Today's #flashfiction The Little Ninja That Could

“I can't think straight.”

M.C. Escher* #quote

Seems my friend Jessica has the same illness as I. Perhaps I will hang with her since I can't get someone who already has it sick, and vice-versa. Man I'd wish I'd stop bein' sick. I just got the sniffles but I really don't like being a possible bringer of misery to those of good health. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

The Little Ninja That Could

          “But please Ninja Clan you must kill the dragon that's been terrorizing us!” The people of various towns asked the ninjas again and again. With the skills they had in the arts of stealth and assassination they could take out the dragon, but such a mission could possibly cost the lives of many ninja. This made the mission require large hazard pay. Something the townspeople lacked.

          After a year of begging for help one ninja answered their plea. A short ninja of weak strength and stamina with intense clumsiness and bad eyesight. A shame to the Ninja Clan for his lack of skill they trained him merely because he belonged to the bloodline. They called him the Little Ninja and compared him to the child Ninjas.

           The Little Ninja chose to take the work without payment. The villagers smiled when he told them this but any wishes of good luck he ignored along with any thank yous as he went to the dragon's lair.

          The beast resided in the rubble of a massive castle. It slept in the part of the castle that remained in tact. The Little Ninja sneaked through the rubble. Shivers ran through him. He'd never been let on missions because of his flaws. The flaws that quickly came to haunt him. He could barely see, he already felt tired, and he tripped several times. Luck saved him from the dragon awakening.

         The Little Ninja didn't want to fail. He didn't want to die here. And he certainly didn't want to be called The Little Ninja any longer. He worked to muster something that all ninja's sought to master, their spirit energy. A mantra came to mind that'd ninja children been taught, “I think I can. But he dismissed this. He'd been taught that mantra and he'd become The Little Ninja. He chose to think to himself something different:

        “I know I can, I know I can, I know I can.”

         With his spirit focusing his mind he managed to open a well of energy from his body and elegance in his movement that allowed him to sneak upon the dragon. He pulled out his blade and sliced the beast's head off.

         The villagers worshiped him for his victory. However he did not care for their happiness. He cared now that when he returned to the Ninja Clan he gained new respect. He took on a mission that the Ninja Clan considered to dangerous to consider without massive payment. They no longer called him The Little Ninja, but rather The Dragon Ninja for his victory over the beast.