Chapter 7: Choose carefully or that choice might kill you
SPOILER (of Jak 3) IN my little 'response to reviewers'!!!!
This is like a conversational chapter, nothing to exciting happens...OO they have a lot to think about. Might be the longest chapter so far...but VERY important to the creation of the story line here.
They pick a side of the war which is not really a war yet... OO
Response to Reviewers:
MissEcoFreak the dark ottsel:: I know what you mean. It just there are those people who are like that, thats why I took my DBZ fanfiction on here, cause those people are evil little flamers when it comes to couples! (proud supporter of Goten/Marron.
Toboe's pup:: chap5 review: lol I know bad Ottsel eating dragon! ehehe I love Daxter!! and Yeah the Ice Queen is a bit crazy, she should chill but she's sick of being cold :D he he he (okay that was lame lol). Chap6 review: You know what I'm not quite sure if Jak is 'The Mar' with all the temples in stuff or if his dad just named him After Mar cause he knew he was going to be strong and stuff. Thats one thing they did not make clear in the game...but Ashelin said 'The great warrior mar?' so i'm not sure. Whiskers:: Well it's all a matter on how to look at Chasmin, Jak/Torn/Daxter think she's 'okay' cause they really have not seen her work. However Ashelin would think differently when debating if she's good or not. Whose worse Chasmin or The Dark King? Well Chasmin might have a small anger problem but the Dark King is very rude. But on who he is exactly, he used to be a friend of Chasmins. I would tell you more but it would ruin a major part in my story, (When Chasmin and Dark King meet face to face for the frist time in my story) I amused myself with the rug, it was funny to think of a flat furry thing with a head running after our guys....eheheh '
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"Dark King?" Ashelin asked in disbelief. Even though she did not want to believe Chasmin she saw with her own eyes that there was another castle in Haven city and it did look pretty dark and nasty to her. It just seamed hard to believe that these two strangers would appear in this city in one day and set up camp.
"Yes Governor Ashelin, if he is not stopped we shall all die..."
"Stopped? He has not even started anything, he just appeared!" Ashelin said a bit frustrated.
"How did you know who I am...?" Jak asked as Torn put his hand on Ashelins shoulder to give her a little bit of comfort.
"I know who you all are, Daxter, I know you where not born an Ottsel, and Torn, dear Torn the many dark things you hide behind your beautiful kind eyes," Chasmin said as she completely turned around and the guys were swept away by her just like Ashelin had been when she frist laid eyes on the Ice Queen. However Ashelin was getting pretty sick of her and her beauty.
"How can we be sure to trust you?" Torn asked, just because she knew who they were and a little about their past was no reason any of them should jump to the conclusion that she was the one they should be siding with.
"I have been cursed by the Dark King, cursed to live in this wretched snow for all entirety. I can't even remember the last time I looked upon the sun. I'm constantly cold and no way to get warm! I can't touch anyone with out turning them into a block of ice! Trust whom ever you want Commander Torn, but he is the one with the dark powers!" Chasmin said as she pointed out the window towards the castle. No one said anything as they all took in what Chasmin had said. Thats why here lips were blue and her skin so pale.
"To show you all that you have my utmost trust, I shall let you all go with out being punished for braking into my castle, disturbing a decoration and coming into my throne room with out an invitation or appointment," Chasmin said. Ashelin was about to say something about how this place was not hers and she had not right to turn it into this Castle, but Torn put his finger to her lip so she would not say a word. They needed to get out of here. "And Next time, just knock."
"I told you!" Daxter said but before anyone could comment on that a blue light surrounded the four of them and they disappeared out of Chasmins room as she looked towards the Dark castle and how the clouds above it were growing black instead of gray.
"Don't get to comfortable Tyon, I'll come for you soon...." Chasmin said as she held her hand up to the hole in her window as the ice started to form over it so she would not have to look at the sight of the Black castle any more.
The light around the four of them faded as they were standing down at the bottom of the castle and the draw bridge was opening up for them. Ashelin looked up the spiral stairs and wondered what Chasmin was up to. Her little sob story did not really have an effect on her. She really did not feel to sorry for her being cursed by the guy who was in the other Castle.
"Hey Jak the winds dead! We can go get Samos now!" Daxter said as he jumped off his shoulder and ran across the bridge to the other side. "There's still a lot of snow and all but the paths all clear!"
"Right!" Jak said as he ran over to Daxter. "You guys should head back to the Naughty Ottsel, I'm not going back until I have found Samos!"
"We could go with you!' Ashelin called after Jak.
"There's dragons running about watch your backs!" Daxter called out as Jak scooped him up and they were running off in the distance. Ashelin dropped her shoulders and Torn put a friendly hand on her back as they started walking in the direction of the Naughty Ottsel. Torn then took off his jacket and put it over Ashelins shoulders as she looked over at him.
"Wont you be cold?" She asked not really wanting to take his jacket if it meant he was going to freeze.
"After walking up all those stairs, I think my blood has warmed up a bit, your starting to turn blue like that lady was," Torn said and Ashelin looked away from him and slipped her arms into the jacket, before they went cold.
"I meant it when I said Thank you earlier, I really don't think she was going to let me leave on my own," Ashelin said as she looked back at the tallest part of the castle where Chasmin was sure to still be standing by that window. "Our personalities did not click, she wants my job, and well she did a pretty good job of taking it away from me."
"You mean as governor?"
"No more like Queen, I don't like her, I don't want her in Haven City," Ashelin said.
"What about that other guy, or the other castle more or less," Torn pointed out and they could bearly see it from where they were. But he was positive that when they got to the Naughty Ottsel they would be able to see it and all it's glory.
"I don't know he does not look any more welcoming then Chasmin did," Ashelin said as she unhooked her blaster pistol from her belt and tossed it t the ground. It was completely useless to her now. It had become completely frozen during the time she was locked in Chasmins chamber.
"Oh I wanted to apologize, for earlier if I upset you or anything," Torn said softly and Ashelin nodded.
"It was not your fault Torn, I was the one who back out of our date, you had a right to be mad," Ashelin said as she smiled up at him. "How about from now on, right from this moment we make a pact never to fight again!"
Ashelin extended her hand out to Torn and he kind of laughed and took her hand in his.
"Agreed, no more fighting," Torn said and with a small tug he pulled Ashelin into a hug and patted her back softly. A moment later the two were back on their walking towards the destination at hand.
It had been a long walk but neither of them looked so happy to see Tess as she was outside shoveling snow out of the door way to her bar. The butterfly was still fluttering around her as she tossed the snow over the side of the dock and down into the icy waters.
"Welcome back!" Tess called as she ran over to them. "Good to see your all right Ashelin!"
"Thank you Tess," Ashelin said as Tess walked over and opened the door for the both of them to head into the bar. The fire was growing small now but the room was warm, and they were both happy to feel the heat radiating from it.
Torn removed himself from the fire as he walked into the back room to look at Kiera. Lucca was re-wrapping Kiera's wounds as Ashelin came in the room after Torn. Not knowing what was back here, she did not even know Kiera had been hurt, besides Jak hitting her. Ashelin put her hand to her mouth trying not to gasp. This as also the frist time she had seen a casualty from the earthquake.
Ashelin walked over to Kieras side and now she felt more guilty then ever as she remember her pervious thought she had on how she wished Jak had hit her really hard. Her heart was heavy as she sat down on the stool Torn had put there earlier and looked at Kiera who simple looked horrid.
"I knew people were going to get hurt...but...I was not expecting thing..."Ashelin said as she put her hand on Kiera's. Torn kneeled down next to Ashelin and out his hand on top of hers.
"No one was really expecting it, it just happened," Torn said and Ashelins blood started to boil as she thought that maybe Chasmin was behind the earthquake. For the frist time the thoughts of people dying from that earthquake entered her mind. Its one of those things you really don't think about it tell you come face to face with it. "Did you find any internal bleeding Lucca?"
"From the looks of it, there is no life threatening damage, this girl was very lucky, she might be out for a few days however," Lucca responded as she finished wrapping the last of Kiera's wounds. "But if we don't get her a proper cast her bones might not grow back correctly."
"I don't know where we can find proper anything medical, the hospital is gone, typical for someone to take out a hospital, what a low blow..." Ashelin muttered and Torn looked at her.
"You think the hospital was a target, you think this was planned?" He asked.
"I'm not positive what I think, its just a feeling, it seams to covenant that it fell and it was our only one at that," Ashelin stated as Tess came in the back room as well. She put her shovel down over in the corner and took a seat near the dresser. She was still waiting for Daxter to come back.
After a few minutes later Tess stood up and went to the bar, sitting down on the ground had not improved any ones condition nor did it really help. She wanted to make herself useful so she thought she might as well fix everyone up something to eat, she had a feeling they were all a bit hungry but to worried to talk about it. She started making some sandwiches as the door came opened and Samos came walking in looking more green then ever. He was grumbling and muttering stuff as he walked past Tess and into the back room.
Jak and Daxter then came running into the Bar as well. Daxter got off at the bar to see Tess as Jak went into the back. Tess patted Daxter on the head, and when he looked at the sandwiches his stomach made a strange sound. Giggling Tess passed him a sandwich and he started munching down on it.
"She simply looks dreadful horrible how, why, how did this happen?" Samos asked as Torn and Ashelin had removed their hands from Kieras as Samos came in the room grumbling.
"I told you about a hundred times, it was the earthquake," Jak said repeating himself once again, but it seamed like Samos was ignoring him. "Can you do anything to help her?"
"I'm not exactly sure if I can," Samos said as Daxter came in the room and hoped onto the bed.
"Let me get this right, mighty wise old green man can't do a thing to help his own daughter?" Daxter said and Samos grunted at him as he walked over to the side of the bed where Lucca was sitting. He put his hand down on Kieras head.
Few hours later
The day disappeared into night as Torn had put some more wood by the fire. Samos had instructed everyone to leave the room so he could concentrate with out being distracted. Not even doctor Lucca was allowed to stay in the room with him.
Everyone was spread out around the bar as they sat and waited for some kind of news. Jak was sitting alone in the corner, Ashelin and Torn had taken one of the round tables in the center of the bar, Tess and Daxter were at the counter if anyone else wanted anything more to eat and drink. Lucca was standing near the closed door just in case Samos need her help.
"I hope everything is going well..." Ashelin said softy to Torn. Not really understanding why everyone was whispering. It was if they talked loudly that they would disturb Samos and Kiera would die. Torn leaned inward so he could speak softly back to her.
"I'm pretty sure it is," Torn said and he saw Ashelin glance over at Jak. Torn turned and looked at Jak he really should be sitting all alone definitely at a time like this. And he knew how Ashelin felt, he had agreed not to fight with her ever again. He closed his eyes and thought for a moment, he knew what the right thing to do was, but it did not feel to right at all. "Go to him Ashelin."
"Huh?" Ashelin asked a little shocked as she turned her attention back on Torn.
"Go talk to Jak," Torn said and Ashelin was still a little stunned.
"But-"
"Your mind will never be at rest unless you talk to him, one friend to another, go talk to him," Torn said, Ashelin was hesitant to move, had Torn real said that? But after a few seconds she got up and started to walk over at Jak. Torn was going to watch the whole conversation between Jak and Ashelin even though he would not be able to hear them. But his spying was interrupted as Lucca had sat down and taken Ashelins seat.
"Is she your girlfriend?" Lucca asked and Torn narrowed his eyes, he never wanted to see her ever again in his life, he really did not want to share how he felt about Ashelin to her either.
"No she's not, but whats it to you?" Torn asked as Lucca rolled her eyes at how cold he was being towards her. She brushed her blond hair behind her ear and leaned in slightly.
"Just checking on an old friend," She responded and Torn wanted to laugh, if he was not trying to be quite.
"Old friend, after what you did to me, and to Alex! How many lives have you ruined sence I last saw you?" Torn asked but his harsh reply was not going to scare Lucca away from the table.
"None if you must know, I have not been with anyone sence what happened to Alex. I never meant to hurt you Torn you need to understand that," Lucca said softly and more gently then before.
"A married woman looking for a younger man to screw around with, and you expect me to believe you never meant to hurt me!" Torn scolded, "I've heard more convincing lies before."
"I'm not lying, you always found the worst in me Torn, there is a good side as well," Lucca said in her defense but Torn simply would not hear it. He know he should have listened to her, after all he just told Ashelin to spill her guts to Jak. But Ashelin was not married, she was not even dating anyone. Jak was seeing someone however, but it was up to him how he dealt with Ashelins feelings.
"Come to me when Alex comes back to life, and maybe we can talk then," Torn said as he pushed his chair back and stood up. He was scared for Kiera, he was afraid on Jaks reaction towards Ashelin. He was a little uneasy on what Ashelin was going to tell Jak, he did not have a spot in his mind to worry about patching things up with Lucca.
"I'll tell you how Alex died!" Lucca said in a loud whisper. Torn stopped for a moment, he knew that Alex had killed himself but he never really found out how he done it. It was tempting to stay, but thats another thing he did not want to have hanging over his shoulder. He could not afford to mourn over Alex all over again.
Torn took this chance to leave the table and head over to Daxter and Tess. Maybe to get something to drink, he took a seat as the butterfly landed in front of him and started to move around as if it was dancing. Tess let out a small giggle as Daxter just glared at the bug as it moved around the table, it seamed like it was dancing the 'square dance'.
Ashelin had taken a seat across from Jak about the time Lucca had walked over to engage in a quite conversation with Torn. Ashelin however did not really notice that as her heart was starting to beat a little bit quicker then normal. Jak looked up at her as she gave him a reassuring smile that everything was going to be all right.
"I know Kiera will recover, and soon she will be back on her feet as if nothing had ever happened," Ashelin said still talking softly. Jak took in a deep breath as he leaned on the table towards her.
"Its not only that, we still have to deal with what I did to her, not just the earthquake. External wounds heal over time, internal wounds take a lot longer," Jak said and Ashelin wondered if it was really the time for her to tell him how she felt about that whole situation. However though it was the truth it just seamed so mean to say, expcially sence Kiera was fighting for her life. She had to tell him though, however she was going to reword it a little so it did not sound like she was a heartless bitch. Because she wasn't.
"We think about the ones we love a lot," Ashelin said still trying to find the right way to weave in how she felt. "We would do anything for them...to help them through anything...."
"I've known Kiera for a long time, she means so much to me," Jak said as he looked towards the closed door and wished with all his heart Samos would come out already. "....If she leaves me for good...."
"What if she did, what would you do?" Ashelin asked.
"Most likely leave Haven City for a while..., I could not bare to stay here with out Kiera on my side...."
"What if you found someone else to stand by your side?" Ashelin asked and now Jak stopped his own though processing and looked at Ashelin. He was kind of wondering where all these questions were coming from.
"No one can replace Kiera, I don't even want to try, or think about it. I would not be me, with out her. I can remember exactly how we fell in love, how I felt when I first saw her. When I was reunited with her here in Haven City. How stupid our fight about Errol was, and almost every other fight after that for that mater. Then I think about how she makes our bed in the morning, and I feelings I feel when I wake up to see her still sleeping...." Jak trailed off on his thoughts, mainly because he saw the smile on Ashelins face and the tears forming on the sides of her eyes. Jak was lost once again as he waited for Ashelin to say something.
"You must really love her, I mean real love, not that phony stuff in plays or advertisement, its amazing," Ashelin said, there was no need to tell Jak anything. It was already clear, even if Kiera left him, Torn had been right. There would never be a Jak and Ashelin, because even if she could always hold his hand, half of Jak would always belong to Kiera. So it would be Ashelin, Jak and Kiera.
"I do really love her...." Jak said and Ashelin got up from her seat and walked over to Jak. She leaned over and kissed him on his cheek. Jak looked at her in her eyes and she touched his cheek for a finally good bye as she turned and started walking over to the bar where Torn was now sitting.
Jak remained where he was still a little confused by Ashelins conversation with him. The only thing it really did was reassure him about his own feelings. He looked down at the table as he shut his eyes, waiting and wanting to hear the sound of the opening door.
Torn turned in the stool as he felt ackward about the smile Ashelin had on her face and the tears she was wiping out of her eyes. He knew Ashelin really well, but this was something brand new. He could not tell if Jak had let her down or accepted how she felt. It looked like a mixture of both.
Torn watched as Tess looked at Ashelins expression then over to her dancing butterfly and Daxter. She picked the both of them up and walked away from the counter. Daxter asked her what was going on but she reassured him that nothing to dermatic was going on. She carried them over to the table with Lucca and sat down. Daxter made a remark but Torn then tuned them out as his attention was now fully on Ashelin.
"Did you tell him?" Torn asked as Ashelin leaned on the bar counter.
"There was no need to," She said simply as she wiped the final set of tears out of her eyes,
"Why not, I thought you were going to let your mind rest in peace once and for all," Torn asked as Ashelin then slumped over and leaned against Torn. She looked up him and he kind of blushed a little.
"It is at rest, for once. But I did not have to tell him to get there, you were absolutely right and Jak made me understand that, I can't get everything I want, and Jak made me wonder that even if I got what I wanted, would it make me completely happy?" Ashelin explained to Torn and he nodded.
"Not to sound full of my self or anything, but when have I ever been wrong?" Torn said with a little laugh and it brighten Ashelins face up. "No but really, what do you want?"
Ashelin stopped for a moment as she though about his question as deeply as she could. The simple conclusion was not clear at all. She was not sure what she wanted in the future or tomorrow even, she just knew what she wanted at this moment.
"Right now, what I really want, is to stand here by your side, and pray for Kiera's healthy outcome," Ashelin said as she lifted her right arm and put it around Torns back and snuggled closer to him. Torn put his arm around her as well as he leaned his head on top of hers.
"I'll be here as long as you need me."
" Thats great, I've always wanted my own personal leaning post," Ashelin joked and they both let out a small fit of laughter as Ashelin turned and looked up at Torn once again. "I've been spilling my guts out to you, it's time for me to know more about you Mr. dark past!"
Ashelin punched Torn lightly in the side as he leaned forward a little and smiled as he shook his head. Obviously she was referring to what Chasmin had said earlier in the Ice castle. Though the two of them had been best friends for quite some time there were still a great deal of things Ashelin did not know about Torn, and well she wanted to.
"Lets start with some feelings, I'll have you know I've been pretty jealous lately," Torn said and Ashelin gasped in a joking way as if she was completely shocked. She was a little, but she was also messing around with Torn.
"You jealous of what?"
"Jak," Torn said and Ashelin fell silent. She then hugged Torn tightly and she did not need him to explain as the two of them stood quite a long time. The Bar had hushed once again as Daxter went over to keep Jak company and Tess went to see if there was anymore snow she needed to shoveled with the her aunts help.
"Torn, what other emotion are you feeling?" Ashelin asked softly but she kept her arms around him. That was an easy question to answer. Torn took his free hand and lifted Ashelins chin up so they could look each other in the eyes.
"I am in..." Before Torn could say 'love with you', the back door opened and Samos came walking out. He looked rather displeased, one reason why Torn had let go of Ashelin. She let of Torn as well as they all gathered around to hear the report from Samos.
Samos waited as Tess and Lucca rushed back inside the bar and huddled with the group. Jak stood in the front next to Torn and Daxter took his place on Jaks shoulder.
"Kiera will make it, she wont die or anything, but she needs serious bed rest," The whole room let out a grand sigh of relief and a bit of chatter started among the group until Samos put his hand in the air, telling them he had other news that was just as important to talk about. "As you all have noticed, there are two powerful forces in our city. When I was talking to Onin, she gave me some upsetting news."
"What kind...?" Jak asked for everyone.
"They are going to start a war with one another, Ice vrs dark, we can't be caught in the middle of it or Haven city will parish, forever this time," Samos said as he walked threw the crowd and out towards the middle of the bar. Ashelin stepped up this time, this news was upsetting to her.
"You mean, you want us to pick a side?" She asked.
"Yes, our weapons are no good against theirs, not only do we need to pick a side, we need their kind of weapons," Samos said, Jak and Daxter knew frist hand on what he was talking about when he said their weapons did not work on theirs.
"We need magic?" Torn asked as he thought about how the blaster had ho effect on the castle.
"If thats what you want to call it yes. And if we can get on the inside of one of these forces, we can gain the skills needed to insure the survival of Haven city," Samos said as he lead the group outside. They knew way as well, so they could look at both of the castles before they made their decision.
"We've only meet Chasmin, of the Ice castle, how could we possibly make a choice on who's side to pick when we no nothing about the two forces? It would be stupid to pick a side!" Ashelin said as they were standing out in the snow now. The snow had stopped falling but the clouds were still looming over their heads. And now that it was night time it was pretty damn dark out here. But the lights from both of the castles let them know where they were located.
"Thats right grandpa green," Daxter said then he turned and looked at the black Castle that seamed to have gotten a little bigger sence they had seen it threw Chasmins window. "But I don't want to go over there and chat with that guy!"
"We don't have time right now to meet with him even if we wanted to, do you think they are going to wait for us? we have a city to protect and in doing so we have to make a choice, and now!" Samos said a bit flustered, still worrying about Kiera he now had a whole city to worry about as well.
"I don't trust Chasmin though!" Ashelin said but it appeared everyone was leaning more towards helping the Ice Queen out instead of the Dark King.
"The guy who lives over there does not seam to be to friendly...." Tess pointed out, and from looks it appeared that way.
"Choose carefully or that choice might kill you," Samos said he was not to thrilled of the idea of walking into a castle with out knowing their backgrounds. But it was a risk they were going to have to take.
"Well we meet Chasmin, and she did not seam to have evil intentions, besides kicking Ashelin out of power," Torn said as he looked at both of the castles. "I think it would be dangerous to go against her, she knows all of us, and what if she knows all of our weakness now that we have been in her castle?"
"Torn has a point, were not sure what the other guy knows, he has not seen us yet, maybe he knows nothing about us, but she has..." Jak said and Ashelin was still against working with the Ice Queen. But she was not about to work against the people whom she did trust.
"Then I guess we have no choice but to side with her....I hope this choice...wont kill us...." Ashelin spoke and everyone nodded their head hoping they had made the right choice.
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A/N:: And the wars going to began! Okay I know I did not explain the war, or much in detail about Chasmins past or the Dark King Tyon's past either. But I kind of wanted you guys the readers to feel like the group, powerless, confused and have no idea who to trust and who not to :D Once they get their 'magical' weapons there will be a lot more fighting, killing...hurting and what not. As they do stuff for Chasmin. And more magical creatures will start to appear in greater numbers now that the snow storm is gone....What will be their magical weapons and will Kiera ever get out of bed?, and one character is changed forever...Chapter 8: A Face They Long Forgotten, of Unfortunate Fantasy is coming your way! :D
I LOVE ASHELIN AND TORN AS A COUPLE! BUAAHAHAHAHAA! :D ever sence the end of Jak 2...ah yes....Ashelin/Torn.... any ways...just to let you know cause, there will be more Ashelin/Torn goodness in the future, can't tell you how soon though X3