Untitled: Chapter 1

By: DA KLOWN

Disclaimer: Alas, Jack is not mine. He belongs to the Almighty Collective Ominous Cloud that is Cartoon Network. When it rains, it rains hypnotic, disturbingly large leeches that suck out all knowledge of any previously viewed show/network, and regurgitates all that was, is, and will be, the Cartoon Network Empire into your brain. And he belongs to that Gennedy Tartakovsky guy.
Author's Note: This is my fist fic. EVER. I have read fics since the third grade, but never actually written one. SO if it's that terrible, do send some constructive criticism. Reviews are very welcome. I've had this idea forever, but was too afraid, and procrastinated too much to ever get around to writing it. Hopefully, I won't screw this up.
Summary: Everyone has spoken of Mad Jack's return in fanfiction, but no one has actually written one. I got tired of waiting dammit. This takes place a few months after Jack had his first encounter with Mad Jack, and he is recalling this memory with the Scotsman.. This was supposed to be a one shot, but I got carried away with trying to set the story up. More chapters later…with possible Yaoi/slash. Enjoy.
Japanese terms/phrases:Itai- It's basically how they say "Ow" in Japanese. Why they need four letters, I'm not sure.

"A doppelganger."

"…A whut now?" The Scotsman gave Jack a curious look, setting his empty mug on the bar counter.

Jack didn't look up, his eyes shielded by the straw hat, were fixed on his fingers, which were a toying with an empty shot glass that had been absently left on the counter. "A doppelganger. Simply put, it is an evil twin. The dark side of one's self, personified. Aku was kind enough give me one that day, when it seemed as if the world was out to get me. "

The Scotsman smirked. "Aye, but the world is out ta get ya laddie." He waved the bartender over to refill his mug. At this comment, Jack flashed an irritated look. The Scotsman's smirk faded, and he turned back to his mug, taking a sip to avoid Jack's gaze from boring a hole through his skull. After a few gulps, he stared back at Jack, who now had his head in his hand, massaging his temples. The Scotsman stared at him for a few minutes. After a moment, he spoke up. "So…this doppelganger 'a yours…How did he get there? Was he here ta take over your identity or somethin'? Why then?" Jack looked up, but not at the Scotsman. Instead, he simply stared at the mirrored wall behind the counter.

"He came when I had flown into a rage." Then he looked puzzled. "I had never been filled with such anger before…ever. I just…I could not take it. I know it does not appear like much to be mad about. It happens, I understand. But, you should have seen them…they came, one after another...not stopping. It was like they all knew exactly where I was, at what time. I just…I could not take it…" He closed his eyes, putting a hand to his forehead again. He felt another migraine coming on. He had never had one of these before either, but they seemed to frequent as of late.

The Scotsman listened, casually sipping his beer. "Well…ya beat 'em, right? I mean, ya shoulda felt satisfied aftur all that, now." He glanced at Jack. "Are you all right? Ya look like ya just been clubbed in the back 'a yur head."

For the first time, Jack looked up and met his gaze. "It is just a headache. I will be fine, I assure you. And yes, I did feel satisfied, until…" Jack trailed off.

The Scotsman leaned in slightly, anticipating the samurai's answer. "Until…?" Jack's gaze turned away from the Scotsman, and he muttered his reply, hoping the Scotsman wouldn't hear him, but he did, and his head fell on the counter in a fit of hysterics. "YUR SHOE BROKE! Is that all! Your 'doppelganger' appeared because yur SHOE BROKE!" he said between the cackles. Although he couldn't see it, Jack's face flushed red.

"It was not just that! I just became so infuriated! I could not stand it any longer! I picked it up, and threw it at one of those signs with my picture on it. I turned my back for one minute, and then there was this flash, and when I turned around, HE was there." Jack turned back to the Scotsman, whom was wiping the tears away from his eyes. He quickly straightened up when Jack flashed his obsidian gaze again. "You should have seen him. He was just…standing there. With this smug grin on his face. At first I did not understand, and then he explained who he was, and why he had come. And that just angered me further! I started to attack him, and we began to fight. It seemed like I would never defeat him, and I became so frustrated, and full of rage, my head felt like it would just…Agh!" Jack threw his hat off his head, tossing it across the room and gathering a few puzzled glances from the other patrons in the process. He clasped his head, and began breathing heavily. "Ahhh…itai…itaiii…Arrrrrgh!"

"Whoa…are you alright laddie? Calm down." He reached over to put a hand on his shoulder. Jack swatted at him.

"I am fine…I just…" he took a deep breath. "I'm fine. I did defeat him though. And then he disappeared as quickly as he had come. And everything was bearable for a while. But…"

The Scotsman gave him a look of reassurance. "Well, hey it's no big deal, right? If he's gone, you don't have anything to worry about. You're rid of him! Move on." He chugged the rest of his beer, and smiled at Jack, beer froth in his mustache and beard. Jack looked at him, with an exhausted look, one that conveyed feelings of frustration, bewilderment, and misery all at once. And when he spoke, his voice was weak, and thin.

"That…that is just it. He…he is gone, and I know that. But if that is the reality…" his voice became that of a child, confused and misunderstood. His eyes fixed on the shot glass still in front of him. "…Why do I still hear him? Why do I see him? Why is he still here?" The Scotsman's beer clad grin started to fade as Jack spoke. "If what you say is true, he should be gone. He should not be talking to me anymore. He should not be trailing one step behind me, when I walk alone at night. He should not be lying there next to me, breathing down my neck as I sleep…why…what does he want from me…?" Jack stared back at him with a look of vulnerability, and helplessness in his eyes.

At this the Scotsman didn't know what to say. He simply stared at him. He searched for an answer, he wanted to say something, anything to comfort him, but all that came out was, "I…I don't…" When Jack didn't get an answer out of him, his eyes fell to the ground. He whirled around in his stool, walked over to his hat that lay on the floor. He picked it up, put it on, and trodded out the sliding doors without a word. Leaving the Scotsman, just as bewildered and lost.

And that's all! Wheeeeee! I'm glad the way this turned out…the ending wasn't forced like I thought it was going to be, and it's ending is vague, but gives enough closure for it to be a one-shot if no one reviews it D. So, yeah! Please review everyone! The reviews will determine whether I continue to feed this twisted abomination I hath created. Oh, and if you can, I need a title. That's usually the last thing I do, but I couldn't think of one… .

Anyway…Later happy people! Enjoy!