Chapter 2: Another Day Another Job

The radio buzzed a pleasant song from a high perch on a shelf in the bombed out cafe'. Palomino was a pre-war shopping mall that had been repurposed as a town. Stores and boutiques were now...... stores and boutiques, guess some things never change. A couple stores had become living spaces. Palomino was more of a barter town, you came, sold, bought and traveled on. It did fairly well for being in scenic nowhere.

This was her.....fifth time here. Yeah, fifth time. She drank her Sunrise Sarsaparilla, it tasted like it had to much carrot flavoring and centuries of heat had long killed the carbonation. She nibbled on some of her bacon as well. Griffons were omnivorous and had no discrepancies about consuming meat. Less could be said for some ponies, they saw it as taboo but others had grown accustomed to it. She planned to drop by a friend of her's that lived here.

She paid for her meal and bade farewell to the homey chef that worked there. Ponies and Griffons alike scattered about the mall as they bought and sold each others wares. She made her way to her friend at Red Rope's House of Earthly Delights. Like the name suggest a red rope dangled from the sign. She walked in and was greeted by Red Rope, an older mare with a red coat, she wore a somewhat provocative pre-war ensemble with boots that were a little to high. She had a streak of gray in her pink mane.

"Ah, Artemis Arrow how lovely to see you again." She said in a alluring tone.

"Hello Madame Rope." Artemis replied trying not to sound interested in her business.

"What's your treat today?" She asked as she walked to a counter with a register.

"Man or woman? Oh and I'll need the money up front, my boys are getting tired cracking head because some ponies

forgot their caps." She threatened ever so suavely.

Artemis waved her hand. "No no, nothing for me thanks I just want to talk with Hans." She said blushing.

Madame Rope's demeanor changed from charmingly seductive to blatant and uncaring.

"This again? You don't even pay, there are a lot of lonely stallions that need him. Why I ought to-" Her rant was interrupted.

"Oh goddesses!" Hans exclaimed in a happily albeit feminine tone, he pranced over and wrapped Artemis in a big hug. Squee included.

"Oh how have you been Arty?" He said extrapolating his syllables.

"I've been working hard." Artemis said happily.

Hans rolled his eyes. "So have I sweetiekins, but it's not the work that's hard. Oh listen to how naughty I am." He commented.

"Let's walk, let's talk Arty." He added.

They walked out of the brothel to roam the mall. They sat on a dirty wooden bench as everyone scrambled around with their items.

"You know, you should quit this merc game before you get killed and work with Madame Red." He said flamboyantly.

"Oh! We'll be such bitches!" He added jubilantly.

Artemis chuckled softly. "Ehh. Not yet, I don't know what I want yet."

"Why? Even if you're not gay, there's a lot of men passing through that'd pay double for you." He said sounding more level.

Before Artemis could respond he shrugged. "Who am I kidding, you're not a whore." He said disappointed.

"But that doesn't mean you're not my number one pal." Artemis said reassuringly. Hans smiled and gave her big hug.

"Just be careful out on those roads, I'd hate to have to drag your ass out the fire again." He said.

Artemis chuckled amused "My ass out of the fire? You can barely shoot a gun, and you flip your lid whenever you find a radroach!" Hans blushed fiercely.

"I'll have you know it was a SUPER radroach, they're much worse." He told her.

They laughed and reminisced about the past. Until Madame Rope came over to their bench ending the reunion.

"Hans, you have client." She said curtly.

Hans looked looked a little remorseful about not getting to spend more time with his friend. "Very well madame." He ruffled Artemis's head with a smile and left along with the madame. "I guess it's time I got back to work too." Artemis said to herself.

Artemis patrolled the entrance of the mall that had become the area where the wagons were parked. Some wagons and carts had some ponies left behind as sentries to guard them. Artemis was skulking about to advertising her protection business to any would-be customers. Triple A as she called it stood for: Artemis Arrow & Associates. Although there were no associates they would come in time she just needed time to get the business afloat and the Legion needed to let go of the market.

"Miss can you help me?" A demure voice asked.

Artemis turned to see the mare that asked for her help. Behind her was a orange mare with a brown mane. The most peculiar thing on her was a her pipbuck.

Next Chapter: Chapter 3 - The Mysterious Mare From Stable GoE-EoHS Estimated time remaining: 8 Hours, 27 Minutes