Jak II Chronicles

by Neo Yi

Yes, a Jak II fanfic adaptation, but do more then merely adapt it. But enhance it. The First in my Blue Curtain Trilogy. Special Director's Cut editiom. ALL CHAPTERS ARE NOW REVISED Finally.

26. The Last Stand

Jak II Chronicles
Part 3: The Future Awaits
Chapter 26: The Last Stand

"Ooh, my achin' back!" Daxter groaned, "Remind me to stop you the next time you wanna wake up an entire horde of Lurkers, Jak!"
"Well, it was the only way we could get this…Time Map, or so Samos said what it's called." Jak eyed the oval shaped orange/gold item.
"Can you believe those dumb animals thought that was some item to worship?" Daxter scoffed.
"Dumb Animal?" Jak repeated, "And what are you suppose to be?"
"Ha Ha." Daxter half closed his eyes, "Just for your info, you precursians are consider animals, too."
"Good point." Jak smiled, then he eyed the other piece he held, "And this…red gem thing…Samos said he had this item, but he had to hide it."
"Why?" Daxter asked.
"He never said, something about too powerful for the mere mortal to touch." Jak shrugged, "I'm not quite sure."

The two were sent on a quest to retrieve two items: Heart of Mar's Gem and the Time Map. The two only took a small week to retrieve them both as their exact locations weren't too far. The Time Map was a trinket the Lurkers had (Jak tried to ask them for it before ultimately having to nab it), while the Heart of Mar Gem was located inside a hole in a tree that Samos often prayed near inside the Forbidden Forest. Once the heroes returned, Samos quickly retrieved the item and got Kiera to work on it.

"Oh, I am nervous, confused, excited…all sorts of emotional." He told me. I nodded slowly. Jak felt the same way. He was curious as to where the crazy device could take them. He talked off it everyday.
"Maybe it'll take me to another part of the world." Jak once spoke to me, "Or maybe…it'll be a gateway into the world of the Precursors!" His voice grew dreamy.
"That'll be nice." Jak nodded, "I wonder…what is the world of Precursors like? Who are they really? Are they powerful deities? Did us precursians have any relations with them? I bet their world is beautiful."
"Yes, I'm sure." I slowly nodded.
"I always wanted to know what a Precursor looked like!" Jak gasped, filled with energy that I've never before witness in him, "I hope it is a Precursor World…I would be the first precursian to see it!"
"Yes, yes, I'm sure."
"Uncle…why are you so upset?" Jak asked, "You like it when I speak of the Precursors."
"Nothing, my boy." I smiled softly, "You should be going to bed, you have school tomorrow."
"I'm too excited to sleep." Jak clapped his hands together, "The machine that will take us is almost done…Oh…the possibilities."
"Hmmm."
"Uncle…I'm worried, you've been upset for so long now." Jak's smile turned into a frown, "Please tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing is wrong." I harshly spoke. I couldn't believe I spoke in that tone to the boy.
"Uncle…you said we shouldn't lie to each other." Jak was now completely frowning, "I never hide anything from you, why do you hide from me?"
"Don't QUESTION me!" I stood up from the chair I was sitting on. Jak gasped and flinched a little, "Nothing…NOTHING is wrong with me!"
"Un-Uncle…"
"Go to your room! STOP asking me these types of questions!" I shouted. Jak looked like he was going to cry. His face was red and he was flinching. I kept my angry appearance until Jak slowly left and went up to his room.
It was after he did leave that I suddenly realized what I did: I yelled at him. For the first time in my life…I was angry at him. Jak…he wasn't used to me yelling at him. What if he never wanted to speak to me again? What if I scarred him for life? What if…he would no longer trust me? What if?

Suddenly, I felt like I was living alone again.

………………

Haven Palace
Month 3: Marcina, Day 15 (Spring Time)
Year: 299 TOMH (Time of the Metal Heads)

"I understand…"
"What?" Ashelin turned to face Jak. Jak and Alexandros finished their talk and everyone was allowed in. She then went to get some tea made after explaining to them all on who Jak truly is. Naturally, most of them had the same reaction of shock and utter confusion. Jak was alone in his couch as the others stared down at him in different seating. He had himself holding his knees with his arms, the tip of his feet sticking out from the couch. Everyone kept staring at him. No words, no coughs, not even a blink. Jak didn't bother eyeing them anymore and just stared at the floor, thinking. He didn't answer Ashelin's "What?"
Alexandros finally came with a maid who brought in tea. She eyed Jak.
"Christof!" She spoke harshly. Jak snapped from his own thoughts and eyed her.
"Feet off the couch!" She snapped, "A proper prince has a respective method of sitting down." Jak, silently, sat his feet properly down on the ground.
"That's better." Alexandros was impressive. Despite this overwhelming throw of emotions, she kept a cool and calm head. Her time when she was ranging as Queen till now has earned her a reputation as a cold woman who doesn't flinch, no matter how devastating the situation was, "Now, drink your tea." she slid the small white cup decorated with pink and blue flowers to him.
"Come on, this is the teacup you always drink out of." Jak eyed the little thing filled with brown liquid, and then slowly took it. He smelt it and holding the cup with both hands, he slowly sipped it. Just like his time with his uncle.
"You've lost a lot of proper etiquette." Alexandros spoke, "When you sip tea, you hold the cup by the handles on one hand, the saucer on the other and-"
"Grandma!" Ashelin scoffed, "Please! This is an emotional time for all of us."
"Ashelin…it's…it's alright." Jak softly spoke. He gently placed his tea down, "…I…I missed it. Grandmother's little tips she always said to me and the others…" Jak closed his eyes, seemingly like he was envisioning what he just said. He had a very mystical tone. But then, to Daxter, his closest friend, it felt like Jak completely changed in front of him, physically and mentally. To him, he didn't know Jak: best friend of Sandover since they were kids, he saw…well, a total stranger.
"Jak, what did you understand?" Ashelin softly asked.
"…I understand now why my Uncle was so sad and angry during out last months together." Jak spoke in an eerie, yet calm voice, "I was going to leave him."
"Jak, Kiera's building a Rift Ride back home." Daxter stated, "You can always go back…after all, your younger self is ruling, not you."
"Don't you get it?" Jak raised his voice a little, yet retaining the gentleness, "My younger self IS going to Sandover. That's why I couldn't remember anything further back then. The first thing I remembered until now was seeing my Uncle for the first time. Now…I remember everything."
"What are you saying, Jak?" Daxter gasped.
"Daxter…I can't leave." Jak shook his head, "…I…I can't…this is my home. I belong here."
"Jak…" Daxter stood up, "Are you saying you're not coming home with me!" Daxter shouted.
"I can't." Jak shook his head.
"THAT'S A LOAD OF YAKOW!" Daxter screeched, "Royal or not, traditions of not, it's YOU who makes the choice, your heart, not the choices that's been established for ya! Don't give me this crap! You miss Sandover and I know you want to go back!"
"Jak…are you going to go back?" Ashelin asked, "After all this?"
"I…I don't know." Jak shook his head again, "…I need time to think." He started to leave.
"Wait, where are you going?" Ashelin cried.
"To the Weapon's Factory." Jak answered, "I have to go. I have to not only save myself, but everyone else." Everyone eyed him, all with a concerned face except the Queen who kept that cool face still.
"Wait, so…even with all this happening, you're just…gonna…go?" Daxter asked, "I thought I didn't know you when you turned all nasty! Then you started turning back to the Jak I knew…but it was cut off when you started to have freaky visions and stuff! NOW, you're the prince of freakin' Haven City!"
"Haven Kingdom!" Alexandros corrected.
"WHATEVER!" Daxter screamed, "Jak, I don't know you anymore! Heck! I don't think I should call you "Jak" anymore! I don't understand all this!"
"I understand if you don't want to come." Jak softly spoke, "I must feel like a total stranger to you. I feel many different emotions: confusion, sadness, frustration, but…I still have to do this. I don't know where I'm going to go when this is done, what I'm going to do when this is done, but I know going to the Weapon's Factory is a must." Everyone still stared at him. It's like they lost faith in him. Then Alexandros came to him.
"It's a bit nippy, so do be careful. You get sick very easily." She said, still in a cool voice, but a tinge felt a bit of concern towards him. Jak smiled slightly, but not much.
"Thank you." And he left the others. Silence befell on them all.
"Is something wrong, Ashelin?" Alexandros asked.
"…Feels like I'm…forgetting something." She answered.

…………………

Weapons Factory
Month 3: Marcina, Day 15 (Spring Time)
Year: 299 TOMH (Time of the Metal Heads)

Normally, Jak would have asked where the Weapon's Factory was, but right after he discovered he was the heir to the Haven throne, everything came back into his head. It's as if a sponge absorbed water nearby. Jak knew where the Weapon's Factory was. He was there before. He headed for the red cab in the port area. Once there, a KG guard was standing in front of it.

"I'm sorry, but this cab is off-limits." The KG guard said.
"Please, sir, I have to get on."
"Sorry, no one is allowed." The KG spoke, "The Baron ordered an issue that NO ONE is allowed in or out of the city." Jak groaned, then grabbed the KG and pushed him in the water.
"I HAVE to do this!" Jak cried to the KG who swam up until his head and arms showed up from the water, "For the good of us all!" Then he went inside and saw no one was inside the vehicle. Jak groaned, and then left the back seat, climbed into the front and stared up the machine. Jak gave a "yes" as the machine worked on him, then flew it off. He's never flown it before. It was different from a zoomer, so he had a bit of trouble, but he manage to reach the launch pad with little problem. Once out, he ran up a few rocky steps (literally) until he reached for the door in front of him. A metal door. Taking out the card Ashelin gave him, he opened the door and started to climb up to the top.

The entire place was messy, like an unkempt nuclear waste plant. The entire bottom floor was green liquid of mixed chemicals. Platforms and elevators were the only way to get across. No one has built in railings, so one mishap and you'd die a burning death. So, Jak kept nimble and swift as he slowly took caution when walking while disgusted over the unkempt nature of the entire place. KG guards were everywhere, so he had to sneak in. When that didn't work, his gun made short work of them. The main difference this time was that he left them more or less unconscious or stunned then killed. He couldn't bear to kill them…technically, they were his army. Jak continued his way up until he finally reached an elevator that would take him to the very top. Once inside it, Jak put his guns down and sighed.

Everything changed. Everyone close to him: friends, families, no one truly knew who he was. What would happen if he told Kiera? Vin? Sig? Torn? What if Erol woke up from his coma to find that his greatest rival was his cousin? What would he tell Praxis…his uncle? Jak groaned. The most important question he had was: Will he stay home, here, in Haven Kingdom…or go back to Sandover? If he went back to Sandover, he'd be around the people he was most familiar with. Face it…all the people in Haven, even his family, although familiar, felt like strangers to him. But if he left for Sandover, he'd be doing it for himself, and that would be selfish. He was the true heir, even if Ashelin could take over if he didn't. If he stayed in Haven Kingdom, he'd be stuck with "strangers". He'd never see his best friends Daxter and Kiera; he'd be stuck working as a prince with a possibility of little freedom.
Jak took another deep breath. He loved Sandover. He loved the beautiful and surreal village life, the simple life. He loved to play and explore, but he's true lineage crashed him back into reality. He still had some feelings that he must do his duty as prince. Such conflictions…which would it be? Should he leave his friends…his uncle? Or go back to what he thought was his true home?

The elevator reached its location and Jak was finally out. Jak notice he was outside on the roof of the Weapon's Factory. The clouds boomed and darkened and rain started to fall. He noticed a high beam in the middle housing a weapon. A round one, looked like a giant grenade. Jak slowly walked over to it. No sound, no nothing.
"…Kid?" He whispered. Jak eyed his pendent, "Where's the kid? Glow if he's near." Nothing. Jak sighed. Jak didn't move. Praxis was nowhere to be seen, neither was the kid. Something was up…

…………………

Haven Palace
Month 3: Marcina, Day 15 (Spring Time)
Year: 299 TOMH (Time of the Metal Heads)

"This is really…conflicting." Daxter sighed, "Conflicting indeed." The young Ottsel was still in the main living room chatting with the others. Ani was nowhere to be seen.
"This is like…last time…I yelled at him and ran off to the Ottsel colony." Daxter passionately spoke, "This time, Jak was the one who ran off…I'm just sitting here, wondering what I should do."
"I think we're all deciding that." Ashelin sighed.
"Jak is a whole new person for me." Daxter pointed out, "But you know, I know it can't be helped. He wasn't aware of who he was and he can't help being born as a prince."
"I don't think anyone of us was." The Queen sipped her tea, "The matter is, he's the one who is most affected and devastated by all this and look at this…he still knows he has to do something. He doesn't sit still."
"You make a point." Daxter had his arms crossed, "…Jak's done some stupid stuff before, more then enough to make me wanna leave him, but ya know what? I can't. I can't leave him! I don't care how dark he turns or if he is the true prince of whatever, in the end, he's still the same guy who saved my life from that lurker cave when we were kids, the same kid who offered me a hug when I needed to cry, the same guy who stood by with me no matter how much I was teased and insulted…in the end, I stuck with him no matter how much adventures we've been through. He's my first friend…my best friend." Daxter leaped off the chair he was on and raced on all four. He headed for the door, stared at the others and grin, "I'm gonna be there for him…how about you guys?" He left.

As Daxter ran on, he heard small tears from beyond. He stopped running and listened. The tears got louder as he walked until he reached a dark room. The sobs were unmistakable.
"Ani?"
"…D-Daxter?" She whispered between tears. Daxter wasn't good at seeing in the dark, but he sensed Ani was under the couch of this dark room. There, Daxter was nearly nose to nose with Ani.
"What's wrong? Why are you here? When did you get here? You're pretty quiet when you have to be."
"I'm sorry…all those images of the Metal Head attack from three years back brought back such painful memories to me." Ani sniffed, "And now, Jak left off and I feel even more upset."
"Why?"
"I was a puppy when I saw the Metal Heads…I was a young puppy only a few months old who saw my own mother killed. I was greatly wounded." Ani sniffed back some more, "I was a young puppy born and raised in the slum streets. When he was in hiding from Praxis…Master Christof…my Christof saved me and took me in. He hospitalized me and I've protected him since. And now, he might leave."
"Ani…"
"And not just little Christof…the older one…Jak…he might leave, too. Both masters might leave me. You'll leave, too."
"Ani…"
"My mother died…she left me." Ani sniffed, "I wish I was never found by him. I wish I had died on the streets with my injuries from the Metal Heads."
"Don't be like that!" Ani gasped as Daxter stood up, "Honestly, Ani, I'm kinda in the same situation as well, but Jak and Christof is still the same they've been since we've known them each respectively. They're our friends and family and frankly, no matter how much change is going on, he's my friend…I'm going to be there for him. You should be there for him as well." Ani was silent. The bumbling fool that was Daxter could be wise when he needed to be.
"We'll get through this together." Daxter grinned, "No matter where we go or what time we travel, it's never good-bye if you remember the love of friendship and other corny stuff like that."
"...I…I see." Ani slowly got out of the couch, "…I have to do something."
"I think we all do." Daxter smiled.

…………………

Weapons Factory
Month 3: Marcina, Day 15 (Spring Time)
Year: 299 TOMH (Time of the Metal Heads)

"Ahhh…."
Jak gasped and noticed something big floating down towards him: Krew.
"Jak…"
"Krew…where's Praxis? Where's the kid?" Jak cried. Krew laughed with a couple of snorts, ignoring Jak's question.
"I knew you were special when I first met you Jak, and I commend you for making it this far." The fat man gruffly grinned.
"I'm warning you, where the bloody hell are they?" Krew hovered around the middle of the roof, circling the machine.
"Not here…hasn't appeared, said he had to check up on something first." Krew shrugged.
"Damn…" Jak muttered.
"Awww, don't be upset, Bannon." Krew hovered quickly to Jak, grinning his unkempt teeth towards the young boy, "No hard feelings. Praxis knew you'd come, you know. He said I should…do away with you…but…we've come a long way, 'ey? Don't really know if I have the heart to destroy you."
"Yeah. I'm getting real teary-eyed." Jak growled, "Stop pulling this load of rubbish on me."
"Oh, my dear boy…you have so much more potential then Sig, you could be my right hand man instead of him." Krew hovered around him, "So much skills for someone so…young. In return, I could give you anything you desire."
"What?" Jak gasped, "Forget it! Something is wrong with you!" Krew kept circling him in silence.
"What is that thing?" Jak pointed.
"A weapon…" He giggled, almost like a schoolgirl which is bound to give anyone nightmares. He hovered over to the machine.
"I love weapons. I love how they look... how they feel... even how they smell…" Krew sighed.
"I think you need serious help." Jak commented.
"My favorite was the impossibly powerful weapon Mar built to blast open the Metal Head nest. Poor fool died before he could use it, ahh well. But I have a new favorite." Krew spread one of his arms out like he was presenting a grand prize, "The Piercer Bomb I've just completed. My masterpiece is powerful enough to crack open the Precursor Stone, and release the untold energy inside! As soon as the Baron shows up with the Stone, we'll hide it in the last shipment of eco and deliver it to the Metal Head nest. A surprise dessert, 'ey?"
"No…" Jak whispered, slowly shaking his head.
"Hee hee hmmm... Just take this gun upgrade and forget what you saw here." Krew threw a new gun holster for Jak.
"…This…is…is….this is the Peacemaker." Jak gasped.
"Yes, now do me a favor and just go home."
"What? Not this time, Krew! I'm through being your hired gun!"
"Then it's war, isn't it?" Krew hissed.
"There's definitely no use for you!"

Krew growled and launched himself towards Jak who dodged out of the way. Krew used his hovering machine and sent out little green versions of himself. Literally, there were 20 filling the entire area. Jak gasped as he ran off while quickly trying to put the upgrade to his morph gun. Once inside Jak started using the Blaster mode of his gun first. The little green Krews popped by their bullets. Krew sent more out. Jak shoot them some more, but the little ones were crowding around him. Jak knew he couldn't move anywhere except fall down. The little green ones crowded around him and the next thing Jak knew, he dropped his gun as the little ones started to squish and suffocate him. Jak tried to scream, but the little ones seem to pile into a giant one where Jak was trapped inside.

"Nobody can hear you scream in there, boy." Krew grinned, "You can't survive in their long, you'll suffocate in mere seconds." Jak could feel faint. He felt like he was getting unconscious again, only this time, he knew he would never wake up unless he did something. Every part of his body was starting to lose strength. It was like he was drowning inside the ocean, no one could rescue him now.
"YEEEEEEEEEEHAWWWWWWWWWWW!" Both Krew and Jak slowly opened their eyes. An orange blur came out of nowhere and started to gnaw on the green bubble like substance where Jak was trapped.
"D-Daxter?" Jak mumbled, even though his voice couldn't be heard.
"You stupid ottsel!" Krew screeched, "I should have turned you into a fur coat when I had the chance!" Daxter kept gnawing while Krew was about to dispatch more of his mini green self. He was stopped by a green blur.
"Ani?" Jak mouthed. Ani was on top of Krew, biting one of his ears.
"OWWW! OWW! ANIMALS! I HATE ANIMALS!" Krew screamed, "They're better off DEAD!" He grabbed the crocadog and flung her down. Jak cried a resounding, "no", but she merely got up again and continued to bite his flabby arm, continuing to distract Krew while Daxter finished bursting the Krew bubble.
"Hold on, Jak, I'll get you out!" Daxter groaned as he scratched and bit, "I won't let you die!" Jak slowly eyed Daxter.
"STAY AWAKE!" Daxter ordered. Jak was starting to lose it, but he tried.
"STAY…AWAKE!" Daxter screamed, "I WON'T LET YOU DIE! YOU'RE….MY….BEST…FRIEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNND!" The bubble pop and Jak was free. Both Jak and Daxter fell to the hard floor, both catching their breaths.
"J-Jak…" Daxter weakly smiled, "…That thing didn't exactly taste like gummies."
"D-Daxter." Jak smiled back, "You came."
"We're friends…Jak…friends always." Daxter tried to catch his breathe as he spoke, "Friends…no matter how much…has changed…we…always stick…together. I'm sorry for…yelling at you…earlier." Jak's smile brightened, then he eyed Ani running to them as Krew fell down and couldn't get up. Ani barked and licked Jak.
"Jak…we all came…because we're your friends. We'll never leave you." Daxter grinned as he slowly got up as did Jak. Jak then hugged both of his friends.
"…I'm sorry for all this mess…I never meant to get you all involved." Jak sincerely said.
"How touching…" Krew finally stood up and was hovering to them, "This time, I'll suffocate all four of you, ey?"
Ani and Daxter stood side by side in front of Jak. Jak stood up, morph gun in hand.
"Such a shame, you had potential." Krew grinned.
"Such a shame you had to give me something I can defeat you with." And with that, Jak quickly pulled the trigger on his gun and giant bolt of lightning came out, hitting Krew in his flabby belly, and sending him crashing to the middle where the weapon was.
"WOW, was that a…a…" Daxter gasped.
"A peacemaker." Jak grinned. The crash Krew made on the machine started to spark. Jak and the others slowly walked over to him where he was trying to grab something. It was the Heart of Mar gem. Krew had
it with him all this time. And of course, the greedy old man tried to grab for it. Krew eyed Jak and the others. Jak had a cocky face.
"Is it to late to give my notice?" Jak eyed over Krew like a powerful overlord.
"Yeah! We quit!" Daxter shouted with Ani barking in agreement.
"The city is already dead! I've sold you all out. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha…" Krew's laughter turned into coughs. The machine behind him started to gain more sparks until it became quite violent. The four backed away.
"Ahhh, Jak... I think maybe we should be anywhere else just about NOW!"
"We're not going to make it out in time!" Jak panicked.
"There's a way!" Daxter grinned, "ASHELIN!" In no time, Ashelin came aboard on a normal flying, KG vehicle.
"Ashelin!" Jak gasped.
"We're outta here!" She winked. The three quickly hitched a ride one.
"Oh, wait!" Jak left the vehicle, grabbed the Heart of Mar Gem, went back inside the flying vehicle, then it started to fly off.
"Ohhh well…" Krew muttered as he saw them leave. The sparks now turned into explosions and in mere minutes, the entire factory blew up.

"WHOA!" Daxter gasped.
"I never liked that place. Not good for the environment." Jak shook his head, "But no…father refused to listen to me when I told him to get rid of it." Jak eyed Daxter and Ani.
"It's great to be with you guys." Jak slowly spoke to them all.
"Jak…I've decided…no matter where you go, time or space or underground or in psycho bizzaro world, I don't care…I'll stick by you 100 percent." Daxter smiled.
"What if I decide to stay in Haven…your parents?" Jak asked.
"I think my parents will understand." Daxter smiled softly, "Besides, I'm sure they're sick and tired of always trying to protect me from bullies."
"Oh, of course not." Jak shook his head. Daxter smiled wider.
"Still…I know they would be proud of me for making the right decision." Daxter nodded, "They always tell me the heart will lead you to the right path."
"…I think Uncle will be, too." Jak softly spoke.
"What now?" Daxter asked.
"We have the Heart of Mar Gem…we need the Time Map next." Jak sighed, "Let's go back to the palace…maybe we can think of something there."
"What if Praxis is there?" Daxter gulped.
"He won't be, trust me." Ashelin nodded, "………Holy crap!"
"What?" everyone asked.
"NOW I remember what I forgot! I forgot to free Torn from the palace dungeon!" Ashelin gasped.

……………

Inside a dank, deep dungeon, one that looked ancient, as if it wasn't decorated for hundreds of years, in a caged cell, gripping onto the bars was Torn, embarrassed and exhausted.
"Why do I even bother sometimes with what I do?" He mumbled to himself, eyeing his cellmate who was as dirty as one man could be. He was dining on a rat he found. Torn muttered in disgust and more embarrassment.
To Be Continued…