Chapter 1: Failing To Collect A Debt.
AN: Upon looking at the Red Dead Redemption 2 wiki page I can't seem to find any date for when they go up into the mountains at the start of the game. So I'll say this here before I begin this possible new story of mine. The POD (Point of Departure) here is a debt that is unable to be repaid and Arthur rethinking over his life choices. As such he never gets sick and doesn't die in 1899. As of 3-16-2020 that is about how far I have gotten on the idea so this is something I'll be playing around with as time permits.
AN2: Ok, so not a particularly long chapter but it was never going be all that long anyway. This is more a prolong then a real chapter. But having beaten the game two or three days ago the idea of him living passed 1899 was too good not to try doing something with. As always feedback is welcome, just no trolling lol.
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Arthur Morgan was once again riding off to collect on some poor fool who was foolish enough to take money from one Leopold Strauss. Leopold Strauss was a man who cared little for the reason why somebody had failed to pay their debts to him and Arthur knew that was unlikely to change even with the start of a new century just around the corner. The ride itself ended up taking most of the night and by the time he had hopped off his trusty steed, the first rays of light were making themselves known to the world. Looking around the tiny farmstead he understood at once why the debt was unpaid. It was downright dilapidated. The fields were more weeds than anything else and the house was held together by sheer stubbornness to not succumb to the force of gravity. He felt sorry for the poor man but if he didn't return with the money Strauss would no doubt yell his ear off and he was in no mood for that anytime soon. So with that thought in mind, he knocked softly upon the door before waiting for a reply. No reply was received. Knocking a fair bit louder he again waited and like the first, he received no reply from inside the house. The only sounds he heard were from the light wind and the sounds of wildlife off in the distance.
"God damn it"! Arthur yelled in a rage. Had the man run off with the money? If he did he wasn't sure if he wanted to return to camp and face the angry Austrian that acted as the gang's accountant. But seeing as the trip would take hours and he didn't feel like riding back so soon he kicked the door down and entered. Sure enough, the place was stripped bare save for a few cans of food and various newspapers. Eyeing one he saw it was dated to December 28th, 1898 and another dated February 12th, 1899. Reading through a few now-out-of-date news stories he saw a few mentioning his gang.
"Fucker sure is smart". Arthur said somewhat impressed at the man's cleverness. But it did raise a few red flags for the man. Ones that worried him greatly. If some country bumpkin was able to keep tabs on them what did that mean for the government? He was no fool he knew damn well the age of outlaws being able to do as they pleased was coming to an end. Perhaps it was time for him to get out and make a go at a life outside of the gang. But if he did he would be abandoning the only family he had ever had besides his mother. He couldn't do that. He had to find some way to save the women and of course his idiotic friend John Marston's kid. He wouldn't be able to live with himself otherwise. So making a makeshift bed he did his best to sleep. He would return and do his best to see them safely away. He owned that much to them at the very least.