A Cowboy's Past

I was done talking with the chief. I got out up and walked out of the tent. Hiroshi was still being treated with medical care, so I was thinking of visiting him since I was done with what I had. But after I searched for him for a while, I found out he wasn't in his room. It seemed like he got up and asked for nurses to go somewhere.

I thought it was very dangerous for him to do so, but even with harsh injuries, I imagined he wouldn't stay there any longer either with his rising fever. Both for his temper, and his anger.

They said that in the early hours, he went to the forest in the village. He could have been wandering around since nobody from the outer parts saw him leave or visit other places. And he was just traveling along the same path, with his horse and some of his stuff back in the houses. He also had left some traces back, so I followed them to check on him. Bursting out injured and walking off too long distances, he could have been passed out again even though being treated carefully with medicine.

He was somebody that could run out of the bottle of medicine in his body, with his stubbornness.

I walked through the narrow path on the southeast of the village, I stepped on some tree branches and made a little noise to make Hiroshi notice me. I was lucky that I found him when I got there, where I wanted him to be. He was practicing on close-up strike, half-naked with bandages on his shoulder, although his wound had not yet healed.

And when he started breathing heavily and sweat fell down from his chest and forehead, I approached him,

"Wouldn't be too dangerous for you to keep going like this, Hiroshi? Your wounds aren't treated for you to move like this. They can reopen."

My words passed right through his ears, he continued pushing his fist forward and kept the same old seriousness on his face, "I'm fine Kid, I've been injured many times before." He looked at my bandaged left arm and wrists, "And why are you here? You seem worse than me."

"I talked with the chief. It seems like they have been recovering the destroyed parts of the village while we were out cold. He said that they found us bleeding very much, and it was very difficult to treat our wounds since some of them were very deep. And he said we should be here to get treated more, for a while."

"Did you say we are getting on the road again?" He said, knowing my reply was far more different than the chief's reasoning,

"Yeah, I said we'd be back on the road today. He realized we would do something like this, so he had no intention to stop us, rather than wanting us to be safe."

Then after a short pause and thinking, he changed the topic,

"Did they recover the broken parts of that big house? It was crushed to the ground after we fought."

"The chief told me that they would move the village to another place, since the last battle almost caused the village to collapse completely. They said they would move into the territory of the other witches in the third Kingdom, which is said to be very safe and works like a castle.

I have no doubt that they will be safe. Chief told me they would get their defensive spells much stronger, and the last battle actually showed how weak their defenses were, since it had passed a long time since something like this happened."

"It's interesting that these people got off danger for a while, and be nitpicking out of nowhere." He said, while still punching and kicking the air,

He then took a slight glance at me,

"What about the girl, are you planning on taking her with us?"

"I made a promise to Pelena. But since she passed away and that is very effective for Lezlie, I don't want to talk with her now. Maybe we can wait until our wounds are treated at last."

"So you are just going to sit down and act as if nothing happened? Like we didn't promise to help her?"

"Not like that. I just don't think it is the right time."

*sigh* Hiroshi slightly moved his head and put on his hat, it seemed like he didn't want to wait here any longer, "I'll talk to her. And if you have anything on your mind, you should do it right away before we leave, Kid." He said, then started walking towards the exit of the forest, He signaled his hand as a goodbye as he talked loudly, "I'll meet you at the entrance to the village at noon, so don't be late."

Hiroshi slowly walked towards the village.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(Hiroshi)

After I talked to the Kid, I retreated to my room and put on my clothes. I packed my things for the travel we were going on. I was putting my cigars in my pockets and getting my stuff ready. The old room smelled kinda fragrant, and dust had settled on the corners. I brushed off some of my weapons and held my slightly falling hat. And under my hat, my sharp gaze caught my tired eyes, which brought my attention to the mirror next to me.

My beard was all messy and my bandages through my clothes created another layer of thickness. I wasn't very grumpy all about it, but my wounds were very nice to bear. After looking at myself briefly in the mirror, I put my hat on my head and went to check on the girl.

Her room was close to the crowdy place of the town, next to a flower shop. Her house wasn't all old and rotten, but it was made out of very old stones, with rather clean windows, and a welcome carpet that said "Nice arrival, will be your nice travel.". Her house was kinda low with the roof going over my hat, but I managed to get in front of the door.

I knocked twice on the door, and waited after hearing multiple footsteps coming towards my way,

"Lezlie, are you in there?" I said listening to the sounds inside,

She opened the door slowly, with her head bowed down slightly. Her face was all gloomy and her lips were pursed. With the stripes of her blonde hair falling down from the sides of her head to her cheeks, her blue eyes glistened toward me. Her sadness was very evident, as she clenched her skirt tightly and her face was covered with tears.

It looked like she cried for hours and her voice was coming from deep.

But with that being very catchy to my eyes, she brushed it off not to scare me, and invited me inside,

"Yes, please come in."

I didn't want to rush in directly since her wave of emotions had caught me off guard. But it wasn't my place to judge her. I slowly walked inside thinking of what I came here to do in the first place.

She closed the door silently as she followed me, and we sat on the chair close to the bookshelf.

I put my backpack slowly to the ground, and sit beside her, realizing the cozy warmth of the fireplace, right next to her chimney. It was warming up the silent room slowly and was covering the air with a dull atmosphere.

Lezlie's mood was still, and lifeless. She put her feet on the ground firmly like she was floating like a feather. Her gaze kept on the ground, as she was slowly moving to the chair and her face was all colorless like a ghost.

She lifted her skirt slightly and sat down keeping her gaze at a more steady point. She didn't talk at all when we sat down. It seemed like she was so caught up in her thoughts that she had lost track of time and her surroundings.

I didn't want to make her feel even sadder about what had happened, but I also needed to talk to her,

I watched her gaze and asked her,

"Hey kid, are you alright?" I asked with a calm voice,

She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at me,

"Yes. I.... I am alright."

I was so sure she wasn't. For the next couple of minutes, she got in the awareness she wasn't acting all weird. This seemed to bother her much more and she got all sad by not being able to talk to me. Her emotions were cutting her like a sharp knife and she couldn't form words to convey them to me.

*sigh* "Look kid, you don't have to pretend you're fine, we all have lost someone in this world. If you want to push everything out, if you just want to cry or even yell, you can do it now. Because if you don't do it now, your emotions will control you no matter what, until you accept that these will happen and crush you."

She turned her head to her left. Her lips pursed once again and her blue eyes glowed with tears that cascaded down her face. She let out a deep sigh, then clutched her skirt and began to sob uncontrollably. I could hear her crying.

"I-I... I just couldn't...." She was trying her hardest to keep her tears back but they were quickly falling and leaving marks on her skirt. Her heart was running fast and her breaths were shorter every time she clenched her teeth.

Her sobs reverberated throughout the room, while I bowed my head down.

It was very similar. To that day.

"Lezlie."

She looked at me, her expression a mix of confusion and sadness,

I looked at her and said with a soft tone, "Lezlie, can I tell you a story?"

--12 Years Ago--

(WestLight Town)

It was an ordinary day in winter for me and the ones around me. With the kind of cold that filled our boots with snow and with a cold wind that cut like a knife.

When such winters were at our doorstep, it was usually the days when most citizens took a break from their work and spent their days with the supplies they stocked, instead of walking around with their hands pink and losing their skins to cold. I was a Kid at that time when my family sold most of their belongings and was spending their time at home.

We weren't that rich when were just by ourselves. Me, my father, my mother, and my brother. We were a small family that lived near the outer parts of our town. We had a small house and not much furniture inside. My father would gather supplies for us and would help the house to be warm all winter. On the other hand, my mother would cook the food and would always make sure to feed us.

It wasn't a problem to spend the entire winter with my family inside the house, but it was evident that I would like to spend more time outside since my father wasn't so nice when we did mistakes and my mother would scold us for what we had done.

I wasn't a normal kid about playing with the toys like my brother did when he was young, so I would spend my time throwing anything I got inside the house. The ability to throw something and hit the target gave me a different type of appreciation and I was having so much fun, saving myself from the boredom of the winter.

But since my mother and father would scold me, I would spend my time outside. I would work at jobs with the thick clothes I had and would earn money to buy a real gun. I would go around and work at any job, but would only get so low of payment since there wouldn't be many things to do because of the winter. I would get my low payment and would just go to my house to spend my time hitting bottles with rocks or stones.

But after some time, when I heard that someone I knew was coming to town soon, I volunteered to do a job opportunity that was available. After hearing that it was winter and that the person doing the work would live off the provisions in his house, they agreed to give me the job even though I was a child. After all, it was freezing, so there weren't many people to do the stupid jobs. And they could easily sell me this job.

I only had to go to their house and take care of their houses under the cold and lead them to their barn. Brush horses, clean their shit, make sure they behave, and just feed them. They only wanted somebody with patience and power to take care of the horses and just look after them. It looked like an easy job since I wasn't weirded out by taking care of animals. Although I didn't like the behavior of the people who gave me this job, I set out to do this job with my hands hurting because I had to collect money and buy weapons.

I wanted to buy something that I could shoot with, so I would have more options to improve my marksmanship skills.

I wanted to improve my skills so that I could be a good match to the information and the skill that the guy I admire made. He was somebody incredible with many talents, and if I could be somebody that he would even glance at, then that would make me happy.

I would clean horse shit, take care of the horses, would read the books that I bought about guns. It would be a quite hassle to take care of the horses for two hours straight, especially since they would go crazy and would make me run behind them. I would either get all my clothes covered with snow or would just freeze trying to calm them down.

I was lucky that the job was just three hours and the payment was good.

Because by late evening, I would come out of the barn and I would work with the weapons I had bought to improve my marksmanship. I would spend hours and hours just to get the right shot and understand the mechanics of a gun. I would sit down and understand the recoil of every weapon. I would even pull the parts out and would take care of them with the things I would borrow from the gunshop owner. I would learn slowly, but firmly how to take care of each gun and would just spend my time understanding how each part pushed the other. I would practice again and again. Changing my style, my gun, and how I used to aim.

It was pretty fun for me even in the cold. I would learn so much about guns, remembering each and every move. I would spend most of my time doing either practice or would just learn more about horses and their muscle memory. I would get all pink by the time I would get to my house. And I would know that would be a pretty big red flag both for my mother and pops. When I would come home late and spend my money on guns, I would always get scolded by my father and mother. My mother would look at me with deadly eyes, holding my pink hands and face, while my pops would look at the guns that I bought, inspecting them and asking me questions as he scold me.

But he was still very interested in me, teaching me a lot of information, including weapons. He would sit me down and explain to me detail by detail to inform them, then would answer my questions carefully. My mother was as soft-hearted as my father. She always made me good food and took care of me. After she would scold me too, she would always feed me and would make sure I would eat.

They were both ruthless to my actions, but to my actions only. I know deep inside they cared about me, and that gave me a deep sense of understanding and a precious lesson I learned. They didn't hate me, but hated my actions they know I wouldn't do as a person. They weren't bad people, they were just disappointed with my discipline towards myself.

They were a caring family, unlike my brother that was very different.

My brother was a cold person. Rather colder than my father and mother. He would barely speak in the house, would eat his food silently, and wouldn't even sit beside us to chat about what had happened to him. He would feel so distant from the family type we had, and all the warm memories I had created with my mother and father.

He had no friends or nowhere to go where would spend his time. But he was very well known for his actions and what he did. He would catch wanted people and would help patrol the other parts of our town. He was like an unofficial sheriff of the town, whom most people recognized. Taking action at the most crucial point of a battle, was his main goal in life. He wasn't somebody that we know clearly, but his cold persona and not to make advance feelings for relationships, helped him to understand his work better.

As the days passed, he would begin to catch more-powerful men. Since he would spend more and more time defeating people, he would get to know more about his enemies and would just put them in jail, taking a shorter period of time every single time. His talent was unmatched. People got to know him well and began to admire him. He was like the apple of the town's eye.

But his unmatched skill and talent weren't a catchy flash to my eyes. I admired him as a brother, but deep inside, there was only one person that followed the dream that I followed.

And it was Jesse, "The Claw Of The West".

He was a normal middle-aged man, born in our village. But his skill, his splendid talent set him apart from others, was his incredibly sharp eyes and his observation skills. Missing no target in every duel, every battle he overcome, he was both the fighter and the warrior of the West. Scared by none, and feared by most, he was both an honorable person and a killer on the battlefield. He was famous for every kingdom. But was the fastest in the West.

I couldn't see him since we talked only two months ago about that event that I told you about, but I knew he was going to come back and waited for him patiently.

We had a pretty strong bond. Whenever I would visit his house, he would invite me inside and would start chatting with me as he would give me tea. He always told me his stories. Ones that aren't fairytales, but would sound so dramatic or even imaginary. He was somebody that was more interesting than the tales that were told about him. His kind personality wasn't matching perfectly with his skill and killer instinct, but it also indicated how big of a heart he carried. I always enjoyed listening to his stories.

And back then, I heard he was back in town one afternoon. I heard that he was here for some reason and he just had defeated many outlaws in another kingdom. I was excited to see him after a very long time since I was working at that horse-taking job and had lost myself in practicing more than I should have. In his absence, I didn't realize how much I overworked myself. I realized that after he had gone, the loss of his sight gave me an incredible amount of will to be even better when he was back. His last departure was a very kind one, so I am guessing I was very attached to him at that time. I spent day and night, marks on my arms and wrists, just trying to get shots done. I was very lost in my thoughts and worked towards the idea of his return.

That day, I waited until he retreated to his house in the evening, and waited at the door. People were gone until evening or later, since he didn't let anyone get inside except me. And when I knocked on the door at last, I heard his footsteps getting closer to the door, indicating that he knew that was me.

He opened the door, and I finally saw him after a long time.

Jesse was a rugged and weathered middle-aged man with a striking appearance. He had a bushy blonde beard that covered most of his face, with his blonde messy hair looked disheveled and unkempt. He stood tall and confident, with a rough and tough demeanor that comes from a lifetime of living on the frontier. His wide shoulders with his thick neck, made his big and tall form much more scary.

He wore a classic cowboy outfit that consisted of a white shirt with long sleeves, which was tucked neatly into his black pants. His black leather boots had a sturdy look to them, with thick soles and pointed toes. His long brown coat was made of thick and durable leather, which covered his broad shoulders, and falls to his knees. It was so different and exciting to look at it, with the coat being adorned with fringe and a few pockets for storing small items.

He usually had many items tucked inside his clothing, making it much more exciting for me to ask more questions to him.

But his most striking accessory wasn't even that. His double gun holster, which is strapped to his hips and legs, was the coolest thing that I saw as a kid. He had two revolvers holstered at his sides, ready for quick draw action. He also wore a large gun holster across his chest and back, which held a rifle that he carries with him on his adventures. The guns were worn and had a well-used look to them, suggesting that he had seen his fair share of action.

He always told me so many fascinating stories about the gun fights, or duels he would had. It would fascinate my little mind so much at that time. I would go to listen to even the slightest thing he would tell, as if his every word was a tale to be told.

And when he always did tell me interesting and fancy things, his slim hat would slightly fall to his nose.

He wore a wide-brimmed cowboy hat that was pulled low over his forehead, shading his eyes from the bright sun. His messy hair would come out from the sides and would collide with his bear from the top. But even though he would be all covered with his own equipment and messy hair, he had a very mysterious feeling to him. He was different, as a formidable figure, ready to face any challenge that would come his way on the dusty trails of the wild west.

He was my idol. And I had missed him so much.

As he let me in that day, I was once more shocked at how neat his house was.

It was a place of wonder and awe.

It had a warm and welcoming feel to it, with a large fireplace taking center stage in the main room. I could see the fireplace had been recently used, as there were still ashes and embers glowing in the hearth. There were several chairs and a large wooden table in the room, with various maps and hunting books scattered around.

I noticed that his belongings were scattered throughout the cabin, with his coat and hat hanging on a coat rack by the door, and his guns and rifle placed carefully on a nearby table. His collection of weapons intrigued me, and I would ask him questions about how they worked and how he uses them, since I would learn how to use them too.

I walked inside and sat on the usual chair that he set for me. I would usually get inside and sit near the fireplace of his house, as he would throw his gatherings around and start telling me stories with his sweat-covered face.

He smiled warmly at me that day,

"Look how much you've grown up. You're old enough to hold a gun."

It felt even nicer that I was growing up, and actually understanding what the old guy was saying. I was so excited to tell him what I was doing when he was gone.

"And I started using guns better than you."

Jesse laughed,

"I'm sure you learned, Kid." He laughed, "Ah, I missed you, Kid."

I wanted to ask him so many questions. So I fixated myself and started asking him questions, while still acting like the excited kid I was.

"Jesse, please tell me about your experiences, your adventures, your fights, all of them. Did you fight elite soldiers or epics or a person from a lineage?"

"Calm down, calm down, I'll tell you everything."

I couldn't wait to hear his stories and Jesse couldn't wait to surprise me even more.

Every time he told stories, he was excited about it as if he were going through it again. His eyes would move from side to side, reimagining from scene to scene, mimic to mimic. He would use his incredible storytelling abilities, to just put a smile on my face.

It was a bond that I never had, but I always wanted. I felt like it was there from the beginning, even though I wasn't aware of how much I needed it.

"Listen up, Kid. I once fought a man named Zakiri. He was a legendary elite soldier from the fourth kingdom, feared by many and unbeatable by most. I knew I was in for a tough fight the moment I laid eyes on him.

The first thing I noticed about Zakiri were his eyes - blood red, like he had seen too much death and destruction in his life. And every time he got stronger, the redness in his eyes seemed to increase, as if he drew his strength from some dark and twisted source.

Now, I've faced some tough opponents in my time, Kid. But Zakiri was on a whole different level. He was almost as strong as an Epic, and his skills with a blade were unmatched. There were even rumors that he had defeated entire armies by himself."

"Well, who won?" I asked excitedly.

He took another puff of his cigar, with his brow furrowed in thought as he continued his tale. "I attacked Zakiri with everything I had, Kid. My best shots, my fastest draws - but it wasn't enough. He was too strong, too fast. In the end, I lost by a big margin."

"How can this happen? You're the fastest in the West!" I jumped out of my chair in disbelief.

But he didn't seem to be sad about his loss. He looked like he was understanding of his defeat, and knew he could have done better.

He chuckled as she saw me excited again, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Being fast is a relative concept, Hiroshi. We can't always win. Sometimes we lose, but it doesn't make us weak. It just means we have to keep on fighting, keep on persevering until we come out on top."

I nodded solemnly, taking in his words. "But if you lost, how did you escape? My father always said that elite soldiers killed everyone without mercy."

His expression grows serious, and he set down his cigar. "It's a long story, Kid. A story for another time. It's late now, and you should be getting back home. We'll talk about it tomorrow, okay?"

I nodded eagerly, already looking forward to hearing the rest of the cowboy's tale. "Okay, I'll come back tomorrow. Thanks for the story, Jesse!"

He set me off smiling, with his kind expression still the same on his face.

I was so happy to be with him once again to hear his tales, as I was also scared that every single time would be my last with him. The thought of his latest tale would include him leaving a mark on me, with a big loss that both we couldn't see from the beginning, was so devastating.

I came home sad that day, feeling a certain emptiness about how my favorite hero would be defeated.

How can somebody that strong, somebody I looked up to that much would be defeated? Who could have done that? What kind of person could do that?

As the conversation with the cowboy and I had ended, I made my way home, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling town. I walked past the various shops and saloons, watching as the locals went about their daily business. The moon was starting to get up in the say, casting a cold glow across the buildings.

As I walked, I couldn't help but think about the cowboy's story. I was lost in thought, imagining the fierce battle between the cowboy and Zakiri. The details that the cowboy had shared with me were so vivid that it felt like he was right there in the midst of the action.

But I couldn't tire myself anymore thinking about it.

Finally, I arrived at my house, but to my surprise, it was quiet. I had expected my father to be home, waiting to scold me for being out so late. Instead, the house was empty, and the silence was eerie.

I lay down on my bed, feeling exhausted from the day's events. I didn't even bother changing out of my clothes, as sleep quickly overtook me.

But as I slept, I was suddenly awoken by strange screams that echoed through the night. They were unlike anything I had ever heard before, and I felt a sense of unease wash over me. I sat up in bed, straining to hear any other sounds or movements in the house. All I could hear was the pounding of my own heart, as fear started to take hold.

I immediately got up and went out. I couldn't believe what I saw that day.

My town was on fire.

The sound of chaos outside grew louder, accompanied by the flickering of bright orange flames. My heart was pounding in my chest. What I saw outside left me in shock - the entire town was ablaze.

The smell of smoke filled the air, and I could see people running frantically, trying to escape the raging inferno that was consuming everything in its path. I felt powerless and unsure of what to do. I had never seen anything like that before since I was a little boy. The world around me seemed to be crumbling, and my thoughts became jumbled and confused.

As I stood there, trying to process the chaos before me, I felt a big hand touch my shoulder. The pure shock of watching my town burn turned into fear with a sudden contact behind me.

But luckily, it was my brother who emerged from the shadows behind, startling me,

I felt a sudden rush of relief wash over me. Even in the midst of all the chaos and destruction, seeing my brother made me feel a little less alone.

But then I noticed the look on his face. It was clear that he was in the middle of a complex situation, and that he was worried about something. I felt a new wave of fear wash over me as I realized that my brother might not be able to protect me this time.

My mind raced with questions. What was happening? Who was attacking us with their magical powers? Would we be able to survive this night? I didn't know the answers, and I was scared.

"You shouldn't be here. It's not safe," he said with an anxious voice.

I turned towards him, hoping to get some answers.

"Brother, where are mom and dad?"

"I don't know, just follow me for now, I'll take you somewhere safe."

My brother placed his arm around me and guided me toward safety, making me feel a sense of comfort and security.

He took me to our pantry and locked the door,

"Stay here until I get back, brother. I will be coming to pick you up when it is safe."

I huddled in the pantry, my heart racing with fear and uncertainty. The smell of smoke filled the air, and I knew that something terrible was happening outside. But what? And why? My mind raced with questions, and I felt a sense of helplessness wash over me.

As I looked around the small space, I noticed a narrow window with bars on it. It seemed like my only chance to escape and find my family, but the bars looked too sturdy for me to break.

That's when I saw the wolf. It was all black, with shiny eyes that seemed to stare right through me. At first, I was scared. Wolves were dangerous creatures, and I knew that I needed to be careful.

But then the wolf did something unexpected. It dug a little hole beneath the window, causing the bars to loosen and shift. I realized that the wolf was trying to help me escape.

At that moment, I felt a strange sense of gratitude toward the wolf. It was as if the animal understood my predicament and wanted to help me. I couldn't believe that a wild creature like a wolf would show me such kindness.

Slowly and carefully, I pulled the bars down and climbed through the window. As I did, the wolf disappeared into the night.

I paused for a moment, taking in the cool night air and the sounds of chaos and destruction all around me. I felt a newfound sense of courage and determination.

Because I was a little boy at the time, I couldn't wait because of my curiosity. Yes, I was afraid, but I wanted to find my family and find out what happened to my village. As I got out made my way to the town square with very quick steps, causing my body to be exhausted.

I watched in awe as Jesse and my brother faced off against the evil man, Zakiri. Jesse was holding both of his revolvers while my brother had a long rifle in his hands, which was Jesse's. The evil man, on the other hand, relied only on his hands and legs to fight, and his strength was terrifying.

Jesse and my brother attacked the man with all their might, but he easily dodged and countered every move they made. His power was monstrous, and I could see that even concrete walls were breaking against his oddly quick attacks.

Despite the odds stacked against them, my brother and Jesse fought on. They worked together seamlessly, their attacks complementing each other perfectly. I could tell that they were experienced fighters, but even their skill was not enough to defeat the evil man.

As I watched the fight unfold, I was laying down on the ground nearby the fight area. They were fighting against the big wall of our town and were flying from side to side. They were damaging everywhere and their battle was causing big pieces of rocks and house parts to move from side to side, causing them to fly. It was so horrifying to stay on a battlefield like that.

But the problem wasn't that I was close to the battlefield. It was that many of the side men of this evil guy, had been creeping up behind civilians in the town and were capturing them while he held both my brother and Jesse. Those bastards were very sneaky at that time, as I would remember those kinds of people roaming around even before this battle happened.

I didn't notice the men sneaking up behind me. I was holding my breath silently and was watching the battle unfold in a very quick process. My hands and toes were curled, as my eyes were wide open and watching the fight all scared. It was only when Jesse saw them that I realized I was in danger.

Jesse quickly took down the attackers, one by one, but not before getting injured in the process.

As Jesse fought off the attackers and rescued me, my elder brother continued to engage in a fierce battle with the evil magical man. He was holding a rifle and was positioned farther away from Jesse and me.

My brother was skilled with his weapon, firing precise shots at the evil man whenever he saw an opening. The two of them moved in and around each other, dodging and weaving in a deadly dance.

At times they were close enough for my brother to switch to his revolver and fire a few shots, but the evil man was always able to evade them with his incredible speed and strength. As they fought, they gradually moved farther and farther away from Jesse and me, until they were almost out of sight.

Despite the distance, I could still see flashes of light and hear the echoes of gunfire as they continued their intense battle. I felt both scared and proud of my brother, who was doing everything in his power to protect our town and defeat the evil man who threatened it.

And while he held him off, with all his remaining strength, Jesse drove me away and hid me in a safe place where no one could find me. I was grateful for his bravery and sacrifice, but I couldn't help feeling scared and alone as I watched the chaos and destruction unfolding around me.

He left me with his hat. And slowly walked out of there.

I waited until morning, and when morning came, I came out of hiding. The sight I saw broke every piece of my heart. Everyone in my town was dead except me, my family, the man I admired, everyone. I was the only person alive. I couldn't find my brother's body. The only person I couldn't find its body was my brother. I searched for him everywhere but I couldn't find him. All I have left of them was a gun and a hat.

"Jesse told me straight up that I wasn't the one to be blamed. But I gotta admit, I always felt responsible for what happened. Yet, as time went by, I came to the realization that we can't just give up. Those people who gave their lives for us, they wouldn't want it to end up in vain. So, I gathered up my strength and kept moving forward. Even when the going got tough, I didn't back down. 'Cause the likes of Ryuu, those who still believe in hope and a better future, they need our help, and I ain't one to let 'em down."

I slowly lighted my cigar,

"Kid, I know it hurts like hell to lose someone you love. But you gotta keep your head up and keep movin' forward. Your mom, she wouldn't want you to be sittin' here cryin' all day. She'd want you to live your life and be happy. And I know it's easier said than done, but you gotta try. Life ain't always fair, but you gotta be strong and keep fightin'."

Then with my hand slowly touching her shoulder, I looked at her,

"You can still live your life, and find your hope again like your mother said. So what do you say, kid? Are you going to come with us?"

She wiped her tears and looked at me.

She smiled and said,

"Hiroshi, Thank you."