Authors note: This came to me while playing my brother's save in Jak II and I came to my own conclusion I loved the character Jak had become. So, for fun, I chose to write this fanfiction. I know I might get some flames about how I portray the characters, but hey, I think Jak is deep down, a total jerk. And here he is, just being a jerk for your enjoyment!
If you wanna flame me, feel free to do so, I'll most likely fall over laughing.
~~~
The racetrack, a long tar paved route of twisting tunnels and curved gaps stained with blood of racers past. Every week racers hoping to prove their worth risk their lives across this unforgiving terrain. Grunting, accelerating, fighting back and fourth for the championship trophy.
The racetrack is my home, I race, I win, and I don't die. It's also where this bad day started.
And so there I was, eyes narrowed for the last jump, driving my zoomer into the leg of the racer next to me, if he wouldn't slow down and let me win, I will smash his body against the wall. I could hear the crowd roaring my name, 'Jak, Jak, Jak!' Daxter's fingers dug deeper into my skin as his tail continued to strangle my neck as the giant gap and short ramp came ever closer, but I didn't notice. I was going to win, everyone was watching, everyone was waiting. Each moment passed like an hour, our zoomers engines pushed to the limit, if anything where to break, it would mean the end.
But someone, something didn't want my glory. My engine suddenly coughed, sputtered, and died. The other racer slammed me to the side, away from the gap as he zoomed to the finish. For a few moments I was mourning the loss… until I heard Daxter's screams of terror as we went off the side of the track into the damned fall. In a sudden flash, I willed my legs to push me upward and launch me to the other side, clinging to the ledge and pulling myself up. Below me the zoomer crashed and exploded in a ball of flame. I hardly had time to look back before a suddenly felt a fist slam me in the head.
It was Kiera, and that was her Zoomer (Mine was broken.) I just oh-so-brilliantly crashed. Dear god, hell has no wrath like a woman's scorn.
"YOU JERK!" Kiera yelled, pushing me with her foot onto my side so I couldn't hide my face from her. She had been pissy lately, something about some date I missed. I think I was drunk when she asked me. I'll have to buy her flowers or something later to make up for it. Or a new Zoomer. Either way, I was nodding an 'ummhumm'ing at the right times as she thrashed me verbally. It didn't bother me as much, as I kinda felt bad for her. (PMS must be tough to deal with.) Or, I didn't care until the announcer chose to butt in.
"Looks like the star racer is getting yelled at by his mechanic! Tough break, guess He'll be sleeping in a bathtub tonight!"
I buried my face in one hand, the crowd was laughing, and Keria didn't stop yelling.
~~~
Kiera didn't stop bitching at me until we got to the workshop, where she pointed to my own and broken Zoomer and yelled. I didn't really pay much attention; she was saying something about 'responsibility' and other big words I avoid. Once she was done tongue lashing me, tuned back into the real world as she put her arms on her hips and said.
"Now, I'm happy you're alive, BUT, that doesn't change the fact that you ruined my Zoomer."
Bored of being passive, I stood up for myself.
"I nearly got killed! Didn't you see the flames?"
Kiera, being a woman, didn't want to be bested, so she scrunched up her nose and declared. "Jak, if you don't get my zoomer fixed soon you WILL regret it."
In other words, my relationship was screwed if I didn't fix what was wrong. I suavely slid up beside Kiera, putting my hands on her shoulders and whispering to her. "Kiera, do you really think I will let you down? Have I ever before?"
Not totally empty words, but said to get my ass off thin ice. Kiera sighed and shook her head, then walked over to the spare zoomer, my zoomer, and picked up a wrench. She leaned on the front and tinkered with the headlight for a moment, before speaking again.
"You know, I could just never fix your zoomers again and you couldn't race."
I knew Kiera's threat wasn't empty, but I didn't change my expression. I searched through my brain, past everything I normally thought about (Beer, women, racing, winning, guns…) and thought up something to say.
"How about this Kiera, I'll take you out tonight for dinner?"
Kiera looked up, raising one eyebrow. "Fine, fine. Just let me work in peace for now. Pick me up at seven or eight." She used her spare arm to yank the heavy curtains shut, and I heard hammering and tinkering after that. Daxter returned from the track (He looked flushed, most likely getting belly rubs from Tess and sucking up to her any way he could.) and leapt onto my shoulder again. He opened his mouth to ask how my 'talk' with Kiera went, but I rose a hand to silence him as I walked out of the stadium.
~~~
You know one thing I hate about the city being free now? I can't trip a Krimson Guard or steal someone's car anytime I want anymore. It really sucks to have to pay insurance and gas cost on my own vehicle. Plus, all I could afford was used and slow. (Torn had some sort of problem with me rushing through the streets on my jet board. He said something about 'innocent bystanders'.)
So, after a clunky and loud ride home, I parked and locked my vehicle. Once up to the apartment door, I fished in my pocket for the keys. I felt deeper when I couldn't find anything, my pockets contained:
A few balls of lint.
A string.
A quarter.
And a paperclip.
But no keys.
I cursed loudly, Daxter groaning. "You forgot your keys, AGAIN?" He complained, hopping around the windows to see inside our kitchen over the pile of dishes in the sink. (Someday I should clean my dishes.) The keys sat on the counter next to a half-eaten bowl of Lucky Charms.
"The keys are inside, next to your Lucky Charms." Daxter stated the obvious, he had a knack for doing that. I looked up and down the huge apartment building. "I left my bedroom window open, I'll just climb up, get inside, and let you in." I told Daxter, ignoring his complaints.
Our apartment was rather small, but it had a loft above the kitchen. This loft I claimed as my room, as Daxter paid for the apartment and he got the master bedroom. Looking up and down the building, I spotted the fire escape about twelve feet off the ground, and a ladder hanging down almost within grasping reach. I scrunched my knees, then leapt up, grabbing hold of the bottom rung of the ladder. I swung my other arm up and to the second rung, and began to pull my weight.
Then suddenly, Lady Luck had a heart attack.
The ladder began to creak and groan, one end extending and snapping, causing me to do the stupid thing, and scramble up. With each grasp of each rung, the ladder became more and more dangerous, and by the time I had reached the top, the ladder clattered to the ground, Daxter screaming like a girl.
But I was up, and that was good. I quickly climbed up the remainder of the fire escape and through my window, tumbling down onto my bed. I scrambled down the stairs to the kitchen, grasping for the keys (and knocking over the Lucky Charms) before I unlocked the door and let an angry Daxter in. Daxter took about three hops, then jumped into his overstuffed leather chair. That Ottsel had money falling out of his ass, his business was booming and he planned to open up a second 'Naughty Ottsel' across town. Once he had tracked down and captured the elusive remote, he turned on the TV and switched it to that reality show he watched, with that guy, doing stupid things. I don't know, I never watched it myself. I chose to retreat up to my loft.
Let me explain my room. It was pretty simple, two walls, two half-walls overlooking the rest of the apartment and spiral stairs going back down. On one wall hung all my guns, my bed sat in the corner, and my dresser in the other. A window (which I had come in earlier, if you recall) was beside my bed. I quickly strode to my dresser and reached in the top drawer for an inhaler like item. It was some sort of drug that gave a high that caused everything to be perky. Okay, so it wasn't legal at all. In fact, if I where to get caught, I would be in jail in an instant, but with all the fighting and racing I do, I kept them around for the following.
Bad injuries.
Bad days. (Like this one)
Lectures by Samos.
Just as I was about to inhale one shot of that wonderful happy-place inducing drug… my mind clicked back into place. Crap! I can't. I promised Kiera a date tonight. Groaning audibly I shoved the drug back into my drawer and slammed it shut, twirling around and sitting down on my bed. Peering over to my clock, I saw the time change from 5:32 to 5:33. I had enough time to get cleaned up, eat, and figure out where to take Kiera.
Maybe the day will improve. Or at least Chapter two won't be so bad.
~~~
Ending notes for Chapter one:
Hahahha, and maybe It will only get worse! I, the author have cruel ideas for you Jak!
Please R/R, I need more ideas to finish this up. :)