Chapter Four: Christina

Here it was. The second part of her dream. Floating amidst the never ending darkness. Suddenly, she began to fall faster and faster. Another light formed beneath her, this time blue. To her astonishment, instead of crashing into the light, she slowed down and softly landed on her back. When she stood up, a faint door appeared in front of her. Curiosity overwhelmed her, and she tried opening it. Her hand went right through it. What could open this door? Searching for some sort of key, another chill swept through her body. Not again! Instead of her own shadow, a larger and brighter figure emerged from the pitch black air, seizing her until she could breathe no longer…

"Agh!" she screamed, sitting up and looking around frantically for the shadow that grabbed her. "Damn, this has gone on long enough! I can't wait to get to Amorad. Maybe they'll know what to do…" Instead of going back to sleep, she stood and dusted off her back. Perhaps I should go back… "No, I can't. Not after I've gone this far. I won't give up! Amorad didn't!" Furiously stomping her foot in the ground, she marched on with no idea where she was going…

"Jak?" Keira peeked around the corner off his new apartment set aside for him by Ashlynn. She betrayed him. She just acted as if nothing happened. He had the heart to come and tell me… He spun around to his open door. "Oh," he said disappointingly, hoping that she hadn't been the one to knock on his door. "Jak, I just want to talk to you."

"Go ahead, talk." Aw, shit! Keira had never thought about what she was going to say. "I…uh. Hang on." She put her hand to the temple of her head and massaged it. Damn it. Now what? You look like a fool if front of him and you don't know what to say. Way to go… "Well?"

"I'm trying so hard, Jak! I don't know what to say. I guess sorry would be a good start…"

"Keira," he said as he stood up. "Me, too. I shouldn't have kissed Ashlynn either way it went." He planted a small kiss on her forehead. "But right now, I've got some business to attend to."

"What?"

"It's Jordan. She's all alone out there with no idea where she's going. I have to go back for her."

"Can I come?" She hugged his tightly around his waist and smiled innocently. "Keira, I don't want you to get hurt. This is something only Tess and I can do."

"What does Tess have to do with her?"

"Jordan won't listen to us much. Tess is the only one who truly understands what she's talking about."

"I'm coming no matter what you say!"

"Keir-…" He was cut off when Keira suddenly lifted up and kissed his lips. At first he was surprised, but he eventually loosened up. "Sure, you can go…"

"Grrrr!" Jordan kicked at the sand again. "That's the third time I've been past that rock! And that tree!" Lost in her own rage, she began to pound at the ground with her fists and her legs. "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid Wasteland!"

"What's your problem?" She jumped at least two feet into the air. Christina? Sure enough, there she was. Standing in the same slavery clothes that Jordan was wearing. Dropping her look of surprise, her mouth twisted into a sneer and her eyes glowed with hatred. "What do you want?" she barked, pulling her dagger from under the leg off her pants. "I want to go with you."

"Well, how'd you get out here in the first place?"

"Uh, through the door…" God, that's what I hate about her. She's such a smart ass! "No, you moron, why?"

"'Cause I felt like it." That's it. "TELL ME NOW OR YOUR THROAT IS AS GOOD AS MINE!" she screamed, taking aim at Christina's neck. She knew full well that Jordan would kill her if anyone wasn't around to watch, so she quickly swallowed hard. "I got kicked out, too!"

"Why?"

"First, let me start by saying that your friend isn't really dead…" Jordan leapt up into the air. "She isn't? What happened?"

"She was beat up pretty bad, but they stopped before they killed her and locked her up in Amorad. Like you, everyone else thought that she was dead, except me. I saw the whole thing. I even watched them throw her into the back of a Marauder buggy. That's why they through me out. I'm the only one who saw besides the slave drivers."

"Wow, I can't believe she's not dead. That's another good reason that I have to figure out where I'm going.

"Where are you going? And why were you throwing a hissy fit?"

"Long story short, I'm going to Amorad to meet Mar's daughter. I want to learn as much as I can so that I can be a great leader just like her mother and father. Then those slave drivers won't know what hit them!"

"Sooooo. Can I come with?"

"Sure, why not. You obviously don't have the skills to survive out here…"

"Hey!"

"Well, it's true! When's the last time you've ever fought anyone? Have you ever taken on six Haven City citizens? Have you ever went up against warriors of our own tribe? I think not."

"Fine then. I'll stop being mean to you if you teach me how to be a real Marauder."

"You're not a Marauder anymore, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Well, what are we then?"

"Hmmm, since I'm going to be a great leader with Tiffany as my first commander and you as my jester…" Christina glared at her. "I suppose we could make up our own tribe. But you've got to do exactly as I say."

"Okay, sounds fair. So what's your 'tribe,' going to be called?"

"I'll think about it. Now let's go." Christina nodded and walked behind her. FAR behind her.

"Oh yeah…" Christina's elvin ears perked up, answering in their own special way to Jordan's voice. "Do you know the way to Amorad?"

"Jak, are you sure she's out here?" Torn, Ashlynn, Keira, Daxter, and Tess sat beside Jak who was looking out the window and back to his locater over and over again. "Why don't we go back, we can find her easily back at Haven."

"Wait, I think I see her…" The rest crowded the window to see Jordan and a mysterious girl, both with their weapons drawn.

"Okay, Christina. Now focus. Where do you want to attack?"

"The leg or the chest."

"Great! Now, how will you do it?"

"Quickly and quietly!"

"Fantastic! Show me." Christina lifted her dagger up high and sighed. "How far do you want me to go?"

"Just enough to where your blade is touching me."

"Jak! She's about to attack her! Do something!"

"Hang on Jordan!" They swooped down from the sky only a few feet away from Jordan and Christina. "Jordan, who's-ACK!" Torn grabbed Christina and already put her in a headlock. "Get away from her!"

"Jak! Tess! Daxter!"

"It's okay, Jordan. We're here now. Get that girl into the train!"

"NO!" squealed Christina, kicking and flinging her arms around. "Jak, Tess, I'm glad you're here, but I was training her!"

"Oh…" Torn dropped Christina on the ground, who got up complaining and whining all the way. "Good God, Jordan. You have weird friends! And-IS THAT A RAT!" She pointed at Daxter. "Hmph! I beg to differ! I'm an Ottsel!"

"An Ottsel? What the hell is an Ottsel?" Jak leaned over in her ear and whispered the secret only the ones around her knew.

"You've got to be kidding me. Ottsels, Precursors?" Everyone nodded. "Damn, now that's screwed…"

"Jordan, we've come to help you on your way to Amorad."

"Really? Thanks! I had no idea where I was going!"

"No kidding. Amorad is that way!" Jak pointed in the opposite direction of where Jordan intended on going. "Oh…okay. I knew I was going around in circles." Torn yawned lazily and stretched. "Hey guys, me and Ashlynn are gonna' head back to Haven. Call us every once in a while to let us know how you're doin'." He and Ashlynn left in the train, leaving the others to get to Amorad on their own.

"Hey, Jordan…" She turned around smiling from ear to ear. "I found this on the way…" He reached behind his back and pulled out her map. "Hey, did you manage to find my leaper?"

"Yeah, we sent him back to Spargus. I suggest we go there and pick up a few before we head out for Amorad." Tess and Jordan frowned. "I can't go there. They'll kill me."

"Don't worry, the citizens are naturally rough."

"No, I mean it. They'll literally kill me. Remember, I was a Marauder. Speaking of which, Christina and I were thinking of names for this new Marauder tribe that I'm gonna' start when I rescue Tiffany."

"But, Jordan, I though she was dead!"

"So did I, but Christina saw the whole thing. She's in Amorad. All the more reason to go there." Tess jumped on her shoulder and Daxter jumped on Jak's.

Looking at her map, Jordan pointed at Spargus. "It's not far from here. I guess if I disguised myself…"

"Hey, what about me?" The whiny teenager put her hands on her hips. "I was a Marauder!"

"Not really. You never left the camp, you prep!"

"Slob!"

"Jerk!"

"Ah! You're so impossible!"

"Knock it off! Sheesh, if this desert doesn't kill us, you will!"

Jordan and Christina crossed their arms. "You can't tell us what to do!" Jak pulled out his Morph Gun. "I can't, but this can!"

"I'm bored. Jordan, sing for us," whined Christina. Jordan looked back. "How did you know that I sang?"

"I could hear you last night. That's how I found you." Tess shimmied up Jordan's leg until she reached her head. "Please, Jordan! Sing, sing!" Jak and Daxter came up from behind and caught her. "We won't let you go until you start singing!" She sighed and cleared her throat as they let her go. "It's a small world after all!"

"ANYTHING BUT THAT!"

"Okay, okay…"

Checkin' you out,
I'm gettin' to know you,
But this pain's so overwelming
And I'm tryin' so hard to make to make it through...

When I was standin' all alone,
You came walkin' into my life.

As the dawn rises higher,
I can see your lovely face.
And as the night climbs higher,
I turn into a small disgrace.
All I'm sayin' is hold me tight,
So I can make it through the night!
Just let me know
That I will be alright!