Chapter 34: Far Drop

Date: April 22, 3658
Location: Far Drop

From the moment Jak and Daxter had arrived in Far Drop they had been forced into fighting mutated monsters. From stopping eel like creatures from eating the town's food supply to stopping killer monkey's from killing a bunch of orphans. The clips in Jak's staff weapon were almost completely gone and Daxter's peacemaker no longer had any charges for him to fight. Out of ammo and exhausted beyond belief, they were both wondering if coming here was a good idea.

So as Jak took care of the monkey problem near the bar, Daxter began looking for ammo for his peacemaker in the nearby merchant building. Unfortunately, the establishment's owner was dead. Lucky for Daxter, there was new upgrade mod for his weapon. Taking it, Daxter left some credits behind for whomever would inherit the business. Walking out Daxter heard a chuffing sound. Lifting his head, Daxter found his eyes widening as he spotted the largest ape beast he'd ever seen in his life! It had to be two stories tall, with sharp dagger teeth and white fur. It was charged so full of dark eco that Daxter could smell the nasty stuff.

Lifting his weapon, Daxter prepared to do battle with the monster. The ape jumped into the air when its fist connected with the ground it sent out a shockwave of dark eco. Jumping onto some supply containers, Daxter took a shot at the monster. The roar that sounded was unlike anything he'd heard before. Between its fingers the ape charged an attack and chucked it towards Daxter. Dodging, he saw that the metal containers had melted from the heat of the attack.

'Okay, ape gets mad at peacemaker,' he thought with a gulp. 'Nice to know.' He charged another blast from his weapon. 'It's not like I've got any other mod for this thing yet,' he thought as he saw an opening. Shooting the creature in the chest, he watched as the monster suddenly glared at him. The once white fur suddenly began changing to pink. The ape slammed its fists into the ground, creating large craters as he did so. Daxter gulped in fear and ran as the creature charged him. Having heard a crash, Daxter turned to see the creature had in fact slammed into more crates. Good thing for Daxter, bad thing for whoever owned that stuff.

Thinking now was his time, Daxter charged a final blast at the ape, this one hitting him correctly in the skull. The ape screeched. His fur now stained bright red. Daxter gulped as the monster began charging full throttle at him. Without any time to dodge he believed this might be the end of him.

Jak had just finished taking care of the bar at the edge of town. Her body was exhausted. Sitting on a nearby rock, she took a breather. 'Any chance we will get to meet this Barter any time soon?' Adriana inquired within her. The dark creature was pacing within her mind. She wanted to fight, yet Jak had been withholding her for some reason. Annoyed the dark creature continued its anxious pacing.

"I know what you mean," Jak mumbled. "He's been asking a lot from a couple of strangers."

'No kidding,' the creature stated.

"I don't want Phoenix and the others to fear you," she said, noticing how annoyed Adriana was at this moment and knowing where it stemmed from. "They'd think you were like these mindless creatures and try to harm you."

Adriana gave her a toothy grin, the whites of her teeth standing out from her grey skin. 'I could always talk to them,' she commented.

Jak snorted. "We elves are the type to shoot first ask questions later type of people," she retorted. "I want to keep you a secret for as long as I can." She then felt the hairs on the back of her neck suddenly stand. "There's too much dark eco here to be a coincidence," she mumbled as she stood up. "Let's find Daxter." she began to walk towards the center of town. "If it comes down to it, I'll channel some dark eco, but we will not transform. Got it."

'Whatever you say,' was the eco creature's response before going silent.

As they came into the town center, Jak felt her heart suddenly rush to her throat at the sight of the red ape squeezing Daxter's body within its arms. Her friend's weapon was dropped and he seemed to not be able to break the creatures hold. Dark eco sparked between her fingers as sudden speed shot her forward towards the ape creature. Jumping high, Jak kicked the creature in the face. As its hold on Daxter was released, Jak grasped her boyfriend's hand and threw him over to some wooden crates.

Daxter coughed and wheezed as he caught his breath and stood up shakily. His ribs ached, but he was alive and the sexy beauty in front of him was the reason. Pulling the pistol from his ankle, Daxter really wished he hadn't left his bow behind in Spargus City. Jumping upon a dumpster, he climbed up onto the roof of a nearby building and hoped he had the rage right to shoot the already injured ape.

Jak charged a dark bomb between her fingers as she charged the ape. The ape charged towards her and as its fingers opened to grasp her, Jak chucked the dark bomb at the monster and dodged rolled out of the way. A screech was heard before a thud. Turning, Jak saw the giant hole within the creature's chest. The ape monster was dead...finally.

"Nice hit babe!" Daxter yelled from the top of the business roof.

Jak gave him a crooked grin. "You ever doubt me Dax?" she inquired as suddenly the comm turned on.

"Good job!" came Barter's voice. "Come to the bar. We shall talk."

"Weren't you just there?" Daxter asked her, having climbed down in time to hear where they were going.

'I'm really getting annoyed,' Jak heard Adriana say as she saw the creatures claws glisten.

"We shall see what he wants," she told them both. 'Before I cut him into fillets,' she thought as she stomped off towards the bar. Daxter picked up his staff weapon on the way and couldn't help but think how nobody ever learns not to piss off his girl.

Jak and Daxter had been in a few bars during their adventures, hell Daxter owned the Naughty Ottsel back in Haven City. However, none could match the rickety place this bar was. The tables were cracked and looked ready to fall apart. The bar tender turned out to be the owner of half of Far Drop, Barter. He was a blue skinned creature unlike anything Jak or Daxter had ever seen. Perhaps a sort of lurker species that was out on the brink? "You best money can buy, Jak." the being stated happily. "You protected Barter's goods." he grinned. "Barter loaded supplies upon ship for Pheonix."

"Of course he did." Daxter grumbled quietly. Probably already had them a day ago. He groaned at his own thoughts.

Jak rolled her eyes at Daxter's groans. "But..uh...Barter need one last favor."

'Of course he does,' all three thought. Adriana sharpened her claws out, thinking how great it would be to carve up that blue face.

"I've got something you want," he told the dark channeler. "It's yours, if you liven up the place." He grinned. "How about a good ole fashioned bar brawl for the road. Get the place rockin'. Me give you special prize."

Adriana gave a grin. "I could get some exercise," Jak said casually with a grin of her own. She shoved Daxter's shoulder.

"Knock it off. Ya big bully!" Daxter yelled at her. Jak grabbed his goggles and messed up his hair. "That's it! It's go time baby!" He picked up his free beer and threw it at her, only to hit a mohawk patron. "Uh, oops." The guy suddenly stood up, towering over the both of them. "She did it." Daxter laughed nervously.

"Chicken," Adriana muttered before grinning as Jak dodged the first hit and gave kick to the stomach against the brawler who fell into a bunch of huge guys who began fighting him. In moments four then five tables of six or more men began fighting each other until the entire establishment was one big brawl. Both Jak and Daxter fighting each and every person who came at them. Having been living in Haven City, then Spargus City, they'd been fighting ever since they'd arrived in the era and for a change, they had the upper hand. Within fifteen minutes the only patrons standing were the demolition duo who were grinning as they exited the bar with money and a map of where they could find help that would come of use when the dark ones came.

All in all, Far Drop had turned out to be a far better stop than they had originally thought it would be. Arriving back at the ship, Pheonix was looking rather proud at the two. "What?" Jak inquired.

"Oh nothing," he said with a smirk. "Barter just told me you passed his tests by destroying the dark mutants. Good job."

"Whatever pretty boy," Daxter muttered gaining a laugh from Jak, though Pheonix growled slightly at it.

"We are heading towards the Aeropain Barracks," he told them. "We'll arrive in two hours. Be prepared."

"Yeah, yeah." Daxter waved him off as he headed towards the bedroom that he and Jak had been given. The Two barely had laid down when sleep drug them both under.

Across the Brink towards the main world continent, in Haven City the war with the ancients was just beginning. In Krass City, the young blue haired daughter of mob boss Krew was having a problem of her own with getting the people she needed to win the next race. All of them were too busy to come to the meeting she had invited her to. Governor Ashelin, Commander Torn, Lieutenant Jinx, Mechanic Keira Hagai and main racer Jak or Jacqlyn Mar and her boy toy Daxter were all unaccounted for. 'Where could they be?' she wondered. 'Must I do everything myself!' She growled as she grabbed her bags and headed towards her vehicle. "I will drag them here if I must." she said to no one in particular. She was, however, unaware of the danger she was about to walk into though or the part in the war she was about to play.

M-Angel: Yay, another chapter posted. I'm very confident in finishing this story in 15-20 chapters. ^_^
xoxoangii: Woo woo!