How the hell did I get in a god forsaken wasteland, the last time I checked, I’d been in a city, surrounded by hundreds of people? But NO! That crazy merchant guy wouldn’t leave me alone. OH, and look what happened when I finally did buy something from him, I end up trapped in the middle of NOWHERE! Taking a series of quick ragged breaths, I glared at the metallic skeletal mask that had been my undoing. I had been walking for what seemed like hours. To think not too long ago I had been relaxing at the yearly Dragoncon. I’d even gotten a badass costume ready too. My Taskmaster outfit was really made me feel epic. Though the mask the merchant gave me was admittedly better than the one I’d had prior. I also had to admit that the cloak was rather useful for blocking the sun, even if the rest of the costume seemed to have gotten heavier than I remembered. Like the fabric had changed, and become leather, hide, or something else on par with those thicker, more uncomfortable materials.
Shaking my head I exited the rather confused entices of my mind and resumed the arduous journey through the endless wastes, which stretched ahead of me. I walked for another ten minutes easy before I saw it. The answer to all of my anguish and pain, a pond of sweet, delicious, life granting water sat glistening in the sun not twenty yards away. Rushing forward like a beserking gorilla, I fell to my knees a grin spreading across my face, mere inches away from the cool waters. Pulling my hood down, I quickly bobbed my head into the crystal clear liquids. I sat there for several minutes soaking my head in the water and drinking greedily. That’s when everything went from bad, to worse. Something solid prodded my back. Rising from the pool I let out a grunt of annoyance. I was about to turn around to deduce what had struck my back, when I caught a glimpse of a form standing behind me. The shape was distorted by the ripples in the water but enough was clear to know, the creature behind me wasn’t human.
“Hey, you okay?” The creature behind me asked. Not knowing what else to do I pulled my cloak once again over my sopping head.
Still facing away from the speaker I looked down at the mask I still had firmly grasped in my hand. Making a split second decision I moved the mask up into its proper position. Adjusting it into position I felt as if it melded perfectly to my facial structure, though this could easily just be a delusion of the adrenaline steadily pumping through my veins.
The speaker noticing my movement once again spoke reaching out a limb and pulling me around to face him. “Hey, buddy I’m talking to you. As a guard, you should have a bit more respect for me.” Giving me a quick check over he gave me a rather deterred look upon
seeing the grinning skull that met his gaze. Taking a step back he let out a startled gasp.
“What in the name of Tartarus is that?”
“You dolt it’s just a mask Steady Aim, if you’d been paying attention you’d have noticed him holding it while he was under the water.” A new voice rang out, another guard joining the now abashed Steady Aim.
While the two spoke, I was taking in what I was looking at. They were two large anthropomorphic stallions clad in golden armor. What in the hell, they’re equines, but not just any equines, these were without a doubt MLP equines, a pair of pegasi to be exact. So does that mean I’m in Equestria, and why are they anthro? My brain was fried; wherever, all I know is that interest of going to jail. Clearing my throat, I finally acknowledged the two guards once more. They had seemed to be staring at me, most
likely awaiting some sort of response.
Shaking my head slowly I decided to give them what they wanted. “I’m sorry, were you two girl scouts talking to me? If so, I’ll take two boxes of Thin mints.” I barked sarcastically. Why the hell did I just antagonize them? What the hell was that? I scolded myself. As I did however, my skull started throbbing. Raising a hand to rub against the side of my head, I forced my focus back to the two guards, just in time for their response.
“What the hell did you call us? Just who do you think you are?” Steady Aim fumed, stomping forward and grabbing me by the collar of my cloak.
The moment he grabbed me the throbbing in my head intensified tenfold, and as suddenly as the pain had come it vanished. With it came a sense of clarity, it was as if a switch went off in my head. A wide grin spread across my mask covered face. As he held me my hand whipped out, grabbing his wrist I pulled to the side forcing one of his rather thick arms off of my cloak. From there while he was still surprised I twisted savagely. His arm bent back into a very compromising and if his howl of pain was any confirmation, quite a painful position as well. As he screamed, the only thought that came to my mind was that if this idiot wanted
to hurt me, well he was in for one hell of an ass kicking.
“Let him go! By the authority of Princess Celestia you will be detained for assaulting an officer of the law.” The second guard demanded. Pulling his sword from its sheath and pointing it at me to add emphasis to his order.
I guess that cements the fact once and for all. I’m definitely in Equestria. Noting that for later, I looked down at the belt of my captive, pulling the stallions arm even further back; eliciting a series of cracks that assured the stallion’s arm was broken. To my luck and his misfortune, he was left handed. Reaching down with my free hand, I gently slid his weapon from its sheath and hefted the weight in my hand experimentally. Lifting one of my feet, I placed it gently on the now crouching, moaning stallion that had chosen to assault me. Smiling at the other stallion that seemed on the verge of charging me, I let out a short snort of defiance.
“You want him, fine take him.” I stated coolly releasing my hostage’s arm and pushing roughly forward with my foot, causing him to stumble and fall several feet away from me and my new target. Once he’d been dealt with, I shifted the sword to my other hand and pointed it toward my opponent tauntingly. “Your move chump.” I had no idea why I felt so at ease, or for that matter why the feel of the blade in my hand felt so natural. Whatever this was, I couldn’t help but like it, this feeling of superiority, like I’d done this a thousand other times. But I’ve never held a sword before, and for that matter I’ve never been this aggressive before, have I? What the hell is going on with me? As I mentally questioned the reality of the situation, the blade wielding guard charged forward letting out a growl of rage.
As he barreled me, I brought the sword up just in time to intercept his first wild blow. I stumbled back a few steps, but my attacker didn’t so much as bat an eye. He swung again, this time I decided to duck under his slash, missing me by a few inches. As he finished his arch, I retaliated, swinging my right foot in a curve from my crouched position. It connected to the side of his knee gaining me a pained grunt from the still enraged stallion. Taking a step back, he switched up his pattern, this time going for a vertical swing. Bringing my own blade up, I turned the weapon to the blunt edge. The aggressors attack clanged loudly against my own metal, but unlike me, his blade went back up from the retraction of force. Taking this advantage, I pushed up heavy on my heels, colliding shoulder first into his chest smashing the air from his lungs, as he took faltered back gasping for air.
Standing back to my full height, my earlier confidence returning in full, I couldn’t help but take a sense of pride in my performance. It was as if I could see his movement before he even made them. Is fighting always this easy? Or maybe I’m just a natural, in the back my head I thought maybe just maybe, it was something else altogether. Maybe even a magical change due to the world perhaps? I didn’t get a chance to continue this thought though as I barely managed to avoid being impaled, as my opponent returned for round two.
As I dodged stab after stab slowly moving backward, he just came at them even harder. Flipping my blade upside-down and grabbing the tip in between my off-hand’s palm and thumb, I pushed to the side as he came in for his next stroke. My ploy caught him off-guard, and left him in a defenseless position, as his blade was knocked forcefully to the side. Moving in, I slammed my pummel hard into his gut. I watched with satisfaction as he crumpled to his knees heaving. While he wheezed for breathe I took the opportunity to remove his weapon. Slamming my foot on his killing utensil, I gave it a hefty kick, sending it clattering several paces away and thoroughly out of his reach.
“Heh, looks like you need a bit more practice private.” I mocked moving my blade to his throat.
“I am a corporal, corporal Side Arm, of Her Majesties royal militia. So, what now? Do you expect me to beg?” He huffed glowering at me from the corner of his eye, spitting out a wad of blood as he finished his angry tirade.
I sighed at his less than humble defeat. “No, I have no reason to kill you corporal, unless to plan to attack me again.” I pointed out flatly.
“You insult me and my partner, then injure and detain him, and when I asked you to surrender, you pulled his blade on me? Do you really think I believe a monster like you would let me live?” He bit back contempt oozing from each word.
I sighed once again, after all he was right. I started all of this, and the thing is I’m not completely sure why? I mean I was scared, and I was and still am really confused? But it seemed more than that, like there was a voice in my head nagging me on. Ever since that blasted merchant gave me this damned mask, I seem to be changing. The worst part is I liked it. I reached up tapping my index and middle finger on the mask to verify its existence. While fighting I seemed to get better the longer I battled, and the guard seemed to become predictable and sloppy. It was actually funny; it reminded me quite a bit of the real Taskmaster. I turned glumly to look back to my waiting captive.
“You’re right, I did start all of this, but if you were me then you’d probably have done the same.” I added finally, my gaze locking with his.
“And who exactly are you? What makes you so special?” He asked raising a brow in a show of curiosity.
“I’m-I’m…The Taskmaster, that’s who.” I stated warily. Was it right for me to call myself that, I mean…I sure am pulling off the part perfectly. Aggressive, cocky, and skilled with the ability to steal the greatest skill from anyone he fights, or spends any extensive time with. Hell, If I didn’t know any better I’d say I stole this unlucky stallions sword skills. Or maybe I stole the Taskmaster’s skill instead. “To put it simply, I’m not like anything you’ve ever seen, or for that matter will probably ever see again.” I conclude, pulling the sword from his throat, and Hefting it onto my shoulder and tapping its flat side on my collarbone wistfully.
Watching me warily he stumbled to his hooves. “I’d have to disagree with you.” This caught my interest; I nodded for him to continue. He merely smiled, and then something hit me hard.
I fell, darkness slowly closing on all sides. That bastard, what the hell happened? What did he do? I swear…I-he’ll…pay. As I drifted off into the darkness I swear I heard the guard whisper something from next to me.
“I see criminals like you every day.” Side Arm whispered. Reaching down, and retrieved the stolen sword, he returned to his hooves letting out a groan of fatigue.
“Hey, you okay? You’re lucky I woke up before he ended you and got away.” The guard’s partner warned holding his left arm tight against his body.
“Yeah, though this creep was a lot tougher than I’d have expected. We should take him back to Canterlot.” He suggested, waving toward the unconscious criminal.
“You-you can’t be serious, after he nearly killed us both? We can’t take him there.” The other argued rubbing the bridge of his muzzle with his good hand.
“Believe me I don’t want to bring him anywhere near the princess, but it’s our job. Someone like him has to be judged by Princess Celestia herself.” He sighed heavily. “I’ll fly out and get the chariot, just watch to make sure he,” motioning to me, “doesn’t’ get away or something.”
The injured stallion grumbled, but taking his sword from his ally turned to watch his quarry. “This is such a bad idea.”
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I woke to the feel of hard, cold, and damp stone against my back. Goddamn it, I swear, I’m going to strangle that fucker that knocked my ass out. Hehehe, next time I’ll be sure to double tap anyone I put down. After all, it’s not very professional, or stylish to get beat by a handicapped enemy. Sitting up, I take a good look around me. Four moldy stone walls and matching ceiling, a large iron bar door, and the only furnishings, I the room were a pile of soggy hay, and a bucket in the corner. The odd thing was the fact that they left my clothes on, they even left my mask. Strange you’d think they’d take all my possessions? I know I would’ve in their place. well, I’m in a dungeon, I hope they at least feed me soon, can’t escape here on an empty stomach. A growl of my stomach agreeing heartily with my observations, I stood and walked to the door, hoping to find my warden with any luck.
“KNOCK KNOCK, anyone home?” I yelled into the long stone hallway that stretched outside of my cell. I waited several moments before deciding to give yelling one last go, if that didn’t work I’d just break the door down myself. Before I could let loose another volley of sarcastic comments though, I heard the telltale sound of hooves on stone.
“Well it seems to have finally woken up. Now perhaps you wouldn’t mind answering some questions?” I was surprised; I’d expected a guard, or warder, but not the princess herself. I’m not sure if this is a good thing, or far worse than I could’ve hoped.
“Like what, I’m all ears princess?” I asked rhetorically rolling my eyes at the regal mare.
“Why don’t we start with a name?” she asked patiently, a calm smile never leaving her face.
“Oh, a classic, and one of my favorites to boot, you can call me Taskmaster.” I responded, a grin spreading behind my mask.