A Samurai Jack Fanfic
By Laura McDaniel
The Forest's Eyes
Jack had finished his bath and was now sitting on a grassy area near the streambed contemplating the riddle he'd heard from the Yamabushis. He was clothed again, but his hair was still loose and wet. Though he was lost in thought, he heard Jill calling to him and turned around to see her looking just about everywhere but where he was sitting. "You are looking too hard, Jill!"
Hearing Jack's voice, Jill finally turned around and saw him. Breathing a sigh of relief, she walked over to him, smiling. "So there you are! It's just that since you've been waking me up early, I was worried something had happened to you."
"Well, something did, but nothing dangerous." He beckoned for Jill to sit next to him, in front of where he'd written the poem in the mud. "I had a vision. I saw the Yamabushi monks that forged my father's sword."
"And what did they say?" Jill inquired while she sat down next to him.
"They said that they would forge you a weapon such as mine, but only if you pass some kind of test to prove you are truly a samurai. The strange thing is that they wouldn't tell me much about what sort of test, beyond the fact that it will be painful and that there will be combat."
"Oh..." Jill said, lowering her head some.
"If you don't want to do it, you don't have to," Jack said softly. "I'm certain here are other weaponsmiths around who could forge you a sword, I'm certain. I'm sorry I even thought about finding those monks."
"No," Jill said lifting her head again, a look of determination in her eyes. "I am not giving up. This isn't about a sword; it's about who I am and what I am to be. If I cannot meet their challenges, what right have I to have ever said I was a samurai? Even if it was just a game up until I met you, I know what I must do now. And I will not turn back." In a more timid voice, she added, "But I am still somewhat fearful..."
"If you truly feel that strongly about becoming a true samurai, then you should not let that fear hold you back. I believe in you, Jill. Not only have you acquired incredible fighting skills in only a few short days, but your willingness and dedication despite what ever fears you may have is admirable. It has been both a privilege and an honor to train you."
Jill blushed slightly and smiled, "Then, I'm glad we met. I've just one more question: Do you think I'm ready?"
"There is little more I can teach you, even though there are always things to be learned. Since I don't know what the monks have planned, I can't help much. Is there anything specific you want to work on?"
"No...I was just asking. I feel as ready as I'll ever be." She looked at Jack and asked, "So where did these monks say we're supposed to go?"
"That is what I've been trying to figure out all morning. The one I spoke to wouldn't give me that information, either. All he gave me was this riddle." He pointed to where he'd written the riddle in the mud.
Jill stood up and bent over the verse to read it. Almost instantly, her eyes lit up in realization. "Obuza-ba-kō! We need to find Obuza-ba-kō!"
"What?" Jack asked, not following what she was saying.
Jill straightened herself up again and turned to Jack and tried to clarify. "The Forest's Eyes," she said.
"I'm still not sure I understand..."
"I guess I've got some explaining to do." She sat down cross-legged next to Jack again. "I guess you never found it odd that this forest was growing so close to what was once a large city. The reason the forest is here is because a fierce dragon named Obuza-ba-kō protects it. When the city was being built, it was intended to be ever larger, but when loggers came to cut down the trees, Obuza-ba-kō scorched every one of them. Later attempts to expand the city were also thwarted in the same manner, even when tractors were brought in. People since then have been afraid to come to the here, even though Obuza-ba-kō is only angered when the forest is damaged."
"But what does he have to do with the mountain?"
"I've never heard a mountain mentioned before, but it makes sense that he would have something more to protect than just this forest. After all, Obuza-ba-kō is said to be a descendent of Ryujin! A descendent of the great dragon sea god must have something important to do here. I think that protecting the location of three immortal Yamabushis is important enough."
"Yes," Jack responded, "but don't you think you'd be able to at least see the mountain if it is around here?"
"Something tells me Obuza-ba-kō could find a way to hide it. After all, he hides himself. And I know where, although I've only been out to that part of the forest a few times." She glanced at the last few lines of the rhyme and nodded affirmatively. "Yes, though he's not a full-blooded water dragon, he likes to sleep in a nearby lake." She smiled at Jack and asked, "Any guesses as to what that lake is usually referred to?"
"The Lake of Sacred Dreams?" Jack asked.
"Correct! And where can we find that lake?"
"At the end of that stream?"
"Exactly!" Jill stood up and slipped her geta on. "There, now you can say you solved part of the riddle," she laughed. "Retie your hair, and let's go." She playfully blew at Jack's flowing black hair before she walked over the bamboo grove again.
"Are you certain that you can simply approach such a creature without getting scorched ourselves?"
"Well...as long as we don't damage the forest, he shouldn't be angry at us. But, I have heard he's a bit...eccentric and likes to be talked to a certain way, so please let me do that talking when we see him." After answering Jack's question, Jill selected the sturdiest bamboo shoot she could find and held it like a walking stick in her left hand.
Jack wasn't quite sure how a dragon could be eccentric, but he trusted Jill's insight because she seemed to know a lot about the forest. Doing as she asked, he quickly retied his hair, slipped on his geta, strapped on his sword sheath, and walked next to Jill. "Well, I suppose you should lead the way since you know where to go," he said.
"Well...all right." She led Jack to the streambed again and they followed as it flowed eastward from the clearing. Neither of them said a word. The only sound that could be heard was the stream running its course. Jack looked at Jill and wondered what she was thinking. Was she still afraid? Their eyes met momentarily and Jill smiled rather nervously before turning away again. It was apparent that her thoughts and feelings were still mixed, but if she was willing to move forward, Jack was ready to stand by her.
The stream wound slightly southward at one point, but returned to its eastward flow after only a short distance. Jill led Jack to the top of a small hill and pointed in front of her some. "If you look closely, you can see the lake from here."
Jack shielded his eyes with his right hand as he surveyed the area. In front of him, he saw that the stream wound southward again slightly and then flowed into the lake. "I can see it."
"Good! Then let's run to it!" Jill exclaimed as she held her bamboo shoot horizontally between both hands. "Just watch your step!" She then took off running down the hill, her robe billowing behind her.
Jill's boundless energy never ceased to amaze him; when he was training her, he had a harder time keeping up with her than vice-versa. But he actually enjoyed the challenge, so Jack quickly took off running after her. He caught up with little effort.
"Ah! So you really are fast!" Jill
laughed, looking over at him. "I'm glad you didn't try to run away this time,
though," she added with a smirk.
"Don't worry, Jill, I won't do that again. I promise."
"I was just joking, but thanks for the support!" She looked ahead
of her and exclaimed, "OK, Jack, better stop running now unless you want
to fall into the lake!" She slowed her pace, and once again carried the
bamboo shoot in just her left hand. When she saw Jack stop running as
well, she said, "Remember: let me do the talking." Jill walked down to
the lake and recited, "Obuza-ba-kō, Great Forest Lord, I need help to find
my sword. I am called Jill, and this is Jack. Please, show us the way and
don't hold us back."
Jack watched with surprise as a large green dragon rose from the
water and sat next to the lake. He had beautiful red eyes, golden horns,
and three golden claws on each foot. He yawned slightly and asked, "What
have I to do with what you seek?" A look of realization crossed his face
and he nodded, "Oh, do you wish to see the mountain's peak?"
"Yes," Jack replied, momentarily forgetting that Jill had told
him not to talk. "I had a dream about the Yamabushi monks that live there."
"Jack!" Jill exclaimed, but before she could say anything to him,
the dragon growled as if he'd been disrespected, and he emitted smoke
from his nostrils. Jill swallowed hard, and addressed Obuza-ba-kō again,
"I'm sorry, My Lord, so sharp toothed; my companion spoke incorrectly,
but he said the truth."
Realizing that, apparently, Obuza-ba-kō, liked being talked to
in rhyme, Jack apologized. "I'm sorry, Obuza-ba-kō, I did not wish to
offend you. Please forgive me and let us through."
The dragon smiled, showing his pearly fangs. "I sense that your
apology is sincere. I shall make the mountain appear." Obuza-ba-kō lumbered
to the opposite side of the lake and blew a large mass of gray smoke
that blocked the view of the land beyond the lake. He then he waved his
tail over the smoke, and when it parted, it revealed the mountain that
Jack had dreamt about. He bowed his head and walked back to Jack and Jill
and rumbled, "The mountain awaits. The monks you seek are at the gate. Nobody
else can see the mountain there; to everyone else, it is but air."
Jill bowed respectfully to the Obuza-ba-kō and said, "Thank you,
oh dragon of green. You'll never know how much this means."
Obuza-ba-kō smiled slightly, and then slid back into the water.
Once he was gone, Jill turned to Jack and sighed, "Well, you almost
got yourself in trouble, but at least you caught on to what was going
on. Sorry I wasn't specific earlier; I was just hoping you'd be quiet."
"I'm sorry, Jill. But, since the dragon forgave me, we should
leave that in the past and continue forward," Jack replied.
Jill took a deep breath, trying to erase all traces of fear and
doubt from her mind. Then she turned to Jack and nodded solemnly, "Yes,
let's go forward." Without looking back, she started to walk up the dirt
path that Jack had seen in his dream, and he followed right behind her.
What secrets could the mountain possibly hold?