Sheriffs Pet is being deleted off of ao3. This is something Tangs Anzy and I decided on as we don’t want to go through making a new acc and reposting it there. SOOOOO ch 1 is being posted here entirely for those who want to revisit it. This deletion is also due to more personal reasons that we won’t fully get into.
Incredibly sorry for this. This account will still remain but update rarely as Sheriffs Pet motivation has been lost and we have left the hermit and empires fandom due to lost of interest
A man walks into Tumble Town's local tavern and approaches the bartender.
“One glass of water and a beer please.”
The woman working the bar nods and gets to work on his order. The man lets out a hum as he patiently taps his fingers on the counter waiting for his client, or well business partner.
Soon the drinks arrive just as the sheriff walks in the tavern. The sheriff is a man the town respects deeply, he’s the one to help them with a corrupt mayor years back. They all know he has had dealings with a certain band of people recently, he had been expressing his want for a pet, someone who will behave for him and do as he wants whenever.
The man smirks as he sees the sheriff walk in and waves the blonde over.
“Sheriff Jimmy, it’s good to see you old sport. I assume you’re here about our little deal?” The man asks as he drinks his water. Jimmy nods while sitting down.
“So how is he? Is he ready to come home? I’m excited for my first pet.” He says this with a dark tone, his eyes lighting up in delight but have dark intentions in them. He can barely contain his excitement.
The man nods. “He’s ready to be sold. But be careful he is very skittish due to what hybrid he is. Blazes are not pets that people usually get as their first pet due to how skittish and short tempered they are.” He says while giving the avian a curious look.
Jimmy scowls as he looks at the seller. “Just tell me where I can get him and then we can be down here Alec.” His tone slips into one showing he will not hesitate to end the man, Alec, in a split second. Alec takes a sip of water trying to act calm even if he’s panicked at Jimmy’s change in personality.
“Tonight at the edge of Tumble Town, near the old gunpowder farm. You’ll see a coworker of mine there.” Alec says as he gets up to leave. Jimmy quickly stops him.
“What’s the pets name?” Jimmy asks already planning on what he can do to make his pet obey him yet feel welcomed.
“Tango, TangoTek.” Alec says as he leaves the tavern.
Jimmy smirks, his eyes gaining a possessive look to them.
“Tango. What an interesting name. I like it.”
Jimmy looks towards the barkeep and smiles. “Just a single beer for me Maxe.” The barkeep, Maxe, nods as they go to get Jimmy his drink.
The tavern is lively as ever on the last day of the Spring season. Jimmy can hear the chatter of the townsfolk and even frequent visitors to Tumble Town chatting and drinking.
He smiles and thinks back to four months prior when he heard of Alec and his job. That night was similar to the current mood of the tavern.
Jimmy walks into the tavern with a tired look. Bags are very clear on his eyes from what’s been keeping him up recently.
When he enters the twin bar keepers on duty, Atlas and Alatus, wave hello to the tired sheriff. Atlas walks off to the back knowing what the Sheriff wants when it sees the tired look.
Jimmy sits down and Alatus shoots him a grin.
“Any leads?” They question while cleaning some mugs. Jimmy shakes his head and lets out a tired groan.
“Those fucking bandits, this is the fifteenth time this month. How the hell does Madison and her gang do it? They’ve managed to evade me and even my dad when he was in charge.”
The avian looks like he’s going to continue but just groans in annoyance at how the only local bandits have evaded him and the old sheriff.
Alatus looks at Jimmy with pity in their eyes. This isn’t the first time he’s come in to get shit faced drunk due to the situation going on.
While Jimmy has his head down and grumbles about Madison and her gang, Atlas returns with his drink.
It slides the beverage towards Jimmy, who immediately takes a sip of it once he sees it.
Altas shoots its sibling a confused look which Alatus returns with a look.
“Ya know, I know a guy who is in a business that’ll get you something to de stress with.” Atlas begins and catches Jimmy’s attention.
“Oh? Tell me.” He looks at Atlas with curiosity in his eyes.
It lets a sly smile appear on its face.
“His name is Alec, and he sells hybrids as pets. They are obedient little things, know some people who have ‘em and say they are a great help to destress. They’ll do whatever you want ‘em to once ya break ‘em.” It explains to Jimmy.
The more he hears it explain the more he smiles, a dark look appears in Jimmy’s eyes.
Alatus scoffs at something that makes Jimmy snap out of whatever trance he was in. He turns around in his seat to see a fight break.
“Fifth one tonight. Wait, is that Engi and Nov fighting?! Holy shit.” Their mood shifts from annoyed to surprised upon seeing who the fighters were.
Jimmy watches with a glint in his eye as the two frost element users brawl.
Engi throws a punch towards Nov. The frost blaze managed to dodge and hit the mage in retaliation. This goes on for a while until both are bloodied and look like they are about to pass out. Jimmy decides he should step in seeing how Nov was starting to make the tavern freeze.
He gets up and walks over.
“Novem! Calm yourself, you're making this place freeze.” He snaps towards the frost blaze, he gets a snarl in response but Hels grabs his friend and drags him away before Nov attacks Jimmy.
The sound of drunken giggling from where Engi is is heard by Jimmy. He looks over towards Engi with the same annoyed and pissed off look.
“Don’t think you’re safe, Engineer. You are as guilty as the blacksmith is.” He says glaring at Engi. This makes the raccoon hybrid shut his trap, nobody likes a pissed off sheriff.
Engi is dragged away by one of his friends.
Jimmy shoots a glare in both directions, a dark look in his eyes that isn’t supposed to be there evident.
He walks on over to where he was before and downs his beer in an instant. He gives the twins a look which they understand immediately. Atlas goes to the back once more to grab what Jimmy wants.
Alatus looks over Jimmy’s shoulder at the damage. “Damn, they froze the floor. We just had this place remodeled and the first night open again?! We had a fight and the floors were ruined.” They saw in an exasperated voice. Jimmy looks over and sees that the whole floor is frozen over, the downside to bar fights between those with an element it seems.
“It’ll defrost. Nothing bad is going to happen.” He says taking a sip of the drink Atlas brought out for Jimmy.
Alatus glares at the sheriff with a look asking if he’s being serious. Jimmy just raises a brow.
“You fucking-“ Alatus is quickly cut off by Atlas. They give a glare towards their sibling before walking away to serve more customers who’ve come in.
“Good call. Wouldn’t want Al to end up hurt. They should know by now where they stand here.” Jimmy says, continuing to sip his drink.
Atlas sighs and walks away to help Alatus serve customers.
Jimmy continues to drink and order some more drinks when he finishes his current one. The sound of the bar becomes a buzz in the background as he thinks on what Atlas said earlier.
‘A man who sells hybrids into slavery as pets…Interesting…interesting indeed. Wonder if I can get one for myself.’
He thinks as he drinks. Soon he feels the effect of the alcohol hit him.
Jimmy clumsily gets up and pays for his drinks. He has enough sense left to realize it’s late and he has a job to do.
He slowly and clumsily walks out of the tavern. You can smell the scent of alcohol on him from a mile away.
A drunk sheriff was a dangerous sheriff.
He’s halfway to his house when he blacks out.
Current time, hours after Alec and Jimmy’s conversation
Jimmy walks to the place where he is to meet the man who sells the hybrids.
He tries to remain calm but can’t help but feel nervous.
‘What if he notices I myself am a hybrid?!’ He wonders the whole walk to the meeting point.
This runs through his mind up until the moment he gets to the place. It’s a small closed off area of Tumble Town, one that hasn’t been lived in for many years.
He approaches a figure dressed in an outfit not meant for the harsh heat from the hottest month of the year here in the mesa.
Just the aura of this man infront of Jimmy sends his instincts into override on the need to run. But he has a goal.
He needs to finish the deal and get his hybrid pet finally after all these months.
As he finally gets close enough, Jimmy clears his throat, catching the man’s attention.
“I assume you’re Morris Jojan correct? Alec’s coworker ?” He questions earning a hum from the man, Morris.
“Indeed I am. And you must be the Sheriff. Correct?” Morris says examining Jimmy as if he’s looking for something.
“Interesting, very interesting to see you here. Thought you followed the law and did not deal in illegal activities such as this? Honestly didn’t believe old Al that you of all people bought a pet.” He is curious as to why the sheriff, a man whom follows the law and the goddess of law, would partake in buying a hybrid as a pet.
Jimmy clears his throat, noticing Morris zone out as if he’s thinking.
“That is not of your concern. I am here to buy a pet. Now,” he pauses as he walks over to the seller towering over the man as he continues “are you capable of selling me a pet or are you a incompetent man who believes any rumor of how the sheriff is thought to act and will refuse his service to a customer?” He says in a tone that makes it clear he isn’t planning on being here long, just enough time to make the purchase and wait for his pet to be brought to him.
As if sensing the sheriff's growing annoyance, Morris reveals a cage covered with a cloth. The cage looks like it could fit a big dog and possibly a hybrid or normal player if they were small enough.
Jimmy’s eyes light up as it would take an idiot to not know what’s inside.
“Had to sedate him. Bastard put up a fight when getting him in here. But overall he’s docile and an obedient bitch.” Morris says as Jimmy slowly crouches in front of the cage grinning like a maniac.
“Doesn’t sound docile if he puts up a fight.” Jimmy remarks as he raises the cloth abit to see the man in the cage
Inside the cage, seemingly out of it, is a Blazeborn. Only thing that’s making Jimmy pissed is the obvious signs of malnourishment, but his “business partner” doesn’t need to know how pissed he is at the sight of the pet.
“They all do this when we put them in the cage to be sold. Should have seen the data hopper when that guy was sold. Had to be sedated heavily. But hey he gave quite a bit of gold from that king.” Morris says, foot tapping the ground impatiently.
“Now, Sheriff Solidarity shall we discuss how much gold?” Morris says this with a greedy grin forming on his face.
This catches Morris off guard.
“Oh? That much for a Blazeborn? Are you sure.” He asks, failing at hiding the look of greed growing in his eyes.
“I’m sure.” Jimmy says while standing up and pulling out a pouch with the gold.
He hands it over and watches as the seller counts the gold.
After a few moments Morris gives a satisfied nod.
“All accounted for. You’ll be needing to see Alec at a later date.” Morris gets a confused look from the Sheriff.
“Look I only sell and report back.” He raises is hands in mock defense as Jimmy glares at him.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Jimmy picks up the cage, surprised by how light it is for a metal cage holding a (malnourished) full grown Blazeborn.
The two men part ways with a quick goodbye.
Now all Jimmy needs to do is get home before sunrise. Maybe the twins are willing to help him get his new pet home.
