Snake Skin | John Marston

Next Generation Gunslinger

Arthur led the horses on the open road, while the other men chatted up.

"You find a good spot, wolfman?" Arthur asked.

"Yeah..." John replied, "...follow the trail South-West, there's a spot that's remote but should still give enough time to spot the oil wagon,"

Y/N figured out the backstory for John's facial scars. Wolves. He was attacked by wild wolves. Now it all made sense. Y/N mentally noted that and maybe one day she would ask John what was it like. Just to tease him about it.

"They see this blocking the tracks they'll stop soon enough," Arthur spoke, calmly.

"See? This is what I mean!" Sean complained, "I disappear for a couple of weeks and you cut me out of all the action,"

"Just the action that requires a brain," John joked. The girl chuckled at his statement and he noticed it. John wasn't the type to open up about his thoughts, and he definitely would've been embarrassed if his crew found out that he caught himself thinking of Y/N more than once ever since they met. He wasn't in love, but he desperately wanted to know where she came from and why was the price on her head so high.

Sean laughed sarcastically, "Ah. You're a funny feller, John Marston. What the folks say, you had your feet up playin' sick, fondling that new scar,"

"You don't know what you're talking about,"

"Stay close on this. Wouldn't want you getting scratched up by a squirrel or somethin', that could put you out of commission for the rest of the year,"

"Why do you speak so much, Sean?" Y/N asked, riding close up to the wagon.

"'Cause I still got some blood in me veins! These old bastards have forgotten how to live,"

"I blame these two for rescuing him," John said as he glanced at Y/N.

"Too much trouble for what we got out of it..." Arthur added in.

"Yeah...takes a whole army of bounty hunters to bring in Sean MacGuire," Sean spoke boastfully.

After a little bit of travel, the outlaws arrived at the destination. They placed the oil wagon right on the train tracks, then freed the horses.
Arthur, claiming the leader's role, spoke up, "Charles, you deal with the engineer. John, secure the passenger car fast. Take charitable donations and make sure everyone behaves. Little Mister MacGuire, you focus on the baggage car. Grab any valuables you can find,"

They all agreed, then Sean asked, "So, what are you doing?"

"I'll make sure that train stops, no matter what," Arthur answered.

"What about the law?" Sean asked once more. Irish was full of questions.

Y/N groaned quietly, adjusting in her saddle, and answered, "We're in the middle of nowhere. It'll take a while for the word to get to the law,"

"But we should still move quick," John added. Y/N nodded at the correction.

"Aye aye, scarface," Sean commented and turned to the lady, "but what are you doin' anyway, little bird?"

"Oh, shut up, please," Charles voiced his complaint.

"Yeah, Arthur, what am I doing?" Y/N asked sarcastically as she got off the horse.

"You?" Arthur pointed at the young woman. "You keep an eye out for the law, locals, anyone or anything. You sense hostility, you make 'em bite a bullet, Golden Cobra,"

Y/N flinched at the last part but kept up her confident facade. Then Arthur pointed at the three men.
"Mister Smith, Mister Marston, Mister MacGuire, get over there!" he pointed to some nearby trees, "When she slows...board her,"

They all looked down at the ground when they felt a trembling of the tracks, meaning the train was close enough. Everyone ran for covers, but Arthur climbed the oil wagon and awaited, weapon in his arms.

"Dramatic," Y/N noted, "I like it!" then she ran to find cover behind some rocks. Her job was to protect them from the outside, which sometimes was the hardest part.

Suddenly the train appeared, but the driver didn't waste any time and slowed the damn thing, right before it came to contact with the oil wagon. Y/N just watched from a distance as the boys worked their magic. They all boarded the train, leaving Y/N outside, taking in her surroundings. After what felt like five minutes, she looked around one last time, stretched her bandana over her face, and quickly made her way to the train, boarding it.

The first person she saw was John Marston, he quickly noticed her and walked her way, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm good. We're good," she answered.

"Did you see anyone?" he asked as he led her to the next car.

"If I did, they are dead meat. Don't worry, John,"

"Here," he handed her a sack, almost full of cash and valuable jewelry, "hold it,"

The woman just nodded and followed John. She was just holding the bag while he terrorized the rich, snobby people into throwing in everything they got. After a bit of collecting, they heard gunshots. Both of them hunched down and made their way to the end of the train, weapons out.

Then the scene became quiet and John nodded at Arthur.

"Close call," John said, turning to face the exit of the car. Y/N followed right behind him.

"Yeah, scarface," she agreed, putting a joke in while she was at it.

He sharply turned to her, "Don't. Don't be like Sean. He's giving us enough, I don't want another one around,"

"What do you mean around? You think I'm staying with you guys?" she questioned him, leaning a bit on the doorway.

Before John could answer at least one of those questions, they both noticed somebody approaching. Two lawmen mounted upon horses approached the train, slowly.
John quickly grabbed Y/N by her wrist and dragged her to cover.

They crouched down behind some wooden boxes. He signaled her to keep quiet by shushing at his finger. She nodded in agreement and pursed her lips, waiting for something to happen.

"Come out the train now! Do ya' hear?" one of the officers yelled, clearly aware of what's going on.

"We said - you men come out now!" the other raised his voice too, almost instantly.

"Men?" Y/N whispered to John, trying to sound disrespected as she pointed her revolver.

John clicked his tongue and shook his head in disappointment, but somehow sounding amused, "That is what you're most concerned about? We 'bouta get shot at, Miss,"

Not fully paying attention to what was happening, Y/N glanced over the boxes to find two more men gathered up. She scoffed, pulled her mask down, and got up from the cover. The lawmen noticed her immediately.

"What in Hells name are you doing, Y/N?" John hissed, still sitting in cover.

Y/N put up a front of a scared, helpless woman, "You wouldn't hurt a poor lady, now, would ya', gents?"

The lawmen seemed to be confused, but before they realized what's actually going on, Y/N swiftly pulled out both her revolvers and aimed straight at them. Without hesitation, she shot all four of the men off their mounts and watched their horses run about. All the outlaws stared in awe at the young woman. John stared up at her without saying a word.

Then and there, the outlaws realized what they were dealing with.
That was a gunslinger of the next generation - precise, fast, and fierce - just like a cobra.