Kikuyu_Black_Paws Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 They stood across from each other on the road. A sign beside them said "You are Nowhere." A lone, leafless tree rattled its branches ominously in the wind. The samurai didn't blink. The ninja didn't blink. They stared unblinkingly at each other. It would not have been surprising for a tumbleweed to pass and a random whistle to sound eerily in the background. So cliche. The ninja's eyes narrowed. He raised a hand guarded by steel claws that slid from his knuckles and pointed. "What are you doing here?" he said. "I could ask you the same thing," the samurai replied, fingering the hilt of his blade. "But I asked you first." "That," the samurai said, "is irrelevant." The wind rustled in the tree. "I see you have sake," the ninja said. "How could that interest you?" the samurai asked. "I am the strongest sake drinker around," the ninja said. "Impossible," the samurai replied. "I am the strongest sake drinker." "Care to back that up?" the ninja asked. His mask crinkled-- he could have been smiling. The samurai did not smile. "Why should I prove myself to you?" The ninja bowed his head and sighed. "Because there's no story-line unless you do, and the readers will be bored witless." "Ah," the samurai mused. A moment later they sat under the tree, a sake-set placed on the ground between them. "A beautiful piece," the ninja assented. "Indeed," the samurai said. He poured the sake. The tangy, sweet scent of the alcohol rose into the air. "A pity it can't be heated," the samurai said. "That is the only way to drink." "A true drinker drinks any drink," the ninja said. "Well spoken," the samurai said. They drank the first cup. "So what are you really doing here?" the samurai asked. "As you said, what's that to you?" "Since we are drinking," the samurai said, "for now we are friends." "For now," the ninja replied. "I am headed north." "That I could tell from the direction you were facing on the road." They drank the second cup. A flush appeared on the samurai's cheeks. He blinked at the ninja. "How are you drinking with your mask on?" he asked. The ninja held up his third cup of sake. "Ninja," he said with a shrug. "Hmmm..." the samurai said. They drank their fourth cup. "You ninja," the samurai railed. "All alike. Trying to be mysterious." "And you samurai," the ninja slurred. "You're always trying to be...cool." He hiccuped. The samurai reached for the sake bottle, missed, reached again. They drank their fifth cup. The ninja leaned listlessly, his eyes staring half-focused at the sake bottle. "Good quality sake," he mumbled. His eyes fluttered. The samurai forced another cup into both their hands, his fingers shaking. They drank their sixth cup. The samurai collapsed backwards. He moved listlessly for a moment and then went still. The ninja dropped his cup and fell on his side. "Heh...beat you..." he groaned. He promptly fell unconscious. The tree rustled in the wind. A tumbleweed blew by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baxter85 Posted April 5, 2009 Report Share Posted April 5, 2009 Haha, awesome! I like how you incorperated the cliches into this story, but I think that it would do just as well without pointing out that you are using them. I love how it all comes full circle at the end with the tumbleweed. Nice touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmonious_Echos Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Just pointing out that I totally love the Samurai and the Ninja series. Nice work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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