October 29th: Evility - 400 words - Genre is horror, suspense, thriller, or mystery. No fluff. No comfort. Happy ending discouraged. Spooktacular bonus: Add a phenomena that you leave unexplained.

Characters: Tien & Chiaotzu


Chiaotzu huddled close against the wall, his eyes wide and his mouth pressed in a thin line. Tien was laughing and smiling, his eyes lit up with a cruel glint that made Chiaotzu's heart freeze. Tao was also smiling, clapping the triclops on the back, and saying soft words of encouragement.

Tien was an assassin. Chiaotzu knew this. They'd been on contracts together, had killed together. But somewhere along the line it had changed. It had stopped being just a job, something they did for ongoing support in the Crane school. For Tien, at least, it had become…fun.

Chiaotzu closed his eyes against the sight of his best friend smiling up at Tao. The triclops was only sixteen; he was still young and impressionable. And his idol was the single most vile and cruel assassin known to man. Everything they had ever discussed in their late-night conversations was now in question.

A thought occurred and his eyes flew open. Tien knew his thoughts on assassination. Knew how much he hated it. How he resented their masters for forcing their young students to murder in their name.

He….he wouldn't tell…would he?

Their eyes met across the room. A smirk had now twisted Tien's lips, making the rest of his face warp into a cruel mask that Chiaotzu didn't recognise. His stomach did a sickening flip-flop, making him swallow hard. Tien wouldn't betray him like that, wouldn't throw him under the bus. Those conversations were in confidence, between two best friends trapped in a frightening and impossible situation.

Not that Tien was trapped anymore. He was revelling in his new position as Tao's favourite young assassin, in going on contracts with the older moustachioed man. In leaving Chiaotzu behind.

Tien laughed at a comment from Tao. Chiaotzu had missed it. From what Tao was saying now it sounded as though it had been about a woman he had been sent to kill. She had begged, and now Tien was laughing at her desperation.

Suddenly nauseated, Chiaotzu shot to his feet.

"Master, I'm going to bed. It's…it's late and I'm tired."

"Very well, Chiaotzu," Tao said, not looking at the small telepath. Tien's eyes widened ever so slightly as he looked at his friend. Chiaotzu avoided his gaze, turned and left the room, keeping his pace steady. He hoped that Tien hadn't seen the tears glimmering in his eyes.