which sure fits."

    She nodded and shrugged.

    "Floragato Sonora, atcher service. Don't mean to disturb ya, jus' caught you sky-gazin' and thought I'd try shootin' the breeze. Can y'blame me fer bein' interested?"
     
    …Huh. He had…no idea how to feel about that. Uncomfortable, mostly. But he supposed if it was a language thing or whatever, he’d just have to deal with it.

    “Well,” he grunted, “you can just call me Wes. I think I’d prefer that, actually. And…” he paused. “I don’t mind. You weren’t interrupting anything important. Not really. Just debating my odds of being stuck here forever.”

    He’d meant it as a joke, but tired as he was, it came out a bit more weary and serious than he meant. He inwardly winced a little, hoping Sonora wouldn’t find it too off-putting, then hastily opted to change the subject. “Tenacindean? Where’s that language from?”
     
    "Pleasure to make yer acquaintance, Wes," drawled the cat.

    She didn't seem at all put-off. Just calm, with a relaxed smile. There was even a twitch of amusement at his joke.

    "Tenacinde is the southern continent of the new world, the land of the Protectorate. This used to be Protectorate land, y'know. And before that, it belonged to nobody, or to this or that clan, depending on who you ask. Either way, lotta folks still know a little Tenaci' tongue, my new human friend."

    The way she said those last few words, her voice a little different to his ears, Wes might have an intuition that they were being translated for him just the same as the rest, but from a different language.

    "The stories say some angels go home when their task is done, and others make a new home on Forlas," she remarked. "You homesick already, Wes?"
     
    Wes flicked an ear at the odd shift in Sonora’s words. Was this the translation effect Betel had described? He couldn’t wrap his head around it, but he had to admit it was a little fascinating.

    At her question, though, he barked out a bitter laugh. “Homesick? Hell no. Not even a little.” He looked down at the grass, watching the blades stir in the light breeze. “But…I left someone behind. My two companions. And…I’d really like to get back to them as soon as I can.”

    And I miss them. He suddenly remembered the silky texture of Novo’s fur, the sound of Neo’s purrs, and suddenly a painful lump formed in his throat. He clenched his jaw and swallowed past it, feeling a trickle of annoyance at himself. As if getting emotional about it would do me any good. He met Sonora’s gaze.

    “And you? You’re from here, but you’ve been…on the run for quite some time. Didn’t leave behind anybody you missed when you started out?”
     
    Sonora nodded along as Wes spoke, as if she got exactly what he meant. Not homesick – but missing someone.

    "Don't know that it woulda made much difference if there had been someone, but... nah." Sonora's expression turned down a little, if only for a second. "Never really knew my pa, my ma passed away when I turned thirteen, didn't have any extended family. Had a friend or two, but..."

    Her ears dipped, momentarily.

    "None I thought'd help me out in the situation I was in, y'know? Guess I'll never know."
     
    Oh. That stuck a chord with him. Wes gave her a sympathetic look and murmured, “I’m…sorry to hear that. It’s…the same for me back in my world. Don’t even remember my parents at all, really. My companions—my team—they’re all I’ve got.” Or, well, until very recently, anyway…but Rui and the others were only temporary faces on his journey to leave Orre, and nothing more. There wasn’t much point in mentioning them. Or in getting attached, a voice in his mind said, though he wasn’t sure why he needed to remind himself of that.

    Hoping to turn the subject to happier matters, he asked, “Well, what about those friends? Now that you’re free, you’ve been able to reconnect with them, I hope. And of course, you’ve got your crew now, too. They seem like decent folk—from what I’ve seen, anyway. Don’t know any of you all that well, but for a group that self-identifies as bandits, you all seem to care a lot about other people and fairness and all. More than I can say for others like that.” Including me.

    …Damn. Maybe he had said too much. He gave a small cough and looked back at the sky, hoping to appear nonchalant about the subject.
     
    Sonora gave Wes a look that seemed both curious and sympathetic as he spoke, before turning her eyes back to the sky as he finished.

    "Yeah, I got my crew. They're like family, but honestly they're mostly like li'l siblings, if y'know what I mean? Ain't quite the same as havin' friends y'ain't directly responsible for."

    She scratched at her cheek fur, and sighed.

    "One of my childhood friends is, uh, gone. No idea where to. Things got kinda cool between us before that anyhow, seein' as I chose to commit to outlawry, and she were the sheriff's daughter. Our other friend... she kinda disappeared to the east side. Moneyed folks don't care fer their kids to be in contact with us unsavoury sorts."
     
    Having friends you weren’t responsible for…honestly, Wes wondered what that would even be like. Before he realized it, he was nodding along with Sonora. Then he caught himself and felt a rush of burning shame. How could you ever think of Neo and Novo that way? They’re not a burden. They never have been. If anybody is a burden, it’s you, dammit.

    Then Sonora continued. Sheriff’s daughter. That certainly rang a bell.

    “One of those friends wouldn’t happen to be named Brisa, would they?” Wes asked carefully, observing Sonora’s reaction. “And if you don’t mind me asking, what’s the name of your other friend who went east side?” He hoped he wasn’t being too nosy, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that Brisa’s disappearance had to be linked to whatever Jesse was investigating, somehow. And the fact that both of them disappeared…well, if there was someone else who knew Brisa, it was worth knowing about.
     
    Sonora's ears dipped again. "Uh, yeah, Brisa Escarpa. Figures you've heard of her already. Our other friend, she was named Cathy. Deerling Cathy – she's probably evolved by now."

    The cat's smile turned wistful. "I sure do wonder how those gals are doin', sometimes. We were childhood friends, y'know? Ain't been together fer more'n half a decade now."

    She shook her head and wiped around the bridge of her nose briefly.

    "Eh. How 'bout you, Wes? Who're your crew back home, wherever 'home' is?"
     
    Wes nodded, sympathetic. Not that he’d ever had many friends in his life, but the few he did have…well, they certainly wanted nothing to do with him anymore. “Been trying to figure out what this Brisa’s deal was. Kinda strange how she up and vanished, if you ask me. Haven’t found out much so far, though.” He hesitated. “If you don’t mind my asking…what happened between you two? A falling out?”

    It followed that she would have her own set of questions for him. Normally he’d be reluctant to share, but seeing how open she was about her own past, Wes figured he could at least return the favor. “Not much to tell. I’ve got my two companions—an Espeon and Umbreon pair, siblings—and…well…that’s it, really. But that’s all right. They’re all I need anyway.” He said the last part a little more forcefully than he meant to. “Never had much, but we were working on getting out of the region when all of…this happened.” He waved a paw in a vague, generalizing gesture. “Just want to get back to them as soon as I can so we can start fresh somewhere new, you know?”
     
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    Sonora pulled a rueful face. "Good luck to y'all. Guess it makes sense angels – humans – have folks of their own back in the worlds they come from."

    The Floragato shifted, musing over Wes' question.

    "Brisa..."

    She sighed, and the bold confidence she always wore seemed to crumple up and fall away.

    "A year or two afore my boss tried to get me done for theft, Brisa an' I were driftin' apart anyways. I was workin' a shitty job tryin' to make ends meet and pilferin' this an' that when I had to. Meanwhile she was takin' her ranger trainin' with her pa more'n more seriously by the day. Was startin' to wear us thin. Then, when things went to shit..."

    Sonora's paw went to her face in a way that obscured it from view a little.

    "I guess I didn't know if Brisa would – or could – help me out. Her pa'd just gone missin', we hadn't seen each other in a spell, she was the town sheriff, if unofficially... So I didn't ask. I just up an' left. Guess she didn't like that I split without so much as sayin' goodbye, or whatever."

    The story stopped, abruptly. Sonora pulled her paw away from her face, the boldness returned.

    "Well, kinda hard to rekindle a partnership when one of ya's the local bandit queen and the other's a full time law 'mon," she drawled, as if she felt nothing at all.
     
    Wes now regretted asking, and he shifted a little where he lay, not sure what to say. “That’s…I’m sorry. Sounds like it was really tough.” No shit, idiot. Why did you ask?!

    He took a breath and continued, stumbling over his words a little. “What I mean is—I mean…sometimes that happens, you know? You drift apart and take separate paths. It doesn’t sound like either of you meant to hurt each other. And you just didn’t want to put her in a tough position, is all. Didn’t want to make her choose between…between her career and her friend. So you made the choice yourself to spare her that struggle. I think I get it.” Actually, he did get it. Gods, Sonora had no idea just how much he understood her decision, her fear, her regret…but this wasn’t about him right now, so he kept that part quiet.

    “Sure, it’s easy to look back now and think about what you should have done instead, but in the moment, it’s not nearly as clear.” Wes gave her a look of understanding. “What I mean is…you did what you thought was right in the moment. And, sands, you were a kid. Cut yourself some slack, you know? For all that you had to deal with…well, I think you still turned out alright. Which is more than I can say about a lot of people who had far fewer excuses.”

    He pawed idly at the grass, slightly self conscious about how much he was talking, but for some reason being unable to stop. Why do I care so much about this? “And anyway, I dunno what this Brisa is like, but I’d wager there might be a good chance she’d forgive you if you had a moment to talk. Though…we’d have to find her first. And the more I hear her name, the more I feel we need to find her. She’s connected to all of this, somehow. Or at least her dad is.”
     
    Sonora didn't reply at first. After a moment or two, though, she glanced up, and seemed to chew it over, along with her lip.

    "You... mightn't be too far wrong, partner," she said, finally. "Can't say I haven't wondered where the sheriff, and then Brisa, vanished off to. And I guess... I guess I could try one more time to make things right."

    She shook her head, staring off into the middle distance, and smacked her lips. "To hell with it. I'll help y'all out. I'll look for her myself, I'll try and talk to her if'n we do find her, and I'll tell you one thing I know about her disappearance."

    She eyed Wes, and a conspiratorial grin made its way back on her face.

    "Bumped into her one time shortly 'fore she vanished. She was doin' ranger missions... with a partner. She'd been doin' solo work fer years just 'round Frontier Town, but this was way out in Grand Quarry, if I remember right. I didn't get her name, but that partner was some kinda black-and-red cat, and I guarantee you, she was an angel, same as you. Human."
     
    Wes perked up at that. “Red and black cat, huh? That tracks with what Alejandro said…” He reflected on what the older mon had shared with them on their way to the cabin. “Strange that she seems to be missing, too—and human?”

    Wait. Hadn’t Bee said they’d been brought here to help someone else? Someone who had been summoned…and failed?

    He looked back at Sonora, growing eager. “I think…I think maybe that human companion of hers is who we were sent here to help.” Finally, finally Wes felt a sense of direction and purpose that went beyond just scraping the barrel for answers. “You said you saw them near a quarry? How long ago was that?”
     
    Sonora peered at Wes with interest, and adjusted her hat to keep the sun off her eyes.

    "Well, ain't that interestin'... So, this feline gal turns up, gets in over her head, and y'all are the cavalry? That's as intriguin' as it's intimidatin'..."

    Despite her words, the grin remained.

    "This was the better part of a year ago. Three seasons, so... some time in winter of one-eighty, I make it. They vanished not too long after that."
     
    Less than a year ago. Not too long, but not recent enough for good odds of a fresh trail. Wes rose to his paws and started pacing, too caught up in his thoughts to care about his aching bruises.

    “A quarry…what’s at that quarry? D’you know what they were doing there?” He paused and looked up at her. “I know it was months ago now, but do you think it’s worth going back there and trying to…I don’t know, look for clues or something?”

    He shook his head in aggravation. “Seems she was well known in this town, for better or for worse, and yet nobody seems to have a clue about how, why or where she disappeared. Hell, the damn sheriff went missing and nobody seemed too fussed about that. Don’t you think that’s odd? How could they have both vanished so completely? There has to be a trail somewhere.”
     
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