'7 Fiancees'
The black 70' model Plymouth Barracuda lead the BMW up the unlit pathway in the thickets of mesquite, cottonwood, and oak trees towards a largish log cabin, snapping twigs and branches audibly to intermingle with the sound of the engines of classic American muscle and refined European elegance. Both vehicles veered off onto a sidepath that acted as the driveway, before both cars' engines shut off.
"Sorry, shoulda warned you about the path up here, it's a bit on the rustic side," David apologised in a tone that though was apologetic, didn't sound too embarrassed about the mistake.
`"Everything about this state is 'rustic'," Scarlet commented, as she stepped fully from the driver's seat, watching her footing for anything that may be unsavory.
"So, this is what American woods smell like?" Lavender replied in distain, twisting her nose.
"Naw, that's just the out-house in the back," David replied, casually, as he shifted through his keychain for his housekeys.
Scarlet, Lavender, and Chef all looked at each other. "Hotel," Scarlet and Lavender replied in unison, earning a nod from their third partner.
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" The reservation officer quickly admitted, "Look, it's late, and I don't really want to have to hunt you girls down early in the morning, if you're in as much a hurry as you said you were. Just accept my hospitality for a night, It's not overly luxurious, but it's comfortable."
Lavender was well against the idea of staying at the man's place, while Scarlet and admittingly Chef had a curiosity what a Native American's home probably looked like. At least something that would rid them of the 'teepee' stereotype.
"Welcome..." Officer Redmond started, as he opened the door, "to my humble abode."
All three women blinked at the site, not quite what they were expecting. Thought nowhere near their usual standards, it had a certain refine to the decour. Gray couches with thin turqoise verticle pinstripes covered with earthen brown thick fur on the backings faced a earthen fireplace, with a Japanese katana set on the stand above it. One one side of the fireplace hung a Portaguese rapier of a long forgotten conquistador alongside an Apache crafted bison hunting spear, while on the other side a morning chain, and a German halberd ax stood. Around on the walls hung various landscape professional photographs blown up and framed in cherrywood frames, while on the back wall, a large woven blanket of with stylistic depictions of native Americans hung. In the center, in front of the two couches, a stone circle with a hardwood top that acted as a table, while doubling as a center heater, apparent from the warm glow coming from the holes that were symetrically laden in the sides.
"It's a bit eclectic, hope you don't mind."
Scarlet looked around, before approaching the hanging blanket that depicted triangular and blocky representations of people; David's native ancestors, she presumed.
"That actually a blanket from the Pueblo Indians. Picked it up on business in New Mexico," David supplied, coming up behind the raven and scarlet haired woman.
Scarlet nodded, not sure of what he was talking about, before turning to walk towards the weaponry hanging around the fireplace. "Where is the TV?" Lavender enquired, puzzled.
"Don't have one," David replied, with a shrug, causing the lavender haired woman to blink in surprise.
"I thought all Americans had TVs..."
Chef slowly sat on one of the couches, before slowly bringing one hand up to test the softness of the fur back covering, before turning back to look at their host. "So, can I get you girls anything?" David enquired, clapping his hands together.
"What is it you have?" Scarlet enquired.
"Beer," David answered.
"And what else?"
"More beer." was David's reply.
"Don't you drink anything else?" Lavender enquired with a slight incredulous tone.
"Yeah, when I'm off-duty. Then I usually drink something hard." David replied, shrugging his shoulders.
"How about water from your faucet then?" Scarlet asked, earning Lavender's nod.
David frowned, "If I had that, I would have offered it."
Scarlet's frown deepend, as Lavender turned her head away to scowl. "Wait a sec, let me see if I still have a couple of beermugs, or something to hold your water in." David walked off into one of the halls, mumbling to himself.
Once he was gone, Scarlet switched to Japanese, "I'm beginning to think this was pointless."
"And you first clue?" Lavender enquired, heatedly.
"This jerk's amazing! Trying to get all three of us drunk and in bed!" Chef growled, before shifting against the fur comfortably.
"He'd probably use something stronger than beer if he was going to do that," Scarlet replied.
"Actually, I just don't have anything stronger at the moment."
All three women turned to find the reservation officer standing behind them with three beer bottles filled with clear liquid. "You speak Japanese?"
"Nope, but I can tell when a conversation's turning against my favor," David replied, setting the bottles in front of the women. "Sorry, this was all I got. I washed them out, if that's any consolation."
"Thank you," Scarlet replied, after studying her bottle for several moments.
"This guy you're looking for back at the bar, have any ideas to who he was?" the native American began, sitting on the step of the fireplace, before taking a swig from his bottle of beer.
Scarlet shook her head, "We just knew to go to Shamrock's, and he'd find us."
"Don't know who told you that," David replied, "But Shamrock's is probably one of the last places you would go in the big city for information of the kind you're probably looking for."
"And where would you have suggested?" Lavender interjected.
"I can think of several places, but they wouldn't be the best places for three pretty young women like you to be going in."
Scarlet brought her right hand to bear, before slowly balling it up into a fist, causing each of the knuckles in that hand to pop rhythmically, "We are quite capable of taking care of ourselves, but we thank you for your concern."
"Don't mention it," David replied, taking another sip, "And I'm pretty sure you girls could handle anything that was thrown at you. Problem is that would just drum up trouble for you, and get you unwanted attention. You don't want that, do you?"
"I... I suppose not," Scarlet replied, having not considered the problem of accidentally alerting Ranma to their presence, if he didn't already know.
"That is why we are here. You said you can give us the proper direction we need?" Lavender spoke up, pulling the conversation back to business.
David closed his eyes, and raised his chin in a solumn expression. Before speaking, he brought his index finger up, "Patience, grasshoppa. For only true direction come when one know where they are going."
Lavender's face darkened, as Chef began to snicker, "That not... that is not funny."
Scarlet had a better time controlling her humor, and schooled her expression back to seriousness, "But you'll tell us by morning?"
Reservation officer David Redmond's own expression became serious, "I promise that I'll have the information by coming dawn. I'll go and search the crime database right now, in fact. I just need to know this person you're directly looking for."
"And you are assured this would not bring, as you put it, 'unwanted attention'?" Scarlet enquired, narrowing her eyes.
"I have legal access, it wouldn't be anything more than a proffesional inquiry to them." David stated, switching hands with his bottle of beer.
Scarlet nodded, before holding up her hand. Lavender shifted from where she was sitting on the couch armrest, and reached into her trenchcoat, pulling out a manilla folder. She handed it to Scarlet, and then it was handed to the Native American. "Here. It was only able to tell us so much. Perhaps this would assist you more?"
David tilted his head, as he retrieved the folder, "This will do. In the meantime, you girls can take my bed. I usually end up sleeping here in the livingroom or my den anyways."
"We thank you for your hospitality." Scarlet stood up, and bowed.
"Don't mention it. Least I can do for helping break up that little spat I almost got into," David replied, "I'll show you to the room."
___________________
"R.S.... hmph, just the man I'm looking for," David mumbled to himself, as he set the information he had found to print, and polishing off his third beer since he'd been home that night. He then leaned back in his chair, preparing to some sleep, not seeing the flashing instant message that had just come up on his screen.
___________________
"GIRLS, I... uh..." The native American swung the door open, allowing his urgency to overcome his prudence.
Scarlet looked up from the chair she was sleeping in, still clothed, just as Lavender and Chef sat up, quickly grabbing the blanket across their bare chests before they exposed themselves.
Scarlet groaned, "I... apologise. These two tend to forget where they are." She berated herself for allowing herself to fall asleep before the other two did, so that she could have prevented the indecent incident.
"Do you not know how to knock?" Lavender replied, sharply, before drawing one of her custom Jericho 941s, and aiming it.
The Native American quickly shut his door, and apologised from the other side, "Sorry, didn't realize you weren't... decent. Hurry up and get dressed, I'll be waiting outside."
He jogged out of the house, smirking, "I don't think I'll ever wash those sheets again..."
The black 70' model Plymouth Barracuda lead the BMW up the unlit pathway in the thickets of mesquite, cottonwood, and oak trees towards a largish log cabin, snapping twigs and branches audibly to intermingle with the sound of the engines of classic American muscle and refined European elegance. Both vehicles veered off onto a sidepath that acted as the driveway, before both cars' engines shut off.
"Sorry, shoulda warned you about the path up here, it's a bit on the rustic side," David apologised in a tone that though was apologetic, didn't sound too embarrassed about the mistake.
`"Everything about this state is 'rustic'," Scarlet commented, as she stepped fully from the driver's seat, watching her footing for anything that may be unsavory.
"So, this is what American woods smell like?" Lavender replied in distain, twisting her nose.
"Naw, that's just the out-house in the back," David replied, casually, as he shifted through his keychain for his housekeys.
Scarlet, Lavender, and Chef all looked at each other. "Hotel," Scarlet and Lavender replied in unison, earning a nod from their third partner.
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" The reservation officer quickly admitted, "Look, it's late, and I don't really want to have to hunt you girls down early in the morning, if you're in as much a hurry as you said you were. Just accept my hospitality for a night, It's not overly luxurious, but it's comfortable."
Lavender was well against the idea of staying at the man's place, while Scarlet and admittingly Chef had a curiosity what a Native American's home probably looked like. At least something that would rid them of the 'teepee' stereotype.
"Welcome..." Officer Redmond started, as he opened the door, "to my humble abode."
All three women blinked at the site, not quite what they were expecting. Thought nowhere near their usual standards, it had a certain refine to the decour. Gray couches with thin turqoise verticle pinstripes covered with earthen brown thick fur on the backings faced a earthen fireplace, with a Japanese katana set on the stand above it. One one side of the fireplace hung a Portaguese rapier of a long forgotten conquistador alongside an Apache crafted bison hunting spear, while on the other side a morning chain, and a German halberd ax stood. Around on the walls hung various landscape professional photographs blown up and framed in cherrywood frames, while on the back wall, a large woven blanket of with stylistic depictions of native Americans hung. In the center, in front of the two couches, a stone circle with a hardwood top that acted as a table, while doubling as a center heater, apparent from the warm glow coming from the holes that were symetrically laden in the sides.
"It's a bit eclectic, hope you don't mind."
Scarlet looked around, before approaching the hanging blanket that depicted triangular and blocky representations of people; David's native ancestors, she presumed.
"That actually a blanket from the Pueblo Indians. Picked it up on business in New Mexico," David supplied, coming up behind the raven and scarlet haired woman.
Scarlet nodded, not sure of what he was talking about, before turning to walk towards the weaponry hanging around the fireplace. "Where is the TV?" Lavender enquired, puzzled.
"Don't have one," David replied, with a shrug, causing the lavender haired woman to blink in surprise.
"I thought all Americans had TVs..."
Chef slowly sat on one of the couches, before slowly bringing one hand up to test the softness of the fur back covering, before turning back to look at their host. "So, can I get you girls anything?" David enquired, clapping his hands together.
"What is it you have?" Scarlet enquired.
"Beer," David answered.
"And what else?"
"More beer." was David's reply.
"Don't you drink anything else?" Lavender enquired with a slight incredulous tone.
"Yeah, when I'm off-duty. Then I usually drink something hard." David replied, shrugging his shoulders.
"How about water from your faucet then?" Scarlet asked, earning Lavender's nod.
David frowned, "If I had that, I would have offered it."
Scarlet's frown deepend, as Lavender turned her head away to scowl. "Wait a sec, let me see if I still have a couple of beermugs, or something to hold your water in." David walked off into one of the halls, mumbling to himself.
Once he was gone, Scarlet switched to Japanese, "I'm beginning to think this was pointless."
"And you first clue?" Lavender enquired, heatedly.
"This jerk's amazing! Trying to get all three of us drunk and in bed!" Chef growled, before shifting against the fur comfortably.
"He'd probably use something stronger than beer if he was going to do that," Scarlet replied.
"Actually, I just don't have anything stronger at the moment."
All three women turned to find the reservation officer standing behind them with three beer bottles filled with clear liquid. "You speak Japanese?"
"Nope, but I can tell when a conversation's turning against my favor," David replied, setting the bottles in front of the women. "Sorry, this was all I got. I washed them out, if that's any consolation."
"Thank you," Scarlet replied, after studying her bottle for several moments.
"This guy you're looking for back at the bar, have any ideas to who he was?" the native American began, sitting on the step of the fireplace, before taking a swig from his bottle of beer.
Scarlet shook her head, "We just knew to go to Shamrock's, and he'd find us."
"Don't know who told you that," David replied, "But Shamrock's is probably one of the last places you would go in the big city for information of the kind you're probably looking for."
"And where would you have suggested?" Lavender interjected.
"I can think of several places, but they wouldn't be the best places for three pretty young women like you to be going in."
Scarlet brought her right hand to bear, before slowly balling it up into a fist, causing each of the knuckles in that hand to pop rhythmically, "We are quite capable of taking care of ourselves, but we thank you for your concern."
"Don't mention it," David replied, taking another sip, "And I'm pretty sure you girls could handle anything that was thrown at you. Problem is that would just drum up trouble for you, and get you unwanted attention. You don't want that, do you?"
"I... I suppose not," Scarlet replied, having not considered the problem of accidentally alerting Ranma to their presence, if he didn't already know.
"That is why we are here. You said you can give us the proper direction we need?" Lavender spoke up, pulling the conversation back to business.
David closed his eyes, and raised his chin in a solumn expression. Before speaking, he brought his index finger up, "Patience, grasshoppa. For only true direction come when one know where they are going."
Lavender's face darkened, as Chef began to snicker, "That not... that is not funny."
Scarlet had a better time controlling her humor, and schooled her expression back to seriousness, "But you'll tell us by morning?"
Reservation officer David Redmond's own expression became serious, "I promise that I'll have the information by coming dawn. I'll go and search the crime database right now, in fact. I just need to know this person you're directly looking for."
"And you are assured this would not bring, as you put it, 'unwanted attention'?" Scarlet enquired, narrowing her eyes.
"I have legal access, it wouldn't be anything more than a proffesional inquiry to them." David stated, switching hands with his bottle of beer.
Scarlet nodded, before holding up her hand. Lavender shifted from where she was sitting on the couch armrest, and reached into her trenchcoat, pulling out a manilla folder. She handed it to Scarlet, and then it was handed to the Native American. "Here. It was only able to tell us so much. Perhaps this would assist you more?"
David tilted his head, as he retrieved the folder, "This will do. In the meantime, you girls can take my bed. I usually end up sleeping here in the livingroom or my den anyways."
"We thank you for your hospitality." Scarlet stood up, and bowed.
"Don't mention it. Least I can do for helping break up that little spat I almost got into," David replied, "I'll show you to the room."
___________________
"R.S.... hmph, just the man I'm looking for," David mumbled to himself, as he set the information he had found to print, and polishing off his third beer since he'd been home that night. He then leaned back in his chair, preparing to some sleep, not seeing the flashing instant message that had just come up on his screen.
___________________
"GIRLS, I... uh..." The native American swung the door open, allowing his urgency to overcome his prudence.
Scarlet looked up from the chair she was sleeping in, still clothed, just as Lavender and Chef sat up, quickly grabbing the blanket across their bare chests before they exposed themselves.
Scarlet groaned, "I... apologise. These two tend to forget where they are." She berated herself for allowing herself to fall asleep before the other two did, so that she could have prevented the indecent incident.
"Do you not know how to knock?" Lavender replied, sharply, before drawing one of her custom Jericho 941s, and aiming it.
The Native American quickly shut his door, and apologised from the other side, "Sorry, didn't realize you weren't... decent. Hurry up and get dressed, I'll be waiting outside."
He jogged out of the house, smirking, "I don't think I'll ever wash those sheets again..."