Daxter was pulled out of a world of pain. It had stopped. No more pain. He suddenly could hear and feel again as his numbed sensors were coming back to him. After a little while they were corrected and the pain was strangely disappearing the same way it had come. Daxter opened his eyes and blinked a few times to adjust to the light. He saw Jak still on the floor from where he'd collapsed. He hoped for his sake he was still alive.
He saw four floored skyblue armored guards and a fifth one facing Spran. His mask removed he recognized the person. It was Colson. What was he doing here? Could he have followed me? He sure saved my butt.
Daxter saw the pad lock that locked him in his prison. He managed to get up. Surprisingly no dizziness came to him. Grabbing a thin piece of metal from under his goggle cap he picked at the lock. Daxter realized he ached all over. It's like he had been doing extensive exercise and his muscles had this bearable but annoying ache. Even where he didn't know he had muscles it hurt.
After a few struggles the lock popped open and he was free. He quickly ran to his best friend that her found was alive but unconscious on the floor. He looked at Colson. Colson didn't notice him. He was too focus on Spran.
"TRAITOR!" Spran roared and lunged at Colson
Colson moved swiftly out of the way. Spran stopped and turned to the young man. To Daxter the boss man was really really REALLY mad. The Dreekle Necklace came alive at Colson's silent command.
People are not what they seem....
The Deekle Necklace's power charged at Spran. Spran moved and fell backwards on his rump, missing the supernatural Eco beam by nanoseconds. Colson growled as he moved closer.
"You fool. You think you could deceive me too? I saw right through you. But I went along knowing you were close to finding this" Colson said in a cold tone
Its all in a deceitful balance. One deceives the other....
Daxter blinked as the dream surfaced in his mind.
The power of dreams...
The power of dreams? What the hell does that mean?
...is with you....
With me...?
Use it wisely...
Take hints....
Take notes...
My dreams... that voice must be talking about my dreams. All those memories must be hiding something... makes sense. Wait, could it be...?
The Eco beam hit Spran. Spran shrieked in pain as the strange unknown Eco energy wrapped around his body.
You must be aware of the truth...
To counter that balance and get out of the web that your are tangled in....
Finally it made sense. This puzzle that he was trying to complete in his mind finally fit into place.
"Colson stop!" Daxter yelled
Colson ignored him completely absorbed by what he is doing.
"Colson stop!' Daxter yelled more louder still the young man didn't yield
"COLSON STOP!" Daxter screamed his lungs, he realized then his throat hurt too
Suddenly cut off the power and Spran collapsed to the floor. Colson looked at the orange fuzz in confusion.
"Stop this. This isn't right. I know I'm not a world peace activist but this is crazy!" Daxter waved his hands
"Spran had hurt you and has hurt me! He told me you deceived us! He told me you left me all alone. He poisoned me with his words and lies, deceiving me himself! And you want me to stop? Your the one who is crazy!" Colson spat in disgust at the fat groaning man
For the truth is guarded by lies but it isn't lost.
"True he has deceived you but you had planned this all along haven't you?" Daxter said calmly but with some accusation
Colson's face was in a mixture of shock. Spran rose his head his muscles aching in pain but he made no move.
"You knew he was deceiving you so you planned some of this yourself. Entwining his plan with your plan" Daxter continued locking his eyes with Colson's, "You met up with me. You became my friend again by trying to help me and Jak because you knew I had the Dreekle Necklace with me at that point"
Colson's innocent eyes were slowly frowning into a glare.
"You helped me the best you could to try and gain my trust again. Once we were alone at the Safe House you kidnapped me. I guess Spran got to the necklace before you did" Daxter finished
"The Dreekle Necklace is mine!" Colson suddenly spat, "All mine! Everyone took it away from me! It was not fair! So I played dirty too, buying my time. You were always more loyal to Jak then you were to me Daxter" then he added coldly, "I knew you'll never really be my friend so I never really cared about our friendship, after all you took the necklace away from me first"
That cut deep but Daxter didn't show it, "No, Spran did! You think Spran would give it back to you after he had got his hands on it?"
"At least it would be somewhere I could get it back again" Colson retorted
"So now you got your wish whatcha going to do?" Daxter folded his arms knowingly Colson had practically admitted to his treachery
"Kill you and everyone else in this pathetic city! No one deserves to live, everyone cannot be trusted! Everyone lies, everyone deceives each other everyone is hurt..." his eyes were cold but deep emotions were trying to surface behind them
Daxter suddenly remembered the dream he had last night. It rang clearly in his ears as if it was being told to him face to face.
"Don't you get it boy? He was deceiving you! You played right into the runts hands! He used his cunning, skill and appearance to gain your friendship. I knew he was trouble, I wish I saw through him sooner" Spran almost shouted
-
"You can never trust anyone Colson. Not in this world" Spran's words were like truthful poison , "Stop being a fool and toughen up. Never let that happen ever again. Think what would your parents say if they saw this weakness?"
"Spran was lying" Daxter said after he remembered the words clearly, "You can trust people. Your just looking in the wrong places! There are good people in this world. Even though they had a rough past, once you get to know them they can be loyal and good allies to have!" Daxter tried his hand at diplomacy and reminded himself it needed an oil job
"It's not only that... you don't understand. You lie like everyone else! This necklace is mine! I got it, I worked for it and now I'll rule with it!" Colson snarled stubbornly at Daxter
"Colson..." Daxter trailed seeing the young man's mind was set
Colson ignored the orange furball and walked up to his former boss and kicked him in the face. Spran grunted and growled as the hard leather boot connected with his noise and cheek. His noise protested in blood and his faced went tingly and burned. Then Colson gave a sneer and spat on him. The lowest sign of respect and the highest gesture of hatred, without physical contact.
Colson raised his stolen rifle that he received when flogging the armor from the guard outside and pointed at Spran.
"Time to tie loose ends..." Colson said icily.
Daxter didn't really care for Spran but he couldn't see Colson like this. He couldn't stand to see Colson go murder people. This would be one of many if he was true to his word. Daxter had to stop him, stop him from using the mysterious stone to go mass murder everyone in the city because everyone is at fault...
Daxter left Jak's unconscious side and on all fours crawled quietly behind Colson. Colson was too much into savoring the moment of Spran's death. Daxter had to get that necklace, for the fate of many people and for his friend's sake.
Jak should be doing this! Daxter thought as he quietly climbed some shelving, He's the hero! It's always up to me to retrieve things. If I save the city I better get some damn good reward!
Colson pointed the blue rifle at Spran. Spran just looked at him with hatred and resentment as Colson applied pressure to the trigger. Suddenly the door slid open and in came Ravenblade and some more of the blue armored men. Finally Spran's back up had come. Colson jerked his head up and looked at the dark red head with a glare.
"Drop your weapon" Ravenblade commanded
Colson snorted. In response guns flew up in his direction.
"Drop it now!" Ravenblade commanded more strongly
Colson's face cracked into a smile. A different side of him was shown in that expression. Someone confident, knowledgeable and somewhat evil at the same time. Slowly his hijacked rifle was brought back to his side, "Fine have it your way"
Before Ravenblade and the other guards knew it pain grasped at them. The large clatter of weapons dropping, screaming filled the room as Ravenblade, the troops in armor and Spran kneeled over in pain. A gloating smile crossed Colson's face. He had all this power, he could make people suffer, he could make them do what they wanted him to do if he broke them, the world could be at his finger tips and he could do what ever he desired. He never felt this way before. He never had this sort of power, he was always taken advantage of but not this time. He had this power and he liked it.
"Stupid idiots! You can't hurt me any more. I've got the power to kill you, to give you pain or let you live or not to suffer!" Colson gloated at them
Suddenly something gasped at him from behind. His concentration was lost and the beam severed. Colson saw red as his power had been cut. He didn't see where his necklace was but he felt it was taken away from him as power left him. He looked around for the culprit and saw a orange tail disappear behind a counter.
"Daxter" Colson hissed the name as if it was a curse
-----------------------------
"I still got the sticky fingers!" Daxter praised himself when he was safely behind the counter, "Like stealing candy from a baby"
Stealing had become a breeze for Daxter. His small hands and his size made it easy for Daxter to pickpocket and retrieve things. Daxter looked at the stone. It was back in his possession but this time he felt tingly and energized. As if someone stuck batteries in his back and could run 40 miles like the Duracell (or Energizer) bunny.
"Shit, no wonder everyone is acting crazy with this thing. It's so overwhelming..." Daxter breathed as his entire being reacted with the strange Eco stone.
"I know your behind the counter Daxter" a voice growled, "Come out rat!"
Daxter stiffened but refused to move. He knew it was Colson. He mustn't get his hands on the necklace. He pulled the necklace over his neck and instantly felt a wave of power over him. He blinked and fell over as if it hit him like a physical blow. In panic he pulled the chain off and the stone was thrown to the floor just a few centimeters away. He felt normal again. Daxter crawled away from it until his panic had died.
Daxter heard a click as if something was being loaded.
"If you not come out then I'll shoot your friend here" Colson's voice threatened
Daxter's ears pricked up. Now Jak's life hangs in the balance. Great. That what I just need! Not knowing how he was going to slip out of this one Daxter picked up the necklace and tucked it in it's usual spot under his cap. A tingly sensation filled his muscles as the energized feeling came again. I'll be ok if I don't wear it.
He peaked from his hiding place and saw Jak turned over onto his back. He was still unconscious and he still breathed. First worry was over. Colson's blue armoured boot was steadily on Jak's rising and falling chest and a blue rifle directly pointed at Jak's sleeping head. The second worry wasn't.
Colson and Daxter's eyes locked together. Colson tightened his grip.
"About time you came out of hiding. I thought you got scared" Colson sneered
"You know how I can't miss happy reunions" Daxter drawled flatly
"Give me the necklace!" Colson got straight to the point
"I don't have it!" Daxter lied
Colson grunted in disbelief, "Just give it to me and your friend wont get hurt"
"If I give it to you, you'll hurt me and Jak anyway!" Daxter retorted
"Fine then. If you give it to me I wont kill Jak" Colson corrected himself
"I still wont give it to you" Daxter said stubbornly
"Not even for the life of your friend?" Colson asked
Daxter went quiet for a while but eventually breathed deeply, "Not even for the life of Jak"
Colson grunted again testing if Daxter was really telling the truth he applied pressure to the trigger, "So be it"
Daxter closed his eyes and waited for the gun shot. He hoped what he decided was right. One man sacrificed to save the whole population... that man was Daxter's whole world. He just got Jak back again and now he'd so freely given up Jak's life...
Another wave of the jewel's power washed over Daxter. Daxter felt nauseous as the power grew deeper in his form. He knew he had to resist it for the moment. He couldn't go crazy and cocky like Colson and Spran before him. He needed to do this, for Jak.
Heed my warning. Use the necklace. Complete the balance...
Colson saw that Daxter was completely prepared to give up Jak to keep the necklace in his hands. Was this madness? Would Daxter really give up his closest friend to stop me from getting the stone or to keep the stone for himself?
Heed my warning. Use the necklace. Complete the balance...
Daxter felt the power of the stone become more stronger. Even if it wasn't around his neck it still affected him, just not directly.
Heed my warning. Use the necklace. Complete the balance...
Colson silently directed the rifle at Daxter. If Daxter is prepared to give up his friend then he can be prepared to give up his own life. Daxter's eyes were closed so he had a clear shot at Daxter. Fool. Colson thought as he reapplied pressure to the trigger.
Heed my warning. Use the necklace. Complete the balance...
Daxter let out a shaky breath as he felt power building. His mind felt it was detached from reality, as if it was in a foggy mist.
Heed my warning. Use the necklace. Complete the balance...
Daxter wondered what was taking so long. Maybe Colson was having second thoughts. Maybe just maybe Colson came back to his senses.
Heed my warning. Use the necklace. Complete the balance...
Power was running through his veins.
Heed my warning. Use the necklace. Complete the balance...
A smile cracked across Colson's lips as his finger completed it's motion.
Heed my warning.
The gun shot rang out and blared in Daxter's ears. As if in slow motion his eyes snapped open and saw the white bullet coming right at his head.
Use the necklace.
As if someone did it for him Daxter raised his hands defensively. He saw white yellowish energy wrapped around his body. His body hyperactive and charged. He felt he could do anything, take on the world. The stone's energy formed a transparent shield in front of Daxter open palms.
Complete the balance...
The bullet ricochet off the matter that formed itself in front of his hands, pierced the nearly indestructible armor and embed itself perfectly in Colson's arm. Colson yelled in pain as White Eco was injected straight into his blood veins. He fell to his knees as white heat ran up his right arm.
"Not... again" Colson gasped as cold memories came back to him
White Eco was poison to the impure. Just like Dark Eco is poison to pure. Only people who can conduct Eco has the ability to cope with its mysteries and powers. Colson knew this. He also knew that he did not have the rare gift to conduct Eco.
Daxter had deceived him again. More like tricking but it was still the same thing. He didn't know how the little weasel did it. He didn't even know how Daxter could predict his actions, or maybe it was luck on his part.
Daxter was relieved but shocked. Jak had survived. Again. He didn't know how he did it. It was a feeling. A feeling that Colson's desire for power was too much to waste any more time. He wanted the necklace. The only thing standing in his way was Daxter. Daxter pretended to let his guard down. Colson fell for it and the necklace's power did the rest.
Daxter quickly grabbed the necklace from under his cap and threw it to the ground. It hit the hard metallic ground with a clatter. The woozy power gone he breathed a sigh of relief. He felt his mind grasp reality again. He saw Colson clutching his right arm. His face was screwed up in pain as Colson was heavily on his knees.
Daxter turned his attention to the other people in the room. Spran had recovered and so had Ravenblade and the armored men. Daxter also saw Jak was still out of it. Even with Colson off his tail he had Spran and his minions to deal with.
"Arrrrgggh! Curse you!" Colson spat at Daxter
"You brought this upon yourself buddy" Daxter retorted
Colson was about to reply but another wave of pain shook him. He clutched his bullet wound tightly, his muscles were tense and his teeth clenched to help cope with the pain. Daxter frowned in puzzlement. He didn't know why Colson was in so much pain.
Jak was still unconscious. Spran and his men were recovering pretty fast. Daxter stared intently at the stone. He didn't want to use it again. Quite frankly it scared the life out of him to feel all that power then lust to use it. It wasn't him and he knew what sort of destruction it could lead. Even with these fears he couldn't leave it alone. Not while there were power hungry vultures around.
With a deep breath he picked up the necklace. Power filled his body once more. Daxter tucked it in its usual spot under his cap. Then he ran over to Jak to see if he was ok.
"Jak?" Daxter called, "Jak! Wake up!"
No response.
"Shit" Daxter cursed as his enemies were climbing to their feet
Daxter shook Jak on his shoulder. Suddenly he felt power going out of him. He panicked and tore his arms away from Jak. He blinked trying to figure out what had happened. He saw Jak stir slightly.
"If the energy was sucked out I guess it could be put back in" Daxter thought out loud
Daxter drew a breath and place his hands on Jak's arm. He felt the stone's power ooze out of him. Daxter was relieved of the burden he had been carrying was leaving. He no longer felt powerful. His mind was clearing as the stone's power was having less effect on him.
Suddenly Jak's eyes sprang open. He inhaled shakily. His eyes were wild and had no recognition.
"Jak. Jak? It's me Daxter!" Daxter stood right in his line of sight
"Daxter?" Jak breathed
"Yeah it's me buddy" Daxter gave a wan smile
"What happened?" Jak groaned as he tried to move
"Long story. Right now we gotta move our butts!" Daxter said urgently as he eyed the approaching gang members
Daxter felt power still circulating in his body but it wasn't so much. He probably needed to give all the energy to Jak. But now wasn't the time.
Spran approached, his face took on a scarlet colour as he approached the group.
"Seize the necklace, kill the traitors!" Spran ordered
Being second in command, Ravenblade obey his leader and he and his troops surrounded the two men and the Ottsel.
"Jak. You think you can do your thing?" Daxter asked
Jak looked around and groaned as his muscles protested in pain as he moved.
"The blue guards... I can't hurt them" Jak said a bit lamely
"That's right" Ravenblade decide to interrupt pointing his pistol at Daxter, "We prepared for this monster by evolving the standard armor to a more tougher one. Also our bullets are made with White Eco"
"White Eco?" Daxter's ears shot right up and eyes went wide
The last time he saw that stuff was when Jak was finishing off Gol and Maia. It was a myth back then and it's even more of a myth now. If they somehow found White Eco was it possible for him to change back. Even after so long being this 2ft tall orange fuzzy creature?
He caught the sight of the blue rifle that Colson had dropped. It was the same as the armored men. If I deflected the bullet and it got Colson instead that means... Colson was injected with White Eco.
"Shit Colson!" Daxter growled as if Colson was a little child getting into trouble
Colson snapped his head towards Daxter.
"What have I done?" Daxter growled to himself
Daxter didn't know the bullet was loaded with White Eco. If he did he could have use it to injure Colson. He just wanted to injure Colson in the first place. He only wanted to stop the boy not kill him. But now things were beyond that point and Colson was dying.
"You'd poisoned me" Colson answered Daxter's rhetorical question
"If I had only knew..." Daxter shook his head
"What do you care?" Colson spat
Daxter turned to his friend with anger fed up with Colson's foul nature, "I care because I was your friend! I helped you, stayed with you and even saved your life!" He paused feeling the jewel's power building, "Shit! I felt so guilty for letting that man poison you! Then you go and betray me like this! And you think your the victim? Think again because your actions cut me deep! More deeper than my failed promise to Jak. More deeper than than that old man shooting you with a poison bullet. More deeper than when I had to leave you!"
Daxter's anger disappeared and was replaced with sudden tiredness and hurt, "I'm not the enemy Colson. You are..."
Colson went silent. Spran stepped in a this point.
"How touching" Spran sneered the drawled, "A wonderful family reunion"
Daxter gave Spran an icy glare but Spran ignored it.
"Now Daxter. Play time is over. Give me the necklace!"
"Bite me!"
"I was going to be merciful but I guess killing all of you wont affect me" Spran shrugged
"You're as merciful as a steel trap" Daxter retorted
"Shoot the rat and the freak!" Spran ordered
Guns loaded and aimed at the two long time best friends.
"I'm sorry Dax" Jak said sadly he hated being so helpless but every muscle in his body hurt and he felt weak
"Its ok Jak. Everything will be alright" Daxter layed his hand on Jak's arm as comfort
Jak's eyes went wide and drew in a sharp breath.
"Fire!" Spran ordered
Guns were discharged at the two. Jak screamed in pain as bullets entered his body. Daxter on the other hand swiftly dodged the bullets. They kept on firing at the rodent but Daxter's cunningness was too much. Daxter hid back behind the counter.
"Kill that rodent!" Spran ordered. Some large heavily boots marched this way.
Daxter gulped and silently prayed. The boots stopped and a gun was pushed though the gap between the wall and the counter. Daxter gasped as gun made a loading sound.
"Come on... come on...." Daxter willed
Suddenly if someone answered him a loud roar emitted in the room. Gunfire came soon after. The armored man that pointed his gun at him ran off quickly. Daxter peaked from his hiding place and saw what he had been waiting for.
---------------------------------
To be continued.........
Yup. End of chapter 12. Next chapter is coming up. Unfortunate events led to Colson's impending death. What did Daxter do? And what had he been waiting for?
Reviews are much appreciated. They encourage me greatly!