Melanie's book of history: Maverick.
Her boots trod across the rocks- scorpion-infested ground which could cause her great pain if she got stung- and her bandanna was tied across her face, making her unrecognizable. She'd heard rumours about this little town, something about gold and riches, and that tickled her fancy. Her brown trousers were ragged, same with her lighter brown shirt, and her bandaged hands held the cord, leading her steed through the treacherous ground. The rocks were steep to climb, so moving around them, despite the danger, was the best way forward. Her cowboy hat sat atop her head, a friend's treasured item which he'd lost in a bet. The only thing marking her as different was her piercing blue eyes, said to look like sapphires. But none of that mattered. As her brown hair, tied back in a short ponytail, blew in the wind, she looked believably like a boy. Perfect for getting a job in the mines. She continued to tread, bringing her horse, and then reached the entrance of Thunder Mesa, a town where everyone danced and everyone drank. She reached up to her face and pulled down her bandanna, fastening it again around her neck. The saloon's owner spotted her and opened the doors, calling out the familiar name: "Maverick! I can't believe you're back!", hugging her tightly. She put on the gruff voice. "Yep, decided to stop by for a drink. How's it going Polly?" she asked, slinging an arm around the dancer's shoulders. Polly immediately pushed it off, looking at the bandages. "Dynamite." She whispered, and Maverick shrugged. "Not too bad hon, just a little heist. Ended up taking the blast in my arms. But I'll be fine." She replied, Polly smiling. "Let's go inside Mave, and talk about it there. Hugh's cooking up some sweet food which I think you'll enjoy." She grinned, and Maverick followed, swinging both of the saloon doors open dramatically as she entered. Everyone stared at her, and she held up a gold coin. "Drinks all round!" She cheered, and the entire bar exploded into a joyful frenzy.
Polly, cheerful owner, rolled her eyes at this. It wasn't uncommon for Maverick to treat the bar with his presence, but he was just a little scrap of a boy. Nothing like other cowboys she'd seen- Maverick was much less gruff and very gentle with her, and the two cared for each other dearly. She headed over to the table with a pint of beer and sat down next to him, offering him a smile. He responded with a grin, and she took a moment to study his features. He had a softer face, little scars populating it, as well as the huge blast mark on his cheek from dynamite. He looked almost feminine, but she knew better. Maverick was the most notorious cowboy at only eighteen, having survived six bandits with just his gun, and having planned a couple of the most effective takedowns in the last three years. He had just showed up out of thin air and made a name for himself- a lone wolf who worked when it was convenient. He noticed Polly's gaze and smiled. "Am I really that bad that you have to stare?" he sighed, mockingly looking up at the ceiling. Polly grinned as he took a sip of beer, before passing her ten gold coins. "Look after yourself, Pol." He whispered, watching as the bar enjoyed the drinks he had provided, oblivious to the ensuing conversation. Maverick got up and strolled out, offering little more than a wink before he rode away toward the manor, his mind set on getting Henry to give him a job.
Maverick tied her horse to the gate, giving her a reassuring pat, before opening the gate and heading toward the door, flyer for job in hand. A young blond servant answered, calling out for Henry immediately, and ushering the cowboy inside. She took him to the study, allowing for them to talk about their business, and ducked her head as she walked out, Henry nodding approvingly. "That's Anna, our head maid. A real sweetheart." He spoke, pulling out a pipe and briefly pausing to smoke. Maverick nodded; his eyes averted. "I'm here to apply for a job." He spoke, his voice a little deeper than Henry expected. He nodded, putting down the pipe and placing both hands on his desk, a familiar tactic for asserting authority. "Well, what's your name, son?" He asked, Maverick returning his stare as best as possible. Son. I'm not your son. He thought, blinking and readjusting himself, sapphire eyes ever-locked onto the man. "My name is Martin. But people often call me Maverick." He challenged, Henry's eyes flickering in recognition. Just the name was enough. Maverick was known for being a hard worker, albeit a little antisocial, and had a good reputation among the workers, already knowing many of them. Henry nodded, drawing his gaze away from Maverick and standing up, moving from behind the desk and pacing, standing right behind him by the end of his walk. He put one hand on Maverick's shoulder. "There's something strange about you, Martin." He whispered, Martin's whole body freezing in place. "What do you mean?" He asked, and the man chuckled. "You seem small for your age. You're eighteen, correct?" He asked, and the boy nodded, refusing to look at Henry and show the fear he felt. "You also look quite feminine. Wouldn't you rather work as one of the servants at my manor? You'll get lodgings, and constant care from everyone here, including me." He offered. The last two words made her heart stop. He patted her shoulder, and she curled her hand into a fist. She'd seen the way that blonde maid had looked at him, the look in her eyes when she had ducked her head. "Don't touch me." She hissed, and Henry withdrew his hand. "My apologies. Clearly you are chasing that miner job, young man." He spoke, walking away. His words had a hint of venom and she tried to make her face less disgusted and sullen, more neutral. It clearly worked, since he nodded approvingly. "Well then, Martin. Your work starts on Monday, six and a half days a week, since Sunday is a day of partial rest." He stood up behind the desk, putting both hands on the table and leaning toward her. "You're always welcome here at the manor during your time off." He offered. Maverick smirked. "I have better ways to spend my time." He fired back, before putting his hat on and heading out, closing the door behind him. Henry scowled, his fists tight. She was playing him for a fool.
That night, Mave learned where the miners stayed- in a crowded set of rooms in the old inn. While it wasn't ideal, he didn't mind the company. So, he checked in, left his horse in the stable, and found his way up to the room, where a group of eleven other men lay asleep. Creeping around, he found a small corner and crumpled himself up, comfortably sitting and falling asleep in his arms- the rest of the miners needed the blankets and pillows, she wouldn't deprive them of their warmth. The morning came around faster than expected, and everyone got up together, noticing "the new kid" immediately. Introducing himself as Martin, he followed the rest in their routine, quickly learning where everything was based and the way they all got to work. Wagons were an effective system, so he piled in, keeping his gun just out of sight in his belt. It would be used for defence against Henry solely. As they neared the red rocks, he stared out at the manor atop the hill, a chill going down his spine. A sudden tap made him jump. "Hey, new kid, how did you score a job so fast?" A friendly man asked. He thought for a moment. His first instinct was to lie, but then he realized that was no way to make friends. "Well, Henry was…interested in me. He thought I had some potential, or something." He spoke, vague. Potential to be his wife maybe, although that was an awful thought. The man nodded, turning back to his friends, before once again turning to meet the boy's eyes. "You seem chilled, I'll give you that. How about you team with me today?" He offered, and Martin nodded, eager to have someone teach him the basics. Another younger boy, with brown hair and eyes was also looking at him, before being distracted by his friends. The stares would become something he would get used to, surely. They arrived at the foot of the mountain, bigger men unloading equipment whilst the smaller and younger ones walked behind in groups, chatting as they hiked up. The sun was barely coming up, and they were supposed to stay out here until after dark, so it would be a long day with no breaks. Mave nodded, assessing the situation. The other man, introducing himself as David, was carrying around 100 pickaxes and struggling, but nobody else wanted to help him. Maverick decided to offload 60 and carry them all, proving both his strength and making others impressed at him. By the time they had reached the mountaintop, he was carrying everyone else's picks and not complaining- anything to distract from the very real fear of Henry. Everyone ran to their stations, David giving Mave the one next to him, and took their equipment from Maverick, heading down their designated mines. "Come on new kid, I'll take you down the gold mine." David grinned, noting how skinny Maverick was. He wondered how the boy could possibly carry so much, but it didn't matter.
They headed down the mines, taking a smaller tunnel and holding their picks on their shoulders, finding a little patch of rock where gold glittered beneath. The rock shattered with a single strike from David, who turned it over to find gold embedded inside. "This one's a pretty one." He whistled, showing the nice formation to Mave. Indeed, the rock had many patches of gold which formed to look like a flower when viewed from further away. David continued chipping away at the rock, Maverick starting on the other wall, repeating this for many more hours. By nightfall the two had found enough gold to fill their quota. "Alright, Martin, I gotta be honest. I'm on a date with my girl tonight, so I'll need you to deliver this for me." He admitted, throwing a chunk of gold at the smaller boy, who put it in a little pouch. "Got it, sir. But where should I deliver it?" He asked, and David looked a little uncomfortable. "Henry recently said that he wants all gold delivered to him in person, so you'll have to take it to him." He sighed, before patting Mave's back when he accidentally made a nervous face. "Look, kid. I know Henry might be a bit of a creep, but you need to do this to eat tonight. So, just get in, get out and come see me later, okay?" He whispered, and Maverick nodded. He may have been a fearsome cowboy, but deep inside she was a very scared girl. So, the two headed up and announced their departure, David dropping Maverick off at the manor before heading down into the saloon, where he would meet his girlfriend. Maverick took a deep breath, before heading in, knocking. Anna opened the door, looking a little flustered and surprised, but welcomed him in nonetheless. Henry was sitting at his desk, a little red, and smoking, before the boy walked in. A look of surprise crossed his face for a moment before a sly little smile appeared. Maverick simply walked over, passed him the pouch, and crossed the room again, ready to open the door and be on his way. But the door wasn't opening.
The sound of footsteps was the first thing he heard. His hand didn't leave the doorknob, just stayed frozen in place. Henry walked toward him, before crouching down to his level, something hidden behind his back. "Son. You are playing me for a fool." He muttered, forcing the boy to face him. "I don't know what you're talking about, master Ravenswood." He responded, glaring at the man. Henry stood up, overpowering the shorter cowboy, who reached into his pocket to feel for his gun, pre-loaded for situations like these. He smirked. "Yes you do. Being respectful won't get you anywhere, Miss Maverick." He glared, removing his hand from behind his back. A shiny pistol, embossed with the most beautiful of crystals and initials of H.R etched into the silver. In response, he took his own gun out, a mere workers' pistol. The two moved away from the door and into the middle of the floor, locked on each other and circling, calculating who would dare take the first shot. Their feet paced the soft rug, expensive. It would be a shame if blood was spilled on it, but this was necessary. "Henry Ravenswood. Unlock this door." He spoke, his voice low. Henry rolled his eyes, pistol aimed right between the eyes. Maverick held up his pistol higher, aiming for the head. Henry's gloved pointer finger traced the trigger. It enticed him. He could end this life before it became truly problematic. Alternatively, Maverick's bare finger rested on the trigger, old and comforting. He'd fought off six bandits with this trusty gun. He wasn't about to let a duel kill him. So, the two moved three paces closer, until they were arm's length away. "3." Henry's voice echoed, commandeering. "2." Maverick's voice responded, determined. "1." They both spoke, before the shots rang out.
The room went dark, black as night. For a moment, the cowboy believed he had lost consciousness. A ringing had settled over his ears, bringing him back to a painful experience. She was only fifteen at the time, living with her family in a small town off the mountain range. But bandits attacked. They'd stolen everything, and in an attempt to stop them, she had got into a tussle with one, fighting with a stray gun. The two had circled each other, just as now, but he had struck early, before 3, and the bullet had pierced through her heart. The memory faded to nothing, and he found himself in the darkness once more. A pair of glowing rubies appeared, searing through the black, before a flash of lightning illuminated the scene…and revealed them both, Phantom, and ghost, locked in duelling positions. One was coated in clothes as dark as the night, the other glowing a faint blue, casting a slight light to everything when revealed. Both wore the same look of shock on their faces before it changed to a moment of understanding. They had shot the lights with their stray bullets, incapable of killing each other. The Phantom roared in fury, and Maverick ran, phasing through the door and past Anna, who got in the Phantom's way momentarily. The cowboy rid himself of his translucence, becoming solid and more human once more, and sprinting back to the inn, where David waited, a small smile on his face. Slightly panicked, processing what had just happened, Maverick ran into his arms, holding him tightly. "Maverick! I'm glad you're back, kid." The older man smiled, hugging him back. "I am glad to be back, but I have to go now." He shrugged, leaving the hug, and heading to the stable, ready to get his horse. "Ah yeah, Maverick the cowboy, always having some business to attend to, right?" David smirked, and Maverick nodded, grinning. He turned to face David from atop his steed before his face changed. "Although, perhaps you should call me Maverick the cowgirl from now on." She smiled, before she rode away into the night, heading toward the mountain. Confused, David watched her leave, before shaking his head and grinning, heading inside the inn. Maverick was full of stories. From carrying a hundred pickaxes to conquering Henry Ravenswood himself, there would be another tale to tell. And the ghost of the legend would keep moving.
"This seemingly fictitious account of the legendary Maverick, also known as Martin, seemingly appeared from nowhere, being untraceable, yet it provides a detailed account of events which have been confirmed by Henry Ravenswood himself. While we were unable to trace anyone of the name Polly or David, considering Maverick's tendency to utilize different names, including her own, this is not surprising. What we have considered is the brown-haired boy being Jake Evans, who did remember a miner joining their team for a day and then disappearing, the team having no idea what happened to him. Maverick has been sighted atop Thunder Mountain at various different times, seeming to watch over the town and its' residents, but staying distant. If possible, I would like to learn more about the young girl's past, events surrounding her death, and learn more about her, as she is an interesting ghost and case for the Historical Society." One of the men spoke, intriguing Melanie with his words. An untraceable ghost would be an interesting case to include in her latest historical record, and even the local news had done a feature on the "shadow" atop the mountain, originally suspected to be a form of the Thunderbird who protected the town, yet it was more likely Maverick. Melanie smiled, remembering the comfort the ghost had brought her as a child, spotting her whilst being driven away from the manor. The ghost had helped her to believe that she would return, so perhaps she owed it to her to give her a home. "We have a new project, then." She giggled, excited to begin investigating.