Well, this chapter has gone up as quickly as I could post it. Sorry if the
wait has been really bad for some of you (rolls her eyes). I dunno why,
but cliffhangers seem to be my thing. Besides, they encourage others to
read more of your story. But yes, I KNOW how annoying they are.
Hmmm, interesting theories Vulpix, but unfortunately, not the intentional idea. How did it end? Read on and find out. I had most of the main theories plotted before I even started chapter one, but you defiantly helped me out a bit back with that incident with the guard. *blush* thank chu!
Anyways, I hope this chapter satisfies. It's not INCREDEABLY long, but I didn't leave a HUGE cliffhanger on the end. Happy? In any case, keep the lovely reviews coming! *hugs all her wonderful reviewers* Chu guys and gals ROCK! Keep up with the suggestions on a sequel involving Xema or a non- Xema involved one. I'm glad to see that a lot of you like her! ( But in any case, keep 'em coming. You may have noticed I gave a one chapter 'Jak and Daxter' fic a go. Please review that too if you get a chance folks!
There's a little chapter dedication here. This one's for: Phoe-chan, the wonderful author of the Jak and Daxter story 'Secrets of the White Eco'. I absolutely love your story. Peoples, if you haven't read it already, you MUST go check it out! After you read and review this one of course! ;)
So until the final chapter! *sob*
~ Keysha
***
Jak and Daxter: Legend of the Lost White City
Chapter Eleven: The Choice
Nothing happened for exactly three seconds. Daxter wasn't even sure if they actually began to drop. As soon as Xema had spoken, their world had become a blinding swirl of colours. It was only as Daxter's eyes adjusted to the glare, that he realized it was coming from the dome surrounding the city. They were right beside the top of the dome, Karma had flown so high up she hadn't even realized.
It seemed to be splitting, no, MELTING away. From the top centre of the dome down. Daxter watched in amazement as it disappeared before his eyes, he was so shocked that he failed to notice time had halted. Both he and Xema were suspended just a few meters below Karma. Karma too, was hovering in the air, despite the fact that her wings weren't moving.
And then, the dome surrounding the city was gone. The final crystal surface disappeared into the earth forever, and the city's curse was broken.
Daxter felt his stomach lurch as both he and Xema began to plummet. Time had started up again. Their freefall was speeding up, and Daxter glared hatefully up at the quickly fading Karma, who was waving goodbye to them as they fell, a huge smirk spread across her face.
"I'll kill her!" Daxter growled, completely forgetting that in a few seconds, HE would be the dead one.
"Calm down!" Xema insisted, glancing down at the ground, rushing up to them at an incredible speed. "I wonder?" She asked herself.
"Wonder WHAT?" Daxter asked, just getting a full view of the blurry ground. He then began to scream, and wouldn't stop.
Xema clung tight to Daxter, her hacked wings fluttering uselessly in the rushing air as they plummeted. "Trust me." She insisted to Daxter.
There was a bright flash of light, and Daxter blacked out.
***
"Sire?"
There was a pause as Draco stood up. "Yes?" He enquired.
The guard before him bowed low. "Sir, we've retrieved your eldest daughter, but there seems to be no sign of Xema anywhere."
Draco stiffened slightly. "This is not good news." He muttered to himself, before turning back to the guard. "Bring Karma here!"
In a matter of seconds, Karma was before her father, looking beaten and exhausted, but pleased with herself nonetheless. Draco knew that this was DEFINATLY not a good sign.
"Karma?" He asked, the girl raised her eyesight up towards him. "Where's Xema?" Draco asked her sternly. Karma just smirked.
"WHERE is she?" Draco repeated, his voice getting tense.
"She just fell out of my reach." Karma hissed happily.
Draco spun around at the sound of a large bang coming from his right. It was Jak and Keira, both now fully awake, marching towards him. The sight of Karma in custody was somewhat relieving to them, but when they noticed the absence of Daxter and Xema, they realized things maybe weren't shaping up to be that great after all.
"Where's Daxter? And Xema?" Keira enquired. Draco turned his attention back to his daughter, still looking extremely pleased with herself.
"We were hoping KARMA could tell us that!" He hissed. Karma looked up at Jak and Keira, still smirking.
"Like I said before." She chuckled. "They fell out of my reach."
"YOU DROPPED THEM?" Jak cried, enraged. Karma nodded, still grinning.
"Well, that doesn't sound like a problem." Draco interrupted. "Xema has wings, she could have flown away."
Jak shook his head furiously, trying to indicate to Draco that the plot was a lot thicker than that. However, Draco's attention was on other matters, perhaps the figures of Daxter and Xema entering the room. He instantly left his position in front of Karma, and rushed to his youngest Daughter, while Daxter grinned up at Jak and Keira.
"How, HOW did you survive?" Keira stuttered at the ottsel. Daxter just waved his paw in the air.
"Piece of cake!" The ottsel insisted.
"Yes." Karma hissed. Her expression had changed from a startled one, to an angry glare. "HOW did you survive?"
Xema looked up at her older sister and grinned, revealing a small sliver glow in the palm of her hand.
"Silver eco." The girl insisted. "You didn't think you were the ONLY one who had some on hand did you Karma?"
"Xema, WHAT happened to your wings?" Draco questioned, holding up a tattered clump of half cut feathers. Xema glared at her sister.
"Karma happened, that's what!" Xema growled. Draco also sent an angry look to the girl, still restrained by guards.
"Xema? Would you and your friends mind leaving the room for a few minutes? I need to decide how I'm going to punish Karma, and what I'm going to do with her AFTERWARDS!"
For the first time since they had met her, Jak was SURE he saw fear in Karma's eyes, but his gaze was soon distracted when Keira began pushing him out of the room.
Xema walked over to Daxter, who was calmly waiting for her. "I WOULD tell your father to go easy on her." Daxter insisted as Xema picked him up. "But for SOME strange reason, I don't WANT to!"
Xema smiled and nuzzled her cheek against his head. As she left the room, Daxter peeked over her shoulder, and caught Karma's eye. He stuck his tongue out at her, before turning around and nuzzling himself against Xema's shoulder.
Revenge was sweet.
***
It wasn't until late that evening that Xema's father approached her. Xema didn't ask him about Karma, and Draco never mentioned her. Xema knew banishment would have probably been her punishment. Having her wings hacked would have also been another. But Xema never wanted to even MENTION her sister's name again, so she never asked.
"Tell me Xema?" Draco finally asked, as the two of them gazed out over the city. It looked more beautiful than it ever had before. "How did you break the curse? All this time, there was a boy right under our noses. Who is he? I've never seen him about."
Xema smiled, looking down at her hands as she refused to make eye contact with her father. "Let's just say, appearances can be deceiving." She explained. Draco nodded in understanding.
"The ottsel?" He asked. Xema looked up in shock.
"How did you know?" She asked surprised, then smiling, added. "His name is Daxter."
Draco smiled. "I put two and two together. He brought Xema in close and hugged her. "I've never been so proud of you Xema!" He insisted, looking down at her. "You've proved that one day, you'll make a great queen."
Xema sighed. "I know I can't ignore my duties." She looked down, slightly embarrassed. "But I really don't want to hang around here. I have too many bad memories of this place. Karma's betrayal, mother's death." She blushed. "Daxter and the others have invited me to go and stay with them in their village. It's beside the sea father. Do you have any idea how beautiful the sea is?" She paused. "I know you don't like the idea of me leaving."
"It's fine with me!" Draco insisted, smiling. "Besides, both your mother and I always believed you should be near the ones you love."
Xema rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "Yeah, poor Daxter." She sighed, imagining the little ottsel. "If only there was some way we could help him. He doesn't deserve to live his life the way it is. I know he feels uncomfortable around me sometimes, the differences and all."
Draco smiled, taking Xema by the hand as he led her into the air. She clung hold of him as he carried her, the wings on her back being absolutely useless to her.
"Come with me, I think I know a way to help." Draco insisted.
***
"Chelly? What's going on?" Xema asked her close friend. The young woman shook her head, her dark hair swaying gently.
"I'm not quite sure. I've been working on this project for a while, but it's only in its experimental stages at the moment."
"What kind of project are we talking about?" Xema asked with a puzzled look on her face, but Chelly's answer was cut short when Draco reappeared with a strange character by his side.
His name was Xi, a withered old man - much like Samos, except what Samos lacked in height, Xi made up for. His long, gray beard was woven in twists with a strange collection of beads and feathers, plus a shell or two. This seemed impossible too most, because no one asides Xema and some of the guards had had the ability to leave the city and travel anywhere near the beach, where shells were plentiful. Some thought it was an indication that he had been around before the city was cursed. Which meant he would have to be thousands of years old. This was true, the man was ancient, and it was all thanks to his own experimental potions and such. The man was a witch doctor, and a good one at that. Although he WAS a bit crazy. His arrival did not please Xema much, nor did it help the uneasy feeling she felt in her stomach disappear.
"Uh, WHY is Xi here?" Xema asked nervously. Draco placed a hand on the old man's shoulder.
"He's here because he has something that may help you and Daxter." Draco explained. Xema felt her knees go weak.
"Look!" She started. "I understand that you all want to help. Believe me, I know Daxter is willing to do almost ANYTHING to return him to his previous form. But taking witch doctor mumbo-jumbo is NOT one of the options I want to throw at him!" Her breath caught in her throat. "I've seen what's happened to OTHERS who have drunk your 'creations' Xi. No offence, but you still need some work on your reversal spells."
Xi chuckled lightly. "It's not a reversal spell." He croaked in his tired, withered voice, holding out a small bottle to the girl. Cautiously, Xema removed it from his hand. It contained a bright red liquid, close to that of molten lava. Xema shuddered, for all she knew it WAS molten lava. It did not, however, feel hot. In fact, the bottle, and its contents, were icy cold. The young girl looked up at her audience.
"What is this?" She asked. The trio looked at each other, before Draco stepped forward and led his daughter out of Xi and Chelly's hearing range. He sighed, placed his hands on her shoulders, and looked her dead in the eyes.
"When it's my time to step down from my reign, I want you to promise you'll come home." He pulled her in for a hug. "Xema, what ever you decide to do, I'll just be happy to know you're safe." He pulled her away again so he could look her in the eyes again. Xema just shook her head.
"I don't understand." She admitted. Draco smiled.
"The potion is not for Daxter." He admitted. "It's for you." He looked up again and smiled awkwardly. "It's your decision Xema." And then he left.
Xema stood awkwardly, not sure WHAT to do. She caressed the small bottle in her palm and gazed down at its inviting red glow. Now what? She sighed as she made her final decision.
Hmmm, interesting theories Vulpix, but unfortunately, not the intentional idea. How did it end? Read on and find out. I had most of the main theories plotted before I even started chapter one, but you defiantly helped me out a bit back with that incident with the guard. *blush* thank chu!
Anyways, I hope this chapter satisfies. It's not INCREDEABLY long, but I didn't leave a HUGE cliffhanger on the end. Happy? In any case, keep the lovely reviews coming! *hugs all her wonderful reviewers* Chu guys and gals ROCK! Keep up with the suggestions on a sequel involving Xema or a non- Xema involved one. I'm glad to see that a lot of you like her! ( But in any case, keep 'em coming. You may have noticed I gave a one chapter 'Jak and Daxter' fic a go. Please review that too if you get a chance folks!
There's a little chapter dedication here. This one's for: Phoe-chan, the wonderful author of the Jak and Daxter story 'Secrets of the White Eco'. I absolutely love your story. Peoples, if you haven't read it already, you MUST go check it out! After you read and review this one of course! ;)
So until the final chapter! *sob*
~ Keysha
***
Jak and Daxter: Legend of the Lost White City
Chapter Eleven: The Choice
Nothing happened for exactly three seconds. Daxter wasn't even sure if they actually began to drop. As soon as Xema had spoken, their world had become a blinding swirl of colours. It was only as Daxter's eyes adjusted to the glare, that he realized it was coming from the dome surrounding the city. They were right beside the top of the dome, Karma had flown so high up she hadn't even realized.
It seemed to be splitting, no, MELTING away. From the top centre of the dome down. Daxter watched in amazement as it disappeared before his eyes, he was so shocked that he failed to notice time had halted. Both he and Xema were suspended just a few meters below Karma. Karma too, was hovering in the air, despite the fact that her wings weren't moving.
And then, the dome surrounding the city was gone. The final crystal surface disappeared into the earth forever, and the city's curse was broken.
Daxter felt his stomach lurch as both he and Xema began to plummet. Time had started up again. Their freefall was speeding up, and Daxter glared hatefully up at the quickly fading Karma, who was waving goodbye to them as they fell, a huge smirk spread across her face.
"I'll kill her!" Daxter growled, completely forgetting that in a few seconds, HE would be the dead one.
"Calm down!" Xema insisted, glancing down at the ground, rushing up to them at an incredible speed. "I wonder?" She asked herself.
"Wonder WHAT?" Daxter asked, just getting a full view of the blurry ground. He then began to scream, and wouldn't stop.
Xema clung tight to Daxter, her hacked wings fluttering uselessly in the rushing air as they plummeted. "Trust me." She insisted to Daxter.
There was a bright flash of light, and Daxter blacked out.
***
"Sire?"
There was a pause as Draco stood up. "Yes?" He enquired.
The guard before him bowed low. "Sir, we've retrieved your eldest daughter, but there seems to be no sign of Xema anywhere."
Draco stiffened slightly. "This is not good news." He muttered to himself, before turning back to the guard. "Bring Karma here!"
In a matter of seconds, Karma was before her father, looking beaten and exhausted, but pleased with herself nonetheless. Draco knew that this was DEFINATLY not a good sign.
"Karma?" He asked, the girl raised her eyesight up towards him. "Where's Xema?" Draco asked her sternly. Karma just smirked.
"WHERE is she?" Draco repeated, his voice getting tense.
"She just fell out of my reach." Karma hissed happily.
Draco spun around at the sound of a large bang coming from his right. It was Jak and Keira, both now fully awake, marching towards him. The sight of Karma in custody was somewhat relieving to them, but when they noticed the absence of Daxter and Xema, they realized things maybe weren't shaping up to be that great after all.
"Where's Daxter? And Xema?" Keira enquired. Draco turned his attention back to his daughter, still looking extremely pleased with herself.
"We were hoping KARMA could tell us that!" He hissed. Karma looked up at Jak and Keira, still smirking.
"Like I said before." She chuckled. "They fell out of my reach."
"YOU DROPPED THEM?" Jak cried, enraged. Karma nodded, still grinning.
"Well, that doesn't sound like a problem." Draco interrupted. "Xema has wings, she could have flown away."
Jak shook his head furiously, trying to indicate to Draco that the plot was a lot thicker than that. However, Draco's attention was on other matters, perhaps the figures of Daxter and Xema entering the room. He instantly left his position in front of Karma, and rushed to his youngest Daughter, while Daxter grinned up at Jak and Keira.
"How, HOW did you survive?" Keira stuttered at the ottsel. Daxter just waved his paw in the air.
"Piece of cake!" The ottsel insisted.
"Yes." Karma hissed. Her expression had changed from a startled one, to an angry glare. "HOW did you survive?"
Xema looked up at her older sister and grinned, revealing a small sliver glow in the palm of her hand.
"Silver eco." The girl insisted. "You didn't think you were the ONLY one who had some on hand did you Karma?"
"Xema, WHAT happened to your wings?" Draco questioned, holding up a tattered clump of half cut feathers. Xema glared at her sister.
"Karma happened, that's what!" Xema growled. Draco also sent an angry look to the girl, still restrained by guards.
"Xema? Would you and your friends mind leaving the room for a few minutes? I need to decide how I'm going to punish Karma, and what I'm going to do with her AFTERWARDS!"
For the first time since they had met her, Jak was SURE he saw fear in Karma's eyes, but his gaze was soon distracted when Keira began pushing him out of the room.
Xema walked over to Daxter, who was calmly waiting for her. "I WOULD tell your father to go easy on her." Daxter insisted as Xema picked him up. "But for SOME strange reason, I don't WANT to!"
Xema smiled and nuzzled her cheek against his head. As she left the room, Daxter peeked over her shoulder, and caught Karma's eye. He stuck his tongue out at her, before turning around and nuzzling himself against Xema's shoulder.
Revenge was sweet.
***
It wasn't until late that evening that Xema's father approached her. Xema didn't ask him about Karma, and Draco never mentioned her. Xema knew banishment would have probably been her punishment. Having her wings hacked would have also been another. But Xema never wanted to even MENTION her sister's name again, so she never asked.
"Tell me Xema?" Draco finally asked, as the two of them gazed out over the city. It looked more beautiful than it ever had before. "How did you break the curse? All this time, there was a boy right under our noses. Who is he? I've never seen him about."
Xema smiled, looking down at her hands as she refused to make eye contact with her father. "Let's just say, appearances can be deceiving." She explained. Draco nodded in understanding.
"The ottsel?" He asked. Xema looked up in shock.
"How did you know?" She asked surprised, then smiling, added. "His name is Daxter."
Draco smiled. "I put two and two together. He brought Xema in close and hugged her. "I've never been so proud of you Xema!" He insisted, looking down at her. "You've proved that one day, you'll make a great queen."
Xema sighed. "I know I can't ignore my duties." She looked down, slightly embarrassed. "But I really don't want to hang around here. I have too many bad memories of this place. Karma's betrayal, mother's death." She blushed. "Daxter and the others have invited me to go and stay with them in their village. It's beside the sea father. Do you have any idea how beautiful the sea is?" She paused. "I know you don't like the idea of me leaving."
"It's fine with me!" Draco insisted, smiling. "Besides, both your mother and I always believed you should be near the ones you love."
Xema rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "Yeah, poor Daxter." She sighed, imagining the little ottsel. "If only there was some way we could help him. He doesn't deserve to live his life the way it is. I know he feels uncomfortable around me sometimes, the differences and all."
Draco smiled, taking Xema by the hand as he led her into the air. She clung hold of him as he carried her, the wings on her back being absolutely useless to her.
"Come with me, I think I know a way to help." Draco insisted.
***
"Chelly? What's going on?" Xema asked her close friend. The young woman shook her head, her dark hair swaying gently.
"I'm not quite sure. I've been working on this project for a while, but it's only in its experimental stages at the moment."
"What kind of project are we talking about?" Xema asked with a puzzled look on her face, but Chelly's answer was cut short when Draco reappeared with a strange character by his side.
His name was Xi, a withered old man - much like Samos, except what Samos lacked in height, Xi made up for. His long, gray beard was woven in twists with a strange collection of beads and feathers, plus a shell or two. This seemed impossible too most, because no one asides Xema and some of the guards had had the ability to leave the city and travel anywhere near the beach, where shells were plentiful. Some thought it was an indication that he had been around before the city was cursed. Which meant he would have to be thousands of years old. This was true, the man was ancient, and it was all thanks to his own experimental potions and such. The man was a witch doctor, and a good one at that. Although he WAS a bit crazy. His arrival did not please Xema much, nor did it help the uneasy feeling she felt in her stomach disappear.
"Uh, WHY is Xi here?" Xema asked nervously. Draco placed a hand on the old man's shoulder.
"He's here because he has something that may help you and Daxter." Draco explained. Xema felt her knees go weak.
"Look!" She started. "I understand that you all want to help. Believe me, I know Daxter is willing to do almost ANYTHING to return him to his previous form. But taking witch doctor mumbo-jumbo is NOT one of the options I want to throw at him!" Her breath caught in her throat. "I've seen what's happened to OTHERS who have drunk your 'creations' Xi. No offence, but you still need some work on your reversal spells."
Xi chuckled lightly. "It's not a reversal spell." He croaked in his tired, withered voice, holding out a small bottle to the girl. Cautiously, Xema removed it from his hand. It contained a bright red liquid, close to that of molten lava. Xema shuddered, for all she knew it WAS molten lava. It did not, however, feel hot. In fact, the bottle, and its contents, were icy cold. The young girl looked up at her audience.
"What is this?" She asked. The trio looked at each other, before Draco stepped forward and led his daughter out of Xi and Chelly's hearing range. He sighed, placed his hands on her shoulders, and looked her dead in the eyes.
"When it's my time to step down from my reign, I want you to promise you'll come home." He pulled her in for a hug. "Xema, what ever you decide to do, I'll just be happy to know you're safe." He pulled her away again so he could look her in the eyes again. Xema just shook her head.
"I don't understand." She admitted. Draco smiled.
"The potion is not for Daxter." He admitted. "It's for you." He looked up again and smiled awkwardly. "It's your decision Xema." And then he left.
Xema stood awkwardly, not sure WHAT to do. She caressed the small bottle in her palm and gazed down at its inviting red glow. Now what? She sighed as she made her final decision.