This story came to me after watching episode 50, "Tale of X-9", of Samurai Jack. Samurai Jack belongs to Cartoon Network. I only own Lily.
A/N: This story is an alternate version of Samurai Jack episode 50 and is told from the X-9's POV like in the episode. Contains major spoilers.
What A Father Holds Dear To His Heart
X-9's POV
I had mixed emotions at the time when I saw the factory that was building other X-Models like me was being consumed by the fire. That brought me some relief that no more models like me would kill innocent lives, but sadness as I was the now the last one of my kind. I guess this is what I've heard some humans call a bittersweet victory.
I was saddened, until I saw the small dog looking up at me. I smiled as I patted her and picked her up, feeling her lick my face in affection. As I walked around, looking for a place to live, I found the perfect name for her. Lulu.
After finding a place for us, I was slowly making it into a home. Lulu enjoyed our home and loved the dog bed I had gotten for her.
It was about a week later that I decided to go grab some supplies for Lulu and myself. I wore my suit and coat along with my hat to avoid questions, but some people shrank back when they saw me. A small child, who was playing with a small, stuffed tiger, tripped and fell in front of me. The mother froze when she saw me. I glanced at her and then at the boy, who looked up at me fearfully. I slowly kneeled down, picking up the boy and setting him on his feet again and handed him his toy before gently nudging him towards his mother, who picked her son up and looked at me in surprise. I tipped my hat to her politely before continuing down the aisle.
I soon had the supplies I needed and paid for them, asking for them to be delivered to my home. The clerk fearfully nodded and promised they'd be delivered within an hour. Giving a nod, I exited the store and was about to head for home when I caught sight of a scene that reminded me sharply of the days I had been trying to forget.
There had been an attack on the homeless sector of the city and not one of them was alive. Many of them were older folks, but there were a few middle age adults. Sadness filled me again until suddenly, I heard something and turned to find a small crib covered with a tattered blanket. Both were intact, to my surprise. I went over and heard the same sound again. A whimper.
When I gently pulled back the blanket, I found an infant girl, alive and on the verge of crying. She looked up at me with the biggest blue eyes I had ever seen. I picked her up and placed her in one side of my trench coat, cradling her with that same arm. To my surprise, she settled down and closed her eyes, gently grabbing part of my shirt with her small hand. And just as I had felt with Lulu, I felt happiness again with this small human girl.
I got home in time to meet the young man who delivered my earlier purchases and I gave him a list of what my new daughter would need. He looked shocked, but again promised to deliver my order in a couple of hours. Nodding, I watched him drive off before taking the young girl upstairs. Lulu greeted me and I showed her the young human, who awoke and giggled when she saw Lulu, who instantly took to the little girl. Pleased, I stood up and went into my room, setting the baby down on the bed while I took off my trench coat and hung it up. I heard the little one let out a coo and turned to her with a smile before picking her up and holding her. "Lily," I said to her. "That will be your name."
Time passed, and my days were full with raising Lily and taking care of Lulu. They were my two precious treasures. Every day, I would sit and listen as Lily would read one of the few books I owned aloud. I can tell you that I lost count of how many times she had read those books to me, but she loved to read them and I loved listening to her read them. Then, when night came, I would read to her. She loved fairytales.
And she loved music as much as Lulu and I did and I would play my trumpet for her at night to help her go to sleep.
Then, one day, my two precious treasures were taken from me. Aku had kidnapped them and in return for their release, I had to go find the samurai. I got upset, but swore I'd get them back. I still remember thirteen-year-old Lily's words to me over the phone.
"Papa, seek the samurai," she had said.
As Lily had gotten older, she would read the stories about the samurai called Jack and she idolized him as much as she idolized me. I then remembered something I had taught her long ago. I told her to use the work 'seek' instead of 'look'. It was a secret code between us. She was telling me in code to find the samurai and ask for his help.
At thirteen, my daughter was one of the smartest humans I knew and I smiled a little as I suited up, tracking down the samurai, soon finding him. He was startled, but I told him what had happened and that I needed his help.
The samurai agreed to help me and I felt hope fill me that I would have my two treasures back soon.
It didn't take us long to find Aku and I soon saw Lily and Lulu in a cage, both happy to see me. "Papa!" Lily called out to me.
"I'm here, baby girl," I said to her before turning to Aku.
"And you've brought the samurai," said Aku with a nasty grin.
I had the samurai tied up behind me and he was following me with his head bowed, but what Aku didn't know was that the samurai was biding his time. I was ready to take down the two guards that stood by the cage that held my daughter and my dog. I stopped before Aku and felt the samurai stop close behind me before I carefully pulled part of the rope and the samurai suddenly sprung up, his sword held high. I pulled out my two guns and aimed at the guards, who I noticed were suddenly sparking and Lily was holding up a screwdriver and a jar of jelly. I had to smile as the guards fell and I ran over to my two treasures, destroying the lock and pulling Lily and Lulu into my arms. Lulu licked my face and Lily buried her face into my shoulder as we heard Aku scream in pain as the samurai continued to strike with his sword.
Desperate, Aku summoned more of his minions and most were robots. Lily saw them first and squirmed free from me. Before I could grab her, I heard her take a deep breath and I quickly braced myself, managing to shut off my audio receptors just in time.
Lily screamed as loudly as she could, startling Aku with the volume of her scream and causing his robot minions to short circuit. She had nearly done that to me one time when she had woken from a nightmare one night when she was eight years old. She had promised to not do it again when she saw it had nearly made me short circuit.
Lily's scream was the distraction the samurai needed and he struck Aku a harsh blow, one that hurt Aku deeply. Even I could tell the wound would take a long time to heal. Before Aku flew away to avoid being wounded even worse, I took aim with my gun and fired, the bullet grazing the wounded evil creature on the shoulder, making him cry out again.
"Never touch my treasures again," I said firmly.
The samurai looked at me and smiled as he saw my teenage daughter hug me tightly and Lulu licking my face happily. Lily then turned to the samurai and hugged him.
"Thank you, Samurai Jack, for helping Papa," she said.
The samurai nodded and was about to head out on his way when I placed a hand on his shoulder. "I wish you the best in stopping Aku," I said. "If you ever need an extra fighter, press the button on this remote."
I handed him the remote, one that the scientists had invented to be able to track any X-Models that went missing. I had destroyed all the other remotes when I turned on my fellow X-Models, but kept mine intact. It had a blue-colored button on it. The samurai took it and nodded.
"Thank you, my friend," he said.
"Thank you, Samurai Jack," I said to him as I hugged my daughter again. She snuggled into my hug happily before I picked her and Lulu up and walked home. When we arrived, I told myself I'd teach Lily how to defend herself. Her scream was good, but some self-defense would be good as well.
"Papa, I'll warm up some oil for you," Lily said to me.
I smiled at her. "I could use that," I said and pulled something out of my jacket pocket for her. It was a canister of hot chocolate, something she loved. "I picked some up for you," I said to her.
She hugged me again. "Love you, Papa," she said.
"I love you too, my little Lily," I said to her, hugging her happily.
I felt both happiness and peace once more, especially now that my daughter and my dog were safe.
Lily and Lulu, my dearest treasures that I held close to my heart.
This story is dedicated to my beloved father, who passed away a few years ago. In honor of this past Father's Day, this story is for him.
Remember to tell your fathers that you love them.
And please leave a review, but no flames.
GoldGuardian2418