Advent Of A Gunslinger

Meanwhile, on Celaeno’s ship…

Kora had returned to the infirmary where Chang had been busy. “Excuse me,” she called out as she entered, “Mr. Chang? Are you available?”

The primate dropped down from the ceiling. “Xiǎojiě Kora. That I am. What would you like to speak of?”

“...The bird-folk. Where are they? The red guy and the black-and-white one that likes to spout die-rolling terminology.”

“Probably out scouting,” he explained, “They often take to the air to make sure nothing is going to threaten us from afar while we’re in an area.”

Kora couldn’t argue with that. While she had hoped to get to know the other crewmates better, she would have to accept that for now. “...Understood. Sorry for bothering you again.”

“It’s no trouble. But I’m worried,” he took a step towards her, “You look like you’ve lost something important to you. Is everything okay?”

“...It’s that obvious, huh?” Kora asked with a sigh, “I suppose there really isn’t much of a point in shying away from the details…”

Chang didn’t want her to make herself uncomfortable, so he quickly tried to dissuade her. “...Nothing is worth making yourself pain over. Do not force it.”

The she-cat shook her head. “It’s perfectly fine. Communication is important in times such as this…”

Kora would then go on to explain what had happened and how they managed to end up here on Celaeno’s ship in the first place…

“...Gangsters,” Change muttered under his breath, “They took your sister from you. And now you are after revenge. Just as the serpent continues to eat itself…”

She raised an eyebrow with a tense expression in her eyes. “What does that mean?”

“Apologies,” he replied as he cleared his throat, “Just thinking aloud. This is something that I can relate to.”

“...Oh?” Kora relaxed a little bit. If Chang could understand her plight, then maybe it would be worth asking. “...How so? If it’s no trouble for you to answer, that is…”

“Sān hé huì…”

She flicked her tail, not quite comprehending what he had just said. “...Excuse me?”

“Oh, sorry--was speaking my native tongue,” he went on, “It means ‘triad’. An organized gang syndicate near my homeland that’s very similar to the ones you’re dealing with. They...took my brother from me.”

Kora hung her head, and sighed. “...Oh. I...I see what you mean. I’m sorry about that.”

The primate crawled over to the tire swing near his desk, and climbed into it. “Don’t be. It’s not something you can fret over. Your loss was recent, and thus, is more important.”

While that was true to a degree, Kora didn’t want to devalue the loss of a life. “Even so...losing your brother isn’t something that you can ignore.”

“For the sake of my sanity, though, I had to accept and let him go at some point,” he explained with a somber tone, “It wasn’t easy. And I’m not suggesting that you should rush your feelings or anything. But…” He scratched the back of his head. “...Gāisǐ. What exactly am I trying to say here?”

The point behind Chang’s message was a bit muddled, but Kora understood the gist of it. “...I think I understand. You don’t want me to succumb to insanity over the death of my sister.” She sat down on a nearby wooden chair. “The sad part is...I think I already have.”

“...What do you mean, friend?”

Kora unsheathed her claws, and inspected them. “...I’ve gotten a taste for spilling their blood. And I don’t want to stop until every single one of them are in shreds and begging for mercy.”

“...Ughh…” Chang let loose an audible shudder at the thought. “...An eye for an eye makes the world go blind, my friend. I understand if that’s what you want to do, but I hope you’re aware of the risks involved.”

“I am,” she replied bluntly, “No offense. But I know what I’m doing, what I want, and how I’ll get it.”

Chang took a closer look at Kora’s attire. The gym shorts, sports bra, and rather chiseled figure could only mean one thing. “...You are a combat instructor are you not?”

“That’s correct,” she said, and looked down at herself. She realized how he came to that conclusion, and chuckled. “...Good eye you have. What makes you bring it up?”

“...I bring it up because I want you to ask yourself something,” he sat upright, and stared her in the eyes as he made his next point, “How would your students react if they found out that you planned on going on a rage-fueled siege against your enemies? Do you teach them true discipline or are you passing on those ideas?”

Kora leaned forward with her fingers interlocked as she stared at the floor. That was a rather valid question given the circumstances. However, she came prepared with an answer. “...If I ever return to my students, I want them to know that it’s perfectly okay to seek retribution, but under no circumstance are they obligated to do so. In a place such as Klugetown, you can’t allow weakness to overcome you. That’s how others take advantage of you.”

The monkey fell silent. “Her culture and sense of understanding vastly differs from mine. If that is how she truly sees the world, then there’s no point in trying to make her perspective change.”

“...Is everything alright?” Kora asked, noting how silent he had become.

“Of course,” Chang replied, and went back over to his desk where the potions were, “I just...need some time to myself.”

The tension in the room was too great, so Kora decided it would be better to vacate the room as soon as possible. “...I understand. I hope your brother is in a better place.”

“I wish the same for your sister,” he said.

No more words were exchanged between the two. Kora simply left the room--a bit more conflicted than she was previously. “...I hope we all find peace someday.”

Back within the Madam’s place…

Effectively broken down by Clarabelle’s words, Axel was much more willing to speak his mind than before. The explanation for why he was so distant towards others was a rather simple one.

“...I don’t wanna see nobody else die,” he said in a low voice, “After losin’ my family, it was too damn much for me’ta see that to happen to no one else. So I make sure that I don’t get attached to nobody. All I know is the gun and the coin.”

Clara held him close against her body as if cuddling her lifelong lover. “I completely understand...your life has been super painful, hun. I can’t imagine what it was like growing up on your own from...how old were you?”

“That was...about twenty years ago. I think I was seven or eight at the time?” he tried to recollect those days, only to have a cold sweat run down the side of his face with a shudder. “Rrgh...I didn’t wanna live at no damn orphanage. I was scared of the same damn thing happenin’ to me. So I went ahead and started collectin’ bounties in order to make money. Took up use of my pa’s guns to do it, and well--been doin’ it for the last two decades now. Took me a while’ta get here, but I manage…”

“You ‘manage,’” Clara repeated his words with a saddened tone, “But it sounds like you know there’s more to life, sweetie. You’re simply afraid of it because of your past…” she cupped a hand beneath his chin, and directed his face to make eye contact with her. “Is that right?”

Axel’s cheeks were mushed up from the grip of the minotaur woman. Confused, he would ask her a question in return. “...Aren’t you happy with how your life is? Everyone’s got a different way they wanna live.”

Clara let go. “...True. That’s a fair point. Everyone has the right to live their own lives the way they want. And I am not actively forcing you to change your ways…” She pulled him in a bit closer so that their faces were on even level with each other--his crotch stopping right at her breasts. “However, I want you to hear me out. I too, had to run from a bad situation in my youth…”

His eyes shot wide open. He never would have guessed that she had endured something equally tragic. “Ya did?”

“Mm-hmm...I grew up with my parents near Mt. Aris, but one day, when I came home...they were dead.” She broke eye contact, and looked away. “So I ran...ran until I found this valley. And I was able to take shelter here. Among new friends. I spent most of my time taking care of the plants and other vegetables until I decided to join the ranks of the Madam. I still take care of the greenhouse from time to time, but...I love it here. And I’ve made loads of new friends.”

That was certainly a shock. Axel couldn’t even believe it at first. “...Friends? Ya mean like them three that stood in front of me with ya?”

“Mm-hmm!” she looked at Axel once more, “Ebony, Brandy, and Patches are all wonderful girlfriends. But that’s only because I made sure I opened up to, and was honest with them. Yes, they tend to get rowdy a lot, but they make sure they treat each other well.” She brushed some of her hair back. “...I just need to speak up more, heehee.”

“...She’s got a point. If a lady of the night can score some folks that love and support her, then I should be able to do the same, right? But...Vido and Kora--do they really think the same way of me?”

“...So your sayin’...I should let others approach me?”

“Well, it helps if you’re willing...you certainly let me approach you…” she stroked his mane to help him relax further. “Ain’t that right, Axie?”

The hippogriff stuttered, and wasn’t able to reply. “I...hmph…”

“Aw, yer so adorable when you look like this!” she squealed, and gazed at him with classic bedroom eyes, “Now...wanna keep goin’?”

He froze. “...”

Meanwhile…

The black-furred Abyssinian had snuck into the building through an open window on the top floor.

“Perfect. Now to prove my worth and get that money.”