OOM: Mineral City, 1888 -- That's why I hang my hat... -- for Rachel

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate doesn't try to draw attention to herself, but it's kind of hard to sneak through the bar leading a 15-hand pony. Beaut's not fond of hardwood, truth be told, but convenient doors to Texas aren't always to be found from the forest outside.

"Come along, sugar. Not far now an' there'll be dirt under your hooves again."

Beaut issues a dubious snort, sidestepping when a waitrat ventures a little too close. Kate swings around to steady her, arm brushing a piece of yellowed paper she's got tucked into her britches. She knocks it loose, and it flutters to the floor behind her.

"He ain't botherin' you. C'mon."

She moves a little faster. The quicker she gets Beaut outside, the better. Opening her door, she grins as Beaut's ears twitch forward in recognition, and lets her mosey out first.

"No, no. By all means, let me hold the door for you."

The two disappear.

But the yellowed map remains.


As does the door.

Comments

[theresnodoor]

Rachel does not have a crafty little smirk at all. She is doing her level best to keep it purely in her mind as she shrugs.

"Don't worry about it. It's not your job to get me back anyway, I knew that when I picked up the map. Besides, I'm supposed to just snap back at some point, I guess."

[ikissdhimbck]

"That's what I'm worried about. Y'could 'snap back', or y'could also fade away."

Three days. It's all they've got, and Kate's heard of it going either way.

"An' bringin' you t'town like that... You'd either be very popular, or very unpopular, an' I don't think you'd like it either way."

[theresnodoor]

Rachel hasn't even heard that limit - just 'eventually,' she'll go back.

"Why is that worrying?" she asks, frowning a little with her hands on her hips. Her clothes are still in a pile by her feet, but?

It's hot.

Even when Kate's words have her wincing, glancing down at herself again. "It's that bad?"

[ikissdhimbck]

"Sweetheart, not even a doxie shows their midriff."

She glances at her map, and then at the pile of clothes. Sighing, there's really nothing to be done but let her stay. They'll just have to figure things out as they go along.

"'Fade away' implies not comin' back. Ever. Let's try an' avoid that, all right? What didja bring?"

[theresnodoor]

Blue eyes narrow and Rachel frowns. Her intention was to pick up her clothes and at least get something on before heading into town. Now she's considering staying just as she is, out of spite.

One of the last things she's going to do is admit she doesn't know what a doxie is.

"No, when I 'fade' I just go back to Milliways. That's all."

Or at least, it's what she's been told.

What she brought gets a glance and a little more of a frown. "I didn't 'bring' anything, that's what I was wearing when I found your map. The one you left behind. In the bar."

[ikissdhimbck]

She softens.



"Thank you. Honestly. It's just that  —  I'm — "

Not being chased right now, Kate. And even if you were, you've seen the way she fights.

"Jus' wanna make sure you ain't stuck out here with me," she says, going for self-deprecating humor instead. "I meant your clothes, yes. I ain't got a hat, but I got a blouse an' a neckerchief y'could borrow."

[theresnodoor]

The scowl doesn't fade. Stuck out here, it's still better than stuck in there. For now.

"If you're worried about me getting in your way, I can take care of myself. I don't know if you noticed this, but I was a horse."

[ikissdhimbck]

"I think I remember somethin' like that."

She manages a straight face. Honestly, the only answer to dealing with Rachel is to keep calm, unless it's funnier to mess with her.

"Y'can be a horse, if y'want. There's plenty of desert for you t'run around in without ever runnin' into another body or town. But, if you'd rather, y'can head t'Mineral City with me."

Beat.

"They'll have booze there."

[theresnodoor]

Rachel's still getting used to the lack of fear. And it doesn't help that she avoids people, refuses to adapt to Milliways.

Still thinks in the world she no longer lives in.

Booze isn't much of an enticement.

A city, with a name, really is.

"...is it going to freak out the world if I put my jeans back on?"

[ikissdhimbck]

She didn't just get pulled over by a talking horse. Kate wishes there was whiskey in her canteen.

"We got denim 'round these parts. I'd call it unusual, but it shouldn't 'freak' anybody out. A t-shirt, on the other hand, might raise some eyebrows."

[theresnodoor]

Oh please, like Rachel hasn't gotten pulled over by a talking horse before. Kate should be lucky she didn't get a grizzly or a tiger.

Rachel keeps her frown as she glances over at her pile of clothing. Somehow, she'd thought jeans would be more spectacular than a regular t-shirt. It doesn't seem as scandalous, somehow.

"...okay. Well... tell me how not to ruin your world, then."

[ikissdhimbck]

She laughs softly.

"Ruin? Sugar, if y'turn this world on its ear, it's nothin' less than it deserves. Let's see what I've got."

After a few minutes spent fishing through her saddle bags, she comes up with a Somerset blouse and a woman's twill vest. And, barring combustion from one of Rachel's withering looks, she'll hold out a matching skirt and petticoat, too.

[theresnodoor]

She's certainly in danger of it, especially when Rachel doesn't immediately realize what all the items are. And when she does - well.

It's basically dress-up. Perhaps not the most fashionable, for her time or maybe even Kate's, but dress-up.

"I could use a mirror," she points out, holding out her hands for the items. At least they match.

[ikissdhimbck]

"Lemme jus' reach into my magical bottomless bag an' fetch you one."

She doesn't actually have a magical bottomless bag. That being the case, every inch of space is packed up carefully with the things she needs. A mirror isn't one such thing.

Her lips twitch — she's fairly certain she already knows what the answer to this will be.

"I'm happy t'help, if y'like?"

[theresnodoor]

"I should have asked Bar for one," Rachel replies, frowning as she shakes out the blouse and examines it, critical.

And equally as calm: "Bite me."

It is quite possibly the roughest, cheapest cloth she'll ever have put on her body. But she blundered into someone else's world. If she wants to stay, she better play by the rules.

Even if the rules are low thread count cotton.

[ikissdhimbck]

Not a synthetic strand to be found in these clothes.

Kate's face practically collapses in on itself. Bite me? What a curious request! She reckons she couldn't have predicted that answer after all.

In an endeavor to translate the two words into something she'd understand, her features shift to contrition.

"I think y'may have misunderstood my meanin'. I meant only t'help in the most friendly-like way possible. Not — I wouldn't, certainly — that is, menfolk are what I..."

[theresnodoor]

At first, Rachel is occupied with pulling the blouse on, a little large but probably not immediately noticeable. Also, there are a million tiny buttons to figure out.

Then Kate starts babbling and Rachel actually has to look up and pay attention.

Her expression is-- not very flattering to Kate.

"...it means no. Like a shut up sort of no."

[ikissdhimbck]

"Oh."

She flushes.



"Oh. Well. That I can do."

Quite willingly, Kate shuts her mouth.

[theresnodoor]

"Good."

Firmly. Still glaring.

The last thing she needed was a reason to regret sneaking out of Milliways.

But she manages the rest of the buttoning in silence, reaching for her jeans. And, unfortunately, finding another problem at the end.

"Oh, man."

[ikissdhimbck]

Is it appropriate to speak? Kate isn't clear on the bounds and confines of the "bite me" contract.



Mildly:

"Somethin' the matter?"

[theresnodoor]

"Probably."

Something nudges Kate's shoulder - not a hand, but the toe of a shoe.

A pair of sneakers, actually.

"If they won't like t-shirts, these probably won't work either."

[ikissdhimbck]

"Y'know, the skirts I hauled out might cover up your feet."

She glances over her shoulder to catch Rachel's eyes.

"I ain't sure you'd fit into my dress boots, an' it'll be a few hours at least 'fore we find a cobbler."

[theresnodoor]

Ugh, the skirt will probably be as rough and coarse as the shirt. But she's a visitor.

Damn it.

Rachel nods, tucking the shoes back into her jacket and tying it up. "All right. I can go barefoot for a while."

[ikissdhimbck]

She smirks.

"Suit yourself."

She pulls out the map Rachel returned to her, unfolding it to a section with a penciled-in route. She takes note of the sun's position in the sky, and then nods once.

"Well, Rachel. Welcome t'Texas."

She smiles sharply, and nods to the saddle.

"Hop on."

[theresnodoor]

She did ask for this. Though at some point, Rachel would really love to be the one driving when she's traveling with others.

Tying the arms of her jacket into a loop, she slings it over her shoulder. There's a moment of eyeing Beaut, but Kate doesn't seem worried. Though if the horse bucks her off, there will be revenge.

Until that point, Rachel takes hold of the pommel to swing herself up.