Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ashi had lived all her life surrounded by women. The only people she knew while she lived in the Aku worshippers cave for 22 years were her mother the High Priestess, her six identical sisters, and the other cult members.

They were nothing like the Scotsman’s family.

Soon after Jack retrieved his lost sword, he and Ashi went in search of Aku’s tower. Before long they came upon an army going the same direction; the Scotsman and his massive army of daughters. Besides the fact that Jack’s old friend was a ghost, Ashi was bewildered by the sheer numbers of young women he called his children. Like her and her sisters they were all identical, but there were more of them. Much more. Ashi lost count after twenty. They were all muscular, statuesque redheads in matching red tartans, all boisterous and rowdy warriors who talked and laughed a lot. Their voices were loud and friendly and they gave Ashi the warmest welcome she could have imagined. Grateful though she was, Ashi couldn’t keep any of their names straight.

The only one who stood out to her was Flora. She was the eldest and her father’s second-in-command, and it showed in the confident way she carried herself. Her clothing was different from sisters and she carried her undead father’s broken sword. She was the first to extend her hand in friendship to Ashi, and had a firm handshake and a warm smile.

Ashi wasn’t sure why but she liked Flora right away and wanted to talk to her more, but in a group this big that was hard to do. Flora’s many sisters were always coming between them, asking Ashi all sorts of questions like how she met the great Samurai Jack, why she was wearing leaves, had she ever eaten haggis, and why she was such a little toothpick. When they weren’t asking questions they were challenging her to tests of strength. Jack assured her that this was the way of the Scotsman’s clan when introduced to someone new.

By the end of the first day, when the army set up camp for the night, Ashi was completely worn out from all the talking, eating, arm wrestling, and general roughhousing. She needed a break and a quiet place to regain her energy. Unfortunately during all the commotion she and Jack were separated and now she had no idea where he was. And who should she bump into while searching for him but Flora.

“Oh!” Ashi said in surprise. She had to tilt her head back to look the tall woman in the face. “Sorry, I didn’t see you.”

Flora arched her red eyebrows in surprise. “Didn’t see me?” she echoed in confusion. Then she chuckled and grinned. “It’s dangerous not to watch where yer  goin’, lassie. I was right in front o’ you. Had I been a cliff ye would’ve fallen right over the edge.”

Ashi frowned slightly, unsure if Flora was scolding or teasing her. Her face felt oddly warmer than before. “I’m looking for Jack,” she said. “Do you know where he is?”

Flora nodded and pointed her thumb over her shoulder. “In my father’s tent. They’re catchin’ up on fifty years worth o' stories, so ye likely won’t be seein’ him again fer hours.”

Ashi sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in disappointment. “Great…”

Flora chuckled again. “If it’s company ye want, we have plenty of that. Ye’ll never be lonely with this crowd, that you can be sure of.”

“No thank you,” Ashi replied, smiling as politely as she could. “I just wanted to know if Jack was still here. I’ve had more than enough company today.”

“Have ye, now?” Flora asked. “What a lucky coincidence! So have I! Don’t tell my sisters, but even I need a break from them now an' then. That’s why Dad put me in charge; I’m the mellow one.”

Ashi arched a curious eyebrow, and looked Flora up and down. Nothing about her appearance or bearing seemed mellow to her, but she chose not to comment.

“Come with me, lass,” Flora said, gesturing for Ashi to follow her. “If it’s peace and quiet ye want, I now where we can find it.”

“We?” Ashi echoed.

“Aye, you and me.” Flora’s bright smile flickered with uncertainty. “Er, that’s not a problem, is it?”

“No,” Ashi said quickly. “No problem at all. Lead the way.”

Flora led Ashi to a river a short distance from the camp. The lively chatter of the Scotsman’s daughters was quieter here. The sun had gone down, the moon was rising, and the stars were coming out. Ashi smiled at the sight of them and Flora breathed a sigh of relief.

“Now this is more like it,” Flora said, seating herself on the spongy turf at the riverbank. “Ye can really see the stars from here.”

“Yeah,” Ashi said, sitting next to her and hugging her knees to her chest. “You know, until a few weeks ago I never saw the stars before.”

“You what?” Flora said in surprise. “How's that possible? Were ye raised in a cave?”

“Yes,” Ashi said simply.

Flora blinked in silence for a moment. “Really?”

Ashi nodded, gazing out at the water. “My sisters and I were born there. Mother trained us from birth to be ruthless warriors. We had no time for the distractions of the outside world.”

“That’s a shame," Flora said. "Yer sisters… were ye close?”

Ashi shook her head. “Mother wouldn’t allow it. When we weren’t training she kept us all separated. That’s why your family is so strange to me. There’s so many of you, but you’re all so… so close.”

Flora said nothing. What could she say to that? As she stared out at the river and pondered the things Ashi had told her, she heard a sniffling sound. She looked and saw tears running down Ashi’s cheeks.

Flustered, Flora began to fuss over her. “Oh! W-What’s wrong, lassie? Why are ye crying?”

Ashi touched her face, confused by her own tears. “I… I don’t know…” She sniffled again and turned her face away as she wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I said all that… I still haven’t told Jack…”

Not knowing what else to do, Flora put an arm around Ashi’s shoulders. She was so tiny and frail compared to her. If she squeezed too hard the poor little thing would break.

“I’m sorry,” Flora said. “I shouldn’t’ve said that about ye livin’ in a cave…”

Ashi leaned against her, keeping her head down to hide her tears. “It’s not your fault,” she said tiredly. “Just stay for awhile. I… I don’t want to be alone.”

Flora nodded and said nothing else.

—————–

Sorry this took so long I had an entire episode in my head that needed to get out.

Chapter Text

The entire army cheered. It was over. Jack had finally done it. Aku was dead, and the universe was free of his tyranny forever.

The celebration lasted throughout the night, but the next morning was a complete reversal in mood. Many had given their lives in battle against Aku; humans, robots, talking dogs, blue monkeys, Woolies, Triseraquins, and more. The survivors worked together to bury their fallen friends, and when they had finished they held a simple yet respectful memorial service.

During all of this, Ashi stayed by Jack’s side. Flora couldn’t blame her after all she'd been through. The poor girl had discovered Aku was her father. Now he was dead and Jack was the closest thing to family she had left. It was understandable that she would have grown attached to him during all the time they traveled together. Perhaps she had even fallen in love with him.

That was why Flora couldn’t help feeling jealous. She wanted to be the one Ashi felt closest to, the one she went to for support and comfort during this time of emotional turmoil. But if Ashi didn’t feel the same there was nothing Flora could do but respect her decision.

After the funeral service the army leaders gathered their remaining forces to return to their homes and spread the news that Aku was dead. Flora was feeding her giant stag for the long journey when someone tapped her on the shoulder. It was Ashi, still clad in the mysterious black substance that coated her body ever since Aku had taken control of her. To Flora’s surprise she was smiling.

“Hey,” Ashi said. “Is this a bad time? I was hoping I could talk to you."

“Oh! Aye, o' course we can talk,” Flora said. She cleared her throat and put a hand on her hip, trying to act casual. “So what can I do for ye, lass?”

Ashi held up her right hand and stared at it. "Well… I thought I lost Aku’s powers when he died, but it seems I haven’t." Her forearm reshaped itself into a sharp black blade. "I guess they’re a part of me now," she went on, arm resuming its normal shape. "And I was thinking… If Aku had the power to send Jack to this future, maybe I could send him back to the past.”

Flora's jaw dropped, eyes wide and round. "What? Crivens, Ashi, that’s brilliant! Ye could help Jack stop Aku's evil from ever happenin'!”

Ashi frowned. "Yes, but… Aku was my father. If Jack kills him in the past, I could never be born."

Flora's eyebrows rose upward in horror. "Oh. When ye put it that way, that's...less brilliant."

Ashi nodded. "And it's not just me. Aku created this entire future. If he dies before he can create it, would everyone here cease to exist? All of the innocent people who live in this world, all those brave souls who lost their lives fighting for freedom… They'd be wiped out forever." She clenched her fists at her sides. "I don’t want that. I want all those sacrifices to mean something. I want this messy, beautiful world they fought for to exist. And... I want to exist, too." She looked up at Flora, eyes filled with uncertainty. "Is that selfish of me?”

Frowning, Flora gripped Ashi's shoulders. "No! Don't be daft! Listen, Ashi, there's nothin' selfish about wantin' to exist. Not a single blessed thing. I remember what ye told me about yer life. Yer mum decided yer destiny fer ye before ye were born, and after ye finally tasted a bit o’ freedom Aku snatched it away. Now they’re gone and nobody can hold ye back from livin' the life ye choose. Don't throw away yer chance for happiness to please Jack, or anybody else. Yer destiny belongs to you."

Ashi gazed up at Flora. Their eyes remained locked for several seconds, fierce green and deep black. Then Ashi's lips curved into a shaky smile, eyes misting over with tears of relief. “Thanks, Flora. I’m so glad I met you. I feel like I can tell you anything.”

Flora smiled back and gently dried her tears with her thumb. "Yer more than welcome, Ashi. So, ah, was there anythin’ else ye wanted to talk about?”

Ashi's brows furrowed in thought. "Um… Well, I still feel I should offer Jack the choice of a time portal. Maybe if I tell him what I told you he'll choose not to use it. If that happens, I want us to spend more time together.”

Hearing this, Flora's heart sank. She released her grip on Ashi's shoulders and tried to keep her smile from looking too plastic. "More time with Jack? I thought ye’d be sick o’ him by now.”

Ashi shook her head. "No, Flora, I meant you."

Flora gaped at her in silence for a moment, utterly stunned. “Me?"

“I know we just met a few days ago," Ashi went on, looking at her feet and twisting her hands. "But I…um, well, I enjoy your company a lot. I’m not really sure what this feeling is but…but I really like you, Flora.”

“Wow…" was Flora's reply. Her freckled cheeks turned pink and she chuckled nervously. "Ye really feel that way about me? I thought that was how ye felt about Jack.”

Ashi shook her head again, still avoiding eye contact. “I do like him, but it feels different than it does with you. He’s more like…like the father I never had.”

Flora felt as if a weight was lifted from her shoulders. So that was how it was between those two. Then it was safe for her to confess her feelings. "Well, I, ah…" she began, shifting her weight from one foot to the other and scratching the back of her head. "I’m glad ye told me all this because... I don’t mean to be too forward, but I really like ye, too, Ashi.”

Ashi looked up at her with a shy smile, cheeks turning pink. "Thank you. So what happens now?"

Flora extended her hand to her. "Maybe we could get a start on spendin' time together?"

"I'd like that." Ashi placed her hand in Flora's and squeezed gently. "You know, it's funny...Growing up I never expected destiny to lead me to you."

“Well, that's the funny thing about destiny," Flora said, closing her thick fingers around Ashi's slim hand. "You never know who ye're gonna end up with.”

Chapter Text

"Babe, I'm pregnant."

Ashi looked up from her book detailing the history of the Triseraquin kingdom and rolled her eyes. "Flora, we both know that's impossible."

Flora grinned cheekily and rested her elbow on the table. "I dunno about that, darlin'. How was it that ye were conceived?"

Ashi sighed deeply, eyes on her book. "We've been over this. Aku filled a cup with his evil essence and my mother used it to impregnate herself."

Flora's grin widened. "And ye're the daughter of Aku. What if--"

"No."

Flora groaned and threw her arms up dramatically. "Oh, come on! Why can't we 'ave a baby, Ashi? Don't ye ever wonder what it'd be like t' hear the pitter patter of a wee bairn's feet around the castle?"

Ashi kept her eyes on her book. "Flora, I'm the last living piece of Aku left in this world. Do you really think it's wise to produce more babies with concentrated pure evil in their blood?"

"Och, not this again," Flora grumbled. "First of all, ye're only half demon so the baby'd be three-quarters human. Second of all, ye're not Aku! Yer powers are yer own, and that viscous black goop ye secrete at will is yer own, too!"

Ashi peered over the top of her book and silently frowned at her girlfriend with her eyes.

Flora paused, realizing what she'd said. She cleared her throat and smiled sheepishly. "O' course, I meant all that in the best way possible."

Ashi's eyes disappeared behind the book. "Forget it. I'm still not doing it."

Flora sat quietly for a moment, her chin in her hand and red eyebrows crinkled in thought. "Y'know, there's more than one way t' have children. There's many an orphaned child in need of loving parents. Wouldn't it be grand to bring one o' those poor dears into our home and raise 'em as our own?"

Ashi slowly lowered the book, thinking over Flora's proposal. "That could be nice... Do you think I'd be a good mom?"

Flora smiled affectionately and nodded. "Aye. Ye'd be a grand mum, Ashi."

Ashi smiled back. "Not as good as you. You helped raise all twenty-five of your sisters."

"Twenty-seven."

Ashi's eyes widened in amazement. "Wow. I can't even imagine giving birth to that many children. How did your mother do it?"

Flora chuckled uncomfortably. "It's best not to think about it."

Chapter Text

Flora and Ashi started sharing a bed about six weeks into their relationship. It began when they needed to stay at an inn where the last vacant room had only one bed. Flora was a big woman so Ashi offered to let her have it and sleep on the cold floor, but Flora wouldn’t hear of it. So they ended up spooning on the tiny mattress, huddling together for warmth under the blanket as snow fell outside the window.

Ashi had never shared a bed with anyone before in her life. It was surprisingly comfortable. Flora’s big body wasn’t just strong, it was warm and soft in all the right places and her powerful arms all but swallowed Ashi up in a protective embrace. She lay awake for almost an hour, feeling Flora’s heartbeat against her back and warm breath on her neck. And she smelled so nice, like sweat, damp soil, grass, and flowers all at once. When Ashi finally fell asleep it was the most satisfying sleep she ever had.

After that, sharing a bed became a habit they both enjoyed at the end of a long day of adventuring. To make the experience even more comfortable they bought pajamas at a village market. And over time, cuddling for warmth escalated into explorations of other forms of physical intimacy. There were even some nights were they went to bed with no clothes at all.

One morning Flora woke up to find Ashi wearing a long tunic that was several sizes too large for her. And she had her face buried in the fabric, sniffing it deeply.

“Is that my shirt?” Flora asked, propping herself up on her elbows.

Ashi flinched in surprise and blushed with embarrassment. “Um, kinda… I’m sorry I shouldn’t have taken it without asking you…”

Flora smirked at her, long red hair unbraided and flowing over her freckled shoulders and back. “If ye like it that much ye can keep it. I don’t mind sleepin’ nude.”

“But…” Ashi began, cheeks turning as red as Flora’s hair. She was so beautiful that she couldn’t remember what she was about to say.

“But nothin’,” Flora said. She reached out and wrapped an arm around Ashi’s slim waist and gently pulled her closer. “Now come back here. If ye get to wear my clothes, I get to kiss you.”

“O-Okay…” Ashi managed to say at last.

Her face was still bright red when Flora kissed her.

Chapter Text

The day Ashi and Flora went to a game arcade for the first time was a day that would live infamy.

It started with a simple two player puzzle game. Ashi had never played a video game before, a fact Flora used to her advantage at first. But Ashi was a fast learner. As soon as she learned how the controls worked Flora lost her advantage and what started out as a friendly competition escalated into all out war.

Both women were fiercely competitive and hated to lose, so it was one contest after another. They played every game in the arcade. The racing games, the fighting games, the puzzle games, the pinball games, the Wack-A-Mole game, even Skee Ball and the basketball toss. No matter what they played they couldn't break their tie.

They decided to play Dance Paradise Turbo as their tiebreaker. Unfortunately they were still neck and neck on the scoreboard. So Flora used the last trick in her arsenal, passed down to her from her father; trash talk.

"Hah!" Flora scoffed. "Ye dance like a cow with two left feet and a broken leg!"

Ashi snapped back at her. "You dance like a cow with two left feet and fourbroken legs!"

"Why ye little...!" Flora stopped dancing to loom threateningly over her smaller girlfriend. "Ye dance like yer mother!"

Ashi gasped in shock and also stopped dancing to argue. "How dare you compare me to her! I would never insult you that way!"

"Hah!" Flora scoffed again. "What is there about me mum to insult? She's the sweetest, daintiest, most graceful creature to ever grace this Earth with her presence!"

"Oh yeah?" Ashi snarled. "Your mother's haggis tastes like feet!"

Flora gasped in absolute horror. "What?! You take that back, ye puny little toothpick of a--"

"GAME OVER!" the game's prerecorded voice boomed. "YOU LOSE!"

Both women stopped their argument and gaped at the screen. The game had ended while they were fighting and both of them had earned failing scores. It was their first loss all night.

They stood there sweaty and panting, staring at the screen in silence. Then they turned their backs on each other, refusing to make eye contact.

"I hate you," Ashi muttered.

"I hate you," Flora muttered back. "But I love you."

Ashi glanced at Flora over her shoulder. Flora did the same. A moment of awkward silence passed.

"Um..." Flora began, averting her eyes again. "Well, that's that. Shall we call it a truce fer today?"

Ashi sighed. She just couldn't stay angry with Flora. "Fine. I'm sorry I said your mother's haggis was bad."

Flora stared down at her boots. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry. It was wrong o' me to compare ye to the black-hearted beast yer mum was. Ye have every right to hate me."

Ashi smiled at her gratefully. Then she bent down and scooped up the armful of tickets from the floor. "You can make it up to me by getting me a prize. All these tickets must be worth something."

Flora smiled back and looked over at the wall of shelves where all the prizes were kept. "I reckon we've enough for one o' those giant stuffed animals up there. Would ye prefer the rainbow unicorn, polka dot dragon, or rabbit with a top hat an' bow tie?"

"The rabbit looks friendly. I'd like the purple one."

"Done. Oi! Teenage arcade worker! Fetch me yer finest stuffed rabbit! Me bonnie lass deserves nothin' but the best!"

Chapter Text

Ashi couldn’t control her body. She felt numb but she was still in motion, like some huge puppeteer was deciding her actions for her. Her arms and legs were scythe-like black blades, carving out a path of death and destruction through army after army. Above the screams she heard gloating laughter. She couldn’t see him but she knew who it was.

Her heart sank and her stomach dropped like a stone, but her body kept moving. She continued her relentless assault, slicing her way through scores of enemies, cries of terror and sprays of blood in every direction.

“Yes! Kill her! Kill them all! Make your father proud, my daughter of Aku!”

And then she saw her, a mighty warrior woman with long red braids holding a shield in one hand and a broken sword in the other. She stood her ground as Ashi swooped down on her and blocked every strike from her twin blades with her shield. Then she was swinging the jagged stump of a blade at her, unable to strike her with it. Suddenly her face twisted into a look of shock. Ashi looked down and saw that one of her arm blades had pierced right through the woman’s stomach. Her green eyes were huge and her mouth open in a soundless cry as her blood spilled to the earth.

“NO!”

Ashi jolted awake with a scream. She sat in bed panting and sweating and trembling all over.

“Ashi?”

She turned to see Flora in bed beside her, confused and disheveled from sleep but very much alive and unharmed.

“A dream…” Ashi muttered, raising a shaky hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead. “Just a dream…”

“A dream?” Flora echoed, sitting up with a frown. “From the way ye were screamin’ it must’ve been a nightmare.”

Ashi nodded weakly, pushing her wet bangs from her sticky forehead. “It was…” she said, speaking between breaths. “Aku… he was controlling me… I couldn’t stop it… And I… I killed you…”

Flora frowned harder. She put an arm around Ashi’s slim, shaking shoulders. “There, there, lassie,” she said gently. “It wasn’t real. He’s gone and I’m here. Everything’s alright.”

Ashi leaned heavily against her, trying to calm down but still breathing hard. “But… what if it’s real? What if…there’s still a piece of him alive inside me? What if he takes control of me again, and… and what if I hurt you?”

“That will never happen,” Flora said without hesitation.

“You don’t know that,” Ashi replied. “Maybe you shouldn’t be around me. Maybe it’s safer if I left…”

“No,” Flora said firmly. She took Ashi’s chin between her thumb and forefinger and lifted her head to look her in the eye. “Ashi, I love you. Please don’t go. If ye’re right and there’s still a piece of him alive in you, we’ll beat him together. I swear on my father’s grave I'll not let that demon have his way with you ever again.”

Ashi gazed up at her, tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. Flora looked so sincere, so brave and gentle all at once. She laid her head against her chest and wrapped her arms around her waist, hands tangling in her long red hair as her body shook with sobs.

Flora said nothing. She simply held Ashi and rocked her, stroking her short black hair and humming a soft lullaby her mother taught her. Ashi clung to her even after her sobs quieted down and her shaking stopped. The longer she stayed in Flora’s arms the more sure she was that she wasn’t dreaming.

“Thank you,” Ashi murmured at last. She lifted her face from Flora’s chest, tears running down her cheeks and smiling bravely. “I love you, too, Flora. I won’t go.”

Flora dried her tears and kissed the top of her head. “And neither will I.”

Chapter Text

When Ashi and Flora stopped in a forest village for food and water they didn’t expect to run into one of Aku’s former minions. Even though their master was long dead his servants still roamed the Earth, and this one was especially dangerous.

The encounter happened after a brawl broke out at the tavern where the two women were eating their dinner. No one knew what started it, but soon drunken mutants and robots were slugging it out and one of them crashed into their table, knocking their dishes to the floor. Hungry and tired, both their tempers flared over the gratuitous waste of food they hadn’t gotten to eat. Soon Flora was punching, kicking, and throwing the brawlers around the room like rag dolls while Ashi’s inky black arms morphed into blades that moved faster than the eye could see.

Soon there was a pile of bruised and bloody bodies on the tavern floor. Ashi and Flora were the only ones left standing and they weren’t even winded from the fight. Then they heard a squeaky high-pitched cackle from a corner booth at the back of the room. A cloaked, pitch black figure with blue flames flickering on top of his head floated into view. He introduced himself as Demongo the Soul Collector, formerly Aku’s most powerful minion. Now he was his own master and travelled the globe stealing the essence of powerful warriors.

“You two are strong warriors indeed!” Demongo said, levitating above the floor. “Such skill and power! I must have you both for my collection!”

“Like hell ye will, ye blithering tattie-bogle!” Flora growled, drawing her broadsword. It was her father’s magic sword, restored to its former glory. The reinscribed Celtic runes glowed with fresh magic. “Come on, Ashi, let’s cut this squeaky-voiced dobber into a pile o’ ribbons.”

“Be careful, Flora,” Ashi said cautiously. “He’s not like the others we’ve fought. I can feel the same darkness that Aku had within him.”

“How perceptive you are,” Demongo sneered. “And how remarkable! I sense Aku’s dark essence within you as well, my dear girl. Or shall I call you Daughter of Aku?”

Ashi’s face twisted into an angry grimace and her fingers turning into sharp claws. “No, you shall not.”

Demongo hummed in thought and tapped his chin. “Interesting… Your essence is a rare prize indeed. With your power I will become greater than Aku himself!”

“No ye won’t, ye doaty bampot!” Flora snapped, stepping between them brandishing her sword over her head. “I won’t let you! Ye’ll only take Ashi’s essence over my cold, dead body!”

“As you wish,” Demongo chuckled, sweeping his black cape open to reveal a torso full of skulls.

And so a new battle began. Instead of fighting the two women himself, Demongo sent forth the essence of stolen warriors to do his fighting for him, imprisoned within his collection of skulls. Ashi and Flora had no trouble fighting them off, but for each warrior they defeated Demongo had a new one to take their place. As if that weren’t enough his constant squeaky cackling was grating on their nerves.

“Good grief, does this howlin' nyaff ever shut up?” Flora growled, slicing the head from a four armed Cyclops. “If I have to listen to that lavvy heid’s shrill giggling any longer I’ll cut my own ears off!”

“We have to get past these warriors!” Ashi replied, skewering a cyborg pirate and kicking him away. “He must be weaker than they are if he keeps hiding behind them!”

“Good thinking, lassie,” Flora said. “Can ye use yer powers to knock out these numpties while I deliver the killin’ blow?”

“Gladly,” Ashi said with a smirk.

Her eyes flashed with red light and fired beams of burning energy, cutting a swath through the crowd of warriors. Demongo was so surprised and disoriented by the smoky explosions that he didn’t see Flora coming until she was right on top of him. The magic runes flashed blue as she ran her sword straight through his abdomen, which was full of skulls containing stolen essences.

With an ear piercing scream, Demongo exploded in a burst of light. Flora shielded her eyes with one arm, and Ashi reached out with elongated black arms to snatch her out of harm’s way.

When the light faded and the smoke cleared, Demongo was reduced to a wispy black human-shaped twig crumpled on the floor. The skulls that once made up his torso were in pieces and his army was gone.

“Hah!” Flora scoffed, resting her sword on her shoulder and her free hand on her hip. “So after all o’ that boastin’ this is all ye are! Not so tough without yer army of driveling galoots now, are ya?”

Ashi stood next to Flora and narrowed her eyes at the pathetic creature before her. Demongo froze at the sight of her, terror in his glowing blue eyes.

“Please,” he begged, kneeling with his hands clasped imploringly. “Have mercy on me! I meant no disrespect to you or your friend! Please spare my life, mighty Daughter of Aku!”

Ashi’s right arm became a wicked black scythe. She held the razor sharp tip to Demongo’s trembling throat.

“First,” she growled in a low, dangerous voice. “Never, ever, ever call me that. Second, I never want to see your pathetic, cowardly face again. And third, if I ever hear about you stealing people’s essence again, I won’t be so nice next time.”

“And that goes double for me,” Flora added, stabbing the tip of her big sword into the floorboards in front of her. “Are we clear, ye scabby sniveling feartie?”

Demongo gulped audibly and nodded his head up and down. “Y-Y-Yes, c-c-crystal clear!”

“Good.” Ashi pulled her scythe arm back and pointed to the tavern’s broken doorway. “Now get out of our sight.”

Terrified for his life, Demongo scrambled across the floor on all fours and out the door as fast as he could.

“Ha ha ha!” Flora laughed, sliding her sword back into its scabbard. “He scurried off with his tail between ‘is legs! Good work, lassie. Ye scared the jobbies out o’ that wee tattie.”

Ashi smiled proudly as her right arm resumed its normal shape. “Thank you, but I can’t take all the credit. You’re the one who dealt the finishing blow.”

Flora clapped a hand on Ashi’s shoulder and grinned. “What do ye say we leave this dump an’ find another tavern for our dinners? My treat.”

“Good idea,” Ashi said, placing her hand over Flora’s. “I’ll treat next time.”

Chapter Text

Ashi was excited to see a real movie for the first time ever. It was Flora’s idea and she was generously paying for everything. They went to an outdoor movie theater in a park where people laid blankets on the grass and watched the movie on a big screen after the sun went down.

Ashi was in charge of choosing their spot. She spread the blanket out on the grass a comfortable distance from the screen and waited for Flora to come back from the food vendors carts. She returned with her arms full of candy, hot dogs, popcorn, and flavored slushee drinks.

“Wow, Flora, are you planning to feed an army with all that food?” Ashi teased.

“Oh, shut it,” Flora said with a chuckle, sitting down beside her on the blanket and setting the food out before them. “Snacks are part o’ the movie goin’ experience, so start eatin’. If ye want my advice, start with the hot dog while it’s still hot.”

Ashi complied and took a hot dog covered in ketchup, mustard and relish. She hesitated before biting into it. “Why is it called a hot dog? Is it made from dog meat?”

Flora burst out laughing and nearly choked on her own hot dog. “Ha ha ha! No, ‘o course not! They’re mostly beef an’ pork, I think. Maybe a bit o’ chicken, too. And they’ve lots ‘o different names. Frankfurter, frank, wiener, weenie, tube steak, sausage, banger, take yer pic.”

“Oh,” Ashi said, confused by the list of alternate names. “Well, if it’s not made from dog meat, I’ll give it a try.” She took a bite and chewed it thoughtfully. Her eyes went wide with amazement at the new flavors dancing on her tongue. “This is wonderful!”

Flora laughed and took a big bite of her own hot dog. “Next time we should try 'em with sauerkraut. And chili. Now that’s wonderful.”

Just then the big screen a few rows in front of them lit up and thrilling orchestral music began to play from the speakers. The movie was starting. It was an old film from many centuries ago, when musicals were still popular. The title was Brigadoon, and it was set in the Scottish Highlands.

“I see now why you chose this movie,” Ashi commented, still chewing on her hot dog. “Have you seen it before?”

“Nope,” Flora said, wiping ketchup from her mouth with the back of her hand. “This is my first time seein’ it. All I know is Dad never liked it. Said it was a joke performed by talentless hacks with terribly fake accents who could na sing or dance their way out o’ a paper bag.” She winked slyly. “But Dad’s not here.”

Ashi giggled and they returned to watching the movie.

It wasn’t long before Flora began seeing her father had a point. The first musical number featuring Scottish characters was definitely not performed by Scottish actors. Their accents were painfully phony, an exaggeration of how her people sounded to foreign ears. It was the same with the costumes, singing, and dancing. They were all more Broadway than Scotland. Before long she had the sneaking suspicion that she and her family were being personally insulted by this film from hundreds of years ago.

Ashi, however, was completely spellbound with the film. For this reason Flora kept her mouth shut. She let Ashi enjoy the singing, the dancing, and the costumes. And Ashi was so dazzled that she didn’t notice how unusually quiet Flora was, or how she had stopped eating to fold her big arms and fume silently.

Then, after some dull romantic plot developments involving two separate love triangles, the movie started getting more interesting. Clues to the mystery of Brigadoon began to pop up. The two American tourists slowly discovered that the little village and the people in it had been frozen in time for 200 years. It was explained to them that it was a miracle from the Christian God to protect the townspeople from witches.

“Hmph,” Flora grunted. “I would’ve preferred to spend me hard-earned money on that movie.”

Ashi looked up at her, surprised to hear her talking again. “What movie?”

“One where witches are attacking the village and putting the devil in people’s souls,” Flora grumbled. “At least that would be more excitin’ than this drivel. But noooo. They had to make this all about two dafty foreign men stumbling in an’ one of them getting moony eyed over some skinny village girl.”

“Oh,” Ashi said.

She was quiet for a moment, listening as the exposition continued. A single day in Brigadoon was 100 years in the outside world, meaning only two days had passed for the townspeople since the “miracle” began. On top of that, none of them was ever allowed to leave or the village would disappear forever.

Then one of the two foreign men asked if it were possible for an outsider to stay in Brigadoon. The answer was yes, but only if that person loved someone in Brigadoon enough to give up everything and stay there forever.

“But that doesn’t make sense,” Ashi said with a frown. “He’s already engaged to a woman back home, and he’s only known this other woman for about a day. And yet he’s still thinking of leaving his entire life behind just to be with her?”

“You took the words right out of my mouth, lassie,” Flora said with a nod. “It’s pure madness. No person with any amount sense would make such a huge decision based on a flimsy whim.”

“And it’s not fair, either,” Ashi added. “Why doesn’t the woman he loves have to give up anything in return? He’d be leaving everything and everyone he knows. All his friends and family would die, and he’d never see them again as long as he lives. So what is she giving up to be with him? Shouldn’t it be an equal exchange?”

“That’s a very good point, lassie,” Flora agreed. “True love thrives on equality. If one only gives while the other only takes, they’re not equals. The taker’s exploiting the giver’s generosity, until they have nothin’ left to give.”

Ashi pondered Flora’s words quietly as the movie continued. One of the two love triangles was taking a turn for the worse. A Brigadoon man was in love with a woman who was engaged to another man, and at their wedding he announced his plan to leave the town and reveal the secret to the world, which would make it disappear forever. This lead to a chase sequence in the forest that ended in his death by a hunter from the village aiming for a bird and shooting him instead.

“Well, at least, something exciting finally happened,” Flora remarked dryly.

Ashi was biting her nails with worry. “What’s going to happen now? Can the other man still be happy with his lover after all this?”

“Probably,” Flora said, munching on some popcorn. “The way this mess is goin’ it wouldn’t surprise me at all.”

And that was exactly what happened. The American man and his love from Brigadoon agreed to part ways, and he left with the friend he came with. They returned to America and the man reunited with his fiancée, only to end their relationship and go rushing back to Scotland. And despite the previously established plot point that Brigadoon only appeared once every hundred years, the town reappeared and the man lived happily ever after with the village girl.

“Oh fer cryin’ out loud!” Flora yelled, throwing up her hands and sending popcorn flying everywhere. “That’s the ending? Are you kidding me??”

“I thought you said you wouldn’t be surprised,” Ashi said.

“I’m not surprised,” Flora retorted. “I’m enraged! That ending makes no sense at all! Oh yeah, true love conquers all, that’s a fine ending! Except when it happens on the same day the two star crossed numpties meet and they’re both happily trapped in a time bubble for all eternity!!”

Ashi sighed and dropped her forehead against her knees. “Maybe we should have waited to see that zombie movie instead,” she muttered. “Zombies would be better than this.”

“Anything would,” Flora agreed. “I should’ve listened to me Dad this time. He was right, this was a mess.” She looked down at Ashi and put an arm around her shoulders. “Sorry to put you through that, lassie. Ye deserved something better for yer first movie.”

“It’s okay, Flora,” Ashi said, smiling as she leaned against her. “I had fun. The snacks were good, and the songs and dances were nice. Besides, there’s other movies out there. Maybe the next one will be better.”

“You can pick the next one,” Flora said. “Are ye still interested in that zombie movie?”

“Yes,” Ashi said. “That’s my pick.”

The End

Chapter Text

“Um, Flora? Are you sure this…animal…is a baby?”

Ashi and Flora were standing in the Scotsman’s family stables, face to face with a gigantic 6-month-old fawn. To Ashi it was much too big to be a fawn. It was about the size of an adult horse.

“Of course she is!” Flora said cheerfully. “Can’t ye tell from the spots on her coat?”

Ashi wasn’t looking at the fawn’s spots. She was trapped by its huge, dewy, black eyes. They were so big she could see her own face reflected back at her.

“It won’t stop looking at me,” Ashi said, inching her way closer to Flora and clinging to her arm.

“Aww, don’t be like that, lassie,” Flora said. “She’s six, how can she scare you?”

Ashi didn’t take her eyes off the fawn as she hid the rest of her body behind Flora. “I think it’s looking into my soul.”

Flora scoffed. “Nonsense, she’s just a wee baby. She wouldn’t hurt a fly. Here, let me show you.”

She gestured for the fawn to come closer. It did, allowing Flora to scratch it under the chin and around its large ears.

“Ooh, you are the sweetest little thing in the world!” Flora cooed, making kissing noises with her lips. “You’re such a good girl! Yes, you are!”

Ashi watched all this from the safety of her hiding spot behind Flora. The giant baby deer seemed friendly enough with Flora. Maybe it was safe for her to approach, too. “How do I get it to like me?”

“Just watch me and do what I do, lassie,” Flora instructed.

She pulled two sugar cubes from a hidden pocket in her kilt and gave one to Ashi. Then she held her cube out with an open palm in front of the fawn’s face. The fawn sniffed curiously at her hand and sugar cube. The tip of its pink tongue poked out from between its lips and took a light taste. Then it slurped the entire cube up, and it vanished inside its mouth.

“See?” Flora said to Ashi. “If ye give her a treat, she’ll trust ye right away. Now you try it.”

Ashi gulped and did as Flora had done. She held her sugar cube out in front of her with an open palm and waited for the fawn to come to her. The fawn hesitated, then sniffed her fingers. It paused to stare deeply into her eyes. Very slowly, its tongue slipped out and slurped up the sugar cube. Then it leaned in closer and dragged its big wet tongue over Ashi’s face from chin to forehead.

Ashi yelped in surprise and staggered a few steps backward, only to lose her balance and fall flat on her back. The fawn continued to lick every part of her face, ignoring her struggling and sputtering. Meanwhile Flora was laughing at the scene taking place.

“Ha ha ha! Looks like it worked too well! Ye’re her new favorite now, lassie!”

Ashi gasped and sputtered, trying to push the enthusiastic fawn away. “Flora! Stop laughing and help me! I can’t breathe!”

Still laughing, Flora stepped in and gently pulled the huge fawn away from Ashi. Ashi gasped for air and pulled herself upright, bangs standing straight up and sticking out at odd angles.

“Well, she’s certainly friendly…” she said at last.

“Aye, no kidding,” Flora said, stroking the fawn’s head. “Ye know, she doesn’t have a name yet. Why don’t ye pick one out for her, since she likes ye so much?”

Ashi paused from smoothing her hair back into place. “Me? Well, okay, I guess I could try.” She took a moment to think. She said the first word that came to her mind. “How about…Shika?”

Flora smiled. “I like it. What do you think, Shika? Do ye like yer new name?”

Shika replied by licking the entire left half of Flora’s face in one big, sloppy slurp.