Chapter 23:
Upon going towards the hut that Samos mentioned, I saw that it was actually a tough ride to get there, since we needed to bust down multiple pillars and walls with Daxter's green eco gun while also making sure to defeat Metal Heads on the way, namely the Rapid Gunners and the Metal Head Grunts. The Rapid Gunners were especially annoying, however, because they had a nasty habit of sending a flurry of powerful shots at you like they were using a Dark-Eco-powered Vulcan Fury. But their guns overheated quickly, which is when I managed to counter them soon after.
Eventually, both of us managed to get to the hut and Daxter hopped off of my shoulders when we went inside and I saw a special green, glowing seed hovering in place near what looked like a busted teleportation device. I then grabbed it and contacted Samos shortly after and told him I got it.
"Good work, Sasha... and Daxter I suppose," he said, Daxter doing a bad impression of him on purpose. I guess he didn't like Samos at all. "Before we came through the rift all that time ago, I was nurturing this life seed in the past. It seems that the Metal Heads are attracted to its power. Take the seed to Onin, she will prepare it for Samos," the old guy said, Daxter being confused.
"You mean you?" Dax asked, Samos getting annoyed at that.
"No, the other me, Daxter! My younger self needs the seed's powers to become sagely..." Samos said, me being surprised at that.
"So... let me get this straight... it's fair to say that by bringing your younger self the life seed now, we helped you become the sage you are today. We helped you get your powers in the first place. AND YOU NEVER THANKED US?!" Daxter exclaimed as I retorted something else.
"Sure, that's your question, but my question is how the fucking hell does that make any freaking sense in any logic whatsoever? I mean, your younger self is in the future and gets to become a sage in the future, meanwhile you became very old in the past, almost 2 thousand years ago. So if that were the case, wouldn't it be easier to become a sage in the past rather than becoming one in the future, where nearly every bit of foliage around the place is demolished in favor of machines?" I asked, Samos not even answering and hanging up shortly after.
"Listen, Sasha. The more that you think about it, the more it will hurt the head," Daxter frowned, me frowning at that as he then hopped on my shoulder and I had us use the Jet Board to return back to the city, me and him then going towards the shopping arcade on the eastern side of the palace to meet with Onin, where we entered to see that Pecker looked annoyed.
"Onin says, what took you so long?! We had to skip breakfast waiting for you two!" Pecker said angrily before Onin then clapped her hands together and started to sign angrily at him. "Ugh, okay, okay! What Onin really said was 'thank you for saving the life seed'... but I wouldn't say that if I were her!" Pecker said, me smirking at that as I looked at the old lady with a smile. I then gave her the seed and she started to prepare it while Pecker looked at it with a drooling mouth. "Mm... bird seed," he said.
"Back off, featherweight!" Dax exclaimed, Pecker getting annoyed very quickly at that.
"Listen, fat tail! I was leading my hundredth flock south before you had fur one between your legs! Not that your fur means anything," Pecker growled with animosity as Daxter then retorted back.
"At least I'm not some overweight, overstuffed feathery flapping mouthpiece who works for the world's oldest professional! Jak says have a nice day! Jak says I can't think on my own. Jak says go bite yourself!" Daxter said, obviously mocking the monkaw.
"That's it, rat boy! Now you've really PISSED ME OFF!" Pecker exclaimed as they then looked ready to fight and I simply grabbed onto both of them and looked them in the eyes.
"Boys, you can fight at a later date, but not right now, okay?" I frowned as I then placed Pecker on Onin's head and Daxter on my shoulder as Onin then gave me back the seed.
"Onin says you must take the seed to the Shadow in Haven Forest. It will allow him to finally see the forest from the trees. Go, quickly," Pecker said, me then leaving the place and proceeding to the mountain temple while looking at Daxter, who looked annoyed. "So you know Dax, I'd put my money on you if you were to fight with Pecker," I smirked, Dax smirking at that widely.
"You mean it?" Dax smirked at me.
"Hah! Was Pecker the one who destroyed a bunch of Metal Bugs with nothing but a flyswatter and pesticide spray? Was Pecker the one who managed to fight against Baron Praxis with a laser gun fueled by Green Eco? Did Pecker backtalk Krew on numerous occasions without flinching even once? I think not," I smirked, Daxter smirking at that widely as we then arrived at the mountain temple and I went into the warp ring before then riding the platform the whole way to Haven Forest. And once there, I then called up the Shadow to ask where he was. "Hey, Shadow? Where are you?" I asked him.
"I'm at the base of the big tree in Haven Forest," the Shadow said, me nodding as I then proceeded there from the small cave in the top of the large hill in front of me and then finding him exactly where he said he was at.
"Your older version told us you'd need this," I smiled at the Shadow as I handed him the Life Seed and he smiled at me.
"Thank you. It will allow me to speak to the plants and ask them vital questions," the young Samos said as something then happened above us.
"There they are! We've found them!" a bunch of flying KG guards exclaimed as they used their jet packs overhead and I shot them down via some very accurate shots to their jetpacks, Daxter helping out as well and the Shadow gasping.
"Protect me from these guards! I need to ask the plants vital questions about our future!" the Shadow said, me nodding as Daxter hopped from my shoulder with a smile.
"Time to waste some more KG guards, eh, Dax?" I smirked, him nodding at that.
"Light 'em up, Sasha!" Daxter smirked as some guard transporters appeared and I then proceeded to attack them along with Daxter. I used two Peacemaker shots at the one on the right, directly in the turbines. And as for Daxter, his laser actually sliced the whole transport on the left completely in half! All the guards inside either jumped ship or were killed upon the explosions and the impact. We then proceeded to kill the rest of the KG members that survived, Samos then gasping and me rushing up there and seeing that he was okay and no guards were around him... though he was shocked regardless.
"The plants have foretold something terrible... the Baron plans to destroy the Precursor Stone!" the Shadow said, me gawking at that. "He plans to crack it open somehow... if he were to do this, the energy released would be beyond comprehension! It would destroy the entire world and even more, ending all life! The plants are crying out for protection! You must stop the Baron, Sasha! Stop him however you can!" the Shadow said, me nodding at that and Daxter hopping on my shoulder soon after, me wondering just how the Baron could do such a thing... did he happen to know how powerful the blast would be? Or was he so drunk with power that he'd be willing to kill the entire world in his mad conquest?!
"It's official. Praxis is not a man anymore. He's become just as much of a monster as a Metal Head," I said with anger and Daxter frowning at me as he then slapped me... or tried to at least. His body was quite small, after all. We then managed to get into the city and I wondered if anyone would be willing to give us any jobs... but then I got a message on my communicator.
"Hey, Sasha? Kiki wanted to try some actual food for a change instead of eco. She wants to try out some fish at Brutter's. You want to come with?" Jak asked, me smiling at that.
"You bet I will," I smirked. "By the way, what've you been doing?" I asked him.
"Well, Kiki and I destroyed a whole batch of Metal Head eggs and then we took out the main control tower at the Drill Platform," Jak said, me gasping at that.
"Jak, when we get there, I need to tell you something VERY important," I said, him nodding as me and Daxter then grabbed a speed zoomer and we then got to Brutter's just a bit before Jak and Kiki arrived.
"So what did you want to talk about?" Jak asked me as I saw that Brutter wouldn't be open until 11 am, and it was 10:50 right now.
"Taking out the main control tower at the Drill Platform is probably the worst thing that could've been given to you as a job. Without that control tower, the Drill Platform won't be able to use its drill anymore. And without that drill working, the city will get literally NO eco! No eco for the Metal Head deal, no eco for the city shield walls, no eco for anyone!" I said, Jak gasping at that.
"I-I didn't know!... Kor didn't mention that... he's the one who gave me the job!" Jak said, me frowning at that and only then getting a crazy idea in my head.
"Oh shit... I don't know why I think this, but I think that Kor... I think he might be allied with the Metal Head Leader!" I gasped, Kiki then sighing at me, me looking at her in worry. "You knew, Kiki? How long did you know?" I asked her in shock, Kiki sighing afterwards.
"I knew the moment I saw Kor the first time... but as for what he is?... No one will ever believe any of it even if we told them," Kiki said, me looking at her with seriousness.
"So who is Kor?" I asked, Kiki frowning as she then pointed at herself and then pretended to be a regular Metal Head... but when she did that, I gawked at it.
"Oh... Oh my god... Kor is the Metal Head Leader?!" I asked in shock, Kiki nodding at that.
"That would explain why he wanted me to destroy the Drill Platform's control tower... no eco for the city, then he can take down the shield wall at any point! Dammit, if I find him again, I swear I'm going to destroy him!" Jak growled angrily. And just as he said this, we got a visit from Brutter as he finally made the stand open up for business.
"Oh! It brudder Jak, orangey warrior, and Sasha warrior! Thanks the totem I sees you! You help Lurkers once time, you help us twos?" Brutter asked in excitement at us as Jak frowned at him.
"Look, Brutter, we have our own problems right now," Jak frowned.
"But you know big-to-do ruckus you cause at Dig? Brutter know all caves like back of paw and Mar's Tomb nowhere there. Now Metal Headers find hidden Lurker village in caves. They bite and hurt village real bad. And me Lurker brudders trapped like animals by invading red troopers!" Brutter frowned.
"Ah, hello? They are animals!" Daxter frowned.
"We no longer evil bad-to-bones lurking Lurkers, little one! We good now. Metal Headers are bad. They is enemies... except you. You very nice," Brutter smiled at Kiki, her smirking at that.
"Yeah, we're all in the same boat now... so what would you like us to do?" I asked him.
"Save 6 Lurker brudders quick and Brutter give you help whenever needed!" Brutter said, me looking at Kiki with a smile.
"Well, how about you throw in a good meal afterwards and we'll go save them," I smirked, Brutter smiling at that.
"Oh, but of courses! Free meals if you saves them all!" Brutter smiled, me and Jak proceeding out around the place to free the captured Lurkers, which Kiki joined in on just because she wanted to really have some actual food, which made me smirk. We managed to rescue all three of them very easily. Two were in the southern farms, two in the northern farms, and there were two in the western area of Maintown. We saved all of them and then rushed back to Brutter's, who smiled at us happily.
"Ooh! Thanks to you all! You honorary members of Lurker tribe now! We no forget you kindness. If ever you need us, we help out big times!" Brutter smiled widely as he then gave us some menus and we then looked at the options and I smirked at them.
"I think I'll have some fish sticks," I smiled.
"And I'd like to have some of this Lurker Shark stew... wait... isn't it weird how you're serving Lurkers as food?" Kiki asked, Brutter chuckling at that.
"Lurker Sharks not actual Lurkers, silly Metal lady. They just called that because thems look like Lurker," Brutter smiled, me smiling and petting Kiki's head and her giggling afterwards.
"It's okay, I would've thought the same thing, Kiki," Jak smirked as he then ordered what Kiki did and Dax ordered some cod kebabs and a glass of root beer.
After waiting for about ten minutes, Brutter then got the stuff for us and we smiled and dug in, Kiki actually being in love with the flavor and me smirking at her first taste of actual human food. She did really like it, which made me smile. And after completely finishing her stew, I noticed she was pretty content afterwards.
"Another satisfied customer. Keep up the good work, Brutter," I smiled at him as we then got a call from Keira after leaving Brutter's place.
"Yeah? What is it, Keira?" I asked her.
"The Class One racing championship is going to be happening in half an hour. I want to show you guys something beforehand, though. Can you come to the stadium and meet up with me? Daddy and Ashelin are coming, too," Keira said, me smirking at that.
"Time to show that asshole Errol who the real champs are! Come on, guys! Let's get going!" I smiled, all of us then nodding and proceeding to grab some Zoomers to rush over to the Stadium effective immediately.