A Sun in the Clouds

[Billy Two-Guns]

Another trip into town. Another trip fettered by the constant knowledge of having to deal with most people in Justice. Again the dour and almost angry demeanor of Billy Two-Guns would be gracing the streets of Justice. After his last time in town, he was hardpressed to make any visits in the near future, but when word off Crawfish Mullins' death trickled its' way to him, he knew that it would be for the better if he showed his face.

He knew that the rest of the Mullins kin would be making their way to Justice at some point, seeking retribution for the wrong done on one of their own. Billy scowled at that thought. There'd been no wrong done. Crawfish Mullins deserved that bullet in his head, whether it belonged to Mayor Truss or the stupid oaf's little sister, Shoney Mullins.

Astride his bay, Billy let the horse keep on at a steady walk. Behind, two more horses followed, their leadlines tied securely to the horn of his saddle. He was coming in to town for business, though he'd not refuse any sort of news about what the Mayor had planned; if he had anything planned.

The bay navigated through the busy street, and Billy Two-Guns kept his face sombre. He knew that no trouble would come from Crawfish anymore, but he wouldn't allow his own guard to falter.

[Chumani]

Tracking was easy. Well, especially if one used the white man's roads to travel on. Chumani urged her paint pony onto the track that led towards Justice, forgoing saddle and bridle for a simple woven halter and a thick blanket.

Billy Two-Guns was only a short distance ahead, and the Lakota girl kicked her horse, sending it cantering towards him. Passing him, she hauled up on her reins, her pony dancing nervously as Billy continued his slow pace towards the town.

Chumani did nothing to calm her horse, but fell into a walking pace beside Billy's mount, a slightly pouty and displeased look on her face. "You should not go to the white man's town." Her pony nipped at his, and the two Indians had to separate, which Billy did without a word, calming his horse with a pat.

"I'm going to join Crazy Horse," she declared. "You should come too."

[Billy Two-Guns]

For a few moments Billy was quiet. He saw Chumani as more than a little impressionable, but the girl had her own charms, and foregoing subtlety in favor of simple bluntness was one of them. In a way he admired that. It was only the way in which she went about declaring her actions that sometimes gave him pause.

"I am not going to join Crazy Horse."

A frown as he looked over at her.

"And neither should you."

His tall bay kept an even stride in stark contrast to Chumani's own pony. That little paint had near as much spirit as its' rider, as if the two had been made for each other. Billy strongly suspected that that was the case.

"Best to live with these people without as much fuss as possible. They will keep coming no matter what. Crazy Horse can not stop it."

His face remained like stone as he looked at her, then he shifted his gaze back to the forefront.

[Chumani]

She scowled at his stern face, but decided to drop the subject for the time being. "I must go to Justice as well. I will come with you." She pulled her pony to the side a bit, making sure that he wouldn't bite at Billy's horses again.

After a moment of silence, she added, "I must buy calico for Two Bears Woman." Chumani's tone of voice indicated that this was perhaps a fate worse than death. Two Bears Woman was her mother, and her name indicated the type of temper she had. Even one bear is fearsome, but two bears... Best to just do as she said.

[Billy Two-Guns]

Billy suddenly found himself feeling sorry for her. Two Bears Woman was a force to be reckoned with. He had a feeling that as Chumani got older, she'd be as fiery and temperemental as her mother, but for now he was content with her as she was.

He blinked at that inner thought, and just as quickly shoved it away.

Instead, he offered her a sidelong glance that held a small amount of pity.

"I feel sorry for you."

Such errands were never anything to look forward to, and he allowed the smallest of smiles to crack along his set features.

"If you wish, you may stall your return by coming with me on my own business." He found a particular delight in very occasionally feeding her rebellious tendencies. As well, it seemed to rankle her mother, and Billy had long ago taken a perverse delight in doing such a thing.

"It is not so exciting as running off on a fool's errand with Crazy Horse, but it will keep you later than Two Bears Woman would like."

[Chumani]

Chumani brightened at the thought of tagging along with Billy, but favored him with another scowl as he mentioned Crazy Horse. She could not keep her face like that for long, however, and grinned at him. "Two Bears Woman will be very angry with you. I hope you have learned how to defend yourself." She mimed a slashing motion as though she held a knife.

He grunted at that, but she imagined that she could see him smile as he turned to fix something with the lead lines of the two horses behind him. Chumani admired him as he looked away. Billy Two-Guns, despite his tendency to mix too much with the whites, was one of the more eligible bachelors of the tribe. The squaws were always trying to get him to marry one of their daughters, but so far he'd always managed to get away.

She looked sideways at him when he straightened, and asked, "What business do you have with the whites?"

[Billy Two-Guns]

Billy stared for a bit at the people they passed. He did not see the Mayor, but then again he wasn't so sure that he would on this trip. It might be for the better.

"I have horses to give to the ferrier. They've been bought, but need shoes now."

In a small amount of amusement he looked over his shoulder at the trailing horses.

"It will be interesting as always to watch them get their first shoes."

He thought some more, staring openly at Chumani for the first time in a long while. It was a rare break in his normal aloof attitude and half-glances.

"I must also go to the general store and sell jewelry to Mr. Pratt. He will buy them. He always does."

[Chumani]

She blushed a little at his frank gaze, and fiddled with her pony's mane. "Mr. Pratt smells funny. He told me it was because of coal-own," she stumbled over the word, and wrinkled her nose up at the thought of choosing to smell so strongly.

"I hope he has calico that Two Bears Woman will like." Chumani looked up again, peeking at Billy through her lashes as they reined in their horses outside of the general store. She slipped off of the paint, adjusting her buckskins a little and arranging the beaded necklace that she wore.

As she stepped up onto the boardwalk, a pair of dusty cowboys walked by, whistling and eyeing her quite horribly. She bared her teeth showed them her knife, which made them laugh.

[Billy Two-Guns]

Billy caught the exchange as he was tethering his own mount, and the two others at the hitching post. He watched her from over the tops of his eyes while securing their leadlines, but gave no word aside from a small bemused hmph. She certainly did have spirit, that one.

His task finished, Billy came up the shallow stairs that spilled up to the front porch, and stood alongside Chumani. Once again his features had returned to their normal granite facade.

"You should put that away before the Mayor sees you waving it around."

[Hu Xaio Jien]

Father Hu was in town for his occasional shopping, and hobbled along energetically. He rarely did much of this sort of thing, but on occasion he insisted on doing a few tasks by himself. He was very old now, but the notion of being cooped up in a shanty wasn't any way to live. Even still, one of his sons did accompany the old man to do all of the real load-bearing. And what a load to be born.

Of course, there was the haggling over the salted pork and eggs. The tea this week was flavorless, like sawdust. He haggled with Mr. Pratt, insisting that "the good stuff" was in his backroom supply. Eventually, he proved his suspicions correct, and helped himself to a pound. Then there was the matter of ink. He loaded up his poor son with a sack full of half pint glass jars with stoppers, pausing to thumb through a half dozen "new arrival" books. Despite his age, he went about his mercantile ways with a razor-sharp wit, and Mr. Pratt was harried to keep his pace. Hu parsed Mandarin and English on a three way stream of communication between his son and the shopkeeper. He settled on measuring out rice and inspecting the produce when Mr. Pratt took a gracious exit to tend to Billy Two Guns. By the time that was taken care of, Father Hu had already arranged payment, and the deed was done.

The father and son pair stepped out onto the shaded porch, and loitered for a bit, exchanging a rapid exchange of Mandarin as Hu insisted that he had paid for one dozen eggs, but that one had a crack in it.

[Chumani]

She 'waved it around' another moment just to prove that she wasn't afraid of the mayor, and then tucked the knife away. "I hate cowboys."

Once inside the cool interior of the general store, Chumani slipped towards the back where the bolts of fabric were kept. She perused them with a pracised eye, picking out some red and blue calico that Two Bears Woman would surely like. Mr. Pratt was busy with the sallow skinned chinaman, Father Hu, and when she was sure no one was looking the Lakota girl brushed her hand against some pale lavendar silk.

She'd never felt anything so soft before. Carefully drawing her hand back, Chumani sighed, and returned her gaze to the calicos. Soon Mr. Pratt would be free to cut and measure the fabrics, but until then she was stuck in the store filled with things she shouldn't want. Billy got the attention of the white shopkeeper, and Chumani found herself trying to stay out of the way of the irascible Father Hu as he pottered around the store.

She was relieved when he and his son left, packages in hand.

[Billy Two-Guns]

Negotiating with Mr. Pratt was always an easy task, as the man never refused Billy's offerings. The jewelry he brought in was usually gone within a few days, and brought the bespectacled Pratt a healthy enough profit. A few minutes of pricing, and Billy was handed the amount he'd aasked for.


Turning to look for Chumani, the Indian spotted her towards the back. Pratt was quick to tend to her as well, measuring and cutting with precise motions the exact dimensions she asked for. But, Billy had also noted her brush against the silk, and a ghost of a smile flashed across his lips before disappearing just as fast.

He himself wandered towards the woman's object of desire, and plucking it up with a surprisingly gentle grip, he made his way back to the front counter.

"This also. Cut however much she wants."

It was hard to not want Chumani to be happy, and if he could find ways to make her smile and forget her notions of going off with Crazy Horse, than he felt better for it.

"Not all of it though," he cautioned her carefully.

[Hu Xaio Jien]

Father Hu was soon back in the store, trying to get Mr. Pratt's attention.

"Mista Pratt, I need talk about egg."

He held up one of the specimens in the crate he'd purchased, with a clear hairline across the middle that was already beginning to show the slightest signs of oozing out.

"You sell me one dozen egg. I want one dozen egg. This one no good. I go carry home and it leak on pants, very embarrassing."

He shook his head emphatically, gingerly placing it in Mr. Pratt's hand.

He sighed and muttered something in Mandarin as he looked at his son, who averted his eyes.

"I lucky I do shopping. Some men let woman do shopping, but it no good. Woman pay fifty cent for pound of bacon that go for one dime. Woman buy stuff you no need."

He was by this time not really speaking to anybody, yet speaking to everybody, even as he paused to sniff a fragrant rosemary bush in the window.

"My wife go shop once. She come back with whalebone comb. Cost whole four dollar! I ask wife, 'Why you buy so much?' and she say, 'I want look pretty.'"

He made an exasperated expression as he took a gander in Mr. Pratt's candy jars.

"I say 'Wife you look pretty with one dollar comb not made whale bone, why this comb make you prettier?' and she no say!"

[Chumani]

She stared wide-eyed as Mr. Pratt good naturedly unrolled the silk, and was caught between embarrasment at being found out, and giddiness that she was going to have a silk dress.

The chinaman and his son re-entered the store, and Mr. Pratt was forced to excuse himself before they could go any further. Chumani stared at the cloth lying there on the counter, all shimmery and soft. She had never dreamed of owning anything so fine before.

She looked shyly at Billy. "Thank you." He looked pleased that she was going to accept his gift without a fuss. Soon enough Mr. Pratt and his smelly coal-own were back, Father Hu in posession of a brand new egg and poking at the candy jars. Chumani asked for just enough fabric for a skirt and bodice, although she had no idea what sort of dress she would make out of silk and where she might wear it.

One thing was for certain. Two Bears Woman wasn't ever going to see the lavendar silk. Chumani counted out the coins for the calico, and gathered up the soft, paper wrapped packages.

[Billy Two-Guns]

Billy had found himself downright scowling at the chinaman's little tirade. That little old man was set in his own ways though, and as much as Billy had his own mannerisms, he knew that other men had their own. Chumani's word of thanks drew him from Father Hu however, and he gave her a nod.

She looked sufficiently surprised at his sudden generosity, and behind the dour face he almost always held, there was satisfaction in his eyes.

"You are very welcome," he answered in a gentle tone.

A step back from the counter gave Chumani enough room to slip past and toward the door, and he lifted an arm to place a large hand on her shoulder, hoping to guide her out of the general store.

With old Father Hu about, there was no telling what might happen, and Billy knew that it was best that they be on their way. He still had the ferrier to visit, after all.

[Hu Xaio Jien]

Father Hu, his transaction finally completed, exited the store hurriedly. He quickly spoke to his son in Mandarin, and his son fumbled through his pack for something.

"Mista Two Gun, wait up please."

That his young lady friend had been eyeing the finery had not gone unnoticed by him. He hoped that perhaps he felt even more doting.

"I have some nice thing I think ladyfriend might like very much."

[Chumani]

Billy Two-Gun's hand was warm on her bare shoulder, and Chumani allowed him to propel her out towards the door. Once outside, she blinked in the sunlight and realized that Father Hu was accosting Billy.

Not wanting to get caught up in the chinaman's confusing mix of languages, Chumani slipped over to her pony, securing her packages for the ride to the ferrier. She did hear Wu say something about 'ladyfriend,' and she peeked over the back of the paint to see what Billy was going to do.

[Billy Two-Guns]

Billy stopped, his eyes slowly closing. Hu's words made his shoulders sag just a little bit.

Ponderously he turned back around to stare down at the chinaman with an expression that spoke volumes of what he thought of Hu's choice of words. Even if he had a soft spot - deep down - for Chumani, there was no need to advertise it so blatantly.

"What."

[Hu Xaio Jien]

"I make print, very fine picture, very beautiful."

He gently extended a delicate roll of paper to Billy.

"They very nice, you no find better outside San Francisco. I sell, only fifty cent."

[Chumani]

Billy was turning into a thundercloud, and Chumani could almost see the lightning about to strike the chinaman as he pushed something she couldn't quite see towards him. She pulled herself up on the pony, leaning down to release the tie that held Billy's horse to the rail.

"Father Wu," she called, "If you make us late for the ferrier, Two Bears Woman will hunt you down and beat you with a stick." Chumani resisted the urge to pull out her knife again, even though the chinaman was very annoying.

[Billy Two-Guns]

With a glower, Billy only shook his head at Hu, all the while thankful for Chumani's intervention.

He turned away from the chinaman, his steps solid on the weathered planks. It took only a moment before he was in his saddle and accepting the leadlines from his companion.

"It is not a good day for that," he answered Hu.

As both he and Chumani turned their horses away, the Indian couldn't help but speak once more.

"If you wish to sell prints however, you may visit this one's mother." A gesture to Chumani. "I'm sure she would appreciate your attention to fine detail."

[Hu Xaio Jien]

"Oh good."

Undaunted, Father Hu at least played like he didn't take the hint.

"You tell her about my print, I make many copy. She bring money, I sell!"

They began to trot along, and Hu watched them leave, shrugging with indifference as he pressed on with his cane.

[Chumani]

Chumani laughed at Hu as they left him behind. "What a silly old man." Twisting on the horse blanket she looked back at the chinaman as he set off down the uneven boardwalk with his cane and son.

They passed the Bareback, and Chumani looked at the building curiously. It was quiet this time of day, but she often wondered what it was that went on inside. She didn't care to actually bother to find out, that might mean she was too interested in the whites. All she really wanted was for them to all leave.

She sighed, patting her pony's neck as the creature shied away from a rickety old buggy, and pretended not to notice as a few men loitering outside of the saloon called out to her. Her face almost matched Billy's for sterness as they continued on towards the ferrier, her back straight as a pin.

[Billy Two-Guns]

As they rode, Billy was keen to keep an eye on her, and noted the way she stared at the Bareback. His lips became a thin line.

"You would do well to stay away from that place."

She gave him a look, but he waved it away.

"It is not a place for you to be. For any of our people to be."

[Chumani]

She nodded in agreement, although she really didn't know why he was so upset. It was for the white man, not for the People. She liked that he was so adamant she stay away, however, not that she would just because he said so.

The Lakota girl chewed one of her fingernails as they continued down the street, the sun hot on her dark hair. When they reached the ferriers, she swung her leg over the paint, and landed softly on the ground. She looked around impassively as Billy approached the man who would shoe his horses.

[Billy Two-Guns]

The ferrier knew Billy well enough, and also knew the routine of shoeing the horses that Billy brought to him. Two-Guns paid well for his horses' first pair of shoes, and he was loathe to do anything shoddy for the scowling Indian.

As the ferrier took a hold of one of the leadlines, pulling the horse away from the small group and securing him to a post, he went to work.

Meanwhile, Billy moved to stand beside Chumani. He kept his eyes open for anything out of the ordinary, or possibly Hu coming back to try and sell him something else.

"The silk. What will you do with it?"

[Chumani]

She thought about that for a moment, and bit her lower lip. "I only know how to make these," Chumani indicated her deerskin outfit and moccasins. "Perhaps..." and she was loathe to admit this, "I will ask a white woman to make me a dress from it."

Her face looked unhappy at the thought, but then she brightened, "And I will wear it for you." Chumani spun around as if she were already wearing the silk dress. "You will not frown then!" She poked him in the ribs as though she could coax a true smile from the dour Indian.

[Billy Two-Guns]

Surprised at her touch, Billy stared at her for only a moment before allowing a slight grin to slip from his sombre facade. He rubbed at the spot she'd poked, and looked off into the distance for only a short bit before returning his eyes to her. He wondered what she would look like with such a manner of clothing.

For as wild as Chumani was, he could just about picture her in a silk dress. Perhaps with some of the silver jewelry he fashioned and normally sold to Mr. Pratt.

"No," he let out finally, "I suppose that I will not frown then.

"It will be a sight to see, you in a dress made by a white woman."

There was a teasing glint in his eyes, and he reached a broad hand out to flip one of her locks of black hair.

"And perhaps one of them will let you borrow some of those shoes with heels on them. After you get your toes and fingernails painted, of course."

[Chumani]

Chumani thought about that, and flushed crimson under her tan skin. How could she wear what the white women wear? Conflicted, she turned away from Billy so he could not see her face and tease her more.

"I will not wear those ridiculous heeled shoes," she stated quite emphatically.