The bank issue was easy enough to see to. I found a fairly large and lavish looking place, and proceeded to have them deposit my gold and other valuable goods in their vault. Bags of golden eagle coins and several boxes of bricked gold bullion, all with official paperwork declaring it all legal salvage and my property, really got them excited.

They recommended a good and reputable storage facility for my goods and wagon, and several of the nicer, more first class stables and hotels. I thanked them, tipped them, and was soon on my way. By now word had started spreading, and Halona was drawing a crowd practically everywhere we went, so I was happy to get all our affairs in order before things got even more complicated.

It wasn’t like it was everywhere, but the crowds just seemed to materialize whenever we stopped.

I knew centaurs were rare out here, but this was getting a little ridiculous so far as I went.

After the bank, we quickly made our way over to a storage company that took on high value clients, and proceeded to put my wagon and various supplies and valuables under lock and key. After that, I hitched up Butterball and was at last, once again on my horse. Halona was still drawing crowds, and was still getting lost in looking around at everything she could, good and bad.

Dead animals, including horses, in the roads that were being cleaned up, or left to rot, weren’t the most appealing things to see.

Nor were the various side roads literally covered in a full layer of build up manure, and heaven only knew what else.

I decided to keep the chest-bridle and reigns attached to her, and just lead her around like another horse. She found it both funny and acceptable, and was happy to trot along beside me and Butterball as we made our down the street. Occasionally she would pull at her reigns by accident, as she saw some sight that started to pull her off course.

This let me know to gently pull her back into place alongside me, and prevent her from causing a collision on the streets. The people here sure ran their horses fast on theses streets. Whenever I pulled on her reins, she moved back into place without complaint.

If only all women could be hitched up like this, things would be so much damn easier. I thought with a dark chuckle. Not that I would ever dare say that out loud.

We made our way to the Hotel Brighton on Broadway Street.

A large and fairly expensive looking hotel, it had a large horse stable house building actually across the street from it. I’d had some time to talk to other people here, and while Brighton was expensive, it wasn’t the worst by any stretch. It was first class, for the middle class, so to speak.

Which suited me just fine.

“You could afford a better place.” Halona remarked as we rode up to the five story building. “You could easily afford the finest there is.”

“I don’t know about easily,” I laughed as we trotted into the driveway for the building, people still stopping to stare at her as we did. “But while I could, I really don’t care to. At all.”

“Why not?” She asked, her head still spinning in all directions like a gun turret.

“Once as a newly minted Second Lieutenant, I had to attend a dinner party for some of the well off high ranking officers and their rich friends.” I sniffed in utter disdain at the memory, and all that I’d learned about the ‘upper echelons’ of society that miserable night. “Not as a guest, but as a servant in a different uniform. They had the finest of everything, the most expensive of everything, and God, did they have the wildly out of control egos to match!”

“Oh, like when many chiefs and leaders get together and get drunk on drink or pipes?” Halona asked, sounding amused. “I saw that a few times growing up. Each one trying to out impress all the rest, either in what they wore, or did, or drank, or how many wives they had. You don’t want to join those games?”

“No thank you. Don’t need it, don’t want it.” I stated firmly. “If being insanely rich means you have to act like a buffon just because you can, then I’m perfectly happy being merely well off.”

“Wise, I think.” She laughed. “You have enough problems with fame and women, it would seem, regardless.”

I sighed in misery again at that.

She just laughed.

As we approached the hotels doors, several bell boys stopped and watched us approach. I pulled Butterball to a stop, tied him off, and then tossed Halona her own reins. “Don’t wander off.”

“Oh, should I simply follow along with you then?” She asked, laughing as she wrapped the reins around herself like a bandolier. “Else someone might try and steal me away?”

“Just shoot them if they try that. You’ve had some practice on that by now.” I replied with a chuckle.

She smiled and reached down to her belt, were she stroked both the guns and the knife attached to them. “So violent.” She chuckled as she winked at the staring bell boys. “And here I thought things would be more civilized surrounded by all these buildings.”

“Oh please.” I laughed, walking up the stairs while she turned to mill around and stare at everything in fascination. “We may be better at building things than your old Indian Tribe, but we’re just as savage as they are, when you get right down to it.”

“So cynical.” She mockingly accused.

“So honest.” I replied, chuckling as I entered the doors of the large and very nicely furnished hotel.

I walked over to the desk, and quickly got ahold of a room for the next week, simply enough. “I’d also like a private stable room set up for my traveling companion, and another good stable pen for my horse.” I said once I was on the books.

“I’m sorry sir, you want two separate stable pens for your horses?” The man asked, looking confused.

“No,” I answered, smiling a little maliciously. “I have one horse I would like to have his own stable pen, obviously. A good one, but otherwise nothing special. However, I have a traveling companion who will need a little more privacy and amenities set up in her stable.”

“I’m sorry, you have a, person, you want to put up in the stables?” He asked, confused. “Slavery was outlawed in this nation several years ago now, just so you are aware. If it’s a servant of some sort we have several rooms they can stay in for a slight charge.”

I just looked at him and grinned even more. “If she could fit, I’d pay for her own room. However, I think someone as large as she is will have a hard time getting around in here.”

“Is she some kind of giantess, or a beastkin of the larger variety?” The man asked, still struggling to get through it, but now back on more familiar ground.

“No.” I told him, smiling even more. “She’s a centaur. You know, half human, half horse?”

He stared, blinked, and then visibly seemed to struggle to rally himself back on track. “I see sir.”

“So, a private stable pen, with some of the more comfortable human amenities like room service perhaps?” I half asked, half explained, amused.

“We can certainly see to that sir.” He nodded along, looking relieved at having a path forward at last. “We’ve never had a centaur at our establishment before. They’re quite rare in these parts.”

“So I’ve gathered.” I replied with a shrug. “Now then, shall I get my luggage and head to my room?”

“We have bell boys for that sir!” He rallied, snapping his fingers at a uniformed man nearby, who quickly sprang into action.

I nodded, turned and followed the bell boy back outside. Yet a again, a small crowd had formed around Halona, who seemed to be enjoying herself immensely. What I found odd was that it wasn’t just bell boys or passing customers, but several men in expensive business suits. They stood a little further back, and watched Halona with excited, hungry looks on their faces.

This could be trouble. I thought, eyeing the men as I set about getting my stuff with the bellboys. Still, no idea what they would want her for, apart from either a novelty or another horse. And this city has more horses than I’ve ever seen before, even in the army.

I shrugged and turned to back to the hotel. It had been a very long day, and I still had one more stop to make, once everything here was squared away.

I followed the bell boys to my nice, well furnished and decent room. I hadn’t any interest in the largest, best, and most expensive. I was happy with very comfortable and really good.

With my bags delivered, I headed back out to my horse, and Halona.

The crowd had somewhat dispersed, but that mostly seemed because the people here largely had things to do, and the bell boys were actually at their job.

The rich businessmen, and some of the families that seemed to be staying at the hotel, were still sticking around though.

I quickly mounted Butterball, and gestured for Halona to follow along. She nodded, smiling and waving at the crowd, before she trotted over to me. Whereupon, she made a great show of handing me her reins. I rolled my eyes at this annoying bit of theater, as I suddenly gained everyone’s attention.

“Damn little brat.” I muttered darkly, taking the reins and leading both her and Butterball out of the hotel and back to the road. “You’re gonna get me killed.”

“Oh please, all I’ll do is make everyone else jealous.” She laughed back, following along and seemingly happy to be led. Her head began craning around in every direction all over again as we got out onto the road.

“Which is a good way to get a man killed.” I grumped back at her, trying to keep from chuckling.

“Should keep you on your toes then.” She giggled as she waved at a passing Omnibus full of children, who all pointed, cheered and waved at her as they sped on by. “So, Master Ranger, where are we going? I only ask since now you’re holding my reins and directing me around traffic like another beast of burden.”

“Oh shut up!” I laughed as I slowly followed the signs of the roads to my destination. I’d gotten a city map at the bank, and was carefully following it along. A bit slowly for some, as it turned out.

Several of the people who had carriages, wagons, and even bicycles that knew this crazy city better than me passed by me. Never been anywhere where trotting along on a road at a normal speed was almost akin to standing still before. I shook my head and refocused.

“I’m taking us to the docks. Where the airships, and actual ocean ships are at.” I explained, and chuckled as she whipped her head around to focus back on me intently. “I want to ask about them at the docks, learn about them, and see if we can gain passage on one.”

“Oh.” She remarked quietly, before grinning and almost prancing on the road in excitement. “Lead on then, Master Ranger!”

“God save me.” I muttered with a small grin at her antics as we plodded along the busy, packed roads to the docks.

The sound of the city was another assault; the sound of wagons, buses, hundreds of horses in any direction, footsteps and the murmur of an endless crowd. The wind stuck its own oar in as well, with all the long streets of tall buildings acting like a massive wind tunnel. There was a pulse to the sound almost like a great heartbeat, and I wasn’t sure if it was invigorating or terrifying.

However, as we got closer to the docks, which ringed half the bay, the sounds changed. There was a clang of heavy hammers, the sound of ropes, heavy loads being maneuvered around, bells and whistles, and the sound of ships sitting in the water. But most of all; it was the distant sound of waves, punctuated by the calls seagulls.

“I have never seen so much water.” Halona whispered, a look of wonder on her face as we found a space to stop, off the road, and get a look at the docks of New York. I stared at the oddity of it; a river that led to the vast ocean, with many ships sailing and steaming their way across it.

Even on the water, it was chaotic, busy, and crowded.

“Well, that’s a sight for sure.” I muttered, smiling as I looked at all the many ships, and saw at a large open dock with several long piers jutting out, were the mighty airships. “Shall we have a look around?”

“Yes we shall.” Halona nodded, and after looking around, I saw a likely place to head; a office building, next to a bar.

If sailors were anything like soldiers, and I’d heard they were worse, I would get all I needed there.

“Come on.” I said, and we nosed our way back onto the busy dock roads towards the nearby office and bar.

Reaching the place, I hopped down, tied up Butterball and looked around the little area next to the busy docks. I saw a busy building, that was also a fairly large and open affair, not to mention muddy as hell, with the smell of manure and the river mixing in with food and alcohol. I shrugged and then gestured for Halona to follow me in. She smiled and nodded.

“Long we've tossed on the rolling main

Now we're safe ashore, Jack

Don't forget yer old shipmate

Faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!” A table of happily drunken sailors were singing as we walked in, Halona ducking slightly under the frame.

I walked over to the bar, Halona pacing with me, as people stopped and stared, stunned. Though some just shrugged and went back to drinking, which I honestly respected. The bartender saw us coming, and walked over with a bemused smile on his scraggly face.

“What are you having strangers?” He asked, looking between the two of us.

“Decent brews, and lots of answers to questions.” I told him, pulling out a large handful of coins; gold, silver and coppers, and setting them down in a pile.

He nodded with a smile and got to work.

“New in town, eh?”

“What gave it away?” I smiled sardonically, and he laughed with a blatant look at Halona.

“Oh, must’ve been the accent.” He replied, grinning as he served us some large, decent looking drinks. “So, what do you want to know?”

“Everything.” I told him, smiling as I took a drink. Not bad. I thought, as I looked at it in pleasant surprise. “But let’s start with the airships.” I gestured to one large area of the docks clearly visible through the windows by our seats.

One airship was pulling in, having apparently landed in the bay like any other ship, though more beautiful, rounded, and stylized than any normal ocean going ship. As I watched, the dock put up large, flat, giant objects connected to chains with wires leading into them. They looked similar to what other ships used to tie themselves off, but more sophisticated.

The incoming airship, which was a beautiful blend of an ocean vessel and a smooth train car that was triangular rather than long and straight, put out it’s own similar looking device. It just had a longer chain and wires. Slowly the ship started moving forward towards the pier, almost like it was being pulled. I stared, confused, and watched as the ship slowly pulled closer to the piers.

“What’s going on?” I asked aloud, confused.

“Ah, that’s the magnetic clamps.” The Bartender explained looking through the window to watch the sight with us. “Airships are made to land in the water, but their propellers for movement are tiny, so they don’t actually sail all that fast, at all. So, when they dock, they have giant magnetic coil clamps to help pull them in the right direction and line them up as they move in. It helps make sure the harbor and docks aren’t blocked all damn day by an airship that’s slow, can’t turn worth a damn, and misses its docking mark.”

“Never seen magnets that big before.” I muttered, staring at the massive devices that were both guiding and even pulling the ship into place. I saw that there was one on each side of the massive docking space, each pulling at the airships extended magnets. So, all the airship had to do was make sure its own were lined up correctly, and use them as a way of measuring slight course corrections all the way in.

“Damn Albi’s won’t let us man our own equipment!” One drunk dock worker snapped, watching the scene through the window. “Like we don’t know what the hell we’re doing? We have our own damn flying airships too!”

“It’s Albion.” Another worker chuckled, taking a drink. “They rule half the world, and are still sore that they don’t rule here. And they think they’re bloody better than everyone else on earth.”

“Ah screw ‘em!” A third called out, laughing. “Thanks to them we get a day off with full pay! All so they could pull their own pleasure ship in themselves!”

“Explain please?” I asked the bartender quietly, smiling as I half followed the conversation, but was half lost as well.

“You know the Albion Empire out of Europe, right?” He asked carefully, looking me up and down seriously for the first time. “Little island nation that now has an empire over nearly half the planet. Especially after the Shattering.”

“Yeah, I know my geography and history quite well.” I nodded with a smile, gesturing for him to continue. He nodded with a smile as he got another drink for a customer, while still chatting with me.

“Well, they recently built some big pleasure ship they call a Grand Line Cruise Airship, and its the one pulling into the harbor right now.” He gestured to the window. “It’s got a bunch of well to do Albi’s on it, and they wanted their own crew to handle bringing it in to dock themselves. So they landed in the bay, sent men over by boat, paid everyone off for the trouble, and are brining the ship in now.”

“Sounds like they just wanted to show off.” I chuckled at the roundabout, redundant nature of the whole thing. “A way to make everyone look at their ship for hours on end. Not that I can blame them. She’s beautiful.”

“She is indeed.” Halona said, slowly sipping her own drink while pointing to a nearby barrel of apples with a hopeful look on her face. “What’s her name?”

“The Titania.” The Bartender chuckled as he looked at me with a raised eyebrow, to which I sighed and handed over more of my money. The bartender smiled and nodded to Halona, who grinned wide and happily before clomping over to begin munching.

“Wonder if I can get a ride.” I muttered, watching the beautiful ship slowly, and very elegantly slide into place.

“Heard they’re offering tickets for round trips between here and Albion, if you have the money and are willing to risk the skies and waves of the open Atlantic.” The Bartender shrugged, shuddering. “Risky cruise, considering the pirates and Eldritch horrors that fly or swim around out there.”

“They rode the ship here.” I replied with a shrug. “They must have some way of surviving, if they were willing to risk it.”

“They probably took the long way around, towards the northern island ports with lots of patrol ships flying and sailing about.” He replied after a moment of thought. “Makes it safe enough. And a nice way to dock lots for rich customers too. But, that probably means the tickets ain’t cheap.”

“Well, good thing I can afford it.” I replied, chuckling. “Where do I go to get a ticket?”

“Harbor Master will probably know, or even have some on him.” The Bartender replied, shrugging. “But he ain’t here at the moment. There’s some big preliminary coppersmithing contests going on in Central Park, for the big Exhibition in a few days. He’s there taking a look around.”

“Exhibition?” I asked, confused, but also intrigued.

“What, did you just pull into town today?” He chuckled. “Engineers, Inventors, and would be Coppersmiths all get together and show off their creations and inventions for people to bid on in Central Park. It’s a big thing for the city. We only do it every couple years or so. This years looking bigger than ever.”

“Well now, that sounds like fun.” I told him with a smile, and quickly paid for the drinks and many, many apples Halona had been munching on. “What’s your harbor master look like?”

“You can’t miss him if you’re going.” The Bartender chuckled, taking my coins. “He’s a big Minotaur Beastkin. Stands at least two feet taller than any other normal man. Likes wearing a small bowler hat between the horns, and fancy dark red vests.”

“A Minotaur wearing red?” I asked, trying not to laugh.

The bartender did laugh. “He loves that little joke. Puts everyone at ease, and lets them start a conversation easy by asking about it.” He shrugged with a smug grin. “It works well enough.”

“Well, if it works.” I laughed and tipped my hat to him, before heading back out, Halona trailing behind me, still munching.

“Come on you big glutton.” I chuckled as I undid Butterballs reins and climbed back up into my saddle. “Let’s get over to Central Park, and find us a Minotaur wearing red.”

“Yes,” Halona said around her mouthful of apples. “Let’s.”