Warning: This story contains sexist words and behaviors in some characters, discretion is advised, ME, the author, do not share any of these ideas, which are fictitious only to advance the story, thanks
Our story continues with the train advancing along the tracks during the afternoon of the day, inside one of the wagons, were Sam and the Lady in Pink, sitting on different sides of each other, forming an uncomfortable silence, until the rookie cowboy decided to break silence
Sam: Wow, so...is this like your routine every day?
Dakota: Um, not all the time, but honestly, this has been a lot of fun thanks to you.
Sam blushed hearing this.
Sam: Well I guess that was great, looks like you and I are already friends, huh?
The Lady was stunned to hear this, and looked at Sam with a fixed gaze.
Dakota: Friends?
Sam: Well, we've spent a lot of time together and helped each other out, so yeah, we can be friends.
Dakota: No, Sam, you and I can't be friends, it can't be happening!
Dakota explained as she stood up, as did Sam.
Sam: Why?
Dakota: You're a men, I can't be friends with a men.
Sam: Why not? Why do you reject men so much?
Dakota: Ugh, I can't tell you.
Sam: Come on Lady, what's wrong?
Dakota: I don't want to said it, Sam!
Sam: Why?
Dakota: I already said no!
Sam: Why?! Why do you hate men so much?!
Dakota then turned to Sam, with a tearful look of hate.
Dakota: BECAUSE MEN KILLED MY MOM! OKAY?!
She soon covered her mouth, while Sam stared at her in shock at the revelation, the Lady simply cried tears before turning around again.
Dakota: Don't look at me!
Sam: Lady?
Dakota: Go away, go away from me!
Sam: Hey, I know there's something wrong with you, and I want to help you, why don't you tell me everything?
Dakota sobbed for a moment and then turned back to Sam
Dakota: Okay, I'm going to tell you everything about me...
Sam: Yes! I mean, okay, I'm going to get serious...
Sam then sat cross-legged, and making a "serious" face, the Lady then sat across from him and sighed.
Dakota: For starters, my real name is...Dakota Milton.
Sam: Dakota? Nice name
Dakota: Um, thanks, I wasn't born anywhere, I was born in the East, in one of the most important and wealthy towns in the West, I come from Eastwood...
The shot fades to show a flashback, many years ago, during the night he inhabited a town on an island that was connected by a bridge, the sign marked it as "Welcome to Eastwood" and below it put as a description "The most important place in the east" It was a town with larger and wealthier houses for the most part, and with a mansion next door named "Manor Milton"
Dakota (voiceover): I was one of the most prestigious families in town, the Milton family were the great providers for them, and very soon that night they were expecting their next heir...
Inside the mansion, in the spouses' room, there were several people eagerly waiting for the woman's baby to be born in bed
Dakota (voiceover): What they didn't know is that that heir was me, the bad thing... it was a girl
Finally, people saw the newborn baby, with a small blond lock on her head, and with small eyelashes that revealed her female gender.
A gentleman: Is it a girl?
Another gentleman: How will the Milton business continue if she is in charge?
And in that several men in the room began to argue against the newborn girl, but the parents did not agree with those comments.
Mr. Milton: We ask you to calm down, very soon another child will be born and he will be able to inherit our legacy...
Dakota (voiceover): But no, I ended up as an only child, so I was the relegated of an entire important family, but I didn't care...
Then after a few years, little Dakota grew up to be five years old, as she played and ran around the mansion.
Dakota (voiceover): I was just an innocent and playful girl, but not like the rest of the other girls in town, I was special, and all of that was thanks to my mother...
The five-year-old girl was lifted in her arms by a woman with blond hair and a pink dress, along with a hat of the same color, who smiled sweetly at her daughter.
Miss Milton: How is my naughty little girl?
Dakota (voiceover): She wasn't the same as the other ladies either, she was a bit more independent, and she took me on a lot of adventures...
Several scenes are seen where little Dakota and her mother had fun, both inside and outside the mansion, rolling down the meadow hill, and both returning home full of leaves, to the annoyance of the other guests.
Dakota (voiceover): We were a great duo of rebels who got away with it, told us everything, but we didn't care one bit...
Then we see mother and daughter going shopping in the village market, with Dakota behind her mother, holding a heavy bag, but an apple slipped out of the bag and began to roll, the little blonde girl followed the apple until she reached an alley
Dakota (voiceover): But there was another event that made me want to be more independent...
Little Dakota took the apple from the ground and turned to go back to her mother, but a hooded man stopped her in her tracks, looking at her terrifyingly.
Bad Man: Hey little girl, have you been lost?
Dakota (nervous): Who are you?
The bad man soon began to approach the little girl in a threatening and sick way, who backed away from him.
Bad Man: You better stop asking questions and come with me, or else...
The frightened girl closed her eyes, but heard a blow and opened them, and noticed the man knocked out and knocked to the ground, she looked up to see a figure that approached and the light showed him as a man, with a uniform of guard, a blue hat with a feather, and a flat-edged sword on his belt, this guard looked at the girl with a sympathetic look.
Musketeer: Don't worry, girl, you're safe.
Dakota (confused): What are you?
Musketeer: I am a musketeer, the musketeers are people who help and save people, it is our job to maintain security in this town, and if you need help...
The musketeer then took off his hat and put it on Dakota, but since she was so small, it sank on her head.
Musketeer: You can always count on us...
The girl raised her hat and looked at the musketeer with eyes shining with wonder.
Dakota (voiceover): It was at that moment that I knew what I wanted to become when I grew up...
We now move on to Dakota at school, perched on her desk with her hat on her head, and holding up a branch as a sword.
Dakota: I'm going to become a musketeer! Girls, it's time to rise from the shadows and start attacking like warriors!
All the girls and boys, including the teacher, looked at the blonde girl with confused or disinterested faces, just as the shot cuts outside the school, and the door opens as Dakota is thrown into the air and falls face-first into the mud, when the teacher came out, and the other kids were laughing at Dakota
Teacher: This school is for polite and orderly boys, you're just a rebellious brat who is a bad influence on our kids, so I don't want to see you here again!
The teacher closed the door hard, when Dakota sat down, covered in mud and looking at the ruined and bruised hat, the little girl began to shed tears and sobs, until her mother arrived and picked her up.
Miss Milton: Looks like someone needs a bath...
The shot goes to the mansion, where Dakota was playing in the bathtub full of bubbles, having fun all the time, until she heard her two parents arguing.
Mr. Milton: How did she get kicked out of school?!
Miss Milton: John, listen, this may be good news, our girl may be brought up differently by me!
John: For you? You keep filling him with ideas, Samantha
Samantha: I'm not filling you with ideas, I'm just giving you tips to be a better person
John: The problem is the rest, what would the people of Eastwood think if they found out that the future of the Miltons is in the hands of a rebellious and irresponsible girl?
Those last words from her father made Dakota feel bad, already at night, the little girl was sleeping in her bed inside her room, until her mother came in and woke her up
Samantha: Swettie...
The girl opened her eyes and saw her mother smiling at her excitedly.
Samantha: Would you like to sneak around at night?
The shot now cuts to them, on the hill in the meadow, lying on the grass, looking at the stars in the sky.
Dakota: Mom?
Samantha: Yes, honey?
Dakota: Why does everyone hate me for being different?
Samantha: It's just that some people can't accept difference, but maybe that will change very soon...
Samantha stood up and looked at her daughter.
Samantha: When you grow up, you and I will change and this and more towns for a better world, do you promise?
She showed her hand with the pinky sign, Dakota looked at her with a smile before responding with her pinky, bringing them together.
Dakota: I promise...
Dakota (voiceover): Everything was going well... until it happened that same night...
The shot now cuts to mother and daughter walking through the streets of the town at midnight, feeling all happiness, until they heard strong footsteps
Dakota: Mom, what was that sound?
Samantha (worried): It's nothing honey, let's continue down that alley...
The two walked through a separate alley, where everything was almost dark, they continued until they noticed a shadow near and behind.
Dakota: Mom, I'm scared!
Samantha watched the shadow get closer and closer, until she turned and stared at her daughter.
Samantha: Run!
Dakota: What?
Samantha: Run, go home, don't worry about me, I'll be okay, one way or another, I just want you to know that…
She took her hands and looked at her daughter with a big proud smile on her face.
Samantha: I love you...
Dakota looked, but then nodded before starting to run away from her mother down the alley, stopping herself and determined, she ran back into the alley.
Dakota: Mom, hold on!
Dakota reached the beginning of the alley but when she stopped, the sound of a gunshot rang out, and she looked up in shock and wide-eyed, as her mother's hand dropped to the ground just as she saw a figure holding a gun before escaping, the little blonde girl ran straight to her unconscious mother
Dakota: MOM!
Dakota started to shake her, as long as she wakes up
Dakota: Mom, please stand up! I beg you, don't leave me!
But it was too late, not receiving any pulse from her mother, little Dakota began to cry devastated, while she clung to her death mother in the alley
Dakota (voiceover): On that night, everything changed for me...
The shot led to the lake, on a dock, where Dakota and his father, now dressed in black, left a small bowl in the water, which had candles and a photo of Samantha, watching her go further into the lake, while they both hugged devastated, especially Dakota
Dakota (voiceover): I had just lost the only person who loved me as I was and was like me, now he was no longer with us...
We pass another shot where Dakota is seen, still in her black outfit, walking sad and desolate towards her room, and when I enter she closes the door.
Dakota (voiceover): From that day on, I never felt emotionally close to anyone again, not my father, not nobody...
Now we move to the present, where Dakota dried a tear after counting
Dakota: I swore never to use a firearm in my life, nor kill anyone, my mom didn't want something like that, now do you see why I hate men, Sam? ...Sam?
Dakota notices Sam, lying with his head resting on a box, as he cried and the tears welled up and trickled down.
Dakota: Sam, are you okay?
Sam raised her head, her face sad and her eyes brimming with tears, past her glasses.
Sam: No! Your mom no longer exists...
The boy cries uncontrollably again.
Dakota: Yes, I know.
Sam: And she's never coming back...
Dakota: I know, Sam, come on, pull yourself together...
Dakota tried to pick him up, trying to get him to stop crying.
Sam: But how did you get over that?
Dakota sighed, recalling more of her memories.
Dakota: I have to say more than that, after my mother died, I stopped feeling happiness, I wasn't the same as before, that's how it was for many years...
The shot fades to show another flashback, after eleven years, Dakota was now a sixteen-year-old teenager, who did nothing but do nothing, she had turned totally bitter, just like her emotions, she always dressed in shades turned off and did nothing but stare into space in his room
Dakota (voiceover): I had nothing to do, everything I had before was gone, as was the person I loved, but no one cared, not even my father, I was just a gray cloud in the world...
We then cut to another shot, where Dakota was now strolling through the market, carrying a bag of oranges, while walking past the other people in long lines.
Dakota (voiceover): I thought my whole life would be like this, but suddenly, something unexpected happened...
Woman: Help, he's robbing me!
A woman screamed, while a thief ran past with her bag, entering an alley
Woman: Anyone? Stop him!
Dakota looked at the thief entering the alley and showed a serious face, while the thief was running at full speed until he got out of the alley, but was suddenly greeted by Dakota, who punched him in the face, knocking him down, while the bag fell to the ground. air, she noticed and jumped high to catch it, leaving her bag of oranges, landing with the woman's bag, and then used her foot to catch the bag along with the oranges that fell into it, suddenly, the people who watched that began to applaud and encourage her
Dakota (voiceover): For the first time, people were congratulating me on something brave, but not everyone agreed with that...
?: Hey you!
Dakota was surprised, dropping the bags, and turned to see nothing but the captain with two musketeers next to him.
Captain: You, girl, what are you doing?
Dakota: I just arrested a burglar, isn't that what people say?
Captain: Listen, littlw brat, you better stay away from our business if you don't want to have problems, take him away!
The other musketeers led the thief away, while Dakota watched them walk away with an annoyed look.
?: Hey girl, would you like to join us?
Dakota turned and looked at a tall and strong boy, along with other tough and strong boys, and they were the young members of the gang from the valley
Kevin: My name is Kevin, I am the leader of the famous gang in the valley, and we liked it as a girl like you beat that thief, you would like to be part of the best group of cowboys in the world
Dakota just looked at them but after that she smiled at them, squeezing their hand.
Dakota: I accept
Dakota (voiceover): And I was finally able to find people who accepted me for who I was, even though it wasn't what I expected in the end...
Then we went to a shot where the gang along with Dakota were having fun, playing pranks on the other people in town and getting into trouble.
Dakota (voiceover): We weren't the most adventurous, but we had fun, and we were always looking for a way to get into trouble...
Dakota's father was talking to several people in the market, until someone tapped him on the shoulder, he turned and looked at the captain holding the arm of an embarrassed Dakota.
Captain: It's the third time this week, Mr. Milton, your daughter was stealing the goods again, an act like that again and we'll have to arrest her.
John then took his daughter and looked at the captain
John: I promise you, Mr. Captain, it won't happen again.
Captain: You better, your family legacy depends on it.
The captain left, while Dakota and her father walked back to the mansion.
Dakota (voiceover): And because I was the same again, I got all those insults from people again.
Several people looked with disgust at the blonde passing by with her father in her hand.
A woman: This girl doesn't belong here!
A man: She's a disgrace!
Other man: She should be eliminated!
Dakota got worried as she heard the townspeople despise her out loud, when they got to the mansion, her father spoke to her face to face.
Jonh: Dakota, we already talked about this, you can't act like that...
Dakota: And why not, father?! Why can't I be different?!
John: Because you are a Milton, you are part of this family
Dakota: Then I don't want to be a part of this family anymore!
Angrily Dakota ran down the stairs until she locked herself in her room.
Dakota (voiceover): Sometimes anger blinded me from my thoughts, dad was not as bad as other people, he loved me and supported me, and I soon realized that...
After a few days, Dakota was in her room, lying on her bed doing nothing, until her father answered the door, holding a special box.
Jonh: Hey sweetie, I know you don't want to talk to me, but I have an early gift for your birthday, I know you'll love it...
Dakota, without caring about anything, accepted the gift, opened it on her bed, but was surprised to see a pink dress inside the box, along with a hat of the same color, put on the clothes, and then showed herself in the mirror, looking like a pink musketeer and her current outfit
Dakota: Oh Daddy, how did you know I wanted to become...?
John: Musketeer? I know everything you want, daughter, even your desires...
John then gave his daughter a rapier, as she brandished it in front of the mirror.
John: I know you want to protect this town as much as I do, also, I want you to have this
John takes out a small box and when he opens it, it shows a pink necklace, Dakota gasps at the sight of it.
Dakota: Is it mom's necklace?
John: She wanted you to have it when you grew up, and I think it looks good on you.
John then took the necklace and put it around his daughter's neck, looking at her new necklace.
John: Make your family honorable, Dakota, you are our future...
Dakota looked at her father with bright eyes and hugged him very affectionately.
Dakota (voiceover): Finally my dreams were about to come true, but there were more problems.
We cut to another shot, with Dakota in her new outfit with the gang from the valley.
Kevin: How do you want to be a musketeer?
Dakota: My father told me that I should be honorable, so let's not do more poverty or robbery
Kevin: We can't do that, we haven't robbed the biggest thing in this stupid town yet!
Dakota: Hey, hey, hey, this town hasn't done anything to us, and unless you didn't want to change, then I'll go!
Dakota then walked away from the gang, while Kevin glared at her.
Dakota (voiceover): Everything was going to be fine...until it happened that night...
We cut to a shot now at midnight, where Dakota was sleeping in her bed, until she heard banging on her window, she woke up when she saw the gang leader outside on her balcony.
Dakota: For the last time, I don't want to roberry again...
Kevin: It's not a robbery so we need you...
We cut to a night shot through the foggy town as the gang and Dakota advanced by wagon.
Kevin: We found an extra large burglary in one of the buildings, that's it!
He pointed to a door, while the others got off and entered the door, Kevin stopped Dakota
Kevin: You stay here, now we come back
Dakota: How can I trust you?
Kevin: Don't worry, once we do it, all our problems will be gone, believe me...
He then went inside with the rest of his group, Dakota staying outside, watching
Dakota (voiceover): I hadn't realized that this was all a trick...
Dakota walked to the other side of the building, illuminated a sign with the lantern, which when removing all the dust, read it as "Eastwood Bank"
Dakota (shocked): What...?
Her shock was paused when she heard some coins, she ran back to the wagon and saw the whole gang carrying bags of money and throwing them into the wagon.
Kevin: Dakota, get on, we have to get out of here.
Dakota went up while looking with fury and surprise at the leader
Dakota: Why did you do that?! You're tricked me!
Kevin: I had to do it, there was no way to trust a rich and hot girl like you!
Dakota: Why you...!
?: STOP THERE!
The whole group turned, and looked at the captain and many musketeers pointing their swords at them, the captain looked at Dakota in the wagon along with the rest of the gang and was stunned
Captain: Dakota Milton, how?
Dakota: Captain, I can explain!
But the captain had seen enough
Captain: Arrest them!
Before they were arrested, the leader took the reins of the horses and they moved quickly, trying to get away from the musketeers.
Dakota: How could you do that to me?! This town was our home!
Kevin: It was before they discovered us, now we have to get out of here!
They kept escaping, while several guards rode to stop them, they reached the path of the Milton mansion, and Dakota watched as her father came out the door and watched her escape, looking at herself in shock.
Dakota: Dad?
John: Dakota?
Dakota looked at her dad with disappointment, and anguish.
A member: Watch out! arrows!
One of the guards fired some arrows, which ended up hitting the wheel of the cart, breaking it, making it flip with everyone, they fell towards the bridge that connected the entrance of the town, and all the sacks of coins flew into the air off the bridge
Dakota: Oh no, the town's money!
Dakota ran to the edge, and watched as the bags fell far down into the river.
Kevin: Agh, Dakota, help us, we can't get up!
Kevin and the rest of the gang were on the ground, with broken and bruised knees.
Kevin: Please help!
Captain (from afar): There they are, catch them!
Dakota saw the musketeers approaching, and the gang on the ground, after looking ahead again, she looked at them without concern.
Dakota: Save yourself!
Dakota then stood over the edge of the bridge and looked down at the river, as the musketeers reached the bridge, and grabbed the entire gang on the ground.
Captain: Stop her!
Dakota gasped as she saw the guards about to catch her, and then she looked down the river, and without thinking twice, she jumped off the bridge, tumbling down to land in the river, suddenly, she resurfaced as she swam towards the shore, avoiding the great river tide
We cut to another shot of her, now coming off the shore, and looking back, the town of Eastwood up and away, she turned from looking at it to continue on her way, building a fire and sitting in front of it.
Dakota (voiceover): That night I had lost everything, my father, my home...my identity, I couldn't go back, everyone now thinks I'm a thief
Dakota then looked at the campfire in a bad way
Dakota (voiceover): At that moment, I thought, "if everyone thinks I'm a thief, I'll be a thief, the biggest of them all."
Then Dakota stepped on the fire, putting it out, and took out his sharp sword, looked at the lights of a nearby town, and with a determined look, walked towards him with the intention of stealing.
Dakota (voiceover): And that's how I stopped being Dakota Milton, to become "The Lady in Pink, the greatest thief in the west...
Now brought back to the present, we see Dakota finishing telling her entire story to Sam
Dakota: Then years passed and I changed my course of life, but it wasn't until I found that heavenly star that I became invincible to terrorize all the peoples of the west
Sam: But, if you're a thief, then you're...bad?
Dakota was confused by that question, but answered
Dakota: Yes, I'm bad, that's why I'm a thief.
Sam: But you've helped a lot of people, including me.
Dakota: Well, growing up in a mansion with wealth, I realized that money doesn't make happiness, I don't care at all, so I give it to the people who need it the most to survive.
Sam: So you're not bad, you're someone with a good heart, you just had a tragic past, and that's why you're like that
Dakota: Of course I am, all my life I have been oppressed thanks to men, that's why I hate them
Sam: I'm a men, that means you hate me too
Dakota: No, I don't hate you.
Sam (excited): Really?
Dakota: Yes, I like you, you're not the same as the rest, I guess you're like...a friend to me now
Sam then suddenly hugged her excited, Dakota raised his fist about to hit him or something like that, but after a moment he lowered it and stayed enjoying the show of affection
We went to another take, towards the back of the train, where Manitoba and Cameron leaned on the railing watching their environment go by quickly in seconds
Cameron: We've come as far as we can from our past journeys, and right tomorrow night...
Manitoba: All our problems will go away, I can't wait for that
Cameron: But what if we don't make it?
Manitoba: Don't talk nonsense, Cam.
Cameron: But master, and if someone is trying to find the star, we should be wary
Manitoba: Yeah yeah yeah whatever you little tadpole we'll be wary
Cameron: Will you ever listen to any part of what I say?
Manitoba thought about it, but after a few seconds he just said
Manitoba: I have no answer for that...
He walked away, while Cameron looked at him, anger inside him.
We went on to another shot, this time on top of a wagon, where Sam and Dakota were sitting on the edge of it, admiring the sunset.
Dakota: It's a nice sunset, isn't it?
Sam: I know, Dakota, I mean...
Dakota: You know, you can call me Dakota now.
Sam: Oh ok, hehe, sounds good to me
Dakota (yawns): I think I'm sleepy now after all this...
She then tilts her head and rests it on Sam's shoulder, who blushes at this.
Then, after the sun came up and night fell, Manitoba and Cameron jumped off the train, landing on their feet, at least Manitoba
Cameron: Ow, the map says that the destination is near here, at a nearby point.
Manitoba: Well get up and move!
Manitoba ran, and Cameron got up and started to follow him.
We move on to Dakota and Sam now walking through the desert at night
Sam: By the way, how can we find the heavenly star?
Dakota: That star always walks in the other stars near its landing, I located it thanks to my sense of orientation by the stars
Dakota looked at the stars and began to run ahead, while Sam followed her.
Dakota: And it looks like this year the star will land right...there...
Dakota then stopped and looked at her destination in shock, she took a step where she was looking, and it was a long rock bridge where on an island there was an isolated family town, at the beginning of the bridge there was a sign that said "Welcome to Eastwood"
Sam: Wow, I think you're in trouble.
Dakota glares at him, much to his concern.
Sam: I mean both...
To be continue...
IN THE NEXT CHAPTER...
Dakota: There must be some way to get in without problems...
Guard: That girl betrayed the town and her family!
Cameron: I think maybe we should be discreet here...
Jo: Surprise! Looks like you're not the only one who wants that star...
Cameron: Jo, your wish is horrible!
Jo: You all are horrible! Now, how about we speak with a little truth...Sam?
Dakota: Sam, don't go!
Manitoba: Crikey! Maybe this wasn't what he had planned...
...the end is near...