A Terrible Mistake
Chapter Six:
Sheaira laid on the top bunk of her bed staring up through the hole in their ceiling up the stars through the crater. It was now silent, well for the most part. She could still hear some snoring from their guest and her brother. She unfortunately could not rest well. Her mind was full of anxiety now that Gol and Maia had appeared. Her father could be in grave danger, he was the only parent she had left after her mother disappeared 7 years ago. Her thoughts were interrupted by feeling her bed rustle she sat up abruptly and threw her pillow towards the rustling on her bed hitting it directly.
"Oof!" Daxter's voice came nearly falling off the top bunk of the bed. Sheaira's ears twitched curiously and went over to the ottsel who climbed back up huffing, "You got quiet an arm there…sure you can't channel red eco?" he whispered.
"What are you doing up here!?" Sheaira hissed quietly to make sure her brother wouldn't wake up, luckily, he was a heavy sleeper and didn't seem as worried about their dad than she did. Maybe he knew that Dad could handle himself. But that did not give Sheaira much confidence as she looked down towards the bottom bunk where her brother was sleeping.
"I came to check on you, you know us ottsels need to stick together," Daxter rubbed his head, Sheaira noticed he wasn't wearing his goggles or gloves anymore.
"What for?" her voice softened a bit. She didn't realize he wanted to check on her, she figured he wanted something from her.
"After we nearly got attack by the Acheron sibling you seemed really distracted," he sat down curiously.
"Yeah, well you did too, that was supposedly one of our only ways to turn back into our human forms, and…my dad he's… a prisoner there," Sheaira frowned she slumped down sitting into her pillow as she sighed and looked up.
"Don't you worry baby, with Jak by my side I'll rescue your father," Daxter said confidently smirking. Sheaira lowered her head and raised an eyebrow.
"You were hiding behind Jak when those two nearly attacked us," she chuckled lightly. Daxter's ears fell in disappointment, "And you are the one trying to cure my anxiety?" Sheaira questioned narrowing her eyes still smiling, the light of the moon shined down on her hair.
"Uh…" Daxter scratched the back of his ears sheepishly, "It was just an act to force them to let their guard down, then with their backs turn, Za-ZING! Orange Lightning strikes!" he quickly rebound and hopped up into an action pose as if he was ready to fight. John made a sound and mumbled in his sleep and Daxter covered his mouth forgetting someone was below them. Sheaira had to cover her mouth to silence her giggles.
"You're pretty cute," she said smirking. She flopped down onto her pillow laying on her back staring at the stars. Daxter brushed his nose confidently and looked down at her, he laid down next to her and looked up at the stars with her.
"I can accept cute… You know your dad never finished building the roof of your house, right?" Daxter said turning his head to her.
"Yeah, dad starts projects then never finishes them fully," she smiled solemnly. It was clear she really missed and worried about her father. Daxter gently began to rub Sheaira's ears and her eyes widened, she wasn't expecting that. It actually felt nice, her green eyes gazed towards him as he was still staring at the sky, "What are… you doing?"
"I'm rubbing your ear," Daxter said, "You are still anxious, you need your rest. When I was young and anxious Jak use the rub my ears and it use to work like a charm."
"Is Jak like your brother…" Sheaira asked closing her eyes as she was feeling very relaxed.
"I guess, we're not actually related but he's the closes thing I have to family…" Daxter said trailing off slightly as he stared off to the sky. The room fell very quiet suddenly as Daxter's blue eyes gazed over and saw that the red ottsel was now passed right out. He smirked and sat up tucking her blankets over her. "What did I say," he wiggled his fingers, "Magic fingers."
He quietly headed towards the ladder of Sheaira's bunk and paused, "I suppose it doesn't matter if I sleep over here… besides it's comfier than the floor, and surprisingly quieter." He laid down near the ladder and closed his eyes curling up.
The morning sunlight creeped in through the roof causing Sheaira to turn on her side and grumbled, she knew it was morning but she would like to sleep in, besides she was very comfy. A loud noise broke her out of that comfort as she heard her brother shout.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING SLEEPING MY LITTLE SISTERS BED!" John shouted he had pinned Daxter down as Sheaira sat up in annoyance. Daxter coward.
"It's not what you think," he squeaked out and Sheaira stomped over to John.
"LET HIM GO THIS INSTANT!" she yelled and John was taken a back releasing Daxter, "He didn't do anything to me, we just talked. You need to stop being overly protective! I may be an ottsel but I don't need you to protect me!"
"Sheaira…I know his type, he wants to try and get in your pants," John said gesturing to her as Daxter moved away from John and looked towards the exit of the room.
"Uh John…" she motioned down to show she wasn't wearing any pants in her current form.
"I mean figuratively," he grumbles and glared back at Daxter who froze immediately. He was trying not to make the situation worse between the two siblings.
"Look I get it, you want to protect me after I got changed into this form, but fighting Daxter isn't helping us. He has the same goal as I do." Sheaira explained to her brother and his ears fell. Jak poked his head curiously up the ladder into their room wondering what all the commotion was.
"Oh Jak?" John looked over at him, "Sorry didn't mean to wake everyone."
Jak raised and eyebrow and Daxter leapt from the bunk bed onto Jak's should and climbed down his back, "He's crazy Jak!"
"Yeah, but he's my brother, I gotta love him," Sheaira said crossing her arms and glaring at him, "You need to apologize!"
"I…" John's ears fell as he turned to Jak, "I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions Daxter." Daxter actually looked surprised. He wasn't sure what to say.
"Come on, let's grab some breakfast and get those Power Cells from Gordy and Willard," Sheaira said and went back to her pillow grabbing her bandana and tied her hair back up. Jak smiled at Daxter sheepishly and then looked over at John who still looked ashamed of himself.
"Yeah, good idea…" Daxter agreed, "We'll uh see you down stairs." Jak nodded and took Daxter down stairs, he was curious about what Daxter had done that made John go off on him like that.
"Look I was only talking to her last night. John thought we did something weird, seriously I'm more into human girls anyways," Daxter frowned and Jak rolled his eyes.
"What was all that commotion?" Keira asked she was already taking the Power Cells from Jak's back pack to install into the zoomers. Samos eyed up Daxter who was holding onto Jak's shoulder. Julayla smirked at the two boys she had an idea on what happened.
"Daxter what did you do!?" Samos accused and Daxter sighed in annoyance, of course Samos would blame him immediately.
"He didn't do anything," Sheaira's voice came as John climbed down the ladder with his sister on his shoulder, "John over reacted."
"It's true," John hung his head.
"That's surprising," Samos said raising his eyebrows and looked back at Daxter who again was speechless since he had never really had anyone other than Jak defend him.
"I'll make us some breakfast," John said as his sister hopped off his shoulder onto her father's desk looking at some of the books Julayla was looking at.
"Why don't you two checks in with Willard and Gordy to get those Power Cells then," Samos suggested to Daxter and Jak. Jak was putting on his goggle and passed Daxter his goggle and gloves.
"I'll go with you, Gordy may need some reminding of how we saved his life," Sheaira said jumping down from the desk and walking over the Jak looking up at him and he nodded offering his free shoulder. She hopped up and looked over at Daxter.
"You got it baby, you sweet talk 'em and we'll get the Power Cells," Daxter grinned widely pulling on his gloves.
"Uh, Daxter, Gordy owes us one for saving his life, no one needs to steal anything," she laughed slightly. She was really starting to enjoy his company, but she wasn't going to admit it. Jak headed out of the Red Sage's Lab jumping across the bridge and heading down a separate tunnel towards the giant-sized diamond.
"Whoa…" Daxter looked up at it in amazement. There was a small clinking sound as they approached and a taller man with a birdcage on his head with a little yellow canary in it.
"Duh, oh hey can I help you?" he paused his working noticing the three of them.
"Where's Gordy?" Sheaira asked Willard tilting her head and he motioned over towards the drill.
"Gordy is doin' supervising work on der drill," he grinned, "We're gonna get the big diamond and be rich."
"Yeah, that lil pick axe ain't gonna get you very far buddy," Daxter pointed and looked over at the drill, "That might do it."
"It would if you leant us those Power Cells," Gordy grumbled as he looked up at the three of them from the drill.
"You didn't ask!" Sheaira growled, "Besides we saved your life so you owe us one, hand over the Power cells!"
"Wow…Sheaira I thought we agreed to the sweet talkin," Daxter said sarcastically and rolled his eyes shrugging as he looked up at Jak. Jak smiled sheepishly back down at Daxter and looked at Gordy shrugging.
"You want the last 3 Power Cells I have?" Gordy frowned and sighed, "Well I suppose these won't start the drill anyways…"
"Look, you give them to us and I'll ask Daddy if he'll lend you the Power Cells you need after I rescue him," Sheaira explained with a much nicer tone.
"Fine, but I'm going to need some payment for these," Gordy thought a moment, "180 Precursor orbs."
"What, that's highway robbery!" Sheaira scolded and her eyes sharpened as she pointed up at him, "We won't pay more than 120 Precursor orbs!"
"150 or no deal!" Gordy growled lowering himself down to Sheaira's level.
"125, final offer," she said sharply as she pointed her finger into his chest and narrowed her eyes. Jak and Daxter stood behind Sheaira and looked at each other in confusion. Jak was well willing to pay the first price but if Sheaira knew how to barter he wasn't going to stop her. Willard also stood behind them utterly confused.
"Fine," Gordy stood back up straight, "You can have the three of them for 125 Precursor orbs."
"Deal," Sheaira offered her hand and Gordy shook it. There was a pregnant pause before Sheaira looked at Jak, "So you got the orbs, right?"
"Yeah of course," Daxter answered for Jak and he handed the orbs to Gordy.
"Hey Willard help me with these!" Gordy shouted to the taller man who smiled again feeling like he was useful. He hurried over to the drill with Gordy and the two pulled out 3 Power Cells. The boys carried them and gave them to Jak.
"Pleasure doing business with you, now get back to work Willard, we're going to need to work double time," Gordy shouted at the taller man, "And by we, I mean you!"
Sheaira rolled her eyes, she didn't like Gordy treating Willard like that. But Willard did seem content as he went back to work. She turned back to Jak who put the Power Cells into the back pack quickly smiling sheepishly as she had missed the two boys doing a victory dance again. Daxter had already been standing on Jak's shoulder smiling at Sheaira. She shook her head and jumped up on Jak's free shoulder.
"Alright let's head back and give these to Keira," Sheaira suggested and Jak nodded in agreement.
Jak hurried back and spotted Keira outside of the Red Sages Lab with the two zoomers ready to go, she was finishing up a few things on Sheaira's Mums zoomer. She looked up at the three and waved to them.
"Did you get them?" she asked.
"Yep, we did Baby, check us out," Daxter pulled the three Power Cells out. He leaned on Jak's head attempting to be sexy. Sheaira narrowed her eyes at him, then looked at Keira who rolled her eyes at Daxter. Jak sighed and pulled off his back pack handing over the remaining Power Cells.
"This should be enough, right?" Sheaira asked, Keira smiled and took the Power cells and went over to Sheaira's mum's zoomer.
"Why don't you grab something to eat, John made some breakfast, bring them out when you're done and I'll transport the two zoomers to the Mountain pass," Keira explained as she began to install the zoomers. Jak nodded in agreement and the trio headed inside to eat something.
Around 20 minutes passed and Keira looked over to see Jak and the other approach, she had already set up the Zoomers ready for John and Jak to be the main riders.
"Alright we've got to try and keep everything balance, and there is 7 of us, 2 ottsels, 3 teens and 2 adults," Keira explained.
"Oh, I wanna go with Keira," Daxter said raising his eyebrows at her and with a sharp wack from his staff Daxter yelped. He looked up at Samos while rubbing his head in annoyance.
"Jak will be driving my Zoomer so I'll go with him," Keira said crossing her arms glaring at Daxter.
"Jak's my best friend I'll go with him since I have his back," Daxter narrowed his eyes at Keira and jumped up onto Jak's shoulders. Jak just shrugged blushing slightly.
"John, why don't you take the two sages, you're zoomer is slightly bigger," Keira pointed to their mom's zoomer, John sighed.
"Oh, sandwiched between to handsome men," Julayla teased walking over the larger zoomer smirking at Samos and John. Samos slightly blushed feeling a bit flustered but the compliment. John shook his head.
"Alright I suppose I can do that, what about you Sheaira?" John asked he looked worried about his little sister but she seemed set on her decision.
"I'm going with Jak, us ottsels need to stick together after all," she stuck her tongue out at John who lowered his head in defeat.
"Just be careful with her Jak," he mouthed to him as Sheaira Jumped up on his free shoulder. Jak nodded and climbed onto the zoomer. Keira climbed on and wrapped her arms around his waist and he blushed lightly. Daxter shook his head and leaned down to whisper to Jak.
"Keep it cool buddy."
John climbed on the his zoomer and turned it on, "Wow, Keira, you got it purring like a kitten…"
Julayla climbed on after placing her staff into a compartment, Samos did the same and hopped on, the little bird on his log climbed into the log looking a little nervous. It had never been on a zoomer before.
"I'll show you where the pass is to head towards my lab just follow us," Julayla called as John moved his zoomer ahead. Luckily the mountain pass seemed clear of any more flying lurkers. John stopped the zoomer near a large boulder that seemed to be blocking the path to the Light Eco's sage's lab.
"Oh no, this must have been blocked a while ago," Julayla frowned looking past John at the large boulder, "How are we going to get past it?"
"Watch out!" Daxter called before a ball of Yellow Eco blasted the boulder into pieces. John yelped and looked back at Jak who was still glowing with Yellow Eco Energy, he smiled sheepishly and shrugged.
"Well, that's one way to do it," John said.
"Be more careful Jak!" Samos called scolding the boy.
"Let's just keep going we'll reach the Red Woods Forest soon," Julayla pointed ahead and John moved forward int the tight canyon like path. After only a few minutes John stopped suddenly as a boulder nearly hit his zoomer, looking up they saw Lurker's laugh maniacally. They were preparing more rocks and boulder to through down at them.
"HIYA!" Jak threw another Yellow Eco fire ball at Lurkers and they exploded into a poof of Green Eco. He threw a new one at the boulder as well to clear the path.
"Are you okay John?" Sheaira called out to her brother.
"Yeah," John nodded and looked up to see more flying Lurkers with dynamite stramped to them, he shivered remembering how his sister nearly blew them up, "I'm getting really tired of dynamite…."
"We have to hurry they're going to try and block us off," Julayla pointed ahead. "If they do, we'll be done for," Samos added.
Jak had run out of Yellow Eco and looked a but nervous but sped past John determined to stop the flying Lurkers.
"Jak, you have passengers," Daxter whined nervously holding onto him tightly. Sheaira also clung onto Jak looking back at Keira who pulled her goggle up onto her eyes.
"Don't let them get away from us Jak!" she called squeezing onto his waist. John followed behind trying not to lose them and dodging more rocks being tossed towards them from lurkers on the cliff sides. There was no longer a way to take them out so their best option was to dodge, "Hang on tight," John called to the sages who did just that.
Jak managed to catch up to one of the flying Lurker's and knocked him into the cliffside where he exploded among his allies. A few rocks crumbled down but John was able to easily dodge them staying close to Jak. He was obviously being cautious but he was worried about her sister. She was cheering as Jak knocked the other flying Lurker up and into another group of lurkers who exploded due to the dynamite. He grinned brightly as he looked back at John who gave a thumbs up.
"Look!" Keira pointed ahead as the canyon ended and they entered into a large red wood forest, Jak nearly crashed into one as he was distracted, he slowed the zoomer down as he continued slowly looking at the large red wood trees.
"Wow…they're beautiful," Sheaira said looking up at the tall canopy of the trees. Daxter looked back and saw that just John was following them, he sighed in relief. John caught up with them and slowed his zoomer down.
"We're nearly there just follow us I will direct John; we should be in the clear now," Julayla said and pointed ahead.
After only a few minutes they enter a clearing with a crystal-clear lake filled with odd looking Precursor ruins in it. The trees parted to show a small two storied hut that looked like it was grown into a red wood tree. A small water mill was on one side where a large looking creak flowed nearby. The air was crisp and clean and it felt serene. Small saplings circled the hut in a circle around them. John parked his zoomer outside on the platform, it vanished allowing Jak to park his Zoomer as well. Jak stopped abruptly as he was distracted by the beauty of the area.
"Wow it's so beautiful," Keira said stepping off the Zoomer and looking towards the lake. A light breeze blew through the young woman's hair as she breathed in.
"Yes, this is quiet a beautiful area indeed," Samos explored completely in awe, his little bird was chirping around playfully and flew up to the trees exploring.
"Green Eco cannot accomplish this level of wilderness, I researched this are all my like and believe that this is the ancient grounds of the Light Eco, one of the first places the Precursor came to to start life itself," Julayla explained.
"Alright, hit me with the light eco, baby," Daxter hopped off of Jak's shoulder and walked over to Julayla.
"I'm afraid it's not going to be that easy," Julayla shook her head, Daxter's ears fell in disappointment, "This area is not longer producing light eco, come inside we have much to discuss." She waved the group into her hut. Sheaira gazed once more at the beautiful lake.
"So, this is what Light Eco can do huh…"
Authors note: So, we've finally arrived at the Light Eco Sages Hut. The Chapters are a bit long but I hope they flow nicely. Please let me know what you think so far. Thank you for reading.