-scratch-

Autumn leaves, magnificent in their golden-red finery, fluttered down through the filtered sunlight of a sloping forest edge. They came to rest in piles against the gnarled roots of giant oaks, and crunched underneath the waraji sandals of two samurai who meandered through the copse.

-scratch scratch-

One of the men was light-furred and long-eared, quiet and graceful. The other, a large, uncouth brute with half a horn, scratched himself absently.

-scratch scratch scratch-

Gennosuke suddenly stopped. Reaching behind his back with both of his dark, roughened hands, he scraped away viciously.

Usagi eyed his companion with suspicion. "What's with you?"

"AAArgggh!!" The rhino threw up his hands in frustration and began to energetically rub his back against a tree.

Usagi stared at him nonplussed. "Gen -- ?"

"NOMI! [fleas] Get off me, you thrice-damned, cursed, bloodsucking vermin!"

Usagi leaned noncommittally against a treetrunk, watching Gen continue to scratch with renewed ferocity.

"You know, Gen, you'd itch less if you took baths."

Gen jerked in Usagi's direction, jabbing a thumb at his friend. "Are you saying I'm unclean, Long-Ears?!"

Usagi looked up at the bare branches of the trees in badly feigned unconcern. "Oh, no! Just giving you some friendly advice."

"I don't need advice, Usagi! And I don't need baths, either!"

"I take them all the time, and I don't itch. What's wrong with taking a dip every now and then?"

"You'll catch your death of cold, that's what!" Gennosuke strode on ahead, muttering something about newfangled notions.

Usagi shrugged. "All right, go ahead and itch." He began whistling as they continued their hike, Gen still scratching.

***Evening***

Usagi leaned against a boulder, holding his newly caught fish over the brushwood fire that gleamed in the darkening clearing. He looked up at the stars, searching out the Milky Way, than glanced over at Gen, who was still scratching.

"Are you sure you don't want to take a bath, Gen?" he said as he stood and walked carefully towards the nearby river.

"No, dammit!"

Usagi shrugged. "Fine with me."

By the time he returned, dripping but refreshed, Gen had fallen asleep against a tree. The shadows flickered in the firelight as the rabbit samurai found his own spot and lay down to sleep.

***Later***

-rustle rustle-

"Hmmm?"

-rustle-

Usagi opened his eyes. It was dark. So dark he couldn't see his swords. He reached for them, caught the smooth curved scabbards and drew his katana. Something was wrong.

-rustle rustle-

"What's that? Gen?"

"Huh?"

Gen's voice sounded muffled. Usagi stood and stepped towards the sound, holding his katana out in front of him in a cautious stance.

Suddenly, the moon came out and the darkness cleared.

"Yaaaahhh!!" Usagi shouted in horror. A huge, dark thing, the size of a horse, with six long, jointed legs, was hovering over Gen's prone form.

Gen woke at the cry. "Wha--Yaah!" Pushing his back against the tree, he rose to his feet and scrabbled for his own weapons.

The giant flea -- for such it was -- eyed him with malice. It was inches away, and Gen could only watch as it gauged him. Its hairy palps, as thick as his arm, waved uncertainly and the long, smooth, tapering antennae gently caressed his shoulders.

Then it moved.

"GEN!" Usagi sprang into action. Raising his katana over his head with both hands, he charged.

"Rya!" Usagi brought the blade down onto the insect's carapace. CHUNK! It struck, leaving a shallow cut in the thick hide of the flea's outer skeleton. Usagi tried again, scoring another thin slash that the creature ignored. The armor was too thick!

The long-eared warrior raised his katana again, but this time swung for the legs. CHOP!

As two of its legs suddenly clattered to the ground, the nomi shrieked in apparent pain. Then it leaped from the ground.

Usagi fell back in surprise, dropping his sword as the flea practically disappeared into the night sky.

"Where'd it go?" That was Gen.

"I don't know -- What's that?" An odd, sharp sound had reached Usagi's keen ears. He turned around and saw the flea, which was visible from two miles, hopping to incredible heights and moving away from the clearing as fast as it could go with only four legs.

The samurai rabbit sheathed his sword. He slowly turned to glare at Gen.

"Uh, Usagi?" He shivered at the gleam in his friend's eye as Usagi advanced. "Usagi!"

Gen presently found himself backed up against the river bank. With no warning, Usagi lunged.

SPLASH!

"Take a bath, Gen!"

End!