Chapter 4 - Clawz Of Love
Read Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3
Contains: Characters talking about their issues, Trans PoC having fun, queer folks getting to explore themselves, hot monster girls.
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New, new is scary, new is exciting, new is intimidating, new is salvation. New. So many things could be described by this word, and one person's new is another person's old news. And new news is only new to the folks who weren’t around when the news was new. So it is that in any story everything the first time is new, it is to say when your life has been altered that everything is new again, it is to say when you struggle things become new, even if they look the same.
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Jillian
There was no sign of Trucey nor the maybe-my-daughter vampire I just faced. We ended up resting. I lay against Iris cuddled in her feathers as Kat paced, they were kinda cute. The strange feelings and the amulet’s glowing hadn’t stopped. Still I had to find Trucey even if it was Serena (if it was her) it was most likely they were together.
Kat asks me, “Do you ever feel wrong, Jillian? I mean, you’re a witch so you may feel wrong every second of every day, straying so far from the holy light. But I mean like in the way that your body, your self is restricted. You’re briming to be more.”
She had been more clingy to me, and had this odd moving back and forward from being nice and mean to me. Was I being negged or was it just trying to be a good little nun while realizing your life is in the hands of someone you hate? I muster a small reply “Your not far off base, the holy light has made me feel wrong for a long time.”
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Kat moves closer to me and asks with excited eyes, “Oh, wanna tell me about it then?”
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“No.”
“Why not?”
“You’re like 5.”
“I’m 25, I can handle bad feelings. I am a lady of the church after all”
I smirk “Aren’t nuns supposed to be quiet?”
She stuck her tongue out “I feel lively. Maybe being around such a wild woman has awoken some energy in me.”
I giggle a bit and stand up, getting serious “Why don’t we start with issue number one then: I am stuck with someone who clearly doesn’t respect me. I don’t like nuns, but I tried being nice.”
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She looks angry at me, walking up to get in my face. “Well… you’re some sinner, you should try being holy and you might actually do some good when not being a hired gun!”
That made me feel strange, oh goddess did I feel strange. What was I, my mind in a haze. I grabbed her hands and swooned. “Oh, is it that simple? Then I shall be holy as possible! But not for the Holy Light.”
Now she looked even more like the puzzled, confused follower of a fake story book when she had a chance for real.. Worship.
Quickly I start to fiddle with my necklace, it was doing something to me. I manage to take it off my neck and pant, falling to my knees. I was so afraid, I was feeling good. Like I was someone else.
My hands radiate a strange color as Kat moves towards me. I pressed my hand holding the necklace against Kat, trying to get her to go away, but then she falls back looking strange as well.
Kat stands and grabs my hand. “I think you should talk to me seriously”
I didn’t want to explain everything in my life to her. Even people I loved I hid so much from, but I decided to try speaking even if just a bit. There was a strange bond between the two of us, somehow I knew it...
For once, I spoke my full mind of the empire, since Serena vanished. “The holy light is cruel, it took my child and brainwashed her. It threatens my other children, forcing me to attack my own friends in order to keep my daughter and other kids even close to being able to be who they are. I fought tooth and nail for them and now I don’t even have myself to trust. I can only hope someone will be stronger and better than I.”
Kat grabbed my hand. “Sometimes I feel like there is a duality to me. Like I wasn’t fit to be a woman of the holy night not because I am not a believer...but because being a woman felt strange. Being a man, the idea of that also felt strange. ”
I interject, “Sounds like non binary of some kind.”
She looks like I had just shined a new holy light in her eyes “There is a word for this feeling.”
I explain everything to her. on as base level as I can and she looks excited, the words softly coming out of her mouth. “Normally I would simply pray when these feelings got strong, I… I feel like I am forgetting things. ”
I grab her hand “I am sorry that you work for the order.”
Kat grips my hand tightly muttering “fire”.
I think I got the picture, poor little Kat. Well I guess I would take care of her. I stuff the necklace in my bag, I couldn’t part ways with it but at least I could keep it away for a bit. There was something more to it, I would figure it out.
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Trucey
We walked around Clawz, it was kind of like a normal village, only people didn’t exchange coin. It seemed people were just giving each other things they worked hard on and that no one was particularly better off than anyone else.
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Oh, also everyone was a monster. Monsters that until, well I wasn’t sure how I long it has been since I passed out, but until right then I would have been ready to fight the second I saw them. Could it be that monsters could have communities similar to that of humans.
Serena patted me on the back and said “Enjoying it? it’s so diverse here, so many different kinds of people, all living happily giving each other whatever they can. Some people work a guard duty, some are able to do less and mostly do what they can to help other’s mental health. Everyone here simply works for their community in whatever ways they can do best.”
That sounded idealistic, like it was something that couldn’t last, could it? All these monsters were happy, was there a catch somewhere? Regardless, I had left my armor and sword inside Serena’s house, so I was putting my trust in Serena here.
A cute pair of Goblin girls grab me and Serena, and raise up a matching pair of bracelets. “You two seem like you’re close, please take these. Relationship Bracelets - we make them as a symbol that two people will only grow closer!“
Serena pats one of the girls heads and puts it on. “Thank you, sweeties. You two are too nice. I’ll have to do something to make it up to you.”
There was the sweetest smile on her face, Serena had big mom energy and I couldn’t help but just cascade into it taking a bracelet and putting my arm around hers “Thank you, I am sure it will help.”
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We walked around seeing the people, the fun, it was just a stroll, but at the end of it Serena took me to a pub-like building. There was a bar so I assumed pub but it seemed to be a general restaurant, just the one stop shop for whatever food and drink. There was a Tiefling - a demon girl, horns, blue skin nails like claws, you know. Tiefling - standing behind a bar.
Serena waves at her, “Hey Luci, can I get your fried chicken for my girl Trucey and for me just a glass of the usual for now.”
Luci served up a glass of red wine and handed it over to Serena, then looked over to me “She’s cute. Is that your big crush then?”
Serena’s eyes were red with flames like she was going to shoot hell at her. Luci just giggles and moves to the kitchen area to let the cooks know the order.
I was a bit flustered myself and I try to nervously change the topic. “So bestie...not gonna drink blood?”
Serena nods. “I only need so much, I got my fill from you, I normally get it from blood bags people donate. Anyway, what do you think of the town?”
I leaned against the counter. This was hard. Hard for me to admit as a Paladin, but I wasn’t sure that’s what I wanted to be any more either. “It scares me, scares me knowing what I have done in the past could have been hurting people who were innocent, friendly, kind - like the people in this town.”
Serena attempted to jokingly assure me, “Hey, Luci is a jerk so not everyone here perfect.”
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I sigh. It wasn’t exactly a helpful joke, but I realized she must be dealing with so much of the same fears, and was perhaps just a while ahead of me. I grab her hand. “I am having a hard time dealing with all this, but I think we can talk about it once we are done here. For now, I know one thing and that is that I am going to stand by you Serena. I won’t let you out of sight again.”
Serena moved closer to me “The feeling is mutual. If I am being honest, I would turn back into a Paladin if it meant staying with you, although I am sure you wouldn’t accept that.”
She knew me, I wouldn’t let her hurt herself like that again. If there was truth to Holy Light, then perhaps we could become some new sect of Paladin. But returning to where she felt so much pain, I don’t think it was an option.
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Serena moves closer to me, her lips nearing mine when Luci plopped down a plate of chicken. “Here you two love birds go.”
Perhaps Serena was right, Luci was pure evil! I grab a piece of chicken, quickly stuffing my face trying to avoid the awkwardness. The food was great, so that was nice.
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After that quick meal, we headed back towards Serena’s home. There, she explained, “So after I was changed, I could have returned to the queen's castle, but the Paladins knew where that was. And they were likely coming in for a sweep of all monsters then to take it over. So I came back here. I was raised here for a while before Jillian adopted me. Some people actually happened to vaguely remember me, like Luci, so they got a house sorted for me although I’ve barely been here. Had other stuff to take care of. ”
Just as I was about to ask for more details there was a scream in the distance, a flash of light magic. We ran towards the sound at the leftmost gate of the town. The sound of metal clanging - of soldiers marching forward. Oh no.
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Jillian
We had reached the gate of Clawz. I didn’t want us to advance further, but having seen a town in the distance, Kat of course thought it’d be a good place to go. The last thing I wanted was to bring a nun into a monster village. While I had only been here a few times I knew it’d probably be a lot of the person between gender to understand. If she hated witches then well this would be some whole other level for the little holy person.
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I grabbed her hand and warned her, “If we enter this town there is no going back for you. You will never look at the world the same. Perhaps it is best we allow you to stay ignorant.”
Kat smirked. “I am a holy woman, I have prayed for people with dire wounds and illness, there is nothing I can see that will shock me so much.”
I sigh and knock on the Rightmost gate to have a Naga (part snake part human) and a Arachna (half spider half human) dart their eyes at the nun. I grab Kat lifting them up “Don’t worry this little one is with me, they wanted to see the town. They are having a
crisis of faith, probably about to have a break down, got a bed I can put her in?”
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Kat replied in confused frustration, “I’m not going to… Why are you talking to them like…?” I moved her a bit further in, pushing her head to the gap in the gate so she can see beyond, see the display of monster people living their lives happily. Aaaaand there we have it, Kat passes out, and just like that I grip her with both hands, using a bit of magic to make it easier to carry her.
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The naga rolls her eyes “You should be careful with trash, I don’t trust them.”
The Arachna uses one of her legs to point us in the direction of the resting house, travelers went there to get sleep and there were beds of all sizes. I found one inside, and rested Kat down.
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But just as I set then down, they popped back up. “I’m good, so ummm monsters live here.”
I could see light magic gathering in her. Was she planning on attacking? I sigh, looking around at the monsters sleeping in beds. I point my fingers over my lips and grab her hand to pull her into the community space where we could actually talk. There was just a few folks there, nothing worth noting really.
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I explain, “Yes, monsters are real ass people, welcome to learning more that the Holy Light is awful, use a light spell against them and I will just let you die. My job is to kill the demon princess, not protect you from your own mistakes.”
Kat’s magic aura stopped charging and I gripped her hand. “Okay, good. You’re my partner as long as you're here, I just rescued you for the nunnery. People are going to offer you new clothing, you should probably take it but don’t if your not going to wear it. ”
Kat looks puzzled. “People would just give me clothing?”
I giggle a bit. “Yes, when you care about others, don’t have coin as a real system, you work on mutual aid. They will assume that if you’re in here then you probably ran away. You’re not the first nun to ever run into Clawz, or any other monster town.”
Kat takes a deep breath. “O-Other monster towns?”
I shrugged. “Well, there used to be wider monster collections and collectives, but The Holy Light has been working to squash places like this for as long as it’s been in power.”
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Children were so much easier than adults, children learned to accept and love others, while adults have their hearts sealed, crushed in by the oppressive world. Kat had youthful energy, but I wasn’t sure her heart would open. There was already a lot going on in their mind, it could be overwhelming.
A sweet orc dude tapped Kat on the shoulder, and as she moved back a bit I grabbed on to their waist in support. “It’s ok sweetie, he was just looking to ask you a question.”
The guy smiled. “Ahh. New around here, like I thought. I have a little clothing spot, got human sizes I love sowing human dresses, and it be lovely if you checked some of mine out.”
Framing it as a favor to yourself, the kindness knows no bounds. Kat nods her head, “I would love to.” I could almost hear her thoughts from her intensely concentrated expression, ‘treat them like normal people, treat them like normal people,’ over and over or one assumes.
Regardless, we go into a building full of clothes, this is where the people made clothing and grabbed it. Kat’s eyes sparkle when she sees this one amazing outfit - it had more of a suit inspiration on the top part and flows into a lovely long skirt bottom, it was like powerful androgyny.
Kat asks the Orc Man, his name was Kyle, if he could try it on. Kyle kindly lets her, they slip into the dress, and we applaud them when they come out looking amazing in it. For a moment it seems the nun had forgot their holy teachings. They run up Kyle and hugged him and they both giggle. It was touching, for a moment I forgot my own teachings. I smile. I care about Kat. Fuck.
I pull a glowing stone out of my pouch. “Kyle, would you need a resizing stone. I figure it would help you help people get these things as perfect fits.”
The man glows with joy “That’s fantastic!!! Thank you.” Unlike Kyle, I was not a nice person, I just felt bad that I would take such a great outfit for Kat when we were using a lie to be here. A gift to hold in guilt, I am sure.
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Kat grabs her habit and the rest of her get-up and stuffs it in her own bag. “I should wear this around… so no one bothers me right?”
Oh gosh, they really loved it didn’t they. I encourage them “Ya, wear it around you look great.”
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We hear a loud noise. I wasn’t going to rush to check it out, but Kat runs forward so I follow.
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I see it, the Paladins were here. Standing in front of them, opposing them near the monsters they’d knocked down and threatened, was Trucey… and Serena.
What was I going to, it was… the kids, but Serena, and what if they report... Oh no, oh god, fuck, fuck, fuck. I...I….I…….