Disclaimer: The Evangeline that appears in this bit of roleplay is not the player character who runs the Double M ranch. This event was run by someone who didn't know about her. So the saloon girl's actions should not be considered a reflection on the PC's character. Remember folks, check WHO before naming your puppets. :)
Maddock Square Outdoors
This wide, dusty square is the center of Maddock. A new building
looms over the square to the northwest, while the lot to the southwest is
barren. To the southeast, there are signs of construction which might indicate
that construction is beginning on a new town building. Heated summer morning
begins while the sky just hangs, empty of clouds, above you.
The roads branch off in four directions, continuing in a north-south
and east-west direction from the square.
The constellations take form above the summer horizon. Stars fade
into the glare of morning as light fills the hot summer skies.
Kei hurries over from the southern part of town.
Angelique is strolling casually down the street, past the saloon, apparently
not going anywhere special. She is watching the people on the street and she
seems to have found a new sort of game - one of which she gives broad smiles to
every respectable lady or gentleman that passes her. Most just hurry on, giving
her a shocked and appalled look.
Angelique is 5'5" tall and generously curvaceous and she has features
that suggest a mixed heritage - slightly slanted eyes for example and skin that
is olive rather than milky white. Her hair is black and put up in an elegant
hairdo at the back of her head. Her greenbrown eyes are highlighted by kohl, her
high cheekbones show faint traces of rouge and her generous broad lips are red
with lipstick that smile frequently. Her age is somewhere between twenty and
twenty-five. She walks with swaying hips, confidently.
A green dress with short puffy sleeves adorns her body. The cleavage goes deep,
way past conservative decency. It billows out past her thin waist and it rustles
softly as she walks. On her head she wears a tiara with small green gems -
probably fakes. Green silk gloves covers her hands and her lower arms up to her
elbows. At her cleavage rests a gold locket that hangs from a thin gold chain. A
shading parasol is with her and a feather fan dangles from her right wrist,
together with a small pouch-like bag. Petite, feminine laced up high heeled
shoes peek out from under the hem of her dress.
The first noticeable thing that is seen entering the Square is an elfin, pale palomino mare with a bright-white mane. She seems a little excitable, rearing up her head and occasionally goose-stepping as her rider pats her on the side to stop her. After a few tosses of her mane, the horse, comes to still, and then it is noticeable that a little Chinese man is the person who stopped her. His suit is as white as her mane, and the the pair make quite a sight trotting into the Square like that. Only a few people stop to look amused -- they are not much impressed as surprised at seeing Doctor Zachary Kei Zungji on top of a horse period, let alone one that looks so exotic. "Shh," Kei is heard to soothe the horse with...that and a sprig of fresh parsley which is chewed with gusto.
A small dog charges out of nowhere, barking furiously at a passing horse, but it gives up the chase after less than a dozen yards.
Angelique passes the porch of the saloon, where a saloon girl just steps up and moves up to the fence. Angelique doesn't notice at first, as she is too busy to watch the doctor arrive on his horse. She stops right outside the saloon, and leans casually against the fence, spinning her parasol around and around. "Doctor Kei!" she calls out - creating more looks at her. The saloon girl notices Angelique and she moves closer to the olive skinned woman that leans against the railing, frowning slightly.
On the saloon porch, Rick walks over from the barber shop.
Kei is only marginally distracted by dealing with his mare. He lifts a hand to Angelique, and gives her a flat smile that is friendly and a little buffoonish at the same time. "Miss Dumont," he calls over, and slips off the horse, who lifts her mane and shakes her head at him. "M-dah!" he tells her, and points at her, taking her by the reins and bringing her to the saloon porch to tie her. The mare calms down eventually. To Angelique he says finally, "And how do you do?" His Chinese-British accent makes the greeting sound decidedly prim.
Angelique sighs exasperatedly, and makes an effort to look like she suffers. She puts the back of her hand to her forehead. "I suffer from the heat." she breathes huskily. But she smiles broadly, taking the edge of her theatrical display. "And I seem to be rather bored. How do you do, Doctor Kei?"
The saloon girl steps off the porch, approaching Angelique and Kei. She looks Angelique over, nodding briefly to Kei. Putting her hands on her hips, she gives Angelique a small smile. "Girl - this here is Mr. D'aray's saloon, and I work here. I'd appreciate it if you found your customers somewhere else, hmm?"
Kei looks very well...primmer than he had before. Lowering his head with considerable embarrassment, the Doctor decides now is a good time to stroke his mare's head, and keep her calm, something the little palomino hasn't been doing too well this morning. He does speak to the saloon girl, "Now Evangeline, you know I would never do anything to impede on Miss Gem's business. And I am sure --" he glances lightly at Angelique, "that Miss Dumont won't either." He gives the saloon girl a subtle wink.
Angelique straightens up slowly, and dusts off some invisible dust from her dress, staring at Evangeline with a sweet, sweet smile. "Oh please, Mademoiselle. I do not need to take your customers, truly. The people that come to you, I will make sure to leave alone. After all, there must be those cheap girls too, for those with less money." Another sweet smile is offered to Evangeline, and a rather scornful glance at the other woman's clothes.
Evangeline takes a step closer to Angelique at that, a darkening look on her face. She jabs a finger in Angelique's direction. "Shut your mouth, you fancy looking no-good French copy. Think you can just stroll into town and think you own it? Heck, you can't even stand the heat."
On the saloon porch, It's too early in the morning for most of his customers, so Rick comes out of his shop to sit on the porch for a while. The commotion down in the square draws his attention, and instead of sitting he moves to the railing to watch.
The palomino starts to make noise, and Kei has to keep a vice-like grip on the reins to keep her from rearing up and hurting someone. "Aisin! (Ay-SEEN!) M-dah!!" The admonition is half-acknowledged as the horse snorts but stops trying to jerk around. Keeping a calming hand on the mare's side, he turns to the potential catfight, and in a very even tone murmurs, "I think there is a misunderstanding, Miss Dumont. Evangeline. Miss Dumont is not in your line of work, my dear. And Evangeline is hardly 'cheap', as you put it." He smiles to each. How he knows that is anyone's guess, but his look to Evangeline is quite knowing, and a bit admonishing of her territorial nature. Perhaps it is too early for Evangeline to be awake, and she is grumpy.
Evangeline listens to Kei, and calms down somewhat. "Yeah? Well, she sure looks like a hooker to me." she comments, giving Angelique yet another near threatening stare, her hands still on her hips.
Angelique lets out a short laugh. "Oh dear, I believe our little girl here is jealous. But of course - I am threatening her domain, am I not." She turns directly to Evangeline. "There, there, do not worry. Although you can not nearly compete with me in areas of style, grace and beauty, you are still sort of...pretty." Another sweet smile is offered to Evangeline and Angelique takes a small step backwards.
Evangeline has had enough, apparently. "You bitch!" she says and moves up to Angelique with sudden speed. And then, just as quickly - to Angelique's great surprise - Angelique is pushed hard on the chest, so that she falls back with a yelp - straight into the water through! *SPLASH*
On the saloon porch, Rick moves along the porch, closer to where the action is. Evangeline isn't one of the girls he, er, "knows" very well, but she seems worth a second look. When she pushes Angelique into the trough, however, his attention turns to the other woman as he strides quickly along the porch and down the stairs.
Rick walks over from the saloon to the northwest.
Kei looks horrified, and is immediately on Evangeline to make sure she doesn't continue assaulting Angelique. "Evie!" he uses her pet-name, "You are going to get your commission docked on drinks if you don't stop!" The Doctor is not threatening the girl -- he's telling her straight what will happen, as though he knows the 'system', so to speak. Once she's been pushed out of the way (with surprising strength) the Doctor offers Angelique a hand up. "Are you alright...?"
The palomino mare starts making neighing noises, and looks like she wants to struggle against the tether on the porch. Kei doesn't even look up -- he just says "M-dah!" again, hoping the horse will pay attention.
This is what happens when you try to deal with three alpha females at once.
Angelique gasps and spits where she lies in the trough, wet and bedraggled, her dress soaked through. She takes Kei's offered hand and manages to scramble out of it, looking rather wild-eyed. Waving her parasol wildly in the air, she attempts to go after Evangeline. "LOOK WHAT YOU DID!" she screams, and she is clearly furious.
Evangeline on the other hand, is laughing and clapping her knees. "That serves you right! You don't look so fancy now, do you." she says. She gives Kei a wink - she seems to not mind her commission docked. Not right now anyway. As Angelique waves her parasol, she takes a step back.
Rick gives Evangeline an appraising look, though one can't be quite certain if it's approving or disapproving. Either way, he then turns his attention to Angelique. "Are you OK?"
Barron is making his way out of the sheriff's office. He's tugging on his hat and his coat, locking the door before he turns to go. The sight however catches his eye, and he blinks twice, in the process of lighting a cigarette.
Kei sighs, and just gives Evangeline a /look/, one that is tinged with a twinkle in his eye when Angelique isn't looking. Of course he knows the little minx isn't going to be concerned about docking. Not when fashion snobbery is involved. Kei is still secretly glad Gem isn't around, and that he isn't going to be when she finds out what Evangeline did. He'll make sure he's on rounds in oh, Great Falls. Offering a handkerchief to Angelique, he shhs her. 'You should calm down," he tells her, "or the populace will think you are competing with Miss Gem's business."
Angelique is suddenly acutely aware of those that now has stopped to stare at the rather amusing scene. She makes a feeble attempt to correct her hair, failing miserably. Swearing colorfully - in French - she gives up and stands there with her dress dripping water, her hair being a real mess and her eyes shooting daggers at Evangeline. "I am calm." she says icily, tossing her head proudly. She accepts the handkerchief from Kei, managing a smile at him, and dabs it at her brow. Well, a hanky don't do much for a wet dress, really... She looks at Rick, blinking. "And, I am just fine. My dress however... is RUINED!" Once more she is about to throw a tantrum and she moves towards Evangeline.
Evangeline is still very amused, laughing. Obviously, she doesn't find Angelique very threatening, but remains where she is as the 'french copy' moves closer.
Barron makes his way off the porch, lighting that cigarette and tilting his hat back slightly so he can see fully. "What," he drawls as he puffs. "Is goin' on heah, anyway?"
Jack Barron stands roughly six feet two inches tall. A lanky man, he has a wiry sort of body type that is more prone to quick action then to massive strength. His face is etched in solid hard lines, and he perpetually has a cigarette in his mouth. His eyes are a pale blue, narrowed as if squinting at some unseen sun. His hair is cut short, military style and his skin is tanned a dark, leathery color from hours in the sun. He wears a cowboy hat, tilted down over his eyes to protect from the sun when necessary. A simple shirt and jeans over his boots. A large knife is held at one hip - low (Bowie to those that know it) and a pair of Colt Single Action Army .45 pistols ride in a crossdraw rig over each hip - with loops for rounds (which are filled) on each belt.. When he speaks, it's with a tangible Texan accent, the twang riding over each of his words. One his lapel he wears a piece of wrought jewelry - looks like a silver star with 'Sheriff' emblazoned on it.
Kei is decidedly polite when he offers, "I am sure my daughter can make a new dress for you or...we can arrange for the dress to be laundered." The doctor purses his lips. A Chinaman doctor offering a laundry service. It was too stereotypical to fathom. He sighs, and says to Barron, "Oh, there were words exchanged, and Miss Evangeline over there --" he points to the saloon girl, "pushed Miss Angelique into the trough here. Such a waste of water isn't it? With all the water shortage problems in town...." the Chinaman is mumbling off at that, and turns to his horse, who seems to be 'laughing' at Angelique as much as the saloon girl is. Company is as company does. "Dong-fuh," he mutters to his horse. Pats her. She gives him a prissy sort of snort. Barron, why did you buy Kei this horse again...?
Rick moves a little closer to Angelique, hoping to distract her from going after the girl. And probably enjoying the view of Angelique's wet clothing fitting so tightly to her body. "Maybe you should get back to the boarding house for some dry clothes? I'd think the dress ought to dry better hung up than staying on you. I can walk back with you, if you'd like."
Angelique is both smaller and shorter than Evangeline, but that doesn't seem to stop her. However - the sheriff *does* make her stop her advance on Evangeline, with obvious reluctance. "There is nothing going on here, sheriff." she says, and once more tries to do something about her hair. Realizing that her carefully done hairdo is ruined, she impatiently pulls out all the hairpins, one after the other, now simply ignoring Evangeline, looking between Kei, Rick and Barron. "Just a little...ahh...misunderstanding. I took a step backwards and fell into the trough." Hmm, wait a minute - is she trying to protect Evangeline?
Barron offers dryly as he makes his way to his horse tethered nearby, "Perhaps you outta take the man up on his offer. Wouldn't want ya catching a cold or some poor boy running into a wall after seein' you in a wet dress, ma'am." He throws himself into the saddle and dips his hat. "Unless you'd rather have a law escort to beat 'em off."
"I can also go," Kei offers. His glance to Rick suggests that he might make a better candidate for a number of reasons. He smiles through it, "I was on my way to the boarding house anyway -- I have a couple of patients to see there regardless, so going there is no trouble." He pats his mare. "Besides, taking this troublesome beast on a walk would do her good." He grins, then his face hollows, "I accept any solution, of course."
Evangeline narrows her eyes suspiciously at Angelique, but she then nods at the sheriff, confirming Angelique's story.
Angelique is quickly getting in a better mood. *Three* men offer to escort her back home... Maybe she should fall into the trough more often and see what happens. Her wet hair now falls down her back, freed, and she doesn't look quite so 'elegante' - but she wears the wet dress proudly and unashamedly. She smiles rather teasingly, and taps a finger against her cheek. "Gentlemen! You leave the choice to me? You make it so hard. What about you *all* escort me back to the boarding house, oui?" She turns to Barron, looking up at him. "And, I meant to look you up, Sheriff... Oh, excuse me! I have not introduced myself. I am Angelique Dumont." She holds a slender hand towards Barron, the only person here she doesn't know.
Barron reaches down from his saddle, to take the hand in his calloused one and shake it firmly. "Nice to meet you, Miss Dumont." he replies. "Ah doubt we need three men ta escort ya back. If'n these two will, ah'll be on mah way to git some bizness attended to, if ya don't mind."
One of the unfortunate side effects of chivalry is the capacity to leave men to be open to manipulation. Angelique's ever-brightening mood is not lost on Kei Zungji, who isn't clueless and certainly has enough experience with women's wiles to know when a situation is less distressing than opportune, so to speak. Fortuitous. At Barron's lead, Kei also nods, "I would not be able to tarry long," he explains to Angelique cautiously, looking the entertainer over somewhat clinically. He shrugs. "Perhaps Mister Porter does not have customers until later -- I am sure he can get you ahh...well-appointed." An elegant way to back out. To Evangeline, he asks, "Evie, would you mind finding out if Miss Sadie is in today? She told me to pick some things up for her for my daughter to mend."
Evangeline looks rather smug when Angelique is losing her escorts so quickly again. She gives Kei a sly smile. "Sure Doc." she says. "I'll go check right now." she gives the three men a warm smile - and Angelique a rather cold one, and then turns and heads back into the saloon.
Rick nods to Barron, "I think we'll do just fine without that silver star of yours, Sheriff." He offers an arm to Angelique, "Reckon I ought to be able to manage the job on my own, if you don't mind."
Ah well. Angelique takes her loss... surprisingly well. Or she just hides it good. With a soft sigh, she nods at the sheriff, and gives Kei a smile, accepting Rick's arm. "Gentlemen, thank you kindly for your help." she tells Kei and Barron, smiling broadly. She pats Rick's arm with her free hand. "Monsieur Porter, shall we?"