Nathan Pritchert was born to a single mother in Reno, Nevada. He was a rambunctious child with a vivid imagination. Inspired by repeat viewings of the Magnificent Seven, Nathan wanted to grow up to be a cowboy. His mother married a police officer, and his step-father would instill in him the sense of justice, and of right and wrong. “People out there need someone like me, Nate,” his step-father said. “There are those that thing that because they’re bigger, or have more money, or because they carry a gun around, that they can do whatever they want. They don’t care about the little people, Nate. That’s where you and me come in.”
The next day at school, Dan Shumaker, school bully, age 10, was pushing Zoe Arnmin around. Nate wasn’t going to stand for it. He marched right up to Dan and pushed him to the ground. “Don’t go pulling Zoe’s pigtails anymore, Dan. Or you’ll answer to me!” Dan picked himself off the floor and was about to swing a fist when Nate narrowed his eyes and said “Go ahead, make my day.” The shocked look on Dan’s face was all that was needed as Nate went over to Zoe and helped her up. Nate was only six years old.
Needless to say, his mother started monitoring his viewing habits more closely.
Similar incidents would follow Nathan throughout his adolescent years. Someone was being bullied. Nate wouldn’t have any of it. He’d put a stop to it. He mostly helped the ladies.
After high school, Nathan spent two years in the community college. When he received his associate’s degree in criminal justice, he trained in law enforcement and was promptly hired by the Reno Sheriff’s Department, where he spent several years cleaning up the streets.
2007 is when things changed for him. Three local drug dealers had acquired fully automatic rifles, and had gone on a crime spree. Trapped in a bank, the criminals thought their only escape would be to shoot their way out. When Deputy Pritchert arrived on the scene, his eyes widen at the chaos that had spread. It was like a war zone. The streets were littered with bodies, of police officers and of civilians. Some were still alive but the constant spray of bullets kept help from pulling them to safety.
“No more,” Nathan thought. He assessed the scene and he came up with a plan.
Using tactics that he had read about and from various action movies he had watched, Nathan was able to have his fellow officers close in on the robbers and apprehend them with limited casualties. Unfortunately, Nathan was shot in the stomach as he advanced towards the criminals.
Waking up in a hospital bed, Nathan found himself staring at an older Asian doctor. “You’re very lucky,” the man said. “A shot like that would have killed a normal man. But you’re not a normal man, Nathan. You’re the child of a god.” He then revealed himself to be Nathan’s biological father, the Japanese god of war, Hachiman.
Nathan was sure that the painkillers were having an effect on his brain.
Over the course of the week, as Nathan recuperated, the doctor would tell Nathan about his history, about who he truly was. Nathan’s bravery and his actions in stemming the loss of life had garnered Hachiman’s attention. “I need a person that can lead. Anyone can be a foot soldier. Nathan, I need a general.”
On Nathan’s last day, Hachiman appeared and presented him with two items to aid in his life. “The book will help you lead. The gun will help you protect.” Nathan accepted the gifts, and thanked his father. To him, being the child of a god wouldn’t change a thing. He’s still a cop.
Addendum: Nathan’s first day back at work was a day of celebration. There was cake and punch. On his desk was a box with a card on it. The card read “Nice work out there, cowboy. Love, Mom and Dad”
Deputy Pritchert wears a Stetson now. Stetsons are cool.
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