Advent Of A Gunslinger

Kora had taken possession of the tome, since she was the only one that could read it. It would also serve as proof that the bounty had been successfully completed. She would shower, and sob to herself at the mere thought of a sweet older woman’s life being made worse by her own kind.

“...I will make them pay. Soon Mynx. I promise.”

With Vido…

As soon as the griffon showered, he found a bed to sleep in, and was out almost instantly. Between figuring out how to deal with Celaeno and his future as a pilot now that his airship was destroyed, he was stuck wondering if his own father may have been wrapped up in the situation with the yellow-eyed abyssinians. Everything seemed to add up, considering the truth behind his disappearance was equally shrouded in mystery…

“...I’ll find out the truth, papa.”

Meanwhile, in the infirmary…

Chang had been working with the minotaur nurses to ensure the safety of the three that had been inflicted with the curse. The primate prince had adapted to the environment quite nicely, and even managed to offer some tidbits of info they may not have known before.

“I’m an expert on bovine biology,” he said whilst showing two of the nurses a clear fluid within a beaker. “Sick minotaurs need lots of water mixed with sodium, potassium, and chloride to filter their innards.”

“Ohhhh…” a pink minotaur gal with white spots wearing light blue scrubs replied, “I had always used water, but I was never sure if I should put something else in it.”

Another minotaur woman wearing a traditional nurse cap and uniform was standing next to the pink one. Her body was cream-colored and she had some freckles on her face. This was the head nurse. “I kind of figured that would work, I just never knew how much I should add.”

“So long as it doesn’t make the water salty to the point of being unpalatable,” Change explained as he grabbed an empty beaker with his tail, “They should be fine. Just measure the salt in something like this beaker, and transfer it to the water you normally give your patients. It seems that they’re suffering from an extreme drain on their bodies. They could be out for a few days or for a few weeks…”

The head nurse gave an annoyed grumble under her breath. “...Gah. I hope whoever did such a thing suffers a long, painful death…” She grabbed the beaker out of his tail grip.

Chang let out a small chimpish chirp. “Ae. You should not wish that upon your enemies. It’s best we act only in defense of our neighbors. Not in anger.”

“Easy for you to say,” said the nurse-taur, “You probably have no idea what it’s like to see something like this happen to your close family.”

“Actually...I do. Which is why I prefer not to act in anger in the first place…” he looked down at the floor, “It only further leads us to ruin.”

The pink minotaur gal in scrubs took a step towards him. “Hm? What do you mean, monkey-man?”

“It’s...it’s nothing, sorry,” Chang placed the other container down, and headed for the infirmary’s exit. “Anyway, those three should recover soon enough. I need to go catch some rest. Goodnight, niú fùnǚ.”

As he left, the head nurse scoffed and sat back down at her desk. “Tch...whatever. Kid’s lucky--the reality of the world hasn’t hit him yet.”

The pink minotaur looked on in silence as she watched Chang leave. “...What’s up with him?”

With Roseanne…

Once she showered, she was prepared to settle down for the evening. However, she would get a visit from Clarabelle before she could.

“...Ms. Giovanni? Are you alright?”

“It’s open,” she called out while drying her hair, “What’s goin’ on, CB?”

Clarabelle walked up to her with a letter in her hand. “I have something for you.”

The minotaur girl groaned--she instantly knew what it was. “Ugh! Pa again?! What does he want now?”

“Hey now, you know your pa loves and wants what’s best for you. This is only his third letter this week,” she lectured to Roseanne.

With a roll of her eyes, she accepted the letter in her hands, but chose not to open it right away. She set it on the nightstand next to the bed. “Meh. I’m way too tired right now. I’ll ready what it says tomorrow.”

“Fair enough,” Clarabelle replied, “Rest well, okay?”

“Yeah yeah…” Rose would lie down upon the bed and relax for the evening.

“You worry too much, pa.”

With Axel…

The hippogriff had decided to return upstairs to Martha’s residence. As it turned out, the door was still unlocked, so he was able to walk right in.

“Ma’am?” he called out.

“...Ax? Ya back?” Martha’s voice was muffled as it came from another room down the hallway to his right. “I’m in here. Hang on.”

He made sure to lock the main door to the apartment behind himself before turning down the hall. From the sound of it, the faun woman was in her bedroom.

Axel approached. “Everything alright? You ain’t hurt are ya?”

“Nah, just--c’mon in.”

Since he had her permission, Axel would accept her offer, and step into her bedroom. The room was rather large, and was fitted with sleek, velvet carpeting, a few photos that hung on the wall, a massive walk-in closet with loads of designer clothes and shoes. The closet on its own was big enough to be considered its own separate room with full-body mirrors on all sides of the doors that one could stand in front of to see themselves. There was another door that led to the bathroom, and in the middle of the room was her bed. It had a frame that was painted white with gilded gold edges on every corner. It was like something straight out of the Trottingham Victorian Era.

Martha was lying on her bed, still smoking her pipe. Though now, she had removed her bathrobe. She instead had on some black, frilly lingerie--bra, panties, and fishnet pantyhose--all black with floral trim that accented her wide hips and bust. Despite her age, she really did not look it at all.

To the point where Axel was taken aback when he laid eyes on her. “...Erm, are you sure it’s alright that I come in?” he asked.

“Yeah, yeah, get in here,” she responded with an annoyed tone, “I like’ta wear this stuff because it helps me feel like I still got something after all that I’ve been through. You know what I mean, boy?”

It was a personal sentiment for her. The desire to finally feel comfortable in her own skin without anyone breathing down her neck over it. Based on what she had said to him previously, Axel could easily wrap his head around it.

“Believe it not, madam, but I think I do. Wonderful room ya got here, by the way.”

“Thanks,” she patted the side of the bed she was lying upon to direct him to come sit by her. “Now if you don’t mind, lend this old bat an ear, would ya?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He wasn’t going to refuse. After all, Axel had willingly returned so that he could speak to the faun madam. So he took a seat on the left side of the bed next to where she was lying down.

Once he sat down, Martha would question him. “Now...what madeja come back up here, boy?”

Axel interlocked his claws, and stretched his arms out in front of him. “There ain’t no one reason why I came back up here. Chalk it up to a few things.”

“Go on,” she said, beckoning him to continue.

“Well for starters, this entire place is pretty damn nice. Clarabelle especially seeing how well she treated me and the folks I’m travellin’ with,” he continued as he put his arms down. “Then there’s the fact that you went and made a whole meal for me specifically. But there’s also the fact that you apparently know my folks. The fact that they helped ya makes me feel a sense of obligation to ya too...or somethin’ like that.”

Martha crossed one of her legs over the other, and chuckled. “I see how it is. You only see me as useful to get whatcha want outta me. Sly dog.”

“...W-what?” Axel stuttered, genuinely nervous as he tried to come up with a response. “N-not at all, ma’am! I--”

“Hmhmhm…” Martha would continue to chuckle to herself, and waved her hand. “Settle down, Ax-boy. I was just pullin’ yer leg.”

The hippogriff relaxed, and found himself chuckling also. “...Ah. I see now. You got a good sense of humor there, ma’am.”

“Anyhow, I appreciate all of whatcha said. And…” As she stopped laughing, her face became solemn as she broke eye contact, her ears drooping. “...I got a favor I wanna ask of ya.”

“Oh?”