Advent Of A Gunslinger

“Aw, come on, amigo!” Vido pleaded, “I love you guys’ family history and I wanna know more about you in case I ever give tours of your home someday.”

“Hmmmph…” Axel’s eyes remained cold with his expression hidden by his facemask.

But Vido was stubborn, practically begging him with pitiful eagle-eyes.

“Dammit,” Axel rolled his eyes and reletend. “Fine. My full name is Axel MacChiarraí (McKerry) Remington.”

“Kerry? Interesting--was that your father’s name?”

“Yup,” the gunslinger replied with a nod, “That it was. Interestin’ story behind his name…”

Fleche spoke up with a rather wide smile on her face, “Ooh! Mind if I tell it, Ax? I love tellin’ folks about our family history.”

He scoffed. “Tch--you really wanna open that can’a worms, don’tcha?”

“Aye--and don’t call it that!” she playfully protested, “It nary a can’a worms, brother. It’s more like…er…a can’a beans. Yeah! Anyway,” she looked up at the griffon and started to answer him, “So, er--our pa, Kerry, he was a riot. He always used to tell us stories about how he used to participate in the Kegland toss when he was a wee colt. I think that’s where he got his name from…”

“Wait wait wait,” Vido interjected--he needed a moment to process all of the information he was being told. “What’s this ‘Keg’ toss?”

“Oh, you’d love it--!” Fleche continued, her voice carried a much more chipper aura than before as she began to ramble, “It’s only the most drop-dead craic sports around. See, the hippogriffs on me father’s side used’ta toss empty cider kegs to prove who was the strongest.” She paused and wistfully looked into the air as she remembered the stories she was told, “Aye, those were the days. Accordin’ta him, all the youngin’s would stand and watch as their mas, pas, older brothers, sisters, and cousins would cast the keg off into the air.”

Axel chuckled and tried his best to keep his sister on track. “Alright now. Let’s stick’ta one topic at a time, ya’hear? We’re discussin’ our pa’s name. Not the history of the whole damn sport.”

“Ey, gimme a sec, dear-brother,” Fleche replied and went on, “So right. Yes. Our pa was named after the great sport.” She chuckled at the humorous idea of naming one’s child after such a thing. “Hehe! Luckily, he ended up bein’ brilliant at it--lest he sully his own name, right?”

It managed to get Vido to chuckle also. “Yeah, that’d be awkward as heck, wouldn’t it?”

“Indeed. Anyhow, he ended up havin’ the lowest score for ten straight years in a row,” Fleche continued, “But one year, against all the odds, he ended up beatin’ all of our family members at their own game! And that’s how he met our soon-to-be ma at the time. She was spectatin' on that day as an audience member from Appleloosa. And how myself and my wee brothers were brought into the world.” Once her story was finished though, Fleche took a pause and her smile melted away into a frown. “Aye…wish I knew where they were now…”

“The twins…” Axel added, “Yeah. I’m worried about ‘em too. Fer now, I’m glad’ta have ya back, Fleece-wool.”

Fleche rolled her eyes as she trotted along. “Ugh. Can ye not call me that? I’m still yer older sister ya know.”

“I know,” he shot right back, “Miss our little chats like these. We got a shitload’ta catch up on…”

Behind them all…

Stratus had been observing the way Axel and Fleche had been communicating. Then, he came to a conclusion. “...Gotdamn. Who knew such a stone-faced killer would have someone he cares so much about…”

Next to him, Kora would respond. “Yes, that is indeed the unique quirk about bounty hunters. Underneath their hardened exterior is still a mortal being with their own thoughts, feelings, and desires. As much as they try to bury them, no one can cast away who they are…no matter how much blood they shed.” She looked down at her own paw and clenched it into a fist. “Not even me…”

“...I think I get it now,” said the finch man, “Some things in this world are more important than I give ‘em credit for.”

“You’d do well to remember that,” the she-cat said with a low purr, “We won’t be around to save you the next time you decide to dive headfirst into trouble without thinking. Understand?”

“Yeah…I do,” he broke eye contact and looked down at the ground beneath his talons. The sheer magnitude of foolishness that this young bird man felt was akin to having extra weights on both shoulders. “...I wanna apologize. I could tell that you were in fear the whole time you was down there. And yet…you fought anyway.”

The she-cat undid her fist and continued walking along the path with a normal gait. “I suppose--as cheesy as it sounds--it’s because I’ve found something else to care about. Something else to ease the pain of losing my sister.” She looked ahead at both the griffon and hippogriff, and chuckled with a small smile on her face. “Or more like two somethings. Two very noble men who I have become friends with. Brothers even.”

“Sounds mighty fine. You sure are lucky…” Stratus contemplated the importance of people who could support him. “Hm…Maybe…”

Soon enough, they all arrived at the airship port and waved goodbye to the border collie woman who greeted them as they boarded Vido’s ship.

And Fleche in particular had a few…choice words to say as she boarded the vessel. “Oi, are these one of them new flyin’ machines they be usin’ fer transportation?”

“That it is,” Axel replied, “Soon as we drop off this ol’ rascal, we'll be on our way’ta much greener pastures.”

“Ooh! Feckin’ brilliant that is…” Fleche squealed while trotting in place in a giddy manner…before suddenly stopping once she felt her stomach rumble. “...Och. Could use a good meal while we’re at it.”

Axel put one of her hooves around his shoulder to help her stand upright. “Hang on now, Fleche. I gotcha. Let’s get you to one of the cabins.” And with that, he escorted her below deck.

Kora nudged Stratus with her tail, prompting a surprised squawk from the finch man. “EEK! Hey…what the--?”

“Don’t you think you should say something to him upon his return?” she asked.

“...Yeah, you right.”