Angel wings
Disclaimer: Does it look like I own Samurai Jack, does it look like I can afford Aku
Warnings: New Charas, Angst, Death, Just a lot of sadness
Rated: PG-13 Just to be on the safe side
Archive: Here, that's about it. If any one wants to, they can put my story up on their site. As long as you e-mail and tell me, so I can visit and check it out. (I wouldn't be surprised if someone has already come up with a Samurai Jack site)
Feedback: No, keep me in suspense. Of course I want feedback, every author need's feedback. That's what we live on. That and Aku's evil ways. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
blah blah' - indicating thought
~^~ * ~^~ - indicating a memory or dream
I don't mind if it all ends
In this endless night
I have nothing to lose... Only you
Stay with me, just like this
Embrace this heart that quivers at dawn
Will you stay with me until the wind passes
- Forever Love
The battle had ceased outside Aku's castle, the last robotic enemy's blood defiled the earth with a slash from one of the Dobutsu's metal claws he held.
Silence.
A cheer rose from the field, igniting more shouts and praises. A Woolie grabbed a Scotsman and three Triseraquins and gave them a squeeze. Rothie howled with excitement as well as his friends. Jet yelled happily, grabbing a smaller Dobutsu next to him and swinging her through the air. Her childish laughter rose above the bellowing army but soon faded when a figure stood before them.
Everyone fell silent as the warrior passed by them like a ghost. In his arms he carried a fallen angel. The once bright and sparkling gaze was now bleak and lifeless, starring at nothing. His hair matted with sweat and dirt, the white flowing kimono stained red.
Behind him the ever present black castle shimmered and in the beat of heart, it was gone. Looming and terrifying some other unsuspecting part of the earth but right now that didn't matter.
Jack stopped in his tracks and his dull eyes swept over the man, woman, and boy who stood before him. Dressed in flowing robes of the purest white, their stark black hair stood out within the ivory angel wings that stretched from their backs. Their eyes were kind and soft and gave off an almost iridescent glow that flowed from their bodies and inner soul.
You're Shi's family, Jack stated more then asked. His brow creased with anger. Why did she die?! She didn't have to. The man lowered his head.
The boy smiled and looked back the man and woman who held each other. They each carried a tender smile. Taking a step forward, the boy reached his hands out for the frail form in Jack's arms.
The Japanese man took a step back and shook his head slowly, holding the woman protectively to him. The boy frowned slightly but did nothing to dim his ethereal visage. He looked back at the couple. The woman let go of her husband and advanced on Jack, holding her arms out, almost pleading for her child.
Jack begged. Please don't take her from me. Shi has never had a place where she can call home. She's fought her whole life and I want to give her a proper burial.
The woman tilted her head and smiled sadly and nodded understandingly. She bent down and kissed Shi's forehead and took the red dagger that was still tightly clutched in her hands. The mother backed away slowly as if it was the last time she'd ever see her daughter. The man came forward and wrapped his arms around his wife and a placed a fatherly hand on the boy's shoulder. The wind blew up loose earth and blinded the Japanese man for a moment, when his eyes cleared the celestial beings were gone.
Jet pushed his way through the crowd and stood next to Jack. His eyes welled with tears and reached out a hand to brush away a few strands of black hair that had caught on the corner of Shi's mouth but stopped. Instead he placed it on the Japanese man's shoulder.
Ah'm sorry, he whispered lowering his head before turning to the crowd of waiting people. Everyone if ya will please direct yar attention to me. The cat creature paced away from the warrior, bringing everyone's curious and sad stares to him. Let me tell ya the story of a great Kaze Ran'na The rest of the Dobutsu's words were lost on the wind. The warrior never heard them as he slowly made his way down the steps.
Wandering through some of the ruined homes and temples of his once beautiful home, memories of his past came flooding back just as the first time he stumbled upon Edo. A memory flashed behind his eyes and he knew exactly where to put Shi's body to rest. Staggering over some sharp jagged rocks that had fallen from a crumbling temple, the warrior made his way around an old stone wall that held a giant carved goddess of the top. She held her palms face up at her side, and her head bowed as if she was praying but as Jack made his way around it, he saw half of the statue was missing, mangled and destroyed by time. Once green vines trailed around the figure, forever binding it to it's cruel fate.
A shrunken and gnarled Sakura tree, bent with time stood proudly, displaying it's withered branches with pride. The exhausted Japanese man stumbled to the dead sapling and sank to his knees, his heavy breath filled the silence and danced in the air in little wisps of white.
When did it get cold.' His body numb of all senses he rested Shi's body against a broken pillar and reached for a thin slab of granite, another piece of lost history, and with both hands tore open the earth with a violent thrust. Hardened by neglect and abuse the sandy ground gave way little by little. With each lifting of the stone the warrior felt his anger rise and with each descent he felt the rage disperse, spreading with every grain of earth.
Darkness came, overpowering the light that fought to stay but in a last effort to live, strew itself across the sky in brilliant colors of gold, pink and purple. Shadows stretched, threatening to take away all that existed, to lock everything in it's cloak of night forever.
The Japanese man wiped his brow with a dirt stained forearm and continued digging. The sharp pain in his bent legs finally subsides to a dull ache, and his arms screamed for rest but still he maintained the rhythmic pounding of the rock, until it cracked under the stress that was building upon it. Tossing the stone away, he began tearing into the soil with his hands, until they were cracked, raw and bleeding from the affliction that was exiled upon them.
Setting back on his heels, Jack allowed the wind to dry the sweat that formed from his labor. He had shed the top part of his kimono and it now hung around his waist. Pushing his hair from his eyes, he stood, legs protesting the sudden movement. His eyes moved to the form of the forever sleeping woman and he looked away, feeling an overwhelming sense anguish.
She doesn't need to be covered in blood.' With a quick sweep of his sunken eyes he saw through the darkness the fading shape of a well across the palace grounds. He shuffled to the stone hole in the ground and peered in. He couldn't see anything, praying there was just a little water, Jack dropped the bucket in the opening and heard a faint splash. Pulling the bucket up he saw there was only a few handfuls of clear liquid.
The samurai ignored the dry parched feeling in his throat and hauled the contents back to the deteriorating tree. Kneeling next to the woman, Jack tore a piece of clean material from his clothing and dipped it into the bucket and began to wipe the crimson stains from the corner of Shi's mouth revealing the ghostly pale skin.
He moved to her hands, realizing just how small and delicate they really were. These hands weren't made to fight,' he thought bitterly, turning them palm up to see the faint scaring of where the dagger was so tightly held. He brought his gaze up to the ivory wings, in some places the fragile feathers had been violently torn away, leaving bare spots of flesh and blood. The warrior reached out and tenderly ran his fingertips over the satiny surface, staining them with his own blood.
Rocking back on his heels he stood and gathered the woman again in his arms, she was cold, cold like death. He was cold too but still alive. Picking his way around the mound of dirt he had pilled next to the shallow grave, he gently placed the woman in it and crossed her arms across her chest. He heard something fall into the dirt and he turned and spotted a tan leather pouch. Instantly he knew what it was.
Taking the small bag in hand he opened and the treasured objects spill into his open palm. Two rings intertwined with silver and gold, a small sapphire rock and a tiny gold feather. Remember the past.' He dumped the memories back into the pouch and placed it in the hands of Shi.
Gathering a handful of dirt, Jack sprinkled it across the body. Eien ni shi kimi tachi masho ka aru, he whispered in his native tongue. Forever death you shall be. May you have a safe passage into Heaven. May you rest in peace. May you live forever.' He slowly covered the departed soul, feeling a lump growing in his throat. With the last handful and a firm pat, the warrior stood and unsheathed his katana; he would have left it in the demon's castle if he hadn't brushed against, and cut a thick branch from the dead tree. He snapped the limb in half and crossed them, tying them together from a piece of his own garments. Jack wedged the cross into the soft ground and sat back on his knees.
His hands tightened into fists on his knees and he bowed his head, closing his eyes tightly. A tiny silver tear rolled down his cheek, following the creases in his tired face, landing on the freshly turned dirt.
a tender voice called out.
The samurai snapped his head up, instinctively his hand reaching for his sword. He looked around for the voice and saw nothing. A bright light filled the night air making the warrior look up towards the Sakura tree. His eyes widened and he gasped with disbelief.
The bright light moved through the frail limbs of the sapling. As it got closer the light began to take shape. The two earthen hues blinked at him, a gentle smile appeared. Light cascaded from the figure's back in the shape of wings and wrapped itself around the feminine figure, like a flowing robe. Even the dark colored hair that blew gently by an unseen wind shined with a white radiance so pure it almost hurt to look upon it.
The veiled figure delicately stood on the cross and bowed their head, spreading their arms. Slowly the light faded, leaving only a solid body.
Jack whispered, moving to his feet. He felt the tears spring to his eyes at the familiar person.
The woman smiled and nodded her head, taking a step down from the cross, she drifted along the grave. The warrior couldn't stand it any longer, he raced to the woman and gathered her in his arms, holding her close. Shi breathed out slowly, seemingly content to be in the Japanese man's arms, listening to the steady beating of his heart. Her wings circled around the two, giving them a sheer moment of being closed completely from the world.
the chest rumbled and the woman looked up, seeing the tears that fell freely from the warrior onto her own face. She did nothing to remove them, allowing them to mingle with her own. You came back.
I'm sorry Jack, Shi's melancholy voice carried on the wind to him. I can only stay for a moment.
No, don't go, Jack pleaded, tightening his hold on the woman.
Shi smiled, the loving sadness not dulling her illuminated glow. Don't be sad my beloved. I will always be with you, here. She placed a hand over his heart, then ran her fingers along his temple. The samurai leaned into her hand, feeling the warmth that emitted from it.
I have to go now Jack, the woman whispered, resting her turned head against his shoulder one more time. Her wings slowly unfolded from them, revealing the cold of night.
No wait, Shi, I want to tell you something. The Japanese man took a deep breath. I'm not from this time. I am from the past. The time of Aku, Jack spat the name out, tasting the bitterness on his lips. That demon destroyed my home and took my father as a slave. My mother and I escaped to a temple hidden high in the mountains. I've spent my whole life training to defeat Aku but when I returned almost twenty years later, nothing was the same.
I fought Aku and failed and was released into the future which is now. I've come across many friends but none like you. You were different. They say they love me because I am the warrior from the past that can defeat Aku but you were the one who didn't know this and still loved me. No one has ever told me that and when you said those words I felt for the first time happy .
Shi started, fresh tears falling, she closed her eyes.
I love you Shi. The Japanese man bent forward and softly pressed his lips to Shi's. A brief tender touch and they shared an eternity of love. Jack pulled away and the woman opened her eyes.
I love you Jack. I will always and forever love you. Shi took a step back from the man and the light once again engulfed her, taking her she lifted into the air and hovered above the tree. She watched the man's expression turn bleak and she lifted a hand out, a tiny pink Sakura petal fell from it and drifted to the samurai.
He looked down and caught the tiny piece of life. Looking back up, Shi was gone. He whipped his head back and forth but the cold night was the only thing to met him. Another petal fell to the left of him, followed by another. The withered Sakura tree still stood bent, but now with the blossoms that bloomed in the existence of life. They flowered the Japanese man with their gift of love and he knew without a doubt they were for him.
Exhausted the warrior fell to his knees in a weaken state, no longer able to keep going. He laid down across the grave and closed his eyes. A pent up sob broke the silent night, followed by another one. Tears streamed down his face and he couldn't, wouldn't stop them. His chest heaved with each outburst of despair, the fate of the earth, the death of his only love, everything became too much and finally spilled over.
The broken sobs carried on through the night, until they faded, the fatigued warrior asleep, drained from his feelings. The wind played in his hair and a tiny white Sakura petal landed on his cheek, kissing him with it's sweet fragrance before being swept up into the sky, dancing in the wind.
Well um, there's not much more to say except there's one more chapter left. Actually it's more like an epilogue. So bare with me, work is killing me but I still continue to write (Poses dramatically the collapes into a fit of snoring)