Note~*
As I was browsing through Toy Story fanart I saw a drawing, "The Real Toy Story", by Deviantart user sean izaakse and I immediately was inspired. (By the way, his works are excellent. If you have an account on DA, please watch him, see his art. :) :D)
About my last Toy Story one shot, "At Last", I just have to say... thank you. Thank you so much. I've broken to new ground on my favorites, and it's the highest of all my stories. So thank you. Thank you so much for all of the love and support. ^.^ ... if you didn't read it yet, it would mean a lot if you did and then possibly review... haha
This is an AU where everyone is "real". There might be slight changes, but hey, don't all AUs do that? haha ... there's some Buzz/Jessie...! :D :)
This is my 60th story... another milestone this year! haha A few months ago, I was celebrating my 50th. ... Time's flying, or I'm just posting stories at random. haha
Hope you like it! :D
The Traveler
Chapter One
The Meteor
It was a scorching day in the American plains as the sun beat down on the Sheriff's hat. He was riding on a wagon, his horse, Moonshine pulling the load with strong effort.
Sheriff Woody Pride.
'Not bad...' he mused. 'It has a good ring to it.'
After being deputy for most of his youth and coming into manhood, he was finally promoted to sheriff and was sent to patrol the neighboring town of Cardie. He was so happy with his achievement, and family members congratulated him with much pride. The sad news was, he had to move away, but his hometown of Nashton wasn't far from Cardie, since it was about an hour's journey by horse drawn carriage. They could always visit each other from time to time.
Sipping the water, he closed the lid of the canteen, fanning himself with his hat.
Jessica.
His insides seem to drop in guilt as his thoughts began to ponder on his cousin. She was always the rebellious one. Living life by her own rules and never letting anyone or anything hold her down. She didn't had it easy while growing up. Her parents were murdered one night by bandits, which left the tiny thing full of sorrow. She lived with Woody's family when she had no home to go to. The thought of Jessica in an orphanage chilled Woody's parents. She was in such a fragile state to be in anywhere crowded, and the orphanage most of the time was rowdy, loud, and unclean. She grew up into a beautiful young woman, but she cringed at feminine expectations.
The Pride cousins had an argument the previous week after he was promoted to sheriff. Jessica wanted to come with Woody to Cardie. As the words crept his ears, Woody immediately said no to the request.
"Why would you come with me and put yourself in harm's way? It's ridiculous, Jess!"
"Woody, there is nothing for me here... Aunt Harriet would always tell me to go back into dresses and make me stay home to work. I want to do something bigger, Woody... See the world, see what it's like and-"
"Jessica Alma Pride... The world isn't like what you imagine. There's danger out there, so please. If you care an ounce for my soul, stop worrying me. The world isn't a place for a girl like you... be safe."
The two hadn't spoke since the argument. She didn't even say goodbye to Woody when he left. Woody sighed. When he came back to Nashton for Christmas, perhaps she would forgive him in time. He loved his cousin with all his heart... as if she were his own blood sister! If anything bad happened to Jessica, it would break his heart. When they were children, they'd play all sorts of games. They would pretend they were adventurers of the Wild West. Woody called himself the Lone Ranger. He thought of a name for Jessica, and he came out with Princess of the Prairie. The young girl thought it was decent, but she didn't like the "standby" roles of their make believe. She made up her own name: Bazooka Jane. Ah, what fun times...
"Boom, boom...! He's escaping, quick, get him!"
"You ain't going nowhere!"
"Reach for the skies...!"
A sound of breaking glass was heard. Quickly, his head snapped at the back of the cart. He pulled the reins on Moonshine, and the wagon cease to a halt. The new sheriff got off of the cart, walking to the back where the cargo was. He saw his belongings where in there usual place. A trunk for his wardrobe, a small box for food and drink while on the way to Cardie, and other necessities. The tarp that was covering up the trunks was on the floor of the wagon, possibly blown away from the wind. The outline underneath the tarp covered something unusual. As Woody studied the cargo hold closer, he saw a tiff of red hair...
Oh, God, not here...
"Jessica..."
The tarp didn't move.
"Jessica Alma Pride, I know you're under there! Come out now!"
The tarp began to move, reveling a redheaded woman in a round up outfit. The round up outfit had a sort of outdated taste, the style of the print unfamiliar to his eyes. Her hat dangled from her back, the string on the hat supporting it in place around her neck.
The young woman sighed, a look of nervousness on her face.
"Look, I know you said it wasn't safe, but..."
"You practically disobeyed me... I told you over and over, it wasn't safe! Now, Mother's probably out of her wits worried about you, wondering where you are." The sheriff sighed.
"I'm sorry..."
"'Sorry' doesn't cut it. Warning after warning, my job and the atmosphere of it isn't for a girl like you, Jess... I didn't say no just because I wanted to. I had to because I care about you. If something bad happened to you, I'd never be able to forgive myself... You don't deserve all the bad things I have to deal with. It isn't like the game we played when we were children. The bad guys come at you and they will kill you if you're not careful. I've seen it from experience when I was with Prospector Pete. Jess, I'm sorry, but you're gonna have to accept it. We're not children anymore."
A regretful gleam was in the woman's eyes and she drew closer to her cousin.
"It's just..." began Jessica. "I feel so limited when I'm in the house. I want to experience things, live life! When I'm indoors, I feel anchored and stuck with doing what Aunt Harriet calls 'dutiful chores'. I want to do more than that... I don't want my life to be fulled up with just cooking meals and cleaning the house. There are lots of things to do in the world... and I gotta see them for myself. That's why I had to come with you."
The sheriff smiled, placing his hand on her shoulder. Finally a link of understanding between them. He didn't have to wait for two seasons to pass for him to see Jessica again so he knew that she didn't hate him. For a minute, he was glad she crept and hid in the wagon.
"You will see the world, I know it," he began. "Just... not Cardie town. It's not the right time and place to be exploring just yet. Once we get to Cardie, I'll telegram Mother and tell her you're safe with me."
The young woman giggled. "Alright, Lone Ranger, but the next time you're off outta Nashton, you better take me with you!"
They pulled into an embrace, warm smiles on their faces as they closed their eyes.
Woody chuckled. "Who knows, Bazooka Jane, who knows... Where did you get this?" Indicating the woman's outfit.
Woody was not going to get used to seeing his cousin in pants, since he saw the women in his life wear mostly dresses or skirts. Jessica glanced at her outfit, a hint of embarrassment on her face and sound of her voice.
"It was my mother's... she... she rounded up cattle and was pretty darn good at it, too..."
"Ah." A solemn look was on Woody's face. Whenever they tried to talk about Jessica's parents, there was always a somber aura that followed with the discussion. He patted her shoulder once more, giving it a gentle squeeze. They both had confident smiles again, and Woody was about to get back to the front of the wagon, until...
An ear piercing echo cracked through the plains, and the two looked towards the source of the sound. A flaming large boulder in the sky was flying downwards to the earth, the target doomed for annihilation wherever the fiery rock landed. As the boulder got closer to the ground, it was reveled it wasn't a rock but a strange contraption of some sort. It was like a flying water container, but in an unusual shape. It crashed a few miles from where Woody and Jessica were, and the two exchanged glances.
In Jessica's eyes, the mix look of curiosity and fear seemed to ask if they should see what the fireball was. The sheriff nodded back at her as if he knew what she was thinking.
Moonshine galloped to the fire site, the horse panting in fear of the flames around the area. The two cousins got off the wagon and stared at the flaming contraption in awe. What was it? Did it contain anything? Why did it come to Earth? The two drew closer to the wreckage, petrified yet eager to know what arrived in front of them. Suddenly, something that resembled a ramp opened up from the appliance, making the two jump, scared out of their wits. A smokey figure dash out from the smoke, wearing an unusual suit, which was burnt and scratched. From the deep pitches of the coughs, it sounded like it was a man. Woody and Jessica jumped as the stranger was out of the smoke. He collapsed to the ground, grasping onto his chest in pain. He looked up to Woody and Jessica, desperation and urgency in his eyes.
"Help... me!"
