Need
John Marston [Money; $ 2.00, Age; 26]
John felt nothing as the camp worked. He had spoken with Hosea and Dutch. He'd checked on his boy, tried his hand at being a father. He'll, he'd even gone and struck up a conversation with Arthur! And yet it just didn't feel real, none of them folk and it weren't their faults. He knew he was getting odd looks from Hosea and Arthur, not that they said anything. Couldn’t truly criticize a man for being overly helpful now could they? Going out hunting for small game, chopping the camps wood, helping feed the animals, all things that needed to be done since they'd gotten themselves off that mountain. All things he'd never have done back then because he was too focused on feeling sorry for himself or something along those lines. Grabbing a cups of coffee, John walked towards the farthest tent of the camp, his tent, and sat down for a moment of rest. Looking around the camp properly had John realizing that besides Dutch and Hosea, he was the only man who hadn't yet left the campsite. Charles was out hunting, Arthur was off with Uncle and half the women for something, Micah goddamn Bell had dragged Leneord odd for some scouting, Strauss had went in town to have a go at being the devil, the reverend was off being a dumbass, while Bill and Javier were supposedly checking for any jobs near Valentine. Made him itch to get out there, go make some money for his family, get them clothing that fit and such other nonsense. Whole bunch of good it did, hoping and pondering about getting them things when he could be out there, actually working jobs to get them money. While lost in his own head, John fiddled with his new satchel, beyond pleased with Pierson's handiwork. He quietly promised himself to buy the man a case of rum once he got his money right. Draining the rest of his coffee, John placed the empty cup by his cot before getting up, intent on making some money. Hitching up on one of the gang's spare horses, a brown spotted Morgan, John left Horshoe Overlook with a half loaded revolver, 2 dollars in his satchel, a half rusted knife, and not a single goodbye.
Arriving in Valentine, John quickly noticed both Uncle and Arthur knocked out in front of the general store and both Javier and Bill horses hitched up by the saloon.
Figures.
Moving past all of them John and his horse trotted towards the only bit of work he knew with certainty was there; Bounty Hunting. Having only dipped his toes into the business with Sadie and an odd job here or there through Mexico, John was no expert but he figured it had to be better than robbing folk who didn't deserve it. Inviting himself into the sheriff's office, the rancher hid a grimace as one of his legs tried giving out on him, instead focusing on the town's lawmen that were too busy speaking amongst themselves to notice his precence.
John coughed to get their attention. "Heard you folks were looking for a bounty hunter, you still need one?"
One of them looked up at him for a moment before going back to his paper while the older one, the sheriff if he remembered right, spoke up. "You smell the air here? This here's a livestock town mister... attracts the worst kind of reprobate and scoundrel like flies to a sack of shit." Walking towards thw rooms window, the man continued in a lighter tone. "Now I'm old enough to understand that you don't hire a saint to catch a sinner. You bring me what I need and I'll pay you well.... and I won't ask no questions."
John replied while doing his best to not roll his still half eaten and shot up shoulder. "So... what is it you need?" Quickly, a poster was handed to him and a name was given. "This healer, you need him alive?"
"Yes that's the important part. There are folk in this town that have dead husband's and sons because of him and they need to see him hang. Now, you do this and that fifty dollars on that poster are yours."
John couldn't stop himself from whistling. "Fifty dollars! You must want this feller real bad then... this picture accurate?"
"Sure is, this feller has gotten so many people killed that a couple of folk managed to snag an actual picture of the bastard with one of them new aged camera's. All these sketched been made from that."
Seeing himself out of the office, John made a quick stop at the gunsmith to buy a single pack of revolver ammunition before mounting his horse riding towards the Dakota River. He did pass by a couple of strangers but he paid them no mind, intent on finding this bounty before anyone else beat him to it. Following the river while staying clear of the shoreline (for obvious reasons), John, after a couple hours of aimless riding, eventually spotted some smoke stuck between the river itself and a large hill. Hitching his horse near enough to whistle for in case things went bad, the man made his way towards the campsite, one hand resting right above his revolver. Sneaking up on the camp's dweller, John nabbed the poster he was given out of his new satchel. Glancing at the unaware man and back the poster, John felt as though he may as well go for it. Not one for messing around, not having the nergy for it anymore, John just used his lasso and tied up the now irate man and started heading back to Valentine, with the man in tow.
"You can not do this! I am a medical man, a healer! Unhindered me this instant-" That, along with other sutch nonsense followed John for the rest of his journey back to town. It weren't soon enough once he finally handed in the idiot and the pay, while generous, only improved his mood ever so slightly. But the purchase of a couple dozen bullets to replenish his gun belt did the trick. Before he left town, John made sure to grab a bag of candies from the general store and after only seeing Javier and Bill's horses still in town, opted to just go home and be done with the day.
Now, did John happen to stumble upon a pair of turkey's before making it back and did he just so happen to hitch them both on his horse? Who knows. After handing in his prey to Pierson and giving Jack the 'present' he had gotten him, John made his way to Abigail's tent. The women was too busy sewing to notice when he stopped in front of her, working on something for Jack undoubtedly, Lord only knows how she provided for that boy back when all this actually happened. Wincing a bit at his past selfs selfishness, John cleared out his throat, finally getting his wife's Abigail's attention.
"What do you want John? Can't you see I'm working on something?" Seeing that she wasn't in the mood for talking, John tried to make things quick. Wasn't like he wanted to talk with her, not with how much she reminded him of what he was missing.
"Just... here. For the boy and yourself. For clothes and books and such." Moving fast, John grabbed a bowl of stew form the crock pot and got to his own tent as quick as possible, narrowly avoiding having to see Abigail's look of shock after being handed a crisp twenty dollars. It would've hurt too much to have to see that. To see how little she thought of him, rightly so, for twenty dollars to leave her floored. Making quick work of his meal, John had half a mind to go looking for more game to hunt or for some more money but his shoulder urged him against doing so. Even without firing a single bullet and the very casual riding he did, it was almost too much of a strain, not that he'd tell anyone that of course. Taking one last glance at the camp, he saw his boy chatting happily with Arthur and Hosea and-
Christ, it still didn't feel real Seeing those two, even having been in thise hell for over a month now and he still couldn't believe it. Might've been why he didn't talk to either of then much. Opting to think about it later John hooked up his hat, undressed to only his undershirt and pants, and got much some needed rest.