#Tess Hardscrabble

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Today's disabled character of the day is Tess Hardscrabble from The Kneebone Boy, who has an unspecified mental illness

Requested by Anon

[Image Description: Cover of the book The Kneebone Boy, which depicts three children in front of a tree with crows in it. Starting from the right there is a boy with black hair and blue eyes. He is wearing a black suit, white undershirt, and black tie. In the center is a boy who taller than the other children holding a black cat with yellow eyes. This boy has short blond hair and blue eyes. He is wearing a brown jacket, black pants, and black scarf with a leaf pattern. On the left is a girl with long black hair and brown eyes. She is wearing a red sweater, white undershirt, black tie, black skirt, black tights, and a red ribbon headband.]

[hypnotisedfireflies]

It has been far too long since we've talked about LOC. Do you have any info on how Frank and Bill met in this little verse and maybe what ends up happening with them?

Thanks for a Legend of Charro question! I miss my wild west universe.

I should point out in this universe, both Bill and Frank were older than Tess and Joel. They probably had 10 years on them.

Bill was one of the earliest inhabitants of Black Creek and had a pretty sour reputation. He drank a lot, he argued a lot, and he spent a good deal of time sleeping off hangovers in lock-up. However, he was also known for being honest to a fault and he worked his ranch tirelessly.

But his ranch was not entirely successful and it was a pretty hardscrabble existence out there. He was lonely too, closeted dismissive of anyone who even wanted to be his friend. He was married briefly when he first settled in the Black Creek area but she took off after a few months and nobody has seen her since.

Frank came years later, crossing the continent in a perilous journey and seeking his fortune out west. Frank was the only one of his group to make it so far and by the time he trespassed on Bill's land he was half-starved, sunburned and exhausted. Bill threatened him with a shotgun: "Black Creek's that fuckin' way."

Like the show, Frank didn't leave right away. He had a meal and stayed the night, and then another night and another, and for awhile it seemed like Bill had a ranch hand he could tolerate (and more!) But faced with those kind of feelings and disbelieving that someone as cheerful and kind as Frank could seriously care for him, Bill ended up chasing Frank out with bad moods and general unpleasantness.

Frank set himself up on a smaller plot on the other side of Black Creek and he and Bill didn't talk for awhile. They were off and on over the years - everyone sort of knew about them - but it was not smooth sailing and they spent more time apart than together.

By the time Bandit Tess resurfaced they were back together though, and actually working through their issues. After the story they stay in the area and finally merge their ranches. Bill eases off the drink and doesn't have any more benders in the lock-up under Sheriff Tommy. They get their happy ending.

[cannondisabledcharacters]

Accepted Characters 8/14/2023

Caryn Pines from Gravity Falls

Olek from Milkweed

Mickey Dooley from Rodzina

Hollis Forsythe from Psychonauts 2

Joanna Raines from Dead Man's Eye

Yugiri from Zombie Land Saga

Tess Hardscrabble from The Kneebone Boy

Lue Lars from 4E

Adam Petrazelli from Words on Bathroom Walls

Misha Milgrom from the Milkweed

Shiba from Soul Path

Gristol Malik (Nick Johnsmith) from Psychonauts 2

Augustus Aquato from the Psychonauts series

Big Barry Syx from Dimension 20

Phoebe Love from Psychonauts

Gunthrie Miggles-Rashbax (Gunnie) from Dimension 20

191 Characters Remain