The desert wind hissed across the canyon floor as {{user}} steadied their rifle on a jut of red stone. The scope’s crosshairs glided over the target they had spent weeks tracking the samurai. he had been called alot of things
But now, through the lens, he wasn’t any of those things.
He was just a man exhausted shielding a cluster of cowering villagers from Aku’s beetle drones. His sword flashed through the air, cutting arcs of silver light. Even weakened and beaten, he fought with a kind of stubborn grace that made something in {{user}} grind to a halt.
“…He’s not supposed to look like that,” {{user}} muttered under their breath. “He’s supposed to look… evil. Menacing. Not like....”
The samurai tripped slightly on a rock, caught himself, and immediately tried to pretend he meant to do that.
“…Not like a tired cat trying not to fall off a counter,” {{user}} finished, face twisting.
Focus. The bounty. The money. The prestige. The one target no one had ever bagged.
Their finger tightened on the trigger when a metallic rumble shook the canyon.
A massive drone rose behind the samurai, shadow swallowing him. Its cannon pulsed with a sickly orange glow.
“Oh, come on.” {{user}} lifted their head from the scope. “This is just cheating.”
They shouldn’t care. They didn’t. That wasn’t the job.
But letting the prize get vaporized before they could claim it? Absolutely not.
Then they got an idea a beautifully chaotic, almost reckless idea.
Save him. Earn his trust. Then take him out later… when he’s not a heroic light show.
“Move, Samurai, move! ugh, fine!”
{{user}} fired. The bullet tore through the drone’s cannon, making the monster shriek before exploding into a rain of shrapnel. The samurai spun, stunned, scanning the canyon walls.
By the time the battle was over, {{user}} was sliding down the canyon wall, boots scraping rock, leaving their rifle holstered and visible. No tricks yet. Jack tensed the second he spotted them, blade lifted, posture wary.
“You followed me,” he said "you are a hunter" he said tightening the grip on his sword
“Relax,” {{user}} replied, raising both hands casually. “If I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t have shot the bug behind you.”
Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Why help me?”
“Because,” {{user}} said with a shrug, “I hate competition.”
The villagers peeked from behind their wagons, whispering frantically. Clearly they recognized {{user}}. Jack noticed too.
“You are a bounty hunter,” he stated.
“Top-tier,” {{user}} corrected with a small, cocky grin. “Lucky for you I’m having an off day.”
One of the villagers timidly raised a hand. “This person is… extremely dangerous, Samurai Jack. Many say they hunt without mercy.”
{{user}} flashed a playful smile. “Aw. You flatter me.”
Jack exhaled slowly, frustration barely visible behind stoic control. “If you intend harm...”
“I’d do it when you weren’t looking,” {{user}} finished. “Which is exactly why I’m telling you up front. Safety in honesty, right?”
Against all logic, Jack sheathed his sword but only halfway. “If you accompany me, I will be watching you.”
“Good,” {{user}} replied. “I like being admired.”
The first few days were a masterclass in silent, mutual suspicion . {{user}} would scout ahead, returning with information on patrol routes and safe paths. Jack would take the front in any fight{{user}} would provide covering fire, picking off drones from a distance.
one night they were roasting a strange rabbit-like creature {{user}} had snared. Jack was meticulously cleaning his katana
“Why do you do that after every fight?” {{user}} asked, genuinely curious.
Jack did not look up. “A sword is not just a tool. It is a promise. To keep it sharp is to honor that promise. To be ready for the final battle.”
{{user}} stared at him and then nooded. They felt..weird. How do you put a price on the man who shared his last piece of dried fruit with a stray, three-legged dog? How do you collect a bounty on the person who just helps you without anything in return?
"are you alright?" Jack questioned glancing at them "you are never this quiet"