Disclaimer: I don't own any of the J&D characters. I do own Ezra, Ardal and any other characters I may add in later chapters.
A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update, but I've been watching nothing but Invader Zim for the past couple of weeks (RIDE THE PIG!!!!) I also picked up a couple of copies of Johnny the Homicidal Maniac (JHONEN RULES!!!) Talk about some twisted shit…and I loved it. ::giggles insanely::
I may as well say this now before someone complains about why Ezra doesn't just slam Jak with one of his own dark eco attacks. Simple, Ezra lacks the ability to manipulate dark eco like Jak does. He does, how ever, have a higher tolerance to it than Jak. So were Jak's dark powers are offensive, Ezra's are defensive.
I also fixed a booboo I made in chapter 3 (forgot to italicize a paragraph) and the typos in chapter 5 (thanks to those who pointed them out) and I gave titles to the chapters.
Thanks to Reviewers:
Soran Morlovic: ::gasps:: Jerk!! ::makes a failed attempt at looking insulted:: lol. Oh, Erol will be in this story, just not until much later. Krin: ::SQUEE!! Glomps you:: Lina: Snowecat: Thanks for pointing out the typos ::stabs evil typos with her pocket knife 'DIE YOU BASTARDS!!!':: ShadowQueen Lizz: ::Offers a band aid while munching on goodies:: thanx for the review. The Login Won't Work: The White Dwarf: Jess: Orlandobloomfn: Tifa-lockhart-27: Ya know if you hadn't said anything I wouldn't have noticed (just shows how much I pay attention ::smirks::) Quick-demon: Erol is still alive. Well at least what is left of him.
Overhauled the fight scene, and a few other spots.
Ok, I'm done ranting now…
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He stood; gawking at the nearly 3-story tall orange and yellow ottsel-devil that now perched atop the roof of what had been at one time the Hip Hog Haven Saloon. His eye twitched as he briefly wondered who in their right mind would put something that gaudy where everyone could see it.
Ezra had found one of his old uniforms to wear, which consisted of a high necked red and black vest and matching pants. A brown belt cut across his torso from his left shoulder to his right hip and a second belt around his waist that held one of his larger daggers. Black sleeves covered his arms from deltoid to hand and were held up by silver bands around the top. Black spike tipped boots covered in brown yakkow leather finished off the outfit.
Torn said the red would have to be changed to blue but for now the old uniform was fine.
"The Naughty Ottsel?" Ezra said, not really sure he like the new name.
"It's a long story." Torn said heading towards the entrance. Ezra gave the statue one final glance before following the Commander inside.
The interior hadn't changed much since the last time Ezra was there. He noted that a few more Metal Head trophies had been added, the large one above the bar being one of them, and most of the pictures that Krew had had been replaced with pictures of an ottsel.
"The new owner has a thing for ottsels doesn't he?"
"Wait until you meet the owner."
As the pair reached the bar, said owner came sliding across the bar top in blur of orange and yellow.
"Welcome to the…" Daxter's greeting sputtered to a stop when he set eyes on the flame haired guest. His fur seemed to lose all color as he backed away. "But…Jak…we…race…eco…boom."
Ezra watched the ottsel dumbfounded; it was talking, or at least trying to.
The ottsel continued to stutter before finally backing itself off the counter and falling to the floor with a thump. "Is it supposed to do that?" Ezra asked Torn who snickered at the poor ottsel.
"That was the owner."
Ezra stared at Torn for a moment. "You're shitting me."
Torn shook his head, still chuckling.
Tess entered from the back room and smiled when she saw the Commander. "Hey Torn…what's so funny?" She asked before looking over at Ezra who was leaning over the bar and looking behind it.
Tess's eyes went wide with shock. "Erol!?"
"No, his brother." Torn said taking a seat at the bar, before adding. "This is Ezra."
"Erol had a brother?"
"Has." Ezra corrected; his attention still on Daxter. "Are you going to leave that thing lying there?" He asked, pointing to the unconscious ottsel.
"Oh!" Tess exclaimed as she scooped Daxter up from the floor. "Poor baby, how did you get down there?" She fanned him with her hand and turned back to the pair at the bar. "What happened to him?"
"He slipped." Torn snickered.
"Poor guy." She said snuggling into his fur before glancing over at Ezra again and taking in his 'unique' features.
"Can I help you?" He snapped, not liking the fact that she was staring.
Tess gasped and looked down at the comatose ottsel in her arms, her fingers playing nervously in his fur. "Sorry." She said softly. "I didn't mean to be rude." She turned and walked towards the back room. "I'm going to go and lay Daxter down."
Torn elbowed the hybrid hard in the side and shot him a glare. Ezra grunted and glared back. "What the hell was that for?" He hissed. "Apologize now or I'll tie your tail in a knot." The Commander growled back. Ezra looked as though he had been slapped. Him? Apologize? Never.
'Now.' Torn mouthed when Tess returned. Their staring contest went on for a few moments longer before Ezra finally relented.
"Look, I want to…apologize for earlier." Ezra forced out. "I shouldn't have snapped." He glared at Torn out of the corner of his eye only to see the Commander smirking at him.
"Oh, that's ok." Tess said with a smile. "Now, is there anything I can get for you two?"
They were interrupted when a voice called from the saloon's door. "Hey Tess, is Dax around?" It was Jak.
"He's sleeping in the back room." She said from behind the bar.
"Let me guess." He said with a smirk. "A hangover?"
"Actually, no." Tess answered setting a few glasses on the counter.
Jak's eyebrows shot up. "Well that's a surprise."
"You want something to drink?" The blond asked pouring some liquid into the glasses and passed them to Torn and Ezra.
Jak shook his head. "Maybe later, I have to run a couple of errands for Ashelin." He said as he glanced over in Torn's direction. "Which I wondering, Torn, why you aren't doing them and I am?"
"Hey, I've got my hands full just trying to keep him out of trouble." Torn said motioning to the redhead and taking a sip from his glass. Ezra only snickered at the remark.
Jak hadn't given the man next to Torn much notice, but now that he did he wasn't all that happy the this guy looked a lot a like a certain racer. "And…who the hell are you?"
Ezra turned to face the boy, sensing the hostility in his voice. "Oh, is this how we greet people now? By biting their heads off?"
"Maybe if it wasn't for the fact that you strongly resemble the jerk that went and kill himself after losing the class one race, I wouldn't be biting your head off."
Ezra's ears flattened back and his tail tightened around the legs of the bar stool causing the metal to groan under the sudden pressure. "He's not dead!" He hissed.
"Oh, okay. So, splattering yourself all over the race track isn't dead?" Jak smirked when he heard an irritated growl from the hybrid.
"Watch yourself boy!"
Jak's eyes narrowed, he hated when Erol called him boy and he wasn't too pleased that this 'look-alike' was calling him it too. "What are you going to do about it?"
Torn shook his head and let it fall into his hand. 'For the love of Mar Jak, please don't get him going again.' He thought, dreading the fact that he was probably going to have to break up another fight.
Ezra snarled at the blond and stood, glowering down at him the whole time. "Keep degrading my brother and I'll put your fucking head through a wall."
"Brother huh?" Jak smirked mockingly, ignored the threat, and looked Ezra up and down. "What happen, you get sewer duty when Erol got…" Jak gasped suddenly as his air supply was cut off when Ezra closed his hand around his throat. "That was your last chance." Ezra growled pulling Jak closer as he clawed at the hybrid's arm trying to relieve the strain on his neck.
"Whoa!" Torn stood and grabbed Ezra's arm, shooing Tess from the room at the same time. "Please let's not start this again; Jak just had a bad run in with your brother and…"
"Bad run in my ass!" Jak scoffed. "That bastard tortured me for two years, for no reason!"
That did it. "You just dug your own grave boy!" Ezra hissed, shoving Torn out of the way and stormed towards the door, dragging a struggling Jak along with him.
Moments later Jak was sent flying out the door and into the street, civvies jumping out of the way as he tumbled and slid to a stop in front of the Ottsel with a very pissed Ezra in pursuit.
Jak shook his head and looked up just in time to avoid getting Ezra's foot in his face. He rolled away before lunging in an attempt to tackle the hybrid while he recovered from his attack.
Ezra stumbled backwards, but didn't fall, when the boy threw his arms around his waist. He snarled and grabbed Jak by the collar of his tunic and slammed his knee into the teen's stomach, dislodging him from his person. And once again he threw Jak, this time sending him into the port's polluted water.
The hybrid snorted, ignoring the cries for help from the people who saw the fight, and approached the waters edge to wait for Jak to resurface. He peered into the murky water only to see a few small bubbles rising to the surface. Ezra cock his head to one side, the boy couldn't have drowned that fast. Suddenly the water began to bubble furiously almost as if it was boiling, and a purple light radiated from its depths. "What the fuck!" Ezra staggered back a few steps from waters edge as a pillar of water exploded upwards into the air with purple lightning swirling around it.
He watched as a white hand tipped with long black claws gripped edge of the cement wall, a second one soon joining it, but rather than the green-blond haired teen Ezra had just flung into the port, a silver haired white skinned monster pulled himself from the putrid water. Cold black eyes glared hatefully across the street at the hybrid, who was watching the White Demon with curiosity rather than fear.
Dark Jak stood to his full height, stretching and rolling his shoulders, bones popping and dark eco crackling along his body in response to the movement. "Let's try that again." He growled as he deepened his stance ready to tear into his opponent. But to his surprise, Ezra only grinned at him.
"Well that explains why you reek of dark eco." Ezra snickered then paused to sniff at the air. "Or maybe that's just the water."
Dark Jak snarled and charged at the hybrid, determined to rip the smirk off his face, and maybe tear his head off as well.
'That's it Ezra, piss him off!' Ezra thought as he took a step back and braced himself for the attack.
Jak collided seconds later with Ezra, the both of them snarling and clawing at one another as they hit the ground. Ezra sneered and coiled his tail around Dark Jak's neck before tugging sharply, pulling him backwards and slamming the boy's head into the concrete, drawing a grunt from him. The blow barely phased the younger elf and he began his counter attack just as the hybrid jump atop him and prepared to tear into him.
A ball of dark eco began to collect between their bodies causing Ezra to cease his attack and stare down at the steadily growing sphere of energy.
An animalistic screech tore from Ezra's throat as he was blown back when the dark eco erupted upwards, sending him flying down the street. He twisted in the air and landed hard on all fours, the pavement cracking under the force. Dark eco crackled along his body causing him to shudder. He hated that feeling. A low guttural growl grated in his throat as he looked back up the street to see Jak sprinting after him. But rather than attack and meet the boy halfway, Ezra waited, muscles tensed ready to lunge.
Dark got to his feet just in time to see Ezra land. A scowl crossed his face, he was displeased with the fact that the hybrid had landed on his feet unscathed. Dark growled and took off after Ezra, dark eco collecting in his hands.
Ezra then leapt, catching Jak by the face and forcing him to the ground. The urge to take the boy's throat in his jaws and shake him like a rabid crocadog would a piece of meat became overwhelming, and Ezra almost went through with it. Unfortunately Dark had other plans, and Ezra was force to rethink his plan of attack when the boy's fist connected with his jaw.
After striking the hybrid in the face, Dark began to repeatedly send surge after painful surge of dark eco into Ezra, causing him to cry out in pain, but doing little else. The hybrid took hold of one of Dark's horns and slammed his head into the ground trying to stop the dark warrior's assault, at the same time he remove his knife from its sheath. "You're gonna have to try harder than that boy!" He sneered and made to drive the blade into Dark's shoulder. Jak caught Ezra's wrist before the knife made contact, his other hand locked with the hybrid's.
"Oh come on! You're only delaying the inevitable." Ezra smirked pressing down harder on the knife.
Dark Jak only grinned in response before releasing Ezra's wrist, letting the blade fall.
'Fool!' Ezra thought to himself, his smirk becoming a feral grin. His joy was short lived however when he heard the all-to-familiar creak and snap of tempered steel as his knife shattered against Dark Jak's skin. 'What!?' His mind reeled at what just happened. Faltered and came eye to eye with Jak, his shocked expression reflected in the Dark Warrior's cold black eyes.
"That's so not right!" Ezra moaned before Jak slammed a ball of dark eco into the side of his head, sending him tumbling to one side.
Dark Jak pushed himself up from the ground, flicking a few shards of steel from his tunic as a triumphant grin spread across his pale face.
"Oh, that was real cute! Real fucking cute!" Ezra growled as he stood shakily and gave his head a quick twist to one side then the other, popping his neck. "Is there any other tricks you want to let me in on before we continue?" Dark answered by sending a shockwave of dark eco hurdling towards him. The wall of eco quickly overtook the hybrid before he could react, and he cried out when substance struck him.
Ezra fell to his knees, his arms wrapped tightly around himself, as the eco dissipated. He let his head rest against the ground as he coughed up a thick mixture of blood and dark eco as his body rejected the excess. He had done this more times than he'd like to remember while in prison when the Baron had overdosed him. If he believed in taking one's own life he would've ended it all years ago, but his damned foolish pride denied him that luxury.
Ezra's ears twitched when he heard Dark Jak's approaching foot steps. He watched the boy from the corner of eye, dark eco writhed up and down his arms and crackled along the ground as he moved closer. 'That's right, keep coming.' Ezra hissed to himself.
Dark Jak raised his right hand into the air, dark eco collecting in his palm. His grin widened as he readied to crush his opponent. But before he could follow through, Ezra's tail coiled around his left leg and jerked out from beneath him. At the same time the hybrid shot up from the ground, one hand grasping Jak's tunic the other griping his right wrist.
"You were better off keeping your distance." Ezra said as he pulled and twisted Dark Jak's arm, dislocating the limb from its socket. The Dark Warrior howled in pain and lashed out at the hybrid, cutting deep gouges into his face and whipping his head sharply to one side.
A slow hiss escaped Ezra's clenched teeth as warm dark metallic blood ran down his face. Slowly he turned his icy green gaze to the figure before him. He gripped Dark's uninjured arm in his left hand and gave the injured one a sharp twist. "Pathetic." Ezra hissed as he leaned in close, the scratches on his face now healing. "From the way Torn talked about you, I would've expected something better." He said as he began digging his nails into his captive's wrists, eco laced blood seeping from the wounds. "But I'll give you credit for the little light show that you just put on. You almost had me beat, but almost doesn't cut it."
Dark's left eye twitched slightly when Ezra's nails sank into his wrist. "You have no idea what you're dealing with." He threatened and winced again as the hybrid twisted his arm a little more.
"Oh, I think I do." He said. "You see, I was the Baron's first Dark Warrior, but seeing as I wouldn't behave like a good dog like I was supposed to, he locked me up and left me to die."
"Oh, poor baby!" Dark hissed sarcastically. The remark earned him a fist to the stomach and an elbow to his back when he doubled over, dropping him to one knee. He was jerked back up by his throat, the other's talons digging into his neck. He was then whipped around and smashed against the wall.
Dark pushed himself from the wall before suddenly clutching his head in pain and shuddered violently as he changed back to his original form.
Jak groaned and he collapsed to the ground, his dark eco had run out and now he was at the mercy of his opponent. He jumped a little when Ezra's boots came into view, the nearly 5 inch spike on the end of them staring him in the face. "What are you waiting for? Finish me off." Jak said when Ezra did nothing.
Ezra gave an amused snort before responding. "Now that's not very fair now is it?"
Jak looked up at the hybrid, eyeing him warily. "You fight fair?" Jak said in mock surprise.
Ezra's eye twitched in irritation, and he fought the urge to jam his boot spike into the boy's skull. "Ya know it wouldn't be that hard for me to rip your head off right now…"
"Then do it!" Jak interrupted, his eyes blazing defiantly.
"Keep that fucking attitude up and I will!" Ezra shot back, before he wheeled around and strode towards the Ottsel.
Jak gritted his teeth as he popped his arm back into place and slowly he stood; his whole body ached after being slammed around so much. He hated to admit it, but he would rather race Erol around the city a hundred times, than to get into another fight with Ezra. "So, you're not going to kill me for what I said about Erol?"
"Consider that your warning." Ezra called over his shoulder. "Besides." He shrugged. "You owe me a new knife."
"So, what are you going to do next time? Gut me?" Jak asked sarcastically as he limped after the hybrid.
"I was thinking maybe slitting your throat, but now that you mention that, it'd be more fun spilling your entrails all over the ground."
Jak looked about ready to lose his last meal. "Has anyone ever told you that you're sick?"
Ezra seemed thoughtful for a moment before shrugging. "No, I can't say anyone has."
"Well then let me be the first."
They were just about to enter the saloon when an irate Commander exited. For a brief moment relief washed over his face before the scowl returned. "I should kick both your asses for that stunt you just pulled." He barked. "If it wasn't for me, you two would've had half the guard after you."
"And we thank you for keeping them at bay." Ezra said, a grin pulling at the corners of his mouth.
"Don't get cocky with me." Torn warned. "Or else I'll neuter your sorry ass."
Ezra broke into a toothy fang filled grin, obviously not taking the threat seriously.
"Um…excuse me? Are you guys just going to stand around all day?" Jak asked as he felt a wave of dizziness wash over him.
Torn frowned when he noticed the way Jak held his left arm. "What the hell did you do to him?"
"Beat the shit out of him." Ezra said as he pushed past Torn.
"Are you insane!?" Torn said helping Jak inside.
"I wouldn't go so far as to say insane, just not all there." Came the retort.
"I'll say." Jak muttered.
"Hey Tess!?" Torn hollered.
The blond poked her head from the back room, a questioning look on her face.
"I need a couple of med packs; Jak got himself roughed up pretty good."
"What! You make it sound like this whole thing was my fault."
"It was your fault." Torn replied. "You provoked him."
Jak stared at the Commander incredulously. "You're taking his side?"
"No," Torn said helping Jak out of his tunic. "I'm just saying, if you're gonna pick a fight with Ezra you better be able to beat him."
Jak opened his mouth to reply but paused when an amused chuckle was heard from one of the rear booths where Ezra had taken a seat. Jak shot a glare over his shoulder at the hybrid who only grinned in return.
Tess returned a few moments later with some medical packs. "You gonna be ok?" She asked smiling and giving Jak's shoulder a pat.
"I'll live." He said returning the smile.
Ezra rolled his eyes at the gesture, and looked about ready to gag.
"Where did you find him?" Jak asked, glancing back at the hybrid.
Torn shook his head. "It's a long story."
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Author's Rant: Better, yes? If not, oh well. I'm not changing it again.