It likely took quite a long time to explain to Harland that not only would he have to part from Gale, but he also had to go about the business of locating his weapon. It was very exciting, but also very confusing, and Harland Leander Belle didn't take well to having to change gears suddenly-- he was a little slow, sometimes, if he'd been running full steam in one direction.

But here he was, Gale-less, on his own, in a room where the only light was provided by a single torch. Harland couldn't say that he knew what he was doing, exactly, but the sheer fact that he was doing it, that there was so much to learn and discover, meant that Harland could hardly contain his emotions. In fact, the young man didn't: a few tears, slow as he was, started rolling down his cheeks. "There's so much to unearth," Harland whispered in the silent room, afraid to break its rhythmic hum.

Its staccato hum? If Harland wasn't so busy leaning in to squint at the different symbols, he likely would have heard it too: a soft drone, pauses every now and then. It was no good; he couldn't hear it.

☆≼Welcome, chosen wielder. It seems you are my one. Would you kindly follow the sound of m voice, and wake me, so that we may begin?≽

Harland leaned in, completely oblivious to the humming sound; he just thought it was the ambiance of the Cove. It wasn't. He was very busy trying to name all of the symbols he saw, assuming they were some sort of weaponry based on the fact he'd seen what very clearly looked like a pistol, etched onto one of the tiles. "Is that... a frog?" Harland asked, squinting.

☆≼Easy on the eyes, but there's not much going on in between, is there?≽

Harland leaned back, away from the wall of tiles, and ran a hand through his disheveled hair. He really wanted a shower. Like... ten showers. Just infinite showers, and lots of warm food. He could really go for a Waffle House trip right now. "Do I just pick any tablet at all?..." Harland wondered aloud, his mongrel accent shifting and lilting. "Perhaps I should think on it a bit." Harland did love to think, and it did take him a long time.

Especially when he was mentally mapping out the dimensions of the room, calculating how many rows of tablets he figured there were, how far it extended. Everything.

And then he heard the sound of spurs: the jingle of metal, like he'd heard in so many of those cowboy movies his father loved to buy him. It happened again. And again.

Harland followed the sound of the spurs, until he located what he believed was the source of the sound. It grew louder, as he approached it, until finally Harland pressed his palm flat against that one tile. Maybe he could activate it, somehow?

☆≼WOULD YOU KINDLY listen to me when I'm addressing you, miscreant!≽

Harland heard it, that time.

☆≼My name is Coyote. Please remove this tablet from the wall, so that we may continue.≽

He wasn't sure what Coyote was, or why he should choose it. Wasn't it, really, choosing him? "Now, don't be hasty, I was thinking I'd take a sojourn to think on it first like," Harland asserted, very firmly, his expression stern and slightly perplexed. Coyote sensed a gap in his resolve. Also, it was just stupid.

☆≼What is your name? Be polite with me, and together, we will achieve great things. I'd also like to get out of this room. Don't you want to feel the sun on your skin?≽

Harland thought about it for a moment. The voice did sound nice, and he did love the sun... That was true. "Harland Belle, Harland Leander Belle. Well..." Coyote sensed Harland's resolve weakening, and went in for the finishing blow.

☆≼Harland, what a good, strong name... so would you kindly free me, Harland Leander Belle? I'd like to get started, we have a lot of catching up to do.≽

Harland moved his palm away from the tile, and looked at the symbol. "What on the good green earth is that supposed to be?" Harland asked, squinting at it. It didn't look like any object he could recognize.

☆≼Never mind that, Harland, we'll be partners if you can only just remove me from the wall.≽

Coyote's voice had an irritable edge to it; he clearly wished Harland would hurry up. Harland didn't understand why they were so pressed for time, but he finally obliged.

And that was how Harland Leander Belle and Coyote became 'partners,' all the while Harland could think only of one thing.

"I'll be your sheriff, and you'll be my deputy," Harland said, quite happily.

☆≼We'll see.≽

Coyote replied.