"Oh bugger!" Benny Sisco cussed. "We can't do lunch today! There's gonna be the hangin' today! The sheriff caught himself that gunslinger, one of the brothers... the Wolf.. or the Lion... one of 'em is gonna dangle today for sure!"
he scrambled from the desk to the window to see if the streets were crowding with looky-loos for the execution.
~you mean the Scorpion factions? the Bingham Buffalo are the security force from the diamond mine, there's the Waco Wolverines, the Laredo Lions (who have the belt buckles like Leo's), or the Austin Aramadillos...
there are probably other groups further out, but these would be the local groups Sanders would have sent the call out to, when he was gathering forces to take on the Army in Abilene...~
((not while super greg is still around to save the day))
Greg, after waking up from a good nights sleep that he hadn't had in weeks, scanned the village. It was good to see Catori up and moving again. If it wasn't for the combined help of the Indian healer, and the white man medicine he and Buddy had gotten, Greg wasn't so sure if she would have made it. Greg was just happy Buddy had listened to him, and stood by Catori's side. Thats what she needed, to she his love.
Standing beside Buddy, Greg spoke. "Its good to see her up and moving again isn't it?"
Buddy smiled and nodded, though there was a sad sort of grimace behind his eyes. He still couldn't be certain Catori could be freed from her obligations to the tribe and to her Comanche tradition and heritage, free from her fiancee, a man who she barely knew and didn't seem to really like.
"We need to get her out of this place... she is bigger and better than all of this history and heritage. But, how do we manage that and still leave with our own scalps? These Comanches will never stop hunting us if we betray their customs or beliefs... I've seen it before... It's not going to be easy; it may have been better if she had died from fever..."
He hated to say it, hated to even think it, but the truth was plain as day.
Love sucks, folks...
Greg nodded. "This is when you find out if the love is just as strong from both sides." Greg smiled sadly. "Ambers parents hated me. I mean hated, with a passion. When it came down to it, it was her desision whether or not she wanted to go against her parents. She went to stand up to them, and all I could do was stand behind her quietly." Greg nodded toward Catori. "She has the choice whether or not she stands up to her father, or lowers her head and goes along with tradition." Greg smiled. "And if I know your "Flower", she's not going to be one to lower her head." He nudged Buddy with his elbow. "Don't worry friend, she loves you, and some way or another, shes going with you. And if worse comes to worse, you've got me covering your back."
About that time, 3 or 4 Comanche riders came thundering into the village. One of them fell from his horse at the healer's tent, his horse charging on blindly through camp. The Scout had been shot at least twice and slashed across the torso, from nipple to navel with a blade of some sort. As he died, his hand fell open, and a glint of medal dropped to the ground: an Army-issued gold eagle insignia, worn by ranking officers of various Confed regiments!
"The Army?!" Buddy gasped. "Jericho!! We have to skin out of here!"
The Comanche scouts were already spreading the news to the tribe, Miko and the Chief and all the other warriors were arming themselves and gearing up for a fight!
Buddy took the chance, and tore into Catori's private recovery tent and told her. "We have to leave, or we will be killed! I love you , and I don't want to lose you like this! If you stay, if you fight these men, they WILL kill you, if for no other reason than to get to me!"
"We have to leave, NOW!"
((OK then... since the thread is dead any way...))
So, Buddy and Catori mount up and ride like the wind, back to New Hope. They get married in a church wedding the following Sunday; Greg is the Best Man, and Lily is the Maid of Honor. All of Reno's Renegades get good-paying work for Cavendish Enterprises International; Luis Pasilla becomes diamond-mine foreman, with Nat as his right hand man.
Buddy becomes Sheriff, after Sheriff Sanders is lynched by the blue-bandana bandits; Greg and Leo become his deputies, after Leo tips off the group about Wolf Raines and the other local Scorpions factions. The Blue Bandana Scorpions loot and pillage the diamond mine, killing Luis and Nat and many many miners, then they move on the Comanches. Miko and the Comanches report the raid to the authorities at New Hope, distressed and disgusted that Buddy is now the Law of the Land, but helpless to do anything to change that fact.
Buddy, Leo, and Greg spend a solid year riding the range, hunting down the Scorpions and killing or imprisoning them all.
Buddy helps little Bennet Sisco get up more nerve to start dating Lily, who goes back to entertaining at the saloon. Lily and Bennett get married the day after Catori delivers her and Buddy's first child, a baby girl Catori names Sarah Louise... 9 months later, Catori has a second child, a son, called Walter Nathanial Gregory Leo Reno III...
Buddy's name grows more and more famous, which irks Geoffrey Jericho to no end. Finally, after almost 2 years of peace and harmony and wedded bliss, Jericho comes gunning for Buddy, calling him out at High Noon on the streets of New Hope. Buddy tries to talk his way out, but Jericho is piss-drunk and stubborn. Buddy will not draw on him, as Buddy and Catori have 2 kids by this time, and Catori is pregnant with #3. Instead, the townsfolk raz and insult the decommissioned and disgraced former Army officer, distracting him long enough for Li'l Ben, now 20 years old, to gun him down where he stands...
The torch of gung-ho gunslinger passes to Li'l Ben, while Buddy settles back to restore order and peace to the small town of New Hope, with his wife, the beautiful flower, Catori, always by his side, and forever in his heart...
... and they lived happily ever after...
((or not, if there's still some life left in the rest of the untold stories of this dead-thread...))
((It can't die))
Lily peered out the sky some fourteen years later at the milky blue sky. Wiping her hands on her towel she grins at her irritable teenage daughter who was shredding onions. "I hear Ol' Buddy Reno is comin' to town," said Elizabeth as she sliced open a beautiful new onion. Her blue eyes lingered on her mother who considered this bit of news.
"You say Buddy Reno? I did an awful lot with him," memesmorized Lily as she shifted through her blond hair. Somegrey hairs stuck out but only a few. It felt like many centuries since she talked to him.
"Yup, mom. That one," said Elizabeth cleverly as a smile was brought to her mother's face.
Just about then, there came a knocking on the front door. Lily and Elizabeth ran to answer, and were shocked and all-smiles to see Buddy Reno, still standing, though not so tall as he once did.
"Hiya, Suni-- I mean Lily..." Buddy smiled warmly, thought there was still that twinge of sadness over all the history that had gone on between them. Buddy shuffled forward some on the front porch, his 50+ years showing in his hunched back and bowed-legs. "You must be little Lizzie Beth..." he bent over and winked at the younger version of Lily.
"I've read so much about you! I have a son about your age, you know? He should be along shortly..."
"That's good to hear," said Lizzy before she dashed inside clomping into her overly cluttered room.
"Excuse Miss Sisco, she can be quite a handful sometimes. Anyways I hear your doing fine with Catori. How is she," said Lily as she bent over to collect the uncleaned dishes.
((In this length of the game you can play the younger people of our char?))
Greg had seen what looked like his long time friend Buddy ride into town, and had followed him. Greg hadn't seen buddy in about 6 years. Riding up to Lily's house, which he had lived in for some time, before he had bought his own house, Greg knocked on the door and walked in. Sure enough, there was Buddy, standing hunched, but with the same Buddy Reno look of excitment. Greg had changed over the years as well. He now wore a clean clipped gottee, and his hair was longer now. Tapping Buddy on the shoulder, he spoke. "How ya doin' friend?"
"Well dip me in goose-grease and call me a dumplin' if it aint Greg Dobson!" Buddy babbled. How'm I doin'? I tell ya what, my ass still hurts me every day from where you SHOT ME, you sumbitch!"
he scowled, but only held for a quick second before a smile broke, followed by a hearty, scratchy laugh. "Heh-heh-heh... we had some adventures didn't we, kids? Dadblasted blue bandanna banditos..."
Buddy looked down at Elizabeth, still smiling, a certain spirit filling his eyes, and he asked. "Hey now, pretty girl... you wouldn't want to hear a story about how your mean old 'Uncle Greg' here shot good ol' Buddy right in the ass--- soon as we finish supper, I'll tell you the whole story!"
"AWWWW PA! Not another bed-time story about how it was in the olden days?!!" Little Buddy Jr ambled in, swatting his Pa playfully as he passed.
"Tarnation, Little Wrangler! (WalteR Nat Gregory Leo Reno...) don't be sneakin' up on yer ol'man like'at!
Reckon you'll give me a heart attack!"
"GOOD!" Jr grinned. "No more story-time! YEE-HAW! Thank me later, Lizzie!"
they laughed and sat down for sup, and Buddy prayed.
Lord... Oh Lord... Why couldn't Greg have shot about 8 inches higher, shot in the back is GOOD, compared to shot in the... lower back... Any ways, Thank You Lord, I reckon, for this food we are about to eat... let us only hope that time has changed Sweet Lily's cooking style and grace us with a decent meal after all these 15 years... -heh-...
Seriously Lord, watch over us, and look after those rambunctious Reno's Renegades who couldn't be here tonight... Amen...
LET'S EAT!"