After I shook hands with Ina in the Visitor Center of Fort Whiskey, my days in that wretched labor camp disguised as a Medium Security Prison continued for a little while longer.
It went a little something like this.
Back-breaking Mine-Craft labor every other day.
Subpar food every day.
Thinly veiled threats from Bijou and her lieutenants from time to time.
Frustrated glares from Warden Nerissa all the time.
Then, every so often, glimpses of Enma peeking out from the windows of her overly luxurious prison-apartment too. Always with that sly smirk painted on her lips.
Mother Sora, I wanted to sock it to her and break her nose. Maybe her glasses too.
I'd never get anywhere near Enma to get the chance to, though.
Regardless, that was how I counted my days. Thankfully, I didn't get any more attempted pickaxe lobotomies during that time. One glance at Bijou told me that she'd love nothing more than to try to swing for my head again - preferably when Botan wasn't around.
Too bad for the rocky girl, though, Botan stuck with me like glue. Bijou would never get her chance to strike.
Peaceful as my days were, though, the lack of anything happening made me wonder if Ina had forgotten her promise. It was either that, or perhaps Ina was just bluffing to me the whole time.
The way Ina said 'tomorrow' got my hopes up a bit too much, perhaps. But you can't blame me for having wandering thoughts when I'm stuck in a prison cell for most of the freaking day!
Little did I know, though, that Ina had been busy as heck - and on the third night after I shook hands with her, Ina's plan went into full swing.
It started with me and Botan being called for a visit at an ungodly hour well past lights out - around when most of the prison was already asleep. To make the strange situation even stranger, it wasn't Warden Ravencroft's jailbirds who summoned us.
City PD officers had arrived at Fort Whiskey to pick us up. They came with a Federal court summons for a TEMPEST Act Special Parole hearing - not in Winningson City where they charged me for eight years, but in neighboring Wellaware State.
Botan, who had just been starting a catnap, winced and blinked with confusion.
"... what the hell is going on, Ouro?" Botan croaked, "Are these friends of yours too?"
"Sort of." I answered with a chuckle, "You'll understand soon enough. Let's get going."
Botan heaved a sigh and decided to play ball with me.
…
The City PD officers took me and Botan through the motions in getting out of Fort Whiskey. Most if not all of the jailbirds were caught by surprise by the sudden raid. Warden Nerissa even stormed out of her dormitory wearing… well, almost nothing else but a skimpy negligee and nightgown.
Holy crap, does she NOT wear underwear? Her 'clothes' left little to the imagination. Sheesh.
The only part of her uniform that she managed to bring was her police cap, but that - paired with her nightgown - made for a really interesting sight, to say the least. A pleasant sight too. Something you'd see in a centerfold magazine.
Though… a sight that might have made Mumei jealous.
Seeing Botan's bare muscular back was one thing, but looking at another bird in practically lingerie was something else entirely.
Anyways, that barely-clothed Warden tried to intercept the City PD cops. When my old colleagues showed Nerissa the Federal court summons, though, Nerissa froze where she stood and her jailbirds stood down and let us through without a fight.
Once we were through, Botan scratched the back of her head and sighed, "People of this country have no decency. My babushka would have smacked that sorry excuse of a warden into shape."
"Something tells me that the warden might actually enjoy that." I whispered.
"You Nationals enjoy getting smacked?" Botan raised her brow.
"Heh. It's a long story. I'll tell you on the ride to court if you want." I promised her.
Botan winced with disinterest, "I'll… pass on that. I don't think I want to know."
On that note, Botan and I followed the City PD cops to one of their paddy wagons waiting for us. Then, we took a short drive to cross state lines to Wellaware State. It didn't take us long to get to the federal courthouse either.
If I squinted well enough from the courthouse steps, I could see the lights of Fort Whiskey in the distance. Crazy how a line on the map cuts off the long arm of Enma's law and influence.
But if what Ina told me in the Visitor Center was true, then the Vanguard Syndicate's grimy hands are starting to slip through those lines too. Ina isn't helping me and Botan out for charity, I guess.
Before I could take in the nighttime scenery of my faraway prison, the City PD officers ushered me and Botan into one of the Federal courtrooms for our special parole hearing. A part of me hoped that Ina or her plucky gang of coppers would be attending the hearing, but none of them were in the courtroom that evening.
Instead, Botan and I found our defense lawyer: a funny-looking dodgy lawyer type whose tan suit and red shirt made him look like a hotdog or something. He had a Dicey Odds Bookmaker's pin on his lapel too.
The lawyer approached us with a bright, smarmy grin and introduced himself, "Alfie Gosling. Public defender."
"Alfie Gosling? I know you." I racked my brains and hummed, "Aren't you one of Baelz Hakos' guards at her bookmakers? You staff her branch at the corner of Ocean Street and Tasmania Way - North District."
"That's right, madams." Alfie nodded happily, "But I decided to be the best that I could be and finished up my law degree." He then did a bit and pointed at us cheerfully, "So, I'll be fighting for you, Albuquerque!"
Albuquerque? My name's Kronii.
Strange mannerisms aside, for someone who got his ass handed to him by Amelia Watson and Kiara Takanashi, he's doing pretty good for himself. Heh, if someone like him can get his law degree, then maybe things really are looking up in The City after Ina took over the force there.
That, or Baelz Hakos probably needs some legal cover to hide her 'magical' accounting practices.
Botan tugged on my sleeve and whispered a question, "Is this guy really gonna represent us?"
I didn't know what to tell Botan, to be honest. All I could do in response was shrug.
No matter what the case is, Ina chose this man to represent us, so I'll have to trust that she made the right choice.
And then, just as I thought this wild ride of a night was about to settle down, another curveball was thrown my way. When the Federal judge hearing our TEMPEST parole case arrived, I immediately recognized him.
"... Maglord?" I gasped, "What the hell are you doing here!?"
The Maglord, Magni Dezmond, quickly shushed me and hissed, "Shh! Maglord's my name at the Pizzeria, girl. It's 'Judge Magni' here."
Magni then broke off, cleared his throat, and proceeded to walk over to the judge's podium without saying another word to me.
The bailiff announced his arrival with pomp and circumstance, "All rise for the Honorable Judge Magni Dezmond."
Seeing that sassy blonde boy strutting around in judge's robes and a powdered white wig with a gavel in hand made me want to ask a lot of questions. Was his gig spinning pies at B. Tubb's Pizzeria his side hustle, or was it being a judge of a Federal court?
And what's with this trend of gangsters becoming lawyers?
For someone as whimsical as Magni Dezmond, I'm sure he'd try to juggle as many hats as he has mechanical hands as long as it's fun. Now, our defense lawyer wasn't the most colorful character in court.
I buckled up for a wild night. Botan started to sweat bullets, wondering if she was going to get deported back to her home country too.
But, aside from a few random outbursts of anger, discussions about the hole-ness of holes and demands to 'swear to Mag', our hearing went on pretty normally. If I didn't know any of these clowns outside the court, I'd have thought it was just another routine legal proceeding.
During a recess, Botan pulled me aside.
"Hey, Ouro. Why is there a comedian holding court here? And why is our 'public defender' writing the name 'Amelia H. Watson' on his notebook over and over? Are we really going to be fine?"
"We will, Botan. We will. We just can't win too easily, you know?" I reassured her and patted her shoulder, "We're already pushing our luck as it is."
"... huh?" Botan's expression soured, "What do you mean by that?"
I folded my arms and glanced out the window, eyeing the distant lights of Fort Whiskey across State lines. Then, I explained, "Appearances are everything - especially since we're doing this so close to the den of our enemies. Just trust the process. We'll get through this."
Botan scratched the back of her head and her lion's ears drooped.
"All this scheming and conniving really isn't my strong point." Botan admitted, "I'll leave this complicated big-brain stuff to you. I'd rather just punch things or shoot things or blow things up, you know?"
"Oh, you'll get plenty of chances to do that, Botan. You definitely will."
…
Recess ended soon enough and Botan and I were dragged back into the back-and-forth court drama. Once our attorney had lined up his ducks, though, Judge Magni's verdict came swiftly.
"After reviewing your cases, Miss Kronii Ouro and Miss Botan Shishiro, I have determined to approve your TEMPEST Act Paroles on the basis of Interests of National Defense, adjusted for the revised IDOL Handbook Penal Code of 1949… and so on and so forth… effective immediately!"
WHAM!
Judge Magni slammed his gavel.
Botan's jaw dropped to the ground.
"We got it…?" Botan gasped, "We actually got it?"
"We did." I smiled at Botan.
The lioness hugged me tightly. I hugged her back.
"TOVARICH!" Botan screamed, exclaiming in a language that I did not understand. She tightened her hug more and more.
"W-whoa there… too tight! Too tight!" I urged.
Botan promptly let go and apologized, but the smile never left her face.
I heaved a sigh of relief too.
Ina came through, after all.
You madlass.
…
Judge Magni left the courthouse in a hurry, probably to catch the first train back to The City. So, the bailiff handed me and Botan back to the City PD officers waiting for us in their paddy wagon. Dawn was starting to break by the time we got out, and they brought us back across State lines - to Fort Whiskey, Winningson State.
Botan and I, despite Botan's lingering disbelief, were technically free women now. Sure, we were out on a grandfathered parole act for a War that had been over for years now with more loopholes than a Pekolander bunker on Sunfish Hill - or so I've heard from Kiara Takanashi - but we were free.
Technically.
And that was all that mattered.
Botan and I just had to get our things, process our TEMPEST Act parole papers and say our goodbyes - all before breakfast.
At least, Botan had goodbyes to say. I didn't.
I did get to laugh at Bijou's disgusted and frustrated face, but that doesn't really count, does it? Fuwawa and Mococo were still fast asleep too, though, and I didn't have the heart to wake them up.
Those two are… actually adorable when they're not trying to kill me.
Botan, on the other hand, stopped by Korone's cell.
I kept my distance to let the two old friends have their space, but I also couldn't help but steal glances and overhear their conversation.
Compared to the bloodthirsty, happy-go-lucky Korone I saw in the yard back then, the Korone that morning looked rather sad in her cell. Her dog ears drooped down, her lips were twisted in a deep frown and her golden eyes were tearful.
Botan patted Korone's head and made her promise, "I'll be sure to write to you when I get set up, okay? I'll say hi to Babushka for you too. Maybe I can bring some of her goods over when I visit."
"... okay." Korone whimpered.
"Aww… don't be like that, Koro-san." Botan scratched behind Korone's dog ears, "You've got the twins to look after now. The two of them look up to you."
Korone glanced at the cell opposite hers, the one where the FuwaMoco sisters were sleeping and sighed.
"You're right, Botan-tan. I have to be strong for them." Korone cheered herself up and finally managed to smile at Botan, "Take care out there."
This time, Korone ruffled up Botan's hair. Botan's tail wagged happily behind her.
Looking at them made me feel a little bit jealous. Mumei used to do that for me whenever I was feeling down - patting my head and stroking my hair.
Mother Sora, I miss her.
Hopefully I won't have to wait for too long to see Mumei again.
When Korone finally let Botan go, the big cat still had tears in her own eyes when she returned to me. One of those tears streaked down Botan's cheek. She got embarrassed and turned away to rub her eyes for a little while.
"Sorry about that, Ouro." Botan apologized.
"Don't apologize for that, big girl." I patted her shoulder, "Come on. Let's go get our things and get the hell out of here."
"Mm…" Botan nodded sheepishly.
I let Botan lean on me the rest of the way out of the prison blocks. Didn't know she could be this much of a softie, but at least I know that this big cat is a real one. Someone I can rely on.
Taking on Winningson City and all of its crooks… I'm gonna need all the help I can get.
…
Botan and I went through the prisoner processing area once more just as the sun started to rise in the horizon. This time, though, we were moving in the opposite direction. Warden Nerissa Ravencroft, now wearing her actual dignified uniform, shadowed us the whole way through.
One by one, Nerissa's jailbirds returned the things that they confiscated from us.
I got my pinstripe suit back, for one. It'll need a wash, some dry-cleaning and a lot of love, but it's right back where it belongs - with me! Aside from the suit, a few pennies and a pack of bubble gum, though, I didn't really have a lot to my name. Botan, with her rugged leather jacket, ripped shirt and distressed jeans, didn't have much either.
Neither of us got any weapons we had back, though. Then again, we were technically on parole, so why would they give us weapons on our way out of prison?
Still, that just made the empty gun holster at my hip feel even lighter somehow.
Was this how Detective Watson felt when Chief Enma and I confiscated her gun in City PD?
What goes around comes around I guess.
The thought of starting out from scratch for the fifth time in my life wasn't the most appetizing prospect, but these were the cards I'd been dealt. I'm gonna make the most out of this hand. I'll make it work. Just like before.
After all, with Botan at my side, I wasn't exactly walking out of here empty-handed.
The two of us bumped fists and walked towards the threshold.
Just before we could get through the doors, though, Warden Nerissa intercepted me and brought me aside.
"Don't think for a second that this is over, Kronii Ouro." Nerissa warned. Her red eyes bore holes into mine, "Chief… I mean, Miss Enma has many agents in Winningson. You and your friends are out of your depth. You don't even know what you're dealing with here! If you get in our… I mean, her way, then she won't hesitate to act."
Botan furrowed her brow and tried to intervene, but I raised my hand.
"I'll handle this." I told Botan.
I turned towards Nerissa and stood my ground against her. The Warden stopped her advance immediately.
"This ain't the first time I've butted heads with Enma, girl." I told her, "I'll take my chances."
Nerissa's bitter face soured even more.
"Tread lightly, Kronii Ouro."
I snorted and turned away.
"See you around, 'warden'."
With that, Botan and I stepped out of Fort Whiskey and into the warm morning sunlight.
…
Queenpins 2: The Big Brass Ballad of Kronii Ouro
Midnight Parole
…
When Botan and I finally got out of the front doors, I saw a sight for sore eyes parked at the driveway.
Waiting for us there at the driveway was my beloved convertible 1951 Chrysler Imperial. It wasn't in pristine condition, what with a few scratches on the hood and a few bullet holes on the doors, but it was still polished to a mirror sheen. I could just vaguely see my reflection off of the brown paint - and trust me, this is important!
"Ooooh. Nice ride, Ouro." Botan mused, admiring the car as well. She then looks over the damage as well and sighs, "It's been through a lot though, huh?"
Suddenly, a familiar voice interjected cheerfully.
"This car has seen better days, but it's not something a little bodywork can't fix."
Botan and I turned around and saw a pair of figures, a blonde and a redhead wearing sunglasses and casual clothes approaching us by the car. The blonde wore a tan suit and trousers with a matching hat and a red tie while the redhead wore a breezy green-and-orange polka dot blouse and a fur coat.
Botan folded her arms and hummed, "Are these friends of yours, Ouro?"
"Sort of." I answered, "It's complicated."
"Understatement of the century, you stupid snake. But we're on your side. Don't worry." The blond chuckled. She turned towards Botan and introduced herself, "I'm Detective Amelia Watson, Senior Detective of City PD."
The redhead nodded next and extended her hand to Botan.
"And I'm Kiara Takanashi, also a Senior Detective."
Botan shook Kiara's hand and then Ame's.
"Botan Shishiro." She introduced herself too, "Nice to meet you. Ouro here's been telling me stories about you two."
"Good ones, I hope!" Kiara beamed innocently.
"Ah…" Botan decided not to say anything else.
I folded my arms and chuckled, "So, to what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you two out on the field again? Are the two of you our parole officers?"
"Sadly no. Your parole officer will have to come from Winningson PD." Ame shook her head, "Ina tried, but you can only bend Federal law so much before it breaks."
My smirk soured.
"We're supposed to drive you to Winningson PD headquarters to meet your parole officer… but Ame and I are gonna take you on a little detour." Kiara interjected with a grin, "We're gonna help you find your gal, Mumei Nanashi!"
To Be Continued