#she’s likely eons worse offline

[dicapiito]

Does Joanne ever shut the fuck up ?

[optimaprime8]

The Story of Optima Prime ((Open Rp Starter))

“My story begins eons ago. Back in my own dimension. We weren’t very different from the others. We had war between Autobots and Decepticons. The only difference was that I am a femme, not a mech. My lover was Elite one, he was a very abusive mech. But I felt like I had no choice, he was my mate. But then he and the last seven mechs disappeared. After that our planet began to die. Megatrona, my world’s Megatron, became more insane. 

Her lead scientist, Shocky, my worlds Shockwave, created a device that was supposed to be something to kill me. But instead it sent me to another dimension. I do believe it was thanks to the matrix of leadership that saved me.” Optima records her message. She isn’t sure who is going to listen to it, but she feels like she needs to record her history. She touches her spark chamber where the matrix rests. 

“I ended up in a dimension that I later labeled G1. Everyone was so blocky, but they were also very kind, and their war was very.............interesting.” Optima said while giggling a bit. She remembers watching them, and laughing as their war was more comical than it was actually serious. “I helped out where I could, without getting too much in the way. At least until their scientist, Wheeljack was able to create a dimension jumper. He made it small enough to where I could carry it with me. He and Perceptor couldn’t hone in on my dimension. But they hoped that I would be able to jump enough until I can tune in on it.” She said while looking up at the night sky. 

“After a few jumps and pauses to let the device recharge, I ended up in one that I called Prime. Because to me it was a prime setting. I had found a mech that loved me, and I had a human to look after. She was very promising. Once the Decepticons of that world got a hold of her. They turned her into a Cybertronian. That’s when I adopted her. Eventually she became known as Nighten Gale. She would have inherited my matrix after I was gone.  Life was great, Daughter ended up becoming Mates with Optimus. Which I was so happy for. But as time went on my mech left me. He grew tired of me, but I had managed to reason with Megatron. He ended the war, and we were able to reconnect with my home dimension. Between the two worlds, we actually were able to revive both Cybertrons, and come with a stable and fair government.” She said as she looks off to the side, and watches the wild life of the desert.

Optima was in a desert on a version of Earth. She was using a rock formation to lean against. She had cloth wrapped around her like a cloak. She is missing her left arm, she is running low on energon. Which is why she feels she needs to share her story. She doesn’t know if she will make it for much longer. “I ruled as the Prime of Justice and Peace, while Megatron was the one that would punish those that broke the laws. We were able to find a balance. And through that I adopted so many younglings. Because we decided to bring peace to other dimensions. Or at least offer refuge for their civilians, and get them out of harm's way. I fell in love a few more times, but each time they left. Two of them actually died in protecting me and our family. One was Ratchet, another was a Megatron. In time I realized that I was cursed when it came to giving my spark to someone.” She said while sighing. 

“I eventually adopted a Dreadwing. He was my other promising child. He had so much honor and respect. I knew when I was gone, and along with Megatron that I ruled my world with, Dreadwing and Nighten Gale would have kept things going. But we were too blind, we all were too trusting. A virus started to rampage through my world. And started turning them all into something worse than terricons. It was almost like they were terricons mixed with Scraplets. They would start attacking each other and trying to eat each other.” Optima said while choking on a sob. 

“We evacuated as many as we could. I never realized Megatrona was still that badly insane. She had somehow created this virus. She was bent on destroying everything I had built. Even though we had peace, and happiness. She still wants energon shed. Mostly mine. She was the only one able to control those that succumbed to the virus. And to try and protect other worlds, I stayed after everyone was evacuated.” She said as she adjusts. She is trying to ease her pains, and sends on one last distress blip. She doesn’t have the energy to keep it going. 

“But apparently Primus doesn’t want me to be offline just yet. Or at least he didn’t want me offline there. I have managed to make it to this Earth. I don’t know if anyone is going to find me in time. My injuries are severe. But I must warn you, Megatrona will try to find me, even if I am offlined. She will come here, and destroy everything. I have a small sample of the virus in a vile. I keep it near the matrix, because that is the only thing that makes me immune to it. Please, if you find me after I am offlined, make a cure for the virus. Save yourselves from it. If you have to use my matrix to do whatever you need to do. I can’t bear the thought of anymore innocents being lost because of me.” She said as tears fell down her cheeks. “I am sorry I ended up here. I am sorry that I brought this here. But please, protect yourselves, and if you make a cure, please help my people, they are my family.” She pleads as the tears fall. 

But then she looks up at the night sky one last time. “I wish Primus would stop torturing me. And finally let me rest easily.” She said as she hiccups. She drops the datapad next to her, and closes her eyes, as she goes into stasis. Unsure of what is going to happen to her next. 

[jessi-does-fandoms]

Tough Love

A transformers OC story

It had been at least a month since team Prime had found out about Remedy sneaking off with the crazed cherry colored medic known as Knockout, let’s just say they didn’t take it too well. Ratchet being her mentor and the closest thing to a sire, advised Remedy to stay at base and only leave if accompanied by one of the other bots, she was also told to never speak to the con ever agin. A little extreme maybe but it was for her own protection, Ratchet always said he wanted her to focus on becoming a medic and her running off with the enemy or any mech at that matter was a bit of a distraction. Remedy is a relatively young femme being a little younger than Bumblebee, It wasn’t the first time she had done something reckless and irresponsible and it certainly won’t be the last.

Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to a month and Remedy has still refused to leave her berthroom. The once sassy energetic femme had fallen into a melancholy state. She didn’t speak to her grumpy mentor, she didn’t speak to the humans or her good friend Bumblebee. She wouldn’t even speak to her best friend Nightshade who had been at her side for eons the one she had been to the pits and back with. The entire team had grown concerned about Remedy’s depressed state and wanted nothing more than to have their spunky young rookie medic back.

“Is anyone going to volunteer to check up on Remedy today?” Ratchet being the occasionally caring guy he is had someone check on Remedy every day to make sure she was ok. Today Smokescreen had volunteered to do so, it gave him an excuse to see the femme he had an obvious crush on. Ratchet informed him that if he didn’t return in ten minutes, he would throw a wrench at the young mech.

Smokescreen walked down the corridor to Remedy’s berthroom and proceeded to knock on the metal door. “Hey Remedy, it’s Smokescreen. Are you ok? We haven’t heard from you in so long, everyone’s really worried.” To his surprise the metal door slid open to reveal a tired and depressed Remedy. She looked up at the mech with tired dull optics, clearly she had been crying recently. She opened her mouth to speak, her voice faint due to her lack of vocalization the past few weeks. “If you’re here to try and get me out of my room it’s not gonna work. Ratchet put you up to this didn’t he, he just thinks reminding me of my pained spark will teach me a lesson!” She was about to close the door when a larger servo grabbed hold of her own.

Remedy returned her gaze to Smokescreen waiting for an explanation. “You been stuck in here long enough, you need to get outside and have a little fun!” Remedy simply gave him a deadpan look. “In case you’ve forgotten Ratchet and Optimus made it quite clear that they didn’t want me leaving base.” Smokescreen gave a sly smirk and put his arm around her shoulder. “They said you can’t leave without supervision!” Before Remedy could open her mouth to object, Smokescreen had grabbed her wrist and dragged her through the corridor.

Smokescreen thought it would be nice to take Remedy for a relaxing late night drive. Remedy enjoyed a drive here and there but she had trouble keeping up with Smokescreen. She figured he just wanted to show off, that thought reminded her of a certain Aston Martin. Remedy threw those thoughts from her processor and attempted to catch up with Smokescreen.

The two had finally reached what appeared to be an abandoned junkyard. Smokescreen and Remedy transform back into their bipedal forms and sat on some large crates that were sitting behind a large heap of random things humans have tossed out over the years. “You brought me to a junkyard?” Remedy turned her attention to Smokescreen with a questioning look. Smokescreen was shocked at her sudden words. Sure it wasn’t the nicest place ever but it was fairly close to base and no one would ever find them here. “It’s just a place I come to practice my speed ya’ know? I mean it’s a decent size area, plenty of room for some sick stunt driving.” Remedy just sighed, she knew Smokescreen had an ego so of course he brought her here so he could show off as an attempt to impress her. She decided not to say anything or argue about it, after all he was trying to cheer her up.

Smokescreen looked over to Remedy and put his servo on her shoulder. “Look Rem, I know you been down lately because of..” he trailed off mid sentence not wanting to speak his name in case it made Remedy feel worse. Remedy looked at him, her orange optics showing little emotion. “It’s fine Smokey, I was dumb to think dating a con would go unnoticed. Everyone was concerned about me and wanted to help, last week Bulkhead set me up on a date with Wheeljack.” Smokescreen stared in disbelief, he didn’t know Wheeljack all that well but he certainly couldn’t imagine him taking anyone out on a date. “So how did that go?” Remedy gave him a rather annoyed looked. “He took me to an old abandoned building and blew it up.”

Smokescreen didn’t seem too surprised by that, he Knew Wheeljack had a reputation for blowing shit up.Smokescreen suddenly had an idea as to how he could impress Remedy and make her happy. “Hey I’ll be right back I promised Ratchet I’d find something he needs for some invention or whatever. Just stay right here I wont be long!” Remedy looked at him confused but gave a simple nod. Smokescreen then proceeded further into the junkyard. He had heard the humans talk about how guys usually give a girl a bouquet of flowers to show their affection, so that’s exactly what he was going to do. After searching for about 10 minutes Smokescreen couldn’t find any flowers in the dirt terrain, he did however spot a tree with beautiful pink flowers blooming on it just outside the junkyard. This was it, this was the day he made Remedy realize he’s the one she deserves, the one who would sweep her off her peds and showers her with constant love and affection and nothing was gonna stop him.

Remedy had been waiting for what seemed like forever, whatever is was Ratchet needed so badly must be impossible to find. She slowly started to fall into stasis until she heard the low rumble of an engine. Remedy shot up standing her ground, scalpels at hand ready to be thrown at the intruder. Her optics widened at the sight of bright headlights a few meters from where she stood. She continued to stand her ground to the mysterious vehicle before her, she could feel its aura wasn’t that of any human, this vehicle had the aura of a Cybertronian. “I finally found you my sweet.”

The sudden voice made Remedy relax and cease her fighting stance, she knew that smooth voice all too well. After a few silent moments she built up enough strength to approach. “What are you doing here Knockout?” He then transformed from the Aston Martin into his sleek handsome bipedal form, the bright moonlight shining on his freshly buffed paint job. Remedy took a step backwards knowing the mech before her was most likely annoyed that he had not seen or heard from her in so long. Knockout simply stared at her with obvious love in his optics. “Remedy I had been out every night for so long searching for you! Every attempt to comm you had failed and I feared you had been offlined!”

Remedy looked down at her peds, a great deal of guilt eating at her spark. She couldn’t just tell him how Ratchet shut her away from the world because of him! On the other hand she can’t lie to him, Knockout can easily see through any lie she throws at him, she was pretty much stuck. She let out a sigh and looked up at Knockout. “The others, they found out I been sneaking out to see you. Ratchet and Optimus have kept me at base for the past month, they said it’s for my own good.” Knockout was shocked by her words, Remedy was never one to actually take orders an do as told, at least not when she was around him. He felt hurt and angry, he wasn’t gonna let anyone autobot or decepticon get between him and his sparkmate. He slowly walked toward her taking her servos in his and staring into her bright orange optics. “Remedy. Please know that I love you with all my spark. I will not allow that scrap heap of a medic keep you trapped!”

Remedy simply stared at Knockout, unable to respond to his sudden outburst, sure she felt trapped but the team was only looking out for her. Remedy then wrapped her arms around Knockout’s neck cables and placed a gentle kiss on his faceplate. “I love you too Knockout and I can’t stand another moment away from you. Sometimes I wish you could take me with you!” Knockout smirked down at her. “As much as I would love for you to accompany me, we both know Lord Megatron would offline us both without hesitation. I’m afraid this is all I can give you.” He then placed his servos on her waist and pulled her in for a long passionate kiss.

Smokescreen was heading back to where he left Remedy to give her the tree he found. He was pretty terrified to tell her his true feelings for her, especially after everything she’s been through. All he knew about the situation was that Remedy was caught having a relationship with Knockout, what she saw in Knockout was beyond him but he never wanted to ask her about it in case it made her uncomfortable. Smokescreen then rounded a corner leading to where he and Remedy were previously sitting only to be shocked and broken by the sight before him.

There he saw Remedy, but she wasn’t alone like she was when he had left. She was with another mech. Not just any mech, it was Knockout and not only were they standing there alone together, they were kissing. Smokescreen could practically hear his spark shatter as he watched the two make out, seeing Knockout touching the femme he loved so much made his spark and processor ache. Without a single thought he rushed at them tackling Knockout to the ground with a loud thud.

Remedy watched in horror as the two mechs fought. Knockout noticed his paint had been scratched due to being plowed to the ground, anger burning in optics. “I JUST BUFFED THAT!” The two mechs got up off the dirt, standing their ground against one another, weapons were drawn, words were exchanged and the atmosphere was just intense. Knockout pointed his saw towards Smokescreen, ready to cut every circuit is his body but suddenly stopped as Remedy stood in front on him. “Knockout please, don’t do this it’s not worth it!” Knockout could see how scared Remedy was so he backed down, Smokescreen looked at Remedy, hurt still visible in his optics.

Remedy looked as if she was about to cry or possibly have a mental breakdown. “I will not stand here and watch you try to offline each other!” Smokescreen picked up the tree he had gotten for Remedy and offered it to her. Remedy I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have left you by yourself. I thought maybe I could impress you. The truth is, I really like you, no I love you!” Remedy was completely shocked by his words and so was Knockout. he pulled Remedy into his chest and glared daggers at Smokescreen. “You really think Remedy would leave me just because your leader forbid her from seeing me? Is she not her own bot who makes her own decisions?” Remedy looked over to Smokescreen, that painful guilty feeling eating away at her spark once again. “Smokescreen I had no idea this was a date, I had no idea you felt this way about me. Ok actually I did know but I didn’t realize your feelings were sincere.”

Knockout had had about enough of all this, he wasn’t gonna let anyone take Remedy away from him, not this time. “Remedy we should go, I wanna spend every moment I can with you before you get taken away again!” Smokescreen then put his digits to his comm link. “Ratchet I need a ground bridge, now!” Remedy looked at Smokescreen about to say something but was stopped when Knockout threw her over his shoulder and started running.

Smokescreen transformed into his alt mode to chase the two. After about ten minutes of driving around there was no sign of Remedy or Knockout, Smokescreen cursed at himself and drove through the ground bridge. “SCRAP! I promised Ratchet I would protect her! I don’t care if he says he loves her! What if that fragger hurts her, what if he takes her to Megatron?!” Endless possibilities started running through his processor as he returned to the autobots base.

Remedy and Knockout went off to a drive in movie and he took her to see him race like he normally would when they would sneak off together. Remedy loved spending time with the cherry red medic, decepticon or not she would always love him no matter what and he would do anything just to be with her, even if it took becoming an autobot. All Remedy knew for sure was that she was finally happy again, that and she would receive a wrench to the helm from Ratchet when she gets back to base.

[d-clarence]

Samurai Jack Episode CI Headcanon/Fanfic

I’ve brought this up on an Ask and another post I reblogged, but I just got the motivation to fully flesh it out and type it out while it is still fresh in my mind.

Warning, potentially spoiler heavy and quite a lengthy post!

- — -

*Imagine the final battle with Jack’s forces against Aku’s at the latter’s fortress. Jack’s allies have rescued Jack from captivity and he recovered his sword.*

The Fate of the entire Universe hangs in the Balance as Samurai Jack faces Aku.

The plan was simple. Circle around Aku's fearsome tower fortress as a distraction force against Aku while Samurai Jack got in close enough to vanquish Aku. The Scotsman’s new army has assembled together for what may be their last battle. Their forces are consisting of many of the people Jack affected in his life, including the Archers, Woolies, and even Da Sa-Moo-Rai’s rag-tag group from his bar. The face off will be against seemingly never ending legions of Aku’s Beetle Drones, interstellar bounty hunters, and his summoned minions taking place outside in the crater surrounding Aku’s fearsome tower fortress. However, Jack's objective was side tracked as he was forced to face off Corrupted Ashi as Aku watches from his throne cackling in mad laughter.

“Yes… the simplest solution is usually the best one…” Aku mused.

“Ashi! You can’t let it end this way! Please Ashi, fight!” Jack begged.

The Samurai tried desperately to get Ashi to fight the corruption controlling her, but to no avail. Her whip-like attacks from her new limbs toss Jack around as he cringed at every slash from his blade that made her scream in agony as tendril after tendril, burned away to ash and regenerated at an astonishing pace.

“Aah! I… can’t! You have to kill me, Jack! There is no other way! Don’t let me live like this!” Ashi screamed as she temporarily broke away, tears pouring from her eyes, only to be silenced by the blackness of Aku’s curse.

As a powerful backhand sends Jack flying into a stone pillar of fire, he sees his situation. His hair was let loose in a mess and precious gi was completely torn off at the top half and bloodied and tattered from the waist to the bottom. Slashes, bruises and blood seeped from his wounds, and the love of his life utterly lost to Aku’s will as the demon smugly folds his gargantuan arms from his throne.

There is only one way.

No. There has to be another.

But it is what she wanted.

She needs to fight harder!

But she can’t.

Please. Grant her peace. You know what you have to do.

Ashi sprung forward, lunging at Jack as he in turn raised his sword at the ready, fighting back tears that still rolled down his blood-smeared and dirty countenance.

“Forgive me…” he whispered one last time.

He likewise sprung forward thrusting his sword, when the unexpected happened.

Seeing that Jack will be the victor, Aku did the one thing that would break his eternal adversary’s sanity. The one thing that would top all of the evil acts Aku ever did in existence.

As the lovers charged and were about to make contact, Aku pulled his influence and essence from Ashi leaving her in her former human state, in the drab prison outfit and black boots she wore beforehand. She didn’t know at first why she still ran to Jack, arms outstretched above her head. Confusion struck both their faces.

Then it hit her.

Tip pierced flesh. Blade pushed through. Her insides shredded as the sword went through her for what felt like an eternity, but twas only a moment. With a resounding crunch and snap, the sword drenched in her blood shot through her spine and out her back. The deed was done.

“No…” Jack whispered. He wanted all of this to be nothing more than a nightmare, but no, it was more real than ever. He drove his mighty sword through her to the hilt.

Tears welled up in both of their eyes. He let go of the blade as she staggered and began to fall for the last time. Jack caught her, right arm around her waist, left hand around the side of her neck. He saw she was losing focus and felt her pulse began to slow down.

The pain was too much for her to bear as it shot through her abdomen. She couldn’t feel her limbs anymore. The last thing she felt was his blade.

Blood pooled around them in the crimson floor of Aku’s chamber as he smiled in content.

She tried to speak, to give her final words of forgiveness, gratitude, and love to Jack, but she only coughed out blood and gurgled. Over 50 years of combat experience couldn’t prepare him for this.

“No no no! Ashi… I’m so sorry!” he cried as rivers spilled down his face and his voice cracked. She was done for.

The lovers shared one more solid look in each other’s eyes as he cradled her, she could only give a faint smile to Jack before the light in her eyes went away. The smile dropped.

Ashi lies dead in her lover’s arms.

“Hahahahahaha! Foolish Samurai!” Aku thundered. “Did you really think that you really deserved her? Star-crossed lovers is what you both were! Never meant to be, never will be!” The taunts persisted.

Samurai Jack held her lifeless body close, hoping for a miracle, but that never came.

“I’m… so… sorry…” he cried as he buried his face next to hers.

Aku’s laugh echoed through the inner sanctum as the tower shook from the battle outside. Explosions that were barely audible resounded in their ears. Aku headed over to show Jack the true weight of his failure. He pulled down what seemed to be a zipper on the wall as it opened with a mysterious hiss.

Jack could only helplessly look up at how much worse things were going.

The window opened to a horiffic sight. The battle was not going well. Despite the growing mounds of corpses of Aku’s terrible horde, it was a desperate fight for survival for Jack’s men and women. Their ammunition began to run dry, their blades ran dull. Bloody pools of reds, blues, and greens mixed with the black of Aku’s sentries littered the battlefront. Screams and shouts were drowned out by the clatter of bladed, mechanical legs. Several legions began to retreat. Lone survivors lingered in a dazed and shocked awe, some missing limbs, others searching for loved ones buried in the corpses.

Hope was lost.

The black demon bent down, facing Jack, a devilish green smile that stretched before him. “Annihilating your scum will set an example to all who dare oppose Aku!” He rose and laughed maniacally once more.

Enough.

Jack collected himself as his rage fueled high. He clenched his fists and he let out a yell that might as well have been heard around the world.

“AAAKUUUUU!!!!!!!” Jack pulled out his sword from Ashi’s gut as her limp body fell back into her pool of blood. He didn’t bother giving her a second look as he jumped high in the air, sword held above his head, about to strike.

Aku was too absorbed in what he perceived to be his victory to realize what came down upon him.

Jack screamed and brought the blade crashing down on the cursed demon, slicing down from his neck to the ground. The wisps of darkness burned to ash and blew away.

They both came crashing down as the evil one attempted to retaliate, sending scores of his black tendrils after the Samurai, only for them to be cut down with precision and ease. Eventually, only his upper torso and left arm was left, him weakly gripping the pillar behind him that he rested his head on.

“Heh heh heh… killing me won’t undo the past, nor bring back your sweet Ashi.” he proudly, but weakly spat. “My unspeakable evil has reached through the stars and eons!”

“No.” the Samurai said. He pointed his sword at him and shouted, “your unspeakable evil ends today! The present and future shall flourish in your absence!”

Jack yelled and leaped once more and drove the sacred blade between Aku’s eyes and twisted. The devil screamed and convulsed as his body lit and burned away to ash. The reign of Aku’s terror was finally over.

Slowly coming back to his senses, Jack calmly sheathed his sword and turned away. He almost let the madness drive him again, but not this time. He turned to Ashi and met her eyes once more, still wide open and the tears that cascaded down her face were dried and present. He closed her beautiful, lifeless eyes gently as he planted a kiss in her now cold lips and picked her up on front of him in his exhausted arms. Her blood dripped from her wound, further staining what was left of Jack’s gi. She’s become another memory, another casualty. Just as he feared.

He marched onwards to the front gate that opened to the light of the outside world. Much to Jack’s surprise, a miracle occured! He wondered in the back of his mind how he was going to go through the remnants of the armies of Aku, but no more thought was necessary. The beetle drones, the destroyers of many, were all offline! The bots fell and lay where they once stood. The remaining minions and mercenaries scattered in panic and retreat in realizing their main support was lost for good. Loud cheering echoed with the machine gun fire, sword clashing, and explosions that rocked the barren wasteland. It seems that when Aku died, his control over his machines and minons vanished as well, leaving them either permanently disabled or lost and demoralized.

Many of Jack’s friends came over charging and dealing with the stragglers with ease.

“At least they made it.” Jack sighed and looked down on his love. “Oh, how I wish you could see this, Ashi…”

The first to arrive was Flora and some of her sisters. They were hurt from battle, but that didn't sour their spirit. “Woohoo! We hit them right in their daddy bags!” she cheered. Many others joined in.

But when she looked at Jack, her joy dropped harder than a boulder off a cliff. The others came around to their hero.

“Jack… What happened?” Flora inquired. Her father, the Scotsman, appeared behind her in shock of the scene before him.

“I defeated Aku, but it came at a terrible price. Ashi is gone.” he calmly spoke.

“Jack… I’m so sorry… I…” the Scotsman apologized.

“No.” Jack interrupted. “You both have nothing to be sorry for. This is a great victory, and we all gave our lives and more to make sure it happened.”

Flora took charge and carried Ashi’s body respectfully from Jack’s arms. She could only offer a smile for him. Her father said, “We’ll make sure this lass gets a proper funeral, laddie!”

“Thank you.” the depression clear in his voice as he walked away, head down. He couldn’t bear seeing the one he loved so much taken away from him. They all wanted to offer him support, but couldn’t. He always left before anyone could.

He walked on seeing rebels, soldiers, knights, Spartans, and civilians from many cultures and races cheering and raising their worn weapons in victory. Others scrambled to tend to the survivors, the grieving, and the wounded. The most prominent was Olivia, from the village of kids Jack saved from a rave cult decades earlier. She slung her father’s old, beaten hunting rifle on her back and jumped atop a tall mound of robot corpses. Despite the blood from her bandaged injuries, she still rose her hands high and proclaimed,

“Samurai Drop!!!”

The crowds around rose their hands in the signature “S” shape and sang their song of praise and danced the Samurai.

In any other day, Jack would have admired, even joined in on the display, but now was different. This war cost so many, and he lost too much now. He lost his Empire and parents. He lost many of those who fought alongside him. Now, he lost his one chance at true love in his disastrous and lonely life in an instant. He walked on, the crowds’ cheering left them unaware of his sudden departure.

As he reached the edge of the crater where the limits of Aku’s fortress began, he saw a figure, standing at the edge, observing him. Jack gripped his sword at the sight of this unknown man. One of Aku’s minions? No. He was something more. Upon better observation, he noticed the following:

Tall and well-built, in a black bodysuit, clearly worn from combat. He wore a raggedy cloak that covered his chest, part of his head, and flowed to the wind from his back. He carried in one hand, a large katana that sported a red and black diamond pattern on the hilt, the blade dripping black from the oil of the drones. On the other, he shouldered a large silver and chrome plated heavy machine gun, barrel smoking from use and magazine half-empty. His face was expressionless, but seemed familiar. Blue skin, bald and covered his eyes with cracked red sunglasses.

“Could it be?” Jack wondered.

Before he could investigate further, the figure turned and walked away. He gave chase, and when he reached the edge and looked, the man was gone, except for a trail of footprints that continued for as far as the eye can see to the northeast.

“There’s nothing there except for…” before Jack could continue, a faint pillar of light emerged from the distance. Dark storm clouds collected around the faint sparkle and thundered.

Upon realizing the obvious, he spake to himself, “This could be my one chance to set things right. For Ashi, for everyone.”

Near him, he found several discarded transports his army used to get to battle, among them was a motorcycle very similar to the one he drove for many years. Upon inspection, the engine worked, hull was intact, and there’s more than enough fuel to get over to the light.

As he headed off with newfound vigor in his spirit, he mouthed the phrase that became his mantra,

“Gotta get back, back to the past… Samurai Jack…”