Hey! I'm back with another fiction. Depending on the response I'll either continue or abandon this but recently i've gotten a bit of a Jak and Daxter obsession. I had also found Ratchet and Clank and was playing that too. So as always leave a review. Criticism is appreciated. Compliments are welcomed and flames will be put out.
Sorry if anything seems a bit out of character. I guess you could mention it in an...oh i dunno. *cough* review *coughcough*
"Jak, bubby, have I told you –burp- 'bout the time I filled this handy-dandy canteen with liquor?"
Jak looked down on the ottsel, Daxter, and rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, Dax. I also watched you drink the whole thing and throw up on yourself." Jak replied, looking at Daxter's stained fur. Jak winced at the stain that still emitted a sharp and a salty smell being still fresh.
"Wasn't that great?" Daxter exclaimed then fell over, mumbling incoherent sentences to himself.
Jak couldn't help but chuckle. Daxter was his best friend who was naturally goofy when he was sober, drunken Daxter was downright hilarious, even if at times Jak wasn't supposed to laugh.
But here, bored to death under a blazing sun, with some warm water and a barren wasteland, Jak would probably laugh at anything if it meant it would break the monotony.
Jak was out here for one thing currently; complete this stupid mission assigned by the lovely Keira.
And he was using lovely sarcastically.
It had been about a few months since the end of Spargus and all its chaos. He had been away from Haven City since then. He was gone for a good few months completing adventures with his faithful partner and the red-headed governess Ashlein.
Upon his return to Haven City he was greeted with something he had asked for: peace. And now for the first time Jak actually had nothing to do. For him this was bad. He needed a bit of adventure.
True for the first couple weeks of down time it was nice and all. It was as quiet at Haven City could be. But after the third week he'd realize his life was becoming more and more routine.
So of course he'd snap at the first chance he could to get off his ass and do something. Little did he know his favorite mechanic had a job for him, a job that on any other day he wouldn't have mind.
Jak walked into Keira's garage. He called out her name casually.
"Keira." He called again when she didn't respond. The sound of metal scratching against metal answered him.
Walking in the direction of the noise he was surprised to come to a patchy curtain where the silhouette of a slender and short girl stood. His hand reached to pull the curtain away.
"Don't touch." The silhouette said calmly.
Jak withdrew his hand with a slight pout. "You said you needed-."
"Yeah, I know." The silhouette replied.
Keira put down the tool in her hand and walked to the curtain. She pulled the raggedy thing aside then quickly closed it to not give away her project.
"I need you to collect me some decent sized scrap metal." She said with her arms crossed."I would get it myself but my…project requires some extra looking over." Explained Keira.
"May I ask why?" Jak asked un-phased.
"No, you may not." Keira replied dryly.
Jak rolled his eyes, "Alright."
"Just bring me back whatever you can, preferably five." Keira was the first to turn away. There was a long stretch of silence before Jak had piped up.
"What no, goodbye?" Jak said to himself turning away.
"What'd you mumble under your breath?" Keira snapped, her gaze burned into the back of Jak's skull.
"I'll be back when I can." He replied a bit louder than he should have. Not to mention aggressively.
Jak shook his head. Keira had changed. Looking at the back of the cart attached to his racer he thought of the young mechanic. It was filled with five hunks of scrap that took him a good portion of the afternoon to find. No help from Daxter, not to mention.
Jak sighed quietly and looked over to his furry companion. The orange lump of booze and wisecracks hung over the edge of the racer lazily and unconscious.
Jak grabbed Daxter by the scruff of his neck and repositioned him to sit in his seat while he buckled him in. The sun was closer to setting, he'd figure it would be a good time to head home.
Strapping himself in Jak started the engine. It took him about three tries before the engine roared to life and he finally got the racer moving.
He drove rather slowly home. In no real rush to go anywhere.
And where do I really have to go? He thought sarcastically. Keira acts like she doesn't want to see me. I sure as hell know Daxter's not up for anything else tonight. Jak's head lolled to the size as he went down a mental list of people who he usually associated with. Torn's busy suppressing that one gang. Won't let me help. Ashlein's busy with a real job…Tess scares me.
Before he knew it he pulled up to Keira's garage.
Jak got out, leaving Daxter in the seat.
"Keira!" he shouted.
There wasn't a reply. "This woman…" he grumbled. He walked to the back of the racer to unhook the trailer from the vehicle. While doing so he noticed the garage doors were closed.
His brow furrowed. It was still early out. Keira never closed her garage this early. Never.
Jak could say he got a bit worried, but that would be an understatement.
"Keira!" he yelled again while walking towards the regular shop doors. They were open which was good but they weren't unlocked. The glass from the window had been shattered and sprinkled all over the floor, on the inside.
Oh shit, Jak thought to himself.
He shoved his arm through the open hole in the door and jiggled the door knob.
"Keira!" he called once more.
Stepping into the shop he found the place a wreck. There were overturned work benches and holes punched into the walls. A certain tool box was knocked over, the contents spilled over the cement floor.
Instinctively Jak reached for the pistol in his holster.
He stepped forward but flinched when he heard a faint scrape of metal to cement only to realize he'd stepped on a wrench and slid it on the ground with his foot.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
And then the lights went out.
Jak gripped his gun tighter. He needed to find the light switch on the wall. He knew there was one nearby where he'd seen the flipped over work bench. Using his memory he made his way over.
It was all quiet, nothing but the sound of his own heavy footsteps.
Clink.
Jak cocked his gun. Apparently he wasn't alone. He inched closer to the wall and felt the rough texture of the wall. His hands snaked wildly across the wall in an attempt to find the switch. He found it, flipped it and aimed his gun at the first thing in front of him.
A short, blue/green haired girl stared at him with large eyes full of fear and adrenaline. A large wrench was hung over her shoulder, ready to come down on someone's head.
"Keira!" Jak spat. "I could have shot you! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
"Defending myself! What are you doing?"
"Looking for you!"
Keira put her wrench down and sat on a spare can close to the wall.
"What happened?"
"I was out for a bit, Tess needed me at the Naughty Ottsel. I locked up and everything. When I came back the front door was busted open and the place was a wreck. Some guy was trying to rob me."
"So you saw him?" Jak asked.
"Yeah he was still here when I got back but ran off somewhere."
"Why were you sneaking around here like that then?" Jak inquired.
Keira got up, grabbed her wrench and looked around. "I never saw the guy leave."
Jak tensed. That person could still be in the building.
"I didn't want to go up to the apartment yet." Keira continued. "Garage had more swinging room." She said bouncing the end of the wrench she wasn't holding in her free hand.
Jak nodded. "Do you want me to check upstairs?" he asked already eyeing the door.
"You're going to anyway."
Jak started moving with haste. "Stay there." He advised.
….
"He's gone." Jak said coming back down the stairs.
Keira had turned her workbench back over. The tools that were scattered all over the floor were picked up and stored in their proper place.
Whatever Keira could salvage she did and the rest was trashed, including broken glass, pieces of bent-beyond-use sheet metal, and a large portion of plaster wall covering. Keira sighed as she dumped the last of the broken material into the garbage can.
"Thanks, Jak." She replied. The garage doors were open once again. Keira wheeled the full can outside and noticed the scrap metal. For a moment she forgot what she sent Jak out to do. Seeing the scrap metal she remembered.
"Thanks again." She said grabbing the hook that was connected to the racer, slowly she started pulling.
Jak, hearing Keira grunt, went outside and took a hold of the hook.
Keira stopped and rested her hand on Jak's shoulder. "No, I got this."
Keira and Jak pulled together at the same time. "Jak." She whined. "I can pull this."
"Keira this is almost four hundred pounds of scrap metal. Just let me help-."
"No." Jak released the hook and stepped back to watch Keira.
He stood there unimpressed for a minute or so as Keira struggled with the cart. He looked down at his feet.
Why the hell do you have to be so goddamned stubborn. He thought to himself. All I wanted was too…
His thoughts were cut short as he heard the squeaky whine of the rusty cart's wheels. He looked up to Keira, red in the face, pulling the cart into her garage all by herself.
Jak followed beside her, giving her encouragement all the while surveying her.
He hadn't noticed how toned her arms were, he could have sworn just a moment ago they were limp, string bean poles of ivory. Now looking at them, he quickly realized how wrong he was. Maybe she really could have taken on that robber.
Keira puffed out a large breath as she pulled the cart the last two feet into the spot she desired. Letting go of the hook she started breathing heavily. She bent forward, her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath.
"When'd you start working out?" Jak asked when Keira breathing had settled and she was sifting through the scrapmetal.
"H-huh? Oh yeah… I was… well you know working in a garage all the time with heavy machinery…" she started. She huffed as she searched for words. "When you're not around and I'm not busy I do a few pushups now and then." She concluded, taking a smaller broken off piece of scrap metal.
Jak followed her over to her bench as she laid the scrap metal on the table. "A few 'push-ups'…" he said using his fingers as air quotes around 'push-ups', "…don't allow you the strength to pull almost four hundred pounds."
Keira looked into Jak's blue eyes and shrugged, giving him a tone of, "Then I don't know what to tell you."
It was then Jak noticed something on Keira's face. To the side there was a faint spot of red. A thin vein of it ran down her heart-shaped face and down her neck.
"What happened to your head?" Jak asked reaching towards her head. His thumb made contact with the red spot on Keira's head. She hissed and looked at him. She slapped his hand away.
Jak scowled at her.
She sneered in response but changed her expression to something apologetic. He just cares. She thought.
"I tried to apprehend the robber. He hit me with something I think." She said.
Jak's face told her that he didn't buy it. But she didn't care.
Closing her garage and leaving the scrap metal on the table she walked towards the door leading to her apartment. "I should probably go get fixed up. Thanks again for the metal. Sorry I kept you here longer than I was 'spossed to." She mumbled.
Jak was about to say something when something hit the garage door.
Jak and Keira both stopped and reached for their weapons.
"JAaAaAaAaAKk!" Daxter cried. "Jak!" Jak raced outside, Daxter was lying on the ground. The door of his racer popped open wide. Jak shut the door.
"Daxter!" he said rushing over to him. "What's wrong?"
Daxter looked up at Jak. "I think I drank too much." Daxter muttered. "I need to go."
Jak rolled his eyes and picked up Daxter. Keria came outside, holding that big wrench.
"What's up?"
"Daxter had an epiphany." He motioned towards the hung-over ottsel in his arms. Keira rolled her eyes. Jak and Keira smiled a bit. Despite the condition his friend was in, it was a bit funny.
Keira let out a small chuckle that made Jak's heart leap. It felt like forever since he heard her.
And then Daxter heaved. He turned his head to the floor and unleashed his stomach contents.
Keira's laugh had disappeared and had turned into an almost childish voice. "Ewwwww."
She smiled again.
"Bring him inside. I'm not sure Tess'll want to deal with this thing." Keira started walking. "C'mon I left the door open! I don't wanna get robbed again." Jak followed with Daxter in his arms.
Keira led Jak into her apartment; she set up a place for Daxter and told jak to let him lay there. It was right in the living room where she had a small fire pit. In the middle there were two couches facing each other and a small rug in the middle. Keira turned on a small lamp light.
Keira glanced at a nearby clock that hung on a wall near the kitchen.
"Oh Precursors… Is it really past midnight?" She said with more disappointment than she needed to.
Jak looked at her, catching the tone. "Is something wrong?"
"No. I suppose not." She said looking at Jak. There was an awkward silence before Keira suggested, "You can stay." Her voice held a bit of hope.
Keira gave Jak a small, microscopic smile but faded it when he didn't return the favor. "Of course then again if Ashlein wouldn't like that."
Jak shook his head almost too quickly. "No. Ashlein wouldn't mind. I mean… She doesn't control me or anything… Not like she's trying. I'm pretty sure Torn's with her or something." Jak mumbled.
Keira's bottom lip pursed. "Alright, well couch is open."
"Okay."
Keria nodded again.
She and Jak stood staring at each other.
You were supposed to leaves minutes ago. A voice in her head told her.
"Yeah, so… Goodnight." She said rushing into her room.
Jak rubbed the back of his neck and watched Daxter roll around in his sleep.
"No mommy, I never touched the plant. It tried to steal my water bubble." Jak grinned and plopped down on the couch.
Keira came out again. She sat opposite the couch Jak sat on.
The words came out in a rush.
"Jak. Can we talk?"
"Yeah." He said innocently enough.
Keira opened her mouth to speak. Her mind raced to a million things. None of them she really wanted to talk about though, she just supposed that she just wanted Jak's attention.
So she said the first thing on her mind. "How do you work out?"
"What?"
"How do you stay in shape?" Keira crossed her leg over the other. A placid look took over her face.
Smooth. The voice in Keira's head remarked sarcastically. Smooth.
Jak cocked an eyebrow. "I dunno. I just… do a pull up or something. Sometimes I lift weights… just doing all these missions and stuff keep me in okay condition anyways." Keira nodded as if this information really meant anything to her. Really she just like hearing him talk.
She smiled every once and a while to let him know she was listen but in reality she was just watching his lips move.
Silently she chastised herself for being so cold to him for the last few months. But hell if he could be a hard ass why couldn't she?
Since the kiss with Ashlein she realized that she needed to man up. (or woman up.)
The kiss didn't upset her as much as she would have thought. In fact it doesn't hurt at all. She was pretty sure if the same scenario happened she would have kissed the nearest pair of lips too.
The fact that Jak went around all the time saving things was hard enough job to imagine so she let that one little sign of appreciation slip. She decided she didn't need to be yet another thing on Jak's list to save.
She got upset over a small "thank-you" kiss and Jak had to save the world. Twice. She knew there were worse things. Plus… Jak and here weren't even together.
So while he was away Keira had made her own agenda. And it didn't involve cars.
Jak sighed. Keira snapped back into reality.
"I wish sometimes I was like you." Keira, perplexed, listened.
"I wish I could just sit back, nothing to do but the things I love, and maybe every once in a while get a little action but go home knowing I did the best I could. No lives depending on me."
Keira smiled but in her mind she was slightly mad.
God, is this what he thinks of me? Some laid back girl with a hobby. The extra help?!
Keira's hand moved to her leg. Underneath her dirty, dusty pants was a scar that was burning.
"I wish I could be like you, without a care in the world."
Jak stared. "That cut on your head. Doesn't it hurt?" Keira ghosted a hand over the area. She pretended to feel pain.
"Yeah. But not so much." Jak smirked.
"You really toughened up." Keira laughed.
Ooh, you don't know the half of it.
"Really, Keira." Jak's voice was softer. "I know I haven't been there like I wanted to. I can't even say 'hi' sometimes. I'm just here one minute, the next… What I'm trying to say is that-."
"Jak. It's fine." Interrupted Keira. She reached across and placed a hand on his. "If you're worried about me , don't be. I can take care of myself."
Keira and Jak continued their conversation. She then excused herself and left when Jak yawned. Telling him she'd see him in the morning.
As she dressed in her night clothes she took a minute to look out over her balcony. Haven City was an ugly town. But tonight was a full moon and there was nothing a full moon couldn't make beautiful.
Standing in her soft shorts her hand trailed down to a jagged and rather prominent scar. She could still feel the plastic shiv jammed into the side of her thigh. She closed her eyes and traced the scar lightly. The breeze blew cool air across her exposed neck, arms, face and legs. Slowly she started to remember times, places, and predicaments.