CHAPTER 3: BARNYARD DAWG

The five heroes, and everyone else including Aku's new enforcer Shego, returned to Walter Wolf's outdoor arena from last night; the last denizen to join the onlookers was a masked guard. . . . A rather short masked guard who looked to be the same height as Omi.

Samurai Jack turned his head to face the little guard, only to see another vision: He could see Shaolin warrior Timmy Turner charging into the arena and about ready to go face-to-face with the ever-bloodthirsty Dag.

Looking suspicious, the Thunder God left Omi and went around the other contestants, while keeping his eyes on the short guard.

"Kombatants!" called out Walter from his chair. "The next match will now begin!"

Suddenly, flames erupted before Barnyard Dawg rose up from the ground. (A/N: Just as a clarification in the future—the only reason I write Barnyard Dawg's full name is so there won't be any possible confusion between him and Dag.)

Under his shades, Ron rose his eyebrows at the sight of the Shirai Ryu ninja.

"Barnyard Dawg—specter of the NetherRealm!" continued the greedy sorcerer. "Resurrected by the sorcerer Freak-Show! Who among you is worthy of this challenge?"

"Where is the Lin Kuei Steelbeak?" angrily asked Barnyard Dawg as he looked about at the Kombatants. "He killed my family and clan. I will have his head!"

Meanwhile, now standing next to the masked guard, Samurai Jack whispered, "I know it is you, Timmy. The Shaolin monks chose Omi to represent your order in the tournament."

While not keeping his eyes off the arena, Timmy retorted, "I am Omi's equal."

"That remains to be seen."

"Watch and see." Without another word, Timmy dropped his spear and started to remove his disguise as he spoke to the resurrected warrior of the Shirai Ryu. "I accept the challenge!"

Back in the group of Kombatants, Omi looked confused as he watched his close friend step forth to challenge Barnyard Dawg before whispering, "Timmy Turner?"

Back in his chair, Walter Wolf raised an eyebrow, yet he didn't look amused.

Timmy tilted his razor-rimmed hat, a shing sound coming from the bladed rim while he spoke, "You can forget the Lin Kuei—now you face a Shaolin." The boy then took a fighting stance.

"You will regret yer impulsiveness!" warned Barnyard Dawg as he pointed at the young Shaolin before taking on a fighting position.

For a short while, Timmy actually had the upper hand against Barnyard Dawg as he teleported himself and landed a punch or kick on the ninja specter; however, Barnyard Dawg foresaw Timmy's next attack as he disappeared from view and reappeared again. As he did so, the Shirai Ryu warrior shot out his spear, the chain attached to it wrapping around his little opponent.

"Come here!" yelled Barnyard Dawg with one yank from his chain, sending Timmy right at him before delivering a punch. While the Shaolin tried to regain his bearings, the Shirai Ryu warrior took his chained spear back and decided to give Timmy a taste of his own medicine, by teleporting and giving his opponent two more solid punches before knocking him off his feet, ending the challenge.

Barnyard Dawg concluded, "You are not yet a warrior."

"Timmy!" called Omi in concern as he and Samurai Jack ran to their fallen ally, all while Barnyard Dawg simply watched Omi pick Timmy up, the latter still groggy.

Samurai Jack, however, was scolding Timmy. "Listen when your elders speak. You could not win the fight."

After watching the scolding, Barnyard Dawg then looked towards Walter, growling while shaking a fist, "I have defeated a challenger, Walter Wolf! I demand Steelbeak!"

Samurai Jack then had another vision: He saw Barnyard Dawg holding Steelbeak's skull, followed by the resurrected form of Steelbeak as the demonic member to the Brotherhood of Shadow.

The Thunder God and Omi then helped Timmy off his feet and escorted him.

"You will demand nothing!" snapped the old sorcerer before calling out the next challenger. "Tarzan!"

There was a murmur amongst the onlookers while the shaman stepped forth.

Tarzan then spoke calmly to the resurrected ninja. "Your aggression is misplaced."

"What do ya know of my past!?" hissed Barnyard Dawg.

"You were not the only one whose people have been victimized." Tarzan then walked over to the other side of the arena as Barnyard Dawg kept an eye on his opponent.

The shaman turned his head to the specter. "But I have found new purpose in serving the spirits." He then took on a fighting position. "I do not cling to the past."

"You no longer seek retribution?" angrily asked Barnyard Dawg. "You dishonor yer kind. I will honor the memory of my fallen!"

Several minutes past by before the resurrected Shirai Ryu ninja warrior performed a takedown on the shaman, finishing the fight, before looking down at his incapacitated opponent. "The spirits have forsaken ya, shaman."

With Freak-Show standing adjacent to him, the seated Walter nodded with amusement. "An impressive start."

Lighting his hand with fire by his dark magic, an obviously irked Barnyard Dawg looked at the old sorcerer with a threatening glare. "You waste my time, sorcerer!"

Freak-Show calmly held up his hand. "Restraint, Barnyard Dawg!"

After a heated moment, Barnyard Dawg obeyed his master as he magically extinguished his fiery hand and sighed.

Walter Wolf smirked. "You will fight Steelbeak soon enough." The old sorcerer then stood up out of his chair and left, with Freak-Show in tow, followed by the monks and the other Kombatants. Barnyard Dawg just stood there, looking disappointed.

However, he wasn't the only one left for Samurai Jack stayed behind, wanting to have a word with the yellow-and-black-clad ninja. "Barnyard Dawg, I understand your desire for revenge, but Tarzan is right—there are other ways in which you will find peace."

"Steelbeak desoives death!" hissed Barnyard Dawg.

"Defeat Steelbeak if you must, but don't kill him. I fear his death will give rise to a more treacherous foe."

"I will have my revenge."

"Spare Steelbeak's life and I will request that the Elder Gods return the Shirai Ryu to the realm of mortals."

Pausing for a moment, Barnyard Dawg accepted the Thunder God's proposition by nodding once in agreement, followed by a returned nod by Samurai Jack; the Thunder God then walked off, catching up with Omi and Timmy since they waited for their mentor. Barnyard Dawg then just stood there alone, thinking over everything that he and Samurai Jack discussed.

Meanwhile, after Barnyard Dawg went inside Walter Wolf's palace, out of all the Kombatants present, Raimundo Pedrosa and Hannibal Roy Bean were conversing negatively—for there were disagreements over the Grand Master's plan. The Shirai Ryu warrior stood there, listening to them.

"I understand there are benefits to the Grand Master's plan," said Raimundo, "but his plan goes against Lin Kuei principles."

Hannibal, on the other hand, thought otherwise. "We are the Lin Kuei, Raimundo. We will obey the Grand Master's commands."

At that moment, Barnyard Dawg walked towards to the two Lin Kuei warriors.

Raimundo argued, "It means giving up our free will—our souls. It will turn us into—"

The yellow-and-black-clad warrior was cut off when Hannibal hatefully uttered, "Barnyard Dawg."

After the Shirai Ryu warrior stopped right in front of him and his fellow Lin Kuei assassin, Raimundo glared at Barnyard Dawg. "Your inferior clan is dead. Soon you will join them."

Barnyard Dawg stated back, "My clan may walk the oith once more."

Raimundo shoved the resurrected ninja, only to infuriate the latter.

Regaining his bearings, Barnyard Dawg stood ready to fight.

"A challenge!" announced Walter Wolf, with Freak-Show by his side. "Barnyard Dawg versus Raimundo Pedrosa and Hannibal Roy Bean!"

As he and Hannibal were ready to fight, Raimundo declared, "Your obsession with Steelbeak ends here."

After blocking a number of punches from Barnyard Dawg, Raimundo teleported behind the ninja warrior. However, ever since he fought Timmy, Barnyard Dawg reacted as he fired his spear at the Lin Kuei warrior and the chain wrapped around his arm.

"Get over here!" shouted Barnyard Dawg with a yank to his spear before unraveling his chain and punching Raimundo in the gut, sending the latter over to Hannibal in an attempt to knock both of them out. But the red-and-black clad assassin saw it coming as he teleported down into the ground and came up behind Barnyard Dawg. However, the Shirai Ryu ninja had a back-up plan for he teleported as well before landing a punch to Hannibal's face; when the Grand Master's son was down, Barnyard Dawg stomped on Hannibal's chest, knocking the air out of him.

Soon as Raimundo recuperated from the inflicted gut-strike, he faced Barnyard Dawg again, only now the Lin Kuei warrior started throwing punches while the Shirai Ryu warrior blocked them. Seeing the opportunity, Barnyard Dawg ducked under Raimundo as the latter threw another punch, and just like he did with Tarzan earlier performed his takedown maneuver on Raimundo, finally ending the two-against-one brawl.

"I will have my revenge," stated Barnyard Dawg, "but I will not kill Steelbeak."

"Will not?" tauntingly asked a nasal voice that forced Barnyard Dawg and the other Kombatants to turn their heads around and see Steelbeak standing in the open door. "Or cannot?"

"YOU!" snarled Barnyard Dawg as he and Steelbeak walked towards one another.

Out of all the Kombatants, only Samurai Jack and Freak-Show paid exceptionally close attention.

Steelbeak taunted further, "The Shirai Ryu are dead."

"You will suffer as they did."

"To heck with your clan!"

"No . . . to heck with you!" snapped a vexed Barnyard Dawg as he placed his hands on Steelbeak and the two warriors disappeared in flames.

Barnyard Dawg and Steelbeak reappeared in the fiery depths of the NetherRealm.

Steelbeak looked about with acknowledgement. "The NetherRealm."

Barnyard Dawg spread his hands out as he looked up, taking in the scene of inferno. "Here is where I was reborn." But soon he scowled at his nemesis, fists clenched. "And here is where you will pay!"

After several minutes of fighting, Barnyard Dawg set Steelbeak's backside on fire, causing the latter to run around in circles and howl in pain before the former teleported himself to deliver a punch to the pained assassin, knocking him out.

As the flames were extinguished from Steelbeak after the former unconsciously collapsed to the ground, Barnyard Dawg looked down at his most hated enemy. "I have avenged my family and clan."

It was then that Freak-Show appeared from behind Barnyard Dawg and started walking towards him.

"This is your retribution?" slyly inquired the necromancer, his face disappointed-looking. "Barnyard Dawg, kill him."

"I . . ." paused Barnyard Dawg before hanging his head, "I will not. He has been beaten."

"Have you forgotten?" Freak-Show then pulled up a sepia-toned image of the Lin Kuei attacking the Shirai Ryu.

"What is it?" asked the Shirai Ryu warrior confusedly.

In the image, tents were burning and Shirai Ryu warriors were being shot by Lin Kuei archers.

Barnyard Dawg stared at the scene, shaking his head in disbelief. "No."

In another image, Lin Kuei assassins on horseback, with katana blades unsheathed, mercilessly chased after more Shirai Ryu.

Steelbeak finally awoke and stood up, now staring at the image that suddenly played before him.

In the image, more Shirai Ryu members ran for their lives before they were taken away by the Lin Kuei before, his blue ninja-suit standing out from the sepia-colored assassins and background, Steelbeak came charging on horseback with a katana blade in either hand.

While Barnyard Dawg stared at the now-disappearing imagery in disbelief, Freak-Show smirked evilly before snidely reminding, "Your clan. Your family."

The necromancer pulled up another image, now showing a scared young lady crouching in the corner with an infant wrapped in swaddling in her arms, a red flower in her hair being the only object recognizable amongst the sepia tones.

The scene then showed Steelbeak coming through the door, his sheathed katana blade by his side slowly approaching the young lady and child. Unsheathing his sword, Steelbeak raised it up as a tear rolled down the crying young lady's face, her infant crying as well in her kimono. As Steelbeak quickly lowered his sword, the young lady's and the infant's cries were cut short before the image switched to the young lady's red flower hitting the ground, some petals coming off.

As the heart-wrenching images disappeared, Barnyard Dawg became distraught.

"NO!" shouted the warrior in sad refutation. As Barnyard Dawg looked at Steelbeak, raging loathe consumed him as he breathed heavily with a snarl in his throat, a scowl on his face.

"It wasn't me!" denied Steelbeak, intimidated.

Barnyard Dawg then reached up behind his head and pulled off his mask, now revealing a flaming canine skull.