A/N: Hello Everyone. It's been a long time since I last wrote a Jak story and this time it's going out of my norm by not being a romance story. This idea crept into my head and wouldn't leave me alone, so I used it here. It's not very long, but it's longer than most one-shots that I put up here. Enjoy!
OOOOOOOOO
"Looks like we're stuck in an ambush," her voice floated through the cave to Sig's ears. "Perfect."
Sig turned his gaze briefly onto the girl that had spoken before the click of metal-head claws grew louder as they grew closer. Glowing eyes surrounded them and the skull-gems of the metal-heads pulsed with the life of the beasts. Sig lost count of all of them as they continued to pour out of their hidey-holes, trapping the two of them in the cave.
"It's child's play, chili pepper," Sig told the girl, looking at her once more. "Just aim for between their eyes and we'll take them all down."
"Okay, Dad."
The title that she had given him caused a slight stir in his body. Sig smirked, pressing his back against hers, and remembered how he'd gotten that title in the first place.
OOOOOOOOO
"Hey you," a little girl's voice sounded from Sig's elbow as he worked on one of the few vehicles that Kleiver didn't own in the Wasteland.
The tall Wastelander glanced down and saw a scrawny little girl, no more than 9 years old, standing next to him with a small gun strapped across her back. Her dark hair was a knotted mess on top of her head and her ill-fitting clothes were ripped in several places, revealing dirty tanned skin. On her hip was a pouch where he could see a hunting knife situated next to a few Precursor orbs.
"You talking to me, chili pepper?" he asked, looking down at her.
"You're the only one around here, aren't you?" she asked, her grey eyes flashing in the dim light. She pressed her hands against her narrow hips. "Can you give me a ride out of here? I'll pay you one hundred Precursor orbs if you provide the ride."
Sig crossed his arms over his broad chest. "You have one hundred orbs?" The girl nodded and Sig scanned over her filthy form once more. "If that's the case, why haven't you bought yourself some new clothes?"
"I have the orbs and that's all that matters," the girl said, sticking her chin out defiantly. "I'll give you fifty orbs upfront and give the remainder when you bring me back here. In one piece."
"What business do you have in the Wasteland, kid?"
The little girl rolled her eyes and let her breath out in a small huff. "If you must know, I'm planning on taking down a large metal-head and getting its skull-gem. I know a guy here who pays really good money for any metal-head gems." She looked at him again. "I need to get another one in his hands tonight."
"Another one?" Sig pointed at her small gun. "With that little peashooter?"
"Yes." The girl crossed her arms, puffing her flat chest out slightly. "Enough with the interview. I have a metal-head to take down and not a lot of time to do it. Are you going to be my driver or am I going to have to pay someone else to take me out there?"
Sig looked down at the little girl and felt something for her. She looked like she had fallen on hard times, even more so than most of the people in town. And if she thought that she could take down one of the bigger metal-heads with that toy gun of hers without getting seriously hurt, he knew that she was dead wrong. If someone else were to go with her, she'd be in a world of hurt. But if he took her, at least she'd have a chance of making it back in one piece.
"All right, cherry," he said, tossing his tool aside. "I'll give you a ride out there and help you snag a big old metal-head."
"Good." The little girl reached into her pouch and pulled out a handful of orbs, holding them out to Sig. "Here's the fifty like I promised, big guy."
Sig took the orbs and stowed them away. The little girl jumped up onto the back of the vehicle and leaned her elbows against the roll-bar, waiting for Sig to start the engine. The doors to the Wasteland opened when he brought the vehicle to life, revealing the dusty land outside of their little paradise.
"You ready?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder at the girl.
"Yep."
"Hold on then," Sig said and he sent the vehicle speeding out into the cruel world.
The little girl didn't lose her grip on the bar and didn't seem bothered by the sharp turns or quick jumps that Sig had to take the vehicle into. Her grey eyes scanned the area, searching through the sand that the winds lifted for her target. Sig knew from experience that they wouldn't find any metal-heads for a few more miles and decided that he needed to learn more about his passenger.
"So, you got a name, chili pepper?" he asked as they cleared a hill.
"Yeah. It's Rumor," the girl muttered, readjusting her grip on the roll-bar. "I know yours, Sig. You're a favorite in town. Lots of wins and tons of kills." She sighed. "And you're supposed to be a fairer person than Kleiver is."
"You've crossed paths with that bastard?"
"Yeah, he was the first person that I tried to get a ride out to the Wasteland with when I first started hunting metal-heads. I learned quickly to find someone else. That bastard wanted to charge me double for the ride and take the credit for taking down the metal-head that I knocked out on my own." Rumor shook her head. "I ain't ever going to go hunting with that bastard again. Even if I have to go walking out in the Wasteland to get where I need to go, I'd never get a ride from Kleiver again."
"What about your parents?" Sig asked, taking a turn away from a large rock formation. "Couldn't you bum a ride with them?"
Rumor hesitated. "I don't have parents anymore, Sig. They died when I was six and took my older brother with them."
"So you've been on your own for a while…"
"It's better for me that way," Rumor told him. "I don't have to worry about taking care of anyone except myself. I get to do what I want and no one can tell me to do anything that I don't want to do. I'm free."
Sig couldn't help but hear the bitterness in the little girl's voice, but made no comment. He'd heard of orphaned children living in Spargus, but they were always much older than this kid. And they formed bonds with other orphans to look out for one another through the hard life that all Wastelanders lived, even in Spargus' protective walls.
She has to have someone looking out for her, Sig thought, slowing down the vehicle when they neared what he knew to be a metal-head hunting ground. She wouldn't have lasted this long without having someone watching her back.
"Okay Sig," Rumor said, pulling her goggles on and grabbing her little gun. "A big one's coming this way. Keep the vehicle up with it and I'll take care of the rest."
Out of the sand came a giant metal-head, it's blue scaly skin standing out in contrast against the gold of its surroundings. A large skull-gem sat nicely on top of its head, glowing with the energy of the metal-head's life. It's glowing eyes hardly turned towards the two Wastelanders as it galloped over the land.
Sig heard the sound of Rumor's gun firing and watched as holes were torn into the metal-head's thick skin around the neck. It didn't slow the beast down and Sig knew they were in for a chase, especially since Rumor's weapon wasn't the best for hunting big metal-heads.
"Put on a little more speed, Sig," Rumor ordered from behind him. "Get me right next to the thing, so I can make a clean shot to the main vein in its neck. I don't want to be chasing this one into a place where more of them are. We ain't got time to deal with an ambush. Not when we've got this one on our ground."
"All right, chili pepper," Sig said and he pressed harder on the accelerator, brought the vehicle up as close as he could to the metal-head's side.
Three more shots rang out and deep purple blood sprayed out of the metal-head's neck. The giant beast took two more steps before collapsing on the ground. Sig hit the brakes as the light in the eyes of the giant faded into nothingness.
"You actually did it," he commented, standing up in the vehicle as Rumor slid her gun back onto her back and jumped out.
"You sound surprised," Rumor muttered, reaching into her pouch and pulling out her hunting knife. "I've taken down at least two bigger ones than this one. It's no big deal."
Sig got out of the vehicle and moved over to stand next to the dead metal-head. Next to it, Rumor looked tiny, almost like she was mouse next to a cat. She moved over to the head and began to hack away at the flesh that held onto the skull-gem.
"Do you want some help with that?" Sig asked, adjusting his grip on his peacemaker.
"I don't need your help to cut it out. Carrying it to the vehicle, that's another story. But I don't need your help with this. Okay?"
The girl's grey eyes flashed in his direction, burning with a defiance that challenged him to go against her. Sig held his hands up in surrender and smiled.
"Looks like we're in for another sandstorm," he commented, looking out towards the horizon. "That'll be bringing out the marauders…"
"I'm almost done," Rumor muttered, putting her knife back into her pouch. "Just give me one another minute here, will ya?"
Sig nodded and watched the little girl pull the skull-gem out of the metal-head's head. She crouched down and grabbed the heavy gem, lifting it with shaking arms. A small curse fell from her lips as she tried to carry the large gem to the vehicle.
"You want some help now, chili pepper?" Sig asked, strapping his gun back onto his back.
Rumor froze and looked at him. He could see that her strength was failing, but at the same time, she didn't want to show him that she couldn't handle this on her own. She swiped her tongue across her chapped bottom lip and turned her gaze away.
"Can you help me out with this?" she asked quietly and he knew that was killing her to ask for any kind of help beyond bumming a ride. "Please."
Sig grabbed the skull-gem and placed it in the back of the vehicle. Rumor trudged along behind him, pulling her bandana over her mouth. She didn't say a word to him as she climbed into the back of the vehicle and rested her elbows against the roll bar. Sig let the silence remain as he started the engine, ready to head back to Spargus.
"Marauders are heading this way," Rumor announced suddenly from behind him and he heard her pull out her gun again. "And it looks like they're bringing that sandstorm you were talking about with them."
Sig turned his gaze briefly over his shoulder and saw several vehicles heading their way with a darkening sky behind them. He reached around and pulled his peacemaker out. "Here, chili pepper. Use this big boy weapon and take down those bastards. Trust me, chili pepper; your little peashooter couldn't dent their hides. Use mine."
Rumor let her breath out in a small huff, but took his peacemaker from him. She fired at the approaching marauders, taking down a couple in small explosions. Sig floored the accelerator when he saw the tall walls of Spargus dead ahead.
"Someone out there, open the damn door!" he yelled into the transmitter on the vehicle. "Do it now!"
Another round of explosions popped up behind him and he felt the metal of his vehicle tremble as it was hit by a round of bullets. Rumor swore under her breath again, but sent another round of damage in the direction of the Marauders.
Spargus' walls opened up for Sig and closed shortly afterwards. Sig let his breath out when the vehicle came to a complete stop. He turned around to look at Rumor.
"You okay, cherry?" he asked, watching her lower his peacemaker.
Rumor nodded and pointed at her shoulder. "I got grazed by one of their rounds. That's all." She held out his weapon. "Here. Take it back. It's a nice weapon…"
"One of the finest," Sig agreed, strapping the peacemaker back onto his back. "So, do you need help carrying the skull-gem to the man that buys them?"
Rumor lowered her bandana and crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you going to charge me extra for the help?"
"I won't charge you any more than you're willing to give." Sig looked down at her. "I'll be fine with the price we agreed on before we left here."
A momentary look of surprise touched the little girl's face as she processed what he'd said. Rumor shook her head and reached into her pouch, pulling out another fifty orbs. She held her small bounty out to him, which he took with little hesitation. The little girl turned and moved back over the vehicle, looking at the skull-gem that sat in the back of it.
"Let's get this over to the guy," Rumor said, patting the gem. "He'll be closing up shop in a little bit and I don't want to have to guard this from jerks all night long…"
Sig lifted the heavy skull-gem out of the vehicle and moved after the little girl. She moved through the people of Spargus without speaking to anyone. Sig could see the looks that the people were giving the young girl and felt their annoyance directed at her. Even the other young children around her age made no effort to show friendship to her.
Why are they like this? Sig wondered, following close behind. What the hell did she do that turned her into a town pest?
"He's right around this corner," Rumor announced, glancing over her shoulder at Sig. "You can just drop the gem off there and go on your way, Sig. I can take care of the rest of this on my own."
"Whatever you say, chili pepper," Sig said, shooting her a small smile which she ignored.
"Ah, Pipsqueak," a man at a booth said in a loud voice when the two of them approached him. "Is it that time again already?"
"Yeah," Rumor muttered, jutting her chin out.
The booth man's eyes turned towards Sig. "I see you brought company this time…"
"Actually, he was just leaving," Rumor said in a low voice, glaring at Sig. "Thanks for the assist, Sig. You can go away now."
The large Wastelander set the gem down and backed away. "See you later, chili pepper."
He moved away from the booth, letting the other two conduct the business transaction that Rumor had told him about. Sig walked through the town, taking a few shots at the general pest problem, knowing that even if he did hit one, there were a hundred others to take its place.
A few hours later, Sig was wondering the streets again, unable to settle down as the sandstorm beyond Spargus' walls howled in the air. He knew that the town was safe, but the sound never ceased to stir a certain amount of fear in him. It was a fear that he didn't want to talk about with anyone, including himself.
"C'mon, just let me buy a few of those," Rumor's voice floated to his ears and Sig looked across the street to see the little girl standing at a food seller's booth. "I just need a couple loaves of bread and a little bit of that fruit, there."
"Kid, if you had money to buy anything, you'd have bought yourself a bath," the booth person said, wrinkling her nose at Rumor. "And maybe some new clothes."
Rumor crossed her arms. "I have money. You know that I have money. You want money to support yourself. Why should it matter how I look or smell when I'm willing to pay for the goods? Why won't you take my money?" She pointed at the staler loaves and overly ripe fruits. "I'll take those for full price, if you want. I just need to get some food."
The woman put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. "Kid –"
Sig moved across the street. "Is there something wrong here?"
Two pairs of eyes looked up at him; one in surprise and the other in annoyance. The woman at the booth bowed her head slightly at Sig, recognizing him for his reputation. Rumor sighed, looking away from him.
"Oh, no. There's no problem here," the woman said quickly. "No problem at all, Sig."
"That's not what I heard," Sig told her, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "I heard you denying this kid food, even though she promised to pay you. Now what kind of business are you running if you don't sell your goods to someone willing to pay for them?"
Heat flooded the woman's face. "But she's filthy."
"She's willing to pay," Sig repeated. "You should sell her some food."
His glare had the woman growing paler. She turned her gaze on the little girl beside Sig and she swallowed her fear before speaking.
"What do you want me to sell you today?" she asked.
Rumor uncrossed her arms. "Two loaves of bread, three of those red fruits, and a pound of dried fish strips."
The booth woman quickly jumped to gather what Rumor had ordered. The little girl hardly glanced at Sig as she passed over her payment and collected her purchases. She turned away from him and stuck a piece of dried fruit into her mouth.
"Hey, where are you going, chili pepper?" Sig asked, following the child down the street.
"I'm just walking," the girl muttered, not looking at him. "Enjoying my dinner for the night. Why do you care?"
"I'm just looking out for you," Sig told the girl. "You're too young to be wondering through this place by yourself. It's a nasty place for people like you to try to make it on your own."
Rumor turned and glared at him. "I don't need anyone to look after me, Sig. I've lived on my own for three years. I know how to take care of myself and get what I need. I don't need anyone's pity." She puffed her chest out. "I'm no one's charity project."
"No one ever said that you were a charity project," Sig said, crossing his arms over his broad chest once more. "We're Wastelanders and we're supposed to look out for one another. It's how Spargus survives and thrives, chili pepper. And it seems that you've forgotten that. It seems like a lot of people here have forgotten that."
"And what are you going to do about that?" Rumor demanded. "Reteach me on how a Wastelander should act around others? Always come to my rescue whenever another shop owner snubs me when I ask to buy some food? What are you going to do, Sig? Huh?"
The large Wastelander placed a heavy hand on the girl's shoulder and felt her stiffen at his touch. "I'm going to look out for you, Rumor. Like a good Wastelander would." He playfully plucked at a strand of her knotted mess of hair. "We'll get you cleaned up and fed and then I'll teach you how to handle a real weapon. You'll be taking out metal-heads out like a real pro in no time, I guarantee it."
Rumor swiped at his hand, knocking it away from her hair. "Are you sure that you're up to the challenge, Sig?"
"The challenge makes it worth it," Sig said with a smirk. "Now c'mon. I know a woman around here, who can tame that mess on your head."
OOOOOOOOO
"And another one bites the dust," Rumor called out into the Wasteland as she lowered her peacemaker after taking down another large metal-head. "That's three this week, Sig! We're on a roll!"
Sig smiled at the girl's enthusiasm. It'd been two years, almost three, since he'd taken in the stray orphan. Her dark hair was now tamed into dozens of thin braids, pulled back away from her face. She was dressed in tear-free clothes and was filling them out with each passing month. She'd lived in the same places as he had because he had been shocked to find her living in an alley in Spargus all those years ago. He'd trained her how to fight and she'd been a quick study when it came to using a peacemaker.
Rumor smacked the vehicle's roll-bar twice. "Stop the vehicle, Sig. Let's get us another skull-gem."
She jumped out of the vehicle when it came to a stop and she glanced over her shoulder. "Keep an eye out for unwanted visitors," she ordered like she usually did when her senses told her that danger was near. "I'll only need two minutes to get this gem."
"I've got your back, chili pepper," Sig said, jumping out of the vehicle and pulling out his peacemaker.
He heard the girl hacking at the flesh around the skull-gem and muttering low curses under her breath. His eyes scanned the horizon, knowing that he had taken her a little farther than the usual hunting grounds of the metal-heads. They were within spitting distance of the marauder territory, which put them in the risk of getting attacked.
"Better hurry, chili pepper," Sig said, casting a glance over at Rumor. "We could have friends popping up to say 'hi' any time now."
"Give me one more second. This one's got tougher tendons than the others."
Sig looked up when he heard the roar of engines approaching. He adjusted his grip on his peacemaker and backed up closer to Rumor. "Rumor…"
"I've got it," Rumor said from behind him and he heard the pop as she wrenched the skull-gem free. "Let's get out of here, Sig."
The girl rushed over to the vehicle and stowed the skull-gem in the back. She pulled out her peacemaker as Sig started the engine. Taking aim, Rumor shot off several blasts from her weapon, missing her target once when the vehicle she was standing in lurched forward.
"C'mon, c'mon," she chanted, holding her peacemaker level. "Come a little closer and smile, you bastards. This is our gem and you ain't taking it from us. Not until you take my peacemaker from my cold, dead hands."
The marauders fired off their own rounds, peppering the vehicle, but not connecting with anything vital to the vehicle. Sig cursed and sped up, knowing that they'd be safer once they got closer to Spargus. Someone would see them coming and offer them cover as they entered the walls. He was sure of that. He was counting on it.
"Sig," Rumor ground out, firing off a few more rounds. "They just keep coming! Can't you make this bucket of bolts go any faster? I'm not keen on remaining a moving target with these bastards."
"We're almost home free, chili pepper," Sig told her, seeing the walls of Spargus ahead of them. "Just keep holding them off a little longer."
Another curse passed through the girl's lips and she fired off more rounds. The marauders fired off their own rounds, one hitting the bar close to left side of Sig's head. He jerked away and cast a glance back. Over a dozen marauder vehicles were following them quickly and gaining ground. He watched as Rumor made a couple explode.
"That's my girl!" he shouted over the roar of the engine and the boom of the explosions.
The two passed into Spargus' safe zone and the doors quickly closed behind them, blocking the marauders for good. Sig coasted the vehicle to a stop, letting out a relieved sigh.
"That was a close one, chili pepper," he commented, turning in his seat and his eyes widened. "Chili pepper?"
Rumor let go of her peacemaker as her hand gripped at her shoulder, blood squeezing out from between her fingers. She bit her bottom lip against what he knew were whimpers of pain. Her grey eyes lifted to him and she slowly released her lip.
"Looks like I didn't get away with just a graze this time, Sig," she commented in a low voice filled with pain. "They've gotten better at aiming, huh?"
Sig jumped out of the vehicle and circled it, pulling her from the back of it. He lifted her up into his arms and carried her into Spargus' main area. Rumor kept her hand pressed against her bleeding shoulder, once more biting her lip to keep all sounds from coming from her mouth. Her grey eyes turned in the direction of the people that they passed and then focused on Sig once more, like he was the only thing that was real besides her pain.
A healer was found easily and Sig deposited Rumor on the bed that the healer pointed at. Rumor's sleeve was torn away from her arm, revealing the nasty wound on her shoulder. The healer probed at it with her long fingers, causing the little girl to gasp in pain.
"It didn't go all the way through," the healer told Sig. "The bullet is still deep in her flesh and has to be removed before I can hope to heal her." The woman turned her gaze onto Rumor. "Do you think that you can stay very still during the extraction, young one? It'll be easier and less painful for you."
Rumor nodded and held her non-injured hand out Sig. He let her hold his hand and sat down next to her, propping her up so that the healer could get a clear path to the wound. Her eyes narrowed as the woman's surgical tools approached the wound, gripping Sig's hand tightly. A loud cry of pain passed through the young girl's lips as the tool passed into the wound.
"Ah! Dad, make it stop!" Rumor cried out, burying her face against Sig's shoulder. "Oh God! Make it stop!"
Sig's eyes widened in surprise at the name that she had called out. Rumor had never called him that, promising him that she never would no matter what they had been through together. She'd come close to slipping up on that promise, but always caught herself. Now the girl was burying her face against him, squeezing his hand to the point that she could break something.
"It's almost over, chili pepper," he promised, squeezing her hand back to let her know that he was with her. "I can see that bullet coming out of you right now. Just hold on a second longer."
The healer extracted the bullet and placed it in a small metal dish. She then reached out and grabbed a small gel of green eco and lathered it on Rumor's wound. Thick bandages followed and then the woman stepped back.
"She should be fine in a couple days," the healer told Sig, wiping her hands on a cloth. "There won't be any scarring, but she'll be tender for a while." Her gaze turned onto the little girl. "You're very lucky to have a caring parent like him."
"I'm not –" Sig began.
"Yeah, I know that I am," Rumor said, cutting across the Wastelander. "He's great to be around."
The girl reached into her pouch and paid for her healing session, letting go of Sig's hand. She bowed her head to the healer and then walked out onto the street. Sig followed her back towards the place that they'd left their vehicle.
"Kleiver better not have touched our gem," Rumor muttered loud enough for him to hear. "And if he's touched my peacemaker, I'm going to rip him a new one."
"Hey, hold on a second, chili pepper," Sig ordered, moving to walk beside her. "What was that you said back there when the healer told you that I was a good -?"
"A good parent?" Sig nodded and Rumor shrugged. "Well, that's the only thing that I can call you. A parent. After all that you've done for me, it just slipped out of me." She crossed her arms over her chest. "It's a fitting title and I guess that you deserve it. Lord knows that you're a much better father than my birth father is…Now, can we drop it and go get our gem before we kick some Kleiver ass? I'm thinking about having some roasted flut-flut tonight. How's that sound, Dad?"
A broad smile crossed Sig's face. "It sounds really good, chili pepper."
OOOOOOOOO
Rumor smiled over her shoulder at Sig as they charged up their respective peacemakers. "Just think of all the gems we're going to get from these guys. We'll have plenty of trophies to show off."
"Our walls will be covered with the biggest metal-head lizards we can carry," Sig agreed, smirking. "Think of all the stories that we'll tell after this."
"Let's go for the glory, Dad," Rumor said, looking at approaching metal-heads. "I've got your back all the way."
"And I've got yours, chili pepper." He leveled his peacemaker at a metal-head. "Now let's show these bastards what we've got. Give 'em hell."
OOOOOOOOO
A/N: So, what do you think about this? I know that it was a bit short, maybe a bit rushed, but it's what came out. I usually only write about Razer and Jak, but this came to mind and is out of my comfort zone. Please let me know what you think about this and I'll do my best to get back to you somehow. Thanks! -Scarlet