Author's Note: This is my first Samurai Jack fanfic. Growing up as a little girl, I wasn't a big fan of this show when it aired on Cartoon Network. I liked it, but I only caught it on certain times of the day and sometimes at night. I was a Code Lyoko fan. Now, I feel kind of bad for not getting into this show more seriously. I watched season 5, and now I can't imagine a life without some Samurai jack in my life. I was heartbroken that Ashi disappeared, but in the end, I knew it happened for a reason, and without Ashi, Jack wouldn't have made it home. But like many people, I/we dream of a happy ending where Ashi could have survived, and there even have been theories to back up that Ashi could still exist somehow/be in the afterlife because time travel does not affect the soul. One can only wonder. Well, let me stop rambling on, and get to this story.

When a tree goes through seasons of change, is it still the same tree? If a river comes upon a dam and stops, can it still be called a river? Things change within us,

mentally and physically, but can we truly call ourselves the same person afterwards? What does it truly mean to change? What does it mean, to fully understand from

yesterday, and look ahead to tomorrow?

Jack had thought these things to himself a lot. And within the time since Ashi disappeared, they lingered still. Maybe he still hadn't found the peace as he thought.

Peace of mind, but the heart always remembers, it always feels, everything. Jack may have gotten back to the past, but was it really the past? That is why he had

thought so hard about these questions. Oh, yes, everything was different. Some days, Jack felt okay, other days, he struggled to keep moving. He searched, even it

was the smallest of things; of happiness in each of every day. And it was there. Jack couldn't remember when it began, but nonetheless he was happy for it. A single,

red, ladybug, like the one that visited him during his revelation under the red maple tree, sat in the garden on a patch of white flowers, and every time Jack visited

the garden, the ladybug was there. He had no doubt in his mind that the ladybug was divine. Nearly every morning, for the past six years, Jack had sat in the garden,

and the ladybug was there. Although the insect couldn't speak, Jack would get close, and talk to the ladybug, no matter how crazy it seemed. But anyway, who could

judge him too much? He had spent fifty years in a future that drove him mad. Six years. Almost seven. The first year had been the hardest. It always was when you

lost someone. Happy and sad at the same time, Jack laughed and smiled, but eyes showed the weight of the world. And then the ladybug showed up, and things got

better. When the second year came, Jack felt proud with how he had been dealing with himself. And then the years went by, and six years had passed. How was he

going to feel when the ten- year mark arrived? Where on Earth was Jack's life going?

"Enjoying the morning well, my son?"

Jack turned to see the smiling face of his mother walking towards him in the sunlight. Seeing his parents always brought Jack some comfort, no matter how down he

was feeling.

"Yes, Mother, this new day does fare me well," said Jack.

It was nearly summer, it would be in a couple of weeks. Jack could feel the intense heat in the afternoon, see the immense insects flying and buzzing through the air

when he visited the garden and the woods, when it rained, the humidity and the drops of water that lay on the foliage, making the plants sparkle like diamonds when

the sun reflected off the droplets. Nature was indeed a beautiful place. He had just wished he could have spent it with the one person who loved and cherished it as

much as he did. Jack knew that once the summer officially came, and the day of when, it happened arrived, he would go take a ride up to the hill and visit the tree.

He hadn't visited it for a long time.

"Are you okay?" Jack's Mother asked.

"Yes, I am alright, just enjoying the day," said jack with a smile.

Jack had noticed some time ago that his mother asked him if he was okay a lot more frequently since his return from the future, and after losing Ashi. His father had

constantly worried about his mental health as well, he had even brought in a doctor once after the tragedy because he was very worried that Jack would cause harm

to himself due to his fragile and depressed mind. But he didn't.

"It's such a beautiful day out," said the Empress. "Day's like these are perfect for picnics."

"That it is," said Jack. "Perhaps we could go on one someday."

"It'd be nice," said the Empress.

Jack looked up to his ladybug friend crawling up farther the white petals of the flower. It seemed to be agreeing that going for a picnic would be a wonderful idea.

Jack didn't know if the ladybug could really understand him or not, but he was just thankful that it, or she was there.

After visiting the garden, and having a talk with his ladybug friend, sometimes Jack would go and practice his fighting skills with his father. He would do it to relieve

frustration and get things off his mind, and other times he did just because he wanted to spend time with his father.

"Good morning my son, the weather is quite nice," said the Emperor.

"Yes, that's what Mother and I were just talking about," said Jack as he picked up his sword and examined it.

"So much time has passed, I can't believe it is almost summer already," said the Emperor, as he too picked up his sword.

"Yes," said jack shaking head slowly.

"Well, hopefully time will slow down enough so we can prepare and have enough time to get comfortable within the seasons change. Somedays it feels like Spring

just arrived and then suddenly it's time for fall," said the Emperor.

Jack and his father had their duel, then they rested and drank water to cool down. Then they dueled some more and then finally stopped. After the dueling session,

Jack would go take a ride on his horse.

His animal friend enjoyed the walks and talks almost as much as Jack did. Jack was even sure his animal friend could even understand how he was feeling to a certain

degree. When Jack rode away alone, a couple days after the tragedy, the horse looked and seemed as low-spirited as he did. When Jack entered the stables, his

friend gave a soft whinny of happiness as he entered the stables. Reaching into his pocket, he produced two sugar cubes and let the horse gently take them from his

hand with his mouth.

"How are you feeling?" Jack asked as he ran his hand down the horse's mane.

The horse gently nudged Jack with his face and Jack put his arm around the horse's head and held him close. After getting ready, they headed out. Jack walked

through the meadow where he was greeted by the smell of flowers, and not too far away, the smell of the cherry blossoms that were still left on the tree's. On the

outskirts of the woods there were a couple wild crab apple trees and Jack rode by slowly near there, picking the small, green, sour tasting fruits and eating them as

he rode. Nature looked all the same, for the past six years, almost seven that he had been home, nothing nature wise seemed to have changed that much, except for

him of course. As it should be. Jack would never have to worry about Aku again. But if another evil fared itself, Jack would be ready. He hoped if trouble did ever

show up one day, it wouldn't be as awful and horrendous as the reign of Aku. Butterflies flew around Jack, reminding him of the hope that had prevailed, just as the

ladybug did. Jack didn't like to think about it at time, but he would have died in the future, without the hope and the love of Ashi. Jack didn't know for sure how the

future would be without him, but he was sure they would never suffer as bad as they did ever again. Jack rode for a while, then headed back home.

Later that night at dinner, Jack's parents were talking economic affairs, documents, and otherworldly things when Jack brought up the idea his mother mentioned

earlier.

"Father, Mother brought up a great idea that we haven't done in a long time," said Jack.

"What's that, my son?" the Emperor replied.

"We should go on a picnic, the weather is warm and beautiful," said Jack.

"Yes," said the Empress. "What do you think?" she turned to her husband.

The Emperor slowly rubbed his face. "I think a picnic sounds like a great idea. We'll go tomorrow."

"Really? How wonderful!" said the Empress. She was happy.

"We can pack our favorite snacks, bring some sandwiches, and we can sit by the river," said Jack. "It'll be perfect."

Although the day was hot, the night was cool and the sound of crickets chirping eased Jack's mind as he sat in bed reading a book. He was eager for tomorrow, ready

for what the day had in store, and he was happy to be sharing it with his parents. But what Jack didn't know, is that soon, things were going to change. An event was

going to come into his life he never imagined possible.