The Last Samurai Page #14

KATSUMOTO:

Add to this the Omura Zaibatsu. You

know the Zaibatsu?

ALGREN:

The wealthy families.

KATSUMOTO:

As patron of the railroad, Omura

owns all land within four hundred

feet of every new rail line. As my

country grows, so will his wealth.

(looks at him)

This is why you are fighting.

Katsumoto completes the tea ceremony. He pours a cup for

Algren. Bows his head and offers it to him.

ALGREN:

And you will tell the Emperor to

stop them?

KATSUMOTO:

I do not tell the Emperor what to

do.

ALGREN:

Then what do you hope to accomplish?

Katsumoto looks at Algren, the slightest gleam in his eye.

KATSUMOTO:

Will you return to America?

Algren watches him -- why didn't Katsumoto answer?

ALGREN:

...I have a job here.

KATSUMOTO:

You should return to your home.

ALGREN:

Why?

KATSUMOTO:

Because I do not wish you to be my

enemy again.

Katsumoto returns to his poem, he does not look up.

KATSUMOTO:

Go home Captain... Anshinritsumai. I

wish you peace.

Algren waits but Katsumoto just continues to work on his

poem.

EXT. AROUND THE INN - NIGHT

The samurai guards are alert, their senses heightened to

almost superhuman proportions.

But there is another way. Another way of learning combat. A

way without the beauty, the philosophy and the moral code.

They are almost imperceptible at first... their head-to-toe

black clothes a perfect camouflage... their silence and

stealth are otherworldly.

They were then known as Shinobi, masters of stealth and

spying.

We know them as Ninjas.

They float across the ground... creeping an inch every hour...

complete physical control. One black-gloved finger moves.

Then the next.

They crawl and then wait, poised on their fingertips and

toes.

There is no sound as they strike.

The samurai guards are garroted in an instant. Other Ninjas

catch the samurai's weapons as they fall. No sound disturbs

the peaceful night.

EXT. INN - FRONT DOORWAY - NIGHT

Silence.

Two samurai guards are in position.

One of them glances up at the stars.

A Ninja throwing star instantly slices into his jugular --

blood sprays -- the other guard turns. A series of Ninja

slice into him...

EXT. INN - WALLS - NIGHT

Silence.

The Ninjas use claws to crawl up the walls like spiders.

EXT. INN - ROOF - NIGHT

Silence.

A samurai guard stands at the edge of the roof. A Ninja

silently moves toward him. Stops. Ten feet away.

He pulls out a shuriken -- a small needle-shaped projectile,

dips it into a sack of poison. Places it carefully into the

palm of his hand. And with the flick of his wrist --

The needle flies -- stabbing into the samurai -- he crumples.

Other Ninjas immediately pour over the edge of the roof --

catching the samurai before he falls...

INT. INN - KATSUMOTO'S ROOM - NIGHT

Silence.

Katsumoto cannot sleep. He stares out the window at a

nightingale.

INT. INN - UJIO'S ROOM - NIGHT

Silence.

Ujio sits in his room. He is unblinking. Alert. Swords at

the ready.

INT. INN - ALGREN'S ROOM - NIGHT

Silence.

Algren cannot sleep either. He sits leaning against a wall.

Thinking.

INT. INN - MAIN HALL - NIGHT

Silence.

Yoritomo drinks tea with Nakao, the huge martial arts master.

INT. OUTSIDE KATSUMOTO'S ROOM - NIGHT

A guard stands sentinel. Above his head, unbeknownst to him,

two Ninjas descend on ropes.

One of them swings a long chain -- to which a barbed-knife

is attached.

As it lodges in the guard's chest, the second Ninja swings

down just in time to catch the dead guard, silently, before

his body hits the ground.

INT. INN - KATSUMOTO'S ROOM - NIGHT

Silence.

Katsumoto lies in bed listening to the night bird. It stops

singing. Katsumoto smiles sadly. He decides to give up on

sleep, leans forward to rise.

This act saves his life.

For when the Ninjas come, they come all at once --

A Ninja suddenly comes TEARING STRAIGHT THROUGH THE PAPER

WALL, his sword slashing down -- just missing Katsumoto.

Katsumoto calls out an alarm, diving and rolling across the

floor for his sword. He instantly kills one Ninja using his

steel-tipped "war fan" to slash his attackers throat. Another

smashes in through the window.

INT. INN - MAIN HALL - NIGHT

Ninjas EXPLODE into the main hall. Samurai who come out of

their rooms are cut down by a variety of weapons -- one takes

a throwing star in the face, others are felled by the

traditional ninja-to, short swords ideal for fighting in

confined spaces, chain-knives, nun-chaka and others.

More Ninjas drop from the rafters on ropes.

INT. INN - ALGREN'S ROOM - NIGHT

A Ninja SMASHES through the paper wall -- Algren grabs the

nearest object, a low tea table, and swings it at his head.

The Ninja dodges the blow and slices at Algren with short-

sword.

Algren barely avoids the blow by ducking behind a post as

the sword LODGES deep in the wood. Algren flings himself,

bodily, at his attacker.

INT. INN - MAIN HALL - NIGHT

Ninja throwing stars spin across the room, killing a samurai.

Yoritomo emerges from his room, readying his bow, but the

dead samurai falls back blocking his way. From behind the

rice wall, Yoritomo lets fly an arrow without even looking.

It passes THROUGH the wall, killing the Ninja on the opposite

balcony.

INT. INN - FIRST FLOOR - NIGHT

Ujio screams a war cry and begins to battle his way up the

stairs. With breathtaking moves, he slashes hands and limbs,

forcing the Ninja back.

Nakao fights his way up beside him, desperately trying to

reach Katsumoto's room. Using only his bare hands he catches

a Ninja's wrist and hurls him over the railing.

INT. INN - ALGREN'S ROOM - NIGHT

Algren and the Ninja are in a death struggle, kneeing,

gouging, butting. They awkwardly smash through a paper wall

into the next room.

INT. INN - KATSUMOTO'S ROOM - NIGHT

Katsumoto wields his long sword in one hand and his short

sword in the other. It is the first time we have seen him in

action and his movements are both beautiful and deadly.

But more Ninjas are pouring in through the window, threatening

to overwhelm him.

INT. INN - ALGREN'S ROOM - NIGHT

Rolling on the ground, Algren manages to grab a chopstick

and STAB his adversary through the eye.

He picks up the fallen short sword and steps out into the

hall.

ARROWS whiz past, thudding into the wall beside his head.

INT. INN - KATSUMOTO'S ROOM - NIGHT

Katsumoto, breathing heavily, his kimono shredded and bloody,

is fending off the Ninjas' increasingly savage attacks as

Algren enters.

Algren SCREAMS, distracting them just long enough for

Katsumoto to take advantage and kill one.

Then, just as a Ninja is about to kill Algren, Katsumoto

FLINGS his short sword... it pin-wheels across the room,

hitting Algren's attacker in the chest.

Without missing a beat, Algren pulls the short sword from

the dying Ninja's chest and uses it to stab another Ninja

who, thinking Algren defenseless, has launched an attack.

INT. INN - MAIN HALL - NIGHT

Ujio and Nakao are back to back, a perfect fighting machine

as they fight their way to Katsumoto's rescue. They battle

Ninjas wielding lethal kusarigamas, the Ninjas swing chains,

the attached blades slice the air. Nakao catches the chains

and flings the Ninja over the balcony.

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