# Between Gods and Gentlemen

Author: Ocean
Tags: Flash Fiction, Revenge, Samurai, thief

A thief crosses paths with a samurai searching for vengeance.
Not a furry story. This is a flash fiction story I wrote for a small writing contest.

 **Between Gods and Gentlemen**

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"Spare a few coins? &nbsp;C'mon, just a few mon? Buy a drink for a guy who's down on his luck." &nbsp;Placing a hand on the man in the blue robe's shoulder, the beggar accosted him further. &nbsp;"Hey pal, help a friend out?"

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The blue robes produced a few coins, sliding them on the counter and waving the man away, hoping to now enjoy his drink in peace. &nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The beggar pawed them into his clutches, bowing and retreating. &nbsp;"Oh thank you sir. &nbsp;Bless you. &nbsp;You are so kind."

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"Just buy a drink already so you can start filling that mouth with alcohol instead of words." &nbsp;The other man sighed.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"Of course, of course." He nodded again, sliding his hand off the blue-robed man's shoulder and turning to the person sitting next to him. &nbsp;"What about you sir? &nbsp;Would you care to ease your mind and give into karma? &nbsp;Help someone less fortunate out?"

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The man with the tied-back hair didn't acknowledge the beggar beside him. &nbsp;Bringing the hot sake to his lips, he sipped his drink, acting as if he was alone in the bar.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"Just a few more mon and I can enjoy a drink with you!" &nbsp;The beggar placed his hand on the man's shoulder and leaned in closer. "The gods will grant you good luck and-- oh my, those swords! &nbsp;You must be samurai!"

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The beggar snapped his hand back, cringing as he waited for a reaction. &nbsp;To his surprise, he continued to be ignored.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;He decided to test his luck. &nbsp;"Certainly a great samurai could spare a few coins. &nbsp;Those blades you have are certainly not cheap by any means, but what samurai would spare any less with his tools? &nbsp;Surely you could loan a few coins to one so much lesser than yourself?"

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Ever hopeful he waited as the samurai took another sip and placed his clay cup on the bar. &nbsp;His form still hunched over, only paying attention to his drink. &nbsp;After a few more moments, the beggar sighed and turned to walk away, his hand brushing the samurai's side.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The tied-back hair twitched and a hand shot out, grabbing the beggar's wrist and pulling it up and away from his waist.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"Hey! What? Whoa!" &nbsp;The greasy haired beggar shouted.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Turning, the samurai's gaze stared down the man. &nbsp;His cold eyes piercing the beggar before looking to the hand held high, grasping onto a small bag of coins.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"Oh this? &nbsp;Sometimes you have to help yourself. &nbsp;No harm done right?" &nbsp;The thief nervously released his hold on the coin bag, tossing it on the bar. &nbsp;"See," he opened his palm towards his captor, "we're square?"

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The samurai's eyes went wide. &nbsp;He slammed the thief's wrist against the bar, the cup tumbling over with the shock and spilling onto the counter. &nbsp;A swift motion brought a wakizashi to the quivering thief's throat. &nbsp;The air was silent as the attention of the other patrons was now turned to the samurai with an unsheathed blade.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"Pu--please don't hurt me." The thief shuddered with a gulp, feeling the edge of the blade press against his skin. &nbsp;"I--I mean no harm, just looking for some coins. &nbsp;A worthless piece of scum like me is not worth dulling your blades on. &nbsp;Spare my life, please!"

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The samurai pushed his thumb down the man's wrist, running over the black marking etched there. &nbsp;Reading the symbol ? - God, he withdrew his sword and let go of the arm. &nbsp;The released man stepped back, panting and bowing low.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"Your mark is not the one I am looking for." &nbsp;The samurai sat back down, grabbing his coin bag and attaching it to his belt. &nbsp;He returned his cup to its upright position and placed a few mon next to it. &nbsp;"Tell me, why would a thief have the symbol of god on his wrist?"

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The thief's shoulders slumped, gaze shifting about looking for perked ears. &nbsp;"We must do what we must to survive. &nbsp;Through all I have endured, the gods continue to provide for me and watch over me. &nbsp;They have just saved my life have they not?"

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"I suppose they have," the samurai murmured as he watched the bartender wipe up the spill and fill the cup back up.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"What..." The thief paused, pondering whether to take his good fortune and leave or give in to his curiosity. &nbsp;He bit his lip and swallowed hard. "What is it a samurai is looking for? &nbsp;What mark on a man would bring such fury upon him?"

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Taking a sip of the freshly poured sake, the samurai swished the liquid in his mouth and swallowed before answering. &nbsp;"I search for the man who killed my wife."

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The thief took a step back. &nbsp;"W--w--what happened?"

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The samurai sighed and closed his eyes. &nbsp;"It was late spring. &nbsp;I had returned from travelling, it had been over a month since I had seen home. &nbsp;She had patiently waited for my return, only to fall the day I came back." &nbsp;He took a long sip and slid another few mon on the counter to the bartender. &nbsp;"I found her in the garden. &nbsp;The killer had just left as she still had life when I found her. &nbsp;Her body lay limp on a bed of blossoming white lilies with one flower placed on her chest."

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"On a bed of white lilies? A single flower?" The thief's eyes went wide. "The white flower killer!"

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"But wait," the man in blue robes interrupted, "aren't the victims of that killer usually seduced first? &nbsp;Picking up lonely women looking for--"

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The tied-back hair flicked harshly as the samurai shot the man a glance.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"My apologies dear samurai, I have been drinking. &nbsp;Forgive my loose tongue." &nbsp;The blue robes gulped and raised an open hand of surrender. &nbsp;"The authorities have been unsuccessfully trying to catch him for a while now. They've kept most information to themselves, how do you think you'll fare any better?"

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"So far all that is known to the public is that a single white flower is left on the body before leaving. &nbsp;But if you'll remember our friend's marking on his wrist, I know that the killer has his own marking. &nbsp;When I found my wife laying on her deathbed, she had not fully passed. &nbsp;Gasping for breath and holding on, she waited my return to tell me one detail about him. &nbsp;She whispered in my ear that he had the mark of a gentleman. &nbsp;It was with her last breath in which she told me this before dying in my arms."

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The man in the blue robes coughed on his drink. &nbsp;"So you're just going to go check everyone's wrist everywhere you go? &nbsp;How ridiculous! &nbsp;That man could be anywhere, and what if someone else has the same marking?"

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"Do you... Does this... wait..." The thief stuttered in confusion. &nbsp;"The flower killer is around here? &nbsp;Is that what's brought you here?"

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The samurai placed his cup back on the bar. &nbsp;"I believe he lives nearby."

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The blue robed man shook his head. &nbsp;"Preposterous! &nbsp;The flower killer has never struck this town, and there are no lotus blooms here in--"

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;His words hung in the air. &nbsp;The man's shock remained frozen on his face as his head fell from his shoulders and hit the floor. &nbsp;The flash of steel had not registered with those around until after the samurai had cleaned and sheathed his blade. &nbsp;It was the thief who screamed first. The body in the blue robes slumped over the bar.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"It does not seem like he will need his coins back. &nbsp;You may as well keep them." &nbsp;The samurai patted the thief on the shoulder as he walked past. &nbsp;"Perhaps the gods are watching over you."

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The rest of the patrons at the bar began to stumble over one another as they raced out of the building, reeling from the spectacle of the samurai's sword. &nbsp;Staring in horror at the headless body on the bar, the thief saw a shimmer of white in the sleeve of the blue kimono. &nbsp;His shaking hand pulled the cloth back causing a white lotus to fall from its hiding place. &nbsp;Grasping the still warm wrist, he turned it over in his hand. &nbsp;A gasp escaped his throat as he dropped the limb and ran out of the bar. &nbsp;The arm fell back against the bar, palm up, showing the black marking etched into the flesh. &nbsp;? - Gentlemen.

Source: https://sofurry.com/s/dmB4JgR1