The Vengeful Guardians: the mercs of justice

It was a dark calm night on the outskirts of Goth'thorn city, where asylum of Arkmane stood. Even the inmates seemed calmer than usual, with no threats of murder, suicide or other such things were being screamed from there usual sources.  This unusual calmness did not seem to soothe the nerves of John Arkmane, the head administrator and owner of Arkmane asylum. As he paced back and forth in his office as he constantly muttered. "Where is he?"

His usually pristine white coat was slightly matted from sweat and his grey mane was in a mess. He stopped in his tracks as the lights in his office flickered off.

*Creak*

The Window in his office was now swinging back and forth as if it was just opened quickly and with no visible intruder insight. He quickly backed away in fear until he bumped into something that was obviously not a piece of furniture.  "You called?"

A snide but calm and threatening voice called from behind him causing him to jump and quickly turn around to face the owner of the voice. He saw a stallion that was two feet taller than him. He wore a light grey greatcoat, the edges of the coat tails were given a sharp torn look. The coat was worn over black body armor with red lining on the padding with a red crescent moon adorned in the center of his chest. Red hoof guards on his forelegs and red boots on his hind legs his entire body was covered up to his neck. Leaving only his long managy spiky red and navy tail exposed. His face was concealed by a red helmet that was almost featureless, aside from a blade like extension where his horn is. Clear white lenses tinted with black lining concealed the stallion's eyes. The helmet had sharp streaks traveling down its cheeks giving it a permanent glare. Arkmane had recognized the stallion from his helmet alone "R-R-Red Horn I see you got my um, invite to come see me."

Red Horn passed him as he walked by Arkmane. On his walk to the chair he gave the scared stallion a clear view of the hand guns strapped to his thighs, right below where his cutie mark should be. He quickly sat in Arkmane's chair, he sat back getting into a relaxed posture. "I had heard through the grape vine that you were looking for me, for a very high paying job."

He leaned forward taking a more sinister posture and glaring down at Arkmane. "And it better be high paying job i don't like coming out to this city."

Arkmane laughed nervously "Yeah I guess avoiding Moon Knight and Mare-Do Well is pretty hard" Red horn seemed to be unimpressed by his joke

"Are you implying that I'm afraid of those two?" A slightly more aggressive tone appeared in Red Horn's voice.

"No no no Red Horn I'm not! I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

A knife embedded itself in the wall right next to his head, immediately making the stallion quiet out of fear. A red glow surrounded the hilt and freed it from the wall it floated over to Red horn who had similar glow around his horn the knife slipped into his jacket. "Shut the hell up calm down and tell me the job or I'm leaving"

Arkmane straighten his posture and opened a drawer in his desk and put it on the desk. "Recently An inmate of my asylum as escaped! I need you to..."

"Oh shocker there..."

Slightly confused from the mercenaries interruption he stared at him with pure confusion. "Um excuse me?"

"Oh come on man, megalomaniac super villains have broken out of here thousands of times. Your security here is a joke." Red horn stated sounding slightly annoyed at Arkmane's blunder.

"Well this inmate is not a megalomaniac, he's just to be honest an insane super powered homeless drifter, the file explains it. Also you did not let me finish the inmate escaped mid transfer to here. The guards were distracted..."

Arkmane slid the folder forward and it was quickly picked up by Red Horn's magic. Red Horn brought the folder to his eye's. "Ok lets see" He opened it and quickly skimmed through it. "Ah I've heard of this guy, Two Hooves a colt who attempted to commit suicide and gained powers and lost his mind in the process telekinetic punches or some shit." Red Horn lowered the folder and looked back at Arkmane "Why do you want me to take care of this why don't you just wait for a some idiot in a costume to recapture him or something?"

"Well you see... I may have kinda covered up his escape from the media and said he would be a inmate in here by next week... To improve the public view of my asylum." Arkmane smiled awkwardly he could tell that Red horn had a cold stare behind his helmet. "So will you take the job?"

"That depends what will i get paid to clean up your mess?"

Arkmane placed a check on the table "i can guarantee 30,000 bits for his capture and i will pay for any used or damaged equipment in the use of Two Hooves capture"

The Mercenary seemed pleased by Arkmane's offer "ok colored me interested, so tell me where i can find your escapee"

"Maretroplis"

"I'm raising the price to 45,000 plus the cost for repairs and replacement." Arkmane was taken surprised by the mercenaries second interruption. "What? you want me to add 15,000 bits to the deal just because he's in maretroplis, why?"

"Because you maretroplis is power pimbo territory those six bitch's well more than likely get in my way with their dumb luck."

"But thats outrageous-"

"Fine then im leaving and you can get some other hired gun one that may not be so open to your demands" Arkmane's anger quickly subsided from Red horn's calm statement he sighed heavily "Ok fine I'll agree to your demands but if i had to lay off some guards because of this i blaming you"

"Heh i think I'll be able to live with myself besides isn't it better that five guards get layoff then everypony here losing their job because of this place being shut it down" Arkmane thought over what he said "How do i know you can accomplish the task?"

"I'm assuming since you looked for me specifically you've heard of my reputation" Arkmane tone became quizzical "yes but how do i know it's true some of the stuff I've heard sounds a little unbelievable"

"Fine then say it and I'll tell you if it's true"

"Ok breaking shadow blots jaw"

"That's true i broke his jaw in a fight when he tried to stop one of my theft jops"

a bead of sweat dropped down Arkmane's face "Ok getting into a fight with Radiance and sticking a gun in her mouth winning the fight"

"Oh yes im specifically proud of that im made one bravest super heroines currently alive nearly pass out of fear" he laughed lowly to himself

"By faust he is nuts" Arkmane thought to himself in fear "Ok then I think I'm done asking for truth I want to be able to sleep tonight"

"Well then I guess we have deal I capture Two hooves and bring him back here where you're going to give me my cash for a job well done" he put the folder in his jacket and got up from his seat. "Yes that is the deal if he's dead you get no pay"

"Got it"

"When can I expect a ummmm a mission complete I guess or whatever you call it"

Red horn walked over to the still open window "Give me a week for traveling, planning and tracking him down in the meantime get my money ready or I'll drop off his ass at gpd and sell this story to the press I'm sure any reporter will pay a pretty price for this if I don't get my money"

He smirked under his helmet while Arkmane grew a nervous grin "don't worry you'll well get paid I promise you"

"Good" he jumped out the window with a red glow surrounding his horn before he hit the ground he teleported away with a red flash "Dear lord he was scary" exclaimed Arkmane as he sat back in his chair exhausted

(In a storm drain near Arkmane asylum)

In a red flash Red Horn appeared in storm drain he looked up to see pale slightly glowing amber lenses staring back at him "you got all that through the communicator?"

"Yeah" responded a female slightly tomboyish voice "this job sounds like it could be fun fighting a psychotic meta pony and a chance to fight the power ponies and you know im open to challenges"

"Yeah and that's just one of the many things I love about you" he couldn't see it but he knew she was blushing.  The unknown mare walked out of the shadows revealing a petite mare the a foot below an average mare height, wearing a black assassins garb with a red hood, and crescent symbol on her chest and scarf like cape with red gloves with small blades on her forelegs her face was concealed by a full silver face mask with amber lenses the only parts of her exposed were her light red sharp gossamer wings and her red and pink tail. She walked over and nuzzled him.  "So what's the attack plan brute force him to unconscious or actual strategy?"

He nuzzled back "i was thinking of using an actual strategy" he pulled out the envelope from his jacket and handed it to her "with this taking him should be quite the experience"

They pulled away "now then let's get to maretroplis I'll form a plan on the way of tracking him down so come on loyal sidekick" he said jokingly

"Im not your sidekick I'm your partner"

"Only in bed Silent Rose in crime your my sidekick" he grew a smile under his helmet as Blood glared at him under her mask "you know you're an ass sometimes right"

"Yet you stay with me anyway so what's that say about you"

"Shut up and lets go already"

"As you wish my lady" he replied back as they walked off

(Maretroplis 3 days later)

<"I really don't like this plan"> Rose stated over the communicator. It had taken them a day to get too maretroplis and two more days to track down Two Hooves to a warehouse they we're currently standing near <"Your just saying that because it involves you staying out with a sniper that may or may not come into play.">

Red Horn said as he looked up from the entrance of the warehouse to the building Rose was atop with her sniper rifle.

<"Of course i'm mad you gave me the job of backup again you know I can handle a fight right">

<"*sigh* I know it just that-"> Red horn suddenly stopped talking

<"Just what?">

<"Hey, how about I make it up to you this is a very high paying job so how about we take a little vacation to anywhere you want two months of just you and me relaxing and sightseeing"> he stated in an unusual sweet tone

<"I'd like that, I'd really like that thanks Crescent">

<"Don't thank me yet we still have job to complete"> he entered the warehouse through an open window he didn't want to teleport and alert His prey of his arrival. He kept to the shadows sticking out of sight. Trash of food wrappers was littered over the nearly empty building "ok food wrappers that's a good sign"

He and Silent Rose had tracked two hooves from reports of nearby convenience store robberies saying the assailant had erratic behavior and displayed some form of Psychokinesis with a little detective work they had narrowed it down to this warehouse and it seemed they were right he activated the communicator in helmet and spoke quietly to avoid detection <"I think this might be the place the place is covered food trash">

Silent Rose responded back as she set up her rifle for a shot thru the windows if need be while keeping low to avoid detection from any other guests that might arrive "good this can begin quickly"

The eye's of Red horn's helmet turned red as his vision switched to heat he searched throughout the building until he picked up a large heat signature on the one of the walkways above "I found you, let the game begin"

He quickly climbed to the rafters using the supports and boxes as leverage. There he saw him Two Hooves he matched his description from file perfectly with his long messy brown mane and tail his coat was same dark blue the file said he stood perfectly on his hind legs with his forelegs constricted by a straight jacket without any sign of imbalance. He could see the shadow of a horn from where he stood "Who goes there?"

Two hooves suddenly said causing Red Horn's to widened out of shock "How did the bastard notice me" he grumbled  before stepping out into the shadows "alright fine you caught me"

"Ahhhhh!" Two hooves jumped in fright before he turned around to face the mercenary "you scared me you ass"

"What? But I thought you noticed me and told me to reveal myself" Red horn shouted back the insane unicorn who just shrugged and said "nah I just say that sometimes too see if i'm being stalked and I can't believe it actually worked".

Red Horn's eye started twitching. "How what...why.........you are either the dumbest or craziest pony I have ever met in my life and I've met Mane-iac so thats saying alot." Two hooves took a more proud stance and proclaimed. "I am TWO HOOVES, me and my two hooves dare to be stupid!"

Red horn stared into Two hooves swirling turquoise eye the other one covered by his hair. Quicker then two hooves could blink he drew his gun's a pair of 40mm handguns in his magic pointed at him ready to fire. "I’m going to start hurting you now, and i'm not sure when I'm gonna stop".

Two hooves seemed unfazed by the merc's threats. "Then bring it on big redhead jerk my two hooves can take you on-" he never finished his sentence as Red horn opened fire on him. His horn was surrounded by an aurora as two turquoise hooves formed and in shocking speed blocked each one of his bullets.

"Is that all you got?" Two hooves said in a boastful tone from his feet while not know by his Red horn was smirking under his helmet "This is going to be a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be".

"Oh please you moron I’m just getting started." with that he backflipped and teleported in a red flash

"What where did he g-ack!" two hooves was choked by a scissor hold and taken off by Red horn and his momentum. Before they contacted the platform Red horn grabbed his guns with his hooves pulling the triggers with his magic he fired at the walkways supports releasing the segment under them making fall another 10 feet until two hooves landed jaw first on the pavement

"Had enough yet?" Red horn said confidently as he tighten his hold on Two hooves causing him to cough blood. "Not yet me and my hooves won't give up"

He released a telekinetic uppercut causing Red horn to lose his grip on on Two Hooves neck who proceeded to grab and throw the merc with all his telekinetic strength "Take that you big red ass hat me and m-"

Two hooves was rendered speechless as his fellow unicorn did a mid air roll and landed perfectly on his hooves "I call hax!" Two hooves proclaimed.

Red Horn lifted his head back, a wicked smile and a gleaming eye hidden behind his helmet. Unable to control this feeling he let out his laugh. ”Ahhahahahahahahaha!” The echo the laugh made from the helmet only added to the growing sense of fear and uncomfort Two Hooves felt. His sweat bled from his pours, his legs shivered slightly, one leg taking a small step back.

"What’s with that laugh?!" Two Hooves shouted in confusion. "I don’t like the noise, that laugh’s noise is scary. STOP THE LAUGHING!!!"

Two hooves backed away slightly creeped out by the masked stallion's booming laugh "Stop it." he said

"Who do you think I am im-"

"I know who are" Red Horn interrupted  "I've read your file and I have to say your pretty pathetic."

Two hooves was quickly becoming angrier by the second "How dare you I’m gonna smash you to pieces I'm not pathetic."

The merc laughed again "Really a few criminals make fun of your name and you overdosed yourself on a bunch of pills only to gain superpowers, faust's way of compensating i suppose"

Red horn smirked at the blue unicorns quickly deteriorating confidence "I didn't get powers you big red ass my near death showed me that if put all my strength and determination into something I can accomplish anything if use my two hooves!" This time Red horn was able to hold back his laugh. "And what have you accomplished with those two hooves of yours, oh right random acts that either saved or doomed lifes still pathetic if you ask me."

Two hooves was steaming he screamed as he was still bleeding from his mouth causing small red dots to appear on his straight jacket "Who do think you are insulting me and my two hooves you-"

Youtube Video

"You want to know who I am" Red horns voice became menacing as he raised his guns with his magic and lifted his right hoof up "i'm the stallion ponies call when there's a problem those hero's don't have the gall to solve"

With flick of his hoof two short pearly white blades extended from each of his hoof guards "I've been kicking the asses of meta-ponies since I was 12 and I can assure I've gotten really good at it"

Another chuckle escaped his lips as Two Hooves grinded his teeth in frustration "you see I'm the mercenary Red Horn that stallion who's gonna kick your dumbass and drag it back to Arkmane"

"Like hell!" Two hooves shouted before sending a massive telekinetic punch towards Red Horn. The stallion flipped over it as it destroyed the wall behind him

"Pathetic." Red horn said as he dodged the attack. In mid air he ducked his hooves into his jacket and flinged several knifes toward the mad stallion

"I'm not pathetic!" Two hooves shouted before sending several telekinetic hooves to Intercepting all the knifes destroying all of them.

"how's that for path-" two hooves stopped mid sentence when he noticed a red flash behind him.

"you still fell for it"

"Arrrrgggghhhh!" two hooves screamed in pain as he felt two blades cut through his back in a downward slash ripping through the fabric of his straight jacket. Keeping his momentum Red Horn landed on his blood covered hood and spun around and delivered a roundhouse kick to the back of Two Hooves head sending him flying face first into a support beam and causing the now loose straight jacket to fall off him Red Horn just stared at him with pity "Too easy."

Two hooves flipped himself over groaning in pain with a new purple bump under his horn "I......I...won't give up you hear me, me and my....my...my" Two hooves stared at his now free appendages his breathing becoming panicked "I don't understand my hooves are....are....are...what am I looking-"

His mad ramblings were put to a halt as Red Horn shoved a needle filled with green fluid into his neck Two Hooves eye's grew hazy as he nodded off to unconscious "That should shut you up for a couple hours"

Red horn proceeded to pull out several zip ties to tie up his capture while his partner chimed over the communicator <"Great another job completed and I again did nothing">

<"Oh hush."> Red hood responded as he finished tying up Two Hooves.

<"You didn't miss much this guy's a.d.d made him way too easy to take down"> Red Horn replied as he retracted his blades re-holstered his guns

<"Dear Faust all your jobs recently have been too easy I wish we got......Red we got movement outside its the power-">

Red horn shielded his eye's from the purple blast destroying the nearby wall

"Stop right there you criminal you are under arrest by Power ponies!" Exclaimed Masked Matterhorn leader of the power ponies as she stood alongside her team mates from the new entrance they created. Red Horn smirked under his helmet. <"Well Ruby your wish got granted">

To be continued