SAMURAI POWERPUFFS

EPILOGUE

With Aku defeated, the demon slipped into the realm of legend. So, eventually, did the samurai class itself, as ancient tribal dynasties gave way to the modern nation-state of Japan. Many became scholars, teachers, artisans of all kinds and especially, martial arts instructors. The one who had been known in the future simply as Jack turned away from the traditional militaristic way of life of the samurai warrior and continued his quest for knowledge, while writing his memoirs in the hope that future generations might learn from them.

Jack would never know the part his magical sword had played in shaping future events, other than the ones his own eyes had witnessed. But, its purpose was served and it became just another sword. It stayed in his family, along with his writings, which were largely ignored by the people of his society and even ridiculed in some quarters. Eventually, the sword and much of his written work became lost, as happens to things when passed down over many generations. Blossom had been correct about one thing. The samurai's personal struggle with the demon in his own heart would continue for the rest of his time on earth. He could have become bitter at not having his tales believed, but to do that would be a battle lost. It mattered little, for the important work had been done. The future had been freed from its enslavement. He could have remained a warrior, keeping pure in spirit to the ways of the samurai yet perhaps serving the wishes of an impure master. That would be another battle lost. So he chose the path of non-violence. All the days of his life, there would be battles to fight, decisions to be made.

One day, the girls would come to understand why the world had seemed to change so little upon arriving back in their past. One man could not alone undo all of the evil that had been caused by those who had lost their fights with the demons inside them. Bad things would still continue to happen in their future. But they remembered the samurai's words. Unless they continued fighting the small, personal battles with evil and not just the great ones, they would never lose.

Losing was something they could not and would not do. For they knew, though his name was never recorded in any history book, that Samurai Jack had won the greatest battle of his life.

THE END

1 The trip happened in my first Powerpuff novella, Fight the Big Apple.

2 The name 'Mojh' borrowed from The Brother from Another Dimension by Jennifer Lynn Weston.