Blaze: Wow, I'm an updating machine! Well, the plot is gonna thicken in this chapter with the introduction of the ONLY original character, Aenin who has only a small part in this chapter. That is a big deal for me.
Torn: You SHOT me! I can't believe you!
Blaze: It had to happen, Torn. As much as I hated writing it.
Torn: You had a grin on your face. You didn't hate it.
Blaze: Oh hush now. Anyway, I'm gonna take the time to thank the reviewers:
Komikitty: Wow. I'm glad you like it so much. I DO plan on finishing it; I'm just debating about the ending. Have fun!
Sabulana: Many thanks. Three chapters in four days, how's that? Lol.
Gothic Jak: (Salutes) Of course I will write more! I can't keep my lovely public waiting! (Snickers)
Cool: Wow, a non-slash fan likes this… (cheers) Thanks!
AutumnDynasty: Yea, I noticed that. It's my computer's fault; it automatically makes the capitol T into a lowercase one. Stupid Microsoft. Anyway, glad you like.
Blaze: And now, the wonderful chapter 3!
Torn: (grumbles)
Dawn rose faster then either Jak or Torn would have liked. Tess climbed the stairs and walked to Torn. He was paler then usual, and Tess was worried. "Torn, I'm going to get a healer, ok?" Ashelin said, coming up from the basement. Tess nodded in agreement. "We should find Aenin." Ashelin said, turning to Torn's map to look for something. "Aenin?" Jak asked. "Onin's only daughter." Torn responded, sitting up. "Alright, I'm going to go find her. I'll be back as soon as I can." Tess and Keira followed her. "We should all go and split up; that way we can find her faster." Keira said. Daxter launched himself off Jak's chest and into Tess' arms. "Can I come too sugarplum?" He asked in a sugar-coated voice. Tess hugged him to her chest and giggled. "Of course you can. Alright ladies, let's go!" Tess said, marching out the door.
Torn and Jak were left in an uncomfortable silence. Jak had given in to Dark Jak and admitted to himself that he MIGHT have feelings for Torn. 'I'm just curious, ok?!' He yelled at Dark Jak, who had still not stopped taunting him. "Sure you are. Very convincing." Jak mentally rolled his eyes. 'So what do you want me to do? Just up and start kissing him?!' "Yes, actually. Sounds like a great idea." 'You're crazy, you saw how he freaked out about yesterday.' "Stop being a baby. Look at all the things you've been through and you're afraid to admit to Torn that you like him." 'Maybe even love him…' Jak thought without even realizing it. "Wait, you WHAT?!" Jak decided to ignore his dark half and try to get more sleep.
Torn was having a similar problem. 'Why am I even arguing with myself about this? He's another GUY for Mar's sake.' Torn's dark side began talking to him, which was a rarity considering Torn's dark side was weak. "So what if you're lusting after a guy? He does look quite feminine if you think about it." 'Shut up.' Torn ordered, rolling over and attempting to sleep more.
That, however, wasn't possible, because at that moment Aenin walked in, followed by Ashelin, Keira, Tess and Daxter. Jak studied Aenin. She had long graying brown hair swept back into a loose ponytail and blue green eyes. Her face held a windswept look to it. She was about middle-aged and looked to Jak as though she was very beautiful when she was younger. It wasn't that she was ugly now, she just looked so tired. She wore a dark green top with a simple brown skirt, but even in the simplest clothes she looked somehow… elegant.
Aenin walked to Torn's side and knelt down. "Hello, Torn. It has been so long." Aenin reached out and touched Torn's face lightly. Jak was surprised when he did not object. Aenin smiled. "You have grown much in the past 3 years." Torn nodded against her hand, still on his cheek. Jak flashed a confused look to Daxter, who jumped on him and whispered, "She's blind, so she sees with her hands. That's how Ashelin explained it." Jak nodded and Aenin removed her hand from Torn's face. "I will ask you all to leave. Except you Jak. I know your legs are broken." Aenin said, turning to hear the footsteps of everyone as they went to the basement. "You too, little one." She said, shooting blue sparks similar to Onin's at Daxter, who yelped. Jak fell asleep soon after Aenin began examining Torn, and had an odd dream.
/Jak's dream/
Dream Jak sat on top of the Underground hideout, watching the sunset. Torn sat next to him, closer then Jak would have liked. "I have some things to tell you, Jak." He said, his voice sounding somehow softer then Jak remembered. Dream Jak turned to face Torn, who looked unsure. "What?" Jak heard his dream-self say. Torn sighed. "This isn't easy for me, and I've never said this before in my life." Dream Jak nodded. "Go on." Torn sighed again, and faced Jak. "I… I think I… I think I love you, Jak." Dream Jak had something in his eyes… hope, maybe? "Do you mean that, Torn?" He asked, obviously trying to hide the fact that if Torn did not mean what he just said he would be crushed. Torn couldn't seem to find words, so his eyes just roamed around the rooftop. Dream Jak took Torn's face into his hands, forcing Torn to look at him. "Do you really love me, Torn?" Dream Jak asked. Torn knocked Jak's hand away. "Yes." He said, sounding more like himself. Torn looked at Dream Jak apprehensively. "Well? Don't you have anything to say?" He asked nervousness and impatience in his voice. Dream Jak smirked. "No. I really don't." With that, he leaned forward and kissed Torn full on the lips.
Torn was completely taken aback, but it only took him a few moments to kiss Dream Jak back. Oddly enough, Torn was the first one to pull away. "Jak… do you have any feelings for me, or are you just humoring me?" Jak blinked. Torn was acting more vulnerable then usual. Dream Jak took a deep breath. "No, Torn. I'm not just humoring you. I do care for you. A lot. More then I should, anyway." Torn stood up suddenly. "Well don't. Forget any feelings you had for me." Dream Jak stood up as well, obviously confused. "Why did you tell me you loved me? Don't you want me to learn to love you back? As if I don't already love you…" Torn rounded on Dream Jak, angrily. "Well don't, alright?!" Dream Jak, too, began growing angry. "What is wrong with you, Torn?!" "I just wanted to kiss you once, just to see what it would feel like." "So you don't love me?" Dream Jak asked, anger and hurt in his voice. "Of course I do! I wouldn't lie about that." "Then why are you doing this?!" Torn, who had his back to Dream Jak, whirled around and yelled, "Because I'm dying, Jak!"
Those last words echoed in Jak's head as the dream dissolved and all he saw was black. 'I don't want Torn to die.' He thought absently, his thoughts not really focused yet. 'Not before I find out the truth.' He continued his absent thoughts, slowly beginning to wake up. 'Do I love him? Or at least care for him a lot?' Jak contemplated, becoming more and more awake. 'I think I do. No. I don't think. I know I do. But Mar, why him? Why Torn of all people? He's never showed any emotion towards me. Except maybe a bit of worry sometimes. But even that is just a passing thought. Mar I'm so confused. Do I care for him or not?' Jak ended the thought as a gentle hand touched his shoulder and he woke up. Aenin's face hovered above his own, and her expression was worried. "Did you find what is wrong?" Jak asked, looking past Aenin to Torn, who was sitting up in his cot with a slightly horrified/shocked expression. "Torn wants to tell everyone." Aenin turned and walked to the table. "Come up now." She called, and almost immediately Keira, Ashelin, Tess, and Daxter climbed up the ladder from the basement. Aenin turned to Torn and repeated what she had just said to Jak. "Torn will tell you all what is happening. I must be going." Aenin clapped her hands together and the blue sparks encircled her and she was gone.
The girls and Daxter crowded around Torn's bed, and Torn started telling everyone who didn't know about his dark eco installments. Since Jak had already heard the story, he let his mind wonder. "So, do you love him or not?" Dark Jak snickered. Jak sighed. 'No. I don't love him. But I'm so close I might as well say I do.' "How can you tell you don't love him, but you're close?" 'Because if I loved him, I could imagine myself telling him. And I just can't. It doesn't seem right.' Dark Jak sneered and quieted. Jak nearly fell out of his bed when everyone else in the room yelled. Jak looked around wildly. Ashelin was holding back tears and trying to remain strong, Keira had a sad look on her face, and Tess was cuddling Daxter and crying. Torn was talking to Ashelin in a low voice as she struggled to remain calm, and Daxter was stroking Tess' head while she continued sobbing.
Jak didn't want to reveal that he had fallen half-asleep in front of everyone, so he put on a sad face too, so no one would be suspicious. The girls and Daxter decided to go find Aenin and talk to her again, and Torn sat up in his cot. "Um, Torn, what erm… happened?" Jak asked, trying to sound apologetic. Torn just sighed. Jak was eerily reminded of his dream; Torn was acting more vulnerable then usual. "Jak…" Torn swallowed a lump in his throat. "I'm… I'm dying, Jak."
Jak was completely stunned. 'I can see myself telling him now.' "Oh, so news of him DYING makes you realize you love him? And I thought I was supposed to be the morbid one." Jak ignored his darker side and tried to remain calm. Torn was sneering at him. 'He doesn't care that I'm dying! But why should he? I never gave him a reason to…' "But- how? Is it the gunshots wounds?" Torn shook his head with a rather sad expression. "The eco the Baron pumped into me was tainted. That's what's killing me. Aenin says I have awhile before I actually do die, but I'll just keep getting weaker and weaker." Jak could tell Torn would hate getting weak much more then actually dying.
The girls walked back in, Aenin with them, yet again. "Torn, I have discovered a way to save you." Torn's ears perked up, which would have made Jak laugh had the situation not been so serious because the movement reminded him of a dog. "We need to find light eco to balance the dark." "And where do we find it?" Torn asked, eagerly. Aenin sighed. "That I do not know. But because you have little time to look for the eco, I will help your journey." Aenin began moving her hands and fingers around, much like Onin does. However, instead of blue sparks, green ones flew into Torn and Jak's bodies. When she was done, Aenin fell on to one knee. "I have given you my life-force to heal you. Should you ever need me, talk to my mother. She'll know what to do." With that, Aenin disappeared and where she had once been was the medallion she had worn around her neck.
Jak hurriedly tore off his casts and jumped up, happy to be walking again. Torn too, stood up and began running towards the door. Ashelin, however, stopped him. "No, Torn. You can't just go rushing around looking for something that you have no idea where to find." She said as Torn scowled. Jak stood next to Torn and put his hand on his shoulder. "She's right, Torn. We should talk to Onin." Torn turned to Jak and looked back and forth between him and Ashelin, finally nodding his agreement. "I really need to get going. The Krimzon Guard and my father will be suspicious if I stay any longer." Ashelin said. Before she left, she leaned over and kissed Torn on the cheek, then turned on her heel and strode out. "We should give her some time before we go out. Just in case." Torn said, turning back around. Jak nodded. "I have to get back to the garage." Keira said an apologetic look on her face as she glanced at Jak. Jak nodded and hugged her in a brotherly way. "Good luck." She said, walking out. Tess stood up, Daxter sleeping in her arms. "I should get back to Krew." She said, cautiously putting Daxter down on Jak's cot. "Bye, Tess. Thanks." Torn said. Tess nodded and left. Jak could tell Torn and Tess had some sort of brother/sister bond by the way they looked at each other. Jak had never really found out how the two had met, but it didn't really matter at the moment. Jak had to find out how to tell Torn.
Torn walked over to the desk and tried to find anything that could be of help. "Is there anything I could do to help?" Jak asked, sounding rather sheepish.
(Sorry for this, but it's exactly midnight now- HAPPY NEW YEAR!!)
Torn glared at Jak for a reason unknown to even himself. "Leave the talking rat. Let's go see Onin." Jak nodded and followed after Torn, leaving a small note for Daxter so he didn't flip out when he awoke to an empty hideout.
They arrived at Onin's tent about 20 minutes later- they had gone deliberately slow as to not cause any problems. When they walked into the tent, Pecker jumped down from his perch quickly. "What has taken you so long? Onin expected you two 30 minutes ago!" Jak rolled his eyes and Torn got straight to business. "Aenin told us to search for light eco, and that you would know where it was." Pecker was silent for a moment. "Onin says the search for the light eco will be hard. Onin does not think you will reach it in time, although she says she strongly hopes you do." Torn clenched his fists. "Does she have any idea where to find the light eco?" Torn asked, growing impatient. Pecker sighed. "Onin says all she knows is that it is very far from here- but you would have to go through the Metal Head nest to get there. She says you must keep traveling from there until you reach an Oasis. But the distance from the Metal Head nest to the Oasis is very far. On top of that, it is in the Wasteland; very hot during the day, very cold during the night. Not to mention the terrible sand storms that can rip through anyth-" "I know about the sandstorms, Pecker." Torn said, fighting the urge to strangle the parrot/monkey creature. "Well, excuse me! Anyway, Onin is going on about some terrible trials for you both to face, blah blah blah. And also, this is for you, Jak, Onin says that would must let your secret be known… whatever that means."
Jak was slightly taken aback by Onin's knowledge of his love- yes, that's right LOVE- for Torn. He was most taken aback, however, by Onin's need for Jak to confess. She wouldn't have told him to confess if it wasn't urgent, but Jak couldn't tell why something like that, seemingly trivial at a time like this, would be so important. Jak decided, however, that the time for thinking about this wouldn't be right now as Torn turned on his heel and walked out, muttering "Come on, Jak." Before he did so. Jak followed obediently and Torn jumped into the Zoomer, a slightly annoyed look on his face. "Pecker has always annoyed me." Torn responded to Jak's unasked question. Jak nodded and jumped in the passenger's seat before Torn took off.
Blaze: Has anyone here heard Billy Talent's song River Below? Well, if you have or haven't, it TOTALLY describes Jak. And it's an awesome song!
Torn: Yea, yea, yea.
Blaze: Aww, poor Torny is jealous cos I haven't found a song for him yet…
Torn: (Glares)
Blaze: Kukuku, I just figured out the ending! Oh, but it'll probably be sappy.
Torn: Great, it's bad enough you put me and Jak together, but you have to make the ending sappy too?
Blaze: Eden will be helping me with the ending, and she's a sap.
Torn: Eden?
Blaze: Ya. My muse. Ian and Emera are my other two muses. Ian helps me with humor and action, Emera helps me make the love scenes all nice and… (searches for a kid-appropriate word) juicy and Eden is the one who helps me with the sappy, fluffy, lovey-dovey stuff.
Torn: Lovely.
Blaze: Enough of my ramblings, now please REVIEW. Or Torn will eat you. Torn is hungry, I have not fed him. MUAHAHAHAHA
Torn: (glares at Blaze while chewing on a chicken wing) Crazy bitch…
