Advent Of A Gunslinger

“Yeah, wouldja mind spendin’ the night up here with me?” she asked quietly. “...If ya don’t wanna, I’d understand. Just wanted’ta ask.” “...Dammit, ya old bitch. How desperate do you sound right about now? He’s half your age.”

Axel’s thoughts were a bit different from the faun’s. “...That’s all? She must be feelin’ the pain of lonesomeness. Kinda like I still am…” He remembered what Clarabelle said to him during the time they spent together. “Gotta be willing’ta open myself up to others and listen when they need help too. It’s a two-way street.”

“I don’t mind at all,” he replied slowly, “...But what exactly made ya wanna ask? I’m just curious.”

“Well, when you get’ta be my age,” she went on, “Folks don’t exactly look at you the same way. Which is good. I’m happy for that--but part of me still misses that...spark of having a man to talk to.” She put her pipe down in a nearby tray. “Or maybe I’m just a crazy ol’ attention whore stuck in the past.”

Axel narrowed his eyes. She had quite the habit of speaking lowly of herself, and it was something that started to grate on him. “Why wouldja call yerself that? Just ‘cuz you want someone’ta keep you company don’t make you no whore.”

“...The bastards I used to work with told me otherwise,” she grumbled, “Every other day, I heard them call me such things in between shoots and behind my back. Part of me even started to believe it. It’s like I was a slave to whatever they wanted me to do…” She sighed, and made room for Axel to join her on the bed. “Sorry, son. I keep droning on and on about myself--must be murder on your ears.”

He lied down next to her, and continued the conversation. “Not at all, ma’am. I don’t mind listenin’ to ya. So long as ya don’t keep puttin’ yerself down. That ain’t healthy at all.”

Silence. Then Martha would then do her best to change the subject. “...Enough about me for right now. What about you, Ax? What’s ya’lls plans when you’re done here?”

“Ah. I already have it figured out somewhat. See...I plan on scorin’ my griffon friend a new airship. He’s the only one among us who can fly ‘em. We can’t depend on Celaeno forever--we’re kinda invadin’ her space.”

“A ‘new’ one? What do you mean?”

Axel had to run her through what happened to them thus far…

“...and that’s where we are now,” he said, “We’re kinda messin’ with Captain Celaeno’s vibe on her ship, so we need’ta get Vido another one of his own so that we can function independently.”

“I see...aren’t those expensive?” she asked worriedly.

“Yeah they are. But I figure we’ll be alright. See, the bounty money we’re about’ta get from this abyssinian mage should cover us about halfway there,” he explained as he lay back against the pillow--claws behind his head. “All we need is one more good bounty and we’ll certainly have enough to get a new ship. That way we can keep ourselves goin’ and not hafta overcrowd Celaeno’s vessel.”

A particular part of his tale thus far still put her at unease. “...Based on what you told me about Vido, it sounds as if the airship he had meant a lot to him. Do you think obtaining a new one will assist with the emotional damage that has been caused by it?”

“Absolutely not,” Axel answered honestly, “Ain’t no way’ta tell whether or not that’ll help him in any way. That’s a pretty touchy matter that I ain’t exactly tryin’a patch it up with no bandages. But we need a new vessel so that we can move throughout this here desert safely and get outta Celaeno’s feathers as fast as possible.”

“Have you told him about this plan of yours?” Martha asked.

Axel looked over to his left to make eye contact with her. “Not yet. Mainly due to the touchiness I just mentioned. I’mma wait ‘til tomorrow, then give him the run-down. He’ll likely be more prepared’ta speak with me on it then.”

“I see...and what of Kora’s sister?”

“I’mma help her git her revenge, same as me. She’s lost someone important to her just like I have. She deserves that much.”

“...Well I’ll be damned. A gunslinger that actually gives a damn about more than just himself. His folks raised him well...for what little time they had with him. Guess Clarabelle was right” Martha hesitated before she would give a verbal response. “...Hm.”

Axel raised a brow. “Something wrong?”

“Nothing at all, sonny. I’m glad you’re thinking ahead. Young people of this generation don’t do enough of it. Just make sure you don’t pussy out near the end of your goal like I did…”

“...What?”

“Oh yeah,” she went on, “I didn’t tell ya this. I managed’ta take out the manager that tried’ta put hands on me...but after that I ran. I didn’t look back--nor did I try’ta save the other girls that were in the same situation.” She looked down at herself. “...That’s why I still keep them magazines on the table out there. To remind me of what I failed to do. Somethin’ that I’ll take with me to my grave.” She looked up at the ceiling. “Hence why I do my damndest to ensure my girls here at Milk Manor have the happiest lives they can get. Whether they wanna perform onstage, cook, or act as sex workers. They deserve to live happily and without the sense of fear I had in my youth.”

Once she had finished her recollections, Axel thought hard about what she said. The entire reason the madam did what she did, and acted so stubborn out there earlier that day, was because she refused to let any of the women working under her suffer through the same problems that she did--or worse, being left behind because she failed to do something when she could have.

And if those black-fur-yellow-eyed abyssinians were involved like she said they were, then Axel had all the more reason to hunt them down. Not just for Martha’s sake, but for the sake of all those who suffered abuse at their paws.

“...You don’t know this yet, Madam. But I’mma do my best’ta make them answer for their crimes against ya’ll. Trust.”

“Mighty fine, madam,” he said aloud, “You do a damn good job of keepin’ everything nice and in a row. I’m sure your gals are proud of ya.”

Martha chuckled, and said, “If there’s one thing I wanna take with me to the grave, it’s that I did a better job now than what I did all those years ago. And you...you’ve done wonders just by lending me your assistance and your ear today. So thank you once more, Axel.”

“...Ya welcome?” he answered with uncertainty, “I don’t really see where I did all that much. You was ultimately the one that figured things out for yerself.”

“Even so, having a nice young man to talk to was worth spending the time on,” she replied with a small smile, “Helps these old bones feel young again. So don’t sell yourself short, sonny.” She then turned over on her side beneath the blankets. “...Anyhow. It’s been quite a long day, and I’m sure you’re tired. Let’s try and get some rest, hm?”

“Indeed, madam,” he was about to turn over in the opposite direction until she called his name.

“...Axel?”

“Yes, Ms. Martha?”

Her question was asked in a slightly shaky tone. “...Wouldja mind...huddlin’ against me? Spoonin’ as it’s called.”

“...She probably wants some close companionship as she sleeps. After what she’s done for me, who am I to deny a simple request?”

“No issues here,” he replied. Axel would then schooch over towards her until he was close enough to press her body against his.

“...Go on,” she said, “I just wanna cuddle with a man--if that’s alright with you.”

Once again, not a problem. Axel wrapped an arm around her body, and pulled her in close until his abdomen pressed against her back. “...Is this good, madam?” he asked.

“...Mm-hmmm….zzz…” As soon as Axel’s claw was draped over her body, she grasped his wrist in her hands, and pulled his claw down towards her breasts...to which his fingers sank in. “He’s gonna get rewarded nicely tomorrow morning. Boy deserves that much.”

“...” Axel didn’t mind at all, though. Despite her age, her body was still quite voluptuous. Plus, it made spooning her much more comfortable because of the fact that he was able to hold onto her.

With how short she was in comparison, it was like holding onto a giant plush toy. A soft, cuddly sheep-goat-like toy with a curvy body, but still.

They were both able to sleep soundly that night...