Casey Black was never a normal kid to say the least. He would always lock himself in either videogames or reading stories about the Old West, stories like Billy the Kid, and Playing, more often than not, Red Dead Redemption one and two, but mostly two since it was more open world based. But like some of the main protagonist's in the game, his upbringing was dreadful and full of death. His mother had died at birth, holding him in her arms as she breathed her final breath. His father blamed him for what happened and beat him constantly until CPS came and took him away. He bounced a few homes, not from running or anything like that, but because people thought he was just bad luck to be around. But he did find a few families that stuck with him over the years, but today was his eighteenth birthday, and he had finally saved up enough from delivering pizza's to buy his own apartment. Now let's watch through Casey's eyes as he begins his own Adventure into the harsh Wild West era.

I'm not a hero. Let's just get that out of the way first. I'm not someone who fight's against evil and discord for the good of the world. In fact, I didn't even look the part of the hero. I was six feet, had jet black hair, my eyes were heterochromatic Ice blue and Emerald green. I was cursed with a resting scowl face, so not many people approached me. But once you actually got to know me, you'll find I'm actually quite fun to be around. I'm smarter than most, mainly because I love to read. But that's not why you're here are you? You want to hear how I was transported to the Wild West and joined up with/ saved the Dutch Van Der Linde gang, right? Well enough dawdling, Let's go back to the beginning, when I entered the funny looking pawn shop.

I was walking around the city's lower east side, looking for game shops to browse in. I had strayed a bit far from where I originally was, but thought nothing of it. I then saw large sign that read "O'Malley's Pawn Emporium". I thought it would cool to browse, so I followed the signs until I finally found it. It was a quant little store, not much bigger than a hole in the wall seven eleven. At least, that's what I thought until I got inside. It was MASSIVE! Hundreds of books lined the shelves, the front was filled to the brim with nick knacks, oddities, and stuff collectors would love to get there hands on. My first thought was that I should probably get out of here, seeing as how in almost every horror movie with a place like this, there was some kind of disastrous price to pay. My second thought was something that, to this day, I still am glad I thought. 'Wonder if they have any Western books or games?'. I walked up to what I thought was the front counter, and saw a tiny bell with the words, 'RING FOR SERVICE' engraved on it in bold silver lettering. As I went to press the bell, I felt a slight tapping on my shoulder. When I turned around to look, there was no one there, so I turned back around to ring the bell, only to be greeted by an old man crouching on the counter top and smiling directly into his face. To say he jumped would be an understatement. He leapt up and landed on his back from the man's surprise entrance. "WELCOME! WELCOME TO O'MALLEY'S PAWN EMPORIUM!" He shouted at me as he began doing a little river dance on the counter, before jumping down and pulling me up with one arm. "I am, of course, Mr. O'Malley. And you are young man?" he asked as he hobbled behind the the counter once more, before jumping onto a small stool. "Casey. Casey Black. So... Mr. O'Malley, do you have any, um, Western books or video games?" I asked while playing with the head of a small bobble dog. "Ah, A Western fan, eh? I think I have just the thing for you! Be back in a hot minute!" he said, jumping off the stool and hobbeling to the back of the store. I walked around the front of the store, looking at all the stuff this guy had. Then my eyes' landed on them. I gasped quietly as I approached the jet black cowboy outfit, with golden spurs on the boots, and a twin pair of gold plated cattlemen revolvers with pearl grips. I pulled them out of them out of there holsters, feeling the weight of them in my hands and pulling the hammers back with my thumbs. I then held them up and aimed them at a mirror, looking at myself, it somehow looked right. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Mr. O'Malley looking at me with a somehow proud look in his eyes. "Um... Sorry, I just saw these and..." I didn't even get to finish my sentence as he walked over to the outfit and picked it up with the most gentlest touch anyone could have, and returned to the counter, out of my view. I kept hold of the revolvers, and walked to the counter, only to see an open box with the clothes folded neatly under the hat. "Wha... What is this?" I asked in confusion. "Well my boy, Seems you took a liking to these, and those" he pointed to the revolvers in my hands before continuing. "Besides, It's not like I have any use for 'em any more. And I don't want them just sitting in some potato chip munchers basement." he said placing a hand on the clothes. The air somehow turned very solom, as if he was remembering something from his past. As quickly as it came, it passed and the man was smiling as he pulled out a ps4 copy of Red Dead Redemption 2 from under the counter. I smiled from ear to ear, and began to pull out my wallet until Mr. O'Malley shook his head and gestured for me to put it away. I did as he said, "Think of it as a gift. I have no use for 'em, and you could use "em better than I. So take 'em, and if you don't like 'em, just bring 'em back, 'kay?" he said. I pondered it for a moment, then shook my head yes. He loaded my stuff in a bag, and we both walked towards the door. He opened for me and I thanked him. As I walked out, I heard a weird shimmering noise, so as I looked back and the store was replaced with a demolished building similar to the pawn shop. I smirked and began walking home.

Later, At home

As soon as I got to my apartment, I took the clothes box out of the bag and placed it on the bed as I began taking the disk out of the box, then I put the disc in the ps4, and watched as my saved data came to life. Then I looked at the box on the bed and decided to try something. As I finally got all the clothes on, I looked at myself in the full length mirror in my living room, right next to my gaming rig, and I was happy that it all somehow fit. I then heard the distinct 'ding' that said that the game was fully updated and downloaded. I walked over in my outfit, spurs clinking, and picked up the controller. I then clicked the icon for RDR2. At that moment, everything changed. The T.V. began sparking, as a swirling red whirlpool of light shot out of the T.V. as the ps4 began levitating. I tried to hold on to the bed but it was no use. I was sucked in to the whirlpool, screaming all the way, and everything went black.

Another few hours later.

I was having the weirdest dream. I was sucked into a portal and now buzzards were poking me with their beaks. Then I opened my eyes, and saw a starry night sky, and felt actual pecking on his head. I looked up and saw an upside down vulture staring at me with its head turned sideways, before it pecked me on the forehead. "AAH! STUPID BIRD!" I said as I sat up abruptly as the bird hopped away squawking. I held my head as I looked around to find out how a vulture got into my room, only to see... plains, mountains and hills?! "Wai...Wai...Wait, how in the hell did I get here?!" I said as I stood up to see around me completely. As I stood at full height, I saw a small town about two or three miles out. I then felt a bit lighter than usual, as if I was missing something. "Wait, where are...?!" I said as I searched my person. My hands found what they were looking for, the twin revolvers at my sides. I sighed in relief, then realized I didn't have my wallet or my phone. I sighed in annoyance, but began making my way to the town. But something surprised me, with each step I felt as if he could run a marathon, so I began running. My feet carried me like a bird, wind in my hair. Then it clicked, I could feel the wind in my hair! I looked back and somehow I could see my hat on the ridge. "What's happening to me...?" I said I made my way up the ridge once more. Once I had made my way to town after retrieving my hat, I kept to the shadows, trying to stay out of sight. At least that was the plan, until I saw HIM. The man I hated with a passion, given flesh. Micah motherfucking Bell. I thought how is this possible, he's a video game character, not a real person. Then my memory flashed to the bright red light that made me black out. I walked out of the shadows, watching him with a keen eye. He saw me looking at him, and then something amazing happened again, I watched him pull out his knife and stab me in the neck, all in a third person view, as if I was seeing the future. As my eyes began to focus, I felt my body move on its own as I dodged his blade and pushed him down, drawing my right revolver and pointing it right in his face. "Nice try, but next time, don't be so obvious about what your going to do" he said as I felt the barrel of a gun pressed against the back of my head. "Drop 'em. Nice and Slow boy." said a gruff voice behind me. I did as I was told, slowly putting my guns in the dirt. "Good man. Now kick 'em away. Molasses like, of course." said the voice. I thought I recognised it, but I couldn't quite place it. I did as the voice said, kicking them away, before returning to my original position. Micah got up, then punched me in the face. I knelt down in pain, but recovered quickly. "Now, son, What do you think you're doing, pointin' a gun at my associate. Also, if you'd please, turn around." As I turned around, I was greeted with the barrel of a Schofield revolver, as well as the man I wished I could save from Micah's plan. Dutch Van Der Linde, a man with slicked back black hair, moustache, and deep brown eyes'. I almost smirked, but kept my composure. "Alright boy, tell me your name. I wish to know who it is I am speaking with." said the now identified Dutch. I thought of how I could say it, then settled on the way cheesey old western movie heroes did it. "Name's Black. Casey Black. And you are, sir?" I said with false confidence. "My name is Dutch Van Der Linde. Now could you tell why you had a gun pointed at my friend here?" he asked as Micah pulled out his twin revolvers and pointed them at me. "Sorry, thought I knew him from somewhere. He looked like a man who wronged me a long time ago." I half-lied, because Micah had wronged someone, but it looked like that hadn't come to pass yet, since Dutch was still with Micah. I knew that after this, It would be even harder to gain his trust unless I did something drastic. "Also, I came here to ask you if I could join the infamous Van Der Linde gang." I said with a bit more real confidence. "Well, that's obviously not going to happen, at least until you do something for us first." he said with a smirk. That's when I saw him creeping up behind both Micah and Dutch. He was holding with a worn cattleman revolver. I knew instantly that it was an O'driscoll boy trying to kill Dutch. The good thing is that the man looked to be in his thirties. I quickly glanced over and saw my revolver, but that didn't go unnoticed by Micah. "Ah, Ah, Ah. Don't even think about it, boy!" he said with venom in his voice. I knew that if I didn't act now, he might be shot in the back. I quickly dove for my gun, and as I grabbed it, felt a searing pain rip through my side. I yelled out in pain, but used my right hand to aim at the man creeping up behind them. As my eyes' focused, it was like I had activated Dead eye from RDR2. My eyes' flick between each knee, and my arm followed, blasting his kneecaps out, then hitting him in the head in the blink of an eye. "HA! YA' MISSED, PARTNER!" yelled Micah as he walked out and stood over me, as I put pressure on my wound trying my hardest not to yell out in pain. "Wasn't... aiming... for you..." I was able to choke out between grunts as I sat up slowly against a barrel, then pointed slowly to the body of the man I had shot dead. Dutch looked behind him and saw the man, before looking at me with eyes' filled with respect. Micah turned and saw the man, a clean shot right between the eye's and two shot's to the knee's. He looked at me with a curious eye, probably thinking of a way to use me to take down dutch. I began to black out again as Dutch approached me and kneeled in front of me. Then everything went fully black.

The next morning.

I awoke with a searing, stinging pain in my side. I looked down and saw that my torso was bandaged up, wound disinfected and sewn shut. I sat up on the edge of the cot that I was put in. I looked around the tent, and found my shirt and duster coat. I stood up slowly, holding my side and made my way to my clothes. I left my shirt and hat on the chair, but slowly pulled on my duster coat and hobbled towards the entrance flap. As I opened the flap, I saw every single member Dutch's boy's, from Arthur Morgan to the Callander brothers. I saw the women doing the chores, and Jenny was with them, so that means I was transported to before the Blackwater massacre job. But how long before, I had no idea. I then saw Dutch and Hosea quickly making their way to me. I stood up as straight as I could, keeping the pain to myself. "Well, well! Good morning, young man!" said Dutch as he put his hand out. I raised my arm and winced from pain but gripped his hand tightly. "I wanted to thank you, son, for saving my life last night." said Dutch. Hosea hooked his arm under mine and helped me to the picnic table in the middle of the clearing. "I am also indebted to you Mr...?" "Black. Ngh... Casey Black." I cringed as I sat down, but was able to sit. "Well, Thank you Mr. Black." said Hosea with a grin. I held my side as Dutch began calling everyone from their chores. I even saw young Jack among them. I smiled a genuine smile when I saw all of them together, happy and whole. I watched as Dutch stood on the table and began talking. "May I have everyone's attention, please? Thank you!" he started. "Hosea and I have discussed this all night, but we have reached a decision! We will be adding a new member to our little Family!" I looked up in astonishment, as did everyone else there. "Dutch, are you sure that's wise?!" said Micah, with a venomous sneer pointed straight at me. I just did it straight back, but kept listening to Dutch. "Now, I know that it seems as if this was a rash decision on my part, but this stranger, no, this brave young gentleman..." Dutch said with growing pride. "Saved my life, from an O'Driscoll no less, even though Micah and I had our guns pointed at him. He is a good person, as well as, a brave man. Now we won't just endoctrerite him without a vote. Now, son, I know you're in a whole lot of pain at the moment, but could you please stand up and try to convince these kind folks why they should let you stay." said Dutch. I stood up as best I could, having to lean on the table for support, and began to speak. "I know none of you trust me, but if you do decide to let me into your family, just know that, even as I'm still recovering, I'll help out as much as I can. I can cook, clean, and I'm very good with animals. I'm also going to help hunt, once my wound heals, but I will be open to anything y'all can teach me." They all looked at me with a bit more trust, but I knew it would be months before they actually trusted me. "Also, if the person, or persons, that treated my wound last night could step forward, please." I watched as Mrs. Grimshaw, Ms. Gaskill, and Charles stepped forward, and they watched as I slowly limped towards, the resting mean look on my face. As I got to them, Charles stepped in front of them, as if to make sure I didn't try to harm them. I slowly put my hand out to him and smiled at them. "Thank you all, for taking the time to patch a fool like me up." Charles was taken aback, but finally shook my hand with a bit of newfound respect. The ladies and Jack began looking at me with intrigued looks. I limped back to the table and sat down, before Dutch nodded to Hosea, who nodded back. "Now, all in favor of letting this gentleman into our family, raise your hand and say 'I'!" said Hosea. I watched as over half the gang raised their hands and yelled 'I'. Even young Jack was among them. The only ones that didn't raise their hands, was Micah, Sean, and the Callander brothers. Dutch smiled at me, then began to speak. "Seems we have a majority! Now let's hear it for our newest member, Casey Black!" yelled Dutch. That night there was a huge feast in my honor. There was dancing and stew i've ever had. I sat out of the dancing but smiled and laughed with all the others.

This is where i'll leave the story for now, but don't worry i'm working on the next chapter as we speak.