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Clover fiddled with the toy gun in their hands as they padded towards Sunnyside Farm. The scent of freshly grown corn lazily swept their way the closer they came, and they kept their eyes peeled for North Star, or maybe Solomon, as they squinted at the farmhouse up ahead. The heat of the Dunes never bothered them, yet a chill was in the air that seeped through their clothing and fur.
If they were lucky, they’d spot the monsters they were looking for and could head right back to town soon afterwards.
Rounding the other end of the road further ahead, however, was neither of those monsters.
In fact, it was no one Clover recognized.
Clover tipped their head as they slowed to a stop. The toy gun was an assurance in their palms… despite that, they passed it from one hand to another, holstered it against the side of their hip, and patted their palms clean as they wandered up to the new monster. The monster was Clover’s height, with fluffy fur and tiny fur-colored horns poking out from either side of their head. They had been staring at the farmhouse, hands folded behind their back and head tilted up like they’ve never seen a house before. But as Clover drew near, they tilted their face just enough to slide their gaze towards Clover’s direction.
It was almost like they were seeing through Clover.
“Greetings.”
Clover felt the edges of their mouth twitch down. A warning bell was setting off in their head the longer the monster was staring through them. Something must have flickered in their expression as the monster began to grin, all facial muscles pulled taught yet mot an inch of sincerity gave within their eyes.
“You seem like a monster that would live in a place like this,” the monster continued. “So perhaps you would know your way around here. Do you?”
“Something like that,” Clover answered.
“Then if you could help me, I would be grateful.” The monster turned in place, facing Clover fully. It didn’t help Clover’s fur to lie entirely flat, but the instinct to put up a fight eased. “I am looking for a town around here. There is supposed to be some sort of Wild East that’s been established here somewhat recently.”
Somewhat recently? Clover tilted their head to one side. The Wild East has been around for years now. Perhaps sensing Clover’s confusion, the monster waved a hand.
“I have never been there before. Traveling on my own like this is rare. And, if I were to be honest, I do not know how long I have until… well. Will you help me find the Wild East or not?”
That didn’t help their case by Clover’s books. But at this point, it would be easier to lead this monster to where they wanted to go than drop the ball here… and so Clover nodded, mumbled “this way,” and started heading back the way they came. The monster quickened their pace until they walked side-by-side with Clover.
“Could I ask for your name?” The monster went on.
Clover side-eyed the monster. They were still smiling at Clover in a way that didn’t reach their eyes at all. Clover shoved their hands into the pockets of their vest as they walked, keeping their hands away from the toy gun at their hip. For now.
“It’s Clover,” they eventually said.
“And how long have you known about the Wild East, Clover?”
What was this monster’s deal? Clover had half a mind to ask. Instead, they met the monster’s searching gaze as leveled as they could and went, “Long enough to call it home. Everyone there’s like family to me.”
The monster’s brow twitched. They almost looked like they wanted to stop grinning. “Did you know that you keep a remarkable stone-faced facade?”
“No one at home minds.” No one that Clover cares about, anyway. It may be the itch that lied just above their fur, but Clover added past half-parted teeth; “Y’d probably know, since you never stopped sneerin’ the second you showed up.”
“It is called smiling. It would not hurt you to try it.” The monster was laughing without a hint of warmth; Clover’s warning was heard, loudly and clearly. “You would be more like other kids that way if you did.”
“Well, I’m not. Don’t have any plans to be.”
And Clover gets the idea that this monster wasn’t, either.
Clover kept the hands in their pockets balled into fists as they nodded ahead. “We’re here.”
The monster hummed and fell silent as the two of them walked past the eastern gate. They stayed quiet as they got close to Blackjack’s. Clover wondered if they should tell the monster about the establishment, but a quick glance at the monster gave them the nagging sense that the monster was coming up with their own conclusions on the matter. Clover didn’t want to know them.
“Up ahead’s the center of the town,” they said instead. They let the monster walk on ahead, stalking after them a few paces back.
Coming to a stop at the bell, the monster folded their hands behind their back and twisted on their heel, brown fur twirling with them as they did. For a moment, they looked younger: like someone who was shown something new after having lived something smaller, more mundane, for a very long time. Clover wasn’t buying it – not completely – but the longer they watched the monster, the more they wanted to ask…
“Hey,” Clover started to say just as a small noise crept up the monster’s throat. It eventually crawled out of their mouth as a raspy-sounding snicker. “What’s up with you?”
“This is stupid.”
Clover narrowed their eyes. “Wha’dya mean?”
“A town entirely dedicated to human culture like this,” the monster said with the cadence of a person narrating over garbage. Clover’s hackles rose. “I did not believe it. I still cannot. I’m torn as to whether to be impressed or disappointed by the fact that it is true. And this dump has been around for years?”
“If you don’t like it, you don’t have’ta stay for it,” Clover growled.
“If only dislike was the only thing I felt about this.” Gone was that wonder from before; that unhappy smile was back, cruel to behold as they glared at Clover. “You have not seen what humans are like, but I have. Emulating them like this mocks the way monsters suffer every day.”
Clover felt eyes upon them. They were being watched. The two of them were causing a scene. As easily as breathing, Clover shuffled their stance – putting all the practice they had copying North Star to use – as they hovered a hand over their toy gun.
“And you. You think differently. You think yourself greater than the rest of the underground’s collective unhappiness by indulging in these fantasies, do you not?” The monster continued.
“I think,” Clover said carefully, “doing good for whoever’s closeby is better than knockin’ down everyone around you.”
The monster laughed, disbelieving. “You think you are so cool, don’t you? You think I am being a villain here. You are an idiot. You have no clue on what you are doing and what you think you are defending.”
“I do. More than you.” Clover unholstered the toy gun. They drew a breath. Their voice did not waver as they gritted out, “Put your gold and your bullets where your mouth is. We’re gonna have a duel, right here, right...”
Static filled the air. The monster flinched. Their grin twitched – for a split second, it looked like they were going to finally stop smiling – but then they raised a hand towards Clover as if they were about to summon a bullet.
Of course this thing wouldn’t care about the rules around here!
Clover lifted their gun, ready to fire--
“Clover!”
“Chara!!”
A hand fell on Clover’s shoulder just as a large monster swooped in and took the other monster’s. The monster squeaked as they were practically engulfed into a hug, nearly hidden entirely by armored arms and a billowing purple cape. As for Clover, they lifted their head and met North Star’s wide-eyed gaze.
“What in tarnation’s going on here?!” North Star demanded. Clover felt their brow scrunch. It would take too long to explain, they thought, and so they pointed their gun-wielding hand in the monster’s direction. “An’ stop wavin’ that thing around, ‘specially towards the royal kid!”
Royal kid?
Clover looked at the little monster and the large one that was keeping them trapped. They looked exasperated while the larger monster seemed a bit apologetic.
“Howdy! Sorry for disturbing everyone.” The large monster boomed. The very air ease; Clover, themselves, felt a tentative comfort settle in the eye of the storm of their frustration. “You have all made a fine town here. I am happy to see so many of you doing well here. We cannot stay for long, but we wish everyone here a good day.”
A near imperceptible “Dad” squeaked out from the depths of the large monster’s cloak. The large monster peered down, patient and kind, as he hummed in thought.
“We can discuss what has happened here when we get home. If you want, we can both pay a visit here together very soon. Alright, Chara?” He lifted his gaze, found Clover’s, and smiled as he went on, “You new friend can tag along, too. Say, little one, have you ever been to New Home?”
“No. Absolutely not. Not happening,” came the small monster’s protests with immediate clarity and vitriol.
“Haha. Well! Let’s be on our way. Goodbye!” With a lot more speed than Clover thought possible, the large monster hurried himself and the little monster through the eastern exit.
“Phew!” North Star’s hand slid off of Clover’s shoulder. “An’ here I was thinking I’d have to wrangle you both…” As Clover looked up at North Star, he furrowed his brows at them. “What in the hay was any’ve that about, Clover? You know better than t’ pick fights like that.”
“Defendin’ the honor’ve the town’s a part of a deputy’s duties,” Clover mumbled, finally feeling their hackles fall. North Star shook his head; he looked like he was repressing a laugh.
“I get it. But y’ don’t go doing that when royalty like that decides to pop up. C’mon, kid.” With a hand to Clover’s back, North Star lead Clover to the saloon. “Honestly, I’m more surprised than anythin’. Since you showed up, you’ve always had this cool kind’ve energy: the type that doesn’t get shaken for nothin’. Prime deputy material, through and through. But I don’t think I ever seen you that trigger happy before.”
Clover shrugged.
“Next time something like that comes up, stall for time, y’ hear? Get whoever’s got your fur in a twist to monologue themselves t’ bored tears. That way, no one gets hurt. I don’t wanna think about what either of you would’ve done to each other if the King or I were even a split-second late. Hey, Dina!”
Clover took their usual seat at the bar beside North Star. As Dina passed along a root beer, they avoided the questioning look she gave them. Talk burbled around the adults as Clover stared at the shape of their reflection in the dark drink: talk about disappearing queens, dead princes and human heirs, shut-in princettes that have suddenly decided to appear today of all days…
… Whatever.
Clover slowly sipped at their drink. That Chara could be the next monster in line, or a no-name monster from the dregs of the Dunes, or even human. No one went and slandered the place and people Clover cared about and got away with it.
… New Home, huh?
Clover had never been there before. But if they did their homework soon, they could find it before Chara had a chance to forget the injustice they committed today.