Lizzy: I'm back you guys. And now since I'm no longer fearing for my neck because Jak and Torn are still tied up, I'm going to make the plot start moving.
Keira: ***walks into the room*** Lizzy, have you seen Jak? I haven't seen him for days.
Lizzy: ***shrugs*** maybe he went to blow something. He seemed to like doing that a lot nowadays if you ask me. Not that I mind. ***grins***
Keira: ***places hands on hips and glares*** He's mine you know.
Lizzy: ***rolls eyes*** I know that, Keira. No worries, I won't steal your main squeeze. Now, run along. I'm writing Jak and your song, okay?
Keira: I can't wait to see it! ***runs out***
Lizzy: ***hears a bang on the wall and walked over to closest*** Jak, Torn, you know I'd let you go if you promise not to come after me with your weapons.
Jak: ***voice is muffled by the door*** I'm going to kill you when I get out of here!
Lizzy: Whatever. As always I don't own Jak 2 or Buffy the Vampire Slayer and her lyrics. They belong to their very respected owners. And of course much thanks to the following…
Robin C (glad you're enjoying it!) Kiz (Jak's gonna sing for you!) Crossover Authoress (glad I made you feel better, being fired sucks!) Miyuki (I know, don't see Daxter and Tara going together right? That's why I picked it!) DarkJakLover and Tora (no! don't kill yourself! Chapter for you! Keep her in line, Tora!) Azzi Vile (***grins*** first person to call me brilliant. I could get used to it!) Squabbit (bring your mom on down! Everyone's welcome.) Necralis (like spitting on Metal Head corpses, too, but then my mom gets me because the graves turn out to be the carpet…) Shark (ah, Vin… just a question— I don't mean to be mean— but have you beaten the game?) EasterBadger (first I'm brilliant and now I'm being envied? Boy and my first grade teacher said I'd never amount to anything) kizna1200 (Obviously Torn and Ashlin wouldn't do anything government ***grins*** I don't think anyone would do anything government with Torn around— if you're a girl ***drools***— or Ashlin— if you're a guy)
Now that that's taken care of on with the chapter!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Three- Romance and SweetKeira was about a mile from Jak's house. She didn't know why he insisted that both he and Daxter live in the Slums of Haven City when there was a perfectly good room for them at Daxter's new place, the Naughty Ottsel.
She crossed one of the bridges placed over the trenches meant to hold the pipes of water carried to the slums. She tried to ignore the young man and woman singing about what type of clothing they liked and the old man singing about times past. It was too weird to hear Haven City filled with so much music. Her daddy was right, they needed to find out who was doing this and make him or her stop. She hadn't heard Jak sing much yet, she didn't want to imagine him singing and then bursting into dust. It creeped her out.
She felt herself tremble slightly. Jak had changed so much in the years. He knew longer was the innocent boy of her girlhood dreams. Her father had told her that maybe now that Jak was hardened by hatred and war she should move on, but he father didn't get it. Jak was the man of her woman fantasies. And it seemed like no matter how hard she explained it to her father, Samos didn't get it.
She couldn't really explain it, either. She had begun to love the young boy Jak had once been when she had just been a girl. But now she was a real woman and something about this Jak, something about the maturity the differences made her fall head over heels.
But now Jak was changing, again. He was becoming distant. He no longer had the air of anger shimmering around him like he had the first day she had met him. He seemed cold somehow, as if he had lost the will to live.
The very thought of Jak no longer living made Keira want to cry. She couldn't imagine life without Jak. The two years they had been separated had been hell. She had spent the half of the first year looking for him. That was what had led her to the stadium and her garage. She had been searching for Jak when she had run into an old man looking to get rid of his racing team. He had seen Keira, lost and confused, and had seen potential in her. He took her under her wing and taught her the ropes. When Keira had learned that if she won the Class 1 Race she'd get to meet the baron, she had worked her ass off. When she had finally won that race and she was taken to the palace she had been disappointed. She had met Baron Praxis, Erol, and Ashlin.
But she hadn't met Jak.
Keira thought about the coldness in Jak's eyes and pursed her lips. She wished she could soothe whatever was bothering Jak, but she couldn't. If they had been children, if everything was simpler, maybe she could have. But she had changed, too. She was a strong woman, an independent woman. She was no longer content to sit back and let other people take care of things for her.
She finally reached Jak's small, plain house. It was one of many small houses in the Slums stacked onto one another to make a wall. Jak's house was dark brown and on the bottom level. As she neared it, she saw that the windows were lightless.
Is he not there? Keira wondered and pushed open the door.
But no, he was there. Jak was sleeping on the only piece of furniture he had in the small house. A metal, almost crypt-like bed. Jak spent most of his time prowling the city and thus didn't have much use for other furniture like tables or chairs. He didn't invite anyone over, didn't like it when people came over, and tended to stay away from his house until night when he needed the sleep.
Jak slept like the dead. He eyes were closed, his breathing so slow that he didn't seem to be taking in air at all and he was laying flat on his back, his hands at his side.
"Jak?" Keira said softly, taking tentative step towards him. If he was asleep she didn't want to wake him; he got so little sleep, "Are you awake?"
Jak shifted slightly and rolled onto his side, eyes fluttering open. He propped himself onto his shoulder and looked at her crossly. Keira blinked in surprise.
"What do you want!?" He snapped.
Keira back away slowly, almost fearfully. Why was Jak so angry with her? What had she done? She thought they had made up about the Erol deal after Jak had won the Class 1 Race.
Jak saw the fear the came into her fears for the fleeting second and groaned. He hopped off his bed and walked over to her. He wished he could still be that boy she had almost loved. He wished she could still be the girl he almost loved. He wished they still held their innocence of youth.
"I'm sorry." He said softly, stopping a few feet away from her.
Keira looked at him in sympathy and Jak almost winced. He didn't want her sympathy. He wanted her. He wanted to her to love the Jak that he was today. Like he loved the Keira she had become. He wished he could be the boy, if only for one day, that she loved and have a taste of the love she could have given.
But that boy had died.
"Why are you changing, Jak?" Keira said in a soft voice, "You're growing so cold… you don't seem real anymore. Why are you pulling away?"
"Maybe because you already have." Jak said and looked away, "You don't understand me anymore, Keira. You don't know who I am. You pulled away because the boy you once knew died and was replaced by a stranger."
"Jak…" How could he think that? She was just so confused right now. Her emotions were in turmoil. How could she tell him what she was fearing?
"You don't want what I am." He went on, ignoring her, "You don't want me anymore. You miss the boy. The kid I was. Well, I'm sorry we sent him away. I should just leave it at that. But I can't seem to leave you alone, Keira, no matter what I do. I'm drawn to you. Like the moth to the flame."
"Oh…" Keira said softly and reached out for him, but Jak pulled away.
"I died, it seems, so many years. The boy I was is gone." Jak began as Keira watched, "But you can make me feel like it isn't so. And way you come to be with me, I think I finally know. Mmmmmm. You're scared, ashamed of what you feel." He turned towards her with blazing eyes and watched as Keira shook her head numbly.
"And you can't tell the ones you love, you know he can't deal. A whisper in my ear, that doesn't make it real. That's great, but I don't wanna play. Cuz bein' with you touches me more then I can say. And since I'm dead to you, I'm saying stay away and let me rest in peace!"
Driven by whatever force was making him sing, Jak grabbed Keira by the hips and with her surprised look in his face, move her out of his way and leaped outside. Keira, looking worried because she knew what happened when you sang too hard, hurried after him.
But Jak seemed to have a great handle on his singing, Keira thought. In fact, he was rather good at. The way he powerful muscles moved. Keira could feel her face heat and all she could do was watch. Watch as Jak sang his soul out.
Jak could feel Keira's eyes on him and he felt the smile come onto his lips. At least now, he had her attention. Maybe he could finally get her to accept the real him.
Just then a hover car dropped behind him. Without taking his eyes from Keira's, he flipped onto the car's hood. The driver screamed and ran from the car, leaving Jak alone with it. He knee banged in time with the beat.
"Let me rest in pace. Let me get some sleep. Let me take my love and bury in a hole six feet deep." He threw he head back and raised his arm, lifting them to the black sky, "I can lay my body down, but I can't find my sweet release. So let me rest in peace!"
""You know," Jak started the next verse, his tone somewhat angry. He jumped from the hover car and moved towards Keira. Almost giddily, she backed away, "You got yourself a willing slave. And you just love to play the thought that you might go against daddy's wishes and misbehave. Until you do, I'm telling you stop visitin' my house, my grave and let me rest in peace!"
Keira wasn't backing up anymore. Her eyes were locked with his. Her legs no longer able to move. Jak moved closer so that he was only inches away from her. They could feel each other's body heat.
Keira gasped softly as Jak's hands reached out and dug into her waist. Then he pulled her against him and made her dance with him.
"I know I should go, but I follow you like a man possessed. There's a traitor here beneath my breast." His eyes were locked with her and Keira found herself lost in the dance. She didn't sing but in way a she was locked in the same spell Jak was, "And it hurts me more then you've ever guessed. If my heart could beat again it would break in my chest." She felt her body heat as he grinded himself against her. It was the most sensual thing she had ever felt. She threw her head back and moved with him, bumping and grinding, "But I can see you're unimpressed, that was Erol's job. So let me be!"
Jak continued to dance with her in their fast tempo. Sweat, thrilling and cold from the night air, rolled down their backs and foreheads. Keira's blue/green hair was plastered to her forehead. But then they slowed down and Keira lowered her thrown back head to look at him. Their lips were inches apart and Keira parted them. Jak almost groaned and had the urge to press his against hers, but instead he twirled her away from him and jumped away from her, looking at the city.
"Let me rest in peace! Let me get some peace! Let me take my love and bury it in a hole six feet deep. I can lay my body down but I can't find sweet release. Let me rest in peace." He turned back and looked at her. Keira rushed towards him and he held out his arms, ready to catch her. She tripped and fell fully into him and they both tumbled into one of the water trenches in the city. Keira was on top of him and she raised her head to look into his eyes, "Why won't you let me rest in peace?"
"Jak…" Keira said softly and they looked deep into each other's eyes. She implored him to see the love there. But he was already turning away, refusing to see what was right in front of his eyes.
"Just leave me alone, Keira." Jak said and placed her on her feet. Then he hopped out of the trench and walked away.
Keira watched him walk away and her noise crinkled. He was being stubborn. How could he not see how much she loved him? She glared at his retreating back and placed her hands on her hips.
"Fine!" She snapped after him. For a moment, Jak faltered in his long strides. But then he continued onward… without looking back. Keira bit her lip in anger and turned away from him. She had to help her father track down whoever was doing this and didn't have time for Jak's moody attitude right now.
~~**~~
Daxter watched wearily as Keira, Samos, and Tess tried to make out the words in some old 'demon' books Ashlin had found locked in her father's personal vault.
Ashlin had been at a meeting with the town's people, discussing how they were going to stop everyone from singing, so Torn had to come over to the Naughty Ottsel. He said about Ashlin saying that the books might help them and then ran off. Daxter suspected he didn't want to join them in their latest D-minor.
Daxter couldn't help but sigh as Tess leaned over one of the books she was researching and gave him a very good view of her shapely back. He decided to watch her for a few moments longer before turning back to his books.
But his mind was not on what he was reading. He was thinking about what he and Tess had. What they could have. What they couldn't.
Sure it was fun now, Daxter knew. It was nice to know that Tess loved him despite the furriness, but how could they make it last? After all he was an Ottsel while she was human. He didn't see how that could work. If only he was still in his boy form…
Daxter sighed and hopped off the bar. He walked to the exit door. Tess raised her head from her book and looked after him, as if she wanted to say something. But then Keira was demanding her attention and Tess turned away, hoping her furry animal was okay.
Daxter stood on the edge of the water, looking into his reflection. Disgust marred his face and he pulled away, annoyed. He looked at his paws.
"Does anyone even notice?" Daxter sang, "Does anyone even care?"
But then his solo was caught short by a pain in the back of his head and the blackness in his vision. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he slid to the floor.
~~**~~
Daxter groaned as he dragged his mind out of the blackness of unconsciousness. He rolled onto his back and stared at the brown ceiling. He blinked when he realized that it wasn't the Naughty Ottsel.
He turned his head to the side so he didn't have to move his back because it ached. From what he could tell he was standing on a wooden stage and there were two plush chairs behind him. In front of the stage was a pool table along with chairs and tables. Small chandlers hung from the ceiling and offered light.
Moaning, he rolled onto his stomach and pressed his paws to the ground. Then he used his knees to push himself off of the floor. He pressed his paws to his head and closed his eyes as the headache attacked him.
He opened his eyes and the first thing he thought was that the ground was farther away from him then it should be. Was his vision playing tricks on him? Was that why the ground seemed so far away from his chest?
Wait a minute…
"Oh my God." Daxter said his second thought out loud. He was looking at his hands and saw that the orange fur was gone, replaced by all too familiar pale skin. He lifted those shaking hands and ran them over the smooth skin of his face, felt the buck teeth, and the spiked hair. His eyes were wide.
He was human again.
He looked down at himself and saw that he was wearing the cloths he had last had on. The day Jak had pushed him into the Dark Eco. The white khakis, the red shirt that went to his mid-thighs and the dark red belt. He wore the fingerless gloves he hadn't ever removed, though now they were bigger now to accommodate the larger hands.
"Are you really that surprised?" Came a soft voice and Daxter wheeled around. He came face to face with a… well, Daxter wasn't quite sure with what. The thing before him was red-skinned and horns on its head. It wore a black cape with a long black robe. The eyes of the creature were black and horrible. It made Daxter shudder.
The creature moved towards Daxter, ignoring his fear, "After all, this was want you wanted. In some part of your mind you'd knew you'd get it."
"How are you… ah… what are you?" Daxter said wearily, looking the creature up and done.
The thing chuckled, a deep freaky laugh, "I, dear, am I demon. I am the female demon of song and secret emotions. The Demon Realm calls me Sweet."
Daxter
looked at Sweet with a raised eyebrow. So this was their demon? This was the
evil dude, "So, you're the one whose making people sing and blow up?"
Sweet smiled, a very dangerous
smile with pointed teeth, "Yes, but it's also your fault, Daxter. And Jak's."
"What!?"
"Oh yes. Of all the worlds
I've been to this place has got to have the worst suppressed emotions I've ever
seen. I was drawn here, you see. And you, with your need to be human and to be
with the one you love, have given me much power." Sweet moved towards Daxter.
"I'm leaving!" Daxter said, moving towards the stairs.
"After all I've done for you?" Sweet said, "Would you be human without me? Would you be able to be with Tess? I'm what made you, Daxter. And you owe me. You owe me a lot."
"Well thanks a ton, pointy." Daxter snapped, "But I'm still leaving. You're a freaky-ass demon and when Jak finds out what you've done to me—"
Sweet laughed, threw her head back with it, as if it was the funniest thing, "Jak!? That boy won't have time for you, dear boy. He's got his own emotional problems. What with wanting to be with that girl and being afraid of what's inside of him, where will he find time for you? Will he want, too? Haven't you noticed how cold he's become?"
Because she was right, he got annoyed, "I'm leaving." He repeated and made a break for the stairs.
But Sweet stepped in front of him and smiled, "Why do you run away? Don't you like my style? Why don't you come and play? I guarantee a great big smile. I come from the imagination, and I'm here strictly on your invocation. So what do you say? Why don't we dance a while?"
Daxter dodged Sweet's hands as she tried to grab him and make him dance. He looked at her in horror when he realized he was soon going to be singing as well, "Oh no." he said softly.
Sweet continued to smile at him like a huntress to her pray, "I'm the heart of swing. I'm the twist and shout. When you gotta sing, when you gotta let it out, you call me and I'll come a-running. I turn the music on, I bring the fun in. Now we're partying. That's what it's all about."
She circled Daxter and he backed up. She lunged slightly and Daxter toppled over, falling into on of the plush chairs behind him. Sweet moved forward and pressed her hands on the armrest, trapping him.
"Cause I know what you feel, boy. I just know what you feel, boy." Sweet sang softly, leaning close to Daxter's face. Her eyes glittered dangerously.
Daxter, as the spell worked its magick over him, said hopefully, "So you're a good demon? Bringing the fun in?"
Sweet laughed and shook her head, backing away from him, "All these melodies, they go on way too long. Then that energy starts to come on way too strong. All those hearts lay open, that must sting. Plus some customers just start combusting." Sweet shrugged as if blown up customers was nothing to worry about, "But that's the penalty when life's but a song."
She twirled on the stage and the spotlight shown on her from invisible magick hands. Sweet threw her arms up over her head and rocked her hips, lost in the music. Daxter edged away from his seat and towards the stairs when Sweet wheeled around. Daxter, not looking forward to get sliced by one of Sweet's sharp fingernails, sat back down.
"You brought me down and doomed this town. So when we blow this scene back we will go to my kingdom below. And you will be my king."
Daxter's face paled at the very thought of being married to this demon. You couldn't even tell if Sweet was female or not until she said so! That was so wrong. Daxter shook his head fiercely as Sweet neared him once more.
"No you see, you and me wouldn't be very regal." Daxter protested, waving his hands franticly. Sweet laughed and grabbed his hands.
"I'll make it real, boy." Sweet protested, caressing Daxter's hands.
Daxter shuddered and pulled his hands away, "What I mean, you're evil so this king thing's illegal."
Sweet shook her head, looking disgusted and pulled Daxter to his feet, "I can bring whole cities to ruin and still have time to get a soft shoe in."
"That great, but I'm late," Daxter sang and looked at his non-existent watch on his wrist, "and I hate to delay him."
"Something's cooking, and I'm at the griddle. I bought Nero his very first fiddle." Sweet explained as she forced Daxter to dance with him.
"He'll get pissed if I'm missed, see my friends the hero." Daxter explained and felt the spell start to wear off. Sweet was smiling at him again and she pushed him back into the chair. She leaned against him and from behind his chair she withdrew the ropes.
"I know it." she said and pulled the rope taunt.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lizzy: Well, chapter three is done! And I've finally got some Jak/Keira action going on! Yay! Pazza! And all that jazz. ***the song 'All that Jazz' from 'Chicago' get stuck in her head*** Damnit! I just got that out of there. Anywho, I made Daxter a boy, see? Surprised? Ah well, I liked Daxter as the cute shrimpy wimp that he is in Game 1. I just had to make him regular again. And can you imagine what the children would look like if Tess and Daxter ever got together!? ***shudders and slaps head*** be gone vision!
Daxter: ***boy formed*** you made me boy Daxter ***jumps into Lizzy's arms*** Thank you! Thank you!
Lizzy: ***immediately drops Daxter*** what are you thinking!? We don't hug! I don't want crazy Tess after my hide, okay? Go hug her!
Daxter: Oh yeah! Bye ***runs from room***
Lizzy: ***looks around sharply then sneaks over to closest and opens it. Jak and Torn, gagged and tied up, are hanging from cloths rack*** You know guys this wouldn't have happened if you had just let me write my story in peace. ***dreamy eyes*** Oh, by the way. What did you think about your sexy dance Jak? I almost made you kiss Keira. ***squeals***
Jak: ***looking angry*** whIgtotofheryullbded. ***voice if muffled by gag.
Lizzy: ***holds hand to her ear*** what's that? You want to sing even more!? Okay, why didn't you just say so? I'm always happy to do as you ask.
Torn: ***voice muffled*** Igintkilyoiswartod!
Lizzy: ***Rolls eyes*** Torn, no need to be pushy. You'll get to sing again, too! ***turns to audience*** In the next chapter Keira will get her first solo and then she and Tess will do a duet about the men they love. Sounds fun doesn't it? ***hears crickets*** Right… I guess j\ust REVIEW! ***shuts closest door with Jak and Torn screaming through their gags***