"Are you there yet? North East, remember? You go straight then take a r-"
"I know how to get to North East, okay? I'm just having trouble seeing anybody."
"Careful out there. I want you to get back soon...alive"
"No worries, Daddy! I'll be back before you know it."
Click
Went the young Razor's communicator.
"Hmm. You see anything, Charisse?" asked Razor standing on her anteater's back with her staff holding her steady. The anteater shook her head slightly also looking into the desert before them. They had volunteered to search for the beacon signal that had gone off hours ago. Her father never stopped calling every few minutes just to check if the girl was alive. "No? Didn't think so," Razor huffed sitting back down tapping her fingers on the cool metal surface of Charisse's armor. "Great. 'North East ' they said. I don't se- Oh! Charisse, down there. Go. Hurry!" she exclaimed shouting orders as the anteater rushed off into the direction her friend pointed out. Within seconds the two were at the bottom of a cliff facing an unconscious elf and a little rodent.
Quickly and swiftly the purple haired elf slid off her ride and neared the two unconscious bodies. "Dear, Mar," she muttered to herself a bit astonished, " I can't believe they're still alive," Razor said as she dropped her staff and grabbed the little rodent first. She gently carried the thing and placed it right under Charisse's the metal armor giving it a little protection from the intense heat. She was then about to pick up the man when she heard her Charisse give off a little purr. "What's up, Charisse?" the enormous anteater pointed her snout to a blue small figure ahead. Razor looked in that direction and saw it was yet another she was suppose to save. A Parrot. She gently picked it up and placed it next to the orange rodent. "See anyone else, Charisse?" Charisse shook her head and a hint of a smile appeared in the anteater's eyes as her ears rose a bit. "Okay," smiled Razor. Hoisting the man over her shoulder she made her way to Charisse. Razor gave a grunt as she pushed the man's body onto the anteater's back, he was heavier than he looked. Once she had gotten him on, and made sure he was a comfortable position she hoisted herself up. "That's it then, let's head back to Spargus, sweetie," said Razor setting a hand on the man's back who laid in front of her as Charisse began the long walk back. "I'm home, with unconscious beings!" exclaimed Razor hopping off her anteater. "Hpmh. No one's here." She muttered under her breath as she scanned the area only to find armed vehicles. With a roll of her eyes she gave an irritated sigh, 'Great, now it's my job to take them to Damas,' she thought and hopped back onto Charisse riding towards the palace.
"Okay, Charisse, in the lift," commanded Razor slipping off her anteater. They had arrived at the palace all Razor had to do was get Charisse onto the lift. That was not an easy task. "Come on, Charisse. I'm here with you." the anteater shook her head. "Don't be ridiculous it's just a lift. You fit in it, I promise you won't fall," Charisse shook her head again. "I'll get you as many ants as you'd like," as those words left Razor's lips Charisse's eyes glittered with happiness and gladly boarded the lift. "Good anteater!" she praised her animal and got in with her. Proud of what she accomplished she rode up the lift humming a small tune to herself until the King's throne came into view. "Damas, I found our new guests!" said Razor stepping off the lift with Charisse right beside her.
"Guests? I only saw one beacon appear on my communicator." said Damas as he stood up from his throne.
"Well, I found two animals with the man." she replied moving aside so he could see the two animals and the blond haired boy settled on the anteater.
Damas raised to his feet and stepped closer, "Ah, his pets?" He asked inspecting the new meat to Spargus.
Razor shrugged and grabbed both the parrot and the orange rodent off the anteater. "I guess, I'm really not sure." She replied as she walked to one on the rocks and sat down, "I suppose they could be since they were all together," Razor inquired while she gently began to clean the animals.
"Alright, I thank you for your help, Razor." he said putting down his staff and helping the unconscious man to the little pool he had before his throne. "I apologize for sending you out on such a sweltering day."
"It's fine. It's an honor to always help out my king," she said bowing her head at him.
Damas smiled and left the man there in the water to soak up some moisture back into his cells. "I have to run some errands around Spargus today, do you mind keeping an eye on these two?"
"Tw-"
"Arrrgh! King Damas it is an honor to be in your presence," Razor looked up to see the parrot flying in front of Damas, and then she looked back to where she had settle him seconds ago.
"I-i-it talks!" pointed Razor astonished and quite a bit frightened as the Parrot turned to look at her.
"Pointing is very rude, Razor." said Damas then looked to the Parrot. "Who are you?"
"My apologies, sir. I am Pecker. I have come from Haven City accompanied by these two that are still a bit under," said the parrot 'Pecker'
The king gave a nod of acknowledgment, and said, "You shall accompany me, and tell me of your journey." He and the parrot bordered the lift, but before it went down he looked Razor in the eye, and gave her the same instructions, "I leave these two to you, Razor."
"Yes sir," She saluted, but once he was out of sight Razor relaxed and sat on the rocks. "Well Charisse what now?" The anteater sat down and nudged the little rodent that was stirring. "Oh, he's waking up?" Gently she picked up the little rodent and shook him awake.
"Wh-where am I?" it spoke making Charisse jump a bit.
"Y-you're in Spargus."
The small, orange rodent rubbed his head, before shaking it as if chasing away the haze, "Where?"
"Spargus," repeated Razor putting him down. "We're a city out in the desert. I brought you two here."
The rodent suddenly rose looking at his surroundings petrified. "Jak, buddy, wake up!" said the rodent scurrying to the elf. Razor watched the little animal in amazement. She was amused at how energetic he was despite being out in the desert heat mere minutes ago.
With the rodent's loud, and frantic screaming the elf awoke and looked at the animal "Daxter?"
"Yeah, it's me Daxter. Get up, we we're saved!" replied the loud animal. Jak slowly rose to his feet almost stumbling over. Watching this the purple haired girl rushed to his side and wrapped an arm around his midsection to keep him up.
"Easy now," she cooed. "Drink some water first you, guys must be thirsty." Jak sat down and sunk his feet into the water slowly. "Name's Razor welcome to Spargus guys." She said sitting right beside Jak with her legs crossed under her.
"Name's Jak, that's Daxter" he said pointing to the happy animal relaxing against a rock in the water. "How'd we get here?"
Razor pulled her hair back, and gave him the same reply she had given his furry friend, "I brought you here."
"Doubt it" smirked the boy splashing his face. Then leaning back on his arms.
"Sure did. I brought you guys on my little Charrise," she said pointing to her anteater. "She carried you guys."
"O- wow. An anteater? That's a new one." said Jak astonished. He's seen about every animal besides an anteater, until now. Charrise seemed to smile at the elf as her eyes closed. "How'd you find us out there?"
"Your beacon signaled us." said Razor throwing the beacon at Jak, who caught it easily. "I was sent out to get you since I was closer to your location." Jak nodded and looked at Daxter swimming around on his back. Jak moved his long hair back. Razor watched him and thought he looked uncomfortable with his hair. "Need a cut?" she asked
"Yeah." he replied looking back at Daxter. Razor pulled out a small dagger and started cutting down his yellow-green tinted hair. Once she was done she seated herself at the foot of Damas' throne leaning her head back on it. "What are we waiting for?"
"Damas. King of Sparta kidding. King of, well here." She said gesturing to the room.
Jak didn't look back at her as he moved his legs in the water as he asked, "And who are you to him?"
"Civilian, student, employee, servant." she shrugged laughing. "Nothing too special."
Jak nodded as some groaning noises of metal were heard. Razor got up and stood next to Charrise looking straight where the lift would appear. Jak just swished his legs in the water as Daxter was once again propped against the rock. He started gurgling water then swallowed. "I love water. Oh yes. It's so good, desert bad."
Then the lift appeared revealing Damas.
"Well, you've come back from the dead, have you. And my monks were ready to pray for you. I am Damas king of Spargus." said Damas out stretching his arm that did not hold his staff.
"Spargus. Wait nobody lives outside Haven's walls. At least not a whole city." said Jak as if he had not received this news from Razor mere minutes ago.
"Ah yes. We are the forgotten ones, Haven City's refuge. Thrown out and left to die like you. Now that you have been saved your life belongs to the people of Spargus." Razor inspected her anteater seeing if her armor was out of place or making her uncomfortable as Daxter ringed his tail out. "And we will use it well if it's actually worth anything," continued Damas seriously.
"Hey! That sounds like a bad deal!" exclaimed Daxter making paw gestures.
"You are in no position to make a deal. Out here anything is either useful or dead weight." said Damas angered. "Prove yourselves worthy, or the desert will be your grave."
Jak stood angered as well talking back to Damas. "You better work on making a better first impression."
"Hey, hey calm down." Razor whispered towards Jak narrowing her eyes at him, but she soon snapped her head looking at Damas who started laughing.
"In the unforgiving wasteland we value strength and survival above all." said Damas advancing towards Jak. " We will see where you stand complete your training and enter the arena. Just the bravest crawl out and are able to stay in Spargus. It's quite simply really." He said now returning to his original spot.
"Umm, what happens to the ones that don't crawl out." said Daxter on Jak's shoulder.
"Then it will be as we never found you," said Damas looking back at them over his shoulder.
Daxter gulped staring at him straight in the eye. "I was afraid of that."
"Go, Razor. Escort them to the Battle arena I will be there shortly."
Razor gave a nod of her head and a slight bow before walking to the lift with Charisse and the outsiders in tow.
"Urm you sure we'll fit? I mean your pet's pretty big for an anteater," said Daxter.
"Oh, yea of course this lift's made to sustain over eight hundred pounds." said Razor waving him off as the lift went down. "And Jak was it? You should hold your damn tongue in front of Damas."
"Yeah? Well, I don't take those who threaten me lightly." growled Jak towering over Razor.
Not wanting to be out down Razor puffed her chest out and took a step closer, "Well, I don't take lightly to those who threaten my king," she his as she lifted her staff and brought it back down harshly into the lift's wooden floor. This action caused the lift to rattle, and make the boy slightly lose his footing.
"Woah! Calm down, toots. Don't get fired up, Jak here is just a little over heated, ya know? Being out here in this hot desert under the sun and all for hours." said Daxter shaking his paws around frantically then smiling at Razor. Razor looked at Daxter then to Charisse seeing her petrified from the lift shaking.
"Poor baby," said Razor her gazing softening as she walked closer to Charisse. Jak's stare followed as Razor rushed over to her pet. "Shh, it's okay it just shook a little. I'm sorry Charisse," cooed Razor trying to calm her down. Once the lift came to a halt the anteater shoved everyone aside knocking them to the floor including Razor. "Oww," she muttered raising herself of the wooden surface. She walked out towards Charisse hopping on her back then looked back down at Jak and his furry friend.
"Want a ride there or would you prefer to walk?" asked Razor still angered a little.
Jak, without answering, rose himself on top of Charisse behind Razor. Daxter scurried off Jak's shoulder and under Charisse's armor where there was a bit of shade. Razor lightly pushed her foot against Charisse's stomach making her walk towards the battle arena. Jak took in the whole city as Daxter had his arms crossed behind his head smiling with his eyes closed. "Does everyone but you carry a weapon?" he asked out of the blue.
"No, only you," said Razor looking back at him in time to see him raise a brow at her. She held her staff up showing him. "It's a gun too. Also a nice stabbing utensil" she smirked then held it to her side. Jak nodded, but didn't bother saying anything in return once again. Minutes later took a complete stop in front of a large amount of stairs. "I guess we'll walk from here. Charisse is being lazy," said Razor hopping off the enormous anteater. The two walked up the stairs as Daxter rode on Jak's shoulder. Once they reached the top a gate opened and they walked down a short corridor. "What exactly will I do in there?"
"That's a surprise, Jak. Good luck." said Razor smirking pushing the boy into the open gate before them.
"Ladies and gentlemen-" Razor heard announce as she headed towards the stands where the spectators were seated.