AN: This fic is in no way related to the final season of Samurai Jack (I'll rant about it later). Sorry, Jashi fans, no Jashi in here. Check out Memories by Sallychan-Stories if you're in need of it (pretty good fic). This short story is Jack and Aku centric (check out The Enemy's Daughter for all the drama and character development) and it's just a fluff fic, nothing more. If you don't read The Enemy's Daughter (which is the prequel to this story), you will definitely find Jack and Aku's interactions cringe-worthy to WTF-worthy when you read this short story (just get that out of your system with The Enemy's Daughter — trust me). To my other fans, don't worry too much about story updates. They will happen but at my own pace. Got too many stories to deal with and I am dealing with them. Just be patient.

If the format looks weird, sorry in advance. I'm trying a new software to help with my thesis.

Family Get-Together

"Does my hair look alright?"

Jack turned to his wife. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes in exasperation. She had been pretty fussy all day. All things considered, he couldn't get why. Sure, they were expecting guests tonight, but that was no reason for her to panic.

"I told you, Aku, you look fine," Jack reassured.

Aku caressed her long locks. It wasn't at all difficult for her to change her hair to what she found suitable. Shapeshifting had its benefits. However, it was difficult finding the right style — from a bob cut to long hair tied up in a bun. And what a chore it was picking what to wear. At the end of a trying self-deliberation, she had decided on a silky black kimono that conveyed at least one of her legs through a slit cut on the left side. The kimono highlighted her radiant figure, from her slim waist to her flaring hips. She still wasn't sure if it was the right choice of attire. Jack wasn't very helpful. Every look she dawned was good enough for him. She mentally cursed him and his unwavering affection for her.

"I am your wife, Jack. I need to look the part. I can't have guests questioning our compatibility."

"Why does it matter?" Jack asked, dawned in a standard white gi. Aku wanted to slap him. He used to be an emperor; she used to be the Shogun. How could he not know the importance of a good first impression? It was customary, traditional and absolute. It was a coherent symbol of their shared status as royalty that held no room for leisure or debate.

"Jack, I can't believe you're asking me that. Do you want them to question whether I'm right for you or not?"

Jack nodded to himself, finally understanding what Aku was jittery about. "They'll love you, no matter what you wear, no matter what you look like."

Aku raised an inquisitive brow, staring at him calculatingly. "No matter what I look like, you say? Even if I turned into my oh-so-familiar, towering, male form?"

Jack stared at her in horror. He straightened his posture, making sure she knew that she had his full attention. "I'm sorry for being insensitive."

"Damn right, you should be."

"But please don't stress yourself, my love." He grabbed her waist, bringing her closer to him. He always loved how her body fit him so well. "I love you and if they have a problem with that, I'll choose you every time."

Aku lay her head on his shoulder. "I know you will. But I'd rather avoid any problems at all."

The shrine was spotless. Every piece of furniture and wood was either cleaned or thoroughly polished. Ikra had been surprised when she walked out of her room and into a place filled with decorations and an assortment of uncooked food. She looked around excitedly, doing her best to pinpoint where her parents were. At three years old, she was a bundle of energy looking for fun.

Her mother entered the dining room from the kitchen.

Ikra's eyes brightened at the sight of her. Her mother had always been beautiful and dignified. But Ikra thought she looked even better than that today. She happily dashed to her.

"Morning, Mommy!" she said happily, hugging the taller woman's exposed left leg.

Aku jumped slightly but sighed when her gaze landed on her daughter's large, onyx eyes. "Morning, honey. How'd you sleep?"

"Great! You look pweety!" Ikra exclaimed.

Aku giggled, enjoying her daughter's hyperactive attention. "It's pretty, dear. And thank you. I told you we're having guests tonight, didn't I?"

Ikra took a moment of silence thinking about it. After some time, she nodded vigorously.

"Well, Mommy dressed up to look nice for the guests."

Aku smiled amusedly when she noted Ikra processing her words. It was just absolutely adorable.

"Can I dress up too, Mommy?"

"Of course, dear. I was just about to suggest the same thing." She gathered her daughter in her arms and began walking to Ikra's bedroom.

After entering, Ikra continued to talk, "Where's Daddy?"

"He's outside, gathering wood."

"Oh. Why?"

"Because we need wood to cook, darling."

"Why do we need wood?"

"To make a fire."

"What's a fire?"

Aku halted. She was surprised that she hadn't taught Ikra that. "Remember that bright red-yellow-orange thing I cooked food with yesterday?"

"Oh!" Ikra clapped repeatedly. "That's a fire?"

"Yes."

"Yay! Can I cook with you?"

"I've said it before, Ikra, you're too young,"

"Aw! No fair!"

"It's dangerous, sweetie. I promise, when you're older I'll show you how."

Although pouting, Ikra couldn't resist her mother's gentle smile. "Kay, Mommy."

"That's my girl."

"Ah, there ya are, laddie!"

The Scotsman, being accompanied by his towering wife and an army of little redheaded girls — all looking the same age — walked to the front of the shrine slowly, but the bubbling excitement on the Scotsman's face was palpable.

Jack held in his shock of the crowd and approached his long-time friend along with Aku. He bowed the moment he was within distance. "It has been some time, my friend."

The Scotsman was having none of that formality crap. He grabbed Jack and nearly crushed him in a one-armed hug. "It's been too long! You look good! And I see ya still wearing a dress! Hahaha!"

Jack grinned good naturedly, pleased that all the years apart had not changed their relationship. "It would seem so."

The Scotsman let go of him and focused on Aku. He approached her and took her hand. "And ya must be the lovely gal who stole my laddie's heart!"

Aku was quite amused at the man's bolstering attitude. Jack made some strange friends indeed. "It is a pleasure."

The Scotsman grinned at her and gestured to his wife, who was crushing Jack in a hug." That be the wife. Isn't she just an angel plucked from heaven?"

Aku struggled not to laugh at Jack's predicament. The Scotsman's wife was doing a good job of smothering the poor man. "Yes, I agree with you."

"It is… good to see you again as well," Jack wheezed once he was released, trying his best not to show how much he was close to passing out.

"Last time I saw ya, ya be rescuing me with that buffoon of a husband of mine," the Scotsman's wife said with a fond smile.

Jack smiled back. He had made a mental note to avoid words like "big" or "fat". The woman proved that she could pretty much kill him if angered. A formidable warrior in her own right — one he wasn't going to dare piss off.

"Yes. You look well, madam."

She nodded appreciatively and focused on Aku. "It's good to see that ya chose a fine woman. Though I think she wears a dress better than you."

Aku smirked at Jack and all the man could do was sigh.

The Scotsman's wife gave Aku a much more subdued hug. "It's nice to meet ya, lass."

Aku returned the gesture as much as she could. "You too. My husband speaks fondly of you and your husband."

"I should hope so. We do share some good history," the Scotsman's wife chuckled.

"Oh, laddie, guess what? My love and I had kids. All daughters, can you believe it?! Now I have to make them strong so some stupid oaf doesn't get any bright ideas!"

"Dad!" whined the girls.

Jack looked at the girls. In all honesty, he was completely flabbergasted. It seemed more like a school of kids than just one family unit. "I would have been honoured to know that you've given life to such beautiful children. Forgive me for my absence."

The Scotsman waved off his apology. "So long as you weren't getting mind controlled by a singing banshee, It's alright."

"Mind controlled?" Aku asked, ignoring Jack's pleading look. This sounded too good to pass up. "That actually happened?"

"Sure!" the Scotsman chuckled. "I'll tell ya all about it inside. First, I want you to meet my little baby tikes!"

"Dad!" the girls whined again. Apparently, they were used to this kind of embarrassment.

"They're always easy to tease, the little things," the Scotsman's wife said to Aku.

Aku smiled back. "It must be wonderful to share memories with them so young."

"You have no idea, lass."

"I'd like to introduce someone as well," Aku announced to the crowd.

After gathering their attention, she turned to the door. "Ikra, you can come out now!"

Ikra stepped out of the shrine and stood on the porch. She wore a black kimono, decorated in an array of different colours. Everyone was in awe.

Jack approached her scooped her up in a whirl, making her giggle. "You look beautiful, Little Ikra."

"Really, Daddy?" She gave him a toothy grin.

"Of course," Aku concurred from where she stood. "The most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

The Scotsman grinned broadly. "Well, I'll be damned."

Jack went to the Scotsman with Ikra in his arms. "Ikra, this is a very good friend of mine..."

"It's fine with me, lad."

Jack had a look of surprise on his face. He looked at the Scotsman with incredulous disbelief. "Really?"

The Scotsman adjusted to his sitting position. He and Jack both sat at a dining table while the women were conversing in the kitchen across from them.

"Sure, if ya say she's turned good, then who am I to argue? Besides, you were the only one that could beat her anyway, so I trust ya."

"I am humbled…Thank you."

"Still, though, never thought Aku could be anything but a towering monster killing people."

Jack grimaced at the reminder but looked at Aku with a warm smile. When she noticed him, she returned it. "She's not like that anymore."

"I'm surprised she is a she, to begin with. I guess the proof is that she became pregnant and had a child?" the Scotsman mused, half-joking.

Jack shook his head. "It's… more complicated than that."

"Well, I don't want the details anyway. Say, how bout you and I have a match?" the Scotsman said, eyeing Jack challengingly.

Jack raised an eyebrow, surprised by the declaration. "As in a duel? I thought we were past that?"

"We still haven't settled the score, laddie!"

With the Scotsman wife and Aku, both heard the Scotsman's coax of a challenge and were mildly interested.

"Haggis?" Aku asked the redhead.

"Of course, lass, no man is a man without having haggis once in a while. Ya've never cooked it?"

"Honestly, no. But since you've implied men like it, I might give it a try."

"Good," the Scotsman's wife took out a bag from God knows where. "I'll teach ya all ya need to know. I even bought ingredients!"

Aku eyed the mountain of food that was already available for cooking. "What about all that, then?"

"What? After haggis, we can eat all that. No need to worry; my daughters have quite an appetite after they're done playing."

Aku looked through the window in the kitchen to the back yard. Ikra had been playing tag with the Scotsman's wife's daughters. They had been running around, screaming and giggling. It warmed Aku's heart to see such a sight. "I like the fact that she's made friends."

"Same goes for my daughters. It takes a toll on them since they all practically the same age. Having a new face among them is refreshing."

"I agree," Aku said, eyeing the hyperactive children.

She looked in Jack's direction and yelled. "Jack, I'm making haggis!"

Jack sputtered and stared at her in fear. "H-haggis?"

Aku grew confused. "Yes, do you have a problem with that?"

Jack swallowed and said nothing. He didn't want to possibly offend anyone, even though the Scotsman was giving him an amused grin.

Aku smiled at him, wickedly, somewhat getting that this wasn't his favourite type of food. However, they needed to impress their guests so they could come back for habitual visits. Ikra looked like she was having fun with the girls. "Great, I'll make it just the way you like it.

On a small island, two individuals were in a heated duel. The stakes were high, and the was no debate that both the opponents were taking the fight seriously.

"Got any threes?" Monk Getsu asked, seated on the sandy beach near the ocean.

X-9 showed a minuscule frown on his metallic face as he gave his ranked cards to the monk. Damn it, he was losing.

"Got any Jacks?" Getsu asked.

X-9 smirked…well, whatever would pass for a smirk in robot standards. "Go Fish."

Getsu tisked and then went for the deck. He picked a card and held it. "You know, it doesn't have to be this way. We can choose another ga—"

"No!" X-9 hissed, glaring at the monk. "I will win this time."

Getsu looked at the dog in his lap and sighed. "I didn't even ask for any of this."

X-9 also glanced at the man's lap and coldly looked at Getsu again. "I will win her back."

"It's just a dog," the monk reasoned. "You can just take her…"

"I will take her fair and square. I will get you back, Lulu, Sweet Thing."

Poor Lulu had no idea what was going on.

END.

AN: I'll give the Scotsman the benefit of the doubt and just say he had so many kids because of some Celtic magic BS... It's better than thinking the man liked women a little too much.