Samurai Jack: Renegade Samurai
Rating M for graphic depictions, language, violence and suggestive themes
Warning:
The following is a work of fanfiction and is not intentionally connected to real word places, events, or people, nor intended to copy others' work. Samurai Jack is the work of Genndy Tartakovsky, his team and affiliated studios and companies. This is solely fanfiction for fun and not profit.
Chapter IV: The First Mistake
A highway road stretched across small slopes of land, stretching off one such slope into the horizon of the midday sun. Surrounding these stretches on slopes were grass fields with cobbles of trees here and there, giving the impression of an outdoor country experience. Or it would, if it wasn't for the disturbing discrepancies in this natural landscape. Doting the sloping landscape of grass and trees were craters and wreckage. Though old and some overgrown with fauna, their appearance left a scarring presence. Some of the craters were still barren, leaving no room for life.
Some of the wreckage was still intact enough to make out their origin, appearing as tanks, warships, and other monoliths of warfare. A skeleton some distance from the road was lying in this land of nature and battle long past till the sound of an engine approached. The source, a bristling motorcycle, disturbed and had shaken the skeleton slightly with its nearby presence for only a second before speeding along the highway, leaving the deceased to their rest. The rider, Jack, still caught sight of this despite not stopping, and he returned his gaze to the road with a troubled, somber expression.
It had been like this since they had left the sight of the city, and the landscape around their motorcycle kept showing the same grim aspect. Despite the apparent nature, old signs of death and combat littered the landscape beneath such natural wonder, showing testament to the power and horror that occurred long before. Given this highway and how often these sights popped up, it was likely this was a common sight for all the locals, but it still left Jack a bit numb. He had seen somewhat worse sights in Aku's future, sure, but often it was clearly the demon's forces at work. This was something he couldn't quite settle on. Sure, whatever happened ended long ago, but the hanging presence still gnawed at Jack, as though the battle itself still lingered.
"What happened here? The devastation stretches for miles and shows no signs of ending. Is this the war that is spoken of by the people of this land? But…why? To have so much catastrophe, how could this happen?" Jack thought, but never receiving an answer for his questions. He only received clues from the landscape of recovering nature and decrepit war remains. Jack decided he would find answers later, and tried returning his focus to the road, when a growling sound had interrupted him. He was surprised, as he didn't feel his stomach make that noise, but turned his head to see Ashi with her gaze turned down.
"Heh, sorry". she said with an embarrassed smile. Jack smiled back to show there was nothing to be embarrassed for. "I suppose it is a good time as any to settle down for a meal." Jack said. His gaze was brought to the highway signs above, as there was a note about an upcoming exit that lead to a settlement. It was not far, and would only take a few minutes, according to the notice anyway. Jack decided to take the turn, taking the side road off the highway.
…
Soon enough, Jack and Ashi saw a clearing with a settlement at the center. It was certainly not like the city they had left, as it would only take a walk to circle through it all, with only a few one-story buildings and some farming area, appearing to be just a fledgling outpost of a settlement. Though a Protectorate building was visible, there didn't seem to be patrols, and Jack was used to walking in public and not attracting the wrong attention. He and Ashi just needed to be discrete and not stay long.
They stopped and parked the motorcycle a little distance away from the entrance and stepped into the outpost. The settlers didn't pay much mind, only glancing up before returning to their business. Jack saw a building that seemed to be a restaurant of some sort. The restaurant was titled "Bartakovsky's" and seemed lively enough, so they entered. The place appeared like a classic diner of sorts, with everyone casually sitting eating at burgers, fries, bacon and whatnot. Though when Jack and Ashi sat down and looked at the menu, Jack declared in pleasant surprise "Oh, they have sushi".
"Yeah, the proprietor's a real aficionado for those eastern traditions and aspects, imported some of their delicacies and serves them in all his restaurants all over. They even say he went nuts over that, uh, bushido, or whatever it's called. So, you'll be having the sushi I guess, how about you, hon?" the waitress said, addressing Ashi now as she took Jack's order. "Oh, I'd like the same, with a touch of wasabi" Ashi said as Jack was slightly startled. She took a liking to the food from Jack's home, but he found that she was a little adventurous compared to the desert food stall. Strange squirming alien fish was one thing for Jack, but even familiar wasabi was a different story.
As they waited, Jack could hear a couple of local men talking to each other from the booth next to theirs. "So, they make that delivery to the concentration area yet?" said one man. "Yeah, 'bout last night. Don't know why the Protectorate even bothers with them, those people deserved to be locked up there, it's not worth the trip up road. Well, here's hoping they get what they deserved" chuckled the other man. Jack was irritated at those words, aggravated at how some bystander was taking pleasure at how people were being abused by the Protectorate.
He look at Ashi, and she held the same aggravation in her eyes as he did. They both affirmed with that gaze and a slight nod that they wouldn't stand by. Just then, the sushi came around, with Ashi saying "Alright, I was starving" as they both thanked for the food and began to eat. Though Jack was pleased with the comfortingly familiar taste, he winced as he saw Ashi apply wasabi to the sushi in brave amounts and gulped them down with satisfaction. She noticed his gaze and suddenly had a devious look on her face that frightened him.
"You want some?" Ashi said, holding in front of him some sushi covered in wasabi. "Oh, uh, no, no thank you, I'm-guh?!" he said incompletely as it was forced into his mouth. "Ah, come on, you can take a bite" she said in a mocking pleading voice. Jack gulped down the sushi as it already reached his throat, and after that, the overwhelming, burning flavor seized him. He laid one hand on the table as he was gasping with water flooding his eyes, unable to take the crippling taste that lingered in his mouth. He grabbed the nearby tea he prepared before as he drank it to help wash out the flavor.
Meanwhile, Ashi was giggling at the sight of him. She didn't like it when other people tried to harm the man she loved, but when it came to herself toying with him for the heck of it, that was another story. Jack looked up at her with an exasperated expression, and Ashi said "I'm sorry, but that was hilarious. You've been serious this whole time, so I thought a little heckling would help. Can't believe you don't like wasabi though." "Believe me, it is much rarer to like it the way you do. Still, thank you for trying to lift my spirits. These moments are quite relieving, in a way." Jack said, sharing a tender look between himself and Ashi. That was interrupted though as the overhead TV nearby suddenly changed programming.
"We interrupt to bring you a priority message from the Magnus Protectorate. Approximately two days ago, a man armed with a sword and dressed in white robes was found causing public terror in City Area 1B37, assaulting and killing several Protectorate personnel as they attempted to stop him from causing city damage and public distress. Attempts to catch the suspect in question have met with more fatalities, as he was later aided and abetted by a woman who has now been confirmed to have defected from the Protectorate. Both are armed and extremely dangerous, and have been responsible for the total deaths of more than 50 of our fine Cyber Troopers."
"The identified Renegade Samurai, Jack, and his accomplish, the defector Ashi, are still at large and yet to be apprehended. If you should see these two individuals or gain a clue to their whereabouts, please do not confront them, instead inform the nearest Protectorate personnel immediately." the notice program declared. On the screen was surveillance footage of the events that transpired in the previous city, followed by the names and images of both Jack and Ashi, declaring them wanted fugitives.
Murmurs had grown in the restaurant following that, sounding rather concerned. "Mommy, mommy, that man and lady there, weren't they on the TV earlier?" said a little boy eagerly as he pointed to Jack and Ashi who realized with concern that they needed to leave. The mother pulled in her child close with a concerned look as the father pulled out his phone to call the Protectorate's law enforcement line. Wouldn't be necessary though, as two Cyber Troopers came walking through, armed and looking through the crowd. "Sir, we saw the fugitives, they're right, huh?!" the father shouted in surprise as he realized the booth was empty.
…
Following the close call at the Bartakovsky's, Jack and Ashi rushed to the motorcycle and got back on the road. They didn't turn back towards to the highway though, instead heading in the other direction that led up from the settlement. "So, we're looking into that concentration area then?" Ashi asked, already knowing the answer. Jack nodded with a stern gaze on his face, stating "If there are people made to suffer under Magnus without reason, then we can't leave it be.". Ashi also nodded, still uncomfortable at how callous those men were about the whole situation of people being imprisoned.
The motorcycle drove on as the sun was beginning to make its downward shift with the afternoon. Soon, they saw a walled off area, with several towers with searchlights between every few stretches of steel wall, with a fortified gate at the front. Jack knew they weren't getting in that way, so he stopped the motorcycle some distance away from the wall before he and Ashi made their way on foot. Checking to make sure they were not within sight of the search towers, Jack instructed Ashi to get on his back. She did so, a bit perplexed, then became surprised as he thrust himself in the air and over the wall, landing on the other side with no issue. "H-How…" Ashi asked, with Jack responding, "Jump good.". Ashi smiled at him, saying "You better show me how to jump good next time then." as she began to climb down.
They pressed forward, keeping distance from the road as they followed it. Soon enough, they noticed an area with several buildings, some appearing to be living areas of the same look, and some appearing to be for Protectorate use. By the looks of it, this was the concentration area they had heard of. They snuck into the area and could hear the sounds of grunting and shouting. They followed the sounds, and they saw a group of men and women chipping away at a granite block, which was now partially taking on the form of Magnus. The one doing the shouting appeared to be the Protectorate official in charge, a sergeant.
"Come on, you worthless pieces of shit! The Lord Protector did not show you mercy so you could laze off, show your gratitude and make that statue the best damn statue you can get! You still got a bunch more to do before week is out!" the sergeant screamed. The men and women groaned in response. They appeared rough and weary, and were sweating to exhaustion. A common theme they all sported though, beside their prison attire, was the tattoo of what seemed to be a sparrow dripping in red. Jack saw one man collapse, breathing out his exhaustion as the sergeant advanced.
"Hey, get back up! You don't see these assholes taking a nap, do ya?! Come on, get up!" he said as he kicked the downed man in the chest. One of the imprisoned people, a stern-faced woman with a scar angled alongside it with disheveled hair and sharp muscle tone, decided she had enough. She ran to the soldier and punched him in the helmet as he fell down. "Gah, damn bitch, hey, troops, get in here and discipline these animals!" he cursed as he pulled out a firearm on the fierce woman.
Jack's bottled frustration finally took aim with his gun as he fired at the sergeant's hand, disarming him in bloody manner as a bullet tore through his hand with him screaming. The woman took only a second to look at him and Ashi before stomping her foot down and crushing his throat. By now, the other troops arrived, numbering at around a dozen. Jack charged in, firing his gun as he closed the distance and shooting down two of them as he summarily stabbed one, slashed another, and cut off the firing arm of another, all dying from their wounds.
Before the others could react, Ashi leapt in from behind, slitting the throats of two, shooting up another two with her SMG, and then kicking the last one down as she stabbed him in the chest. They looked from the carnage to the Troops' captives. "Whoa, never saw anyone kill bucket heads like that. So, who are you, anyways?" the woman asked, impressed with the display. "Jack", "Ashi" they each responded. "We heard about this "concentration area" and figured people were being held abused here. Guess that's true?" Ashi asked.
"Yeah, it's true as hell. Those Protectorate bastards hauled us all the way here to make glorified statues of their son-of-a-bitch leader Magnus. Been like that for 10 years now, till you came along. Anyway, name's Soldra, and this sorry lot's what's left of our people, the Blood Sparrows. So, you got a plan?" Soldra asked. Jack and Ashi looked at each other, realizing they had only thought to check out the place, not organize a breakout, so they shook their heads. "Well, making it up as we go along works too. All right people, we're ditching this place. Let's raid the armory and burst through the gates!" Sandra declared with clarity and pride.
The Blood Sparrows, gaining some rejuvenation through the increasing morale, formed up and ran to a nearby building. When they came back out, they were armed with whatever they could get, from combat blades to firearms and even a missile launcher. "Hey, give that thing a test, show our "Lord Protector" our gratitude, huh" Sandra said. The Blood Sparrows smiled at that idea, followed with a fired missile at the statue. The explosion tore it to scattered bits as the fractured face of Magnus landed near Jack.
"All right, let's move it!" Sandra said followed by cheers from the group they ran towards the gate, firing the rocket launcher at the gate, bursting it open. The guards from the watch towers that tried to stop them were shot down. Once they were outside, the Blood Sparrows cheered. "Hah, not so easy keeping us penned in when we've got the guns now! Listen, thanks for busting us out of that hell hole. We'll remember it." Sandra said. Jack and Ashi smiled as the Blood Sparrows marched forwards, pleased with their actions. They decided to make their own way back to the motorcycle, not yet realizing the full consequences of their actions.
…
After prepping for a bit, Jack and Ashi set back on the road with the motorcycle. Since it led to a dead end at the concentration area, they decided to go back the way they came, deciding to try to keep distance from the settlement as they would make their way to it. At least, that was the plan, but that was immediately forgotten by Jack and Ashi when they saw smoke in the direction of the settlement as they drove down. Jack pressed down on the throttle, and sure enough, the evening sky became blackened with fire and smoke, and the source of it all was the now burning settlement, with several of the buildings aflame or blown up.
They could hear the sounds of screaming and gunfire, indicating whatever hostiles responsible were still there attacking the settlers. Jack stopped the motorcycle as it skidded in front of the settlement with him and Ashi running into the haze of flame and smoke. They saw several settlers screaming and others limping away with bleeding gunshot ones. Others around lay dead. They then saw something both surprising and traumatic. The same three-person family they saw in the diner was trapped in one of the burning buildings, pleading for help.
Before Jack and Ashi could do so though, a pair of Cyber Troopers rushed in instead, kicking down the door and running into the flames. They returned out a moment later, one carrying the parents on his shoulders and the other carrying the child on his back. Once they got away from the burning home, the troops gently deposited the family on the ground who were coughing. "Are you alright? We'll evacuate the area and send word to the nearest outpost for backup, so let's mo-GAHH?!" the heroic Cyber Trooper screamed in death as he was met with a bleeding gunshot to the back.
The family became mortified with the death of one of their saviors, the boy huddled into the arms of his family, crying. The other trooper became alert and turned to the source. Out of the flames came two dozen shadows, and as their silhouettes became clear, bearing ferocity in their steeled eyes and vicious smiles, Jack and Ashi couldn't believe it. The killers were the Blood Sparrows. "War criminal bastards, I won't let- Aghh!" the last Cyber Trooper yelled as he was met with a hail of gunfire, falling down in a small pool of his own blood.
"Hey, why did you stop?! These wusses live under and serve that goddamn Protectorate, so they're just as much targets as those bleddin' bucket heads!" Soldra shouted, edging the others forward. "PLEASE, please just leave my family alone, I'm sorry we- uggh" the father pleaded as a shot went through his heart and he fell dead. "DADDY!" the son shouted trying to reach his deceased father in tears, the mother holding both him and her own tears back. The Blood Sparrows prepared to fire again when a shout came.
"SOLDRA, STOP THIS!" Jack screamed in fury stepped forward to defend the mother and child, Ashi bearing the same rage as him. "Wait, Jack, Ashi, wha, why are you stopping us? There damn Protectorate supporters, they do nothing, no worse than nothing, when they give everything to that ass Magnus!" Soldra retaliated. "Just because they're his citizens doesn't make them the same as his soldiers! These are defenseless men, women, and children you're trying to slaughter! Why even bother, you're free, there's no need to fight!" Ashi counteracted.
"Free, no need to fight, don't give me that bullshit! Our people fought in the war 50 years ago, fighting for everything we could get. Then that damn Magnus put an end to that and tried to force his damn treaty on us! We weren't taking that, so we kept fighting back, even as Magnus took more of our land and people accepted his goddamn protection! Our families and now ourselves kept the fight going for 40 years even when Magnus labelled us war criminals, and he decided to slaughter scores of us, claiming it was for the bloody peace!"
"We were all that was left, and he eventually shackled us and threw us into that damn concentration area as "penance" for our crimes. We were treated like shit by the Protectorate for 10 whole years, and their people never spoke for us, they just mocked us as we were dragged away! We're all that's left, everyone else died fighting the Protectorate, and I say that's how we'll live and die too! Anything but kiss Magnus's ass for life!" Soldra declared with no signs of remorse.
Jack was shocked by all this. Though they were abused, the people before him were war criminals who denied any chance for peaceful resolution, and didn't care who got caught in their vengeance against Magnus. Their anger was understandable, but to strike down innocents just to try and hurt Magnus, there was nothing righteous in it. He looked to Soldra, hoping to say something for compromise, but then held his tongue as she saw the look in her eyes. It wasn't the same humbled gratitude as before, only maddened pain and rage was there, ready to slaughter anything for suffered injustice.
Jack steeled himself, silently cursing himself for what he had to do. He drew his sword, and declared "Leave, now." even though he knew that wasn't happening. The Blood Sparrows readied their own weapons. Amid the burning wreckage and smoke, there was a long silence between the two groups that was only broken by the cackling flames until the words came.
"Kill them!" Soldra shouted. The Blood Sparrows fired, but Jack and Ashi were ready, Jack deflecting shots with his sword as Ashi fired, breaking the enemy formation and taking out three of them. They were in close now, as Jack cut down two Blood Sparrows and stabbed a third. The others retaliated, bringing out combat blades to clash with the pair. Five had tried to corner and assault Ashi, thinking their numbers and superior blades would make it easy. They were wrong, as Ashi slashed the arm of the first attacker wide open, grabbed his blade, and now with two blades, parried two more attackers followed by sharp stabs.
The last two tried a pincer maneuver, but Ashi blocked again, and took advantage of the lock to use her foot to break the balance of one and stabbed them as they fell. The other, a woman, tried to attack from behind while she did so, but Ashi, had grabbed her opponent's arm without looking at her and threw her down in front of her. The Blood Sparrow opened their eyes to see Ashi bring her combat blade down to her forehead right before her death.
Jack dealt with another five, breaking the blades of two apart as he then slashed into the attackers, then blocked a third. He reached for his firearm and shot the unsuspecting opponent through the chest, followed by a couple of shots to the shoulders of the two remaining Blood Sparrows, causing them to drop their weapons as Jack sliced the Blood Sparrows apart. Including Soldra, 5 remained. "Hold that one off, I'll deal with Jack." Soldra said.
The four Blood Sparrows closed in on Ashi, and as Jack tried to join her, he was intercepted with a blade from Soldra. His eyes furrowed in frustration as he now began clashing with her. While the clash was going on, Ashi had kicked the combat blade from one Blood Sparrow, cut him through the chest, parried and then stabbed another using her two weapons, and then ducked one attacker and slashed at her knees followed by a stab to the back. The last, enraged, tried going in for a frontal charge. It was practically suicide, as he literally charged in headfirst and then got stabbed through the skill, blood overflowing from the head.
Returning to Jack's fight, he had tried to go in for a parry and gunshot, but Soldra saw this and tossed his pistol aside. She then went in with a raged flurry of blows, Jack countering each one and trying to find an opening. He found it, and slashed across Soldra's arm, not completely, but enough that it was a gruesome sight. Soldra collapsed from the sheer agony as blood spilled from her side, and now she was screaming in rage. "AHHH, YOU BASTARD! You damn bastard! You're just like him, you're just like that asshole Magnus! You think you can just make everyone see your way and make the fighting stop or else?! We could never accept being beaten by someone like that and follow his rules! Screw his rule and order, and screw you too! Whose side are on anyway?!".
Jack was stunned by the accusation, as he had never been cursed like this, to be seen as unjust, or be seen as anything like his enemy. He wanted to counter, but it actually hit home in some ways. He did think in how to make others see compromise, and often times used violence to resolve conflicts that came to violence. He hadn't even thought of what to do if someone rejected his point to the end, but in times where it came to that, then he had to be the one who delivered the end. He always thought being neutral in conflicts was best, so to have that called out as the worse decision, it made him think in troubled manner. Ultimately, he came to realize, however much he wanted to reject it, how close his beliefs came to Magnus's doctrine.
"Well, what are you waiting for?! End it!" Soldra shouted. Jack looked down with distress on his face. Ashi came to his side, and she had heard what had been said and could read his expression and meaning. She placed a hand on his arm, indicating that she would see it through. Jack shook his head, as he knew he started this, and needed to accept the responsibility and consequences. So, with one clan stroke, he slashed across Soldra's neck as her head toppled off. With that, the last of the Blood Sparrows, a warring people, had been ended by Jack's hands.
He turned to the mother and child, who were now crying over the fallen father. The surviving settlers had begun to gather around the scene, and began to recognize Jack and Ashi. "Hey, you're the damn renegades the Protectorate warned everyone about! You let those crazy war criminals loose, didn't you?!" shouted a settler. "No, wait, I…" Jack said before getting interrupted. "Get out of here, haven't you killed enough of us already, or do you want slaughter all of us like they did?!" shouted another settler. Jack looked around in shock, realizing that all this destruction and death, it was the result of his actions. He looked to the mourning family.
"I… I am sorry, I…" Jack said before the boy looked up at him with eyes filled with anger and tears. "You… you killed my daddy! I HATE YOU!" the boy screamed at the wide-eyed Samurai. Jack felt his soul writhing in guilt then, and could only close his eyes to try to accept the current reality. He simply picked up his gun, sheathed his sword, and walked out of the burning settlement, his own shame forbidding him from looking back. Ashi followed along, wanting to say something, but never able to think of the right words, only look at him with concern and grief.
They returned to the motorcycle and began to depart into the blazing night. Ashi held her arms tight around Jack, trying to convey to Jack that it would be alright, that she would be there when he wanted to talk things out and would stand by him. Jack felt and appreciated the loving effort, but couldn't bear to speak or even smile. In fact, the comfort of the hug made him feel a little worse in the end, as he felt he only deserved condemnation.
…
"Shit, this report accurate Xander?" Magnus asked in slight dismay. "Yes, Lord Protector. The Samurai Jack and his partner Ashi were sighted in the settlement nearest to City Area 1B37, and are believed responsible for the breakout at the concentration area. The Blood Sparrows went on a massacre, inflicting fatalities on our people. The Samurai and the traitor were then witnessed killing all of the Blood Sparrows." Xander reported, grim from reading the details.
"Those Blood Sparrows had always been a pain, never letting the war go and inflicting fatalities everywhere. By the time we were done cornering them to submission, they were so few, like they wanted to die fighting in vain. That Jack was a real dumbass, letting those lunatics loose." Magnus mused. He had attempted numerous times to broker peace with the Blood Sparrows, but they always tried to kill his messengers in return. Trying to subdue them turned into a bloodbath with how resistant they were, and after a 40-year campaign, only 2 dozen were left to capture.
It was a pity, and even though they wouldn't want of it, Magnus thought they could be saved and redeemed if they labored and reflected on their actions. In the end though, it turned to a complete and bloody genocide. That was how foolish resistance to the death really was. "Well, we can add this to his list of crimes, but it goes to show what damage he's really capable of. Xander, notify the 1st Class Inquisitors, tell them to bring down Samurai Jack, dead or alive, as soon as possible." Magnus declared.
"Yes, Lord Protector." Xander stated as he left the room. Magnus then turned to the night sky and looked out over the lit city below his citadel. He would protect everything he had built, and see that no rogue elements, whether warring parties or a samurai, would threaten what he labored for. The Inquisitors would see to that. The 1st Class Inquisitors, no rogue element stands a chance. You will suffer the consequences, Samurai Jack. Magnus thought as he turned away from the view, confident he and his world would be free of the Renegade Samurai.
Author Note:
So, the tone changed fast huh. Near the beginning you had a funny, cute moment with Ashi force feeding Jack wasabi, and by the end Jack kills the people he helped in the first place. You're probably thinking "Dan, why the hell are you making this dark?". Well, I actually planned this chapter to be the first moment when Jack runs into a serious moral dilemma. He tried to solve one of this world's conflicts using his same right and wrong sense, but it turns out horribly as things just aren't that simple or black and white. I doubt the other moral conflicts will be this bad, but this was designed to set a very bloody first impression. Heck, I even allude to the war talked about so far, and it will be explained and have a heavy role in the backstory. Now, on the lighter things.
Yeah, the whole Bartakovsky's thing is a reference to Genndy Tartakovsky, the creator of Samurai Jack and other cartoon shows and movies. I planned for some time to do a diner in reference to him, but changed the name slightly to be cautious. It is just a joke, don't want any plagiarism or unauthorized use accusations. Rest assured, Bartakovsky's is going to pop up a few times in Renegade Samurai. I put sushi in the diner just because of how I wanted to give Jack a regular chance to have the taste of home, and reference how Tartakovsky had a fascination with Asian traditions like bushido. The whole wasabi thing was just for a tender and funny romance bit, and I figured that while Ashi is tough enough to handle it, Jack is tamer in comparison. You have no idea how funny the scene was in my head. Now then, next chapter will have Jack confronting another dilemma as he and Ashi are confronted by one of the Inquisitors of the Magnus Protectorate.
