A/N Hello. Its been a very long time since I've upload any sorta of story. I'm almost little nervous actually, I normally really my stories to the world. I had this idea one night and thought it would be interesting and wonder what would Persona 5 be like but in the Wild West. I hope you all enjoy it and thank you for taking the times to read it.
In 1885 the Wild West was slowly turning into a land of Laws and Civilization. These days are nothing but a former dream for outlaws. Being hunted down or force to reform. The last years before the coming change.
Gangs of outlaws still try to ride during these times, robbing banks, trains, and businesses. Yet there is one group that always seems to escape the law, almost like phantoms. They even were given an appropriate name, the Phantom Thieves. Some called them a modern day Robin Hood, protecting and providing for those less fortunate. These are their tales…
Town of Elko; 4pm
The town was going about their daily business in Elko, an insignificant town that'ss only noticeable to those passing by. People on their horse beginning to unpack for the day when a loud crashing sound was heard over by the bar.
A young man was thrown out the window onto the street followed by a larger patron through the swinging doors. "You wanna go pipsqueak!" The larger man said squaring up his fist. The younger man slowly lifted himself up to his feet to briefly dust off the dirt from his clothes and midnight hair.
"My name isn't pipsqueak, its Morgana!" the younger name announced. The two began to brawl in the street with a small crowd beginning to form around them.
Morgana and the larger man exchanging hits on one another.
On the farther section in town, another young man with black hair was seen at the grocery store. Hat tip low to cover his eyes but not low enough to draw unwanted attention to himself. He was finishing up buying the items when he heard the commotion outside.
"Not again…." he sighs. "Can I leave these items with you one moment, I'll be right back."
The store clerk a bit baffle at the emergency sees the hat wearing young man race to where the remains of the bar fight continued.
Morgana and the larger opponent were beginning to look worse for wear. The crowd getting a bit bigger since the fight started. The young man with the hat pushes his way to the front only to find it was indeed his younger brother Morgana Amamiya.
"Hey Ren, glad you can join….the show…ouch" Morgana yelled out to his older brother Ren Amamiya while taking a punch to the face. Ren shaking his head moves in between them stopping the fight.
"That's enough between you two. I prefer you end this now before the Sheriff makes his way over here," he criticizes.
"He started it!"
"And you finished it, pick up your stuff and lets go." Ren begins to walk away when the larger opponent grabs at him.
"Hey that kid over there still owes me money. The two of you ain't leaving my sight till I get it."
"Is that so?" Ren still has his back to the other man as he tries to yank him back. Turning around quickly, the other man felt a cold metal barrel to his stomach. "I believe you will be facing more issues than money if you want to continue. Do we have an understanding?"
"You sunava-" The revolver cocked back pushing harder into his stomach. The larger man bit his tongue and backed away slowly with his hands raised. "Whatever, we have an understanding" He glared.
Ren spins his revolver back into his holster, securing it. "Good then. Morgana lets go, we have an errand to finish." He begins to walk back to the store gathering the left behind items and places them in his satchel. Morgana and Ren hop onto their horses and ride out of town coming and going just as quick.
A few miles out of town and a safe distance so far of not being followed, they slow down the horses to a trot. "You know that was dangerous Mona for bringing attention to us. I thought I told you to scout out the bar, not make a mess of it!" He grilled the younger man.
"I was! I was simply enjoying a poker game, gathering info on our target with simple chatter. That other guy thought I was cheating. Him and his buddies were ganging up on me when he threw me through the window," Morgana argued back. He was still sporting a small cut on his cheek that stopped bleeding. However, the bruises on his face would be there a few days.
Ren sighs as he looks at his younger brother. They've been living in the Wild West for as long as they can remember. Simple folks his parents used to say, before they died of sickness. For the longest time, Morgana was all he had and vice versa. Stealing when they can, running from the law when they could as children. Wasn't till he was in his late teens and Mona nothing but a child that they were taken in by their mentor a few years ago.
Coming up to a smaller town the boys were greeted by the local town folks. Most shops closing for the day as the last rays of sunlight licked the land. Hitching their horses right in front of the local saloon, Ren and Morgana made their way inside.
"You're late." An old man behind the counter said. He was wiping the beer glass with a cloth as various patrons sat around the place enjoying a pint or two. The bar owner; Sojiro Sakura, their good friend and mentor. "I thought I told you I needed the supplies before sunset not after," He complains.
"Sorry Boss, we got a little sidetrack a few towns over. Morgana face should explain the story," Ren tattled to the old man. Morgana goes to stomp on Ren foot, mad at being ratted out. "OW!"
"I'm fine Chief, nothing I can't handle, you should see the other guy," he stated. He makes his way towards the back to start washing off his face of any left over cuts.
Boss puts the glass he was cleaning away and starts on another one. "So any luck with info?"
"It was a dead end. But we're still looking. He's gonna be a very hard man to find." Ren takes the recently cleaned glass and poured himself some whiskey. "Its like whenever anyone looks for him, he leaves no trace behind. But somehow able to leave a trail of destruction and ruin behind. Not caring who lives he ruin," taking a quick swig of the drink.
"As much as I hate to say it, being at the wrong place wrong time didn't help. That man is as bad as they come. Keep your head up son. You'll find him." Boss leaves Ren to his own thoughts as he tends to the other guest and pours drinks. He thinks back to 5 years ago when this hunt began. Back to when it was just him and his brother.
Unknown Town, 5 years ago
Ren Amamiya, a young 20 year old man was finishing running errands as the local farm hand. It wasn't pretty work but it paid and kept him and his brother fed. He was told to head into town and gather some supplies for the rest of the workers. Meats from the butcher, some can goods, and other essentials.
It was a bad storm on his way to the town causing him to show up later than he wanted, but if he hurried he might make it back before sundown. Luck however, was not on his side. The store owner had to complete a larger order before him and got turned out for almost an hour. By the time he was able to get around to Ren, the night sky had taken and most stores were closing.
"I hope they don't mind me staying in town for the night and getting back to the Ranch extra early. Morgana can handle himself for the night. Poor kid." he thought.
Ren places the items into the cart and secures it covering it with a blanket. He makes his way towards the small Inn trying to rent a room for the night when he hears a noise. Walking behind one of the buildings where he first heard the noise, he sees what appears to be some couple. Maybe having an argument perhaps? He was going to leave it be when he sees the woman fall to the ground and hit her head.
"What did I say about trying to cross me bitch! If I go down, I'll make sure your reputation drops just as fast!" The man yells at her. She tries to get back up and is startled when he pulls out a gun. "Now then I'm going to ask again, you either keep quiet about this or I'll make you!"
Frantically waiving the gun around like a drunker and still yelling at the woman, Ren makes a rash decision. He goes and catches the man by surprise. Ren tries to wrestle the gun away from him as the lady is still frozen scared on the ground holding her head. For a split second he was distracted just checking on the woman to see if she alright when the gun discharges.
A gasp he hears.
The man falls on his back with the gun still in hand smoking, Ren doesn't feel any pain on his body. Did he miss? He turn to look at the women he was trying to defend only to find her grasping a wound on her side bleeding.
"Shit!" He rushes up to her and tries to put pressure on her wound. "Ma'am hang in there, you'll be okay. I'll get a doctor!" The wound didn't look too bad but the bleeding and infection would become the worse of their problems. Focus on trying to assist the women, Ren forgot the drunken man who started the whole thing.
He had a hard time identifying him due to lack of any lanterns nearby. He was clutching his arm as if it got cut on his way down from his stumble. "You should've mind your own business you fucking brat. I'LL SUE! Guards! Guards!"
Ren could hear footsteps from the Sheriff office making their way over. Scared and frighten he stood between the wounded lady and the drunken individual. The Deputies rounded the corner and came upon the scene.
"What seems to be the pro-. Oh its you Sir, are you alright?" one of the deputies asked.
"Yes, arrest this peasant. He tried to rob and murder me and my lady tonight. Isn't that right dear." The women who was in pain was staring between the young man and her associate. He was glaring at her still clutching his injured arm.
"Y-Y-Yess that's right." She whispered. She looked down looking ashamed of herself. She was carried off by the other Deputies and taken towards the town doctor. Ren unable to process what was happening didn't feel the cuffs being locked behind his back.
"I wasn't trying to rob him, that's not what happen I-"
"Shut up!" The officer hits him in the face, dragging him away to the Sheriff office and a lonely cell. Ren continues to struggle as he is taken away.
"Please officer you….YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"
The officer continues to ignore him throwing him in the cell and locking the door. "Enjoy your time left inmate, you got a date with the gallows."
He felt broken, and confused. How could all this happen in the such a small time-frame. He was just trying to help her and she turned her back on him. What would happen to his little brother, he was only 12. He wouldn't last on this Earth by himself. Without him, the ranch would kick him out on the land by himself. Stealing would only get him so far before he too was killed.
Curling up on the jail bed, Ren forces himself into a slumber.
A few Days later
Having nothing but time until he is taken to be hang for robbery and attempted murder, neither of which charges were actually true. They didn't even want to hear his side of the story or any misunderstanding. They had taken the drunken man words for truth. They knew him too, must have been someone important.
He hears the creaking of his jail door as the Sheriff comes in and cuffs him again. "Rise and shine prisoner, its judgement day." he sneered. Losing practically the remains of fight left in his body, he forces his legs to walk towards the stage that carries his fate
A crowd had gather to view the public execution of this suppose criminal. Each step towards the noose gets heavier. The actual feeling of the rope feels like a thousand needles. Closing his eyes he blocks out whatever words the Sheriff has to say, he only wish he could've seen his brother once again. To finish teaching him how to count, write and read. He could hear the cheers getting louder. They must be ready to pull the lever.
"Fire! There's a fire at the saloon. Help!" Sure enough a fire began to grow as the few patron around this time of day ran out screaming. The Sheriff ran off the stage to check out the incident leaving just the Deputy holding the lever.
"OW, who did that!" the deputy yelled. He looks down and sees a small pebble was what hit him. He looks up again and sees another pebble hit him in the face. With the chaos of the raging fire and scattered crowd of the hanging, they seem to have missed a small 12 year old boy using a slingshot at the Deputy.
The kid moved closer to the stage and placed a bit larger rock in his slingshot aiming it at the Deputy's knee. The pain caused the Deputy to stumble and lose his balance falling off the stage. Rushing ahead now to Ren he could feel the ropes on his wrist being cut through and freed removing the dreaded noose around his neck.
"Morgana, what the hell are you doing here. No wait forget it, lets go!" The Deputy who was outsmarted by a slingshot gets his bearings in the crowd and chases after two.
"Stop them!" he shouts.
Finding a horse nearby, the two jump on and race out of town being quickly followed by the Deputy and a few others. "Come on horse, come on!" guiding the horse to move as fast as they can, shots are whizzing by. "Shit, they're shooting at us"
"Hurry Ren, they're gaining!" Morgana yells. Ren needs to come up with a plan and fast, the road is started to end near a small cliff with a river below.
"Morgana, do you trust me?" as sweat beads down neck.
"Of course," the younger brother replies back.
"Then get ready to swim!" Ren skidding the horse near the cliff causes them to lose balance falling into the rapid river. "Morgana! Morgana! Hang on!" he reaches out and feels the fingertips of his younger brother trying to keep them afloat. He able to graps his wrist when he feels a sharp pain to his head. All he saw was black.
Waking up in an unknown Saloon after being wanted for robbery and murder wasn't the ideal situation. An old man sitting by his bed wrings out a cloth and applies it to Ren forehead.
"You boys sure gave me startle on my fishing trip. Had to bring the cart to carry you both. But you'll be safe here." Ren still disoriented tried to speak but his throat felt parched.
"W-Who…ar…e…" the younger man tried to speak.
"Relax kid. Don't speak right now. The names Sojiro. Sojiro Sakura."
A/N Update fixed some errors.