Chapter 9: On Your Own

2 weeks later Afternoon

Jak moaned and clutched his head sitting up. He found himself in a 4-poster bed with a thick red blanket over him and crisp white sheets underneath that matched the pillow his head had been resting on. The room its self was a tanish cream color and had a window on the far side looking out into the city below. After noticing all this, Jak noticed that Daxter and Pecker where laying on the other half of the bed still asleep, there was also a girl with brown hair that dropped to her shoulder in the front and the gradually climbed to the nape of her neck in the back. She had dazzling green eyes and wore reddish orange metal head armor along with pieces of torn and wore brown cloth.

She smiled at him, "Glade to see you awake."

"Where... Where am I?" Jak asked still holding his head and pushing the cover off of him; he soon realized it was very cold in the room.

"The Wastelands." She replied, "Ketein should be in here soon."

Jak gave her a questioning look as the door opened and the girl stood up to meet the brown haired boy Ketein.

Ketein whispered something to the girl and she nodded and left. He then turned to Jak. "I see you and your friends are awake."

"Huh?" Jak asked looking beside him to see Daxter and Pecker sitting up as well looking dazed.

"So we made it to the city, eh?" Pecker asked being the first to regain his full senses back.

"The city?" Daxter asked looking around blankly, "Are you sure we aren't dead?"

"Of course rat boy." Pecker replied crossing his arms.

"You are Pecker... Onion's interpreter, correct?" Ketein asked eyeing the bird.

"The one and only. And my friends here are Jak and Daxter." He replied pointing to the two.

"And who are you?" Jak asked letting go of his head and shaking it.

"I am Ketein. An you are in Spartus." He said tossing a few items to Jak. "You will be aloud to stay and live here... But other than that you are on your own. If you want to make a name for yourself though..." He continued pausing. "There is a tournament being held in a few days, for those who feel the need to amuse themselves in such away. If you win you will have gained much respect from the people here. Pecker can tell you more about it, I'm sure." He then turned the doorknob, "Good luck," and was gone.

Jak stared at the door a moment more and then looked at the items that the boy had thrown to him. There was a brown leather canteen, a few clothes, an ammo upgrade, and a box of yellow ammo.

"Sheesh, what's with all the gun parts?" Daxter asked looking at the items, "Is this place really THAT dangerous?"

"From what I've heard..... Arrrrrrrrk! Yes." Pecker replied.

"Great. We finally get the Krimzon Guard off our back and don't have to worry about being shot at every where we go, and now we get thrown into a place where if you aren't good enough they'll kill you." Jak said shaking his head, how did he get himself into these messes? He flopped back down on the bed pulling the cover back over him and closed his eyes.

After a few minutes Jak sighed deeply and sat up again and slid out of the bed. He pulled on his boots that had been placed by the door and exited the room, Daxter hopping to his shoulder and Pecker soaring after them.

Ketein clicked his radio on walking down the hall towards Talon's home. "Damus."

There was a pause followed by a lot of static and a few gunshots.

"What is it?" His gruff voice came over the speaker.

"They are awake." Ketein replied depressing the button again to talk and then letting go of it waiting for a reply.

"Good. We'll see how they fair."

Ketein then replaced the radio and turned towards Talon's apartment and was about to knock of the door but paused. He could here he gently strumming her guitar and singing softly, she had a lovely voice, it was enchanting.

"The pain is almost to much

Yet I find that only I am to blame

Stretching for the light

But all ways falling short

Could it but just enough?"

After listening to that short bit, Ketein knocked and the strumming immediately stopped and Talon opened the door with the usual cold look in her eyes like she had never sung those words.