Disclaimer: Samurai Jack was created by Genndy Tartokovsy, and is property of Cartoon Network. I don't own it, I don't plan on owning it, and I sure as hell don't plan on making money off of it. This is written purely for enjoyment, so please don't sue. I have nothing anyway.
--Big thanks to YT for beta-reading this fic for me. You really helped me out! bows and hands her a box full of cookies--
Kindred
By: SilverKnight
Part I
Jack sighed wearily. At first, he had thought that the massive trees towering hundreds of feet above his head would catch at least some of the rainfall. However, much to his discontent, that was proven false when veritable waterfalls tumbled down upon him from the wide-brimmed leaves, soaking him through to the bone. His teeth began chattering slightly as he searched hopefully for a place to wait out the storm.
In the corner of his eye, a shadow moved.
His predicament forgotten, Jack's hand flew to the hilt of his katana. He struggled to listen beyond the loud splattering of rain that surrounded him. The hair on the back of his neck bristled as an unnatural chill danced up his spine. Something was out there. He strained all of his senses, using every ounce of his training to pinpoint the source of the movement.
Nothing.
He frowned deeply and cautiously began to make his way through the dense shrubbery, taking very close note of everything around him. Minutes passed. The formerly buzzing forest suddenly felt too quiet for his tastes. In the distance, through the darkness that blanketed the forest around him, he spied a large clearing. Grasping his sword tighter, he quickened his pace, until he was within a few steps' distance of the tree line ...
High above, a small twig snapped. He froze and looked up.
A living shadow plummeted from the canopy. Jack rolled away as its feet slammed into the ground that he'd been occupying a split-second before. Already on the move, he drew his sword defensively. He brought up his blade to block his assailant's weapon, producing bluish sparks on impact. Something metallic blurred to his left. He crouched as another sword cut through the mist, whizzing an inch over his head. Jack bounded away, eyes wide. Two swords?
The demon charged, its blades arcing through the maelstrom in quick, graceful swipes. Jack bared his teeth as he scrambled to defend himself against the onslaught. He parried and dodged wildly; he didn't dare blink, lest he wind up being mortally wounded. As he dove under another strike, the katana's edge sliced cleanly through the oak branch that stood just behind him. Several more lay strewn among the underbrush.
The downpour intensified, lowering visibility to an arm's length. Jack squinted his eyes and tensed his shoulders. A sword shot out from the darkness. He inched around the deathblow as the sharpened edge tore through the front of his gi. The other blade appeared and tore through the flesh and muscle of his left arm just as easily as the other one had through the cloth. A foot connected solidly with his ankle, causing his body lurching awkwardly. He spun to catch himself. A wet heel jabbed into his ribs, sending him face-first into the mud.
Snarling, he pried himself from the embrace of the earth, making a cursory check of his condition. His left arm bled freely; the triceps screamed in pain. Negligible. His ribs ached; if they weren't broken already, he was fairly certain they would be soon enough. He would deal with that later. Jack clenched his right hand, feeling the comforting presence of his sword's grip. He was still armed; good.
Jack stood, tugging off the sopping cloth hanging from his shoulders, and tossed it away as he turned. Through the sheets of rain, he managed to make out a faint silhouette. It had the figure of a well-built male, approximately six feet in height. Horns extended inches above its soulless aquamarine eyes, and a mass of what looked vaguely similar to hair cascaded down its neck and back. A cape of liquid ink fluttered eerily from its shoulders. Any light that was unfortunate enough to strike its form was soaked into the impenetrable darkness of its body, leaving nary a trace. It was mildly unsettling.
Truly, though, the strangest things about this demon were the weapons it carried. They were very similar to his own, down to the dim blue sheen of the enchanted steel, but the blades were longer than any katana he'd ever seen before. A part of him was impressed that the creature was able to wield them at all. A sword such as that would have been much too large and cumbersome for him to use effectively.
It was then that an odd thought struck him. He was still alive.
His charcoal eyes narrowed, flaring as they did so. "I was unable to defend myself, and yet you did not strike me down," he stated. "Why?"
It stared back at him, its eyes glowing faintly. "...Dishonor," it hissed quietly.
Jack's brows puckered in thought. He blinked, filing it away for later. "Well, I have risen. Come and get me," he growled, sliding into an attack position.
It lunged forward. As its sword closed in, he leapt high into the air, weapon held stiff behind him. The shade followed suit, tracing his path. Jack bounded from tree to tree, weaving an intricate pattern through the canopy. The shadow trailed his movements exactly, closing the distance with each passing second. His legs protested their overuse, and were moments away from giving out altogether.
Steeling himself, he shot upward with as much force as he could muster, knowing that his pursuer was hot on his heels. He spied a redwood, and with a war cry, swung his katana as he passed. The tree's thick trunk gave only a token resistance as the magical blade split it into halves. Its top teetered directly into the path of the shadow. The creature smashed into the trunk with a sickening crunch and was forced underfoot as it plummeted into the wet soil hundreds of feet below.
Jack landed lightly on the rain-slicked branch, his arms poised in a striking position. Solemnly, he rose, pivoting on his slime-covered geta to stare at the destruction. A torrent of rain spilled into the newly created clearing. A trace of pale blue light gleamed against the stumps where limbs and trees once proudly stood, now crushed beneath the fallen redwood. The image was perversely beautiful.
"It spoke of dishonor," he murmured, his expression thoughtful. "Why would a minion of Aku adhere to the Warrior's Code?" Jack frowned slightly, confused and disconcerted. He focused his gaze on the wreckage below, sighing. It made no difference now. He began to sheathe his sword, allowing a moment to wince from the pain in his left arm. He was going to have to stitch the wound up.
Underneath the remains, something moved.
The samurai stopped, watching numbly as the massive redwood trunk was sliced to pieces with a few well-placed strokes of a mystical blade. The chunks of wood fell away as the shadow rose, twisting its head around as if cracking its neck. It turned its gaze skyward, finding his position instantly.
His eyes widened minutely. He had a bad feeling about this.
The shade took a precious second to stare at him curiously, its expression nearly remorseful. It then vanished into thin air.
He blinked in surprise. Teleportation?
An instant later, it reappeared an arm's length away from him, katanas arcing downward. Shocked, he dove back, his sandals leaving the branch just as it was severed neatly into thirds. Jack landed in a run, darting into the underbrush as he felt the wind of a near-miss gust against his back. He emerged from the leaves, instantly rolling away. He stood, and blocked with his sword.
Jump. Roll.
He lost his footing, skidding clumsily on his sandals.
Block. Lunge.
He stood unevenly, struggling frantically to keep up with the specter's blows as he was forced backward.
Strike. Dodge.
He twisted unnaturally as his enemy's blade drew another line of blood across his chest.
Run. Fall.
Jack collapsed to the ground, heaving with exertion. Several more deep gashes ran across his skin. The rain washed away the rivulets of red that trailed down much of his upper body. He glared at the shadow that waited impassively in front of him, growling, "I will not be defeated!"
His eyes aflame, he launched into the air, striking furiously. The shade blinked, visibly surprised by the ferocity of his attack. Jack batted away one of its swords. Bringing his arms up, he plunged his katana hilt deep into its chest.
The creature roared in agony, its swords slipping from its grasp, as it dropped to the mud with a soggy plop. As its back arched, Jack noted that the area his blade touched was beginning to burn away, flaring red like embers as it melted. The shadow's taloned fingers locked around his wrists, digging painfully into his skin. Jack ignored his enemy's attempts to free itself and held the sword firm.
Unexpectedly, it stopped screaming, and used Jack's wrists to haul itself upright. It jerked itself free, rending a gaping wound in its side. In the same motion, it pulled his arms down with one hand, then reared back and punched him in the face with the other. Jack's head snapped to the side, careening into a mass of twigs and leaves with a jolt of pain.
Blinking, he shook his head clear, then darted off into the woodwork as the shadow busied itself with finding its weapons. He crouched low to the ground, covertly studying the specter. It plucked the katanas from the muck, crooking its head to inspect the seething gash in its side. A moment passed in silence before molten red tendrils sprung from either side of the wound, intertwining together as they grew. In mere seconds, the debilitating injury that had afflicted it was gone, the eerie scarlet glow faded into black.
Jack's blood ran like ice and a cool dread settled in the pit of his stomach. The demon was immune to his blade! For one of the few times in his life, he was wholly uncertain if he could even survive the battle, let alone be victorious. Perhaps a strategic retreat was in order...
He shook his head brusquely, his eyes narrowing. "No, I will stand my ground. If there is a way to defeat this creature, I will find it." He slunk deeper into the shrubbery as the shadow scanned the area with a predatory glare. "It was injured while it was unarmed," he remarked quietly. "Perhaps the magical blades protect it from harm. So, to defeat it, I must first disarm it."
He frowned. "Its speed is incredible," he confessed thoughtfully. "It is impossible to defend myself from *both* his weapons with just my one. I must take away his advantage."
Far behind him, a bush rustled.
He whirled around to see the dark figure stampeding forward. The samurai gritted his teeth, opting for a different tactic. "Wait!" To his surprise, the shadow heeded his command and stopped abruptly. "I have a request. If you have any semblance of honor within that inhuman guise, you will listen to it."
Its eyes brightened for a moment, illuminating the nearby raindrops green. "...Speak," it said.
Jack stared warily for a moment, to ensure this wasn't a ploy to catch him off-guard. "There is a clearing nearby. I request that we battle there, and evenly; one sword against one sword."
The specter remained silent, pondering. Finally, it nodded in agreement. "...Very well." It threw a katana at his feet and disappeared.
He gawked at the spot his adversary had been standing a second ago, absently listening to the metallic tink of raindrops hitting the magical blade. He squared his shoulders, preparing himself mentally and physically, before marching toward the clearing.
To be continued