The Master
It’s time again for this week’s Friday Fictioneers, in which a group of us attempt a 100 word piece inspired by a photo. Hosted as ever by Rochelle, this week’s photo has been supplied by Douglas M. MacIlroy.
To view all the other entries, click here!
Copyright Douglas M. MacIlroy
“You have learned well, my pupil,” smiled the old man. “Finally you too have earned the title ‘Master’. Wear it well.”
Yoshi bowed low in respect for his teacher. He straightened slowly, his hand a sudden blur as he sliced his ceremonial dagger cleanly across his mentor’s throat.
“There can of course be but one Master, old friend,” he said regretfully.
Sighing deeply, Yoshi sat cross-legged at the edge of the pond in quiet contemplation, watching as the water turned slowly to the colour of the brightly coloured koi as they swam all unaware through their recently polluted home.
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draliman on life 
Creepy. Great Halloween stuff.
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I went dark again but I guess it’s the right time of year for it.
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Oh, that was chilling, great job 🙂
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Thanks!
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I always knew there was a danger in becoming an aging master….bets i think to stay a young apprentice, well done.
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Thanks! I keep wondering if the master knew this would be his fate.
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Devilish. I think the master knew. He foresaw his own end, the true passing of the baton.
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I think you’re right. I imagine he might have done the same to his old master many years ago, and felt the same passing regret as Yoshi.
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The right of passage for the grasshopper and release to the next level for master. Love it.
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As it has been for thousands of years, my young apprentice…
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oh the betrayal! good stuff though. 🙂
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There’s only room for one at the top 🙂
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Eek! Seems quite a few of us are feeding those fish some questionable food. Well done.
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Yes, I noticed that. Amazing how so many of us saw such a serene picture and thought “Hmm, this won’t do at all”!
I think the peacefulness of the picture actually lends itself to a bit of horror – more shock value.
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Not the direction I generally go, but I felt the same thing this week… or, maybe it’s Halloween? Either way, we certainly dove into those dark waters. 😉
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At least you got some humour into yours!
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I guess I have to work at my dark approaches. 😉
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You never cease to amaze in your ability to turn the innocent into the macabrely funny! This would have made The Karate Kid a more interesting movie…..
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“I told you if you forced me to ‘wax on, wax off’ one more time there’d be consequences, old man!”
I’m afraid the very serenity of the picture was just begging for some violence. But necessary (in the pupil’s mind) violence, and delivered with profoundest regret.
“There can be only one!” as Connor MacLeod of the clan MacLeod would have said.
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Dear Draliman,
Never train your replacement is my motto. Good job here.
Aloha,
Doug
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Hi Doug,
Training a replacement is always a worry though you usually just get fired!
Thanks!
drali
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Dear Draliman,
I heard echoes of the Highlander here. A rather grisly end for the teacher. Well done.
shalom,
Rochelle
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Hi Rochelle,
I detected a sort of mash-up of Highlander, Karate Kid and Star Wars 🙂
Thanks!
drali
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Good one!
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Thanks!
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ahh, love the reemergence of the dark. Makes my dark heart flutter.
For me, that was a rouge student with an alternate plan.
Well done young man.
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Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
What creeps me out the most is how calm Yoshi is about the whole thing. He’s either very Zen or very psycho 🙂
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I love it, Dr Ali 🙂
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I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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This is exactly why I’ve failed my Masters. Nicely told, cold-hearted yet respectful.
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Thanks!
I think it’s Yoshi’s respect for his master and his regret at killing him that make the tale more chilling…
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A fantastic little story.
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Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
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Gruselig – what a bad guy! Starts his career with a murder – not so unusual 🙂
Liebe Grüße
Carmen
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At least he seems to regret it. Just one of those things which had to be done. Which I guess makes it even more creepy!
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Well told, dark story! The image of the blood seeping into the colorful pond will stay with me all day. Thanks for that. Chilling and wonderfully written.
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Glad you liked it! There’s something about blood seeping into water that I find quite chilling.
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Me, too!
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Sad Yoshi indeed. A beautifully sad tale.
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I almost feel sorry for Yoshi. He obviously thought what he did was necessary, but he regretted it all the same.
On the other hand, he did kind of murder his master.
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I know that I shouldn’t chuckle, but when I read that there could be only one master, I was also reminded that there can be only One who feeds the fishes. I like how you presented this tale. Nicely done.
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Thanks, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
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Wow. Riveting. You used the juxtaposition of the calm pond and the violent act well.
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Thanks for noticing that! Calm to violence and finally after the deed, back to calm.
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