The party among the train crew and passengers after the monster had been confirmed blown to bits was wild, with everyone wanting to hear the story.

I bowed out early, looking for a bath and a bed. I left Halona and Lillianne to tell the stories. Myself, now that I had eaten well, I wanted to be clean and get some rest.

Parties with lot of strangers generally weren’t my thing. Especially with all the annoying hero worship. It was a different story when it was lots of people I knew, but I barely knew anyone on the train.

After that, the rest of our trip was largely uneventful. Thank God.

The two days travel passed by pleasantly, with Lillianne finishing up her interview with Halona, and the likes of the children on the train thrilled they got to see an adventure up close. Their parents were equally thrilled that it had been kept at a relative distance from all of them. And I was even on better terms with Lillianne, surprisingly, as we traveled.

Though I still counted my words whenever we spoke.

Finally, two days later, we were steaming into New York City!

I’d been to a few small cities in the east during the war, but mostly on the edges, and never to a major growing city like New York. Seeing the city was like seeing a mirage come to life. Many tall buildings of stone and brick reaching up through a perpetual haze of steam, soot, and even some fog.

Gleaming buildings and windows, yet shrouded in a haze.

We steamed into the nearby Grand Station, and I saw a massive building of marble columns, dome roofs ringed with gargoyles, and tall beautiful windows. It was certainly impressive, as were the half dozen huge steam engines and long lines of cars on tracks that were sitting there as well. Eventually our train made it to the platform for us to disembark, and I quickly hopped off.

“Goodbye Mister Wild Ranger!” Andrew Gale cried, waved frantically at me as his parents led him and the rest of his family off. I waved back with a small smile on my face as they left. I hated the name, and everything that came with it, but I couldn’t quite hate the young boy for confusing the things.

I was glad to be saying goodbye though.

I didn’t even care about him shouting that damn nickname for all to hear anymore; in this city, I could easily vanish into a crowd. Besides, I wasn’t planning on staying here anyway.

Though that didn’t mean I didn’t want to have some fun.

Turning on the track and heading down, I went to collect my horse, cart, and my troublesome companion.

“It was a pleasure to meet you Miss Halona.” Lillianne said with a smile, now back in a most fashionable and beautiful dress green and black satin. “I think you’re going to have a wild ride and cause quite the commotion wherever you go. And not just because of your biology.”

“I look forward to it.” Halona replied, leaning down to giver Lillianne a sisterly hug. “I have been enjoying this wild ride with Master Ranger immensely. And I look forward to when you travel with us again.”

“Pardon?” I asked, walking up to them while trailing Butterball and my cart full of wealth and supplies. “Isn’t this where we part ways?”

“For now.” Lillianne said with a smile as she stepped away from Halona and turned to face me, biting her lip as she did. “But who knows what the future holds?”

“None but God,” I replied with a shrug as she slowly came up to me. “And hopefully he’ll be in a better mood with me and my travels going forward. Less annoying folk legend adventures and monsters, and more wonder and opportunities.”

“Opportunities for what?” She asked quietly, coming to stand right in front of me, looking up at me with a smile. “Just what are you searching for, Wild Ranger?”

“You know I hate that name.” I sighed in exasperation.

“Oh I know, but as I helped save your life, I reserve the right to call in a few favors.” She stated, now grinning impishly. “It’s only fair, after all.”

“Oh is it now?” I asked, smiling as I looked down at her, wondering what she wanted. “And the others?”

“I want you to indulge me for a moment, on a most selfish act.” She stated almost solemnly, as her smile shrank to a more serious looking face.

“And that is?” I asked, growing serious, and slightly confused, myself. Behind her, I could see Halona look over with a surprised, almost excited look on her face. What am I stepping into here? I wondered.

I didn’t have long to wonder, as Lillianne calmly reached up, laced her arms around my neck, and pulled me down into a very deep kiss!

I blinked in shock, and tried to pull back briefly out of reflex, but as her mouth pressed against mine, hungry and passionate, I relaxed and gripped her tightly in response. For a moment, there was only us, and a wild, wet, delicious passion. I could feel her firm, curved body beneath her dress, and I could feel her practically writhe as I gripped her tight. Then we both pulled away, gasping for breath.

“That was, unexpected.” I managed to gasp out after a moment, feeling almost intimidated by the sudden naked hunger in her eyes. Though the rest of me only felt riled up and excited.

“I’ve wanted to do that since I first interviewed you at the Beastkin Union Conference.” Lillianne muttered in explanation as she took a breath and stepped back, putting herself back together. “It was even better than I’d imagined.”

“I, uh, good.” I stumbled over my own tongue, not really sure what to do.

“Do you really have to leave?” Halona asked, obviously struggling to resist giggling at the whole situation. “You could stay with us for the night, or two, or more.”

I glared half heartedly at the meddling horse woman, who just grinned back at me.

“I’m afraid I really do have to depart,” she laughed as she turned and walked for the main stations lobby. “And I wanted my last time seeing you today to be a good memory. Considering what’s coming.”

“What’s coming?” I asked, confused, with my heart still hammering and my blood still pumping like mad. Damn woman really did get me wildly riled up. It was something that had completely blindsided me as well.

“Why my dear Wild Ranger, have you forgotten what I do for a living?” She asked, suddenly back to her old, mischievous self as she stopped and looked at me over her shoulder.

“Between the wonderful interview with the remarkable Miss Halona, I was also present when you saved another town, and a train full of people from the newly discovered Snatch-Worm monster. That’s news as well you know. And sensational news at that.”

She turned fully back to us and smiled evilly at the slowly dawning look of horror on my face.

“That’s the best kind! And there were all those things you mentioned when you were ranting to me? Like a whole towns children held hostage by a lunatic who wanted to battle the legend of the Frontier?”

“You, you wouldn’t!” I groaned weakly, since I knew damn well she would.

“And we can’t forget my dear sister!” She actually laughed. “She lives here in the city you know. She’ll be so thrilled to have some fresh material for more bestselling Dime Store Novels! I’ll be paying her a visit tonight right after I visit the paper. She’ll send her love, I’m sure.”

I felt like I’d been kicked in the stomach by a mule!

“No,” I groaned, thinking it all through, and finally understanding why she was so amused even when I was basically yelling at her. “Not again!”

“And now that you have such a singularly unique traveling companion, everyone will know you wherever you go!” She chuckled again, and even bit her lip impishly. “Everyone’s hungry for heroes who take on the monsters or outlaws, and you do both. There’s nothing wrong with letting them know we still have some living Folk Heroes among us.”

She looked at me again, strangely muted emotions suddnly flashing across her face. “There’s nothing wrong with them seeing you as I do. Someone to give us hope, and inspiration when everything goes wrong. Someone to face down giants, when everyone else would prefer to just run away. Until the next time we meet, my dear Wild Ranger. Do enjoy the city!”

And with that, she turned back on her heel and strolled boldly forward into the station, disappearing into the throng before I could even get my breath back to shout at her.

“That, damned, WOMAN!” I shouted, furious. I was ready to howl in rage over what I now knew was coming my way. In hindsight, I should’ve seen it coming from a days ride away! I just didn’t put two and two together, since I thought I had become ‘old news’ and was therefore free of her and the curse of the persona of the Wild Ranger.

Shows what I know.

Halona had no such concerns over the future, and instead simply threw her head back and laughed herself silly at my expense, drawing a rather curious and bemused crowd as she did so. I glared at her even as I hitched her up to pull the wagon full of all our supplies and salvage, and she continued to just ignore me, and the crowd, and laugh as I got her latched up.

I felt a little odd, since I also had to latch up Butterball next to her so they could both pull the wagon. The salvage from Bakers Acres had expanded both the wagon, and the weight; gold bricks from a bank vault were very, very heavy, after all. So, I now had a large, well made, very full and heavy wagon, with a bench for me to sit on, being pulled by a good riding horse, and a smart mouthed centaur woman.

Oh, and I was also apparently now extremely rich, and sadly, famous.

Even drunk I could never have believed this if someone had predicted it to me.

Now I was living it. Proof of God right here. I thought, half annoyed, half amused as I set up the wagon reins to Butterballs bridle, and to a rigged up chest-bridle for Halona. The absurdity of my life is far too specific, and far too personal for it to all be random chance or happenstance. God is delighting using me as a punchline.

I sighed as we left the station behind through the wagon entrance and exit, onto the cobblestone roads to the main city. Could be worse I guess. Least I got some gold out of it!

I chuckled dryly as I admitted to myself that it could’ve been far worse. And that kiss was really good. I could still almost taster her lips on mine, and it was bothering me more than I cared to admit.

“Wow!” Halona exclaimed, as we turned off the side road onto a proper road of the city. I couldn’t help but echo the sentiment. Such tall stone buildings, wide streets, people and horses everywhere. Many carts, large wagons called omnibuses pulled by a team of horses, even an odd long car on sleighs with little tracks in the road, also pulled by horses.

The road was congested with wagons, carts, buses, bicycles, people on foot, and a few on individual horses.

The sidewalks had many little market stands along them, with food, wares, and all sorts of many things open and available. All of it along streets in every direction with massive buildings of stone, brick, wood and glass. Even on the city road, there was a thin blanket of steam and smoke, and a faint smell that was a mixture of mud, manure, and burned coal. Above us was a train track on stilts, that stretched above buildings and roads on what looked like an endless bridge.

It was a bit overwhelming to the senses, and more than a few times I had to pull the reins to get Halona back on track on the road. She kept getting distracted by what she saw all around her. I couldn’t blame her, I was too, but I also didn’t want to get killed in a road collision after finally reaching the city.

Especially after everything I’d gone through to get here.

“So big.” She muttered, even as she unconsciously corrected herself whenever I pulled the reigns to get her back on course. “It’s crazy! And beautiful! It’s like another world!”

It really was.

There was all the familiar; people, horses, carts, wagons, little stands of food or wares sold by individuals, families walking around, well dressed and poor dressed children and adults. The usual. There were even non-humans like Beastkin waking around, some well dressed, some not, all going somewhere, or doing something.

Then there was the other worldly; tall buildings of stone, elevated train track iron roads, giant factories in the distance giving an endless haze of burned coal. Then a shadow passed overhead, and I looked up to just stare in quiet shock; a floating metal ship, flying by like it was sailing on the wind. It looked like a long, better looking version of an ironclad sea going warship, gently swimming through the sky.

My first, up close look at an Airship.

The kind first developed by the Albion Empire, that utilized some new elements to let it fly through the air, and be powered by something other than coal.

It was descending out of the sky, and since no one else but the local children seemed to care, must have been landing.

I want to go on one of those! I thought with a smile. That will be what I travel on next!

Hopefully there was a civilian airship, or even a merchant airship I could take passage on. Safe passage, that is.

After all, I’d heard that honest to God air pirates were actually a thing, and a big one, ever since the technology and the Shattering came about.

With the world as badly broken to pieces as it was, sometimes literally, the great powers of the world had lost control of the seas, oceans, and trade routes.

Now maritime trade, last I’d heard, was as much war as it was profit and the movement of goods.

Still, short of signing up with the navy, there ought to be a ship I can at least ride on. Otherwise, what’s the point of being rich?

“I never heard of such devices!” Halona whispered in quiet reverence. “I didn’t know such things could even exist!”

Brining my eyes back to the crowded road I quickly readjusted the reins and brought us back into line along the road and sidewalk. Now knowing what I ultimately wanted, it was time to set about dealing with the logistics of getting to it. That meant a stop at a bank of some kind, finding a proper storage unit for the wagon and goods, a good stable for Halona and Butterball, and good hotel for myself.

I briefly entertained the idea of paying for a room for Halona, just see the reaction I would get, but I suspected they’d still put her in the stables. If only because of her general size, and because of her hooves. Plus, she did say she was fine in a stable.

Something to look into in the future.

After everything else was taken care of.

“Look Mommy!” A young girl called out, excitedly. “That horse is a girl!”

I blinked at that, and glanced over to see a very excited little girl in a red dress and bright blonde pigtails, staring and pointing at Halona.

“Don’t point!” Her mother promptly said, without actually looking at Halona until after she’d said that. She stopped and stared in fascination as soon as she properly looked at the now grinning centaur.

Halona smiled and waved back at the excited girl, who squealed in delight and tried to run along the road, waving at her. Her mother promptly scooped her up and held her tight, still staring wide eyed at Halona.

And she wasn’t the only one.

Several drivers and riders of horses on the road were all doing double takes. Not to mention the reaction of the passengers of the Horse Cars or Omnibuses, as they slowly took notice of the centaur.

“I think I’m gonna like it in this city.” Halona smiled and winked at me before waving at the various passerby’s who stared at her.

Lord help us all. I thought with a chuckle, as we continued our drive towards the richer parts of town.

“Welcome to New York, indeed.” I chuckled as we plodded along.