Disclaimer: I am not Stephen Sommers (director of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra) and so therefore I do not own his works. What I ADD into the story is mine (example: different characters, the plot, etc.) but the original themes, ideas, plots, characters, script, etc. are solely the works of this awesome, famous person, and his associates.
Chapter Ten
Fighting a ninja had never really been on Sage's mind the day she was forced into the life of an assassin. She'd never even thought they existed, hadn't wasted a dream on them, a thought, or even a fear. And then Storm Shadow had walked into her life, and her world had been turned upside-down...
So standing there, facing down the white ninja with more freedom and liability than she'd had in the past few days, she couldn't help but think, What is a ninja's weakness?
They were fast beings, as Sage had observed. They were deadly and skilled and triumphant—
So how the hell was she supposed to get him on the floor? She wasn't a wrestler, she liked her guns, and yeah, she could kick hard, maybe land a few punches, do a few flips, snap a few necks...
She might even been better than Baroness in hand-to-hand. But she wasn't as good as Storm Shadow.
So what the hell have I gotten myself into?
Maybe this was a punishment. Maybe he expected her to lose, and just to put an everlasting regret on her shoulders, she'd 'belong'—in other words—to him.
He was a sly snake, this ninja. And he just stood there, watching her watch him. His gaze was unreadable, his body still and relaxed, but she knew he was ready. He was always ready.
"Good, Daughter," he murmured, turning his head to watch her as she prowled around him, taking in everything about him. "Observe your opponent; look for weaknesses. Your face is a mask, too."
"It seems that I have an automatic disguise for my actions when I fight seriously." She sighed, meeting his gaze steadily. A small smile tilted his mouth.
"So you take this battle seriously, but not my training?"
"Well," she paused, gazing him over. "I don't really want to be your slave. You're a horrible Boss. But still, I'm not so sure I believe you when you say you're going to take over Cobra's power on me. After all, you're under his power, aren't you?"
"And he worships almost every word that leaves my mouth." Storm Shadow smiled darkly. "I am a good persuader, Sage. He may not know it, but he is under my control. And soon, you will be, too."
"Well, I suppose he wouldn't like that much if you told him you controlled him. He might just sack you."
"I am too valuable to 'sack.' He knows I could take down every one of his men if I so much as wished to. And so he fears that if he aggravates me to do so, where will that leave him?" He cocked his head to the side as Sage came back around to face him head-on, ignoring his unguarded back. He hadn't bothered to spin around and watch her fully. "You are not a coward, I see. You do not attack from behind. You charge so they can see you."
"You have no idea what I do." She said quietly, her footsteps soft—almost silent.
"I know you are skilled, Sage. But you cannot possibly wish to defeat me."
"Cockiness always brings the best down." She gave a fake smile.
"Well I am honoured you think of me as the best."
"And the soon-to-be worst."
He didn't say anything to that, just cocked a brow and watched her again.
She wasn't sure where to strike: the chest, the legs, the groin? It was all so helpless.
No! She chastised herself mentally. I will not be feeble before him. I am in control. I know what I'm doing.
So, she straightened her stance and stopped her prowling. Storm Shadow looked up from inspecting his nails, it was a rather feminine act. "Are you going to attack me any day soon, or...?" She swallowed.
"No. You will have to come to me."
"Women are always so scared to make the first move."
"Because they have more sense than men." she smiled, but it was quickly wiped from her face when he charged.
She hoped he was trying his hardest, because she found it tough to follow him—although she could. But if he sped up even more, she wouldn't follow him.
And with a grim-feeling gut instinct, she knew he was being easy on her: he could be so much faster.
She sensed more than saw the boot flying toward her face and lifted up her arm to deflect the blow, stepping to the side to lessen the force. His foot struck her guarding limb hard, and she yelped, jumping back. He swiped out a leg and she jumped up, curling into a ball so his fist hit her shins rather than her stomach.
She uncurled herself and landed successfully back on the ground, repelling another blow and stumbling back.
As Storm Shadow made for a swift kick to the head, she ducked, but was too slow for the boot that slammed into her legs and knocked her off balance. She twisted quickly across the floor, rolling multiple times before fetching up on her hands and knees. She stumbled to her feet when Storm Shadow progressed rapidly. His face was hard and cold, his strides long and determined, his fists loose and prepared.
Sage scuttled back, cursing when she fetched up against one of the four meeting corners of the small stage that ran the perimeter of the room. Storm Shadow was walking too fast to give her enough time to crawl up onto it, even if she tried her quickest, and he was too close for her to escape to the side and run back to the centre to the room, putting space between them.
The shadows danced across his face, making it darker, more sinister.
More severe...
This new Storm Shadow was disturbing.
Feeling claustrophobic as he was almost in reaching distance, Sage charged forward to meet him halfway, throwing out a leg. He deflected it, and she ducked his punch before ramming her shoulder into his stomach.
She danced back out of his reach as he grabbed for her, and he swiped out a knee. She caught his foot, and he tripped faintly, but lurched forward to grip her arms. She struggled as he drew her close, kneeing him hard in the side and writhing around in his hold. He turned her around and pressed her back tight to his chest. Panting, she stomped down her bare foot on his shoe, biting back the cry that threatened to voice itself when the hardness of his boot shocked a sharp pain up her leg. She grunted, throwing her head back and hitting nothing, then somewhat freeing her arm and ramming it into his side.
He released her, for motives she didn't understand, and she sprang away to face him again. He was watching her; thinking silently to himself. He feinted to the side, and she opposed his move. He looked down at her toes, ready and soft against the floor.
"You are light on your feet, Daughter."
She said nothing in return, just sent him a callous glare and stretched her fingers. Grateful for the time apart, she regained her breath and wiped at her sweaty brow.
"But you still have much to learn."
"I don't want to be a ninja." She hissed. He stepped forward. "I don't want to be anything like you."
And then he was so close their faces were mere inches apart—hers tilted upwards to look into his eyes. "But you are." He gripped her waist. "You are a killer."
Offended more by his actions than his words, she lashed out viciously and jabbed her fingers into his throat—right into his Adam's apple. He coughed, gripping and rubbing his neck, before throwing a punch at her ribs.
She tried to dodge him, but he clipped her, and the hit was powerful. She hunched over, gasping, and he seized her chin, pulling her face up.
"When I have finished with your training, you will be like me."
"No," she said breathlessly, smiling. "I will be better than you." And she stepped close, looped her foot around the back of his heel, rammed her other knee upwards between his legs, and shoved her hands against his chest. It was all manoeuvred in a matter of milliseconds. But he didn't trip, or stumble, or even move.
Instead, he drew back the foot she'd trapped almost supernaturally fast and deflected her leg aimed at his groin, seizing her arms. She yanked against him, breaking free, and tripped to the floor.
He ran at her and she lifted her feet up to kick him hard in the chest. Her heels pressed into his ribs and his weight bent her knees into her torso. Grunting, she forced out her legs with a strained cry and flipped back over her shoulders to follow-through with the action. The ninja soared over her head and landed in a crouch behind. She scrambled to her feet before swiftly launching herself at him. They both hit the ground in a bedlam of flying limbs and writhing bodies, Storm Shadow braking the hard fall for Sage, who landed atop his chest heavily and rolled off quickly. The ninja followed her and seized an arm. She swung about on her back and kicked both feet at his chest, but he shielded himself with his free arm and gripped her throat, dragging her up.
Gagging and choking, Sage clutched the hand around her neck and dug her longish nails into his skin. The ninja didn't seem to mind. He just stood there, gazing at her with a shady, pitying stare. She bared her teeth and wrapped her legs around his waist. He released her throat and looked down.
During that impulsive mistake, Sage dropped backwards—arching her stomach up at the roof—and planted her hands upside-down firmly on the ground.
With all the power, force and strength she possessed, Sage dragged her legs up and, consequently wrapped around his waist, dragged Storm Shadow with her. She flipped over, releasing the ninja, and twisted around, jumping atop him before he could get up off the ground. She seized his wrists and with all her might forced his arms down either side of his head.
She grinned, panting heavily, and he gazed up at her mysteriously. He wasn't even tired, his chest not even heaving, his breath steady and quiet.
"Gotcha..." She whispered, gulping in breaths. Storm Shadow laughed quietly, and Sage dropped her head in exhaustion, her knees positioned either side of his narrow waist.
"Do you?" She opened her eyes and blinked tiredly at him. Fighting ninjas was hard work.
"Well you're on the ground, aren't you? I won." She grinned triumphantly. "I bet you."
"The cocky ones always fall, did not you say?"
Her smile faded slightly. "You tweaked the words, but yes, I suppose they do."
"Well then..." And his left arm shifted. Sage glanced at it quickly, her smile vanishing. How the hell was he moving? She had almost all her weight on those arms!
Slowly, his arms began to lift, and she narrowed her eyes. "Don't you dare." She hissed, leaning forward to press all the mass she could on them.
But they still began to rise.
"Holy f—"and then they collapsed back, and she collapsed with them. Her elbows crumpled, and she fell forward, tensing just in time to stop her face smacking into Storm Shadow's. Wide-eyed, she stared down at him, and the distance between them.
Her whole body was pretty much lying atop his, only her face, neck and arms straining away from him.
But their faces...
"Uh..." Their noses were touching, and Sage was sure she felt the faintest ghost of contact between their lips. She solidified to ice, unable to move out of shock and rage.
Rage for almost kissing him. Shock for him smiling.
And his smile was beautiful, no matter how dark and cunning and sly it looked.
Her eyes darted back and forth, searching his gaze. But it was as closed as an iron door.
"Well, Sage, if you had really wanted to seduce me, I would have expected a little better than this."
"Seduce you?" She asked, aghast.
His teeth bared themselves softly. "Yes. But, I would have expected something a little more like..." And he shifted his head forward, pressing his mouth hard against hers.
Sage froze, eyes growing wide. His own eyes stared back at her, grinning wickedly, not missing a thing.
His lips were so soft and warm and oddly tasted like honey. Sage's arms grew weak, and Storm Shadow brought up a hand to fist in her hair. Her eyelids drooped in contentment—
And his mouth parted and his teeth bit down playfully on her bottom lip.
Shrieking in horror and surprise and dismay, Sage flew back, spluttering, and lashed out at his face.
His free hands darted forward and caught her arm before he slowly sat up. She rocked back, overbalancing and falling onto his legs, trying to pull her arm away.
"And you should never get distracted, Daughter." She narrowed her gaze, but before she could do anything, he lurched forward and slammed her into the ground. Like swift magic, he had her arms pinned either side of her head, and his heavy legs weighing hers down. Gradually, he leaned forward, and she curled her lip at him. "This is how you get someone on the floor."
She snarled and tried to move, cursing when basically even inch of her body was leaden under his weight. He laughed quietly. "I am a Ninja after all, Sage, and it would be best if you listened to me."
"How many times do I have to tell you? I don't want to be a ninja!"
"But the Ninjas will want you." Her brows furrowed, and he continued arrogantly, "Our main enemy, the Joes, have a Ninja. A Sword Brother of mine—we trained together in the temple. Once the Joes find out that we have you, they will send him. And he will be given orders to either kill or capture you. They know how lethal you will become under my training."
"I'm already lethal." She muttered.
"Yes, but not to the Ninjas. One day you will run into them when there is nobody else around to help you, and my training will show you how to survive. You are quite well-known to the Underworld, Ariel Gallow. Cobra is not the only one who wants your skills, and the Joes are not the only ones out for your blood."
Sage's face hardened, and she ground her teeth together. "I don't trust you."
Storm Shadow scoffed. "You do not have to trust me. But believe my words—or are you so naive as to think that nobody will come after you?"
She smiled superiorly. "People have been coming after me ever since the day I brought down my first man at the age of nineteen. I've killed them all."
"And now you have awakened the interests of the Ninjas. You cannot hope to stand against them, Sage. Yes, there is only one other Ninja who can challenge me, and yes, I could kill all the others easily, but you...You wouldn't stand a chance."
"Bosh!" She spat, before calming herself forcibly. "...Well, I'll just avoid this archenemy of yours, and there'll be no problems!"
"Impossible." Storm Shadow muttered austerely. "He is part of the Joes. You will run into him sometime, and you will not see it coming."
Growing impatient, Sage tossed her head. "And who the hell are the Joes?"
"Cobra's enemy. You will learn about them soon enough. But until then..." He drew back and stood up, striding away toward the door. Sage flew to her feet.
"Where are you going?"
"You belong to me now."
Her mouth dropped open. "W-what? You can't do that! You said that if I bet you, you'd let me fight the vipers, not belong to you! And I did beat you!"
"You can still fight them, but you will also belong to me. It is the only effective way to train you properly so you can fend off the Ninjas. Trust me; they are after you like you would never believe."
"What? No! You liar!"
He turned at the door, grinning surreptitiously, his hand resting on the knob. "We never shook hands, Sage. We never made a deal about this." He sighed and gazed at her ashamedly, eyes softening. "You were so clueless..."
"That's bullshit! You scheming son of a bitch!"
"We Ninjas are all sly, Daughter. You should have known better."
"And you should have been more of a man!"
Storm Shadow threw the door open and stepped over the threshold. Without turning around, he spoke: "I said I never break promises, Daughter, and it is true; I do not." Sage sniffed conceitedly, glaring at him, and he turned to her, eyes brilliant. "But I never promised anything here with you, anyway."
Author's Note: Thanks for reading, reviews are greatly appreciated! xx