Castle Gulch

[Tony Gabriel]

With Sam engaged in a conversation that seems hard to butt into, the two fine citizens turn their attention to the people that arrived with the coach.

"Friends! Welcome, welcome. I'm sure you're tired from your journey but if you would spare a moment to hear about the Blissful Gospel I'm sure you'll find your weary spirits lifted!"

"Hold yer horses, now, give 'em a chance to find their land legs. It's a long haul from St. Louis, and the last thing they need is to be jumped on right off the bat," the driver sighed, as if she had heard this dozens of times before. "Their 'weary spirits' don't need nothin' more'n a good shot of whiskey and a long night's sleep, I'm sure."

The man in the duster had stalked away towards the saloon, while the fancier pair had turned to listen to the Two Fine Citizens.

[Narrator]

"Oh don't listen to this poor fool trying to coax you into her sinful ways. Though I'm sure you do need something to fill your bellies." she nods as her companion produces two small but pristine-looking apples from his bag. "They'll serve you gruel and booze and claim that's the best they can do, but the earth provides for the faithful."

[Samantha McManus]

"Any town he'd be able to disappear into probably's a bit peculiar, but I'd bet a lot of people get tired of gold fever in a town like this."

She eyes the evangelists.

"Speaking of peculiar," she mutters.

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Assuming he's even aware. When he was first found he thought he was a couch, after all."

"And oddities probably play in our favour. Easier not to stick out too much, though those two seem to be quite eager to poke their nose into anyone's business." she adds quietly.

[Samantha McManus]

"Glad I found you before they started preaching to me, considering."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Unless one of them is Will. Do you think you're familiar enough with him that you could pick up his thoughts even if he's unaware of who or what he is?"

[Samantha McManus]

"I'm being careful so far. This world seems to have... odd things, but I'm not sure how much of my powers made it through intact."

[Genevieve Fontaine]

"Oh don't listen to this poor fool trying to coax you into her sinful ways. Though I'm sure you do need something to fill your bellies." she nods as her companion produces two small but pristine-looking apples from his bag. "They'll serve you gruel and booze and claim that's the best they can do, but the earth provides for the faithful."

"Well, thank you kindly," the woman said, taking the apple. "Nice to see folk bein' so welcoming out here."

[Vincent LaRue]

"Oh, indeed. Nice to see people out here being so givin' right off the bat."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"I'm being careful so far. This world seems to have... odd things, but I'm not sure how much of my powers made it through intact."

"I'm not sure how much of it is the destination versus Conduit's 'helpful' additions. It certainly tilted me towards more flesh and blood than normal. But it's a small town and we shouldn't have arrived too far away from whoever Will is in this place, we'll just have to go around talking to folks and hope he's not a shelf in the general store."

[Alleah]

"Well, thank you kindly," the woman said, taking the apple. "Nice to see folk bein' so welcoming out here."

"Oh, indeed. Nice to see people out here being so givin' right off the bat."

"Do be mindful, not all in town are. I'm Alleah and this is brother Daniel. We live in a homestead a little ways south-east of town with like-minded folks. If you ever do find Castle Gulch a little too demeritorious, our gate is always open to those with open hearts and gentle minds."

[Vincent LaRue]

"A little too what? Darling, that's a two-buck word if I've ever heard one," the man laughed. "Thanks for the apples, but I'm thinking Castle Gulch will suit me just fine for my purposes."

[Samantha McManus]

"I don't know if you're more fleshy or just... less evenly distributed. Does it feel odd?"

"And I suppose if Will is to recognize us, I may just have to figure out how Morrigan I can get, here."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Hard to tell for sure without at least X-Ray imaging, but I appear to be mostly flesh and blood. It'd be more confusing if I hadn't gotten used to the kind of input biological systems receive but it's still... sluggish and almost capricious at times. I've been pretending to be surveying for the railroad and I keep having to remind myself I don't actually have to plan out the best way to implement tracks into the area."

"So far I don't think the transposing effect has been malicious or deleterious and generally seems to hold true to some fundamental, conceptual truths."

[Tony Gabriel]

"Do be mindful, not all in town are. I'm Alleah and this is brother Daniel. We live in a homestead a little ways south-east of town with like-minded folks. If you ever do find Castle Gulch a little too demeritorious, our gate is always open to those with open hearts and gentle minds."

"You gonna accost my fares any more, or are ya done here?" the driver said, resting the butt of her shotgun on the ground entirely not-menacingly. "Would like to get everything unloaded and unpacked before nightfall, because you know what they say roams around here after dark."

[Alleah]

"You gonna accost my fares any more, or are ya done here?" the driver said, resting the butt of her shotgun on the ground entirely not-menacingly. "Would like to get everything unloaded and unpacked before nightfall, because you know what they say roams around here after dark."

"It's a free country and we're just talking." she smiles politely but does take a step back. "And nothing and nobody ain't ever bothered us out on our land. Safe as can be by His grace." she adds, though she seems to forego the 'amen' one might expect after that kind of statement.

[Tony Gabriel]

"Yeah, well, maybe yer just lucky your homestead ain't been targeted. Keep yer nose clean, and maybe it'll stay that way," she said, picking her gun up and heading back to start unloading the wagon.

[Vincent LaRue]

"It's a free country and we're just talking." she smiles politely but does take a step back. "And nothing and nobody ain't ever bothered us out on our land. Safe as can be by His grace." she adds, though she seems to forego the 'amen' one might expect after that kind of statement.

"That's right, we're just talking," the man smiled.

"His grace? You, uh, Mormon or something? That's what's popular out here, right?"

[Alleah]

"That's right, we're just talking," the man smiled.

"His grace? You, uh, Mormon or something? That's what's popular out here, right?"

"Oh heavens no, that man's a kook! We follow the word of the good Reverend Jonathan Bliss. He learned of the true grace of God not by some silly tablets but by seeing first-hand the cruelty of man and the generosity of the land. We're not out to swindle nobody, but folks have a hard time believing that simple, honest living in harmony with the land and each other is what will shelter us from evil and lead us back into the Garden."

[Vincent LaRue]

"Honest folk, huh? Work hard, play hard? Or more just the former?"

[Alleah]

"What's life is not something to be enjoyed? We work hard so that we may enjoy the fruits of our labor."

[Samantha McManus]

"If we're looking for a lead, this uh... congregation sure seems like the weirdest thing this town's got going."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Certainly worth looking into. From what I understand Will is at least somewhat religious. Do you want backup? Otherwise I think I might keep taking a look around town."

[Vincent LaRue]

"What's life is not something to be enjoyed? We work hard so that we may enjoy the fruits of our labor."

"Well, then, that's alright with me," the man grinned. "Y'all come into town a lot, or do we have to out there to find you?"

[Alleah]

"Bout once a week, more often if we have time. It's a couple hours by wagon and our gates are always open to those with honest hearts and souls."

[Genevieve Fontaine]

"Ooh, another couple hours on a wagon? I'm afraid you can count me out; I'm not sure my bustle could take any more."

[Samantha McManus]

"We'll see what happens. If things go south, I'll probably be loud."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"We'll regroup in the saloon tonight, see what we could find out."

[Ashlie Minamida]

With Sam deciding to make her way to the compound outside town, Ashlie opts to see if she can't wrestle the two new arrivals away from the overly-friendly religious woman.

"What does bring you out here to endure such a long trip?" Ashlie asks Genevieve. "If you don't mind me asking. Apologies, I couldn't help but overhear."

[Genevieve Fontaine]

"Why, to make my fortune, of course. Land of opportunity, out here in the West. Castle Gulch might not be much now, but I hear tell they're planning on puttin' a railroad out here, and if they do? Well, pretty soon people will be pouring in here from miles around. And those of us who set up early get the catbird seat to it all," Genevieve smiled. "Ambition, miss...?"

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Ashlie. Pleased to make your acquaintance. I've only just arrived in town myself but it's nice that others are willing to see the potential in things, even if it is for fortune and fame. What name will I be hearing bandied about in the future then?"

[Genevieve Fontaine]

"The name on the marquee will be Genevieve Fontaine," Genevieve said, with a practiced, embellished curtsy. "At least, it will be when I round up enough of a place of my own to have marquees. But if you stick around, I promise you'll hear from me again."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"I certainly might. I do have to ask - and I hope you'll excuse my indiscretion - but is it only fame you're chasing or does a part of you hope to contribute to the prospering of Castle Gulch with your craft?" She knew Will was a performer, had been an actor too, so barring any obvious signs of the shifter it's possible he wasn't even aware of who or what he is and sought to express himself in ways that made sense to him. Or her in this case. Except she has to imagine most incarnations of Will would seek to do so in a way that wasn't just vain-glorious. It's as good a shot as any to try and narrow down the suspects, short of building a cattle-prod and start tapping furniture and people alike.

[Genevieve Fontaine]

"I certainly might. I do have to ask - and I hope you'll excuse my indiscretion - but is it only fame you're chasing or does a part of you hope to contribute to the prospering of Castle Gulch with your craft?" She knew Will was a performer, had been an actor too, so barring any obvious signs of the shifter it's possible he wasn't even aware of who or what he is and sought to express himself in ways that made sense to him. Or her in this case. Except she has to imagine most incarnations of Will would seek to do so in a way that wasn't just vain-glorious. It's as good a shot as any to try and narrow down the suspects, short of building a cattle-prod and start tapping furniture and people alike.

"You know, that's an excellent question from one obviously of fine breeding such as yourself. A town really isn't a town without culture, wouldn't you say? It's just a collection of buildings out in the wilderness. I hope to bring some of that out here."

Genevieve took a look around. "There's real promise in a place like this. Untapped potential."

[Ashlie Minamida]

"I like to think my stock's not as important as what I made of it, but thank you." she chuckles slightly. "I... used to think buildings and amenities would precipitate the makings of a town, but without people like yourself putting in the work it remains inert. Or at most mechanical in it's functionality." she says, flexing the fingers of her artificial hand almost subconsciously.

[Genevieve Fontaine]

"Oh, quite! I don't know if this place is quite ready for high culture yet, but you'd be surprised what people will enjoy, once they get a taste of it. And, well, one makes do with what one must to begin with, don't you think?"

[Ashlie Minamida]

"Work with the materials at hand, exactly. And I do have to applaud your pioneer spirit, it's not all rugged taming of the land. From each according to their ability, to each according to their need."

[Genevieve Fontaine]

"I'll let someone else tame the land. I'm just here to make sure they have something to do with their nights afterwards. All work and no play..."

[Ashlie Minamida]

So far this very well could be Will. What she really needed to do was exclude options somehow, but how? And more efficiently than going over the entire town and it's population with a fine-toothed comb.

"Well, I'd love to see your show some time. I assume you're probably not going to be performing today after a long journey?"

[Genevieve Fontaine]

"Oh good Lord, no. I've been jostled and bumped around plenty for one day. No, I'll be acquiring a room in the saloon for a base of operations while I get everything properly sorted over here. Now, if you wanted to see someone perform, I might suggest Mr. LaRue. His silver tongue has been going on and on about fools, their money, and the parting thereof."