◌ 001 ◌ Riddle solving

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Immediately after this conversation with Miss Verita.]



[Leaving the town square Fuu starts walking her bike the short distance to the Sheriff's Office.]

[Figuring out the clue had been easy, but it seemed that figuring out the mystery of why she was here - and where 'here' was anyway - would be much harder.]

[She reads the slip of paper with the riddle again:]

If anywhere around here there's ever any trouble
You can bet I'll be there on the double
And here you can talk to me--ease the troubles on your mind
Just don't take any notice of the jeering from behind

[...She cannot understand how Miss Verita could read it as it is written in Japanese, or -- how Fuu herself could understand it if it's written in another language. Miss Verita had said that there was no Japanese. However, she might have misunderstood Fuu's question.]

[With a sigh she propps her bike against the horse hitching post outside the office. Perhaps the matter of language was not as important as other things right now, but it certainly was strange.]

[And speaking of strange, it was one thing to look at the places in town on the CAT, and quite another to see them in person. 'Eclectic' was an understatement for the design of this town. From here she could see the very cowboy-western Sherriff's Office, the traditional-looking town hall all in red brick, the edge of the shopping district with it's odd assortment of shops, and the amazingly sleek-looking library. She couldn't wait to go there, but other things came first.]

[Walking up the steps she pushes open the door and calls out softly,]

Pardon me?

Comments

[luministimods]

[there's a soft grunting noise as a man quickly sits up, rips that day's edition of the Daily Sun newspaper off his face, and swings his cowboy-booted feet off the desk.] Yes Sheriff, I'll get right on that paperwork right aw--[notices a young woman standing in the doorway and he stands, hastily brushing crumbs off his shirt. despite the boots, he doesn't wear any other cowboy accoutrements, though there is a black Stetson sitting on his desk]

Sorry about that ma'am. How may I help you?

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Well, it was one thing for it to look cowboy-ish on the outside, but on the inside too? Fuu blinks then comes more fully inside as the man gets sorted. But really, was he sleeping on the job? This was so very different from Tokyo...]

Yes, hello. I believe that I have been sent here, with this clue. [Fuu offers the slip of paper to the man behind the desk with both hands and a nod.]

[luministimods]

[he smiles, taking it from her. after it giving it a glance, his smile widens] You'd be right, little missy! I'll get your prize for you. [rummages hastily through the stuff on his desk, but after a minute, he remembers where he put it and lifts his hat. on the desk is a shiny golden coin embossed with the image of a lion on one side and with a sun on the other] Ah, there it is. [holds it out to her] Congratulations!

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Taking the coin Fuu smiles at the man in return.]

Thank you, um, would it be 'Deputy'? You said the Sheriff wasn't in, so...

[Well, he hadn't quite said that, but close enough.]

And I'm Fuu Hououji. A pleasure to meet you. [She gives a slight bow.]

Is there anything I have to do next with the coin?

[luministimods]

Why yes, it would be! [proudly adjusts his badge] Deputy Drew, at your service, Miss Hououji.

[but when she asks her question, he merely shrugs] Actually, I'm not sure. I was just told to give it to whoever comes in with that slip of paper. [rubs the back of his head, slightly embarrassed] Sorry I can't help you more.

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Fuu nods. If he wasn't told, he can't help her further. Simple as that.]

Nothing to be sorry for, Deputy Drew. Thank you for the coin.

[Putting it carefully in her blazer pocket she gives a slight bow again. About to leave, she is taken with one last idea. A bit silly, maybe but... it was still troubling her.]

If I could trouble you for one more moment, Sir. It might sound like a truly silly question, but, what language is that paper I handed you written in?

[A bit embarrassing to ask, really. And she thought she knew the answer, but she had to ask anyways.]

[luministimods]

[glances at it again before he hands it back to her. he doesn't need it, after all, but sounds puzzled anyway] Well, it's bilingual. English and Spanish, of course.

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[lightly] Of course! So convenient, isn't it?

[Fuu takes back the slip of paper with a smile, but her mind is turning. What does this mean? How is this possible?]

Thank you for your time, Deputy Drew. And if I need to 'ease the troubles on my mind', I know where to come now.

[Perhaps. Once she finds out more. She bows and heads for the door.]