**Edited on 7/27/13**
This is my first story in the Jak and Daxter section, so bear with me if parts of it seem to be a little "blah" at times.
Disclaimer: I wish I did, but I don't own Jak and Daxter.
"I'm so bored!" the orange, fuzzy rodent complained loudly from his companion's shoulder. The eco-infused elf wisely chose to stay silent. "Come on Jak, let's just go back already. Nothin's happening here anyway," Daxter tried to persuade his friend.
"No, Dax. We have to search the area for Metal Heads. They're here, we just have to find them," Jak explained simplistically. Daxter gave an exaggerated whine in response.
The duo was currently searching the strip mine where, according to Torn's briefing, there was a large increase in Metal Head activity. The beasts were assembling in mass and the Underground commander had made the decision to send the two of them to investigate the reason why. The presumption was the creatures were converging because of the suitable environment the strip mine provided with its numerous pools of Dark Eco to hatch and raise their young. It was only a theory at best, but ample reason to be concerned.
They had been at the site for nearly an hour and had not come across a single Metal Head yet, hence the reason for Daxter's incessant complaining. Nearly every possible place that the beasts could hide in was searched without any luck. However, if they were to leave without solving the issue, then Vin – who was on the verge of a panic attack since he was the one who discovered the afore mentioned information – would lose it. Most likely, he would give them more than ten possibilities in less than a minute of how the Metal Heads would attack him because they did not find and destroy them. That would be very annoying.
Jak began to climb the cliff near Vin's old lab, attempting to gain a better vantage point of the area. Once at the top, he retrieved his gun from its holster and set it to blaster mode, ready for any assault that may come his way.
Trained, eco-enhanced eyes searched the landscape and long ears twitched occasionally with even the subtlest noise. Taking in every detail, Jak scoured the landscape. Daxter, who slumped against his shoulder guard like a ragdoll, had ceased talking knowing that his friend needed the silence to concentrate.
Jak narrowed his eyes, suspicious of how absolutely nothing was happening. Something was definitely not right. There should be more activity than this. The usual geckos, chirping insects and other animals were not present either. All was almost deathly quiet. Strange…
The sound of shifting rocks coming from behind drew Jak's attention. He spun around, bringing his gun up ready to fire at a moment's notice. When he observed that the noise was coming from within the rocky cliff, he cautiously moved deeper in search of the disturbance. Moving along the rough path, he soon came to a sharp corner. Peering around it, he was met with much more than he expected to find.
An extremely large amount of Metal Heads, all different sizes and species, were crawling on the rock walls and floor. They slid out from spots between the rocks, clung to the jagged sides like spiders, hovered above the ground with wings moving so fast they were a blur, and popped out of the dirt. Many gathered around glowing, writhing egg stalks, guarding the structures with a fierce intensity clearly seen in their stances and wild eyes.
It was an entire clan of Metal Heads.
Daxter gave an unintentional squeal – a shrill type of yelp – as he took in the sight before him. At the shrill sound, every Metal Head turned to the two. Hundreds of eyes focused on them with the intent to kill; to make them into their next meal for trespassing in their territory.
Jak found the closest cluster and switched gun modes before jumping into action. The Metal Heads descended on them in waves and the armed elf was doing his best to keep them away with rapid shots, his furry companion holding onto his shoulder guard for dear life.
The fight continued for an indiscernible amount of time, not slowing no matter how many of the vile beasts were killed. Jak was forced to stay on the move at all times as Metal Heads attacked from every direction. If he stayed in one place for even a moment, he would be swarmed.
After an eternity, the beasts' continuous onslaught because to decrease. Only a handful were left, all others dead and beginning to decompose into Dark Eco. The last of the monsters, seven in total, started to converge, circling their enemy with slow, predatorily paces. Jak took this opportunity to switch his gun to scatter mode for the close combat the fight was most likely going to be comprised of.
As one, the Metal Heads attacked, pouncing on the elf. Jak was able to disposed of all but one of them with a few well aimed shots before the last remaining beast tackled him from behind, discretely sneaking up disjointed from the group. Daxter was forcibly thrown off Jak's shoulder from the force of the impact, rolling to a stop near a large boulder. His companion, however, was not so fortunate.
The force of the collision had sent both Jak and the Metal Head to the ground where they tumbled over the edge of the cliff. The grappling pair fell directly into the boiling pond of Dark Eco below.
Daxter, shaking off his disorientation, immediately slid down the side of the cliff off to the side of the purple basin and came to a halt at the edge. He searched desperately on the liquid's surface for any sign of his life-long buddy, finding nothing but popping blisters of eco greeting him.
"Jak?!" he cried frantically, "Come on man, get your ass up here now! Please!" Daxter knew that even though Jak had the unnatural ability to absorb the horrid substance he fell into, he would be unable to handle that much of it at one time. Daxter did not know – nor had he ever wanted to – how his friend would react. Even the unstoppable Jak had his limits.
"No, no, no. Jak, you can't do this to me. You gotta get outta there!" The orange rodent had begun to pace the shoreline, paws grasping his head and eyes wide and wild with fear. Nearly an entire minute elapsed without any notice of the blonde and each second that ticked meticulously by made Daxter exponentially more worried and distraught. He did not even want to think about the possibility that Jak may never come back out.
Suddenly, a distant gurgling sound different from the fizzing the Dark Eco normally made drifted to Daxter's sensitive ears, causing them to instantly perk up. Looking intently at the toxic substance. He attempted to find the source of the noise. He soon found it as a hand shot out of the eco and grasped the gravel near the shore in a shaking fist. It was so unexpected that Daxter had nearly jumped out of his fur.
Following the arm was the rest of the body as Jak sluggishly pulled his form out of the eco with trembling limbs. Daxter frantically began to pull on one of the arms, desperately trying to get his friend to safety despite his own diminutive size and strength.
Somehow, Jak was removed from the Dark Eco and dragged about a foot away from the pond. He collapsed in a heap and Daxter was able to get a good look at the condition his partner was in.
Nearly every square inch of the man's skin was covered in severe burns from the corroding substance that had started eating away his flesh. Flashes of dark red came into view across his arms and legs, exposing the muscle usually hidden from sight. His clothes, deteriorated beyond repair, were littered with holes, burned by the Dark Eco they had been saturated in.
The elf was practically convulsing where he laid. Muscles seized and twitched sporadically as Jak ground his teeth together to prevent himself from screaming. Sparks of purple energy danced across his skin, some leaping off and grounding into the dirt. A strangled groan escaped his throat as he writhed in the dirt.
Daxter was in complete distress. He whipped swear words out in rapid succession between trying to comfort his shaking companion with meaningless phrases. Despite his efforts to calm, he was faced with a rather large dilemma. He was only a two-foot tall Ottsel not nearly big enough to drive a zoomer let alone manage to somehow get his five-foot ten comrade into one with his meager strength. The thought was even partially humorous to imagine.
He was going to need help if he wanted to get Jak to safety and hopefully treated in some way. He knew exactly who to call for such a job if he could manage to convince the person.
"Just wait a little bit longer Jak an' I'll get you help, I promise," Daxter rushed to say as he hastily searched Jak's pockets for his communicator. He found it in no time and prayed to the precursors that it would still work after soaking in the Dark Eco for so long. He jammed the on button and the device briefly sparked before coming to life. Daxter jumped in enthusiasm at his luck and dialed a number he knew by heart, waiting for the other end to connect.
And waited.
An entire minute passed by with only the constant sound of static ringing and Daxter was about to give up and throw the comm. unit back into the bubbling pool. A rough voice sounded through, stopping the Ottsel mid-swing.
"What do you want?" Torn questioned with a clearly annoyed tone.
Daxter fumbled briefly with the device before getting a good hold on it, "Can it Torn, I can't talk long. You need to get your little tattooed ass down to the strip mine now! Jak needs help!" he hastily demanded.
"I don't see why I should. What happened to Jak that's so terrible?" the Underground commander sarcastically inquired.
"What happened? He fell into a pool of Dark Eco is what happened! Now hurry! I don't know how much longer he'll last out here."
There was a long, drawn out pause before Torn released an angry sigh. "Fine."
The connection cut and Daxter set the comm. down, his attention returning to the sparking form. Jak's face was twisted in pain, sweat dripping down his brow.
Torn had better hurry.
Twenty minutes.
Nothing for twenty minutes; no Torn or any sign of life besides them. The minutes slowly ticked by, each worse than the last. Jak's condition seemed to be declining. He would randomly collapse into himself without warning, violently quaking as he muffled a scream. Daxter all the while continued to mutter comforting words to his friend, not knowing what else to do. His voice did not seem to be heard though since Jak never gave any indication that he even knew the small rodent was thereby his side.
What was he do to? There was no possible way for him to help Jak in the position he was in. He had already done all he could by calling Torn, even though that seemed to be a useless effort at the moment. That man sure did like to take his sweet time. Did he not understand the severity of the situation? Jak, his best warrior, was in mortal danger and he could not even take the time away from oh so precious maps to get there fast? If it were not for his diminutive size, Daxter would have beaten Torn to a bloody pulp the instant he saw him.
The sudden stomp of heavy boots sounding from behind the duo brought Daxter out of his enraged musing. Looking up, he saw a mop of red hair come around a large section of rock and head towards the two. Torn's eyes traveled over the young man on the ground as he came beside him, taking in his poor state.
Getting down on one knee the commander leaned in to get a better look, eyes narrowing and mouth thinning. Unexpectedly and much to Torn's surprise, Jak convulsed, muscles tense and quivering as he struggled to suppress a scream. It only took a few seconds before he fell limp, breathe heavy and strained.
"How long has he been like this?" Torn asked in his rough voice.
"At least fifteen minutes now. He was in that pool of Dark Eco for a good minute too," Daxter hurriedly answered, pacing behind the redhead. He surprisingly had none of his usual insults to throw at the tattooed soldier.
"His condition is worse than I thought. I'm taking him to The Shadow. He should be able to figure this out," Torn stated. A thought plagued his mind of why this – albeit extremely wounded - youth was still alive. According to his knowledge, every person that came into contact form with the toxic element was severely burned and had immediate decreases in health soon after; a lethal form of eco poisoning that none survived. Although, if one were to be completely submerged in the substance for any amount of time, the victim's body would entirely dissolve in a matter of seconds. How could someone survive falling into that stuff let alone for a whole minute?
Torn pondered these thoughts as he moved Jak from the ground into his arms. Walking briskly, he was careful not to jostle the surprisingly light body as he headed to the warp gate leading to Vin's lab. Torn also felt that the teen shuddering in his grasp was far colder than what was natural. Where he touched the boy's burnt skin felt like ice. With the numerous amount of burns he had acquired, he should have been radiating heat, but he seemed to have the opposite symptoms. That information was filed away for later.
Moments later, the group appeared on the other side of the portal where Vin was busy checking the monitors. The paranoid scientist freaked when he saw the Jak's condition, "Gah! Wh-what happened to him?"
Torn groaned exasperatedly, "He fell into some Dark Eco," he replied bluntly, eager to keep moving.
"Wait!" Daxter chimed, "Vinny, buddy, maybe you could take a look at poor Jak here to see if you can do anything to help him?"
"Well, I-I don't know. Dark Eco was never my primary field of study so I wouldn't even know where to begin!" Vin said in thought. While he was thinking, something seemed to click in his head, "W-wait… What about the Metal Heads you two were sent to kill? You d-did get rid of them all, right?" The last few words were said in a much higher pitch than the rest.
"Yeah, I think we got 'em all," the Ottsel replied, shifting from one foot to the other, "Jak killed all the beasties before taking his fall. But, there were some egg stalks that I don't think we got around to destroying," Daxter said as calmly as he could, still uneasy.
"W-w-what?!" Vin screeched, "You left the eggs? Oh, that's not good! In the enriched area they would be placed in, the accelerated rate of growth would be multiplied exponentially! The eggs could hatch within a few days at the most! And, when they do, they'll come after me. "The scientist began to hyperventilate before he quickly fainted, sprawled out on the floor of his lab.
The dreadlocked elf stared blankly at Vin's body before sighing. It had been worth a shot to see if the technological genius would help, but it apparently was not going to happen. Now he was going to have to send someone later to deal with the Metal Head stalks or he would have to live through this entire spiel again.
Torn turned and headed for the door, Daxter on his heels. Once outside, they kept to the shadows as they made their way to the concealed zoomer. Such actions were necessary. If the Krimson Guard were to find him, they would hunt him down like ravenous croca dogs. His face had, after all, been on many wanted posters all over the city. He carefully placed the unresponsive blonde in the passenger seat arranged in a way to look as if sleeping, at least from a distance. Daxter jumped in the vehicle after Jak was positioned, gently laying on his friend's lap. Torn hopped into the driver's seat and started the zoomer. He pulled his scarf over the lower half of his face and dark goggles over his eyes to conceal his identity before taking off for the back roads.
They were making great progress towards the base without interference and were now approximately five minutes away. Jak continued to convulse irregularly, each time causing Torn to instinctively look over at the sudden display of motion. Daxter would always become alert, worry evident on his furry face.
The zoomer smoothly swerved around another corner at high speeds, dodging pedestrians and other vehicles in the way as the driver switched from each hover zone. A couple more turns and they would be home free.
"Identification," the grated order reached their ears. Torn slowed at the sound of the voice, coming upon its origin up ahead.
There were multiple guards stationed in a bottles-necked area conducting a regulatory checkpoint. All vehicles and pedestrians passing through a specified part of a sector, usually one of high traffic, were required to provide verification. This process was conducted in order to confirm each citizen's credibility and loyalty to the Baron. Procedures such as these were also meant to sift out members of the Underground. No one proceeded through these sites without being questioned and identified. There would not be an opportunity to simply speed by with the tight security. Even if they tried to sneak through with everyone else, the guards would easily be able to recognize them with the close proximities. Every guard member in the area would be firing at them in a matter of seconds. That was a risk they could not afford to take given their present situation. They would need to think of a different course of action that did not involve them being recognized and fast.
Torn's zoomer was unwillingly herded into the line making it impossible to turn around and go a different way. If they did, all that would be accomplished was drawing the guard's attention.
"This is bad. Very, very bad!" Daxter nervously voiced.
"Shut up, rat! You aren't helping," the redhead hissed with frustration, "I've got a plan so keep your mouth shut and stay out of sight." His plan was relatively simple. Before it was their turn, he would switch to the higher hover zone. Since all vehicles were required to be in the lower zone, it would give him the opportunity to escape, getting a head start before the guards figured out what was going on and started after them. Nearly the whole unit would chase them, but they should have enough time to get to the hideout before the troops caught up.
It was by no means a great plan, but it was all he could come up with in the short amount of time. It was at least something and at the moment all they had. Because of that reason, it might have been rather fortunate, to a certain degree, that Torn never had the opportunity to put it in motion.
Five zoomers away from the start of the checkpoint, Jak suddenly lost all control. Jolts of purple electricity jumped from his form, quickly increasing intensity. His previous shaking had escalated into violent thrashing as his pained screams filled the air.
Daxter was trying to snap Jak out of it, but was forced to retreat to the other side of the zoomer by Torn when the lightning nearly shocked him. The screams had alerted every citizen in the area that something was wrong. Everyone quickly ran away in fear despite the angered yells of the guards.
Jak curled into a tight ball on the seat while his hands firmly grasped his head in agony. Torn had already gotten out of the zoomer, removing his face coverings in the process since they would only hinder his vision now. The Krimson Guard members remained, guns trained on the three.
"Hands in the air!" one of the soldiers demanded. When no move was made to fulfill the command, the guards readied their firearms. "Now!"
"T-Torn?" the quivering animal by the man's feet asked. He did not reply as he kept his eyes on the guards, "I-I think we should run!"
"What?" he said in confusion. The very thought of running was absurd. If they made any sudden movement, they would be shot. Even if they stayed still, they would probably be fired upon anyways.
He looked over slowly at the rodent to get his answer and caught sight of Jak. What he saw made his heart stop.
He was changing. His skin had paled to a marbled white, horns sprouted from his skull, onyx claws formed from his fingers and his screams turned into a menacing roar. The young man was replaced with Dark Jak, the monstrous nightmare. He slowly rose up from the abandoned vehicle, obsidian eyes locking with the guards as a low growl rumbled within his chest.
"It's the freak!"
"M-monster!"
"Shoot it! Shoot it!"
The guards frantically yelled to one another in terror. Some courageously fired upon the beast before them. Others fled for safety knowing what the beast was capable of.
Dark Jak instantly jumped from the zoomer as the first shots were fired, pouncing on the nearest soldier in a blur. Claws cut through armor with ease, tearing it off to expose the tender neck beneath. His fangs tore effortlessly through the soft flesh, reducing it to shreds. The poor soul could only cry out pitifully before falling limp in the beast's deadly grasp. Dark Jak dropped his kill and attacked another guard without hesitation, dodging bullets with ease.
Torn gapped in petrified shock, jaw slack. Jak was the one that had been Praxis' experiment in the DWP program that had begun not long after he left. He had heard that they had finally found a suitable subject to use. Jak – no, the creature that he turned into – was the Dark Eco monster he had heard about in rumors. The carnage that was being created was nothing like what the tales had described. This was slaughter.
The creature dug his claws in the abdomen of another unlucky guard, causing a river of dark crimson to flow out of his stomach and onto the ground. The soldier fell on his side with a thud when the claws were retracted, sputtering for only seconds before laying still.
They were all dead; slain by his hands. The only other forms of life not garbed in red armor were fearfully frozen on the sidelines.
Jak's twisted visage turned towards Torn and Daxter, his black orbs piercing into the former's scared eyes. A wicked grin split his face as he rounded his back and shoulders in a threatening manner.
Recalling what Daxter had said earlier, Torn realized why the Ottsel had advised such course of action. Every fiber of his being was itching to get away from the beast eyeing him like a hungry lurker would a piece of meat. Actually, that analogy hit a little too close to home.
It took no further instigation for him to turn on the spot, running as fast as he could away from Jak. Daxter was already ahead of him, sprinting on all fours.
Jak chuckled darkly as he watched his prey flee, keeping his gaze locked on the tall elf. He was only interested in killing that one. The furry animal he could care less about. For some reason, he felt no need to kill that rodent or bring any form of harm to it.
The Dark Eco monstrosity stalked after his escaping prey. He enjoyed the chase. When they ran, it made it much more thrilling. He took deliberately slow paces that gradually sped up to a jog, then turned into a run. Soon, the creature was dashing down the blood-splattered streets in a pale blur.
Torn gasped for breathe. His current speed was taking its toll on his muscles as they demanded oxygen. But he could not slow down by even a fraction or else he would be killed by his pursuer. Normally, he would fight against any form of opposition, but all he had on his person was his knife brought only out of habit. Not nearly enough to take on the monster from what he had seen.
Skidding around a corner, Torn realized that he was only about a minute, if not less, away from the hideout. He risked a quick glance over his shoulder and saw that Jak was gaining on him much faster than he thought. His soldier took the corner with a flying leap, jumping onto the wall and propelling himself off in Torn's direction.
In an instant, Jak was right behind him with one arm held at a downward angle to strike. Acting on instinct, Torn dove forward into a roll, barely dodging the deadly claws that pierced the concrete where he had just been. The black-eyed demon rose his gaze filled with malicious glee at the Underground commander. This man was turning out to be more fun than he originally thought. He ripped his claws out of the cement and rounded on the man with a deep growl. The redhead had already scrambled to his feet and was once again running, managing to somehow retrieve his trusted knife in his panic.
Torn was forced back down by a searing pain in his leg below the back of the knee. He fell to the ground, the knife's hilt clenched tightly in his fist. He tried to raise up onto his elbows, but was suddenly pierced in the arm. Jak dug his claws into the top of Torn's shoulder, pinning him to the hard ground before forcibly flipping him over onto his back with a flick of his wrist, one hand still holding him down. He reveled in seeing his victims' face when he struck the final blow. The looks of pure terror were the best part of his hunt.
Torn saw his chance to retaliate. With his free arm, he swung his blade at the dark creature's torso in a desperate attempt to get him to release his grasp. His swipe was stopped by a strong hand gripping his wrist before his could make contact. Jak increased his grip, forcing Torn to drop the knife where it was swatted to the side out of reach.
That was his last hope; gone, laying feet away. Without his weapon to help him, he was doomed.
Jak grinned demonically as he noticed the elf beneath him give up his struggles. Raising his hand still coated in blood, the devil prepared for the finishing strike.
He froze before he could complete his attack, claws inches above Torn's head and a blank look crossing his features. Torn stared up in shock, surprised he was not dead. In the next second, Jak's expression changed drastically to one of pure anguish. A brief, grated scream tore from his throat. Falling on his side, ripping his claws out of his victim's flesh in the process, the dark beast thrashed mutely on the ground. Arcs of purple electricity vaulted off his form and grounded into to broken concrete surrounding him, leaving behind ghastly scorch marks in their wake.
Crawling away from the dangerous strands of eco, Torn watched the spectacle with cautious curiosity and fear. With his back pressed against a wall, he cradled his injured shoulder in his opposite hand as blood escaped through his fingers.
Abruptly, Jak's thrashing ceased. Slowly, color seeped back into his skin and hair, reverting to the original tan and bicolored strands. Claws shrank and horns regressed, returning to normal. As Torn observed the startling transformation, he noticed that Jak looked paler than before. A thin layer of sweat coated his skin and his breaths came in short, strained gasps.
Torn could only stare at the figure in front of him, uncertain if the teen was truly safe to approach. From what he had witnessed, it was no surprise he was having doubts. Before he had more time to deliberate the matter, an orange blur appeared and was immediately by the unconscious elf.
"Oh no, no, no, no! Shit! Jak, don't do this to me again," Daxter cried on the verge of hysterics.
Finally, the redhead gained enough courage to get up and hesitantly approach his fallen soldier. He carefully crept back over the scorched ground to Jak's side. He looked even worse up close.
"Rat," he said suddenly, gaining the panicked animal's attention, "The base is just around the corner. Go get someone in there to help carry Jak back since I won't be able to now. And," he continued with a strict tone, "We'll talk about what happened here once he's not about to kick it."
Uncharacteristically, Daxter made no snarky comments. Like a flash of lightning the small rodent was off, giving credit to his self-proclaimed nickname. Torn had to wait only three minutes before he returned leading an annoyed Underground member towards them at a jog. Once reaching the two, Daxter immediately started shouting at the man.
"Come on slick, pick him up already and let's get outta here before more KG show up!"
The man stared at the Ottsel incredulously before looking at Torn, "Orders sir."
Rolling his eyes, Torn addressed the officer, "You heard the rodent. Pick him up and head back to base."
Nodding, the man followed the commands. He was briefly uncertain about his higher-up's condition, quickly doused by the commander's firm reassurance that he was fine. He began the trek back to the hideout. Torn lifted his wounded body off the ground with some difficulty and followed at a much slower pace. He limped forwards gingerly to not agitate his arm or leg. Once he managed to reach the base, he saw Jak being laid in one of the many bunks. His furry companion stood by his side on the bed, hands resting on his cold, burnt arm.
"Bring The Shadow in here," Torn ordered the unnamed soldier with a tone of urgency. The man huffed and disappeared into the back rooms. Soon, the young Samos trudged into the main room along with the officer sent to retrieve him. He left quickly through the front entrance, eager to escape the tense atmosphere. The Shadow sought out the Underground commander and his eyes immediately widened when he took in his disheveled, bloody appearance.
"Holy yakcow! What happened to you, Torn?" he asked.
"Don't worry about me. It's him you should be looking at," he gestured with his good arm towards the still figure on the cot.
If possible, The Shadow's eyes widened even further when he spotted the teen. He was by the bed at once taking in Jak's sickly form; examining all that was abnormal with a trained, narrowed gaze.
"How did he end up like this?" The question was spoken with precision.
Daxter answered since he was the only one present when the incident occurred, "W-we were just takin' care of some Metal Heads down by the strip mine and somehow one of 'em got Jak from the side a-an' I'm not really sure what happened after. But the next thing I knew, Jak had fallen into this big pool of the dark stuff! He was in there for a long time and when he finally came back up he… he was sparkin' an' I didn't know what to do, so I called Torn. But all this other stuff happened, which was a complete mess an-"
"Okay, okay!" The Shadow stopped his muddled explanation in annoyance, having heard more than enough, "What I can't understand how Jak is still alive. No one can handle being exposed to that much Dark Eco and not immediately die."
Daxter forced out a nervous laugh, "Well, ya see, Jak was kinda experimented on with Dark Eco while in the Baron's prison…"
Silence met his statement. The only noise being Jak's ragged breathing for those tense seconds. Then, they snapped.
"Jak was part of the Dark Warrior Program?! And he survived!" the old man shouted.
"Yah. And he might also kinda be the Dark Eco monster that everyone talks about."
The Shadow gave an exasperated sigh and turned to Torn, "Is all of this true?"
The commander, also surprised by the confirmation of his previous assumption, was shaken out of his thoughts, "Yeah, as far as I know. I saw his… other form first hand just a couple minutes ago," he provided. If he could, he would have crossed his arms and glared at the duo, or more specifically the conscious rodent. He was able to do the latter gladly though, expressing his anger as best he could without yelling or hitting something in pure frustration.
"I see… That makes this more complicated," the aged man replied, stroking the small patch of hair on his chin in thought. Many ideas coursed through his mind in rapid succession as he tried to find a solution to help the youth before him.
"I'll first need to stabilize his eco levels. I'm assuming that he normally has a minimal amount of Dark Eco in his system considering the experiments." A sideways glance at the Ottsel who nodded to his statement confirmed his speculation. "If that is the case, then it's going to be a delicate matter of balancing his normal levels with the others," the Freedom League leader informed.
"How would you go about that?" Torn questioned, mildly curious.
"That's the tricky part. In theory, if I were to force small amounts of Green Eco into his body, the positive eco would draw out the negative Dark Eco and thus cancel each other out. It would be a slow process since his body won't be able to handle large amounts of eco in his already super-charged state, but it'll have to do."
"Sounds good to me. Let's get this over with," Torn replied, moving to the sickly teen's side. As he did, he noticed that the orange rat had barely moved an inch from his spot. He continued to stare worriedly at his companion, completely quiet – something Torn had honestly never seen.
"I'll gather the supplies and we can begin," the grayed-hair elf informed. He gave another glance to Jak and his expression soften to one of concern. 'I hope I can save the boy,' he thought as he returned to his office to gather his equipment.
With some time before The Shadow returned, Torn took the opportunity to attend to his own wounds. Limping over to his cluttered desk, he took out the first aid box underneath and began his meticulous task. About five minutes into cleaning his shoulder, he had to halt his strained efforts. The reason for his pause was in the only occupied bed feet away.
In a sudden burst Jak began convulsing, clutching the fabric above his chest with both hands. His eyes were wide and blank, staring ahead at nothing. Arms and legs were jerking erratically, mouth open in a silent scream.
Horns slowly emerged from his skull at a much more delayed rate than the last times, creating clearly audible cracking as bones were forcefully moved aside and slowly rearranged. His skin paled, but only by a few shades. His eyes were the same, only darkened slightly from his normal blue. Claws formed on his hands, lengthened by an inch. Basically everything was the same with only minor changes of the transformation that was, for some unknown reason, being stopped.
The outburst startled Torn enough for him to nearly fall off his chair. He quickly righted himself and directed his attention at the suffering youth.
"Shadow! Get in here!" he urgently called as he hobbled to the teen's side. He saw how his hand grasped his shirt directly above his heart. That fact was enough to cause a great deal of distress. Not a moment after Torn's shout, The Shadow appeared at the other side of the bed.
"This isn't good," he muttered, "The Dark Eco must be concentrated enough that it's beginning to attack his heart. If we don't start the treatment now, he'll die!"
The future sage hastily took out a small vial filled with Green Eco from a bag be brought. He filled a thin syringe with the healing substance and prepared to administer it.
"You should stand back," he warned Daxter, still diligently staying by his friend. His eyes glistened with unshed tears as he reluctantly hopped off the bed.
"Here goes everything."
Samos forcefully stabbed the needle into the nape of Jak's neck, pushing down on the plunger to empty the contents. The reaction was instantaneous. Jak screamed. This one worse than all the last. It chilled everyone to the very bone. He thrashed violently, clawing at his chest so fiercely that he tore through the fabric of his shirt, drawing blood at his exposed, reddened flesh.
"Hold him still! He'll make himself worse if he keeps this up!" Torn firmly grabbed hold of both of Jak's wrists, pinning them to his side. He continued to squirm, his yells of agony not letting up in the slightest.
"Why is he reacting to the injection so strongly?" Torn questioned over the wailing.
"It must be because his body is no longer adapted to the Green Eco. With the constant supply of Dark Eco, his anatomical structure has been altered to where Green Eco effects his system negatively instead of positively. Also, the Dark Eco is being forcefully extracted from him which can in no way feel pleasant," Samos elaborated.
His explanation finished, they waited anxiously for Jak's condition to improve even in the slightest. It took over five minutes of constant screaming for Jak to slowly ease his struggles. Soon it only became occasional moans as the eco continued to cleanse his body.
All occupants of the room breathed a collective sigh of relief. Jak's wrists were released and the claws shortened. The horns present on the blonde's head receded once more, eliciting more pain-filled groans. After they had withdrawn, the eco-infused elf fell unconscious.
Daxter swallowed thickly, "Well… is he gonna be okay?"
"Yes, Daxter. I do believe so. As long as we continue to administer small doses of Green Eco about every two hours, he'll be back to his old self in no time."
The Ottsel visibly brightened at the news, relieved for his friend's health. He jumped back onto the bed and promptly curled up in the crook of Jak's elbow with a smile and a light purr.
Torn shook his head at the animal's actions and walked back to his desk to continue working on his still unattended injuries once more. The Shadow dismissed Daxter's actions as normal behavior, heading towards the redhead to help him in his struggles.
"I thought I told you to not move around! I don't need you passing out because you were too stubborn to sit still long enough to actually heal," young Samos yelled angrily at the youth struggling to keep his balance despite the wooden post he gripped tightly by the bed.
The stubborn teen regrettably sat back down on his small cot, a firm scowl plastered on his face.
"This sucks," Daxter whined characteristically, "I wanna go outside an' cause some havoc! We only got so much time before our youth is behind us an' I don't wanna waste it in here!"
Jak chuckled lightheartedly with a slight grimace, "Don't worry Dax, we'll get out of here soon." His furry companion snorted at the statement.
"Sure," he said sarcastically, "That's what you say now." He continued to mumble to himself incoherently while pacing the length of the room.
Jak's health had greatly improved in the last two days with all things considered. He was regaining his strength, although much slower than he would have preferred. The deeper wounds to his skin and muscle he received from the Dark Eco were also healing thanks to the Green Eco injections, again slower than normal. But he was healing nonetheless. The only downside was that his strict 'doctor' would not let him move around yet and the warden, a.k.a. Torn, kept reprimanding him whenever he did try every time the old man was not around.
Overall, it was very frustrating for both sides.
"Honestly, everything I say to you children is ignored," said the short caretaker while walking out of the room, but not before telling Torn to keep a close eye on him.
It was silent for the next half hour, ignoring Daxter's quiet mutterings. It was peaceful; relaxing. A feeling Jak had not been able to experience for years. He soaked up every second of it, enjoying the rare comfort for a change.
"How long were you in the Baron's prison?" Torn suddenly asked.
And there went his peaceful silence.
Jak gave the commander a pointed look, "I'm not talking about that or anything to do with that retched place."
The redhead narrowed his eyes, but shrugged since he was expecting such a retort, "Fine. But you're going to have to talk about it eventually. I can't have a soldier out there running rampant when I don't even know what they're capable of."
The orange rodent took over their side of the conversation for his partner, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, tattoo wonder," was his mocking reply.
This greatly annoyed Torn. "I mean it, fuzz ball. You two will tell me, whether you like it or not."
Jak looked at Torn critically, as if judging to see if he was worth telling the more personal information or not. Finally, he gave a simple nod and rolled over on his side with some difficulty so his back to the commander. "Later. I'm gonna sleep."
That answer satisfied Torn for the moment. He continued with his work, albeit slightly begrudgingly and strained with his left arm in a sling.
The next morning, the sleeping quarters were empty. No trace of the Demolition Duo was found anywhere except for the small note folded neatly on the bed Jak had previously occupied.
"Went out for some air. Talk with you when we get back.
-Jak"
Torn crumpled the note and threw it to the side with a growl. He was going to have hell to pay when he got back.
That's it! Thanks go out to whoever has taken the time to read this. I hope that you enjoyed it.
I am planning on writing another fanfiction for Jak and Daxter in the future. If you want to see what it's about, check out my profile page and you'll find a brief summary. But please, don't steal my ideas. They is mine. T-T
Please leave a review about your thoughts on your way out! :3