Getting Acquainted -Perry & Pru- ((Closed RP))

Pru blinked.
"Oh. Okay."
She carefully slid down from the big mount, patting it gently on it's long neck, smiling. She hadn't deemed it possible, but people in Gwangi seemed to be different than the ones she had met so far. Especially Perry. Not expecting anything from her, just wanting to make her happy. Last one to try that was Buck and Danny when she was 10.
She ducked under the mounts head to get to Perry's side, noticing her skin was starting to get itchy and reddened. She would need to put on a longer blouse next time.

She smiled at him as they commenced their way home, starting to blabber again on how she could never cook for the life of her, but clean, keep things tidy and such, also take care of the two mounts and the stables.
She was certain she had left her pursuers confused and traceless two towns ago before leaving for Gwangi. Stay forever, she could not. There would come the time when they found her here also and she would leave again. But for now, she figured she could stay and enjoy the friendly people here. Especially Perry who was an overflowing bucket of gentleness and caring.
And when it came to him blabbering she could not help but stare happily and feel this content warmth welling up in her.

---------------

It was in this 'two towns ago from Gwangi' where an angry bounty hunter strode through a Saloon's back room. Not just any Bounty Hunter, the man was tall and lean, his skin dry and tanned. Blonde dusty hair and stubble framed the edgy face and thin light blue eyes scanned and analyzed everything.
The man's name was Jim Hart and he was Linus Rayne's loyal Dog, his right hand man, his walking gun and knife. And a professional torturer. He sat down between his men, lighting a cigarette and placing it between his lips.
"Anyone", he sighed into the round, "Anyone, someone tell me we have just the tiniest trace of her or I swear to God I will ram a knife through a random hand."
To underline his statement he pulled out his bowie knife out and rammed it into the table. Some of the newer men in his troop of mercenaries flinched, those sitting close to him scooted away or hid their hands. Only the elder members knew better not reacting and leaving their hands on the table, knowing he would still stab through your hand, whether they lay on your thigh or were pressed to your chest.

A boy made a motion, raising a paper. He was the youngest member, a Tommy something. He had reddish hair and Jim didn't like him because his frail face reminded him of their target. On the other hand it was also the reason he had taken him in, because whenever he didn't have a picture of the ginger saloon girl he would pull the boy to the front and say: "This with tits."
The boy fumbled the paper straight and slid it over the table.
"It sais there is a competition in this Gwangi place, the win is pretty high, and well...you said she might try to pay the dime off, so-"
"She can't read yer dumbass", an older one interrupted furiously while Jim inspected the paper.
"But she knows what this means" he said calm and pointed on the dollar sign, "And it will take little of her pretty eyes to ask someone for what this means."
He glanced over to the boy, "Well done boy. We have a new trace."

Jim grunted uncomfortable when he slipped off his mount Hogarth, a Bloodhorn. It had actually taken them six days to get to the bloody town, and now it was only a small village. Barely even that. He started to doubt the Ginger would actually hide in such a small place, she usually was clever enough to go to the big cities where hiding was a lot more easy.

He stretched his legs and arms, waving Tommy over to him. "C'mere kiddo we'll check in with the store and the sheriff for a sec."
The others would go to the Saloon. If not they would stand on the street. And they didn't like to stand on the street. He lead the boy down to the sheriff's office, absentmindedly he rubbed his left cheek where hardly visible thin scars were embedded into his tanned skin as white lines. He shoved the boy into the sheriff station.
"g'day, you the sheriff here?" he questioned towards the man slouching over the only chair in the room.
Said lifted his hat just over his eyes, showing off the star on his coat and grunted in return.
"We are bounty hunters, looking fer a certain gal."
The man frowned at them, "What kind o' gal would that be."
"One that stole a dime and has 2200 on her head."
He clasped Tommy by the shoulder, shoving him forward and taking his hat off, "Looks a lot like this one. Only as a girl. Longer hair. Probably a dancer in the saloon."
"Then I suggest yer look at the saloon."
Jim kind of appreciated the cocky attitude , "Jus' wanted ta let ya know. Ain't no scoundrels or shit, just honest men hunting few a price."
With that he put the hat back on the boy's head and left, Tommy scurrying after him. He made way for the saloon.
Tommy frowned, "Dun we like put the poster up in tha store?"
"Nah. 'e recognized 'er. She's in tha saloon."
With that he entered said saloon, taking a seat on the table his men were occupying. He noticed to his content that few others had descended to the sides of the stage, where the doors lead backstage, one close to the main door. He smiled, knowing that two were on the backside of the house, outside with their mounts. He had trained his men well. And the ginger rat was smart. He wasn't taking any chances this time. Two years were enough of waiting for him, he was tired of their little game. Relaxed he ordered some ale and folded his hands on his stomach. All he had to do now was wait.

--------------------

"What are you doing here again, Perry!"
Huffing exasperated Pru shoved the blonde towards the hallway.
"You can't constantly come in here like that. Just because you're a regular, these are the dressing rooms. And you don't have to wish me luck every time I go on stage, I am a pro okay, a big girl. I did this often."
She stared at him, honestly trying to look serious. But she hardly could. Ever since she had applied as dancer, Perry had been her number one fan and had made it his habit to wish her good luck before every single show. Which was like three times a day. Everyday. Ever since she started a week ago.
She wasn't quite sure whether to be enormously pleased or worried about getting too attached to his charm and caring.
When she finally shooed him out she tied her corsage one last time, then went behind the curtains to give the pianist a sign she was ready. That's when she spotted him.
Right in the middle of the saloon, at a table packed with bounty hunters, smirking victoriously. Jim Hart, the center of all her nightmares. She could literally feel her insides grow ice cold in and drop. Everything in her twisted painfully and was then replaced by a sudden empty feeling. She grind her teeth, her jaw showing. There were more glooms at the exits. No escape. Wonderful.
She closed the little gap in the curtain again, looking around, finding a bottle near the edge. She placed it closer to where she intended to sit in the end. She then gave a sign to the pianist, readying herself.
He wanted a show, fine. He could come and get her. In this case that was part of her plan, today her program would be more like the ones she did before, more of her previous show-self. She would let noone doubt they had found the Ginger Sin.

Pru finished in a clean split, blowing some strands of hair out of her face. She breathed fast and her cheeks were flushed, it had been a while since she'd put so much effort into the sexy part of her shows. The entire time she had been fixed mostly on Jim, glaring at him from the stage. He gave the smuggest grin and even applauded lazily. He knew something was up, and he was sure he had her cornered with all the extra posts at the exits.

She'd have to pull this through without a second thought or it would go horribly wrong. Her eyes flickered towards Perry only shortly before the curtain closed and the lights for the stage were turned off. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she waited until the usual noises of the saloon returned, people returning to their drinks, games or girls.
Then she slipped past the curtain at the side of the stage as to not attract too much attention, fixing her glare on Jim and giving him the coldest, most calculating smile. He stared back, he thought he had won.
Carefully she sat herself down on the edge of the stage, right of her was the exit door, in front of it an ugly mexican chewing on tobacco. One foot she placed on the wooden edge, the knee pressed to her chest, the other dangling down, the empty bottle was placed behind her, in reach of her right hand.

She used her left hand to beckon Jim, the forced smile still seductively in place. He simply quirked an eyebrow.
"What you expect me to come and get you?", he yelled over the table, not too loud, no one hardly noticed.
The ginger consciously ignored Perry the whole time, ignoring the pang in her chest. She seriously hoped the blonde cardshark didn't interfere with her escape for his own sake, she didn't think she could bear to see him hurt.
"That's how it works, pal. You want a reward you gotta work some."
Jim breathed heavily.
"That is if you can."
The bounty hunter chuckled, but finally got up and slowly walked over to the girl, the closer he got the more he towered over her.
"Was that a terrible attempt on discrediting my sexual capabilities?", he groaned exasperated when he leaned down.
She put up her most deadpan face, still smiling, "I speak from experience."

She resisted the urge to budge when he leaned in closer, practically an inch away from her face, "Ye got cocky. Freedom ain't doin' yer no good. Anything else yer want to get off yer chest?"
She scrunched her nose, "You smell and that coat is ugly."
Laughing quietly he licked his lips and scratched the thin scars again.
"Yah the coat is awful. Ye know it's just a substitute, 'till i get back that coat that you stole from me."
She held his icy glare, "That was Danny's coat."
"Was", the blonde emphasized, "But it was my Dino who trampled him in that factory riot so technically i defeated him and his belongings are passed on to me."
Her eyes widened only so slightly, no sadness in them only surprised anger.
"What", he chuckled, "Ye didn't know 't was me who killed him? Well let me tell you my other smug secret, doll, I killed little Bucky too."
Pru moved only so slightly as too flinch, but Jims hand went immediately for her thigh, grabbing the small knife from her stockings before she could.
"Thank you I'm fine with that ONE scar."

Jim turned, flipping Prus tiny knife to his left hand, grabbing Perry by the front of his shirt, lifting it towards him while standing up straight which made the almost 7ft tall man tower over the smaller blonde. He flicked the knife close to the cardshark's face.
"For your information ah've already HAD that ass and I am not everyone el-"
He didn't get to finish the sentence as a thick glassed bottle crashed down on the back of his head, shards falling past his face. He lashed backwards with the small knife, only slashing empty air.
Pru had wasted no time, the rest of the bottle still in her hand she lounged towards the post at the exit, stabbing the man's thigh fiercely and slipping past him into the side alley. Biting her lip in worry over the blonde she really hoped they would be too busy looking for her and let Perry go. It had been a fault to get attached to him, it always was, she'd always known how it ended, and still couldn't help but falling for the charming cardshark, who had been so caring and warm. Did she just acknowledge she was on love? Yes probably, whom was she even going to kid. Blinking a few tears away, she tried to get her head straight, Jim would most likely not dare let her escape now he already had her cornered so he'd probably let any fighting go by. She knew she had to avoid the streets so she immediately climbed onto a barrel, climbing the side building, and waiting on the roof until the other guards went towards their angry leaders yelling. She then slipped off the roof, running all the way to Perrys stables. She had to get out of here quickly.

Jim meanwhile was raging and cursing yelling at his men to check all the stables for her. He noticed the rest of the visitors were slowly starting to realize something was wrong, damn ginger sure had made herself popular, and in front of him was still the blonde jackass who had literally enabled her escape.
"STUPID FUCK", he roared, lifting Perry in a fit of rage and throwing him onto the table he had sat on before.
"TOMMY KNOCK HIM OUT!"
The boy flinched when the blonde man landed in front of him, but did immediately as told, elbowing the mans face.
He didn't bother to check whether he had hit properly, he was not fond of getting into bar fights, much less be the target of them. Instead he grabbed his hat and scrambled after the others, they'd better find that weird chick or Jim might just stab him as a substitute.

Pru managed to get to the shed without being even seen- or so she thought- , saddling Ruckus as fast as possible, all the while the stocky saurus got up lazily. He started to tense up and that was just to her benefit, a tense ruckus understood they were in a hurry. Luckily Perrys shed was well hidden behind the house, so she wouldn't be found out to fast.

"I didn't think you'd still be with the old turd."
Pru flinched and turned quickly at the person entering the shed and closing the door behind them carefully.
"M-Miriam?"
The younger girl looked up at her, she had chocolate brown curly hair framing her frail face and hazel brown eyes, her skin was pale, her red dress dusty like Prus usually were and she wore a broad scarf like a blanket over her shoulders. The girl smiled sadly.
"Heya, Pru. Didn't think we'd meet again, did you."
Pru just stared in incomprehension of what her former fellow dancer was doing in Gwangi until it slowly fell into place.
"You came with Jim."
The girl tilted her head.
"Kind of. Before you say something, I want to tell you I figured it out. The reason you ran away."

Pru carefully proceeded in fastening the buckles, not taking her eyes from Miriam.
"What do you mean, i told you I wanted to get out and make some money with that dime."

"I know, but I don't buy your wannabe egoism anymore. I've seen through it. Get out, get a real life, at least I will be far away from you bitches. I really believed that you know. That your nice girl act was a facade. It took me a while to realize it was exactly the other way around." The girl took a few steps towards Amora, carefully petting her.
"That you were stealing from the most dangerous man in Boston, ridiculing him to make him angry and lure him away from us. You took on the burden of being a fugitive for all of your live, with even the officials on HIS side. My god, Pru you are to nice for this world. I guess it'll make you happy to hear you succeeded. Linus left Boston for good."

The ginger didn't answer, only stared at the other girl. Only after a while she said "But you're not safe. I didn't really succeed then."
"Yeah" she chuckled "And before you ask me to come and escape with you, no. I won't. I came along on my own."
"Why ... why would you do that? Miriam they are murdering us girls!"
"No. They are going to murder you. You successfully lured them away. And I didn't come with Jim, Pru. I came along with him."
The Gingers eyes widened. She hadn't expected for the Boss himself to travel half the country, she had thought if she ran far away from Boston, Jim would just give up one day and return to his master as the loyal dog he was. That was two years ago. Then again, Linus Rayne was mad.
"Why are you doing this?", Pru asked desperate, earning the saddest and most apathetic face she had ever seen.

"Because i'm not like you. I don't care for others."
With that she simply turned and started yelling for the Bounty Hunters, much to her dismay Jim and that ginger Boy were closest to the shed and burst through the shed's door. Pru hauled herself onto Ruckus when a loud shot fell, the Boy was trying to shoot her. Jim shouted at him, of course, if they wanted to torture her a corpse wouldn't do. The main entrance being blocked she made Ruckus crash through the sidewall of the stable, not minding the splinters and shards scraping her arms. She felt a pang for destroying Perrys walls again, and was immediately hauled back in her thoughts.

Perry, bloody Perry if only he would stop being in her head, in her heart, her everything. Against her will tears started to well up in her eyes again, blurring her sight. If he yelled after her she didn't hear it, her head was spinning, trying to have an eye on the Hunters on their Raptors, resisting the urge to turn everything around and run into Perrys arms.

Jim pushed Tommys head down when he ducked from the angry mount's tail. "YOU.SHOOT.WHEN.I.TELL.YOU." he roared at the boy, backing out from the shed. He picked the pipe from his chest blowing it with a tone so high-pitched only the Raptors would hear it, while sending the men who were already on their mounts after the escaping girl. Tommy's Deltadromeus Dexter came to a skidding halt, stomping impatient while his young rider hauled himself on his back, Hogarth the humungous Ceratosaurus was a bit slower.
"Hurry after her, we can't let her escape", he shouted at the boy and his hyperactive mount, "Make the mount fall, don't hurt her too much."
Tommy nodded and eased his grip on his mount's rein, causing it to jolt forward immediately chasing after his new Prey, soon passing the other Hunters. Whereas Jim's mount was the biggest, strongest and most dangerous Raptor, Tommys was the fastest and riding was admittedly the only thing the boy seemed actually good at.

Jim threw a condescending smirk at Perry's poor condition.
"Don't even bother boy, she's just a whore like all the others. And soon there won't be much left of her trust me."
Then he tipped his hat and signaled his mount to rush after the girl.

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Ruckus was running at his limit, Pru knew that, he was anything but a runner and he definitely didn't stand a chance against all kinds of Raptors. She would have to outwit them, as she always did.
She rounded a corner, leading her to a smaller street. Much to her dismay Gwangi practically consisted only of two parallel main streets. Halfway through she quickly pulled Ruckus around, making him a living street blockade, his thick horned head and tail hitting two raptors in the chest, making them do a flip over the block. Another tearing at the reins and Ruckus stood against the normal direction in the street, Pru dodged to rifles hilts, then pressing forward again. The Hunters that reacted faster and were trying to turn were brutally smashed into the siding walls by the old beasts truncated horns.

Tommys mount was light and a good jumper, it dodged the rambo Dino by jumping against the walls over the red headed girl's head. Then turning immediately he followed her again back to the bigger main street. She was charging out of the town by now and he was catching up with every step Dexter made.
They were half a mile out of the town, when he finally caught up, signalizing his mount with a different sitting and shifting of weight to attack. Dexter snapped air twice until he managed to bite into Ruckus thigh, the older Dinosaur let out a pained roar.
Pru tried to pull over but the boys raptor was more agile and kept snapping. She was so focused on avoiding the boy and his raptor, she didn't realize it was a trap. She saw the brownish shadow to late, only when the boy pulled back in an instant, she turned her head in time to see Hogarths Horn ramming poor Ruckus, lifting him up with the momentum and throwing him a few feet.
Pru was jolted off rolling and skidding a bit over the dusty ground. She coughed her head snapping up in worry over her roaring mount. Her bare arms were throbbing and scraped, lightly bleeding on some parts.
"Don't hurt him!", she cried as Hogarth stepped on the battered Ankylosaurus, his snout dangerously close to its neck.
"Please", she cried as Jim slipped down from Hogarth, taking out a cloth and a bottle, emptying some liquid on it, storing it back into his belt.
The girl yelped when he grabbed her hair to yank her head up, pressing the cloth over her mouth and nose.
She struggled crying, clawing at his arm and helplessly kicking out. Tommy watched with a frown on his face as his look-a-like-twin went limp and was hauled onto their leaders mount's back. It was strange, they could have been siblings. For a second he pondered how it would be to have a big sister, he was torn from the thought by Jim.

"We take that Ank along, Tommy, take it's reins and pull it along." The boy nodded and did as told. He wondered what had happened to the blonde by now. He had seemed really upset. Maybe they were a couple. He wondered what it was like to be in love. From what he had observed so far it was painful.
"What about the others?", he asked while trotting after the ceratosaurus, Ruckus reins tight in his hand.
"They know where to go", Jim simply said, he was too occupied with mustering the girl before him, carefully petting her hair with a sick grin.
"Man ah've been waiting long to cut ye up, doll."
He gave a pleased chuckle while leading the boy and the leftover Hunters towards Dalton, where is Boss was waiting.