Chapters Assassins For Life
In Equestria, there is usually more calm and peace than in Britain. Britain is where main war takes place, and where many assassins are called. Ezio, the best assassin unicorn around, met a filly in Britain, who's home was destroyed after the war. She desperately needed self-defense. The problem she has is...she cannot feel pain. Ezio wanted to help her defend herself, because her condition leaves her more eligible to ponies beating her up.
He took her on as an assassin-in-training, and she said that her name was Zarianna. Zaria for short. When they first met, she was about five years old. Now, she is an eleven year old mare. For six years, she has lived with him, as his student. She knew he was somepony she could trust. But any time she got into a fight, she never felt the stabs of hooves, roughly burring their ways deep in her body. She never knew how many bruises she'd come back with. She never knew what true pain felt like.
It was about time she worked on the academic parts of her foalhood. Ezio decided to allow her into public school. But Zaria didn't wish to leave where she always considered her safe haven. She wouldn't dare to leave, unless it was for a kill. She was fearful that she might get picked on. Not only was the only standing school was a school for grades Kindergarten-12th grade, but it was a one classroom school. So she'd have the same teacher, but differently aged students. Ezio wasn't ever willing to put Zaria in harm's way, but he feels that she needs school for valuable knowledge.
Zaria only felt that all she needed to know was how to assassinate. She's read books on places that are much farther away from Britain. Her world, in the history books, was originally built for humans. But pony immigrates decided to claim Britain as their own. The leader at the time, quoted that the name was exotic enough. Every time Zaria looked back on that lesson she was taught in a different school (before the war), she called it absolute rubbish...especially because of an argument that arose soon after the land was claimed.
The night Ezio met Zaria, the gun fires had been hushed, and the lights of sparks of flame, was being burnt out. Zaria was sitting on what used to be her front porch, where her mother always watched her play with her small puppy, Scruffy. But her mother was a nurse-of-war, and where she was working from, was bombed. Her father was a soldier, and he was shot in the chest. Her dog, Scruffy, surprisingly survived. He crawled out of the bomb cellar, covered with dirt, and lay in Zaria's lap.
Zaria was covered with scratches and bruises. Pieces of her burnt and bombed home had fallen on her, making her look as if somepony had beaten her to death. Ezio was killing a few guards, when he spotted the small filly. He pulled his knife out of the guard's chest, and trotted over to her. "What are you doing out here?" He asked Zaria as she looked up at him.
"I...I was trying to find my home, but as you can see...it's gone," Zaria answered, a thick British accent coated her tone. Scruffy growled a little at Ezio, but then stopped as Zaria stroked him gently. Zaria's horn sparked as she gently tried to pick up a barely harmed bow she once wore all of the time. Her aura held it up as she dusted off ashes with a hoof. As she put her mane up into a ponytail shape, and placed the bow in, she didn't realize that she had a piece of glass in her hoof this whole time.
"You have a glass piece in your hoof," Ezio pointed out. "Didn't you feel it?" He added, starting his aura as he used it to lift the hoof with a shard injected in. Zaria looked up to him, Scruffy had fallen asleep, and he didn't bark at Ezio for handling his owner.
"That's just it, I don't feel pain, and I have no idea why!" Zaria exclaimed. Ezio gave her a truly bemused look, and found a slightly burnt thread spool and took a small piece of metal. His aura pulled out the glass, and stitched the wound shut. Zaria sat there, no pain was felt.
"No pain?" Ezio asked. Zaria nodded and he took a minute to think about this. This filly cannot feel any pain. He thought. He decided to ask if Zaria was willing to come to his base with him. Smiling a little, she nodded and trotted along, her aura carrying her tiny dog. "So, what's your name?" Ezio asked casually. Zaria looked up to him, and replied with a question after.
"Zarianna, Zaria for short. And you?". Ezio turned his head behind him to face Zaria.
"Ezio...I'm an assassin pony," He told her. Zaria gasped. "But you can trust me," He finished. Zaria sighed, relieved of that.
Assassins For Life
The bus cart finally arrived at the school, and Zaria trotted off with Astro. They chatted along, and kept carrying on their conversation until the bell rang. They decided to get desks next to each other. All around, there were small fillies and colts, to almost adult mares and stallions. When the teacher trotted in, Zaria and Astro gazed upon her with strange expressions. The teacher was the color of a peach, and had a brunette mane, wrapped up in a bun. She had a test tube with a lime colored liquid inside for a cutiemark, and had black glasses sitting atop her muzzle.
"Bleedin' 'ell, she looks a little uptight," Zaria whispered to Astro. He nodded in agreement as the teacher opened her mouth to speak.
"'Ello class, I am Ms. Experrie, and I am a former science teacher at the now burnt high school," The teacher introduced herself. All the high-schooler ponies sitting in the back nodded. Astro looked over at Zaria, and she looked back. The teacher caught them catching looks at each other, and she came over to their desks.
"Excuse me, but were you two talking while I was?" She asked a little firmly. Zaria grimaced toward her. Astro looked up at her and defended Zaria and himself.
"Of course not ! If anything, we respect you fully," Astro defended. He tried a little flank-kissing to see if it worked on her.
"Nice try. What is your names?" Ms. Experrie asked the two. Zaria sighed, and gave up her name.
"Zarianna Decendor," She sighed.
"Astro Quarador," Astro sighed along. Ms. Experrie nodded and wrote down their names on a piece of paper.
"During free period, you two will stay in as a serve of detention," She said, adjusting her glasses. Zaria sighed, and Astro glanced over at her.
"I'm sorry, Zaria," Astro apologized. Zaria looked over at him and frowned.
"It's that eld bat's fault, not yours!" Zaria replied, trying to cheer him up. He smiled, and they continued to listen to Ms. Experrie.
As Ezio trotted toward the ruins of the town hall, Connor stood there, his hood was up as well. The real difference between their hoods was the color lining. Connor's was blue, but Ezio's was red. Under his hood, Connor frowned upon Ezio as he approached. When they could see eye to eye, Ezio opened his mouth to speak.
"What did you need, Connor?" He asked. Connor looked at him with a cold frown. Of course they couldn't see each other's expressions toward each other, but they could tell in a tone of voice. Lifting a hoof, Connor slapped Ezio across his face.
"Moron! Do you realize what the hell you've done to your apprentice?!" Connor snapped. Ezio's aura was sparking up as it reached for his knife, readying itself to defend if he took another hit. Ezio shook his head, and Connor pushed down his hood, as Ezio did himself.
"Zaria is being taught by who may seem like an old bitch of a teacher, but she's actually a British sorceress! Ezio, unenroll her if you really want her to carry on as a new Ezio when you go. You're getting old, you need a mare like her to take your place when you do go." Connor explained. Ezio nodded, and his aura disarmed his knife. Ezio was getting old, and he was training Zaria to take his place later on, but if she dies because of the sorceress, that wouldn't happen.
"I understand, Connor, but I really thought this was best. I've trained her for years , even if the teacher is a sorceress, at least she can hold on and defend herself until I can help her. She's eleven, and not completely taught." Ezio admitted to his friend.
"Zaria looks upon you as a guardian, Ezio, And if she dies, I hope you realize that it will be your fault. Don't let her go from you, you need her and she same as you," Connor spoke with a wise feel. Ezio looked at him strangely. "She's one of us Ezio, and you are her protector when she screws up. And she's screwed up a lot in the years she's been your student. Don't make her press her luck." Connor added. Ezio nodded, and Connor came up to him.
"Connor, she's somepony I care about. She may be just an apprentice, but she's been loyal to us. There isn't many female assassins, and she can be the next me . She's skilled and knows what she's doing." Ezio told Connor. He nodded, and started to trot pass Ezio.
"When are you gonna tell her? When she's about to die?" Connor asked Ezio. A sigh slipped his lips as he looked back up at his friend.
"No, just when the time is right," Ezio replied reluctantly. "She's not ready. I'm not sure how she'll take it." Ezio finished. They shook hooves, and parted ways.
Back at the school, Ms. Experrie was grading papers while the students played outside. Most of the high-schoolers played football while the mare high-schoolers cheered them on. Some even tempted the players by shaking their flanks a little to tease. But Astro and Zaria were stuck inside, serving detention for a false accusation.
The passed noted back and forth because they weren't far from each other. Astro wrote down what he was enraged about most with Ms. Experrie.
I bloody told that witch we didn't talk! He wrote, and passed to Zaria. She read it, and replied back with a pink ink pen.
I know. She's such a bugger... Zaria insulted the teacher, and passed it back to Astro. He read, and replied back.
Yep. Maybe tomorrow won't be so bad. He tried to lighten up the situation, and passed it back to Zaria. Once again, she read and replied.
Hope so. Listen, I kinda like you. Do you wanna, maybe, hang out sometime? She asked in the note. She passed it back, and Astro was stunned by her reply. He blushed, and wrote back.
Sure, the theatre? Their putting on a play based on the comedy book "Just A Dream". He suggested, and passed it back. Zaria read it and turned back to him and nodded. Astro smiled. Whoo-hoo! I got myself a date! He thought, and jerked around happily.
I'm looking forward to this, I just have to get out without Ezio knowing. He's so overprotective, but he means well. Zaria reasoned with herself, and looked out the window to watch the fillies, colts, and teenagers play around outside.
Assassins For Life
After school, Zaria came inside the hut where Ezio was at his desk like usual. "Ezio, I'm home," Zaria said to Ezio. He nodded and glanced behind him where Zaria stood, her bleach blonde mane flowed as she turned her head. "I wanted to know how it went with Connor," She asked.
"Alright. How was school?" He asked, and turned his head to face Zaria. She rolled her neon purple eyes and looked to the side.
"A douchebag teacher, one friend, pieced it together yet?" She tested Ezio. Given the trivia, he played along and pushed his hood down.
"Yup, pretty bad day?" He answered. She nodded and trotted toward her room. But before she actually left, she turned her head behind her to face Ezio again.
"Did Connor mention anything about my school? Because I read something in the paper today that an insane sorceress escaped her prison and traveled somewhere either to or near my school," Zaria revealed what she read. Ezio's eyes widened. Damn...this is more than just a sorceress teacher. He figured, and turned to Zaria again.
"...No." Ezio lied. It took him a moment to answer because he usually doesn't lie to Zaria. But he is however keeping something from her that she never even knew. He never intended to lie to her, but if the relationship between them was at stake, and her feelings, it was worth anything he had to say.
Zaria nodded, and turned to face her way to her bedroom. But when she closed her door behind her, she looked back strangely, she could hear Ezio rummaging through his drawers and picking up his orb every now and then. She didn't intend to lie to him as he didn't to her, but she wanted to see Astro tonight. But she only hoped that Ezio would wear out soon before she left.
Connor trotted into the bar where two more assassins, Edward and Daniel. They were sitting down, with mugs of fizzy apple cider sitting on the counter in front of them. "So, did you talk to the oldie?" Daniel joked toward Connor. He knew he was referring the "oldie" as Ezio.
"Yeah, and he isn't that old! He's like forty." Connor attempted to correct his colleague. Daniel just kept laughing a bit, but Edward had kept a poker face the whole time.
"Ignore Daniel. What did he say, Connor?" Edward asked. Daniel looked at Edward like he just insulted him lightly. Connor took a deep breath and responded coldly.
"He said that Zaria is strong enough to hold off until we can help her if the demon teacher attacks." Connor answered, sitting down on a barstool. Daniel rolled his eyes and looked back at Connor.
"That's just like him. I mean, I know Zaria's his apprentice and all, but he has to stop treating her like she's five years old again." Daniel commented. Edward looked at him sternly, and turned around to face him.
"Zaria has an extremely rare nerve condition to where all of the pain senses are dead, making her not feel pain. But she can feel everything else." Edward told Daniel roughly. He looked at both his colleagues, and sipped his apple cider.
"Yeah, but any assassin would want her power. But I know its hard for her. She can feel internal pain; like guilt, but she can't feel outer pain." Daniel replied. Rolling his eyes, Edward turned to Connor again.
"Daniel, Edward, I have a feeling that Zaria is in grave danger. But Ezio is too positive in her strength to see that." Connor told them. They looked at him strangely, and Daniel laughed a bit. "What's so funny?" Connor asked him.
"Last time you told us that you felt that somepony, ahem, Ezio, was in grave danger he was actually about to jump off the side of a tower where a hay-bail didn't lay!" Daniel laughed. Edward soon found himself cracking up as well. Connor rolled his eyes, and left the bar.
All night, Zaria was preparing for the "date" she had with Astro. She was looking forward to the theatre. She expected more than just a date, but possibly a kiss. She was searching her room frantically for her "lucky" bow. Hearing the rummaging, Ezio knocked on her door. Quickly gathering her dignity together, she shouted with a bead of sweat creeping from her brow, "Come in!"
"Zaria, are you alright? I heard some crashing and clattering." He asked. Nervously, Zaria stuttered in an answer.
"I-I'm fine!" She answered. Ezio nodded, and closed the door behind him. "Whew, close one, huh Scruffy?" Zaria asked her dog, wiping the sweat bead from her brow. Scruffy grunted in agreement, and came up on the bed, and sat down beside her. She stroked him twice, and searched for the bow once again.
Some time passed, maybe ten minutes, and Zaria finally found her bow. She stuck her mane up in a high ponytail, and then the real challenge came to her mind: finding the right attire. She looked for the best dress she had, but the best she could find: was her red skirt that fit firmly around the flank, and a small ruby necklace. She accepted the beauty of her best skirt and used her aura to slip it on. It was sure not to slip off, and then, her aura tied on her necklace.
It was about time Zaria was to head out. She reassured herself time and time again that Ezio was asleep. So she quietly tip-trotted to the door, and closed it behind her. She saw a small cloud of fog puff over town, and then she saw a silhouette of a stallion. After the fog cleared a bit, she saw Connor trot up to her. "Going somewhere, young mare?" He asked smugly. Zaria's ears dropped to the ground.
"Don't tell Ezio. I was just going to meet a friend at the theatre." Zaria said innocently. Connor scoffed, and trotted up closer.
"A 'friend'? Does this 'friend' happen to be a young stallion? Does this 'friend' happen to flirt with you with subtleness? I can answer that: Yes." Connor replied. Zaria rolled her eyes, and sparked her aura to her secret pouch on her side, where her knife was rested.
"Listen, I'm in a hurry. Don't press your luck, smartass." Zaria pressed with Connor. He was a little taken back by her remark, and backed up a bit.
"I know. Be careful, I've heard some...things with your school. Your teacher was...the problem here." He sighed. Zaria rolled her eyes once more.
"Please! She's nothing more than a nagging pain in everypony's...arses ." She scoffed, avoiding more immoderate language.
"Still, please heed this warning." Connor begged. Zaria nodded, and trotted on to the theatre.
Assassins For Life
It was the night before Zaria's official day of public school. Before she went to bed, Ezio had explained that Zaria may be best at mathematics, due to how well she is at free running measurement. She always knew how far the jump was, and she could determine if it was jumpable or not. Zaria was still very unsure about all of this.
Ezio was looking in his journal, his orb was sitting next to the candlelight. The orb glowed, but Ezio tried to ignore it. He was oblivious to everything around him during times he was in his journal. But what caught is attention, was the sound of trotting behind him. As he turned, he saw that Zaria had woken up.
"Ezio..." She began, her bleach blonde main was down from her usual up-do and was down to about where her body stretches down to her hooves. Her tail was half as long as her hind legs, and it trailed along as she trotted a little closer. "I can't sleep..." She added, her accent was softened.
"Zaria, you need to sleep. A mare your age should not be focused on troubles." He remarked. Zaria had stopped, halfway between Ezio and the doorway to the main room, to Ezio's study.
"I'm still unsure about all of this 'school' business," Zaria said. A partial reason she was afraid was because she had the assassin symbol on her flank, but it had a small pink bow. It meant that her special talent was that she could assassinate very well, even though she was a mare. Another reason was her no-pain condition. She was scared that ponies would take advantage of that. Her dog, Scruffy, had grown in six years. He was the size of his breed: a Bloodhound. Scruffy was a wonderful guard-dog, and Zaria felt Scruffy as a soul companion.
Ezio chuckled, and led Zaria back to her bedroom. Her room was candlelit, with a dark wood dresser, and a golden paint lined mirror hung above it. Her bed was a normal size, and it had a quilt over a soft mattress. As she climbed back in bed, and pulled the covers over her, Ezio sat down at the foot of her bed.
"There is nothing to be afraid of," Ezio consoled the frightened filly. Zaria still looked as unsure as Scruffy did when she told him that she'd have to go the next morning. She's still not buying it... Ezio thought. Zaria sighed deeply, and Ezio tried to get her to feel a little better.
"I'm trying to say: there is nothing to worry about. As long as they don't know that you cannot feel pain, you'll be fine." Ezio sighed. He exited the room, still concerned for Zaria.
"Oh, bugger it!" Zaria growled, and laid down. Frustrated with Ezio, she pulled the covers over her shoulders, and slowly drifted off to sleep.
* * *
The alarm clock rang as the sun peeked over the horizon. Not wanting to wake up, Zaria knocked the alarm clock off on the dark wood nightstand. She yawned, and sat up. Scruffy was snoring away, and Zaria gently stroked him as he slept. She got up, and trotted over to the main room. As she passed the fruit bowl sitting on the counter-top, her aura started up and got a banana. Her magic peeled it and got it close to her mouth so she could eat it.
Sitting down at the table, she read an article on the remaining school that she was attending. My school made the cover of the newspaper? She thought. Reading it carefully, word for word, it just made her more and more uneasy about the school. Ezio had woken up, and trotted downstairs. He pulled his hood up with his magic, and came up behind Zaria.
"Zarianna," He began, attempting to get her attention. She turned her head to face him. "I trust that you get to school on time, the bus cart arrives in twenty minutes. So be ready. I have to meet Connor at the ruins," He added. Zaria nodded.
"Okay, Ezio," She sighed. He trotted outside, and away from the hut. Scruffy had awaken, and he came into the main room where Zaria sat at the table. "I already hate school, and even if the ponies are nice...it will still keep my expectations on the low," Zaria muttered under her breath. Scruffy whimpered, and Zaria opened the door.
"There you go, mutt." She teased as Scruffy went outside. Zaria was finished with her banana, and noticed that the bus was to arrive in ten minutes. Not in much of a hurry, Zaria trotted into her bedroom to brush her mane. As the brush stroked through her tangled mane, she thought about her new school. She got her cutiemark only three years ago, and she didn't intend to say anything about it. "I swear...if someone asks about my cutiemark, I'll slap them across their face." Zaria promised herself.
After five minutes, she was ready from school. So she let Scruffy back inside, and trotted out to the bus stop down the street. She saw that three younger foals were waiting for the bus as well. She didn't say anything. Zaria didn't want to make a fool of herself and screw up with her words. But then came a couple more ponies. One had a white coat and a midnight blue mane and tail, the cutiemark was a football. The other had a golden-colored coat, with a streaked mane colored with a blue mane as well. Except it was a sky blue. They were both stallions, and they looked her age. Zaria bit her lip to keep herself from shouting "Hey!".
"Jewel! What did I tell you about coming out here on your own?" The white coated stallion asked a little filly. The filly looked up at the stallion as she opened her mouth to speak.
"But...Hunter! I'm old enough to come out here on my own! You may be my older brother but-" She tried to explain, but the stallion she called Hunter looked at her sternly and cut her off.
"But nothing! You are five years old! And anypony could just scoop you up and foal-nap you!" He replied firmly. Zaria was truly bemused. Why am I just listening to this without saying something? Oh...because I don't want to make a fool of myself. Zaria thought to herself. She sighed, and looked over to the other stallion. He looked back at her, and smirked. She giggled slightly, and looked down at the dirt ground below them.
Finally, the bus cart arrived. Zaria was the first to get on, and as she trotted down the isle, she noticed that almost all of the stallions and colts looked at her with smiles and smirks. If there was another stallion next to them, they whispered to each other as she passed. Befuddled at all of the murmurs about her, she sat in the back of the bus.
"So, where did a pretty little mare like yourself come from?" A stallion asked. She was startled a bit, and looked up. The stallion that smirked at her was resting his head on the back of the seat, and was facing her. She smiled, and glanced up at him.
"Well...from the end of the street," She answered, her British accent thickened a bit more when she ended her answer. He laughed and looked her in her bright purple eyes.
"Nice! If you don't mind me asking: What does your cutiemark mean?" He asked. Zaria's eyes widened with shock. Bloody 'ell! I know what I promised myself...but he's so hot! She thought. She smiled, and looked back up at him.
"It means I can assassinate well, even though my gender is female," She answered. The stallion raised an eyebrow, and smirked at her again.
"That's cool. My cutiemark means I'm awesome at gaming." He explained. "My name is Astro, and your's?" He asked, holding out a gentle hoof.
"Zarianna. But you can call me Zaria," She said, extending out a hoof of her own. Their hooves met and they shook.
"Zarianna. Pretty name." He complimented. She smiled and looked him in his bright red eyes.
"Astro is a great name as well," She replied with a smile. They laughed and continued their conversation about each other.