The Onlookers

The mountain breeze rolled over the ledge, sharp and cold, carrying the scent of pine and smoke. From here, the forest stretched out in uneven swells, dotted with the narrow thread of a road and the rooftops of a village below.

A figure in bright red light armor leaned his back against the wall of the mountain, his purple panther mask tilted toward the sky. He pulled at his hood, adjusting it as the wind caught hold of it. He flexed his left arm in a suggestive manner.

“You see it yet?” The man asked with joy in his throat.

The man beside him kneeled at the ledge, looking through a pair of battered binoculars. He wore orange armor, much the same as the other. It was dull, almost brown in the fading light. His voice came out slow and flat through his mask, a horned owl.

“The interloper with the stick seems to be fighting.” He said, looking from Haruto to Kael.

The red one leaned in until his shoulder clanked against his partner’s. He shoved his forearm into the binoculars’ field of view, showing off a fresh tattoo, black ink cut into an Ellwish symbol.

“It’s peeling. That means it’s healing right. Look close! It means “wind.” He flexed his arm again.

The orange one slapped the sore skin on his arm.The man in red fell to the ground in pain, his fresh tattoo stinging. He continued scanning the tree line below without a glance at the tattoo.

"He's facing off against Double Impact Kael. You need to focus, Back.” The orange one said.

“You’re dodging. Just admit it’s good ink, and I'll take Double Impact.” Back said through gritted teeth, fanning the tattoo.

“What kind of ninja cares about a tattoo anyway?” The orange one asked. "Tattoos are for showing off. We're supposed to be covert."

"We wear bright colors, Turn! I don't think a tattoo will be a problem." Back huffed, leaning with exaggerated disappointment. “You know, Bartle’s little sister Cici did it? She's only level 2, but she's really good...”

“Kael’s bounty just went up to 20,000 perins. A price like that could pull in idiots from all over. Why is he after a random border jumper?” Turn asked, before looking at Back. "When did Cici get to level 2?"

"Just last week. I wanted to show my support." Back poked Turn on the top of the head. "She's got a crush on you, you know?"

“Not interested.” Turn said, adjusting the focus on the binoculars on the System. “What is that? A magic item?”

“Yeah, sure. It could give you an excuse to see her. You could get 'Stile' written on your shoulder blade. Big, bold, and classy.” Back continued.

“Bartle and I don't get along too well.” Turn's tone flattened further.

"Well, you were the one assigned to spy on his wife." Back chuckled.

"It's not my fault he married an Ellweir. Okay?" Turn said defensively.

"A hot Ellweir. How many eyes does she have? Or were you even looking at her eyes while she dressed?" Back said teasingly before being cut short.

"Can we drop it? Yeah? We have work to do." Turn said, putting the binoculars back to his eyes.

"Fine. We'll just work..." Back said, pouting behind his mask.

"Double Impact is keeping the border jumper locked in. We're going to need to get in there soon." Turn sighed as Back said nothing, looking the other way like a child. “It's possible he's a spy from Artvaller. We need to take him alive.”

“Alive-alive, or alive-enough?” Back asked, still not looking at him.

"I know you want to let it rip, but you're going to have to hold it in until we separate them." Turn said.

They lapsed into silence for a few moments, save for the wind. Turn felt the guilt from slightly raising his voice at his partner. Back continued with the silent treatment until the canopy below lit up with streaking reds and golds. Sparks bounced off each other in a chaotic chain of fireworks. People flew from the trees and into the clearing with Haruto and Kael.

The two of them looked at the dazzling spectacle, and Back broke the silence between them. “I didn't do that.”

“I know. It doesn't have your smell to it.” Turn said. "Plus you're here."

"I guess that's our cue, huh?" Back walked to the ledge, about to jump when Turn stepped in front of him.

"It's..." Turn didn't look at him. "A pretty cool tattoo."

Turn dropped from their perch, sprinting along the mountain’s slope. Back grinned behind his mask and followed, the two of them bounding through the treetops toward the battlefield.

Back Wind—codename Silent But Deadly—and his partner Turn Stile—codename Gatekeeper—were Crown Ninjas, elite operatives sworn to the royal court. They handled problems that never made it to the public record, the kind solved before anyone else knew they existed. Their orders were simple: bring in the border jumper. The definition of “in one piece” was, as always, left up to interpretation.

They could hear the people in the clearing as they neared. Back leaned toward his partner, already grinning. “Smells like trouble.”

“Focus,” Turn muttered, but he didn’t slow.

The next branch bowed under their weight. The two flipped from the trees, soaring over the clearing. The bright colors of their armor contrasted against their purpose.

Haruto held Aki, while Kael held Elenore, both recovering from the explosion. The two ninjas landed between them, backs together, facing their respective targets. Turn against Haruto and Back against Kael.

Haruto scanned the two, wishing for a break of some sort. This world had piled on him from his very first steps on the ground. Heck, even before that, when he fell from the sky.

Then his gaze drifted, almost involuntarily, to the red ninja’s arm. The fresh black tattoo, bold and unmistakable, seemed to call out to him. His voice, remarkably casual in the midst of impending danger, slipped free:

"That's a cool tattoo."