the saga of Nat

This is the saga of Nat, the non-binary ninja.

Nat’s weapon of choice was the nunchuks. They loved the way it moved through the air, loved feeling the weight of it in their hands. They could make the nunchaku dance like nobody else.

It should go without saying that Nat got an A+ in nunchuks class in ninja school.

They failed all their other coursework: they slacked off in archery, never practiced fencing, and the the shuriken just wasn’t for them.

But Nat was so deadly with the nunchaku that they nonetheless graduated from ninja school with top honours.

Everybody feared Nat and their nunchuks.

And everybody respected their pronouns.

After graduation, as a professional ninja-for-hire, Nat did carry a few other weapons – who would hire a ninja who didn’t even have a sword? – but they only ever needed the nunchuks.

One day, Nat took a fairly routine protection job. A princess to be escorted safely three towns over, with treacherous wilderness separating each.

Everything was going smoothly for most of the journey, but near the second town, the group was ambushed. A well-known gang of thieves emerged from the trees. At least twelve, possibly more. They demanded the princess’s cart and money.

They were no match for Nat. With their nunchuks they easily dispatched one, two, three of their adversaries.

But they were many; it quickly became clear that safest for the princess would be to depart. As the cart accelerated, two gorilla-sized men popped out of the trees, blocking the path.

Seeing this, knowing the princess was in danger, Nat skillfully aimed their nunchuks at the two huge goons. It could have been one hundred metres or a thousand; Nat’s connection to their weapon was intimate. They threw the nunchaku.

Both thieves were bonked. Comically, each fell. The path was clear, and the cart escaped.

But now, Nat is alone, and worse, disarmed.

Presently, Nat the non-binary ninja is in trouble, alone by themself, surrounded by a gang of thieves, far from any help, without their nunchuks.

Desperately, Nat throws a few stars. None hit their targets, instead bouncing uselessly off of trees. Regret for not diversifying their training is taking hold of Nat as they begin to prepare for the worst.

“Hah-ha! We’ve got you now, non-binary ninja!” The gang is closing in.

There’s only one thing left to try.

Nat draws their sword…

they approach their enemies…

and… they slash them.