Disclaimer: Naughty Dog (power + money). Beff (lame job + nothing of value). See the difference? They own all recognizable stuff. I own Sai and Pon, and their daughter.
Anyways, ever wonder how Torn got to where he was in Jak II? Well, here's my take on it. Reviews and flames welcomed. o.O
A/N - all my chapter titles are the names of songs currently on my playlist. If you can guess who did the song, I'll give you a cookie. (Hint: punk rock) :D
Chapter 1 - Another Innocent Girl
Torn smiled fondly at his little sister, all of three years old today. She grinned back, and then proceeded to chase her brand-new crocadog puppy. His mother and father stood in the entrance to their small house, right on the outskirts ofHaven's infamousSlums. He knew they were proud of him in their own way, the youngest commander in the history of the Krimzon Guard, and at only 18 years of age.
A hot wind blew a wave of dust low to the ground, spawning miniature dust-devils, similar to their enourmous brethren of the deep desert. A quick glance to the sun confirmed what he already knew – time to get back to the Palace and his duties. He waved a quick farewell to his parents.
Sai, his mother, heavy with the pregnancy of her third child, wiped her hands on her apron before returning the gesture. Her hair, red as her children's, hung free down her back, swaying gently in the wind. Pon, long bald, smiled kindly at his eldest child. Stress showed prominently in the lines around his blue eyes. No fan of the usurper and despotic Baron, his enforced unemployment didn't suit him. Nonetheless, he recognized his son's right to choose his own path. Besides, there were few other opportunities to escape the poverty of Haven City, especially to a child born of the Slums. He had even swallowed his pride long enough to come to Torn's graduation, a feat his son still appreciated.
He turned on his heel, surprising his tiny sister by sweeping her up into a bear hug. He would miss her Naming ceremony, but she had told him it was alright, in her best imitation of her mother's solemn voice. She had just been happy to see him; it had been weeks since his last home visit due to constant patrols and Metal Head incursions. Her understanding had caused him no bit of relief. In a city where the mortality rate was astronimical due to rampant disease and Metal Head attacks, no child was named before three years of age. Anything before that was just asking for heartbreak should the unthinkable happen. Sadly, the fact that Torn's parents had two healty children, with one on the way, was notable in its rareness.
"Hey, kiddo," he mellow voice had a musical quality, a gift from his father. Once a first class singer, he had been censured by the Baron for not conforming to his new 'styles' – where everything revolved around himself. Never one for being blackmailed, Pon had refused to cooperate, and had never sung publicly since his removal from stage. Sai supported the family with her cooking, now supplemented by Torn's weekly paychecks. "Did you have a good time today?"
She nodded vigorously. "Thank you for Puppy!" she giggled, clapping her hands. Her red hair hung in twin braids down her back, tied in little pink ribbons, something he had picked up in the Bazaar. Erol, his second-in-command, had sneered, but he had put them aside just for today. With, of course, some thinly veiled threats to Erol; he couldn't ruin his reputation as a hard-ass, of course.Especially not in front of his second, an ill-tempered bastard by all standards.
"This is my best birthday ever," she whispered in his ear with another giggle before he set her down. She ran to her puppy, named Puppy, her steps kicking little plumes of dust. Sai and Pon leaned closer together and hugged, smiling down at their daughter.
He waved back to his family again, and then mounted his waiting hover. Kicking it into gear, andswitching immediatelyto the upper hover-zone, he turned off towards the Palace, and his awaiting duties with a sigh, knowing it would be weeks before he saw his family again.
Shorter than I would have liked, yes, and more ready to be posted. As soon as I edit. x.x;;;
3.11.05 fixed spacing issue.
