Advent Of A Gunslinger

Axel approached the faun woman first. “Ms. Martha--do ya know about some kinda note that was sent yer way?”

“That I do, sonny. Apparently this here kitty-boy wants us’ta drop everythin’ and help him out…” she explained while holding the note in the air. “Smart of ya’ta send us a warnin’ beforehand I’ll admit.”

Both Axel and Martha turned their attention to Mio. The tom began to make his statement regarding the current affairs in the world. “Long story short, Klugetown is a cesspool. A disgusting zit that’s infected the South’s very existence. If no one is going to pop it, then it may as well be us.”

“I see…” Axel replied, “And you think the minotaurs would be down’ta help?”

“That I do,” Mio continued, “If that tiger woman is allowed to persist farming for precious minerals like Aionite, then she’ll have absolute power and could potentially create weapons of high caliber that would be absolutely unstoppable. Bullets that are made entirely of plasma energy…”

Axel grit his teeth as he bunched his claws up into fists. The mere idea that someone would create such cruel weaponry for the sole purpose of laying waste to others…it shook him to his core.

“...And they ain’t done it yet because they need me,” he muttered.

“Precisely,” Mio replied with a snap of his fingers, “Your father’s weaponry were designed for the sake of absolute control over one’s firearm and sidearms even while flying or upside-down. Those ideas are what could allow them to create energy weapons. Without them, they can’t move forward, but even then…” He turned his head to the side and sighed, “...Many still suffer from the haphazard conditions of that wretched place. Not to mention the other hippogri--”

Seemingly from nowhere, Axel forced his way into Mio’s face and scowled. “...Don’t mention ‘em. I know that, alright? Shit’s bad for everyone.” After giving that curt reply, he backed away, and started rubbing his claws against the sides of his head. “...I just gotta think. Shit, man, damn…between finally recoverin’ my sister and learnin’ that my brothers and parents kicked the bucket I dunno what’ta think no more…”

Such a revelation was unknown to Mio until now. The tom’s ears flattened out as he took a step backwards with an apologetic purr. “...I’m sorry. I had no idea that’s what you had gone through thus far. I can’t even begin to imagine your mental state.”

“Oh yeah?” Axel turned to face him once more, tapping the tom’s chest with a claw. “Whadda you know about sufferin’?! After everythin’ I’ve seen between Mr. Tony’s death up’ta now, I just---dammit!”

The ferocity in the gunslinger’s tone caused Mio to back away further, now holding his tail within his paws. It was as the old saying went: Beware the fury of a patient man.

Martha could tell that things were starting to get out of hand, and quickly came between the both of them. “Axel McKerry Remington. Calm your ass down. Now. This gentleman here is askin’ for our help. He ain’t here’ta cause you undue stress.”

“Ghh…grrr…” Axel took a moment to think to himself, reflecting on what he just said and heard…

“Axel McKerry Remin’ton! Don’t treat nobody unfairly just cuzza where they came from, ya hear? Everybody’s got their own ways of life, so do yer best to respect ‘em, okay?”

“Sorry, ma. I’ll remember next time…”

“Good. Now go over and apologize to that there and apologize to that griffon. Invite him over for lunch. I’m makin’ yer favorite. Fish sandwiches!”

“Oh…okay!”

“...Sorry…I just…” he shook his head, “What I said to ya was wrong. Please forgive me, Mio.”

With the hippogriff coming to his senses, the tom cleared his throat and replied. “Ahem…oh, it’s…no worries at all. I can see now that you’re under a lot of stress and should’ve considered that before I arrived. I should be the one apologizing.”

Axel sat down on his haunches, to which Martha comforted him with a hug and gentle whispers. “Shhh. It’s alright, sonny. I’m right here. Tell ya what, it’s been a long day today. Why don’t ya’ll get some rest and we can discuss this when we’ve all woken up, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed tomorrow mornin’? There’s an inn just down the road where you can rest, Mr. Feline.”

There was no way Mio could refuse such an offer. After all, he wanted their cooperation first and foremost. In the end, he had to agree. “Alright. Very well, my lady friend and I shall take shelter there for the evening. I hope you’ll have come to a decision by then…” With that, Mio took his leave, turning to exit the brothel and made his way towards the inn in the middle of the town.

“Gah…you remind me of ma,” Axel muttered under his breath as he rose to his hind hooves and began walking, “Always knew just what’ta say...”

But what Martha said next caused Axel to stop dead in his tracks. “Take time to think about this, sonny. Whatever you do next has the possibility’ta change the whole South. Maybe even the world. Don’t do somethin’ you’ll end up regrettin’ later…”

All Axel could do was respond cordially as he walked up the stairs. “Yeah ma…I understand…”