Title: WWW - Where Angels Fear to Tread
Author: Emmy
Timeline: After Julia's Wild Wild West

"So then I couldn't decide if I wanted the black boots or the brown boots. Black is my color and all, but I figured a girl's gotta have at least one pair of brown boots."

Sheriff Jinn made a slight grumbling noise and glanced from his desk into the prison cell where his inmate lounged on the small cot, twirling her hair between her fingers as she stared off into the distance.

"But then, the corner of my eye caught the glint of the light reflecting on these spurs," she said, raising her leg and circling her ankle to admire the silver spurs on her black boots. "They're nicer than my old ones, don't you think?"

Jinn stared at his prisoner. How could a woman obsessed with shopping be so much trouble?

"But then," she said, never looking at him but grinning nonetheless, "they showed us these new corsets."

"Alright, Miss Oakley," Jinn said, standing from his chair and picking up the ring of keys on his desk.

"And they weren't even really corsets. Really soft like, very little boning."

"You can go now," Jinn said, unlocking the cell.

With a smile, Emmy Oakley sat up and then swung her legs off the cot. "Been a real pleasure chatting with you, Jinn," she said, sauntering out of the cell. "As always," she snickered.

"I trust I will not see you here anytime soon," the Sheriff said.

"My guns," Emmy said, patting her empty holster. "I need my guns."

The Sheriff stood straight and crossed his arms on his chest.

"Aw c'mon, Jinn. Those are mine fair and square. This is a dangerous town, I need my guns. What would the people do without me to protect them?" Emmy asked indignantly.

"That is *my* job," Jinn said, reluctantly handing Emmy her twin six shooters.

"Hey, you need all the help you can get with Black Xan around," she said.

"Mister Olsen's daughter is not Xanatos," Jinn pointed out. "Nor is she remotely associated with him."

"She insulted my horse!"

"Miss Oakley, insulting your horse does not justify shooting the bows out of her hair."

"She was *asking* for it, Jinn," Emmy said, shoving her guns into her holsters. "Nobody insults my horse," she said, turning on her heel and strutting out of the Sheriff's office, spurs jangling with each step she took.

"One wrong move, and you could have killed her," Jinn said, shadowing her as she stepped out on the wooden plank sidewalk.

"Oh, what a pity," Emmy said dryly.

"This is not a laughing matter," Jinn said.

Emmy turned and fell into a perfect stance in her black boots, black pants, and black shirt with embroidered purple wild orchid on the chest. She placed her black bolero hat on her head, and hooked her thumbs in her black leather holster belt. Then she smiled. "I never miss, Jinn."

Jinn crossed his arms again and sighed. She was right. She never did. He'd be hard pressed to find a man who was a better shot.

Aside from himself, of course, he thought, puffing out his chest.

Emmy rolled her eyes. "See ya, Sheriff," she said, mounting her black horse.

Jinn watched as she rode away. God only knew what sort of trouble she'd find herself in next time.

"Sheriff?"

Jinn turned to see a stranger approach. Two strangers. A man dressed in black from head to toe, black duster billowing in the breeze as he walked. And a younger man…no, that was a woman accompanying the stranger.

"Sheriff, I'm--"

"A Federal Marshal," Jinn said, his eye catching the badge on the man's coat.

"Kenobi," he said, extending his hand.

"Jinn," the Sheriff replied as they shook hands. "I've heard of you."

"Likewise."

"So, what brings you to Hestia?"

"Heard you're having some trouble with Xanatos," Kenobi said.

"Oh?" Jinn said, eyebrow arched inquisitively and certainly not revealing anything about *his* town.

Kenobi smiled. "My deputy," he said, gesturing to Jules as she stood at his side.

"Pleasure," Jinn said, shaking her hand.

"Sheriff," Jules said with a nod of her head.

"Her sister is a rancher here," Kenobi said. "Supplies the Pony Express."

"Ah. Ramie," Jinn said with a smile, his countenance toward the strangers immediately changing. "Well, I admit I'm glad to see you. This is a good town, Marshal. But we--" Jinn was interrupted by the sound of gunfire.

Kenobi placed his hand on the handle of his gun, the sound of horses, gunfire, and wild laughter drowning out all other sound as a cloud of dust rose when two horses thundered past, their riders - both women - shooting their pistols in the air.

And then they were gone, the dust still lingering in the air as their clamor echoed in the distance.

"You'll get used to those two," Jinn said. "Just released one from the jail prior to your arrival."

"Do you need some help rounding them up?" Kenobi asked.

Jinn chuckled and patted the Marshal on the shoulder. "They're just going shopping."

Kenobi gave the Sheriff a curious look.

"Now, if you'll follow me," Jinn said, "I can show you to the best boarding house in town."

"They have bathtubs?" Jules asked, swatting the dust from her pantlegs.

"The biggest in town," Jinn replied with a smile.

"Perfect," she said.

"So about these women we just saw," Kenobi said, hurrying to catch up. "They do that often?"

"You've no idea," Jinn said.

~*~

Emmy Oakley and Calamity Dor rode their horses slowly back through town in the dark of night, saddle bags packed full of loot from their shopping expedition.

"They have the *best* boots," Emmy said as they passed by the Golden Spur Saloon, the sounds of laughter and jovial piano music spilling out into the street.

"Oh yeah," Dor said. "I think we need to bring more gold next time."

"Hey, whatever you got, I'll help you spend," Emmy offered. Then something caught her eye across the street. "Wait. You see that?"

"What?"

"Looks like somebody's trying to break into Miss Maevey's Boarding House," Emmy said.

"Yeah well," Dor said. "See ya. Gotta head home now."

"And where is the Sheriff, I ask you," Emmy said, oblivious to Dor ditching her and turning down the opposite street.

Emmy rode around the back of the boarding house and quietly dismounted. Placing her hands on the handles of her pistols, she quietly crept around toward the front on her tiptoes where the intruder was breaking in, trying to keep her spurs from jangling. Shimmying up to the front corner, her back against the building, she peeked around toward the front door.

The intruder, unable to open the front door, stepped away from Emmy, walking toward the other corner and peeking in the side window.

Emmy made her move, following behind the intruder's back, tip-toeing quickly but quietly up to him, quick-drawing her gun as her right spur jangled and he spun around to face her.

Impasse.

Intruder and vigilante staring down the barrels of each other's guns.

"Ah! Allow me to make the introductions."

Emmy grumbled slightly at the sound of the Sheriff's voice, but did not waver, her pistol pointed squarely between the man's eyes, he holding the same position toward her.

"Emmy Oakley," Jinn said. "Meet Obi-Wan Kenobi." Jinn paused for his own amusement. "*Federal Marshal* Kenobi."

Emmy cocked her head to the side, glancing down only slightly to see the badge on his coat. She stared into his eyes a moment longer. "Federal Marshal, eh?"

Kenobi nodded only slightly.

Emmy sighed, tilting her pistol upwards and taking a step back. "Sorry," she shrugged.

Kenobi took advantage of her surrender and took a step forward, giving the Sheriff a sideways glance as he held his gun steady.

"Hey, I said I was sorry," Emmy said, twirling her pistol on her trigger finger and depositing it back into her holster. "I thought you were trying to break into Miss Maevey's place."

With a nod from Jinn, Kenobi lowered his gun, studying the odd woman before him. "I forgot my key."

"Oh," she said.

"Well, I'm glad we got this all settled," Jinn said. "You're lucky I arrived when I did, Marshal."

Emmy smiled. "I never miss," she gloated to the Marshal.

"I see," Kenobi answered, still not quite sure what to make of the situation.

"Marshal, I know Miss Maevey is at the Golden Spur," Jinn said. "Good company there. If you don't mind waiting, I'll buy you a drink after I lock up Miss Oakley."

"Sounds good."

"WHAT?!"

"Let's go," Jinn said, summoning her forward with his hand. "You know the drill."

"Lock me up for what?" Emmy said.

"Assaulting a Federal Marshal. Come on," he said, taking her arm and dragging her off the front porch.

"Assaulting?! He was breaking in!" Emmy protested.

"Then you should have called the Sheriff, I suppose," Kenobi chimed in with amusement.

"Thanks, pal, but I can handle this on my own!" Emmy shot back.

"Yes," he drawled. "You're doing an excellent job of it."

"How many times must I explain that if you don't wear a badge, you don't practice law enforcement," Jinn said, dragging Emmy toward the jail.

"Well, if you'd GIVE me a badge, we wouldn't have this problem," Emmy said.

"If you would behave like everyone else--"

"Hey!" Emmy said. "If he HAD been breaking into Maevey's place, he WOULDN'T be behaving, now would he?"

"Tell it to the Judge," Jinn said.

"You're not serious!"

"I'll decide in the morning."

"What about my horse??" Emmy said.

"I'll see to your horse."

"I've got lots of stuff in those saddle bags. If anything is missing, I'm sending you the bill," she said as she stumbled up onto the sidewalk, the Sheriff still dragging her by the arm.

Kenobi stood in the middle of the street shaking his head.

Still. She had spirit. He had to give her that.

"You're drooling."

Kenobi started to see his deputy swaggering past him toward the Golden Spur.

"I am not," he said, hurrying up to her as she entered the saloon.

Jules turned on her heel and gave him a look.

"What?" he said.

Shaking her head and rolling her eyes, she turned back around and headed for the bar, leaving him standing in the doorway to survey the place.

A rakish smile spread across the Marshal's face as he observed the saloon. "Yes, I believe I will enjoy it here."

The End