I hear a steady beep in the back of my mind. How much blood did I lose. I know I lost a lot when I lost my arm. I guess the exit wound would have extracted more blood. Damn this really needs to stop happening. So does that damn beeping.
My eyes flutter open and I’m met with a white sealing and a little bit of the wall. I feel something heavy on my right arm. I’m unable to move my body.
I move my eyes around to get a better idea of my surroundings. I notice the heart monitor to my right. The beeping is getting annoying. I strain my arm to move. Slowly and painfully I move my arm to the wires. I pull the wires with pitiful strength. Even slower than me moving my arm the wires come off my body ending in the sound of the heart monitor flat lining.
Doctors and nurses rush into the room and I feel the weight on my arm slowly lift. My body feels less pain than it did earlier when I opened my eyes. I begin to sit up on the hospital bed with less pain and stiffness. ‘Damn, how long was I out.’ was all I could think.
“J-John?” I heard a shaky voice say like it was like that for a while. What got me to answer was when I identified it as Twilight.
“Yes, Twilight.” My voice was strain like I was out for a long time. Before I could ask for a glass of water Twilight quickly brought me in for a passionate kiss. When she released the pain from the fight. I whence and she notices. She runs out for void knows what.
“So how long was I out?” I ask in my strained voice. They get a glass of water. I’m glad they noticed it.
“You where out for two days.” The doctor answered. That response caused me to preform a spit take.
“Damn, I lost that much blood?” I said that more as a question.
“Yes when you lost your arm you lost quite a bit of blood. When you got shot you lost more and enough to keep you out for a few days. I’m surprised you went in there with that much blood lost. You must have been out there in that forest light headed.” Holy crap. I should have been light headed, but I wasn’t.
“To be honest, I wasn’t light headed. Don’t ask me how. I don’t know.” I tell him. “Could I get privacy and my clothes.” I just remembered I’m in a hospital gown. He nods and walks away. A few minutes later the doctor comes back in with my clothes.
After ten minutes of a little pain putting on my clothes, all six girls, a griffin, mom, aunt Luna, Shining Armor, Cadence, Nightmare, and Twilight’s parents (Twilight velvet and Night light) walk in.
“YOUR ALRIGHT!!!” Cadence yelled. She tried to hug me, but I don’t want the soreness to return so early. In retaliation I pick her up with pull and suspended her in air. I look to the rest and they’re all shocked except for Shining, Nightmare, mom, and the six. “You have magic!” I am glad it was softer.
“Yes, for twelve years now.” I explain short and simple.
“Can all humans do this?” Twilight Velvet asked still in awe.
“Only a select few. I only met two and I had to take one of theirs away. Killed to many is my reasons . The other was an old friend.” I finish explaining and Pinkie looks sad.
“What happened to them?” She asked surprisingly serious.
“He was ordered to death by the spymaster, aka head of law enforcement.” I tell her. Her mane deflated with a surprising balloon deflation sound. Shining looks pissed. “Calm down Shining. I killed him eight years back. He was going to get a death sentence anyways. Fucker got what he deserved.” They all get taken aback from my cussing.
“Wow never expected you to cuss.” Nightmare said.
“And you finally spoke. How does it feel to have your own body?” She chuckles a little.
“Great. Thanks.” The rest look surprised.
“Told you it would work.” I began to laugh. It’s cut short as a overseer burst through the door. “Void fucking damn it.” I begin to get annoyed at these guys persistents. “What?” I ask in a aggravated tone.
“You will come with me heretic.” He demanded. I give him a middle finger with my left hand.
He shoots and I catch it with wind shield. I point my hand to the window and release it. After I did that I extended my sword ,in my left hand, and prepared for the underhand swing. I block it and kick him back. He preforms a over head attack which I parry and kick him again.
“Hay, please stop I don’t want to kill you.” I say which gets him to stop.
“Why. prove me right and kill me like the rest.” He retorted.
“I killed two because they almost killed Twilight and me. One was killed by giving me the benefit of a doubt. The rest was because I lost it. I will admit that.” I respond.
“What about the spymaster.you killed him in cold blood.” He just won’t give up.
“Didn’t you see the proof?” My question was answered quickly.
“It could have been edited.” He retorted.
“I was sent here immediately after I left the proof. How would I edit it?” He stumbles for an answer. I smirk which makes his anger rise.
He comes down for a over head attack. I grab his arm and thrust my blade into his neck. His eyes widen before relaxing. “Be thankful I made it quick.” I place my hand on his chest. With a slow movement I pull my blade from his neck. Those first fifteen were the hardest. This one was easy. I will only kill if I have to.
“J-John you just k-killed somepony.” Mom said horrified.
“He didn’t walk away and Shining, you could have snuck up behind him and knocked him out. We aren’t magic resistant.” I explain gaining a look from him that said ‘why didn’t I’. “Next time Shining, next time.” I collapse my blade pat him on the shoulder.
“Well this is a shocker. I wouldn’t have thought my son would kill anypony.” Mom said
“I don’t like it, but reasoning didn’t wor- FUCK!” I just now realized.
“First, language. Next, what?” I turn to her with a look that said ‘I fucked up’.
“The first time there was fifteen. The second I was wounded and didn’t what him to kill anyone. I could have nocked him out. I forgot. Sorry if your mentally scarred anypony.” I apologize to the group.
“I-it’s alright. You were in the heat of the moment.” Night light said.
Something clicked with me and I looked at Nightmare. She noticed my distress.
“How many did you summon?” I asked.
“All of them... hehe.” My face went from distress to horror after a her admission.
“I’m. So. Fucked.” Those three words I wished to never say, or at least not like this.
When we exit the building, I immediately blink to a roof and run. I closed my eyes for a second. When I opened them, I saw Dunwall. My worries instantly vanished. When I ran on top of the city, I could feel my worries sweep away. The wind rushing and howling in my face and ears. My face of in a worm smile of bliss. I climbed, jumped, and vaulted over obstacles in my path.
I looked to my right to see ponyville take the form of Dunwall as it fades away. I look to my left and I was back in ponyville. I look a head of me and saw the school house, I think. I see the children playing in the play ground. I keep running straight. I make it and immediately stop as I see Apple Bloom. I slow down until I finish at a walk. I walk to Apple Bloom as she seems excited to see me.
“Hello there Apple Bloom.” I greeted her. She lit up like a light after hearing me speak to her. She runs up to me.
“Hi John. Where have you been?” She asks enthusiastically. I look around to see all the children stareing at me.
“In the hospital recovering from when I was shot.” She gasps in shock and hugs my leg.
“I’m glad you got better.” She gave a reassuring smile. I gave a warm smile back. “Why were you running?” I chuckle.
“It calms me. Plus it was one of my greatest times in Dunwall. The wind in your hear. The amazing feeling of thanking your deifying gravity. It’s bliss and invigorating. Like Rainbow dash and speed.” I gave her a warm smile. I thought of something that would awe the crowd. It was like a double jump using wind blast underneath me.
My mark lit up as I prepared to jump. I looked around to see the school teacher looking at me quizzically. I also noticed the two fillies that looked like I can only do cheap magic. I smirk and jump and felt nothing before the blast sounded off and I landed on the top of the swings, landing with precision and accuracy to not stumble and fall. I turned carefully around to look at Apple Bloom. Her shock turned into a wide grin.
“Can you teach me that?!” She yelled. I smile at her enthusiasm.
“I can teach you parkour, but not this sense it requires a serene magic only I have. Parkour can be learned by everyone and anyone can learn it.” I said still holding my smile. She beamed and jumped for joy. “I just to let you know, you can get seriously hurt that can lead to many broken bones if done incorrectly. Are you sure you want to continue?” I warned her so she knows the risks. She looked thoughtful for a while before gaining a determined expression.
“I’m still want to continue, but can we start on ground?” She gave me a pleading look.
“How else do you think I started.” I said to reassure her.
Then I notice something or the lack of something. I forgot to activate my void arm. I rolled up my sleeve to get a better understanding of how my arm form. I heard a collective gasp. I looked up to see horrified children and teacher. I tapped the object and it materialize. I rolled my sleeve down and jumped of the swing.
“That wasn’t me messing up doing parkour. Just me fighting against bad people.” I said giving a reassuring smile. She nodded her head before I heard footsteps behind me. I blink back on top of the swings to see the pony sneaking behind me. It was the teacher and she was confused. “Yes.” I said in a cold voice. She jumped before looking looking at me.
“How did you— never mind. So, what do you do for a job?” She asked.
“First things first, I’m John Mavericks. Second I’m a nonlethal assassin. Meaning instead of killing them, unless needed, I nock them out and show proof that their guilty of a crime. Like framing another or murder.” She recoiled on my last statement.
“W-why did you start?” She was visibly scared.
“When I was framed for thirty accounts of murder in the first degree. I technically started after my parents were ordered to death by the spymaster twelve years ago for just being good fighters.” She lowered her head in sadness.
“I’m sorry.” She said sadly.
“Don’t be he got a death sentence for the order of killing twenty thousand people out of shire bliss.” She looked mortified.
“That’s justified.” She said with a little happiness. They don’t have to know I killed him.
I was about to get down once a pink blur tackled me to the ground. A jolt of pain shot through my body as it hits the ground.
“VOID DAMN IT.” I yelled.
“Sorry Johnny when you ran we got so worried. We thought you didn’t want to hang out.” Pinkie said in one breath. I push her off me.
“Running takes all my worries away.” I get up only to be tackled by Twilight again. She cried softly into my chest. I lifted her off me and placed her on the ground and got up. “Twilight don’t worry. Running is how I wash away my worries. I would never run away like that from you, unless your in heat.” I said the whispered last part into her ear. She blushed furiously. “Sorry for the cussing.” I said to the teacher. Probably should have something different.
“It fine. You did just get tackled, twice.” The teacher said and walked away. The children followed.
“Bye John, I’ll ask my sister if you can teach me.” Apple bloom yelled.
“Teach her what?” Pinkie asked cheerily. Twilight gave a skeptical look.
“She wanted to learn parkour, so I told her some bad parts about it and she still wanted to learn it, soooo” I answered.
“Applejack will never agree.” Twilight said under her breath. But years of eas dropping made it easy to hear.
“If she agrees, I will teach her on ground first, like how I was taught.” That reassured her. I won’t tell her how many times I nearly killed my self because I miss my mark. “She only needs to be perfect when landing on polls.” I added softly.
A few minutes pass as we do nothing. Twilight told me we were going to the Grand Galloping Gala, so that’s why the Outsider gave me that. She told me the chasing through the town that commenced that day. I would have just used wind blast to blow them away or use my gun to scare them.
Pinkie told me about the griffin called Gilda and the party that she will plan for her. She then started rambling about everyone being worried about me because I ran off. She said that mom told them not to worry because I do this a lot. She is not wrong. She went with me in one of my nightly ‘strolls’. She had to fly the entire time to stay with me.
In that few minutes the rest caught up and I was embraced in a hug by Luna, or is it aunt Luna. I’ll go with aunt.
“Why did thow’ run off like that?!” She half asked, half demanded me.
“It’s like pacing. It helps me think and clear my mine of worries that appear. I did this a lot in Dunwall from the police and oversees. I did it a lot in Canterlot and mom joined me. She had to fly to catch up and stay with me that time.” I answered finishing with a light chuckle at the last statement. Aunt looked at me curiously.
“Why were thow’ running from the police?” Even Twilight was confused.
“Because the person that framed me for thirty accounts of first degree murder was head of law enforcement. Before coming here I cut the bastered’s throat open for all he has killed in cold blood.” Finishing my explanation she looked unsure to believe I actually did it.
She was in the right, right now. I’m a shady figure with supernatural powers that can pull off assassinations so perfectly that no one will know what happened. Plus exceptionally experienced and astounding in hand to hand combat. I’m not one to be on your friends list any time soon.
I sigh as I get up. “So, Pinkie, when is the party?” I ask. She lights up in joy.
“It’s in twenty minutes.” She said happily. I smile and put on my mask.
“I’m going to do some over watch in the meantime. I’ll be there Pinkie.” Her smile grows larger that it went beyond her face, if that’s even possible.
I blink to the top of the school house and blink into a tree. I jump from tree to tree until I reach the town. I now go from roof to roof. After I do a run around the town I nod my head seeing that nothing was wrong. I drop down from the roof and walk to Sugarcube corner.
Reaching there, I see three armed overseers walk in. Loud bangs echoed out of the bakery. I run to it to see the assailants holding everyone at gun point. I use blink to get in. I get in a defensive position while holding my blade still folded.
“I will not allow you to hurt anypony!” I exclaimed. I glanced at the three.
One was short, about five foot ten. He had a platinum mask letting me know he was the leader. He had an old flint lock pistol. With easy modifications it could be a semi automatic. I stare into his eyes seeing no signs of intimidation. He does the same and now his eyes show respect. His position was still in wavering.
The one to his left was a recruit. He had a scared look in his eyes. He had a black uniform with silver lining on the board. His gloves were bulky and ment for blocking. He had a desert eagle like me, but painted gold. Unlike the leader he had a gold mask with a less defined face decoration. I gave him a look of sympathy.
The last one had the same mask as the one on the left, but more defined. His seemed to be from Karnaca. The white short sleeve shirt with black pants. The mask and sword obviously shined. Unlike the other two he had a Barrett fifty caliber semi auto sniper rifle. I look at the shirt again and see a rip from a stab. I would have just shrugged it off, if the scar didn’t look like the weapon was situated. I now recognize him. He was the overseer I saved nine years back.
I lower my stance until I look almost casual. The three in front of me see what I’m implying and soften up on their stances. The recruit was visibly shaking, the leader was standing tall with his head held high, and the Karnaca overseer glaring at me. I clear my throat to speak.
“Let’s put our weapons away and disuse this like socialized people?” I suggested. The leader hesitated.
“That would be preferable.” He agreed. I smile, but it goes unseen because of the mask, and put my weapon away as the overseers do the same.
“Hey ,sniper , how’s that stab wound. Did I heal it nicely?” I look into his eyes and see them widen in realization.
“Yes you did. I thank you for saving me instead of leaving me to bleed out in that alley. Those damn howlers stabbed me with a jagged blade.” He said keeping his professionalism.
“Then you’ll be glad to know that all the howler compounds have been cleaned out.” I state.
“H-how would you know?” The recruit asked.
“That was the first thing I did when I gained my void powers.” I was blunt, but they didn’t get into an attacking stance. “Soooo, mind telling me why your here?” They remove their masks.
The leader had long black hair that came to his shoulders and green eyes. The recruit had brown hair that came to his shoulders. Those two need to cut their hair unless they want to have a disadvantage. The Karnaca one had short blond hair with blue eyes. Their professional acts swapped with friendly ones. I did the same reviling my short black hair and blue eyes.
“We don’t mind at all. We were wondering why our scouts didn’t return after two days.” The leader said.
“I can answer that. There was seventeen in total. I had to throw one in the was of his own bullet using bend time to prevent it from hitting Twilight over there. Another was killed by his own men for giving me the benefit of the doubt. I killed the next fourteen, I lost it and I can admit that. The next one shot me three times so I shot him so he didn’t mistake unicorn magic with void magic. The last one, I made the mistake of killing him when I could have knocked him out. Soooo ya, it’s my fault.” I said it in one breath that surprised everyone in the room. “The one that shot me must have noticed my mark and shot me following his orders. If they were hostile to you, it was because of the ones that we met so far and just taking precautions thanking that you would attack them basing judgment off of past experiences.” They had a look of under standing.
“Sir, if I’m not mistaken, other than the one that was executed by our own brethren and the one that shot him, those men are responsible for the orphanage incident.” The Karnaca one informed.
“The event that got the overseers shut down.” I say which got a conformation from the leader. The recruit just stood there silently.
“What happened?” I heard Cadence ask.
“A rouge group of overseers burned down a orphanage filled with children. The orphanage supported the void worship. Those sixteen burned it to the ground and all the children that made it out were slaughtered after making it out. Three hundred were murdered there.” I finish my explanation and I heard some crying behind me. I didn’t bother to look back to see everypony and griffon crying. “After I cleared my name I was going to clear the overseers name because the stop all the harmful practices of the void worship and take those people to jail.” The overseers grow a smile hearing my intentions of what I would do. “I will talk with the Outsider when I can to see if he can take you guys home.” He nods. Now if I go back to Dunwall I at least have alleys there.
The overseers leave and I turn to the group. I smile and walk out.
“Wait!” I hear somepony yell.
I turn to see Pinkie there holding a cupcake. I smile and take it. Be for I take a bite I give a deep bow to her. She giggles and thanks me for not attacking and do a peaceful discussion.
I take a bite of the cupcake and my eyes widen of how good it is. I can feel my mouth water for the next bite. I have literally never eaten something this good before. Finishing the cupcake I walk home and the landscape changes.
When I walked in, the library was a mess. Book were scattered across the floor, The blinds were shut, and it was a down right mess. Now it’s distorted with a weird feeling of serenity and calmness. I knew I was in the void.
“Before you ask, yes, I will send them back to Dunwall and Karnaca.” The Outsider said. I smirk knowing he still watches over me.
Before I go to bed the same Karnaca overseer from earlier burst through the door. He holds out he’s Barrett like he was giving it to me.
“For saving me. Thank you.” He said. I smile and take it. He rushes out the door and I walk to the spare room. I place the Barrett beside my bed and get into bed sleeping off the days events.