Damas walked into the trauma room behind Reki and slowly and gently laid Jak down on the bed. As soon as Damas had released the boy two healers who had been standing respectfully to the side sprung into action, fetching a drip and wiring Jak to the machines. Reki however turned to Damas.
"I'm sorry sire but I'm going to have to ask you to wait outside, we need the room…"Reki looked uncomfortable with asking the king to leave but Damas smiled and held up his hand.
"Just do your job Reki and stop trying to explain yourself." Damas smiled again and turned to leave; as he did he felt the weight on his shoulder that was Daxter, jump. He caught the Ottsel before he could reach the floor, and held him between his thumb and forefingers by the scruff of the neck. Bringing the creature up to his eye level he sighed. Dax was vainly squirming in his grasp, doing some kind of mid-air run; he was also showering everyone's ears with an impressive rainbow of curses.
"Where do you think your going then?"
"I won't leave Jak!" Dax's eyes flashed fiercely. Damas tried to hold his temper; couldn't the Ottsel understand that he wanted to stay with the boy as well? They had to leave for his own good.
"We need to leave. It's not that we want to, but we have to. Come on," Damas had to pause trying to remember the Ottsel's name, Klever always called him a rat, but Jak…called him…Daxter! "I would rather take you out willing Daxter than carry you."
The Ottsel sighed in defeat, and stopped trying to escape Damas. Nodding slightly Damas continued out the door while putting Daxter once again on his shoulder armour.
"Waiting, huff, this is more like torture." Daxter hissed under his breath while pacing. He was all- a-alone now as Damas had been called away on urgent business. To be honest he wasn't thinking about anyone else but Jak at the moment, it had been too long, there had been no news. He felt like he was going mad and to top it all there was a small voice in his mind that kept getting stronger as time wore on. It kept saying things and bringing images into Daxter's mind that he dreaded to hear.
It's been too long… he's dead. You failed him, as a friend, didn't you swear to look after him. That's twice you have failed him, the second time you let him fall into darkness. What will you do now?
Daxter shook his head forcefully to rid himself of the voice and the powerful wave of emotion that threatened to overwhelm him. It wouldn't do to let himself go yet, there had been no news but that at least was a sign that his best friend was still alive, yet. Jak may need him still, and Dax didn't think that Jak would approve of him giving up so easily. So with comforting thoughts of past memories swimming to mind Dax continued pacing.
Back in Sandover village they were just as big trouble magnets as they were now. He and Jak had been running from the fisherman who they had taken quite a bit of trouble to "borrow" one of his rods. The day was extremely hot and humid in the juggle but it would be worth it when they could go fishing in the sea. Me being the smaller and lighter was in front carrying our prize, Jak was about two paces behind me. I remember so well, I had just turned around to yell something to Jak, when I saw a look of horror cross his face. Before I could turn back I ran smack into a Lurker. I don't know what happened after that because I smacked my head on a rock and was knocked out. What I do know is that when I came to, it was Jak's face hovering concernedly over mine, and boy oh boy was he a mess. Scratched and bruised from head to toe, blood dripping from his lip and one eye closed but still he smiled. That same old lopsided grin that he always used to wear back in Sandover. He didn't care that he was beat up, he was just happy that I was ok. So helping each other up we went back to Samos, and ended up in major trouble, but at the end of the day when Samos finally let us go, we went fishing!
Daxter smiled, how things had changed, how the both of them had changed. He was now two foot tall and fuzzy and Jak, well, he had sure changed but Dax understood and would never care what his friend turned into. Soon impatience crept back into Daxter's mind. Before that dooms day voice could start again Dax immersed himself in memories, to reassure himself and while away the time.
This time they had been even younger, in fact as young as the kid had been last time they had seen him although Jak was always bigger and stronger than me. They had been best friends even then; since they first meet they just seemed to click. From then on they were hardly seen apart and lo how the village became a lot less peaceful. I remember that time we played hide and seek, it was Jak's turn to count. He always found me really fast, so this time I decided I would hide up a tall tree, he would never think to look there. So I began to shuffle up the tree. It was really hard going, but I finally managed to reach the highest braches and hide in the foliage just I heard Jak come looking for me. I could see him from my seat in the tree; it was really funny watching him. First he tried the bushes, then his search widened and he tried a rocky outcrop, oh how difficult it was trying not to laugh. Jak was getting more and more confused, he had been looking for nearly and hour and had still not given up, he would never admit defeat. I thought it was about time to put him out of his misery, so while he searched the bush beneath my tree for about the millionth time I called down to him.
"Any luck yet?" I have never seen Jak more surprised and shocked that I began laughing so hard, however the last laugh was on me. I remember Jak didn't seem angry that I had lead him on a wild yakow chase, he seem quite relieved actually, I suppose I must have worried him.
"Ok I'm coming down now." That's when I looked down, how in the name of the precursors had I climbed up here. It was a dizzying height and the ground way, way beneath me began to sway. Yelping I grabbed the branch and held on for dear life. I tried to attempt moving, but I felt like I would fall and that made me feel sick, so I continued to cling to the branch. "Ok I'm not coming down now. Just give me a minute, I'm sure the world will stop swaying in a minute or two." Moaning I tried looking down again, nope, it was no good, I was well and truly stuck. "Jak, go get someone, anyone, even if it's Samos. I just want to get down!" I looked, just to see if Jak had got the message but he was nowhere to be seen. He had gone, no wonder really, I had made him search high and low, and then got stuck up the tree, and no wonder he had left. It still made me sad though.
Then I heard someone panting and shuffling, someone was climbing the tree. It was Jak! He hadn't left me he was coming. When he reached my branch he sat lightly on it, looking at me clinging there, soppy grin plastered all over his face. Then standing on the branch he reached out to me, picked me up and held me tightly to him. As we were just about to descend there was a sickening crack. The branch hadn't been much to start with, and with our combined weights it gave way.
As well fell I distinctly remember one thing Jak never let me go. In fact as air and tree branches whizzed passed us, I felt him curl himself around me, so he would take the brunt of the fall. And so he did, we were both out for a few minutes but I came round first. It nearly made me cry to see him there, he was hurt and it was all my stupid fault. Jak's face began to twitch as he came round. Then he opened his bright blue eyes and stiffly sat up. I was so happy I gave him a tight hug round his neck. To my surprise Jak pushed me off, oh no he was angry with me, he must hate me now. I felt my bottom lip quiver, and Jak must have seen it because he smiled painfully and held up his left arm. I then understood, his arm was already starting to sport large bruises and it was sort of bent funny. It was broken. Jak gently ruffled my hair and smiled, and I knew that he didn't hate me. So standing up I pulled Jak to his feet with his good arm. We went back home, still best friends.