Rachel: Well, here's the first chapter! Unfortunately, Azumanga Daioh is not owned by me
Tomo: If Rachel owned Azumanga Daioh, then my hair will stay shoulder-length throughout my final year of high school! Man, it would be nice to have my long hair during the Okinawa trip and-
Rachel: Okay, Tomo, stop it.
Tomo: Alright, fatso #2.
Yomi and Rachel: Who you're calling "fatso"?! (hits Tomo)
Rachel: Sorry folks!
The Late 19th century, Arizona Territory.
The hot, arid desert wind blows throughout the desert as the sun rises The blinding, unforgiving light shines upon the Grand Canyon as a teenage girl plucks a saguaro blossom from a cactus, able to bear the sting of the needles. "Well," said the girl, "Pa said that the burg is south of the Guh-rand Canyon." "Giddy up there, Leopard Cat!" the girl commanded her palomino Appaloosa; the horse rears up and gallops through the desert. Who is that girl? Well, she's Tomo "Desert Rose" Takino. She wears an orange western shirt with white daisy yokes and white fringes on the sleeves, stonewashed jeans with black and white batwing chap over them, and white cowboy boots. Her white Stetson hat is on her back, as the cactus blossom is in her shoulder-length hair. She was petite for her age, but makes up the size by her spunky attitude.
A little backstory: Tomo was the daughter of a former Union soldier turned policeman, and since her mother died when she turned 10 years old, she always saw her father as a hero. Her father once told her that when she is 15, she must venture into the Sonoran desert and find the town of Kingston. On her way to Kingston, she found a ringtail and adopted it, knowing that miners tamed the species to devour mice. Since ringtails are commonly known as "miner's cats", Tomo called the ringtail "Kofu-chan" and lets him on her shoulder, though occasionally he'll go into her hair.
But, the noon becomes dusk, and Tomo was feeling sleepy. "Jus' a mile lef'..." she said with a drowsy tone, "Nah, Ah should rest for thuh naahyt. Tamarr, Ah'll finally complete maah trip ta thuh burg." Tomo then dismounts from her horse and sets up a tent and fire. She changes into a white sleeveless nightgown and was about to fall to sleep, but from out of nowhere, a gun barrel was pointed towards her forehead. "What in thuh tarnation is goin' awn ?!" Tomo shouted, "Where done that equalizer come from?!" Tomo looks up, only to find that the gun's owner is a sheriff!
The brunette sheriff's glasses shine with terror, her outfit ( A black western shirt with leather fringed vest, a blue bandana, denim jeans with leather shogun chaps, and black cowgirl boots and hat) almost blends in the night, and her horse was equally terrifying. "Who in thuh blazes you?" asked the sheriff. Tomo paused in horror, conflicted between emotions of fear and excitement. "Well, speak uhp!" the sheriff commanded, "Ya're arrested for stayin' out in thuh desert for mo-wr than 6 hours!" "Ain't that a Peacemaker cannon equalizer?" Tomo squealed in enthusiasm, " Those theyer barkin' irons ahr brand spakin' new! Where do ya git it from?" "Uh... nary mahnd how ah gawt maah equalizer," the sheriff shrugged " What's yo-wr nuh-ame?" "Well, maah nuh-ame is Tomo Takino!" Tomo announced, "Also known as thuh energetic bobcat coot by sum, other strayngers called me 'Desert Rose'." The sheriff was confused, as she was excepting someone larger. "So, ya're that "Desert Rose" people were jawing about?" she said with a confused tone, "Well, Ah excepted sumone bigger, but, ya're still under arrest from loiterin' 1 mile away from any city, burg, or settlemehyant!" The sheriff then handcuffs Tomo, confiscates her property and animals, and throws her into a jail cell in the town's jailhouse.
Wil Tomo archive her dreams? And what the deal with this sheriff? Find out in the next chapter!
Okay, for the readers who are not from the USA, here some context!
Arizona Territory: the fanfic takes places in between the end of the American Civil War and Arizona's statehood(1912)
burg: town in cowboy talk
Grand Canyon: you know what it is.
Saguaro: Arizona's state flower and an iconic cactus species
Sonoran Desert: The second largest desert in North America that spans throughout the southwest USA and northwest Mexico
Ringtail/Miner's cat: a close relative to the raccoon, and the state mammal of Arizona. Due to the species sometimes visit mines, thus get the nickname "miner's cat
Kofu: Japanese for miner
Desert Rose: a gypsum crystal cluster that resembles a rose found in sandy, arid areas(such as deserts)
Cannon: revolver in cowboy talk
Barkin' irons/equalizer: gun in cowboy talk