On the Job
Short one-shot about two Assassin partners. Inspired by Reclaimer's "Zeny is Our Life".
---
He inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of freshly spilt blood. He tasted it in his mouth, the same harsh bitter tang of blood mixed with saliva.
Rahien staggered to his feet.
His partner slammed into the wall beside him, clouds of dust rising from the impact site. Brushing locks of red hair out of his eyes, Kimi fell heavily to the ground in a three-point stance.
A fist made contact with the side of his head, and the white-haired Assassin groaned, and collapsed.
It was a stupid assignment, he thought, as he scrambled up from the floor, Jamadhars raised in defense.
Why on earth, did Kimi have to take this idiotic job, when it was near-impossible?!
Assassinate a Monk. Fine.
But who was the person who asked? Another Assassin, who was clearly more experienced than even Kimi.
The sum of Zeny was large, true. Kimi was rather money-minded when it came to jobs, so naturally he took it.
Rahien told him his suspicions, but did he listen? No!
And as a result they were stuck in this mess.
---
Kimi was weakening against the Monk's repeated blows.
His teeth were rattling as he absorbed each and every punch with his Jurs. It didn't look good. His partner was still trying to get up, and the Monk showed no signs of fatigue.
As he glanced at his junior, the Monk took this as an advantage to launch a kick at his head. This Kimi failed to block, and the next thing he knew, he was near-unconscious, with a boot cutting off his air. His Jurs slashed at empty air as the Monk's foot kept him at bay.
He wouldn't last much longer, and he couldn't do a Grimtooth without cloaking himself. What to do...
The pressure increased, and Kimi's eyes bulged. His lungs cried out for air, but the Monk didn't seem to be lessening the pressure on his throat.
He remembered a promise he'd somewhat jokingly made to his partner.
---
"Good grief!" Rahien whispered, shocked at the condition his friend was in. "What happened?"
He was caked with blood, his shoulder pads were scratched and dented, and his wine-red mantle was an even darker red. Stained with blood, naturally.
"The target's Poring discovered me," Kimi mumbled tiredly. "Barely got outta there alive..."
His voice trailed off, and he fell into his partner's arms.
"Really..." Rahien said, stumbling from his partner's weight. "With the number of things you get into, you're gonna die a few years from now."
"I think not," Kimi said with the absolute last ounce of his strength. "I promise you, I'll never die before you."
Rahien opened his mouth to retort, but his friend was already snoring.
---
Kimi wasn't so sure he could keep that promise.
His eyes closed, and the world slowly faded...
There was an outraged yell, and the foot came down. Kimi fell forward, sucking great lungfuls of air gratefully.
A Gladius had embedded itself in the Monk's neck, thrown from Rahien. With a snarl of rage, the Monk rammed a clawed fist into...
...Kimi's stomach.
The points of the Waghnak tore into his flesh, drawing a cry of pain and anger from him. The wonder of air that had once entered him was driven out in a rush, and he barely dodged the second blow, the claws raking his ear.
The Monk was tackled to the floor in a flurry of motion, and Rahien was trading blows with their target.
Good, Kimi thought, mentally guiding his friend. Defend from the left, strike at his legs, block another coming from the left...
Rahien failed to see another blow coming, and he absorbed it with his chest, his eyes opening comically wide as he was lifted off the ground like a ragdoll, flipping end over end. Another fist pinned him to the wall, and a booted foot made its way to his chest repeatedly. Even from that distance, he could hear the audible sounds of bones cracking.
Rahien went limp, and blood spewed from the wound in his torso.
With a last burst of strength, Kimi sprinted the distance between him and the Monk, noting the surprise on his face as his Jurs sped downwards to strike his unprotected head.
The Monk stumbled, and covered his face as blood seeped through his fingers from the slash wound.
"On three," Kimi murmured to Rahien, getting into a half-crouch.
Rahien barely inclined his head. No energy for speech.
"One..."
The Monk removed his hand.
"Two..."
He wiped the blood away irritably.
"Three..."
And squinted to see what the two antagonists were doing.
He promptly felt two Jurs enter his chest and shatter his ribcage, and he howled in pain.
Rahien leaped onto Kimi's shoulders, and performed a spinning jump, his Jamadhars whipping the air.
The first talon-like blade sliced neatly through the Monk's collarbone, and the second was headed straight for his neck.
"Sorry," the Assassin murmured, ending the Monk's life with a single blow.
END
Short one-shot about two Assassin partners. Inspired by Reclaimer's "Zeny is Our Life".
---
He inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of freshly spilt blood. He tasted it in his mouth, the same harsh bitter tang of blood mixed with saliva.
Rahien staggered to his feet.
His partner slammed into the wall beside him, clouds of dust rising from the impact site. Brushing locks of red hair out of his eyes, Kimi fell heavily to the ground in a three-point stance.
A fist made contact with the side of his head, and the white-haired Assassin groaned, and collapsed.
It was a stupid assignment, he thought, as he scrambled up from the floor, Jamadhars raised in defense.
Why on earth, did Kimi have to take this idiotic job, when it was near-impossible?!
Assassinate a Monk. Fine.
But who was the person who asked? Another Assassin, who was clearly more experienced than even Kimi.
The sum of Zeny was large, true. Kimi was rather money-minded when it came to jobs, so naturally he took it.
Rahien told him his suspicions, but did he listen? No!
And as a result they were stuck in this mess.
---
Kimi was weakening against the Monk's repeated blows.
His teeth were rattling as he absorbed each and every punch with his Jurs. It didn't look good. His partner was still trying to get up, and the Monk showed no signs of fatigue.
As he glanced at his junior, the Monk took this as an advantage to launch a kick at his head. This Kimi failed to block, and the next thing he knew, he was near-unconscious, with a boot cutting off his air. His Jurs slashed at empty air as the Monk's foot kept him at bay.
He wouldn't last much longer, and he couldn't do a Grimtooth without cloaking himself. What to do...
The pressure increased, and Kimi's eyes bulged. His lungs cried out for air, but the Monk didn't seem to be lessening the pressure on his throat.
He remembered a promise he'd somewhat jokingly made to his partner.
---
"Good grief!" Rahien whispered, shocked at the condition his friend was in. "What happened?"
He was caked with blood, his shoulder pads were scratched and dented, and his wine-red mantle was an even darker red. Stained with blood, naturally.
"The target's Poring discovered me," Kimi mumbled tiredly. "Barely got outta there alive..."
His voice trailed off, and he fell into his partner's arms.
"Really..." Rahien said, stumbling from his partner's weight. "With the number of things you get into, you're gonna die a few years from now."
"I think not," Kimi said with the absolute last ounce of his strength. "I promise you, I'll never die before you."
Rahien opened his mouth to retort, but his friend was already snoring.
---
Kimi wasn't so sure he could keep that promise.
His eyes closed, and the world slowly faded...
There was an outraged yell, and the foot came down. Kimi fell forward, sucking great lungfuls of air gratefully.
A Gladius had embedded itself in the Monk's neck, thrown from Rahien. With a snarl of rage, the Monk rammed a clawed fist into...
...Kimi's stomach.
The points of the Waghnak tore into his flesh, drawing a cry of pain and anger from him. The wonder of air that had once entered him was driven out in a rush, and he barely dodged the second blow, the claws raking his ear.
The Monk was tackled to the floor in a flurry of motion, and Rahien was trading blows with their target.
Good, Kimi thought, mentally guiding his friend. Defend from the left, strike at his legs, block another coming from the left...
Rahien failed to see another blow coming, and he absorbed it with his chest, his eyes opening comically wide as he was lifted off the ground like a ragdoll, flipping end over end. Another fist pinned him to the wall, and a booted foot made its way to his chest repeatedly. Even from that distance, he could hear the audible sounds of bones cracking.
Rahien went limp, and blood spewed from the wound in his torso.
With a last burst of strength, Kimi sprinted the distance between him and the Monk, noting the surprise on his face as his Jurs sped downwards to strike his unprotected head.
The Monk stumbled, and covered his face as blood seeped through his fingers from the slash wound.
"On three," Kimi murmured to Rahien, getting into a half-crouch.
Rahien barely inclined his head. No energy for speech.
"One..."
The Monk removed his hand.
"Two..."
He wiped the blood away irritably.
"Three..."
And squinted to see what the two antagonists were doing.
He promptly felt two Jurs enter his chest and shatter his ribcage, and he howled in pain.
Rahien leaped onto Kimi's shoulders, and performed a spinning jump, his Jamadhars whipping the air.
The first talon-like blade sliced neatly through the Monk's collarbone, and the second was headed straight for his neck.
"Sorry," the Assassin murmured, ending the Monk's life with a single blow.
END