A/N: This has come about due to the fact there are certain scenes I have written over the course of Catalyst that are nonessential to the plot, but I just can't bear to delete from my computer. Now, I've tried to keep them chronological, but that will no doubt change, as I get more ideas. Regardless, I'll write in the author's notes when each chapter occurs.
This first part happens just before chapter eleven – Jak's birthday! Yay! As with the main story, I refer to Seem as male.
Birthday
Now was the worst possible time for The Naughty Ottsel to be deserted. Taryn required the assistance of a certain Orange Lightning, which was laughably categorised as 'advice'.
"Daxter!" she called at the top of her voice, stood in the centre of the bar, cursing into the silence. Where is that loudmouthed rodent? Several more calls of his name yielded no results.
Fortunately, just as she was about to give a final try, another girl's voice filled the room.
"Who is shouting at a time like this?" It was Tess, of all…Precursors. Her hair was neatly brushed (likely moments before) and clothing arranged just so, as always. When she and Taryn were young, the latter had offered the female Ottsel the abhorred nickname "neat freak". Regardless of her appearance, the blonde appeared sleepy.
"Sorry," the human teen said in a lower register. "I just need to borrow your boy toy."
Brain evidently unable to assess the request at present, Tess gave a bemused frown. "What? Why?"
The seventeen year old initially didn't wish to admit her plan, considering not even her closest friends knew of her relationship with Jak – she wanted to keep things that way for a little longer. Just getting comfortable and used to having a hero of her own, she thought anything to disrupt it would be unwelcome.
However, it seemed the blush on her cheeks at the thought did not go unnoticed.
"Of course! It's Jak's birthday tomorrow, isn't it?" Tess remarked. "Dax and I went halves and already got him something."
Oh, screw it! "I have been stuck for days!" Taryn cried, gripping her head with gloved hands. "I desperately need help finding something worthwhile! I don't know what Jak likes!"
"He likes you. Dress up or something. Get him going." The Ottsel offered a suggestive wink.
The seventeen year old's face dropped. "The fuzzball told you, didn't he?"
"Yep. I'm so happy for you two."
Damn it. I do not need this. "Have you told anyone else?"
"No. Do you want me to?"
"God, no. Not yet, anyway. So, where is Daxter?"
"Still asleep. You want me to get him?"
"Please."
The blonde wordlessly bounded off to the back room; mere minutes later, she returned with a strangely excited Orange Lightning.
"There's my favourite blue jellybean! He cried, face splitting in half from his overly wide grin.
"Jellybean? Really? Have you been drinking puddles again?" Taryn rolled her eyes, crossing both arms over her chest. I don't have time for banter. "Clock's ticking, Ginger. I need to find a gift."
"Cuttin' it close, aren'tcha?"
"Yes, yes, I know that, already. Just help."
"Okay, okay. Keep yer pants on." He suggestively wiggled his brow at those words, making her groan in exasperation.
"Can I come with?" the blonde asked, in her sweetest, most innocent tone, locking her fingers together in a begging gesture.
"Yes, fine, whatever," Taryn muttered. "Just get ready. Quickly."
Finally ready (at a slower pace than the already panicked blue-haired adolescent would have liked), the trio darted out of the bar and jumped into her forest green, modified HellCat. With a turn of the key, the engine immediately roared to life, and the large vehicle shot off into the higher flying zone.
"Give me some ideas of the kind of things Jak likes," Taryn said.
"You," came Daxter's retort. "Dressed as a maid, prob'ly."
"Ugh. You know Tess already cracked that joke. Write your own material."
"You should really keep your eyes on the sky, Bloo," the blonde Ottsel piped up.
The human only begrudgingly did as she was told, sighing all the while. This was quickly becoming a nightmare. If she couldn't get anything for her boyfriend, it meant likely resorting to doing as the Ottsels suggested; she wasn't sure if she could deal with the blonde's reaction to it just yet. It was still too early in their relationship for anything like that.
Scowling, she tried to find an alternative. "Is there anything else?"
Tess shook her little head. "I don't know, apart from what we already got him."
"Useful."
Orange Lightning remained oddly quiet for a minute, before he leapt into the passenger seat, frightening the already highly-strung driver. "Take a right here."
Taryn did as she was instructed, and followed his subsequent directions, but curiosity needed to know where he guided her. "Where are you taking us?"
"You'll know when we get there," came his cryptic remark.
Damn it. That just makes me more curious, she inwardly grumbled, but, even with both female's demands, he simply wouldn't disclose the location.
"Fine, Fuzzball," the blue-haired teen relented. "Navigate away."
As it turned out, Daxter had led his associates to the monk temple – a place Taryn would rather not have entered again, unless it was to admire the statue that she learnt was modelled after Light Jak. Only a couple of weeks had passed since she was last there, yet it felt like an age. It was where the blonde hero first kissed her and admitted his feelings. Regardless of that still-vivid memory, she felt uncomfortable in the presence of the holy men and all that represented the Old World.
Within the beautifully decorated entrance hall, Seem greeted the trio with surprising warmth, offering a sliver of a smile and a reverent bow of the head.
"Hey!" Orange Lightning beamed.
"You grace us with your presence today," the leader spoke. "How may we help you?"
"Well, you see it's actually my friend, here, who needs a little something," he elucidated, waving a paw at Taryn. The monk briefly looked past the Ottsel and towards said girl, curiously studying her.
"I see. What 'something' did you have in mind?" Seem asked.
Daxter gestured for the young male to lean down, before the former whispered into the latter's ear. The blue-haired teen strained to hear, but simply couldn't make it out, so gave up. Tess, on the other hand, was merely content to stand upon the mosaic floor and admire the scenery; she simply couldn't get enough of its beauty.
Taryn was amazed at how relaxed the Ottsels were in the building. Must be a Precursor thing, she mused.
"Of course," Seem said with some semblance of levity to his voice that was not usually present. He straightened up, then retreated towards one of the back doors. "If you would wait here a moment."
The seventeen year old raised an eyebrow, then glanced over at Orange Lighting. "What did you say to him?"
"You'll see…" the Ottsel responded, in a dramatic tenor.
"Be annoyingly mysterious. I just hope the trip was worth it."
"You don't like the décor?"
Taryn began shaking her head, then paused and considered the query. "Well…I like the statue. And the place is beautiful…"
"Then what's the issue?" Tess cut in.
"Look, I've already talked this through with Jak and Keira, alright?"
"Ooh, something happened, didn't it?"
"I'm gonna take a wild guess an' say this was the place you kissed Jak," Daxter suddenly blurted.
Taryn's mouth dropped. "What? How did you-?"
"I'm a genius. Get used to it, honey," he said smugly.
"Jak kissed me, by the way," she defended, but it sounded feeble to her ears, so shrank into herself and fought the urge to sulk. It was hardly the time to discuss such matters, anyway. She simply needed to know what Seem would present as a possible solution. Then she could wrap it up, stash it somewhere in her bedroom, and think about the best way to present it to her boyfriend.
The monk leader returned at that moment. In his hands sat an intricate wooden box, covered with Precursor script and embossed with Mar's seal. It remained a mystery if the item within once belonged to the founder of Haven City or if it had recently been placed inside for safe keeping. Taryn had a fair idea that the monks would never reveal the truth – if they even knew.
Seem then presented it to Daxter, along with the matching, minute key; the latter nodded at the gesture, then accepted it. The Ottsel inserted the piece of bronzed metal into the keyhole and turned it clockwise. The lid popped open a sliver, before he pushed it up, revealing its contents. An enormous grin spread across his countenance and he turned to the two girls.
"This is exactly what I had in mind," he declared, looking up at the monk. "Thanks a bunch."
"You are most welcome," Seem replied.
The Ottsel then trotted closer to Tess and Taryn, allowing the pair to peer inside. The seventeen year old's green optics widened at such a sight.
It was perfect.