//------------------------------// // Rain // Story: The Samurai's End // by Onomonopia //------------------------------// Rain poured down from the heavens, blocking out the sun and covering the land in darkness. The only reprieve from the darkness was when lightning cracked across the sky, quickly followed by the booming roar of thunder. No sane pony would be out on a day like today, but alas, one single pony subjected himself to the torrential downpour. And it was debatable if that pony was sane anymore. Jack, the samurai, sat alone in the rain. Alone for the first time in a long time. And he sat alone on a hilltop, next to a single tombstone. ‘Here lies Applejack. Mother. Friend. Champion.’ It had been a week since her funeral. A nice funeral, if Jack was forced to say something positive. Here entire family had been there. What friends she had left, like Twilight and Cadence were there. They had spoken well for her. Twilight had told many stories about them battling the forces of evil together. Sakura had told a few funny stories that had gotten the crowd to laugh. And even Discord had shown up, turning the day sky to night and rearranging the stars so that her cutie mark joined her four friends in the heavens. The had all honored her. All except for Jack, who had stayed in the back, near the shadows. Unable to talk to those who were there. Unable to truly accept the fact that she was gone. His daughter had hunted him down despite his trying to avoid her, but she didn’t drag him to the funeral. She had simply sat with him, trying to comfort him as best she could. It had been to no avail. A part of Jack died with Applejack. And no comfort in the world could heal him from that. So now the samurai sat alone, alone at his wife’s grave, gazing down at it while the elements did their best to match how he felt. The pounding rain and booming thunder was but a fraction of his pain. They could not kill him. Age, time, sickness: all of it was useless against him. The only way he could ever join is wife was to fall in battle. To be slain. If he wanted to, Jack could be with her by the end of the day. There were plenty of warriors in this world and he was certain one of them would have no qualms about killing him. Yet even as that thought crossed his mind, he could hear Applejack’s voice yelling at him for being a fool and wasting a gift he had been given. That he should be spending his immortal years with his family or making the world better. “You always were skilled at staying on task and putting others before yourself,” Jack whispered to the grave. His voice was swept up in the storm, but he knew it mattered not. Applejack always knew what Jack was trying to say even if he couldn’t say it aloud. “You would tell me to keep going. To put my skills to use for others. You always were so much stronger than me.” Water ran down his face, but whether it was from his tears or from the rain he could no longer discern. He was numb to the elements, he was numb to time and now even his heart felt numb. For a brief moment he truly believed that he would just fade away from the nothingness. Then his ears picked up on a sound. Even after all of the years of peace, his skills never left and he could pick out the sound of wingbeats over the rain. Somepony was coming. He knew not who, but he found it hard to care. He heard them land behind him, hesitate for a moment before they walked over to him. “Jack? How long have you been out here?” “A long time, Twilight. A very long time,” Jack responded “You’re telling me. The last time I saw you, you were in that very same spot. Jack…don’t tell me you haven’t moved in nearly a week.” “Very well. I shall not tell you that.” “Dear Faust, Jack. You could starve to death. Or die of a cold! It’s been raining nonstop for days!” “Has it? I have not noticed,” Jack replied. “Also, you had starvation and exposure to the elements to the list of things that cannot kill me.” “Actually, you can go longer than a week without eating before you die. It’s lack of water that kills you the quickest.” “Hmm, always providing knowledge even in the darkest of times. Some things never change,” Jack said, before finally turning to look at the mare. “It has been weeks since I ate, slept or drank anything. I have been out in this rainstorm for days and yet I am fine. None of them have succeeded in killing me.” “Jack…” “Why are you here, Twilight? You are a busy princess and you would not come here unless you needed something of me?” “That’s not true. I would come here to visit my friends grave or to see how you were doing.” “…yes, yes you are right. You would do those things. But I suspect that neither of those is the reason you came to this place. You need to ask something from me." “You are right. There is a reason I came to you,” Twilight replied. “There have been reports of shadow creatures in the land, creatures that, according to ancient text, have been around since the dark times. Their return is tied into a legend that will apparently cause the end of the world. I have plenty of ponies looking into it, but they’re not skilled enough. And I’m dealing with problems all over Equestria at the moment…so I need somepony I can trust who’s both skilled and dependable. You’re both of those things, Jack. I need you.” Jack said nothing in reply. “I know I can’t force you to do this. And it may be too soon after…Applejack’s passing. But if you do wish to help me, you’ll need this.” A sword landed next to Jack, one that had a black handle and a silver blade. Similar to his old one. A scroll was wrapped around the scabbard and for a moment Jack wondered why it wasn’t wet. Then he looked up and realized that Twilight had cleared out the rain a while ago. “Everything we know about the shadow beings is in there. Their movements, their numbers and even a few ideas of who might be controlling them,” Twilight continued. “Now, I’m not normally a pony who is in favor of violence, but these shadow beings need to be stopped. And since your past as a samurai and all…” “That is enough, Twilight. You do not need to say anymore.” Jack slowly rose to his hooves and grabbed the sword, staring at his reflection in the blade. He did not recognize who looked back. “Just point me in the direction of the beings I have to kill.”