“We don’t take too kindly to strangers round here.”

The wooden beam next to the cloaked figure smoked as a freshly shot bullet buried itself inside the weathered material. 

Every set of eyes in the saloon turned towards the still swinging Venetian doors. There stood an imposing figure, from the bottom of the shined spurs on her boots to the worn holster on her hips, all the way to the decorated wide brimmed hat on her head. Every inch of her screamed leadership, an authoritative power that she had worked hard to establish as the Sheriff of the town.

“Especially not strangers who claim that they’re the new sheriff in town.” 

The newcomer at the bar raised their hands, but not before slamming the shot of whisky back onto the bar's surface. 

A cough resounded and a floorboard creaked as the patrons waited in anticipation of the next move with bated breath. 

The stranger slowly stood up, boots thumping gently on the floor as they hopped off the bar stool, and Mina remarked that they were quite short for a supposed contender. As they turned around, Mina remarked that they also happened to be a woman, a woman with long black plaited hair and moles and wide eyes that were absolutely, for lack of a better term, enchanting. 

Her hands never shook when she held her gun. Every move was calculated and precise, her style reflected her personality in that way. So why were they shaking now?

A loud laugh echoed around the building, snapping her out of her thoughts, the sound coming from the now revealed stranger. She still had both her hands up by the sides of her head. 

“Now, Sheriff, I never claimed to be competition.” She said, a hint of amusement in her voice at the predicament she had found herself in.

“Really? So what’s all this commotion I’m hearing about you challenging me for my position.”

“It seems that rumours run fast in this town, huh?” She looked around the bar and chuckled lowly, shaking her head as she smiled and Mina was captivated by the action, “How about we start over, no preconceptions of each other. Let me introduce myself to you.”

She pulled her gloves off as she walked, tucking the leather into her cloak’s inside pockets. 

As she pulled apart her cloak to the side, Mina noticed the gun on the other woman’s waist. She adjusted her grip on her revolver, reminded of the situation and her position. Sure she may be the best gunslinger The West County had ever seen in its history, but she’d never met this woman before. She had no idea what she was capable of.

The shorter woman stopped in front of Mina’s gun, the barrel pointed right at the centre of her eyebrows. 

She stretched her right arm out in front of her, before realising that Mina was holding her gun with her right hand, and stuck her left one out instead.

Warily eyeing the stranger, Mina gingerly clasped her strong hands with her own. 

She had a firm handshake. 

“My name is Son Chaeyoung of The East County, and you are Myoui Mina, also known as The Black Swan of The West County.”

“You are correct in your assumption. But then again, everybody knows that. You’re a long way away from home Son.”

Chaeyoung smiled. “I am indeed. Park Jihyo sent me. I have proof.”

At that Mina narrowed her eyes, that was a name she was familiar with. She spun her gun by it’s trigger guard back into the holster. It was all for show, but it certainly did the trick of intimidating intruders.

“Let’s talk.” She looked around at the customers of the bar, “As you were.”

Quickly the customers resumed their jovial atmosphere before the Sheriff’s surprise appearance. Every evening The Saloon was alive with laughter and good natured fun. It reflected the atmosphere of the town as a whole.

She looked back at Chaeyoung and tilted her head towards the bar. They walked in silence and took a seat on the stools where Chaeyoung had been sat not too long ago. 

“So what exactly are your intentions, Miss Son?”

“Oh eagar aren’t we, Myoui?” Chaeyoung caught the attention of the bartender. 

“Another whisky please.”

“Forgive me. I simply have my town’s best interests at heart.”

She caught the glass as it slid down the bar. “That’s understandable.”

“Now, if you wouldn’t mind answering my question?”

Chaeyoung threw her head back and took a large gulp of her scotch. With a satisfied sigh she faced Mina.

“I’m going to be honest with you Myoui, I’m prohibited from telling you. I’m under strict instructions from Mayor Jihyo not to give away any details of my reasoning for being here.” Chaeyoung raised a palm before Mina could say anything, “I know. I know you’re going to object, but I promise on my grave, no harm will come to anyone in this town. In fact, there is most definitely a positive outcome at the end of all of this.”

Mina raised an eyebrow at that, she didn’t know what The East County towns were planning, but she trusted Jihyo. The West and the East had a strong enough alliance that she wouldn't suspect them to pull anything stupid, however weak that alliance was becoming. She knew from experience that Jihyo was a good leader, having met her before briefly for cross country official meetings.

Mina may not have been the biggest fan of the East, but she knew a good person when she saw one. 

“You better promise on your goddamn hat, Son, I care about every single person in this town. If anything happens, I’ll have to assume it’s got something to do with you.” She glared threateningly, letting her emotions take over. 

“Feel free to hang me if it all goes wrong.” Chaeyoung replied, a little too nonchalantly for Mina’s taste. “I’m on your side here, Myoui.”

Mina considered her words. Chaeyoung spoke with such clear honesty and straightforwardness that she had no choice but to believe her. Twirling the officially stamped letter around in her hands, she mused for a moment as to what exactly it was that could