Author's Note: Chapter two! Did anybody else feel Hidalgo ripped off the drunken ex-solider thing? O well
Disclaimer: No I don't own the Last Samurai, Hidalgo, any assorted vegetable (including green potatoes), or Santa…yet…
A Haunting Past
America, 1870's.
In a dusty, smoky urban town a man on a stage sees that half of his crowd are dosing off, since his introduction is so boring, and decides to bring up his recently acquired war junk in the tent to spice things up.
Man: Ladies and gentlemen. The survivor of these many combats and an honourable guest today, I give you … (Drum Roll) Captain Nathan Algren!
Everybody looks eagerly to the tent behind. Nobody appears. Crickets chirp.
Man: Erm (Cough)… (Drum Roll) CAPTAIN NATHAN ALGREN!
Nothing happens.
Man: (sweating) Um…wait a second… (gets out a megaphone) CAPTAIN! NATHAN! ALGREN!
Nothing seems to happen again, but then a drunken Frank T. Hopkins and his horse Hidalgo appear on stage.
Hopkins: Yeehaa!
Man: (whispers) Uh, sir I think you're in the wrong movie…
Hopkins: (drunken stare) Oh. Whoopsss sorrrryy. (To his horse) Ride like the wind Bulls-eye!
Hidalgo neighs and kicks his front legs up, causing the intoxicated cowboy to topple off and chase after his galloping horse, swearing in slurred speeches.
Man: (turns to the bewildered audience, with an awkward smile) Ah…Let this be a lesson to you kids; don't drink and ride!
Inside a clustered tent.
Slumping on the table with assorted bottles is Captain Nathan Algren, stirring in his alcohol-soaked sleep.
Algren: (sleep talking) mmmm…green potatoes…
The flustered Man pears into the tent and sees drunk Algren and hisses with annoyance.
Man: Oi! Get up here! They're starting to throw assorted vegetables; and trust me flying carrots can be fatal!
Algren: Mmm…Mommy ten more minutes…
Man: Oh for cry'n' out loud!
In a flurry of frustration the man managed to rip Algren off the table and push him on stage with the rifle on display. But leaving a drunk man with a lethal weapon isn't the brightest thing to do…
Outside the tent again.
Swaying on the stage stood a very drunken, and now confused, captain Algren, as he blinked at the eager looking crowd. A few awkward minutes passed as the uncomfortable people waited for the unshaven, tattered captain to speak rather than making the grunting and hiccuping noises.
Algren: whatha he'? (hiccup)…whereth ma drink? (hiccup) (Sees one of the posh looking ladies cough and yells) Whaddya lookin at? Huh? Punk?
The astonished audience begin to mumble in irritation. The man hiding behind the tent curtains is alarmed as he sees a few snickering boys picking up the random vegetables again.
Man: (Whispering) the gun! Talk about the gun!
Eventually something in Algren's mind clicked as he realised he held an armed rifle.
Algren: … heh…Where did you come from? ...hmmm…
As he stared at the heavy metal device, he remembered past events. The horrid nightmares in his mind started to replay. A haunting memory…
Algren's Flash Back.
He is 6 years old back at his home, the farm. It's Christmas time and outside it is snowing. Near the warm fireplace, under the tree, he tears the wrapping into shreds to reveal his present. He gives a cry of joy to find that it is a wooden toy gun.
Six-year old Algren: Thankyou Santa! I'm the happiest boy alive!
The man clad in red and white approaches the merry child and kneels to confront him.
Santa: My boy, I'm glad you're happy, but I have something to tell you…
Little Algren curiously stared at the man with the beard. This did not sound good. This sounded serious.
Six-year old Algren: WH…what is it Santa? Am I in trouble? I swear I didn't put mud in the Christmas pudding.
Santa: You put mud in the Christmas pudding!
6years old Algren: (shuffles his feat) Naow… just worms…
Santa: (winces …that explains the slight tummy ache… uh, we'll um talk about that later… For now, Nathan, I have a secret I have kept that I must reveal now. We think… You are old enough to know the truth.
6years old Algren: Okkay.
The old man stood up and reached for his beard.
Santa: Now, don't get too shocked, ok little fella?
Algren can remember the innocent excitement and wonder he had felt, having no preparation for the shock which will follow.
Santa: Nathan…I AM YOUR FATHER.
Algren: NOOOOoooooooooo
The flashback ends as the screaming drunk starts randomly firing the rifle, as a moment of panic and fear rises and the crowd screams and run for cover. Inside the tent the hidden man sobs, wondering how long it will take before the crazy psycho outside will eventually run out of bullets, and asking himself why he even picked up the loser at the pub in the first place...
Author's note: yeah I totally ruined the flashback scene didn't I? (heh heh)