If you got this twice...I'm sorry...for some reason is not SHOWING the 5th chapter of this...you can get here by link...but it's not WITH the story...irks me...the story even SAYS it has 5 chapters, so WTF? Oh well...
THANK YOU TO THE 5 (5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) PEOPLE WHO COMMENTED ON CHAPTER 4!!! Wow…I went downhill fast…::laughs:: Oh well…I'm still typing!! WOOT!!!!
I am SO sorry it took so long. School, Gameboy, Manga, art, and work has interfered greatly in my will to sit down and type. Um okay….
WARNING…this chapter is CRAP! That's right….Grade-A Hooey!! ahem sorry…My brain fried halfway through the typing of this…so there might be some "Must-Hit-Myself-In-Face-With-Keyboard" moments…ignore them and leave…before you die!!!!
READ AND REVIEW PLEASE…reviews keep me somewhat sane!
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Crimson Vixen: I'm glad ya like Myr and Lanya…I wanna do a separate piece on them…hmm… ::huggles::
Cin-Min: Sorry for the Cliff Hangers…but hey…sometimes ya just need'em right!?
Demyrie I'm glad you like Myr and Lanya too! I'm So happy people have not hated them for being OC's. ::glomp:: you rule!
Jak and Dax Freak: I. Love. You. ::hugs::
CassieCats Read and See for all is revealed NEXT!! WOOT!
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Taming the Darkness – Chapter 5 – Cold Metal
Daxter groaned loudly as his eyes slid open, the dull acrid smell of metal and other unpleasant variables assaulted his sensitive nose. He wiggled himself slightly and felt the new cuffs on various parts of his body.
Unfortunately they weren't limited to just his ankles and wrists this time. He felt cold and biting metal wrapped over his knees so he couldn't bend them, felt the metal on his arms--cuffs over his wrists, elbows, and even what felt like a skeletal brace that pinned his shoulders down, dipped down across his neck, and snaked up to fit just over his chin.
He couldn't move any part of his body no matter how hard he tried. The best he could do was feebly clench and unclench his fists, nails scraping against the meal table.
There was only a single light glowing softly in the empty room, and Daxter's eyes desperately wanting to fix on it, to see it. But it was out of his immediate view, and his new bindings prevented him from turning his head.
His whole body hurt, his very skin was tingling. Not that nice tingling sensation, but that one you get after your leg started to wake up…that feeling you get just as the numbness fades and the pins and needles set in. Daxter groaned when the air around him seemed to drop a few degrees. He no longer had fur to help keep him warm.
He didn't have any fur.
Despite his rather pitiful situation, Daxter felt himself smile. The dull, metallic surroundings around him didn't seem so threatening in that moment as his mind fully registered what had happened with that Dark Sage.
I'm back to normal.
He didn't remember much after he had watched Myr and Lanya practically carried out. He remembered Erol's eyes on him, that cruel and leering gaze that stripped you of all comforts and made you feel like a scared child. He remembered those hazel eyes leering down at him, thin lips moving, saying something—but all Dax heard was a faint buzzing noise as the edges of his vision bled into blackness.
Then he awoke here.
Where was here anyway?
It looked similar to the room he was in, but he was sure that the table hadn't been this big last time.
Daxter tried to shift, absentmindedly trying to remove the numbness in his ass and lower back.
He had no idea how long he'd been out of it, and later he'd realize he had no clue how long he'd been awake—just staring blankly up at what he suspected would be the main instrument of his inevitable torture.
Oh, yes. Daxter had given up on his earlier futile hopes of being rescued before he had to endure any of the dark eco injections. He was a master of lying to himself when things got bad. So long as he psyched himself up enough he could take on a herd of charging metal heads…mind you, that was usually when Jak was with him anyway. But this…he couldn't lie to himself about this one.
He just wished that someone would come for him.
He knew that no matter what, he'd hold out for as long as he could and pray that he was rescued before he and his sanity snapped like frail twigs.
Daxter suddenly felt a solid cold lump settle in the pit of his stomach as the door to his cell slid open with a deep hiss. Cold air circled the room, causing goose bumps to appear all across his bare skin.
Muffled, booted footfalls echoed against the metal walls as someone came striding in. Daxter felt himself shiver uncontrollably.
"So," chuckled a soft voice, right next to his ear. Daxter jumped and strained desperately to see who it was that was speaking to him, even though the cold ice in his gut told him exactly who it was. "It seems as though our little Science Project has decided to wake up." A flash of red caught his eyes as the voice sent a rather foreboding feeling deep inside of him.
Erol chuckled and moved out of his line of sight.
"G-go fu-fuck yerself." Daxter growled out, trying to sound much more in control than he actually was. He was rewarded by a rather uncomfortable silence, and the sudden terror of not being able to see what Erol was doing out of sight settled over him.
Luckily, it seemed as though Erol was in a forgiving mood, if he ever had a mood like that, as he bypassed Dax's snappish remark and continued with another deep chuckle.
Daxter almost gasped when he felt an ungloved and cold hand gently brush over his cheek, his eyes darting to see Erol leering down at him. "You happened to have missed our dear Baron's visit while you were out—"
"I weep bitterly for my loss." Daxter snarled, trying his best to shake his head so Erol's hand would leave his cheek. The hand only pressed harder, Erol's fingers trailing down his jaw to the metal brace that held his chin.
"Have you ever heard the expression, 'It is unwise to have bad blood between you and your executioner'?" Daxter scoffed and opened his mouth to say something, anything to piss him off, anything to keep his own mind off the inevitable. But before a word could even be spoken, he was viciously cut off. The hand left his cheek and in a blur of tanned skin and red, fingers and knuckles bit into the soft cheek that the offending hand had been on earlier.
Daxter's eyes widened, his overbite coming painfully down on his quivering lower lip as he bit back a pained mewl. He couldn't turn to hide his embarrassment, so Erol gazed down almost happily at the flush that spread out over Daxter's cheeks.
Erol absentmindedly wiped his hand on the front of his trousers. He was wearing the normal deep crimson of the Krimzon Guards, but instead of his racing suit and armor, he had on a tight fitting red tunic, gold stripes still lining the sides and draping over his shoulder where the Precursor alphabet spelled out "Commander". The tunic was long, split up each side and fell to his knees, but was tight enough around the middle that he did not need a belt at the waist. Matching crimson slacks were tucked into black boots and, surprisingly, his racing mask was no where to be seen.
Erol busied himself for a moment, walking away from the table and leaving a brooding Daxter to fume silently. Time seemed to pass slowly as Daxter tried to keep from going insane. He didn't know what to expect and dreaded the moment when Erol would come back in view.
He felt a cold draft travel through the cold room and felt himself shudder again. He was pretty much naked save for a thin sheet draped over his hips, held down by steel balls and wire like the ones used to hold the sheets on the cadavers in the morgues.
He didn't have much time to dwell on his lack of clothes before Erol reappeared beside the table and began circling it like a vulture. Daxter stayed quite. It was a long moment before Erol finally stopped and leaned over Daxter, so close Daxter had no choice but to look at him.
"Don't look so afraid! This won't hurt…Much." Erol laughed, leaning back slightly and holding up a rather large syringe, the needle itself a hands length, filled with a violent black and purple substance. Daxter's eyes widened.
Jak…oh great fucking sages, Jak…please don't leave me here!!
-----
"Why are we still here!?! We need to go get Daxter back NOW!!" Jak nearly screamed as he impatiently paced the floors of the Underground. "W-we need to leave NOW!!" Jak's hand came crashing down on Torn's table causing both Torn and Myr to jump slightly.
"There's no need to rush in blindly Jak, you know that! It could put Daxter in more danger than he's already in!!" Jak whirled around glaring.
"It's not like you really care anyway, Torn! I swear to the gods—I'm going. I can't stand just sitting around here while my best friend is tortured!" Jak twisted on his heels, not hearing Torn's objections and made his way to the door. He had just reached the door, the stone slab sliding up, and he pushed his way outside…only to run into a rather hard object. Groaning lightly after he caught his balance, he glared up to whoever he had run into, ready to bite their head off, only to see Myr peering calmly down at him.
"You were going somewhere?"
Jak's mouth opened and closed a few times in confusion before he finally shut it completely, not having anything to say. How had Myr gotten outside without having to have passed right by Jak?
"Get back inside please. We're not going until tomorrow."
"Who the hell are you to tell me what to do!?" Jak snapped, finding his tongue and lashing out.
In an instant and a blur of pale colors, Jak found himself pinned against the wall next to the Underground's entrance, Myr mere inches from his face, fangs bared. "You will NOT leave. I don't care how much you care for your friend, but I will NOT let you endanger him unnecessarily!" Jak let out a growl and pushed against Myr's hands which were twisted in his tunic. "When Lanya and I escaped, that whole fucking palace was on high alert; every Krimzon Guard in running distance swarming through the back hallways and looking for any and ALL things out of the ordinary!!"
"I-I…" Jak mumbled pushing harder against him, not really liking how true Myr's words were ringing. He knew it was stupid, but Daxter was in there…all alone…in pain…he'd take on anything to get him back. Jak was slightly surprised when Myr's fingers loosened their grip and Jak slid to the ground, his knees giving out under his weight and his hands reaching up to scrub at his face.
He felt Myr kneel across from him, his pale hand coming to rest on his shoulder. "I know you want to get him, I know you don't like the idea of him staying there longer than possible…but I guarantee you that they'll have kept him alive. He will be alive and we will do our damnedest to get to him tomorrow. Just…just rest and get your strength up. You'll need it." Jak watched Myr stand up, and watched as the Sage who had pinned him to a wall without a problem extended a manicured hand to Jak.
Jak took the offered hand and was pulled to his feet.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow we'll be there Dax. Just hold on till then.
-----
When you're trying not to focus on something, all your mind wants to do is bring it up and twist it around in your mind, not letting it disappear for even the briefest of moments.
The pain had been excruciating. It had been a reasonably short "session" and after his body had been wracked with the initial doses of dark eco, he was moved to a different room, probably his original room, and strapped down with the conventional straps.
As morbid and disgusting as it was, Daxter understood why he had been so heavily bound, unable to move even his head.
As Erol had held up that awful syringe, he had laughed and for a moment as he put the syringe back on the table; Daxter had thought it had been some sick sort of joke.
He had been very wrong.
Erol had then picked up a set of 3 long tubes, each with long needles on the end. With the sickening ease of too much practice, Erol slid a needle into each of Daxter's arms, just at the inner crook of his elbow, and one just slightly under the skin of his neck. That was the main one. If Daxter had thrashed, which he tried to do, the needle would have fatally sliced his artery…causing him to bleed to death.
But he was unable to do that.
After the needles had been inserted, the tubes were led up to an IV bag that held a swirling mix of purple and cloudy blue.
Diluted dark eco.
The eco began to drip down the IV, down to the needles, into Daxter's vein and into his blood stream.
There was a moment of numb shock—kind of like when you turn the tap on as hot it will go and briefly run you hand through. There's that moment where you're surprised it actually feels cold, not painful, until the scalding heat catches up, turning your skin red and bringing tears to your eyes.
That's all Daxter could feel. For the briefest moments it was a horrible and nauseating chill that was followed by white hot pain. And this wasn't even pure eco!! Daxter groaned, feeling the vile substance course through his veins.
As if this wasn't bad enough, along with the ever present gaze of Erol, the commander finally picked up the large syringe. Daxter was thankful when the IV drip stopped, the burning in his veins still pulsing with every beat of his heart, but slowly dying away. But in that same moment, terror gripped him as the deviated IV tube had the end of the syringe pressed to it, and in a second, Erol had begun sending pure dark eco through.
This was worse. So much worse.
Daxter let out a choked scream, his back desperately trying to arch, his arms pulling against the metal, his entire body shuddering violently from the searing pain that now raced through his very veins. He let out another scream, angry and pained tears stinging his eyes.
That's all there was for the longest time. There was nothing but pain…and laughing…a mad, humored laugh that ran in his ears, no where near deafened by his own screams.
And that was all he heard before his vision blackened once again and he fell into a fevered unconsciousness.
-----
And that's how he got here, in the smaller room he had originally started off in, more insane instruments for the sessions laid out so he could see them.
As far as he knew, they would just leave him here until Erol got bored enough and came back to continue. I bet he liked to kick puppies when he was a kid. Daxter bitterly thought as he tried to silently assess the damage to his body.
He could see a small dribble of dried blood on each of his arms where the needles had been, dark bruises blossoming under the cracking blood, and was sure there was a similar one on his neck. The long white sheet was still draped haphazardly over his hips, and even for this thin bit of cloth he was thankful. His entire body ached and something tingled unpleasantly in the back of his mind that made him dread closing his eyes. His stomach growled softly and he was suddenly aware of how hungry he was. He was sure he hadn't eaten in two or three days, but he had no way of actually knowing.
Daxter groaned and twisted on the table for a moment before letting out frustrated growl. Why do they even want me? He screwed his eyes shut against the dim light of the room and felt that annoying tingling sensation explode almost painfully. His eyes snapped open, his heart jumping up into his throat and beating loudly in his ears.
What the hell was that!? He tried to forget the unwelcome feeling that still lingered, making his heart pound and his stomach to sink. The room suddenly felt very cold.
He would just have to hold out…The room dropped a few more degrees and Daxter began to worry. What was going on? The tingling sensation began to grow and Daxter felt the sickening feeling spread over his body and then retreated to pool in his chest…just like the eco had when Myr was changing him…
Daxter gulped when the familiar stirring started again.
A shadow that had been buried deep within him, feeding off the dark eco that he was once so much a part of. Daxter whimpered as he felt it stir again, this time making him feel very uncomfortable. He screwed his eyes shut from the awful feeling, twisting slightly, and was rewarded with something akin to a laugh…a laugh that did not come from anywhere else but the very back of his consciousness. He opened his eyes once again, praying the dim light was enough to shut up this new voice.
What is going on!? What is this thing I'm feeling? Daxter shivered. "Oh gods…What's happening to me?
--
Lanya smiled to herself as she and the two guys made their way quickly to the front of the palace. Through the back alleys and the side streets, it didn't take them long to reach the stairs of the palace.
"Now Lanya…are you sure you'll be alright here for a while." Myr asked softly as all three stood out of sight from the general population.
"I'll have to be won't I?" She laughed and straightened her long t-shirt.
To keep the two sages from standing out too much, they had opted for wearing clothes that were more…common. Myr had one of Jak's blue tunics on (without the straps, eco-ring, and armor) but on his long arms, the sleeves only reached halfway down, and the fingerless black gloves he was given were folded down. He had kept on his black pants and boots and doubled up his braid so it was no quite as long.
Lanya had borrowed a flowing, gauzy shirt from Tess and a long pair of flared white slacks that were covered in an array of belts and buckles. The shirt hung off her dark shoulders, the light green standing out nicely, and when the light hit it you could almost see through it. No wonder Tess liked it. Lanya was also carrying something that looked like an old woven mat, the colors contrasting brightly with each other.
"Now, you remember what to do?" Myr raised a thin eyebrow, aware that Lanya could not see the action, but could feel it.
Lanya smiled, shifted the mat in her arms and reached up to give Myr a playful slap. "Stop treating me like a child Myr. I know what to do. Wait for your communication and provide a helpful distraction. Got it."
Myr smiled and kissed her forehead. "Alright, Love. Stay safe."
Jak, who had been lookout for the moment, turned to Myr and grabbed his arm. "C'mon…there're no guards. Let's grab a zoomer and head over to the elevator." Myr nodded, and with an extra shove from Lanya, took off after Jak to look for a zoomer.
Lanya turned to the steps of the palace and slowly made her way to the very end of the step's massive railing. She unfurled her mat in front of it, pulled out the hidden shawl, wrapped herself in the long thin material and sat down on her mat in the ancient Lotus Position. Placing her hands on her relaxed knees, she began to meditate, her opened but unseeing eyes staring off over the buildings.
--
They were almost to the elevator when one of the massive view screens that were littered through the city flickered to life, showing Praxis' ugly face to the whole of Haven.
Jak and Myr stopped out of morbid curiosity.
"Attention Haven City!" started the massive profile of Baron Praxis. "We are currently in possession of someone rather important to the fugitive known as Jak." The picture of Praxis shifted and he was staring more intently down at the world below. "We are keeping your ...ah heh heh…'friend' here in captivity. If you surrender yourself to the Krimzon guards, Jak, we will release him with no harm done …But if you refuse to surrender we WILL take drastic measures so that you have to live everyday knowing he is dieing slowly because of your lack of action." Jak growled and Myr snarled, scaring the random passersby slightly. "In the end, it is up to you Jak." And with that, the screen once again went back to its blank face.
Jak was too angry for words at the moment and took off without Myr towards the elevator. Myr had to run to catch up. He said nothing as they quickly made their way to the building that held their entrance.
--
Jak had nearly screamed when the elevator took MUCH longer than it had before. But when they reached the top and were able to step out and see across the entire city, and see the palace in plain sight, Jak calmed down a little.
Jak looked over the long, thick steel cable that connected their tower to the palace. It was laden with booby-traps and obstacles that would take a little maneuvering to get around.
Jak had not bothered to turn to look at Myr, but had jumped down to start across the cable.
He was surprised when, in mid jump, he was smartly snatched out of the air by a pair of long arms. He peered over his shoulder at Myr who had a very amused look on his face and was levitating forward slowly towards the palace.
"You really wanna take the long way over? Or should I carry you?"
Jak glared and turned back to face the palace. "If you weren't dangling me hundreds of feet in the air, I'd hit you." His glare appeared over his shoulder at Myr once more. "Hard."
Laughing louder Myr took off at a faster speed, Jak pressed against him, his own arms wrapped around the young man's chest. "I'm sure you would."
"Hey, why couldn't you just levitate up here? Why did you need the elevator?"
Myr chuckled. "Too much power to lift us both…plus I had no idea there was an entrance all the way up here!"
They continued in silence, the wind whipping their hair and clothes about.
--
The odd tingling feeling throughout Daxter's thin body had finally subsided enough so that he could close his eyes without worry.
He just lay there, absently thinking about things to think about to keep his mid from thinking too much about his predicament.
Letting out a small sigh, he shifted himself on the still chilly table, and hissed when his sore muscles screamed in protest. He wished that they would throw him in an actual cell like a normal prisoner. He was very tired of just lying here.
He had been in silence for so long, that when the door slid open with a hiss, he was very close to practically screaming. Breathing heavily he waited anxiously for whoever it was to come into view.
Sure enough, a shock of red caught his eye and he looked right into the empty hazel eyes of Erol once more.
Chuckling, Erol leaned against the table leering down at Daxter. "Nice nap?"
Something boiled inside of Daxter as he gazed up at Erol's leering and smug face. He couldn't wait for Jak to get here… "Ah yeah, great nap. Mind you, suddenly having to look up and see yer ugly mug makes me wanna take another trip to Nightmare-land." Erol's lopsided smile faltered for a minute before twitching back.
"I'm glad to see you've gotten some of your energy back." He pushed off the table and headed to one of the smaller tables off to the side. "Maybe you'll last a bit longer with the next session." He laughed. "But don't worry, eventually, if not soon, you're body will get so use to the amounts we'll be injecting, you'll stay conscious the entire time."
Daxter strained against the leather straps, glaring at Erol. "I don't plan on staying here that long."
"No?" Erol turned to face him, a rather long strip of thick leather in his hands.
"No."
"Well…I admire your hope—Even though it's a very useless emotion." He strode back over, and with one hand pushed Daxter's chest down and threw the strap over him, locking it down on each side. The strap stretched just over his chest with three metal-lined holes that formed a triangle just over his heart. "Now that your body has had the initial doses of dark eco, you're more than ready for the actual Sessions." His smile was sickening as he brought down the machine that hung over head. It was a very odd machine with cylinders and tubes running beneath the metal skeleton. The largest cylinders ended in needles, three to be exact. And as Erol brought the machine down lower, Daxter noticed that the three needles fit perfectly into the holes over his heart.
He gulped loudly and tried to twist away from needles, but it was no use.
"Ready?" Erol flipped a switch on the console next to them and then hit a large yellow button. The tubes and smaller cylinders began to rotate, to glow, and to hum. The dark eco filled needles just barely scratched the skin of his chest and he was suddenly aware that they were never even meant to break the skin.
It was controlled saturation.
Before Daxter could make a snappish reply to Erol's question, the electrified eco poured out of the needles, dancing over his skin like black fire and searing the three entry points.
The scream that was torn from Daxter was raw and hoarse…and to his horror he found that not even this pain, as Erol had mentioned earlier, was enough to knock him out.
--
The palace was not teeming with excess guards, but there seemed to be a bit more than usual. It didn't take Myr and Jak long to traverse down the winding hallways, Myr trying to remember where exactly Daxter had been stashed. The elevator they finally found took them straight to the floor that Myr remembered arriving at with Lanya.
Escaping the view of a few guards by hiding behind some rather large Krimzon Crates, they waited for a long moment until the coast was clear.
"I think it should be around the next bend." Myr whispered softly as the crept along the wall and disappeared behind a large console that was set up down the hallway next to them. Peeking from behind it, Jak was actually relieved to see a rather nice handful of guards patrolling the front of one rather ordinary door.
"That has to be where he's being kept." Jak hissed out and started out from behind the console, only to have Myr pull him roughly back.
Myr shook his head saying nothing and then pointed to the door again. Jak sunk lower behind the console when he saw Praxis make his way around the far corner and to the door with the guards. There were words exchanged, but nothing very intelligible, before the Baron disappeared into the room. Jak looked both anxious and hyped up. Myr could tell Jak wanted nothing more than to rush in, guns blazing. He sighed and put his hand on Jak's shoulder.
"Just hang in there Jak…I have to make contact with Lanya." Jak grumbled something angrily, but made no more moves towards the guards. He had come this far…and Daxter was so close…Jak turned away to watch as Myr hunkered down low, his eyes closed tightly and his mouth silently moving to form words that were never spoken.
Just a little while longer Daxter…Just wait a little while longer…
--
The pain had been so much worse than anything he had been through yet…though it was much shorter lived than the others. He was getting VERY tired of having to go through this, and the idea of being in here as long as Jak was made his skin crawl. He respected Jak before this, but now…Jak was God.
Daxter just lay there as Erol flitted around the room tearing off sheets of paper from random printers and going over them silently to himself. He wasn't doing this for long when the door hissed open again. Daxter was much too focused on lowering his heart rate and stopping the annoying buzzing in his ears to really care who just stalked in.
He wasn't surprised at all to see Praxis stroll by and stand next to a pensive Erol.
Erol smiled at the Baron and handed him the stack of papers he had just been rifling through and then pointed to a small machine next to Daxter's table that occasionally beeped.
This went on for about fifteen minutes, Baron and Erol both pouring over the sheets that held, after Daxter had picked out a few choice phrases, what seemed like his stats and progress.
And they both seemed happy about them. Daxter had hoped his scrawny hide was mucking up their experiments.
"I'm very pleased." He heard Praxis announce at one time, rather loudly, before dropping his voice a bit lower once again—as if Daxter really cared what they were saying.
Some more words were exchanged and Daxter's ears pricked when he heard Jak's name. Erol was glowering down at another folder that was not related to him. "He's actually doing much better at accepting the eco than that failed experiment Jak." Daxter bared his teeth, but found he could not open his mouth to speak. So much as a finger moved sent him into painful convulsions.
I think I'm going to throw up. Daxter thought pitifully. He saw more movement, and trying not to twist himself too much, he watched as Praxis moved away from Erol for a moment and started talking to someone through the communicator on his arm. Daxter had no idea what was being said…but he did notice it made Praxis almost happier than his little stats sheet.
It wasn't long before Praxis had slipped out of the room, disappearing from Daxter's and Erol's view.
"Well," Daxter jumped when Erol suddenly spoke to him, and found how much that simple action hurt. "It seems as though your boyfriend has decided to finally storm the fort." Erol's smug face peered down at him, getting uncomfortably close. "He is an idiot to think that Praxis will actually let you go if he surrenders." Erol laughed coldly in Daxters ear before moving to start the machine up again.
Daxter's eyes widened then brimmed with angry tears. Jak…no…
--
Jak and Myr watched as the door slid open and Praxis stalked out taking two of the six guards with him.
They waited another few minutes longer before deeming it safe to leave their hiding place.
The remaining guards fell quickly and quietly. Jak took out the two closest ones with two shots from his Vulcan and Myr was able to disarm and snap the necks of the others almost silently. They smiled at each other and Myr quickly picked up his two guards and threw them behind the console. He did the same with the other two as Jak leaned against the door listening for anything that could be dangerous.
"Let's go before someone else shows up!" Myr nodded and without a moment of hesitation, he hit the small panel on the door.
--
The door was opening again.
But he didn't care.
He was too busy trying to think of something, anything that would keep his mind off the pain and away from this dark reality.
-
Erol watched the small boy on the table and smiled. This boy was accepting the dark eco on levels even Jak was unable to achieve. They weren't seeing any outwardly physical results, but internally his cells were being saturated at a much higher level. He was very sure it was because of what that Dark Sage had done to him earlier…changing him and all.
Erol's eyes tore themselves away from the twitching body on the table to look up at the door as it slid open.
To his chagrin it was not Praxis who entered, but someone that he had no intention of ever seeing making it this far without being in cuffs.
Erol threw his clipboard down and took off towards him only to be tackled by someone he did not notice coming in with Jak.
Myr gripped his throat and slammed his head into the floor. "Bastard! That's for Lanya!!" Myr went to hit him, but was surprised with a vicious uppercut.
Jak ran in after Myr. He had never seen Myr this angry before.
He was practically livid.
But taking the sudden rumble as another distraction he turned and spotted a familiar table in the middle of the room, the dark eco injectors spinning in familiar and unwanted ways. But as Jak got closer, he noticed no orange fur or a thick tail, but human legs, human thighs. There was no Ottsel on that table.
His heart dropped. It's not him…it's not the right room.
"Myr I don't think we have the right—" Jak was suddenly cut off by a pained wail and was reminded that there was some poor soul who was being subjected to the injections. Jak sprinted to the panel on the table and slammed his fist down on the first button he saw. When that didn't stop the whirring and clicking behind him, he looked around for anything to stop it. He didn't want to start hitting buttons, he might make it worse. Finally giving up on finding a button labeled "STOP", he sunk to the ground and ripped off the metal facing of the panel and tore into the wires that were there. After a moment of sparks and flying embers, Jak peered up and saw the pale hand of whoever was on the table stop twitching, the sounds of the machine slowly dieing away to be replaced by heavy breathing and the scuffle across the room.
Jak couldn't help but feel completely worthless for a long moment. All this work and it wasn't even the right room.
There was a loud crash and Jak peered over the table and over the heaving chest of the prisoner to watch as Myr and Erol grappled. Myr had the upper hand and was wailing on Erol, claws and fists flying as the Dark Sage savagely beat the Commander of the Krimzon Guards. He stopped for a minute, sitting up and dragging a noncompliant Erol to his feet. Looking over his shoulder and straight into Jak's eyes he snarled. "Dammit boy! Get your friend off of that damn thing!"
Jak was confused. "Myr this isn't…"
"Jak?" came a low, hoarse voice beside him.
Jak's heart jumped hopefully as he slowly turned his head to peer into a set of crystal blue eyes he had not seen framed in anything but orange fur for more than three years. "D-Daxter?"
Daxter was back. His scarlet hair and golden roots, messy bangs, buck teeth, lanky build, and even the smattering of freckles across his cheeks were there. He looked like he did back before the Misty Island incident.
Daxter smiled softly at him, tears streaming down his face.
Jak practically jumped higher than the table getting up, and within a matter of moments, had undone ever buckle holding Daxter down. "Oh gods Daxter! I can't believe it!!" He reached over at the still rather weak looking Daxter and lifted him up, cradling him securely against his chest. "How the hell did this happen?"
"Explain later." Daxter groaned out loving the feeling of Jak's arms holding him up, supporting him. "I hurt…" Jak frowned and tuned to Myr.
"Myr we have to leave! NOW!"
Myr looked up from his perch on Erol's chest, his eyes glowing dangerously.
"Myr?" Jak took a step back, slightly worried about the man that was crouched before him. But the intensity in his eyes disappeared in a split second and Jak was looking at the normal Myr yet again.
Myr looked down at his blood splattered hands and frowned, then looked at the unconscious and badly beaten Erol beneath him. His eyes held no remorse though, only vengeance. But had he gone too far? Maybe he should just kill him and end it…
But before that was even feasibly possible, Jak had yelled for him again and took off towards the door. Dammit all! he mentally growled before pushing himself off the floor and sprinting after Jak, leaving the bloody form of Erol behind him.
--
It hadn't taken long at all to get out of the palace. It was much easier than sneaking in, even with the extra weight of Daxter.
Jak smiled to himself. Daxter…
The palace was soon teeming with guards, obviously having seen through whatever illusion Lanya had cast—of course, by then it was too late and the two rescuers had made it safely outside where they hid and waited patiently for a large four-seat zoomer. They still had to pick up Lanya.
Myr drove this time and Jak sat in the back holding Daxter to him as though the world would end if he didn't. They were all silent, even Daxter who had drifted in what seemed like an uncomfortable sleep.
Without stopping, Myr had scooped Lanya up into the zoomer and headed off towards the Underground.
Lanya smiled over her shoulder, her dreadlocks blowing in the breeze. "Happy now?"
Jak blinked, his eyes shining, and nodded. "I'm still really confused as to how this happened, though." Jak said, obviously meaning his friends transformation. Lanya looked confused for a moment then laughed.
"Myr! Great Sages, Myr, we never even told the boy what we did!" Lanya laughed, Myr blushed furiously, and Jak raised a confused eyebrow. "Dear Jak. Your friend's new form there was done by Myr. He changed him back…" She giggled. "Why didn't you tell him Myr!?"
Myr's blush spread. "I forgot to tell him honestly." He glowered from beneath his blush at the road and felt the flecks of dried blood on his face crack when he did. Lanya gently patted his shoulder.
"It was a better surprise then." She smiled and turned back around to face the front.
After a long moment, right before they reached their destination, Myr spoke up.
"Lanya dear…What exactly was the illusion you cast for the distraction?" Jak's ears twitched and he looked up from once again studying Daxter to look forward. Lanya's carefree giggle erupted again.
"Oh…you don't wanna know."
"Yeah we do."
"No. You don't"
"C'mon Lanya." Jak pressed. "Please?"
She laughed this time. "Nothing too extravagant: It was only an illusion of you Jak, and Myr, running around in your underwear kicking at the front doors of the palace." She smiled, pleased with herself.
-
And throughout Haven, in the late hours of the afternoon when the most common noises were the zoomers and the hustle and bustle of normal city life, there was an outraged and a near hysterical "WHAT!?" that rang through the city.
-TBC-
UM…end of CHAPTER 5!!!! Yay?
I'll try and do better with my updates…I promise…
Sorry if this sucked!!!!!!!!!!!