Back To The Past

by Onomonopia

Partner

Feathers hurtled past the samurai's face while the wind tried to rip him off of the massive bird's back, forcing him to clutch to his hilt even tighter since his blade was the only anchor he had to the creature. A mighty shriek erupted from the crimson bird's beak before it tucked its wings in and dove straight down towards the ground, the wind tearing at the samurai as tears were ripped away from his eyes.

The bird's wings shot out and it leveled itself right before the two collided with the ground, avoiding certain death for the both of them. Jack had just enough time to let out a sigh before his eyes widened--when he realized that the both of them were heading right for a cliff. The bird spun around and positioned its back right towards the cliff, forcing Jack to brace himself before he was crushed between bird and rock.

The avian abomination squawked with pain as the impact drove the magic sword even deeper into its back, and it flapped its four wings in pain while it pulled itself free of the stones, revealing the crushed samurai who was firmly embedded in the cliff. Jack let out a weak moan before the rocks gave way, and he broke free of his stone prison only to fall twenty feet and land flat on his face.

"I...was not aware that there were more of them," Jack muttered when three blurry crimson birds began to rocket towards him. He shook his head slightly once to clear his vision before his eyes narrowed, and he pushed himself to a vertical base, reaching down towards his scabbard only to realize that his sword wasn't there. He only had a moment to register that fact before he was forced to dive out of the way of six nasty talons that dug up the dirt where he had been standing. Jack rolled to his hooves to discover that one of his sleeves was completely shredded, making him sigh before he reached over and tore the sleeve off with his teeth.

Jack's eyes narrowed as the bird circled back around for another attack, yet when it turned to face him Jack was already on the move. He leapt up onto the rocks and began to pull himself up the cliff face, eyes focused on the weak part of the rocks that had been knocked loose by his own body.

Another shriek informed him of his foe's next attack, and with a leap of faith Jack hurled himself to the side just in time to avoid being killed as the bird slammed into the cliff side, though he wasn't fast enough to avoid the talons that raked his back. He cried out in pain as agony stung at his back, but with a snarl he forced himself to keep climbing, ignoring the fact that the bird was pulling itself free and had the samurai completely in its sights.

With one final pull, Jack reached the part of the cliff face that was striving for and he spun around to see that the bird was airborne once again, all seven of its eyes locked onto the samurai as it hurtled towards him. Jack flattened himself against the wall with his nerves steeled, every muscle tensed as he prepared himself to move. The bird let out a loud squawk while it flattened its wings and dove straight for him, but with a quick smirk the samurai knew that it had fallen into his trap.

With one push of his four legs, Jack hurled himself out of the way of the bird, tucking and rolling before he struck the ground just in time to hear the loud crack that came from the bird striking the cliff at full speed. Jack turned around to see the bird tumble down the wall and slam into the ground, letting out one last groan before it slumped over.

"You shall bother those villagers no more," Jack panted when he walked over to the bird and found his blade still wedged in the creature's back. He grabbed hold of his blade and grunted while he started to free his weapon, pulling it halfway out before the birds eyes snapped open and it screeched while flapping its wings. Jack yelped when he was yanked into the sky once again, but the sudden jolt of movement freed his weapon and coincidentally removed the only hold Jack had on the bird, over a hundred feet in the air.

Yet, Jack had only just begun to tumble before the creature's talons wrapped around his midsection and took off with the samurai, shrieking with fury as it slammed him into rocks, dirt and whatever else it could use to hurt the samurai. All the while Jack desperately tried to stab at the creature, but it either ignored or didn't feel the sting of his blade as it barreled towards another cliff. The bird stuck out its talons with Jack still firmly grasped within as it hurtled towards the wall, letting the samurai know that there was no escape.

That was until a lasso seemed to appear out of nowhere and wrap itself around the beak of the bird, causing it to squawk in confusion before a mighty tug pulled it off course and just narrowly helped Jack avoid his death. Jack turned his head with a frown to see that indeed the owner of the rope was an orange mare that had failed to heed his advice, and who had become another target of the bird as a result.

The bird screeched as it dove down towards Applejack with its beak aimed straight at her, but Jack found his blade again and sliced down on one of the talons holding him, to sever it from the bird. The beast shrieked with pain as its talons opened and dumped Jack onto the ground next to AJ, who raced to his side and helped him up to his hooves.

"Are ya okay? This overgrown turkey sure seems to be giving ya trouble," AJ muttered as both she and Jack focused on the avian again, watching as it circled around with murder flashing in its seven eyes.

"Why have you joined this battle?" Jack asked her with some scorn, but before he could answer the bird dive-bombed the ground where they were standing. The two dove to the side as dirt and debris were kicked up from the impact, yet as the bird flailed in an attempt to get back up one of its wings struck Applejack and hurled her into a stone. She grunted once as she slid down the stone face, shaking her head to clear the stars as the avian lunged for her.

But since the bird was completely focused in attempting to put an end to one its assailants, it left itself completely open from behind. And the creature had the misfortune of turning its back on the far more dangerous of the two. AJ snarled while she braced herself for the attack, but a cry of battle erupted behind the bird followed by the sounds of steel striking flesh. When she blinked, she found Jack crouched down in front of her with his blade angled downward, and both of his eyes closed.

The bird let out a weak squawk before feathers flew everywhere and it collapsed to the dirt, finally giving Jack the chance to take in a breath before he stood up straight and sheathed his blade.

"Thanks fer the save there, but uh...was that the only way that you could stop it?" she asked Jack nervously while she gingerly walked over to the bird, only for her eyes to widen when she saw that it was still breathing. "Y-yah didn't kill it? But ah thought..."

"My blade was created to slay evil. I will not use it for other purposes unless I am left with no alternative," Jack informed her as he walked beside her, to glance down at the weakly moving bird. "Though while I did not slay this beast, I did clip its wings. It will no longer be able to terrorize the skies as it once did. Come, we must keep moving."

--|====\

The fire flickered gingerly in the darkness of the night, giving off a warm glow that helped the earth pony to feel slightly at ease under the sea of stars that shined above her. Yet despite the comfort of the fire and the beauty of the stars overhead, the night was anything but peaceful as she sat across from an upset samurai. He hid his emotions well and said nothing that would indicate his feelings, but AJ knew that he was fuming.

"Jack, please tell me what's wrong," AJ asked for the third time in under thirty minutes, having tried time and time again to discover what had upset the samurai. "If I did something to offend ya when ah helped ya earlier, let me know so ah can apologize."

"It is not what you did; it is what you failed to do," Jack said in a perfectly calm voice, yet AJ could hear an underlying tone of both worry and annoyance. "That bird had killed ten ponies before we stopped it, and I asked you to stay out of the fight so that you would not be one of those number. Yet you ignored my request and-"

"Saved yer life," AJ butted in, fuming that the reason Jack was upset at her was because she hadn't listened. "Ah was watching that battle the entire time Jack, and ya weren't doing too well against that bird. If it hadn't been for me, ya would be a pancake right now! So instead of being upset with me, how about a thanks and then we can put this behind us?"

"You do not understand! That battle was one you should not have been a part of! What if I had failed to protect you or the bird managed to slay you before it could be stopped!" Jack said with a raised voice, taking the earth pony aback as Jack realized that he had raised his voice. He let out a sigh before performing a motion with his arms to calm himself down. "I did not mean to shout. I am just...afraid for you, joining me in my quest."

"What do ya mean?" AJ asked in a still annoyed voice, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her.

"My quest has been a long and tiresome one and I have lost many along the way," Jack admitted with a sigh that made him seem years older in the light of the fire than he actually was. "That is why I prefer to travel alone, so that I do not endanger others. Especially a pony such as yourself, who has family and loved ones waiting for them back home. And with your parents both gone, I could not risk your family losing you as well."

Applejack said nothing for a few minutes after Jack explained his actions, but her face fell into a sympathetic frown as she understood why Jack had wanted her to stay away from the conflict. But the fire within her reignited and with a shake of her head she stared at Jack with a stern stare.

"Jack...ah appreciate yer concern, ah really do, but ah've taken on my fair share of dangerous, even world-ending threats, and ah've always come out on top thanks to my friends and skill," AJ informed Jack before giving him a kind smile. "Besides, if the only reason ah were to go home was because ah left another pony to die, ah would never be able to face them again. Ah'm here to help ya Jack, just as you helped me. But what about yerself? Ya talk about not wanting to put me in danger because of my friends and family, but if you were to die surely yer friends would miss ya?"

"I...hardly have any friends," Jack admitted as he lowered his head slightly, shadows from the flames enveloping his face. "In my land, I am wanted and any who get close to me may be hurt because of that relation. So my quest must be a lonely one. It is safer for all that way."

AJ's face fell as sorrow filled up her heart at Jack's words, able to see on his face how the years of loneliness and his journey had taken its toll on him. Then a thought came to her that made her smile, causing her to stand up and walk over to the samurai who looked at her with surprise.

"Well, from today on ya won't be as lonely on yer quest anymore. Because ah'm gonna be yer partner until ah can help ya get that wish of yers," Applejack informed him before she spat in her hoof and held it out to Jack, who glanced at her hoof before shaking his head.

"I cannot allow that Applejack, it is far too dangerous to-"

"Ah'm not asking to be yer partner Jack, ah'm telling ya. Ya not only saved my life, but ya helped a lot of ponies when ya stopped Tirek. It's my turn to help ya. An Apple always repays their debts."

Jack frowned as he tried to think of a way to convince her to leave him and return to her home, but then a thought crossed his mind that he had not considered before. 'There is no Aku in this land, no evil force that will constantly be after me,' he realized with a slight widening of his eyes. 'Perhaps...this time I can protect those who are willing to stand with me. And I am so tired of being alone...'

Jack continued to stare at her hoof for a long minute before he made one of the hardest decisions of his life. He lifted his hoof and spat into it as well before shaking hooves with Applejack. "Very well Applejack, as it seems I cannot change your mind. I will be your partner until I get my wish. But after that, I ask that you return to your family and forget about me."

"Ah don't think that ah'll ever be able to forget about ya, Jack, even if ah wanted to," AJ said with a chuckle before she walked over to her side of the fire and laid down, winking at Jack before lowering her head. "After all, it's not everyday a pony meets a cute samurai wielding a magic sword that can cut down any evil...goodnight Jack."

Jack watched Applejack until she started to snore, finally letting out a yawn of his own as he gazed up at the stars. A small smile crossed his face before he slowly lowered his head to the ground as well, letting out another yawn before closing his eyes.

--|======\

Darkness swirled around the samurai as he swung in every direction with his blade, screaming silently while the dark tendrils tried to tear him apart. A surge of darkness exploded behind him and hurled the samurai through the air before he slammed into the ground. Pain flooded through his mind as he shot to his hooves with a roar, holding his blade with fury as he gazed upon the face of the darkness.

"JACK!"

Laughter tore at his ears as he gazed into the toothy grin of the demon that had plagued him for so long, snarling as the evil force laughed at him with a smile.

"Foolish samurai. Do you believe that you are free from me here?" Jack yelled with wrath as he lunged at Aku, but a swift blow to his gut hurled him backwards. Jack spat as he rose back up, reaching out for his blade. But a tendril of darkness kicked his blade away from him before he felt another tendril wrap around him, forcing him to the ground as he struggled in vain.

"JACK!"

"You will never be free from me samurai. You will never be free from the curse that has been placed upon your shoulders," Aku laughed with glee as he lifted his hand back, smiling down at the struggling samurai who fought against his bonds with all of his strength. "So long as you live, you shall never be free of me or my evil. That is your destiny, samurai. To carry around the failure of your father. The knowledge that your people and all those you care about are gone. That you FAILED all those who depended on you!"

Jack roared with fury right before Aku slammed his hand down onto the samurai, turning everything to black as Jack faded to the sounds of the demon's laughter.

--|=====\

Jack's eyes snapped open as the vision faded, leaving him panting heavily as cold sweat clung to his brow. Yet as his vision focused once again, he found that he was lying face down in the dirt, with a lasso wrapped around him. He blinked twice before looking through his messed up mane at the face of Applejack, who was breathing just as heavily as he was.

"Applejack? What happened?" he asked her as he squinted his eyes into the darkness, able to see his sword lying in the dirt in the starlight away from him, in the same place the tendril had kicked it.

"Ya were having a nightmare. Scratch that, it looked like you were possessed," Applejack explained to Jack as she reached down and undid his bonds, helping him to his hooves. "Ya were screaming in yer sleep and swinging that sword of yours in every direction. It was a miracle that ah managed to tie ya up without getting a few new scratches."

"Please...forgive me. I did not mean to cause you alarm," Jack apologized weakly as he bowed to Applejack. "I have been having nightmares as of late. I am glad that I did not hurt you, but perhaps it would be best if I sleep away from you." Jack bowed once again before he picked up his sword, walking away from the campfire and behind a large rock, where he curled up on the ground with rage shaking his body.

'Why? Why does Aku plague me wherever I go? When will I finally be free of his evil?'

Applejack continued to stare over at where Jack had laid down long after the samurai had fallen asleep, ashamed with herself for being unable to tell Jack the whole truth. For when she had tied up Jack his eyes had been open, allowing her to see the fear and rage that was within them--a fear and rage she had never seen in any other being before. But what truly had all of her attention was the only word Jack had spoken during his frenzy. A single name.

'That was no nightmare, Jack. Ah've had nightmares and they've never caused me to do anything like that. What ya had...was horrifying to watch,' Applejack thought to herself as she walked over to the other side of the stone, lying down away from Jack in a way that allowed her to keep an eye on him. 'Whatever this Aku did to you and yer family, it scared you in a way that makes me tremble to think about. Ah hope that ah can help ya find yer wish. Because ya seem like ya really need it.'

Comments

[Moongaze14]

Really nice to see AJ and Jack bonding.

[Mesiagamer]

The eventual good bye is going to be sad unless you decide to do the whole I'm happy here I'm not going anywhere bit.

[badninja]

So how long till Luna comes into the dream realm to help? If Aku could even effect Applejack she needs to be ready to help in any way.

[Seeking Dusk]

Almost sounded like a marriage proposal and engagement there, AJ.

[Scarheart]

Time for an intervention from Luna.

[F14m3rz]

That was definitely a dream. Otherwise, Jack would've beaten him within seconds..

[Tephera]

Well, I mean, Aku did even admit that he unleashed an "Unspeakable Evil" on the world.

So, yes AppleJack, you were right on one thing.

[HIEfan]

Poor Jack, when will he ever get a good night's rest.

[Jarimor]

oh shite, that isn't good at all.
me thinks luna is going to be involved at some point.

[MemeShitlord]

Jack will forever be my favourite fictional warrior.

[Aerigim]

When did Jack get untied? Was it just one of those out of focus things because one moment he is tie up, the next he is walking away.

[Greatazuredragon]

"My blade was created to slay evil. I will not use it for other purposes unless I am left with no alternative,"

Cue dramatic wind swirling around his kimono.
Now the question is, was it a dream or something more?
Wonder when the other bearers will start getting worried about AJ prolonged absence and go after the duo...

[Wysteria]

Man, I really can't wait for him to meet the rest of the cast.

[Marvelsoldier]

I'm almost beginning to ship these two.

[Dirty Bit]

Night terrors are always awful. Makes me wonder when Luna will meet the samurai herself possibly.

[doates]

The conversation about Jack's lack of friends made me tilt my head. Jack made quite a few allies along the way in his quest. The Scotsman, The Scotsman's clan, The Spartans (Though they believe him to be dead, but the King does have a strong belief that Jack is still alive), the monkey clan that taught him to jump good, the dog race that he saved in the premiere from Aku's robot beetle army, and the literal god Ra.

Yes Jack wants to do the quest on his own, mostly due to the bounty on his head, but he does have friends.

[2wingo]

6617214

He has friends, yes, but none that are really able to help him on his journey.

The Scotsman is off having his own adventures, and it's clearly an extremely rare event when their paths cross.

The ape clan (they're apes, not monkeys) are not fighters, and would probably have trouble surviving outside of a jungle environment.

The dogs are archaeologists and would be of limited help to him.

Ra and the other gods have made it pretty clear that Jack's already gotten all the help from them that he's going to get.

The alien prince and princess are off on their own world, and are considerably weaker on ours.

So yeah, Jack has plenty of people that he cares about and care about him, but he's still alone in his quest.

[Godiswithus3]

The pact has been sealed. The samurai and Applejack are partners until Jack leaves Equestria. I'm not surprised that it will come to this, but it was still pleasant to read.

[That One Brony Dude]

6619743 Don't forget those astronaut guys that got away from Aku's space robots, thanks to Jack.

And those people who were being controlled by a DJ's hypnotic music.

And those sailors who were under the control of that musical trio, whose music wiped Jack's very memory of who he was (like totally, dude!).

And those sea people who were grateful for actions Jack had no memory of (because of the musical trio).

And those robots who had spent every minute of every day hiding from the huge robot that was supposed to protect them.

[thatguy45]

An Apple always repays their debts

i2.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/017/204/CaptainAmerica1_zps8c295f96.JPG

[Fluffy-Boi]

I love you Aku

[Silentwoodfire]

No help from Luna?

[AMuffinlover]

"Ya were having a nightmare. Scratch that, it looked like you were possessed," Applejack explained to Jack as she reached down and undid his bonds, helping him to his hooves. "Ya were screaming in yer sleep and swinging that sword of yours in every direction. It was a miracle that ah managed to tie ya up without getting a few new scratches."

Is it because the sword can't hurt the good or is it because AJ just has that much skill?

[Autistic Retard]

"Ah don't think that ah'll ever be able to forget about ya, Jack, even if ah wanted to," AJ said with a chuckle before she walked over to her side of the fire and laid down, winking at Jack before lowering her head. "After all, it's not everyday a pony meets a cute samurai wielding a magic sword that can cut down any evil...goodnight Jack."

Oh boy, is it cuz they both have the words ‘Jack’ in their names? XD