I Run This Town, Chapter 1. Welcome, Sheriff.
"Interesting jacket, Sheriff."
The brunette really had mastered the disinterested sneer, and the sidewinder glance. Emma smirked, clearly not intimidated, as she glanced at the brunette's tailored suit and pencil black skirt. Heels too high to be functional in any capacity.
Raising an eyebrow, she replied. "Thanks. I like it."
"Although…"
Here comes the although, Emma thought to herself. There's always an "although" with chicks like this.
"…it does seem to convey less than a stellar professional image, one must think."
Emma smirked. "Eh, it's a matter of perspective," she explained, looking at the blonde. "for those 'one's' thinking things, I suppose."
"Such as?"
"I'm sorry….I didn't catch your name, again?" Emma said, deliberately.
Of course she knew who the brunette was…she was intentionally annoying her. Emma knew women like her; the self important types. Drove them crazy when people didn't appreciate their majestic selves. Emma loved needling these types of women.
"Really? You don't know who I am?"
"No. Should I? I mean, I've only been in town for a day, after all."
"Well, Sheriff, I'm your boss. Allow me to introduce myself…Mayor Regina Mills."
Emma took the offered hand, shaking it firmly.
"Well, technically, I work for the board of aldermen, not the mayor."
"A technicality only."
"I see. And why is that a technicality?"
"Because…I run this town."
She said it so matter of factly, it didn't seem as though she was boasting. She could have easily been a tour guide for the local taffy factory, relaying long forgotten facts.
"By your little ol' lonesome?" Emma said, with a grin. "Well, then, Madame Mayor…let me introduce you to fashion 101: the badassery version."
"That's not even a word."
"A mere technicality." Emma said, sarcastically.
Why are the hot ones always stupid or utter bitches? Emma thought, somewhat morosely. Out loud, she set a steely gaze on the dark-haired Mayor. "Now, pay attention. It's leather, good for avoiding road burn, if you're thrown from a moving vehicle…"
"I see."
Emma held up a scraped elbow, on her jacket.
"Water resistant, fire resistant…"
"Fire resistant? Leather is not fire-resistant, Miss Swan."
Emma turned so her posterior was exposed, showing a charred flank pocket. "This leather is." She said, deliberately. "I may have…taken a few liberties with the design."
The mayor pursed her lips, frowning.
"Lots of pockets, for holding stuff," she pulled out her sheriff's badge, handcuffs, and a dental dam, which the Mayor deliberately avoided looking at.
Emma smiled, enjoying herself.
"And of course, it's red, which looks fucking hot on me, despite the fact I'm a blonde."
"Quite sure of this, are you?"
Emma shrugged. "I dunno, I mean…it worked on you, right? You've been checking my ass out for the last, like, fifteen minutes…at least."
The Mayor got up, huffy. "Okay, I have better things to do, than this juvenile discussion. Have a good day, Miss –"
But she was cut off, by Emma pressing her against the wall, holding a small dagger to her throat. They were so close, they were practically breathing each other's breath.
"Miss Swan? What is it that you are doing, exactly?" Mayor Mills attempted to keep her voice calm, despite the fact she was being held at knifepoint.
"Demonstrating the last perk of this badass jacket: many hidden pockets." The blonde chucked, but not in a menacing way. She could feel the heat, radiating off the woman she was gripping with one hand and holding at knifepoint at the other. "I bet you didn't even see me pull this little baby out, did you?"
Regina gave her a defiant look, refusing to back down.
"Admit it, Madame Mayor."
The mayor huffed in annoyance. "No, I was not expecting the new law enforcement officer this town hired to pull a weapon on me, you are correct."
Emma released her from her grip, sheathing her knife back into the hidden seam. "Merely making a point, Madame Mayor."
She straightened out her red leather jacket, and stepped away from the woman pressed against the wall. Emma raised an eyebrow, not breaking eye contact, but looking startlingly at ease, despite having borderline assaulted the town's highest official, mere moments prior.
Unphased, the Mayor offered, "What...that you are the worst hire this department has made in thirty years?"
Emma chuckled. "No, but good guess." She ran her hands through her wavy blonde hair, while giving Regina the up and down. "No, I was demonstrating that 'those people', you referenced? Those ones who questioned me, and my abilities?" She smiled. "Perhaps they best not be judging a book by its cover, y'know?"
Released from the new sheriff's surprisingly strong grip, the Mayor inched sideways, then moved quickly towards the door. As she beelined out the door, she was halted by one last comment from the new law enforcement officer.
"Oh, and Mayor?" Emma said, calling after the retreating figure. "You may want to mention, to those ones, you know, those ones….let 'em know, something..."
"Know what?" She asked, barely pausing at the door of Emma's office, turning only slightly.
"Let 'em know, for me, if you'd be so kind. Let 'em know…there's a new Sheriff in town."
TBC