Gunslingers and Lightbringers

Chapter 9

"Here it is." McCree told symmetra as he opened the door to the small three room hotel, "Oh..." he frowned when he saw there was only one bed in the room.

"Well, what an interesting turn of events." Symmetra grumbled as she stepped in.

"Look, I know what you're thinking." McCree rubbed the back of his head, "I didn't order it like this... Well... Oh! I could just sleep on the recliner." he pointed to the raggedy old sofa and walked towards it.

Symmetra looked outside and saw that it was raining, a soft drizzle dotted the small window that let them see outside.

"Now that's a rare sight right there." McCree walked to the window, "Rain." he smiled and opened the door, letting the cool breeze blow in. Taking a deep breath, the cowboy received the scent of life and water that so invigorated his tired body. "I miss the rain." he sat down on the bed, "Look at it, Symmy... such a blessin', ain't it." he looked at the woman.

"Rain is such a common sight where I come from." Symmetra shot down McCree's feelings on the subject, "Every summer it pours and it's such a mess when working with photons."

"How come?" McCree asked with curiosity.

"Photons are light particles." Symmetra responded, "When you work with them in the rain, they are scattered by the refraction and are rendered completely useless."

"Really now?" McCree frowned and stood up, "Now I ain't a learned man, but I heard light refraction ain't useless."

"It is certainly so." Symmetra added, "It provides no material use to build objects." she scoffed, but then felt McCree grab her bionic arm, "What are you doing?" she asked as McCree walked her to the window.

"Let's see something." McCree opened said window and pulled the woman's arm out, "Do the magic light thing." he chuckled.

"If you wish to see futility, just look in a mirror." Symmetra joked, "But if you really want to look at this, very well." she activated her light bending.

Immediately, a rainbow shone in her hand, and it sparkled brightly.

"See, absolutely useless." Symmetra grumbled as she tried to make shapes with it, but failed, "Do you get it n-"

"Symmetra, shut up and look at that." McCree said and pointed to the rainbow, "Ain't that pretty?" he smiled, "Ma used to love rainbows." he nooded.

Symmetra looked at the rainbow, then became very mesmerized by its colors. Never before had she taken the time to actually appreciate such a sight, every time she had tried to before she was instructed by her Vishkarian teachers to destroy it.

McCree chuckled when he saw his job was done and sat down on the small recliner, "I'm glad I finally got throught to you, Symmy." he tipped his hat to cover his eyes.

Symmetra turned to look at McCree, then stepped out of the room and into the road, "Do you read me?" she spoke into her visor.

"Loud and clear, Miss Symmetra." a man responded, "Our drone is heading your way, do you want an armed force to follow?"

"No no." Symmetra responded, "I may have stumbled into an armed rebellion against Vishkar." she stepped forward and towards the back of the hotel, "Refrain from bringing troops... we may make them fidgety."

"Very well, Miss Symmetra." the man said, "Are you well."

"Yes... the fool who kidnapped me is just that... a fool." the woman smirked, "Hold on!" she cut off the transmission frantically when she heard footsteps.

"Well..." McCree looked at her, then walked towards the woman.

Symmetra gulped, fearing she had been discovered.

"Why are you standing around here, Symmy?" McCree looked at the rain pouring on the woman, "You're getting all wet." he said worriedly and took off his poncho to cover her.

Symmetra pushed him away, "You're invading my space." she threw his poncho to the ground.

McCree stood there, then looked at his poncho. Sighing, he picked it off and dusted it, "I'm sorry, Symmetra." he looked down and then looked at her.

"I would never forgive you." Symmetra growled.

"But I would forgive you." McCree responded and pulled out his revolver, causing the woman to flinch- however, the cowboy aimed the gun up and fired.

Symmetra noticed that the drone's signal displayed in her visor suddenly died.

McCree glared at her, then turned around, "If you want to go.. do it. Run as far as you want. I will not follow you." he told her, "Go run and never return if ya like." he started to walk off. "Just know you have the freedom to choose your own destiny down here in the West." he stopped, "However, you also have the freedom to receive any consequence that destiny gives you. So if I see you down there in Grit with the intent to kill me or my compatriots... Your blood is on your head." he glared at her and turned away.

"McCree." Symmetra called out, only to stop when McCree turned once more towards her.

"Symmy." McCree looked at her, "Shut up." he walked off and shook his head.

Symmetra stood alone, then walked away herself, only to step in front of a general store and straight into trouble.

Nearby, a Native American man saw the woman walk past and laid eyes upon her. Coveting her looks, he made his way towards her and intercepted.

"Well, look here." the man grinned, exposing his scarred face, "What do we have here... an Indian goddess." he smirked and intimidated Symmetra with his enormous size.

"Get away from me." Symmetra growled and tried to get around the man, but he kept blocking her way.

"Come with me, and you'll have a swell time." the Amerindian reached for her hand, only to have his arm smacked away, "Feisty, are we?" he chuckled and pulled out a large bowie knife and placed it on her neck, "I like 'em better that way."

"Ah..." Symmetra felt herself being seized by the brute, "Let go-"

"Shh.. It's gonna be alright." the man chuckled as he picked her up, "Hope you're ready for me!" he laughed, only to be stopped by McCree.

"That right there ain't you're girl, brute." McCree growled as he looked at the large man, "You'd best back off, Injun, 'cuz that lady ain't want you." he gnashed his teeth.

"What are you going to do, lil' man?" the Native American man set Symmetra down and cracked his knuckles, "Do you like her too? If so, we're both in a bind."

"I hate binds... Just hand her over and we'll be fine and dandy." McCree responded, then saw the man put Symmetra in a choke hold.

"Ah!" Symmetra winced in pain.

"Lil' man, you want trouble... you got it." the brute growled, "Duel. Today. For this woman." he told him.

McCree looked him dead in the eye, "You got it." he spat on the ground, "A duel it is. I won't fail you, Symmy." he looked at the woman, and the two men walked to the front of the town hall.

People saw as the two men squared off, and The Preacher came out to see what all the commotion was about. He was shocked to find it was 'Mr. Cree' and the brutish Indian man dueling in the rain.

"Let's get this on." the brute smirked and threw Symmetra on the ground, where she was quickly picked up by some local women.

"Mr. Cree!" The Preacher ran to McCree, "What are you doing? Why are you dueling Bear Claw!?" he asked worriedly.

"Bear Claw?" McCree chuckled at the name, "Seriously?"

"You'd best take him seriously!" The Preacher yelled, "That man has killed more people in duels than anyone in the country!" he warned.

"Good... he at least stands some chance." McCree chuckled, then looked at Bear Claw, "You ready, punk?" he called out to him.

"Whenever you are." Bear Claw responded.

"Where's your gun, Injun?" McCree taunted, nothing his opponent's lack of a firearm, "Gonna kill me with kindness?"

"No... just my tomahawk." Bear Claw rebutted and showed off his titanium tomahawk, which was nicely holstered near his hip, "I'll cleave you in two, lil' man." he smirked.

"20 steps." McCree walked towards Bear Claw until the two came within arms reach, then the two turned around and started to walk.

5 feet.

10 feet.

15 feet.

17.

18.

19...

Instantly, the two men turned and one gunshot blared.

Bear Claw staggered a bit, then felt his chest, where blood was dripping.
"Ah.. AH..." the Indian groaned and fell to his knees, then collapsed entirely and died.

"I knew I would getcha..." McCree chuckled, but then felt a sharp pain in his side.

The tomahawk was impaled in his left flank and had cleanly penetrate his armor to the point where blood was readily dripping out.

"McCree?" Symmetra looked at the cowboy, who knelt in pain, "McCree?" she walked to him, "So you are mortal after all." she said and knelt in front of him.

"Cowboys can die, Symmy... but the West won't." McCree chuckled, "Thanks for your inspiring words even after I fought for you." he said bitterly.

"You are a fool, McCree." Symmetra looked at him, "Why would you do something so brash and disorderly?"

"Because I care." McCree murmured, then fell face first into the sand.