A/N: Hey I'm sorry so much drama and being in High School, you know how it is. My updates will be anything but regular until I have some break time, so please don't hate me.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my characters, you should know that by now.
Her body was weightless as Thorn lifted her into a zoomer. He drove like a bat out of hell to the power station.
Mar assumed the worst. Steph was dead. The mission had been to hard for her and , in the end, she'd been slaughtered. She imagined finding Steph's mangled corps on the floor. Or maybe they would have her go retrieve it.
Either way she wasn't stoked about seeing her best friend again. A single silent tear crept down her face. Followed by others. Her body shuddered, shoulders stooped forward as she descended into depression.
Images of their life flashed through her eyes. Childhood memories, school days, hazy nights. They came flooding her memory. They were suddenly replaced with torturous thoughts of what had befallen her friend.
She thought of the metalheads shredding her skin and clothes. The blood mixed with eco flowing from her like a waterfall, like an avalanche, falling down a mountain.
Thorn gently put his hand on her shoulder, and she knew they'd arrived. It was like movie how the next minute moved.
"…Girl 1 gets out of the zoomer and staggers. Boy 1 catches her under the arms and guides her by the elbow inside. Girl 1 has her eyes squinted shut as they enter. They walk up to Boy 2 & Ottsel standing over Girl 2. Boy 2 mumbles something at Girl 1.
Scene change
Girl 1 opens eyes and sees the room. All silver and Chrome with mostly blue flashing lights and computer screens everywhere. Sees Girl 2 laying on her back on the ground. She's coated in blood with shredded clothes and deep long gashes all over. She's deathly pale with blue lips and her eyes are closed.
Girl 1 breaks down. Lays over Girl 2's stomach, unable to breathe through her tears and wishes to have been the one to go. Girl 1 opens her eyes, red an puffy. Looks at Girl 2 then at Boy 2 and ottsel…"
"But…Jak…Isn't she…?" Mar questions. Confusion plays across her features. Jak shakes his head, sensing what she was asking. Her face lights up, and yet even more tears than before creep out of her eyes. But Mar doesn't care. Joy floods her mind and spreads across her breast. A deep breath and a sound mixed between a laugh and a cry escapes her.
Thorn too, has colour return to his face. The mood is lightened if only by the revelation that Stephie's not dead. Yet.
"…Off of her."
"…needs Eco…"
Mar only heard fragments of sentences. Nothing could faze her now. Someone could be threatening to expose her secret, and she wouldn't care. Stephie was alive! She stood up when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
"Mar, come on. We need to fill up on Eco so we can share with her" Jak stated heading towards the Warp panel. Mar hauled ass after him, flinging herself through the warp gate.
'I'm going through this for you Steph. You owe me when your better'
She did a barrel roll on the other side, standing up a bit disoriented. The smell of dark eco sent a jolt through her spine. It tickled her head, and put her senses into over drive. Shaden fought against her chains, straining to find the eco. To fling herself in and absorb as much a possible.
Mar fought the urge to let her. She and Jak ran up to one of the Eco wells. It was at least 40 feet high.
"I'll go up first, you keep a look out" Jak said, but Mar grabbed his arm. Electricity coursed through her. It tingled throughout her body, stopped her heart. She was speechless for a second.
Dax picked up on her emotions, on her reaction to touching Jak. He chuckled but held his tong.
"It's far enough up, why don't we both go up? Metalheads wont be able to reach us up there"
Jak seemed to think about it for a few seconds. He glanced around and settled his eyes back on Mar. "Alright. We'll be able to get back sooner too" A smile spread across Mar's face as she realized Jak actually cared about Steph.
They climbed their way up the side. The scaffolding was sharp and about halfway up they had to rip their clothes to tie around their cut and bleeding hands. Jak hoped up easily and pulled Mar up beside him setting her down. It took a second for her to catch her balance on the thin scaffolding, she teetered back and forth a number of times before she settled. Jak was kneeling with one hand hovering over the vat of eco. The purple liquid rippled as he absorbed it.
She copied his action, kneeling beside him, her hand mere inches from his. She felt his fingers brush hers, his rough, strong and tanned against her thin pallid ones. she took in a sharp breath and slid her eyes over to him. Jak was staring intently into the eco vat. He wouldn't look at her, she noticed. He stood up after a bit and she followed his motion fluidly, now with perfect balance on the thin piece of metal.
She walked over to the ramp where Jak would later ride the jet board up and slid down. Her ass and back were sore when she reached the ground, having forgotten it was textured. Jak had followed and now stood beside her.
as they made their way back to Vin's his hand once again brushed his. Electricity coursed through her at the feel of his skin, her knees felt weak but she kept moving.
'What is wrong with me? Do Dark's go through heat or something?'
'No. We function just like you do'
'Well I'm not PMSing or anything. What's wrong with me?'
'Don't ask me. It's your crazy teenage hormone's, not mine thank you very much. Though I would like to see his Dark though. From the scent I pick up off of him, he seems very...appealing.'
'Ick! We'll he is your species isn't he? I guess that's natural...'
'Not only that. He's the only heterosexual male Dark.'
Mar closed her connection. Kindof like slamming a phone down. She felt Shaden trying to talk to her, to get her to connect again, but Mar didn't let her. She let out an audible sigh. Dax was the only one to look at her, she noticed Jak was off in his own world. Most likely talking to his Dark. She found herself wondering what Shaden might have mean by 'Go for it'.
As she was thinking about it, they came to the warp gate.
This time she went through first and ran over to Stephie. She was now sitting up, leaning against the railing. A sheen of sweat glistened on her forehead, and she had a pasty complexion. But Mar was relieved to see her lips were no longer blue and she had some colour to her.
"I bandaged her wounds and gave her some water to drink, but she won't make it much longer without eco..." Mar pushed past him and placed her hands over Steph. She concentrated on saving her, the eco leaving her body and flowing into Stephie. Slowly at first, she felt the eco leave her body and enter stephie's. Her body consumed it like a ravenous wolf. Jak joined her as they both emptied their supplies of eco into Stephanie. They sat back on the balls of their feet and watched. stephie jerked forward and gasped, a shudder rocked her body and she fell back. she convulsed then stopped as suddenly as she started. Her woulds began to heal before their eyes. Her skin grew rosy and the sweat dissipated.
It took about 5 minutes, but Stephanie was normal again. she was asleep with her head in Mar's lap as they went back to the Under Ground.
Jak and Mar carried her down the narrow stairway and into the low lit room. They set her on the bunk as close to the fire as possible, and turned to leave.
"Marissa. I need to talk to you. Jak wait outside" Torn said from the shadows. Mar jumped having not noticed him there. Jak trailed his fingers down her are and walked out. Marissa turned around and stiffened, realizing Torn had watched the little display of affection.
She walked up to the table and put her arms behind her and stared at her feet. She was blushing madly, embarrassed that Jak had done something in front of Torn.
'Oh stop it. Your making me gag with this fluffy 'What's he feeling' Bull shit' Mar didn't bother responding, she wanted to get out of there as soon as possible.
Torn glared at her, causing Mar to shrink back even more.
"Keep your mind on your job Mar, this is war. You can't run off now. For any reason." It took Mar a minute to realize what he was referring too, but she turned even redder when she did.
'Is he suggesting that Jak and i have...?"
'Bingo'
"Now. you need to train Stephanie. I heard what happened, it's not acceptable. Why you'd even let her I don't know. But it wont happen again. Right?" Mar nodded, realizing Torn let her off lightly. Though still not understanding quite why.
'He only has to make sure we don't die. So why's he being kind?' Mar put the thought out of her head as she emerged from the Under Ground.
Jak was sitting in a two person zoomer when she got out. She ran over and hopped in as Jak took off. It was his usual driving, fast and risky, as he swerved in between other zoomers and switched between hover zones. There was still a bit of awkwardness and it showed itself in the way of tension. Mar squirmed in her seat as her spine became rigid.
Jak flew around the corner and floored it to the hip hog. He threw on the break just before smashing into the door. Mar was flung forward, bashing her head against the dash board of the zoomer. She heard Jak curse and felt him touch her arm.
"Shit. Mar are you ok? I thought you were seated better." Caring laced his voice. Mar nodded, trying to not puke right there. She jumped out of the zoomer and walked in, Jak at her side.
"You kid's are turning out to be quite useful, 'ey? Hmmm, I have another task for you. The sewers used to be a fabulous smuggling route. Before the baron installed security devices" Krew said circling around the trio.
"And before those late-night snack runs kept you from fitting out the front door" Dax added jumping down from Jak's shoulder. Mar bit her lip and gagged, trying to keep from laughing.
"I'll bet you hatched another brilliant plan in that hungry little brain of yours. So who or what do we have to shake down, knock out, or blow up?" Jak said, annoyance creeping into his voice. though Mar couldn't blame him. The way things had been going she'd be pissed to. Especially if the person she liked kept flinching away from her every move.
"Well...i need someone to go down and shoot every century gun in the sewers. And I'll give you a sweat weapon upgrade if you succeed."
"Lemme guess: Dank murky water? Reeks worse than your breath at an oyster fest? fuller o' metalheads than your plate, at a one-pass buffet? and of course weapons more lethal than your ever-so tidy-whites on a hot summer day? Look doughnut-hole, why don't we float around here looking hot and heavy and you go rotter route the pipes!" Daxter had said. Mar was now inching away, knowing Jak was going to yell something too, and worried about what might happen.
Jak pointed at Krew, saying "Were not doing anything until you tell us why metalheads are trading with the barons forces."
"I should have had you both knee-capped 'ey! all I know is that the baron cut a desperate deal with the metalhead leader. Metalheads need eco so the baron supplies them with regular shipments. In return the metalheads agree to attack the city, just enough, to satisfy the barons continued rule." Krew growled out
"Yeah, but how long can that deal last?" Jak rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.
"Well the baron is running short on eco 'ey. And the metalheads are short on patience. baron Praxis needs this war to keep in power, otherwise the city would put the true ruler on the throne. wherever that brat is." Mar flinched, knowing well that he was referring to a young Jak. She kept her mouth closed, knowing that Jak couldn't know, that it would change the story.
"Daxter and I will clean your sewers. And we haven't forgotten about that sweet weapons upgrade you've promised in return"
"Bloodsuckers"
As they got outside, Mar stopped. Jak slowed and turned to look at her.
"What's up?"
"Let me take this one." She said looking into his eyes. "This mission. I want to do it. I'll give you the weapon upgrade. But I want to do it myself." Jak hesitated. She knew he was thinking about Stephie. Back at the Underground, half alive half dead. He was thinking she'd end up like her. While Mar didn't know exactly what he was thinking, but she could guess. She was one of his friends. One of the only other people in the dark warrior program he was friendly with. He didn't want to loose her and feel alone, Him, Steph and her were like a family to him.
"I'll be fine Jak, really. I'm stronger than Stephie. I can handle myself. Besides it'll be easy, only a few gun turrets and i'll be done. I'll com. you if anything happens" It'd didn't appear as if he was convinced. He still looked worried, but he agreed.
"I'll just go get another mission from Krew" He and Dax went back inside while Mar grabbed a zoomer and went to the sewers.
She pulled out her stave on the elevator and extended the juice rod. She took off down the hall stabbing each Znorkle Tooth (as she'd come to find they were called, from Torn) through the head, collecting the dark eco from their body's. She was practically empty since she gave a bunch to Steph. She walked back and hit the light button on the floor. Waiting by the end of the hall attached to the dark water she took a deep breath and jumped to the next hall. She dive roller to the left and positioned herself to jump at the turret. She pushed off the ground, using it as a launch plate. With her juice rod pointing forward she shoved it inside the turret and thrust up, ripping through the metal. Mar jumped back, just as the turret exploded.
Mar sighed and cracked her neck. 'Three left' She jumped on a vent to get to a small walkway next to a chain link fence. She jumped to the second and was about to jump to the next series of vents when she heard the roar of a metal head. She shrieked and turned stabbing the grunt, but loosing her footing in the process. She fell into the sewer water, a large splash in her wake. Quickly she hoisted herself upon the nearest vent, gaging.
She coughed up muddy water from her lungs. It spilled forth from her mouth, dripping down the slats. Her heart thumped rapidly against her chest, her arms wobbled. Mar regulated her heart rate and breathing back to normal and stood up, shaking herself much like a dog would, to get rid of the wetness. Mar stumbled carefully from one vent to the other and was glad to have her feet on solid metal. She took down the two Znorkle Tooth's waiting for her along with the three green things and rounded the corner taking down the grunts, then around another corner taking down the next two Znorkle Tooth's.
Mar could hear the turret just up ahead. She sighed and closed her eyes.
Shaden... Her minds voice called out. She couldn't sense a reply forming. Not even a rustle of though or 'movement' from her other.
Shaden?... More urgent this time. Mar was getting worried. She hadn't talked to Her all day now. Had some unseen force befallen her?
A chuckle broke her though process.
'I can hear you' Mar sighed in relief.
'I'm glad. I was getting a little worried about you.'
'If I remember correctly, didn't you block me from connecting with you earlier? I I believe I have a right to not talk to you, even if you worry. Besides I can't be called forth like some mongrel.'
'Apparently you can be. And I was only a little worried. So what the hell were you the Oracles. It's been bugging me especially since when I asked Jak about it he seemed like it was a taboo subject.'
'Oh you know...'
It was Shaden this time who disconnected. Mar was left there, like Shaden had been, prodding her own mind for answers.
Mar gave up, standing and readying herself for the next turret. She ran. flew more like it, to the other side, behind a pillar with a few KG guard crates. She broke them open and collected the dark eco using the health pack as well. Mar pulled out one of her guns, like mini blaster-mod's. She pushed off the ground and did a flip mid-air yet just above the range of bullets. She shot with precision, like she'd been doing this her whole life. Which she had, in a sense.
Cracking her neck she took off down the next hall. She started running along a flimsy metal walkway lining the upper walls. She heard a rust creak just as it collapsed, falling to the floor with her in tow. She stood up slowly, an ache forming in her neck. Shaking it off she pulled out her stave and walked around the corner. She counted about 10 skill gems glowing in the dark. A shiver went down her spine. Electricity tickled at her finger tips as Shaden pushed to be free. Mar fought the urge and swallowed. She moved quickly taking out one before the others noticed her. It was enough to piss herself. Nine nasty metalhead's rushing at her. She stabbed the knifed end of her stave into the floor and swung herself around it, feet out. Her boots connected with flesh and plating alike. swinging her feet to the ground she pulled her stave out and stabbed three through the heads in one fluid motion and another through the chest with her juice rod as it sneaked up behind her.
She glanced around panting with the effort and returned her stave to it's holster as she walked to the back of the room and climbed her way up to the top. She took out the little green things waiting for her and ran to the end of the hall, diving headlong into the water before the turret could shoot. Brown clouded her vision as she swam towards the turret. Still under water she pulled out her stave and pulled out the knife by hand. She leaped out of the water and stabbed the turret then ran for the stairs to avoid the explosion.
She recognized this hall as the one that half way down the light would click off and three grunts would be there. She pulled out her gun and stood about a fourth of the way down the hall. The light still on she lined up and took down one of the grunts before the other two could do anything. Quickly she exchanged the gun for her stave and had the other two killed in seconds flat. She holstered it and went as close to the end of the hall as she dared. Limbering up Mar tried to guess ho far apart the metal platforms.
She rounded the corner and flat out ran, leaping over the gaps, ducking and dodging the bullets until she was right in front of the turret she pulled out a gun and shot it at point-blank range, then leaped to the left to avoid the shock. Sighing she climbed the stairs that would get her out and pulled a gun, she took down the last two grunts instantaneously.
"Nice job Mar" She heard through the Com. then it switched off. Mar jumped down and made her way to the exit.
Jak headed back into the hip hog. He though about Mar taking a mission by herself and worried that she ould end up like Stephanie. thorn, Torn and himself knew Stephie had very slim chances of surviving. But they couldn't tell Mar. They all knew she'd loose her touch. And even Torn had to admit she was a good fighter.
Torn... That made Jak wonder about him. He treated them differently than himself and Dax. He wondered if there wasn't something he was withholding from him.
Well of course he's not telling you everything. Did you just realize that?
No. It's just. Hard to believe, what could make him treat them different?
I can give you one guess.
Torn wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the Underground. I doubt he had anything going on with either of them.
Well then, he'd better keep his eye's to himself.
Would you lay off? Mar doesn't belong to you. It's sick that you'd even think that. Besides, why would she like us? were a mental wreak.
Speak for yourself. Besides it's not sick. She's a female, your a male. Jak closed the connection, not wanting to think about it anymore.
He stopped and stared, not sure how to proceed. Daxter however made his feelings known, he leaned over Jaks shoulder and puked. Taking this as a reason to leave, he bolted out the door.
"Krew eating! Oh lord don't submit me to that again." Daxter said
"Oh quit being so melodramatic Dax" But Jak too, was having problems getting the image out of his mind. They sat down outside and waited a good hour before going back in.
They saw Krew floating around on the other side of the stripper pole fanning himself.
"What is that horrible smell?" Krew asked to no one in particular
"Oh GREAT! We do Your dirty work and come back smelling worse than a hip hog in a warm barn!" Dax shouted. He sniffed himself then leaned in next to Jak's ear, "This could have a serious impact on the 'lady factor' " Jak rolled his eyes, though he had expected it.
"No I think it was my lunch, actually" Jak and Dax's mouths fell open and eyes widened. they almost ran out at the memory but kept their ground.
"I have a proposition for you Jak. Racing is the biggest sport in the city. errol is the undisputed grand champion he's crazy and dangerous on that track hehe, my kind of guy. Only a fool would dare race against him 'ey. and that's where you two come in. A client of mine is looking for a fast driver for her racing team. Here's a security pass to get you into the stadium section. And your contract with just a few trifles for me. I've uh, already signed your name to save time hmmm? "
"We the racers here by agree to give all proceeds to krew" He went on reading the contract, barley breathing as he did so. Jak zoned out for a bit
So lets talk about Shaden
Who?
Mar's other...
No offense Dark, but I don't enjoy her company
No problem. How about we talk about Mar then?
Jak was jolted back to reality when Dax shouted "GAME RIGHTS?!" then went back to speed reading
"Hehehe we can work out the tiny details later." turning to Jak he continued, "If you an get from here to the race track near the stadium in less than three minutes my client said she would consider letting you drive for her team. make me proud, Mmmmm?"
Jak turned and shot out the door. h saw a zoomer waiting for him and jumped on it, not even waiting until he was seated to get into action. the zoomer took of like a shot, cutting through the air like a dull knife. Jak seated himself and leaned down for less wind resistance. He rounded the turn and switched into the lower hover zone. He looked at the map, taking what he though would be the shortest route. Turn after turn he made fluidly. Never getting to wide, nor cutting it too close. He looked at the map, and realized he'd passed into the new zone about 300ft. back. Jak looked at the time and realized he'd done better than he had expected, he had a full minute left. He leaned down even more, he practically had his face on the zoomer. This sped him up a bit and as he came around a corner he found his destination.
It was a large grey flagstone-esq building. There were two visible statues and a large stair case. He switched into the upper hover zone and drove right up to the barricade. He used the Zoomer like a bounce board and pushed himself off and forward. He ran down to the end and walked into the garage.
"Uh...Hello? krew said someone was looking for a race driver?" He called out, looking around.
"I'm busy right now! You must be Krew's new errand boy" Jak watched a small figure behind the curtain as she continued, "Look you got here pretty fast, but I'm not intrested in any new drivers right now. And I've got work to do"
Jak leaned against a zoomer that was a work in progress, saying "Is there anything we can do?"
And you like that? look at her she wouldn't survive a minute in the war. she's pampered here. Jak chose to ignore the comment
"No! I'm working on a secret, secret vehicle project."
"OK! Sorry" He rolled his eyes
"Listen if you think you've got the guts to race in this town, try taking my proto type jet board out on the stadium." As she said this Jak and dax looked at each other, both mouthing 'Jet board', "Beat the stadium challenge and I might consider you for my team." As she said this she sat down and crossed her legs. Jak just stared, making Dax realize how Jak must feel.
A/N: Sorry once again but I hope you liked the chappie. Made it twice as long, I think when i do update they'll be like this really long so it makes up for how long I've been gone.
p.s. this is what I use to find the names of the baddies in the games, in case your wondering: .com/wiki/Category:Metal_Heads
