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War Of Shadows	By : TurtleNinja Category: +S through Z > Samurai Jack Views: 3353 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai Jack, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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I sighed a little and watched Chimitsu and the Light Elemental. Neither one spoke for some time, yet I was anxious to get back down to Earth and get this battle over with. No doubt, the Dark Elementals would take advantage of our momentary absense and cause even more damage.

"I do not mean to be rude, but we really must be going back. We need to know how to call upon the powers of the Star so that we can ensure Aku's defeat before even more lives are lost." I said.

"Of course. No insult has been taken, Minamoto-san. I know how much it weighs on your heart to know of all those who were lost so far in this war and to know that more will be lost before it's all over. You simply want to save as many lives as possible."

"Yes. Already the Dark Elementals may be causing more destruction in our absense."

"Possibly, but I do not sense it. Nonetheless, we'll get you set here and well acquainted with how to perfectly harmonize with the Star. Once you've done that, you won't need to think to summon its power. It'll be virtually automatic for you."

She took the Star and held it up by its chain so that I could slip my head through it. I ducked my head down and through the chain, feeling its cool weight upon my neck. The chain felt so thin that I was certain it would be easy to break, but somehow, I had a feeling that it was harder to snap than it appeared.

Once she had released it and I had raised my head again, I could feel it against my chest, pulsing warmly with my heartbeat. It felt natural to me, like another limb, an extention of myself as my sword was. I could feel its power welling up in me to almost explosive proportions, filling my body and soul to capacity, yet I had no clue how to release it.

"Do you feel it?" she asked.

"Yes...I feel it. I can feel its power filling my body. It wants to be released."

"Good. It's harmonizing with you, but you need to also harmonize with it. It is not a one-sided thing. Both you and that amulet must work together, think together, act together, all without realizing that you are doing so if this is to work."

She rose and Chimitsu-chan quickly stood and moved off to the side as the Light Elemental beckoned for me to stand. I did not dare to disobey and stood, waiting for her next instruction. She moved behind me effortlessly and I could feel her opaque eyes studying me carefully, eyeing my body up.

I shifted uncomfortably until I felt her hands upon my back.

"Stop moving, child. If you can't let go of your nervousness or embarrassment, you'll never be able to harmonize with the Star. Be in complete control of your emotions without exception. You are the closest thing to a pure Elemental in the mortal realm and you have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of or nervous about. Relax and focus on the Star of the Elements, let it guide you until you are both working and thinking together." she instructed firmly.

"Right."

Immediately, I closed my eyes, allowing my mind to relax until I could feel the presense belonging to the Star of the Elements in my heart and mind. I could feel it there, resonating with the power of the five Elemental sisters in full force. It was a part of me now, something that could never be separated from me without killing me first.

"Feel it resonating with your heartbeat, its pulse one with yours." she instructed.

"I feel it."

"But that's the easy part. Once you feel it beating in time with your heart, you must not let it go for anything. Pain, suffering, anything short of death."

"I know. I understand that. I...I knew that already somehow."

There was a moment of silence before I could sense her smiling.

"Most impressive. You are already beginning to harmonize with it."

I was encouraged by her words and kept my eyes closed, feeling the power slowly become a part of me instead of filling my body like a foreign presense trying to possess me. I could feel my will increase with the power, every part of me growing stronger, faster, more powerful than before. It was only then that I realized how uncomfortable it had been to consider the power as something that filled my body to capacity, why I felt as if I could almost explode with the overwhelming feeling of it.

"When you are ready, Jack, let it go. It might feel a bit odd, but I assure you it won't hurt." she said.

Slowly, I took in a few breaths, readying myself. I did not know what was going to happen when I finally released all this power, but if it was not going to hurt me, then I doubted it would hurt either of them. Somehow, I had the feeling that the only thing this power would ever hurt would be Aku and the Dark Elementals.

When I felt confident enough, I allowed myself to trust the power inside of my heart and let it go.

The feeling that came with the release of all that pent-up power was one of unimaginable relief. It was as if all that power had been held back for too long and wanted to be freed. I began to realize that holding back like that had only hurt me and the efforts I had been making to defeat Aku.

I could feel the power overwhelm me, washing over me until I began to feel it fade away, retreating back into my body where it maintained a steady level. I felt unbelievably relaxed and calm, completely unafraid or unconcerned of what lay ahead of us. I felt refreshed, reborn, completely new.

When I opened my eyes, I saw the Light Elemental smiling and Chimitsu, well, she looked quite stunned to say the least. I did not know why when I did not feel any different than before. The only change was that I was more at ease with myself and the events that had happened up until now, having accepted it all completely with the power from the amulet.

"Minamoto-chan..." she said quietly.

"What is it?"

"You...you look so different."

"I do not feel any different than before. Why are you so shocked?"

"Take a look."

She conjured up a full-length mirror, holding it up so I could see my own reflection.

My eyes widened immediately upon seeing myself and the changes that had occured after accepting the Star's full power. Lightweight robes of gray and blue had replaced the white and gray kimono I had been wearing only moments before, covered with an equally lightweight white and gold armor. It covered my back and chest with shoulder plates that greatly exaggerated my shoulders to almost absurd proportions.

The gauntlets came up to my elbows and the metal boots went up to my knees. It was a western-styled armor, quite different from the samurai armor I was accustomed to wearing whenever I chose to wear any armor at all. If it had not been so impressive, I would have said I looked completlely ridiculous. Even my katana had changed, its handle and scabbard now white instead of black as they had been before.

And in the center of the chestplate armor sat the Star of the Elements, shining a blue color to match the robes I wore and the other gems inset in the white armor.

"By the gods! What did you do to me?!" I cried.

"We didn't do anything, Minamoto-kun. You did this yourself. When you accepted the Star's power, you accepted yourself as well. This is how you are when you are at ease with yourself and at full power. The power of the Star will come to you now with simply a thought. You likely won't even realize that you're using it until after the fact."

"I see. I feel...stronger, more powerful."

"Of course. You should. I'd think something was wrong if you didn't."

"How...how do I change back?"

"With a thought whenever you want to."

No sooner had I began to think about changing back to how I had been a few moments before, than I felt the Star's power retreat and my clothing change back to normal. It was very strange to feel so full of power and yet so normal at the exact same time. The Star itself lay against my chest, hanging from its chain, looking so ordinary and powerless.

I reached down and took it in my hand, studying it, wondering how such a stone could hold so much power. I could think of so many others besides Aku who would love to be able to get their hands on this for their own gains, but knew that none of them could use it. Yet, a part of me began to wonder...

"What about Mad Jack?" I asked.

"What about him?"

"He is my clone. He looks exactly like me. He is...me...but the complete opposite. Even with Aku's power filling him, he is still technically one and the same as me."

"What are you getting at, young Minamoto?"

"Would he be able to use the Star if he ever got it away from me?"

Chimitsu-chan looked momentarily panicked, glancing over to the Light Elemental. Her expression turned concerned for a second, then thoughtful as she contemplated this. I knew that neither one had considered this before, but now were quickly giving it some thought before allowing me to return to Earth.

"No. He won't be able to use it. He may be your twin, but his heart is filled with evil and he isn't a pure clone to you as he was the first time. He is a mixture of you and my daughter, Metal. Perhaps if he wasn't filled with such malice, he might have a chance, but together with that and my daughter's essence, he can't. Elementals protect the Star, they cannot use it and he is a Dark Elemental. You need not fear him." she finally said.

"Can any of them destroy the Star?"

"No. The Star cannot be destroyed. Even if they kill you, destroy your body, nothing they could do could destroy the Star."

"Good. Then I have no reason not to go back and fight."

"Then you are ready?"

"Yes. I think I am more ready now than I was when I arrived."

"Then my work here is done. You and my daughter may return to Earth with my blessings. I wish you both luck and hope that you succeed in your mission."

I gave a deep bow, the Star hanging from around my neck.

"Thank you. We will not fail."

Chimitsu-chan stepped close to me, wings wrapping around us as soon as our arms had wrapped around each other. In an instant, the Light Elemental had sent us back on our way home in the same flash of light that had brought us to her castle in space. I instinctively closed my eyes, not wanting to be blinded, and when I opened them again, I found myself with Chimitsu-chan in the grasslands not far from Fatoum.

Slowly, we released each other, and I gazed into her eyes, seeing an expression in them that I could not decipher.

"That is it then?" I asked.

"Yes. Now we must return home and hope that the others are prepared for battle. There's no turning back now. You have the full power of the Star and the Elemental Circle will never be restored so long as Aku and the Dark Elementals live. It's up to you to destroy them and up to me to get you to them safely."

"And it is up to the others to fight to give us a chance to get to Aku's fortress."

She nodded and turned around, walking this time, instead of picking me up and immediately taking flight. I hurried to catch up to her, not wanting to be left behind, even if I did feel that there were quicker ways to get home than this. Chimitsu-chan clearly knew that as well, but she had her reasons for walking instead of flying or teleporting.

We said nothing for some time, traveling in silence as the sun set beyond the horizon and the stars began to shine in the heavens above. I could tell that something was troubling her, but I did not know if I should ask what or if she would even tell me. Finally, she stopped on top of a hill, gazing up at the sky, letting the wind ruffle her hair.

She looked so sad that it began to make me feel melancholy as well.

"Jack?" she asked.

"Hai?"

"What do you think'll become of us after this war's over?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, will we go our separate ways? Will you go back to your home while I return with my sisters back into the Elemental Circle?"

"I do not know, Chimitsu-chan. I do not even know if I can return home."

"But if you can, will you?"

I paused, watching her look up at the stars above. Ever since I had arrived here, all I could think about was destroying Aku and returning home to my family and people in the past. All I had ever wanted was for my life to return to how it was before Aku had come and destroyed everything.

But that was before I had fallen in love with her.

Now that Chimitsu-chan and I had admitted how we felt, I was not entirely certain I wanted to go back home. It was true that my place was not here, but in the past, and I was not certain it was worth losing the one I loved. I did want to see my parents again, to see Edo return to its former glory, and the thought of seeing it alone, without Chimitsu-chan, caused a bitter pain to burn in my chest.

I sighed a little and walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her under her wings as I rested my chin on her shoulder. She lowered her head as I held her tight, her hands reaching up to rest atop my own. A soft sigh escaped her lips before she turned slightly, rubbing her soft cheek against my own.

"I...I do not know, Chimitsu-chan. For a long time, home was all I could think about. A part of me wants to go back, but a bigger part of me does not want to go if it means leaving you behind. I do not think I can be completely happy if you are not with me." I said softly, nuzzling back.

"But your place isn't here in this future. It's in Edo, in the past, where you came from."

"I know. I know where I belong and it is not here, but I..."

I paused and sighed heavily, holding her even tighter to me.

"Damnit, it does not matter, Chimitsu-chan. I love you. The past will seem so empty if you are not there with me. This future is my home now." I said quietly.

She turned around in my arms and leaned up, lightly pressing her petal-soft lips to my own, her arms wrapping tightly around my neck. I pulled her tightly against myself, kissing back fervently, sensing her desperation. She did not want me to go either, even though we both knew that if I ever could get home, it was where I belonged.

Slowly we broke apart, kissing lightly a few more times before Chimitsu-chan reluctantly withdrew from my arms to sit on the hillside, once more staring up at the stars. I sat down beside her, letting her lean on my shoulder, looking up for the familiar constellations. She sighed a bit, her fingertips lightly trailing up and down my thigh, making me more than a little bit uncomfortable.

"Do you ever dream, Minamoto-chan?" she asked softly.

"Sometimes."

"What do you dream about?"

"Different things."

"What kind of different things?"

"Sometimes I dream of home, of Edo and my family and what might have been if Aku had never escaped my father's seal. Sometimes I dream of what this world would be like without Aku, of what my friends might have seen if they had survived this war. Sometimes I dream of less pleasant things, of Aku, of his evil, of Mad Jack taking my place and things I would rather not speak about. Do you ever dream, Chimitsu-chan?"

"Not as often as I'd like. Mostly about my sisters, about this war with the Dark Elementals and Aku, nothing too pleasant. Sometimes, though, I dream of you, Minamoto-chan."

"Of me? What do you dream of when you dream of me?"

"What do you think?"

She hid her face in my shoulder and I realized what she had meant by the blush that was quite evident on her pale cheeks.

"I see. If I may be so bold..."

I reached down and gently lifted her chin up so I could gaze into her eyes, seeing that her face was completely red.

"I, too, have had dreams like that, dreams of being with you." I said in just barely a whisper.

"I don't believe you."

"I would not lie to you, Chimitsu-chan."

"But...why not say so before?"

"You know how shy I was before we found out how we felt about each other. Do you really think I would have risked completely embarrassing myself by telling you that I have had dreams that forced me into a cold shower once I awoke?"

"No, I don't suppose you would."

I chuckled softly and kissed the tip of her nose, suddenly feeling bold and daring, particularly where she was concerned. I would never have admitted it to her, but I was a bit surprised that I had even said such a thing to her, although I knew I never would have if she had not said it first. Her eyes met mine for a few seconds before she forced herself to look away, unfortunately breaking the mood.

"We should get going. We don't have time to waste like this." she said, finally standing.

"I know."

I stood and took her hand as she held it out to me, pulling her close. She gave me one last fleeting, lover's gaze before she wrapped her wings around us both. In an instant, we dematerialized, making the jump back to Extor's.
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War Of Shadows